Chapter 348: Chapter 36, Episode 9: Are You Happy?
Lee Gi Su, who had organized the Yeonhwa Bridge Slum incident, was also Madam Jang’s personal driver. Like the DGSE managers in Africa/Central Asia, Madam Jang’s personal drivers were about to be destroyed by him too. That was, in a sense, their misfortune.
“Huuuh…”
He sighed automatically. It wasn’t as though he hadn’t expected it. It was just that he wanted to avoid such a response. If that b*stard was Jang’s personal driver, it was obvious. Personal drivers were guards and delivery boys. They did all kinds of dirty and smelly work.
Mu Ssang closed his eyes as tension left his frame. According to Ha Dong, his mother had been subjected to Madam Jang’s schemes and jealousy since she married into the family. That was the reason why his father had moved out to the side house.
“The tree tried to be still, but the wind never stops.”
That woman was more tenacious than a whale’s tendon, no, the Boss-saurus’ tendon. He felt bitter. Being related to such an evil woman only brought misfortune into his life.
He thought everything was over after spending five years as a slave in his uncle’s house at the bridge, being accused of theft several times, being forced out of school and sent to jail, and leaving his hometown as though he was chased away. He was supposed to be the one holding grudges, but even with age, that stupid woman didn’t know when to stop. Mu Ssang’s face grew cold.
“Are these charms supposed to curse (Bangja)?”
Bangja referred to the manipulation of certain rituals with the purpose of harming others. It was also called Mugo, a type of black magic.
In China and the Vodou religion, Gora was mainly used as psychic magic to transfer spirit bodies into bugs. On the other hand, the Bangja method of using unsuspecting objects such as amulets, cats, mice, or animals became widespread since the Joseon Dynasty. Bangja became a punishable crime since the mid-Joseon Dynasty period as it spread indiscriminately to the palace, nobility, and people.
“…”
Yoo Young Chul couldn’t open his mouth. Frankly speaking, casting Bangja on a corpse was improper. In some way, it seemed like the goblin in front of him was connected to the remains that he had destroyed. Answering rashly could bring harm to the madam too. His mind was full of thoughts.
“Wakil, I hear the stones clattering and turning in his brain.”
Samedi glanced at Mu Ssang as he slowly stood up. His master did say that he would break the man’s toes if he took his time to answer.
“Staying silent? You chose the wrong place and opponent. Samedi, burn that guy’s thighs. Just place gunpowder and light it on fire.”
“Merci!”
Samedi smiled widely, taking the gunpowder and lighter. He recalled a distant memory of his younger self enjoying the fireworks. Just looking at fire made him happy.
“W…wait, I’ll talk.”
“Yoo Young Chul, it’s too late. You can talk better after feeling the burn. That’s what I, Samedi, think.”
Yoo Young Chul’s protest was meaningless. If the difference in power was by 20 times, the word “protesting” alone was impossible. Samedi climbed onto Yoo Young Chul’s stomach, adjusted his legs into a cobra twist, and placed the gunpowder on his thighs.
Yoo Young Chul twisted like a flipped Korean water beetle under Samedi, who weighed 120 kilograms. He pounded against Samedi’s back and head as much as he could, but Samedi continued without flinching.
Click—
Fshhh—
The gunpowder lit up.
“Kuaaaagh!”
The smell of burning protein and screams filled the hollow. His thigh muscles, which were about the size of a child’s hand, burnt black in a split second. Yoo Young Chul fainted, unable to withstand the shock. Samedi grabbed Yoo Young Chul’s index finger.
“I’ll talk. I’ll talk! Please, ughhh!”
His mind snapped back into activity. Yoo Young Chul begged, but of course, that didn’t work with zombies.
Craaaack—
His finger bones, muscles, and tendons were crushed without hesitation. His finger, which was covered with blood, flopped around like an octopus leg.
“I didn’t hear any orders to leave your finger alone. Ah, it was meant to be your toes. My mistake.”
Samedi focused his gaze on his toes. Yoo Young Chul’s pale face darkened once more. He quickly pulled his feet back in. White eyes, face as black as coal, and the sharp canines that poked out of his thick lips—Samedi’s face alone was a weapon.
“Uwhhh, it was madam’s orders. She said to put the small charms on the bones and the large charm on the bag with the remains inside. She said I need to seal the bag before throwing it in the Nakdong River to sink.”
“The reason?”
“According to the words of a shaman, it’s a spell called the ‘deprivation of the soul’s permanent seal.’ She said that once the remains are separated and the sealing charms are attached to them, the family line of that house will become non-existent, and the descendants will suddenly die. She said that if Ji Bak-ryeong, a ghost bound to the Nakdong River, sticks to the spirit of the remains, the spirit won’t be able to ascend forever. Even before this, madam would sometimes bring the shaman over to cast spells.”
