The Stench of the Dead
The van slowly rolls to a stop. Squeak—
We step out and take in the school grounds.
It isn't dilapidated enough to be called abandoned, yet it lacks the pristine look of a brand-new building. Just an ordinary school you'd see anywhere.
"Hmm……."
"Whoa."
The team members each let out exclamations as they gazed at the school.
"I can feel an ominous aura…… My senses are warning me this school is dangerous."
"……Yeah, it does feel creepy."
Unlike the two voicing their impressions, Wolhwa stared silently at the school, lips pressed tight.
Meanwhile, I turned to the staff climbing out of the other car.
"I can start streaming now, right?"
"Ah…… Yes. It should be fine."
That had been the deal. I was only allowed to go live after arriving on site. So I tapped my phone and started the stream.
Viewers began trickling in.
"Yes, everyone. Welcome. As I mentioned in the notice, I've been cast in Exorcism War 13."
"Autographs later, once we get closer. And from now on, on stream, call me Revenant instead of Seorin."
"These people……."
Dealing with viewers was still exhausting. But what choice did I have? I had to endure it if I wanted to recover my strength. Sigh, social life really was a grind…….
"In season two it looks like the cast splits into multiple teams. Unfortunately, Mirinae and I ended up on different teams."
"Oh, Seorin! Are you streaming right now?"
Yujinwoo, the horror radio YouTuber, approached with a surprised look while the viewers were still lamenting Mirinae's absence.
"Yes, I got proper permission."
"Ahaha, everyone, hello…… Man, I'm jealous of you, Seorin. I…… ahem, can't stream because it doesn't suit live broadcasts."
What Yujinwoo probably couldn't say was that he hadn't gotten permission. But he couldn't risk saying something controversial on live stream, so he phrased it differently.
Meanwhile, Wolhwa and Lee Ha-neul, curious after hearing I was streaming, approached as well. I quietly turned the camera toward them.
"Ahaha, hello. I'm actor Lee Ha-neul!"
Ha-neul greeted them with a bright, refreshing smile, and the viewers erupted in cheers. Wolhwa, on the other hand, merely offered a small smile.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Wolhwa Seonnyeo."
Wolhwa must have been quite famous; the viewers reacted almost as enthusiastically as they had for idol-turned-actor Lee Ha-neul.
"Um…… We should probably start filming now."
"Ah, yes."
"Sorry about that."
"……Excuse us."
The staff gently pointed out that everyone's attention had drifted to the personal stream, and only then did we turn our eyes back to the school.
"So, there's supposedly a 'ghost' somewhere in this school."
"Where should we start? Team leader."
"First…… let's go to the classroom where the client performed Bunshin Saba. I believe it's the second-year class 4 room, over there."
At Yujinwoo's question, Wolhwa pointed to a specific classroom. We nodded and began walking toward the school with the cameramen in tow.
We passed through the already open front door and walked down the corridor stairs. Suddenly, Wolhwa stopped.
"Huh?"
"What's wrong?"
"……Don't you feel something strange?"
"Something strange?"
The other team members and I tilted our heads. I hadn't sensed anything in the area.
"Uh…… I think I feel it too? No, I do feel it!"
Even self-proclaimed psychic Lee Ha-neul stammered slightly as he agreed with Wolhwa.
"Right? It seems to be coming from inside the girls' restroom…… Seorin?"
"Yes?"
"Shall we go in together? Just to check, in case."
I couldn't exactly say "Why me?"—there was no good rebuttal. Suggesting someone else go with her would mean sending the guys, and refusing outright would seem like I was causing unnecessary friction. I didn't care much about others' opinions, but I had no intention of deliberately creating a bad impression.
"……Alright, let's go."
Forcing a bitter smile, I handed my phone to Yujinwoo. The other staff agreed to wait outside. Filming inside the girls' restroom was obviously off-limits.
After that, Wolhwa and I stepped inside.
"I don't feel anything……."
