Chapter 7

Chapter 7 — Soul-Ensnaring Demon Mirror (2)

“Do you guys want a taste of something hot before you answer me? Or are you just going to answer?”

Maybe because they were spirits, my threat didn’t seem to scare them much.

Arang. The Soul-Ensnaring Demon Mirror works on spirits too, right?

—Yes, of course. It’s actually even easier since they don’t need to leave their bodies first.

Judging from her tone, Arang seemed to be in a much better mood than before.

It was enough to make me wonder if she had a sadistic streak.

Which part of Hell is the hottest?

—The hottest place is Avici Hell, the eighth and final level of the Eight Hot Hells.

So Hell is divided into eight levels?

—Yes. That’s right. And the Eight Hot Hells are divided into Reviving Hell, Black Rope Hell, Crushing Hell, Screaming Hell, Great Screaming Hell, Scorching Hell, Great Scorching Hell, and Avici Hell.

You have a sadistic side, don’t you?

—No. Why would you say that...?

Arang trailed off, sounding flustered by my question.

You seem way too happy now that I’m about to show these guys Hell.

—I-I’m happy because it’s my birthday today. I just got congratulated and received presents...

...Then did you disappear earlier because you went to your birthday party?

—Yes.

My conscience suddenly stabbed me.

To escape the crisis of having upset Arang on her birthday, I immediately activated the Soul-Ensnaring Demon Mirror.

—AAAAAAARGH!

The three vengeful spirits instantly collapsed, screaming horribly.

I stopped the Soul-Ensnaring Demon Mirror after only three seconds.

“Haah... Haah... Damn, that was horrible.”

I couldn’t help it.

I could see and feel everything those spirits were experiencing.

The instant I activated the Soul-Ensnaring Demon Mirror, blazing flames from Hell engulfed the vengeful spirits.

Their flesh burned away until only their bones remained.

Then, in the very next instant, their bodies regenerated.

And burned again.

Regenerated.

Burned again.

In those three seconds alone, it happened hundreds of times.

There was no way these guys, who were nothing more than low-level spirits, could endure something that horrifying.

Stopping after three seconds had definitely been the right decision.

—We’ll... talk... We’ll tell you...

The effect was immediate.

For the next thirty minutes or so, the vengeful spirits awkwardly but clearly confessed every crime they had committed.

What kind of sick bastards are these...?

After hearing what they had done, rage boiled inside me until I felt like I was going to explode.

Arang.

—Yes.

“Take them away. Now.”

—Understood. I’ll have them transported immediately.

Arang had been listening as well, so she readily agreed.

Since Jeonghu was the only Chasa I personally knew, there wasn’t anyone else I could summon with the Supreme Spirit Command Token, so I asked Arang to handle it.

Besides, calling someone as high-ranking as Jeonghu over something this minor felt a little excessive.

Around five minutes passed.

“Please excuse our intrusion, Inhwang-nim.”

Before I knew it, two Chasa had appeared in front of and behind the vengeful spirits.

They wore the same Gestapo-like black uniforms as Jeonghu.

Each held a thick, dark iron chain.

“Spirit-Binding Golden Chains!”

The two Chasa threw their chains at the vengeful spirits.

Like living snakes, the chains wrapped around their bodies so tightly that they couldn’t move an inch.

The spirits were restrained without even having a chance to resist.

One of the Underworld Chasa pulled a token from inside his uniform.

It looked similar to the Supreme Spirit Command Token.

He raised it high.

“Summon the Gate of Heaven!”

The moment the Underworld Chasa shouted, a deep woooong echoed out as mist began spreading across the floor.

Rrrrrumble...

Something shaped like the massive gates of a royal palace slowly rose through the mist.

Huge chains surrounded the gate and connected to a lock at its center.

The Underworld Chasa approached the lock and held out his token.

“Underworld Chasa ID 300784, Baekho-class Combat Chasa Naharang of the Evil Spirit Disposal Division, requests permission to open the Gate of Heaven.”

White light rose from the token and shot toward the lock like a beam.

Clank! Rrrrumble!

The lock released, and the enormous gate slowly opened with a heavy sound.

“Then we will take our leave.”

The two Chasa bowed to me.

“Ah... Yeah. Good work.”

