Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Somehow Attracted to It? (2)
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It was fascinating all over again.
"Well, it's good for me."
But thinking about it, there wasn't really anything surprising. He'd gotten used to Kwon Seonghyeon's scale by now. If he saw it as repaying a favor, it wasn't strange at all.
"But I didn't mean to burden you, Mr. Yeonwoo, so just let it go in one ear and out the other. Truth is, I don't actually want to leave the company right now. It's just that my head's a total mess... and comparing them to your agency—who came with a straightforward solution instead of some nonsense about going public—it's making my blood boil inside."
Yeon Do-hee said.
"But really, how can they say stuff like that so easily? Aren't they in this industry too? It pisses me off so much... Back in the day, our company was great. But then one wrong person got in, and now it's a mess. It was really good... I get why you'd want to switch agencies. They renewed because they liked it here, but now they're treating us like caught fish. Sigh... Sorry for venting so much."
"No, it's fine."
"You have to go through it yourself to know how infuriating and humiliating it is. Once you've walked in their shoes, maybe they'll realize, 'Oh, I've been such an asshole.' That might snap them out of it..."
Her voice brimmed with conviction as she spoke. That meant it was sincere.
And it led straight to a notification chime.
-Ding!
[Harvestable Lifespan: +7 days]
"Hm?"
"What's up?"
"Oh, nothing."
It wasn't nothing. He was startled by the sudden chime, but then another popped up in front of him.
[Additional Harvestable Ability: Ventriloquism [B]]
Yeonwoo's eyes lit up with interest.
Ventriloquism, huh.
Somehow attracted to it?
*
"Earlier."
"?"
"What'd you talk about with Ms. Yeon Do-hee?"
In the car on the way back, Kwon Seonghyeon tilted his head.
"Nothing much."
"Looked like you had a lot to say, though?"
"Were you watching?"
He'd thought Kwon had gone ahead first, but how'd he have time to check back?
"Of course. Who else would I watch if not you, Mr. Yeonwoo?"
There were plenty.
Like the executive from Yeon Do-hee's agency, toad-like and desperate to strike up a conversation. Or her manager, fumbling with his wallet to hand over a business card. And not just them—the reps from other supporting actors' agencies were scrambling to get a word in with Kwon too.
"They must've seen an opportunity."
Kwon was known for his mild personality, but ruthless in private business matters. He rarely went out unless it was work-related, making him hard to approach. Connections with a star actor were always useful, big agency or small. They were all bloodshot-eyed for a chat.
What?
"You were like the Pied Piper out there."
Thanks to that, he'd been able to hang back and talk with Yeon Do-hee.
"Did it bother you?"
"Nah?"
"Don't worry. I ignore those types."
"I said no."
"Got it."
"...Do you really?"
"So. What'd you talk about with Ms. Yeon?"
"Really nothing. Just that her agency's kinda shitty..."
"Ah... Yeah, it wasn't bad, but the guy we saw today was off."
He hadn't even had a proper talk with the guy, but Kwon agreed.
"How'd you know?"
"You can tell by the color around him. Like how you're wrapped in radiant gold, Mr. Yeonwoo."
Kwon leaned in, whispering conspiratorially.
"He had this rotten stench color. No way a guy's like that is good news, right?"
He shrugged.
'Right, Kwon has spiritual power too.'
He'd forgotten that fact again.
"Anyway, Mr. Yeonwoo. You must've used a lot of energy there... Need a recharge?"
Kwon smiled and raised his hand. The reason Kwon could be a human battery was his overflowing spiritual power.
"I'm good now. I got plenty out of it."
Not just spiritual power, but an extra ability too. Woo Do-gyeom was annoying, but whatever.
"Then, Mr. Yeonwoo. What if something unexpected happens on the next shoot?"
Kwon muttered regretfully before asking.
"Hmm. Play it by ear, join in if needed...?"
His tone trailed up uncertainly because:
Normally, he'd think, 'Unexpected crap is annoying, pass.'
But.
If someone like Adrian was involved in that unexpected mess. Or if a thoughtform that gave S-grade abilities showed up.
'More abilities is always better.'
Hard to flat-out refuse when the rewards after the grind were so sweet.
But Kwon's take seemed different. The handsome smile cracked faintly.
"No way, Mr. Yeonwoo. You can't say that there."
"...?"
"You gotta say, 'No plans for that.'"
"Huh? Why?"
"Because, you see, Mr. Yeonwoo..."
Why did Kwon's cracked smile suddenly harden?
In the end,
Yeonwoo had to endure another round of nagging disguised as worry all the way back to the dorm.
*
[Ah, our actor might worry! You're all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, but kinda lax!]
