TGHD Ch 7

The manager’s eerie tone made it seem as if he were reciting a ghost story. With both hands trembling in front of him, he looked as if he were mimicking a ghost, a behavior that made the nearby employee cringe.

“Dad! I told you not to create such a weird atmosphere!”

“Ah, it’s become a habit. You know, when selling houses, you have to spin a good story…”

While the manager scratched the back of his head awkwardly, Ryubeom’s face remained oddly somber.

A story about a soul losing its way and becoming an evil spirit.

It might have sounded like a vague notion to others, but to Ryubeom, it was the most terrifying story. Suddenly, he recalled a winter day when his father embraced and patted him, making his stomach churn.

“Young master, are you okay?”

Yeowhi stepped forward, expressing concern. He carefully cupped Ryubeom’s cheek, checking his temperature with the back of his hand. The process was so natural that Ryubeom was a moment late in reassuring him that he was fine. His attention was entirely drawn to Yeowhi for an instant.

“You don’t look well…”

“No, really, I’m fine.”

Seeing this, the real estate father and daughter exchanged glances. At first, they had focused on the beautiful man who had given them a famous company’s business card, but now it seemed clear that the real influential figure among them was the one addressed as ‘young master.’ Their deferential attitude confirmed it.

If he was someone revered by the Fox family, he was certainly not an ordinary person. Recognizing this, they sensed an extraordinary aura emanating from Cheon Ryubeom, suggesting he might also be a shapeshifter. With this realization, the father and daughter quickly adjusted their demeanor and spoke politely to Ryubeom.

“Ahem, young master, would you like to visit the place yourself?”

“We’ll guide you to where the villa is!”

“…?”

Confused by their suddenly different attitude, Ryubeom blinked in bewilderment and then sighed quietly, looking at Yeowhi. It was obvious where the ‘young master’ title had come from. However, Yeowhi merely shrugged as if to say it was no big deal, leaving Ryubeom to sigh inwardly.

In the end, they all moved to a different location.

The mountain where the villa was located occupied half of Hyojomyeon and was the place the man had climbed in the video Ryubeom had watched a few hours earlier. It was a mountain overlooking Hyojomyeon.

As they approached the mountain, Ryubeom noticed something peculiar and murmured to himself.

“There are many empty houses near the mountain…”

“Ah, young master, your observation skills are indeed remarkable!”

“Dad, don’t overdo it; you’ll make the young master uncomfortable.”

The manager, focused on the ‘young master,’ immediately heard Ryubeom’s muttering and clasped his hands in admiration, making Ryubeom feel awkward. The employee shook her head in embarrassment.

The employee, who introduced herself as Garam, was twenty-three years old. She was born and raised in Hyojomyeon but moved to Seoul as soon as she turned twenty. However, since finding a job wasn’t easy, she had temporarily returned to help her father. She naturally approached Ryubeom, speaking and acting warmly to build rapport.

Garam, with short, dark brown hair cut around her ears and a cheerful demeanor, found it strange to talk to an ordinary human, so he just nodded.

“As you might have noticed, the phenomenon started around the mountain. Initially, it was confined to the area near the mountain, but over time, it spread wider.”

“Oh, so it spread across the whole district.”

“That’s right. People in the neighboring district are worried it might affect them too, wondering if it’ll reach their area…”

When the phenomenon first appeared, everyone thought they were just seeing things due to exhaustion. But as more people began experiencing the strange occurrences and even a skilled shaman came to mention ‘ghosts,’ the residents near the mountain were the first to leave Hyojomyeon.

However, people adapt, and by the time the phenomenon spread throughout Hyojomyeon, everyone had grown accustomed to it and stayed. Ryubeom, realizing why there were so many empty houses near the mountain compared to the outskirts, sighed while Garam looked around.

“There were even talks about Hyojomyeon being upgraded to a town, but now that seems like a dream…”

“Oh, Garam. Once the problem is solved, upgrading to a town will happen quickly. People will flock here out of curiosity. I’m holding out for that time!”

“Your dreams are too big. Without a rich family like the Kwons, how can we? The only ones who’ll come are those making personal broadcasts saying, ‘Did the ghost really disappear from Hyojomyeon?!’ A town needs a rich person to thrive.”

Garam sighed at her father’s exclamation and then remembered Ryubeom, awkwardly apologizing for talking among themselves and explained.

“There used to be a very wealthy family in the town. They were like the town’s benefactors. Oh, right. The villa we’re heading to was owned by the Kwons!”

Ryubeom paused. A fire at the former town leader’s villa resulted in a child’s death, turning them into a vengeful spirit? With a curious expression, Ryubeom asked,

“What caused the fire at the villa? Was it the owner’s fault?”

