Chapter 18
The Divine Land Management Team Official
“Ah… today’s not easy.”
A cool afternoon breeze blew in as Jang Chaewon pressed the “end call” button on her phone and shook her head.
“It’s been a parade of troublesome customers all day.”
Her tired eyes stared blankly at her phone.
If the ringtone went off one more time, she felt she might just collapse.
“First, one guy’s yelling that the wallpaper’s wrinkled. Then another’s demanding to know why I didn’t glue down the high-pet flooring.”
She set the phone down and muttered weakly with her head on the desk.
“No matter how much I explain, they just don’t listen. They don’t…”
Sitting neatly at the reception table and reading an interior design book, Cheonma calmly spoke up.
“Some days are like that. Others aren’t.”
“What?”
He took a leisurely sip of steaming green tea, looking perfectly composed.
“Consumers aren’t interior experts. Their complaints stem from ignorance.”
“But they don’t listen even when an expert explains!”
“Do they not?”
Cheonma simply returned his gaze to his book.
“That must be tough.”
He sat there in his sleeveless martial robe, muscular arms exposed, reading peacefully—so relaxed it almost hurt to look at.
Watching him, Chaewon felt like she was glimpsing the very definition of injustice in the universe.
“Are you seriously relaxing right now? Do you think you’re a guest or something, huh?”
Staggering over, she got right up in his face.
“While I’m dying of stress, you’re sitting there like some enlightened sage at a teahouse? Are you trying to piss me off?”
Cheonma flinched slightly—not out of embarrassment, but because her exhausted face looked so pale and sunken it could’ve belonged to a corpse fresh out of a grave.
“…Don’t die.”
“What kind of nonsense is that supposed to be?”
Just then—ding-a-ling!
The chime on the glass door rang, and a tall shadow stepped inside.
“Excuse me.”
A neatly dressed young man in a suit entered the shop.
He had fair skin, slender eyes, and neatly cut hair—he looked like a newly hired civil servant.
“It’s been a while, noona.”
“Huh? Oh!”
Chaewon blinked wide as he approached.
“What brings you here?”
“I heard your Spirit Fountain broke down.”
“How did you know that?”
When Chaewon forced a smile, the young man chuckled warmly.
“I also heard you hired someone from another world to replace it?”
“Oh, uh, yeah…”
“Ah, would that be him?”
He gestured toward Cheonma, who was still sitting straight-backed at the table with his book.
Chaewon gave an awkward, forced laugh and nodded.
“Y-yeah. This is Cheonma.”
“Hahaha. Nice to meet you!”
The young man approached with a smile and offered his hand.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. My name’s Dongwon.”
“Dongwon?”
Cheonma blinked. The young man tapped the name tag on his chest pocket.
“Yes. From the Divine Land Management Team at the Department of Facility Resources.”
He handed over a gold-embossed business card with both hands.
“Our team manages divine lands—like this ‘Bokbok Interiors’—and the territories or domains where deities reside.”
It was an explanation that was both vague and oddly grandiose.
Cheonma folded his arms and spoke in a stately tone.
“I am Cheonma.”
“An honor to meet you, Sir Cheonma.”
Dongwon’s eyes roamed over Cheonma’s muscular frame as though admiring a sculpture.
“You’re from another world, I hear.”
“That is correct.”
Despite Cheonma’s curt attitude, Dongwon remained polite and cheerful.
Chaewon, however, frowned.
“So, what brings you here?”
“Noona, did you forget? Our management team is re-evaluating territory grades this year.”
Her face went pale.
“A-already?”
“Your store barely scraped by as Grade 9 last time, thanks to the Spirit Fountain… but now you’re working without one, right?”
“Uh, well… Cheonma’s been doing better than I expected.”
She avoided his eyes, and Dongwon smiled knowingly.
“I’ve heard the rumors—Sir Cheonma’s become quite the talk among the deities lately. They say he handled divine trust matters flawlessly.”
“Heh heh. Naturally.”
Cheonma folded his arms again.
“Of course. I am Cheonma.”
“…Right.”
“So, is that why you came?”
“Well, partly. But the team leader also sent me with a few special instructions for you—”
Rrring!
Chaewon’s phone blared again.
“Hello? Yes?”
Her face instantly twisted in irritation. It was the same troublesome customer as before.
“I already told you—the wallpaper flattens out after three days! I’ve explained that ten times now! Wallpaper doesn’t dry instantly, you—Hey! Do you have sausages stuffed in your ears or what?”
When she noticed Dongwon staring, she quickly forced a cheerful smile.
“I mean—ha ha—like I said, sir, it’ll dry naturally. I’m with another customer right now, so I’ll call you back!”
