Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Virgin Ghost Yi-hwa and Evil God Emel (7)
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Her stare was intensely burdensome.
'What's with that guy, keep staring at me? He looks like such a gross, clueless office drone. Gross. Really.'
Mi-hee started feeling irritated as it got on her nerves.
She endured the uncomfortable gaze for quite a while, growing more displeased.
As the signal changed and Mi-hee moved to cross the street, the man followed, speaking up.
"Um, excuse me."
"Yes? What is it?"
Already feeling annoyed by him, Mi-hee replied coldly.
But the oblivious man grinned broadly, as if thrilled, and spoke loudly enough for everyone around to hear.
"Do you not remember me? You called me an idiot and threw a rotten egg pickled in urine at me. It didn't hurt, but it hit my forehead, and it was so embarrassing with that chicken-shit smell."
Mi-hee's face flushed red in an instant.
'This psycho... tone it down.'
Mi-hee realized who this gross, clueless guy was.
"Team leader, I heard it was your own urine... You looked young, so I thought you were a high schooler and spoke casually. You're a college student, right? This road leads to Daesung University... Anyway, nice to meet you."
The man recounted their encounter like an epic saga, in exhaustive detail.
"So?"
"Ah! No, nothing big. I just wanted to thank you for that day. You threw rotten eggs for me late at night..."
"No, what are you trying to say?"
"Ah, yes. Well..., you threw rotten eggs under my room window for me. Thanks. The smell was strong in the morning too. Ah! Not that I'm complaining about the smell. It had a bit of a urine funk and chicken-shit scent since it was pickled, but no complaints at all."
'What is he saying? Is he crazy? Totally unhinged. Gotta be careful.'
The babbling drone in front of Mi-hee was Dong-jin.
He'd been heading to Byung-su's studio out of worry when he spotted Mi-hee and happily approached her.
As Dong-jin shouted loudly, people around started paying attention to the pair.
"Oh my, did that woman throw an egg at that guy and now they're arguing?"
"Who knows, maybe she threw urine. Or an egg like chicken shit."
"He looks sleazy enough to deserve a rotten egg."
Mi-hee, with her sharp ears, caught the whispers clearly, and her face turned even redder.
'How'd they know it was pickled in urine? And that it was mine...'
"I don't remember. Excuse me."
Mi-hee left curtly and hurried away.
Dealing with this rambling drone from the morning would surely bring embarrassment.
She quickened her pace even more, fearing the gross guy might follow.
* * *
Virgin ghost Yi-hwa was frantically busy.
While the slowpoke Baekho watched TV in the 6th-floor lounge near Jun-hee's room.
She checked the 3rd-floor ICU with Jun-su's dad and grandma, then patrolled the 5th floor with Jun-su's mom and the 6th floor with Jun-su and Jun-hee for anything amiss.
[Everyone okay? I haven't slept a wink, so damn sleepy. Gotta watch the morning drama too. Big trouble.]
Baekho sent a telepathic yawn her way from behind.
[Yeah, huge trouble. I checked three times alone. All clear.]
[Yawwwn, she'll definitely come, right?]
Baekho yawned and asked Yi-hwa telepathically.
[She will. Too many eyes during the day, so tonight. ]
[Then rest till then too.]
Baekho said, eyes fixed on the TV.
[Baekho, when Mi-hee arrives, we should split floors to guard. Evil spirits never leave those who joined the exorcism alone.]
[Yeah, makes sense. Hospital's huge, tough. But what's Emel's deal? Evil god? Not some stray ghost. Like you said, a ghoul?]
Baekho turned to Yi-hwa and asked.
[Whatever, just an evil bitch ghost. A cunning one. But she'll be obliterated either way.]
Yi-hwa said firmly.
* * *
Class over, Da-hee headed to the Han River bank to meet Byung-su.
The man Byung-su and the animal ghost had been waiting for was already there.
"Hello. Another uncle's here?"
Da-hee greeted brightly as she approached.
"Yes. Nice to see you, Da-hee. This is reporter Park Dong-jin. You've seen him already? The item we asked help with is his. We'd like you to check it."
Byung-su welcomed Da-hee warmly and introduced Dong-jin.
"Nice to see you again. Thanks to your sister, I survived. Please pass on my thanks."
Dong-jin said, recalling how Mi-hee had avoided him on the street.
Da-hee remembered her sister Mi-hee's pickled egg rice from Dong-jin's words.
"Aha! The uncle who got hit on the head with sis's urine-pickled egg? Hehehe, that must've smelled awful, and the egg was totally rotten. Why'd sis even make that..."
"Wasn't that bad actually. Didn't hurt much. Haha."
Dong-jin laughed sheepishly.
'He looks like a nice guy with that kind smile.'
Da-hee laughed along.
"Hehe, no, it smells bad. Hehe."
They giggled together, then Da-hee said to Byung-su,
"Before checking if I can cleanse the evil energy, keep your promise and tell me this uncle's identity first. I know he's a reporter... but there are shitty reporters too. Anyway, he doesn't seem bad, but I need to know what that weird, ancient energy from his body is to trust and purify, right?"
Da-hee stated softly but clearly.
"I'm not quite a shitty reporter, but yeah, I am one. Got it, Da-hee."
