Chapter 133

“A bad guy?”

“It seems like you’re referring to the same person I’m talking about.”

Kang Younggang was the name of the notorious serial killer who had been executed recently.

“You know him?”

“I looked into him because it seemed to pique your interest, sir.”

“What happened?”

“According to headquarters, there was chaos as various directors from different hells tried to claim Kang Younggang for their realms.”

“Directors?”

“Due to his numerous crimes, he is destined for multiple hells. The directors responsible for each hell were in disarray, competing to take him first.”

“Hell…has marketing directors?”

Kang Doochi chuckled and nodded at Kang Jin’s question.

“Normally, souls cycle through hells in order, but due to this bastard’s numerous crimes, each hell is scrambling to hold his trial first.”

Kang Jin responded to Kang Doochi’s explanation, “Can’t they just follow the usual order?”

“That would be ideal, but… If one hell sentences him for a hundred or two hundred years, all other hells have to wait their turn. Hence, they want to punish him sooner rather than later.”

“Ah… They want to strike while the iron is hot.”

Kang Doochi nodded at Kang Jin’s observation.

“Exactly. Just like in the mortal world, high-profile cases here also demand prompt handling. It improves performance evaluations and garners favorable media coverage in the afterlife.”

“Is there something like newspapers in the afterlife?”

“Indeed. I’ll bring you a copy later. Oh! The ‘JS Daily’ features a daily comic strip; it’s quite entertaining.”

“That sounds interesting.”

However, Kang Jin was more curious about something else. “So where is he now?”

“I heard he’s currently heading to Frozen Hell.”

“Frozen Hell?”

“In the afterlife, filial piety is considered one of the most significant virtues, and Frozen Hell deals with matters related to it. Therefore, his first trial will take place there.”

“Filial piety? Did that bastard lack respect for his parents?”

“Considering the sins he committed, imagine how devastated his parents must feel.”

“Ah…” Kang Jin nodded slightly as Kang Doochi continued.

“When someone does wrong, it often causes immense pain and suffering for their parents.”

“Aren’t the victims the ones who suffer?”

“Certainly, victims endure physical harm or material loss, but emotionally, isn’t it the parents who bear the brunt of anguish first? The laws of the afterlife align with societal values from life. In South Korea, since the Joseon Dynasty era, filial disobedience has been considered the gravest sin, so even in our afterlife, it is viewed most seriously.”

Kang Jin nodded at Kang Doochi’s explanation. Indeed, when a child strays down the wrong path, no one feels more heartache than their parents.

Of course, the actual harm is inflicted upon the victims themselves.

As Kang Jin pondered this, he turned to Kang Doochi.

“So, is he heading towards Frozen Hell now?”

“That’s correct.”

“I hope he reaches there quickly and receives his punishment soon.”

Kang Doochi smiled at Kang Jin’s remark.

“Remember when you saw items for preparing against Frozen Hell at that convenience store?”

“The thermal underwear? Ah! You mentioned it would be incredibly cold on the way to the trial.”

“He has no money, so he’ll have to traverse Frozen Hell barefoot step by step…”

Watching Kang Doochi shudder with disgust, Kang Jin asked,

“Is it extremely painful?”

Though it was phrased as a question, his tone conveyed hope—hoping for immense suffering… Kang Doochi responded with a meaningful smile:

“He’ll regret every single step he takes.”

Kang Jin nodded approvingly. “That’s reassuring.”

Kang Doochi chuckled at Kang Jin’s response. “And even if he wants to stop due to hardship, he can’t. With ice and snow all around him…”

With that, he opened his instant noodle container. “I should start eating now; I’m running out of mealtime.” Kang Doochi hastily began digging into his noodles and side dishes.

Watching this, Kang Jin smiled contentedly. The thought of the villain enduring hardships brought him satisfaction.

After enduring thousands of years in hell, he deserves to eat his heart out.

Kang Jin muttered silently as he watched Kang Doochi rapidly devouring his ramen and side dishes. It seemed like Doochi truly had limited time for meals.

Indeed, whether it’s this life or the afterlife, the working-class lifestyle remains much the same.

Seeing Kang Doochi hurriedly eating due to time constraints made Kang Jin feel sympathetic.

“When you have some free time, please come by our shop.”

“Our shop?”

