Chapter 233
Reception Room
At that moment, when everyone was silent, Seong Geon-woo suddenly asked, as if terrified,
“Are you trying to kill us to keep us quiet?”
Butler Ulrich stared blankly for a few seconds.
“Mr. DiMarco said it would be fine for you to bring weapons. However, wearing military exoskeleton devices is not allowed.”
‘He seems quite confident.’
Jang Mok-hwa, having barely regained her composure, briefly hesitated but ultimately decided to accept this proposal.
“Very well.”
Whatever DiMarco’s real reason for meeting them, this was undoubtedly a rare opportunity. Moreover, if they stopped by the Border Church before entering the underground ark to inform them, they might even be guaranteed some measure of safety.
On the way outside to the jeep, Jang Mok-hwa didn’t hide her curiosity and asked,
“Why did Mr. DiMarco suddenly change his mind? He refused our request just last night.”
Ulrich slowly shook his head.
“I don’t know either. I simply follow my master’s orders.”
As Jang Mok-hwa was about to ask whether anything unusual had happened in the underground ark last night, or if DiMarco had received some news, Seong Geon-woo spoke first.
“Are you sure that person is really Mr. DiMarco? I heard he’s been wearing a mask every day recently.”
‘Good question.’
Jang Mok-hwa remained silent, waiting for Ulrich’s answer.
Ulrich turned his head to glance at the four of them.
“If one of you were disguised, do you think I wouldn’t notice? Even if your hairstyle, height, and body type were identical, it’s impossible. In a brief encounter under urgent circumstances, perhaps, but not when living together every day. That’s just absurd.
Habits, behavior, tastes, mannerisms, pronunciation—there are so many subtle factors. It’s almost impossible to deceive someone close unless you’ve trained for a long time to mimic even the tiniest details.
Moreover, there’s no way such a thing could happen inside the underground ark. Every death, every birth is recorded meticulously.”
“True.”
Jang Mok-hwa nodded in agreement.
After that, everyone got into their vehicles and headed toward the Border Church on the northern edge of the ruined city.
The rescue team, after exchanging a few words with the alert officer Song Ha-gyun, followed Ulrich into the underground first floor. They arrived at one of the elevator lobbies.
Three heavy, thick-looking dark gray elevators were stationed there, with two modest LCD screens in between.
As Ulrich communicated with the underground ark via video, one of the elevators opened.
The interior was impressive. The floor was wooden, and the metallic walls shone like mirrors.
“The private reception room is on the second basement floor. It will be much easier to exit the ark from there as well,” Ulrich explained.
“Thank you.”
Jang Mok-hwa, unsure of how to respond, imitated Seong Geon-woo’s expression.
As they talked, the elevator slowly descended. A moment later, it stopped, and the doors opened, revealing a floor covered with beige carpet.
The rescue team followed the corridor, decorated with thick carpets and wall lamps, and was led to a room. Eight guards or more were stationed there.
Two of them were wearing dark gray military exoskeleton suits. Just by looking, they appeared to be a new model.
‘No wonder he allowed weapons.’
Yong Yeohong muttered to himself, finally understanding.
The firepower inside the underground ark was overwhelmingly superior.
Ulrich knocked on the door, waited about two seconds, and then spoke.
“Master, the guests have arrived.”
“Let them in,” a charismatic voice responded from inside.
Jang Mok-hwa pushed open the red wooden door engraved with patterns and stepped into the room. Habitually, she scanned the surroundings to memorize the layout.
It was a normal-looking reception room, furnished with a tea table, sofas, carpets, display cabinets, chairs, and a crystal chandelier. Aside from being relatively luxurious, it was unremarkable.
Only DiMarco was in the room.
With linen-colored hair at the nape of his neck, he wore a black old-world priest robe, a matching old-style hat, and a black mask patterned in white. Seated, it was hard to estimate his height.
DiMarco’s pale blue eyes scanned the visitors before he gestured to the long sofa across the tea table.
“Sit.”
The four sat down, and Ulrich left to close the heavy door.
Just as DiMarco was about to speak, Seong Geon-woo suddenly laughed.
“You’re not what I’d expect from a follower of the Border Sect.”
DiMarco crossed his right leg over his left and asked casually,
“Why not?”
The low, charismatic voice spoke in Redriver, the language used in the Lake of Wrath area of the old world.
Jang Mok-hwa stepped in to explain for Seong Geon-woo.
“All your guards are outside. If we attacked without warning, we could take you hostage before the two exoskeletons even entered this room. Indeed, it seems a bit defenseless.”
