An Office Worker Is Good At Exorcism - Chapter 217

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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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Episode 216
Part 4. I Was Not Alone (3)
The following week arrived.
Creak.
Gwak Young-ho, cigarette and phone in hand, shouldered open the door and continued his conversation.
“Yeah, honey. What’s up?”
There were still about twenty minutes before lunch break would begin.
The rooftop was otherwise empty—too awkward a time for deputy managers and team leads to slip out for a smoke.
“The Shamanic Temple? Again?”
(You’ve been under a lot of stress lately. We should at least ask what’s going to happen.)
“And asking there will give us an answer?”
Though Gwak Young-ho grumbled in an exasperated tone, he didn’t protest.
(It’s noisy, but do you have any questions? If you do, we can ask about those too.)
“Ah, you’re something else.”
(You don’t?)
Gwak Young-ho lit his cigarette and took a moment to gather his thoughts.
“Just ask them how our team will fare going forward.”
(Got it. I’ll text you when it’s done.)
“Yeah. And is there anything you need from the store? If so, I’ll pick it up.”
Gwak Young-ho chatted quietly with his wife before ending the call.
Without even putting his phone away, he gazed at the distant mountain and smoked.
‘Asking at the Shamanic Temple won’t change anything anyway.’
Retirement age was drawing near.
That’s why his wife had grown increasingly preoccupied with worries and concerns lately.
Gwak Young-ho, by contrast, felt at peace.
He had already made his peace with it.
‘When the time comes, you leave. That’s just how it is.’
In corporate life, some people depart and others remain.
Gwak Young-ho had once been a new hire himself, and he had watched many seniors leave the company through retirement or job changes.
Now it was simply his turn approaching.
‘Grow quickly, you managers.’
When the time came, he would step aside.
Once he could entrust Sales Team 1 with full confidence, he intended to leave the company without hesitation.
Fortunately, Kang Hyung-seok had been performing well lately, easing the burden on his mind.
Tap.
It was as Gwak Young-ho gazed blankly at the ash falling from his cigarette.
Creak.
“Hm?”
Jo Tae-sik, the manager from Human Resources, peeled the plastic from a fresh cigarette and furrowed his brow. But recognizing it was Gwak Young-ho, he quickly relaxed his expression.
“Oh, why are you here at this hour?”
“Ah, Manager Jo Tae-sik.”
Gwak Young-ho waved his phone with the screen dark toward Jo Tae-sik.
It was a sign that he’d come up because of a call, but since both were married men, neither bothered to mention who was on the other end.
“You must be working hard.”
Jo Tae-sik stood beside Gwak Young-ho and lit a cigarette.
Click, whoosh!
“Ahhhh!”
“But what brings you up here at this hour?”
“Finished a job, so I came up for a breather.”
Jo Tae-sik exhaled a long, resonant sigh of smoke. Then he fell silent, and when the cigarette had burned halfway down, he spoke in a low voice.
“Still thinking about retiring?”
His voice was quiet, but it landed heavy on the chest.
Gwak Young-ho laughed silently and shook his head, but Jo Tae-sik’s gaze remained unchanged.
“Don’t worry too much.”
“Worry? What’s there to worry about?”
“It’s written all over your face.”
Jo Tae-sik clicked his tongue knowingly, and Gwak Young-ho burst out laughing.
“When the time comes, I’ll leave. That’s how it goes.”
Tsk!
“Later on, I’m thinking of opening a ginseng chicken soup restaurant around here.”
Gwak Young-ho gestured with his cigarette-holding hand toward the area outside the company.
The commercial area didn’t look particularly promising, but the deposit was relatively affordable.
Just imagining it felt good.
The thought of Sales Team 1 visiting with smiling faces, asking “How are you doing?” from time to time, or holding business meetings at Gwak Young-ho’s restaurant.
“When that time comes, please stop by. I’ll make sure to serve you plenty of something good for your health.”
“Come on! Manager, seriously!”
Jo Tae-sik suddenly flared up and smoked his cigarette as if frustrated. Then he let out a heavy sigh and looked around once.
“What’s wrong?”
“I was trying not to give you any hints if I could help it.”
Jo Tae-sik continued speaking with careful deliberation, like someone about to reveal a great secret.
“You don’t need to worry. So stop talking about ginseng chicken soup.”
“…What?”
“I can’t say anything more.”
Jo Tae-sik quickly lit another cigarette as if he truly wouldn’t open his mouth again.
Gwak Young-ho couldn’t even imagine it in his wildest dreams.
What had happened before Jo Tae-sik came up to the rooftop.
“What is it? What’s going on?”
“I can’t tell you. My position doesn’t allow me to say more.”
An executive position would open up next year.
And several candidates had been selected, with Gwak Young-ho being the most promising among them.
As long as there were no major problems, it seemed Gwak Young-ho would never leave the company.
“How can you start talking and then stop? Is that what you’re going to do?”
“I really can’t tell you, I’m saying.”
Though it was good news, Jo Tae-sik couldn’t divulge it carelessly, so he spoke with a smile, and Gwak Young-ho, feeling frustrated, complained in mock anger, “Why are you making me feel left out like this?”
“They say even a monk can’t shave his own head, but you’re usually so perceptive—why are you like this?”
