episode_0024

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『I’m glad I finally reached you, it seems ‘things’ visited too often.』

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A voice of unknown gender.

Eunha came to her senses and lifted her heavy eyelids.

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One small table and two chairs.

Eunha was sitting across from the table with the [black person] she had met before.

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A black suit, a black hat… a person with everything in black.

The ‘inverted cross’ hanging on the hat like an accessory sparkles in pure white.

The underside of the hat was hazy, as if there was thick fog, so the facial features of the [black person] could not be seen.

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‘Where am I…’

『The place you reached before. “Didn’t you say you would prepare something?”

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I looked around while listening to the [black person].

This place was like a small fortune teller.

The narrow room, about 5 pyeong in size, was crammed with storage cabinets, and in the pure white silk thread that stretched from the ceiling to the floor, magatama the size of fingernails hung in clusters, giving off a brilliant light.

The round table facing the [Black Person] was covered with a blue cloth, and a transparent crystal ball was placed on a red cushion.

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I turned my head and looked out the window.

It is pitch black outside.

In the deep darkness, which is so dark that it feels vague, numerous ghostly lights flow in one place like the Milky Way.

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『You’re awake. 』

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As I was watching the movements of the will-o’-the-wisps, ‘something’ spoke to me from behind.

At the same time, cold hands gently embrace Eunha’s waist.

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ah. I thought I was sitting on a chair, but it turned out I was on ‘something”s lap.

‘Something’ with many hands and the smell of an animal…

I’m sorry to keep calling it ‘something’, so let’s just call it a [beast].

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The [Beast], who sits Eunha on his lap, wraps his cold hands around her waist, caresses the backs of his hands, and lightly strokes her soft cheeks.

Seriously, how many hands do you have?

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“……hello.”

『Nice to meet you, kid.』

『Don’t tell ‘those’ well. I won’t visit too often from now on.』

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When Eunha bowed her head and said hello, the [Beast] accepted the greeting kindly, and the [Black Man] continued to say what he wanted to say.

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You said you won’t be visiting often from now on… Are you referring to ‘those’?

Already, three or four people came to visit us in three days.

I was wondering how I would survive my blood pressure rising, but this is very good news.

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What are these guys?

Isn’t that on the bad side?

『If you have any concerns, I will listen. Is everything okay?』

“Are you worried?”

“okay.”

“…I became a woman. Is this also because of [The Black Book]?”

“no. That’s your problem.』

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『Is there anything difficult about it?』

“The black book is too heavy. It’s hard to carry.”

『That can’t be helped. I have no choice but to cheer up.』

They say they listen to your concerns. I’m really just listening.

Is this right?

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『Are there any other concerns?』

“Is there anything to eat here?”

『… … Let’s prepare it.』

ah. After all, they are not bad people.

They give you something to eat.

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After that, I asked about the [Black Book] and the identity of ‘them’, but the black person refused to say anything, saying that Eunha should find out on its own.

Even while talking to the person in black, the [Beast], who had Eunha sitting on his lap, was stroking Eunha’s body with numerous hands.

Aren’t you tired of it?

I feel a little embarrassed because it feels like I’m touching bare skin.

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『… It’s time. I’ll just send you back.』

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[The person in black] who was tapping the crystal ball on the table said to Eunha.

At the same time, the lights on the ceiling began to blink and the windows rattled as if a typhoon was blowing.

When Eunha, startled by the sudden commotion, flinched, the [Beast] who hugged her patted her head, saying she was okay.

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『A relationship is like a thread. By nature, a thread is something that breaks easily… Nevertheless, if you continue to build precious relationships, it will eventually become a rope that will not break no matter what hardships you face.』

“What does that mean all of a sudden?”

『Wait just a moment. Hey kid. I will go there soon too.』

“What do you mean by that?”

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Eunha took offense at them saying strange things,

Immediately afterwards, the [Beast]’s hand covered Eunha’s eyes.

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And, as always, darkness.

there was nothing.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~

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“Aaaah…!”

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A deserted alley in Euncheon-gu.

In a place where people were busy studying or working, and trash was piled up next to the electric pole and only flies were flying around, a woman’s urgent cry was heard.

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“This… let go of this…!”

“Ah~. That’s how I should have repaid the money. It wouldn’t have been like this even if the money had just flowed into my bank account. Huh?”

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The woman was wearing a tattered sweater and tattered jeans, as if she had picked up discarded clothes from somewhere.

Her frizzy blue hair that goes down to her waist has long since lost its luster due to lack of maintenance, and her messy bangs that fall below her eyes are obstructing her vision.

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No matter where you look, you look like a beggar sitting on the street.

If it weren’t for her impressively beautiful features, everyone would have frowned at her.

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“Ha, just one more month… just wait a little longer…! I can really pay you back this time!”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s what everyone said.”

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A beggar-looking woman shouted to the man who grabbed her wrist.

Then the large man who pushed her to the corner of the alley sighs and sarcastically.

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He threatened the woman, wriggling his massive muscles as if he were about to hit a bear.

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“Let’s go easily, okay? We, too, can see Euncheon-gu’s wits. Even if we see him like this, he risked his life to come here, do you understand?”

“Ugh… you think you’ll get away with this?! My dad…”

“Yes, yes, I’m doing this because I feel like I’m going to be safe.”

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The woman tried to shake off the grabbed wrist, but the giant did not budge.

Instead, when only her wrist felt like it would break, the woman kicked the giant between the crotch with all her might with venom in her eyes.

