Exorcism Specialist Company: Ghost Soul Trading - Chapter 62

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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 62

Whoooosh—
Black smoke filled the corridor before gradually dissipating, and my vision cleared.
I slowly lowered the tip of my burning sword and tilted my head in confusion.
I’d already experienced ghosts swarming toward me in specific situations.
But this was my first time encountering such a diverse horde of ghosts—men, women, young and old, dressed in distinctly different attire—rushing at me like zombies from a horror film.
Without Yu-rim or Ji-seok here, I had no one to ask.
The only thing I could speculate on was whether they’d reacted to the LP player.
“Since it’s on video, I’ll have to ask about it when I get back to the company.”
I muttered this to myself, my expression slightly tense.
In that moment, I felt a cold breeze brush past the nape of my neck once more.
I immediately checked my radar, but there were no ghosts nearby.
I narrowed my eyes and turned my head toward the opposite corridor.

Booom— Boom— Ooooh—
Ding— Ding-ding— Ding—

Between the strains of Mozart’s Requiem rising from below the staircase, an eerie piano sound began to echo.
It was coming from the Music Room at the end of the corridor I was facing.
I gripped my sword tightly and slowly made my way toward it.

Thud— Thud— Thud— Thud—

As the Music Room drew within twenty meters, my radar began to react.
A blue dot appeared, thick and expansive on the display.
Based on the intensity of that color, it seemed to be at least a Grade 3 Specter or higher.

Ding— Ding-ding— Ding-ding-ding—

I couldn’t discern what piece was being played.
I felt my spine tingle with unease as I came to a stop before the Music Room.

Ding— Ding—

As the piano melody continued—Tae-woo placed his hand on the Music Room door handle.
Then he slid the sliding door open to the side with a sharp motion.
Screech—
At the same moment, a blade-like gust of wind swept through as if carving across his cheek.
Tae-woo shielded himself slightly from the wind and shone his flashlight into the Music Room.

Thud—

And at that exact moment, the piano melody ceased.
Kang-yul narrowed his eyes and stepped further inside.
Soon, a deeply unsettling sight came into view.
A woman in a black dress hung suspended by her neck in the center of the Music Room, rotating slowly.

Creak— Creak—

Each time she rotated, a faint metallic sound resonated from the metal ring embedded in the ceiling.
For a moment, Tae-woo mistook her for an actual living person rather than a ghost.
But he quickly realized the truth.
The moment the slowly rotating woman’s face turned toward Tae-woo, she stared directly at him with intent.
Pale white skin, an ordinary-looking nose and mouth.
Yet her eyes, grotesquely wide open, seemed as though they might burst from their sockets at any moment.
That was when it happened.

Booooom—

A dull, thunderous sound as if all the piano keys were struck at once reverberated through the Music Room.
As Tae-woo turned his head toward the sound, the Female Student Ghost lunged at him.
With tears of blood streaming down her face, the Female Student Ghost wore what appeared to be an old Mando High School uniform—a black school jacket.
It felt similar to the ghost that had been clinging to the School Janitor’s back.
“Gack!”
I had been so focused on the hanging ghost that I failed to check my radar.
Tae-woo hurriedly tried to swing his blade.
But the ghost closed in first and shoved him forcefully.
“Ugh!”
He was sent flying through the open sliding door and crashed against the Corridor wall.
Crash bang!!
And then the sliding door shut on its own.

Ding— Ding— Ding—

Then the piano music resumed.
Trickle, trickle, trickle—
Dark crimson blood seeped through the gap in the sliding door.
I furrowed my brow and checked my radar.
The entire Music Room glowed with blue dots.
It meant the space was teeming with ghosts.
I rose again and attempted to open the sliding door.
But it refused to budge.

Clang, clang—

Even with all my strength, the door showed no intention of opening.
“Sigh.”
I considered smashing it down, but that would result in a deduction from my settlement payment.
I paused, contemplating my options, and took a step back.
“What would Lee Manager or Cha Manager have done in this situation?”
As I muttered to myself, a particular item came to mind.
It was something Go Yu-rim had given me before departing for Mando High School.

* * *

Just before departing for Mando High School, in the Guihon Trading Trainee Team Office.
“Take this with you.”
As I was gathering my ghost-hunting sword, Go Yu-rim approached and handed me a small metal card and a tiny cloth pouch.
The moment I received it, I recognized it as the compact incense burner that Go Yu-rim primarily used.
It was normally stored in card form, but could be transformed into a small metal box-shaped incense burner when needed to burn incense.
“Press both ends of the card with your hands, and it transforms into an incense burner.”
She explained the operation to me.

Click—

Following her instructions, I pressed both ends of the metal card, and a small, square metal incense burner materialized.
“Put this sand inside, insert the incense stick, and then you can lure the ghosts out.”
I folded the incense burner back into card form and asked, “But if you’re giving this to me, what about you, Manager?”
“I have another one. I received a spare earlier. You use this one.”
Go Yu-rim smiled as she answered.
“Thank you so much.”
I placed the card in my pocket and offered my gratitude.
He put the business card in his pocket and left a word of thanks.

* * *

He withdrew the metal card he’d received from Go Yu-rim from his pocket.
Click—
Then, applying force, he shaped it into an incense burner, pulled out a cloth, and poured soil into it.
Next, he inserted a single green incense stick and slid it beside the door.
Whoosh—
After lighting it, he stepped back and gripped the Ghost-Slaying Blade more firmly.
It was a precaution in case a ghost suddenly burst forth.

Crackle…

The fragrance of incense drifted softly through the air.

