Chapter 131: Vortex Key (1)

We returned to our secret base.

Since it was a hot summer, the days were long, so we had plenty of time.

"How are you feeling?"

Rub rub, rub rub rub-

Kwon Sua had been rubbing Yang Juhee's back for a while.

It seemed like she was trying to calm and comfort Yang Juhee, who appeared to be afraid of something, and it seemed to be working as Yang Juhee's condition had improved a lot.

According to Mr. Kang Bada, it was because she had inhaled toxic gas.

I thought it might be better to go to the hospital, but Yang Juhee, the person in question, started talking as if she wasn't too concerned about her physical condition.

"When I was very young, I once followed my grandmother to a gut ritual."

"Very young? How old were you?"

"I don't know. Just very young."

I thought about Yang Juhee's childhood.

Although she's now a slender, older sister-like girl, young Yang Juhee must have been a cute little kid.

"It was a very cold and damp temple. I remember clinging to my sister because it was so cold. More importantly, during the ritual, a huge spider appeared and attacked people!"

"A huge spider? How big was it?"

"It might have felt bigger because I was young, but it was really huge. And it had a woman's face with long hair. I was so scared I fainted."

A spider with a woman's head. Its characteristics matched the spider woman I saw on the third floor.

Was Yang Juhee's shocked look when she saw the spider woman because she remembered a forgotten memory? It made sense.

"Grandmother said she didn't have much time left to live, so she couldn't perform rituals for long. So someday, my sister would have to take on her role... If not, many people would get hurt and be in danger..."

That was the end of Yang Juhee's story. Everyone seemed lost in thought when Jung-seok raised his hand.

"I understand that Buldan Temple is related to Yang Juhee's grandmother. If we learn more about Yang Juhee's grandmother, it might be the key to conquering the third floor. Is there anyone who might know more about your grandmother?"

"I don't know either. After my sister went missing, my mom hated anything related to shamans, so she threw everything away and burned it. All I remember about my grandmother is how senile she was."

I see.

A shrine with strong Japanese influences. Yang Juhee's grandmother, who was a shaman from Japan. The pro-Japanese Cheon family, and the deep underground structures beneath where the Cheon family mansion used to be.

It felt like a single thread was all tangled up. 

It feels like we could cut through the knot with a dagger and unravel everything if we had just one more puzzle piece.

Ms. Hong Mi-ri said.

"Those people might know."

Those people? Who could she mean?

"I heard from the Chairman. Ms. Reiko had three disciples. Some of them might have connections with you. One is Kim Hae-il, a criminal currently imprisoned for serial murder."

Kim Hae-il-

At that name, Bong Ji-yeon's expression changed dramatically as she was busy contacting someone on her phone.

It was because Kim Hae-il was the man who killed Bong Ji-yeon's sister, Bong Se-yeon, and hid her head.

"But we can't meet with this man, so pass. Second is Kwon Osung, a relative of Sua here. This man is also in custody, so pass."

Why are there so many criminals among Yang Juhee's grandmother's disciples? What did she teach them?

Swish-

Ms. Hong Mi-ri raised her slender index finger.

"Then there's only one left. A person named Ji Dong-seok."

"The former principal of Yeongji High School, right?"

Jung-seok asked.

"There was a name 'Principal Ji Dong-seok' among the names we got from the safe in the principal's office before."

Oh, I remembered too.

He was the feng shui master who appeared saying he would handle things when Kwon Suho and Kwon Oh-sung caused problems in the Osung Group's basement.

"Right. He was probably the principal of Yeongji High School before, but due to various issues, he fell out with the Cheon family a bit and ended up wandering the country, but he's here in Gaeryong."

That's great.

If we meet him, we might get a clue for conquering the third floor. We might find out how to find Yang Juhee's sister.

"Alright kids, that's enough for today. Dismiss."

At Ms. Hong Mi-ri's instruction, we all decided to go home.

A lot had happened. I returned home too.

"Gotta feed Giganoto."

By the way, I've been really into raising lizards lately. I guess you get absorbed in hobbies like raising animals when life gets tough.

Actually, I wasn't interested in lizards as creatures, but once I started raising one, it seemed kind of cute. I was thinking of training it to 'sit', 'roll over', and 'go make money' once we got a bit closer.

Sniff-

Just then, a familiar smell hit my nose. It was cigarette smoke.

***

"Mister. You're there, aren't you?"

Swish-

When I asked, Mr. Kang Bada revealed himself from the parking lot of the villa.

The time was 6 PM. It was summer, so it wasn't time for the sun to set yet, but it wasn't early either.

"Did you come to see my mom?"

This guy, he's not after my mom, is he?

I don't want a stepfather like this.

As I watched him warily, Mr. Kang Bada threw his cigarette on the ground and stubbed it out with his foot.

"No. I was waiting for you. Ha Young-won. You. It seems you've been poking around quite freely. Seeing that you've found out about Buldan Temple, you must have gone to some incredible places without the adults knowing."

