The Way to Save the Crazy Returnees – Chapter 83 – Salvation (4)

Author: CleiZz

“Hello, Ms. Han Young-won. It’s been a while.”

“…You rich bastard—don’t tell me you’re just another worthless wretch like the rest of them?”

“Of course not.”

I raised both hands in surrender. The woman before me—no, the man—looked ready to attack at any moment.

Fortunately, Han Young-won eased her guard.

“If you’re not one of them, how did you end up here?”

“With Mr. Lee Man-deuk’s help.”

“Lee Man-deuk?”

“The sapa guy.”

“Ah.”

She nodded, recalling who he was, then glanced around.

“But I don’t see him anywhere.”

“I sent him to handle something else.”

“Something else?”

“You know the things the cult leader received from the followers.”

According to the Five Precepts of the Ark of Universal Salvation Church, the leader had taken countless offerings from the believers—money, and even living people.

“Mr. Lee Man-deuk went to rescue the children.”

“That sapa bastard?”

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

“I can’t believe it.”

“I don’t know what you think of him, but he’s surprisingly kind.”

“That sapa bastard?”

“Yes.”

Han Young-won let out a sigh.

“You bastard… don’t tell me you fell for that sapa man’s tricks while I was gone?”

…Not even worth arguing.

In any case, she soon lost interest in Lee Man-deuk. Her attention shifted to the cult leader.

“What are you planning to do with that wretch?”

“I was thinking of leaving him to you, Ms. Han Young-won.”

“To me?”

A faint smile spread across her lips.

“I was planning to kill him, you know.”

“H-hiiik…!”

The cult leader, having just recovered from the stun gun’s shock, cried out in terror, his face pale.

“P-please spare me! If you let me live, I’ll give you anything—money, whatever you want!”

He pressed his hands together, begging desperately.

“Hmm.”

Han Young-won stepped closer, a smile playing on her lips. Mistaking it for mercy, the cult leader’s eyes filled with hope.

She crushed that hope instantly.

“Then give me your body.”

“H-huh?”

He looked up at her, stunned and confused. Meeting his gaze, she smiled faintly.

“I find everything about you utterly repulsive… but this place is another matter.”

The Ark of Universal Salvation Church was as large as the Demonic Sect from Return of the Mad Heavenly Demon. To Han Young-won, it was far too valuable to ignore.

“So—”

“I’ll take this place for myself. Instead of leaving it to trash like you.”

“W-what are you t-trying to say…?”

The cult leader stammered, then suddenly shouted,

“Ah! Y-you want this position, don’t you?! Then take it! I’ll gather the followers right away and appoint believer Gu Seong-bin as the new leader! Don’t worry about the elders! If it’s my order, they’ll—”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Han Young-won lowered herself to meet his eyes.

“You.”

Her voice carried a hint of amusement as she gave her command.

“Serve me.”

At that moment, the body she had been using collapsed. Her soul had already moved—into the cult leader’s body.

“You piece of shit, zap that one.”

It sounded like she was ordering the former owner of her previous body to be knocked out before he could regain consciousness.

Right on cue, the man whose body she had abandoned began to stir. I immediately used the stun gun.

“Ugh!”

He let out a strangled cry and passed out again. I dragged him to the corner, then asked,

“You’ve gotten much better at handling the Soul Dominion Art, haven’t you?”

Back when she was in Kang Ye-seong’s body, she hadn’t seemed able to control it freely.

“There’s nothing to improve. It was my martial art to begin with. More importantly… what a filthy body. It makes me want to vomit.”

Even for her, inhabiting the body of an unkempt middle-aged man was clearly unpleasant.

“I want to discard this body as soon as possible.”

“Where is your real body right now, Ms. Han Young-won?”

“In the mountain behind this place.”

She said keeping it nearby made things easier.

“You piece of shit, what are you going to do now?”

“I’ll help with your plan. You’re planning to turn this place into a Demonic Sect, aren’t you?”

Of course, I had no intention of recreating the Demonic Sect from Return of the Mad Heavenly Demon exactly as it was. Unaware of that, Han Young-won smiled.

“You piece of shit, did you know? You’re quite interesting.”

“I’m honored.”

For some reason, that answer seemed to displease her. She frowned slightly. She was impossible to read—no matter how many times I observed her, I couldn’t figure her out.

***

After Han Young-won took over the cult leader’s body, everything within the Ark of Universal Salvation Church progressed swiftly.

“Gather the followers. The Master has an urgent announcement.”

At those words, the believers quickly filled the prayer hall. Seeing the cult leader appear with me, they cried out eagerly.

“Why has the Master summoned us?!”

“Is it finally time for us all to go to heaven?!”

“Please tell us!”

“Silence, you worthless wretches.”

…What is she saying?!

I shot her an urgent glance, but Han Young-won merely clicked her tongue.

“Ah… my mistake. The sight of this was so irritating, it slipped out.”

