WHUP-WHUP-WHUP!
The vibrations of the enormous rotor beating the air filled the helicopter.
Below us, the view changed from New York’s skyscrapers to the lush green expanse of the Hudson Valley.
I looked out the window and gave a brief click of my tongue in amazement.
‘A private helicopter. Those American bastards certainly do things on a grand scale.’
In Korea, a black sedan had been enough even when we escorted VIPs.
Seeing an underworld organization operate a helicopter like this made me sigh at the difference in scale between the two countries.
Then I looked at the three people across from me.
They were the trio of exorcists who had first connected me to the organization.
The three known as the ‘Tea Party’ had been assigned to accompany me on this mission at the Clock Rabbit’s orders.
Do-jun rubbed his chin and asked,
“So this Annabelle thing really existed? I thought it was all made up.”
Annabelle.
The ghost had become famous through a horror film franchise that had been popular in Korea, too…. I had always thought it was fictional. It felt strange to be on my way to exorcise it now.
The Mad Hatter, the leader of the Tea Party, answered.
“The films exaggerate somewhat… but the evil spirit is real. Have you heard of the Warrens? They were a legendary husband-and-wife team of exorcists.”
“Oh, I saw them in the movies. Honestly, when I watched, I thought they were frauds, not real exorcists.”
“They did perform exorcisms. They worked before the formal licensing system existed, but by today’s standards, people say they would be rated at least Grade B. They were also the exorcists who first sealed Annabelle.”
Do-jun narrowed his eyes with interest.
“So what we’re facing isn’t going to be easy?”
“It is far worse than that. There is a reason the fee has climbed to three and a half million dollars. The fact that the job has reached an underworld organization like ours means everyone sent in before us is already dead.”
“Tell me more.”
“Our client is ‘George Goldwyn,’ the spoiled son of the Goldwyn family, a real estate dynasty. He is an obsessive collector of occult objects… and apparently bought Annabelle after it surfaced on the black market.”
Hmm. I could see the picture now.
Do-jun nodded, and the Mad Hatter continued.
“For some reason, the evil spirit sealed in Annabelle went berserk. More than ten of the mansion’s servants have already died. The frightened youngest son has been hiring underworld exorcists to keep his family from finding out what he did…. Apparently, they have failed every time.”
“Ah, so that’s why the stakes have risen to five billion won.”
I could roughly picture the situation.
A job cleaning up the shit of a rich young master with more money than conscience.
“Please be careful. I know you are skilled… but this evil spirit is formidable.”
“Hmmmm.”
As the Mad Hatter warned me, the spirit’s voice—Wakan Tanka’s voice—sounded in my head.
《I hope it is a delicious one. Annabelle….》
Good grief. He was already thinking about eating it….
A crooked smile came to my lips.
“You can look forward to it. I will make sure you eat your fill.”
“Hm? What did you just say?”
Perhaps I had muttered aloud. The Mad Hatter looked at me in puzzlement.
“Nothing. I just think this assignment might be fun.”
The exorcists stared at Do-jun in horror.
***
A short while later, the helicopter began descending toward a huge old castle deep in the forests of the Hudson Valley.
“He’s blown a hell of a lot of money on this.”
The old castle emerging through the mist in the middle of the Hudson Valley’s foggy forest was a sight to behold.
It looked as if Dracula’s castle had been moved here intact. Every inch seemed steeped in an occult fanatic’s obsession.
The moment the helicopter landed, men in black suits swarmed out.
‘Those are exorcists, too.’
As Do-jun and the Tea Party got out, one man approached through the helicopter’s rotor wash.
He was plastered in designer labels and had a mean, sly face.
That had to be ‘George Goldwyn,’ the spoiled youngest son of the Goldwyn family and the cause of this mess.
The moment he saw Do-jun and the Mad Hatter, his face twisted savagely.
“What the fuck? Only four of you? And what the fuck is that Asian doing here? You bastards… the Clock Rabbit sent you, right?”
“That is correct, sir. And this gentleman is the team leader for this mission.”
When the Mad Hatter gestured toward Kang Do-jun, George’s face contorted even further.
“Huh? The yellow monkey is team leader? Fuck…. I called you because you supposedly had a name in the underworld, and this is the shit you send me?”
George spat on the ground.
‘Cute.’
Do-jun gave a small laugh and said,
“You could show some manners to the person who came to wipe your ass, you spoiled brat.”
“…What? Fuck, were you talking to me?”
“Who else? You’re the only one here who made this mess.”
“You fucking yellow bastard!”
George Goldwyn shouted irritably and threw a punch.
Before it could land, the Mad Hatter, standing beside him, reached out like lightning and caught his wrist.
“Why the fuck are you stopping me, bastard? Let go right now!”
“If I had not stopped you, you… would have been badly hurt. This gentleman is not particularly mild-tempered.”
The Mad Hatter spoke softly as a chilling energy radiated from his entire body.
