Chapter 39
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Monster Tale Specialist Office: The Cursed Video (1)
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The urban legend about the cursed video is famous.
"If you play the video, a ghost appears."
And
"If you watch it, you die."
This extreme and straightforward story caused a huge shock at first and led to a flood of similar tales.
Books that kill you if you read them, comics that kill you if you look at them, slightly twisted versions like books where you mustn't look at the last page, or paintings that kill you if you see them multiple times, and so on...
Now it's so overused it's almost childish. These copycat stories aren't fresh or shocking anymore.
Changes in technology also played a part in making these legends fade.
In an age where cassette tapes and VHS are hard to find, even a cursed video isn't something an elementary school kid would fear.
But someone had fallen victim to a curse using that outdated legend. It was a ridiculous story, but it happened.
* * *
"Isn't this way too retro?"
Taeju eyed the tablet PC with lukewarm interest. It was because of a tip claiming one of the video files inside contained a cursed video.
According to the victim, a ghost would appear if you played the video.
An old-school method. Old enough that Taeju could confidently call it outdated.
Amid various photos and video files, Taeju quickly found the supposedly cursed video.
It wasn't hard. The pitch-black thumbnail stood out on its own.
"But it's progressed a bit, right? Not tapes anymore—now it's distributed as video files."
Woli yawned as she spoke, showing zero tension.
"Look at the thumbnail. Sigh, it's all so dated."
Taeju stared at the pad with a pitiful look. Woli wondered why he was suddenly making such a fuss.
"Isn't everything we deal with like that? Last time we faced what seemed like a thousand-year-old centipede, so why are you being so stingy about a video that's barely twenty years old?"
"No— that was creepy, but it had its own dignity! Almost like a cultural artifact. But this? Nothing like that. Especially the filename. cursevideo.mp4? Worst."
Taeju sighed in dissatisfaction, and Woli shook her head as if she couldn't understand.
"I really can't comprehend it."
"I did enjoy the original movie back in the day, though..."
Having genuinely liked the source movie, Taeju felt inexplicably annoyed at how sloppily this cursed video was made.
"You found that fun? I never watched it, so I wouldn't know."
"It was a decent film. A bit outdated now, but..."
"I'm not into old movies like that, so just start it already."
Woli cut him off sharply, leaving Taeju feeling a pang of regret.
But she was right. No matter how he felt, it was time to stop chatting.
"Alright, we'll start soon, so get ready. Not that I expect anything impressive."
Taeju propped the pad up on the table. Deliberately positioned for a ghost to pop out easily.
"Ready?"
Woli swung her hammer once with a whoosh and nodded.
"Yeah, I'm good. Count to three and play it."
Seeing Woli ready, Taeju nodded and counted slowly.
"Three, two, one—now!"
-Screeeeech!
The moment Taeju hit play, a chilling wail echoed. Then, something hazy appeared on the screen.
The indistinct form soon took the shape of a woman.
Naturally, not a living one.
A long-haired woman, her whole body deathly white with bulging blue veins covering her skin like a corpse, approached the screen, blood pouring from her.
-Crack, crack, guuuuuhhh.
Her body moved unnaturally, no irises visible in her eyes. Her expression twisted in agony, like a scream.
The ghost stared out from the screen at the two people outside, her empty eyes hollow yet brimming with hatred and rage.
She twisted her head and shoved her face toward the screen.
It was straight out of a "movie ghost" playbook.
"Hey, Woli, this might've been pretty scary at night. Right?"
"Huh? Who gets scared by crap like this these days? Not even at night."
"No, it's just daytime now. Alone at night? Could be spooky."
But the two chatted as if unconcerned, like they were critiquing a film's production quality.
- No...!! Not you!!!!!
While they bantered idly, the ghost—who had muttered something unintelligible—vanished from the screen.
Woli leaned in to inspect the now-empty screen.
"Huh? It ran away!! What the—!! That startled me!!"
Suddenly, a pale white hand shot out from beyond the tablet's screen, and Woli shrieked.
"You said it wasn't scary?"
At Taeju's teasing, Woli scowled, pride wounded.
"Scary and startled are different! I just got jumpscared!!"
Isn't a jumpscare what makes it horror?
But Taeju didn't point that out. Woli had just been caught off guard by the sudden hand, not terrified by its appearance.
The hand itself was grotesque. Protruding veins and long, thick nails like special effects makeup.
