Chapter 131

As the dawn cast its gentle glow, it began to quietly illuminate the remnants of a city that had completely crumbled, wrapping them in serene light.

Just last night, a bizarre gathering akin to a fairy festival had taken place, but the sight of Mini Reapers handing out hot chocolate and snacks was nowhere to be found, as if it were merely a trace of a dream now shattered.

The embers of the campfire had grown cold and invisible, replaced instead by the rising sunlight.

Was it all truly just a dream?

The only evidence of last night’s events was the faint remains of the campfire.

But even if it was a dream, does it really matter?

The faces of the survivors, once stained with shock and sorrow, had brightened considerably.

Even amidst the despair of a collapsed city and the loss of home and family, the inexplicable warmth and hope gifted by the Mini Reaper seemed to breathe new life into weary souls.

It was almost like magic.

Yet despite this magical hope, the skeletal remains of buildings in the ruined city still filled people with a sense of helplessness.

Then, a man spoke up to the crowd gathered near the remnants of the campfire in a low voice.

“We can do it.”

Though lacking context, the man’s words carried hope within them.

“Our city may be in ruins, but we can rebuild it. After all, this city was originally built from ruins.”

He urged everyone to find an intact building for temporary lodging and to create their own new village.

“Of course, it’ll take a few years to restore it to its former glory. There will be many tough days ahead.”

“But together, we can not only rebuild the buildings but also our lives. We’ll transform this desolate place into a haven of hope.”

Though his words weren’t enough, they were sufficient to ignite the hope left behind by the Mini Reaper.

People slowly rose from their seats and gathered around the man.

This was a rare sight in a world where so many cities had fallen apart.

Amidst this city of ruins overshadowed by the shadow of loss, bricks of hope were being laid.

The man carved a new symbol of the city into the large debris of the ruins.

A tribute to last night’s magical hope.

It was the image of a marshmallow hungry ghost with a charred, aggrieved expression.

***

The tranquil courtyard behind Sehee Research Institute bathed in the soft morning sunlight was enveloped in peaceful stillness.

Dewdrops sparkled like tiny jewels on freshly trimmed grass, and the sunlit leaves shimmered.

The sky transitioned from navy blue to a clear blue, signaling the start of a new day.

Holding a warm cup of coffee fetched from the lab to ward off the morning chill, I sat in a chair and watched the Golden Reapers playing on the flat marble floor laid out in one corner of the yard.

The rich aroma of coffee mingling with the earthy scent of the morning air completed the pleasant start to the day.

Each sip of coffee brought a comforting warmth that contrasted delightfully with the cool air.

The rustling sound of colored paper made by the Golden Reapers provided a gentle background hum.

On this peaceful morning after the reappearance of the Reaper, a paper-folding craze had unexpectedly swept through the backyard of Sehee Research Institute.

For some reason, children who suddenly took up paper folding had appeared, so when I went to fetch coffee, I also grabbed a stack of colored paper.

Golden Reapers, pressing oversized sheets of paper against their bodies, carefully folded them.

After finishing their folding, a Golden Reaper waddled over to me with a pleading gaze, like a baby bird craving food.

How adorable!

I smiled warmly, patted the Golden Reaper’s head, and placed another sheet of colored paper atop it.

With a grin, the newly rewarded Golden Reaper jubilantly held up the paper before rushing back to its spot to continue folding.

The Reaper who returned early in the morning was curled up under a blanket on a mat and had been sleeping since then.

Looking more like a lump of blanket than anything else.

The only proof this bundle was a Reaper was the antenna swaying gently from the top of the bundle.

Nearby, another Golden Reaper uninterested in paper folding was trying hard to grab the swaying antenna.

Heh, there’s an indescribable charm in that wobbling antenna.

Soft to the touch, making the Reaper antenna twice as satisfying.

Eventually, the Golden Reaper succeeded in grabbing the antenna and indulged in its texture with both hands.

Then, glancing around, it brought the antenna to its mouth and gave it a little nibble with a “munch.”

Suddenly, the sound of a mini hungry ghost sprinting across the grass reached my ears.

On top of the ghost was a Golden Reaper, beaming with joy.

Spinning like a pinwheel!

The Golden Reaper who made the pinwheel looked incredibly happy and energetic.

Whirrrrr.

While watching the speeding hungry ghost and the Golden Reaper, I felt a tap on my thigh and turned to see a group of Golden Reapers crowding around.

They’d abandoned whatever colored paper they were working on and rushed over.

They probably wanted to make their own pinwheels too.

