Chapter 192: The Supporter Sect


    Ramin''s idea was simple. If Gorgota was right, the vebor camp in Rubeil was under arge management system, which meant that the managers and guards were separated. This implied that they didn''t share information with each other from time to time.


    "They would check, but that would be done by the managers once we enter the vebor camp. The Union Kingdom has borrowed many systems from the military, so I think the vebor camp will be simr. Officers often can''t remember every single soldier. What do you think?"


    "I agree... I think it will be simr.”


    Making theborers escape was the most challenging part of the n, but it was easier than infiltrating the camp''s guards. The logging camp periodically changed locations, and there were temporary mountain cabins for theborers on each site. Gorgota had hidden the weapons they carried in the bedding and washrooms used only by theborers. But Gorgota''s concern was that theborers would report these weapons to the guards or managers. If that happened, it would be discovered that it hasn’t been long since the weapons were hidden, and they would increase the security in the camp, making it even more challenging to enter.


    However, that didn''t happen. Gorgota had thought that it would take theborers days to n for their escape after finding the weapons, but instead, theborers escaped immediately.


    Ramin and her group, who had been hiding nearby, approached two Humanborers attempting to escape. Then Gorgota asked the twoborers to swap clothes with Ramin and Juran in exchange for guaranteeing their escape, and they of course agreed without hesitation. Eventually, Ramin and Juran got caught by the security guards, and they pretended to be surrendering mid-escape.


    As they were being dragged towards the center of the vebor camp, Juran said to Ramin, "It might be difficult to hold out for long."


    "We just need to make it to the inside of thebor camp. We’ll get out once we confirm if Hwee-Kyung is there."


    Ramin didn’t think they could hold out for long, either. The cursed ones—those with parts of their bodies transformed and infused by a spirit of Demonic Magic—were treated quite negatively in the Union Kingdom. As a result, cursed ones could often be seen among theborers.


    ‘But aside from that, antlers just stand out.’


    However, Ramin actually wasn''t in the situation to worry about Juran. Theborers had escaped in thete afternoon, and although it was currently after sunset, if they were made tobor after dawn, her identity as a Vampire would be exposed. In the Union Kingdom, cursed ones wereborers, while Vampires were sentenced to death.


    ‘But the Angry One''s Fangs are chasing me anyway. So that isn’t really something to be afraid of, is it?’


    However, there was one thing that Ramin had overlooked. The guards didn''t have precise information about the number ofborers, and the managers were at the center of the camp, but right next to them was a group that could recognize the changedborers.


    "Hey you."


    A thin Elf man tapped Ramin’s shoulder.


    "Who are you?"


    He was dressed like aborer, just like Ramin and Juran.


    ***


    The Elf revealed his name to be Aganin Ore. Aganin ordered his fellowborers to surround them, making sure otherborers couldn''t hear and that the guards'' gaze wouldn''t reach them.


    Aganin then said to Ramin, "I''ve survived in this vebor camp for over ten years. There was not a single face I didn’t know in the group that went out to cut wood today, but surely I’ve never seen you two before.”


    “Um…”


    "Don''t think about lying. I''ll report you to the guards right away."


    Ramin thought about what to do for a moment, but her decision was simple.


    ‘We gave theborers guns and they immediately attempted to escape. The situation in thebor camp isn''t good. In such cases,borers are more likely to cooperate with the managers and guards if they don''t want to be persecuted. But...''


    Ramin thought she could control the Elf in front of her through her lies. She could im to be an agent from the Empire’s Intelligence Agency, sent to free the vebor camp, and that in order to do that, she would need the Elf''s help.


    ‘But that’s a lie, even if there’s partial truth to it.’


    Ramin decided to tell the truth rather than manipte Aganin with a false story.


    "We''vee to find someone."


    "You willinglye into Rubeil just to find someone? You must be insane."


    "It''s a matter of life and death for us."


    Aganin said, "And if you find them? Will that satisfy you? Do you have a way out of thisbor camp? Or does putting your life on the line mean you have no intention of going back?"


    That was a question Ramin had been worrying about too. All of this, indeed, happened because it was what the gods wanted. However, Ramin didn''t believe she was fanatical enough to risk her life for a religion. She had told Gorgota that she had strong faith, but she had never actually thought of herself that way.


    ‘Yet I still jumped into something where escape isn’t guaranteed. What is going on?’


    Not following the will of the gods was a scary thing indeed. Considering the long war between the Empire and the Union Kingdom, one person''s life wouldn''t be taken very seriously; that made gods terrifying beings. However, during this journey, she hadn''t felt like she was being chased.


    ''In fact, it’s my previous life that felt like meandering about.''


    Ramin felt a faint sense of God’s will during this journey, and she knew that the will ovepped with her own.


    ''I’m being controlled? ...No, it''s not a negative feeling like that.''


    Ramin tried to think further, but Aganin continued to talk to her.


    "Are you Fang agents sent by the Union Kingdom to test the loyalty of theborers?"


    “Is that what it seems like?”


    Aganin burst intoughter.


    “A Human woman traveling with a Human man with antlers? …Of course not.”


    Ramin said, “We really only came to find someone. That’s all we want to do.”


    “Hm, well, let’s listen to what you have to say first. Who exactly are you here to find?”


    Ramin then said with a little bit of hope, “Her name is Hwee-Kyung.”


    “...Hwee-Kyung? I''m not sure I know her."


    "She might have been here for a very long time..."


