Immortals vs. Grim Reapers - chapter 3
Chapter 3: Gates, Hunters, Monsters, and… Grim Reapers? (Part 3)
Ju Gangrim was speechless for a long while.
Gerald the Immortal.
Humanity’s hope and supreme commander in the resistance against the zombie plague.
The ability to survive and return from any impossible mission. Gangrim now knew that the background to this was, in fact, the power of immortality.
“The Immortals… opened the gates?”
“They didn’t open them exactly… Let’s just say the Immortals are like cancer cells in the world.”
“Cancer cells?”
“Yes. Cancer cells don’t exist specifically to kill the host. They’re just cells trying not to die. But the result leads to the death of the host.”
The Immortals were the cancer cells, humanity was the host, and the gates were the resulting death.
“Their mere existence creates an environment where gates are more likely to open. But were the Immortals the only problem?”
Yeomna didn’t elaborate further. But Gangrim read the context hidden behind his words.
The Immortals referred to Gerald and his VIPs. And Gangrim was the one who had been catering to these Immortals.
He had taken care of their comfort and continuously provided safe places for them to live comfortably.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Gangrim, too, had contributed to the extinction of humanity.
And quite actively at that.
The world at humanity’s apex that Gangrim had so longed for was a world of tumors and plagues that were tearing humanity apart.
“Well, I guess there’s nothing to be done since I didn’t know.”
“How shameless.”
Yeomna said, exhaling a long stream of cigarette smoke.
“Have you heard of the name Dongbang Sak?”
Gangrim nodded. He didn’t know the details, but he had heard bits and pieces.
When Dongbang Sak lived for three thousand years, King Yeomna sent a grim reaper to capture him. But Dongbang Sak was so wise from living three thousand years that he was impossible to catch.
So the grim reaper came up with a trick and began washing charcoal by a stream.
When Dongbang Sak passed by and asked why he was washing charcoal, the grim reaper answered that he was trying to make the charcoal white.
Hearing this answer, Dongbang Sak replied, ‘I’ve lived for three thousand years, but I’ve never heard of such a thing,’ and thus exposed himself. He was eventually dragged away by the grim reaper.
“Dongbang Sak of three thousand years. How many years is three thousand? He didn’t actually live that long, but he did live for a long time. He, too, was a kind of Immortal. The battle between Immortals and grim reapers is nothing new.”
For a fight to become a folk tale, it must truly be an age-old struggle.
Then again, humanity has been striving to find the path to immortality throughout history. It wouldn’t be strange if someone had succeeded. And knowledge tends to accumulate.
If even one person succeeded, more and more diverse methods of immortality would have appeared.
“But there’s never been an era where Immortals have flourished like now. And they’re no longer foolish enough to fall for tricks like washing charcoal.”
“……”
“There are too many Immortals in the world.”
Yeomna whispered, his eyes gleaming brightly.
“Their existence is blurring the boundary between life and death. Thanks to that, the Cheonmun opens, the world perishes, and you died.”
“Is that why zombies appeared?”
“Yes. When the pure essence of the afterlife mixes with the unrefined matter of the living world, it becomes chaotic. Zombies are like the aftermath of that.”
“That sounds… a bit discriminatory towards the living world.”
“Oh? Oh? It’s not discriminatory, Ju Gangrim. Don’t you think roses are beautiful? You probably think deer are cute too. Or things like butterflies and eagles. Then, what would you think of a creature with a rose face, a deer’s body, and butterfly wings?”
“I’ve never particularly thought roses, butterflies, or deer were pretty…”
“You dry soul. Then imagine your world becoming like pineapple pizza, kimchi pizza, or sweet and sour pork. How would that be?”
“I see. So you mean that in this world, terrible things that shouldn’t mix are mixing, creating a turbid world.”
“You understand well. And in my opinion, I think even mint chocolate was created because of the Immortals.”
“Are you two hungry by any chance?”
Yu Wolryeong intervened in their conversation, looking exasperated.
Thanks to her, Yeomna was able to return to the main topic.
“Anyway, zombies are also a kind of Immortal, but the Immortals I’m talking about are smarter and more vicious. For example, necromancers, vampires, liches, undead, demons, and the like.”