Ding ding— ding— ding— ding—

Thud—
The piano music that had been playing inside ceased abruptly.
Something had reacted.
I narrowed my eyes and continued observing the situation.
That was when it happened.

Screeeech—
Screeeech—
Screeeech—

The sound of fingernails scraping against a wooden sliding door echoed through the room.
I couldn’t immediately discern what reaction the ghost was having, but it seemed the incense was having some effect.
I narrowed my eyes and glared at the door, then slowly approached it again.
And I slowly opened the door once more.
Creak—
This time, the door opened.
Simultaneously, the ghost in the black dress that had been hanging by the neck thrust her face forward violently.
As if trying to bite my throat, she stretched her neck out long, her eyes bulging with bloodshot veins.
With her eyeballs wide open as if they might burst from their sockets and her veins engorged, the sight was utterly grotesque.
“Damn it!”
I threw my body to the side and swung my blade upward in one fluid motion.
Slash—
The ghost’s neck severed, dissolving into black smoke.
Thud—
Upon landing, I immediately lunged through the sliding door.
I needed to strike first against the Female Student Ghost who had pushed me moments before.
Tap-tap-tap—
I burst through and threw myself toward the piano.
But the Female Student Ghost who had rushed at me from the piano’s direction had vanished.
“…?!”
I quickly scanned my surroundings.
The blue dots were still appearing in this area.
It meant the ghost was definitely somewhere nearby.

Shrieeeeeeeek—

That was the moment.
The Female Student Ghost shrieked as she plummeted from the ceiling above Tae-u, crashing down upon him.
Thud—
She knocked him to the ground and seized his throat.
“Gahhh!”
Tae-u tried to draw his blade, but the long spirit sword was impossible to wield in such close quarters.
The instant he reached for his blood-red short sword, the Female Student Ghost hurled him across the Music Room with brutal force.
Screeeech— Crash!
Tae-u skidded across the floor, his body sliding sideways.
Simultaneously, desks and chairs toppled everywhere.
“Argh!”
Searing pain engulfed my entire body.
The metal legs of the school furniture struck me as if I were being pummeled from all sides.
“Damn it all.”
I gritted my teeth and tried to regain my composure.
But with multiple desks and chairs pinning me down, I couldn’t rise quickly.

Thud— Thud—

I shoved the furniture aside and looked toward the ghost.

Crrrack—

The Female Student Ghost stood motionless, her joints contorting grotesquely.
Her limbs seemed to move independently of one another, and her neck twisted violently side to side as if broken, her head thrashing with inhuman force.
Throughout it all, tears of blood streamed thickly from her eyes.
Drip, drip—
The blood tears fell onto the wooden floor, seeping slowly into the grain.
‘Those tears of blood… is it resentment?’
Seeing those tears, I wondered if this was a ghost consumed by profound hatred.
At the same time, the image of the Female Student Ghost clinging to the School Janitor’s back flashed through my mind once more.
I still couldn’t determine if they were the same entity.
But their clothing was unmistakably identical.
As these thoughts crossed my mind, I recalled how both Yoon Taek-jong and the School Janitor had reacted lukewarmly to Go Yu-rim’s death.
There seemed to be something unknown to the public.
If that were the case, it might be better to examine this ghost’s resentment rather than simply destroy it.
Of course, the fact that it could throw me like this meant it was at least a Grade 3 or higher spirit—
At the Jangdok Training Ground, I had managed to glimpse Silent Spirit Ghost’s resentment, though that had been purely by chance.
There was no guarantee it would work as smoothly this time.

Screeeeeech!

Then—the ghost lunged at Tae-woo once more.
Whoooosh whoooosh whoooosh—
A biting wind swept through like a tempest, sending dust billowing in all directions.
“Ugh!”
Tae-woo threw his body to the side, sweeping his blade horizontally.
Shhhhwaaack—
The sword’s edge sliced past the ghost’s leg.
Hisssss—
Black smoke erupted from the wound, yet the ghost paid no mind and turned its head toward Tae-woo.

Creak creak creak—

Its neck and shoulder joints twisted grotesquely.

I’ll kill you all—
I’ll kill you all—
I’ll kill you all—
I’ll kill you all—

Then it emitted a mechanical voice, its mouth brimming with blood.
“You don’t seem to be Go Yu-rim, but let me hear your story as well.”
Tae-woo watched the ghost, blood pooling in its mouth, and lowered his Guichaldao.
Then he drew his Hyeolsudandao and made a shallow cut across his own hand.
Swish—
A sharp sting accompanied the blood that stained the Hyeolsudandao.
Soon, warmth radiated from the blade’s handle.
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat—
Screeeeeech—
The ghost lunged at Tae-woo once more.
This time, Tae-woo did not evade; instead, he lowered his stance to receive her.
If she were to tackle him—he would let her.
Thud—
Crash—
She seized Tae-woo’s throat and drove him toward the wall’s edge.

Boom boom boom boom boom—

My back slammed against the wall, and a sharp pain shot through me.
“Ugh!”
Tae-woo gasped and stared at the ghost.

I’ll kill you all—
I’ll kill you all—
I’ll kill you all—

The ghost spewed thick blood like a madman, its lips trembling rapidly.
Then it seized my throat and began lifting me off the ground.
“Gasp!”
My breath was being cut off.
At this rate, I would die at the hands of this ghost.
Gritting my teeth, I looked down at the ghost and raised the Blood Crimson Blade.
Then I brought it down hard against the ghost’s shoulder.
Thud—
A dull sound echoed as the blade carved into the ghost’s body.
And then, a bizarre sound began emanating from the ghost’s mouth.

“We are born upon this land bearing the historic mission of national revival—”

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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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