Chapter 520 – City of Sorrow (1)
A commotion spreading in waves.
Acrid smoke seeping deep into the nostrils.
Judging from the strong smell of gunpowder inside, it appears that the attack was caused by firearms.
“Hehe, I didn’t expect that at all.”
Did you let your guard down?
I can’t say no.
Honestly, I think this is inevitable.
What kind of bastard would think of attacking a volunteer group run by the Vatican Orthodox Church?
Even villains filled with hatred towards the world never touch the Vatican Orthodox Church, especially the volunteer corps.
Why?
Who would stand by and watch a group mess with their own children? The volunteer group that travels around the world bestowing God’s grace is considered the most noble group within the Orthodox Church.
Let me give you an example…, Yes.
About 6 years ago?
A volunteer group leaving for Africa was kidnapped by bandits stationed there.
The bandits demanded an exorbitant amount of money as ransom, and surprisingly, the Orthodox Church complied.
The bandits, who had obtained a huge amount of money, obediently released the kidnapped volunteer group.
Even though they did crazy things because they were blinded by money, it was their own friendly sign that they didn’t want to be completely alienated from them.
It took exactly one month.
From the leader of the bandits who kidnapped the volunteer group to the lowest level, everyone was caught.
This means that it took just one month to cover the entire vast African continent.
Afterward, the saint who appeared at an official event gave a warning.
No mercy will be shown to those who interfere with the Orthodox Church volunteer group.
This has become a very clear fear.
Why, there is such a thing.
When a normally gentle person gets angry, they become twice or three times more scared.
A saint is just that kind of person.
Anyway, in a situation like this, I had no choice but to let down my guard to some extent.
As proof, there is someone else here who was let down his guard besides me.
“Drurr…, Tsk! What, what! What kind of crazy person ambushes an Orthodox volunteer group?!”
If even the person called humanity’s greatest hero lets his guard down, wouldn’t everything have been said?
He suddenly woke up from his sleep due to a commotion and asked the driver.
“Good knight, ask the leader. Do you need our help?”
“Yes? Ah, yes!”
He exchanges information with the lead bus through a communication device mounted on the driver’s seat.
He said after completing the communication.
“They say it appears to be an attack by bandits. They say that since there are a lot of numbers, it will be resolved faster if a few people help. .”
“Okay? Then…”
Francis’ eyes scan the people sitting on the bus.
Looks like he’s worried about who to send.
Immediately raise your hand to ease his worries.
“I will come back.”
As he was thinking, his face immediately brightened.
“Oh, fellow Dojin! I can trust you and leave it to you. “Is there someone you can take with you?”
“I can do it alone.”
“Wow, you have great confidence!”
Francis gives a thumbs up and expresses admiration.
But it wasn’t because of confidence.
I’m just confident it won’t turn into a big fight.
“Then I’ll come back, so everyone takes a break.”
“Joe, be careful.”
After the driver opens the door, I get off the bus and walk slowly to the front.
A sense that gradually awakens.
Quite a number of people are surrounding the bus parked on the broken road.
The magic I feel from each one of them adds credibility to my hypothesis.
“The liver wasn’t that big.”
The front of the lead bus that finally arrived.
A man wearing a pure white robe stands in front of a bus with acrid smoke rising from it.
The name is Michael.
The leader leading this volunteer group.
Standing far away from him are dozens of men wearing masks and armed with heavy weapons.
It looks like they are the ones responsible for this attack.
He raises his voice.
“Get out of the way! Any further hostility will be considered an attack on the Orthodox Church!”
Attacks against the Orthodox Church.
The heaviness of those words is not easy.
Being an enemy of a world-wide religion is the same as not being able to live proudly under bright light.
But they didn’t care.
“Does not matter. There is only one way to make us back down. “Please hand over all the supplies on the bus.”
As expected.
They were thieves.
Targeting a bus full of supplies.
Michael got angry when he was told to give up all the supplies.
“You can’t do that! These supplies are for those who are starving in Romania. “I can’t give even a single ounce to thieves like you!”
The attitude of willing to risk death to protect supplies.
The person who appears to be the leader of the thieves slowly raises his hand.
“Then there is nothing we can do. We definitely gave ourselves a chance to live. So, after you die, hold your grudges in moderation.”
“Ugh… !”
The moment the hand drops, firing begins.
Their firearms hidden in all directions, including the front, will devastate the surrounding area.
It was right then.
“Wait.”
What came between them, who were running on parallel lines while only holding on to each other’s positions.
The guy who was trying to signal narrows his eyes and asks.
“… Who are you?”
Currently, I am wearing the robe and hood worn by volunteer corps members.
Make the sign of the cross and say hello.
“My name is Jin. “I am a member of the Orthodox Church Service Corps.”
Then the guy snorted and waved his hand.
“Hmph, get out now. It is not the place for a single member to step forward.”
Look at this kid.
Suppressing her slight irritation, she asks Michael a small favor.
“Captain.”
“Speak, brother.”
“Would you please leave the handling of this matter entirely to me?”
“… “Are you talking to my brother?”
“Yes. “We will try to get through this without any damage through proper negotiations.”
“Uhm… !”
Michael thinks for a moment.
He soon comes to a conclusion and nods his head with a heavy expression.
