Chapter 3 – “While the cult leader was asleep, followers started to drop off. As a result, our income decreased, and since the followers left, our expenses also diminished.”
“The scale of everything has shrunk overall. Seems like there are many issues. We’ll have to hold a gathering.”
“Yes. When should we schedule the next gathering?”
“Let’s do it tomorrow evening.”
“Yes!”
Charles felt the need to think about how to operate the cult. The original way Charles ran the cult as a pseudo-cult was something he despised.
He thought of running the cult in a different way, a more corporate-like manner. Charles did not think modern conglomerates and pseudo-religions were that different.
It was just a matter of money or faith. Watching the process by which corporate chairmen were deified within the companies, there wasn’t much difference between money and faith.
‘Both money and faith are important.’
For this, practical issues arose. Currently, Charles was living as an illegitimate child of the Hexen family. All he had was a mansion and a vineyard.
Lack of money was a fatal problem when starting to run an unknown cult. After Charles collapsed, the cult’s existing financial routes were blocked and new ways had to be found.
‘I have a separate solution for that. The problem is the current cult.’
The current unknown cult was truly a pseudo-cult. Moreover, the strong leadership established while Charles was unconscious would have weakened.
Charles planned to dominate the cult and attempt a systemic reform through writing new scriptures. Given Charles’s trait as a ‘Scripture Researcher,’ there would be no problem in writing new scriptures.
Charles completely revised the scriptures through arduous writing. The newly renamed scripture was titled the ‘Book of Dignity.’
Using the Book of Dignity, Charles intended to replace the existing scriptures and make the cult less pseudo-like.
Charles extremely detested pseudo-religions. Systems that exploit those with mental illnesses or social weaknesses. Therefore, the donations received so far would actually be poison for the unknown cult.
In the long term, Charles intended to reduce and eventually eliminate donations, and he did not think the current frenzied atmosphere where everyone monitored each other was good.
‘It was flawed from the start, but my way is right.’
A few fanatic followers were enough. There was no need for all of them to be fanatics. It was necessary to discover new followers and distribute the cult’s tasks. There was a mountain of work to be done.
In TV shows or dramas, cults are often depicted as villains that the protagonist must eradicate. In gloomy places, laughing eerily while reciting strange incantations under dark cloaks……
Charles never dreamed that he would become the leader of such villains. He certainly couldn’t have imagined it a week ago.
-Huh? Are you shivering right now?
Paginarekor asked. Charles replied inwardly.
-Of course. Just thinking about standing among these crazy fanatics makes me shiver.
-You’re really a strange person. You look so composed for someone who says they are shivering.
Charles was showing a contradictory aspect. Knowing that this was ‘reality,’ Charles’s mind felt pressure, but his body, fortified with traits like ‘Calmness’ and ‘Charisma,’ felt nothing.
Step, step.
The unknown cult’s gathering was held at the warehouse site of the vineyard owned by Charles Hexen. A warehouse modified into a meeting place. Inside, people were gathering.
Under hoods casting deep shadows, they wore masks that covered the area around their eyes. Gathered together, they murmured the same words.
“Leader. I brought your clothes.”
The ceremonial robe of the cult leader was different from other clothes. Though similarly loose-fitting like the other followers’ clothes, it had gold linings on the sleeves and edges, and unlike the dull gray clothes of the followers, it was pure white.
Plorna handed over the clothes along with a mask. Unlike the others, the mask was ornate, but it was fastened with a strap to securely hold it to the face.
‘Ha. I am the leader of a pseudo-cult.’
Charles was lamenting inwardly but knew that it was a meaningless mutter. The important thing was not showing it outwardly.
‘There was an early event for the unknown cult.’
After beginning the game as Charles, he would face an unexpected threat at the first gathering. Because Charles’s influence had weakened during his long unconscious state.
‘A traitor will appear.’
To be precise, someone who had originally been a spy for another cult would incite people.
Charles planned to turn this person into a double agent, recruiting him as a spy for the unknown cult.
For this, he needed to properly utilize the power of dominance. Looking around, Charles thought about what to do.
Using the power of dominance on living beings was difficult. Unlike inanimate objects, living beings all had weak inherent spiritual energy, making mental or physical dominance impossible unless they were confused or weakened.
So, he needed to disorient the target’s will. Drawing back the curtain, he entered the gathering. The platform he ascended was set much higher than the others.
“The leader, the leader is here!”
“The leader has come.”
“The leader is alive!”
The murmuring followers stopped their prayers and stared at Charles in a daze. They looked at him as if seeing a corpse revived. As faith rekindled in their eyes and they were filled with ecstasy to the point of drowning, they cheered.
At least Charles had managed the cult well so far. There were bound to be ups and downs for one person to wield such influence.
