Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Within a few days, news of a murder within the inner ranks of the [Red Dragon] guild became a national issue.
Although retired from active duty, Chairwoman Shin, who held the reins of half of the businesses owned by the [Red Dragon] guild, was found dead in her home garden. Her stepson, Koo Kyungman, was identified as the culprit.
At the same time, various news exploded in the media as the eldest son, Koo Hui-seo, whose whereabouts had been unknown returned to take over as the guild master.
In addition to the shocking murder, the media exposed illegal activities committed by Koo Kyungman while he was the [Red Dragon]’s guild master. Although the investigation had not yet begun in full, public opinion seemed to have already decided he was guilty of killing his stepmother and fleeing.
Of course, the news was all crafted by Koo Hui-seo, who had obtained and utilized the evidence of Koo Kyungman’s weaknesses that Chairwoman Shin had collected over the years.
Therefore, even the executives of the [Red Dragon] guild–Koo Kyungman’s right-hand men– could not block Koo Hui-seo’s bid to become the guild master. Although they were loyal to Koo Kyungman, they were afraid to get involved in his business on the off chance that they may also be implicated in his violent crimes.
In the end, Koo Kyungman became wanted as the prime suspect in Chairwoman Shin’s murder. Koo Hui-seo successfully garnered his mother’s pre-arranged inheritance as well and formally rose to the seat of guildmaster.
I felt slightly complicated when I saw Koo Hui-seo’s gloomy face, photographed while disembarking a luxury sedan. He looked so thin and depressed; he gathered many people’s sympathies, but…
[Koo Hui-seo: What are you doing?]
[Koo Hui-seo: (emoticon)]
[Koo Hui-seo: …?]
[Koo Hui-seo: Are you perhaps busy]
[Koo Hui-seo: Could I call you?]
[Choi Lee-kyung: No;]
[Choi Lee-kyung: It’s five in the morning]
[Koo Hui-seo: Sleep won’t come; I still haven’t fallen asleep…]
[Koo Hui-seo: (emoticon)]
[Choi Lee-kyung: Hospital go-go]
[Koo Hui-seo: What does go-go mean?] 1
He had been persistently bothering me ever since I went back home. That psycho talked to me at least once a day despite how much I broadcasted my annoyance.
Actually, Koo Hui-seo’s constant nonsensical messages were tolerable…the problem was my servants’ stinging gazes whenever he contacted me.
“Hey!”
“I was wondering why you were fidgeting…”
I was in the middle of typing [That means, go to the hospital] while lying in bed when suddenly Jung Garam snatched the cell phone right out of my hands.
Jung Garam wasn’t the type to respect privacy at all, so I had no choice but to show him Koo Hui-seo and mine’s conversation.
I understood he was angry, but I couldn’t overlook how the Treasure Hunter appeared out of the blue. Wasn’t I in my bedroom alone with the door closed? How did you get into this room?
However, before I could even argue my case, Jung Garam began to speak disparagingly, crumpling his brows. “Didn’t we say to just ignore him?”
“If I ignore him, he keeps calling…”
“You don’t have the money to change your phone number?”
“…It’s fine to just answer every now and then…”
Of course, that’s what I said to him, but it’s not as if I didn’t think of changing my phone.
The problem is that the cellphones that can be used inside the hubs aren’t ordinary phones. I would have to go outside the hub to buy a new one, and I didn’t want to deal with the inconvenience of not being able to use the phone for three days until the new SIM card arrives.
However, Jung Garam stared at me as if he didn’t understand me at all and suddenly began to tap on the phone’s keyboard as he pleased. There was something suspicious about his idiotically smiling face. “…What are you saying to him?” I asked.
“I said that Eunuchs have no right to speak to you.”
“Hey, are you insane?” I couldn’t hide how absurd I found him and tried to take the phone away from the Treasure Hunter. However, I couldn’t catch him; each time he avoided my arm narrowly. He wasn’t even looking at me.
Frustration and the desire to win rose up within me, so I held a pillow high in both hands and rushed into his arms, so he couldn’t avoid me…This time, Jung Garam didn’t dodge, so I knocked him down onto the bed–as if I pushed him down.
“Hmmm?”
