How Dare You Impersonate Master Do
"...!"
A massive, overwhelming force surged through her palm.
Baek A-young almost screamed and fell backward.
She hurriedly pulled her hand away.
Wh-Who is this guy...?!
It was cold, and it was deep.
Spiritual power felt different depending on the person. Some people felt warm, others felt sharp and fierce, and some were like a calm lake.
But this man—
It made her dizzy.
It was so intense she almost lost consciousness.
It felt as if she had been plunged entirely into a deep, freezing ocean.
And beneath that ocean, a bottomless abyss seemed to yawn open, waiting to swallow her whole.
She had never felt such overwhelming spiritual power in her entire life.
Crazy... Who on earth is he?
A-young stole a glance at the man in front of her, then looked at Seo Ji-an, who was standing beside him.
His spiritual power was on a completely different level from their usual clientele.
Although spiritual power alone didn't determine a spiritualist's rank, still, at this level—
...He must be a real big shot.
Who could he be?
With this much spiritual power, he had to be a well-known figure from a prestigious family.
Yet, he had come all the way to this run-down apothecary on the outskirts just to change his face.
What rank was he?
When the gap in spiritual power was too vast, it became impossible to gauge its true depth.
It was like a frog in a well trying to measure the depth of the ocean.
Right now, all she could perceive was a vague, terrifying depth.
Could he be a 2nd Grade...?
Suddenly, she recalled a genuine 2nd Grade spiritualist who had visited the apothecary in the past.
...No, he's far beyond that man—
"Is something wrong?" Ji-an asked from the side, looking puzzled.
"Ah...! N-No, not at all!"
A-young quickly hid her trembling fingertips and forced a calm expression onto her face.
"Haha... So, what kind of concept are you looking for...?"
Her mind was already racing, calculating the possibilities.
With this level of spiritual power... it should be possible to transform him into a completely different person.
An old man, a middle-aged man.
Even if she changed his gender, his spiritual power would easily be enough to sustain the transformation.
Just then, the man spoke with an indifferent expression.
"I have a concept in mind."
His eyes gleamed slightly.
"...Pardon?"
A-young blinked in spite of herself.
"Even... younger than you are now?"
"Yes."
There was not a shred of hesitation in the man's reply.
...Younger?
At first, she was simply bewildered.
Nine times out of ten, young clients asked to look older.
But this man was the exact opposite.
...Wait, could it be?
Usually, clients wanted to look like seasoned veterans, so they asked to age their appearance, or they wanted a fierce look to intimidate others.
But what happens if you look young?
People underestimate you. They take you lightly.
It would actually make it much easier to work behind the scenes and gather information.
Besides, for someone with this much spiritual power, hiding his aura for a short time without a suppressor would be child's play.
...He wants to make them let their guard down with a baby face, and then stab them in the back when they least expect it, huh?
...What a terrifying man.
A-young clicked her tongue inwardly.
Furthermore, his natural features were so good that if she sculpted him into a young, handsome boy, the result would be spectacular.
Well, that happened to be her specialty.
Once her thoughts reached that point, a strange professional ambition flared up inside her.
"Understood. Close your eyes. I'm going to rearrange the alignment of your bones and muscles, so it might feel a bit stiff."
"Do you like it?" Ji-an asked, examining my altered face.
I quietly stared at my reflection in a shop window on the street outside the apothecary.
Beyond the glass stood a cool, chic-looking young boy with sharp eyebrows and naturally messy, styled hair.
"Hmm..."
Although he looked around eighteen—slightly younger than the twenty-year-old target I had in mind—it was close enough.
...Well, this works.
Of course, at first, I had naturally planned to go with a veteran artisan concept who looked older.
After all, isn't that what everyone usually imagines?
An unapproachable, hidden master with white hair and a magnificent beard.
If I was supposed to be an artisan from the Cheonsan Sect, that was the image everyone would expect.
Even the secretary I met at the TK Hotel had seemed slightly surprised by how young I looked.
But when I thought about it, that approach was bound to cause problems.
How on earth am I supposed to suddenly act like a middle-aged man or an old man?
What was the point of changing my face to look like a veteran if my speech and behavior were still thoroughly those of a twenty-something?
If I clumsily tried to mimic an old man and let my natural habits slip, it would only arouse more suspicion.
And the biggest problem was that even though I had been wearing a mask during the TK Hotel commission, someone might still remember my build or the shape of my eyes.
If the gap between my current and former appearance was too extreme, it might actually expose the fact that I had altered my face.
Let's not take unnecessary risks.
That was when I came up with this reverse strategy.
It was better to stay within the young man category but drop my age from my mid-twenties down to my late teens.
Since everyone would expect a Cheonsan Sect artisan to be an old veteran, showing up with this youthful face would catch them completely guard.
Instead, it would leave a powerful impression: "The artisan of the Cheonsan Sect is incredibly young."
Since I had worn a mask anyway, no one knew my real age.
This would draw a clear line between my true self in my late twenties and my persona as the artisan.
