The Sacred Manager Life - Chapter 76

Broadcasting stations operate around the clock, so the entrance and lobby are bustling from the early morning.

On days with music show recordings, hundreds of fans and home managers crowd the entrance.

Following the guidance shown by Yi Jeong-pyo’s mentor, I climbed the stairs.

As expected, the guiding line ended at the rooftop entrance.

[We can wait over there in that corner.]

How much time had passed?

A clattering sound echoed, and the station director opened the door and stepped out.

His face was drained of color, and wisps of smoke rose from his body in patches.

As he walked toward the railing, I shouted.

“Director!!”

He turned his head with unfocused eyes.

His expression was like that of a man who had given up on life.

“Y-Yes, how did you… get here…?”

｢Haa… humans… you followed me… to the very end… to interfere…｣

With a sharp metallic sound, the creature revealed itself from the director’s back.

Grotesquely twisted horns, a goat-like face, sharp fangs, and crimson scales covering its body—it looked exactly as it had in the precognitive dream.

Clinging to the director’s back with only its upper body exposed, it resembled Venom attached to Eddie Brock.

“Aaaah! W-What the hell is this?!”

The director shrieked and fell backward onto his butt.

It seemed the director could see the creature now too.

“This is the ghost that’s been tormenting you all this time. As long as it’s attached to you, you’ll never escape your nightmares.”

“Get away! Get away, get awaaaay!!”

He flailed his arms to shake it off, but his hands passed right through.

It was like a hologram—visible but intangible.

[That’s why it can’t physically harm humans. It has no real form—it’s only visible.]

‘Am I like that too? I can’t do anything unless I can grab it.’

[Leave that to me. Just check if the man’s will is broken. Gods move when humans can no longer do anything.]

I shouted at the director.

“You see now? You can’t even touch it. Do you still think you can handle this on your own? Do you still have the strength to endure?”

“Uuugh, I… I can’t…”

His body trembled violently.

He had finally reached his limit.

He realized this was a supernatural being beyond his power to overcome.

“I-I can’t! How… how can I beat this thing? Ugh, s-save me. Hhuuuhh, Zebaal…!”

His face twisted in terror.

His will to endure had completely shattered.

“Then trust me. Trust the one who gave me this power. Believe that I can do this!”

“I-I’ll trust you… I’ll trust you! Please, pleaaase save me!!”

He screamed and thrashed in desperation.

Something welled up from deep within my dantian.

It felt like I had grown even more accustomed to my mentor’s power.

‘Is this the feeling of faith filling me?’

[You’re catching on quickly. Now, scrape it off.]

‘Scrape it off? With what?’

[I already gave you the tool.]

I looked at my right hand and saw an enormous fork gripped in it.

It was so big it could double as a shovel.

“What the hell is this?”

[The Fork of Longinus.]

Huh?

‘Not the Spear of Longinus?’

[It’s easier to scrape off something clinging like this with a fork. So I changed the spear into a fork. Holy relics can take any form.]

‘Is that how it works?’

[It’s the spear the Lord used to confirm His son’s death. A holy spear stained with sacred blood is perfect for purging evil. It also has healing powers—remember how the soldier Longinus was cured of his cataracts? You can use it instead of the gift of healing.]

‘Okay, here goes!’

I raised the fork high and stabbed it straight into the creature’s body.

｢Gyaaaaah! Why… why is a holy relic… in a place like this…!!｣

It writhed to escape, but the more it struggled, the deeper the fork dug in.

I twisted the fork like I was twirling pasta and yanked it outward.

With a sickening squelch, the creature was ripped clean off the director’s back.

The director watched in horror as the creature was torn away.

[Now, take it out.]

I pulled out the piggy bank I’d brought from home.

It was ceramic—a gift from a friend long ago.

I used to drop spare coins in it, but now it was empty.

[Two possessed men rushed at the Lord’s son. But He, who had become Hell’s champion, did not yield. The demons, defeated, begged not to be sent back to the abyss and asked to be sent somewhere else. There happened to be pigs nearby, so He told them to enter those instead.]

‘So this is standing in for those pigs?’

[It’s hard to find a live pig on such short notice.]

I smirked and raised the fork, still skewering the creature.

The fork shrank instantly to the size of a spoon—along with the impaled creature.

｢N-No…!! Don’t send me… to the abyss!!｣

The creature let out one last shriek.

I shook the fork over the coin slot and dropped it inside.

[The Lord’s son drove the pigs to the edge of a cliff. The pigs fell into the lake below and vanished along with the demons. Do the same.]

‘Where’s the lake here?’

[We’ll make one.]

The rooftop floor split open like the Red Sea.

