Chapter 98
Translator: uly
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Lycanthrope (1)
Dark night. A young man in a shabby gray hoodie approached Judge Choi, who was sitting on a bench overlooking the Han River, bringing a woman with him to seek his opinion.
Black Dog sat at Judge Choi's feet.
After parting ways with Byung-su and the others at the meadow restaurant, Judge Choi had wandered around before making his way to the Han River.
"Something has come up that requires a decision from you, Judge-nim."
Judge Choi nodded silently, and the young man continued.
"There's something odd about this woman. Even though she's dead, she can't see like she couldn't in life, and there's no record of her name in the ledger."
Judge Choi stared at the woman for a moment at the young man's words, then nodded silently again.
With Judge Choi only nodding instead of replying, the young man, frustrated, sought his opinion once more.
"Judge-nim, my experience is lacking, so I don't know how to handle this. Please render a wise judgment."
Judge Choi was originally a low-ranking official in the afterlife, managing the reapers and handling minor judgments on behalf of the kings of hell, including Yama, and the rulers of the underworld.
Eastern afterlife reapers operated in pairs: two Jikbu-sa who managed the ledger and two Kamjae-sa who handled escort duties.
"I don't see Kang-rim, the Kamjae-sa. Where is he?"
Judge Choi countered with a question instead of answering the young man's inquiry.
Judging by his search for the Kamjae-sa, the young man was likely a Jikbu-sa.
"He sensed some monstrous things nearby and went to subdue them."
The Jikbu-sa answered Judge Choi's question.
Kamjae-sa often took the form of generals and were highly skilled in combat, subduing evil spirits and yokai.
Judge Choi nodded at the Jikbu-sa's response and looked at the woman.
The woman the Jikbu-sa had brought merely listened quietly to the two men's conversation without the slightest movement.
"This woman's lifespan hadn't ended yet, but unfortunately, she was killed by a Ghoul, a wicked god from the West."
The Jikbu-sa asked in surprise at Judge Choi's words.
"Judge-nim, then shouldn't we send her back?"
Judge Choi replied to the Jikbu-sa while gazing at the woman.
"By regulation, souls harmed by Western evil spirits or wicked gods must be sent to the West. She's no longer under our jurisdiction. We can only hand her over to the Western reapers. There's no other way. That's the rule."
His tone carried regret and pity.
The young Jikbu-sa looked unconvinced by Judge Choi's words but bowed his head silently in acknowledgment.
The Jikbu-sa's face darkened as he bowed.
He seemed dissatisfied.
Judge Choi continued, unconcerned with the Jikbu-sa's feelings.
"I'll take this woman and hand her over to the Western reapers myself. Since she was killed by a Ghoul, she'll likely be dragged to the realm ruled by Hades. It'll be especially tough for a blind woman like her."
The Jikbu-sa, still bowed, spoke to Judge Choi.
"Will you hand over this pitiful blind woman to Hades?"
His face was still full of dissatisfaction.
Judge Choi rose from his seat at the Jikbu-sa's question.
As he stood, Black Dog perked up its ears and rose with him.
Judge Choi's voice rang out.
"Jikbu-sa, heed my command!"
The Jikbu-sa knelt at Judge Choi's order.
"Jikbu-sa, gather the nearby Kamjae-sa immediately, join forces with Kang-rim, subdue the wicked god Ghoul, and ensure no humans come to harm!"
The Jikbu-sa's face brightened at Judge Choi's command, and he accepted it vigorously.
"Jikbu-sa accepts the Judge's order."
As the Jikbu-sa departed, Judge Choi turned to the woman and asked.
"What is your name?"
The woman answered calmly to Judge Choi's question.
It was an exceedingly gentle voice.
"Seol-mi. Hwang Seol-mi."
The woman was Seol-mi, the wife of the deceased Dong-su.
* * *
Judge Choi arrived at a riverbank with Seol-mi in tow.
Along the way, Black Dog had served as her guide dog since she couldn't see.
A vast river flowed through a barren wasteland, its waters black as ink.
The scenery across the river was obscured by mist.
"Cross this river, and you'll reach the gates of hell guarded by the three-headed Cerberus. At dawn, the ferryman Charon will come with his boat, so let's sit here and wait for sunrise."
"Yes."
Seol-mi sat quietly at Judge Choi's words.
As Seol-mi sat, Black Dog quietly sat beside her, keeping watch.
Judge Choi gazed at her pitifully and asked.
"How did you end up killed by a Ghoul? It's rare to see one on Joseon soil."
Seol-mi smiled faintly as she answered Judge Choi's question.
"I don't know either. It felt like a car accident, but I don't remember anything after."
"Heh, well now."
There was no way a blind woman like Seol-mi could know who had harmed her.
Judge Choi sighed softly and continued.
"Listen carefully to what I say."
"Yes."
"The place you're going is the Western hell. Its king, Hades, is no good sort, and it's a gathering place for demons and yokai fleeing the light, as well as the sin-laden. For someone who can't see, it will truly be hell."
Judge Choi's words were filled with concern for Seol-mi.
Seol-mi, sensing his sincerity, kept her smile and asked.
"Thank you. But... can't I just die?"
Judge Choi stared at the composed Seol-mi for a moment before answering.
"You're already dead, so you can't die. You could cease to exist, but unfortunately, in that place, you'll only suffer agonies like death without actually vanishing."