Caught off guard, I bowed back.

They took the vengeful spirits through the gate.

Once they were inside, the Gate of Heaven sank back into the ground and disappeared.

Arang. Look up that woman’s younger sister in the Underworld database.

—Yes.

Afterward, Arang gave me information on Heo Nayoung’s younger sister.

Once I learned the entire truth behind the incident, I felt a heavy pain in my chest.

Arang... what should I do?

Knowing the whole story made this incredibly difficult.

—Inhwang-nim, just as the Underworld has its own laws, the living world has its own laws.

You’re telling me to follow the law?

—That decision is yours to make, Inhwang-nim.

It wasn’t that I had expected Arang to solve the problem for me.

I had simply wanted to hear something I could lean on.

Still unable to make a decision, I returned to the Violent Crimes Division.

“Heo Nayoung-ssi, you waited a while, didn’t you? There was a lot to take care of in the bathroom, so it took me a little longer. Hahaha.”

She stared at me with complete disbelief.

Her expression practically screamed,

What kind of person is this?

“I... would like to leave now.”

Her discomfort was obvious.

“Heo Nayoung-ssi. You know Heo Jiyoung-ssi, don’t you?”

Her face instantly turned pale.

“Of course I do... She’s my younger sister.”

She didn’t bother denying it.

“You’re twins, right? Identical twins.”

“Yes.”

Her face had already returned to the emotionless expression she had worn when we first met.

“You both attended the same university... So which one of you suffered that terrible incident? Was it you, Nayoung-ssi? Or was it Jiyoung-ssi?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

From what I could tell, the person who had suffered the tragedy was this woman—the older sister.

“You changed your face through plastic surgery, didn’t you? Your younger sister probably changed hers too, so the two of you would still look identical.”

Her expression cracked.

“You... already know everything...”

Tears began streaming down her previously emotionless face.

“Yes. I do.”

“I... No, what are we supposed to do now?”

Her voice was filled with resignation.

“There are laws in this world. We’re human, so we have to live according to human laws.”

“Those bastards deserved to die.”

“Yes.”

“Then why should we be punished? All we did was kill people who deserved to die.”

I couldn’t answer her question.

Arang. Can I use the Soul-Ensnaring Demon Mirror to show her what kind of punishment those bastards are receiving now?

—Yes. If you hold her hand when you activate it, she can watch without personally experiencing the punishment.

Where are those bastards now?

—They received an immediate judgment. They’re in Knife Mountain Hell.

Thanks.

“Nayoung-ssi, there’s something I want to show you.”

I looked at her.

“Watch this first. After that, decide what you think you should do.”

I took her hand.

She flinched at the sudden contact, but she didn’t pull away.

Activate Soul-Ensnaring Demon Mirror.

As soon as I activated the technique, my spirit and Nayoung’s spirit left our physical bodies.

Unlike the vengeful spirits, living humans first had to separate their spirits from their bodies.

—W-What is happening? I’m sitting right there.

Floating in the air, Nayoung pointed toward her own motionless body.

She looked extremely confused.

—And you look strange too.

At her words, I looked down at myself.

I was wearing the same sort of uniform Jeonghu had worn when he appeared as a Covert Chasa.

There was one difference.

The emblem on my chest wasn’t an Arhat like Jeonghu’s.

Instead, it showed a bizarre-looking monster.

My cheek suddenly felt itchy.

When I touched it, I realized my hair had grown long enough to reach past my shoulders.

There was also something like a black silk band tied around my forehead.

Apparently, once my spirit left my body, I had taken on the appearance of my previous life as the Inhwang Chasa.

—Hahaha. Someone once told me I was an Underworld Chasa in my previous life. Maybe that’s why I changed into this appearance.

I grinned.

—What do you think? Do I look cooler now?

At my shameless joke, a faint smile appeared on Nayoung’s face.

It was a silly joke, but at least it seemed to help calm her down.

—Nayoung-ssi, only your spirit has left your body right now. There’s somewhere I want you to come with me like this. Is that okay?

Nayoung silently nodded.

I focused on Knife Mountain Hell and the vengeful spirits who had been taken there.

—Soul-Ensnaring Demon Mirror. Destination: Knife Mountain Hell!

