Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work

Author: Baek Deoksoo

Original Translator: Salt Goblin (edited by readers)

Last Updated: June 14, 2026

this chapter is ignored by the website, its exclusive to the epub for adding credits or whatever else

Synopsis

NOW HIRING

— URGENT —

Ghost Story Specialist Corporation

Daydream Inc. (Ltd.)

Insane Benefits – Come to Work Immediately

※ Note : The company is not liable for any injuries or fatalities...

A pop-up event for some ‘modern fantasy’ media... I loved so much that I even took a precious day off work to attend.

On that day, I ended up transmigrating as a character in that very fantasy world.

As none other than a newly hired employee at a famous large corporation!

A dream job with great benefits, an excellent salary, and even kind and competent bosses.

I’m using the information I know about the world to rise through the ranks at lightning speed!

Am I happy, you ask?

Please, just let me go home. I’m begging you.

※ Note : The genre is horror.

Chapter 1 - Orientation

Have you ever had an experience where you became totally engrossed in something?

I’m not just talking about thinking, ‘Oh, this is fun,’ but being so deeply impressed that you ended up spending extra time and money on it.

There must be something like that, right?

If it’s a movie, watching the director’s cut. If it’s a game, buying the artbook. If it’s a webtoon, paying for early access. If it’s a singer, going to their concert…

Going a bit further, buying related merchandise could be another example.

Yes, I’m talking about what they call merch.

Figures, banners, badges, dolls…

I can confidently say that I’ve never spent money on such things in my life.

Until now.

Here I am at a department store.

A popup store that opened to a great turnout, and by 10 AM, the moment the department store opened, all the waiting tickets had already been distributed.

And yes, I got one of those tickets.

“The 2:30 PM time slot is now open for entry!”

“Finally!”

“Hey, let’s go!”

The cheerful teenagers standing next to me ran excitedly toward the staff.

‘2:30 PM… that’s right.’

I pulled my hat down as far as it would go and stood in line.

But then, I overheard whispers behind me.

“Uh…”

“A reseller?”

“Isn’t he a dealer?”

“……”

I felt so wronged, but honestly, it made sense.

I was the only adult male who looked like an office worker in this line!

‘Haa…’

I sighed as I glanced at the entrance of the popup store.

[Welcome, explorer of the darkness.]

‘This is ridiculous.’

A theme with black and red backgrounds, caricatures of various monsters, occult elements, and symbols of corporations, religions, and governments all intertwined.

It’s exactly the kind of universe that would captivate a teenager’s heart.

Even the title is a masterpiece.

[Prophecy of the Apocalypse: Dark Exploration Records]

Ugh…

I barely resisted the urge to cover my eyes with my hand.

‘Why did I have to see this at work…’

<Dark Exploration Records>.

It’s the world of a ghost story universe that’s been super popular recently.

You know, the kind of open-source collective intelligence universe where people can participate and create their own stories?

At first, it seemed like it stemmed from a famous creepypasta and started spreading modestly among students, but then it hit the YouTube algorithm and started getting viral like crazy.

The concept of ‘records of exploring various paranormal phenomena called <Darkness>’.

Eventually, it grew into an independent wiki with hundreds and thousands of creepypastas, and that’s how it caught my eye.

‘…It was so easy to read at work because it’s just text.’

And isn’t it said that anything other than actual work is fun when you’re at the office?

I got so hooked on this universe that I even ended up creating and posting my own creepypasta…

How did things come to this? Is it because my office life is so devoid of dopamine?

And this <Dark Exploration Records> itself…

‘Who knew it would get this big?’

It’s now a massive IP that practically dominates YouTube as a major sensation for teenagers.

Naturally, companies jumped on board to make a profit.

This popup store is part of that.

‘But come on, this thing had a 15+ age recommendation slapped on the wiki!’

Why are there so many kids here?

Hearing whispers behind me again, I couldn’t help but feel increasingly self-conscious.

“He’s definitely a dealer…”

“Hey, maybe he’s just buying something for his nephew or a cousin… don’t be too harsh.”

No, I’m buying this for myself.

…The truth is, I came here last week too, but the merch I wanted sold out just before I got to it, so here I am again…

I even took a day off work.

‘Last week, at least there were women around my age.’

Unfortunately, it was a weekday afternoon, and the only adults here were parents who had come with their kids, so I felt like I might die of embarrassment, but I held on.

‘I don’t even know why I’m trying to endure this…’

Anyway, I followed the staff’s guidance and entered the store.

The fact that the staff didn’t seem fazed was my only comfort.

“Wow!”

“Hey, it really looks just like it!”

I could hear the middle schoolers exclaiming in awe as I took in the intricately designed interior of the popup store, which felt almost like a theme park.

And the exhibit themes were thoughtfully organized:

[Daydream Inc.]

[Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau]

[Church of the Luminous Unknown]

In this horror universe, there are three major forces: corporations, governments, and religions, all trying to observe and secure the paranormal phenomena… that’s the setup.

‘At first, it was just stories about the government’s disaster management bureau, but as more people joined in and got excited, it turned into this.’

Anyway, it seemed like this popup store had picked out the most popular parts of the universe and gathered them here.

It was clear that they were targeting fans’ wallets by focusing only on popular characters and horror items, but the quality wasn’t bad.

‘Well, when would I ever come to a place like this again…’

Ignoring the stares, I quickly grabbed the items I wanted.

It was a relief that most of the popular items were already sold out, so there was less suspicion that I was reselling.

“Would you like to purchase an L-sized eco-bag to carry your items? It’s 5,000 won.”

“Yes, thank you.”

I successfully completed my purchase, but instead of leaving the popup store right away, I hesitated.

I turned my head to see a line of people gathering near the cashier.

[Roulette Event]

: Create your own <Dark Exploration Records> character.

That.

I saw it last week too, but I couldn’t bring myself to join the line and participate…

‘They said this popup ends tomorrow.’

It was a moment of intense inner conflict, wondering if it was really worth exchanging my social dignity for this.

Just then, the cashier who had just started her shift smiled at me and spoke.

“The roulette event ends today! Would you like to participate?”

“…Yes.”

Thank you. Really, thank you, dear staff member…

“Great! Please come this way! Oh, just stand here…”

The staff member swiftly guided me to the line in front of a giant black roulette, and I naturally found myself at the end of the line.

The line moved faster than I expected.

Soon, I was at the front and handed a button that looked like a walkie-talkie.

“Now, we’ll spin the lucky roulette! Please press the button to stop it whenever you’re ready.”

Beep.

With an artificial sound effect, the roulette started spinning.

Each section displayed a prize and rank.

There were merch I had already bought, merch that weren’t for sale, and even some random Bluetooth earphones.

Of course, the largest section—7th place—was just a small memo pad. That’s probably what I’d get.

But it didn’t bother me. After all, I almost left without participating at all.

‘Let’s not expect much.’

I thought as I pressed the button the staff gave me, carefully.

Rrrrr… click.

But then, the black roulette slowed down… and surprisingly stopped right there.

A thin, golden sliver.

[1st Place]

: Dark Exploration Records Real Merch Box

“……!”

“Oh my gosh! Congratulations!”

Is this… for real?

“Wow, no way!”

“So lucky, I’m so jealous.”

Voices of astonishment, screams, and envy rose behind me.

“Wow, finally, on the second-to-last day of the popup, someone hit first place!”

The staff, even more excited than me, ran behind the roulette and came back with a large, plastic-wrapped box.

The black box, with a huge silver symbol embossed on it, looked like it had been carefully crafted.

I barely managed to keep my hands from trembling as I accepted the box.

“…Thank you.”

I needed to leave immediately and slap my face to make sure this was real.

As I was about to leave the popup store, the staff stopped me.

“Oh! We’re giving out custom-made merch here, so all I need is your name!”

My name? My personal information has long since become public property, leaked all over portal sites. The only thing that matters is getting this safely home…!

“It’s Kim Soleum.”

“Got it! Soleum-nim, just a moment.”

The staff started operating a black machine next to the roulette, which looked like a 3D printer.

There was even an explanatory note above it, made for the popup store.

[Dark Exploration Records Character Maker]

Ah, so that’s the thing they mentioned during the roulette event.

The ‘Create Your Own Dark Exploration Records Character’ event.

How perfectly tailored to a teenager’s tastes…

“Please input your name here.”

“…Okay.”

Holding the merch box tightly with one hand, I quickly entered my name on the machine’s pad.

The black machine made a loud, eerie music box sound, putting on a show as gears turned.

And then, it spat out a small object.

Clank.

I picked up the familiar-looking item.

It was… an employee ID card.

[Daydream Inc.]

Employee Kim Soleum

Field Exploration Team

“Wow! Daydream Inc. It’s one of the most famous factions in our <Dark Exploration Records> universe!”

“……”

Yes, I know.

To sum it up, it’s the cliché of a big corporation that profits from paranormal phenomena.

And the Field Exploration Team…

‘It’s the department that’s no different to a suicide squad.’

Like the red-shirt crew members in a certain sci-fi drama. They rush in at the slightest excuse to ‘explore paranormal phenomena’ and get chewed up in the process.

Because of that, a lot of the named characters seemed to belong to the Field Exploration Team.

“Wow! An employee ID from the Field Exploration Team! I’m really looking forward to seeing what kind of adventures Employee Kim Soleum will have in the <Dark Exploration Records> universe!”

“Yes, thank you…”

I was about to cringe hard but managed to hold it in.

‘At least it’s not an ID from the government bureau or that shady religious cult.’

Thank goodness it was an employee ID of the company.

Although it was a little embarrassing, the staff had clearly said this so many times that it looks like he had built up immunity to it, handling it all with professional poise.

With that, the roulette event seemed to be over after I received the employee ID card.

“Thank you.”

I looked down at the employee ID card with my name printed on it and sighed inwardly.

‘This… this needs to be hidden somewhere no one will ever find it.’

No matter what, my tolerance for embarrassment couldn’t handle this any longer.

Meanwhile, the staff cheerfully asked again.

“Do you like it? You’ll treasure it, right?”

“Yes.”

“Liar.”

…?

I looked up, thinking I misheard.

Smirk.

The staff was suddenly smiling at me with an unnaturally wide grin.

His mouth stretched upward unnaturally, almost reaching his ears…

“……?”

In that instant.

A wave of dizziness overwhelmed me.

“……!”

The noise of the popup store vanished.

Everything in front of me blurred as if covered by black paint, flickering in red and blue.

And by the time the dizziness passed.

I had no idea the world would have completely changed… not even in my wildest dreams.

[Welcome to Daydream Inc., everyone!]

“……?!”

Before I knew it, I was standing in a corner of a large auditorium, looking at the central podium.

And.

Boom!

With a burst of applause, fireworks exploded from the PPT projected onto the screen at the podium.

[New Employee Orientation]

As the applause and cheers echoed, a person who seemed to be the host smiled brightly and advanced the PPT.

It was clearly a new employee orientation event for a major corporation.

The new recruits, dressed in suits, clapped and cheered with both excitement and nervous pride. They looked thrilled, having finally secured employment.

[Our new employees, who have successfully passed a 145:1 competition, should be proud of themselves! Haha! Now, let’s begin the new employee orientation!]

“……”

What is this?

I tried to step back in hesitation.

But I realized I was sitting in a chair.

I was dressed in a suit. I had worn it because I had to meet with a client in the evening, but coincidentally, I looked similar to the ‘new employees’ filling this auditorium.

Meanwhile, the merch box I received from the roulette event was quietly resting on my lap.

“Excuse me, did you get that somewhere? Is the company giving those out?”

“……”

I couldn’t respond to the question from the new employee sitting next to me.

[You are the chosen candidates!]

[In fact, only a select few of those who applied through this job posting have been gathered in Orientation Room A for this special session!]

[Congratulations! You have passed the aptitude test and have been assigned to the special team, the <Field Exploration Team>.]

“They’ve already made the assignments?”

“Field Exploration Team? Does Daydream Inc. have a department like that?”

“Field exploration… for a pharmaceutical company?”

“Uh, it sounds like we’re being exiled somewhere? Not the headquarters but a branch office? Are they trying to lure us in with fancy words…?”

I could hear the murmured conversations of the new employees around me, but I didn’t have time to focus on them.

I recognized the company’s name and the team’s name.

Daydream Inc.

Field Exploration Team.

…Like a bolt of lightning, a page from the wiki flashed in my mind.

----------------------------------------

[Field Exploration Team] (Daydream Inc.)

: One of the five teams under the Development Department of the massive organization, Daydream Inc., as featured in <Dark Exploration Records>.

Commonly referred to as the ‘death squad’. A tragic team, but one that is fun for ghost story writers.

----------------------------------------

‘Wait a sec.’

…This is the ghost story from the popup store event I just participated in.

So, what happens next is…

----------------------------------------

At the very new employee orientation, they’re thrown into a deadly survival game to determine who gets full-time employment.

It’s a consistently popular topic for wiki entries because it shows what happens when ordinary people try to explore the dark.

----------------------------------------

“……!”

“Uh, wh-what are you doing…?”

I immediately stood up from the chair.

I didn’t care about understanding the situation—my only thought was to run outside.

But it was already too late.

[Before official employment, there will be a brief probationary period, but don’t worry, it won’t be long! We will assess your practical abilities through an absolute evaluation.]

[Of course, full participation is necessary for a proper evaluation! Freeloading will not be tolerated!]

Bang, bang, bang!

The doors to the auditorium shut one by one.

‘Damn it!’

While I was panicking, the naive new employees, who still thought Daydream Inc. was just a regular pharmaceutical company, hadn’t realized what was happening.

And so, as about a hundred new employees listened attentively to the host, the host cheerfully shouted out,

[Now, let’s get started!]

With that lively voice.

The lights in the auditorium went out.

“……?”

“Huh?”

The new employees, still confused, seemed to think it was a video or something being prepared, showing only mild curiosity.

That would be expected.

Who would expect such a crazy thing to happen just because they got a job?

For example.

The surrounding scenery suddenly transformed into the inside of a desolate subway train.

[Passengers, thank you for using Abyss Transpo today… Our train will not halt.]

[Please pay attention to the announcements for a pleasant journey to your destination.]

An unfamiliar announcement, with strange station names, started playing.

“……?!”

“W-What is this!?”

The new employees, still in their suits and seated neatly on subway chairs as if the auditorium had been transported as is, all shot to their feet.

It was understandable that they were startled.

“Excuse me?”

“Is this some kind of VR? Did we really move?”

Many of the people who were in the auditorium seemed to be there still, which offered some comfort, leading to complacent reactions.

They wandered around the subway, looking for any sign of the company or someone from the event, or searched for doors that might open.

Soon, they began to get a better sense of the situation.

“There are people in the next car! But… uh, the doors won’t open? Is this some new technology?”

With a feeling of cold sweat creeping up on me, I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again.

I already knew which ghost story this was.

----------------------------------------

[Welcome to Abyss Transpo]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>.

D-Class Darkness that boasts a ridiculously high difficulty for escaping and one of the most infamous stories. The Field Exploration Team suffers endlessly.

Exploration Records indicate a total of ■■ entries.

----------------------------------------

<Welcome to Abyss Transpo>.

As you can probably guess, it’s a ghost story based on the Korean subway system.

– You fall asleep and wake up on a subway train. It feels like your usual commute home, but strange station names start appearing…

That’s how it begins.

The target of this ghost story is anyone who has ever commuted by subway, making it all the more chilling for most working people who read it.

“……”

‘And this ghost story… it’s under Daydream Inc.’s jurisdiction, isn’t it?’

It seemed like Daydream Inc. was planning to ‘filter out’ their new hires through this ghost story. …Damn it!

“Is this something like an escape room?”

“Why would a pharmaceutical company that makes hair loss treatment bother with escape rooms for new sales recruits…?”

That’s when it happened.

[This stop is Sorrow, Sorrow Station.]

“……!”

“S-Sorrow?”

The first announcement came over the speaker.

I held my breath and turned my head.

[The doors are on your right…]

Click.

The train stopped.

[The doors are opening.]

The doors opened.

It seemed like any other ordinary day, but—

[The doors will close in 30 seconds. Once closed, they will never open again.]

[Passengers whose destination is Sorrow Station should disembark according to the announcement.]

The familiar voice calmly mixed strange words and phrases into the announcement.

But people always try to rationalize things to find some form of reassurance.

“Look outside! It’s just a subway station!”

And indeed, they were right.

Outside the train, the platform was clearly visible. It looked a bit dark and damp, but otherwise, it seemed like an ordinary subway station.

Relieved by this, two or three people moved toward the door.

Oh, no.

“I think it’s better if you don’t get off.”

“Huh?”

This is bad. I sighed and spoke quickly.

“You heard them say ‘Sorrow Station’. There’s no station like that in Korea. Anyone would think it’s strange.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah, I think this guy’s right. Maybe we should wait and see how things play out…”

One of the quicker-witted people backed me up. It was the new hire who had been sitting next to me.

Because of that, the people who had been about to step off hesitated further.

“But still…”

“Hey, the doors are closing!”

But the sound of the doors closing caused a few panicked individuals to impulsively jump out…

It was a disaster.

[The doors are closing.]

“Ah!”

“I missed it. Shit.”

The people who didn’t get off sighed, watching the ones who did wave back at us from the platform.

Some even glanced at me and muttered curses under their breath.

I understood. In such a strange, unsettling situation, their instinct would be to flee without thinking.

But still.

“What the…?”

“Look at that…”

A grotesque sight unfolded.

As soon as the people who got off turned around to move…

Silver droplets suddenly poured from the ceiling and pillars of the platform, cascading down on them.

Drip, drip, drip.

It looked like giant teardrops.

But the countless silver droplets fell onto their bodies like molten metal, producing horrifying tearing sounds.

Screams. Convulsions. Silence.

Blood mixed with the silver liquid splattered against the windows.

[The train is now departing from Sorrow Station.]

The last thing we saw outside the window.

“……”

In front of the sliding doors, now soaked in filth and blood, only the crushed remains of the new employees were left behind, twitching slightly.

“Ahhhhh!”

“Ahhh!”

It was the fate of those who chose wrong.

[Please pay attention to the announcements for a pleasant journey to your destination.]

Finally, fear began to spread among the people as screams and shouts echoed around.

‘It’s started.’

I squeezed my eyes shut.

I’m inside a ghost story?

I don’t know how this happened, but I definitely seem to have become a new employee in a company from a ghost story.

And one in a department with an insanely high death rate.

‘Is this for real?’

Sure, if I’m being honest, I’m probably in a more advantageous position than the other new hires.

I’ve read through all the <Dark Exploration Records> on the wiki.

----------------------------------------

3.2 Exploration Records (up to ■■ entries)

----------------------------------------

I can remember things pretty clearly up to about this level.

From this point on, it sounds like the classic overpowered protagonist trope.

Maybe you’re thinking I could escape this situation and look cool by using my superior knowledge of this world?

Maybe you’re even imagining that I could monopolize the hidden treasures and items to come?

That might be true.

But there’s one problem.

A very critical problem.

‘…I’m fucking terrified of anything remotely horror!’

That’s right.

I… am a coward.

Text is fine. I can enjoy reading that.

But the moment it’s visualized, I can’t handle it.

And not just a regular coward—a coward to the point where my friends would constantly tease me for it!

– kim soleum’s crush asked him to watch a horror movie but he turned her down bc he’s too scared? is this for real?

– lolololololol

- dude your name is literally the sfx for goosebumps but you can’t even watch a horror movie lolololol

– shiieet no wonder your crush ran away lmaol

lol –

wanna die? –

– sorry.

– sry.

I’m the kind of coward who, when reading horror stories at work in broad daylight, will turn off the background images and BGM just to focus on the text!

I was so scared, I didn’t even include an image in the ghost story I posted!

A long-term resident of the Shelter for Scaredy-Cats, that’s me!

“……”

I covered my face with both hands.

I’m screwed, big time…

Chapter 2 - [Welcome to Abyss Transpo], I

[This stop is Resentment, Resentment Station.]

[The doors are on your right…]

A suffocating silence flows through the ghost-story subway.

I'm contributing to this silence as well.

Even though I already know this ghost story, I'm the type of person who gets startled just by the thumbnail when a related YouTube video pops up and immediately clicks 'Not Interested'.

And now I have to survive in this ghost story?

'Just kill me already…'

That would be a mercy.

I don't even have the energy to figure out what's going on.

I pressed my face into my hands, wanting to deny everything.

Then, it happened.

Blink.

[1st Place : Dark Exploration Records Real Merch Box]

"……?!"

I lifted my head.

Something like a notepad was flying around in my field of vision.

I could see it whether my eyes were open or closed.

It looked like a piece of paper, torn from a notepad and folded, fluttering around.

"This…"

Wait. No one else seems to be seeing it.

I quickly shut my mouth.

Drawing attention to myself in this situation would be foolish.

Instead, I discreetly pressed the notepad in front of me with my hand,

trying not to look too awkward.

Flap.

Amazingly, the notepad moved as if it were unfolding, spitting out something small.

"……!"

I quickly covered it with my hand, as if to hide it.

It was… a popsocket.

A very simple black popsocket with nothing remarkable about it except for a golden 'X' symbol in the center.

But with that design alone, I realized what this popsocket was.

'It's merch.'

One of the merch sold at the <Dark Exploration Records> popup store, which I had visited right before waking up in this bizarre situation!

It was one of the items I had purchased today.

With trembling hands, I picked up the popsocket.

In the story, what function did this item have again…

----------------------------------------

[Memorial Popsocket]

: C-Class item featured in <Dark Exploration Records>.

When attached to a smartphone, it displays the text you remember in a clear, organized page format.

A standard issue item for ninth-level employees at the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau under the Ministry of Environment.

----------------------------------------

'Displays memories as text…'

Then, perhaps?

With trembling hands,

I peeled off the adhesive backing of the popsocket and immediately attached it to my smartphone.

The moment I did, the scattered text I vaguely remembered from <Dark Exploration Records> materialized clearly on my phone screen in the form of pages.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Welcome to Abyss Transpo]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-D-16

An early-stage D-Class Darkness with overwhelmingly difficult escape requirements. A notoriously insane ghost story. Depicts the endlessly suffering Field Exploration Team.

Exploration Records indicate a total of up to 56 entries.

----------------------------------------

"……!"

So this means…

'Did the merch I bought actually work?'

Come to think of it, the black merch box that had been resting on my lap had disappeared without a trace.

'So that merch box… turned into this notepad and spat out the merch I bought?'

What kind of crazy situation is this?

Still, it's certainly advantageous for me.

The ghost-story universe I've entered, <Dark Exploration Records>…

Do you know how many internet veterans have unleashed their creativity based on this?

There are literally hundreds upon hundreds of ghost stories.

Of course, it's hard to recall all of them like flipping through a book in my mind.

Plus, these ghost stories don't directly tell you how to survive.

You have to infer the correct answers from the stories, which makes it even harder to figure things out in new situations.

'But if I can check the text of what I've read all at once…'

If that's possible, the first thing I need to look at is…

'Previous escape cases!'

I immediately scrolled down the wiki page.

I quickly read through section '3.2 Exploration Records', and then…

"……"

I came to a conclusion.

'I got it.'

I found my answer for which station I need to get off at.

But there's a problem.

"……"

I turned to look at the others in the subway car with me.

There were eight young new hires in total, including myself.

The people who had panicked after witnessing two live dismemberments were starting to regain their composure and talk.

"That station name, Resentment… it sounds like the kind of resentment people feel when they're angry, right?"

"Yes…"

"Ha, no cell service, no data… seriously, what is going on…?"

"……"

Yeah.

How am I supposed to convince these unfamiliar, untrustworthy people to get off at the right station with me?

'Somehow, I need to make as many people as possible get off with me.'

I clenched my fist.

Did I suddenly develop a noble sense of duty, feeling that these extras who are destined to die in this ghost-story world are real people whose lives I need to save?

Well, sure, I might feel that way as a human being, but that's not my top priority.

The real reason I'm so desperate is…

'I can't get off alone…!'

That's right.

A lot of these stations are just insane.

Walk alone through

(a) a station filled with eyeballs,

(b) a station shrouded in Darkness, or

(c) a station that's upside-down?

Just imagining it makes me break out in a cold sweat—and I'd probably end up crawling on all fours in terror.

'Chances of me passing out before making it to safety? Over 90%…!'

No way. Please, save me.

'I have to convince them, somehow!'

I opened my mouth to speak, but then quickly shut it.

'Still, blurting out things like 'supernatural phenomena' or 'darkness' would be idiotic.'

Who would want to believe they're trapped in a situation straight out of a ghost story?

They'd either refuse to believe it and mock me, or believe it and panic even more.

'Slowly… I need to build trust first.'

At least one person.

If I can just convince one or two people, the herd mentality will make it easier for others to follow.

'Let's see… someone who seems like they need help, or a clue to build a connection with…'

"Ha… this is like some YouTube ghost story."

Found one!

"You mentioned a ghost story?"

"Ah."

A woman with short hair and a calm demeanor nodded slightly, looking a bit flustered.

"Yes. I, um, watch ghost stories on YouTube sometimes, and this reminds me of one."

"Could you tell me more? This doesn't seem like a normal situation, so it's probably best to share any information we have."

"It's not really information… it just feels like everything is straight out of a ghost story. The lecture hall suddenly turned into a subway, and people… died like that."

Her face turned slightly pale, likely remembering the insane dismemberment that happened just moments before.

I understand. I want to throw up too.

Let's both try to erase it from our minds as quickly as possible.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to suddenly—"

"No, it's the same for me. It's hard to think straight with everything that's happening."

The woman gave a weak laugh.

"You seem to be handling it more rationally than anyone else here."

That's only because you haven't seen me fainting in panic yet.

"Huh?"

And surprisingly, around this time, someone else approached me.

For a very good reason.

"Um, you were sitting next to me earlier, right?"

It was a man with curly hair who looked fairly innocent.

'Now that I think about it, he was sitting next to me in the lecture hall earlier.'

It seemed like this new hire wasn't part of any of the other conversations happening around us. He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced between the woman I was talking to and me before extending his hand like he wanted to shake mine.

"My name is Baek Saheon."

"……!"

I nearly forgot to shake his hand for a moment.

Baek Saheon?

'He's a named character.'

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Daydream Inc. / Characters

Baek Saheon

: An employee of Daydream Inc. in <Dark Exploration Records>

Final rank – Section Chief

Total number of Exploration Records – 106

Of these, 17 are special cases recorded in the wiki.

Nickname : Viper.

----------------------------------------

He was an employee who had appeared multiple times in <Dark Exploration Records>.

I looked up and stared at the man with the somewhat timid-looking curly hair, letting out a small sigh.

'This guy… is Baek Saheon?'

He doesn't really match the image in my head.

Still, it felt strange to meet someone in real life who I had only seen as a text-based character in a ghost story universe.

Meanwhile, the short-haired woman who had first mentioned ghost stories extended her hand as well.

"Given the situation, we might as well introduce ourselves. I'm Go Yeongeun."

It was a name I'd never heard before. And if I don't know a character's real name, it means one of two things:

Either she left early after handling the ghost stories relatively easily…

Or she died right away.

'Damn it…'

Sometimes, named employees only appear with nicknames or code names, but in those cases, their personalities are so distinct that you can identify them immediately.

This feels unsettling. I quickly pushed those thoughts aside and hid my discomfort.

"I'm Kim Soleum."

The handshakes were brief, and we naturally sat down in the subway seats to continue our conversation.

In the meantime, it felt like the people around us had started to split into groups.

"Ah, those people… it looks like they're trying to communicate with the front car somehow?"

"Seems so."

In this ghost story, moving between subway cars is prohibited.

As expected, they soon gave up trying to communicate and returned, using hand gestures to signal their failure.

"What should we do? We can't communicate with the front car at all. And it looks like there's a fight breaking out up there…"

As the tension and anxiety among the passengers grew, another station announcement played.

But this time, the atmosphere of the keyword was different.

[This stop is Euphoria, Euphoria Station.]

"Huh?"

The murmuring crowd suddenly fell silent.

"Euphoria?"

"Doesn't 'euphoria' sound kind of… positive? Maybe…"

No.

'You can't make such a simple judgment here…!'

I gritted my teeth as I recalled the Exploration Records I had just read.

In this ghost story, the station names change every time it appears.

That's why it's impossible to find a specific phrase or station like 'get off at this station' or 'this station is the answer' in the previous cases to guarantee an escape.

'But you can identify trends.'

Like this.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story / Welcome to Abyss Transpo

3.2 Exploration Records (up to 56 entries)

1- Stations named after colours like red, yellow, blue.

: Two-person escape success (Attempt : Blue Station)

2- Stations named after body parts like left arm, cornea, heart.

: No recorded escape success (Attempt : Cochlea Station)

3- Stations named after serial killers like ■■, ■■■■, ■■■.

: Twelve-person escape success (Attempt : ■■■■ Station)

4- Stations named after years like 2008, 2012, 2016.

: No recorded escape success (Attempt : 2024 Station)

5- Stations named after illnesses like asthma, stroke, glaucoma.

: Three-person escape success (Attempt : Cold Station)

[Read More]

----------------------------------------

See?

Even after 56 cases, there's no connection between the station's positive name and the likelihood of escape.

But people were about to get off en masse at Euphoria Station.

[The doors are on your left…]

The scenery of the platform that greeted us was bright and pleasant, adding to the problem.

'Damn it.'

The platform looked clean and bright, like a brand-new station in a newly developed city.

I could feel the mood of the people shifting in that direction.

"Ah…!"

"Sh-should we get off and look for help? This place actually looks fine…"

The excited crowd started to gather near the doors, peeking out.

No way!

'The number of people in my group!'

And my mental state after witnessing this!

'Damn it.'

In the end, I ran and blocked the doors again.

"……!"

"W-what's going on?"

"Please wait."

[The doors are opening.]

"Are you certain?"

"What…?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I mean, are you sure this place is safe? Or at least have a solid theory?"

I deliberately averted my gaze.

"I think most of us can agree that this situation feels like a ghost story."

Go Yeongeun, who had caught everyone's attention with my words, looked startled but didn't retract her statement.

[The doors will close in 30 seconds. Once closed, they will never open again.]

"But whether in ghost stories or horror movies, have you ever seen good things happen when you rely solely on luck or a hunch?"

"…Well, no, but—"

"Can you really risk your life without a solid deduction or theory?"

The anxious people paused for a moment, then someone shouted in frustration.

"Well, do you have some amazing deductions?"

"This guy's been spouting nonsense since the start…"

"Oh, just move already! What deduction? What is this, some kind of quiz show? Did someone give you a hint or something?"

"Yes."

"……?"

"I am giving you a hint."

I took a breath.

Then I raised my hand, pointing upward.

At the subway's electronic display, where the speaker was located.

"I'm talking about the announcements."

– Please pay attention to the announcements for a pleasant journey to your destination.

From the beginning, the subway announcements had kindly informed us of this.

"Haven't they been telling us to listen to and follow the announcements all along? They're being very obvious."

With that in mind, I added as I heard the next announcement.

[Passengers whose destination is Euphoria Station should disembark according to the announcement.]

"Is there anyone here whose destination is Euphoria Station?"

"……"

"……"

The people froze.

"Well, it sounds like a good thing, right?"

"Euphoria, like, living life to the fullest, that's the goal of life, right…"

"So, is your destination Euphoria Station?"

"……"

"……"

It seemed like most of them sensed something was off.

But a few people started to get angry with me.

"Hey, do we have any real 'destination' right now? Why are you butting in like you know everything, when you don't either?"

"If we can't get off and escape because of you, are you going to take responsibility? Will you take responsibility?"

Take responsibility?

"Yes."

"……!"

"Wh-what…?"

"I will take responsibility."

That's an easy question.

'I was planning to escape together with them anyway.'

If they get off here, it's a guaranteed wrong answer, after all. So, there's no way my answer could be worse than that.

But since they didn't expect my response, they stood there with their mouths open, frozen in their places.

"……"

Seeing me take such a firm stance seemed to shake them. I could see their internal struggle.

[The doors are closing…]

Meanwhile, the doors shut.

"Ah…"

I stepped aside. A few people who had been staring at the closed doors in disbelief clung to them.

But no one was yelling at me for blocking them anymore.

'Is this enough…?'

I was feeling somewhat satisfied when I suddenly heard a panicked shout.

"Hey, everyone in the front car got off!"

"……!"

They all got off?

I immediately looked beyond the train window.

Not everyone, but about five or six people seemed to have gotten off at once.

"……"

Sigh.

Honestly, I didn't want to watch what was going to happen next.

But I needed to see it to make a coherent argument later. Damn it…

Holding back a curse, I squinted through the window, my vision blurring slightly.

"Huh? They're running!"

The people who had gotten off seemed to have quickly decided to move. I saw five or six figures running toward the platform's exit, heading for the stairs.

But they were too late.

"Agh!"

The platform floor began to boil with a yellow hue, and the runners' feet started sinking into the ground as if melting.

"G-Gold…?"

It was a bizarre sight, as if their lower bodies were turning into gold and fusing with the floor.

They screamed and struggled to run, but their movements grew slower and slower…

Until finally, their bodies collapsed, leaving only their upper halves, which tumbled forward at the base of the stairs.

Even those were turning into shining gold.

The easiest way to experience happiness.

"Heuuuk—"

"Mmph—"

[The train is now departing from Euphoria Station.]

Inside the departing train car, only the sounds of people gasping in shock and sobbing filled the air.

One of the people who had been about to get off grabbed me in desperation and asked,

"Y-You said you'd take responsibility. Can you really guarantee we'll find a safe place? Huh?"

"Yes."

I answered firmly.

It was ridiculous how the conversation had jumped to me guaranteeing the correct answer, but honestly, that was the only answer I could give.

'This is crazy, really.'

My legs were shaking so badly I thought I'd collapse.

The image of their lower bodies disintegrating kept replaying in low resolution in my mind, making me nauseous.

One thing was certain.

Even if I were to survive this, I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

During all this, Baek Saheon spoke to me in admiration.

"You're amazing, Teacher."

"…Teacher?"

"Oh, I tend to call people 'teacher' when I meet them."

He awkwardly smiled and added,

"There aren't many people like you these days. You know, who can firmly say what's right or wrong, instead of speaking in vague terms like 'I think it might be…'"

"……"

"I hope the outcome matches your confidence."

Uh… thanks for the encouragement, but this isn't the kind of situation where vague words or detached speech will help.

'If we don't get a good result here, you're dead too, you know…'

Wait.

No, that's not right.

I had missed something while whining about how scared I was.

'If there's a record of Baek Saheon working as an employee in <Dark Exploration Records>, that means he passed this entrance exam, right?'

If that's the case, couldn't I just follow Baek Saheon when he gets off at a station?

If I convince myself and Go Yeongeun, that makes three of us. When someone actively supports getting off, there's a higher chance others will follow as well.

'Is it really this simple?'

"Baek Saheon."

"Yes?"

"Is there a particular station you want to get off at? I mean… is there a word or name that, when it appears, makes you think, 'I should get off here'?"

"…Huh, suddenly?"

"I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts."

"Ah."

Baek Saheon seemed to ponder for a moment before shrugging.

"Not really. I'm not very knowledgeable about this stuff."

"I see."

So, he hasn't gotten a clear idea yet.

I nodded casually. In any case, this seemed like a decent idea, so I was going to keep an eye on it…

Ding, ding.

[Attention passengers, this is an announcement from Abyss Transpo to ensure a pleasant journey. Please pay attention.]

"……!"

The announcement started again.

Everyone stopped talking and immediately looked up.

[The train is about to pass through a curved section, which may cause noise and shaking.]

[Please be seated to prevent accidents.]

Ah, fucking hell.

"Everyone, let's sit down."

Without any objections, everyone quickly took their seats.

It was as if my earlier remarks about the announcements had sunk in.

Even the person who had been adamant about getting off earlier sat down quietly and was one of the first to find a seat.

But not everyone seemed to follow the same logic.

"Oh no! The people in the front car!"

"Those people…"

The passengers in the front car were still standing, seemingly too caught up in a heated argument.

Although I couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, their raised voices must have drowned out the announcement.

It was clear just by looking at them. They were in complete panic after witnessing the unimaginable deaths of those who had gotten off earlier.

"Shouldn't we say something to them?"

"Hey! Can you hear us?!"

"Sit down!"

The new hires closest to the front car shouted, but the people there barely acknowledged them. One person who happened to make eye contact with us even walked over.

"Sit down!"

"No, don't come over here, just sit…"

It was too late.

[Entering the curved section…]

The lights went out.

"……!"

In the Darkness, the train began to shake violently with a loud rumble.

And amidst the rumbling, a sharp noise rang out.

Screams.

– Aaaaaah!!

– Agh, ah, ahhh…

The sound of something wet bursting.

Like squeezing a ripe grape too hard.

Then, a dull thud.

…As if it were happening just on the other side of a door.

"……"

"……"

The people in this car held their breath, trembling faintly, trying to stay silent.

Then the lights came back on.

– ……

Through the small window on the front door of the train, we could see into the front car.

It was covered in blood and filth.

It looked as if only living organisms had been thrown into a blender. There were no traces of people left.

Everyone was dead.

[You may now stand up safely. Thank you for your cooperation.]

In stark contrast to the calm announcement, the train was filled with the sound of people panicking.

"Let me out! Let me out!"

"Gaaasp, gaaaasp… what the hell is this? What is this… Mom…"

Even in that state, the new hires tried to cover their mouths and listen closely to the announcement, desperately trying to stay quiet.

After all, it had been proven to be their lifeline!

'Damn.'

While the situation was clearly favorable for my survival, the reality was so horrific that cold sweat formed on my forehead.

I wiped it away with my trembling hand and clenched my teeth.

I mustn't look at the front car anymore.

'Just focus on convincing them…'

A few stops later, when the right station comes up, I'm sure people will get off together…

[Attention passengers, this is an announcement from Abyss Transpo to ensure a pleasant journey. Please pay attention.]

Another announcement.

"Again?!"

"Hiic, hiiiic…"

Cutting through the sobs of the exhausted passengers, the crisp, mechanical voice continued with its strange message.

[There is a lost item.]

Wait a second.

I looked up sharply.

[If you've found the lost item, please disembark at the next station and hand it over to the station staff.]

I knew this scenario.

'…A rare escape case!'

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story / Welcome to Abyss Transpo

3.4 Miscellaneous Records (Escape)

A document recording irregular survivals cases where the individual successfully escaped by getting off at a station.

Several methods were repeatedly observed. (The most frequent cases involved 'temporary stops for train intervals' and 'lost item announcements'.)

----------------------------------------

A guaranteed escape ticket.

As long as you had the announced lost item, you could safely get out!

But…

'Only one person can escape.'

For someone like me, who can't go alone, it's a survival ticket that's useless from the start.

I clenched my fists tightly.

'So, who should I send out?'

No, is sending someone out even the right answer?

And then…

[The lost item is the left eye of a type-A male in his twenties.]

The lost item was something I couldn't have imagined.

Chapter 3 - [Welcome to Abyss Transpo], II

In the midst of the chaos of a ghost story where people were dying, a survival ticket appeared.

Just like in a movie.

And it wasn't an illusion.

'If you take the lost item mentioned in the announcement, you'll be guided out of the station as soon as you meet the station staff…'

It was indeed a glimmer of hope.

The problem was that the lost item mentioned in the announcement was absurdly grotesque.

"What did it just say? A male in his twenties…?"

"The left eye of a type-A male in his twenties."

Go Yeongeun dropped her head, her face hollow.

"Type-A must be referring to… blood type, right?"

"Yes…"

A heavy silence fell. Everyone seemed frightened already.

'…Should I just let this go?'

If we get off at the right station, everyone can survive. If one person escapes early, the mood might get weird and cause unnecessary conflict.

But things didn't unfold that easily.

"Still, wouldn't it be better to find it?"

"Yeah, you never know what might happen…"

These new hires were so focused on the announcement that they couldn't just let it go.

'…Let's see how this plays out.'

"By the way, how old are you…?"

"Oh, I'm in my 30s."

"You look young for your age. Oh, and I'm blood type B, so I don't count."

"Same here…"

Everyone started checking to see if they fit the description of a '20-something male with blood type A'.

But no one matched the conditions exactly, and soon the question turned to me.

"Kim Soleum-ssi, by any chance…?"

I answered simply.

"I'm type AB."

It was actually a lie.

I'm blood type A.

'But there's no reason to reveal that I'm the target.'

If people thought I was trying to gain an advantage, they might misunderstand and refuse to listen to me later.

"I see. Then, what about you, Baek Saheon-ssi…?"

"Wait a second."

Suddenly, the person sitting across from me raised his hand with a serious expression.

"Actually… I fit the criteria exactly!"

"Oh!"

He spoke in a rather grave tone, probably because he was worried he might die if things went wrong.

'He doesn't need to worry about that, though.'

And the reason he suddenly confessed became clear.

[This stop is Anger, Anger Station.]

The announcement for the next station had just been made.

The station where the station staff would be waiting to collect the lost item.

The new hire who had stepped forward looked tense.

"Is there no one else?"

"Yes… it seems that way."

"Damn."

Baek Saheon, who had been listening to the conversation next to me, sighed and then asked him—

[The doors are on your right.]

"You said you're blood type A?"

"Y-Yes."

"Too bad."

And then a fist flew.

"……?!"

A brutal, sickening sound echoed as Baek Saheon's fist mercilessly struck the left eye of the new hire who had confessed to being an A-type 20-something male.

Baek Saheon had struck him with his smartphone, using the corner to hit his eye, as if he didn't care if it burst.

"Ugh—!"

And just as the person collapsed without even managing to scream—

[The doors are opening.]

Baek Saheon leapt over the fallen man and exited the train.

"Wh-what… just…"

"AAAGH!!"

"Who the hell are you?!"

The others, too late to react, screamed in shock.

Baek Saheon chuckled softly.

"You morons. If one eye is all it takes to escape, just do it already!"

"……!"

"It said we could get off the train!"

It seemed Baek Saheon had accurately understood the nuances of the announcement.

– If you've found the lost item, please disembark at the next station and hand it over to the station staff.

Even though there had been a hint to pay attention to the announcements, it was an incredibly bold move.

"Well, it's hard to expect that kind of reasoning from someone who expects others to take responsibility for their own survival."

"What?!"

On top of that, Baek Saheon calmly continued his blunt remarks. It was as if he was certain no one would dare follow him off the train.

And he was right.

Everyone had already seen what happened when you got off at the wrong station.

"That, that guy…"

Go Yeongeun was so enraged that her face turned red, but for the first time, I felt a sense of clarity.

It made sense!

His nickname was 'Viper'.

The portrayal of Baek Saheon in <Dark Exploration Records>—it now made sense that it came from a personality like this.

I thought he might be okay since he was a new hire and hadn't yet been corrupted by society, but it seemed this was just his natural personality.

[The doors are closing.]

Meanwhile, Baek Saheon waved towards the train with a smug smile, clearly pleased with his successful escape.

Even if it meant giving up someone's left eye.

'That guy…'

But… the thing is…

'It wasn't necessary.'

While everyone was focused on Baek Saheon, I quietly reached my hand up to the luggage compartment.

'I definitely saw it earlier.'

And as I reached deeper, I grabbed something hidden in a blind spot, like magic.

I pulled it down to check.

Inside a strange, portable lens case was… an eyeball.

And a label.

[Type A / Female / 27 / R]

This was… another lost item candidate.

'A lost item isn't something you lose yourself—it's something someone else loses, right?'

In fact, this announcement was more of a treasure hunt, where you had to disembark with the lost item that perfectly matched the description from among a few candidates in the luggage compartment.

There were even cases where people had randomly handed over what they had and managed to escape.

'So now Baek Saheon is part of that statistic.'

But what if he found out he didn't actually have to sacrifice that guy's left eye?

The screen door had already closed. As the train was about to depart, I briefly made eye contact with Baek Saheon, who was turning toward the platform.

I raised the lens case with the eyeball in it, making sure he could see it clearly through the window.

I had covered the label, so only one thing would be visible.

The eyeball.

– …!!

Through the glass door, Baek Saheon's expression changed as he realized what it was.

But by then, it was too late.

[The train is now departing from Anger Station.]

The train began to move.

I looked back at the new hire Baek Saheon had attacked.

Judging by the wound on his left eye, Baek Saheon had tried to eliminate another 'correct lost item' besides his own.

'He must have thought only one lost item would be acknowledged.'

I couldn't blame him for trying to survive by escaping on his own, but… he had crossed a line.

I turned my head back toward the door.

From far behind, I heard the sound of someone furiously pounding on the sliding doors.

And faintly, in the distance of the departing platform, I thought I could hear the agonized screams of someone enduring a strange kind of pain.

[The lost item has been successfully handed over to the station staff.]

Chapter 4 - [Welcome to Abyss Transpo], III

One person had escaped the ghost story.

But, they did so with an eye gouged out.

“Huu…”

“Did you hear that?”

However, unlike the previous times, the passengers didn’t show much pity, even though they were terrified and disgusted.

‘Is this the result of violence without persuasion?’

The train became briefly chaotic as people checked on the condition of the person attacked by Baek Saheon.

[This stop is Hatred, Hatred Station.]

“Hatred, huh…”

“Haah.”

The announcement only deepened the gloomy atmosphere.

Go Yeongeun, who had been looking after the new hire holding his injured left eye, stood up. Her face was dark.

“I’m almost certain his cornea is damaged. It’s worrying…”

“Are you in the medical field by chance?”

“No. I studied it briefly in college but changed majors, so I never took the national exam. I’m not a professional.”

Go Yeongeun sighed and sat down on the floor, cross-legged.

[The doors are opening.]

The train doors opened, but people only glanced outside, not making any moves. They simply looked out cautiously.

At the same time, they also glanced at me.

It seemed they were waiting to see if I would suggest we get off here.

‘At least they’re paying attention.’

I had worried that Baek Saheon’s actions would make people more suspicious of each other, but instead, having a common enemy seemed to have calmed everyone down.

It also felt like, given the madness of the situation, they were waiting for the next statement from the person who had spoken confidently earlier.

In other words… me.

It even felt like they might leave the decision of which station to disembark at to me.

“You must feel a bit pressured.”

“……?”

Go Yeongeun spoke with a complex expression.

“People keep leaning on you.”

Uh, thanks…?

“They’re scared and anxious, so I hope you don’t find it too exhausting or distasteful… ugh. Sorry.”

I’m scared and anxious too, which is why I’m trying to lead everyone…

“I’ve been trying to think things through in my own way too…”

Oh, I see. The floor is open to opinions. In fact, I welcome them.

“What have you been thinking about?”

“Well, I’ve been pondering what you said earlier about the ‘final destination’.”

Go Yeongeun lowered her voice.

“If it’s the final destination for a person… could it be death?”

“……!”

“Isn’t that what marks the end of human life? The more I think about it, it feels like that’s what it means. So, I was wondering if we should get off when we see a word like that.”

Oh.

“But then I thought… would that just mean we’re going to die peacefully? So I couldn’t say it for sure.”

“No, that’s a very convincing thought.”

“Is it really?”

“Yes. However…”

I trailed off, and before I knew it, I smiled slightly.

“……?”

It was because I had just seen the name of the next station on the display.

“What does the term ‘destination’ really mean?”

“Huh, what?”

“If you look it up in the dictionary, a destination is defined as the place or goal someone is trying to reach.”

And the theme of this train is very straightforward.

Sit down. Find the lost item.

The instructions are given clearly and without twists, and if you follow them, you stay safe.

Even those who got off at the wrong station died in a very straightforward manner.

So, I’m approaching the term ‘destination’ in the same way.

“I believe that the ‘destination’ mentioned by this train refers to a place or goal that we, in our current state, haven’t yet achieved or reached.”

If you think about it that way, the criteria for choosing the right station become very simple.

– Something I don’t have.

If we apply this logic, we can reinterpret the previous escape cases as well.

----------------------------------------

1- Stations named after colors like red, yellow, blue. : Two-person escape success (Attempt : Blue Station)

2- Stations named after body parts like left arm, cornea, heart. : No recorded escape success (Attempt : Cochlea Station)

3- Stations named after serial killers like ■■, ■■■■, ■■■. : Twelve-person escape success (Attempt : ■■■■ Station)

4- Stations named after years like 2008, 2012, 2016. : No recorded escape success (Attempt : 2024 Station)

5- Stations named after illnesses like asthma, stroke, glaucoma. : Three-person escape success (Attempt : Cold Station)

----------------------------------------

At Blue Station, the people who escaped were likely those who had nothing blue on their bodies or belongings.

And it makes sense that the station named after serial killers had many escapees.

No one in the train would have been one of those serial killers, so almost every station would have been the correct choice for them.

‘On the other hand, stations named after body parts… the likelihood of someone missing a body part is lower, which is why they failed to escape.’

It’s the same with stations named after years. Everyone had experienced the year 2024, which is why they failed to escape that time.

If we apply this logic, it becomes clear which station we should get off at now.

– An emotion I don’t have.

“…So, we need to choose an emotion we would never feel in this situation.”

“What?”

This is where it gets tricky.

‘Most people have experienced all basic emotions like joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure.’

Unless you’re someone who lacks a particular emotion, it becomes very difficult to choose the right station. Even if the intensity of emotions varies, most people have felt them at some point.

Therefore…

We need to choose an emotion that isn’t expressed in degrees but exists as a more neutral state.

‘An emotion that conceptually exists but is extremely difficult to fully experience.’

That’s what we need to choose.

[This stop is Serenity, Serenity Station.]

The announcement played.

It’s easy to think that this is just another ordinary emotion as a station name. After all, we often say things like, That person looks so serene.

But…

‘It’s a phrase we often use when describing others.’

It’s rare for someone to describe themselves as serene.

And it makes sense.

The dictionary definition of serenity is ‘to be without any worries or concerns’.

But can a person truly be serene, without any worries or anxieties?

‘The chances of that…’

Are almost nonexistent.

Especially in an extreme situation like this.

“This is the correct station.”

“……!”

“We’re getting off here.”

I spoke confidently and without hesitation.

I stood up immediately. The others, startled, stood up as well, watching me.

“W-we’re getting off here?”

“Yes.”

I then approached the injured new hire, who was clutching his eye, and helped him to his feet.

“I’ll help you.”

“Ah, th-thank you…”

As I led the injured person toward the door, the others instinctively followed. No one could back out now.

We’re all getting off together.

‘Good.’

If we all escape together like this…

[The doors are opening.]

But outside the open door, there was a sea of blood.

“……”

No way… this is over the line, I mean, what the hell…?

‘Dear fuck almighty. Save me.’

“Kim Soleum-ssi?”

I almost hid behind Go Yeongeun.

But my last shred of dignity as an adult stopped me.

Instead, I awkwardly turned my head and looked at the others.

“Are you sure… this is the right station?”

“Yes.”

It definitely is.

But I couldn’t think of any fancy words to convince them to get off.

Actually, I didn’t want to get off myself.

I wished someone would convince me that we didn’t have to get off. Please, someone.

“…Excuse me! I still think we should get off.”

Huh?

Go Yeongeun?

“You’re the only one who’s been certain of your decisions. Everyone else is scared, but you’ve stayed calm this whole time.”

Me?

“That guy earlier tried to get off on his own, causing all that chaos… At least I’d rather listen to someone kind. I’m getting off.”

And with that, Go Yeongeun bravely stepped out of the train first.

On the rusted platform, the eerie lights flickered, and liquid dripped from the exposed pipes above.

Blood dripped onto Go Yeongeun’s shoulder. Ha, ha…

“Kim Soleum-ssi?”

“……”

“Don’t worry about me. I believe in you too! Let’s go!”

The injured person I was helping urged me forward.

Maybe they thought I was hesitating out of concern for them. Honestly, I was starting to get confused myself about whether I was grateful or resentful.

In any case, I naturally followed Go Yeongeun off the train. The others, still hesitating, eventually followed as well.

At least I wasn’t the last one off, which was a relief.

It’s easy to overlook, but being the last one is the scariest position.

‘…Ha.’

At this point, I just want to abandon myself.

“Should we head up the stairs?”

“Yes.”

Even in this situation, Go Yeongeun yelled toward the other train cars.

“Hey! Get off! This is the right station!”

I wasn’t sure how effective it would be. Some might have been too wary to get off, but…

‘Still, if even one more person gets off because of that, we’re saving them.’

I have to admire her.

No, I’m really trying to focus all my attention on admiring her right now…

Helping the injured person was definitely a good decision. Whenever my focus started to waver, I instinctively stopped myself from panicking.

I recommend it to all cowards.

Though, I doubt many cowards would ever be in such a ridiculous situation!

“Ugh…”

“Let’s keep walking.”

I tried my best to avoid looking at my surroundings as I walked with the group.

I saw the stairs ahead.

‘Talisman-like symbols are plastered all over them…’

Realizing that even the stairs looked far from normal sent chills down my spine, but…

‘I’ll just focus on the feeling of going up.’

One step.

Another step.

I walked quietly.

Soon, I felt my vision blur slightly, and then…

[Congratulations, new employees!]

Suddenly, we were back in the lecture hall.

“……!!”

Bright lights.

A modern, comfortable, spacious room.

Reality came rushing back as I looked at the large screen in front of me, where bold text had appeared.

Congratulations on Completing Your Probation Period>

: Congratulations. You have been officially hired to the Field Exploration Team of Daydream Inc.

“Ha…”

“Ah!!”

The people who had escaped with me collapsed into chairs, their legs giving out.

I turned my head and counted.

One, two… three… seven.

Everyone who had been in our car survived.

‘We made it.’

From the ghost story <Welcome to Abyss Transpo>, seven out of the ten people in our car escaped.

[Now, it’s time for the gift awarding ceremony!]

Chapter 5 - Inprocessing, I

What happens when a new hire successfully completes their probation period, you ask?

Usually, there’s a lighthearted celebration with a gift-giving ceremony.

I didn’t expect a major corporation inside a ghost story to be the same.

[Let’s see… oh my! We have 22 successful candidates this time, everyone! Wow, I wonder what the HR department thinks of this?]

No one is curious about that.

And I’m sure the other new hires sitting next to me feel the same.

[This is truly an amazing record. If this wasn’t a case of miscalculated difficulty, you all are an elite group. Elites.]

The room fell into silence.

The host cheerfully continued, unfazed.

[Shall we pick out the top elite among our elite employees?]

[The top of this cohort from the Field Exploration Team! One of the fastest to complete the evaluation and escape, and the highest scorer in the overall assessment.]

The host raised his hand.

[Congratulations, Kim Soleum-ssi!]

Me?

[Kim Soleum-ssi, are you there?]

[The event won’t end until the gift is presented~ Come up and accept it!]

For real?

‘Why though…’

I stood up, since it would be foolish to stay seated after being given instructions. After all, we had just been stuck in a ghost story where failing to listen to announcements meant death.

[Ah, you’re quick to get up. That quick comprehension will serve you well in our department. What a shame, such a shame.]

Was this a superior from another department? Somehow, that made him even more irritating.

I stepped up onto the stage and stood in front of the host.

[Come on, take your gift!]

What the host handed me was a sharp-edged paper bag.

Inside the silver shopping bag, stamped with the Daydream Inc. logo, I could glimpse a plaque, presumably an official certificate, along with some other items.

[Don’t feel too bad that there’s nothing extra special for being the top scorer.]

I wasn’t happy at all.

I accepted the bag, nodding slightly to avoid glaring at the host, and began to head back down when…

“Take a good look inside.”

What?

“What’s in—”

[Now, let’s call the next new hire!]

The host was already calling out the next person’s name on the mic, as if we hadn’t just exchanged a few words.

“……”

Hmph.

I didn’t waste any more time and quickly left the stage.

After that, Go Yeongeun and the others who had been in our train car also went up to receive their gifts.

It didn’t mean much, but Baek Saheon was called right after me.

“……”

“……”

He remained seated next to me afterward, not saying a word.

He didn’t even make eye contact. Judging by how he was holding his left eye, it was clear he had ‘returned’ the lost item.

‘He’ll figure out how to get to a hospital.’

[Next up, Kim Jiwon-ssi!]

As more names were called, some of the people receiving their gifts looked strangely disheveled, with odd gaits or unfocused eyes.

‘…Maybe they were stuck in the ghost story for too long.’

Even though we all seemed to regain consciousness at the same time in the lecture hall, there had clearly been a time difference between our escape from ghost story and now.

The thought of how long some others might still be trapped made a chill run down my spine.

At least I made it out, which is more than can be said for the other 78 people.

[Did everyone receive their gifts?]

Finally, the gift awarding ceremony ended.

There was no audible response, but a strange tension and sense of expectation hung over the room.

Perhaps we might finally be allowed to leave.

To be honest, even I was hoping for that. It seemed like things should be wrapping up soon.

But.

[However… this company doesn’t hire all of the candidates who pass the probation period.]

“……?!”

[Sometimes, there are people who make it through purely by luck.]

No way.

[But Daydream Inc. is a company that never forgets the social value of fairness.]

[Such probationary employees are penalized heavily in the final evaluation.]

The host didn’t do anything overt.

No dramatic snap of the fingers, no ominous glance, not even the lights in the hall dimmed.

And yet…

[As I mentioned, freeloaders are always identified.]

People started melting.

“……!”

All around, several people began to dissolve, their bodies collapsing as if they were being smeared away.

There were no screams or movements.

‘Damn it!’

The person in front of me pressed their hands over their mouth to suppress a scream.

I hurriedly turned my head away.

But I had already seen it.

‘They’re gone.’

Of the ten people from our train car, only half remained.

Me, Go Yeongeun, Baek Saheon, and the new hire who had been attacked by Baek Saheon. Everyone else was gone.

“……”

[To the remaining 13 new employees, congratulations! You have successfully become full-time employees with excellent results!]

Not a single person clapped out of joy.

In the chilling silence, one person, overwhelmed with panic, fumbled and stuttered.

“I resign, I’ll resign… I want to quit.”

But the host remained calm.

[Oh? Leaving such a great work opportunity? Come on, at least hear about the benefits before deciding.]

Behind me, Go Yeongeun shouted desperately.

“So, can we quit after hearing about the benefits? Without any penalties?”

[Yes, absolutely. You can quit without a single scratch on you~]

The host’s words were smooth and confident.

That’s when I realized.

‘It’s here.’

The stick had passed.

Now comes the carrot.

…The ‘benefit’ I was expecting.

[Let me introduce our company’s top employee benefit!]

The reason why, after going through such a crazy experience right upon joining, employees still stay with the Field Exploration Team.

[Employee Benefit]

Wish Ticket

Something appeared on the large screen in the lecture hall.

A beautifully sleek crystal bottle.

Plop.

Inside the bottle, a strange liquid shimmered with multicolored ripples.

It moved like waves.

The colors, textures, and rippling patterns were so beautiful and strange that they gave off an uncanny feeling.

Silence filled the room.

[Let’s take a closer look, shall we?]

The host pressed a button, and the screen lifted, revealing a table that had been hidden behind it.

On the black table was the same dazzling bottle from the screen.

“……!”

The liquid inside the bottle shimmered on its own, reflecting the light in the room so brilliantly that it seemed otherworldly.

It made you question whether such a thing could even exist in reality.

[You all know Daydream Inc. is famous for being a highly successful pharmaceutical company, yes? I mean, how advanced must our technology be if we even developed a cure for baldness?]

[But in truth, our main product is something else… It’s this.]

The host steadied his trembling hand and put on white gloves.

Then, carefully picking up the crystal bottle from the table, he held it up for the employees to see.

[The name of this medicine is the ‘Wish Ticket’.]

[And its effect is… just as it sounds. When you drink it, any wish will come true.]

“……!”

[Don’t believe me? But we have a whole truckload of your seniors and superiors who’ve taken this and had their wishes fulfilled.]

[Allow me to demonstrate.]

The host tore open the packaging of the bottle and downed it in one gulp!

[Today’s the day I was scheduled to receive my Wish Ticket. Haha!]

And in that moment, everyone in the lecture hall immediately knew what the host’s ‘wish’ had been.

The instant he drank the Wish Ticket.

The face of the host, who appeared to be in his mid-to-late 40s, rapidly tightened and gained a youthful, rosy complexion.

His body became fit, and his hair grew back, shiny and thick.

He had returned.

He looked exactly like a young man in his prime, full of energy and growth!

[Yahoo!]

The host, who now looked like a high school student, raised his fist in excitement.

[How about that? To put it simply—rejuvenation!]

Even his voice had grown young and youthful.

A stunned silence fell over the room for an entirely new reason.

It was a silence filled with disbelief.

The host pointed at the new hires in the lecture hall.

[The Field Exploration Team, your team, always gets great performance reviews. On average, they receive the Wish Ticket in half the time it takes other teams…]

[In fact, the ten employees who got the Wish Ticket the fastest were all from the Field Exploration Team!]

Gulp.

Someone swallowed nervously from somewhere in the hall.

Of course, it was all wordplay.

In reality, it was no different from hazard pay.

‘Before those ten, dozens, maybe hundreds of people must have died.’

So, it was more like bait—a shiny, but deceptive promise.

But still…

‘There are people who’ve taken it.’

It wasn’t a scam.

[Now, let’s take some questions—oh, you there!]

One of the new hires quietly raised a hand and asked in a rough voice,

“Can it bring the dead back to life?”

It was a tall man with brown hair.

[Ah. You always hear that question in these kinds of stories, don’t you? ‘The one thing that can’t be wished for’…]

[…But!]

The host raised his hand dramatically.

[The Wish Ticket will grant _a-n-y_ wish the drinker desires.]

“……!”

[Of course, as long as you use it correctly. For detailed instructions, please refer to the employee portal.]

“……”

The questioner fell silent again, but the unease among the new hires grew even stronger.

The host didn’t miss the moment.

[For other benefits, please check the screen or the pamphlet included in your gift bag… So, shall we make a decision?]

With a swift motion, the back doors of the lecture hall swung open.

[If you want to resign, please go to the desk outside and collect your paperwork.]

[But if you’ve decided to stay with the company…]

The host gestured.

[Put on the mask that’s inside your gift bag.]

A mask? Oh.

‘So, this is when they hand those out.’

[You know how ‘customization’ is all the rage these days, right? The mask is designed to express your unique personality.]

[Well… this one doesn’t have any special functions, though. That’s all there is to it.]

I clutched my smartphone.

There were too many eyes watching to check properly, but if I could access the page of <Dark Exploration Records> reconstructed by the ‘Memorial Popsocket’, it would probably show something like this:

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Daydream Inc. / Departments

Miscellaneous

Employees in the Field Exploration Team wear masks while on field duty, which are distributed after the new hire orientation.

According to Employee D, the design of the mask is determined by the year of hire.

For example, agents with ant masks and agents with mantis masks are likely to have joined in the same year.

----------------------------------------

In short, it’s a symbol of the ‘Daydream Inc.’ Field Exploration Team.

‘I can’t believe the day has come for me to receive this.’

It felt strange in many ways.

Of course, 90% of me wanted to run out of here and throw the mask aside, screaming that I was quitting.

Please, just let me go.

‘But… even if I quit, this whole universe is a mess.’

The ‘dark paranormal phenomena’ are already scattered everywhere.

It’s far too easy to end up as a background extra in a ghost story and have your life end in a rare and horrific way.

‘Haa…’

It might be safer to work as an employee, collecting my paycheck, company gear, and ultimate reward while aiming for a department transfer. My survival chances might improve that way.

‘Besides, if I want to return to my original world, that ‘Wish Ticket’ seems to be my best bet.’

Anyway, there’s no way a coward like me will survive long in this universe. Escaping this world entirely is the only real option.

So logically, as painful as it is, if I choose the most reasonable answer…

‘I have to join.’

As much as it kills me to admit it, there’s no other choice. Damn.

In the end, I swallowed my tears and opened the envelope.

I reached in to pull out the mask.

Illustration from uoongpig on X

“……?”

Something else came out with it.

───

If needed 010-0153-24865

───

A business card?

The space where a name and title should be had been whited out, replaced with scribbled text.

‘…Did the host put this in here?’

I looked around, but no one else seemed to have a business card stuck to their mask.

‘I’ll deal with it later.’

I slipped the card back into the envelope and pulled out only the mask.

It was smooth to the touch, covering only until my nose—a basic mask in shape.

The surprising part was that everyone around me was already attempting to put their masks on.

Without a single exception.

‘…Even after all that, no one’s running away?’

There was only one wildcard.

The Wish Ticket.

‘Did they filter out only those who would risk their lives for the Wish Ticket?’

As I looked around the lecture hall at the silent employees accepting their masks, I felt a complicated mix of emotions.

We’re all about to do the same thing, after all.

‘No choice, I guess.’

I brought the mask to my face.

As soon as I did, the shape of the mask began to change.

I could feel it stretching and becoming more uneven across my cheeks and forehead…

“……”

I reached up and touched it.

A mask with antler-like horns and a bizarre wood-grain pattern had formed.

Wait, antlers?

‘…Reindeer? Deer?’

It looked too strange to just be a deer.

Reluctantly, I turned to look around. Go Yeongeun, who was wearing a sheep mask, made awkward eye contact with me.

Around us, other new hires, wearing masks resembling animals like elephants and goats, sat stiffly in their suits.

They looked just as unsettling as you’d expect from employees working at a company that manages ghost stories.

[Once again, congratulations on joining the company!]

Clap, clap, clap.

The slide on the PPT changed, playing a recording of applause.

[Employment Confirmed]

‘So, it’s come to this…’

Just as I was starting to feel overwhelmed thinking about my future with the company…

Flutter—

The notepad suddenly reappeared in midair.

“……!”

The same notepad that had spit out the ‘Memorial Popsocket’ merch earlier.

[Dark Exploration Records Real Merch Box]

– New merch unlocked! (!)

Huh?

Chapter 6 - Inprocessing, II

‘New merch?’

And if it’s saying it’s unlocked, that means I can use another one of the merch I bought.

‘Based on what criteria, though?’

I wanted to click on the floating notepad immediately, but then I remembered I was still sitting in the middle of the lecture hall.

Not to mention, I could feel people glancing at me since the host had called me out as the top performer.

‘Let’s leave first and check it out later.’

The event seemed to be wrapping up, so I could head home… wait.

I suddenly realized something critically important.

“……”

Do I even have a home here?

I quickly pulled out my smartphone and started checking my records.

Just like that, all traces of my previous job and work history had vanished.

Even my family’s contact information was wiped out.

‘Please, no.’

The only records left were from my college days, which at least matched my memories, giving me a moment of relief.

But the problem is… I lived in a dorm during college.

‘And I had a tough time getting my own place after graduation because of some schedule mix-ups.’

As expected, the most recent record I could find was a text conversation about going to see rental apartments and a chat with a friend complaining about staying in a motel because his studio lease fell through.

“……”

I raised my head and glanced at the screen still floating in the lecture hall.

Or rather, I focused on one word at the bottom of the screen.

[Employee Benefit – Miscellaneous]

Company Housing

Benefit, huh… I might as well take full advantage, right?

The ‘company housing benefit’ was processed shockingly fast.

“Ah, hello!”

“Hello.”

In less than an hour after inquiring at the front desk, I was assigned a room number, given a key, and even an address. The location wasn’t bad, either.

Of course, it wasn’t out of the goodness of their hearts to make things convenient for employees.

‘If they want to exploit me around the clock, it makes sense to keep the wage slaves nearby….’

Still, the building looked like a decent officetel. It was clean, recently remodeled, and had solid security.

Considering ‘company housing’ is usually a perk for working in remote areas, this was absurdly generous.

‘This company just made me go through a death survival game, so sure, why not move in.’

But this cynical thought became reality soon enough.

When I bumped into Go Yeongeun outside the officetel, she told me,

“Did you hear? Seven of us got company housing.”

“……?”

That’s over half of us.

It seemed like Go Yeongeun had also come here to move in. They gave me a sheepish look, noticing my stare.

“It’s a bit scary, but since we’re already hired… turning down a free place near the subway would be hard to justify…”

“…Right.”

Exactly. In capitalism, money is the scariest thing.

‘Saving 1.2 million won a month? Anyone would move in, pretending to be crazy.’ (Approx. 900 USD)

Of course, there was a more crucial reason behind this.

“It seems like those who came from outside the city got notified about the housing and signed up as soon as they were hired.”

“That makes sense.”

Now I understand. The new hires had already celebrated and accepted the housing, making it hard for them to back out.

I had wondered how they arranged my room so quickly, but now it made sense.

‘The room I’m getting must have belonged to one of the new hires who didn’t survive the death game…’

The thought sent a chill down my spine, making me feel a little ashamed.

Anyway, after exchanging a few more words with Go Yeongeun, I headed up to the 12th floor, where my room was located.

So far, so good.

The problem?

The officetel unit had two rooms.

And my roommate was Baek Saheon.

“……”

“……”

Baek Saheon was sitting in the living room.

He had a medical eye patch over one eye, suggesting he’d received some sort of treatment—probably from the company, not a hospital, considering the timing.

I quietly nodded to acknowledge him and started heading to my room when—

“Hey.”

What?

“’Hey’?”

I stopped in my tracks.

Baek Saheon flinched when I responded but, fueled by anger, he glared at me and spoke.

“You must’ve enjoyed watching while I had to gouge out a perfectly good eye because of that damn lost item, huh?”

It seemed he thought I’d known about the lost item and just stood by to watch him get his eye taken out.

‘He’s the one who ran off on his own, and now he’s blaming me?’

He was perfectly fine punching someone else’s eye out, but when it came to his own, I was supposed to help him?

What a creative way to twist the situation.

But at that moment, I realized something.

If I responded apologetically, saying, ‘Well, you suddenly ran out, so…’ or ‘Why are you speaking informally all of a sudden, Teacher?’ it would only make him feel more justified and lead to more nonsense.

There’s a term I learned from dealing with difficult clients for people like Baek Saheon.

We call them ‘Creationist Complainers’.

They make up situations in their head and stubbornly cling to them.

With people like this, explanations don’t work.

It’s better to just…

“Oh, I found it pretty amusing.”

“……!”

Going on the offensive is the best strategy here.

I walked right up to Baek Saheon and gripped his shoulder firmly.

“Thanks for that. I had a great time. Is this what they call a dopamine rush?”

“Wh…”

“Make sure to share more good news with me. Actually, I hope we work together.”

“……”

“Work’s going to be a blast.”

That should do it.

‘Now, he probably thinks I’m crazy.’

Given his behavior so far and his performance in <Dark Exploration Records>…

‘Baek Saheon seems like the type who, if he realized the other person was scared, would push them into a corner even more.’

In that case, it’s better to plant the impression of ‘I should stay away from this guy.’

‘Consider it a bit of bluffing, too.’

I patted Baek Saheon’s shoulder a couple of times, then stood up and walked toward my room without looking back.

‘As long as he doesn’t stab me in my sleep, I’ll be fine.’

Of course, I was bluffing a bit just now.

The likelihood of working together with someone from the same squad is extremely low.

What company forms squads of only new hires? They split us up and assign us to different squads.

It’s like a balancing act, similar to that famous ninja manga—assigning people based on their skills.

And besides, I was called first, and Baek Saheon was called second.

‘So, he probably did well in the evaluations too, which makes it even less likely we’ll end up on the same squad.’

We won’t be working together for a while.

Let’s just act like we don’t exist to each other.

Clack.

I entered my assigned room with a sense of relief.

“Huu.”

The clean room had fresh bedding, a desk, and even a private bathroom. There was a guidebook hanging on the door.

“If I apply, they’ll change my bedding and clean the room every week for just 100,000 won a month?”

This company’s over-the-top benefits seem designed to dazzle the new hires, making them forget all about the death game they just went through.

A lot of new hires will likely be confused by the sudden shift to this neat, friendly reality, as if the death survival ordeal had been a lie.

Given what I know about this company’s motivations, it’s all too obvious what they’re trying to do…

‘Yeah, they’re desperate to fill positions in the Field Exploration Team.’

They want to make sure none of the new hires who’ve been deemed capable of doing the ‘work’ decide to quit.

‘Well, might as well take full advantage of what they’re offering.’

I’ve already decided to stay, after all.

On the desk was a small welcome gift package—expensive snacks and company-branded office supplies.

There was even a diary tucked away in a half-open drawer.

Judging by the company logo on the cover, it was another standard-issue item.

‘But it’s from last year.’

Maybe it was left behind by the previous occupant of this housing unit. I opened the diary.

On the first page, in huge letters, it said:

– RUN.

‘Aigoo.’

I appreciated the wise words from my predecessor, but I was already too far gone.

Not even scary at this point.

‘Just another chapter in the horrors of corporate life, huh.’

My sense of camaraderie with the author of this note swelled. I closed the diary and carefully put it back in the drawer.

Now that I’ve checked everything out, it’s time to get down to business.

[Dark Exploration Records Real Merch Box]

– New merch unlocked! (!)

Now that I was alone, I could finally check it out!

‘Huu.’

With a bit of nervous excitement, I sat on the bed and reached toward the floating notepad in a comfortable position.

Tak.

Just like before, when it spit out the grip holder, the notepad opened, and something fell out.

It was a clear OPP vinyl packet.

Inside, I could see a stack of stickers, the kind usually used for fancy merch.

“This …”

I picked up the vinyl packet.

Inside was a typical smiley-face sticker—yellow, with a standard smiling emoji.

A.k.a. the bribe item.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Daydream Inc. / Items

Smiley Sticker

A salesperson’s best friend! :)

When attached to a sentient being, it induces mild feelings of friendliness toward the user.

Unlock Requirement : Must be a full-time employee or higher at Daydream Inc.

(p.s. Misusing the item for personal reasons, like flirting, will result in disciplinary action.)

----------------------------------------

“Huh.”

Despite its cheap packaging and rough finish, this sticker was an iconic item used in several parts of <Dark Exploration Records>.

It induces friendliness? That’s basically a way to manipulate favorability.

‘It was used to convince other departments for collaboration, wasn’t it?’

And I immediately understood why it was unlocked now.

– Unlock Requirement : Must be a full-time employee or higher at Daydream Inc.

“So I unlocked this because I became a full-time employee?”

In the <Dark Exploration Records>, most items created by organizations or specific groups had usage restrictions tied to ranks or affiliations. From a world-building perspective, it was to prevent rampant misuse.

‘And from the perspective of those who create the ghost stories, it was to stop eager newbies from barging into every narrative and recklessly using all sorts of tools like some Mary Sue causing trouble.’

Anyway, the fact that I now met those conditions means…

‘Does this mean that every time I get promoted or change departments, this <Merch Box> will spit out new merch?’

It definitely seemed like it could be helpful for survival.

But really, I’d prefer if they hadn’t dragged me into this world in the first place. When I think about it, even this feels like a ghost story in itself.

‘Ugh.’

I glanced up at the glowing notepad a few more times, feeling uneasy, before finally shifting my thoughts.

“Well, at least I got something useful.”

The Smiley Sticker. It would be a bit tricky since I’d have to stick it directly on someone, but having the ability to earn favor in an emergency is certainly a useful condition.

However, there’s a catch.

‘…This thing was discontinued after some drama.’

Apparently, the creators fought fiercely over the power of the sticker, arguing like it was life or death. The item ended up being discarded entirely from the narrative.

I’m not sure when exactly it disappeared, but it’s possible the set in my hand could be the last remaining one in this universe.

I stared at the Smiley Sticker in its packaging.

Hmm.

Better make sure no one finds out about this.

Just in case, I took five stickers and tucked them into my suit pocket. That way, I’d have them ready for my first day of work.

‘…First day of work, huh.’

I was starting to feel a bit unsettled, but I knew I needed rest.

After everything that had happened, my body and mind were completely drained.

‘I need to recover.’

I changed into the provided robe, locked the door, and got into bed. It was my first proper rest since being plunged into this ghost story.

To be honest, I didn’t sleep well.

The sight of people being torn apart and the grotesque images of that subway station replayed in my mind, like my brain had turned into a surround-sound home theater system.

Still, after a couple of days, I was at least able to sleep through the nightmares. It was a small comfort.

A few days passed like that.

I checked my dwindling bank account balance and made sure to stretch it out as best as I could, buying clothes and daily necessities.

Of course, I didn’t forget the most important thing.

‘I need to memorize everything.’

Through the Memorial Popsocket, I continued reading all the <Dark Exploration Records> wiki pages I had once glanced at, memorizing them until they could roll off my tongue.

This was my lifeline now.

And soon enough, Monday arrived.

It was my first day at Daydream Inc.

“……”

Monday morning.

I made my way to Daydream Inc.’s headquarters with a less-than-pleasant expression.

Go Yeongeun, who I bumped into as I left the officetel, seemed surprised.

“Oh, Soleum-ssi, are you okay? Did you, um, not sleep well?”

“…Kind of, yeah. I’ll be fine.”

“Oh dear…”

The two of us, both new hires, exchanged a few short pleasantries as we walked the fifteen minutes to the headquarters.

Along the way, we passed a few other new members of the Field Exploration Team, all of them looking just as tense, though we only exchanged nods.

We scanned our employee IDs and boarded the elevator.

“I heard the Field Exploration Team uses floors 10 to 15… Ah, I’ll get off here. Soleum-ssi, let’s give it our best shot, okay?”

“Yes, let’s do our best.”

I waved as Go Yeongeun got off on the 10th floor, then glanced at the button I had pressed for my floor.

13th floor.

‘Even the floor number feels like a bad omen…’

I could only hope it was just my imagination.

I double-checked the assignment notice I’d received two days ago.

[New Employee(Field Exploration)_Assignment.pdf]

– Kim Soleum / D Squad

Ding.

The elevator doors opened on the 13th floor, revealing a hallway divided into sections labeled with letters.

I made my way to the automatic door labeled ‘D’ and pressed the button.

At the same time, I greeted those inside.

“Good morning.”

“Oh!”

“You’re here!”

A few adults sitting in the spacious office lifted their heads and greeted me.

One of the men stood up and extended his hand.

Illustration from uoongpig on X

“Welcome to D-squad of the 15th unit.”

A woman with a blank expression and a bob haircut nodded and added,

“By the way, they call us the ‘Death Squad’ because all the newbies die.”

“……”

“Just kidding.”

Should I just quit right here and now?

Chapter 7 - [Make a Choice], I

What is the correct reaction for a new hire when their team says something like, ‘Hey, newbie, you might drop dead soon! Haha, just kidding~!’ on your first day?

The truth is, there isn’t one.

No, really—there’s no right answer.

Fortunately, my colleagues didn’t seem to expect much of a reaction from me as they quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway… congrats on surviving the death survival test.”

Are we seriously calling it that out in the open?

“But are you really the top of your batch? That’s amazing.”

“Come on, let’s hear some bragging.”

I’m curious about that myself.

“I just did my best, really.”

“Oh, if that were enough, we’d all be at Seoul University.”

“Either way, it’s impressive. You’re a great addition to our squad.”

Being top of the batch comes with its perks. It seems like the department, despite its heavy workload, doesn’t have the energy to haze new hires.

“The squad leader will be back soon. He’s out on-site, so just relax for now!”

“Oh, thank you.”

I followed my superior’s directions and went to the partitioned-off area.

Four desks clustered together.

Next to them, a small sofa and a coffee table with an old-style radio on top—straight out of the 80s.

The superiors returned to their desks and gestured toward the sofa.

“Go ahead and sit there.”

“Alright.”

As soon as I sat down, the radio on the coffee table clicked on and emitted a scratchy sound.

“……?”

Upbeat background music and a high-pitched announcer’s voice filled the air.

– Hello! This is your live traffic update. The roads in Seoul are currently clear, just like today’s sunny weather! However, starting this afternoon…

I turned my head to glance out the window.

It was drizzling outside.

A disconnect from reality.

‘Ah.’

This radio… it’s part of a ghost story.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Hello Traffic Info]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-E-63

It’s a peculiar radio that tells today’s fortune through traffic reports. Sometimes it offers advice, but the advice can be so unsettling that it often leads to ghastly consequences.

----------------------------------------

“Did you catch that?”

“……!”

“Wow, this newbie is sharp. You picked up on the weirdness quickly.”

A male superior who looked like a physical education major approached and turned off the radio.

“This thing gives your daily fortune through traffic reports. It’s a relatively safe urban legend. Twilight-Class Darkness—verified.”

“……”

“Hold up, were you just thinking, ‘What the heck is an urban legend or Darkness, you nerd?’”

No, not really.

“For newbies like you, we’ve prepared this. Ta-da!”

He placed a tablet PC on the table.

After a few taps on the screen, he played a video.

“Watch this through.”

<Field Exploration Team New Employee Training Video>

Retro vibes washed over me as cheerful, low-quality orchestral music played.

Two cartoon characters, resembling the mascots of the ‘88 Olympics, appeared and bowed.

– New hires filled with dreams and passion! Welcome to the Field Exploration Team of Daydream Inc.!

– Today, we’ll explain the cool work that the Field Exploration Team does in detail!

‘A fox and a dragon?’

A red fox and a yellow dragon, dressed in traditional Korean hanboks, smiled brightly.

– *But before we begin!*

An overtly old-fashioned font appeared above the two cute characters.

[What kind of company is Daydream Inc.?]

I already know.

To the public, this company is a highly successful pharmaceutical company specializing in miracle hair loss treatments and skincare products.

But in reality?

– You think all we make is hair loss treatments? Oh my gosh! Actually, Daydream Inc. can create any medicine you could ever need!

– A true magic company that makes magical potions!

From cures for drug addiction to elixirs for eternal life, the company creates all sorts of fantastical potions and secretly trades them with the elite and political circles.

That is the true nature of Daydream Inc.

A secret organization producing supernatural potions.

‘Which is impossible with existing science or reality…’

The fox character winked and raised a finger.

– But! Magical potions need magical ingredients.

– That ingredient is… ‘Dream Essence’!

The word ‘Dream Essence’ appeared in bold, golden letters, and sparkling liquid began to flow majestically across the screen.

Hearts and stars popped out as if it were some children’s cartoon about magic potions, but…

Its true nature was something else entirely.

– Dream Essence is harvested from supernatural phenomena!

The dragon held out her hand, and the screen transitioned.

It showed a city alleyway in a cute illustration style.

But red eyes appeared in the shadow of a streetlamp, turning into a monstrous figure threatening a passerby.

Then, the animation exaggeratedly depicted a fan licking its blades as it hovered over a sleeping person.

– Did you know supernatural occurrences still happen in modern society?

– Fans running in a sealed room will kill you, or receiving lots of criticism will help you live longer… these are all superstitions and urban legends!

– But sometimes, these urban legends become reality!

‘So they’re calling these urban legends…’

Indeed, calling it an ‘urban legend’ does sound a bit less unsettling than ‘creepypasta’.

And then came the key point.

– Daydream Inc. manages these urban legends, collects ‘Dream Essence,’ and makes wonderful magical potions that grant people’s wishes!

– Isn’t ‘Dream Essence’ the most important resource for the company, Yonyong?

– Of course! We always need it… But who’s going to gather the ‘Dream Essence’ for us?

The dragon character named Yonyong tilted her head to the side.

Who else, indeed.

– The brave Field Exploration Team, of course!

An SD animation depicted office workers in suits giving a thumbs-up, bravely navigating spaces where all kinds of surreal events were taking place.

– Thanks to the courageous and wise Field Exploration Team, the Dream Essence collectors are full once again!

On the screen, a character with thick eyebrows proudly held up an object in one hand.

A portable cylinder with measurement lines.

It’s the ‘Dream Essence Collector’.

----------------------------------------

[Dream Essence Collector]

: An item featured in <Dark Exploration Records>.

A portable liquid storage container created by Daydream Inc., which fills up as you explore the ‘Darkness(urban legends/ghost stories)’.

The company refers to the liquid collected in the cylinder as ‘Dream Essence’.

This essence is the main resource used by Daydream Inc. to produce the almost reality-altering potions that serve as the company’s primary revenue source.

----------------------------------------

The two characters clapped as they showcased the essential tool of the Field Exploration Team.

– Now, take your Dream Essence Collector and bravely and wisely step into the Darkness

– The future of our company rests on your shoulders! Good luck!

The typical new employee gaslighting video ended with fireworks and the Daydream Inc. logo.

“……”

“How was it?”

“Uh… impressive.”

I chose my words carefully.

“Very… memorable.”

“Well… our department’s work is kinda like that.”

The friendly superior reached out for a handshake again.

“Ah, let me introduce myself properly. You’re Employee Kim Soleum, right?”

“Yes. Pleased to meet you.”

“Great. Oh! Over there is Assistant Manager Eun Haje.”

The short-haired woman at her desk gave a brief wave before going back to work.

The guy who looked like a phys-ed major grinned and pointed to himself with his thumb.

“I’m Park Minseong, contractual supervisor.”

“Nice to meet you, Supervisor Park.”

“Haha, no need to be so formal.”

“Um, okay?”

“In this department, after about a year, pretty much everyone gets to this position. You’ll get here soon.”

There’s also a good chance I’ll die before then, but let’s not put that out there in the universe…

“Yeah, or you might die before that.”

Ah, guess he said it for me.

“Oh, come on!”

“Why? He should know the truth. As the video showed, it’s dangerous work.”

Assistant Manager Eun gestured casually, confirming the blunt reality.

I see… to reach her level in this company, you’d need nerves of steel.

“Quitting is always a valid option. There are plenty of other jobs out there.”

Although in this world, any job comes with a risk of getting pulled into a ghost story anyway, so…

“Thank you, but I’ll stick it out for now.”

“Hmm, good choice.”

“Ooh, such enthusiasm!”

Both of them nodded approvingly, and Assistant Manager Eun offered some reassuring words.

“Even though we deal with urban legends, ghost stories and the like, don’t worry too much. We have response manuals for everything.”

“…Understood.”

Supervisor Park leaned in conspiratorially.

“By the way, in this company, we call them ‘Darkness’. If you don’t want people thinking you’re some kind of creepypasta-obsessed otaku, just call them that.”

“……”

So I won’t be labeled an otaku?

I stayed quiet and nodded, not wanting to push my luck by arguing with my superiors on my first day.

“Got it. Have you gone through the manual?”

“Yes.”

I had read through the ‘Work Manual’ that Supervisor Park handed me and nodded to show I understood.

“Good, good.”

The two superiors exchanged glances and smiled before turning back to me.

“Shall we get to work, then?”

Wait, what?

14th floor—

My superiors led me to a different floor.

“Now that you’ve got the basics down, it’s time for some field experience.”

We got off the elevator and stopped in front of a small storage room next to the emergency stairs.

“So, for this afternoon, you’ll be doing… just a light exploration of the Darkness.”

Pardon me?

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing serious.”

“You won’t die, you won’t die. Oh, think of it like the slimes you encounter in beginner towns in games!”

“…Right.”

I mean, I was expecting work, but this is… dizzying.

They wouldn’t send me somewhere lethal on my first day, would they?

It’d be tough for them to handle a panicked rookie anyway.

I tried to calm myself and think rationally.

Why are we standing in front of this storage room…?

Ah, is this a location connected to a ghost story?

‘Which ghost story starts in a storage room again?’

As I searched through the <Dark Exploration Records> wiki in my head, my superiors started giving me instructions.

The first thing I received was an item.

“You saw this in the video earlier, right? It’s the Dream Essence Collector.”

I was handed a sturdy, dice-shaped plastic-sealed cylinder that had clearly been used.

‘They sold this as merch, didn’t they…?’

Still, holding the actual thing in my hand felt strangely surreal.

“Be careful not to lose it. Each one is numbered, and it’ll be a real headache if you misplace it.”

“Yes, Assistant Manager.”

I understood—it’s like losing a bullet casing.

“And make a habit of wearing your mask before entering the Darkness. Don’t ask why—just do it. Now, where’s your ma— umm.”

“……”

“……”

My superiors blinked at the sight of my mask, which looked like tree bark with two antlers sticking out.

“…A deer?”

“A roe deer?”

I have no idea either.

“Nice antlers though. Yeah, let’s go with roe. Sounds tougher than a regular deer.”

Tougher?

“Anyway, put that on and look at this.”

Supervisor Park handed me the tablet PC.

Ah, so they’re going to brief me with another video…

[Do this and get 20 million won VS just live your life]

“……??”

It was an internet post.

– Playing tag with a ghost at a convenience store with no one else within 10km for three days and get 20 million won. VS just living your life. By the way, the ghost looks like this ↓

‘Ugh!’

I shuddered as I quickly scrolled past the photo, but the image was already burned into my mind.

A blue ghost with bulging eyes and a swollen, grotesque forehead.

“What does it say?”

“It’s asking if you’d spend three days playing tag with a ghost at a convenience store for money…”

I had no idea why they were showing me this.

Surely, this wasn’t some kind of workplace hazing?

We’re about to go on a ‘Dark Exploration’, and yet they’re showing me some random internet post…

Oh.

“……”

“……”

I scrolled back up to look at the post again.

[Do this and get 20 million won VS just live your life]

Wait, no way.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Make a Choice]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-F-243.

It originates from balance game posts on the internet, like ‘*Would you do a scary challenge for money VS just live your life?’*

This Darkness appears sporadically when accessing URLs with certain numbers.

It often involves being chased by a murderer or ghost, and if you get caught, you must start over from the beginning.

----------------------------------------

What a nightmare.

As the world around me warped, I heard Supervisor Park’s voice clearly.

“Just take it easy, alright? Heave ho!”

Take it easy?

I was about to protest—how could they send a new hire on their first solo assignment into a ghost story!—but before I could scream…

The world twisted, and I was thrown into the Darkness.

“……”

I staggered to my feet.

‘It’s really dark.’

The air was cold and damp. My visibility was incredibly poor.

The only light came from the faint, flickering glow of the drinks fridge in the distance.

“……”

Holding my breath, I cautiously moved toward the light.

The dim outlines of the convenience store flickered in and out of sight as I approached, disappearing into the shadows again…

Silence. Stillness.

Each step echoed on the floor, sending shivers down my spine as cold sweat trickled down the back of my neck.

There didn’t seem to be anything around. At least, not yet.

‘Huuu.’

I swallowed my sigh.

I stopped walking just outside the fridge’s dim glow, where the light couldn’t reach me.

Leaning into the cold, hazy light, I surveyed my surroundings.

The convenience store was quite large, about the size of a franchise café.

The shelves were neatly stocked with everyday necessities and food items, meticulously arranged with not a speck of dust.

‘At least survival essentials aren’t an issue.’

Right. This ghost story—this ‘Darkness’—wasn’t one that physically endangered you.

It was designed to shock and scare you out of your wits.

The safest course of action quickly became clear.

‘Just grab some water and energy bars and hide until it’s over.’

Yes. I knew my limits. There was no way I’d play tag with a ghost.

I didn’t even need the energy bars, really. Just grabbing something quiet to eat would be enough.

Humans can survive a day or two without food. Better that than meeting a ghost.

‘But I definitely need water.’

There was no other choice.

I spotted some water bottles in the drinks fridge.

It was easy to spot because of the light, and thankfully, it was in the far corner, where I could keep a close eye on my surroundings…

“……”

I cautiously stepped forward, avoiding the light and moving toward the far end of the fridge.

‘Huu.’

At the very last compartment, just as I had seen from afar, the top shelf was packed with water bottles, their labels blurred out.

However, standing this close, I could see something else besides the water.

“……?!”

That wiki page I saw earlier. I had scrolled past it so quickly, but the grotesque outline was unforgettable.

A blue, bulbous face with bulging eyes.

A ghost.

‘Fuck…!’

As soon as our eyes met, the ghost’s face twisted into a sinister grin, its eyes swelling grotesquely.

‘Why the hell is this ghost’s face in the fridge?!’

I instinctively pulled back, turning to run. But at that moment, I realized.

The ghost wasn’t inside the fridge.

It was reflected in the fridge’s glass door.

“Huu…ugh…”

Thud.

Something touched my back.

A cold, hard, damp grip tightened around my neck.

A drowning victim’s hand.

And then…

—Gotcha.

Pitch black.

Tag, you’re it.

“Huuhp!”

I gasped and opened my eyes.

Cold air. My vision was dim.

The only light was the faint, flickering glow from the drink fridge in the distance.

“……!”

I had returned to the starting point.

When you’re caught by the ghost or killer in this ‘Darkness’, you start all over again.

‘This is insane.’

I had to endure this for three days?

I’d rather die than keep going through this!

‘No, no, calm down.’

I quickly pieced together a more terrifying possibility.

‘If I can’t make it through, I’ll keep resetting… so who knows how long this could actually last.’

It’s an endless loop.

People like me, who can’t handle even the slightest bit of horror, might lose their minds before it’s over.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

I needed to find another way.

This time, I avoided the drink fridge and headed toward the counter.

There were plenty of large objects and structures around the counter to hide behind, so I figured I could take cover there and buy some time to think.

‘I’ll crouch under the chair inside the counter area…’

But then I saw it.

Between the legs of the chair and the counter,

the silhouette of the ghost’s lower half.

“……”

Tap. Tap, tap. Taptaptaptaptap.

Pale, bare feet moved with an odd rhythm, their steps unnaturally spaced. The eerie, unsettling way it moved, so inhuman, sent shivers down my spine like an alarm.

Holding my breath, I crouched under the counter.

I stayed still for as long as I could, even after the ghost’s bizarre footsteps faded, pushing my limits of endurance.

‘There are too many clichés where the monster shows up just when you think you’re safe.’

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I slowly exhaled, straining to make no sound.

“……”

‘This is driving me insane.’

Cold sweat dripped from my chin.

I couldn’t do anything. Even using my phone was out of the question, since the screen light would give me away immediately.

My only hope was my memory!

‘I’ve gone over the records of this ghost story many times…’

F-Class ghost stories often involved multiple new hires in the exploration, so I’d studied them like exam questions.

Of course, I never imagined I’d be thrown in alone from the start!

‘Damn it.’

I racked my brain, sweating as I combed through the exploration records.

‘Mountain lodge, basement, crosswalk, fast-food restaurant, abandoned school…’

None of them matched.

But there was one unusual case… I was sure of it.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story / Make a Choice

Exploration Record #23 (Irregular)

A night in an abandoned hospital, chased by a crazed doctor throughout the night (12 hours).

※ Note : Exploration ended after 16 hours and 11 minutes.

----------------------------------------

“……!”

That’s it.

I began piecing together the relevant details, forcing my memory to reconstruct the scenario.

Chapter 8 - [Make a Choice], II

In <Dark Exploration Records>, the creepypastas share a common feature.

The more popular a story becomes, the higher the likelihood of anomalies appearing in the records.

‘It’s because multiple creators are involved.’

When a creepypasta’s first posted, it adheres strictly to its established rules.

However, as the story gains popularity and more people start writing exploration records about it, what happens?

As the numbers of records grow, exceptions begin to occur to break the monotony and repetition—within reason, of course.

The example I desperately recalled was one such case.

The exploration record of the J-squad from <Daydream Inc.>’s Field Exploration Team in which they had to endure 12 hours in an abandoned hospital at night.

But…

※ Note: Exploration ended after 16 hours and 11 minutes.

For some reason, the exploration here lasted 16 hours and 11 minutes, longer than the intended 12 hours.

This was the ‘temporal anomaly’ I was looking for.

Still though…

‘They ended up spending even more time there.’

Something must have gone wrong during the exploration, trapping them in the ghost story longer than the original 12-hour duration.

‘So… I remember now. It was because they missed an important signal.’

It all came back to me.

(03:12) Employee Lee Jaejin accidentally disconnected the phone line at the counter. -$

This mistake prevented the incoming call, which was supposed to trigger the end of the exploration. The call for the shift change.

So the situation spiraled out of control, with the doctor who should have finished their night shift at the hospital continuing to work, creating chaos.

(12:12) 7:12 a.m. passed, but the sun did not rise. -$

Despite the passage of time, the night did not end.

The employee who had set their wristwatch to 7 p.m. as soon as they entered the ghost story panicked when they realized the night wasn’t ending.

‘I remember there was an argument about whether to get caught and reset, and one person ended up being tied up.’

Fortunately, after several hours, another squad member reconnected the phone line, allowing the exploration to proceed normally, and they finally escaped.

(16:09) Phone line restored. The phone rings immediately. Waited 3 meters away from the desk.

(16:11) The doctor answered the phone and disappeared. Successful escape attempt. -$

A ghost story that doesn’t end when it’s supposed to—a chilling anomaly.

‘But there’s a clue here.’

Despite the extended duration in that case, there was a mechanism at play.

There was a trigger that signaled the end of the exploration.

‘In that case, it was the shift change call.’

And when that trigger failed, the ghost story wouldn’t end.

If I think about it in reverse…

‘If the trigger that signals the end of time works, the ghost story could end faster, right?’

“……”

What in the convenience store could indicate the passage of time?

Thud.

“……!”

Wait a second.

I heard something above me.

I instinctively looked up at the ceiling, which was blocked by the counter.

Above me was… the cash register.

Beep.

Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep bee- beep beep beep.

The ghost was pressing buttons on the register.

The odd rhythm echoed through the convenience store, accompanied by a distorted, recorded voice.

Calling for assistance… calling for assi– stancecallingfora-a-a-ha-ha-assistancecallingforassistanceassistanceassistance…

“……!!”

Ah, I get it.

The ghost knew I was hiding under the counter.

It wasn’t catching me just yet. It was toying with me.

…Even though I knew this, cold sweat trickled down my back, and I felt a growing sense of dread rather than anger.

Wow, this situation is seriously driving me insane, I’m going crazy.

‘I need to get out.’

I had to run.

But my feet wouldn’t move as easily as I wanted them to. I felt like one of those extras in a horror movie who freezes at the sight of a ghost and dies.

‘No, I can’t.’

Even if I ended up getting caught again, I couldn’t let myself fall into this state of learned helplessness.

I forced myself to crawl out from under the counter.

The moment I did—

Calling for assistance.

The next thing I knew, a blue, bloated face was right in front of me, grinning widely as if its mouth would tear apart.

– Gotcha.

Restart.

‘……’

I took a slow, deep breath.

My heart was pounding so hard it made my head hurt, but I pushed through.

‘Move on.’

My whole body felt numb.

‘Endure.’

Instead of heading toward the register this time, I bolted in the opposite direction, toward the convenience store’s entrance, illuminated by the faint glow of the drink fridge.

“……”

Outside the glass door was pitch-black darkness.

Still, I strained to see something beyond, and as I peered closer, I noticed something attached to the side of the glass door.

“……!”

It was an electronic clock.

[ 12:00⼁04⼁04 ]

April 4th, 12:00.

That must be the current set date in this ghost story.

My eyes, adjusted to the darkness, also caught sight of a bell attached to the door. If I touched that door, the ghost would surely hear the bell and come rushing over with its odd, heavy steps.

‘And it probably won’t even open…’

Since the location for survival had been set as the convenience store, there were likely restrictions in place.

I tore my gaze away from the glass door and half-hid behind a nearby shelf.

Leaning against the wall, I continued to scan the store while thinking. Cold sweat ran down my temples.

‘I need to survive for three days.’

So what could trigger the completion of my time here?

What typically happens after three days at a convenience store…?

‘Deliveries?’

I glanced at the boxes stacked near the door.

Could I somehow check the delivery time for new goods and use that to signal the passing of time?

No, that’s too indirect.

Such complicated and detailed conditions wouldn’t work.

The <Dark Exploration Records> are internet-based ghost stories.

‘And internet ghost stories are quite direct.’

The more intricate and fiddly the conditions, the less impact they have, making them less popular.

‘I need something simpler, more obvious.’

So, in a convenience store, what could be the clearest sign of time passing?

“……!”

Of course.

I turned to the shelf closest to the entrance. It wasn’t the drink fridge, but a different refrigerated shelf emitting a cold breeze.

Curiously, though, there were only a few items displayed there—some dairy drinks, coffee, and… doshirak boxes and triangle kimbap.

Quickly perishable food items.

‘Expiration dates!’

I hurried to the shelf, carefully picking up a doshirak and triangle kimbap to check their expiration dates.

‘Most kimbap has a shelf life of 36 to 48 hours.’

The doshirak would likely be the same.

But strangely, many of the doshirak and kimbap had expiration dates that were either more than three days away or were completely smudged and unreadable.

I kept searching, patient and quiet, carefully turning the items over and checking both sides.

And finally…

‘Found it.’

The current time in this ghost story is April 4th at 12:00.

I found an item with an expiration date of April 7th at 12:00.

[Gravy Burger Steak Doshirak]

I grabbed the doshirak and headed for the cash register at the counter.

‘Ugh.’

The image of the ghost madly pressing the buttons on the register flashed in my mind, but it was just a memory. The ghost hadn’t appeared here yet.

‘Stay calm.’

I navigated the register’s settings, selecting ‘Date and Time Adjustment’… and there it was! I let out a quiet sigh of relief.

‘The set time is…’

Exactly two days and 23 hours from the start time of April 4th, 12:00.

[April 7th, 11:59 p.m.]

‘Please let this work!’

I pressed the change button and then confirmed…

[Time adjusted successfully]

“……!!”

It worked!

‘Thank goodness, it actually worked. Sometimes it doesn’t let you change it, but thank heavens this time it did.’

I steadied my trembling hands, a mix of joy and anxiety coursing through me.

I was almost there.

All I had to do now was register the food as an item close to its expiration date.

Bee-bee-bee-beep—!

“……”

[Expiration Alert]

[Items approaching expiration date!]

The cash register announced cheerfully.

The recorded voice echoed through the dark convenience store.

Bee-bee-bee-beep—! Bee-bee-bee-beep—!

“……”

I froze and turned my head slowly.

In the distance, I saw it.

Our eyes met.

It was coming.

“Shi—!”

I forced myself to focus on the screen. Just look at the screen!

Please, please, hurry!

My shaking hand missed the barcode scanner three times before I finally got it.

[Would you like to register this item?]

I spammed [Yes] with all my might, and…

The strange, erratic footsteps grew closer, almost upon me.

I kept my composure as much as I could, moving my hands as fast as possible…

[Item registered for expiration.]

At the exact moment the ghost’s distorted steps brought it to the counter…

[Process complete]

It disappeared.

“……”

Click.

The lights turned on.

The bright convenience store flooded with light, and the now unremarkable POS screen displayed a simple message.

[Registration complete]

The sound of a receipt printing broke the silence.

In that white noise, I realized.

‘I did it.’

I had succeeded.

“Huu.”

I leaned against the counter, my legs trembling.

‘I can finally breathe…’

It’s amazing how much we humans rely on light!

Still, the brightness alone was enough to bring my mind some peace.

‘Now I just have to head for the door and—’

Clang!

The cash drawer beneath the cash register popped open.

‘Huh?’

Inside was a thick, brown envelope.

“This is…”

I grabbed the envelope and opened it.

Inside were four thick bundles of crisp, golden bills.

“……!?”

Stacks of 50,000 won bills!

‘Is it a hundred bills in each stack?’

That meant a total of 20 million won.

It was the first time I’d ever handled so much cash. But why was this money in the convenience store’s cash drawer…?

Oh.

‘The reward!’

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story / Make a Choice

Note

If you clear it, you actually get the money. Maybe it’s just a nice ghost who likes to scare people for fun.

----------------------------------------

Oh.

“How long do you think it’ll take?”

“If he makes it through three days, he should be able to come out right away.”

“First try success? Wow, that’s pretty generous.”

D-squad of <Daydream Inc.>’s Field Exploration Team.

The two employees had just stepped out to the rooftop for a smoke after sending the new recruit into the ghost story.

No matter how many times they did it, it never felt routine. Pushing new recruits into paranormal phenomena was still unsettling.

But this particular ghost story, <Make Your Choice>, was known to be harsher if the time limit was shorter and more lenient if it was longer. Since the rookie was assigned three days, it probably wouldn’t be too difficult for him.

‘It’s like a three-day courage test at most.’

Of course, it was still harsh. But there was a shared understanding between the two employees:

– If he can’t handle this, he’ll be dead soon anyway.

Better to quit now than get killed later.

Many recruits had quit after this initiation, which was why D-squad often got side-eyed from the HR department, but they managed to get by, joking around as usual.

Watching a coworker, especially a new team member, die right next to you was terrible for one’s mental health, after all…

But this time, something felt a little different.

There was a strange sense of anticipation.

“This new guy, though.”

“Yeah?”

“He’s something else.”

“He sure is.”

The rookie assigned to D-squad, Kim Soleum, had ranked top in his class.

“I’ve never seen anyone act like that on their first day.”

Most new hires freak out the moment they realize their ‘job’ involves repeatedly being thrown into life-threatening paranormal phenomena. It’s only natural.

But Kim Soleum… he was eerily calm.

“He didn’t even seem nervous.”

“Yeah, didn’t flinch at all. Even drank his coffee just fine.”

Not once did he lose his composure, break down in tears, or try to run away.

Of course, Kim Soleum had already spoiled everything for himself and spent three days mentally preparing and resigning himself to the situation, but from an outsider’s perspective, he seemed like a rookie with an insane level of mental fortitude!

“You like him already, don’t you?”

“Yeah, he’s solid.”

Strong nerves were always welcome in this department, where employees regularly encountered horrific, bizarre, and eerie urban legends. Cowards wouldn’t survive.

‘Well, it’s not like any coward could pass the death survival test anyway…’

But one did!

Not that his superiors would ever know—they just kept nodding and praising the new recruit, thinking they had a gem on their hands.

There was just one thing that bothered them.

“He doesn’t seem like the type to slack off, so why didn’t he take any notes?”

“Maybe he’s just new to all this. We’ll teach him. He’ll catch on.”

In a job where life was on the line, information and manuals were crucial. The two nodded in agreement.

“He needs to write things down so he can review them later. That’s how you learn.”

“Exactly. It’s not like he knew all this in advance.”

He knew it all in advance!

Unaware, the two continued chatting, saying things typical of a team with a new recruit, before finally deciding to head back to the office.

“We still have to write the report.”

“Ugh, those reports no one even reads…”

The rookie wouldn’t be coming out for at least three days.

Still, the ghost story had food and a place to sleep, so even if it took a while, he’d be fine.

They nodded, picked up the tablet with the internet post that had sucked in the new recruit, and started heading back when…

Tick.

The tablet spat out a person.

The new recruit, who was supposed to come out three days later.

“……?!”

Kim Soleum, the rookie, dusted off his perfectly intact suit and stood up as if nothing had happened.

In his hand, he held something.

A completely filled ‘Dream Essence Collector’.

“I’ve filled it.”

“……?!?!”

[Clear time: 1 hour and 24 minutes.]

The rookie, who had just achieved an unbelievable feat, looked at his stunned superiors with a calm, composed expression.

‘I almost died of a heart attack.’

Of course, this was just the result of a desperate coward who, if given the chance, would have crashed through the walls of the haunted house to escape!

Chapter 9 - Space Shopping Mart

A rainy Monday afternoon.

The members of Field Exploration Team’s D-squad were furiously writing up the situation report, finishing it with record speed, even submitting it under the squad leader’s ID for approval.

The reason?

A rookie who cleared a time-limited ghost story way too fast!

“Wasn’t the time limit supposed to be three days?”

“It was.”

Sitting across from the rookie on the sofa, Assistant Manager Eun and Supervisor Park laid out snacks they had scavenged from the break room. They exchanged glances and nodded. It was finally time to ask the question properly.

“So how did you get out so fast?”

“Oh.”

The rookie seemed to hesitate for a moment before nodding as if he understood and calmly answered,

“I sped up the time.”

‘He’s saying that as casually as if he’s talking about what he had for lunch…!’

Before they could even react, the rookie slowly explained the method he used.

“Since there was a time limit, I thought there must be an event that signals the passing of time. I focused on that…”

He explained how he used the expiration date to trigger a ‘time alarm’.

The superiors, who had been listening in silence, thought to themselves:

‘He’s a genius.’

‘No way we’re letting him quit.’

The rookie’s instinct and logic were sharp enough to instantly grasp the essence of the ghost story. His abilities were perfect for the Field Exploration Team. They absolutely had to make sure he couldn’t esca… no, that he could soon adapt well!

“I’m not one to be saying this, but welcome to the squad, Roe Deer-nim.”

“You’ll probably outrank me soon and get promoted to assistant manager.”

“……!?”

This kind of rookie doesn’t come around often!

“When you succeed, don’t forget us… and when you get that Wish Ticket, make sure to come brag about it…”

The rookie looked a bit flustered.

“No, um… actually—”

“Hm?”

The rookie added, as if confessing something serious,

“I just wanted to get out quickly because I was scared.”

“……”

Since when could someone escape a scary urban legend by being scared? It felt like the kind of mind-altering thing you’d only see in an escape room.

‘Is this humility, or…!’

But the rookie remained firm.

“I’d appreciate a heads-up next time. I almost fainted from fear.”

“You cleared it in an hour, and that’s what you say?”

The rookie, now wearing a somewhat ambiguous expression, said,

“I really thought I was going to die.”

‘Lies!’

No one who genuinely feared for their life would attempt a speed-run, setting a record-breaking time like a veteran employee! That’s something even the most seasoned workers wouldn’t dare attempt.

Still, they could understand his sense of betrayal.

‘To be fair, it was harsh.’

Even if it was considered ‘safe’, being thrown into a paranormal phenomenon alone wasn’t something to take lightly. And they knew exactly how to comfort someone in that situation.

Workplace therapy!

Assistant Manager Eun sipped her coffee and asked,

“So, Roe, how much did you get?”

“Huh?”

“The money. How much did you make from clearing it?”

“Oh, right. I got 10 million won.”

That’s right. Clearing this F-Class ghost story came with a cash prize. And the company manual clearly stated:

– When clearing a graded Darkness (F-Class) ghost story with a completed manual, 50% of any additional income generated will be awarded to the employee as a bonus.

In other words, if you earn money in a ghost story using a fully documented manual, the company takes 50%.

However, rookies assigned their first ghost story were exempt from this rule! Since they’re placed in ghost stories proven safe through countless attempts, the company doesn’t consider it hazardous enough to warrant hazard pay.

The rookie had already read the manual, but then…

“They’re supposed to take it all, but… just keep it for yourself.”

“…Pardon?”

Once you’ve been around long enough, you learn all the ways to bypass the system! Since he cleared it using a new method, they could claim it wasn’t covered by the manual. There were plenty of loopholes.

Getting a huge bonus on your first day of work would make everything seem better!

Assistant Manager Eun and the Supervisor Park shared a knowing smile, applying a time-honored trick they had both experienced firsthand.

“C’mon, just keep it. We’ve got ways to handle this.”

“……”

‘Actually, it was 20 million won.’

Kim Soleum broke into a cold sweat, as he’d been planning to pocket half of it himself.

Suddenly, he found himself with an extra 10 million won that he couldn’t explain, feeling both thrilled and a bit guilty. But he quickly got up to follow his superiors.

“Now that you’ve successfully completed the dark exploration, it’s time to accumulate the most important thing.”

“Accumulate… what?”

“Points.”

Supervisor Park replied with a grin.

“Employee welfare mall points!”

“Huuu.”

It felt like pure bliss to be standing in the middle of a bustling city in broad daylight.

Even though he knew I’d struggle to sleep with the lights on tonight, that worry was far away for now.

‘Maybe having 20 million won in cash in your pocket gives you some inner peace…’

No matter how terrifying the ghost story was, this was still 21st-century South Korea, a capitalist society.

I finally sat down at my assigned desk, turned on my computer, and accessed the company intranet. Sitting under bright fluorescent lights in a spine-supporting office chair, the ghostly events I’d just experienced felt like a bizarre lie.

On my desk, there were some surprisingly cute stationery items and a lizard plushie with big eyes.

‘…This desk seems used, doesn’t it?’

I could only hope that the previous owner had left abruptly due to winning the lottery.

Since the welfare mall was already bookmarked, I quickly accessed it.

[Daydream Inc. Employee Welfare Mall]

After entering my employee ID to register, I clicked on the ‘Point Registration’ tab, just as my superiors had told me.

– Select the class grade of the ghost story you cleared, enter your name, and attach the PDF.

I did exactly that.

Five minutes later,

[Employee Kim Soleum / Accumulated Points: 100P]

“……!”

Incredibly, the review process was completed at lightning speed, and my points were credited.

‘So clearing an F-Class solo gives you 100 points.’

Well, despite the hellish experience, F-Class was still F-Class. I tried not to expect too much. Still, I had earned points, so I decided to check what I could buy with 100 points.

And then, right on the first page, I was surprised.

“…A robot vacuum cleaner?”

The items available were better than I expected. Most of the special discounted products were around 100 points, while high-end large appliances, like those you’d buy for a new home, were around 500 points.

Moreover, Daydream Inc.’s undisclosed medicines were being sold for around 1,000 points, including advanced over-technology items like cornea regeneration potions. For context, their famous hair loss treatment, which cost around 500,000 won on the market, was available here for just 100 points.

‘This is actually pretty good.’

Feeling hopeful, I scrolled through the products. Now it was time to check the most important item.

I sorted the ‘Company Products’ tab by ‘Highest Price’ to see the glorious name at the top.

‘Wish Ticket.’

The miraculous potion that had been introduced as the ultimate employee benefit after surviving a death match. Its price was…

Wish Ticket : 500,000P

“……”

Is this a joke?

‘Five hundred thousand?’

I had just cleared a ghost story and earned 100 points…

500,000 points?

‘Theoretically… even if I cleared F-Classes every day by myself, it would take me 15 years.’

But of course, it wouldn’t be that simple.

‘There’s no way the company would let that happen.’

It wasn’t realistic to think you could clear F-Class ghost stories every single day. There would certainly be anomalies.

‘It’s likely that I’ll be forced into higher-class ghost stories with squadmates.’

Wait, do they split the points between squadmates in that case?

I dug through the welfare mall’s point registration tab to find the basic point system for each ghost story class.

F-Class : 100P

D-Class : 1,000P

C-Class : 2,500P

B-Class : 10,000P

A-Class : 100,000P

S-Class : Special Review Required

On top of that, there were additional bonuses based on internal assessments, which considered urgency, lack of prior information, or extra dangers.

‘So if three people are in a squad, and three people clear a ghost story together…’

…You’d have to clear a B-Class 150 times to earn enough points for the Wish Ticket?

‘Are they out of their minds?’

Even with a B-Class ghost story, the survival rate for a normal person drops to around 2%.

At that level, no matter what choice you make, you’re either going to die or end up worse off than dead.

If someone enters that 150 times, it’s pretty much a death sentence for a regular employee.

In such an insane situation, you’d have to beg on your knees not to be sent in.

Speed-running higher class ghost stories isn’t a realistic option at all.

‘So, to raise my survival rate even a little, I’ll need to invest over 10 years.’

This isn’t some tale of a nobleman seeking revenge…

Yet, if the Field Exploration Team is the fastest department, people in other departments have an even lower chance of getting their hands on a Wish Ticket during their career.

With so many other attractive products in the welfare mall, many employees in other departments have probably resigned themselves to that reality and settled for less.

But not me.

My goal is far more surreal and absolute.

Returning to my original world.

And they expect me to survive here for 15 years? I’d die of a heart attack from the stress before then!

‘No chance in hell!’

I needed a plan, a strategy.

‘I need to figure out which ghost stories I should enter and which ones to avoid.’

I had to balance safety and speed perfectly to gather 500,000 points in the shortest time possible.

Just as I was about to dive deep into serious contemplation, Supervisor Park gave me a friendly pat on the back.

“Hey, did you get everything registered? Is the computer working fine?”

“Yes. By the way, the personal items here…”

“Oh, that’s the squad leader’s desk.”

“……”

No wonder it looked used!

“Just don’t break the monitor. Feel free to use it today, no worries.”

Is this company for real?

Letting a new hire use the squad leader’s desk for the day—is that something a sane company does?

‘Come to think of it, nothing here seems normal.’

This is a company that churns out potions by throwing people into ghost stories. Holding this place to the standards of an ordinary 21st-century Korean workplace was bound to lead to shock after shock.

…Maybe a little bending of the rules wouldn’t hurt.

“Hey, do you smoke, Roe?”

“No, I’m good.”

I didn’t follow my superiors for their smoke break.

Instead, I stared down at the desk I was sitting at, took a deep breath, and flipped the keyboard over.

As expected, there was a post-it note stuck underneath.

[Squad Leader Lee Jaheon / 105105301]

ID: yongj1111

PW: dydajflgodks!111

It’s hard to criticize the lack of security awareness when I’ve seen so much of this already at the company.

‘If he’s the squad leader… then that means he’s probably a section chief.’

And actually, there’s a certain website accessible only to section chiefs and above in this company…

It could really help with clearing higher-class ghost stories.

“……”

Now that I’d seen the absurd goal of 500,000 points, it felt like something I couldn’t afford to pass up.

Alright.

‘Let’s do this.’

I resolutely logged back into the welfare mall.

But this time, I didn’t use my own ID.

ID: yongj1111

Password: dydajflgodks!111

I attempted to log in using the D Squad Leader’s credentials.

Incorrect password.

“Hm…”

No problem. I expected this minor setback.

Let’s see… Clicking the ‘Register’ button shows the password requirements.

‘A capital letter is needed.’

So, if I capitalize the first letter of the password written on the Post-it, making it ‘Dydajflgodks!111’, and log in…

Ding.

[Welcome, Section Chief Lee Jaheon]

‘I’m in!’

I discreetly pumped my fists under the desk in triumph. A small celebration you can do in an office without drawing attention.

Not that anyone was around right now anyway.

Now, what I needed to find on this page was… a kind of phishing link.

The so-called ‘Alien Shop’.

In <The Dark Exploration Records>, there were quite a few alien ghost stories, and some of them involved extraterrestrials trying to sell items to Earthlings through bizarre means of communication.

‘They didn’t mean any harm, but they sold things that were unsettling or dangerous from a human perspective.’

Still, these ghost stories leaned more toward being quirky and even somewhat heartwarming.

And apparently, those aliens had a bit of a business mindset. They wanted to target potential customers, so…

They even embedded something like ransomware into Daydream Inc.’s intranet.

‘Only section chiefs and higher can see the shopping mall’s ad phishing link.’

I also remembered how to access that phishing link.

‘While randomly clicking around in the welfare mall, if you hit the back button five times in a row….’

Click, click, click….

Beep.

Suddenly, a small green hand appeared in the corner of the welfare mall screen.

A pixelated left hand, waving as if to grab your attention.

A speech bubble floated above it.

First Anniversary Appreciation Discount! ~80%

Is your job boring? Click

Do you want to get stronger? Click

Want cool items? Click

‘This is trash.’

It looked just like those old internet banner ads from back in the day.

But, surprisingly, if you click this clumsy thing!

You’d be taken—like magic—from the intranet to an external internet site, abducted to an alien shop.

I was tempted to click it immediately, but!

‘Hold on.’

Instead, I right-clicked and copied the link, then pasted it into an Excel sheet and took a picture of it with my phone.

‘Company PCs record everything.’

I didn’t want any trace left showing I had clicked on the alien ransomware link—especially not on someone else’s account.

After a while, as my superiors returned from their smoke break, I greeted them with a nod as if nothing had happened.

“Roe~ Let’s have a welcome dinner when the squad leader gets back from his field duty. It’s on the company card.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

And then, I waited for quitting time.

That evening, after my monumental first day at work, my tasks still weren’t over.

“Let’s do this.”

After depositing 20 million won, I went home.

Now, in my bedroom, I was copying the phishing link from the ‘Alien Shop’ I had photographed in my smartphone gallery through image analysis.

After fixing a few unreadable parts, I opened a browser and pasted the link into the address bar.

“Huuuu.”

Deep breath… Enter.

Click.

The browser navigated through the complex link, and a page appeared that resembled the layout of Daydream Inc.’s welfare mall… only to shatter and disappear.

And then, a new page opened.

It looked like something from the early 2000s, with obvious underlines and outdated fonts.

Space Shopping Mall>

※Amazing items from outer space※~!!

****items>I’ll take a look at the **items

Boing Boing Boing. A little green spaceship rotated in the corner.

‘This is so lame.’

But I couldn’t let the tackiness fool me.

If you click ‘items’ here, you’ll see bizarre, supernatural products for sale.

…Though the problem is, the prices are just as outrageous.

The minimum started at one million won.

…A result of the over-inflated imaginations of ghost story creators with massive egos who thought, ‘I need to use even more expensive items!’

That was me just yesterday. I wouldn’t have been able to buy a single thing from this list.

But now…

‘I’ve got 20 million won.’

My heart raced a little. The thought of being able to purchase items from a fictional world felt like a serious dopamine rush.

“Huu.”

Finally, I clicked on the [Items] tab.

The screen loaded.

Items

Bloodsucking Cutlery – ₩14,999,999

Wide-Range Walkie-Talkie – ₩4,999,999

Alice Picnic Set – ₩11,999,999

We Can Help! – ₩66,666,666

※Discount!※ Silver Serpent – ₩4,999,999

₩19,999,999

“……!”

I recognized most of these items.

Finally, my luck was turning!

‘Hell yeah.’

In my excitement, I quickly recalled the details.

Bloodsucking Cutlery.

A weapon set consisting of a small fork and knife, which grows bigger and sharper as it absorbs the blood of its victims.

You could literally call it a ‘growth weapon’.

Broader Walkie-Talkie.

A toy walkie-talkie that allows remote communication with others, even within ghost stories.

It would be very useful when you have companions.

Alice Picnic Set.

As the name suggests, it’s inspired by ‘Alice in Wonderland’. It contains food items.

It came with a drink that temporarily doubles the effect of items and cookies that halve them.

That’s where my knowledge of the items ended.

I didn’t know the other two, but ‘We Can Help!’ was way out of my budget, so I ignored it.

‘The Silver Serpent is on sale.’

Getting a discount always feels like a win.

“Hmm…”

I crossed my arms over my chest.

A weapon, a communication device, a buff potion, and a discount item…?

My budget was 20 million won.

What should I buy to get the best value?

“Alright.”

I made my decision and clicked.

Chapter 10 - [Chorus of the Sacrificial Lambs], I

Click, click.

The transaction was complete.

The alien shop displayed the items I had placed in my cart in an orderly fashion.

What I decided to purchase were…

Alice Picnic Set – ₩11,999,999

※ Sale!※ Silver Serpent – ₩4,999,999

= ₩16,999,998

That’s right.

I bought the effect-boosting potion and the discounted item.

The reason was simple.

‘I couldn’t use the others…’

The bloodsucking weapon? Sure, it sounds cool, but there’s a catch.

You’d have to charge at a ghost with a knife…

‘If a coward like me tries something that dumb, I’m dead…’

Shaking hands, panicking, and dying as an extra in a horror movie isn’t a cliché for no reason.

Besides, the weapon would only work if the target had blood, so it wasn’t very versatile.

‘If it were armor, maybe, but in this situation, a weapon’s out of the question.’

Overestimating myself was a surefire way to shorten my lifespan. I’ll leave it at that.

Next, the wide-range walkie-talkie.

Well…

‘Who could convince their boss to carry a toy walkie-talkie?’

Anyone who could… probably wouldn’t need to work under someone in the first place.

Even if I explained that it was more than just a toy, it would still cause problems. The inevitable ‘Where did you get this?’ question would have no good answer.

