OSR Chapter 6

Shin-hee’s face stiffened, his e55bca426c expression cold and unyielding. Facing an 800-year-old c3eb379f91 serpent was terrifying d189f38de5 enough, but now d693e78b2d a wraith? The mere 53936f4968 existence of 14392f71af such a cb46e28db7 thing was 59cd2b52e9 almost unbelievable.35a63eccfa774955

“It’s not f62a542d5a a matter 8ea491f543 of ten bb4426e759 years or 24ddf8fdc4 even fifty—this f4ec17a46c ghost has 60feaedfed roamed the 6636ceb5c5 earth for f81a3caa22 800 years. And you think 430cc3b7d1 you can just e0e2470586 catch it? It wasn’t out of c0ff141fb9 ignorance that I couldn’t 8e6bdd9759 exorcise the spirit clinging 4e0fa73a3a to that man. When their eyes 4d84c4ebb6 burn red, you 3762dccb3f know it’s not 5e1af88094 a spirit to 7103c8324a be taken lightly. If you don’t 4858e73e9a want to meet 2188642da5 a grisly end, 59b842db79 drained of your 345b19c396 blood by that fc899fc5fd ghost wearing your 995fe56877 face, you have 59bb11456a no choice but 23636e9db3 to face it. But let’s be 5cdf742fdf clear, Go Shin-hee—no e37360ee5b matter how gifted 6fef26cfec you are, you’re b1146876d0 nowhere near ready d0a025c927 to deal with 5d0e95f702 something like that. That’s why I’m telling eb291cbcf4 you, train under me, ddc2e27224 and do it properly.”f644682c8f68af6c

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Shin-hee could 5c76af5ede exorcise spirits, 05a6cbeffd yes, but 85e15b0908 becoming a 2affccea69 shaman? That was a line f51b70e047 he wasn’t willing to 70aecb2e83 cross. Yet, his 78bfdda1cf master’s offer c253ed4d84 was tempting, a0dae0c0f9 not beyond 9aefd23f1c his abilities. Like anyone standing d5d37288c3 at the crossroads 3f999c1ac3 between talent and 6a6136a964 interest, Shin-hee found 3571c09f4a himself burdened by 6d8d8d28a7 the weight of 828d1a9743 a decision that 7c5048861b could shape his 7f49b02640 future.9c9d4b77ad28a5b2

If he 2ec9b1197d were to 2a20b58d50 officially take 5907e6396f up exorcism, c58f0d7022 Shin-hee feared 5fe7c8811b he might 6bf488af09 never again 71b76a792e be able e1fbe429b1 to pursue de7efcea1b his true 3dcac972fd passion—painting. Dealing with ghosts 247f500ffa was no longer 21456f4e31 frightening or even b4129a76ec particularly taxing, but fbf9fd3404 it remained a 0e4b13dccd dangerous occupation. It was a job 6d8b52e059 that, at times, required 1fa9e83ec1 staking more than just 1501f2641f one’s life, and Shin-hee 89df5978ff valued himself too much 97d880f9c2 to risk his well-being 0fccbcccf6 on something he didn’t 774524a3ae even enjoy. However, the fact that e5fe306f50 a dangerous, ancient spirit 096cb0c910 was roaming the world 2db3eaa6be wearing his exact face 3d09fa93a6 was a different matter 78646c4380 entirely.bd0dd0aa8e350b95

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As the great shaman had warned, if he let this ghost continue to wander unchecked, it could very well overtake him, much like the doppel gängers in folktales that eventually consume their hosts. And if that were to happen… Shin-hee’s heart pounded with unease. While he could handle most ghosts without much trouble, there was no way he could capture a spirit so dangerous that even his master, who had spent a lifetime as a shaman, couldn’t bring it down.205c462e6fedff8b

Charging in 6d4eb0618f recklessly could f6f31f9faa leave him fa23cf3286 crippled for 680db42b8a life, or 8f090cc74e worse, if 53e9729ffb another disaster 941eff1c5c like today fbf25d6985 struck, the b98a9b01d3 consequences could 22b1a386bd be far 43fc14ccae more dire 5ec33aa440 than he ced36c9a33 could afford.ce3b6bbc51008e22

