Seoul Object Story
Chapter 99: The Pudding Factory: Epilogue (2)

Oh, I was dreaming again! And it was a dark and gloomy one. It was a dream, but it felt so vivid, like I could almost touch it.

Hmm, the sleep-inducing ability I got after destroying that golden tree really came in handy, huh? I could clearly tell that this was a dream.

In front of me stretched a vast, desolate wasteland filled with the broken remains of Objects.

Everything here was so dry—both the ground and the air.

Hmm, I don’t know why but this place felt like the ‘Garden of Golden Reapers’. I just had a feeling it was so.

There were no Golden Reapers in sight in this vast space, and although this place didn’t look a bit like the Garden I knew, it strangely felt the same. Weird, huh?

Some kind of a black, gooey substance was oozing from the broken remains of the Objects, forming a puddle around the wreckage. Eww, it was like blood from a wound.

Shiver-!

Even though there were only broken Objects around, this place still gave me the creeps.

In this eerie situation, I saw some familiar-looking people—The Pudding Ninjas!

The ninjas were all wearing black masks and black clothes, making them look like a huge swarm of cockroaches. Ew… The swarm ofcockroachesninjas stretched all the way to the horizon.

They were all bowing towards an empty throne made from the remains of the Objects.

Even though the throne was without an owner, it still emitted an aura of utter domination coupled with a uniquely eerie feeling.

The ninjas bowed with a mix of reverence and fear. Reverence towards the unseen owner of the throne.

All of a sudden, I heard a murmur. The ninjas devoid of tongues sang an incomprehensible hymn.

No words were uttered, but I could clearly feel the awe and worship contained in the hymn coursing through me, making the flame in me… um, grow?

Oh, I remember this feeling! Awe and reverence!

An unknown sense of omnipotence spread within me. Even though it was a dream, I could clearly feel the firewood in me grow by devouring those emotions.

While I was basking in this familiar sense of omnipotence, I felt a gaze on me. Turning back, I saw a black silhouette on the throne.

It was as black as a crow and as red as a rose…

It was me.

With a gloomy expression on my face.

The moment our eyes met, the dream started to push me away.

It felt like my other self was telling me not to come there.

The dream space became hazy and shattered like glass, and suddenly, an unfamiliar sky came into view.

Through my blurred vision, I could see eight moons decorating the sky. One was burning with a black fire, while the other seven shone in all the colors of a rainbow.

When I opened my eyes, feeling a sudden chill where I felt warm, I realized that Reaper, who had been snuggled in my arms was gone. Oh no!

“Reaper?”

I called out and looked around for the Reaper everywhere in the room. Not seeing it anywhere there I decided to go look for it outside.

Where could it have gone? I mean, even though Reaper wandered around alone for no reason, it rarely did so in the middle of the night like this. So, it was definitely weird.

After what felt like ages(probably only a few minutes, but whatever), and passing through the dark hallway, I finally found the Reaper outside.

There it was, standing in the backyard, gazing at the moon with a dreamy look on its face.

The Reaper’s hair fluttered in the cool breeze blowing through the backyard, as it stretched its hand towards the sky.

The scene was so mystical, it felt like it was a scene straight out of a novel or movie.

I couldn’t help but watch for a bit, totally mesmerized. Reaper against the backdrop of trees and grass, bathed in moonlight—it was out of the world.

Hehe, how often do you get to see something so pretty? So, I quickly fished my phone out of my pocket. I had to capture this!

Click! There, a perfect shot! Hehe! Ah, a single moment of this wonderful time shall be transformed into a photograph and preserved for eternity.

I snapped a few more just to be safe, grinning at my phone as I reviewed the photos. Hehehehehehehe!¹

And then, something caught my eye. Wait a sec—Reaper’s skin tone had changed! It was back to its original color. Phew!

I had been a teensy bit worried when its color had lightened before, but now, I was relieved.

The deputy director’s office buzzed with the sound of the TV.

“I’m glad. it seems that it won’t turn into a big problem. I’m especially glad that the owner James didn’t mention us at all and just said, ‘Errors occurred in the regular operation of the factory due to the unforeseen Object occupation.’”

Phew! I was totally convinced that I’d be dragged into the deputy director’s office and get a scolding because of that recent mess!

But to my surprise, Seoah unnie let it go without much nagging. Hehehehe!

Hihi! I was sure it was all thanks to the little Golden Reaper perched on her shoulder, showering her with love.

Thank you, Golden Reaper! You’re the best!

By the way, these days, Seoah unnie seemed way less grumpy.

“Rather, the problem is these guys…”

“Ah…”

She looked down at her desk with a worried expression.

There, five Golden Reapers were sprawled out like tiny, cute little zombies.

