Park Tae-hyun stood there, stunned for a moment.

  So, the reason he was able to use the body of "Kim Min-woo" to revive last night was because he had just been killed?

  Because the body was still warm, was that why I could possess it?

  It seems I'm truly lucky.

  Without disgust or anger, and certainly no panic about his identity being exposed, Park Tae-hyun turned to face the man behind him, roughly his age.

  The man froze.

  He saw something unusual in Park Tae-hyun's eyes—joy, relief, and even a hint of gratitude.

  As a physician, Park Tae-hyun understood the dire situation he'd faced last night. If this man hadn't killed someone at that exact moment, Park Tae-hyun might have perished, never to see the sun again.

  "Sorry, I passed out last night. When I woke up this morning, my head felt off, like I'd been drunk. I don't remember anything from yesterday," Park Tae-hyun explained casually.

  He doubted the man could fathom he was a ghost, unless the man was certifiably insane.

  "Aren't you mad at me?" the man sputtered, pointing at his nose. "Even after I admitted to clubbing you yesterday?"

  "It's fine. Thank you for leaving my phone and computer untouched."

  "Uh… I forgot," the man scratched his head.

  "I'm glad you're okay. Here's the money I stole from you yesterday."

  He pulled out 30,000 won from his pocket, then, after a moment, another 80,000 won.

  "80,000 won is for your medical expenses, and 30,000 won is what I stole," the man grimaced.

  "I gambled away my entire salary online yesterday. When I passed your bookstore, I impulsively decided to steal some cash. After knocking you out, I panicked when I thought you were dead. I ran home and couldn't sleep all night, terrified the police would barge in and arrest me. I felt so stupid, risking my life for 30,000 won in a robbery. "

  The man patted Park Tae-hyun on the shoulder.

  "Man, I'm relieved you're alive. I've been lurking outside since this morning, waiting for someone to call the cops. When I saw you still in the bookstore, I almost kowtowed to you in gratitude. You're lucky to be alive; otherwise, I'd be ruined. There are so many cameras around. If you'd died, there's no way I'd escape."

  Park Tae-hyun looked at the 110,000 won in his hand, then at the "murderer" confessing with tears in his eyes. The scene felt surreal.

  To be honest, "Kim Min-woo" was dead, and because of his death, Park Tae-hyun could take over his life. And because he'd taken over, the man before him was spared a murder charge.

  Both he and the man had profited, except for the unlucky Kim Min-woo.

  "Alright, it's fine. Maybe I just had a side stitch last night," Park Tae-hyun said, brushing the man's hand off his shoulder. As a former emergency doctor, he'd seen every kind of filth, but even he had developed mild mysophobia in extreme environments.

  It's precisely because we've witnessed so much filth that we learn to cherish cleanliness

  "Aren't you still mad?" the man said, relieved.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  "No, I'm not mad," Park Tae-hyun nodded. "Go back to work and live decently. Don't repeat your mistakes."

  "Thanks, man. You're a real guy," the man said, bowing deeply before leaving to embrace his "new life."

  Park Tae-hyun picked up his phone, hesitated, then decided to call the police, not to report the man for murder (of Kim Min-woo), but for suspected theft.

  Let the police investigate.

  If the man had a criminal record or was involved in other crimes, he deserved to be caught.

  Since Park Tae-hyun had taken over someone else's body, he felt obligated to do something for this unfortunate soul.

  Although reporting the man under his real name after he'd admitted fault and offered compensation was indeed unethical, a moral gray area.

  But as Park Tae-hyun dialed 112 and the operator's voice crackled through,

  the man suddenly reappeared at the store entrance.

  "There's one more thing…" The man noticed Park Tae-hyun's phone and froze, then pointed accusingly. "You're still calling the cops, aren't you!"

  Park Tae-hyun shook his head.

  "Show me your phone! Give it here!"

  Park Tae-hyun continued to shake his head.