...It does feel a bit awkward, though.
A jawline sharp enough to cut glass, and unrealistically smooth skin.
He looked a bit younger than I had expected, but still.
At this rate, I could easily claim to be twenty.
It wasn't like anyone in the spiritual world was going to check my ID.
And since I looked young, everyone would lower their expectations.
...Which makes my job much easier.
After all, the lower the expectations, the more impressive the results seem.
In any case, I had achieved my goal of separating my true identity from Master Do.
And to be honest...
I actually liked it a little.
I quietly compared the flashy face in the window with my original face in my mind.
Honestly, my original face was the kind of common look you could find at any local convenience store.
"Well, there's definitely a clear difference from my original face. Since I looked so average before..."
As I muttered that to myself, Ji-an let out a soft cough beside me.
Then, she mumbled something in a barely audible whisper.
"...What? Your original face is definitely not average."
"Ah, I didn't catch that. What did you say?"
When I turned to ask, Ji-an waved her hands frantically.
"Ah! No, it's nothing! Hahaha. I-I was just saying that earring looks really good on you."
...Ah.
I looked back at the window.
A small, silver cross earring was dangling from my left earlobe.
"Oh, this?"
I tapped it lightly with my fingertip, making the cross sway.
This had ended up on my ear just as the procedure was finishing.
It happened right when the dizziness from my bones settling began to fade, and my vision slowly cleared.
"Alright, all done. Would you like to open your eyes?"
At A-young's voice, I slowly opened my eyes.
My gaze met A-young's, who was sitting directly in front of me.
She stared blankly at my face for a long moment.
Looking completely spellbound, she suddenly flinched and jumped up from her seat.
"P-Please wait a moment!"
She scurried into the back of the apothecary and returned a moment later holding a small box.
In her hands was a pair of silver cross earrings.
"...What are these?"
"I thought they would look... I mean, I thought it would help with the disguise! Having a focal point like this for this concept draws attention away from other features and makes it look much more natural!"
From behind her, the apothecary owner, who was stirring a medicine pot, snorted.
"Hmph. Draw attention away, my foot. Aren't you just copying that idol group you've been obsessed with lately?"
A-young's face flushed bright red.
"N-No, I'm not! This is a professional recommendation as a designer!"
"Always trying to satisfy your own personal desires."
"Ahhh! I told you, that's not it!"
Ignoring her father's teasing, A-young huffed and held the earrings out to me.
"Anyway! Wearing this will definitely elevate the whole vibe. Let me put it in for you!"
...Well, since I was going through with a disguise, I might as well do it right.
And that was how I ended up getting my ear pierced for the first time in my life.
"..."
I noticed Ji-an clearing her throat again and looking away.
What was up with that reaction?
Well, at this rate, even my own mother wouldn't recognize me, so there was no risk of my identity being exposed.
Now, it was time to...
I pulled the suppressor from my pocket and hung it around my neck.
Sliiiide.
My shifted bones and muscles relaxed smoothly, returning me to my original appearance.
"Do you have any plans for today?" Ji-an asked.
"I have some things to drop off, and I figured I'd treat my family to a meal while I'm at it."
"Ahhh... This is the life."
That evening, in our family home's living room.
With a large plate of jokbal on the table, my younger sister, Ji-yeon, patted her stomach and stretched out on the sofa.
"Hey. Don't lie down," I said, nudging her leg with my foot.
"Ahhh... I've been cooped up in the study room studying all day. Let me rest a bit."
"Don't lie down right after eating. What are you, a cow?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever~"
Ji-yeon pouted but sat back up against the sofa.
Still...
How did we end up eating this?
"Seriously... It's been a while since we ate out. I told you we should go slice some steaks at a five-star hotel."
After eating such delicious food at the hotel, I had naturally thought of my mother and Ji-yeon.
I wanted to treat them to the finest cuisine.
But at my grumbling, my mother smiled and waved her hand.
"It's fine. Even if I eat something that expensive, I won't know the difference. Eating jokbal together like this is much better."
"Exactly! Oppa, don't go throwing money around just because you made a little. You'll go broke in an instant."
Ji-yeon wrapped a piece of jokbal and ssamjang neatly in a lettuce leaf, then shoved it straight into my mouth instead of her own.
Chew, chew...
I chewed and swallowed, then spoke to Ji-yeon offhandedly.
"I'll pay for all your college tuition from now on. Don't even think about scholarships or part-time jobs, just focus on studying. And don't settle for a lower-tier school—aim for the absolute best."
"Wait, what?"
Ji-yeon's eyes went wide with surprise.
"And Mom, you should quit your job at the restaurant now. I'll give you plenty of allowance, so take a break and go get checked out at the hospital."
Ji-yeon set her chopsticks down and asked with a serious face.
"Oppa, what kind of job did you get? You're not... doing something shady, are you?"
"Shady? Of course not. I just landed a big freelance gig. Anyway, take this."
I handed over the cardboard boxes I had brought.
