Chapter 269 - Is it a joke, right?
When Lost Yak asked, he received a strange response.
"Black Scythe? Are you kidding?"
"Because I said I'm Black Scythe."
Despite repeating it, Min Juri didn't believe it easily.
"Don't joke. I'm serious."
"I'm serious too."
"There's no way you're Black Scythe."
Min Juri didn't even consider the possibility that Ryu Min could be Black Scythe.
It was a strange situation for Ryu Min, who honestly felt hurt in his pride.
"But why can't I be Black Scythe?"
"Because everything is different. The height, the voice, the atmosphere, everything is different. It's completely different."
Seeing her firm denial, Ryu Min had made a considerable effort to appear different.
"It might be difficult to refute it."
He could prove it, but given her strong denial, he wondered if he really needed to tell the truth.
He was also afraid of the consequences of proving the truth.
"If you're going to make an excuse, at least make it believable."
"Okay. I'll tell you the truth. I actually lied to you. My nickname isn't Lost Yak."
"Was I right then? That's why I couldn't find you in the searches."
After not believing in Black Scythe, now she easily believed this.
"I have no choice. I have to hide my true identity until the end."
Ryu Min covered the truth with a convincing lie.
"Didn't you want me to know you?"
Min Juri wasn't completely convinced, but she seemed to understand it to some extent and let the matter go.
"I think I'll tell you when the time comes."
Although misunderstandings had been clarified, Min Juri was still unsatisfied.
"And what about Christine? Why did she come?"
"It's nothing important. She just came to hear the next prophecy. Don't misunderstand."
"Did she come to track me without saying a word to hear a prophecy?"
"You also came without saying a word."
Momentarily speechless, Min Juri admitted her misunderstanding.
"I get it. There's no feeling between the two of you."
"Shouldn't there be any feeling?"
"No way! You said that I..."
Min Juri was about to blurt out some angry words when she abruptly stopped.
She was about to say something embarrassing.
"No way! Don't look at anyone else. Got it?"
"Got it."
After saying it, Min Juri felt embarrassed and turned her head while sipping her coffee.
From Ryu Min's perspective, who could see through her thoughts, her behavior seemed adorable.
"Anyway, I'll teach you how to complete round 17."
"...Yes."
Heo Taeseok was lost in thought in the religious leader's room.
Currently, there is only one man who is bothering him.
"Alex Pearson. Is he really taking sides within the organization?"
Based on what he had observed so far, Alex had contacted five people.
Dorothy, Victor, Sophia, Russell, Jo Yong-ho, among others.
All were followers of the Church of the Four Gods.
"Why did he meet with them personally? For what purpose?"
Although he couldn't hear the conversation, it definitely raised suspicions.
If he's willing to travel around the world to meet personally, wouldn't it be for something important?
"There's something suspicious."
He suspected, but had no proof.
"If only I had proof, I could help Black Scythe..."
At that moment, the phone on his desk rang.
Heo Taeseok, seeing the caller, quickly answered.
"Yes, Black Scythe. What's happening?"
-How many days until the regular meeting?
Heo Taeseok's eyes turned to the calendar on his desk.
"One day left."
-Change the agenda to tomorrow.
"Tomorrow?"
That meant summoning all the believers for tomorrow.
"What's going on?"
-We did a job together last time, remember?
"The job of sowing the dark seeds among the people?"
-Yes. We'll have to do it again. We'll also teach how to complete round 17 while we're together.
Doing that ridiculous job of summoning demons and then killing them again?
He didn't know why, but if it was God's word, he had to follow it.
"Understood. I'll summon the believers immediately."
Although his voice sounded calm, as soon as the call ended, his expression changed to one of anxiety.
"What should I do? I'm meeting Black Scythe sooner than expected..."
The original plan was to present Black Scythe with proof that Alex was a traitor while others watched.
But since the meeting was moved up, time was running out.
"I have to make sure I have proof... proof..."
How could he obtain proof within the limited time?
No matter how much he thought about it, only one way came to mind.
"I can only ask directly."
Heo Taeseok entered the saved contact information of the believers and sent a group text message.
[Hello everyone, this is Leader Heo Taeseok.
The regular meeting scheduled for Friday has been moved to Tuesday at 6 p.m. I deeply apologize for the sudden change in date.