The air seemed to freeze for an instant, and George Goldwyn’s shoulders shook pathetically.
“If you no longer wish to hire us, we will leave now. We dislike wasting time, too.”
He sounded as though he had nothing to lose.
The fight went out of George’s face at once.
“Fine. I’ll give you exactly twenty-four hours. Seal Annabelle in that time and bring it straight to me.”
Do-jun, who had been listening, let out a derisive snort.
“Seal it? No one said anything about that.”
“What?”
“The cleanest way to deal with something evil is to destroy it. That leaves no trouble behind. Sealing it is far harder than simply destroying it. If you insist on a seal, you’ll have to pay more.”
“For fuck’s sake…. Still acting arrogant to the end. Fine! If you handle it properly, I’ll pay whatever you want. Just get the job done!”
George Goldwyn screamed his agreement.
Do-jun shrugged in satisfaction and strolled toward the castle entrance.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
We pushed open the heavy castle doors and stepped inside.
The air was much heavier and damper than outside.
Half-cleaned bloodstains had dried along the halls of the desolate old castle. Vengeful ghosts and evil spirits of indistinct shape floated in the air, making eerie sounds.
‘This… is no joke.’
‘Damn, what an atmosphere.’
The shoulders of the Tea Party members beside me trembled visibly.
We had not even encountered Annabelle yet, but spirits were already everywhere.
One thing was strange, though….
‘Why aren’t they attacking?’
Spirits that would normally have charged at us viciously would not come near. They were too busy hiding in the corners of the ceiling or behind dark walls.
Then those responsible for making them act that way spoke to Kang Do-jun.
《The smell… what a lovely smell…. So many fresh ones lying about.》
Wakan Tanka, who dwelled in the spirit jar in my lower abdomen, whispered as he smacked his lips.
Do-jun spoke inwardly without changing his expression.
‘Please wait a little. Rather than eating those lesser spirits… I’ll let you eat the real thing.’
《I look forward to it.》
At the end of the hall, we stopped before a massive door sealed with layer upon layer of talismans and silver chains.
A strong, fishy stench of evil energy seeped through the cracks.
I instinctively knew Annabelle was inside.
GULP.
As everyone tensed, Kang Do-jun walked straight up and picked the lock on the sealed door.
Inside was a room filled with bizarre occult objects.
Each one held an energy that went beyond sinister to outright evil.
They were probably all part of George Goldwyn’s collection.
Do-jun dropped the backpack from his shoulder onto the floor and put a hand down.
‘Eye of Dispelling Evil and Revealing Truth.’
Waves of energy spread through the enormous room and returned with the information he had uncovered.
‘This place is nasty.’
Mummies, swords, bones of unknown origin, and more.
Every occult object in the room was filled with sinister energy.
Each was probably a ghostly object that had once housed an evil spirit and harmed someone.
But the greatest problem was….
‘That one.’
At the very back of the storeroom sat ‘Annabelle,’ a cute doll inside a glass case.
But over its body, thousands, tens of thousands of evil spirits were crushing one another into a single mass.
This was beyond comparison with the likes of Legion, whom I had faced before.
Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui.
By the Ten Heavenly Stems commonly used in Korea, China, and Japan, an evil spirit of that magnitude would be at least Bing Grade.
The oppressive force pouring from Annabelle left the Tea Party members sweating cold and barely able to breathe.
“Fuck, they expect us to take that thing down…? Ten lives wouldn’t be enough.”
“…Team Leader, are you sure about this?”
The Tea Party members trembled and dripped with cold sweat.
All three were confident in their abilities, yet Annabelle’s overwhelming presence left them unable to think straight.
Kang Do-jun rummaged through the backpack he had set on the floor.
“I’ll do it alone. Don’t get in my way.”
“A-alone?”
“Yes…. And if you think you’re going to die, run without looking back. Don’t slow me down.”
Perhaps his words were the signal.
Annabelle’s once-cute lips twisted grotesquely, and red tears of blood streamed from beneath its button eyes.
《New… friends… have arrived?》
A chill ran through everyone.
Do-jun equipped himself with the Seven Stars Sword, talismans, and several bottles of holy water.
Then….
CRASH—!
The door slammed shut, and Annabelle sent an explosive wave of energy through the room.
Masks, statues, mummies, and more….
The occult objects on display shook violently and began to move.
“H-holy shit! Everyone, get ready to fight!”
“Damn it!”
The Tea Party fought back against the charging occult objects with their own skills.
They drew swords, hammers, and the like… and cast holy magic.
“Th-there are too many, Team Leader!”
“Do not give ground! If we do, we are finished!”
They worked together reasonably well and seemed to be holding on, but the endless wave of enemies was wearing them down.
“Phew…. I told you to run.”
Do-jun scratched his head.
Given what Annabelle was doing… escape no longer seemed possible anyway.
At the same time, he felt a surge of anticipation.
‘Shall I… test the Navajo magic?’
This was the perfect stage to try out the power he had gained through training.