As I closed the restroom door and looked around, Wolhwa suddenly shot out her hand like lightning, grabbed me by the collar, and slammed me against the wall.
Thud!
"Urgh."
"You……"
The moment there were no eyes around, Wolhwa discarded her acting mask and glared at me with ice-cold eyes.
"……Who the hell are you?"
"……What do you mean?"
"Hah, playing dumb?"
Wolhwa curled her lips into a sneer.
"Fine. I won't ask about your identity. I'll even acknowledge it as part of exorcism…… No, I don't want to admit that either. Anyway, since we each have our own territory, I don't want to interfere with yours either."
"……"
"—Not because I'm scared. Because it's disgusting."
My eyebrow twitched. Ever since the waiting room, she'd been hostile toward me…… Now I understood why. As an exorcist, Wolhwa despised me. The same way an ordinary person might look at a criminal with disgust.
"This is a broadcast, so I don't want to fight with you and ruin the atmosphere."
"……That's rich, coming from someone who's picking a fight right now."
"Hah, this doesn't even count as a fight."
Wolhwa leaned in closer, her voice quiet yet crushing.
"If I were serious, I'd have torn your soul to pieces. So consider this a warning."
"……A warning?"
"Yes. Don't do anything during this broadcast."
She released my collar.
"Just sit there like a corpse and clap or react like those fakes outside. Then I won't bother fighting with you either."
Whoosh—
She turned on the faucet and washed her hands as if she'd touched something filthy.
"……Wasn't the whole point of recruiting me to do something? Now you're telling me to do nothing?"
"Hah. You and that other girl are just filler for popularity."
Wolhwa sneered.
"You gained some traction on personal streams recently, so they brought you in to freshen things up. The production team doesn't expect anything from you two."
She shook the water off her hands and grabbed a paper towel.
"Anyway, this Exorcism War 13 has always been handled by me, Monk Bohyeon, and Father Johan. You two are completely unnecessary. If you understand…… shut up and stay quiet until we leave."
Just as she turned to go after delivering her warning, I grabbed her shoulder.
"……What?"
"You may be done talking, but I'm not."
"……Why should I listen to you?"
Wow, this girl was completely self-centered. If I just quietly listened to her, I'd be the one at a disadvantage. She didn't even realize I was holding back so the sound wouldn't leak outside.
"I don't know why you look at me like I'm a criminal, but now it's my turn to warn you."
"……"
"You shut up and watch me exorcise instead. Then I'll let it slide."
"……You're full of shit."
Wolhwa clicked her tongue and glared at me. I glared right back.
"……"
"……"
The tension was electric.
Knock knock knock!
"Wolhwa Seonnyeo-nim? Seorin? You've been in there a while…… Are you alright?"
At the knock from outside, I released her shoulder. Wolhwa gritted her teeth, shot me one last glare, then opened the door.
"Yes, we're fine. Right, Seorin?"
"…………Yes."
I answered reflexively to Wolhwa's question, delivered with a gentle smile as if the power struggle in the girls' restroom had never happened. I had to admit it—that acting skill was impressive.
"How was the girls' restroom? Did a ghost…… appear?"
"No, it seems it was just my imagination."
"Ah, ahaha, I thought so."
"Alright, let's head up."
We walked back toward the second-year class 4 classroom. We climbed the stairs and passed through the dim corridor until the sign reading 『Second Year Class 4』 came into view.
"I'll open it first."
Creak—
Wolhwa opened the classroom door ahead of us.
In that instant, both of us reflexively covered our noses.
"Ugh."
"What the……"
"Uh, uh?"
"What's wrong, you two?"
Lee Ha-neul and Yujinwoo stared at us in confusion, but we had no time to answer. Wolhwa and I looked at each other.
"Seorin, you too……?"
"Yes. It seems you felt it as well, Wolhwa Seonnyeo-nim."
In this classroom.
We smelled a horrific Ghost Smell, like rotting food waste.