Byung-su nodded in agreement.
To avoid eyes, they moved to Byung-su's car.
Byung-su got in first, Dong-jin in the front seat, Da-hee in back.
As they settled, Byung-su rolled up his left sleeve and pulled a hunting knife from the console box.
Not knowing his intent, the two just stared wide-eyed.
"Like you said, Da-hee, my left arm has lived long without dying."
"Whoa, for real! The left arm? What about head and body?"
"Here's the thing. I'm human, and my body is all human flesh except this arm."
To explain the dokkaebi-attached arm without scaring Da-hee, Byung-su spoke carefully.
"What does that mean? You're making it complicated on purpose?"
Thinking he needed a simpler demo, Byung-su raised his left arm before them.
Then gripped the hunting knife in his right and deeply slashed his left wrist.
Scraaaape.
The blade scraped bone with a grinding sound.
Blood vessels severed, blood spurted from the deep cut.
Byung-su's blood splashed onto Dong-jin's chest and face beside him.
"Argh! Team leader, why the wrist? You okay?"
"Ack! What? Uncle, you alright? Quick, stop the bleeding."
To the panicking Dong-jin and Da-hee pulling a handkerchief from her bag, Byung-su raised his left arm to show the wound clearly.
The spurting wrist had stopped bleeding already.
His left arm had turned into a scaly, blue-tinged reptilian forepaw with hooked claws spread wide.
Byung-su wiped the blood from the knife-cut wrist with a wet wipe.
No trace of the wound remained; it was pristine.
"Gasp! This is scarier than Terminator slicing his wrist to show the machine arm. The realistic blood spray makes it worse?"
"......"
"But no need to go that far. This imugi paw is creepy every time."
Dong-jin peered at Byung-su's arm with his dad-joke flair, and Da-hee chimed in.
"Totally. I was shocked. No other way besides blood spray? Just explain verbally. So this arm's the ancient energy source. But what is it?"
"Kinda wanted to try it. This is a thousand-year-old imugi forepaw attached by a dokkaebi. Don't believe? Wanna slice again?"
"No! Don't! Why'd I even get in here."
Dong-jin grabbed Byung-su's right hand, looking miserable.
He didn't need the demo, yet his clothes were bloodied.
"But, doesn't it hurt?"
Unlike Dong-jin, Da-hee calmly examined the left arm and asked.
"Hurts like hell..."
* * *
Mi-hee arrived at the hospital before lunch.
With more people, Yi-hwa suggested assigned spots.
Following her, Baekho guarded 5th floor with Jun-su and Jun-hee, Yi-hwa 3rd floor with Jun-su's dad and grandma, Mi-hee 6th floor with Jun-su's mom.
"Oppa, what if the evil spirit doesn't show today? Can't guard every night."
A practical question.
"Dunno. If not, keep waiting? What to do, Yi-hwa?"
Baekho couldn't answer Mi-hee and asked Yi-hwa.
"She'll come for sure. We even called the fire station on purpose. This hospital's her grudge spot. Maybe not today, but she will. Poor our baby though."
Yi-hwa stroked Mi-hee's long hair sympathetically.
'She'll show today for sure. Long siege is dangerous.'
Extended all-nighters drained human stamina badly.
Yi-hwa felt, maybe imaginatively, the sun setting early.
* * *
Examining the knife's inscription, Da-hee tilted her head.
"This seal on the sheath matches my family's passed-down talismans. Engrave a purification seal, and it'll cleanse the energy over time. But consult oppa first before purifying."
Da-hee finished and returned the knife to Byung-su.
'Who engraved that seal? Why not add purification with it? Why's Emel after this knife?'
Da-hee thought oppa Baekho and Yi-hwa knew.
Dusk fell on the Han River bank.
"You have an oppa besides sis?"
Byung-su figured Da-hee's oppa around twenty.
Not mid-thirties Baekho.
"Yes, oppa's at Daesung Hospital now. I'll go to him. Hehe."
"Oh, really? At the hospital. I'll drive you."
As darkness fell, Byung-su ended talk and drove Da-hee.
Byung-su's mind lightened.
The troublesome knife's evil could be purified, in time.
'Discuss with Baekho-nim and Yi-hwa-nim when back, but this kid can too... Anyway, good. Trust her.'
"Uncle, come see my oppa and auntie today. Sis might be there too. Auntie probably knows about this knife."
Seeing Byung-su brighten, Da-hee suggested.
"Yeah, gotta go! Didn't properly thank sis yet. Perfect!"
Dong-jin beside Byung-su answered excitedly for him.
'They'll be shocked by Yi-hwa auntie, but can't say virgin ghost upfront. Eh, it'll work out. Hehe.'
* * *
Click-clack.
Emel entered Daesung University Hospital's main gate, heels clicking loudly on purpose.
Her tall stature and stunning beauty drew eyes enough, but the loud heels monopolized attention.
Jun-su's family was in the main building to the right of the gate.
Click-clack.
Emel strode past the main building indifferently, heels resounding.
Her dawn-burned body was flawless, no scars; black suit pristine.
Click-clack.
Emel walked head high toward her destination.
Her red-tinged hair glowed redder in the sunset.
Her path led to the funeral hall building, separate from the main.