《Kim's Bookstore [Mystery, Suspense and Supernatural]》 1. Not Dead Park Tae-hyun scooped up a handful of water and splashed it on his face. He slowly raised his head and looked at himself in the mirror. He looked a little haggard. As an emergency doctor, this kind of haggardness seemed to be a standard feature. "Doctor Park, a new patient will be here soon. He seemed to have fallen from the upstairs. I don''t know if it was suicide!" Nurse Kim Soo-jin shouted at the door of the men''s bathroom. "Got it, I''ll be there right away," Park Tae-hyun responded, then took out a tissue to wipe the water droplets and started walking out. The ambulance quickly drove into the hospital. Lying on the stretcher was an old man in a gray hanbok. He kept coughing, and blood foam and spleen organ fragments were coughed out from time to time. His whole body was covered in blood. Park Tae-hyun immediately ran over and pushed the stretcher while observing the injured''s condition, while shouting to the people in front: "Prepare the surgical instruments, quickly!, The injured is in a very bad condition." "I¡­I¡­don''t want to die." The old man opened his eyes and looked at Park Tae-hyun, who was closest to him. "Don''t worry, you''ll be fine. We will help you. You won''t die." Most dying patients will say something like this at this time. After all, there are only a few people who can truly face death calmly. As a doctor, this is certainly not the time to analyze the condition of the injured and tell you how likely you are to survive. What the injured need at this time is psychological comfort. "No¡­ no¡­ below¡­ below¡­ below¡­ below is really too scary¡­" The old man suddenly grabbed Park Tae-hyun''s wrist and looked at him seriously. "Calm down and relax. Your life will be fine." Although his wrist was a little painful, Park Tae-hyun still did not try to break free. "I don''t want to... I don''t want to go down anymore... They... They found me... I... They found me..." "Hiss..." Park Tae-hyun suddenly felt a sharp pain in his wrist. "Doctor Park, your hand!" the young nurse beside him shouted immediately. The old man''s nails were very long, and for some reason, they were black, a transparent black color like amber, without any dirt gathered inside. At this time, the old man''s nails had already embedded into the flesh of Park Tae-hyun''s wrist. "I won''t go down anymore... I won''t go down anymore... I won''t go down... Haha... cough cough cough..." The old man suddenly straightened up and started coughing violently. Then, his body trembled, and the hand holding Park Tae-hyun fell off, and the whole person became motionless. "Prepare for rescue!" Park Tae-hyun shouted. The old man was pushed into the emergency room, where doctors and nurses began to perform first aid measures on him, and the defibrillator was ready. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Doctor Park, let me help you treat your wound." Kim Soo-jin came over at this time. As doctors, they were not worried about these minor injuries. What they were most worried about was that if the old man had other diseases, it might put the doctors in a dangerous situation of occupational exposure. After all, the old man just had a lot of blood on his hands, and no one knew whether he had any infectious disease. Some diseases, if contracted, may ruin your life. After the wound was bandaged, another doctor came out of the emergency room and shook his head at Park Tae-hyun. This means that the person could not be saved. Everyone was feeling a little disappointed, but for them, this kind of thing was something they were used to and they would quickly adjust. "Doctor Park, let''s do a check-up," Kim Soo-jin suggested. "No, I have something to do tonight." Park Tae-hyun shook his head, went straight to the locker room to change his clothes, then walked to the hospital parking lot and drove away. As soon as the car drove under the Hanam Elevated Road, Park Tae-hyun''s cell phone rang. "Hello, This is Park Tae-hyun." "Doctor Park, the children are waiting for you." "I''m sorry, Director Park, a patient came up. I''ll be there right away. Please let the children wait for me for a while." "Okay, okay." The person on the other end quickly hung up the phone. Park Tae-hyun looked at the time again. It was already 8:30 in the evening. The children in the orphanage usually went to bed early. The red light turned green, Park Tae-hyun stepped on the accelerator and drove forward. "beep!!!!!!!!" At this time, A heavy truck ran a red light and drove over. Park Tae-hyun only had time to turn his head to look at the glaring high beam outside the window. Immediately, "Bang!" The world was spinning. The car was like a fragile piece of white paper in front of the heavy truck and was knocked away. It rolled several times in the air and fell to the ground. ''Shit...'' . . . . . . . . . . . . "Forehead......" Park Tae-hyun mumbled. He found that his body was completely unable to move, as if it were stuck under a huge Rock. At the same time, he couldn''t open his eyes. He knew that he had been in a car accident, a serious one at that. Out of professional ethics, he wanted to check his injuries right away, but he couldn''t move. All around, there were the sounds of other vehicles passing by and various lamas. Am I still at the scene of the accident? Am I still in the car? Park Tae-hyun thought in his heart. Soon, The sirens of police cars and fire trucks were heard. Finally, Park Tae-hyun heard the familiar sound of an ambulance siren. Park Tae-hyun felt that his body was being moved. The temperature nearby was a little high. It seemed that they were cutting his car to rescue him. Park Tae-hyun has participated in many rescue operations of this kind and is familiar with some of the procedures. It''s a pity that the cake in the trunk of my car and the Children''s Day party for the children in the orphanage will have to be ruined. "Doctor Park!" A familiar calling voice. It should be Doctor Lee from the hospital. Park Tae-hyun breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. At least, he saved his life. This could be considered an unexpected disaster. There were also several nurses'' voices around him, but because it was too noisy nearby, Park Tae-hyun could not hear them clearly. But then, Dr. Lee''s words made Park Tae-hyun''s heart suddenly sink to the bottom! "Doctor Park has lost vital signs." No, I''m not dead yet! I''m not dead, you idiot! I''m not dead!! Park Tae-hyun screamed desperately in his heart! He is not dead, he is still conscious, he is not dead! Next, Park Tae-hyun felt someone performing CPR on him. He felt the heavy squeeze again and again, but he couldn''t open his eyes or speak. He is not dead. He hoped they would soon realize that he was not dead! But after a busy day, Park Tae-hyun heard the crying voices of several nurses he knew. Dr. Lee punched a nearby car door and looked very sad. Hey! Don''t give up! Don''t give up! I''m not dead! I should be in suspended animation now. Excessive blood loss? Seriously injured? But I''m not dead! I should still be breathing, my heart should still be beating! Park Tae-hyun roared madly in his heart. But then, he felt himself being carried onto a stretcher, probably into an ambulance. Then there was the sound of an ambulance starting. The nurses in the Ambulance were still crying. But this crying sounded particularly harsh to Park Tae-hyun''s ears. He is not dead yet. Why are you crying?! Why are you crying?!! Look at me again. Look at me again, check again, I''m not dead! The ambulance stopped. Then, Park Tae-hyun heard the voice of the hospital leader: "Our Dr. Park Tae-hyun is no more, huh?" "The accident was very serious. Dr. Park was severely injured and lost too much blood. He has been confirmed dead." "Really? He is gone just like that?" Another vice president still didn''t believe it. "Park Tae-hyun is gone." This was the voice of a department director. "I just checked again. I''m not dead! You bunch of quacks! I''m not dead! YOU BASTARDS!!! ASSHOLES!!!!!!!!!!!! 2. Morgue Park Tae-hyun kept cursing in his heart. At this moment, the people around him were no longer his colleagues, nor his friends, nor his leaders and elders. They Actually thought he was dead. But can the dead still hear sounds and feel things? I''m not dead! You bastards, I''m not dead! Help me! Help me! The stretcher began to move, everything was quiet, and the temperature was gradually dropping. "Soo-jin, don''t be too sad." The dean said that the hospital will hold a memorial service for Dr. Park tomorrow," one nurse whispered. "Sister Soo-jin, I just can''t believe it. A person is gone just like that. Doctor Park was such a good person, how could he be gone just like that?" another nurse replied. "There are unexpected changes in life, and people are subject to misfortunes at any time. Just look at it with an open mind," a third voice added. After the two nurses said this, they left. All around, Empty, That chilly feeling. It is so clear. Park Tae-hyun kept struggling and trying to resist. He wanted to wake up, and he desperately wanted to make his own voice heard. But what he felt now was like sleep paralysis. No matter how hard he tried, his body was no longer under his control. Finally, He gave up in despair. He is tired. I am tired too. He knows where he is now. In the hospital, Morgue. When Park Tae-hyun "woke up" again, he felt a slight chill on his face, and a very clear tingling sensation. "Have you finished his makeup?" someone asked. "Don''t be impatient, wait. This was a Freak Accident. how can we finish quickly?" another voice replied. "The hospital is urging us to send him to the memorial service right away." "Then, why don''t you come and help me out here?" This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The makeup artist seemed a little angry and used more force when applying makeup. Of course, their clients were deceased people, who naturally wouldn''t complain about pain, and they didn''t have to worry about receiving complaints. They just needed to let the living see the results. Park Tae-hyun no longer had the strength to struggle. He just stayed there quietly. Enduring the stinging pain of the makeup pen pressing down on his face, finally, The makeup is finished. "Okay, let them in, our work is done." Park Tae-hyun felt his clothes being changed, and then he was pushed out. The hospital staff carried him to a soft and cramped space. This, It should be an ice coffin. Then, all the noise around was instantly isolated. The lid must have been closed. Jitter, shake, Bumping... After an unknown amount of time, Park Tae-hyun finally heard the sound again. The lid of the ice coffin should have been opened. He heard some sound, It is mourning music. The dean was holding the microphone and giving a speech. He was praising Park Tae-hyun and feeling sorry for himself. Then there are the vice-president, director, and others. Around, From time to time there were sounds of footsteps. Some people just walked past quietly and took a last look at him. Someone even tried to call out to him a few times, crying. This is to pay respect to the deceased. Look up, My remains! I am not dead. I''m not dead. I''m not dead yet! Not dead! Park Tae-hyun wailed in his heart, He started trying again. But still no way, He can only hear and feel. But I can''t speak, I can''t open my eyes. Everyone thought he was dead. But he knew clearly, He is not dead yet! The children from the orphanage also came and cried beside him. They cried sincerely because Park Tae-hyun himself was also a child from an orphanage. Therefore, most of his salary was donated to the orphanage. This time, he had a car accident because he was rushing to drive back to the orphanage at night to celebrate Children''s Day with the children. "Dr. Park, go with peace of mind. Your Accident was an Unfortunate Event. sigh........The hospital will give your compensation to the orphanage, so don''t worry," the vice president said as he stood beside Park Tae-hyun. Then, Park Tae-Hyun felt isolated again, and the lid of the ice coffin should have been closed again. Then there was another jolt. Finally, it stopped. The lid of the ice coffin was opened again. It was quite quiet all around, with occasional human voices heard, but it wasn''t noisy. There were two people, one holding his shoulders and the other holding his legs to lift him up, and then they placed him on another cold rack, which seemed to be a steel plate. These two people are very skilled. Very, very skilled. There were faint cries all around. Park Tae-hyun couldn''t figure out where he was at first. But at this time, He suddenly understood. Son of a bitch! They sent him to the crematorium! They are going to burn him! I''m not dead, you bastards! I''m not dead! Not dead yet! Don''t cremate me. Don''t cremate me! I''M NOT DEAD YET!!!!!!! This time, Park Tae-hyun was the craziest and also the most insane. He knows, Once you are cremated, Then there is no room for rescue at all! He will face death directly! The complete end! He was unwilling to accept this, he really was reluctant to accept this. He was not even thirty years old, he had not started a family, he had no children, he still had a life to live, and he still had a long way to go! "Mom, I just saw Uncle''s hand move," a little girl''s timid voice sounded nearby. "Pa!" A slap came over. "Don''t talk nonsense. I''ll deal with you when we get back Home," the girl''s mother scolded. Park Tae-hyun was desperate. Because no matter how hard he struggled, How he wailed in Despair, No one outside could sense it. He was put on the conveyor belt. The machine started up. He was being pushed forward. He knew what he was about to face. Therefore, he was extremely terrified! No, No, NO!!!!! I''m not dead, I''m really not dead! Don''t burn me! DON''T BURN ME!!!! No one could hear my call, They were mourning, They would soon mourn for another few hours and then go home for dinner and continue their usual lives. Finally, Park Tae-hyun felt as if he was pushed into a narrow place full of the smell of oil residue. Next, A sticky liquid was sprayed on his body. He knew what this was. It''s gasoline. Next, "Sizzle¡­" Hot! Very hot! Pain, Severe burning pain! Fire, Fire, Fire, There is fire everywhere... 