The Best Cure for Those Returnees is a Beating

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“Not yet.”

Lee Ha-yeon tilted her head at Choi Jin-seo’s words.

“What do you mean ‘not yet’? We have such solid evidence now!”

“You know that you’ve tasted the holy water, right? The rapid growth of the Truth Church and the way your parents suddenly became deeply devoted to this religion—it must be because of that holy water.”

“I think there’s a high possibility of that too. However, we don’t have conclusive evidence yet.”

Lee Ha-yeon already thought the evidence had been found. But Choi Jin-seo’s perspective was different.

“You mentioned reporting it to the inspector, but how will you report it?”

“Well, I would say that the Truth Church is luring believers using the holy water…”

“But what if the holy water isn’t the cause?”

Choi Jin-seo’s question momentarily puzzled Lee Ha-yeon. Hadn’t they just experienced the effects of the holy water directly?

“Maybe the holy water is just a decoration and the believers are being enchanted by magic or superpowers?”

However, Choi Jin-seo soon pointed out a possibility that Lee Ha-yeon was overlooking.

Drinking the holy water led to hallucinations and ecstasy; that much was a fact.

However, saying that the holy water is the cause isn’t 100% certain. The consumption of the holy water is just part of a ritual, and there could very well be independent magic or superpowers involved.

“In that case, even if we report the suspicious nature of the holy water, it could lead to a conclusion where, in the worst case, the police come to investigate and find nothing wrong.”

“That’s true, but in that case, there would need to be a separate investigation into the use of magic or superpowers—”

“The police don’t investigate based just on suspicion, as Inspector Kwon Tae-ho said. And even if they did investigate, what if they had cleared away anything that could serve as evidence beforehand? Then what happens next?”

Once the Truth Church has been touched by an investigation, they would likely double down on hiding evidence. It would be difficult to find legally incriminating evidence even if they conducted additional investigations afterward.

As the inspector, Lee Ha-yeon thought that Choi Jin-seo was most likely worrying about that aspect.

However, the concerns of the regular citizen, Choi Jin-seo, lay elsewhere.

“…If, if the Truth Church were to get through a police investigation safely, they would surely seek out who reported them. Only the believers drink the holy water, after all. If in that process, it becomes known that I’ve involved the inspectors…”

“No matter how powerful the Truth Church is, they won’t be able to find out internal police investigation records.”

“No, you saw it for yourself. Just how deeply my parents have fallen for the Truth Church. What if there’s someone within the police who has also been seduced? Then it wouldn’t be difficult to figure out who the reporter is.”

If that happened, the Truth Church would surely extend their hand of vengeance. After all, those who caused a minor problem were already resorting to petty acts against Kwon Tae-ho’s office.

Moreover, Choi Jin-seo’s parents were deeply enmeshed in the Truth Church. While she could escape, her two parents wouldn’t be able to. No, they surely wouldn’t.

“So, you’re scared that Jin-seo will be retaliated against when the investigation ends inconclusively.”

“I just want to rescue my parents as soon as possible. However, that means we need to gather solid evidence and take down the Truth Church in one fell swoop.”

Caught between concerns for her parents and Choi Jin-seo’s insistence, Lee Ha-yeon couldn’t bring herself to argue against her.

Not only did she find some merit in Choi Jin-seo’s opinion, but also, on some level, it was because she was still inexperienced as an inspector.

If Kwon Tae-ho were here, he would have powerfully pushed his opinion forward. Of course, that would be if he deemed it necessary.

On the other hand, if Yoo Seol were here? She would probably have been able to persuade Choi Jin-seo with a much more logical argument.

With a reasonable possibility that the holy water was the cause, or proposals for protective measures regarding Choi Jin-seo’s parents during the investigation, she would have provided appealing materials to win over Choi Jin-seo.

But both options were unavailable for Lee Ha-yeon. Fuelled by a sense of justice, she was entrusted with this infiltration mission. Ironically, due to that sense of justice, she could not ignore Choi Jin-seo’s worries.

