Chapter 44
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: A Changed Appearance
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Sowol had evolved into a disaster-class anomaly.
At calamity-class, she had the traits of a lingering thought entity, earth-bound spirit, and curse ghost. Now elevated to disaster-class, Sowol possessed the attributes of a household deity, earth-bound spirit, and guardian ghost.
A household deity, simply put, is a family guardian spirit that protects and watches over a home. Combined with guardian ghost traits, Sowol was no longer just some mere evil spirit.
She was still an earth-bound spirit tied to this building, but her chaotic evil alignment had shifted toward neutral-good. That was a good way to think of it.
Her exorcism methods were even unconventional now. At this point, shouldn't we enshrine her in a small shrine like a real deity?
"We... went and did that to her."
"Yeah. She evolved on us out of nowhere."
"Um, did I get a bit prettier?"
At her question about getting prettier, I peered closely at her face.
Becoming disaster-class hadn't changed her appearance. She had always been beautiful, before or now.
I'd spent three months with her at the Cursed Mountain Lodge, and adding that up, it had been over four months together already. Sowol was as consistent as ever.
"You've always been beautiful."
"Aah... Hubby, you're too much..."
I'd said it without much thought, but Sowol blushed and playfully tapped my shoulder as if embarrassed.
[Received considerable shock.]
[Vitality decreases by 4.]
'No way, that did damage? Sowol, you... you've gotten even stronger.'
I hadn't noticed much external change, but that tap alone told me her strength had skyrocketed to absurd levels.
Probably not just strength—her overall stats must have surged massively.
Of course, she still wasn't on my level, but the boost was enough to disrupt daily life, so I warned her to control her strength normally.
One slip, and she could wreck the whole house.
"Uh... who's this?"
I could really feel Sowol's change when I brought her back down to the office.
As Sowol followed me into the office, Yu-ha shot up in undisguised shock, pointing at her in disbelief.
"An incredible beauty..."
"Wow. So pretty..."
Jeong Ha-yeon looked stunned too, and Go Yu-rim gaped in awe.
What the hell had she even looked like to them before?
The worlds we saw were different, so their reactions were hard to grasp.
"No way... is that... the White-Faced Bride...?"
"Yeah. She changed up a bit this time. Pretty, right?"
"A bit? Uncle, she's a whole different being now..."
Yu-ha flopped onto the sofa, muttering.
"This means staring contests are pointless now..."
"That's your issue?"
So Sowol had gotten too pretty for staring contests, and that was what bugged her.
Even to outsiders, the White-Faced Bride looked more beautiful now. For Yu-ha, who'd been training her mental fortitude through stare-downs, losing her sparring partner must sting.
"Um, Hubby."
"Yeah?"
"If you permit it, Hubby... I could show these kids my 'scary face'..."
Showing her 'scary face'—did that mean she could evoke disaster-class terror beyond her beautiful human form?
That ought to satisfy Yu-ha.
"Give it a try."
"Okay..."
I permitted her 'scary face,' and she scrunched her expression slightly.
Was that it? The scary face?
To me, it just looked like a cute pout...
"Kyaaah!"
"H-Hup..."
Thud.
Sowol scrunched her face, and Yu-ha shrieked, leaping back to a corner in a frenzy before panicking and summoning her Five Flower Bell Spirit.
Jeong Ha-yeon beside her shook her head in horror, begging for mercy, while Go Yu-rim face-planted on the desk and passed out.
Their reactions were over the top. Facing disaster-class terror beyond calamity-class had nearly shattered their mental fortitude.
"Hey, Sowol. Maybe stop? The kids are terrified."
"Hee-hee."
Sowol beamed again, and only then did Yu-ha look at me, face drenched in sweat, on the verge of tears.
"U-Uncle... w-what was that? What the hell just... No, the spirit ran away."
"The Five Flower Bell Spirit fled again?"
"Y-Yeah..."
If even her possessing spirit fled, that was overwhelming. True disaster-class dread.
Sowol could still shift to a horrifying form at will, and the fact it only looked beautiful to me was immensely satisfying.
I'd hoped she'd remain a terror to others, and her 'scary face' nailed that perfectly.
"Now you can keep up the staring contests."
"Th-This... I'll need some mental prep. But Uncle, the White-Faced Bride isn't just calamity-class anymore, right? She's gotten way stronger... Evolved to disaster-class?"
"Huh? Nah, I don't think so? Probably still calamity-class?"
"Liar! You show it when you lie! You got caught on the nameless cloth too—think your lies will work on me? She's disaster-class!"
At Yu-ha's words, Jeong Ha-yeon, who'd been listening, flinched and raised an objection.
"Can... an individual even possess a disaster-class...?"
This issue had crossed my mind too.
Even calamity-class was hugely risky; if word got out an individual could handle a disaster-class anomaly, it'd be a massive threat to other factions.
