Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 002
Chapter Title: Prologue, Hong Nyeo and Cheon Su-hwa (2)
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“Village head, you home?”
It was the woman and girl who had just moved in next door.
“What brings ya? My boy's sick right now, gotta take him to the hospital. What's the matter?”
Byung-su's father asked, and the woman nodded as she replied.
“My niece said she saw something clinging to Byung-su's back as he came into the house.”
The girl's name was Cheon Su-hwa, and her aunt was called Hong Nyeo.
“Something on his back? What was it?”
When Byung-su's father asked again, Su-hwa stepped forward instead of her aunt.
“I can't explain it here. You need to carry Byung-su to our house right now!”
The little girl was dead serious.
“What about the hospital?”
Father hesitated, and Su-hwa snapped at him.
“You'll kill the kid like that! Hurry!”
Not knowing what was going on, Father hoisted Byung-su onto his back and carried him next door.
“What kid talks to grown-ups like that?”
He grumbled to himself, no different from Byung-su.
In front of a portrait of a long-bearded general, an altar with a lit candle was set up, and neat bedding was laid out.
“Lay him there. And Village head, don't go outside—sit by Byung-su's side.”
“What about the bathroom? Can't I even go for that?”
Father asked innocently, and Su-hwa barked at him again.
“Don't go out no matter what! Hold it or piss sitting down!”
'Why's this kid so fierce?'
Even as he got scolded for no reason, Father held back and sat by Byung-su's side.
“What's goin' on? At least explain...”
“Shh! My aunt and I are gonna pray now, so Uncle, don't make a sound. No going outside, no answering either. Same for Byung-su.”
Su-hwa cut Father off and sat beside her aunt, who was already in place before the candle.
Not knowing what was happening, Father could only gaze worriedly at Byung-su, who groaned in pain.
'Shouldn't we get him to the hospital already? What am I doin' in a mudang's house?'
As Father thought that and tried to stand, a voice called from outside, right by his ear.
“Village head, you called a taxi, right? Gotta take Byung-su to the hospital. Come on out.”
It was an unfamiliar woman's voice.
“Who is it? How'd you know I was gonna call a taxi?”
As Father answered and started to rise...
Su-hwa hurled red beans and glutinous rice at his back and yelled.
“Sit your ass down! Don't go out!”
Father, scolded by Su-hwa who was even younger than Byung-su, sat back down in embarrassment as the voice called again from outside.
This time it was a man's voice.
“Taxi's here. You goin' or not?”
“Who... who is...”
Father answered again this time too.
Su-hwa jumped up and glared fiercely at Father.
“Who else? Taxi driver. Hurry up. You goin' or not?”
Overwhelmed by Su-hwa's intensity, Father stammered back.
“Gotta go eventually... but we'll head out at dawn. Didn't call no taxi, sorry.”
“Kid's sick, ain't he? Not urgent?”
Father hadn't told anyone in the village Byung-su was sick, nor called a taxi.
Father sensed something off and looked to Su-hwa.
Su-hwa shook her head.
“Kid's sleepin' fine. Come back later.”
“Later? Alright, later it is. Thanks.”
The man's voice faded away.
Su-hwa leaned close to Father and whispered low.
“I shut the front gate when I came in. Those things callin' from the yard—they're powerful evil spirits. General-nim's power is weak right now, can't drive 'em off, but they can't enter the room. So don't go out. Don't open this door.”
Listening to Su-hwa, Father realized he hadn't heard the front gate open, nor the man and woman leaving.
Only the sound of rain persisted.
Father nodded.
“Village head, you there? Ain't the kid sick?”
This time, an elderly man's voice.
The unfamiliar voice called Father familiarly.
“Can't leave a kid there. Who leaves a sick kid in a mudang's house? Come on, bring him out. Hurry. Kid's hurtin'.”
“Who're you? Seoul accent—you ain't from our village.”