"What's this?"
"This one is for Mom, and this one is for you."
It was the highest-grade restorative medicine I had bought from the apothecary owner earlier today.
If they could realign facial bones, they surely knew how to brew an incredible fatigue recovery tonic.
After finishing dinner with my family, I lay down on the bed in my room.
"Ahhh... This is nice."
It was the bed at my family home, which I hadn't slept in for a long time. Staring up at the ceiling, a smile naturally formed on my face.
I couldn't even remember how long it had been since I last visited. I had been cooped up in my cramped studio apartment, using part-time jobs as an excuse.
Seeing her son show up looking clean and healthy for once, my mother hadn't stopped smiling.
And handing her a thick envelope of allowance along with expensive medicine made me feel like I owned the world.
Money really is great.
Seeing my family so happy made me realize the true joy of earning money.
That aside...
Staring blankly at my own share of medicine pouches sitting in the corner of the room, I fell into thought.
Spiritual arts are truly fascinating. The talismans, the medicine...
I still couldn't comprehend the principles behind how bones and flesh could be shaved down and put back together.
I slightly loosened the suppressor around my neck.
Whir.
As a tiny amount of spiritual power leaked out, my face slowly transformed back into the youthful, handsome boy.
Oh.
Before leaving the apothecary today, the owner had given me a warning as he handed over the medicine.
"If you don't take this regularly, you'll revert. Make sure to take it twice a day!"
"Then... what happens if I wear a suppressor?"
"The moment your spiritual power is blocked, you'll revert to your original face. If you let your spiritual power flow again, it will change back. As long as the medicine is active, you can basically toggle it on and off."
"What about the medicine?"
"One dose lasts about twelve hours. If you don't take the next dose before then..."
"Then it's over for real. You'll permanently revert to your original face, and you'll have to come back to our apothecary to get a new one."
"...Huh."
Because of that, normal people couldn't wear a suppressor while keeping their face altered.
The moment they put on a suppressor, their spiritual power would be completely blocked, causing them to instantly revert to their original appearance.
But my suppressor was different.
I could adjust the output of my spiritual power to whatever level I wanted.
All I had to do was let just enough spiritual power flow to maintain the face, while suppressing the rest.
In other words...
As long as I took the medicine on time, I could turn my disguise ON and OFF at will simply by adjusting the output of my suppressor!
This is incredibly convenient.
My family's health was taken care of, and my new identity was perfect.
Now, all that was left was to rake in the cash.
Ring!
Just then, my phone rang. It was Ji-an.
"Yes, Ji-an."
"Dohyun! Have you been resting well? It's... a bit early, but a really great job just came in!"
Ah, the timing was absolutely perfect.
I was just thinking that I needed to make more money to support my family.
"Sounds good. I'll take it."
Vroom!
A few days later, halfway up a quiet mountain.
Ji-an's bright red sports car came to a smooth stop in front of the driveway leading to a grand mansion.
In front of the security gate, men in black suits with fierce expressions stood guard, controlling access.
"Vehicles are not allowed past this point. No outside cars permitted."
Nothing to be done about it.
It seemed we had to walk from here.
I adjusted the output of my suppressor, changing my face back to the youthful, handsome artisan, and got out of the car.
Ji-an rolled down the window and waved.
"I'll leave you here. I heard there's an on-site broker waiting inside. Dohyun, call me when you're done, and I'll come pick you up right away!"
"Understood."
I gave her a light wave and began walking toward the massive mansion.
As I approached the gate, one of the men in black suits stepped forward.
"Please show your identification."
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a token along with an identification tag Ji-an had given me beforehand.
The token was engraved with the characters [Cheonsan].
The guard placed the token on his palm and channeled a thread of spiritual power into it.
A faint blue light glowed briefly before fading away.
He was verifying its authenticity.
"..."
After examining the token once more, he bowed slightly.
"Ah, you must be Master Do from the Cheonsan Sect. They are waiting for you inside. Please enter."
The gate smoothly lifted upward.
I gave a light nod and stepped into the mansion's spacious garden.
I had just started walking along the gravel path when a voice called out.
"...Hey."
A familiar voice drifted over from the shade of a tree in the garden.
I turned my head and saw a man standing with his hands shoved in his pockets, leaning on one leg.
It was Jin Muyeong, the delinquent spiritualist I had run into at the TK Hotel.
...Why is that guy here again?
I decided to ignore him.
But Jin Muyeong, scowling deeply, strode over and blocked my path.
He glanced back at the guards, then nudged my shoulder and asked in a low, threatening voice.
"Cheonsan Sect? Master Do? You?"
...Huh?
Jin Muyeong's eyes narrowed menacingly.
He looked me up and down.
"Hey. Master Do of the Cheonsan Sect. Do you even know who he is to go throwing his name around like that? Huh?"
Jin Muyeong snorted and took another step closer.
"Where do you get off trying to impersonate him, you little shit?"
This guy...
He was standing right in front of me, furious at me for impersonating myself.