Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: If You Fall Asleep, You Die (5)
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It was a cry of joy, as if rescued from death.
A toad leaped onto the head of the woman who had emerged from the darkness, colliding with her.
It must have jumped to catch a Flesh Fly but got caught on the tall Emel.
Emel furrowed her brow unpleasantly, approached the merchant, bent at the waist to meet his eyes.
She seemed unaffected by the poison the toad exhaled.
"Why didn't you mention Beelzebub was here when you called me? Did you think I wouldn't come if I knew?"
"No, how could that be? Is Beelzebub here? That would be a big problem."
The merchant answered Emel's question with feigned surprise, as if he had no idea.
He was skilled at lying.
Emel pointed at the man on the coffin, clearly not believing the merchant's response.
"Mr. Hong, you're a clever man. Anyway, if we want to get out of here safely, we should offer that one to Beelzebub as a sacrifice. I have no intention of quarreling with him."
As soon as she finished speaking, the old woman shouted excitedly, incredulous.
"Who do you think you are, talking about sacrificing a living person? What connection do you have to this psychic family, the Hongs?"
Ignoring the old woman's question, Emel looked around at Byung-su's group and quietly addressed the stairs.
Though she didn't raise her voice, her words echoed through the vast second floor.
"Beelzebub! I intended to offer you Judge Choi, but since these people won't follow my wishes, I'll take my subordinate and leave. I hope to meet you not today, but on a better day, in a better place."
After speaking, Emel bowed toward the stairs in greeting, then grabbed the merchant's shoulder and pulled him behind her.
"To think humans called for help and all they summoned was the 'Ghoulra' Emel. They've underestimated me. Emel! Beautiful Emel. It's been so long, and you're already leaving? How could I hold you back? But since you've reduced the number of my precious Flesh Fly, why don't you leave an arm behind as well."
The voice was cold and emotionless, a low baritone whose age was impossible to gauge.
Emel shrugged her shoulders and, instead of replying to the voice from the stairs, spoke to the old woman.
"Grandma, you've lived far too long already, so even if you die today, you won't have any regrets. But wouldn't it be better if the others lived a bit longer? That one sitting on the coffin isn't human. He's Judge Choi. Judge Choi! Let's offer him up and get out of here."
Her tone was polite and gentle.
Byung-su and Na-rae, unable to grasp the meaning of "not human, but Judge Choi," exchanged puzzled glances.
The merchant and old woman looked like they understood Emel's words.
The man's expression didn't change even at Emel's suggestion of sacrificing him.
"So, 'Judge' wasn't a name, but a position."
The old woman nodded as if it all made sense.
Judge Choi referred to the low-ranking official whom the grim reaper brought the deceased to upon arrival in the afterlife.
They assessed the good and evil deeds of the dead during life, compiling reports for higher authorities. Based on these judges' evaluations, the foundations for rewards or punishments were established.
"We can't offer up a judge as a sacrifice. No ghostly energy emanates from him at all, but he doesn't seem human either. Are you a yokai?"
Judge Choi on the coffin bowed his head in gratitude to the old woman.
"I oppose it too. Sacrificing a person? That's absurd."
As Byung-su confronted Emel, Na-rae chimed in.
"Exactly! We can't do that. Let's call the police! But Team Leader, what's a 'Ghoulra'? It seems like Beelzebub knows that woman Emel."
Byung-su explained to Na-rae without hesitation.
"In ancient books I read long ago, it said that in the western regions and India, there are ghouls called rakshasas. Males are hideous, but females appear as tall, beautiful women. Males are called 'ghouls,' females 'Ghoulra.'"
Emel watched Byung-su with great interest as he boldly explained right in front of her.
Ghouls ate human flesh but, unlike zombies, were living beings with high intelligence and superhuman strength. They could fly and use magic.
They also manipulated corpses to attack people, leading to speculation that those corpses became zombies.
In a way, ghouls were akin to evil gods.
Byung-su avoided Emel's gaze as much as possible and wrapped up his explanation.
From the darkness below the stairs, Beelzebub seemed to be listening intently to Byung-su's words in silence.
"It said only a special sword could kill an immortal ghoul."
Even as he revealed how to destroy her, Emel showed no reaction.
"Is there anything Team Leader doesn't know?"
Na-rae praised Byung-su while glancing at Emel.
Her intent to provoke Emel, who wanted to sacrifice a living person, was obvious.
"Everything except national history."
"You two are so strange. So chatty in a situation like this. Hohoho."
Emel laughed idly at their conversation, and Judge Choi laughed along.
Above Emel's head, the battle between the Flesh Fly swarm and the toads continued.
As Emel and Judge Choi laughed idly, Byung-su felt puzzled.
Then, a voice whispered right next to Byung-su's ear.
It was the same emotionless baritone that had echoed from the stairs moments before.
"Why are you laughing? There's nothing to enjoy, so can you tell me the reason?"
The whisper in Byung-su's ear was audible to the others as well.
Na-rae and the old woman's faces showed clear panic.
