TGHD Ch21

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…”