Chapter 128

A bright light burst forth from my antennae.

The unruly hair sticking out above my head was fiercely glowing.

Even with my hand covering the antennae, the light pierced through with such intensity!

Once again, it seems only my rebellious hair gets this special treatment.

When I swayed my antennae left and right, the shadows cast upon the alleyway danced about accordingly.

Curiously attracted to the brightly moving antennae, Golden Horn Reaper leaped onto my head from where it had been perched beside Junior No. 2.

Honestly, I thought the ability I gained from defeating the Hungry Ghost would turn out to be something like ‘Golden Reaper Lure,’ but…

With its arms spread wide open, the Golden Horn Reaper jumped around on top of my head, trying to grab the swaying antennae.

As I kept teasingly swaying the antennae just out of reach, the Golden Horn Reaper became even more enthusiastic in its attempts to grab them.

I initially thought this was just the ability to freely sway cute lantern-like antennae, akin to those of a Lantern Hungry Ghost, but it appears there’s a hidden ability.

An ability useful for hunting.

And an ability I’ve wanted ever since the ‘Black Butterfly’ incident.

The ability to track the main body of an Object.

Perhaps due to overheating, it could only detect the general direction, but still, quite a handy ability, isn’t it?

Shining the lantern light on the boy’s corpse revealed the direction of the Object responsible for this situation.

Somewhere within a 120-degree range from the alley exit.

After shining the light on the boy, the luminosity emanating from my hair gradually returned to normal.

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to repeatedly shine the light and perform multiple traces.

Tracking the main body with only the clue of ‘120 degrees ahead’ in a bustling city filled with people and objects seems like an unreasonable task…

Hmm, what should I do?

While pondering, Golden Horn Reaper seized the opportunity during my momentary lapse in antennae control and bit into them.

Yerin keeps putting the antennae in her mouth too; is it because they serve as Hungry Ghost bait? It seems that when Golden Reapers successfully grab the antennae, they instinctively bite down on them.

As I swayed the antennae, Golden Horn Reaper swayed along with them, floating adorably in mid-air.

Golden Horn Reaper looked incredibly delighted while swinging together with the antennae.

This looks fun; maybe I should ask a Hungry Ghost to try it later?

In the midst of these thoughts, my mind drifted to the Hungry Ghosts.

If the ability came from defeating a Hungry Ghost, wouldn’t the Hungry Ghost itself possess it too?

Though I killed a Tentacle Hungry Ghost and obtained a Marshmallow Hungry Ghost, they’re both Hungry Ghosts, so they might share similar abilities.

Clapping my hands and spreading my arms wide apart,

I summoned a Hungry Ghost from Mini Reaper Garden, revealing an incredibly massive one.

However, due to the narrow alley, instead of appearing in its usual round form, a squished Marshmallow Hungry Ghost appeared shaped like the alley.

Gurrr…

The uncomfortable-looking White Hungry Ghost emitted a pitiful sound.

Then, the compressed body of the Hungry Ghost began to split into numerous round spheres.

As the rolling spheres sprouted arms, legs, and tails, they transformed into Mini Hungry Ghosts.

Twice as cute due to their smaller size were the White Hungry Ghosts.

Kuung!

The Mini White Hungry Ghosts let out adorable cries.

***

The man was having an old dream.

A dream from the time his life completely changed.

[How about we make a contract?]

It was the past moment when he made a contract with a suspicious Object introducing itself as the ‘Demon of Contracts.’

However, the detailed content of the contract was erased from his memory as if wiped away by an eraser.

Perhaps one of the terms of the contract was to forget its specifics.

But from the moment the man made the contract, he became a completely different person.

The madness that had once dominated his mind disappeared, and he started achieving success after success in everything he did.

Everything he undertook succeeded, and anyone who interfered vanished.

Those who worked with him to build the city but tried to expel him succumbed to madness.

Public officials who dared to deploy police in his city mysteriously disappeared.

And throughout the city, there emerged countless madmen drawing red circles with blood.

At that point, the man realized:

His madness hadn’t disappeared; it had merely been transferred to others, and his success was the fruit someone else was meant to achieve.

Smirking, he smiled brightly.

‘So, this was the kind of contract I wanted.’

Mass suicides in the city, large gas explosions, and even the deaths of his wife, son, and daughter—all were ultimately events for his benefit.

Though he didn’t know the exact content of the contract he’d made, he believed it was immensely advantageous for him.

It was so comfortable and happy that there didn’t seem to be any cost at all!

“Mayor! Wake up!”

Awakening from his long-dormant dream upon hearing the urgent voice calling him, the man returned to reality.

In the office of the tallest building located at the center of the city—a skyscraper—red-suited man lying on the plush sofa slowly opened his heavy eyelids.

Against the backdrop of elegantly furnished furniture and picture frames, the face of a visibly panicked secretary greeted him, half-obscured by his sleep-addled vision.

“What is it?”

“The city is in complete chaos! We need to escape quickly, Mayor!”

Terrified, the secretary shouted while trembling, urging immediate evacuation.

Unlike the restless secretary, the man calmly rose from the sofa and slowly moved to the window offering a panoramic view of the city.

What met his eyes was a scene of utter destruction and confusion.

Even for a man who believed everything happening in the world was for his benefit, this was a sight that left him dumbfounded.

