The Outer God Needs Warmth-Chapter 109: Climb the highest (9)

I left the clinic after signing contracts for two patients in critical condition.

That’s when the catastrophe occurred.

Goomilmil, who called herself a celestial maiden, asked me if I was an immortal, which was a very harsh remark. I immediately denied it.

I’m just a simple monster.

I may have said it rather firmly, because after that, there was no further conversation and we parted ways quietly.

Sooga looks at me with a look of respect, and I must say, I like that gaze. But since I know it's a lie, I must keep in mind that when she discovers the truth, that respect could turn into hatred.

Will I be sad then?

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I don’t know.

Anyway, as light is the soul, once I take the warmth, I’m faced with a rather horrifying end.

Either I'll shatter under the cold sea, or become dust inside a glass bottle, scattering in the wind.

One day, it will all be revealed.

This warmth, too.

But here, things are a bit unclear. Even Daegon has no understanding of warmth as a resource. While they know how to use souls, there's no separate category for the warmth within those souls.

Ah, warmth reminds me.

Now, I must prepare for the winter.

A long and harsh winter is approaching. It will come again and again.

Not long ago, the Heavenly Demon received a report from Woljedang that no production had come in, nor would they receive any in the future.

The reason is that the place where they were supposed to give it disappeared in the light.

Severance and the blood clot cult.

This wasn’t just a ritual where humans offered other humans as sacrifices.

When a human sacrifices another or becomes an offspring, they bring back a gift from the other side.

A large amount of seafood and various jewels. These are what they received.

The Heavenly Demon Church isn’t a very productive organization, nor do they conduct large-scale raids.

One can guess why they were able to live in relative wealth without such profits.

But now that it’s all cut off, they will likely grow impoverished in the future.

At a very bad timing, the Murim Alliance is attacking.

So, shouldn’t we prepare for winter?

At least, we should be able to survive until this winter. But we’ll have to wait and see what actually happens.

The longest night has passed, and the season where the days slowly warm has arrived.

The Heavenly Demon Church was stronger than I had assumed.

Originally, they received a massive amount of goods from the offspring, right? So, I thought they’d collapse immediately once that was cut off...

But I was wrong.

Although their income dropped significantly after Woljedang stopped sending resources, the Heavenly Demon Church wasn’t so weak that it would collapse right away without them.

However, that’s only when things are peaceful.

In times of war, it will be difficult.

Rumors of the righteous battle between the orthodox and the demonic are spreading through the villages.

Constant clashes occur at the boundary between the Heavenly Demon Church and the Murim, and big sects are sending their groups there to help maintain order.

They claim it's for security, but we all know that such sects only care about their own territory.

Among the orthodox sects, small ones or those from the demonic side are leaving the area, and the Murim Alliance sects are taking their place, simply changing the nameplate.

Weapons are being gathered, and people are increasing.

It’s obvious that something is going to happen.

As fights grow more frequent, the meetings among those at the level of sect leaders and higher, including the Heavenly Demon, have increased.

More than half of the sect leaders are saying that we will have to fight the Murim Alliance in the end.

More than 15 sects have already been confirmed, and even the Five Great Families are watching this place, with even government officials starting to show up.

In the faded memory, the phrase "Government Unbreachable" gleams brightly. If a large-scale gang fight happens, it would be strange if the state doesn’t take notice.

I’m hoping that I can somehow use this to reach the government.

That would actually be a good thing.

I don’t need special treatment.

Even if I’m treated like a criminal or an object, as long as I can obtain warmth, I’m fine with it.

This is just how things will proceed.

I must be cautious, though.

There’s a transcendent being known as an immortal, building a nation there.

They might possess a special technique.

It may end with just a conflict between the two, or perhaps it will involve three sides.

Or maybe, it could be a chaotic situation without any rules.

The future is uncertain.

That’s why I’ve been preparing steadily.

Though I couldn’t do it every day, I’ve steadily turned people into Harvesters, a total of 26 so far.

I’ve turned everyone from ordinary people to those responsible for martial strength in the Heavenly Demon Church into Harvesters.

When people kill each other, I can obtain warmth from anywhere.

I spend my time pretending to be ignorant while waiting for the big battle to begin.

The season has come where even deep nights no longer freeze the water.

In that time, Sooga has grown strong enough to even receive praise from the Heavenly Demon.

And now, I’m no longer the only one known by her. Goomilmil, Omyoungseong, and even Inshimwon, unexpectedly, are all people she knows.

I’m a bit concerned that I don’t have anyone my age, but I’m happy that she seems to be developing some social skills.

Although, ideologically, it’s very unstable.

Until now, I had shared many stories in the morning, but last winter Sooga found them boring and dull, so I stopped.

But considering the state of the world, I think living too morally would only make someone unhappy.

