Strange Occurrence (4)
"Try what you just said."
"W-what are you talking about…"
"You said you could control the strange force and draw out whatever you want from the Lord's mouth."
For a moment, Ritualist Myoshin was dumbfounded.
Judging by the atmosphere, he had assumed the obvious command would be to save the Lord.
He hadn't expected something like this.
Hah!
Bodyguard Gochan was equally at a loss.
He had thought they would urge the ritualist to save the Lord no matter what—at least to avoid offending the Matron. But to think this young master would make the same demand as her...
Gochan leaned in toward Mok Kyungwoon and whispered.
"Young master… what exactly are you trying to do?"
"You heard him."
"Excuse me?"
"He said we could hear whatever the Matron wants from the Lord's own mouth."
At that, Gochan frowned, his lips moving silently in disbelief.
It wasn't that he didn't understand what the young master meant.
"No, I mean—what are you planning to do with that information?"
Mok Kyungwoon let out a soft, dry snort.
Then, he asked in return:
"And you? What are you planning to do with it?"
Thrown off by the question, Gochan found himself at a loss for words.
The meaning was simple.
Don't question him. Don't interfere.
This lunatic… What the hell is he thinking?
What did he intend to do by stealing what the Matron had been aiming for?
Gochan was about to say something, but quickly shut his mouth.
This wasn't someone who would listen to reason anyway.
Still, the whole situation felt like it was teetering on the edge of disaster.
Regardless of Gochan's concerns, Mok Kyungwoon pressed Myoshin again.
"Hurry up."
"…Alright."
Though he hesitated for a moment, Ritualist Myoshin had no choice.
If he refused here, he didn't know what this ominous young master might do to him.
Myoshin walked to a storage chest tucked in the corner and pulled something out.
It was a small wooden doll, no bigger than a fist.
Mok Kyungwoon raised an eyebrow at the sight of the crudely carved figure.
"…What are you going to do with that?"
"This wooden doll will serve as the medium."
"The medium?"
"…If the Lord were to come into direct contact with the strange force again, it could endanger his life. Forget exorcising it—he might not survive."
That was the truth.
Once a strange force or taint separated from the body, reintroducing it could lead to highly dangerous consequences.
Any ritualist worth their salt would never attempt something so reckless.
"I see. Got it."
Mok Kyungwoon's response was dry to the point of indifference.
Myoshin silently clicked his tongue at the coldness.
This entire family… not a single one cares whether the Lord lives or dies. But if I screw this up, it's over.
Nervously, Myoshin glanced at the severed arm of the Lord lying on the floor.
The talismans were suppressing the strange force, but fundamentally, it was a manifestation of malice—a curse-born taint.
Even the slightest mistake could endanger both the Lord and Myoshin himself.
Damn it…
Swallowing dryly, Myoshin pulled out a talisman.
He pressed it against his own chest.
[Seven-Star Descent Talisman]
Three sevens surrounded by concentric wards—this talisman invoked the protection of the Seven Stars.
It was a safeguard to keep stray malice from rebounding onto the practitioner during the ritual.
Swish, swish!
He dipped his brush in red ink and inscribed another talisman.
代 (Proxy), 通 (Link).
The characters were written along with strange glyphs.
With a tense expression, Myoshin attached the 代 talisman to the wooden doll and tightly wrapped red thread around its head.
Then he placed the 通 talisman on the sleeping Lord's forehead, unwinding the other end of the red thread from the doll and wrapping it around the Lord's head in the same way.
They're connected. Now, for the Six-Man Wandering Soul Talisman.
He drew out a longer talisman than the ones before.
This was the Six-Man Wandering Soul Talisman—used in a ritual to create a puppet, imbue it with a soul, and control it at will.
"Step back. This could be dangerous."
At his warning, Mok Kyungwoon and Gochan retreated to the far end of the room.
Myoshin formed a mudra with his left hand and held the talisman in his right, chanting the Incantation of the Wandering Soul.
"Let the puppet transform, let heaven and earth alter.