“Ah? Could it be that Shin Manager is included among the promotion candidates?”
“That should work out if I just build up a bit more performance—really just a bit more. Since he’s Director Shin’s nephew, I’m actually being more careful about it.”
“Ha ha.”
“Anyway, I’ll head down first.”
Jo Tae-sik hurried down the stairs as if fleeing.
Left alone, Gwak Young-ho pulled out his phone as if to check the time.
“Huh?”
A text message he hadn’t noticed arriving while absorbed in conversation with Jo Tae-sik was displayed on the screen.
「Everything will work out, so don’t worry too much, okay?」
“If that were really true, I’d have no more wishes. No wishes at all.”
As if he’d heard a pointless joke, Gwak Young-ho laughed once and tucked his phone into his pocket.
It was gradually becoming lunchtime.
***
Bzzzzt.
Kang Hyung-seok, who was driving, shifted his gaze to the phone mounted on the dashboard.
The vehicle’s Bluetooth speaker, with its lower version, announced the incoming call a beat late, and Kang Hyung-seok pressed the answer button with a slightly regretful expression.
“Yes, Manager.”
(What? You’re driving?)
“Yes. I have somewhere to go.”
It wasn’t rush hour traffic.
With light traffic and the quiet feel of the National Highway, Kang Hyung-seok was able to continue his conversation with Shin Jung-ah at ease.
(Already arrived at the client’s place?)
“I’m on my way. I think I need to drive another 30 minutes or so.”
(Hmm.)
“Is there something you wanted to say?”
(No, well, just… thank you.)
A subtle smile spread across Kang Hyung-seok’s lips.
Kang Hyung-seok wasn’t the only one on an outside visit.
Shin Jung-ah had also left the office as soon as lunchtime came, and by this hour, results should be emerging.
“Did you close the deal?”
(Yeah! That shaman really spoke well of me, it seems. I’m landing contracts with good places one after another these days.)
Park Mi-ryung.
Park Sang-chul’s daughter.
And a Goblin shaman.
She, who had revealed her face to Shin Jung-ah during the Oni incident, was introducing good business contacts to Shin Jung-ah.
(Sometimes I’m scared. Is it really okay to be introduced like this?)
“How did you seem during the meeting?”
(Nothing special. It’s all pretty much the same as other places.)
The moment Shin Jung-ah finished speaking, I let out an “Ah.”
I’d figured it out while she was talking.
(I understand.)
“Yes. That’s your achievement, Manager. Congratulations.”
(Ha ha…)
Shin Jung-ah laughed with a hint of embarrassment.
Park Mi-ryung had made the introduction.
But she hadn’t pressured me to contract with Shin Jung-ah unconditionally.
She’d introduced Daejeong Materials to people looking for business partners, and the results were Shin Jung-ah’s own achievement.
(Sigh, still, I’m grateful. Getting introduced is usually the hardest part.)
“It’s because you’re doing well, Manager.”
(But aren’t you getting all the introductions? Kang Manager needs to meet his targets too.)
“I broke through a client just a few days ago.”
(Oh, right.)
Kang Hyung-seok laughed to let the conversation pass smoothly.
Even without saying anything all this time, Shin Jung-ah seemed to know.
Shin Jung-ah’s performance was crucial this quarter.
If she did well, she could be promoted to senior manager, so I was subtly pushing her forward without making it obvious.
“And I’m also going to a place Park Mi-ryung introduced this time.”
(Oh, really?)
Hearing this, Shin Jung-ah’s tone brightened as if it were good news.
“Yes. So please don’t worry too much. If you do well, Manager, our team will be more stable, won’t it?”
(What? You won’t get anything out of flattery.)
“Flattery? Ah, but I’m driving right now.”
(Right. Sorry, sorry! Drive safely!)
“Yes. I’ll see you later.”
After hanging up, I exhaled through my nose.
Vroom.
In the now-silent car, only the engine sound filled the quiet.
Because I’d ended the call without giving her time to think, Shin Jung-ah hadn’t seemed to notice.
‘It needs to go well…’
This was a place Park Mi-ryung had introduced to me, not Shin Jung-ah.
That meant there was something that needed to be resolved.
‘This is the first time something like this has happened.’
Among my clients, some knew that I was a Shaman.
Shinjin Construction, where Shin Yoseph is.
The furniture factory run by a wealthy family that suffered from the Dog Spirit.
But this was the first time I discovered that Kang Hyung-seok was a Shaman before even having the meeting.
The engine rumbled with a deep, resonant hum.
Everything would work out fine.
The sound of the car’s engine rushing toward the client seemed to whisper this truth.
A long, measured exhale escaped through my lips.
Kang Hyung-seok’s cheeks puffed as he sighed heavily, nodding with the weight of resolve.
Worry has never solved anything.
I would simply face it head-on and ensure the situation didn’t strangle me.
I was confident in that.
I always had been.
The navigation system chimed softly: “Arriving at your destination shortly.”
Kang Hyung-seok gradually reduced his speed and pulled the car onto the nearby shoulder.
He stepped out and gazed at the sprawling Vinyl Greenhouses ahead and the Container Housing that appeared to serve as an office.
Park Mi-ryung’s tip had been accurate.
Despite the abundance of massive Vinyl Greenhouses emanating a potent herbal aroma, not a single worker was visible.

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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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