Making Money (4)
About ten minutes had passed since we started wandering the sewers.
"Ghouls are really here, right?"
No sign of any ghouls anywhere. I clutched the stack of talismans Gusechan had handed me in both arms and kept following close behind him. Gusechan, who had been grinning ear to ear, turned to look at me.
"No idea."
"Then what's with that smug grin?"
"Sorry, but I smile all the time."
Come to think of it, I'd never seen the guy frown. I'd known him for quite a while now, and if I couldn't remember even once, it might actually be true.
"You really smile every day? How?"
"How what? I just smile."
No, that wasn't what I meant. What I was really curious about was how he could keep smiling through the grueling daily grind of construction work.
When I asked him point-blank, he flashed that grin again, brimming with confidence as he replied.
"No idea."
Then why the smug confidence?
"...Right."
I turned my head away. What a pointless question. The guy's house was loaded, yet here he was, slaving away at manual labor just to fund his occult hobby.
Was this how a normal person felt trying to understand a madman's mindset?
Anyway, to steer away from that topic fast, I asked about something else I'd been wondering.
"So, how do you even use these talismans?"
I glanced down at the armful of yellow talismans in my hands.
Crude yellow paper stained with red ink scrawled in Hanja characters. They looked legit enough. But what mattered was whether they actually worked. If they fizzled out when I tried to use them, what good were they?
"Just infuse your intent and chuck 'em. That's what they said."
"What the hell does that even mean?"
Infuse your intent? Way too vague. If he'd at least said something like "focus your energy," I could've given it a shot. But intent? What was that supposed to mean?
"Tsk tsk. Just try it."
"Cut the crap. Let's swap weapons."
I eyed the baseball bat Gusechan was holding, and he hugged it protectively to his chest as he explained.
"No can do. I got no talent for talisman sorcery."
"How do you know?"
Oh, right. Gusechan scratched his head and spoke in that calm tone of his.
"Even when I infused intent, they wouldn't fly."
"Fuck, that's 'cause that's not how you use them."
Suddenly, I hated myself for coming out empty-handed. What had I been thinking, trusting this guy's word and leaving home bare? I should've at least grabbed a kitchen knife.
As I glared at him, Gusechan raised both hands above his shoulders to calm me down.
"Whoa, easy. I got no talent, so I can't use 'em, but you're the guy I vouch for. You'll be fine."
"You sure you didn't get scammed again?"
"Again? I've barely ever been scammed. Besides, I got those from the same guy who made the curse doll last time. No need to worry."
His lame excuse cooled my anger a bit. Same maker as the curse doll. Knowing that straw doll had been the real deal, I reluctantly nodded.
"Didn't the maker tell you how to use them?"
"Nah."
Should I just head back now? As I seriously debated it, footsteps echoed from ahead.
"Ghoul."
Gusechan, who had been smiling, whispered with a straight face I'd never seen before. But moments later, he grinned again and pointed his thumb at himself cockily.
"Perfect practice dummy for the talismans. I'll hold it down—give it a shot."
"What? Hey, wait!"
Before I could stop him, Gusechan charged out. He drop-kicked the ghoul, who had been shambling along staring at the ground, oblivious.
"Hiyah!"
Thwack!!
[Grraaah...]
The ghoul took the dropkick square in the face and collapsed with a pathetic wheeze.
"Get ready!"
Not missing a beat, Gusechan darted behind the rising ghoul and hooked his bat around its neck.
"Now!"
Gusechan had it locked down tight from behind. The ghoul, bulkier than it looked, thrashed wildly with surprising speed, trying to break free.
"Looks like it's gonna puke."
"Heh! Pretty fucked-up mug, yeah."
I gripped a talisman in my right hand.
Infuse intent... intent...
I poured my desire to incinerate the ghoul ahead into the talisman. The limp paper stiffened upright.
Feeling it harden like iron, I hurled it at the ghoul.
