Chapter 24: Sounds Like Teen Spirit
7fF4rcThe vibration sounded again.LjIs
m8cf[Aunt]BRCrM
1uss7Y[Swipe to chat]eEGe
X154III told you I’m not going to answer. Please, stop already.kV0X
2kTI rejected it.fGtah5
oO82MNb[Aunt]HtFu
MXmJgd[Swipe to greet]zlLt2j4
L2CVYg8Wait. What?nwE
cDh27GHI rejected it anyway.FQR
XPO10l[Aunt]YiEdhfn
xQAr[Swipe to delete]IN2MjQX
nTINwYou can’t delete something that doesn’t exist.KRNaB
ckOZv7YReject.cUls
AsN[Aunt]Czo
3D6[Swipe to merge]PJ73yM4
DYMNIt kept becoming more and more disgusting.tYTXg
znhFegReject.7JaY
MSb[Aunt]isjsB
kqTOE[Swipe to murder]SJKN5
wZYEWBM……Reject.25n
tJyXs[Aunt]ynyJ8Y9
BTgKs[Swipe to revive]YMIW
UQDN…….s9kNlen
6Yevn7…….3eN8
QHvnnRX…….QJn71
SeQhx“Mr. Seon Yuhan.”yhJy
SGf“Ah? Yes?”nb5
1eGarbHThe sudden call startled me so badly I nearly dropped my phone.2hk1
PDMWOyXWhen I turned my head, Choi Jaeha had a very strange expression.5LL
qE2It was like even he himself didn’t know what expression he should be making anymore and had lost control of his face.sjqvFVc
8wig“No, I mean, I’m seriously not trying to…… how do I put this, offend you or anything.”xZzj
dzS8Choi Jaeha looked around even though no one was watching us and muttered quietly.N9l
OFNKze“Mr. Seon Yuhan, do you have some kind of…… mental issue or something?”NCV
4Ux“Excuse me?”3e1FP
2WKFmmY“No, it’s just that honestly, it’s starting to really scare me seeing you smile to yourself in a situation like this.”0hnC
OmskI was smiling?nk69c6
973goiInstinctively I touched the corner of my lips, then lowered my hand to turn off the screen.7Mj
lvCINgI need to be careful.AeDR5
eqHxWT“If there’s something wrong with you, tell me beforehand, seriously. Please. At least so I can prepare myself mentally.”rBUq
B5nxG2Z“Mmm, I’ll try.”2brXuw
drS0“Nooo, that’s not something you should ‘try.’ Ah, whatever. It’s fin…… ugh, waaah……!”a8nr
yOd6Choi Jaeha, who had been walking ahead of me just fine, suddenly covered his mouth and jumped.No7Hj
TfWv3Then he spun around and desperately ran behind me.XZqaeRm
V975uqHe pressed himself so close against me I could even feel the violent pounding of his heart.cA3iRy
3ZPY0kZ“A-are you okay? What……?”g6aj
alc4tCr“O-over there…….”xchdbuQ
GX6xIThe huge accountant stretched out a trembling hand.0oP
6r30“I-in that black car……! Don’t you see it……? There’s something in the back seat……!”9MuxSo
dy5MSuI slowly followed the direction Choi Jaeha was pointing.elF
CrNKjVery slowly.OErjp
RnSQ5I kept my mouth tightly shut and narrowed my eyes just in case I ended up screaming.Boyjbc
j9RvWWhere he was pointing was a black vehicle.eqEecD
hz5And inside……MkyOk0
mK1“There’s nothing.”xj2mUNH
KR1k“Huh? What are you saying? That’s impossible. Didn’t you see another car? There, there…… huh?”0ym6
QZYimChoi Jaeha, still hunched behind me, stepped out uncertainly and made a stupid expression.3Rm4G
enzaUw“What the hell? There’s really nothing there. No, just a moment ago there was something horrifying there. Seriously. It was like a shadow full of teeth, ugh. It was really there.”X30dh
W0jlJ“Yes, I know. I know. You weren’t lying.”2RS
MPxyebThe labyrinth had probably tried to frighten Choi Jaeha.5NC
PP9hD“You handled it well.”Ue1
zwMb6y“Ughhh…….”Jio3U
XYIXaChoi Jaeha let out a long sigh while leaning on his knees like someone exhausted after intense exercise.aRKdjEh
pd9c“Good thing I covered my mouth in time. Otherwise I really would’ve……”mLp
