Chapter 17: The Marvel of The Smartphone (1)
The psychics stared at me with expressions that seemed to say, 'You are the hero of our village.'
I was at a loss for words in front of these psychics.
No, you guys should be carrying the team.
I chose to be a supporter.
And I plan to stand out dramatically in team battles.
I couldn’t actually say this out loud.
I couldn’t risk revealing that I was a non-psychic who couldn’t even see ghosts.
Instead, I put on a stern and serious face and said,
“I’ll take the front. The rest of you, follow me.”
I wanted to be at the front because I can’t see ghosts.
People’s attention is usually focused on the front, not the back.
If I were at the back and failed to see a ghost attacking from behind, it would be the end for me. But at the front, where everyone’s eyes are, even if I can’t see the ghost, those behind me will react, shouting things like “That’s a demon! No, it’s an evil spirit!”
What? Is it hard to run away from the front?
Nonsense. As I said before, when you need to run, you just run to the side. The patrol path is open on three sides, except for one side blocked by a wire fence.
In that sense, the front is the best position for me.
But then the kids’ reactions became weird again.
“The most dangerous position when breaking through a ghostly phenomenon is the front. Tsk. How shameful.”
“Damn, honestly, that’s so cool.”
“Tsk, it’s nothing. With a little more training, I could be that kind of man...!”
What? The front is the most dangerous?
Thinking about it, wouldn’t it have been safest to be in the middle?
“Considering today’s celestial signs...”
“I’ll take the third position from the back. I’ve received divine revelations related to the Guardians...”
But the psychics were already bustling among themselves, setting up their positions. Since they seemed engaged in professional discussions, I decided to maintain my solemn and serious demeanor.
Just then, a man approached to greet me.
His hair was white, and he was quite handsome. However, I wasn’t one to meticulously analyze a man’s face.
“Hello, Mr. Yoo Hajin.”
“Who are you?”
“Ah, I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Guon.”
“Guon? I’ve heard that name before.”
A chick beside me started to chirp.
Speaking of which, Guon... I’ve heard that name too.
“You were certainly a detective who received several requests from our family.”
“Ah, I’ve indeed taken many requests from the Jin family. You’re the lady of the Jin family, right?”
At this, the chick, wary, asked,
“Why do you act like you know us? What’s your purpose?”
“Oh, sorry, I should have shown you this first.”
Despite the chick’s brusque tone, Guon smiled as if it didn’t bother him. So, this chick wasn’t only sharp with me but also with other people.
“Here, this is your aunt’s token.”
“My aunt’s token...! So, my aunt sent you!”
“I was requested to protect the Jin Family's daughter. In that regard, would you allow me to take the rear guard for Miss Jinari, Master Yoo Hajiin?”
What should I do about this?
I recalled the blackboard order I had seen before.
Surely, something like this had been discussed.
<Assassination of Fengchu failed. Master is furious.>
<Next assassination planned during the second exam. We have decided to employ the assassin Guon who passed the first test. >
<Guon, the Grey Spider, right?>
<Yes, that Guon.>
Probably, this Guon is an assassin sent to kill the chick.
But how do I explain this?
Would the chick believe me without any proof?
“Hey, chick.”
“Yes?”
“Do you trust this Guon guy?”
To which the chick replied with conviction,
“Yes, I trust him. He has my aunt’s token. She’s one of the few people I truly consider family.”
“So, you trust that token?”
“Of course. It’s a token created by a high-level psychic, imbued with her will. If Guon goes against my aunt’s wishes, the token will immediately disintegrate.”
'I see.'
'So, your aunt wants you dead.'
'How do I convince you of this truth?'
It suddenly strikes me how impressive it is that my reliable Jamsuni, who whines but eventually listens to most of what I say, really is.
“So, if I try to keep this guy Guon away from you, whose side will you choose?”
“Chirp...? Why are you asking that?”
“Because I can’t trust this man named Guon.”
At that, the chick’s expression turned angry.
“Just as I thought, you’re that kind of man too. Trying to imprint on me and control me at your will.”
“I’ve never tried to control you. I just said I don’t trust that guy.”
“But you’re saying you don’t trust my aunt. Trying to make me dependent only on you.”
What kind of nonsense is this?
But the chick’s expression looked serious.
“Ugh. Do you really see me as a mere chick just because I chirp? Ha, should I trust the man sent by my aunt or you? Sure, you saved me once, but that debt can be repaid by getting rid of Cheonsu, right?”
It was somewhat amusing to see the girl flapping her arms in anger. Jamsuni had a charisma that even intimidated me when she was angry, but comparing her to this chick suddenly made her seem all the more remarkable...
“Fine, think of me however you want, but make sure to get rid of that guy Cheonsu. And you can bring Guon along, just stay behind me.”
In my heart, I thought this chick doesn’t deserve to win.
I wanted to just tell her to lose, but I held back.
In a way, this was our joint promotion battle.
If the chick dies, I fail too.
A disastrously intertwined fate.
“Hmph, I’ll never be imprinted by someone like you.”
