NOVEL NEXT – Chapter 35
Arriving home, I tiredly picked up my smartphone. The blue glow of the screen faintly lit up the dark room. The Horror Story Gallery was, as usual, filled with experiences of escaping horror stories and information about them.
Scrolling down, my finger stopped at Hikiko’s post about supernatural topics.
[The Difference Between Japanese Ghosts and Korean Ghosts]
I hesitated for a moment, hovering the cursor over the title. Hikiko was a user who had always shown deep knowledge about Eastern ghost stories and supernatural culture. After some thought, I finally left a comment.
[Baekyaⓖ]: You free right now?
It was past 1 AM. Lying in the dark room, waiting for a reply, I soon got a notification.
└[Hikikoⓖ]: Yeah, why?
└[Baekyaⓖ]: It’s a bit awkward to talk about this publicly, let’s move to the guestbook.
Moving to the guestbook, I struggled with how to start the conversation.
We had only been exchanging information for a few months. Was it okay to ask for such a favor from someone I barely knew?
But there was no other way.
[Baekyaⓖ]: .
└[Hikikoⓖ]: So, what’s up?
Taking a deep breath, I started typing.
From the fact that a friend’s younger sibling seemed possessed by a ghost, to the possibility that the ghost was related to a Japanese “real” horror story, and that I couldn’t get help from the company. I pressed send and waited. The smartphone battery warning popped up at 15% and then disappeared. It took a while to get a reply.
└[Hikikoⓖ]: The team leader was right. Just live your life without worrying. We’re not that close, are we? Your life is more important than someone else’s, right?
The reply was cold, but understandable. If someone didn’t know my situation, they would naturally think that way.
I realized that unless I opened up about my personal circumstances, no one would understand my position.
So, for the first time, I decided to tell someone everything.
Slowly, I explained everything. The Dalant Shop, the reset button, and how all of this might be my responsibility.
└[Hikikoⓖ]: So, you’re saying that if you gather 10 billion Dalants, you can buy a button to erase horror stories from reality? Do you really think that makes sense?
└[Baekyaⓖ]: If we’re talking about what doesn’t make sense, the fact that horror stories have become reality doesn’t make sense either, does it?
└[Hikikoⓖ]: That’s true, but… I’m also a horror gallery user. Why do only you have this ability?
└[Baekyaⓖ]: I don’t know either. But considering what the shop has shown me so far, I don’t think the reset button is a lie.
The skeptical responses continued. Finally, unable to contain my frustration, I said:
└Baekyaⓖ: This is driving me crazy. If you really don’t believe me, let’s meet and see for ourselves.
└[Hikikoⓖ]: Hmm… Okay, it’s the weekend tomorrow anyway. Let’s meet at my place.
└Baekyaⓖ: Meeting in person is a bit…
└[Hikikoⓖ]: You want to save your friend’s sibling, right? To exorcise the evil spirit, I need to see it myself. You’ll have to see me eventually anyway, so better sooner than later.
Putting down my phone, I stared at the ceiling. Memories of unpleasant online meetups came to mind. But there seemed to be no other way.
‘Even if it’s just to gather Dalants…’
I finally agreed to meet.
***
Early in the morning, dressed in a suit, I headed to the address Hikiko had given me. As usual, I wore a shirt and tie, with a golden branch brooch from the shop pinned to my left chest. I also packed emotion spray and Painkiller just in case.
When I searched the address on Google Maps, a blog named ‘Yeomra Bodhisattva’ appeared in the related searches. The profile picture was a traditional Korean house with a Korean flag and red shrine flags hanging side by side.
‘As expected.’
Given her deep knowledge of the supernatural and Eastern ghost stories, I had guessed that Hikiko might be a shaman, but seeing it confirmed gave me a strange feeling. I had thought she was just an ordinary person with a strong interest in the supernatural, but it seemed she was actually a professional.
Walking through the alleys of Nonhyeon-dong, I looked around. Despite being close to high-end apartments and bustling streets, it was surprisingly quiet. Only the occasional sound of passing cars broke the silence.
‘Is this it?’
The destination was a two-story house. Next to the gate, a Korean flag and white and red shrine flags were planted side by side. It was the house from the blog photo.
The building’s exterior looked old but well-maintained, and wind chimes hung under the eaves.
It was my first time visiting a shaman’s house, so I nervously reached for the doorbell when I noticed someone smoking an electronic cigarette next to the gate, exhaling white vapor.
Startled, I saw a beautiful girl with a hime cut, wearing a school uniform.
Her black hair brushed her shoulders, with straight bangs slightly covering her eyebrows.
