The Calamity-Class Artifacts in Ghost Stories Are Obsessed with Me - Chapter 116

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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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Catastrophe-Class Relics in Urban Legends — Chapter 116
Woo Ju’s lips curved upward as he spoke, his eyes gleaming.
“What? Looking forward to something?”
—I’m not sure what you mean, sir.
“If you’re going to talk like that, you might want to start by changing that look in your eyes.”
The Employee gazed at him with the hunger of a predator eyeing its prey—and then tried to play innocent. As if that would work.
Only after hearing Woo Ju’s words did the Employee’s face return to its expressionless mask.
—I apologize for the inappropriate behavior. If you do not possess an Invitation, I’m afraid this Department Store cannot treat you as a customer any longer.
“So I get thrown out, then?”
—That couldn’t happen.
The Employee smiled as he spoke.
—Any being that is not a customer is an Intruder. We must treat them accordingly.
Treatment accordingly.
Remembering how eagerly the Employee had just described the device attached to the door, Woo Ju had a feeling that “accordingly” wouldn’t be pleasant.
“So that’s how it is.”
Woo Ju tucked the Invitation back into his pocket.
Part of him wanted to see how the Employee would react, but he still had too much to do.
Since he’d come alone, if he got thrown out too quickly, he’d gather far less information.
“Alright, understood. So I can just look around the Department Store freely?”
—Yes, sir. If you wish, I can guide you through the interior facilities.
“That’s not necessary. I’d prefer to look around alone. Oh, and where are the other Employees?”
—Once you begin browsing, they will all return to their posts.
“I see.”
Woo Ju nodded. He glanced around the space once more before speaking to the Employee again.
“Then I’ll take my time and have a look around.”
—Yes, sir. I hope you have a pleasant time.
The Employee bowed respectfully as he said this.
Woo Ju turned and began walking slowly away.
The Employee’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, but once Woo Ju had walked far enough, he no longer felt it.
Then, the moment his foot touched the Lobby, everything changed.
Employees who hadn’t been visible moments before suddenly appeared throughout the Lobby.
“Hello there.”
An Employee whose eyes had just met Woo Ju’s smiled warmly and greeted him.
“We have some wonderful fragrances—please take a look before you go!”
Woo Ju simply nodded politely and continued walking.
Just moments ago, the Lobby had felt empty—only merchandise visible, no people—giving it an eerie, hollow quality. Now it felt like an ordinary Department Store.
But there was one detail that bothered him: the other Employees carried the same unnervingly inhuman atmosphere as the first one who had guided him.
There was something decidedly non-human about them.
‘They’re definitely not ordinary people.’
No one working in a place like this could be ordinary.
Hadn’t he just witnessed it? People appearing suddenly in a space that had been empty moments before.
As these thoughts ran through his mind, Woo Ju examined the merchandise on the displays, looking for anything unusual.
He noticed several things.
‘There are ordinary items here too.’
Contrary to his initial expectation that only strange things would be on sale, many of the products looked perfectly normal.
Fragrances from well-known brands he’d heard of before, cosmetics—things like that.
But scattered among them were items that stood out.
“Would you like to try this? It’s a new product that just arrived.”
An Employee passing by held up a small bottle and spoke.
Inside was a liquid that glimmered with a soft, subtle radiance.
It looked like a fragrance at first glance, but Woo Ju sensed an odd, unsettling energy emanating from the bottle and stopped in his tracks.
“What’s it made from?”
The Employee smiled at his question.
“A Special Formula crafted just for you, sir. It creates precisely the first impression you desire.”
“I asked what the raw materials are.”
The Employee continued smiling.
“I apologize, sir. That’s a secret known only to our brand.”
Yet the firmness in that tone made it clear—
No matter how many times he asked, he wouldn’t get a straight answer.
“I see.”
So Woo Ju passed by that section and examined the other merchandise as well.
Some display counters held such peculiar items, while others did not.
Each time, Woo Ju asked the Employee about the products, but not a single one offered him a detailed answer.
They merely deflected, speaking vaguely of special secrets and such.
After slowly surveying the 1st Floor, Woo Ju returned to the Lobby where he had started.
One thing was certain: this was no ordinary Department Store.
But as for what exactly felt off—beyond the guillotine installed at the entrance, nothing particularly stood out.
‘Strange’ products certainly gave off an uncanny feeling, but he couldn’t pinpoint what was actually wrong with them.
‘Am I still the only customer here?’
And there was something else.
Despite the Employees having appeared suddenly, Woo Ju remained the only customer.
Their attention followed him everywhere, which made him rather self-conscious.
Of course, Woo Ju went about his business without letting their stares bother him.
‘For one thing, there are no emergency exits. The escalators connecting the upper and lower floors are installed in the center.’
The elevators were positioned on one side, confirming that the Department Store had thirteen floors in total.
Moreover, no clocks were to be found anywhere inside this Department Store.
‘Now that I think about it, I’ve heard of this before.’
Years ago, while shopping at a supermarket, a friend accompanying him had mentioned something when he’d wondered why there were no clocks.
Places like that deliberately avoid placing clocks anywhere.
It’s a strategy to keep customers unaware of time, making them linger longer.
This Department Store seemed to employ the same tactic.
The only difference was that they applied the strategy far more aggressively.