Move as I command, let the divine enter the mortal.
What I possess, I command.
Spirits and demons shall not foresee—act swiftly and in accordance with my will!"
At first, nothing happened.
But when Myoshin's hand, still forming the mudra, pointed toward the Lord—
Bzzzt!
The Lord's body began to tremble unnaturally.
Myoshin slowly moved his hand, still in the mudra, toward the wooden doll.
And then—
Ooooooooh…
The talisman labeled 代 (proxy), affixed to the wooden doll, began to darken in ink as it emitted a strange aura.
It almost felt as though the wooden doll had come to life.
Creepy as hell…
Bodyguard Gochan winced, his face twisting in discomfort.
He'd been through all kinds of things, but these eerie rituals and strange forces always made his skin crawl.
What exactly was the young master planning with all this?
He watched tensely.
Tap!
Ritualist Myoshin gently grasped the wooden doll and moved it toward the severed arm, still steeped in the strange force.
He placed the doll directly in front of the arm.
At that moment, the Lord's severed arm—restrained by the Suppress (壓) talisman—began to stir.
Though still bound, the veins throbbed violently, as if threatening to burst again.
Then—
Pop!
Myoshin ripped the Suppress talisman off.
No sooner had he done so than the veins on the severed arm grotesquely bulged and shot out like living tendrils, wrapping themselves around the wooden doll.
Snap!
"Ugh!"
The moment the doll was seized, a groan escaped from the Lord's mouth.
"Huh?"
It was bizarre.
The Lord had reacted—just from the wooden doll being gripped.
Screeeeech!
"Urrrrgh…"
As the grip around the doll tightened, the Lord let out a tortured moan, as though he were in pain.
Isn't this going too far?
Gochan glanced nervously at Mok Kyungwoon.
But Kyungwoon simply watched, face unreadable, gaze unwavering.
It was almost unnerving how unaffected he seemed.
Slither…
Just then, something dark and ominous flowed from the severed arm and into the wooden doll, trailing like smoke.
"Let the divine enter the mortal.
What I possess, I command.
Spirits and demons shall not foresee—act swiftly and in accordance with my will…"
It worked.
Myoshin let out a quiet sigh of relief mid-incantation.
Thankfully, the strange force had accepted the wooden doll as a medium linked to the Lord.
This had been a calculated deception.
Had the force rejected the doll, it could've spiraled out of control into catastrophe.
But it worked.
And yet—
Crack! Crack!
Fine fractures began appearing on the surface of the doll now fully possessed by the strange force.
!?
Myoshin's eyes widened.
The doll had been carved from refined willow—a wood known for its resilience against spiritual interference.
But for cracks to appear so soon after the force had entered…
…The malice is too strong.
Myoshin swallowed hard.
Even though the strange force had left its original host and been weakened during the transfer, it was still overwhelmingly powerful.
Damn…
Looking back, it made sense.
This wasn't some random peasant. The Lord was a martial artist trained in channeling qi.
For the force to possess someone like that—to the point of threatening their life—it had to be far beyond an ordinary curse.
This is dangerous.
Myoshin's lips went dry.
This level of malice wasn't something that could be controlled.
If he forced it any further, the doll might shatter—and once that happened, the restrained force could break loose again.
"Young master, I think we should—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Mok Kyungwoon's eyes were locked on his, cold and still.
Flinch!
Even now, Myoshin couldn't get over how eerie it was.
How could a living man have eyes that looked so utterly lifeless?
They sent chills down his spine.
Shink!
Kyungwoon's hand idly toyed with the edge of a blade.
Seeing that, Myoshin clamped his mouth shut.
This madman of a young master wasn't going to believe a word unless he saw the results for himself.
Honestly, who would?
Ah!
Suddenly, an idea sparked in Myoshin's mind.
It was so fitting for the situation, he wondered why it hadn't occurred to him earlier.
He spoke up.
"Young master, I will proceed with controlling the force. However, it seems like what you're trying to hear is rather… sensitive. Are you fine with him hearing it as well?"