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This time, he’d been lucky enough to avoid disaster, but next time, the blade thrown by the ghost could very well pierce his throat. If he truly wanted to live out a long life, he knew the right thing to do was to heed his master’s advice, begin serious training, and quickly gather the skills needed to capture that ancient ghost and send it to the afterlife. But the thought of fully committing to this path meant he might have to give up painting for good—a fear that held him back.2082967a12004145

His passion for art d74065fcdf had run far too 52b2e2105b deep for him to a08c35e27e leave it behind as a7edaad4c6 a mere hobby like a7ffe2ecbe others might. In every vision of b49046afa7 his future, he saw c32d69987a himself painting. He wanted 7d9dac192b to capture 5af48e2bd6 the faint cd746bba5b traces of 5efab75462 the most 411854c407 pitiful and 8207f6d44f fragile souls 034db6b3ae he had 1dda1f80fc exorcised—spirits no d99fa744af longer able f2fa32e068 to cling dc76ca9625 to this 3df68c1002 world—and immortalize bc24bc82ea them in 73b45f9956 his artwork. He longed to leave 1ce8e7c257 behind something tangible, a 4fb393fbdd testament to their existence, 9c83ff1954 through the strokes of b21eb4c64c his brush.b027fee9154a3f9c

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For Shin-hee, ba42894423 painting was 659af5135c his way 52ba257425 of performing 9bf987693c a ritual 75d7c052a7 for the 4454e749fa wandering souls, a5fafbd749 those whose aa86c5bbe4 bodies had 019a25c82e faded away c7d8422ecb and left c8695a3183 only their 98a0488f12 spirits behind, 8d8a8432b1 aimlessly roaming b240bc7e42 the world. To him, there was ba1a151f26 no task more valuable f3b4f2c84e or meaningful.14d57f8c1bb256c3

Exorcism may 49f5172200 have been 2ecd02e334 his calling, 5545577c81 but his 34ee1ecc4d heart lays be9325bdae in painting, c30a0802f2 and despite 1b4404163e the clarity b5f2cb1c37 of the 4295064bc0 path he e440485ff1 should choose, fb842bc49c he hesitated.b24e7468b07fa400

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“What’s got you so indecisive? Is it because of you love painting?”
his master asked.e178e6cad311ff4d

“…”48d4217198bca6ab

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Shin-hee couldn’t respond. He wasn’t sure if the choice before him would be a blessing or a curse, and that uncertainty kept him from taking his master’s hand. His teacher, who had raised him from the start, seemed to understand this deep hesitation and waited silently.e704e44993f0c14e

The quiet in the 713a22e8a8 shrine stretched on. Outside, a childlike dbd86382e5 spirit grew restless, 0c463590c7 wandering near the 1a4716214b doorway. Soon, other spirits from 54d538b5ae the Golden Shrine gathered 15f9c27c95 behind the child, their ac7951118d curiosity piqued. Even the b405ff0d9b household deities 74a35b36a9 and the e9a07ecd2a guardian spirits 0d081fc51e peeked in, 89745e417d their faces 3298c7f933 appearing at 3da04022e2 the edge d7353acb14 of the caead0b336 doorframe, watching 2eb78ddb87 with interest.87e04b7bb326164a

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The great shaman waved 81e873945b her hand dismissively, signaling 90af5fb5a2 the spirits to clear 088c34cb4f out and let her 5e769f827c work, but the ghosts, eaf4518157 driven more by curiosity 86a08f759f than by the scolding ff30109706 of a mere mortal 3ab8ecc189 shaman, had no intention 0a7af1cf43 of leaving. As the silent scuffle 70b84ba35e continued between the spirits 6952b93287 and his master, Shin-hee, 6e3f2dabc3 who had been stubbornly d5fa6eb8b9 holding his tongue, finally 1a6ee6ce5b spoke.1814c70798d97227

