Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Movie Filming (3)
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A grand old mansion appeared before us, boasting a meticulously manicured expansive garden.
It was the polar opposite of the gloomy, filthy room that man's hovel from moments ago.
The garden, with its harmonious arrangement of trees, stones, and flowers in every color, was a work of art in itself.
"Wow..."
"...Beautiful."
Including me, most of the team members lost ourselves for a moment in the stunning sight, gazing around in wonder and letting out soft exclamations of admiration.
In the midst of this brutal monster phenomenon, such a peaceful scene felt utterly out of place.
Everyone took a step forward, examining every corner of the garden.
We all wore expressions as if we'd momentarily shed our tension.
"..."
But one person was different—Hanbit alone.
His face had grown even darker and more rigid than before, pale as if he'd seen a ghost.
His usual apathetic demeanor was nowhere to be found.
Bora, who noticed his change first, asked cautiously.
"You don't look well... Do you recognize this place by any chance?"
Hanbit opened his mouth with a trembling voice, barely managing to speak.
"This is the home of the Jinmyeong Group chairman... my grandfather."
The home of the Jinmyeong Group chairman.
It was the epicenter of the family discord he'd so desperately wanted to escape, and now he'd been forcibly dragged here.
The place we'd arrived at struck at Hanbit's deepest trauma.
This monster was relentlessly targeting his weakest point.
Stunned by Hanbit's shocking confession, everyone fell silent for a moment before hurriedly checking the fourth scene in the script they held.
It described eliminating people around Shun for revenge against him.
And the next line revealed the first target and exactly how the story would unfold.
"Hanul?"
It was a name none of us had heard before.
As we exchanged puzzled glances, not knowing who it belonged to, Hanbit spoke first in a low voice.
His face was filled with deep despair and resignation.
"Hanul... is my uncle's name."
His uncle?
Family—his own direct uncle—was going to try to kill his nephew?
Not just me, but the other team members stared at Hanbit in disbelief.
Bora asked carefully.
"Is there any reason your uncle might target you?"
The script had only mentioned an "uneasy relationship."
But this was murder-level animosity, far beyond mere discomfort.
Hanbit hesitated for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh and began to reveal his family situation.
"My father... lost his life to a monster a few years ago. After that, there was a lot of talk about the Jinmyeong Group succession. Officially, there are three candidates. First is my uncle Hanul, then my older brother Hanbeom, and finally, me."
He paused, then continued with a bitter smile.
"As you know, Jinmyeong Group made its name with items and shamans. Unfortunately, my brother has little talent in either. My uncle, on the other hand, is exceptionally gifted as a shaman, and I... have a reputation for some talent in appraising and utilizing items. So within the group, there's been a lot of discussion about the succession between my uncle and me."
Talent with items.
I'd previously thought it was just because he was a Jinmyeong Group heir that he handled items well, but his explanation suggested something more.
Seeing my puzzled expression, Hanbit added as if reading my mind.
"I can actually tell roughly what abilities an item has and how to use it just by looking at it. Without any special appraisal process."
That was an incredible ability.
In a world where item information was absolutely crucial, Hanbit's skill held immense value on its own.
And because of that very talent, he was now in a position where his closest kin threatened his life.
Rustle.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, I noticed the lens of the camera that had been following us move ever so slightly.
It was odd.
The camera was no longer pointed at us. It was filming one corner of the garden, as if capturing a different subject.
With a hunch, I followed the camera's gaze, and there stood a man with a completely different impression from the stranger before.
"...That hanbok..."
"What's up?"
"It's a particularly special one. I know a bit about them myself."
Bora whispered softly upon seeing the man's hanbok.
It was clearly expensive, with intricate embroidery and vibrant colors.
He was a sturdy, middle-aged man of considerable build, wearing the lavish hanbok casually.
The moment he spotted us, he snorted disdainfully, then clicked his tongue at Hanbit.
"Tsk tsk. You join some no-name company, and end up hanging with trash like this."
His voice dripped with blatant contempt.
Hanbit clenched his fists and said nothing, but his profile trembled faintly with anger.
Hanbit said quietly, but loud enough for all of us to hear.
"...That's my uncle."
Shun was the first to bristle at the man's insults.
"Don't talk like that."
"Trash...?"
Just as Shun and Bora raised their voices to confront Hanul simultaneously.
Hanul's eyes rolled back grotesquely, flashing only the whites.
It was a chilling sight.
"Hoo...?"
Hanul scanned us one by one with eyes showing only whites, letting out an unsettling chuckle.
"A decently strong nobody... a washed-up exorcist who just throws talismans... a wretch cursed with the worst luck..."
His gaze swept over Shun, Bora, and Park Sunja in turn, appraising them aloud.
The team members' faces hardened with bewilderment and disgust.
Was this the exceptional shaman talent Hanbit had mentioned?
Finally, his gaze reached me.
I waited for his next words. But Hanul stared piercingly at me for a moment, then tilted his head in confusion.
"Can't see... Nothing... How strange..."
Then, as if losing interest, he dismissed me: "Just another nobody, I suppose." And looked away.
Something felt off, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
Hanbit stepped forward, unable to hold back any longer.
"...You're being rude to our guests, Uncle."
Hanul scoffed at him.
"Rude? Who's being rude to whom! I gave you free access to the Jinmyeong Group's item warehouse, even assigned guards to raise you properly! And you repay that kindness by breaking promises and eyeing the succession again? Aren't you the rude one!"
Hanbit raised his voice indignantly.
"You let me into a warehouse full of worthless items, and guards? You mean surveillance. And I've never once shown interest in the succession."
"Quiet! I've already heard from reliable sources about the schemes you're plotting behind my back!"
Hanul glared at Hanbit furiously.
His eyes began to glow with an eerie red light.
"I can't hand everything in the Jinmyeong family to a half-baked shaman like you!"
At that moment, Hanbit's face drained of color, and he shouted urgently.
"Everyone, get back! My uncle's... about to be possessed!"
"Possessed...?"
As if answering my question, a dark crimson aura began to rise from Hanul's body.
Then his facial muscles twitched like they were spasming.
Anger, mockery, madness— a flurry of emotions flashed across his face in an instant.
Finally, with a face twisted in rage, he bellowed at Hanbit.
"You bastard!"
His voice had completely changed.
Gone was the previous cynical, authoritative tone; now it was a thunderous, booming baritone.
His posture had shifted too. With shoulders squared and back ramrod straight, he exuded overwhelming pressure.
"Everyone, get back!"
At Hanbit's shout, I reflexively leaned away.
Right then, Hanul's fist whistled past the spot where we'd been standing, stirring up a fierce gust.
It was a split-second motion, but the speed and power were no joke.
"Be careful... It's a General Spirit."
Hanbit panted as he warned us.
I didn't know what a General Spirit was, but as he said, the current Hanul needed to be handled with care.
Even as a human, that aura and movement felt just like facing a monster.
Hanul, having swung his fist, eyed us retreating with interest, then pointed directly at me and Shun with an even deeper, more intimidating voice.
"Fine! Two decent ones! Good! Come at me together! Starting with you lot, we'll settle this today!"
His eyes flashed with red madness.
Shun smirked.
"Doesn't look like we'll lose."
Shun stood beside me.
He clenched his fists, facing off against Hanul.
I gripped my fists just like Shun.