6 Chapter 6 - Cleaners

When Liu Jeemin stated his newly created name, a loud voice made the crowd silent.

Seeing this, he tilted his head in confusion and took a look at the source of the voice.

A man wearing a white priest robe, raised his hands at chest level, while talking about something.

"Dear brothers and sisters, I know you're all confused and afraid. I want that all of us to take a moment of silence, and feel the presence of the Lord," he smiled as he clasped his hands in prayer.

"Dear God, I hope you forgive us sinners. Brothers and sisters, let us not be tempted by the words of the devil, telling us to leave this majestic holy hall," he smiled and continued, "In fact, it is revealed to me, that the darkness outside the hall is the path towards hell!"

This is bad, this might incite fear into my newly formed party, they might even leave me.

The strange dark abyss outside the hall was already scary, adding the words of the priest earlier further made it horrifying.

"This is just a test from God. I died before I was brought here, I assume you, dear brothers and sisters were also brought here by the same circumstances," the priest solemnly added, "That means that we're already dead. We are being tested for the last time, before being judged by God."

"If you want to go to hell; be tempted by the messenger of Satan— the woman earlier — then feel free to step outside. But don't blame God for your foolishness," the priest's eyes gleamed with scorn, "But if we stay here and pray amongst ourselves, the chances of going to heaven will be higher."

The priest slowly turned his head from left to right, as he observed the people before him like he stood atop a pulpit.

A man amongst the crowd raised his hand and asked, "How are you sure that this is purgatory? How are you sure that the woman earlier is the Satan's messenger? Aren't you just spouting bullshit?!"

Several people started to laugh after hearing the question.

Hearing this, the priest only warmly smiled at the man who asked the question, showing not a hint of anger nor irritation.

"My dear brother and sisters, this is the revelation of God. The answer is in our heart. Of course, you can say I'm maybe bluffing or making something up, I couldn't absolutely convince you of that," with a calm and dignified voice he added with a slight chuckle, "There's no harm in believing in it, right? Instead of inciting restlessness, confusion, and darkness in our hearts."

His back straightened as he heaved a deep sigh, "Let us pray."

After being answered, the man went silent and nodded at the priest.

"There's no harm, right? Rather than taking a risk, I think we should heed the priest's words."

"Right, right, quiet now, I'm gonna join the prayer."

"Yeah, what they said was right, we should also pray."

Cipriani Markez, with his tiger's coat hanged on his back, was observing at the side while frowning at this sight.

When the priest started praying solemnly, some of the crowds, one after the other, begun to join the prayers also.

Liu Jeemin felt his hair stood on end when he felt a gaze coming from the priest's position. When he turned his head towards the source of the strange piercing sensation, his eyes met the priest's ominous gaze.

"... Begone Satan, begone temptation. Thou shalt not heed thy devil's lies. I plead God, to grace us, protect us from evil..."

Jeemin couldn't help but feel that the words the priest was uttering were directed towards him.

Before everything else, he thought that he should finish the important matter first.

"If you feel hesitant, I won't force you to follow me. It might be dangerous if we step outside the hall, but I had this terrible feeling that staying here isn't a good idea either."'

"Whatever choice you choose, I will still head outside with or without you. As the priest said, we are already considered dead. Taking a bit of risk without having evil intentions, I'm sure that God isn't that petty that he would put us to hell just because we're curious."

His face was dark as he studied nervously his newly formed party in anticipation.

"Well, I'm also curious what's outside. And I'm not really religious, so it's fine with me."

Jin Hyoon said as she twiddle with her brown hair.

"I don't care about going to hell. So I'm in."

Dmitri coldly retorted as he inaudibly added, "In fact I'm already destined to go to hell."

Then Claire Williams spoke casually, "I've been planning to head outside anyways, so yeah, I don't care what the priest said earlier. It's not like everything they say is true."

Sasaki Seiji stretched his arms as he loosened his necktie around his neck before speaking.

"I don't see any point staying here. Look... not to mention the danger outside the hall, what about the danger here?" Sasaki Seiji pointed his finger towards a gathering of burly men, seeming to be conspiring something.

"I don't have the faintest confidence to say they're discussing something good." Sasaki Seiji clicked his tongue as Liu Jeemin saw the burly men eyeing the priest with dangerous glares.

