Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 2

002. The First Harvest (1)

2021.11.02.

In short, the thought that flashed through Yeon-woo’s mind was: ‘Am I supposed to be dead?!’ Yet, inexplicably, he wasn’t. Instead, a bizarre window materialized before him. ‘This is insane.’ Instinctively, he jabbed the ‘No’ button, still reeling from the shock and struggling to grasp the situation. However, one thing was undeniably clear. [Harvestable Lifespan: +49 days] [You can postpone death by harvesting lifespan.] The window’s stark message cut through the confusion. “Chairman, I’ve brought the doctor.” “Excellent. Have him examine this young man immediately. He seems disoriented.” “Well, it’s common for patients to experience some memory loss or confusion after waking up from a major accident…” The doctor’s assessment was abruptly cut short by a clear, calm voice. “Han Soo-han, sir.”

“…You know me?” The old man’s initial fluster gave way to a sharp, scrutinizing gaze. The atmosphere around the large, imposing men flanking him shifted, becoming heavy with menace. “Are you suggesting you approached me knowing my identity? Were you attempting to use my grandson to somehow harm me?!” The warm, benevolent look he had initially bestowed upon Yeon-woo turned icy and piercing. “I don’t know where you come from, but to try and deceive me…”

“Ah, it’s nothing like that, please don’t misunderstand,” Yeon-woo interjected, cutting off Han Soo-han’s rising anger. His knowledge of Han Soo-han’s name stemmed from a simple source: -Name: Han Soo-han (68/Male) -Occupation: Prominent Figure in Myeongdong [A bustling district in Seoul, known for its commerce and influence] -Disposition: Absolute Neutral -Specialty: Making money [A+] -Favorability: Mid-High -Current Physical Condition: Healthy -Current Emotional State: Anger ***Some items cannot be opened at this time. ***Detailed information about this person is hidden. ***You can currently harvest lifespan from this person (49 days) This strange information window floated helpfully beside the old man’s head. ‘What is that?!’ He barely had time to register the absurdity of it all. Han Soo-han was on the verge of branding him an enemy. Yeon-woo knew this was the moment to start spinning his tale.

His gaze remained fixed on the information window hovering beside Han Soo-han’s face. [You can currently harvest lifespan from this person (49 days)] He had to get his hands on that. *** A negative lifespan. An alert that lifespan can be harvested. Wasn’t it obvious? ‘If I don’t want to die, I have to leech lifespan from that old man?’ But nothing in life is free. There would be a price to pay, a deal to be struck. The answer presented itself quickly. “Sir, do you happen to have a son? A deceased son.”

Han Soo-han didn’t respond immediately. His face hardened, and he raised a hand, issuing a curt order to his burly guards. “Secure the perimeter immediately.” “Yes, sir!” The doctor, who had been caught in the crossfire of confusion, was unceremoniously ushered out once more. Only Yeon-woo and Han Soo-han remained in the hospital room. “You. Who sent you? Not only do you know me, but you also know about my son. Where did you hear that story?” Han Soo-han’s voice was sharp, laced with suspicion. “What story are you referring to?” “The story that I have a dead son.”

‘I know because I can see the person standing right behind you.’ Yeon-woo glanced at the spectral figure, a man with a mournful expression and a head wound. He bore a striking resemblance to the old man, but where Han Soo-han exuded the aura of a tiger, this man seemed more like a domesticated dog. “He’s about 40 years old. His eyes droop slightly? There’s a mole under his right eye. Overall, he has a gentle demeanor.”

“……!” The old man’s expression shifted again, surprise warring with suspicion. “Is it Chief Jang? Or Team Leader Han? There’s a traitor in my ranks. Who sent you?” Clear anger now blazed in the old man’s eyes. “To dare exploit my son’s memory, not to mention endangering my grandson, to manipulate me? I won’t let whoever is behind this get away with it…”

‘This old man is about to say something he’ll regret.’ “Whoa, whoa. Sir. Calm down.” “……What?” “I understand that this is sudden and you’re misunderstanding the situation. But this is a matter of life and death for me, you see.” Whether I die right now or not. Yeon-woo desperately needed those 49 days. Enough to make him do things he would never normally consider. “I didn’t do any background checks. Believe it or not.”

Damn it. I wanted to live a normal life. The problem is that if I pursue normalcy now, I’ll be riding the train to the afterlife before I even get close. “Sir. I possess certain… spiritual abilities.” A path he had always avoided, a field he had sworn to stay away from. But in this moment… Yeon-woo knew. The normal life he craved was irrevocably out of reach. *** “Spiritual abilities…? How dare you try to scam me…” Han Soo-han’s face was a mask of disbelief, quickly hardening into anger. He had no intention of letting this young man, who dared to trifle with him with empty words, escape unscathed. However… that anger was short-lived.

“Yes. Well, you don’t have to believe me, but that’s the truth. More importantly, sir, does your son keep appearing in your dreams?” Han Soo-han’s heated anger vanished, replaced by stunned disbelief. “How… How do you know that?!” ‘Well, I’m seeing it with my own two eyes.’ This was the crucial moment. “Sir. What did I say? I told you I have spiritual abilities, right? Yes? I can see your son right now, that’s what I’m saying.” It felt a bit like joining a cult, but who cared? “Heo-eok!” This was how even the most skeptical person could be swayed. As if on cue, Han Soo-han clutched his chest, gasping for breath. “I see. So that’s how it is… Yes. I’ve kept any talk about my son under wraps for years, there’s no way you could know this otherwise… Besides, you might know about Yoon-beom, but there’s no way you could know about Jae-young! I’ve kept them so separate and hidden! Yes… If you have spiritual abilities, it makes sense. It makes perfect sense!” Han Soo-han, muttering to himself, suddenly widened his eyes. “Hey there.” Seeing that familiar glint in the old man’s eyes, Yeon-woo thought, ‘Ah. This old man has completely fallen for it.’ “What, what do I have to do?! Just tell me!” I’ve never liked this ability, but Yeon-woo’s hunches have never been wrong. *** “Sir. Do you know why your son is crying?” “No, is that guy crying?! Why is he crying? …Is he resenting me? Because I didn’t approve of his relationship with that child…? So he’s holding a grudge even in death and appearing in my dreams?” Han Soo-han’s last words were almost a lament. He looked at Yeon-woo, seemingly expecting confirmation. He was probably waiting for Yeon-woo’s answer of ‘yes’. But… “No.” “Euh… Euh?” “That’s not it.” “What does that mean?”