“The owner was with the mayor at the main house, drinking, and didn’t notice the fire. The investigation revealed that the cause of the villa fire was a gas explosion.”

“…Then who was the child who died there?”

“Well…”

Garam hesitated. It wasn’t just that it was bad information for selling the land; it was a difficult event to mention. The manager also remained silent, so Ryubeom subtly prodded.

“I need to know exactly to decide whether to clear just the area around the villa or the entire mountain…”

The bold statement made the father and daughter flinch. Garam, again impressed by Ryubeom’s ‘physical exorcism,’ gazed at him in admiration, making Ryubeom struggle to maintain his composure. Beside him, Yeowhi smiled with amusement in his eyes.

Finally, the manager spoke up.

“Well, among the employees working for the Kwon family, there was a bird shapeshifter. She was the new shapeshifter… It seems her daughter entered the villa and had an accident.”

“A bird shapeshifter?”

“Yes, yes. We don’t know her exact species, but there were rumors that the fire started because the bird accidentally triggered something. Initially, the remains were found in bird form, so they thought there were no victims…”

The manager’s awkward explanation was easy to interpret. The bird’s death in the mountain fire wasn’t unusual and was overlooked until it was later revealed to be a shapeshifter. The shapeshifter probably took the bird form to hide as best as possible in the burning building.

Noticing the manager’s hesitance in discussing a shapeshifter’s death with another shapeshifter, Ryubeom only nodded in acknowledgment.

Before long, they arrived at the villa.

Ryubeom was on high alert as soon as the villa’s outline came into view. He tensed up more and more as they approached the charred wooden structure, unsure of what might appear. However, the place was eerily quiet when they finally reached it.

“There’s nothing here…?”

Indeed, there was nothing to be felt. The old, skeletal remains of the wooden villa seemed like they could collapse at any moment. Even when Ryubeom carefully touched the structure, nothing changed.

The real estate father and daughter were surprised by Ryubeom’s reaction.

“What? There really aren’t any ghosts here?”

“The residents avoided this place implicitly, but there’s nothing here…”

“Hmmm, not even a trace of any ominous energy…”

Ryubeom trailed off vaguely, surveying the villa again. Usually, if someone had died unjustly, the lingering grudge would be palpable, but perhaps too much time had passed? Maybe the spirit no longer stayed here, instead roaming the whole of Hyojomyeon?

While pondering, Ryubeom quietly approached Yeowhi to ask a question.

“Do you think the young bird shapeshifter really became a ghost?”

“It’s highly probable. Shapeshifters generally have some spiritual power, so if they hold a grudge, they could become quite a powerful vengeful spirit.”

“I see… But why mimic that specific ghost?”

“Which ghost?”

Yeowhi tilted his head in curiosity, prompting Ryubeom to explain what he had researched the previous night.

“There’s a ghost recorded from the Joseon era that appeared at Idu’s house, which has similar characteristics to the phenomena happening in Hyojomyeon now.”

In the 15th century, there were records of a black ghost appearing at the house of Hojo Jorang Idu. The ghost intermittently appeared, tearing window paper or throwing stones and roof tiles. There were even accounts of lights appearing alongside it. This ghost would sometimes steal food, which was recorded in the early Joseon folktales and the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty. The ghost story became more famous because King Seongjong showed interest in it.

However, this ghost was known to have only a lower body and no upper body. It wore a paper skirt, with only its bony legs visible underneath. But recalling last night’s encounter, ‘that thing’ was black and skinny but definitely had an upper body.

“There are too many differences for it to be the same ghost reappearing now. So, the young bird shapeshifter’s spirit must be imitating it… But why?”

“Hmm, maybe because it was famous enough to attract the king’s attention, it might be intentionally imitating it.”

“Ah! To grow stronger by feeding on fear.”

Yeowhi’s remark provided a clue. Ghosts become stronger by feeding on the fear of the living, so it might be intentionally mimicking a famous Joseon-era ghost. Plus, since poltergeist phenomena are widely known worldwide, it could easily amplify its presence.

“If it’s growing by imitation, the ghost might actually be weaker than it seems…”

If they could identify its core, they might be able to handle it more easily than expected. However, Ryubeom needed to determine whether the malevolent spirit was a single entity acting like many or many spirits acting as one.

As Ryubeom pondered seriously, Yeowhi commented in amazement.

“You’re quite knowledgeable about ghosts. Is this something your family teaches?”

“Oh, not exactly… I had personal reasons to look into it.”

