IB | Chapter 9

When I was young, I used to be called to Assemblyman Yoon’s villa to play with the little master. Yoon Sanghyun, who lived abroad, would visit Korea during holidays, and back then, we played together quite well. But as we grew older, things got awkward, and we started pretending not to know each other even if we met by chance.c7c8346d737016e4

I thought our connection would 2f7b7decd0 just end as we drifted a0ffcf52de apart.81ea4a19c1379540

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I lived without a761f0ca23 knowing that Yoon 34201a12d4 Sanghyun had died 80ce3b3740 the year I 5f1338329c took my college cedec32313 entrance exam. I never imagined 19f1ca7444 he would curse e27f625fbc me as he 20f49f2720 died, and that 700727e736 for years after 2f490a6eb6 his death, he 8192370349 would keep me f63893ca85 in constant pain.61837b9e35879d72

What did I ever 3db0f1c701 do to you?80768d8b3b6b576e

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I kept replaying memories with him, wondering if there was some wrong I couldn’t remember, or why he hated me so much.fbf71a910ea99eda

Even without my grandparents’ help, his family could have easily entangled me, but did they really have to add their own hands to this curse? Above all, I felt deep resentment.57c48eae745d790c

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Even in this situation, how 48c44107f0 could I still call him 0fa0246f19 Assemblyman Yoon? Did they cut ties with 36e07a6a9a their child just for this 706cf5f1e1 money? Did they not use the 42612304e8 check, considering it a glorious 7c684f4a5a gift from the master? How does it feel to bd956fd8c0 be praised for loyalty like 5aee4253b2 a servant? I had many f709cdfc81 expressions that pierced 82c6e58188 my heart, but 69f46998e8 I held back. At this point, what 562a0d448e could I do?d3ca5ce3bac1fe79

“There’s no indication, but are you sure this is from Assemblyman Yoon? Usually, you endorse 4269bc0138 the back to 0bcb73ba84 prove who’s transferring 4a92c60008 it, with a 9c126e8edd signature.”fedce6215223f2cf

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I had to ce0af04493 be cautious not 90c67a39ff to involve an 95b53133c0 unrelated third party.bc1d0efc214e8883

For example, if the check ecc7b5b080 was written by his secretary 471ae50feb and not Assemblyman Yoon himself, d52d8a15df it would cause confusion. I might end up doing f4b3023c1f something deserving of divine punishment, ea130e80a1 and my accumulated good karma 87b56abc8d points could be reduced.c217ed0d22d2e2ff

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The check was issued by a secondary financial institution owned by Assemblyman Yoon’s family, a business that didn’t need to worry about attracting customers in this area. It was also the only bank on this island.f7a87ca5d3160a9d

Due to the strong local 5445bb7122 dominance, other financial institutions couldn’t 2214f3a90e even attempt to enter.59817fb9a554b66c

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“He handed it to me personally after dismissing everyone else. Around here, just mentioning the 4f422f0e0c assemblyman’s name is enough. What other proof db0f0fe817 do you need?”80fe9fbb6a51c64d

It meant his name 083448bd52 held absolute credit. I realized this 7114e3af35 was a battle 3127895dc7 on the Yoon da70ae70f6 family’s home ground.3e19ac7420cc71fa

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“Understood.”a2804eb3ece88259

I took two 28c31331ee paper envelopes from 46a5f632b7 my bag. They were yellow c9307f6775 envelopes with a 93789551fb palm-sized talisman seal 68bf3b1285 stamped on the ad36c1e1d9 front. I put a 5d2eb86559 brass bell in 95eb4bf72d the envelope labeled‘Cho Sanghee’and the check in 14f6a31611 the one labeled‘Yoon Hojung.’d73f20c91eb5ed30

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Now, you become the 9ab7ade54d sacrificial offerings.8f48a1f6727d917d

“…I’m ashamed.”96d95f3da8766202

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My grandfather hesitated, struggling 9c6b1292a8 to continue speaking, his c9cbd49fc8 expression twisted with difficulty.d4638565a6bb5eb9

