An Office Worker Is Good At Exorcism - Chapter 348

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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 348
Part 5. A Place to Rest (1)
Thud.
Chung-geum’s body swayed as she climbed the stairs.
The people outside the building rushed forward in alarm, yet none dared approach her directly.
The crescent blade and pottery shards clutched in her hands emanated an oppressive aura that kept them at bay.
Clatter!
Having reached the top of the stairs, Chung-geum hurled the pottery shards to the ground, and the Executives’ gazes immediately fixed upon her.
Was it all over?
Their eyes posed the question.
“I’ve extracted the major curse, so there should be no more deaths.”
At Chung-geum’s words, some of the Executives’ faces brightened, and several clasped their hands together in gratitude toward her.
Yet Chung-geum’s expression remained unsettled.
As she turned her gaze downward to peer beneath the stairs, her eyes carried a melancholy weight.
“Even though the curse has ended, there remains work to be done, so I shall continue the ritual ceremony a while longer.”
“Of course! Yes, yes!”
The Honorary Director answered as though he understood everything, but only a bitter smile crossed Chung-geum’s lips.
“What sort of ritual ceremony would that be.”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind.”
Chung-geum shook her head and shifted her gaze toward the Ritual Ceremony Ground.
Her Guardian Spirit had made it known to her.
That it was all over.
Certainly it was over, yet it was not a complete and perfect ending, it seemed.
Kang Hyung-seok was wounded, and the man who was both perpetrator and victim had become a living corpse, his heart still beating.
This was a truth she could not reveal to these people.
Flutter, flutter, flutter!
Watching the flags on the pole billow in the wind, Chung-geum opened her mouth.
“I have shattered all impurity and all curses, and now I shall purify this place.”
What must depart shall depart, and what must remain shall remain.
Because they lived, they must sustain their livelihoods, and because they must sustain their livelihoods, the Vinyl Factory workers must continue to use this land and building.
Chung-geum moved forward, aware of the Vinyl Factory Executives watching her.
Crunch.
The pottery shards beneath her feet crumbled, and Chung-geum spoke to the Musicians as well.
“I must offer prayers to the Guardian Spirit of this land.”
The man who had struck the drum and chanted sutras during the ritual ceremony nodded, understanding her meaning.
And as Chung-geum took her place at the center of the Ritual Ceremony Ground, the Musicians began to play their traditional instruments once more.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
The great drum resonated through the air.
Unlike the previous ritual ceremony, the atmosphere was no longer fierce.
“Witness the primordial truth and heed the command.”
The subsequent invocation to the Earth Spirit flowed with gentleness and grace, as if announcing the conclusion of the ritual.
The Executives, eyes pressed shut, bowed their heads and pressed their palms together in reverence.
“Malevolent spirit of the earth, hear this command—left and right, straight and true, inevitable and absolute.”
Spirit of the earth.
Guardian deity of this land.
Conceal and suppress all that has transpired upon this soil.
Thump, thump, thump.
“Fragrant direction, inner and outer clarity, all cardinal directions.”
Let no one upon this land suffer harm or death, I beseech you.
“Boundless and eternal, supreme and luminous, all suffering ceases.”
Protect us who walk upon this earth.
“Dharma-protecting spirit king, preserve and guide, refuge in the great way, perfect and righteous.”
Flutter!
As the sacred incantations continued, Chung-geum moved her arms slowly and deliberately.
She was conducting the ritual to pray for the wellbeing of all who dwelled upon this land and for Kang Hyung-seok’s safety.
***
Wee-woo, wee-woo.
Kang Hyung-seok watched the ambulance race toward the Mountain.
It was distant from the tree where he concealed himself, and in the direction the ambulance traveled lay Seo Chang-seok, sprawled as though drunk.
Clatter!
The paramedics assessed Seo Chang-seok’s condition and, sensing something was gravely wrong, swiftly loaded him onto a stretcher.
Then they surveyed the surroundings before boarding the ambulance once more.
Click! Rumble.
It was strange.