xPgvl“……Choi Jaeha?”vyGH
efPYUOoChoi Jaeha froze in the middle of his sentence.kpLQ6
E5vjlxaThen he slowly stood up and looked somewhere.wphMSJ
qqsE4CWith an expression as if he had seen something worse than a monster.FMCm
sDRj4zyThat terrified me.6pOF
jiQwkOXThe fact that he didn’t even scream.zv6jjuy
jz1Uj“……Minha?”A8Mt3
9tO6E“What?”ru5Vp1
xA0“Choi Minha? Minha!”Le87xEo
3JyK9“Mr. Choi Jaeha, wait…….”C29Qil9
1hAAKChoi Jaeha shoved me aside and started running like a madman.N6k38
K2el5lCThat man who was so cowardly.sDu
izwj9GWithout a single light.KI681rW
ljr4sCStraight into the darkness.nwptXVU
WIv“Choi Minha! Where, where are you? Why…… why are you here……? Minha. Call me uncle again…… I can’t hear you. Where are you?”dByC
DEQTClack, clack.zxIFUR5
lHUuWBNBy the time I finally caught up to him, Choi Jaeha was pulling at car handles and pounding desperately on trunks.rQO
5nx4“Are you here? Choi Minha, where are you! Are you here? Why? Why? Why? That makes no sense…… you shouldn’t be here…… you can’t be here, Choi Minha…….”CvR2xmg
839ec0dThe man trapped in the labyrinth desperately searched for his niece with tears covering his face.aVVSxTP
2lw960After hearing the voice of a niece who wasn’t even there.Ks17WCi
Uo5“Mr. Choi Jaeha, calm down…… your niece isn’t here.”q8L
4m9mGrabbing him while he frantically struck the vehicles, I tried to stop him.KIU
0UQ3x2“Let go of me! It really was her voice……!”Vr2zX
kORzThe force with which he resisted was astonishing.WmAVI1y
JI8uIQuIt wasn’t enough to be careful only of what you saw.8FnieP
m3YexYou also had to beware of what you heard.HUsM
QWq3k“I also thought it wasn’t real at first, but…… she said she finished an activity nearby early and came to see me. It was really her voice! She said she can’t breathe! That she’s trapped! We have to open it quickly! If you’re not going to help, then let go of me!”hGkn
h4x“I don’t hear any voice. Only you hear it.”WyJBR7
QWECbW“D-don’t lie! You just don’t want to save her!”7gpHSR
zaP4Yw“I’m not lying. Mr. Choi Jaeha. Your niece isn’t here. Don’t worr—”FHbLiSC
0qqvqd8Clang.9uBz0
ZTtThe instant I heard that heavy metallic sound, every bone in my body tensed as though they were being reconstructed.xgt
EVOThat thing was coming.nt9YyQ8
GryH“Mr. Choi Jaeha, please stop. Hide.”cCkQ0S
OYwbHEsI grabbed him from behind and pressed against his neck just hard enough to drag him down to the floor with me.3gn1q9r
CtzChoi Jaeha collapsed clumsily in front of me while still repeating his niece’s name.3t7
uwdJ0“That thing heard your voice…….”lY2xuRV
wnZxMfcMaybe it was already too late.O0nF88u
UPmZ4Splash, squelch.HBdX
dSZFThe merciful World-Honored One had heard Choi Jaeha’s scream and would now guide him out of this world full of suffering.58qzLF
fFlDcKigik, kiririk.3mIa
otBThe sound of small gears turning echoed through the darkness.kzCGAo
wj7rcqSuppressing the urge to scream, I bit my tongue and covered my ears with both hands.vXO01Qm
UjidD1o“Do not forget. Illusion takes shape, shape becomes attachment, and attachment calls forth new suffering.”SRBJ
kUWgNyOClang, clack.PbgRP
f471EHWithin that sealed darkness, the voice and footsteps of that being echoed like a solemn epic.Iumz
H4ei“Open your eyes.”998CLaX
1mcirWould I dare defy him?wB238
sxEpokP“Look.”0f2kY6
Euk7The words of the World-Honored One stood above any rule.bc7t
