Cheol-su Kim was dead. How did he know? He was watching his own broken and bloodied body from a third-person perspective.
Today marked the last day of his temporary assignment at the Cheongsol Town Office. As usual, he had finished work and was standing at the bus stop.
"It's pitch black."
Unlike the city, this rural town, devoid of bustling commercial districts, grew dark quickly.
'This view ends today.'
He felt no attachment to it.
'Huh? When did my shoelaces come undone?'
When Cheol-su bent down to tie his shoelaces, fate struck. A flash of light, and his consciousness vanished. He didn't even have time to glance around.
And that's how he found himself watching his body from a third-person perspective. He guessed he must have died instantly.
From above, the street was dim, most of the lights extinguished. His body lay unnaturally twisted and lifeless by the roadside, the blood pooling on the cement glaringly vivid.
He could only stare blankly at his own lifeless form, feeling detached, as if watching a distant scene on TV. Perhaps, subconsciously, he didn't want to feel anything.
'I never thought souls existed. So, there really are things science can't explain.'
A man stumbled out of the driver's seat of the car that had hit him and staggered toward Cheol-su's body. He was obviously drunk.
'Drunk driving, huh.'
After checking Cheol-su's lifeless form, the man returned to his car and drove off without a second thought, as if it was the natural thing to do.
'A hit-and-run?'
Cheol-su was dumbfounded. This was the end of a life he had lived earnestly and without malice, only to die in a hit-and-run caused by a drunk driver.
'What if my shoelaces hadn't come undone? Or what if I hadn't noticed? Or if I'd left work at a different time?'
Regret lingered. How could it not? He was young, with so much life ahead of him.
Cheol-su had lived a completely ordinary life, never harboring ill intentions or causing harm to anyone. He had never even been truly angry. He didn't experience a rebellious phase like others often did.
His life goals were modest: save money, get married, and build a harmonious family, just as his parents had done.
And yet, he was dead. Hit by a drunk driver. While tying his shoelaces. Without ever having dated anyone.
Knowing it was pointless to harbor resentment, he couldn't help but feel a surge of indignation.
'I didn't live my life wrong. Why…?'
The frustration and anger he had suppressed erupted all at once. He was furious at every little thing that had led to this moment.
"Why me? Why did it have to be me?!"
His futile cries dissipated into the empty air. And then—
"Do you feel wronged?"
An unfamiliar, chilling voice echoed from somewhere.
"There's no need to think my voice is creepy. It's simply different from the feeble voices of humans."
The sudden, mysterious voice seemed to respond directly to Cheol-su's thoughts, as though reading his mind.
As the eerie voice reached him, a cold shiver ran down his spine, as if his very heart was freezing.
Cheol-su frantically searched for the source of the voice.
"Of course, I can read your thoughts. You're a soul now. And soon, even that soul will dissipate."
The owner of the voice revealed itself gradually.
The figure exuded an overwhelming presence. Draped in a massive black robe with a deep hood obscuring its face, it concealed its identity in shadows.
The black horse it rode appeared otherworldly, shifting between solid and vaporous forms, as if existing between reality and unreality.
It held a massive scythe that glimmered darkly, surrounded by an aura of condensed darkness, giving it a deathly, otherworldly aura.
'A being visible only after death, huh.'
It was sinister enough already, but its appearance was like something out of a video game boss fight.
"Yes, I appear after death, but comparing me to a mere game monster? Disrespectful. This is reality."
The entity waved a hand through the air and continued.
"Enough idle chatter. I'm here to offer you a contract. If you accept—"
"I'll come back to life, right?"
Cheol-su interrupted hastily. The crimson eyes hidden in the shadows of the hood gleamed faintly.
"Hmm, a perceptive human."
"And the contract will naturally come with conditions that are hard to accept."
"Hmm, that depends on the kind of person you are."
Cheol-su understood that nothing came without a price. While he had lived an ordinary life, he wasn't oblivious to the harsh truths of the world.
"Can you tell me the conditions first?"
"You're unusually composed for someone dead. Very well, I'll explain. Once you accept the contract, you'll return to life. But your body and soul will belong to me. And since I can't have my property getting damaged, I'll grant you abilities beyond human limits to protect yourself."
Though the entity spoke calmly, the threat underlying its words was unmistakable.
Cheol-su pondered the implications, instinctively sensing the peril of the contract.
"To summarize, you're asking for ownership of my body and soul in exchange for reviving me."
"Hahaha. Smart. Very smart. Correct. And there's one final condition."
The entity's voice deepened, growing more ominous.
"Saving the toughest condition for last, huh? Does it involve killing someone?"
As if reacting to his words, the crimson eyes beneath the hood flared. Cheol-su felt a chill run down his spine as a sinister chuckle echoed.
"Correct. You must kill someone within seven days. The choice of target is yours."
Cheol-su had spoken on a whim, but the answer was shocking. Murder wasn't just difficult for him—it was inconceivable.
'Me? Kill someone? I've never even hit anyone before. I'd rather stay dead.'
He had nothing to lose. After all, he was already dead.
"Hoho, you're an interesting human."
"Who would accept such a condition?"
"Who, you ask? Hahaha!"
The entity laughed, its confidence unnerving.
"But human, you're already too late."
"Too late?"
"I've taken a liking to you. So, you have no choice."
"No choice? I'll just stay dead. I'm already dead anyway."
"You don't seem to understand. As I said, you have no choice."
"If I refuse, how can you force me into a contract?"
"Simple. I just need to make it so you can't refuse."
"How—"
"You have loved ones, don't you?"
The word 'family' struck Cheol-su like a blow, leaving him breathless.
"Imagine if they suddenly died mysteriously. How would you feel?"
'What kind of question is that? Of course, it'd be horrible. But why should I believe this monster?'
"It's disappointing you think of me as a monster, but your doubt is reasonable. Allow me to dispel it."
The entity whispered something unintelligible, and its crimson eyes flashed ominously.
"Taking the lives of fragile humans is no challenge for me."
With a snap of its fingers, a sudden gust of wind enveloped Cheol-su. The scenery vanished, replaced by a familiar space: his parents' living room.
His father lay motionless on the floor, while his mother sat beside him, sobbing uncontrollably. The sight was surreal.
"What did you do to my dad?!"
Cheol-su's voice trembled with rage.
"Oh, don't worry. I merely stopped his heart briefly to make a point."
The entity's tone was cold and cruel, as if this were all a game. Another snap of its fingers, and his father's eyes fluttered open.
Before Cheol-su could feel relief, the entity loomed closer, its voice sharp and penetrating.
"Do you see now that you have no choice?"
Cheol-su stood frozen, helpless. The entity nodded in satisfaction at his reaction.
"Smart. Now, shall we finalize the contract? Will you agree?"
"You said I have no choice, so why ask—"
Before he could finish, the entity jabbed a finger into Cheol-su's chest, cutting him off.
"Exactly! You have no choice. I'm just asking for fun."
It withdrew its finger and added ominously,
"Oh, I forgot to mention. You'll soon experience excruciating pain. If you fail to endure it…"
The entity leaned closer, revealing its skeletal face. Hollow eye sockets and sharp teeth formed a chilling grin.
"This pain will consume you. If you don't want to fall into hell… endure it well. Hahaha."
Its voice became metallic, reverberating painfully in Cheol-su's ears. The skeletal grin widened as Cheol-su, drenched in cold sweat, felt his heart pound uncontrollably.
He wanted to say something, but words failed him. Unimaginable pain began to creep through his body.
Couldn't it at least have warned him beforehand?