Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Evil Ghost Baek Dong-su (5)
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In this case, it wasn't just about the money—they had to drag in the traitor to save face...
But the action leader Dong-su, who was supposed to do the dragging, died instantly in a traffic accident.
This meant the balance of power had been shattered.
And the one who hit the evil ghost with a car was Jjang-gu, the youngest hotshot of the Bald Gang.
He sideswiped him and then threw it in reverse to finish the job...
He claims it was an accident, but anyone with eyes could see it was sabotage.
The Demon Gang, already outgunned, had to avenge Dong-su. And the Bald Gang saw this as their shot to smash the Demon Gang while Dong-su was out of the picture.
Neither side had any reason to back off from war.
You went there today.
They told you not to breathe a word to Dong-su's wife—probably to keep her from getting dragged in, at least for now.
They must've spotted you because they've got eyes posted all around here.
With the gangs on the verge of war over prime Gangnam turf, stay the hell out of it.
But why'd the cigarette Dong-su smoked turn up in your studio apartment?
* * *
"A ghost? But why smoke my cigarette in my room? Why not haunt his own place nearby?"
She got the rundown on the Gangnam gang beef from Il-han, but DNA from Dong-su in her own apartment? That didn't compute.
"You really have no idea? Nothing rings a bell?"
Il-han pressed her again, but Eun Na-rae was clueless.
"No clue. Why would I know some gangster ghost?"
"Looks like the ghost in your place... You've got a bunch of shamans you know, right? Call one up and ask. Hell, I don't get why an evil ghost would hole up in your apartment either—I'm dying to know. This'd make killer copy for your reporting team."
Il-han sounded genuinely frustrated.
Na-rae thought of Mia-ri Virgin Bodhisattva and Baekho.
"What about the Daesung University Hospital mess? Word is it's some contagion, and the internet's buzzing with zombie sightings. Police say it's fanatic cultists doing human sacrifices..."
She switched topics to the recent Daesung University Hospital disaster that Il-han was handling.
She'd already heard the story from Byung-su and Dong-jin, but played dumb and asked anyway.
"Mm, the investigation results? Your team leader, reporter Kim Byung-su, already saw it coming and gave me a heads-up... You didn't know? Anyway, I'm still in the investigation phase—can't say much. But it's not a contagion or cult human sacrifice, so don't worry."
Il-han answered her question and clammed up.
Partly due to the gag order during the probe, but mostly because even if he spilled, she wouldn't buy it.
Plus, the footage Sergeant Han showed had reporter Kim Byung-su pulling off unbelievable action-hero stunts against zombies.
'Gotta dig deeper on reporter Kim Byung-su. Better not tell Na-rae any more.'
"How can you rule out contagion or cult sacrifice? So, zombies then?"
Na-rae wouldn't let it go.
"No contagion, so it must be zombies? What kind of reporter thinks like that? Anyway, ask your team leader for details. He knows more than me."
Il-han scolded her, but it stung his conscience a bit.
'Did reporter Kim Byung-su not tell Na-rae anything? Feel kinda bad now.'
Oblivious to her probing, Il-han mulled innocently on his own.
* * *
Night deepened, and no more mourners came to Dong-su's vigil.
The Demon Gang boss Bang Il-seok kept watch alone.
Outside, a few guys in black suits sat drinking.
"Boss, I have something to say. I'm back."
A polite, soft male voice came from behind Bang Il-seok.
The Demon didn't turn, just stared at the evil ghost's portrait.
"You're here. I didn't call Agwi on purpose. Go ahead, say what you need."
He knew Agwi, who'd cut ties, wouldn't come anyway, so no point reaching out.
The man behind him nodded.
"Please don't go after revenge this time. War with the Bald Gang is impossible right now."
"Got it. Anything else?"
Surprised at the easy agreement, the man bowed gratefully and continued.
"I have three favors to ask."
"Name them."
"Please give this to my wife. She's Catholic and asked for holy water, so I got it from the church but never made it home."
He placed a small vial by the Demon's knee.
"And tell her I ran off with another woman to start a new life, so forget me and live well."
"Will do. Anything else?"
"Like Agwi, I hope you get out of this life too, boss."
"Yeah, that too."
With Dong-su—his partner of twenty years—gone, the Demon was sick of it all anyway.
No revenge meant no reason to stick around.
"Some woman came to pay respects today. Know her? The guys saw her with your wife."
Having accepted all three requests without hesitation, the Demon asked about Na-rae.
"A friend of my wife's. Don't know her well. Seems like a good woman, though. Helped my wife out recently—chased off some weird shit hanging around her. That's when the holy water really came through."
