Exorcism Specialist Company: Ghost Soul Trading - Chapter 16

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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 16

10:55 PM.
“Tae-woo. Here.”
Yerim handed the memory card to Tae-woo.
It contained the footage recorded through Tae-woo’s smart glasses, attached as supporting material to the final report.
After receiving the memory card, Tae-woo reinstalled it into his smart glasses.
Meanwhile, Yerim closed her laptop and glanced at her watch.
“Time to prepare.”
She drew a pistol from her jacket.
Tae-woo also fastened the Ghost-Hunting Sword and Blood-Draining Sword to his body.
“There could be quite a few spirits lurking here as well. You saw the ones wandering through the store during the day, right? Back then they either hid among the living and pretended not to notice, or they fled immediately. But when night falls and their power strengthens, they become emboldened and turn aggressive.”
She stepped out of the car and headed toward the trunk.
Tae-woo also removed the Ghost-Hunting Sword from his back, checked the blade, and secured it again.
Click—
As the trunk opened, a wooden crate destined for the Incineration Team rattled loudly.
The Building Owner Ghost, which had been hiding inside the antique jar, was now thrashing violently in the box as night had fallen.
“Is that safe?”
Tae-woo asked.
“It’s fine. There’s a sealing talisman attached to it, so the spirit can’t possibly open it.”
She tapped the box lightly, then opened a khaki-colored case beside it.
Inside lay a UMP submachine gun fitted with a suppressor.
Upon seeing it, Tae-woo’s eyes widened once more.
“Is that also a gas-powered GBB airsoft gun?”
“Yes, it is. Just like the pistol, it uses 6mm airsoft pellets refined with salt and mirror water. This model has greater range—it can reach up to about 80 meters.”
Suddenly, the image of all manner of weapons displayed in Cha Jun-ho’s office flashed through his mind.
“Are all the things in the director’s office airsoft guns too?”
“That’s classified.”
She answered and skillfully began removing magazines and ammunition, loading them with practiced efficiency.
The pellets being inserted glowed a deep red.
“Is the ammunition red because of the mirror water? Isn’t that the same as the red ink used in talismans?”
Unable to contain his curiosity, Tae-woo asked.
Yerim held up a round and spoke.
“Yes. It’s a direct hit against spirits.”
Seeing this, Tae-woo thought they employed remarkably modern exorcism tools.
Then again—he himself was using smart glasses, so there was no need to elaborate on that point.
“Even though they’re airsoft guns, it’s difficult to use large weapons where many people are watching. But in a place like this, we don’t need to worry about drawing attention. Besides, these creatures grow stronger at night.”
Click—Clack—
Yerim explained as she inserted the magazine and chambered a round.
Tae-woo watched her movements and thought she resembled a female warrior.
Then, cylindrical smoke grenades caught his eye in the trunk.
“You use those too?”
Tae-woo asked in surprise.
“Those aren’t ordinary smoke grenades. When they detonate, the smoke spreads out in all directions like incense smoke. They’re excellent for flushing out hiding spirits all at once. But those are difficult to use during the day.”
“What about here?”
“The incense smell is too strong. If the scent seeps into the merchandise or clothes in the store, it’ll cause problems. It’s better not to use them in a place like this.”
Tae-woo nodded in understanding at Yerim’s explanation.
Buzz— Buzz—
Then Yerim’s phone rang.
When she answered, Kim Dae-woong’s voice came through.

[Everyone has clocked out. You can enter through the staff entrance on the 3rd Floor Parking Garage.]

“Understood. We’ll begin the cleaning.”
She gave a brief response and hung up.
“Let’s go.”
She took the lead toward the store.
All the shutters between the parking garage and the store were lowered.
The two of them quickly surveyed the entrance before moving along the wall toward the staff entrance.

[STAFF ONLY]

Soon, an iron door came into view.
As Yerim and Tae-woo approached it, the door swung open with a metallic clang.
It appeared someone was monitoring this through CCTV.
Tae-woo and Yerim traversed the narrow corridor, continuing forward.
Before long, a staircase appeared, and descending it, another iron door materialized.
Creak—
Yerim pushed the door open and entered, with Tae-woo following close behind, his expression taut with tension.
A vast storefront gradually revealed itself, its lights dimmed to half brightness.
Whoooosh—
A cool breeze drifted softly through the space.
“What is this wind? Is the air conditioning on…?”
Tae-woo murmured the question aloud.
“No. This is spectral energy—the aura of spirits. You’ll need to grow accustomed to it.”
“Spectral energy? So it’s like the cold from ghosts. Then the air near the ceiling must be hot?”
Tae-woo pondered convection currents, muttering to himself. Yerim glanced at him briefly, then surveyed the surroundings carefully.
Tae-woo also activated his Ghost Radar and observed the area.
Blue lights flickered sporadically throughout various sections of the store.
This meant that aside from the spirit hidden within the mannequin, other spirits were present as well.
This much was the same as during the day.
But what was distinctly different was that these blue lights burned brighter and more intensely.
And whereas the blue lights had fled during daylight, they now remained in place, unmoving.
‘Aggressive spirits.’
That was Tae-woo’s first thought upon witnessing the intense blue radiance.
His second thought concerned what would happen to the merchandise in the store if a violent battle erupted like the one against the Building Owner Ghost in Incheon.
“Excuse me, Manager Lee. There are products for sale in these store sections right now. That’s why you mentioned it would be difficult to burn incense. But if a fierce battle breaks out like before and merchandise gets damaged or facilities are destroyed, what happens then?”
When Tae-woo asked, Yerim answered as if it were obvious.
“We must prevent damage.”
At this straightforward response, Tae-woo felt momentarily bewildered.
But Yerim continued speaking.
“We must minimize damage as much as possible, though that doesn’t always work out. If battle marks remain on walls or floors, after we finish our work, the Settlement Team comes and cleans everything up. They also check for any merchandise that requires compensation, and that gets reflected in the final settlement.”
“Ah. If merchandise gets damaged during combat, we have to pay for it?”
“Yes. It’s deducted from our settlement payment.”
What she was saying was this:
Suppose the Training Team received a contract for work worth one million won—
While the Training Team conducted the exorcism, the Settlement Team would review all private property damage and battle marks that occurred.
Minor battle marks would be removed by the Settlement Team at their own expense, but if significant damage to private property resulted in substantial compensation claims, that amount would be deducted from the final payment the Training Team should receive.
Simply put, if damage compensation exceeded one million won on a one-million-won job, the Training Team’s revenue could become zero or even negative.
“Isn’t that incredibly unfair? We’re the ones fighting the spirits.”
Tae-woo asked, furrowing his brow.
Yerim countered his objection.
“Is there such a thing as a rational workplace?”
At her words, I pressed my lips firmly shut.
“Let’s start with Yuria Collection.”
She spoke casually before moving her steps toward the Yuria Collection store we had visited earlier.

