Since the day of the Awakening, a new part-time job has emerged. It’s called the high-risk delivery job.

 

In places with bad geomantic energy or contaminated ley lines, ghosts are more likely to appear, designating these areas as high-risk zones.

 

The job of delivering items through or into these high-risk zones is what constitutes a high-risk delivery job.

 

With pay ranging from 20 to 40 per delivery, it’s an unbeatable part-time job for someone like me, who can’t see ghosts.

 

Of course, due to its nature, these jobs are less in demand compared to regular delivery jobs. So, whenever one pops up, I make it a point to apply immediately.

 

But today was different.

 

The client offered 60.

 

Usually, even for deliveries involving dangerous areas, the pay doesn’t go above 40.

 

“Did you say 60?”

 

“Yeah, 60. Just safely transport this box, and you’ll get 600,000 Won. Easy, right?”

 

“Well, that sounds good, but...”

 

I scratched my head, looking at the box. It wasn’t particularly large or heavy.

 

The only notable feature was its lack of shine, being a plain black box.

 

“I don’t have to go beyond Gyeonggi-do for this delivery, do I?”

 

“No, no. Just the outskirts of Seoul. There’s a research facility or something in the outskirts of Gwanak-gu. Just deliver it there, and make sure it gets delivered.”

 

That phrase, ‘make sure it gets delivered,’ sounded like a hint. A pretty lame one compared to the hints my sister would give, but a hint nonetheless.

 

But why would this nutjob suddenly start hinting at me?

 

Having been subjected to my sister’s far superior hints, I wasn’t about to fall for such a shoddy attempt.

 

Hmm, suspicious.

 

I took a closer look at the box.

 

Was this some kind of bomb?

 

“In an era where we can blow up flesh, a bomb would be rather outdated.”

 

“Huh? What did you say?”

 

“Nothing. I’ll do it.”

 

Can I really afford to be picky about jobs anymore?

 

In a month, I’ll be so strapped for cash I won’t even be able to afford cold leftovers. I had to find a way to make money, no matter what.

 

And rejecting a job on the app would lower my ratings. Living off part-time jobs as it is, I couldn’t afford to take that risk.

 

The worst they could do was threaten me with ghosts, right?

 

So, I hopped on my cost-effective electric scooter, heading for the outskirts of Gwanak-gu.

 

 

The journey to the outskirts of Gwanak-gu was uneventful.

 

Curiosity got the better of me, and I shook the box a little. Aside from a rattling sound, there was nothing unusual.

 

“All quiet.”

 

I entered the abandoned factory building in Gwanak-gu outskirts as instructed by the note. I was supposed to take the elevator down to B1 and deliver it there.

 

“The elevator’s huge.”

 

Just as the note said, there was an elevator. It was much larger than I expected, presumably used for heavy factory equipment.

 

Pressing the B1 button, the massive elevator started its descent with a groan.

 

Earning 600,000 Won for such a simple task.

 

Is today my lucky day?

 

With a clang, the elevator doors opened, revealing a corridor that looked like it belonged to a white, sterile research facility.

 

In front of it stood three people in what appeared to be protective suits.

 

“You’ve finally arrived.”

 

“So, this is the ultrasonic? The revered one has taken an interest.”

 

“A materialized soul, sanctified? A material with the same mechanism as the King of Spirits, Gwizon.”

 

The people in protective suits murmured among themselves. It was annoying, but I stayed quiet.

 

I couldn’t afford to leave without the money.

 

“What about this guy, then?”

 

“That guy? We’ll use him as a test subject. Carrying the ultrasonic must have nearly evaporated his soul. A body void of the soul can be useful anywhere.”

 

“Wait, let’s use him to carry the ultrasonic until his body completely collapses. Ultrasonic can’t be carried by anything other than a living human.”

 

Test subject?

 

A body void of soul?

 

Complete collapse of the body? So much for my lucky day.

 

I was duped again today.

 

I silently opened the black box.

 

“Hey, hold on. What are you doing?”

 

“Why can it move?”

 

“Stop talking nonsense and put on the protective amulets now! The ultrasonic is getting released!”

 

Inside the box were pieces that looked like blue glass.

 

They seemed fragile enough to break easily with my hands.

 

Didn’t something like this happen before? But I had no other choice.

 

“Shut up and hand over what I’m owed.”

 

Give me my 600,000 Won, you jerks,

 

unless you want to see this glass shatter.

 

At the very least, I needed to recoup the time wasted today and the cost of the electric scooter ride.

 

Holding the glass piece, I faced the three researchers.

 

Two of them had already collapsed in convulsions. The remaining one was barely standing, clutching some kind of talisman.

 

“To hold the ultrasonic with bare hands... Only the pinnacle of Yin energy could perform such a miracle. If we’re talking about the pinnacle of Yin...”

 

“I don’t want to chat with lunatics like you. Hand over what you promised, now.”

 

“Could it be... We didn’t expect you to come personally. Oh, King of Spirits.”

 

I glanced at the glass piece in my hand.

 

So, ordinary humans can’t handle this, huh?

 

Was this item meant only for a powerful spirit like the King of Spirits to hold?

 

But I didn’t feel bad tricking these scumbags. From now on, I am Yoo Hajin, the King of Spirits.

 

I put on my sternest face and told the researcher.

 

“Yes, I am the King of Spirits. I dislike speaking with humans, so hand over what you promised.”

 

“Of course, we must fulfill our promise to such a revered being. Please, come inside.”

 

 

The researcher frantically pressed the keypad behind him.