Even when the chick showed such a disrespectful attitude, I realized I just had to accept it and move on.
'Well, at least she didn’t swear.'
Speaking of which, this guy named Guon.
I’ll have to keep a close eye on him.
Was he called the Gray Spider?
What abilities does a spider use?
I searched for characters who use spiderwebs on my smartphone. Oh, interesting. They have these abilities.
Using my smartphone got me weird looks from people. Even the sulking chick looked at me with a chirp of surprise.
“Using a smartphone during a ghostly phenomenon is against common sense.”
“Why’s that?”
“Obviously, because information gets distorted. That’s why you shouldn’t read books or stare at pictures for too long in these situations. Don’t you know that?”
Ah, I see.
But that didn’t matter to me.
I couldn’t see ghosts.
But I couldn’t let that fact be known.
“It doesn’t matter to me. I have a special psychic ability.”
Ignoring the chick’s words, I moved towards the patrol team. The patrol team was waiting for me, adding their comments as I approached.
“Reading in the midst of a ghostly phenomenon and still unharmed. Truly an overwhelming genius...!”
“Despite being close to my age, such strength is frightening.”
'Your reactions are frightening to me too.'
With that thought, I shook my head and entered the patrol route.
* * *
The DMZ is known to be a convergence of numerous ghostly phenomena, a special type of phenomenon with so many intermingling rules and principles that it’s said to be impossible to create a manual for it.
That’s why it’s hard to find the right answer.
That’s why survival is difficult.
I can feel the tension of the people behind me. The tension is palpable even to me, who can’t sense ghosts, so I can’t even imagine what they’re seeing.
At that moment, a woman around the middle started babbling something like, “Would you like to buy a dream? Please, buy a dream?”
“Damn it. What kind of phenomenon is this?”
“There’s no manual for this, who would know? Just eliminate her!”
Immediately, the team members moved to eliminate the woman.
“Wait!”
I stopped the team members and quickly searched on my smartphone.
What is this phenomenon demanding us to buy dreams?!
===
<South Korea Ghostly Phenomena Response Center>
<Dream Merchant>
<Mental Contamination Phenomenon>
The phenomenon demanding to buy dreams typically occurs in groups with comrades. When a comrade is possessed by this phenomenon, it is advised not to attack them. The Dream Merchant perceives even attacks as a means to buy dreams.
The way to defeat a Dream Merchant is to forcibly sell dreams to it. When pressured to buy dreams, the Dream Merchant is known to mumble that its dreams are full and it can’t buy more, then disappear.
===
I read the smartphone within 5 seconds and shouted,
“Hey, you shoddy merchant. Instead of selling that nonsense, how about buying my dreams?”
“I can’t buy dreams. They’re full. Dreams of being murdered, committing suicide, black tentacles descending, idiots running away thinking they can escape. Dreams of people unable to stand still, banging their heads.”
“Shut up and just buy my dreams.”
“I can’t, can’t buy them. Too full. Can’t buy!!!”
After saying this, the woman collapsed.
Then she staggered to her feet.
“Huhuhu. Ah, I’m alive. I’m alive!”
She said to me, crying,
“Thank you. Really, really thank you.”
I nodded and looked around.
“Don’t act recklessly!”
Don’t act recklessly, you uncivilized primitives who can’t even use a smartphone!!!
Do you think the South Korea Ghostly Phenomena Response Center is a joke???
Does the site of the Response Center, which has become half a ghostly phenomenon itself due to the overload of information, seem like a joke to you???
Then, the primitives nodded in agreement and began to praise me, the one armed with the tools of civilization.
“How do you know the countermeasures for such unheard-of phenomena?”
“It shows how experienced he is. That’s a real pro.”
“Amazing. I have to admit it. Extraordinary.”
“To survive in a phenomenon so dense with evil spirits. It’s a miracle.”
Speaking of which, even psychics are afraid of ghosts.
Should I pretend to be scared of ghosts too?
But something deep inside me refused to allow such a disgraceful act.
“...?”
* * *
“A miracle indeed.”
Gamlo, unfolding a ghost gate in the center of the DMZ, said. Cheonji’s regional guardian Gooju responded to his remark.
“What do you mean by a miracle?”
“Not a single casualty in the patrol team.”
“That’s impossible. Wasn’t the patrol team the one to be sacrificed? Even the GP and tunnel teams have suffered many casualties.”
The patrol team was the most dangerous as they were not protected like GP or tunnels. That not a single casualty arose from such a team was unthinkable.
“Yoo Hajin, a man named Yoo Hajin is tackling all the phenomena. The others are merely following in his shadow. He’s saving everyone.”
“No, even I would find that impossible.”
Suddenly, a tinge of emotion crept into Gamlo’s voice.
“I thought the word ‘hero’ had lost its meaning in this world.”
“Gamlo-nim.”
“But it seems it hasn’t lost its meaning yet.”
Gamlo bit her lip tightly.
– – – The End of The Chapter – – –
[TL: You can support the translation and read 3 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Bill94 ]
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