Although it will be rushed, Black Scythe will teach us the strategy for the next round that day, so make sure to attend. Thank you.
Hello everyone, this is Leader Heo Taeseok. The regular meeting...]
But only to one person.
To Alex Pearson, he sent a different message with a different time and place.
"This way I can deal with him."
After all, he planned to meet personally to extract proof.
As soon as he received the message, Alex boarded the plane without delay.
The trip from Germany to South Korea would take approximately 10 hours.
Time was short.
"I don't know why they suddenly changed the time..."
He couldn't afford to miss the meeting.
Didn't they promise to reveal the strategy for round 17?
"Even if I have to go in underwear, I must go without fail."
With that mindset, Alex arrived as quickly as possible at Incheon International Airport and showed the taxi driver the meeting place.
"Here. Please take me here."
"What? Customer, are you sure about this address? This is just an empty field..."
"Please, hurry. Okay? It's late."
"Late? Alright, alright. As long as you pay me."
Setting aside his doubts, the taxi driver headed to the agreed place after receiving payment.
Alex was left alone in the empty field.
"Is this the right place? Why is there no one here?"
Despite arriving 20 minutes late to the agreed time, there was no one in the empty field.
Alex couldn't understand the reason, but somehow it was okay.
After all, the person he wanted to see was on the way.
"Leader!"
The person approaching was Heo Taeseok.
Although he smiled upon seeing him, it was only for a moment.
"What's going on?"
Feeling the tense atmosphere, Alex's expression hardened.
"What's happening?"
Heo Taeseok's expression was harsher than usual, and he was also equipped with his gear.
"Leader, it seems you're worried. What...?"
"Alex."
Heo Taeseok interrupted in prepared English.
"Tell me the truth."
"What? What the hell...?"
"Don't lie."
He wasn't sure what he was talking about, but the atmosphere was heavy.
Enough to feel the intention in his eyes.
"Could it be...?"
Meeting a disciple equipped didn't mean anything good.
It was a sign that he could attack at any moment.
It was like showing a gun and telling him not to protest.
"I don't know what's happening, but it seems you're hostile towards me."
With that thought, Alex quickly put on his gear.
It was natural to be on guard when feeling threatened.
But Heo Taeseok, as if expecting that, lifted the corner of his lips and launched a skill.
"Black Chain."
The chains that appeared out of nowhere bound his limbs.
Even though he wore his gear, Alex found himself unable to move.
"What are you doing...?"
"If you tell the truth, you won't suffer any harm."
Heo Taeseok, with a summoned black arrow, pointed at Alex while speaking in memorized English.
"You. Why have you been communicating with Dorothy, Victor, Sophia, Russell, and Jo Yong-ho?"
Hearing the list, Alex's surprised eyes widened.
"Have you been in contact with these people I mentioned? Why?"
"How did you...?"
In an instant, Alex's expression twisted upon realizing what he was thinking.
"Are you sure you were getting into my business?"
"I said the right thing..."
Pow!
When Alex broke the mana shield surrounding his body, Heo Taeseok was thrown back.
At the same time, the chains holding him disappeared.
"Were you chasing me? Why? Why?"
"Gah, is this damn bastard attacking me...?"
Heo Taeseok grunted between his teeth.
Fortunately, he wasn't hurt, but it was that guy who attacked him first.
"Demonic transformation."
With horns emerging from his forehead, Heo Taeseok's appearance transformed into that of a demon.
Seeing how he summoned four black arrows, Alex opened his eyes in surprise.
"So that's your game?"
He also prepared for the fight, with no intentions of backing down, and conjured an ice spear.
The situation was on the verge of an imminent confrontation.
"Stop. Stop."
At that moment, someone intervened between them.
But it was already too late.
"Oh!"
Both cast magic towards each other.
Pew pew pew!
The spells met in mid-air, unintentionally hitting a person who stepped in between.
Although a level 70 spell could shatter the limbs of an ordinary person, their opponent wasn't someone ordinary.
"It's, that is..."
The spell impacted a wall of darkness that was in the wrong place.
When the wall disappeared, the figure of the man who had intervened was revealed.
His skin was a grayish tone without signs of life.
"What are you doing? You should be on the same side."
The masked man, Black Scythe, scolded the two with a deep, low voice.
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