[Grrraaah...]
Shunk!
The sharp talisman buried deep in the ghoul's chest. It stopped struggling, stared down at its torso, then unleashed a grotesque scream moments later.
[Kraaaaaah—!]
Blue flames erupted from the talisman, engulfing the ghoul in seconds.
[Kweeeeeh—!]
"Whoa! Knew you could do it!"
Gusechan slipped free just before the flames roared high and sidled up beside me, whistling in admiration.
"No way... it actually worked?"
Ever since Gusechan showed me that palm-sized ghost fire in the alley behind the barbecue joint, I hadn't doubted the existence of magic or yokai anymore. But that was separate from believing I could use magic.
"Me... using magic..."
As I marveled to myself, Gusechan tossed in a comment.
"Oh, by the way, that's not magic. It's talisman sorcery."
"What? This isn't magic?"
"Magic's way cooler and more badass. That was just flamethrower-level power."
Way more impressive than this? I looked down at the ghoul's limp corpse on the ground.
Whoosh—
Even after it stopped moving, the blue flames clung on, burning relentlessly. Ghouls were supposed to be tough undead with insane durability. Something stronger than this one-shot kill?
"So how do you use magic? Hell, what's magic even? Like the fireballs and hellfire I know from games?"
"Nah. Simply put, magic's something way more mystical."
Gusechan's face took on a entranced glow, a subtle smile playing on his lips. He spread his arms wide, as if embracing the air itself, and tilted his head back dramatically.
His dyed-blond hair cascaded backward, defying gravity. Then he fixed me with a piercing stare, his voice rising from deep in his chest like a boiling cauldron.
"Magic is the supreme mystery incomparable to mere sorcery! A sublime purity granted only to those born as mages, the chosen ones! You and I—we're the chosen!"
"Why are you yelling all of a sudden?"
What the hell got into him? Did my question hit some trigger? No clue. Didn't really care either.
I met his gaze. His eyes were glazed over.
Smack!
"Ow! Why'd you hit me?!"
"Snap out of it and open your eyes properly. So, only naturals can use magic? Where do you even learn it?"
He rubbed the back of his head where I'd smacked him and replied, his eyes back to normal.
"Ah, sorry. Been kinda moody lately... menopause?"
"Quit joking around."
"Ahem. Yeah, long story short, people are born with magic affinity. No mage learns from another—it's innate. They just awaken to it naturally."
"Then I'm not a mage? I don't know any magic."
"Nah, you are."
"How do you know? Skip the vague talent bullshit."
"Magic... the primordial mystery is so profound and elusive..."
This guy's eyes were glazing over again.
Crack!
"Aaaah!! That hurts!"
I stared at him, now back to normal. He went nuts every time magic came up.
"So how can you be sure I'm a mage?"
"Mages recognize other mages on sight... Wait! Put that hand down! It hurts!"
"Quit bullshitting and explain properly. Want another?"
"No, for real! Mages spot each other instantly! You just haven't awakened your unique magic yet!"
Unique magic? Sounded familiar from the community last night.
"So you're a mage too, right? You got a unique magic then?"
"Yup, mine is..."
That's when the uninvited guests arrived. Maybe we'd been too loud. The remaining two ghouls came at us together.
[Grrraaah...]
[Grrraaah...]
We cut the chat short and faced the intruders.
"Okay, I'll take one..."
"No, stay back."
I pushed Gusechan—who was gripping his bat, ready to charge—behind me and stepped forward. My aim still sucked; I didn't want to hit him by accident.
Focusing on the talismans in each hand, I watched the limp papers stiffen. Then I flung one at each ghoul.
[Kraaaaaak!!]
[Kweeeeehk!!]
Three ghouls down, just like that.
"Whoa, getting the hang of it?"
"Easier than I thought."
"Told ya—it's talent. You're archmage material!"
"Enough fangirling. We done here?"