“Suddenly, the scale has become quite global.”
“Even zombies aren’t particularly Korean, are they? Originally, we called zombies ‘Agwi.’ We’re calling them zombies now to cater more to popular taste.”
It was a fair point. Gangrim closed his mouth.
Yeomna continued, grinning.
“Zombies are just a side effect of the Immortals’ existence. They’re the ones who think it’s fine if only they live well, even if the world becomes turbid due to their immortality.”
“They’re bastards.”
“Your profanity is weak. I know much worse expressions, but I’ll omit them since Miss Yu wouldn’t like it.”
Yeomna said, rolling up his sleeve further.
“Can you see the writing here?”
“…’No Smoking’ is what it says?”
“Ah, not this arm. Here.”
Yeomna rolled up the sleeve on the opposite arm. Under his thick arm was a tattoo in rough handwriting.
必死則生 必生則死 (If you’re prepared to die, you will live; if you cling to life, you will die).
No Korean wouldn’t know this saying. But whether it was something King Yeomna would tattoo on himself was another question.
Moreover, the ‘No Smoking’ on the other arm was being mercilessly violated in real-time.
“If you’re prepared to die, you will live; if you cling to life, you will die. It’s a saying left by Admiral Yi Sun-sin, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It’s a saying I like too.”
“Is it okay for King Yeomna to like such a saying?”
“It means the more these Immortal bastards try to live, the sooner they’ll die!”
The words ‘I don’t think Admiral Yi meant it that way’ rose to Gangrim’s throat. Besides, there’s no way Yi Sun-sin could have known about Immortals.
But Yeomna spoke as if he didn’t care about such trivial matters.
“Humans can’t kill Immortals. Why? Because they’re immortal. But grim reapers can.”
Yeomna muttered, baring his sharp canine teeth.
“That’s why I’ve brought you in, Ju Gangrim. Because now you’ll do anything to kill the Immortals.”
Gangrim stood in silence for a long while even after receiving Yeomna’s proposal.
Yeomna’s words weren’t difficult to understand.
That he would save his life. And that he would give him a chance for revenge.
It was an unbelievably generous offer. He’d be a fool not to accept it.
But that’s precisely why Gangrim found it difficult to decide easily.
“It’s too generous an offer.”
“Are you dissatisfied because it’s too generous?”
“They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, right? How are you giving me this chance? Humanity has already perished.”
“There are ways, so don’t worry about it. I don’t want to waste the few chances I have either.”
Gangrim somehow felt that Yeomna was avoiding answering.
He didn’t want to deliberately bring up issues that the higher-up didn’t want to answer, to avoid irritating him.
But there were questions he had to ask.
“Why don’t you act directly? If grim reapers catch Immortals, couldn’t you just do it yourself?”
“The afterlife has its own laws.”
Yu Wolryeong answered.
“If someone belonging to the afterlife interferes recklessly with the world of the living, it would cause chaos even greater than the opening of the Cheonmun.”
“Miss Yu is right. I once burned with a sense of justice, letting good people live longer and catching bad ones left and right. The mess that followed is beyond your imagination. It almost became as chaotic as it is now.”
Yeomna muttered, chuckling.
Gangrim wondered what would happen if Yeomna took action. Could the world become even more of a mess than it is now?
Yeomna had said that zombies appeared because the boundary between life and death collapsed, so what might appear if Yeomna acted could be even worse than zombies.
“It’s not just a matter of laws. Things are more complicated on our side than you might think.”
“When higher-ups say ‘the situation is complicated,’ I understand it to mean they don’t want to explain…”
“No, it really is complicated. The afterlife is in as much of a mess as the living world right now. That’s why we’re trying to handle things through… slightly unofficial methods rather than formal procedures.”
Yeomna said with a wink.
“That’s why we’re borrowing your strength. You were the Immortals’ dog. You should know everything about what they want, what they hate, what they’re strong against, and what they’re weak against.”
It was true.
As Gerald’s adjutant, Gangrim had thoroughly grasped the secrets, weaknesses, and relationships of the VIPs while serving them.