When he turned his gaze back towards the group, the nurse started talking.

"I . . . also think . . . it's good. It's too creepy here. And the exit doesn't look like ... That scary at all."

Li Jing softly muttered, as she shyly lowered her head even more. Her innocent demeanor, coupled with her elegant and mature but youthful beauty made Liu Jeemin unconsciously avert his gaze.

Looking at his 'party', he was a bit impressed that he was able to form something like this by assuming a suitable personality.

It was this kind of result that made it even more irresistible to him to change who he was.

Of course, it also comes with a lot of dangers, which he suffered through in his previous world. But he didn't care, since it was effective, what more could he ask for?

He observed each of them, imprinting their characteristics in his head, while constantly muttering their names inaudibly in case he embarrassingly forget it.

Dmitri was staring at his own left hand, Claire Williams was warily staring at the burly men, Jin Hyoon was jovially talking with Claire Williams onesidedly, while Sasaki Seiji was grinning — no one knew what he's thinking about. Then Li Jing at the side was too shy to even do something.

He licked his lips excitedly as he nodded at them, beckoning them to follow him.

When they were lined up between the two gigantic pillars, he thought of an idea and turned his head towards them.

"Let's hold each others' hand, so we won't get separated in case this is a portal that teleports people randomly."

When he reached for Dmitri's left hand, he inadvertently grasp Li Jing's soft and warm hand on his left.

'Uhmm.. I didn't do this on purpose. But God? Why is she so soft and warm.'

Dispelling his playful thought immediately before it devolve into something perverted, he lead the first step towards the abyss in front of them.

When both of his feet finally settled on the dark abyss, he suddenly let out yelp.

He bit his lips as he regretted letting out a strange sound. Luckily, no one noticed, as the group was busy dealing with the situation before them.

Only then when they disappeared did the several people looking at them gasped in unison.

"They..."

"What..."

"Did you see that?!"

"The Satan devoured them! People, don't be tempted!"

The priest hurriedly shouted to dispel the notion of following Liu Jeemin's group.

*

-Li Na, my dear, are you sure you're not gonna inform them? It's a bit of an headache listening to that schmuck yapping on and on about salvation.

"What's the point? It's more interesting this way. I remembered botching this part back then, they should too."

Li Na snickered, her bloody red irises looked at the crowd with a hint of anticipation and scorn.

"Hmm. A wannabe leader managed to convince five people to accompany him, interesting. Tch, it could have been better if they remained here and waited for the bloody fest to come."

Cloaked in invisibility, she glanced briefly at the previous location Liu Jeemin's group left as she clicked her tongue in disappointment.

Her long violet hair swayed as she playfully shook her head while her menacing eyes darted towards several thugs.

They were moving in a coordinated manner, circling around a couple of women while repelling other men—not part of their group—with their murderous glare.

"Now, now," a man wearing a thick tiger's coat draped on his back, clasped both of his hands in a friendly manner, " Since this might be a purgatory as Mr. Priest suggested before, I might as well start having my last chance of pleasure, right brothers?"

"As you can see," his eyes surveyed around the crowd before him, "I don't think there's nobody here— who's already way past the point of salvation, who..."

His chilling chuckle echoed in the hall as his eyes gleamed with dangerous light.

"... Who doesn't care about going to hell anymore."

"Right brothers?" His eyes were deep, seeming to entranced one's soul who would stare at it for too long, as he continued in a friendly manner, "Maybe Mr.Priest can even join the fun, who knows? I mean... Nobody's perfect, right? If pleasure doesn't exist in hell..."

"Then we still have this place. Maybe God created this place with that purpose in mind. Oh dear priest~, do forgive me for I have too many sins, even Satan would be ashamed."

He cackled as he nodded at the several men encircling the women.

Even the skinny innocent looking guys were now looking at them with the desire to get involve, convinced by the man's words earlier.

The girls being encircled was shivering in nervousness, fear were reflected in their eyes.

When they pleaded with their eyes around them, most of the people averted their gazes, seemingly afraid of getting involved.

The man wearing a tigers coat, ordered one his men to drag one of the girls to him.

The girl screamed and flailed around as she was dragged by her hair on the ground, while the man dragging her were looking at her with lust written all over his face.