He had moved Seo Chang-seok to the roadside, yet he had not been the one to summon the ambulance.
It seemed some kindhearted stranger had made the call on his behalf.
Wee-woo, wee-woo.
As I watched the ambulance fade into the distance, I sank down beneath the tree.
With tension released, belated pain surged through my injuries.
The arm bitten by the Guard Dog, the leg slashed by the sickle.
“Ugh.”
Why did the thought always come—did it truly require this much?
Yet I knew it had always been necessary.
Whoosh.
Leaning against the tree, I pushed myself upright and began limping toward the car.
The sky remained overcast, and save for the passage of time, the world appeared unchanged from before I entered the Mountain.
Yet things had changed, and matters had been resolved.
Click, thud.
Settling into the driver’s seat, I fastened the seatbelt with an expressionless face.
Before starting the engine, I glanced down at my palms—they were caked with dirt.
It couldn’t be helped.
I had been the one to drag Seo Chang-seok to the roadside.
‘This isn’t a righteous act, and I’m not even certain whether you have any honor left to protect….’
Think of this as travel money I’m giving you.
Though you were both victim and perpetrator, let the world remember you only as a victim.
That way, the resentment will fade, even if only slightly.
Go in peace.
Leave your sorrow behind, and depart without lingering regret.
Vroom!
Kang Hyung-seok started the engine, thinking of Seo Chang-seok.
The engine rumbled to life with labored effort, vibrating and roaring as it signaled its readiness to move.
Yet Kang Hyung-seok did not immediately begin driving.
Instead, he rested his forehead against the steering wheel, breathing shallowly like a child drifting to sleep in its mother’s embrace.
Clunk.
But soon he lifted his head from the wheel and shifted the gear into D.
Grrrk.
As the tires scraped across the dirt dust spread wide upon the ground and he pulled onto the road, Kang Hyung-seok opened his mouth, driving toward the Hospital.
“I’m not sure myself.”
There was no one to answer.
But that didn’t matter.
These words were for my Guardian Spirit—not for any human.
“Whether what I’ve done is right, or whether Seo Chang-seok deserved such an ending.”
Kang Hyung-seok muttered as he stared ahead, driving slowly.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he smiled bitterly.
“I’m not blaming you. I’m simply lamenting my own inadequacy.”
My Guardian Spirit had helped me.
From the moment I grasped the Shaman’s Bell, it had always protected me, aided me, and watched over me.
“I know there is a mission you expect of me. Am I fulfilling it well?”
Like Seo Chang-seok seeking an answer from Kim San, whom he believed to be a god.
Like Chung-geum seeking an answer from my Guardian Spirit.
Kang Hyung-seok spoke to his Guardian Spirit.
And at that moment, Kang Hyung-seok’s eyes widened.
Grrroooom.
Though the loud engine noise made it difficult to hear, the Guardian Spirit’s answer came through clearly.
‘Yes,’ it said.
“….”
Kang Hyung-seok remained silent for a long time, then drew a deep breath through his nose.
Then he gripped the steering wheel tightly and spoke in a voice lower than usual.
“Then tell me this. Isn’t it time for that as well?”
What is your name?
Grooooowl.
A heavy silence filled the moving car.
For a moment, it seemed as though no one was speaking at all.
Yet Kang Hyung-seok heard it clearly.
The true nature of the Guardian Spirit he served.
It was two syllables—somewhat different from what he had imagined, yet not drastically so.
“…I understand.”
Now that the Shaman finally knew the name of the Guardian Spirit he served, he answered with sincerity.
Then he laughed silently, and soon spoke in a low voice.
“Thank you, my Warlord.”
Grooooowl.
The car’s engine sound filled the interior.
No other sound reached his ears now.
Yet Kang Hyung-seok’s face remained serene.
Whether it was because he had finally heard the answer he so desperately sought, or because his heart felt lighter, even he could not say.
***
“Huff— huff—”
Yoon Sang climbed the Mountain, breathing heavily.
It was the Mountain that Kang Hyung-seok had left, and he held a phone in one hand while a small action camera was mounted on his chest.
