Chapter 133: Vortex Key (3)

I explained to my teammates about what happened at Buldan Temple and that we needed to find a man named Ji Dong-seok, who was related to Yang Juhee's grandmother.

I thought about mentioning what happened with Kang Bada and Yoo Dahee after that, but...

"......"

The image of Yoo Dahee dying after drinking poison flashed in my mind, and I couldn't bring myself to say it.

I never imagined she would take her own life.

Even though I had rewound everything as if it never happened, my heart was pounding as if an elephant was jumping inside it.

Yoo Dahee. You're quite a person to watch out for.

Making me see such a shocking scene, I felt a bit angry, but at the same time, I understood her feelings.

What Yoo Dahee whispered in my ear.

If everyone knew about it... they might force Dahee to die. Even Dahee herself.

So I decided to bury that fact within me and resolved never to let Kang Bada and Yoo Dahee meet.

"Then let's go meet this Ji Dong-seok guy. If it's him, he might know where my sister went! Right? That con-artist-like feng shui master from back then!"

Yang Juhee showed enthusiasm, raising her fist high. 

Thanks to her clear voice, I was able to snap out of my various thoughts.

"Ms. Hong Mi-ri, do you think we can meet this Ji Dong-seok person today?"

"Well, why don't we try contacting him?"

For now, we moved locations.

It was the moment the option of meeting Mr. Kang Bada at Buldan Temple in the school basement disappeared.

Of course, I was planning to meet Mr. Kang Bada alone later. I had things to say to him and things to receive.

"Vortex Key".

It was clearly the key to open the security box in the shop on the third floor of the corridor. The box containing the gun had the same vortex pattern on it.

What if we shot a gun at a corridor ghost that could inflict physical damage? It would surely show a dramatic effect.

That's why they must be selling it in the shop.

So we gave up on exploring the basement and headed to a place called "Pacific Oriental Culture Research Institute" where Dr. Ji Dong-seok was said to be.

The institute was in an old downtown shopping area near Gaeryong Station, and being near a big station, it was crowded and bustling with people.

However, the buildings were very old and worn, and all the people walking around were elderly.

"Ki treatment! World's first miracle water for complete cure of brain cancer!"

"Efficacy recognized by the World Health Science Organization UNU!"

"Pacific Oriental Culture Research Institute"

We saw an old banner fluttering on the second floor of a shopping building. Just as I was thinking how impressive it was, Jung-seok said.

"There's no such thing as UNU. It's all lies."

I hope at least the person we're going to meet isn't a lie.

Passing through a corridor that smelled pungent from red peppers drying on the staircase, we entered the second-floor office to find a room with a fan running instead of air conditioning.

It was a messy place with golden liquor barrels filled with various infused liquors like ginseng wine and snake wine, laundry hung out to dry here and there, and jajangmyeon bowls scattered about.

"Ms. Hong Mi-ri. It's been a while."

A man wearing a bucket hat like a fisherman stood up from his chair. It was Dr. Ji Dong-seok, whom I was somewhat acquainted with.

"Oh, you kids are from that time at Gaeryong Mountain..."

We had a connection with Dr. Ji Dong-seok from the Gaeryong Mountain lodge.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this man had handled most of the aftermath when we called the police during the mixed martial arts fight with Gu Hyena's body.

The man nodded as he saw us.

"I thought you didn't seem like ordinary kids. Sit down."

With not enough sofa space, we sat on nearby boxes.

While everyone was feeling awkward, I asked Dr. Ji Dong-seok as the representative.

"Mister, if you know anything about Buldan Temple, please tell us."

"Buldan Temple..."

The man's expression immediately became hazy. After pondering for a while, he said.

"If you've come knowing that much, I guess there's no point in hiding anything. That place was built by someone who was like my master. It's in the underground of this city. It's like a stake suppressing the water veins."

Stake-

Bong Ji-yeon reacted to that word.

"Like the stake that was on top of Gaeryong Mountain, right?"

"Yes. Of course, it wasn't easy to suppress the energy of Gaeryong with simple methods, so we used some rather extreme methods. We placed terrifying spirits there as guardians."

Terrifying spirits... among us, only I remembered them.

"You mean the Yin-Yang Master and the Gandara ghost?"

"I'm surprised you even know about that."

Dr. Ji seemed genuinely surprised by my words.

The way he looked at me was unusual, making me a bit nervous. Maybe I shouldn't have said that.

"They are ghosts my master specially brought from Japan. The Cheon family spent an enormous amount of money. You can't even imagine how much money was spent. Really an astronomical amount..."

"We're not interested in how much money was spent. Please tell us how to defeat them."

Jung-seok cut off the man's chatter sharply. He was indeed a cold boy.

Actually, I was a bit curious about how much money was spent, but it seemed I wouldn't be able to hear about it now.

"You can't defeat them. They're that kind of beings. That's why they were made to guard Buldan Temple."

Ghosts that can't be defeated?

Even the evil spirits on the second floor could be neutralized with items. Would the beings on the third floor be immune even to that?

Come to think of it, that spider woman had ignored the barrier created by Yang Juhee's magic wand and came in to grab Jung-seok's leg and drag him away.

"Unstoppable".

Unstoppable...

Knowing the truth, hope faded even more.

But.

But there must surely be a way to conquer them.

As evidence, didn't Mr. Kang Bada mention the existence of the fourth floor? He said mom was the only one who reached the fourth floor.

It must have been possible because there was definitely a way.

"Is there really no way? We're in a hurry! We might all die!"