Fortunately, the believers didn’t seem to mind. Their attention was fixed on only one thing.

“Master…!”

That nonexistent “Master.”

As if they were willing to believe anything claimed to be the words of their god, their eyes gleamed with fervent madness.

Facing them, Han Young-won spoke in a soft, gentle voice.

“The Master has spoken to me. He has delivered new precepts, and you are to follow them.”

“Th-the Master said that?!”

“Yes. Only those who follow these new precepts will receive His grace and mercy—and be permitted entry into heaven.”

For someone who had once been the Heavenly Demon of the Demonic Sect to speak of heaven… if her former followers from Return of the Mad Heavenly Demon could see this, it would be quite the spectacle.

Unbothered, Han Young-won continued, still wearing the cult leader’s face.

“Now then, everyone. I will tell you the new precepts the Master has revealed.”

The first and second precepts remained unchanged.

“You must not betray me, and you must devote yourselves to me completely.”

However, the rest were different.

“You are to offer nothing. Not your children, not your wealth. Nothing at all is required.”

“Th-the Master truly said that?!”

“That’s right.”

Han Young-won smiled faintly.

“The Master has taken residence within my body and told me so himself.”

“Ooooh…!”

The believers clasped their hands together, their faces lighting up with joy.

“We will obey the Master’s words!”

“We will never betray you! We will be loyal!”

“We will offer nothing anymore!”

“Please grant us your grace and mercy!”

The prayer hall, filled with a chaotic mix of madness and elation, felt grotesquely distorted. Yet Han Young-won, who stood at its center, merely smiled as if nothing were amiss.

Bang!

The doors burst open.

Around ten men and women rushed into the prayer hall, all of them flushed with anger.

“The Elders!”

“The Elders have arrived!”

“Have you heard, Elders?!”

“The Master…!”

The newcomers were none other than the Elders of the Ark of Universal Salvation Church. After greeting the believers with polite smiles, they strode up to the platform where the cult leader stood.

But soon, their expressions twisted into harsh scowls.

“What is this nonsense? Do you think you’re truly a servant of God?”

“That’s right, brother! What kind of ridiculous stunt is this? Correct yourself at once—tell them the Master misspoke before those idiots start believing it!”

“How do you plan to handle the next harvest season pulling something like this? And who is that guy?”

One of the Elders pointed at me in fury. I simply returned a quiet smile.

“Enough! Correct what you just said immediately! Tell those fools you misdelivered the Master’s words!”

“I refuse.”

“W-What did you say? Say that again!”

“Are you deaf? I said I refuse.”

But it wasn’t Han Young-won who spoke.

Lee Man-deuk—who had gone to rescue the children offered to the cult leader—now stood behind us, wearing a crooked grin.

“W-Who are you?!”

“Lee Man-deuk.”

The mage introduced himself calmly, a faint smile in his eyes.

“Savior of the World. Great Tower Lord. Noble of the Slums. Punisher of Trash. Mage of the Stars…”

He recited the titles he once found embarrassing without hesitation, then smiled brightly.

“Someone far greater than your so-called ‘Master.’”

The Elders faltered—if only for a moment.

“H-Heresy! A demon has appeared in this sacred place!”

They pointed at Lee Man-deuk and shouted.

“Lambs of the Master, quickly—!”

The Elder cut himself off mid-sentence, horrified.

All the believers had frozen in place, locked in their prayer postures.

“H-How is this even—”

“Curious, aren’t you?”

Lee Man-deuk spoke gently to the man who had been shouting moments ago.

“I told you. I’m far greater than that bastard you call your ‘Master.’”

“S-So… right now…”

“This is all my doing.”

With that calm explanation, the mage sealed every door in the prayer hall.

“O-Open it! Open this door right now!”

The Elders rushed to the doors, pounding and shouting, but Lee Man-deuk remained utterly indifferent.

“Mr. Lee Man-deuk, what about the children?”

“I rescued them all and sent them to the place CEO Kwak mentioned.”

“Good work.”

“It was nothing. More importantly…”

Lee Man-deuk narrowed one eye slightly.

“Why is that bastard possessing someone else’s body?”

“To peacefully, efficiently, and completely erase the name of the Ark of Universal Salvation Church.”

“That bastard has the brains for that?”

“Have you finished talking, you sapa bastard?”

“Not yet.”

At that reply, Han Young-won’s expression twisted. If a fight broke out between them, things could turn ugly. They were technically on the same side, after all.

And then—

“T-This… this can’t be happening… how could something like this…?!”

The Elders were still there.

Within the time frozen by Lee Man-deuk, they alone remained able to move—just like us. Their faces turned pale as they trembled.

“A-Am I dreaming?”

“That’s impossible!”

“Is this punishment from God—?”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

They raised their voices at each other in confusion. Watching them, Lee Man-deuk asked belatedly,

“CEO Kwak, something I forgot to ask—what exactly are those bastards?”

“The Elders of this place.”

“Elders?”