Chapter 335

Start (16)

Grrrrrrrr-.

Hey, aren’t you going over there?

I’m dying right now, so if you don’t wanna die too, get the hell outta here-?

“Still as feisty as ever. I came all this way to see you, and you’re telling me to leave?”

‘What the hell, look at this guy? You understand what I’m saying?’

Jang Gun-i flinched and lifted his head.

Sniff sniff-.

Even if I can’t see, I can tell by the smell. Whether it’s a good pup or a bad one.

But this guy doesn’t have any smell at all.

So, there’s only one conclusion.

‘You’re death. You’ve come to take me.’

“Hahaha-. For a mere dog, you’ve got quite the insight. But you’re wrong.”

‘Then what the hell are you, punk?’

“Look at this guy, taking after his owner with the rude talk and swearing. No manners at all…”

‘What are you talking about? You’re using informal speech too. Dogs are mirrors to each other, so if the nonsense coming in sounds like nonsense, the nonsense going out will sound like nonsense too. That’s what Son Wang-wang said. Do you know what a mirror is? It’s something that shows another Jang Gun-i inside.’

“Dog, let me ask you one thing. Do you want to live longer?”

‘Ah! I remember you! You asked me that before.’

Jang Gun-i remembers clearly.

It was when Son Wang-wang was petting Jang Gun-i, who was feeding milk to the newborn Hongsi.

Son Wang-wang told Jang Gun-i to live long and healthy while watching Hongsi grow.

Back then, Son Wang-wang’s shadow swayed and asked the same question.

– 【Dog, do you want to live long?】

– Grrr. I dunno? What’s the point of living longer than my pup?

– 【Interesting. A dog with a sense of romance.】

– Grrr. I may look like this, but I’m just a dog without romance. No dog lives longer than a human.

– 【You could live longer.】

– Grrr. Then try it, you lunatic.

– 【It’s not possible right now.】

– You’re all talk.

– 【We’ll see…】

Gasp!

Ah, so it was that guy after all!

Is that why there’s no smell?

Did he crawl out of the shadow?

“I can make you live longer.”

‘What about my pup? What about Gwang-ma? What about Pomi? What about Cheon-ma?’

Ah, old man Cheon-ma is dead. Whimper-.

“Is that your wish?”

‘It’s not a wish.’

“Haha-, it’s not a wish? Then what is your wish?”

‘It’s just that it would be nice if it happened, not a wish, you punk. If it’s not, then it’s not, why do you keep asking? I’m already gasping for breath, about to die.’

Not understanding what a wish really means, Jang Gun-i just blurted out nonsense.

Jang Gun-i is a proud dog, so he knows how to bluff.

“That is your wish.”

Grrrr-.

This smug little punk without a smell.

Something touched his head.

It wasn’t a real touch, but someone was definitely touching Jang Gun-i’s head.

His vision cleared, his hearing became sharper, and his legs filled with strength.

When his sharpened sense of smell caught Son Wang-wang’s scent, his heart roared like a lion. Startled, he jumped up.

Whoa whoa whoa!

His voice was full of strength too.

Heheheh!

Reborn like a dog!

“Haha-. Good boy. You’ll live as long as your owner.”

‘When is that guy gonna die?’

“I don’t know. That’s what fate is. No one knows anything, nothing is set in stone, and anything can happen. That’s fate.”

‘Stop talking nonsense and explain it so I can understand!’

Heheh-.

Huh? Where did this scentless punk go?

I was wide awake, but he disappeared.

Suddenly, it’s kinda scary.

*

He ran wildly, following Son Wang-wang’s scent.

Like the old days when they raced every day, happy times.

Excited by his restored stamina and speed, he ran and ran, tongue wagging left and right.

Huh? But the scent keeps moving.

Is this guy wearing cologne?

There’s a strange smell mixed in.

But it’s definitely Son Wang-wang’s scent.

That guy’s scent is unique, so if Jang Gun-i’s sense of smell is alive, he can find it anywhere!

Clip clop clip clop-.

Jang Gun-i’s legs moved like crazy.

Heheheh-!

Finally! Arrived!

Woof! Woof!

Son Wang-wang! Jang Gun-i is here!

Huh? But this isn’t the cliff-like building.

This isn’t the place, so why does it smell like Son Wang-wang?

“Oh my? Jang Gun-i?”

What the hell.

It’s Hong Ying-ying’s house!

The house where he first met Pomi and made Hongsi.

But why does Hong Ying-ying smell like Son Wang-wang?

Sniff sniff-.

Jang Gun-i circled Hong Ying-ying, sniffing.

Woof! Woof!

Tell Son Wang-wang to come out! I’m gonna bite his balls off!

“What-? Jang Gun-i is here? The countryside has been in an uproar since he disappeared a few days ago.”

“Look at this collar, Mom. It has General’s name tag-.”

“Really? But was Jang Gun-i this young? He’s old and aged.”

