Chapter 3: Cracks in the Delusion

Honestly, he wanted to slap that annoying mouth once.

Han Hoseong swallowed his rising anger and spoke.

“I finished introducing myself.”

“Now tell me who ‘Woo Yeongchan’ is.”

“College student.”

“Sophomore.”

“Majoring in business administration.”

“Discharged from the military two weeks ago.”

Zenon spat the words out bluntly.

Every single detail he mentioned was completely different from Zenon.

Zenon was a high school graduate from a regular academic track, and he had never even enlisted in the military.

In the first place, he had received a military exemption due to his status as an orphan.

“My birthday is August 26th.”

“My hobby is working out.”

“Among them, I like surfing and swimming the most.”

That was also wrong information.

Zenon was born on February 19th, and he had no interest in working out at all.

Far from surfing and swimming, he was someone who hated even walking.

If he nitpicked every detail, there would be no end to it.

Still, thinking that Zenon might realize something was strange on his own as he talked, Han Hoseong quietly listened to his self-introduction.

“I raise a Retriever and a Jindo dog at my family home, and I plan to adopt a cat as soon as I return to Korea.”

“……By the way, how far do I have to explain this?”

“‘As soon as you return to Korea’?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you not in Korea right now?”

Zenon exhaled roughly as if he was dying of frustration.

“I was in Hawaii.”

“……Hawaii.”

“Yeah.”

“To be exact, on Oahu Island.”

According to Zenon’s claim, it was as follows.

Himself, meaning ‘Woo Yeongchan’, said he was discharged from the military in May this year.

Since he was scheduled to return to school in the second semester, he went to Hawaii to play as much as he wanted before then.

Living in a villa, swimming, eating barbecue, surfing, taking naps, and swimming again for a week.

He woke up from his sleep because he felt strange for some reason, and a unfamiliar ceiling met his eyes.

“When I checked the mirror, I was not myself.”

“…….”

Han Hoseong barely held onto his dizzying sanity.

He was prepared, but it was far more absurd than expected.

Amnesia would have been better; he did not even dare to think where or how to begin tackling this.

“So what you are saying is……”

“You are actually a person named ‘Woo Yeongchan’, and when you woke up, you were inside Zenon’s body.”

“Just like you got possessed.”

“Yeah.”

“Does that make any sense?”

When Han Hoseong pointed it out, unable to hold back his absurdity, Zenon frowned.

“I am f*cking baffled too, okay?”

“But it actually happened, so what do you want me to do?”

“Did you guys seriously pulling some trick on me?”

“Pulling a trick?”

“What kind of trick could we pull?”

“We do not even have that kind of talent.”

“Even if we had such talent, why would we possess you into Zenon?”

“Would you guys not know that better?”

He was treating them completely like a criminal organization.

And not just a normal criminal organization, but a necromancer criminal organization.

His patience was gradually wearing thin.

Han Hoseong crossed his arms and asked.

“I have no idea at all.”

“Why do you think we possessed you into Zenon?”

“Because of money.”

It was a response full of confidence.

At that, Han Hoseong ended up letting out a hollow laugh.

“Money……”

“If we possess you into Zenon, what, does a hail of money fall from the sky?”

“Does that make sense?”

“What kind of unrealistic nonsense are you talking about?”

Those were the words of a person who claimed to be possessed in someone else’s body.

The words that followed were also absurd beyond measure.

“Are you not planning to hold my soul hostage and demand money from my family?”

“What?”

“How much do you need?”

“Three?”

“Should I give you about five?”

It was an attitude as if he were being particularly generous.

Han Hoseong let out a hollow laugh.

Because it was so absurd, he did not even feel angry anymore.

“What is three, and what is five?”

“I am sorry, but is your family some kind of royal family?”

“To hold someone hostage and demand money?”

“If it is money, we have more than a royal family.”

Zenon said arrogantly.

“I am a fourth-generation Kangmun.”

“You might as well say you are Louis XIV.”

“You do not know Kangmun?”

Actually, the moment he heard the word ‘Kangmun’, something came to mind.

Han Hoseong asked half-doubtfully.

“By any chance, Kangmun Group?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Of course.”

How could anyone not know Kangmun Group, which ranked first in South Korea’s business world?

They had their hands in so many fields, such as electronics, biotechnology, and the automobile industry, that living in Korea made it impossible not to know the name.

“Then by fourth-generation, did you mean a fourth-generation chaebol?”

“Your great-grandfather was the founder of Kangmun Group?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah, so that is your concept.”

“It is not a concept!”

Zenon yelled loudly.

He squirmed his body, which was bound in chains.

Clang, clang, the metallic sound pierced the eardrums.

“If you cannot believe it, search it up!”

