Chapter 158: To Paradise (1)
They crossed the Ganghwa Bridge that had been newly built after the Heaven’s Grace Guild settled in. It looked extravagant and majestic like a bridge leading to Asgard in Norse mythology.
Song Ha-Eun stuck her head out of the car window and clicked her tongue in disbelief. “Holy shit, how much money did they pour into building that thing?”
The bridge leading to the Ganghwa Island Special Autonomous Zone, aka Paradise, left a striking impression worthy of its name.
“Well, it is the most powerful guild in the country. They must be rolling in cash,” Kwon Oh-Jin replied.
“Who do you think is richer? That Isabella chick or these guys?”
“Who knows?”
Kwon Oh-Jin didn’t know their exact worth, but one thing was certain. Both had fortunes beyond his imagination.
“By the way, what’s Isabella up to these days?” Song Ha-Eun asked.
“I’m not sure. We text every now and then, but that’s it.”
Kwon Oh-Jin and Isabella kept in touch here and there, but their conversations mostly consisted of her complaining about being too busy to meet up or saying how much she missed him. Therefore, he had no idea what she was actually up to.
The Black Star Society must be in chaos right now.
After all, they had just lost their sixth and seventh-ranked executors back-to-back. That would definitely throw a wrench in their plans. They would either have to go into hiding or become even more aggressive. Taking some kind of action was inevitable.
“I don’t think you should keep in touch with her too much,” Song Ha-Eun muttered, narrowing her eyes.
She didn’t sound jealous, but genuinely concerned for him. That was understandable since she had learned the truth about Isabella’s identity. There was no way she wouldn’t be wary.
“I’m being as careful as I can, so don’t worry.”
The reality was that Isabella was still a variable he couldn't control.
If I can bring her over to my side, she’d be a massive tool in taking down the Black Star Society, but...
The greater the reward, the higher the risk was.
He kept driving as he mulled over his thoughts. When they finally reached the end of the bridge, two men in security uniforms stepped in front of the car.
“Please stop the vehicle.”
Their sharp gazes and disciplined movements made it clear that they weren’t just ordinary guards but very skilled Awakeners.
One of them approached the car. “We need to check your residency permit.”
Kwon Oh-Jin handed over the permit that Cheon Sang-Gil had given him.
The guard inspected it thoroughly before bowing politely and signaling to open the massive gate.
“You may proceed.”
“Thank you.”
Kwon Oh-Jin drove through the towering gate that felt like a castle entrance and entered Paradise.
Beyond the gate stretched a meticulously decorated road. Traditional hanok-style houses lined both sides of the street, creating the illusion of stepping into a folk village.
“So this is Paradise?” Vega asked.
“Yeah. I’ve heard about it before, but this is my first time actually seeing it too.”
Only those who could afford to pay a staggering 10 billion won could enter Paradise. Plenty of rumors circulated about it, but very few people actually knew what went on inside. What kind of lives did the people living there have?
Kwon Oh-Jin drove slowly, taking in the sights, but the scenery that unfolded before him was...
“Uh... Hey, Oh-Jin, this is Paradise, right?”
“For a place called Paradise, it certainly looks rather bleak,” Vega added.
Just as Song Ha-Eun and Vega had pointed out, the streets outside the car window looked desolate.
Kwon Oh-Jin had imagined a pristine city filled with elite residents walking around, smiling, and laughing like characters out of a utopian fantasy. However, this place looked barren like a ghost town.
Some people could be seen on the streets, but they were all Awakeners wearing the Heaven’s Grace Guild uniform.
“This isn’t quite what I expected.”
Cocking his head, he headed toward where Cheon Sang-Gil lived at the center of Paradise.
Cheon Sang-Gil lived in a modest house unbefitting of his Avaricious Wolf title. Compared to the Kuroushi’s base, it looked far smaller with a small front yard where vegetables like lettuce and green onions grew. If anything, it looked like an ordinary countryside home.
The old wooden door swung open, revealing an elderly man in a neatly pressed hanbok.
Creak.
“You’ve arrived.”
His eyes were filled with enlightenment like a sage. Just standing in his presence made one feel as though they were facing a Celestial and not a human.
Cheon Sang-Gil, the Avaricious Wolf and a member of the Seven Stars, was widely regarded as one of the strongest Awakeners in the world. He welcomed Kwon Oh-Jin, and his eyes also landed on Vega, who was perched on Kwon Oh-Jin’s shoulder.
“Hmm?”
Cheon Sang-Gil bowed deeply toward her before Kwon Oh-Jin could even come up with an excuse that she was his guardian spirit.
“It is an honor to be in your presence.”
“Oh? You recognize who I am?” Vega asked.
“No soul in existence produces such a pure sound except those born from the stars, the Celestials themselves.”
Vega crossed her arms and nodded at his respectful attitude.
“For a Celestial to manifest on Earth... You are called the North Star for a reason,” Cheon Sang-Gil remarked.
“It’s merely a limited manifestation, nothing more,” Vega said.
Perhaps realizing that continuing his conversation with Vega would be impolite, Cheon Sang-Gil turned toward Kwon Oh-Jin.
“I heard from Sakaki about what happened in Japan. You went through quite an ordeal.”
“I only did what needed to be done.”
“Haha, hearing you say that puts this old man's heart at ease.”
With a satisfied expression, Cheon Sang-Gil turned around. “Come inside. Leaving a guest standing outside would be discourteous.”
“Alright.”
Following his lead, Kwon Oh-Jin and Song Ha-Eun stepped inside the house. Just as its modest exterior suggested, the interior was nearly empty with barely any furniture.