Although the Tiger family did teach about handling ghosts and monsters to some extent, Ryubeom had gathered a lot of knowledge by researching extensively to identify what had attacked his parents.

However, since he had not yet entered the Grand Tiger Hall, Ryubeom still thought his knowledge was lacking. The curious gaze from Yeowhi made him uncomfortable.

“Most people get scared and stop when researching ghosts, but you’ve done great.”

“…It’s not that great. I’m just scared of Changgui.”

He once hoped that by studying Changgui in detail, he might no longer fear it. However, the result was that he just developed a more specific fear.

Maybe it was because it was the first evil spirit that tormented him and the one his mother got rid of for him. Did he still harbor a childish hope that she would take care of it for him…?

Ryubeom added a self-deprecating remark and let out a bitter smile.

“It’s ridiculous, right? Being a tiger and being afraid of Changgui…”

But once he said it, he felt very embarrassed. Yeowhi probably didn’t mean anything bad by his admiration, and yet Ryubeom had acted self-deprecating in front of him. Just as he was about to say that it was nothing to worry about, Yeowhi tilted his head.

“Even the triplets are foxes, but they’re afraid of ghosts.”

“…They’re still young, so it’s okay.”

“You’re still like a child to me, too.”

Yeowhi’s kind whisper softly echoed in his ears, as if reassuring him that it was okay to show his childish side. Ryubeom blinked slowly and responded with a slightly strange look.

“Relative standards don’t matter. Objectively, I’m still an adult.”

“…You know, sometimes you’re really cold.”

Despite Yeowhi’s faint sigh or bitter laugh, Ryubeom turned his head without much reaction. Being treated like a child at his age felt strange, yet somehow, it also felt slightly odd. Yeowhi sometimes hit unexpected nerves.

To shake off the feeling, Ryubeom responded more stiffly than usual. As he pretended to inspect the villa’s surroundings, he suddenly turned his head sharply. Garam, who had approached nearby, was startled by Ryubeom’s suddenly sharp gaze.

Cheon Ryubeom usually had a serene demeanor that kept others at a distance, but when his eyes gleamed, he exuded a deadly aura.

“Wh-what…?”

“…I thought I sensed something.”

In reality, the bushes had rustled just as Ryubeom turned his head. But now, even with heightened alertness, there was nothing to sense.

“A wild animal, maybe…?”

Ryubeom neither confirmed nor denied Garam’s awkward suggestion. Given how deep they were in the mountains, it was plausible for animals to be around. And he had seen a fox at the house that morning. However, given the location, he didn’t let his guard down completely.

Ryubeom continued to silently survey the area, causing Garam to chuckle awkwardly and glance around nervously.

“We came all this way and found nothing…”

“…You seem rather relieved about that.”

Indeed, as they approached the villa, Garam had been holding a wooden club he’d somehow found. But his reaction seemed more exasperated than frightened.

“Well, I shouldn’t say this, but… it’s true. Those things are such a nuisance when they show up! Whenever they visit the house, it’s a total mess.”

“Ah…”

“They even knocked over the dolls I had on display. Really nasty things…”

Ryubeom nodded vaguely at Garam’s lament. It made practical sense that the residents of Hyojomyeon mostly used plastic or silicone dishes to avoid damage.

However, upon reflection, this information was useful. Long-term residents perceived these entities as multiple and seemed to interact with them in a mischievous manner. Otherwise, spirits that thrive on fear wouldn’t bother visiting Garam’s home, where they weren’t feared.

Gathering this information, Ryubeom pulled a small orb from his pocket. There were no signs of spirits here now, but just in case.

He murmured a spell, and a faint golden spiritual energy flowed from his lips. Ryubeom confirmed the soft glow within the transparent orb before dropping it to the ground.

***

That night.

Cheon Ryubeom returned to the villa in the mountains. Sneaking out quietly past midnight, he glanced back to find Yeowhi had followed him. Startled that he hadn’t noticed Yeowhi’s presence, Ryubeom saw Yeowhi’s eyes droop sadly.

“Why do you keep trying to leave me behind?”

“It’s not that I’m trying to leave you…”

“Leaving me alone in that dark place is abandoning me.”

His delicate tone made Ryubeom feel like a terrible person. He only planned to go alone to avoid the stronger spiritual energy at night, fearing it might be dangerous. In the end, Ryubeom, looking flustered, had no choice but to invite Yeowhi to join him.

Guessing Ryubeom’s destination, Yeowhi smiled and asked,

“You’re going to the villa, right? I saw you drop an orb there earlier. What did you do?”

“Ah, that was bait.”

“Bait?”