This was an item that could only be useful if you had a trustworthy companion.

‘So, rejected.’

In the end, the most sensible choices were the ‘Alice Picnic Set’ and the ‘Silver Serpent’—both affordable within my budget.

Both seemed useful.

First, the ‘Alice Picnic Set’ had versatile effects that doubled or halved the power of items, which could be useful in various situations.

‘I could even use it defensively if needed.’

Plus, it was easy to carry around without attracting attention from colleagues. So, I bought it.

Lastly, the discounted item, ‘Silver Serpent’.

‘It’s originally priced at 20 million won?’

That gave me a good feeling.

This was an investment.

‘Judging by the ‘silver’ in its name, it’s probably currency.’

In the <Dark Exploration Records> universe, there were various forms of currency in different ghost stories, and some could even be exchanged for real cash through specific organizations.

‘Buying something worth 20 million for just 5 million is definitely a win.’

Sure, there’s usually a reason when the alien shop offers such massive discounts, but the risk was worth it.

…No, this isn’t like investing in cryptocurrency! It’s a rational decision!

And so, I prepared to transfer the 17 million won.

“Huu.”

The only available payment method was through direct bank transfer.

The account information was displayed with ‘Alien’ as the account holder.

‘I’m not expecting any tax deductions on this…’

Transferring this much in one go felt surreal, like the time I had to put down a deposit for an apartment.

With trembling hands, I transferred exactly ₩16,999,998 through my banking app, which I had already set to allow high-limit transfers.

The moment I hit send:

PURCHASE SUCCESSFUL!

Your item is on a rocket!

Arrival in 00:00:08

Wait.

00:00:07

00:00:06

Hold on.

00:00:03

00:00:02

00:00:01

Ding.

A cheerful sound rang out.

ARRIVED!

Pop.

“Whoa!”

The air in front of me seemed to ‘open’, and with a puff of smoke, the items tumbled out.

It was a postal box, delivered by ‘rocket’.

“Wow.”

It was literally rocket delivery.

‘This crazy universe—who knew you could be fascinating instead of just terrifying!’

I was even moved.

After a moment of awe, I snapped out of it and opened the package.

First, the ‘Alice Picnic Set’ was a rusty tin case decorated with fairy-tale illustrations.

When I opened it, I found a flat can of soda and a paper-wrapped cookie, each labeled ‘Drink me’ and ‘Eat me’.

“Dang.”

I could carry just one or two of these around like the ‘Smiley Stickers’. I nodded in satisfaction.

Then, as I pulled the tin case from the box, I noticed a round, silver object at the bottom.

I picked it up.

A shiny silver coin.

‘It really is currency.’

A surge of excitement ran through me.

The coin had an engraving of a snake biting its own tail, and it was about the size of a 500-won coin. I flicked it, feeling its metallic weight.

A few possibilities of where I could use this currency flashed through my mind.

‘Wherever I use it, I’ll make sure it counts.’

Even though the 17 million won had vanished like snow melting in the sun…

At the end of the day, it was money that would disappear when I returned to my original world, so there was no need to cling to material desires. I could calm down.

‘Well then… I guess I’m pretty well-prepared now.’

I took stock of the items I currently had.

– Memorial Popsocket

– Smiley Sticker :)

– Alice Picnic Set

– Silver Serpent

From now on, I needed to use these items to clear higher-classed “Darkness” as quickly as possible.

‘Let’s make use of everything.’

Avoiding things out of fear could lead to something even scarier. Don’t forget that, you coward.

Resolving to use everything at my disposal, I tried to sleep.

Instead of counting sheep, the convenience store ghost pranced around in my mind, completely wrecking my quality of life.

Haha.

And then, the next day.

“We have a few ghost stories we regularly manage, so today we’ll be entering one of those.”

“…Yes, ma’am.”

I barely slept for three hours. At this rate, I might actually die.

However, my expression must have been mistaken for worry, because Assistant Manager Eun patted me on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry too much. It’s a D-Class.”

“Yeah! The level of difficulty is about the same as what you went through during your orientation, right?”

Seriously, PTSD from a death survival test, and that’s what you say to a new employee?

But the Field Exploration Team’s staff, whose sensitivity to normal human experiences had long since eroded, just chuckled and offered those words like a pep talk.

“You managed to clear it by going in blind, so there’s no reason you can’t do it now that you have a manual.”

“As long as you don’t do anything crazy, you’ll be fine. Got it?”

“…Yes.”

Well… sure. I got it.

Whatever it was, it couldn’t be worse than playing hide-and-seek with a ghost at a convenience store by myself.

‘Please, let me get some sleep tonight.’

I prayed for an artistic-style ghost story—creepy because of its atmosphere and lack of information but not genuinely terrifying.

“Here are the materials.”

Supervisor Park handed me a tablet.

The ghost story I’d be entering today was…

[Tuesday Quiz Show / Dusk (D) Class]

“……”

Huh?

“You see it, right, Roe? You’re going to enter as a contestant on a quiz show.”

“Yes.”

“If you get a question wrong, you face a penalty, and the penalties can be pretty horrifying… it’s that kind of ghost story.”

“But don’t worry! We already have all the answers, so we’re good! No need to be too tense!”

Supervisor Park flashed me a grin and gave a thumbs-up.

Well, okay.

‘I have a feeling this will be a lot less scary than seeing ghosts in person…’

But there’s a catch.

‘I don’t know this one.’

Tuesday Quiz Show?

There’s no page for that D-Class ghost story in <Dark Exploration Records>.

I couldn’t check my Memorial Popsocket because of my bosses, but I was sure it wasn’t in the ghost stories I’d read.

Then again, even if I had read all of the ghost stories in <Dark Exploration Records>, there could still be others in this universe.

It was, after all, an internet playground where ghost stories were constantly being added in real time.

I thought I’d know more than most, but here I was about to enter a story I’d never heard of.

‘…Does the company’s list of ‘Darkness’ extend much further than I thought?’

Cold sweat trickled down my neck.

But my superiors were relaxed.

“Our department just happens to get assigned a lot of TV-related ghost stories.”

“Oh, yeah, every team has its specialty.”

Then, Assistant Manager Eun sent me a PDF file, claiming it was the answer sheet for the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’.

“For now, just memorize that answer sheet and skim through the exploration manual again. When the squad leader arrives in the afternoon, we’ll head out.”

“Got it.”

I obediently nodded.

Supervisor Park kindly added more advice.

“Oh, should I give you a physical copy of the manual too, just in case? You’ll need to take notes.”

“Oh, no need. I’ve memorized it all.”

With my Memorial Popsocket, having a physical copy would just be extra baggage.

“You memorized it all…?”

“Yes.”

“…So, notes!”

“Pardon?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Supervisor Park gave me a knowing look, then nodded his head.

“The squad leader is going to like you a lot.”

“……??”

Well, it seemed to be a compliment, so I let it slide.

For the record, D-squad’s leader was still out on a field assignment but was expected to return this afternoon.

‘I’ll be meeting them soon enough.’

But then, an hour later…

“Hold on a sec. Our squad leader—I mean, the section chief—he’s still out on a field assignment… what? No, that’s ridiculous.”

Assistant Manager Eun, who had been on the phone, frowned deeply as she hung up.

“Are these people out of their minds? Saying we have three people now, so we can make it a trio—what a joke…”

“Really? Are you serious?”

“Yeah. Seems like it…”

Assistant Manager Eun glanced at me.

Oh.

‘Is it because of the convenience store ghost?’

Because I cleared the F-Class Darkness by myself using an unusual method, higher-ups probably thought, ‘Oh, so this one can handle a full load.’

Looks like the consequence of pocketing that 20 million won solo is showing up here.

Not because they’re annoyed I took the money.

“It’s the end of the month.”

“Ahh.”

Watching my two superiors murmur to each other, I started to piece it together.

‘There must be some issue with the department’s performance numbers.’

I wasn’t sure, but it looked like they needed to meet some sort of ‘quota’ by lunchtime, and now they figured the new recruit could pull their weight.

Assistant Manager Eun made a decision after a brief moment of consideration.

“Roe, did you memorize that?”

Ah, the quiz show answers… wait.

‘If I say I memorized everything, does that mean I’m going in?’

Maybe I could feign ignorance…

“Oh, he’s already memorized it, I bet! He just said he’s memorized the entire exploration manual, that thick thing!”

“Oh.”

Assistant Manager Eun nodded.

“Great. Then we’ll handle this ourselves today.”

“……”

And there went my tiny, desperate hope that having more people would make things less scary…

‘The principle is to go in as a trio, but sometimes, if someone takes leave, two people go in. We do get backup support, but scheduling that is tricky, blah blah blah,’ they explained.

Yes, I get it. This company is just full of surprises.

‘…Anyway, I’m ready for this.’

I’ve got my items prepared, and it’s not one of those horrifying ghost stories, right?

Actually, come to think of it, it’s probably better to go now than to wait until the afternoon!

Isn’t it better to just get the beating over with?

The longer I wait, the more my imagination will conjure up horrors. Right now, my courage is at its peak.

It might be best to go in before it dwindles further…!

“Let’s get started.”

As I was mentally hyping myself up, Assistant Manager Eun approached, having received something from another department.

‘This must be the medium to enter the ghost story, right?’

It was a postcard.

However, the recipient field of the old postcard was already filled with strange scribbles.

And in tiny print at the top, the word ‘application’ was repeatedly written, like a curse.

– One day, I discovered a strange postcard inside an old magazine.

It contained a flyer recruiting participants for a quiz show, but when I searched for the show, there was no such program. It was probably just a vintage postcard with a quirky theme.

Out of curiosity, I wrote my name under the ‘sender’ field as a joke…

And then, I was dragged into a truly bizarre quiz show.

That’s probably the gist of the ghost story.

At a glance, it didn’t seem like much, but the closer you looked, the eerier it got, sending a chill down my spine.

“All you need to do is sign here.”

“……”

“If it feels too weird, just put your animal mask name instead of your real name.”

“…Yes.”

I needed to gather points.

As I watched the others write down ‘Badger’ and ‘Falcon’, I also filled in the ‘Sender’ field on the postcard.

– Roe Deer

The moment I lifted the pen, my consciousness was sucked into the postcard as if it were being pulled out of my body.

“……!”

[Ah, finally, our contestants have arrived!]

A blinding light from the stage overwhelmed my vision. A bright, cheerful voice echoed in my ears. A hand, dressed in a suit, was extended toward me for a handshake.

[Welcome, welcome… Now, the cameras will start rolling soon. Let’s show them our best smiles!]

Instinctively, I shook hands and looked up.

Where a human head should be, there was an old-fashioned television set.

…With a floating emoji displayed on the screen.

[😄]

The TV-headed figure released my hand and joyfully spun around, spreading their arms wide.

[Audience!]

A roar of applause filled the air, but the glaring lights obscured the audience’s figures, making them hard to see.

Soon, I realized I was standing on a brightly colored podium.

‘This must be the contestant’s spot for the quiz show.’

It wasn’t terrifying enough to make me faint.

Actually, if I just thought of it as a quirky quiz show hosted by someone wearing a TV mask, it gave me a surprising sense of calm.

‘Compared to the horrors of the eye-plucking subway and the convenience store ghost, this feels almost pleasant.’

Yes, I could handle this. I felt like I could calmly think things through.

After adjusting my mask, I surveyed the situation.

[Is it your first time at a talk show, folks? Oho, then don’t forget to cheer! Your excitement is everything to this show!]

The TV-headed host was busy hyping up the audience, trying to raise the energy in the room. They were likely the host of the show.

‘So, this ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’ must be a segment of some larger talk show.’

The set’s vibe, the house band providing background music, the audience setup, and the host’s energetic performance—it all felt like a classic American talk show.

‘A bit old-fashioned, though.’

……

Wait.

‘Think again.’

An old American talk show.

A quiz segment.

The contestant already knowing the answers.

This…

……

……

I recognized these keywords.

----------------------------------------

※ CAUTION ※

Disclaimer : By reading this document, you accept full responsibility for any fear, hallucinations, ■■, or ■■■■ that may arise. Daydream Inc. (Ltd.) is not liable for any damages.

Please proceed after signing.

----------------------------------------

This isn’t just D-Class.

This… this ghost story…

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Chorus of the Sacrificial Lambs]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-A-104.

: A-Class Darkness.

The catalyst of the reclassification disaster that led to countless casualties.

Official record of survivors: None.

----------------------------------------

“……”

[3, 2, 1… And now, the show begins!]

No way.

Chapter 11 - [Chorus of the Sacrificial Lambs], II

The circumstances match.

The disaster began with a Dusk (D) Class Darkness in the style of a 1970s American talk show.

[Good evening, viewers! The joy of Tuesday, the heat of Tuesday.]

[You are now watching! The ‘Tuesday Quiz Show!’]

The live broadcast had begun.

With the lively music of a band, the host, dressed in a suit, waved to the cheering audience.

It was a typical American-style talk show.

Except for the fact that the staff’s faces were all blurred, and instead of a face, the host had an old-fashioned TV set for a head.

The host explained that this talk show had a different theme for each day of the week, but there were no known cases of entering any other day.

Only the ■day talk show is accessible.

[Have you all been waiting for Tuesday? So have I! After all, it’s the only day we get to see our lovely new quiz show contestants!]

“……”

It matches.

The Field Exploration Team entered the ■day talk show from the 12th session, fully equipped with a list of answers for the main corner, ‘Quiz’.

Over the course of 99 explorations, from session 12 to session 110, they successfully escaped without casualties. (Prizes included)

[Incredibly… for the past several weeks, there hasn’t been a single contestant who got an answer wrong! It’s unbelievable, truly…]

It matches.

However, on the 111th session—

During the 100th exploration, an anomaly occurred.

[Will the contestants get the answers right this time as well?]

Ba-bam-bam-ba-bam!

With a sound effect, the lights shone down.

On the seven podiums arranged in a semicircle.

Three of them.

Including mine, the podiums pinpointed by the lights belonged to me, the supervisor, and the assistant manager.

[Mr. Badger, Ms. Falcon, and Mr. Roe Deer.]

[Give them a big round of applause!]

Oooooh!

Invisible audience members clapped.

I felt like I was about to pass out.

Could it be…… could it really be?

[Breaking news!]

“……!”

The host made a fuss and received something from the staff.

[It’s been quite some time since all the contestants got the answers right, hasn’t it? The total duration is…]

A whopping…

[98 sessions!]

“……!”

[This will be the 99th. Haha!]

I was saved.

‘It’s not the 100th…!’

My heart almost leaped out of my chest.

‘Yeah, the odds of it landing exactly on the 100th session are actually low.’

I almost grabbed onto the podium in relief, but I held back.

It was clearly stated in the PDF of the ‘Tuesday Talk Show’ answers I had received earlier.

– If you disrupt the broadcast, you will be incinerated.

It wasn’t just a penalty. It was ‘incineration’.

And this was a live broadcast.

In other words, if anything strange happens, you’re dead.

[Will the 99th contestants continue the winning streak and pass the baton to the 100th contestants? Or will this great record come to an end?]

[Stay tuned and watch!]

I turned my head.

Assistant Manager Eun and Supervisor Park, standing on the other podiums, gave me light nods or smiled faintly, showing no signs of major anxiety.

99 sessions, with nearly three years of accumulated safety and a well-established pattern to the ghost story. They were acting like people who were certain this time would be the same.

‘Deep breath.’

It’s fine.

…It’ll be fine.

I took a deep breath in and then exhaled.

[Now, Mr. Roe Deer!]

“Yes.”

[Are you nervous?]

“Yes. It’s my first time participating in a quiz show like this.”

[Ah, good, very good… Let’s start with an easy question!]

On the host’s head, the old-fashioned TV displayed strange letters.

It was an unfamiliar, ominous script I had never seen before, but I could read it. A surge of nausea and a headache hit me, then quickly passed.

[Question : Choose the element that is not a component of the human body.]

1- Water

2- Iron

3- Oil

4- Earth

“…Number 4, Earth.”

[Correct!]

The quiz show proceeded smoothly.

‘The theme is a bit eerie, but the questions aren’t so hard that they’re unsolvable.’

Plus, the list of past questions the Field Exploration Team had stolen from this ghost story was definitely helpful.

The questions weren’t identical, but they were similar enough to make answering them easy.

‘In fact, since I have to use my brain, the chances of making a mistake are lower.’

[Unbelievable! Correct answer!]

[Again?]

[Ah, ah… he’s hesitating. He’s conflicted… Yes, number 3! What will be the fate of Mr. Roe Deer, who chose strangulation? …Correct! Hurrah!]

The answers matched perfectly, and the show proceeded without any issues.

I pretended to hesitate on purpose, sometimes stalling before answering, doing my best to match the atmosphere of the broadcast.

‘I have to get through this broadcast somehow.’

This obsessive thought completely dominated my mind.

During the commercial break, when the host suggested I participate again, I inwardly screamed but outwardly played along, pretending to be tempted.

After the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th… I made it to the 9th question.

[Mr. Roe Deer! It’s the final question.]

Finally, the end of this insane situation was in sight.

[The other contestants have incredibly answered all the questions correctly and continued the winning streak!]

[Will Mr. Roe Deer be able to carry the final link?]

From the other podiums, my superiors glanced at me, some waving lightly or nodding their heads.

If I got this last one right, it would all be over.

[Are you ready?]

“Yes.”

[Good!]

The question appeared.

[Question : What percentage of blood loss causes death in humans?]

1- 40%

2- 45%

3- 50%

4- 55%

“……”

Was this a trap for the final question?

I took a deep breath.

“The answer is…… number 1,”

[Ah, you chose number 1…]

“And number 2.”

[……!]

“And number 3, and number 4…… all of them.”

[……]

“Humans typically face life-threatening danger when they lose about 30 to 40% of their blood.”

[Oh.]

“So, of course, losing more would also result in death.”

[No, no… unbelievable!]

The TV flickered.

Even if I got it wrong, it didn’t seem like I would die.

But I didn’t want to give this dangerous ghost story any room for mistakes, so I gritted my teeth to avoid the trap.

[You’re saying there’s several answers?! Are you sure you don’t want to change your answer?]

“I’m sure.”

Ooooh.

Murmurs came from the audience.

And then… a faceless staff member suddenly rushed onto the stage…?

[…Amazing! We have some surprising news for you.]

[Actually, the answer prepared by our writers was number 1.]

Wait, hold on.

[But Mr. Roe Deer’s answer is much more impressive! It’s more logical, isn’t it?]

Yes!! I heard the audience shouting.

The host spread his arms wide.

[Then, of course, it’s correct! We’ll count it as a perfect answer! Wonderful!]

“……!”

Ha.

‘I survived, somehow.’

Why did I dig a trap for myself! I inwardly screamed in relief, closing my eyes tightly and then opening them.

The host, seeming to take this as an emotional moment, came up and patted me on the back as if to hug me.

The fact that he had body heat made it even more unsettling.

[Incredible, truly incredible!]

“…Thank you.”

[Now then…]

The host grabbed the microphone and shouted in excitement.

[Amazingly, all of our contestants have maintained their winning streaks! Fantastic!]

Pop.

Confetti burst, and cheers erupted.

From each podium, my superiors had expressions like, ‘It’s finally wrapping up’. It was almost visible through their masks.

[But the MVP who will take home the grand prize is only one person. And that is…]

A drum roll followed…

The host pointed at me.

[It’s Mr. Roe Deer!]

Waaah!

The band played loud celebratory sound effects.

[Congratulations! Please take your prize!]

“Thank you.”

I accepted the small gift box the host handed me.

I was happy. Not because I got a gift.

‘It’s finally over.’

As soon as the cameras shut off, I could leave.

‘Please, let’s go now.’

As I began to calm down at the thought of soon returning to my office in a 21st-century Seoul building, I heard—

[Unfortunately, it’s time to wrap up the Tuesday Quiz Show. Tomorrow, we’ll have even more amazing guests for Wednesday… Hmm?]

Click.

Out of nowhere.

Suddenly, the lights came on over four empty podiums.

“……?!”

There, four figures were suddenly standing.

The four people looked around in bewilderment.

All were dressed in suits and wore masks.

‘Company employees?’

They were clearly from a different squad in the Field Exploration Team.

I recognized one mask—likely a new hire, someone from my training group.

That much I understood. But…

‘Why did they overlap?’

Is it even possible to overlap and enter the ghost story like this? I mean, whether it’s possible or not…

‘…This is a broadcast accident.’

A tense silence filled the studio.

1 second.

2 seconds.

3 seconds.

“……”

Something’s wrong.

The employee wearing the zebra mask standing next to me seemed to sense it as well.

“Wh-why are the people who arrived first…”

[Oh no.]

The flames ignited.

“……!”

The employee in the zebra mask was consumed in a silent blaze, their mouth still open in shock, unable to comprehend the situation, before collapsing like a lie.

All that remained were ashes, shaped like their shoes.

The camera hurriedly panned away.

[…Surprise!]

[This was a special preview of next Tuesday’s contestants!]

The noisy band sound blared, as if trying to cover up the incident.

The camera now focused on me.

“……!”

Damn it.

Damn it, damn it!

I desperately waved the gift box I was holding in the air, pretending to be excited!

Pop.

Confetti rained down again, and the drums roared loudly. The host encouraged the audience’s cheers.

[We’ll see you tomorrow with an even more exciting show!]

[So… have a good night!]

Bam!

With the sound of a cheerful guitar riff, the camera lights turned off.

“……”

It’s over.

It… is over, isn’t it?

Why are we still here?

[Phew, that was a close one. Almost ruined the live broadcast. Glad everything was handled smoothly!]

The cameras were definitely off.

Faceless staff rushed onto the stage, and the lights in the audience seats went out.

The band disappeared.

Backstage, filled with noise and murmurs, was revealed like cold steel beams.

But we didn’t disappear.

…A chilling feeling crept up my spine.

[Mr. Roe Deer! That was great thinking. Are you perhaps interested in becoming a regular panelist?]

“…I already have a job.”

[Oh no! Well, our talk show applications are always open, so feel free anytime!]

Why is this ghost story continuing?

The reason was simple.

The thoughtful host was about to kindly explain to the contestants why this situation had occurred.

[Ah, and to the new participants!]

[You must’ve been shocked, thinking you almost ruined the broadcast. I trust it wasn’t intentional. Don’t be too hard on yourselves!]

[And don’t worry. We’ll give you another chance as well!]

With a friendly and affable demeanor, the host addressed the employees who had suddenly entered—our ‘new contestants’, as if they had always been part of the show.

In the meantime, the staff swept up the ashes left behind by the incinerated person with a broom.

I felt like I was losing my mind.

[I’d love to give you all a chance to participate right now, but unfortunately, our show is live. So, see you next week!]

But we could leave now.

Please, please let it end like this! End it here!

[For now, you can all go home… hm?]

It was then.

Someone holding a megaphone suddenly ran onto the stage.

That person’s face was indistinct in the lighting, but unlike the other staff, they were wearing sunglasses.

The figure with the megaphone whispered urgently to the host.

[……! Ah, I see.]

The host turned to look at us.

[You see, it’s hard for me to say this, but… uh.]

The emoticon on the TV monitor showed a sad face.

[Our show… was just canceled.]

“……!”

[To be precise, it’s the Tuesday Quiz Show that’s ended. Technically, my show isn’t over, yes.]

[The quiz segment has been replaced.]

What?

[We won’t be able to have you as the 100th winning contestants. I sincerely want to apologize from the bottom of my heart.]

The host bent forward, even lowering the antenna on the TV head as if truly apologetic.

“So… is it… cleared?”

“Hu. Huu…”

I could faintly hear the voices of the other members of my squad, filled with confusion, fear, panic, and yet, hope.

But a cold sweat trickled down the back of my neck.

‘No.’

This development…

----------------------------------------

Exploration Record #100

The show began in the same studio as previous sessions.

However, the program name had changed.

The host explained to the confused employees that the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’ had been canceled.

Since the contestants had answered correctly 99 times in a row, the penalty had become meaningless, and the segment was no longer appealing to the viewers, leading to its discontinuation.

The new segment was chosen to be more engaging was…

----------------------------------------

[Ah! Hold on a moment!]

The host’s TV antenna suddenly sprang up after receiving a signal from the staff.

[Good news! You’ve all been selected as contestants for the new segment!]

“……!!”

[And since it’s pre-recorded this time, it’ll be even easier than before! Haha!]

[Let’s start filming right away! Although I’ll only be playing a supporting role, I’ll do my best to ensure it’s a great show…]

“Wait.”

The assistant manager from our squad raised her hand with a grim expression.

“We’ve already participated in the show, so we’d like to go back…”

[You want to leave before the filming is finished?]

“……!”

The TV screen buzzed as it got close to Assistant Manager Eun’s face.

[Oh dear… it was all written on the application postcard. But if you truly can’t participate… well, there’s no helping it.]

“……”

[So, tell me. Can’t you do it?]

Assistant Manager Eun slowly moved her eyes, meeting mine from across the way.

I shook my head ever so slightly.

She must have realized it too.

‘No helping it’ didn’t mean they would let us leave. It meant they would incinerate us.

[You can do it, right! Good.]

An ominous silence.

The studio was filled with the sound of the shallow breaths of pale, terrified employees.

I was surely one of them.

Was I even breathing?

[Oh! The tension is palpable. That’s how it always is with new programs.]

[Let’s stay strong! Mr. Roe Deer, you performed wonderfully in the live broadcast! I’m sure you’ll do great again this time…]

Was there no excuse I could give?

No plausible way out?

“Yes. But I didn’t expect to appear on the show consecutively.”

[Hoh.]

“I could make a mistake, couldn’t I?”

I gripped the podium so tightly my knuckles turned white.

“I should prepare a bit more and come back next Tuesday…”

[Aah! Look at that, the lights are coming on! 3, 2, 1…]

The host mumbled in an excited voice.

It was no use.

Completely absorbed in the broadcast, the host dashed toward the camera.

[Good evening, viewers! The joy of Tuesday, the heat of Tuesday.]

[You’re now watching the new segment of our talk show!]

I’m going crazy.

[Are you sad that the quiz show is gone? No need to be! Because this is an even more advanced form of quiz show!]

[Something has been added to the quiz! What could it be?]

The host waved both hands as he read the teleprompter.

[What pulls at the heartstrings more than anything is melody.]

[Especially voices! Choirs, ah, such a beautiful sound!]

……

[Haha, no need for our band to feel left out. We’ve invited a true master of an entirely different genre!]

[A new guest is about to appear!]

The set opened up to reveal a new figure.

The stench of rusted iron and filth filled the air, accompanied by a massive, dark pig’s head.

[The conductor of the Choir of Purgatory, the filthy, the vile, the master of great melodies, the Butcher!]

[That’s right. The new segment is… the Tuesday Choir!]

Hell has arrived.

Chapter 12 - [Chorus of the Sacrificial Lambs], III

A terrible stench spread through the studio.

Walking into the spotlight was something with the head of a pig, walking on two legs.

Its body was emaciated, and from its large, dead pig’s eyes, blood dripped down.

[Hold on a moment. He’s a silent artist… Ah! His equipment is coming in now!]

Thirteen silver trays descended from the air, suspended by wires.

The large, round silver trays were intricately and boldly decorated.

Screaming faces. Countless of them hung like clusters of grapes.

[Shall we meet the passionate contestants who have volunteered to join the choir?]

The lights on each podium came on.

The six podiums revealed the pale, terrified faces of the humans standing on them.

[You recognize some faces from last week, don’t you? Haha, will our contestants who defended the 99th win record set a new record with this new segment?]

[Stay tuned! We’ll reveal the results soon!]

Waaaah!

The audience seats were empty. But a canned applause filled the space mechanically.

[But the first glory must go to the first contestant!]

The host stood in front of an employee I didn’t know.

The employee wearing the mole mask hunched her shoulders.

[Here’s the question.]

Flash.

[Question : Which of the following creatures has the longest lifespan?]

1- Pig

2- Human

3- Rabbit

4- Flea

“H-Human. Number 2, human…!”

[Correct!]

A sigh of relief crossed the mole mask’s eyes.

Yes. In the original Tuesday Talk Show, the segment would have moved on with cheers.

But the new segment had a new phase added.

[Congratulations on passing, Ms. Mole!]

The conductor with the bleeding pig’s head raised his skeletal arms and swung a silver baton.

The mole mask’s head was ripped off.

[Such a beautiful harmony!]

Thud.

The headless contestant’s body collapsed beneath the podium like a broken puppet.

“……!”

The employee’s remaining head floated into the air and was displayed on the silver tray.

It was still mouthing words.

[Each contestant’s unique talent will be awakened. Oh, it’s incredible. Truly incredible…!]

When the pig raised its arms, the gaping mouth of the head suddenly began emitting a clear, piercing scream in tune.

“H-Humans. It’s human, humannnnnn!”

It was as if someone had forcibly squeezed the vocal cords, producing a sound like a woodwind instrument.

[The first choir member has taken their place!]

The choir practice had begun.

They endlessly repeated the last words they spoke before losing their heads.

The ‘Chorus of the Sacrificial Lambs’ consists of one conductor and 13 silver trays that are summoned.

The heads of talk show contestants are placed on the silver trays, and their selection process is determined by that day’s broadcast corner.

Each head fused to a tray produces different phrases and instrument-like sounds, forming an acapella.

The highest number of heads recorded is 7.

One (1) head : Causes mild headaches, anxiety, and sudden mood swings.

If you were just comfortably reading this ghost story.

You might think, ‘Only one head? For such a terrifying situation, it’s manageable.’

But if you found yourself in this insane scenario, that thought wouldn’t come to you.

Not like the employee who was directly affected.

“Aaaaaagh!! S-Siyeon, Si…!”

Incineration.

Another podium’s light went out. The charred body stuck to the floor.

The head that remained continued its eerie melody.

“H-Human. Number 2. Humaaaan!”

[Next up… Ah, we have another new face. Hello, Mr. Jellyfish! Let’s see if you can create a beautiful harmony with the successful contestant!]

[Now, the question is…]

“I don’t know! I don’t know the answer!”

The employee wearing the jellyfish mask screamed before the question was even asked.

His instincts seemed to tell him that getting the question wrong and facing punishment would be better.

[How surprising!]

It was a remarkable judgment.

…A meaningless one, though.

[Failure.]

His head exploded.

Like a firecracker, sparkles from the studio’s mirror ball and a shower of confetti filled the air.

The recorded audience’s reaction mixed with both disappointed sighs and cheers filled the studio.

[Oh no, disqualified! How unfortunate…]

[He didn’t make it into the great choir!]

“……”

Right.

‘There are no punishments anymore. If you get the quiz wrong, you’re simply disqualified.’

I blinked.

It didn’t feel real.

Half the people died in just five minutes after the recording began.

And there was no escape.

Three of us remained.

D-squad’s assistant manager and supervisor.

And me.

[Let’s meet our next contestant! Oh, familiar faces!]

“……”

I recalled one fact I had been avoiding.

…These superiors’ names were also not mentioned anywhere in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

It’s the same as with Go Yeongeun, my fellow new recruit.

I remembered what I thought when I first heard Go Yeongeun’s name.

– Either she left early after handling the ghost stories relatively easily…

– Or she died right away.

[Mr. Badger!]

Supervisor Park was called next.

Park Minseong.

While standing at the farthest podium from me, he had turned completely pale.

It was a death sentence, and it would soon be mine too…

[It’s your turn to answer!]

No.

‘Get a grip!’

I punched my stomach, hidden by the podium.

The pain cleared my head slightly.

‘Being scared doesn’t justify an excuse.’

This wasn’t a situation ruled by that kind of fear.

‘It’s a disaster.’

It was like witnessing a natural disaster up close—the overwhelming force of it.

I had been swept into an unexpected catastrophe. That’s right… If I panic here, it’s all over. I won’t even have a chance to survive.

I can’t forget. Of all the people here, you have the best chance of survival!

I have to think.

‘Right.’

I have information and items.

[Mr. Badger, are you ready?]

Could I use this moment when the host and staff’s attention wasn’t on me? Was there really nothing I could try?

I desperately recalled the items I had. I frantically reviewed the characteristics of this ghost story.

‘I don’t expect much, but.’

If I could just get out of here.

I wasn’t hoping for something as grand as this insane talk show getting canceled. Just stop for a second… just for a moment…

Ah.

I raised my head.

The host’s back was right in front of me.

He was about to ask Supervisor Park a quiz question.

[You’re ready! Great…]

He’s close.

‘…In that case!’

I hid my trembling hand beneath the podium. Then, I slightly lowered my body and pulled out two items from the inside pocket of my suit jacket.

A cheap sticker with a smiling emoticon and a can labeled ‘Drink me’.

‘Hurryyy.’

I opened the can-bottle.

Then, I stuck the Smiley Sticker onto the can-bottle.

Hurry up, hurry the fuck up.

“…Ah. May I say something to the viewers before I answer?”

[Oh, of course!]

Supervisor Park glanced toward the camera, pretending to address it but actually looking toward me and Assistant Manager Eun.

He was looking at the podiums where we stood.

“…I have a family member in the hospital. I hope someone could check in on her after this filming. If possible.”

[Wow, how touching!]

[So, what’s your answer?]

Supervisor Park gave a nervous smile, sweating profusely.

“I don’t know…”

“Wait a moment.”

I raised my left hand.

“Mr. Host.”

At the same time as I drew his attention…

I stretched out my right hand and quickly slapped several wet smiley stickers under the retro TV that was the host’s head.

“……”

Splat.

A drop of water hit the ground.

Did the cameras catch it? Did anyone notice?

No, if they had, my head would have already exploded.

[Oh, Mr. Roe Deer! Do you have something to say?]

They didn’t notice.

I swallowed hard.

When I looked over, Supervisor Park was staring at me in shock.

He seemed surprised that I hadn’t been incinerated after interrupting the flow and speaking out of turn.

It was definitely a gamble.

‘But I have a reason.’

Didn’t the host say it earlier?

– It’s pre-recorded this time, so it’ll be even easier than before! Haha!

In other words, this was not a live broadcast.

‘So as long as I don’t outright ruin the flow or act uncooperative, it might not count as disrupting the broadcast.’

Simply raising my hand and making a personal comment wouldn’t be a problem!

[Mr. Roe Deer?]

They let it pass.

“Yes.”

I glanced at the area beneath the host’s TV where the water had dripped.

Then, lowering my voice just enough for only the host to hear, I said,

“My head feels very dizzy. Could I… rest for a moment?”

[……]

What I had just done was…

The ‘Smiley Sticker’—an item that induces mild feelings of friendliness when attached to a sentient being.

And, the ‘Alice Picnic Set / canned drink’—an item that doubles the effect.

I soaked the sticker into the can and stuck it to the host.

…Of course, this was still debatable.

– Can we consider the host a sentient being?

The host was clearly not human.

But it must have some kind of intelligence, right?

No, it has to. I’m betting my life on this.

And now, there’s no turning back.

What if I’m incinerated for disrupting the broadcast? Well, if I’m going to die anyway, I might as well go out a little more peacefully.

The shirt clinging to my back was soaked with cold sweat.

The host made a noise…

[Goodness!]

“……”

[Was the passion for the broadcast a bit too much? Yes, I understand that… Hmm. Mr. Roe Deer, you did work hard.]

[In that case…]

The monitor of the host’s head turned black.

He raised his right hand…

[Cut! Let’s take a short break!]

The band’s sound stopped.

The staff began murmuring.

[Haha, I’m sorry. My screen went blurry. Makeup!]

The camera lights were quickly turned off.

[Carefully clean it, please. Oh, excellent!]

A faceless staff member carrying makeup tools rushed up and vigorously cleaned the old TV screen.

And as the host finished his task, he grabbed the makeup artist by the arm and pointed at me.

[Ah, on your way, could you guide this contestant to the waiting room? They were supposed to bring me water.]

Then, the host winked the TV-screen emoticon eye at me, briefly displaying and then erasing text.

[Take a break and have some water!]

“…Thank you.”

I had succeeded.

‘At least for now.’

I staggered off the podium, following the makeup artist as I walked.

Even though the filming had been paused, the ominous, grotesque pig-headed conductor was still standing at the center of the stage, swinging its baton without moving.

The horrifying silver trays continued to emit eerie songs from the human heads.

‘Hold it together.’

Don’t look.

With stiff legs, I crossed the center of the stage…

[Filming will resume in 30 minutes!]

As I passed the podium on the opposite side, Assistant Manager Eun slipped something into my hand.

“……!”

I quickly looked at her.

I could read her lips.

– Check it. Alone.

What is it?

I was guided to the door behind the stage.

Inside was a typical old Hollywood-style waiting room.

Aside from the unsettling number of black-and-white broadcast posters plastered all over like talismans.

“Thank you.”

The makeup artist gave a silent nod and disappeared in a flash.

Click.

“Huu.”

…I’m alive.

Only for 30 minutes, but I had at least delayed my scheduled death.

‘I need to do something during this time.’

And I had a new clue.

I immediately opened my hand to check what Assistant Manager Eun had slipped me.

The item they had somehow managed to give me in this dire situation was…

“…A button?”

It was a button, the kind you’d attach to a suit.

But it was also a button in the sense of something you could press.

It seemed like it had a mechanism inside that would trigger something when pressed.

“……”

There was only one way to find out, and I didn’t have much time.

‘They gave this to me thinking it would help.’

I pressed the button immediately.

Beep beep beep…

……

Click.

[This is Lee Jaheon.]

“……!”

[Who’s this? This is Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s call button though.]

Section Chief Lee Jaheon.

The squad leader of the Field Exploration Team’s D-squad, who was supposed to be on a field assignment, had answered through the button.

Chapter 13 - [Chorus of the Sacrificial Lambs], IV

In <Dark Exploration Records>, when entering a ghost story, data transmission and communication usually become impossible, isolating the participants.

‘This is the typical structure of a ghost story.’

But stories become more interesting when there is interaction and conflict.

I vaguely remember reading in a ghost story that some teams in <Daydream Inc.> have a disposable item that allows for emergency communication.

‘Is this button one of those?’

While my mind raced to deduce the situation, my mouth started talking immediately. Time was of the essence!

“Are you the leader of D-squad?”

[Yes.]

“I’m Kim Soleum, the new recruit in D-squad. I have something urgent to report.”

I decided to lay it all out!

“In 30 minutes, all of D-squad will be dead.”

Even if the other person was startled, it couldn’t be helped. This was the most efficient way. I needed to calm him down and explain…

[I see.]

[I’ll take a five-minute briefing.]

“……”

Why is he so calm?

Sure, mass deaths are a routine occurrence in the Field Exploration Team, but this is a bit…

‘Is there something wrong with his humanity…?’

I almost got confused, but the situation was urgent, so I let it go. I quickly summarized everything that had happened so far.

“There was an anomaly during the D-Class Darkness, Tuesday Talk Show.”

I explained about the members of another squad who had intruded mid-show, the quiz show’s sudden cancellation, and the insane choir segment that had just begun.

[How many employees are left?]

“Three out of seven remain. All of D-squad is still alive, but once the break ends, we’ll all be dead.”

The D-squad leader responded concisely.

[I see.]

[Buy yourself another 30 minutes.]

“……”

Is that even possible?

“I don’t think that’s feasible.”

[In that case, there’s nothing we can do.]

He has a knack for enraging people who are about to die in less than 30 seconds.

‘I don’t have time to waste on this nonsense.’

It’s true that the higher you go in the Field Exploration Team, the more some employees seem to lack basic morality or common sense, but experiencing it firsthand is truly infuriating.

‘Does he think his team members’ lives are a joke?’

I was about to hang up and figure things out on my own when…

“……”

Wait a second.

“What would change if we had 30 more minutes?”

Why did he ask for more time?

[Right.]

[If you could hold off until 55 minutes from now, I could get approval from the security team and rent the strongest weapons and entry devices.]

His low voice explained calmly.

[The entire process, even if handled retroactively, would take about 40 minutes, and it would take an additional 15 to 20 minutes to enter the Darkness.]

“…If that process is completed, could D-squad be rescued?”

[Probably, yes.]

“……”

A Field Exploration Team member capable of entering an A-Class Darkness alone and suppressing the supernatural phenomenon using special equipment?

The only people capable of that would be…

‘A named character.’

The person I was talking to had to be one of the employees I’d read about in the <Dark Exploration Records>!

‘Someone with a significant or memorable role…’

Chills ran down my spine.

Several candidates flashed through my mind. My brain was spinning.

“Stealing equipment from the security team… yeah, that’s impossible.”

[……? Correct.]

The security team’s operations are heavily restricted to maintain narrative coherence in the ghost stories, and their security is airtight. It’s true that such an act would be impossible based on the rules.

‘But if this person really is one of the employees I think he is…’

There might be a way!

I swallowed nervously and asked,

“…May I ask what mask you wear, sir?”

If he said the nickname I was thinking of…

[Lizard.]

“……”

Ah.

It’s you.

“Section Chief.”

We had 20 minutes left.

“Based on what you’ve told me, I’ve come up with a plan.”

Let’s go with this.

[Ah, Mr. Roe Deer!]

Break time was almost over.

Holding a water bottle from the waiting room, I returned to the talk show set.

Human. Number 2. Human, human!

Against the backdrop of two employees who had been exposed to ‘choir practice’ for several minutes and whose complexions had drastically worsened, the host with the old TV for a head extended his hand toward me.

[Are you feeling better? Ready to create the best broadcast ever?]

“Yes. Thank you for your consideration.”

[Haha, a contestant’s condition is key to delivering the best moments on the show!]

His tone was surprisingly friendly, considering the host’s previous behavior.

It seemed the Smiley Sticker’s effect was still active.

‘So far, things are going as expected.’

I carefully chose my next words.

“…You really put a lot of passion and energy into this show, Mr. Host. I think that’s why you always make such captivating broadcasts.”

Perhaps it was the most extreme situation, but flattery was coming out of my mouth effortlessly, without a trace of shame.

[Such high praise! But a broadcast is something everyone creates together. Mr. Roe Deer, you are a part of that too!]

No, that’s not the direction I was going for…

“I appreciate your kind words, but there’s no comparing me to you, the one who leads this great talk show.”

This was the direction I needed.

“But I was surprised that the format of the show changed without notice to someone as important as you…”

[……]

“There’s no live audience, we’re using recorded applause, the punishments are gone… even the band has fewer members.”

I recalled the black-and-white broadcast posters in the waiting room.

They were all talk shows with live audiences, where real-time communication was part of the experience.

If that waiting room was the host’s personal space…

‘There’s a good chance the host doesn’t like this new format…!’

“It feels like the changes were made to cut costs across the board.”

There was a risk of being beheaded if the host misinterpreted my comment as an insult to the talk show. But staying silent would lead to death anyway.

I had to do this.

I glanced back, pretending to look at the stage, and managed to continue speaking.

The conductor with the dead pig’s head.

“…Could the reason for this revamp be that it cost a lot to book that guest over there?”

[!]

The emoticon on the host’s TV screen disappeared.

But it soon returned with a smiling emoticon.

[That’s none of the contestant’s concern.]

“I apologize.”

Please, spare me.

Honestly, I’m so scared I haven’t even properly looked at that pig-headed creature.

“I was just such a huge fan of the Tuesday Quiz Show and was really looking forward to participating. I must have said something rude because I was disappointed by its cancellation…”

[Ah, what a kind thing to say! But… show business is ruthless.]

The host’s TV screen quietly turned black.

[If the viewers prefer this format, then as an entertainer, it’s my job to adapt quickly to what they want…]

“I see.”

I swallowed hard.

“But isn’t it still uncertain how the viewers feel? …At least for me, I preferred the old format. The real-time interaction with the audience and the excitement of the live Tuesday Quiz Show.”

[……]

“To change the show so abruptly, without even discussing it with the host… ah, never mind. I’m sorry. I’ve spoken out of turn.”

I pretended to hesitate, then added,

“I just… I had a lot of fun earlier during the live broadcast. My heart was racing, and it was quite exciting.”

[ – ]

The host stood silently.

The TV screen made a faint static noise…

Beep-beep-beep!

[…Ah! There are only 60 seconds left before filming resumes!]

At the sound of the alert filling the set, the emoticon returned.

[Alright, everyone, let’s give it our all until the end!]

[Mr. Roe Deer, you should get back to your podium.]

“…Yes.”

[We’re starting! 10, 9, 8…]

The host resumed the countdown, looking into the camera as usual.

But it seemed like my conversation had left an impression, as he didn’t seem as entranced by the camera as before.

‘Good.’

The groundwork had been laid.

I nodded to the host and headed back to my podium.

And moments later.

[Now! Mr. Badger!]

[It’s finally time to give your answer!]

The show had resumed.

[Will Mr. Badger become a proud member of the choir?]

Supervisor Park Minseong seemed to have come to terms with his fate, his expression bitter but resigned.

I saw him mouthing something quickly at me.

– Thank you.

What was he saying? ‘Thanks for helping me get prepared…’ No, wait. Let me talk too!

I mouthed the words back.

– Give the correct answer.

“……?!”

Supervisor Park looked at me as if I were insane.

I understand.

‘Being incinerated is probably better than becoming a living instrument that repeats the last thing you said before your head was cut off…’

But this was necessary.

Supervisor Park, still confused, shook his head and glanced at Assistant Manager Eun.

She nodded too.

[Mr. Badger? You have 3 seconds.]

“Ah! Umm, yes. I’ll give my answer…”

Supervisor Park squeezed his eyes shut and shouted,

“Number 4, burns!”

[Oooooh!]

As the recorded audience murmured,

I finally saw it.

Flutter—

In the corner of the stage where the lights had gone out, something appeared.

A postcard.

The strange postcard we used to enter this place.

I remembered the conversation I had with Section Chief Lee Jaheon just before.

– So, Section Chief, you’re saying we can use that equipment to access the ghost story through an object?

– Yes. However, the equipment I have is for emergency supply drops, only for delivering small items into the Darkness.

– That’s enough. Let’s use it…

I looked at the postcard.

It quietly fell to the floor from the shadows where the light didn’t reach…

And then, with terrifying speed, a small AAA battery shot out from it.

“……!”

The battery shot toward the ominous conductor with tremendous force, closing the distance in an instant.

It struck one of the silver trays.

– Throw it with all your might, sir.

The thick tray crumpled as if pierced by the battery.

The sheer physical force was unbelievable.

‘As expected.’

I recalled the description of Section Chief Lee Jaheon from <Dark Exploration Records>.

----------------------------------------

Employee D

Nickname : Lizard

Final position : Team Leader

One of the few combat specialists in the Field Exploration Team.

Known for solving ghost stories, which usually require wit and strategy, by brute force.

??? : “If the body suffers, the mind suffers even more, isn’t that right?”

Conversely, when his brute force doesn’t work, it signifies that true doom is upon you.

----------------------------------------

If we had tried to attack the pig-head conductor directly, I might have experienced that ‘doom’ firsthand.

But a silver tray?

‘He’s a staff member with a ‘physical exorcism works in ghost stories’ gimmick, so I thought it might work…’

And I was right.

The tray was almost punctured, leaving a deep dent.

‘In that case.’

Despite sweating profusely, I couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction.

[Wow! Mr. Badger, that’s the correct answer!]

Normally, this would be the point where the correct contestant’s head would be ripped off and added to the choir on another silver tray.

But the conductor’s reaction to his precious ‘instrument’ being damaged…

[…Mr. Conductor?]

The dead pig opened its mouth wide.

Its decaying flesh tore apart, and its jaw dislocated unnaturally.

The canned applause abruptly cut off, leaving the atmosphere confused and disjointed.

[…It seems our guest is thinking of a new way to perform! I wonder what brilliant method they’re coming up with? My heart is racing!]

The pig began to scream.

The split mouth emitted a horrific sound…

[…The contestant is waiting. Mr. Conductor, please welcome him into the choir!]

A terrifying scream rose in my throat.

What did I just do? What kind of horrific mistake have I made? Did you see the worm that spawned from the ground? How I want to sing, how I made the wrong choice, judgment, indeed—

Praise to the silver throne, death—

The band’s sound drowned out the scream.

“Hah!”

This is insane.

Drip. Drip.

Red spots appeared on the podium.

It was my nosebleed.

But I had to cover my ears. I had to block out the sound… but the band’s sound was fading away.

[You—]

Drip.

[Do not respect the show.]

I lifted my head.

Amidst the silence.

Whoosh.

The grand and ominous guest at the center of the stage burst into black flames and turned to ash.

It was a scene I had seen many times before.

‘Incineration.’

A punishment the host carried out autonomously. In the D-Class Darkness known as the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’, this was the fate of any contestant who disrupted the broadcast.

But now…

‘Did a D-Class Darkness… incinerate an A-Class Darkness entirely?’

Something’s wrong… something’s very wrong.

All I intended was for the host to lose his temper at the guest’s incompetence, causing today’s broadcast to be cut short.

[As expected, the essence of a show isn’t in flashy guests, but in staying true to its core.]

I looked around.

The staff, the lights, the band, the recording equipment, the cameras.

All of them were burning and turning to ash.

Only the host’s old TV screen flickered with color, glowing brightly.

[The joy of witnessing, the thrill of communication, the excitement of unpredictable developments, anticipation…]

[You ■■■ creators don’t understand that. You don’t deserve to make shows.]

[But I do! I can make them!]

The host raised his arms majestically, like a liberator.

He turned to me.

[Mr. Roe Deer!]

[Thank you! You’ve given me a new vision!]

[My mind feels so clear. Ah… yes! From now on, I’ll accept participants for the show on different days of the week.]

The host stared directly at me.

[I can tell. You have the talent of a show creator.]

[I hope you join the crew of my new talk show as well, Mr. Roe Deer, Mr. Roe Deer!]

This is bad.

[New participants, a new set, new music, a new season… I’ll invite you when the filming is ready!]

But.

[It’s such a pity today’s broadcast had to end this way… but your passionate participation was very impressive.]

[Let’s meet again in the next show!]

It worked.

I blinked.

Beyond my blurring vision, I saw the suited figure with a TV for a head wave as he disappeared…

In the next moment—

“……”

I realized I was sitting on a brightly lit, quiet office sofa.

I turned my head.

Supervisor Park and the Assistant Manager Eun, both bleeding from their noses and ears, were staring at me with dumbfounded expressions.

And I realized.

I’m alive.

“Waaaaah!!”

“You amazing bastard! You crazy idiot!”

Amid the shower of cheers and hugs, I slid down onto the sofa.

I’m alive.

I escaped…!

“……! The collector!”

But that wasn’t the end.

Supervisor Park, still hugging me, quickly pulled something out of my suit pocket.

It was the ‘Dream Essence Collector’.

It was filled with golden liquid.

Unlike the time when I cleared the F-Class ghost story, this time, the color was…

“A-Class.”

“……”

“Roe, you cleared an A-Class Darkness after just two days on the job…!”

Chapter 14 - New Hires Group Chat

A new employee on their third day at <Daydream Inc.>

“Huuu.”

Go Yeongeun cautiously sat down at her desk just as lunch break was ending.

This self-taught medical professional who hadn’t even taken the state exam believed she was adjusting well to the situation…

Her superiors in the R-squad weren’t particularly warm, but they weren’t overly territorial, nor did they push her into life-threatening situations.

Most importantly, she had successfully cleared two F-Class ghost stories so far…!

‘Didn’t they say the average for new recruits was one or two per week?’

Clearing two in three days, even if they were low-level Darkness, wasn’t bad for a rookie!

She was doing her absolute best to adapt to this insane company…

Though she had nearly fainted when she saw the points for the Wish Ticket.

‘After clearing two, I only got 66 points. How in the world will I ever get to 500,000…?’

“……”

But giving up wasn’t an option.

‘I’m going to do it.’

Go Yeongeun steeled her resolve.

‘…Are the other rookies feeling the same?’

She absentmindedly looked at her phone.

At the top of her Kakaotalk messenger, there was a pinned group chat.

[Daydream Inc. New Hires Group Chat]

It was a chat room for all the new recruits.

However, one person had yet to be invited.

It wasn’t because he was being excluded—no one had his contact information.

That person was none other than the top recruit, Kim Soleum.

‘We should invite him, too.’

Even Baek Saheon, the well-known figure, was already in the chat room, but strangely, none of them had ever run into Kim Soleum in the company, so they hadn’t had a chance to inform him.

It made sense to be curious about what kind of intense first two days he had gone through!

‘Should I try contacting him through the company messenger?’

She connected to the intranet and began searching for Kim Soleum to send him a message…

That’s when it happened.

Ka-talk, Ka-talk, Ka-ka-ka-talk!

Suddenly, the group chat exploded with notifications.

– Did you see the announcement just now?

– Does anyone know Kim Soleum personally…?

– He’s the top recruit, right?

– Did he seriously clear an A-Class ghost story as a major contributor…?

– Was Kim Soleum the one wearing that weird horned mask…?

“……?!”

“Wow, Roe, someone from upper management is saying you should be promoted to supervisor right away.”

“Cough—”

I nearly choked on my medicine.

“But apparently it got immediately blocked because some people from other departments are foaming at the mouth in opposition, saying it’s unprecedented.”

“…Ah, I see.”

Should I have said I was disappointed? But I wasn’t disappointed at all, so that was the limit of my response.

I set the empty medicine bottle down and rubbed my chest.

We had narrowly escaped from the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’ that had transformed into an A-Class ghost story, and we were now being treated in the infirmary, taking emergency medication.

After all, we’d been bleeding from our facial orifices.

“Feeling better?”

“Yes.”

It seemed the medicine was effective.

Though the medicine from <Daydream Inc.> always seemed suspicious, the regular first aid meds were just exceptionally good at what they did.

– Darkness… you know, those bizarre creatures from urban legends. This is the kind of recovery medicine you take when you suffer supernatural damage from them.

In other words, it was like a health potion in these ghost stories.

‘It was probably sold as cherry-ade flavor at the collaboration café near the pop-up store…’

But the actual taste was just like cold syrup.

‘Anyway, it feels unreal that I’m alive and drinking a potion.’

Everything felt great now that we had escaped.

Living in the bright daylight—it’s really such a good thing…

But it seemed like my superiors were more concerned about something other than our sense of relief.

How had this situation been reported and handled by the higher-ups?

They were busily tapping into every network they had to figure it out.

“Honestly, this was an unprecedented special situation. I wish the Squad Leader had been more assertive in pushing the issue, but he’s really not that kind of person…”

“Please do it when you get promoted later, Assistant Manager.”

“I’ll quit before then.”

“Honestly, me too.”

I really want to say that as well.

Amidst a strange sense of camaraderie, we each collapsed onto the infirmary beds.

Supervisor Park Minseong stretched and let out a sigh.

It was a long sigh of relief.

“…I really thought I was going to die, but living is definitely better! Hey Roe, thank you.”

“No, I just did my best.”

Honestly, the <Dark Exploration Records> wiki did all the work for me.

If I tried to explain any further, the conversation would shift toward something uncomfortable, like ‘We were all about to die, but you were smart and did well,’ so I just stayed silent.

“We’re not that incompetent as seniors, but we let our guard down because it was categorized as D-Class.”

“Assistant Manager, that excuse sounds a bit pathetic.”

“Well, then we’ll prove ourselves in the next Darkness.”

‘I just hope there won’t be a next Darkness…’

The peaceful, paid rest time didn’t last long.

“The Section Chief said the meeting is over.”

“……!”

“He’s coming to the infirmary.”

Assistant Manager Eun, holding her smartphone, shot up. Supervisor Park quickly stood up as well, so I instinctively followed suit.

‘Am I finally going to see him in person?’

Section Chief Lee Jaheon.

Employee D, nickname Lizard!

One of the most famous employees of <Daydream Inc.> in the <Dark Exploration Records>. There were even rumors that, due to his popularity, the company was working on a character design for him.

Honestly, I was a bit curious.

What kind of person could he be?

‘Judging by the conversation we had when I pressed the call button, he didn’t seem like an ordinary person…’

But considering his super play with the AAA battery shot, everything about him seemed almost glorified.

Knock, knock, knock.

“The door is open. Come in, Squad Leader!”

The infirmary door opened.

Standing there was a tall figure.

Dressed in a perfectly fitted black suit and even wearing an employee ID, he looked every bit the classic, polished office worker.

Finally, the appearance of Section Chief Lee Jaheon, the ‘named’ Employee D from the <Dark Exploration Records>…

“Hello.”

“……!? ……!!”

It’s… it’s a lizard.

No, not a mask, but literally…

‘He literally has a lizard head.’

“……”

Wait a second.

No… that can’t be right.

I must be suffering from some kind of mental breakdown due to excessive stress, leaving an afterimage of that TV-headed host in my mind.

That’s it, right? My brain is mistaking someone wearing a mask for a real lizard head…

‘Now that I look closer, there’s a mask hanging at his waist.’

“……”

Oh, I’m going to lose it.

“It’s really so great to see you that I’m about to cry.”

“Please, come in, Squad Leader!”

Why is everyone so calm?

If a lizard in a suit is going to appear, shouldn’t there at least be a warning to the new recruits, like ‘Don’t be shocked’?

Why is everyone acting like this is a normal meet-and-greet!

“Ah, this over here is Roe Deer, sir. And Roe, this is Section Chief Lee Jaheon. Go ahead and introduce yourself.”

“Wow, Roe looks like he’s shocked by how handsome the Section Chief is! Haha! Like he doesn’t even look like he’s the same species as us!”

Can you please clarify if this is just office banter or a hint for social survival…?

The white lizard head turned toward me expressionlessly.

Its red, reptilian vertical pupils glinted.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

“……”

“Can you see?”

Shit, oh shit fuck…

“What do you mean…? Oh, no, I didn’t hurt my eyes. My vision is fine.”

I was impressed by my own quick thinking.

“……”

Um, hello?

“Hmm, alright.”

The white reptilian head turned away with a faint hiss.

I nearly passed out.

‘Please stop this, for real.’

This world is too unfair if you have to suffer even after escaping a ghost story…

‘What the hell is going on?’

But I wasn’t about to say a word.

Judging by the atmosphere, it was clear I wasn’t supposed to see the lizard head!

‘Everyone else must be seeing a normal human face.’

Blend in. Don’t stand out.

I would never show any suspicious reaction toward this walking human… no, lizard excavator.

I successfully maintained my composure, and fortunately, thanks to the other squad members, the conversation flowed smoothly.

Then, we got to the main point.

“Section Chief, did the higher-ups give any explanation about why this happened?”

“Yes.”

The white lizard—no, Section Chief Lee Jaheon—nodded.

First, the cause of the incident. The employees who barged in…

“They said it was a human error, with the ‘Tuesday Talk Show’ being assigned to both D-squad and L-squad at the same time.”

“Oh, seriously.”

“Good grief…”

It made sense that the assignment had felt rushed; it seems there was a mistake.

The Section Chief continued his briefing.

– L-squad began writing the medium (postcard) to enter the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’ at a similar time to D-squad, but a 50-minute delay occurred as they left the company building during the process.

“…Did they go out to buy coffee for the rookie?”

“L-squad did have members who were particularly good at taking care of their teammates.”

The two employees briefly looked bitter as they recalled the now-deceased L-squad, but quickly concealed their expressions.

“Anyway, it seems it was transmitted at an odd time, and our squad happened to go in first.”

“Yes.”

Lee Jaheon answered briefly and continued the briefing.

The next part, however, was the bombshell.

“And the reclassification of the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’ to A-Class has not been acknowledged.”

“……?!”

“W-What?”

– The absence of another group to cross-verify the situation, and the relatively high initial survival rate (43%), leaves it unproven whether the Darkness was truly suitable for A-Class classification.

“What the hell are they talking about, when L-squad was wiped out?”

“The collector! The Dream Essence Collector’s liquid was gold! I’ve heard many times that gold signifies A-Class…”

– While the liquid in the Dream Essence Collector does have a concentration comparable to A-Class, the possibility of extracting higher-class liquid from lower-class Darkness in special circumstances cannot be ruled out.

“So, since the official company classification was D-Class, no exception has been granted for the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’.”

“……”

In other words, the company’s stance is…

‘Let’s not escalate a situation caused by an error, let’s just quietly resolve it.’

Typical corporate behavior.

They drive their employees mad, that’s for sure.

“This is unacceptable. We should go and talk to them directly…”

“Assistant Manager, wait— wait just a sec.”

Supervisor Park asked, in disbelief.

“The higher-ups took all the A-Class liquid, didn’t they? And yet, it’s still ending as a D-Class result?”

“No, that didn’t happen.”

“……!”

“Separate compensation has been arranged.”

Honestly, I’m not surprised.

‘They’re basically trying to keep us quiet by offering something in return…’

It’s normal for a company to prepare some kind of hush money, unless they’re utterly clueless.

The only question was how much that compensation would be.

I tried to avoid making eye contact with the lizard as I focused on Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s… not snout, but mouth.

“Given the uniqueness of the situation and the verification of the Dream Essence Collector’s liquid color, they’ve agreed to acknowledge that it was an exploration comparable to A-Class.”

“So…?”

“Additional points will be awarded.”

– For the successful clearance of the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show,’ a one-time bonus of points equivalent to A-Class will be awarded.

The amount is…

“Thirty thousand points per person.”

“……!!”

Supervisor Park and Assistant Manager Eun froze as if struck by lightning.

“Thirty thousand??”

“Yes.”

“Waaaah!”

The basic point reward for A-Class is 100,000 points.

Assuming the points are divided among the number of people entering the Darkness, with only two squads surviving, the estimate would have been under 17,000 points per person.

‘But we just got nearly double that.’

And it didn’t stop there.

“And a separate incentive has been awarded to the employee who played a decisive role in clearing the Darkness.”

The lizard’s head turned toward me.

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

– An additional 10,000 points awarded to the top contributor.

“A total of 40,000 points will be granted to you.”

“……”

I just filled 8% of the Wish Ticket in one go.

‘Wow.’

I was almost in a daze.

Am I disappointed that the A-Class clearance didn’t officially get recorded?

No, it’s actually better this way!

‘There’s no benefit in standing out and getting a super-fast promotion in this world.’

What happens if expectations rise beyond reason?

I’d surely be forced into even more difficult ghost stories, and the more I stand out, the harder it becomes to use the ‘merch’.

Of course, there are special spaces and items that become accessible with a promotion, but priorities must not be mistaken.

This is a world where one wrong move means death!

‘And considering I was at death’s door… I definitely don’t want to go near A-Class again.’

Looking at the points, it didn’t feel like my efforts were wasted.

Apparently, the others felt the same.

“…I think I just heard my resignation come three years earlier.”

“Same here.”

But soon they composed themselves and said to me,

“Points aren’t transferable, so… this feels a bit awkward.”

“Right? Roe practically earned them all.”

“No, it’s fine.”

Honestly, even if transferring was possible, I don’t think they would have given them to me for any reason.

This isn’t about character.

‘These are people who got jobs in death zones to collect points for a Wish Ticket.’

For most members of the Field Exploration Team, their points are something they would never give up.

Hmm. I’ll make sure to keep this firmly in mind.

“Woo-hoo!”

“They really came through.”

We immediately returned to the office and registered the points.

[Kim Soleum / Accumulated Points: 40,100P]

‘Whoa.’

I looked at the monitor.

A five-figure number.

Honestly, it hit me differently.

“Whew, I survived, and I scored big points…”

Assistant Manager Eun grinned.

“We should use the company card for a team dinner!”

“Ooooh!”

“Let’s go, Roe!”

Without hesitation, I replied cheerfully.

“Yes!”

And now.

I’m watching the rare sight of a lizard eating premium beef…

Sizzle.

I’m trying my best to look natural as I watch the perfectly cooked beef disappear into the lizard’s mouth.

“The Squad Leader’s personality is a bit unique, but his skills are solid.”

“Yeah. You’re really lucky to be in our squad.”

“…Yes.”

It’s almost certain I’m the only one seeing a lizard face.

Having read about Section Chief Lee Jaheon physically destroying ghost stories a few times, I could understand why the team members were so favorable toward him.

Anyway, ghost stories or not, the beef was delicious, and I found myself enjoying the dinner more than I expected.

‘At least it’s not uncomfortable.’

I also realized that having a little alcohol really helps ease the fear.

‘Once I get home, I’m going to watch ten episodes of kids’ cartoons and sleep with all the lights on.’

While I was planning this extreme bedtime routine, Section Chief Lee Jaheon, who had been eating green onion salad, suddenly asked,

“Are you going to save the 40,000 points?”

“Pardon?”

It was a natural question.

“Oh, um, yes. I need to buy a Wish Ticket.”

“I see.”

“……”

Wait a minute. This conversation pattern feels familiar.

I retraced our previous conversation.

So…

“Is there perhaps another useful way to spend points?”

“Yes.”

“……”

Ah. So this is how I should have approached it…

Now I think I’m starting to understand how to deal with the Lizard Squad Leader. I felt a bit of relief as I asked in a more relaxed tone,

“What would that be?”

“Custom equipment.”

“……!”

I didn’t expect this to come up here…

‘It finally came.’

One of the main perks of being an employee at <Daydream Inc.>

‘Personalized equipment!’

Chapter 15 - [Kind seed kit]

<Daydream Inc.> is a creepy company that throws Field Exploration Team employees into terrifying ghost stories to extract potion concentrate.

This raises a question.

– If you recklessly throw employees into high-level, extremely dangerous ghost stories, won’t they all die and fail to extract the concentrate?

To address this concern and make the progression of ghost stories more convenient, there’s a setting where ‘employees can obtain custom equipment that becomes more powerful as they are promoted’.

However, this isn’t overly detailed. If they started breaking down the equipment into specific tiers and classifications, it would no longer be an internet ghost story but a massive game setting.

To make it easier for anyone to participate in the storytelling, a more convenient system was added.

– Customized personal equipment.

Employees who have proven their usefulness can receive supernatural equipment supported by the company.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that ordinary employees wield cartoonish superpowers—just a slight boost in special abilities.

It’s more about creating convenient situations.

‘Still, it’s great that it even exists.’

I unintentionally looked at Squad Leader Lee Jaheon with hopeful eyes, but when I made eye contact with the lizard, I quickly lowered my gaze.

I’m really not getting used to this.

“Oh, can I make custom equipment?”

“Yes.”

“…Could you explain it to me?”

“Yes.”

After asking three times, I finally got a detailed explanation.

Still, it was fascinating.

‘This is something I only knew bits and pieces about.’

The scattered mentions from <Dark Exploration Records> were now being organized and explained by the section chief.

“Custom equipment can be made using specific ghost stories owned by the company.”

Right. They’d use the ghost stories, of course.

[Toy Maker of the Cheerful Lab / Qterw-E-07]

[Kind Seed Kit / Qterw-E-99]

[The Offering of the Ritual / Qterw-E-404]

In my memory, these were the three ghost stories mentioned in connection with equipment creation by <Daydream Inc.> employees.

Among them, the one most used by the Field Exploration Team is…

“…That.”

Oh!

“It just so happens this is a ghost story that can only be used during moonlit nights!”

While my squad members gladly accompanied me for the experience, I headed with the section chief to the annex next to the company building.

Seizing the moment while the iron was hot, my superiors urged me to go now.

“Oh… this place is where relatively safe and useful ghost stories are kept in isolation.”

Assistant Manager Eun explained.

“The company usually calls these ‘Twilight-Class’.”

I already knew that.

Officially, these ghost stories are classified as E-Class.

However, simply calling them E-Class doesn’t quite fit the classification system.

‘They’re carefully selected useful ones.’

Some are far stronger than D-Class or less dangerous than F-Class, which is why most people refer to them by their unique name, ‘Twilight’.

“Roe, you saw that radio on your first day, right? It’s useful because it tells you your fortune for the day. It’s similar to that.”

After Assistant Manager Eun scanned her employee ID, the first-floor entrance to the annex revealed a staircase leading down.

And as we descended the stairs… we found a dimly lit reception desk with a figure sitting behind it.

The figure was peculiar, dressed entirely in black with a mask, sunglasses, and even a hat.

Was this an employee?

Supervisor Park immediately rushed forward.

“Hello! We’re Field Exploration Team’s D-squad, visiting for new recruit training.”

“……”

“We’re requesting access to Twilight-Class ghost story number 99.”

The dark figure gave Supervisor Park a brief, scrutinizing look before nodding.

With a nod, they pressed a button on the desk, and one of the emergency doors behind them opened.

Creak.

Beyond that door was a corridor lined with countless other doors.

“Don’t open any other doors by mistake. Actually, they’re probably locked, but let’s not even touch the handles.”

That’s sound advice.

I nodded silently and began walking.

Soon, we stopped in front of the door labeled ‘99,’ and Assistant Manager Eun placed her employee ID on the reader.

Click.

“Let’s go in.”

I lifted my head.

Moonlight was pouring into a greenhouse overgrown with weeds.

And in the center, a rusty machine stood bathed in moonlight.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Kind Seed Kit]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-E-99.

It treats objects as plants, extracting genetic information to crossbreed and sow them. Operates using moonlight as an energy source.

----------------------------------------

That’s right.

‘If you put two objects in, it mixes their traits to create a new item.’

This was the ghost story primarily used by the Field Exploration Team for making custom equipment, and it certainly had the atmosphere of a ghost story.

“This is the Darkness our department almost exclusively uses!”

I stood in front of the rusty machine and asked.

“Does it cost points to use this?”

“Yes. For the Twilight-Class Darkness stored in the annex, you have to pay a usage fee to activate them.”

“Oh…”

“By the way, this one costs 1,000 points per use.”

Wait a minute. Isn’t that a bit odd?

“If it’s equipment necessary for exploring ghost stories, shouldn’t the company be subsidizing it instead of charging fees?”

As hopeless as this company is, they should at least cover that… right?

“Oh, once you become a supervisor, you can use it for free twice a year.”

“……”

Maybe I should’ve gotten promoted after all.

“So most people wait until they’re supervisors before using it. Usually, you only have to hold out for a year at most.”

Hmm.

I thought it over.

‘There’s definitely a reason Section Chief Lee Jaheon considered this useful, even though it costs points.’

Even though he’s known for relying mostly on brute force, I figured his instincts are sharp, too.

If a high-survival-rate employee gave special advice…

‘It’s probably the right decision to follow it.’

If investing 1,000 points could increase my survival rate early on, that would be the right call.

…Though my hands are shaking a bit!

“I’d like to try using it now.”

“Okay!”

Supervisor Park gave a cheerful response, but then seemed to realize something and whispered.

“…But first, you know you need existing equipment to put in, right? Something with useful abilities to use as a genetic marker.”

“Oh… right.”

I’d already confirmed that in this ghost story’s exploration records.

----------------------------------------

Exploration Record #05

Employee N inserted a tumbler* and a backpack.

The tumbler* was a special item (liquid poured after sunrise doesn’t empty until sunset, owned by Section Chief Choi ■■), while the backpack had no special attributes.

Seed result : Backpack

(Special attribute : Similar abilities to the tumbler, but empties after dispensing more than 87 liters of liquid.)

----------------------------------------

“Don’t worry! When a squad member is creating their first custom equipment, there’s a tradition where someone from the squad lends them their equipment for free once.”

“Yeah, but it’s just one item, not both. For the other one, you have to either use your own stuff or pay to borrow it.”

Assistant Manager Eun glanced at the Squad Leader Lee.

“And, well… the Squad Leader’s equipment is the best among us.”

As expected, he’s the boss here.

“If you wouldn’t mind, could I see your equipment, Squad Leader?”

“Sure.”

The lizard pulled something out of his pocket.

It was a small, ash-colored knife.

“This is a butter knife. If you cut the medium for entering the Darkness, it tears the space, allowing the transfer of small items.”

Oh.

“This is the equipment you used when you threw the AAA battery, isn’t it?”

“Right.”

I looked at the butter knife with newfound appreciation.

‘I was hoping for some defense-related equipment… but I guess that’s not easily found.’

Though a bit disappointed, none of the higher-ups’ equipment seemed to be defense-related either.

There was one for tricks, one for communication, and that’s about it.

‘If push comes to shove, I can probably get something with a similar effect from the alien shop…’

I made up my mind.

“So, you’ll put the Squad Leader’s equipment in?”

“Yes.”

Out of courtesy, I bowed my head.

“Thank you, Squad Leader.”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon gave a slight nod and approached the machine.

On the old LCD screen, some archaic-looking text appeared.

[Give me plants 0/2]

I watched as the Squad Leader placed his equipment into the machine to scan its ‘genetic information’.

[Plant information stored]

[Give me plants 1/2]

“Now you just need to put in the other item you want. …Oh, wait a second.”

Assistant Manager Eun quickly spoke up.

“If this machine isn’t completely weird, most things will work. But there’s just one thing that doesn’t.”

He tapped the sign attached to the machine.

※ Do not insert actual plants.

“Whatever you do, don’t literally give it plants, even though it’s asking for them.”

“……”

“The sensor at the door filters out all plants anyway, but I’m just telling you to be safe.”

Now that my eyes had adjusted to the darkness, I could see the nature of the overgrown weeds around us.

They were all fake. Artificial plants.

…One exploration record came to mind.

----------------------------------------

Exploration Record #14 (Irregular)

Employee R picked weeds (presumably dandelions) growing near the Darkness and inserted them into the machine twice.

As a result, [redacted] burst out with a scream of [redacted], and then [redacted].

– It took 7 days for the Security Team to subdue the situation. All three employees present, including Employee R, were confirmed dead. All plants were removed.

※ Notice: Repetition of this action will result in disciplinary action and termination.

----------------------------------------

Yeah. I definitely need to remember that.

“Yes, thank you for letting me know.”

“No need to thank me.”

Meanwhile, the section chief finished registering the equipment and retrieved the knife, placing it back into his suit pocket.

“Generally, in the other slot, you’d insert ordinary items, but in that case, the supernatural characteristics may be weakly inherited, or, in rare cases, not inherited at all.”

I nodded seriously, even though I already knew this.

“I understand. I’ll accept the result, no matter what.”

I reached into my pocket and pulled something out.

“Oh~ So you did stop by the dorm earlier. Looks like you found something you want to use?”

“Yes.”

In my hand was a silver coin.

– Silver Serpent Coin. An item I had bought at a huge discount from the alien shop.

“I plan to use this.”

I’ll just put an item in the other slot.

I had quite a few supernatural items on hand!

That’s why I was so pleased when I found out the ghost story the Field Exploration Team used was the ‘Kind Seed Kit’.

‘I have more sources for items than most people.’

From the black notepad that gave out merch from the void to the alien shop.

As soon as I stepped into this room, I had been mentally running through my lineup of items.

‘And the one with the highest grade is…’

This one, of course.

I rolled the round coin with the snake engraving in my hand.

Chapter 16 - [The Clown Hates You], I

Change of position.

In other words, a change in the tasks or department where someone primarily works.

This typically happens when you’ve been with a company for several years.

So, it’s definitely not something you say to someone who’s only been here for three days!

“…A position change? Does that mean I’ll be transferred to a different department?”

I was desperately holding back from saying, ‘What are you talking about right after lunch?’ and instead asked politely.

“Well, actually… yeah. Did you see the notice? It just went up.”

“……?!”

With a sinking feeling, I immediately checked the company intranet.

[Notice of Employee Rewards for Resolving Special Incident Qterw-D-43]

…Qterw-D-43 is the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’.

And to summarize the contents…

– Wow! A team solved a special incident in a D-Class ghost story and extracted A-Class essence? Now that’s impressive! We’ll be awarding a total of 100,000 points to the team!

– You saw that, right? You can do it too! Forget work-life balance, work like a beast and earn those points! Be like D-squad!

…And right there, clearly listed as the key contributor receiving 40,000 points, was my name: Kim Soleum.

“……”

I wish this were a dream.

And the worst part?

If this notice was what caused my position to change, then…

I felt a chill seeing the assistant manager’s hollow expression.

“Finish reading it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Yeah. D-squad, well… we achieved something unusual this time.”

No way.

“Does that mean the entire squad is being reassigned?”

“Not exactly. It just means the type of work we’ll be doing is changing.”

Assistant Manager Eun downed her coffee in one gulp.

“Up until now, we’ve mostly been assigned to manage ghost stories with completed manuals.”

Wait a second.

“Now they want us to handle ghost stories without completed manuals!”

“……!!”

In other words, they’re going to throw us into ghost stories with no data!

“Seriously, just because we did well this one time, they’re shoving us into even harder situations…”

Supervisor Park was already slumped over his desk, seemingly aware of the news. Even the caffeine seemed ineffective.

“Hello.”

And right on cue, the squad leader with the lizard head walked into the office. Assistant Manager Eun immediately snapped.

“Squad Leader! They want us to go into ghost stories without manuals! Are they trying to get us all killed?”

“……? No, not at all.”

“Huh?”

Perhaps there was a loophole, as a faint glimmer of hope appeared on the assistant manager’s face…

“Even if the manual is complete, there’s no guarantee of safety.”

“……”

Oh, that’s what he meant…

‘What a pragmatic lizard this guy is…’

I barely managed to speak up.

“But isn’t it more dangerous without a manual? There’s no data to rely on.”

The lizard tilted his head slightly to the side.

“I’m not sure. I haven’t noticed much of a difference.”

“……”

Ah, right. He’s the guy who exorcises things with brute force…

‘So, you’ve been bulldozing through everything up until now…’

I decided to ask directly.

“Is there any advantage to the current situation?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of advantage?”

“Additional points are awarded.”

“……!”

Supervisor Park suddenly lifted his head.

Typical of people obsessed with points.

“H-How much more, Squad Leader?”

“A lot.”

“How much exactly?”

“On average, two to three times more compared to ghost stories of similar grades.”

“……!”

“What’s the highest multiplier you’ve seen, Squad Leader?”

“Fifteen times.”

Suddenly, the assistant manager and the supervisor’s eyes changed.

‘That’s the look of stock traders.’

It was the same expression people have right before they buy into a speculative biotech stock based on rumors.

It seems the allure of 30,000 points was too sweet to resist…

Normally, someone with common sense would try to stop this, but… well, to be honest, for me…

‘It’s basically guaranteed returns…’

There’s not much difference whether there’s a manual or not.

I already know more detailed information from the exploration records than any manual could provide!

So then.

‘It’s like a triple points event… right?’

.

.

And so, a short while later.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, sir.”

Without any resistance, D-squad accepted the new assignment and set off.

‘Let’s earn those points.’

Our destination was the 17th floor.

“From the 20th to the 17th floor, it’s mostly used by the development headquarters.”

Assistant Manager Eun frowned as she pressed the buttons.

“And the 17th floor… is where the researchers who scout for new Darkness work.”

Ding.

As the elevator doors opened, a white, artificial-looking office space typical of a combined laboratory and office came into view. Standing there, already waiting for us, was someone who extended their hand.

“Wow~ Is this the friend I’ve been hearing about? Awesome, just awesome~”

Definitely someone above my rank.

I reflexively shook the outstretched hand.

“I’m Kim Soleum. Nice to meet you.”

“Oh, you’ve got good manners too.”

The man in a white lab coat and glasses looked fairly young, but considering the strange nature of this world, I decided not to jump to conclusions based on appearances.

After greeting the rest of D-squad, the man turned back to me.

“I’m Kwak Jaekang from Research Team 1. Nice to meet you. Looking forward to working with you~”

“……! I look forward to working with you too.”

Our squad’s assistant manager whispered to me.

“Don’t worry. He’s just a section chief.”

Aren’t you just an assistant manager…?

But that wasn’t what surprised me. I recognized this person.

----------------------------------------

Researcher Kwak Jaekang

: An employee from Research Team 1 in the Raw Materials Development Department of Daydream Inc., featured in <Dark Exploration Records>.

Frequently mentioned in the early records of explorations into newly registered Darkness.

----------------------------------------

Another named character appeared.

‘His personality, though… um.’

One of the few employees described as ‘cheerful and sociable’.

But…

Hmm.

I quietly followed the squad without revealing my thoughts.

“We’ll be seeing each other often from now on, right, Section Chief Lee Jaheon?”

“Yes.”

……

Aiyah.

“May I ask why?”

“Yes.”

Finally, the lizard explained.

“Research Team 1 studies and standardizes methods for entering new Darkness. So, you’ll frequently meet D-squad, as you’ll be the ones exploring the new Darkness that hasn’t yet been documented.”

In short, they’re the team that assigns us our work.

‘They find new Darkness here and pass it onto the Field Exploration Team’s advance unit…’

“Oh, come on, you always explain things in such a difficult way, Section Chief Lee. And you’re not even a researcher!”

The Research Team’s section chief patted the lizard section chief on the back. The lizard’s unblinking pupils shifted toward him, as if confused.

It kind of felt like watching a thriller movie…

“Anyway, today’s Darkness is ready for you to enter. Don’t forget your Dream Essence Collector, alright?”

Assistant Manager Eun’s face briefly flashed an expression like, ‘Why is this guy from another department telling us the obvious?’ but Supervisor Park’s frantic hand gestures stopped her from speaking out loud.

“Check the records of ordinary people who went in and came out, as well as the team that previously entered.”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon took the documents from the Research Team.

Meanwhile, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

“……?”

I turned to find a grinning researcher talking to me.

“Hey, do you want to bet on whether it’s D-Class or F-Class?”

“Pardon?”

“We like to place small bets among ourselves. You should try it—it’s fun.”

“No, thank you.”

I answered immediately.

‘Is this guy out of his mind?’

What if they get audited…? And this guy’s talking gambling right in front of his boss.

I glanced at the Research Team’s section chief reflexively.

But this researcher shrugged.

“Eh, it’s no big deal. It’s not like someone’s going to die because of a little bet.”

“……”

“Haha. Oh, look at that—your expression didn’t even change. You’ve got guts, Soleum-ssi.”

I was too dumbfounded to control my facial muscles.

‘Isn’t this crossing the line for a workplace?’

It’s certainly fitting behavior for a researcher in a world based on creepypastas.

“Just kidding. The Darkness we’re dealing with today isn’t life-or-death serious. A lot of regular people escaped from it… though the Planning Team did have a hard time covering up all the fuss the Disaster Management Bureau made about it~”

“……”

When none of D-squad’s members responded, the Research Team 1 section chief just smiled and organized the remaining documents.

“Hoh.”

The researcher who had been talking about bets looked over at us with a sneer, crossed his arms, and took on a casual, spectator-like stance.

‘Is it really okay to act like that at work…?’

I wasn’t feeling great about it, but it’s not like work in this company is ever exactly pleasant. What mattered now was the Darkness we’d been assigned.

What kind of ghost story was it?

“Oh, Roe, you should take a look too.”

“Yes.”

I took the documents my superior handed me.

‘I bet it’s something I’m familiar with.’

And considering many civilians had escaped, it seemed like it wouldn’t be too bad. At worst, maybe a D-Class story?

I should be able to handle it without too much trouble.

So, no need to panic…

“Roe, did you read this? Something about portraits of clowns… oh, if you see a clown ad, you get pulled in?”

Clown ad…?!

No way, it couldn’t be…

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[The Clown Hates You]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-D-210.

It involves an endless hallway lined with various clown portraits, where people are doomed to wander forever.

Upon closer inspection, the portraits aren’t of actual clowns but grotesquely twisted people forced into clown-like appearances, with distorted grins.

----------------------------------------

“……”

No way.

The longer you stay, the more distorted and bizarre the portraits become.

Those who go missing in this ghost story become new clown portraits.

This is a rare, full-blown horror movie-style ghost story in terms of exploration records.

Wow.

I scanned the exploration record with trembling eyes.

……

It’s really that.

‘Wow, it’s here.’

A full-on horror theme, way scarier than the convenience store ghost.

“Haha, well, let’s head in then!”

Excuse me!

Forget the triple points event—just cancel it! I don’t want to go in!

But of course, in society, words like that don’t really fly…

“……”

I opened my eyes. Before me was a dark, pitch-black hallway—no, more like a corridor, just as gloomy as my future.

The walls were plastered with grotesque clown portraits, each bearing twisted, unsettling expressions.

‘F-Fuck.’

The method for entering this place was terrifying from the start:

1- Watch a YouTube ad featuring a clown with a red nose laughing maniacally while staring directly at the viewer.

2- In any enclosed indoor hallway, a clown’s hand suddenly appears from around a corner.

3- If you get too close, it grabs your wrist and pulls you into this hallway.

I nearly passed out just from that part.

‘This is insane.’

I looked around nervously. The exploration records played vividly in my mind, warning me of all the terrifying things that would happen no matter which wall I approached.

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

‘Honestly, anyone would be scared of this place, not just me…’

“Hm. It’s not that dark. We probably don’t need to turn on our flashlights.”

“Section Chief! Shouldn’t we wait until our eyes adjust to the dark?”

“Right. Close your eyes for 60 seconds.”

“Yes, sir!” responded Supervisor Park in a clear, confident voice.

“……”

Are they serious?

To calmly suggest closing our eyes for a full minute in a dark hallway filled with unsettling clown portraits?

“Roe, close your eyes too.”

I guess that’s the plan.

“Yes, sir.”

I pretended to close my eyes but instead stared at the floor, sweat pouring down my face.

I just realized something.

These people.

They’re basically immune to fear.

Unless it’s a life-threatening situation, their threshold for fear is absurdly high!

They’re the kind of people who would say things like, ‘The scariest thing in life is people,’ and find horror movies boring!

‘Well, that’s probably why they work here!’

But no matter how brave they are, surely they wouldn’t be able to stay so calm if those grotesque portraits started moving…

“Hmm… If you get too close to the portraits or stab them, sometimes they crawl out and chase after you.”

“Oh, right. When that happens, the painting becomes empty, and a few people have used that as a way to escape back to reality.”

“I see.”

Section Chief Lee’s voice remained calm and composed.

“Stab every portrait you see.”

I nearly yelped.

“Yes, sir! If anything comes to life, I’ll signal and run immediately!”

“Yes. We’ll repeat the attempt every hour.”

“Oh, did it say they crawl? That’s good, less mobility.”

“Exactly. Oh, Roe! I noticed earlier—there’s a clown with strange eyes over there on the left. Looks just like a movie poster, doesn’t it?”

“……”

“It resembles the description of a missing civilian. I guess when you go missing here, you end up like that.”

I couldn’t help but look up.

In the eerie darkness, there was a portrait of a clown, with a button for one eye, smeared in colorful clown makeup, baring a forced, toothy grin.

‘…It moved.’

I was sure of it—the pupil of its remaining eye just shifted.

“……”

“Roe, want to try touching that one first?”

Ah, no!! Please, just stop!

“…Uh, yes.”

Why did I say yes? I can’t even go near it!

A strong sense of foreboding hit the back of my neck.

If I keep matching the tempo of these lunatics, I won’t survive here.

“So, Roe will start with the upper-left portrait…”

“Wait a second.”

“Hmm?”

This is my chance!

“I think I’ve figured out the right way to escape.”

“W-What?”

It’s been less than a minute since we got here, but anyway, I’ve figured it out! Just trust me!

“I deduced it from reading the records of civilian escapees.”

Has my brain ever worked this fast before?

‘I can’t let these fearless maniacs take the lead!’

“First, we must not touch the other portraits.”

“Huh? Why?”

Because I’m terrified, that’s why.

But my mouth said something different.

“…There must be a specific correct answer.”

Is this what survival instinct feels like?

I immediately pulled out the toy coin from my equipment and summoned the translucent glove into the air.

Then, I handed over twenty 500-won coins to the glove as if I were dumping them on a big-time YouTuber. (T/N: Approx. 8 USD total)

The glove froze for a second, like it was in shock from the generous donation, then happily spun around in the air before merging with my hand.

“Wait, is that your equipment, Roe?”

“Yes. It allows me to remotely touch objects.”

“Whoa.”

At least now I didn’t have to approach the clown portraits and touch them myself.

But I pretended I had a different plan, nodding seriously as if deep in thought.

“From now on… I want to run and see as many portraits as possible. We need to find the correct one.”

I looked at Section Chief Lee Jaheon.

“And starting now, the portrait I describe will be the correct one.”

“……”

“If you spot it, please tell me immediately. Is that okay?”

If this works, I won’t have to examine each and every clown portrait myself!

‘Of course, if he responds with Who’s this rookie to boss us around?, it’s all over…’

But Section Chief Lee didn’t seem like the type to be obsessed with authority.

Even though he had a lizard’s head! And maybe even thinks like a lizard!

“Sure.”

It worked!

Relief coursed down my spine, almost making my legs give out, but I held on, nodding as if everything was still under control.

“Then, I’ll start running.”

I acted as if I were testing out some brilliant new hypothesis, one that required running to test properly…

‘Though it’s actually not necessary at all…’

Escaping from here is surprisingly simple.

‘You can touch any portrait you want, and it won’t affect finding the correct one…’

If you’re brave enough, you could just stroll around casually and figure it out.

But I had already learned my lesson.

I learned the hard way during that game of tag with the ghost at the convenience store.

What’s the key to survival for a coward?

‘Speedrun!’

Haunted house midway escape.

Let’s go!

Chapter 17 - [The Clown Hates You], II

Around the time Field Exploration Team’s D-squad entered the ghost story,

“Section Chief, what do you think the grade will be this time? D-Class again, most likely?”

“Hey, Supervisor Lee. You should be more tactful about these things, yeah?”

“……”

“It’s fun and all, but let’s keep it within the Development Department. Don’t bring it up when other teams are around. Got it?”

“…Ah, yes.”

The Research Team supervisor, who had been grinning as he talked about betting with Kim Soleum, finally shut his mouth.

How annoying. He had underestimated Section Chief Kwak Jaekang, thinking he was young and easygoing, so it was unpleasant to be scolded over something like this.

And this irritation reminded him of someone else who had seemed even more irritating—an easy target.

That rookie from the Field Exploration Team!

‘The nerve of him, staring down at his superiors.’

He had tried to include the rookie in the bet, but the new hire had outright refused, looking completely unimpressed.

Kim Soleum, wasn’t it?

‘You’re just a lab rat for human experiments, so where’s your attitude coming from?’

If you’re a rookie in the Field Exploration Team, half of your life is already forfeit. But seeing him act all stiff-necked just because he made some achievement? It was laughable.

He had heard stories of clueless rookies like this every year, and now, he was seeing one for himself.

‘Will he die? It’d be hilarious if he did.’

His morally numb brain anticipated a rush of dopamine, making him salivate a bit at the thought.

He quickly sent a message in the company’s anonymous betting group chat.

– am betting 10 on d-class

– kk

It was more than a bet—it was his hope. The chances of them dying would be much higher if it were D-Class!

Then, a superior interrupted his thoughts.

“Supervisor Lee, make sure the preliminary report is ready by the end of the day.”

“…Yeees.”

‘Not like the lab rats will make it out of the Darkness before my shift ends anyway.’

His boss was making him handle the kind of tasks he’d normally pass on to his junior during a shift change. Why did he have such bad luck with supervisors?

Grumbling internally, the Research Team assistant supervisor continued writing the preliminary experiment report.

3.2 Test Subjects

Adults over the age of 18 who have seen the five-second video ad titled ‘The Clown Hates You’, played as a promotion on a certain video platform 4.

‘After watching that, they approached the clown’s hand, which then dragged them in, right?’

Isn’t approaching something like that just stupid?

If you see something suspicious, you should run away. From that point, it’s already natural selection at work.

‘But then, there are the lucky civilians who manage to escape.’

According to the testimonies of surviving civilians, they managed to return to reality by jumping into the empty portrait after a clown left.

‘The test subjects know that going in.’

However, there wasn’t any clear indication of which portrait was the right one.

The hallway types, the sizes of the portraits, the frame designs, even the timing—it all varied.

It seemed that most people who escaped had simply jumped into the empty portraits by chance and got lucky.

‘Finding the correct portrait is going to be a real grind.’

The Darkness required a lot of stamina, with people having to wake up clowns, evade them, and sometimes even fight them off.

At the same time, not knowing which portrait was the right one must have been nerve-wracking!

At least one or two deaths were practically guaranteed in this scenario. They’d probably make sacrifices as they tested out different portraits.

‘For someone to escape, it’ll take at least half a day, maybe even a few days…’

“Waaaaah!”

“Clear!”

“……”

“……”

Wait, what?

The researcher turned his head.

From the corner of the lab, a group of people suddenly poured in.

…It was the entire Field Exploration Team D-squad!

“……?!”

“Is the Dream Essence Collector full?”

“Yes! Oh, it’s D-Class!”

He reflexively checked his watch.

It was 2:41 PM.

‘They entered at 2:15 PM…’

Only 26 minutes had passed since they entered.

Wait.

‘…26 minutes?!’

Seeing the four members of D-squad emerge from the ghost story in less time than it would take for a quick coffee break, a heavy silence settled over Research Team 1’s office.

‘Am I dreaming?’

No.

‘Are we the ones trapped in a ghost story?’

Not that either.

“…My goodness! How did you all get out so quickly? Section Chief, did you smash your way through again?”

Kwak Jaekang’s admiration was met with an immediate response.

“No.”

“Right.”

“He did it.”

Kwak Jaekang’s gaze shifted to the D-squad superiors speaking in unison.

“…Nice to see you again.”

The rookie who had quietly been standing at the back bowed his head.

It was Kim Soleum.

“…This friend did it?”

The unspoken question, ‘Isn’t he just a rookie?’ was met with a casual reply.

“What’s new?”

“Roe was like this on his first day, too.”

“……??”

The assistant manager and supervisor of D-squad didn’t say anything more and began organizing their equipment. Section Chief Lee Jaheon nodded.

“That’s how it is.”

“……”

“This ghost story is D-Class.”

“Ah, yes, of course.”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon promptly started his report. Kwak Jaekang, accustomed to his efficiency-driven, stream-of-consciousness style, responded right away.

“So, what’s the clear mechanism?”

“? I don’t know.”

“……”

“Oh. May I explain?”

The rookie raised his hand from the back.

“Uhh, sure… go ahead.”

“First, to enter this Darkness, you must have seen the pre-entry ad, ‘The Clown Hates You,’ right?”

“That’s correct.”

“But, the clown is not actually a clown.”

“……??”

“Clowns wear colorful makeup, smile cheerfully, and perform tricks. They’re a type of traditional entertainer.”

And?

“But this clown wears monochromatic makeup and has a frowning face.”

“……!”

“There’s a clear distinction.”

A faint smile flickered on Kim Soleum’s pale face before disappearing.

“And since the ad says, ‘The Clown Hates You,’ I assumed it wouldn’t chase us.”

After all, entertainers don’t chase people they dislike.

“So I looked for the portrait with monochromatic makeup and only red lips, and I avoided all the other portraits.”

“……”

“To be cautious, I kept a safe distance of 3 meters and remotely touched the portrait.”

He considered all that while clearing a ghost story in just half an hour? And based on the outcome…

“The clown didn’t come out of the portrait.”

“……!”

“Instead, it quietly disappeared from the painting.”

This rookie had identified the correct solution.

While previous civilians had been chased by clowns falling out of various portraits, D-squad, interacting only with one from a safe distance, had figured out the situation perfectly.

The researcher felt chills running down his spine.

The rookie even factored in other variables.

“There was a record stating that shining light on the portraits would cause all the clowns to jump out, so we didn’t use any light sources.”

“Huh? Then how did you manage to identify the portraits from 3 meters away in such Darkness?”

“Oh.”

Kim Soleum blinked.

“The Section Chief could see them just fine.”

“……”

Ah.

Kwak Jaekang tried not to turn and look at D-squad’s section chief, who seemed like the embodiment of ‘strength in human form’.

“From now on, I believe future entrants should bring night vision goggles, and they should have no problems.”

“Ah, I see… that makes sense.”

“That concludes my report.”

Another heavy silence followed.

Kwak Jaekang muttered quietly to himself.

“He figured all this out just from reviewing the pre-entry information?”

“Yes.”

The rookie added, as if he’d just realized something.

“Maybe none of the people who entered before were familiar with American pop culture.”

“……”

Could it really be explained that simply…?

“Uh, Soleum-ssi, did you study abroad or something?”

“No, I didn’t.”

Kim Soleum answered immediately.

“I just happen to know a lot of random stuff.”

“……”

The researchers witnessed the rare sight of Kwak Jaekang, usually a smooth talker, at a loss for words!

“Oh, I’ve also written a temporary manual based on this theory. Supervisor Park Minseong was kind enough to lend me a notebook…”

“Oh, I didn’t do anything~ Roe, you did it all~”

As Park’s words echoed in the background, the researchers watched as Kwak Jaekang received the notebook from him.

They craned their necks to peek inside.

Sure enough, the hypothesis Kim Soleum had explained earlier was neatly organized in the notebook.

‘……!’

Kwak Jaekang quickly skimmed through it, then closed it with a smile.

“…Interesting. Let’s test it.”

“Yes.”

Thus, the prototype manual was completed, all thanks to a single person—a rookie, no less.

“……”

The researcher who had made the bet earlier briefly wondered if he was dreaming. Even if Soleum had known about clowns by chance… how could someone come up with a theory and escape in just thirty minutes, even in a life-threatening situation?

No. Does that even make sense?

‘Could he be some kind of monster pretending to be human?’

But then again, there’s no way something like that would get hired by the Field Exploration Team. And besides, the Dream Essence Collector only reacts to humans, right?

“Squad Leader, the Research Team wants that piece you brought back from the Darkness.”

“Alright.”

Meanwhile, Section Chief Lee Jaheon handed over a piece of cloth he had been holding.

“What is that…?”

“Oh, Squad Leader Lee grabbed it when the portrait clown tried to escape…”

It was a torn piece of fabric from when Squad Leader Lee had sprinted 3 meters to grab the clown by the collar, preventing its escape.

“……”

‘Are they birds of a feather?’

Were the two somehow related? Now that he thought about it, they did resemble each other a bit. Both had a slick, sharp appearance. The researcher nearly let his imagination run wild with absurd thoughts.

And, back to the rookie who had caused such shock and alarm…

‘I, I’m alive.’

His heart was still racing from acting impulsively, not thinking of the consequences.

‘Why did the clown have teeth?! Why was it peeling off people’s skin?! Why was it sucking people into the sewer like balloons?!’

Having witnessed all sorts of terrifying, animated clown portraits, he’d probably developed a fear of clowns for life.

‘Another reason for insomnia added to the list…’

What amazed him was how he had managed to bluff his way through the situation, talking his way out of it.

‘Wait, did I really pull it off?’

Wasn’t I acting too suspicious?

I hope they don’t think I had a cheat sheet and end up dragging me to some secret lab in the basement of Daydream Inc.!

Just as Kim Soleum was about to let his anxiety take over, Kwak Jaekang, who had quietly been holding the notebook, finally spoke.

“…New Hire Kim Soleum. Haven’t you gotten your business card printed yet?”

Kim Soleum, snapping back to reality, responded promptly.

“No, new hires don’t receive business cards yet…”

“Oh, don’t play dumb. You know what I mean.”

“……”

Suddenly, something came to mind.

The business card the host had handed him at the welcome party.

───

If needed 010-0153-24865

───

The Research Team 1’s section chief smirked.

“If you want to earn points faster, contact that number.”

“……”

“I have a feeling you’ll be calling soon.”

It sounded like a tempting offer.

However.

“No, thank you.”

Kim Soleum responded without hesitation.

“…Hmm. If that’s your decision.”

Kwak Jaekang shrugged and let it go lightly.

“Is there any particular reason not to? Haha.”

“……”

The reason was simple.

‘More terrifying events? No, thank you.’

His heart, still shaken by the recent ordeal, couldn’t take it.

Kim Soleum had already decided to settle for the current ‘triple points event’ and leave it at that!

Chapter 18 - Settling in

I’ll be honest.

Now, it’s been a month since I joined.

Surprisingly, working at a ghost story corporation… it’s actually bearable!

“Wow, crazy, another clear in 30 minutes!”

“Are they actually doing better than C-squad?”

Hearing lines that sound like they belong in some YouTube web drama, spoken in real life, is surreal.

“Hey, enjoy it. All of this is your achievement.”

It was lunchtime.

Assistant Manager Eun, proudly carrying both the A and B menu options from the cafeteria, spoke coolly.

By the way, we’d already cleared one case this morning.

“Thanks to Roe, I’m doing the crazy thing of clearing twelve new ghost stories in a month.”

“No, it’s all thanks to your excellent leadership.”

“Leadership, my foot. I’m just enjoying the ride.”

“That’s right. I’ll buy beef today, Soleum-sunbaenim.”

“Minseong-ah, that’s a bit…”

“Hey, what’s wrong with that? Roe’s definitely more of a sunbae than me.”

When a superior makes jokes like this, it can be surprisingly hard to react without feeling awkward…

But, whether it was a joke or genuine, Supervisor Park didn’t wait for my reaction. Instead, he showed off his excitement, proudly displaying a screenshot of his monthly point accumulation.

“Already 5,000 points!”

Yeah.

[Supervisor Park Minseong / Accumulated Points: 5,200P]

That’s also how many points I earned in a month.

‘Speedruns do work…’

I never imagined my survival tactics would end up like this.

Most of the ghost stories were F-Class or D-Class, so it was manageable.

‘It seems like high-level ones don’t come around often.’

If they did, the world would have ended already with a ‘And so, the world perished’ finale for this universe.

Anyway, my superiors were more excited than I was. They seemed to find it more amusing since it wasn’t their work.

“Probably the fastest record for a new hire in the company’s history, right?”

“Oooh!”

Ah, now that I think about it, I’ve barely seen any of the other new recruits.

Since I’ve been going in and out of the Research Team’s office at the 17th floor daily, I haven’t had many opportunities to meet the other squads of the Field Exploration Team.

‘And Baek Saheon and I are still pretending the other doesn’t exist.’

To maintain the crazy persona I adopted, I’d sometimes throw in over-the-top work-related jokes.

– You’re going on a ghost investigation today, right? Wanna bet on how many civilians die?

– ……

The researcher who liked to gamble gave me some inspiration. Thanks, buddy.

Anyway, seeing Baek Saheon gritting his teeth and ignoring me showed that my approach was effective.

‘Smooth sailing.’

I finished the last sip of my galbi-tang (short ribs soup) and set the bowl down.

Clocking out on time, and getting bonuses.

‘The cafeteria food’s not bad either.’

In terms of benefits, this company would probably get a 3.5 rating or higher on sites like ‘Employment Korea’.

Of course, there’s the massive stress that comes with essentially spending every day in haunted houses where ghosts appear…

‘Things I would’ve refused to do no matter what before… Well, that’s just typical corporate life now, I guess.’

And just like any other job, the sense of accomplishment from getting results somehow makes you think it’s not so bad.

“Roe.”

Assistant Manager Eun spoke softly and quietly.

“At this rate, higher-ups are bound to take notice.”

“…Pardon?”

“Your performance, I mean.”

“……”

“You can chalk it up to luck once or twice, but not ten times in a row.”

Assistant Manager Eun squinted and grinned.

“Someone higher up will definitely want to take a closer look at you. When that happens, make sure to let us know. Tell the squad leader too.”

Hmm.

If this were a normal company, I’d be worrying about credit being stolen and might’ve considered keeping quiet. But here?

This is the world of horror stories, and my superiors had already experienced me saving their lives before.

I nodded obediently.

“Yes, I will.”

“See, even though he may not look like it… or rather, just by looking at him, you can tell our squad leader is quite exceptional, right?”

Our eyes followed Section Chief Lee Jaheon, who was finishing his meal quickly and leaving the cafeteria.

“If you ever get an absurd request, just ask for his help once. He’ll cover for you.”

That lizard?

“…Understood.”

“Okay. Roe, you’re good at understanding things.”

To be honest, I wasn’t fully convinced, but I just nodded. That’s something I’ll have to keep secret for the future.

Anyway… So, they might start talking about me in the higher-ups, huh?

I stood up, clearing my tray, while thinking.

‘At this point, it’s inevitable that I’ll stand out.’

I’ve pretty much accepted that.

After all, if I’d seen a clown crawling out of a portrait with only its upper body, I probably would’ve passed out on the spot…

But there’s one thing I can rely on.

‘They can’t give a newbie anything harder than this, right?’

If they do, it wouldn’t be a simple job dump but actual core tasks for the department.

Making a new recruit, who’s only been here a month and isn’t even experienced, handle the department’s core responsibilities?

That’s something you’d only see in a crazy YouTube skit. Plus, it would go against the unwritten rules of any big corporation.

I’ll just chalk this up to my work evolving into ‘unhandled ghost stories’ and consider myself lucky.

If this becomes a regular thing, they’ll just think, ‘Oh, this guy’s specialized in that area,’ and get used to it.

“Shall we head back?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I made my decision and returned my dishes.

However, at that moment, as I was getting used to this strange world and work life, I forgot one universal truth about society.

The one about…

The nail that sticks out gets hammered down!

At the same time, in the office of Research Team 1.

‘They cleared it again in just over an hour…’

One researcher, who had been slacking off while reviewing D-squad’s records, gritted his teeth.

‘How many points have they earned so far? 5,000P?’

At this rate, within a few years, they might break the record for fastest Wish Ticket acquisition…

“……”

“Lucky you, huh?”

The researcher muttered bitterly.

“Some of us are stuck in the lab, facing all sorts of horrors, and we can barely scrape together 500 points a month without hazard pay.”

“……”

“Meanwhile, a newbie racks up 50,000 points in a month…”

“Hey, cut it out.”

The researcher clammed up.

The fact that he couldn’t even complain about the situation made him even more frustrated inside.

Something wasn’t right.

‘Some people get lucky and pick the best equipment, making points easily.’

Meanwhile, others don’t even have access to those kinds of points or privileges, not even in their wildest dreams.

‘The Field Exploration Team should be below research positions. We’re the elite, and we should be treated better—this isn’t fair.’

It was truly unfair.

That thought was genuine.

Of course, he conveniently forgot that he had often mocked the Field Exploration Team employees, calling them ‘lab rats’.

“Well, sometimes things just fall into place during ghost explorations. That’s how it goes.”

Section Chief Kwak Jaekang commented with a smile, throwing a casual remark toward the researcher.

“Though, I admit, this case is something else.”

“……”

Ignoring the researcher’s sour expression, Kwak Jaekang flicked through the documents.

“Oh, and I hear this ghost story requires more than 10 people to enter?”

“……”

“Supervisor Lee?”

“Ah, yes. That’s correct. You need ten people to enter the ghost story.”

“Hmm.”

With a smile, Kwak Jaekang picked up a pen.

“Looks like this will be a team effort, then.”

– Assigned : Squads A, D & Y

“……”

The researcher watched as Kwak Jaekang pulled out the roster and marked the squads.

And then it happened.

“Supervisor Lee.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know what the alphabetical order of the Field Exploration Teams means?”

He did not.

Since he was just doing his job on autopilot and keeping his head down, there was no way he would be well-versed in the organizational structure of other departments.

Kwak Jaekang laughed and casually tapped the documents. It was a strange kind of laughter.

“In a word, it’s ranked by performance.”

“……!”

“You know how schools have honors classes, regular classes, and remedial classes?”

The researcher suddenly realized something.

“Then… is D-squad an honors class?”

“No.”

A firm denial came back.

“A to C. Those are the elites.”

Kwak Jaekang tapped his pen on the corresponding teams.

“The rest are just expendables.”

“…Ah.”

For a brief moment, the researcher felt a little better.

“But you know, just between us… D-squad’s performance has been so good lately that there’s some talk about a big promotion during the next assignment cycle. Haha.”

“……!”

As with any corporate gossip, such overly bold statements were usually not reliable rumors.

Still, the researcher felt a bit anxious.

‘Is there any bad news?’

As if on cue, Kwak Jaekang mumbled something in a seemingly regretful tone.

“But man, what bad timing. They’re entering together with A-squad…”

“……! Is it bad to go in with the elite team?”

“Well, of course. You know why, right?”

Kwak Jaekang stroked his chin.

“There are times when a sacrifice is needed to open an escape route in certain ghost stories.”

Especially…

In those that require large teams.

Kwak Jaekang shrugged.

“This exploration is going to give us plenty to talk about.”

A few days later.

Just like the past month, D-squad received a call and headed up to the 17th floor. There, they were met with an unexpected sight.

“Hello.”

“……?!”

There were other visitors in Research Team 1’s office.

People wearing various masks.

‘Are they from another squad in the Field Exploration Team?’

I quickly counted the heads.

There were about seven of them.

Among them was someone I recognized.

– Can it bring the dead back to life?

It was the same new hire who had asked about the Wish Ticket at the orientation.

That one wearing a bison mask was quietly standing with his head bowed, leaning against a desk. There was a slightly gloomy aura around him.

His hair was long, especially for a man, to the point where you might expect the company to give him a hard time about it.

Of course, it didn’t seem like anyone in this room cared about such things.

“Oh.”

“This… Ahem…”

As D-squad’s seniors reacted to the people filling the office space, with some mixture of admiration and sighs…

“Oh, D-squad is finally here! Come in, come in~ Let’s start the briefing.”

Kwak Jaekang appeared and began leading everyone into the attached meeting room.

As we walked, I overheard Assistant Manager Eun asking a question.

“Are we going in together with the other teams?”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

“……”

Assistant Manager Eun glanced around, then quietly walked over to me and whispered low enough that others couldn’t hear.

“See those employees with the gold-marked masks?”

“Yes.”

“That’s the A-squad.”

I knew.

‘They’re the elite team.’

In Daydream Inc., the company could only function if someone cleared the ghost stories and extracted the resources.

‘To avoid a plot hole where the company collapses, there has to be a group of people inhumanly good at their job…’

That’s why A-squad was known for having so many notable figures in the <Dark Exploration Records>. I gave a small nod.

A-squad consisted of three people wearing a butterfly, praying mantis, and teal duck mask.

Then, the person wearing the teal duck mask from A-squad spoke up.

It was the voice of an energetic, older woman.

“Oh, so you’re that famous Employee Kim Soleum?”

“Yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

I instinctively bowed my head, but cold sweat started to form.

‘That’ Kim Soleum? What kind of rumors are circulating about me?

“Right, right. If we get the chance, let’s meet sometime. You’ve got a bright future ahead, kid.”

The woman passed by me and took her seat.

…That must be the leader of A-squad.

Assistant Manager Eun continued explaining.

“And… the ones without the gold marks on their masks are the Y-squad.”

“……”

Three people wearing masks without gold marks, plus the new employee with the bison mask that I recognized. There was a somewhat gloomy atmosphere surrounding them.

“The leader of Y-squad isn’t a manager, just a regular employee, but don’t worry about it. Just stay quiet.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I already knew that, too.

Supervisor Park whispered to me.

“Um… Roe. The people you met today from the other squads, especially the Y-squad, just keep things light with them, okay? I’ll tell you why later.”

“Yes, sir.”

I nodded without question. I already had a rough idea of what that ‘later explanation’ might be.

But suddenly, Supervisor Park sitting next to me seemed touched.

“Huh. Honestly… I love that you’re like a more tactful version of the section chief.”

“I think so too.”

“……”

Was that… a compliment?

“Alright, if everyone could take their seats, let’s get started with the briefing.”

Kwak Jaekang stood in front of the board without even turning on the prompter.

“I was going to explain the ghost story you’ll be entering today, but…!”

Kwak Jaekang let out a chuckle.

“The truth is, we don’t know much.”

“……??”

“What do you mean by that, Section Chief Kwak?”

“There’s only one piece of information from a civilian escape!”

“…Hoh.”

In the silence, a few documents were handed out. I looked over the brief page, which was more like a memo.

While playing a board game during a club retreat at Hanmaeum-gadeuk Pension in Gangwon-do, all 12 university students went missing.

The board game in question is presumed to be a creation of Cheerful Research Institute* under the trademark ‘Cheerful Theme Park! ~Joyful Fantasyland Adventure~’.

The survivors stated that the board game was ‘already placed inside the pension’. The pension owner denies this.

Result : After 17 hours, some members returned. They testified to ‘living inside a theme park within the board game’. Various symptoms such as delusions, PTSD, and mild to severe neuroses were reported.

Survivors : 4

Missing : 1

Deceased : 7

The next page contained brief statements from each survivor about their time in the ‘board game theme park’. The descriptions were fragmented, likely due to their severe psychological trauma.

But even that was enough for me to recognize it.

I swallowed hard.

‘It’s about time for this one.’

It finally arrived.

A ghost story requiring a large group to participate!

“The player limit for this board game must exceed 10 people? That’s why the group size is so large?”

“Yes, yes, we tried to recreate the conditions as closely as possible.”

Kwak Jaekang winked.

“But! Despite the harsh circumstances, my team has figured out the best way to enter.”

“You just brought the board game, didn’t you?”

“Haha! Don’t be so harsh, Assistant Manager Jin. We even got the game rules.”

The A-squad employee in the butterfly mask didn’t respond, but Kwak Jaekang didn’t mind as he placed the board game on the table.

“Here it is.”

[Cheerful Theme Park!]

~Joyful Fantasyland Adventure~

: Be the first team to ride all three fantasy attractions with your teammates and win spectacular prizes!

The front of the nearly brand-new box was adorned with a colorful depiction of Fantasyland.

When the box was opened, it revealed a map of the theme park divided into zones and brightly colored coins.

“Now, let’s split into teams and start the board game.”

He says it so cheerfully, urging us to enter a ghost story where more than half the people died.

“Should we just form teams based on our squads?”

“Oh, actually… you’ll draw game pieces from these capsules, and your team will be based on the color you draw!”

Kwak Jaekang pulled out a small capsule from one side of the box and showed it to everyone.

“If you shake it, the piece will drop from this hole.”

“It’s random, then.”

With sighs, people began shaking the capsules and drawing game pieces one by one.

‘Blue, yellow, red… huh.’

As expected, this kind of thing usually goes in order of seniority, so my turn was almost last.

The piece I drew was…

“Employee Kim, you’ve got red.”

Of course, I got the red piece. In the world of ghost stories, red isn’t exactly a lucky color, and I wasn’t feeling great about it.

‘Well, the color doesn’t really matter in this ghost story.’

Even if people draw the same color, different things happen, after all.

I swallowed hard, feeling nervous.

Anyway. Are we entering now?

“Once the game board is set up, we’ll begin the entry!”

However, even after Squad Leader Lee Jaheon unfolded the game board, nothing happened.

“……”

Um?

A sudden thought crossed my mind, and I counted the number of people.

Four with yellow, four with blue.

And those who drew red, like me…

Assistant Manager Jin from A-squad, the new employee from Y-squad that I recognized… and me.

Three people in total.

“……”

Ah.

‘The red team doesn’t have enough players.’

“We’re missing one person,” Lee Jaheon said, turning his vertical pupils toward Kwak Jaekang.

“It seems we can’t enter with just 11 people. We need all 12 to try again.”

“Oh, that?”

Kwak Jaekang casually responded and tossed the capsule containing the game pieces.

“Supervisor Lee, catch!”

He threw it to the gambling-addicted researcher standing nearby.

“Wh, what?!”

The researcher caught the capsule reflexively.

Thud.

Inside, the remaining red piece fell out.

“……?!”

“I…I drew it?!”

Wait a second.

– Departing for Fantasyland~!

The game board shot up into the air, swirling before swallowing our surroundings.

“Uwaaahhh!”

“Hahahahaha!”

I heard the researcher’s scream echoing in my ears, followed by Kwak Jaekang’s laughter.

“……”

I recalled the back pages of Kwak Jaekang’s <Dark Exploration Records> entry on the wiki.

----------------------------------------

Ghost story-obsessed psycho.

Mad scientist.

When exploring ghost stories with little information, he often manipulates the situation by suggesting dangerous combinations or actions, leading to obvious deaths in order to gather peculiar data. He is a major contributor to expanding exploration records.

For details on

Kwak Jaekang’s disciplinary records, see the

#ExplorationRecords(Supplementary) page.

----------------------------------------

…I had always been wary that a day like this might come.

“What the— What is this?!”

I had a suspicion when we were grouped with a large number of people, including both A-squad and Y-squad…

‘He intentionally messed up our survival chances.’

This wasn’t about trying to clear the ghost story with the highest survival rate.

The setup was for everyone except A-squad to die.

Chapter 19 - [Cheerful Theme Park], I

The psychopathic doctor pushed his researcher into the ghost story exploration as a sacrificial lamb.

He was probably trying to observe how the people from the Field Exploration Team would die in even stranger ways by creating synergy with that researcher.

The problem is that I’m on the same team as that researcher.

‘Phew…’

I pulled myself together.

My ears, rather than my eyes, were the first to sense the ghost story.

– ♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

The cheerful sound of a melodica and orchestra.

It was the typical BGM of a theme park.

“Hah…”

When I opened my eyes, we found ourselves in the middle of an old-fashioned, colorfully painted theme park.

– Hahahaha!

The laughter of children echoed around.

However, there were no bare human faces to be seen anywhere.

The only things wandering about were the mascots.

In the distance, I thought I saw visitors in mascot costumes, but if you tried to approach, they would disappear like a lie.

‘That’s the kind of place this is.’

I immediately checked my wrist.

[(Cheerful) Fantasyland Admission Ticket □□□]

Three blank spaces.

‘As expected.’

It’s that insane amusement park inside a board game, where you can only escape by riding three attractions.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Cheerful Theme Park!]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-B-11

An amusement park within a board game themed around various fantasy lands.

If you use three major attractions after entering this ghost story, you can return home.

This ghost story became more famous because of the supplemental booklet titled ‘Cheerful Theme Park User Guide’, written by people who played the game while in a state of delirium.

If you’re looking for a game based on this ghost story, click this link.

----------------------------------------

There are many theme park ghost stories. But among them, this one is particularly famous in the <Dark Exploration Records> due to its bizarre, peculiar nature and relentless horror.

‘They even had goods inspired by this theme park at the pop-up store.’

It also gained a cult following through the supplement, <Cheerful Theme Park User Guide>.

They call it a so-called ‘Neapolitan ghost story’.

‘And it’s a B-Class.’

Gloom-Class Darkness.

Civilian survival rate… 2%.

The four civilian survivors must have been extremely lucky to make it out alive.

If we compared the list of missing persons who disappeared without a trace before, we’d probably find quite a few cases where they all died in this ghost story.

Cold sweat trickled down.

‘…The people in D-squad are probably in danger.’

But for now, I had my own crisis to deal with.

Because I was the one stuck with the variable called ‘the researcher got dragged into it’!

“Uwaah, huff… huff… Let me out, this is wrong, wrong…!”

“Quiet!”

I covered the researcher’s mouth, who was having a fit, and made him crouch down.

At that moment.

Clunk.

All the mascots in the theme park turned to look at the researcher who had been wailing.

“……”

Cheerful Theme Park User Guide (Applicable up to Exploration Record #64)

3- Please refrain from expressing negative and intense emotions such as crying, wailing, or screaming!

They do not suit the atmosphere of the cheerful theme park.

It was nothing short of a nightmare.

I fought hard not to close my eyes.

3…

2..

1.

The noise returned.

– Hahahaha!

– ♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

The stares disappeared.

As the lively atmosphere of the theme park returned, I slowly let go of the researcher.

An employee from A-squad struck the researcher on the jaw.

“……!”

Thud.

After the short, dull sound, the A-squad employee, wearing a butterfly mask, gripped the researcher’s jaw and leaned in close, speaking in a low, eerie voice.

“Hey.”

“……!”

“If you whine like that one more time, I’ll start by killing you.”

“Hiie, hiiieek—”

The researcher, with a terrified expression, stumbled backward and collapsed to the ground, clutching his head.

He seemed to be muttering things like, ‘This is a dream,’ ‘It’s a lie,’ mixed with curses, clearly in a state of panic.

“…Wasn’t that a bit excessive?”

A new employee from Y-squad spoke cautiously, but the A-squad employee ignored him.

Instead, she turned to me and asked.

“Hey, newbie. I heard you were the top recruit? Your judgment’s pretty good.”

“…Thank you.”

“Did you get your specialized equipment?”

Hmm.

So, she’s treating me as a fellow employee, at least.

‘Not part of the elite team, but still the top recruit?’

I thought it was a ridiculously one-dimensional standard, but I answered politely without showing it.

Yes, I had specialized equipment.

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“A finger that can remotely touch things. It has limitations on time and usage.”

That was all I said.

And I had a question of my own to ask.

“What kind of weapon do you use, Assistant Manager?”

“Not that it’s your business… Hmm, fine.”

The A-squad employee pulled at her index fingernail.

It was a fake nail, the kind used for nail art.

A sticky substance stretched out from the underside of the detached nail.

It was a translucent thread.

“It can stretch endlessly, and it’s pretty strong.”

“…That sounds extremely useful for various purposes.”

“Hmm. Yeah, I guess so.”

She seemed to be in a better mood.

I immediately nodded and asked.

“May I ask your name?”

“Just call me Assistant Manager Jin. What’s with the awkward introductions?”

Isn’t it just basic courtesy when people meet for the first time…?

Anyway, her surname’s unique enough to identify her right away.

‘Maybe… it’s this employee.’

– Assistant Manager Jin Nasol sneaks into the murderer’s bedroom, sets the clock to 4:44.

– When asked, “Do you have any particular grudge against carrots?” Jin Nasol answers seriously. No special remarks.

– Cuts off the limbs of a teddy bear (Executor: Employee Jin Nasol).

And so on.

There weren’t enough descriptions to deduce her personality in detail, but she seemed to be portrayed as a competent and rather cold employee.

At that moment, the new recruit from Y-squad quietly asked me.

“…What exactly do you mean by specialized equipment?”

Ah, right. It made sense that he wouldn’t fully understand yet.

“Oh, you can customize equipment using Darkness from the company—”

“Hey. Let’s move quickly. Observation comes first in large-scale Darkness like this.”

“……”

“What are you waiting for, top recruit? I said, let’s move!”

She cut me off without hesitation.

Without waiting any longer, I followed Assistant Manager Jin from A-squad, who had already started walking, and responded.

“Yes. I’ll explain the situation to my colleague as we move.”

“What? Why bother with that… oh.”

The mouth beneath the butterfly mask curled into a strange smile.

“What, you really don’t know?”

“……”

“Well, do as you please.”

I didn’t argue back.

Instead, I roughly explained to the new recruit from Y-squad what ‘specialized equipment’ was.

I added this to ease any tension within the team.

“I thought long and hard about it and ended up using quite a lot of points to get mine. Things can be scary from now on.”

“I… see.”

I nodded and continued speaking.

“By the way, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Kim Soleum.”

“…I know.”

A slightly gloomy voice slipped out from beneath the bison mask.

“I’m… Jang Heo-un.”

“Nice to meet you.”

I tried to speak to the researcher who had collapsed to the ground, but all I got was a whimpering close to panic.

“No, no, I can’t walk. Someone save me!”

“I could help you walk… but your mobility would be compromised, Supervisor.”

I added, as if concerned,

“In that case, it would increase your chance of dying.”

He got up like magic.

‘Just as I thought.’

Assistant Manager Jin from A-squad glanced at me with a look of disapproval but didn’t interfere and just scanned the surroundings as she walked.

I, too, quickened my pace and shifted my gaze.

It was a flashy yet somehow dizzying, stifling theme park, like something out of a dream.

‘Is red the theme here?’

There wasn’t a single place in this park—flags, buildings, tents—that didn’t feature a red symbol.

