An Office Worker Is Good At Exorcism - Chapter 180

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 179
Part 7. An Unpleasant Gaze (1)
Creak.
Gwak Young-ho emerged from the Break Room to greet Kang Hyung-seok, who had arrived earlier than usual.
“Oh! Manager Kang! Did you have a good holiday?”
Kang Hyung-seok offered a bitter smile, and that alone seemed to answer the question.
“Doesn’t look like it. What’s wrong with your face? You look exhausted.”
“No, I rested well.”
“You rested well, huh? Wait a moment.”
Even as Gwak Young-ho headed toward the Manager’s Office, he glanced back at Kang Hyung-seok and clicked his tongue. Then he quickly produced a small plastic capsule containing gongjindan.
“This is good for your health. It’s expensive, but since it’s you, Manager Kang, I’m giving it to you as a special favor.”
It happened right after.
Creak.
“Good morning,” she drawled as she entered.
Namgoong Min-ah walked in with a languid greeting, and her eyes immediately fixed on the gongjindan in Gwak Young-ho’s hand.
“Huh? Manager, what’s that?”
“Oh, no. It’s chocolate. Chocolate.”
“Come on! What kind of chocolate looks like that?”
Flustered, Gwak Young-ho shoved the gongjindan straight into Kang Hyung-seok’s pocket, and Namgoong Min-ah settled into her seat with a sly smile.
“I was just curious. My dad used to take things like that too.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. So it feels very familiar to me.”
Her expression held no malice whatsoever.
Yet the comparison to her father seemed to make Gwak Young-ho’s expression grow slightly sorrowful.
Creak.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning!”
Shin Jung-ah and Lee Jin-pyung entered together at that moment.
“Huh? How did you two come in together?”
“We ran into each other outside.”
“But Manager Shin, what’s that?”
Lee Jin-pyung looked exactly as he always did.
However, Shin Jung-ah immediately caught everyone’s attention—not only was she carrying a large suitcase, but her skin was so tanned it radiated vitality.
“Oh, well. Ha ha.”
Shin Jung-ah laughed awkwardly and quickly hid the suitcase behind her body.
“The flight time was a bit inconvenient, so I came straight to work from the airport.”
“Wait, you can do that?”
“Actually, I was trying to come in earlier, but it ended up like this. I apologize.”
“No need to apologize. But where did you go?”
“Bali.”
Gwak Young-ho gazed at Shin Jung-ah with an expression of admiration.
Kang Hyung-seok felt similarly, Namgoong Min-ah’s eyes gleamed with envy, and Lee Jin-pyung’s gaze held the question of where exactly Bali was located.
“That’s right. I brought back gifts for everyone. Please take one each.”
Shin Jung-ah pulled out a small bag that could be attached to the handle of her suitcase.
Then she distributed the items she’d purchased from the souvenir shop one by one.
“Wow! Thank you so much, Manager!”
“Wow….”
Namgoong Min-ah received an aroma product and bounced with delight, while Lee Jin-pyung was amazed by the Yaba granola he’d been given.
“Please give this one to your wife.”
“…Oh, I didn’t even think of that.”
It was when Gwak Young-ho was moved by what looked like a vitamin-shaped hair oil.
“This one is for Manager Kang.”
Just as both Gwak Young-ho and Lee Jin-pyung showed interest, Shin Jung-ah answered with a smile.
“Manager Kang likes coffee, doesn’t he? So I picked one up for you.”
“This seems like the most expensive one?”
“They’re all expensive!”
Gwak Young-ho laughed as if he’d been joking, and Kang Hyung-seok looked at Shin Jung-ah while holding the coffee with a cat drawn on it.
“Thank you.”
“It’s expensive. Enjoy it.”
After distributing all the gifts, Shin Jung-ah headed to her seat, seeming embarrassed by the still-large suitcase as she tried to hide it with her body.
Honestly, her sun-tanned skin stood out more noticeably than the suitcase.
