Mu Jin had always prided himself on being adaptable.
In life, he had turned the tide of battles with sheer ingenuity, earning fear and respect even without holding the title of general.
Now, faced with an entirely new existence, his adaptability was being tested like never before.
She had railed against her situation at first, but the more she thought about it, the less it seemed worth the energy.
After all, she wasn't in hell anymore. That alone made her current predicament tolerable.
"It seems like I'm living in an age where women aren't considered disgraceful or treated as goods," she muttered under her breath, a tinge of relief coloring her words.
"They can even go to school and join the army."
She tilted her head, her crimson eyes narrowing as memories surfaced—not her own, but fragments of Ok Seol Ah's knowledge.
It was strange.
She knew details about this world, but nothing specific about the girl whose body she now inhabited.
It was as if the memories of Seol Ah's personal life had been wiped clean.
"Well, it doesn't matter," she said, reclining back on the bed with her hands behind her head like a pillow.
"I just need to kill the killer and move on to my next reincarnation."
But the thought sobered her. She turned her head, frowning. "How, though? This body is so weak."
Her gaze wandered around the room until it landed on a water dispenser near the corner.
Her eyes lit up. "That's… water!"
She practically leaped from the bed, sprinting to the dispenser and kneeling in front of it like it was a holy relic.
Tilting her head back, she pressed the cold water button and let the liquid pour directly into her open mouth.
The sensation was blissful, the chill flooding her parched body and soothing her throat.
'Ah… this is heaven,' she thought, savoring every drop.
For someone who had spent an eternity in hell, where water didn't exist, the sheer luxury of hydration was almost overwhelming.
She was so engrossed in her moment of ecstasy that she didn't notice the door opening behind her.
"Mrs. Ok," a stern voice cut in, "what are you doing?"
Seol Ah froze, then turned her head lazily to glance at the man in a white coat. "Are you blind? I'm drinking," she said, pressing the button again for another cold burst of heaven.
The doctor sighed, his features handsome but exasperated. "It seems she's fine. Just a little… episode," he muttered to the nurse at his side.
Then, turning back to Seol Ah, he added, "Can you finish up? I need to check your condition."
Reluctantly, she let go of the dispenser and trudged back to the bed, muttering under her breath.
The doctor followed, standing in front of her with a clipboard in hand. "So, how are you feeling today?"
"Fine, until you showed up," she shot back, crossing her arms.
Ignoring her sarcasm, the doctor continued, "Any pain in your body or head?"
Seol Ah shook her head as he checked her pulse and gestured for her to lie down.
The cold stethoscope pressed against her chest made her shiver, but she complied until he finally allowed her to sit back up.
"Have you been feeling sad or desperate?" he asked, his tone clinical.
"Huh? What kind of question is that?" She squinted at him, her irritation rising.
"It's a standard question," he explained calmly.
"People who attempt suicide often have recurring thoughts or, alternatively, find a new sense of hope. So, which one are you, Mrs. Ok?"
"Me? Suicide?" She let out a sharp laugh. "That stupid teenager—why did she even kill herself?" she muttered under her breath.
The doctor's brow furrowed. "Don't you remember? Also, can you tell me what you're whispering to yourself?"
Seol Ah shook her head. "No, I don't remember anything about… me." She shrugged, her voice casual.
"But don't worry, I'm not planning on killing myself."
"Also, can you leave now? You're asking too many questions."
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Ok, but these questions are important for your well-being," he replied patiently.
"You don't have to worry. Ok Seol Ah is dead."
The doctor raised a brow. "If Ok Seol Ah is dead, then who are you?"
"Me? I'm Mu Jin," she said with a smirk. "The Jade Emperor sent me here to repent for my sins."
She expected him to scoff or brush it off as a joke, but to her surprise, the doctor's expression turned more serious.
He turned to the nurse and murmured something about trauma-induced memory loss and delusions.
Seol Ah blinked, realization dawning. This wasn't a regular hospital—it was a mental hospital.
'Damn it, he really thinks I'm crazy. Should I tell him I was joking?'
But before she could decide, her attention was caught by the trolley entering the room, carrying a neatly arranged meal.
Her stomach growled audibly as her eyes fixated on the food.
'Nah, I'm staying here forever,' she decided, drooling slightly.
Whatever life this girl had before, she didn't know if she was poor or wealthy.
Here, she could eat three meals a day, drink as much water as she wanted, and not worry about anything else.
'Hell can wait,' she thought with a grin. 'I think I'm gonna like it here.'
After a day of unapologetic laziness, Seol Ah nestled into her bed, ready to surrender to sleep. The quiet darkness of the room enveloped her until an unexpected voice echoed in her head, jerking her wide awake.
A glowing blue screen appeared before her eyes, pulsing faintly with each word that formed.
[Host, have you adapted to your new life?]
[If so, welcome! The Atonement Hell System is now activated!]
[You can see your status below.]
Seol Ah squinted at the screen, disbelief coursing through her.
[Name: Mu Jin]
[Victims: 3333]
[Atonement: 0]
[Sinner Killed: 0]
---
[List of Skills]
[Spectre Vision]
[Psychometry Touch]
[The Eyes of the Sinner]
[Stage of Dramaturgy]
---
[Weapon List]
[-]
---
[As a first-day gift, the kind and honorable system grants you one weapon ticket. This ticket allows you to choose a weapon to aid you in your hunt.]
[Do you wish to use the weapon ticket?]
---
Seol Ah wiped her eyes, staring at the glowing text as if it would vanish if she blinked too hard.
Everything about her current situation was surreal, but then again, nothing could be stranger than waking up in someone else's body.
"Fine," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Let's use it."
[Please choose a weapon type: Blade, Arrow, Sword, or Axe.]
Seol Ah rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "A sword or arrow might work if I were living in the Joseon era, but an axe?" She glanced at her thin arms. "This body can't handle that."
She clicked her tongue, tapping her lip before declaring, "Blade it is."
[The host has chosen the Blade of Death as their first weapon!]
[Blade of Death]
[Effect: Inflicts continuous bleeding if used on a sinner.]
A sleek, dark blade materialized before her, its black surface etched with faint crimson lines that pulsed ominously.
She reached out, running her fingers along the edge. It felt cold, sharper than any weapon she'd handled in her previous life.
"Hm," she murmured, a faint grin curling her lips.
"A blade that makes sinners bleed endlessly? Now that's interesting."
She twirled the weapon in her hand, admiring its balance and weight. "This might actually be fun."
Placing the blade beside her bed, she lay back down, staring at the ceiling with a newfound sense of purpose.
Whatever this system was, it seemed to know exactly what she needed to make this new life tolerable.
But now she needs to sleep, as it was one of the blessings she never had when she was in hell.