"Hmmm. Pretty good looking and plumpy. Since you're the first one to follow my command, she's yours now."

"Dear brothers, my name by the way is Cipriani Markez, I treat people who follow me with fairness. And by my grace, I shall freely provide a feast for the eyes."

He licked his lips, as he held the girl's chin. Then he nodded at the man who dragged the girl.

"Thanks Boss."

"Good, good, what's your name?"

"Just call me Rock boss."

Cipriani Markez cackled with a satisfied expression.

"... Hmm, no knight in shining armour coming around? Mr. Priest, wanna try rescuing her?"

He laughed spitefully while everyone in the hall fall into silence, even the Priest stopped praying.

The Priest's eyes flashed at such a taunt momentarily— nobody knows what's he's thinking about.

As Rock was attempting to undress the flailing girl in front of them, a system messaged arrived.

[The allotment time for forming a party has been exceeded]

[Banishment is now commencing. . .]

[Cleaners are being summoned.]

"Here comes the fun."

Li Na grinned.

Hounds and humanoid wolves started appearing around the hall.

The priest took this chance and immediately shouted with excitement.

"This is it! Dear brothers and sisters, God won't let cruelty prevail. He is sending these creatures to punish evildoers."

At first, the people seemed convinced by the priest's words as they heaved a sigh of relief.

That was until the number of hounds and humanoid wolves increased. If that was it, it wouldn't be big deal, but they witnessed an innocent bystander got torn to pieces like paper by the humanoid wolves.

Not only that, the hounds seemed to grow bigger as they ate the people around them. It was total pandemonium, the crowd got scattered like bunch of ants.

Screams of agony and torn flesh, with brain matter and bloody skins littered the hall in a blink of an eye.

The Cleaners massacred them as the number of people dwindled down.

"This is a test from God, do not be tempted to step outside the hall!"

Ignoring the priest's ramblings, Cipriani Markez didn't even pay heed to his hastily formed men as he proceeded to leave this place as soon as possible.

His arm got scratched by one of the humanoid wolves, luckily it wasn't that deep. The hounds were not that hard to avoid and repel, but the humanoid wolves are something that even he found horrifying.

They can tear a human being into two by only using their sharp claws and ripped arms.

"Boss wait for me."

Rock shouted as he managed to find him amongst the crowd.

Cipriani Markez was astonished that this guy still even think of following him.

If only there were people like him in my previous life, it wouldn't be shitty as it was. If it is possible to return to earth, I'd make those guys pay tenthousandfold.

"Heading out?"

While panting and dusting his ragged hobo-clothes, Rock asked.

"Yeah, it's better than staying here, but before that."

I need to survive first and have a good impression to these people as much as possible. More people, more power.

He stopped just before his foot reach the dark abyss outside the hall.

"Everyone, hear me! I don't think you wanna die again! If you think Mr. Priest here is right, then you're just handing yourselves in a silver platter to these hungry beasts."

"But if you don't wanna die again, then follow me. I'm gonna take the first step for all of you, adios amigos!"

Cipriani Markez shouted as he jumped at the exit while his coat flapped like a cape. Rock clicked his tongue at his Boss's grand exit, then proceeded to follow him.

****

Li Na watched them with an amused expression. Torn pieces of body, arms, and heads were scattered around. Screams and cries of the struggling crowds are constantly filling the now bloody hall.

Even the Priest before was nowhere to be seen.

[The Watcher Prophet finds your action brutal]

Li Na scoffed.

"Didn't the previous Guide did this to us too?"

-Seeing these righteous pricks get pissed and not being able to do anything is a sight to behold.

"Well, they can meddle as they want outside, but not here. Anyways, Grass Eating bastard, it seems you have a lot of time in your hands being able to watch here? Have you finished the job? How about the situation on the border, have you finished handling it?"

-Ehhh, I just want to relax a bit, and why does it feel like you're the boss, my position is higher than you?

"Hmm, say that again, then you'll see me at the other side."

-No, I'm just kidding geez. Uwahh...

Li Na chuckled amidst the bloody massacre happening before her as she heard grumblings and whines at the other end.

"Time to go." She muttered while leaving behind the remaining people alive.

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