“Hey.”
Fake Zack was the first to speak to Mujae.
All he did was cross his arms, yet he exuded an astonishingly annoying aura.
He ran his eyes up and down Mujae with the same unpleasant gaze as ever.
“What are you doing here?”
“…Can’t you tell just by looking? I came to attend the class.”
Fake Zack snorted at Mujae’s reply.
“Class? What kind of class does the Promotion Team take?”
“You, a con artist, should be the one to get lost.”
A chilly atmosphere flowed between the two. Zack, who had been touring the Great Celestial Treasure Storehouse with excitement, only just noticed them.
“…?”
At that moment, Zack didn’t even realize that the guy in front of him was an imposter pretending to be him; he just looked on cautiously.
Creeeaaak.
The massive doors of the Great Celestial Treasure Storehouse opened.
“Hello, everyone!”
It was Facilities Team Shinsomi, her voice lively and bright.
At her appearance, the young Dead swarmed over.
Mujae, whose arm was being held by Zack, finally managed to tear his gaze away from Fake Zack and blend into the crowd.
Fake Zack also reluctantly followed them inside.
“Welcome to the pride of Seocheon Flower Garden, the Great Celestial Treasure Storehouse! Shall we come in slowly, everyone?”
The young Dead lined up and walked in at Shinsomi’s guidance.
Inside, the storehouse was much larger than it appeared from the outside.
Unlike its dazzling white exterior.
The inside was filled with endlessly deep and cozy darkness.
The ceiling was so high it couldn’t be seen, and shelves filled every wall, each packed with countless glass jars twinkling like stars.
‘There aren’t any obvious light sources.’
Yet the seeds inside the glass jars glowed as if emitting their own light.
Each shelf was labeled with strange symbols and letters that neither Mujae nor Zack recognized. Mujae raised his camera high, struggling to film everything he could see.
As they were feeling as if they’d entered a vast universe, Facilities Team Shinsomi, who was leading the way, clapped her hands loudly, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Welcome to your first class at Seocheon Flower Garden. If you’ve read the course guide, you may already know, but do you know what kind of place this is?”
“It’s the Seed Vault!”
One of the young Dead shouted energetically. Facilities Team Shinsomi smiled at the response.
“That’s right. This is where we keep the seeds of everything in the universe. From seeds of extinct worlds to seeds of futures not yet discovered—there’s nothing we don’t have.”
The Education Team member took a glass jar from the nearest shelf.
The seeds inside flickered with a phosphorescent glow like fireflies.
“These are Seeds of the Laurel Tree that grow on the moon. Aren’t they pretty?”
“Wow…!”
No one had told them to be quiet, yet a hushed gasp spread through the group.
Mujae and Zack eagerly filmed among the crowd.
Noticing this, Facilities Team Shinsomi waved them over.
“You’re from the Promotion Team, right? Sir Ggotgam Officer told me. Come closer and take your shots, but please be careful not to use the flash.”
“Yes!”
While the Promotion Team members took close-up shots of the laurel seeds, Facilities Team Shinsomi stepped away for a moment to fetch more seeds.
In the meantime, the young Dead seemed to grow curious about the Promotion Team as well.
“What are you guys doing? Are you filming this?”
“Promotion Team? What are you promoting?”
Questions came flying from every direction, chirping noisily, leaving Mujae and Zack flustered.
Mujae was about to lose his temper, wanting to focus on filming the important seeds.
Tap tap.
Zack gently tapped Mujae’s shoulder, attempting to sign.
‘Hold it in, senior. Today’s our team’s first official activity, right?’
‘So?’
‘Our team needs a good image.’
Zack flashed a faint smile. Mujae struggled to hold back an uncontrollable laugh.
‘A truly proper junior has joined!’
His words were undeniably right.
With so many places left to film, he couldn’t be a bad adult who snapped at the young Dead here.
Mujae beamed at the young Dead.
