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In the deep places of the Free City Alliance, where Cheong and his group reside.

After finishing the request, Cheong often sat on the window sill, gazing out the window.

The air in the Free City Alliance was so polluted that ordinary people could hardly breathe, yet strangely, the pollution hardly obstructed the view.

Perhaps it could be called transparent pollutants; in any case, the pollution was invisible, which made it even more bothersome.

The air looked clear and clean, like the streets after rain.

But if an ordinary person were to carelessly inhale that ‘clean’ air, their lungs would be damaged, and they would end up coughing up blood.

Moreover, as it appeared transparent, the permeability was high, and the UV rays harmful to the skin fiercely beat down.

Today too, Cheong was sitting by the window, which was like a designated spot, staring outside.

“Nothing’s visible.”

But today, the pollution was particularly severe, making the view so hazy that he could hardly see the street.

There were days like this every so often.

Days so polluted that even those with Object Waste avoided going out.

Yet, it was said that near areas ruled by clans, there was no air pollution; how do they manage that?

Questions floated in and out of Cheong’s mind.

“Cheong, isn’t that uncomfortable? Why don’t we install a proper processing device in the office?”

The woman sitting on the sofa while watching TV spoke, making a mask shape with her mouth.

“Um… it’s fine. We need to save money.”

The woman was probably suggesting they install a positive pressure system to prevent external pollution from entering.

Although they earned quite a lot from the clan’s request this time, it felt like an excessive luxury.

Cheong shook his head and rejected the idea before moving closer to the TV.

Normally, he would spend time looking out the window, but since he couldn’t see outside, he had no choice.

Cheong sat down on the sofa with the woman and started watching TV.

In truth, Cheong didn’t particularly like the TV in this neighborhood.

Perhaps the Free City Alliance had gone a bit crazy for poking Objects into themselves; the TV was in a weird state.

Either it was extremely erotic or extremely violent.

It was at least one of the two.

For example, a simple ad made it look like a home shopping segment showing a surgery scene where they remove internal organs and replace them with Objects, resembling replacing a car engine.

Hosts, covered in blood and stained entirely red, would show their white, pearly teeth while smiling. The shock he felt upon first witnessing that bizarre scene still lingered deeply in his mind.

He even remembered the lines and poses.

Holding a racing heart next to his face with a bright smile, he shouted, “Order now!”

“Eww, that’s creepy.”

Just as Cheong tried to suppress his disgust and settle in to watch TV after a long time, he heard the sound of the door opening, and a large man began to enter the office.

“I’m back.”

The man who entered the office was heavily loaded with items, using his four large hands to carry everything.

When the door closed with a ‘bang’, the impact caused a can of grasshoppers on the shelf to tumble off, landing on a ladle and spinning around before being launched like a slingshot.

It resembled a baseball shot from a pitching machine.

“Ugh.”

Cheong cried out as the can hit his head.

The man laughed as he set the items down on the floor.

“Haha. Cheong, you’ve been having bad luck lately. Shouldn’t we create a ‘hero’ in the haunted area or something?”

Cheong rubbed his head where the can had hit and retorted.

“No way. That kind of occult stuff.”

During this exchange, he felt someone looking and giggling at him, so he turned his head, but no one was there.

All he could see was a fur ball.

Could it be?

When Cheong locked eyes with the floating fur ball, he saw the orange reaper’s eyes rolling within its closed eyelids.

“It was you!”

In that moment, Cheong realized the string of bizarre misfortunes, good luck, and magical occurrences that had happened up until now.

“What a little troublemaker.”

With a mix of gratitude and annoyance, Cheong began to pinch the cheeks of the orange reaper.

By the time the orange reaper’s cheeks were swelling up, Cheong’s cell phone started to flicker and signal him.

‘?’

Not long after finishing the requests, there shouldn’t be anyone contacting him now, right?

Cheong cocked his head and picked up his phone.

*

A long corridor leading down to the Sehee Research Institute.

I was leading the Golden Reapers to the underground hot springs.

Like baby ducks, they followed closely behind me.

Pitter-patter.

Walking just as I usually do, off they went, pitter-pattering.

As I guided the flock of ducks across the Sehee Research Institute, other Mini Reapers began to attach themselves one by one.

Finally, upon arriving at the hot springs set up in the underground, a familiar sight caught my eye.

Attached humans and Mini Reapers lazily stealing a salary in the research institute.

And a massive Golden Statue standing out prominently.

The Golden Reapers that had arrived behind me rushed into the water, laughing brightly.

Once they splashed into the water, the Golden Reapers began to wave at me and call out.

