I Returned, and Now I See Strange Things-Chapter 28: Adding Seasoning

Thwack!

Thump!

The dirt knocked from the shovel piled up beside Ayun.

Despite the rather chilly weather, Hyesung was sweating enough to take off his outerwear.

Heat shimmered from his body.

Digging into the ground as if he were making his own grave—it was only natural.

Asked for an explanation and they’re burying him instead...

It’s been fun, guys.

He had a good run, didn’t he?

Watching the chat, which clearly wasn’t on Hyesung’s side, Ayun let out a snort.

“Seems like everyone’s hoping you get buried.”

Hyesung, planting his shovel into the dirt, turned to the camera and growled.

“...Manager, take down all their IDs.”

Almost said it for real lol

Stop messing around and prove something!!!

How long are you just gonna dig dirt!!!

“What a bunch of clowns.”

Noonim looked at me!

Nah, she totally looked at me!

Seeing Ayun giggling as she read the chat, Hyesung sighed and asked,

“Noona, how much deeper do I have to dig?”

“You’re almost done. Seriously, how little did you dig that you’re already whining?”

Wiping sweat from his face, Hyesung looked down at the ground.

He’d joked about digging his own grave, but it wasn’t that wide.

About two handspans across and deep enough to fit a small water bottle.

Fortunately, it wasn’t that hard—there were no obstructions, almost like someone had already dug it up once.

Still, he hadn’t done any digging since being discharged, so he was starting to get tired.

Too much time had passed since his prime as a sergeant in the army.

‘Ugh, my back...’

Even so, if Ayun had told him to dig, there had to be a reason. So Hyesung picked up the shovel again and silently drove it into the ground.

As the digging noise grew louder again, Arin, who’d been watching from a distance with a cautious expression, slowly crept closer.

“Um...”

“Yeah?”

“So, why are we digging the ground right now?”

Blinking, Ayun answered quietly.

“Didn’t the one next to you tell you?”

“N-No, I couldn’t really... hear them well.”

Arin glanced awkwardly to her side.

‘What the hell am I even supposed to be seeing...’

Ayun gave her a brief look, then turned toward Hyesung and said,

“It’ll come out soon... Easier if you just see it for yourself.”

“...?”

At that moment—

“Huh?”

Hyesung’s voice rang out like he’d discovered something.

Then came his shout of horror.

“N-Noona!!!”

“Did it come out?”

“B-Bones! H-Human bones!!”

At the same time, the “something” that had been clinging to Arin began to fade and disappeared entirely.

As if it had never belonged in this world to begin with.

Ayun looked at it with a blank expression and offered a silent prayer.

‘...Rest in peace.’

Now that everything was ready—

It was time for Ayun to carry out what she’d planned.

First, she handed the smartphone to Hyesung, who’d run behind her in a panic.

Of course, she didn’t forget to mock him for cowardly hiding behind her.

“A grown man hiding behind someone just because of a few bones?”

“B-But Noona! They’re human bones!”

“Bones? Bones?”

Only now registering the word “bones,” Arin was just as shocked.

Bones??

What the fuck is this

Call the cops NOW

“U-Um, chat’s saying we should call the police... Should I?”

“Oh? Sure, go ahead.”

Borrowing Ayun’s smartphone, Hyesung called the police while Ayun turned to the camera and spoke.

“The ghost that was stuck to me said something.”

She glanced at Arin as she spoke.

Arin flinched and took a step back.

Grinning slyly, Ayun continued.

“They only said one thing. It wasn’t ‘help me find peace,’ or ‘avenge me’...”

She paused briefly.

“They just... wanted their bones found and properly buried.”

That much was entirely true.

Then Ayun decided to add a little “seasoning.”

It was feeling a little too bland otherwise.

Coincidence, maybe?

Could’ve been staged.

Who the hell would stage something with human bones, lol

And it was also for those who still wouldn’t believe, even after all this.

They wouldn’t be able to see anything anyway.

Ayun gave Arin a quick glance, then pulled a small container from her pocket.

“Uh... What’s that?”

“What do you think?”

“...I-I dunno?”

Hyesung looked dazed, and somehow tired.

Ayun figured that made sense.

He’d just dug up a grave and seen human bones.

‘He looks exhausted—maybe I should wrap this up. The cops will be here soon, anyway.’

Ayun replied brightly.

