The Calamity-Class Artifacts in Ghost Stories Are Obsessed with Me - Chapter 20

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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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Catastrophic Artifacts from Urban Legends Have Become Obsessed | Chapter 20
Ujoo blinked.
Just moments ago, he’d been listening to talk of a mask. And the mask at his feet was radiating an exceptionally unusual aura.
So connecting the two was a perfectly natural reaction.
‘Why?’
As his mind ground to a halt at this incomprehensible situation, Saebyeok’s eyes naturally drifted downward to his feet.
With Ujoo frozen in place, staring down at the ground, there was no helping it.
“……?”
Upon seeing the mask, Saebyeok’s footsteps slowed to a stop as well. She gazed blankly at it for a moment, then looked back at Ujoo.
“The mask…….”
Then she looked at it again. Her eyes widened to the point of tears.
“What, what, what is this?”
It was clear that Saebyeok’s mind was equally scrambled at this utterly unimaginable situation.
Just then, he noticed a pedestrian about to step on the mask.
“Oh dear.”
Fearing they might crush it, Ujoo hastily scooped the mask up.
And so the Bangsangsi Mask came into Ujoo’s hands.
Ujoo wore a perplexed expression as he spoke.
“So, this is that mask you were talking about?”
“Yes!”
Saebyeok answered in a loud voice, then felt the gazes of passersby and lowered her tone.
“What’s going on?”
“Asking ‘what’s going on’ won’t change anything—you saw it fall on the street yourself, didn’t you?”
They’d been walking almost side by side, so Ujoo could reasonably claim innocence.
‘Could it have shown up again because of me?’
Ujoo himself felt a twinge of guilt, but he saw no reason to voice it.
“Mm, you’re right. My apologies. I was just startled.”
Fortunately, Saebyeok didn’t seem to notice, and she replied rationally.
“Could you give it to me?”
“Yes, of course.”
Ujoo held the mask out to Saebyeok.
Saebyeok reached for it naturally.
“……?”
But the mask didn’t budge. Saebyeok looked at him with a puzzled expression.
“Ujoo?”
“Yes?”
“Would you let go?”
“I’m not holding it.”
Ujoo spread his hands wide to prove he wasn’t applying any force.
Saebyeok looked and tried to grasp the mask again. But still it didn’t move—as if it had been glued fast.
“Huh?”
Only then did Ujoo sense something was wrong and flipped his hand to look.
The mask dangled from his palm, stuck firm.
“Why, why is this happening?”
Ujoo muttered in alarm, while Saebyeok stared at the sight, at a loss for words.
“Mm, it appears the mask doesn’t want to leave you.”
“What? The mask?”
“Yes. A sufficiently powerful artifact can sometimes behave this way.”
It was something Ujoo had heard of before—in fact, it was the first thing he’d thought of when he learned the mask had disappeared.
Saebyeok hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Actually, the Branch Office is currently under temporary closure. So I was wondering—would you be willing to keep it safe for the duration of this assignment?”
It wasn’t an unreasonable proposition.
If an artifact had vanished even while securely sealed, returning it to its vault might only cause it to disappear again.
With the Branch Office temporarily shut down and several personnel already missing, they couldn’t afford to chase after it again.
So even if there was some risk involved, once it had come into hand, it made more sense to keep it close.
Of course, Ujoo was being careful about asking only because he understood the burden it would place on her.
“Yes, I suppose so.”
Ujoo didn’t mind.
This wouldn’t be the first time an artifact had tumbled into his possession on its own.
“But what makes this one dangerous?”
As they resumed walking, Ujoo asked Saebyeok a question.
“Simply possessing it isn’t particularly dangerous. The real danger comes when you actually wear it on your face.”
Saebyeok spoke in a measured voice.
“The Bangsangsi was originally a person or official who wore a mask to drive away vengeful spirits. This Bangsangsi Mask is what they wore.”
“I see.”
“Yes. The mask’s most distinctive feature is its four eyes—the upper pair gazes upon the living world, the lower pair upon the realm of the dead.”