DiMarco leaned back slightly, smiling.
“Because I have enough confidence, wouldn’t you say?”
Seong Geon-woo, now excited, asked,
“Then are you stronger than that mysterious gentleman?”
DiMarco was momentarily speechless, then replied after a few seconds,
“Perhaps there are other devices in this room.”
Instead of continuing the conversation, he fiddled with his black-and-white patterned mask and sighed.
“I called you here to discuss the temple on that island in the middle of the Lake of Wrath, and the Enho.”
‘Enho… the sleeping god?’
“Did you, or rather, your ancestors, know about Enho?”
Jang Mok-hwa asked, suspicious. She had no idea that DiMarco invited them because they explored the temple.
DiMarco leaned back in the single-person sofa, smiling comfortably.
“Long ago, when our great-grandfather and grandfather were alive, they heard stories of that island and Enho in the lake. Near the end of the chaotic era, when the ark began trading with the outside world, my grandfather sent investigators and local relic hunters there. Ah, those weren’t the names back then; there was no Hunters Guild yet.
Anyway, they paid close attention to the island and discovered Enho’s existence. Enho demonstrated a strange and powerful force and was treated as a god. We only realized he was a very powerful Awakened one after adopting the Border Sect and believing in Aidoln.
In the early days, we had many tasks and no chance to engage with the lake island. Later, the suddenly sealed island allowed no one to leave. My grandfather and father gradually forgot about it. Changes on that island did not affect the ark.
I heard last night that you explored Enho’s temple on the island, which piqued my curiosity. That’s why I invited you.”
‘It can’t just be simple curiosity. He wouldn’t invite outsiders here, where no one is allowed, just out of casual interest. There must be a connection between you and Enho.’
Jang Mok-hwa muttered internally but showed no outward reaction.
“I see,” she said, and briefly recounted their exploration of the island with Seong Geon-woo. However, she didn’t mention seeing someone crouched in the dark, requesting rescue when Seong Geon-woo’s Awakened power affected the sleeping Enho.
DiMarco tapped the sofa armrest with his right index finger, pondered for a moment, then repeated one part of her story.
“A new world…”
That seemed to be the part that interested him most.
After a few seconds, he smiled and said,
“Thank you for telling me. You said you wanted to hear about the old world? Ask me anything.”
He didn’t dig further into the story and seemed unconcerned that the White Team might be hiding something. This was a complete change from before.
Suppressing her suspicions, Jang Mok-hwa asked,
“Did your ancestors know the old world would be destroyed?”
DiMarco shook his head.
“They were simply fervent apocalyptic believers. They happened to have the money and position to act on it.”
“Then before the old world’s destruction, were there any signs? Did anything happen before coming here?”
DiMarco carefully recalled.
“My grandfather said that initially, they wanted to hide in the underground ark to avoid the sudden war, but soon after, the Nonsensical Disease (Musim) broke out outside. Even inside the ark, it wasn’t safe. Many servants turned into Musim without warning, causing bloody chaos.
So our great-grandfather evacuated my grandfather and other family members to a more isolated floor. Fortunately, Musim wasn’t contagious.”
‘As expected, chaotic war and Musim were the surface causes of the old world’s destruction. But even those who hid underground got Musim? The company said survivors gathered in underground buildings after the outbreak.’
Jang Mok-hwa stored these key points in memory and continued with other questions.
After a long discussion, the rescue team gained a general understanding of Redstone Market in the old world.
The west and north of the Lake of Wrath belonged to Ashland, the east and south to Redriver, and the lake formed the border between Ashland-speaking and Redriver-speaking nations.
Some islands in the lake were inhabited by Ashlanders, others by Redriver people.
Redstone Market, located in the southeast of the lake, belonged to the Redriver nation but had an Ashlander immigrant population making up about 30%.
DiMarco’s ancestors were the largest construction entrepreneurs in the city, maintaining good relationships with local officials.
Having obtained a fair amount of old world information, Jang Mok-hwa sincerely thanked DiMarco.
“Thank you for your answers. Only two simple questions remain. Have you seen a relic hunter named Lars?”
Before DiMarco could refuse, she even took out the photo Riemann had given her.
Suddenly, DiMarco laughed.
“Lars? Go back and tell Riemann. Lars found his true love inside the ark. If he doesn’t believe it, tell him to come to the Border Church. He can video call Lars there.”
“Excuse me?”
The rescue team was completely shocked by the unexpected answer.