Of course, she suspected that delaying the police report or the report to Kwon Tae-ho was a bit excessive.

‘…That means I’m that anxious. It’s like my parents are being held hostage somehow.’

At this point, Lee Ha-yeon made another mistake.

Looking back at the conversation just now, Choi Jin-seo had committed the error of equating the police report and the report to Kwon Tae-ho. If she pointed out that part and explained it well, persuading her wouldn’t be difficult.

“I understand. Then, let’s follow Jin-seo’s lead and investigate a bit more to collect solid evidence.”

Yet, in thinking too much about Choi Jin-seo’s feelings, Lee Ha-yeon ended up making an erroneous decision.

“I believe there’s a possibility that the cause isn’t the holy water but rather some separate magic or superpower involved, but I still think the holy water is very likely to be the cause. So, let’s aim to secure a sample of the holy water.”

If they could take the holy water outside, they’d be able to determine whether it was the source of the collective hallucinations or if other external factors were involved.

“Yes, the Truth Church doesn’t know we’ve infiltrated yet. So we can proceed slowly, participating in worship or events a few more times while observing the situation.”

Hearing that, Lee Ha-yeon suddenly felt a sense of discomfort.

When worrying about her parents, she had been desperate, but when it came to the investigation, it seemed like it was fine to take things slow. It felt like something was off.

However, she didn’t dwell on it. In short, it probably just meant to approach this cautiously. That’s what she thought.

“Then, see you next time.”

With that, the two parted ways. As Lee Ha-yeon walked away in the opposite direction, Choi Jin-seo waved her hand, soon slumping to the ground as if drained of energy.

“Haah…! Haah…!”

Choi Jin-seo was panting, and her shoulders trembled.

She wasn’t physically unwell. It was merely a physiological response brought on by the release of tension.

And that tension stemmed from the guilt she bore.

‘What have I done…?’

In fact, Choi Jin-seo was aware that her words were oddly inconsistent. Still, she cobbled together a disjointed logic to persuade Lee Ha-yeon, speaking of her anxiety.

The reason she did so was something she couldn’t quite believe herself. Choi Jin-seo recalled the euphoric pleasure she had felt during worship just moments ago.

‘It really felt good…’

She could confidently say it was the greatest pleasure of all the pleasures she had ever experienced in her life.

Choi Jin-seo had already become deeply enamored with the ecstasy that the holy water had shown her. That was why she persuaded Lee Ha-yeon—to drag it on just a bit longer for a chance to drink the holy water again.

She knew that her actions were wrong. Her desires to save her parents and to bring the Truth Church to justice were still indeed genuine.

But.

At the same time, her still-immature psyche blindly chased after the pleasure she had tasted for the very first time.

‘It’s fine. Just a few more times. Just a little longer, and then when Ha-yeon unnie gets solid evidence, we can end this. And then we can all go back to how things were. Dad, Mom, and me…’

The typical rationale of an addict thinking just a few more times would be okay.

But for Choi Jin-seo, who just recently reached her mid-teens, realizing that was strange was a challenge in itself.

Meanwhile, Lee Ha-yeon, as she had discussed with Choi Jin-seo, didn’t report much to Kwon Tae-ho. She only sent a short message saying she would look into it further.

Fortunately, the second opportunity arrived sooner than expected.

Two days after the worship day. A volunteer activity for the Truth Church.

On this day, the Truth Church was organizing a free meal event for the homeless. Lee Ha-yeon and Choi Jin-seo volunteered to help with the event.

“Please line up in a single file from this side! No need to rush! We have enough food for everyone, so please take your time!”

Even though it was a volunteer activity, the ultimate purpose was proselytizing. The volunteers distributed pamphlets containing information about the Truth Church along with the meals, and the clerics moved around the tables, chatting with the seated homeless.

“Hmph, thanks for the food, but I don’t believe in your god. You’re all just a bunch of fools talking rubbish about an invisible god, right?”