3. Afterlife Cold, So cold... Park Tae-hyun didn''t know why it was so cold here. He was walking on a secluded path. Both sides of the path were lined with flowers, but there wasn''t the slightest hint of romance or beauty. The flowers were so beautiful they seemed mocking, like onlookers. *Flowers bloom on the other side, people go to the afterlife* Park Tae-hyun remembered his last memory¡ªfire, a raging inferno. The terrifying flames would devour him completely, the scorching heat reducing him to ashes. But in the blink of an eye, he found himself here. The path was crowded with people. Elders, children, youths and middle-aged individuals, men and women, all dressed in varied attire. Some wore simple clothes, while others donned bright red outfits with excessive blush on their faces. Everyone walked on tiptoe. No one spoke. No sound existed except for the occasional *rustle, rustle* of shoes against the ground. Park Tae-hyun moved forward numbly with the crowd. He glanced around, looking back from time to time. He vaguely realized where he was. He was dead, and this place was the Afterlife. The final resting ground for the deceased. His own, He had died after all. He didn''t know what to do or what choices to make. He didn''t want to die. No one does. But here, he was at a loss. Confused and helpless. "Aaaaaaa..." A chilling tune drifted from afar, Park Tae-hyun turned his head and saw bright red flowers approaching, while the others around him ignored them, continuing to shuffle forward numbly. As they drew closer, Park Tae-hyun could see clearly that those red flowers were actually peach-blossom paper umbrellas. In the distance, a line of women walked gracefully toward them, holding the umbrellas. They were tall, with elegant figures, all wearing purple chima-jeogori (Korean traditional dresses). Their hair was neatly coiled into buns, their steps perfectly synchronized as if they were the world''s finest dance troupe, rehearsed for over a century. They walked, they marched. From one end of the path to the other, coincidentally, passing before Park Tae-hyun. Their exquisite makeup, porcelain skin, and the eerie tune they hummed created an atmosphere reminiscent of old Shanghai, shrouded in mist and rain. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Each woman wore a bracelet on her wrist, varying in color and size, accentuating their pale wrists and making them even more striking. Pity, They were not walking through the commercial district of Namdaemun Market, nor through a lavishly decorated club. They tread on the road to the underworld, passing by a sea of otherworldly flowers, their gazes fixed ahead, the latter staring at the former, the former, Their eyes were empty. As the last woman passed Park Tae-hyun, she suddenly turned her head and looked at him. Originally, the world was the most beautiful, Now, It plunged to the other extreme. Fear? Of course, it was terrifying! Disgust? Of course, it was revolting! But Park Tae-hyun was already dead. Humans could be scared to death, but what of ghosts? The woman looked at Park Tae-hyun. Park Tae-hyun looked back. Their eyes met briefly, and then the woman continued forward, her figure swaying, her back graceful. "Where are you... going?" Park Tae-hyun subconsciously followed the line of women, leaving his original group behind. The man shuffling along the path, no one glanced his way. They seemed devoid of thought or perception, and Park Tae-hyun appeared to be an outlier among them. A procession of women, smoke rising with every step, kept moving forward, humming and murmuring, as desolate as ice; the already oppressive atmosphere grew even more desolate because of them. Park Tae-hyun continued to follow. Then, he watched as they walked into a pool one by one. The pond was not large. Like a mirror, their entry seemed to break its calm, creating ripples. The women at the front submerged their heads underwater, while those behind continued to follow. Park Tae-hyun approached the pool''s edge but did not join them. He simply stood and watched. Everything here was utterly unfamiliar to him. This was a place no one visits more than once in a lifetime, and once entered, there was no return. Something floated to the surface in the middle of the pond. It was a pair of hands. Red nails and pale hands, as delicate as dandelions, the hands danced gracefully, captivating and mesmerizing. Beauty is alluring, but this kind of beauty was hypnotic. A look of fascination slowly crept into Park Tae-hyun''s eyes, and before he realized it, he began to move forward. First, his feet. Then his knees. His waist next, until finally, the water reached his neck. He was fully submerged. The water was not cold; it was warm. The surface was clear, visibility was high. There was no pain, no suffocation. Park Tae-hyun saw the women with paper umbrellas. Even underwater, they remained graceful and charming, continuing to move forward. Closest to him was a woman in red. She stood underwater, yet her hands danced above the surface. Park Tae-hyun began to approach the woman in red. Not for beauty''s sake, nor due to any illusory influence, but because this woman seemed to possess an inexplicable magic that drew him near, made him feel close, made him lose control. Finally, Park Tae-hyun reached her. Her hands slowly emerged from the water. The woman''s hair was long and thick, swirling in the water, obscuring her face. "At last... I''ve waited for someone like you again..." The woman''s voice was clear, sweet, and sticky. She reached out her delicate hands and placed them on Park Tae-hyun''s shoulders. The gesture was intimate. "You... come and accompany me..." The next moment, her hair began to spread out, strands of black hair billowing toward Park Tae-hyun''s face; The beauty''s hair brushing against his face seemed romantic, but then, the woman''s hair transformed into the world''s strongest steel cable, binding Park Tae-hyun''s neck. "Come... accompany me..." Her hair loosened, revealing her face. She had no face. Her face was smooth, without contours or wrinkles¡ªa perfect, featureless surface that would make thousands of girls envious. But she had no nose, no mouth, no eyes, no ears. A faceless... woman? Park Tae-hyun felt his breath catch, his chest tightening. His body seemed to collapse. The faceless woman''s laughter was clear and ethereal, but to Park Tae-hyun, it sounded like the wail of a demon. Park Tae-hyun woke up. He didn''t know what it meant to be entangled like this in this place. But one thing was certain, it wouldn''t end well. "You''re here... stay....with me...!" The faceless woman continued to laugh, her hair swirling. Park Tae-hyun instinctively grabbed the hair wrapped around his neck, struggling desperately to break free. The faceless woman found his futile struggle amusing. "You can''t escape. Stop fighting. Anyone who walks here has a spirit. Once I''ve devoured enough spirited souls, I''ll have a chance to return! "You are destined to become my SACRIFICE!" But as the words left her mouth, the faceless woman gasped: "How is this possible...? Impossible...?" Park Tae-hyun''s fingernails began to grow slowly, their jet-black, transparent color glowing eerily in the water¡ªthe same hue as the nails of the old man he''d treated before his death. "Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle¡­ Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle¡­" The sound of boiling oil hissed, the faceless woman''s hair that bound Park Tae-hyun melted and snapped upon contact with his nails. His body began to retreat, slowly breaking free from her restraints. "Impossible... Impossible... This can''t be... Why! Why can you leave too?!!" Why won''t you stay with me? Why! Why! This isn''t fair! It''s not fair!" The faceless woman lunged at Park Tae-hyun. But when he pushed her away, his nails seared her flawless hand, burning a hole through it. "Ahhhhhh!!!" The faceless woman screamed. Her grip loosened, and she lost control of Park Tae-hyun. His body began to float upward. About to surface. "You can''t escape... you''ll be caught! Here, This here is the final resting place of the dead! Even if you leave, you''ll be dragged back eventually!" The faceless woman shrieked and raged below. She was jealous. Envious, Mad!!! Park Tae-hyun, rising steadily, Slowly lost consciousness, The dark path to the underworld... The dazzling beauty of the otherworldly flowers... The faceless woman''s roars... The elegance of the women in chima-jeogori... everything... seemed to drift away from him... 4. Kim Min-Woo The Midnight streets, The streetlights cast a yellow glow, People were Enjoying. It was bitterly cold, the wind cutting like a knife. Park Tae-hyun felt the cold seep into his bones. He didn''t know where he was. But he knew one thing, This was... the human world. He had died, yet returned. He didn''t know what to do. He could only keep moving forward mechanically, numbly. He didn''t have time to ponder other things now. For instance, the place he''d just left, The old man he''d treated before the car accident, The faceless woman in a red dress in the pond, Or... his own nails. His return should have been a joyous occasion, but even when someone passed by him, even if he greeted them as loudly as he could, no one could see or hear him. He was excluded and isolated from the world. Those who have never experienced solitary confinement cannot understand the agony of complete isolation. For Park Tae-hyun, the entire world was his cell, shrouded in darkness. No one could see him. No one could communicate with him. He couldn''t grasp anything substantial. Even the wind could pass through him effortlessly. He was so fragile. The word "fragile" was no exaggeration when describing him. What shocked and horrified Park Tae-hyun the most was, He could see faint points of light emanating from his body. In other words, His body was slowly fading. Perhaps in another quarter of an hour, he would vanish completely, even the last trace erased. He didn''t know how this had happened, but he knew time was running out. He''d heard stories of spirits possessing corpses, like Li Tieguai from the Eight Immortals, who entered the body of a starved man, leading to his legacy. Park Tae-hyun wanted to possess a body. Cold and panicked, he needed someone to attach himself to. He didn''t care who it was. People are selfish in such moments, and Park Tae-hyun was no exception. He couldn''t endure this any longer. However, every time he approached someone, light and fire erupted on their heads and shoulders, repelling him. He was hurt, accelerating his "evaporation." He was a little tired, a little numb. Waiting for his end. As someone who''d already died once, facing death again brought calm. Moreover, given Park Tae-hyun''s current state, the longer he stayed, the longer he suffered. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. *Squeak¡ª* Ahead, a lit shop stood with an old yellow LED sign ''Kim''s Bookstore''. It seemed to be a bookstore, with rows of bookshelves visible through the glass door. Someone pushed the door open and stepped out¡ªa man in a sweatshirt and a hat, his face obscured. He glanced around before hurrying off. Of course, the man couldn''t see Park Tae-hyun standing less than five meters away. At first, Park Tae-hyun felt nothing amiss, but shortly after the man left, he sensed warmth emanating from the bookstore. Yes, A warm breath. This warmth confused Park Tae-hyun, yet he felt like a freezing man who''d found a box of matches. Though he knew they couldn''t save him, he''d still strike them for the last warmth before death. Park Tae-hyun walked over, his body passing through the glass door, deeper into the store, until he reached the back of a bookshelf. Behind the shelf, a person lay there. He was a handsome young man, around 23 or 24. Thanks to the store''s air conditioning, he wore little¡ªjust a long-sleeved shirt and a thin jacket. He lay on the floor, but Park Tae-hyun sensed warmth from him, like a poor man who''d found a bag of gold coins on a night walk. This kind of attraction was irresistible, and Park Tae-hyun had no right to refuse! Park Tae-hyun approached and squatted before the young man. He didn''t know how to enter the other''s body, but he knew how to touch the warmth he needed. He stretched out a hand and placed it on the young man''s chest. Park Tae-hyun watched as his nails slowly embedded into the other''s body. It was a strange sensation, different from the "breeze" that had passed through him earlier. This was a fusion, mediated by his own nails. Slowly, Park Tae-hyun''s entire body began to merge with the young man''s, their forms overlapping. "Kim Min-woo! Wake up! Wake up!" Park Tae-hyun was jolted awake¡ªno, startled. He opened his eyes to find himself sitting behind a bookstore counter, his hands resting on it. "Hey, wake up!" The woman''s voice was sharp and high-pitched, commanding. Raising his head, Park Tae-hyun looked at the woman before him¡ªno, she was a girl, likely a high school student. Though tall, she still carried a hint of childishness. "Hey, Kim Min-woo, what do you think you''re doing? Trying to show off to my parents and sister? You didn''t come home last night!" "Who gave you the courage?" Kim Min-woo? Who is this? Park Tae-hyun spread his hands, confused, and noticed they were smooth, lacking the calluses from years of surgical practice. "Hey, I''m talking to you!" The girl slapped the counter angrily. Park Tae-hyun frowned, stood up, and walked to the glass mirror beside the store door. The reflection showed a stranger''s face¡ªa face he''d seen last night. Is this body mine? "Hey, my parents are furious. My mom''s even angrier at home. Let me tell you, everything you eat, drink, and use now comes from my family. What qualifications do you, a live-in son-in-law, have to act so arrogantly under my roof? "Who are you trying to impress?" "If you dare not come home tonight, I''ll come over and teach you a lesson!" The girl feigned a punch. Checking the time¡ª7:30 a.m.¡ªshe huffed, "I''m off to school. We''ll settle this tonight!" and stormed out. Park Tae-hyun slowly sank back into the chair behind the counter, where an old notebook and a phone lay beside him. He still couldn''t adapt to this new identity. He was Park Tae-hyun, a renowned young surgeon in Tongmyeong. An orphan. Now, he''d become this. What had the girl said? He was... a live-in son-in-law? With a wife? And in-laws? Judging by the girl''s tone and attitude, his status as a "live-in son-in-law" mirrored ancient traditions, looked down upon by both his wife''s family and society. His position was akin to a criminal''s. He picked up the phone, unlocked easily¡ªno password¡ªand opened KakaoTalk and Talk. The Talk list held few contacts: a handful of classmates from junior high, high school, and university, plus a family group with one person labeled "wife." Their chat history was empty. Switching to KakaoTalk, he found messages from Kim Min-woo¡ªquestions about dinner plans, shopping budgets, bookstore sales, and health. Her replies were curt and cold: "Oh," "Hmm," "Alright." Park Tae-hyun tossed the phone aside. These relationships were too tangled. He stared at his palms, noting his nails appeared normal. But those nails had played a crucial role¡ªin saving the old man before the accident, escaping the faceless woman, and now, entering this body. At will, his nails grew longer, darker, shrouded in a faint black mist. "No......" He breathed deeply, closed his eyes. When he reopened them, the nails returned to normal. From morning till noon, Park Tae-hyun sat trying to adapt to his new identity, to quiet the discomfort of this change. He skipped lunch, unsure if from forgetfulness or lack of hunger. This was still Tongmyeong. His old home was in the Chongchon District; now he lived in the Gangja District, not far off. In the afternoon, Park Tae-hyun sighed, stood up, and decided to make the best of things. He began dusting the bookshelves¡ªsomething to occupy himself. The old man who''d strangled him before death had said, "He has been discovered," and the faceless woman in hell had warned, "You will be caught sooner or later." These words stirred a sense of urgency in Park Tae-hyun. His current state was "survival". Returning from the dead was a gift, and he cherished it. At least until he understood his situation fully, he needed to keep this identity, avoid abnormalities, and evade those "hunters." The bookstore''s business was abysmal. The