‘I’d be in serious trouble if I said that out loud, wouldn’t I?’
Sometimes, the truth was more beautiful when it remained on the other side of ignorance.
There was a reason people said ignorance was bliss.
For the sake of everyone’s mental health and their ability to maintain a good condition during filming, Rowoon decided to keep his mouth firmly shut.
“Actually, if you think about the timing, it’s perfect. I heard the broadcast is scheduled for the third quarter, so that’ll put it right between early and late summer, right? The subject matter is a perfect fit, too. Absolutely perfect.”
“Thinking about it that way, wouldn’t it actually be better if a ghost showed up? They say that if a ghost gets caught on camera while you’re filming, the production will become a huge hit.”
Before anyone realized it, their lively discussion about the original novel had shifted toward ghost stories.
“I heard somewhere that whenever people film these kinds of productions, there’s always some sort of related accident. You know, like that film crew a while back that went out to shoot a horror documentary? Apparently, the entire crew got into accidents, and several people even died.”
“Ugh, does that mean we’re in danger too? Our story is set in the mountains, after all.”
“Are we really filming in the mountains?”
“I heard PD Jo has already confirmed the location.”
Just as everyone was enthusiastically chatting away…
“What are you all talking about?”
PD Jo Juncheol had apparently finished his conversation with the reporters at another table. Before anyone noticed, he’d approached them and asked what they were discussing.
“Oh, PD Jo. We were just talking about what we’d do if a ghost appeared while we were filming. That sort of thing.”
“Oh dear, I can certainly understand why you’d be concerned.”
PD Jo Juncheol nodded.
Then…
“As a matter of fact, our staff had the same concerns, so we’ve already made some preparations.”
He spoke while guiding someone who had approached beside him to the front.
“We’ve gone to considerable trouble to invite a shaman who’s famous for his extraordinary spiritual abilities. He’s agreed to accompany us whenever we’re filming.”
“A shaman? Seriously?”
“Oh, right! I’ve heard about that before. Apparently, there was a film that deliberately brought a shaman along as a precaution, and they didn’t have a single accident throughout the shoot.”
“Wow, PD Jo. You’ve really thought of everything!”
“Haha. Well, our filming location is rather rugged, and considering the subject matter we’re dealing with, you understand. Ah, allow me to introduce him. This is Hae Doryeong, a shaman renowned for his remarkable spiritual abilities.”
The man standing beside PD Jo Juncheol stepped forward and greeted everyone.
His face was pale and clear, but what stood out most were his unusually glossy eyes.
He seemed young, yet from another angle, he somehow appeared older. There was something ambiguous about his appearance that made it difficult to guess his age.
“Greetings. I am Hae Doryeong, and I serve General Ilwol.”
The cast members exchanged greetings with him, surprised and fascinated to learn that he was a genuine shaman.
There was only one person who couldn’t quite join in with the atmosphere.
‘…Wait, why is this appearing right now?’
That person was Rowoon.
A moment earlier.
It was just as PD Jo Juncheol had been approaching the table where the actors were gathered.
Ding!
A familiar notification sounded.
By now, Rowoon had grown accustomed to the system notifications that appeared unexpectedly at all hours, often without the slightest warning.
‘Let’s see what it’s about this time.’
[An emergency system patch has been completed!]
‘Huh?’
An emergency patch?
That was a notification he’d never seen before.
There had been a system maintenance period in the past, but…
‘Come to think of it, didn’t the system stop working back then? I remember Cheonghwa getting incredibly frustrated about it.’
But Cheonghwa hadn’t been the only one driven to distraction.
The countless Observers who urgently needed to submit their Requests must have been beside themselves with anxiety as well.
Perhaps the system had received enough curses back then to last an eternity. Whatever the reason, it seemed to have carried out this update quietly in the background, without any downtime.
[Please be advised that this system is making every effort to improve the convenience of user Lee Rowoon.]
The message seemed almost to be asking for recognition.
Following that announcement, the patch notes appeared.