“Haha, our lord Dion is different from other gods of other religions. He hasn’t manifested in this world yet, but instead, he sent down the Celestial Lady to watch over us.”

“Celestial Lady? What’s that? Is she pretty?”

“Of course! She’s so beautiful that you might think she’s a work of art created by the gods. If you’re curious, come to see her directly. The headquarters holds regular meetings, and once you see her, any doubt will melt away.”

“Ha-ha! You mean she’s that pretty? Then I have to go see her out of curiosity. Oh, do they serve food there too?”

“Would we not serve food to guests who’ve come from far away? Of course, we will.”

The clerics adeptly handled the rowdy homeless. Lee Ha-yeon could intuitively understand that this was how they had expanded their following.

After the volunteer activity concluded, the volunteers headed to the headquarters to move their supplies. That wasn’t the end, as a simple worship session was also prepared to reflect on the day’s service and bolster their resolve.

“…Then finally, let’s have a time to receive the blessing of the holy water and our father Dion’s grace.”

Of course, this was the moment that most believers had been waiting for. Lee Ha-yeon could clearly see the deep desires beginning to ignite in the eyes of the previously devout and pious believers.

-Drip.

The mid-level cleric presiding over the worship began distributing the holy water to the believers. Lee Ha-yeon scanned her surroundings, contemplating how to secretly get a sample.

-Glug.

“Eh?”

In her line of sight, she caught a glimpse of Choi Jin-seo. Without hesitation, she gulped down the holy water and clasped her hands together.

“Ah, ahhh…!”

Soon, tears began to flow from her softly closed eyelids. That scene looked just like any other fervent believer of the Truth Church.

‘She’s just acting…right? Well, there are plenty of eyes around, so she has no choice but to drink it. There’s no good hiding place for it either…’

As Lee Ha-yeon pondered, she also drank the holy water. Instantly, the sensation she had experienced once before returned to her.

“Ugh…”

Fortunately, this holy water was non-believer grade, so Lee Ha-yeon didn’t see hallucinations. She just felt a light pleasantness and a slight floatiness like when she’s tipsy.

“Father Dion! Please bless us with grace!”

“May the blessings of the Celestial Lady be upon us!”

While the nearby believers engrossed themselves in prayer and praise, Lee Ha-yeon pretended to participate while keeping a close watch on the cleric.

Specifically, she was focused on the bottle of holy water he was distributing to the believers.

After the worship was concluded, the cleric sent the believers away and immediately headed inside the headquarters. Lee Ha-yeon cautiously followed him.

Fortunately, it was a weekday, and the headquarters was nearly deserted. Thanks to that, Lee Ha-yeon could easily tail the cleric.

-Creeeak.

Finally, the cleric arrived at one of many offices prepared in the headquarters.

Lee Ha-yeon peered through a small window in the door. Inside, there was just the cleric she had been tailing.

-Creeeep.

Time passed.

Once the cleric finished his work and exited the office, Lee Ha-yeon watched from around the corner. Once he had disappeared into the distance, she made her move.

-Lock click.

The doorknob was locked. However, that didn’t pose a problem for Lee Ha-yeon.

‘Unlock.’

Lee Ha-yeon quietly activated a spell. A simple unlocking spell to open a basic type of lock. It was one of the basic spells learned during the training process of becoming an inspector.

-Lock click.

Fortunately, the office door didn’t have any magical locks in addition to the mechanical one. Entering the office calmly, Lee Ha-yeon looked around without turning on the lights.

‘I found it.’

And soon enough, she spotted the holy water in the spot where the cleric had been sitting earlier. It was the size of a water bottle, with about half a bottle full of holy water remaining inside.

Taking it whole would raise suspicion. Lee Ha-yeon took out a small bottle she had prepared in advance and transferred the holy water.

With this, the holy water sample was secured.

Lee Ha-yeon was about to leave the office quickly.

But at that moment…

‘What’s that…?’