3lkgejx“It is the shadow born from your own confusion and the form of the truth to which you turned your back.”wLvuW
519zXnWithin that body, human flesh and mechanical bones coexisted in harmony.rsgyD
bWfb3hOver the simple Buddhist robe were countless Chinese characters written everywhere, impossible to recognize.yefXAGn
RPYKtT5Between the half-exposed ribs still remained remnants that had not even finished rotting.jpkm1a
6vqynIt looked as though it had crossed an eternity, rusted dark red in various places.OtjII
ErPDhNo.MaxEe
zMU5That was not rust…….VPysc
Dewj6The only intact parts of that half-destroyed head were smiling lips and two benevolent ears.RvlJx5
0hJPTruly a sacred and perfect figure.IASFac0
qe4hid“Open your ears.”DqYggh7
fiYAkWhen I removed my hands, that muffled voice finally became clear.GkM
nfGx“Listen.”7zFef
AiJl2The hand of the World-Honored One was approaching.bKNse3i
kk4Toward me.blW7ad
tZO“The true essence shall liberate you.”s2Q
DiqKTE1No.hytw
6mqhToward someone in front of me who was not me.27qqUm
0nMPThe compassion was not for me.dXc9vCN
QACLWCrack, crunch.3SMh
dOead2I closed my eyes again.fE6
vSK“Ghh, uuuugh…….”KYQrqZX
UELqEf8I shut my ears.DJ2Ay
Hn6B8Crack, splat.g90c
wXbiAI covered my mouth.CNK6Ipp
2uvNqClack, clang…….lXVYx6
bIzVzMCalm down. Calm down. I have to calm down. It’s not the first time I’ve seen someone dead. I’ve already gone through this before. It’s not my fault. It wasn’t my mistake. It’s okay. Wasn’t it my fault? Wasn’t it my mistake? Calm down! Cover your ears. Close your eyes. Cover your mouth. Yes. Like that.qmf7HOB
S2Sp5gF“…….”YOhTn
ig7IRdAnd finally, peace came.ZiIs0P
4RRx“……Mr. Yuhan.”hjY1R
TCt3En4The World-Honored One had moved away from me.1pqB
LXJCSrNo, that was not my World-Honored One.iLc5Iy4
xFGKlIt was not a Buddha statue to whom prayers should be offered, nor a buddha before whom I should pray.IJAJ
sV7oPBQ“Mr. Seon Yuhan……!”FwiN
ObrqXt6“Yes?”OcfFziV
1TOTHXI felt someone shaking my shoulder and my vision wavered, so I turned my head in alarm.MekhbO
HmA5cvAIn front of me was the face of Director Yoo Hyunjae.9RPBW
emoEHis living body was blocking the dead body.tMf
pGlsz61“We heard loud noises and came worried…….”tk3RRV
ZIcvDaYoo Hyunjae helped me up and turned me toward a place where Choi Jaeha’s corpse could not be seen.LBm
cgSVDpd“When we arrived, that monstrous statue was already too close…… I’m sorry I couldn’t help.”V5usc1
quQQH“Mr. Seon Yuhan…….”MXdJfN
50fHwang Juyeon was hugging Jung Jiho and covering his eyes.LrfQD7
YXe45xShe too was standing in a position where Choi Jaeha’s corpse could not be clearly seen.j7WwImk
ltS“But that box…….”Hn6ySLd
Q1THVA“Ah, this.”sMXdZT
oZkWhen I seemed to calm down a little, Yoo Hyunjae and Hwang Juyeon pointed at the delivery box completely crushed in my hands.9bWFoHZ
Y5Ei“Around the vehicle that used the same kind of tires as the skid marks, this appeared.”Oef
dejjI peeled the box away from my palm as though it had stuck to it and briefly explained while letting out a sigh.GNki622
OGVsRiiiip, riiiip…….z99oG
qOf7EbAInside the box was a decorative object—a small wooden crucifix hanging from a chain too short to be a necklace.SAEQKt
fw20e93“Ah, this is…….”SJw
zf2Hwang Juyeon recognized it immediately.Z8yv
o3DVOg“It’s one of those decorations that hang from a car’s rearview mirror. Then this time, do we have to search for vehicles that have crosses like this?”9hE
