An Office Worker Is Good At Exorcism - Chapter 281

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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 280
Part 4. Why Don’t We Take a Break? (1)
Gwak Young-ho opened his eyes and descended from the bed with a groan.
Winter is winter.
The boiler rumbled relentlessly against the plummeting dawn temperatures, leaving the floor warm and stuffy beneath his feet.
Click, hisssss.
He switched on the humidifier for his sleeping wife, then performed a quick wash at the sink before preparing for work.
That’s when he glanced at the window—it was as dark as the dead of night.
“Sigh.”
The exhale escaped him because today was Saturday.
There were matters to handle, but both managers had rushed to meet with clients the moment they clocked out Friday.
No doubt they’d been laboring late into this bitter cold.
How could I rest easy while they suffered?
Thinking he could at least handle some of the work on behalf of those two who had sacrificed so much, Gwak Young-ho finished his preparations for the office.
It was then.
“Honey, are you leaving?”
“No, go back to sleep. Why are you awake?”
“I have to see you off.”
His wife emerged from the bedroom and embraced him tightly, wrapped in her long padded coat.
“Work hard today, and come home safe.”
“It’s just work. Besides, I’ll be back early today, so don’t worry.”
Just as Gwak Young-ho was feeling apologetic for having woken her despite his caution—
“You’ve been worried lately, haven’t you?”
“Worried? About what?”
“The company, of course. That important contract has been delayed, and you’ve seemed anxious about it.”
“Oh, that? Don’t give it another thought.”
Gwak Young-ho gently patted his wife’s back as she nestled against him.
“The two managers I trust and rely on are working on it now, so it’ll naturally work out.”
“Sigh.”
“Did you visit the Shamanic Temple again?”
“She said there’s nothing to worry about—just to take good care of those two people.”
“Well, that’s my job anyway…”
“She said everything will turn out fine, so stop worrying about it all.”
Gwak Young-ho flinched slightly, then remained still before stroking his wife’s back.
His wife visited the Shamanic Temple quite frequently.
Though Gwak Young-ho didn’t believe in Shamanism, he couldn’t bring himself to criticize her.
What she always asked about at the temple was the family’s wellbeing and his own promotion.
I must be lacking—unable to give her the reassurance she needs.
Every time his wife visited the temple, such thoughts crossed his mind, but what could he say?
“Well, who am I if not her husband?”
“I’m heading out. I’ll be late otherwise.”
“Where’s the romance in that? Where’s the romance?”
Gwak Young-ho chuckled and checked his car keys and bag before waving at his wife, who looked drowsy.
“Right, did you remember to take your supplements?”
“I always keep them in my pocket. Now go back to bed. Don’t worry about me.”
Gwak Young-ho gestured for her to go back inside, then hurried out of the house.
“Brrr! It’s freezing.”
He descended in the frigid Elevator and headed toward his car.
That was when it happened.
Zzzzzing!
At this early hour, Gwak Young-ho’s phone rang.
“Huh? Oh, it’s Manager Kang.”
He started the car and quickly pressed the call button after reading the message.
His eyes were wide open like someone receiving good news.
“Hey! Manager Kang!”
(Manager, I apologize for contacting you at such an early hour.)
“No, no! What’s going on? Why are you calling at this time? And that message—is it true?”
(How could I lie about something like this?)
“Right, right. Of course.”
Bewildered, Gwak Young-ho checked his watch as he began exiting the Parking Lot.
It seemed quite a few people were heading to work even on weekends.
Headlights from vehicles scattered throughout seemed to illuminate his path, and the rapidly warming car seat transmitted a pleasant warmth.
“How did you manage to close a contract at this hour?”
(I was visiting with Manager Shin Jung-ah, and they immediately drafted the contract, thanking us.)
“Ah! You mentioned you had business there, right? Did that get resolved well?”
Gwak Young-ho, who couldn’t have imagined in his wildest dreams that the matter was related to the Goblin Ground, asked urgently.
(Yes. It was resolved cleanly.)
So naturally, Gwak Young-ho assumed there had been issues with paperwork or startup procedures and laughed weakly.
“Ah! That’s great. That’s really great!”
(We’re also planning to install the signage this week. We’ve already posted a job opening for experienced staff. If all goes well, we should be operating normally starting next week.)
“Then the insulation material deliveries to Shinjin Construction through next quarter are on track?”
(No problems.)
Snap!
Unable to contain his joy, Gwak Young-ho snapped his index and thumb together loudly.
“Wow! Amazing! You both worked incredibly hard, managers!”
(Not at all, sir.)
“So? Is Manager Shin there with you? Right now?”
(He stepped away for a moment.)
“Don’t tell me there’s still work left? Still?”
(Not exactly, but we’re in the cleanup phase.)
“Phew!”
Gwak Young-ho let out a bittersweet laugh, thinking to himself, ‘These guys really went through the wringer.’
“Kang Manager, pass the word to Shin Manager too. Rest well through Monday and come in on Tuesday.”
(Huh? Ah, no, sir.)
“You said you landed the contract, right? I’ll make sure you both get paid leave. Got it?”
(No, sir. There’s work that needs handling on Monday too.)
“I’m capable of managing that much, Kang Manager.”
Gwak Young-ho pulled out a cigarette, unable to contain his laughter, and lit it.
Normally, he made it a point not to smoke in the car whenever possible.
But in a moment like this, how could he not light a celebratory cigarette?
“Listen, you two managers pulled off results like that in the field. How could I just sit idle? I’ll handle whatever needs handling, so rest up! Really rest!”
(…Thank you.)
“And tell Shin Manager I’m truly grateful and appreciate all the hard work!”
(Yes!)
“Right. Let’s have a proper celebration dinner later!”