Saebyeok gestured toward the mask in Ujoo’s hand as she explained.
“When you wear this mask, you can see beings that would normally remain invisible far more clearly. Moreover, it grants the wearer power to resist malevolent spirits.”
“Listening to that, it doesn’t sound particularly dangerous at all.”
“That’s true. The problem lies in certain variations found in the lore surrounding the Bangsangsi.”
“What kind of variations?”
“There were also people called Bangsangsi—those who dressed as spirits and acted mad or picked quarrels with others.”
Lore connected to artifacts is never mere storytelling.
It is the fundamental element through which one can understand the artifact’s true power.
“Whoever wears this mask must be cautious about succumbing to madness. Right now, it was sealed away because there’s no one capable of handling it.”
Hearing that, Ujoo felt convinced this was no ordinary object.
A mask that possessed the power to drive away spirits, yet could drive the wearer insane simply by being donned.
“I certainly shouldn’t put it on by accident.”
“How would you accidentally put on a mask?”
“Well, I suppose I could trip and have it fall right onto my face?”
Ujoo threw out the joke to lighten the suddenly heavy mood. And immediately regretted it.
Because Saebyeok had leveled him with a terrifying stare.
“I was joking. I have absolutely no intention of doing that.”
“I believe you.”
Having hastily walked back his words, Ujoo shifted his backpack from his shoulders to his front and attempted to place the mask inside.
“Fortunately, this works.”
It proved impossible to hand the mask to someone else or set it down, but placing it in the bag was possible.
Otherwise, he would have had to carry it in his hands the entire way.
With that settled, the two could press forward toward Hanok Village.
Today was a weekday.
Yet as they drew near Hanok Village, there were quite a few people about.
It wasn’t an unusual sight.
Where once Hanok Village had been merely a walking path for neighborhood residents, it was now a major tourist destination.
When people thought of Jeonju, they thought of bibimbap and Hanok Village—there wasn’t much else.
“But with so many people around, how do dangerous things manage to appear?”
“Such cases aren’t unheard of. However, the place where our agents went missing was extremely remote.”
“There’s a place like that in Hanok Village?”
“Yes. Though it’s not a place one can reach through ordinary means.”
Saying so, Saebyeok continued walking before coming to a halt at a particular spot.
“First, we need to rent some clothes here.”
“I’m sorry?”
Ujoo’s expression clouded with confusion.
And for good reason—the place where Saebyeok had stopped was a Hanbok rental shop.
“It’s necessary for where we’re going.”
With that, Saebyeok strode purposefully inside, selected the most understated Hanbok available, and handed one to Ujoo as well.
“You can change and come back out.”
“Ah, well, yes.”
Ujoo, practically herded along by Saebyeok, emerged after changing into the traditional garment.
A short while later, Saebyeok emerged as well, wearing a deep-blue Hanbok with not a single ostentatious pattern.
“Shall we go?”
“Where exactly are we going that requires traditional dress? Is there a dress code or something?”
“You could call it that. A bag and shoes are fine enough, but the clothing is better suited to something traditional like a Hanbok.”
After settling the bill, Saebyeok resumed her stride.
She followed a main avenue for a time, then ducked into a small alley branching off midway.
Even as they continued moving, it seemed to Ujoo as though they were simply circling the same spot over and over.
‘What is this?’
Yet what was strange was that with each leg of the journey, the surroundings shifted subtly.
After they had walked enough to circle through Hanok Village four or five times over,
“It’s just ahead.”
Saebyeok paused and pointed forward.
There was a deep shadow settled over the place she indicated. Distinctly unnatural.
There was nothing in the surroundings that should have cast such a shadow.
“What is that place?”
“This street has a reverse side to it.”
Saebyeok spoke in a measured voice.
“In the past, many people stumbled in by accident or were lured in by something inexplicable, but the Inspection Bureau discovered the precise method of entry and now manages it.”
“Ah. I think I’ve seen something similar at Headquarters.”
“You mean Eodukgeori. Yes, this place is comparable to that. However, there is one crucial difference.”
“What is it?”
Saebyeok answered Ujoo’s question with a grave expression.
