Chapter 54
“I wasn’t trembling on purpose—I was shaking because I was scared. Where are my friends? Can you see Mili?”
[Inside the sea.]
“Among those ghosts?”
More importantly—inside the sea?
Could it be that I was already experiencing the first round of death? The thought made my heart race.
When you die, you open your eyes somewhere new. The express-delivery ghost had gone through all that trouble to bring me here—I couldn’t let it go to waste like this.
Just as I was about to jump into the sea directly in front of me, Mili grabbed the back of my collar.
“Ahh!”
[Not that way.]
“Ugh—then you could just tell me which way! Don’t just grab me out of nowhere! I can’t even tell ghosts from people, you know!”
If I had even one special ability, surviving in this horror‑novel world would be so much easier!
My genuine frustration made my tone sharp.
‘Didn’t Dan Seo‑hyeok have some kind of ability in the original story…? Do I still have it?’
It had been so long since I read the novel that I barely remembered. Only the major plotline and the particularly disturbing episodes stuck in my memory.
[So you wanted an ability.]
“Huh?”
[If you want it, I can give it to you.]
…What?
Mili’s huge hand reached out. His firm palm covered my eyes, plunging my vision into sudden darkness.
[Spirit Eye.]
[Eyes that can distinguish spiritual beings humans normally can’t see.]
Fwoosh—something sounded like fire flaring up, but I felt no heat.
It lasted only a moment. When Mili removed his hand, I blinked slowly.
The figure that used to look faint now appeared sharply—like a real person.
“Huh?”
But something was different: around Mili’s body was a faint green haze, like shimmering heat.
I looked at the sea. From the countless beings floating there, faint yellow smoke rose.
“Are the ones with smoke ghosts? But your color is different from theirs.”
[Green means harmless or relatively safe. Yellow means somewhat dangerous or bothersome.]
[It’s only relative—use it just to distinguish ghosts from people.]
Seeing Mili speak so calmly made me smile.
“So that means you’re classified as a safe ghost?”
[…Don’t let your guard down.]
Considering the situation, I saved the teasing for later and asked what mattered most.
“But how do I use this eye to find my friends?”
[Look more carefully.]
He could just tell me outright…
Grumbling internally, I stared at the sea.
Yellow, yellow, yellow. All of them yellow‑smoke ghosts.
Yellow, yellow—white.
White…?
“Over there?!”
I pointed at the direction where two plumes of white smoke drifted. Mili nodded very slowly.
Damn it—see, he could’ve told me that earlier!
“Chaesong‑ah! Yeonho! Dan Seo‑hyeok!”
I wasn’t sure which two they were—but hey, wake up!!
I jumped into the sea. There was no way they’d jumped in willingly—either ghosts lured them or dragged them.
But I had a trump card!
As expected, ghosts swarmed me immediately—grabbing my legs to drag me down, clinging to my neck and back.
‘These bastards—’
I quickly unzipped my crossbody bag. Inside was the dagger I always kept like a charm.
“Arghhh! Get lost!”
I drew the blade and swung it wildly. Even such a simple, brute‑force attack made the ghosts flinch and retreat.
‘It works!!’
It worked even on the keyring ghost earlier, so I’d swung it on a hunch—
As soon as I gained distance, I swam toward the white smoke. Voices reached me as I approached.
It was Tak Yeonho’s voice.
“Chaesong‑ah, stop! You’ll die at this rate!”
So the ghost was targeting Chaesong? I had to hurry!
Just as I readied myself to jump in—
“At this rate the ghost will die!”
“How can something that’s already dead die again?”
“Why are you obsessed with only this one ghost trying to run away from you?!”
“She grabbed my hair and dragged me into the sea earlier!”
…Is that really the same Chaesong I know?
Blinking dumbly, I must’ve drawn attention—Tak Yeonho turned and spotted me.
His eyes widened, then he tapped Chaesong’s shoulder repeatedly.
“Chaesong, look!! Isn’t that Choyeon? Or is it a ghost imitating her?”
