One Month After Transmigration
Have you ever thought about what you’d do if you transmigrated into a horror game? If you have, I wish you’d tell me right away.
I transmigrated into that very horror game. The action-comedy horror game Helix. A rookie exorcist protagonist who slays ghosts. A mix of horror and action that feels intense from start to finish.
Helix had a reputation for being extremely brutal. Not in a lewd way, but in a raw, vicious one. The problem didn’t stop there.
The real issue was that I hadn’t played the game at all. ‘Common sense says no one would voluntarily play something this terrifying.’
I’m terrified of ghosts. I can’t even watch anything too gory. Of course I never went looking for horror games to play.
I only learned about Helix through a YouTuber.
[Oh my god, you crazy bastards! I have to play this game! If it weren’t for the penalty… Aaaah! Hwaaaah! It’s scary! I can’t do this…!]
The YouTuber was playing as punishment. I trembled and just closed my eyes. From the surface, the story and characters seemed straightforward.
‘…If I had known this, I would have watched it properly.’
I didn’t know much about the game. At best, basic story and protagonist. Just that some female characters were pretty. And the fact that this world was severely broken for normal people to live in.
‘How do you survive in a world where you can die just by bumping into a ghost while walking down the street!’
I had no transmigration bonus or special talent. I reincarnated as a high-ranking official of some evil organization? That would have been much easier.
In the first episode, the villain sidekick who gets hit by the protagonist? I would have called it a jackpot and become best friends with the hero. Extra characters? Wouldn’t they not even appear?
‘How can you transmigrate into a character who doesn’t even show up. Who the hell is this guy?’
A male character I never saw in the game. Even without any proper abilities.
“I’m an incompetent! I’m an incompetent! Isn’t it the norm to give at least the right arm the ability to nullify!”
On the first day I shouted madly at the status window… In the end I only realized I was a character without personality who ends up as a support for the hero.
“Besides, I’m scared of ghosts. How am I supposed to live…?”
Overwhelmed by fear, I reached the reasonable(?) choice of staying in the corner and never coming out. To put it bluntly, I became a hikikomori.
‘But the outside of the blanket is dangerous, so I have no choice. Tteul ttae ttae. Tteul ttae.’
By the way, this house is where my parents have passed away. Only one younger sister lives with me. Fortunately, my younger sister is an angel-like child. She treats even this incompetent older brother as a person.
“Older brother cleaned again? I’ll do it, so you rest.” “Ah, no. I have to do this much.”
Since there’s no one to nag, life is easy. Sleeping all day, eating in the corner. I lived as a hikikomori for a month.
Out of conscience, I did some housework. ‘Actually, if I just stayed put, I thought I’d go crazy from ghost news.’
…As this life continued, a sense of unease suddenly hit me. ‘How long can I live like this?’
Right now my sister feeds me and we live together. Eventually I’ll become independent, date, get married. Then will I live off my sister’s allowance? That’s realistically impossible.
‘However kind Chaeyoung is, she won’t take care of this unemployed person for life.’ That’s not possible even for Buddha.
In the end… to live safely I need money. And to earn money I need to work. ‘Wanting to earn money safely at home, but to earn money I have to go out…!’
It’s a dilemma like the chicken and the egg!
Anyway, I couldn’t live like this anymore. I have to get a job.
The problem was that I had no suitable skills. I tried submitting resumes to random places as a test. The result was complete rejection!
Fundamentally, in an era overflowing with ghosts and spiritual powers, no place would accept me, a talentless person.
‘…Maybe I should do some part-time job. It’s not stable, but the pay isn’t bad.’
At that moment when I was slightly discouraged by the bitter taste of society, there was a place that uniquely accepted me.
“Cheonjihae? They picked me here?”
Cheonjihae. The largest and most prestigious exorcism company in Korea.
What is an exorcism company? This world is a world where ghosts and yokai swarm. Of course the most highly valued profession is exorcist. Even a low-grade exorcist earns more than a decent doctor.
Fields that make money naturally form organizations. Exorcists formed companies to efficiently earn money. Among them, the one ranked highest is Cheonjihae.
Like the ‘Whitebeard Pirates’ in the exorcism industry? By the way, the main background in the story is also Cheonjihae. Even the genius protagonist joined here.
‘Why did they pass me in such a place…?’
I had forgotten that I applied. I looked like I got into a big company without thinking.
Of course, acceptance isn’t decided yet. What I passed is only document screening. The brutal difficulty written exam and practical exam remain.
Still, passing Cheonjihae is somewhere. ‘Was the corner hikikomori me a big company passer?’
I immediately told this happy news to my younger sister.
“Job? Why suddenly?”
My younger sister looked like she saw a miracle. Was it that shocking that the cornered nerd older brother got a job.
‘Yeah. Honestly, I thought so.’
“You’ve been living in the house all along, right?” “I can’t live like that forever.”
Honestly, I want to, but reality isn’t easy for lifelong nitwit.
