“Shall I give you an autograph?”
“No. That’s all right.”
His answer was icily curt, yet Jeong Chulwoo just let out a hearty laugh.
“Hahaha. No need to be shy—really, I’m used to these requests. Don’t worry about it; take one if you like.”
Used to it, my foot, Yeonwoo thought. This guy was a no-name actor—hardly the celebrity he claimed to be. And “Bluffing” was listed as his specialty, so conning people must be his norm. Judging by his skill grade, though, he wasn’t exactly a master at it.
“I’d even take a proof photo with you, but given the circumstances… guess I can’t, sorry.”
“Ah… right.”
With a blank expression, Yeonwoo brushed the man’s hand off. How long do I have to humor this guy? he wondered.
“I’m really sorry to ask a favor of a fan, but since you like me so much… could you maybe help me out?”
Returning to his main point, Jeong Chulwoo eyed Yeonwoo with a big grin, as though deeply apologetic. But the status window told a different story:
-Current Affection Level: Lowest
-Current Emotional State: Irritated, Angry
It never lied.
It’s been ages since I’ve met someone so infuriating. Some people just beg you to tear apart their fake smile. And at this point, Yeonwoo felt fine even taking on a “one-day” request he’d initially called a small fry. The moment had come for him to accept it.
“Hey, you—yes, you. Don’t you have something to say?”
He was speaking not to Jeong Chulwoo, but to the spirit clinging around his neck.
“…?”
Jeong Chulwoo blinked, puzzled.
“If you can speak, then talk. I’ll listen.”
“Excuse me… what are you talking about?”
Jeong Chulwoo glanced back, then at Yeonwoo, a frown forming on his brow.
“Are you some aspiring actor who wants me to see your performance?”
A flash of real annoyance crossed Jeong Chulwoo’s eyes right then.
“Wow, you’re imaginative. That’s not it.”
“Then why talk to thin air? Unless you’re—pardon me—experiencing hallucinations or something…?”
“I’m not crazy.”
“Ahaha… I’d never say that. In showbiz, you meet all sorts. Someone like you barely…”
Ignoring his chatter, Yeonwoo focused on one spot.
[C-could… you… h-help… m-me…?]
A dark mouth opened slowly on the spirit hanging from Jeong Chulwoo’s neck.
“Okay. Let’s hear it.”
[Yeonwoo, this thing looks like it can barely talk.]
“Then you interpret.”
“Uh… excuse me?”
“Shh.”
Yeonwoo raised his hand to cut Jeong Chulwoo off. He heard a muttered “Unbelievable,” but paid no heed. The child spirit fluttered over to the ghost, coaxing it.
The Ghost’s Story
[Jeong Chulwoo… he… beat me… money… school… graduation…]
[Uh-huh, yeah… go on…]
[Torment… no freedom… photo… blackmail… money…]
[Seriously? That scumbag? Wow, he’s way worse than I thought!]
From the ghost’s faltering words, Yeonwoo realized Jeong Chulwoo was an even bigger piece of trash than expected. Yeonwoo’s demeanor grew colder.
“So, what is going on here, exactly? What about the settlement…?”
“Keep quiet for a second. You really don’t know what’s happening, do you?”
“What the—?”
“If you don’t know, zip your mouth and wait. Settlement? Doesn’t matter if there’s a vengeful spirit hanging off you.”
“Huh? That’s insane—”
“Insane? You know a guy half a hand shorter than you, skin and bones, with a huge scar on his chin. Ring a bell?”
Staring past him at the faint spirit, Yeonwoo named its features. Jeong Chulwoo reacted right away.
“H-how do you know Cheolgyu?!”
“Oh, so he’s Cheolgyu?”
“…!”
Yeonwoo hadn’t known that—thanks for the info. The status window had one major drawback: it only worked after physical contact, whether with the living or the dead.
“You do realize Cheolgyu is clinging to you, right?”
Jeong Chulwoo’s face contorted briefly. Then he plastered on his usual nasty look.
“Ah, I see what’s up. Who sent you? Where’d you hear about him? You fishing for dirt? Woo Cheolgyu? Sure, I hung out with him a few times as a kid, but we haven’t met since.”
A blatant lie.
[…No… not true…]
[Yeah, yeah, I know he’s lying. Don’t worry.]
He wasn’t fooling anyone—there’s always a reason when spirits become vengeful.
“I hate to say it, but you’re being used. There are a bunch of people who’d love to see me ruined. Since I’ve stayed scandal-free, they’re itching to stir up trouble. Don’t let them exploit you. It’ll only cause us both grief…”
Yeonwoo let that drivel pass by. Instead, he spoke to the child spirit:
“Done talking with him?”
“Are you actually insane?!”
[Yeah, I got what he wants. Should I tell you?]
“Go ahead.”
“Hey, you listening to me? Hey!”
[He wants…]
Moments later:
“Ack! Guh!”
Yeonwoo grabbed Jeong Chulwoo and hoisted him into the air.
“So, this is it? Just grabbing him by the collar?”
[That’s all. He’s so timid, I can’t believe he was about to turn vengeful.]
Woo Cheolgyu, still only a “prospective” vengeful spirit, had a very modest wish.
