The Calamity-Class Artifacts in Ghost Stories Are Obsessed with Me - Chapter 4

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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 Artifacts in Urban Legends Take Interest — Episode 4
In front of the Daeseong Reading Room building.
Yellow tape cordoned off the entrance, restricting foot traffic.
Although formal procedures hadn’t been completed yet, the building would be shut down as soon as they were.
“Lucky we handled it before anyone became a casualty.”
Hwa Ryeon murmured with an unlit cigarette dangling from her lips.
Cheong Woo, standing beside her with his arms crossed, answered.
“Under normal circumstances, we’d be looking at several deaths. The manager should’ve been arrested outright.”
“The manager’s just an ordinary person, though. He probably didn’t know how to handle it from the start. Still, pushing people who knew nothing into part-time work is inexcusable.”
What if the part-timer hadn’t been Woo Joo, but someone ordinary?
That person would already be gone from this world.
The reading room was contaminated to the point of casually devouring one or two people.
Cheong Woo nodded at her words, then spoke cautiously.
“But recommending that person take the exam… isn’t that too soon? He seemed completely unaware of any of this.”
At that, Hwa Ryeon let out a short laugh.
“Well? I think he’s exactly the right talent for our Surveillance Bureau.”
“The item he was carrying did seem unusual, but wasn’t that something he happened to acquire by chance? I don’t think it justifies you recruiting him with your own money, Director.”
The interview fee and bonus Hwa Ryeon had mentioned to Woo Joo didn’t actually exist.
Given her nature, she wouldn’t back down later, so she must have decided from the start to pay that money from her own pocket.
“It’s just a million won or so. I’ve got plenty saved up. Besides, if he doesn’t meet my standard, there won’t be any more money going out, right?”
The promised bonus would only be paid if he passed the test “with distinction.”
So if Woo Joo turned out to be mediocre talent, it would end at a million won.
At those words, Cheong Woo fell silent for a moment before speaking.
“What exactly did you see, Director?”
“Well, he was somewhat to my taste, first of all.”
Hwa Ryeon had been spouting nonsense, but sensing Cheong Woo was about to protest, she smiled and continued.
“Among Sacred Artifacts and Holy Relics, some say there are those that choose their own masters. You’ve heard of that?”
“What? Ah, yes. Though I don’t really believe it.”
“It’s true.”
“Really?”
“Truly exceptional items have a certain degree of will. They only grant their power to those they recognize. And some go even further than that—they actively seek out their masters themselves.”
This time, Cheong Woo realized she wasn’t joking but speaking with genuine seriousness, so he asked carefully.
“Then the thing that person was carrying…?”
“Absolutely not something he could’ve obtained by accident. Even in our Surveillance Bureau, we don’t have many artifacts with that level of power.”
An uncommon Sacred Artifact. And a person chosen by it.
Such a person couldn’t possibly be ordinary.
Understanding her meaning, Cheong Woo nodded.
Meanwhile, Hwa Ryeon thought of the item that person had been holding as he left.
Once he returned, she’d need to investigate whether anything had gone missing from anywhere.
The odds were extremely high that an artifact of that caliber had been sealed somewhere.
‘It probably wasn’t originally in the form of a steel pipe. If I had to pinpoint a characteristic, it’s that extraordinary Monstrous Strength.’
It seemed the investigation would work best if she centered it on the keyword of Monstrous Strength.
* * *
Woo Joo checked his phone.
A message showing 3 million won had been deposited was glowing on the screen.
“Wow.”
Seeing it, Woo Joo broke into a grin. This was money the reading room manager had deposited.
He’d been worried about how things ended, but fortunately the manager called the next day, telling him he didn’t need to come in anymore and would settle his pay with a deposit.
And this morning he’d confirmed the deposit had gone through.
“3 million won. 3 million won, really.”
Just days ago, he’d been fretting about how to pay for the next day’s meals—this was truly a substantial amount.
Normally he would’ve been overjoyed, dancing around giddily.
“Hmm.”
But right now, something was blocking that joy.
Specifically, the proposal from the person who’d visited the reading room.
“I should probably head out in about an hour.”
That was right.
Today, right now, Woo Joo had to take an exam—at that place called the Surveillance Bureau.
From what he’d heard, the exam wasn’t specially prepared just for him; it was one of their regularly scheduled tests.
“First, I should eat.”
But first things first—one can’t accomplish anything on an empty stomach.
Woo Joo pulled out a large metal basin, then heaped serving after serving of rice from the cooker. The portion looked easily enough for three or four people.
Ever since he’d picked up the Steel Pipe, his appetite had grown to almost absurd levels.
Clink.
Next, he opened two cans of tuna and dumped them in.
Once, he could never have imagined such extravagance. There had been times he’d split a single can of tuna into thirds to make it last.
Then came a generous dollop of gochujang, shredded radish to go with the tuna, and a few drizzles of sesame oil—and that was that.
