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Truly, one could say it’s quite bizarre.

There’s a saying: under the light of the lamp, one finds darkness!

In the brilliant light that brightens the room, the darkest place is right beneath that lamp!

From the flames that turned the world crimson during the Third World War, the darkest element is exactly that.

Artificial Intelligence Anael.

Lucas.

School of Life Creation.

Cult.

It seems those things are tangled together, weaving a single flow.

Though the clues are still too nebulous, I can hardly make out the outlines.

It’s just like reaching out into the calmness of a quiet midnight, where moonlight gently shines—it can’t be anything but a good thing, can it?

Indeed, his intuition has proven to be splendidly accurate.

“Let’s see. If there’s significant interest in Anael, there should surely be other reports as well… Hmm.”

Park Jinseong smiled and began to pore over the other materials.

So tedious.

His body began to split into several parts, with holes forming all over.

The materials he siphoned morphed into shapes like human arms, with antennae sprouting from the backs of the hands like lantern creatures. At the ends, eyeballs resembling human eyes popped out, making it look akin to a yokai.

Except for the fact that it drained quite a bit of energy due to the properties of Onmyōdō, I’d say it’s a rather useful magic for multitasking. Especially for reviewing this kind of data.

And there’s yet another use.

“There’s a village in the mountains of Sanin, where the terrain is steep, with winding paths and dense thickets, making it difficult to reach. However, that village has a shrine that protects them, and thanks to its grace, wild vegetables and mushrooms grow plentifully, leaving few to starve to death—indeed, a village blessed by the gods…”

This connects to the legend that is the origin of this Onmyōdō.

A legend of the mountains, distinct from that of the sea.

Promoting a vague yet profound fear, much like the trepidation that hides beneath crashing waves.

The ominous dread associated with disappearances caused by the god, kamikakushi (神隠し).

Indeed.

It’s a curse.

“The form of the deity has neither fur nor scales, but five-pronged ends and rough skin, much like the shape of a human hand. There’s no place where nails should be, and the smell is foul but distinctly different from that of beasts, evoking images of a corpse buried in the earth. Yet, just as wild vegetables sprout from the ground, flesh emerges where the palm should be, and at the ends, it possesses eyes to survey the mountains, so this god may not hear sound, but it watches over the village with its gaze.

However, to maintain that form, offerings are necessary, so the villagers, in gratitude for its benevolence, offer two-legged rabbits as sacrifices….”

That’s a record of the Curse God.

Records of a deity that brings calamity if not worshipped and revered.

It even makes one question whether it is truly a god.

Realistically, it could be a record related to evil spirits or malicious beings that ties back to a divine object.

And from those records, the magic is crafted.

Like attracts like, after all.

What the deity’s will touches will surely start to take on its form.

Thus, energy is infused into each sheet of paper.

He quickly skimmed through the content of the paper, disappointed that it didn’t contain what he sought, and tossed it aside.

As that paper flew away, a dark light reminiscent of a mountain’s night hovered briefly before being sucked away into nothingness, and just as wild vegetables sprout from the palm, a curse takes root within the paper, twisting bones until they burst forth like those wild vegetables from the back of a hand.

Of course, its power is exceedingly weak.

It is so feeble that it can be easily dispelled like a mere talisman, akin to the near extinction of the once-present Curse God.

Nevertheless, it represents a different kind of pollution unlike a virus or parasite.

It is a terror that brings calamity to those who touch objects thoughtlessly.

This terror will sow chaos within the institute and cult, causing several alchemists from the School of Life Creation to suffer under the curse, ultimately draining their strength. Their interests will then curve into yet another small gain for Park Jinseong.

And…. Yes.

If the perpetrator is misjudged, it would be even better.

“If we trace the origin of the curse, it would lead us to countries like China or Japan, and as for groups, there are several, so they would come under scrutiny. If so, that would be a boon… If the origin remains unfound, then with the perception of the curse, they will delve into it, which would also serve to divert attention.”

In either case, it’s not a bad situation.

Whether it be chaos or misjudgment—

Whether one is pursuing a perpetrator or giving up on the chase—

All of it would turn to his advantage.