“First, I need to find a job.” “Ah, no need! I’ll get a job and feed you for life.” “You? How?” “I may look like this, but I’m pretty strong, right? When I graduate, I can get a job as an exorcist right away!”
Seeing Chaeyoung puffing out her chest, a smirk came out.
“Why, why are you laughing? It’s true. I can become a first grade, no, special grade exorcist soon!” “Yeah, yeah. The bigger the dream, the better.” “Really…?”
Unfortunately, there’s no way Chaeyoung will become a famous exorcist. ‘I never saw this kind of character in the game.’
Even I, her older brother, think Chaeyoung is quite pretty. If she had a named exorcist, I would definitely remember. ‘Not remembering means she didn’t have any great achievements.’
Well, I don’t need to break my sister’s dream yet. At that age, everyone thinks they’re geniuses.
“And I’m not even hired yet. There’s still the written and practical exam. Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll pass.” “Ah… Cheonjihae is a big company. It’ll be really tough?” “It’s not that tough. For a human like me, even if I pass the written, the practical will be impossible.” “Hmm~ I see.”
Somehow Chaeyoung’s mouth corners seem to rise satisfyingly, but probably my imagination.
“I thought you would live as a full-time housewife for life.” “I have to work hard to earn money to buy a graduation gift for my sister and play the role of older brother.” “You, you don’t want that, right?”
Chaeyoung answered with her face slightly blushing. …Did I accidentally make her have high expectations?
‘I’m not even hired yet.’
Even if I fail the job, I have to work hard at part-time. I can’t be an older brother who can’t buy gifts for my sister.
“Anyway, there’s a written exam, so I’ll have to go to the test site soon.” “Where is the exam? Don’t I have to go far?” “I checked, and if I take the bus, it’s quick.”
Our house is in a fairly bustling urban residential area. I don’t know why, but it seems the house is quite well-off.
‘I wonder why my parents both passed away in such a house.’
It’s strange that I, the older brother, don’t know that, so I couldn’t ask. Probably there’s some reason I don’t know. It was a world where people die anytime due to ghosts, so it’s not strange.
“If I get injured on the way, what should I do? Can I go with you?” “Hey, what kind of exam is this, going with your sister?”
Even a super siscon boy wouldn’t do that.
“And if I get hired, I’ll have to go to work. I can’t go with you every time.” “But…?” “Just going out for a short time, it should be fine.”
It’s not something I should say since I was hiding in the house out of fear…. Anyway, this place is where people live. ‘Risk is high in probability, but not necessarily die when going out.’
I didn’t think anything would happen just by going out for a bit.
“I won’t worry about it, just do what you have to. I can handle my own defense to some extent.” “Um… okay.”
In the end Chaeyoung nodded. I’m sorry for worrying my sister like this. I’m not a reliable older brother.
‘First, I have to prepare for the written exam hard.’
Even though I look like this, I graduated from university and had some social experience. With game knowledge, I think I can somehow manage.
So I took my first step into this world. It was exactly one month after transmigration.
****
Cheonjihae HR team. An employee looking at the documents tilted his head.
“Senior, is this applicant a bit strange?” “What’s up?”
The senior looked at the documents when asked.
“No experience, and it says no spiritual talent either. Why did they pick this person?” “Ah~ You just joined, so you don’t know. When screening documents, we also value family history.”
Selecting people based on family history is usually illegal. But for ghost companies specializing in exorcism, they accept it. Because family and bloodline are subtly important areas.
“Check the family part once.” “Parents are not there… Hah! The younger sister is Nam Chaeyoung?” “You know her? The generational prodigy girl.” “Of course I know!”
The genius swordswoman called the talent bestowed by heaven. Her swordsmanship already overwhelms general exorcists. And there’s a rumor that her spiritual power is already at the top of Korea.
“I heard there’s a rumor that she’ll get special grade right after graduation…” “It might not be an exaggeration. According to scouts, she’s completed enough to be put into real combat immediately.”
There are monsters like this in the world. They are heroes who saved the world or became curses that destroy it.
“They’re the talent companies want desperately. Once they join, it’s a jackpot. Cheonjihae is also the top priority for recruitment.” “At this age, if special grade is confirmed, it makes sense.”
Even among renowned exorcists, special grade is few. At her student age, she’s at that level? It’s unimaginable how strong she’ll become in the future.
“But her older brother’s specs are only this much…” “Well, since the younger sister is so extraordinary, there are various rumors. Maybe she’s a hidden powerhouse, or her older brother has talent beyond the sister.” “Normally it would be unbelievable… But if the family is Nam Chaeyoung, then it’s another story.”
As I said, spiritual talent is greatly influenced by bloodline. If the sister is at that level, the older brother has a high probability of having some talent.
“So we’re going to test it once. If there’s nothing special, they’ll fail the written and practical anyway.” “This time there were many outstanding talents. They might become the best dark horse.” “Only time will tell. Whether it’s a broken egg or a quail.”
Anyway, it was clear that the participants were interesting in many ways.
So Nam Dohyeong, whose expectations were gradually rising without him knowing.