Woo Joo stirred the improvised tuna bibimbap with quick, practiced strokes, then lifted a generous spoonful to his mouth.
The taste was, naturally, incredible.
After finishing his meal, Woo Joo changed clothes and left the apartment at once.
If he’d taken the bus, he’d have been cutting it close for time, but there was no problem. This time, he was splurging on a taxi.
‘God, I’m really treating myself today.’
A grin crossed Woo Joo’s face at the delicious sense of liberation as he flagged down a taxi on the main road.
“Where are we headed?”
“This address, please.”
“Understood.”
The taxi driver pulled away with Woo Joo aboard.
Woo Joo cradled his bag against his chest as he gazed out the window. It stood to reason, but inside the bag was the Steel Pipe.
This “test” didn’t sound like any ordinary examination.
‘At least they said it would be a written test.’
Ever since obtaining the Steel Pipe, his thinking had become oddly simplified—though not so much that he’d lost his capacity for sound judgment.
That test had to be connected to the strange things he’d witnessed at the reading room.
Woo Joo gazed out the window with a calm, settled expression, turning the matter over in his mind.
“We’ve arrived.”
Some time later, the taxi drew to a halt in front of a building.
As Woo Joo rummaged through his wallet to pay, the taxi driver glanced out the window and spoke.
“There’s a school here? I pass through this area all the time, and I’ve never noticed it before.”
At those words, Woo Joo turned to look.
Before him stood a school that appeared quite shabby at first glance.
It had clearly been closed for some time, giving off a distinct air of abandonment.
It was far too dilapidated to seem like the testing ground of a government institution.
And yet, knowing that this government institution was anything but ordinary, he found the ramshackle appearance oddly fitting.
“Yes, that’s right. Thank you.”
Woo Joo offered a suitably noncommittal reply and stepped out of the taxi.
Passing through the main gate, which stood slightly ajar, he crossed the modest schoolyard and arrived at the entrance, where someone was waiting to greet him at the door.
“Have you come for the entrance examination?”
The man had a stolid expression and a sturdy build. Like the others he’d seen before, he wore a suit and dark sunglasses.
“Yes.”
“May I see your identification?”
“Here it is.”
The man examined the ID that Woo Joo handed over, nodded, and spoke.
“Han Woo Joo. Your identity has been verified. Please proceed in that direction.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Woo Joo gave the man a slight bow and headed in the direction he’d indicated.
A group of people was already waiting there, each one distinctly different from the next.
A young woman in a flamboyant traditional dress of vivid colors with heavy makeup. A man wearing thick-rimmed glasses, a strange device clutched in his hand.
A middle-aged person with a stern expression dressed in what looked like everyday traditional wear. And a strikingly built man in military fatigues and a Marine Corps cap, towering at nearly two meters tall.
‘Quite the diverse group.’
Each one had a strong personality.
But Woo Joo didn’t know.
The assembled people were watching him with expressions that said, What exactly is this guy?
And with good reason. Woo Joo stood there in a full tracksuit, a bag containing something long and unwieldy in one hand.
Had Woo Joo been aware of their thoughts, he would have felt wronged.
After all, he was only following the advice given by Agent Hwa Ryeon.
—Don’t wear a suit or anything formal. It’s best to come in clothes that are easy to move around in.
That was the advice she’d given.
As they all regarded each other with a measure of wariness,
“In ten minutes, we’ll begin the examination with a brief introduction. Please prepare anything you’ll need.”
The suited man from before reappeared and spoke. It looked as though everyone who was coming had now arrived.
At his words, people began to stir and make their preparations.
The woman in the hanbok held a bell and a dull blade. The man with glasses held batteries for the device in his hands. The middle-aged man carried prayer beads. And the Marine tightened his shoelaces firmly.
‘Better take it out now.’
Woo Joo glanced at the others, then pulled out the only piece of equipment he’d prepared from his bag.
A steel pipe.
The expressions of the others grew even stranger at the sight of it. Though Woo Joo, preoccupied with other thoughts, didn’t notice.
‘So what exactly is the test?’
Woo Joo’s only concern at the moment was what kind of test they’d be taking in this abandoned school.
After all, a high-paying job and a five-million-won bonus were on the line.
The abandoned school building was a two-story structure stretched lengthwise.
That’s all you could tell from the outside. There were no other clues to be found from a mere glance at the exterior.
Just the overwhelming impression of decay.
Some time passed.
“Well then, I’ll begin the explanation.”
The man in sunglasses spoke again.
“This building is an elementary school that closed approximately ten years ago. It is currently under the jurisdiction of the Surveillance Bureau and perfectly sealed for reasons I won’t disclose.”
Several people nodded at this, as if to say they’d expected as much.
As if they’d known all along this wasn’t an ordinary building.
The man in sunglasses continued without paying attention to their reactions.
“The test itself is simple. You will begin here at the entrance, locate a key, and exit from the opposite side.”
At that moment, the man with glasses posed a question.