I pulled out some colored paper from my bag and handed each of the Golden Reapers a sheet.

Before long, the research institute’s backyard was filled with the cheerful footsteps of racing hungry ghosts and the whirring sounds of spinning pinwheels.

***

Inside the Detective Agency, a TV blared a popular talk show.

Junior No. 2, lounging in the corner, stared blankly at the screen.

The host of the program was a striking figure with an eccentric presence.

His hair dyed a deep shade of purple was meticulously slicked back in a perfect pompadour.

Equally striking was his bold purple suit, which matched his hair color, creating an intriguing yet slightly odd vibe.

Seeing this purple-clad man, Junior No. 1 approached me with a smirk.

“Senior! Aren’t you and that guy brothers? Your fashion sense is exactly the same.”

Comparing my carefully chosen yellow suit with such exaggerated purple attire wasn’t worth responding to.

Unbothered by any response, Junior No. 1 chuckled and redirected his attention back to the TV.

[Today’s guest is the chairman of the New Seoul Promotion Policy Committee. Hello, Chairman!]

With a powerful introduction by the purple man, a somewhat clumsy-looking man entered the screen.

The purple man’s tone was peculiar, and his exaggerated actions gave the segment a theatrical feel.

As the conversation progressed, various topics emerged.

Soon, the focus shifted to a more serious issue—the recent destruction of ‘RS,’ a city.

[We’ve heard news recently about the annihilation of a city called ‘RS.’ It’s truly a terrible event. Looking outside of Seoul, this isn’t the first time a city has collapsed to this extent.]

The purple man, with a serious expression, continued questioning the chairman.

[And yet, is it absolutely necessary to relocate Seoul?!]

As the chairman pulled out prepared materials to discuss the recent tragedy, the skilled showman adeptly steered the conversation back to emphasizing the safety of Seoul.

Though the chairman’s speech was interrupted and disrupted, the purple man didn’t seem to care much.

Such was the nature of the purple man’s show, always leaving one suspicious of his true intentions.

Why emphasize Seoul’s safety so unnaturally?

And yet, this unnatural show always drew massive popularity, raising suspicions.

There was definitely the smell of ‘big trouble’ in the air.

Once the show ended, Junior No. 2, who had been sitting dazed, approached me with a serious face.

“Detective Sunbae! I have something to tell you.”

Did he have something genuinely serious to say?

I had already told him not to bother me with failed case stories…

To ensure privacy, Junior No. 2 and I moved to the rooftop of the detective agency building.

On the rooftop, I lit my pipe and turned to Junior No. 2.

“So, what’s your story?”

After hesitating for a moment, Junior No. 2 closed his eyes tightly, pulled something out from his chest pocket, and thrust it toward me.

Sitting proudly on his palm was a grinning Mini Golden Reaper.

“You actually stole an object from Sehee Research Institute!”

“Ahh, that story, huh? I already knew, so don’t worry about it.”

“Huh?”

Thinking he had kept it well hidden, Junior No. 2 looked shocked.

“Hmm, Junior No. 3 probably knows too. Likely everyone except Junior No. 1, who’s obsessed with hammers, is aware.”

As I exhaled smoke toward the sky, I glanced at the flustered Junior No. 2.

***

When I woke up, ten Golden Reapers were clinging to my antennae like fish biting onto bait.

Even lightweight Golden Reapers become cumbersome when ten of them latch onto your head.

I swung my antennae forcefully to shake them off.

The Golden Reapers flew off like dolls having their favorite toy snatched away.

Ugh, there are more and more antennae addicts these days.

Sehee Research Institute’s backyard was a mess of paper-folding remnants, and Yerin, who was beside me until I fell asleep, had vanished.

Clomp clomp.

In search of Yerin and some fun, I wandered around inside the institute.

“Hmm? Even so, America….”

Near my isolation room in the hallway, I spotted Sehee, Yerin, and James deep in conversation.

James came looking for me—I was planning to play a prank on him!

Approaching quietly while brainstorming pranks, I noticed James spotting me and enthusiastically offering something.

“This is the new ‘Large Gray Reaper Pudding.’ I brought it early before its official release.”

James held out a pudding larger than my body.

Wow, it’s huge!

The sweet smell emanating from the pudding made me instantly forgive James.

As I tore open the giant pudding packaging, I scooped up the soft pudding with a spoon.

Mmmmm.

So happy.

Why is pudding always this delicious?

Midway through enjoying the delightful large pudding, an unsettling statement caught my ear.

“I’ll repeat this again. Would you consider visiting America, including the Gray Reaper?”

America?

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