Chapter 5: 4

I Alone Level-up: Chapter 4

 

-4. The Three Commandments-

 

Jinwoo shouted towards the other Hunters.

 

“Everyone!”

 

They turned their heads toward his voice.

 

“You have to bow before the Statue of God!”

 

The Hunters tilted their heads in confusion.

 

“Bow…?”

 

“Bow to that thing?”

 

The Hunters who were looking at each other started cursing at Jinwoo,

 

“Fuck… What the hell are you saying?!”

 

“Is this a situation where you could say something like that?!”

 

“Have you gone crazy, Sung Jinwoo?!”

 

Mr. Kim flared his nostrils.

 

“Looks like I judged you wrong! If I could get up from this spot, I’d sock you right in the nose!”

 

Jinwoo bit his lips.  After all, 6 of their comrades had fallen to the Statue of God.  To think that he’d ask the others to bow before it understandably invited their ire.

 

‘More importantly…’

 

There was no solid proof to his guesses.  Only a gut feeling. One could not easily explain or put to words what they felt through instinct.

 

While he was lost for words, someone spoke up: “I’ll do it.”

 

The voice came from behind Jinwoo.  The Hunters’ eyes turned toward the Raid leader who had spoken.

 

“Mr. Song…?”

 

“You’re going to bow before that goddamn statue?”

 

As the Hunters spoke out in confusion, Mr. Song turned and met Jinwoo’s eyes.

 

“What have you discovered?”

 

Jinwoo shook his head.

 

“Just a gut feeling?”

 

“…Yes, for now.”

 

“I see.”

 

Jinwoo’s instincts resulted in 11 of them being still alive, well, 10 after Mr. Joo’s death.  As such, was it not worth it to try and put some faith in him? This was what Mr. Song believed.  As the Raid leader bowed before the Statue of God, the mood in the air became somber.

 

“You’re really going to do it?”

 

Taking advantage of the opportunity Mr. Song had provided, Jinwoo spoke up,

 

“Please! Bow before the Statue of God.  This might be our only way to leave here alive!”

 

Alive.

 

To leave here alive.

 

That phrase reached the others’ ears with a great weight.

 

‘Leave here alive?’

 

‘We can get out of here?’

 

‘Just by bowing before that thing?’

 

One by one, the hesitant Hunters started bowing before the Statue, imitating a scene of worship.  Eventually, even the angry Mr. Kim also took his place bowing before the Statue. However, there was no response from the Statue of God.  Its two eyes still glowed with the terrifying crimson light. Jinwoo felt his heart sinking to his stomach.

 

‘Was I wrong?’

 

And his gaze turned to Juhee at his side.  Lying completely prone on the ground with her hands covering her head, it was hard to say that she was in a position of bowing before the Statue.

 

‘Ah…’

 

Jinwoo gently grabbed Juhee’s wrists.  Startled, Juhee looked up at him like a terrified prey.  He wordlessly nodded at her, then released his hand. Slowly, Jinwoo helped Juhee assumed the position of worship before the Statue of God.

 

‘This should do it.’

 

And then there was one.  Himself.

 

Jinwoo faced the Statue, kneeling, then put his hands on the ground and slowly bowed his head.

 

And a change occurred.

 

“Oh, ooh?”

 

The Hunters who noticed started making noise.

 

“The Statue of God? Everyone, look at the Statue of God!”

 

“Its eyes!”

 

The crimson light that adorned the Statue’s eyes were fading away.

 

“What? You mean this really is working?”

 

And just like that, the lights completely disappeared from the Statue’s eyes.

 

The Hunters cheered in unison.

 

“The light disappeared!”

 

“We’re alive!”

 

The excited Hunters rose from their spots and cheered, but the Statue of God did not react.  Jinwoo, who followed suit, sighed with relief.

 

“Phew-“

 

As he had guessed.  This room was operating accordingly to a set of rules and conditions, just like a game.

 

‘If that’s true,’

 

The game was not over yet.  There were two more Commandments.

