Chapter 341

Chapter 341

Johan was kneeling before a massive cross, praying.

“Grant blessings to all people, and by the glory of the Lord, please make this land bright with light.”

Behind him, a radiant cluster of light had settled, making him look sacred.

Holding the small cross hanging around his neck in his hand, Johan continued reciting the prayer.

He had prayed so fervently that his entire body was soaked in sweat.

Behind him, the believers watched Johan with eyes filled with madness.

‘To think he prays so passionately for us.’

‘Lord Johan is the savior God sent to us.’

‘I would gladly offer this one life for Lord Johan.’

To them, Johan was not merely a religious leader.

He was like the only savior they could believe in and rely on.

For the believers, offering their lives for such a Johan was the greatest honor imaginable.

For the past few months, Johan had shut himself inside the Church and done nothing but pray.

Normally, he would never have prayed for so long.

Dongdaemun had a mountain of unresolved problems, and the one who handled and decided all of them was Johan.

But everything changed several months ago after Neo Seoul—more precisely, City Hall—issued him a warning.

He did not know what secret agreement had been made between Zeon and City Hall, but City Hall had warned Johan.

It was a warning not to interfere with Zeon’s activities in any way.

At first, he had found it absurd.

It was the first time City Hall had sent him any sort of warning after Johan established his sanctuary in Dongdaemun.

The emotion that came next was anger.

He could not bear the thought that mere humans dared to give orders to him, the savior.

After anger came acceptance.

He accepted the reality that defying City Hall’s order was impossible.

After that, Johan shut himself inside the Church and prayed.

He was releasing the anger he held deep in his heart through prayer.

“Lord! Show this lost lamb the path he must walk.”

It was then.

As if answering his prayer, an intense light burst from the cross hanging on the wall.

The people inside the Church were shocked by the sudden, dazzling light.

“Ohhh! God has answered us.”

“God has answered Lord Johan’s prayer.”

At the sudden miracle unfolding before their eyes, the people fell to their knees and shed tears.

Johan, too, was just as surprised.

Even he had not expected light to flow from the cross at this exact moment.

He put on an even more devout expression and looked at the cross.

Even at that moment, the light pouring from the cross grew more intense.

It was so bright it seemed as though the sun had risen inside the Church, making it nearly impossible to open one’s eyes. But Johan kept his eyes half-open and stared at the light pouring from the cross.

Then someone’s voice reached Johan’s ears.

Whether it was truly the voice of God, or someone else’s voice, even Johan did not know. He simply listened.

A moment later, the light vanished as if it had never existed, and Johan rose to his feet.

Everyone’s gaze focused on Johan.

Johan lifted the cross and spoke loudly.

“Today, God spoke to me.”

“Ohhh!”

“He said He would take pity on you, who suffer upon the earth, and send us a Saintess.”

“A Saintess?”

“Does that mean our Church will have a Saintess?”

The people rejoiced, shedding tears.

Johan commanded them.

“The Saintess has already descended upon this land, so you must hurry and find her, then bring her here. With the Saintess, our Church shall prosper greatly.”

“We receive the Savior’s command.”

“We obey Lord Johan’s command.”

The voices of the fanatics echoed inside the Church.

It was the moment Dongdaemun, which had long held its breath, finally resumed its movement.

---

Knock, knock!

Zeon opened his eyes at the sound of someone knocking on the door from the morning.

He sensed no presence inside the house.

Only then did Zeon remember that he had sent Briel and Levin into the desert with Jetoya several days ago.

“Whew!”

Having no choice, he had to open the door himself.

After roughly putting on some clothes and opening the door, he saw Mandy.

“What is it this early in the morning?”

“I came because there’s something I need to tell you.”

“Is it urgent?”

“It’s related to you.”

“Whew! Come in.”

Zeon had no choice but to let Mandy into the house.

After looking around the house for a moment, Mandy’s eyes shone.

There was a map hanging on the wall of Zeon’s living room.

It was a map of Neo Seoul.

Red markers were placed across the map, and blue threads connected each point.

Mandy asked Zeon,

“Where did you get that map? And what are those marked points?”

“Did you come here to ask me questions?”

“Oh, right! That’s not it. I really came because there’s something I need to tell you. You know Dongdaemun, right?”

“Yes!”

Of course he did.

The group of fanatics threatening Shinchon was in Dongdaemun.

“Dongdaemun’s movements are unusual.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know the details either, but their movements suddenly became active three days ago.”

“In what way?”

“They’re sending Church members out in every direction. They seem to be searching for something.”

“Is that so?”

“What’s important is that the word ‘holy war’ came from the Church members’ mouths.”

“A holy war…….”

“You know what a holy war means in a Church, don’t you?”

Zeon frowned.

A war for God.

A holy war was something that could justify any atrocity under the pretext of acting for God.

For fanatics, it was the greatest cause of all.

Because it granted them an indulgence that declared every act they committed was for God.

Not only their own lives, but the lives of others as well could be offered for God under the greatest possible pretext: a holy war.