“It doesn’t seem like your salary is very high. Come dine with us at no cost.”

“But even if it’s free, my wages would still get garnished…”

If Kang Jin offered him a meal for free, JS Finance would automatically deduct funds from Kang Doochi’s account anyway.

In life, there were freebies, but not so much in the afterlife.

“Please enjoy rice with side dishes. I’ll charge you 1,000 won for the rice as per market rate, but the sides are complimentary.”

“But still…”

“The sides come with every meal anyway, so it’s just being neighborly.”

Kang Doochi raised an eyebrow at Kang Jin’s suggestion, unsure if this was acceptable. In the afterlife, where nothing came for free, the principle was to earn what one worked for and pay accordingly. This type of arrangement was unheard of.

After pondering briefly, Kang Doochi nodded.

“Well then, thank you. I might take you up on that offer occasionally.”

If it didn’t work out, he could simply pay for what he consumed.

“Let’s do that.”

Smiling, Kang Doochi continued chatting with Kang Jin while clearing away their ramen bowls.

“It’s been quite chilly lately when I go out to greet customers.”

“Well, it’s December after all.”

“That’s true. Shouldn’t you buy some warmer clothes?”

“Clothes?”

“It’ll be even colder since Gangwon Province is mountainous. With what you’re wearing now…”

Kang Doochi looked Kang Jin up and down. Kang Jin dressed casually like most men going outside - comfortable sweatpants paired with a cotton tee and a padded jacket on top. It was a style where removing the jacket revealed pajamas underneath, but adding the jacket made it suitable for outings.

“I might have to escort you to Gangwon Province.”

In other words, it meant he could freeze to death.

“But I heard that due to the ghostly energy around you, you shouldn’t feel the cold much?”

“Well, owners of Underworld Restaurants indeed don’t catch colds easily. However, it’s not like I’m completely immune to feeling chilly. Plus, since only ghosts inhabit the area and there is no heating… Will you be okay in this weather?”

Upon reflection, Kang Jin realized it made sense. They would be staying overnight, and his current attire wouldn’t protect him from the cold, especially considering the mountainous region in Gangwon Province tends to be even colder.

‘If I buy undergarments from Frozen Hell, I probably won’t feel the chill… Should I get one set?’

As Kang Jin pondered this, Kang Doochi suggested, “Buy some thermal underwear. It’s better than suffering from a cold.”

“I heard that items from Frozen Hell might be too extreme for our world. Will it be okay?”

“It may be excessive, but considering the location…being warm is better than being cold, right? And if it gets too hot, you can always take them off.”

Kang Jin considered Kang Doochi’s words and then entered the convenience store to select some thermal underwear.

[Blazing Thermal Underwear]

Kang Jin examined the Blazing Thermal Underwear with its fiery design and asked, “Does this come in different sizes?”

“They’re one-size-fits-all, suitable for men, women, young, and old.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Following the attendant’s response, Kang Jin picked up the underwear to check the price.

[370,000 won]

‘What an insane cost.’

A single set of thermal underwear priced at 370,000 won was indeed exorbitant.

Essentials for hell were priced differently indeed. Kang Jin wasn’t sure how much currency he earned with each good deed at J.S. Finance, but it seemed challenging to acquire all these must-have items without consistently doing many virtuous acts.

While hesitating due to the high cost, Kang Doochi approached him.

“You’re not buying?”

“The price is…a bit steep.”

“Well, you’ll need one eventually when you die anyway. Buying now means you can wear it until then and even after death. Isn’t that convenient?”

“Huh? Do I have to go to Frozen Hell too? Isn’t it only for bad people?”

Kang Doochi chuckled at Kang Jin’s question.

“Both good and evil individuals undergo judgment. Depending on the trial’s outcome, they may end up in different hells. Therefore, everyone must initially visit the hells containing courtrooms.”

“Then do I have to endure all those hardships too?”

Kang Jin had heard that just getting to the courtroom was akin to hell itself, and now he realized he would have to traverse that path as well.

In response to Kang Jin’s question, Kang Doochi shook his head.

“That’s why people who’ve done good deeds save money to purchase essential items for their journey through hell. The virtuous can make the trip comfortably using their wealth. Conversely, wicked individuals without money suffer from freezing cold, knife stabs, snake bites, and other agonies along the way.”