Charles created an imaginary entity called the Muzon and proclaimed him as a god. Charles claimed that he was an apostle who received revelations from Muzon—this was the doctrine so far.
Meeting the wave of cheers, Charles raised his hand. The uproar naturally began to subside.
“I have traveled to the world where the gods reside.”
Murmur.
“A god?”
“He really……”
Each of the confused followers murmured. As they murmured in confusion, Charles’s voice penetrated their ears.
“There, I encountered Muzon.”
“Ohhh!”
“Ohohoho!”
“And I realized the truth. Muzon and I were not different. In fact, I was Muzon and Muzon was me. When I woke from my slumber, I understood why I was born into this world. It was to save the ignorant and pitiful masses.”
As Charles gave the speech, he believed part of it was true. Charles was concerned about everyone in this world, who would be caught up and disappear due to the evil gods descending from another realm.
According to the game scenario, the destruction of this world was predetermined.
-Hey, you’re good at this? Weren’t you saying being a pseudo-cult leader was nerve-wracking?
-Shut up, I’m focusing.
“Muzon will save us!”
“Our leader will save us!”
The followers who heard Charles’s words split into two groups. Those whom Charles had strongly controlled believed him and murmured in awe.
But those either beyond his influence or swayed by spies from other cults could not easily trust his words.
Sure enough, as expected, someone stood up abruptly. It was a big man, and he shouted, pointing his finger at Charles.
“He is a false prophet! Muzon is Muzon. He has committed the serious crime of impersonating Muzon! We must bring him down!”
“That’s right! The leader is insulting Muzon!”
Although they were in the minority, they cried out boldly, causing confusion among the followers. Plorna, next to Charles’s platform, gazed down at them coldly.
Though she seemed expressionless, Charles knew that Plorna was always ready to act as a killing machine at his command.
“You, Rucen Epoch. Why do you call me a false prophet?”
Charles pointed at the man who first spoke. Rucen flinched upon realizing that Charles knew his name, but soon continued.
“You just abandoned the cult! Saying you met Muzon? Where’s the proof?”
“Still, there is a lack of faith in me. Do you mean to say that you can’t believe in me as your prophet?”
“Yes! Show us proof! You’re just a swindler ruling the unknown cult for your own greed!”
The noise among the people grew louder.
“How can he say such harsh things!”
“What insolent words to our leader!?”
Even saying so, they turned to look at Charles, waiting to see how he would respond.
Most of the followers weren’t fools. But a crowd easily becomes foolish. And persuading a fool isn’t that difficult.
“I gained the ability to see everything by being with Muzon. I have acquired clairvoyance to see all future and past events. And Rucen Epoch, I know why you call me a swindler. It’s because of the secret mission you received from another cult leader.”
“Wha, what?!”
Rucen visibly flustered. His face beneath the mask covering his eyes twisted in a grimace.
“What are you talking about?”
“You are an infiltrator sent by another cult, ‘The Group of Fragmented Salvation.’ Don’t you believe in the ‘Fragmented Machine,’ your cult’s god?”
“I, I don’t.”
“All of your relatives, including your old mother and young cousin, believe in the Group of Fragmented Salvation, don’t they?”
Hearing Charles listing his family relations, Rucen sensed something had gone terribly wrong.
“I have nothing to do with such a cult.”
“Search his waist. You will find a ritual knife, considered a sacred artifact by the Group of Fragmented Salvation.”
Rucen felt cold sweat as a follower next to him reached for his waist, making him step back.
“See, he’s afraid of his truth being exposed.”
“No, I didn’t.”
"Search him!"
Several followers rushed in and eventually pulled out a ritual knife from Rucen’s waist. It bore strange symbols, clearly marking it as a symbol of another cult.
"See, that is the mark of heresy."
"This disbeliever!"
"The disbeliever has been deceiving us all along!"
Even Rucen Epoch’s friendly followers were astonished by the revelation. Paginarekor snickered.
-This is fun. How did you know he had the ritual knife?
-Infiltrators from other cults always have their faith hidden somewhere on their body.
He couldn’t exactly say it was from previous game knowledge. Chatting with Paginarekor, Charles spent a moment glaring down at Rucen, signaling with his eyes.
“He needs repentance.”
“N, no, I.”
“What do you mean no! Drag him down!”
The followers rushed and grabbed Rucen Epoch, who struggled wildly.
At that moment, Plorna, receiving Charles’s eye signal, sprang into action. Moving like a shadow, she floated through the air like a butterfly. Then, a leg stretched out from her loose robe.
It was a moment suspended in time as she delivered a roundhouse kick straight to Rucen’s head, sending him flying three times through the air.
Taking down a man twice her size in one kick was like David defeating Goliath. Such was Plorna’s ability—a superhuman strength obtained through a deal with a non-human entity.