Yoo Young Chul, whose soul and body was scattered, revealed everything that he could remember.
“That damned wretch, she’s preparing her own burial.”
What did he do wrong that she’d cast a death Bangja! That mad b****, who shattered the remains of her brother-in-law, pasted charms, and laid traps to ruin her nephew’s life, was now wishing for his death.
How could there be such an evil woman in this world? Even Empress (Dowager) Lü Zhi of Han, who was said to be the evilest woman, wasn’t that bad. Well, he did almost die in Syria several times. Maybe the shaman was pretty capable since he almost died?
“Where does the shaman who worked with Jang stay?”
“The shaman’s house is located at the entrance village right above Palgongsan’s Gatbawi road. Everyone should know who is Bodhisattva Young Mae.”
Mu Ssang memorized “Bodhisattva Young Mae” intently. He didn’t care about how shamans operated, but if left alone, he couldn’t tell what kinds of crazy things an evil person, who had ordered to dig up another person’s grave, was capable of doing.
“Yoo Young Chul, I am the only son to the remains that you have ruined. I’m the person who the Good Heart Oil madam is trying to kill. You understand why I’m acting this way?”
“P…Park Mu Ssang!”
Yoo Young Chul leaped in fright.
“Hm, it seems like Madam Jang and Hwa Ja curse me out a lot since their driver knows my name.” Mu Ssang smiled.
“Uuu!”
Yoo Young Chul felt chills running down his body despite the burning fire. His back became drenched with cold sweat. He didn’t know that Park Mu Ssang, whom the madam had warned several times to be careful of, was such a horrible person! Madam had little to no clue of that person’s brutality. Yoo Young Chul fell into a pit of despair.
“Is Boss Park well?”
“He remains buried in the company work. His relationship with madam worsened, so he’s been living in an apartment alone for a few months now.”
“Summarize his family and the company’s situation.”
“The boss is in poor health after his brain surgery and also because of his chronic lung disease. He expanded the number of factories in Good Heart Oil…”
Yoo Young Chul squeezed out the smallest of details from his brain. He had already set foot in hell. He had to earn the devil’s mercy to hold onto the tiniest of saving grace.
“Kekeke, kekekeke!”
The laughter that seemed to be forced out under 15 tons of weight continued endlessly. The laughter carried along with it anger, resentment, and all kinds of negative emotions.
“Huuk-”
Yoo Young Chul’s gall dropped and his intestines shook. It was the laughter of a devil tormented for infinity on the 18th level of hell. Yoo Young Chul covered his ears with his hands and buried his face in the ground as his intestines flipped.
“Kekeke, you can’t leave like that.”
A human, who was supposed to cause distress to others, was now living his best life running an orphanage? A boss who the workers respected? An illness that might leave him dead any time? What kind of impossible story was that! Evil should remain evil. Why act like a kind man now?
Crumble—
A corner of the chair made of rock crushed like tofu.
The ragged face on top of a small body disappeared, and the face of a tall woman filled its place. Jang Pil Nyuh was the first person on his death list and that woman had crossed a river she couldn’t turn back from the moment she disturbed his father’s remains.
Uncle was family. He was his father’s brother. He’d always hesitated despite burning with a desire for revenge. He had hesitated because of his father and his teacher’s teachings. Fortunately, Madam Jang had eliminated the stumbling block in his heart.
“Hehehe, there’s no need to worry about wood as long as there’s a forest. I’ll pull you out by the roots.”
Mu Ssang’s anger spread to the entire Jang family. Jang was very arrogant because she had her family’s support. Jang Kyung Ju, who was rich because of their ancestor’s inheritance and pro-Japanese, had planted more Jang family members in the executive and judiciary.
The Jang family’s wealth and connections were like an iron wall. They were strong to the point that no one could dream of breaking it down. What about now? He thought it was nothing more than a nuisance. Good heart Oil, Good Heart Lodgings, and the Jang family’s wealth combined wouldn’t be able to reach the tip of his feet.
Mu Ssang decided to take all the land in the Jang family’s possession. Humans felt the greatest loss when they lost their most cherished possessions. The Jang family’s power came from their land. What kind of actions would a landowner take when they lost all their land?
Evil was consumed by greater evil; Wealth was consumed by greater wealth; Power was consumed by a greater power. The “strongest survives” rule didn’t only apply to physical fights. It also applied to fights within organizations and families.
“Yoo Young Chul!”
Yoo Young Chul, whose head was on the ground and trembling, raised his head anxiously.