After ending the call, Gwak Young-ho unconsciously thrust his cigarette-holding hand up into the air.
Then, catching himself, he switched hands and waved them about wildly.
“Man! That Shamanic Temple is really something special!”
He knew he might look crazy.
Talking loudly on the phone in his car on this quiet commute morning and even throwing punches in the air.
Yet with his heart bursting with joy, Gwak Young-ho gazed at his receding house through the rearview mirror.
Strangely, everything in the world felt nothing but gratitude and happiness.
***
Click.
After hanging up, Kang Hyung-seok turned to look at Shin Jung-ah in the back seat.
“Manager.”
“….”
“You can take Monday off, they said.”
Any office worker would have loved to hear such news.
But Shin Jung-ah was completely out of it, giving no response.
“Manager…?”
“Kang.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s stay quiet.”
“…Okay.”
Shin Jung-ah was no longer wearing the paper mask.
The moment she regained consciousness, she tore it to shreds, and Kang Hyung-seok carefully gathered the pieces while Shin Yoseph burned them with a lighter.
It would have been a mercy if she couldn’t remember.
Having experienced possession multiple times already, Shin Jung-ah remembered everything she had done while possessed by the Goblin with perfect clarity.
“Ugh! Ugh ugh ugh.”
When Shin Jung-ah suddenly burst into tears, Kang Hyung-seok wordlessly pulled out wet wipes and handed them to her.
“Ah-! Ah!”
Even as she complained, Shin Jung-ah took the wipes and scrubbed her face vigorously, and Kang Hyung-seok’s eyes filled with apology.
Still, he said nothing.
He had a feeling that if he offered even clumsy words of comfort, he’d get hit.
“I’d rather it had been pig intestines. Ah-!”
Even though the mouth of the paper mask attached to her cheek had drunk the contents of the jar, some of it must have touched her lips.
Judging by how raw her lips were from scrubbing them with the wipes….
“Um, well, Shin went to find you some clothes.”
“Ah-!”
“He said he’d cover the cost.”
“That’s not the important thing here!”
The stench of blood still radiated from Shin Jung-ah’s body and clothes.
“Ugh!”
As Shin Jung-ah gagged at the smell emanating from her body, Kang Hyung-seok was startled and reached for a plastic bag when—
Shin Jung-ah kicked open the door and made a loud noise over in that corner.
Unable to bring himself to look, Kang Hyung-seok turned his head the other way.
Unintentionally, the Factory came into his view.
‘The flesh….’
The flesh that had settled on the ceiling was gone now.
It had been a curse, and once that curse was broken, it naturally dissipated.
Tap tap.
At the sudden sound of knocking on the driver’s window, he turned to see Lee Jung-woon standing there with an expression suggesting he had something to say.
The car door swung open.
“Yes, Factory Owner.”
“Excuse me, do you have a moment?”
I had already explained that the factory was fine.
Yet Lee Jung-woon seemed to harbor an unresolved thirst for answers, so I gestured for him to take the passenger seat.
He settled in with a heavy sigh.
As Lee Jung-woon sat down, I turned on the heating and spoke carefully.
“Is something troubling you?”
“No, it’s just….”
“Please, speak freely.”
Lee Jung-woon smiled weakly, his lips curling upward before he lowered his head.
“The Goblin Ground. I heard there really was a Goblin there.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve heard that you can’t stay long on Goblin Ground, that you have to leave. Is it really safe to continue business here?”
From Lee Jung-woon’s perspective, it was certainly a matter of deep concern and worry.
Fortunately, it was already something I had reached an agreement about with the Goblin.
“It’s safe.”
….
Lee Jung-woon pressed his lips together, his gaze anxious, and I turned my attention back to the factory as I continued.
“I suspect it wasn’t born from blood.”
“From blood…?”
“Yes.”
According to the Korean Folklore Encyclopedia, a Goblin is born when objects transform.
Brooms, pokers, winnowing baskets, mortar pestles, sieves.
Objects bearing the fingerprints of human hands are the primary sources, though it’s also said that things stained with blood can become Goblins.
The incident that occurred because of the cult.
Wasn’t the Goblin born from the blood spilled by the victims back then?
“Sometimes the past helps the present. A Goblin born from a tragedy of the past saved future victims.”
I met Lee Jung-woon’s gaze as he looked at me, his brow furrowing slightly.
“Many people were saved. Including you, Lee Jung-woon.”
“…Then.”
A faint glimmer of hope flickered in Lee Jung-woon’s eyes.
“You can continue your business here. The Goblin will protect you and your enterprise.”
….
It seemed the mental anguish had been severe.
Watching Lee Jung-woon curl inward and cover his eyes with both palms told me as much.
“Just be mindful of the Goblin Ground. Watch your words and actions, and leave liquor, meat, and rice cakes in the warehouse once a week.”
“Thank you. Truly, I’ve received an immense kindness.”
Lee Jung-woon spoke in a trembling voice.
As I handed him a tissue, my gaze shifted to the approaching headlights drawing near from ahead.
Shin Yoseph was returning with clothes he’d hurried to fetch for Shin Jung-ah.
Now it was time for everything to return to reality.
Goblins and sorcery—such things needed to be forgotten, and I had to focus on the ordinary once more.
“Factory Owner, I have one request to ask of you.”
“Yes, yes! Anything, absolutely anything. Just say the word.”
Lee Jung-woon responded with his voice still strained, and Kang Hyung-seok turned his gaze toward Shin Jung-ah, who was still retching in the distance, before continuing.
“Could you turn on the boiler in the shower room?”
“Pardon?”
As if answering Lee Jung-woon’s confusion, the sound of Shin Jung-ah’s retching echoed from afar.

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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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