What are you talking about, lady?

I’m not as old as you!

“Yeah… His fur is as shiny as a lion’s.”

Heheheh-.

Jang Gun-i hears that a lot.

Jang Gun-i licked Hong Ying-ying’s calf, wagging his tail. That was a good lick.

“Mom-. I’ll take Jang Gun-i to my brother and come back.”

“Okay, do that. He’s been worried a lot, so he’ll be happy. Don’t disturb your brother while he’s exercising. Come back early.”

“Okay-. Hehehehe-.”

Sniff sniff-.

Weird.

Why does Hong Ying-ying seem to like Jang Gun-i more?

***

“Ah, Jang Gun-i, you rascal! I was so worried about you, you punk! Oh my-.”

Heheheh-.

Son Wang-wang is the best.

He’s crying, saying he’s happy to see this guy and that guy.

Woof!

I’m happy to see you too, you dog!

“Brother, I’ll give him a bath.”

“Will you?”

“Yeah. Bathing dogs is fun.”

Grrrr-.

Why isn’t Jang Gun-i’s doctor being asked!

“Jang Gun-i, this isn’t the countryside house. You either take a bath or sleep on the roof.”

Son Wang-wang is the best. He’s so considerate, just like a dog.

Heheheh-.

I’m tired from the long journey, but I want a cozy indoor sleep too!

Jang Gun-i scratched the front door with his front paws.

“Then you have to take a bath.”

Sigh-.

Damn it. Not the decision I wanted, but Jang Gun-i can agree to that condition.

“I’ll go buy some food and water, so Sujeong, please take care of him-.”

“Okay-, hehehe-.”

Hong Ying-ying’s laugh is kinda weird.

Her laugh smells different.

Her body is all twisted. Does she need to pee?

But Hong Ying-ying’s touch was delicate and gentle.

“Ah-. Good boy. Our Jang Gun-i.”

Her voice is so clear, it feels good.

Heheheh-.

Ah, there. Ooh- feels good.

Filling my belly with food and quenching my thirst with clean water, I feel like I own the world.

I wanted to go outside and howl at the night sky, but I have to hold back.

If I go out, I’ll have to take another bath.

Jang Gun-i is a sneaky dog, so he knows that too.

This is the movie-watching place, this is the exercise place, this is the bath place, this is the eating place, this is where Son Wang-wang sleeps-.

Gasp! What’s that smell?

After touring Son Wang-wang’s house and sniffing around, I realized.

Heheheh-.

Hong Ying-ying’s scent is all over Son Wang-wang’s doghouse!

Analysis complete.

Where should I sleep…

Ah! That spot looks good.

The entrance. The sleeping spot most similar to the countryside house.

I laid on Son Wang-wang’s shoes and buried my nose in Hong Ying-ying’s shoes.

Sniff sniff-.

Why does Hong Ying-ying’s shoes smell like Son Wang-wang?

Ugh, that dog, did he lick Hong Ying-ying’s toes?

Anyway, it’s a familiar scent.

Roll roll-.

*

Slurp slurp- slurp slurp-.

It’s late at night, what’s that sound?

Jang Gun-i woke up to the sound irritating his eardrums.

Slurp slurp- slurp slurp-.

Heheheh-.

Son Wang-wang, you pig, what are you eating alone!

Jang Gun-i lowered his body and moved towards the sound.

Click-.

Oops, the sound came from his claws.

He tucked his claws in as much as possible and moved slowly-, like a predator stalking a moth.

“Sujeong, Mom will be worried, maybe you should go now?”

“She’s probably already asleep, what’s the big deal? And Mom doesn’t care if I come or go. As long as the bodyguard uncles are well-fed, it’s fine. Where are you going, Son Wang-wang! Come here!”

“Ah, I have to wake up early tomorrow to exercise and go to work-.”

“Want to get in trouble?”

Slurp slurp- slurp slurp-.

Gasp!

Son Wang-wang and Hong Ying-ying!

Wait, no?

Heheh?

Hong Ying-ying and Son Wang-wang?

Wait, no?

Are they eating each other?

Finally, the mystery of the scent is solved!

Jang Gun-i is an analytical dog, so he can draw conclusions.

“Brother-. Should I close the door? What if Jang Gun-i wakes up?”

“What’s the big deal? He doesn’t know anything.”

I know everything, you punk!

Go ahead, you inferior animals.

Jang Gun-i coolly turned around.

I’ll eat more food and sleep.

Yawn-.

Crunch-.

Slurp slurp-.

Crunch-.

Slurp slurp-. Slurp slurp-.

Crunch-.

Slurp slurp slurp slurp slurp-.

Grrrr-.

Ah, those guys. They’re slurping so loudly.

***

The heat was still fierce in September.

In a quiet alley in Mapo-gu.

The mirage rising from the asphalt made the shabby red brick building without an elevator look wobbly.