Click.
Barely a few seconds later—ring, ring!
“Hello? Yes, I said—high-pet flooring doesn’t use glue! It’s supposed to look a little uneven at first. That’s. The. Material.”
Dongwon gave a thin smile, but veins stood out on his temple.
“This… is a problem.”
When Chaewon finally hung up, Dongwon shook his head and scribbled in his notebook.
“Customer service score: minus ten.”
“What? Hey, that’s not a trust issue!”
The vein on his forehead bulged.
“Noona, store grades aren’t based on divine trust alone. Human reputation matters too!”
He took a deep breath and closed his notebook.
“Many deities value mortals’ faith. If word spreads that your reputation among humans is bad, your territory grade will plummet.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know that! But that guy isn’t human—he’s a lunatic!”
Cheonma intervened before she could explode again.
“Manager. Calm yourself.”
“Cheonma, you heard me! I’ve explained the same thing ten times—how are you supposed to reason with someone that dense?”
But when she saw Dongwon glaring like a grim reaper, she cleared her throat.
“I-I mean… of course I should stay polite. Always.”
“It’s too late. Minus twenty. Automatic fail.”
“Wow, you’ve really grown, huh? Get one promotion and suddenly you’re a different person?”
Chaewon’s eyes glowed faint blue, and Dongwon’s expression darkened to match.
“Noona, business and personal matters are separate. This is work. If I don’t do my job right, I get fired too.”
Behind them, it was almost like one could see a dragon and a tiger locked in a fiery stare-down.
Then Cheonma set his book aside and looked out the window.
“Human emotions are as complex and varied as their faces. When I mastered the Great Demonic Law, the hardest lesson was controlling emotion itself.”
He spoke like a sage gazing at the heavens.
“Emotions twist like countless tangled threads, and can strike like lightning from a clear sky.”
“…So what’s your point?” Chaewon muttered.
“Humans can resolve emotions through dialogue.”
“So… you’re saying we should talk to them again?” Dongwon asked.
Cheonma nodded solemnly.
“Indeed. Words hold strange power—they can untangle decades of resentment, or convey a value greater than any treasure.”
Who knew this brute could be so eloquent?
Apparently, Cheonma was not only a martial arts master but also a lover of books—and quite the talker.
“Well… that’s not entirely wrong,” Dongwon admitted.
He cleared his throat. “Since everything else here is fine, let’s focus on that customer service part. Just handle those complaints properly, and we’ll be good.”
“What do you mean?”
He pointed to her still-ringing phone.
“Those two complaint cases. Take care of them.”
“…What?”
Dongwon’s voice hardened.
“Handle those two claims smoothly, and I’ll maintain your Grade 9 rating.”
The white van pulled out of the parking lot.
Dongwon sat in the back with his notebook, while Cheonma was hunched in the passenger seat.
“Do I have to come too?”
Chaewon’s eyes flashed.
“You’re my employee, aren’t you?”
When Cheonma gulped and looked out the window, she added,
“If we lose our territory grade, we lose divine trust. That means you lose your spiritual power too.”
“…I see.”
Then his red eyes gleamed fiercely.
“Don’t worry. Leave it to me. I’ll handle everything.”
Was this fearsome man really going to handle customer complaints?
Dongwon leaned forward, curious.
“How exactly will you handle them?”
Cheonma crossed his arms solemnly.
“In my own way.”
Ding-dong.
No response.
Even though they’d heard voices inside a moment ago, the place was now dead silent.
“How strange.”
Cheonma pressed the doorbell again.
Ding-dong. Ding-dong. Ding-dong.
Still nothing.
“There’s definitely someone in there… but they won’t open.”
He pressed his ear to the door, eyes narrowing.
“Could they have been ambushed? Their pressure points sealed by an enemy?”
“What are you even talking about?” Chaewon snapped.
Dongwon wiped sweat from his forehead.
“Maybe they’re just… not opening the door because they saw him?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well… if I saw Sir Cheonma’s face on the video intercom, I wouldn’t open it either.”
“Hah! So it’s my aura of formless might that intimidates them.”
He grinned, eyes flashing with crimson light.
It was the kind of smile that belonged to a seasoned killer.
“N-no, it’s not exactly that…”
Dongwon sighed. “This is troublesome. If they won’t open up—”
“Don’t worry.”
Cheonma crouched, cracking his knuckles with confidence.
Chaewon quickly blocked his way.
“Hey, no! Don’t you dare!”
She turned to the intercom and called sweetly,
“Hello? We’re from Bokbok Interiors! Could you please open the door?”
After a long pause—click!—the door opened.
“What do you want?”
