Chapter 1

Socheonkyo

“Hey! Are you kidding me right now?!”

The hall instantly erupted into chaos.

The crowd, quickly incensed as if a spark had been thrown onto dry tinder, rose en masse, led by the eldest man. Inspector Kim immediately grabbed the doorknob.

“Please, just listen to the Superintendent for a moment! We have something we need to confirm. Hmm? Come on, now. Calm down. Oh, why is everyone so angry?”

“We’re telling you, we’re innocent!”

“It’s not that we’re investigating you because you’ve done something wrong…!”

As Inspector Kim sweated bullets, he recalled an incident that had once shocked the entire nation.

It was famously known as the “Socheonkyo Incident.”

Socheonkyo was a cult founded by a con artist named Jicheonmyeong. It was a massive pseudo-religious community that had drawn thousands of followers by falsely claiming to be a reincarnated messiah, starting around the time military rule was ending.

For over forty years, they had lived secluded lives deep in the mountains, adhering strictly to their own rules and way of life. Then, five years ago, they were almost completely wiped out in a sudden, unexplained explosion.

At the time, there were only about fifteen survivors. Excluding those who succumbed to their severe injuries, only ten remained. Even for those lucky enough to have survived, it was a horrific memory they would rather not recall. The very act of gathering them all in one place again was effectively triggering their trauma.

“Do you think we’re doing this for no reason? Just like last time, with another re-investigation or whatever…!”

“Oh, it’s nothing like that. It’ll really be over quickly. Come on, now.”

Unable to watch his junior flounder, Superintendent Park spoke again.

“A skeleton has been discovered!”

The single, heavy statement instantly plunged the atmosphere into a chill. The initial fiery indignation instantly cooled, as if doused with cold water.

Superintendent Park carefully observed the now-silent faces as he displayed a map of the site on the screen.

“This is the location. As you can see, it’s quite far from where the explosion occurred. Analysis confirms the skeleton belongs to a minor male.”

But something was off. None of the survivors showed any surprise.

Most of them had lost family members in the explosion whose bodies were never recovered, yet they didn’t even show a flicker of hope.

“We want to know why a skeleton was found here. Does anyone have any idea?”

Noticeably stiff, the people kept their mouths shut, refusing to meet Superintendent Park’s gaze.

The police immediately caught on that they were trying to hide something. The problem was, they had no clue what it could be.

After the explosion, a flood of related documentaries, in-depth columns, and even academic papers were released. Yet, no one had provided clear answers to the many questions: how so many people could live self-sufficiently in remote mountains for such a long time, how there were no defectors, or how formidable Jicheonmyeong’s leadership truly was.

Even after the leader’s death and Socheonkyo’s collapse, the survivors’ lips remained sealed.

“So, none of you here know anything about why a skeleton might be found in this location?”

“…”

“Not a single person?”

“Well, that was just an empty lot… Who knows? Maybe someone secretly buried their dead child there.”

Someone mumbled almost to themselves, but Superintendent Park wasn’t fooled. Instead, massaging his throbbing temples, he countered.

“I understand Socheonkyo doctrine dictates that burials are exclusively cremations. Is that incorrect?”

“…”

Silence descended once more, prompted by Superintendent Park’s precise observation.

Just then, as everyone stubbornly remained silent, a faint knock echoed.

“Ah! I think she’s arrived.”

Inspector Kim, recalling that one person had yet to arrive, sprang up and opened the door.

A cool waft of outside air seeped in, bringing with it a soft voice.

“I apologize for my lateness.”

Superintendent Park stretched his neck, trying to get a proper look at the speaker.

“…!”

A loud screech of chairs scraping echoed.

The survivors had all shot to their feet.

Their hands respectfully clasped together, gazes lowered, they were as perfectly synchronized as trained soldiers.

Unlike the shocked police, who hadn’t anticipated such a sight, the woman walked in with an unperturbed expression.

“May I sit here?”

“Huh? Oh, yes, yes. Please, have a seat here.”

Before sitting in the chair Inspector Kim pulled out for her, she gave a slight bow towards the people still standing rigid. However, they were so focused on the floor that they didn’t even register it.

Even after she sat down, they remained standing. She let out a faint sigh and murmured softly, “Please, sit.”

Unlike when they stood, they sat down without a single sound. Not even a rustle or a breath.

‘This is serious. What in the world…’

Inspector Kim rubbed his goose-bumped arms, unsettled by the shift in atmosphere from the moment the woman had appeared.

