"Welcome. What brings you here?"
When Chief Kim finally pulled himself together and knocked on the door, someone appeared from inside, just as the child had said. The person who appeared with a smile was dressed in an elegant hanbok, reminiscent of a character from a historical drama.
'This person also has no shadow. It's a ghost.'
Chief Kim could no longer tell if this was reality or a dream.
"Uh, um, this is Chairman Jang of Sekang Enterprises. I am his secretary, Kim Seonjae. We were guided here by Master Yeohye.
We- we have a request to make."
Chief Kim stammered, sweating profusely.
"The person, I mean, leader of Byeoksadan would take on the task, he said..."
The person listening carefully asked back in confirmation.
"You came through Master Yeohye?"
"Yes, that's right."
The person in the hanbok was silent for a moment, then smiled crookedly.
"There is already a guest here who says they were introduced by the
master."
Chief Kim gulped and glanced at Chairman Jang. Hearing of another guest, Chairman Jang's eyes narrowed slightly while the other person turned and looked back.
"The master doesn't send more than one client at a time, so one of you must be lying."
Things were starting to take an unsettling turn.
"I am unaware of such matters though."
Sensing the danger, Chairman Jang's expression hardened as he spoke immediately.
"Well, I suppose though... Anyway, it must have been a long journey.
Please come inside. We'll find out who is lying in due time."
The person in the hanbok nodded and led Chairman Jang and his party into the building. Following the ghost, they walked down a long corridor. Finally, they entered the room they were shown, where there indeed was another guest.
Chief Kim felt a sigh of relief when he confirmed that the two people sitting had shadows at their feet. Though they were dressed in hiking clothes, the other party wore casual clothes.
As Chairman Jang and his companion entered, the two guests exchanged glances conspicuously. Chairman Jang pulled his hat down low to avoid recognition while his secretary gave a perfunctory nod as a greeting and sat down.
"The leader is currently away. He will be here soon, so please wait where you are. I trust you will refrain from unnecessary actions."
The ghost who had guided them left shortly after.
Sitting across from each other with a table between them, the atmosphere was very awkward. Knowing that only one party had truly been introduced by the shaman made it even more uncomfortable.
Kim Seokcheol had been visibly anxious since Chairman Jang's party appeared. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before they were found out. Finally, he, who had been nervously shaking his leg, stood up abruptly.
Startled, Chief Kim spoke up.
"Hey, excuse me, didn't the ghost in the hanbok tell us not to move?"
"Mind your own business. You seem like an ignorant civilian."
Kim Seokcheol ignored Chief Kim's warning. There was no more time to waste. He had to touch the robe quickly and come up with a plausible excuse to leave before the leader arrived. As Kim Seokcheol scanned the room, his eyes lit up.
In one corner of the room, there was a space separated by a curtain.
He walked over briskly. He carefully peeked behind the curtain, checking the doorway for any signs of movement. His eyes widened.
"Jeongtak, over here...!"
Inside the curtained area, there was indeed a robe hanging. The robe, which was spread out grandly, was as dark red as rumored.
The rumors were true. He had thought he might have to search the entire room, but things turned out easier than expected. Just touching that robe would open up his spiritual senses.
Communicating with divine powers would become easier. He could finally set up the shrine he had dreamed of. Kim Seokcheol smiled hungrily.
Just then, Seo Jeongtak, who had been standing still like a stone statue, trembling all the while, pulled on Kim Seokcheol's arm.
"Hyung..."
Seo Jeongtak shook his head, looking tearful. He had been visibly terrified from the start, but Kim Seokcheol shook off his hand and drew back the curtain. Standing before the red robe, he swallowed nervously.
Finally, he reached out to touch the dark red robe.
"Aaaah-!"
He suddenly collapsed, screaming. Chief Kim and Chairman Jang jumped up in surprise. Seo Jeongtak looked at Kim Seokcheol with a face of disbelief.
His hand, which had touched the robe, was turning to stone.
"Hy- hyung... Hyung!"
Seo Jeongtak exclaimed and ran to the other man. As he grabbed Kim Seokcheol's hand with a pale face, the stone-like hand broke off like a mannequin's limb.
"This, this can't be happening..."
Meanwhile, the other two guests looked on in shock at the unbelievable sight.
"Ughh-! My hand-!"
Kim Seokcheol was on the verge of losing his mind from the pain.
He rolled on the floor, screaming in agony. The table was overturned, porcelain shattered, and the room became a chaotic mess. In no time, he was covered in injuries. Seo Jeongtak clung to him, crying.
"Is anyone there? Help us!"
Chief Kim covered his mouth. Is this a dream? How could this be reality...?
"Help! Someone, please...!"
Seo Jeongtak was crying his eyes out when suddenly, a calm voice came from the doorway.
"Oh my."
The three people, excluding Kim Seokcheol, turned their gazes simultaneously in the same direction.
"See, this is why you shouldn't touch other people's things carelessly."
Someone was leaning against the doorframe, looking at the chaotic room. Chairman Jang and Chief Kim widened their eyes when they saw the man standing there.
"You- you're the one from before..."
It was the young man they had met on the mountainside. His gaze shifted from Kim Seokcheol to Chairman Jang and Chief Kim. He raised his eyebrows slightly and spoke indifferently.
"We meet again."
Why is he here..? Chief Kim instinctively looked down at the young man's feet again. Sure enough, there was a shadow. He wasn't a ghost; he was human.
"You said you were going to the spring, how come you're here? If you had told me, we could have come together."
At that moment, Seo Jeongtak crawled on his knees and grabbed the young man's trouser leg.
"Please, help us. You're human, right? You're human?"
He's human! Seo Jeong-tak instinctively felt it. But this person was not an ordinary human but the only one who could help them in this ghostly place.
"Please, save my hyung!"
By now, Kim Seokcheol had lost consciousness due to the pain. The young man looked down at Seo Jeongtak, who was pleading at his feet, and asked,
"Who are you and where are you from? Introduce yourself first."
Tears streaming down his face, Seo Jeongtak began to speak incoherently. The lie about being introduced by the Master was now completely forgotten. He explained who they were, why they had come here, and how Kim Seokcheol ended up in this state.
The young man listened quietly and then asked with interest,
"Where did you hear that touching the leader's robe would open your senses?"
Seo Jeongtak answered something, but his words were unintelligible through his sobs. Eventually, the young man sighed lightly and turned his cap backward.
"Alright, stop crying. I'll reattach his hand."
The young man then knelt down in front of Kim Seokcheol and took out a black plastic bag hanging from his wrist. He picked up the other's severed hand and began examining it.
Just then, the door behind him creaked open, and someone appeared
"What's all this commotion about... Oh?"
It was the ghost who had guided Chairman Jang's party to this room.
The ghost looked around the chaotic room and then stopped when he saw the young man in front of Kim Seokcheol.
"Leader, when did you arrive?"
The faces of the three people, except for Kim Seokcheol, filled with shock. In contrast, the young man answered calmly, "Me? Just now," and then stood up.
"They said this person touched the robe. Go reattach his hand."
As if glad to pass on the task, the young man was about to hand it over to the ghost when his pocket started vibrating. The young man nonchalantly took out his phone.
"And also that per."
He trailed off as he looked at the screen. The ghost waited for further instructions, but the young man remained silent. It was as if he had forgotten what he was going to say, staring at his phone with a complicated expression.
"I'm out of hearts~ Kim Jaegyeom is eagerly waiting for Yoon Taehee's heart in the world of Friends Pang! Shall we dive into the fun world of Friends Pang? Go go!"
"..."
Even the leader of Byeoksadan, Yoon Taehee, couldn't escape game invite messages.