The air was crisp and the weather was fine.
From the sound of drums echoing from somewhere distant, it seemed a Village festival was underway.
“Wow, this is so exhausting.”
[This guy’s gonna die lol]
[What happened to that drunk from earlier?]
[Looked like a homeless person.]
[If he’s homeless, he’d be where the rich people are.]
“Ugh, I don’t know! But I reported it anyway, so I did my part, right?”
When Yoon Sang discovered Seo Chang-seok collapsed on the roadside, he felt deeply uneasy.
An instinct told him to stay away, yet he couldn’t simply leave him there, so he called emergency services.
[Right, right.]
[Yoon Sang’s got a surprisingly wide sense of responsibility.]
[The kid’s got a good heart….]
[And a kind face too.]
[That’s facts]
The broadcast chat wasn’t usually like this.
But ever since becoming entangled with Kang Hyung-seok, viewers had begun to perceive him as somehow puppy-like, and the atmosphere in the chat had shifted dramatically from before.
Rustle, rustle.
As Yoon Sang climbed the pathless Mountain, he wiped the sweat from his brow.
“Ugh, I’m dying. Anyway, dear viewers, you know I’m really going through it here, right?”
[Yeah, I know.]
[Most diligent.]
[Our Yoon Sang is so pretty! So kind!]
“Oppa, please take breaks if it gets tough.”
[But couldn’t you just ask your brother for help?]
“What are you talking about! My brother is already so busy.”
Yoon Sang raised his voice sharply at what he considered a comment crossing the line.
“He helps my broadcast quite often, so I’m grateful to him, and that’s exactly why I can’t keep relying on him.”
[But what happened to that broadcast you were supposed to do before? Didn’t you say you moved together with your brother? The replay got deleted so there’s no footage.]
[No no no no no no]
[That’s a forbidden topic.]
[Didn’t you read the cafe notice?]
[Stop stirring up trouble.]
[You have no sense of the room.]
Sensing the chat atmosphere was about to turn hostile, Yoon Sang waved his hand at the action camera to signal them to stop.
“Well, you might not know, but those old broadcasts are indeed a forbidden topic. We deleted the replay because there were some unfortunate circumstances involved. It’s not something good, you know.”
It was about the time he and Kang Hyung-seok had explored the Abandoned School and visited that derelict Temple.
The collaboration with Kang Hyung-seok had drawn intense interest, and if he’d uploaded the edited version, his channel subscribers would likely have increased significantly.
But Yoon Sang had personally deleted the fully edited video.
[Still, it’s a shame though.]
[Shh.]
[Show some awareness.]
His viewers diligently posted in the chat, and Yoon Sang climbed the Mountain with a somewhat bitter expression.
It was a shame about the replay and the edited version, but he felt that incident shouldn’t be revealed to the world.
It seemed right for both his sake and Kang Hyung-seok’s.
It appeared to be connected to a Cult group whose threads hadn’t been completely severed until now.
“Sigh, I went through all this trouble—I really hope we find something worthwhile.”
[But why is Yoon Sang here?]
[Didn’t you read the notice? He said he was coming to investigate a Cult.]
[Just a rural Village?]
[No, he said there was a Cult here before.]
[Hope all the Cults are destroyed.]
“Yeah, me too.”
Yoon Sang muttered grumblingly while checking the chat on his phone.
“They’re the ones who ruin innocent people’s lives….”
Yoon Sang grimaced bitterly.
He wished all the false faiths and beliefs would simply disappear, and people could just live their lives sincerely.
Yoon Sang genuinely hoped for that, then turned to look back.
Having climbed quite a bit, he could see the fields and scattered small houses spread out far below.
Whether that Cult that once thrived here still remained was impossible to know.
‘I hope it’s gone now.’
And that no one else would suffer at the hands of the Cult.
With that prayer in his heart, Yoon Sang climbed the Mountain in quiet determination, searching for material for the broadcast.
But unfortunately, he found nothing particularly noteworthy, and in the end, all he’d accomplished was maintaining his health through the hike.

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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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