[1.0.1 Emergency System Patch Notes]
[-A new selection category has been added to the ‘Request Selection Criteria.’]
[-Newly Added Category: Unexpected Request]
[*’Desperation’ and ‘Urgency’ values have been added.]
[*When these values meet a certain threshold, the corresponding Request will receive additional priority points and be placed at the highest priority.]
Rowoon’s eyes widened as he watched the status window update with a series of chimes.
‘Wait a minute. Come to think of it, could this be because of something I said before?’
The third Request he’d ended up accepting almost by accident.
Cheonghwa had been terribly disappointed at the time.
And understandably so.
Rowoon only had one body, which meant both his time and his opportunities were limited.
—And here I was, carefully choosing and choosing again among all those Requests for your sake!
But the Observers weren’t the only ones with limited opportunities.
Rowoon faced the same restrictions.
He could only accept one Request at a time, and none of those Requests were particularly easy to complete.
‘Well, I suppose a Request important enough for someone to sacrifice their own Merit couldn’t possibly be simple.’
With opportunities so limited, Rowoon understood why Cheonghwa wanted him to accept only the best Requests.
After all, Cheonghwa was determined to repay her debt to him. She wasn’t trying to do anything that would harm Rowoon.
However…
‘Now that I think about it, could it be because of what I told Cheonghwa back then?’
He remembered what he’d said at the time.
Selection itself wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but he was worried about the deprivation it could cause.
The world was already unfair enough that there was a saying about the wealthy escaping punishment while the poor were convicted.
How heartbreaking would it be if someone couldn’t even receive an opportunity simply because they lacked sufficient Merit?
‘Looking at the newly added patch notes, it certainly seems like the issue I was worried about will be alleviated somewhat.’
Right on cue, another system message appeared.
[This system respects the opinions of user ‘Lee Rowoon’!]
Once again, the message practically radiated a desire to be acknowledged.
In the middle of all this…
Beyond the system message, Rowoon felt as though his eyes briefly met a pair of unusually glossy, jet-black eyes.
And no sooner had that happened than…
Ding!
[An Unexpected Request has been detected!]
[Would you like to accept the Request?]
Huh?
‘…Wait. This is appearing right now?’
The patch had only just finished installing.
And already?
Just like that?
“Oh my goodness, how many followers do you have? A million means you get a Gold Play Button, right? Does that mean you have one?”
Perhaps it was because PD Jo Juncheol had introduced him at just the right moment.
Or perhaps it was simply because being a shaman was such an unusual occupation.
Whatever the reason, the actors’ attention had become completely focused on the shaman known as Hae Doryeong.
“If you mean the Gold Play Button, then yes. I was fortunate enough to receive one, and I keep it safely stored away.”
“Wow. Even the way you speak is different.”
“So, do you serve some kind of god?”
“Yes. I serve General Ilwol.”
Seeing how interested everyone was in the person he’d brought along, PD Jo Juncheol’s shoulders lifted with pride.
“I’m not saying this to frighten anyone, but this man truly possesses extraordinary abilities. Among the important people in Yeouido, there isn’t a single person who doesn’t know Hae Doryeong.”
At those words, everyone’s expressions changed.
Although he hadn’t said it outright, it was obvious who he meant by the important people in Yeouido.
“Yeouido… Wait, you don’t mean the people who wear those gold badges, do you?”
“Oh my. I’ve heard politicians visit fortune-tellers all the time, but I guess those stories really are true.”
Apparently, all Hae Doryeong had to do was drop a few hints, and the actors would eagerly fill in the blanks with their own speculation.
“Then he must really be someone with remarkable abilities. Wow… PD Jo, isn’t someone like this usually booked years in advance?”
“Ah, I’ve actually known him for quite some time, so I decided to ask him for a favor.”
“Oh! Come to think of it, did he say anything about our production?”
“He said it’s going to be a huge hit. Haha.”
Most of the people there were more interested in the entertainment value of superstition than genuinely devoted to believing in it.
Even so, hearing that their production would become a huge success was always welcome news.