"Brat talks too much."
"Brat? I've lived longer than you!"
"Watch your words. You didn't live—you died."
[Ah, Kang Yeonwoo! Haven't seen you in ages, and you're even pricklier!]
"You're the prickly one."
Just over two weeks of overseas location scouting.
But the moment he stepped into the dorm, Yeonwoo thought:
Just over two weeks, but feels like months.
Lost in that sentiment, he opened the door.
[Yeonwooooo!]
Flap flap flap!
A small furball charged with frantic wingbeats.
He reflexively swatted it away.
Screeech!
[How could you be so meeean!]
A familiar voice wailed his name.
[How could you?! It's been two whole weeks! And you swat me away like that?!]
Screeech!
Tweet tweet!
A plump sparrow—fat from fur or flesh?—frantically flapped around his head.
'What the...'
Total chaos.
Anyway, this was their intense reunion.
He told the noisy chirping Dongja-ryeong,
-I already got an earful, so shut it.
But it fired back,
-That's not nagging! It's...
Defending Kwon fiercely.
He'd forgotten. Dongja-ryeong was Kwon's diehard fan.
"How much did you hype him up? Guy smiles sweetly while grilling you... Felt suffocating."
[I didn't!]
"Thanks for passing the message quick. But seriously curious what you told him."
"Just went with my gut? And the footage proved me right! That storm of malice... Whew..."
"You saw the footage?"
"Duh. Our actor showed me!"
"..."
A ghost watching videos. End times...
"You didn't egg him on?"
"W-What...? N-No, why would I?"
"You'd sense them. Those evil spirits. Explains the heavy nagging."
[...Tweet?]
Dongja-ryeong did a random sparrow impression.
It didn't land.
"That's not for normal folks to know. Why spill it?"
"I-I was shocked too! How was I supposed to know they'd be there? But they were lurking, so I panicked!"
"Totally you."
Thanks to him, he got primary nagging plus a solid encore.
[Hmm. Not nagging. You trust yourself too much sometimes.]
"Got it, drop it."
[What? Having power means confidence, sure... But Yeonwoo. World has times even great power can't fix shit.]
Dongja-ryeong, now nesting on his head, said.
[Not just any ghosts—former gods. Why tangle with that danger? You're amazing, but not flawless like Lady Yeonhwa. Could've been risky.]
"Yeah..."
Fair point. Fighting those evil spirits, his spiritual power fell short, turning it into a close call. One slip in the plan, and he'd have been in danger.
"Caution's not bad. Know why most great shamans end badly?"
"...End badly?"
[Just part of it, but yeah, lots did... Guess why?]
Yeonwoo frowned.
Feels like a trap.
[Overconfidence. From trivial ghosts to minor gods, generals, even evil spirits—they think nothing scares them. Power makes 'em believe nothing can harm them, every problem solvable.]
"...So?"
[So. You'd get it already?]
Peck peck.
The sparrow pecked his crown.
Like snapping him awake. Or reminding him of something forgotten.
"Don't overdo the hubris or get devoured by your own power? Like shamans commanding evil spirits ending up eaten by them?"
Yeonwoo knew the tales well. His background ensured he'd heard them.
-Found the body?
-Nah. Possessed, vanished in the hills. How?
-Why such a big ritual? God's power waning, just bravado...
-I bolted mid-drum. Know Flute Kim?
-Yep.
-He puked and collapsed in front of him. In therapy now... Psych ward...?
-Park vomited blood and vanished?
-Yep. Ritual bombed, total chaos. Park's body... probably gone.
-God was supposed to help, ate her instead. Lucky if they find a finger.
He'd overheard it once: an old acquaintance visiting his mom and shrine, casually chatting about someone devoured by their own ghost.
The scene etched vividly in his mind.
*
[You know it all. Why ask?]
"So that's why Kwon nagged?"
[Not nagging!]
Flap flap!
The plump sparrow flapped in rage. His head didn't hurt from the feathers.
[Don't forget—someone worries for you.]
"Alright."
Yeonwoo chuckled, gently tickling the sparrow's fluffy chest with a finger.
Yeah. Having someone worry wasn't bad.
'But that's not all.'
Dongja-ryeong might look kid-like, but he was a decades-old ghost. No way he'd defend Kwon for nothing.
"Something up?"
[Not now. Not now.]
The "now" caveat bugged him, but Yeonwoo knew: push, and no answer.
No point grilling him.
Instead.
"Dongja."
[Yeah?]
"Do me a favor."
[What? Why me?!]
"You owe me. Better listen."
He had urgent work.
Nothing big. Just enter my dream and deal with some punk.
*