“Mom!”

“Mom!”

Settling in a suitable spot and getting into the water, other Mini Reapers leaped into the water after me.

The most unique reaction came from the Purple Reaper.

Eyes wide open as if seeing the Mini Reaper hot spring at Sehee Research Institute for the first time, it cautiously slid its body into the warm water.

Starting from its toes, carefully.

The Purple Reaper seemed to like the warm water, closing its eyes and floating peacefully with its belly up.

It let loose the attire made of shadow, floating along.

Even when poked at its plump belly, it didn’t respond, fully enjoying the moment.

‘I’ll have to tell the Purple Reaper’s attached human about this habit later; I bet they’ll love it.’

As I thought that, I turned my head, and there was a Golden Reaper swimming at a rapid pace.

Some of the Golden Reapers seemed tireless, endlessly swimming around once they entered the water.

When I picked one up to inspect, the Golden Reaper looked up at me, tilting its head.

Slowly lowering it closer to the water, it began to flap its arms and legs as if swimming.

The Golden Reaper’s limbs slowed down as they moved farther away from the water, and sped up as they approached it.

Hehe.

Finding it amusing, I repeated lifting and lowering it for 20 minutes until it grabbed my hand and bit it playfully.

“There, there. Sorry about that.”

I patted the angry Golden Reaper until it calmed down and then put it back in the water.

Once back in the water, the Golden Reaper zoomed across like it was powered by a motor.

After sending off the Golden Reaper, I began to watch TV on the monitor installed at the hot springs, surrounded by the Golden Reapers who were clinging to me.

As the Mini Reapers didn’t care much for TV, it was a monitor set up just for me.

[The Chinese government has rejected the entry of the Korean Object Association into the Free City Alliance.]

[This decision comes amidst recent mutual cooperation between the two countries, indicating a halt in the tracking of the Golden Horn.]

[It appears the association was quite taken aback by the sudden rejection from the Chinese government without any notable statement.]

The TV frequently played stories about the Free City Alliance.

It was a bit surprising that they covered international events so intensively.

It seemed like the Object Association didn’t quite appreciate Koreans showing interest in foreign matters.

As I watched TV, I remembered that a Mini Reaper had entered the ‘Free City Alliance.’

Maybe it was a city with a powerful Object lurking, as I could only confirm that they had entered.

Each time I saw news related to the Golden Horn, I felt a little uneasy, thinking that I should probably visit at least once.

I should go once the restoration of the Ice Palace is finished.

*

A cell phone blinking silently.

As Cheong approached slowly and checked his phone, a short message was left inside.

[PIG: It’s complete.]

The message was sent by a technician who operated a small factory, using the ID PIG.

In Cheong’s memory, it vaguely remained as an abbreviation for something like ‘Prototype What Genius.’

Upon hearing the news that it was completed, Cheong put on an exterior mask and started putting on his coat with a giddy expression.

As Cheong prepared, the orange reaper floated and settled on top of his head.

And as if excited to go out with him, it began to sit up and down repeatedly on top of Cheong’s head with its two legs.

Bouncy bouncy.

Cheong seemed to find it annoying and pressed it down, making it sit like a hat.

“I’m heading to Uncle PIG’s factory for a bit.”

Hearing Cheong’s words, the woman stood up and touched his clothes with a worried expression.

“That PIG guy seems suspicious; should I come with you?”

Concerned, the woman said in a worried tone, but Cheong shook his head.

“I’m fine. He seemed suspicious last time, and the time before that, and the time before that, but it was alright, wasn’t it?”

“No, there’s no way someone using that kind of Object body can be sane!”

Well, even Cheong thought PIG wasn’t all there.

PIG’s body was quite unique, even in the Free City Alliance that was known for its free-spirited bodies.

The name was a snail with butterfly wings!

Instead of legs, it had a slug-like squirming mass.

On top of that elongated mass, where the head of a snail should be, lay the upper body of a bald uncle, protruding his belly.

And finally, completing it all was a huge, colorful butterfly wing on the uncle’s back!

That body had zero practicality and was aesthetically distorted, so it was insane to think otherwise.

In fact, Cheong thought most residents of this city were a bit off their rockers.

It wasn’t just strange to poke Objects into themselves; the aesthetic aspect was even stranger.

Even though they could freely modify their bodies, there were hardly any attractive people around, just a bunch of bizarre-looking folks.

If they were just filled with handsome and beautiful people, Cheong might have slightly loved this city….

“Anyway, I’ll be back soon.”

With the colleagues’ “Yeah, be safe” in his ears, he stepped out into the hazy, blurry streets.