‘We must’ve drawn the red piece and ended up in this zone.’

On the flag, a cute rabbit was raising one hand and smiling.

[Magic Bunny Arcade Zone]

In other words, it’s a magical rabbit adventure zone…

‘It’s really got that theme park vibe.’

That’s when it happened.

The rabbit mascot blocked Assistant Manager Jin’s path.

“Ah, a roadblock…”

“Please hold on a moment.”

I stopped Assistant Manager Jin, who was about to walk around the mascot.

Because…

“…It looks like a parade.”

A line was drawn behind the rabbit mascot, and from afar, cheerful music and various colorful rabbits began to appear.

But not a single thing about it was exciting.

I tried my damnedest not to cover my face with my hands.

‘It’s starting…’

Cheerful Theme Park User Guide (Applicable up to Exploration Record #64)

7- Cheer for the parade with a joyful expression!

Everything that happens during the parade at the cheerful theme park is pleasant and never negative. Absolutely, absolutely not negative.

The parade drew closer.

The rabbit mascot in a dress waved its hand from atop a palace and then…

Bang!

It struck nearby carrots with a colorful wand.

And then all sorts of red, sparkling things began to pour down on the mascots.

– Uwaaahhh!

Candy, jewels, flower petals, fireworks!

But that wasn’t all.

Bang!

The next one burst open, spilling out new red objects.

Blood, entrails, organs!

– Hahahahahahaha!

They came tumbling down.

Tumble, tumble.

The mascots danced, wading through the entrails. The cobblestone right in front of me turned red…

Wow, this is insane.

‘This is the problem.’

This crazy theme park spits out things that no human could ever smile at as if they were glitches, but if you scream or cry, you’ll get [redacted]!

– Wowww!

Splatter.

The area in front of my shoe was soaked in blood.

Something that had rolled over bumped into the tip of my shoe.

An eyeball.

‘!@#$!@%!%’

Ack!! ACK!!!

A silent scream burst from within me, running down my spine.

‘I feel like I’m going to throw up.’

I squinted my eyes as much as I could, trying not to look directly at what was in front of me, pretending to be calm…

“Ugh.”

“……?”

Wait a second.

That wasn’t my voice, was it?

When I glanced to the side, I saw the bison mask with its mouth covered.

‘Could it be?’

“…Do you have trouble seeing violent things?”

“……”

The bison mask slowly nodded.

The lower part of the face, which wasn’t hidden by the mask, had already turned pale.

‘A comrade…!’

I almost felt my heart warm up.

Finally, someone who was sharing the madness and terror of this insane situation with me!

‘Hey, you’re doing a great job holding it in!’

I was about to suggest that we find a way to navigate this nightmare together when…

“Ah, seriously… what the hell are you saying?”

It was a voice full of irritation.

…It was Assistant Manager Jin from A-squad.

“Can’t handle seeing gore? How can you not understand that a wimp like that is just dead weight, not a backup life?”

“……!”

“Hey, top recruit. I’m telling you this because you have potential. That.”

The tip of Assistant Manager Jin’s index finger pointed at the new employee from Y-squad.

The Y-squad employee flinched.

“Don’t bother making friends with those X, Y, Z-tagged guys.”

“……”

I’d heard something similar from my direct superior earlier.

– Roe. The people you met today from the other squads, just keep things light with them, okay?

…I already knew the reason.

‘The Field Exploration Team assigns an alphabet to each squad.’

And there’s a meaning to that order.

Elite teams, A, B, C.

Regular teams from D to W.

And then X, Y, Z are…

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Daydream Inc. / Field Exploration Team

Round-Off Team

A part of the Field Exploration Team that consists of individuals who passed the entry test but have some defect that makes them unfit for normal exploration tasks.

They are mainly used for experimenting in special situations.

Usually referred to by the last three letters of the alphabet (X, Y, Z).

----------------------------------------

“The last three letters of the alphabet are where they put people like that. They’re just meat shields. They’re like extra lives given to employees who know how to do their jobs, so don’t pay attention to them.”

“…What?”

“They talk about variable elimination or whatever, and they don’t properly explain it to the newbies, but since they’re going to die here anyway, it doesn’t matter.”

The employee in the bison mask stiffened.

“W-What are you…”

“Round-Off Team, bison mask. Raise your left hand.”

“?!”

Like a lie.

Jang Heo-un raised his left hand into the air.

“……!!”

The lower part of his face, not covered by the mask, had turned deathly pale with shock.

“W-What…!”

The A-squad employee lifted her chin.

“That’s how you use a meat shield.”

When an employee of a certain rank or higher enters the Darkness with a Round-Off Team member, they can issue absolute orders to them.

The Round-Off Team member must obey the command.

Right.

‘…It’s a system to extract more brutal and dramatic exploration records.’

In short, they’re like slaves or suicide squads.

But seeing it in reality was more grotesque than I’d imagined, especially since it seemed like the bison mask employee was trying to resist.

Chapter 20 - [Cheerful Theme Park], II

Any well-known amusement park usually invests in three types of attractions.

One is a roller coaster, another is a carousel.

And the last, which costs the most due to the heavy use of special effects and animatronics, is…

‘The dark ride.’

An indoor ride where you can explore a meticulously crafted and enormous set that introduces the theme of the park itself.

In Korea, rides like ‘Sinbad’s Adventure’ or ‘It’s a Small World’ are well-known examples.

And in this ‘Cheerful Theme Park’ ghost story, that role belongs to this attraction.

“Fantasy Train!” the researcher spat out in exclamation, frantic. “This is the one where everyone died! I’m not getting on! I won’t ride it!”

Testimony #4 (Survivor : Park Yae-in)

– All four who boarded the ‘Fantasy Train’ went missing.

Later, their clothes and bones were found repurposed into plush dolls at a souvenir shop. (Presumed deceased)

Yes, that’s what it said.

And in the <Dark Exploration Records> I read, this attraction had indeed caused numerous casualties…

But that’s not the whole story.

‘The fact that there were so many casualties means this attraction appears quite frequently!’

Like any board game with random elements, the ‘Cheerful Theme Park’ ghost story changes its zones and mascot combinations each time you enter.

However, the ‘Fantasy Train’ attraction would likely always appear as a common feature.

Because… its theme was so clear-cut.

“Please look at the description under the sign.”

I pointed to the words beneath the <Fantasy Train> sign.

– Meet the residents and stories of each area in Fantasyland! A delightful train ride!

“It seems like it’s the attraction that introduces this theme park.”

This was also the most crucial element for escaping this ghost story.

‘How are the zones in this theme park divided, and what colors are used?’

Let’s not forget. This all originates from a board game.

What does it mean to choose a faction in a game?

It means you’re selecting your traits.

‘And the fact that the teams were divided by color suggests that advantages or disadvantages arise based on those colors.’

So, understanding that was the most important thing here…

What color team you belong to, which zone your color represents, and what unique traits it has.

Cheerful Theme Park User Guide (Applicable up to Exploration Record #64)

4- Each zone in the theme park is colored according to its theme! The place where you first open your eyes is the zone your team belongs to!

Respect the zone. The zone is more important than anything. Look at the colors, don’t upset the mascots, the mascots are everything in the zone.

However, to persuade those who don’t yet understand this, I needed a different kind of logic.

‘Work, brain, work.’

The first target… as expected, was the top superior.

“Hmm. But everyone who got on it died, didn’t they?”

Assistant Manager Jin from A-squad, wearing the butterfly mask.

To win over this elitist, self-important person… right, flattery would do the trick.

“They were civilians, weren’t they?”

“Hmm?”

I deliberately adjusted my tone to sound slightly confused.

“They approached it without any awareness, riding it like any other amusement park ride. The chances they properly responded to a supernatural situation were low.”

“And so?”

“Comparing them to the professional Field Exploration Team, who clears Darkness with a purpose… well.”

I furrowed my brow slightly.

“It seems a bit harsh on the civilians.”

“…Hah.”

The A-squad superior snorted.

“Smooth talker, aren’t you? …Well, you’re not wrong.”

“N-No, we can’t, absolutely not…!”

“Hey.”

The A-squad superior grabbed the researcher by the head.

“……!”

Sharp fingernails pressed against his temple.

“Do you think you have the right to speak?”

“……”

“Do you want to die here and become trash that doesn’t even make it as a souvenir, or do you want to get on that thing?”

The researcher went silent again. No need for a bully here…

“Move.”

“……”

The researcher, looking like death, started dragging his feet toward the Fantasy Train.

‘Two birds with one stone…’

It was a success.

Now, there was only one person left.

The Y-squad newbie, Jang Heo-un.

As I followed the sign to the ‘Fantasy Train,’ I subtly slowed my pace to walk alongside the new employee and whispered to him.

“Don’t worry.”

“Yes…?”

“What I said just now was just to convince that person… actually, I’m going because I thought of a different trick.”

“A trick…?”

“Consider it insider knowledge.”

I smiled slightly.

“I used to work part-time at a theme park.”

“Oh!”

Sorry, that’s a lie…

But in this harsh environment that’s so unfriendly to cowards, isn’t it fine as long as we survive, no matter what it takes?

Trust me, you’ll end up saying, ‘Wow! Thanks for lying, colleague!’ too.

“I-I see. In that case…”

“Yes. It should be relatively safe.”

Just take my word for it.

Anyway, as we followed the sign, the boarding entrance for the ‘Fantasy Train’ soon appeared.

It was a model station with an elegant sign, decorated with intricate, realistic steam engine parts and brick patterns… but.

“No one’s here.”

“……”

Inside, it was eerily empty.

No one was there.

– Haha, enjoy a wonderful train ride! Haha, enjoy a wonderful train ride! Haha, enjoy a wonderful train ride…

The cheerful amusement park music mingled with an odd sense of unease.

What I could see was a train waiting beyond the queue.

And in front of it, a rabbit mascot dressed as a conductor.

“Another mascot, huh.”

“Is that the staff for this attraction?”

That was correct.

As we quickly passed through the empty queue, the conductor mascot with hollow eyes reached out a gloved hand and stamped our wristbands.

[(Cheerful) Fantasyland Admission Ticket ■□□]

So that’s one.

Next, we were guided to board a small train that looked like a colorful, fairytale steam locomotive.

The mascot then returned to its position and began waving both hands.

It seemed to mean something like, “Have a pleasant ride!”

Since nothing unusual had happened so far, the researcher and the Y-squad newbie seemed somewhat relieved without realizing it.

Unfortunately, I was about to do the unusual thing now.

‘The only place it could be… hmm. It must be over there.’

After checking my surroundings, I fixed my gaze on the mascot.

Then I spoke.

“Assistant Manager Jin.”

“What?”

“See where that mascot is standing, playing the staff role? You can see the platform there.”

I pointed to a sort of mock ticket booth table right in front of the conductor rabbit.

“Could you, with your specialized equipment, quietly turn that platform slightly toward us? Without damaging it, and quietly.”

“Why?”

“There’s something behind it.”

The A-squad assistant manager gave me a somewhat puzzled look, but soon pulled out her fake fingernail.

Quickly and quietly.

Tick.

Scrape, scrape…

The retro teal platform shifted, the fake fingernail thrown onto the edge making a faint scraping sound as it turned.

As it rotated halfway, instead of the expected wooden finish, there were buttons and circuits visible.

An emergency control panel for the attraction.

“……!”

Found it.

The control panel!

‘I definitely read about this in the <Dark Exploration Records>.’

There was a scene describing how these theme park rides had control devices implemented as if they were real!

Right after boarding an attraction named ‘Tomato Express’, shaped like a basket, a label was found inside saying <Smash Against the Metal Plate for Fun!>.

Immediate search for the emergency stop button.

Found successfully at the attraction’s starting point. However, all attempts to press the button failed. (Executor : Assistant Manager Lee Jiwon / Number of Attempts : 6)

All participants perished.

Even though it failed that time.

‘I can do it this time.’

I quickly flipped a coin, summoning a translucent glove, tossed a 500-won coin, and gestured to merge them.

‘Five seconds will be enough.’

My hand floating in mid-air moved toward the back of the partially exposed platform.

The target… a lever.

MIN⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀MAX

∥ ----------------- ∥

▲ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.

“Hold on a moment, Soleum-ssi. What is that? That label…”

“Hold on tight.”

“Excuse me? Hold… what?”

“Grab onto the train seat handle—”

My hand pulled the lever all the way down.

“And hold on tight.”

MIN⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀MAX

∥ ----------------- ∥

. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀▲

At that moment, the train shot forward at a crazy speed.

Screeeeech!!

– The Fantasy Train is departing!

“Ugh!”

“What the hell?!”

Clutching the train seat handle tightly, I shouted back.

“I pulled the speed lever! To maximum speed!”

“Why the hell would you do that, you crazy idiot!”

Because I have a plan.

“If we rush through, it won’t have time to mess with the train!”

“……!”

It’s all about skipping the events.

‘A dark ride usually moves slowly, letting you see and experience the decorated interior.’

But if you speed through it like a maniac?

‘You’ll skip over everything!’

The interior decorations, the effects…

And even the life-threatening dangers that come with them!

In the <Dark Exploration Records> I read, there was a case where they used it to slow down a roller coaster, but the key point was the ability to control speed!

I figured there was a high chance it would work here, too.

‘Good!’

It’s a success!

However… the next step is the problem.

I glanced outside.

Screeeeech!

I could feel the wind pressure.

It was almost as fast as a roller coaster.

This was clearly a speed meant only for safety checks.

…Meaning, it wasn’t designed for actual operation.

‘…If someone gets scared and faints, they might get thrown off the train.’

In that case, it would mean certain death.

You could call that the side effect of this runaway train ride.

For a coward like me, it was a fatal flaw…

‘But there’s a backup plan!’

Afraid you might faint?

Just don’t look!

[Dear passengers, welcome to beautiful Fantasyland!]

As the narration began, I shouted,

“I’m closing my eyes!”

“What?!”

I shut my eyes tightly, acting crazy.

“This narration seems important, so I’m going to focus on it as much as I can!”

“……!”

“If you feel like you’re about to die let me know!”

“This guy is totally insane, huh?! Haha, fine!”

Just as the A-squad assistant manager’s laughter was trailing off, the narration whizzed past my ears.

[How did this Fantasyland come to be?]

[A long, long time ago, 403930291928494 hours ago, a yellow flower, a blue dragon, and a red rabbit lived together on this land.]

[This wonderful place, right here!]

“T-That strange flower… the flower is calling to me…”

“Duck down!”

[But they were too different!]

[‘You’re too noisy!’]

[‘You’re too dirty!’]

[‘You’re too boring!’]

[In the end, they couldn’t accept each other and began to fight. This is my land!]

“Ahh! Snake, snake monsters, there are monsters slithering on the ground! Eek! They tried to cling to the train… but got left behind…”

“Gaah—!”

[The yellow flower said,]

[‘I hate you! Get out of here!’]

The attraction passed by in an instant.

The train sped through, and the ride time was fast-forwarded as if on double speed.

[The blue dragon spoke.]

[‘I hate you! Get lost!’]

‘Looks like it’s near the end of the fight…’

Now, for the final part.

‘This was described a few times before, too.’

Those mascots ultimately just want to live their lives as they wish.

So, they each divided Fantasyland into zones based on their colors and peacefully lived how they wanted to…

[The red rabbit spoke.]

[Die.]

……

Well.

[The red rabbit decided to eliminate his friends by any means necessary. No, they weren’t friends anymore. Enemies! Enemies! Enemies!]

[One by one, one by one, one by one! Dropping them into pits, drowning them in water, pushing them off cliffs!]

[Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!]

Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die

The narration cut off.

And then it suddenly started again.

A strangely cheerful voice.

[The red rabbit won!]

The voice crackled.

[The one who rules this land is only the red rabbit, Magic Bunny.]

[Magic Bunny is the dream, the fantasy, the rule, and only his ideology is worth enjoying.]

Silence.

The passengers, who had been making a racket as if they had seen all sorts of horrors, now only let out heavy, ragged breaths.

The sound of terrified panting.

And then.

…The train was slowing down.

I swallowed hard.

‘…It’s the end of the line.’

No matter how fast a ride is, it always slows down when it ends.

[Magic Bunny’s Fantasyland]

The back of my neck was wet with cold sweat.

A sense of foreboding was creeping in.

I finally lifted my head.

[The Great Magic Bunny!]

A giant rabbit mascot’s head appeared right in front of us.

Its bright red eyes spun wildly, and its mouth opened wide, revealing rows of jagged, hideous teeth that jutted forward.

[Become a part of the Great Magic Bunny!]

A scenario I’d never seen before.

[Die]

The air was filled with a disorienting noise.

Red rabbits were pressing their heads against the windows from all directions, looking like their mascot suits were about to burst, staring at us intensely.

[Die]

I almost fainted.

“Haaaah… haaaaaah…!!”

“D-D-Die…”

The giggling narration went berserk. Red lights flashed, blinking throughout the train, and panicked mutterings filled the air, making it hard to think clearly.

The voice pierced through.

“Ah. I get it now.”

“…What?”

“It’s like an initiation ceremony for new employees, huh? Making them kill each other… Classic.”

What is she even talking about?

“You saw it just now, right? The rabbit killed all its friends. Oh, you had your eyes closed, so you missed it. But you heard the narration, didn’t you?”

It was the calm voice of the A-squad employee.

When I turned my head, I saw the butterfly-masked employee looking at the rabbits on the windows, as if this was an everyday occurrence.

“So, who should we kill?”

“What…”

“Shh.”

The eyes beneath the butterfly mask turned sinister.

A gaze that assessed value.

“Hmm.”

Y-squad.

The researcher.

Me.

Y-squad.

The researcher.

Y-squad.

The researcher.

The researcher.

Y-squad…

“You.”

Singled out.

The Y-squad newbie’s jaw turned pale blue for a moment.

The A-squad assistant manager’s finger pointed.

“Grab that guy in the white coat.”

The researcher.

“……!”

A death sentence.

“Uh, uh…”

Snap.

The Y-squad newbie, with a stiff, unnatural motion, grabbed the researcher’s limbs and restrained him.

“W-What are you, what… wait, wait a second.”

“Cover his mouth. Oh, and keep yours shut, too.”

“Mmmph!”

“Ah… do we have to kill one each, directly? Hey, top recruit.”

I reflexively looked at her.

“Why don’t you kill this one? I’d like to observe.”

“Mmm! Mmmmmm! Mmm!”

“Don’t use your specialized equipment, do it yourself… Ah, right. Earlier, that rabbit threw the dragon off the cliff, right? Try tossing him out of the train. Let’s see if that counts, too.”

Me?

“Go on.”

I slowly turned my head and glanced out the window, then quickly snapped it back.

‘The mascots are crying blood…!’

Look at them, stuck all over the windows.

There’s no way in hell I’m opening that train window. If I did, I’d collapse and become a screaming mess.

Besides, what… you want me to kill someone as casually as eating instant noodles?

No, no. Putting that aside…

‘…This is a death route!’

I realized it now, after another irregular event threw everything into chaos and scared the wits out of us, but it was clear.

‘If we comply with the mascot, we’re all dead!’

This… if we go down that path, we’ll all be killed!

But how do I convince her?

If I say, ‘I’ve seen over 70 exploration records from the future,’ she’d probably decapitate me on the spot.

‘So, so…’

To hell with it!

“Wait a moment!”

“What?”

“This is a trap.”

I decided to lie my way out.

I started spouting a lie without even a drop of hesitation!

Chapter 21 - [Cheerful Theme Park], III

In the desperate situation where the blood-teared mascots with eyeless stares demanded, “Come on, start killing someone yourself,” lies flowed effortlessly from my mouth.

“A trap, you say?”

“Yes. Think about it.”

I struggled to avoid looking at the crazed mascots on the window while maintaining an expression that said, ‘I just had a brilliant thought.’

“This Darkness bound us as a team. But is it really okay to kill a team member carelessly?”

Actually, it is okay.

“This Darkness chokes us just for putting distance between teammates. But what if we kill someone?”

You could just carry around the corpse, honestly.

But doing something like that… My cowardly heart might not hold up, and I’d end up getting reassigned as the ‘official torture maniac’, in the perfect spot to die…

“…I believe there would be a massive penalty.”

“Hmm.”

The eyes under the butterfly mask narrowed.

“Isn’t there also a penalty if we don’t kill someone?”

“I’m saying we might all be wiped out if we do kill someone.”

“……”

“If both possibilities exist, I thought it more rational to choose the option of preserving our numbers.”

The other person seemed slightly swayed.

I swallowed hard and added,

“Of course, the final decision is up to you, Assistant Manager…”

“Right! If you kill me, huh? You’ll die too, huh? You don’t want to die either, do you, you crazy bastard? Stop…”

Thud.

I firmly struck the back of the researcher’s neck.

Knocked him out cold.

‘Why are you so bent on pushing for your own death when the game’s already rigged?’

No wonder he’s been gambling at the office with that lack of sense!

Apparently, Y-squad’s newbie, face pale as ever, released the researcher’s limbs now that the restrictions were lifted.

After watching the entire scene, the A-squad superior finally spoke, slowly.

I waited anxiously.

“You.”

“……”

“Don’t regret this decision.”

Saved.

“Yes, of course.”

The A-squad superior didn’t respond further. It seemed my reputation had taken quite a hit.

But that didn’t matter right now.

What mattered was that we got through this timing safely.

[Die…]

The relentless “Die” narration subsided once we stopped attacking each other.

Blink.

And as the lights on the train flickered,

“They… they’re gone…!”

The mascots that had surrounded the windows had vanished.

Only the bloodstains remained.

“……”

But that wasn’t the only thing missing.

‘Gone.’

The conductor mascot.

The cheerful theme park music.

The lively disembarkation announcement.

“……”

Clang.

Manually pushing the train out, we faced an interior strangely devoid of sound and light.

“…It’s like we’ve stepped on a landmine.”

“……”

True.

I recalled an entry from <Dark Exploration Records>.

Cheerful Theme Park User Guide (Applicable up to Exploration Record #64)

4- Each zone in the theme park is colored according to its theme! The place where you first open your eyes is the zone your team belongs to!

Respect the zone. The zone is more important than anything. Look at the colors, don’t upset the mascots, the mascots are everything in the zone.

This rule existed for a reason…

If you anger the mascot in a colored zone of the theme park, you’re no longer respected as a ‘guest’ in that zone.

You may end up becoming a player in one deadly game of hide-and-seek.

But stepping on a landmine is better than hitting the nuke button.

‘The mascots’ demands escalate like an escalator ride.’

Usually, they start by asking for something simple.

Like eating something, carrying something, or giving them a warm hug.

‘But asking us to commit murder right from the start?’

Then by the time we get to the next attraction, we’d be better off dead.

One example in the records even showed mascots ordering something insane like, “Make a balloon with your own bladder.”

By that point, the mascots’ influence would be too strong to resist.

At that point, death might be preferable.

In this horror story world, such fates worse than death happen regularly.

And even now, there’s an escape route.

I swallowed hard.

‘Just run.’

If we escape the red rabbit, Magic Bunny’s zone, and enter another mascot’s zone, this aggro state will dissipate.

For that… let’s see.

‘Found it!’

I finally spotted what I’d been looking for, off to the side of the dark exit path.

“There’s something over there.”

“What?”

This was the reason I wanted to ride this attraction in the first place.

‘The color map of the theme park!’

[~Fantasyland Color Map~]

After completing this attraction, there’s a map near the final exit that shows the zones belonging to each mascot.

I quickly approached, muttering to myself,

“A map. This might be useful to us.”

“Why is that?”

At first glance, it looks like mere interior decoration. It visually represents Fantasyland, just as the attraction introduced.

But the information it contains is invaluable.

“Do you remember the theme of this attraction?”

“Well, um… it was about the mascots fighting over territory in this theme park…”

“Exactly.”

I nodded.

“This map should indicate the zones belonging to the other mascots.”

“……!”

This way, we could see the shortest route to reach another color zone.

“Running away from a monster that seems upset with us? Taking that with us?”

The A-squad assistant manager nodded toward the researcher I was carrying.

Before she could suggest killing him, I responded quickly.

“I’ll wake up Reasearch Team 1’s Assistant Manager as soon as we confirm the map so he can walk on his own.”

“Hmph.”

Please, just don’t dismantle him right in front of me…

Any hope of a plan brought a glimmer of hope to the Y-squad newbie’s face.

I probably looked the same.

‘Please, let it be nearby.’

I took a deep breath and quickly approached the map, confirming it…

“……”

“……”

“There’s… nothing.”

What?

I looked at the map again.

But the image remained unchanged.

[~Fantasyland Color Map~]

The entire illustrated view of the park.

All in red.

[Magic Bunny Zone] [Magic Bunny Zone] [Magic Bunny Zone] [Magic Bunny Zone] [Magic Bunny Zone] [Magic Bunny Zone] [Magic Bunny Zone] [Magic Bunny Zone] [Magic Bunny Zone] [Magic Bunny Zone] [Magic Bunny Zone]

Every sign had Magic Bunny’s face engraved on it.

“Oh.”

[Magic Bunny’s Fantasyland]

A place to escape to…

There’s none.

“……”

“……”

“Isn’t… isn’t there something wrong here, Soleum-ssi? There were clearly other mascots before…”

“Seems like they were all driven out.”

“……!”

The narration we’d heard during the attraction came to mind automatically.

– One by one, one by one, one by one! Dropping them into pits, drowning them in water, pushing them off cliffs!

So then…

“The yellow and blue ones were killed, and this red mascot took over everything.”

“……”

“Then… what about the other employees who drew pieces of different colors?”

“Who knows.”

The A-squad assistant manager shrugged.

“All missing?”

“……!”

“Does that even matter right now? What matters is…”

The eyes beneath the butterfly mask turned sinister again.

“You seem to have made the wrong choice.”

“……”

“Don’t worry. It doesn’t mean you’ll die first.”

Which could only mean one thing.

There was someone else who would die first.

“It’s already too late anyway.”

“……”

Reflexively, I glanced at the unconscious researcher slung over my shoulder like a deadweight.

B o r i n g

“……!!”

“Wha… what…?”

B o r i n g

The voice echoed in my head.

B o r i n g

Haven’t I heard this somewhere before?

Ah, that talk show, that Tuesday talk show. In that revamped version, like the Choir of Purgatory shriekinglikethescreamofadeadpiganimalsthe mascot!MagicBunny,boredtodeath

“Urgh.”

I clamped my hands over my ears.

B o r i n g

I looked down.

The admission band on my wrist was vibrating.

[(Cheerful) Fantasyland Admission Ticket ■□□]

[(Cheerful) Fantasyland Admission Ticket ■□□]

The sound… was coming from there.

N o t f u n

Screeeech.

The vibration grew, tearing at the wristband.

Cheerful Theme Park User Guide (Applicable up to Exploration Record #64)

1- Keep your admission wristband clean!

If lost or damaged, you are no longer a guest. If not a guest, you are an intruder. Thief! Lawbreaker! Horrible punishment awaits. Or would you…

…prefer to be an employee?

No.

I frantically tried to think of a solution.

But there was none.

Nowhere to escape. There was nowhere to run! If I wanted to preserve my dignity as a human being, it would be better to end things before it was too…

– Kim Soleum-ssi

Now I was hearing hallucinations too.

– Kim Soleum-ssi. Can you hear me?

‘……’

A hallucination, no.

I lifted my head.

Nothing was visible in the empty space, but a voice as clear as day echoed in my ears, unmistakably real.

The owner of that voice is…

“…Squad Leader?”

– Yes.

Section Chief Lizard— or rather, Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.

This situation felt like déjà vu, though the roles were reversed this time!

“How did you reach us?!”

– I’m using Supervisor Park Minseong’s specialized equipment.

B o r i n g

The voices overlapped, and the sound of ‘Great Red Magic Bunny’ grew faint.

I barely realized I was on the verge of hyperventilating.

No, that wasn’t what mattered here…

– Are you okay, Roe? Are you alive?

– We’re fine! We just completed all three attractions!

The rest of D-squad’s members were all together. How was that possible?

“The three of you aren’t on the same color team, are you?”

I was certain of it.

‘Only Squad Leader Lee Jaheon was on the blue team, while the others were on yellow!’

– Roe, that’s not the point right now…

“It is important! The three of you wound up in the same place in the theme park, despite being on different teams?”

After a short pause,

– No.

Section Chief Lizard’s calm voice replied.

– I found the other two and then moved.

Several questions popped up simultaneously in my mind, but the most pressing was this:

“…Where did you find them?”

– On the outskirts of the blue zone.

“…Then, are you currently in the blue mascot’s zone?”

N o t f u n

– Yes.

A shiver ran down my spine.

“The map doesn’t show it, but do you happen to know which point is the blue zone?”

– I don’t.

Damn it.

“You don’t need exact coordinates. Just tell me any nearby attractions, or even which direction!”

– Understood.

After a short silence:

– The west…

He got cut off.

“Squad Leader?”

There was no response.

It was likely the time limit on the equipment had expired.

And more crucially than that…

“W-West?”

The face of the Y-squad newbie, who had been listening intently beside me, turned blank.

A-squad’s superior looked equally unsettled. The reason was simple.

“We’re already in the west, aren’t we?”

Exactly.

The ‘Fantasy Train’ was located near the western edge of the Fantasyland map…

The opposite of the rugged forest on the eastern side, bordered smoothly by castle walls on the west, was this very attraction.

Further westward in Fantasyland than this was… nothing!

B o r i n g

“It seems we might be in separate theme parks? Like a timeline where the blue mascot won. The Darkness always has these kinds of variations.”

In separate places?

Are we really talking about different parallel dimensions?

N o t f u n

“No.”

That can’t be.

“This is a Darkness derived from a board game. If we’re playing the same game, there’s no reason for separate boards.”

“Hey. Shut up.”

The A-squad superior replied coldly.

“No matter how much sense you try to make, if it doesn’t match reality, just drop it.”

This isn’t speculation—it’s deduction.

I wanted to convey that there were numerous cases like this, but I knew they wouldn’t believe me. Right now, all I needed to do was… find the answer.

Where exactly is ‘west’?

‘Quickly, quickly.’

Think. There has to be an answer.

I looked at the Fantasyland color map again. Every visible area was still painted red.

Ferris wheel, carousel, roller coaster, Viking ride, magic palace. Every single ride was marked with Magic Bunny’s red face.

Every attraction… wait.

“……!”

B o r i n g

Hold on.

I looked over the map again.

And I realized—

“…I found it!”

“What?”

“A different color zone.”

It was here.

With certainty, I moved forward. Whether they sensed hope or were compelled by my determination, my teammates followed.

N o t f u n

We had to move quickly before the mascot noticed us. There was no time to waste—we needed to get out of this attraction immediately.

I g n o r i n g m e ?

Too late.

Chapter 22 - [Cheerful Theme Park], IV

The four of us bolted out of the exit of the ‘Fantasy Train’ and ran.

“Haah… haah!”

The sounds of desperate panting came from both sides, the kind of breathlessness only achieved when running for your life.

It couldn’t be helped.

The mascots were pouring out.

D i e

“Aaaaaah!”

“Huu, huuuuk…”

From every attraction entrance, store, and sign, strange, unsettling bubbles of ooze burst, spewing forth grotesque mascots.

They chased after us, mouths peeled back to reveal rows of teeth embedded deep in their innards, giving them a horrifying appearance.

Occasionally, their bodies would lurch, and gooey, tentacle-like things would protrude from their drooping ears and arms.

– ♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

– Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha!

The noise was deafening.

The theme park music and laughter swirled together, creating a disturbing cacophony all around.

It was chaotic, frightening, disorienting, and utterly terrifying!!

The overwhelming sounds were disorienting, making it hard to think straight. But…

“Here! This way!”

I gritted my teeth, turning in the direction I’d memorized with determination.

At that moment—

Flick.

Squish.

The slimy end of a tentacle just barely grazed my head.

Hiss.

“…Huuk.”

The hair where the slime touched started to melt, and I caught a whiff of something burning.

‘This is insane.’

Cold sweat dripped down my back.

But my feet didn’t stop moving. They couldn’t.

‘Stopping would mean the end.’

I’d die. Or worse, I had a gut feeling I’d end up in an even more horrifying state.

The only relief was that the destination was close!

Even the researcher, instead of whining, was drooling as he ran in desperation.

B o r i n g

“Get away! Get awayyyyy!”

“Shut your mouth!”

The butterfly mask shouted. She looked like she wanted to throw the researcher to buy time but couldn’t bring herself to do it.

It was understandable.

‘They’re too close.’

The mascots swarming toward us were multiplying like crazy, and now, some of them were getting alarmingly close.

And they were fast.

Faster than humans!

‘Damn, damn, damn!!’

In the moment that terror gripped me—

“Urgh!”

Someone got caught.

“Aaack… ugh…”

The guy in the bison mask went down.

‘Fuck.’

Without even looking back, I managed to flip a coin in my pocket to summon the glove. Then I tossed a few 500-won coins to create a semi-transparent shadow hand in mid-air.

Whoosh.

The shadow hand flew forward and shoved the head of a grotesque mascot.

“Run!”

The Y-squad newbie, who’d barely escaped, staggered up and scrambled to run.

“Huff… ha… th-thanks…”

“Later!”

There was no time to stop the bleeding. My special equipment wouldn’t be of any help at this point!

‘The shadow hand will disappear once it goes beyond the three-meter range…’

A searing pain shot through my left hand.

“—!!!”

I almost dropped to the ground, clutching my hand and screaming in pain. It felt like my hand was being crushed and dissolved in a spiked press.

‘Specialized equipment!’

I realized instantly. The shadow hand I’d summoned in mid-air must have suffered some horrible fate in the mascot’s maw or tentacles.

In that moment, I discovered the flaw in my specialized equipment: if the hand created by the glove was destroyed, my own hand would feel the exact same pain!

But there was no time to scream. I sprinted like mad.

“There!”

The target point came into view.

A giant gate.

Painted in bright colors, following the style of a typical theme park…

[FANTASYLAND (WESTSIDE GATE)]

A decoration.

An ornamental gate attached to the castle wall encircling the western side of the theme park.

“It’s blocked!!”

“Get underneath it!”

I quickly stepped under the ornamental gate and looked back. Almost immediately, two others tried to step in: the A-squad assistant manager and the Y-squad newbie.

The researcher, being behind, was in a more dangerous spot…

“Fuck, move already!”

“Ugh!”

Thud.

The researcher shoved the A-squad assistant manager aside, using the momentum to propel himself forward.

“……!”

The slender body of the assistant manager, caught off guard, collided with a mascot.

D i e

The black-red ooze from the partially melted mascot dripped onto her right then.

“AAAHHHHH!”

Hiss.

The sound of sizzling flesh echoed in my ears.

“Assistant Manager!”

The A-squad employee was pinned beneath a grotesquely distorted mascot, her limbs shaking uncontrollably.

Her face, partly visible beyond the butterfly mask, was already blistered and ruined. In her eyes was resignation—the look of someone who knew they couldn’t be saved.

The moment our eyes met—

“Nail!”

I shouted.

“Assistant Manager, your nail—here!”

At the same time, I stretched my left hand forward. The A-squad assistant manager’s eyes widened, and she reached out, extending her index finger.

Ping!

The nail shot out, embedding itself in the center of my palm.

“……!”

But I didn’t flinch.

‘It already hurt like hell before!’

Ignoring the pain, I gripped the nail tightly, pulling her towards me.

Whoosh.

With a short, abrupt noise, the butterfly-masked body was yanked forward, barely missing the snapping jaws and oozing slime from the mascots.

“Haah… haaaah…”

“Huff… huff…”

We collapsed under the archway, gasping for breath.

Right in front of us, countless rabbit mascots, oozing like they were crying blood, stared blankly with empty eyes, frozen in place as if held back by an invisible barrier.

“Gah!”

It looked as if an invisible wall had stopped them in their tracks.

Cheerful Theme Park User Guide (Applicable up to Exploration Record #64)

5- Enjoy the various zones!

Has the appearance of the mascot or the attraction color changed? You’re in a new zone now.

Unfortunately, mascots from other zones can’t exist in the new zone. Say goodbye warmly!

I looked down at the ground.

‘…The bricks are a different color.’

As if by magic, two white brick lines were under the decorative archway. The mascots couldn’t cross from the red brick floor beyond.

B o r i n g

I glanced down at my admission ticket.

[(Cheerful) Fantasyland Admission Ticket ■□□]

[(Cheerful) Fantasyland Admission Ticket ■□□]

Not fun

The voice faded away. The mascots clustered in front of us stood perfectly still, and then, in a blink…

Vanished.

“……”

“……”

The sound of our gasping breaths filled the now-silent air. I swallowed hard.

“…It seems this is the end of Magic Bunny’s Fantasyland.”

We survived.

“We made it. We escaped.”

“Aah…!”

“Huuuuh…”

The Y-squad newbie collapsed to the ground, clutching his shoulder in relief and pain. I leaned my head back against the wall, gazing up at the sky, catching my breath.

‘I thought I was done for…’

My heart was pounding out of my chest.

I’m alive, huh.

The A-squad assistant manager glared icily at the researcher who had pushed her, but then, glancing at the nail-shaped wound in my hand, regained her composure. It seemed she’d decided there was no need to get worked up over killing the researcher right now.

It was impressive how calm she remained, despite the intense pain she must have felt from the acidic liquid splashed over her head.

“Anyway.”

“Yes?”

The A-squad assistant manager took a deep breath.

“Thanks. I owe you my life.”

“……”

I hadn’t expected that.

“It’s nothing. You survived thanks to your specialized equipment…”

“There’s no point being modest here. Just say, ‘Got it.’ You’ve landed yourself on the right side here.”

Ah, yes.

“Unlike some idiot.”

“……”

The researcher desperately avoided her gaze.

The A-squad assistant manager gave him a brief look before returning to business.

“This place seems like a sort of buffer zone. Was that your plan? But it’s too cramped to just stand here… what’s the next step?”

“This isn’t the destination.”

“Hm?”

After catching my breath, I turned completely to face the decorative gate.

“Did you know that large theme parks sometimes have more than just the amusement park itself?”

“…Something else?”

“Yes.”

Technically, this area under the archway wasn’t in Magic Bunny’s territory or any other mascot’s.

It was a blank zone in the theme park, so they wouldn’t come after us for damaging property here.

I rapped my knuckles on the wall that was made to look like a door.

Thunk.

It sounded hollow.

“Assistant Manager, can you use your special equipment to pry this open?”

“……”

The assistant manager silently raised her hand and extended her fingernail again, wedging it into a crack in the wall and yanking it hard.

“Gah!”

Thump, thump.

One of the brick panels cracked open, and a gust of fresh air flowed in, carrying… the scent of water.

– Ahahahaha!

“……!!”

The sound of refreshing splashes, a boat horn, and seagulls filled the air, along with a lively marching tune.

Through the crack in the bricks, I glimpsed open space and sunlight streaming down.

Enormous, swirling water slides descended into a pool below, shimmering in different shades of blue as water and inner tubes streamed down.

[Blue Dream Waterland]

“This place…!”

A water park, the summer zone of this large-scale theme park.

“It’s the Blue Zone.”

The Y-squad newbie whipped his head around to look at me, eyes wide with shock.

“H-How?!”

“When I looked at the Fantasyland color map earlier, there wasn’t a single water-themed attraction.”

“……!”

“So I just guessed that there must be a large water section located separately elsewhere.”

I took a deep breath.

“And I also figured it wouldn’t be accessible through regular routes. They typically sell separate tickets for water parks, after all.”

“…So that’s why you pried open the wall?”

“Yes.”

I recalled my earlier conversation with Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.

– …the west.

The west.

Of course, the squad leader had probably meant the west side within Waterland itself. But since we were at the far western edge of Magic Bunny’s Fantasyland, it allowed me to deduce the existence of a separate Blue Zone.

‘The east side was blocked by the forest, the north led to the entrance, and the south was a cliff…’

Really, the only plausible place for more space beyond Magic Bunny’s Fantasyland was the west.

My guess was right.

“It seems the blue mascot, exiled from Fantasyland, created a new zone here.”

“Aha…”

“For now, let’s get through as quickly as possible.”

“Y-Yes, let’s!”

Hands busily pried away the remaining bricks. Even the Y-squad newbie, injured as he was, used his one good hand to help.

Meanwhile, the researcher lingered in the corner, looking sly, as if he’d finally noticed things were going in his favor.

And within a few moments—

“It’s open!”

One by one, we began crawling through the now-exposed gap. I was the last to emerge, standing on both feet in Waterland, gazing at the blue pools and bright sky above.

A breeze, heavy with moisture, brushed by.

‘This sunlight…’

It felt so unbelievably good.

And as I stood, momentarily feeling a strange sense of liberation, I spotted people waving and running toward us from afar.

“Roe!”

“……!”

The members of D-squad.

“Are you alright?!”

“Assistant Manager!”

The D-squad members bustled over, each carrying some bulky load, likely inner tubes or other gear.

Relief surged through me, perhaps from the familiarity of seeing the people I’d been working with for the past month.

“How have you all been!”

I greeted them happily and stepped forward, wondering if I should help take some of the load off the squad leader’s shoulder, as any proactive newbie would…

Wait.

‘That’s a person.’

It wasn’t equipment.

Hanging limply off the lizard squad leader’s shoulder was a human body.

‘…A casualty?’

Looking closer, I realized the person wore a teal duck mask.

It was the A-squad leader.

“……”

No.

Nooo!!

Chapter 23 - [Cheerful Theme Park], V

After barely escaping the deranged red mascot zone, we finally made it to the blue zone.

That’s where D-squad was waiting for us… with A-squad’s leader hanging limply over Section Chief Lee’s shoulder.

“……”

I managed to ask,

“Uh, Section Chief, Is that a corpse on your shoulder…?”

“Oh, she’s just unconscious.”

Ah, he was moving her somewhere safe.

Just as I started to feel relieved and the sense of familiarity returned, D-squad’s assistant manager pointed her thumb at a large inner tube they’d been dragging with the supervisor.

“The corpse is over there.”

“……”

Seeing them haul a body shoved into a tube… really added a new level of horror.

“We wrapped it up well, but some parts were broken off.”

Please, spare me the details.

“No, seriously, it was horrific. Ugh…” Supervisor Park shuddered.

“Roe, you better be careful. The mascots here act like some kind of righteous enforcers,” Assistant Manager Eun quipped.

“Huh?”

Here’s how it was explained: the mascots in this zone absolutely despise violence between team members.

“So, in typical A-squad fashion, the assistant manager with the praying mantis mask decided to run a little experiment.”

While riding the first attraction, he kept forcing the Y-squad employees into dangerous positions for laughs: telling them to unbuckle their seat belts, stand up, sing along, or even do a handstand on the track.

“Three Y-squad members died that way. The last one begged for mercy through tears, but he didn’t even blink… It was revolting.”

“……”

It seemed that feeling was shared by more than just the survivors.

Assistant Manager Eun scowled.

“When we got off the ride, the mascot was waiting for him, just standing there and calling him a ‘naughty child’. And then…”

She spared me the details, thank heavens.

“I thought I was going to vomit.”

“……”

“Well, I mean, honestly, he had it coming! …Even if the chief disagreed with those methods,” Supervisor Park said, glancing over at the limp body of A-squad’s leader on the section chief’s shoulder.

“By the way, why exactly did she pass out?” I asked, still a bit puzzled.

“Well… our squad leader here, um…”

“……”

Wait a minute.

No way.

“See, she pushed us a bit hard, trying to save her subordinate somehow. And it got a little excessive, so…”

“The chief just knocked her out.”

“……”

“Hey. We’re all going to agree she passed out from high blood pressure, so keep your mouth shut, Roe.”

“Yes, I’ll take it to the grave.”

“Oh, and if you’re wondering why Y-squad got treated that way…”

“I already heard. From that person over there.”

I discreetly nodded toward the assistant manager in the butterfly mask. Seeing that I already knew, Supervisor Park seemed a bit more at ease, as if glad to skip such a dark topic.

“Anyway, how are your team members doing?”

Ah.

I quickly checked on the bison mask with the injured shoulder and the butterfly mask with the blistered face.

“Some of them need first aid. Could we get some help?”

“Yes.”

Suddenly, Section Chief Lee unceremoniously dropped the unconscious A-squad leader from his shoulder onto the ground. Then, he started shaking her shoulder.

“W-wait, Chief!”

“Ahh!”

“……?!”

After shaking A-squad’s leader awake, the section chief said with a calm face,

“Section Chief Seo, there are employees here in need of treatment.”

“W-What…”

Looking dazed at first, the A-squad’s leader pointed a shaky finger at Section Chief Lee as realization hit her.

“You!! You—”

“Yes?”

“How could you do that to Assistant Manager Lee! The one with the praying mantis mask…!”

“He’s deceased.”

“……”

“……”

“And while he was dying, what were you doing?”

“We waited until he passed, then retrieved the body and moved on to the next attraction.”

Oh, dear lord.

A-squad’s leader was at a loss for words, her expression one of disbelief, before finally managing to stammer out a response.

“Y-You watched A-squad die? Are you insane, Lee Jaheon? How are you going to take responsibility for this loss?!”

“? I’m D-squad’s leader. A-squad is not my responsibility.”

With a slight squint, the section chief looked at her, almost perplexed.

“The responsibility for the loss of A-squad Assistant Manager Lee Seokjong rests with you, A-squad’s leader.”

“……”

Witnessing someone say something like that to a superior in a work setting was… something else. Even if they hold the same title, an elite squad leader should technically outrank him.

A chill went down my spine in an entirely new way.

“……”

A-squad’s leader glared at Section Chief Lee, her eyes bloodshot.

“You fainted, yet we still completed the three attractions together to meet the clearance conditions. Now, take responsibility and treat your—”

“Chief.”

The butterfly-masked assistant manager interrupted, not in an attempt to dissuade Section Chief Lee, but rather addressing the A-squad’s leader, who was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

“Perhaps it would be better to continue this conversation outside? Let’s complete the clearance before anything else comes up. Plus, you still have that deranged researcher from Research Team 1 to deal with.”

“…Yes, of course.”

The eyes under the teal duck mask blinked, then gradually calmed down.

It seemed she’d found a new focus for her anger.

But she still left one last comment hanging in the air.

“Squad Leader Jaheon, shall we take this outside?”

“Yes.”

Supervisor Park leaned in and whispered to me,

“Don’t worry. Apparently, our squad leader hears lines like that as an annual event.”

“……”

Is that, uhh… really okay?

Well, one thing’s certain.

I’m definitely not at the level to get involved here.

Better to keep my mouth shut and keep my head down.

In any case, the A-squad’s leader used her special equipment to heal the butterfly-masked assistant manager. The sight of the skin on her jaw and head area regenerating, almost like it was rewinding, was amazing.

“Employees with equipment like that are almost nonexistent. So envious.”

Same here. I wondered if there was any way to acquire something similar. Having equipment like that would definitely improve survival rates.

I watched A-squad’s leader’s specialized equipment—a healing ring—very closely.

‘Healing… huh.’

After ensuring the butterfly-masked employee was fully healed, A-squad’s leader was about to walk right past the Y-squad member with the shoulder injuries, barely sparing a glance.

“Could you possibly heal this one too? We need to stay together, and his mobility might be an issue.”

“……!”

Surprisingly, the A-squad assistant manager subtly nudged the squad leader to heal both me and the Y-squad rookie.

Thanks to that, the Y-squad rookie, whose shoulder was now miraculously healed, blinked beneath his bison mask.

“…Thank you.”

The assistant manager nodded slightly.

‘Does she really only consider efficiency?’

Once she’d understood the mechanics of this ghost story and secured an escape plan, she immediately switched to decisions that minimized risks.

A logical approach… maybe that’s what makes her elite here.

I made a mental note to remember A-squad’s equipment and specialties. …And maybe to try and forget about the bodies stuffed into that tube.

“Right then, let’s ride the two remaining attractions and head out quickly.”

“Oh, thank you.”

As soon as the healing was complete, the red team moved toward the attractions to fill the empty spots on our admission wristbands. The others followed, not exiting just yet.

“It’ll only take about 30 minutes, don’t worry,” they reassured us, likely staying close to keep an eye on the situation and help out us rookies.

Although grateful, part of me thought it would be less terrifying if they just left, considering that tube full of corpses following us…

“As I mentioned before, the mascots here are surprisingly moral for monsters.”

That much I’d guessed from our earlier communication.

‘If they cleared three attractions so quickly, there must be a reason.’

This team must’ve been lucky enough to encounter a benevolent zone where the mascot’s demands were reasonable. They’d beaten some crazy odds for sure.

“They even answered questions about what was in each attraction. And since we were the first to clear three, they gave us a souvenir.”

How nice for them, taking it easy.

Meanwhile, we’ve been scrambling for survival in that insane Magic Bunny zone…

Strangely enough, while the red team had lower odds for survival, we managed to keep everyone alive up to this point.

Soon, we reached the entrance of an attraction adorned with… a blue dragon head drawn to exaggerate its cuteness, its body wearing a life jacket.

[Hello]

The mascot stationed there waved a greeting sign.

I bowed slightly in response, and the mascot returned the gesture.

“Hm.”

We boarded a flume ride called ‘Blue Mountain’. It was a typical water attraction where we sat on a boat and enjoyed the stream. The other two field team members boarded without issue.

Only the last person had a problem.

“Fuck.”

The researcher sneered, cursing at the mascot. It seemed like he couldn’t help but let out his disgust and fear after dealing with Magic Bunny and facing a slightly less terrifying mascot.

“These disgusting little fuckers…”

“Hurry up and get on.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

He stole a glance at the mascot before boarding the attraction. The blue dragon mascot’s button eyes watched silently.

“……”

With everyone on board, we finished the remaining attractions smoothly.

[(Cheerful) Fantasyland Admission Ticket ■■■ ]

“Finally…!”

“Huu.”

At last, we’d filled every slot on the wristband.

“The exit is to the north. Let’s move.”

“Yes!”

Soaked from the water but not caring at all, we were finally on our way out of this cursed theme park.

‘I won’t be going anywhere near an amusement park for a long time…’

[Have A Safe Journey Back]

The farewell sign above the northern exit gates sparkled with the words. Next to it, a blue mascot stood, dressed formally.

“Looks like we just need to scan your completed wristbands here to exit.”

The blue mascot gestured politely toward the gate scanner.

“Alright, alright, Squad Leaders, you first. Off you go.”

D-squad’s assistant manager made the smart move to organize the situation and get the superiors out first.

People began to exit one by one, and as it came time for the assistants and other staff to leave…

“Alright then, Assistant Manager Jin, after you—”

“M-Move!”

The researcher pushed past everyone, sprinting to the gate.

“Seriously…?”

Though Supervisor Park and Assistant Manager Eun looked momentarily taken aback, they quickly let it slide, likely thinking, ‘Civilians, right?’ A few seconds’ delay was no big deal.

Oblivious to their expressions, the researcher rushed to the gate to scan his admission wristband.

‘It’s like he’s made a habit of it.’

Honestly, I found myself frowning.

B a d c h i l d

“…Huh?”

The researcher turned his head.

A blue dragon mascot held his wristband with one claw, crumpling it.

Y o u

Snap.

a r e a b a d c h i l d

Riiiip—

a r e n ’ t y o u ?

The band broke.

Snap!

He stared blankly at the torn wristband pieces on the floor, seeming not to comprehend.

Then—

“AAAAAHHHH! AAAGGGHHHHH!”

The blue dragon’s mouth opened wide.

“Save me! Save me!”

It began to pull him in.

Beside me, Bison Mask muttered feverishly.

“Ohhtheseagod’swrathhasawakened.Thewickedarebeingswallowedbythetide…”

The rookie and I averted our eyes.

“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!”

So this is how it ends…

When moving to another zone, the previous zone’s aggro mascot stops pursuing you.

But the consequences of one’s actions follow.

Cheerful Theme Park User Guide (applicable up to Exploration Record #64)

6- Remember, the theme park is a shared space!

Please follow proper etiquette and manners when using public facilities. Countless eyes are watching you, and no one forgets anything.

Hey, there’s a mascot right behind you.

All mascots in the Cheerful Theme Park know what you’ve done.

That includes everything the researcher did.

– Fuck, move already!

Pushing A-squad’s assistant manager into the line of attack to escape the red mascot earlier…

‘Maybe they were willing to overlook it, considering the extreme situation…’

The problem was, he did the same thing twice.

‘It’s karma.’

The researcher’s screams turned into wails.

“That bastard tried to kill me too! Why just me, why just me! You trash, you—”

That’s right.

But A-squad’s assistant manager never went through with it. She listened to reason.

‘But you didn’t.’

Even I, as someone who’s practically a member of the Cowards’ Club, thought he had this coming.

– Save me! Aaaaaah!

The researcher’s voice stretched like taffy, leaving behind a chilling sense of dread.

‘Ugh.’

My cowardly heart reacted instinctively, making me flinch, but—

“Don’t.”

“……”

A-squad’s employee grabbed my arm, holding it down.

“You can’t save him.”

Not that I’d even considered trying.

So I remained quiet. Soon the screams faded, and the unsettling atmosphere around us dissipated.

When I looked up, the blue dragon mascot stood there, as polite and composed as before. You’d never believe it had just killed someone.

Somehow, that made it all the more disturbing.

‘The standards are stricter than I thought.’

As expected from a ghost story setting, this mascot seemed to have its own code, beyond just refusing to harm teammates.

‘I’ll tread carefully from here on out.’

“…Let’s try exiting again.”

“Yes.”

One by one, the remaining people filed out.

“Let’s take a look outside.”

I gave up and let the superiors go first. After seeing my fellow coward through the gate, I stood by the exit next to the blue dragon mascot.

“……”

The dragon, cutely stylized with round eyes, looked directly at me.

Could you, um, not stare? This is terrifying enough. It’s nerve-wracking being the last one here, and I’m trying my best to keep my nerves in check.

Then—

G o o d c h i l d

“……!”

Was it trying to reassure me?

Unlike before, the mascot’s voice didn’t sound eerie. ‘Maybe they’re willing to overlook the damaged property…’

Thank goodness.

“Thank you.”

I nodded and tried to walk past. But the mascot moved to block my path.

“……?”

G o o d k i d s g e t

a g i f t

The blue dragon reached out, gently touching my wristband.

[(Cheerful) Fantasyland Admission Ticket ■■■ ]

The wristband warmed slightly, and as the mascot released it…

[◎ (Cheerful) Fantasyland Membership ◎ ]

The text had changed.

L e t ’ s p l a y

f o r e v e r

…Umm?

Chapter 24 - [Cheerful Theme Park], VI

I broke out in a cold sweat as I stared at the wristband.

[◎ (Cheerful) Fantasyland Membership ◎ ]

But the words that had changed from ‘Admission Ticket’ to ‘Membership’ didn’t revert, and the material that had become oddly luxurious and ornate remained the same.

O-Okay…

It’s an unexpected situation, but what I have to do hasn’t changed.

Scan the wristband at the gate and leave.

‘Membership or whatever, I just won’t come back.’

“Thank you.”

I swallowed hard.

“Um… I’d like to go home now.”

The blue mascot tilted its head slightly to the side.

I stepped toward the gate scanner to scan my wristband.

But the mascot blocked my way.

‘Please.’

Why are you doing this?

I felt like crying.

“I’m not as much of a good kid as you think…”

G o o d k i d

C o r r e c t

The blue mascot’s claw gently, ever so softly, covered my wristband.

And a voice resonated.

To one who knows honor,

you are worthy.

……!!

“Urgh.”

A cough burst from my mouth.

It was blood.

‘W-What… just happened…’

Could it be… because the ticket changed to a membership?

The blue dragon mascot seemed flustered as I spat out blood, fidgeting anxiously, and then pulled something out from its pocket and offered it to me.

[Blue Soda Churros]

It seemed to be a snack sold inside the theme park.

“…Thank you.”

Yeah. I’m definitely not eating that.

“But, I’d like to take it home and eat it.”

P l a y

M o r e

The mascot was insistent.

To the point that it turned off the gate machine.

“……!!”

Click.

The lights went out at the north exit, and the shutter came down.

I stared blankly at the scene.

Going this far?

I couldn’t grasp what was happening at all.

But I didn’t make the foolish move of arguing.

‘I might end up like the researcher.’

I definitely wanted to avoid that.

For now, for now… I’m not in immediate mortal danger here. Let’s find an alternative.

I stepped back from the gate.

As I ran off, the blue mascot kept watching me…

“Driving me crazy.”

I went into the water park’s locker room and collapsed onto a bench.

I’m scared to death.

“What is going on?”

To sum up, the mascot suddenly called me a ‘good kid’, handed me a membership, and closed the gate shutter.

In other words, I’m trapped here.

“……”

Trapped.

Wait, but what’s with this ‘good kid’ thing anyway?

The researcher was a bad kid, and I’m a good kid…

Ah.

‘…Is it because I saved my teammates a few times?’

Yeah. That’s the most plausible reason.

By chance, I did help people in dangerous situations a few times… So as a reward, they’re letting me play in the theme park forever?

‘This is driving me nuts…’

This is inside a B-Class creepypasta.

No matter how friendly and seemingly safe that mascot appears, it means I don’t know when or where some dangerous and bizarre, crazy thing might happen.

Besides.

‘…There’s no exploration record of anyone staying more than 24 hours.’

Once it goes over 24 hours, it means everyone dies or disappears.

Even if I interpret it optimistically and think that since the admission ticket is a one-day pass, and I’m a member now so I might be okay, the most crucial thing here is that I have no information.

‘Shit.’

I racked my brain, feeling like I wanted to bite my tongue.

Maybe due to the fatigue of the past few hours, my thinking was sluggish…

‘What can I do?’

I can’t win against the mascot in a fight.

I can’t sneak in and turn on the gate machine.

‘And I used up all my coins earlier.’

In a hurry, seeing Y-squad rookie Jang Heo-un fall, I threw whatever I could grab, which was a blunder. I pressed my fingers against my eyelids.

I don’t have a button to communicate with the people outside, so I can’t expect help from D-squad.

‘The items I have are…’

The Smiley Sticker? It’s not something to use when the problem is that their favorability is already too high.

It’s the same with the 2x Potion or 0.5x Cookie. They only have meaning if there’s an effect to synergize with.

‘Do I really have nothing?’

The more I worried, the deeper I seemed to sink.

As I was sinking into gloom, a light flickered above my head.

[Dark Exploration Records Real Merch Box]

– New merch unlocked! (!)

“……!!”

It’s the black notepad—the merch box.

‘Please!’

Without even taking a breath, I pressed it immediately.

Is this a lifeline? No, anything would do. I needed even the smallest hint, anything…

Thud.

Merch dropped out.

“……!”

I picked up the item wrapped transparently in plastic.

It was small enough to fit in my palm and fluffy.

A plush doll.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Daydream Inc. / ■■■■■

Good Friend

It’s your cute animal doll. It will always be with you and protect you.

Always.

—Product description on the packaging

from the ‘Cheerful Theme Park Gift Shop’

----------------------------------------

Ah.

I recalled the phrase on the board game box.

– Be the first team to ride all three fantasy attractions with your teammates and win spectacular prizes!

In the ‘Cheerful Theme Park’, the team that rode all three attractions the fastest could take one of various items from the gift shop as a prize.

‘Come to think of it, the Supervisor Park mentioned earlier that they received a prize.’

And of course, the theme park gift shop in the ghost story often had bizarre items mixed in.

‘There was even an exploration record that sorted the list of prizes people had taken…’

And this was one of the most famous items among them.

Good Friend

In the original story, it was a plush doll small enough to fit into a child’s arms, but as merch, it was reborn as a small keychain-sized doll that fit into my hand.

‘So the unlock requirement for this merch was to be a participant in the ‘Cheerful Theme Park’.’

Unless you were someone who had visited the theme park, it was just a plush doll with no function, but since I had used up all my admission tickets, it seems I unlocked the requirement.

And the ability of this plush doll is…

A strange item that invites someone from the Otherworld, allowing a part of their spirit to dwell in the doll and become your friend.

It rarely appears in the gift shop of the <Cheerful Theme Park>.

For detailed invitation records, refer below.

This is it.

“……”

Under normal circumstances, I would have thought it through carefully and set up safety measures before attempting.

‘Inviting someone from the Otherworld’—it’s the perfect description for the start of a creepypasta.

But I don’t have the time or leisure for that now.

‘Let’s try it.’

Because I desperately need the advice of someone who understands the workings of creepypastas.

I took out my smartphone, equipped with the memorial grip, and opened the ‘Good Friend’ tab in the <Dark Exploration Records> app.

The required items are as follows.

· Materials for the Invitation

– Matches (or a lighter)

– 100mL of water

– One tablespoon of salt

– A coin (clean)

– An item related to a friend

And a quiet place.

‘This locker room is perfect.’

Outside is noisy with water sounds and music, so this is the best place.

I can somehow get a lighter, water, and salt inside this theme park—whether by stealing or requesting from a shop.

The problem is the next two items.

A coin (clean)

An item related to a friend

I have no coins left. I used them all.

And the item related to a friend… Actually, it’s included to enhance the fun of the creepypasta. If you put in a fairy tale book, a monster from that story motif would come.

‘What should I do to make it as safe as possible?’

No, I was reluctant to offer something from this theme park as an item related to a friend.

Isn’t this place itself already a creepypasta?

“……”

In the end, after much deliberation, I settled on two items.

Hoping that this substitution would work.

And after a while.

“Huu.”

I placed the torch and the salt I had obtained on the floor in the corner of the locker room.

‘So creepy.’

I got them all from a snack truck. I saw they were selling a menu item called ‘Roasted Marshmallows’, so I thought maybe, and they had both.

‘…They gave them to me for free when they saw my membership.’

Rather than making me happy, it felt even more ominous.

I wiped my mouth and reopened my smartphone.

I had to start quickly.

· Invitation Ritual

1- On a smooth floor, dip your finger in water and draw a hexagram using the enclosed design.

2- Place the ‘Good Friend’ in the exact center of the hexagram.

3- Place the coin on the belly of the ‘Good Friend’. At this time, your fingers should not have any remaining water.

4- Hold a tablespoon of salt in your mouth and burn the item related to a friend using fire.

5- When the ‘Good Friend’ starts to speak, swallow the salt and return the greeting kindly!

If the coin has disappeared, the ritual was successful! You have met a reliable friend. Always keep them close and cherish them!

※ If you cannot swallow the salt, tastes strange,

turns to ash, or if blood comes out,

run away.

“Huu.”

First, I drew a hexagram on the marble floor of the locker room, exactly like the image. It was a bit complex but not too difficult.

‘…It’s shining strangely.’

However, the completed hexagram was excessively smooth, its surface gleaming without any smudges.

After thoroughly wiping the moisture off my fingers on the hem of my clothes, I picked up the ‘Good Friend’ keychain with trembling hands and placed it in the exact center of the hexagram.

‘Of all things, it’s a rabbit doll.’

I felt uneasy, but remembering that I bought it thinking it was cute at the pop-up store made me feel a bit better.

And for the coin…

‘This one.’

I placed the item I had—the Silver Serpent Coin—on top of it.

‘This is technically a coin… right?’

I thought that rather than obtaining one from this ghost story, it might be safer to use an item from the Alien Shop from the plane of ‘reality’. Considering its price, it seemed to be a fairly valuable item, so I was convincing myself that it might even have a better effect.

Then, after putting the salt in my mouth, finally.

‘An item related to a friend.’

This also had to be something that didn’t belong to this ghost story.

That is… myself.

“……”

I loosened my necktie.

‘If it’s my own item, it certainly doesn’t belong here.’

A friend related to a necktie? I don’t know who it might be, but it’s better than something like a kitchen knife.

I lit the torch.

And brought it to the end of the necktie.

Whoosh.

Like magic, the flame flared up fiercely, casting a shadow over the plush doll on the hexagram.

The shadow wavered.

It wavered more.

And more.

Before I knew it, the surroundings had grown dark.

All I could see was the flame consuming my necktie, the hexagram reflecting that light, and the plush doll at its center.

Flicker.

Flicker…

My hazy mind didn’t melt away.

Instead, the salt in my mouth melted with its salty taste, numbing my tongue.

Amidst that.

Flicker.

Flicker…

The mouth of the ‘Good Friend’ hugging the coin opened.

– BEHOLD!

– I AM THE OWNER OF A MILLION MASKS, THE LORD OF CHAOS, THE PINNACLE OF MADNESS, THE DREAM OF PLEASURE AND PLAY, THE INSTIGATOR OF WAR, THE FATHER OF SCIENCE, THE LOW-LYING QUADRUPED BEAST—

……!!

It’s too… loud.

It feels like my head is being shaken violently.

I want to cover my ears, but I have no free hands. I’m holding the necktie and the torch!

What is this?

– THE DESIRE OF THE CRAWLING ONES, THE LORD OF STARS, THE ABYSS OF ILLUSION, THE MOUTH OF WISDOM, THE ROAR OF IMPULSE, THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON…

The plush doll in the center of the hexagram is convulsing.

In the middle, a silvery round object is burning away.

‘The Silver Serpent Coin.’

Did I use the wrong coin?

– I AM…

My head hurts so much, so much…

– Friend.

– Are you in pain, friend?

I lifted my head.

– This won’t do…

A gentle and soft voice flowed through the ‘Good Friend’.

– You must not be in pain…

“……”

The flickering subsided.

As the necktie burned away, the fire extinguished.

The coin that had been on top of the convulsing rabbit doll had disappeared at some point.

So had the moisture used to draw the hexagram.

“……”

Silence.

I swallowed the salt, looking at the ‘Good Friend’ lying motionless.

But no sound could be heard.

‘Don’t tell me.’

“Did it fail…?”

– Mr. Roe Deer?

“……!!”

A cheerful and pleasant voice echoed.

But…

– Mr. Roe Deer?

It’s a familiar voice.

Before I knew it, I responded.

“Mr. Host?”

“Ah, so it is you, Mr. Roe Deer!”

Tuesday Quiz Show.

The voice of the TV-headed host who conducted the live broadcast in that ghost story was coming from the doll.

– Nice to meet you, my friend!

Chapter 25 - [Cheerful Theme Park], VII

“……!!”

In a corner of the locker room within the theme park’s creepypasta, a small plush doll moved its limbs and spoke.

At first glance, it would be a life-threatening situation.

Except that I created this situation.

– Friend?

The plush doll convulsed atop the now-vanished hexagram.

“Ah—”

It was then that I realized.

That I had succeeded in inviting the ‘Good Friend’ into the doll!

The problem was that the one invited was someone I knew, no, a known monster.

‘Mr. Host…!’

The monster with a TV head who was conducting the <Tuesday Quiz Show> in the creepypasta.

– I hope you join the crew of my new talk show as well, Mr. Roe Deer!

I swallowed hard, recalling the last scene of escaping from that crazy creepypasta.

“…Nice to meet you, Mr. Host. Have you been well?”

– Haha, nice to meet you too! I remember you shining in the quiz show, Mr. Roe Deer. Have you been well? I…

– I.

Silence.

– Well… I don’t really remember. Mm… right. I’ve been well. I’ve been conducting the talk show, yes.

The voice coming from the plush doll faded somewhat, then regained strength and friendliness.

– The important thing is that we have met again!

“…Yes.”

It felt as though the overwhelming supernatural pressure and fear were being pressed down softly before erupting.

‘…Because it’s a good friend?’

It seems that the plush doll and the ritual are playing some sort of controlling role.

Still, I have to be careful.

“Um, Mr. Host. I have a question.”

– Feel free to speak, friend. Oh, by the way, that kind of title between friends is a bit awkward!

– Just call me Braun, Mr. Roe Deer! Let’s drop the stiff formalities!

“…Right. Yes. Braun.”

Yeah. Even a TV-headed monster living in a creepypasta has a name…

Anyway, the main point was urgent now. I spoke as politely as possible.

“Actually, I’m trying to leave the theme park now, but I can’t find the way out.”

– Goodness! Theme parks are famous for their complicated structures and confusing paths. Don’t worry. I’m very good at finding my way!

“…I’m not lost, but the mascots are blocking the exit gate.”

The plush doll was silent for a moment, as if speechless.

– Huh, hmm. It’s a unique situation, isn’t it?

A pretty human-like reaction.

I briefly summarized the structure of this theme park and what had happened.

Including the teams and zones divided by color, and the out-of-control mascots.

The plush doll lying on the floor folded its arms.

– Hmm. These mascots are really diva-like! Such conspicuously rambunctious beings exist in the broadcasting industry too.

– But one that hasn’t appeared is bothering me.

A mascot that hasn’t appeared?

I reflexively thought.

“…Are you talking about the yellow mascot?”

The last mascot, only mentioned in attractions, with no trace.

– Exactly! The yellow flower, isn’t it? Do you know where he is?

“……!”

Right.

‘Since I found the blue mascot’s zone, the yellow mascot’s zone must be somewhere…!’

If I find that place and go to that gate…

– He must already be dead, though.

……

“Pardon?”

The yellow mascot?

“Isn’t there a space like a botanical garden or greenhouse garden? Because it’s a flower…”

– Oh, Mr. Roe Deer, you probably already know.

The kind voice whispered,

– Didn’t you say it clearly yourself? You said the yellow team also woke up on the outskirts of the blue zone.

“……!”

– If there was a yellow zone, the yellow team would have woken up there. Wasn’t that the promise?

“…That’s right.”

The rule is that you wake up in the zone of the color you get. But the yellow team didn’t.

Because… maybe there really is no yellow zone?

I mulled it over.

And after a moment, I opened my mouth.

“…I realized what I need to do.”

I need to check.

– Oh, what is it? Together…

The plush doll struggled as if trying to get up, but couldn’t balance and fell flat.

– Ahem, Mr. Roe Deer, could you help me get up?

I cautiously approached and gently lifted the ‘Good Friend’ keychain with one hand.

It felt a warmth like body heat.

– It’s hard to maintain your balance. It might take a little time to adjust… but don’t worry. I’m a very capable being!

How dignified.

After pondering, I put the plush doll into the front pocket of my suit.

The plush doll exaggeratedly raised one hand.

– Alright, let’s go! …But, where are we going?

It’s a place that can guide the way.

A place that’s definitely in a large public facility, one of those essential spots.

“It’s the information booth.”

Of course, there were exploration records noting that the ‘Cheerful Theme Park’ also had information booths. Most typical amusement parks are fully equipped with them.

‘The problem is that they weren’t functioning properly…’

They did inform us of the locations of some nearby attractions.

But when the requests were a bit complicated or required physical items, this happened.

The information mascot raised a ‘Members Only’ sign.

‘It means that having just an admission ticket isn’t enough.’

Although they treated us as customers, it was meant to create a spooky atmosphere by implying that this place wasn’t originally meant for us…

‘Fortunately, I have a membership band on my wrist.’

In fact, as soon as the admission ticket was changed to a membership, I recalled several exploration records related to ‘Members Only’.

Special souvenir shops, restaurants, and separate attraction entrances that allow entry without waiting in line.

But there was a clear reason why I tried to avoid them as much as possible.

‘Because I have to interact with the mascots.’

Because if I interacted with the crazy mascot who closed the gate without any information, I could trigger some horrific outcome…

‘Just thinking about it makes me dizzy.’

But now that I had a monster friend who would act as a crisis alarm, I decided to give it a try.

“Braun. If the person I’m talking to seems upset or might harm me, could you let me know?”

– Of course. It’s not a difficult task!

The plush doll cheerfully replied, then quickly came up with a few hand signals we could use. It was indeed a quick response befitting someone in mass media.

And after a short while.

– Over there. Oh, it looks pretty convincing…

I approached the information booth, hearing the ‘Good Friend’ talking. The booth was made of opaque blue glass and a white screen.

As I got closer, the screen opened, revealing the face of a blue mascot.

It was the blue dragon in uniform.

“Hello. I’d like to see a map of this place.”

The blue mascot, waving its hand as if pleased, quickly moved its hand and handed me a high-quality catalog.

It was a convenient map showing various attractions, restaurants, and facilities of ‘Blue Dream Waterpark’.

At the top of the catalog, it was marked ‘Members Only.’

I looked up at the blue mascot.

“Thank you.”

There was a somewhat proud expression.

“By the way, is there one that shows the entire area as well?”

Clunk.

The movement of the blue mascot stopped.

D-Don’t be scared.

“I’m sure you know, but I came over here from the red zone without any procedures. I want to avoid going closer there again to prevent any mistakes…”

I asked in the calmest and most polite voice possible.

“What exactly is the boundary between the red zone and this area?”

A short silence.

The mascot reached out its hand.

From here

to here

Riiiiiip. The catalog map I was holding was torn by the blue mascot’s claw.

Along the eastern end, it tore down.

‘As expected, the eastern part of the blue zone and the western part of the red zone were directly connected…’

But… it’s so scary.

My hands holding the torn catalog were shaking as if vibrating…!

‘Please save me.’

Isn’t it going to split me in half with its claws and kill me?

At the moment the mascot lifted its claws off the map, I hurriedly nodded and expressed my gratitude.

Then, onto the next topic!

“Thank you. If that’s the case…”

Thud thud.

“……!”

– Shh.

From the front pocket, the plush doll tapped its chest twice softly.

…This is what it means.

‘It seems the other party is not in a good mood.’

…So, this is it!

I immediately shifted my demeanor and only greeted politely.

“Yes. I won’t go near the red zone.”

The blue dragon stayed still for a moment, then nodded its head.

Then, rummaging through its chest, it took out another polite ‘Blue Soda Churros’ bag and handed it to me.

“Thank you.”

G o o d c h i l d

The blue dragon tapped my wristband gently and then let go of its arm.

Drip.

Eventually, the screen of the information booth closed smoothly.

“……”

‘Huu.’

It was done.

I bowed my head, clutching my pounding heart.

I felt like I was going to die of fear…

– You’re smiling, my friend! Are you feeling good? Did you find what you wanted?

I figured it out.

“Yes.”

I lifted my head and started running.

“Now, I just need to move.”

If I had asked the mascot more questions, I might have saved some time, but safety comes first, so from now on, I would use the most reliable means.

My own feet.

‘Let’s hurry.’

There were only a few hours left.

I looked up at the sky of the theme park, which was starting to darken.

A few hours later.

The sun had set.

“Huuuff.”

I kept running.

My legs were trembling from sprinting thoroughly around the gigantic water theme park, covering half a lap.

– Mr. Roe Deer, you seem terribly exhausted?

“I’m fine.”

The plush doll asked with a pitiful tone.

– It seems like the time has come to ask this question. Exactly where are you trying to go?

I wiped the sweat dripping from my chin and replied.

“The yellow zone.”

– Hooh!

– We both seemed to agree with the statement ‘there is no yellow zone’, but why did you change your judgment?

“It’s not that I changed my mind. I still believe there is no yellow zone.”

But…

“There must have been one in the past.”

I lowered the map and looked ahead.

First of all.

“At that time, it probably wasn’t directly adjacent to the red zone.”

To the east was a forest, to the north was the entrance, to the south was a cliff, and to the west was the blue zone.

‘The terrain fits perfectly without any gaps.’

Then…

“It must have been connected to some part of the blue zone. There must have been a connecting passage.”

Excluding the north, which was also an entrance, and the east, which was adjacent to the red zone.

What remains is…

– So you’re thoroughly searching the west and south? Haha!

That’s correct.

Unlike the red zone, there were no mascots chasing me to kill me here, so I could use this laborious method.

And finally, I found it in a corner of the northwest, behind the restroom’s flower bed.

A rough dirt path leading up the mountain, like a closed hiking trail.

– Hmm. It must have been opened as a passage before.

The problem is, crossing this almost certainly violates the theme park’s rules.

[No Entry Except for Staff]

After checking that sign, I slightly stepped out from behind the restroom and looked around.

I made eye contact with a mascot standing in front of a children’s attraction far away.

– Hmm, are you bothered by that mascot?

“Yes. If I cross into the no-entry zone, I’m sure they’ll notice…”

– Then just don’t get caught!

“……”

But that’s not as easy as it sounds…

– Oh, cheer up. It’s not difficult!

– Isn’t it me? Your friend.

The voice of the ‘Good Friend’ became somewhat crafty.

Its unique confidence, slyness, and friendliness came to the forefront.

– I will help you. First… it would be good to take me out of your front pocket for a moment!

I did as it said.

Then, the plush doll sitting on my palm raised its hand and pointed at me.

I flinched instantly, remembering how it burned people during the Tuesday Quiz Show.

But this time was different.

Ta-dak!

A small thudding sound echoed as the doll without fingers snapped its hand.

At that moment.

A strange shadow-like thing heavily covered me.

“……!”

I was now faint and sinking…

– Now… they won’t be able to notice you. Come on, let’s go.

The voice of Braun, the ‘Good Friend’, sounded slightly weary and faint.

“This is…”

– I turned off your lighting, Mr. Roe Deer.

– We promised not to worry about people who aren’t illuminated during the show, didn’t we?

Apparently, ‘incineration’ wasn’t the only ability of the host.

‘Was he managing the entire filming location by himself…?’

I felt an eerie chill and looked down at the plush doll, but soon realized that wasn’t my priority.

First, escape!

“Then, I’ll move.”

– Very good!

I turned back to the restroom and stood in front of the closed narrow path.

Then, I crossed the no-entry sign.

“……”

Nothing happened.

“Thank…”

– Let’s set aside the praise and move first!

I was almost moved to tears by how grateful I was.

I sprinted up the steep hiking trail at my maximum speed, almost sprinting away.

Fragments of broken plastic and decorative items flashed beneath my hands and feet amidst the dirt.

– It seems like the place where something was is definitely here.

I pushed my speed even more.

Upward, further upward…

And finally, the end of the path appeared.

Tak.

I stepped forward and stood.

From the top of the hill, I looked down below.

It’s…

– It’s a resort.

A large-scale resort building was spread out next to the dark seaside.

…Did all famous franchise theme parks also operate such massive lodging facilities?

It was so large it was overwhelming just to look at it…

[Flower Golden Resort]

It was already a completely abandoned facility.

The golden-lit resort must have looked like quite a dream place once. But now it was old, paint peeling, and desolate.

I looked at the sign with a yellow flower brightly smiling, which had a crack.

And below that, even the familiar but older machinery.

– There’s a gate at the entrance to the resort too!

“Yes.”

That was expected. The way back to the resort from the theme park was also a kind of exit.

‘Found it…!’

I ran again, forgetting my exhaustion. The shadow that had been covering my body snapped away, and my steps quickened.

– Hmm. But the gate here is off too, can I use it?

“Of course.”

I looked around the old gate mechanism and opened the emergency control panel.

Just like I did at the attraction.

And I activated the emergency power.

Ziiing.

Creaking, sporadic lights came on in the gate machine.

‘Because the mascot had its eyes wide open, I couldn’t do it earlier.’

This level of operation was manageable on my own.

I stood in front of the gate where the lights were coming on most completely.

I took a deep breath.

Until the final confirmation.

“Braun. If I enter that resort with my membership, do you think I have to use those facilities?”

– Haha! Those rundown places? Their business seems to have ended long ago, and it’s already an ownerless property. It’s not a theme park, just land!

Thank you for the sharp and accurate assessment, friend.

I immediately brought my membership to the gate.

Click.

The old gate machine read my membership.

Ding.

The device’s lights flickered.

[◎ Goodbye ◎]

Done.

Feeling a shiver, as I moved my feet…

– Goodness, they followed.

I turned around.

Far away, I saw a blue figure crawling up the narrow path.

‘…Mascot!’

It was the blue dragon!

The mascot in uniform that I saw at the gate was approaching at a terrifying speed… then stopped.

It’s… it’s…

Staggering.

“……”

– Tsk tsk. That mascot thinks it’s the protagonist of a drama. Let’s get out quickly!

I felt uneasy.

‘This is completely a foreshadowing of revenge.’

There’s nothing good about being hated by a being from a creepypasta, right?

I thought and rummaged through my pocket, finding something that was still left.

[Alice’s Picnic Set – Cookie]

It was this flat cookie item that I had never used before.

I lightly threw the paper-wrapped cookie at the mascot.

……

– Mr. Roe Deer, you are excessively kind…

No.

‘Anyway, I gave it to you, Dragon.’

As I confirmed that the mascot received the cookie in its hand, I crossed the gate.

G o o d c h i l d

>

I escaped from the creepypasta.

Amidst the world swirling around, I heard the faint voice of the ‘Good Friend’.

– Hmm, now I’m getting strength! I feel like I can move…

I opened my eyes.

I realized I was sitting in the conference room of Research Team 1 on the 17th floor, empty and dark, right in the middle of Seoul.

‘…I survived.’

I succeeded in escaping!

“Ha!!”

Feeling an overwhelming sense of liberation stretching to the tips of my hair, I immediately stood up from my seat.

‘Is no one here?’

A few hours had passed, so it seemed everyone had moved from the conference room. I thought of calling to let them know I had escaped…

Huh?

I looked at my wrist.

[◎ (Cheerful) Fantasyland Membership ◎ ]

The band was still there.

“What is this—”

And then it began to burn.

“……!”

In an instant, the form of the admission ticket disappeared.

But something remained.

Exactly where the admission ticket had been, there was a black inscription engraved on my wrist.

: Socius :

What the heck.

Chapter 26 - : Socius :

After I finally escaped from that crazy theme park—

– Roe!

– Whoa crazy, Roe’s back!!

I was met with a warm welcome from my teammates who I ran into in the elevator.

Turns out, the team had been in a panic and was even thinking of reaching out to one of the civilian survivors to find out what could have happened inside the ghost story.

“We were just trying to get some insight from them. Anyway, it’s a relief you made it out safely.”

D-squad’s assistant manager spoke with a much brighter expression.

“What happened exactly? Why were you late?”

Hmm.

Before answering, I deliberately raised my hand so my wrist faced outward, massaging the back of my neck so they could clearly see the burn mark left by the membership.

: Socius :

“……”

“……”

“Roe?”

“Oh, sorry. Just… really tired for a moment.”

“Ahh.”

Both Assistant Manager Eun and Supervisor Park just nodded, acknowledging that after all that hellish ordeal, it made sense.

That’s when I realized.

‘They can’t see it.’

No reaction. That tattoo isn’t visible to them.

Not a great sign.

After a short pause, I decided to speak.

“The reason I was late… well, actually, the power to the exit gate went out right in front of me. I waited, but when it didn’t come back on, I had to find another way out.”

“Huh?!”

I deliberately left out the part where the regular admission band turned into a membership band.

In this bizarre ghost story company, it wouldn’t be wise to mention that something weird has attached itself to me.

‘Let’s also leave out the part about the talking plush doll.’

But aside from that, I explained everything in detail, so there shouldn’t be any issues with recording the exploration logs and creating the manual.

“…Wait a minute. So… you went to the yellow zone, but the gate there was off too, so you manually turned it back on? By rewiring the circuit box?”

“Yes.”

“What are you…”

“Ehh, I’m just an ordinary roe deer.”

“Umm… Right, I guess.”

“……??”

In any case, the atmosphere lightened significantly.

“Your points will be credited tomorrow. Don’t be surprised—I heard the total might be close to ten thousand points this time.”

“Awesome, right?!”

Actually, the points they’d get would be lower since I made it out alive.

The two superiors who seemed so busy worrying about my survival that they hadn’t even had time to wash yet looked at me and grinned.

Honestly, I felt kind of grateful.

It was even a bit touching—a warmth too good for this company.

But someone was missing.

“Come to think of it, where’s the Squad Leader?”

Assistant Manager Eun averted her gaze.

“…He got called by the Team Leader.”

Urk.

“It’ll be fine. He’ll just get scolded a bit. Honestly, if we’re talking about the A-squad’s mantis mask, isn’t it like he practically did that to himself?”

Well, it did seem like Squad Leader Lee got on the wrong side of the A-squad’s leader.

I remembered the teal duck mask glaring daggers at him.

Even Supervisor Park was whispering now.

“Assistant Manager, is that actually true?”

“What?”

“That our squad leader has enough qualifications for the elite team but keeps getting held back in D-squad because of his personality…!”

“Oh. It’s probably true.”

Assistant Manager Eun crossed her arms.

“But he’s been like that his whole life, so people just let him be.”

“……”

“It does seem like God is fair, considering that face with that personality…”

“Shhh. He’s a good superior.”

A lizard face with a lizard personality?

Well, I could now somewhat understand and agree that he was indeed a decent superior.

Especially since I’d just seen the worst kind of boss up close.

“Ah, and about Research Team 1’s section chief.”

The head of Research Team 1, Kwak Jaekang, who had impulsively thrown his squad member into a ghost story and eventually got him killed.

“He really crossed the line.”

Apparently, he’s now arguing that he was ‘so startled himself that he accidentally sacrificed the researcher as a pawn’.

‘Even though anyone could tell it was intentional…’

Everyone from the exploration team present at that scene would remember it wasn’t the case.

The problem is, there isn’t anyone willing to testify strongly for the deceased, gambling-addicted researcher.

Just look at the state of our outspoken superiors.

“The A-squad’s leader is totally fixated on our D-squad’s leader, so much that she doesn’t even care about Research Team 1’s section chief.”

The expectation was that things would just get swept under the rug, with maybe a slight pay cut as the only consequence.

Since this is a company where employees’ lives are valued based on their performance, it didn’t look like a department head would face serious disciplinary action over the accidental death of an expendable employee.

‘Is this why Kwak Jaekang, the researcher, kept showing up in the Dark Exploration Records…!’

One wrong move and he’d be in deep trouble, but he seemed to be crafty enough to avoid it each time, slithering away like a snake.

The D-squad superiors clicked their tongues, saying that some of the creepy rumors about Kwak Jaekang must have been true.

“I hate the thought of having to keep working with that guy, but since he threw a fit this time, he might calm down a bit until the next quarter.”

“Right? If he hadn’t, he would’ve been fired by now.”

It was exactly the kind of complacency expected in a company where employees risked their lives for ghost stories.

‘I agree to some extent, but… honestly, it felt like Kwak Jaekang wasn’t just trying to kill his own researcher but all of us.’

The researcher was just a pawn in his chaos.

But thanks to everyone’s safe escape, that part got blurred, leaving things a bit murky.

‘I’ll have to keep an eye on him going forward.’

I resolved to thoroughly check the <Dark Exploration Records> wiki page where Kwak Jaekang was mentioned.

“Phew, what a long day.”

“Seriously.”

The conversation died down.

Since Squad Leader Lee Jaheon’s return was uncertain, we got permission to go home for the day.

Assistant Manager Eun grinned.

“There’s nothing more to do. You haven’t been reported as missing yet. We thought we might find you. …Good thing we did.”

“Yeah! We all believed you’d turn up!”

“Go home and get some rest.”

“…Thank you.”

“Oh, come on, no need for that.”

With their parting words, “Look forward to those points tomorrow,” I said goodbye to my superiors.

I returned to Research Team 1’s office to gather my things and started heading home.

And along the way, I met a familiar face.

“Jang Heo-eun.”

“……! Soleum-ssi!”

A new recruit from the Y-squad.

Since all his squadmates had died, he’d somehow been relegated to the background, sitting idly in the Research Team 1’s office.

And although his shoulder had healed, he was still wearing his blood-stained clothes.

“You made it out safely! I’m relieved…”

“Yes, thank you.”

I sat across from him for a moment and made some small talk.

Jang Heo-eun looked a bit pale, probably from blood loss, but his gloomy expression seemed somewhat lighter.

Though it feels odd to call him lucky, given what happened to his squadmates…

I recalled what the superiors had hinted at earlier.

– Ah, that new recruit from Y-squad. Looks like management is considering him favorably after his performance this time. If he maintains it, he’s likely to be promoted to a regular employee within three months.

– If he can make it through three months without incident, there’s a high chance he’ll be transferred to a standard position!

That all sounds great.

The problem is, can he survive those three months…!

“So, have you ever thought about quitting? Your situation is too dangerous right now…”

“No.”

A firm answer returned.

Jang Heo-eun, the new recruit from Y-squad, still wearing his cow mask, clenched both fists tightly.

“I need that wish ticket. I can’t quit.”

“……”

Seems he has his own reasons.

“In that case, I wish you the best of luck.”

After hesitating, I added a few words.

“Three months.”

“Pardon?”

“If you can endure for just three months, there’s a high chance you’ll be reassigned.”

There’s a big difference between enduring indefinitely and having a set period to push through.

From a motivational standpoint as well.

“……!”

A glimmer appeared in Jang Heo-eun’s eyes.

“Y-Yes… I’ll try my best to make it…!”

He took a deep breath, looking at the ceiling, then lowered his head respectfully.

“You’ve helped me a lot today. In three months, I’ll work hard to return the favor.”

“No need. Thanks to you, I made it out safely as well. Thank you.”

We shook hands.

And, with a mix of sympathy and understanding, I found myself saying it almost automatically.

“Thank you for all your hard work. It must have been frightening for you.”

“Pardon?”

A look of puzzlement passed over Jang Heo-eun’s face.

Uhh…!

“Oh, it’s fine. I’ve nearly died a few times before…”

“…Not just that. You must have seen some very disturbing scenes as well.”

“Oh, that’s true.”

Jang Heo-eun gave an embarrassed smile.

“I’m not great with blood or organs… I keep fainting or my legs give out.”

“…I see.”

Hold on.

The definition of ‘disturbing scenes’ seems to have narrowed down quite a bit just now…

‘No way.’

“…Heo-eun-ssi, does that mean that supernatural phenomena or ghosts don’t bother you?”

“A-Ah, yes! Those things don’t bother me at all!”

“……”

“It’s just that I tend to think, ‘Oh, so that’s what it is,’ um, yes. Unless someone gets severely injured, I don’t feel much about it.”

“……”

So he’s… not a coward?

“Thank you for your concern… Oh, that’s right! Soleum-ssi, did you happen to talk to that person in the new recruit group chat… oh. Y-You’re not in there…”

There’s… a new recruit group chat?

So he wasn’t a fellow member of the Cowards’ Club.

…And there was a rookie group chat that I wasn’t a part of?!

“Hah.”

I returned home to the company dorm in a troubled state, showered, and came back out.

Two shocking truths left a lingering sting at the back of my mind.

‘What a long day…’

I’d received the new recruit chat link from that traitor… no, I mean Jang Heo-eun-ssi, so I’d need to check that out later.

But there was something of higher priority to look into first.

“I should check the tattoo on my wrist.”

Several possibilities crossed my mind, but fortunately, there was someone I could casually ask about it.

‘Good Friend.’

I sat on the bed and pulled the plush doll keychain from the front pocket of my suit.

Then I called out.

“Braun?”

But there was no answer.

‘Just as expected.’

It was said that once back in reality, the doll would appear as a regular plush toy.

The Good Friend will accompany you in daily life, but it will be like a shy doll.

Treat it properly.

It remembers everything.

So, it wasn’t just keeping quiet and blending in at the company—it actually couldn’t speak in this state.

But there was still a way to talk to the ‘Good Friend’ outside of ghost stories.

‘…I just need to turn reality into a ghost story.’

I recalled a method from the <Dark Exploration Records>.

Talking with the ‘Good Friend’

#1 Use darkness, a lighter, and shadows.

Honestly, it was a bit creepy, but here goes.

I leaned down beneath the bed.

Then, I propped the ‘Good Friend’ against the inside of the right bed leg.

‘Next, the light.’

I’d quit smoking ages ago, so I didn’t have a lighter, but I substituted with my phone flashlight.

Placing it on the floor to cast a narrow beam on the bed leg, I turned off the room light.

Click.

I sat on the bed in the pitch dark.

‘…This is kind of creepy.’

A chill ran down my spine, so I pulled the blanket over myself.

There’s no need to feel embarrassed. I’m alone, after all.

‘…Though I might not be alone much longer.’

I looked up, and the flashlight under the bed cast a massive shadow of the plush doll on the wall.

“……”

Soon, the shadow of the plush doll leaning against the bed leg began to sway along with the light.

As if it were stirring awake.

If I watched carefully, holding my breath, a voice would soon follow.

A voice that sounded almost like an illusion.

– Friend.

“…Braun.”

The host had awoken.

– Ah, I see you made it out safely from that strange theme park! Congratulations.

“Thank you.”

Braun seemed to be recalling, almost like replaying a tape, the rough outline of what had happened to me since I left the ghost story.

‘So this is what it means to remember everything.’

– Right, you’ve clocked out, friend. Are you home to rest now? Oh, it’s quite a cozy place!

“Thank you, sir.”

Though, technically, this wasn’t my home but a company dorm.

– Hmm, now that I think about it, Mr. Roe Deer, you’re speaking to me very formally! Friends don’t need to speak like that, you know.

“…Braun, you’re speaking quite formally yourself.”

– Haha, I can’t help it. It’s an occupational hazard!

I swallowed back the words, ‘I, too, am a rookie at this crazy ghost story company with an occupational hazard’.

The friendlier this plush doll became, the safer and more powerful it would be.

“…Alright. Then I’ll speak more casually from now on. Since we’re friends.”

– Oh, that’s great!

The shadow of the doll shook, as if nodding cheerfully.

Good… now, to the main point.

“I actually have something to ask my friend.”

– Oh! Then how about we take turns asking each other questions? But we must answer each question.

– It’ll be like a game. Ah, that sounds so fun…

Stop making it sound like a ghost story!

“Sure. That sounds fun.”

But I forced myself to respond agreeably.

Feels like I’m working overtime… Gotta stay strong.

“What I wanted to ask is this.”

I immediately raised my left hand and lowered it under the bed, making sure the black letters, like a tattoo on my wrist, were clearly visible to the plush doll in front of me.

“When the membership wristband burned up, this mark was left behind.”

A moment of silence.

And then…

– This… is Latin. Hmm.

An odd mix of fascination and absorption was evident in his tone. The voice dropped lower.

– Socius.

– It means companion, member, or kin. The versatility of Latin!

“I know that much.”

I’d looked it up on a dictionary app on the way back.

The fact that the ‘membership’ wristband had burned up, leaving behind a word meaning ‘member’, seemed fairly connected, but what mattered more was this.

“But other people don’t seem to be able to see it. What do you think the reason is?”

– Oh dear, it seems they all have poor eyesight! I can see it quite well.

So creatures within ghost stories can see this?

“Glad you can see it.”

I rephrased my question.

“Then, what role do you think this mark serves?”

– It’s a mark granting you certain qualifications.

Without hesitation, Braun responded in a cheerful tone.

– You know how VIPs sometimes attend talk shows as special guests? They’re often given distinctive marks that set them apart from the other audience members, like a name tag or badge!

– Such a ‘distinguished mark’ grants privileges like special seating, rehearsal viewing, or backstage access!

I instinctively raised my arm to look at the mark.

“…So, this is like a ‘special qualification’?”

– Well, at least to the theme park mascots, yes.

Braun’s voice turned dismissive.

– Those overly emotional mascots seem to be a bit too friendly with you, Mr. Roe Deer. Next time you visit, perhaps you’ll get a welcome drink with it!”

I’d rather never visit again.

But I nodded in agreement to appear cooperative.

– Good, good!

‘Being social is so exhausting…’

Anyway, though the ‘qualification’ it grants is vague, it doesn’t seem to be entirely negative.

‘If I enter another ghost story, I’ll have to see if there’s any use for it.’

The plush doll’s shadow swayed a few times, as if in excitement, then whispered softly.

– Did you know?

Know what?

– Mr. Roe Deer, you’ve just asked two questions.

– That’s a rule violation.

A chill ran down my spine.

– Haha, don’t worry. It’s often the charm of being close to someone to bend the rules occasionally, isn’t it?”

Phew.

“…Thank you.”

– No need to thank me!

– Now, it’s my turn to ask a question.

I swallowed nervously, looking at the large shadow of the doll cast on the wall.

“What do you want to know?”

Braun whispered.

– Who lives in the room next to yours?

It was an unexpected question.

And, of course, in the next room here in the dorm…

“…A colleague.”

Baek Saheon.

– Are you close?

Not at all.

“Just a work colleague.”

– Ah, I see. Very well…

Braun’s voice became cheerful again.

– Friend, it’s probably best if you don’t pay attention to that ‘work colleague’ living next door!

“Why?”

– Because he’ll drop dead soon!

Chapter 27 - "watch out for serial killers-"

Baek Saheon.

– You morons. If one eye is all it takes to escape, just do it already!

My coworker, the one who caused that commotion on the subway.

He’s also a notable figure in the <Dark Exploration Records> and will probably keep leaving his mark on his way up to section chief…

“What? He’ll die?”

Suddenly, a keychain plushie from a creepypasta just sentenced Baek Saheon to death.

Reflexively, I couldn’t help but ask this question.

“Why?”

But I know a future where he’s promoted up to section chief…?

– Ah, it’s a classic. Really classic… Mr. Roe Deer, have you ever seen movies like that?

“…Movies?”

– Yes. The kind with a serial killer in them.”

Ah, please.

– In popular media, there are certain typical targets who end up as victims. Blondes, college students, hitchhikers, or those wearing something like red shoes—these kinds of noticeable symbols.

– And do you know what the most classic and foolproof victim selection is?

The shadow of the plush doll whispered.

– It’s picking up something that belongs to the killer.

“……”

The large black shadow cast on the wall pointed beyond it.

– Your ‘work colleague’ picked up an item, and now he’s going to die in a brutal way!

“……”

Hah, seriously…

“Anyway, thanks for the warning.”

– You’re most welcome!

As politely as possible, I told him that I needed to sleep for work tomorrow, and thankfully, my ‘Good Friend’ gladly understood my situation.

– Goodness, it must have been a tiring day. May you sleep soundly and have sweet dreams!

That seems unlikely.

‘And you contributed to that disaster…’

– Adios!

The flashlight on my phone switched off on its own, and the large shadow on the wall disappeared.

After a moment’s thought, I grabbed a clean towel, made a soft little spot on the desk, and placed the plush doll on it.

‘Hopefully, with this much courtesy, he won’t come after me in a nightmare with a cleaver.’

Of course, I probably need to worry about whether I can even fall asleep and dream at this point.

“Hm.”

I turned the night light to its brightest setting and lay down in bed.

Baek Saheon.

He’s probably asleep next door by now…

‘What exactly did he pick up?’

What sort of horrendous ghost story artifact did he grab for the plush doll next door to sense it through the wall?

Is it the butterfly effect? Or was it something that was already bound to happen?

I thought back to what Baek Saheon had done in the <Dark Exploration Records>, but even after searching through the wiki, I couldn’t find any relevant information.

Maybe that’s not surprising. If it happened outside of work, it might not have been documented.

Huu.

“……”

‘If I go knocking on his door in the middle of the night, he’ll probably have a heart attack, won’t he?’

Besides, I’m not exactly eager to voluntarily approach something scary enough to put me on a serial killer’s target list…

Honestly, he’s not even the type of roommate I’d risk my life to warn.

‘But now that I know, giving him at least a warning is the right thing to do.’

An indirect way to reach out…

‘Got it.’

It also ties into what I was going to do next.

I lay in bed and checked my phone messenger.

[Jang Heo-un : This is the rookie group chat. Please join using this link. Thank you! (Link)]

A colleague from Y-squad had sent it.

With a sigh, I clicked the link.

It was an open KakaoTalk chat.

The reason for this setup probably had something to do with reducing the emotional impact when news of a death came through, as it wasn’t linked to personal contacts.

In any case, everyone used their names for their profile names, so identifying people wouldn’t be a problem.

‘I’d better set mine to my name and enter.’

And as I began to type a greeting…

[whoa]

[dang]

[Is it really you, Kim Soleum-ssi?]

[welcome ^^]

[It’s really you? May I ask who gave the invite?]

“……??”

Even before I could write a greeting, intense reactions poured in.

‘Surely, they’re not wondering who cluelessly invited that person, right?’

On the positive side, maybe my recent performance had been good enough to spark some curiosity or rumors.

I simply posted a short greeting.

[Nice to meet you all. I’ll be in your care.]

As if waiting for it, someone immediately asked.

[Kang Yihak : Is it true you received 40,000 points? haha]

Hmm.

[Yes.]

[Kang Yihak : So jealous! I’m curious about how you managed to get that, haha]

[I just did my best.]

I didn’t respond further and simply sent a bowing emoticon.

‘This place is just like a jungle.’

I wondered if this might be a warm group chat where colleagues share tips, support each other, and enjoy hobbies together, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

‘It’s more like an intern group chat where only 10% will make it to full-time positions.’

In other words, everyone is subtly trying to gain any advantage they can.

‘Well, with people constantly dying and the wish ticket feeling so far out of reach, I guess it’s understandable.’

Getting too attached to this chat could make the news of someone’s death all the more depressing.

It left a slightly bitter taste in my mouth, but I could understand it.

[Go Yeongeun : (hwaiting emoji)]

[Go Yeongeun : (clapping emoji)]

Still, there seemed to be some genuinely nice colleagues here.

‘She seems to be doing well…’

I nodded, seeing the clean, supportive emoticons from my med-school-dropout colleague who’d backed me up that time on the death-ridden subway.

‘Alright, let’s do what I came here to do.’

Time to follow the voice of my conscience.

I found Baek Saheon’s profile in the group chat and initiated a one-on-one open chat with him.

And I wrote:

watch out for serial killers –

The number 1 serving as an ‘unread’ mark disappeared in a second.

But no reply came.

Hmm, maybe he feels a bit guilty himself?

‘If he feels guilty, he’ll be careful.’

This should be enough as a warning.

“I’ll send it every morning from now on.”

If I keep this up for about a week, the message’s impact should hold until it wears off.

Satisfied with my efforts, I turned off my phone.

‘…Time to sleep.’

Whether I’ll actually manage to sleep is uncertain, but I should at least try. I have work tomorrow… sob.

‘If only the company would explode.’

I lay there, feeling the weight of the sad reality that, given the company’s nature, I’d still have to show up for work. I ended up staying awake all night…

When I finally dozed off in the early hours, I dreamed of being chased by theme park mascots wielding intestines, then offering churros to the plushie.

‘Save me.’

Just another night of trauma for a regular office worker.

The news I heard the next day, however, was anything but ordinary.

“Roe, you hit the jackpot.”

“……?”

“You… earned 20,000 points.”

Pardon?

I looked up and checked this morning’s point total.

[Employee Kim Soleum / Earned Points : 20000P]

It’s for real.

‘They definitely told me yesterday it’d only be 10,000 points…?’

Supervisor Park slapped my shoulder repeatedly.

“Assistant Manager Jin from A-squad reported that you absolutely deserved the extra points!”

Assistant Manager Jin…!

Thank you, Assistant Manager Jin, for recognizing my desperate efforts to get us all out, even to the point that you had to drill a hole in my palm.

In my mind, I raised my evaluation of the butterfly-mask-wearing assistant manager from a cold, work-driven psycho to a quick-witted and fair superior.

“Originally, our squad leader was also supposed to be named a primary contributor for the mission, but the A-squad leader threw a fit…”

Ah.

Well… honestly, I could see why she would react that way from her perspective…

‘Did I benefit unintentionally from the fallout?’

Not sure if I should feel pleased, but I’ll accept it gratefully.

“Anyway, Roe, it’s a big win for you. You’ve already broken the fastest point-earning record since joining! Insane.”

“Thank you.”

Though I may have to give up on staying unnoticed in this company soon…

‘Still, points are sweet.’

And that wasn’t even the end of it.

Before the morning was over, I got a call.

“…Assistant Manager Jin?”

– Yeah.

I had just been expecting to relax a bit after finishing a B-level ghost story exploration yesterday and working on some paperwork.

A call came in over the internal network from the A-squad Assistant Manager.

Naturally, I began with gratitude.

“Thank you. I heard you recommended me as a primary contributor for clearing the theme park Darkness…”

– Things work best when the person who does well gets more points. No need to thank me for that.

Ah, yes.

– Anyway, get up here.

“……?”

– My team’s going into a Darkness mission today, but we’re short-staffed. So, you’re coming to help.

“……”

– Don’t want to?

Yes, I don’t want to! I’m a poor rookie who nearly kicked the bucket yesterday—would it hurt to give me a break today?!

“Please hold on a moment… Assistant Manager Eun, there’s a call for you.”

“Oh, what’s up?”

Help me out here, dear superior!

I tried passing the call over to my superiors in hopes of dodging it, but it didn’t work.

“A-squad is short-staffed? Is this an A-squad backup call?”

“……!”

Uh-oh.

Even Supervisor Park, who had been slumped over his desk, sprang up with his chair and started whispering with interest.

“Wait a second, did A-squad really ask for Roe to fill the spot?”

I don’t know, supervisor. My shoulders hurt. Please stop shaking me.

“Got it, yes.”

In the meantime, Assistant Manager Eun ended the call, then shook her fist at me with a gleam in her eye.

“Hey. Go.”

…Pardon?

“That’s right! With A-squad as it is right now, it’s a golden opportunity! Safer conditions and more money—don’t let this slip by!”

“All those points, Roe. Points.”

“……”

…So, basically.

‘The elite A-squad gets extra points for each assignment.’

That’s a pretty sweet deal.

And since there’s no call for Y-squad or the other round-off squads, it doesn’t sound like a sacrificial type of Darkness either.

On top of that, they even called a rookie like me as a stand-in, so it likely isn’t a tough mission.

In short, it’s overtime work with good pay and an easy win!

“With the vacancy, they needed to bring someone along. They must’ve liked what they saw in you yesterday and thought they’d give you a chance. Go for it!”

“……”

I have no excuse left…

Saying something like ‘I was so scared that I couldn’t even sleep, so now I just want to rest’ would sound completely ridiculous now.

‘If an employee from the Field Exploration Team talks about being scared when a relatively safe situation with substantial points is on the line… they’d look suspicious…!’

If I didn’t want to be branded a coward and sent to the Round-Off Team, I’d have to keep my mouth shut.

So, with reluctant steps, I dragged myself toward the 15th floor…

“That’s right, rookie spirit!”

It feels more like defeat than spirit, honestly.

I trudged to the elevator, trying not to look too miserable. When I reached the top floor of the Field Exploration Team, the 15th floor, and the doors opened, I was in for a surprise.

“……!”

There were no cramped desks or partitions typical of an office.

Instead, it looked like a luxurious lounge you’d find in a hotel, with separate, private glass-walled spaces beyond, each marked with a staff member’s name.

‘My god.’

A personal office for each person.

It was the kind of benefit you’d expect for executives.

‘Is this some kind of motivation?’

Apparently, becoming an elite team member in the Field Exploration Team granted access to private space like this.

‘It’s every office worker’s dream…’

Just then, a familiar face stepped out from the glass door next to me.

It was my superior, already wearing her butterfly mask.

“Hello, Assistant Manager Jin.”

“Hey.”

Assistant Manager Jin from A-squad looked more human than she had in the ghost story.

“The Squad Leader said she’d like to see you again.”

Then, from the larger office opposite, A-squad’s leader emerged, holding a cup of joe.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

“Good morning, Section Chief.”

The middle-aged A-squad leader smiled warmly and patted me on the shoulder as if she hadn’t been glaring at Squad Leader Lee Jaheon like she was about to kill him back at the theme park.

“Assistant Manager Jin isn’t the type to praise others, but she seems to think very highly of you, Mr. Roe Deer. I’ve heard great things.”

Is it really that much…?

“So, I thought I’d call you over today. It’s the first time I’ve seen Assistant Manager Jin compliment someone like that.”

Reflexively, I glanced over at A-squad’s Assistant Manager.

Wearing her butterfly mask, she smirked with a slight scoff.

“I was simply reporting the facts.”

“Oh, there you go again.”

The butterfly-masked superior frowned as she made eye contact with me, but her tone softened.

“What? You did a good job, didn’t you?”

“…Thank you.”

“Yeah. Do well today too.”

“Ah, youngsters, learn to get along.”

With a chuckle, the A-squad leader, who was wearing a teal duck mask, watched the scene unfold.

“Welcome to A-squad, Kim Soleum.”

“……”

“Alright then, let’s get to work.”

Honestly, I was a bit curious.

‘Do elite teams have a different approach?’

There was a sense of anticipation that perhaps A-squad’s process would be different from the regular team’s, who get thrown into Darkness with only a quick briefing and the manual to read on the day of the mission.

And it is different, alright.

“Collector confirmed, data recorder confirmed, mask confirmed, equipment confirmed, basic supplies confirmed. With 31 minutes remaining until entry time of ‘Identification Code Qterw-C-402’ at 1100H, preparation check completed.”

Umm… this is intense.

The atmosphere here was entirely different from D-squad, where we’d sit around a couch, exchange jokes, and head off into the Darkness, often with the squad leader not understanding half the humor.

Despite being down a member and with only two people left, A-squad maintained a strict hierarchy and protocol.

Right as I arrived, they immediately had me run through the equipment check briefing.

“…All done.”

“Good. Let’s head in.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Temporary or not, it was clear that the lowest-ranking member would do the grunt work here.

‘Come to think of it, Assistant Manager Jin isn’t the easiest person to get along with, yet she was formally respectful to the squad leader…’

Well, at some point, I’d have to experience a team like this.

It might be good to go through this kind of experience at least once.

‘As long as they don’t find out I’m a scaredy-cat…’

If only I knew what kind of ghost story we’d be entering today, I could mentally prepare.

Just then, A-squad’s leader, holding the manual, addressed me.

“Oh, Soleum-ssi, you haven’t read the manual, have you?”

“I haven’t, ma’am.”

Trying to stay positive, I reached out politely to receive it from the squad leader.

But just as the manual for this Darkness exploration was about to be handed to me, she paused.

……?

“Actually, Soleum-ssi, why don’t you try going in without one this time?”

Pardon?

“I heard your specialty is figuring things out without a manual.”

I looked up in shock.

Underneath the teal duck mask, I could see A-squad’s leader smiling.

“If it seems dangerous, I’ll give it to you immediately. Got it?”

“……”

So, what she’s saying is… she’ll decide if it’s dangerous, not me.

Meaning she might never hand it over until the end.

“……”

They both know what’s in the manual, yet I’m supposed to go in blind?

“Alright, shall we go? Ah, it’s been a while since work has felt this fun~”

Wait. Is this…

‘Bullying in the workplace?’

It’s so stereotypical it feels like a joke. I feel light-headed.

But why would a squad leader from another squad that I just met yesterday go out of her way to do this… oh.

‘…Lee Jaheon!!’

Could it be that our D-squad’s Lizard Chief really rubbed her the wrong way, and now she’s taking it out on me, his rookie?

Why must I be dragged into this mess as well?!

Chapter 28 - [The Day I Died]

…As I prepare to enter a creepypasta with A-squad, let’s go over what I need to keep in mind.

Stipulations

1- I must not let them find out that I’m a coward.

2- I must not reveal that I already know the correct strategy to use.

3- I must survive this uncooperative squad leader’s corporate bullying.

‘Just kill me already.’

I think I’ve said this to myself more times since joining this company than I can count.

But there’s no helping it.

It’s my first time entering a creepypasta with a superior who actually wants to see me fail!

‘Every day feels like a new kind of hell…’

And then there’s the workaholic superior who would throw me straight into the cleanup team the second they find out I’m a coward…

In other words, I’m entering a creepypasta alongside people who would rather hinder my survival than help it.

‘Maybe the only way out is to scrape together enough points and use a wish ticket to escape from here.’

And the creepypasta we’re entering this time is just as anxiety-inducing, filled with misleading clues.

“How does the place look to you?”

“…It seems like… an abandoned factory, ma’am.”

A dark, oil-smelling abandoned factory.

Do you know how many creepypastas in the <Dark Exploration Records> involve abandoned factories?? At least dozens.

And even more if you consider ghost stories where locations change randomly, including abandoned factories!

I was hoping to quickly enter the identification code into the <Dark Exploration Records> search bar as soon as I could get a moment to myself away from the two A-squad members, but they didn’t give me a single chance to be alone.

‘T-They’re watching me like hawks.’

It was as if they were waiting for me to make a mistake, with both A-squad superiors casting sidelong glances at me as they strolled slowly.

I was breaking into a cold sweat.

‘There isn’t a single companion here to rely on…’

– Friend?

“……!”

– Oh! Another setting, I see. Hmm, not the most suitable for a filming location, I must say! Such filthy conditions, like a bedraggled donkey! Don’t you agree?

I quickly looked down.

The voice was coming from the keychain plushie, ‘Good Friend’, in my pocket.

Braun!

‘I do have a cooperative companion!’

W-Wait, we’re standing right next to my two A-squad superiors, and if you just start talking openly like that…

– Oh dear, are you worried our precious friendship might be disturbed? Fret not! Those who are not friends have no right to hear my voice!

Huuu.

So, no one else can hear him talking.

‘Now that I think of it, there were records of the ‘Good Friend’ only speaking to its owner.’

And it’s also said to be able to pick up on the mood or surface thoughts of its companion.

I felt somewhat reassured and tapped my pocket a few times.

– Haha, that tickles a little!

I’m seriously gonna cry.

This situation, where a creepypasta monster is my only source of comfort…

“Squad Leader. There’s a door over there.”

“Ah, right. Soleum-ssi, why don’t you go ahead and open it?”

“……”

“Soleum-ssi?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Swallowing a scream, I walked up to the rusty door.

They don’t even bother hiding the fact that they’re out to make things hard for me, designating me specifically without even giving me the manual!

– Goodness… Mr. Roe Deer, you look as though you’re struggling. Is it an issue of stamina?

Shake, shake.

I shook my head slightly, hoping it would go unnoticed.

– Then is it the filthy environment that’s troubling you?

Shake, shake.

Another small shake.

– Ah, I see. Then it must be that your companions are not quite suited to your preferences!

Bingo.

This is tough. Both this horrid creepypasta setting and this workplace harassment…

– Are these bad people tormenting my dear friend?

Shake, shake, shake, shake, shake.

– Oh, I see. Sometimes, there are those who clash with us, like two poles of a magnet! Let’s keep going, cheerfully, friend!

Now my stomach hurts.

‘On top of everything, I have to balance things so the plush doesn’t go berserk.’

Is this normal?

Caught between terror and stomach cramps, I somehow managed to steady myself and grab the rusty door handle.

Creeeeak.

As the rusty door opened, it revealed… the factory’s main work area.

It was filled with dust-covered cans and boxes, as though production had halted long ago. Spoiled contents seeped out of broken canned beef scattered around.

But something stood out more strongly than the smell.

The sharp, metallic stench of blood.

And… a body lying on the floor.

“……”

W-Wait a sec.

“Do you see it? There’s a corpse over there.”

“…Yes.”

“Soleum-ssi, go ahead and search it.”

“Yes.”

AAAAAAACKKK!

The only thing stopping me from collapsing in tears was the comforting warmth of the keychain plush in my pocket.

‘Abandoned factory… corpse, abandoned factory, corpse…’

I combed through the <Dark Exploration Records> wiki in my mind, holding back an unbridled scream as I approached the body.

The corpse was sprawled face-down on the tracks, wearing a suit.

A man in a suit, bleeding from the back of his head.

He looked familiar, perhaps because he was around my age and wearing a suit.

‘I’m going crazy.’

There was no way I could touch him directly…! Without taking a single breath, I quickly summoned my special equipment, hovering my hands in the air to examine the corpse from various angles.

Thank god it transmitted only pain and not touch—truly, truly a relief.

“…Male, height estimated between the high 170s and low 180s, wearing a suit, with bleeding localized to the back of the head. It appears he was struck by something with a diameter over 10 cm.”

“Hmm. Not bad. Now, flip him over.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Kim Soleum will remember this moment…

I glared at A-squad’s leader with all the strength I could muster, holding back a retch as I forced myself to flip the corpse over in one swift motion.

The face lay exposed, eyes closed.

It was…

My face, bleeding on the floor.

“……”

Holy sh— Holy fucking shit—!!

These damn ghost stories, seriously!!

“Oh, it looks exactly like Soleum-ssi, doesn’t it? Could it be a trap?”

“Squad Leader, maybe it’s time to at least give him the basic manual…?”

“Oh, sure. I suppose you’re right?”

A-squad’s leader looked at me, seemingly weighing the idea, then finally spoke slowly, as if granting a rare favor.

“Soleum-ssi, you’re inside a story.”

“……”

“Think of it as entering a novel or a movie.”

Yeah I mean, I already figured that out myself.

The moment I saw my own corpse, I realized which Darkness this was.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[The Day I Died]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-C-406

A ghost story that pulls the victim into an unsuccessful thriller-mystery, making them the sacrificed character.

The first witness is always faced with the discovery of their own sacrificial corpse.

Exploration Records indicate a total of up to 25 entries.

----------------------------------------

It’s a creepypasta tailor-made to drive someone to the edge of a mental breakdown.

‘This is… a potato—a potato.’

I tried to brainwash myself as best as I could, looking away from the corpse-shaped thing in front of me…

“Don’t use your special equipment. Check it directly. Look carefully and examine every detail…”

Are you kidding me?

“No, I can’t.”

I replied without even taking a breath.

The eyes behind the teal duck mask narrowed.

“…Hm?”

Oh no.

I just talked back to a superior who’s already prone to workplace harassment?

‘I need to fix this, pronto!’

Instinctively, I added more, smoothly following a well-tested routine I’d already used once.

“There’s a faster way to escape.”

Not again.

Why does it always go this way…?

My work conditions just expanded.

Stipulations

1- I must not let them find out that I’m a coward.

2- I must not reveal that I already know the correct strategy to use.

3- I must survive this uncooperative squad leader’s corporate bullying.

**4- I must pull off a timed escape. **(NEW!)

…Still, the one good thing is that seeing my own corpse allowed me to confirm exactly which creepypasta this is.

‘And the standard strategy for this creepypasta is… this.’

To succeed, restructure the story so that the victim does not die.

In this creepypasta, the more you explore, the further back in time you go.

So, typically, you’d have to investigate the entire factory, figuring out why ‘my corpse’ ended up dead and piecing together the story step by step.

Failure to alter the story within the time limit will result in the victim’s confirmed death.

Normally, you’d spend half a day in tense, desperate pursuit, racing against time to avoid the fixed fate of one guaranteed kill…

‘Um. At this rate, my stomach will give out first.’

My digestive system won’t survive this.

If there’s no shortcut, I’ll have to make one. Help me out, <Dark Exploration Records>!

With a total of 25 documented exploration attempts, surely there’s a record of someone breaking the pattern with some creative or unconventional approach. Something that might serve as a hint!

I quickly scanned through records in my mind.

‘Let’s see, any unique experiences I can reference…’

----------------------------------------

Exploration Record #21

Entered by Assistant Manager Han So-eun and two others.

As soon as they entered the ghost story in the form of an abandoned lodge, the squad immediately recognized which story they were in.

It was a widely mocked, failed thriller that became a meme online.

Responses included ridicule, meme reenactments, bursts of laughter, and spoiler-filled derision.

Result : The setting suddenly collapsed, transporting them to a different story (continued in Exploration Record #22). Testimonies indicate that crying, whimpering sounds were heard.

Aigoo, is this a failed director’s poltergeist or something?

Even the fragile mentality is spot on.

– Researcher Kwak Jaekang

----------------------------------------

Oh.

“Squad Leader, Assistant Manager, could you give me just ten minutes?”

“Hmm, alright.”

First things first, I decided not to leave any room for interference from my superiors. If I wanted to avoid workplace harassment disrupting this, I’d have to handle everything myself, no matter how frustrating or unfair it felt…

‘…I just need to do it quickly before I throw up or scream.’

I swiftly used my special equipment to recheck the indentation on the sticky back of the corpse’s head (uuuuugh!). Then I checked the footprints around the body, as well as the surrounding bloodstains…

“Why are you using your special equipment when you could just use your hands?”

“Because handling it directly could damage the evidence. I thought this was the best approach to preserve the scene.”

I hadn’t realized I had a talent for rapid-fire responses.

“Evidence? You sound like you’re in a detective novel.”

“It’s not quite deduction—just a simple guess. And…”

I stood up.

“I found it.”

“What?”

“The answer.”

Immediately, I surveyed the area. Naturally, I used my special equipment to do this remotely.

Let’s see here.

In a shadowy corner, partially hidden but not entirely, in a place that would be easy to overlook if you weren’t paying attention…

‘There it is.’

I pulled out a cylindrical object from a musty corner under the shelf.

“That’s… a can of food?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, there are cans all over the place here, though.”

Yes. After all, this place does seem like an abandoned canning factory.

But this one was different.

The can I picked up had a slightly dented edge with bloodstains on it.

It was a classic cliché—the ‘hidden in plain sight’ trope.

– Hooh, Mr. Roe Deer! If this were a mystery story, this would be the decisive evidence. The shape matches perfectly with the wound on the head.

Exactly.

“This matches the indentation left by the blunt-force trauma on the back of the head.”

– Ah, classic. The weapon was just an everyday object in the background that no one noticed! This is the structure of a typical work of fiction…

Right, right.

Anyway, A-squad’s assistant manager seemed to accept this, nodding.

“So that’s the weapon, then…?”

Tuk.

I let the potential ‘weapon’—the can—drop to the ground.

Then, I stomped on it with full force, crushing it hard.

“……??”

“……????”

– ?!??!

“Ah.”

I tilted my head to the side.

“There’s no way a human skull would be damaged by something with this level of force… Hmm. It doesn’t add up.”

Tremble, tremble.

At that moment, the space around us shook slightly.

– But no matter how you look at it, it seems like they were struck with a can!

That’s what I’m saying.

I nodded, as if just realizing something.

“Oh… This can is aluminum.”

“So what?”

“Typically, cans are made of steel.”

A frown.

“Why would canned goods be made from aluminum, like a drink can…? Hmm, could it be…?”

– Intriguing…

I intentionally paused for dramatic effect.

“A plot hole?”

Rattle.

At that moment, the cans around me began to tremble slightly.

But I ignored it and continued muttering to myself.

“That’s certainly possible. After all, we encounter drink cans more often than canned food, so it wouldn’t be too surprising if someone accidentally used the wrong material and labeled it as aluminum…”

– Hoooh…

But then.

I stopped talking and gave a small, mocking laugh.

“But, heyyy. No way.”

“…Soleum-ssi?”

“Anyone could look it up with a quick search—no one would make such a basic mistake. Tricks are the most crucial part of any work of the mystery genre. They shouldn’t be so sloppy.”

– Hahaha!

“When you think about it, a murder happening in a canning factory with a can as the weapon is way too predictable, don’t you think?”

I actually meant this.

“It lacks freshness and surprise… A writer with any sense wouldn’t try to pass this off as their big plot twist.”

– Oh, I agree!

The space began to shake more violently.

“Honestly, this is so poorly done…”

I finished with a bored tone.

“Even an amateur wouldn’t write something this sloppy these days.”

Boom!

After a brief pause—

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

Cans exploded all around us.

“What’s happening?!”

The space seemed to weep as it melted away, dripping like tears from all the ruptured cans.

And then, everything vanished.

Just before the last remnants disappeared, there was the sound of someone sobbing, their cry filled with agony…

The next moment—

We found ourselves back in the familiar, luxurious lounge on the company’s 15th floor.

Covered in exploded canned meat.

“……”

“……”

“We… got out.”

For the first time, A-squad’s leader faltered, visibly shaken.