 

Second: Praise the Lord; Third: Prove your Faith

 

Suddenly, with a deep rumbling, the entire room started to shake.  Jinwoo’s expression hardened.

 

‘As I thought…’

 

His guesses were correct.  This was not over.

 

The Statue of God’s enormous body was slowly rising from its seat.

 

“Eh, eh?!”

 

The Hunters who were celebrating together with tears of joy froze.

 

“W-what?! Wasn’t it all over?!”

 

“No, it can’t be!”

 

Frozen in fear, the Hunters could not say much more.  Their faces were filled with terror and despair.

 

“No… no…”

 

The Statue of God assumed a standing position.  It looked around, taking in the surrounding, then started walking towards the Hunters.

 

BOOM!

 

With each step it took, the Statue of God shook the earth.

 

BOOM!

 

Its massive figure was such that its head almost reached the ceiling.

 

BOOM!

 

As its sheer size put pressure on the Hunters, it slowly closed the gap between it and them.

 

“Hey, Mr. Sung! Mr. Sung Jinwoo!”

 

“What should we do?!”

 

The Hunters who were cursing Jinwoo only moments ago now looked towards him for hope.

 

“Is there anything else we have to do?!”

 

“Say something!”

 

Even as grown adults, the Hunters’ faces were on the verge of breaking down in tears.  Yet they looked at Jinwoo as their only remaining hope. Jinwoo carefully helped Juhee, frozen in fear, to her feet, and he explained the Second Commandment.

 

“It said, ‘Praise the Lord’, that’s our clue.”

 

“Ah, that’s!” Mr. Kim spoke knowingly, “It was written on the tablet, right?”

 

“That’s right, ‘Praise the Lord’, ‘Prove your Faith’, we have to fulfill all three Commandments.”

 

Jinwoo’s words were filled with urgency.

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BOOM~!

 

With one last step, the Statue of God had already arrived before their group.  Its massive shadows covered the Hunters, whose faces became pale.

 

“I, I’ll try.”

 

One of the Hunters, normally a shy, youthful man, stepped forward.

 

“Hey! What are you going to try?!”

 

“I’m part of my church’s choir.  If it’s ‘praise’, I’m confident in it.”

 

The young man answered Mr. Kim and walked towards the Statue of God.  As he neared the Statue, he took a deep breath and started singing,

 

“ ~As I walk to the Lord~ ” His youthful voice rang throughout the room.

 

“ ~Please renew me and provide me with your blessing.~ ”

 

The Statue of God stopped before him.

 

The Hunters gasped in surprise and awe.  As if it was satisfied by the song, the Statue of God stood motionless.  All other sounds of the room disappeared, only the youth’s voice was heard in the room.  Gaining courage from the apparent result, the Hunter strengthened his voice and continued to sing,

 

“ ~All my weaknesses will be washed away by the grace of my Lord~ ”

 

Amidst the hopeful Hunters, Jinwoo could not shake the feeling of uneasiness.  The feeling that they were missing something.

 

‘No… this is all wrong.’

 

He kept repeating the thought to himself.  This room had its own set of rules. Right now, the youthful Hunter was following the rule of Christianity, not this room.  But thankfully, the Statue of God was not moving. Maybe this was enough to satisfy the conditions?

 

Jinwoo tilted his head.  The reason why he had not stopped the singing was because he could not think of any other way to stop the Statue of God.

 

Suddenly,

 

BOOM!

 

A loud crash broke through the singing, followed by a scream,

 

“Kiyaaaaaaah!”

 

As the Statue of God raised its foot again, the mangled remains of the singing Hunter fell from its sole.

 

The other Hunters started screaming as well.

 

“Ahhhh!”

 

“Uwaaaaak!”

 

The previously emotionless face of the Statue of God was now filled with an incredible rage.

 

“It’s angry!”

 

“R-run!”

 

The Hunters quickly ran away from the Statue.

 

“Kiyaaaaah!!!”