“Since it mimicked a famous ghost to grow stronger, I thought it might react to the energy of a tiger. The spiritual energy of a tiger is a tempting meal.”

Ghosts feared tigers but also coveted their strong energy. Ryubeom deliberately infused five orbs with his energy and scattered them on the ground. Even if there were no signs of spirits earlier, he expected them to appear at night.

And as he had anticipated, the orbs near the villa were all shattered.

“It seems they absorbed the energy and left…”

Yeowhi looked around worriedly and asked,

“Won’t this make the spirits stronger?”

“I only put a small amount of energy in. We just need to track it before it fully absorbs the energy.”

 

Ryubeom chanted a tracking spell as if breathing into his hands, and strings of text swirled around them before floating up. When he touched the ground, a faint golden light spread from under his hand and radiated in all directions.

A few hours earlier, Ryubeom had not only infused the orbs with the energy of a tiger but also inscribed a tracking spell on them. He wanted to tag whatever took his energy, and the spell worked successfully. Thin golden threads in the air indicated where “it” had moved.

“We need to find their base.”

Since they had found no traces at the villa, it meant the spirits had another place where they actually resided. Fortunately, the five golden threads in the air all pointed in the same direction. Yeowhi nodded with a look of interest.

The two of them followed the golden threads.

In the dark, moonless night, the mountain was eerily desolate. But Ryubeom’s pace quickened as he pushed through the underbrush. The tracking spell wouldn’t last long, so he needed to identify the base before it faded.

Soon, Yeowhi sighed at the problem they encountered.

“The path is cut off.”

Spirits didn’t need to follow human paths. They could climb trees, scale rocks, cross streams… even drop straight down into a gorge.

Below, thick darkness made it hard to discern the terrain. However, faintly tangled golden threads indicated that the spirits had passed through. Ryubeom bit his lip as he looked back.

“…We have to follow them before the threads disappear.”

The golden threads behind them were already fading. If they missed this chance, would there be another? The spirits likely sensed something amiss after absorbing his energy.

To pursue them, they had to push through the darkness.

“Yeowhi, there’s a path down on the other side.”

“Should we hurry and go around?”

“No, I’m going to jump down from here.”

“What?”

“Come carefully. I’ll go ahead.”

“Wait, hold on…!”

Before Yeowhi could say anything more, Ryubeom leapt off the cliff. In an instant, his amber eyes glinted with a faint golden hue. In truth, Ryubeom was more accustomed to physical action than spells.

He slid down the steep cliff, accelerating and leaping off the opposite side to descend further. His swift movements through the narrow gorge showed no hesitation. Moving through the darkness as if swimming through water, the sound of rushing air echoed fiercely in his ears.

Thud. Finally landing on the ground, Cheon Ryubeom quickly surveyed the area. The golden threads were now intermittently broken, but he could still follow them if he hurried.

Just as Ryubeom was about to sprint, something grabbed his ankle.

“…!”

A cold, sticky sensation. That one feeling instantly filled Ryubeom with dread. An entity emerging from the darkness, gripping his ankle and pursuing him.

“Hee-hee-hee…”

“Tiger, tiger. Where are you going?”

Changgui.

Seeing the distorted head emerging from the darkness made Ryubeom’s breath catch. One, two, no, five, ten, twenty… Changgui poured out as if flooding from the gorge, overwhelming Ryubeom. The golden hue in his eyes dimmed with despair.

Not now.

“…Sir!”

He heard Yeowhi’s shout from the other side. It seemed Yeowhi was descending quickly, but Ryubeom’s gaze was fixed on the darkness ahead, unable to turn away, staring blankly at the Changgui. Resentment toward him drew closer.

Ryubeom flinched as a skeletal black hand brushed against his face.

“…?”

But when it touched him, confusion surfaced on Ryubeom’s face. When one fears something intensely, they paradoxically become very familiar with it.

This wasn’t a Changgui.

The gestures of Changgui, filled with hatred and resentment as they clung to a tiger, weren’t like this. They didn’t just attack blindly, nor did they brush past weakly. The golden hue returned to Ryubeom’s eyes.

The darkness in front of him was a mimicry of Changgui.

Suddenly, Ryubeom realized that the presence he sensed in the mountains that morning was this entity. It had intentionally mimicked Changgui, knowing Ryubeom feared them, and there was only one reason for that.

The tracking had correctly led to their base.

While the entity intended to hold him back here to hide their base, Ryubeom saw an opportunity instead.

Without hesitation, Cheon Ryubeom reached into the darkness.

It looked as if Ryubeom was grabbing the neck of a Changgui, but the darkness in his hand eventually changed form. In the misshapen face, he could faintly see feathers.

