Chapter 108

On the left, the Dolharbang yokai is hopping around.

[Reubang reubang.]

On the right, the eight-foot yokai is shuffling.

[Po. Po. Po. Po.]

With yokai on both sides, I was slowly walking towards the village.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─This combo is freaking hilarious. LOL.

【Big Girl】─What a rare sight.

【Qkrnfl892】─LOL, are you a yokai tamer?

【Drifting AI】─I shall speak. You are praised as one who commands yokai.

【Se-hoon Defense Team】─If a civilian saw this, they’d think Se-hoon is a yokai too.

【Yoho】─Where would you find a yokai as handsome as the Room Master? ㅡㅡ

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Yoho, stop glaring. I’ll kill you.

【Min Ji】─But honestly, there’s no human as handsome as Se-hoon.

【Balloon Gum Collector】─Wow! Then Se-hoon is neither yokai nor human!

【Maid】─Wow! He’s an alien!

【Reverse Rape Mania】─Se-hoon has so many jobs. Exorcist + Yokai Tamer + Rich Bum + Reverse Rapist + Broadcaster + Strongman + Alien… How many roles is that?

【Meng Yao】─What does “reverse rape” even mean? Is that a concept? Even I, a non-Korean, and Maehwa don’t get confused by such words.

【Handsome Licker】─You didn’t fix it even after I pointed it out last time, so it must be a concept. But are you and Maehwa both foreigners? *Lick.*

【Meng Yao】─Yeah, I’m Chinese. Maehwa’s Taiwanese.

【Maehwa Tree】─?? Did you investigate me? Wanna die?

【Meng Yao】─I know your real name too. LOL.

【Maehwa Tree】─Shut up.

【Handsome Licker】─From the broadcast, I thought you were Korean. *Sigh.*

While walking and glancing at the chat window, I turned my head to the left and called out to the Dolharbang.

“Reubang-ah.”

[Reubang?]

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Stop acting cute, you rock bastard.

【Maid】─Wow! Guburi’s right! Not cute at all!

【Yoho】─I think it’s cute…

【Meng Yao】─Maid, jealousy is ugly.

“Reubang, what were you doing near the village?”

I wasn’t really curious. It was just an awkward question to break the silence.

The Dolharbang hesitated for a moment before answering.

[I’m not interested in the village. I’m traveling because I’m looking for a place, Reubang.]

【Maehwa Tree】─Not interested, my foot. You were clearly lurking to eat the villagers.

【Qkrnfl892】─Maehwa really hates yokai. LOL.

【Se-hoon Defense Team】─Can’t blame her. She’s an exorcist.

【Big Girl】─If she liked yokai, she wouldn’t have become an exorcist.

I thought the Dolharbang had business in the village, but it seems it was just passing through while traveling. I asked again.

“Where are you looking for?”

[The world of yokai, Reubang.]

“The world of yokai? Such a place exists?”

[Yes, Reubang. I’ve met yokai who said they came from that world, Reubang.]

[Popo…]

【Reverse Rape Mania】─There’s really a world of yokai?

【Se-hoon Defense Team】─There’s probably a lot.

【Maehwa Tree】─Maybe. Sometimes yokai claim to come from other worlds. Could be lies though.

【Drifting AI】─I shall search. There are worlds where only yokai exist, worlds where yokai and humans coexist harmoniously, worlds where yokai rule over humans, etc. Various worlds are said to exist.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Where the hell did you search, you bastard?

【Meng Yao】─Still a cyber ghost.

【Handsome Licker】─But what exactly defines a yokai? *Lick.*

【Min Ji】─Isn’t it just anything different from humans?

【Yoho】─It’s ambiguous.

I asked why it was looking for the world of yokai.

“Why are you looking for that world?”

[This world is scary. Exorcists killed all my family and friends. I need to escape, Reubang.]

The Dolharbang answered calmly, but it seemed to be reminiscing about its dead family and friends with a sorrowful expression.

【Yoho】─Reubang, don’t cry… ㅜㅜ

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Damn you, Maehwa.

【Handsome Licker】─Apologize, Maehwa. *Slap slap.*

【Min Ji】─Stop indiscriminate exorcism!

【Maehwa Tree】─?? I didn’t kill them. ㅡㅡ

“Reubang-ah.”

[Reubang.]

“You don’t know how to get to that world, so you’re just wandering aimlessly, right?”

[Yes, Reubang.]

“…Then come by my house later. I’ll help you find a way to that world.”

[Reubang?]

I decided to help the Dolharbang when I had time.

It wasn’t out of pity. Just repaying a favor.

When I was looking for the eight-foot yokai, the Dolharbang guided me without complaint. So I decided to guide it in return.

It’s not a big deal. I don’t have much to do at home anyway.

【Reverse Rape Mania】─How are you gonna help, Se-hoon?