Swish-

Suspicion and wariness seeped into the man's eyes as he looked at me. Is he trying to sound me out?

"To be honest, I don't care what you do there. I can even help you. Take this. It's a key. It must be something you really need right now."

Thud-

The man threw something at me. He said it was a key.

It had a wooden tag-like keychain with a vortex pattern drawn on it.

This picture, I've seen it somewhere before...

"In exchange, don't hang out with Dahee."

"What?"

"Leave Dahee out of it."

So this was a deal.

If I wanted this key, I had to stop hanging out with Yoo Dahee. I thought for a long time and then held the key back out to the man.

"I'd like to, but Dahee is my precious friend and teammate. If even one of us is missing, we'll all fall apart in the end."

"You little shit!"

Grab-!

Mr. Kang Bada suddenly lunged at me and grabbed my collar. I was taken aback because I didn't expect an adult to grab me by the collar.

"You selfish bastard! Look at what you're all doing! Do you think this is normal? If you go deeper, you'll all end up dead! But you don't care, do you! That's the kind of person you are!"

Mr. Kang Bada spoke as if I were some kind of psychopath who wouldn't think twice about sacrificing a friend's life for my own goals.

Like the Cheon family who sold out their people for personal gain? Like Cheon Tae-gon who bound his brother with an unfortunate curse for love? Maybe this was a family trait.

"...It's already too late! We'll all die if we don't go all the way! That's the only way to return things to normal!"

I just wanted to live a normal life without seeing ghosts and stuff.

If I were to be a bit greedier, I wanted to live comfortably using the status window. To do that, I had to conquer the corridor.

"Aren't you just telling me to shoulder everything alone and die! I know Dahee is your daughter. The daughter you had with Yoo In-na! She must be precious to you!"

"...That..."

Flinch-

Kang Bada was greatly surprised. He seemed shocked that I knew more than he expected.

"Who told you?"

"No one! We figured it out ourselves! Mister, my family and friends are as precious to me as your daughter is to you! I'm nothing without them!"

Although I had an amazing status window, I couldn't do anything alone in the end.

Honestly, the reason I've been able to hold out this far is because everyone has been with me.

Dahee was also a precious teammate.

At first, I was a bit suspicious, wondering if she might be a ghost... but now she was an indispensable, precious teammate for us.

Each and every one of us had our own role to play. If even one of us was missing, we would surely collapse like a dam with a hole in it.

"I can't make that promise with you. I'll give the key back."

Swish-

I held out the vortex key to the man. Then Mr. Kang Bada let out a deep sigh and released my collar.

"I thought you were a coward, but you've got more guts than you look. More than your father. Keep that key. It's not like I need it anyway. I'll be honest. The fourth floor is the last."

Fourth floor. So it did exist.

"Your mother, Chae-yeon, was the last of us to go to the fourth floor. What's there, what Chae-yeon saw and did, none of us know."

"My mom? She's never told me anything about that."

"Your mom doesn't remember anything about that time. To be honest, even I'm fuzzy on the details of that time. It's like the memories get hazier and hazier as you wake up from a dream."

"Hmm..."

"But one thing I remember clearly is that we had to make a sad decision. The same will happen to you. So I'm begging you."

Swish-

Mr. Kang Bada knelt in front of me and pressed his forehead to the ground.

I was even more flustered than when he grabbed my collar.

"What are you doing!"

"Even though I haven't been much of a father, I'm Dahee's dad. I can't allow my daughter to walk a path to her death. Just leave my daughter out of it! I'm begging you like this! Hey!"

Mr. Kang Bada clung to my legs. I was so flustered I didn't know what to do.

"What are you two doing there?"

My mom appeared, carrying a bunch of black bags as if she'd been shopping. She was surprised to see Mr. Kang Bada and me, and rushed over.

"Bada, what are you doing! What are you doing to my son! Get lost! Young-won, let's go!"

Yank-!

Mom pulled me away.  I felt like I was being torn in two between Mr. Kang Bada pulling me and my mom.

"Argh!"

In the end, mom won. Mom pulled me, now all disheveled, and shouted.

"Kang Bada! You! Don't approach my son! If you do this again, I'll report you!"

That's how I returned home. Thinking about it calmly after I got back, I felt a bit wronged.

Why am I stuck in the middle of this?

Let the people involved solve their own problems! At this point, I had no choice but to use my secret weapon.

"Mr. Kang Bada. Let's meet at 10 PM today."

I called the contact number on Mr. Kang Bada's business card.

And so, at 10 PM that night.

The man's face was filled with confusion when he came to the cafe near our house.

"You. What are you doing?"

"Talk it out with Dahee! It's between the two of you!"

I decided to connect Kang Bada and Yoo Dahee.

Kang Bada and Yoo Dahee. The father and daughter who didn't resemble each other were finally facing each other.

Maybe this is what I should have done from the beginning.