“Well then, now that everyone’s here, shall we start the meeting?”
Gwak Young-ho pulled over a chair while gripping the hair oil he’d received as a gift tightly in his hand.
Meetings that began this way typically proceeded in a relatively light atmosphere.
“Is there anything you’d like to discuss?”
“Nothing major. As you all know, the typhoon passed us by, right? We’re incredibly fortunate.”
Kang Hyung-seok, directly connected to that incident, thought of Lee Nak-yul.
“Actually, I was quite concerned about it throughout the holiday.”
“Does the typhoon have something to do with us, Manager?”
Namgoong Min-ah asked like a student questioning a teacher, and Gwak Young-ho nodded emphatically from his seat.
“Of course! As you know, some of our business partners are in agriculture. Or the factory could have been flooded.”
“Ah! That’s right.”
Fortunately, the heavy rain this time was limited to the Southern Region.
If the typhoon had moved northward across the Korean Peninsula, it could have resulted not only in damage to our business partners but also in loss of life.
Especially since it was during the holiday period.
“Anyway! I think it’s safe to say there’s no disruption to our work.”
Gwak Young-ho exhaled a deep sigh through his nose and turned his gaze toward Kang Hyung-seok and Shin Jung-ah.
“For the time being, I’m thinking we should visit our existing business partners and pay our respects. What do you managers think?”
“I think that’s fine.”
“Me too.”
“Okay. Since breaking into new markets is tough, let’s push it back as much as possible for now and focus on managing existing clients and referrals.”
“Yes.”
“Understood.”
“Got it.”
The team members responded in grave voices, like soldiers receiving a briefing.
“I’ll also compile a separate list of places with contract potential and share it later, so anyone worried about meeting targets can reference it. Just let me know if you need anything. I’ll go with you.”
“Yes!”
Namgoong Min-ah’s face flushed red after she alone answered loudly and felt embarrassed.
“Alright everyone, let’s do our best! Meeting adjourned!”
Clap!
Gwak Young-ho spoke even louder to draw attention to himself, worried Namgoong Min-ah might feel more embarrassed, and even clapped his hands.
***
Sigh.
On the rooftop of the Daejeong Materials building, Shin Jung-ah exhaled a long plume of cigarette smoke.
“The manager seems to be thinking about the next quarter already.”
“It can’t be helped. It’s that time of year.”
Kang Hyung-seok sipped his coffee beside her and replied, and Shin Jung-ah’s gaze turned to the tumbler in his hand.
“Is that the coffee I gave you?”
“No. I got this from the break room.”
“Why? Drink the one I bought you.”
“It’s expensive, so I thought I’d save it.”
It was coffee I’d bought from overseas.
Curious about what the foreign words on the package meant, I took a photo and searched for it, only to discover it was surprisingly luxurious.
“I owe you a lot, Manager Kang.”
“I owe you too.”
Shin Jung-ah frowned and shook her head, as if memories of possession-related incidents came to mind.
“Anyway, Manager Kang, would you help me out one more time?”
“Pardon?”
Kang Hyung-seok raised one eyebrow as he was about to drink his coffee, then nodded as if he understood.
Then he checked if anyone was around.
After confirming the door was properly closed, he looked at Shin Jung-ah and blew a thin, soft whistle.
Wheee.
Kang Hyung-seok examined behind Shin Jung-ah’s head, her shoulders, and her feet, then relaxed his lips and shook his head.
“There’s nothing attached.”
“Sigh.”
“Did something happen in Bali?”
“Nothing happened, but you never know.”
Shin Jung-ah is the type easily influenced by such things.
So I wondered if perhaps some foreign spirit that didn’t even speak the language had attached itself, but fortunately Kang Hyung-seok said it hadn’t.
“You don’t need to worry too much. You have a talisman now anyway.”
“I took it off my body for a bit since it could get wet when playing in the sea.”
“Ah, I see.”