I almost begged the man.

Then Dr. Ji Dong-seok seemed lost in thought for a while before taking out an e-cigarette from his pocket.

"Time is certainly running short. For some reason, the floodgates of this Gaeryong are being opened. If this continues, this city will be filled with dead spirits. If that happens, all the people will die too."

We knew well why the doors were opening, but no one revealed that fact.

While everyone was just watching each other's reactions, the doctor added.

"It's not that there's absolutely no way to deal with those guardians. In fact, my master could control them. If someone has the master's bloodline, it might be possible somehow."

"If that's the case...!"

I looked at Yang Juhee with joy.

Dr. Ji Dong-seok also nodded at Yang Juhee, as if saying "I see, so that's it."

***

"You want me to get into that box?"

The box Dr. Ji Dong-seok brought was square-shaped, just big enough for one person to barely curl up inside.

Yang Juhee recoiled at the idea of having to go inside it.

"Into that cramped space that looks suffocating just by looking at it?"

"This isn't just any box. It's made from trees from the forest where those Japanese ghosts were. It will act as a barrier... like a shield."

He said that if Yang Juhee went into that box, Dr. Ji Dong-seok would perform a ritual to transfer control of the Buldan Temple ghosts to Yang Juhee.

If that was really possible...

The time was now 10 PM.

They said the gut ritual is performed during the ox hour when yin energy is strongest. Bong Ji-yeon asked quietly.

"What's the ox hour?"

I don't know either.

Jung-seok answered.

"It's from 1 AM to 3 AM."

I see.

Anyway, after preparing for this possession ritual, we finished getting ready to enter the third basement floor again.

We were worried about the gas leaking from the basement, but Dr. Ji Dong-seok gave each of us a talisman. It was a yellow paper with bright red writing.

"You'll be safe while holding this. The gas isn't real gas. It's something more spiritual. You can think of it as ghost powder."

Ghost powder? That's even scarier.

Finally, we arrived at the entrance of Buldan Temple on the third basement floor.

Dr. Ji Dong-seok was shocked to see it.

"...To think it's opened this wide. No wonder there's such chaos."

He said this third floor door should normally be tightly closed. It should have been that way for at least 50 years.

Huff-

Cold breath rose in the red temple of the third basement floor. We slowly walked into it.

It felt strange crossing the huge torii gate.

Unlike in the nightmare corridor, crossing this gate pillar in reality didn't cause quirks to develop.

Is that fortunate?

"It's so creepy."

The easily scared Kwon Sua made a sad face.

It was natural to be scared and overwhelmed by the dark underground temple that looked like something could jump out at any moment.

I was scared of this place too.

"Ah!"

Just then, Bong Ji-yeon tripped over something and fell.

Thud-

It seemed she didn't see the straw rope on the ground because it was so dark.

Bells were hanging from the straw rope, and a chill ran down my spine as unpleasant memories came flooding back. I had no good memories associated with these bells.

"These bells don't ring?"

Yoo Dahee picked up the straw rope and bells and shook them around. Dr. Ji Dong-seok, who was walking ahead, said.

"Those were made not to ring from the start. There's no ball inside, see?"

"Oh, you're right."

After walking for a while like that, we finally arrived at a place that looked like a large shrine.

It was a shrine that looked like a container box covered with red cloth and wrapped several times with iron chains.

Dr. Ji Dong-seok placed the square box in front of it and told Yang Juhee to get in.

"Get in."

"......"

Yang Juhee looked at us.

Her face, illuminated by the phone light, looked several times paler than usual. She looked even more pitiful with a gag in her mouth like a cow and her hands tied behind her back.

Swish-

Finally, Yang Juhee went into the box, and Dr. Ji Dong-seok called me and Jung-seok.

"Now, let's nail it shut. So she can't get out."

"What?"

We hadn't heard anything about nailing it shut. As Jung-seok and I hesitated, Dr. Ji Dong-seok said.

"If by any chance Juhee comes out during the process, everyone here will die. Not just the people here, but their families and acquaintances too. The things in this Buldan Temple are that kind of beings."

Japanese ghosts were truly merciless.

Is it because it's the land of samurai that they just kill everyone they don't like? Even for ghosts, domestic is better.

Look at the high school girl ghost Gu Hyena. She was a bit scary at first, but once you got used to her, she had a charmingly cute side. Like Jeom-soon from literature class...

Bang bang bang-

Finally, the box was completely nailed shut. Now, Yang Juhee couldn't get out even if she wanted to.

"Now, while I chant the sutra, you shake these bells. You must not stop shaking the bells until I say it's over. Absolutely not. Understand?"

Swish-

The man put the silent bells in each of our hands.

Flicker, flicker-

After lighting the torches around, the possession ritual finally began.

"━━──."

Dr. Ji Dong-seok started chanting something.

I couldn't understand what he was saying, but Jung-seok, unable to bear this scary atmosphere without pretending to know, quietly explained.

"It's ancient Japanese."

I see. Suddenly, I felt angry.

Why are there so many things related to Japan? How pro-Japanese was the Cheon family?

"Japanese ghosts and Japanese shamans giving us trouble. I'm never going to use Japanese products again. I won't even go to Japan for travel."

─Guys, wait, I can't breathe. It's suffocating...!

Just then, Yang Juhee spoke from inside the box.

Did she have trouble breathing in the closed box? 

Should we stop this-

As I was thinking that, the intuitive Kwon Sua cried out in fear.

"...How... how is she talking when she had a gag in her mouth?"

Now that you mention it...!