“Huh?”
Chaesong snapped her head toward me.
Her hair was plastered to her face like soggy seaweed.
And she was gripping a ghost’s hair with a terrifyingly serious expression.
Is she actually not scared of anything…? When she tried to use the keyring ghost for “educational purposes,” I thought it was the brainwashing effect, but maybe—
‘She really isn’t the type to believe in supernatural stuff.’
I suddenly felt embarrassed for rushing in so dramatically.
“Ma Choyeon?”
“Mm. I came because I was worried about you guys… What are you doing?”
“Oh. This thing kept trying to lure us into drowning.”
Chaesong yanked the ghost up by its hair. Its bloated water‑logged face popped into view.
Ugh! Horrifying!
“I was so annoyed it grabbed my hair that even if I die again, I’m pulling all its hair out first.”
[H‑hiiik.]
…Did the ghost just make that sound?
‘First time I’ve seen a ghost scared of a human.’
Of course ghosts come in all forms. Some even look cute, like kids draped in red cloth.
But I’d never seen a ghost afraid of a human.
“Okay, calm down. Escaping this dream comes first.”
I silently pulled out the postcard and photo from my pocket.
The two of them gasped. They must’ve recognized that the face in the photo matched the corpse pinned on the wall.
“I told you, right? Whoever prevents my death ends up dreaming in my place.”
Originally, I had meant for Tak Yeonho to do it, but seeing their faces changed my mind.
I handed the items to Chaesong, whose expression remained normal.
She smiled knowingly.
“Right. There’s no rule that says it has to be a human.”
Maybe because we’re friends. Or maybe she’s just quick‑witted.
Chaesong released the ghost’s hair and began swimming deeper into the water.
“Chaesong!!”
Tak Yeonho, who still didn’t understand, panicked and scrambled to follow.
I patted his shoulder lightly—it’s okay—and dove after her.
Underwater, every ghost turned to look at me simultaneously.
‘Like a school of fish at an aquarium.’
The scene was creepy, but honestly, the auction house had been scarier.
I swung my dagger as I swam, and the ghosts slowly parted.
Chaesong was sinking deeper ahead, struggling for breath.
‘Just a little more, Chaesong. Please endure.’
Even if I wanted to, I wasn’t the one dreaming—Chaesong or Yeonho had to do it.
Please, let our plan succeed…
I prayed as I watched her.
“Give it back.”
A clear voice echoed underwater.
“He’s my boyfriend!”
The voice grew closer. A moment later, something plunged into the sea with a splash.
The woman in winter clothes—the one who dumped the cursed keyring on Jang Hyun‑woo and kidnapped me.
Her face twisted with murderous rage as she swam straight at Chaesong.
Right then, Chaesong opened her mouth and stuffed the picture and card inside—knowing she wouldn’t be able to breathe.
“NO!!!”
The woman shrieked, grabbing Chaesong by the collar.
Chaesong’s sinking body lifted slightly. She and I exchanged small smiles.
“Huh??”
We didn’t know what counted as “preventing suicide.”
But if any interference counts—
“You tricked me?”
Then even that action alone qualifies as “blocking” it.
The woman realized too late.
The sea trembled violently, as if the world itself were collapsing.
Chaesong spat out the postcard and photo. The crumpled items sank deep into the water as the woman, despairing, swam after them.
‘So she didn’t just resent her boyfriend…’
Maybe she hid the postcard because she was also hiding her own feelings.
I grabbed the suffocating Chaesong and swam upward.
“Pwah!”
“Chaesong‑ah! Are you okay?!”
After passing her to Yeonho, I quickly looked toward Mili.
He nodded slowly—our plan had worked.
The sea surged violently.
“Huh?”
Tak Yeonho yelled in confusion as a massive wave rose in the distance.
A wave so huge it could swallow buildings.
“It’s dangerous!”
Yeonho wrapped his arms around Chaesong and me protectively. As I sank into his embrace, I closed my eyes.
Now… it’s time to wake from the nightmare.
