ITSN 06

Chapter 6

That spring, Yoo Hae-in inherited an enormous fortune when the chairman and his wife of Ino Group died in an accident.

And it was said that this very Yoo Hae-in seemed to have a deep connection with Rok.

Rok, who had leaked state secrets because of a woman, was ultimately abandoned—cut off like a lizard’s tail.

“All the middle brokers connected to Ino Systems have been killed. The methods were identical. It was a clean-up operation—erasing evidence.”

From then on, nothing else mattered.

State secrets? That meant nothing to Juhong.

Her family was her entire life.

Even the neighbor lady, the apartment manager, and the parish priest had always told her, “Your family’s love is exceptional.”

And it truly was.

Everyone forms their values differently depending on the lives they’ve lived.

For some, honor is most important. For others, money, friends, or power.

For Juhong, it was family.

She respected her father, loved her mother, and was especially close with her brother Rok. Though they were two years apart, they cared for each other so much they might as well have been twins.

They were poor.

But because they were poor… they loved and relied on each other even more.

For that family to vanish all at once—it was a disaster beyond any natural calamity.

She couldn’t sleep. She couldn’t eat. Each night was spent enduring the tearing pain of loss.

And then to hear it wasn’t even a simple robbery?

That someone had deliberately killed them?

Who?

Who on earth?

Who had killed her family, who had destroyed her life? Finding that out came first.

If there had been no way at all, perhaps she would have given up. But Juhong possessed a skill so extraordinary it could be called genius.

So she resolved to stop at nothing and uncover the truth about Rok’s connection with Yoo Hae-in.

Juhong began hacking every CCTV around Yoo Hae-in’s house and usual routes.

She even broke into the intranet of the Ino Training Center, which Yoo Hae-in frequented as if it were her playground.

At first, just as Su-yeong suggested, she thought maybe it was some sordid affair. But it wasn’t. For some reason, Rok looked as if he were being threatened by Yoo Hae-in.

Three hours before the horrific murders took place—Rok was meeting Yoo Hae-in.

The CCTV had no audio, but the images were enough: Yoo Hae-in was clearly scolding him with a fierce expression.

And Rok’s face… twisted into grave fear, trying desperately to hide it.

With Su-yeong’s help, they analyzed the lip movements. Yoo Hae-in had said:

“You’ll die if you keep this up.”
“So do as I say.”

In the end, Rok had leaked state secrets because of Yoo Hae-in’s threats.

But here was the problem:

All the middle brokers like Rok who had handed over information were killed—yet Yoo Hae-in was alive.

Didn’t that mean Yoo Hae-in was the culprit?

At the very least, an accomplice.

So, Juhong thought, if she pursued Yoo Hae-in, she would find the true murderer who had killed her family.

But then, to hear that Yoo Hae-in wasn’t the culprit?

How could that be?

It felt as though every step she’d built up had suddenly crumbled beneath her.

“Are you sure? Absolutely certain?”

[As certain as the fact that you, Juhong, are alive.]

“…Unbelievable.”

Dazed, Juhong asked one last question.

“Just one more.”

And this one was the most important of all.

“Why me? Why did you save me—in Yoo Hae-in’s body?”

Nineteen people had died. Yet only she was revived. Was there a special reason?

[First, Yoo Hae-in’s body was given because your own had been damaged beyond repair in the explosion—its utility was gone.]

That much she expected. She had been at the epicenter, after all.

[Among the nearby deceased, the least damaged body was Yoo Hae-in’s.]

“So it was just the easiest choice.”

[Another reason—Yoo Hae-in stole something from you.]

“What?”

Yoo Hae-in stole her things? What could she possibly lack that she needed to steal from Juhong?

It made no sense. Juhong had never been stolen from in her entire life.

[She did steal, and she paid the price. And reviving you this way—it is because you are the main player of this game.]

Why was she the main player?

[Because you, Juhong, have a reason you must see this through.]

A reason?

[□□□ shares your purpose. You seek the one who stole away your family, and □□□ seeks to punish the one who marred the order.]

Marred the order?

The words grew more incomprehensible. Yet the line gave no further answers.

[From now on, live well as Yoo Hae-in, and before the second night falls—identify the Mafia.]
[As I said, there will be allies. Work well with them.]
[Also, the deadline for the game is 49 days. Be careful not to exceed it.]

Forty-nine days.

The traditional time a soul lingers in the afterlife before judgment—on the 49th day, the dead are either reincarnated or sent to hell.

What if… the deadline passes?

If she failed the quest, or even succeeded but failed to pinpoint the culprit?

[The game ends automatically, and the body you were given will be discarded.]

What?!

The shock turned her mind blank.

So the game had an inevitable end, with no guarantee of victory—only uncertainty.

But she couldn’t let panic consume her. Perhaps this was her final chance. Her last chance at vengeance for her family.

So she had to try, no matter what. After all, she was already dead once. She had nothing left to lose.

“…Fine. How do I call you again?”

[I respond when the player requires me. I will also appear when guidance is needed.]
[Juhong, may you enjoy the game.]

The white line trembled and vanished.

Cold, pitch-black darkness remained.

Lying flat within it, Juhong thought and thought again. It was grotesque, eerie beyond belief—but not entirely bad.

If this was reality, then she’d been given another chance.

Even if it was a virtual reality after death—it was still a chance. At the very least, she could have her revenge.

Staring into the void, Juhong let a thin smile cross her lips and whispered:

“So, I’m to become Yoo Hae-in and find the Mafia?”

She spoke to whoever had revived her and forced her into this game.

“Fine. Before the second night falls, I’ll find them.”

And then, without fail—

“I’ll make sure they suffer a punishment as terrible as they deserve.”

With that vow, Juhong closed her eyes tightly.

Taejo eventually decided to attend the weekend family gathering at the family home in Itaewon. It was because of a call from his mother early that morning.

“If you don’t show up tonight, I’ll set the wedding date with Hae-in myself. I’ll settle you down by force if I must.”

He had planned to go and explain directly, to cut ties with Yoo Hae-in.

But life rarely goes as planned.

At 6 p.m., just as Taejo stepped out of his car in front of the house—

“…Yoo Hae-in?”

Of all rotten luck. He ran into her right there at the gate.

At first, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Normally, Yoo Hae-in would never step outside unless fully made up and perfectly dressed.

As though compelled by obsession, her makeup and hair were always flawless, her outfit immaculate.

But now?

Barefaced, wearing a tracksuit, with only a large trench coat thrown over it.

She had pulled the hood up, perhaps knowing she looked a mess, but even the strands of hair spilling out were unstyled and untidy.

And on her feet—sneakers, not the high heels she usually wore like a second skin.

Was this really Yoo Hae-in?

But she proved it herself.

“Ah!”

The moment she saw him, she startled and spun around, trying to flee in a panic.

Her reaction was so out of character that Taejo felt a visceral instinct—he needed to check if something was going on.

He reached out, grabbed hold of the collar of her trench coat as she tried to run.

“Stay right there.”