“T-this isn’t what it looks like!”
In addition, why of all people did Seo Dawon stride in through the open door. He looked at us with a mysterious look, brushed back his hair, and laughed. “What’s this, let me in too.”
“W-what do you mean let you in!” Even though I knew he was teasing me, I stood up in a hurry, goosebumps rising all over. Jung Garam, though, continued to lie down and look at the phone screen, as if he had nothing to do with this fuss. In the end, I gave up on retrieving my phone from his hands and retreated far away from the bed.
Seo Dawon approached me at that moment, “What about Lackey?”
“I put it in the subspace.”
Actually, Koo Hui-seo was not the sole reason I woke up so early in the morning.
After returning from Koo Hui-seo’s mansion, I was too busy checking the news that, after returning from the dungeons, I hadn’t even contacted Kim Sangyoon much. I refrained from doing anything that could raise suspicions. I focused all my attention on the volatile situation, listening in to all the dealings that could lead to Koo Hui-seo’s rise to the guildmaster seat and keeping in close contact with the pallid man.
Therefore, only when Koo Kyungman was confirmed as a suspect and Koo Hui-seo was relatively stable in his position, could we turn our attention to utilizing the significant level-ups that came with the successful ‘revenge.’
Of course, the first priority was resurrecting another member of the [Red Lotus] guild. However, since Lackey looked quite anxious when he saw me injuring my palm with the dagger during the last contract, before going to sleep yesterday I spent time persuading Lackey into my system subspace.
Lackey didn’t want to go in and couldn’t understand me well, but after begging it a couple of times, the skeleton became sullen and entered the space with its own two feet. After the contract, I’m going to call it out and comfort it.
Having thought this far, I called out to the two ghosts, “Who are we contacting this time?”
“Hmm…..”
“You’re going to do it now?” Jung Garam, who had only been looking at the cellphone, decided to stop ignoring Seo Dawon and my conversation and squeezed in.
Well, in my opinion, all the candidates for the next summon were all quite similar; the most important thing to consider would be the two’s opinions. After all, I don’t know any of these people yet…
‘I hope I’ll summon someone more normal this time…’ I harbored a small wish within my heart that the next person would have a better personality than the other two. Of course, I couldn’t vocalize this thought, though.
“Let’s go with Olim-ie.” Seo Dawon said, as if he was greatly pained. I felt slightly nervous at his attitude.
For some reason…I thought that Kim Olim would be a decent person? At the very least, I felt that she would have a good personality compared to these two. So, I had actually hoped that Olim would be the next person called.
“Olim noona?”
“Mhm. After all, Lee-kyung-ie is a bit…”
“Huh? What about me?”
“Ah, Ahhhh…You’re right. Olim noona would be the best.”
It felt frustrating when they ignored me and formed a bond of sympathy. In particular, Jung Garam, still lying down on the bed, glanced at me and shook his head–how annoying! What about me required someone like Kim Olim?
“Let’s summon Kim Olim this time.” However, Seo Dawon brokered no further explanation; even though I was uncomfortable, I decided to stop my line of questions.
Because, after I got tangled with Koo Hui-seo, it felt like there was a line dividing me from those two; and, honestly, my experience with Koo Hui-seo instilled some wariness within me. What would happen if I was caught and tied up by Koo Hui-seo…Could I even last 1 second? I was worried.
“Alright. We’re doing this now, right?” I said.
“Yeah. Actually, I already prepared a magic circle in the living room.”
Determined, I nodded and left the room.
And, as soon as I entered the living room, I felt a subtle light shining beneath my feet gradually brightening. I stood in the center of the magic circle–the place designated for me–and took my hands out of the inventory.
As before, I was able to check which sealed vengeful soul was contained within the essences; luckily, the first one I retrieved was Kim Olim’s.
You’ve obtained the vengeful ghost’s essence – ‘Kim Olim’!
TL: Ngl, I was surprised at how many people chose Koo Hui-seo in the last chapter’s comments! It was a close battle with Jung Garam. Still, noted~ Hope I can finish it before chap 100~
(Also Koo Hui-seo this chap is giving me flashbacks to some DMs/facebook messages)
Footnotes