Seol-mi merely nodded silently at Judge Choi's words, and Judge Choi nodded back to the blind woman.
"Do you have family left in the living world?"
After a brief silence, Judge Choi asked Seol-mi while gazing at the pitch-black river.
Seol-mi's expression darkened as she answered quietly.
"No family. The sad part is my husband died just a few days ago, and I passed without even holding his funeral. I'm worried about him."
Judge Choi sighed, feeling sorry for Seol-mi, who worried for her deceased husband even as she headed to hell.
"What is your husband's name? I'll look into it and pass on your well-wishes."
Seol-mi's face brightened at Judge Choi's words.
"Dong-su. Baek Dong-su. Tell him I loved him, I'm grateful, and I'll never forget."
"I will."
Seol-mi seemed to know of Dong-su's death.
As he answered her, Judge Choi's gaze remained on the misty river.
Splash.
Something approached from beyond the mist, parting the waters.
"Dawn is still far off. What's this?"
Black Dog perked its ears and stood at Judge Choi's low mutter.
"I sensed a familiar aura and launched the boat. It's you, Judge Choi."
A tall, gaunt old man with long white hair down to his back stood on a small ferry, gripping a long pole.
"It's been a while. Charon, could you sense my presence from across the river? Impressive."
As Judge Choi approached to greet him, Charon leaped from the boat, his long white hair flowing, and laughed as he spoke.
"My aura-sensing gets better with age. But who's that woman? Her lifespan hasn't ended yet."
Charon, who had been jesting, pointed at Seol-mi standing quietly beside Judge Choi and asked. Judge Choi looked at Seol-mi and replied.
"Her lifespan remains, but unfortunately, she was killed by a Ghoul."
Charon examined Seol-mi closely at Judge Choi's words and clicked his tongue.
"Well, damn. She's blind too. How does this happen? How will a sightless woman endure hell?"
Despite the men's conversation about her, Seol-mi stood quietly, stroking Black Dog's head.
"That's why I want to leave Black Dog with her for a bit. Could you help? I'll report her situation to the higher-ups within a few days and bring her back."
Judge Choi pleaded, grasping Charon's hand.
Caught off guard, Charon pulled away and said.
"Hey, friend! Ferrying Black Dog across isn't hard, but how long could it last in hell?"
"I'll get permission from above and return soon. Until then, have Black Dog guide her like a seeing-eye dog. Help me out."
Charon hesitated at his old friend's request but nodded.
Though low in rank, Judge Choi had the gods' trust to issue simple judgments on their behalf, so Charon consented.
"For Black Dog's sake, hurry back. Even I fear hell and don't enter. The key is how well Black Dog and the woman can hide."
As if aware of Charon's worry, Black Dog perked its ears and looked up at Seol-mi.
Judge Choi firmly placed Black Dog's leash in Seol-mi's hand and urged her.
"I'll return soon, so even if it's hard, hide well in hell. If you're elsewhere, I won't be able to find you when I speak to Hades."
Seol-mi nodded gratefully at Judge Choi's sincere concern.
"You go on ahead. I'll ferry this woman across."
"Alright."
"If Hades learns I ferried Black Dog across, I won't escape punishment. Return before you're caught. This won't be as easy as you think."
After urging the hesitant Judge Choi, who worried for Seol-mi and Black Dog, to leave, Charon poled the boat forward.
* * *
Dong-su called Na-rae from Agwi's office phone. She had been keeping vigil at Seol-mi's funeral in the Gangnam Hospital morgue.
Agwi's office near Seolleung Station was close to Gangnam Hospital, so Na-rae arrived in about thirty minutes with a shopping bag of clothes.
They were for changing Mi-seon, who was covered in blood.
Before leaving Gangnam Hospital, Na-rae had asked Il-han, who arrived just in time, to watch Seol-mi's funeral in her place.
By the time Na-rae arrived by taxi, Agwi's subordinates guarding the building entrance were gone.
Dong-su, who had pulled Mi-seon's car to the front and waited inside, spotted Na-rae first, rolled down the window, and called.
"Reporter Eun! Over here!"
Dong-su, neatly dressed in a black suit, looked nothing like the typical ghost image.
'For a ghost, he's remarkably tidy.'
Impressed by Dong-su's neat appearance, Na-rae got into Mi-seon's car but screamed in shock.
"Eek! What? G-G-Ghost?"
Dong-su calmed Na-rae, startled by Mi-seon's blood-soaked state.
"She's human. Give her clothes to change into."
"What happened? The clothes are here."
Mi-seon took the clothes but hesitated, scared to enter the building alone.
As if reading her mind, Dong-su said.
"I'll escort you to the bathroom door and stand guard. Go on."
After changing, Mi-seon sat in the back, and Na-rae drove to Gangnam Hospital.
Na-rae had brought black mourning clothes rented from the funeral home.
Dong-su's black suit, Na-rae's black suit for guarding the funeral, and Mi-seon's black mourning clothes instead of her bloody ones made for a fitting funeral ensemble.
"Couldn't you get anything but mourning clothes?"
Mi-seon grumbled from the back seat.
The magpie on Dong-su's shoulder in the passenger seat flew to Mi-seon and spoke.
"Ah, still, it's neater than blood-soaked rags and looks good. Hurry and file those nails—get to work! Work! Do your job!"