Chapter 269: Chapter 269

Chapter 269: Settlement (3)

“Then, shall we begin the correction?”

Han Siah smiled brightly and clapped her hands lightly.

The cheerful friction sound became the signal flare.

[Reversal: Transforming into ‘Death Saintess’ form!]

In an instant, the holy white priest robes were dyed black as if corrupted.

The benevolent saintess figure was nowhere to be found, and in her place stood a Grim Reaper covered in a pitch-black robe. In her slender hand, a massive scythe that far exceeded a human's height was held before anyone realized.

And the overwhelming difference in status tightening his windpipe.

Liang Xiaojun realized instinctively.

He was merely a ‘Follower of the Death Lord’, but she was the ‘Saintess’ chosen by him.

The difference in class, different from the very roots, weighed down his soul.

Liang Xiaojun stepped back, his lips trembling.

But there was nowhere to run.

[The Death Saintess declares ‘Land of Silence (SSS)’!]

The moment they were engulfed in darkness.

The world's saturation vanished.

Light, sound, and even the flow of air stopped.

Darkness swallowed Liang Xiaojun and Han Siah.

An absolute space of silence where even his own heartbeat couldn't be heard.

Amidst the fear of blocked senses, Liang Xiaojun poured out cold sweat like rain.

A cool voice, seeming to dig directly into the brain matter rather than the eardrums, rang out.

―I heard that not only did you take on the role of Diocese Head, but you were also selected as the next leader of this China?

Suddenly from within the darkness, Han Siah's face appeared right in front of his nose.

The smile hanging on her pale face was weirdly vivid.

“Y-Yes……! Although humble, I was honored to receive His grace……!”

Liang Xiaojun answered frantically.

It was a servile shout to overcome fear. But Han Siah's eyes narrowed coolly.

―However, your mouth is too frivolous.

The black scythe sliced through the empty air.

A flash-like strike grazed past Liang Xiaojun's mouth.

There was no pain. Blood didn't splatter either.

But Liang Xiaojun's pupils shook as if an earthquake had occurred.

He couldn't feel his lips.

It wasn't physically cut.

The authority of ‘Death’ had snatched away the life force and sensation of the touched area entirely.

As if lips had never existed from the start, the sensation of his lower face turned into nothingness.

He tried to scream, but only the sound of escaping air leaked out.

Han Siah twirled the scythe and circled around Liang Xiaojun as if dancing.

―To praise His great achievements, your tongue is too unruly.

This time, the sensation of the tongue disappeared.

―To contain His authority, your hands are too stained with greed.

His right arm dropped limp with a thud.

A terrible foreign sensation, as if my arm is not my own.

―To follow His path, your legs are too arrogant.

Even the sensation in both legs was erased.

Liang Xiaojun collapsed like a lump of meat scattered on the floor.

Even though his limbs were attached perfectly fine, he had no choice but to squirm like a patient whose limbs were all amputated.

The fear of one's body no longer being one's own.

A state of being alive yet no different from being dead.

It was a mental torture hundreds of times more terrible than physical pain.

Covered in a mess of tears and snot, Liang Xiaojun rolled his eyes pleadingly.

‘Please save me! Please save me!’

Unheard screams lingered only inside his throat. In his eyes stricken with extreme fear, the figure of Han Siah holding the scythe was reflected like a massive executor of God.

She slowly lowered her body.

Her red lips touched Liang Xiaojun's ear, which had lost sensation.

Han Siah, placing her index finger on her own lips, whispered low.

“If you are His true believer…….”

Deep within her pupils, jet-black madness swirled.

“Be silent. And obey with faith. Reduce your bloated ego, and when His will enters…… only then will you be reborn.”

The word ‘correction’ Han Siah spoke of.

Liang Xiaojun instinctively realized what that was.

She was a crazy human.

Conversation would not work at all.

Only obedience and faith serve as language.

Liang Xiaojun nodded his head while trembling.

The ambition and pride embedded in his head had already evaporated white.

It felt like time had stopped.

No, it was a space where the very concept of time was deleted.

Silence where even his own heartbeat couldn't be felt.

Amidst this terrible solitude where only thoughts floated, Liang Xiaojun's ego was crumbling like a sandcastle.

Only then did he see…….

Even while swearing loyalty to Kim Minwoo, he was always running a calculator in a corner of his heart.

Because he is strong, because he is the trend.

He had merely acted despicably like a bat ready to fly up chasing profit at any time.

But that saintess pierced through those impurities at once.

Just one more chance…….

The outcry of a soul that couldn't even scream.

It was just at the moment when it felt like he would go mad, trapped in darkness forever .

―Have you contemplated enough?

A cool voice digging into his brain matter.

At the same time, it was the bell tolling the opening of a new hell.

Liang Xiaojun's pupils shook violently as if an earthquake had hit.

It was a desperate gaze begging to be saved, apologizing for his wrongs, and promising to do whatever he was told.

In the darkness, Han Siah smiled brightly.

“Your attitude has improved significantly. Look, little believer.”

As she snapped her fingers, a blinding white light burst out from the center of the pitch-black darkness.

It was a light that was holy yet bizarrely cold.

“His mercy reaches you.”

Light wrapped around Liang Xiaojun's mouth.

Like anesthesia wearing off, or severed nerves being forcibly reconnected, a tingling sensation returned to his lips.

“Gasp! Cough, cough……!”