The problem was it groping outward, extending.
-Thud, thud.
The ghost dripped something red—blood-like, but stickier—onto the table as it stretched its arm farther.
And this was exactly the situation the two had been waiting for.
"Now?"
"Yep, now."
Even while talking, their eyes never left the hand.
At Taeju's cue, Woli brought the hammer down on it. A heavy *thunk* rang out.
-Kieeeek!!
A scream filled the room. A tearing wail that could be male or female.
The hand twitched in pain, then swung wildly around in anger.
Getting grabbed wouldn't end well, but it was just an arm. Dodging was easy.
Woli leaned back slightly, and the ghost, missing its target, writhed and extended its arm even longer beyond the screen.
*Bang!!*
Woli smashed it again without missing a beat. After that, heavy thuds echoed through the room nonstop.
"Three, four."
Woli counted aloud as she kept hammering.
"Hey, careful not to break the tablet. It's a pro model—pricey if it breaks."
Taeju warned, and Woli nodded.
"Got it!"
*Bang!*
"Uh!"
*Bang!!*
"Oh!"
*Bang!!!!!*
-Kiiiaaak!!
The ghost screamed in agony nonstop. But despite twitching, the hand held up better than expected.
"That's one tough hand."
"Beat it more?"
Woli asked, eyes gleaming. Seemed her pride was still stung from the scare.
"Sure, why not. Looks fine still."
"Awesome."
Woli grinned happily, not stopping her swings.
Sometimes I wonder if this girl's the scariest thing around. Taeju thought.
After about thirty hits, the pale hand finally went limp, unable to endure. It hadn't even taken long.
"Man, it took punishment well. Keep going?"
Woli said, impressed.
"Nah, the desk might break first."
They'd hammered until the table underneath was on the verge of collapse.
"Go easy for a couple more to confirm it won't move."
Before Taeju finished, Woli tapped it a few more times. Now the hand just flinched at impacts, no more screams.
It was a bit ragged, but still held its shape—proof it wasn't ordinary.
The hand stopped trying to emerge or retreat. With a hammer coming down every twitch, it had no choice.
Woli smoothed her disheveled hair.
It had been neatly styled before, but the hammering frenzy had messed it up. Her only "injury" from the fight.
"Wasn't much after all. Seuli could've handled it too."
Woli remarked, figuring it less dangerous than expected.
"You gonna show her this for fun?"
"It might help. She hasn't seen anything but that centipede."
"Maybe."
Experience mattered, so Taeju considered calling Seuli next time.
-Shhh.
"Huh? Hey! It's retreating."
While they chatted, the hand hurriedly withdrew into the pad.
"Damn, slipped away in that moment."
Woli shrugged at Taeju's words, as if to say nothing to be done.
No more they could do right now.
But its escape wasn't a big issue. Just as they couldn't pursue, the hand's owner wouldn't emerge for a while.
"No way it bounces back that quick after a beating like that."
Taeju picked up the pad and tried the play button again. It just errored out, refusing to run.
Worried he'd broken it, he tested other videos—fine, no problems.
Confirming the device intact, Taeju sighed in relief.
"Guess cursed videos aren't vicious enough to wreck the tablet."
"So we're done now?"
Woli twirled her hammer like a pen, then tossed it onto the creaking desk once the ghost stayed put.
"Weakling. Still annoying though—running off and wasting time. Should've chopped the arm off."
Her vicious words went unheard by the poor white hand. Probably for the best.
"Feel like you've placed one burden down?"
Taeju shook his head at Woli's question. Far from it.
"We barely started. All we did was beat up that curse."
Taeju inspected the tablet he'd picked up.
"By the way, this case looks brand new."
"Bought it recently?"
"Device is last gen, but maybe swapped the case?"
Taeju separated the case slightly. As pristine as the case, the body could've passed for new if repackaged. Except for the engraved initials S. H.
He snapped the case back on.
Now it was time to talk to the original tipster.
Woli's part was done, but Taeju's was just beginning.
"Alright, I'm heading out. What about you?"
"I'll pass. Gonna head up. Hang with Seuli on the third floor."
Woli's expression turned awkward, like something was off, but Taeju didn't pry.
"Sure? Then call Sia noona for me. She's out, right?"
"Probably. I'll text her—"
Woli trailed off.
"Yeah. Go on up."
Taeju took a deep breath. Time to meet the victim.