Chapter 1340

<Chapter 1340> 1340. Ghost Romance

Shin Oh-jeong: Do you know about Nuri Hospital?

Of course, I knew.

Nuri Hospital is a well-known large hospital in this area. Of course, the reason I know about Nuri Hospital is a bit different from others.

Because it’s from the original story—it’s related to Seol Ji-young.

“Seol Ji-young, suffering from an incurable disease, lived at Nuri Hospital instead of going to school when she was young.”

Sung Yoojin: Is there anyone who doesn’t know about Nuri Hospital?

Shin Oh-jeong: Well, since you’re somewhat lacking in common sense, I thought maybe you didn’t know.

Shin Oh-jeong: Judging by your reaction, you seem to know about Nuri Hospital.

Shin Oh-jeong: So, do you also know this? Nuri Hospital became ruins three months ago. It turned into an abandoned hospital. It’s famous online as a hotspot for spirits.

Sung Yoojin: It became an abandoned hospital three months ago? That big hospital? What was the reason?

Shin Oh-jeong: It was the work of ghosts… or so I and the internet believe… In reality, the director, doctors, and nurses all left the hospital without any clear reason.

Shin Oh-jeong: They all suddenly left the hospital for no apparent reason. The patients were transferred to other hospitals.

Shin Oh-jeong: And for some reason, the hospital was abandoned and became a ghost hospital.

Shin Oh-jeong: I predict that the staff and related parties of Nuri Hospital were possessed by ghosts.

Sung Yoojin: Nuri Hospital, huh. I should check it out.

Shin Oh-jeong: Are you going alone? Nuri Hospital is dangerous. Since it’s such a big hospital, it used to hold funerals daily. All sorts of ghosts must be gathered there.

Shin Oh-jeong: Ask for help from the Exorcist Association. Or ask for help from your family. Your family is famous for exorcism, right?

Sung Yoojin: I won’t lose to some ghosts. I can handle it alone.

I drove the car toward the hospital.

9 PM.

It was well past sunset.

Nuri Hospital was clean for an abandoned hospital. It’s only been three months since it became abandoned, so it still looks clean. The unexpected cleanliness made it even more eerie.

『1. Enter the abandoned hospital.』

『2. Don’t enter the abandoned hospital.』

『†You are using Rule Breaker.』

Ignoring the choices with Rule Breaker, I threw a gas canister into the hospital and tossed a lit match.

‘Let’s start by setting it on fire.’

The fire caught on the oil and began to burn fiercely, but suddenly it went out.

“……”

Definitely the work of a ghost.

“Hmm, this is interesting.”

Shaking my right shoulder while holding the exorcism rod, I entered the abandoned hospital.

As soon as I entered, the floor shook, and the items inside rattled.

Poltergeist phenomenon.

Those pesky lesser spirits are trying to scare me without knowing what they’re dealing with. I grabbed a nearby flower pot and hurled it forward. It shattered loudly, scattering dirt everywhere.

“Come out, you bastards! Today’s your last day!”

Bang bang!

I swung the exorcism rod nervously toward the walls.

“Hehehe…”

“They’ve come, they’ve arrived.”

“You foolish one… Do you know where you are?”

“You naive pup, unaware of the tiger’s ferocity.”

“How arrogant, how arrogant.”

Ghosts appeared.

They came from all sides. Not just regular spirits, but some had reached the level of demons.

‘…Damn. There are way too many.’

Individually, their power is weaker than Red Mask. But there were so many. Already, over twenty ghosts had surrounded me.

‘This could be bad… Should I restart? Damn. Then all the ghost exorcising I did today would have been for nothing.’

Still, I wasn’t thinking of running away. I don’t think I could run anyway. I raised my exorcism rod.

Through countless stories, I already know the mindset a returner should have.

‘I won’t just die. Even if I die, I’ll extract some information first.’

For example, the weaknesses of these ghosts.

“Come on out! Come on out!”

I gestured toward the ghosts.

However, the ghosts only surrounded me without moving. Their numbers had already surpassed forty.

Something felt off.