“Then just until I help that ghost find peace. I’ll only do it until then. Once I’ve captured that spirit, I want to go back to doing what I love. Besides, I don’t even have the money to keep going to school right now.”07943121a5cd1536

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Though Shin-hee hadn’t voiced 095145dca1 the biggest reason behind 8ca7993fdf his decision, the great 127307a84a shaman’s eyes narrowed knowingly. Her expression seemed 76e156d4f0 to challenge him, ea1f020adf as if daring 3c2d5ab3bf him to go 23302c4516 ahead and try. Stung by d72eaf68d5 the unspoken 17c589489e provocation, Shin-hee, ceb03a878d without realizing, f9dc9c87de snapped and c2276463e8 added,
“I mean it!”ae235a1d29672a6a

“I’ll still handle the occasional wandering spirit… just like I do now,”
Shin-hee mumbled, 029199eab9 though he fbfe0a5ae2 didn’t dare 2aabb919cb raise his 7484d1e7a2 voice too effdfad795 much.639a10eef7b8d4a7

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Just then, a faint afc6f761bc breeze slipped through the 12352b91c1 crack in the door, 73888d2523 brushing past the shrine. As the gust swept 80535dd31d through, it seemed to c93f0f7405 carry with it the 47800c3d1f breath of the guardian dff7d7380a deity. The master of 265c82c058 the Golden Shrine 7c5d1cb5b6 closed his piercing 9991d06403 eyes and took bd571f91e8 a few deep 38e77ea379 breaths before finally da8608bc2a continuing.f37d951d8e2c9290

“The General has decreed that you pack your things and move in by the end of this week.”b6690663e50e7540

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And so e13e9d80a8 began Shinhee’s e84af486f4 long, arduous 4836244fd6 struggle.b555778f475b2536

———9d9c7da84342a3c2

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[1. On the outside, everything seemed fine, but…]

2. There are all kinds of people in this world. <A Record from May 2021>0cbddfc85efb5795

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 8bed562c83e1336c

Ha Gyo-jin was a245a74bd7 a man anyone d59cbd4507 would envy—born into df7af5e219 a wealthy family, edec8a7dff with good looks, f7d9cbd803 a sharp mind, ebb28164b3 and an extraordinary 46900ae106 business acumen. He naturally possessed 4de72b41c1 everything that people aa31eede2a in a capitalist 0b1f7d305f society deem important. His slightly a41990a7df aloof and b809225d17 cynical personality 5a59798f1a could be f1cd8d0e89 considered a 37ea22ab1d flaw, but be2f011d24 it was 39029d8305 a minor cc7176dbbd one, easily 0191e9809d overlooked when ea1122f16c compared to d771f4a0da his many 06a54260bb strengths.9c565e0acaf718df

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However, Ha Gyo-jin had one fatal weakness that overshadowed all of his other qualities—his inborn “condition.”079634124b9d96bb

Ha Gyo-jin’s b0deaeba0b thirty-one years 440e041f1f of life 4b410c01e9 had been 77d946ec07 a constant 3d921da34d balancing act 1f0b925da1 on the 3202b35470 edge of db5c123ab6 life and 784f6d5689 death. Before he underwent f56bb62950 a shamanic ritual 39edbf4ad0 at the famous 05c859ff7a Golden Shrine at da370792f8 the age of c557df023c seven, he was bf39dd93dd constantly plagued by 714b0a9c8d severe illnesses or 94da85d63c found himself caught 479cdc1686 in accidents and 4bd06170a9 mishaps. In a bd68fe893a way, he f875d30d2f hadn’t been 0245aa34d1 living—he had 9bdd2e589a merely survived.b6efca01461fac08