“Yup! We’re the Seocheon Flower Garden Promotion Team~ We’ll be attending the classes with you all from now on~”
“…”
But for some reason, the young Dead grew quiet at the sight of Mujae’s smile.
Among them, someone whispered.
“That oppa looks like a fool.”
“What?!”
Mujae snapped, but just as he realized his mistake, Facilities Team Shinsomi redirected the children’s attention.
“Now~ I brought some more seeds for you all!”
She neatly set the glass jars she carried onto the table.
The seeds inside shone in a variety of colors. Picking up one, she opened the lid and poured the seed into her palm.
A round, pea-like seed.
“Let me ask you a question. Why do you think our first class at Seocheon Flower Garden is at the Seed Vault, the Great Celestial Treasure Storehouse?”
“Because it’s the biggest!”
Laughter bubbled through the room. Facilities Team Shinsomi watched the young Dead with pride, just as she did the seeds.
“Because a seed is the beginning of everything.”
“…”
“Farming, you, even a single flower blooming by the roadside. Everything started as a seed.”
She began to hand out seeds from the jar, one by one. The eyes of the young Dead, cupping their tiny hands to receive the seeds, shone brightly.
“These are Pea Seeds. Since Seocheon Flower Garden grows various crops simultaneously, each section rotates through different seasons. You’ll all be assigned to a small field in the western section.”
Once all the young Dead had received their seeds, Facilities Team Shinsomi approached the Promotion Team.
She picked up a pea and handed it to Mujae, who could not hide a startled expression.
“J-Just a moment!”
“?”
Mujae hurriedly pulled out a pair of gardening gloves from his bag. Pulling them onto both hands with pride, he held them out.
“I have a pea allergy!”
“Oh my, really?”
“It’s okay! With the gloves, it’s fine.”
Seeing Mujae do this, Zack grew uneasy, then quickly removed the glove from Mujae’s left hand. Mujae’s eyes widened.
“Oh? You too?”
Zack pulled the glove onto his own left hand and held it out to Facilities Team Shinsomi.
The Education Team member looked troubled at the Promotion Team sharing a single pair of gloves.
“Ah… But, you see, the point is to get to know the seeds you’ll be seeing from now on. Touching them with gloves might defeat the purpose….”
“It’s fine!”
“Wait a moment, then let me get you something else!”
Facilities Team Shinsomi hurried to find another glass jar. The seed she brought back in haste was…
“Wheat Seed.”
“…”
“This one’s okay, right? Since it’s just a pea allergy….”
Mujae glanced at Zack. Zack’s face was pale, almost as if he couldn’t breathe. He shook his head violently and backed away.
Mujae, sensing something strange, drew away from Facilities Team Shinsomi and tried to talk to Zack.
“Zack, do you have a wheat allergy too?”
“…”
“But you said ‘Perfect Wheat’ was your goal. This morning, remember?”
“…”
“Even if you can’t do the pea, shouldn’t you try this one?”
Zack’s face grew even darker at Mujae’s words.
Facilities Team Shinsomi, who had been watching, approached Zack again.
“You’re an exchange student, right? Sir Ggotgam Officer told me you wanted to learn Eastern farming.”
“…”
“You’ll be learning a lot about farming from now on, so this will be the start.”
She gave her most heartfelt encouragement.
“Don’t be afraid, I’ll be right here with you.”
“…”
As if unable to avoid her sincerity any longer, Zack looked up, determination flickering in his face.
Mujae was about to join in with encouragement for his good-natured junior.
“What are you all doing?”
A presence everyone had forgotten appeared.
Fake Zack, like the other Dead, was holding a pea seed.
Looking at the scene as if it were absolutely ridiculous, he put his hand on his hip and snorted. Mujae instinctively stepped in front of him.
“And what’s your deal…?”
“Can’t you see he’s refusing with his whole body? Aren’t you even going to ask why?”
“Gasp, Young Master!”
Young Master? The strange title from Facilities Team Shinsomi made Mujae tilt his head in confusion.