The survivors had transformed into docile lambs, as if their earlier outburst had never happened, their complete attention fixed on her. Their fervent gazes and absolute deference were no laughing matter.

Superintendent Park ignored the inexplicable chill seeping into his very bones and cleared his throat.

“Ahem. To return to the main point, a skeleton has been discovered in what was once the Socheonkyo residential area. Forensic analysis confirms it belongs to a minor male…”

He repeated the explanation he had given moments before, all while observing the woman seated in front of him.

Lee Yeon.

She was very famous. And not just because she was another survivor.

Lee Yeon was currently the most sought-after advertising model in South Korea. She was a super celebrity who practically monopolized the main billboards in central Seoul.

Her fame stemmed from a single photograph.

A photo from the incident scene, complete with the subtitle “Angel with Burnt Wings.”

That one photo vividly captured her unearthly beauty, her desolate aura as she stood amidst the black ashes, and a single tear tracing a path down her cheek, completely captivating the public.

Afterward, Model Lee Yeon, whose debut was “forced” by the public’s fervent support and interest, had since enjoyed consistent popularity and continued to thrive.

A victim of a pseudo-religious cult, a miracle survivor of an explosion, and now a household-name advertising model. Was there anyone else in the country living a life as dramatic as Lee Yeon’s?

He had been curious about what she would be like in person, and she surpassed all expectations. In many ways.

She seemed completely unconcerned, even knowing that everyone’s eyes were fixed on her. She simply listened intently, not wasting a single movement, not even a blink of an eye.

She was so quiet and still that one might wonder if she was even breathing.

“Lee Yeon. Do you know why a skeleton was found in this location? If it’s unrelated to Socheonkyo, then we’ll have to investigate in a different direction. That’s why we’re compelled to ask the survivors.”

Both Superintendent Park and Inspector Kim were extremely curious about her answer.

Judging by the others’ reactions, it was clear they were hiding something. But Lee Yeon, somehow, didn’t seem like she would try to skillfully evade the question like them.

And that prediction proved precisely correct.

“There was a missing child.”

Her answer came without a hint of hesitation, leaving the police momentarily speechless.

“On a day when it rained heavily, the child suddenly disappeared, and we thought he’d been swept away by the currents… I imagine it must be that child.”

Watching her answer clearly without a change in expression, Superintendent Park felt overwhelmed by someone’s presence for the first time in a very long while. Such resolute strength was rare even among hardened criminals; it was almost unbelievable to feel such intimidation from a delicate woman.

“But… this seemed like just an empty lot. Why wasn’t he found then?”

“There were places in Socheon where only the leader could enter. They were forbidden without permission.”

He reached for his collar, feeling inexplicably suffocated, and his eyes widened in surprise.

“What? You mean the child went missing, and they didn’t search there?”

“Everyone thought he’d been swept away by the current. I remember they only searched downstream.”

It didn’t sound like a fabricated story. Although her answer was calm, he sensed a certain regret and sorrow in her face.

Then, as Superintendent Park met her gaze, he suddenly felt a prickling sensation all over his skin.

“It was a very long time ago… Will that be a problem?”

The moment he met her clear eyes, as if a candle burned within them, he felt as though he couldn’t hide anything from her. It was like his innermost thoughts were being laid bare.

Details he had only read as text in various investigation reports and personal collected data finally began to make sense only after encountering her in person.

Socheonkyo was a self-sufficient community, simultaneously a religious organization and a commune composed of Jicheonmyeong (the leader), high priests, elders, tribal chiefs, and members.

It is presumed that a hierarchy was established based on the surnames and wealth of the initial followers.

The hierarchy between Jijok, Ssijok, and Cheonjok was extremely rigid, with restrictions on marriage, residency, and education for each class.

+ Among the minors of the Cheonjok, candidates were selected, underwent rigorous education and training, and only one was appointed as “high priest.” The high priest held the most noble status among all members, second only to the leader. Due to this symbolic role, high priests did not marry or have children. There had only been three in history. The first high priest died of illness, and the second died in an accidental fall.

The high priests were handpicked and appointed by the leader to prove his spiritual power and reinforce his authority.

The third and youngest in history had been…

Facing a woman who not only defied his imagination but also inspired an inexplicable fear, he couldn’t help but hesitate for a moment.

It was as if he felt he should show her more deference, just as the other survivors did.

“Superintendent?”

Superintendent Park bit the inside of his cheek, finally averting Lee Yeon’s gaze.

“Ah, no. My questions… have been answered.”