“There’s nothing about exorcism or finding something specific like that, correct?”
“Correct.”
The man answered firmly.
“However, all aspects of the test will be monitored by supervisors, and that will factor into your evaluation.”
“Is there any other information you can provide?”
“No. You’ll discover it yourselves.”
At his successive curt responses, several people who seemed ready to ask more questions simply fell silent.
Then Woo Joo spoke up hesitantly.
“Um, does damaging property or things like that count against us?”
At his question, the others’ eyes turned toward Woo Joo again. Some looked at him openly as if wondering what was wrong with him.
But the man in sunglasses answered simply enough this time too.
“Not at all. As long as you don’t harm the other test-takers, anything goes.”
“Ah, yes!”
Woo Joo felt reassured at that answer.
He’d been worried something might break under his hands again like last time.
After several more questions were exchanged.
“Then you may begin.”
The man in sunglasses said this and walked directly toward the school entrance.
In his wake, the people who’d been watching his movements spoke up.
“Hm, an ominous energy. I can feel the presence of malevolent spirits…….”
The middle-aged man in everyday hanbok furrowed his brow and muttered.
At that, the man with glasses glanced at the device in his hand and murmured.
“Yes. The frequency is definitely abnormal. Something’s definitely here.”
“That’s right! There’s definitely something! I’m sure of it!”
“Hmm. This is no ordinary building.”
The man wearing the Marine cap chimed in as well.
Only the woman in hanbok and Woo Joo remained quiet.
The woman had kept a stern expression and her mouth shut from the start, so that wasn’t surprising.
Woo Joo, on the other hand, simply had nothing to contribute.
He didn’t feel anything in particular.
“Opening the door now.”
Shortly after reaching the entrance, the man grasped the door and announced it.
Then he muttered something inaudibly before applying force and pushing it open.
As the door swung wide, a musty smell wafted out from within.
“May fortune favor us.”
Woo Joo peered inside.
A hallway stretched before them, its walls plastered thickly with yellow talismans.
At the sight of it, the ones who’d been chattering grew tense again.
“Whoa! It’s full of Yin Energy! Completely saturated!”
“The frequency……!”
“I have a bad feeling about this.”
Then.
“I’ll go first.”
The woman who had been silent until now walked casually toward the interior without hesitation.
Woo Joo naturally followed in her wake. He had no intention of lingering at the entrance to chat with the others.
Once the two of them descended, the rest exchanged glances before gradually following suit.
Notably, the chatty middle-aged man was the last to enter, treading carefully.
‘It’s more ordinary than I expected.’
Meanwhile, Woo Joo surveyed the corridor as he walked.
There was none of the strange feeling he’d sensed at Daeseong Reading Room—just an ordinary corridor, oddly decorated perhaps, but nothing more.
Just the vibe of a hallway with some weird interior design.
So Woo Joo strode forward naturally with long steps, while the others clicked their tongues in disapproval.
“If he barges ahead like that, he’ll get hurt badly.”
“It’s always people like him who get into danger first in the movies.”
It was closer to cursing, really, but Woo Joo paid no attention.
They could cooperate with him, but they were also competitors at the same time.
Then, at that moment.
Ding-aling, ding-aling, ding-aling, ding-aling—!
Suddenly, a loud ringing erupted through the corridor.
Sharp, as if warning of some sinister danger. And immediately after.
Whoooosh!
Something burst abruptly from the wall. As if trying to break through the talismans adhered to the surface.
“There, there!”
“Step back! We mustn’t provoke the spirits in this place!”
The others reflexively retreated in alarm, while the woman with the bell spoke in a low but clear voice.
“We must appease them as much as possible, then pass through quietly…….”
Her explanation was nearly a perfect guide to resolving the situation.
But the creature that had burst from the wall happened to emerge right beside Woo Joo.
Unfortunately for it.
“Damn it!”
Naturally, Woo Joo didn’t restrain himself this time either. Even if he had, the Steel Pipe wouldn’t have.
Clang—!
The thing struck by the Steel Pipe retreated with a clean, ringing sound, vanishing back into the wall in an instant.
Simultaneously, the other bulging sections of wall fell silent as death. As if nothing had ever happened.
Those who had been making a fuss—especially the woman—stared blankly between Woo Joo and the wall.
The look on their faces: what the hell is this guy?
Of course, Woo Joo didn’t care.
Appease an angry spirit and slip past quietly? Tedious.
Then it dies instead. Simple and efficient.
The Steel Pipe already knows the answer.
Next episode ▶
Catastrophe-Class Artifacts Fixated Within Urban Legends
Author
Lee Se-gye
Publisher
Kim Seok-hwan, Choi Se-ra
Published by
Grae Publishing
Contact
[email protected]
Publication Date
May 26, 2026
UCI
G720:N+A327-20260410110
※ This e-book is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized reproduction and copying are prohibited, and violators may face both criminal and civil legal liability.
※ Pentagram is waiting for 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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