The man who appeared looked to be in his 40s, with an unfriendly scowl.
Before Chaewon could speak, Cheonma stepped forward.
“We’re from Bokbok Interiors. Are you the customer who filed a complaint about the wallpaper?”
“W-what the…”
The man took one look at Cheonma’s bulging muscles and blood-red eyes and instinctively tried to shut the door.
“I haven’t finished speaking.”
Cheonma blocked it with one arm.
The man, sweating, fumbled for his phone.
“I-I’ll call the police for trespassing!”
“I have not entered. I stand before the door, as you can plainly see.”
His glowing red eyes made the man swallow hard.
“I’m—closing the door. Move, please.”
“Listen first, then close it.”
Cheonma pointed to the wallpaper.
“It’s wrinkled because it’s still wet. Once fully dry, it will flatten. Right now, the glue and moisture make it look uneven.”
The man stood frozen.
“Do you understand?”
“Y-yes.”
“Good. If it’s still wrinkled after three days, contact the shop again. I’ll come myself.”
“P-please don’t come back…”
“Excellent. Understood.”
Patting the man’s shoulder gently, Cheonma turned to Chaewon with a satisfied smile.
“It is resolved.”
Dongwon wiped sweat from his temple.
“This… doesn’t count as resolution, does it?”
Strictly speaking, the man’s fear had erased his complaint, not satisfaction.
But Cheonma simply said,
“I explained politely, and the customer accepted it.”
Despite his intimidating face, his eyes were clear and sincere. He truly believed he’d handled it peacefully.
“Hm…”
Dongwon sighed. “Fine. Then the next complaint, Noona, you handle yourself.”
Ding-dong.
At a small apartment building, a middle-aged woman flung open the door, frowning deeply.
“Oh, good. You’re here. What kind of shoddy floor installation—”
She stopped mid-yell when she saw Cheonma and Dongwon behind Chaewon.
“Who’re they?”
“Ah, don’t mind them.” Chaewon smiled. “May I come in and explain?”
When the woman nodded, Chaewon entered.
As Cheonma and Dongwon tried to follow, the woman barked,
“And who are you supposed to be?”
“I am Cheonma.”
He folded his arms, eyes glowing red.
Before Dongwon could explain, the woman slammed the door shut in their faces.
“Ah… this is awkward.” Dongwon muttered, sweat trickling down his forehead.
Even as a divine official, he couldn’t barge into a human home.
Inside, they could hear raised voices—clearly the woman wasn’t listening.
“There is a way,” Cheonma murmured.
“How?”
“For me, doors like this are as soft as tofu.”
He twisted his fist, and the air rippled with pressure.
“No, no, that’s fine!” Dongwon waved frantically. “Let’s just wait.”
“I could open it in an instant.”
“No! Let’s just… wait outside.”
A moment later, the shouting inside stopped. Click. The door opened again.
“Alright then, I understand,” came the woman’s weak voice.
“Glad to hear it!”
Chaewon stepped out smiling, while the woman stood behind her pale and trembling, eyes unfocused.
Bang! The door shut quickly.
“See? Problem solved.”
“Ah… right.”
Dongwon’s forced smile barely hid his discomfort.
She’d definitely threatened the woman somehow—but with no proof, what could he say?
“You promised,” Chaewon reminded him. “Handle the claims, keep the grade.”
“Hm…”
He hesitated, then glanced at her bright, confident eyes—and Cheonma’s steady, serious gaze.
Finally, he sighed. Well… it should be fine.
He scribbled something in his notebook and snapped it shut.
“As promised, your territory will remain Grade 9. Please continue maintaining divine order.”
“Woohoo!”
“Excellent.”
Seeing them smile, Dongwon hesitated to pull out whatever he’d been reaching for inside his jacket.
It’s fine. For now.
He smiled warmly and bowed.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
“Yeah. See you next time.”
Cheonma clapped him on the shoulder.
“Until next time.”
Dongwon looked into his red eyes—grim, yet clear and unwavering.
They were the eyes of a man who stood by his beliefs, refusing to compromise.
Just like Jang Chaewon.
“Indeed. I’ll see you again, Sir Cheonma.”
His body shimmered, and with a flash of light, he vanished into thin air.
“…So he wasn’t an ordinary human,” Cheonma murmured.
“You didn’t know? He’s a proper divine bureaucrat from the Celestial Realm.”
“I see. A god, then.”
Cheonma smiled faintly.
He had known full well what Chaewon had done inside—but kept quiet to protect her.
Still, if Dongwon was truly a god, he surely understood everything that happened.
“A god with flexibility, then,” Cheonma said softly.
And as he spoke, it was clear—he had become remarkably fluent in the Korean language.