Though her face was hidden behind the mask, it was clear from her tone.

“It’s salt.”

“Salt...?”

“Salt...?”

From what Ayun had seen, most people associated coarse salt with spiritual cleansing.

It wasn’t hard to find, and it was relatively cheap.

Ayun couldn’t think of anything more convenient.

Click.

She popped open the sealed lid of the container.

The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.

As she tilted it, coarse salt spilled out.

“Hmm... Just regular coarse salt from the local market. But once it’s in my hands, it’s something else entirely.”

“...”

Ayun scooped a handful of salt and, like she was pitching a baseball, wound up and shouted,

“Begone, evil spirit!”

She tossed the salt just past the hole Hyesung had dug.

And at that very moment—

The salt caught fire.

“Kyah!”

“H-Huh?”

It burned with a color no ordinary salt could produce.

Floating for a moment, the salt blazed in midair, then fell softly to the ground, grain by grain, as if its job was done.

“All the remaining evil spirits should be dealt with now, so it should be safe.”

“...Hah.”

Letting out a half-broken laugh, Hyesung strode over to where the salt had landed.

He was a little scared—but Ayun had declared it was safe, so he mustered the courage.

...And if they were going to prove anything, it was better to go all in.

“Noona, can you shine the flashlight here?”

“Sure.”

Ayun lit up the ground with her flashlight, revealing the scorched remains of the salt.

Hyesung aimed the camera and spoke.

“...Can you all see this?”

How’d she do that??

She’s not a ghost hunter, she’s a wizard

???

Then a mission alert popped up.

(Throw salt on a person – 50,000 won)

Whether it was support or just lingering skepticism, it was hard to tell.

Seeing the mission, Hyesung asked in a trembling voice.

“...Noona, they’re asking if you’ll throw salt on a person?”

“Throw what?”

“Salt.”

“Why waste good salt on a person?”

Ayun meant it.

She didn’t want to waste useful coarse salt on something so pointless.

As she closed the container lid, Hyesung spoke again.

“They’ll pay 50,000 won if you do it.”

“...Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Ayun quickly popped the lid back open.

With ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) a clean, practiced motion, she poured a handful of salt into her palm and asked urgently,

“How much—how much do I need to throw?!”

“N-No, wait—just... a reasonable amount, please!”

Immediately, Ayun threw the salt at Hyesung.

“Wha—why me?!”

She seasoned him like she was salting a dish.

Unlike before, the salt remained calm.

At that moment, Ignis’s voice rang softly in Ayun’s ear.

[...This feels like fraud.]

Fraud?

Dangerous words.

She’d really helped a lingering spirit move on, and she was just adding a little show for the people who couldn’t see.

This was business, Ignis.

Ayun thought so and smiled.

“N-Noona, please stop! I think we’ve confirmed enough now....”

Getting doused with salt made Hyesung feel weird.

Was it because of the flaming salt from before?

Either way, Ayun didn’t care.

She emptied the whole container on him, then clicked her tongue with regret and finally stopped.

Hyesung looked down at the salt-whitened ground and muttered,

“They’re not paying more if you keep going, you know...?”

“...That’s how it works?”

Before long, the police arrived in response to the report, and the broadcast ended there.

Since the remains were clearly very old, the group was only asked a few questions, left their contact info, and were allowed to go.

“We may contact you, so please keep your phone on.”

“Understood.”

Released by the police, the group got into Hyesung’s car.

Naturally, Hyesung was driving.

Ayun sat in the passenger seat, while Arin took the back.

Once he confirmed everyone had their seatbelts on, Hyesung spoke to Arin.

“It’s late, so I’ll drive you close to home.”

“Ah... thank you.”

“Noona, that okay with you?”

“Huh? Oh, do whatever.”

As always, the car started smoothly.

While driving, a drive-thru sign appeared in the distance.

Hyesung, just in case, asked,

“...Anyone hungry?”

He glanced at Arin through the rearview mirror.

Arin shook her head with an expression that showed zero appetite.

‘...That’s the normal reaction.’

“What about you, Noona...?”

Ayun answered immediately, like she’d been waiting.

“I’m hungry.”

“...Yeah, I figured.”

Seeing Arin’s baffled face, Hyesung let out an awkward laugh.

‘Honestly, I’m just as baffled...’

He turned the wheel toward the drive-thru.

A sign up ahead read: Hamburgers.