A bird beast.

The pitch-black shape appeared burnt, but Ryubeom sensed something different. If it had been burned, the feathers wouldn’t be intact. So, this was a bird with black feathers… a crow?

[Aaaaargh!]

As soon as he vaguely identified the form, a sudden scream echoed. Sharp pain surged through his hand, making Ryubeom groan and momentarily loosen his grip, at which point it vanished like smoke. He checked his hand while tracking the direction the smoke flowed.

There was a wound on the back of his hand, as if clawed by a bird’s sharp talons. A wound inflicted by a ghost was unlike a regular wound. It rapidly turned black, festering as if decaying.

“Sir! Are you okay?”

Yeowhi approached just in time. Given the speed he arrived, it was evident he had descended through the gorge. Ryubeom nodded roughly, but Yeowhi grabbed his hand.

“Your hand is injured.”

“It’s nothing.”

“If you’re injured by strong ghost energy, you might have to amputate it.”

Though Yeowhi was genuinely worried, Ryubeom’s mind was elsewhere. He wanted to follow the direction where the smoke disappeared. As he tried to move, Yeowhi held his hand again, then firmly gripped it and walked ahead. Yeowhi flinched but soon followed silently.

The smoke had disappeared below a hill. When Ryubeom reached the edge and looked down, he saw a two-story house not far away. The area looked desolate, as if abandoned long ago.

There.

He was certain as soon as he saw it. It was not just an abandoned house but a haunted one. Normally, an old abandoned house would be overgrown with weeds and show signs of animals passing through—birds, stray dogs, cats, and so on. Being near the mountains, it should have been frequented by wildlife. Yet, there were no animal traces, and the grass was blackened and dead.

Focusing his spiritual energy, he saw the house was covered in a thick, dark aura, making it difficult to discern its shape.

“That’s definitely the ghost’s base. And that ghost seems to be a crow beast.”

“Hmmm, crows are spiritual creatures, so a vengeful one could become a powerful evil spirit. But can we enter now? The energy is overwhelming…”

“I never expected to capture it right away. I just wanted to confirm something.”

“Besides the base’s location?”

Ryubeom nodded.

“I wondered if the ghost was many acting as one or one acting as many. I figured it out earlier. It mimicked dozens of Changgui, but each had a different aura… I think other ghosts are gathering around the main body.”

It was awkward when it first tried to mimic other ghosts, so it was caught. Moreover, Ryubeom had seen its ‘main body’—the strongest ghost among them, the crow beast. He hadn’t clearly seen its form yet.

“I wanted to know why it’s grown stronger recently, but I still don’t know. I thought it might have started around the time of the fire at the villa, but it doesn’t seem related…”

Earlier today, they questioned the real estate agent about the fire but found no clues linking it to the recent surge in ghostly power.

Until a few months ago, the spirits seemed like pranksters. Even at the Garam household, where people weren’t afraid of ghosts, they caused a ruckus. Despite the chaos, there were no fatalities in the past decade, but the energy they faced earlier was intense.

It was strong enough to kill someone, and the grudge was powerful enough to rot a tiger beast’s arm.

“Could it be due to the intertwining of various energies? Maybe the main spirit’s grudge has become diluted.”

“That’s possible, but what I find most curious is the ‘main body’ itself.”

“…Is there an issue with the main body?”

“Is it really a child at the center? If so, the ghostly energy should be strongest near the villa where the child died. But it’s stronger here.”

With this peculiar thought, Ryubeom moved. The energy around the house was too intense to enter immediately, but he intended to at least approach the front door.

This house was grander and more luxurious than any they’d seen in Hyojomyeon. Who could have owned such a place in this village? Perhaps a wealthy figure like Mr. Kwon, who was said to have been influential in the area…

While pondering, he reached the front door. As he was about to touch the door with tension, a sudden tremor ran through the air. The energy exploded, not in resistance to him, but…

“…The sound of a bell?”

Faint singing and praying came from the right side, as if a large group was approaching. Ryubeom’s attention shifted to that direction. But before he could examine it closely, the darkness surrounding the house began to whirl.

With a roar, the darkness rose like a vortex. In the chaos of dozens of spirits, Ryubeom heard a voice from ‘it.’

[Kill them first…]

Then, with a screech, it flew toward the source of the bell sound. The violent rush of vengeful spirits pushed Ryubeom back. Unfortunately, he was too close to the door.

“Careful.”

Yeowhi gently caught Ryubeom, preventing him from falling. For a moment, Ryubeom, shocked, felt a disconnect from all the spiritual energy. Despite the powerful spirits passing by, it was calm in Yeowhi’s embrace.

