Chapter 5: How this Gumiho steals energy

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There are several ways for a Gumiho to absorb human vitality.

The most straightforward is, naturally, eating them.

It’s the act every carnivore does to survive—devouring the flesh, the very essence of life itself. It’s easy to understand without explanation.

That’s the method most monsters choose.

But I’ve never eaten a human and don’t want to start now.

In the other world, I devoured hundreds of monsters, some with intelligence, so preaching non-killing now might sound like hypocritical nonsense.

Still, I don’t want to eat humans. Even if this body is a monster, my sensibilities remain human. Is it so strange to feel a strong aversion to murder, let alone cannibalism?

Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.

So, looking at other methods, there’s a technique among my magic that siphons vitality from someone who feels affection toward me.

In other words, “enchanting.”

Old tales often speak of scholars or families gradually weakening after being bewitched by ghosts or monsters, only to find out from a shaman that they were possessed or enchanted by a fox. That’s exactly this case.

It’s a method used by ghosts without physical bodies or small, weak monsters afraid of being attacked if they try eating someone directly. It takes a long time and is terribly inefficient.

But I learned this technique from a vile, nearly thousand-year-old Gumiho who stuck to it just because tricking and toying with people was fun.

…Thinking back, it’s a pretty horrific memory.

I shook my head to banish it.

Anyway, this method doesn’t require killing.

It weakens the target a bit, but I’m not digging in the dirt to survive, right? Let’s help each other out.

I won’t eat anyone.

When absorbing vitality this way, the type and strength of affection matter. Stronger affection yields more vitality, and the order goes: love, friendship, admiration, and so on.

So, my method of choice is love.

What is love?

It’s l*st.

Because the most common form of love we think of is romantic love, which isn’t much different from sexual desire.

As you know, the most common way a Gumiho enchants is by taking the form of an alluring opposite sex.

That’s why my girl form is fatally cute, and my woman form is dangerously seductive. These bodies were made to enchant men, far beyond any ordinary human beauty. It’s as unfair as a pro fighter facing a child in a bare-knuckle fight.

Especially those breasts—they’re extraordinary. I’ve never seen anyone in Korea with a larger pair, not in real life, on TV, or online.

“Ugh…”

I was about to lose my mind to hunger, so I needed to act fast.

To check if my plan was feasible, I turned to the internet.

Thanks to Mom’s unwavering belief I’d return, my room was untouched, but naturally, a computer left unused for 8 years wouldn’t turn on.

So, I went to my sister Soye’s room, turned on her computer, and got online.

This green search site hasn’t gone under after 8 years. Impressive company, in many ways.

Anyway, I searched “Hongdae busking street.”

Confirmed that street performances still happen sometimes. Good, I won’t stand out too much.

Then I searched “sexiest idol dance.”

I memorized the choreography. This body, nearly a god, could easily learn a dance from one video.

Finally, I searched “girl group outfits” and studied them carefully before heading to my room.

I transformed from the girl to the woman form and mimicked the girl group outfit I’d seen. At my level, I can conjure clothes at will.

I did stare at a shopping site’s product page for a while to get it right, but being able to do it that easily is something else.

In my room, there was a vanity table Mom had excitedly set up, thinking I’d need it as a woman now. I don’t need makeup as a Gumiho, but she seemed to want to do something for me, so I accepted it quietly. If it makes her happy, fine.

Leaning against the vanity, I checked my reflection.

A black sleeveless crop top, a sheer see-through cardigan, and high-waisted hot pants. Is this what’s trendy these days…?

Is this really me? I reached toward the mirror, and sure enough, the woman in it moved too.

Mirrors are common here, but in that world, ones this clear were rare, and one this big was unheard of, so seeing myself this vividly was a first.

This body… even I think it’s too provocative.

Especially the breasts, rivaling the size of my head—people might say, “Are those watermelons or breasts?”

Anyway, this should be more than enough to enchant men.

Is this something to be happy about? For some reason, I feel a bit ashamed.

“The fashion in this world is intriguing. Is that your taste?”

Blackie, who’d been pestering me about what a computer and internet were, floated in the air, making an annoying comment.

A Gumiho absorbing vitality is as natural as a human eating, so there’s no shame in it with someone who knows the deal.

But accusing me of this being my taste? That’s pretty irritating.

“I just copied what came up in the search.”

As if this could be my taste.

“There were plenty of clothing options in that search, but you picked that for a reason, didn’t you?”

“I just chose something eye-catching.”

“That’s what people call taste.”

“…Shut up.”

My taste is for light, airy, pure styles. Probably.

I’ve been out of the human world for 15 years, so I’m not sure.

I picked this because it seemed the most effective for enchanting men…

Thinking about it made me feel even more ashamed.

Enough feeling, time to head out.

Since our house is near Hongdae, I reached the busking street in no time.

The stares I got along the way were intense, but fleeting glances don’t yield vitality.

That’s why I need attention, hence the street performance.

But despite it being a weekday afternoon, early enough that Soye was still at school, all three busking zones were occupied by performance groups.

My body was burning up, and waiting wasn’t an option.

With no choice, I approached the last group and asked the person who seemed to be the leader,
“Sorry, could I borrow your spot for 10 minutes? I’ll go crazy if I don’t dance right now.”

[“Pffft hahahaha!”]

[“Don’t laugh!”]

Blackie and I are soul-bound. Even without manifesting, we can communicate without sound.

But why’s he laughing at me through that link, that jerk?

What I said probably sounded crazy, and Blackie mocked me, but most men would find it hard to refuse my request.

Even if I asked for their heart.

That’s what being a Gumiho is.

“Sure! Go ahead! Please dance!”

With help from some slightly dazed guys, I prepared to dance.

Good thing I could borrow their amp. I almost had to dance without music.

I played the song from the girl group I’d seen and followed its choreography.

The crowd of about ten grew to twenty, then over thirty in no time.

There’s a saying: many hands make light work.

Taking enough vitality from one person to endanger their life can be spread across ten, leaving them just a bit tired.

I danced and drew about three people’s worth of vitality from the thirty spectators.

“Woooo!”

“Wow!”

“Goddess!”

“Whoa! Oh! Waaargh!”

The crowd whistled, clapped, jumped, and cheered in every way.

Getting cheers from about thirty people felt kind of nice.

But, uh, I’m sorry. Really sorry.

I hate to say it, but you probably won’t be able to get it up for about three months.

Even a urologist can’t fix it.

You’re not impotent, though. Eat healthy, live well, and you’ll recover soon.

If you have a girlfriend and this causes a breakup or fight, I’m truly, deeply sorry.

But I have to survive too, right?

Sorry.

I apologized in my heart while continuing to absorb vitality.

As soon as the performance ended, I bolted.