WzPvSca“It’s possible. Then, Mr. Seon Yuhan, please rest here for a moment together with little Jiho…….”IT4ljR
lR4I looked up at Yoo Hyunjae and Hwang Juyeon, who were naturally trying to leave me behind.bY6qa2o
x808N“But I’m fi—”iCW5
kgC5X“Mr. Seon Yuhan. My eyes were mistaken.”GowT
aUKMoxLHis voice was so firm it almost sounded indifferent.5B6Xr
n51slX“You were not Red Snake material. Not at all.”AGCU3k
2s1mfDYoo Hyunjae gently pushed me back down when I tried to stand.eFp
GaDlxze“Because you do not understand where you are right now.”G56P
KSC“……What is it that I don’t understand?”a44
hst“You do not understand what kind of labyrinth this is. Nor what state you yourself are in.”6fw4
boT1rnWhat do you know? What the hell do you know? You, who maybe suffered a little when you were young but now sit at the top of a building observing labyrinths from afar. What do you know about me? What do you know about labyrinths? What do you know about living in a state where you can’t even die even if you want to?Zlh
1BQtFormless words crawled inside me like insects.DbtiL
Qez“From what I can tell, this floor is a place where the more pressure you put on yourself, the easier it is to die. Am I wrong? Take a deep breath and calm yourself a little. You are Jiho’s guardian too, aren’t you?”RzZjOGs
WdtLHThose words brought me back to my senses.1fQGB
A53uNykWhen I lowered my gaze, the child’s round and silent eyes were watching me.TP1APu
3GiqI must have frightened him.bhM
om2“Jiho needed to rest anyway, so that’s why I’m leaving him in your care. Can you help me?”mfTg4
y3ztyaw“……Yes.”UxJEYGR
KdjrPBlI nodded weakly.gF3XNz
GgsZWhen the irrational anger toward him began to fade, it was replaced by shame.UyxbH
uxqR“Then we’ll go and come back quickly. Rest here.”IN62y
U6NWFI“We’ll be right back, Mr. Seon Yuhan. Jiho, rest well.”MOjijJ
tZDThe child’s small hand waved them goodbye.FlN
8ltlI sat leaning against a pillar and hugged him so he wouldn’t be able to see anything.Fjn
44Y……Wait.ITwsZ
VmmuStaring at the empty and completely crumpled delivery box, a bad premonition crossed my mind and made me tremble.piN
dM3fDi“‘Sammae Delivery…… is there even a company like that? The address says Seoul…… this is this building and, huh? Go1020? What kind of address is this? What lunatic uses his own car as a delivery address?’”mYxS
Lx51a3Why a package?76qwi
KIiWhy was there a cross inside a delivery box?Ax3W
R4tISkIf that cross truly was the clue.gJ0OYT9
J26KkQThen there was no need to put it inside a package.fSUpN
DGQ1fMEIt would have been enough to simply leave the cross there.27bz
9lc03kAh.nEjz
x4QDon’t tell me.XW7CF
aYC1NxnBzzz.CsDO5X
1p8srNI anxiously looked at the cellphone screen that had just lit up while vibrating.sLXbv
ITF[〈Sammae Delivery〉VML
3mY8sDing dong¿nXyOV
hWgrbsSCustomer Seon Yuhan¡w7e
3RfSSammae Delivery brings you compassion.jjmk4w
9kj9OBSSince you were unavailable, your package was delivered to the drop-off location (in front of the representative).Iyz
oVRCome claim your precious Pure Land.n0JvwS1
MJ2TvYBQuickly.
Come.]3qp2aY
dxeq0KClang…….qim
Wy9o8hsFrom somewhere, a faint metallic sound could be heard.cOXMX
SCZIwDZFrom the place where the group that had followed the wrong clue was.5WtK
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