“It’s a nice place. I’ll send you the location later, so you should visit sometime too, Manager Kang.”
Could I ever afford such leisurely moments?
Kang Hyung-seok lifted his coffee cup to his lips, his eyes tinged with a subtle sadness.
“You didn’t have any trouble, Manager Kang?”
“Nothing much. Yes.”
How could I explain that I’d witnessed the Imoogi, and seen it ascend to become a dragon?
So I deflected vaguely, but Shin Jung-ah seemed to have already caught on.
“…Hang in there.”
“…Yes. Still, it wasn’t all bad.”
“Tell me about it sometime later.”
“Yes.”
“Sigh, but I’m not sure how to handle this quarter.”
“You’re doing well though.”
“That’s exactly why it’s a problem—I want to do better.”
Shin Jung-ah probably worried about promotion too.
She was the one who came in to replace Noh Su-chul after he left.
Unlike her predecessor who held the rank of Senior Manager, Shin Jung-ah was a Manager, so she’d likely feel self-conscious visiting existing clients.
“With the right opportunity, you’ll definitely be promoted.”
Shin Jung-ah looked at me as if asking what I meant, and I continued after taking a sip of coffee.
“I know you have a lot on your mind. But when the time comes, you’ll achieve everything you want, so don’t worry now—focus on maintaining your condition.”
It was just encouragement I could offer a colleague.
Yet coming from Kang Hyung-seok, a Shaman, those words became profound comfort and strength for Shin Jung-ah.
“Thank you, Manager Kang.”
“Just let me know whenever you need my help.”
“Next time I have to go somewhere difficult, come along with me then.”
Kang Hyung-seok smiled and agreed.
***
It was that night.
Far from Daejeong Materials.
In a motel where contracts were terminated monthly, a young man lay sleeping, drenched in cold sweat.
His name was Lee Jang-woo, and he worked in construction.
『Now, let’s review this again, shall we? Oh no! It’s a red light….』
In the dark motel room with the lights off, the only sound was from Lee Jang-woo’s phone.
『Ah! Why didn’t I slow down? Ah.』
It was then that a human voice continued from the phone with its charger plugged in.
Crackle.
Static poured from the phone’s speaker.
『Why, speed, crackle crackle, why, crackle crackle crackle.』
As static filled the phone, Lee Jang-woo gasped and snapped his eyes wide open.
All he could move were his eyes.
“Ugh… ugh…”
His tongue felt paralyzed, his voice wouldn’t come out properly, and he couldn’t move a single finger.
Sleep paralysis.
“Ugh… ugh…”
Lee Jang-woo’s eyes rolled in abnormal terror, bulging like an ox’s.
This had happened to him many times before.
So he already knew what would happen next.
And that terrified him.
“Ugh… ugh…”
Lee Jang-woo desperately tried to move his body like a man escaping hell, but still couldn’t budge.
And then, something cool, damp, and elongated touched his cheek.
A sensation like pressing a dead earthworm against his skin.
“Ugh… ugh…”
Lee Jang-woo squeezed his eyes shut.
His vision plunged into darkness, yet a presence drew near—more vivid than anything he could see.
It was directly above his face.
-Shhh… shhh…
The stench of rotting flesh assaulted his nostrils.
The fingers that had grasped his cheek crawled up his temple and moved toward his eyelids.
“Ugh… ugh… ugh…”
Breathing in ragged gasps, Lee Jang-woo’s tears flowed as the fingers pried his eyelids open.
A woman with a grotesquely mangled face.
Her lips were torn, her face covered in wounds, yet her eyes gleamed with an eerie, living brilliance.
Those eyes gazed at Lee Jang-woo and smiled brightly.
“Ahhh! Ahhhhh!”
Lee Jang-woo convulsed, trying to escape from the woman.
But his body remained bound as if by invisible chains, leaving him no choice but to stare at the specter looming inches from his face.
Throughout that entire night.
Until the sun rose.
Continuously.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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