“Unlike Eodukgeori, the rules here haven’t been fully understood, nor is it a place that can be completely controlled. We can only barely contain the entrance itself to prevent casualties.”
“Then, the missing agents were also….”
“Yes. They lost contact shortly after entering this place.”
Saebyeok gestured to Ujoo’s bag.
“They often come to this street to gather rumors from the reverse side. It’s believed they disappeared while inquiring about the Bangsangsi Mask.”
“We’ll need to be careful.”
“Exactly. That’s why I requested backup. Your team leader gave me detailed accounts of your combat abilities.”
As she spoke, Saebyeok drew out several talismans from her possession.
“To track the missing agent, we’ll first need to enter that street.”
“Understood. By the way, what is that street called?”
“Gwimun Street.”
“Ah.”
Just hearing the name, it didn’t seem like a particularly bright or hopeful place.
What was Gwimun? Wasn’t it the gate through which spirits come and go? He’d already suffered through it during his entrance exam, even.
A street bearing such a name would be anything but ordinary.
“Then I should mention some precautions beforehand.”
Before entering Gwimun Street, Saebyeok outlined the warnings in advance.
1. Don’t make loud noise.
2. Don’t look into mirrors, even by accident.
3. If you hear singing, avoid that vicinity.
4. Don’t approach inverted figures.
5. Never call out a name.
“For now, these are the five main ones. So let’s each choose an alias before entering. I’ll go by Fox.”
Fox. It was a fitting alias for Saebyeok, who naturally resembled a fox.
Ujoo thought for a moment before speaking.
“Then I’ll… hmm.”
As he seemed to deliberate, Saebyeok offered a suggestion.
“How about Haetae?”
“Haetae?”
“Yes. Something about you just made me think of it.”
He couldn’t fathom why she’d thought of Haetae specifically, but Ujoo nodded anyway. It wasn’t particularly important.
“Very well.”
“Good. Let’s go then. Agent Haetae.”
Only then could the two enter Gwimun Street.
Not long after setting foot in the shadowed street, Ujoo felt the air shift abruptly.
Cold and sticky—that was the best way to describe it.
It wasn’t a pleasant sensation.
But the true nature of Gwimun Street revealed itself when they stepped from the alley onto the main thoroughfare.
……
Ujoo gazed at the street in shock.
The street was populated with as many ‘entities’ as the crowded street they’d seen before.
Yet none of them appeared to be living people.
“This is it.”
Saebyeok spoke calmly and led Ujoo forward at a measured pace.
The thoroughfare was blanketed entirely in deep shadow, creating the impression of walking through a street after nightfall.
The buildings were constructed as traditional hanboks, but unlike the Hanok Village outside, they bore no colorful signs or displays.
“For now, I don’t sense anything in the entrance area. Let’s continue deeper inside.”
“Yes.”
As Ujoo walked alongside Saebyeok, he continued to scan his surroundings.
And indeed, he saw that the buildings throughout the street appeared to be selling something.
But it didn’t look like an ordinary storefront. Grotesquely twisted merchandise drifted past their eyes.
Saebyeok moved forward in silence and soon reached the end of the street. Then, naturally, she turned around again.
Ujoo did the same—and that’s when the astonishing sight revealed itself.
‘What is this?’
It was definitely the same street they’d just walked down, yet it looked completely different now.
The street had grown darker, and the number of creatures roaming it had diminished.
Moreover, the sense of ‘danger’ had intensified.
“You mustn’t stand still in the middle of the main street.”
Saebyeok spoke in the softest of voices, tugging at Ujoo’s sleeve as he froze.
“Why does the street feel different?”
“It actually is. We’ve descended deeper into it.”
Saebyeok answered Ujoo’s question in a whisper, her voice barely audible.
“It will only become more dangerous from here.”
Indeed, her words proved true.
When they reached the end again and turned around, an even more grotesque landscape unfolded before them.
At the street stalls, vendors peddled human arms and eyeballs, while upside-down creatures shuffled past, cackling.
The barkers’ calls were equally bizarre.