The instant I spoke, Nayoung and I disappeared like candle flames being blown out by the wind.

—AAAAAAARGH!

—Save me! Please! I was wrong!

—Forgive me! Please forgive me!

Screams of absolute agony erupted from every direction.

Inside a pit as enormous as a mountain, countless blades were planted so densely that there wasn’t even space between them.

Above the pit, Chasa dressed in black uniforms grabbed sinful spirits one by one and threw them into the sea of blades.

Everywhere I looked, countless spirits fell into the pit like ants.

Nayoung and I descended above the pit.

“What spirits are you? How dare you enter this place without permission?! You must have some enormous guts!”

A middle-aged Chasa shouted at us.

He had a thick build and a fierce face that reminded me of Zhang Fei from the Three Kingdoms.

Nayoung’s spirit immediately began trembling in fear.

That was understandable.

The first thing she had seen upon arriving here was spirits falling into a pit of blades and screaming in agony.

“Hey, mister. There’s someone I need to see in Knife Mountain Hell. Can you help me out for a second?”

“Mister?”

The man glared at me.

“Judging from those clothes, you’re some kind of Chasa. I don’t know what division you belong to, but I’m the Chief Prison Chasa responsible for all of Knife Mountain Hell, you brat!”

The Chief Prison Chasa marched toward me with his huge eyes bulging.

I tended to speak rather directly, so I could understand why he was annoyed.

Without saying anything, I gathered the energy of the Black Spirit.

The Supreme Spirit Command Token rose into the air above my right palm.

I showed it to the middle-aged Chasa.

“Gasp!”

His entire expression changed.

“Mancheon, Chief Prison Chasa of Knife Mountain Hell, greets the Supreme Spirit Sovereign!”

The middle-aged Chasa named Mancheon immediately dropped flat onto the ground and lowered his head.

As expected.

Instantly effective.

It was a command token powerful enough to discipline even Jeonghu, an Arhat-class Combat Chasa and commander of the Covert Chasa Unit.

This reaction wasn’t exactly surprising.

“Please get up.”

“How could a mere Chief Prison Chasa like myself dare stand in the presence of the Supreme Spirit Sovereign?”

“Then would you like me to pull you up myself?”

“A-Ah... No! That won’t be necessary. I’ll get up myself.”

Only then did Mancheon finally rise from the ground.

“But how did Lord Jeongcheon’s Supreme Spirit Command Token end up in your hands...?”

He suddenly froze.

“Huh?”

His eyes widened.

“Huh?! Huh?!”

Then he stared straight at my face.

“You’re Inhwang Chasa-nim!”

Suddenly, Mancheon shouted so loudly that his voice echoed throughout the entire area.

“Everyone! Inhwang Chasa-nim is here!”

“What?”

“Seriously?”

“Is that true?”

“Isn’t Mancheon lying again?”

Chasa stopped whatever they were doing and began gathering from every direction.

What the hell is going on...?

I was the one who was truly confused.

“Oh my... I can’t believe Inhwang-nim has come to Knife Mountain Hell.”

Mancheon suddenly grabbed both of my hands.

Tears poured from his eyes.

“Back then, when Daeryeok Magwi, one of the Three Great Evils of the Underworld, caused havoc in Knife Mountain Hell... if Inhwang-nim hadn’t helped us, my spirit and the spirits of the other Chasa would have been destroyed.”

His voice trembled with emotion.

“We’d probably still be wandering endlessly through the Infinite Dark Cavern.”

He was even crying thick streams of tears while holding my hands.

“It really is Inhwang-nim.”

“Is that really the legendary Inhwang-nim we’ve only heard stories about?”

Nearly a hundred Chasa had gathered around us, whispering excitedly.

Around ten of them looked genuinely overwhelmed with emotion.

The others seemed to have simply followed along to see what all the commotion was about.

“The ones who don’t recognize Inhwang-nim are still young.”

Mancheon gestured toward them.

“Only veteran Chasa like me, who have lived for more than nine hundred years, would recognize Inhwang-nim’s appearance.”

This situation was seriously awkward.

I had never imagined anything like this would happen.

There was still one thing I genuinely wanted to know.

“But how did you know that I’m Inhwang?”