Only the idly laughing Emel and Judge Choi remained unchanged.
"We're laughing at the great Beelzebub failing to subdue even lowly humans."
Emel forcibly suppressed her laughter and deliberately provoked him.
Despite the noisy chaos of the Flesh Fly swarm and toads around them, her voice rang clearly through the floor.
The merchant standing behind Emel stepped forward and looked up at her.
His grinning, teeth-baring expression was eerie.
"To say I can't subdue lowly humans? What a ridiculous notion. I could snap your neck, Emel—including yours—anytime. And you're saying such nonsense to me?"
The merchant's mouth emitted the man's emotionless voice.
The merchant's eyes gleamed unusually bright.
Byung-su whispered to the old woman as he approached her.
"Doesn't the merchant seem a bit off right now?"
The old woman, who had been watching the merchant, turned to Byung-su.
Her eyes gleamed as she grinned, revealing yellowed teeth.
"Even like this, do you think I can't subdue you?"
The old woman's mouth also produced the man's emotionless voice.
Byung-su, startled, grabbed Na-rae's hand and pulled her behind him.
As the old woman took a step forward, the distance between them remained the same.
"Reporter Eun, what's coming out of that bodhisattva's mouth?"
Byung-su asked, his face pressed close to Na-rae's.
Na-rae cried out in surprise.
"Ah, you scared me! Back off a bit when you talk. I'm terrified."
Fortunately, Na-rae spoke in her own voice.
Emel grabbed Byung-su's arm and pulled him to her side.
Thanks to Byung-su's arm, Na-rae was dragged along too.
Emel, clutching Byung-su's arm tightly, shouted toward the stairs without looking at the merchant or old woman.
"You may easily snap our necks, but these two seem like they won't hand over Judge Choi as a sacrifice, even trembling in fear. Of course, you could overpower us with force. But even then, you won't break the will of these lowly humans, so I laughed at how pathetic it looks."
Emel pointed at Byung-su and Na-rae and shouted even louder.
"Beelzebub! No matter how much you intimidate them, these two will never agree to offer Judge Choi to you. Want to bet on it?"
The whisper returned.
It felt like breathing right beside them.
"So, you're proposing a bet with me now. An intriguing wager. I don't need a trivial sacrifice like Judge Choi, but I'll accept. Make those two beg me to offer Judge Choi. The bet starts in ten minutes and runs until sunrise."
As the whisper faded, the old woman and merchant's eyes returned to normal.
If they won the bet, everyone including Judge Choi would escape the crisis.
Even if they lost, offering Judge Choi would allow Emel and Byung-su's group to escape.
It was an odd bet where they could survive either way.
With the loathsome Flesh Fly swarm having retreated down the stairs, discussion was easier.
* * *
The merchant checked the windows around the room to see if escape was possible within the ten minutes Beelzebub had granted.
Through the broken window, the old woman looked like she could jump out anytime, though it might be difficult.
While the merchant surveyed the windows, Emel briefly explained the plan to Byung-su and Na-rae.
No matter the outcome, she faced no risk, so she explained leisurely.
"If Reporter Eun Na-rae and I fail that devil's test, we offer Judge Choi as sacrifice? The flies are gruesome, but isn't that a bit extreme?"
"……."
"Reporter Eun! Turn off that camera! This isn't the time for filming. Oh, and can you quiet those toads? Their croaking is driving me nuts."
Byung-su protested, exasperated.
No matter what he said, Emel just smiled.
She seemed greatly pleased with her own cleverness.
Judge Choi, sitting on the coffin, asked the beaming Emel.
"Do you keep promises with humans well? Demons traditionally enjoy deceiving humans. Don't you know demons only value contracts when it benefits them?"
Emel's expression didn't change at Judge Choi's question.
As she quieted the toad swarm, Emel thought to herself.
'Someone of Beelzebub's stature won't break a promise. But I'm curious why a big shot like him appeared here. Regrettably, I need to destroy this place's ghost gate so Beelzebub can't use it.'
The merchant returned from checking the windows and said to Emel.
"It's not high, and the ground is covered in thick grass, so we can jump anytime. Ten minutes are almost up. What do we do? Escape now?"
"Beelzebub isn't that sloppy. It won't be too dangerous, but just in case, focus on protecting these two."
Emel's face was still full of smiles, appearing quite relaxed.
"Ten minutes are up. I'm about to start the test. Is that alright?"
The emotionless voice came from below the stairs.
The voice grew louder, approaching step by step.
Emel smiled and responded to the voice.
"Yes. Let's begin. We'll follow Lord Beelzebub's will."
Emel's voice brimmed with confidence.
In response to Emel, the voice swirled around their ears again, seeking confirmation.
"Let me summarize again. If either of those two says to offer Judge Choi as sacrifice, I win. If they endure until sunrise, I lose. Conversely, if they can't endure, you lose."
Beelzebub particularly emphasized "endure."
Emel responded to the voice swirling in her ear.
"Yes, that's right."
"Then the test begins."
With Emel's reply, the swirling whisper receded, signaling the start.