“Fresh hearts for sale, fresh hearts for sale, hearts plucked straight from corpses whose necks have been severed!”
“Medicine! Medicine for sale! Swallow just once and your throat and stomach will melt away! Medicine!”
“Mama! I want that!”
“Oh, do you? Shall I pluck a skull for you while it’s still warm? Or shall I slice it raw and wrap it up?”
Words that required no explanation to recognize as utterly inhuman.
But far more threatening were those who watched them in complete silence.
As though they’d spotted something foreign.
Saebyeok bit her lip and spoke, meeting their stares.
“Huh. I think we’ve gone deeper than I expected.”
“There is a trail, then?”
“Yes. It continues inward… all the way through.”
“Let’s go.”
They kept their eyes fixed ahead, away from the stalls.
The sight of those eyeballs, pulled free with optic nerves stretched impossibly long, yet still rolling and moving in their sockets, was decidedly unpleasant to behold.
So they simply pressed forward.
And completed another full circuit.
“Agent Ujoo.”
Then Saebyeok called out to him.
“I believe we’ve gone too deep.”
“Why… oh.”
Ujoo understood the reason immediately.
Before they’d even taken another step, everything on the street was watching them.
Their mouths split wide in grins. Some even applauded in welcome—clapping the backs of their hands together instead of their palms.
“I think it would be wise to turn back. It’s too dangerous.”
“But the agents’ traces continue deeper inward, don’t they?”
“Danger or not, if that many come at us, it will be far too much. We cannot fight them all.”
Ujoo paused for a moment, then opened his mouth.
“If we cause a commotion here, will there be serious trouble later?”
“…Not exactly. But you won’t find this street again for a long time.”
“So it’s fine, then.”
Saebyeok sighed deeply when she saw Ujoo’s expression—one of absolute resolve.
“If you insist, then put on the mask.”
“The mask?”
“Yes. It will be far safer that way. Of course, if it feels wrong, remove it immediately.”
At that, Ujoo nodded readily and opened the bag slung across his back. He pulled out the iron pipe first and gripped it in his hand.
At the appearance of an object so utterly out of place with the street’s atmosphere, the entire district seemed to stir.
But Ujoo paid no mind, reaching deeper into the bag for the mask.
There was no unsettling feeling about it—quite the opposite, in fact. It felt strangely familiar.
Ujoo slowly raised it to his face.
And in that moment.
A sharp, electric sensation shot through him, and his lips curled upward of their own accord.
The feeling was oddly exhilarating.
“Good.”
“Agent Ujoo?”
“Don’t worry. Everything’s fine. Just fine.”
Ujoo repeated the words several times over, then let out a grin.
And with that, the mask fixed to his face broke into a wide smile alongside him. A sight fearsome enough that not just people but even spirits would flee in terror.
“Just one. I only need one.”
Ujoo shifted forward with a cheerful lilt to his voice, tapping the iron pipe as he moved.
The moment he advanced like that, the eerie things that had been staring fixedly at him flinched and retreated.
Seeing that, Saebyeok quickly closed the distance between herself and Ujoo. Hadn’t she thought the same way last time? If you can’t stop him, join him.
And so Saebyeok’s voice rang out sharp and clear.
“If you value your hide, get out of the way! How dare you block our path!”
Saebyeok leaned close and whispered to Ujoo in a low voice.
“……If you’re going to do this, you might as well seize the initiative decisively.”
At that, Ujoo let out a short laugh and fell into step with her lead.
Crash—!
The iron pipe came down hard against the ground.
Seize the initiative. That works.
Continued in the next episode ▶
How Calamitous Artifacts from Urban Legends Became Obsessed
Author
Lee Se-gye
Publisher
Kim Seok-hwan, Choi Se-ra
Published by
Grae Publishing
Inquiries
[email protected]
Publication Date
May 26, 2026
UCI
G720:N+A327-20260410110
※ This e-book is protected under copyright law. Unauthorized reproduction and duplication are prohibited, and violations may result in criminal and civil liability.
※ Pentagram welcomes your precious manuscripts.

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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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