Escaping the Mystery Hotel - Chapter 403
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EP.403 Episode 403 – Room 206, The Cursed Room – ‘The Demon King Resurrects in 100 Days’ (5)
Episode 403 – Room 206, The Cursed Room – ‘The Demon King Resurrects After 100 Days’ (5)
– Kim Ari
Dark lighting, stuffy air, and even a somewhat unpleasant smell.
The quality of life in ‘paradise’ is already close to the worst, but the underground space I’m in now is miserable even by paradise standards.
This is because it is a place where there is no electricity, let alone proper ventilation.
There were hundreds of people gathered in this place.
“Everyone! Today’s word is about ‘equality.’ Everyone is a glorious descendant, and under the great gaze, each class is like a facade -”
The man on the podium was preaching in a loud voice.
If you just listen to the content, it is not evil, but rather common sense enough to make even 21st century human rights activists nod their heads.
It’s not just sermons.
The atmosphere of the basement itself was very warm.
First, whether or not there was a sermon, the people gathered chatted and shared food.
No one stopped the people from acting freely, and even the preachers threw in a joke every now and then.
Most of the people gathered were fourth-class citizens, but there were some third-class and even second-class citizens.
At least in this place, no one cared about rank.
In many ways, it was so different from the oppressive atmosphere of the city.
“Shall we talk about sijo after a long time?”
After this introduction, the preacher began to discuss the ‘true’ history of paradise.
According to the sect’s claims, the founder was not a great savior, but rather a fraud who deceived everyone.
“The firstborn, Airavata. Some call her a warrior.”
Perhaps this part is the creative cliché that Cheon Ki-nuseol talks about.
Is there any more famous material for a creative work than the warrior and the demon lord?
“What did Airavata say? He said he would lead us to paradise? Everyone, put your hand on your heart and think about it! Is this paradise?”
Soon, many people answered.
“no!”
“Are you happy?”
“no!”
“The poem brought us to hell!”
The church discussed the ‘Devil King’.
“The time is coming, my people, liberation is at hand. In the heart of this stuffy city, in the deepest part of the world, in the heart of the stars, there the true Savior will rise.”
These words must have been quite touching to some people, and some even shed tears.
“Oh! Don’t cry! Why are you crying? This is the best news in the world. Why are you crying? You are lucky. You can live to see the coming of the Savior. What kind of luck is this?”
Of course, there were people who couldn’t adapt to this atmosphere.
The parties involved are embarrassed and try to hide it, but it is all obvious when seen from the podium.
A person who rolls his eyes around in confusion.
A person whose mouth opens wide at the words, “Shijo is a fraud.”
People who think the devil is crazy when they hear him talking about something.
They are all recent converts.
To put it in religious terms, they are people who have not yet been drained of urban water.
In a typical pseudo-religion, such ‘failure believers’ are very dangerous.
Is this how the meeting ends?
Some of those pathetic believers will report information about the sect to the informer with a 100% probability.
The religious community is also well aware of this fact.
That is why the church always carries out certain procedures at the end of every meeting.
“Okay~! Everyone. Now, let’s go see the truth.”
truth.
This is the most powerful weapon the Demon King worshippers have.
*
Paradise was created a long time ago and has been maintained for a long time.
Because of this, the structure became infinitely more complex as you went underground, to the point where there were no separate ant holes, and even the informers were unable to figure out all the underground passages.
The Church also does not fully understand the underworld of Paradise.
I just opened up a few routes that the informers didn’t know about.
The preacher led the hundreds of people gathered at the meeting down one of the hidden routes.
A tangled web of thick wires, pipes of unknown purpose, and pipes that endlessly emit steam.
Everyone is like a blood vessel supporting this complex city.
Did you walk between those blood vessels for about two hours?
Finally, we arrived in front of a huge wall whose end was nowhere in sight.
The preacher asked a question.
“Everyone, do you know what this wall is?”
The believers who had already been there several times answered immediately.
“The Door of Truth!”
“Haha, that’s right. It’s the Gate of Truth. It’s a sacred place for the sect. But if you say it like that, people who are here for the first time might not understand.”
At this point, one of the ‘pathetic believers’ who could no longer bear it anymore opened his mouth.
“Hey, where on earth am I? What’s that gap?”
“Good question, folks. This is the door that leads to the ‘outside’ of the city.”
Outside of paradise.
Citizens born and raised in paradise are taught this from an early age.
Paradise is the last city of humanity, the last refuge created by the Progenitors during the destruction of the planet.
Citizens who learn in this way naturally come to regard the outside of paradise as a hell where humans cannot live.
— Squeak!
The preacher created a gap.
“Okay, everyone come out.”
Those who had already experienced it ran out with happy expressions.
Those who experienced it for the first time were greatly embarrassed and flinched, but in the end, they could not overcome their curiosity.
Finally, those who were born and raised in cages jumped out of paradise.
A bright blue sky and clouds floating in the air.
A vast plain with no end in sight.
A refreshing air, completely different from the pungent air of paradise.
Here, you can hear the sounds of birds and small animals running around everywhere.
It is a landscape reminiscent of a beautiful arboretum or national park.
People who had worked in the city’s factories their entire lives saw this sight for the first time in their lives.