“But did you really agree to come along because there’s something out there? Do ghosts actually exist? Can you really see things like that?”
Perhaps because PD Jo Juncheol had repeatedly emphasized how gifted and spiritually powerful the shaman was, one of the actors asked the question with an intensely curious expression.
Instead of answering, Hae Doryeong merely gave a faint smile.
He didn’t say a word, but his silence somehow made him appear even more mysterious and impressive.
“I know only what the divine chooses to show me.”
Then, without even blinking his glossy eyes, he stared intently at the person who had asked the question.
“Uh, why are you suddenly looking at me like that?”
“Has there perhaps been some misfortune in your family?”
“What? Where did that come from?”
“I can see someone lying in a sickbed. It’s someone you haven’t had any contact with for a very long time, Mr. Kim Chaksik. And that person is calling your name.”
The moment Hae Doryeong finished speaking, the other man’s complexion changed.
With the atmosphere suddenly turning serious, another actor sitting nearby cautiously spoke up.
“Hey, what’s wrong all of a sudden?”
But the man receiving Hae Doryeong’s gaze couldn’t answer. His hands merely trembled uncontrollably.
“Did someone tell you…? No, I haven’t told anyone about that. How did you know?”
“I did not know. I merely listened to the words of General Ilwol and conveyed them to you.”
As Hae Doryeong gently closed his eyes, he appeared almost mystical.
“A great crisis will soon come. You should hurry to see that person and at least hold their hand once.”
After hearing Hae Doryeong’s words, the actor actually explained his circumstances to PD Jo Juncheol and left the gathering early.
The other actors who had witnessed the entire exchange stared in astonishment, their mouths hanging open.
“Wow, I guess he’s the real deal. He really is amazing. I vaguely remember hearing that guy had a family member he’d cut ties with, but… To think he actually knew about it. Wow….”
“I merely convey the words spoken by the divine spirit.”
Hae Doryeong spoke with modesty, humbly downplaying his own role.
And then…
“Oh! In that case, could you perhaps take a look at something for me? There’s a piece of land I’ve had my eye on over in Changwon….”
“Master Hae, I’d like to ask you something too.”
The earlier atmosphere of casual curiosity had completely disappeared.
Instead, everyone began earnestly pouring out their personal worries.
“Now, now. Everyone, please calm down. Do you have any idea how long the waiting list is just to receive a few words of advice from our Hae Doryeong? There are truckloads of people who come carrying bundles of cash hoping to meet him, only to be turned away before they can even cross his doorstep.”
PD Jo Juncheol tried to intervene, but…
“Oh, come on. Can’t we just pay him?”
“It’s not about the money. The reservations are…….”
“Oh, please! We’re already meeting face-to-face like this. Can’t you make some kind of exception? I’ll make sure you’re generously compensated.”
“He’s already such a busy man, so that would be a little…….”
If anything, PD Jo Juncheol’s response only added fuel to the fire, and everyone became even more eager to put in their requests.
Amid all the commotion, Hae Doryeong spoke with a benevolent smile.
“Surely it was also the will of the divine that led this unworthy vessel to this place. Though I am lacking in many ways, if you require my assistance, I shall try appealing to the divine on your behalf. Perhaps helping those in need is the very mission the divine has entrusted to me.”
With an attitude that seemed almost reverent, Hae Doryeong slowly bowed his head.
The people sitting across from him were so swept up in the atmosphere that they bowed their heads in return.
It appeared they had all fallen completely under Hae Doryeong’s spell.
Well, it was understandable.
He already possessed a mysterious air, and he was supposedly a spiritually gifted shaman sought out by influential figures in both politics and business.
On top of that, they’d just witnessed something extraordinary and inexplicable unfold right before their eyes.
At this point, it would almost have been stranger if they hadn’t been convinced.
But to Rowoon, who was watching the entire scene…
‘Isn’t that guy just a complete fraud?’
It looked like nothing more than an utterly ridiculous scam playing out before his eyes.
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