“The Darkness let us out… but why?”

Wiping chunks of burst canned beef from my face, I answered quietly.

“It had a mental breakdown.”

After escaping from the creepypasta featuring my own corpse, I cleaned off all the canned beef remains in the shower attached to the office. Then we gathered in the lounge once again.

“Wow… The rumors were true. You’re really known for clearing fast without a manual.”

“It’s nothing.”

“This isn’t the time to be modest, Soleum-ssi.”

The A-squad’s leader, having checked that the Dream Essence Collector was filling with yellow liquid as expected, turned to look at me with admiration in her eyes.

“How did you reach this result?”

Yes, I knew she’d ask this.

I clasped my hands behind my back and took a formal stance, ready to present as if in a lecture. It was my defensive stance, to avoid getting nitpicked for any signs of fear or incompetence in case my supervisor’s workplace harassment tendencies decided to flare up again.

“I followed a standard deductive process.”

“Hmm.”

“First… Since I was repeatedly told to examine the corpse and survey the surroundings, I deduced that the corpse was likely central to our escape.”

Of course, it was probably just an excuse to make things harder on me, but the method with which you present your facts is everything.

“And since you mentioned this was a ‘story’, I figured it was a narrative where someone ends up as a corpse… meaning it had to be a murder mystery, either a film or a novel. So, I guessed that preventing my own death would be the standard method to clear it.”

I shrugged.

“But that would take too long.”

“……?!”

“Since you called me up for this, I wanted to finish it, preferably by this morning.”

A-squad’s leader looked at me with a face that practically said, ‘What on earth are you talking about, rookie?’

But honestly, a bit of eccentricity is better than fear, isn’t it, Section Chief!

“So, I looked for a shortcut.”

“And how did you do that?”

“There were hints.”

I looked at the two of them.

“In the way both of you acted.”

“……!”

“You’d read the manual, hadn’t you? I noticed that your actions were giving me clues.”

Like how you kept pushing me to observe the corpse.

‘If those hints were intentional, then there were probably even more subtle hints you weren’t aware of.’

I recalled the most crucial clue.

– Right. Soleum-ssi, why don’t you go ahead?

– Soleum-ssi?

“When we entered the Darkness, you called me by my real name.”

“……!”

Normally, in creepypastas, it’s a strict recommendation not to use real names but to stick with nicknames derived from the masks.

There’s a risk that real names can be exploited in harmful ways.

Yet, A-squad’s leader called me ‘Soleum’ instead of ‘Roe Deer’.

If someone as experienced and elite as her did that, there could only be one reason.

She already knew it would be safe.

“That meant there was no sentient entity in this Darkness that could harm me upon hearing my real name.”

It also implied that, aside from the death that had already occurred, there was no other supernatural interference at play.

I added this explanation before continuing.

“So, realizing I had more freedom… I thought, why not be a bit more aggressive? I decided to attack the story itself and destabilize it.”

“……??”

“You… thought that?”

“Yes. A story loses its meaning if its foundation crumbles.”

I nodded.

“So I undermined its plausibility, causing the story to collapse and freeing us. That’s all.”

“……”

“……”

Their faces were blank, as if processing what I’d just said.

“You inferred all that not just from the surroundings, but also from our conversation and behavior…?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Not really.

The truth is, I benchmarked off the exploration logs.

– The setting suddenly collapsed, transporting them to a different story (continued in Exploration Record #22). Testimonies indicate that crying, whimpering sounds were heard.

Apparently, just mocking the failed story had shattered its mental stability enough for it to reassemble itself into a different story.

I figured that if I just steadily dismantled its logic and insulted its creator’s self-esteem, the whole thing would unravel, new story and all.

‘And it worked.’

Yay.

Just then, A-squad’s leader looked at me and slowly spoke.

“You explain this… very casually, Soleum-ssi.”

Whoops.

“Well, it’s not exactly the standard method. You could call it a shortcut, if you’d like.”

Did I step on her toes?

I quickly added, dropping my head apologetically to show remorse. Hopefully, it would look genuine enough.

“Of course, I’m prepared to accept any reprimands.”

Yes, please, just let it be a scolding.

I waited quietly, ready for the next wave of workplace harassment.

But instead…

Clap, clap, clap…

Applause?

I looked up to see A-squad’s leader, her teal duck mask now removed, gazing at me with a mix of surprise and satisfaction.

“You follow rules and orders. But you don’t shy away from unconventional means.”

Excuse me?

“Very good. That’s exactly the type of person we’re looking for.”

Me?

“Soleum-ssi. You pass.”

“What—”

“There’s a vacancy on A-squad. You know that, right?”

At that moment, I understood.

‘Oh.’

This wasn’t workplace harassment.

It was a test.

“How about you fill that position officially?”

“……!!”

My god.

This was a recruitment test for A-squad!

Chapter 29 - K.LEE

A new hire scouted to the elite team after only a month on the job.

Sounds like the title of some self-help book designed to get attention.

But this is actually happening for real.

‘What is even going on here?’

Me, in A-squad?

“Let’s see. Soleum-ssi, you joined D-squad last month, right?”

“Yes. Let’s get in touch with HR and handle it as a temporary assignment, then make it official in five months.”

“Right. Then, Assistant Manager Jin…”

A-squad’s leader turned to me with a satisfied smile.

“For starters, Soleum-ssi should be promoted to supervisor right away.”

“……”

“The official announcement should be out by next week.”

Oh, my god.

“This company may not care much about seniority, but there’s still a minimum requirement, you know. This is insanely fast-tracked.”

Of course it is!

They’re even offering a promotion? This level of pull in the company?

No, that’s not it exactly.

Typically, a potential elite team member would have to go through a couple of promotions, proving themselves in each role before officially getting into the team.

The usual practice would be that you need to be at least a supervisor to even start in the elite team.

Since they want me in A-squad, I need to be promoted, so management is just fast-tracking it.

‘A-squad used to start at the assistant manager level…’

This is genuinely an extraordinary deal.

But I mean, why?

Why would they suddenly make this offer to me…

Ah.

The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning when I looked at the supremely pleased expression on the squad leader’s face.

‘I picked all the “right” answers today!’

I’d tried so hard, mistaking it for workplace harassment!

No complaints with unjust tasks, working within their framework, and eagerly generating ideas to produce results—behaving like the ideal employee.

A newbie with no ego. A yes-man while trying to show creativity!

Exactly the type of subordinate any boss dreams of…

“Soleum-ssi? Go ahead and clock out. Be prepared for the official announcement, which could come as soon as next week.”

“……”

No way.

‘This is a disaster.’

I’m… I’m the last person who should be going to A-squad!

‘Their procedures are so rigid here.’

If I stay in this role, where I have to follow orders to the letter, there’s a 90% chance my true cowardice will be exposed.

‘Then the wish ticket will drift farther away, and my chances of survival will plunge.’

I’d really, actually die. My mouth went dry at the chilling thought.

“……”

“Hey, wait a sec.”

Assistant Manager Jin looked at me with a doubtful expression.

“You’re… seriously thinking it over?”

I lowered my head slightly.

“Why? Are you out of your mind? Are you worried about becoming like the shield-bearers on the Round-Off Team? Don’t worry, we won’t be sending you there…”

“Assistant Manager Jin, hold on.”

A-squad’s leader held her back, then turned to me with a reassuring expression.

“You’re only a month into the job, so it must be a lot to take in all of a sudden. It’s natural to have some doubts.”

“……”

“But a wise person knows how to seize a bold opportunity when it comes. That’s the key to success in society.”

It’s a trap, not an opportunity!

‘Oh, what do I do now?’

How could I get out of this without offending this senior boss?

Rejecting this poorly might end up putting me on their bad side, which could mean real workplace harassment would start.

‘I don’t see a way out of this…’

But then, at that moment.

Ding.

The elevator’s chime.

The doors opened, revealing a familiar face—or rather, a familiar lizard.

‘Squad Leader!’

Section Chief Lee Jaheon, who’d been called to see the Team Leader, stepped out.

The slits of his lizard eyes met the gaze of A-squad’s leader.

“…Section Chief Lee Jaheon.”

“Section Chief Baek Seokjoo.”

Lee stared blankly at A-squad’s leader.

“I was told to apologize to you. So, I apologize.”

“……”

A-squad’s leader… was clearly holding back from cursing.

“Hah… no, forget it. I’m the only one who’s going to end up angry here. Just me.”

“?”

“I said, forget it. Anyway, I’ve already scouted someone to fill the vacancy.”

A-squad’s leader shook her head and patted me on the shoulder.

“Look, here’s the new recruit who’s going to be our squad’s rookie.”

Quite a shocker of an announcement, but…

“I see.”

The lizard nodded.

“It’s true that A-squad has better working conditions.”

“……”

Could you, please, pretend like I might have other options to explore…?

Fine. I’ll handle this myself!

I deliberately looked back and forth between the two squad leaders, pretending to be overwhelmed, then bowed my head slightly to A-squad’s leader.

‘First, let’s think this through…’

From what I’ve observed of her personality so far…

‘She’s a stickler for rules.’

She divides tasks strictly by rank, doesn’t tolerate insubordination, and values loyalty.

Considering she’s recruiting someone who’s only been here a month, she’s willing to take big risks when she decides, but only within her established guidelines.

‘And she’s the type who can’t stand people going against her.’

In other words, the quintessential elite middle manager of a traditional, hierarchical conglomerate.

‘If that’s the case…’

I bowed my head.

“Section Chief Baek, thank you so much for offering me this generous position and seeing potential in a new hire like me.”

“Hmm.”

“However… I still lack experience. I believe, as a new employee, I need to focus on foundational skills and knowledge.”

A-squad’s leader, staring intently at me, finally spoke up.

“…Soleum-ssi, do you happen to know the starting base salary for the elite team?”

Not really.

“It’s 80 million won.” (Approx. 57,000 USD)

“……!”

“And once you add the hazard pay, the annual take-home usually starts around 150 million.” (Approx. 107,000 USD)

Hot damn.

“We’re also planning to designate you as a primary contributor for the C-Class Darkness you cleared. You managed to clear it so quickly using an innovative approach.”

I, I guess?

“Moreover, you’ve found a method that others might want to try, too. Do you know what that implies?”

What does it mean?

“It means the manual might need a complete overhaul.”

“……”

“Yes, not just an addition—a full revision.”

A-squad’s leader smiled gently.

“And when a manual is revised, there’s a bonus payout.”

“……!”

“The amount isn’t small. Normally, management isn’t keen on handling revisions… but for the elite team, this is an exception.”

Oh.

“If you join the A-squad, the process will be much smoother and quicker. You could say it’s a matter of trustworthiness.”

“……”

“Let’s see… the C-Class manual revision fee…”

With a deliberate pause, A-squad’s leader finally revealed the amount.

“Fifty million won.” (Approx. 35,000 USD)

“……!!”

“Today alone, Soleum-ssi, that’s your additional pay.”

Fifty million won.

“You sure you want to pass up a chance to keep earning this?”

Wow.

Of course not.

‘But I can’t die for money…’

Tears welled up in my eyes. This is nuts.

‘No, Soleum. Let’s remember—all the money in this world is just like game money for me… game money, game money…!’

Right!

I made my eyes shine with a bit of melancholy and began talking nonsense.

“I believe, more important than immediate money, I first need to hone my skills and value.”

This was insanity.

‘The reason we hone skills and value is to earn more money, so why am I rejecting it?’

But I kept rambling in a way that perfectly aligned with a 30-years-ago corporate manager’s mentality.

“Our ancestors used to say that it’s worth even buying hardship when you’re young. While I don’t fully agree, I think there’s a reason that saying exists.”

Assistant Manager Jin from A-squad looked at me as if I’d lost my mind.

But it seemed to resonate with the top boss.

“Hmm.”

A-squad’s leader looked thoughtful. She narrowed her eyes at me, then sighed and nodded.

“Fine. If that’s really how you feel… I suppose we can’t push it.”

Wahoo!

“I thought you were a smart guy, Soleum-ssi, but maybe you’re a bit more naive than I’d assumed. How are you going to make it in this harsh world?”

Perfect.

The tone was slightly chiding, but since it’s coming from her, it was practically a compliment!

…Even though she just couldn’t resist adding a bit more.

“It’s good to work hard. But being too pure-hearted isn’t great for corporate life.”

Yes, yes.

“If I may give you some advice… remember, you don’t get through work by clinging to emotions. Especially don’t get attached to people who don’t understand you.”

She glanced pointedly at a particular someone, her expression darkening.

“Don’t do it. It’s not worth it.”

“…Understood.”

Ah, she’s talking about the ‘stubborn psycho’ Lizard Chief, isn’t she? Got it.

“Did you hear that, Section Chief Lee Jaheon?”

“? Yes.”

The lizard replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“I understand perfectly.”

“……”

“……”

Please stop with the ‘Is this guy for real?’ look, A-squad leader…

“Anyway.”

With a deep breath, A-squad’s leader brought the conversation to a close.

“Good work today. Head on home.”

“……! Yes, ma’am!!”

Sweet, sweet freedom.

“Thank you. I’ll head out now.”

Finally, I can escape…!

I eagerly pressed the elevator button. Assistant Manager Jin quickly came up and whispered to me.

“You idiot. You’re going to regret this.”

“……”

“D-squad’s Section Chief hasn’t even seen a wish ticket yet. Our Section Chief has already received one.”

That’s fine. I know that lizard guy will eventually make it to Team Leader.

Of course, I couldn’t say that, so I went with a compliment.

“I’m sure you’ll get one soon too, Assistant Manager.”

“What?”

“I’ll be sure to ask you all about it when that time comes.”

“……”

Assistant Manager Jin looked momentarily startled, then scoffed.

“You do seem to have some sense.”

“You’ll answer, right?”

“Yes.”

Though it was a verbal promise, from what I could tell of her personality—gruff, yes, but not one to lie or go back on her word.

“Section Chief, Assistant Manager, thank you both very much for today.”

“Sure, head on home.”

After expressing my thanks, I pressed the elevator button and quickly got inside before I could get dragged into anything further.

But right on cue, Lizard Chief slipped in right behind me.

So he really did come here just to deliver that soulless apology…

– Going down…

As the elevator carried the two of us in silence, Lizard Chief unexpectedly started talking.

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“Yes?”

“Is there something you want in D-squad?”

Huh.

“…Are you implying, with that question, that you assume I stayed with D-squad despite having a chance to join A-squad because I want something specific?”

“Yes.”

Good grief.

After ruffling the back of my head a bit, I sighed and replied.

“There’s nothing like that, Section Chief.”

“?”

“I didn’t choose to stay for any advantage.”

I stayed because I want to stay alive!

Lizard Chief narrowed his slit pupils, looking puzzled.

“Staying in a regular team rather than an elite one results in a points loss. It’ll take longer to get a wish ticket.”

“That may be true.”

I shrugged.

“But even if I do want a wish ticket, I also want to stay alive long enough to use it.”

“……”

“Until then, I’d rather be somewhere I can work with a bit more peace of mind.”

I’d rather not live in constant fear of being outed as a coward, you know…

“I see.”

Lizard Chief fell silent.

Finally, some quiet as we rode dow—

“What is your wish, Kim Soleum-ssi?”

More questions today than usual.

“…Are you asking what I’d wish for if I got the ticket?”

“Yes.”

“In that case, I’d like to know yours first, Section Chief.”

It was my polite way of saying, ‘Why ask me such a one-sided question?’

But the Lizard only blinked his vertical pupils and gazed into space, as if pondering. After a moment, he replied.

“It’s not my wish.”

“Pardon?”

“I work here because I was assigned to, not by choice.”

This was something I never expected.

I turned, reflexively, to look at him. Light glinted off the scales of his distinctly non-human head…

“…Can I ask whose will it is?”

“You may not.”

Oh. Right.

It didn’t really hurt my feelings, knowing this lizard.

‘Seems there’s a story there.’

Since he’d answered, it felt like I should say something, too. After a moment’s thought, I chose my words.

“I… just want to go home.”

In reality, Section Chief Lee could have followed up with countless questions. Where is ‘home’? Why is that your wish? Is it a place or more of a metaphor?

But instead, he simply said,

“I see.”

And that was that.

In the quiet, the elevator continued its peaceful descent.

“……”

I have to admit now that, in a certain way, Lizard Chief is quite an easy conversation partner.

Oddly enough.

Back at my dorm unit—

watch out for serial killers –

After sending Baek Saheon another friendly disaster-warning text, I lay down to rest.

‘Another day packed with twists and turns…’

I seriously feel like this job’s going to cut my lifespan in half. My heart can barely take it. Still, I can’t deny there were some decent gains today.

Extra points, networking with elite team superiors.

And a hefty bonus.

“…Five million won, huh.” (Approx. 3,500 USD)

I wonder when it’ll hit my account.

I’ve said it’s just ‘game money’, but to be fair, that just makes it all the more useful.

I’ll need it to increase my stats.

‘I could really use more cash for the Alien Shop.’

With all these surprise emergencies, I felt the need for more defensive equipment—especially something for mental protection.

‘And the Alien Shop has exclusive VIP items if you reach that level…’

Still thinking of today’s earnings, I found myself speechless.

Five million won.

“…Hoh.”

Legit, that’s the bonus they’re putting in a corporate employee’s account.

It’s enough to mess with your sense of monetary value.

And yet it still didn’t feel like quite enough to get all the items I needed.

“Any other way to make some cash—”

Bzzzt!

My phone vibrated, a new popup flashing on the screen.

‘Baek Saheon?’

No, not this time.

Unexpectedly, I’d been invited to a new open chatroom.

“……?!”

[K.LEE]

The profile was set to a bright Hawaiian beach and displayed an English name.

This feels suspicious…

– K.LEE : Oh hello, Mr. Employee lolol

– K.LEE : Need some extra cash?

“……??”

Who?

Chapter 30 - Salmon Market

The moment I thought about needing some serious cash, a message from an unfamiliar profile asking if I needed money appeared.

But this is in the realm of a creepypasta.

– K.LEE : Mr. employee? haha

Blocking and leaving the chatroom immediately seemed like the smart choice… but it also felt a bit too stereotypical.

Since I’m in a ghost story, I might as well get some ghostly advice.

I set my ‘Good Friend’ plushie under the bed, turned off the lights, and summoned Braun using the shadow trick, this time with a small flashlight I’d bought on my way home.

– Oh, Friend!

Braun snapped to attention with almost no delay this time. After recalling my escape from the previous creepypasta, he seemed rather pleased, quickly grasping the situation.

An unfamiliar figure offering a large sum of money.

– How suspicious! But isn’t a touch of curiosity beyond suspicion the very essence of a show?

– Especially if it’s accompanied by some sparkling gold!

Despite the plushie sounding like a dopamine junkie, his reaction assured me that this wasn’t a creepypasta-related phenomenon.

In that case…

I typed a quick question into the chat.

Kim Soleum : May I ask who this is? –

The reply came instantly. Honestly, I was expecting something vague, like [lmao just a friend~] but instead, he gave a proper introduction.

– K.LEE : This is Assistant Manager Lee Kangheon from the C-squad haha

“……!!”

‘C-squad?’

Another elite team. Why would they reach out to me… and why would he reveal his identity and rank so openly?

– K.LEE : Heard you turned down A-squad’s offer today!!! lolololol

Crap.

– K.LEE : Wow, gutsy! I’ve never seen such a capable rookie lolol

– K.LEE : Sure, you turned it down this time, but who knows, next year you might end up on another elite team? Moving up right after promotion to assistant manager! Could be you lol

Is he using some sort of speed-typing device? Sentences poured in like bombs before I could type a single word in response. I quickly pulled myself together and managed to reply with one line.

Kim Soleum : It’s very nice to meet you, Assistant Manager Lee Kangheon.-

– K.LEE : No need to be so formal. If we run into each other at work, let’s grab a meal sometime. I know a great charcoal-grilled chicken place nearby! haha

– K.LEE : Oops, too chatty, aren’t I? Anyway, the reason I reached out!

The mood shifted.

– K.LEE : You need cash, right?

“……”

– K.LEE : It must be about time you’re wishing for some extra funds… Right before promotion, those with potential are often looking for ways to acquire personal items lol

– K.LEE : Heard you already have your own special equipment. Bet you’re scoping out ways to get your hands on more gear, right?

I don’t need anything like that.

‘Just checking out the alien marketplace I already knew about…’

– K.LEE : It all costs money, doesn’t it haha

– K.LEE : No need to waste time and money buying meals or drinks for seniors when you can hear it straight from me haha

Hmm.

Kim Soleum : I appreciate the offer, but may I ask why you’re telling me this? –

– K.LEE : Because I want to get closer? haha

Could you at least try lying more convincingly…

– K.LEE : Curious? haha

I hesitated for a moment.

– Goodness! Mr. Roe Deer, I can smell a cheap salesman from these words. Hardly someone who’d appear on a reputable channel.

– But… cheap things have their own uses. If you play him right…

I typed out my response.

Kim Soleum : No thanks. –

– ……?!

– K.LEE : Oh, wow, Mr. Employee! You’ve got a sense of humor! That’s fitting for someone breaking records for rapid point accumulation haha

Kim Soleum : I’ll just ask my Section Chief instead. –

Kim Soleum : Have a good night, sir. –

– K.LEE : wsit jyst

– K.LEE : hey wait just a minute

– K.LEE : ur not a cousin of section chief lee jaheon are you?;; uve got the same attitude…

You might as well just curse at me directly…

In any case, since he didn’t know my personality well, my bluff seemed effective. He hastily fired off more messages.

– K.LEE : hey im not charging for this just hear me out. i swear i dont make these offers often!;; T-T

Messages came pouring in with a steady stream of taps going dadada.

– K.LEE : (Link)

Along with a link to some webpage.

– K.LEE : if u need seed money or items just go check this out. u can put me down as your referrer –>hawaiib53<– just type that there n itll work

– K.LEE : u dont have to, of course, but since i referred u, itd be nice if u could jus,, follow ur conscience lolololol u get what im saying ryt? hahahaha

– K.LEE : and pls keep this between just us! (Shy emoji)

‘…A template?’

It looked like a copy-paste job if I’d ever seen one.

– K.LEE : anyway, remember who gave u the tip ok?

[K.LEE has left the chatroom.]

“……”

‘If he was worried about getting in trouble, why reveal his identity…?’

Maybe he wanted me to feel some sense of obligation.

I started typing, [What kind of site did you send me, sir?] but then erased it.

‘Based on what he said about shopping, it seems like some sort of e-commerce site.’

It wouldn’t hurt to explore alternatives to the alien shop. And his wording was intriguing.

‘Seed money, huh.’

It seemed like it might offer a way to earn some serious money.

‘Is this some kind of exclusive gambling site?’

Regardless, there was only one way to find out. After safely running a security check to verify the link, I cautiously clicked on it.

The screen of my smartphone went pitch black, and text slowly appeared:

SALMON

“……??”

Like salmon swimming against the currents of a flowing river,

We swim against this mad world.

‘Cyworld…?’

With an effect that made it look like salmon were swimming across the screen, the words faded, and new text appeared—

Membership available (requires referral)

Hmm.

This was (in more ways than one) suspicious, but I went ahead and entered the referral ID from the employee who had referred me, creating an account just to check it out.

The moment I logged in, I realized what this was.

Salmon Market

“So it’s a secondhand trading site.”

This was a platform where people could buy and sell items directly to one another—except the listings here involved mystical and occult items or information.

[Dried Mermaid Meat for Sale (certified by Han Nuri Jade)]

[Looking For: ‘Bloodlust Tile’ Pieces (Untainted)]

[$Rare locations of Misfortune Vending Machines! Verified info available!$]

[Offering enchanted protective charms]

As I clicked around, I quickly got a sense of the site’s nature.

So, basically…

‘It’s full of scams.’

From the perspective of anyone who’s read <Dark Exploration Records>, this was nothing more than random trinkets, meaningless props, or outright misinformation.

In short, it felt like a secondhand occult marketplace with minimal professional credibility.

I rubbed my forehead.

“Is this place mostly run by non-professionals?”

– Ah, public platforms inevitably lose their credibility over time! To prevent that requires considerable effort, but… this place feels purposefully neglected.

– Amateurs often pay a high price for trivial items. Just like fans peeling off bits of the stage floor where their favorite celebrity performed!

Well, at least that’s genuine memorabilia, but here it’s all fake.

Yet I noticed quite a few expensive transactions had actually been completed.

“……”

‘Right. The world at large doesn’t officially acknowledge supernatural phenomena.’

Governments, worried about social disorder, and corporations, wanting to protect trade secrets, investigate paranormal occurrences in secret. But even civilians are frequently affected by these incidents.

There’s no doubt urban legends and personal encounters circulate within society, so it makes sense that a site like this exists.

Judging from the sky-high prices for some items, it’s a wild place.

‘One item for a million won…’

Money’s exchanging hands as if they’re paying for security deposits. Maybe it’s survival anxiety, or maybe the Veblen effect applies to occult goods too…

‘Could I actually sell something here?’

If that employee really was an assistant manager in the elite C-squad, then Daydream Inc. employees were likely using this site to sell odd trinkets and information.

That, however, made me uneasy.

‘If I cross the line, I’ll definitely get flagged for an audit…’

I needed a secure setup.

So, I logged out of my current account and created a new one.

As for a username…

[Blue Friend]

– ‘Friend’? Oh! Did you think of me? My, how touching!

Well, I guess so—I just combined whatever came to mind. For the referral ID, I used the account I’d created earlier.

“Done.”

– Hooh, so you’re creating a new identity to avoid tracking!

Exactly.

I’ll use this account for items a Daydream Inc. employee shouldn’t have or for things that might be flagged during an audit.

‘This way, any purchases can’t be tracked back to me.’

“Of course, I’ll still leave some transaction records on the first account.”

– To avoid raising suspicion. Smart thinking.

On that account, I’d trade items that might appear to be within reasonable bounds for a Daydream Inc. employee.

With that settled, it was time to think about what I could actually sell.

‘Reselling items from the Alien Shop is out of the question.’

Seeing the amateur level of this site, that’d cause absolute chaos. Anyway, I’m busy enough buying things I actually need there to worry about reselling for profit.

I scrolled through the latest posts on Salmon Market, looking for something low-key that I could still sell for a profit…

[Buying : Food from Paranormal Phenomena]

Oh?

[Buying : Food from Paranormal Phenomena]

For research purposes

Strong preference for food originating from Fracture-sanctioned phenomena (according to the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau’s classification)

40.0

– there he goes again, this punk

– aaa ‘Looking for food for research purposes. Fracture-sanctioned phenomena only. (Pretentious glasses push)’ lolololololol

– Is this guy a bot? He posts every day.

– hey occult otaku, pls get out of your world. wtf even is the supernatural disaster management bureau’s classification huh

Most of the comments were mocking or teasing.

However…

‘…It’s real.’

The <Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau>.

In <Dark Exploration Records>, they’re one of the three major forces along with Daydream Inc., a government agency dedicated to handling paranormal events.

The phone accessory I have, my ‘Memorial Popsocket’, is also issued by this agency to their officials.

‘And the bureau classifies creepypasta risks by ‘sanction’.‘

The classification level mentioned in this post—Fracture-sanctioned—is indeed a real ranking. In the Daydream Inc.’s system, it’s roughly a little above a C-Class creepypasta.

This person clearly knows their stuff.

I stared at the page.

‘If this really is a legitimate contact, I probably won’t get ripped off.’

Using terms only insiders would understand, without explaining them, lowered the chance that this was a scam. It boosted the post’s credibility.

And look at the price.

40.0?

‘That’s 40 million won.’ (Approx. 28,500 USD)

At that price, anyone unfamiliar with the specifics might still contact them out of sheer curiosity.

Sure enough, after digging through past posts, I found discussions in the comments.

– Wow, but it’s 40 million won… Has anyone actually contacted them?

└ i tried bc i thought they’re legit, but after asking a few questions, they just ghosted me LOL

└ everyone’s been left on read. just a poser. nah nahh im good

No, that’s not it.

‘From what they’re saying, it sounds like the food they offered didn’t meet the necessary ‘Fracture-sanctioned’ level, so the person just ignored them.’

Conveniently, I happened to have something on hand that would likely meet their requirements.

A food item with a mysterious origin and unknown effects that I certainly didn’t dare to consume myself.

‘…Yep, I’ve got it.’

In fact, I even had two packs.

<Blue Soda Churros>

A snack gifted by the blue dragon mascot at the theme park.

“……”

– Ah, that unsavory food!

It wasn’t that unsavory…

Well, either way.

‘Even a good child sometimes needs a bit of funding.’

The mascot would understand. Uh-huh.

[BlueFriend : Hello there sir/ma’am ^^ I have the paranormal-origin food item you’re looking for!]

Message sent!

The next day—

‘It’s perfect that it’s the weekend.’

I was waiting near Gwanghwamun Station, holding a box containing one pack of the ‘Blue Soda Churros’ given to me by the mascot.

‘I think I handled this well.’

I thought back to the messages I’d exchanged with the buyer yesterday.

They’d replied almost instantly.

[T : What kind of food exactly?]

This was a key moment.

I had two options.

I could show off my expertise, hinting that I knew what the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau and the ‘Fracture-sanctioned’ level were, to build trust with insider knowledge.

Or…

[BlueFriend : It’s kind of like churros? I’m honestly not sure… I got it under some strange circumstances, and honestly, keeping it feels a bit unsettling. I also really need the money. Could we maybe meet so you can check it out? If it fits your needs, you can take it from there.]

I could play clueless and let the buyer make the call.

Fortunately, the second approach worked.

‘To be fair, that message was pretty much the truth.’

I wasn’t keen on letting on that I worked for Daydream Inc., either.

So, here I was, waiting near Exit 5 of Gwanghwamun Station, seven minutes ahead of our meeting time.

‘If anything feels off, I’ll bail.’

I stayed alert. Soon, someone approached from the direction of Cheonggye Plaza, glancing around near Exit 5.

‘There.’

With the way they were scanning their surroundings, it was clear they were here for a transaction.

Tall, dressed entirely in black, and wearing a mask, the person walked over as soon as our eyes met.

“You must be the one from ‘Salmon’…”

I nodded, opening the box to let them inspect the contents.

“……”

The person reached out a gloved hand. Their voice sounded young, but I didn’t expect them to be this cautious with their identity.

‘Not that I’m one to talk.’

I’d also dressed in a hat, sunglasses, and anything else I could think of to obscure my face.

Hood pulled low, I kept my eyes on their movements. If they tried to take off with the item, I’d move first.

The buyer ran their gloved hand over the box and nodded before taking hold of it.

Hmm?

“This is exactly what I was looking for.”

Then, they handed me a small box that looked like a sippy cup. When they opened it just a bit, I caught a glimpse of 50,000-won bills inside before it quickly closed again.

“……”

They looked at me as if to ask why I wasn’t taking it.

I couldn’t consult Braun, which was a shame, but…

‘First things first.’

I set the box down on the ground.

“……?”

After nodding politely, I pulled out a notepad from my pocket.

“……??”

I showed the open page to the buyer.

[I don’t know the effects of this item.]

[It wasn’t dangerous to keep, but just in case, I’d recommend not consuming it.]

[I know you said it’s for research, but I thought I’d mention it anyway.]

“……!”

I couldn’t see their expression, but they seemed a bit taken aback.

‘Sure, this looks like some kind of random performance, but…’

Apologies, I’d rather not risk having my voice recognized.

After a brief bow, I showed the final page, nodded respectfully, took the cash cup, and bolted.

[Have a nice day^^]

“Great.”

Once home, I deposited the cash immediately.

It was the weekend, so it looked like Baek Saheon wasn’t around. Judging by his comings and goings, he probably went back to his family’s home.

Anyway.

“It’s time to log into the Alien Shop.”

I pulled up the link.

Chapter 31 - Promise

– Alien Shop? What a unique name with a sense of style! Is it an online store, too?

Ah, I’d summoned Braun as well.

He was thrilled that I’d drawn the curtains in the middle of the day for him and couldn’t get over how I’d sold the mascot snack.

‘This friend of mine sure has a low threshold for being touched…’

To be fair, the mascot had given me two packs, and I’d saved one, just in case.

Anyway, to answer his question…

“Yep, it’s online. You browse products on a page that looks like a flyer.”

– Aha! Is that so?

Braun’s cheerful voice echoed.

– I’m intrigued to see the shop that my friend frequents so often…

<Space Shopping Mall>

_※Amazing items from outer space※~!!#_

items>I’ll take a look at the items

– ……

– ……?!

– What is this? This is just a hideous flyer, completely devoid of any aesthetic appeal!

Hmm…

“Isn’t usefulness more important than appearances?”

– My word! Mr. Roe Deer, appearances are just as important as the contents! Visual appeal is the first thing that draws in an audience!

– How could anyone be attracted to such an uninspiring and plain, not to mention ugly, flyer?

Sure, sure.

With Braun’s commentary in the background, I clicked into the site.

…Alright, Mr. Roe Deer, I still have faith in you. Since you said it’s worthwhile, I’m sure there’s more to see behind the flyer…

Items

Bloodbathtub – ₩29,999,999

Mysterious Candle Kit – ₩19,999,999

Snow White’s Apple – ₩11,999,999

We Can Help! – ₩66,666,666

※Sale!※ Bloodsucking Cutlery – ₩7,999,999

₩14,999,999

– ……

“Braun?”

No response. I think he fainted. Looks like my ‘Good Friend’ here really understands the plight of designers… or, well, monsters who feel that plight.

“You okay?”

– I… need to rest.

Be my guest.

I turned my attention back to the items.

Some listings immediately stood out as unchanged. The ‘We Can Help!’ item was still unavailable, and the Bloodsucking Cutlery were now marked as a discounted item…

‘Still here, huh.’

※Sale!※ Bloodsucking Cutlery – ₩7,999,999

₩14,999,999

I thought someone would’ve bought it by now, or that the algorithm would’ve removed it from my recommendations, but here it was again.

‘Do they think I’ll buy it?’

It felt a bit weird. But anyway, moving on.

The most expensive item I could actually purchase was…

Bloodbathtub – ₩29,999,999

‘I saw someone looking for one of these on the Salmon Market earlier.’

It was quite a well-known item—I remembered the description.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Delusion Home Shopping / Items

Bloodbathtub

Today, we present an extraordinary product! The amazing elixir of youth from our home shopping channel!

Presenting… the tub of youth…

– July 7, 20XX, item description from ‘Delusion Home Shopping’

----------------------------------------

When filled with someone else’s blood, this tub transforms the blood into a fragrant bath mix that heals wounds, relieves fatigue, treats arthritis, and enhances skin.

‘Basically, a modern spin on the vampire legend, in item form.’

The price actually seemed surprisingly reasonable, considering the item’s reputation.

Still, the idea of bathing in a tub filled with someone else’s blood—even if it becomes a ‘fragrant bath mix’—is enough to make my head spin…

‘Let’s check the next one.’

Mysterious Candle Kit – ₩19,999,999

This one was unfamiliar to me. But a candle tends to evoke the idea of light, and light is often a symbol of comfort and protection in creepypastas.

‘Still, I’ll need to consider carefully before spending 20 million won on it.’

And lastly…

Snow White’s Apple – ₩11,999,999

Wow. Even if it’s useless, maybe I could turn around and sell it for 40 million won and make a huge profit?

‘I mean, who knows if it’ll count as food from paranormal phenomena, but it’s worth a shot.’

The post seeking ‘food from paranormal phenomena’ was still up, and the buyer was looking for research purposes, so they’d likely keep buying.

Given all this, my choice was clear…

“These ones, for sure.”

Mysterious Candle Kit – ₩19,999,999

Snow White’s Apple – ₩11,999,999

※Sale!※ Bloodsucking Cutlery – ₩7,999,999

= ₩39,999,997

As I mentioned, light is the antithesis to a creepypasta. And an item that produces candles?

I had a feeling that candles from this kit might be related to defense or protection.

‘It’s a worthwhile investment, even if it’s expensive.’

Snow White’s Apple, too, was appealing for similar reasons.

‘If it’s called “Snow White’s Apple,” it probably has something to do with sleep.’

I really need some quality sleep these days. If that apple can actually help me sleep deeply, it would be perfect for me. My efficiency would skyrocket, and my survival rate would soar…

‘Please, just let it work!’

I hit the purchase button, desperately hopeful.

‘And if it doesn’t work, I can always sell it.’

A fallback plan is in place, just in case.

Now, for the last item—Bloodsucking Cutlery.

‘With such a big discount, isn’t it polite to buy it?’

The last discounted item I bought, the ‘Silver Serpent’, turned out to be quite useful, from custom gear to summoning Braun.

For reference, if you press the plush keychain’s belly, you can feel the round metal shape of the ‘Silver Serpent’ inside.

I’m not sure how useful the Bloodsucking Cutlery will be, but they might come in handy for trade or for selling to other employees.

And now I have a cover story if anyone asks where I got it—I can just say I found it on the Salmon Market.

So, these are my three chosen items.

“Alright.”

They fit perfectly within my budget. Time to finalize the purchase…

– Mr. Roe Deer.

Hm?

Out of nowhere, Braun called out to me.

– About that ‘Bloodbathtub’.

What about it?

– I would like to have it.

“……?!”

W-What?

– Friend, would you consider giving a gift to this Braun here?

Braun’s voice was uncharacteristically eager, tinged with a hint of craftiness.

– I’ve tried to help you with all my heart as your ‘Good Friend’, haven’t I? Yet, I’ve never asked for anything in return! So perhaps it wouldn’t be too much to expect a small reward for my loyalty… Ah.

Silence.

– Apologies. I’ve said something far too mercenary… trying to put a price on our friendship.

– A ‘Good Friend’ would never do such a thing…

Braun’s shadow slumped in a gesture of shame, and his voice fell to a sad murmur.

– Please, disregard this ‘Good Friend’s’ words…

Umm.

“Sure.”

– Pardon…?!

“The Bloodbathtub. Let’s buy it.”

– !!

To be fair, he did help me escape the theme park. I owe him for that. After all, he saved my life, so the least I can do is return the favor.

Besides, the money here feels like game currency, and I have a few promising ways to earn more in the future. Plus, keeping on Braun’s good side is clearly the smart move, especially given the peculiar abilities he showed back at the park.

‘And if I’m going to get it, I should do it wholeheartedly, without holding back!’

“Just a bit more cash, and I’ll buy it for you as soon as it’s deposited.”

– Oh my goodness!

– Thank you! Thank you so much, Mr. Roe Deer, my friend…!

“Yeah. But remember, this isn’t a reward or anything. It’s just a gift because you’re my friend, Braun.”

– I understand, Friend!

“I’ll buy the Bloodbathtub as soon as the extra funds are deposited. It should be in just a few days.”

– Yes!!

His voice trembled with excitement and joy, and he took a moment to steady himself.

– I’m really looking forward to it… haha!

It was good to see him so happy.

…Just, please don’t ask me to go find fresh blood.

– Oh! The items have arrived. That was quick!

Once again, the ordered items arrived promptly, packed in a post office box, and I indulged in a satisfying unboxing session.

On top was the discounted vampire cutlery.

– Hooh. Quite the refined cutlery set, isn’t it? It looks suitable for an elegant setting!

A small dessert fork and knife, exquisitely crafted and wrapped in leather. They gleamed delicately in the flashlight’s glow, elegant and polished.

The downside, of course, is that they’re meant to be blood-stained for use… sigh.

‘Still, I might as well keep them on hand.’

They’re compact and easy to carry, and now that I have some custom gear and other items, it might be worth a try in a crisis.

Underneath the cutlery was…

[Quick and Easy Candle Making Kit]

It was the ‘Mysterious Candle Kit’ box. With its colorful, cute design, it looked like a children’s kit.

‘Actually, this might be a good thing.’

If it’s child-friendly, it’ll be easy to make!

I wanted to open it right away to check the instructions and materials, but the warning label plastered across the front caught my eye.

[No refunds after opening. Ingredients will spoil 12 hours after exposure to air, so use quickly.]

[Recommended users: 3 people]

Um. Probably best to leave it unopened for now.

‘I’ll prep everything the night before my next assignment.’

Still, I was curious about the candle’s effects. For 20 million won, it had to be more than ordinary.

– Only one item left, then!

“Right.”

I finally looked at the last item at the bottom of the box—a small but hefty… produce apple crate.

“……?”

No, seriously.

Snow White Mountain Apples

So delicious! Great for health and nutrition!

“……”

Could this be a mistake? Did I accidentally order real farm produce?

Hmm. There was a letter attached on top of the box from the supplier. Let’s see…

----------------------------------------

To our valued customers who purchased Snow White Apples, we express our sincere gratitude.

This produce is grown with care and nourished with ■■ as fertilizer sourced from ■■, cultivated and harvested directly with the sweat of hard work. Its effects and taste are distinctively different from those of other orchards. ^^

Usage: Chew and swallow one apple completely.

Effect: Immediately induces a death-like sleep where all biological activity ceases.

This effect lasts until sunrise the next day, after which you will awaken with renewed energy and greatly improved condition.

※ Note : This orchard is not liable for any changes to your body during the sleep state.

----------------------------------------

“……”

‘Definitely paranormal.’

So, it’s like that potion in Romeo and Juliet, the one that makes you look dead.

‘Got it.’

I opened the apple crate. Inside were seven small, shiny, perfectly round apples, bright red and practically picture-perfect.

– Truly, they look healthy and beneficial!

Really?

But yes, this does seem quite useful. An item that induces a state of suspended animation and allows you to recover fully after a day? I could definitely find a use for it.

So, my current inventory now includes:

– Good Friend

– Bloodsucking Cutlery

– Mysterious Candle Kit

– Snow White’s Apples

– Memorial Popsocket

– Smiley Sticker :)

– Alice Picnic Set

Then, my special equipment, plus one pack of Blue Soda Churros.

‘And soon, I’ll add the Bloodbathtub…’

Let’s make the most of all these items and try to stay alive.

– Then, sweet dreams to you, Mr. Roe Deer!

That night, I went to bed a bit earlier. I slept fairly well, occasionally plagued by nightmares, but mostly undisturbed.

I had a feeling that the next few days would at least be peaceful, so that might be what made me feel at ease.

‘Let’s rest up, reorganize, and get ready until the payment comes in.’

But a few days later, I faced a shocking reality.

‘The additional allowance… hasn’t been deposited!’

Even the manual revision that the A-squad leader mentioned hadn’t been completed. I was supposed to receive a reward for that.

‘W-What the heck.’

Was it all just a bluff? Did they really swindle me out of fifty million won?

I immediately started investigating and soon heard an unbelievable update.

“…The person in charge is missing?”

“Yeah. They haven’t shown up for days.”

Apparently, an administrative staff member who handles the manual revisions is currently missing.

And it’s already been a week.

“……”

Wait a damn minute.

“Then, the manual review…”

“It’s been postponed indefinitely. It’s not urgent, and… you know how long it takes this company to reassign paperwork. Probably at least two months.”

N-No way!

I made a promise with a certain creepypasta monster!

Chapter 32 - Missing Supervisor

The missing manual evaluator.

The missing 50 million won.

And the soon-to-be-missing gift, the Bloodbathtub (pending).

“……”

To make matters worse, Braun—the one who requested the gift—is currently in my bag pocket.

‘He’s probably hearing all of this, shit…’

I’d been bringing him along just in case we entered another creepypasta scenario. Leaving him at home made me antsy, but now it seemed to be backfiring.

This felt like promising a Christmas present to my niece only to find that the store shelves were empty when I got there.

Except, in this case, my niece was Annabelle.

“Huu…”

A deep sigh escaped me.

‘An employee in this world taking unauthorized leave for a week without notice…’

It’s obvious.

This means they’re likely tangled up in a creepypasta and have gone missing.

‘Just relax and wait. It’s better for your sanity, they say.’

But if I wait too long, someone else might grab the Bloodbathtub on the Alien Shop, and then I’ll fail to keep my ‘promise’ to Braun.

I really don’t want to tick off the plush toy that once burned down an A-Class Darkness with a mere snap of his fingers…!

‘I’m gonna actually die.’

Assistant Manager Eun Haje gave my shoulder a few encouraging taps before returning to her desk, while I sat there, silent and lost in thought.

What should I do.

Should I wait twiddle my thumbs anxiously for two whole months, and if the tub sells in the meantime, swallow my pride and apologize?

Should I take out a loan?

Or…

‘…First, maybe I should at least find out why the person went missing.’

It’s not just to save face with, ‘I did my best.’ Who knows, maybe I’ll find the missing person without much risk.

I still had the <Dark Exploration Records>, both in my memory and on my phone.

‘Let’s at least scope things out.’

Since the theme park incident, work had been relatively slow, and I’d wrapped up the paperwork for a recent exploration just yesterday.

Today, I had a bit of freedom to kill time as long as I didn’t actually run off.

‘Plus, my superiors are in and out of the office today.’

Of course, as the lowest on the ladder, I decided to wait until after lunch to briefly sneak out.

The first place to visit…

‘The manual evaluator’s desk, of course.’

Ding.

The elevator doors opened.

Of course, I’d prepared a cover story for this visit.

– Ah, you want to check out the evaluator’s office? Huu… Sure Roe, just take this and just drop it off!

My squad’s kind-hearted supervisor handed me a certificate of completion for a training session. It wasn’t urgent, but it gave me an excuse to be there.

‘My humblest thanks, Supervisor Park Minseong…’

In a creepypasta world full of psychopaths, his kindness felt like a rare warm gesture.

I entered the admin support office, looking for someone to give the document to. Luckily, there was an employee seated right next to the missing evaluator’s desk.

“I’m here to drop off some paperwork for D-squad Supervisor Park Minseong.”

“Huh? Just leave it there.”

“Yes. And also…”

Without even glancing my way, the employee kept typing away at their computer, looking rather bored. I politely handed over an envelope I’d been holding.

Inside were warm, sugar-dusted donuts filled with vanilla cream and an iced Americano.

‘Bribes are essential for this sort of thing.’

“I picked these up while getting something for myself. Thought you might enjoy them.”

“……! Ah, you didn’t have to, really!”

Still, their hand shot out to take the coffee and donuts. A true office worker.

“Supervisor Kang, pass these around.”

“Huh? Donuts?”

“They’re from him.”

“Wow, thanks! You’re from D-squad, right?”

I watched as the office atmosphere subtly shifted toward a casual tea-time atmosphere, with the admin staff biting into the donuts and chatting.

It was a friendly setting, perfect for gently prying information. And even better, since I was the one providing the snacks.

I picked the right moment to bring up the missing manual evaluator, glancing over at the empty seat of ‘Lee Byeongjin’.

“Um, should I just leave this coffee on Section Chief Lee’s desk? He doesn’t seem to be in…”

“Oh, no need. Just take it with you—he hasn’t been in at all.”

“Oh, he’s on vacation?”

“Vacation? No, he’s missing.”

Gotcha.

The employee sitting nearby replied nonchalantly, barely glancing my way, and exchanged a look with the person across from him.

“Honestly, we kind of saw this coming.”

“Hey, hey.”

“Oh, come on. Everyone’s heard about it by now, haven’t they? You’re a D-squad rookie, right? What’s your name?”

“It’s Kim Soleum, sir.”

“……! Oh, are you the one who nearly made it to A-squad?”

“Um, I suppose so, sir. They seem to have a good impression of me, which I’m grateful for.”

“Wow.”

Some murmuring began to ripple through the room: ‘So that’s D-squad’s rookie…’

The employee at the adjacent desk looked me up and down, now with a bit more interest, subtly hiding their initial indifference.

“The thing is, you’re probably going to find out about it sooner or later if you stick around here anyway.”

The employee gave a slight smirk.

“See, we’ve had cases of people who work here, clueless as ever, picking up strange stuff and then going missing.”

“Pardon?”

I asked, furrowing my brow as though I was thinking hard.

“Wait… do you mean that’s why he hasn’t shown up?”

“Exactly. That… What was it again?”

“The scroll, the scroll.”

Another colleague chimed in, seemingly giving up on reminding him as he was snickering.

“Right, the scroll. He was boasting about buying one that supposedly boosted his luck, claiming he hit second place in the lottery after getting it.”

Oh.

So he bought some sketchy vertical scroll, bragged about his newfound luck, and then vanished?

‘Classic haunted thrift store story…’

A setup straight out of a cliché.

‘Alright, I know what to do.’

I made a swift decision:

Retreat.

Let’s not get caught up in this. Staying would be no different to saying, ‘Me! Me next! I’ll be the next missing person just because I want to get my money a bit faster!’

I was about to make some excuse like, ‘Wow, how eerie! Well, I’ll be on my way…,’ when—

“Anyway, looks like this situation is a bit unfortunate for you, huh?”

Me?

“Hey, hey, don’t say that much!”

“Come on, it’s true, isn’t it? You’re the one waiting for the evaluation on a manual revision, right?”

Yes.

“Well, if it’s that missing section chief’s evaluation, it’s going to be tough to get it approved without him.”

……?!

What do you mean…?

“That section chief was close with A-squad. You know, like… ‘on the same line’.”

“……!!”

Line.

The foundation of office politics: people’s allegiances based on who they’re close to higher up the chain!

And here the missing manual evaluator had been especially close to A-squad, or to put it bluntly, was ‘on the same side’…?

An epiphany hit me like a lightning strike.

‘So that’s why A-squad’s leader was so confident!’

No wonder she seemed so sure about how quickly the manual revision would be approved!

“The new person they bring in might be… who knows, right? But it’s unlikely it’ll be another one of the same line. Probably someone from Director Cheong’s side.”

“……”

“And that line doesn’t exactly get along with A-squad you know, so… yeah.”

Hear that?

The sound of my 50 million won disappearing?

Not just delayed—but completely out of reach!

‘No way!’

Without even realizing it, I spoke up.

“Do you know where Section Chief Lee disappeared?”

“Oh, there’s an interesting rumor about that.”

The employee leaned in conspiratorially.

“People are saying he vanished inside the building.”

“……!”

“Apparently, someone saw him in the lobby in the morning, but he never made it up to the office.”

“He… vanished somewhere along the way?”

“Well, no one really knows. No one actually saw him disappear.”

“……”

No one saw it happen…

‘Even if there weren’t people around, there could’ve been something else.’

I lifted my gaze toward the corner of the office, where a CCTV camera blinked with a red light.

CCTV.

If he really did disappear inside the company, there could still be a record of it.

‘For a company of this size, they’d likely store security footage for about two weeks.’

That meant I still had a chance to check.

Figuring out where he went was crucial if I wanted to secure my bonus on time.

…The issue was this.

‘In this company, CCTV records are managed by… the Security Team.’

And the Security Team was… um.

Authorized to use lethal force. (No discrimination against all employees)

That’s right.

For multiple reasons, it was best to avoid them…

‘But since I’ve joined the company, I can’t realistically avoid them forever.’

Given how things had turned out, I might as well gather some intel while I’m at it.

With Braun subtly reminding me of his presence in my pocket, I headed to the first floor.

Directly to the Security Team’s office.

“So, down here to the basement?”

A door marked ‘Staff Only’ led down a narrow set of stairs to a heavy metal door.

[Safety Management Office]

I lifted my hand and knocked.

– ……

Knock, knock.

– Just come in already…

“……??”

Cautiously, I opened the door.

Inside was a cramped room that looked like a stereotypical facilities office, with an old sofa in the center.

Sprawled out on it was a person.

A security officer in a worn, dark blue uniform.

……?

“Good afternoon…”

I quickly glanced at his name tag to make out his title.

[Security Unit 3, Sergeant J3]

“Excuse me, Sergeant. Could I look at some footage from about a week ago? We have a missing person…”

After a long pause, he finally responded.

“You want to see the CCTV…”

“Yes.”

“Ah…”

The sergeant seemed exhausted, exuding a distinct air of reluctance.

Still slouched on the sofa, he responded in a slow, dragging tone without even introducing himself.

“You’re technically supposed to submit a request form to view the CCTV footage, but…”

Oh.

“Like anyone here actually cares about that stuff… just go ahead and watch it.”

“……”

Was this pure kindness, or just plain negligence?

Either way, I was in no position to complain, so I offered the remaining snacks as a bribe.

“Maybe you’d like some of these while you work…”

“Oh, donuts.”

His previously weary expression brightened, and he promptly got up from the sofa, snatching the bag.

“I like donuts, but there’s nowhere around here that delivers to the office… and I can’t go out during the day, so I hardly ever get to eat them…”

Is that so.

‘He doesn’t actually seem all that intimidating.’

But then again, in creepypasta fashion, the scariest characters often look the least threatening at first.

Keeping my guard up, I asked with a mild-mannered voice,

“Then, sir, would it be alright if I moved to the CCTV room, then?”

“Yeah… but.”

The security guard scratched the back of his head, looking at the donuts as though he was conflicted. He was quiet for quite a bit before he finally added,

“Only one guard is on shift now, so I’ll go with you… just in case, you know… might be risky.”

“Oh, thank you.”

I waited, expecting him to call another guard over on his radio. But he didn’t make a move.

“……?”

“……?”

“Weren’t you going to send someone to escort me…”

“That would be… me…”

He pointed to himself.

“Yeah… that’d be me…”

……

“Ah… Of course.”

‘Better keep this short and get out.’

“So you want to look at footage from about a week ago, right…”

“Yes, yes.”

With the security sergeant leading the way, we headed to the CCTV room to review the recordings.

His handling of the equipment wasn’t exactly smooth, which made me a little wary, but I tried to stay focused.

“Here.”

I found the footage of the missing section chief.

There he was, a middle-aged man entering the lobby and heading to the elevator.

I could confirm this to be Section Chief Lee Byungjin, his face registered in the company directory.

And in his hand, a long, rolled-up item.

‘That must be the scroll.’

Certainly not the kind of thing you’d typically bring to the office. There was something unsettling about it.

“You’re pretty sharp, could make a good guard yourself…”

Please don’t joke about that, sir.

“Thank you. I guess I was just focused since I’m trying to help find him.”

“…You mean he’s missing?”

“Yes, sir.”

The guard seemed taken aback.

It’s as if this was the first he’d truly registered my words.

He probably hadn’t been paying attention earlier and was only now processing that someone had vanished right under the Security Team’s watch.

“We missed this…”

“Is this going to be a problem for you?”

“Not really… it wasn’t during my shift, anyway.”

“……”

“Someone else’s issue, I guess…”

Uh-huh…

The classic logic of shift work. Duly noted.

At any rate, we continued watching the footage, and I was able to track the missing manager’s movements.

The surprising part? He didn’t go up to the upper floors.

“…It seems he went down instead.”

Further down than even the Safety Management Office.

[B2]

The CCTV showed him staggering as he got off on the second basement level.

…Creepy.

‘What on earth happened?’

Why did an administrative employee head down there as though in a trance?

‘That’s an area only the Security Team supposedly has access to.’

And even within the Security Team, they were only authorized to patrol, so what was he doing down there?

Cold sweat broke out. I quickly looked away from the empty elevator on the screen.

‘It’s starting to feel risky even watching this footage.’

So far, I’d managed to skate by, but this might be too much.

The underground levels of this pharmaceutical company were rumored to house the raw materials from creepypastas.

A place shrouded in mystery, where regular employees had no access and no knowledge of what went on?

‘Even in the <Dark Exploration Records>, it was described like some haunted basement tale!’

Nuh-uh. I should just nope out of this while I still can.

I avoided looking directly at the CCTV screen and gave a polite nod to the sergeant.

“Thank you for allowing me to see this. Then, sir, I’ll be on my w—”

“…Restroom.”

“……?”

“The person you’re looking for. He went into an old, unused men’s restroom down there…”

“……”

“And he hasn’t come out. Not in the whole week since.”

I did my best not to peek at the CCTV screen.

It seemed the security sergeant had already skimmed through the footage showing the abandoned restroom on B2 on his own.

“That restroom, want to check it out…?”

“I don’t have clearance to enter the basement levels, sir.”

“I’m going though…”

Of course. Because it’s your job, sir.

Wouldn’t it be great if you just went and found him on your own…

“Come on, let’s go. Let’s just say you’re a new hire in the Security Team.”

Sir?!

“No, really, you don’t have to—”

“Let’s go…”

Nooo!!

How did things get to this point, I wonder.

‘He even got me a uniform and everything.’

Now I was in the maintenance elevator, wearing the navy-blue Security Team jacket used by regular guards.

The absurdity of the situation was making my head spin.

‘I let myself get talked into it…’

– It’s fine. People from the Field Exploration Team pitch in for support work sometimes too…

That’s punishment duty, isn’t it?

Anyway, I somehow verified that entering the basement wouldn’t cause any big issues, even if this got out.

And I’d even contacted D-squad to officially process this as support duty, so I shouldn’t get in trouble…

Guess all that polite socializing paid off.

‘Still, this is so disorienting.’

All this just to get my hands on a Bloodbathtub.

After going this far, even if I don’t manage to pull the full fifty million, Braun had better recognize my efforts.

Ding.

The elevator door opens.

Basement 2.

It sounds like any other elevator ding, but for some reason, it has an ominous ring to it. And as the doors opened, what’s revealed was…

A hallway lined with ordinary office doors.

“……”

Why… were there offices down here?

‘Shouldn’t this floor have safety equipment or facilities…?’

The hallway was dimly lit, eerily silent, with opaque glass doors all around.

Offices labeled A, B, C… nameplates marking each door.

The security sergeant whispered,

“Don’t open any doors…”

“Yes.”

Even if he hadn’t said so, there was no way in hell I’d touch anything here.

I just kept my eyes on the security sergeant’s back, following him slowly.

And then—

– Mr. Roe Deer?

“……!”

– To think you’d wear such a worn outfit just to bring this Braun a gift! I’m deeply moved, but it pains me as well. Does my friend have to do such menial work?

Touching words, really.

But, hold on a second.

‘…How are you even talking to me?’

The ‘Good Friend’ could only talk and move within the boundaries of a creepypasta… which meant only one thing.

I was already inside a creepypasta.

“Ah, we’re here.”

The security sergeant stopped in front of a door with a faint, pale light seeping out from it.

“I’m going to open it…”

“Wait—”

But before I could say anything, he opened the restroom door.

Ka-chak—

With a burst, the flickering light inside revealed the room beyond…

“……”

‘This, crazy—’

The restroom was smeared with dark red.

It looked like an artery had been sliced open, spewing deep crimson all across the mirror like blood.

I froze completely, unable to even scream.

Then, the smell hit me, and my mind jolted back to awareness.

‘There’s barely any metallic smell.’

That’s not all blood.

And it doesn’t smell like regular ink, either. This is…

‘…Traditional ink from an inkstick?’

Tap, tap.

Braun was tapping from my pocket.

‘Warning.’

My senses snapped back to attention.

The security sergeant, scanning the restroom, reached out his hand.

“Don’t touc—”

Poke.

“Huh…?”

Oh no.

The moment his finger touched the ink, the dark red liquid began surging like a wave within the restroom.

“……!!”

I tried to turn and run immediately, but the thick, dark liquid shot out like countless hands, grabbing my legs and pulling me down.

AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!

‘Fuck fuck fuck…!’

I barely managed to keep from falling, landing awkwardly as the ink splashed up to my jaw. Bile rose in my throat.

I turned my head, desperately trying to grasp the situation, and caught sight of the source.

“The scroll!”

A vertical scroll was stuck to the restroom mirror, its center slashed open, with blood-like ink being sucked into the hollow center.

In other words, my feet were being dragged toward it as well.

As if something alive was pulling me… Wait, alive?

And blood-like?

‘The Bloodsucking Cutlery…!’

I pulled out a fork and jammed it into the floor.

The gleaming silver fork trembled, then hungrily began absorbing the surrounding ink.

“Ah!”

It’s working!

But, a small dessert fork couldn’t hold back this much ink.

Ting—

The utensil was flung away.

‘Fuuuck!’

And just like that, I was dragged into the scroll.

Gaaasp!

I lifted my head.

Through the darkness and blurred vision, I saw wallpaper with an old, cracked pattern.

An unfamiliar place.

‘…An abandoned house?’

My breath got caught in my throat, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the gloom.

And… and…

I realized something.

What I was looking at wasn’t wallpaper.

Talismans.

The walls, all made of rotting wood, were covered in crumbling, worn-out talismans.

“……!”

The air was heavy, pressing down on my shoulders, with an eerie tension filling the dark, cold room.

…Something’s wrong.

I felt like a rat that had crawled into the wrong place, in the wrong way.

“……”

I clenched my trembling hand.

But there was nothing there.

‘…It’s gone.’

The Bloodsucking Cutlery had vanished.

Cold sweat broke out as I took slow, deep breaths to avoid hyperventilating…

“Excuse me…!”

I nearly passed out.

“There, over there! Are you… the police??”

I lifted my head.

I wasn’t alone in this dark, abandoned house.

Small figures huddled in a corner were staring at me.

They were… children.

‘Middle school uniforms.’

The trembling students called out,

“Please save us! W-We touched this weird drawing, and now we can’t get out!”

Chapter 33 - [Sangun-nim], I

Let’s break it down.

I was trying to find a missing person, encountered some bizarre, terrifying phenomena, and got sucked in somewhere.

In short:

I’m a missing person now, too.

Swallowed up by a creepypasta.

“E-Excuse me, sir, are you a policeman…?”

And maybe, these kids are as well.

There were five or six of them in middle school uniforms, looking at me with a mixture of hope and fear.

Seeing their faces somehow cleared away my initial shock, grounding me back in reality.

‘First things first.’

I need to figure out the situation…!

“I’m not a policeman.”

I showed them the <Daydream Inc.> logo sewn on the front of my security uniform.

“I’m with a private security company.”

“Ahh…”

It seemed they’d mistaken the security uniform for a police uniform.

Their faces were starting to fill with resignation and fear, so I quickly added,

“I can still file a report and initiate security procedures. So, please calm down and explain what’s going on, alright?”

“Umm, yes…!”

The first student who spoke, a girl with short hair, swallowed nervously before beginning, her voice trembling.

“It’s, um. We, we… were on a school trip.”

They’re first-year students from a middle school in Seoul had come on a field trip to Gyeongju.

The teachers had split the kids into groups to keep things manageable, and this group, Group 3, seemed to be especially cheerful and curious.

“B-Behind our lodging, there was this mountain… and we saw something like a gazebo up there, so… we decided to do a test of courage and check it out.”

They had decided to sneak out at night and go up to that ‘gazebo’ by themselves.

‘Huu…’

Normally, they’d have been caught by a teacher, scolded, and sent back, or they’d have just looked around, laughed, and returned safely.

But…

“There was this painting hanging in that gazebo.”

But this is the world of creepypastas.

“I-It was a painting of something that looked… like a weird house…”

The student gulped again.

“And someone was watching us from that house.”

“……”

“So, we dared each other to get closer, and…”

“You touched it.”

“……”

The girl nodded, then started to sob.

“S-Suddenly, a voice from the painting said, ‘Good job, good job,’ laughing, and then… something strange came out of it—”

And when we came to, we’re already in this creepy abandoned house.

“We can hear strange noises outside the window, and even when it’s daytime, the fog is so thick we can’t see… we c-can’t get out…”

Even a boy in the back with a mischievous face was sniffling. They all seemed to be on the verge of panic.

‘Ugh…’

I kept my voice calm on purpose as I asked,

“Was that painting by any chance a scroll?”

“Hiic, sniffle, a scroll?”

“You know, something that rolls up—a vertical scroll.”

“Ah… uh, I don’t think so… It was more like, um, a traditional painting? O-One that’s painted with that old brush thingie…”

“…An ink wash painting?”

“Yes!!”

The student nodded vigorously.

So… could that be the common factor that draws people into this creepypasta?

Scrolls are typically antique items.

‘The scroll that Section Chief Lee had was probably also a traditional ink painting.’

And that creepy, dark red liquid (uuugh) that was swirling around in the restroom… it was probably ink too.

In summary…

It’s a creepypasta where a bizarre ink painting captures anyone who touches it, pulling them into a terrifying place.

‘…Seems like there could be five or six of them.’

I’m finally narrowing it down. But the problem is, none of the Darkness I could think of in this category are easy to deal with.

‘This is a classic, traditional creepypasta…’

The kind of story rooted in superstitious fear that tightens around your throat.

A frightening tale with a hint of a shamanistic undertone, something that chills you to the bone.

“……”

This is really bad. I’m already weak against ghosts as it is…

‘This feels way more intense than that convenience store ghost…’

In desperation, I started counting heads. Usually, having more people around makes things less scary!

Is there anyone else here?

Come to think of it, where did the security sergeant go? He should’ve been caught up in this mess with me, but there’s no sign of him anywhere.

Having him here would be reassuring… and I can’t exactly rely on these kids, either.

‘This is a nightmare.’

I kept my tone steady and asked,

“That must have been really frightening. How long have you been here?”

“A-A day…? I’m not sure…”

“You’re not hungry?”

“We brought snacks, kinda… so we ate those.”

“I see.”

‘These kids must be at their limit.’

These kids, who’ve barely graduated elementary school, have been trapped here on their own?

They’re likely still alert because they’re terrified, which is keeping them from feeling tired, but it won’t be long before they crash hard.

“We’re s-so scared, and our phones don’t work, so…”

“I get it. I’ll look for a way out, so in the meantime, don’t touch anything else…”

Wait.

“So, is it just you here? No other adults around?”

“An adult! There’s one! There’s one, but…!”

Then, at that moment.

…A scream rang out from far away.

AAAAHHHH!

“……”

“He’s been screaming… all by himself… that ahjussi’s scaring us.”

“…Yeah.”

I’m scared too…

‘But I can’t just drag all of you along…’

In times like this, having a comforting (living) plush toy around definitely comes in handy.

‘Braun.’

I called out to the ‘Good Friend’ in my pocket.

Come to think of it, he’s been pretty quiet.

– Mr. Roe Deer.

A slightly crestfallen voice answered.

– I’m sorry. To think you went to such a filthy, unhygienic place just to bring me a gift…

It seemed he was feeling rather guilty. I let out a faint chuckle.

‘It’s alright. We’ll get out of here.’

Actually, it’s not alright at all.

But getting angry here won’t let me quit halfway, either… That would only leave me with a resentful, murderous plush toy.

– You’re truly bold! That’s an admirable talent, even as an entertainer!

No, I’m just absolutely scared out of my wits.

So I’m counting on you for some serious help.

‘Can you help me find a way out?’

– What do you need? Just say the word, and this Braun, will prepare it…

Mm. This is great—at this rate, even if I don’t manage to pull the full fifty million, our friendship won’t be at risk.

After giving Braun a few taps of gratitude on my pocket, I stepped deeper into the abandoned house.

…Toward the source of the scream.

“Wait here for just a moment. I’ll go check it out.”

“O-Okay…!”

Of course, I’d already loaded a 500-won coin in case I needed to activate the remote hand at any moment.

And I had a flashlight ready too.

‘Good thing it’s attached to the uniform.’

Relying on the thin beam of light, I moved forward.

Aaaahhh…! No, stop…!

…Save me, save meeeeee!

As I got closer, I could make out the words and phrases.

The desperate screams echoed clearly from beyond the dark walls of the abandoned house.

‘S-Stay calm.’

I was so terrified that my spine tingled, but I forced myself to press on. As I rounded the corner—

“This crazy fucking world! Crazy fucking company…!!”

I recognized the face.

“…The manual evaluator?”

In front of a wooden board plastered with talismans, a middle-aged office worker was struggling. When he saw me, his eyes went wide.

It was the missing section chief, Lee Byeongjin.

“S-Security Team…??”

Ah, right.

I’m wearing a Security Team uniform.

“T-Thank the heavens! Are you from the Security Team, sir?!”

The man’s face lit up, and he began trembling as he approached me.

“You came to find me!!”

No, I got dragged here, too.

‘But why is he being so deferential?’

Oh, right. He’s mistaken me for a Security Team member.

Since I ended up here, this was the first time I’d seen a company employee act this submissively.

I glanced down at the borrowed security uniform I was wearing.

‘…The administrative staff tend to look down on people from the Field Exploration Team…’

More specifically, the ones at the bottom of the barrel. They didn’t bother with us, treating us like we were disposable and likely to die on the job.

I remembered the administrative staff who changed their attitude once they found out I nearly made it into the elite team.

And now, standing before me, sweating and nervously trying to smile, was Section Chief Lee Byeongjin.

Hmm.

Might as well take advantage of this.

I clasped my hands behind my back and spoke like a Security Team member would.

“A missing person report was lodged from within the company, so a search is being conducted.”

“R-Really? Haha! Ha, hahaha…! I knew it!! The company didn’t abandon me…!!”

Actually, yes they did.

“Sooo, um… y-y-you’re going to break down this Darkness? Right?? You’re with the Security Team after all, so…”

I deliberately responded with a detached tone.

“The Security Team isn’t in the business of break down Darkness.”

“……!”

“The team’s role is to contain disturbances.”

“R…Right. Of course, haha… I’ve just, n-never had much experience with field exploration like this, you see, um.”

Okay, the tone was set.

“Explain the situation.”

“Pardon??”

“Describe what happened since your disappearance in chronological order.”

I needed to compare this with what the kids had told me and figure out exactly what kind of creepypasta we were dealing with!

“Ah, yes! Yes, sir!”

The man scrambled to his feet and quickly started babbling.

“Well, I… I came across this very rare-looking scroll at a souvenir shop near Mount Jiri…”

It was almost exactly what I’d heard in the office.

He’d bought the suspicious scroll after the shop owner hinted that it ‘grants wishes’, and afterward, his luck with money noticeably improved.

“I was told to keep it close to water and not to touch the scroll… and believe it or not, I struck big at the lottery! Second place!!”

But then…

“I began to hear… strange whispers…”

Lee Byeongjin’s eyes twitched as he dug his fingers into his palms, spitting out his words.

“I-It… whispered that since my wish had been granted, it was, uh, only proper to repay the debt, that it was the way of a true scholar… those whispers, every night… every night, the sound of water, and then… cries… animal cries creeping closer and closerrrr!!”

Eeeek.

“It became… completely unbearable! So…”

“…So—”

I recalled the scroll I’d seen in the restroom, shredded and stained with what looked like blood.

“You tried to tear it up?”

“…Yes.”

So, during the middle of the day, he’d gone to a place other than his own home, where there would be no witnesses but where he could escape immediately after ripping it up. A place like…

‘An unused restroom in the company.’

He’d found a spot like that and tore up the scroll.

“That was the plan, but…”

“And then you got dragged here.”

“…Huff! Yes…”

Lee Byeongjin panted heavily.

I rubbed the back of my neck.

‘…What am I supposed to say to that?’

He’d done all the typical things people do to get themselves killed in a horror story…

And going so far as to pick a restroom in the basement of Daydream Inc.’s building just to avoid witnesses? Honestly, that deserves some applause.

‘To be frank, at this point, if he dies, he can’t really complain.’

Suppressing a sigh, I looked up.

In front of where Lee Byeongjin had been rolling around was a wall plastered with talismans.

There were noticeably more torn talismans here than elsewhere.

‘Why was he freaking out in front of this spot?’

I shone my flashlight on the wall.

And then I realized why.

“…Is that a door?”

Through the torn talisman, I could see a door handle.

And judging by the lock on the handle…

‘A door that leads outside?’

“I-It comes here every day!”

“What does?”

“The ghost! It comes here every day!”

Section Chief Lee Byeongjin, with bloodshot eyes, crawled over and grabbed onto my pant leg, mumbling.

“It… it comes to devour us. It comes to devour…! And the, the talismans! They’re falling off every day!”

“That means…”

“I-It’ll come again today…”

Knock, knock.

“……”

“……”

Knock, knock, knock.

From the door—

There was a sound.

Knockknockknockknock.

“It’s here again…”

I clamped a hand over Lee Byeongjin’s mouth.

Excuse me, sir.

“……”

It’s really cold out here, so could you open the door for me?

“……”

Ahjussi, don’t you remember me? I’m Na-eun, the seven-year-old girl who lived next door in Somang Apartments…

A young child’s sniffling, sobbing voice drifted from beyond the door.

Please help me. It’s so cold, and I’m so tired… I don’t know where I am. Please, just open the door…

The voice carried a strange, pitiful tone that made you forget your fear and feel genuine sympathy…

In a daze, a trembling voice spoke up beside me.

“N, Na-eun-ah.”

Ahjussi.

The talisman on the door started to smolder.

The sobbing voice mixed with a faint laughter.

You answered again?

“……!”

“N-No!! Ahh!! No, I didn’t! I didn’t answer!! Go away! Go away!!”

The section chief, snapping back to his senses, started to scream in terror.

But.

I don’t wanna though?

Idon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twannaIdon’twanna

“Eeeek!”

Thud.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang

The door began to shake violently, as if it were about to break.

The smoldering talismans fell off.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang

The talismans were falling off in heaps.

Bangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbang

I barely managed to move my arm.

Thud.

I tossed a coin into the air and summoned the hand.

Thud.

Then, from among the scattered talismans on the floor, I gathered up as many of the intact ones as I could…

Bang.

I placed those talismans over the doorknob.

BANG.

The talismans immediately started falling off again.

“Haaah…”

But…

.

The knocking stopped.

Out of all the talismans I’d slapped onto the doorknob, only one remained.

“……”

“……”

Close one.

A shiver ran down my spine.

Hiic, sob… sooob…

The sound of footsteps gradually faded away beyond the door…

“Hah… haaaaahh…”

Section Chief Lee Byeongjin collapsed onto the floor.

I clenched and unclenched my sweaty fist.

‘I’m going nuts.’

I almost fainted from fear with the door pounding like that.

I hid my trembling hands behind my back.

A creepypasta about trapping prey.

Shamanistic atmosphere, talismans, devouring, luring, calling voices, horror…

‘……’

I know now.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Sangun-nim]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code** – Qterw-C-51**

An ominous Darkness depicted in a traditional ink wash painting featuring changgwi spirits.

Exploration Records indicate a total of up to 17 entries.

----------------------------------------

This… is a Jangsanbeom-type ghost story.

Chapter 34 - [Sangun-nim], II

Sangun-nim.

One of the most eerie and unsettling stories from <Darkness Exploration Records>.

It appears similar to the Korean internet urban legend about the Jangsanbeom, but this tale carries an even stronger shamanistic and eerie undertone.

A ghost, presumably having perished from the tiger known as Sangun-nim, resides in a haunted painting that constantly changes its appearance, pursuing victims and attempting to lure them away.

As one of the stories of the <Darkness Exploration Records> that went viral in the first half of 20XX, there were countless reports of readers feeling sick or unnerved just from reading it.

It was exactly as described.

Even as someone who’s generally fine reading about horror tales, this story left an oddly disturbing, lingering feeling in me as well, making me pause multiple times while reading.

The familiarity of this tale, similar to a known urban legend, added to its unnerving closeness.

I’m sure everyone has heard of it at least once.

‘A person devoured by a tiger becomes a ghost and returns to visit their loved ones…’

Also known as the changgwi.

This ghost must find another victim to pass on its role before its soul can move on to the afterlife—a chilling tale, indeed.

‘It’s disturbing to even think about it.’

However, if one thinks logically, there is a way to survive.

‘At C-Class, it’s still a grade with standard escape records.’

While it’s certainly challenging, it’s not impossible to escape this Darkness.

The issue is… the method is bizarre and forces the victim to make unfair choices, causing mental suffering and overwhelming pressure, as though their breath were being squeezed out.

It’s the kind of tale that horror lovers immerse themselves in, enjoying the shivers it evokes.

----------------------------------------

Exploration Record #03

A man in his fifties downloaded a landscape painting from the internet, said to bring good fortune in one’s career.

He described it as an ink wash painting from the late Joseon Dynasty, depicting mountains and fog with an eerie vividness, even in low resolution.

After downloading it, he began having occasional dreams of wandering near the mountain in the painting, and each time, he felt oddly at peace, his focus sharpening.

However, after a sudden promotion at work, the dreams changed.

He began to hear a voice calling to him from within the fog enveloping the mountain.

The voice whispered, “It is only right to repay the help you’ve received, as any true scholar should.” Along with this, he heard sorrowful cries, the trudging of footsteps along the mountain path, and the distant calls of animals.

Feeling strangely unnerved, he turned and tried to run.

Then came the chilling words, “You’ve been found, you’ve been found,” repeated over and over, followed by a mocking laugh as it chased him.

Each night, he was plagued with dreams of desperately trying to run away.

And each night, the voice calling his name drew closer as he tried to distance himself from the mountain in the painting.

One night, he realized, in horror, that he hadn’t been running through the mountains anymore. He was now at the front door of his own house.

Terrified, he woke up and immediately left home, moving to a hotel. He said it was to avoid the voice pursuing him and to keep his family from being drawn into it.

That night, however, the voice did not follow him in his dream.

Instead, he saw someone—a figure with a pale, ashen face, slipping in like a snake through his open front door, snickering as it entered.

That’s when he understood.

The voices hadn’t been following him at all. They had been finding their way into his home.

Result : The man’s entire family, except him, went missing. (Six months later, the bodies of three unidentified bodies were found in a nearby dam.)

Afterward, he was hospitalized for PTSD and eventually took his own life.

----------------------------------------

…And so it goes.

The worst part of this story is how it forces you to imagine the mental anguish of those caught in it.

There’s also something more unsettling.

‘…It’s already too late.’

Already lured in and dragged here by the changgwi.

Several times that its calls were responded to.

Talismans, nearly depleted.

This was the kind of description you’d find in the final, desperate moments at the end of a lengthy Exploration Record where everyone was already on the verge of death.

Meaning, we’re cornered at the very edge.

‘This is driving me insane.’

I raked my hand through my hair.

– Are you in a tough spot, Friend?

It’s more than just tough. I feel like I’m drowning in cold sweat.

– Oh dear. Could it be because of that unwelcome guest who visited earlier? Uninvited guests are always unpleasant, especially in places where they’re not wanted.

– That’s why I’d like to offer you some advice. Would that be alright?

What?

I looked down at my pocket.

– Allow me to dim the light for you, Mr. Roe Deer!

– That way, you can quietly leave this place without drawing anyone’s attention.

“……!”

I remembered the incredible ability that this plushie showed at the theme park—the strange power that erased my presence, allowing me to move without getting caught by the blue mascot.

– If you quietly exit through that door and head home, you’ll avoid this tiring situation… it doesn’t get any better than that, does it?

“……”

I had a high probability of deducing the correct escape route based on the <Darkness Exploration Records>. So, if I could avoid being detected by the changgwi, I might actually get out of this creepypasta easily!

‘But…’

Isn’t that a one-person-only solution?

‘Would it be possible for you to do the same for someone else?’

– For someone who isn’t a friend?

Braun’s voice twisted momentarily, as if I’d made an unpleasant suggestion, but he responded in his usual cheerful tone, like a true entertainer.

– Well, maybe I could, but I wouldn’t take that risk!

– Mr. Roe Deer, everything has its limits, and the more you share, the less you keep for yourself, don’t you agree?

It seemed that if Braun were to extend his power to someone else, its duration or strength would diminish.

‘So, to stay safe, it’s really just a one-person solution.’

Still, leaving the kids behind gnawed at my conscience as a modern person who’d received public education.

Plus…

‘Braun, if we can’t bring Section Chief Lee Byeongjin out with us, our budget will face serious issues.’

– …Hm?

‘We won’t be able to buy the Bloodbathtub…’

Capitalism was holding me back.

– Ahh… that can’t be!

– But if we dim two lights, any sensitive observer will notice easily! It’ll ruin the scene’s quality!

Yeah.

‘I’ll look for another solution, then.’

Of course, if things got urgent, I’d hit Braun with an SOS and bolt out with at least one other person.

‘I’ll do what I can.’

– Regrettable! But, understood.

I rummaged through my pocket. Thankfully, a few essentials I always brought to work were still there, even after changing into the security uniform.

The Smiley Sticker, Alice’s buff-debuff food items, and even some of Snow White’s apples. I’d lost the fork from my Bloodsucking Cutlery set, but…

‘It’s originally a pair.’

Right, I still had the knife.

I pulled out the remaining piece of the Bloodsucking Cutlery from the opposite thigh pocket.

And I was surprised.

‘…It grew!’

The knife was no longer the size of a dessert utensil. It now featured intricate craftsmanship on the handle, with a small, elegant red gemstone embedded as an accent.

It had clearly leveled up.

‘Maybe the blood that the fork absorbed have somehow transferred here?’

After all, they were a pair.

“……!! I-Is that the Security Team’s suppression weapon?”

I didn’t respond, letting Section Chief Lee’s misunderstanding stand.

I carefully wiped the now-cutter-sized knife on my clothes and slipped it into the front pocket of my jacket, where I could reach it easily.

Please, let me not need it.

“Well then, I’ll begin searching the house.”

“A…Alright!”

When I moved, Section Chief Lee quickly stepped aside.

I stared directly at him as he stood frozen.

“……?”

“I’d like you to accompany me.”

“W-What?! A-Ah, no. I, um, already looked everywhere…”

“You’ve already looked, so I’m asking you to guide me.”

“U-Uh… Yes, sir.”

Section Chief Lee hesitated, but he obeyed, glancing nervously at me as he started walking.

Good. I avoided the chance of having a panic attack or fainting alone out of fear.

“This place, um… is probably the kitchen, sir. There wasn’t any food, though.”

The old house, rusty and dust-covered with mold creeping in, was filled with nothing but talismans on every wall.

It reminded me of those abandoned houses along mountain roads, halfway up a hill, neglected and no longer inhabited.

“You stayed here for a week. Did you not feel uncomfortable?”

“Well… I never felt thirsty or hungry…”

His face turned pale.

“Whenever the g-ghost came every night, it was strange—I felt like my energy was drained each time…”

“Did you ever try to go outside during the day?”

“…I mean, I did, but… no matter how far I walked, I just saw forest after forest… I was terrified that the sun would set while I was out there, so I kept coming back here.”

His account aligned with other exploration records.

In that case…

“W-Where are you going?”

I headed to the end of the corridor, which had no doors, until I reached a dead end.

“There should be an upper floor.”

“Huh?? No, there’s no staircase or anything leading up! I’ve searched every inch of this place over the past week, and there’s not even a trace of stairs…”

I summoned the remote hand, then placed the remaining Bloodsucking Knife in its grip and flung it into the air.

More precisely, toward the ceiling.

Gaaasp!

There was a snap as something gave way, the knife lodged in a fine crack in the ceiling. With a loud noise, the ceiling opened up, and an old ladder clattered down noisily.

‘Found the attic.’

“G-Gracious! Truly the Security Team… y-your eye for space is, is beyond that of an ordinary person!”

“……”

Not at all.

I just read a lot of exploration records…

Abandoned houses always have attics.

‘It’s only natural that someone who knows what to look for sees differently from someone who doesn’t know anything…’

Anyway, it definitely seemed like this led to the attic.

‘Wow.’

I seriously don’t want to go.

‘It feels like entering an ominous room that opened on its own in a haunted house.’

But I was already acting like I was with the Security Team, so I had essentially committed myself to being the tank. I grabbed the ladder and climbed up, pretending to stay calm.

Screeeech.

‘Please follow me!’

Unsurprisingly, no one followed.

‘I’ll sear this Security Team act into my brain…’

I forced my legs to stay steady, barely managed to reach the attic, and quickly finished my search before coming back down in a hurry.

It was as if I’d wrapped up my investigation swiftly and efficiently.

‘Phew.’

That probably looked natural enough.

“H-How was it?”

“It’s just an old attic. There wasn’t anything unusual…”

I held up my only discovery.

“This was lying on an old tray.”

It was a worn-out book bound in an ancient style.

[活路]

“P-Path to survival! Could it actually contain a way out?”

Oh, he can read classical Chinese.

I carefully opened the brittle, ancient book.

The entire book was in classical Chinese.

‘Classical Chinese… the best I did was pass the Level 2 exam in high school…’

– Hoho. This is interesting content.

“……!”

Could he actually understand classical Chinese?

– Goodness, Mr. Roe Deer. A capable host like myself must be able to communicate with all the people in the universe… well, almost all.

That sounded pretty unrealistic, but what mattered was this:

‘…Can you read it aloud for me?’

– Of course!

After a brief sound as if Braun were clearing his throat like a classic announcer, his voice took on a more formal, deep tone.

– ‘This is your sole means of escape.’

Thump.

– ‘You, foolish one, ensnared by the changgwi and led into Sangun-nim’s tomb! Darkness looms before you, and a ghost clings upon your back.’

I swallowed hard.

– ‘Do not answer. Do not unbar the door. Purify your body and endure until the full moon rises, and go to the shrine to perform the ritual.’

– ‘Then you shall live to see the sun rise. However…’

I turned the page.

– ‘The changgwi shall relentlessly pursue anyone it deems worthy prey. You, who has already been ensnared by the tiger, can never escape.’

– ‘The ghost shall linger at your doorstep, at your bedside as you sleep.’

– ‘So, you too must become a changgwi. To escape, you must find another to take your place and offer them to the tiger.’

……!

– ‘The sacrifice must have reasoning, warm blood, and a voice. Only then can the changgwi be deceived.’

– ‘Offer the sacrifice, and follow the moonlit path to a small pit of serpents.’

– ‘This is your sole means of escape. There is no other way.’

“……”

– That’s the end. Fascinating, isn’t it?

I closed the book, my hands frozen.

‘…So that’s what it was.’

In the exploration record, it was only described in a line or two: A sacrifice was chosen by drawing lots, and when the chosen one refused, they were tied to a post and dragged away.

But looking at it directly… the eerie, unsettling weight of the words pressed down on me.

Flip.

Just then, something tucked into the final page of the book slipped out.

“……”

It was a small paper card.

When I picked it up, I saw hurried handwriting scrawled on the back.

⧻⧻ Leaving tomorrow.

I flipped the card over.

Go Seonha

Department of History, Joo Kang University

Could this be someone who had read the book before me?

In the meantime, Section Chief Lee, who could read classical Chinese, seemed to be stumbling through the text on his own.

And then he froze in terror.

“犧牲物… T-This! Doesn’t this mean one person has to be sacrificed?”

“……”

“Right! If just one of us dies, the rest can survive!”

I didn’t respond.

Section Chief Lee began rubbing his palms anxiously, his eyes darting around.

“Buuut, uh, if we d-don’t do it, we’ll all die anyway, so…”

“So?”

“…Wouldn’t it be enough if the right person died? Someone who likely wouldn’t make it out anyway, right?”

Is that a self-introduction?

But as I glanced down, I noticed the look on Section Chief Lee’s face.

‘That.’

He meant the kids.

“To be honest! One of those kids… if you hadn’t arrived, they’d probably all be dead anyway! We should focus on getting ourselves out of here!”

“……”

“If just one of them dies and the rest of us get out alive, well, isn’t that still a good thing?”

I never thought I’d hear this kind of talk in real life.

Given that he’s been trapped here for a week, consumed by the fear of death and panic, I could understand his desperation, but…

‘Still, I can’t agree to that kind of talk.’

I glanced at the text in classical Chinese.

“Sentient being.”

“Huh?”

“This book specifies a sentient being with intellect as the sacrifice.”

I tilted my head slightly.

“Can a child who hasn’t even reached adulthood be considered a fully sentient being?”

“U-Uh…”

“I don’t think so.”

I stared steadily at Section Chief Lee.

“It’s adults who would qualify as sacrifices, don’t you think? Which means… there’s only one option.”

“……!”

Section Chief Lee, sweating profusely, his pupils quivering, opened his mouth to speak.

“W-Wait, uh, um…”

I spoke calmly.

“I mean myself.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m the only eligible person here. Excluding the kids and you, Section Chief Lee, who’ve been trapped here for a week and are mentally unstable.”

“……”

“But I don’t want to die. I’ll look for another way.”

I resumed examining the book.

After a long silence.

“That, um… I’m sorry.”

“……”

“Talking about sacrificing the kids… what kind of person am I to even say such a thing… ha, hahaha…”

Section Chief Lee sat down, looking utterly defeated.

“On the first night, it was my father…”

He had passed away in his hospital bed from cancer, but I hadn’t been able to be there when he died because of work.

“Then my father, crying, called out, ‘Byeongjin-ah, let me see your face,’ asking me to open the door.”

“……”

“I held my head and resisted, and then the ghost started hurling all sorts of insults and jeers at me… all in my father’s voice.”

Section Chief Lee buried his face in his hands.

“Every single night, it’s someone else—a dead family member, friend, neighbor—coming to visit, calling out in their voices!”

His beloved uncle, his aunt, his cousin who died in an accident, his college friends, and even the neighbor’s child who was kidnapped and went missing…

“All of them, everyone I’ve known, anyone who’s died… it’s as if they’re all pulled out from the depths. I can barely hold on to my sanity… If hell exists, it’s right here.”

“……”

Hmm.

Come to think of it, the middle schoolers hadn’t even known there was a ghost knocking on the door.

And they’d been here for two days.

‘Has he practically been standing guard by the door?’

Whether it was intentional, accidental, or due to some ghostly influence, his actions had, in a way, shielded the kids’ mental state. It felt strangely poignant.

I looked at Section Chief Lee for a moment before nodding.

“If this place is hell, then all the more reason to escape it.”

“……”

“I’ll study this book more closely and…”

Knock, knock, knock.

“……!”

Both Section Chief Lee and I turned to face the door simultaneously.

“Was that just…”

Knock, knock, knock.

“……”

“……”

Excuse me.

The voice had returned

Chapter 35 - [Sangun-nim], III

A haunted house, trapped by the changgwi’s lure.

Is anyone there…?

A voice called out again from outside the front door of the abandoned house.

This time, it was a low male voice.

“No, no…! W-Who is it this time…”

The section chief clamped his hands over his mouth, stifling a scream.

Please open the door…

“……”

“A-A dead person? Who is it? Who’s out there? Ahhh… L-let’s run! Let’s get out of here!”

It’s so cold out here.

Hmm.

“This time, I absolutely won’t answ—aaah??”

I moved toward the door and pulled the handle.

“AAHHHH?!”

When the door opened, what appeared was…

“Whoa, I thought I was gonna die… Thanks…”

A human, in decent shape, with a slender build, light-colored hair, and wearing a faded navy-blue uniform.

“……?!”

“Section Chief Lee Byeongjin, please greet him.”

I gave a respectful nod.

“This is the Sergeant of Security Unit 3.”

“……??? …?!”

Yes, it was him.

The sergeant of Security Team’s Unit 3, who had been pulled into this ghost story alongside me.

‘His face looks about ready to burst.’

Section Chief Lee alternated between pointing at me and the security sergeant, his face beet red, before he snapped his finger and let out a bizarre groan.

“H-How… why…?!”

Well, isn’t it obvious?

‘You’re the one who explained it yourself…’

– Every single night, it’s someone else—a dead family member, friend, neighbor—coming to visit, calling out in their voices…

And they only come once a night.

Incidentally, similar statements had been blatantly recorded in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

When someone’s dragged into an abandoned house by the changgwi, every night it appeared at the door, pleading in the voices of dead loved ones, subjecting its prey to mental torment and confusion.

‘When they say every night, they mean it’s a daily cycle.’

But I couldn’t exactly tell Section Chief Lee, ‘There’s a magical record supporting my theory,’ now could I?

“Intuition.”

“……”

The section chief looked strangely blank.

In any case, since I was right, let’s leave it at that.

After verifying that the security sergeant had entered the abandoned house, I promptly closed the door and secured the handle.

Just looking outside was enough to send chills down my spine.

“Thank you…”

“No problem, sir.”

It was shocking enough that this guy had made it all the way to the door without being dragged away by the changgwi, but…

‘Well… he’s part of the Security Team, after all.’

The real surprise was that he hadn’t come alone.

He was supporting someone.

“…Who’s that?”

The sergeant answered with a bright smile.

“Look, I found the missing person!”

“…The missing person is this person, though.”

“Oh. Got confused…”

“……”

They’re even different genders…

I checked the person that the sergeant had casually dropped onto the floor.

It was a stranger.

In a very disheveled state, she sank to the ground of the abandoned house and began to wail, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings.

“Uwahhhh! It’s over. It’s all over!”

“She just keeps saying that. Ah, this place is better… I woke up earlier in some place that felt like a shaman’s hut… it was cold, dark, and damp, and I didn’t like it there.”

“AAAACK!”

“……”

‘This is a disaster.’

All I wanted was a sensible companion…

‘I miss my D-squad superiors…’

Still, I took a closer look at the crying person. She was dressed in a now filthy white gown, with a name tag on the chest.

[Go Seonha]

‘Huh?’

I immediately pulled out a small business card.

It was the one tucked in the old book labeled Path to Survival.

Go Seonha

Department of History, Joo Kang University

On the back, it had the words, Leaving tomorrow.

“By any chance, if you’re the person on this card, did you try out the instructions from the book?”

“Mm-hm…”

The woman nodded, sniffling.

“Yes… but it was all futile.”

“Huuh! Wait! What do you mean f-futile? Does that even make sen—”

“Exactly what I said.”

With a dark expression, she pulled something out of her coat.

“That—”

“If you go about a hundred steps from here, as written in that book, there’s a shrine. I’m pretty sure it’s the ‘shrine’ mentioned in the book.”

“……”

“And this, I copied down from the woodblock there.”

She glanced at me with a tired expression.

“Looks like you read the book thoroughly, too… do you study Korean history? This was written in a style from hundreds of years ago…”

No. I just happen to have a monster friend…

“Ah, anyway!! So if we just do exactly what’s written on that wooden tablet, shouldn’t it work?! Why do you keep saying it’s impossible, and crying about it…”

“Because it is impossible!!”

“……!”

“Look, ahjussi, I’m not an idiot. I tried to follow what was written on the woodblock. It said to gather three plums, crush them in a cup, and sprinkle it outside—I did all of that! I did everything, but…”

“……”

Go Seonha took a breath, staring into the air, then held up the back side of the paper she had pulled out, as if to show it to us.

“Please read this.”

Braun, catching on, began to read aloud.

– ‘Prepare a song to offer to Sangun-nim. The more it is known among people, the more effective it will be. Write the lyrics down and place them in the incense holder, sing loudly, clap every step, and bow every thirty steps.’

“A song for Sangun-nim…”

“Yes! That’s it!”

Go Seonha’s eyes widened as she asked urgently,

“Sangun-nim is a tiger, right? Then what immediately comes to mind? Any song related to tigers, anything that praises a tiger, whether it’s a children’s song or a folk tune.”

“Uh, well…”

Section Chief Lee stammered, then began,

“In the mountain… the great hero…”

“Right, on the tiger’s birthday—yes, that one! I thought of it too, and that’s what I tried to use…” (T/N: Here’s the song)

Go Seonha dropped her head.

“…But it says, once a song has been used, it can’t be used again.”

“……!”

“The incense holder was already stuffed with used lyrics! Of course Mountain Hero was already there…!”

Good grief.

“It says, ‘Sangun-nim is fickle and enjoys songs, so he will not accept the same one twice.’ Sure, in folktales, tigers smoke pipes and dance, but this… this is…!”

Seething, Go Seonha shouted into the air, then turned to us with a desperate look.

“Children’s songs, folk songs, instrumental pieces… is there anything else that comes to mind besides Mountain Hero? Anything, just anything…”

Nothing.

“There’s nothing, right? Of course, there isn’t!”

Go Seonha clutched her head in frustration.

“I’m not a Korean music major, and it’s not like I can just look it up somewhere, oh, no…”

“……”

I didn’t know the songs couldn’t be repeated, either.

Even in the <Dark Exploration Records>, there were two or three records of people performing rituals in places they were lured to by the changgwi, each time using a different song.

There were everything from folk games to instrumental pieces…

‘I thought the different songs were just something the collective wisdom on the wiki included for fun.’

I didn’t realize there was such a specific detail hidden there.

And even if I wanted to use the songs listed on the wiki, only the titles were provided—no lyrics, no melodies.

‘Damn it.’

The air in the abandoned house grew even colder.

“……”

Huu.

I exhaled slowly, then carefully read the Chinese characters on the paper that was said to be copied from the shrine’s woodblock, with Braun’s help.

Then, I asked,

“Go Seonha-ssi.”

“…Yes.”

“I have a few questions for you, if that’s alright.”

“What is it?”

“How many days have you been here?”

“…Ten days.”

Go Seonha’s face turned pale.

“But after a few days, I started hearing the sound of some crazy man wandering around… so I hid in the attic.”

Said ‘crazy man’ looked at Go Seonha with a slightly offended expression.

“And a few days later… I started hearing children’s voices too. I didn’t know what else to do, so when the full moon came tonight, I slipped outside while this guy was dozing off.”

“And then you went to the shrine to try and perform the ritual.”

“Yes.”

I nodded, then moved on to the next question.

“But something doesn’t add up.”

“Excuse me?”

“The ritual explicitly states that a sacrifice is required. Why did you go alone?”

“I’m not going to pretend I was sacrificing myself to save the kids or anything.”

Go Seonha clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

“I just went to check how it was done… to make a decision. But yes, while I was doing it, I realized what was going on. I read the writings of those who attempted it before.”

“……”

“Tonight is the full moon. Once tonight ends, that’s it! I can’t hold out for another fifteen days until the next full moon. I know… I know the ghost will open the door.”

“Yes. So, the ritual needs to be performed before sunrise.”

Thinking of the single talisman left on the door handle, I nodded to myself.

“But I’m telling you, it’s impossible!”

“No.”

I shook my head and stood up.

“I think it might be possible.”

“Huh?”

“The ritual, I mean.”

An alternative came to mind—a feasible one.

“I’ll start preparing.”

“W-Wait, hold on. No, I mean, uh, e-even if it’s doable, we’d have to gather all the necessary materials from outside again… and I’ve already used everything I found!”

I looked again at the paper with the copied ritual instructions.

Ingredients : Three plums, salt, ashes from a burned peach branch, one bucket of well water.

So all of it needs to be gathered from outside…

In the middle of the night, with the changgwi lurking around.

And a safe way to get around on my own…

‘Of course, there is a way.’

One that only I can use.

– Would you like me to turn off the light for you, Mr. Roe Deer?

“……”

Wow.

Do I really have to go out there alone?

I glanced back at the others instinctively.

My terrified heart was screaming to go as a group, all together, while my brain held me back, firmly warning me not to do anything stupid.

Ugh, this is driving me nuts!

But in the end, reason won out.

“Please wait here.”

Honestly, I’d prefer if someone came with me.

If anyone’s willing to volunteer… someone is, right?

Surprisingly, Go Seonha raised one hand.

“…I’ve done it before, so I could at least guide you to where everything is located—”

“Oho! D-Don’t interfere, sit down, student.”

But Section Chief Lee, alarmed, jumped up and quickly pulled her back.

“This isn’t someone you should be thinking of as just another person like us! He’s not your average guy!”

“……”

Well, that’s a bit much.

“Just mark down the locations and give them to him. Quickly!”

“Oh…”

Go Seonha looked a bit reluctant but, after glancing at me, nodded with a resigned expression.

‘……?!’

She then marked on the blank spaces of the ritual paper where she’d found the materials and handed it to me.

“Oh! And… be careful around water.”

“……”

“The changgwi are ghosts cursed by tigers and bound to serve them, but… historically, the term also referred to water ghosts…”

Go Seonha swallowed nervously, her face pale.

“If you hear water—rivers, streams, any water sounds—just avoid it. Don’t even look, just keep walking.”

“Alright.”

I’m seriously so fucking scared, what the fuck…

Anyway, with everything in place, I stepped toward the door.

The security sergeant spoke up.

“Oh… you’re going out alone?”

“Yes.”

I’d rather not, but here we are.

“If anything happens, please look after everyone here.”

The Security Team’s role isn’t to protect people, but they’re still better than ordinary civilians—especially when it comes to handling supernatural creatures.

The security sergeant just looked at me intently.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“You don’t really seem like a regular employee…”

“……?!”

“Fascinating… Alright. I’ll stay put, then. Don’t exactly have equipment for this…”

Then he plopped down near the door.

“……”

Anyway, it seems like we’re ready to go.

‘Let’s go.’

I took a deep, quiet breath, then gripped the door handle and pulled.

Creeeeak.

With a chilling creak of the hinges, the outside came into view.

The darkness was thick with fog.

Dead silent.

“……”

Creak, thud.

The door closed behind me.

Even though it was supposed to be a full moon, the fog was so dense it completely blocked out the moonlight.

Branches swayed in the breeze, their shadows stretching and blending into the pale hints of deep darkness.

I managed to take my first step.

Crunch, crunch.

– Friend, from now on, I’ll dim your light. You’ll disappear into the blind spots of cameras, fade into the shadows behind the stage…

With every step, a dark, shadowy heaviness seemed to press down on me.

‘It’s still such a strange feeling, no matter how often I experience it…’

Slowly, I faded into the misty forest, dim and shadowy.

– Phew. Feels a little lighter here!

Of course, the fear was still overwhelming. My heart felt like it was going to explode.

[Walk straight up to the left from the abandoned house, and you’ll see a large tree with a golden rope tied around it.]

Go Seonha’s rough map, with arrows and notes, lingered in my mind, guiding each step I took.

I could barely tell front from back, so it was incredible how Go Seonha had managed to gather the ritual materials.

‘Left and up.’

After what felt like an hour, though only a few minutes had passed—

– Ah, Mr. Roe Deer. I see something up ahead.

Just as Braun said, something started to emerge through the fog.

It was… a giant tree, shrouded in mist.

A faint, sweet scent drifted from it whenever its branches swayed.

…Peach.

‘There aren’t any fruits, so where’s the scent coming from?’

It was sweet, yet somehow unsettling…

A golden rope hung from the tree, stretched between two thick branches. Beyond it, I could see a small field.

– Oh, is that farmland? A small garden in the mountains—aesthetic, but not quite my taste!

Braun’s tone was cheerful, but my mind was far from light-hearted.

The book I’d read earlier had called this place [Sangun-nim’s Burial Ground], hadn’t it?

And it’s also where the materials for the ritual are located?

‘This must be a supernatural area.’

I moved carefully, inching forward while gathering the materials around the area.

‘Got the plums…’

[Face the left with the big tree on your right, and you’ll see smaller trees—plum trees.]

I picked up fallen fruit beneath the plum trees and some dried branches near the enormous peach tree.

Of course, I didn’t dare pick fruit directly or break off any branches.

‘Not gonna risk that.’

Standing alone in a forest at midnight is frightening enough, but imagine being trapped here, cursed by spirits.

And to top it off, I had a mission to complete?

You’d naturally become as cautious as possible.

‘…Alright.’

Finally, I collected salt from a worn stone pagoda, where it seemed to have been scattered as a warding charm.

…Honestly, I nearly screamed earlier while drawing water from the well when I heard the bucket knocking against… something… inside.

‘But I managed to get everything.’

The surroundings were still quiet.

I let out the tiniest sigh of relief.

‘Now, if I return to the peach tree and retrace my steps, I should get back to the abandoned house…’

As I started retracing my path, something I hadn’t noticed before caught my eye.

At the end of the golden rope on the peach tree, a piece of clean silk was tied.

‘Huh?’

There was writing on it.

You who lack the right, turn back.

Wow.

‘Yeah, definitely not touching that.’

Maintaining a safe one-meter distance, I nodded cautiously.

– You look tense, Mr. Roe Deer.

‘Ah. It seems like you need a ‘right’ to cross this line.’

– Hmm.

‘Given that I’m here because of a ghostly curse, there’s no way I’d have…’

– But you do have the right!

‘…What?’

– Take a look at your wrist.

I raised my hand to check the inside of my wrist.

Where the theme park wristband had been.

: Socius :

The tattoo that had been left there from the burnt-out membership band now shimmered faintly.

“……!!”

‘Socius… wasn’t that the word?’

The Latin term for ‘companion’, ‘member’, ‘kinsman’.

– Oh, it seems the mark has broader applications than expected!

– Whether the mascot’s connections are wide or it has a part-time job elsewhere, who can say?

“……”

– So, Friend, will you use your membership?

I stepped up to the golden rope and slowly reached out my hand.

The shimmering rope parted, passing gently around my arm as if it were nothing.

“……!”

– As expected.

Carefully, I stepped forward.

Into the garden, where entry was now permitted.

Chapter 36 - [Sangun-nim], IV

The moment I stepped over the golden rope, my foot touched the ground.

It felt like I’d entered a special field in a game or something.

The fog vanished as if by magic, revealing the scenery around me.

But…

‘…It’s huge.’

Under the full moon, the field in the mountain was far larger than I had expected.

A massive field sprawling over the ridge.

The dark, deep greens swayed quietly under the bluish moonlight.

Yet, there was nothing peaceful or pleasant about it.

It felt ominous, unsettling.

– A strange scent lingers here.

He was right.

And among those swaying green plants, I noticed clusters of small, red berries… wait a minute.

‘…Ginseng?’

It was, wasn’t it.

Is this a field of ginseng?

Wait, ginseng is typically cultivated by people, but this didn’t seem to be human-grown…

‘…Wild ginseng?’

All of this is wild ginseng?

‘No way…’

I quickly scanned the field and saw a sign posted at the edge.

[千年]

Millennium.

“……”

I immediately turned around, intending to cross back over the golden rope.

– Mr. Roe Deer?

‘I’m outta here.’

Thousand-year-old wild ginseng?

It’s like opening a friend’s pencil case to borrow a pen and finding it filled with gold bars instead.

Just as I was about to cross back over the rope—

[Honored Guest!]

“……!”

[Ah, Honored Guest. Please, don’t leave me…]

A faint, trembling voice called out, with the sound of soft sobbing from behind me.

Slowly, I turned my head halfway.

[The ghost bound to the tiger is coming to take me! A terrifying tiger will tear me limb from limb and spit me out upon the earth! Please save me, please…!]

One of the berries in the field wobbled, as if waving at me.

Then, realizing I was looking, its leaves drooped dejectedly.

[Ah, my time has come. I will be shredded with nothing left but fragments of flesh…]

“……”

I turned fully to face the wild ginseng plant.

The bundle of berries shook vigorously in response to my gaze.

[Better to be consumed by you than to be taken by that wicked tiger! If you take me, boil me in a large iron pot, your illnesses will be cured, and even elderly parents will rise with newfound strength!]

Come to think of it, in folklore, wild ginseng was often depicted as a benevolent, mystical being.

A gift given to those of good character.

I knelt down in front of the trembling wild ginseng.

[Honored Gueeest!]

I reached out my hand to the wild ginseng… but then straightened up again.

[……?]

“Liar.”

The berries froze.

Then, as if the ground were quaking, an ominous, raspy voice erupted.

[Hah, you saw through me! You worthless thing!]

Yep.

‘This place is called Sangun-nim’s Burial Ground.’

Have you heard the tales that spirits do everything backward?

And here I was, in a place haunted by spirits and ominously named a burial site?

‘There’s no way that wild ginseng growing in a place like this would be normal.’

I wouldn’t be surprised if its properties were entirely reversed. I expected this.

[Heeheehee, hehehee!]

The wild ginseng started to wriggle and rise from the ground.

Its half-emerged form, glowing a sickly, bluish-purple, looked like something straight out of a zombie miniature.

It even began coughing up something dark and reddish like blood!

‘I prepared myself for this, but it’s still terrifying!’

[You will be buried too! You’ll be buried here and become ginseng, your limbs chopped so you can rot! Feel the agony of living deeeeeeeeath!]

The surrounding leaves twisted like tentacles, extending roots out of the soil, writhing and reaching toward me. Uwaaaahhh!

Without hesitation, I immediately grabbed something from my waist.

‘S-Snow White’s Apple!’

This item has the peculiar effect of inducing a sleep akin to death upon consumption.

So, what was I supposed to do with this?

‘I thought it would be hard to chew an apple in an emergency anyway…’

I’d ground it into juice in advance!

Splat.

I took out a sealed pack of juice made from the Snow White Apple and splashed it generously over the field in front of me.

The wild ginseng…

[Heeheehee! That won’t work! You fool! I shall rip your limbs asunder and—]

Thud.

…fell into a deep sleep.

“……”

Snow White’s Apple… its effect was as reliable as ever.

Carefully, I stepped closer.

The half-buried, grotesque ginseng lay motionless on the ground, completely knocked out.

It was a strange sight, like a cockroach lying flat after being hit by bug spray or a cat or dog dozing peacefully, belly up.

– Oh! Rude, but that was quite an amusing character! How about taking it as a souvenir?

Normally, I would’ve thought he was crazy.

But I cautiously examined the ginseng.

It had talked, shown emotions, tried to deceive me, and calculated its actions. Something like sap even seemed to be flowing through it.

So, if that’s the case…

‘Isn’t it… a sentient being?’

I’d found it—a substitute sacrifice.

“…So, you gathered all the materials, prepared the ritual, and for the sacrifice, you’re planning to use this strange wild ginseng… is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“……”

The people in the abandoned house looked utterly dumbfounded after hearing the abridged version of ‘What Kim Soleum (currently posing as security) encountered outside~.’

Maybe I summarized it too much.

But there was no helping it. I couldn’t explain exactly how I’d managed everything, so it ended up as, ‘Anyway, I got everything.’

‘I still feel a bit uneasy about bringing back the wild ginseng, but… it’s easier on my conscience than randomly picking a person to die.’

I had no idea whose land this belonged to, but if it was a real issue, Braun would’ve raised an alarm.

Trying to keep a natural expression, I looked around at the others.

They were still gawking at me, switching their gaze between the materials and the wild ginseng.

But they seemed to buy it.

“Wow, as expected from the Security Team… handling even things like this!”

Not quite.

Feeling a bit guilty, I glanced over at the actual member of the Security Team. The security sergeant lay among the middle schoolers, looking thoroughly bored.

Somehow, the kids had started chatting with him as if they’d already introduced themselves.

“Hey, you don’t look that strong.”

“No… I’m super strong.”

The kids were laughing, seeming a bit more at ease with more people around.

Section Chief Lee Byeongjin, checking the materials, glanced anxiously between Go Seonha and me, then gulped and said,

“S-So, we’re all going to the shrine now? To perform the ritual…?”

“Yes.”

“…The shrine is nearby, so as long as we move carefully, it should be fine. Nothing happened when I was there last time…”

Go Seonha, with a tense expression, looked back at me.

“By any chance, when you went out, did you visit the shrine too?”

“Yes.”

Taking advantage of Braun’s ability to erase my presence, I’d even burned the peach branches.

I’d nearly screamed a total of three (3) times from nerves.

“…Then that makes it easier. Just walk quietly, don’t make a sound, and move quickly. As long as we don’t make mistakes in the fog, we’ll be fine.”

“Understood.”

“…Alright, then. Let’s go to the shrine together.”

The time has come.

After taking a moment to steady our breathing and prepare ourselves, we lined up in front of the closed door.

“Kids. You mustn’t stop. Just keep walking.”

“Okay…”

At Go Seonha’s words, the kids, looking terrified, nodded. Then, reassured by the adults, they pressed their lips together tightly and fell into line.

“……”

But why am I the one standing at the very front…?

Everyone, why are you naturally moving to the back?

‘Did I simplify the story of gathering materials too much…?’

It seems they think I’m some kind of fearless, resourceful genius. Aahh, please…

‘No one would believe me if I said I’m terrified right now, would they?’

…Well, I guess it’s still better than being at the very back.

With resignation, I opened the door once more.

Creeeak.

Once again, the mountainside, shrouded in darkness and fog, appeared before us.

Inhale.

“Uh—”

“Shh.”

The kids, looking terrified, clamped their mouths shut.

We began moving slowly, as quietly as possible.

Crunch, crunch.

With each little sound, our footsteps quickened.

I could feel the oppressive tension surrounding the group, as if at any moment, the changgwi might call out to us from behind and begin to chase us.

– Friend! There’s no need to rush too much. Remember, in case of emergency, this Braun is always by your side…

And thankfully, that ‘emergency’ never came.

Through the darkness and fog, the old, tiled roof became visible.

A worn-down shrine, with red and blue tiles tilted at odd angles.

We had arrived.

Thud.

“Phew.”

“Everyone’s here, right?”

Those who had safely entered the shrine took a moment to catch their breath.

Finally, the security sergeant, who had been lingering, closed the green paper door made of traditional hanji paper and locked it.

Section Chief Lee Byeongjin hurriedly attempted to stick a talisman he’d picked up from the floor of the abandoned house onto the door, but Go Seonha stopped him.

“That might interfere with the ritual. Let’s just leave it as is. We just need to finish quickly and get out!”

“Y-You’re right.”

Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to look around the shrine.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, the shadowy outlines became clearer.

Inside, it was eerily clean yet very old.

Between two rusty Maitreya statues without heads was a broken incense burner.

Above it was a slightly worn woodblock.

– So, that must be the woodblock detailing the ritual. It’s quite atmospheric…

Following Braun’s whispered narration, I read aloud what was inscribed on the woodblock.

“…The human with the sturdiest mind and spirit should step forward to conduct the ritual.”

Well, that’s definitely not me.

“……”

Hey, seriously, don’t look at me.

I turned my gaze naturally toward the security sergeant. The other two followed my gaze as well, but…

“I can’t do it.”

“…Pardon?”

“I said I can’t… don’t make me do it…”

“Oh, understood.”

Section Chief Lee shrank back, then looked over at me.

I stared back at him.

“……”

“…Uh…”

“Please, go ahead.”

“Y-Yes…”

Even if he’s traumatized, he’s got more guts than I do…

Section Chief Lee stepped forward, his legs trembling, only to turn back with a look of alarm, glancing between Go Seonha and me.

“W-Wait a minute! Mountain Hero!”

Go Seonha’s eyes widened as well.

“Right! The song for Sangun-nim!”

“Yes, that’s it! Even if we have all the materials, without that song—whether it’s a children’s song or a folk tune about tigers, we’re stuck…”

Ah.

“We have it.”

“……??”

“One moment.”

I called the middle schoolers over.

Then, very politely, I asked,

“Kids, you mentioned you were on a school trip, right?”

“Yes…”

“Did anyone keep listening to music on the bus? Or know a lot about celebrities?”

The kids exchanged glances before motioning toward one student without bangs.

I quickly turned to that student.

“What’s your name?”

“I-It’s Lee Nayeon.”

“Alright, Nayeon-ah. I need to ask you something.”

I tried my best to put on a friendly, trustworthy expression. All the adults in the room had question marks on their faces.

“……?? Um, what exactly are you doing right now…?”

“There’s a popular idol song that mentions a tiger in the lyrics, right?”

“……!!”

I looked at the adults. They all had bewildered expressions.

“B-But, are we even allowed to use, um, pop songs for this? Like, an idol song…?”

“We can.”

I held up the ritual note Go Seonha had written down for me.

“If you look, it only specifies a ‘song’. It doesn’t say it has to be a folk song or nursery rhyme.”

“……!”

This isn’t some kind of internet creepypasta where we have to choose songs that fit the eerie atmosphere. There’s no reason or need to pick something that matches the tone of a ghost story.

Human bias had limited the options.

“Oh…”

I turned back to the student.

“So, Nayeon-ah. Do you remember any songs that mention ‘Sangun-nim’ or ‘tiger’? Something like that.”

“Ah!”

Nayeon’s face immediately brightened as she answered.

“There is! Saint U’s ‘Peek-a-Boo’!”

Perfect.

“There’s also a song by VTIC…”

“Do you know the full lyrics to either of them? And is it a well-known one?”

“Yes! I know Saint U’s ‘Peek-a-Boo’!”

Okay.

I turned back to the adults and made a firm declaration.

“We’ll use Saint U’s ‘Peek-a-Boo’ as our song offering for Sangun-nim.”

Take this idol song, oh mighty tiger!

In the quiet shrine.

Section Chief Lee Byeongjin stepped forward from the shadows, his trembling hands dropping ashes into the incense burner.

They were ashes from the burned peach branches.

– First.

– ‘The one performing the ritual should step forward and place the peach branch ashes into the incense burner, then inhale the fragrance.’

– ‘Gently close the lid of the incense burner, and open it again once the scent has faded.’

With shaking hands, the section chief closed the lid of the old, broken incense burner with its equally worn cover. After a few seconds, he lifted the lid.

Amazingly, the ashes had vanished.

In their place, a single, intact incense stick was burning.

A faint peach scent wafted from the small, twig-shaped incense stick.

“……!!”

– ‘If the incense is burning, it means Sangun-nim has acknowledged your devotion.’ Oh, everything’s proceeding as planned. Excellent!

“Ugh.”

The smell was strong, so Go Seonha covered her nose and took a step back.

The section chief hurried on to the next step.

– Second.

– ‘Open the door made of hanji paper.’

Sliiide.

Through the opened door, the dark forest came into view. The kids huddled behind the adults.

– ‘Crush three plums in a brass bowl and scatter them under the floorboards. Throw the remaining bowl to the east and never look back.’

I handed three plums to Section Chief Lee. He crushed them with his fingers in the brass bowl and scattered them onto the dirt.

The overpowering, sweet-sour scent rose up.

Go Seonha, who had been standing back, stepped forward, sniffing and looking a bit relieved.

Then she motioned to Section Chief Lee.

It was time for the third step.

– Third.

– ‘Prepare a song to offer to Sangun-nim. The more well-known, the more effective it will be.’

Section Chief Lee carefully rolled up the prepared lyrics sheet and placed it in the drawer under the incense stand.

– ‘Write the lyrics down, place them under the incense stand, then sing loudly, clapping with each step, and bow every thirty steps.’

One by one, everyone stepped out through the open door.

Section Chief Lee began singing the lyrics the student, Lee Nayeon, had shared with him.

“…Peek-a-boo, here I come.”

The middle schoolers joined in, singing in chorus.

A song offered to Sangun-nim.

Chapter 37 - [Sangun-nim], V

Saint U’s ‘Peek-a-Boo’.

According to the middle schoolers, this was the final album by a famous girl idol group that made a grand comeback a few years ago after a long hiatus.

The song was upbeat, addictive, and cheerful, lingering on the music charts for a long time.

Now, that very song echoed through the dark, fog-filled forest, accompanied by clapping hands in rhythm.

Clap.

“My sharp gaze catches you in an instant, but I don’t plan to make the first move…”

“I’ll wait patiently, pretending I’m not interested until you approach.”

“Cuz predators never move first…”

Even the adults clumsily joined in, trying their best to sing along.

Clap.

“Alright, get ready. I’m the elegant tiger waiting for you to come closer— Peek-a-boo!”

The lively, energetic melody continued.

Maybe because everyone was singing together, the kids’ expressions began to relax, and their voices grew stronger.

“Peek-a-boo! Here I come, so get ready! I’m the tiger. My eyes sparkle even in the dark!”

– ‘Walk along the path while offering the song, with the sacrifice at the back of the line.’

But at the end of the line, instead of a person, a tiny purple wild ginseng dangled like a little bundle, swinging as it hung from a stick. The security sergeant held the stick over his shoulder as if it were a garbage bag, with the ginseng swaying at the back.

Go Seonha kept glancing at it suspiciously from the side, but the ginseng itself seemed to be enjoying the song, humming along cheerfully.

“Peek-a-boo! I’ll entrance you, make you lose your mind. Peek-a-boo, so get ready.”

Clap.

I signaled for everyone to stop.

‘The thirtieth step.’

The group paused, then awkwardly bowed deeply before standing back up.

The song continued.

“Peek-a-boo!”

The narrow path gradually leveled out, making it easier to walk.

– ‘When the song ends, so does the path. When you find a small snake hole in a place with no grass, express gratitude for Sangun-nim’s mercy and reach inside.’

– ‘Make sure your hand is covered in the well water mixed with salt.’

By the time we reached the final chorus of the second verse, the surroundings began to change.

The trees that had been packed so densely were thinning, and the fog grew even thicker.

Everyone sensed it instinctively.

‘We’re almost there…!’

The expressions on their faces were a mix of tension, anticipation, and caution.

But they remained calm, singing the song to the very end.

“Peek-a-boo, so get ready…”

Clap.

And with that final line—

“Now I’m coming closer.”

Our footsteps halted.

“……”

“……”

The path had ended.

Ahead, the narrow trail opened into a wide clearing.

“There… there are no trees.”

Our steps quickened. And through the thick fog, the final result of the ritual appeared before us.

“Now, the snake hole should be…!”

It was a massive reservoir.

“……”

“……”

‘What is this?’

An expanse of dark water stretched before us, the fog endlessly rolling over its surface.

The group halted, faces filled with confusion and terror, as if they couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.

“W-Why…”

“T-There was supposed to be a snake hole, but… w-what is this…?”

What was going on?

What went wrong?

I looked at the ginseng the security sergeant was carrying.

…It was still there, perfectly intact.

‘It should’ve disappeared… right?’

Go Seonha, her face pale with fear, murmured—

“…Water ghost.”

“……!”

The words I’d heard a few hours ago rushed back to mind.

‘The changgwi are ghosts cursed by tigers and bound to serve them, but… historically, the term also referred to water ghosts.’

“It was a trap! The ritual itself was a trap! We were lured by the water spirit…!”

“Ahhh!!”

“We were all led here, right to the reservoir…!!”

Section Chief Lee screamed, stumbling backward as he tried to run, only to trip. The children began to whimper, clutching onto each other and screaming in panic.

I felt a chill down my spine, nearly falling to my knees.

It was like being in the final scene of a horror movie, where every character faces impending doom.

“……”

‘Are we really going to die here…?’

…No.

NO!!

At the very least, I needed to understand why.

I couldn’t think of any mistake we’d made within the information we’d been given. Even considering every exploration log I’d read from the <Dark Exploration Records>, nothing indicated we’d gone wrong.

A sense of frustrated disbelief overtook my fear.

Go Seonha’s panicked voice echoed in my ears.

“Turn around, let’s run back. Back to the abandoned house…!”

…Wait.

Hold on a second.

I turned to Go Seonha.

“…Do you know something?”

“What?”

“The abandoned house is a trap, too.”

“…What?”

“Think about it. Isn’t it strange?”

Slowly, I pointed out the intended contradiction of this ghost story.

“It’s strange, don’t you think? We’re lured into this place by the changgwi, yet we’re supposed to feel safe in an abandoned house with protective talismans that supposedly keep the changgwi out.”

“……”

“And that same house just happens to contain a ritual for escaping? Conveniently spelled out for us?”

This was exactly why interpretations of this abandoned house were split in the <Dark Exploration Records> wiki’s comment section. But I was almost certain now.

‘This story was designed from the start to slowly drain people’s sanity.’

The intended reasoning went like this—

“They lock people up in this abandoned house during the full moon, pushing them to their limits and weakening their spirits.”

It dangles the hope of a ‘ritual’ in front of them, leading people to endure a state of mental breakdown while clinging to that hope.

“That makes it easier to lure people in.”

And the most decisive part…

“If they make a mistake during the ritual, all the better. But even if they don’t, it doesn’t matter.”

I looked at the wild ginseng.

“The process of choosing a sacrifice is bound to create conflict, leading to at least one dropout. They’re guaranteed to ‘claim’ a sacrifice.”

“……”

“Of course, the ritual is real. That way, people are more desperate to cling to it.”

After all, this is the <Dark Exploration Records>.

You can’t just throw in too many convenient plot devices. It breaks immersion and ruins the suspense. The ritual itself has to be genuine.