Was there someone here at Seocheon Flower Garden who was called Young Master? Fake Zack, meanwhile, snatched the seed from the Education Team and grinned at Zack, raising one side of his mouth.
“If you’re not going to speak up, why did you even come?”
“…”
“Weren’t you here to do something? Face it head-on or find another breakthrough.”
He raised the pea between his fingers, examining it closely as if seeing the life inside.
“This one’s gentle—how could you intimidate such a child?”
Tsk tsk, Fake Zack clicked his tongue and picked up a Wheat Seed this time.
“This one may not show it, but it’s got tremendous potential inside.”
He handed the Wheat Seed to Zack. Zack’s pupils trembled violently.
“Come on, try it—awaken that potential.”
Zack reached out his trembling hand. Seeing this, Fake Zack smirked.
“I’ll handle the cleanup, don’t worry.”
“…!”
Strangely, Fake Zack suddenly seemed trustworthy, and Mujae found himself just as tense as Zack. At last, Fake Zack dropped the seed onto Zack’s palm.
Zack gripped the Wheat Seed.
“…”
Nothing happened—
POOF!!
With a bang like a rice cake popping, the seed grew at breakneck speed into a gigantic Dragon, rearing up as if to touch the ceiling of the Great Celestial Treasure Storehouse.
As the young Dead screamed and fled, the room became utter chaos.
Facilities Team Shinsomi also screamed, hurrying to evacuate the Dead.
“Everyone, get out! Hurry!”
At that moment, Fake Zack grabbed Mujae by the back of the neck and pulled him in front of him.
“Uh? Uhhh?!”
Mujae suddenly found himself facing the Dragon.
Its enormous eyes met Mujae’s.
Burning, blazing—like hellfire he’d never seen before. The Dragon bared its fangs.
-Grrr…
“Reach out your hand! Now!”
Still holding the back of Mujae’s neck, Fake Zack shouted. Overwhelmed, Mujae thrust out his hand.
-KWAAAAANG!!
“Ugh!”
The Dragon charged at Mujae. Mujae squeezed his eyes shut, unable to bear the sight.
-Fssssss….
“…”
But, contrary to his expectations, he felt nothing. Mujae cautiously opened his eyes again. But nothing was in front of him.
“Huh?”
A single straw fell limply at his feet. And there stood Zack, right in front of him.
Zack stood frozen in place, staring at Mujae.
‘I messed up.’
The image of the Ggotgam Officer’s angry face floated through Mujae’s mind. Both of them were thinking the same thing.
‘What the heck is he?’
Someone who, like Mujae, was afraid to touch seeds, but with a power completely opposite to his own. Suddenly, Mujae recalled the Ggotgam Officer’s words.
‘He says he wants to learn wheat farming, and the situation is similar to yours.’
So this was what that meant! No, how was it similar at all—it was the complete opposite.
Mujae’s power only killed plants, nothing this intense or destructive.
No, actually, it was Mujae who had killed that savage power.
So was Mujae’s power even scarier? As the two grew increasingly confused—
Clap clap.
Fake Zack whistled as he applauded.
“Even more amazing than I thought.”
It was the brightest smile Mujae had ever seen on Fake Zack’s face. He looked genuinely impressed, a bit exhilarated. Picking up the straw left by the vanished Dragon, he shuddered and threw it away.
“Wow… You really are the Afterlife Prince.”
“…”
Zack glared at him with a look of terror.
Even the usually meek Zack now seemed hostile—this guy really was something else. Mujae had plenty to say to him too.
“Who are you?”
“Guess.”
Fake Zack crossed his arms and grinned. That playful face was infuriating.
“You’ve had plenty of hints, haven’t you?”
Zack gestured to Mujae. Reading his signs, Mujae’s face stiffened.
“No way…”
“That’s right. I’m ‘Mister Goong.'”
Unable to suppress his chuckles, he glanced at the camera Zack had set up.
Adjusting the settings, he looked at them and smiled broadly.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Hallakgoong. This video is going to be a hit, huh?”
He was the Promotion Team’s third member.