Yeon-woo stared at the deceased man standing behind Han Soo-han. ‘There’s no way he’s resenting him when he’s looking at him so affectionately.’ They seemed like a father and son with a lot of unresolved issues, but unfortunately, there was no time to mend their broken relationship. “Are you saying Yoon-beom doesn’t resent me?” “Yes.” “Then why does he appear in my dreams every day and keep shedding tears of blood? Huh?” At that moment, the child spirit, who had been quietly observing, tugged at Yeon-woo. Did that kid follow me all the way here? [Yeon-woo. It seems like he has something to say?] The child spirit nudged Han Yoon-beom, who was shrinking back. [Huh? I can’t hear you well. What? Ah. He wants me to tell you this. Please don’t feel guilty.] Bingo. Yeon-woo smiled. “Sir. Do you feel guilty about your son’s death?” “…How can I not? Because of me…” I can feel it. I can feel a long, drawn-out story coming. “No. It’s precisely because of that guilt of yours!” Yeon-woo raised his hand firmly, cutting off Han Soo-han’s words. “Your son cannot rest in peace.” Han Soo-han looked bewildered. “What…? Because of my guilt?” “That’s right. Didn’t your son have a very upright personality when he was alive?” “How do you know that…?” How would I know. -Name: Han Yoon-beom (32/Male) -Occupation: – -Disposition: Absolute Good -Specialty: Good deeds [B] -Favorability: Medium -Current Physical Condition: Deceased -Current Emotional State: Regret ***Some items cannot be opened at this time. ***Detailed information about this person is hidden. ***You cannot currently harvest lifespan from this person. How could I not know when it’s so clearly visible. “Indeed… He was. Unlike me, Yoon-beom was too kind. That’s why he ended up like that… I shouldn’t have done that back then…” He’s about to launch into his life story again. Yeon-woo quickly put on the brakes. “Yes. So that’s exactly why! Your son can’t move on easily.” “…Then what should I do?” Yeon-woo quietly pulled a pen and notepad from his pocket. “Huh? What’s that…?” “Shh.” Yeon-woo crumpled the paper and tossed the makeshift talisman, scrawled with a crude order, into the air. More precisely, towards the child spirit who was chatting with Han Yoon-beom. [Ouch!] Fizz! “Heo-eok?!” Han Soo-han gasped as the piece of paper spontaneously burst into flames. [Ah, why!] ‘Someone’s life is on the line here, why are you chatting?!’ [He’s too innocent and kind, what am I supposed to do?] ‘Did you find out what he wants?’ [Oh. It’s simple. He just wants to talk? He says his father won’t believe him no matter how much he tells him. He’ll only acknowledge it if he hears his words.] I knew it. I had a feeling, but does that mean he won’t give anything easily? “Wh, what’s going on…” “Sir.” “Why, why is that.” The charisma from the beginning had completely vanished from Han Soo-han’s face. He was just a pitiful victim, no, a source of life, wonderfully swayed by Yeon-woo. Yeon-woo began to sell his story in earnest. “Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.” “Al, I understand.” “Take this back, burn it, mix the ashes with water, drink it, and go to sleep. Then what you desire will come true.” “Euh? Is this really a talisman? Why is there a loan shark’s phone number here…? No matter how I look at it, this is a promotional memo…”

You saw it right away. The memo Yeon-woo had grabbed was a promotional flyer that had been handed out on the street. I was carrying it around just in case, thinking it might be helpful to recite poetry like a dog at a village school [A Korean idiom referring to someone who is poorly educated but tries to show off their knowledge], but I didn’t know it would be this useful. “Sir!” But I can’t admit that now. This job… To be exact, it’s a bit ambiguous to call it a job, but… Anyway, one of the important parts of this job is talking. “Euh, euh?” Han Soo-han, pushed by Yeon-woo’s forceful tone, answered in a daze. “Didn’t you just see it! Can the flames that danced in the air be a lie?” “Ah, no. There’s no way.” “That’s right. And it is said that a true master calligrapher does not discriminate against brushes. You must have heard of it before?” “That’s… Right?” “That’s right. A capable person like me! Doesn’t care about tools. Only charlatans talk about high-quality cinnabar or talismans. Do you know that? That’s all nonsense to stick a straw in, no, a trick to make more money!” “That’s right! Now that I hear it, it seems like that!” Yeon-woo’s words swirled around Han Soo-han like a whirlwind. “Then don’t doubt it anymore and go back quickly, burn it carefully, drink it, and sleep well. You must! Go to sleep quickly.” Because I need to live quickly. “I understand. I’ll go back quickly and do as you say. I’ll even take sleeping pills to fall asleep.” Han Soo-han clutched the makeshift talisman with a determined face. It had been five hours since Han Soo-han had arrived, completely forgetting the purpose of his visit. Finally, the long-awaited notification window appeared. -Ding! [You have successfully harvested lifespan.] [Lifespan harvested: 49 days] Clench! Yeon-woo clenched his fist. It was a success.