"I see. Good person. Tomorrow's your cremation. I'll find a fine tree and scatter you under it, like you asked. What happens to you after?"
"No idea. Maybe carrying the holy water kept the devil from dragging me to hell. Never died before, so who knows. But I can't stick around people. Planning to hole up somewhere quiet till someone comes for me."
"Sounds good. Come to the office tomorrow night. Wanna pour you one last drink. Dong-su, I regret holding you back last year when you said you were leaving like Agwi."
Bang Il-seok turned to look at the man behind him.
The man in the neat black suit matched the portrait of Baek Dong-su exactly.
* * *
After Il-han left, Park Dong-jin called the alone-in-her-studio Na-rae.
He'd held off replying to her texts for good reason.
After the chaos in Daesung University Hospital's lobby, Byung-su's crew had ducked to the B2 basement by the time the riot police arrived.
Baekho, reporter Kim Byung-su, reporter Park Dong-jin, and Da-hee blended into the crowd of visitors and patients, slipping out through the parking lot. Mi-hee had evacuated from the roof with others and couldn't link up.
Yi-hwa alone had dispersed her spiritual energy to vanish, staying behind to delete the CCTV footage of herself from the control room.
But NIA agents got there first, foiling her plan.
She fell back late to join Baekho, then rode with reporter Kim Byung-su to the NIA's Heoninreung branch.
By the time Yi-hwa sneaked inside, the CCTV files were already wiped.
The group figured Emel had trashed them to cover her own exposure.
Afterward, Baekho, Yi-hwa, and Mi-hee stayed at another hospital to guard Jun-su's mom, Jun-su, and Jun-hee.
Once police questioning wrapped, reporter Kim Byung-su tailed Sang-in with the motel owner but detoured to see the Dokkaebi elder to better control his qi.
With Lucifer and Ksitigarbha gone, Dong-jin had gone dark with Da-hee, guarding the sword.
Knowing Emel was after the sword, they'd hidden till Byung-su returned.
Byung-su fetched the Dokkaebi elder, then led Dong-jin and Da-hee tracking Emel—now reaching out to Na-rae.
"Hey, sunbae! I texted days ago—now you call?"
Na-rae snapped instead of greeting.
—Sorry. Had to lay low. Reporter Eun's okay, right?
Dong-jin asked despite knowing via Cho-seon that she was safe.
Na-rae, feeling ditched, exploded.
"Not okay! Those creepy women from Chungnam mountain lodge—the ones who jumped me after I escaped—similar vibe showed up. Sleep paralysis too. Nothing's okay!"
She spilled about the Saturday morning sleep paralysis.
He'd ghosted to protect her, but hearing they'd come anyway left Dong-jin speechless.
After a long silence, he seemed to confer with someone over the line.
—Reporter Eun, mind if we check your place? Just a quick look-around. Hesitant since it's a single woman's apartment.
Out of nowhere, Dong-jin wanted to inspect her studio.
"My place? Why?"
—Team leader thinks it's best to scope your apartment.
"Oh! Team leader's with you? Nothing's happened lately. If it's with him, sure. Too late tonight—come tomorrow evening."
—Got it.
"Why no office? Last saw you at police HQ—thought I'd forget your face."
First call since seeing them off at Seoul Metropolitan Police for witness statements; questions piled up.
—Tomorrow in person. Anyway, skip work tomorrow too. Worried they might target you. Stay home till we get there.
Dong-jin had figured Emel only hunted him for the sword, but now feared she might use Na-rae to flush him out—deeply uneasy.
* * *
On Dong-su's cremation day, the local precinct sighed relief and handed off to Gangnam station.
Bang Il-seok scattered Dong-su's ashes under a pine on his hometown mountain backlot.
For holidays, since no family.
Heading back to Seoul today, Bald Gang moves seemed imminent.
He sent bodyguard-cum-driver Jong-pal ahead separately to Gwanghwamun.
Despite the proper name Park Jong-hyeon, Demon called him Jong-pal—like the old boxing champ. Jong-pal didn't mind.
The car passed the tollgate toward Seoul.
"Call sis-in-law first?"
Jong-pal asked, knowing the destination.
"Nah, just go. Wait till we meet. Got plenty of time now."
Following Dong-su's wishes meant time aplenty ahead.
As always, Seol-mi sat on the parasol chair outside the convenience store, waiting for Dong-su.
Her white cane stood out.
Stepping from the car, the Demon spotted her easily.
Bang Il-seok sat quietly in the chair beside Seol-mi.
From there, the crosswalk signal was clear.
Even the white spray-paint outline of Dong-su's body.
The Demon spoke first.
"You know me? Met with Dong-su before—Bang Il-seok."