He tilted his chin toward none other than Gochan.
"Huh? Oh…"
Gochan quickly realized what he meant.
They were trying to get the location of the secret manual and the Lord's seal—something of grave importance.
The question was whether it was okay for a subordinate to hear it too.
"I'll step out for a moment."
Though he wasn't exactly a subordinate, Gochan figured it was better to excuse himself than risk provoking Kyungwoon's temper.
Kyungwoon, unsurprisingly, gave a small nod in agreement.
Rattle…
As Gochan stepped out of the room on his own, Myoshin began chanting the Soul-Binding Spell once more.
"Puppet transform! Heaven and earth shift!
Come to me as I walk the path!
Divine spirit and flesh entwine!
What lies beyond, heed my command—swiftly, in accordance with the law!"
Vrrrrrrr!
"Graaagh!"
The wooden doll trembled violently, and from Jangju's mouth came a pained groan.
Crack!
Another fracture split across the doll's surface.
It was clear—it wouldn't hold much longer.
Still, Myoshin pressed on, forming a Tiger Finger seal with one hand.
"In accordance with the law—soul bound by the call, answer!"
"Gghhhh… Wh-who… Who… calls… for… me…?"
A coarse, echoing voice escaped from Jangju's mouth, distorted as if carried from the other side.
Crack!
A jagged fracture cut across the doll's chest.
Sweat beaded on Myoshin's brow as he watched.
"In accordance with the law—soul bound by the call, answer this question!"
"Wha…t…do…you…wish…to…know…?"
"In accordance with the law—reveal the location of the secret manual and seal!"
Vrrrrrrr!
As the question fell, a seizure rippled through both the doll and Jangju's head.
His eyelids twitched wildly, as though moving on their own.
Crack! Crack!
More fractures appeared—this time across the doll's eyes and neck.
It looked like it could shatter any second.
Then, Jangju spoke.
"Yak…dang… basement… Jeong (丁)… stone… gate…"
Yakdang… basement… Jeong… stone gate?
That's what it sounded like.
He seemed about to say more when—
KRACK!
The wooden doll caved in on itself, crumpling into a grotesque mess of splinters.
Immediately, something sinister and pulsating began to surge along the red thread that had connected it to Jangju—heading back toward him.
Myoshin cried out in alarm.
"Young master! Cut the thread!"
Thread?
The moment the doll shattered, Kyungwoon sensed something was wrong.
He saw the sinister force riding the thread and instinctively slashed at it with his sword.
Shing!
With perfect timing, the cursed force lost its path as the red thread snapped.
Did that do it?
For a moment, it seemed like the danger had passed.
But then—
Woooooom!
The strange energy abruptly surged up along the blade with terrifying speed.
Kyungwoon tried to let go, but unlike the long, winding maze of thread, the sword was far too short.
Snap!
A chilling sensation burst into his hand and began rushing up his arm like a flood.
His body jolted violently, as if struck by lightning.
It worked!
Myoshin's lips curled into a smile.
Everything had gone according to plan.
The wooden doll had never stood a chance against the overwhelming malice.
He had expected that the force would break free during the Soul Transfer Ritual.
That was why he had arranged for the force to pass into Mok Kyungwoon instead.
And it worked perfectly.
Slap!
Myoshin pulled a Suppress (壓) talisman from his robe and slapped it onto Kyungwoon's forehead as his body convulsed.
Two birds with one stone.
They'd managed to extract at least part of the location of the secret manual and seal from Jangju's mouth.
And the cursed force had now been offloaded onto this troublesome brat.
Even malevolent spirits could learn.
This one had endured exorcism and a full soul-binding ritual—it was far beyond the reach of conventional suppression now.
Unfortunate… but this only happened because you pushed me.
If anyone tried to forcibly exorcise the force now, the possessed would either die… or lose their mind completely.
Either way, it wasn't his concern.
All Myoshin had to do was complete the commission from the Matriarch.
Suddenly, everything turned bright.