“He doesn’t want a few punches? Or a broken limb?”
“You… bastard…! Gack! Hurk!”
“You’re too loud. Shut up.”
“Agh!”
Choking, Jeong Chulwoo’s face streamed with black-stained tears—probably his eye makeup—and his yellowish foundation dripped off in ugly streaks.
[That’s enough… satisfied… let go…]
[What?! That’s all? He should keep beating him until he feels better!]
[But that would hurt…]
[Yeonwoo! He says let him go—that’s enough!]
Flustered, the child spirit urged Yeonwoo. At the same time:
Ding!
[You have successfully harvested lifespan.]
[Lifespan harvested: 1 day]
Request complete. Normally, Yeonwoo would have just left, but he wasn’t done.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
Releasing his grip, Yeonwoo let Jeong Chulwoo fall in a pathetic heap. The man panted, clutching his throat, face smeared with all sorts of fluids.
“You… you…! Dammit! You think you’ll get away with this?! Do you realize whose neck you just grabbed?! I’ll destroy you! I’ll kill you! I’ll find out who hired you and—!”
“Don’t kid yourself. Once people learn you killed someone, you’ll be the one buried. Exactly how do you plan to kill me?”
“What—what are you talking about…?”
“Don’t act like you don’t remember. You stomped on his leg till it broke, leaving him crippled—Woo Cheolgyu. That’s who.”
Yeonwoo locked eyes with him, each word precise:
“You killed him.”
It was easy enough to use a talisman to force open Jeong Chulwoo’s spiritual sight for a moment.
“Ch-cheol… Cheolgyu…”
He’d been raging about hidden cameras moments ago, but now he’d gone as pale as a corpse.
“You’re the one who set Cheolgyu on that railing, right?”
“Y-yes…”
“And you already knew he couldn’t walk properly.”
“…Yes…”
“So it was intentional.”
“…Yes.”
With the spirit weeping bloody tears right there, he didn’t dare lie. Trembling, he confessed.
“Okay. Got it on camera.”
Apparently, that was enough for Woo Cheolgyu, who dissolved away.
[Aw, the poor softie! Just a collar grab and a confession, and his grudge is gone…!]
“So… is it over?”
The ghost disappeared, and Jeong Chulwoo let out a shaky breath. But then—
Crunch!
“Aaaagh!”
With a nasty snap, Yeonwoo twisted the wrist under his foot.
“Cheolgyu might be satisfied, but I’m not.”
Yeonwoo wasn’t exactly a knight of justice, but a normal person can at least vent some disgust on human garbage.
“Don’t go running your mouth. Remember what I said—cause any trouble, and it’s bad for both of us. Got it? Unless you want your no-name acting career to end, forget what happened today.”
“F-fine… I get it…!”
Yeonwoo left Jeong Chulwoo sprawled there and returned to his officetel. No need to see more, since he’d harvested the lifespan.
“Man, I’m exhausted. My head’s spinning.”
Like a game scenario where HP is fine but MP is empty. Who would’ve thought he’d meet such scum while hoping to net a big catch?
[No, you did the right thing! You were awesome! We can get more lifespan later, can’t we?]
“Easy for you to say—it’s not your lifespan.”
[I—I mean, good deeds come back to reward you, right? We helped that lonely ghost rest in peace, so I’m sure you’ll get something good in return!]
“Yeah… that’d be nice.”
Yeonwoo had done it only because Woo Cheolgyu reminded him of his younger self, not expecting any reward. Yet—
Ding!
[You have chosen an incorrect path.]
[A penalty has been applied.]
[Due to the penalty, your lifespan has decreased.]
[Remaining Grace Period: 23 days]
Instead of a reward, he got a nasty surprise.
A Wrong Turn
“…?”
A penalty? For what?
“An incorrect path? Are we using GPS now? What path did I supposedly screw up?”
Enraged, Yeonwoo stared at the pop-up, which refused to change. He should have had 47 days left, but thanks to that penalty, it was chopped down to 28. Half his carefully gathered lifespan vanished in a moment.
“Calm down, Yeonwoo. Let’s think.”
Sure, he was furious, but anger alone wouldn’t fix it.
“The system literally said ‘incorrect path.’ So, I violated whatever it wants me to do.”
He’d gotten no penalty from helping Han Su-han, so…
“Damn that Chulwoo…”
The scumbag who’d triggered awful memories in Yeonwoo now cost him half his time. Maybe it means you can’t just accept any lifespan…
Or the system wants me to act in a specific way…?
He wasn’t sure yet. He only knew he’d lost half of what he’d saved.
“This is insane.”
Refilling it would be tough—and what if he triggered another penalty? Just then:
Bzzz… Bzzz…
His phone buzzed wildly.
“Huh? It’s that old man.”
Yeonwoo answered, hearing a resonant voice on the line.
“Yeonwoo, how have you been? Ah, probably not well—sorry. That place must feel cramped. I’m remodeling a penthouse now, so if you can just wait—”
“No, that’s all right.”
He cut him off before he went overboard.
“What did you need?”
“…If you have time, could you possibly meet someone for me?”
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