But Ryubeom quickly regained his composure. Now wasn’t the time to savor the moment in Yeowhi’s arms.

“An adult!”

“…What?”

“I heard its voice just now! It wasn’t a child’s, but an adult woman’s voice!”

It was brief but clear. Not the bright voice of a child, but the calm voice of an adult, mixed with sorrow and anger.

He recalled what the real estate agent had said earlier that morning.

‘There was a beastman among the servants working at Mr. Kwon’s house. It was a bird beast… I think that lady’s daughter entered the villa and had an accident.’

There are words to describe a child who has lost their parents, but it is said that the pain of a parent who has lost a child is so great that no word can dare describe it. Ryubeom sighed as he looked at the house in front of him.

Although the group of ghosts had left, a thick darkness still clung to the area around the house. This indicated the depth of the resentment lingering in this place…

“We need to head in the direction they moved.”

There were still unresolved questions. He also needed to find out what the sudden bell sound was. As Ryubeom was about to dash off, his phone rang just as he took a step. It was a call from Garam.

“Sir! Did you feel the commotion just now?! Something pitch-black flew across the night sky…!”

Her voice was somewhat hoarse as if she had just woken up, but the shock she had felt was clear. She mentioned that there had been a huge tremor, as if there had been an earthquake throughout Hyojomyeon, waking up all the residents and causing them to murmur in concern.

Ryubeom, though flustered, answered that he had seen it. He had a question for Garam anyway.

But before he could ask about the ‘house,’ Garam blurted out excitedly.

“They’ve brought several shamans from the neighboring town to perform an exorcism!”

Ryubeom’s eyes widened. The bell, the singing, and the praying he had heard earlier were all sounds made by the shamans and the people following them? He quickly asked with a serious face.

“Where are they now?”

***

The location Garam provided was near the local administrative office. By the time Ryubeom and Yeowhi arrived, many people had already gathered, engaging in various discussions.

“How can you show up in the middle of the night making such a racket?!”

“What do you expect us to do when you’re handling this so passively? Should we just stand by and let our town be labeled as haunted?!”

“We’re pooling our money to solve this problem, so what’s the issue? Shouldn’t you be grateful instead?”

The people standing against the residents of Hyojomyeon were from the neighboring town, Dongjang-eup. They claimed they had come to deal with the strange phenomena that had spread from part of Hyojomyeon to the entire area, intending to address it before it affected Dongjang-eup as well. They confidently asserted that they had brought highly reputable shamans and that once the issue was resolved, only a small fee for their gratitude would be required.

The residents of Hyojomyeon exchanged peculiar glances with one another. Though it was baffling to be asked to pay for the trouble after they had suddenly shown up to perform an exorcism, it wasn’t entirely a bad proposition. It might be wise to accept the offer to collaborate with Dongjang-eup since it was challenging for Hyojomyeon residents alone to afford reputable shamans.

As the atmosphere began to settle, the shamans stepped forward.

“Tonight was to assess the strength of the spirits. We will begin the full exorcism tomorrow at midnight…”

“Your cooperation is crucial. Since all of Hyojomyeon is tainted by evil spirits, we will need to pray together tomorrow to restore the land’s energy…”

Cheon Ryubeom stood at a distance, watching the situation with a blank expression. It felt oddly surreal, and he merely blinked as the shamans finished speaking and started handing out talismans to the residents. A man, presumably the shaman’s apprentice, was going around greeting everyone.

To Ryubeom’s surprise, the man approached him last, bowed, and greeted him.

“Sir, are you a beastman?”

“…Yes?”

“Your transformation is so perfect that I cannot tell your species, but I sensed an extraordinary aura from afar. If you have also come to Hyojomyeon to expel evil, we would be honored and reassured to have your assistance.”

Ryubeom, bewildered, accepted the talisman handed to him. The man bowed deeply again and returned to his original place. A shaman, who seemed to be his master, gave Ryubeom a slight nod of acknowledgment.

Yeowhi, looking at the talisman in Ryubeom’s hand, smiled with satisfaction.

“He has a keen eye, asking for your help, sir.”

“…Can they really perform the exorcism?”

“Hmm, they might not be able to do it alone, but with your help, it becomes a possibility.”

Ryubeom quietly observed the gathering of people. As Yeohwi mentioned, it seemed difficult for them alone to deal with the demon.

A while ago, they intentionally provoked the demon, and now the villagers were talking about it like a heroic tale. But judging by the state of the shattered bell, it was not a good omen.

If this problem could be solved simply by gathering shamans, it should have disappeared long ago. Moreover, a few months ago, there might have been some chance, but now the demon’s aura had become even stronger.