Liang Xiaojun gasped for breath like a beast.

He never knew the sensation of air entering his lungs could feel so unfamiliar and grateful.

Trembling, he tried to touch his mouth, but his hands still did not move.

Han Siah looked down at him and whispered softly.

“Can you feel it? That breath you are inhaling right now.”

Her index finger traced gently down Liang Xiaojun's jawline.

“That is not yours. You breathe solely by His mercy.”

“The tongue that can speak is the same.”

Once again, light flashed.

Warmth returned to his stiffened tongue.

Liang Xiaojun unconsciously let out a groan.

Tears poured out just from the fact that he could hear his own voice.

“It is by His mercy that you converse…….”

Han Siah's touch now moved toward Liang Xiaojun's limp shoulders and legs.

Like a saintess's blessing, or a reaper's sentence, wherever her palm touched, the severed sensations revived explosively.

His paralyzed muscles spasmed, and Liang Xiaojun's body jerked up.

His limbs twisted and returned on their own.

Along with extreme dizziness, the sensation that his body moved according to his will returned.

Liang Xiaojun clawed at the floor and sobbed.

Fear, relief, and awe toward overwhelming power mixed together, making him unable to think straight.

It was his body, yet it was not his own.

A body that could only breathe, speak, and move if the Master permitted.

That sense of perfect subordination was imprinted deep into Liang Xiaojun's bones.

Looking down at him, Han Siah spoke as if driving a wedge in.

“It is only by His mercy that you can move.”

She slowly bent down and made eye contact with Liang Xiaojun.

But deep within those eyes, madness thicker than any abyss was swirling.

“Keep this in mind. That everything you have is owed to Him. So…….”

She tidied Liang Xiaojun's messy collar and added affectionately.

“In the future, use that mouth, those hands, and those feet only for His glory. Do you understand?”

Liang Xiaojun nodded as if possessed.

No, he had no choice but to nod.

The fear embedded in his brain was now being painted over with the name ‘faith’.

“Loyalty, I will be loyal……! According to His will, everything……!”

“Right. That attitude is what can be called a faithful servant.”

Han Siah clapped her hands and continued as if offering a carrot.

“Of course, He is merciful. If you strive for glory…… He can overlook your petty desires to any extent…… So you must do your best, right?”

Han Siah smiled broadly at Liang Xiaojun’s disciplined appearance.

It was the smile of a saintess who reformed a demon, and the smile of a demon who created a new fanatic.

Merhen, who was holding a game console, turned her head.

From the pitch-black darkness, Liang Xiaojun walked out with Han Siah.

“Yes. Fortunately, he wasn't corrupted beyond the point of no return. Thanks to that, it ended well.”

―Hmm. Really? I thought it would take a while because he's an idiot, but I guess not? Hey, idiot.

“Did you call, Lady Merhen.”

Liang Xiaojun bowed deeply.

It was different from his previous servility.

Dignified and graceful, it was like the etiquette of a high-ranking cleric.

The eyes once oily with greed had settled calmly, silent like an abyss of unknown depth.

Merhen frowned at that unfamiliar appearance and put down the game console.

―What is it, you? Why are you so quiet? No fun. Did you become a monk or something?

“Haha, a monk. That is absurd.”

Liang Xiaojun smiled gently.

The vulgar ambitious man was nowhere to be found, and only a bizarre tranquility lingered in his place.

“I am also human. Desires still exist. I still love power and honor.”

He placed his hand on his chest and added softly like a believer swearing on the Bible.

“Of course, provided all of that does not go against ‘His’ will. Because even my petty desires will become fertilizer for His great achievements.”

―Hmm…… To call you an idiot, you seem to have become quite useful? Should I call you differently from now on? Hmm…… what title would be good…….

“Haha, no. Because just a moment ago, I was truly a foolish guy. Rather, I hope Lady Merhen continues to call me that. So that I may never forget my errors.”

Cool fanaticism rippled deep in his eyes.

Only then did Han Siah curl up the corners of her mouth as if satisfied.

“I heard there is a position called the 11 Apostles in the Cult?”

“Yes. It is His Royal Guard. However, unfortunately, those friends are still very lacking. Like me just a moment ago.”

“Seems like correction is needed?”

“So that the Saintess won't be inconvenienced, I will set a date and call them all to Korea.”

“Thank you, Diocese Head Liang.”

Liang Xiaojun shuddered.

It was intense ecstasy.

Right at this moment.

It was no different from the great Saintess acknowledging him with the position of Diocese Head.

With bloodshot eyes welling up, he controlled his emotions at once and spoke seriously.

“But…… I have one thing to report. It is a grave matter.”

“Chairman Li Zemin. That man's actions are strange. It seems he has some scheme……”

“Strange? In what way?”

“……He is secretly moving all resources within China. As if China is going to be destroyed in the near future. Based on what I found out as a close aide, it seems…… he is connected to the Shadows.”

“……It is certain. The personnel from the Shadow side in China frequently contacted him. If my position was even a little lower, I wouldn't have found out easily.”

“Hmm. We should report this.”

“Yes. Since only He will make the judgment.”

Han Siah nodded and looked at Merhen.

“Lady Merhen? May I ask you to report?”

―Huh? Ah, you mean call Minwoo?

“Yes. Since Lady Merhen's position is the highest here.”

―Okay! Siah, trust only me!

Merhen took out her phone and called immediately with a cheerful face.