The old man chuckled at Father's question, then spat mocking scorn.
“You'd let your own kid die? That's it? Even idiots take sick kids to the hospital. What's a mudang's house?”
Now it was a Chungcheong accent.
“No worries. Elder, don't get wet in the rain—head home. I'll handle my boy.”
“Damn bastard! Come out! Kid's gotta die for you to wise up?”
The old man's shouting continued.
“Mind your business. We don't beg—we eat dirt and live. Got a few maji of fields, why beg?”
The old man's voice vanished after Father's retort.
Su-hwa smiled at Father for the first time.
* * *
The next morning, as soon as dawn broke, Byung-su opened his eyes.
His fever was gone, color returned to his face.
“Dad, who were you fightin' with all night?”
Father chuckled heartily at Byung-su's question now that he was awake.
“Dad don't fight folks. I'm the mildest guy around. Heh heh heh.”
The woman and Su-hwa had kept the candle lit and prayed until Byung-su sat up.
The two men's talk made the woman turn and give Byung-su a gentle smile.
Her smile was so beautiful Byung-su smiled back, and Su-hwa shot at him.
“Byung-su, I told you not to go there, right? Only an idiot goes to a place full of yin energy on a rainy night like that. You're dumb?”
Even with Su-hwa's scolding, the woman's smile resembled a mother's, so Byung-su just grinned.
“Got it. Sorry. Heh heh.”
Grinning ear to ear at the woman, Byung-su finally looked alive.
The woman extinguished the candle and earnestly warned Byung-su and Father.
“You made it through last night safe. Once General-nim regains his power, I'll drive those things out. But once a stray spirit attaches, others smell it and come too.”
“What do we do?”
Father asked, startled.
“Keep him inside at night for a while. Paste this talisman on the door, don't open for anyone at night. If anything happens, come straight to our house. Do that, and you'll be fine.”
The woman handed Father a few talismans.
“This kid'll keep seein' strange things as he grows. His fate's tangled with evil spirits. The good news? General-nim said he'll gain strong energy with age—no more worryin' about strays then.”
Su-hwa held out a talisman to Byung-su, who stared blankly at the adults' talk.
“Put this in your pillowcase when you sleep. Ghost-repelling charm. Don't cause trouble. Your face says you'll stir stuff up even grown. Can't hold back curiosity, every stray'll stick to you. Learn some restraint.”
From that day, Father and Byung-su trusted and followed whatever the next-door woman and Su-hwa said.
A few more nights, strangers came knocking to open the door, but Father and Byung-su never did.
By autumn, the woman and Su-hwa went to the ruin and drove out the stray spirits there.
Seemed General-nim's power had returned.
Years changed, Byung-su and Su-hwa grew closer, and the woman cherished Byung-su like her own.
Worried ordinary Byung-su without powers might suffer strays, the woman explained where they lurked, differences between earth-bound spirits, vengeful ghosts, evil spirits.
Byung-su soaked up the wondrous tales like old folktales, absorbing knowledge fast.
The woman wasn't just any mudang.
She mastered Eastern and Western history, various religions, knowledgeable on all evil spirits and demons.
Topics Byung-su loved, every story etched into his mind.
Worried for his future, she taught meticulously; Byung-su memorized like a sponge, impressing her.
As summer ended and autumn came, a luxury sedan unseen in the village parked before the woman's house.
Greeting school-returned Byung-su and Su-hwa, the woman said regretfully.
“Byung-su, Aunt and Su-hwa have to go somewhere. Our Byung-su... don't seek dangerous places, avoid weird stuff. Got it? No matter how brave, you can't handle everything alone.”
Byung-su nodded, her words feeling like a farewell.
“Aunt! Byung-su won't listen. He'll poke around curious things, can't hold back.”
Aunt smiled faintly at Su-hwa's words.
“Shaman's our fate, like chasing evil spirits is his. Can only hope he stays safe.”