【Se-hoon Defense Team】─Just to clarify, my friend can’t help much. Without traces or coordinates of the other world, you can’t open a portal. Of course, I can open one to a place as close as possible to the world it wants.

【Meng Yao】─What’s he saying?

There’s a way to help. I have an ‘orb’ that notifies me when the Drifting Restaurant opens.

The Drifting Restaurant is connected to other worlds, so going there might provide clues to the yokai world.

‘Though only one person can enter at a time… If I bribe the staff with a lot of cola, I can make it work.’

While walking with that thought, I suddenly arrived at the village entrance.

【Qkrnfl892】─What are those guys? Why are they here?

【Handsome Licker】─Wow, this village is packed with people. *Lick.*

【Balloon Gum Collector】─Wow! There are so many people in this village!

【Maid】─Wow! They’ve been hiding all this time!

【Min Ji】─This is suspicious! I smell an incident!

【Yoho】─Min Ji, maybe it’s just your philtrum smell?

【Meng Yao】─Something feels off.

【Drifting AI】─I shall speak. Be cautious.

【Reverse Rape Mania】─Everyone’s eyes look scary. Are they really kidnappers?

【Maehwa Tree】─Not sure yet.

【Big Girl】─Looking closely, they seem drunk. They’re not normal people.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Looking at their faces, they’re definitely kidnappers. If I were there, I’d beat the crap out of them. Bastards.

【Se-hoon Defense Team】─I’m getting ready to cross over.

Beyond the entrance, all the villagers were gathered.

When I returned with the yokai, the villagers panicked and ran away.

But it wasn’t a problem. I quickly caught one, explained the situation, and told them to gather the villagers back.

After 10 minutes, the villagers returned to the entrance with frightened expressions.

Then, I explained the situation on behalf of the eight-foot yokai.

As soon as I finished, the villagers huddled together and started whispering.

“Should we just tell the truth?”

“Are you crazy?”

“He seems like someone who understands our art, so it might be okay…”

“B-before that… Ask him to become art materials…”

“Read the room. This isn’t the time for that.”

“It’s better to hide the truth. He clearly doesn’t understand our art.”

“Bringing a monster here is already a red flag.”

They spoke too quietly to be heard. About 5 minutes later, one villager stepped forward and spoke directly to me.

“It seems difficult to let that monster into the village.”

“Can’t you make an exception? I just want to check if the eight-foot yokai’s daughter is here. If not, I’ll leave immediately.”

“No, why would you believe a monster’s words? We’ve already said no young girl has ever visited this village!”

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Stop yelling, you bastard.

The villager raised their voice in anger, thinking I was only defending the eight-foot yokai.

‘Do these guys have no brains? Or is starving to death their dream?’

I sighed and continued persuading.

“Then what do you plan to do? If you don’t let us check, the eight-foot yokai will stay here forever, and you’ll be trapped in the village for life. Is starving to death your life goal?”

“…Are you threatening us now?”

“It’s not a threat, just stating facts.”

“What facts… You’re an exorcist, right? Just exorcise that monster, and the problem’s solved, right?”

“Why would I exorcise it? It’s so docile.”

“It’s just acting to eat more humans!”

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Gyesekkihoon, just beat the crap out of that guy. I don’t like him.

The conversation wasn’t getting through.

That person, and the other villagers, were all resistant.

In the end, I gave up on persuading them.

“Reubang-ah.”

[Reubang.]

“Can you guard the entrance while Popo and I search the village?”

[Guard? Reubang?]

“I’m going to move the guardian post for a bit. Other yokai might enter in the meantime.”

[Just stop yokai from entering the village, Reubang?]

“Yes. And don’t let the villagers leave either.”

[Understood, Reubang.]

After asking the Dolharbang, I moved to the guardian post.

“Hey! What are you doing?”

I ignored the villagers. No point talking to people who won’t listen.

‘If Popo turns violent and tries to attack people, I’ll stop it then.’

With that thought, I hugged the large, thick guardian post. I originally planned to move it with the villagers’ help, but since they refused, I decided to do it alone.

“Is he seriously trying to move that alone?”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“But… it might be possible… He did break a tree…”

“Is that the same?”

“No way he can lift that. It’s at least over a ton.”

“If he lifts that, he’s not human.”

“Let’s just ignore him.”

“Yeah. Don’t pay attention to that lunatic. Let’s go home.”

I hugged the guardian post tightly, planted my feet firmly, focused my strength on my waist, and pulled it up with force.

【Yoho】─Gasp.

【Handsome Licker】─He’s really not human. *Lick.*

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Eight-foot yokai, go in~

【Balloon Gum Collector】─Wow! The kidnappers are all dead now!

After moving the guardian post, I glanced at the villagers. Every single one had their mouth wide open, looking like their souls had left their bodies.