Stalker (2)
I'd lost count of how many times I'd said this, but today had been just another ordinary day in my life. Normally, the second I stepped out the front door, that murderer anomaly would come chasing after me—that had been the pattern up until now. But for some reason, it was nowhere in sight today.
"Guess it's dead or something."
Of course, whether it lived or died was none of my business. The thing popped up out of nowhere anyway, scampering after me like a pony with its tail on fire. Even if it didn't show now, it'd appear later.
"..."
Anyway, I caught the bus and headed to work. For a brief moment, I recalled the chase from a few days ago and wondered, 'Wouldn't running to the office be faster than the bus?' But then we pulled into the stop, and I got off, making my way to the company.
"Good morning."
I opened the office door and greeted everyone like usual, but someone shot up from their seat like lightning and grabbed my wrist, dragging me outside. The movement was so quick it felt like an ambush—I didn't even think to resist as they hauled me into a deserted storage room.
"Yeon Dae-ri, what's going on?"
"..."
Of course, I didn't resist because it was Yeon Dae-ri who'd grabbed me. She looked like she had something important to say, but she just stood there, fidgeting and unable to spit it out. What was this about? I had no obligation to wait around patiently, so I decided to be direct.
"So, what is it you want to say?"
"Eek!"
"Don't hesitate—just tell me. What's there to be scared of between us?"
Yeon Dae-ri and I had only worked together for about a year, but she was the colleague I got along with best in the department—my drinking buddy, even. Whatever she had to say, I could understand it. Well, except for a confession. Not that I disliked her or anything; it was just that I had no idea what Shin-nim might do.
"Don't get the wrong idea—please just hear me out."
"Sure."
Maybe my words gave her courage, because she steeled herself and slowly opened her mouth. What came out next was shocking in more ways than one.
"You've got a massive stroke of bad luck clinging to you, Gwa-jang-nim. A really huge one!"
"..."
Let's see... "Stroke of bad luck" probably meant misfortune or disaster. And a big one meant I was in serious danger right now?
"Small ones can be warded off with talismans. You've probably felt it yourself these past few days, right?"
"..."
"But today is different. You're in extremely dangerous shape right now."
To sum up what Yeon Dae-ri said: I was basically a dead man walking. One foot in the grave, carrying enough misfortune to wipe out a whole village on my own.
"Take a sick day today. And whatever you do, don't leave the house."
"..."
"I know it sounds weird, but just this once... please believe me."
She gripped my hand tightly, her face resolute, like she'd made up her mind to save me no matter what. Seeing her like that—refusing to take no for an answer—I looked a bit troubled.
'What do I do about this.'
It wasn't that I didn't believe her. With deep-sea gods and anomalies in the world, why couldn't someone see curses? I trusted Yeon Dae-ri. Even if I knew nothing about anomalies, I would've felt the same. But the reason I hesitated boiled down to one thing.
'Pretty sure today is that day.'
Shin-nim had told me recently that [it would be resolved soon], and "soon" felt like today. If that was the case, it seemed like I'd get dragged into something no matter what I did.
"Alright, got it. I'll rest at home today."
"! Great idea!"
Well, I'd figure that out later. For now, I decided to follow her advice. She was begging so earnestly, it felt wrong to refuse—and more importantly, she'd been clenching her fists with that agonized look since earlier. I didn't want to get knocked out, so I figured I'd head home on my own two feet.
"I'll take a sick day today."
"You finished yesterday's work anyway. Sure, take it easy."
"Thanks."
And so, I took the sick day. With the talismans and various items Yeon Dae-ri gave me in hand, I was on my way home at what should've been prime working hours.
"Feels weird."
It was like doing something naughty. Reminded me of skipping school as a kid. Whatever—good things were good. Time to relax. With that thought, I boarded the approaching bus.
I got home early, stuck one talisman on the front door, another on the big window, placed a small shrine on the dining table, and settled in for some rest.
"What're you doing, protagonist? Got no balls?"
I lay on the bed reading webnovels, munched on some snacks, binged the latest chapters, then sat at my desk playing PC games.
"Easy game."
Ever since getting this monster body, my reaction time and control had improved, so unlike before, I crushed the games effortlessly. After snagging MVP, I was stretching happily when—
Suddenly, someone knocked on the front door.
"What the—"
I hadn't ordered anything. A bit suspicious, I approached the door to check the peephole—
BAM!
The door exploded inward, slamming into me. I tumbled across the room.
"Guh!"
The attack was so sudden I couldn't react. The murderer anomaly charged in an instant, ramming me like a bull. It grabbed my waist and hurled me across the room toward the window.
[!!!]
"!!!"
Crash!
The window shattered as the anomaly and I plummeted. Right before hitting the ground, I barely shook it off, landing precariously on a tree and making it safely down.
"Hoo... fuck."
[....]
I checked myself first. Bruise from the door, minor cuts from glass shards. Nothing serious—my body was fine.
'Damn it.'
The problem? I hadn't grabbed Go-seo. I'd usually handle this, but the ambush was perfect; I didn't even react. And I hadn't expected it to barge into my home like this.
'Why now? It's been running away all this time.'
After our two clashes, it'd avoided direct approaches, opting to tire me out. For something with its own rules, this was blatantly off.
"You idiot. Can't you handle one guy at a time?"
Then, a unfamiliar man's voice came from above. Looking up, a robed middle-aged man peered down from the broken window frame. Before I could react, he leaped down, landing beside the murderer anomaly.
"You know how many days the ritual got delayed because of you?"
[...!]
"Such a moron."
He casually kicked the anomaly's shin, but it didn't resist—like master and slave. An eerie vibe.
"Hey, you. Shaman's kid?"
"...Why do you ask?"
He suddenly turned to me, sneering.
"Don't try to fool me. I can still smell the fresh ghost energy from those talismans and the shrine."
"..."
He started spouting nonsense. Seemed like he mistook me for a shaman's offspring.
"Whatever—works for me. A shaman's kid has more value as loot than a regular sacrifice."
"...What?"
"What're you questioning? Die quietly."
He reached out, his palm morphing into a massive centipede lunging at me.
"Kuh!"
I rolled aside; a crater formed where I'd stood. Debris flew amid the quake. The centipede arm struck again—I ducked, letting it slide past.
"Pretty agile. Special constitution?"
"What the hell are you babbling about!?"
"Mixed with spirit beast blood? Or maybe low-grade Heavenly Fox Charm."
I dodged the centipede arm while putting distance between us. I didn't know where this guy came from, but I needed to escape his range first. Then I could either lose him or grab Go-seo for a chance to win.
"Think you can run?"
"...!"
A transparent barrier blocked my path. Looking around, a spherical gyeol-gye enveloped the whole apartment complex. I punched it—pure mana, rippling but unyielding to physical force.
The man's voice approached slowly from behind.
"Was gonna split you in half roughly, but I changed my mind."
"...You mean you'll let me live?"
"As if. I just want your body intact."
He reverted the centipede arm, shoved his hand deep into his mouth, and pulled out... hundreds of insect eggs. They hatched and swelled instantly, swarms of flying bugs buzzing around him.
"Preserved insects. They'll turn you into a living corpse."
"...Fuck."
"Be honored—you're valuable ritual fodder."
He extended his hand; the swarm dive-bombed, stingers poised. Barrier behind, bugs ahead. Was this it?
As that thought crossed my mind, a faint voice whispered in my ear.
[Help. Need?]