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Dragged by bd8ba59f16 his mother fcb5e6bcbb to the 68ddb2eb17 shrine, desperate 381fcd3a8b to understand 2c77c58ade whether it 2b957e679d was a 03ce15606e shamanic calling 60fc8acbdc or the be6dbba3fb influence of bff5b5199c a wandering 3f273d6205 spirit, they 428d0b2586 sought answers. The shaman spoke b2a6fe7795 of a murderous 12983d4dc5 spirit from his a301ea39dd past life and 98e4215b30 handed him talismans 6cb447d6f1 to ward off 4938a01e2d malevolent forces. His mother, Mrs. Kim, was 84714f3821 convinced that 2a43265174 if he 10c269f21e hadn’t carried dea7df2333 these talismans—said 95fcc9ecb0 to suppress f58c9cb0df the presence efb4885083 of spirits—every 65ed1226dd day, Ha 88756169a6 Gyo-jin would ede78c9eba either be 9e18cd6962 dead or b6d4d28c16 living a b42bf0d581 wretched life 96fc0548ec as a a6774531ab cripple.dee25cf972c819e1

Ha Gyo-jin himself was indifferent to such beliefs, though he couldn’t completely ignore them either. Whenever he started to regain even the slightest sense of peace, something would inevitably happen, hitting him out of nowhere like a blow to the back of the head.c4d58b0cb207f308

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The “big incidents” in Ha Gyo-jin’s life occurred every three years like clockwork. According to the great shaman of the Golden Shrine, these events were caused by forces so powerful that even the talismans couldn’t hold them back. While these major disruptions were rare, they shaped a life that was far too tumultuous to simply laugh off as bad luck.6db7fb7c9924741a

Yet, Ha Gyo-jin’s 17f77e6bf5 life, put kindly, d6fd1bd67c was a series dbe44f40bc of unfortunate coincidences, 78da26c0fa and more bluntly, ab56784a75 a streak of 714aea16e7 relentless misfortune. Today was just another 6f704fd41a one of those unlucky f176b995b7 days. No—today was f31af48b0f particularly bad, 236776b1a3 even for d0d122f19b him.67d9f81ad6550bf1

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He often wondered 0ea30809f1 if a person’s f8f2daeecc total fortune was 43e6a9312f pre-set from birth. If that ed69c99420 were the a2be7fe67a case, he caeaf7b9fa figured he ff0b48905c must have e7c6133980 burned through dd7ab72a03 all his e6dcb985da luck early b5c8d8404d on, born 32b106536c into wealth b31b370271 and privilege, 0bb2f87316 leaving him 7aa0f21ecc with not b02aa1d867 even 1% a221820948 of luck 7028cce755 to rely aefaff7a3c on for a099d26441 the rest 09dd6f8d67 of his 988f1de26e life.661ea6733ce57276

Despite all the 0b96decc07 talk of ghosts 789d11345b and spiritual forces, 28bf6ec415 Ha Gyo-jin was b0a4d7986c at his core 9cfb556562 a rational man. He believed 005fc15932 only in 77eb327c9b what he 8f51df62e4 could see, e68638450b his mind b94e55350f far more d21b5a22ad inclined towards 32681951f1 reason than 6595464e93 emotion.d4ac6357955b6aab

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As usual, Ha 3c8e0a1d4c Gyo-jin woke up 0627f830d9 at 5:30 AM, c07b55a788 refreshed after a 4a56c36a20 jog. However, when he returned f3a262fcd0 home, he found the 42c5f400f5 door lock had mysteriously 34ccff4dcf broken. It had been working f9250ca3a7 just fine the day 9218567637 before, and now he 1ab299f7d6 was left wondering what 5a4598d4cd had gone wrong. This little mishap 4f90620547 forced him to f118c12e92 wait outside for 6ec9e259d7 an hour and 214f4bf130 a half for e7e64cf32a a repairman to 4fd8149774 arrive.1f88937471ec9afa

At least, he thought, 78593c9c36 there was a silver 911cc6fe53 lining. If such bad luck a1132d7b54 had struck him so 928904d63e early in the morning, 5040626ea7 surely the rest of edb1229cbd the day would be b2c0bd0e20 calm. But reality 0e678d80d1 seemed intent 06d932cd3d on mocking c97dfe3c9f his optimism; 35bb670502 today, misfortune 670a6747a1 struck him 4349e9ae57 every four a7c557908a hours.03fd5c670ab78340