“Should I really search for it?”

Han Hoseong pulled out his phone.

He naturally did not believe Zenon’s claim.

However, for some reason, he felt curious.

‘Kangmun Group fourth-generation Woo Yeongchan’

When he entered the keywords into the search bar, a page came up.

Most were news articles, and there were also blog posts.

When he clicked on one of them, a photo of someone who looked like a handsome boy from Greek and Roman mythology popped up.

It was a face that, had he debuted, would have been considered one of the top visuals among idols.

Having lots of money and being born with good looks too.

Thinking that the world was truly unfair, Han Hoseong held out his phone screen.

“Is this you?”

“You do not look alike at all.”

“I told you our bodies switched!”

“It is normal not to look like this face.”

“And that photo was taken when I was in high school, okay?”

“Is that so?”

Han Hoseong pulled back his phone.

He observed the photo in detail, but as expected, no thoughts came to mind other than ‘he is handsome.’

Scrolling down, he saw a short informational post.

Things like what percentage of Kangmun Group-related stocks Woo Yeongchan held, and what building worth how much standard market value he had inherited.

“It is fascinating, but it is not enough proof that you are Woo Yeongchan.”

“What do I have to do for you to believe me?”

“Call your parents and prove it.”

“Fine.”

Zenon answered readily, as if it was just what he wanted.

“Untie my hands.”

“So I can make a call.”

“Just read out the number.”

“I will dial it.”

“Untie me!”

For a moment, he thought, ‘Would it be okay to untie him?’ but seeing him throwing a tantrum, it seemed better to keep him tied up after all.

Han Hoseong shook his head firmly.

Realizing that he had no intention of changing his mind, Zenon ground his teeth and read out the number.

When he pressed the call button, the dial tone rang.

It seemed to be an actual existing number.

However, that was all.

“They are not answering.”

“Then call this number.”

Zenon read out another number.

However, the result was the same.

The other party did not answer the phone.

“……I will call my older brother.”

Han Hoseong quietly dialed the new number.

Since there was no way a call would connect to the owner family of Kangmun Group, he intended to shatter Zenon’s delusion by presenting him with this reality.

As the dial tone dragged on, an anxious look crossed Zenon’s face.

Before long, an automated message flowed out: “The party you have reached is unavailable. Please leave a message after the tone……”

Zenon muttered to himself.

“Come to think of it, there is no way they would answer a call from an unknown number……”

The delusion was extraordinarily solid, showing no signs of shaking easily.

Han Hoseong spoke firmly.

“Let us just accept reality.”

“Accept what?”

“I told you I am Woo Yeongchan!”

“There is no proof.”

“What, do I have to spill secrets that only my family knows?”

“Is that seriously your goal?”

“I cannot accept that as proof.”

“I have no way to verify the authenticity of the secrets you mention.”

“I had no intention of telling you anyway.”

“Then bring me a copy of your resident registration.”

Zenon glared ferociously at Han Hoseong.

Rather than being scared by it, Han Hoseong found it fascinating.

Zenon usually had trouble making eye contact with others, so how could he glare so well?

It really felt as if the person had changed.

Of course, that could not truly be the case.

“Untie my hands and hand over the phone.”

“I told you I cannot.”

“I have a good idea, so just untie me.”

“What are you trying to do this time?”

“I am going to log into my social media.”

Hearing that, it seemed like the best option available at the moment.

If even the verification method he confidently proposed failed, would it not crack Zenon’s delusion?

“Then read out your ID and password.”

“I am not doing anything until you untie this f*ucking thing.”

Seeing him shuddering in hatred of being bound in chains, Han Hoseong felt a sense of pity too.

Indeed, he could not keep him tied up forever.

“You are not going to throw a tantrum, right?”

“……Yeah.”

“Alright.”

“It is a promise.”

Han Hoseong picked up the key resting on the dining table.

It was something Moon Haeil had left behind.

Zenon complained while he unlocked the padlock.

Han Hoseong brushed off complaints such as, ‘Are you a pervert or what, why do you have chains,’ as he untied the chains for him.

“Phone.”

Zenon reached out his hand and demanded naturally.

It was a bit absurd, but Han Hoseong handed over his phone.

“Watch closely.”

“I am logging in.”

Accessing social media, Zenon entered his ID into the login window.

After typing in the password all at once and pressing the confirm button, a message popped up.

[Incorrect password.]

“Huh?”

He uttered a stupid sound.

“Looks like there is some error……”

Zenon entered the password once more.

However, the result was the same.

The message [Incorrect password.] only popped up repeatedly.

Han Hoseong noticed that Zenon’s hand holding the phone was trembling finely.

At last, the delusion seemed to be shattering bit by bit.

It was a good sign.

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