A tall, well-dressed man in his 40s, wearing subtle brown sunglasses, stopped in front of the 5th-floor office.

「Soom Publishing」

The man loosened his tie a bit and let out a long sigh.

‘Similar to a suit, but more suffocating.’

Hmm-.

With a deep, solemn cough, he pulled open the iron door.

Creak-.

The old iron door opened, and the smell of paper wafted out.

“How can I help you?”

A woman in her thirties, with a fresh face, stood up from her seat.

“I walked here.”

That guy?

The woman, Im Mi-seon, who was alone in the office, furrowed her brow.

But she didn’t show it outwardly.

She just guessed from the man’s appearance.

‘A thug.’

Six thick rings on both hands, a fake-looking gold watch on his wrist. No doubt, he had a thick gold necklace under his shirt.

Working in publishing, you meet all kinds of people. Setting aside those who come to the publisher instead of the author to request writing, they can be broadly divided into two categories.

One category includes professors, politicians, and the nouveau riche who come to request autobiographies or romance novels disguised as erotic stories after achieving worldly success. The other category is the so-called thugs, who come to request ghostwriting, believing that their stories will make a lot of money through感动 and entertainment.

The former usually have subtitles or episode names that are women’s names, while the latter are stories of suffering like a dog, being betrayed, but ultimately taking revenge and retiring to wander like the wind. Whether they copied it from somewhere or it’s a cliché within that category, the stories are surprisingly similar.

The thug in front of her seemed well-maintained, different from previous visitors, but his request would likely be the same.

‘You must have been rejected elsewhere and came to a small publisher.’

Im Mi-seon guessed inwardly but still offered a glass of water to the guest.

“You should sit down for a bit.”

What a peculiar way of speaking.

A historical drama fan?

Does he want to request an action-packed erotic story set in the Joseon era?

While thinking of a way to politely decline, she sat on the sofa, and the man said something surprising.

“You must be Im Mi-seon.”

Im Mi-seon’s eyes widened in shock.

“Huh? How did you…”

“There’s a nameplate on your desk.”

Wow, surprised.

“I want you to write a storybook for me.”

“Um-, sir? I’m sorry, but we accept manuscripts from authors to publish books, we don’t write for others. If you’d like, I can connect you with a ghostwriter.”

The man took off his sunglasses.

His eyes were darker than darkness, no, darker than the word ‘dark’ could describe. Facing those eyes, her psychological barriers crumbled as if lying.

‘He’s not a foreigner.’

Her heart was pounding, but Im Mi-seon tried to keep her composure.

It was unintentional.

The man grabbed her wrist.

Im Mi-seon felt as if her arm was floating in the air, not feeling the sensation of her wrist being held.

“Your heart is weak. But that doesn’t mean your other organs are strong.”

“Uh-, I’m-.”

I’m still in my thirties, what are you talking about.

“Now it’s done.”

There was no explanation.

His silence was unexpectedly reassuring.

Usually, people who approach with “Do you know the Tao?” or “Your aura is clear,” and those pesky cultists, tend to ramble on.

The man took out a business card from his pocket and placed it on the table.

Im Mi-seon’s hands trembled as she held the business card.

Can this even be called a business card?

“The background is changing… It’s like the universe.”

Even when flipped over, it was just coated paper, no technology in sight.

Even if she’s not tech-savvy, she should be able to tell.

‘Am I drugged? Or is this a dream?’

Two characters were engraved on the business card.

Only the man’s name, which seemed to be his name, shone in gold.

「麽神」

The first character was one she had never seen before.

“Ma… but, I’ve never seen this character as a surname.”

“I don’t have a surname. It’s a title.”

“Ma-shin, sir?”

“Indeed, you’re clever.”

The man smiled, strangely warm and friendly.

Enough to make her heart race.

The situation was impossible to comprehend, but Im Mi-seon tried to stay calm.

The best way to wake up from a nightmare is to scream loudly, and to regain a groggy mind is to keep talking. Like someone waking up from sedation during an endoscopy, babbling.

“A heavenly demon from martial arts novels…”

“It’s not that.”

Ah, not that.

He was generally polite but oddly touchy in certain areas.

“You don’t seem Korean, but not East Asian either. But you use Chinese characters, which is interesting.”

“Is that so.”

Tap-.

The man flicked his finger lightly.

“Huh-?”

The characters on the business card changed.

「ATRACSYL」

“Atray- Atraxil?”

“Close, but different. But the name isn’t important.”

“Ah, yes, yes. Is that so? But what were we talking about?”

“A storybook.”

“Ah, yes.”

“You have a talent for writing. That’s why I came.”

“Just tell me. What kind of story should I write?”

Im Mi-seon hurriedly opened her notebook and clicked her pen.

Why am I doing this, she thought.

“It would take years to write it all down. Just remember.”

The man’s eyes seemed to glow, and the story flowed into her mind as scenes.

In that moment, Im Mi-seon thought.

‘I might be going crazy.’