That’s why I had full confidence in performing it, but…

“That only raises more questions.”

I’ve read a lot of ghost stories.

In fact, I’ve read every single ghost story uploaded to the <Dark Exploration Records>.

Some were hard to get through, but reading them became part of my daily routine at work, so I’ve read them multiple times.

In the process, I picked up a few bits of obscure knowledge…

Here’s an example.

“Peach branches are commonly known to ward off spirits.”

“So?”

“And plums are a favorite fruit of the changgwi. That’s probably why both of these materials were required.”

“…Ah.”

“Lure the changgwi to the shrine, and while it’s there, the person conducting the ritual uses the peach incense to escape.”

I looked up.

“But then, isn’t it odd that someone here seemed uncomfortable with the peach incense and overly drawn to the plum?”

“……”

Among seven people, only one kept staying close to the security sergeant at the back of the group, as if wanting to keep as far away from the peach incense as possible.

“Go Seonha-ssi.”

I looked directly at her.

“Are you sure you’re speaking of your own will?”

“…What are you implying?”

It’s possible that…

The real Go Seonha may have failed the ritual in the shrine long before she ever met us…

“Isn’t it actually the changgwi that’s speaking to us through you right now, Go Seonha-ssi?”

The group froze.

“You figured it out.”

Go Seonha’s mouth stretched into a grotesque grin.

But it’s too late! Too late!

Her arms began to elongate, reaching out toward me with a strange fluidity, trying to grab and pull me closer…

‘ACK!’

I rolled to the ground, dodging her outstretched arms.

Behind me, the screams of Section Chief Lee and the children echoed in terror.

“Ahhhh!!”

“G-Ghost!”

Instinctively, I pulled a knife from my front pocket. This isn’t a full changgwi—it’s a person possessed by one, which means I might be able to subdue her…

But I realized something.

‘I can’t get close enough to use it!’

With a short-range weapon like this, I’d have to get right up to a possessed person’s face! I already feel like I’m about to faint!

But my brain, running on adrenaline, instantly found the right person for the job.

“Sergeant!”

I tossed the weapon toward the figure standing behind me.

“Please subdue her!”

Whoosh.

The Bloodsucking Knife cut through the air.

“…Ah.”

The security sergeant caught the knife and, after a brief glance, immediately lunged at the changgwi-possessed person.

Hihihi!!

Go Seonha’s face and arms twisted into a bizarre, hideous form, sprouting the distorted features of countless men, women, and children—arms, faces, strands of hair, and eyes pointing in all directions.

Please, please, help me!

“Eeeek!”

“Get back and close your eyes!”

Section Chief Lee scrambled backward with the children, huddling on the mountain path.

Can you hear me? Somebody, help me!

At that moment, the security sergeant’s appearance started to distort too.

A monstrous form.

His once-slender upper body swelled to an enormous size, his mouth extending into a snout with a tongue that lashed out, brutally snapping the changgwi’s long arms.

Aaaaagh!

No… it was an illusion. The security sergeant looked just like a regular human.

But then again, he seemed like some monstrous creature…

‘Wow, this is insane.’

I managed to shift my focus.

The reason the Security Team was so adept at handling the Darkness.

And the reason they weren’t part of the field investigation team.

It was becoming clear right in front of me.

----------------------------------------

[Security Team]

: One of the three teams under the Security Division of Daydream Inc., a major department featured in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

This team is comprised of employees who have been so heavily tainted by certain anomalies that they are no longer classified as human.

Employment is for life, and resignation is impossible.

----------------------------------------

Did you know?

If you’re no longer classified as human, even if you clear a ghost story, the Dream Essence Collector won’t be filled.

There’s no investigative value in it.

That’s why people who have practically merged with ghost stories, becoming almost monstrous themselves, were assigned to the Security Team.

Especially… those affected by particularly violent or territorial ghost stories…

It hurts! It hurts!!

…They’re assigned to the Security Team to handle significant issues with company-managed Darkness.

‘…And if he’s the sergeant of that team, he’s no different.’

In short, he’s an employee specialized in confronting the monsters within these ghost stories.

Gaaaaahh!

The changgwi’s many arms were torn apart by the sergeant’s jaws, claws, and teeth, stretching from his maw like a monstrous, serpentine tongue.

Drooling saliva and blood dripped from the mouth that had transformed into a wolf-like snout lined with countless fangs. The illusion flickered in and out of my vision.

‘…Wolf?’

For a brief moment, I saw the illusion of countless teeth in his elongated jaw, dripping with saliva and blood, before it vanished.

A wave of dizziness and nausea washed over me, and I quickly averted my gaze to the ground.

‘This feels like a nightmare.’

I began to understand why the Security Team always evacuated people when they subdued ghost stories in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

Despite the risks, things were progressing smoothly.

“Keep your eyes closed!”

I urged the others as I kept my gaze down, bracing myself.

Then, in the next moment—

– Oh, Mr. Roe Deer, it seems that peculiar guest you brought won!

It was over.

When I looked up, the changgwi lay on the ground, the Bloodsucking Knife embedded in its right hand.

Standing over it was the distorted, monstrous form of the security sergeant, gripping its head tightly.

– Good riddance, a brute right to the core. If this had been my show, I’d never let it on as a guest!

I’d never been so grateful that only I could hear Braun’s voice.

I mustered a calm voice and addressed the sergeant, who was still gripping Go Seonha’s head.

“Thank you, Sergeant.”

“Urrgh…”

– He says he’s tired. How rude!

You’re scarier for translating that monstrous growl…

But then, at that moment.

A faint, muffled sound came from under the sergeant’s hand.

It was a human voice.

“W-Wait, please…”

“……!”

Somehow, Go Seonha’s face had returned to normal, her expression one of pure terror as she moaned weakly.

“P-Please help me… save…”

Leave this child here…

“Uh, ugh…”

Her eyes rolled back, and the changgwi’s voice took over again.

Only you need to die… Hm? Right? You deserve to die. You killed people. You tried to kill the children. I know everything. You deserve to die.

Go Seonha struggled.

“No, no…”

Just leave her behind. Leave her, yes? Hmmmm?

“Please, save me, save me! Aaaah!”

At that moment—

“Tell me,”

The sergeant’s voice, now sounding human, asked,

“Did you formally request emergency rescue from <Daydream Inc.>…?”

I couldn’t see his face beneath the monstrous form, but his voice clearly posed the question directly to Go Seonha.

“This is an official request requiring a signed contract… isn’t that… right?”

Something about it felt off.

Go Seonha, dazed, looked up, then seemed to snap back, responding in a desperate tone.

“Ri—”

Wait.

“No, it isn’t.”

I intervened, forcing the words out.

“This Darkness isn’t under Daydream Inc.’s jurisdiction, we didn’t enter to rescue civilians, and more than that, there was mutual assistance on both sides.”

“Huh…? Weird…”

The sergeant’s voice dropped, dangerously low and growling.

“Wasn’t she trying to prevent us from escaping…?”

Gaaasp.

“…That doesn’t matter, sir. In the end, she helped us.”

I spoke firmly.

“Which makes this cooperation.”

“……”

The sergeant stared at me, then looked down at Go Seonha…

“Ah… is that so…”

“……”

“Maybe that’s correct…”

Srrrk.

His voice relaxed, falling back to its usual tone of casual indifference.

‘Huuu.’

I’d intervened because something felt off, and it seemed I’d made the right call.

‘It’s best not to get entangled with Daydream Inc…’

Especially to end up indebted to them. Just the thought gave me a terrible feeling.

“Hm… so what should we do now…”

“One moment please.”

I approached Section Chief Lee Byeongjin, who was standing back with his eyes closed, holding onto the kids. He flinched at the sound of my footsteps.

“Eeeek! Are you here to… take me instead…?”

“The incense burner.”

“Huh…?”

“Hand it over.”

I took the incense burner from him. Although the peach incense had already burned away, the ashes remained intact inside.

‘The changgwi didn’t like the peach branches.’

If that’s the case…

I poured the ashes over Go Seonha’s shoulder.

AAAAAAHHHHHHH!

Sizzle.

Though the ashes weren’t especially hot, the smell of burning and salt filled the air as smoke rose from her shoulder.

I won’t go! I won’t! I’ll cling on again! I’ll cling on… Aaaaagh!

I poured the remaining ashes over her head.

Her body, possessed by the changgwi, convulsed wildly and then—

Gaaasp—

Her eyes flew open, filled with clarity and relief.

It was Go Seonha.

“I-I’m okay now! I think I’m… fine…”

“No, you’re not.”

“Excuse me?”

“This is a place we were lured into by the changgwi, so there’s a chance it could come back for you anytime.”

“T-Then…”

“Let’s make sure it can’t possess you again, just in case.”

“……?”

I had brought an extra pack of the apple juice with me.

I handed the sealed pack to Go Seonha.

“Uh…?”

“Drink it all at once.”

I insisted, and although she looked confused, she reluctantly took it and began gulping down the juice while lying subdued on the ground.

And a moment later—

She slumped over, falling into a deep sleep like the ginseng.

Phew.

“At least that’s taken care of…”

“You can let go now.”

“……”

The security sergeant released his grip and, with a faintly amused voice, asked,

“Thinking of switching departments…?”

“No thank you, sir.”

Please, spare me.

After thanking the security sergeant once again, who had thankfully returned to a more human appearance, I went over to check on Section Chief Lee and the kids, who were still tightly shutting their eyes.

“You can open your eyes now. It’s safe.”

“Ah…!”

Relief washed over Section Chief Lee’s face, but he quickly shot a worried glance at the kids and whispered to me with a desperate expression.

“But now what? How are we supposed to find the way out…?”

“……”

“Dawn is almost here!”

I looked up at the sky.

Through the hazy fog, it seemed like a faint light was beginning to filter through…

The full moon was nearly setting.

‘There’s no time to redo the ritual.’

But…

“We’ll be fine.”

“…What?”

“I believe we succeeded in at least half of the ritual.”

I remembered how the path changed with each step as we sang and how the incense burned properly.

‘Everything we prepared was correct.’

The ritual, strictly speaking, had two purposes.

To avoid the changgwi.

And to seek an escape route by appealing to Sangun-nim.

“It seems we fulfilled the second purpose.”

While the first purpose failed due to the changgwi’s possession of one of our group members, bringing us close to the water’s edge…

“Maybe there’s an exit somewhere nearby.”

“……!”

We clustered together and began searching in the dense fog, moving away from the water’s edge toward the open clearing closer to the mountain.

We searched around where the ritual path had ended.

– ‘If you find a small snake hole in a place with no grass, express gratitude for Sangun-nim’s mercy and reach inside. Make sure your hand is coated in well water mixed with salt.’

‘A place with no grass… a place with no grass…’

And then, a few moments later—

“I-I found it!”

“……!!”

One of the middle schoolers spotted a small hole under a tree.

A shaft of moonlight pierced through the fog, shining directly onto the dark hole, as black as ink.

“……”

The snake hole.

I quickly had everyone dip their hands in the saltwater, not caring about the fear or hesitation that gripped us.

“Hurry, hurry.”

Just before dawn, we each reached our hands into the snake hole.

Chapter 38 - [Sangun-nim], VI

The first thing I felt was dampness.

Squelch.

As I reached into the snake hole with my saltwater-soaked hand, a peculiar coldness, like submerging my hand in ink, washed over me.

Then, I was pulled in.

“……!”

The suction that began at my hand soon engulfed my entire body.

‘I-I can’t breathe.’

It felt like wet paper was wrapping tightly around my whole body, suffocating me. My vision spun, dark and dizzy, until finally…

Gasp!

With a sudden gasp, I was able to breathe again, as if emerging into cool air.

I opened my eyes.

Instead of stars, the neon lights of a provincial city stretched out before me, twinkling against the autumn night of Korea.

‘I… survived.’

I was back in reality.

“Huu…”

I tried to stand, but my legs were shaking so badly that I almost fell. Dark red ink was dripping from my feet, trailing onto the ground.

“……”

Following the ink trail with my gaze.

I saw an old piece of hanji paper with a faded ink wash painting smeared and blurred, lying on the ground.

It was as if, after countless years, the image had faded entirely, and new ink had been splashed over it, leaving barely any recognizable shape.

‘…That must have been one of those cursed paintings connecting to that insane mountain.’

Shuddering, I quickly tore my gaze away and turned to check on the others scattered on the ground.

One, two, three… seven. Everyone was here.

It seemed the painting had spit them out right after me.

“Ugh…”

“Are you alright?”

“Oww… Huh! W-We’re outside!!”

Section Chief Lee Byeongjin looked around, then yelled out in shock.

“Haha!! W-We made it!! We’re alive!!”

Then, filled with relief and gratitude, he turned to me and bowed deeply.

“Thank you… for saving us…”

“You saved yourself, Section Chief. You were the one who carried out the ritual, after all.”

“…Haha, so m-modest… I’m ashamed.”

Section Chief Lee bowed again, looking rather moved. I figured it was best to let him believe it was humility rather than flattery.

“O-Ohhh!”

The next ones to come to their senses were the middle schoolers. As I helped them get their bearings, I listened to their surprised chatter.

“This place… it’s where you were supposed to stay on your school trip?”

“Yes!!”

Now that I looked around, it did resemble the description they’d given of ‘the gazebo behind our lodging’.

‘So we all got spit out here.’

…It was lucky we didn’t wake up in that strange office in the basement of the company.

I reassured the kids who were hugging each other in relief, crying, and ready to run straight down the mountain.

“Be careful where you step. When you get down, find an adult and call your parents, alright?”

But the kids looked nervous, hesitant to leave.

“Aren’t you coming with us…?”

Well… they had a point.

Whether I was treated as a hero for rescuing them or mistaken for a kidnapper, if I went to the police, the company probably wouldn’t be thrilled…

‘As long as the kids get back safely, that’s what matters.’

I slowly shook my head.

“We need to go somewhere else. You just keep going straight down and don’t look back.”

Just in case you trip.

“……! Okay.”

The kids seemed to muster some resolve, nodding with determined faces, and carefully started down the mountain, relying on each other for support.

‘Good.’

Since it was a well-maintained path on a shallow mountain, it would only take them about five minutes to get down.

As I watched them go, ensuring they were safe, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

“Excuse me…”

It was the security sergeant, who had already gotten to his feet and was slightly swaying as he held out the stick with the greenish wild ginseng still attached.

“Hey kid, take this…”

“Oh.”

The sergeant held out the stick with the unconscious wild ginseng dangling from it.

‘I mean, we could’ve just left it there.’

Still, I took the ginseng without protest. The sergeant turned and started walking away, trudging off with heavy steps.

“…Where are you headed?”

“The office… still on duty…”

Ah.

‘But we’re in Gyeongju right now.’

(T/N: A KTX ride from Gyeongju to Seoul is about 2 hours and 40 minutes, while a bus ride would be about 4 to 5 hours)

By the time he gets back, his shift would probably be over anyway.

In any case, I followed him since I also needed to get back to Seoul, carrying Go Seonha, the exhausted university student, slung over my shoulder.

‘I’ll drop her off in front of the police station on the way.’

Then, at that moment—

“Aah… Both Security Team officers need to return quickly! I-I’ll follow along then! Haha! Isn’t it only right for me to accompany you as the missing person you found? Let’s go together!”

I glanced at Section Chief Lee Byeongjin, who was scrambling to catch up, looking every bit like a sycophant afraid to lose his backup.

Well, now that we’d escaped… maybe it was time for him to know the truth.

“And, uh, after everything’s settled, I’ll stop by your department to properly thank you two! Haha, where exactly does the Security Team work…?”

“No.”

“……?”

“Even if you come to the Security Team, you won’t be able to meet me.”

“Huh?”

“I’m with the Field Exploration Team.”

A heavy silence followed.

“But, uh, your clothes… you’re in a Security Team uniform—”

“It was just lent to me…”

“……?!”

With that comment from the security sergeant, Section Chief Lee’s face became a mix of confusion, and then, after a moment, he seemed to piece things together in his mind.

“Ahh! Ah! I-I see, so… but you don’t seem familiar. Don’t you get administrative support? Ah! Maybe you’re in a special team? And that’s why you’re in the security uniform…?”

“I’m a new hire, sir.”

“……?”

“D-squad’s rookie.”

“……???”

What happened afterward was handled fairly quickly.

All the way from Gyeongju back to the company, Section Chief Lee kept muttering ‘lies’ under his breath. However, when he reached the office and verified my personnel records, he was left in stunned silence.

But surprisingly, he didn’t immediately change his demeanor.

‘Why not though?’

I thought he’d immediately dismiss me as a newbie in the lowly Field Exploration Team, but instead, he continued to behave respectfully, although he did make some effort to act more casually, dropping a bit of the formality.

“Uhh, Soleum-ssi, did you hear? The, uh, kids and the university student—you know, they got home safely.”

A few days later, he informed me that the survivors from our escape had been registered as civilian survivors at <Daydream Inc.>.

“They probably received a decent amount as compensation for their information too.”

“In a way, it’s ironic how it really turned out to be a stroke of fortune for them. Yeah? Life can be funny, right?”

And ironically, it was good fortune for me as well.

“So anyway, Soleum-ssi, from now on, you can just count on me!”

“…Um. Yes, sir.”

“Hahaha!”

Section Chief Lee quickly pushed through my manual evaluation process.

…Only for me, though.

‘Is it really okay for him to act like this after taking an unauthorized week off?’

Well, it was a good outcome for me.

The scroll that served as a portal for the ‘Sangun-nim’ ghost story was swiftly collected by <Daydream Inc.> as a Darkness under its jurisdiction, and my unique method of escape was officially accepted as a new procedure in the manual.

Even my previously pending application under A-squad for a manual revision was quickly approved.

The balance in my bank account now read:

Manual Revision Bonus — ₩100,000,000

“……”

‘Insane.’

It was a staggering amount, enough to make my hands tremble. Now that two manual revisions had been approved, this unexpected sum appeared in my banking app.

Even though it was a cash payment rather than the standard points allocation, this amount was certainly enough to make anyone do a double take.

‘Maybe I should take advantage of this friendly manual evaluator and tackle as many new Darknesses as possible…?’

But venturing out alone to encounter various ghosts and monsters was a daunting thought, so for now…

‘I should put this one hundred million to good use.’

Where would be the best place to spend it?

I already knew where a portion of it was going—about 30% had been allocated to the source of this whole ordeal.

“Congratulations, Braun.”

– Ooooh!

Bloodbathtub – ₩29,999,999

*= *₩29,999,999

Purchase complete.

Fortunately, the Bloodbathtub was still available in the Alien Shop, so I could fulfill the promise I made to my animated plush friend.

‘I wonder if it’ll come by rocket delivery this time too?’

I recalled the postal service box that had mysteriously materialized in midair last time.

As far as I knew, the Bloodbathtub was a large, four-legged tub, about the size of a typical household bathtub, with decorative gold legs that gave it an elegant look. But imagining it landing in my small studio unit…

‘Maybe I should order it from the bathroom?’

In any case, I decided to push my bed and desk aside to clear space, then press the order button right here. There just wasn’t enough room in the bathroom.

“…Alright. Time to place the order.”

– Exciting! My heart is pounding with anticipation.

In the dimly lit room, with only a flashlight as illumination, I finally clicked the [Order] button, carrying on a conversation with a small little plushie that, of course, had no heart to pound with excitement.

Ssshhhk.

Just like the previous times, the space seemed to tear open, and my anticipation grew.

But… the tear was smaller than expected?

With a soft plop, a package fell out.

It was also… small?

“……?”

I opened the postal box, which was barely a quarter of the size I expected, and found the product packaging inside.

[Bathtub of Youth – Foot Massage Edition]

“……”

So that’s why it was so cheap.

Come to think of it, since it was a ghost story item from a home shopping creepypasta, it probably had a variety of editions and versions…

Although, as far as I knew, most versions were just fun variations with little functional difference—except for a few rare ones.

‘I never thought they’d make a footbath version, though.’

It came with a gold-embossed sticker and a warranty certificate, hinting that it was some sort of ‘special edition’.

[10-Year Free A/S Warranty]

Utterly pointless.

‘Who’s going to request customer service on something like this?’

But I decided to open it anyway. There were no records in the <Dark Exploration Records> of anyone touching a “Bloodbathtub” and having their blood involuntarily drained, after all.

Inside, packed in a box as elegantly wrapped as a luxury item, lay the object itself.

‘…The Bathtub of Youth.’

Also known as the Bloodbathtub.

It was a glossy, black-and-white checkered tub that appeared to be made of shimmering ceramic. Its elegant curves were supported by golden, feline-shaped legs, giving it a refined look.

It’s quite impressive.

‘…If you ignore the fact that it was a footbath.’

Someone with just the right size to fit in it, however, was evidently thrilled.

– Mr. Roe Deer! Please put me in there! With some bath salts…

Wait, if it’s a blood bath, then—

“…You mean you want my blood as the bath salt?”

– Precisely! How perceptive of you, Mr. Roe Deer.

This crazy little…

For a brief moment, I wavered between reasoning with him or bolting out the door.

– Haha! I’m joking, Friend!

“……”

– With no audience or cameras here, I’d never make such a demanding request of a friend!

But what about if there was an audience and cameras?

I kept that thought to myself. Desperate people have to bite their tongue sometimes. Still, I couldn’t resist saying one thing.

“Please, no more jokes like that. They’re not funny—they’re terrifying.”

– My, I understand! Humor is a cultural delicacy, and it’s always important to handle it carefully!

This is what ‘carefully handled’ looks like?

– Anyway, back to the main point… there’s already a perfectly suitable alternative for bath salts in this space, isn’t there?

– Let’s see if our Mr. Roe Deer can figure out what it is!

Something in my place? I glanced around.

‘He couldn’t possibly mean Baek Saheon, the guy in the next room…’

No no, let’s not even consider that.

I tried to think of other options… Then, my eyes landed on something that had been sitting on the corner of my desk for the past few days.

Reluctantly, I pointed at it.

“…This wild ginseng?”

– Excellent!

Yes. It was the corrupted, purple wild ginseng I had unknowingly taken from the Sangun-nim ghost story.

‘I guess you could call it sap… or maybe something more like blood did seem to flow through it.’

But, for days now, it had just looked like a regular wild ginseng with an odd purple hue. My plan was to feed it more apple juice if it ever woke up, and if that didn’t work, just donate it to the company. But surprisingly, it hadn’t stirred at all.

‘All that tension waiting for it to wake up at sunrise that day was pretty pointless…’

Braun had even commented,

– I doubt it will ever wake up again. After all, weaker creatures tend to play dead when they sense danger, do they not?

Maybe getting pulled into the real world from the changgwi’s ‘Sangun-nim’s Burial Grounds’ had traumatized it.

– Anyways, Friend, if it concerns you, I’ll keep an eye on it.

And so far, there hadn’t been a single problem.

So… was he suggesting I use this ginseng?

‘Mm, that could work.’

Without any supernatural possession, it was just a juicy piece of ginseng.

Besides… I was genuinely curious to see the Bloodbathtub in action.

‘It’s kind of fascinating, isn’t it?’

I had some curiosity of my own, which is probably why I sometimes snuck peeks at the creepypasta wiki during work breaks…

There aren’t many creepypastas I can safely observe, even if just in images.

Using ginseng juice instead of blood could be a unique opportunity.

– Ooooh!

I grabbed a pair of rubber gloves and scissors from the kitchen.

The plush monster beneath my bed spoke in a low, excited voice.

– Now, place me in the bath please!

“Wait.”

There was something I needed to clarify.

“This bath is for rejuvenation… do you really need to be rejuvenated? I mean… you look young enough.”

I wanted to point out the absurdity of a plushie needing such a concept, but held back.

Braun, however, let out a hearty laugh, crisp as if it were a prerecorded sound effect.

– Hahaha! You’re seeing the concept of ‘rejuvenation’ too narrowly, my friend! Don’t worry, you’ve got a fine conversationalist here to explain!

– In fact, ‘rejuvenation’ means ‘the return of spring’ in Hanja. In other words, it means ‘to regain the prowess of one’s prime’.

– For some reason, I’m feeling rather heavy and unbalanced these days, so this bath is exactly what I need!

…But you’re a stuffed toy.

And the tub’s description clearly said it was good for ‘healing wounds, recovering energy, treating arthritis, and enhancing skin health’.

‘…I dunno anymore.’

If he insists this much…

In the creepypastas I’ve read, there wasn’t really a case where a plush doll with a friendly spirit would turn on you after being treated well. The disasters always happened when they were mistreated.

I decided to stop overthinking it. It was unnecessarily scary.

With rubber gloves on, I held scissors in one hand and the wild ginseng in the other.

‘Let’s try it out.’

And with that, I reached for the Bloodbathtub.

Chapter 39 - Bloodbathtub

I took a deep breath and recalled the instructions for the Bloodbathtub.

First, fill the tub with warm water.

1- Add clean water to the tub as much as you like.

(‘Bathtub of Youth – Foot Massage Edition’ is a product that does not support automatic water filling.)

As instructed, I poured enough warm water from the sink into the tub to submerge a plush doll.

Then…

This is where the main process begins.

2- Once the water is filled to the desired level, pour at least 200ml of fresh blood over it.

The fresher the blood, especially from a healthy and lively subject, the better the effects.

The very idea that such nonsense was written in a polite and friendly font seemed absurd, but thankfully, I had a substitute.

I lifted the wild ginseng.

With scissors, I cut off one of the medium-sized outer roots.

‘Ugh.’

Dark purple sap, nauseating to look at, oozed from the severed root.

I was immensely grateful for the rubber gloves I wore.

Careful not to touch the sap, I placed the severed root against the edge of the Bloodbathtub.

And then, a remarkable sight unfolded.

Bubble, bubble.

The sap that touched the water began to froth, releasing a fantastic aroma.

“……!”

The nauseating, dark purple sap transformed into a rich, beautiful, rose-colored cream that shimmered brilliantly.

It was bizarre and mesmerizing.

The luxurious and inviting bathwater that anyone would be tempted to step into was now prepared.

3- Submerge your body entirely in the bathwater and enjoy the experience.

(The Foot Massage Edition also restores vitality to the entire body.)

An eager voice came from beneath the dark bed.

– At last!

The laughter of the plush doll.

– Ah, there’s no need to carry me, Mr. Roe Deer.

– Just don’t turn around.

I froze on the spot.

…Behind me, I heard a sound.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

The sound of footsteps.

No, was it the plush doll?

The sound resembled a man’s heavy, rhythmic leather shoes, slightly lively yet weighty. It passed right behind me and stopped.

Then came the sound of something splashing into the tub.

– You may look now.

I turned my head.

The plush doll, soaked in the bathwater in the small tub, floated there with its unchanged, smiling mascot-like face.

“…Braun?”

There was no response.

Of course, there wouldn’t be. Talking face-to-face with a plush doll wasn’t something possible in reality.

But I knew it was listening.

“Well, I’ll clean up the wild ginseng for now. Enjoy your bath.”

I placed the wild ginseng, which had stopped oozing sap, back on the desk and turned to look at the tub, recalling the records of those who had used the Bloodbathtub.

Usage Record #05

In the process of cleaning up the remnants of a bathbomb of a tenant (a half-Caucasian man in his 20s), the landlord (a man in his 40s) inevitably dipped his hand into the bathwater left behind. This lasted for about 30 seconds before he emptied the tub.

Immediately, the skin and muscle tissues of his hand regressed to the condition of his mid-30s. Signs of vitality were observed throughout his body.

That same night, he attempted to flee with the Bloodbathtub in his car but was apprehended.

Hmm, nothing like that seemed to be happening here.

‘Maybe it doesn’t work on dolls after all.’

I should grab a towel.

As I turned toward the dresser—

– Ooooh!

A voice?

I turned my head.

From the seemingly empty tub, faint sparks crackled like an old TV screen short-circuiting.

– Light is entering my powerless limbs!

Flash.

The shadow of the plush doll loomed large over the tub as its small arms were raised triumphantly.

What was that?

– Mr. Roe Deer!

Don’t call me!

– This is such a fascinating artifact! Haha, hahahaha!

I swallowed nervously as I watched.

‘…Could he really be regaining power?’

There was no record of the Bloodbathtub’s rejuvenation effects extending this far. This was unprecedented.

– More bath salts! Pour in more!

Bath salts.

Without thinking, I grabbed the wild ginseng from the desk…

[AAAAACK! This punk, don’t grab the wild ginseng!!!]

[Mercy, noble one!! Spare me! Please spare me!!]

Ack, fucking hell!

Startled, I reflexively threw the wild ginseng.

Thunk.

The wild ginseng landed straight into the Bloodbathtub. It seemed to realize that its sap was being transformed into fragrant bathwater and let out a desperate scream.

[AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!]

But that was all.

The wild ginseng didn’t seem capable of causing trouble as before.

Whether the bathtub’s mysterious power was suppressing it, or Braun had done something, I couldn’t tell.

A desperate cry echoed.

[Please spare me, noble one! Noble one!! I was wrong! I was wrong!]

[I’ll do my best! I’ll serve you!!]

– How rude and noisy!

More sparks crackled from the Bloodbathtub.

It resembled a TV screen with its signals scrambled.

From within, the booming voice of an irate announcer rang out.

– Slice its neck, Friend! Silence it! Don’t ruin this scene!

“……”

I straightened up.

Without looking into the tub, I said,

“You don’t have to go that far to quiet it down.”

– ……

“There’s no need for such extreme methods.”

– In a show, a single moment or timing can dictate all the reactions and feelings.

“But this isn’t a show, is it?”

– That is…

The electricity sparking from the tub began to subside.

– You’re right. Yes, that’s true.

Phew.

‘I almost ended up registering this under the Bloodbathtub’s irregular usage records.’

Not that the situation wasn’t already ridiculous.

From inside the tub came a pitiful, sobbing voice.

[Thank you… Thank you, savior.]

[Kind benefactor! Please, now get me out of here and save me from this ruthless monster’s hands…]

I crossed my arms.

“I never said I’d save you.”

[……?!]

Who ends up as the victim in the middle of a ghost story?

It’s always the kind-hearted person who lets their guard down at moments like this!

‘When a ghost starts crying, and you get soft-hearted, that’s exactly when something scary happens!’

At times like this, you must stay calm and act firmly. I stared at the wild ginseng abandoned in the tub, past the ceramic edge.

“If I save you, how do I know you won’t cause trouble?”

A sobbing sound followed.

[Then, in that case… uh, how about this? A field! I’ll tell you about the rare treasures around the field where I lived!]

“I don’t need it.”

It was bound to be some cursed, haunted item anyway.

[Th-then…]

I sighed.

“Just prove you won’t harm anyone. Stay quiet.”

[……]

The wild ginseng fell silent.

At least I’d bought some time.

A few minutes passed in a tense silence (though possibly enjoyable for Braun).

‘Ten minutes.’

That’s how long I had been keeping track when—

– Hm. That was a fine bath.

“……”

Is it over?

I was about to turn my head, thinking I might need to lift Braun out of the tub.

– Ah, splendid… Thank you, Mr. Roe Deer.

The plush doll’s voice had turned sly.

– For waiting until my bath was finished!

Bang.

[GAAAHH!!]

A thunderous noise and a scream erupted from the tub.

This insane—!

– Wait a moment! Friend, don’t move. If anyone sees this plush body stuffed with cotton, I’ll die of embarrassment!

[You promised to save me, you promised!!]

– Haha! But Mr. Roe Deer said he never made such a promise!

“Wait!”

I finally ran to the tub.

I thought I heard someone clicking their tongue, but it vanished as soon as I leaned over the tub.

What I saw was the wild ginseng, cornered, thrashing about wildly while shaking itself like crazy.

The ginseng’s berries looked half-crushed, as if it had been kicked, and its roots were mangled as though someone had tried to squeeze the sap out of them.

[Save me, save me…]

The wild ginseng seemed completely drained, its berries movements slowing.

[L-Let me go…]

…Let you go?

I reached into the tub with my gloved hand to examine the wild ginseng.

‘It’s not tied down or anything.’

[Save…]

As I followed the ginseng’s plea, I felt vibrations in my hand.

“……”

Vibrations.

Now that I thought about it, every time the wild ginseng ‘spoke’, I felt this kind of pulse in my hand.

It wasn’t odd, considering its voice was a form of vibration.

But something did seem strange.

‘Its roots aren’t moving.’

Now that I thought about it, even in the field, only the leaves and berries moved when it spoke.

The roots merely stretched out like infected tendrils.

“……”

If that’s the case…

I instinctively grabbed the ginseng and plucked off its berries.

At that moment—

[Yeeeeeessss!]

The berries vibrated wildly before bouncing out of my hand.

“……!”

It seemed overjoyed as it spun in midair.

[Freedom!! Freedom! The tiger’s jaws are gone! Gone!!!]

[Thank you, benefactor!! Thank you!!]

The berries began to fade, its shape flickering until it turned into a glowing light, floating upward and eventually disappearing out the window.

“……”

Was that the real body?

– Oh no! It escaped. What a shame.

Phew.

– Such a lowly, deceitful creature, constantly changing its story, should never be given another chance!

“Is that so. Well, next time, let’s make sure to agree on things beforehand…”

– Even in moments requiring quick decision-making?

“If no one’s life is at stake, yes.”

– …Understood, friend.

It sounded a bit sulky, but at least I got a promise.

Satisfied, I let it go…

– By the way, look at this! I’ve rejuvenated quite a bit!

I looked back into the tub.

There was the plush doll, now oddly shiny, soaking in the water.

The once damp cotton stuffing now seemed to glisten for some reason.

“……?”

Oh, somehow it did look a bit more expensive now. Should I say it looked higher quality?

He also seemed to have grown slightly, just as he claimed.

‘…It better not get any bigger.’

The whole point was that he was keychain-sized so I could carry him around without drawing suspicion. A full-grown adult carrying a stuffed toy bigger than their hand wherever he went would attract way too much attention.

I already stood out enough at the company as it was.

‘I’ll think this through before letting him use the Bloodbathtub again.’

Or better yet, I’d just go home before needing to deal with it again.

“You’re right. You do look great.”

I carefully dried Braun with a hairdryer and wrapped him in a clean towel for safekeeping.

When I returned to clean the tub, I noticed something surprising.

“…The wild ginseng root is still here.”

I thought the wild ginseng would disappear along with its berries, but there it was, completely intact.

In fact, it looked even better.

The wild ginseng, which had been discolored as though contaminated, had regained its original ivory hue, now clean and pristine.

‘It even smells kind of nice.’

It now exuded an aura of mystery, entirely opposite to its prior cursed nature.

“Hm.”

After some hesitation, I decided to keep it and placed it in my desk drawer.

Who knows, it might come in handy someday.

“And with that… it’s over.”

‘One more ordeal survived…’

I collapsed onto my bed with a thud.

Wow, since entering this ghost-story world, I felt like my lifespan had shortened by at least twenty years.

‘I need to rack up points quickly and get out of here.’

The irony of having to actively tackle more ghost stories to achieve that was almost laughable.

– Mr. Roe Deer.

Ack, startled me again.

– My body and speech feel much more fluid now!

– Oh, but don’t turn to look over here.

I almost turned but stopped myself, fixing my head back onto the pillow.

Braun chattered on.

– It seems we can now have conversations here without directly meeting eyes.

– Isn’t that a delightfully shy method? Frustrating yet oddly fascinating.

Sure, talk all you want…

‘You’ll probably save my life again when I enter another ghost story, so…’

– You seem quite tired! Have a good dream, my friend.

I passed out as if fainting.

It was a deep, refreshing sleep, washing away days of exhaustion.

…Only to wake up to yet another problem.

That same day, in the afternoon.

While Kim Soleum was idly chatting about trivial matters with his superiors in D-squad’s office, a certain other employee closely connected to him was walking down the corridor…

“Ah, Section Chief Lee Byeongjin.”

Yes, it was that same section chief who had gone missing and been rescued by Kim Soleum.

“Y-Yes!”

The person who stopped him was one of the company’s directors.

It wasn’t exactly a pleasant encounter for a regular employee, but Section Chief Lee forced a bright smile onto his face and politely shook hands.

He had no choice.

This man was the lifeline connecting him to the company’s hierarchy.

A direct link to A-squad, and to the top of the terrifying and mysterious corporate food chain of this company!

‘Director Ho!’

The director who had called him in the hallway smiled and asked,

“I heard you returned after being missing. Are you alright?”

“Oh, yes, Director. Thanks to your concern, I’m perfectly fine and working hard to ensure the company’s well-being.”

“Haha.”

The director didn’t comment on the obvious flattery. Instead, he spoke softly and calmly.

“You were lucky. Many who fall into the Darkness never make it out.”

“Oh, indeed… I was lucky to have been rescued.”

“Rescued? Did you perhaps receive help from the Disaster Management Bureau?”

Though the director’s tone remained unchanged, Lee Byeongjin flinched.

This particular director was notoriously uncomfortable with, if not outright hostile toward, any government involvement.

Cold sweat dripped down his back.

“N-No, of course not! A company employee found me!”

“Ah, I see.”

“Yes, yes! Oh, it was a new hire from the Field Exploration Team. A very capable individual, truly!”

That such praise could come from such a self-preserving man was shocking in itself.

The director smiled and asked,

“What’s their name?”

“Oh! Kim Soleum… a new hire in D-Squad. Kim Soleum.”

For Lee Byeongjin, saying this took a surprising amount of courage.

It was his way of repaying the person who saved his life.

‘Director Ho might be intimidating, but he’s a decent superior.’

As long as you didn’t trigger any of his pet peeves, of course.

“He’s a very promising recruit, Director. Truly.”

And so, unbeknownst to Kim Soleum, a connection was being established behind the scenes.

Lee Byeongjin wiped his nose with his hand.

‘Soleum, when you find out later, you’ll thank me!’

But no, that wasn’t the case at all!

In any case, this action by Lee Byeongjin ended up creating a significant butterfly effect…

“Oh, yes. I’ll have to remember that name.”

And just a few days later, something big occurred in the company.

Specifically, within the Field Exploration Team.

Chapter 40 - [Manor of the Blind], I

[Don’t come in today, Roe. Just stay home.]

“Huh?”

I stopped in my tracks on my way to work, having just received a call.

It was from my direct superior, fifteen minutes before I was supposed to clock in.

[I’ll handle this as an on-site matter, so don’t come to the office. I’ve already discussed this with Section Chief Lee Jaheon.]

“Understood. But may I ask why?”

[Well… that’s just how it goes for field staff in this company. It’s an issue with some Darkness, you know. Darkness.]

Ah.

I could hear Assistant Manager Eun Haje letting out a long sigh, accompanied by the faint wailing of Supervisor Park Minseong.

It seemed like the rest of D-squad had already clocked in.

[All the new hires are being excluded, not just you. So don’t overthink it and stay home.]

“What kind of Darkness is it?”

[Oh. If you’re not directly involved, I can’t tell you.]

“……”

[Actually, it’s better if you don’t know.]

Could it be one of those? The kind where just knowing about it causes problems?

Like the infamous ‘informational contamination’ ghost stories.

For example, hearing someone’s nightmare only to start dreaming the same thing yourself, or a ghost that relentlessly pursues you until death once you know its name.

The idea of ‘something terrible happening just because I’m aware of it’ stems from humanity’s shared primal fear.

‘And if they’re telling me not to come in because of it, it must be pretty serious…’

Still, judging by their tone, it sounded like they were more concerned about a new hire making a mistake than leaving a dying message, so it should be fine.

…Unless, of course, they were pretending to stay calm just to avoid causing me stress.

‘Either way, I can’t go to the office now.’

If they don’t need me, forcing my way there would only cause trouble. That’d be a perfect recipe for disaster.

I told them I understood and hung up.

‘Guess I’ll clean up the Bloodbathtub today and skim through the <Dark Exploration Records> wiki about five times…’

But just a few hours later—

[Kim Soleum-ssi.]

“Yes?”

[Report to work.]

“……”

What is this, some kind of problem-dog training program…?

While I was still stunned, Chief Lizard continued speaking without missing a beat.

[Be at the main conference room of the 31st floor by 2 PM.]

A conference room on a high floor I’d never even heard of before!

“Wait a moment. I was told not to come in this morning… has the situation changed?”

[Yes. One of the executives has specifically requested your presence.]

“……”

Excuse me?

[I’ll see you at 2.]

Please spare me.

“You’re here.”

At the elevator on the 31st floor, I ran into D-squad’s Assistant Manager Eun Haje, who was anxiously crossing her arms.

I lowered my voice and urgently asked her,

“Has the situation changed?”

“A bit. Ha… that insane bastard.”

And with that ominous comment, I was ushered into the conference room, my head spinning.

“He’s here. Employee Kim Soleum.”

“Ahh.”

“You called him all the way to the conference room? Well, Just send him directly.”

A group of superiors, whose exact affiliations I couldn’t even guess, were sitting around talking.

The moment they noticed me, they fell silent, exchanging glances.

The eerie tension stiffened the back of my neck.

‘Why is the office tension always the same, no matter where you are or what the setting?’

Eventually, their excitement led them to resume their discussion, and I finally figured out why I’d been singled out and summoned to this baffling situation…

It was a classic, annoying reason.

They’re short-staffed.

“Look, it’s confirmed to be a high-grade Darkness, but there are civilian survivors. This could be a revolutionary case for sourcing high-quality materials.”

“That’s what I’m saying. So why are we having endless debates and more meetings about it? Honestly, Department Head Kang, we need to make bold investments!”

“Who said we’re against investing? But this isn’t the kind of issue you can solve by throwing a few more rookies into the mix…”

“Ah, this guy, seriously. Didn’t I say we’re short on manpower? Huh? Our Research Team’s Manager Kwak says so.”

Manager Kwak?

I turned my head to see none other than Section Chief Kwak Jaekang of the Research Team, grinning while occupying a corner seat.

The very mad scientist who had once thrown his own researcher subordinate into a theme park creepypasta.

‘So his disciplinary action is over.’

Just looking at him gave me a headache.

“Isn’t that right, Manager Kwak? We need more people, don’t we?”

“Ah~ That’s right. It’s obvious that we need to increase the number of personnel to deal with this Darkness!”

“……”

Was that guy the consulting expert?

I had a strong suspicion that this wasn’t about a lack of personnel but rather about wanting to see the fresh exploration results of a clueless new hire.

‘In any case, guess I’m heading into this Darkness today.’

And if I was being called in with such grandeur…

The thought that this would be no ordinary mission sent chills down my spine.

They mentioned it was a high-grade Darkness with civilian survivors, didn’t they?

While quickly running through similar cases from the <Dark Exploration Records> in my head, I tried to calm myself.

‘…At least I came prepared.’

Just in case, I brought everything I could today.

A full item package.

“Introductions are done, so you can leave now, everyone.”

“Yes, understood.”

Assistant Manager Eun gave a quick bow and left the conference room with me.

Ka-chak.

The moment the door closed, she muttered under her breath.

“How many more times do I have to watch these bean counters, who’ve never set foot into a Darkness, puff up their chests about their so-called ‘strategic solutions’? Ugh. This is why I can’t quit smoking.”

“Assistant Manager.”

“What, it’s not like they’d hear us over their own bickering.”

But I can hear you.

“Those who couldn’t even pass the Field Exploration Team orientation test but climbed up the ladder using their connections and nepotism… Ugh.”

Assistant Manager Eun glanced around the conference room a few times, her face betraying desperation for one long drag of a cig, then let out a small sigh.

“…Anyway, you heard, right? We’re going into a newly registered high-grade Darkness now.”

So it’s confirmed.

“Not just us—over thirty people have already gone in.”

“…Does that include Section Chief Lee and Supervisor Park?”

“Yeah, they’re already in. …It’s going to be dangerous. I won’t lie to reassure you.”

“……”

“But don’t worry too much. You got us all out alive from that crazy quiz show, didn’t you? We’ll be fine.”

“…Understood.”

I adjusted the strap on my satchel, slinging it across my chest.

“Is that your gear?”

“Yes. Food and other supplies.”

“Hmm. Looks about a good size.”

Assistant Manager Eun scanned my appearance a few times and asked,

“Nothing that would get flagged during security checks, right?”

“…No, ma’am.”

I made it past the front gate without issue.

Though I felt like the cursed wild ginseng could have caused problems, I’m technically not carrying anything illegal, so it should be fine.

Still, I wondered why D-squad wasn’t moving as a group today, leaving only the assistant manager behind.

“May I ask how the others entered?”

She pointed with her chin, her face expressionless.

“They disappeared the moment they read the manual.”

“……”

“That’s the kind of Darkness this is. The moment you learn even a little about it, you’re pulled in.”

Huu.

“I haven’t read it yet so I could take you in myself. We’ll read it together.”

“Understood.”

Wow, this is actually going to drive me insane.

“It’ll be fine. Neither of them are the type to die easily.”

Please don’t say ominous lines like that!

‘Let’s just pretend I didn’t hear that.’

I took a deep breath and accepted the manual Assistant Manager Eun handed me.

…Reading this would mean entering the high-grade Darkness.

‘…Let’s mentally prepare.’

I read it all in one go.

+++

Greetings.

You are currently viewing a manual summarizing information about our exhibition’s previous visitors.

+++

“……!”

+++

Before proceeding, we would like to inform you that you have been invited to a very special exhibition.

+++

“……”

A chill ran down my spine.

‘I’m screwed.’

My eyes squeezed shut.

In my mind, a wiki page automatically flashed before me.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Manor of the Blind]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-B-666

Greetings, dear guest. This text was written to invite you to a marvelous exhibition.

To ensure a smooth journey, once you’ve read this, no matter where you go, you will arrive at our exhibition.

Visitation records indicate a total of up to 106 previous attendees in this document.

Additionally, any attempts to record information about this ghost story are altered into the format of an invitation sent by the exhibition itself.

It is an honor to extend this invitation.

----------------------------------------

A prime example of an informational contamination ghost story registered in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

The kind of viral sensation on video platforms that draws hundreds of thousands of views!

‘The Eyeball Collector.’

“……”

With a trembling heart, I looked back at the manual.

There it was—the exact line I had expected to see.

+++

To ensure a smooth journey, once you’ve read this, no matter where you go, you will arrive at our exhibition.

+++

And, just as it said, it happened.

“Hah.”

As I stepped back, I realized the texture of the floor beneath my feet had changed.

From the matte office tiles to the glossy, old marble.

Thuk.

Slowly, I raised my head.

Before me stood a massive mansion, so silent I could hear the flickering of candle flames.

The twilight and the glow of candles illuminated the grand, ancient interior in a reddish-golden hue.

Numerous displays cast faint outlines in the shadows…

“……”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje was nowhere to be seen.

But I didn’t do anything foolish, like call out for her.

Instead, I slowly backed away.

Then, I hid in a corner.

‘…Huu.’

Seated behind a sofa, I opened the manual again with trembling hands.

+++

Here are some common reviews from nine visitors of this exhibition, temporarily collected by Daydream Inc. (Ltd.):

1- You can view rare and diverse collections never seen before.

2- Eating or drinking in the exhibition hall is prohibited.

3- Visitors are advised to maintain standard viewing etiquette.

4- It is extremely difficult to find the exit.

The exhibition strongly requests a revision to the final review. The exhibition hall has all emergency exits properly marked.

Anyone may stop viewing and leave the exhibition at any time they wish.

+++

This was likely true.

The problem was that the ‘anyone’ here didn’t seem to include humans.

People couldn’t properly use the emergency exits or entrances in this place.

“…Ha.”

An exhibition that so casually assumed its visitors weren’t human.

Humans of the modern era were merely accidental victims, swept into this massive nightmare and experiencing cosmic horror.

It was a deeply unsettling creepypasta.

Honestly, I never liked it. I couldn’t even understand why it was so popular on platforms like WeTube…

– Friend?

“……!”

– Goodness, Mr. Roe Deer… are you hiding?

Who knew I’d be this happy to have someone to talk to?

I half-pulled Braun out of my pocket.

– My, this is quite a fine place.

– Why not go out and take a look? This seems like a location worthy of being introduced to visitors…

Go out there?

‘No way.’

– Oh my, may I ask why not? This appears to be an exhibition run by someone who knows how to extend a polite and comfortable invitation…

That sounded exactly like something the host of that murderous quiz show would say to lure people in with postcards.

I felt my head ache.

Pressing my fingers to my eyes, I stood up from the sofa.

– Ah, it seems you’ve decided to explore!

No.

‘I just want to move somewhere else.’

I carefully examined the wall, searching for the source of the faint sound of air.

Before long, I found what I was looking for—a ventilation duct hidden beneath a dark section of the wall, obscured by a massive vase, far from the reach of the candlelight.

‘A vent.’

Quietly, I climbed inside, leaving the lock unfastened, and held my breath.

This was the only temporary safe zone I could recall.

From the fifth visitor record:

A gentleman testified that he survived for over five days by crawling into a ventilation duct and licking the moisture from falling droplets.

On the sixth day, an usher found him.

We’d like to remind you that our exhibition is fully equipped with guest rooms for long-term visitors.

(Note: It is deeply regrettable, however we advise against staying in a guest room for the recorded 40th visit. Our exhibition prides itself on offering rooms that match the elegance of our collection and consistently maintains a high reputation.)

– Why hide in this filthy place when there’s a perfectly good sofa out there?

I ignored the voice. I needed to plan my next steps.

‘How do I get out?’

No—what baffled me more was why so many people were necessary for this ghost story in the first place.

Having a large group enter didn’t seem advantageous at all… Wait.

Was this scattershot approach because—

‘They don’t know enough?’

Maybe it was because this was still the early stages of exploration.

‘In that case, wouldn’t the earlier phases of this exploration be recorded in the <Dark Exploration Records>?’

“……”

I pulled out my smartphone, dimmed the screen brightness to its lowest setting, and lay down to scroll quickly through the <Dark Exploration Records>.

And then…

‘Found it.’

From the seventeenth visitor record:

This record documents an invitation extended by Daydream Inc. to thirty-four employees from the Field Exploration Team.

Seven of them returned home safely.

This was it.

I was now part of this record, one of the thirty-four people who had entered during the seventeenth iteration.

And I was likely the thirty-fifth person.

‘…Only seven made it back safely.’

I was about to cross-reference the manual and the <Dark Exploration Records> for more detailed information when—

Creeeeeak.

“……”

From a distance, I began to hear a sound.

The slow, grinding noise of a moving machine.

And then—

Aaaaahhh! Why, why is it chasing us…!! Get away, get awaaaay!!!

Screams, accompanied by frantic footsteps.

“……”

Thud thud! Thud! Creeeak, thud! Rat-a-tat-tat, creeeak, thud!

The sound of something pounding against the marble floor grew closer.

Cold sweat trickled down my cheek.

Help us, no— NOOOO!!

Let us out, let us ouuuut…!!

The pounding of fleeing footsteps echoed louder, joined by panicked cries. The sound was right on the verge of reaching me.

At least ten or more people seemed to be running.

Behind them, a heavy mechanical noise pursued with deliberate, suffocating persistence.

Screeeeeech.

Thump.

A drop of cold sweat fell from my chin.

“……”

‘Maybe just one person.’

In the throes of extreme deliberation, I leaned out of the vent.

Swiftly, I grabbed the back of one of the fleeing individuals and yanked them toward me.

“……!”

Practically lifting them into the air, I hauled them into the vent and forced them to crouch down with me.

‘This space can fit one more person, just barely.’

If they were from the Field Exploration Team, the odds of them being a liability were relatively low.

“Hah.”

Fortunately, the trembling person seemed to grasp the situation and immediately fell silent.

They seemed quick-witted… wait a second.

“……!”

“……!!”

‘Baek Saheon.’

My roommate from the company dorm.

Wearing a goat mask, Baek Saheon swallowed hard as he crouched in the vent, staring straight at me.

I had just saved this punk’s life.

Chapter 41 - [Manor of the Blind], II

A dark ventilation duct inside a creepypasta.

A situation where I had to hold my breath to escape terror.

And to top it off, I’d just saved Baek Saheon’s life.

‘Why you, of all people.’

What’s worse, he was now desperately avoiding my gaze.

“……?”

This wasn’t like him at all…

‘Wait a second.’

A sudden realization hit me.

watch out for serial killers –

Was it because I’d been sending him serial killer alerts every day as a ‘friendly reminder’?

He seemed a bit intimidated.

Well, fair enough. It is, um, creepy.

‘Actually, this works out.’

In truth, that was partially intentional. I hadn’t bothered to send those messages anonymously precisely to achieve this effect.

Seems psycho, doesn’t it? Exactly. Keep your distance, buddy.

Given Baek Saheon’s personality, which was clearly strong against the weak and weak against the strong, he’d likely choose to avoid me rather than use this opportunity to eliminate me.

‘Which suits me just fine.’

…The only issue was that, for now, we were stuck together in this vent.

I held my breath. Thankfully, Baek Saheon was also quiet as a mouse.

Outside, shadows of people who had failed to escape flickered faintly in the candlelight, shrouded in Darkness.

Creeeeeeeeak, thud.

The machine came to a halt.

In front of the shadows of people cornered at a dead end, something thin suddenly emerged.

The silhouette of what looked like spider legs.

And then—silence.

“……”

“……”

Only the strange mechanical noise echoed.

Whoosh.

The spider-like silhouette stretched wide in front of the humans.

Hiiieeeek!!

Through the flickering shadows, eight sharp and delicate appendages grasped a human torso.

Save me, please save me… AAAHHHHH!!!

Thwack.

One of the spider legs pierced into the gap in a human’s head.

Then, with a plop, it pulled something out of the head.

“……”

I already knew what it had taken.

‘…An eyeball.’

That was it.

This was why this exhibition was called the ‘Manor of the Blind’.

Numerous visitors testified to the ushers that they had lost body parts, most commonly their eyes, as the first part to go.

The ‘usher’.

Encountering that thing here meant having your eyes plucked out.

If you met it again, you’d lose a limb, or perhaps your tongue or ears.

Eventually, you’d end up blind, mute, and crawling helplessly through the dark exhibition hall—a slug-like, pitiful existence.

The fact that this wasn’t done all at once made it even more brutal.

Ironically, it was because this exhibition was ‘considerate’.

To the extent that it provided ‘convenience’ without you needing to ask.

For your convenience, sensory enhancement devices are always available for free rental.

(Currently supported devices : visual, olfactory, auditory, tactile, gustatory, sixth sense, panoramic vision)

Creak, creeeeak.

A spider leg-like silhouette elegantly and delicately approached the eyeless person.

The shape attached to the end of the leg was briefly illuminated under the candlelight, casting a sharp shadow.

A thin thread and needle.

‘Fucking hell.’

I held my breath and waited for all the commotion to subside.

Cold sweat poured from my body.

A moment later.

Thuk, thuk, thuk…

The machine’s sound receded.

The person who’d just lost their eyes began to stagger away, their footsteps uneven.

Of all places, they moved toward this vent, their blood-soaked face briefly visible before disappearing from view.

Their eyes had been replaced with camera lenses.

“……!”

Baek Saheon, crouching beside me, silently mouthed a curse.

It wasn’t hard to relate.

‘With those lenses, you might be able to see for a few hours or maybe a day or two at most.’

But since it was a rental device, the functionality would gradually deteriorate, plunging them into greater terror.

And the next time they encountered the usher, that device would be ‘collected’ as well.

It was a rental, after all.

‘I’m gonna go crazy.’

It felt like a prelude to even more horrifying things to come, making me instinctively squeeze my eyes shut.

‘But I can’t show fear. I can’t let him see.’

Conscious of Baek Saheon beside me, I waited until everything went silent before climbing out of the duct.

‘We can’t stay here.’

We had to move quickly and escape. I’d organize the exploration records and the manual after splitting up with Baek Saheon…

“Um.”

Hm?

“Thank you, sir.”

Suddenly, Baek Saheon addressed me politely.

As if it were normal, he nodded slightly in a show of courtesy, much like the first time we met on the subway.

And then, subtly, he began to edge away, clearly planning to run off.

“Then, I’ll be off…”

“Wait.”

Baek Saheon stopped in his tracks.

I asked,

“How long has it been since you entered?”

“……”

“Don’t wanna answer?”

“…About two hours, I think.”

He’d entered quite a bit ahead of me.

Since this wasn’t a creepypasta that distorted the sense of time, it meant rookie Baek Saheon had been summoned early in the morning, just like I was.

‘So my D-squad superiors kept me out of the loop on purpose!’

For a moment, I felt touched.

The thought of finding my squadmates quickly and getting out motivated me.

‘Chief Lizard would’ve probably made it into the final seven survivors anyway.’

But I had to find the other D-squad members soon.

…Though honestly, stepping out of the vent and looking at the hallway made me want to sigh…

‘Wow, I have to search this entire place on my own?’

I’m gonna have to comb through every corner of this creepy mansion while dodging that usher monster while looking for clues?

No wonder they made a horror game based on this Darkness. I’d never played it, but I’d seen clips on WeTube…

…while covering half the screen with my hand.

“……”

Um. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, going with someone else…even if he’s got a personality defect…seemed like the better choice.

I turned to look at Baek Saheon.

In the dark—

Baek Saheon swallowed hard next to Kim Soleum.

‘Fucking hell.’

Of all people, why did it have to be this lunatic?

Nothing had gone right ever since Saheon had gotten stuck with this guy as his dorm roommate.

Just hearing the bastard spout insane remarks in that perpetually sarcastic tone, as if he’d never start trouble even if drunk.

It made Saheon’s head spin.

‘Do I really have to stick with this guy?’

The other employees who entered with him seemed to have woken up scattered throughout the bizarre mansion.

And the civilians he’d encountered earlier? Well, they got obliterated.

Still, was it better to wander around alone than to stick with this deranged nutjob…

He was frantically weighing his options when Kim Soleum suddenly spoke.

“You’re using formal speech now? All of a sudden?”

Son of a bitch.

Cold sweat trickled down Saheon’s back.

“…It was a highly urgent situation back then, so I accidentally slipped into casual speech… but now I think it’s better if we speak politely to each other again.”

Kim Soleum stared at Saheon for a moment, then replied nonchalantly,

“I see. Understood.”

“…Yes.”

Should I… run for it?

Baek Saheon glanced at Kim Soleum.

He’d already heard all the absurd rumors about this guy.

The Field Exploration Team’s ‘monstrous rookie’.

– I heard he cleared an A-Class Darkness all by himself.

– He was almost scouted for the elite squad, too. But he turned it down?

– Wow, I heard he even found a missing section chief. Is this guy really just a new hire?

– And he’s had two manual revisions approved? Isn’t this some kind of propaganda rookie to scam the regular staff…

The rumors got so ridiculous that some even joked he was just company propaganda.

But Baek Saheon didn’t doubt the rumors.

‘Isn’t it just because he’s a fucking lunatic?’

This guy’s monster-like results probably just… stemmed from his monster-like mindset, right?

A mind so different from normal people’s that he could come up with ideas no sane person would even inside these ghost stories.

Baek Saheon, for all his self-centered pragmatism, felt a unique pressure from someone so damn unpredictable.

The fear of the unknown.

‘Honestly, if someone told me he himself was a ghost story, I’d believe it.’

Baek Saheon wiped away cold sweat.

Still, he wanted information. At the very least, he could listen.

“Where are we headed? Judging by how that monster attacked people, this Darkness seems to treat us as intruders…”

“It doesn’t.”

“Sorry?”

“This exhibition definitely treats us as guests.”

What the hell was he talking about now?

Baek Saheon looked at Kim Soleum, who continued speaking with unwavering confidence.

“That’s why it collects fees. It only takes eyes. It’s just charging admission fees.”

“……”

“Didn’t you read the manual?”

Of course he fucking did.

That cursed, bizarre document contaminated by the exhibition’s invitation.

“It’s an invitation. People who are invited don’t get treated as intruders.”

“…But it didn’t mention anything about fees.”

“Read it again. Near the end of page three.”

Baek Saheon unfolded the paper.

+++

This exhibition is free for one hour as part of our open-minded appreciation of art.

+++

“Free for one hour implies that fees will either be collected or you’ll be kicked out after that time.”

“……!”

“But instead of kicking you out of the venue, they take your eyes. That thing earlier… it’s probably a ‘staff member’ of this exhibition.”

It was disturbingly convincing.

Without thinking, Baek Saheon asked another question.

“Why do you think human eyes are considered the payment?”

“Well, maybe because they’re the most valuable part of the human body?”

“……!”

“Looks like the things we carry don’t hold any value to them.”

“…‘Them’?”

Kim Soleum shook his head expressionlessly.

“No idea.”

And no one caught up in this mess would know either.

A chill ran down Saheon’s back.

“In any case, sir, whoever’s running this exhibition seems to believe that human body parts are the most valuable things we possess.”

“……”

“I guess eyes are prolly considered the most appropriate starting payment, so yeah.”

Eyes.

Baek Saheon had only one.

He almost instinctively pressed a hand over his covered eye.

He still remembered that day vividly.

Kim Soleum staring at him on the subway, casually lifting his ‘answer key’ of an eye.

The unnerving calmness, the calculated observation, waiting for Baek Saheon to realize his own eye had been plucked pointlessly.

That mocking gaze.

This Darkness takes eyes as payment, but what in the world had made this guy so disturbingly nonchalant?

“But…”

“……!”

Kim Soleum was staring directly at him.

“You’ve slipped back into informal speech.”

A chill ran down Baek Saheon’s spine.

He forced himself to speak calmly as he now dropped to casual speech for good.

“Fine. Should we just keep it casual then? We’re from the same batch after all, and we need to escape together…”

“Don’t wanna,” Kim Soleum answered back.

“……”

For a moment, irritation flared, but Baek Saheon forced a smile.

“Don’t say that. You hid me in the vent earlier—doesn’t that mean you wanted to save me as a colleague?”

“Nah. I just figured I could use you as bait if needed.”

“……”

Baek Saheon gave up on manipulation and shifted to persuasion.

Kim Soleum seemed to have a good understanding of this horrifying exhibition ghost story.

“If we stick together, exploration will be easier. Especially in a dark place like this.”

“Not really.”

“……”

“But for the sake of dopamine, sure, let’s stick together. Having more people means more unpredictability.”

This demented fucker.

Baek Saheon was certain now.

He had never encountered someone so blatantly deranged, even in his tumultuous life.

Still…

‘Do you have to be this crazy to survive in this godforsaken company?’

Feeling a strange sense of defeat, he clenched his teeth under his black goat mask.

“Let’s move.”

Kim Soleum ignored Baek Saheon’s frozen expression and started walking.

Then, out of nowhere, he said,

“Thanks. That’s a relief.”

“What?”

What was he thankful for?

Before Baek Saheon could question further, Kim Soleum raised a hand to his mouth.

“Quiet. I’m talking to Braun.”

“……”

Baek Saheon barely managed to force the word out.

“Braun?”

“Yeah.”

Kim Soleum reached into his suit pocket and pulled something out—a cute, plush rabbit keychain.

“Braun’s saying hi to you right now.”

“……”

Baek Saheon suddenly wanted to run far, far away.

Of course, he couldn’t have guessed that Braun was actually ‘saying’, Oh! Greetings to you, Mr. Scapegoat, soon-to-be victim of the next room!

Nor did he realize that Kim Soleum was thinking this,

‘Phew. Having another person around makes this a bit less terrifying.’

The thought of wandering this place alone with Braun made him feel as scared as during the changgwi incident.

‘This was a good choice after all!’

“Are you planning to search for another place like that vent earlier?”

“Nope.”

Kim Soleum gave Baek Saheon an incredulous look, as if staring at a truly ridiculous person.

“I’m looking for the exit. Why would I search for a vent?”

“……”

“I mean, if you like vents so much, just stay in one. If you get caught though, just pay the fee.”

Kim Soleum knew exactly what kind of person Baek Saheon was.

‘This guy, he’s the kind of person you can’t just let loose.’

He was someone who’d exploit any opening, just like how he had ruthlessly attacked someone during their first meeting without even batting an eyelid.

Never forget that Baek Saheon’s nickname in the <Dark Exploration Records> was ‘Viper’ a.k.a. venomous snake!

Never let your guard down!

‘Aight, I’ll act crazy too.’

Thus began the uncomfortable and uneasy Darkness exploration of two certified lunatics.

Chapter 42 - [Manor of the Blind], III

Step, step.

I was quietly walking through an exhibition that plucked out human eyes.

And next to me was someone who perfectly fit the ‘human trash’ archetype in a horror story.

‘I really wish Baek Saheon would just keep quiet and act like a human totem.’

On the way here, I’d seen horrifying shadows crawling on the floor a few times from a distance. Each time, I couldn’t be more thankful to have someone with me…

‘As long as I don’t let my guard down. That’s the key.’

Braun spoke to me in a tone that suggested he was amused.

– Mr. Roe Deer, this fellow talks in such an interesting way. It’s almost like he’s someone else entirely.

‘Do you hate it?’

– Not at all! It’s utterly fascinating. It’s as though he’s created a more exaggerated… persona for the sake of a show.

Hm. That’s a fair point.

– So, is leaving this magnificent exhibition your ultimate goal?

That’s correct.

And…

‘I’ve already made my escape plan.’

I’d confirmed that this exploration was recorded as the seventeenth entry in the <Dark Exploration Records>, so I based my escape strategy on that case.

I’d even decided which of my items to use.

– Oh!

– But is it necessary to use the word ‘escape’? Wouldn’t it be easier to just grab any staff member and ask them to guide you to the exit? They’d surely oblige politely!

That’s where the problem begins.

‘The staff in this exhibition are machines.’

The kind with spider-like legs that swing ominously.

– Hmm. And?

‘And each machine only knows information about its designated area.’

Each area of this exhibition is equipped with an usher for the convenience of visitors.

While some past visitors referred to these ushers as ‘monsters’, they are, in fact, vintage mithril automated-kiosk steam dolls, a model from Imperial Year 62627.

Though their memory units are somewhat limited to information about their specific areas, they are historical and meaningful artistic artifacts.

For the sake of a constructive viewing experience in our exhibition, we kindly request refraining from using derogatory terms.

What this means is that if you want to ask about the exit, you must go to the area where the exit is located and talk to the staff there.

And by the time you get there… if too much time has passed, you’ll be ‘charged the fee’ and turned into a grotesque human slug.

Even identifying which area contains the exit is a monumental challenge to begin with.

‘But there’s a hint.’

I stopped walking.

I had found what I was looking for.

“…An elevator?”

Standing in front of me and Baek Saheon was an antique-style elevator, glowing faintly with brass tones.

The elevator was caged in iron bars, and a small light bulb flickered in front of it.

Like any elevator, a guide panel was attached to the wall beside it, displaying floor numbers and usage instructions.

The only problem was that the text was written in a script we couldn’t understand.

‘Just one more way to raise the exploration difficulty.’

The disconnect created by the script.

Baek Saheon frowned.

“…Are you planning to ride this thing?”

“Dunno.”

“We can’t even check the floors. Are you out of your mind?”

I stared at him without a word. He quickly looked away.

‘As if I’d do something that reckless.’

But I had Braun, the creepypasta talk show host who claimed to be fluent in every language!

‘Braun, can you read this elevator’s guide panel?’

– That’s hardly a difficult task, Friend!

– Ahem ahem,

Braun cleared his throat and began explaining in a friendly voice.

– This elevator comes with a stationed usher who will press the button for your desired floor upon request. Quite a quaint and sophisticated service, isn’t it?

This meant that you couldn’t use the elevator without meeting an usher, which also meant getting your eyes plucked out.

Even knowing this, I swallowed involuntarily.

‘Does it mention anything about the exit?’

– Unfortunately, no! It mostly describes the floors and their exhibitions.

– Oh, and by the way, you’re currently on the second floor. …Ah, wait a moment. There’s also a description of this mansion’s history!

“……!”

This was information not included in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

‘Keep going.’

– Of course, Friend!

– This is the grand estate of a most noble… and refined collector. Through their charitable spirit, they’ve dedicated this endless exhibition to sharing their art and philosophy.

– Furthermore, this historic mansion is composed of seven floors above ground… and 7,221 floors below ground.

“……”

Wait.

What?

‘Below ground… 7,221 floors?’

– That’s correct. Hmm, it seems they’ve been collecting for quite a long time!

I froze.

‘…I already knew there was a basement.’

It wasn’t described at first.

The early exploration records of this ghost story, <Manor of the Blind>, detailed lucky escapes from the ground floors or the deaths of those who couldn’t get out.

Those records drew readers in, sparking popularity.

As the records expanded and the world of the story grew, some explorer inevitably made a discovery.

The 23rd record is a testimony left by a visitor who entered the basement floors via the elevator.

The existence of the basement floors.

From then on, records detailed people descending into the basement after failing to find a way out on the floors above ground.

The relentless descent in search of an exit—down and further down—conveyed an overwhelming, chilling fear.

At this point, the ghost story became categorized as cosmic horror.

These exploration logs aimed to make readers feel suffocated and disoriented.

In some records, explorers even gave up on escaping, descending further into madness as they ventured endlessly downward.

This is testimony from a visitor who viewed the exhibit on B105.

Employee 753 : The unspeakable, dreadful things I cannot see are truly beautiful. Structures made of ■■ and humans’ ■■ are ■ing. Die for this purpose.

No further records exist.

Thank you for your meaningful feedback. We shall strive to improve exhibition management for an even more profound experience.

The deeper you go, the more grotesque and incomprehensible the collection becomes. At some point, language fails to capture what is seen, leaving censored fragments and overwhelming blanks filled with terror.

Thousands of unknowns lie down there…

Slap—

I slapped my own face.

“……?!”

Get a grip.

‘There are multiple exits.’

Even though their locations change every time the exhibition begins, that fact doesn’t.

There were records of people escaping through different exits on different floors in the same iteration.

‘I can do this.’

It doesn’t matter how astronomically vast this place is or how incomprehensible the space becomes.

An exit might be closer than I think.

I have over 100 iterations’ worth of exploration data, including records from this very round.

Sitting here overwhelmed would make me an idiot.

‘Even if the exact floor isn’t specified, I already know the hints.’

I had to move quickly instead of being paralyzed by the scale of the ghost story.

Don’t be foolish… stay sharp!

‘…Alright.’

I took a deep breath and began walking.

To the staircase next to the elevator.

“Wait, so you’re not taking the elevator… how do you even know where you’re going?”

“We’re at the second floor.”

“……?”

“I’m heading to Basement 1 from here.”

“Basement? There’s a basement—wait, this is the second floor? How can you be sure?”

“Braun told me.”

“……”

“Grateful, aren’t you?”

“……”

– No problem at all, happy to help!

Surprisingly enough, Baek Saheon still didn’t run away.

Hmm. I’ll have to keep my interactions with him at this level moving forward.

Even as we descended down the staircase, the grand mansion’s decor didn’t change at all.

The dim brass lighting and shadowy atmosphere continued endlessly, making it feel like we were looping through the same floor.

And then, at one level below, the stairs disappeared entirely.

‘…These stairs don’t lead to the basement.’

For now, since we’re at the ground floor, I decided to search for a new staircase or another way to move.

There was no more idle chatter with Baek Saheon, either.

The sound of machinery was growing more frequent around us.

‘The main exhibition hall must be nearby, with ushers stationed almost constantly.’

Moving silently, practically crawling on the ground, I looked up and spotted a large sign just beneath the ceiling.

‘Found it.’

The sign for the main exhibition hall.

Carved with ornate designs, it bore a flowing, elegant inscription… in an incomprehensible script.

– ‘The Power of Emotion.’ What a unique title for an exhibit!

“……!”

It was an exhibit I’d read about in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

Just seeing its name in print had sent chills down my spine…

‘What the hell.’

I suppressed the urge to turn back immediately.

‘If I’m going to map out the escape route, I’ll have to face it at least once.’

Avoiding a ‘safe’ exhibit while trying to secure a path would be idiotic.

So I gritted my teeth and moved forward, step by step.

The moment I peeked through the ornate, gilded doorway into the exhibit…

The exhibition space unfolded before me.

A wave of sound crashed over me.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH

Countless mouths shouting.

More precisely, rows of teeth and tongues.

An entire massive wall filled with ornate Baroque-style frames, each containing a human mouth, all arranged in horrifying beauty.

It seemed like artificial voice boxes had been attached to the mouths, each reciting poetry in different voices and languages.

The hundreds or even thousands of frames harmonized to create a bizarrely strange medley of sounds and notes.

And beneath them…

On the floor, human slugs were writhing.

Huuuuuurgh… huuurgh…

People who could no longer speak human words, with extinguished buttons fixed into their eye sockets, were writhing in agony.

They were those who had been repeatedly ‘charged’ to the point where they’d nearly lost all semblance of humanity.

The contrast between their grotesque forms and the neatly framed mouths displayed in a beautiful arrangement made the scene horrifying… more… and more…

‘Ah.’

I felt like vomiting.

The dizzying dread made me look at the floor.

Stay calm. I need to calm myself.

‘They’re not company employees.’

These were probably people who’d been trapped here for days.

Those poor… No, I couldn’t let myself focus on them now. I had to push it out of my mind as much as possible…

Screeeeeeech—

In the distance, the shadow of an usher machine began approaching.

Baek Saheon and I held our breath and crawled into a nearby vent.

The usher machine’s shadow moved among the human slugs, as if searching for unmoving bodies to pick up and carry away.

The sound of dragging bodies mingled with the mechanical noise.

“……”

“……”

After a suffocating few minutes…

“Hey.”

“……”

“They took the corpses. Do you think even the corpses have value? As payment for the fee?”

What the hell is wrong with this punk?

“If they had value as payment, they wouldn’t have just left them there alive until they died without collecting.”

“Ah, makes sense.”

Even in this situation, I had to listen to this kind of nonsense? My exhaustion was reaching its peak.

And I had to lie, too.

‘If I were honest… of course they have value. Obviously!’

Since they treat us as ‘visitors’, they only seem to charge for things that don’t affect our survival, like eyes, noses, or mouths.

But wouldn’t they also find brains and spinal cords valuable? I think there were floors displaying such items, too.

But I couldn’t tell this guy that. He’d probably suggest we carry around the corpses and offer them as payment if things got bad.

While I remained silent—

“……!”

The usher machines disappeared, leaving the first floor’s main exhibition hall empty.

From various shadowy corners, people hiding under tables quickly emerged, whispered to one another, and scattered in different directions.

All of them wore masks.

‘Employees…!’

Their masks and suits confirmed it.

They were from our company’s Field Exploration Team, cautiously dodging the machines by sticking to areas outside their paths.

“Hey.”

What now.

“If you spot any rookies among them, let’s bring them along. It’s better to have one or two more people with us.”

“Why?”

Baek Saheon looked at me as if I were asking something obvious.

“We need bait for when we run into a monster.”

Ah, this sick bastard, seriously.

I tilted my head in mock confusion.

“We already have bait.”

“What?”

“You.”

Baek Saheon’s face froze momentarily before relaxing again.

“Whatever. I’ll bring someone else along to use as bait, too.”

“Great. Just make sure to tell them you’ll use them as bait.”

“……”

“I told you, didn’t I? I’m at least polite enough for that.”

Baek Saheon fell silent again, his expression one of exasperation.

I was equally exasperated. This exhausting little shit…

‘I miss you, Chief Lizard.’

I missed the straightforwardness of a taciturn colleague.

But then, as I caught sight of a familiar figure darting out from behind a sofa at the edge of the exhibition hall, I froze in surprise.

“……!”

It was someone I recognized.

“……”

“……! What are you…”

After a moment of hesitation, I climbed out of the vent.

When I waved, the person also froze in shock before quickly lowering her voice.

“……! Sol— I mean, Mr. Roe Deer? Is it okay if I call you that?”

“Yes, Ms. Goral.”

It was Go Yeongeun.

The new hire who had fully supported my words during the subway incident was standing there. Didn’t she say he’d dropped out of medical school?

“Did you get sent in too, Mr. Roe Deer? Anyway, I’m glad to see you’re safe.”

“…Thank you.”

In any case, Go Yeongeun, who was now wearing the mask assigned to her, seemed much calmer than when I’d last met her.

Though there was some redness in her eyes.

‘Has she already adapted to this…?’

The fact that I could have a rational conversation in this insane situation was almost moving.

Go Yeongeun glanced around warily and spoke in a whisper, lowering her voice as much as possible.

“Um, there’s a blocked window nearby, and I was thinking of trying to open it. Have you seen anything that could work as a lever on your way here? I don’t think we’re supposed to use the exhibits…”

“You can’t.”

“Sorry? What do you mean?”

“You’re thinking of escaping through the window, aren’t you?”

“…Would that be a problem?”

Yes, it would.

This ghost story’s exploration records mention windows exactly once.

Do you know what it says?

The 19th record is a testimony from a visitor who attempted to pass through a window. However, due to credibility issues, it has been omitted.

This exhibition does not have windows.

It’s a trap.

I quickly made up a plausible reason.

“If you go out through the window, I have a feeling you’ll physically leave the mansion. But… not return to the real world.”

“…Oh.”

Go Yeongeun’s face turned pale.

“You’re right. This isn’t reality… so finding a door that counts as a proper exit makes sense.”

“I think so, too.”

“But we don’t even know what floor we’re on…”

“I checked. We’re on the first floor.”

“……! How did you… Wait, hold on. The first floor?”

A glimmer of hope lit up in Go Yeongeun’s eyes.

“Then there’s a good chance there’s a door nearby! Exhibition entrances are usually on the first floor, so if we search thoroughly…”

I forced my reluctant mouth to speak.

“…The reason doors are usually on the first floor is because we live on the ground level.”

“That’s—”

“Do you think the original visitors to this ghost story did the same?”

“……”

Go Yeongeun closed her mouth. She understood immediately.

‘How can you be sure a monster would place a door on the first floor?’

Soon, the same despair that had clouded my face earlier spread across hers.

“Then… W-What do we do? Was asking the monster machine earlier the right answer? But… I can’t encounter another machine. I don’t have any chances left…”

“You don’t have any chances left…?”

“……”

Go Yeongeun hesitated before brushing her hair back slightly.

Beneath her hair, where there should have been an ear…

There was only a stitched scar.

“They… took my ears.”

“……”

“They kept saying, ‘Ear instead of eye, ear instead of eye!’ while gesturing… and I guess they accepted it? It didn’t even hurt. It was so strange…”

Go Yeongeun shivered slightly.

“And they seem to have put something weird in their place… but I can still hear. I don’t know how it works, maybe some kind of artificial cochlea or eardrum?”

Ah, damn it.

“It’ll be fine, right? I mean, uh, the employee store sells those organ-regeneration potions and all…”

“You’ll be fine.”

I spoke firmly.

“You’ll be fine. Let’s focus on getting out.”

“…Okay.”

Go Yeongeun’s breathing calmed again. For someone who’d just lost both ears, her mental strength was superhuman.

I couldn’t help but admire her.

But someone else apparently didn’t feel the same way.

“Shall we get moving? Let’s not waste too much time.”

“……! Baek Saheon-ssi.”

The moment Baek Saheon, wearing his goat mask, emerged from the vent, Go Yeongeun’s eyes lit up with alarm.

“Wait. Are you traveling with him?”

“Somehow, yes.”

“…I see.”

Go Yeongeun glanced warily at Baek Saheon but didn’t refuse to continue traveling with me.

‘Thank you…’

It had been so long since I’d had a normal companion.

After dealing with psychopaths and people possessed by ghosts, I felt tears well up at the relief.

Still, Go Yeongeun muttered quietly.

“That guy… he even managed to pick a mask that suits him. You know goats are a symbol of the devil in Western cultures, right?”

“Wow. Did you know lambs are a symbol of sacrifice?”

“Lambs are more associated with helping humanity than with devils, though.”

Baek Saheon smirked dismissively at Go Yeongeun, who ignored him in turn.

– Is this an intermission skit? They’re like a comedy duo.

Yeah.

Except it’s not a skit—they’re actually dissing each other, and that’s the problem…

‘This party composition feels doomed.’

But our destination was steadily drawing closer.

“……!”

I found it.

At the end of the hallway, a staircase leading to the basement had appeared.

Chapter 43 - [Manor of the Blind], IV

“There’s even a basement floor here…”

In front of the staircase leading to the basement, half fear and half anticipation were written on Go Yeongeun’s face.

Baek Saheon scoffed.

“Yeah, I know how you feel. And the person standing next to us? Without any explanation, he somehow knew there was a basement and insisted we had to go to the first basement floor.”

“If you don’t want to go, we can just split up here.”

“……”

Baek Saheon fell silent.

Now that he had confirmed the basement existed, it seemed he wasn’t willing to miss the opportunity to see whether ‘Kim Soleum has something up his sleeve.’

I briefly explained to Go Yeongeun that I had used some special equipment to decipher the guide notice posted near the elevator and had identified a potentially useful space.

And so, we finally started down the basement stairs.

“……”

“……”

The further we descended, the clearer it became.

‘The style has changed.’

The mansion, previously shimmering with a brass hue, now took on a darker bronze-like tone.

More avant-garde decorations began to appear.

For some reason, it felt like we were descending much deeper than the distance from the second floor to the first.

“……”

“……”

Eventually, stately, old-fashioned double-doors appeared beside the staircase.

– B1. That’s what it reads.

We had arrived.

I cautiously gripped one of the doors’ handles. After confirming that no mechanical noises could be heard from the other side, I carefully opened it.

What was revealed beyond the door wasn’t an exhibition hall or a corridor.

Go Yeongeun’s eyes grew wide.

“This is…”

“A lounge for visitors, I assume.”

It was a type of resting area.

The large hall was designed for comfort.

Luxurious armchairs and vintage tables were arranged throughout, and a bronze-hued fireplace burned warmly in one corner.

“Is this what you read about in the elevator?”

“Yes.”

“Ah, places like this are usually near a lobby. Maybe there’s an exit nearby?”

“I don’t know. But…”

“But?”

“The manual mentioned certain actions that were prohibited in the exhibition hall. I thought a ‘resting area’ might have fewer restrictions.”

That’s right.

The hope was that some actions forbidden in the exhibition hall might be allowed here.

“Things you couldn’t do… Oh, like eating!”

“Yes.”

2- Eating or drinking in the exhibition hall is prohibited.

“…But it’s not like we need to eat anything right now.”

That’s true.

“Not exactly. What I’m trying to do is something that’s considered part of eating and is therefore prohibited.”

“…What do you mean?”

I pulled out an item I had prepared from my bag.

[Quick and Easy Candle Making Kit]

“Open flames are prohibited, too.”

Now, it was time to create an escape tool.

Go Yeongeun gulped nervously.

Right in front of her, an unbelievably capable colleague was doing something utterly ridiculous.

“Like this?”

Kim Soleum pulled a strange box from his satchel and quickly skimmed through the enclosed instructions.

But the box didn’t look ordinary at all. Why on earth would someone bring a candle-making kit?

‘I’ve never seen a brand like that before.’

The logo, ‘Cheerful Research Institute’, gleamed tackily alongside a bright smiley face, but the instructions Kim Soleum held were scrawled in messy handwriting with dark red ink.

It felt eerily strange.

Something you might encounter in a ghost story…

At that moment, Baek Saheon muttered,

“…An item?”

An item?

Instinctively, I turned to Kim Soleum, who answered quite kindly.

“Yes. A tool imbued with supernatural abilities.”

……!

“T-Then, isn’t that considered… Darkness?”

“It might depend on the classification method, but… it seems that objects with stable irregularities, portability, and no defined domain are referred to as items.”

“……”

How does Soleum-ssi know all of this…?

‘Aren’t we… both new hires?’

Why is there such a difference in knowledge?

And where on earth did he get that…?

For Go Yeongeun, who had prided herself as being among the top three most capable among the new recruits, the situation was bewildering.

‘And to top it off, he looks incredibly skilled at handling it…?!’

Noticing her gaze, Kim Soleum glanced back and, as if to justify himself, said,

“This is my first time making one too.”

It’s the truth!

While he had read the instructions several times and pondered how to use it, this was Kim Soleum’s first time actually crafting something.

However, from the perspective of a colleague who didn’t know he had already conducted three similar rituals, it was simply overwhelming.

No, someone like him… shouldn’t he be starting his own business instead of just finding a job?

Why is he tangled up in a horror show of a company like this??

But soon, cold reality brought her thoughts back into focus.

‘…It must be because of the Wish Ticket.’

A wish that couldn’t be given up.

Go Yeongeun nearly sank into mutual pity for their respective circumstances but quickly steadied herself.

For now, she just needed to focus all her energy on escaping.

…Even the rage at her R-squad leader, who had ditched her the moment a monstrous machine appeared, would be turned into fuel!

She only wished she could take back her earlier thoughts that this team, at least, wouldn’t have the usual workplace hierarchy issues or the stress of human relationships.

‘Die, Squad Leader!’

Still, thinking that her R-squad superiors might actually end up being brutally killed, with their eyes, noses, and mouths torn apart, felt oddly unsettling…

“It’s ready.”

“……!”

Go Yeongeun, who had been lost in thought, snapped her attention back at Kim Soleum’s voice.

Before she knew it, he had laid out a black piece of paper on the floor and drawn a small design on it with the provided crayon.

It was… um.

‘…A candle?’

Yes. It looked like a candle… or rather, a flat drawing that outlined a candle’s shape.

But Kim Soleum paid no mind and pointed with one hand to the cards placed near the drawing.

“You can see the cards, right?”

“Y-Yes.”

“Pick one of them.”

“……”

“It determines the item’s attribute.”

Would she be tricked or caught up in something by doing this?

Go Yeongeun hesitated for a moment but then reached out.

So far, there hadn’t been anything suspicious or unpleasant about Kim Soleum’s actions, and objectively speaking, he had always treated her with goodwill.

‘Let’s try it.’

Her brain, which she trusted as a reliable data processor, urged her forward.

She flipped over one of the scattered cards on the floor without much hesitation.

The card’s face depicted a vibrant blue figure raising one hand. At the top of the image, a white star sparkled like a jewel.

[Honor]

A faint smile appeared on Kim Soleum’s face.

“You picked well.”

Did she?

‘I don’t think I particularly need honor right now…’

Anyway, if he said it was good, that was a relief.

Kim Soleum then turned his head and, in a voice that sounded less than enthusiastic, called out to Baek Saheon.

“Pick a card.”

“……”

Baek Saheon seemed to be calculating the situation in his head, narrowing his eyes as he reached out his hand.

The card he flipped over showed a grinning mouth and a red iron cage.

[Interference]

“Suits you.”

“What?”

Kim Soleum ignored him and continued with the process!

“I will now flip over the remaining cards.”

“Yes, yes.”

Whatever it was, let’s just do it!

Go Yeongeun watched as Kim Soleum swiftly flipped over the cards with his precise movements.

There were ten cards left.

Confusion, Healing, Meditation, Wound, Deceit, Dream, Rage, Protection, Strike, and Gaze… the ten remaining cards were revealed and laid out on the floor.

‘What in the world is this?’

After having them draw cards as if it were some kind of tarot reading, why reveal all of them at the end?

Seeing Kim Soleum’s next action, she understood.

The last card could be chosen directly.

[Deceit]

Kim Soleum picked out a card with a golden gear drawn next to a black heart.

He then burned all three cards they had chosen using a lighter.

Flames burst into vivid colors as the cards turned into shimmering ashes.

“……!”

Gathering the ashes from the cards, he carefully spread them over the crayon-drawn candle outline he had created earlier and folded the paper.

“It’ll need about 30 minutes to set now.”

Kim Soleum lifted the folded paper off the floor, tucked it neatly into the front pocket of his suit, and gave a faint smile.

“This thing you just made…”

“This candle will help us get out of here.”

“……!”

“If it doesn’t work, I was planning to try again a few more times, but the keywords turned out well on the first attempt—”

Screeeeeeeeeeeech—

“……”

“……”

All three of them turned their heads at once.

In the distance, under the bronze light, a massive shadow emerged.

Eight straight legs resembling those of a spider.

And then…

Screeeech—

The glowing eyes of a machine, leaking light like that of a gas lamp.

“……”

“……”

“Run!”

The three of them immediately bolted in the opposite direction at full speed.

I knew.

Even in a lounge, the machines could appear.

Still, I guessed that they would patrol less strictly than in the exhibition hall and had been willing to take the risk…

‘There wasn’t even anywhere to hide like in the vents, but why now of all times!’

Clenching my teeth, I sprinted across the corridor.

Once we’re detected, even hiding in another vent wouldn’t help—the machine would simply follow.

It was equipped with that level of tracking capability!

“Should we keep going straight?!”

“For now!”

Straight ahead led to the main exhibition hall.

Once there, they could only hope to draw the machine’s attention away with a higher-priority problem…

‘But who knows how much more dangerous the exhibitions have become now that we’re in the basement!’

And then.

Fwick—

“……!”

Baek Saheon grabbed for my suit.

‘What now, you lunatic?!’

The punk shouted right at me,

“That item! The candle! Let’s offer it up! It’s valuable, isn’t it?”

I slapped his hand away and yelled back.

“No, you idiot!”

“What?!”

“Look at the exhibition theme!”

+++

This exhibition is being conducted free of charge for one hour under the open spirit of admiration for art.

+++

“Art!!”

“……!”

“Specifically, living beings, civilization, and history!!”

I shouted at the top of my lungs.

“What does this item have to do with that? Why would they accept it as payment?!”

If items had any real value, wouldn’t the employees of our company have already offered their own equipment before getting their eyes gouged out?!

Besides, the candle wasn’t even finished yet!

But Baek Saheon once again reached for my bag, and Go Yeongeun, clearly fed up, let out an exasperated groan.

“Let’s at least try! What’s the alternative—dying here?!”

“Ugh! Seriously! Stop it and just keep running—”

I turned my head.

At that moment, our feet…

…crossed through the large doors into the main exhibition hall.

“……”

Catching my breath, I lifted my gaze.

Starlight twinkled everywhere

No . . . were those fragments of stone ?

Countless pairs of glowing circles, all the same color, lined the walls and ceilings, gazing down at us

The walls were packed, covered in countless human eyes staring back at me…

The eyes… taken by the usher machines.

“Eek—”

I stopped in my tracks and lowered my head. Beside me, I could hear Baek Saheon striking his remaining eye in frustration.

My chaotic thoughts slowly settled.

– Ah. They’ve arranged them like stars in the universe. It’s called ‘Glistening Gaze’. A rather cliché yet popular name! They must have been mindful of the contributors to the materials for this piece.

“……”

Three walls of the vast black exhibition hall were completely covered in eyeballs, with not a single gap visible.

The only entrance or exit was the door we had just come through.

And through that very door, the usher machine was steadily advancing… without pause.

We were trapped.

– Mr. Roe Deer, your choices intrigue me! You’re at a dead end now. A place to run… Hmm, seems like there’s none. Fascinating!

– But my friend, you can escape anytime, anywhere. Because you have me, Braun!

That much… I already knew.

If I were alone.

I could escape safely anytime.

Braun would gladly use his ability, which he called ‘Lights Out’, to erase my presence entirely.

Then, while the others drew its attention, getting their eyes and ears gouged out, I could carefully slip away.

– In that case, wouldn’t it be fitting for Mr. Baek Saheon to pay the price? After all, he doesn’t have much of a life left anyway!

True. We successfully created the candle, which required a recommended group of three, so Baek Saheon was no longer necessary.

‘I mean, I only kept him along to avoid a mental breakdown after all.’

Honestly, would it even matter if he died? In fact, his death might even be a net positive for society.

In the chaos, perhaps Go Yeongeun might also manage to escape…

…Wait.

Hold on.

“Let’s split up! That way, if even one of us escapes—”

“Ms. Goral!”

“Yes?”

“You’re safe.”

“…?!”

“Didn’t you recently pay the fee? There should still be time left until the next cycle.”

“Ah!!”

Since Go Yeongeun had recently had her ears taken, she likely still had ‘time left’ in her usage cycle!

Hope flickered in Go Yeongeun’s eyes.

“Then I’ll go and try to distract—”

Screeeeeeech—

“…”

“…”

It had entered.

The usher machine.

Drrrrrrk.

Under the bronze candlelight, I saw the machine clearly for the first time. It was mercilessly sharp and intricate.

Its form resembled a spider, with metal parts added as though the steel had been grafted onto flesh. Its head and thorax were oddly connected, with an abdomen and lower body beneath.

Yet its vaguely humanoid, bipedal shape evoked a sense of uncanny dread, as if it was toying with the boundaries of intelligence and form. Its jagged, needle-like legs moved erratically, with joints bending at bizarre angles.

From its head, eight gas lamps shone yellow light, piercing through the pale shadows.

“…”

Go Yeongeun, who had been moving forward, froze in place. It seemed as if the trauma from losing her ears had surged back into her mind.

Understandable.

Screeech—

The machine passed right by her.

‘I knew it.’

Which meant the machine was chasing…

Me and Baek Saheon.

Screeeeech.

I deliberated for the briefest moment.

If the machine’s attention shifted to Baek Saheon, I could quickly erase my presence and escape.

It would be difficult while the machine focused solely on me, but with two targets, Braun’s ability might still work.

– Oh, shall I use it now?

I made my decision.

“No.”

Instead, I shoved Baek Saheon aside.

“…!”

“Run.”

Baek Saheon already had only one eye left.

He knew that meant the machine might take more than just his remaining eye this time.

‘Who knows what kind of reckless actions he might resort to?’

Even if it took his ears as a substitute, the physical rejection of someone’s body, after already losing one eye, would likely be far more extreme. I couldn’t predict the lengths he might go to.

It was better to let him run.

“I said run.”

Baek Saheon hesitated for a moment.

But as the machine moved toward me, he backed away cautiously before breaking into a full sprint toward the door and disappearing through it. At the same time, Go Yeongeun, understanding my glance, tightly shut her eyes and darted toward the door as well.

“…”

Now then.

– Do you have any questions for the usher, Mr. Roe Deer?

I lifted my head.

The machine stood before me, its gaslamp light illuminating the grotesque form that resembled a hybrid of a spider and a woman, as if someone had attempted to mosaic the two together.

Its appearance was grotesque and sent chills through me. The usher machine, its eight legs and needle-like arms extending outward, began to twitch one of its limbs toward me.

I bowed politely.

“Good day. I’ve just arrived here.”

I knew it wouldn’t respond.

Sure enough, the machine emitted an unintelligible noise and bent one of its massive needle limbs.

– It says that 1 hour and 54 minutes have passed since you entered, and additional charges have been calculated.

I took a deep breath.

“Just a moment. Before I pay the fee, may I ask a question?”

– Of course, it says!

“Do you take reservations for a guest room at the front desk? …If you agree with my question, please nod your head once. If you disagree, shake your head from side to side.”

…

A nod.

“Thank you for the guidance. Then…”

I stifled a sigh and asked what I had been leading up to.

The critical question for escaping.

‘These machines only remember information about their assigned zones, so they wouldn’t know where the exit is.’

Even if I asked where the front desk was, it likely wouldn’t have an answer. But, if I rephrased the question to pertain specifically to its own zone, it might respond.

Like this.

“After completing their visit and returning home, do guests on this first basement floor proceed to a lower floor?”

…

“Or did they go to an upper floor?”

A nod.

“They’re ushered to an upper floor, I see. Thank you.”

That’s it.

By asking each usher machine the right questions about its own floor, I could eventually narrow down the location of the exit…

…assuming I didn’t lose my eyes, mouth, or limbs before then.

‘If it’s above the first basement floor… that means it’s in the ground-level floors.’

Just knowing that was a significant breakthrough. The ground level included seven floors, so the exit must be among them.

‘This is a good lead.’

But the sense of relief was short-lived, like a candle burning out. Now, the unavoidable moment had arrived.

Screeeech.

—It says it will now collect the fee.

Payment collection.

“…”

If I think about this rationally, it’s not a huge problem.

‘They’ll plug a rental item into the empty eye sockets, so I’ll still have vision until we escape this Darkness.’

Besides, I know this world well. I’m already familiar with several methods for restoring lost body parts, and I’m confident I can use them more easily than others…

That’s precisely why I’m standing here.

‘It’s a situation I’ve calculated and come to terms with.’

The problem is… this overwhelming revulsion!

Who could accept this so calmly and indifferently?

Having both eyes plucked out raw by a monster!

Especially in a room surrounded by the displayed eyes of others who were taken!

Cold sweat dripped down my chin.

‘Even so, I have to go through with this.’

I gritted my teeth.

It wouldn’t be completely detrimental to have my eyes removed.

‘If I can’t endure under these conditions, I might as well give up on surviving here entirely.’

Honestly, there would never be better conditions than now to test whether I, with my cowardly heart, could endure the horrors of this ghost story. Learning to withstand recoverable losses would help build my resilience. Yet, my clenched hands trembled.

‘Shit…’

Ziiing.

A massive needle, sharp and metallic, like the leg of a spider, moved toward my face.

I held my breath.

Whoosh—

The needle was raised, ready to pierce my eye…

Ziiiiiiiing.

“…”

I rolled my eyes to the side.

In the darkness, a massive, spider-like form was approaching from the distance…

Ziiiiiing, screeeeech.

Another usher machine.

“…”

What’s this?

‘Aren’t the machines supposed to have a programmed route?’

Shouldn’t it be impossible for their paths to overlap?

Sure enough, the machine that was about to extract my eye seemed to malfunction for a moment. Then, as if recalibrating its route, it moved away from me.

It was as though it adjusted its trajectory on its own.

Screeeeeech…

“…”

I couldn’t even exhale in relief.

The new machine would just extract my eyes instead.

I simply held my breath and stared at the newly arrived machine. It lifted its spider-like appendages high, stopping right in front of me. Then suddenly…

“Huu.”

…?!

“You okay, Roe?”

The spider-like form crumbled away, revealing a human wearing a badger mask.

“…Supervisor!”

It was Supervisor Park Minseong, his face drenched in cold sweat, grinning slightly.

“Phew… That was close!”

Chapter 44 - [Manor of the Blind], V

A dark, bronze-hued mansion.

I followed Supervisor Park Minseong, walking silently behind him.

The supervisor, who had accomplished the insane feat of ‘disguising himself as an usher machine, fooling the system, and rescuing a poor new hire,’ evaluated the situation in his own way.

“It’s not like their AI is particularly advanced. Maybe about as smart as a roomba? So I figured I could trick it for a moment by mimicking its appearance!”

I wasn’t entirely convinced the machine’s intelligence was that rudimentary, but the timing had worked out, and he had saved me. For that, I was eternally grateful.

“Um, but how did you disguise yourself…”

“Ah! My special equipment.”

Supervisor Park grinned and pointed to a cloth draped around his neck.

Oh!

I recalled his earlier explanation about his personal equipment.

– Mine is a camouflage item. It can’t transform me into a person, and its duration is short, so I only use it as a last resort.

Until now, I had only heard about such things in ghost stories where they didn’t work or were otherwise meaningless, but this was my first time seeing it in action.

‘Under the right circumstances, it’s actually pretty decent??’

I was tempted to borrow it as a parent seed to make a new customization for my personal equipment.

But that’s not the priority right now!

“Alright. Phew. Now that I’ve found you, Roe, let’s get out of this insane place.”

“Have you found an escape route, sir?”

“……”

Supervisor Park didn’t answer. He just smiled faintly.

‘He must have some kind of plan.’

For now, I decided to trust him and quickly followed.

“This way.”

We climbed the stairs from the basement back to the ground floor.

Before long, the surrounding area shifted from bronze to brass, and a grand corridor bathed in a golden hue came into view.

‘We’re above ground.’

That was enough to feel somewhat relieved, but…

The first floor was chaos.

AAAAAHHHHH

MMPH!!! UUUUUURGH!

M-My— MY EARS!

Screams echoed from all directions.

‘Two hours have passed.’

Even the employees who had been hiding were now being caught by the usher machines, losing another body part… just as I nearly had earlier.

“……”

Supervisor Park didn’t glance toward the sources of the screams. He simply kept walking.

“Don’t look back, Roe.”

“……”

I clenched my fists so tightly that veins bulged on the backs of my hands.

“I know it’s hard, but right now, we need to focus on saving our own team. If we’re going to keep collecting points here… we need to learn how to let go.”

“……”

Suddenly, I recalled the moment during a talk show when Supervisor Park had resigned himself to surviving.

– …I have a family member in the hospital. I hope someone could check in on her after this filming. If possible.

For some reason, I felt like I understood how this cheerful supervisor had managed to endure in this place.

At any rate, I didn’t argue.

Before long, Supervisor Park scouted the area and seemed to have arrived at his destination safely.

And that destination was…

“Here.”

“……”

A window.

The same tightly sealed opaque glass window Go Yeongeun had tried so hard to open earlier.

‘Don’t tell me he plans to go through here?’

But instead of desperately prying it open, Supervisor Park raised a finger and knocked on the glass softly.

Knock, knock.

The window suddenly slid open.

“……?!”

No, it wasn’t just opening.

It slid downward all the way to the floor, revealing itself to be…

‘A terrace door!’

This wasn’t a window at all!

‘Was that why the exploration records said…?’

The 19th record is a testimony from a visitor who attempted to pass through a window. However, due to credibility issues, it has been omitted.

This exhibition does not have windows.

What I had dismissed as a typical ghost story manual phrasing turned out to be literal. There really weren’t any windows.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, sir.”

Without hesitation, we stepped through the open terrace door. Beyond it was a small hexagonal terrace with a long sofa and table.

However, the view beyond the terrace was obscured by dense black fog, as if visibility was intentionally denied to us.

Tap.

As Supervisor Park warily closed the terrace door, someone seated on the sofa rose and tapped my shoulder.

“I knew you’d make it.”

“Assistant Manager.”

It was Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

And next to her, the slit pupils of Squad Leader Lizard met my eyes calmly.

“Our squad leader suggested expanding the search range since you weren’t nearby, and it turns out you were just downstairs.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Did you purposely head to that eerie basement to find an exit? That’s very like you.”

I glanced at Supervisor Park with newfound appreciation.

Descending to the basement, with no clear information about the floors, had been an incredibly bold decision.

‘Thank you… truly.’

Thanks to him, I still had both eyes intact.

Still…

“How exactly did you open this? Someone else tried earlier but failed to open it as a window.”

“? I just used my hands.”

“……”

Of course you did.

‘If the body suffers, the mind suffers even more… right…’

Looking closer, the terrace door handle seemed a bit wobbly.

Wouldn’t it be a disaster if the ushers discovered this?

However, my D-squad superiors, including Chief Lizard, seemed unfazed by the unusual situation. They simply began discussing the next steps calmly.

“Well then, now that our squad’s back together… should we attempt an escape, Squad Leader?”

“Yes.”

“…Do you have a viable escape plan?”

“Yes.”

“…Could you share what it is?”

Chief Lizard answered succinctly.

“We’re going to tie a rope to the terrace railings and explore the outer walls of this exhibition space.”

“……”

Eh?

“From the outside, there’s got to be a floor with the main entrance. We just need to head there.”

That’s… quite the idea.

“I see.”

If this cursed mansion didn’t have seven thousand underground floors, it might have sounded tempting.

And if I didn’t already have an easier escape item in my satchel, it might have been worth considering.

‘I could just use this to get out.’

Thinking about the candle, which should be solidifying nicely, I raised my hand.

“Please wait a moment.”

If I showed it to them and explained, I might be able to convince them.

I just needed to stall a bit more time until it was ready—and perhaps rescue some others while I was at it.

“I was with two fellow new hires earlier, but we got separated. They should still be nearby. If you could give me a moment, I’ll go and find them…”

“……”

“……”

Ah.

“Roe.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje spoke bluntly.

“There are exactly three new hires in this mission, including you.”

“……”

“They said they picked a few high-performing rookies and dropped them in here. But we all know—they just needed to fill the numbers.”

“Sunbae—”

“Let me speak.”

Supervisor Park, silenced by Eun Haje, stayed quiet as the assistant manager continued.

“Remember lunch earlier? The higher-ups in the meeting room—they’re hoping this might be an A-grade zone.”

It came back to me.

– Look, it’s confirmed to be a high-grade Darkness, but there are civilian survivors. This could be a revolutionary case for sourcing high-quality materials.

“They were so thrilled, talking about how it might be the most survivor-friendly A-grade resource site in history. A-grade Dream Essence is always out of stock, after all.”

“……”

“New hires? From the beginning, they were considered expendable, written off as company expenses.”

Extracting high-quality materials from an A-grade site was far more valuable.

It was true that the longer members of the Field Exploration Team survived, the more their lives were valued, but ultimately, consumables were still consumables—disposable compared to more valuable resources.

“Remember this: the further up top people go, the less they value human lives. To them, people are just flies.”

Eun Haje sighed and put his cigarette back in its case.

“So, focus on saving yourself.”

“……”

“We don’t have time, so let’s move. If you start feeling sympathy, it’ll only make things harder for you.”

I barely managed to open my mouth.

“That’s not it.”

“Ah, a kind soul. Fine, if we’re lucky, maybe they’ll get out too—”

“One of my fellow rookies is holding the escape item!”

“……?!”

Of course, it was a lie.

“We don’t even know what’s outside. There’s no need to recklessly climb down with a rope.”

But one thing was true.

“With that item, we can escape safely.”

I’m back underground.

Though my legs wobbled from walking around alone, the clarity of my goal seemed to dull the fear.

Find my fellow new recruits.

– You have 20 minutes. If you don’t find them by then, we’re heading back.

My lie about the universe-gasping, world-amazing escape item had somewhat worked.

The time they gave me was short, but manageable.

‘They couldn’t have gone far.’

Shock reduces mobility. They’re probably hiding nearby right now, trying to collect themselves.

Besides, I had given them a hint earlier—about good hiding spots.

‘The vents.’

At the 7-minute mark of my search, I finally found someone crammed into the outer corridor vent on the basement floor.

It was Baek Saheon.

“……”

“……”

“Hey.”

Baek Saheon avoided my gaze.

“Do you want to get out of here?”

Baek Saheon looked at me suspiciously, then slowly nodded.

“Then tell me where Ms. Goral is.”

Uh, this felt oddly like threatening someone for their comrade’s location…

“She went into the left exhibition hall. Probably hiding behind a sofa or something!”

“……”

Without hesitation, he gave up her location. What a spineless guy.

In any case, I soon managed to find Go Yeongeun as well.

By then, 14 minutes had passed.

“Mr. Roe Deer…! Thank goodness, truly…!”

I briefly explained to the teary-eyed Go Yeongeun that a superior had come to help us and urged her to keep moving.

I also gave her a specific instruction.

“I told them one of you’s holding the key escape item, so please back up my story.”

“……!”

I handed her the paper in my satchel with the candle outline drawn on it.

Carefully, she slipped it into the front pocket of her suit and nodded.

“So I just have to keep quiet and play along?”

Yes!

Baek Saheon, who had been effectively ignored during this process, looked like he had a lot to say but kept his mouth shut.

He must have realized we were getting closer to escaping.

When we reached the terrace door and stepped outside together, 19 minutes had passed.

We had made it within the 20-minute window. Phew.

“I found them.”

“Wow.”

“I had a feeling this would happen because it’s Roe.”

Assistant Manager Eun and Supervisor Park threw in their remarks as the two rookies nervously looked around. It wasn’t exactly a warm welcome.

Meanwhile, Chief Lizard was already tying a rope to the terrace railing.

“Uh, um…”

“No need for introductions.”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon spoke in a flat tone as he tied a secure knot.

“Explain your item within 200 seconds.”

The two rookies gulped audibly.

I immediately stepped in.

“May I explain on their behalf?”

“Go ahead.”

Now it was time to make a proper case.

Based on the keywords I had combined, this candle…

“This item can deceive the usher machines.”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon stopped what he was doing.

Chapter 45 - [Manor of the Blind], VI

“Is… is it really okay for us to go by ourselves? Is this the right way?”

“It should be fine.”

Probably.

Understanding the omitted words, Go Yeongeun swallowed a scream.

After persuading his superiors, Kim Soleum had taken his two fellow new hires with him to ‘use’ the item and left the terrace.

‘He probably said that to make it sound logical.’

Since he had claimed one of them owned the item, it only made sense for that person to take the lead.

…Although, being lumped together with Baek Saheon under the umbrella term ‘us’ felt a bit unsettling.

‘Still, he’s unusually quiet right now.’

But for the moment, what lay ahead concerned him far more.

“Then I’ll take out the candle.”

Yes!

Go Yeongeun returned the paper Kim Soleum had given her, and he unfolded it. What happened next was astonishing.

A cylindrical, heavy chunk of pale purple wax rolled into his hand.

It was a real candle.

“……!”

The outline drawn with crayon remained imprinted on its surface, like a stamped pattern, revealing its transformation from a mere sketch into reality.

‘…Whoa.’

Kim Soleum momentarily forgot the situation, marveling at the sight.

Knowing what they planned to do with the candle only heightened his anticipation.

“Please wait a moment.”

Taking a deep breath, he pulled out a lighter and attempted to ignite the candle’s wick.

Fwoosh.

The flame brushed the wick…

And nothing happened.

“……”

“……”

Why… isn’t it lighting?

Kim Soleum even demonstrated his bizarre ability to flick a coin in midair, summoning a third hand to try igniting it, but to no avail.

“…Ah.”

As if recalling something, Kim Soleum hastily retrieved the candle kit’s instructions and skimmed them.

“Is there a problem?”

“……”

He lowered the instructions with a strangely dry expression.

“No, I don’t think so.”

But he knew the problem.

At the bottom of the chaotic, dark-red scribbled manual, in the section labeled ‘Precautions for Use and Handling’, one particular note stood out:

The ‘recommended users’.

※ This toy is designed to alleviate the fatigue of modern Earthlings.

For safety reasons, extraterrestrials, beings from other realms, non-intelligent entities, gods, and all other non-human intelligences cannot use this product. :)

‘…I might not qualify.’

After all, Kim Soleum was not a native of this place.

A chill ran down his spine, but he knew that wasn’t the priority right now.

He needed to entrust it to someone reliable.

Someone with a low chance of acting rashly, someone with social and moral sense.

“Ms. Goral.”

“……!”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

Go Yeongeun hesitated before taking the candle.

She received the lighter as well and, with trembling hands, held the flame to the wick.

Fwoosh—

The flame brushed the wick…

And it lit.

“……!”

Words began to emerge from the body of the candle, glowing faintly as if illuminated from within.

The keywords from the cards they had drawn earlier.

[Honor] [Interference] [Deceit]

– Do you remember the cards we drew when creating the candle? They indicate the abilities it will manifest.

Kim Soleum’s earlier explanation resurfaced in her mind as more phrases appeared on the candle.

The bearer of this candle must present a deceitful form, empowered by the authority of interference, directed toward an honorable target.

And the bearer will be granted a blessing.

*Impersonator of Nobility.*

Go Yeongeun raised the candle high.

A round orb of flame emerged from the candle like a lantern, hovering above her head before disappearing. The space around her softly lit up, resembling a subtle spotlight.

‘Wow…’

“As expected, it works as planned.”

Kim Soleum, watching with a faint smile, nodded.

“This candle’s effect can extend to two people near you, Ms. Goral. Goat and I will follow behind you.”

“Yes.”

Go Yeongeun wondered if someone other than Baek Saheon could have been chosen, but since the item was Kim Soleum’s creation, she complied without complaint.

Kim Soleum spoke again in a hushed tone.

“Still, please be careful. Don’t turn around to look at us. The effect only works if we remain hidden behind the candle bearer.”

“…Understood.”

“And don’t stare at the candle too closely. It might eat away at your mind.”

Go Yeongeun nodded slowly.

Though tension gripped her shoulders, she managed to regain her composure.

That was her specialty.

“You mentioned the exit is on the upper floors. So, starting from the middle—on the fourth floor—makes the most sense. It reduces the number of possibilities.”

“Yes, good plan.”

Their steps began to echo.

The thought of what lay ahead sent shivers down her spine, but Go Yeongeun clenched her teeth.

Here she was, probably the most timid of them all, tasked with holding the candle.

Illustration from uoongpig on X

‘I have to do my best.’

Little did she know, the most cowardly of their group was right behind her!

Step, step.

Their footsteps reverberated through the brass-lit hall. As they ascended toward the fourth floor, no sounds of the usher machines could be heard.

But it wasn’t reassuring.

Because their destination was…

“Found it.”

It was right in front of the usher machine.

“……”

The new hires from <Daydream Inc.>, who had reached the fourth floor, followed the sound of the machine until they finally located the usher responsible for the hallway.

Screeeech.

“Hey, if you run out of the candle’s range now, it’ll chase after you.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

The cold exchange between Kim Soleum and Baek Saheon sent a chill down Go Yeongeun’s spine. It felt like the needle-like components of the machine might move at any moment to gouge out her eyes…

But swallowing her fear, Go Yeongeun stepped forward.

One step at a time.

Each step closer caused the reflection of the machine in the candlelight to waver. Standing before the grotesque spider-shaped machine, Go Yeongeun gave a slight nod.

“Hello.”

Screeech—

The usher machine moved. Its eight needle-like legs raised into the air… then slowly settled around its body in a neat formation. The machine lifted its head and respectfully shone a gaslight near Go Yeongeun’s feet.

“……!”

It worked.

Go Yeongeun swallowed hard. The candle’s blessing was successfully working for her. The blessing to impersonate an honorable being.

– The first card determines the purpose of the effect, the second dictates the method, and the third reveals its essence.

– When combined properly, it creates a deception targeting something honorable to hinder others…

– This ability is likely related to impersonation or trickery.

Right now, Go Yeongeun was impersonating the most appropriate ‘honorable being’ for this scenario.

The most favorable target for the usher machine.

A guest who had paid in full!

In the calmest tone she could muster, Go Yeongeun addressed the usher machine.

“If your answer is ‘no’, please remain still. If it is ‘yes’, nod your head.”

Silence.

“Did guests who finished viewing the exhibition on this fourth floor go upstairs?”

……

“Did guests who finished viewing the exhibition on this fourth floor go downstairs?”

Nod.

“……!”

It worked!

Overwhelmed with relief, the candle bearer barely managed to conclude the interaction.

“Thank you. I’ll continue enjoying the exhibition now.”

The usher machine remained quietly in place as the three within the candle’s radius left. As they rounded the corner, Go Yeongeun couldn’t help but exclaim.

“It worked…!”

“Move slowly. The candle will burn for about two hours, so it’s critical not to let it go out midway.”

“Yes!”

And then the process repeated.

“Did guests who finished viewing the exhibition on this third floor go downstairs?”

Nod.

“Thank you!”

It worked again. The three new hires were now walking with cautious but hopeful steps, fueled by the thrill of escape.

If this kept up…

“Either the first or second floor…!”

The same thought occurred to everyone.

Go Yeongeun bit her tongue to keep her excitement in check.

“Stay calm, stay calm!”

If she were to drop the candle, it would all be over. To avoid escaping with her eyes, tongue, or limbs taken, she needed to remain composed.

As she took a careful step forward…

Grab—

Something seized her foot.

Go Yeongeun froze and looked down.

There was a human being, his eyes replaced with telescopic lenses, crawling desperately on the floor and clutching at her pants leg.

“Goral! Ms. Goral!!”

“……!!”

“Take me with you!”

It was R-squad’s leader.

Go Yeongeun’s superior.

I looked at the person who had stopped ahead of me.

I knew why.

Someone was clinging desperately to the leg of the person ahead, shouting.

“Ms. Goral! If— If you get me out of here, I’ll make equipment for you! The kind only a section chief can access! Right away, too! Okay?!”

‘So Go Yeongeun is from the R-squad.’

Seems like this was R-squad’s section chief.

But for someone supposedly in charge of a squad in the Field Exploration Team, he looked utterly pathetic.

His limbs weren’t taken as payment but seemed completely broken, leaving him unable to stand.

‘Did infighting break out?’

If he were a proper squad leader, he should have been able to hold out with his equipment and items while moving stealthily. His current state made it almost certain that hadn’t happened.

He must be on the verge of death.

And in this desperate moment, seeing a rookie from his squad wielding a remarkable item, he had lunged forward, recognizing his last lifeline.

“Ms. Goral! That’s an item, isn’t it? Woooow, i-it looks great! Um, uh, t-take me with you, please! Okay?”

“Whoa, not even scared, huh? Babbling away.”

Baek Saheon muttered under his breath.

Then he turned to Go Yeongeun and said,

“Let’s see if the monster machines hear him. Not like he’s in any condition to run away anyway.”

“Huh? What kind of nonsense is that…”

“……”

R-squad’s leader, who had been begging to Go Yeongeun, turned to look at Baek Saheon. The gleam of his telescopic lenses flickered.

“You. Which squad are you a rookie from?”

“……”

“Oh, right. It doesn’t matter… What matters is getting out of here. But look… the item my squad’s rookie is using—it’s shaped like a candle. A consumable, huh?”

“……!”

“Fl…Flame-based… yeah, defensive item, right? Right, yeah, that must be it… So, then, what if I shake it, shake it like this, and put the flame out?”

“Ugh—”

Go Yeongeun, who nearly stumbled, quickly steadied the candle in her grip.

‘This lunatic.’

I was about to summon my special equipment to use a third hand to pry him off, but the squad leader clung to Go Yeongeun’s leg again.

“Do you think I, even in this state, know less than a rookie? Take me with you!”

“…You left me behind, Squad Leader.”

Go Yeongeun muttered in an eerily quiet voice.

“When the machines came, you pushed me aside and ran.”

“……!”

I thought Go Yeongeun hadn’t met any teammates and had been wandering alone because the team had split up when they entered.

So that’s why she was by herself.

“No! I did what I could! I couldn’t die trying to save a rookie, so I left you behind. But now you can take me with you! If the conditions allow, humans should act humanely!”

The squad leader screamed desperately, clutching at her. Tears didn’t even flow from the lens-replaced eyes.

“If you don’t take me with you, it’s murder! Murder! Just try leaving me behind. I’ll destroy that item! Somehow!! I’ll—”

Thud.

“……!”

Srrrrrk—

R-squad’s leader’s body went limp and collapsed sideways.

Baek Saheon retracted his left foot, which had just struck the squad leader in the temple.

“……”

And me too.

I recalled the third hand back into the glove, which struck the back of the R-squad’s leader’s head.

‘H-He’s still breathing, right?’

I hadn’t meant for both of us to hit him, but here we were.

At least the situation seemed to have settled.

I glanced down at the disheveled middle-aged office worker sprawled on the floor.

‘…Well, he does have experience in field exploration.’

He had crafted a balance of pleas that could tug at a rookie’s heartstrings and threats that could instill fear. A manipulative mix.

Go Yeongeun still held the candle steady, but her trembling gaze betrayed how shaken she was by the pitiful state of her superior.

Baek Saheon casually remarked,

“Now we just take his head and leave, right?”

…What?

“No, we can’t.”

“He’s going to die anyway. It’d make it easier for him and give us spare payments for a Plan B. There’s literally no downside.”

“Think of Ms. Goral’s mental state if we decapitate someone she knows. It’s hard to maintain composure after killing someone you’re familiar with.”

As Baek Saheon and I spoke on either side, Go Yeongeun’s face grew increasingly pale.

“This is ridiculous. No, I can’t…”

“What are you talking about? People can do anything to survive. Of course, it’s possible.”

“No, it’s not. Don’t listen to him, Ms. Goral.”

“Goral—”

“Wait!”

“……”

“……”

“I’ll just do this.”

Go Yeongeun tightened her grip on the candle, then kicked the squad leader toward a shadowy sofa corner. His body slid into the dim recess.

She exhaled deeply.

“This way, the machines won’t spot him immediately. Let’s go before the candle burns out.”

“……”

I nodded.

Baek Saheon, however, scowled.

“Making things complicated. He’s going to die anyway.”

“…If you owe your life to someone kind, you should stop saying things like that, don’t you think?”

“……”

Go Yeongeun sighed deeply.

“Still, thank you, both of you. I almost got caught up in that.”

“It’s nothing.”

Surprisingly, Baek Saheon didn’t say another word. I thought he’d make a snide comment or demand something in return, but he didn’t.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

We descended the stairs once more.

The disruption and the incident were behind us.

The end was in sight.

Chapter 46 - [Manor of the Blind], VII

On the second floor—

Go Yeongeun, now accustomed to the process, posed her question to the usher machine.

“Have guests who finished viewing the exhibition on this floor gone downstairs?”

Nod.

“……!”

It was over.

This essentially provided the answer they were looking for.

‘If the exit is on the ground floor and below the second floor…’

The only possibility left was the first floor.

“Then, if we just go to the first floor and ask for the location of the entrance…!”

“Let’s hurry!”

“Yes!”

For the first time, Go Yeongeun and Baek Saheon were in complete agreement.

‘So the entrance really is on the first floor, just like modern logic would suggest. What a coincidence that everything lined up this way.’

A faint sense of exhaustion crept in at the thought of how roundabout their journey had been, but the excitement of finally finding the exit outweighed it. I hastened my pace.

All that remained was to pinpoint the entrance and relay the information to my superiors waiting on the terrace.

– Oh dear, is your exhibition tour over already? That’s a shame. It seems like you’ve barely seen five of the halls.

Hoho. Keep looking, and you might lose your eyes, nose, or mouth.

You might faint before then too!

‘Even now, the three of us are sticking together under the candlelight to survive.’

I tapped the pocket where I kept Braun, as if soothing him, and continued walking.

Go Yeongeun, carrying the candle, walked with renewed confidence. That determination didn’t falter, even when she faced the usher machine on the first floor. Her desire to leave seemed to overpower any lingering fear.

“Hello!”

Once again, the machine, influenced by the candle, responded politely. Taking a deep breath, Go Yeongeun made a firm request.

“Please guide us to the entrance!”

But…

……

Silence.

The machine remained motionless.

“……?”

No response.

“N-No way…”

With a face turning ashen, Go Yeongeun glanced nervously at the candle, as if worried it had lost its power.

The flame flickered steadily, still shining brightly.

After checking it a few more times, she spoke again in a trembling voice.

“Please… guide us to the entrance.”

Again, silence.

“……”

“……”

The atmosphere dropped to a glacial temperature.

‘We’re fucked.’

I broke the silence.

“…Ms. Goral.”

“Y-Yes…”

“Ask it like this.”

I recited a familiar phrase, and Go Yeongeun’s expression darkened as she repeated it.

“Have guests who finished viewing the exhibition on this first floor gone… downstairs? If yes, please nod.”

Nod.

“……!!”

The usher machine’s answers conflicted.

“Why…”

Go Yeongeun swallowed hard.

“But the usher machine on the basement floor clearly said people went up…!”

“That’s correct.”

A chill ran down my spine.

‘What the hell is going on?’

The statements didn’t add up.

In the basement, it said to go up, yet on the ground floor, it said to go down. Even if there were multiple exits nearby, this blatant contradiction made no sense.

‘That does explain why so few survivors are mentioned in the <Dark Exploration Records>, despite the exit being obviously on the first floor.’

“Instead of wasting time repeating the same question, let’s just go to the basement and ask directly. We still have candlelight left, so let’s not waste it.”

“…Ah.”

Urged by Baek Saheon, we started looking for the stairs to the basement.

The path leading down felt unnaturally long and heavy…

And the result?