    "I have been in thebor camp for a long time, but I don''t know everyone. Thebor camp is divided into several sections, and to prevent theborers from getting too close to each other, we are regrly reced. There are still many people I don''t know."


    "Oh, her appearance is quite distinctive. She''s a Human woman with antlers on her head."


    At those words, Aganin''s expression slightly changed. Ramin realized that Aganin knew something.


    Aganin pointed at Juran''s head.


    "...By antlers, do you mean antlers that look like those?”


    Ramin almost let out an exmation. However, Aganin’s following words made her doubt her ears.


    “Are you guys looking for the Saint?”


    ***


    Ramin and Juran received Aganin''s help. Aganin seemed to know not only many of theborers within the vebor camp, but also some of the guards and certain managers. ording to his introduction, Aganin was one of the leaders of a fairly well-known criminal organization within the Union Kingdom. This criminal organization started out as a group of Tailless thieves in the past, but now engaged in crimes like drug trafficking and gambling in the Union Kingdom; the scale was quite big, giving them a bad reputation. Because of this, Aganin also had a certain level of autonomy, unofficially, within thebor camp.


    "So, excluding two Humanborers from the list should be possible.”


    The central area of the vebor camp was somewhat familiar to Ramin as well. It had been a whole vige from the old Garang Kingdom, made into a mining site.


    Aganin stated that Ramin and Juran were not part of theborers who had attempted to escape, and the otherborers testified to the fact. Additionally, Ramin and Juran were also excluded from the regr gatherings due to their supposed illness, thanks to Aganin.


    "Most of the managers don''t even remember what theborers look like, but those antlers are a bit concerning. If you n to stay here for a while, it would be better to cut them. I can''t keep you excluded from the gatherings for too long."


    Ramin replied, "We won’t stay long. We would get caught when the sun rises tomorrow anyway.”


    “You would get caught?”


    “Anyway, tell us more about this Saint.”


    Then Aganin exined that the person known as the Saint in the Rubeil vebor camp was at the deepest part of the coal mine in thebor camp. However, apart from being a female Human, not much was known about her. The Saint was always apanied by special guards and managers, making it difficult for otherborers to approach her.


    "Then why is she called a Saint?"


    "She helps theborers with mysterious powers."


    While it was difficult for otherborers to approach the Saint, it was an exception when she approached theborers.


    "How does she help?"


    "Quite literally. She tends to wounds and even takes beatings on behalf of others. She also does many of the tasks that otherborers should be doing."


    "That doesn''t sound very mysterious."


    Aganin shook his head.


    "If you get beaten here in thebor camp, one out of three people die. So surviving each time is a miracle in itself."


    “Hm.”


    "Additionally, even when the mines are filled with gas, she has gone inside alone to rescue people or, in some cases, came out herself after being buried with others inside the mines. Anyway, they say she has shown many miracles that are hard to exin."


    Ramin said, "She may be a good person, but isn''t that unrted to being holy?"


    "No, not exactly." Aganin exined, "After she saves someone, apparently she tells them to convert as she received her power to perform those miracles from the One Who Stands Behind. Therefore, many people in thebor camp came to believe in the god, following the Saint, and so they’re called the Supporter Sect."


    "...The Supporter Sect? They''re just letting that happen in thebor camp?"


    Aganin furrowed his eyebrows and said, "Honestly speaking, thebor camp manager sees the Supporter Sect quite favorably. The doctrine of the Supporter Sect itself ims that the punishments we receive here are to pay for our sins. They say that if you die while doingbor like this, you can live happily in the afterlife."


    "It''s a strange religion."


    "I''m not interested in it either."


    Aganin snorted and then quietly added, "But I do go to their gatherings because they provide special meals.”


    "...Uh, so what do we need to do to meet this Saint then?"


    Aganin replied, "Meeting her is not that difficult. There are regr gatherings as I just mentioned, and..."


    As Aganin was going to say more, someone walked into theborers'' lodging. The person opening the door and entering was wearing a mask, a Fang agent. It happened so suddenly that Aganin, Ramin, Juran, and even the Fang agent all froze for a moment.


    ‘...Of course the agents must have been camping out inside thebor camp! And among them, there must be agents who know my face. I was too careless.’


    Ramin was the first to move, but the Fang agent was not slow at all. Actually, they would be faster even though they startedte. What the agent pulled out of their pocket was a gunpowder revolver.


    ‘Shit, we were so close!’


    Even if she took the revolver with her bare hands, the entire n would go to waste if the gun was fired. Ramin began to stretch out her hand, but to unleash the lightning power she had received from God, she needed a moment of concentration. That moment of concentration meant there would be some dy.


    The moment Ramin saw the agent pull the trigger, Juran jumped between Ramin and the agent. Ramin thought Juran had undoubtedly made a foolish choice. However, the result Ramin worried about did not happen.


    Click.


    The firing pin of the revolver hit the bullet, but the bullet did not fire.


    ‘A misfire? Lucky, but…’


    Due to Juran suddenly blocking the Fang agent, the Fang agent had several opportunities to pull the trigger. The agent pulled the hammer down and fired again.


    Click.


    And again.


    Click, click, click.


    The Fang agent looked down at their gun in bewilderment. All five rounds were duds.


    "This is unbelievable..."


    Ramin saw Juran smiling slightly but didn''t ask him about it. Instead, she stretched out her hand toward the agent. A line of blue lightning shot out.