Thus, the woman and Su-hwa rode the luxury car away somewhere.
Byung-su peeked through the next-door gate after school, waiting; as autumn deepened, only Su-hwa returned with a young priest.
“Huh? Su-hwa, just you? Hong Nyeo Aunt not comin'? Busy?”
Su-hwa shook her head instead of answering Byung-su.
“You must be Byung-su. I'm Aunt's colleague. Sadly, Aunt couldn't return. Su-hwa's packing to come with me. Aunt worried about you to the end. Always remember what she told you.”
The young priest spoke for Su-hwa and handed paper.
It read Fr. Kim Jin-young Matia, with a phone number.
To Byung-su standing dazed at the gate, Su-hwa emerged with her bags, eyes teary.
“Oppa, Aunt's gone from this world. Because of the demon in that castle. She drove it out and... Oppa, we'll meet again. Promise.”
Su-hwa left cryptic words and went with Father Kim.
Left alone, Byung-su watched them go endlessly, wiping tears.
* * *
Summer 2020.
Kim Byung-su, the sole reporter of the Religion & Science Team at KD Report—the nation's top internet subscription paper—was summoned to Editor-in-Chief Kim Cho-seon's office. He greeted his entry peer with a beaming smile.
“Editor Kim, I'm here. Gonna chew me out today too?”
“You're here? Sit quietly.”
Cho-seon pointed at the sofa with her finger.
As Byung-su sat, a beautiful young reporter bowed slightly to him with a smile.
“Eun Na-rae here, transferring from Social Affairs to Religion & Science Team. Reporter Kim Byung-su! You're team leader starting today.”
Meeting Na-rae's eyes, Byung-su grinned and asked Cho-seon nonchalantly.
“Editor Kim, promotion to team leader? Pay raise? And it's Religion & Science Team.”
“Shut it! Promotion yes, pay freeze. Gotta do something to earn a raise. Have some shame.”
With Cho-seon's words, Na-rae smiled brightly and greeted Byung-su.
“Eun Na-rae. Please take care of me, Team Leader.”
Even with a new team member, Byung-su looked indifferent.
“Personnel moves are up to the boss... Eun Reporter, grab your stuff and head to the basement. I gotta talk to Editor Kim.”
Byung-su sent Na-rae out and asked Cho-seon.
“So, what'd Eun Reporter do to get stuck under me? Looks fine, not the troublemaker type. You wouldn't shuffle personnel randomly. Spill.”
“Eun Reporter's got no disciplinaries. Sending her to fact-check and boost Religion & Science articles' credibility.”
“Babysitter? And it's Religion & Science Team.”
“Not babysitting, Byung... er, Byung-su, your protector. Ex-lieutenant from Cyber Investigation at Su-seo Station, she'll help.”
“Unique resume. Police academy to reporter... Anyway, got it. Team member's here, so put in a water cooler.”
As Byung-su rose from the sofa, Cho-seon shook her head.
“Hot these days, buy iced coffee. And... no gorilla articles! Gorilla in Gwangalli? Crazy? Publish that, you're dead.”
“Not gorilla, sea dragon... Elasmosaurus from the Cretaceous...”
“Shut up, don't write it!”
* * *
“Here? Settle in anywhere comfy. If you pictured Mulder's X-Files office, sorry. This was the old gym.”
Na-rae, laptop bag slung over, box of personal items in hand, looked around as Byung-su waved her to any spot.
“Was tough going to Gwangalli alone for footage... Good timing. Get ready. We're going.”
“Gwangalli? Now? What's... the story?”
To Na-rae's question, Byung-su showed his phone.
“See?”
Reporter Kim Byung-su asked instead of answering.
“Dinosaur? Why?”
“Yeah, sea dragon. Got a tip.”
To Na-rae's baffled look, Byung-su laughed.
“Working with me? Remember one thing: always run before I do, or never die. Easy, right?”