TE 7

The corpse, neatly packaged in a drum like a gift box, would now be sinking to the depths of the ocean.

Tae-beom’s eyes grew distant as he drove along the empty coastal road.

A mild headache and dizziness crept over him.

The scent of blood still lingered in his nostrils, as if he were still inside that container. It must have seeped into his clothes, his skin.

He couldn’t shake the image of that young detective’s eyes from his mind. Such an innocent face for someone who had acted so fearlessly—perhaps foolishly.

Despite the overwhelming terror, there had been an unbreakable righteousness in those eyes, a steel core that refused to bend. Yet in the end, even that couldn’t mask the despair and regret.

Throughout the disposal of that righteous detective, only one thought had consumed Tae-beom:

Had his father worn the same expression?

Had his father—who had pursued his investigation alone despite his colleagues’ warnings, neglecting his cancer-stricken wife and son in the hospital—shown that same look? Had he screamed when they taunted him about his family in his final moments?

“…Fuck.”

He had committed the same atrocities as the men who killed his father, all in the name of revenge.

Whatever Pastor Moon Seok-ho might preach about tickets to heaven, Tae-beom knew with certainty that no such ticket awaited him. Even if one were offered, any paradise where that man was hailed as a messiah would be nothing short of hell to him.

His investigation had revealed that Moon Seok-ho was, ironically, quite the family man. Though he occasionally lost his temper, his protection of his children seemed genuinely sincere—unusual for a man with such extensive affairs.

What a life—eliminating threats without hesitation, lining his pockets under the protection of powerful connections, all while playing the doting father to his supposedly innocent children at home.

Perhaps Moon Seok-ho was already living in his version of heaven.

No wonder his daughter remained so naive about the world.

“Hah…”

The thought of Moon Seo-ha’s pale face made his dizziness intensify.

As Tae-beom pulled over to light a cigarette, his phone lit up with a familiar name. He answered without hesitation.

-Hey, hey! Tae-beom! Where are you? Something big happened!

“Yeah?”

-Where are you right now? It’s serious!

Park Jun-hyung, who had infiltrated Pastor Moon’s organization with the same goal as Tae-beom, was his age. Though Tae-beom didn’t exactly consider him a friend, Jun-hyung was the only person he’d allowed himself to grow somewhat close to. Despite working in such a dark world, Jun-hyung had maintained a surprisingly soft nature and treated Tae-beom with particular warmth, often calling like this for no specific reason.

Given Jun-hyung’s usually carefree nature, the gravity in his voice now caught Tae-beom’s attention.

“What happened?”

Tae-beom’s already low voice dropped even further, his poor condition evident in his tone.

-It’s about Pastor Moon’s princess.

There was no need to wonder who he meant. There was only one person referred to as “princess” in that household.

Without thinking, Tae-beom spoke the name that seemed to suit her so well, though he wasn’t sure whether it had been chosen by her father or mother.

“…Moon Seo-ha.”

-Huh?

“…”

-What did you just say? Moon what?

Momentarily thrown by having reflexively spoken her name aloud, Tae-beom composed himself and replied:

“Moon Seo-ha. That’s the princess’s name. Try to remember it.”

-Ah, right. Anyway, something serious is happening with her!

At this unexpected news about “Moon Seo-ha,” a sharp glint returned to Tae-beom’s dying eyes.

-Don’t know what she did wrong, but Pastor Moon just dragged her out at this late hour.

“And that’s serious?”

-Of course it is! They’re saying she’s been lusting after some man, and you’re the only guy she’s had any contact with recently. What if Pastor Moon suspects you before we even find anything?

Tae-beom nearly laughed despite his headache.

The situation was painfully clear from just those few words.

-We still need to stay close to Park Hee-jung. What if she cuts ties with you thinking you actually slept with the princess?

“Jun-hyung.”

-Yeah?

“That woman knows nothing.”

-What?! What do you mean?

Jun-hyung continued questioning, still not comprehending.

It was exactly as Tae-beom said.

Park Hee-jung knew nothing.

Thanks to Kang Jin-ho, he’d managed to get close to Pastor Moon’s operation, but the old fox was suspicious by nature. He wouldn’t easily trust someone young who’d just joined, and there hadn’t been many opportunities to earn that trust.

But Tae-beom didn’t have time.

So he’d chosen to approach the woman Pastor Moon had actually registered marriage with and seemed to cherish enough to bring into his home.

A toothless predator might be suspicious of other males, but he might let his guard down with a crotch-sucking female who pleased him.

But after maintaining a relationship with Park Hee-jung for months, Tae-beom had concluded that she truly knew nothing.

She was just another pretty flower, ignorant of everything.

So what about Pastor Moon’s other flower?

Would there really be nothing to learn from her either?

—

The “disciplinary room” was located in a small house in the mountains, about a 30-minute drive from their secluded main residence.

Seo-ha had generally been a good daughter.

But when she realized how much her father doted on her and how her abilities could help him—

And during that emotional period called adolescence—

She had her moments of rebellion. Mainly refusing to work in the workshop, or wanting to make friends.

That was the first time she was dragged to the disciplinary room. Afterward, Seo-ha returned to being her father’s obedient, good daughter.

The second time was at age 18, when a boy from church confessed his feelings for her.

Seo-ha felt it was unfair, but her father said it was her sin for trying to seduce the boy. When she returned to church after her time in the disciplinary room, the boy who had confessed was gone. No one explained what had happened, but from that day on, no male church member ever spoke to her again.