* * *

Thud—thud—thud—
The footsteps echoing through the empty store felt distinctly eerie.
I followed closely behind Yerim, my entire body tense with anticipation.
The large department mart housed multiple vendors, and at closing time, each store erected canvas barriers across their storefronts.
Because of this, the merchandise displayed within each shop remained hidden from view.
However, through my smart glasses, the spirits concealed behind the canvas appeared as blue luminescent markers.

Thud—thud—thud—thud—

With each step forward, new points of light gradually materialized.
Obscured by the canvas barriers yet visible to us, they moved with deliberate slowness, as if zeroing in on both Yerim and me.
“Here it is.”
Yerim stood before the Yuria Collection storefront and spoke.
I gripped the Ghost Slayer Blade tightly and nodded.
She gave me a meaningful glance, then slung the submachine gun to her side and raised her pistol to aim.
With one hand, she slowly pulled the canvas barrier to the side.
Whoosh—
The large store had only half its lights on, casting deep shadows throughout.
I activated the flashlight on my smart glasses and carefully observed the visible portions of the store.
At the same time, I adjusted my grip on the Ghost Slayer Blade in my hand.
Scraaape—
As the canvas opened wide enough for a person to enter, Yerim immediately aimed her gun at a mannequin.
Then she glanced at me.
It was a signal to check whether my radar detected any spirit within the mannequin.
But—my radar showed no spirit detection from the mannequin.
This was the very same mannequin that had clearly housed a spirit during the day.
Shake—
When I shook my head, Yerim tilted hers in confusion.
She gestured for me to enter, then moved forward with her pistol leading the way.
Watching her movements, I could immediately tell that Yerim had received basic military tactical training. When entering confined spaces, even a submachine gun is less maneuverable than a pistol.
I unsheathed my Blood Crimson Blade and slung the Ghost Slayer Blade across my back.
Then I entered the store and moved between the displayed clothing, searching for any spirits.
I advanced slowly, suppressing my footsteps as much as possible.
That was when it happened.
I noticed a brilliant blue light emanating intensely from the clothing display rack.
Whether the spirit was being detected from another store on the opposite side of the display or if one was hiding inside the rack itself remained unclear.
Whoosh—
Still, the UI flickering even once suggested there was quite a powerful spirit nearby.
I gripped the blood-stained sword tightly and approached the display rack slowly.
The blue light grew increasingly intense with each step.
‘Damn it.’
As the light intensified, I switched off my radar.
It was obscuring my vision the closer I got.
I continued advancing slowly toward the clothing display rack.
Then I reached out and swept the displayed clothes aside.
That was the moment.
A spirit with a face pale as ice, its nose completely hollowed out, its mouth torn open to its ears, and eyes grotesquely oversized—covering more than a quarter of its face—was peeking out from between the clothes hanging on the display rack.
The instant I saw that spirit, my heart nearly stopped.
“Gasp—!”
As an involuntary gasp escaped me, the spirit seized my throat with both hands and began dragging me out of the store.
Crash crash crash crash crash—
Bang bang bang bang bang—
Hearing the sudden commotion, Yerim swiveled her gun toward the sound and pulled the trigger, but missed.
The spirit was moving with abnormally extreme speed.
Ping— Ping— Ping— Ping—
The salt pellets scattered and shattered against the display racks and walls, crumbling into powder.
As a result, the displayed clothing and the store sustained minimal damage.
This was why they used salt-refined pellet guns during operations.
If actual bullet marks remained after exorcism, it could create legal complications.
Of course, the greater purpose was prevention—since private property damage would be deducted from settlement payments.
“Damn it! Tae-woo!”
She immediately rushed outside with her gun raised.
Thud thud thud thud thud!
When she emerged, Tae-woo lay on the ground, his throat being strangled by the spirit.
Yerim aimed her submachine gun directly at the spirit.
Sensing the killing intent, the spirit spun around sharply and leaped onto a massive pillar nearby, clinging to it.
Only then did Yerim raise her submachine gun and pull the trigger toward the spirit.

Guihon Trading Company, Chapter 16

Author
Cha U Lens
Publisher
Daon Creative
Planning / Editing / Production
Yoon Tae-ri
Cover Design
Lee Chi

UCI
G720:N+A036-20260318158.0016

ⓒ2026, Cha U Lens

※ This e-book is protected under the copyright law of the Republic of Korea.
No part or whole of this work may be reproduced or modified in any form without the permission of the author and publisher.

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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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