Chapter 521 – City of Sorrow (2)
The border dividing Romania and Bulgaria.
The number of soldiers guarding that place was very small.
Since the number of troops that can be operated is limited, it feels like only the bare minimum is left.
Entry into the country was easy.
This is because the dispatch of volunteers from the Orthodox Church was planned for a long time.
Even if it wasn’t planned, they had to welcome it with open arms.
The food and daily necessities brought by the volunteer group will make life easier for some of the people.
Among the soldiers, the one who seemed to have the highest rank expressed his gratitude to Michael.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Not much to say.”
“Please relax…, No, I hope you have a safe time.”
A man who smiles bitterly and changes his words after saying the word ‘comfortable’.
That expression contained many emotions.
Even if it’s just empty words, it’s a mixture of regret and sorrow that can’t be said to have a peaceful time.
“Pass!”
The soldiers who were blocking the way move aside, and the barricade, which has wheels that are all rusty and cannot roll properly, moves with difficulty.
Eventually, an open road.
About two hours of breaking things here and there and riding on broken roads.
Finally, the shape of the city began to appear in the distance.
New country, new city.
What kind of scenery and atmosphere do cities in this country create?
… The anticipation was short-lived.
Everyone, including me, realized.
The atmosphere flowing through this city is only sorrow and despair.
* * *
Clear sky.
The atmosphere of the city below is extremely dark.
A deserted road.
Broken building.
Citizens walking helplessly between them.
A fountain in the middle of the city that is believed to have been beautiful at one time, but is now half destroyed and stopped.
Kim Do-jin stopped the bus there and took a deep breath.
And I smelled a very familiar scent of memories.
‘The smell of poverty.’
The same smell I smelled at daycare when I was very young.
It’s a difficult time.
As it was difficult to take care of my family, interest and support for orphanages disappeared.
At its worst, I couldn’t even eat one full meal a day.
Children whined that they were hungry every day, and the daycare teachers were busy soothing them.
Some children who could not endure hunger tried to steal items from supermarkets or bakeries, but were caught by their owners and were beaten up and taken to the police station.
When the director heard the news, he was so shocked that he came running to them and scolded them severely. He then sat down alone in the director’s office late at night and wiped away his tears.
A time when the situation was getting worse and worse, so instead of dreaming about the future, you had to worry about tomorrow’s meal.
The thick smell that hung over the city was similar to the smell I smelled back then.
No.
“… It’s worse.”
The smell of this city was stronger than the worst moment of his life.
When I think of that time, I want to burst into tears without realizing it.
Is that why?
“I miss our director.”
I suddenly missed it.
A person who carefully gave names to abandoned children in orphanages and raised them as if they were his own children.
My younger siblings didn’t want to see their friends starving anymore, so they went to the supermarket to steal something, but they got caught and were beaten to the point of death. While I was sitting on a chair at the police station, they came running to me with socks and patted me on the back, asking me sternly why I did that. The one who scolded him.
Late at night, I had to urinate, so I woke up briefly and headed to the bathroom. When I happened to see the director in tears, my heart ached.
It was probably around that time.
The reason I started to become dignified after harboring a harsh heart.
In order to ease his pain and exhaustion even a little, I started to be the leader of the children.
I helped him as best I could at the time, but I still feel regret in my heart.
“I wish I had stayed a little longer.”
Around the time he devoted himself to the hunter industry and finally started making money.
The director passed away.
It was cancer.
When he went to the hospital because he wasn’t feeling well, the cancer cells had already spread throughout his body and he couldn’t do anything about it.
It was natural.
He was a person who tried to feed his children at least once he had money.
Even if I was sick, I would have considered going to the hospital a luxury.
So, whenever I was happy and enjoying everything, I felt sad sometimes.
If only I had held on a little longer.
If he had lived longer, he would have felt the happiness he enjoys now.
It was a time when he was immersed in sad thoughts and lowered his head.
Han Ju-yeon followed him and asked.
“Is something bad happening?”
A worried tone.
Kim Do-jin, waking up from his thoughts, rolled up the corners of his mouth and shook his head.
“It’s nothing.”
Yes.
It was no big deal.
It was difficult at the time, but now it’s just a thing of the past.
The director, who was so busy and left for heaven first, must be looking down at himself and smiling.
He is a person who prioritized the happiness of orphanage children above all else, so I have no doubt that he will.
“By the way… “The city’s condition is truly miserable.”
“I guess so.”
“I heard the situation wasn’t good, but I didn’t know it would be this bad.”
It’s just as she said.
Perhaps because it was a provincial town close to the Romanian border, the conditions were truly the worst.
The entire city is engulfed in famine.