 

Having lost all thought and reason after seeing the youthful man be crushed beneath the Statue of God’s foot, a female Hunter simply stood in place and screamed.

 

‘Shit…!’

 

Jinwoo, who was running with Juhee in his arms, quickly turned to try and help her.  But he was blocked by Mr. Song.

 

“Ahjussi…?”

 

“It’s too late!”

 

Like swatting a fly, the Statue of God slammed its hand on top of the female Hunter.

 

BANG!

 

Jinwoo turned away.  It was a gruesome scene which he could not bear to witness.

 

“We can’t dilly dally here!  Are you trying to get that young lady killed as well?!”

 

At Mr. Song’s rebuke, Jinwoo snapped back to attention.  Mr. Song was right.

 

BOOM!

 

“Uwaaaak!”

 

BOOM!

 

BOOM!

 

“Help me!”

 

No longer walking, the Statue of God ran from Hunter to Hunter, crushing them beneath his feet.  With each step, he shook the entire temple.

 

BOOM!

 

BOOM!

 

Jinwoo ran with his teeth clenched.  With her eyes closed, Juhee held on to Jinwoo as they ran.

 

“Let’s split apart!”

 

“Okay!”

 

Knowing that running together made them a better target, Jinwoo and Mr. Song separated away from each other.  Trying to maintain the largest distance between himself and the Statue of God, Jinwoo ran towards a spot at the walls.  He saw that Mr. Park was already there, having ran with all his might, knowing there was more on the line to him than just his own life.  The image of his family reflected over his teary eyes.

 

His son, who looked just like his father.  His wife, with his second child. Mr. Park could not afford to die in a place like this.  Pulling forth every ounce of his strength, Mr. Park was able to reach the walls faster than the other Hunters.

 

“Huff… Huff…”

 

Suddenly, Mr. Kim, who was friends with the man, shouted at the panting Mr. Park.

 

“Mr. Park!”

 

At the familiar voice, Mr. Park turned towards Mr. Kim,

 

“Hmm?”

 

Mr. Kim gestured towards Mr. Park’s back and yelled,

 

“Turn! Turn around!”

 

And something sharp flashed from behind Mr. Park.

 

“Huh…?”

 

slash-

 

Mr. Park was split cleanly from the top of his head to the base of his crotch.  The evenly separated sides of his body fell in different directions on to the ground.

 

“MR. PARK!!!”

 

The statue that had cleaved Mr. Park in twain with its sword simply returned and assumed its position on the walls, as if nothing had happened.

 

Mr. Kim held back tears as he witnessed the death of his friend.

 

“These fucking pieces of-!”

 

BOOM!

 

BOOM!

 

BOOM!

 

Behind him, the giant Statue of God was going from Hunter to Hunter, crushing them with his feet.  Those that fled to the walls were attacked by the statues.

 

“Ahhhhh!”

 

“My arm! My arm!”

 

The interior of the temple had turned into a scene of terror and carnage.

 

Jinwoo panted wildly as he ran, his forehead dripping with cold sweat.  His legs getting heavier and heavier; his breath getting shallower and shallower.  But his head was filled with a single thought, repeated over and over again:

 

‘Praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.’

 

The Second Commandment that swam through his head.  The key to solving the meaning of the Commandments must be hidden in this room.

 

‘There must be something in here that we’re supposed to use!’

 

But when the Hunters initially entered the temple and looked around, they found no tools or mechanisms.

 

‘The only thing here are those damned statues.’

 

‘Wait.’

 

A thought appeared in Jinwoo’s head.

 

‘The only thing that’s here are those statues?’

 

Jinwoo’s eyes widened.

 

“Why didn’t I think of that?!”

 

If the statues were the only thing in this room.  Then the statues must be the key to solving the mystery.  The statues only moved when someone entered their proximity; this must have been the key to using them somehow.

 

‘If that’s correct…!’

 

Gathering what energy he had left, Jinwoo screamed through his panting breath,

 

“EVERYONE, HEAD TO THE STATUES WITH INSTRUMENTS!”

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