Jeong looked around in confusion.
The sounds of water trickling and birds chirping echoed gently through the air.
This clear spring—he came here every morning to fetch water.
What is this?
It felt like something had just happened.
But… he couldn't remember what.
It was like waking from a fleeting dream—or maybe he'd just zoned out.
Something's off…
He felt like he was forgetting something—but couldn't quite recall what.
Perched on a rock, Jeong brooded for a moment, then finally rose to his feet.
He hoisted the yoke back onto his shoulders.
I'd better hurry.
If he was late, he'd get an earful from Grandpa.
Jeong hoisted the water yoke over his shoulders and ran up the steep mountain path.
It was a trail he took every day—so familiar he could run it with his eyes closed.
-Splash, splash!
Water sloshed inside the buckets hanging from the yoke.
Yet not a single drop spilled.
Grandpa's constant nagging about never letting the water spill had drilled the habit into him. Before he knew it, he could carry a full load without losing even a drop.
And so, Jeong ran.
He sprinted for a long while, until he neared the mountain's summit—
'!?'
Jeong's brow furrowed.
He saw black smoke rising.
It was coming from the direction of his home.
At that sight, Jeong threw aside the water yoke and bolted like a madman.
When he arrived—
-FWOOSH!
A wave of heat hit him.
The house was engulfed in flames.
Jeong's face hardened with horror.
Panicking, he scanned the area and then sprinted around to the back of the burning house.
There, behind it, was a small herb garden.
They grew their own medicinal herbs whenever possible.
Grandpa, ever the early riser, usually started his day tending that garden.
Please... please…
Jeong reached the garden and stopped in his tracks.
His eyes widened in shock, nearly bursting from his sockets.
What should have been inside a person was now scattered across the garden.
-Grit!
Jeong clenched his teeth.
He followed the trail of blood and broken pieces.
Looking down the slope, he screamed.
"Grandpa!"
There he was.
Or what was left of him.
His lower half was completely torn away—only the upper torso remained.
And yet, even in that state, Grandpa seemed to cling to life. His head rose ever so slightly.
The moment Jeong saw his face, his sanity nearly shattered.
And beside Grandpa stood… someone.
An eerie figure with pure black eyes—no whites—and a pallid face.
Jeong didn't notice him at all.
"Is that what you desire most?"
The figure could feel Jeong's anguish.
Then, while watching Jeong, the black-eyed figure snapped his fingers.
-Snap!
And suddenly, something strange happened.
Jeong, who had been burning with fury, was now frozen in confusion.
What the…?
His grandfather's mangled body had vanished completely.
He turned his head, looking around—and the burning house now stood completely intact, like nothing had happened.
Even the garden was neat and untouched.
There, in the middle of it, Grandpa was cheerfully harvesting herbs, patting his back.
"Grandpa…?"
Grandpa turned his head and said,
"Well, if you're here, don't just stand around gawking—help out!"
Hearing his voice brought a swell of emotion to Jeong's chest.
He didn't know what had just happened, but now he truly understood how precious his grandfather was.
He'd never lose him again.
He was the only reason Jeong was still alive when he should've died long ago.
And from behind, the black-eyed figure watched Jeong.
He couldn't hide his satisfaction.
"Yes… live forever with your beloved grandfather. Never lose anything precious again…"
But right then—
As Jeong trembled with emotion, overwhelmed—
He suddenly whipped his head around.
'!?'
The black-eyed figure's face twisted in confusion.
Jeong was staring straight at him—with dead, haunted eyes, like someone who had already died.
That wasn't possible.
There was no way the boy could perceive him—
-Shunk!
In a flash, Jeong's fingers plunged straight into the figure's eyes.
"GRAAAAAAH!!"
He gouged them out in one motion.
Screaming in agony, the figure reeled as blood and darkness poured from his face.
And Jeong, in a voice cold enough to freeze the air, said:
"I don't know what you are, but you're seriously pissing me off.
Toying with my dead grandfather like that… That's unforgivable."