They all had these cute hats with bunny ears sprouting from them, making the reapers look twice the cute as usual. Seriously, how are they so adorable?

Even when we poked them with our fingers, they didn’t budge.

When we picked them up, they had no strength whatsoever, they were all limp and floppy, like liquid.

These poor little reapers had been through so much!

When I saw that the Gray Reaper wasn’t too fussed about them, I thought they’d bounce back if we just left them alone. But still, it made me so sad just to look at them.

At first, I thought the Golden Reapers had died from overwork.

They didn’t breathe, so when they didn’t even move, they looked like still corpses!! It freaked me out!!!

Luckily, they weren’t dead.

When I brought a little scoop of pudding to their mouth, they’d move their tiny jaws and slowly eat it.

So, we moved the little reapers to Unnie’s private room to be cared for.

Om nom nom-!

I laid one of the Golden Reapers on my palm and slowly fed it some of the pudding.

Aw, so cute~~!

Even though the reaper was the one getting cared for, it felt like I was the one who was being rewarded because it was just so cute.

Seoah unnie was also super focused and sincerely taking care of them. It was amazing to see her so absorbed, especially so when she wasn’t even going through a heap of documents…

It was another peaceful day at the Sehee Research Institute. Speaking of which, where on earth was Sehee unnie these days?

In a grand hall that seemed to echo the elegance of a long bygone era, a breathtaking mosaic sprawled across the center of the floor.

The intricate tiles formed a mesmerizing tableau of exotic landscapes and enigmatic folklore.

The 3rd Director read the inscriptions on the mosaic intently.

Surrounding this magnificent piece were chairs and tables made of the finest wood, inlaid with gold and silver, their polished surfaces gleaming softly under the gentle light.

Atop a circular table lay an assortment of grotesque objects, encircling the mosaic, reminiscent of a macabre ritual.

A freshly severed skull rested on a gold platter, its vacant eye sockets staring into the void.

Nearby an unknown heart, still oozing with dark blood, sat in a silver bowl.

Each item was meticulously arranged adhering to certain rules.

The 3rd Director, after a prolonged, contemplative gaze at the mosaic, turned his attention to the butler standing next to him. His voice, though calm, carried a chilling intensity.

“The culture of other worlds is quite fascinating, isn’t it? So, what news do you bring?”

“The operation targeting James was a complete failure, sir.”

“Ah, I see, another failure. How delightful. Now that James will spread his bastardized alchemy throughout Korea as well. A problem, indeed, requiring a most… creative solution.”

Although he appeared calm, a flicker of barely contained rage danced in his eyes.

“Wasn’t the Gray Reaper struggling against the Hungry Ghost last time? What variable did we overlook? Could James have orchestrated this? No, the fool still lacks the skill for such intricacies.”

As he paced around the mosaic, muttering to himself, his thoughts whirled with a dark intensity. Then, abruptly, he halted and fixed the butler with a piercing gaze.

“Surely, there’s more to report? The investigation into this this deacle must have yielded some results. Speak.”

The butler stepped forward, handing over a stack of photos and documents.

“Upon reviewing the surrounding CCTV footage, there was no evidence of external interference aside from the Gray Reaper. The data indicates that the Gray Reaper successfully neutralized the Hungry Ghost. The research institute suggests an urgent need to reevaluate the Gray Reaper’s combat capabilities. “

The 3rd Director’s veneer of composure cracked. His normally stoic expression twisted into one of incredulous fury.

“No. That cannot be. That thing should not possess the power to subdue the Hungry Ghost.”

“However, the evidence clearly supports—”

Before the butler could finish, the director’s hand clamped down on his shoulder, shoving him aside with incredible force. The director stormed past, his footsteps echoing ominously in the hall adorned with the eerie mosaic.

“Tell them to investigate again!! This time, they must not return with such… inadequate results.”

He shot one last menacing look over his shoulder before continuing his relentless stride, leaving the butler trembling in the wake of his wrath.

Gangseo-gu, once a bustling district, now lay barren and desolate, swallowed by relentless desertification.

The disaster that erupted from the Kkachisan Mountain Research Institute had transformed the entire area into a vast, unforgiving desert.

The scale of destruction was staggering. Gangseo-gu, previously teeming with life and activity, had been erased from the map. It was one of Seoul’s most densely populated districts, but now, nothing but an empty expanse of sand and ruins.

In the nearby district of Yangcheon-gu, a relief camp had been hastily erected to shelter the survivors. However, the numbers were heartbreakingly small. The desertification had claimed countless lives, leaving only a handful of people to seek refuge.

And then, amidst the bleakness, it began to rain in the camp.

Even though it was nothing but a light drizzle.

It never ceased.