Normally, ghosts don’t gather like this. They act independently.

‘…Is this the ‘Hundred Ghosts Parade’ that Shin Oh-jeong mentioned?! …But these ghosts look too wimpy to be called that.’

While I was frowning in confusion due to the incomprehensible situation, I heard footsteps. Footsteps that couldn’t possibly come from a ghost—human footsteps.

The ghosts parted to either side. Walking down that path was Seol Ji-young.

“Senior Ji-young…?”

“Hey, Yoojin. Didn’t expect to meet you here.”

“Why is Senior Ji-young here?”

“Why am I here? Isn’t it obvious? This is my home, isn’t it?”

“Huh?”

Seol Ji-young approached with a smile. A chill ran through me. Goosebumps covered my skin. Despite exorcising countless ghosts from morning till evening, her power didn’t seem weakened at all.

‘…Maybe I chose the wrong direction from the start.’

The escape route was already blocked by ghosts. There was nothing I could do. The only option left was to break Senior Ji-young’s bowl.

“Senior Ji-young, did you know I was coming?”

“Yeah. My sister told me. As expected, she knows everything…”


“Your words are certain. I just need to listen to my sister’s words.”

“That Seol girl. She’s such a wretch. Let’s forget about her and elope in the name of love instead.”

Seol Ji-young’s face stiffened. Her eyebrows shot up.

“Yoojin, you shouldn’t use such nasty language. That sister is my savior.”

“Do you like her more than me?”

“I love both you and my sister equally… Therefore… I’ll freeze you forever as my sister says. Then we can be together forever.”

“Tch. There’s no way. Senior. Please forgive me for cracking your head today. This might be the answer. It’s fine even if I die since I have another chance.”

“I don’t understand a single word you’re saying. My sister thinks you’ve gone mad.”

“Aaaah! The one who’s crazy is this world!”

I lunged at Seol Ji-young. She extended her hand. Coldness flew toward me. It was too fast to dodge. My body froze from the coldness.

As Seol Ji-young hugged my frozen body, she smiled softly. Her lips approached mine.

『†Seol Girl’s chill is freezing your heart.』

『†Your vision is going dark.』

『You can choose your starting point.』

『Day 4 Checkpoint has been saved.』

I woke up in the morning.

I immediately clung to Yusemi who was lying next to me. To forget the sensation of my heart freezing, I burrowed into Yusemi’s embrace. Feeling her warm body temperature improved my mood.

“Aaah, Yoojin…?”

I spent time having sex with Yusemi. After she left for school, I lay on the bed staring blankly at the ceiling.

“It’s wrong to exorcise ghosts and reduce ghost energy. There are too many ghosts in the hospital… It’s impossible for me to handle them alone.”

There seemed to be no solution.

When in doubt, ask someone else. Though the best option would be to ask Yuria… I decided to ask Shin O-jeong first since he seems pretty smart.

Shin O-jeong: So there were that many ghosts in the hospital? A situation serious enough that even Hell’s Six Section Staff couldn’t handle it…

Sung Yoo-jin: Enough talk. Any good ideas?

Shin O-jeong: How about destroying the hospital itself? Like setting it on fire or demolishing it with heavy machinery.

Sung Yoo-jin: Won’t work with too many ghosts. When they gather their strength…

Shin O-jeong: Hmm. Then how about gathering our own team.

Sung Yoo-jin: Those strays won’t help.

Shin O-jeong: Not strays. Request support from the Exorcist Association you belong to. Your family is well-known among exorcists after all.

The association wouldn’t ignore your request.

Shin O-jeong: A war between ghosts and exorcists… exciting just imagining it.

Sung Yoo-jin: Indeed. That’s a great idea.

I took immediate action. Checking my family home’s location on my smartphone, I drove there using a car borrowed from Jidae Hye’s house.

An hour later, I arrived at a mountain village.

“Sung Yoo-jin! What brings you here so suddenly? And what’s with that car?”

An old man who looked picky greeted me with his cane. He’s my grandfather in this world.

“I came to retrieve something left in the warehouse.”