“All right. “I will follow your wishes.”
“Thank you, Captain.”
After finishing the story, I turn around again, look at the leader of the bandits, and ask.
“I think I have enough qualifications to talk now.”
A slightly frowning expression.
The guy’s nervous tone flows through the air.
“Joy…, But nothing changes. Either give up all your supplies or die. “Choose.”
A tough attitude.
But I can see it.
He’s just trying to pretend to be strong, but his body is completely shrunk from excessive tension.
Fire back at the oppressive guy with as relaxed an attitude as possible.
“In my country, the Republic of Korea, there is a saying like this. They say excessive greed causes anger.”
“…”
“Rather than putting one side’s argument first, how about taking a step back and thinking about each other’s positions a little bit?”
This was both appeasement and warning.
If we don’t compromise a bit, we won’t stand still.
At the same time, it activates the ruler’s area and tightens the magical power around him, creating pressure.
The added pressure on my already tense body would be like death.
“… Phew, good. Let’s do it, negotiate.”
The guy takes a deep breath and sits down at the negotiation table.
“Give me 50% of the supplies. Then I will quietly withdraw.”
“…”
The fact that he is still a sharp robber remains the same.
“50% is too much. “Take it to 20%.”
“… Hey, I already lost half of what I was planning to take.”
He extends his two fingers toward the guy who is letting out his pent-up frustration and sticks to his will.
“20%.”
“… 40%. “No more.”
“20%.”
“Ugh…, 30%! Anything more than this is war… !”
“20%.”
He spoke strongly and tightened the surroundings around him once again.
A little more intensely than before.
“Ugh… !”
The guy who couldn’t bear it shouts in a voice full of resentment.
“Yeah, great! Let’s make it 20%… ! “Give us the supplies right now!”
“Haha, good.”
Okay, thank you!
She immediately turns around and makes eye contact with Michael, who is looking at her with a puzzled look.
“Captain, please open the luggage compartment.”
Only then did he suddenly come to his senses.
“Oh, no, brother. What is this? You’re giving away 20% of the supplies! How can these thieves… !”
I speak in a low voice to the person who is on the verge of becoming enraged.
“Captain. Do you just see them as thieves?”
“If those who are armed with weapons and try to steal other people’s supplies are not thieves, then what are they?”
“To me, they seem like poor little lambs in need of God’s mercy.”
“What is that… !”
“Watch their behavior carefully.”
Although they said they would manage it somehow, the firearm was rusty everywhere.
The tattered clothes worn by those standing at the back of the line.
A skinny body covered up with a lot of layers, sunken cheeks and prominent cheekbones under the mask.
Upon seeing this, Michael’s face becomes filled with astonishment.
“No way, they…”
“Now you see it. You’re right. “They took up arms to survive before they starved to death.”
It’s not just for their own survival.
“These are poor people who risked death for their family and friends.”
That’s why.
The reason they did not back down even after hearing the name of the Orthodox Church Volunteer Group.
Because there is no place to retreat anymore.
They die this way, they die that way.
If you’re going to die, you probably think it’s better to die with a full stomach.
He is shocked and spits out gibberish excuses.
“B, but they ended up committing a crime by taking up weapons. The fact that he is a thief does not change… !”
“I know. But I wonder if they had to take up arms.”
“Well, that is.”
“Giving them supplies is no different from the relief we plan to provide in the future, Commander.”
Michael falls into trouble after hearing the last word.
After careful consideration, he smiles bitterly and shakes his head.
“This is it… “Brother, you are better than me, the leader.”
Finally, he gave up his stubbornness and motioned for the driver to open the luggage compartment.
“Wait a moment. “I will bring the members to carry the luggage.”
“Oh, that’s okay.”
“Yes… ?”
All you have to do is open the luggage compartment.
It’s about carrying it.
“I can do it alone.”
He extends his hand towards the open luggage compartment.
Then, some of the materials that had been piled up inside floated up and piled up in front of my eyes.
“Oh, no, this can’t be right…” .”
“… !”
Michael and the leader of the thieves are surprised by the misfortune unfolding before their eyes.
The purpose was not simply to please their eyes.
It’s a bit of a sharp warning.
If you had fought us until the end, you would not have escaped death here.
After piling up supplies at the midpoint, talk to the mesmerized bandit leader.
“Before taking it, defeat the comrades hiding around you and then take the supplies.”
“… It’s good.”
A man muttering something on an old walkie-talkie.
Eventually, the signs that were all around disappeared one by one.
The only ones left are those left at the front.
When the bandit leader gestured, the ragged-looking thieves behind him moved the supplies while trying to hide their excited faces.
Their minds are probably filled with the thought that they lived through this.
After loading all the luggage into the old truck.
“Withdraw.”
They are moving away at a fast pace.
Afterward, Michael pours out praise towards me.
“I learned a lesson from my brother. “I still have a long way to go.”
“Oh no, no. “I’m learning.”
Well.
Everyone thinks they are doing them a favor, but in reality, they are not.
I was just throwing bait.
Now I just have to wait.
“There is a delay. Let’s leave again.”
“Yes.”
Until the thrown bait gets stuck deep in the gills.
After that, we smoothly crossed the border and arrived in Romania.
In a city of sorrow filled with people slowly drying out and dying.