Nod.

“They said to go up? Damn it…”

The same response as before.

According to the usher machine, visitors who finished viewing the exhibition on the basement floor had indeed gone upstairs.

“……”

“……”

Even Baek Saheon fell silent.

Everyone’s thoughts were tangled.

“Excuse me.”

Go Yeongeun lowered her head.

“Do you think… maybe there isn’t an exit at all?”

“……!”

“This could just be a place that tricks and torments people, giving them false hope to make their suffering worse… There are so many ghost stories like that.”

That was true.

But not this time.

“No, there’s definitely an exit.”

I wasn’t saying this just because I had read the <Dark Exploration Records>.

“Do you remember? Before coming in here, we were given a brief manual.”

Though the information had been corrupted and turned into an exhibition invitation, it still applied.

“An exit record exists because someone succeeded in escaping. That’s how this became a registered Darkness under Daydream Inc.”

“Ah…!”

Go Yeongeun raised her head.

“You’re right. That makes sense.”

Taking a deep breath, she spoke again, her voice steadier.

“Huu! I’m sorry. In times like this, it’s important not to get lost in emotion. There must be a solution.”

“Yes.”

It might look like a contradiction, but there was something we hadn’t figured out yet.

Just as we were deep in thought…

“Hey.”

Baek Saheon spoke, looking at me with a peculiar expression.

“Your doll.”

“Braun?”

“Yeah. What does… Braun say?”

– I’m waiting for my brilliant friend’s answer!

Of course, that wasn’t because Baek Saheon thought Braun could actually speak. He probably asked because he thought I was a lunatic for talking to a little plushie.

‘I get it, you want some unconventional ideas.’

I deliberately stared at Baek Saheon before responding.

“How would a doll talk?”

“……”

“Think before you speak, yeah?”

Baek Saheon clenched his fist tightly.

“But throwing out ideas like this isn’t a bad thought.”

“……!”

“Ms. Goral, do you have any ideas?”

“Ah, umm…”

“As positively as possible. Let’s assume there’s definitely an exit nearby.”

“Then… a secret space, maybe?”

Go Yeongeun furrowed her brow.

“Like how attics are sometimes above the top floor, maybe there’s another space between the basement and the ground floors? A parking lot, perhaps…”

There’s no record of such a secret space in this exhibition hall. But it’s still a possibility.

After all, experiencing something firsthand is different from reading about it. Sometimes, even with prior knowledge, things don’t match up perfectly.

‘We didn’t know the window was actually a terrace door, after all.’

But… I felt the exit would be in a more obvious location.

‘Conceptually, it’s strange for an official pathway to be in a secret space.’

So, the exit likely exists in plain sight, but we’re failing to notice it due to biases, thought patterns, or cultural factors…

“……!”

Wait a moment.

“M-Mr. Roe Deer?”

I stood up abruptly.

Baek Saheon looked at me in surprise, and Go Yeongeun, unable to turn around due to the candle’s effect, glanced downward anxiously.

“Do you have enough stamina to go up and down the stairs a few more times?”

“What?”

“I-I think so.”

“Then let’s move.”

“Huh?”

I got to my feet.

“We need to climb to the top floor.”

“……??”

We returned to the stairs.

“We just need to climb, right?”

“Yes.”

I began climbing, but instead of just walking until the next floor appeared, I started counting.

One floor.

Two floors.

Three floors…

We kept climbing until the stairs simply stopped.

Huff…

Gasp…

I lifted my head.

“This is the top.”

We had reached the very top floor of this massive mansion.

On our way up, we encountered usher machines three times. Each time, Go Yeongeun asked the machines questions, but the answers were always the same.

By now, the two of them must have been wondering,

‘Why are we climbing when the machines say to go down?’

The answer lay here on this top floor.

“Ms. Goral. How many floors do you think we’ve climbed?”

“What? Well… huh?”

“……”

“Wait. If I counted correctly…”

“Six floors,” Baek Saheon said.

“This is the sixth floor, not the seventh!”

Exactly.

“But this mansion was supposed to have seven floors!”

– This historic mansion is composed of seven floors above ground… and 7,221 floors below ground.

This contradicted Braun’s explanation.

But Braun, being a ‘good friend’, wouldn’t lie.

So if everything is true…

“……”

I get it now.

“You. Did you intentionally lie about the seventh floor—”

Baek Saheon started, but I interrupted.

“Ms. Goral, do you know this?”

“Hey!”

There were many ghost stories like this—situations where what seemed logical and clear to one person becomes completely irrational for another due to cultural or environmental differences.

It’s a kind of ghost story that thrives on the unease created by these disparities.

Like when I once identified a clown painting because I understood the difference between a clown and a pierrot in that previous Darkness exploration.

“How floors are counted depends on cultural norms.”

“…Huh?”

“In countries like the U.S. or South Korea—and East Asian countries in general—floor numbering starts from the first floor.”

However…

“In other cultural contexts, it works differently.”

That explains why the stairs from the ground floor to the basement seemed unnaturally long.

It wasn’t just perception.

“They start counting from the ground floor, or ‘floor zero’.”

“……!”

The Ground Floor, as it’s often called.

“So this mansion does have seven floors above ground… from GF—or 0F—to 6F.”

I looked down the stairs.

“Now we just need to go back to 1F and ask how to find the way to 0F.”

And that’s exactly what we did.

– Please guide us to the path leading to 0F.

On the first floor—

Following the path led by the usher machine on 1F, we walked forward and, surprisingly, found a staircase of a completely different design on the opposite side of the main exhibition hall.

A massive, double-spiral staircase.

If we descended one of the spirals, we could, of course, end up in the basement exhibition hall, where the bronze glow transitions into brass—just like before.

But there was another option. We could stop midway and choose to open a massive door.

And so I opened that door.

Creak.

A grand, elegant space bathed in silver light unfolded before us.

It wasn’t an exhibition hall.

It was… the lobby.

“……!!”

A floor functioning purely as a lobby, without any exhibits, and therefore not connected to the usual staircases for exhibition halls—this was the elusive 0F.

We had finally entered this floor through its most proper passageway.

And right in front of us was a stained-glass-style glass door.

“…The main entrance.”

Though the light pouring through obscured the view of the outside, it was unmistakable.

We had found the exit at last.

“We’re saved!!”

“Haaa…”

Shouts of relief and deep sighs of exhaustion filled the lobby.

And then, cheers of joy.

“Mr. Roe Deer! Your deduction was right! It was right again! Wowww!! Let’s get out of here immediately!”

Truly. I wanted nothing more than to scream and run out in celebration.

But…

“I need to find my superiors and leave with them.”

“A-Ah!! Then… you’ll need the candle, won’t you?”

Go Yeongeun, eyeing the dwindling candle wax, quickly made a determined decision.

“…Let’s go together and get them quickly!”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Truly, thank you so much… Wandering this place alone while searching for my fellow rookies had already drained me completely.

Go Yeongeun’s choice was exactly what I expected of her character.

As for Baek Saheon, well…

His decision was no surprise either.

Without hesitation, he made a beeline for the door.

“Do as you like. I’m outta here!”

Sure, whatever.

I watched Baek Saheon with an unimpressed look.

‘I’d better observe what happens when someone uses the door—what effects it has, and how it reacts.’

But then, Baek Saheon hesitated.

“……”

“……”

And slowly stepped away from the entrance.

‘……?’

Why.

“I thought you were leaving?”

“…I’ll let someone else go first.”

Good grief.

‘It’d be easier for everyone if he just left.’

I gave him a slightly disappointed glance and turned my attention elsewhere.

– Hahaha… this is quite the amusing situation, Mr. Roe Deer!

I don’t find it amusing, but it’s comforting to know that someone does.

– So now you’re heading off to inform your remarkably ordinary superiors about the location of the exit?

Exactly.

‘Though remarkably ordinary aren’t exactly the words I’d use for them…’

How many times have I scoured this mansion by now? My legs were ready to give out, but I needed to move quickly.

– Wait a moment. Are your legs hurting, my friend?

– Oh, then it’s time for me to introduce my newest ability.

…Huh?

‘A new ability?’

– Yes! Thanks to the splendid bath you gifted me, my dear friend, I’ve rejuvenated myself. Allow me to demonstrate my strength…

– Now, take me out of your pocket.

His tone was oddly grandiose, yet carried a subtle air of gratitude.

I followed his instructions and pulled the stuffed doll from my pocket.

“Mr. Roe Deer?”

“Please wait a moment.”

– Precisely. You won’t need to wait long! A true performer is always prepared to impress… like this!

Snap!

A dull snapping sound echoed from the doll’s fingerless hands.

And then…

I felt something open within me, as if my chest and mouth had been ‘unlocked’.

A sense of resonance.

It was as though a vast space had formed within me.

[Ah.]

“……!!”

“Y-Your voice…”

I fell silent.

The vibration of my vocal cords reverberated throughout the entire lobby.

– Not bad.

– In my show, no guest needs to raise their voice. Every word will be comfortably and clearly heard by the audience and viewers.

That’s…

‘A mic?’

– Ah, what a wonderfully mainstream way to put it!

– Mr. Roe Deer, my dear friend, your words will now reach everyone clearly… as long as they’re in the same ‘studio’.

– In this case, the ‘same floor’, if you will!

Unbelievable.

He had actually become more capable.

– You flatter me.

I was amazed.

‘Though, unfortunately, this ability doesn’t seem very suitable for the current situation.’

– Pardon?

I only needed to call the superiors waiting in the terrace room. If everyone on this floor could hear me instead…

“……”

– Friend?

Wait.

Is that really a bad thing?

Chapter 47 - [Manor of the Blind], VIII

Supervisor Park Minseong suppressed a sigh as he sat down next to the sofa in the terrace room where he had been hiding.

‘This is taking too long.’

It had been over 70 minutes since Kim Soleum went downstairs with his fellow new hires.

Though Soleum had mentioned that this amount of time might be needed, he had also left a caveat about what to do if neither he nor the others returned within two hours…

– …Don’t bother waiting or looking for me.

In other words, if things went south, they should just leave him behind.

‘I should’ve just gone with him.’

Park Minseong stifled another sigh. Even though Daydream Inc. thrived on a survival-of-the-fittest philosophy, there were still some squads in the Field Exploration Team with strong camaraderie, and D-squad happened to be one of them.

Assistant Manager Eun Haje, too, was sitting on the sofa, visibly unsettled as she revised a makeshift map of this Darkness. Every now and then, she sighed deeply.

‘…I was hoping Roe would settle into our squad even after the rookie period ends.’

For now, though, making it out of here alive took priority.

Feeling slightly glum, Park Minseong still found some reassurance in one thing.

‘Squad Leader Lee Jaheon approved this, after all.’

That meant the item was likely as reliable as it seemed. Minseong had no idea where the rookie had managed to get it, but occasionally, there were such cases—people who joined the company after being repeatedly caught up in urban legends or ghost stories.

‘Is he a case like that?’

Perhaps it was more accurate to call it bad luck.

Even in the Field Exploration Team, it was rare for rookies to be deployed into dangerous Darknesses like this—maybe once a year, if that.

Thinking about Kim Soleum, who had gone from one high-risk mission—like the theme park—to another, almost brought tears to Minseong’s eyes.

‘At least he’s been earning points.’

Park Minseong suppressed another sigh and looked toward the terrace door.

There stood a figure, completely unbothered, in stark contrast to Minseong’s restless thoughts.

Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.

Without the slightest movement, he remained stationed right by the terrace door.

He was likely measuring the passage of time with an unnervingly precise internal clock.

Once the countdown ended, he would undoubtedly rise and act according to plan—without hesitation.

Minseong could only hope that the plan didn’t involve ‘excluding Kim Soleum from the escape attempt due to a lack of survival prospects’.

‘No, before that, I just hope Roe comes back…’

Outside, apart from the occasional scream, there was an unsettling quiet.

‘No footsteps yet.’

If Roe had finished his task, surely the sound of three sets of calm footsteps would be the first thing they heard…

[Can you hear me?]

“……?!”

Park Minseong leapt to his feet.

Next to him, Assistant Manager Eun Haje reflexively did the same.

[This is an announcement regarding the escape route.]

[There isn’t enough time to repeat myself, so please pay attention.]

It was the voice of the rookie who D-squad had been waiting for—Kim Soleum.

[The exit is at 0F.]

[Let me repeat: the exit is at 0F. You need to descend the stairs until the bronze glow transitions into brass…]

It was undoubtedly Roe’s voice.

Given how extraordinary this rookie had proven to be, it wasn’t even surprising if he had found a clever way to broadcast an announcement… but.

…What if it wasn’t him? What if something not human was merely imitating Kim Soleum?

“……”

The two members of D-squad exchanged a glance, silently leaving the final decision to the person best equipped to handle this.

Their squad leader, who had a reputation for unerring judgment in these situations.

“……”

Lee Jaheon stood by the terrace door, having clearly heard the announcement. He stared blankly into space as if deep in thought.

[You must use the spiral staircase.]

After a moment of contemplation, he made his decision.

“Move out.”

[That concludes the announcement.]

I finally finished repeating the message for the sixth time. From the first to the sixth floor.

‘That should cover all the surface levels.’

I’d debated whether to focus only on D-squad, stationed on the first floor, but Ms. Goral had been adamant.

– Y-You mean you can do that? Then we have to save as many people as we can!

It was such a statement befitting someone in the medical field.

Now, however, it was up to everyone’s individual judgment.

‘I deliberately avoided introducing myself or mentioning the company, but I did include a few terms familiar to the Field Exploration Team…’

Even so, there might be people too suspicious to act.

If they encountered an usher machine on the stairs by chance, there was nothing I could do about that either.

Still, losing a body part or two was still better than dying here as a human grub.

‘It also helps spread out the machines that might head toward D-squad.’

I cleared my throat.

“Ah, ah.”

Braun seemed to have retracted his energy, as the strange resonance in my throat and lungs faded away.

‘Thanks.’

– Gratitude is always music to my ears!

Braun sounded slightly tired but still cheerful.

Meanwhile, from the side, a voice filled with irritation broke the moment of appreciation.

“Why are you wasting points? The more people escape, the fewer points we get individually.”

Here we go again with this guy’s twisted logic.

And worse, it’s an ignorant statement.

“Are you stupid? Do you think there aren’t veteran employees who’ll find the exit on their own without our help, even if a rookie like you escapes?”

“……!”

There are employees who are so well-equipped with items and specialized gear or just naturally talented that they’ll escape without assistance.

Even according to the <Dark Exploration Records>, seven survivors escaping was already guaranteed, so the individual point distribution wouldn’t have been above one-eighth regardless of whether I did this or not.

In short, trying to cash in on points from this ghost story wasn’t worth it.

But instead of explaining all this, I simply smiled faintly.

“This is the kind of situation where making a good impression ensures work becomes more enjoyable later. Plus, I get to observe different reactions.”

“……”

Baek Saheon turned his head with an exasperated look.

‘Do you even have a conscience?’

If he were to reflect on his previous statement, he’d realize that I should be giving him that exact reaction. What a sociopath, in this twisted ghost story world.

Still, worried that Ms. Goral might have been unsettled, I called out to her.

“Ms. Goral.”

“……”

“Ms. Goral?”

“…Wait. Did you just call me?”

“……!”

No way.

“…I think… my hearing is starting to go, just a bit.”

“……”

I looked at one of her ears, hidden beneath her hair, where the opening was now absent. Instead, there was a neatly stitched, hollow space. Whatever device had been ‘rented’ to her as a hearing aid was starting to fail.

And in such a short time, too.

‘Of all moments…’

“But I can still hear, somewhat. And since there’s still plenty of the candle left, I think we can keep moving carefully.”

“Yes.”

To ensure clearer communication, I gently tapped Ms. Goral on the shoulder. She flinched slightly but then resolutely resumed her descent down the stairs.

Baek Saheon quickly spoke up.

“I should carry the candle. Hand it over to me.”

“And what happens if Ms. Goral accidentally turns around because of that?”

“……”

Baek Saheon fell silent.

We began descending the six flights of stairs, tense and alert.

Step, step.

Only the sound of our footsteps filled the stairwell.

It didn’t seem like anyone who had heard my broadcast had come out yet…

“Excuse me,” Ms. Goral called out.

“Yes.”

“……”

Could she not hear me?

“Excuse me, are you there?”

I softly tapped her back. Reluctantly, Baek Saheon also gave her shoulder a couple of light pats.

“Ah… Thank you.”

Ms. Goral, reassured, gripped the candle tightly with both hands and continued descending the stairs.

Step, step.

The silence stretched on, feeling almost eternal… until we finally reached the first floor.

Creeeak.

The sound of usher machines echoed from all around, moving along their paths. One of them passed right by us, dragging a dead, human husk along the ground.

“…We’ll head to the spiral staircase now.”

“Yes.”

Ms. Goral raised her voice. She probably couldn’t tell how loud she was speaking anymore due to her deteriorating hearing.

‘It’s fine. We’re almost there.’

To react quickly, I kept my ears sharp, walking cautiously but steadily.

It wasn’t the wrong approach.

But the problem with dangers like these is that they sometimes have nothing to do with how prepared you are.

For instance, you could be focused on listening for threats, only for an entirely unrelated obstacle to appear.

“Huh?”

I noticed that the person in front of me had disappeared from view.

Looking down, I saw Ms. Goral’s figure falling.

At her feet, something shiny was sliding across the ground.

A telescopic lens.

It had fallen off the corpse the usher machine was dragging—an invisible rental item rolling at just the wrong moment into her path…

Thud.

I reached out and caught Ms. Goral.

But as her arm hit the ground, the candle flew out of her grasp.

“No…!”

I reflexively caught the candle and threw it toward Baek Saheon.

But it was too late.

The candle went out.

“……”

…Gaaasp—

The usher machine turned to face us.

Whoosh.

A metallic blade flew toward us.

“Eek—”

I rolled to the side. A sharp gasp came from nearby.

The usher machine, having set down the corpse it was carrying, raised its gas lamp to illuminate us.

It must have confirmed that all of us were behind on our ‘payments’.

Reevaluating its ‘priorities’, the needle-like appendages mounted on the machine’s abdomen flew toward us once again.

Its target: the nearest eye.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

A familiar voice.

“Duck!”

Instinctively, I pushed the heads of my two teammates down and threw myself to the floor.

BANG.

A deafening metallic clash and a shower of sparks erupted above our heads.

“……!”

It was Section Chief Lee Jaheon.

The impossibly strong Field Exploration Team member had ruthlessly deflected the usher machine’s needle.

Ting—

The broken tip of the needle flew through the air and embedded itself in the corridor wall. The usher machine twisted its joints, emitting a strange grinding noise.

What madness.

‘That thing can break?’

Lee Jaheon withdrew his gloved hand. Judging by the force involved, it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had fractured something himself.

Clutched in his hand, like a set of brass knuckles, was something metallic…

The terrace doorknob.

“……!”

An alarm blared in my mind. That item…

‘Exhibition property damage.’

All disruptions, theft, or property damage occurring within the exhibition hall are subject to immediate action by ushers, with corresponding fines collected.

He even broke an usher machine.

Even if the exhibition treated this as a civil issue and only demanded an apology and compensation fees instead of invoking criminal charges…

One thing was certain.

The usher machines would now treat this as their top-priority.

And it wasn’t just the one machine in front of us. All the usher machines in this zone would react the same way…

“Squad Leader.”

“Yes.”

“Run.”

I bolted.

Grrriiiik, grrrrk, jijijik— bzzzzzt, grrk— SCREEEECH!

The sound of the damaged usher machine moving more aggressively than ever filled the air.

Beside me, I could hear my squadmates running like mad. As for the Chief Lizard… wait, hold on!

“Squad Leader!!”

“Yes.”

“Stop fighting and just run!”

‘No matter how ridiculously strong you are, there’s no way you can destroy every usher machine here!’

Just imagining the chaos spreading further was overwhelming.

‘Even the Dark Exploration Records had those sections censored!’

I didn’t even want to consider how such events might manifest in real life.

Screeeeeech!

‘Fuuuck!’

We ran straight into another usher machine blocking the path to the staircase.

No, two more!

“Uuurgh!”

I threw myself through the descending needles, feeling a sharp pain shoot through my arm.

Even as I ran, my instincts screamed the truth.

‘I’m going to get caught.’

With human limitations, it was impossible to avoid this. We would be captured and fined before reaching 0F.

A cold chill ran down my back.

‘…Is there anything I can do?’

My breath was ragged. Oxygen-deprived, my thoughts became sluggish, giving way to resignation.

‘Maybe I’ve lasted long enough…’

My dulled senses split the surrounding sounds into layers. The echo of footsteps rumbled in my ears, as if dozens of people were running.

No, wait!

“……?!”

It hit me.

It wasn’t just that the footsteps sounded like many.

There actually were more people now.

Instead of two, there were at least ten or more sets of footsteps.

– Mr. Roe Deer, these must be the folks who took advantage of your excellent broadcast to seize the opportunity!

“……!”

They were Field Exploration Team members.

Spectators who had been watching the situation unfold now seemed to be using the chaos as cover to approach the spiral staircase.

This unexpected development had an unintended effect.

The usher machines became confused, recalculating priorities based on the importance of tasks and proximity to the various individuals.

Everywhere, unpaid participants were breaking into sprints, distracting the machines.

“Hurry up!”

Taking advantage of the brief window, we clenched our teeth and launched ourselves toward the staircase.

Screeeeeeeeeech—

We ran like mad.

The unsettling sounds of the machines grew closer behind us.

The staircase ended, and a silvery hall spread out before us.

The lobby.

And… the front door!

“Go!”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje and Supervisor Park Minseong were holding the doors open.

We sprinted with everything we had.

As I stepped onto the threshold of the main entrance, my superiors dove through the exit.

I followed, nearly collapsing through the doorway.

Breathless, I ran until the glowing doorway of light enveloped me.

“Huu!!”

When I opened my eyes, I saw a clean ceiling lined with fluorescent lights.

A modern hallway of moderate width.

The corridor on the 31st floor of the company, just outside the meeting room.

We’d escaped.

“Hah……”

I collapsed onto the floor.

I could hear the sound of people rushing out from the conference room, but I had no mental energy or strength left to care.

Every ounce of strength had been wrung from my body as I drifted into a dazed state…

An alarm rang out.

[Dark Exploration Records Real Merch Box]

– New merch unlocked!

Chapter 48 - Promotion

The meeting room was in chaos.

“Seventeen people have reportedly returned alive!”

“Seventeen…?! Are you sure about that number? Could it be a counting error?”

“Yes. Oh! The count just went up to 20.”

Members of the Field Exploration Team, deployed earlier in the day into a high-risk Darkness, had suddenly returned in droves.

This unexpected turn of events completely paralyzed any immediate response.

“They said all the case studies were done and that they’d escape in small, sequential groups. What on earth is this?”

The room was filled with a cacophony of voices—speculations about whether the returning employees were really the ones who had entered, calls for lab testing to confirm their identities, and other theories about what might have gone wrong with their predictions.

But as the initial shock faded, a subtle thought began to form in the minds of some… The thrilling possibility of success.

Could this result be a remarkable breakthrough?

For a few of the key players who had backed this endeavor, similar thoughts emerged.

‘If this survival rate is real…!’

It would mean their bold and calculated investment had paid off. The unexpectedly high success rate was so surprising that it left them momentarily dazed.

‘Should we start shaping public opinion about this achievement?’

‘Wait, I should highlight my contributions while this is fresh.’

However, all the confusion, excitement, and self-congratulations were abruptly extinguished by one critical piece of news.

“It’s B-Class.”

“…Huh.”

The first survivor’s Dream Essence Collector had been evaluated, and the liquid inside was rated B-Class.

In other words, the dream of a ‘high-survival-rate A-Class’ Darkness had vanished.

The atmosphere in the meeting room deflated in an instant, sinking into disappointment.

“Ha… Of course, it’s too good to be true.”

“Wasn’t this jinxed the moment people started hyping it as A-Class?”

“Still, hey, isn’t a B-Class Darkness with this kind of survival rate pretty rare? What do you think, Section Chief Kwak?”

Kwak Jaekang, a researcher hurriedly called in, gave a faint smile.

“Indeed~ It’s an impressive result.”

No, it wasn’t just impressive—it was staggering!

Did these people even understand the survival rates associated with each grade?

They didn’t seem to grasp how extraordinary this situation was. That’s why none of them were foaming at the mouth, eager to analyze the exploration data right away.

‘Wow~ incredible.’

Seeing them exchange platitudes and self-consoling remarks like, ‘We just had bad luck,’ or ‘Our judgment was still correct,’ amused Kwak Jaekang.

Did they really think this was a situation that warranted consolation?

‘Do these people have any sense of reality at all?’

The average civilian survival rate for B-Class Darknesses was below 2%.

Deploying a large number of employees into such a situation without proper manuals or preparation had been a reckless gamble. And now, instead of marveling at the mind-boggling results, they were busy oscillating between disappointment and self-praise.

This, despite the fact that the ‘expert consultation’ they relied on had been nothing more than hastily adopted advice from a single research manager who catered to their biases.

The reason for this recklessness was obvious.

‘Because they wanted to do it!’

While Kwak Jaekang was personally thrilled at the prospect of analyzing such fascinating results, he found it astonishing that the company managed to function at all with higher-ups like these in its development division.

Kwak felt a twinge of regret. The longer this company survived, the more opportunities he’d have to study these captivating paranormal phenomena.

But the way the so-called ‘Innovation Development Strategy Office’ operated posed a clear risk to the company’s future.

Sure, family-owned companies often lacked structure, but this was a mess.

‘I’d heard rumors… but could it really be that everyone close to the owner is like this?’

Of course, not everyone in the room was like that.

Kwak Jaekang’s eyes darted briefly to someone seated a bit apart from the rest.

This individual hadn’t been present at the last meeting.

‘That’s one of Director Ho’s people.’

That person had shown up under the pretext of having a passing interest in this agenda item and asked to join briefly.

Even though the Development Department’s higher-ups were known to meddle in the Field Exploration Team’s affairs, this was still unusual.

What stood out even more was how openly the individual was receiving updates about the situation via remote communication with their team.

“Apparently, one employee played a major role in the large-scale escape.”

“Pardon??”

The air in the room shifted, not toward eagerness but to apprehension and tension.

But the next statement left everyone in shock.

“It was a new hire.”

“……!”

“He reportedly broadcasted the escape method to all the employees. We need to investigate the details of how he managed it.”

“……”

“Some people are already asking questions about it.”

It was Director Ho.

The Strategy Office’s people exchanged glances, muttering half-heartedly.

“Ah, yes. We’ll transmit the detailed exploration report as soon as it’s available.”

“That’s right. Usually, after field exploration, people are so out of it they babble nonsense for a while.”

“Still, they wouldn’t just make up something out of thin air, would they?”

“Well…”

“Which brings us to the matter at hand.”

The representative from Director Ho’s side interrupted the conversation.

“They’re curious about what decision the ‘Innovation Development Strategy Division’ will make.”

“……”

“Regarding the employee’s reward, that is.”

“Congratulations, Supervisor Kim.”

“…What?”

I almost choked on my iced americano while lying on a cot in the medical bay.

After hearing the heartwarming words, ‘Our maknae, you worked hard, so just rest,’ I had undergone a basic physical examination and had been dozing off for hours.

I thought I’d only hear more about this exploration when I came to work tomorrow.

Supervisor…?

“Oh, you heard me right. Supervisor Kim.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje grinned.

“You’re getting promoted. Fastest record in the history of the company’s Field Exploration Team!”

“……!!”

“Honestly, I knew this would happen. Guess our Roe won’t need to speak formally to me anymore.”

“Hey, if we wait until you’re employed for six months here, you and I’ll be able to talk on equal terms too, huh?”

What is this? This isn’t some mom-and-pop store—how is someone getting promoted to Assistant Manager after just a couple of months?

‘This has to be an internal rumor, right?’

I tried asking politely, but the answer was firm.

“No, you absolutely deserve it. Do you know how many employees you saved this time?”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje crossed her arms.

“Twenty-six people, including yourself.”

“……!”

“Roe, of those, seventeen escaped directly after hearing your broadcast!”

“When you count the ones who came out late after confirming others were escaping, it’s safe to say you saved them all.”

She added that even some civilian participants had made it out.

“Do you realize how rare a record like this is? It’s something that might happen once every few years. Honestly, a promotion doesn’t feel enough.”

“Exactly. Let’s dig into this after the squad leader comes back from the meeting tomorrow. They’re bound to give you something extra.”

Their excitement on my behalf was heartwarming, but I was still in shock.

A promotion?

…A promotion at a major corporation after just 60 days of work?

My modern heart raced with unease.

“Brace yourself. Special promotions are announced quickly.”

And indeed, it was true.

The very next day, I saw the promotion notice on the company intranet.

[Special Promotion Announcement]

Sure enough, the name ‘Kim Soleum’ was listed there.

“……”

Buuuuuzzzzz.

My phone vibrated incessantly. Apparently, congratulatory messages were pouring in.

Wait a second.

‘This feels like they’re handling this quickly to minimize internal resistance.’

The Field Exploration Team is still made up of humans. Naturally, if you save someone’s life, they feel a sense of gratitude or emotional impact.

In that sense, the 35 people I’d helped would likely feel at least some level of appreciation toward me, which would reduce opposition to the promotion.

It was clear from the timing of the announcement that they wanted to capitalize on that goodwill.

No, but why…? Why were they pushing my promotion so aggressively?

‘H-How much more do they plan to wring out of me?’

Wasn’t it enough that I was already dealing with newly registered ghost stories without manuals?

As the thought of increasingly harrowing assignments loomed over me, I reached out to an elite senior from another squad.

[Are you stupid? Not getting promoted would’ve been stranger.]

“……??”

[Even the manual revision officer came looking for you after hearing about your performance. With results like that, of course you’d attract attention from higher-ups.]

Jin Nasol, A-squad’s assistant manager, clicked her tongue.

[If only we’d grabbed you when we had an opening in our squad. Ugh, what a waste.]

“……”

[Anyway, congratulations. It was bound to happen.]

“…Thank you, I guess.”

I hung up, feeling strangely hollow, and leaned back in my office chair, trying to process everything.

Right.

No point in denying it—I had reached this stage.

‘Am I… an elite employee?’

A notable figure destined to be listed in the <Dark Exploration Records>?

The kind of character that certain hardcore creators of the lore might want to kill off just to maintain the gritty atmosphere of the universe… but who ends up sticking around because of growing popularity on video platforms like WeTube?

Maybe.

Is this what people call a ‘Mary Sue’ character…

‘How did it come to this?’

Then again, maybe it was inevitable.

To be honest, having read through the entire <Dark Exploration Records> was basically a cheat!

‘I did my best to keep it subtle, given the life-or-death circumstances.’

But here’s the real kicker…

‘What happens if they figure out I’m actually a coward?’

Hoping this would just end with a reassignment to the Round-Off Team was overly optimistic. There was no telling how far the repercussions might spread.

If someone started asking, ‘How did someone so cowardly get such good results?’ then what’s next for me were…

‘Interrogations and experiments…?’

I could already picture a future where I’d be dragged off to the Research Team the moment they discovered I was from a parallel dimension.

Cold sweat trickled down my forehead.

N-No. That can never happen.

I stood up, grabbed some coffee, and took a lap around the break room.

The caffeine cleared my head a little.

Right.

‘If I can’t avoid it, I just need to maximize my survival rate in this place.’

If I was already under scrutiny, the best way to avoid unnecessary attention might be to keep delivering performances that justified it.

‘I need to make them believe I’m naturally this competent and exceptional.’

It’s not like there aren’t employees like that. Take Squad Leader Lizard or Assistant Manager Butterfly Mask, for example. They’re categorized as standouts, and that’s it.

Even if it meant a higher probability of being assigned to more dangerous ghost stories… Well, maybe it wasn’t all bad.

If I was treated as high-value personnel, I might be sent to fewer outright lethal missions.

‘And I could rack up points faster too.’

The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a reasonable strategy to escape this world quickly.

But to achieve that, there was a critical first step.

‘I need to do some serious work on my character build…’

I had to come across as a ‘competent and exceptional unit’ naturally enough to avoid suspicion.

Like when I’d acted like a lunatic in front of Baek Saheon—walking the line carefully.

And for that…

‘…I need more cards to play into this character.’

“……”

I looked up.

Hovering above me was something that had been there ever since escaping the exhibition hall.

[Dark Exploration Records Real Merch Box]

– New merch unlocked! (!)

It was one of the merch I’d purchased at the pop-up store. I’d been putting off opening it, waiting until I felt rested and my judgment was clear.

It was time.

I had no idea what requirement I had fulfilled in the exhibition to unlock it, but I reached for the glowing black notepad and lightly touched it, stretching as I did.

Click.

A clear sound accompanied the small, lightweight object, still in its plastic packaging, as it fell into my hand.

“……”

Shining silver, it was shaped like a small shield with the word ‘CHARGE’ embossed in elegant calligraphy.

It’s…

A badge.

‘Ah.’

I understood immediately.

The condition I’d fulfilled was… ‘good deeds’.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau / Items

Silver Heart

The wearer earns the reverence of others proportional to their cumulative altruistic actions.

Strongly influenced by the creator’s belief that ‘it is socially most efficient for altruistic individuals to gain power’.

Item Usage Qualification(s) : Must have saved 12 or more lives in a supernatural disaster.

----------------------------------------

This so-called ‘badge of character’.

It was an item produced and distributed by the Disaster Management Bureau.

It had exploded in popularity after a legendary performance in the exploration records of a sealed ghost story involving a train explosion.

Its unique properties were part of what made it stand out.

As the description suggests, it was an item exclusively for good people. It allowed altruists to wield influence within a group.

‘The fact that I now qualify for this is… overwhelming.’

It felt like too much responsibility.

While this item was generally used in heartwarming ways, there was that one time it led to a catastrophic disaster of utterly insane proportions.

‘That’s how it always goes with creepypasta universes.’

Whenever enough goodwill accumulates, something horrifying inevitably slips in to raise the stakes.

In the past, there were records of this badge being distributed to exceptionally kind civilians, but over time, it became strictly regulated and only loaned to government employees under tight rules.

I remember watching the wiki updates happen in real time.

What does this mean?

It means that at this point, no one would ever predict a Daydream Inc. employee using the ‘Silver Heart’.

‘Which is why I can actually use it.’

I’m not sure how many more good deeds I’ll manage with everything I’ve got on my plate, but at least I should benefit from the badge’s base effect, right?

If it gives my colleagues the impression of, ‘This person’s pretty remarkable,’ it’ll make it much easier to come across as a capable employee.

‘Alright. Let’s make good use of this.’

Apparently, the universe doesn’t just want me dead.

I carefully tucked the Silver Heart badge into my pocket and left the break room with a lighter heart.

As soon as I stepped out, I was greeted with news of additional rewards for the recent exploration.

“Roe! It’s not officially announced yet, but they’re giving you a bonus reward too!”

“……!”

“Man, it’s a shame you’re surprised about something you so obviously deserve…”

“Exactly! Do they think B-Class zones are playgrounds for kids? People step in there and die instantly. What do they think this is, a joke?”

Uh, thanks, I guess?

“But the bonus reward’s pretty decent, so that’s something.”

‘Pretty decent’?

That’s high praise coming from Assistant Manager Eun.

Judging by the hint of admiration on her face, it must be something special.

“…What is it?”

“A regeneration potion.”

“……!!”

“Don’t just stand there. I bet the name alone doesn’t mean much to you, huh?”

It absolutely did.

It’s too famous for anyone not to know it.

This wasn’t just some standard health potion you’d get from the medical bay.

– One of <Daydream Inc.>‘s signature products. A magic potion.

The miracle cure.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Daydream Inc. / Items

Regeneration Potion

A magical potion that regenerates all physical injuries.

The higher the grade, the more powerful it is. With a deep green hue.

----------------------------------------

“Simply put, it can regrow body parts. And this one’s C-grade. Even if you lose a limb, it’ll regenerate just fine.”

“……!”

“Not even the exclusive equipment for section chiefs has this kind of ability. This is a company specialty. Its point value? About 10,000.”

Assistant Manager Eun grinned and gave me a pat on the back.

“You’ll find it handy someday. Our line of work is dangerous, after all. Isn’t it great to know you can get your arms, legs, eyes, or nose back if you lose them?”

Honestly, ma’am, you didn’t have to put it quite like that…

“And one more thing—it might be disappointing, or it might be good news. Wanna hear?”

“Yes?”

“You’re not the only one getting it.”

“Soleum-ssi!”

“Hello.”

I waved to Go Yeongeun, who had called out to me. Baek Saheon was sitting next to her.

The company had gathered the three of us for a photo op as part of the bonus reward ceremony. It was the first time I’d seen them since the escape.

You’d think Baek Saheon and I would see each other all the time, being roommates, right? But lately, he’s been holed up in his room.

Thanks to that, I’ve been enjoying the living room TV with Braun in peace.

“Have you been resting well? Are you feeling alright?”

“I’m fine. How about you, Go Yeongeun-ssi…”

As I spoke, I realized something.

Go Yeongeun was focusing intently on my lips, trying to read them as I spoke.

“My hearing… hasn’t returned yet.”

“……”

As expected.

At least the rental auditory device she’d been using automatically deactivated upon leaving the exhibition, so there was no worry about exhibition staff chasing after her.

And in her hands was the bonus reward the company had just given her.

When she opened the ornate box, adorned with gold embossing and mural-like decorations, it revealed a beautifully wax-sealed glass bottle.

Inside the glass, the light green liquid shimmered like new spring leaves.

: Daydream Potion :

Regeneration

C (excellent)

It was a C-grade regeneration potion.

Go Yeongeun held the glass bottle aloft, her eyes filled with a mix of hope, uncertainty, and anticipation.

“Well then, I’ll go ahead and try it right now.”

“Please do.”

Go Yeongeun opened the Regeneration Potion and downed it in one go.

Chapter 49 - Regeneration Potion

The green magical potion slipped into Go Yeongeun’s mouth.

Gulp. Gulp.

When the liquid was gone, and the glass bottle was completely empty—

“……!”

Go Yeongeun lowered the bottle.

Eyes wide open, she brought both hands to her ears…

And, trembling within her palms,

As if new flesh was sprouting over an injury, round lumps of flesh began growing where her ears had been torn away.

In an instant, they started taking shape.

The helix, tragus, and earlobes all formed distinct structures around the cartilage, and then…

They became whole again.

“……”

“W-Wow…!!”

Goodness.

“Go Yeongeun-ssi?”

“Yes!! Oh! I can hear! I can actually hear…!”

Go Yeongeun exclaimed in disbelief as she touched her newly grown ears, then opened her smartphone’s camera app to inspect them.

As expected, they looked identical to her original ears.

“Does it hurt or feel uncomfortable?”

“Not at all! It just itched for a moment, but then it was fine… Actually, it feels like my hearing is even better than before!”

It was truly a wonderful thing.

Really, it was astonishing and awe-inspiring, something to be deeply grateful for, but…

‘…This could lead to more reckless decisions.’

In this company, if a high-grade Darkness was confirmed to involve unavoidable severe physical injuries, low-Class regeneration potions were sometimes issued as standard equipment.

And once people get used to that?

Employees would gradually begin to feel indifferent about losing parts of their bodies.

It’s hard the first time, but after the second, it gets easier.

‘Is that really a good thing?’

I glanced to the side with a strange feeling.

Baek Saheon was staring somberly into the ornate box containing his regeneration potion…

With one eye.

“…Pardon, Baek Saheon-ssi.”

“……”

Go Yeongeun hesitated before speaking cautiously.

“Losing vision in one eye has a bigger impact than you’d think. Depth perception, field of view, even balance are affected. It might be better to use it and regenerate your eye, even if it feels wasteful.”

“Mind your own business.”

Go Yeongeun almost showed a ‘What’s with this guy?’ expression but chose to let it go, perhaps reassured by the return of her ears.

After some hesitation, I added,

“Given the risks of our work, there’s always the chance of more injuries later. Saving it for emergencies isn’t a bad idea either.”

“Oh… That’s true.”

“……!”

Baek Saheon suddenly trembled slightly as he stared intently at the box.

‘Hey.’

Why did he suddenly look like he was debating, ‘Should I just use it now?’ after I backed him up?

Anyway, I ignored him and carefully stashed my own box.

My heart beat a little faster.

It was my first time seeing such a famous, powerful, and non-threatening symbolic item in person.

The symbol of Daydream Inc.

The magical potion.

‘I better keep this safe.’

At that moment—

“Excuse me, Soleum-ssi.”

“Yes?”

“I meant to say this earlier, but I wanted to formally thank you.”

Go Yeongeun looked at me and bowed slightly.

“Truly, truly… Thank you.”

Huh?

“For fighting that machine alone to let us escape.”

“…Go Yeongeun-ssi, you weren’t in immediate danger back then.”

Her ears had already been taken, so there was no more fee to pay. Honestly, the only person I really saved was Baek Saheon.

‘And that ungrateful punk hasn’t even said a single word of gratitude…’

What a piece of work, this punk.

However, Go Yeongeun firmly shook her head.

“No. You came back to save us afterward, didn’t you? Even lying that the candle was ours to protect us.”

“……”

“No matter how I think about it, you didn’t need to do that. You could’ve just stayed with the D-squad.”

“Um.”

Yeah, but actually…

‘If I gave the candle to those guys with nerves of steel instead?’

What? Was the situation secure now? Okay, then let’s test this and test that, put it through the manual revision process, and farm some points.

Just imagining the chaos they would cause made me feel like I’d collapse from a heart attack.

I didn’t wander around that insane exhibition to find the two of you for no reason.

There was something even scarier behind me that drove me to act…!

‘And… if I can save someone, it’s right to do so.’

I simply did what I could.

So I just shook my head.

“That’s something anyone would’ve done.”

“Are you serious? It doesn’t seem that way…”

“If anything, considering your contributions, both of you deserve promotions as well. I feel a bit guilty being the only one promoted.”

Go Yeongeun frowned.

“N-No. I… I don’t really want to be promoted just yet.”

“……”

“Oh but, um, Soleum-ssi, you’d do a great job, though!”

Suddenly, I felt like I might cry…

“But, why do you think we should be promoted? You do remember that all the items at the exhibition came out of your pockets… right?”

Go Yeongeun looked at me with an expression that seemed somewhat pitying.

“Um. In a corporate environment, if you seem too nice, people might take you lightly, so maybe you don’t always have to be so kind to others…”

Yes?

It really felt like she was overestimating me thanks to the ‘savior effect’. But remembering the Silver Heart badge, I simply lowered my head.

Be kind!

“…Thank you for the advice.”

Baek Saheon, looking utterly incredulous, alternated his gaze between me and Go Yeongeun before clamping his mouth shut.

Then, without a word, he stood up and left.

Well, let’s just leave him be.

I exchanged polite goodbyes with Go Yeongeun and turned around, deep in thought.

‘When should I start wearing the Silver Heart badge?’

Should I only use it during missions?

As I rolled the badge around in my pocket with my fingers, planning things out, a now-familiar silhouette appeared at the end of the hallway…

A white lizard head.

“Squad Leader.”

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

It seemed the squad leader had been talking with the team leader while I was receiving my award.

By now, even those vertical pupils were starting to feel somewhat familiar.

‘Is this the savior effect too?’

I momentarily recalled the lizard’s brutal knuckle strikes that had split the usher machine’s needle in two and fell silent.

Then, the lizard’s vertical pupils shifted toward the empty regeneration potion bottle and its box.

“Did you use it?”

“Pardon? Oh. It wasn’t mine. My colleague here… Go Yeongeun-ssi used it.”

“Hello, sir! It’s nice to meet you! I’m Go Yeongeun!”

Go Yeongeun bowed her head politely to the unfamiliar lizard—or rather, the squad leader from another team.

The lizard regarded her with unblinking eyes.

“I have a question.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Are you the owner of the escape item?”

“…Pardon?”

“Three days ago, in the B-Class Darkness with the exhibition format, did you possess the cognitive interference item shaped like a candle?”

Oh.

“Ah… um. Something like that…”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Go Yeongeun glanced at me, quickly grasping the situation, and trailed off her sentence. But she didn’t outright deny it, showing some situational awareness.

Still, she probably felt it was time to make a swift exit.

“Well then, I’ll be going now.”

With that polite farewell, she quietly slipped away in the opposite direction down the hallway.

‘Good judgment…’

Relieved, I took a water bottle out of my bag and drank a sip…

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“Yes?”

“Refrain from repeated lies.”

I nearly spit the water out through my nose.

“The more you repeat them, the less effective they become.”

“……”

When did he catch on?

For now, I just lowered my head immediately.

“I apologize.”

“Yes.”

“I thought it would be difficult to persuade anyone to use valuable escape time unless it seemed like my colleague had an escape item.”

“Yes.”

Though his responses were curt, it wasn’t as though he was angry…

‘His voice is calm.’

‘This is just how he is, huh? Not a human, but a lizard.’

I cautiously glanced up.

To my surprise, the lizard was… slightly smiling!

“All humans lie.”

“……”

“What matters is the intent and the outcome of the act.”

It sounded almost philosophical.

‘…Does this mean my lie was fine because my intentions were good and the results turned out well?’

“……”

Oh, whatever.

“I’ll be more careful next time.”

“Yes.”

And with that, the conversation ended.

Squad Leader Lizard returned to his usual emotionless, reptilian demeanor with vertical pupils.

‘I already thought his personality felt somewhat removed from ordinary people…’

Now I felt it even more deeply—though not in a bad way.

I picked up the regeneration potion box I’d received as a reward from the chair.

– Friend, is your work all finished?

Right then, Braun spoke from my pocket.

At work, we’d agreed to avoid idle chatter to keep anyone from realizing I carried a ‘good friend’, but…

Since the timing was right, I figured I’d ask.

I discreetly let the plush doll peek out of my pocket.

‘Braun. The employee standing next to me right now.’

– Ah, you mean your tall supervisor, the handsome one, right?

‘Yeah. What does he look like to you?’

– Hooh.

A short pause, as if inspecting closely.

– Eyes, nose, mouth, and hearing organs all perfectly intact!

‘…As a lizard?’

– Lizard? Haha, Mr. Roe Deer, you’re quite cheeky! Who are you trying to tease? Calling someone a lizard, really!’

“……”

Even Braun doesn’t see him as a lizard?

Could it be… I’m the only one who sees him as one?

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“Yes, Squad Leader.”

I resolved once again: never utter the ‘lizard’ part of ‘Chief Lizard’ out loud.

“Let’s go.”

Squad Leader Lee Jaheon began walking toward the elevator.

Feigning composure, I followed him and asked,

“Should I return to the office?”

“No.”

Hm?

“…Then, where are we going?”

“We’re heading to a restricted area accessible only to supervisors and above.”

“……!”

“I’ll explain how to use it.”

It’s here.

In this company, the higher an employee’s rank, the more privileges they gain. These privileges include benefits, capabilities, and even access to specific locations.

“Now that you’ve been promoted to supervisor, Kim Soleum-ssi, you are authorized to use three additional facilities.”

Standing in front of an annex, I accepted a folder of documents from Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.

1- Security Team Rentals Warehouse

2- Annex (two free equipment customizations per year)

3- Fox Counseling Office

“From now on, you can withdraw equipment from the Security Team Rentals Warehouse.”

“……”

“You can also customize exclusive equipment in the annex using Twilight-Class Darkness without having to be escorted by a superior, and, if necessary, register for sessions at the Fox Counseling Office.”

I was already aware of these benefits.

And I also recognized some of the newly unlocked spaces from the <Dark Exploration Records>.

A mix of satisfaction and thrill washed over me.

And anticipation.

‘There are more ways to survive in this insane world now…!’

But everything comes with its drawbacks.

Better treatment implies greater expectations from employees.

And in this company…

‘Danger.’

In a corporation that deals with ghost stories, areas accessible only to high-ranking staff often imply risks that civilians cannot handle.

Just like this.

“Additionally, supervisors in the Field Exploration Team are assigned one specific Darkness to manage.”

“……”

Exactly.

Aside from my squad responsibilities, I now had to directly manage a ghost story myself!

“Although management is generally done collectively by a squad, the primary responsibility falls on the individual employee.”

Delegating responsibility to field workers.

How very corporate. It’s like getting a taste of familiar 21st-century workplace dynamics…

According to Squad Leader Lee Jaheon, the longer your tenure and the higher your rank, the more Darkness you are assigned, and the more dangerous it becomes.

Fortunately, I was still a rookie.

“Since you’ve been promoted to supervisor in under a year of service, you’ll be assigned an F-Class Darkness.”

Huuu.

“Manage it according to the schedule, and register any anomalies in the inspection report.”

“Yes, sir.”

It wasn’t a situation where complaining would help, so instead of wasting energy whining, I decided to conserve my strength and pray for something meaningful.

‘Please! Please assign me a normal low-grade Darkness!’

If it turns into some quiz show horror scenario, I might as well quit and start preparing for the Disaster Management Bureau exam!

Then, I heard something surprising.

“I get to choose?”

“Yes.”

Squad Leader Lee Jaheon said he would present a few candidates, and I could pick from them.

“Is that how it usually works?”

“No.”

The lizard stared at me intently.

“It’s my discretion.”

……?!

So, he was using his authority to give me some flexibility in choosing…?

This lizard?

“Thank you so much for your consideration. But… may I ask why you’re doing this for me?”

“It’s a reward.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s a reward for finding the correct escape route in a B-Class ghost story and guiding D-squad to return unharmed.”

“…But Squad Leader, you also saved my life from the usher machine.”

“That’s a matter of responsibility.”

The lizard spoke matter-of-factly.

“A squad leader is obligated to protect their squad members to the best of their ability.”

“……”

Wow. A genuinely good boss… right.

‘I was almost moved.’

If I were a fresh graduate just starting out, I might have postponed my resignation plans for at least a month.

No wonder Assistant Manager Eun Haje and Supervisor Park Minseong always try to speak well of our squad leader, even when they seem exasperated.

Even I felt a vague sense of wanting to do my best under this leadership.

“…Still, thank you.”

“Yes.”

After bowing my head slightly, I followed the lizard to the isolation chamber for the F-Class Darkness.

It wasn’t a scenario I had anticipated, but it was shaping up to be a very favorable one.

‘If I handle this well, it might even turn out to be a win.’

The <Dark Exploration Records> was an opensource wiki.

What did that mean? It meant that since various creators contributed while adhering to the rules, the grading criteria for Darkness could vary slightly depending on the source.

‘Even within the F-Class category, there can be items with incredible potential.’

As long as you know the correct way to handle them, that is.

And through the <Dark Exploration Records>, I already knew how to handle these.

If the Darkness in front of me was one of those documented in the records…

“These are the three F-Class Darknesses.”

I looked up.

Before me were three objects:

An old teddy bear.

Two black cards.

A model airplane.

“……!”

‘I know all three.’

Jackpot.

– Ah, what a shabby and unsightly doll.

Braun muttered in a tone that hinted at some displeasure. Was the influence of the ‘good friend’ causing him to be wary of the doll?

– Well, the time has come to make your choice, Mr. Roe Deer!

I hesitated briefly, considering my options. Then, I reached out my hand.

“Sir, I will take responsibility for this Darkness.”

Chapter 50 - [The Dilemma]

“Ah, Roe’s back!”

“Yeah. Did you get your regeneration potion safely?”

“Yes.”

As I returned to the office, I greeted my superiors who had already finished their lunch and were lounging around.

However, their expressions stiffened as they noticed the translucent, reinforced plastic box in my hands.

They immediately sat up straight.

“……!”

“Wait, is that your assigned Darkness, Roe?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

I lifted the transport box to show its contents.

Inside, two black cards clicked softly.

It was the F-Class Darkness I had chosen.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[The Dilemma]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-F-2073

Two plain black cards, 60mm wide and 110mm tall.

When the owner flips these cards at midnight, images appear on the front. These images are randomly chosen themes from the Major Arcanas of Tarot.

Events depicted on the cards will come true in the future.

----------------------------------------

Although it was a low-grade Darkness, small and portable enough to be managed by a single employee…

It was, in fact, the most dangerous and unpredictable of the three options I had been given.

Because it dealt with the future.

My superiors, recognizing this, wore grave expressions.

“That’s a bit harsh for a rookie.”

“Exactly! Don’t they usually assign something easier? When I was a rookie, I got a radio. You saw it on your first day too, didn’t you, Roe? That one ended up being downgraded to Twilight-Class, even.”

Ah, that radio.

So it was managed by Supervisor Park, huh.

No wonder it was left so openly in the office.

Supervisor Park spoke with some concern.

“Maybe they have high expectations because you’re doing so well, Roe… Oh, Squad Leader!”

Chief Lizard, who had just entered the office, turned his head at the sound of his name.

“You mentioned letting Roe choose his Darkness directly—when was that supposed to happen? Has it already happened?”

“Twenty minutes ago.”

“……?”

“……??”

“It was chosen twenty minutes ago.”

My superiors turned to me.

“Roe.”

“Yes?”

“You picked that from the options the Squad Leader gave you?”

“Yes.”

I nodded without expression.

“They’re offering overtime pay.”

“……”

“……”

“This Darkness requires regular nighttime management, you see.”

My two superiors exchanged wistful looks.

“Ah… I see.”

“Hmm, that’s so you, Roe.”

And just like that, they regained their calm.

“……”

Where is my reputation even headed?

Should I be happy that my character profile is developing so successfully?

Sniffle.

Holding back tears, I turned on my computer.

“Are you registering it now?”

“Yes, I’m entering my employee ID.”

On the intranet, I navigated to the ‘Unassigned Darkness List’, found the code for my Darkness, and registered it under my account.

Done.

Qterw-F-2073 : Kim Soleum (Supervisor)

And with that, I officially had my own assigned Darkness.

“Even if it’s F-Class, it’s still a supernatural phenomenon. Be careful when managing it.”

“Yes.”

I read through the management instructions for the Darkness.

It was exactly what I already knew about this ghost story.

[Flip the cards at midnight / once a month]

A few days later, at midnight.

I was working a night shift at the company annex.

“You’re working hard.”

The staff member at the desk, dressed entirely in pitch-black clothing, nodded slightly and unlocked the hallway for me.

Following the path, I reached the designated door and opened it…

“Well, here it is.”

Two black cards lay before me—my task for the night.

Carefully, I stepped into the room, closed the heavy metal door behind me, and approached the card storage case.

I retrieved The Dilemma and placed the cards face down on the circular table provided in the room.

– Are you doing a reading? Occult verification was always a favorite on talk shows! Now, Mr. Roe Deer, why don’t you take a peek at the future?

This was slightly different.

“It’s not about seeing the future.”

– Hmm?

“It’s about making a choice.”

Interpretation

A pair of mystical tarot cards that reveal their symbols when flipped. After viewing both cards, the user shall choose one, and an event matching the chosen symbol will occur in the near future.

However, the event must be something plausible within the user’s everyday life. (Winning the lottery, for example, cannot be done.)

That’s right.

These cards allow the user to choose between two possible near-future events.

Of course, it’s not always a good thing.

I reached out and flipped the two cards on the table.

As if by magic, elaborate illustrations appeared.

The Devil. The Moon.

‘Damn.’

Just like that.

– Oh dear. Neither of these is traditionally considered a particularly positive symbol!

Well, depending on the context, they don’t necessarily have entirely negative meanings either… but overall, they do lean that way.

In other words, when both options are bad, all you’re doing is picking which unfortunate event to add to your life.

Considering that over half of the tarot deck can be interpreted ambiguously or negatively, the odds of this happening were at least one in four.

But…

– Have you decided which one to choose?

“Yes.”

I was going to do this a little differently.

I moved around to the opposite side of the table.

‘This way, naturally…’

From the opposite side, the cards appeared upside down.

If I picked up a card in this position…

– Oh, reversed orientation!

I looked at the card I had drawn, now upside down.

‘They say you should never do this during a proper reading.’

As expected of an F-Class Darkness, its power wasn’t overwhelming, and it had plenty of loopholes that allowed for tricks like this.

‘Even if the trick fails, it usually just reverts back to being a plain black card.’

So, I decided to give it a shot, and it seemed to have worked out.

Now, the card I chose was…

– The Moon! Ah, the symbol of confusion!

I stared at the reversed Moon card, with a pale yellow full moon hanging upside down.

– The Moon typically represents mystery and uncertainty. In the absence of the Sun, vague shapes and doubts grow under the moonlight, eventually giving way to madness.

– However, reversed, it suggests the opposite, doesn’t it?

Hmm.

‘So something becomes clear?’

– Quite promising! The resolution of uncertainty! Doesn’t that bring peace of mind?

Agreed.

‘In this insane world of ghost stories where it’s hard to see even a step ahead, anything certain is welcome.’

– Is that the end?

“That’s it.”

I carefully placed the cards back where they belonged.

Readings were done only once per month.

This means the event will happen sometime this month.

While the scope of events is clearly limited to ‘everyday’ occurrences, my ‘everyday’ involves working at a ghost story company…

In that sense, it might actually be quite helpful for survival.

‘Even if it’s not, locking in at least one slightly positive outcome for the future isn’t a bad thing.’

Having an assigned ghost story that’s more of an asset than a burden isn’t so bad.

I decided not to get too greedy…

Thud.

“……”

A sound came from outside.

This was the annex.

It’s where relatively safe Darknesses were stored—mostly Twilight-Class, occasionally F-Class as well…

But in the end, they’re all still ghost stories.

Thud.

Occasionally.

Very occasionally, if a management failure results in an unexpected incident… people can die. Easily.

I stood in front of the iron door.

‘…How far away is that sound coming from?’

Should I wait here, or…

BOOOOOOOM!!

“……!”

I immediately opened the heavy iron door and ran.

It definitely sounded like something had exploded!

‘The odds of survival are higher if I run out of here rather than being trapped inside.’

I sprinted toward the entrance, intending to escape through the main door, but…

The floor was already partially destroyed.

“……”

– Oh dear! What a mess this is.

A flood of wild possibilities raced through my mind.

But then, I saw someone standing in the middle of the broken lobby floor, their foot firmly pinning down something shattered.

“……!”

It was the black-clad staff member from the front desk.

Judging by their stance and the way they seemed to have ‘subdued’ the Darkness…

‘They must be a Security Team member!’

The situation already seemed resolved.

The sounds I had heard earlier must have been the noise created while the Security Team handled the situation.

‘So they don’t just let anyone sit at the annex front desk.’

I hesitated, then spoke from about four meters away.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

The black-clad staff member shook their head.

Thank goodness…

I’d better get out of here quickly.

“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”

The staff member looked at me briefly, then reached over to the desk and picked up something.

A post-it note.

Have a good evening.

So they’re surprisingly sociable, huh?

“Thank you.”

I bowed politely. The entirely black-clad desk worker gave me a slight nod in return and stepped back to sit down at their desk.

The shattered fragments of what appeared to be the medium of the Darkness, likely some kind of glass, sparkled on the broken floor.

In the reflection of the shards, I briefly noticed the shadow of the staff member’s leg twist unnaturally, making their foot appear like a cloven hoof…

…and then return to a normal human form.

‘Phew…’

Let’s not dwell on it.

Avoiding eye contact with anything, I exited the annex.

“This is just… unbelievable.”

These bizarre incidents feel so routine.

‘I guess fixing one positive daily event into my life was a good call.’

Life was tough and exhausting, but it felt like I was managing to navigate through it somehow, and that gave me a bit of comfort.

Come to think of it, I once communicated in writing just like that desk staff did.

[Have a nice day ^^]

It was during a face-to-face transaction on a secondhand market where I sold cursed food for 40 million won.

I even communicated in writing to hide my voice back then.

I’d sold the churros given to me by the blue dragon mascot from that theme park.

‘I still have one more bag of those churros.’

I don’t plan to sell them unless absolutely necessary, but… hmm.

I realized that I actually have quite a few food-related items in my possession.

My inventory wasn’t bad.

‘Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to sell one or two and turn them into cash.’

If someone’s still looking for them, that is.

Since the thought struck me, I decided to check Salmon Market.

To my surprise, another post had been uploaded.

--------------------

[Buying : Food from Paranormal Phenomena]

For research purposes

Strong preference for food originating from Fracture-sanctioned phenomena (according to the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau’s classification)

40.0

--------------------

– this guy doesn’t get tired of trying, huh

– lololol at this point, getting scammed is on this rtrd ryt?

Hmm.

‘If they’ve already used the previous churros for research…’

I sent a message.

[BlueFriend: Hello, sir ^^ I’ve secured more food. Would you be interested, by any chance?]

And so, two days later, on the weekend.

Once again, I found myself waiting for a secondhand market transaction partner at Exit 5 of Gwanghwamun Station.

‘Trust really is important in business, huh?’

Because I had met their expectations last time, this time they set up a meeting with no fuss or unnecessary questions.

In fact, they were already waiting for me at the exit.

Like last time, they were dressed in dark clothing, complete with a hat and mask.

I recognized them by the drink box they were holding. Well, I was dressed similarly, so I couldn’t exactly judge.

[Hello ^^]

I opened my notepad again and showed the greeting message.

The buyer, seemingly expecting it, didn’t appear surprised.

[Here is the item I prepared.]

Inside the box I handed over were two cookies from the Alice Picnic Set.

Why did I choose these? Simple.

‘The expiration date’s coming up.’

Like most snacks, these cookies had a shelf life!

Because they were items that diminished or exaggerated effects based on usage, they weren’t often needed, so I still had several left.

However, since the drink from the Tuesday Quiz Show had been such a lifesaving item, I couldn’t bring myself to part with it. Instead, I opted to let go of the cookies.

‘Cookies are harder to use anyway.’

It seemed like a waste to just let them expire without being used.

Using expired items? I didn’t even want to imagine what could happen.

Anyway, I presented the item and waited for the buyer’s reaction.

The buyer, just like last time, ran a gloved hand over the box before shaking their head slightly.

“This isn’t exactly what I was looking for.”

Hmm. As expected.

‘It didn’t seem like it would meet their Fracture-sanctioned standards.’

Mass-produced items like this have relatively low risk and feel more passive, so they’re different from the bizarre objects directly retrieved from high-grade ghost stories…

‘A bit disappointing, but oh well.’

Still, it was worth trying to negotiate.

“In that case, I’ll purchase them for half the original price each.”

Thank you for the smooth transaction.

‘If this person finds out about the existence of the alien shop, would they be so upset they’d try to kill me?’

Just in case, I decided to lay some groundwork.

Hastily, I scribbled something in the notebook.

[Thank you. I really needed the money.]

“……”

[These don’t seem as dangerous as other foods, but since the expiration date is close, I suggest conducting your research soon. I’ll add a couple more for you.]

I then slipped a small packet with one or two extra cookies into the bag.

‘Think of it as a bonus.’

This was a trust-building move to encourage continued transactions. It was supposed to be for negotiations, but it came in handy here.

At this point, I felt like I was an exceptionally considerate secondhand seller. In a ghost story world, even more so.

As I was about to leave, holding the cash-filled drink box handed to me by the buyer, their voice called out to me.

“Excuse me.”

Hmm?

“How do you acquire things like this?”

Hmm.

[I’m afraid I can’t tell you. My apologies.]

That should suffice.

It’s a platform for trading supernatural items—everyone has their stories. Better to let their imagination fill in the blanks.

‘The alien shop is one of those places where, unless you’ve seen the ad for it yourself, it just redirects to a nonexistent page.’

I was preparing to bolt if they pressed further, but instead…

“……”

The buyer pulled a pen from their pocket and wrote something on my notebook.

“If you ever find yourself in danger, contact this number.”

Huh?

“Then, bye.”

The buyer left, and I looked at the note.

1717 8282 42

“……!”

‘This is a government number.’

It was a direct emergency assistance hotline for the Disaster Management Bureau.

In short, the ghost story equivalent of 911.

‘So they were connected to the government?’

No wonder they used the terminology commonly associated with the Bureau.

I shrugged and carefully secured the cash and the notepad.

Daydream Inc., being the awful mega-conglomerate that it was, had a notoriously bad relationship with the government.

As an employee of such a company, there was no way I’d ever need to call that number.

‘Definitely not.’

Yup. Nuh-uh.

And yet!

That very evening, when I returned to the company dorm…

Chapter 51 - [And Then There Was One], I

‘It’s been a productive day.’

Forty million won in additional income—truly an excellent decision.

‘It feels like I’ve set up a discreet but regular side hustle.’

Various ideas on how to spend today’s forty million won floated through my mind, especially considering the newly opened areas in the company following my promotion.

And, of course, the plush doll who had keenly noticed my gains was subtly making its own desires known.

– Phew, after all these outings, I feel so stiff. I’d like a bath…

Not happening. I can’t exactly swipe a blood pack from a hospital, can I?

– Of course, I can endure it. I’m a very good friend, after all…

Hmm, while a blood bath might be impossible, maybe I could at least hand-wash the plushie, I guess.

That was the kind of idle chatter I planned to engage in with Braun to pass the evening—until someone burst into my room.

“You!!”

“……!”

It’s Baek Saheon.

Wait, the guy who never even left his own room had just barged into mine without so much as a knock?

Before I could even call him out on his rudeness, I realized something.

He was practically in a state of panic.

“What does this mean…! What kind of mess have you dragged me into?”

In his hand was his smartphone, and on the screen was my message.

[Kim Soleum: watch out for serial killers]

I had sent it earlier today as a warning.

But seriously—

“I didn’t drag you into anything.”

“……”

“You must have made the wrong choice.”

– Mr. Roe Deer, your ‘work colleague’ picked up an item, and now he’s going to die in a brutal way!

Baek Saheon’s face turned pale.

‘Looks like something just went down, coinciding with my message.’

He’s not dead yet, so he could contact the company and handle it himself, right?

As I started to head outside, not wanting to get dragged into this mess—

– Oh dear, can you hear that?

– It seems your coworker’s time is almost up, Mr. Roe Deer.

“……”

What?

Hmm, hmm-hmm, hmmmm, hmm-hmm-hmm.

A soft humming began to fill the air.

Its source was unmistakably Baek Saheon.

But his lips weren’t moving at all.

…Which could only mean one thing.

“You’ve picked up something you shouldn’t have, didn’t you?”

“……”

Pale-faced, Baek Saheon reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

A cassette player.

Its aged, ivory body was grimy, and traces of a label hastily scratched off with a pen were visible.

Hmm, hmm-hmm, hmmmm, hmm-hmm-hmm.

The humming grew louder, emanating from the tape.

An unmistakable, ominous… signal.

– The time has come.

Time to run.

I immediately stood up and bolted out of the dorm.

The problem was that Baek Saheon scrambled to follow me!

“Throw away the tape first!”

“I already threw it! Out the window!”

Then stop following me!

– It’s too late.

– Oh dear, Mr. Roe Deer… You’ve seen the item too. You’re part of the story now. You’ve become part of the sacrifice selection process.

– But as a talented and entertaining guest, you were bound to be involved sooner or later!

Hah.

‘Why can’t this idiot take care of his own mess without dragging me into it…!’

I even gave him several warnings! Isn’t he supposed to be a named employee in a ghost story company?!

Frustration boiled in my chest, but there wasn’t time to vent. I just ran faster.

‘First, let’s put some physical distance between us.’

As long as I hadn’t fully fallen into the creepypasta’s grasp, creating some space might help.

I sprinted as far from the company dorm as I could, heading toward the bus stop.

As soon as a bus arrived, I hopped on.

Beep.

The sound of my transportation card being scanned was followed by another beep from behind me.

Baek Saheon.

‘Why is this lunatic following me?’

Doesn’t he have even a shred of conscience to let the person who warned him avoid being dragged into this?

Actually, no. He’s a complete sociopath.

Anyway, the bus doors closed, and we departed without incident.

“Ha.”

“Ha…”

The humming was no longer audible.

I moved to the very back of the bus and sat next to the emergency hammer for breaking the window—just in case.

Baek Saheon hesitated before sitting nearby.

“……”

“……”

It wasn’t rush hour, nor was it lunchtime, so there were only a few passengers—two or three seated at the front.

After glancing around nervously, Baek Saheon lowered his voice and asked, clearly unsettled,

“Hey, you… how did you even know to send those messages—”

“’You’?”

“…We agreed to drop formaliti… No, I mean… Right, Supervisor. How on earth did you know, sir?”

“How I know isn’t the issue here.”

Holding back my frustration, I replied while watching Baek Saheon’s nervous expression.

“What matters is how you ended up with that thing.”

“……”

If he kept his mouth shut, I was planning to get off at the next stop, grab a taxi, and ditch him. Maybe even throw him out of the cab to make sure he couldn’t follow me.

But as if he could sense my irritation, Baek Saheon finally opened his mouth.

“…It was just something lying around at home.”

At home?

“I inherited it from a relative. They told me to use it if I ever wanted to reverse a dire situation, so I’ve been carrying it around…”

– Ah, a classic trick! An heirloom thought to symbolize protection turns out to be a cursed item… Truly a horror movie cliché, isn’t it?

Exactly.

I wasn’t even trying to criticize him—just genuinely curious.

“You work at a company that assigns grades to ghost stories, and it never crossed your mind to have it inspected?”

“…If the company found it useful, they might take it and not give it back! I did think it through, sir.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“……”

“Next time, think before you act, why don’t you.”

“…Ah, yes, sir.”

Baek Saheon’s face turned red, and his lips twitched into a forced smile, barely suppressing his frustration.

This guy was an open book—acting like a sociopath one moment, then flipping into desperate politeness when scared.

I sighed and tried to make sense of the situation.

This was a textbook example of how people get caught up in ghost stories.

“For now, let’s ride to the last stop and contact the company’s Security Team from there—”

“……”

“……”

“…W-Why are you looking at me like that, Supervisor?”

Something felt off.

City bus stops are usually no more than three minutes apart.

But this bus…

Why was it still driving nonstop?

– Goodness, it’s caught up to us.

I looked out the window.

…Fog was rolling in.

The clean, four-lane streets of Seoul we had been traveling on were shifting into winding, unpaved roads.

“……!”

I stood up from my seat.

The passengers in the front rows had disappeared.

The only other person still present was the bus driver.

“……”

The driver was now wearing a worn, old-fashioned cap.

The kind that might’ve been used when buses operated with a more formal air decades ago.

With gloved hands, the driver casually hummed as they reached for the radio.

Click.

And what came through the speakers was…

Hmm, hmm-hmm, hmmmm, hmm-hmm-hmm.

The same humming from the cassette tape.

“……!”

Hmm, hmm-hmm, hmmmm, hmm-hmm-hmm.

The humming filled the bus.

The modern low-floor bus that had been driving through Seoul had transformed into an old, rickety bus with rows of single-file seats.

Hmm, hmm-hmm, hmmmm, hmm-hmm-hmm.

“Don’t look back.”

It was already too late.

Baek Saheon, his face pale, gripped the handrail and stared straight ahead.

I tried not to focus too closely on the fog clearing outside and fixed my gaze forward.

The narrow trail was becoming an aged, paved road.

The rickety old bus that had been rattling down a rough country path began to slow.

[This stop is ‘Horizon Mountain Lodge’.]

“……”

The destination came into view.

Hmm, hmm-hmm, hmmmm, hmm-hmm-hmm.

The humming now flowed through the radio with an unmistakable melody.

It was a minor-key, upbeat pop tune from the 1980s or ’90s.

As the bus doors opened, I looked outside.

[Horizon Mountain Lodge]

A grand mountain villa with a sign in elegant, antique lettering stood before us.

“……”

Ha.

“…You’re getting off?”

Yeah.

As much as I wanted to curse out loud, I held back.

I stood up and stepped toward the open door.

From behind, I could hear Baek Saheon muttering something that sounded suspiciously like cussing as he hurriedly followed me off the bus.

The bus doors closed behind us and drove away, carrying the humming melody with it.

“……”

“……”

Baek Saheon mumbled, sounding slightly relieved.

“At least the song’s gone, and the tape isn’t here, so the situation’s better than befo—”

“Check your pocket.”

“What?”

“Put your hand in your pocket and check.”

“……”

Baek Saheon looked at me with a dazed expression, then quickly shoved his hand into his coat pocket.

What he pulled out was…

The old cassette tape he claimed to have thrown away earlier.

“……!!”

Baek Saheon moved to toss the cassette again, but I grabbed his arm and stopped him.

“It’s too late. You might as well get ready to go in.”

“Go in whe—”

“Over there.”

I pointed toward Horizon Mountain Lodge.

Now that we’d come this far, running away was useless.

All it would do was waste energy and leave us crawling back to this ‘story’s focal location’ after a series of needless struggles.

‘We might as well go in and try to figure out the situation early.’

– Mr. Roe Deer, you move as if you already know what’s going to happen! Could it be that you recognize this story?

Braun, picking up on how much I knew about paranormal phenomena, prattled on.

And… he was right.

‘…Yeah.’

The keywords were all there.

Serial killer.

A lure involving a mode of transportation.

An object cursed to return to its owner’s pocket no matter what.

And…

I lifted my head to look at the destination.

‘…Horizon Mountain Lodge.’

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[And Then There Was One]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Disaster Management Bureau identification code – 1489PSYA.1991.라84

A tale of individuals being murdered one by one by a serial killer in an isolated, suspicious location. A variation of the classic closed-circle mystery novel and B-grade slasher movie.

It is an Idle-sanctioned disaster, which can be sealed with the presence of nine people.

Every four years, the Disaster Management Bureau recruits or drafts participants to contain it.

----------------------------------------

This ghost story’s identity was something I inferred through the same process I’d used countless times in my recent work experience.

But this time, there was a critical difference.

‘The affiliation…!’

This wasn’t a Darkness from Daydream Inc.

It was a ghost story isolated by the government—or one to be isolated in the future.

A so-called ‘disaster’!

What’s the difference, you ask?

Unlike the corporation’s Darknesses, which were exploited as raw materials for profit, the government operated under a completely different set of rules.

The Disaster Management Bureau existed solely to prevent loss of life or significant property damage.

At least, that was the official justification.

Thus, the Bureau prioritized isolating anything that absolutely should not exist in the civilian world.

In other words…

Someone had to die.

Whether it was cleared, someone got trapped, or the attempt ended in failure or success—

Every outcome involved a guaranteed casualty.

‘Once you’re involved, it’s a confirmed kill.’

Cold sweat ran down my spine.

This was something the government had deemed impossible to resolve without at least one death.

And now I was about to walk straight into the middle of it.

I won’t even get any points from this!

‘Baek Saheon, this hopeless little shit!’

I wanted to curse him out and punch his last remaining eye, but…

‘It’d just waste time.’

“Excuse me, Supervisor!”

Ignoring Baek Saheon, I sighed and walked toward the lodge’s front door.

Just as I took a deep breath and prepared to knock—

Drring—

The sound of a bicycle bell came from behind me.

Turning around, I saw a bicycle pulling up to this secluded house in the woods, with someone riding it.

– Oh, look, another arrival! Someone else who picked up the item!

No kidding.

Another poor soul caught in this cursed ghost story.

I held back a sigh and looked over, only to freeze in shock.

“……!”

I recognized the figure getting off the bike.

More precisely, I didn’t know his face, but his outfit was unmistakable.

Dark clothes, a hat pulled low, and a mask covering his face.

‘…Salmon Market!’

It was the same person I had sold cursed food to earlier today near Gwanghwamun Station.

Chapter 52 - [And Then There Was One], II

Caught up in this serial killer ghost story, three minutes had passed since we arrived in front of the mountain lodge in the middle of the forest.

The secondhand market buyer, who had gotten off their bike after us, approached the cabin’s door.

He paused briefly when he noticed Baek Saheon and me standing there first.

‘…Looks like he recognized me.’

The secondhand market buyer seemed to recognize me, but I stayed silent, pretending not to notice who he was.

Baek Saheon, ever eager, immediately began speaking in a friendly tone.

“Excuse me, are you the owner of this house? Sorry, but it seems we got on the wrong bus. With this forest around us, there’s no signal. Would it be okay if we made a quick call?”

“I also got lost and came here to ask for help.”

“Oh… I see.”

At that point, I turned to the buyer and pretended to be surprised.

“……!”

I widened my eyes slightly and gave a polite nod.

The buyer, already aware of who I was, didn’t seem particularly startled and returned the gesture with a small nod of his own.

Meanwhile, Baek Saheon subtly started prying for more information about him.

Clearly, he was trying to assess whether this person was weaker than him.

“Were you out here trekking for the weekend? This seems like a remote place—are you a local?”

“…No. I’m not sure how I even got here. I definitely started in Seoul.”

“Oh, really? Same with us! But there’s no signal here. Do you happen to know how to get out of here or where we are?”

“…I’m not sure. Let’s go inside and ask.”

“…Ah, right.”

Baek Saheon, clearly disappointed with the lack of useful information, clicked his tongue softly and glanced at the bike the buyer had arrived on.

And then he seemed to notice something.

The mark printed on the handlebars.

[Seoul Metropolitan Government #2153]

Obviously an official government-issued bike.

Having found an opening, Baek Saheon brightened and began to speak again.

“Excuse me, are you perh—”

I lightly nudged his side.

He froze, clamped his mouth shut, and turned to look at me.

I slowly mouthed the words:

‘Disaster Management Bureau.’

“……!”

‘He must’ve heard at least once at work how terrible the relationship is between the company and the Bureau.’

If this person found out who we were…

I subtly drew a finger across my throat.

Baek Saheon’s complexion turned pale.

From that moment on, he avoided speaking to the government employee directly. Good. A wise choice.

“I’ll open the door.”

I nodded to the civil servant, who had already reached for the door handle, and he lightly opened the wooden door.

Creeeeak.

“Anyone here?”

The midday sunlight spilled into the slightly dim interior of the lodge.

And then—

“Ohhh, hey? More people are here!”

“Are you the owner of this place?”

People who had already arrived began to emerge.

A married couple who looked to be in their forties.

Three young adults in their twenties.

And a middle-aged man.

Six people in total.

Including the three of us, that made… nine.

‘It’s starting.’

Suppressing the urge to groan, I stepped inside the cabin.

Everything proceeded as predictably as a cliché could.

The married couple claimed their GPS led them here.

“I mean, the GPS sent us to the wrong place, the car broke down, and our phones don’t have any signal… It’s driving me crazy!”

“Huu. Honey, I told you so, didn’t I? We should’ve gone to Sapporo instead of Sokcho!”

Three university students from a hiking club, who claimed to have gotten lost.

“We parked right below the trail, though.”

“Yeah, but… Ugh, this is so annoying.”

And finally, a middle-aged man who’d been trying to catch the nearest bus stop after finishing a shift as a designated driver.

“Aigoo. Still, seeing people around is such a relief. If we wait, the owner should come, right?”

– And once the lodge owner shows up, the bloodbath begins?

Something like that.

I glanced around with the dead eyes of someone who had already given up.

I hadn’t even brought any decent items.

Living is hard, seriously…

‘Focus only on myself. Just myself!’

We were soon asked questions by the others.

“What about you folks? What brings you here?”

“Oh, we’re just office workers. We must’ve gotten on the wrong bus while heading out for fieldwork. This here is my supervisor, and I’m just an employee.”

Look at Baek Saheon subtly shifting responsibility onto me.

I took out my notepad.

Luckily, since I was still in my outdoor clothes, it was in my pocket, making it easy to maintain my usual demeanor.

[Hello.]

“Huh? Why are you writing instead of speaking…?”

[My throat’s a bit sore.]

“Ahh.”

The three university students turned away, looking unimpressed.

The married couple glanced at me and took a step back.

“Jeez, these colds going around lately must be really bad, huh?”

“You should at least wear a mask. What if you spread it to someone else?”

[I’m sorry. I’ll avoid speaking as much as possible and be careful.]

Baek Saheon shot me a disgusted look, as if I had become something revolting. He’d been reacting like this all along, taking over the responses I might have given.

“By the way, is that young man from your company too?”

“No, we met at the door, but… um.”

The secondhand market buyer, a tall man with sharp eyes that gave him an intimidating presence, replied politely.

“I’m a public servant from the Seoul City Hall.”

Oh. He actually admitted it.

He briefly explained that he was a public servant and had gotten lost while riding his bike.

And that was the end of it.

He conveniently left out the part where he worked for the Disaster Management Bureau, and that we were all stuck in a ghost story where a serial killer would soon be picking us off one by one, like a deadly game of Russian roulette.

Still, people aren’t fools. They began to sense something was off.

“So all these people just happened to lose their way in broad daylight and end up at this countryside lodge?”

“Maybe we’ve been bewitched or something.”

“Hey! Don’t say such unlucky things.”

The more people there are, the braver they get.

Even while bringing up ghosts, the group began glancing around the room like it was some kind of curiosity show.

“Come to think of it, this place…”

“Looks pretty fancy, doesn’t it? Like one of those mansions rich families had in every neighborhood back when we were kids.”

They weren’t wrong.

The wooden lodge, built in a style popular a few decades ago, was a mix of quaint charm, rustic wealth, and understated elegance.

“Oh, look over there! That’s a gold frame, isn’t it?”

On one side of the living room was a large framed picture, its frame seemingly made of real gold.

But what caught my attention wasn’t the frame—it was what was inside.

+++

Joyful Mealtime

The rabbit bakes in the kitchen

The deer is caught in the backyard

The pigeon is fattened in the bedroom

The lamb is sliced in the living room

Boing, boing, **the sound of hopping with laughter**

**The wooden floors beneath go **bam, bam

The table, full

Humming, in the air

The family gathers round

Bon appétit

+++

“……”

No way.

‘That’s blatant foreshadowing.’

– Hooh, could it be a metaphor for the upcoming murders?

It sure looks that way.

Yet no one here seemed to be particularly interested in horror or mystery genres.

The university students claiming to be part of a hiking club chuckled amongst themselves and even pocketed an ivory trinket from the side table near the sofa.

‘Oh.’

If one of them ends up being the first body tomorrow, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Just as I thought that—

Clunk.

“……!!”

There was a sound from the kitchen at the back.

The shadow of the back door swinging open fell across the room.

And then, a figure slowly stepped through the open door.

The person, cloaked in an old, tattered hoodie with their face hidden and body hunched, greeted us.

“Good afternoon, visitors of the lodge.”

“……?!”

“I am the caretaker of this mountain lodge, here to serve you during your stay.”

Their voice was deep and formal, and they bowed politely, speaking in an old-fashioned Seoul accent.

– Oh, a suspicious staff member!

Exactly. This is the classic ‘butler of the murder mansion’.

Unlike my deadpan expression, the others seemed caught off guard by the dissonance between the caretaker’s shabby appearance and refined speech.

“E-Excuse me, we’re not really guests. We just got lost and were hoping to use a phone…”

“That’s not true. You’ve come to the right place.”

“What?”

“You’re here to exchange the cassette tapes, aren’t you?”

Everyone froze.

“The ones in your pockets.”

“……!”

As if hypnotized, they all reached into their pockets and pulled out objects.

They were all holding old ivory-colored cassette tapes, with the titles scrawled out—just like Baek Saheon’s.

“That…!”

“How does everyone have those…?”

“The master of this lodge was a very wealthy man. During his lifetime, he distributed those cassette tapes far and wide.”

The group flinched.

“And he made a promise.”

“W-What kind of promise?”

“‘If you visit my lodge with one of these cassette tapes, I shall trade it for anything I possess.’ That was his promise.”

“……!”

“And even in death, that promise remains valid.”

– An inheritance exchange! What a tempting bait.

Very obviously bait…

‘Or maybe it’s so obvious that it works too well.’

Money has that certain magical power, after all.

Even as they laughed nervously, everyone’s eyes reflexively darted to the display cases full of gold and celadon treasures.

The middle-aged man let out a booming laugh, half-jokingly grabbing the golden frame as if testing his luck.

“Hah, so can I just take whatever I want like this?”

The lodge caretaker responded smoothly and politely.

“Of course. However, you will only be able to take it with you after three days.”

“What?”

Hm. As expected.

Entrants are promised significant monetary rewards if they stay within the Disaster for a designated period.

The ‘designated period’ can range from a maximum of one week to a minimum of 12 hours, tailored to the entrant’s capacity to endure for the promised reward.

“We give you three days to deliberate so you won’t waste your one and only opportunity to exchange.”

“I don’t need time to think!”

“Then you may leave now. However, the exchange will no longer be possible.”

The married couple clamped their mouths shut. It seemed the thought of leaving behind free money was too bitter to swallow.

One of the student hikers in the group raised their hand from the back.

“Excuse me, so… can we ask for something outrageous? Like, ‘Give me all the inheritance’?”

“That is possible.”

“……!!”

The hiker’s playful tone vanished in an instant.

“Can I ask for ownership of the lodge itself?”

“Yes.”

“……”

The group’s expressions shifted.

‘Now they want to believe.’

The uneasy chill in the air was gone, replaced with a sense of fortune as if the kind of monetary windfall they’d only read about on the internet was suddenly within reach.

Once the caretaker produced documents, including the will, their skepticism transformed into certainty.

“This… this looks legit.”

“Unbelievable…”

Even the cursing married couple’s demeanor changed.

“Forget the weekend trip, let’s tough it out. Worst case, we can call the police, right?”

“Exactly! Wow, maybe this tape has some kind of charm on it, like from a shaman’s talisman. It’s crazy how everyone ended up here.”

The lodge caretaker even gave everyone time to make phone calls.

After finishing their calls, the group’s mood had turned lively, as if they were part of some grand event.

The caretaker, observing them, bowed deeply.

“When so many visitors arrive at once, the order of exchange becomes very important.”

“Oh, yeah, that makes sense!”

“Yeah, like if the first person demands all the inheritance, it’s game over for everyone else!”

“Therefore… priority will be given to those with the most cassette tapes.”

“……!”

The group immediately glanced around at one another.

The three university students exchanged quick looks amongst themselves.

If grouped together, they had the most tapes.

“Wait, are we supposed to buy tapes off each other now?”

“I am merely explaining the rules. It is not mandatory. You are free to negotiate your own exchange conditions as you see fit. The order is important, after all.”

“……”

A tense, meaningful silence passed between them.

“Shall I prepare your rooms, then? There are suitable bedrooms upstairs.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Sounds good. Let’s get the rooms sorted first…”

“Excuse me, hold on.”

Baek Saheon’s voice cut through the group.

“I might have to leave due to urgent matters. Could you tell me the way out of here?”

“Of course.”

But that didn’t happen.

A moment later—

Entrants will inevitably find themselves isolated at the disaster site for various reasons.

The most common would be due to abnormal weather conditions such as typhoons, heavy snowfall, or landslides.

“A torrential downpour has caused a landslide outside, burying the roads. Thankfully, the electricity remains functional, so your stay will be unaffected.”

“……”

Baek Saheon turned to me with an expression that practically screamed ‘We’re fucked.’

‘Exactly.’

I shrugged.

Now that things had reached this point, no one would be able to leave until everything that was meant to happen had unfolded.

‘Meanwhile, I’m racking my brain trying to figure out how to survive this without losing my head.’

At least one small comfort was that there wouldn’t be any ghosts…

‘…Just a serial killer.’

And wasn’t it obvious?

Every horror movie and mystery novel loves to use this twist, and ghost stories are no different.

The killer…

One entrant will take on a special role within the narrative, embodying the predator archetype—

…is among us.

—and this individual is often referred to as the serial killer.

I’ve got to find and avoid the person who would become the killer.

This individual will firmly believe that they are inheriting the legendary murderer’s legacy and undergo mental and physical transformation.

‘Hmm.’

Unless… I could try a slightly different approach.

As I stroked my chin, I noticed the civil servant quietly leaving the group.

“I’ll step outside to check the weather.”

“Go ahead.”

I followed the civil servant out to the veranda.

The wind and rain were growing fierce, darkening the surroundings and splashing enough to dampen our clothes. The downpour seemed loud enough to mask any conversation.

Carefully shielding my notepad from the rain, I showed him a message.

[Excuse me, are you the person who bought the cookies? I’m wondering if I might have mistaken you for someone else.]

Fortunately, the civil servant didn’t feign ignorance.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

But he looked me up and down, as if assessing me.

Hmm.

I glanced around, pretending to check the area, and ensured no one was watching us before scribbling another note, this time with a tense expression.

[I’m sorry, but is this… some kind of strange situation?]

“……”

[It’s just odd that only people carrying cassette tapes got lost and ended up here.]

[Do you think it’s… a ghost… or something?]

Considering that he already knew I had experience with paranormal phenomena—after all, I’d sold him food tied to ghost stories—this level of questioning shouldn’t seem out of place.

‘The real issue is whether he thinks I entered this place intentionally.’

I’d much rather be treated as an innocent civilian. Depending on his response, I’d decide how to position myself moving forward.

‘Honestly, he’s most likely to give a safe answer like I’m not sure yet.”

“You are correct.”

……??

So direct?

The civil servant hesitated briefly before asking me,

“How did you come across the cassette tape?”

[Actually, I don’t have one myself… It’s my colleague who has one. It gave me a bad feeling, so I told him to throw it away, but we ended up here anyway after getting on the bus.]

“……”

The civil servant rested a hand on his chin, silent for a moment.

“Do you often find yourself in situations like this?”

I forced a sheepish smile, pretending to be awkward.

[Sometimes?]

“I see.”

After another moment of hesitation, he continued,

“I am… well, something like a government agent.”

He’s telling me this much?

[Really? Like a ghost-hunting 007?]

“…Yes.”

[Wow!]

The expression on his face screamed ‘This is not the time to be impressed.’

“At any rate, this is indeed a supernatural phenomenon. Be cautious. As much as possible, stay close to me, or move in groups of at least three if it can’t be avoided.”

Hold on.

‘He’s treating me like an even more harmless civilian than I expected.’

I wasn’t sure why, but this was good. I quickly responded.

[Thank you. But… what about the others?]

The civil servant answered firmly.

“You don’t need to worry about them.”

Hmm.

[Would it be okay if I told my colleague—]

“No.”

Heck.

Glancing toward the living room, the civil servant lowered his voice and spoke softly, as if revealing a massive secret.

“Actually.”

Actually?

“…There is a killer among us.”

Oh.

Yeah.

I already knew, of course… but I couldn’t let that show.

Feigning shock, I hastily scribbled another note.

[A killer? How do you know that, sir??]

“This mountain lodge is no ordinary place. It’s never been publicly disclosed, but similar incidents have occurred here multiple times. Guests were murdered by a killer.”

– Ah, a storied, legendary site where nightmares of the past are recreated… Truly a fine preference.

Now’s not the time, Mr. Host.

“No matter how close you may be to someone, don’t trust them. And under no circumstances should you open your door while alone in your room.”

‘Usually, isn’t it the person who barricades themselves in a room who ends up dying first…?’

Regardless, I felt I’d confirmed a few key facts about both the civil servant and this ghost story.

[Thank you.]

After expressing my gratitude and bidding him good night, I left the veranda.

I felt a bit more at ease as I headed to my assigned room.

I had made up my mind about what to do.

“Huu.”

I began inspecting the room.

I was looking for something specific.

– A weapon, I see.

Opening the wardrobe, I found two reasonably large, one-handed axes hanging as decorative pieces.

“……”

It was terrifying and exhausting to carry, but there was no choice.

– Ah, this is going to be so very fun!

Now that things had come to this…

‘I might as well strike first.’

Gripping one of the axes, I made my decision.

Serial killer? Fine. Let me have a go at it.

Chapter 53 - [And Then There Was One], III

Baek Saheon opened his eyes.

Or rather, it would be more accurate to say that he hadn’t slept a wink.

‘Fucking hell.’

Ever since entering ‘Horizon Mountain Lodge’, his nerves had been on edge, searching for a way to leave this place alive and intact.

Half of his efforts were spent trying to stay on Kim Soleum’s good side, carefully walking on eggshells to gauge the guy’s mood.

‘Son of a bitch.’

He felt no shame about it—it was necessary for survival.

…Even now, as he debated whether to visit Kim Soleum’s room, it was for the same reason.

‘I need information, anything I can use.’

That lunatic definitely knew something. Baek Saheon was convinced he needed to extract that knowledge to secure a trump card for his survival.

But…

“……”

Was Kim Soleum really a lunatic?

More specifically, why had he… saved him?

Baek Saheon already knew the truth. There had been multiple opportunities at the exhibition for Kim Soleum to kill him or use him as a scapegoat, but he hadn’t.

Sure, he had been messed with a few times, but in the end…

‘No!’

He probably did it for fun. It’s only because keeping me alive would make things more unpredictable and entertaining for that bastard!

Baek Saheon jumped to that conclusion. He’d never encountered such a madman in his life before.

‘…Even so, I doubt he’d lie about something important.’

With a strange sort of faith, he opened his door—

Something stood in front of it.

“……!!”

The now-darkened lodge was steeped in shadows, making it difficult to recognize the figure immediately.

A man of similar height to himself.

…It was Kim Soleum.

‘Shit!’

Startled, but strangely relieved.

Better him than a stranger. At least Kim Soleum wouldn’t try to kill him.

“Hey…”

But as Baek Saheon’s eyes adjusted to the dim light, he noticed something in Kim Soleum’s hand.

An axe.

“……”

‘What?’

An axe?

He almost rubbed his one remaining eye in disbelief before a plausible explanation struck him.

“That’s… for self-defense against the killer, right…?”

But then, another thought entered Baek Saheon’s mind.

The texts Kim Soleum had been sending.

[watch out for serial killers]

What if those texts weren’t warnings…

…But a prediction of the future?

“Bye bye.”

The axe came down on his head.

The next morning.

A couple leaving their room heard a melody faintly blending with the heavy rain.

Hmm, hmm-hmm, hmmmm, hmm-hmm-hmm.

A hum.

“Isn’t that the song that played when our car’s GPS broke?”

“Omo, it does sound like it… Is this some local radio station?”

Breathing in the damp, eerie morning air, they held their cassette tape tightly like a treasure as they passed through the hallway to the kitchen.

And then—

“GAAAHHHHH!!”

They saw something stuffed into the kitchen hearth.

It looked like someone had detonated fireworks and toys inside, charring the area completely black.

The burnt remains.

Among the dark-red ashes, two stick-like objects jutted out, bent at odd angles.

And at the end of those sticks…

Shoes.

The sneakers were partially burned, still clinging to what used to be a person’s feet.

“Aaaaaack!!”

“Oh my God! Is that… a person?!”

“Aigoo, aigoo, what is this— what’s happening— aigoo!!”

The couple’s screams of horror echoed through the lodge, quickly drawing the others downstairs.

One by one, the others joined the chaos, their faces pale.

“What’s going— AAAAHHH!!”

“Gaaaasp…!”

The students, the middle-aged driver—no one was immune to the panic.

One person, claiming earlier to have a sore throat and only communicating via notes, collapsed to the ground, his face drained of color.

But… weren’t there two people who said they were office workers?

‘No way…!’

The couple pointed at the burned feet sticking out of the hearth.

“The young man who came with you… is it him? The one with the eye patch?”

The remaining office worker stared at the scorched sneakers, covering his mouth, and gave a small nod.

“AGH!!”

Someone had died.

A person they had talked to just yesterday.

As the realization set in, cries and screams filled the room again.

“Call 119 right now!”

“What the hell is this?! Fuuuuck!!”

“I told you these old kitchens were dangerous! One small fire and look what happens!”

But in their hearts, a small voice whispered doubts.

‘Was it really an accident?’

Could a fire burn only a person, leaving everything else untouched… and in such a horrific state?

‘Could it be…’

Still in a state of panic, the group scrambled for their phones.

And moments later—

A collective chill ran down their spines.

“T-The phone isn’t working. There’s no dial tone!”

“Where’s the caretaker? Someone just died here!”

But the caretaker, who had promised to take good care of them, was nowhere to be found, as if he’d vanished into thin air.

The dark, rain-soaked mountain surrounding the lodge.

Inside the lodge, only the group and the humming remained…

“……”

“……”

Hmm, hmm-hmm, hmmmm, hmm-hmm-hmm.

Outside, an unrelenting downpour lashed the area, and there were signs that a landslide had occurred overnight, burying the bus stop in debris.

“The road… it’s completely buried.”

“My car!!”

That’s when the group began to realize.

Hmm, hmm-hmm, hmmmm, hmm-hmm-hmm.

Something was seriously wrong.

“I-I swear, that thing… it was moving earlier.”

“……”

Near the hearth where the charred remains lay, a small, old analog cassette player emitted the humming sound.

Hmm, hmm-hmm, hmmmm, hmm…

Click.

One of the students switched off the cassette player and pulled something from inside it.

A worn ivory-colored tape.

“……!”

The pale-faced office worker shakily pulled out his notebook, his trembling hands scribbling quickly.

[This looks like the cassette Baek Saheon had…]

“O-Oh my God.”

And that’s when the nightmare truly began.

Lunchtime.

The lodge’s caretaker had apparently prepared a neat meal of soup and rice in advance, but nobody dared to touch it, as if by mutual agreement.

Instead, they nibbled on energy bars and snacks they’d brought themselves, wandering around the lodge in a futile search for a signal to make their phones work.

Unsurprisingly, there was no success.

In the oppressive rain, the isolated mountain lodge felt suffocating and ominous, severed from any external connection.

‘This is driving me crazy!’

One of the university students, frustrated by his unresponsive social media apps, angrily tapped at his phone screen before switching it off in irritation.

“Fuck!”

“Dude, you’re such a fucking scaredy-cat.”

One friend teased, laughing nervously as they pushed each other closer to the legs sticking out of the hearth.

They even took a few photos of the scene, treating it like a twisted joke, though they didn’t seem to have much appetite as they left their calorie bars and chocolates untouched.

Despite their mockery, they weren’t as calm as they appeared.

They relied on their numbers to feel secure.

‘There’s three of us, after all.’

Even if someone tried to kill them, they reasoned, no one would target a large group first.

‘They’ll go for someone alone, or the stragglers.’

That thought seemed to put them somewhat at ease.

“Hey…”

One student turned to chat with his friend, but a peanut-filled chocolate bar was suddenly extended in front of him.

When he looked up, he saw the pale-faced office worker holding out his notebook.

[Would you like some? I don’t think I can eat it…]

“Uh, no thanks.”

The student replied curtly, and his friend beside him snickered.

“Dude, he can’t eat peanuts.”

[Ah… I apologize.]

The office worker apologized silently, retreating to the sofa with a dejected air.

Wasn’t he the one who’d been introduced as a supervisor?

At first, he’d seemed quite intimidating, but after witnessing his colleague’s death, he looked utterly deflated.

‘Scared stiff, huh.’

He now gave off the impression of someone who would crumble under even the sliiiightest pressure.

“Hey, wanna bet?”

“Sure, but man, this is too much.”

Meanwhile, the other two students went outside for a smoke.

The office worker, still fiddling with his unresponsive phone, cast a dark glance at the hearth before heading upstairs.

And just like that, the room grew silent.

“……”

One student was left alone, uneasily shifting in his seat.

‘In the movies, this is the part where someone gets attacked.’

He tapped his foot anxiously, glancing around the room with a wary expression. The presence of a jackknife in his pocket gave him some reassurance, but not for long.

‘Shit, why’d they go off on their own?’

Unable to bear it any longer, he decided to go looking for his friends in the backyard.

Gripping the jackknife tightly, he quickened his pace, unnerved by the sensation of something prickling at his back.

He pushed open the back door to the kitchen, which led to the yard.

Click.

A damp, musty smell hit him immediately.

‘They’re probably under the roof somewhere.’

Surely they wouldn’t stand in the rain to smoke, right?

With that thought, he headed toward a storage shed connected by a covered walkway.

But as he walked, a peculiar smell caught his attention.

Something metallic and sharp.

‘Iron?’

It smelled like rust, perhaps from the rain leaking into old tools in the shed.

That was his assumption, at least, as he rounded the corner.

“Hey, Park Kyungsoo…”

And then, an overwhelming metallic stench hit, enough to numb the nose.

“H-Huuuh…?”

Inside the backyard shed was an old construction-grade grinding machine.

It seemed like the machine had been used not for wood, but for something else entirely.

Cruuunch.

What should have been sawdust spewing from the discharge chute was instead shredded flesh.

Fragments of torn clothes, blood-soaked meat, and crushed bone were scattered messily across the floor.

“……”

What is this?

What… the hell is this?

For a moment, his brain refused to process the scene, rejecting the horrifying reality. Then, a beat later, the truth hit him like a tidal wave.

He had found his friends.

Turned into minced meat.

“Uuuughk…!!”

As panic overtook him, vomiting and screams erupted from his mouth.

And then, another sound joined in.

From an old audio device came a familiar tune.

Hmm, hmm-hmm, hmmmm, hmm-hmm-hmm.

The sound from the cassette tape.

“Hiiieek!”

The student spun around and bolted, running madly back into the lodge.

Fear and cold terror chased him down to the tips of his hair.

“Hey, why are you running arou—”

“Aaaargh!!”

The student flailed wildly, slapping away the hand that had grabbed his shoulder.

“Don’t touch me, you bastard!”

“Whoa, whoa, what the hell?!”

He looked up.

The bewildered faces of the other lodge residents stared back at him.

And there was one thing they all had in common.

The tapes.

That’s it!

If the psycho responsible for this was targeting the tapes, and that’s what caused all of this—

The student frantically rummaged through his pocket and pulled out his tape.

“Here, look at this! Look!”

His eyes were bloodshot, and spit flew as he shouted.

“I’m throwing this away! Take it! I don’t want it, okay?! I’ve given it up, damn it! I’ve given it up!”

Thud!

He flung the tape onto the ground, then bolted upstairs to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Only when he locked the door did he finally catch his breath.

“Hah… hah…”

Anxiety darted his eyes around the room.

His mind was plagued by the sight of shredded flesh and broken bones, pounding in his skull like a drumbeat.

Thud.

Thud.

Should he build a barricade with furniture in front of the door?

Thud.

No, that would block his escape route.

Thud.

He glanced at an old lacquered wardrobe in the room, hesitating before pressing himself against the wall beside it, gripping his jackknife tightly.

He stared intently at the door.

Thud…

As his back rested against the wall, his breathing began to settle.

‘J-Just try it. Force your way in, I dare you…!’

If someone tried, he’d fucking scream bloody murder while swinging his knife. People would come rushing in, and surely he’d be saved!

He just had to stay alert.

“No way, no way…”

He muttered to himself like a madman, his voice trembling—

Click.

Softly, the wardrobe door creaked open.

The next morning, the student was found in his room, the door wide open to welcome others.

His body was grotesquely swollen, like an overstuffed sausage, bloated from an allergic reaction.

The hiking club had been wiped out entirely.

“Aaaaaahhh!”

In just one day, an office worker and three students had become corpses, plunging the remaining people into total terror.

“It’s the inheritance! Someone’s killing people to take more of the inheritance, yeah?! I’m sure of it! They’re trying to silence us all so they can keep the tapes without any trouble!”

“That guy, the caretaker! That fucker was sketchy as hell! He looked like a psycho!”

“It’s a ghost! We’re all haunted! Ha ha ha!”

A middle-aged man shouted like a madman, then pushed past the others and ran outside.

“Argh!”

Ruuuumble.

Thunder resounded at just the right moment.

No, it wasn’t just thunder. There was another sound mixed in.

BOOOM!

“……!”

“W-What was that?!”

Startled by the deafening noise, everyone turned toward the window.

The civil servant murmured grimly.

“…A landslide.”

The landslide had conveniently struck again.

Swept away by the rushing debris, the deranged middle-aged man disappeared down the mountain slope.

AAAAHHHHH…!

His screams faded as he was buried in the muddy earth below.

Rumble… BOOM!

Thunder replaced the humming as it roared outside the lodge, lightning flickering across the stormy sky.

“……”

“……”

A suffocating silence hung over the frozen group of survivors.

Four people remained.

Night two.

The couple, who had spent the day scouring the lodge for a way to contact the outside world, returned to their room, panting.

They’d found no means of escape, but they had discovered something else.

“Hah, hah…”

“Fuck— Shut the hell up and breathe quietly, you moron!”

“Aaack!”

The husband, introduced earlier as the wife’s partner, shoved her head roughly before darting out of the living room and up the stairs to the second-floor hallway.

As he ascended, someone cautiously exiting their room happened to meet his bloodshot gaze, startled.

“Hey, you!!”

He was calling out to the office worker who had been communicating through written notes because of his sore throat.

Startled, he quickly fumbled for his notebook to write something, but the man standing before him was faster, shaking something in his hand.

“This, this gold frame…!”

It was the ornate golden picture frame that had been hanging in the living room.

Eyes wild, the man jabbed a finger at the text inscribed inside the frame.

Joyful Mealtime

The rabbit bakes in the kitchen

The deer is caught in the backyard

The pigeon is fattened in the bedroom

The lamb is sliced in the living room

“This is how people are being killed!”

“……!”

The man shouted, voice shaking as he pieced it together.

A person roasted in the kitchen, ground in the backyard, and bloated in the room.

“The lodge caretaker or whoever is messing with us! This could all be staged—maybe we’re being broadcast somewhere! Or maybe… no, they’re toying with us, that’s for sure!”

The employee widened his eyes, startled by the revelation. Seeing his reaction, the man grew even more convinced and raised his voice further.

“The next one is the living room! Someone’s going to get sliced up in the living room! I’m sure of it! We need to find a way out before it’s too—”

“Oh.”

……

Huh?

That was a response.

“Surprisingly observant. Braun.”

“Braun?”

That was the last word the man ever said.

“Awake?”

A throbbing headache greeted him as he regained consciousness.

“Mmph! Mmmmph!”

His voice was muffled—he realized there was a gag in his mouth.

He screamed as loud as he could.

“MMMMMMPH!!”

But the reason for his terror wasn’t just the damp, moldy smell of the basement he found himself in or the pitch-black darkness that made it impossible to see more than a few inches ahead.

It was the severed head lying right next to his.

Yes, just a head.

“Mmmph! Mmmmmmph!”

The pale, lifeless face rested on a silver tray mere inches from his nose.

He felt his sanity slipping.

Tears, snot, and cold sweat poured down his face as he desperately screamed for help, though the gag swallowed every sound.

“Hrrrnnph, s-sppph, mmmph!”

“Scared? Try to bear with it—I’m holding back too.”

A calm, composed voice responded from somewhere nearby.

The man rolled his eyes frantically, trying to distance himself from the head as he looked up.

And he saw him.

‘The office worker…!’

Dressed in black sweats, the younger man frowned as he gazed down at him.

Then, as if in disdain, he looked at the bloodied work gloves in his hand before letting out a sigh and slipping them back on.

Next, he picked up an axe.

“MMMMMPH!!!”

“Why is it that people always scream first, even when they already know what’s going to happen? It just tires everyone involved.”

“Mmph!! Mmmph!!”

“Let’s not waste our energy unnecessarily.”

He’s insane.

This man—no, this monster—was the killer…!!

The captive wanted desperately to negotiate, plead, fight back, do anything to survive, but his bound body and gagged mouth gave him no options.

Tears streamed uncontrollably down his face.

“Hm, I think I’ve heard that physical and emotional pain can be alleviated a bit by screaming…? Or, well, something like that.”

The office worker’s voice was dry, his tone almost clinical as he inspected the blade of the axe.

The edge gleamed as it caught the dim light.

“Reasonable enough, I suppose. Still, I don’t find it particularly satisfying.”

He adjusted his grip.

The axe swung.

A gleaming arc in the air.

Thud.

Clang…

“……”

“……”

Silence enveloped the basement.

Kim Soleum lowered the axe and, with a slightly brighter tone, remarked,

“Almost done.”

Three people remained.

Chapter 54 - [And Then There Was One], IV

The final day at the Horizon Mountain Lodge—

The promised three days had passed. The final morning at the ‘Horizon Mountain Lodge’ had arrived.

“……”

The civil servant woke up in his bed.

It wasn’t a pleasant morning.

Something about the situation had felt off for a while now, like a carefully laid plan slowly unraveling.

To make matters worse, the assignment itself hadn’t been one he was eager to take on in the first place.

Still, the job wasn’t done yet. He donned his prepared work uniform, strapped on his gear, picked up his tools, and stepped out of his room.

What awaited him outside wasn’t a welcome sight.

“…Huu.”

The first-floor living room was soaked in blood.

It looked as though someone had created a pentagram offering with blood, placing severed body parts at each point.

On the lone clean sofa lay a woman, unconscious.

It was the wife from the couple.

“……”

The agent hesitated briefly but ultimately resolved to carry out his duties as planned.

He knew all too well the risks of acting on personal judgment.

And besides…

“Uugh… wh-what?!”

They weren’t exactly the kind of people worth saving.

“AAAAAAHH!”

The woman woke abruptly and screamed at the sight before her.

A tall man, clad in a black, waterproof raincoat, stood before her, holding a butcher knife over 35 centimeters long!!

The man sighed deeply.

‘Of all times.’

She had to wake up now.

He was exhausted. More than usual.

How could things have gone so wildly off course?

The agent’s mind flashed back to the first day at the lodge.

His initial target had been one of the couple.

Greedy and vulnerable, they were an easy mark. According to the Disaster Management Bureau’s analysis, eliminating one half of a couple first would effectively sow fear, making the subsequent tasks easier.

Following the script embedded in his mind, he had planned to lure the target to the kitchen and bring the frame’s ominous prophecy to life.

‘I’ll burn that person in the stove.’

But someone had beaten him to it.

“……?!”

The stove already contained a corpse.

And not just any corpse—it had been left in a bizarrely grotesque state.

……??

His mind swam with confusion.

The Disaster Management Bureau had ensured that he would be assigned the role of the serial killer, pre-assigning him the cassette tape as part of the Disaster’s framework.

So how could there be another killer?

At the time, he had dismissed it as the unpredictable nature of supernatural catastrophes.

That was, until lunchtime, when he stumbled upon the shredded remains of two students in the backyard.

“……”

He had no choice but to quietly stow away the large hammer he had prepared in his wardrobe.

By then, he had realized the truth.

Someone else had been preemptively killing the victims.

It was maddening.

And now, on the final day, someone had even gone so far as to set up this elaborate dismemberment scene.

His head throbbed from the sheer absurdity of it all.

Still, his tasks hadn’t changed.

Despite the chaos, he had to complete his duties, step by step. That was the Bureau’s way.

“Hiieek…”

His recollections came to an end as he looked down at his next victim.

The woman’s eyes were wide with fear, but she was too paralyzed to resist.

He sighed, feeling the weight of his exhaustion, and raised the knife.

At that moment—

“Agent 007.”

“……”

A voice interrupted him.

He turned to see someone leaning casually against the second-floor railing, looking down at the living room.

It was the office worker.

The seller he had met through Salmon Market.

“You don’t have to kill her.”

Kim Soleum looked down at him.

This individual will firmly believe that they are inheriting the legendary murderer’s legacy and undergo mental and physical transformation.

In every way, the agent fit the description of a Disaster-appointed serial killer.

The black raincoat, the gleaming butcher knife—his appearance screamed ‘killer’.

But Kim Soleum knew better.

‘Despite how he looks, he’s someone you could reason with.’

– Are you certain, friend?

Yes, he’s certain.

‘Agents from the Disaster Management Bureau come prepared for these kinds of scenarios.’

For instance, like the holster barely visible beneath that civil servant’s raincoat.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau / Items

Tether Handler

A black holster-shaped equipment-type item.

When equipped, it grants resistance to supernatural mental disturbances of Hollow-sanctioned level or lower.

Usage Condition: Must be a Grade-8 or higher official of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.

----------------------------------------

It was mental defense equipment.

They wouldn’t send agents unarmed into a Disaster capable of transforming someone into a brainwashed serial killer.

‘No way they’d send them in with a clear head.’

Agents were regularly deployed into high-risk supernatural Disasters where death was often an assumed outcome.

‘Imagine running into a devious pharmaceutical rep using items like smiley stickers for manipulation.’

Kim Soleum observed the agent standing silently before him and spoke.

“You really don’t need to kill anyone. All the groundwork has already been laid.”

“……”

“I’ve already done everything.”

A moment of silence.

“Are you saying you’ve killed them?”

Well, it was true that this Disaster wouldn’t end without a series of murders.

According to the <Dark Exploration Records>, if no killings occurred even through external intervention, things would spiral into chaos during the inheritance fight, ending in mutual slaughter.

‘That’s why the Disaster is designed for the agent to kill directly.’

To ensure the agent doesn’t die by accident, they’re designated as the serial killer and managed accordingly.

That was the rule. Commit serial murders, or…

“No.”

“……!”

“I just made it look like they died.”

…or convince everyone that they did.

“But there were corpses.”

“That’s true… but they weren’t my doing.”

“……!”

“Did you know this lodge has a basement?”

Kim Soleum recalled part of the poem inside the golden frame.

It wasn’t just foreshadowing murder methods.

There were other hints as well.

Boing, boing, the sound of hopping with laughter

The wooden floors beneath go bam, bam

The table, full

Humming, in the air

This stanza hinted at something.

A sound beneath the wooden floor. An echo from a hollow space below.

And…

‘That verse alluding murder to food…’

The table is bountiful.

Something abundant, possibly related to the serial killings.

Sure enough.

“In the basement, there’s a collection of preserved body parts and organs on display.”

“……!”

It was a workshop.

“Apparently, this lodge has seen serial killings before. I nearly fainted when I saw it.”

Honestly, he nearly did. The sight of those grotesque artifacts from past killings was horrifying.

But more importantly, Kim Soleum had found a new use for those bizarre props.

The agent caught on.

“All the bodies we’ve seen so far…”

“Exactly.”

Kim Soleum grinned awkwardly.

“Not one of them was intact, right?”

Because the corpses were made using the preserved parts from the basement, pieced together to look fresh!

That’s why Baek Saheon had to be the first victim.

‘…I couldn’t have done it without help.’

Handling preserved body parts to recreate murder scenes in the dead of night was a task so revolting it made him want to give up on life altogether.

But Baek Saheon, faced with a binary choice between collaboration or death, begrudgingly became an excellent assistant for Kim Soleum’s morbid creativity.

Together, they painstakingly staged the crime scenes.

They placed charred legs into the stove, using Baek Saheon’s sneakers to complete the illusion.

The ground meat and bones in the backyard? Repurposed food items from a freezer behind the storage shed, with bits of clothing scattered for effect.

And the current bloody mess in the living room? The same method.

Although Kim Soleum had done all the actual abducting alone, aided by the unique abilities of his plush companion, Braun.

“People were hidden away while we staged their deaths. Using real body parts meant no one suspected anything.”

“……”

“I figured the real killer might get flustered and stay quiet if I acted first.”

“……”

The plan was as much a psychological play as it was an improvisation in the face of chaos.

But then again…

“You know… someone still ended up killing people, though.”

“……”

“The allergy and the landslide, for example.”

Both happened before Kim Soleum had a chance to intervene.

The landslide might be written off as a supernatural catastrophe, but the allergy? That couldn’t have been mere coincidence.

No one—not even Sherlock Holmes—could figure out someone’s fatal allergies just by observing them for less than a day.

‘Even I only learned about it by accident during a conversation.’

So the idea that someone brought an allergen, like peanuts, into the lodge in advance specifically for murder was even more implausible.

Which meant…

Someone had to have known the profiles of everyone coming here ahead of time and prepared for the killings accordingly.

“Was it you, Agent, who caused the allergic shock?”

“……”

The agent didn’t deny it.

And Kim Soleum…

‘Hmm. As I thought.’

…wasn’t shocked in the slightest!

Shouldn’t he feel some sympathy for the loss of innocent lives?

Well, they weren’t exactly ‘innocent’.

‘The government doesn’t just pick random people for Russian roulette-style sacrifices.’

The Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau uses a method known as the ‘Scales of Malice’ to determine candidates for compulsory civilian conscription.

The scales weigh against acts of ‘motive-less murder’, and anyone with a heavier weight of guilt than that is classified as eligible for conscription.

In other words, only those deemed to have committed atrocities worse than indiscriminate killing are selected and sent into these Disasters.

‘If the Disaster has to operate periodically, they choose people who deserve to die anyway. At least it’s an attempt at ethical balance.’

A very government-like decision, maintaining a veneer of morality.

‘So, this time, too, they’re all probably people who fit that profile.’

And Kim Soleum’s guess was spot on.

The ‘married couple’ turned out to be an adulterous pair. The actual spouse of one of them, along with their young child, had succumbed to despair and financial hardship, leading to a family suicide.

The college students had been perpetrators in a bullying case that resulted in a classmate’s death. They’d been indicted but acquitted due to lack of evidence and had since gone on to join the same hiking club.

As for the designated driver? He was an as-yet-uncaptured child predator.

Even without knowing these details, Kim Soleum had a general sense.

‘A dream lineup, I’m sure.’

Clearly, the government had orchestrated things to ensure the tapes ended up in the hands of these individuals.

‘And they sent an agent to monitor and manage it all.’

That person was standing in front of Kim Soleum now.

The agent spoke, his voice steady.

“They’re all criminals.”

“……”

“Everyone in this lodge, if the law worked as intended, would be sentenced to death in some countries for crimes of such egregious severity.”

He hesitated before adding,

“Everyone except you, who doesn’t have a tape.”

But inwardly, the agent wasn’t confident this explanation would land.

His prior encounters with civilians during missions hadn’t gone particularly well.

Wearily, he raised his gaze.

But…

“Hmm, I see. That makes sense.”

“……!”

Surprisingly, the office worker standing on the second floor nodded easily.

“Anyway, aside from those two, the rest of the group is alive and well, so that’s good.”

Kim Soleum spoke casually, as if the situation were no big deal.

“Even for criminals, killing them must weigh on you. This isn’t a bad outcome, all things considered.”

“……”

Finally, the agent asked.

“Who exactly are you?”

This man had gone out of his way to stage fake murder scenes, appeared unfazed by the agent’s suspicious appearance, and even trusted him based on rational deductions.

No ordinary person could maintain such composure.

“Hmm.”

Kim Soleum let out a deep sigh.

“I’m just… someone who tends to get swept up in these situations.”

“Are you affiliated with the Disaster Management Bureau?”

“Not at all. I’ve heard rumors, though. It’s fascinating to meet an actual agent in person— Ah.”

He suddenly turned his head.

Creak.

The back door to the kitchen was opening.

Just like on the first day.

“It seems the lodge caretaker has returned.”

The ending scene of this Disaster was approaching.

Chapter 55 - [And Then There Was One], V

The mountain lodge was a mess—a pentagram drawn in blood and dismembered body parts strewn across the living room.

In this macabre scene stood the civil servant, holding a butcher’s knife before a fainted woman.

From the second-floor railing, I watched it all.

If I didn’t know it was fake, I myself might have fainted at such a grotesque sight.

But the lodge caretaker who entered through the back door was polite as ever.

“Did you have a comfortable stay?”

As if that were possible.

Still, there was no point in wasting energy responding, so I simply stayed silent.

The caretaker didn’t waste time on clichés like, ‘I stayed out of your way so you could rest undisturbed.’

Instead, he simply said this one thing.

“Three days have passed. The time has come.”

“……”

“You may now exchange the cassette tapes for the inheritance of this lodge.”

No one has died up to this point though?

This is where chaos erupts, where people start killing each other.

It’s inevitable.

The accumulated fear and trauma must reach a peak before the cassette tapes will release their survivors.

‘That’s why I made sure to create it.’

The fear and trauma, that is.

Modern sensibilities didn’t make it any less distasteful, but I’d scared them enough to believe they were really dying.

It seemed my efforts had paid off.

The caretaker recited his lines, and the fact that the living room was still peaceful, without bloodshed, proved it.

Of course, this peace wouldn’t last.

The caretaker’s first approach was toward the fainted ‘wife’ on the sofa.

“Dear guest.”

“……”

“Would you like to exchange your cassette tape?”

“Mmh, what… H-Huuh? AAAAHHHHH!!”

The woman woke up screaming, stumbled a few times, and bolted out of the lodge.

What a shame.

‘She would’ve been better off staying unconscious.’

Unbothered, the caretaker turned and addressed the next person.

“Would you like to exchange your cassette tape?”

“……”

The civil servant stared at the caretaker for a moment before speaking slowly.

“I’ll reveal my decision last.”

“Understood. In that case…”

The caretaker turned to the final person.

Me.

I met his gaze.

Despite his tattered clothing, his speech carried the refined cadence of Seoul’s old aristocracy.

“Would you like to exchange your cassette tape?”

Would I?

“Yes.”

Of course, I would.

‘I’ve worked like a deckhand on a shrimp boat for the past three days to get to this point.’

Entrants are promised significant monetary rewards if they stay within the Disaster for a designated period.

This was why I had gone so far as to play the role of a serial killer.

‘Exchange priority.’

I retrieved the cassette tapes from a backpack belonging to the deceased college student.

The couple’s tapes.

The students’ tapes.

Even Baek Saheon’s tape.

“Six tapes. You are guaranteed first priority for the exchange.”

As the caretaker spoke, his tone momentarily revealed his excitement before reverting to politeness.

“You may now claim ownership of this lodge, sir. Would you like to?”

“No.”

“……”

If an entrant choses to inherit the place of Disaster (Horizon Mountain Lodge) as their reward, their altered psyche would become permanently tied to it.

Even if my ‘serial killing’ was a ruse, there was no need to risk taking on such a burden.

‘But I can’t just make a random exchange or refuse outright either.’

Whether you exchange the tapes for gold, garbage, nothing at all, or even burn the lodge to the ground, the cycle restarts.

When the next round comes, the serial killer’s items are redistributed, drawing new victims to this very place.

The lodge would reappear as if nothing had happened, perpetuating the carnage.

Besides.

‘I’m pretty sure if I make the exchange, the people I pretended to kill and hid will all actually die.’

There was this record.

#6

Personnel : 8 conscripts, 1 civil servant (Grade-8).

The civil servant was successfully designated as the serial killer but deviated during the third murder, using a special item instead of the provided poison.

Attempted to conclude the disaster without killing conscripts by inducing near-death states.

Outcome : 1 civil servant survived (refused the exchange).

※ The conscript in a near-death state was later confirmed to have died after choking on vomit post-exchange.

The idea of locking everyone up so they couldn’t escape during a fire, conveniently preventing their survival? That’s how I’d end up a genuine serial killer.

Even if these people were destined to die in this cursed tale, it would still feel wrong.

Let me respect my humanity, however fragile it may be.

After much consideration, I made my choice.

“I want to exchange one cassette tape for the employment contract of the lodge caretaker.”

The caretaker seemed momentarily stunned.

“My employment contract?”

“Yes.”

I nodded.

Did you know?

The Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau typically aims to eliminate curses like this.

The insane pharmaceutical company I work for aims to ensure employees escape while deftly preserving and managing phenomena—it’s never about actually resolving anything.

For Daydream Inc., these ghost stories might serve as raw material supply sources, but for the government, they’re just catastrophes to be dealt with.

This difference has even inspired some creative reinterpretations in the wiki.

In short, government-managed phenomena can… ‘successfully disappear’.

For instance.

The lodge caretaker announces the contract period has ended with this exchange.

The location of the lodge becomes an empty lot, with no signs of paranormal activity to date.

Disaster resolved.