“So, how was your journey here?” Cheon Sang-Gil asked as he brought out some tea.
“There were no issues.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Taking a sip of his tea, Cheon Sang-Gil smiled faintly before continuing.
“Did the sight of Paradise surprise you?”
“Yes. It was very different from what I had heard.”
Cheon Sang-Gil gave a small nod. “I imagine so.”
“Is there another area where the residents of Paradise live?” Kwon Oh-Jin asked.
“No. What you saw is exactly as it is. Paradise... or rather, Ganghwa Island, is home to almost no one else besides our guild members.”
It was completely different from the rumors.
Song Ha-Eun, who had been quietly sipping her tea, hesitated before raising her hand.
She carefully asked, “Um... then what about all those rumors of people living safely inside Paradise with three meals a day?”
She usually avoided talking so formally because of how awkward it felt, but even she couldn’t bring herself to speak informally to Cheon Sang-Gil, who exuded the aura of an enlightened sage.
Hearing her question, Cheon Sang-Gil gently grasped his steaming teacup. “Those were false rumors deliberately spread by our guild.”
That meant everything people knew about Paradise was a lie.
Kwon Oh-Jin cocked his head in confusion. “Why did you spread such rumors?”
Cheon Sang-Gil's response was simple. “To give people hope.”
Hope? What kind of hope?
“Now that I think about it, I heard you awakened not too long ago, right?” Cheon Sang-Gil asked.
“Yes. It’s been just under a year.”
“Haha. To think you've grown strong enough to take down two of the Black Star Society’s executors in just a year. It's hard to believe even when seeing it with my own eyes.”
Cheon Sang-Gil chuckled bitterly before continuing.
“Forgive me for getting off track. If you awakened just a year ago, then you must be well aware.”
“Of what, exactly?”
“The lives of those who were not chosen by Celestials.”
Kwon Oh-Jin knew better than anyone how harsh the life of a non-Awakener was. After all, he was one of those who barely managed to get by, struggling at the very bottom of society.
“Things have improved now, but their lives were nothing short of miserable just five years ago,” Cheon Sang-Gil said.
“Yes, I’m well aware.”
“Of course, some of them managed to fight through it like you, but the majority simply gave up on life.”
Three years after the gate to the Demonic District in the North Pole opened, Awakeners were still rare and undeveloped. The world had plunged into utter chaos, and the economy collapsed. The concept of a stable job became nonexistent.
With monsters roaming the streets and people unable to even afford a meal, who wouldn’t fall into despair?
“And so, we created Paradise in collaboration with the government.”
“You spread false rumors to instill hope?” Kwon Oh-Jin asked, narrowing his eyes.
Cheon Sang-Gil nodded slowly. “If there was a heaven in the middle of hell, wouldn’t people find the will to live just to reach it?”
Hearing his words, Kwon Oh-Jin furrowed his brow. He could understand Cheon Sang-Gil’s intentions, but—
“It was poorly done.”
If he had truly wanted to save people with false hope...
“Surely, there were far better ways to do that.”
Cheon Sang-Gil looked at Kwon Oh-Jin in surprise. “Haha. I wasn’t expecting that response.”
He had been prepared for criticism or rebuke, but to hear that it was poorly done? That was unexpected.
“You’re right. It was a flawed approach. Even now, I regret it greatly.”
At the time, it had seemed like the best course of action. However, as Kwon Oh-Jin pointed out, Paradise failed to provide the hope it was meant to. It was a failed lie.
Hearing that it was poorly done pierced Cheon Sang-Gil deeply. With a bitter smile, he changed the subject.
“Well... we can discuss this another time. Is there anything else you would like to ask me?”
“Yes. In fact, that’s why I came here.”
Kwon Oh-Jin reached into his coat and pulled out a small round tablet no larger than the palm of his hand. The tablet was engraved with a chilling serpent emblem.
Cheon Sang-Gil's expression hardened the moment he confirmed the ominous engraving.
“This is...”
“You once told me to beware of the Serpent, didn't you?”
With a serious look, Cheon Sang-Gil took the tablet and asked, “Did you get this from the executors?”
“Yes.”
“Haa... Her influence within the Black Star Society is already growing beyond control.”
He rubbed his wrinkled forehead as if trying to ease a headache.
“I came to see you today because I wanted to hear more about this Serpent.”
Cheon Sang-Gil swallowed dryly and narrowed his eyes.
“Hmm. The Serpens Queen, no, perhaps calling her empress regnant would be more accurate. She is an Awakener of the Serpens Constellation and the leader of the Serpens faction.”
His voice deeply sank as he continued.
“To be honest, I don’t know much about her either. Only that she is extremely dangerous... and that she is the true ruler of the Black Star Society.”
The true ruler of the Black Star Society, huh? That means...
“She’s the first-ranked executor?”
“That’s right.”
For Kwon Oh-Jin, who had barely survived against the sixth-ranked Cheon Do-Yoon, the mere thought of facing the top-ranked executor was suffocating. Even Isabella, the third-ranked executor, was an overwhelmingly powerful Awakener. Just how terrifying was the first?
“You know that the Black Star Society is divided into different factions, each with their own goals and plans, right?”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“She’s trying to unify the entire Black Star Society by any means necessary.”
She would even use sheer force to suppress her own allies, forcing them into submission.
“Is that all you know about the Serpens Queen?” Kwon Oh-Jin asked.
“There’s one more thing I’ve heard.”
After taking a sip of his now-cold tea, Cheon Sang-Gil spoke calmly.
“Apparently, she is fanatically devoted to someone known as the Heavenly Demon.”
“Sorry, what?”
Me?