And today, Seo-ha was brought to the disciplinary room for the third time.

“Jesus was crucified to save humanity. Father has also tried to save sinful humans. Especially trying to guide our good daughter onto the right path. The problem is that nature that tries to fall into corruption the moment I let my guard down.”

The disciplinary room contained a cross large enough to actually crucify someone.

Seo-ha was forced to kneel before it like a sinner.

There was no direct violence like slapping her face or pulling her hair.

But the absence of bruise-inducing physical contact didn’t mean there was no violence. From being dragged here to being forced to kneel, and what was about to happen—

None of this was Seo-ha’s choice.

“Especially at your age, young people are full of sexual curiosity. Hee-jung says there’s nothing between you two, that you just had a crush on him by yourself. Tell Father honestly, okay?”

She knew intellectually.

“Did that bastard seduce you? Did you sleep with him?”

That begging would be useless once brought here.

“Seo-ha. Father has told you many times. Our Seo-ha has a duty to save the world with Father! I guess you got distracted when I gave you some free time recently? Yes, that must be it. Tsk, this is why I shouldn’t give you time to look elsewhere.”

Being brought here in the middle of the night meant he had no intention of abandoning his will to discipline her. She knew this well from her previous experiences and from what she had observed of her father’s nature.

But even though she knew it intellectually, she couldn’t helplessly accept the terrifying moments that awaited her.

“Tie her up.”

At the command, men in suits lifted Seo-ha to her feet.

“Father, please forgive me!”

Seo-ha reflexively cried out.

“Nothing happened with that man! I’m not interested in him! I just… as a joke… When aunt asked… I just thoughtlessly…”

“You thoughtlessly said you had a crush?”

“Father, I, I really…”

“Seems you’ve forgotten lying is also a sin.”

“Father…! No! Please forgive me!”

Despite Seo-ha’s desperate cries, her wrists were bound to either side of the cross.

Just like Jesus.

Her dangling ankles were soon secured to the cross as well.

Both wrists and ankles were bound so tightly that blood could barely circulate.

“Seo-ha.”

Pastor Moon called to his daughter in a loving voice.

“You know what needs to be done, right?”

The long-dormant CCTV cameras powered on.

And loud music began playing from speakers installed in every blind spot to be heard from all directions.

“We’ll start now.”

The trot-style music was designed to brainwash the followers. It was meant to naturally implant the lyrics in their minds while they sang along in a festive atmosphere.

“Seo-ha. You still haven’t reflected on your actions?”

And now this song was being used to brainwash his daughter.

When Seo-ha hesitated while sobbing, Pastor Moon’s face, which had been masking affection, contorted.

“Seeing our daughter act like she’s possessed by Satan, the discipline time will have to be longer, hm?”

The meaning of those words was clear.

Pastor Moon turned his back without hesitation, taking his subordinates who had bound Seo-ha with him.

“Don’t go! I was wrong!”

With her wrists and ankles already going numb from lack of circulation, she twisted her body and desperately called out to her father.

“Don’t go! Please untie me! F-father…! Father, please…”

But despite her desperate cries, the people soon walked out into the bluish night landscape. The moment the door closed and darkness enveloped her entire body played out very slowly before Seo-ha’s eyes.

Boom-.

Finally, the door closed. Now her father and the others would drive away.

In the space without a single ray of light, leaving just her behind.

Her breathing grew increasingly ragged with fear of the indefinite time of endurance ahead. But the loud singing that filled the disciplinary room made even the sound of her own breathing seem faint as it muddled her mind.

Pastor Moon is our father

The second Jesus to represent God

He embraces us with open arms

The gates of heaven open when we obey and submit

To all followers, Pastor Moon was both father and messiah.

They had to sever all existing parent-child bonds and obey only Pastor Moon as their father.

While all followers were indoctrinated by singing such songs during ministry, Seo-ha had never once sung along. As the pastor’s daughter, no one dared reprimand her.

But the disciplinary room was an exception.

Until her father was satisfied, until she showed she was truly repenting, that door would never open.

Even if Seo-ha vomited stomach acid from hunger, even if she collapsed from crying.

Looking at the CCTV with its blinking red light, Seo-ha opened her lips—wet with sweat or saliva or tears, she couldn’t tell—and began screaming the second verse.

“The gates of heaven open when we obey and submit…!”

The face of the person singing the upbeat music was drowning in agony.

Ah-

God loves those who listen well to Father.

When we obey and submit.

When we obey and submit.

When we obey and submit.

The gates of heaven open.

She knew.

She understood.

If she listened well to her father, peaceful days would unfold.

But somehow, she didn’t know why.

Though obedience and submission might not guarantee heaven, they should at least allow for peaceful living…

Why did it feel so suffocating and tedious?

Was that really all there was? Was submission really the answer?

If so, why was she being disciplined again despite having been obedient all this time?

What if, what if she truly didn’t submit?

What if she stepped outside the boundaries her father had set?

What would unfold there?

Would she still have to sing songs for her father like this?

Even as she pathetically sang unwanted songs until her lips cracked, endless questions arose in Seo-ha’s mind.

If she didn’t submit, if she committed the taboos her father had declared.

Could she be cast out of Eden like Eve and Adam?

“…The gates of heaven open…”

Without a serpent’s temptation, she grew curious about the taste of the forbidden fruit.