“From what I just saw, it seems the ghost has been indiscriminately absorbing other evil spirits to increase its size. That accumulation is starting to shake the core….”

“You’re saying the main body can’t control it?”

“Yes, that’s right. It still seems to have some degree of self-awareness, but we don’t know when it will lose its sanity. If that happens, there could be real casualties.”

Yeohwi’s calm analysis was very factual. The grudge of the ghost was growing stronger and more sinister, and it was becoming so threatening that it wouldn’t be surprising if it killed someone. If he left alone, a major incident was inevitable.

Should I really move with them…?

As Ryubeom pondered seriously, he felt a warmth on his hand. Yeohwi was carefully holding his right hand, examining the wound. The injury, incurred while forcefully gripping the main body in the mountains, was turning blacker with time, and the decay was spreading quickly.

“We need to eliminate it before the wound worsens. The curse’s power will weaken once the demon is destroyed.”

Following the gentle touch on the back of his hand, pain surged through. The pain he had ignored while focusing on other matters now came rushing in, and Ryubeom looked down at his hand.

The whisper of the ghost he heard at the house echoed in his ears.

[You must kill first…]

Perhaps it was a message directed at the shamans who had come to Hyojomyeon. But in Ryubeom’s mind, the voice was filled with deep resentment, old hatred, and lingering sorrow.

Finally, Ryubeom clenched his fist and spoke.

“I want to find out.”

“…What?”

“Why it became a demon, why its aura has recently grown stronger. And… where the child’s soul is.”

It was said that a child who burned to death at the villa became a demon, but now the mother was wandering as a demon. Why did the mother follow, and where is the child now…? Although it might be mixed among the group of evil spirits they encountered earlier, Ryubeom had an instinctive feeling that it wasn’t.

Yeohwi’s expression subtly changed.

“…Is that really important?”

“Knowing the full story might help us find a way to exorcise it more easily.”

“Trying to find out the full story is far from the easy path.”

“That may be true, but…”

“And even if we do find out, it doesn’t change the fact that it must be eliminated. No matter how tragic or unjust its reason for becoming a demon, in the end, it has to be destroyed. Why go through the trouble of finding out?”

“…”

“Didn’t they say you could fulfill your wish only by resolving these problems?”

Right. Everything Yeohwi said was right from start to finish. That’s why Ryubeom couldn’t answer. His task was to solve the demon’s case, and he had to eliminate the demon in Hyojomyeon to take a step closer to his wish.

Ryubeom knew he couldn’t handle the demon alone. Only by joining forces with the shamans could there be a chance. Objectively analyzing the situation and making a rational decision, joining them was the right thing to do. It was reasonable from every angle.

Yet Ryubeom couldn’t answer. Suddenly, he felt choked. Even though the demon must be eliminated, the reason he wanted to know was simple. Taking the longer route and choosing this difficult path was because he felt sorry for the child who lost its way and became a demon. And he was saddened by the mother who followed and became a demon, lingering in this place for over a decade without being able to leave.

It overlapped with his own inability to let go of his father.

Ryubeom barely managed to speak.

“Isn’t wanting to know a reason by itself?”

“Sir, I’m not questioning you, I just don’t understand why you want to take the difficult path…”

“I’ve never walked an easy path.”

After blurting out the words, Ryubeom sighed. It was something that slipped out without him realizing. He felt embarrassed, thinking it might have sounded like he was picking a fight over nothing.

Turning his head and taking a step back, Ryubeom said,

“…I’m sorry. But I need to investigate separately.”

“Sir.”

“It will be dangerous, so Yeohwi, you don’t have to come with me. I’m really grateful for all your help so far…”

“I was short-sighted. Despite knowing how you saved me at Yeonggokbong, I said such things.”

But Yeohwi immediately stepped closer, closing the distance again. The proximity startled Ryubeom, and he raised his hands, wanting to maintain some space and worrying that his words might have sounded like he was giving her a hint.

“I’m not trying to hint…”

“No. You took a risk to help me then, too.”

Ryubeom sighed, understanding what ‘then’ referred to. That day at Yeonggokbong, when he hid Yeohwi in the cave, she must have seen him being mocked and ridiculed by Cheonyeongdo.

He had hoped she hadn’t seen it since she hadn’t mentioned it, but Yeohwi had.

Feeling embarrassed and flustered, Ryubeom kept his lips tightly shut. Yeohwi gently grasped his hands, holding them desperately, almost as if clinging on.

“I will continue to follow you. So please, don’t abandon me.”