decline of traditional books was no secret, and this location, far from the campus'' prime streets, didn''t help. It was three in the afternoon before the first customer arrived. The guest browsed the elementary school section for a while. Park Tae-hyun waited, then approached. "What subject are you looking for?" The customer shrugged. "Just browsing." "Okay," Park Tae-hyun said, still out of his element as a "bookstore owner." But then, the customer stepped behind him and whispered: "You don''t recognize me?" "What?" Park Tae-hyun asked. "I hit you with a baseball bat last night and robbed you." "You were gasping for air then." 5. Wife? Park Tae-hyun stood there, stunned for a moment. So, the reason he was able to use the body of "Kim Min-woo" to revive last night was because he had just been killed? Because the body was still warm, was that why I could possess it? It seems I''m truly lucky. Without disgust or anger, and certainly no panic about his identity being exposed, Park Tae-hyun turned to face the man behind him, roughly his age. The man froze. He saw something unusual in Park Tae-hyun''s eyes¡ªjoy, relief, and even a hint of gratitude. As a physician, Park Tae-hyun understood the dire situation he''d faced last night. If this man hadn''t killed someone at that exact moment, Park Tae-hyun might have perished, never to see the sun again. "Sorry, I passed out last night. When I woke up this morning, my head felt off, like I''d been drunk. I don''t remember anything from yesterday," Park Tae-hyun explained casually. He doubted the man could fathom he was a ghost, unless the man was certifiably insane. "Aren''t you mad at me?" the man sputtered, pointing at his nose. "Even after I admitted to clubbing you yesterday?" "It''s fine. Thank you for leaving my phone and computer untouched." "Uh¡­ I forgot," the man scratched his head. "I''m glad you''re okay. Here''s the money I stole from you yesterday." He pulled out 30,000 won from his pocket, then, after a moment, another 80,000 won. "80,000 won is for your medical expenses, and 30,000 won is what I stole," the man grimaced. "I gambled away my entire salary online yesterday. When I passed your bookstore, I impulsively decided to steal some cash. After knocking you out, I panicked when I thought you were dead. I ran home and couldn''t sleep all night, terrified the police would barge in and arrest me. I felt so stupid, risking my life for 30,000 won in a robbery. " The man patted Park Tae-hyun on the shoulder. "Man, I''m relieved you''re alive. I''ve been lurking outside since this morning, waiting for someone to call the cops. When I saw you still in the bookstore, I almost kowtowed to you in gratitude. You''re lucky to be alive; otherwise, I''d be ruined. There are so many cameras around. If you''d died, there''s no way I''d escape." Park Tae-hyun looked at the 110,000 won in his hand, then at the "murderer" confessing with tears in his eyes. The scene felt surreal. To be honest, "Kim Min-woo" was dead, and because of his death, Park Tae-hyun could take over his life. And because he''d taken over, the man before him was spared a murder charge. Both he and the man had profited, except for the unlucky Kim Min-woo. "Alright, it''s fine. Maybe I just had a side stitch last night," Park Tae-hyun said, brushing the man''s hand off his shoulder. As a former emergency doctor, he''d seen every kind of filth, but even he had developed mild mysophobia in extreme environments. It''s precisely because we''ve witnessed so much filth that we learn to cherish cleanliness "Aren''t you still mad?" the man said, relieved. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "No, I''m not mad," Park Tae-hyun nodded. "Go back to work and live decently. Don''t repeat your mistakes." "Thanks, man. You''re a real guy," the man said, bowing deeply before leaving to embrace his "new life." Park Tae-hyun picked up his phone, hesitated, then decided to call the police, not to report the man for murder (of Kim Min-woo), but for suspected theft. Let the police investigate. If the man had a criminal record or was involved in other crimes, he deserved to be caught. Since Park Tae-hyun had taken over someone else''s body, he felt obligated to do something for this unfortunate soul. Although reporting the man under his real name after he''d admitted fault and offered compensation was indeed unethical, a moral gray area. But as Park Tae-hyun dialed 112 and the operator''s voice crackled through, the man suddenly reappeared at the store entrance. "There''s one more thing¡­" The man noticed Park Tae-hyun''s phone and froze, then pointed accusingly. "You''re still calling the cops, aren''t you!" Park Tae-hyun shook his head. "Show me your phone! Give it here!" Park Tae-hyun continued to shake his head. "You''re unbelievable. I''ll kill you this time!" The man lunged, and Park Tae-hyun dropped his phone, backing away. He wasn''t a boxer or a martial artist; his current body was frail, so facing a physical fight filled him with panic. With a *bang*, the man slammed Park Tae-hyun against the wall, strangling his neck with both hands. "I told you not to call the police! I''ll strangle you to death this time!" the man snarled. The bookstore was deserted. Few pedestrians passed by in the afternoon, let alone customers. Park Tae-hyun''s neck went numb, and he struggled desperately. During the scuffle, his nails turned jet-black and elongated. Then, Park Tae-hyun wrapped his arms around the man''s back. Hiss¡ª The man shuddered, rolled his eyes, and released Park Tae-hyun''s neck. He staggered backward, knocking over several bookshelves, before collapsing with a loud thud. Park Tae-hyun rubbed his neck, relieved. His nails could harm even hellish spirits; dealing with an ordinary person shouldn''t be a problem. But he still didn''t fully grasp the nails'' purpose¡ªonly that they''d been "infected" by the old man he''d treated before the accident. It''s true. If one person gets onychomycosis, they can infect two. Walking forward and squatting, Park Tae-hyun patted the man''s face. Fortunately, he was alive and breathing. Park Tae-hyun shook his head, picked up his phone, and dialed the police again. After the police station finished taking the statement, the police officer asked Park Tae-hyun to wait in the small hall, as what he''d reported was a bit sensitive. He mentioned that someone had broken into his home attempting robbery, but the intruder who''d been knocked unconscious turned out to be the "murderer." The murderer was still in the hospital, and they needed to wait for him to regain consciousness for further confirmation. However, at least the police officer did not handcuff Park Tae-hyun. A middle-aged man was squatting next to Park Tae-hyun, his left hand cuffed to the radiator. "Brother, you''re awesome. That guy wanted to rob you, but you knocked him down?" The disheveled middle-aged man wiped his dirt-smudged bangs while speaking. "He looks just like me when I was young. Thieves like him should be beaten to death!" "Hey, quiet down," a young policeman barked, approaching them. "How many electric bikes have you stolen since winter began? I say, the Lunar New Year is coming. Can''t you just keep quiet? Or find a job and earn some money to send home? You''re not young anymore." "Hmph," the young policeman turned away, unwilling to deal with the man further. "Brother, what do you think of my speech just now?" The greasy middle-aged man winked at Park Tae-hyun. "It''s quite interesting," Park Tae-hyun replied with a smile. At that moment, the middle-aged man began, "I''m telling you, this day has to be..." He froze, glancing toward the door. "Oh my, isn''t that a policewoman?" Park Tae-hyun turned to see a woman in a blue down jacket and long leather boots approaching with another female officer. "It should be the police," Park Tae-hyun said. The woman was stunningly beautiful, with a slender figure and fair skin, but it was her poise that truly captivated. "But she''s not in uniform," the greasy man remarked. "Maybe they''re undercover," Park Tae-hyun speculated. "You''re right, beautiful policewoman. Tsk tsk, I guess I''ll have to come in more often in the future," the man said, smacking his lips, clearly impressed. "If I could marry her, I''d gladly shave ten years off my life." Park Tae-hyun shook his head, not daring to joke about lifespan anymore. "You don''t agree?" The man pressed, seeing Park Tae-hyun''s headshake. "You''re blind. For a woman like that, it''s worth shaving ten years off your life for one..." At that moment, the female officer and the woman in leather boots approached Park Tae-hyun. "Kim Min-woo, your wife is here to take you home. The investigation is concluded. You''re free to go," the officer said, pointing at Park Tae-hyun. "..." Park Tae-hyun. "..." Greasy middle-aged man. 6. Not Human Officer, may I ask, what is my wife''s name? Park Tae-hyun hesitated for a moment, but he wasn''t foolish enough to ask outright. He truly didn''t know the real name of his "wife." In this era, few people use their real names on platforms like KakaoTalk or Talk. The greasy man cast a resentful glance at Park Tae-hyun: "Brother, this isn''t fair. Didn''t we agree to be each other''s broken-winged angels?" Park Tae-hyun replied helplessly, "I''m just as surprised as you are." The greasy man lowered his head, sighed, and murmured, "The dumplings I made are delicious." "Let''s go," came the cold command from Park Tae-hyun''s ''wife'', who had already turned and walked away. Park Tae-hyun had no choice but to follow. She drove a Porsche Cayenne, and he slid into the passenger seat. The situation was a little awkward. If the unfortunate Kim Min-woo had a normal family life, Park Tae-hyun wouldn''t feel so out of place. He could''ve brushed off his memory gaps with an excuse like dizziness or amnesia. But his wife carried herself like an ice queen, clearly indifferent to his presence. Even after leaving the police station, she treated him as if it were a routine errand, like retrieving a lost pet. The woman started the car. Surprisingly, she was around Park Tae-hyun''s age, younger than his original self. As the car merged onto the elevated road, she finally broke the silence: "Are you alright?" "I''m fine," Park Tae-hyun replied. Silence fell again. The woman''s phone rang. She activated the hands-free mode, and a voice crackled through the car speakers: "Doctor Im, there''s been a school bus accident on Seongbuk Middle Road. The injured are being brought to our hospital. The director wants you back urgently." Park Tae-hyun stiffened slightly. His wife was a doctor. Moreover, her surname was "Im." "I''ll be right there," she said, hanging up. She exited the overpass and turned sharply toward the hospital. She drove straight into the parking lot of Gangdong District People''s Hospital without asking if Park Tae-hyun needed to be dropped off elsewhere. Park Tae-hyun followed her into the hospital and onto the elevator. When she headed for the women''s locker room, he sat down on a bench in the hallway. The first batch of accident victims arrived. One was critically injured, with five other children in severe condition. Watching his "wife" don a white coat and rush to treat the patients, Park Tae-hyun could only sit on the bench, lost in thought. It felt like watching a mother at work while her child waited idly by. But the hospital''s antiseptic smell and stuffy air conditioning made him nostalgic for familiar surroundings. In the emergency room ahead, a girl lay in critical condition. The kindergarten bus accident had left several children screaming in pain on the operating table¡ªa sight that tugged at Park Tae-hyun''s heart. He pressed his lips together. In the past, he would''ve suited up and joined the rescue efforts. Once Tongmyeong''s most renowned young surgeon, he was now reduced to a spectator. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The feeling was deeply uncomfortable, but he had to bear it. Gangdong District People''s Hospital was the city''s top medical facility; its staff could handle the situation. Soon, the next batch of children arrived with minor injuries requiring simple treatment. Traffic police guarded the floor''s entrance, holding back emotional parents who''d been notified. Allowing them in now might disrupt the rescue efforts, so they were kept at bay for the time being. Park Tae-hyun stood up, walked to the corridor''s innermost window, rolled it down, and took out a cigarette. Both he and Kim Min-woo were smokers, so the gesture felt natural. "Uncle, no smoking in the hospital," a crisp voice chided from behind. Park Tae-hyun turned to see a little girl in a lily skirt, her face scrunched in disapproval. Embarrassed, he pocketed the cigarette. It was humiliating to be lectured by a child on public decency. Bending down, he asked, "Aren''t you cold in such light clothing, little one?" The girl, with her delicate features and rosy cheeks, shook her head. "Uncle, you can''t smoke in the hospital." "I understand," Park Tae-hyun nodded. "Are you alright?" he asked again. "I''m fine, but the other kids are hurt and in pain." The girl turned to comfort her classmates, her small frame moving from one crying child to another. Most tears weren''t from agony but contagion¡ªone child''s wails sparking a chorus of sobs. Nurses treated wounds while soothing the children. The parents who were temporarily stopped by the traffic police outside kept making noise and cursing. In conclusion, This floor gives people a messy feeling. "Then you are fortunate," Park Tae-hyun exclaimed. The little girl didn''t have a single scar on her body. "Well, I sit in the last row, so it''s okay," the little girl nodded, and then took the initiative to run over to comfort her classmates, looking here and there, encouraging and comforting them. She is a very sensible and strong child. Park Tae-hyun turned around and subconsciously took out the cigarette again, but after thinking about it, he put it back. When he walked back to the bench and sat down, three nurses and two doctors came out of the emergency room in front. There is a male doctor and a female doctor; the female doctor is his wife. "It''s okay, we tried our best," the male doctor said as he reached out to put his hand on Park Tae-hyun''s wife''s shoulder to comfort her. As a husband, Park Tae-hyun is sitting here. But he didn''t mind the scene... The treacherous Kim Min-woo left himself with such a complicated pit. He was a live-in son-in-law, a sister-in-law with a nasty temper, and a mother-in-law and father-in-law with obviously bad tempers. Park Tae-hyun wished that his wife would cheat on him, kick him out, and divorce him so that he could be alone. Anyone who has just come back from the dead and entered a new body would be too lazy to bother with the life of a modern urban son-in-law, right? However, what surprised Park Tae-hyun was that his wife actually stretched out her hand to block the doctor''s hand and pointed at him and said: "This is my husband." There was no tenderness or sweetness in the words; they were simple and stiff, as if she were saying: This is the Husky I raise at home. "Oh, hello, sir," the male doctor said, looking a little embarrassed. No matter what, he always felt a little unconfident about flirting with someone else''s wife in front of her. Park Tae-hyun smiled as a greeting. It seemed that his wife was very faithful to her husband... But he couldn''t be happy at all. It wasn''t because of his cuckold complex. It''s just pure, it would be nice if life were simpler. "I''ll go over there and take a look. The other children have been treated and should be fine. You and your husband should go back and rest early," the male doctor said and walked away. Doctor Im sat down on the bench next to Park Tae-hyun. She took off her mask and gloves and threw them on the ground. Park Tae-hyun saw that her eyes were a little red and she was biting her lips with her pearly teeth. It was obvious that she was in a bad mood, which meant that the seriously injured child could not be saved. This look is very pitiful. Park Tae-hyun understood Kim Min-woo a little in his heart. This son-in-law at least earned much more than his other sons in the same industry, and that was on the premise that his father-in-law''s family was better off than his own. And then, this Doctor Im was really good-looking. "Don''t take it personally. You''ll have to go through a lot more in the future. Just seek peace of mind." Park Tae-hyun, as a person who had experienced it, comforted her by saying that he had much more experience than his "wife" and naturally had a much stronger psychological endurance. "Shut up." The woman replied with these two words. If Park Tae-hyun had said this from his original identity as a senior, it would indeed be termed as ''Advice''. But Park Tae-hyun is Kim Min-woo now, and with his image, it is just nonsense for him to say such things to Doctor Im. "......" Park Tae-hyun shrugged his shoulders and once again despised Kim Min-woo in his heart. Look how cowardly you are. How can she just tell you to shut up in public? Doctor Im''s eyes were red, and she stood up slowly: "I''m going to change clothes, then we can go home." "Okay," Park Tae-hyun nodded. At this time, two nurses pulled open the curtain of the emergency room, revealing a bed inside. On the bed was a small body covered with a white cloth. Park Tae-hyun caught a glimpse of the edge of a blue lily-white skirt peeking out from beneath a white cloth, and his mind suddenly buzzed as he realized. The little girl he had just seen, who was unharmed, and out comforting her classmates. She¡¯s not human! 