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Stumbling.

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“Kwaaeng?!”

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However, when the woman tries to lift one foot to kick the giant, she loses her balance and falls.

One of his wrists was still being held by the giant, so it was quite funny to see him hanging in an awkward position, unable to lie down completely on the floor.

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The giant burst into laughter at the unsightly appearance.

The woman, whose face was red with shame, shook off the giant’s hand and stood up with difficulty.

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“Tsk tsk tsk. What are you doing? It was funny, so should I wait another month?”

“This thing…!”

“Stop. There’s no time.”

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As they were arguing like that, a man who was watching the situation one step behind stopped the giant.

He was a tall-looking man with a scar running vertically across his right eye and a black goldfish tattoo on his neck.

The man touched the scar over his eye and quietly looked down at the beggar-looking woman.

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“We have no intention of making a fuss in the [Blue Dragon Guild] territory. As long as we recoup the money we borrowed, we will return calmly.”

“So now the money is…”

“Nari Kang. We lent you money because you are Chairman Kang’s youngest daughter, and since the payment was due, we came here to collect ‘collateral’.”

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Is it because it is an issue involving money?

The two men cornered the woman without making any concessions.

A woman cornered in an alley looked up at them with fearful eyes.

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“B-But… the interest is too much…”

“That’s none of our business. If you really want to live, ask your father. He’s famous for being cold-blooded, but he’ll still buy your child’s organs at a high price… Take him away.”

“Come on, let’s go somewhere nice!”

“Wait a minute! Really, just one month…!”

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Crunching tang!!

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It was then.

The moment when the giant, who had grinned at the man’s command, was heading towards the van parked in front of the alley, dragging the struggling woman by the wrist.

Something fell into the trash heap next to the telephone pole with a loud sound.

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Heavy objects fall, and piled up trash bags roll around, contaminating the surroundings.

The giant, startled by the sudden noise, shook off the woman’s wrist and took a fighting stance, and the man with the crucian carp tattoo also stepped back from a distance to observe the situation.

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“What happened all of a sudden… a corpse?! A body fell, brother!”

“Quiet…! Your voice is loud…!”

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The giant who checked the fallen object cried out in cold sweat.

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A person fell on a pile of trash.

Pale skin, as if all blood had been drained, and a large hole in the carotid artery.

The body’s clothes were covered in blood flowing from the neck, and rigor mortis had not yet set in, and it was hanging limply.

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“Heehee…!”

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When she saw a real corpse in front of her eyes, the blue-haired woman did not hesitate because her legs became weak.

She trembled with a pale face, forgetting to run away from the men.

The men were equally shocked and could hardly remain calm.

Whether you look at the atmosphere or the face value of each other, no matter who looks at it, they are the culprits.

The giant kept snooping around the outside of the alley, wondering if anyone had seen what he was seeing.

“……Tsk! Let’s go back!”

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The man with the crucian carp tattoo, who was looking up at the sky to gauge where the body had landed, clicked his tongue and prepared to go back.

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“Brother?! What will happen to that woman if we just go back?”

“Leave it alone! Have you forgotten which guild’s territory this is? If a murder case occurs, a [Detective] will come!”

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The man raised both hands to urge the giant who had not yet fully grasped the situation.

His face, which showed no hostility, was full of irritation as if he had been completely defeated.

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“Detective Do Jong-ha! Are you listening? We just came to collect money from the debtor! We have nothing to do with ‘that’!… And Kang Na-ri!!”

“N-Four?!”

“…I’ll come back to you in a month. I’m using my ‘skill’ to determine your location, so you’d better not even think about running away.”

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A man looked around the alley and shouted at someone he couldn’t see.

Then, he growled a warning at the woman sitting on the floor, then got into a van in front of the alley with the giant and quickly left.

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Buaaang!

Men come in like waves and disappear like a typhoon.

In the dirty alley where trash was rolling around, only a dazed woman and a pale corpse were left lying on the ground.

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‘… … me. Did you live? ‘Are all my organs okay?’

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The woman felt around her body as if she still couldn’t believe that she was safe.

The lovely organs are doing well.

She stood up, dusted herself off, and looked back at the corpse buried in the trash pile.

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Pale skin, as if all the blood had drained out.

Seeing the real body in front of me made me feel nauseous.

The body was a young woman, a beauty that made even Kang Na-ri, who was quite confident about her appearance, fall silent.

Unfortunately for such a pretty person…

But no matter what, I survived thanks to you.

If that woman hadn’t fallen from the sky, Nari Kang would have already been taken away by the men and put in a difficult situation.

She bowed her head towards the body and prayed for his peace.

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A person whose name I don’t even know. A person who is already dead.

But I received a favor.

As Kang Na-ri, the youngest daughter of the ‘Kang family’ who cannot live off of debt, this is something she cannot afford to ignore.

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‘Hole in the carotid artery… He must have been murdered by someone. I will definitely reveal the culprit!’

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If we find the culprit and bring justice to him, that person will surely be able to ascend to the underworld with peace of mind.

First, Kang Na-ri took out a budget phone with a broken screen from her tattered sweater to report it to the police.

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“…Keueook…”

“Haaa?!”

“Hey, Miss Hi?!”

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However, immediately afterward, the fallen corpse began to move while letting out a slurred moan.

Kang Na-ri’s horrified scream and Eunha’s helpless scream, which was also startled by her scream, filled the alley.

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