Each era has its standards.

People with standards that don’t align with the times are considered madmen and looked down upon.

They usually end up living a miserable life.

Only the truly exceptional can do that.

For an ordinary person, that would be an impossible ordeal.

So, while I was contemplating how much I should tell Sooga, the real fight began.

Yes.

The righteous battle broke out.

The martial artists are a group of superhumans.

As soon as the battle begins, the situation changes at a terrifying speed.

In an instant, the Heavenly Demon Church’s outpost is destroyed, and people flood down.

Among them, if there’s a particularly strong superhuman, they are quickly overwhelmed.

Conversely, if a stronger superhuman is on this side, they push the others back.

It’s slightly different from a regular war.

It’s a space where power beyond simple numbers runs rampant, so the front line becomes meaningless, and people die in the blink of an eye.

Amidst that chaos, certain individuals stand out.

They are none other than my Harvesters.

Each one draws me in and uses me.

When it became clear that war was inevitable, the Heavenly Demon gathered the Harvesters and taught them how to use me as an attribute.

Very few can wield a sword like the Heavenly Demon and fight with it, and most can only hold spears and thrust.

However, the difference lies in the fact that purple rays shoot out when they thrust.

It’s like using a spear, though not quite like sweeping enemies from a distance; it's more like a formation of line infantry with slightly longer range.

They march forward in formation, thrusting and firing simultaneously.

Most martial artists die as their bodies are pierced when they try to approach.

If there’s a martial artist who can deflect and enter, they can use me to swing the sword.

They mostly gather in one place on the battlefield, so it’s not entirely clear what’s happening everywhere.

But on the first day of the war, I gained a lot of warmth.

Hehe.

On the second day after the war began, Sooga finally noticed something strange.

“Choseol. There’s something strange in the forest.”

Sooga pointed to the forest in the north.

Sooga didn’t know.

There hadn’t been much disturbance within the Heavenly Demon Church yet.

Yesterday, the Heavenly Demon didn’t come, but that wasn’t too unusual, so Sooga spent the day unaware.

“What’s so strange?”

I didn’t feel anything.

So, I asked Sooga if she really felt it, or if it was just a hunch.

Sooga narrowed her eyes and surveyed the forest.

Then, she pointed to the center of the forest while looking at me.

“The forest is too quiet. It’s like it’s asleep, there’s no sound at all.”

Ah, that area?

Now that I think about it, the background noise from the birds is absent.

I don’t know whether the animals knew something was happening and fell silent, or if someone had entered the forest.

The only Harvesters around here are the Heavenly Demon and Omyoungseong.

And both of them, along with the sect leaders, are discussing what to do.

But they aren’t discussing how to fight; instead, they’re discussing whether to negotiate or not, which is a bit of a sigh.

I thought the Heavenly Demon Church would just kill those who were dying in the name of serving the god without asking any questions.

But the Heavenly Demon, after becoming a woman, or rather, after her heart became more feminine, has become much gentler.

Instead, Omyoungseong is advocating for a more aggressive stance.

They’ve been persistently attacking, targeting her violet hair, and she says they will never negotiate.

But there’s someone who contradicts this.

It’s none other than the head of the Jigwandang.

Not only is he the leader of the Jigwandang, but he also holds the role of an elder in the Heavenly Demon Church. He’s the one pointing at Omyoungseong, suggesting that they give him up.

He claims that the Heavenly Demon Church is being attacked because of this person, and suggests that they sacrifice Omyoungseong, rest, and plan for the future.

The old man’s face is full of annoyance.

You can tell from his expression.

That future, he means, is the time after he’s dead.

It’s the unique sentiment of an old man who feels like once he survives, there’s nothing left to worry about.

But the person saying this is one of the highest-ranking people in the Heavenly Demon Church.

So, no one can easily refute his words.

And the reason for the silence is not only because they can’t oppose the head of the Jigwandang, but also due to the hatred toward Omyoungseong.

She suddenly appeared and took the position that could easily be considered as the next Heavenly Demon.

It’s a position worth envying.

Maybe that’s why the balance has unexpectedly tipped in favor of handing over Omyoungseong and negotiating.

The sect leaders, not knowing why the Murim Alliance is attacking, are thinking that they should clear out the things they don’t like in this opportunity.

Or maybe, for the sect leaders, this righteous battle is someone else’s business.

Because, except for the Woljedang sect leader, they aren’t Harvesters.

The leadership is in chaos, and the war continues.

I turn my gaze and see Sooga still checking the forest, and I say to her:

“Sooga. Something big is going to happen.”

I thought the war would be easily won when the Heavenly Demon and Omyoungseong teamed up, but now, with this situation, even the outcome is uncertain.

Therefore.

It seems it’s time to speak the truth.