“Hmph. You’re here for the True Demon Sword then, given all the talk of ghosts gathering in your area lately. Tsk. Looking at your face, you must be in quite a pinch.”

“Pinch? Me? Against mere ghosts?”

“Do you not know? Your face is distorted like a ghost’s. My younger sister often said… maintain composure. Always be vigilant to avoid becoming a ghost. Ghosts exploit people’s weaknesses. Your current state is perfect for a ghost to invade.”

“…”

I touched my face.

It did feel somewhat stiff, now that I think about it.

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have noticed.

‘…Is it because I’m completely stressed?’

The old man threw something at me. It was a key.

“It’s the warehouse key. Go ahead and take the True Demon Sword. It was originally meant for you anyway, so no need to hesitate.”

“…”

I nodded and headed towards the warehouse.

Frankly speaking, I only learned about the existence of the True Demon Sword now.

I didn’t come to the family home for the sword but for something else.

‘While I’m here, might as well take the True Demon Sword too.’

Opening the warehouse door, dust swirled around and suppressed ghost energy could be felt. Looking around the warehouse, there were countless talismans.

‘The original story briefly mentioned the protagonist’s family home. The protagonist’s grandfather was a famous exorcist who traveled nationwide, exorcising dangerous ghosts. And those he couldn’t exorcise, he sealed and stored in the warehouse.’

If I requested support from the Exorcist Association as Shin O-jeong suggested, the abandoned hospital’s ghosts would easily be exorcised. However, the problem lies in Seol Ji-young being 100% exorcised as well. For ordinary people, it’s fine since only the possessing ghost will be exorcised.

‘But Seol Ji-young will die if the snow ghost dies. Her survival despite her incurable illness is thanks to the snow ghost’s power.’

Thus, I cannot request support from the Exorcist Association.

‘Then there’s only one method left.’

Become a ghost myself!

To fight Seol Ji-young using ghostly powers.

Entering the warehouse, I moved to the very back where important items are usually kept.

Then, I noticed a sword hanging on the wall without a scabbard. Just the hilt and blade. Upon seeing it, I knew instantly – this is the True Demon Sword.

‘＾I can sense ghost energy from this sword. Does it cut ghosts using ghost energy? Regardless, its sharpness rivals the Fire Lotus Blade. I like it.’

Holding the True Demon Sword in my right hand, I ventured deeper inside.

There was a white jar covered in countless talismans. Instinctively, I knew it contained a powerful sealed ghost.

『1. Unseal the spirit of Dao Jin the Ghost General.』

『2. Do not unseal the spirit of Dao Jin the Ghost General.』

‘So the sealed spirit is a ghost general…’

Though I don’t know much about ghost generals…


It is known that among ghosts, there are higher-ranking spirits.

There was no turning back now. I chose option 1.

“1. Release the seal on Nachal Ghost Dojin. V”

The hand holding the True Demon Sword moved on its own and cut off the talisman.

A voice of Nachal echoed in my mind.

“Hahahaha! The seal is broken! You little worm! Disgusting descendant of exorcists! You seek my power, do you? Very well. I shall grant it! In return, hand over your body!”

Out of the cracked jar emerged a black something that clung to my body.

“Guh… Kk…”

I deliberately gave up resistance. I could feel my consciousness fading. Something was pushing me out.

At the same time, ghostly energy flowed through my body.

Crrack!

My bones shattered, muscles swelled and tore. The pain was severe. I wanted to lose consciousness, but it wasn’t that easy.

“Hmm. Quite resilient. An ordinary human would have fainted already… Are you truly an exorcist? Hahaha! You’re growing on me!”

I plunged the True Demon Sword into the ground and leaned on its hilt – an instinctive action to endure the pain.

Closing my eyes, I felt my memories flowing somewhere.

“I see now. So you sought my power for a mere woman… Hehe. Entertaining. Don’t worry, I’ll kill the Snow Woman for you.”

My consciousness was being pushed out.

Crrack, snap, crunch, crackle.

Bones broke, muscles tore. The bones became stronger and settled into their original framework, torn muscles regenerated and compressed.