Throughout the city, twisted Objects appeared, slaughtering people, and explosions caused buildings to collapse.

Though initially appearing shocked, the man’s expression dramatically shifted—from shock and disbelief to intense anger, and finally settling on a gentle smile.

Realizing this event must also be part of the contract’s arrangement for his benefit, the man felt a sense of clarity.

He straightened his red suit and called out to the secretary.

“We need to evacuate quickly. Is the vehicle ready?”

“Yes, Mayor. Please come this way quickly!”

Behind the man, as he departed, a large white mass was roaring.

Roarrr!

***

When I instructed the Hungry Ghost to find the main body of the Object, it confidently responded with a ‘Kuung’ and began moving slowly, carrying us along.

Soft and fluffy white Hungry Ghost.

The ultimate mode of transportation—if you get hungry, just nibble a little off its back for a tasty treat!

The Mini White Hungry Ghosts waddled along, tracking the evil Object’s main body with their short limbs.

Waddle waddle.

But the moment we exited the alley on the Mini White Hungry Ghosts, we were greeted by an unknown explosion and the falling debris of collapsing buildings.

“Kyaaak!”

Junior No. 2’s scream and the tense expression of the Golden Horn Reaper.

However, the massive falling debris was beyond what the small body of the Golden Reaper could block—an overwhelming ‘crashing attack.’

Though I considered asking the Blue Reaper to stop it, I wasn’t sure if the frail magic of the youngest could hold up a building.

Just as I prepared to expend resources to widen my grip on the space to stop it, the remaining unused Hungry Ghosts recombined into a Giant White Hungry Ghost and leapt!

The collision between the soft Marshmallow Hungry Ghost and the building altered its trajectory, causing it to fall harmlessly away from us.

Successfully blocking the building, the White Hungry Ghost opened its mouth wide and roared.

Kuuu!

***

Near Seoul Forest, in Eunpyeong District, a tattooed woman and her younger sister walked along the streets.

“Sis, this thing is super heavy!”

Though the plan was to carry the guardian disguised as a doll, the enormous stone-like guardian proved too much for the petite younger sister.

“There’s nothing we can do about it.”

Sighing softly, the woman took the guardian into her arms and led the way forward.

“Wow, how are you lifting that with one hand?”

Seeing the woman effortlessly carry the boulder-sized object that wouldn’t even fit in her arms, the younger sister was amazed.

She made it look so easy that it seemed more like a doll than a rock.

On their way to buy necessities like food, they encountered a TV screen showing an impossible scene.

A giant white Hungry Ghost roaring.

Though the video quality was poor due to being filmed on a phone, it was a sight they couldn’t ignore.

“Sis, that looks exactly like the one you made!”

“White Guardian? Was there another alchemist besides me?”

While the woman found it strange that the white Hungry Ghost on screen seemed lighter than a guardian should be, she dismissed it as something beyond her current skill level.

And atop it, a Gray Reaper silently riding with its antennae grasped firmly.

Gray Reaper… Is there an alchemist at Sehee Research Institute? I should pay them a visit.

Leaving the TV screen behind, the woman planned her visit to Sehee Research Institute.

***

A single vehicle sped rapidly out of the outskirts of the crumbling city.

The car belonged to the city’s master.

The lamp in the man’s hand burned fiercely, exuding an ominous aura.

‘What could possibly be causing all this?’

Whenever his enemy appeared, the lamp would burn, but now it blazed fiercer than ever before.

The scale of the unfolding events was extraordinary.

Object chaos and city-wide collapse that made mass suicides or earthquake-induced building collapses seem trivial.

Pfft!

But the smoothly running vehicle was forced to halt suddenly.

Because it was buried under a giant marshmallow.

Looking around, the man in the red suit recognized the threat approaching him.

An Object with yellow burning eyes and a gray body.

Why is the Gray Reaper targeting me?

But it’s fine.

My lamp is invincible.

Holding the lamp high, he boldly stepped out of the car to face his adversary.

***

Junior No. 2 was utterly confused.

What on earth is happening right now?

I just came here to resolve a simple request, but the client is dead.

Now, I’m riding a white marshmallow alongside reapers, racing through the chaotic city.

We arrived at the location of the city’s master, a man dressed in a red suit holding an antique lamp.

A lamp with a design reminiscent of ‘Watson’ held by Detective Sunbae.

The moment a crimson light shot out from the lamp, Junior No. 2’s vision turned scarlet.

The previously present White Hungry Ghosts, Gray Reapers, and Reapers all vanished, leaving only a strangely red-tinged air.

I can’t see anything.

I’m anxious.

I need to draw a red circle.

They’re coming.

I need to quickly draw a red circle.

The paint is inside me.

Trembling violently, she pulled out a multi-purpose knife and prepared to stab her own stomach.

A sudden wave of heartfelt emotion surged through her.

Sad, affectionate, and unwavering emotions solely for her protection.

It felt like they were shouting ‘Please don’t do it!’

Startled, she saw a faint silhouette of a Reaper in her blurred vision.

A Reaper struggling to emit a radiant glow from its horns.

A Reaper clinging to her stomach, grabbing the knife.

Huh? Why am I doing this all of a sudden?

As she startled and dropped the knife, the Reaper lost consciousness and fell.

Catching it in her palm, the Reaper lay limply with its eyes closed.