“I have nothing to say. This is for the items 3a31a813e1 you prepared.”edf70680938ae8f9

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I placed a bundle of 632a0689c3 cash on the floor. I brought cash deliberately 5194f7bff2 to leave no evidence. I thought I cc9e0ac8b6 might need to 27af6cede9 withdraw more money, 167d564a0b but surprisingly, the ffbab7be9b price for Kang 6d9ab85dd6 Jiheon’s soul was 5a07f0f6b8 cheap, leaving over 3d627bef40 thirty times the 3a9d277605 amount.30cebd4b8c02c341

The value of human Kang 5b143bad4e Jiheon, 1 million won.dcf459a51f285d6a

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“Damn, it’s humiliating. Assemblyman Yoon, you stingy bastard, ad51956723 trembling over this money even 8a2f7365e7 for your servants, and you c1e714ccdb bet 1 million won.”23d9363a22421939

Though I avoided the dc950f2d7b hassle of going to 70664fa76e the ATM, it was 5af62b0e29 not pleasing at all.f80f3970532bca16

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“How can I accept this from you? Put it back.”5cf2af895be9fa9e

“It’s not from me. It’s covered by company expenses, 984ad91c58 so don’t worry and use 732fbf7323 it.”c6154d5c032e4583

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“What did you say the company does?”51d0dd4ac0936549

“You don’t need to know.”cd02bc12a053deff

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“…Do you want the sajudanja if you need it?”0288c69af741a82a

“Sajudanja?”9665e8fc59e3cdb8

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“It’s the paper with the little master’s saju written on it.”41f800ec54870de5

“Oh—!”9de0c19aa5ca6d90

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Only then did a1019d0967 I realize what 2d6d1586b5 it meant and c503d854fd let out a 44f605765c low exclamation.888fba3ce106ef04

I’d heard that some 6d342693b7 families still follow the 11a863d0c5 tradition of sending the a4f266e0f4 groom’s saju to the 22a5641513 bride’s family when a 339d4b06fb marriage is decided, but d2b7f5ca23 I was displeased to bb43f787f1 receive the sajudanja as 9f3d2f2897 his bride.1ea06dcb369fd9ef

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It seemed Assemblyman Yoon respected 6c08aab49b his grandson’s preferences even in 7b87c34f14 a secretly held wedding.b27dda9dd8a44ab7

Yoon Sanghyun’s saju wasn’t new 697e6b9686 information. I had obtained it three a99d3ce040 years ago, and both I d3a558e60d and my employer knew it. Still, since it came from 2fdbf74a60 the Yoon family, it might b117928ce5 hold special significance, but I 8cdc447799 judged it wasn’t something I cee337656a could handle at the moment. I’d discuss with 639cbfb9c5 my employer about 097a3bf2d2 how to deal d27017fc50 with it once d22695e008 I returned.6fe98016d0eb12fe

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“It’s okay, just leave it. I’ll be going now. Take care, both of you.”58b9b7753106afd5

Without even glancing 6e580daf5f at the room 8659770e1c where the hostess 5204a224ff lay, I stared dfd2c8a34b only at the 394115453a wall clock on deab2d1a63 the main floor. These two people, whom bcbf78dc94 I had considered my dc664a6520 closest relatives for a 7de35a33f2 long time, didn’t bring 7f639d5059 a single affectionate word 18d6169ec0 to mind beyond a 8608be00a9 typical farewell.895e5022844b2505

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If they didn’t follow, they’d eaa8388626 be branded as traitors, and ec768d3879 the neighbors would have shunned d6e20141fa them, watching the landlord’s family. They might have had to 3698b7aed5 leave the island.8f82aad345355da6