“You worked in the Sabuk’s Martial Law Division before. Do you remember Park Sam Chul whom you have turned into a cripple?”
“I remember,” Yoo Young Chul answered immediately.
That incident had stuck to his clothes like gum.
“Tell me all the names of those who had beaten up Park Sam Chul back then.”
“They’re Kim Young No and Jang Pal Soo.”
“And were you involved?”
“Yes, but we had no choice back then. They had armed themselves with not only mining equipment but dynamites and gas bombs. That wasn’t a protest group but a mob.”
“That isn’t for you to judge. It also isn’t up to me to judge. We can only call it the pain of our generation. What’s the current status of Kim Young No and Jang Pal Soo?”
“Kim Young No became a police officer. He used to be in the main office’s security division, but I don’t know where he is now. Jang Pal Soo hasn’t moved. He should still be in the Third Corporate Trend Survey.”
“Do you feel sorry for Park Sam Chul?”
“I wouldn’t be a person if I didn’t feel sorry. There are times when our division requires rough handling, but Park Sam Chul was an accident. Jang Pal Soo argued to omit the details from the report, but it remained etched in my mind.”
“There’s a reason why you’re confessing everything, right?”
“Two of the Chil Sung gang members have already died. Hoo-”
Yoo Young Chul stopped talking and glanced down at Bones. He didn’t move. He let out a deep sigh and continued talking.
“My life must have reached its end since I met someone like you. You’re the kind of person who’d kill 1,000s of people without batting an eye, if necessary. There’s no reason for you to do more work.”
Mu Ssang nodded.
“I can help you die a painless death.”
Yoo Young Chul smiled faintly at the words that reeked of blood.
“I can’t tell whether you’re human or not, but what’s obvious is that you’re someone not to be provoked. This is the first time I’m feeling sorry for the madam. There’s a key to the Daegu bank’s safe-deposit box in my wallet. It’s Da-1324. The password is 35254. There’s 10,000 USD in the safe. I know it’s bothersome, but please pass it along to Mr. Park Sam Chul as compensation. Pass along my apologies too.”
Yoo Young Chul spoke calmly of his death. Mu Ssang recalled Zaitun, the DIA consultant who had died peacefully. Yoo Young Chul was a rather prideful person too. Regardless of good or evil, humans who feared an embarrassing death deserved minimal respect.
“You have a condition?”
“I don’t have enough confidence to impose conditions on someone like you. Please send me off painlessly. My family doesn’t know anything.”
“Very well, I’ll finish this here.”
Crack—
Like lightning, Mu Ssang’s hand landed on Yoo Young Chul’s temple and disappeared. Yoo Young Chul’s head plummeted in his sitting position. His brain immediately turned into soup by the Ge Shan Da Niu method. Mu Ssang had sent him off painlessly as promised.
“Uoaaa!”
“No-”
Bullhead and Chicken feet’s faces turned blue. They were about to lose their lives from attempting to dig out a grave for some money. What kind of lightning in broad daylight was that!
“Birds die from overeating, and humans die from greed. Farewell.”
Slap—
Slap—
His palm tapped on their heads lightly. Bullhead and Chicken feet couldn’t scream. Their heads lost control and plummeted.
Mu Ssang looked down sadly at the four corpses. If Samedi hadn’t killed one, he wouldn’t have had to kill. However, since Samedi didn’t do it on purpose, he couldn’t scold him either. He could only bemoan their misfortune of meeting him, the Angel of Death.
“I thought wrong.”
The reason why he prepared the aerial bomb wasn’t only to threaten them but to also wipe them out with an explosion. He had been thinking of the past. Time had passed. No one wandered around the mountain to gather old metals left behind from the war, and no foreigners climbed the mountain in winter. Exploding something would only cause a commotion.
Whoosh—
Mu Ssang’s body dug into the earth. It was a hole-digging that utilized physical resonance. He dug about 10 meters deep. He couldn’t go any further.
Whoosh—
The ground digger leaped out.
“Samedi, widen the hole.”
Samedi’s specialty was digging holes. Like a crow’s feet, his left hand alone had enough power to break a rock. There was no need to use a shovel either. He moved his left hand, and the hole instantly doubled in size.
Samedi shoved the four corpses into the hole. Mu Ssang sprinkled the gunpowder over the hole like seasoning and threw in a burning fire stick.
Whoosh—
The flames shot up instantaneously and disappeared. Gunpowder poured down like rain. A terrifying firestorm whirled inside the hole. The corpses and clothes burned to ashes instantly. Everything that left behind a trace in the hollow was shoved into the hole and burned to ashes.
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