“So, I’ll still experience all those hells, then?”

“Don’t worry, sir, since you run the Underworld Restaurant. You’ll likely travel to Frozen Hell comfortably on a snowmobile.”

“A snowmobile?”

“It’s like a vehicle that runs over snow or ice. VIPs often use them for a more pleasant journey to hell. Oh!”

“Someone once went to the Forest of Predators using an armored vehicle,” Kang Doochi replied with a nod at Kang Jin’s puzzled expression.

“I saw it on So-ilbo news… A grandmother selling vegetables at the market had sponsored and raised over a hundred children.”

“What a wonderful person.”

“Not only that, but those kids grew up to be kind-hearted individuals, further accumulating good deeds for her. As a result, some of their virtuous acts also contributed to Grandma’s account here at our bank.”

“It sounds like a multi-level system for good deeds.”

“A multi-level system for good deeds… That’s not far off. Anyway, traveling through the Forest of Predators in an armored vehicle was quite impressive.” Smiling, Kang Doochi then pointed at his thermal underwear. “However, there’s no escaping the cold in Frozen Hell, so it’s best to pack warm undergarments.”

“But this… I don’t think I’ll be able to wear it until death.”

“It’s made from materials sourced from the afterlife. As long as you don’t train too vigorously, you can comfortably wear it until your passing.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes indeed.” Kang Jin nodded while examining the undergarment based on Kang Doochi’s explanation.

I’ll get my money’s worth if I can wear it till death and even beyond.

Although pricey, considering its longevity, it was quite reasonable. Kang Jin purchased the undergarments, paid for them, and exited the convenience store.

“Well then, see you later.”

“I should say ‘I’m counting on you.’ Since my lunch break is over… See you next time.” With a smile, Kang Doochi hurried back to his government office, and Kang Jin headed towards the exit.

Click!

When Kang Jin opened the door, he found himself at his kimchi storage facility in Gangwon Province. With JS Finance, Kang Jin could teleport only to places he remembered and had access to—either owned by him or open to the public, like operating businesses. Since neither the house nor any establishment in the village belonged to him, he couldn’t directly transport there. Instead, he materialized near the village at the kimchi storage unit, which was indeed under his ownership.

The sudden chill hit Kang Jin as soon as he emerged from the storage room.

“Yikes! It’s freezing!”

Gangwon Province was undoubtedly colder than Seoul, especially considering it was late at night in the mountains. Feeling the biting cold, Kang Jin hastily put down his luggage and tore open the bag containing thermal clothes. With trembling hands, he removed his shirt.

Brrr…

With trembling hands, Kang Jin quickly took off his shirt and slipped on Dochi’s thermal wear.

Whew!

As soon as he put his head through the collar and inserted his arms, warmth enveloped his body.

I’m glad I listened to what Dochi said. If not, I would’ve been frozen stiff.

Realizing how close he came to freezing to death, Kang Jin breathed a sigh of relief. He then removed his pants and changed into the thermal bottoms.

So warm.

As the heat spread throughout his body, Kang Jin dressed himself again. Once fully clothed, he tested out various movements. Despite wearing snug-fitting thermals underneath, they felt comfortable against his skin, allowing him full range of motion without hindrance. Plus, they were incredibly warm…

I won’t need heating this winter.

With that thought, Kang Jin picked up his luggage and hurried along.

Stomp, stomp!

The mountain path was pitch black; however, it wasn’t too difficult to walk due to the bright moonlight. The only issue was…

Hoo-Hoo!

Swoosh! Swoosh!

The hooting of owls and rustling leaves sounded eerie.

“It feels like ghosts will appear at any moment.”

After saying this aloud, Kang Jin found his words amusing. Just moments ago, he had been selling food to ghosts, yet now he felt fearful about encountering one here. However, the fear was genuine. If actual ghosts appeared, he would likely greet them… It was the creepy atmosphere that made him more apprehensive.

“Should I call someone to accompany me?”

Kang Jin thought it might be less frightening if he went with Bae Yongsoo rather than enduring this ghostly ambiance alone. As he scanned his surroundings, ready to speak, a strange sound suddenly caught his attention.

Rustle!

It sounded like someone stepping on leaves. Kang Jin slowly turned towards the noise and froze.

In horror movies, whenever characters turn their heads in this kind of situation, something scary happens…