This is the official conclusion of the last recorded investigation into this phenomenon. A definitive end.

Which means…

‘Why not terminate it before the next cycle even begins?’

That’s how I arrived at this.

“I assume your current employment contract is tied to the previous lodge owner. I’d like to transfer that contract to myself.”

Not taking the lodge itself, but inheriting the caretaker’s employment rights and terminating his contract?

If I could replicate the scenario in the official records, this Disaster could finally conclude.

“……”

I waited for the caretaker’s response. And…

“It is… theoretically possible.”

Exactly.

“However, with all due respect, the employer must meet certain qualifications.”

“Qualifications?”

“Yes.”

The caretaker’s formal tone carried a faint, fleeting trace of arrogance.

“There must be inherent, existential nobility.”

For the person running a murder lodge?

It seems the ethics of this role are vastly out of sync with modern sensibilities.

– Haha! The caretaker is acting like an 18th-century butler, mistaking his master’s authority for his own!

– Why not just take over the lodge and fire him?

Braun-ah, I’m going out of my way not to do exactly that.

‘Hold on. I think I might have another way.’

– Your patience is admirable, Mr. Roe Deer!

Sure, sure.

I idly scratched my chin.

‘…Nobility, huh?’

Actually, something did come to mind.

It’s true that I didn’t bring much in terms of items, but I always carry one small thing in my pocket.

‘My merch.’

The latest trinket from the merch box: the Silver Heart.

A small, silver badge that enhances one’s persuasiveness when worn by a kind individual.

‘It’s a good opportunity to test it, too.’

I had carefully handled the tiny badge in my pocket, using a pair of tweezers to affix it to the fabric.

Then, as expected…

“……”

“……”

The other party showed no particular reaction.

‘Ah.’

Maybe it’s an issue of application range.

‘He probably isn’t human.’

The wearer earns the reverence of others proportional to their cumulative altruistic actions.

Well, I had doubts about the definition of ‘nobility’ anyway, so this was just a test.

I quickly adjusted my approach.

In that case…

“Are you saying I lack innate, existential nobility?”

I had no choice but to start talking.

“Finding someone who meets such criteria is certainly difficult. I hope you won’t feel disheartened, sir.”

“No, that’s not the issue. What’s important is this—are you saying the exchange is difficult because I don’t meet the qualifications?”

“Correct.”

“I don’t quite understand that.”

I deliberately furrowed my brows, like a customer filing a complaint.

“The condition was, ‘Bring the cassette tape, and I’ll exchange it for anything I possess’, correct? Suddenly changing the terms at the end is disconcerting.”

I sighed dramatically, as if weary.

“Three days. That’s how much time I’ve spent here. And now, at the last moment, you’re introducing qualifications that contradict the promise.”

The caretaker seemed slightly flustered.

“There seems to be some misunderstanding.”

“What kind of misunderstanding?”

“The promise remains intact. However, if you inherit only my employment authority, it may be challenging to exercise that authority in practice.”

The caretaker kindly elaborated.

“If you were to inherit the lodge itself, I would continue to work here under the original contract. But inheriting ’employment authority’ means that right would only be usable when applicable.”

In simpler terms: Sure, I’ll keep working under my old contract, but I won’t take your orders.

“So, it’s just a symbolic contract without practical application? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Precisely.”

Wow.

“That’s fine with me.”

“……”

Even better!

It’s invalid!

“So as long as I’m aware of these terms, the exchange can proceed, right? If I still wish to proceed knowing this, there’s no reason to stop me, correct?”

“…If that’s the case.”

The caretaker extended both hands.

“You are correct, dear guest.”

He conceded.

“Please place the cassette tapes you wish to exchange.”

Yessir.

I quickly handed over the tapes I was holding.

Clack, clack, clack.

Six tapes left my hand and landed in the caretaker’s rough palms.

The caretaker smoothly tucked the tapes into the folds of his worn clothing. Then, after adjusting his tattered attire with deliberate precision, he produced a thin, ancient-looking object.

It was a piece of paper.

It looked like traditional Korean hanji paper, yet curiously Western in its cutting and design. Rolled up and sealed with red wax.

“This is the original contract document.”

The moment I took it, the old paper caught fire.

“……!”

The hanji began burning in a vivid orange hue, disintegrating into embers that rose into the air.

Then, they coiled around my wrist.

Specifically, the spot where the mascot’s tattoo from the theme park remained!

‘W-Wait.’

: Socius :

The tattoo glowed as if it were heating up.

The embers clashed with the tattoo, almost as if they were wrestling with it, before finally yielding and springing away.

They then settled slightly higher on my arm, closer to my forearm, aligning themselves vertically.

: 恩主 :

“……”

Now I got two tattoos.

‘This isn’t what I wanted.’

I had expected to keep the physical contract as an item, but this?

It felt oddly binding. But… in terms of portability, this was actually more convenient.

– Eunju, or benefactor. Hm. Another old-fashioned expression.

Even Braun refrained from making ominous remarks this time.

Based on prior experience, the tattoo likely wouldn’t be visible to the public—certainly not to the civil servant standing here—so that worked out fine.

If the contract simply vanished into thin air, that was probably better.

‘Not like I’d ever call on him anyway.’

I raised my head.

As expected, the lodge caretaker had vanished as if he had never existed.

All that remained was the blood-soaked lodge, a scene straight out of a horror movie.

And standing in it, just me and the civil servant.

‘It’s all wrapped up now.’

Amusingly, at that moment, soft light began filtering through the windows.

Sunlight.

“The weather’s cleared.”

“……”

Welp, everything’s in good order.

With the mood set, I could vanish quietly, and the civil servant could go about his business.

The unconscious survivors tied up in the basement? The government could handle their identities and clean up the aftermath.

‘Since the creepypasta itself had disappeared, I likely wouldn’t end up as a target of investigation or detailed recordkeeping.’

Whether it was the government or a corporation, they usually didn’t exert themselves over neatly resolved cases.

‘Even if it’s logged as a peculiar case, I didn’t actually kill anyone, so it should be fine.’

I just needed to play my cards right with the civil servant and offer a reasonable explanation. Everything would blow over nicely…

“You there.”

The civil servant ascended the stairs and strode toward me.

Grabbing my arm, he looked me straight in the eye and asked, quite seriously,

“Have you ever considered a career shift?”

Pardon?

Chapter 56 - [And Then There Was One], VI

“Please think it over carefully.”

The civil servant, dressed like a textbook serial killer, spoke with conviction.

“It’s a guaranteed job until the age of 65, with a grade-based salary system. Since it’s a specialized position, there are additional allowances.”

Why am I sitting here listening to what sounds like a job fair spiel from the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau?

“If you’re prone to being drawn into supernatural phenomena, wouldn’t it be better to have financial stability and institutional protection?”

I already have that, thank you very much.

No matter how I look at it, I doubt a Grade-8 civil servant earns more than someone working for a major pharmaceutical corporation!

Still, there was no way I could blurt out that I worked for Daydream Inc.

I absolutely do not want to end up as a ‘person of interest’ under the Bureau’s watch!

‘I should have stuck to communicating by writing.’

I was beginning to regret speaking out loud for the sake of faster, more persuasive, and impactful communication.

Feeling like I was starting to break out in a cold sweat, I opened my mouth carefully.

Since he seemed to think of me as a mere ‘civilian prone to supernatural phenomena’, I decided to play into that perception.

“This incident was truly terrifying, and I just wanted to do something about it. But I’m not someone capable of resolving supernatural phenomena. Being an agent? That’s absolutely impossible.”

“……”

The civil servant looked at me as if slightly dumbfounded.

Why?

“You thought the caretaker of the lodge was the cause of this phenomenon, so you terminated the contract to prevent further incidents, correct?”

“That’s… correct.”

“Then you independently made a judgment to fully resolve this supernatural phenomenon, did you not?”

“……”

“That’s an innate talent.”

No, it’s only because of the wiki…

“I’m sorry, but I really can’t, sir. To be honest, I only did all of this because of the friend who came with me here…”

Please, just drop it.

“Besides, I’m not skilled enough to fight or have any special abilities to warrant becoming an agent.”

“Special abilities.”

The corners of the civil servant’s mouth lifted slightly.

“Those can be learned.”

“……!”

“You’ll be taught in detail after you’re appointed.”

Heck.

“What makes you so confident about this?”

“You possess a small silver badge shaped like a shield, don’t you?”

“……!!”

“That’s the reason.”

Ah, crap.

‘Sharp, aren’t you.’

I had considered this possibility but still feigned being more startled than I actually was.

“What? H-How did you…”

“That is a piece of persuasion equipment used by the Disaster Management Bureau. I heard it was once distributed to citizens who performed great deeds, but… this is my first time seeing someone able to use it.”

“Ah…”

“It can only be used by good people, making it something of a certification tool.”

And then he gave me a knowing look.

“Did you use it after taking it out of your pocket?”

This guy’s sharp.

‘Pretending I don’t know would make me look more suspicious.’

I decided to lean into it.

Remember, this only works for ‘good people’!

‘As long as I haven’t caused any trouble, they won’t confiscate it.’

Thankfully, my brain kicked into overdrive, and a seamless response popped out.

With a faintly bittersweet expression, as if there was a story behind it, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small silver badge.

I made sure to present it in a way that felt natural, even mentioning the only legal route through which I could have obtained it.

“I inherited it from my family.”

From today onwards, my merch box is my family.

“They said I should use it when I needed a voice in an emergency…”

“I see.”

The civil servant nodded, looking at me with a mix of respect and pity.

“You must have had an admirable family.”

“……”

Are you misunderstanding that they’re ‘watching over me from the heavens’?

Well, technically, that’s not entirely wrong…

I tried not to think about the black merch box floating in the sky and continued speaking.

“They told me not to volunteer for dangerous tasks, and I want to keep that promise as much as possible.”

“……”

That was indeed something my parents said when they tried to dissuade me from entering the financial sector, and it’s true I didn’t exactly volunteer for this job either. Not a lie! Not a lie!

“…Understood.”

The civil servant looked at me with slight disappointment but backed off without further insistence.

“In that case, it can’t be helped.”

Phew.

And thus, the nerve-wracking job fair came to an end, with an unexpected bonus.

“If you ever face concerns or issues, feel free to contact me.”

As I was leaving the lodge, the civil servant handed me a contact number.

This time, though, it was presented in a different format.

Ryu Jaekwan

010-XXXX-XXXX

“This is my work number.”

Oh.

“The one I just gave you will be more useful than the previous card. The previous one might involve delays in dispatching a response team, and there’s no telling which type of agent might show up.”

In short, it was a get-out-of-a-creepypasta-free card.

I exchanged the previous contact information with this new one as if I were swapping out cassette tapes.

I never thought I’d end up with connections like this.

Now, before he’d try to make small talk, I should quickly… leave. Though he’d probably do a background check on me anyway.

‘In that case.’

I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, pretending to be a bit embarrassed.

“Actually, with our transactions through the Salmon Market, I was so scared I resorted to written communication… But next time we meet, I’d like to talk like this, with our voices.”

“Of course.”

“And… could my identity be kept confidential? It’s just that it makes me uncomfortable… and, well, scared.”

“……”

The civil servant was silent for a moment.

“If you leave things as they are now, that should be possible.”

He’ll let it slide.

Nice!

‘Does that mean he’ll leave me as an anonymous figure?’

Perfect. This left room for future dealings.

‘Next time, I’ll raise less suspicion and sell more food.’

“Take care on your way down.”

“You too, Agent.”

I shook hands with the civil servant, who then rode off on a bicycle.

Even his final attempt at persuasion as we parted was brushed off quite smoothly.

– Honestly, sir, I’m at my limit with situations like this. Even now, I feel like I’m barely hanging on. It would be too much for me.

And I truly meant it.

Baek Saheon, stop giving me that creepy, glaring look.

The civil servant, apparently just making a polite gesture, nodded and rode off without hesitation.

Along with their parting advice to leave before the ‘Bureau’s cleanup team’ arrived—a life-saving piece of wisdom.

‘Time to scram.’

I left the lodge, now bereft of the landslide debris and bus stop as if by magic, and began walking down the mountain trail.

‘Huuu.’

Only then did the tension begin to lift.

– Over the past few days, sacrificing your sleep and pouring your efforts into creating that artistic final shot… This Braun knows how hard you worked! Well done.

Yeah. It was grotesque, terrifying, and utterly exhausting…

‘To think he got sent into such a ghost story alone—this is why I’m not cut out for the Bureau.’

I couldn’t remember a day when Daydream Inc. seemed like a better company than today.

‘At least they pay in cash and points.’

There’s a saying that even servants should work for wealthy families, and this was the perfect example of that.

Though I wouldn’t say it’s particularly rewarding…

I glanced back at my colleague, who was equally entangled in this thankless job.

“Let’s just get out of here. This cursed lodge…!”

“……”

“Fuck, I got caught up in this nonsense that doesn’t even pay in either points or cash!”

“There’s something you need to say before we go.”

Baek Saheon clamped his mouth shut. Then, turning to me, he spoke in a highly defensive tone.

“I don’t think I owe you anything for this. After all, it’s not like I begged you to save me.”

Oh, really?

“You’ve already received the reward for the cassette tape exchange… Supervisor Kim Soleum, sir. Isn’t that enough?”

“Oh.”

I smirked.

“That’s funny. You’re bold enough to talk like that to someone who gave up their weekend and even skipped work to save your sorry life?”

“……”

Baek Saheon’s face turned pale before he reluctantly responded.

“…What do you want?”

“Nothing.”

“……?!”

“Honestly, this was fun.”

“……!!”

I began walking briskly down the mountain path.

From behind, I heard Baek Saheon scrambling to keep up and offering a belated response.

“…Anyway, I admit I ruined your weekend and caused you to miss work.”

“……”

“That’s all.”

Oh?

“I’ll transfer three days’ worth of salary to you, so just wait.”

“Sure.”

But shortly after, as we entered an area with cell service and our data started working, Baek Saheon let out a shout.

“The date’s exactly the same!”

Of course it is.

Don’t you know it’s a rule that that time flows differently in ghost stories?

“Still, I spent three whole days here.”

“……!”

In the end, I got my salary, while Baek Saheon, wearing a mix of indignation, relief, and frustration on his face, quickly avoided eye contact and retreated.

– Haha, regardless of this situation, he seems like the type to live a rough life!

You’re not wrong.

Honestly, there was something I should’ve said earlier.

‘I didn’t expect him to go the entire time without even thanking me.’

What a remarkable guy in so many ways.

Though compared to how he was in the <Dark Exploration Records>, he seemed a bit less ruthless and slightly more human… for what it’s worth.

Earlier, when the civil servant encountered this guy in the basement, he gave me some rather chilling advice after a brief, cold glance at him.

– Some inherit the Silver Heart, while others inherit a cassette tape… like that.

– ……

– Matching them well would be a good thing to do.

– Um. Yes. Thank you, sir.

Well then.

The government had ensured that the cassette tapes ended up in the hands of criminals, people whose guilt was beyond doubt.

Which means… this guy was officially recognized as a criminal by the government.

Even if I tried to think the best of him, at least one person in Baek Saheon’s “inheritance route” had to be a criminal.

– It was just something lying around at home. I inherited it from a relative.

…A relative.

‘I suppose there might be a story behind it.’

But I stopped thinking further.

I didn’t have the luxury to dive into the backstories of characters in the wiki.

‘I need to survive this ghost story company first.’

And before long, this cursed company was back to doing what it does best—bringing bizarre and unpredictable events into my life as if they were the norm.

A few days later—

“Supervisor Kim!”

On my way back from a coffee run, someone familiar called out to me in the hallway.

It was Lee Byeongjin, the section chief in charge of manual revisions who had gone missing.

“Ah~ Congratulations! I knew our Supervisor Kim would go far!”

We’ve only known each other for less than two months, sir…

“Top of the entry class, scouted to the A-squad, saved me, and even connected to the Security Team. And now, a rapid promotion? Ee-yaaah, that’s great.”

“Thank you.”

It didn’t feel great, but I replied politely anyway.

However, instead of wrapping up the conversation and leaving, Section Chief Lee Byeongjin lowered his voice and muttered,

“Director Ho has his eye on you, Supervisor Kim.”

“……”

“The director is the best superior you could ever have in this company. Don’t miss this opportunity.”

Opportunity…?

“There’s even a rumor that Director Ho runs a top-secret project team under his department… You might get transferred there.”

Haha. You don’t know what you’re saying, sir.

In the world of ghost stories, anything labeled ‘confidential’ cuts your survival odds in half.

Instead of saying that, I politely shook my head.

“I’ve been here less than six months. I’m not seeking out something like that. I’ll just do my best in the position I’ve been given.”

“Ah, modest too! I knew I had a good eye for people. Haha!”

I was just grateful he conveniently forgot his overbearing attitude from when I was pretending to be part of the Security Team. People are truly products of their environment.

Section Chief Lee patted my shoulder a few times, looking proud, and left with these parting words.

“Anyway, I’m curious where you’ll end up, really!”

“……?”

That sounded oddly loaded.

‘Why does it feel like he’s assuming I’ll definitely be going somewhere?’

That question didn’t stay unanswered for long.

Later that afternoon—

“Hey, Roe. Even if you get reassigned, let’s catch up occasionally. I still owe you a meal or two.”

Pardon?

I blinked at my somewhat dejected coworker.

Reassigned?

Wait… did I seriously just get transferred to some strange place?

Was the director’s ‘interest’ just a ploy to lull me into complacency before blindsiding me?

Why would anyone bother to do something so petty and diabolical to an ordinary employee…?!

“I mean, I’d rather you stayed on our squad, but looking at how things are going…”

Fortunately, before I spiraled into panic, Assistant Manager Eun kindly explained.

She said that squads of the Field Exploration Team typically had a three-person quota. Occasionally, they’d assign one or two extra members just to train new hires.

The new members often stayed as extra personnel until they got promoted.

“But you’re a supervisor now.”

Ah.

I was… the exception to the usual case.

“You’ll probably be shuffled somewhere else, but… don’t worry too much.”

Feeling a glimmer of hope, I asked,

“Is there a chance I could be an exception?”

“Not really… It’s just that the squad will likely stay exactly at its three-person quota soon. Keep this between us.”

“Huh?”

Assistant Manager Eun smirked.

“I’m quitting soon.”

“……!!”

A coworker just announced her escape!

Chapter 57 - [It's Vacant]

Office workers always carry their resignation letter with them—whether physically or mentally—over their hearts.

However, it’s usually hidden…

‘Telling a new hire, though?’

And from a direct superior, no less.

“I’ve almost collected enough points. Don’t go spreading it around.”

“……”

Given Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s personality, I’d have expected her to keep her poker face until the very day of her resignation, revealing it only at the last moment.

“Are you sure it’s okay to tell me this?”

“Why not? It’s not exactly bad news. Besides, there are plenty of people in this company who brag about how many points they’ve accumulated.”

Eun Haje gave my shoulder a firm pat.

“I just thought I’d let our squad know in advance.”

“Sniffle. It’s so moving, seeing this from up close, sunbae-nim!”

“Cut it out.”

I glanced over at Supervisor Park Minseong, who had sidled up and was being overly dramatic. He seemed to have known about it beforehand.

‘Must be a company culture thing.’

After all, this is a job where people risk everything, spinning the chamber of a Russian roulette revolver against their temples in hopes of fulfilling a seemingly impossible, desperate wish.

It made sense that there wasn’t much point in hiding the desire to escape.

Still, it was a shame to see such a considerate direct superior leave. But for her, this was great news, so congratulations were in order.

There was just one thing I didn’t understand.

“Assistant Manager.”

“Yeah?”

“Does that mean you’ve gathered all 500,000 points?”

“What?! Five hundred thousand…!”

Eun Haje looked startled before her expression relaxed, and she chuckled knowingly.

“Oh, did you think I was aiming for a wish ticket?”

“……?”

Isn’t that the norm? Finding someone who isn’t would probably be harder around here.

“Well, when I first joined, that was my goal too. But after looking around, I realized there are other ways.”

“……!”

Ah.

‘I see.’

Now that I thought about it, not everyone might need to go all the way to a wish ticket.

‘If something you can buy from the employee points mall fulfills your wish, that might be good enough.’

“I just need one of the high-tier magical potions this company offers.”

As expected.

“…May I ask how many points it costs?”

“170,000. I’m less than 5,000 away now. Still… I’ll probably have to stick around a few more months to earn the bonus points here and there thanks to you.”

Eun Haje gave a rare playful wink.

“I’ll talk to the squad leader and see if we can keep you here until the next regular personnel announcement.”

That meant I could likely remain on the D-squad until then.

Afterward, once she left, the squad would naturally be down to its proper capacity.

‘How thoughtful.’

Her confidence that I’d even want to stay with this squad made it all the more impressive.

“Sunbae-nim, when you leave, we should definitely have a proper squad dinner. And let’s stay in touch after you’re gone. We could go watch baseball or something…”

“Of course. You just need to stick it out a few more years too.”

“Me? Nah, I’m stuck collecting all 500,000 points.”

Despite scratching his head, Supervisor Park’s face seemed brighter than usual.

“Anyway… this means Roe can stay on our squad, right?”

“If the squad leader pulls the right strings.”

And when the ‘squad leader’ returned from the section head meeting, they confirmed the matter calmly.

“Yes. The odds are in your favor.”

“Ohhh!”

“It’s a matter of probability. Do not base your plans on the assumption of staying.”

“…Well, Roe, there you have it.”

“Yes…”

Classic lizard.

“Anyway, congratulations on your decision, Assistant Manager.”

“Thanks.”

Eun Haje smiled as he stepped out to smoke. Her back already looked lighter, as if a burden had been lifted.

‘…What happens to employees who quit?’

There were no accounts of resigning staff being secretly detained in labs for confidentiality or disappearing without a trace.

‘There were even descriptions of retired employees having relatively good endings.’

Like those universally liked colleagues that people on the wiki grew attached to, ensuring the writers gave them satisfying retirements.

‘…I hope it goes that way for her too.’

After a brief moment of reflection, I returned to my work.

That meant taking on the tasks assigned by the squad leader who had just returned from the meeting.

“This time, the Darkness we’ll be exploring is a C-class spider from a known source with a completed manual.”

“Oh… so the points will be around 600 to 700 per person, right?”

“Yes.”

“Roe, it’s good we banked on those points when we had the chance.”

The influx of ‘new Darkness manual completion explorations’ that had been almost exclusively assigned to D-squad was finally slowing down.

“There’s usually a seasonal burst of new Darknesses. The research squad tends to register them all at once as the deadline approaches.”

“Ah.”

This really feels so… company-like.

Of course, as a new hire, pointing that out wouldn’t do me any good.

I smiled faintly and said,

“Then we can all work safely for a while, right?”

“That’s what I like about you, Roe—you’re always so positive!”

Supervisor Park laughed heartily and handed me the tablet displaying the manual in PDF form.

“Even with a manual, it’s still C-class, so if you let your guard down, it could be serious. Let me know when you’ve fully gone through it.”

“Yes.”

“Looks like this one just involves surviving in a certain location for a day.”

Hmm.

I took the tablet and started reading.

The official manual was written in the usual calm tone, following the same format as always.

It resembled the entries in the <Dark Exploration Records> wiki, meaning the data had been implemented with detailed, practical information based on prior records.

‘Let’s see.’

This is a ghost story about getting lost in a space within a mostly empty commercial building, a phenomenon referred to online as a type of ‘backroom’.

“……”

As I read the next paragraph, a strong feeling struck me like a hammer.

‘This is…’

For months now, I’d been using the <Dark Exploration Records> to infer the true nature of ghost stories and match them to their corresponding manuals.

So I wasn’t exactly surprised by the general nature of these phenomena anymore.

But this situation? It’s surprising in a different way.

Normally, it’s the kind of thing where I’d end up in a scenario like the <Tuesday Quiz Show>, involving insane mass slaughter or a situation where my death is practically guaranteed.

But this time, it’s different.

‘This is… good news!’

Oh my god, a wholesome ghost story!

If fear were measured on a scale, this one would probably be a zero. Even the most faint-hearted could breeze through it after knowing the spoilers.

Then why was it rated C-class?

‘Because Daydream Inc. misclassified the grade due to a misunderstanding!’

This story was meant to bring joy.

It was one of those ‘misunderstood ghost stories’—seemingly dangerous but actually warm and gentle. It was safe and friendly, but people’s biases made it seem scary, leading to amusing misinterpretations.

‘It’s more like a magical experience than a ghost story…’

Naturally, there weren’t many cases like this in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

My heart raced slightly.

Was I really going to experience this?

‘Wait a minute.’

If this goes well…

‘This might not just feel warm and fuzzy—it could actually make my life better.’

My mind started spinning quickly.

To pull this off, there was something I definitely needed to have.

And that was…

“You’re being sent in tomorrow afternoon, so there’s plenty of time. Take your time reading through it. Though honestly… You probably don’t even need me to explain things, Roe!”

“In that case… would it be okay if I stepped out for a bit during lunch tomorrow?”

“Huh? Well, I don’t think either Squad Leader Lee or the Assistant Manager Eun would mind, but why? If it’s for a doctor’s visit, we can give you extra time.”

“Oh, no, it’s not that. I just…”

I thought about my bank account and started counting.

“There’s something I need to buy.”

“……?”

To make the most of this wholesome ghost story, I needed to bring along…

Something very expensive!

The next day, after lunch—

We traveled to the site in Assistant Manager Eun’s car, heading to the location where the Darkness was contained.

“Got everything you wanted to bring?”

“Yes.”

The ‘expensive thing’ I had purchased during lunch was safely packed in my briefcase.

From the driver’s seat, the assistant manager checked,

“Roe, this is your first time entering an urban legend that takes place in a real location, rather than being kidnapped by touching some cursed item, isn’t it?”

Uh, no. In fact, I just pretended to be a serial killer at a lodge full of dismembered corpses, nearly throwing up in the process.

…But let’s not bring that up.

“Yes. It feels like my first real field assignment.”

“Haha. You’re still in your twenties, right, Roe? This must be your first job, then.”

The atmosphere was warm as we traveled, exchanging some light-hearted conversation.

“Did you know? Our squad leader once broke the steering wheel three times while on duty. Now there’s a rumor he won’t sit in the driver’s seat again unless it’s a full-blown zombie apocalypse…”

“……”

Maybe I shouldn’t ask about that directly.

Anyway, after about forty minutes, the car smoothly arrived at its destination.

“Here we are.”

It was a tightly packed alley of commercial buildings in the suburbs of Seoul.

Once bustling during a real estate boom, it had become eerily quiet and desolate due to new urban development drawing people away—an ‘old’ new town, so to speak.

Numerous vacant windows displayed real estate signs advertising properties for sale or rent.

“One of these buildings is the urban legend. If you enter during the golden hour on a sunny day, something strange happens.”

“I see.”

Accompanied by my superiors, who helpfully summarized the manual’s details, I approached the designated commercial building.

“Civilians are blocked from entering this place. It seems like some kind of… Security Team equipment is being used. But it recognizes our badges and lets us through.”

Hmm.

“Be careful once we’re inside.”

Supervisor Park lowered his voice and whispered seriously.

“There are quite a few disturbing records, so stay vigilant.”

“……”

Are you referring to something like this?

----------------------------------------

Exploration Record #12

One of the staff members deployed (Employee Jung Sejong) discovered an operational shop at Room 404, next to the emergency exit on the fourth floor. The sign displayed the name ■■■ Café.

However, as the staff member approached the location, strange sounds not originating from the café began to be heard.

Barking, shouting, and the howling of beasts overlapped into a cacophony that grew louder and louder, as if rushing toward him.

Just as the staff member stopped in front of the door, the sound suddenly surged closer, as though something was about to charge out.

Panicking, the staff member fled to the emergency stairs just before the door opened but fell unconscious after a loud crash.

Later, the staff member was found unconscious near the building, suffering from open fractures in both legs and severe back injuries, rendering him unfit for duty. He subsequently reported persistent PTSD.

----------------------------------------

At first glance, it sounds eerie and horrific.

But did you notice?

‘That’s just… a dog-friendly café.’

The barking scared the employee, causing him to flee and tumble down the stairs, leading to multiple injuries.

The ‘ghost story’ actually kindly ejected the staff member from the premises.

This Darkness is just a space where the old shops continue to operate normally. That’s as weird as it gets.

It’s the kind of story where overzealous explorers, misinterpreting everything as sinister, end up creating problems for themselves, eliciting a wry chuckle from observers.

And here I am, standing next to people who are eagerly giving me advice as if it’s all serious.

“Let’s be cautious. There are records of this space harming entrants.”

No, there aren’t.

“Especially, don’t lose consciousness. That usually results in severe injuries.”

Even if someone passes out or gets hurt badly, the space politely ejects them after a while…

This is literally a shopping complex that ensures people leave once business hours are over.

Still, I refrained from explaining. I didn’t want someone to think, ‘Oh, this ghost story induces psychological contamination!’ and spiral into more exaggerated misunderstandings.

Instead, I simply nodded when they suggested splitting up to cover more ground efficiently while staying in contact.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay, Roe?”

“Yes.”

Normally, I’d cling to someone’s coattails out of nervousness, but today is the perfect day for a ‘coward’s adventure’!

“Call immediately if anything happens.”

“Understood.”

Equipped with a walkie-talkie provided by the Security Team (which oddly reminded me of a toy I’d seen in the Alien Shop), I moved out.

– Hm, is there a specific shop you want to visit? It seems a few are still operational.

That’s the thing.

‘Yes, but they’re a bit tricky to reach…’

The space here was warped, with floors and directions all jumbled, but some semblance of order and rules could occasionally be discerned.

One such rule involved the elevator.

When taking it from the seventh floor, a button for the basement might randomly appear.

After several attempts, I finally saw the button labeled ‘B1’.

– Ah, a hidden location? Reminds me of that elegant exhibition we went to recently.

Did you really have to bring that up?

I still have nightmares about wandering endlessly in the basement of that exhibition, bumping into mechanical spiders, and losing vital organs…

‘This is a kind and gentle place… a kind and gentle place…’

Shaking off the memories, I pressed the button.

Ding.

The doors opened to reveal a parking garage.

‘Someone once fainted here after hearing a car horn, I think.’

That’s not the point.

I carefully followed the instructions I remembered.

‘Three turns to the left.’

After circling the parking garage three times, a new section number, previously invisible, appeared.

‘A19.’

This meant I had arrived.

With growing excitement, I walked toward it.

Next to this parking section was a door leading into the shopping complex. Instead of heading to the elevators, I turned to the side, where a small shop awaited.

And there it was.

Moonlight Tattoo Shop

A magical place.

Chapter 58 - [Moonlight Tattoo Shop], I

Next to the underground parking lot, there was a small space that seemed to embody a landlord’s desperate attempt to squeeze in one more rental shop for extra income.

That small space was occupied by the little shop I had planned to visit today:

A special tattoo shop.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Moonlight Tattoo Shop]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – N/A

The only official record from Daydream Inc. about this location is a one-off entry titled ‘It Is Empty (Qterw-C-818)’.

For more details, Document #818-15623 (Civilian Interview Record) can be accessed, though its credibility is not guaranteed.

----------------------------------------

Does the note about ‘credibility not guaranteed’ mean it’s dangerous?

No.

The foundational story of ‘It Is Empty’ is a satire of humanity’s tendency to twist benevolence into something sinister by looking for hidden negative reasons.

Contextually, this place has to be a ‘good’ location that aligns with civilian interview accounts.

– Are you going in?

Yup.

I pressed the button next to the frosted glass door.

Srrrk—

The door slid open, revealing the interior of the tattoo shop.

At a glance, it looked like an ordinary, modest shop. The facilities were slightly shabby but clean and well-maintained. A notice on the counter stated that she only performed one-on-one procedures.

However, light streamed down onto the central tattoo chair.

It was moonlight.

Curiously, the ceiling above the chair featured a transparent LED panel that allowed the moon to be visible, creating artificial moonlight that poured down in a focused beam.

‘Just as described.’

“Is anyone here?”

When I called out, the shop owner emerged from behind the counter.

It was a woman with dense Korean-script tattoos on her neck, wearing a sleeveless shirt. Her tied-back curly hair and confident demeanor immediately evoked the impression of a skilled technician or artist.

“I’d like to have a tattoo consultation. Is that possible?”

Nod.

“Could you let me know the price range?”

The tattooist pointed at the wall behind the counter with a somewhat unassuming expression.

[We only accept payments in kind.]

Indeed.

This shop didn’t accept cash. Instead, payment was made with items that the owner found appealing, with a particular preference.

[Special Condition : Items related to the sea.]

Because of this, civilians who happened to meet this condition often had rare and extraordinary experiences.

Document #818-15623

Civilian : Honestly, I just took a wrong turn. I was trying to find a tattoo shop near ■■ Station, but somehow, I ended up in this area full of empty spaces.

Then I found the tattoo shop in the basement.

When I saw they accepted items related to the sea, I thought it was really unique. So, just to try it out, I showed them a sand timer keychain I happened to have. They accepted it!

Afterward, they directed me to the central tattoo chair.

So, I had prepared for this ‘special condition’ in advance.

“Would this be acceptable?”

I opened the velvet-covered rectangular box I had brought in my briefcase.

Inside, shimmering beads of light reflected brilliantly.

“These are pearl beads.”

“……!”

These were extremely expensive marine pearls.

Perfectly spherical Akoya white-green pearls, 10mm in size, with a pink aurora sheen that gave them a near-holographic appearance. It was a top-class item.

‘Technically, there are more expensive sea-related items, but…’

According to the civilian’s account, the shop owner seemed particularly drawn to items influenced by the passage of time.

Pearls, being organic and composed of protein, were inherently shaped by time.

‘Besides, I managed to pick these up during a quick lunch break at a wholesaler in Jongno.’

I had even excluded South Sea pearls, which were less affected by time, in favor of these Akoya pearls.

“How about this?”

“……”

Nod, nod, nod, nod, nod.

The reaction was overwhelmingly positive.

The tattooist stared in awe at the gleaming pearls before carefully accepting the box I offered. For a brief moment, joy flickered in her otherwise modest eyes.

‘What could she possibly use them for?’

I had no idea.

In any case, after organizing the box with incredible speed behind the counter, the tattooist politely gestured for me to proceed to the central chair, bathed in moonlight.

“Thank you.”

The tattooist soon brought over a large lemon drink and a thick booklet.

So far, everything was as described in the accounts.

She brought me a lemon drink and a booklet, which seemed like a collection of tattoo designs. One was labeled ‘Basic Design #3’.

I chose a tiny dolphin silhouette the size of a fingernail and got it done. During the process, she gestured for me to close my eyes, and strangely, I felt no pain.

I glanced at the cover of the booklet.

If the person who gave a mother-of-pearl keychain received ‘Basic Design #3’, what could I expect after offering pearls worth millions of won?

Granted, this might be an overly materialistic way of thinking.

‘This is a small tattoo shop in a ghost story. A mystical shop owner might not respond to material offerings…’

[Royal Special Premium #1 (Customizable)]

“……”

Well, that worked.

“Thank you.”

Money wins, once again.

Anyway, the designs here seemed to reflect what my offering could earn me.

‘Hmm.’

I turned the pages of the booklet.

Designs included constellations drawn with water droplets, a fusion of polar bear claws and Inuit patterns, and a wistful pastel-toned seascape at sunset.

The collection was stunning.

If I’d come here for the express purpose of getting a meaningful tattoo, I’d be poring over these designs with awe.

But that wasn’t my primary concern.

The tattoo disappears the next day anyway.

To be more precise…

It would feel like you had dreamed it. You clearly got a tattoo, but it would be completely gone the next morning.

But do you know what’s stranger?

The tattoo received here is ‘absorbed’ into the person.

I suddenly became great at swimming in the ocean.

Just like the dolphin I had tattooed.

In other words, these tattoos grant special abilities based on the design!

‘I can’t miss this opportunity.’

In the <Dark Exploration Records>, there must be hundreds of ghost stories that grant people talents or powers.

But very few do so in such a gentle and harmless way.

In a world of ghost stories where you must sell your body, soul, or at least your conscience to gain anything, Moonlight Tattoo Shop was truly a rare beacon of light.

‘I need to pick something worthwhile.’

I flipped through the pages with determination, deducing the abilities that each design might offer.

– Mr. Roe Deer, I’d like to take a closer look too!

Ah, right. Braun might be able to glean more from this than I could.

Carefully, I pulled the doll out of my pocket and placed it before the booklet.

– Oh, the artist’s aesthetic sense is quite good. Let me think… hmm?

The tattooist suddenly stared at Braun with sparkling eyes. Then, before I could stop her, she picked up Braun.

“……! W-Wait…”

[Complimentary Service]

“……”

– Careful. Please handle me gently. My body is filled with cotton, so I can’t move very… hmm, mmmh, hm…

The tattooist placed Braun into a small basin she’d brought over, expertly applied aromatic oils, and started massaging the doll’s fabric with practiced hands.

…Is this a spa treatment?

– Huuuuu… the fatigue from filming is melting away…

The plush doll sounded like an exhausted celebrity enjoying a high-end treatment.

It was truly a surreal sight, one I’d never encountered in any ghost story.

Was this… heartwarming?

‘…Let’s just pick a design.’

After the tattooist handed back a gleaming, revitalized Braun, I thanked her politely and returned to flipping through the booklet with vigor.

Unfortunately, none of the designs had clear indications of their abilities. There was only a curious abundance of sea-related motifs.

If that’s the case…

“Do you have any recommendations?”

How about asking outright?

“Are there any designs related to courage or boldness—symbols of fearlessness?”

Yes, this was what I needed most.

‘To escape being a coward…!’

As tempting as the other abilities were, my most fundamental and powerful ‘special ability’ was my knowledge from the <Dark Exploration Records>.

That information was my greatest asset.

But to use it effectively, I needed a rational mindset capable of sound judgment.

‘I can’t keep living with a heart that feels like it might stop from sheer panic…!’

How many times had I almost died because of this cowardly heart?

‘This is probably my one and only chance to visit Moonlight Tattoo Shop.’

It made sense to address my most urgent need first.

Asking directly wasn’t something covered in the records, so I was a little nervous. But the tattooist readily flipped through the booklet and pointed to a design.

The design was…

“…Tomato?”

Yes.

It was a tree bearing tomatoes.

The design depicted dynamic branches, leaves, and fruit, drawn with bold, rustic strokes that resembled the marks of a well-worn pen nib.

It was melancholic, rough, and poetic.

The only color in the design was the bright red of the fruit—the tomatoes.

‘How does this relate to courage?’

Honestly, I didn’t understand, but since the tattooist communicated exclusively through the designs in the booklet, I couldn’t get a detailed explanation.

Still, it was a recommendation from the professional, so I figured it must be significant.

“Alright. I’ll take this one.”

The tattooist nodded happily and retrieved the booklet.

“Oh, the placement will be here…”

I rolled up my left sleeve.

If I was getting it, I thought I’d place it near an existing tattoo anyway.

“……!”

Suddenly, the tattooist’s expression shifted, and she stood up from her seat.

‘What’s going on?’

She quickly pointed to a notice on the wall.

[Tattoo services may be refused for specific reasons.]

Then, she pointed directly at my arm.

“……!”

No way.

: Socius :

: 恩主 :

“You can see these markings?”

The tattooist nodded, looking at me as if it were the most obvious question in the world.

Of course, she would see them—she’s part of a ghost story, too.

But that wasn’t the issue right now.

“Are these markings the reason I can’t get a new tattoo?”

Nod.

“Does that mean I also can’t get one on my other arm or back?”

Nod.

“…So, there’s no way for me to get a new tattoo right now?”

N…od.

Damn it!

“I didn’t even choose to have these markings in the first place. Isn’t there any other way? I really want this…”

I let my shoulders slump, feigning disappointment.

The tattooist seemed taken aback and started contemplating something. After a moment, she pulled something out from behind the counter.

‘A promotional pamphlet?’

The tattooist flipped through it quickly and pointed to a specific line on the page.

[Cover-ups available]

[Transform your old tattoos into something new.]

“……!!”

[※ Moonlight Tattoo Shop’s cover-ups don’t conceal the original tattoo. Instead, they amplify its charm. Retain its full meaning while discovering a new beauty.]

Wait a minute.

Does this mean… she’s offering to enhance my existing tattoos?

– Not bad! The theme park mascot and lodge caretaker tattoos were a bit much anyway. You should consider a more artistic choice.

– A nightjar, a constellation, the Eight Trigrams… There are plenty of beautiful designs! It’s better to cover them up with something stylish.

I glanced down at my arm.

: Socius :

: 恩主 :

“I can have either of these enhanced?”

The tattooist nodded.

‘So, I can only get one new tattoo, but cover-ups are considered exceptions, allowing either to be enhanced.’

Still, I instinctively felt that choosing only one would yield better results.

‘This shop clearly offers higher quality tattoos based on what you give. Dividing the value between two might dilute the outcome.’

“……”

I deliberated.

And then…

“Please enhance this one.”

I pointed at one of the tattoos on my arm.

Chapter 59 - [Moonlight Tattoo Shop], II

The tattoos that ghost stories left on me were all text-based.

One was in Latin.

: Socius :

This was inscribed when the membership granted by the blue dragon mascot at the theme park burned away. According to Braun, it symbolized ‘special authorization’, granting a type of access pass.

The other was in Chinese.

: 恩主 :

This appeared when the lodge caretaker’s contract from the serial killer ghost story, the hanji burning over my skin.

However, because I lacked the ‘qualifications’, it was nothing more than a symbol with no real function.

If I had to choose one to ‘enhance’…

‘It has to be this one.’

“I’ll be in your care.”

The tattooist leaned in to examine the tattoo I had pointed to.

: 恩主 :

The reason for this choice was simple:

‘It’s better to increase the range of abilities I can use.’

It’s (unfortunately) almost guaranteed that I’ll be venturing into various ghost stories in the future. This means relying on just one superpower won’t cut it.

‘Even Chief Lizard had near death experiences despite his strength—it’s clearly not enough.’

It’s better to have a variety of abilities for different scenarios. Strengthening a single ability halfway wouldn’t be as effective.

‘It’s more practical to make use of an unused tattoo.’

With Moonlight Tattoo Shop, I didn’t have to worry about ‘stepping on a landmine’.

The shop was extremely benevolent, so it didn’t grant harmful powers. I could trust that the lodge caretaker wouldn’t suddenly appear to strangle me.

Moreover…

I glanced at the Latin tattoo.

– Good child.

Thinking back to the emotional bond I seemed to have formed with that mascot, covering up this tattoo felt… wrong.

‘That’s a warning sign.’

As a dedicated reader of the <Dark Exploration Records>, my instincts told me to avoid tampering with something that carried emotional resonance.

– Ah, it’s finally starting!

And so, I made my choice, and the tattooist began her work.

When she tried to show me several design options, I stopped her.

“Oh, please just proceed with what you think works best.”

If I wanted the best results, I had to trust the professional.

I smiled brightly.

“I trust in your skill, Tattooist-nim.”

“……!”

The tattooist’s eyes gleamed momentarily before she confidently gestured for me to lie back on the chair.

She also handed Braun to me to hold tightly.

– Does she think I’m a stress-relief toy? What an amusing yet rude misunderstanding!

But I felt no pain.

The tattooist donned intricate steampunk-style goggles and began operating an enormous tattoo machine.

‘…Are tattoo machines normally that big?’

It looked as large as a surgical device, and for a moment, I was taken aback.

Then, moonlight poured into the machine.

Bzzzzzzz—

The LED light from the ceiling flowed into the machine and concentrated at its tip.

The needle glowed like a jewel as it approached my arm, and following the instructions, I closed my eyes.

“……”

A strange sensation spread through my left arm.

It wasn’t pain, tickling, or even pressure.

It felt as if old grime was being peeled away, my skin rearranging itself and fitting together perfectly—a refreshing, soothing sensation.

Tap, tap.

It was over.

The light faded, and following the tattooist’s gesture, I opened my eyes.

“……!”

‘My god.’

The tattoo now had a background.

It depicted a deep blue night sky with a full moon painted in a single bold stroke. On the moon’s shadow, the characters were engraved. Around them, stars were scattered like a pearl-studded constellation, shimmering faintly.

Tap, tap.

The tattooist stood with her hands on her hips, as if asking if I liked it.

“It’s stunning.”

With a satisfied smile, the tattooist patted my shoulder before rushing to the counter.

“……?”

When she returned, she held a single pearl in her hand. It looked like it had been taken from the necklace I had provided.

‘What’s this?’

The tattooist placed the pearl against the tattoo on my arm.

And it sank right in.

“……?!”

– Hooh, well now. Hmm…

– Mr. Roe Deer, this is truly fascinating. A ‘pathway’ has opened.

A pathway?

– Try gently rubbing the tattoo. You should feel something.

I raised my hand and lightly touched the tattoo, which, as if by magic, showed no signs of swelling or pain.

“……!”

I could feel it.

Between the layers of skin, there was a distinct ‘gap’.

“……”

Carefully, I ‘inserted’ my hand into it.

When I withdrew it, I was holding the pearl that the tattooist had placed inside earlier.

‘…A subspace?’

– Exactly. It seems that the uncharismatic lodge caretaker’s contract included ‘providing space’ as part of the deal!

– After all, isn’t it a servant’s duty to provide rooms for their guests? It seems the artist found a loophole in the contract, enabling her to grant you a small space as well!

Wait a second.

Does this mean I now have… my own little inventory?

‘Is this really happening?’

My heart raced at this webtoon-like gift—something I’d never expected from a creepypasta.

– Let’s see… imagine a cube with a side length of about 2 feet. That’s roughly the amount of space that’s now ‘connected’ to you.

2 feet… about 60 cm.

Braun used that pesky imperial measurement system—typical of an American ghost story connection—but still, the information was genuinely helpful.

But now I had another question.

‘So… is this space connected to that lodge?’

That crazy, murderous lodge should have disappeared by now though.

– It’s uncertain. Where it’s connected to… no one can say for sure.

– Only the original contract holder would know what kind of space the lodge caretaker had agreed to provide.

“……”

– It’s intriguing, isn’t it? This would make for a great bet! What shall we wager for the fun of life?

I would like to politely decline…

Still, considering that Moonlight Tattoo Shop never granted abilities harmful to its clients, I decided not to be overly wary and miss out on using this power.

‘At least now I don’t have to worry about secretly carrying items anymore.’

That alone was a huge benefit.

“Thank you. This is truly amazing and wonderful.”

I returned the pearl I had retrieved, and the tattooist, taking it back, looked genuinely pleased and satisfied.

“Is everything settled now?”

The tattooist nodded.

“Then, I’ll be on my way.”

Just as I approached the entrance, the tattooist seemed to realize something and gestured for me to stop.

‘What now?’

She rummaged under the counter with intense focus and pulled out a piece of paper. Carefully wrapping it in a transparent sleeve, she handed it to me.

‘…A tattoo design?’

The moment I took it, I realized what it was.

It was a tattoo sticker.

And it was the exact design I had picked—the tomato tree.

There were even three of them!

“……!”

Wait a second.

“Does this mean… if I wear one of these, I’ll temporarily become ‘brave’, as if I had received the tattoo?”

The tattooist smiled and nodded.

‘Good lord.’

An unexpected bonus.

“Thank you very much.”

The shop owner smiled warmly and waved as if it were finally time to bid farewell.

I placed the stickers into my pocket—or rather, into the new ‘subspace’—and, for real this time, grabbed the door to leave.

“Have a great day.”

With a polite farewell, the door closed behind me.

Rattle—

When I turned back to look…

“……”

It was now empty.

As one would expect from a ghost story, the shop had reverted to a vacant space. Behind the distorted real estate sign in the glass window, the interior was hollow and lifeless.

‘…That’s how it’s supposed to work.’

Moonlight Tattoo Shop could only be accessed once through the ‘It Is Empty’ ghost story.

‘Maybe next time, I’ll have a chance with a different ghost story.’

– Ah, what a unique and delightful experience.

I couldn’t agree more.

“Roe, how was your exploration?”

“It went well.”

That day, I successfully completed the ‘It Is Empty’ exploration without any issues and accumulated a decent amount of points.

The pleasant aroma from Braun’s aromatherapy massage lingered for days.

As for the enhanced tattoo, it disappeared without a trace the next morning, leaving only the original text on my wrist.

Still, the ability it granted remained intact.

‘Let’s make good use of it.’

With thoughts of the possibilities for my inventory, I conducted several experiments.

Three weeks later—

The ability hadn’t proven useful even once.

“……”

Well, I suppose that’s normal.

When entering ghost stories with manuals, the company usually provided all the necessary items, so there’s no real need to smuggle anything in.

Additionally, deployments to ghost stories without manuals had significantly decreased.

‘Even the Alien Shop doesn’t have anything particularly portable or worthwhile to go wild over…’

Ultimately, the ability had been relegated to a mere convenience for carrying existing items more easily.

‘I did discover that it seems to be vacuum-sealed, so food doesn’t spoil in there.’

When I placed an analog clock inside, the second hand remained frozen, but a digital clock would get its battery drained completely.

The rules were unclear.

Still, I hadn’t encountered an urgent situation requiring its use.

Time passed uneventfully, and I accumulated more points without much fanfare and without much need to use items or abilities…

‘Still, it’s a good thing to have.’

“Three weeks until the regular personnel announcement.”

“Hoo-ah, hoo-ah.”

“You’ll definitely stay on this squad, right, Roe?”

“Yes, I certainly hope so.”

The hottest topic among D-squad was whether I’d survive the personnel announcement and remain on this squad.

As expected from a ghost story company, injuries and scares occasionally cropped up, but I’d become somewhat used to them.

Holding onto the tattoo stickers like talismans helped me endure.

‘I’ll save these for real emergencies.’

I was gradually settling into the routine, becoming comfortable with the work and the decent personalities of my squadmates.

Naturally, this sense of ease didn’t last long.

Three weeks and two days later—

Monday morning.

“Roe, you’re here?”

“……”

The atmosphere had changed.

‘…What’s going on?’

There was an eerie calmness in the air.

The kind of stillness one might feel when leaving a final message for their family during a catastrophe.

It was the peculiar serenity of people bracing for tragedy.

It was definitely not a good sign.

“Well… we’re bound to encounter something like this eventually.”

“It’ll be okay! We’ve all got strong luck on our side!”

Supervisor Park Minseong’s attempt at optimism didn’t elicit a response from Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

The tension was palpable.

“Have a seat, Roe.”

Instead of my desk, I was directed to the sofa. Sitting across from me, Eun Haje placed a tablet PC on the table with a calm expression.

“This is the Darkness you’ll be entering in three days.”

“……”

Three days?

‘Why are they giving so much time?’

When something is scheduled three days out, it’s usually framed as ‘prepare just in case you’re assigned’.

It’s rare for it to be stated so definitively.

“Twelve people will be entering this Darkness. It’s rated B-class.”

“……”

“Don’t be too alarmed. The survival rate is absurdly high. Plus, the additional points are generous—2,000 points per person.”

“…And?”

Eun Haje’s expression briefly shifted to one of bitter amusement, as if saying, ‘You sharp little devil.’

“And there’s a problem. Finding a Darkness without issues would be faster, but this one’s unique.”

“…Unique how?”

“The simplest way to put it… well…”

Eun Haje crossed her arms.

“It’s a luck-based death game.”

“……?!”

“As soon as you enter, someone is guaranteed to die. Completely random. Pure luck.”

God damn.

Chapter 60 - Roulette'

‘The fear of possibly dying.’

Perhaps that’s the essence of ghost stories.

Recently, I even experienced a government-managed Disaster where someone had to die for the scenario to be theoretically cleared.

So, I’ve grown quite accustomed to the idea that “people usually die in ghost stories.” I’ve even become a bit desensitized to it.

After all, I’ve managed to squeeze through the needle’s eye and survive.

– Let’s figure out an escape route first, no matter how impossible it seems.

This had become my default mindset over the past few months.

But now…

“Initially, everyone disappeared. Only one headless corpse ever came back.”

“……”

“But after a few repetitions, someone lucky enough managed to survive and return. Based on their testimony, we pieced together the manual.”

This was the standard process for completing a high-level exploration manual.

“But there was one thing we could never change.”

That was…

“Someone always dies.”

“……”

“The mechanism behind who gets chosen? There isn’t one. No logic, no pattern. It’s completely random. It’s happened 37 times so far, and no matter what gear or items are brought in, it doesn’t make any difference.”

“……”

“And since the designation happens the moment you enter, there’s no time to prepare or respond.”

This situation was absurd.

Literally a game of chance, where I had a 1-in-12 chance of instant death.

Including the rest of the squad, the odds were 1 in 3—absolutely ludicrous.

Someone would just… die.

“You might think, ‘Why not send someone expendable instead of a competent person like me’…”

“I didn’t, ma’am.”

“Really? Because I sure did.”

“……”

“But we don’t have a choice. This damned urban legend demands a challenger with a sharp mind to allow for a clear scenario resolution.”

In other words, we couldn’t just throw away a sacrificial pawn.

Assistant Manager Eun Haje smirked faintly.

“An 8.3% death rate in a B-class Darkness is actually quite reasonable.”

“……”

It was true.

Think about the exhibition ghost story. That one didn’t even have a manual, making it far worse. Even when manuals are complete, fatalities weren’t uncommon.

But still…

“The idea of being trapped in that probability—it feels wrong. So unfair.”

“……”

It wasn’t unusual to feel that way.

The difference between dying without a chance to fight back and dying after at least trying is significant.

The former feels like slaughter. The latter, a challenge.

“…Does giving us three days mean it’s to help us mentally prepare?”

“Most likely.”

After three days, your mind cools down, and you start to think rationally and optimistically.

‘Surely I won’t be the one in 12?’ That kind of thought process…

“Roe, this must be your first time facing a Darkness like this, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Go grab a coffee. Get me one too while you’re at it.”

Taking the hint that I could take my time, I accepted Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s card and headed out.

The coffee errand was probably just an excuse for some mental health management.

‘This is driving me nuts.’

Now I was leaning back on a café sofa, an Americano in front of me.

Fear? I wouldn’t say that’s the issue. I haven’t not been scared since arriving here, so that’s nothing new.

What I felt was unease.

‘Information doesn’t matter in this situation.’

Maybe it’s because I realized how much I’ve relied on having clearer conditions than most employees. It left me with a strange sense of self-reproach.

And an overwhelming sense of danger.

“……”

‘Should I just quit?’

Wouldn’t it be better to leave now and figure out another path?

Investigating ghost stories independently using the <Dark Exploration Records> as a guide…

– Ah, Friend!

– Why not consider a career in show business?

Excuse me??

– Oh, absolutely. There’s always a spot for you in my world, my friend. Isn’t that what friends are for? Hahaha!

I almost fell off the sofa.

‘Hard pass.’

That snapped me out of it.

– What a shame…

Yes, in this world, there are plenty of fates worse than death.

And investigating alone? Only an idiot would forget they’re a coward and make such a foolish choice.

Quitting over a 1/12 chance of death would be stupid.

‘But doing nothing about it would be equally idiotic.’

– So, are you going in?

‘Yes.’

First, I needed to learn more about this ghost story.

I returned to the office with the takeout coffees for the squad and began thoroughly reading the tablet PC.

And…

‘…Hah.’

It really was random.

The ghost story matched what I already knew from the <Dark Exploration Records>, but the problem was that everything I had read was already documented in the manual.

‘There’s no new information.’

I didn’t know anything that others didn’t.

‘No gaps to exploit.’

Even in the <Dark Exploration Records>, the description blatantly stated, ‘random upon entry’.

There were no exceptions or suspicious loopholes. It wasn’t treated as particularly significant, probably because deaths in ghost stories were common enough to feel unremarkable.

And then…

“For this deployment, squad leaders are excluded. Only those ranked assistant manager or below will enter.”

“……”

Chief Lizard wouldn’t be accompanying us this time.

This was to prevent ‘priority confusion’ among staff if a squad leader were designated as the sacrifice due to their higher rank.

“None from the Round-Off Team or the elite squads would be included either. Last time they went in, it caused a huge mess.”

Apparently, during one deployment, an elite squad member from the A, B, or C squads had been designated as the sacrifice. Their desperate attempts to avoid death ended up causing ‘unnecessary casualties’, taking down several other employees with them.

I didn’t regret not being placed on the A-squad, but this company was as consistent as ever.

“Thank you for letting me know.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Assistant Manager Eun seemed caught somewhere between resignation and irritation, finding solace in a cigarette as Supervisor Park joined him for a smoke break.

“Did you see the roster? The employees going in, too…”

“Yeah, honestly, I wouldn’t even attend some of their funerals. Did they select the lowest-ranked based on personality or something?”

“Hey, at least we’re not included!”

I kept comparing with the manual, desperately searching for something.

A gap to slip through.

A small loophole in the rules.

And then, unexpectedly, that afternoon, a potential way to bypass the rules appeared.

Though it came in a slightly different form.

“Supervisor Kim!”

“Section Chief.”

Section Chief Lee Byeongjin had come to find me. As the manual revisions officer, he wouldn’t have come all this way just ‘in passing’.

“I heard! You’re going into that insane Russian roulette ghost story, aren’t you?”

“……”

I had thought it before, but he truly had a knack for irritating people.

But Section Chief Lee wasn’t here just to make a fuss.

After lowering his voice and ensuring no one else was around, he leaned in and spoke quietly.

“Why don’t you talk to Director Ho about this?”

“……!”

“Apparently, the director’s been impressed by your performance.”

“Are you saying…”

I looked at him.

“…if I speak to the director, I’ll be excluded from this?”

“Exactly!”

“……”

“Normally, these things are decided under the guise of fairness, but I’m against that. Someone as talented and promising as you shouldn’t have to go. You’re a top performer, after all!”

A legitimate escape route presented itself.

Getting an executive to intervene.

trigger warning: self harm, blood

I opened my mouth to respond.

“I’m alright.”

“H-Huh?”

This was something I absolutely couldn’t choose.

‘It would draw too much attention.’

The moment I accepted that option, I would effectively be picking sides within the company.

And in a ghost story company, even the executives were unlikely to be ordinary people. Aligning myself with someone in a ‘desperate, survival-driven manner’ would be a terrible move.

Especially since this was a matter of life and death.

‘The moment I’m excluded, rumors will spread like wildfire.’

Would they take it well? Not a chance.

It would be seen as selfishness.

In any community, earning recognition as a proper member requires sharing burdens. Trying to avoid that would…

‘Get me completely ostracized.’

In the Field Exploration Team, where members must constantly operate in squads of three, actions like trying to exclude myself could wreak havoc on my workplace dynamics.

Unless a director intervened to quietly pull me out and later claimed credit for saving me, that wasn’t going to happen.

The fact that this wasn’t the case meant I wasn’t ‘important’ enough to be singled out like that.

Or maybe…

‘They believe luck is a kind of skill.’

In other words, it’s a trap.

Even if it stung, the right move was to play it straight.

I spoke as if I were a principled stickler for rules.

“Making an exception for me would be preferential treatment. The company must have reasons for assigning work this way, so I’ll take responsibility and follow through.”

“Uhh…”

Section Chief Lee Byeongjin stammered, but after asking ‘Are you sure?’ several times, he finally relented and left.

Honestly…

I barely stopped myself from grabbing his pant leg and screaming, Yes, please save me!

‘Let’s just call this character build reinforcement.’

Because there’s no other comfort to be had here.

I watched him leave with a bitter smile and returned to my desk.

‘Let’s review the manual again.’

But whether I looked at the or reread the manual, the result was the same—there were no loopholes.

There were no exceptions for any of the explorers.

‘Every single one of them was subjected to the random selection…’

“……”

Wait.

‘This… could this be a loophole?’

I couldn’t be sure.

‘It’s just a possibility.’

But in this situation, it was worth trying any possibility, no matter how slim.

– Mr. Roe Deer, have you thought of something entertaining?

Not entertaining, but an idea nonetheless.

‘Create an exception.’

– Hmm?

Every explorer who entered this ghost story was subjected to the 1/12 instant death lottery without exception.

But what if there was a shared condition unique to all explorers? Something that had never allowed for an exception before.

– What condition are you referring to?

……

‘Being human.’

Both the manual and the <Dark Exploration Records> only mentioned humans as explorers. There were no accounts of other living creatures.

But in this world, humans weren’t the only sentient beings.

If we include animals and plants, the possibilities become endless.

‘What if a non-human being could avoid the judgment?’

Based on the irregular cases I’d read in the <Dark Exploration Records>, this seemed like the most plausible exception in the current situation.

– Mr. Roe Deer, do you wish to stop being human?

‘N-No, that’s not what I mean!’

Could he not throw out such pure-sounding yet ominous questions?

‘I just want to be treated as not human for a little while.’

I carefully chose my words.

‘Like putting on a disguise for a performance.’

– Hooh.

‘Braun, is that something you could do for me?’

– Oh, absolutely!

Braun’s voice became more vibrant and enthusiastic, as if he were preparing for a show.

– Adopting a new identity is an entertainer’s calling. I have countless masks to offer… oh! I even have one that I could lend you right now.

Jackpot.

‘Let’s try it.’

“Huuu.”

I tore my gaze away from the manual and the <Dark Exploration Records> leaned back in my chair.

Just then, Assistant Manager Eun and Supervisor Park returned from their smoke break, waving at me as they entered the office.

“……”

Ah, crap.

‘Braun, about that “mask” ability… can it work on multiple people?’

– Multiple people? You mean people other than you, friend?

‘Um, I mean, including myself.’

– …If I can regain a bit more of my former glory, it should be possible. Back in my prime, I could cast entire studio audiences—no, hundreds of people—into new roles!

Perfect.

‘Braun.’

– Ah, my friend calls on me again!

I patted my pocket respectfully.

‘Let’s give you a bath.’

– ……?!

– Mr. Roe Deer, I appreciate the thought, but I’m not an occult-obsessed celebrity who would enjoy bathing in their friend’s blood.

“I know.”

Even if he was a quiz show host notorious for ‘blowing up contestants’ heads’, Braun, as my ‘good friend’, was certainly someone I could afford not to doubt.

But there was no other way.

Even if I somehow procured blood packs from a hospital, the freshness would degrade, reducing their efficiency. I couldn’t use someone else’s blood, and bringing in a creature from a ghost story like last time wasn’t an option.

‘The leftover ginseng wouldn’t work either since whatever made it sentient has already dissipated.’

That left the obvious choice.

My own blood.

I stared into the small, elegant, checkered bathtub. It still looked pristine and smelled pleasant, as when I had first bought from the Alien Shop.

Now, I had to pour my blood into it.

“I probably can’t give much. Maybe half a cup.”

That would be about 180mL.

– Half a cup! A bit tight, but for the small, cotton-filled body I inhabit, it should suffice as a bath additive. Diluted, of course… No, no, this isn’t right. Are you sure about this?

It’s fine.

‘I can do this.’

Taking a deep breath, I grabbed the kitchen knife.

Next to me was a vial of a wound-healing potion I had brought from the company’s medical office.

“Huu.”

I pricked the flesh of my arm with the upper part of the knife.

– Good heavens!

Blood began to flow, a steady stream indicating I’d struck an artery.

‘Remember, I’m scared of creepy situations, not blood itself…’

This isn’t creepy…!

I repeated the phrase like a mantra over and over, trying to calm myself. Eventually, the promised amount of blood—half a cup—had dripped into the tub.

‘That should be enough.’

But I didn’t stop the bleeding.

– Mr. Roe Deer?

A bit more.

– It seems sufficient, friend!

Just a bit more.

– Friend?

Okay, that’s enough.

‘Done.’

I quickly used the company’s healing potion to stop the bleeding. Its magical effects sealed the arterial wound beautifully.

Though I felt a bit lightheaded from the blood loss, it wasn’t a big issue.

‘A recovery potion will fix that too.’

By the time I enter the ghost story in a couple of days, I’d be back to normal.

What mattered now was the fragrant aroma wafting from the tub.

“Huu…”

I leaned closer to inspect the tub, inhaling deeply as the pleasant scent tickled my nose.

It seemed my blood had done its job successfully.

‘I must’ve given about 500mL.’

The mixture had transformed into a proper bath solution.

‘…It smells like wood?’

The scent reminded me uncomfortably of that cursed forest ghost story, but at least it wasn’t unpleasant or strange.

Nodding in satisfaction, I turned to Braun.

“You can get in now. How’s the scent?”

– Ah, it’s delightful. Quite unique, like your unpredictably whimsical decisions, Mr. Roe Deer!

I smirked.

“Was that sarcasm? Because I bled more than planned?”

– Sarcasm is a key trait of any successful talk show host! But I don’t wield it indiscriminately.

“Thanks for your concern.”

– ……

“I’ll take care of my recovery. Don’t worry. But I won’t do this again.”

– Now that’s a wise declaration, Friend.

Is it?

To be honest, I did this deliberately.

Giving my ‘good friend’ a bit of a shock was my way of ensuring he’d feel reluctant about using my blood for baths in the future.

And it seemed to have worked.

‘If I’d announced the real amount in advance, he might’ve just accepted it without a thought.’

And that wouldn’t do.

‘This has to be a one-time thing.’

I picked up Braun to place him in the tub, but once again, he declined.

– I shall walk in proudly on my own two feet.

Aigoo, go ahead.

I turned away from the tub, and soon heard the sound of footsteps and splashing water.

The bath had begun.

Then, after a short while…

– Roe Deer, this bath solution you’ve created…

– Hmm, it’s rather peculiar!

Pardon me?

Chapter 61 - [Hungry Hangman], I

I suddenly found myself receiving a critique of the bath solution I had made with 500mL of my own blood from Braun.

‘…Unique?’

I was taken aback.

‘I almost turned to look at the tub.’

Keeping my head steady, I asked, “What do you mean by ‘unique’?”

– Exactly what I said! Hmm, bath solutions come in various types, don’t they? Salt, oil, bubble baths… Yours, Mr. Roe Deer, is quite different from the ginseng, though there are similarities too.

That,

Hey, that ginseng came from a ghost story, and I’m a human being…

‘Isn’t it obvious that they’d be different?’

– They are different. But why do you think there’s a similarity between you and that ginseng, Mr. Roe Deer?

“……!”

– Oh… I see. Now I understand.

As I heard the sound of the smacking of lips as though tasting fine wine, Braun answered.

– Mr. Roe Deer, your bath solution is a blend, isn’t it?

Blend.

In literal terms, it means mixed—a term often used in coffee or cocktails to describe combining ingredients for a new flavor.

– That’s right. It seems to share some component with the ginseng, though in a different form.

“……”

Could this be referring to ghost story contamination?

I thought of the Security Team sergeant—the way his human form had ripped apart and twisted into a wolf-like creature.

Was I also beginning to experience the contamination and encroachment of paranormal phenomena?

– Contamination? That’s such an extreme and negative way to put it. Isn’t life a process of change? Mutual influence and transformation—that’s where the fun lies!

Damn it.

Instinctively, I glanced down at my body. If there were any visible signs of ‘ghostly influence’, it would most likely be…

“Do you think the tattoos are the cause?”

– Hmm, tracing the origins of what’s already mixed is quite a challenge.

– There are connoisseurs who can guess a vineyard by tasting a drop of wine, but I’ve never liked that kind of pretentiousness, even as a talk show host.

“……”

– Anyway, there’s no need to worry, Mr. Roe Deer. You’re not about to meet a new version of yourself next week or anything like that!

Theoretically speaking, that seemed true.

‘Living and working here inevitably means I’ll experience some level of ghostly contamination.’

There was no point in panicking over it. After all, the stronger and more varied one’s supernatural abilities become, the greater the risk of being consumed by them.

Balancing that risk was essential.

‘…Though I don’t think I’ve reached a point where I need to worry about balance yet.’

Still, it was something I’d have to manage in the future. Luckily, one of the facilities I now had access to as a supervisor specialized in monitoring such changes.

I’ll visit that place after safely surviving this ghost story.

– Hmm. There’s also something particularly unique about your bath solution… Oh, it’s all dissolved now.

Braun let out a long, satisfied sigh as if he had been trying to analyze the bath solution further.

– I thoroughly enjoyed it!

At least one of us enjoyed it—that was a relief.

The bathtub glimmered with neon lights, flickering briefly as though flipping through TV channels. Braun lounged against the tub’s wall, his plush body radiating a lively energy.

– Shall we step out now?

I walked over and lifted Braun out of the tub. The plush doll felt oddly more luxurious than before, though the size hadn’t changed.

Still, Braun’s voice sounded sharper, more articulate—more vibrant.

I covered the plush doll with a towel, shielding him from view, and asked,

“Feeling reinvigorated?”

– Beyond words!

– Hmm, it feels like returning to my prime, when I was most active…

While it wasn’t as dramatic a transformation as when I used the contaminated ginseng, Braun had clearly ‘rejuvenated’.

And when I pulled back the towel covering him, I noticed something I hadn’t seen before.

‘…A tag?’

There was a small scrap of fabric at the back of his neck, where it looked like a tag had once been attached.

‘So there was originally a complete tag here?’

It seemed to be a remnant recovered during his rejuvenation.

‘Interesting.’

I made a mental note of it.

– Ah, I feel wonderful.

“That’s good to hear.”

After drying off the plush doll, I placed him neatly on a towel-covered table.

The preparations were complete.

“I have a favor to ask.”

– Ah, I had a feeling that was coming!

– After all, how could I refuse a friend who had just prepared a bath for me? You’re probably about to ask if I can lend my mask to more people, aren’t you?

“That’s right.”

With Braun rejuvenated, he could now wield more powerful abilities.

– Excellent. How many people are we talking about?

“Two.”

Two days later—

Following instructions in the company’s notice, I headed to a different location for work. It was an abandoned private kindergarten building, already populated with company personnel.

“You’re already here,” I greeted respectfully.

“Roe, you’re early!”

Standing near the poorly cleaned entrance of the kindergarten, I soon saw my squadmates arrive.

“Let’s hope it’s one of those guys who bites it, not us.”

“Please… just this once…”

“……”

Thanks for whispering, though honestly, I don’t think anyone would have cared even if you hadn’t. Everyone wore the same anxious expression anyway.

“Roe, Roe! Do you see that guy over there with the rabbit’s foot? It’s supposed to be a lucky charm.”

“Does it work?”

“You think? Last expedition, someone wore something similar and still got sent to the afterlife in one hit.”

“……”

“Yeah, Assistant Manager Eun’s right. They say none of those items work here. The selection is ‘fair’ and unavoidable.”

I glanced at Supervisor Park, who, though pale, was trying to force a smile. He looked as if he had braced himself but was still deeply nervous.

“Supervisor.”

“Yeah?”

“Would the company have any issues if I tried something similar? To avoid being picked as the sacrifice?”

“Ah, preparing some countermeasures to dodge it?”

“Something like that.”

Supervisor Park laughed and patted me on the back.

“Oh, Roe, of course not! Everyone does it!”

“I’d bet my paycheck that everyone here has spent the last three days trying every trick in the book to weasel out of this.”

Bold words, Assistant Manager Eun…

Eun Haje smirked faintly.

“How do you think they figured out none of it works? Plenty of people tried and still ended up as the sacrifice.”

“……”

“Why, Roe, are you planning to try something too?”

“Yes.”

After a moment of hesitation, I pulled Braun out of my pocket.

“Ah, the keychain you carry around.”

“My lucky friend. Would it be alright if I shared this friend’s abilities with you two? It’ll be our little secret.”

Both of them gave tired, skeptical smiles but nodded.

“Well… thanks, I guess.”

“Here’s hoping it actually brings some luck!”

Okay.

‘That should keep any rumors from surfacing later.’

“Huu.”

– Now, let’s get ready.

“They’re about to start.”

I looked at the old grandfather clock hanging in the entrance like everyone else.

Tick.

The second hand passed 8:59:56 AM.

– You’re now entering the studio.

– If you see cameras, don’t worry—think of them as starlight. Stay relaxed.

Tick.

57 seconds.

Oddly, I felt calm.

A certainty about my identity.

– Oh, I see you’re wearing your mask! Excellent. That mask is now who you are.

Tick.

58 seconds.

I raised my head.

My horns felt itchy—like wood, but not quite wood. Only I knew it was something else entirely, that it was ■■.

– And there are other animal friends! Two of them.

Tick.

59 seconds.

I turned my head and saw a badger and a falcon observing the surrounding humans.

And then…

– It seems no one here is stronger than you.

I know.

I blinked, perceiving the heat signatures of the humans around me, flushed with tension.

And then…

Tick.

9:00 AM.

The grandfather clock chimed loudly.

Bong……!!

“……!”

I took in a sharp breath.

The dilapidated kindergarten building transformed into a pristine, modern space. It smelled of fresh construction, like a newly completed facility awaiting its first use.

And I was in a room filled with neatly arranged toys, standing alongside the falcon—or rather, Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

…We had entered the ghost story.

“……”

I slowly looked down at my neck.

Clean.

“Hah.”

I exhaled, letting the tension drain from my body.

‘I made it.’

The strange thickness I’d felt across my entire body, the tactile sensation of horns—all of it gradually faded away. The certainty in my identity dissipated too.

– Hm, and that concludes everyone’s brief role.

Thank you.

‘So that’s what the mask was.’

It was a bizarre experience, and I was glad it had been short-lived. Since I’d stretched Braun’s limits by having him mask three people at once, his voice sounded drained.

The fact that it held up even for a few seconds was impressive.

‘You did well.’

I reached into my pocket to gently pat Braun.

– No… Hold on. What… in the world is this?

“……?”

Why did he sound alarmed?

I immediately pulled Braun out of my pocket.

Hanging around the neck of the plush doll was something that hadn’t been there before.

…A black noose hologram.

It was the mark of a sacrifice.

“……?!”

Did Braun just get selected as the sacrifice?

‘A ghost story resident himself?!’

I teetered on the brink of confusion, unsure whether this was an impossible fluke or something I should be alarmed about.

Then Braun started talking.

– Pardon? Participate in a teaching demonstration, you say… What are you talking about? I interview teachers—I’m not the one teaching children. Good gracious!

– Show business, for heaven’s sake! You people are so boring. Stuck in a rut, inflexible, and utterly lacking the charm the public craves.

– I’m opting out, thank you very much.

With that, Braun snapped his plush, cotton-filled fingers.

And then… miraculously, the noose around the stuffed doll’s neck disappeared!

“……!!”

– Trying to enforce rules to involve an uninvolved participant? What an unprofessional kindergarten this is!

“……”

‘So the tactic of being recognized as non-human… worked after all.’

It wasn’t quite how I envisioned it, but the outcome was clear enough.

Braun had been selected, but his participation in the ghost story was redirected to another participant because he refused to comply.

“……”

Wait a second.

‘Redirected?’

I quickly looked down at my neck.

Still clean.

‘Who did it pass to, then?’

While it was a relief that it wasn’t me, the idea of the ghost story transferring the noose to another target randomly because its first pick was declined… Was this how it worked?

“Roe.”

I turned to Assistant Manager Eun Haje, still processing what had just happened.

“Assistant Manager, just now, I think—”

“……”

“……”

When I looked at her…

“Don’t panic. Take a deep breath, slowly.”

She smiled at me.

“Now I’m going to ask you for a favor. If you think you can’t do it, feel free to decline.”

“Assistant Manager—”

“I’d handle it myself if I could, but that’s not an option.”

With a bitter smile, she lightly patted the noose now firmly secured around her own neck.

“Because I’m already locked in.”

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Hungry Hangman]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-B-191

Based on the word-guessing game, this Darkness permits no exceptions to its rules.

Participants are unable to escape their assigned roles under any circumstances.

The psychological tension and fear that arise within are a hallmark of this ghost story.

The sacrificial ‘Hangman’ climbs the gallows as the other participants guess words related to them, ultimately resulting in their execution by hanging.

There are no exceptions.

----------------------------------------

“Should I say I’m glad I at least get some time to leave a will? Guess that’s a small mercy.”

No. This can’t happen.

“Wait, wait, please just—”

“It’s fine.”

Assistant Manager Eun’s smile shifted into a wry grin.

“Look… I’m going to die anyway.”

“……!”

“The real question is whether you all survive while I die, or everyone dies together.”

…She’s right.

If the word puzzle isn’t solved before the end of the game, all participants are executed, including the Hangman.

No exceptions.

God damn it.

“Alright, listen carefully. I have some automatic purchases queued in the Points Mall for when I die on the job.”

“……”

“Just make sure Squad Leader Lee reviews them properly. The guy’s surprisingly scatterbrained at times.”

It hit me then.

She had already fully accepted her fate.

Dzz zz zz zzzt—

“……!”

“Stay sharp. It’s starting now.”

In the corner of the playroom, an old-fashioned TV screen flickered to life.

[Hello, English Kindergarten teachers of ■■! Today, we’ll be learning a fun game to play with your students!]

[It’s… Hangman!]

The noose around Assistant Manager Eun’s neck suddenly jerked taut.

“……!”

The now-solid rope coiled tightly around her limbs, lifting her into the air.

[Today’s host will be our newest teacher, Eun Haje!]

On the TV screen, enormous blank spaces appeared.

[Hangman! Let’s guess the word together!]

The execution had begun.

Chapter 62 - [Hungry Hangman], II

[Everyone, what kind of game is ‘Hangman’?]

[That’s right! It’s an educational game where you guess the spelling of a word! If the letter you shout is part of the word, correct! If not, wrong!]

[And to make it easier for learning, we’ll be giving you some hints!]

A figure dangling in midair.

The pastel tones of the TV and its cheerful voice sharply contrast with the scene, cutting into my ears.

[Shall we get started?]

The dangling figure, Assistant Manager Eun Haje, breaks into a wry smile, cold sweat dripping down.

“Everyone already knows the answer, but the intro is unnecessarily long, don’t you think?”

This B-class ghost story thrived on mental strain, nerve-wracking psychological pressure, and the excruciating pain that would drag a victim to the brink of death.

…It’s that kind of ghost story.

It’s true that a victim chosen for Hangman was effectively sentenced to death.

But during the actual ‘game’, they could temporarily hold onto their life.

And this particular victim is…

[Today’s word is one that best represents Teacher Eun Haje! Let’s all figure out what kind of person Teacher Eun Haje is!]

Ruthlessly exposed.

According to the <Dark Exploration Records>, every attempt to conceal the victim’s identity would fail during this process.

It’s as if their life was being meticulously scrutinized and judged, with every significant event glaringly announced.

Even the classic hangman game itself has been altered to serve this purpose.

[Everyone, the word has 8 letters!]

I looked up at the blank spaces displayed on the TV screen.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

If you correctly fill in all the blanks, it forms a single word.

Normally, participants take turns guessing random letters, and the blanks are filled in as the guesses align with the word.

That’s how the word is deduced.

But…

‘Here, every letter is directly tied to the victim.’

[Here’s a hint for the 8th letter!]

[What was Teacher Eun Haje’s job four years ago?]

Like this.

Guessing something related to the victim’s personal history makes it easier.

To make this process smoother…

The victim’s cooperation is necessary.

You must persuade or threaten someone sentenced to death into talking.

“……”

“……”

Cold sweat dripped down my chin.

‘So, right now…’

What am I even doing?

A plush doll in my hands, an outdated TV, Assistant Manager Eun Haje dangling in midair…

What can I do?

‘Run.’

I started moving my feet.

“Roe! Where are you going?!”

“No time. I’ll explain later—”

“Are you looking for the gallows?”

“……!”

“Even if you destroy it, it won’t change anything. You know that, right? You read the manual.”

“You never know until you try.”

Just like in the quiz show, I’m calling Section Chief Lee Jaheon to the scene.

So, if I ask him to destroy the gallows this time too…

Yeah, until it’s restored, we’ll have some time.

“Wait.”

There’s no time.

“Sit down for a moment. Actually… I’ve got something I want to try at the very end.”

“……”

“I’m not saying this lightly. So don’t do anything conspicuous either. We can’t afford to stack up unnecessary penalties.”

Penalties.

“You know what I’m talking about, right?”

I do.

This ghost story was based on the oppressive fear that stemmed from being utterly trapped.

The movements and actions of the 12 ‘new teachers’ would be monitored in real-time by the kindergarten through CCTV, and any behavior deemed unfit for a teacher results in a ‘penalty’.

[One minute left. Teachers, raise your hands and shout out a letter!]

“Assistant Manager Eun! Assistant Manager Eun!”

At that moment, the playroom door slammed open, and a staff member rushed in, looking desperate and anxious.

His expression screamed frustration and despair, as if searching frantically for the victim but unable to run due to the rules.

In this kindergarten, running above an alarmed pace was strictly prohibited.

Swearing, damage, and anything against the game rules—everything is banned.

“Shi— Huu. Why does it have to be the room at the end of the third floor!”

The staff member shouted at Assistant Manager Eun Haje, venting his frustration. Still, he seemed to restrain himself from cursing, trying to follow the rules.

“Hey! You… Assistant Manager Eun, what were you doing four years ago?”

Eun Haje smirked.

Because…

“You fucking turd, how dare you talk down to me?”

“……!”

In this game, the Hangman was an exception to all rules.

“W-What… why, all of a sudden…”

It didn’t matter anymore when they’re going to die anyway.

“I’ve held back from pointing out your behavior so far just to avoid getting involved with you, you hopeless fucking moron. And now, I’m about to die without even gathering enough points. What a mess.”

“U-Uh…”

“Get a grip, you goddamn troll. You’ve already killed three newbies.”

The staff member’s face turned beet red with anger.

“Feeling wronged? Frustrated?”

“N-No…”

“Then suck it up. You wouldn’t want to be judged as ‘zero contribution’ later and get punished, would you?”

Eun Haje teased, grinning slyly.

“There are only eight slots. Behave yourself, yeah?”

“……”

The staff member clamped his mouth shut.

It was the only logical decision.

In this ghost story, the idea that only one person dies was the best-case scenario based on the manual. In reality, deviations often lead to complete annihilation.

This was a tale where your survival depended on strictly adhering to the rules.

‘And if you fail to guess even a single letter in this Hangman game, you’ll face a penalty during the final evaluation…’

That’s when it happened.

“Hey, Roe. Come here.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje called out to me.

When I approached, she lowered her voice so only I could hear.

“I was a reporter four years ago.”

“……”

“Roe, you make the guess. Avoid the ‘zero contribution’ penalty from the start.”

This is driving me crazy.

“Even if you refuse to guess, nothing will change. You know that, right?”

“It’d help my mental state, ma’am.”

“Then start by worrying about the mental state of someone who’s about to die. Will you?”

Eun Haje frowned.

“Imagine how awful it would be if that guy beats you to the answer, huh?”

Hah…

I pressed my temples and eventually stepped toward the TV.

The staff member who had barged in looked at me in disbelief.

“W-Wait, you…”

“The last letter of the word is R. It’s the initial of ‘Reporter’.”

Dzz zz zz zzzt—

[Correct!]

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The screen made a cheerful sound as it filled in the letter.

R _ _ _ _ _ _ R

And then.

[Let’s give a round of applause for the Hangman~]

“Kuh—”

Eun Haje’s body twisted.

The left foot of the assistant manager, suspended in midair, literally vanished.

…One step closer to execution.

The sacrificial ‘Hangman’ climbs the gallows as the other participants guess words related to them, ultimately resulting in their execution by hanging.

There are no exceptions.

This is madness.

“…It’s not like it got hacked off, so there’s no pain. Don’t worry.”

How can I not worry?

“Well, at least it didn’t start with the neck. We can still talk, right?”

No way.

No matter how I think about it, dissuading me from the ‘last-ditch attempt’ was just a bluff to keep me stuck here.

‘I can’t let time run out like this.’

Meanwhile, the TV continued.

[Here’s a hint for the 5th letter!]

[What was the last mode of transportation Ms. Eun Haje used during her time as a reporter?]

The staff member hesitated, gritting his teeth as he glanced at Eun Haje.

“Ugh, just tell me… Hey, even so, we…”

“We what?”

Eun Haje stared at them incredulously.

“You’re responsible for three dead newbies… Damn it. You should’ve been the one stuck here to die.”

“Shut up! You’re dead meat now anyway!”

“Oh~ Then don’t listen to this dead meat.”

Eun Haje lazily tilted her head with a bored expression.

The staff member, his face flushed red with anger, shoved me aside and stepped up to the TV.

“Transportation? Well, probability-wise, it’s obvious! Bus or subway! Yeah, okay, subway initial, S!”

[Oh dear. Ding! Wrong!]

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ R

[As punishment, please recite the educational booklet for 10 minutes!]

“U-Ugh…”

With a twisting sound, a holographic black booklet appeared in front of the staff member…

“Gaaaahhh—!”

It stuck to his face.

“Aaaaah! Aaagh!”

The black booklet melted as if it were merging with his skin, swallowing his face whole.

He rolled on the floor, struggling desperately to tear it off, but nothing changed.

Beneath the dissolving booklet, a clear brand appeared on his forehead…

[Chick Class]

Eun Haje clicked her tongue.

“What a mark to get. Idiot.”

“……”

“Pay attention, Roe. If that accumulates, you’ll be stuck here being ‘educated’ until you’re a proper ‘kindergarten teacher’. …Forever.”

That’s right.

If you fail to participate in this game properly, you’ll end up in a fate worse than death.

“Three times. Just three penalties, and it’s over.”

Three penalties.

It’s enough to contaminate someone to the point where they’re no longer considered human.

Like the Security Team.

‘But this is even worse.’

Unlike the Security Team, if you’re not rescued, you’ll just disappear, trapped in this ghost story indefinitely.

“So don’t do anything unnecessary.”

“……”

“If you screw up, you won’t even be able to die.”

Cold sweat dripped down my back.

‘I know.’

In this situation, as long as I follow the manual, I’ll survive.

I’ve even guessed one letter correctly, removing the penalty.

So is there any reason to take a risk?

‘If I try, the situation might just get worse.’

There are plenty of records in this ghost story of people who tried to save the Hangman, only to end up contaminated and stuck here forever, endlessly ‘educated’ as kindergarten teachers.

There are no exceptions.

Yeah, there’s no way out.

I know that too.

There’s no way out.

No matter what, the game must be completed, and the Hangman must die.

That’s how it works.

This isn’t some fun ghost story about bending the rules to escape.

‘Its very nature is different.’

From the moment it was registered on the wiki, this was a theme that drove people insane because the rules couldn’t be broken.

This ghost story amplifies the fear of helplessness and suffocating adherence to rules, ultimately forcing you to desperately self-censor in accordance with those rules.

Still, there was one faint variable I had witnessed.

Braun, who had escaped the game by ‘talking’ to this ghost story.

But I lost that chance because I stood there dumbfounded, just watching him talk.

‘I should have intervened.’

I should have done something, dragged out time, avoided the noose, and kept the conversation going…

– Hm?

Braun had looked on in disbelief, horrified.

– Well, I’d rather not! Talking more with these people? How boring!

– Mr. Roe Deer. Are you seriously saying I should’ve humored this outdated game and pretended to go along with the hanging? For me, your friend?

……

Huu.

‘Braun. Even I can’t argue with you there.’

– Wait a moment?

‘When you declared your refusal to participate in this game, you knew someone else would be chosen as the Hangman, didn’t you?’

So,

‘You knew there was a 1 in 12 chance I could die, and you didn’t hesitate?’

– ……!!

‘So you didn’t care if I ended up being hanged?’

– No! No, that’s not it… It’s not like that. But this outdated game, even as a game, should be respected for its rules… Ah, of course, I mean, my friend is more important…

For the first time, Braun’s voice wavered, filled with confusion.

It seemed as though the role of being a ‘good friend’ and the role of the narrator within the ghost story were clashing inside him.

Let’s not forget, this guy has the twisted mindset typical of an ghost story resident.

But at the same time…

He was a stuffed doll trying very hard to remain my friend.

‘Right.’

I had to center myself. I might be a coward, but I shouldn’t let myself be stupid.

I explained as calmly as possible.

‘I didn’t mean to say that I thought you should have been hanged either.’

It’s just… I’m going crazy with anxiety.

‘I just meant that I wish I had asked you to stick around a bit longer to gather more information before bailing. You seemed to be able to communicate with this ghost story.’

– Ah… that’s true. Unfortunately, for you, Mr. Roe Deer, it seems they’ve decided to treat me as an outsider now, so no special interviews are being granted.

– Still, if that’s your reasoning, I can certainly understand!

‘Yeah.’

But faintly… I had a feeling we understood each other differently.

Even as I thought that, I didn’t have the mental bandwidth to dwell on it further.

‘There’s nothing.’

Even though I knew there was nothing, part of my brain kept desperately sifting through the exploration records and the manual, trying to find a loophole to save the Hangman.

But there was nothing.

Of course, there wasn’t!

If there had been, I would have thought of it over the past two days while wracking my brain to the breaking point!

‘There’s no precedent.’

No matter how much I scoured my mental catalog of the <Dark Exploration Records> or revisited the manual, it wasn’t there.

I already knew…

Whether I destroyed the gallows, tried to replace the Hangman, or simply refused to guess the word, it would only add penalties.

The Hangman still dies.

There are no exceptions.

‘They’ll die no matter what… no matter what,’ it said…

Is there really nothing else?

I gritted my teeth.

How…

“Roe!”

A familiar voice rang out.

I turned to see a second staff member standing in the open doorway…

“…Supervisor.”

“You alright… haah.”

Supervisor Park Minseong, who had just entered the room, caught sight of Eun Haje and visibly swallowed hard.

“You’re here?”

“……”

“You’ve already heard it on the TV, right? Just get ready to guess.”

Park Minseong’s face was filled with a mix of emotions before quickly calming down.

“Stop thinking unnecessary thoughts and guess quickly. You know you’ve already accumulated penalties, right?”

“……”

Accumulated?

“Supervisor, what does that mean…?”

The supervisor whispered to me with a strained expression.

“Well. Actually, this is my second time being here…”

“……!!”

“I came here right after I started, and now, two years later, I’m back again. Haha… I don’t know if I’m lucky or unlucky.”

He gave a bitter smile.

“Last time, I tried to save someone who’d been chosen as the Hangman and got a penalty for it… so I think the contamination might have accumulated… I’m not sure. There hasn’t been a case like this before.”

He rambled, saying he even started carrying only one piece of equipment at a time because he wasn’t sure what might happen. His mental state was clearly shaken.

I grabbed his shoulders.

“……!”

“Supervisor.”

A direct experiencer.

The only person who might have detailed information I didn’t.

“Please answer my questions quickly and accurately from now on.”

Chapter 63 - [Hungry Hangman], III

Hurry up. Hurry up.

“Then, Supervisor, your previous experience would be the 35th round, correct?”

“Y-Yeah. It was the only round where they attempted to bring in new hires.”

Kim Soleum quickly exchanged a few hurried questions with Supervisor Park Minseong and immediately pieced together the essentials in his mind.

‘Supervisor Park’s detailed experience…’

“Is this all? Is this what we need?”

“I’m working on putting it together.”

– New hires were drafted into this Darkness’s exploration, resulting in chaos and panic from fear.

– Some kept cursing so they received penalties. A fight broke out over calming pills, and it led to penalties for both parties, including the one who drank them.

– Seven people received more than two penalties, reaching the brink of contamination.

– The new hire chosen as the Hangman passed out from panic halfway through, but the sheer terror and confusion left no one able to help.

– Another new hire collapsed after being struck on the head by the body that fell from the gallows. They later resigned.

“……”

Huh?

“After that, they never brought in new hires again…”

“Hold on.”

“Hm?”

“Do the bodies remain?”

Kim Soleum stared urgently at the supervisor.

“The bodies of the people who’ve died here as the Hangman, I mean.”

“Well, yeah? Though I don’t know about decay or anything like that… I don’t think there was a head, but it’s not like I personally attended the funeral and checked every detail…”

“……!!”

A chill ran up Kim Soleum’s spine.

This, this…

“W, What is it??”

Supervisor Park grabbed Kim Soleum’s shoulders in a panic.

“Is there a hint? Does this help?!”

“Yes.”

Kim Soleum nodded urgently, but cold sweat trickled down his neck.

‘I can’t guarantee it, though.’

It felt like madness.

But, but…

The mere possibility was such an exhilarating hope.

‘This is worth trying.’

Kim Soleum hastily pieced together what was needed.

…It seemed barely feasible.

‘With this, we might be able to slip through the cracks without breaking the rules…!’

The only problem was…

One essential skill wasn’t currently available.

‘…Braun.’

Once again, he was needed.

‘How much longer until your transformation ability is ready?’

– Hm.

– Even I need about half a day of rest, don’t you think?

Kim Soleum quickly adjusted the question.

‘What if I change the conditions?’

– Conditions?

Kim Soleum explained the ‘altered conditions’.

The response changed.

– If that’s the case, I can manage after about an hour of rest!

– It’s a tough schedule, but… hm, I’ll endure it. I’m a professional, after all!

‘Thank you so much.’

– Don’t mention it!

One hour.

The conditions were reset.

‘I need to buy time.’

Within this chaos, I had to ensure that Eun Haje didn’t fully ascend the gallows for an hour.

And that was impossible to do alone.

“Sunbae-nim.”

“Hm?”

“If possible, I’d like you to act as a decoy.”

“……?”

Kim Soleum quickly held the ‘Silver Heart’ badge in his pocket.

Then he shouted to the nine employees who had gathered in the room, enthusiastically immersed in the Hangman game.

“Everyone!”

“……!”

Nine pairs of eyes turned toward Kim Soleum.

He swallowed hard.

What was needed now was…

‘…Aggro!!’

“If you could double your clear points, would you do it?”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje of D-squad raised her head.

Even though she was hanging midair, sentenced to death with black ropes wrapped around her neck and limbs, she was surprisingly calm.

‘All things considered, this isn’t a bad way to go.’

Aside from dying just short of reaching her point goal, it was honestly far better than the bloody messes from her coworkers’ deaths in the past.

“Assistant Manager Eun! What was your mode of transportation?!”

“Dunno. I told you already, I don’t remember.”

If taking these goddamn trolls with her to the grave wasn’t enough to make it worse, she didn’t feel all that cooperative.

Still, the right answers would eventually come, regardless of her efforts.

That’s just how Hangman works.

“Damn it… The last mode of transportation she used as a reporter? How the hell would I know that? Fuck it— A?”

[Correct!]

“It worked, it worked!!”

Even without figuring it out from the hint, throwing out letters eventually leads to the correct answer.

_ _ _ _ A _ _ R

‘Ugh.’

Eun Haje looked at her now missing feet, feeling the chilling fear of death crawl up her neck. But, no, she didn’t show it.

She didn’t want to serve as entertainment for the trolls.

[Here’s the hint for the 3rd blank letter!]

[Why can’t Teacher Eun Haje take airplanes anymore?]

Meanwhile, her two hoobaes from D-squad were busily whispering in the corner.

‘What are they doing?’

They clenched their teeth as if seeing Eun Haje lose both her feet was too much, then started talking more fervently.

They must have some delusional idea of saving her…

‘That might be better.’

If they just keep talking and eventually realize there’s no way out, they’ll give up.

At least they’ll find some comfort in having tried.

‘……’

Meanwhile, someone came up with the answer to the relatively easy question.

“Trauma? T!”

_ _ T _ A _ _ R

[Correct!]

Her entire left leg disappeared.

‘Fuck…!’

“Woooo! We got it!”

“Ah!! I should’ve answered first!”

The trolls screamed like they were at a sports event, watching someone’s leg disappear.

Eun Haje’s irritation and anger began to boil.

‘Maybe I should just troll along with them.’

But then, suddenly.

“Everyone.”

Someone raised their hand beyond the trolls.

“If you could double your clear points, would you do it?”

‘…Roe?!’

Yes.

The rookie from D-squad, or rather, the now-former rookie who’d climbed the ranks in record time, Kim Soleum, raised his hand with a calm expression.

“What the hell?”

“Isn’t that the guy… that one who got promoted recently?”

Everyone recognized him by then.

The top new hire, wearing a mask with antlers like a deer, who had been promoted to supervisor after just 60 days, had already become a widely talked-about figure.

Maybe because of the rumors, everyone was now strangely drawn to him.

There was something… natural about his presence.

And just now.

‘Did he say points…?’

“……”

In the strange atmosphere that had overtaken the playroom, Kim Soleum spoke.

“How about we make a bet?”

……??

“If any of you win this bet, I’ll give you all my clear points, Sunbae-nim.”

“……!!”

“What?”

Insane aggro.

“Is that guy crazy? Why’s he doing that?”

But for members of the Field Exploration Team, the mention of ‘points’ was irresistible.

“Are you really saying you’ll give up all 2,000 points?”

“Yes.”

“Ah, Supervisor Roe Deer, you must not know since you’ve only been here a few months… Points are non-transferrable.”

“I know.”

“You do? Then what…”

“But there’s no rule against using 2,000 points to buy items from the company store and giving them away, is there?”

“……!”

“If you win, you can pick whatever you like. I’ll even pay for custom equipment.”

The atmosphere shifted.

If the ‘sacrifice’ had already been chosen, then how useful would additional points be?

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

He was serious.

Of course, if they could win.

“Then what’s the bet?”

In response, Kim Soleum crossed his arms.

“Who can guess the most letters in the Hangman puzzle.”

“Ah!”

“The person who guesses more letters than me will get the points.”

Is he insane?

“For reference, I’ve only guessed one, so just getting two would meet the threshold.”

“W-Wait!”

Supervisor Park Minseong from D-squad stood up in alarm.

“Roe, why are you making a bet in this situation…?”

“There aren’t many B-class ghost stories that are safe as long as you follow the manual. I thought this could be a good opportunity to see if guessing more correct answers might trigger any special phenomena. Right?”

Kim Soleum spoke seriously, looking around at the employees.

“If the atmosphere gets strange, please stop. I hope it doesn’t become dangerous.”

“Hah.”

Some of the employees exchanged smirks and sneers before one of them spoke up with a sarcastic grin.

“Oh~ so noble. You’re making a bet to add more detail to the manual and make it safer?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Kim Soleum replied without hesitation.

“I want to help make it so that those who come in after us can clear this more safely.”

“…Why?”

“No particular reason. Hmm… I just think it’d be good if someone did it, and I’m in a position to do so.”

“……”

The employee who asked fell silent.

For some reason… they felt uneasy.

‘Come to think of it, didn’t this rookie rescue a missing person?’

Another memory surfaced.

‘Last time, I heard he saved all the other employees from some B-class Darkness and got promoted because of it.’

He’d retrieved an unpopular desk worker that no one else cared to find, without pay. He’d risked his life in a high-grade Darkness to save employees he didn’t even know.

‘He’s not normal.’

Normally, these people would’ve laughed at someone like this guy, calling him gullible.

But strangely, for some peculiar reason… they couldn’t.

Tiiing—

A clear, metallic sound seemed to echo in their minds.

It was as if their thoughts were sharpening, seeing things in a clearer, more objective way, detached from their usual habits and inertia.

…And oddly enough.

Those seemingly foolish choices began to look, somehow, impressive.

“……”

“……”

They spoke without thinking.

“…Alright, let’s do the bet.”

“Oh, thank you!”

Kim Soleum bowed repeatedly, thanking the now-quiet employees, and then began to walk away.

“I’ll see you all when the game is finished.”

He approached Assistant Manager Eun Haje, who had been watching the whole scene with her jaw dropped.

“Assistant Manager.”

Eun Haje felt a throbbing headache.

‘This guy’s problem is that he’s too nice!’

Smart rookie or not, this was his flaw.

‘He’s too sincere.’

The type to burn out or break under the weight of his own ideals.

He’d passionately declared that his items belonged to his coworkers just to try and save them before, and now he was seriously pulling a stunt like this…

“You, you’re seriously…”

Kim Soleum lowered his voice and spoke quickly.

“It’s a bluff.”

“……”

Oh.

“I just stirred things up to buy us time.”

For a moment, Eun Haje almost forgot she was about to die, but then she managed to reply.

“…You’re saying you’re stalling for time?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Hah.

“Wait, if you’re planning to try something in that time, don’t. That’s how you get yourself killed…”

“What if I insist on doing it?”

“……!”

“We’re going to try no matter what. …If you cooperate, our chances of success will be higher.”

This… this stubborn brat!

Eun Haje gritted her teeth.

“Hey. I told you I’ll handle it myself.”

“I don’t believe that. …You’ve already given up. You’re ready to die.”

“……”

So quick on the uptake.

‘Ugh.’

“…I won’t say I haven’t thought about trying something.”

Finally, Eun Haje confessed.

Things she hadn’t mentioned to avoid giving her hoobaes false hope.

“You know how this ghost story enforces all sorts of rules on the so-called ‘new teachers’, right? But do you know who the only exception is?”

“…That would be—”

“—The Hangman.”

Eun Haje grinned.

“That’s me.”

The Hangman wasn’t penalized for anything—not for cursing, not for slamming their head against a wall hard enough to break the skull.

“The problem is, even so, moving my body is difficult.”

She gestured with her eyes toward the ropes binding her.

“But… if I put it the other way around, it means I can do whatever I want with my upper body.”

“……!”

Of course, the chances of anything working were slim to none.

Eun Haje spoke casually, keeping her composure.

“Did you hear that? Only I can keep trying this loophole. Even so, I don’t get penalized. So you penalty targets just sit and—”

Kim Soleum’s eyes glinted.

“I’ll use that loophole to maximize the survival rate.”

“What?”

“Please remember what I’m about to say.”

Kim Soleum explained, clearly, firmly, and concisely, what Eun Haje needed to do.

And after…

“……!”

“…That’s all.”

Eun Haje suddenly felt like she’d been doused in ice water.

Were they seriously going to do this?

“We’ll head off and start the work. See you in a bit.”

“Hey!”

Wait a second.

“Roe!! Badger!! You damn brats!”

But the two were already walking out of the playroom.

“Hey! Come back here!”

‘Phew.’

It seemed the stalling tactic had worked.

I was walking down the unnervingly clean, colorful, and quiet kindergarten hallway with Supervisor Park Minseong.

‘Let’s move faster.’

The testimonies from Supervisor Park and Assistant Manager Eun were helping me form a clearer picture. My mind wavered between anxiety and hope.

Even so, the unsettling atmosphere of this ghost story’s setting still made my skin crawl.

But courageous as always, Supervisor Park kept glancing back at me with a worried expression before finally speaking up.

“R-Roe, are you sure about this? Those 2,000 points aren’t a joke… What if someone actually guesses two letters?”

Ah.

That?

“That’ll never happen.”

“……!”

I grinned.

“With selfish personalities and everyone keeping each other in check, it’s impossible.”

“Huh?”

“They’ll sabotage each other every time someone tries to guess.”

“……!!”

According to the records, each question’s time limit ranged from 7 to 10 minutes, depending on the whims of the ghost story.

Even conservatively, they’d have to cycle through nine rounds of this full time limit.

So, what’s the best method?

“They’ll probably keep sabotaging and fighting until the very last moment. And since they still wouldn’t want to accumulate penalties, someone would begrudgingly propose terms for their guesses.”

And the likelihood of that being the correct answer? Very slim.

“In the end, they’ll all have to take penalties, and the time will drag on.”

Additionally, once contamination starts accumulating, they’ll hesitate to randomly guess letters, slowing things down further.

So…

“It’ll easily take an hour.”

I stated this confidently.

“And since the prize isn’t the 2,000 points themselves but an item you can buy with them, it’s harder to split the reward. They can’t easily form teams to share, and verbal agreements aren’t trustworthy enough.”

‘The only reason they trusted my promise was because of the Silver Heart.’

I had to make sure it wasn’t exposed. I consciously avoided even thinking about the badge in my pocket as I continued.

“So don’t worry about that. Let’s focus on saving the assistant manager first.”

“……”

A flicker of emotion crossed Supervisor Park’s face beneath his mask. Realizing there was no time to waste, he quickly suppressed it.

“Alright. Let’s get to it! Oh, we’re here.”

“Yes.”

It was time to begin preparations.

‘Huu.’

I sat down with Supervisor Park, settling on the floor.

It was the largest space in the kindergarten.

[Playroom]

I tried my best not to look too closely at the scene before me.

In front of us was a colorful ball pit and a stage decorated with flowers and butterflies.

But atop the cheerful stage, two grotesque chunks of flesh stood awkwardly.

A left leg. A right foot.

They were parts of Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s body.

‘Haah.’

A chill ran up my spine, raising the hairs on my neck. Whether it was from fear, dread, or a sense of crisis, I couldn’t tell.

‘The gallows.’

There was only one chance.

I had to seize it here.

Chapter 64 - [Hungry Hangman], IV

Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s emotions were a tangled mess.

‘If I’m going to leave, I’d like to go in peace.’

Apparently, that was an impossible wish.

“Hey! Move back! Do you think I didn’t notice you already guessed one right?”

“Ack! Move back! I haven’t guessed a single one yet!”

‘Troll bastards…’

It was utter chaos.

The scene had already been unseemly when everyone acted as if they were watching a spectator sport while fending for themselves. But now, with everyone monitoring and sabotaging each other while yelling, it had gotten worse.

Survival and points.

Two objectives meant double the conflict.

It was like watching a wagon wheel stuck in place, unable to move because of friction, only building up heat.

‘Roe, that punk… He’s really something else.’

It had been a long time since Eun Haje had seen such excellent political maneuvering.

‘Good thing he’s a decent guy.’

Judging by the mess in front of her, they might actually stall for more than an hour.

‘How long has it been? Twenty minutes?’

_ _ T R A _ _ R

And yet, with only one letter filled in so far…

[Here’s the hint for the 6th blank letter!]

[Whose obituary call caused Teacher Eun Haje’s airplane trauma?]

“Assistant Manager Eun, who passed awa—”

“Oh, shut up.”

But what was the point of stalling, anyway?

‘Isn’t it the same outcome? All my secrets will get exposed, and I’ll die.’

It wasn’t like Eun Haje cared about preserving her honor anymore, but the longer it dragged on, the more bitter and tired she felt.

And the more she thought about what those two hoobaes were planning, the more dizzy she became.

‘They’re about to do something crazy.’

Eun Haje recalled Roe’s earlier whisper.

– During the hanging, remember this…

“……”

It hadn’t been a request, but a statement, one that wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Still.

If they were really determined to go through with it, wasn’t it only fair that Eun Haje did her best to survive?

…Though she couldn’t say whether their resolve would hold in a few minutes.

‘Let’s see how it goes.’

Eun Haje crossed her arms philosophically.

And so, twenty minutes,

Thirty minutes,

Forty minutes passed.

“Hell yeah! It’s right! The ‘B’ in ‘Believe’!”

[Correct!]

B _ T R A Y _ R

The word was starting to take shape.

And at this point, it’s only natural that someone would catch on.

“Wait a sec.”

“Huuh?”

The word’s true identity.

“This word…”

“Roe, over there.”

I looked up.

One hour and eight minutes had passed.

…The word was complete.

B E T R A Y E R

Betrayer.

“……”

[The word that best represents Teacher Eun Haje is ‘Betrayer’!]

What?

[Four years ago, as a reporter, Teacher Eun Haje betrayed her long-time boss and team, trying to publish an exclusive article on her own. She failed and had her story stolen.]

[And during this process, her false report caused severe emotional distress to her sources, leaving them in despair until some of them actually died!]

“……”

[What’s the moral of this story?]

[The answer is, ‘People who betray their workplace deserve punishment’.]

Ha.

[Hangman is an excellent educational game used here at ■■ Kindergarten to teach the moral of justice and retribution to our students.]

“This is the one time I really regret not being able to curse.”

“……”

“Roe.”

Supervisor Park grabbed my shoulder.

“Listening to this, it makes your sunbae sound like such a terrible person, but…”

“You wouldn’t know for sure unless you heard it directly from them.”

“……!”

“That’s just how this kind of Darkness works.”

It isolates the victim, inflicts psychological torment, and uses penalties to scare the remaining members of the Field Exploration Team into compliance.

“I think it’s not too late to talk about it after we all make it out alive.”

Supervisor Park’s face lit up.

“Exactly! You’re right, Roe! That’s why… ah.”

Thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk…

I turned my head.

Eun Haje watched with a conflicted heart.

“…They’re coming.”

Through the open door of the playroom, figures stepped in unison, moving slowly and fluidly.

There were no melting black substances, no screams.

Just pristine pastel outfits, smiling faces, aprons, and name tags.

The brand marks on their foreheads.

[Sunny Class ■■■]

[Chick Class ■■■]

[Dream Sprout Class ■■■]

“…Those people are the ones who were fully contaminated and trapped here. No, the monsters that used to be people… Don’t make eye contact.”

“……”

“If you get scared, you might be affected.”

I turned my eyes away as much as I could from those figures.

[Game over!]

[Now, let’s hang the Hangman one last time!]

“It’s time.”

“……”

I recalled the conversation we had during preparations.

– Supervisor, if it feels like too much of a burden…

– You’re telling me to push it onto you?

– What?

– Oh, come on. That’s not happening. This is my custom equipment. You couldn’t use it even if you tried!

‘I wasn’t saying I’d do it, but… thanks.’

And now, the supervisor was holding his custom equipment.

A camouflage cloth.

‘Wasn’t it called the Mimic Scarf?’

It looked no different from the one he had used to help me during the exhibition, but there was one key difference.

“It’s actually sopping wet now, huh?”

It was soaked.

We had dumped all the remaining contents of the <Alice Picnic Set> drink enhancer onto it.

The same enhancer that doubled the effect of the Smiley Sticker during the Tuesday Quiz Show.

‘I drenched that scarf completely without holding back.’

To avoid dirtying the floor with foreign substances—which would incur a penalty—we’d spread my suit jacket beneath it, essentially sacrificing it.

And if the enhancer worked…

‘The camouflage gear should have tremendous power, even if just once.’

At least until the moisture dried.

Since we were racing against time, it was perfect for the job.

“Alright, I’ll use it now.”

“Yes.”

I nodded.

The supervisor glanced at the kindergarten teachers climbing onto the stage, then silently pulled the scarf over his face.

And…

He became one of them, perfectly.

[Sprout Class ■■■]

“……!”

– Ah, excellent. A convincing disguise. It won’t hold for long, though…

‘It only needs to last for a moment.’

About three minutes.

And I had to act, too.

I waited until Supervisor Park had blended in with the teachers and then started moving, slightly delayed to stagger the timing.

‘Now.’

I had to get as close to the stage as possible for Braun to use his ability.

And if I could draw some attention away, it would make it easier for Supervisor Park Minseong to maneuver unnoticed among the monsters.

‘Let’s begin…’

But as I raised my head, I froze.

“……”

‘Oh.’

I had forgotten something critical.

That I was a coward.

Teacher Kim Soleum, listen to me.

I finished reading the handbook!

1- ■■ Kindergarten is eternal.

2- I follow the rules.

Everything is perfect. I am a perfect teacher. Everyone is safe, happy, and there are no accidents, no one jumps. Our ■■ Kindergarten is a perfect and safe haven where everyone follows the rules and educates endlessly. Once you finish reading the handbook, Teacher Kim Soleum, you’ll be like me. Now just read the handbook quickly.

On the platform.

Countless ■■ Kindergarten teachers stood, smiling. They were not human. They had never been human.

Just looking at them sent an instinctive warning down my spine, that I would X if I were to approach, that I would be grabbed by the back of my neck, that I’d be left with nothing else to do but scream

I knew it already. The more I was afraid, the worse the mental contamination would get. I just had to endure.

And I knew I had to stand close to them, attracting their attention. Compared to Supervisor Park Minseong, who had to fully blend into their midst, what I had to do wasn’t even that difficult.

But…

Official Illustration Translated by SaltGoblin

Did I hold back a scream?

What… what on earth is this?

They said feeling fear leads to contamination, right?

Is my fear drawing the contamination toward me?

I’m supposed to draw their attention? I’m supposed to draw their atten—

Official Illustration Translated by SaltGoblin

“……”

Drip.

Cold sweat dripped from my chin.

I barely managed to move my left foot forward, taking a single step.

Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da

Their gazes locked onto me.

N E W T E A C H E R !

‘S-Sticker.’

The tattoo sticker! I need to use it. I need to use it now. There’s no way I can endure—

No, hold on. I can’t use them now.

This is panic talking. What I need isn’t courage. It’s rationality… No, maybe I should—

– Mr. Roe Deer.

“……?”

– Mr. Roe Deer, I’m curious. What’s your favorite fruit?

“……”

– Mr. Roe Deer, a humble admirer named Braun is eagerly awaiting your answer!

A question…?

– Your favorite fruit, please!

……

“Grapes.”

– Ah! Excellent choice. A symbol of abundance and nourishment. In ancient Egypt, they were revered as sacred fruit, and in Greece, they were celebrated as a cultural beverage.

– Shall we delve deeper? Let’s move forward…

I slowly took another step.

New Teacher Eun Haje will dangle by her neck and die!

That’s what the Hangman game is about!

Staring at the ground, I moved forward.

– How about wine? It’s a beverage that has evolved alongside human civilization, shaped by the grape variety, harvest timing, and aging methods.

– Over millennia, it has been refined, driven by the desires and determination of producers and consumers to perfect its methods and results…

One step.

Another step…

“……”

Soon, the edge of the stage came into view.

I had reached just below the platform.

– Mr. Roe Deer, your steps are no different.

I lifted my head.

– In this show, boldness is essential. Without it, you vanish.

– And Mr. Roe Deer, you’ve proven to be a participant who won’t vanish. Ah, it’s all coming back to me now. Yes… you were the MVP.

– This time too, let’s follow your desires and determination.

Braun spoke cheerfully.

– Now, let’s play our assigned roles brilliantly, shall we?

……

Right.

‘Thank you.’

– Encouraging my crew is my specialty!

I was genuinely grateful.

I took a deep breath.

Though the smiling teachers’ gazes landed on me again, it felt more bearable.

The whispers and phrases didn’t burrow into my brain enough to overwhelm me with fear or contamination.

‘Don’t let fear consume me.’

I can do this.

I steadied myself and stood, looking up at the teachers crowded on the platform.

[New Teacher Eun Haje, please step onto the platform~]

The execution had begun.

The kindergarten teachers stood in abundance atop the colorful, cheerful stage.

It looked as though an event was about to take place, but what they surrounded was an executioner’s block.

A black execution scaffold.

At the scaffold, a black line extended straight ahead.

At the end of the line were assembled body parts.

Both legs, both arms, thighs, waist, chest, neck, and finally, a head.

The moment the head appeared on the stage, the parts merged, and Assistant Manager Eun Haje exhaled deeply.

Then, looking at the teachers surrounding her, she clenched her teeth.

G O O D B Y E !

The teachers clapped gently with smiling faces.

Likely holding back a stream of expletives, Eun Haje’s face was pale as she moved her feet.

Not by her own will.

The black holographic ropes forced her limbs to move, guiding her toward the scaffold amidst the crowd of teachers.

And then…

‘This is the moment.’

Did you know?

Of course, any contact with the teacher chosen as the Hangman was strictly forbidden.

Any attempt to rescue them, even a last handshake or an item exchange, was prohibited.

Even if someone tried to risk a penalty, their actions would be blocked just before the attempt.

So, the only opportunity to act was during one specific moment…

[The Hangman is ascending the scaffold! This is what happens when you guess correctly!]

When Eun Haje appeared on the stage and began ascending the scaffold, at the exact moment she passed directly beside the ‘teachers’.

Tuk.

One teacher gave her something.

“……”

Supervisor Park Minseong, perfectly disguised as a kindergarten teacher, handed something to Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

Since Eun Haje’s arms and legs were bound by ropes, she couldn’t use them. Only small, movable parts of her body were functional.

For example…

Her mouth.

The ‘something’ handed over in passing disappeared into Eun Haje’s mouth in an instant.

As if nothing had happened.

Eun Haje continued walking, expressionless, and finally stepped onto the gallows.

This is where the second critical moment came.

[Now, let’s begin the execution.]

‘Braun!’

Now!

– Understood.

– Let’s see your mask in a whole new light! Reframing the familiar…

I frantically looked up at Eun Haje.

No change.

Thunk.

The black holographic rope around her neck gained physical form and texture.

[Hangman~!]

And then, it pulled upward.

‘Damn it.’

I wanted to avert my gaze so badly, but I forced myself to watch, pretending to be unaffected.

The rope pulled with a disturbingly immense force, and then—

Ting.

Thud-thud-thud-thud…

“……”

The headless body tumbled down from the stage.

Thump.

The lifeless body part fell right in front of me, and I caught it.

It was limp, devoid of any signs of life.

Then, it gradually faded until it completely vanished.

“……”

[The game has ended!]

[New teachers, please wait for your evaluation!]

“Ah, it’s finally over.”

“So you won the bet, Supervisor Roe Deer. Man, how’d you stop anyone from guessing twice?”

The other staff, who had been waiting at the back per the kindergarten’s instruction to ‘watch the Hangman’s final moments in the playroom’, approached with relieved sighs and complaints.

“……”

“Ah, is this your first time seeing a team member die?”

“Honestly, Eun Haje wasn’t the kind of person who’d live long anyway.”

One of them gave my shoulder a light pat.

“Well… don’t take it too hard, okay? She’s dead now.”

“……”

I smiled.

“…What?”

“Why are you smiling…?”

“She’s not dead.”

“What, what?”

“Huh?”

They stared at me like I’d lost my mind.

But then.

“Ugh, what is this?!”

Screams erupted from those who looked up at the stage.

Not because they saw Eun Haje’s severed head.

Rather…

“This, this!”

One of them pointed at the stage with a trembling voice.

“Why… is it a hand?”

Exactly.

“But, but it was definitely a head!”

I looked at Eun Haje’s severed left hand lying on the stage and chuckled.

I never thought I’d laugh at the sight of a severed body part, but I couldn’t help it.

It worked!

– Ah, what a remarkable piece of craftsmanship!

– And what an amusing idea—switching the head and hand.

Exactly.

The plan was to switch Eun Haje’s head and hand while concealing it from everyone’s eyes.

So during the execution, instead of her head, one of her hands would be severed!

– Using hands or feet to substitute for other body parts is a classic stage trick.

Braun, muttering about doing this only for a friend, was unexpectedly brilliant in this moment.

But this isn’t over yet.

For the Hangman to ‘escape’, they have to die and leave as a corpse.

If Eun Haje had somehow survived the execution, the system would have noticed and enforced another way to follow the rules.

So…

– All I have to do is place this plum-sized apple in her mouth, right?

Supervisor Park Minseong had been essential to the plan.

While disguised as a teacher, in that fleeting moment that Assistant Manager Eun Haje passed by, what he had slipped into her mouth was none other than a Snow White Mountain Mini Apple.

It was an item I carried, designed to induce ‘death-like sleep’.

‘It was a stroke of luck that the wrist storage upgrade let me carry a whole apple instead of just juice.’

That’s why I was able to give these instructions.

– Assistant Manager, when the apple enters your mouth as you ascend the scaffold, swallow the final piece just before your wrist is severed.

– What?

– It will happen in that moment… That’s all.

Eun Haje followed the instructions to the letter.

At the exact moment when her wrist—mistaken for her neck by everyone—was severed, Eun Haje swallowed the last piece of the apple.

This put her in a state identical to death.

Her body, now indistinguishable from a corpse, was recognized as having been ‘executed as the Hangman’ and successfully ejected from the ghost story.

Exactly.

Outside that outcome, no other possibility could have worked in this situation…!

…Success.

“Ha…!”

I pressed my hands against my face.

Even so, I wanted to leave and confirm his survival as soon as possible.

What if someone mistook the body for a corpse and transported it away?

It felt too early to feel catharsis or relief. I just wanted to get out of here quickly.

[The evaluation is ready!]

Thankfully, the TV displayed the final signal.

Soon, it would announce which participants contributed to completing the Hangman word and which didn’t, assigning penalties or granting a pass accordingly.

From the looks of it, no one seemed contaminated enough to fail escaping.

“Roe!”

As the teachers on the platform disappeared, Supervisor Park Minseong finally jumped down from the stage.

“W-We did it, right?!”

“Yes.”

“Waaaah!”

The supervisor collapsed onto the ground in relief and joy.

“It was worth squeezing into that gap…”

Even though his face was pale, Park Minseong grinned earnestly as he finally removed the camouflage equipment.

“Supervisor, you didn’t guess a letter, so you’ll probably get another penalty…”

“Ah, I can handle up to the second one.”

As we had discussed earlier, the supervisor nodded, accepting the consequence.

“Honestly, it doesn’t feel great, but… well, taking one penalty for missing a correct answer is way better than letting the Assistant Manager die! I’ll stop at the second—there’s no way I’ll get a third, so I’ll be fine…”

[Goodness. Ding! Wrong!]

“……”

“……”

Wait, what?

[New teachers must remain at the bottom of the platform! Stepping onto the stage is prohibited.]

[As a penalty, you must read the handbook aloud for 10 minutes!]

Park Minseong looked back up at the spot he had just stepped down from.

“…Ah.”

The platform.

“I’m caught…”

And then, he was dragged away.

Chapter 65 - [Hungry Hangman], V

A black holographic book descended over Supervisor Park Minseong’s head.

The hologram clung to him like tar, seeping over his body as he clawed at the ground, struggling in vain. Behind his writhing figure, the TV’s cheerful voice resumed.

[Now, let’s reveal the new teachers who failed to actively participate in the Hangman game.]

Similar scenes began to unfold across the room.

The issue, the real issue, was…

[New Teacher Park Minseong, you didn’t guess a single letter correctly!]

One penalty had already been accumulated.

Stepping onto the stage added another.

And now…

Not guessing a letter resulted in a third.

Thus.

[Three penalties accumulated.]

The TV declared its verdict.

[New Teacher Park Minseong is designated as a permanent trainee.]

[You will remain here forever, receiving training and preparing to become a perfect ■■ Kindergarten teacher.]

The black holographic books covering the faces of those who failed to guess letters remained, but only Park Minseong’s turned a fiery red and spread across his entire body.

“■!!”

His scream warped into something unnatural.

“N, ■— ■ ple— ■■■■…!”

His body twisted and thrashed on the floor in grotesque contortions. Incomprehensible excerpts from the handbook were read aloud, overlapping with his sobs and screams.

Yet no one around paid attention.

A few glanced over, only to quickly step away as if avoiding any connection, waiting for the next stage outlined in the manual.

Finally…

[Thank you for your efforts in today’s dry run! Goodbye, new teachers!]

Clearance confirmed.

“……”

“Finally, it’s over!”

“Move it!”

As soon as the game ended, everyone realized they were free to curse and run, and a flood of participants surged out of the playroom.

Even those who had just finished their 10-minute penalty, coughing up the tar-like hologram and clutching their heads in pain, staggered upright and limped or ran out, bumping into me along the way.

“Huh?”

“……”

“Wh, what the—”

“……”

“The door only stays open for 30 minutes! If you don’t get out now, you’ll be treated as a permanent trainee too! Damn it!”

They brushed past me and kept running.

“……”

And so I was left alone.

Alone, except for the ‘contaminated’ Park Minseong writhing on the floor.

– Oh dear, my friend is being mistaken as a volunteer in such an outdated place! Let’s leave immediately, Mr. Roe Deer!

“…No.”