Once we're out, I'll get the full rundown from him.
Damn, this was easier than expected. I turned to the two ghoul corpses smoldering on the ground. Even burning, they triggered that visceral disgust.
Ten million won for three of these? Was the hazard pay really that good?
I asked Gusechan without hesitation, but he shook his head.
"This job's a 3rd-grade request. Ghouls are agile and strong despite the looks. But the real pain is their mystery resistance."
Mystery resistance: immunity to magic and sorcery. First time hearing it, and what a clunky name. Why not just "magic resistance"?
Oh yeah, what was sorcery anyway? Like talisman arts?
Whatever. I'll look it up later—maybe ask on the gallery with my burner account. For now, collect the cash and head home. Buy something tasty for sis, swing by the hospital too.
Easy ten mil and dipping into the world's mysteries had me buzzing.
That's why I didn't notice the ground shaking above my head.
BOOM!!
The sewer pipe overhead collapsed, burying me under dirt and a dozen ghouls.
Snapping to, I reached for a talisman.
Closest ones first...!
But Gusechan shoved me aside faster.
BOOM!!
Thanks to him, I escaped the ghouls and debris—but he got crushed instead.
"Gusechan!!"
Did he hear me? His head popped out from the pile.
Relief washed over my worried face. But only for a second. A ghoul head burst from the dirt beside him and sank teeth into his neck.
"Gaaahhh—!!"
"Hold on! I'll save you!"
I raised a talisman toward the ghoul biting him. But my trembling hand wouldn't let go.
Hard to aim with just his head exposed. Miss, and I'd hit Gusechan. As I hesitated, more heads emerged and latched on.
"Gaaaaahhh—!"
Worst-case scenario. In seconds, over a dozen ghouls tore into him. His agonized screams echoed, then cut off.
"...Fuck."
My hesitation had killed him.
The ghouls ripped into his limbs. They dragged his corpse from the pile and devoured it.
Squelch. Squelch.
[Grrraaah...]
[Graaaaa—]
[Greeeeh—]
His gut ripped open, steaming blood gushing out. With the abdominal wall gone, intestines spilled. The ghouls paused shredding flesh and slurped them up like noodles.
Slurp—!
The sight made my grip tighten instinctively. The talisman in my hand shuddered.
My mistake. Can't get complacent just 'cause it's easy.
Another harsh reminder: the world's underbelly wasn't forgiving.
"Sorry..."
Blue flames ignited on the trembling talisman. I hurled it at the ghouls. It exploded massively in midair before them.
BOOM!!
Ghoul chunks flew from the blast. Surveying the blue inferno, I spotted Gusechan's head rolling on the ground.
...If he hadn't pushed me, that would've been me.
Gratitude and regret choked me. But I couldn't stop here. All I could do was learn from this.
Never let my guard down mid-job again.
That was my vow.
"...Let's go."
Before leaving, I gave his head one last look. His eyes seemed to stare right at me.
"I won't forget today's favor. Whatever it takes, I'll repay it to your family."
I promised, meeting his gaze.
"What're you talking about? Quit screwing around and help me out."
"Huh?"
The head spoke. I stared in disbelief at Gusechan's severed head on the ground. His eyes locked on mine, full of life.
Gusechan wasn't dead.
How? Just a head—unless...
"That look says you're dying to know. Yeah, it's what you're thinking."
Magic.
"My unique magic is immortality. I can't die."
Just like he'd said. Magic wasn't some cheap fireball.
Deeper. Supreme. Profound and eternal mystery.
"Magic..."
"Yeah. This is real magic."
Knowing that sent tingles through my chest. I stared at him blankly. The headless guy grinned and said,
"You're hooked too. On the mystery of magic."
I nodded.
Hooked, just like that.
A man with only his head talking—a grotesque scene, no doubt. Yet somehow...
In that moment, I fell for magic's mystery at first sight, like a middle-schooler in the throes of first love.