The Cult of the Demon God
Chapter 01
The entire sky was swallowed by pitch-black darkness. Thunderclouds crashed against one another, warning of a torrential storm about to break loose. Yet, overpowering even that darkness was a terrifying crimson hue that had seized the earth.
It was the red of blood.
What was once a land of prosperity had now turned into a gruesome graveyard. The Imperial Army and the Murim Alliance together announced that they had completely annihilated the infernal sect known as the Demonic Cult. But the price of that victory… was an immeasurable loss of lives.
Everywhere lay decaying corpses. Some still clutched their swords tightly in their hands. Some stared lifelessly with open eyes, as if asking, "Why this destruction?" The air was filled with the stench of death and the lingering echoes of agony.
This great war had not only destroyed armies, but had also shattered the lives of ordinary people. Thousands of families lost their homes. With no food to eat, no clothes to wear, and no safety to rely on, people wandered in groups, searching for refuge.
At the edge of one such refugee crowd stood a boy, all alone.
His name was Jin.
For days, not a single grain of food had entered his stomach. His body was emaciated, bones jutting out sharply, his face pale and lifeless. The innocence of childhood had vanished from his eyes, replaced by a sorrow far too mature for his age. His torn clothes were caked with dirt and blood. Merely looking at him evoked both fear and deep pity at the same time.
"Hey, orphan! Why are you standing here, huh?" some boys jeered as they surrounded him and threw stones. Their mockery wounded Jin's heart far more than the stones themselves. Jin said nothing. He merely lowered his head."What will happen tomorrow? Will I even be alive?"Those questions spilled from his eyes as silent tears.
Just then, four men approached him. Their faces showed neither kindness nor anger—only a dangerous, deceitful smile.
"Little brother… why are you crying like this?" one of them spoke, pretending to be gentle. "We're here, aren't we? Come with us. We'll give you good food and keep you safe."
Those words sounded like an angel's voice to Jin. In this hell, dying alone seemed far worse than trusting someone who offered a helping hand. Believing them to be gods, he began to walk with them.
But where he was headed was not heaven…It was a hell far worse.
After walking for some time, they arrived at a crowded marketplace. There, human beings were bargained over and auctioned like goats and cattle. The clanking of chains and the cries of women shook the very ground. It was a slave market.
The men who had brought Jin pointed him out to a burly man."Just a small boy, but he's fit for all kinds of work," they said, haggling. A few gold coins changed hands. In the very next moment, the brute seized Jin's hand tightly.
Only then did Jin realize—
He had been sold.
The moment he understood that those he trusted to protect him had sold him like an animal, his heart shattered into pieces. In that instant of betrayal, the child named Jin died within him.
All that remained… was a slave.
— To be continued.