Water gushed from the fissure.

[This’ll stand in for the lake. Throw it in.]

I tossed the piggy bank into the churning water.

With a final scream, it vanished into the darkness.

The fissure sealed shut instantly, and the water disappeared without a trace.

“H-How… how is this possible…?”

The director stared at me, his soul shaken in a different way than before.

“You won’t suffer from nightmares anymore. And you won’t feel the urge to kill yourself either.”

His face twisted before he broke down, rubbing his eyes as tears and snot streamed down.

After crying for a while, he staggered to his feet.

He walked over, knelt before me, and pressed his forehead to the ground—just like Team Leader Baek had in the hospital lounge.

“Who… who are you to perform such miracles…? Are you a saint?”

First a Taoist, now a saint.

“I’m not. I’m sure you have questions, but go home and get some rest first. You look terrible.”

I hesitated, then handed him my business card.

“Call me once you’ve recovered. I’ll answer everything you want to know.”

When I spoke seriously, he nodded and said, “Yes, Saint-nim.”

I’d have to correct that title later.

“Don’t tell anyone what you saw on the rooftop today. The moment you do, that thing trapped in the piggy bank will come back for you. And this time, I won’t be able to help. Understood?”

His face pale with fear, he nodded repeatedly.

Just like with Team Leader Baek, I’d sealed his lips.

Cha So-yeon took Ryu Yeoreum to a villa in Namhae.

“Wow~ The view here is amazing.”

“Nice, right? You can come here anytime with the girls. I’ll let them know.”

“Thank you, unnie.”

Seeing Ryu Yeoreum’s face, she grinned.

“You’re thinking of coming here with Ju-won, huh? The beds here are super comfy.”

“N-No, that’s not…!”

Ryu Yeoreum’s face turned red.

“Let’s take photos first before relaxing. Come down to the living room.”

Several boxes were stacked on the living room table.

“These?”

“Yeah. Unnie Sora sent us swimsuits.”

After seeing the pool party video at Cha So-yeon’s place, Han So-ra had sent over a few more swimsuits.

She’d specifically requested Ryu Yeoreum as the model.

“Why does Sora unnie collect swimsuit photos?”

“She says seeing pretty bodies in swimsuits inspires her. She’s been studying swimwear and lingerie design since last year.”

“I see. But why did she ask me to model?”

“After watching the video, she said you had the best body among the Red Blossom girls. It might be Jeong-ah now, but back then, you hadn’t lost weight yet.”

“It’s a little embarrassing…”

“A world star acknowledged your body—don’t you want to preserve it in photos?”

“Y-You’re right. If Sora unnie personally asked, I shouldn’t overthink it…”

Ryu Yeoreum opened a box and made a troubled face.

“Unnie, can… can these even be called swimsuits?”

“Let me see… She called them micro bikinis, but wow, they really only cover the bare minimum.”

The G-string barely hid anything, and the bra covered just the essentials.

“Well, we’re just wearing them inside, so let’s snap some quick photos.”

“But we’re taking the photos on the beach in front, right?”

Ryu Yeoreum’s eyes widened.

“A-Are you crazy? You want me to go outside in this?!”

“The beach in front is private—only we can access it. It’s part of the villa.”

Ah.

Cha So-yeon fiddled with her DSLR camera.

“I even took a special class to take better photos. Let’s go.”

“Yes, unnie.”

Ryu Yeoreum sighed in resignation.

“Bend your waist more sexily, and make your eyes half-lidded. You’re too stiff right now.”

“But I’ve never worn such a revealing swimsuit before… I don’t know how to pose.”

Ryu Yeoreum pouted and covered herself.

“Then imagine you’re seducing Ju-won.”

“Manager-nim?”

“Yeah. I don’t know about Ju-won, but when guys get excited alone, they… you know, masturbate.”

“Masturbate…”

“Let’s say Ju-won does it too. Instead of watching porn, imagine he’s looking at a photo of you in this swimsuit, posing sexily with a sultry smile.”

“Haaahhh…”

Cha So-yeon leaned in and whispered to the flustered Ryu Yeoreum.

“He’s feeling lust for your body. ‘Yeoreum-ah, haah, Yeoreum-ah,’ he moans, getting all worked up. Try posing like you want to make that happen. It’ll feel completely different.”

“Manager-nim feeling lust… for my body…”

Ryu Yeoreum’s eyes, which had been shy, began to burn.

Cha So-yeon’s words had perfectly stoked her desire.

And so, under the guise of sending photos to Han So-ra, Cha So-yeon indulged her own desires, completing her Ryu Yeoreum bikini collection.

(Explicit content warning)