Worn-out teeth fell out with a dull thud and new ones grew. Short hair lengthened down to my waist. I grew taller, nails repeatedly grew and fell out. Peeling skin revealed fresh pink skin underneath.

This process repeated three times – I underwent three transformations.

“Excellent. I can feel life. This body matches so well with me.”

Nachal Ghost Dojin rose from Sung Yoo-jin’s body. His upper garment was torn, revealing his compressed upper body muscles, and his lower garment was tattered. Ignoring his attire, Dojin grasped the True Demon Sword.

Though originally a blade ungraspable by ghosts, he was now a Nachal possessing a human body. The True Demon Sword behaved obediently in his hands.

Dojin walked confidently out of the warehouse.

An old man appeared and blocked his path.

“Feeling a powerful ghostly energy, I came to investigate… You, Dojin! Get out of my grandson’s body this instant!”

“Haha. Seong Bi-wol, aren’t you? You’ve aged much. I intended to tear you apart into thousands of pieces… But look here, you’ve given me your grandson’s body. Without you, this wouldn’t have been possible. I’ll give you a quick death.”

“You…!”

Seong Bi-wol hastily set up stone palm defenses. It was futile. Dojin’s swing of the True Demon Sword cut through both the stone palms and Seong Bi-wol’s body.

“Do, Dojin! You bastard…!”

Seong Bi-wol fell, bleeding.

“Hahahahaha!”

Dojin laughed until his mouth split open.

“Are you stupid? Couldn’t even kill an old man properly?”

Inside Dojin’s head, Sung Yoo-jin’s voice sounded. Dojin abruptly stopped laughing.

“…You’re still maintaining your consciousness? Your tenacity is impressive. However, you can do nothing. This body is mine now. Just watch quietly as I use this body.”

-That’s what you’re doing anyway, dumbass. I tried keeping quiet… But how could I not speak when your swordplay is so pathetic?

“You insolent brat…! With your grandfather dying, is that all you have to say?”

-Whether that old man lives or dies is none of my concern. I’m just lending you my body because it’s annoying… So do it properly.

With rising irritation, Dojin looked at Seong Bi-wol.

“Seong Bi-wol! Your grandson… Hmm? Is he dead?”

Realizing he’d killed him too easily, Dojin clicked his tongue and turned his head sharply.

He sensed an irritating presence.

“Daring to spy on this body?”

Perfect for venting his frustration.

Dojin leaped into the forest with speed far surpassing human limits. He swung his sword at the bushes. The ghostly energy transformed into a blade, slicing through them.

It was a furry creature. As it was slashed, it let out a piercing scream while looking up at the sky.

“Quaaaaiiiiiiiiiik!”

And the furry creature died.

“It was a minor ghost. Seems it was a scout.”

The sky suddenly darkened unnaturally.

A massive ghostly presence was felt.

Dojin smirked. He knew what this phenomenon meant.

“Hundred Ghosts’ Night Parade… So the rejects from the eastern island have arrived. Their target must be… this brat, it seems. A perfect test subject for my strength, sealed for sixty years.”

An Oni wielding a sword descended from the sky towards Dojin. Dojin didn’t dodge; he clashed against the Oni’s attack. Sparks flew in all directions as the swords collided.

The Oni was pushed back by sheer force. Seizing the opportunity, Dojin swung his sword at the Oni, intending to finish it in one strike. However, the Oni’s body was quite resilient. He had to slash three more times.

-That’s not how you wield a sword.

“…Shut up, will you? The reason I couldn’t kill the guy instantly is… because I’m not familiar with this sword. Do you know who I am? I am Dojin, the Nachal Ghost who has slain thousands!”

-If you’ve slain thousands, I’ve slain tens of thousands.

“You won’t stop talking, you arrogant brat…! Please shut up already!”

-Your swordplay is clumsy. Hand over the body. I’ll show you what real swordplay looks like.

“Don’t make me laugh! This body is mine now. Just watch quietly as I destroy this Hundred Ghosts’ Night Parade!”