Another type of holy water caught Lee Ha-yeon’s eye. It was contained in an ornate glass bottle, and she could tell right away that it was holy water.

The difference was that unlike the regular holy water she had just collected, this water was not clear; it had a light pink hue.

‘…’

Lee Ha-yeon recognized that this was the returnee-grade holy water she had tasted previously.

‘The returnee-grade is more effective than the non-believer grade. Maybe this one would make for a better sample.’

Fortunately, she hadn’t only prepared one bottle for collecting samples. Gently approaching, Lee Ha-yeon filled the pink holy water into another bottle.

-Drip.

With the clear sound, the sweet aroma typical of holy water wafted into the air. Lee Ha-yeon couldn’t help but swallow her saliva.

‘…No, I shouldn’t. Absolutely not. I’ve seen what happens to others. I can’t…’

Desperately, Lee Ha-yeon tried to shake off the creeping temptation. But soon, a thought crossed her mind to rationalize that urge.

‘But I can’t be sure whether this water is actually holy water or not…’

Just now, the non-believer holy water was in a bottle the cleric had shown, so that makes sense. However, she couldn’t be sure about this one. It could be a drink or perfume that just smells similar to holy water.

-…gulp.

With a plausible excuse, there was no reason to hesitate any longer. Lee Ha-yeon gently lifted the bottle containing the holy water.

‘Just a little. Just enough to determine whether it’s holy water or not…’

Then, Lee Ha-yeon tilted the bottle and took a sip of the holy water.

And then…

-Thump!

“Haah…!”

In that instant, Lee Ha-yeon nearly lost her legs. Barely managing to grip the desk, a wave of ecstasy swept through her body, causing her to bite her lip.

It felt strong. No, it felt intense.

The pleasure was far more pronounced than the returnee-grade holy water she had previously drunk. She tried to hold herself together, but a shameful moan escaped from her lips naturally.

“Hah, ugh, hee…”

With a crack, a white flash exploded before her eyes. Lee Ha-yeon knew this was a precursor to a hallucination.

-Slam!

As she snapped back to reality, she bit her tongue on purpose. The sharp pain drove away the hallucination, and her mind returned to reality.

“Hah…! Hah…!”

Breathless, Lee Ha-yeon stood up from her spot. Though only a few seconds had passed, it felt like several minutes had gone by.

‘This is definitely holy water. And…’

Looking around, she confirmed that there was no one nearby. No one had used magic or superpowers.

In other words…

‘So the cause of the hallucination and the ecstasy is the holy water. With this alone, I can uncover the secrets of the Truth Church…!’

Lee Ha-yeon tucked the secured sample into her clothes and hurriedly left the office.

She had secured definitive evidence. There was no longer a reason to hesitate.

More accurately, she felt that she should not hesitate any further.

Even as she exited the headquarters, the temptation from the holy water in her clothes sweetly stroked her mind. Lee Ha-yeon desperately tried to shake off that desire and rushed down the hallway.

-Clack. Clack.

“!!”

But then, she heard footsteps coming from the other side of the corner.

‘Oh no, this is bad!’

She realized too late as her mind was distracted. The hallway was entirely straight with no place to hide.

“Hm?”

While Lee Ha-yeon was flustered, the owner of the footsteps revealed themselves from around the corner.

With moonlight shining on them, their sky-blue hair glimmered. A pair of small wings sprouted from around their temples. And a halo softly glowed above their head.

Though their eyes were covered by black fabric, their gaze was clearly directed towards Lee Ha-yeon.

‘That person is…!’

And Lee Ha-yeon recognized who that distinctly characteristic figure belonged to. She had memorized the information on key figures before infiltrating the Truth Church.

‘The Celestial Lady…!’

One of the top leaders of the Truth Church. The herald of the deity Dion whom the believers worship as a living proof that the doctrine of the Truth Church can stand as a doctrine.

“You are…?”

That being tilted its head and asked Lee Ha-yeon.