“I’ll help you unleash your ugly inferiority complex, desire for revenge, and vile talents to the fullest, having devoted your body and soul to serving them only to be betrayed!”
“That’s a bit harsh.”
“A greedy overachiever who’s quite kind and full of guilt, always eager to pull down those above you and climb up, burning with revenge—you’re exactly the talent I’m looking for!”
“Thank you for… seeing me in a good light?”
Gangrim answered with a bitter smile.
Quick-witted as he was, he understood what Yeomna was saying.
It meant he was suitable for the higher-ups to use and discard as they pleased.
The very thing Gangrim had experienced to the point of nausea in his living days.
But Gangrim had survived until the very end of humanity in that hellish situation.
“Just for the record, I’m not planning to use you and then throw you away.”
Yeomna said, patting Gangrim’s shoulder.
“Despite how I’m talking, I value you very highly. You might not understand now, but I’m basically going all-in on you with what little I have to bet. Someday, you’ll understand what I mean.”
Yeomna showed a bitter smile.
Gangrim felt a sense of déjà vu seeing that expression.
It was an expression he often made himself.
“So, are you ready to become a grim reaper, Ju Gangrim?”
Yeomna extended his hand towards Gangrim.
Gangrim looked at that hand, wondering if there were any other options.
Whether he was being used or not, not only would he be saved, but he’d also be given a chance for revenge. He’d be a fool not to accept such generous terms.
If he refused, Yeomna would likely kick him straight to hell.
Gangrim also had too much attachment and greed for life to calmly accept death as it was.
Even after falling from such a high place, he still wanted to climb higher.
He wanted to grasp more.
“I have a condition.”
“A condition? You’re going to add more conditions to this generous offer?”
“If I’m such a valuable talent, shouldn’t you pay me properly to utilize that talent effectively?”
Gangrim was always someone who calculated benefits. If Yeomna was valuing him highly, it would be good to sell himself even more expensively.
“First, I’d like an employment contract.”
An employment contract.
Yeomna stared at Gangrim for a moment before bursting into laughter.
“Ah, an employment contract. Of course we should write one. Of course. What do you take grim reapers for? Strictly speaking, you’re a contract public servant.”
“A contract public servant…”
“Ah, yes. I’ll count your military service as work experience too.”
“As a career employee.”
“The pay we can offer is an annual salary of 50 million, and with overtime and life allowances, it could go up to 60 or 70 million, plus we’ll provide ample performance bonuses.”
“Even an annual salary.”
“Oh, and overtime pay is only up to 57 hours a month, so don’t overdo it. Try to rest on weekends if possible. The union doesn’t like weekend work.”
“Union…”
“Miss Yu is also one of the union members, so try not to contact her after 6 PM if possible.”
“…Do we rest on weekends even when saving the world?”
“Please don’t take such nonsense seriously.”
Yu Wolryeong answered sternly.
After such a long conversation, was it all a lie?
Yeomna grinned and folded his arms.
“It’s not all lies. We’ll provide you with… well, a kind of currency that can only be used in the afterlife. How you use it is up to you. Considering the special nature of the contract, separate equipment will also be provided. The mission details will likely be improvised most of the time. Hmm, but…”
Yeomna narrowed his eyes as he looked at Gangrim and said,
“You weren’t joking, were you?”
“I’m sick and tired of being used and discarded.”
Gangrim answered with a shrug.
“Anything will do, just give me some proof that you won’t use me and then throw me away. Since you said you’d use me secretly, give me a contract stating that you’ve officially employed me, explicitly mentioning your name, Yeomna. If I’m discarded, at least you’ll have to bleed a bit too.”
Gangrim is at an absolute disadvantage compared to Yeomna when it comes to information about the afterlife. So even if he gets a contract, he doesn’t know where or how to use it.
All of this could be in vain.
But Gangrim thought that if Yeomna was so desperate to use him, he would provide something substantial enough as collateral.
“Fine. I’ll give you something that can serve as a guarantee.”
As expected, Yeomna narrowed his eyes and smiled as if he understood immediately.
“Yu Wolryeong, do you happen to have a spare knife?”