7. Miracle "Fuck¡ª¡ª¡ª" After uttering the word, the two young nurses stood frozen, and Dr. Im also paused for a moment. It was far too crude and blunt. Park Tae-hyun didn''t bother explaining; he simply reached out and lifted the white cloth covering the girl''s head. It''s her, it''s definitely her! No wonder she hadn''t been hurt at all just now. There wasn''t even a scratch on her body. This wasn''t because she''d lucked out by sitting in the last row. In reality, She''d been the most critically injured among all the children, and the doctors had been doing everything in their power to save her just moments ago. Her soul had already slipped away, but she hadn''t realized it. She was still reminding Others not to smoke in public and comforting her classmates and other injured children. In truth, none of the other children could see her. Throughout the hospital, the only person who could see her was Park Tae-hyun! "Is she dead?" Park Tae-hyun asked, glancing around. "Kim Min-woo?" Dr. Im looked at her husband. She didn''t want to acknowledge the vulgarities he''d just spat out, as she''d noticed her husband was acting erratically. "She''s not dead yet¡ªkeep trying to save her!" Park Tae-hyun suddenly grabbed Dr. Im''s arm, pulled her closer, and shouted: "The rescue window hasn''t closed. She might still wake up. Keep trying!" "Sir, sir!" The two nurses, witnessing Park Tae-hyun''s rough grip on Dr. Im, quickly stepped forward to restrain him. In their eyes, Dr. Im''s husband seemed unstable, bordering on abusive. Park Tae-hyun shoved the nurses aside, released his hold, and muttered under his breath: "Where are you, where are you, where on earth are you?!" He bolted out of the room, searching frantically. Moments earlier, the girl''s soul had been wandering among the children, offering comfort, but now it had vanished. Had she moved on to the afterlife? She was already dead. Was it too late? Park Tae-hyun felt a surge of confusion. He didn''t understand why he was so agitated, why his heart raced with anxiety. Perhaps it was his professional duty to treat any patient with a chance of survival. Or maybe it was because that kind, resilient girl had just shared a moment with him. "Uncle, are you looking for me?" A familiar child''s voice sounded behind Park Tae-hyun. He turned immediately and saw the little girl again. But the girl''s form was no longer solid; now she was translucent. "Uncle, I''m cold," the little girl said, squatting and folding her arms. "I asked the nurses for a coat, but they ignored me. Do they hate me? Am I really that annoying?" Faint glimmers radiated from the girl. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Park Tae-hyun recognized this phenomenon¡ªit had happened to him before. "Kim Min-woo, come back with me!" Dr. Im called out at that moment. The girl turned her head to look behind her. "Don''t look!" Park Tae-hyun stepped forward and covered the girl''s eyes. No one knew what might happen if she saw her own lifeless body lying on the bed. Would she collapse? Would she realize she was dead and simply vanish? When Park Tae-hyun''s hand touched the girl, his nails grew warm. They didn''t elongate or darken, but he felt their heat. Simultaneously, the girl''s form began to twist, forming a ring of light around his fingertips¡ªa light invisible to everyone else in the room. "Get out of the way, she can still be saved!" Park Tae-hyun rushed back to the bedside. "Kim Min-woo!" Dr. Im''s chest heaved. The girl was gone, and she couldn''t fathom why her husband was ranting like a madman. His background in civil engineering had no place here. The two nurses, witnessing the scene, didn''t dare to intervene. Park Tae-hyun lifted the sheet and placed his hands on the girl''s chest. Yes, this was how he''d returned to life. Your soul is here. It can return. You can survive! As the light from his fingertips seeped into the girl''s body, Park Tae-hyun began chest compressions, pressing down with both hands. "Wake up!" "Wake up!" The nurses stood back, exchanging glances with Dr. Im. "She''s dead," Dr. Im said flatly. "The golden hour isn''t over. I''ve been timing it," Park Tae-hyun insisted, continuing the compressions. "She can make it, she can make it!" Dr. Im pursed her lips, pushed Park Tae-hyun aside, and took over the compressions. "Your force is too harsh. She''s injured. Ahn Chul, reconnect the equipment and keep trying." Park Tae-hyun stepped back but didn''t argue, his gaze fixed on the girl on the bed. The only relief was that the parents, detained by the traffic police, were oblivious to the chaos unfolding. Dr. Im pressed on, sweat beading on her forehead. She didn''t know why she was pushing so hard, but something in her husband''s eyes unnerved her¡ªa determination she couldn''t quite place. The monitor was reconnected, yet the line remained flat. The nurses stood by, helpless. No hope? Even after her soul was restored, No hope? A heavy sense of loss washed over Park Tae-hyun. "BEEP¡­ BEEP¡­ BEEP¡­" Suddenly, the flatline on the monitor began to flicker. Dr. Im stared at the screen in disbelief. Could this be... A medical miracle? By the time Park Tae-hyun drove home from the hospital, evening had fallen. Dr. Im was at the wheel, and the two sat in silence. Silence had always been the norm in their marriage. In the past, it was Kim Min-woo who''d tried to bridge the gap, but today, it was Dr. Im who spoke first. "Have you studied medicine?" "No," Park Tae-hyun replied. "The technique you used¡ªit was very precise," Dr. Im noted. "I picked it up during my driving test," Park Tae-hyun lied. "But you don''t have a license," Dr. Im frowned. Park Tae-hyun said nothing. Dr. Im let it drop. "Thank you for not giving up today." "You''re welcome," Park Tae-hyun waved it off. In his heart, he still saw himself as a doctor. Saving a patient required no gratitude. The girl remained unconscious, but there was finally hope. "I''m grateful on her behalf," Dr. Im said, checking her phone. "It''s nearly eight. My Mom and Dad are waiting for us." Mom and Dad? Park Tae-hyun''s head throbbed. Was he about to meet his mother-in-law and father-in-law? The car pulled into a high-end residential complex. Tongmyeong, adjacent to Seoul, was situated at the opposite end of the Han River estuary. While not as expensive as Seoul, housing prices here were still steep. Dr. Im parked the car, and they entered the building together. The elevator carried them to their floor, where Dr. Im unlocked the door. The apartment was elegantly furnished, a duplex that signaled the family''s affluence. Park Tae-hyun''s status as a "live-in son-in-law" only reinforced this fact. In the living room, an elderly man with graying hair sat on the sofa, engrossed in a news rebroadcast. He barely acknowledged them as they entered. "Yoon-joo, you''re back," the mother-in-law called from the kitchen, her tone sharp. Dr. Im''s younger sister emerged from her study, nodding at Park Tae-hyun¡ªa silent reminder to mind his manners. Park Tae-hyun washed his hands in the bathroom, where Dr. Im joined him moments later. They both used hand sanitizer, scrubbing meticulously. Dr. Im glanced at Park Tae-hyun a few seconds longer before rinsing her hands and heading into the living room. Park Tae-hyun followed suit, drying his hands before joining everyone. The mother-in-law served dinner with a visibly sour expression, placing each dish with exaggerated force, especially in front of Park Tae-hyun. He took his seat beside Dr. Im. The mother-in-law brought out the rice, her expression stern as she set each bowl down. "Kim Min-woo, do you think we''ve treated you poorly?" she asked before anyone could eat. "Very well," Park Tae-hyun replied. "Then why the cold shoulder last night? Who were you snubbing?" "Mom, let''s eat. He mentioned something about the store," Dr. Im interjected. The mother-in-law and father-in-law exchanged a glance, surprised their eldest daughter was defending her husband. They fell silent, momentarily at a loss. The younger sister watched from the sidelines, equally stunned. She''d never shown interest in her brother-in-law before. Why the sudden change? "Let''s eat," the father-in-law said, picking up his chopsticks. "You too," he added, gesturing at Park Tae-hyun with his chopsticks¡ªa gesture that was rude but implied the prior tension was over. "Wan-joo, try the braised pork. I''ve been cooking it all day," the mother-in-law said, placing a piece in Dr. Im''s bowl and her younger daughter''s. After a pause, she reluctantly added a piece to Park Tae-hyun''s bowl. Park Tae-hyun realized he hadn''t eaten since his resurrection the previous night. He ate without ceremony. The moment the meat hit his mouth, His face contorted. ''Shit......'' A wave of nausea hit him, and his stomach clenched painfully; "Ugh..." Park Tae-hyun gagged, as if the food were poison. The table fell silent. The mother-in-law and father-in-law exchanged a glance. The atmosphere at the dinner table dropped to an icy stillness. 8. A Curse "Excuse me," Park Tae-hyun said, stretching out his hand to indicate he meant no harm. The situation was deeply embarrassing, especially since he had no idea why his father-in-law and mother-in-law disliked him so much. "Are you feeling unwell?" Doctor Im asked, putting down her chopsticks. "I''m fine," Park Tae-hyun replied, picking up his chopsticks again and shoveling rice into his mouth. But before he could swallow, his stomach cramped violently, and a wave of nausea hit him. It felt as though the rice had transformed into something foreign, something toxic. "Ugh..." Park Tae-hyun gagged, spewing out the rice in his mouth. The rice was sprayed across the table, landing on the faces of his father-in-law and mother-in-law. Rice grains clung to his father-in-law''s glasses and hair. His mother-in-law''s hair shimmered with sticky grains. With a *clatter*, the chopsticks in his father-in-law''s hand fell to the floor. His face twitched, a storm of emotions brewing behind his eyes. His mother-in-law inhaled sharply, her eyes blazing with fury. "How dare you!" she exclaimed. *Bang!* She pushed her chair back and stood up. "Kim Min-woo!" she barked. As a retired head nurse, she knew that no illness could cause such a theatrical display. Looking at Park Tae-hyun, he didn''t appear to be on death''s door. This was deliberate action¡ªa rebellion. Park Tae-hyun clutched his chest, rushed to the bathroom, and vomited violently into the toilet. This time, bile rose, bitter in his mouth. This meal was ruined. Doctor Im glanced at Park Tae-hyun, then turned to her younger sister: "Go make some noodles," she said. "Okay," the sister-in-law replied, sticking out her tongue. She''d never seen her brother-in-law act so outrageously. She left the table and hurried to the kitchen. "That''s outrageous, you bastard!" their father-in-law roared, slamming the table and removing his glasses. A retired vice president, he prided himself on his dignity, but today''s events had pushed him past his limit. "I''m going to find that good-for-nothing and ask him what we''ve done to deserve this! We didn''t ask for a penny of dowry at our wedding, and we even funded his bookstore, which went bankrupt. How have we wronged him?" His mother-in-law stormed toward the bathroom. "Mom, clean this up. He''s not feeling well," Doctor Im said, clearing the untouched dishes. "You''re still defending him after this?" the mother-in-law snapped. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "What else is there to say? You threatened to disown me if I didn''t marry," Doctor Im retorted, her resolve unwavering. The mother-in-law fell silent. They had forced their daughter into this marriage, desperate for a grandson. They''d recruited Kim Min-woo as a live-in son-in-law, believing it simple: their grandchildren would carry their surname, and Kim Min-woo, an orphan with a college degree, fit their criteria. The father-in-law retreated to his study, defeated. "Hey, old man, watch your blood pressure," the mother-in-law shouted after him. "Bring Dad a bowl of noodles later," Doctor Im said, turning to the bathroom. The mother-in-law watched her daughter''s back, speechless. Doctor Im found Park Tae-hyun kneeling by the toilet, one hand gripping the rim, the other clutching his chest. "Are you feeling better?" she asked. "Not bad," Park Tae-hyun replied weakly. He''d been fine before dinner, but now... "I asked Xiaoyi to make noodles. You can eat them later," Doctor Im said. At the mention of noodles, another wave of nausea hit Park Tae-hyun, and he dry-heaved. Doctor Im frowned. "Should we go to the hospital?" "No, I''ll skip dinner," Park Tae-hyun insisted, standing and rinsing his mouth at the sink. Tonight''s dinner was doomed to end in disaster. The father-in-law, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law lived on the first floor, while Park Tae-hyun and Doctor Im''s bedrooms were upstairs. After cleaning up, Park Tae-hyun took a shower. Not knowing where his clothes were, he emerged in his damp attire and climbed the stairs. Through the bathroom door, he saw Doctor Im showering. He stood there for a moment, admiring her silhouette, then quietly retreated. People often acted on impulse, and gratitude was no exception. "Thank you," Park Tae-hyun whispered to himself. This was the first time he''d acknowledged any good in Kim Min-woo since taking over his body two days prior. Despite the complicated relationships, his wife was undeniably beautiful. With a mix of fantasy and anticipation, Park Tae-hyun opened the bedroom door. His expression shifted as he noticed the floor mat beside the bed. Even a fool would understand what that implied. Is this guy insane? What''s the point of being a son-in-law like this? Park Tae-hyun took three deep breaths, then lay down on the floor. Sleep, No more trouble. He resolved to focus on gaining independence, whether through money or other means, and to resolve this tangled relationship. Doctor Im emerged from the shower, wearing fluffy blue pajamas that hung loosely on her frame. Park Tae-hyun, lying on the floor, swallowed hard. "Get up," Doctor Im commanded. "Hm?" Park Tae-hyun complied, rising silently and climbing into bed. Doctor Im turned off the lights and settled onto the floor mat. Perhaps this was her silent protest against sharing a bed with Kim Min-woo. Park Tae-hyun sighed. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep. His eyelids drooped, but sleep eluded him. Doctor Im''s steady breathing indicated she''d fallen asleep. Park Tae-hyun wasn''t restless because of her beauty; he was simply exhausted from the day''s events. But sleep wouldn''t come. He lay awake, staring at his hands. Today, these hands had saved the little girl''s life. Though she hadn''t woken up yet, her vital signs had returned¡ªhope remained. Is this the special ability I gained from hell? Or, What did the old man leave behind when he grabbed my wrist before death? But, It feels incredible. As a doctor, how many lives could these hands save? This power transcended medical science, rivaling the skills of legendary physicians like Hua Tuo and Bian Que. Every professional aspired to surpass their predecessors, not for fame or profit, but for a sense of... purpose. But then, Park Tae-hyun felt his arms twitch, followed by searing pain. He gasped and curled into a fetal position. The pain intensified. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He couldn''t endure it any longer and stumbled out of the bedroom. He reached the bathroom, sat on the toilet in the dark, and saw blue veins bulging from his arms to his fingernails. The pain originated there, as if something was gnawing at his bone marrow. What''s happening? This agony made him want to hack off his arms with a kitchen knife. In a daze, fragments of memories surfaced: lying in an ice coffin, nearly cremated, wandering through hell. Is this a curse? A punishment? For coming back from the dead? Or because I used this power to save someone today? Yes, that must be it. Park Tae-hyun inhaled sharply. Had he broken some rule by using this ability, inviting retribution? If I harm someone now, will it stop hurting? A dark fog crept into Park Tae-hyun''s eyes, unnoticed. "Uncle, no smoking in the hospital," the little girl''s voice echoed in his mind. He shook his head violently. No, I saved her, I saved her! No regrets. No regrets! "Mom, are you feeling better now?" "I just came up. You can use the second-floor bathroom." "Alright." His sister-in-law hurried upstairs, unable to hold it any longer. The second-floor bathroom was dark, so she pushed the door open and stepped inside. At that moment, Park Tae-hyun raised his head and looked at her. She looked back. In Park Tae-hyun''s eyes, a faint black mist swirled, radiating an eerie, malevolent force. It was the gaze of a vengeful spirit, filled with curses and madness. "Ahhh!" His sister-in-law screamed in terror and collapsed to the floor. Park Tae-hyun stared at her. She stared back. Then, Park Tae-hyun noticed her pajamas. They were identical to his wife''s. Were you scared to death? haha 9. Unknown Helper A scream pierced the night, jolting the entire household awake. No wonder. Encountering a ghost in the dark bathroom late at night, while desperate to relieve oneself, was terrifying enough. Most people could relate to such a fright. What Im Yoo-jin''s sister-in-law encountered was far worse¡ªa ghost. Im Yoo-jin emerged from the bedroom, reaching out to steady her sister. "What''s wrong? What happened?" The father-in-law and mother-in-law rushed upstairs, finding their youngest daughter sobbing in her sister''s arms. Their gazes then fell on Park Tae-hyun, still seated on the toilet. "Kim Min-woo, you shameless bastard! How dare you target my daughter!" The mother-in-law snatched the broom by the bathroom door, poised to strike. The father-in-law mirrored her fury, ready to confront his son-in-law. Seeing this scene, anyone would naturally jump to conclusions. Park Tae-hyun''s sister-in-law had been terrified. Infidelity with a sister-in-law, after all, as the saying goes, "If the sister-in-law has half of it, it belongs to the brother-in-law." "Mom, Dad, Xiaoyi was scared when she went to the bathroom," Doctor Im interjected. The mother-in-law froze, broom in hand, unsure where to strike. The father-in-law hesitated, then retreated awkwardly. Park Tae-hyun, interrupted, realized the eerie blue veins in his arms had vanished, the searing pain gone. He stood, intending to leave the bathroom. His father-in-law and mother-in-law held no interest for him. He had no intention of cleaning up the mess left by Kim Min-woo''s cowardice. But as Park Tae-hyun rose, his sister-in-law trembled, burrowing into her sister''s embrace. "Ah! Don''t come near us! Don''t come near us!" Park Tae-hyun frowned. What had she seen? "What''s going on?" the mother-in-law demanded, hands on her hips. "Xiaoyi, tell me what happened. Did he hurt you?" The sister-in-law, ever-honest, knew better than to fabricate such tales. "No, I opened the bathroom door and saw him inside. It was terrifying!" After voicing this, she buried her head in her sister''s arms once more. Clearly, it was all a misunderstanding. "You foolish girl! Don''t you know to turn on the light when using the bathroom at night? Do you think my home is yours? Are you trying to bankrupt me with your electricity bills? If you''ve traumatized my daughter, how will you make amends?" A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. The mother-in-law launched into a tirade, nearly poking Park Tae-hyun''s face. Park Tae-hyun, exhausted and irritable from sleep deprivation, had grown tired of the family''s drama. If they hadn''t slept in separate beds, he might have tolerated it. Now, with separate beds, he was done enduring the mother-in-law''s condescension. *Bang!* He swatted away the mother-in-law''s accusing finger. "Leave me alone." The mother-in-law stared, stunned that her usually meek son-in-law dared to defy her. "How dare you speak to me like that? Where are your manners?" the father-in-law barked. "If you want your daughter to become a divorcee, then keep pushing your rules!" Park Tae-hyun retorted, shouldering past his father-in-law and retreating to the bedroom. The door slammed shut. "How outrageous! How outrageous!" the father-in-law fumed, chest heaving. The mother-in-law hurried to calm him, but neither dared press further. Park Tae-hyun''s words hung heavy in the air. Though Xu Le''s in-laws simmered with anger, they knew he held leverage. A divorce would brand their daughter a "second-marriage woman," tarnishing her and the family''s reputation. Park Tae-hyun lay on the bed, breathing deeply, and closed his eyes. He was exhausted. About fifteen minutes later, he heard a voice at the bedroom door: "Xiaoyi is scared. I''ll sleep with her tonight." It was Im Yoo-jin, leaving without another word. The next day at noon, the father-in-law and mother-in-law ate lunch in strained silence. "Has he gone to the bookstore?" the father-in-law asked. "He hasn''t gotten up yet," the mother-in-law replied irritably. "That''s unacceptable," the father-in-law muttered. At that moment, the mother-in-law fell silent, spotting Park Tae-hyun descending the stairs. His eyes were bloodshot, dark circles heavy. The atmosphere grew tense. Perhaps due to last night''s incident, Park Tae-hyun''s status as a son-in-law had shifted slightly. His in-laws held their tongues, wary of provoking him further. Of course, it also helped that Park Tae-hyun looked ready to lash out at any moment. He glanced at the dining table. Park Tae-hyun pressed his hands to his chest. The scent of rice, meat, filled the air, making his stomach churn. He stepped outside, inhaling the cool, fresh air, and felt marginally better. Dizzy and disoriented, Park Tae-hyun wandered the streets alone, seeking quiet to think. But his exhaustion made focus impossible. It was like emerging from an internet caf¨¦ after two sleepless nights, or a middle schooler who''d stayed up all night reading novels, now stumbling to class. As he walked, he stopped abruptly. The surroundings felt familiar. Then he saw the sign ahead: Gangdong First Affiliated Hospital. He''d unconsciously walked to his old workplace. Perhaps because Tongmyeong was such a small city. Park Tae-hyun entered, not to reminisce, but to seek sleeping pills. "I can handle not eating for a while. At worst, I''ll just drink more water. But sleep deprivation is torture." The familiar hospital, the familiar environment, brought a pang of nostalgia. Park Tae-hyun noticed his photo in the emergency department''s directory, now grayed out. He wandered to his old office. His desk was occupied by a new doctor with pockmarked skin. The nameplate read "Kang." He sighed, a mix of regret and resignation. Park Tae-hyun temporarily forgot about the pills. Perhaps it was the feeling of "things have changed, people have changed" that temporarily dulled his exhaustion. He began wandering the hospital, reminiscing about every detail of his life here¡ªhis work, his life, his past. He couldn''t go back, truly couldn''t. Park Tae-hyun kept repeating this to himself. Before he knew it, he found himself at the morgue. As an emergency doctor, Park Tae-hyun knew the layout of this floor. Storage rooms, equipment closets, and then, the morgue. He remembered lying here once, made up by a mortician. He walked forward, drawn by a special chill in the dark. The morgue door had an electronic lock. Fortunately, Park Tae-hyun remembered the code. Password entered, the door clicked open. The cold hit him. Not the kind that stings the skin, but a chill that seemed to seep into the soul. In the morgue, bodies lay in rows, covered in white sheets. Some were wrapped in floral quilts, like the elderly woman with silver hair peeking out. Because of his profession, Park Tae-hyun was not very afraid of corpses. What''s more, he was a ghost himself. He walked to the freezer, layers of drawers for bodies. Labels on the outside detailed each occupant: name, gender, and other information. Park Tae-hyun opened an empty drawer, stepped inside, closed his eyes, and slowly sensed what was going on. Gradually, he felt intoxicated, as if only here could he find peace. After hesitating for a moment, Park Tae-hyun lay down. "Squeak¡­" The drawer was slowly pushed in and finally closed. Quiet, ice cold, silently, Park Tae-hyun slowly closed his eyelids. I feel sleepy. He finally found the feeling of sleep. But he couldn''t sleep yet. Because He was Alone in the Morgue. He didn''t know, Who was standing outside just now and Helped him push the drawer in? 10. A Request from Dead [Bonus Chapter] Park Tae-hyun stretched his legs, trying to push himself out of the confined space, but a sharp click echoed from outside. The lock had been fastened. Trapped. No way out. For a brief moment, a wave of d¨¦j¨¤ vu washed over him. It was as if he had returned to that moment¡ªthe moment they forced him into that cramped coffin. But this time, there was no panic, no rage. He simply raised a hand and knocked against the metal plate above his head. "What now?" Someone had pushed him into this ice coffin and locked it. That much was clear. But unless they were utterly deranged, they wouldn''t have done it just for fun. And Park Tae-hyun didn''t believe his luck was that miserable. Besides¡­ He had locked the morgue door himself when he came in. Who else could know the access code? Would you believe a lunatic had randomly stumbled in and done this? Yeah. Neither would he. The only explanation was that something had helped him¡ªcompletely, thoroughly. But there was no answer to his question. The silence outside remained undisturbed. He exhaled softly. Then, without another thought, he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to take him. This time, sleep came quickly. He hadn''t rested in two days. Too much had happened. His body was screaming for relief, exhaustion wrapping around him like an iron weight. Even if the world drowned in a flood after his death¡­ Right now, no one could stop him from sleeping. He didn''t know how long he was out. But when Park Tae-hyun''s eyes fluttered open, he felt¡­ different. Refreshed. The weight of exhaustion had lifted. Unfortunately, so had the warmth in his body. A deep, bone-chilling cold had set in. His limbs felt stiff, almost frozen solid. He shifted slightly, the cramped space making movement difficult. The faint sound of cracking joints filled the silence, like ice snapping beneath a heavy boot. Oddly enough, it felt¡­ good. A wave of comfort spread through him, almost pleasurable. His nails, all ten of them, had grown unnaturally long¡ªdark, gleaming with an eerie luster. As if the stiffness and biting cold in his body were retreating, drawn toward the sharp tips of his fingers. The transformation didn''t last long. But when it was over, the cold no longer bothered him. His foot pressed forward again. Slide. The ice coffin moved effortlessly. Unlocked? A flicker of surprise crossed his face. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. He sat up, stepped down onto the cold steel floor, and pushed the ice coffin back into place. His clothes had stiffened, hanging off him like pieces of cardboard, adding to his discomfort. His eyes swept across the morgue. The hospital''s morgue wasn''t particularly large¡ªnothing like those sprawling ones in major cities¡ªbut it held its fair share of the dead. His gaze landed on the row of covered bodies. Nothing seemed unusual. The old woman, still wrapped in her floral quilt, remained in the same position. And yet¡­ something felt off. Park Tae-hyun frowned. He remembered clearly¡ªbefore he fell asleep, her head and feet had been facing a certain way. Now, they were reversed. A mistake? Unlikely. The morgue attendant wouldn''t sneak in just to flip a corpse over and then leave without doing anything else. His fingers drummed lightly against the metal tray. "If it was you," he said aloud, voice calm but firm, "this is your chance to come out." No response. She had locked him in, that much was clear. But she had also quietly unlocked the coffin for him while he slept. That meant she wasn''t trying to harm him. Perhaps she had regretted it. Perhaps someone else had come, noticed the unlocked coffin, and left. He waited. Thirty seconds passed. Nothing. Just as he was about to turn and leave¡ª A sigh. Soft. Lingering. It sent a strange chill down his spine. Park Tae-hyun''s lips curled in distaste. Twisting hesitation. Wanting to flee yet wanting to stay. A refusal mixed with reluctant longing. This wasn''t a romantic drama. She was an old woman when she died, so why act like some lovesick girl? Yes, it was wrong to judge based on appearances. But let''s be honest¡ªpeople tend to be a little more tolerant toward beautiful female ghosts. That''s just human nature. Would Ning Caichen still have fallen in love with Nie Xiaoqian if she had been a wrinkled old woman with yellowed teeth? Doubtful. He turned. An elderly woman with silver hair crouched on the floor, dabbing at her eyes with a faded white handkerchief. She was weeping. Or at least¡­ trying to. But ghosts don''t have tears. So from his perspective, she simply looked like she was howling. "Go on. Cry your heart out. I won''t stop you." Park Tae-hyun turned away, preparing to leave. He was, at the end of the day, still human. Even when dealing with ghosts, he had his preferences. "Help me. I have money." His steps halted. "Hmph." His lips twitched into a faint smirk. He was short on money. Kim Min-woo¡ªdamn him¡ªhad barely 40,000 won left in his bank and mobile payment accounts combined. Add the 110,000 won sent by the "murderer," and his total fortune amounted to a pitiful 150,000 won. His house? Gone. His savings? Donated to an orphanage. He was truly, utterly broke. "Where?" he asked simply. "My cabinet. An old, yellow-painted one in my house. There''s 30 Million won inside. Also, my dowry¡ªjade hairpins, jade bracelets. I don''t know their worth." "You died suddenly and didn''t get the chance to tell your sons?" She nodded. Park Tae-hyun let out a slow breath. "Fine. I''ll take my share." The old woman hesitated, but in the end, she nodded. She knew the truth. Without his help, her sons might never find the wealth she left behind. After leaving the hospital, he hailed a taxi to Seongdong Town in the TZ district. It wasn''t far¡ªHanam Airport was located there. He had already checked the hospital records. The old woman had died in the hospital after failing to receive proper treatment. Her family had abandoned the body, leaving behind unpaid medical bills. It took half an hour to reach the village she described. Her home was a two-story house, but beside it stood a smaller, aged brick hut. Workers were already in the process of tearing it down. Park Tae-hyun approached one of them, offering a cigarette. "Working even this close to New Year?" "Just trying to earn a little more before the holidays," the man chuckled. "Whose house is this?" The worker glanced toward the hut. Inside, workers had already removed the roof, and the walls were being dismantled brick by brick. The old woman''s yellow cabinet? Gone. Not even a stool remained. "Their mother lived here alone before she passed. Now, they''re demolishing it to build a new Restaurant." The worker leaned closer as he lit his cigarette. "The guy who just walked by? That''s the eldest son." Park Tae-hyun''s gaze followed. A middle-aged man with graying hair. Bruises marred his face. "The five brothers have been fighting over their mother''s money. None of them even wants to pay the hospital bills." The worker exhaled a puff of smoke. "As for the stuff inside? Sold it all to a junk dealer when the old lady was first hospitalized." Park Tae-hyun chuckled darkly. Not only had the mother left with nothing, but even her sons had missed out. And him? He had made the trip for nothing. His patience was wearing thin. He needed money. Not for luxury. But at the very least¡ª He needed a freezer. Or was he supposed to sleep in the morgue every night? 11. Hungry Unease. Excitement. A hint of reluctant anticipation. Park Tae-hyun sat in the backseat of a taxi, watching the dim city lights blur past as he headed toward the outskirts of Tongmyeong. His fingers tapped restlessly against his thigh. He was short on money. Very short on money. But he wasn''t desperate for a lot of money. Not yet. After all, he had already died once. It wasn''t like he had grand plans for a luxurious second life. No, all he needed was enough¡ªenough to settle lingering debts, enough to deal with the complications of his resurrection, enough to carve out a place for himself in this world before making any long-term decisions. For instance, leaving the Im family. Im Yoo-jin was undeniably beautiful, poised, and graceful. But the thought of returning to that household? Of living under the weight of a marriage that neither of them had ever truly cared for? It exhausted him. There was no love lost between them, no real connection beyond the legalities of their union. Even before his death, Kim Min-woo had lived as if he were a stranger in his own home¡ªhis father-in-law and mother-in-law treating him like an afterthought, his wife as a mere obligation. So saying goodbye carried no guilt. But leaving meant being prepared. He needed a place to stay. He needed a freezer¡ªone of decent quality, not some second-hand relic that might malfunction and turn him into an actual corpse. Money. Even ghosts needed money. Yet something gnawed at him. The man who had called earlier¡ªthe one who seemed to know him¡ªunsettled him. Kim Min-woo, in his past life, had been a mild-mannered, submissive husband. The kind of man who let his in-laws trample over him, who slept in a separate bed from his own wife. But the way that man spoke¡­ The certainty in his voice¡­ It was as if Kim Min-woo had once been someone entirely different. A hidden life. A double identity. The kind of dramatic twist you''d expect from an American crime show, where the most unassuming characters turned out to be ruthless masterminds. Like Peter Parker being Spider-Man. Or Clark Kent being Superman. Except this wasn''t fiction. And he had no idea how deep this rabbit hole went. So how the hell was he supposed to deal with it? The last thing he needed was unnecessary trouble. If his new existence became tangled with criminal activity, there''d be no escaping the consequences. The police in the real world wouldn''t let it slide. And then there was that ominous warning from the faceless woman and the old man¡ªsomething was out there, hunting for him. The cab slowed to a stop. Park Tae-hyun stepped out, his breath visible in the cold night air. Ahead of him stood an abandoned fertilizer factory¡ªits rusted gates hanging slightly ajar, the faint scent of decay seeping from within. Two figures crouched at the entrance. One wore a tattered military coat, the other a cheap, ill-fitting suit. Both had cigarettes dangling from their lips, the orange embers glowing faintly in the dark. They eyed him as he approached. The man in the military coat stood first, flicking his cigarette to the ground. His voice was deep, gravelly. "Boss is waiting." The man in the suit barely spared him a glance, continuing to puff away as if he were keeping watch. Park Tae-hyun followed without a word. Inside, the air was thick with dust and stale alcohol. At the center of the room sat a broad-shouldered man¡ªa shaved head, a thick gold chain hanging around his neck. He lounged in a plastic chair, a half-empty bottle of liquor in one hand. The moment he saw Park Tae-hyun, he grinned and stood. "Brother Min-woo, you finally made it." Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Park Tae-hyun kept his expression blank, his fingers flexing behind his back. There were only three of them. He could take them down easily if needed. But then what? If he involved the police, he''d be dragged into this mess as a witness. And handling things himself? Killing them? He wasn''t eager to test what consequences might come with that. The fat man clapped a greasy hand on his shoulder. "Where''s the goods?" Park Tae-hyun inhaled deeply, resisting the urge to slap the man''s hand away. "Lead the way." The fat man gestured toward the back, guiding him toward a small warehouse. As they stepped inside, Park Tae-hyun''s eyes widened slightly. The goods were stacked in neat, towering piles. Black oil-paper packages, stacked high like a miniature mountain. His stomach twisted. He had never been involved in anything illegal before, but he wasn''t naive. If this was what he thought it was, the sheer quantity alone was enough to get someone executed. Not just Tongmyeong, then. Had they looted an entire drug cartel? The fat man chuckled, stretching lazily. "Tongmyeong''s too small. This batch will be moving through Hanam to Seoul." Park Tae-hyun''s lips thinned. This wasn''t some back-alley operation. This was organized crime. "¡­Hard to distribute quickly, isn''t it?" he asked, feigning casual interest. Drugs weren''t vegetables. You couldn''t just load them onto a cart and start shouting about discounts. The fat man waved a dismissive hand. "That''s why we distribute. Less profit, but faster turnover. We clear this batch, move onto the next. Easy money." Park Tae-hyun exhaled slowly. Kim Min-woo¡­ you were seriously involved in this? And yet, you died over a measly 300 won? The fat man strode forward, reaching for one of the packages. "Come, check the quality yourself¡ª" He peeled back the oil-paper. Park Tae-hyun stared. Then blinked. Then stared again. Books. CDs. Stacks of pirated novels and bootlegged movies. His fingers twitched. You''ve got to be fucking kidding me. The fat man beamed. "Thanks to your classmate, getting this batch was a breeze. These are all fresh releases¡ªhot off the market! Oh, and I threw in some ''special interest'' movies too." His grin widened. "And your masterpiece! That 20-volume sequel you wrote for Bai Jie? People are lining up to buy it." Park Tae-hyun stood motionless, a vein pulsing in his forehead. Disappointment. Embarrassment. Utter, soul-crushing shame. Kim Min-woo¡ªthis so-called big shot¡ªwasn''t a drug kingpin. He was a bootlegger. An underground novelist. And he had written a two-million-word fanfiction sequel to cash in on a market trend. "...How much can I cash out?" he asked flatly. The fat man blinked. "Cash out?" "I''m done. I want out." The fat man gaped. "Brother Min-woo, we''re on the verge of making bank, and you want to back out now?" Park Tae-hyun sighed. "It''s not in line with core values." The room fell silent. Then: "¡­" Fat man. "¡­" Military coat guy. After a long pause, the fat man finally held up four fingers. "You invested 400,000 won." "Fine. Give me my money." About fifteen minutes later, Park Tae-hyun, with 400,000 won in his pocket, booked a ride back to the city. He didn''t head straight to the bookstore. Instead, he stopped at an appliance market. A freezer wasn''t just a purchase. It was a necessity. Something sturdy. Reliable. Something that wouldn''t suddenly break down and turn him into a frozen corpse-sicle. So, even though it pained him to part with the money, he spent over 2 million won on a high-end model¡ªone typically used by restaurants to store meat. It was large, industrial-grade, and built to last. The shop owner, eager to make a sale, arranged for a small truck to deliver it directly to his bookstore. By the time the driver and Park Tae-hyun finished moving the damn thing inside, the driver looked¡­ confused. "Boss," he asked hesitantly, wiping sweat from his forehead, "why does a bookstore need a freezer?" Park Tae-hyun handed him a cigarette. "Business is bad. Gonna sell seafood on the side." The driver accepted the cigarette without pressing further. As long as the delivery was complete, he wasn''t about to question a man''s alternative business strategies. There was a small second floor in the bookstore, originally used for storing books. After clearing out some space, Park Tae-hyun carefully set up the freezer. Then, he stood back and stared at it. His new bed. There was something deeply, deeply pathetic about this entire situation. But, strangely enough, for the first time since he woke up in this second life¡­ he felt secure. He finally had a place to rest. Letting out a long exhale, he ran a hand through his hair before heading back downstairs. And then¡ª Someone was in his bookstore. Not a customer. His wife. Doctor Im. She sat on the worn-out couch, flipping through a magazine with the detached ease of someone waiting for time to pass. When she noticed him coming down the stairs, she glanced up and asked, "What were you doing up there?" He didn''t miss the hint of suspicion in her voice. "Sorting the Excess Stock," he replied casually. Doctor Im didn''t press. Instead, she set the magazine aside, crossed her legs, and said, "I just got off work." "Hmm." She wasn''t going to sleep with him anyway, so it didn''t matter. "The girl you saved woke up", she continued, her voice carrying a strange note of emphasis. "Her father wants to treat everyone in our department to dinner at the Tongmyeong Int. Hotel. You should come." Park Tae-hyun raised a brow. "Why?" Doctor Im leaned back against the couch. "Because when she woke up, she kept calling ''uncle''." Her eyes locked onto his. "Have you met her before?" Even if someone was unconscious, they could still sense things, right? That was the logic he went with. "When I saved her, she must''ve felt it I guess," he said smoothly. Doctor Im studied him for a moment. "Are you going?" she asked. "No," he replied without hesitation. "Not hungry. Don''t have much of an appetite these days." She didn''t push. Instead, she stood, ready to leave. But when she reached the door, she paused, turning slightly. "Are you coming home tonight?" Back to this old tiresome question. If he went home with her, she wouldn''t sleep with him anyway, plus he''d have to listen to his in-laws'' tantrums. So the answer was obvious. "No," he said flatly. "The Stores'' Been busy." Business was dead. The bookstore was as quiet as a morgue. But he didn''t want to go into length with her. Doctor Im hesitated for a brief second before pulling out her car keys. She didn''t argue. Didn''t scold. Just accepted it. like usual. And then¡ª A loud dhuff echoed through the bookstore. Doctor Im turned sharply. Her husband had collapsed against a bookshelf, sending books tumbling to the floor. Her eyes widened. "What''s wrong with you?" She rushed toward him. Park Tae-hyun''s vision blurred. His chest heaved, and he completely lost balance. It was like the ground had turned into cotton, like his limbs had forgotten how to hold him up. His breath came out shaky. Weak. His fingers curled against the wooden floor. "I''m so fucking hungry," he rasped. A shudder ran down his spine. Because that was when it truly hit him. He hadn''t eaten in days. 12. Noodle House Next to the bookstore was a noodle house, but business was as bleak as Park Tae-hyun''s. Customers were rare, and the place was often empty, much like his own store. This whole pedestrian street had been built around a commercial square, a grand project that had since crumbled into irrelevance. Shops had shut down, one by one, leaving behind a husk of empty storefronts. Only a lone movie theater remained, stubbornly clinging to life. The rest? Forgotten. At least the noodle shop had takeout orders to sustain it. Books, though? No one was suddenly going to feel intellectually starved and order a few paperbacks for delivery. Park Tae-hyun leaned back in his chair, still feeling lightheaded. Across from him, Doctor Im sat quietly. She unfolded a tissue and carefully wiped the chopsticks before placing them in front of him. That quiet, almost mechanical gentleness. Just like when she let Kim Min-woo sleep on the bed while she took the floor. A quiet kindness, but never warmth. She was cold. And for all this time, Park Tae-hyun had never bothered to ask: Did she hate the idea of an arranged marriage? Or was it that she simply had no interest in men at all? It didn''t matter. He had inherited Kim Min-woo''s life, but he had no interest in the entanglements that came with it. Doctor Im''s voice was calm, but her gaze was sharp. "Are you sure you''re okay?" "It''s nothing." Park Tae-hyun waved it off. "Just a minor problem." He knew better than anyone that it wasn''t. His body wasn''t operating under the rules of modern medicine. He didn''t eat, and yet he persisted. When he did eat, it barely settled inside him. He needed rest. At least he had found a solution for that. But food? That was a problem he hadn''t solved. "You don''t have an appetite?" Dr. Im asked. "Try some sour plum juice first." The noodle shop''s owner, a man in his early thirties with deep lines of exhaustion carved into his face, smiled as he placed the cup down. Life had not been kind to him, but he bore it with patience. "Sour plum juice? Does that actually help?" Park Tae-hyun muttered. "Yes, it has a lot of medicinal benefits." The shop owner turned his head. "Honey, are the vegetable noodles ready?" He stepped into the back, his voice blending with his wife''s as they exchanged a few casual words. Park Tae-hyun stared at the deep red liquid in front of him. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Then he scooped up a spoonful and swallowed. The moment it hit his throat, his entire body seized up. "Shit..." It was like drinking liquid lightning. The sheer sourness sent a violent shudder through him, making his stomach clench in revolt. It was so intense that it drowned out the nausea completely. Doctor Im, ever observant, held a tissue under his chin, just in case. "What''s wrong?" Park Tae-hyun gritted his teeth. "This is¡­ unbelievably sour." "Here you go, the noodles." The noodle shop''s proprietress arrived, placing the bowl down with an apologetic smile. "You shouldn''t drink the sour plum juice so fast." Doctor Im glanced at the noodles and frowned. "These are overcooked." The proprietress hesitated, looking guilty. "That''s just how we make them¡­" "It''s fine." Park Tae-hyun waved her off. He didn''t care if they were soft, chewy, or completely mushy. He just needed to eat. With the grim determination of a man walking to his execution, he downed the rest of the sour plum juice in one go. It burned through his stomach like acid, but the nausea stayed buried. This was his chance. He grabbed the chopsticks, shoved the noodles into his mouth, and ate. Fast. He barely chewed, swallowing them down in rapid succession. Bite after bite, he forced it into himself before his stomach could change its mind. Five, six mouthfuls. Then, with one last tilt of the bowl, he drank the soup down. A deep breath. Then, a loud clatter. He slammed the empty bowl onto the table. Sweat dripped from his forehead. His hands trembled. But¡ª He did it. The food was inside him. Now, all he had to do was hold it down. His fingers dug into his chest as a violent wave of nausea surged back. His whole body fought to expel what he had just eaten. He clenched his teeth, forcing himself to endure. No. No matter what, he wouldn''t throw it up. He had won. Doctor Im and the proprietress stared at him in stunned silence. "¡­You were really hungry," the proprietress finally said. "Want another bowl?" "No," Park Tae-hyun rasped. She smiled, gathering the empty dishes. "Alright. Honey, start prepping for the afternoon takeout orders." As she disappeared into the back room, Park Tae-hyun found himself watching her go. Her face was plain, her figure unremarkable¡ªexcept for the weight she carried in her chest and hips¡ªa quiet sort of attractiveness, born from exhaustion and reality. Doctor Im''s voice broke his thoughts. "Is that your type?" Park Tae-hyun blinked. He had been staring. "¡­No." He shook his head. If he had a type, it was someone like her. Someone who refused to let him close. And maybe that was exactly why it bothered him. "Not going home?" Doctor Im asked again. "No." She nodded, accepting his answer without argument. "Call me if you need anything." And with that, she left. Park Tae-hyun remained seated, staring after her Porsche Cayenne as it disappeared down the road. A cigarette was placed in front of him. "On the house." The noodle shop owner sat down across from him. "We''re neighbors. No need to be so formal over a bowl of noodles." Park Tae-hyun lit the cigarette. "Won''t your wife get mad?" The shop owner laughed, full of a man''s confidence. "She has no say in these things." No one wanted to admit they feared their wives. Not publicly. No one wanted to admit they were weak. Park Tae-hyun took a slow drag. "Your wife is beautiful." A pause. That was a dangerous joke. The shop owner''s smile faded. His fingers twitched, a suppressed reaction. Park Tae-hyun exhaled smoke. The tension between them stretched. "¡­Was that a joke too far?" The shop owner''s expression remained unreadable. "I haven''t hit anyone in a long time." "Call your wife out." Park Tae-hyun''s voice was calm. "I''d like to ask her out." The man took a step forward. Then another. Park Tae-hyun didn''t move. "Call her." The noodle shop owner froze. His face drained of color. Slowly, Park Tae-hyun stood up. He walked past him, towards the back room, and pulled aside the curtain. No one was inside. No woman. No presence. Only¡ª A skin. A human skin, stretched out on a hanger, gently swaying as the wind from the open curtain passed through. The noodle shop owner''s voice was eerily calm. "How did you know?" Park Tae-hyun turned, his lips curling into something that wasn''t quite a smile. "You messed with me," he said softly. "Now I''m messing with you." He took a step forward. "Now¡­" His gaze locked onto the shop owner''s face. "¡­why don''t you take off your skin, too?" 12. Interesting Neighbour Noodle Shop Owner Smiled. Not with anger, not with irritation¡ªjust amusement, light and effortless, as if the situation unfolding before him was nothing more than an insignificant joke. But a person''s presence speaks louder than their words. Then came the sound. A soft, lingering hiss. Like silk being torn apart. Like a snake shedding its old, withered skin. Park Tae-hyun watched as the man in front of him began to peel himself away. The transformation was slow, deliberate. The skin sloughed off in thin sheets, curling at the edges like old wallpaper loosening in a damp room. And at the same time, his entire body began to shrink¡ªhis broad frame collapsing inward, his solid build thinning out, as if a slow leak had sprung from within. Like a balloon deflating. What remained was a young man. Still dressed in the apron, still wearing the same clothes¡ªbut everything else had changed. His face was youthful, smooth, carrying an air of natural seduction. His lips curved in a smile that seemed effortlessly captivating, neither forced nor exaggerated, just enough to tug at the senses. And his eyes¡ª Something about the way they slanted ever so slightly, the way they shimmered with veiled amusement¡ª It was charming. It was not the kind of charm that came from looking alone, but something deeper, something instinctive. Some men were born with it¡ªan allure that blurred the lines of attraction, that unsettled expectations. History had seen emperors abandon their kingdoms for men like this. Men who were more captivating than women themselves. "Am I good-looking?" The question came smoothly, as if it were nothing more than idle conversation. Park Tae-hyun felt his stomach lurch. His nausea, forcibly suppressed after the unfortunate meal, threatened to rise again. He waved a hand weakly in front of his face, a gesture somewhere between refusal and surrender, then placed a hand over his chest as if physically restraining himself from vomiting. ¡ªEvery grain of food on a plate is hard-earned. That was a principle he lived by. Food was to be respected, cherished¡ªespecially the food that had already made the arduous journey down his throat, on the verge of being transformed into the energy his body needed. The young man sat down on a nearby chair, spinning a lighter between his fingers with absent-minded ease. He wasn''t looking at Park Tae-hyun with malice, nor curiosity¡ªjust a casual sort of amusement. Because he had been found out. He had thought his disguise was perfect that no one would notice. But here, in this tiny noodle shop, someone had seen through him. More than anything, it was disappointing. All those years of practice, all those years spent perfecting every expression, every movement, every nuance¡ª For nothing. After all, he had spent his entire life watching. Memorizing. Ever since he was a child, he had studied his parents. Every motion, every word, every shift in tone¡ªit was carved into his bones, etched into his very being. He had simply become them. "How did you find me?" the young man asked at last. "You''re not a ghost?" Park Tae-hyun responded at the same time. A flicker of confusion crossed the young man''s face. For a moment, he thought he was being mocked. That Park Tae-hyun was ridiculing him, playing along with some joke at his expense. But no. Park Tae-hyun was serious. He had thought, from the very beginning, that he was dealing with a ghost. He didn''t want to meddle. Hell, not long ago, he had been struggling just to get enough money for a freezer. He wasn''t exactly in a position to go around sticking his nose into other people''s business. But this¡ª This was happening right next door. It was one thing to avoid unnecessary trouble. It was another thing to ignore something unraveling right in front of him. So he had made a choice. If it was something small, something he could deal with¡ªhe would handle it. If not¡ª He would just leave. "Your nails," Park Tae-hyun said simply. "I''m a little sensitive to nails." The lady boss had handed him his noodles. The boss had handed him a cigarette. Two different people. But the same nails. The thickness, the shape, the level of calluses on their fingers¡ªthose varied. But the patterns, the fine ridges on the nails themselves¡ªthose remained the same. Park Tae-hyun had been paying more attention to nails lately. Not just his own, but others'' as well. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. And this time¡ª He had noticed. The young man narrowed his eyes, an unmistakable flicker of frustration crossing his face. A detail overlooked. A mistake was made. For all his efforts, for all the work he had put into this craft, this was where he had been found out. A single misstep. "Are you not a ghost?" Park Tae-hyun asked again. The young man exhaled, then reached out and grabbed Park Tae-hyun''s hand, pressing it against his chest. "Painted Skin is a skill passed down from my ancestors," he said quietly. "It''s just that it has been discontinued for many generations. Only in my lifetime has it been revived." The gesture was intimate. A little too close. But more than that¡ª It was strange. Instinctively, Park Tae-hyun gave a slight squeeze. Soft. Too soft. Like there was nothing beneath the surface, like there were no bones at all. His brows furrowed. "No bones?" A pause. Then¡ª"No, it''s osteomalacia." Rickets. A disease caused by calcium deficiency, preventing bones from hardening properly. Park Tae-hyun had been a doctor, after all. He knew these things. But this¡ª This was extreme. There were old records¡ªunofficial histories¡ªof a prince from the State of Lu, born with a body so fragile, so pliant, that he could move like a snake, slip through the smallest of spaces. "You can think of it as a genetic condition," the young man said lightly. "A rare one. Many generations of my family couldn''t become Painted Skin because they didn''t have it. But I..." He trailed off with a smile. "So, you''re really not a ghost?" Park Tae-hyun pressed. The young man looked at him seriously for the first time. "My name is Baek Cheong-won," he said. Park Tae-hyun exhaled, rubbing his temples. "...Who were you imitating?" "My parents." Silence. Park Tae-hyun blinked. Then he let out a soft, bitter chuckle. Alright. This was a big misunderstanding. A long exhale, then: "Then... I''m sorry." "I''m not angry," Im Cheong-won replied. "But I am curious¡ªwhy do you keep treating me like a ghost?" Park Tae-hyun hesitated. Then¡ª "It''s nothing." A pause. "Have you seen a ghost before?" Baek Cheong-won asked. Park Tae-hyun met his gaze. His voice, when it came, was quiet. Serious. "I am a ghost." The words hung between them, weighty, unshakable. For a moment, Baek Cheong-won simply stared. Then¡ª Laughter. Soft, incredulous laughter, as if he had just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world. He looked at Park Tae-hyun like he was a fool. Like he was insane. And Park Tae-hyun just nodded. Because that was how it always was. Tell someone the truth, and they would think you were joking. Lie to them¡ª And they would believe every word. Then, he couldn''t help but burst into laughter. Looking at Park Tae-hyun, It was like looking at an idiot. Park Tae-hyun simply nodded. Sometimes, it was just like this¡ªyou tell someone the truth, yet they think you''re joking. And when you try to joke, they believe it completely. "Anyway, my apologies. But I have to ask¡ªwas that human skin real?" Park Tae-hyun asked, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Fish skin," Baek Cheong-won replied matter-of-factly. "Processed, painted, and shaped." "Then what kind of noodles are you actually selling?" Park Tae-hyun was confused. "I''ve heard that the Hezhe people make clothes out of snakeskin and sell them as expensive art pieces. Wouldn''t your stuff be worth even more?" "I can''t make a business out of something that was passed down from my ancestors." "Then you must be rich already," Park Tae-hyun speculated. "My family''s house was just demolished," Baek Cheong-won said casually. "We got more than twenty new apartments in compensation." "..." Park Tae-hyun took a deep breath. The world was just so unfair. In his past life, he had worked tirelessly in a hospital, struggling to save lives. Even after years of grinding effort, he barely made any money. Meanwhile, some people simply had their houses torn down and ended up with more property than they knew what to do with. Even though Tongmyeong wasn''t as expensive as Seoul, housing prices were still steep. A second-generation rich kid through demolition compensation¡­ How enviable. Park Tae-hyun shook his head. "Are you planning to keep running this noodle shop?" "Are you planning to keep running this bookstore?" Both of them asked their questions at the same time. "Let''s wait and see," Park Tae-hyun replied. "Same here." "Well, I''ll be going. By the way, do you have any other flavors of sujeonggwa?" Park Tae-hyun asked, suddenly curious. "Like¡­ bitter melon flavor? Grape flavor?" "I have a secret recipe. You can try making it yourself," Baek Cheong-won replied honestly. "Good idea." Park Tae-hyun reached out and patted him on the shoulder. Damn. It was like touching cotton. Soft, weak, and boneless. If he held him in his arms and lay on a bed¡­ Park Tae-hyun immediately shoved that thought away, forcing an image of Dr. Im stepping out of the shower