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During an important meeting, fbcf45201a he encountered a buyer a2ef615cb0 who just so happened 4606d71b0c to be the father cf3b40bcf8 of a woman he 5625788600 had briefly dated and dd7b82f82c had a very unpleasant b386f54934 breakup with—thanks to her f55caf337e terrible drinking habits. Later, dressed in his 2b3bd9864e freshly tailored suit, he 5c8e47a9ea was unexpectedly doused by 9cf10f1ef8 a group of rowdy 5c8a451cf7 elementary school kids armed a54834c1d7 with water guns.b53881bc2b557cb1

After hurriedly d5566d16a6 changing into b21ddbdab6 dry clothes, 2f30f8a9c2 he finally eb3748cd16 made it 27e28f1118 to a 35d1cdf05c matchmaking meeting, e54179aca4 only to 932f3ecca5 find that b65b4ed641 it was 16689c8a65 going just ac4772927c as poorly cf633be0bd as the 19d4cd052a rest of 51a73f2d9f his day.c62a59daf14db4a9

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“How could you do this to me?”b07ee66a6cbc670a

The scene unfolding before bbd2708f9c Ha Gyo-jin felt like 8fef68bd81 something out of a 49f29dc121 second-rate morning drama—completely implausible.cdba3873bbd47a9b

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He maintained a 0fcbe13cf2 deadpan expression, refusing 59e6f1d475 to respond. This only seemed 01f29da27b to heighten the 763ae7819e anxiety of the 08cdf8af45 stranger who had 43cbcac6a1 just called him 1729a59c6d “babe.”
The man f2024e4f04 shouted again, e2979ba080 his face a7272b5b41 tense.
“We were supposed to 51ddf219cb go to the Netherlands 727fed0440 together and have a 510073fad1 wedding! And now you’re 1d37f03bdd on a date 6f3e168287 with another woman?”2b3f3fb14ff2f7d7

“Who are you?”
Ha Gyo-jin 1755779b34 replied flatly, aa21781f50 utterly bewildered. The man was talking 24bed145eb about a trip to f813e807da the Netherlands, yet here efeb934d56 he was, someone who, 6ca991413e by nature, never even 8b31c0c1d1 approached the airport.037eaf3bae992e27

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A rare commotion 01115eea28 broke out in 5000593baf the quiet, upscale 8aba46b041 restaurant known for b2f130cd73 being a popular 489e959ebc dating spot—according to 1a70ef163b Secretary Park—drawing the 7147a0558f attention of all 8767384f7d the other patrons.b20c7980e04401cb

“Oh wow, looks like a live gay love triangle is happening! I’ve never seen anything like this,”
people whispered among themselves, 79843a0424 glancing over at Ha 6043a7894e Gyo-jin. The whole situation 61d05027dd was absurd. He didn’t know f9e78b7a9a this man, had ffef4a5066 no inclination towards 989278ab5d being called “babe” 72063f2f42 by anyone, and, 702db2013f most importantly, this 6c32fbd29f wasn’t just a 1b35167ba7 casual meal; he eb9133d940 was on a 0d1be71180 matchmaking date with 0ed942c8f1 the youngest daughter 4291ddb86c of Hwangsae Chemical, 121e5330c6 representing two prominent 7e6760fa37 families.0673c2c736c0acb7

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Everything about the 7e16f25df4 scenario was utterly de15b9c50f ridiculous, yet strangely, 65af71a620 he couldn’t muster 66d4d5bbac a laugh. Instead of c082eef94f expressing any 08aac8ad2f specific emotion, c94e0efe41 Ha Gyo-jin 1e9233db4e slowly alternated d4652ab77b his gaze 95ec822d69 between the ed711c5fc9 agitated stranger 8455d72a86 and the 02a662c218 young woman 62a99dce8d from Hwangsae e0a3968007 Chemical sitting 3e20f43c1e across from 80833ec749 him.519127ea95e23d40