Aiding Park Jinseong in his quest for Artificial Intelligence Anael would yield tremendous benefits.

Though, of course, that doesn’t mean there are no elements of unease.

The shaman who employed magic unknown to Park Jinseong.

If that shaman is involved in this case, they could have the specialization in curses to follow the magical trail left by Park Jinseong, or they could cast another curse upon him as a harsh price to pay.

That would, undoubtedly, be a risk.

“That sounds good.”

Yet, it is also something that can be endured.

If that were the case, vague situations may yield clues in tracking the shaman.

If that shaman’s gaze happens to land, Park Jinseong can also decipher his position from that very trajectory.

By leaving behind footprints, he can gather information, and if applying a curse, he can also track based on the remnants left behind.

All in all, it could be said to be a great gain for bearing a slight risk.

Just a small loss as bait.

Much like a lantern creature enticing with its flickering light.

No, perhaps it’s more akin to plunging one’s hand into water, mimicking a fish with a finger… risking losing a finger in exchange for reeling in a massive catch.

It’s a splendid bait, indeed.

Thus, it is a venture full of gain.

Park Jinseong smiled and continued to examine the documents.

Skimming over what didn’t catch his interest, he tossed them aside.

Meticulously reading through pieces related to Anael or Lucas.

After accumulating information for quite some time.

SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1ZUcrV01LVFR1VUFGcXVGUllueG9zZmxqcTRSOGRqYnpUNUlzR3pTZkZsWA

“I’ve seen all that is worthwhile.”

Crumble.

Just as a snowman melts under the sun, his body liquefied and decomposed, with the bugs that emerged heading towards places where humans could not tread.

And thus, in the laboratory—

No one remained.

* * *

Even those uninterested in films might have seen a horror movie at least once.

And with high probability, that horror movie is likely related to ghosts.

Evil spirits.

Evil spirits.

Of course, the development is different in every work.

Sometimes an evil being escapes from a sealed divine object due to reckless meddling, at other times an evil spirit trapped within the Ksitigarbha statue is released when it’s defaced, bringing calamity! Perhaps there’s just a mundane, bored evil spirit invading a village, making a mess, or even being possessed by a ghost after foolishly dabbling in necromancy.

Horror movies portray evil spirits in countless forms.

This is because the notion of ghosts exists in reality, posing threats to people.

The visceral fear experienced is more palpable, a threat that feels real and can strike at any time.

Of course, that’s not the only reason.

The intrigue of the subject “an unseen yet existing entity” along with the goal of instilling in people’s minds that “ghosts cannot be controlled and are dangerous beings” is also part of it.

This is to reduce harm from ghosts.

More accurately, to minimize the ridiculous acts of countless fools who occasionally conduct reckless challenges or occult trials for nonsensical reasons.

Thus, countless parties, from film organizations to the government, are involved in horror films.

They host competitions themed on “horror movies with ghosts,” or provide bonuses for ghost-related themes, or propose investments and suggestions to promising directors to create horror movies focusing on ghosts, aiming to engrain in people’s minds that “ghosts are harmful entities,” and thanks to this effort, horror films featuring ghosts become quite prevalent.

So prevalent that horror movie enthusiasts often grumble, “Ugh, another ghost? I wish we could see something fresh.”

Indeed.

In this way, society can ascribe varied intents and meanings to even the smallest aspects.

Even horror films, previously considered just a part of everyday life—often seen as what couples watch on dates.

“If that’s the case, that’s quite thought-provoking. The second most common theme in horror films is ‘experimental subjects born from experiments’ or ‘rampaging biological weapons.’”

No, it’s not solely about horror films.

Films like those featuring superheroes with powers saving the world, or movies brimming with zombies and monsters.

Thriller films involving monsters or research institutes also use themes such as ‘biological experiments,’ ‘gene manipulation,’ ‘test subjects,’ ‘synthetic biology,’ and even ‘biological weapons.’

Then…

If the frequent use of ghosts in horror films is to warn against them—

Who, then, is intended to be cautioned and kept in check by these themes?

 

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