 

Damn, I might be a bit crazy, but not crazy enough to enter a suspicious facility like this.

 

“I’d rather not go in. Just hand over what you promised, here.”

 

“Your Majesty, the King of Spirits, the item can only be received inside the facility. You know this. Please show mercy.”

 

Things were getting complicated. I just wanted the money, not something meant for the King of Spirits to receive.

 

No choice, I had to bolt.

 

600,000 Won? Let’s just chalk it up to a bad Bitcoin investment.

 

Just as I was stepping back from the researcher, the doors of the facility burst open, and guards armed with batons swarmed in.

 

They even had what looked like guns at their hips.

 

“Intruder!!! Ah, the air is thick with Yin energy. Everyone, activate your Yang energy shields!!!”

 

“Everyone, prepare for combat!!! Wow, such intense Yin energy. Is that, is that a high-level evil spirit? But how does it have a physical body?”

 

No, to be precise, the ones at the back were aiming their guns at me.

 

Damn, this is messed up.

 

Why are they carrying such outdated weapons as guns in an era of psychic powers???

 

But it was a researcher who saved me.

 

“Wait!!! What are you all doing!!! This is a distinguished guest!!! Please, I beg of you, show mercy, oh King of Spirits!!!”

 

I mean, there’s no mercy to give or not give here.

 

Can’t I just go home?

 

“Fine. I’m busy today, so I’ll come back another time.”

 

“No, didn’t the revered one instruct you to bring that item as soon as possible? That’s why it was sent to be delivered into the hands of the King of Spirits. Here, this is the item for you.”

 

“No, I’m...”

 

“The word of the revered one is absolute, and you, as a vassal king, follow the revered one. We are fully aware of this fact. Surely, you wouldn’t want to disappoint.”

 

Judging by their talk, if I tried to go back to the first floor, they’d surely start doubting I’m not the King of Spirits.

 

Considering the elevator doors close and open slowly, pressing for the first floor might just get me a barrage of bullets.

 

I’m in a tight spot.

 

No choice then.

 

“Lead the way.”

 

Escaping from here is the priority. Let’s grab whatever item I’m supposed to give to this revered one and make a run for it.

 

 

The head of the research facility felt his heart pounding like crazy.

 

The King of Spirits, a king among evil spirits, opposing the celestials. A soul that has attained sanctity and acquired a physical body. That being was right before his eyes.

 

Trying to hide his fear and trembling,

 

the head of the research facility slowly introduced the facility.

 

“This is the specimen storage area. We store specimens collected from all over Seoul right here. They are mostly provided by sects that serve the celestials or the revered ones.”

 

Specimens of all ages, captured from across Korea, were looking up with faces filled with terror.

 

The head of the facility looked down at them with cold eyes, then slowly observed the figure of the King of Spirits.

 

The King of Spirits was visibly furious.

 

Truly befitting a King of Spirits who loathes humans.

 

“Damn these bastards.”

 

He even cursed unconsciously, showing his disdain for humans.

 

Is this the true nature of the King of Spirits? Such wickedness.

 

The head of the facility looked at the King of Spirits with admiration.

 

“If you’re not feeling appeased, I could offer some of these specimens. You can kill them to pass the time.”

 

“You, you, you bastards, I’ll kill on my way out. Just give me the code to that room.”

 

The head of the facility respectfully provided the code.

 

“Let me introduce you to the next area.”

 

The next place the head of the research facility introduced was the most strictly guarded prison within the facility.

 

There, a woman was kneeling, naked and bound by dozens of gray ropes.

 

“This woman is Kirieon, the founding master of the Qigong Sect and the pioneer of the Qigong Faction. She’s a traitor who killed many Kings of Spirits and wounded the revered ones in her foolish attempt to protect mere humans. It would have been impossible to capture her if not for the betrayal of the Qigong Sect and Qigong Faction ten years before the Awakening.”

 

The head of the research facility added, trying to score points with the King of Spirits.

 

“Sometimes, the followers of the revered ones who visit our facility take their revenge on her. If you promise not to kill her, I could give you the code to that room...”

 

“Enough. Just give me the number already...!”

 

Such a furious expression.

 

Seeing the hatred for Kirieon, it’s clear this is indeed an ancient King of Spirits.

 

The head of the facility, now looking at the King of Spirits with respect, bowed his head and gave the number before moving on to the next location.

 

There was a room where a dying animal and its offspring, tied up with the same gray ropes as Kirieon, were in agony.

 

“This facility is an experimental ground for taming divine beasts. If the offspring obeys, its mother is healed; if it disobeys, parts of the mother’s extremities are gradually cut off as a system of reward and punishment to tame the divine beasts.”

 

Suddenly, a flash of white light thinly sliced off the left leg of the half-disappeared animal. The offspring, witnessing its mother’s limb being cut off, wailed and scratched the walls frantically.

 

At that moment, Yoo Hajin, the King of Spirits, inadvertently locked eyes with the offspring.

 

“Ugh.”

 

Seeing this, the King of Spirits made a pleased sound. Truly a King of Spirits, a being cruel enough to be revered.

 

“Give me the number for that room too. Now.”

 

“Ah, are you planning to take the divine beast’s blood or skin? It’s only right we offer that as a token of our sincerity. The number for that room is...”

 

And so, the head of the research facility and the King of Spirits arrived at the final room.

 

“Here we are, at the heart of our facility, where we restore the cursed artifacts of the Heavenly Demon, the Flame Spirit. Today, I’m truly delighted to introduce the restored Flame Spirit to the King of Spirits.”

 

With those words, the head of the facility opened the massive doors.