Chapter 666: A world without stars (8)

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Red Lion team building, at an underground banquet hall that leads to the Dragon Clan’s territory.

This place, where Yeom Junyeol’s video performance was usually displayed, was decorated for a party.

There were two huge trees in the center of the banquet hall, one with the logo of the Red Lion and the other with decorations symbolizing the dragon.

There were party ornaments celebrating the safe return of those who were dispatched into the operation.

It was such a colorful party that it was hard to think that there wouldn’t be any guests.

Unlike the atmosphere, however, the conversation was unusual.

“Did you find the shamans?”

“Yes, Master.”

Yeom Bangyeol, who was wearing a Santa hat with the team’s logo on it, listened to the intelligence team’s report with a serious look.

Nok (Green), Byeok (Jade), and Ja (Purple) disappeared while shopping and were found inside the mall.

They were scattered in a maze of the large shopping mall.

They were collapsed among shopping bags full of wrapped gifts.

Yoohwang (Sulfur) and Hong (Red) were also confirmed to be in the prayer room.

The energy wave that tightly locked the door of the prayer room disappeared.

When they opened the door, they found Yoohwang fainted and Hong who didn’t know what to do.

There was one thing in common among the unconscious shamans.

They were covered in black snowflakes.

“Black snow fell in Eungwang High. The fact that they’ve got snow on them is proof that they were here.”

Yeom Bangyeol said as he clicked his tongue.

There is a strong risk in the ability to pray for disaster or misfortune.

If the curse fails or is purified, it returns to the one who cast it.

The shamans who participated in making snow fall in Eungwang High were rather covered with snow, the strong power of purification.

‘I can’t believe it. I’ve always wanted to believe that there is an innocent shaman...’

Yeom Bangyeol believed in the benefactor, but he had a “what if” that he tried to hold onto.

He hoped that it was just some people who are using a power similar to the shamans in hopes of framing them.

However, his hopes were broken by the evidence of the black snow made by the benefactor.

A member of the intelligence team who gave the report asked for confirmation.

“Does this mean that we can consider the four people covered in black snow as traitors, except for Hong?”

“We can’t say for sure.”

Like Yeom Bangyeol, Cheongryong was saving his words from the bittersweet emotions.

Cheongryong recounted the report.

“Didn’t you say that something similar appeared in the forehead of the fainted shamans?”

“Yes, four colors were placed in the same position: sulfur, green, jade, and purple.”

“It’s a trace of the old art of sharing life and death. Those who use this technique together share strength, and when they are hurt, they also share the damage.”

Cheongryong explained the principle of the power used by the four.

“But it takes about ten years to engrave each other’s power. Since Hong has only been a shaman for a few years, she wouldn’t have been able to engrave the technique even if she intended to.”

“So we don’t know how many of them are traitors?”

“Yes. In other words, everyone could be traitors, or it could be just two.”

All they know is the traitors prepared so skillfully and thoroughly.

As the silence was about to lengthen, a bright voice was heard.

“It’s not that we don’t have any clue. Our benefactor sent a message. One of the traitors is Yoohwang.”

A blindfolded Yong Jegun popped in, showing a device message from Jo Euishin.

It was a scheduled message that he received when the communication signal went back up.

The message from Jo Euishin didn’t have supporting evidence, but everyone believed it.

“Yoohwang, the eldest? We have been together for decades...!”

Cheongryong lamented.

Jo Euishin already knew about the energy wave link.

‘I can’t believe Euishin knew.’

He heard from Geum Chansol and Wang Chansol that Jo Euishin was aware of the power’s existence.

After successfully dominating an otherworld, Jegal ordered them to be silent about it.

The association also said that very few people knew about the link.

When Jegal was asking him to keep it a secret, Yeom Junyeol noted the Chansol duo’s strange reaction.

Jegal, who was deeply worried that his students would be in danger because of this power, immediately noticed too.

When Jegal asked, the duo confessed that they told Jo Euishin.

— But Jegal-ssaem, your magazine’s first edition was on the line!

— Yes, we had no choice!

— Hey, you’re the class president!

— Let’s impeach the president and vice president!

When Geum Chansol and Wang Chansol sold the secret in exchange for the first edition of Jegal’s magazine, everyone in Class 2-0 had their eyes sharp.

Chaos erupted and Jegal had no time to scold the two as he tried to settle the commotion.

Yeon Garam, who served as the interim representative, made a sharp comment.

— Even if the first edition, there’s no way the Chansols would’ve revealed such a big secret.

Doubts deepened further when they saw Geum Chansol and Wang Chansol’s reaction to Yeon Garam’s words.

The two had faith in Jo Euishin’s rescue of Jegal who was in crisis due to the basement incident.

Class 2-0 went crazy, but Yeom Junyeol was just happy.

He could share this secret with his teacher.

‘I wish I could tell him right away, but the teacher said it would be difficult to contact him.’

Yeom Junyeol recalled the message he received when communication resumed.

It seemed to be a scheduled message from Jo Euishin.

[Teacher] You might not be able to contact me for a while. If things don’t go as planned, more messages will arrive.

Jo Euishin sent the message as a teacher and as a hoobae.

There was something strange about the message.

‘What does he mean I’m going to get additional messages... Does it mean that another scheduled message will arrive if I can’t contact him?’

Jo Euishin seemed to have prepared a lot.

The second message might be the real will of Jo Euishin, but Yeom Junyeol did not know this.

Both messages as teacher and hoobae had a “Merry Christmas” greeting.

‘I received a Christmas greeting, but why don’t I feel happy?’

He couldn’t determine why he felt that way.

For now, Yeom Junyeol replied with a stamp of Hongryong wearing a Santa hat.

However, no matter how long he waited, the message wasn’t read by the receiver.

***

With the sensation of falling infinitely below, the surroundings grew darker and darker.

My eyes remained open, but it was so dark that I could not tell if they were still.

Or perhaps I just didn’t realize.

Maybe I fainted and came to my senses.

It was only after a long period of darkness that I felt my back being pulled on the ground.

It took me a while to lift myself up as the air felt heavy.

When I stood up and blinked a few times, I saw a hazy light.

‘I arrived.’

I have arrived in the world of death, disconnected from the world that I knew.

Looking up at the sky, everything was just black and dark.

There were no stars in this world.

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