“For what reason did Johan declare a holy war?”

“I don’t know that either. City Hall is also trying to determine the cause, but there hasn’t been any information yet.”

“This has become troublesome. A holy war, of all things.”

“The place closest to Dongdaemun is Shinchon, isn’t it? We don’t know what kind of trouble they’ll cause if they cross the boundary. So you should prepare thoroughly.”

“Tsk! Can’t they just live quietly?”

Zeon clicked his tongue and shook his head.

If Johan moved, all the fanatics living in Dongdaemun would move. Like a swarm of locusts, the fanatics would destroy and drain everything in their path.

Because Zeon knew Dongdaemun’s nature, he truly wished they would stay quiet.

“A holy war, a war for God……. Surely not?”

At that moment, something flashed through Zeon’s mind.

“Why? Did something come to mind?”

“I do have a guess, but I think I need to find out in more detail.”

“What is it?”

“I’ll tell you once I know for sure.”

Zeon answered as he took the robe hanging on the wall and put it on.

Wearing the robe, Zeon immediately went outside.

He did not need to go far.

When he came outside, he saw Dongdaemun’s fanatics.

As Zeon approached, the fanatics who spotted him hurriedly avoided him.

They were completely blocking any approach from Zeon from the start.

Zeon had never intended to talk to them in the first place.

There was a better target, so he had no reason to mix words with the fanatics.

“Excuse me.”

The one he spoke to was someone who had just been caught by the fanatics.

“Ah, Mr. Zeon!”

The man recognized Zeon and brightened.

There was no one living in Shinchon who did not know Zeon.

Zeon asked him,

“What were they asking?”

“Ah, they said they were looking for someone.”

“Someone?”

“They said they’re looking for a girl who performs miracles.”

“Miracles?”

“They said there’s a Saintess who makes the seated rise and restores the sick to health. Where in the world would someone like that exist? What nonsense. Tsk, tsk!”

The moment he heard the man’s words, Zeon became certain that his guess was right.

‘They’re looking for that Healer child.’

How they had learned about Remura was not important.

What mattered was that all of Dongdaemun’s forces were focused on finding Remura.

Even he had realized the truth after exchanging only a few words.

For now, people were distracted by Dongdaemun’s unexpected movements, but before long, they would learn the truth.

A Grade A Healer was someone not only Dongdaemun, but also the other districts would covet.

Aside from the West District, where mechanized Awakened formed the core, there was a high chance that every other district would desire Remura.

“Naturally, Dongdaemun will try to protect her with everything they have. Perhaps a holy war really will break out.”

Remura was not a Saintess.

She was simply a high-grade Healer.

But the fact that she was a Healer was not particularly important.

What mattered was that Dongdaemun believed she was a Saintess.

They would gladly throw away their lives to secure the Saintess.

Whether it was the South District, the North District, or City Hall, they would not care.

If something interfered with securing the Saintess, they would be willing to do anything.

That was what mattered.

If things went wrong, all of Neo Seoul could be swept up in war.

“This has become troublesome.”

“What’s troublesome?”

The man who had answered looked at Zeon with a puzzled expression.

“Nothing. I was talking to myself.”

“Ah, yes!”

“Thank you for answering.”

“Oh, not at all. You’re the savior of our Shinchon, Mr. Zeon. Of course I should tell you what I know.”

“Thank you.”

Zeon gave him a light greeting, then headed toward Old Man Clexi’s shop.

Old Man Clexi was in the middle of talking to someone.

Zeon recognized the person speaking with Old Man Clexi as an executive of Argos’s Eye.

“Come in. You should go quickly.”

“Yes!”

The Argos’s Eye executive gave Zeon a nod of greeting, then left.

Zeon sat across from Old Man Clexi and said,

“It’s because of Dongdaemun, isn’t it?”

“You know about it too?”

“They’re already stirring up Shinchon.”

“It seems to be because of that child. The Grade A Healer.”

“I think so too.”

“Mm!”

Both of them already knew about Remura’s existence.

Because of that, it was not difficult to infer that the one Dongdaemun’s fanatics were searching for was Remura.

“What do you think will happen?”

“It’s only a matter of time.”

“So you think the same. If this goes wrong, the slums may be turned completely upside down.”

Old Man Clexi’s expression was very serious.

“It won’t just be the slums. Neo Seoul will have problems too.”

“That child is a bomb. In terms of destructive power alone, she is beyond a Grade S monster.”

“…….”

“It may be better for Neo Seoul to eliminate that child before it is too late.”

“Are you serious?”

“I am serious. I don’t joke about things like this. Our survival is at stake.”

The eyes hidden behind Old Man Clexi’s glasses gleamed sharply.

A Grade A Healer was important, but not more important than Neo Seoul or the slums.

Not to Old Man Clexi, who had directly experienced the Great Cataclysm a hundred years ago.

No one knew better than he did how precious and reliable this small fence in the middle of the desert was.

Old Man Clexi’s voice lowered.

“So, let me ask you. If I say that child must be killed, what will you do?”