The Outer God Needs Warmth

Chapter 107

It’s really cold at night, and even during the day, the temperature has become chilly.

All the trees that change color have transformed, and there are even more bare trees, completely devoid of leaves.

Winter has arrived suddenly.

Just like how the harsh season has come, something far away has happened.

Byeongil and Jungjaewoo.

These two have been captured by the Murim Alliance.

Yes. Two months ago, they were escaping from the Heavenly Demon Church and running far away. They were caught by the Murim and were taken to the Murim Alliance for interrogation.

It was discovered there that they were from the Heavenly Demon Church.

In short, they were drugged and tortured.

Moreover, it wasn't just the usual kind of easy-to-understand torture.

Their true identities were thoroughly uncovered through unknown techniques.

There were techniques that, based on faded memories, seemed impossible to find in the martial arts world.

It’s such an unusual technique that it’s believed to be connected to the Heavenly Demon leader, Daegon.

Of course, it wasn’t a technique Daegon himself possessed. His techniques were centered on biotechnology, so the direction of the technology is a bit different.

But there are other immortals in this world besides Daegon.

There are several immortals aside from him.

Originally, Daegon was exiled from another world and came to invade this world, but he was defeated and fled deep into the water.

This means that there are immortals who defeated Daegon. Stronger immortals. They live on Mount Kunlun.

The technique seems to be related to that region.

The technique of extracting the soul from a living person and peering into their memories is of a completely different level. It’s not something that can be achieved with normal skill.

Moreover, the technology that projects an image into the air was something from science fiction in faded memories.

Of course, there are worlds where such techniques exist within my Harvesters' reach. I’ve only seen them from a distance, as they are far beyond my world.

They used floating wooden sculptures in the air to extract light from the Harvester’s body.

Then, light stained purple shot out from the body.

In the room where the Harvester’s soul was being extracted, one person gathered others and explained that the light represented a corrupted soul.

They said that this was the result of the corrupting Heavenly Demon magic.

This color, they said, was the chaos that would overturn the world, an evil power not to be approached.

They were right.

And the light, indeed, was the soul.

I found out eventually.

But that wasn’t all the information I gathered.

One of the people gathered across from the experts asked if the soul could be returned to its original state.

In response, the expert, or at least someone who appeared to be one, firmly stated that there was no way to cleanse a soul that had already been corrupted.

At least not with the technology available in this world.

If I were to strip away my blessing, my warmth would vanish.

If I were to be classified as diseased and cured...

Ugh. Terrible.@@@@

Or, they might not know it, but there’s a faint possibility that such a technology exists somewhere in this world. After all, there was only a person present.

The place where this technology is believed to originate... Kunlun.

Those who live there may possess such technology.

Immortals.

They are collectively called immortals, but generally, they are a special type of lifeform, one per species.

In fact, some of them are difficult to even consider life.

They are probably warm...

No. Ahem.

We need to be careful of them.

As of now, there don’t seem to be any immortals among those interpreting the Harvesters within the Murim Alliance. There is no large light visible.

But there are people who specialize in special techniques.

They discovered a woman in Byeongil and Jungjaewoo’s memories who created Harvesters from people.

And they designated her as an evil succubus who corrupted people.

I can tell how her gaze and body are moving, but I can’t tell what she’s thinking.

If I don’t know, I should ask.

"Why?"

"No, it’s just that Choseol always insists on speaking formally. You speak formally no matter who you're talking to, right?"

I see. I am speaking formally.

Respect and courtesy can sometimes be powerful weapons. I find it more advantageous to crawl below others than to stand above them.

Standing above others to dominate is something I can do once they know everything about me, so it’s not a priority yet.

"Is it strange?"

"To someone younger than you? Especially when speaking to a servant, it feels strange."

That’s referring to herself.

I thought she accepted it without question, but it seems she found it odd.

Originally, Sooga was sent here as my servant. And I had claimed ownership over her from the Heavenly Demon.

But I gave her freedom. The freedom to do whatever she wants.

"I couldn’t help it. I decided from the start that way."

At my words, Sooga looks at me intently. Her expression is a mix of confusion, resentment, and various other emotions.

"It feels like you’re building a wall."

Yeah. I can see how it might feel like that. She’s exactly right.

I’m building a wall.

A very, very, very strong wall.

I’m building it so that nothing behind it can be shown.

I don’t intend to show anyone what’s behind the wall.

What’s behind it are screams of madness from the cold.

It seems like the Heavenly Demon may have caught a glimpse, but from the way he sympathizes with me, he couldn’t have seen properly. The reality is far worse and more disgusting.

If the door behind the wall ever opens, it’s over.

It’s like being hit with a drug that completely destroys brain cells; I won’t be able to return again.

If I open it, I’ll be doing something brutal until I’m stopped somewhere, and I’ll never be able to obtain warmth again.

"This is something I can’t show, even if I want to."

"Are you not planning to open your heart?"

That’s quite a sharp remark.

This topic is difficult.

At least while I’m within the Heavenly Demon Church, I intend to act as a harmless person to everyone.

Let’s steer the conversation away from this point.

"Oh, you’re full now, huh? Do you think this much isn’t enough? I’ve given so much, but still, it’s not enough? Alright. Let’s see if you can take anything from me!"

I grab Sooga and tickle her side.

Sooga screams and runs away.

I chase after her, and Sooga, yelping, runs out of the house.

"Uh... maybe I should have come at another time?"

A beautiful woman in pure white clothes stands awkwardly at the entrance.

She’s not a Harvester, so I didn’t know she would be here. I thought maybe a lost stray cat wandered in since no one else would come.

"Sooga, we have a guest."

"Welcome!"

Sooga, as if nothing had happened, walks up to Goomilmil and guides her inside. I head to the kitchen to prepare the tea that Inshimwon had brought as a gift earlier.

"Heavenly Demon’s disciple, right?"

Goomilmil speaks in an awkward tone, addressing Sooga formally.

"You don’t have to speak to me formally since I’m not a direct disciple!"

Sooga laughs out loud and talks to Goomilmil. A direct disciple means a disciple who inherits everything from the master.

Sooga just learns martial arts from the Heavenly Demon, so she’s not considered one.

"You’re the one in the higher position, aren’t you, Goomilmil?"

As for what kind of relationship they’ll have... who knows.

I think that while boiling the tea over an unquenchable fire.