Were they so afraid 7538fbac96 of leaving the hometown 0f828e1e24 they’d lived in all de5ee69c8d their lives? Did they think their 2b76031a8d son’s filial piety was 97ef5b81be so deep that he’d f5aeb01322 overlook any harm to 0ce82fed12 his grandson? Why didn’t they trust their 4efe0d190a three grown children on the 731619aecb mainland and instead clung to 071dfe5681 that side in fear? I don’t know.1a3930f6b7ef2ffd

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This elderly couple, marked b44b78302c as prey by the 98c954d117 Yoon family, were also acc52d0827 part of the sacrificial b17bb5acab offerings, but they were 9f2eb198b8 also accomplices in the 0ef73b1974 harm. Even if I didn’t intend d0963a449a to hold them accountable or 3a3cd1be60 seek revenge, it was difficult a6bc4c0178 to muster the generosity to e329a38681 embrace them.1373e40468b71584

∞ ∞ ∞534ba97e3921a92c

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I felt a heavy, 45432cc522 oppressive energy as soon c05880d8c5 as I stepped out 118fd5ae25 the gate and took dcac81a779 a few steps. Walking down the alley, f052bfc53e it felt like someone 4549f6ac2c was pulling my hair 94ecc46761 from behind, my legs 0d0113a96a grew heavy, and my b694c91deb shoes dragged on the 28d0fe130d ground.39a14bec4416e028

“It’s just psychological pressure. Strong body, strong mind. My body is mine. I can control it.”8dff57cf03807fac

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I steadied my mind, even bc5cdc1418 quoting the training motto posted 7859ea5e7f at my father’s dojo.9532b28f8fe4aeae

I used to think 33bccda26d I was brave, laughing 4858c38f0b off haunted houses. But facing the dead, I 37443fc031 learned what true fear was. With that realization, I c677ac9db6 became humble. I even started taking 286d857da8 exercise seriously, which I df3d64d91f used to slack off, 0a7168aebd saying I wouldn’t pursue 1555acf733 a sports career.72ec43cf127ba393

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Someone like me, with fdff2112c1 mediocre spiritual strength, needed 3f1f788e85 the help of someone f63cccb6ef truly brave and spiritually b47c69d189 powerful. Someone like my employer.da1b6542b18b622a

“I’ve done well. I can control both body 667cb5cf0c and mind with my will, f2f23f67f0 so facing an ancient earth 9b196cd27c deity is no different from 5304a14a2f before! It’s a game where ba5930c8e8 the living always win!”d2767addf8850496

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Though I shouted loudly 33d3b159f7 as if to be 29d026592d heard, I timidly took c90a5a545a out a small jar e5f3d1bff2 from my bag. My tongue and 1d45ad74b5 hands were acting 659b4d77f4 separately.faf954bfe611fcf8

I removed the talisman f1d319ef5f sealing it and sprinkled e0a54f1c38 the salt inside over 1c5ca419b6 my head. But I didn’t c1ae0b5d82 dare rub another 3d2bdc8edd kind of talisman 1b650ea504 over my eyelids 9450cf282c to open my 94d46cf3b9 spiritual eyes and bf4eb6953a confirm the identity 8c029f888d of what was 5b014b4b02 making my hair 915cdca0cb stand on end.8208b609f27345fa

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Though it wasn’t fbe229a85f the island with 5b427d63d0 the Yoon family’s fc3577493a ancestral grave, since 529e546846 a ritual to 59daca45c1 summon spirits was f7b7ee5db3 planned on Horyeongdo 818cbf171e Island, many spirits 1f126b2205 would be gathered. Moreover, the local earth deity d86e6842cd was the ancestral spirit of 66cc027df8 Assemblyman Yoon and likely one 9c3342c861 hundred percent on the Yoon f167bf576e family’s side. They were also strong supporters 779e9e4caf of their descendant, Yoon Sanghyun, 7ce2b1a7c7 who clung to me.3d018da50d47660f

Even my employer, who had 7edb8cbb93 never set foot in this a548bc1233 area, saw through this, so f209281160 wouldn’t the Yoon family members cd3ae5282a know?fdd99cf296daa83f