  "You're unbelievable. I'll kill you this time!"

  The man lunged, and Park Tae-hyun dropped his phone, backing away.

  He wasn't a boxer or a martial artist; his current body was frail, so facing a physical fight filled him with panic.

  With a *bang*, the man slammed Park Tae-hyun against the wall, strangling his neck with both hands.

  "I told you not to call the police! I'll strangle you to death this time!" the man snarled.

  The bookstore was deserted.

  Few pedestrians passed by in the afternoon, let alone customers.

  Park Tae-hyun's neck went numb, and he struggled desperately.

  During the scuffle, his nails turned jet-black and elongated.

  Then, Park Tae-hyun wrapped his arms around the man's back.

  Hiss—

  The man shuddered, rolled his eyes, and released Park Tae-hyun's neck.

  He staggered backward, knocking over several bookshelves, before collapsing with a loud thud.

  Park Tae-hyun rubbed his neck, relieved.

  His nails could harm even hellish spirits; dealing with an ordinary person shouldn't be a problem.

  But he still didn't fully grasp the nails' purpose—only that they'd been "infected" by the old man he'd treated before the accident.

  It's true.

  If one person gets onychomycosis, they can infect two.

  Walking forward and squatting, Park Tae-hyun patted the man's face. Fortunately, he was alive and breathing.

  Park Tae-hyun shook his head, picked up his phone, and dialed the police again.

  After the police station finished taking the statement, the police officer asked Park Tae-hyun to wait in the small hall, as what he'd reported was a bit sensitive.

  He mentioned that someone had broken into his home attempting robbery, but the intruder who'd been knocked unconscious turned out to be the "murderer."

  The murderer was still in the hospital, and they needed to wait for him to regain consciousness for further confirmation.

  However, at least the police officer did not handcuff Park Tae-hyun.

  A middle-aged man was squatting next to Park Tae-hyun, his left hand cuffed to the radiator.

  "Brother, you're awesome. That guy wanted to rob you, but you knocked him down?" The disheveled middle-aged man wiped his dirt-smudged bangs while speaking.

  "He looks just like me when I was young. Thieves like him should be beaten to death!"

  "Hey, quiet down," a young policeman barked, approaching them.

  "How many electric bikes have you stolen since winter began? I say, the Lunar New Year is coming. Can't you just keep quiet? Or find a job and earn some money to send home? You're not young anymore."

  "Hmph," the young policeman turned away, unwilling to deal with the man further.

  "Brother, what do you think of my speech just now?" The greasy middle-aged man winked at Park Tae-hyun.

  "It's quite interesting," Park Tae-hyun replied with a smile.

  At that moment, the middle-aged man began, "I'm telling you, this day has to be..." He froze, glancing toward the door.

  "Oh my, isn't that a policewoman?"

  Park Tae-hyun turned to see a woman in a blue down jacket and long leather boots approaching with another female officer.

  "It should be the police," Park Tae-hyun said.

  The woman was stunningly beautiful, with a slender figure and fair skin, but it was her poise that truly captivated.

  "But she's not in uniform," the greasy man remarked.

  "Maybe they're undercover," Park Tae-hyun speculated.

  "You're right, beautiful policewoman. Tsk tsk, I guess I'll have to come in more often in the future," the man said, smacking his lips, clearly impressed.

  "If I could marry her, I'd gladly shave ten years off my life."

  Park Tae-hyun shook his head, not daring to joke about lifespan anymore.

  "You don't agree?" The man pressed, seeing Park Tae-hyun's headshake.

  "You're blind. For a woman like that, it's worth shaving ten years off your life for one..."

  At that moment, the female officer and the woman in leather boots approached Park Tae-hyun.

  "Kim Min-woo, your wife is here to take you home.

  The investigation is concluded. You're free to go," the officer said, pointing at Park Tae-hyun.

  "..." Park Tae-hyun.

  "..." Greasy middle-aged man.