Her pale skin and black eyes created a mysterious contrast. Her small, delicate features gave her a doll-like appearance, but the mature smile on her lips didn’t match her neat school uniform.
‘What is a student doing here at this hour? A guest? Or just a delinquent?’
As I was about to press the doorbell again, the girl took the electronic cigarette from her mouth and spoke.
“You’re Baekya, right?”
I froze for a moment. Baekya was a nickname I only used in the Horror Story Gallery. No one outside should know it.
“Are you… Hikiko?”
The girl nodded. The early morning sunlight shone on her black hair.
“That’s right.”
Her appearance was far from what I had expected.
From her words, I had imagined a seasoned shaman, but she was just a high school student.
My disappointment was short-lived as she naturally opened the gate and went inside. The old iron gate creaked.
“Come in.”
Passing through the yard, we entered what seemed to be a shrine. A painting of King Yeomra hung above the altar, with various statues of Buddhas lined up on either side. The scent of incense touched my nose.
Hikiko sat on a red and blue cushion in the center.
I was momentarily stunned. That seat was reserved for the head shaman. Given her young age, I had thought Hikiko might be the daughter or disciple of Yeomra Bodhisattva, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
“Are you Yeomra Bodhisattva?”
At my question, she nodded.
“Yeah, never seen an MZ shaman before?”
Still bewildered, I stood there as she unfolded a red fan.
“We can’t keep calling each other by our gallery nicknames. Let’s introduce ourselves properly. I’m Hyun Ji-min.”
Caught in Hyun Ji-min’s mysterious aura, I found myself saying my name.
“Baek Jeongwoo.”
“Date of birth?”
“March 30, 1997.”
Hyun Ji-min immediately grabbed a handful of rice from beside her and scattered it on the table. After briefly examining the pattern of the scattered grains, she nodded.
“I could tell just by looking at your face, but you have a lot of romantic luck. You must have been very popular with women, right?”
For a moment, I thought of Lee Narae and Kang Hana from the company. Memories of receiving gifts from girls during my university and high school days also flashed by.
“Both your parents are alive. Your mother is fine, but your father has some lung issues. Tell him to get a health checkup.”
Suddenly, I snapped back to reality. I wasn’t here for a fortune-telling session. I couldn’t waste time like this.
Quickly, I took out my smartphone from my pocket and opened the Dalant Shop.
“The Dalant Shop I mentioned in the guestbook, I’ll show you now.”
I bought a 1-Dalant Monami pen and summoned it in mid-air.
The surreal sight made Hyun Ji-min’s pupils dilate. Her black eyes filled with amazement.
“So, the shop is real after all.”
“That’s what I’ve been saying.”
Hyun Ji-min tapped the table with her index finger. The brown wooden table made a dull sound.
“You mentioned ‘Real,’ right? The origin of the horror story that’s tormenting her.”
I nodded, and she fanned herself with the fan as she spoke.
“Do you really have to save her? The spirit attached to her is a Japanese evil spirit. If we’re not careful, both you and I could die. It’s on par with or even stronger than the Smiling Evil God you mentioned before.”
Hyun Ji-min’s voice carried a serious warning. The candles on the altar flickered from a sudden breeze.
“Real is a top-tier horror story. If we can conquer this…”
Hyun Ji-min cut me off sharply.
“For Dalants? Is that why you’re risking your life?”
“Of course. A horror story of this level would give a significant amount of Dalants. It might even be a big step towards getting the reset button.”
At that moment, something echoed deep in my mind. A desperate voice calling someone, hands growing cold… My chest felt heavy, but I consciously pushed the memory away. This was purely for Dalants. There was no other reason. I repeated it to myself.
A brief silence followed. Only the sound of burning incense filled the shrine.
Hyun Ji-min sighed and spoke. Her cold voice had softened a bit.
“It’s not completely impossible.”
At her words, I looked up. Her black eyes stared straight at me.
Hyun Ji-min then asked me.
“How far are you willing to sacrifice for Dalants? Not your life, but could you cut off an arm or a leg?”
For a moment, a pale face flashed through my mind. The helplessness of not being able to save someone back then weighed heavily on my chest. But I quickly suppressed the feeling. I took on this task solely for Dalants.
There was no reason to hesitate. I could buy body regeneration items from the Dalant Shop, and I also had Painkiller in my pocket. If this was an opportunity to earn a lot of Dalants by taking such risks…
“Okay.”
I nodded.
At my answer, Hyun Ji-min snapped her fan shut and said.
“Alright, if you’re willing to go that far, let’s give it a shot.”