The Church or Buddhism might crack down hard. The Anomaly Management Department would monitor me intensely if they knew.
That's why I hadn't said she was disaster-class, but Yu-ha sniffed it out immediately.
If Yu-ha caught on, folks like Master Mun Seon-woo or Flame Rock Hye-ryeong Monk would spot it instantly.
"Keep it secret for now. You all too."
I asked them to keep it quiet. Yu-ha wiped her face and nodded, while Jeong Ha-yeon pondered deeply before proposing terms.
"Since the Fixer took us in... we'll keep a secret like that, of course. But one request."
"What request?"
"Give Yu-rim and me some work."
"Work? What kind exactly?"
"Anything. As long as it pays."
Work that pays—anything goes.
That meant formally hiring them.
"Got it. If something comes up where I need help, I'll ask then."
"Thank you. That's enough."
Jeong Ha-yeon wanted to earn her keep.
She couldn't just take my charity, so promising to call on her when needed brightened her face.
"Anyway, it's late. Time to sleep. Cleared a spare room next door for you."
On the way down from the roof, Sowol and I had prepped sleeping space for the three.
The Fixer Office was a cramped 10-pyeong space unfit for four, so we snuck them into an empty upstairs room without the landlord knowing.
The building was mostly vacant except for the office on 3F and coffee shop on 1F, and the secretive landlord never showed, so using a vacant room shouldn't cause issues.
"Then, before bed..."
I hugged Sowol and snapped a photo.
Then, to gather intel on the Black Claw Society cult leader and bait with Sowol's pic, I logged into the World of Doom Gallery after ages.
[Cult Leader Missing Day 6 (11)]
[Does your world have blue moons too? (44)]
[This Month's Intruder List.txt (88/1)]
[What to do with unpurifiable land (31)]
[Got a high-nic I'm into lately (220)]
[Boss died, anomaly shows at funeral (79)]
[12th Strategy Record - Smiling Man (99)]
Peaceful as ever.
After purging the repulsive spam and mind-polluting trolls, the World of Doom Gallery had become a hub for info sharing.
Folks posted about their worlds, daily life, or new anomaly strategy tips constantly.
Everyone sharing survival hacks for a healthy community vibe... looked great.
What was this?
[Got a high-nic I'm into lately (220)]
Clicking the post with tons of comments revealed gripes about some users naming each other or overdoing friendships, making it uncomfortable.
While I was away, excessive cliques had formed.
Daring to name-drop? Complacent in peace, forgetting gallery rules.
One fate for manual-breakers.
"You're all blocked."
Nickname: Idol of the Management Department
Post: This Month's Intruders...
Reason: Excessive namedropping
Duration: 30 days
Namedropping like this needed immediate culling.
Some camaraderie was fine. I knew these horror-world victims craved mental relief.
But posts slandering factions or hyping their own to stir drama? Unforgivable.
Like a Management Department agent dissing shaman-starters outright—nope.
'Management Department starters especially act high on their luck.'
With the best setup, they often pushed cliques and superiority—obvious.
Fixers, on the other hand...
'The worst off.'
Treatment of Fixers in World of Doom worlds was pitiful.
Without Baby Mode Pack, I'd be scraping survival footage like them.
Fixers had unstable starts, no backing, mediocre base stats.
Hardest origin by far—self-imposed hardcore mode.
I pitied fellow Fixers and wanted to help, but no interfering cross-world, so just cheers.
'Well, posting here means they've survived...'
Surviving Fixers were strong. Unchanging truth. Most gallery Fixers were likely vets.
Thriving from worst start? Don't pity— they've earned power matching their grit.
'Ban all the clique-jumpers first...'
I banned all involved users, then posted a notice banning excessive namedropping.
Next, I uploaded Sowol's recent photo with a question about the Black Claw Society.
Hoping a gallery vet knew Black Claw Society details...
Reaction exploded.
'400 comments? Were there this many gallers...?'
No Black Claw Society replies—all about Sowol.
Mostly jealous rants envying me.
My pic with her must've hit hard.
"See something fun?"
"Nah. Their reactions are hilarious."
Before, hand pics alone sparked rage-fests calling me anomaly-obsessed. Now, envy twisted them in knots. Situation flipped.
Gallery rules banned such baiting, but as top admin, no one dared complain. Just writhing in jealousy.
Savoring the intense backlash purged my day's stress perfectly—then the awaited vet comment dropped.
Fighting Black Claw Society? Their leader ain't easy - (Veteran)
He shared Black Claw Society intel and the most likely hideout for their leader.
'Hiding in Anseong, huh.'
The vet recommended checking Gapyeong or Anseong for their base.
Especially if active, high chance in Anseong.
Cult leader's location narrowed further.
Anseong, Gyeonggi-do. Black Claw Society HQ disguised as a private temple.
Positions varied slightly per possessed world, but they always ended up in Anseong.
Destination set, reason clear.
Set off tomorrow once prepped.