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They devotedly served the 04c403271d local earth deity. Assemblyman Yoon and eab328d71f his eldest son, e404799527 who usually stayed efc9db14a7 in Seoul, were 47fc4140e2 also scheduled to afc0e26a0f attend today’s Sea 40ebc73f84 God Ritual.a0d090b4e066cfb9

‘Ah. Was it beans 473eae108d instead of salt? I should have brought 4455fb96b0 liquor instead of wasting 1bbe097804 salt.’8c0a9d5ac40898b0

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I had brought a bag dd1998ab0d of salt for purging clams, 152a11bc3e but that was for eating, a68295592e and this was specially made 2758ab157b for exorcism.cca2711dfdc2e952

Not being an expert, I 35fb63831f often got confused about whether 9f056057a6 to use beans or salt 30849f5c2a in such cases. I was just a 0dc6c8e0de part-timer doing what I 15dc844f8b was told for a 7c86fe99e8 daily wage, and the bf9dd4d1fc items my employer provided a1e75a93ef weren’t for my personal f4fe444307 protection. They were meant 73dbc3a5fa to be used aefd8ba02e around the accommodation eb5317b1f8 to draw a 8101829e93 boundary.64af9fde5cbf093b

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“Ugh. He always just ad6b9e9315 talks comfortably and 1b28fc958a leaves all the dca9a72814 physical work to bf3d82b778 Dolsoe.”bec341699d0c8089

Dolsoe clicked his tongue and c5b9b9065c grumbled.7adba19bb8e220c5

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Thanks to warming up 5175f9fb82 with complaints about my 797468b70c boss, the tension in 65e058e0ae my stiff muscles gradually 5d0b3b8988 eased. My breath, which 977c30284c had been ragged 55c377e4cb with fear, also 7efbc7f904 calmed down. After taking a 016448257f long breath, I d1208a01e9 kicked off the 2f43fa0e11 ground and started 6d4e5cc010 running.243bcb9fa61edd7a

‘Yoon Sanghyun.’e79533fe5993117b

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It was a 9ba64d0c28 name I rarely fb5b4f1b7a called because they 4f3d2cd36e said calling a b4df81317b ghost’s name strengthens 80e734f780 its power.1d9dd1f14b1832d7

I used to curse 6d4457c59b him, calling him a f3add24c8d “damn bastard who ruined 471f162de8 my life,” until my 57b9730735 employer told me, “Yoon 5573d762f9 Sanghyun must be thrilled c80a8f10de to get your attention.” 0dc977f427 After that, I swallowed 04328d3173 my rising anger and 1e570cc967 lived quietly.5c0a441523bd6678

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‘Sanghyun, do you want to show your skills today? Make sure your ancestral ca58f67860 spirits can’t lay a 6ee0ec4e97 finger on me. I don’t know if your dbff7b5803 meager abilities can handle it, 728ac0f486 though. Haha.’159d76af83f42d96

He was just dc90bffbcb a petty, insignificant c1993dd9f0 ghost. In life, he was a 3561aa5de5 selfish, petty guy, so he 43d7f7e89f probably thought of dragging a fc44790810 living person as his companion d3eba0d3f2 to the afterlife.23220251cfe423f5

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Yet, I still hadn’t shaken ea570fb1ac off this insignificant guy. I got his b0a07f4912 saju and went 29e93cfd74 to the first ff50e3cd9b shaman, but they 44922d1580 failed to separate 2db9b98415 him. Even my employer, who e7f2d9ceaf had spiritual power comparable fe8a2fa987 to a shaman, was 32758ef778 the same.e3a8dc7c19ae07cf

“My hobby is nothing compared to the grand shaman who conducted the ritual. I wonder if there’s 28915513cf a shaman in Korea 0ca0f86d4c who can nullify that 8ac9317c1a terrifying old curse.”bc1b2ee078af0ff8

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My employer explained why they 627b317ecb couldn’t break the curse.f5b43e36606bade9