Everywhere in the city is destroyed with traces of various crimes, and among the skinny citizens, adults and children who are looking for this place are noticeable.
He’s probably planning to commit robbery or pickpocketing.
“The help from the volunteer group is probably not enough.”
“I guess so.”
The Orthodox Church volunteer group arrived in Romania carrying quite a lot of supplies.
But even that is not enough.
After distributing it equally to the citizens suffering from hunger, they would not be able to survive for even a month.
There will be many people who will rob all the food they previously received from robbers.
In the end, there is only one way to save them.
Solving the fundamental problem.
The best thing would be to restore the Sanctuary of Blood and return it to them.
If you raise your head and look into the distance, you can see a red barrier wrapped around a circle under a clear sky.
As I was looking at it, I felt like I could smell the strong smell of blood.
* * *
The border city of Baia Mare.
The Orthodox volunteer group arrived there and settled down in a corner of the city full of grief and set up a relief center.
“We do not provide food to those who do not line up properly.”
“Please keep order as it is difficult for everyone.”
Distribute the food you brought with you to the citizens.
“Where are you in pain?”
“The legs… “My legs hurt so much.”
“I feel like my head is cracking, priest…” .”
We extend a healing hand to the sick.
Looking at them, even I, who does not believe in the existence of God, naturally nods my head.
Why did they establish themselves as the most popular religion in the world?
They say they are the true religion.
“Brother, I think I need to move some supplies. Could you help me?”
“As much as you want.”
“Leave the hard work to us!”
The raid team hidden in the volunteer group also did their best to help them.
Even if you leave when you leave, it would be right to do your duty as a human being until then.
“Thank you so much, thank you… !”
“Thanks to you all, it’s been a while since I ate real food!”
“It doesn’t hurt anymore, thank you!”
Thanks to the charity work done with utmost sincerity, a ray of light seemed to shine on the city.
If there is light, darkness always follows.
“Kill, take everything away!”
“Anything that resists will be killed!”
The thieves, who smelled the smell of food flowing from a city that should have been filled with nothing but despair, rushed in.
However, no one succeeded in stealing food.
The people who blocked them were none other than the elite paladins of the Orthodox Church.
Because until recently, it was impossible for people who were just ordinary citizens or awakened people to break through them.
Those who were blocked by a strong shield barely escaped with their lives thanks to their mercy.
The most cruel treatment.
But no one could criticize their actions.
Because they weren’t just thieves.
Those who became thieves in order to somehow survive before starving to death.
Obviously, the act of taking from others in order to live deserves criticism, but there is also something ambiguous about ruthlessly taking their lives.
What’s more, aren’t they the ones who walk around showing God’s mercy?
“Aaaaah!”
“Please save me!”
“I did it because I was hungry. Please, just this once… !”
After fighting off the bandits that keep coming for a long day, he folds his fingers one by one and counts them.
“Is this the sixth time?”
The volunteer group stayed in this city for only three days.
In just three days, thieves attempted plunder six times.
This also means that there are more thieves in this country.
“As expected, something is a bit strange.”
Every time the attack continues, the feeling that something is strange keeps passing through my mind.
At first, they were bandits who settled not far from the city.
And from the second day onwards, thieves even from half a day to more than a day away from the city began to visit.
As if someone was spreading information from near to far.
“… That might really be the case.”
Maybe someone is really passing on information.
Take away their food.
If that happens, you won’t be starving for a while.
It’s quite possible.
However, one question remains.
“Why on earth?”
For what reason are you giving food information to the bandits?
To receive some food as a reward for information if they succeed in stealing?
Well.
That could also be a reason, but I don’t think it’s likely to be that much.
So what is it?
Something that the provider can greatly benefit from providing the information.
Then suddenly a very bad thought crosses my mind.
“What if the thieves take back the food they stole?”
The current source of food is the Orthodox Church Volunteer Corps.
If you touch them incorrectly, paladins and priests from the Orthodox Church will come.
But what if the thieves, unable to overcome hunger, steal the stolen food again?
Wouldn’t it be possible to get food as per ration and avoid being tracked by the Orthodox Church volunteer group?
If this hypothesis is true, there is only one being in this country who would do such a thing.
“Apostle of the Seven Deadly Sins.”
The apostle of the Seven Deadly Sins and his followers who used the Sanctuary of Blood as their hideout.
What if their entry and exit is not as free as we think and the supply and demand of supplies is not smooth?
There is enough reason to covet the relief goods from the Orthodox Church that came at the right time.
All that remains is to prove this hypothesis…
Maybe that won’t be that difficult either.
“It’s time to catch the big fish.”
It’s time to retrieve the bait that was spread earlier.