in his pajamas to suppress the rising absurdity in his mind. With that, he turned and left the noodle shop. Inside, Baek Cheong-won walked into the back room, pulling aside a curtain. His gaze fell on a human-shaped skin hanging from a wooden rack. "Mom," he murmured, "do you think he actually believed me, or was he just pretending?" The woman''s skin swayed gently. Just a little. As if to say¡ªhe didn''t believe it. Or perhaps¡ªit wasn''t sure, either. When Park Tae-hyun returned to the bookstore, he found that the new freezer had been delivered and installed. Next, he would need to renovate the place. He couldn''t just let this bookstore continue to rot away. The sign above the LED entrance read "Kim Bookstore", looking as outdated and lifeless as possible. This place, in that guy''s hands, radiated an aura of "doomed to fail"¡ªfrom top to bottom, inside and out. Sitting down in front of his computer, Park Tae-hyun attempted to log into his old account. Several tries later, he gave up. The identity verification wouldn''t go through, and there was no way to appeal it. With a sigh, he stepped out and hailed a taxi. He figured he should get a new sign or at least a pair of wooden plaques for the door. He knew an old man who ran a wood-carved plaque shop. The guy had been donating to an orphanage for decades¡ªeven back when Park Tae-hyun himself was living there. When he grew up and started working, they had donated together. The shop wasn''t far, nestled at the base of Wolves'' Mountain. Unlike the surrounding stores selling incense and candles for temple-goers, this one specialized in hand-carved wooden signs. But when Park Tae-hyun arrived, he found the place in the middle of a deep clean. Even the sign had been taken down. A middle-aged man was directing workers, overseeing the changes. "Who are you?" the man asked when he noticed Park Tae-hyun. "I''m looking for Mr. Jang," Park Tae-hyun said, feeling a sense of unease. He had always respected the old man. "I''m sorry," the middle-aged man said. "My father passed away last month." "¡­Gone?" A quiet moment passed. He and Mr. Jang weren''t particularly close, but they had known each other. It wasn''t surprising that he hadn''t been notified of the funeral. And considering how Mr. Jang had always donated his earnings to the orphanage, his family probably had no goodwill left for it. They wouldn''t have wanted the orphanage to show up, just in case they asked for more money. "Are you here for a plaque?" the man asked. "Yeah." "We''re not making them anymore," the man said. "From now on, we''re selling incense and candles instead." Wolves'' Mountain was one of the country''s smaller Buddhist pilgrimage sites. Even if it didn''t attract foreign tourists, locals still came to pray and make offerings. That alone was enough to make a living off temple commerce. It was just how things worked. "That''s a shame," Park Tae-hyun said quietly. Maybe he''d visit Mr. Jang''s grave later. "But," the middle-aged man added, "we still have a few plaques my father made before he passed. He never told us what they were for, and they weren''t custom orders. If you want one, I''ll sell it cheap. Otherwise, they''re just going to waste." "Alright," Park Tae-hyun said. "Let me take a look." Following the man into a small back courtyard, he watched as the warehouse door was unlocked and the lights switched on. Inside, Mr. Jang''s old carving tools lay abandoned. No one had inherited his craft. The world had moved on. People preferred glowing LED signs now¡ªwhy bother with something painstakingly hand-carved? With a sigh, the middle-aged man brushed dust off a stack of plaques and said, "Take a look. Two hundred won each. If you want them, take them. If not, no big deal." Clearly, he didn''t expect anyone to actually want them. Park Tae-hyun crouched down and examined the first plaque. "Life and death are determined by fate. Wealth and honor are decreed by the heavens." He shook his head. The middle-aged man sighed, already resigned. The second plaque read: "People fear ghosts because they do not understand them. But ghosts fear humans¡­ because they know them too well." Park Tae-hyun hesitated. His fingers brushed the lettering. Something about it struck a nerve. This time, the middle-aged man didn''t sigh. He didn''t need to. No one in their right mind would hang something like this on a storefront. The third plaque: "Just listen. This is what I''ve heard." A slow smile crept onto Park Tae-hyun''s face. The middle-aged man saw it and smiled, too. There was always at least one person who understood. 14. First Customer After bringing the plaque back, Park Tae-hyun planned to nail it on both sides. He didn''t care which one was on the left or the right. The neighbor next door, Baek Cheong-won, was very enthusiastic. He was squatting at the door, peeling garlic. When he saw Park Tae-hyun preparing to hang the plaque, he directly took out a hammer and nails from his house. Park Tae-hyun said thank you and picked up the hammer. It felt a bit greasy and heavy in his hand. Enduring some discomfort, he still nailed the two plaques on. Then, the two of them took a few steps back together, looking at the plaque, the door, and the bookstore. Park Tae-hyun handed Baek Cheong-won a cigarette as a thank you, and Baek Cheong-won lit it for Park Tae-hyun. They blew out smoke rings together. Perfect sync. "You got the artistic conception, right?" Park Tae-hyun said. This was a standard self-praise. "You''re still too literary. Your store will still lose money," Baek Cheong-won''s comment was blunt. "Why?" "There are too many stories in this world, and all kinds of bizarre things happen every day, but there are not many truly interesting things. Some things are meaningless to talk about. Some things cannot be spoken at all. Some things will not be listened to unless you change them. There are some things that I dare not listen to unless I change them." Park Tae-hyun looked at Baek Cheong-won for a long time. Baek Cheong-won lowered his head slightly, blushing. He was a man with a charming manner, naturally attractive, and at this moment, he was even more gorgeous. Seeing that Park Tae-hyun didn''t say anything, Baek Cheong-won continued: "For example, how could mountain spirits, fox fairies, and ghosts exist in the real world?" Baek Cheong-won yawned. "How can the truth of using fake things to illustrate the truth be true?" Park Tae-hyun continued to look at Baek Cheong-won without saying anything. Baek Cheong-won felt his scalp tingling under the gaze. But Park Tae-hyun continued to look at him. Finally, Baek Cheong-won waved his hand and said he was going back to make the soup base. As he walked back to the noodle shop, he felt like a thorn in his side because, just now, it felt as though Park Tae-hyun wasn''t looking at him. But watching a joke. Park Tae-hyun ignored Baek Cheong-won. Since they were neighbors, they should just keep to themselves. They were not in competition anyway. The most important thing was that Park Tae-hyun didn''t have the money to change shops. In the afternoon, Park Tae-hyun sorted out most of the textbooks and tutorial books in the bookstore and sold them to the junk collector at the price of waste paper. He went to the supermarket and bought ten small plastic chairs, and the remaining bookshelves were filled with books that Park Tae-hyun found interesting. At present, it is more of a cultural and entertainment center for the elderly than a bookstore. Park Tae-hyun stretched lazily. He wasn''t very good at doing business. Right now, he was just messing around. Anyway, when Kim Min-woo was around, he was constantly in debt, so he didn''t feel any pressure. Coming to the second floor, Park Tae-hyun turned on the freezer, set the temperature, smoked a cigarette outside, waited for a while, then reached into the freezer and touched it. The temperature was about right, so Park Tae-hyun lay down. The freezer that cost over 10,000 won certainly had many functions, such as a timing design, which served as an alarm clock for Park Tae-hyun. He closed the freezer. Park Tae-hyun placed his hands on his lower abdomen and lay straight. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. It seems that he passed away peacefully. Late at night, A red car was parked on the side of the road in front of the bookstore. The street was a bit empty. On the other side of the store, only the noodle shop and bookstore next to it still had their lights on. A well-dressed girl was sitting in the car, wearing a black down jacket and long hair. She looked cute and delicate. "Xiao Bo, you bastard, I''ve been preparing for three days, and today you told me that you were on a business trip. Go to hell, get out!" The girl hung up the phone and sat in the driver''s seat, sulking. The Corgi in the passenger seat jumped onto the girl''s legs. Its fur was flowing and shiny, and it was obvious that it was of good breed and had been raised with great care. "Good boy, luckily you''re here with me." The girl lit a cigarette, stretched out her hand to shake off the ash, looked outside, and saw the bookstore. ''Kim''s Bookstore?'', she read. The key point was that through the glass window, she could see that the furnishings inside were a little unusual. There were not many bookshelves, but instead, many plastic benches. After getting out of the car, the girl walked toward the bookstore holding the Corgi. She didn''t want to drive around aimlessly alone on this Valentine''s Day night. She wanted to find a quiet place to sit down. The door of the bookstore was not closed, and the warmth from the air conditioning inside could be felt as she walked in. The girl, walking her dog, picked up a magazine at random from the bookshelf and then sat down on a plastic chair. She let the Corgi go, and the little guy began to "explore" the store. After flipping through a magazine, the girl stretched lightly, felt a little dry in her mouth, and shouted: "Hey, are you there? Do you have milk tea or coffee?" The girl stood up, put the magazine back, and picked up an illustrated version of *The Cloud Dream of the Nine*. When she sat down again, she couldn''t help but shout: "Oye, are you dead in the middle of the night? How can you open a shop like this?" There was a small sign hanging on the glass door of the bookstore that said "Open, Welcome." The door was open and the heating was on, so it must still be open for business. If the girl were less polite or more curious at this moment and took the initiative to go upstairs to take a look, she might admire her own "prophecy." There was indeed an ice coffin in the low space on the second floor. The Owner was lying inside, looking like a dead person. No, The Owner is a dead man. Of course, the girl might be scared to death before she had time to admire him. A normal person enters a store late at night and finds the owner lying in a frozen coffin. Isn''t that scary? The girl lit another cigarette, became a little impatient, and took out her phone to start playing. At this time, footsteps were heard from the stairs. Park Tae-hyun didn''t wake up because of the girl''s shouting; he woke up naturally. As soon as he went downstairs, Park Tae-hyun saw a small yellow figure jumping onto his legs, asking for a hug. Park Tae-hyun smiled, bent down, and held the Corgi in his arms. The little guy wasn''t shy and seemed familiar with everyone. Then, Park Tae-hyun noticed the woman sitting in the store, oh, the first customer upon opening. But it wasn''t as exciting as expected, because Park Tae-hyun had just changed the bookstore sign and cleaned up the furnishings inside. But he hadn''t thought about it yet, How to make money below. "Welcome to Kim''s Bookstore~", Park Tae-hyun said in a prideful manner. "Hyung-nim, do you have coffee here?" The girl asked. Park Tae-hyun pointed to a water dispenser in the corner, where there were disposable paper cups. The girl felt a little helpless but still stood up, poured herself a glass of water, and then sat back on her plastic chair. One host and one guest looked at each other in silence. After about half an hour of silence, the girl started browsing Weibo and watching videos. One video was boisterous: "Don''t miss out on those who have passed by! The ghost money blessed by me, an old Taoist priest, is in limited supply! You can take it out and use it when you go to hell after burning it, and you can also earn some interest, which is higher than the interest rate of Yu''e Bao! You can also roast it and send it to your relatives below. It''s quick and convenient, fair to all. The ghosts won''t bother you, and they won''t peel off your skin!" The girl laughed after watching the video. People usually want to share funny things when they encounter them. She looked up at the Owner sitting behind the counter and said: "Hyung-nim, have you seen this video? This veteran live streamer is quite famous. He''s almost become an internet celebrity." "Oh, live broadcast?" Park Tae-hyun was a little confused. He took out his phone. There were many live broadcast apps on Kim Min-woo''s phone. It seemed this guy was really bored on weekdays. "Well, search his ID. It''s funny. He seems to have opened a ghost store in Seoul, but he hasn''t live-streamed for a long time." Park Tae-hyun opened the app and began searching for the old Taoist''s ID as the girl suggested, finding a live broadcast room¡ªthe host wasn''t home. But fortunately, replay videos were available, and Park Tae-hyun randomly clicked on a video from a month ago. In the video, the Taoist fixed his phone in position, and a man was boxing. His style was impressive, clearly the work of a martial artist. In the corner of the screen, a young man sat with a smile, eyes narrowed, as if watching a monkey show. Park Tae-hyun nonchalantly rewound the video, and a man appeared on the screen, sitting behind the counter, holding a spoon as if sipping porridge. The old Taoist droned on in the main video, promoting his Taobao-sold ghost money, but Park Tae-hyun''s gaze lingered on the man in the corner. He frowned, he suffered, he was in pain, he rejected. A mouthful of porridge, He struggled to swallow. Then another bite. It felt like torture. Park Tae-hyun took a deep breath, seemingly infected by the man''s plight in the video. Having a meal was indeed not an easy feat. He didn''t know the man''s identity, but he felt an inexplicable interest. Could he be anorexic? Or suffering from a gastrointestinal illness? After the video ended, Park Tae-hyun opened the page and, out of curiosity, messaged the Taoist using Kim Min-woo''s account: "Who is the man sitting in the back, sipping porridge, in the video?" "Hey, I''m leaving now. How much?" The girl stood up, stretching. "If I tell people today, they''ll think I''m a fool. I sat in a bookstore reading ''The Cloud Dream of the Nine'' for so long on Valentine''s Day." "Pay as you wish," Park Tae-hyun said. The girl had merely read a book and poured herself a glass of purified water. She glanced at Park Tae-hyun, then left a 10,000 won bill on her chair, held her Corgi, and walked out of the bookstore. Park Tae-hyun stood up, pocketed the money, and flicked it in his hand. A crisp sound, one of the most beautiful sounds in the world. When he returned to the counter, Park Tae-hyun noticed his phone had lit up. He checked and found a reply from the Taoist: "There is No One!"