It was hard for me to even imagine how they must be feeling right now.
and….
The head of the church, an old man, hit me hard.
“Apostle.”
“…”
“Please show it to the believers.”
“okay.”
Moved towards the meadow.
I felt everyone’s eyes on me.
— Bam!
The moment I kicked the ground – I was flying through the sky like a bird.
This is the area outside of paradise, outside the confines of the cage.
It is a place where indomitable reason cannot restrain us.
Here, my hotel colleagues and I become superhumans once again.
“Ugh!”
Was this the third time?
I feel this every time, but the use of wing boots is extremely difficult.
This is because the shoes each produced propulsion from one side.
It required considerable leg strength to be able to hold down the boots while simultaneously controlling each foot individually.
If you don’t do this, your body will just spin around in the sky and fall down.
When I looked down from the sky to the ground, I saw people looking at me as if I was some kind of Greek god.
In this way, true faith is filled in the hearts of the ‘failure believers’ –
“…”
Since the location was the sky, one person naturally caught my eye.
He is someone I know very well.
Kim Sang-hyun, who was mixed in with the believers, nodded with an embarrassed expression.
I had no choice but to join in.
*
– Yoo Song-i
“Hello! This is Trimbone, a reporter for Happy Happy Paradise News. A while ago, we reported on the tragedy that occurred at the Mirconium mine, and according to the latest breaking news -”
During dinner with Leon Kadyrov, the news that has been making the city buzz these days was on TV.
It is about a mine manager and his men brutally murdering 24 miners.
Soon, someone I knew very well appeared on camera.
“…Han Ga-in.”
“I appeal to the citizens who are watching the news! This incident is not a problem that can be simply concluded as the sacrifice of a 4th class citizen. Didn’t the founder divide everyone’s duties? The 2nd class leads, the 3rd class carries out, and the 4th class supports. So -”
If you just listen to what Ga-in oppa says, there is no other civil activist who has fought for the human rights of 4th class citizens his entire life.
The content of what was said was….
Honestly, it sounds a bit sly.
There is more discussion about how severe the property damage was to the second-tier mine owners than about mourning the death of the fourth-tier mine workers.
He also never fails to mention periodically how wisely and fairly the second-class senior legal officer conducted the trial and how he contributed to resolving the case.
They thoroughly teach the second class and satisfy their sense of being chosen, and then shift all responsibility to the third class.
It’s a split.
Normally, it’s a method used to deal with people from above, but this time it’s being used from below to deal with people from above.
Of course, that kind of technique is obvious to the eyes of a person with a good head on their shoulders.
I can see it with my own eyes, so there’s no way the person next to me can’t read it.
That’s why ‘Dad’ sitting next to me chuckled.
“Haha, that guy is really clever.”
“…Is that so?”
“then.”
“Isn’t it too obvious? Second-class citizens are innocent. Please harass third-class citizens!”
“It’s obvious. But Song-ya, there are methods in this world that are obvious but unavoidable.”
“An obvious yet unavoidable method?”
“Let’s say public opinion is formed as the young man says. The mine owners can avoid responsibility for complex issues, and the high-ranking judge can use this incident as a career.”
“…”
“So the people who benefit will take that guy’s side, and then that guy will get what he wants.”
As I listened, I became curious.
Why is Gain oppa doing something like that? What is his purpose?
“It looks like that guy wants to move up in rank?”
“…”
“Hmm… I wonder if it would be okay if I upgraded my brain to level 3? What do you think?”
At least I was sure that Gain oppa’s goal wasn’t something like a 3rd class promotion.
“Dad, can I see that person?”
“hmm?”
Leon Kadyrov tilted his head and looked at me.
“Song-ya, those kinds of friends are tougher than they look, so it’s a bit difficult for you to meet them -”
— Taaak!
The moment I flicked my hand, the bracelets began to flash and illusions began to appear all around me.
Leon Kadyrov, seeing this, understood what I meant.
“Are you saying that you want me to bring that friend to ‘this place’?”
“yes.”
This is a floating mansion outside the city, higher than the highest point of paradise.
It is a place where indomitable reason cannot suppress us.
“That’s strange. He’s just a fourth-class citizen with a good head on his shoulders… Tell me why.”
I haven’t been having fun for the past few days either.
I tried my best to understand what kind of person this man, Leon Kadyrov, is.
“Aren’t you being presumptuous?”
“…”
“Well, I understand that you’re smart, but… All ranks should be faithful to their roles. Class 4 is the people who are like burning coal for the city. So all they have to do is burn. Is there any need to think about it?”
“Hoo.”
“Will the reactionaries who have stuck their teeth into the 3rd class really be gentle when facing the 2nd class? They are just pretending to bow down because they lack the strength for now. So, we have to show them. What kind of strength has our ancestors given us?”
I’ve talked for a long time, but to summarize, I’m saying that since you’re being arrogant for a 4th-grade subject, I’ll take a look at you.
Leon Kadyrov smiled broadly.
“Okay. I’ll call you.”
This is the kind of answer this guy likes.
By the end of the meal, my father smiled broadly.
“Honestly, I’ve never felt more secure than I do today.”
“…”
“Sleep well, my princess.”
“… yes.”
Leon Kadyrov truly loves me, his only daughter.
This fact sometimes pained me.