‘My phone doesn’t work at all.’
Not only were there no clocks, but it was also impossible to check the time using a customer’s phone!
He’d discovered this earlier when he’d taken out his phone to check the time.
He tried again now, pulling out his phone and attempting to operate it, but nothing happened no matter what he pressed—as if it had broken down.
Since his phone had worked perfectly fine before arriving here, it was clear he was under the influence of this place.
‘Well, there are more places like this than one or two.’
Woo Ju decided he should explore more, so this time he headed from the Lobby toward the center.
Whiiiiir—.
An escalator was installed there, connecting directly to the upper floors.
‘The upper floor must be women’s clothing.’
The layout wasn’t much different from an ordinary Department Store. Woo Ju examined the escalator carefully before stepping onto it.
Fortunately, as he rode up, the escalator didn’t try to swallow him or suddenly carry him off to some strange place.
Rising to the upper floor without incident, Woo Ju looked around.
‘This place is ordinary too.’
Unfortunately, the 2nd Floor had much the same atmosphere as the 1st Floor.
At first glance, there were only ordinary Employees and merchandise on display.
Woo Ju considered exploring this floor as well, then changed his mind.
‘Let me go higher.’
He decided to ride all the way up first and confirm whether all the floors had the same feel.
So Woo Ju rode the escalator upward in succession.
‘Women’s clothing here too.’
Up.
‘Men’s clothing this time.’
Up. And up again.
As he continued ascending, Woo Ju stopped at the 5th Floor.
Because the 6th Floor was different from the others.
“Hm.”
Woo Ju looked at the sign.
It read as follows.
[Golf Wear / ■■■]
Golf Wear was straightforward enough. What caught his attention was the latter part.
Like the Invitation he’d received earlier, something was written there, but he couldn’t make out the exact content.
It was as if his eyes could perceive it, but his mind couldn’t process it.
Needless to say, something like that couldn’t be ordinary.
‘I’ll have to go up and check what it is directly.’
Woo Ju fingered the Iron Pipe in his hand and slowly stepped onto the escalator.
Whiir—.
The escalator moved, carrying Woo Ju to the upper floor.
The 6th Floor, as they arrived, looked no different from the other levels at first glance.
Ordinary-looking golf wear was scattered throughout, and smiling employees stood at various counters.
Woo Ju walked past those displays, moving forward steadily.
To confirm what the symbol meant.
After moving to the right and turning roughly halfway around.
He discovered something that caught his eye for the first time.
At first glance, it resembled a men’s suit shop. But up close, he could tell it wasn’t an ordinary tailor shop.
“Welcome, valued customer.”
As Woo Ju peered inside, an employee emerged and greeted him.
Shifting his gaze to the employee, Woo Ju pointed inward and spoke.
“What is that?”
“Ah! This is a tailor shop. If you bring items you’ve purchased, we perform special alterations. We also handle custom tailoring.”
“So someone brought that in for alterations?”
“That’s right!”
The employee answered with a smile.
“A masterpiece made by peeling the skin from a living thing and stitching it together. The point is that it’s all still alive!”
What hung there was a Living Skin Garment.
Not a metaphor—literally. The thing, stitched together from some creature’s skin, had what looked like eyes still attached to it, and those eyes were moving, rolling about even now.
‘It doesn’t look like human skin, at least.’
Yet the visual was no less horrifying.
Upon closer inspection, he noticed similar peculiarities in the other merchandise as well.
And then the employee spoke.
“Oh, and we can also alter special items beyond what customers have purchased. Your leather jacket looks like it could use some work, sir!”
At those words, Woo Ju turned to face the employee.
“My jacket?”
“Yes! Right now it looks far too constrained. It seems unable to exercise its true potential.”
“Its true potential?”
“Indeed! With just a small touch, not only you but that companion of yours would be extremely satisfied. What do you say?”
Woo Ju furrowed his brow slightly at the question, then answered.
“Let me think it over.”
“Of course, alterations should be entrusted with careful consideration. But I hope you’ll understand that there are few people in this line of work with as much skill as I have!”
The employee spoke brightly, then drew something from his pocket.
It was a business card with gold foil embossing.
“This is our Tailor Shop’s business card. If you visit not this popup here in the Department Store but our main location, you’ll be able to receive even better service.”
From the way he spoke, it seemed the being before him didn’t belong to this Department Store.
‘True, Department Stores do have things like that.’
Woo Ju acknowledged his words and moved on again.
And he began to discover shops with similarly strange vibes.
Shops displaying merchandise that exuded something uncanny.
“Hmm.”
Yet he still couldn’t determine precisely what that symbol meant.
Beyond the bizarre merchandise, there seemed to be no common thread.
As Woo Ju pondered this.
“Eek! Ugh, gah, aaaahhhhh!”
A scream pierced the air from somewhere. Woo Ju reflexively turned his head and spotted something.
It was a person fleeing while blood streamed from every part of their body.
And employees chased after them, smiling, wielding blades.
To be continued ▶
Catastrophe-Class Relics from Urban Legends Develop Obsessions
Author
Lee Se-gye
Publisher
Kim Seok-hwan, Choi Se-ra
Publisher
Gerae Publishing
Contact Email
[email protected]
Publication Date
May 26, 2026

G720:N+A327-20260410110
※ This e-book is protected under copyright law. Unauthorized reproduction and distribution are prohibited, and violations may result in civil and criminal legal liability.
※ Pentagram awaits your precious manuscript.

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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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