“No, it’s not about abandoning…”

A look of embarrassment spread across Ryubeom’s face. He couldn’t understand why Yeohwi kept using the word “abandon” at every opportunity. The word itself carried weight, and saying it with such a dejected expression made it even more awkward for him.

Just as Ryubeom was about to raise his hands and reassure Yeohwi that everything was fine, trying to calm her down, someone called out.

“Ah, there you two are!”

It was Garam. Ryubeom, eager to escape the situation, immediately expressed his delight. Garam, surprised by the unexpected welcome, soon noticed the talisman in Ryubeom’s hand and widened her eyes.

“Oh, did you receive a talisman too, sir?”

“Yes. They gave it to me, asking for help tomorrow.”

Garam nodded, impressed. The fact that the shaman had sought Ryubeom’s help first confirmed her belief that he was no ordinary person. She began to hope that if he joined this mission, the strange occurrences in Hyojomyeon might be resolved. Garam’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“So, will you help tomorrow? I heard it starts at midnight.”

“No, I’m planning to learn more about the demon…”

“What?”

“By the way, is the white two-story house at the foot of the mountain over there Mr. Kwon’s residence?”

Garam felt disappointed that Ryubeom wouldn’t be joining the exorcism, but she was startled by his subsequent question. She shivered, surprised, and asked back.

“Yes, it is… Why?”

“It seems to be the headquarters of the demons. And the main body of the demon might be the mother of the child who died in the villa fire. I heard she worked as a housekeeper for Mr. Kwon. Do you know anything about her?”

As Ryubeom’s questions continued, Garam’s face turned pale.

“N-no. It happened when I was young… I vaguely remember the adults saying, ‘Her husband died early, and she lived alone with her daughter. How will she manage after losing her child too?’”

“What about any news after the fire?”

“Hmm, I really don’t know. At some point, stories about her just stopped…”

Garam’s expression grew more serious. She seemed stunned by the unexpected truth and embarrassed that she had never considered it until now. Why had the mother’s existence been so easily forgotten?

Even her name was hazy. She was known as Nakyung’s mother or Nakyung’s lady because her daughter’s name was Nakyung.

“I remember her giving out rice cakes when I was a child…”

When the mother and daughter first moved to Hyojomyeon, they went around the neighborhood handing out rice cakes. Garam, who had been home alone as a child, recalled the lady praising her for being brave and giving her an extra piece.

Seeing Garam’s expression, Ryubeom asked,

“So, do you have any way to contact Mr. Kwon’s family who left? Or better yet, could we meet them directly?”

“What? They left a long time ago, and I have no idea where they went. Why do you need to…”

“It seems connected to Mr. Kwon’s house. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be such a strong grudge lingering there.”

Ryubeom’s words left Garam genuinely astonished. Her eyes darted around in confusion. After a while, she pulled out her phone with trembling hands.

“I do have their contact number…”

Her fingers hesitated over the black screen, seemingly unsure. Understanding her discomfort, Ryubeom was about to ask for the number at least, contemplating how to bring them back to Hyojomyeon. Suddenly, Garam spoke up.

“If anything goes wrong, you have to take full responsibility. Okay?”

“…What? Well, of course, but…”

Startled by Garam’s sudden determined look, Ryubeom blinked in surprise. What decision had she made? Muttering something about “rice cakes,” Garam’s face took on a resolute expression.

Then, Garam made a call. She looked anxious, biting her nails, worried that the person might not pick up since it was late at night. However, as soon as the call was answered, her expression changed instantly. Her tone became much more cheerful.

“Hello, sir. Sorry to call so late. This is Hyojo Hope Real Estate. Yes, I know you sold the house long ago, but…”

The person on the other end seemed annoyed by the late-night call, and Garam’s voice became even more cordial. She glanced at Ryubeom, and just with that look, he understood her plea.

‘You have to back me up.’

Ryubeom nodded, somewhat dazed, and then Garam revealed a surprising story.

“We found a large amount of gold bars under the house you sold.”

– What?! What did you say?!

“We need to check if they’re related to you or if we can handle them on our own…”

– No, wait! Absolutely not!

Even from a distance, Ryubeom could hear the frantic voice from the phone. The man was shouting that he would come right away and threatening them not to touch anything. The noise of something falling over added to the commotion.

After the call ended, Garam looked at Ryubeom with the same teary-eyed expression she had before.

“You really have to back me up. That guy has a really nasty temper…”

Ryubeom nodded, his mouth slightly open. They had managed to contact the Kwon family and even convinced them to come. He looked at Yeohwi in amazement, who muttered in awe.

“Human ingenuity is truly impressive.”

“I’m starting to fear capitalism more and more…”