– Mr. Roe Deer?

The game was over.

That meant…

The rules of this ghost story had also ended.

In the worst case, I can run out on my own in ten minutes and make it through the door.

But.

“I… I have to at least try to take the supervisor with me.”

I could endure this.

I had to try as much as I could.

After all, I’d succeeded before.

I don’t want to give up so easily.

I didn’t want this story to end with saving the Hangman by exploiting a sliver of a loophole, only to have the one who tried to save them disappear into the legend.

I don’t want some casual note on a wiki saying, ‘An incident where the rescuer of the Hangman was lost.’

I can do this.

I raised my head and reached for the tattoo on my wrist.

: 恩主 :

From the heated tattoo, the items I had stored began to appear. The candle-making kit, apple juice, the blood-sucking knife, stickers, and dozens of 500-won coins bundled together.

– Oh, what fascinating tools will you use this time, friend?

“I’m not using anything.”

– Hmm? Then what is this…

I stuffed all the items into my briefcase. Given that I hadn’t brought the bloodbathtub with me, I was left with just enough room to fit everything snugly.

The blood-sucking knife, which looked like it could burst out of the bag due to its size, was carefully set aside into my back pocket.

Done.

The fully packed briefcase was heavy, but not so much that I couldn’t carry it while running.

And now, there was one thing left to do.

The now-empty subspace in my wrist.

– Ah, you were clearing it for a purpose?

Exactly.

I briefly reached into the tattoo’s connected subspace and pulled my hand back out.

“This subspace, it’s a cube with a volume equivalent from 60 cm per side, right?”

– Precisely.

“It’s irregular, isn’t it?”

– ……! That’s also…

Braun’s voice carried a mix of amusement and interest.

– Correct.

Good.

‘It’s all or nothing.’

I’d heard it before—the idea that being contaminated and trapped in this ghost story forever, unable to die, was far worse than death.

‘Let’s do this.’

I gritted my teeth and waited.

Waited for Supervisor Park Minseong’s third penalty to finish.

‘Trying to do anything now would be foolish.’

Trying to communicate with someone in the middle of their penalty would result in the holographic handbook ‘graciously’ attaching itself to me as well.

And then, I’d spend ten minutes reading the handbook, effectively out of commission.

‘That would be the end.’

I forced myself to suppress my anxiety and waited calmly.

‘Time remaining for the penalty… 7 minutes.’

6 minutes.

5 minutes.

4 minutes.

3 minutes.

2 minutes.

1 minute…

0.

The tar-like red substance surrounding Supervisor Park Minseong disappeared.

Slowly, he stood up.

His appearance had transformed completely into that of a kindergarten teacher.

The black suit he had worn was replaced with soft beige pants, a white shirt, and a light green apron.

In one hand, he held a brown folder with a red title.

■■ Kindergarten Handbook>

His mask had completely melted away, revealing his face.

And on his forehead, clear and vivid, was the brand of his assigned class.

Sprout Class

A gentle smile spread across Supervisor Park Minseong’s fully exposed face.

“Teacher Soleum!”

Shit.

“Did you wait for me to finish reading the handbook? Thank you so much.”

“…Of course, I had to wait.”

Don’t let it show. Don’t panic. Showing anything now would be disastrous.

“How are you feeling?”

“Great! Never better!”

Supervisor Park smiled softly, nodding.

“…That’s good to hear. Shall we head out now?”

“Head out? Oh… You mean leaving?”

“Yes, let’s go together.”

“Oh, I don’t have a quitting time! I’m not just a new teacher anymore. I finished reading the handbook!”

“But you can still leave…”

“That’s not possible though?”

“……”

“Hmm, it’s time for me to head to the Sprout Class and help prepare for opening…”

Then, with a bright expression, Supervisor Park exclaimed:

“Oh, right! Teacher Soleum, want to come with me?”

A chill ran down my spine.

“Teacher Soleum, you don’t know which class you’ll be assigned to yet, do you? You haven’t read the handbook yet. If you read it, you’ll find out—your assigned class!”

Supervisor Park extended his hand to me.

“What do you think? It’d be great if we were in the Sprout Class together. We used to be on the same squad, after all.”

Shit.

Shit!

I naturally stepped back, making sure that I looked like I was considering his suggestion.

His outstretched hand swiped through empty air.

“Oh…”

“Thank you for the offer, but I need to drop this outside the exit first.”

I lifted the briefcase.

“I borrowed some things, and I think I need to return them within the time limit.”

“Teacher Soleum, all those interesting items you carry around were borrowed?”

“Yes.”

Please don’t notice.

‘Please.’

trigger warning: self harm

The thing that had once been Supervisor Park, still speaking kindly and gently as if it were second nature, replied,

“Then should I ask the other teachers to help move it?”

“It’s just one briefcase. If you wouldn’t mind, could you accompany me to the entrance for a moment? …Supervisor Badger specifically requested it.”

Supervisor Park froze.

“……”

Perhaps.

“…Supervisor Badger?”

……

His mouth opened.

“That…”

……!

But then, in the next moment.

“Sure! Let’s go to the entrance together.”

The kind, cheerful teacher’s voice returned.

“……”

“Teacher Soleum?”

“Yes, I’d appreciate it if you could accompany me to the entrance. Quietly, so we don’t disturb anyone.”

“Sounds good!”

I turned and began walking out of the playroom.

Right behind me followed the fully ‘contaminated’ Supervisor Park, now a teacher.

‘Hah.’

Slowly, I moved forward.

Step. Step.

Right behind me, I could hear the sound of soft slippers—not the hard click of dress shoes—quietly trailing me.

Step. Step.

“Oh, let me help you carry the briefcase.”

“It’s alr—”

Before I could finish saying it was fine—

The teacher’s hand grabbed half of the briefcase I was holding.

The Perfect Teacher’s Handbook in his hand brushed against mine.

Step. Step.

“……”

I’m fine.

The sharp, piercing sound that messes with my mind isn’t there. Neither is the overwhelming terror or fear that makes me want to lose my mind.

I can do this.

The entrance isn’t far now.

All I have to do is walk.

But at the same time, a thought crosses my mind.

Is sneaking out to the entrance like this the right thing to do?

Motherfucker.

Look at me cursing. Maybe it’s because I’ve never read the handbook, but somehow it feels… a little embarrassing.

Maybe reading the handbook isn’t a punishment at all. Perhaps it’s an opportunity disguised as a penalty, a chance to learn?

Crazy…

Wait. Let’s not just dismiss this as contamination. Let’s consider it seriously.

This is a great workplace. Preparing for a perfect opening with polite and compliant colleagues is the ultimate joy.

I have the potential to become a perfect teacher.

■■ Kindergarten has shown me that!

No.

Absolutely not.

I scoffed at myself. Don’t I know that even getting caught in a lie results in punishment? I should just give up on the entrance efficiently.

That’s the logical thing to do.

I should voluntarily start reading the handbook here. I could even ask Teacher Park Minseong to join me.

No.

If I just borrow the handb

No.

Stop entertaining other thoughts.

But if I think about it a little more, I’ll start to believe this isn’t such a bad idea

It is not!

Focus on moving forward.

One step at a time, the entrance grows closer.

Step, step.

“……”

I’ve made it.

The entrance!

Instead of the dirty, cluttered entrance I first walked through, it now looks pristine, clean enough to make me hesitate about leaving.

“So, we just have to throw this bag, right?”

I grabbed the briefcase, and in the motion, the handbook that had been brushing against my hand slipped and fell.

“Shall we throw it together?”

Please.

“Yes, that sounds good.”

It has to work.

“Hold onto this part for me…”

Finally, I turned my head.

Standing in my view was Supervisor Park Minseong, smiling with the face of a ‘teacher’.

He reached out his upper body and hands, just as I had instructed, ready to grab the briefcase.

Now.

I grabbed Supervisor Park’s head without hesitation.

“……!!”

And I shoved it roughly into my forearm.

It’s working.

The subspace connected to my tattoo on my wrist has the volume of a 60 cm cube per side.

But it isn’t a literal cube. It’s a malleable, irregular subspace.

So, when converted into other measurements…

It can easily fit the body of an adult man.

I fixed my gaze upward.

Crack, crack.

The humanoid body resisted as I pushed it into the tattoo, its joints feeling like they were breaking apart.

I made sure to start with the head on purpose.

Talking to him would’ve definitely affected me, making the contamination worse.

I kept pressing down with one hand. The subspace within the tattoo swallowed it without resistance—ah! The handbook touched it! No, I’ll keep that separate, there’s no way I’ll let it go in.

Finally, I crammed in the last of his legs…

Snap!

“……!”

Something suddenly grabbed my left forearm.

Fingers gripping tightly with unnatural strength, pale as death.

It was Supervisor Park’s right hand.

“Ugh!”

Damn it!

I tried to pry off his fingers one by one, but it wasn’t working.

I can’t injure a teacher.

I had no idea how this Darkness would react if I did.

Stay calm…!

I took out the blood-sucking knife and drove it into my own arm.

“……!”

The fingers tore away, taking chunks of flesh from my forearm. It was pain that should’ve made me scream like crazy, but adrenaline and sheer tension kept me silent.

As I shoved the last of his fingers into the tattoo, I hurried toward the entrance.

Step.

The final step.

“……”

I lifted my head.

The bright blue sky of daylight greeted me.

Behind me, only the decrepit, abandoned building of a private kindergarten remained.

The sunlight glimmered over the wild grass in the outskirts of Seoul.

“……”

Clear.

I lowered my head.

There lay Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s body, missing a hand, collapsed on the ground.

None of the other company staff were around—they must’ve already left…

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my smartphone.

Following protocol, I pressed a button.

As if to confirm I was back in reality, the signal connected, and someone answered the call.

“This, is the Security Team’s storage… correct?”

With my dry mouth, I barely managed to speak the rehearsed line.

“I need equipment to contain contamination…”

Because.

“I’ve rescued a contaminated employee.”

……

……

Done.

And then, I passed out.

Chapter 66 - Contaminated

“Excuse me…”

“……”

“Excuse me.”

I snapped my eyes open.

A familiar face came into view.

“…Sergeant?”

“Yes…”

Dressed in a security uniform, with a slender build, light-colored hair, and a name tag reading ‘J3’.

The very same security officer who had been involved with me in the Changgwi Darkness!

I tried to get up in a hurry, but a massive headache struck me—wait, what?

Jingle.

I froze.

The red yarn tied tightly around my hands, dangling little silver bells, caught my eye.

‘Yarn?’

The look and purpose felt oddly familiar… Oh.

‘This is one of the Security Team’s equipment…’

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau / Items

Nostalgia Kitty

A red yarn with silver bells attached, classified as an equipment-type item.

When worn, it fixes the target into #rr#the form of their body and mind at their healthiest point** in the past ten years.**

The more severe the subject’s mutation, the faster the yarn breaks.

※ Health criteria determined based on usage records.

----------------------------------------

A device that allowed anyone to temporarily ‘return’ to a better state from their past.

Knowing this calmed me down a little.

I relaxed, and…

“……”

“……”

No, wait.

Why am I restrained??

I quickly raised my head.

The sergeant, looking mildly annoyed but also slightly amused, met my gaze. He gave a small wave.

“We meet again…”

“Yes. But…”

I raised my bound arms as high as I could.

“What is this about?”

“You said… you rescued a contaminated employee…”

“Yes, but why am I…”

The sergeant pointed at me.

Ah.

“…Are you saying the Security Team thinks I’m the one contaminated?”

“Looks like it… yeah… There’s no one else.”

He raised his hands slightly, his expression an odd mix of anticipation and embarrassment.

“Uh… welcome to the Security Team…?”

N-No.

Is this some kind of initiation for me as a new recruit…!

“It’s not me.”

“…Huh?”

“It’s not me.”

I emphasized this twice, then finally managed to steady myself and take in my surroundings.

‘…Is this an isolation room?’

The interior was an empty space surrounded by gray walls, with even the lighting recessed seamlessly into the ceiling.

‘It seems like the Security Team responded properly.’

I must’ve made the call correctly.

[Security Team Equipment Rental Warehouse]

This was a facility I’d been authorized to use after my promotion to supervisor—a storage space where equipment from the Security Team could be borrowed via phone or in person.

However, if the Security Team deemed a situation required ‘containment’, they could intervene directly, as they had here.

‘Lucky me.’

Seeing as I was now detained in a Security Team facility, that must’ve been the case.

I slowly nodded.

“This must be the company building, given that you’re here, Sergeant.”

“Yes… sharp observation…”

“……”

I swallowed nervously.

If I wasn’t mistaken, my tattoo still held the contaminated Supervisor Park Minseong.

‘I need to hand him over so the contamination can be contained.’

But wouldn’t officially registering the existence of my tattoo with the Security Team be an incredibly stupid move long-term?

Testing the waters, I cautiously asked,

“Is there a CCTV system installed here by any chance?”

“I don’t think so…”

Right.

It was likely that no recording devices had been set up, considering this was the first time someone contaminated by the <Hungry Hangman> ghost story had escaped into reality.

Even CCTV footage could become contaminated.

‘Especially since Hungry Hangman was an ghost story with exceptionally strong psychological contamination…’

In any case, it seemed no one knew that the fully contaminated Supervisor Park Minseong was currently inside my tattooed wrist.

I swallowed nervously.

“…Sergeant.”

“Just call me Jay. I’m the only ‘J’ left in the Security Team…”

“All right, Jay-ssi.”

I spoke with a serious expression.

“Can you promise to keep what happens next a secret?”

Naturally, I expected him to refuse. Or, perhaps he’d act conflicted, agree to keep it a secret, and then promptly report everything.

Either way, I was prepared to offer some form of persuasion—

“Sure, why not…”

“……”

“As long as it’s not about blowing up the company… No, even that might be okay… Just keep it a secret that I even heard anything…”

“……”

Was this the confidence of someone in a lifelong position?

‘What kind of company is this…’

I shook off the dizziness creeping into my head and firmly stated,

“It’s not about blowing up the company.”

“Then…?”

“Actually, I’ve rescued a contaminated employee, and I’m currently containing them on my own.”

“……”

“……”

“……??”

The sergeant looked at me like I was speaking nonsense.

“Are you delusional…?”

“I’m perfectly sane. I’m even wearing contamination-suppression equipment, am I not?”

I raised my arm.

“These yarns with bells—this is contamination-suppression equipment, isn’t it?”

“Um… yes, it is.”

“Then you can see that I’m speaking with a clear mind.”

The sergeant stared at me.

I swallowed again.

“When you’re ready, I’ll bring out the contaminated employee.”

“Oh.”

He blinked, clearly unconvinced but willing to humor me, and slowly replied,

“Fine… go ahead…”

“Do you need any special preparations? I only have one chance, as I’m using a disposable item.”

“Well…”

He tapped his chest lightly.

“I’m enough.”

Though his words might have sounded arrogant, his tone was straightforward and wearied, giving no impression of boasting.

‘And he’s a sergeant.’

I’d seen his capabilities in the changgwi ghost story. He was a professional in ‘Darkness suppression’.

Good.

“All right.”

I took a deep breath.

Then, I reached directly into my tattoo.

“……!”

I didn’t have to search. My hand immediately grasped the target.

Keeping fellow teachers locked away is against the rules!!

‘Pull!’

As my hand emerged from the tattoo, it dragged something along with it.

Riiiip.

With grotesque sounds, the ‘teacher’ began to emerge from the tattoo.

And then—

Thunk.

The yarn snapped from the strain.

Blood spurted from my forearm like a fountain—the wound inflicted by the blood-sucking knife earlier had reopened.

“—!”

Fuck!

I wanted to scream from the pain, but I held back. The contamination was creeping back as well.

But more pressing than that was—

“Teacher Soleum! Such mischievous behavior is a punishable offense at ■■ Kindergarten…”

Flinch.

Supervisor Park Minseong—or rather, ‘the teacher’—paused mid-sentence, smiling softly.

Then, he stopped entirely, glancing around blankly at his surroundings.

“……”

“……”

“This is not the kindergarten!!”

Damn it.

“This is not the kindergarten! This is not the kindergarten! I left without permission, unauthorized—I am not a perfect teacher. I… I broke the rules…!”

There was no way to respond. I could only feel the guilt crashing over me.

I’m so sorry, teacher. I made the wrong decision. I shouldn’t have done this. I’ll take your punishment and read the handbook aloud instead. I’ll grab the handbook of ■■ Kindergarten and—

“Up you go.”

Grab.

Someone seized my face.

Then something was inserted into my ear.

“Some kind of… sleep sedative.”

…… ……

Flash.

I blinked.

“Excuse me.”

“……”

“Excuse me…”

I opened my eyes again.

Everything was still.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.”

I instinctively knew.

“You knocked me out, didn’t you?”

“Yes…”

I looked at the empty capsule shell that had fallen to the floor from my ear.

‘A drug?’

It seemed I’d been given something that briefly knocked me out.

Something similar to the Snow White Mountain Apple I carried, but perhaps a less potent version.

Stay calm.

It appeared I’d been freed from the contamination’s effects.

I steadied my breathing and looked down at my arm. The area where I’d been injured was now wrapped in bandages.

As for the yarn that had been wrapped around me earlier…

“……”

I lifted my head and saw it tightly wound around Supervisor Park Minseong’s limbs in the corner.

Right. He no longer looked like a ‘teacher’.

It was Supervisor Park Minseong again!

‘…It worked.’

Dressed in a black suit and mask, Park Minseong looked just as he had before entering the ghost story.

Even if this was only a temporary effect of the suppression equipment.

“…Hah.”

Feeling utterly drained, I leaned against the wall.

‘…Successful handover.’

I heard the sergeant mutter beside me.

“That guy’s lucky… getting out that quickly… envy him…”

Wait.

“Since he came out quickly, does that mean he can fully recover from the contamination?”

“Um…”

The sergeant, looking too tired to think, hesitated before finally speaking under the weight of my persistent gaze.

“That’s a Gloom-level contamination…”

“Huh? Yes, it’s B-class.”

“Then it’s fine…”

B-grade?

“The company’s got protocols… and well, if things go decently, maybe… a department transfer?”

“……”

Sure. Working in the Security Team would be better than dying.

‘I hope he recovers well enough to either return or leave on his own terms…’

“……”

I turned back to look at Supervisor Park Minseong.

Now that the tension was easing, I felt strange.

Until just yesterday, we’d been coworkers, chatting and joking in the office.

Now, starting tomorrow, he’d suddenly disappear from my daily life.

“…Please take good care of him.”

“……”

The sergeant nodded slightly, his expression unreadable.

As my thoughts wandered, my mind finally returned to the last scene I had witnessed.

…Assistant Manager Eun Haje!

“What happened to the… body… lying next to me? The one missing a left hand…”

“I don’t know…”

Please, tell me she wasn’t incinerated or something. No, that couldn’t have happened.

‘Since she was a missing hand and not a head, they would’ve thought it strange.’

Still, my growing anxiety prompted me to hasten the process and leave the isolation room.

“Let’s head out together…”

“Ah, yes.”

With a few members of the Security Team accompanying me, I found myself walking out of the isolation room, escorted somewhere between surveillance and protection.

And as soon as I stepped outside, I realized something.

This was the isolation area adjacent to the Security Team’s equipment storage facility.

[Isolation B]

‘There were separate pages about this place in the Darkness Exploration Records…’

Every single one of them was chilling.

Two summoned employees walked just half a step behind me, moving at a calm pace through the corridor. Meanwhile, I followed, trying to suppress the unease creeping over me…

Kekekekekeke—

AaaaahhhhhhhAlmightyLuminousOneshineYourlightuponme

Savemesavemepleasesaveme…!

From the isolation rooms lined along both sides came bone-chilling sounds.

‘Don’t look.’

I resolutely avoided glancing anywhere but the light spilling from the door ahead.

……

Who’s in the hallway?

Aaaaaahhh!!

Who’s in the hallway? Who’s in the hallway? Who’s

Please, just walk faster! Hurry up!!

Yet the blasted Security Team staff maintained their steady pace until we finally emerged through the door.

By that point, I was utterly drained, left to complete the exit procedure for the equipment storage facility as a ragged husk of myself.

“……”

The front of the storage facility looked like a bleak corridor in the maintenance department.

At the counter, a silent Security Team employee retrieved my belongings, which had been stored for isolation.

“Thank you.”

I accepted the briefcase. A sticker labeled [Approved / Risk Level D] was affixed to its surface.

‘Looks like they didn’t inspect the items individually.’

Nor had they conducted any additional checks on what I’d retrieved from my tattoo.

Surprisingly, Sergeant J seemed to have kept his promise entirely.

‘Though he might report it someday.’

That much was manageable. I’d even mentioned the one-time-use nature of the items on purpose.

What mattered now was handling the situation properly.

‘Let’s do this right.’

I took a deep breath.

‘Time to quickly check on Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s situation…’

– Friend!

– Friend!

Huh?

– Friend!!

“……”

Braun!!!

“Excuse me, is this all of my belongings?”

The staff member silently pointed toward a container in the corner of the front desk.

[Waste Disposal Box]

There lay my soaked and mangled suit jacket, crumpled into a mess—and stuffed inside it, a small, disheveled stuffed doll…

Gaaaaaaasp!

– How dare they throw me into such a place as if I were trash!! This is outrageous! Even when I was a rookie, I never experienced such disrespect!

T-These people are insane!

I felt like I could bathe in my own cold sweat.

Hastily, I retrieved the jacket, cleaned up the doll, and tucked it into my shirt pocket.

‘Y-You’ve been through so much… I’m sorry.’

– Huu… It’s not your fault, Mr. Roe Deer. It’s those ruffians who acted so recklessly!

Braun seemed somewhat mollified. Without wasting time, I turned and began walking away.

But from behind, an ominous voice trailed after me…

– But a good friend never forgets…

“……”

Let’s make sure to never let Braun near the Security Team again.

As I stepped out the door, a voice called out to me.

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“……!!”

Waiting at the front of the Security Team facility was someone familiar.

“…Squad Leader.”

Chief Lizard gazed at me with his slit pupils.

“Did you come to fetch me, sir?”

“Yes.”

“Where are you taking me? And, while you’re at it, could you explain why I’m being taken there?”

“To the infirmary. Assistant Manager Eun Haje is lying there.”

“……!!”

I,

I paused several times before I managed to speak.

“…Is she alive?”

Squad Leader Lee turned to look at me.

And his response was firm and clear.

“Yes.”

“……”

Gulp.

A surge of emotion suddenly rose to my throat.

“…Squad Leader. Supervisor Park Minseong has also been retrieved.”

“Yes.”

Squad Leader Lee Jaheon seemed to ponder for a moment, but he soon asked,

“Is he alive?”

“…Yes.”

“Then everyone has survived.”

“……Yes.”

That alone made it all worth it.

Undeniably.

Chapter 67 - Recovering

After that, everything was processed fairly quickly.

It seemed I had gained some remarkable recognition at the company again.

Apparently, rescuing a contaminated colleague by yourself wasn’t entirely unheard of, but most cases involved months or even years of preparation and a desperate determination to pull it off.

There were countless cases where the people supposedly on a rescue mission would disappeared together with those contaminated people while attempting it.

But to pull someone out immediately after contamination? It was apparently unprecedented for a new hire.

“Look, that guy with the deer antler mask…”

“Oh, is that him?”

“Wow… How many times is this now?”

Sometimes, as I walked through the company corridors, I overheard whispers behind me.

Come to think of it, I remembered experiencing something similar while eating with D-squad at the cafeteria a few times before.

But maybe because I was walking alone now, the comments felt especially clear.

Though it didn’t last long.

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Don’t come to work for the next ten days.”

“……??”

“It’s paid leave.”

With half the team gone, D-squad operations had already been temporarily suspended, and now I was being granted leave.

‘I was still coming in regularly to write the situation report, though.’

I’d been curious about how we’d managed to twist the rules of a B-class Darkness, where the Hangman had to die to clear it, and bring Assistant Manager Eun Haje out alive.

‘Someone must’ve reported that Supervisor Park Minseong and I tried to do something.’

It even seemed there had been discussions about scheduling interviews with the Research Team to strengthen the reliability of the exploration records.

– Ah, Supervisor Kim. Why bother with that! Take a break, take a break. You’ve done something huge!

– …Um. Thank you.

It appeared Section Chief Lee Byeongjin, who’s in charge of manual revisions, and Section Chief Lee Jaheon from our squad had cut off the talks at their level.

It was a bit funny, but during the reports from the employees who had been with us, they had apparently testified, ‘Kim Soleum-ssi must have acted to save his squadmates without any ulterior motive.’

They essentially made excuses on my behalf, claiming it was all a fortunate combination of quick thinking and good luck.

‘They all bolted the moment the clear door opened, yet they still spoke up for me.’

The former was only natural, but the latter was something I was grateful for, so I decided to accept it.

Thanks to all this, my name kept circulating on internal calls, and the manual now had a ‘Possibly Subject to Revision’ label attached to it.

In the group chat with my fellow new hires, people kept trying to dig for information from me.

“……”

Some even sent texts to comfort me.

‘Thanks. Truly.’

For the record, Baek Saheon hadn’t even asked how I was doing, even when I live with the guy.

‘That punk’s personality has always been like that, anyway.’

I didn’t expect anything different.

Overall, the situation so far hadn’t been bad for my survival.

‘Actually, isn’t this good?’

I was steadily building an impressive career.

Specifically, I was establishing a reputation as a standout employee known for ‘quick clears using unconventional methods outside the existing manual’ and for ‘benevolence’.

And now, a ten-day paid leave.

I thought I’d either be pleased about distancing myself from ghost stories for ten days or feel disappointed about slowing down the pace of accumulating points.

I expected it to be one or the other, but I felt neither particularly.

So, I ended up doing nothing at all.

-Mr. Roe Deer, would you like to hear my thoughts on why that abysmal comedy show failed to captivate the public? It’ll be fascinating!

“Why not.”

I spent a few days just sitting in the living room, watching TV.

Then, about three days in…

…a text arrived.

[Eun Haje : Come to the hospital.]

“……!”

“Roe, you’re here.”

“…Assistant Manager.”

I placed the get-well gift I’d brought on the side table and stood next to the bed.

Assistant Manager Eun Haje let out a faint chuckle.

“Soy milk? Nice choice.”

“…Thank you.”

It was the first time we were meeting since the brief communication we had in the infirmary, right after she regained consciousness.

The assistant manager’s complexion was slightly pale, but her face otherwise looked fine.

The Snow White Mountain Apple had apparently done its job to some extent.

“Not bad for someone who came back from the brink of death, right? …That item was great. Thanks.”

Thanks to that item, Assistant Manager Eun Haje had appeared to be a corpse. Luckily, the unique condition of her missing hand rather than her neck led to her being preserved in isolation.

‘Section Chief Lee Jaheon reported her survival and had her moved to the infirmary at sunrise the next day…’

Now, she had been transferred to a hospital with some sort of partnership with the company, and the urgent treatments had just been completed.

“Oh, by the way, I just said the apple was something I had on me. People usually prefer to keep their sources a secret.”

“…Thank you.”

“Gratitude? If anything, I should be the one thanking you and Minseong.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje started to raise her left hand as if to wave it and dismiss the notion, but then froze.

Because it wasn’t there.

“……”

Her bandaged left arm ended abruptly at the wrist.

With such a loss, company-issued supply potions wouldn’t be able to regenerate it.

“Um, Assistant Manager.”

I voiced what I’d been considering.

“I have that C-grade regeneration potion with me…”

“You’re not about to offer it to me, are you?”

“I was planning to sell it… for money.”

“Hah.”

Eun Haje clicked her tongue.

“Listen up, Roe. Items that are only tradeable for points? You can’t just buy those outside, no matter how much money you have.”

“……”

“And using that potion just because I lost a hand? That’s wasteful. It’s the kind of thing you save for when half your body’s gone.”

“But still—”

“It’s fine. I’ll handle my hand. You keep it for emergencies.”

Her gaze grew faintly shadowed.

“If you keep going into the Darkness, you’ll face situations far worse than losing a hand. Trust me.”

A chill ran down my spine.

“Actually, I’ve got something for you.”

With the grace of someone who’d been using just one hand for years, Eun Haje reached into the bedside drawer…

And pulled out a luxurious gold-embossed box painted with an oil painting design.

“……?!”

[Daydream Potion]

‘W-Wait.’

That’s the kind of box Daydream Inc. uses for their premium potions!

And it looked even fancier than the box my C-grade regeneration potion came in.

“Assistant Manager, what exactly are you…”

“See this? There’s only one left.”

She opened the box with an exuberant gesture.

Inside, the molded silk lining held spaces for two round glass vials—but one was already empty.

Eun Haje took the remaining vial and casually tossed it to me.

“Take it.”

“……!”

Oh my God.

I lunged forward, catching the vial before it could fall.

Inside, a liquid shimmered like flowing silk, blending hues of deep purple and silver.

: Daydream Potion :

Venom

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Outstanding)

Venom?!

“Assistant Manager, you bought this with points—”

“Yup.”

Eun Haje grinned, showing her teeth.

“Handle it carefully. That’s a 170,000-point death note.”

“……!!”

“You can kill someone remotely without leaving a trace.”

W, Wait a minute.

With trembling hands, I read the description on the vial.

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Venom assists with silent and ruthless revenge.

Through a simple ritual, breathe the target’s name into the vial…

That very night, a horrific death shall find them.

“In short, it’s perfect for getting rid of someone you want dead without any fuss.”

“……”

“Before they die, they’ll experience excruciating, searing pain and horrific mental torment, enough to curse the world itself, before falling into a coma. Over the next four hours, they’ll endure what feels like four years of agony.”

You’re giving me a murder weapon…?

Assistant Manager Eun Haje further grumbled about how the venom always came in sets of two vials because of the ‘damn concept’, so she had to work twice as hard and twice as long just to get it.

But eventually, she smiked mischievously at me.

“Use it if someone you want to kill shows up.”

“……!”

“Because I had someone like that.”

I glanced at the empty slot in the box, feeling a lump in my throat.

…Did she already use the first one?!

“Curious? About who I used it on?”

My mind instantly flashed to the revelation from the <Hungry Hangman>.

– The word that best represents Teacher Eun Haje is ‘Betrayer’!

“If it’s a personal matter and you’re uncomfortable, you don’t have to tell me…”

“Uncomfortable? Please. I’ve been dying to talk about it.”

If that’s the case, by all means.

Assistant Manager Eun Haje leaned back against the bed with her arms crossed.

“To cut to the chase… Yes, I got into trouble as a journalist and ended up switching careers.”

“……”

“There was this second-generation politician who dabbled in everything from drugs to human trafficking. I was chasing an exclusive scoop on him, but I ruined myself in the process.”

Her tone was casual, as usual, but the content was anything but.

It was the kind of story that felt polished through years of introspection and regret.

Her article was killed at the desk, and the very next day, immense pressure came down on her entire team. She was stalked, her family received threatening calls…

“The team decided to drop the whole thing and pretend it never happened. But I couldn’t let it go and tried to blow the whistle through a foreign media outlet. Sure, that could be considered betrayal. But…”

A small sigh escaped her lips.

“On the day I was supposed to leave the country, I got a call. Four of the informants had died as if it were some sort of cruel joke.”

“……”

“Officially, it was ruled as suicides due to despair… but they obviously weren’t. Either they were killed outright or driven to the point of death.”

“……”

“I was stupid to think that just publishing the story would fix everything.”

“It wasn’t stupidity.”

“It was stupid, no matter how you look at it. Anyway…”

Eun Haje quit being a journalist.

She said she simply couldn’t do it anymore.

“But I still needed a job. I had a family to support at home.”

Fortunately, she found a company that fit.

A place where the age range for new hires was relatively broad, where experience in diverse fields was valued for sales positions, and—since it was in a different industry—she wasn’t on any blacklists.

“A pharmaceutical company called Daydream Inc..”

And at this company, she encountered something extraordinary—

A wish ticket.

“At first, I thought about bringing the dead back to life, but that felt like an insult to them.”

Eun Haje adjusted her arms, crossing them more comfortably.

“Trying to bring them back just because I felt guilty would’ve been self-serving. Respecting the dead as they are… that’s the right thing to do. Plenty of people in this company wouldn’t agree, but that’s my stance. Anyway…”

Her story ended with a faint smile.

“So last night, I got my revenge. And that’s the end of it.”

“……”

“If you hear about a second-generation politician dying a horrible death in the news, just know that I was the one responsible.”

Eun Haje stretched her arms high with a relieved sigh.

“Ah… Fuck, I’m finally done with this cursed Darkness exploration!!”

“Are you quitting?”

“You never know in life.”

Despite her bold declaration, her face was slightly stiff.

Even though she mentioned it casually to avoid burdening me, it was clear that she felt conflicted about leaving Supervisor Park Minseong behind.

“Either way, I’ll be taking a break for a while… but I guess that means I won’t be working in the D-squad anymore.”

“……”

She gave a slightly bitter smile.

“I made such a fuss about you staying in our squad, and it ended up happening after all.”

“…Yes.”

I realized it reflexively.

From now on… I wouldn’t see Assistant Manager Eun Haje sitting at the desk next to mine anymore.

“……”

“Roe.”

“……”

“Is it hard on you?”

“……!”

“Yeah. If it weren’t, you’d have to be some kind of psychopath. You’ve been so capable that it’s just hitting you a bit later than usual, but everyone goes through this at some point.”

Eun Haje smiled and lightly thumped her chest.

“Not being able to see the squadmate who used to sit next to you the very next day.”

“……”

“But you should give yourself some credit for this. It’s the best-case scenario—you’re not seeing us anymore for a good reason, thanks to your own abilities.”

“…Supervisor Park Minseong, he…”

“That’s a debt I’ll keep on my own tab.”

Eun Haje cut me off firmly.

“You rescued him too. Be proud of that. He’s strong in his own way. He’ll recover… Focus on yourself for now.”

She glanced at me and smiled.

“Even the squad leader seems worried about you.”

“……?”

The lizard… worried?

“Roe, hasn’t the squad leader been barely showing up at the office lately?”

He hadn’t.

“Usually, when half a squad gets wiped out, the norm isn’t taking a break—it’s stepping in to support another squad.”

Ah.

“But he made sure to keep you out of that.”

“……!”

“Whether it’s by pulling strings or stepping in himself.”

Goodness.

“Trustworthy, huh? He’s been like that since I joined. Not exactly flexible, but dependable.”

Eun Haje placed her intact hand on my shoulder.

“It’s not easy finding people you can rely on in this company. That’s part of your good fortune. Work well with the squad leader moving forward.”

Then she grinned and extended her hand.

“Whoever ends up taking my spot, with Squad Leader Lee Jaheon and Kim Soleum, I’m sure the D-squad will be fine.”

She firmly shook my hand with her uninjured right one.

“Earn plenty of points safely, Roe.”

And she added with a smile,

“I hope your wish comes true.”

“……Yes.”

That was my last handshake with Assistant Manager Eun Haje from the D-squad.

When I returned to work after my short leave, I saw that all of Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s belongings had been cleared from her desk in the D-squad’s office.

Supervisor Park Minseong’s desk had been left alone, but who knew how long that would last.

“……”

I quietly went to my desk and sat down.

Just like that.

I was the last remaining member of the D-squad here.

Chapter 68 - [Ignorance is Bliss], I

Morning.

I sat quietly in the office.

– Ah, what a refreshing winter morning. How about a cup of coffee, friend?

Sure. Let’s have some at lunchtime.

While tidying up my desk and chatting with Braun to chase away the silence, around 8:50 AM, my lizard-headed superior entered through the door.

I approached and greeted him politely.

“Good morning, Squad Leader. It’s a pleasure to see you.”

“Yes.”

I lifted my head and continued.

“Um, I heard you helped arrange my paid leave. …Thank you.”

“Yes.”

The lizard moved only his eyes to look at me.

“Can you perform your duties as you did two weeks ago?”

“Yes. I can work as before. Even if my initial results are lacking, I’ll regain my rhythm as quickly as possible.”

“I see.”

His vertical pupils scrutinized me intently.

“I’ll be the judge of that and provide any necessary support.”

Hmm.

By now, I’ve become fluent in interpreting his words.

‘Whether you excel or stumble, I’ll back you up—just keep working hard like you always do.’

Honestly, even if he looked and talked like a lizard, he’s a good boss. So who cares?

Still, that didn’t mean I can let my guard down.

‘I have to clear the Darknesses perfectly for a while.’

I’d already been granted paid leave.

If someone known for their swift, efficient work like me—the kind of employee who hit supervisor rank in just 60 days—came back from a break and couldn’t deliver results?

That would become a hot topic around the company.

It wouldn’t look good.

[Wait, nobody even died—everyone survived, didn’t they?]

[Hmm… Employee Kim Soleum seems oddly fragile emotionally.]

[But how could someone with such a weak mentality have achieved so much before?]

…That kind of talk.

‘It’s no good if suspicion starts swirling.’

I couldn’t give them any reason to doubt me.

‘I need to clear everything cleanly.’

Though… I hadn’t been able to purchase any reliable new items.

I recalled the message on the alien shop’s website that had been up during my entire vacation.

Space Shopping Mall>

※ Redecorating (Temporary Closed) ※

>I understand!

Alright.

The website was under maintenance.

‘I wonder when it’ll reopen.’

I haven’t seen any documents related to the site’s redecorating, so it should reopen soon.

Once the alien shop is back, I’ll check out the new stock and secure some items within my budget.

For now, I’ll focus on clearing Darknesses properly, getting back to basics.

‘They won’t send me into high-grade Darkness again for a while, I think.’

The strange emptiness left by reduced squad members was unavoidable, but quitting isn’t an option… so I’ll manage somehow.

I asked a bit more cheerfully on purpose.

“Do you think I’ll be deployed to a Darkness today? I heard there’s a high chance we’ll be sent to support another squad since we’re down to three members.”

“That’s correct.”

Oh.

“Which squad will we be supporting today?”

If I’m lucky, I might run into one of my yet-unmet peers…

“An elite unit.”

……

Huh??

Again?

“Do you mean the A-squad?”

“No.”

“…Then which team?”

“The C-squad.”

I knew no one at all from that squad.

The fact that it was an elite unit made me wary, but at least I wouldn’t have to see both the A-squad’s leader and Squad Leader Lee Jaheon in one place.

Wait.

Now that I think about it, I wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with the C-squad.

[K.LEE : This is Assistant Manager Lee Kangheon from the C-squad haha]

The suspicious assistant manager who introduced me to Salmon Market!

‘He did say he was from the C-squad.’

Maybe this time I’ll finally see him in person.

But a more pressing question came first.

If it’s an elite unit’s mission…

“Could it be a high-difficulty Darkness that’s hard to clear?”

“What criteria are you using to make that judgment?”

“…I apologize. That was thoughtless.”

“?”

“Um. Could you tell me its letter-class and whether a manual exists for it?”

“It’s D-class. The manual is fully prepared.”

Oh, then there’s little chance of seeing some crazy stunt where they use the Round-Off Team as human meat shields. Feeling relieved, I asked calmly.

“Understood. When should we depart?”

“We’ll move out in five minutes.”

Yessir.

We grabbed our gear and left the office, walking toward our destination.

But…

“……”

“……”

“Squad Leader.”

“Yes.”

“Why are we heading toward the annex instead of the C-squad’s office?”

“Because the C-squad has already entered the Darkness.”

“……”

Huh?

After a few more exchanges with Chief Lizard, here’s what I gathered:

[C-squad’s leader is on leave, leaving only two members in the unit.]

[Today’s mission involves a D-class ghost story.]

[Instead of adhering to the standard three-member team, the C-squad decided to fudge the numbers and dive in on their own, prompting the admin office to hurriedly assign additional personnel.]

“……”

Wow.

Back when I first joined, Assistant Manager Eun Haje had blown up in rage, swearing over how they counted a newbie as part of the three-person minimum.

‘And here we are with people willingly entering as just two…’

Ominous.

– Hmm, a member who doesn’t follow orders! A truly skilled host knows how to handle all elements of a show, especially human resources.

– Could today be your chance to learn that, Mr. Roe Deer? Let’s find out. Let’s charge forward, shall we, friend!

I want to sink to the ground in despair…

But I need points, and it’s true that I need to start diving into the Darkness again.

‘None of the elite units I’ve encountered so far have been normal…’

And I have a strong feeling this will be no different.

Still, as a half-year rookie supervisor, I have no choice but to follow orders. If I didn’t want this, I should’ve joined the A-squad… though if I had, I’d probably already be in the Round-Off Team as a corpse.

‘…Am I already feeling nostalgic?’

I forced myself to avoid thinking about my two superiors from the D-squad as I moved forward.

Squad Leader Lee Jaheon handed me a tablet.

“Spend the next ten minutes reviewing the manual.”

“Is there a reason I only get ten minutes?”

“Because time is tight before the entry closes, and the survival rate for the past two quarters has been 97%.”

Thank you for the reassuring explanation…

So we’ve reached the point where a 3% fatality rate is considered acceptable.

Honestly, in a scenario like this, the 3% who die even with a manual likely made terrible decisions or were extraordinarily unlucky.

‘It’ll be fine.’

With a mix of unease and resignation, I looked down at the tablet…

“……”

“……”

– Hmm? Mr. Roe Deer, it looks like your mind just went blank.

Yup.

Because I’m screwed.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Ignorance is Bliss]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-D-2367

A textbook horror story where you must survive a full night among ghosts—an utterly nerve-wracking classic.

----------------------------------------

“……”

Wait.

Wait just a second, Squad Leader…!

Instead of going on a mental break down and refusing to go in, I managed to make a rational suggestion.

“Sorry, could we possibly prepare for just thirty more minutes before entry, sir?”

“That is not possible.”

“……”

Right, they said the entry closes…

Not exactly a rational suggestion on my part.

“……”

Aaaaah! Seriously!!

Why does it have to be this one for my return mission?!

“There have been no fatalities aside from two cases of heart attacks. It’s safe compared to other Darknesses of the same letter-grade.”

“…Understood.”

‘It’s not that I didn’t know that…!’

I had simply been deluding myself.

Drunk on the image of myself as the ‘elite rookie’, I’d forgotten something.

Even before my paid leave, I was someone who silently wept in fear while speedrunning through horror scenarios.

And now my comeback mission is the kind of classic horror I’m weakest against—a true nightmare.

‘New squadmates, half of them from an elite unit, meaning no room for nonsense.’

On top of that, the low Darkness grade made it wasteful to use the tattoo stickers here, so I’d have to endure it with sheer grit.

This wasn’t the kind of situation where survival instincts would kick in as you frantically search for a way out.

No, I’d have to experience everything raw.

Exactly as the wiki entry intended for the horror to be felt.

‘Huu…’

At least when I played tag with the convenience store ghost, I stumbled in without realizing it.

Now, it felt like I was being dunked in cold water, jolted back to reality. Call it shock therapy, maybe.

With a sinking feeling, I trudged into the Darkness, like a condemned soul walking to the slaughterhouse.

My legs wobbled.

“This way.”

At least the entry wasn’t one of those warped spaces that swallow us into bizarre, twisted worlds.

This time, the entry process was very straightforward.

Knock on the door of a sealed space that meets specific conditions, then enter. That space becomes the ghost story.

The space must be sealed with no one within 100 meters.

All four walls and the ceiling must be enclosed with no windows or elements revealing the outside.

It must contain an analog clock.

The space must be approximately 40 cubic meters—a deviation of more than 4 cubic meters will prevent the Darkness from manifesting.

Our company had built a dedicated separate space that met these conditions and used it for this purpose.

Specifically, a room measuring 4m x 4m x 2.4m…

[Break Room]

Squad Leader Lee Jaheon and I stopped in front of a door bearing that plaque.

The break room was attached to a regular office, but all the conditions were satisfied. It was a Wednesday with a date ending in ‘4’.

Knocking on the door in a specific rhythm would trigger the ghost story.

“……”

I… I’m the one who has to knock, right?

Seniority, after all?

Knock, knock. Knock-knock. Knock-knock-knock.

Trying not to let my trembling hand show, I knocked on the door.

And, as if on cue, the door clicked open.

“Huh?”

“Who are these pe… oh!”

Inside, two employees were sitting comfortably. Upon seeing us, they waved their hands.

“Oh, you’re the reinforcements?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, we really didn’t need anyone, but they insisted on sending you.”

They muttered amongst themselves about how increasing the number of clearers would diminish points and reduce the concentration of Dream Essence…

Then, Chief Lizard responded curtly.

“If you have complaints, submit a department transfer request and revise the exploration manual yourself.”

“……”

“……”

The two employees’ mouths were wide open, then eventually nodded awkwardly, their faces turning sheepish.

“No, um… We weren’t criticizing you specifically. Sorry about that…”

“Hahaha, we must’ve sounded rude. Really sorry. You’re, uh, from the D-squad, right, sir?”

“Yes.”

“Then this person is…?”

“Supervisor Roe Deer.”

“Ohhh!”

Both their expressions changed again.

“You’re the new hire who almost joined the A-squad? I heard Assistant Manager Butterfly had her eye on you!”

“And there’s a story about you saving someone who was supposed to die… Wow, please tell us all about it when this is over!”

“It’s not much of a story—just some good luck—but sure. It’s nice to meet you.”

Ushered by them, Chief Lizard and I sat at a small table in the corner of the break room.

“We’ll be spending the night together, so let’s introduce ourselves. That’s Supervisor Dolphin over there.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Supervisor Roe Deer!”

A petite woman wearing a dolphin mask waved energetically when called. Her tone was bright and bubbly.

Then a tanned man with a sociable demeanor extended his hand with a smile.

“And I’m Leopard, Assistant Manager Leopard.”

“Understood, Assistant Manager Leopard.”

Hmm.

[K.LEE : Oh hello, Mr. Employee lolol]

The profile picture of ‘Lee Kangheon’ on the work chat had been set to a Hawaiian beach, and the tanned skin seemed to fit perfectly.

The matching rank and outgoing personality further aligned.

‘It’s probably this person.’

Still, I kept the possibility open. I didn’t know his real name for sure yet, and I wasn’t about to show any familiarity in front of a superior.

“Looking forward to working together, sir.”

“Same here! Let’s get through the night snacking and chatting in this cozy break room!”

For now, it felt like we were gearing up for an office all-nighter.

And indeed, nothing outlandish happened—the walls didn’t suddenly bleed, the ceiling didn’t flip, and the coffee machine didn’t turn into a murder bot.

But…

‘The ghost… it’s already here.’

One or more explorers would have already been replaced by a ghost.

That’s right.

One of us wasn’t human anymore.

“Would you like some coffee?”

“Oh, I’ll get it!”

“No need—our squad doesn’t do the ‘newbie fetches coffee’ thing. Just sit back.”

You never know exactly when it happens—perhaps as soon as you cross the threshold, or maybe during introductions.

‘It’s easier if you’re the one replaced by a ghost.’

In that case, you just black out after entering and wake up the next day.

The real problem is the manual for those who aren’t replaced.

“……”

The rule I had to follow:

Ghosts mimic the appearance, personality, and behavior of explorers but exhibit subtle, unnatural actions, which no human would do, that cause unease.

However, you must never show that you’ve noticed who the ghost is.

Every explorer who blatantly revealed their suspicion disappeared without a trace.

I-I can do this.

‘I just have to ignore the weirdness and brush it off.’

I can do this!

If someone starts grinning with their mouth unnaturally wide or something, I’ll just look away and endure it.

‘If it happens, I’ll just very naturally act like I’m looking at someone else.’

With multiple people in the room, I felt like I could manage.

Maybe I wasn’t as much of a coward as I thought. Despite everything I’d gone through, I was surprisingly composed—not breaking into a cold sweat at the mere thought of what was to come.

“Ah! The entrance just fully closed. This is the group we’ll be working with!”

“Oh~!”

“Great, let’s give it our all!!”

Clap, clap, clap, clap!

All the employees clapped cheerfully, creating a warm, friendly atmosphere.

Except for one thing.

“Wow!”

Everyone in the room was clapping… with the backs of their hands.

“……”

Ah.

“Huh? Mr. Roe Deer, why aren’t you clapping?”

“……”

“Why aren’t you, hm?”

Assistant Manager Leopard leaned in close to my face.

“Is something bothering you?”

Chapter 69 - [Ignorance is Bliss], II

Who could have imagined something like this.

Being trapped in an enclosed space with three ghosts imitating humans, all while sitting in a cold sweat, pretending to act normal.

And worse…

However, you must never show that you’ve noticed.

‘…I can’t let it show.’

Even if every person in front of me—no, every ghost—was clapping cheerfully with the backs of their hands.

Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.

‘Don’t, be ob, vious.’

Then, one suddenly turned to me and asked,

“Why aren’t you clapping?”

“……”

Oh, fucking hell.

I barely kept myself from trembling as I raised my hands.

And then…

Clap, clap, clap.

I placed one hand politely over the other and produced a quiet sound. I glanced around as if embarrassed, offering a slightly awkward smile like a rookie trying to gauge the situation.

“…I missed the timing to clap and got flustered. It’s a bit embarrassing.”

“……”

Please.

Please let this slide.

“Eyy~ No worries at all!”

“Hey, Leopard sunbae, don’t pressure the competent newbie. Sit back down.”

“Aigoo, alright.”

The Leopard employee—or rather, the ‘thing’ pretending to be Leopard—shrugged and sat down as instructed.

‘Huu……’

But my relief was short-lived.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud.

Suddenly, the Dolphin employee dropped her head to the floor and started banging it sideways.

Expressionlessly.

“There’s… there’s a bug, a bug, a bug I can’t catch…”

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud.

“…I heard no other creatures can enter this Darkness. Perhaps you were mistaken?”

“Ah.”

The Dolphin employee stopped banging her head.

Her disheveled hair was now a mess, and her skull was crushed.

“That makes sense. Thank you, Supervisor Roe Deer.”

“Not at all.”

And then, as if nothing had happened, she resumed chatting naturally with Assistant Manager Leopard.

“……”

If I pass out here… would I disappear?

I’m going crazy.

‘Why did everyone but me get replaced…!’

If only I could’ve blacked out and been replaced too—waking up tomorrow morning oblivious.

“Supervisor Roe Deer, have some food.”

“Ah, thank you very much, Squad Leader…”

The lizard mask-wearing ghost—no, don’t think like that—Squad Leader Lizard handed me some food.

It was kimbap from a rather tasty snack shop near the office.

‘I need to eat to survive the nearly 24 hours until tomorrow morning.’

It was a rational decision… If only I didn’t feel like I’d throw up or get indigestion the moment I put anything in my mouth….

‘Urgh.’

“Ohh, how about sharing? We brought some sandwiches, too.”

The two employees from the C-squad took out their sandwiches. I reflexively responded out of social courtesy.

“I should’ve brought something, but I was unprepared. I’m truly sorry and grateful.”

“Eyy, maknae, come on. No need to worry about stuff like that! Even this squad leader here doesn’t seem to care about formalities, right?”

“Yes.”

With the lizard’s short reply, Assistant Manager Leopard gave a thumbs-up with a grin.

“Ee-yah~ Our C-squad’s leader is like that too. Hey, you know Squad Leader Teal Duck from the A-squad, right? Our squad leader is on a whole different level.”

Ack.

“…Sounds like someone worth respecting.”

“Right? The squad leader even used that wish ticket to take a vacation… Eyy, hope it doesn’t lead to retirement though.”

I avoided commenting on the subtle criticism against A-squad’s leader and turned the conversation with gentle praise instead.

Not that it matters since they’re ghosts… But yeah, I’ll keep this up.

‘Forget it, forget it…’

Honestly, it felt less like a ghost story and more like awkward small talk during a team-building retreat with senior employees from related departments.

Of course, it didn’t last long.

Right after the meal, Assistant Manager Leopard yawned and stood up.

“Ah, we’ll be here all night… Mind if I take off my shoes for a bit?”

“Aww, you should’ve brought slippers like me!”

“Eyy, what can I do if I didn’t? My socks are clean anyway.”

Assistant Manager Leopard chatted nonchalantly with Supervisor Dolphin while starting to take off his shoes.

‘Sure, I won’t even be surprised if he suddenly starts tap dancing on the table…’

Instead of feet, there were hands.

Crammed and forced into the shoes, the hands unfolded and pressed onto the floor as they emerged.

“……”

“Ah, since I’m already up, I’ll grab more coffee~ Everyone wants a refill, right?”

Thup.

Suddenly, Assistant Manager Leopard stood on his hands.

The hands attached to his feet swung up and waved.

Thup… thup.

A company employee walking on his hands.

“Supervisor Roe Deer.”

I swallowed a scream.

“Yes, Assistant Manager Leopard.”

“Can you help me carry the coffee? It’s hard to see straight for some reason. U-Uh—”

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

His inverted body kept bumping into the counter where the coffee was placed.

“Not trying to boss you around just because you’re the junior—it’s just you’re seated closer. Sorry if it feels like I’m pressuring you.”

Sh-Shit.

“Of course. I’d be happy to help, sir.”

I stood up immediately and moved toward Assistant Manager Leopard.

Now that I think about it, sitting next to a ghost with a crushed skull might be worse than assisting the upside-down ghost.

Right?

Riiight??

– Fascinating! Could this be a deliberate uncanny valley effect?

– An entertaining performance, Mr. Roe Deer. Let’s enjoy it to the fullest!

Enjoy it?

To the fullest?

‘Just keeping my eyes open deserves a self-pat on the back right now…!’

Enjoyment is way too high a bar!

“Now then, let’s move these.”

“Yes, sir.”

I handed cups of coffee to the hands attached to his feet, holding two cups myself, and placed them on the table.

I was proud of not spilling or trembling, despite the sheer absurdity of it all.

The real problem, though, was that with coffee refilled, the mood shifted into casual conversation.

“Now then.”

Supervisor Dolphin, smiling brightly despite her caved-in skull, suggested,

“How about we go around and share stories of the Darknesses we’ve cleared? Let’s be honest, it’s hard to stick with this job without finding some fun in it!”

Assistant Manager Leopard waved it off.

“What if the ghosts overhear us and do something crazy? Let’s just talk about our favorite foods or something.”

“Ah, that’s good too.”

“……”

He wasn’t wrong.

Discussing the ghost-switching itself would not cause anomalies.

However, it greatly increased the risk of someone noticing who the ghost was, which was highly discouraged.

But they’re all ghosts.

“I like things crispy on the outside, moist on the inside. Like fried eggplant, you know?”

“Oh, really? I like food that pops when you bite into it. Like eyeballs?”

Fwick—

Dolphin leaned right into my face.

“Supervisor Roe Deer, you’ve got eyeballs, don’t you? I can see them. You brought them under the mask, right? To share? Let’s share.”

AAAAACCKK!!

“They’re not for eating, unfortunately.”

I politely folded my hands under the table to hide the trembling.

“And it seems like we have similar tastes. Texture really is important.”

“Oh~ Comrade!”

The ghost mimicking Dolphin beamed.

“Supervisor Roe Deer doesn’t seem like a ghost. Talking so normally about food and all.”

Wow.

‘I can’t keep this up.’

If I stayed in this conversation any longer, there’d definitely come a moment I’d scream.

– Oh dear, Supervisor Roe Deer seems particularly sensitive to the uncanny valley effect! Such reactions are appreciated in an audience, though unfortunate in this situation…

– But worry not. Isn’t having this Braun by your side the greatest comfort? Your friend is right here!

…Wait.

That’s right.

‘What Braun said is right.’

– A great host always adapts to the situation!

Exactly. What I was experiencing now was a situation where fear had been heightened to the extreme by the uncanny valley effect.

‘Fear when something looks human but isn’t.’

In this ordinary break room, watching coworkers casually display grotesque, inhuman behaviors was deeply unsettling.

And being the only human amplified the sheer terror.

‘If that’s the case…’

I glanced to the side.

The lizard was casually eating a sandwich snack with the wrapper still on.

“……”

“……”

Not particularly less scary!

Even if he suddenly flicks his tongue, walks backward with a grin, or gets up and starts shaking his head while crazily dancing yet casually chatting—it’s all the same.

Because he was already terrifying!

Because he already looked like a lizard!

There’s no longer any uncanny valley to feel.

‘I’m sticking with the section chief no matter what.’

Finally, a solution appeared.

Suppressing my cold sweat, I turned my chair naturally toward Chief Lizard, as if I had an urgent question to ask.

“Section Chief Lee Jaheon.”

And I did genuinely have something I wanted to ask.

According to the <Dark Exploration Records>, in this ghost story

Ghosts are identical to their companions in appearance, personality, and character.

This means that if you ask something natural and unpressured, there’s a high chance the answer will mirror that of the ‘original’.

Unless they suddenly start acting ghostly, of course.

‘This might even make it easier to ask.’

Since it wasn’t really them.

I pulled my chair closer as if I wanted to have an open and honest conversation with a squadmate.

I aimed to create an atmosphere that discouraged the other ghosts from interrupting, and it seemed to work.

Then I asked,

“We don’t usually have time to chat during work. Would it be alright if I asked you a few things now?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you. I was wondering… how did you become so strong, Section Chief?”

“Right.”

Thankfully, Lee Jaheon didn’t seem annoyed.

“It’s the result of a combination of innate factors and acquired learning.”

“……”

The perfect, universal answer for any question!

It felt like asking the top student how they aced their exams, only to hear, ‘I studied hard with my good brain.’

‘I want to hear more details, though.’

With anyone else, this might be a brush-off, but with Chief Lizard, it’s hard to tell.

I decided to play along and smiled sheepishly before responding.

“I see. I asked because I’d like to improve my strength too—without relying on items or contamination.”

“Follow a protein-based diet and combine aerobic and anaerobic exercise.”

“…Will doing that make me as strong as you?”

“No.”

“……”

Excuse me, I can already muster strength proportional to my physique.

I almost gave my superior a look of incredulity.

“…If you have any other advice for me, I’d love to hear it.”

“Yes. Supervisor Roe Deer, you have other strengths. Focus on developing those.”

The lizard spoke dryly.

“No individual excels in all areas. Don’t waste resources on inefficient or unnecessary things. Use others to your advantage.”

…Wait a second.

“Are you saying that when strength is needed, I should rely on you for that role, and instead focus on honing my own strengths?”

“Yes.”

The lizard nodded.

“Your strengths lie in creativity and decision-making, Mr. Roe Deer.”

“…Thank you.”

Well.

‘Should I consider this high praise?’

It’s definitely better than being told to handle everything on my own. I’m grateful, of course.

‘Still, it feels like a missed opportunity.’

I debated for a moment, then decided to dig a little deeper.

“However, we do occasionally enter Darknesses alone. Strength is a universal and effective means, so I feel I might need it for situations like that.”

“I see.”

The lizard stared into the void for a moment, as if in deep thought, before giving a confirming nod.

“I’ll introduce you to an item.”

“……!”

Jackpot!

“Does it enhance strength?”

“Something similar. Use it as a parent item when crafting a new special equipment.”

“……! Thank you.”

I’d been meaning to enhance or expand my dedicated equipment anyway.

‘At least I gained something from this.’

Even amidst a ghost story full of ghosts, while sweating bullets, I managed to obtain something… wait.

Come to think of it, the lizard sitting in front of me isn’t even the real Lee Jaheon—it’s a ghost.

‘Can I really trust this promise?’

I panicked for a moment but recalled the manual.

People who were replaced by ghosts retain indirect memories of what occurred within the enclosed space.

Given Lee Jaheon’s personality, he was highly likely to keep the promise.

‘That’s settled.’

Phew.

Accomplishing something gave me a sense of achievement, even if I had to endure terror.

‘Let’s use this sense of accomplishment to push through the fear…’

Pretending to stretch, I avoided looking at the two C-squad ghosts who were now doing handstands and grinning eerily at me.

At this point, I didn’t care who among them introduced me to the Salmon Market.

‘Empty your mind…’

I kept making small talk with the lizard, avoiding direct interactions with the ghosts.

The ghost posing as Chief Lizard couldn’t get up to anything mischievous because I kept bombarding him with questions, forcing him to respond endlessly.

‘I learned a profound fact—that the section chief prefers beef over pork…’

– Friend, this seems less like an interview and more like a tedious amateur biography investigation…

I know, Braun-ah, but what choice do I have…?

When even that small talk ran dry, I pretended to doze off, playing word games with Braun, who was in my pocket, to pass the time.

No matter what nonsense echoed in my ears, I stuck to one response: ‘Sorry… I’m too tired. Let’s continue this conversation after we’re out.’

‘It’s 3 a.m. Please, let this end.’

I felt like I was drowning in cold sweat, but no emergency occurred.

Clutching Braun in my pocket, I survived the harrowing hours that felt like an eternity.

“……”

“……”

Click.

Finally, the pantry door opened.

I had endured the entire night alone.

“…Done.”

I made it, dammit!

I wanted to stand up and punch the air in triumph despite my foggy mind.

‘I can feel tears in my eyes.’

It was the first time I had endured ghostly horror this raw and alone, without cutting corners.

It felt like I had overcome a personal limit.

‘I should give myself a pat on the back…’

I wobbled as I stood.

No one knew how much of a struggle even a D-class challenge was for me, and that was a relief…

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

“……?!”

H-Huh…?

Turning my head, I saw the lizard calmly standing there, wide awake.

He looked fine, as if he had never stayed up all ni… Wait.

‘……?’

He’s awake?

“S-Section Chief?”

“There’s no need to wait for the members of C-squad to wake up. You may clock out.”

I stared at the lizard, perfectly upright, and then turned to look at the sprawled, sleeping C-squad members.

“……”

“……”

No way.

“You weren’t… a ghost last night?”

“I was not.”

“…You were clapping with the backs of your hands though?!”

“?”

The lizard tilted his head, then seemed to realize something and replied,

“I thought it was a popular trend.”

“……”

Ah.

Ahhhhh!

Chapter 70 - Discount

…The situation quickly settled afterward.

Or rather, it couldn’t not settle.

The lizard had doubts about my earlier behavior.

– Mr. Roe Deer, were your questions last night intended to engage in lengthy conversation with a ghost because you mistook me for one?

That moment was genuinely spine-chilling.

– …How could that be? I was simply keeping both possibilities in mind after seeing you clapping with the backs of your hands, sir.

And I raised an imaginary thumbs-up toward the respected superior.

That means I smoothed it over with flattery.

– I couldn’t afford to miss the first chance to have an in-depth conversation with you, even if it meant risking a misunderstanding.

– I see.

– Thank you for kindly consulting with me for such a long time.

– Yes.

Phew.

For the record, the C-squad members, who had slept peacefully through the night, woke up before Lee Jaheon and I left. They chuckled casually.

“Ah~ It just had to be the two of you, huh? What a coincidence.”

“Wow. That must’ve been really scary.”

“Right? Pretty chilling~”

Liars!

Watching them laugh as they recalled the things the ghosts imitating them had done, I was once again struck by how bold the so-called elites of this company were.

Oh, before I forget.

‘Now’s my chance to figure out who referred me to the Salmon Market.’

“Um, would it be alright if I ask for your names, please?”

“Of course!”

Supervisor Dolphin raised her hand energetically.

“I’m Supervisor Lee Seonghae, and over there is Assistant Manager Kang Dojun.”

“……”

Huh?

Wait a second.

The assistant manager who introduced me to the Salmon Market was… Ah!

“By any chance, is C-squad’s manager named Lee Kangheon?”

“Huh? No.”

“……”

‘I’ve been had.’

No wonder that person had been so quick to share their information. They were all lies.

‘They must’ve counted on the fact that the elite units, A, B, and C, are off-limits for direct contact via the company directory for regular employees.’

Well, it didn’t really matter. It just made me glad I’d created an alternate ID to bypass their scheme.

As I was about to wrap up the conversation with some casual remark along the lines of, ‘I must have confused that person with someone else’—

“Pardon me, Supervisor Roe Deer.”

While Assistant Manager Leopard was talking to Section Chief Lee Jaheon, Supervisor Dolphin suddenly turned to me, speaking in a hushed tone.

“By any chance… Did you also get a katalk message about making money?”

“……!!”

“…From someone with a Hawaii beach background on their profile?”

“Famous, huh?”

“Is it a word-of-mouth thing?”

Supervisor Dolphin glanced at her colleague to ensure they weren’t paying attention, then quickly continued.

“Um, well, I was also the top recruit in my batch when I joined.”

Ah.

“They contacted me too. That… fish bears eat a lot of… oh, Salmon Market! Yeah, Salmon Market.”

So she’d been fished—or maybe phished—too…

“I’ve heard a few other promising recruits got contacted as well!”

According to her, the identity of the sender varied each time, but two details always matched.

[K.LEE: Oh hello, Mr./Ms. Employee lolol]

The profile photo and the name “K.LEE.”

Supervisor Dolphin whispered conspiratorially.

“Want to hear my theory?”

“Of course.”

“I think the site admin sent it. Like, they’re recruiting people to sell actual items from the Darknesses on their secondhand platform!”

Oh.

“You think the site was created by a company employee?”

“They must at least be connected! They knew way too much about the Field Exploration Team.”

Interesting.

I rubbed my chin.

‘If such an employee really exists…’

A named character?

I mentally sifted through the profiles in the company wiki for employees who might pull something like this.

“Thank you. That clears up some of my questions.”

“No problem.”

Supervisor Dolphin grinned and shrugged.

“By the way, are there that many employees using Salmon Market within the company?”

“Quite a few, actually. The company doesn’t care as long as we’re not selling Dream Essence Collectors or masks. It’s like how looting gets overlooked in wartime to keep soldiers’ morale up. Ugh.”

Supervisor Dolphin grumbled.

“Honestly, this company is so annoying.”

I nodded without thinking.

“There’s definitely a tendency to disregard human casualties.”

“Well, I mean… technically, people dying is eco-friendly, so whatever.”

“……”

“But it’s the randomness that bugs me. If it were me, I’d send them off in order of personality. Ugh.”

I… think I’m scared of the C-squad.

“Anyway, that’s just my take.”

“Thank you.”

“No worries.”

Supervisor Dolphin tied her long hair into a ponytail and answered cheerfully.

“You know, you were so polite even when I was a ghost, Supervisor Roe Deer. I think good people should live long.”

She gave me a thumbs-up and a bright smile.

Um. Thank you.

In the end, I parted ways with C-squad on a relatively pleasant note.

“Next time, let’s meet in a Darkness that gives lots of points! We’ll show you how awesome we are then!”

“And it’d be even better if only the person giving us points shows up! Hahaha!”

Hmm.

‘I’d rather not encounter the greatness of the elite unit in Darkness…!’

Still, working with C-squad seemed smoother and less friction-filled compared to A-squad.

Of course, C-squad also appeared to have a certain sense of elitism, but that could be chalked up to being an inherent trait of elite units.

…Except for the endless replaying in my head of the shocking ghost-version C-squad I saw today.

‘Ugh.’

Let’s go home.

Let’s indulge in the luxury of sleeping while the sun’s still up in the sky…

Feeling a small sense of gratitude for having the day off, I bowed to Lee Jaheon.

“Squad Leader, thank you for today. Once again, I appreciate you patiently answering my questions in the chaos of the Darkness.”

“Yes.”

“Please feel free to ask me anything in return anytime, Squad Leader!”

“Yes. Then I’ll ask now.”

“……”

Already?

Lee Jaheon asked bluntly.

“Supervisor Kim Soleum, have you used the ‘Fox Counseling Room’ before?”

“……!”

That was one of three locations I gained access to after becoming a supervisor:

1- Security Team Rentals Warehouse

2- Annex (two free equipment customizations per year)

3- Fox Counseling Office

It was the only one I hadn’t used yet…

“No, I haven’t.”

Of course, I hadn’t had the time or opportunity.

“Do you plan to use it?”

“……”

Hmm.

“…Squad Leader, you’re suggesting the Fox Counseling Room to help me recover from the psychological effects of contamination, correct?”

“Yes. I recommend scheduling a session soon.”

That was reasonable advice.

Except for one issue.

‘There’s a side effect to that place.’

The Fox Counseling Room had a severe, unwritten side effect not mentioned in the employee manual.

Granted, it was a very low probability, so regular employees didn’t need to worry about it.

Still, I didn’t want to take that risk, no matter how small.

…With everything that’s happened lately, I’m a bit tired of dealing with probabilities.

‘I think I can manage for now.’

Unless I’d deliberately think about strange inner whispers or a sudden urge to read the employee handbook, such feelings didn’t surface.

Nights could be rough until I fell asleep, but having someone to talk to made it manageable.

That someone being Braun.

– Goodness! What an honor, Friend.

Yup.

Never would I have imagined a monster from a ghost story could feel like such a lifeline…

‘Humans are truly creatures of adaptation, aren’t we?’

Anyway, since I had the day off today and could sleep during the day, I figured I could compensate for my lack of sleep this way.

Of course, outwardly, I nodded politely.

“Yes. I’ll schedule it when I have the time.”

Though that ‘time’ might not come for a while—maybe even months.

But hey, I wasn’t lying.

“…Yes.”

Chief Lizard stared at me for a moment before nodding and leaving.

And with that, I returned home safely…

“Huu.”

Click.

I entered my room.

The officetel building was quiet, probably because everyone else was at work. Baek Saheon wasn’t around either.

‘Time to sleep.’

After washing up, I lay on my bed, intending to check the latest information and websites one last time…

“……!”

And immediately lost all thoughts of sleep.

‘It’s open!’

The alien shop had finished its renewal and launched a new homepage.

The colorful screen stabbed at my eyes as I clicked on it.

Space Shopping Mall

itemsI’ll take a look at the items

★ Grand Reopening Sale! ★

Shocking prices!

Wow, really… shocking.

The design, I mean.

‘How could it look even worse?’

As pixelated fireworks burst across the screen, the increasing colors and effects made it even more hideous.

If these aliens were outsourcing their design work, someone needed to intervene.

– Mr. Roe Deer, please have mercy on this host and move me far away from that awful advert.

I gladly propped Braun on a towel on the desk.

I’d endure this design terror alone.

‘Anyway, a grand reopening sale sounds like a good opportunity.’

It might even mean more products were available now.

Excited, I clicked the entry button.

Items

Happy Maker – ₩27,999,999 ★

Nostalgia Candy – ₩12,999,999 ★

Wrapper 12B357나 – ₩9,999,999

Necronomicon – ₩49,999,999

We Can Help! – ₩66,666,666

Buy over ₩100,000,000 and get a 20% discount!

Become a Space Shopping Mall VIP!

“……”

Wait a minute.

“It’s here!”

– Mr. Roe Deer?

I nearly jumped out of bed in excitement but managed to calm myself.

“The armor finally showed up!”

– Oh, you’ve found the item you were looking for? Congratulations!

Absolutely.

Wrapper 12B357나 – ₩9,999,999

‘I have to buy this no matter what.’

It was even the cheapest item. What kind of jackpot was this?

I added it to my cart and only then realized it was 10 million won, momentarily struck by reality.

But canceling the purchase? Not a chance.

As I tried to calm down and scrolled through the rest of the items:

“……”

– Friend? Did something happen?

“No.”

It was the opposite, actually.

I checked the list again, a bit startled, but it was real.

‘I recognize all of these items.’

That was a first.

Even when an item wasn’t listed in the <Dark Exploration Records>, there was at least a brief mention that allowed me to make a reasonable guess.

Granted, some items seemed so ominous they bordered on ghost story material, but since they were just descriptions for now, I could still focus on their usefulness and applications.

‘This is amazing.’

And then, I noticed a peculiar mark next to some items.

Happy Maker – ₩27,999,999 ★

What does this star mean?

When I hovered my finger over it, a description popped up:

★ Similar to something you’ve purchased before!

‘Oh.’

These aliens… So this is why they revamped the site.

They’d implemented an algorithm. Items related to past purchases were marked with stars and listed at the top!

‘But shouldn’t it work the other way around?’

For clothing, I could understand, but why would I buy a similar item? It might work for consumables that could run out, though.

Like this one.

Nostalgia Candy – ₩12,999,999 ★

‘The Nostalgia series.’

It was from the same place as the red yarn control gear that had been wrapped around my wrist during my time in the Security Team’s isolation room.

A series themed around returning to ‘a better time in the past’.

Since this was candy, it probably had a similar effect when consumed.

Looks like it showed up because I’d bought several edible products before—similar to the Snow White Mountain Apples.

‘This is a must-buy.’

Especially since I was almost out of those mini-apples, whether in juice or pill form.

I immediately added it to my cart and continued browsing the rest of the list.

Painkillers, healing items, armor, intimidation tools, escape items…

And then it hit me:

‘These are all good.’

Every single one was practical. Knowing their uses made it easy to discern their value.

And then, of course:

Buy over ₩100,000,000 and get a 20% discount!

“……”

A discount, huh?

‘Opportunities like this don’t come often.’

When I combined my salary, extra earnings, performance bonuses, and subtracted living expenses, my available funds came to…

‘Up to 140 million? No… maybe even 150 million?’

“……”

– Friend, are you managing to enjoy shopping despite that visual torment?

“No.”

– Hmm?

“It’s over.”

I looked at my cart.

Happy Maker – ₩27,999,999

Nostalgia Candy – ₩12,999,999

Wrapper 12B357나 – ₩9,999,999

Necronomicon – ₩49,999,999

We Can Help! – ₩66,666,666

= ₩167,666,662

※ Discount Applied! ※ : ₩134,133,329

Let’s go. Buy every single thing!

Chapter 71 - [Within the Shadow of Darkness], I

I had just purchased everything from the alien shop.

‘Wow.’

My hands trembled slightly. It was the first time I’d blown 130 million won on a few items. (Approx. 90,000 USD)

Still, having spent millions a few times before, I was a bit more used to it.

‘Let’s make the most of this.’

It would all serve as stepping stones for survival.

I boldly hit the checkout button.

PURCHASE SUCCESSFUL!

Your item is on a rocket!

Soon, just like before, a spatial rift opened mid-air, and a delivery box appeared.

With a pounding heart, I waited for the box to drop to the ground…

But—

“……??”

The package remained suspended in mid-air.

Someone was holding it, gently and politely.

…With tentacles.

“……?!”

The tentacle softly shook the delivery box, as if asking, ‘Here? Is this okay?’

“……! Please place it on the ground.”

The package was smoothly set down with care.

“Thank you very much.”

But the tentacles didn’t disappear immediately.

Instead, they swiftly retrieved something from the spatial rift and handed it to me.

A small, golden, shimmering card.

I am a Space Shopping Mall VIP!

~ Special Gratitude Cells Included ~

“…Thank you?”

When I accepted the card, the tentacle waved—almost like it was saying goodbye—before retreating back into the rift.

“……”

Huh.

It seemed the alien shop had decided to treat me as a VIP…

‘That’s a good thing… right?’

I decided to keep the gratitude card. It shimmered brightly in golden hues…

– Good heavens, how could even a tag card look so appallingly designed?

Apparently, expecting decent design from the alien shop was a mistake.

I mean…

‘The important thing is functionality.’

I turned my attention to the delivery box.

It was time for the unboxing.

“Huuu.”

When I opened the box, the first thing I saw was the largest item.

A product priced at 28 million won.

‘Happy Maker.’

The pastel-toned box was cheerful and colorful, like something containing liquid antacid or vitamin drinks.

Inside were twelve glowing sticks, about the size of highlighters.

However, needles protruded from the ends of these glowing sticks.

An impeccable painkiller that was sold under the same name in the ghost story Delusion Home Shopping.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Delusion Home Shopping / Items

Happy Maker

Is life painful?

Do you dread sleepless nights caused by mysterious aches or fear accidents?

Introducing your perfect savior: ‘Happy Maker,’ a rapid pain eliminator!

– September 9, 20XX, item description from ‘Delusion Home Shopping

----------------------------------------

It was exactly as described.

I looked at the instructions on the box.

A quick and comforting shot

Say goodbye to pain!

The stick-type auto-injector pressed against the skin would automatically administer a shot that eliminated pain completely for a set period of time.

‘This is true overtechnology.’

Although the mechanism wasn’t scientific but rather paranormal, it didn’t change the fact that pain could cloud judgment in extreme situations.

Based on my experiences navigating countless injuries and threats, I could confidently say this would come in handy someday.

‘I hope I never have to use it… haah.’

I decided to let go of wishful thinking…

‘This damned creepypasta world…’

Resolving to carry the item carefully, I noted a tiny, unsettling addendum to its usage on the back.

In irreversible situations, use for euthanasia.

Nope. Absolutely not.

‘I’ll only ever use it as a painkiller.’

– Ah, painkillers. I used to take headache pills myself! The agony of creation… Such is the fate of an entertainer and show creator.

How would a ghost story resident with a TV for a head even take headache pills… No, let’s not imagine that.

I hurriedly erased the mental image and gave Braun a few compliments to lift his spirits before turning back to the box.

Phew.

‘Next item…’

Two items caught my attention simultaneously.

One was a dusty, ominous book sealed completely with dark red wax.

The other, rolled up neatly in the corner, was a modern, eco-friendly packaging material.

As literal as it gets, it was packaging material that functioned as an item itself.

Wrapper 12B357나

The wrapper bore an engraved barcode and description but lacked any further instructions.

Looks simple, right?

Wrong.

‘Here it is. Armor!’

A unique armor-like buffering material, this packaging material would prove to be my lifeline.

I carefully stored it away, resolving to use it only when necessary.

Then, I turned my gaze back to the box…

Necronomicon.

The sealed, dark red wax-covered book glared at me ominously.

Necronomicon

The infamous Book of the Dead.

A quintessential example of a magical tome of forbidden knowledge.

It’s a staple in countless stories spanning decades, so much so that it’s become synonymous with all things evil and arcane.

Of course, it was listed in the <Dark Exploration Records>—and now, here it was in my hands.

Let’s review the typical clichés associated with the Necronomicon.

1- Reading it drives you insane.

2- It’s bound in human skin.

“……”

Right.

Bound. In. Human. Skin.

The book’s cover—beneath the red wax—subtly revealed grotesque, twisted faces, as if preserved in eternal torment.

‘Ugh.’

It was the last thing I wanted to touch.

– Mr. Roe Deer, did I hear you say Necronomicon? Oh, that old translated classic—such a delight to recall!

Of course, Braun, the host of an American-themed talk show, recognized it. That wasn’t even surprising anymore.

But sadly…

‘This is not the Necronomicon you’re thinking of.’

– Hmm?

It’s something worse.

Without another word, I carefully tucked the wax-sealed Necronomicon into my arm tattoo inventory.

‘Phew.’

That took care of my intimidation tool.

Next, I turned to the Nostalgia Candy, a familiar item that I knew would be invaluable.

This was my emergency recovery tool.

If I ever found myself dangerously contaminated, it could stabilize me until I reached safety.

‘This will be a lifesaver.’

Finally, my attention returned to the smallest item in the package—a red button.

Its design was simple, almost cartoonishly so.

There was no doubt. This had to be:

We Can Help! – ₩66,666,666.

Ever hear of those creepy internet stories?

The kind where someone gives you a button and says, “Press this, and someone somewhere dies, but you’ll receive a billion won. Would you do it?”

This button seemed straight out of one of those tales.

On closer inspection, faint text was engraved along the edges.

‘What does this say?’

– Need a translation, Friend?

With Braun’s help, I deciphered the text:

– ‘Emergency Escape’.

‘So… pressing this activates an alien-assisted emergency escape?’

It sounded straightforward, but at 66 million won, it was an expensive gamble.

‘Let’s hope it’s worth it.’

Sure, it was a leap of faith, but I trusted the alien shop’s reputation.

If this button had come from another ghost story, I’d be worried that pressing it might eject my brain and serve it up as dinner.

But the alien shop? I’d take my chances.

“That’s everything.”

– Ah, my meticulous friend. Such admirable organization!

I carefully stored all my purchases in the tattoo inventory, confident that they’d stay safe until I needed them.

Not that I wanted to prove the inventory’s reliability again…

‘Haa.’

No use dwelling on it.

Thankfully, the unboxing hadn’t taken up the entire day. I had just enough time to catch up on some much-needed sleep.

But before I could even rest, my comm device buzzed.

[Go Yeongeun: Have you checked the intranet?]

[Go Yeongeun: The regular personnel transfer notice just went up!]

“……!”

Regular personnel transfers.

That meant the vacant position in D-squad was about to be filled.

“……”

Who will it be?

A few days later—

“Hello.”

“Oh, yes, yes.”

I found myself face-to-face with a newly assigned D-squad employee at the office.

The position was the same as mine: supervisor. He seemed to be around my age before I got involved in all this ghost story nonsense.

The bespectacled employee glanced me up and down briefly.

“Ah, so you’re that supervisor? The one promoted in just 60 days?”

“Yes.”

“Then you’re basically still a rookie, huh?”

“……”

I silently stared at him.

“Oh~ Look at that glare. What? You expect to be treated the same as a supervisor with three years under their belt?”

He smirked.

“Of course not. I look forward to working with you, sunbae-nim.”

“Sure. Hey, I heard you’re pretty quick on the uptake?”

“Haha…”

“You know, in the Field Exploration Team? It’s all about teamwork, you know. The key to surviving? Reading the room! Got it?”

Is that so?

“If you go around whining about being promoted early and demanding to be treated like a senior, you’ll just end up marked and left to die without help. That kind of thing happens all the time.”

He scanned the office lazily.

“I heard the assistant manager and supervisor who used to work here both lost their hands and got contaminated. That could be you next.”

“……”

I turned my head slightly to look at the one clean, empty desk in the office.

That had been Supervisor Park Minseong’s desk.

A few days ago, I came in to find all his personal items, cups, and picture frames had already disappeared, just a day after the new personnel announcement went up.

“True. It could be you, Supervisor.”

“…What?”

“The work here is dangerous enough. I’ll do my best to assist you so that doesn’t happen. I’ll be in your care.”

I politely extended my hand for a handshake.

“Uh…”

The employee, who had been eyeing me with a faintly unpleasant expression, must have decided it was just his imagination and shook my hand.

Shortly after, another voice rang out, to which the new squad member replied.

“Squad Leader! Supervisor Yoon Johoon reporting for duty. I look forward to working with you!”

Chief Lizard, Lee Jaheon, nodded briefly at our new squadmate.

“Yes.”

“Haha, did you know our initials are the same? It must be fate for me to work under you, Squad Leader!” (T/N: In Korean, the surnames are 이(Lee) and 윤(Yoon), that’s why Johoon mentioned ‘same initials’, which are ㅇㅈㅎ. Technically in modern Korean, ‘Lee’ is pronounced more like ‘Yi’, too.)

“Yes.”

“……No, I mean… uh, doesn’t it feel like destiny?”

“No.”

“……”

Yoon Johoon, the new addition to our squad, failed miserably at small talk.

As soon as the squad leader left for a meeting, Yoon sidled up to me, whispering conspiratorially.

“Hey. Is D-squad’s leader, like, mentally not all there or something? I heard rumors.”

“Is that how he seems to you?”

“You don’t see it? Were we even talking to a person back there? It felt like chatting with some free AI.”

He let out a long sigh.

“Damn, this company’s already enough to drive you insane, and we get stuck with a leader like that? Ugh. What’s the deal with him?”

“Squad Leader Lee Jaheon is attentive to his squadmates’ well-being.”

“So what? You still die if it comes to that, right? And if he’s out there doing his own thing in the Darkness, no wonder A-squad’s leader hates him. That rumor’s true, isn’t it?”

“……”

“It is, huh. Ugh, you’d better watch yourself, too. Seriously, of all squads…”

Yoon Johoon grumbled something about needing the restroom and then didn’t come back for nearly half an hour.

“……”

Do I really have to work with a guy like this?

– Oh dear… You seem to be in low spirits, Mr. Roe Deer.

– Would you like assistance from your good friend, Braun? You know I am always ready to help.

– Just say the word, and I’ll gladly—

‘Let’s watch some variety shows together after work.’

– Ah, now that sounds delightful!

The conversation helped calm my mood a bit.

Right.

To be fair, I’d been ridiculously lucky with colleagues before.

‘This is what life in a company is normally like, after all…’

At least he wasn’t a step above me in the corporate ladder. For that, I was thankful.

I quickly composed myself and moved on.

Later that afternoon, Lee Jaheon returned from his meeting, holding a PDF file for distribution.

“We’ll now begin the briefing for tomorrow’s entry into a Darkness.”

The newly added Yoon Johoon recoiled in horror.

“Undetermined grade? What is this, some undocumented Darkness?”

“No.”

The lizard turned his vertical pupils on Yoon Johoon.

“Each time it’s cleared, the grade of the liquid in the Dream Essence Collector changes.”

“……!”

An anomaly?

“T-Then why isn’t this assigned to an elite unit instead of a regular unit like D-squad?”

“It’s not limited to D-squad. All regular squads under the Field Exploration Team are attempting entry.”

Lee Jaheon turned his gaze toward me.

“This Darkness is entered through dreams, and the chance of successful entry is low.”

“……!”

“Here are the basics: On a full moon night, read a specific book and fall asleep. You may wake up in a school at night.”

Wait a minute.

“If the school’s name is ‘Sekwang Technical High School’, you’ve successfully entered the Darkness.”

Sekwang Technical High School.

“……”

I knew this ghost story.

But it wasn’t just a matter of knowing it…

‘This is a ghost story I’m directly involved in.’

Exploration Record #13

The 13th entry in the Dark Exploration Records.

I was the one who wrote it.

Chapter 72 - [Within the Shadow of Darkness], II

A ghost story set in a school.

It’s a concept with ancient roots, passed down over generations.

When hundreds of teenagers are confined to a single building for hours on end, it’s only natural that eerie rumors, strange rituals, or ghost stories start circulating. The Seven Wonders, Bunshinsaba rituals…

Of course, having gone through school myself, I always thought those were pretty entertaining.

Isn’t it a classic, widely appealing horror narrative?

‘That’s why I was bold enough to contribute to the exploration records for the first time.’

Luckily, my entry didn’t get bombarded with ‘Not Recommended’ votes, and it stayed up. Encouraged by that, I even ended up crafting and posting an entirely original ghost story…

But now.

‘I’m… actually going in there?’

The idea gave me a strange feeling.

Sure, hearing about entering a ghost story was chilling enough to make my spine tingle, but there was also this odd queasiness.

It wasn’t like the unease you feel holding a company manual.

It was…

Anticipation? Fear?

‘I don’t even know how to describe it…’

In any case, the manual had already been distributed, and I had to at least attempt to enter.

So, the question became how.

– Perhaps a brief ritual before bedtime is in order? I’d love to know your secret to falling asleep so easily, Mr. Roe Deer!

“It’s not that.”

I quietly made my bed.

“I’m planning to dream the ‘special dream’ the company told us about.”

– Ah, you’re aiming to go to that ‘high school,’ then?

Exactly.

‘Even if it’s not this, I’ll have to enter some other ghost story anyway.’

Since only a select few met the conditions for entry each time, the company assigned higher point values for successful entries into this one.

‘Huu.’

In the dead of night at the officetel, I opened the ‘specific book’ given to me by the company.

– On a full moon night, read a specific book and fall asleep. You may wake up in a school at night.

It was just as Squad Leader Lee Jaheon had explained.

What was unusual was that the “book” was actually a text file.

Within the Shadow of Darkness.txt

This file was rumored to occasionally pop up in the ‘2000s Horror Classics Compilation’, a sketchy collection of novels you could download online (completely disregarding copyright laws).

It looked like it could hold enough content for two books. But when I opened the file…

“It all began on our graduation day.”

That single sentence was the entirety of its content.

Then, as I scrolled further, the text broke into gibberish.

₩ub124₩uac00₩u0020₩uc774₩u0020₩uae00₩uc744…

And after a moment.

File cannot be opened.

The file vanished.

“……”

Ha.

Nothing comes easy, huh?

‘I’m going to die of a heart attack at this rate…’

Just then, I heard cursing from the room next door.

Baek Saheon was likely preparing to enter this ghost story too. It was open to all employees, after all.

‘There’s a chance we might run into each other inside.’

Though the odds of Baek Saheon meeting the conditions for entry were slim.

This ghost story’s entry conditions changed every time it was accessible.

‘But I know the guaranteed entry method mentioned in the mid-to-late exploration records…’

I’d already prepared accordingly.

The critical question was how much information the employees had at this point.

‘Even if the records aren’t fully compiled, rumors might still circulate given the nature of this ghost story.’

With every employee preparing to enter, this aspect was a bit concerning.

Hmm.

‘Maybe I should check.’

It seemed like a good time to deter any unnecessary meddling.

I walked up to Baek Saheon’s door and knocked politely.

Knock, knock.

“W-What the…!”

“I’m coming in.”

The door creaked open. Baek Saheon glared at me with a mix of surprise, fear, and irritation before forcing a smile.

“Knocking means waiting for a response like ‘Come in’. Isn’t that basic courtesy?”

“Oh, is that so?”

I stepped back out and knocked again.

Knock, knock.

Knock, knock.

Knock, knock.

Knock, knock.

Knock—

“You little— Aauugh! Just come in already!”

I opened the door and gave him a look of feigned pity.

“The outcome would’ve been the same either way.”

“……”

“You… live a really inefficient life, huh.”

Baek Saheon seemed on the verge of bursting with frustration but managed to suppress it successfully. Hmm, it felt like he was finally starting to grasp the basics of social etiquette—what a relief.

“Anyway, I’m really curious about what made you suddenly decide to barge into someone else’s room in the middle of the night for the first time…”

As he spoke, it seemed like he simultaneously came to his own conclusion.

“…Hey, wait. Don’t you have to enter the Darkness according to the company’s instructions, too? You know, that high school?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah, I figured. So you’re preparing for it right now?”

Baek Saheon’s eyes darted greedily toward my open door, scanning the area near my bed’s pillow with focused determination.

He was obviously trying to squeeze out any hints.

‘Wow.’

I didn’t bother closing the door, smirking openly.

“Yeah. That’s right.”

“Really? I heard you don’t know if you’ll actually enter until you fall asleep… But you seem so confident. Got some kind of secret method, huh?”

“You sure have a lot of questions.”

“Well, you came all the way to my room, so I figured I should return the favor by listening.”

I casually threw out,

“Need a hint?”

“…Well, if you’re willing to share?”

“Why should I?”

“……”

Baek Saheon ground his teeth and forced a smile.

“…How about three days’ salary transferred to you as a bribe?”

“I don’t need money. But I do want to know something.”

“……!”

“You want to enter, right? Why?”

A brief but intense conflict flickered across Baek Saheon’s face.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to answer. It was that he was calculating if giving me the reason could somehow benefit him further.

Eventually, he came to a decision, speaking with an air of nonchalance.

“…I mean, there’s this rumor going around the company.”

A rumor?

“Apparently, whatever items you obtain in that ghost story can be brought back into the real world… So, it’s a no-brainer to go in and come out with something, right?”

“……”

“They say it’s nearly impossible to die in there, too.”

Hmm.

So that’s how the employees currently perceive it.

A ghost story labeled as ‘profitable to enter’.

“To be honest, the hints you’re offering probably aren’t worth much. But hey, as your roommate and coworker, I figured I’d share this intel as a goodwill gesture,” Baek Saheon said.

Wow. He’s really trying to undersell me while posturing as helpful.

I purposely put on a serious face as I nodded.

“You’re right. My hints probably aren’t worth much.”

“……!”

“So you don’t need them, right? Let’s just forget about it. I’ve learned a lot from what you shared.”

“……!! Hey, this fu—”

I looked at Baek Saheon calmly. He swallowed his curse, then quickly plastered on a strained smile.

“…Mr. Supervisor, if an employee living in the same dorm is caught extorting a poor junior staffer’s salary and personal information, wouldn’t a complaint to HR be in order?”

Good grief.

I gave him a look of pity.

“You really think this company cares about that?”

“……”

“Well, belief is a personal choice.”

“……”

Baek Saheon seemed trapped between frustration and despair.

I suppose this was a good place to draw the line.

“Fine. I’ll give you something.”

His eyes lit up as I finally spoke up.

“Put a photo of yourself from high school under your pillow.”

“……?!”

“On the back, write your grade and class, and maybe add a short profile. Like a yearbook entry.”

I kindly grabbed a post-it from his desk and even wrote out an example.

Name:

Message to your friends:

“Then, see what happens.”

“……”

Baek Saheon looked skeptical and asked if I’d put a photo of my high school self under my pillow.

Without hesitation, I went back to my room and returned with the photo from under my pillow.

It was one of my high school pictures, printed from a saved image on my smartphone.

“……”

Baek Saheon stared at it, his disbelief turning into silence.

“You thought I was lying, didn’t you?”

“I mean, usually! You speak so smoothly all the time, so you give off that impression, Supervisor.”

“Really? I’ve never lied in my whole entire life.”

“……”

“Think about it.”

Baek Saheon looked stunned, so I took the opportunity to usher him out.

“Anyway, I need to finish preparing with Braun, so you can go now.”

– Best of luck with your entry, Mr. Normal Coworker!

Baek Saheon retreated, looking either exasperated or unsettled, and quickly returned to his own room.

Bang—

‘Done.’

Having to keep him in check every time was exhausting, but it couldn’t be helped.

Consider the new addition to the D-squad. Workplace survival is all about these little battles.

“Huu.”

I returned to my bed and approached the pillow.

First of all, the tip I gave Baek Saheon was true.

Exploration Record #15

Utilizing the explorer’s high school graduation photo, all three members of K-squad successfully entered Sekwang Technical High School. Validity confirmed.

Once entry was guaranteed, the next priority was obvious: what to bring.

Only items placed under the pillow before falling asleep could be carried into the dream world of Sekwang Technical High School.

Given the limited size of what could fit under a pillow, careful selection was necessary.

‘If I store it in my wrist tattoo and it doesn’t activate in the dream, I’m doomed.’

Considering that ghost stories often altered appearances, I couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy.

Ultimately, I carefully calculated the space and placed essential items under the pillow, like a game of Tetris.

Lastly, I positioned Braun in the coziest corner under the pillow.

Of course, Braun ended up in a rather… awkward position.

– ……

‘Sorry. Is it too cramped for you?’

– Hmm, tolerable! Were this a studio, I might have called some of the staff. Haha!

‘R-Right. Thanks.’

In other words, he was definitely uncomfortable.

I shouldn’t push my luck with Braun, who once incinerated entities with a mere snap of his fingers…!

Carefully, I laid my head on the pillow, making sure not to squish Braun, and willed myself to sleep.

‘This pillow is kind of lumpy…’

“……”

And yet, my eyes grew heavy.

For someone who had been suffering from insomnia, it was astonishing how quickly drowsiness overcame me despite the discomfort.

As slumber quickly took over…

Mist.

Shadows.

And then…

[Ding- dong- daeng- dong-]

…A school.

[Ding- dong- daeng- dong-]

I opened my eyes.

What greeted me was a dimly lit classroom with not a single light turned on.

Looking down at my clothes, I realized I was wearing a school uniform.

[■■ High School]

The uniform resembled the one from my old school, but the school’s name had been scratched off, as if with a needle.

While I couldn’t check directly, I already knew.

My appearance had reverted to how I looked in high school.

And then—

“W-What is this??”

Remember the characteristic of this ghost story I mentioned earlier?

‘You don’t know if you’ve entered until you fall asleep…’

In other words, this meant it wasn’t just company employees who could enter.

“Huh? Huuh? Why am I in a school uniform…?”

“Oh my gosh!”

“Excuse me, do you know where we are?”

In the dim, shadowy classroom, people began to stir one by one from their desks. They looked around in confusion, some screaming as they saw each other.

They were civilians who had been dragged into this place by chance.

“Is this some kind of event? Huh.”

“Wait, why am I wearing a uniform…? Oh, no—why do I look like a high schooler?!”

“This has to be a dream.”

“Hey, did you look outside? This looks like the second floor…”

‘Feels like being back in that subway ghost story.’

Watching them waver between panic, fear, curiosity, and amusement, I felt a tightness in my chest.

And… an overwhelming sense of tension.

“Huh?”

One of the wandering individuals noticed something in the corner of the room.

It was a student, sitting completely still.

“Why isn’t this person moving?”

The sight was eerie.

In the dim classroom, where people in various uniforms were noisily moving about, one figure sat frozen as if carved from stone.

He didn’t even blink.

The boy, who resembled an intricately crafted wax figure, wore a name tag that was perfectly intact.

[Sekwang Technical High School]

“Is this a mannequin? Eh, let’s see.”

Poke, poke.

“Ack!”

The person who poked him flinched and withdrew their hand.

“He’s warm??”

“Holy crap, seriously?”

I got up from my seat.

Without taking my eyes off him, I slowly approached the classroom door.

‘I need to open the door in advance.’

Thud, thud.

As I moved nervously, something nearly fell out of the front pocket of my uniform—a small plush keychain.

Startled, I caught it just in time.

Whew.

‘That was a close call, Braun.’

Silence.

“…Braun?”

I held up the plush doll.

It hung limply.

“……!”

Panicked, I pressed its belly.

The Silver Serpent Coin, the item I used for summoning my ‘Good Friend’, was…

Gone.

“……”

This was just a plush doll.

My good friend hadn’t followed me into my dream.

“……”

“Out the window… u, uuuhh, AAAAHHHHH!!!”

I’m fucking screwed.

Chapter 73 - [Within the Shadow of Darkness], III

Braun’s not here.

“W-What is this?”

“Thi, this person, he… moved!!”

With the silver coin inside the plushie missing, had the ‘Good Friend’ ritual been nullified? Or was it simply that, since this was a dream, it only looked like an ordinary doll…?

‘Stop it!’

Trying to figure things out isn’t the priority right now! Snap out of it!

You’re inside a ghost story!

“Take a look over here!”

I quickly turned my head.

In one dim corner of the classroom, someone screamed. It was the person who had been poking at the ‘student’ that had sat stiff and unmoving at a desk, like a wax mannequin.

But that wax-like mannequin…

“Over there!”

…was gone from the desk.

Following the finger of the pale-faced person pointing nearby, I saw it.

[Sekwang Technical High School]

The vanished ‘student’ was now standing at the back door.

Holding the door.

Expressionless.

Turning his gaze across the classroom.

“……”

“W-What is this? You’re kidding, right?”

No response. No movement.

“Hold on a second.”

A brave individual approached and waved a hand in front of the face of the ‘student’.

The ‘student’ didn’t even blink. He simply stood frozen in place in front of the back door, perfectly lifelike.

“He’s not breathing. This thing isn’t human—it’s a mannequin.”

“But how could a mannequin suddenly move? Maybe it’s some kind of advanced illusion to make it look like he’s not breathing?”

“Right, this must be one of those hidden-camera things like on variety shows or YouTube.”

No.

Of course, there were no cameras here, nor was there a production crew waiting to startle people for entertainment.

Instead—

[Ding- dong- daeng- dong-]

[Students of Sekwang Technical High School! The graduation ceremony will begin shortly. Please gather in the auditorium.]

“Graduation ceremony…?”

The announcement was cheerful, clear, and fitting for a school setting.

“Should we go? It’s kind of interesting.”

“Hey, aren’t we back to looking like we did in high school? Wow. What kind of dream is this?”

Some of the group, having decided this was nothing more than a dream, chatted without any tension.

It made sense. So far, nothing truly terrifying had happened.

‘They don’t feel the gravity of the situation.’

After all, they had reverted to their high school selves. And who wouldn’t feel good about turning back the clock?

A school at night may often serve as the backdrop for ghost stories, but with a group of people and a touch of moonlight, it could even feel romantic.

However…

“Hey, this mannequin student? Take a closer look.”

One person approached the unmoving ‘student’ by the back door.

The ‘student’ was pointing a hand backward.

“It looks like his hand is signaling something…”

[For heating and safety, we will now close the automatic curtains and adjust the lighting.]

“It looks like he was about to lock the door.”

BANG.

The curtains slammed shut.

“Whoa!”

“Ah, that startled me!”

With a deafening sound, the automatic curtains closed, plunging the classroom into darkness for a brief moment.

Flicker.

After a delay, the lights in the classroom turned on.

“Oh, thank goodness.”

“Looks like they were just adjusting the lights… Wait, what?”

Blood was pooling on the beige classroom floor.

“What… what is that?”

Following the trail of blood upward, everyone’s gaze landed on a person.

One person from the group was slumped near the back door, neck twisted completely backward.

A grotesque amount of blood poured from the impossibly angled neck, seeping into the cracks of the flooring.

Eyes, wide with shock, seemed to suggest it was a fate that was never once anticipated.

“AAAAAAAHHH!!”

“Ughhhh! Aaaargh!!”

It had begun.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Within the Shadow of Darkness]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-()-62

: Disaster Management Bureau registration number – 2845PSYA.2016.하53

According to the story, reading the infamous text file before falling asleep causes you to awaken in Sekwang Technical High School at night, where you are pursued by inhuman entities until your death.

All civilian attempts to locate the real Sekwang Technical High School have failed, and it is understood to be a place that does not exist in present-day Korea.

----------------------------------------

Right.

The only escape from this nightmarish ghost story is through death.

To leave this school at night, there is no other option but to die.

And… as with all too many ghost stories, where inhuman entities feature prominently, this one has become a horrifying cliché.

“Th-that person!”

One of the people screaming raised a trembling finger to point.

At the ‘student’ still frozen by the back door.

But there was one significant difference.

“His hand… it’s covered in blood.”

“……”

The crowd turned their stiff, horrified gazes toward the ‘student’ again.

And they confirmed the fact.

On the inside of the curled fingers of the ‘student’, as if trying to hide it, blood was smeared along the fingerprints.

“……”

Their eyes shifted back to the corpse.

Behind the corpse’s grotesquely twisted neck, there were bloody marks… shaped like fingers.

“Aaah!”

“Mom! No, no, no! Aaah!”

And then again.

Flicker.

The lights flickered.

The ‘student’ of Sekwang Technical High School doesn’t move as long as someone is watching him.

But the moment no one’s eyes are on them—

In the blink of an eye, when the classroom lights brighten again—

He’d move.

Inhumanly fast.

The person who had been pointing at the mannequin was gone.

“Ack!!”

Found on the floor, body shattered below the chest.

Thud.

The lifeless arm that had been pointing fell to the ground limply.

“Ah…”

“……”

“Aaaaaaaahhh!!”

Panic, fear, and hysteria erupted.

“N-now! We have to attack it now! Someone close to it, just hit it!”

“F-Fuck! Why are you yelling at me? Why don’t you do it yourself!?”

Flicker.

“Hieek!”

Another corpse appeared.

One of the shouting people was impaled on a desk, hanging upside-down.

Only the lower half of their body remained.

“……”

“……”

In the terrifying silence, the remaining people turned their heads.

The ‘student’ by the back door was now staring intently at them.

A strange smile crept across his face.

“……!!”

“Eeeeeek!”

“R-Run! Get out of here!”

“Open the door, now!”

The group rushed toward the front door, avoiding the ‘student’ blocking the back door.

But… it was already too late.

“Over here—aaaargh!!”

The person who opened the front door collapsed in shock.

Standing in the doorway was another smiling ‘student’.

[Sekwang Technical High School]

This female student, with neatly trimmed bangs, wore the same name tag.

“Just go around them!” “Move, now!”

The group ran past the smiling student.

And again—

Flicker.

The student by the front door disappeared from my sight.

“Aaaaaaaahhhh!!”

…The hallway filled with anguished screams.

One by one, the screams faded.

“……”

“……”

And then, silence. Suffocating silence.

The sound of labored breathing, distant cries, and the frantic stares of those left in the classroom fixed on the doors.

“Slowly,”

I said softly, scanning the room.

“Let’s move slowly and see if anything reacts. Keep an eye on both the front and back doors.”

“Ah… ah…”

Adults, who now looked like high school students, trembled as they staggered back from the doors.

“……”

Among those who had awakened in this classroom, half had fled, their fates unknown. The other half remained—

Or rather, they were too paralyzed to move.

In the midst of this chaos, I thought quietly to myself.

‘This is a disaster.’

I shouldn’t have stayed still at the start.

Before the curtains closed, plunging us into total darkness, I should have sprinted out alone, grabbed an emergency flashlight, and settled into a good hiding spot.

‘I missed my chance.’

I had hesitated, panicked by the realization that Braun wasn’t here.

By now, a few people were starting to catch on to the situation.

“This—this is just like that thing!”

“Huh?”

“You don’t know? The kind of monster that can’t move while you’re watching!”

“Wait, you mean you’ve seen this before?”

“Hey, why don’t you get it?? It’s like that monster that follows you when you’re not looking! As long as we’re looking at it, it can’t move!”

The voice of the person speaking was distorted by fear and excitement as they rambled on: asking if everyone had read some weird text file, suggesting we were inside a game, or wondering if this was possession…

Normally, people would have ignored such wild claims, but in their panic, they listened intently.

This was a progression I’d seen countless times before.

And the conclusion reached by a fear-stricken group is always… simplistic and extreme.

“In that case, we should just attack it! Destroy it!”

“What?!”

“If we try to run, it’ll just keep chasing us, no matter what! Didn’t you see what happened to the people who left? They all died! Hurry! Before the lights flicker again!”

“Ah!”

As if hypnotized, people started scouring the empty classroom for anything that could be used as a weapon. Brooms, chairs, mops, box cutters…

‘No.’

This was a shortcut to the most typical bad ending!

“Wait a moment, please…”

Just then, someone covered my mouth.

“……!”

I nearly threw a punch out of reflex.

Forcing myself to remain calm, I slowly turned my head to see who had silenced me.

Our eyes met. It was a familiar face.

‘…Civil servant!’

It was an agent from the Disaster Management Bureau!

Agent Ryu Jaekwan, whom I’d encountered at the mountain lodge. His hair was now cropped short like a high school student’s, but his features were unmistakably the same.

‘Where had he been sitting all this time?’

No, that wasn’t the issue here.

‘Right. Even civil servants can end up here too!’

This wasn’t one of Daydream Inc.’s ‘secured and contained’ ghost stories.

That meant it wasn’t impossible to encounter someone from another agency in a place like this.

But still, running into the same agent again? Wasn’t he working way too hard?

“If you don’t scream, I’ll let you go.”

I quickly nodded with a serious expression, and the agent released me without further comment.

‘Phew.’

“You really do have a knack for getting caught up in situations like this, don’t you?”

“…Yes.”

Let’s just leave it at that.

“And, some of what that person said earlier is correct.”

“……”

“Keep your eyes on that student mannequin at all times. Don’t look away, and make sure you blink alternately. If the lights go out, immediately lower your head. Also…”

The agent leaned in and whispered the proper protocol, clearly well-versed in handling this kind of situation.

“They’re very sensitive to sound.”

That’s right.

These ‘students’ were strongly drawn to people who screamed, cursed, or shouted.

“Under no circumstances should you raise your voice. Ever.”

I nodded slightly.

“But is it really okay to just let them attack that thing…?”

“Right now, your own safety is the priority. Rescuing others caught in this Disaster comes second.”

The agent delivered the line with practiced precision.

“When dealing with a supernatural Disaster, assume everyone involved will die, and act accordingly.”

“……”

This was… textbook Disaster Management Bureau protocol.

‘They prioritize identifying, sealing, or destroying the ghost story to prevent further casualties.’

It was a utilitarian judgment, akin to pulling the lever in the trolley dilemma without hesitation—choosing to sacrifice one life to save five.

“I’ll let you know when it’s time to run. For now, just follow the instructions I’ve given you.”

“…Understood.”

Arguing with the agent here would be suicidal.

For now, I kept my mouth shut.

Meanwhile, the others were already armed and approaching the student mannequin.

‘Fuck.’

I deliberately asked another question to guide the agent’s response.

I needed to know more to make my actions seem natural going forward.

“But, um, isn’t this a dream? If that’s the case, wouldn’t we just wake up even if we die here…?”

That was the classic escape method from a nightmare.

At the moment of death in the dream, you wake up and return to reality.

Hearing that, one might think that quickly taking your own life is the best option, but that’s completely wrong. Such a choice should never be made…

‘There’s something you need.’

“…That’s correct, but there are conditions.”

Exactly.

“Conditions?”

“Yes. Do you see that name tag?”

The agent pointed to the ‘student mannequin’.

“You must die while in possession of that mannequin’s name tag to wake up ‘properly’. If you fail to meet this condition…”

If the escape conditions are not fulfilled, the explorer becomes trapped ‘Within the Shadow of Darkness’.

“You will suffer… undesirable effects.”

“……”

“There are also a few other conditions for dying safely, but I’ll explain them as we go.”

“Together…?”

“Yes.”

Wait a second.

However, the agent, perhaps interpreting my hesitation differently, gave me a look as if to say, Don’t feel bad about it.

It was an awkward attempt to reassure me with a forced smile.

“Don’t worry. There are many agents deployed here besides me. Someone will surely make it through.”

More than one Disaster Management Bureau agent?

‘This really must be an overlap in exploration timing.’

There must have been a relevant entry in the exploration logs.

I tried to sift through past records in my mind, but before I could identify any, the situation shifted.

“D-Die!”

The others finally began attacking the student mannequin.

And, surprisingly—

Crack.

“Ack!”

“B-Blood…!”

The ‘Sekwang Technical High School’ student bled, as though they were an ordinary human.

The sound of bones breaking, blood spilling, and bruises forming echoed around the room.

“Aaah!”

“What do we do? Oh, shit…”

‘…Huu.’

Fear and unease ran down my spine.

However, the agent, calm as if this was routine, gestured discreetly toward the front door.

“For now, we should use this distraction to… hmm?”

That’s when it happened.

Figures appeared on the brightly lit central staircase visible through the open front door.

“……!”

Three or four figures moved quietly, their footsteps muffled as they ascended.

They shared a common feature.

Each of them wore strange animal masks.

‘Company employees!’

What’s more, I recognized one of the masks.

Bison!

‘Jang Heo-un.’

It was the rookie from the Y-squad, with whom I’d endured the theme park ghost story.

‘Did he get reassigned to a regular squad?’

It had been a while. My recent chaos had kept me too busy to track other people’s transfers, but it seemed he’d survived his first three months unscathed.

‘At least that’s good news.’

But next to him…

A less welcome sight.

A black goat mask.

“……”

It was Baek Saheon.

‘Did they wake up in the same class?’

Both were faithfully following the company’s safety recommendation to ‘wear your mask whenever possible’.

‘I’d like to wear mine too, if I could.’

I wanted to check my items and use them to improve my chances of escape.

Overall, it seemed the best course of action would be to separate naturally from the agent and join that group.

“Um, Mr. Agen—”

“Daydream Inc…!”

“……”

Ack—

“Be careful. If you encounter someone in animal masks and business suits in a place like this, never acknowledge them.”

The agent gritted his teeth and cast a disdainful glare toward the group.

“They’re likely dispatched from that disgusting pseudo-corporation. Avoid any involvement with them at all costs.”

“……”

“The majority of their employees are unethical psychopaths. You must be cautious.”

“……Yes.”

Absolutely.

Absolutely!

Don’t let him find out who I am!

Chapter 74 - [Within the Shadow of Darkness], IV

A brightly lit classroom within the ghost story.

“Die! Die!”

Behind me, people were desperately striking at the unmoving, eerie student.

“Let’s wait until they pass by.”

In front of me, the government agent glared at my fellow company employees walking by, his gaze a mix of wariness and disdain.

And stuck in between them…

Me.

No colleagues, missed timing, and the task of clearing this nightmare of a ghost story safely while pretending to be an innocent civilian to the agent beside me.

The truth? I’m actually from the pharmaceutical company this agent loathes.

“……”

How much harder can this get?

‘This is insane.’

The employees had moved far ahead by now. I might have made eye contact with a few of them, but as I avoided their gaze, they refrained from approaching me and walked off quickly.

At least that was a relief.

For a moment.

Flicker.

The lights went out again.

“Hieek!!”

This time, however, people reacted faster than the incoming darkness.

“……I-It’s not moving!”

“It worked!”

I took a deep breath.

When the lights flickered back on—

The ‘Sekwang Technical High School student’, who had been frozen like a statue, was now lying on the floor near the back door.

“Waaah!”

The frenzied attacks had evidently worked.

This time, even when the lights went out, the student couldn’t move. Instead, it appeared to have succumbed to the accumulated violence and now lay on the floor as though dead.

However, its outstretched right hand still reached toward the back door, as if trying to grab hold of it…

“……”

The people cheered in triumph, holding bloodied mops and chairs in their hands.

“It worked! This is it!”

“……”

We need to run.

When one student entity becomes immobilized, resembling biological death— quickly—

All nearby student entities are summoned to the scene.

[Ding- dong- daeng- dong-]

[A death has occurred in Class 1-5.]

“Huh…?”

The school’s announcement played over the intercom.

The voice was heavier this time, somber.

A slow funeral march played in the background.

“Now.”

The agent poked me in the back.

“Run.”

[The deceased is first-year student Lee Wonyool.]

I immediately bolted out the door.

I tried to take in as much of the hallway’s layout as possible while running, noting key details and pressing myself close to a nearby wall to minimize my profile.

“Should we press our backs to the wall?”

“Exactly.”

[Let us observe a moment of silence for five seconds.]

I complied without resistance as the agent pushed me to sit against the wall.

Then—

Thuk.

The lights went out.

[5]

Through the faint sound of the funeral march came the creak of the back door opening.

[4]

“AAAHHH!”

“Ack!”

“W, what… keuuugh—”

[3]

“Help…”

“Huk—”

[2]

Screams.

Short, desperate screams.

[1]

……

……

Silence.

The funeral march continued.

[The moment of silence is over. May the deceased rest in peace.]

Forcing my trembling head up, I looked back into the classroom.

I had to look.

Flicker.

As the lights returned, the scene came into focus.

The classroom was a wreck, smeared with blood and filth.

Bodies were strewn everywhere, slammed against walls, collapsed on the floor, or sprawled across desks.

‘…Hah.’

And among the carnage, only two figures remained standing.

Two Sekwang Technical High School students, frozen by my gaze.

One stood atop a decapitated corpse, while the other smiled as it clutched the front door, staring at me.

“……”

They’d noticed me.

‘Damn it.’

Sweat dripped down my chin.

“…I’ll step back, just slightly. I’ll continue to stay in view of the classroom.”

“……”

The agent gave a slight nod.

Still keeping my eyes on the front, I groped along the wall, retreating cautiously.

The reason I’d chosen this wall:

[Portable Light Source]

A red emergency flashlight was mounted nearby.

It was an essential tool—a portable light source capable of freezing the students even during a blackout.

‘Absolutely necessary.’

However, where three lights should have been mounted, only one remained.

‘The employees must have taken the others.’

What surprised me was that, even with Baek Saheon among their group, they hadn’t taken all three lights for backup.

On top of that, they’d cleverly inserted a wad of paper into the release sensor to prevent the alarm from sounding when the lights were removed. Clearly, these were experienced ghost story explorers.

They had even left behind one of the crumpled papers in the empty slot.

‘They thought that far ahead.’

Reaching back, I grabbed the paper.

As I brought it forward, the folded back of the paper caught the edge of my vision.

– Debt

“……”

Not bad.

I crumpled Baek Saheon’s note, shoved it into the sensor slot as a makeshift stopper, and extracted the flashlight.

‘Huu.’

With this, I had taken the first step in preparing for potential blackouts.

‘Next…’

“……! Did you grab the flashlight?”

“Yes.”

“…Excellent. Keep it on at all times. Now, let’s retrieve the name tags.”

The agent strode briskly toward the classroom’s front door.

Right up to the face of the student entity that was glaring at me.

‘Huuuuu…’

Just watching the scene made every alarm in my head scream.

Yet the agent moved swiftly and tore the name tag from the mannequin’s chest.

Then, without hesitation, he collected the tag from the entity lying by the back door—the first one to ‘die’.

“……”

I could feel my stomach churn.

‘This is an irreversible move.’

When a student’s name tag is stolen in its presence, that student will pursue the thief relentlessly until you die.

Given that the students had already locked eyes with us, perhaps it was a foregone conclusion.

‘No matter what, they’ll chase us.’

Even with a flashlight, moving through this haunted school while being hunted by two entities was sheer madness for an ordinary person.

It was a choice only a Disaster Management Bureau agent, equipped with tools and experience, could reasonably make.

‘Still, I would’ve done it differently.’

But spilled milk is spilled milk. Thinking rationally, I had to admit—

Being discovered by the agent was far riskier than dying within this nightmare.

Not only would death here be just an unfortunate side note, but I’d likely face interrogation and an investigation.

‘I have no choice but to trust the agent’s judgment for now.’

Still, I had to hold my weight—at least do my part.

‘If I’m going to act, it needs to be now.’

As the agent moved, I followed him into the classroom.

I reached toward the student by the back door and snatched their name tag.

‘Uuuugh!’

This was nerve-wracking.

The unmoving student, frozen in place, seemed ready to whip around and crush my skull at any moment.

But nothing happened, and I succeeded.

‘Huu.’

As my hand trembled with a mix of relief and revulsion, I heard something.

“S-Save me…”

I froze.

“……”

The student entity appeared to be stepping on a severed neck, but there was more.

Beneath them, someone was still alive.

Tears streamed down the face of the survivor, who whispered weakly, as though they lacked the strength to scream or curse.

“P-Please…”

“……”

After a brief but fierce internal debate, I made my decision.

……

“……! Hicc, sob… o-okay…”

I couldn’t be sure since my gaze was fixed on the student entity, but it seemed like the person beneath them gave a faint nod.

“……”

Slowly, I backed away and rejoined the agent. Together, we exited the classroom and began moving swiftly down the corridor.

“Keep looking ahead. I’ll keep an eye on the classroom.”

“…Understood.”

The agent turned on his flashlight, focusing on the back of the entity that had been watching us from the front door.

Meanwhile, I kept my eyes on the corridor, ready to ‘freeze’ any new entities that might appear.

We hugged the wall as we moved, ensuring no blind spots for either of us.

“……”

Our movements were silent yet desperate.

Finally, as the classroom faded from view, and I was certain one of the two entities was no longer visible, the agent muttered in confusion,

“Why aren’t they chasing us? Don’t tell me…”

A ripple of unease emanated from the agent’s back, pressed against mine.

“Was there someone alive in the room? Are they watching the students?”

“…Yes.”

The agent exhaled deeply.

“They must have been too injured to move. …You did well. During a Disaster, securing your own safety comes first. Helping others comes after.”

“……”

“Head for the staircase. We’ll stop briefly by the fire hydrant.”

“Understood.”

I resumed walking.

And then…

Flicker.

…The lights went out again.

“I’m shining the flashlight.”

“Yes.”

I kept moving forward, and that’s when it hit me.

During the blackout just now—

The person I’d given the name tag to had died.

‘They’re coming.’

The two entities would be leaving the classroom now.

But since my job was to watch the front and freeze anything new that appeared, I couldn’t look back to confirm it.

The thought alone made my hair stand on end.

“Do not panic. You still have a chance.”

“……”

“You obtained a name tag earlier, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Now, you just need to commit suicide.”

I almost passed out.

“Let’s do it as soon as we stop by the emergency light. You look so pale—it’d be best for you to wake from this nightmare quickly. With the name tag, there shouldn’t be any issues.”

“…Wait.”

But there’s something.

I swallowed hard.

“I did acquire a name tag, but I no longer have it in my possession.”

“……!”

“I gave it to the person who was alive in the classroom.”

That’s right.

Earlier, I deliberately dropped the name tag on the floor so the person beneath the ‘student’ could grab it.

– If you hold onto this, you’ll wake up from this dream.

– ……! Hicc, sob… o-okay…

“Since they have the name tag, they’ll wake up safely.”

And they even bought us some time by doing so.

“……!”

The agent let out a sharp breath, heavy with frustration and stress. Then, in a more fatigued and businesslike tone, he spoke,

“…You must have assumed I had a spare name tag.”

“No. You don’t need to give me one. That’s something you obtained yourself.”

“……”

“You need more name tags, don’t you? You’ll likely need to distribute them to your colleagues.”

“…That’s…”

Of course.

I wasn’t saying this because I was a fool with no plan.

‘I’m fine, really.’

Why?

‘Because I never intended to acquire a name tag and commit suicide in the first place!’

Exploration Record #13

The log I had used as the basis for my escape plan—the wiki entry I had written—was the record of an explorer who had never obtained a name tag to begin with.

I had analyzed this ghost story extensively, thinking through its variables, and had come to one conclusion.

‘To clear this without physically dying, you need to perform a specific action without possessing a name tag…!’

Moreover, this method allowed you to bring back the highest-grade Dream Essence solution as a reward.

‘So I have to do it.’

The D-squad—or rather, my new squad—needed proof that I could maintain similar levels of performance even under unfamiliar circumstances.

“Do you know what happens if you die without a name tag?”

I do.

“Each new moon, you’ll be dragged back here when you sleep. And when you wake up, you won’t remember anything, making it impossible to prepare.”

“……”

“Can you handle that?”

I probably couldn’t, but I didn’t have much choice.

Ideally, carrying the name tag until the critical moment and then relinquishing ownership would be the safest strategy.

But with this agent as my companion, there was no way I could obtain a name tag and later abandon it.

So instead, I chose to take the risk and give it away.

“There will be another opportunity.”

Even if there were, I’d give it up again.

At least as long as I was traveling with this agent.

“And I’ll handle that opportunity myself. Don’t worry, I won’t ask you for anything.”

“……”

At this point, it was worth trying.

I decided to push forward with a determined tone.

“…We should part ways here.”

“……!”

“If you need it, I’ll even give you my flashlight.”

‘I brought a high-powered flashlight anyway.’

Along with several other tools.

As long as I separated from him, I could stop pretending to be a civilian and use them. Separation was the key!

Though walking alone would be terrifying, staying in this restrained state wasn’t viable either.

Whether it was with civilians or my coworkers, any other group would be better.

‘I need to join a larger group.’

This ghost story’s structure made it safer the more eyes were watching, but it grew riskier the louder things got.

‘I need to form a party of around four people quickly.’

With my connection to Daydream Inc. posing a constant threat, traveling with this agent wasn’t an option.

I needed a scenario where I could act more decisively.

‘I’ll pretend to give in and suggest parting ways.’

“I feel like I’m just getting in your way. I’ll figure things out on my own… somehow.”

After all, didn’t you say civilians caught in Disasters are as good as dead? Consider this an unavoidable situation and move on!

But then, an unexpected response came.

“……I believe apologies are in order.”

“……?”

The agent looked at me with a resolute expression, as if he’d made an unshakable decision.

“As soon as you obtained the name tag, I was planning to humanely execute you.”

Excuse me?!

‘This lunatic.’

Even if you wake up after dying, to say something like that so casually, right to someone’s face…

Feeling cold sweat trickling down my back, I forced a smile.

“Ah, yes. Even in a dream, suicide isn’t exactly an easy thing to do…”

“Indeed. However, if you’re willing, I’d like you to accompany me for the remainder of this Disaster investigation.”

……What?

The agent spoke quickly.

“Temporarily, you could act as an agent. Normally, this would require approval from another agent since it isn’t a solo mission, but… ah.”

The agent rummaged through his pocket and handed me something.

“If you consume this, it will serve as an expedited authorization.”

I looked at the small caramel candy, wrapped in a rectangular foil, that had landed in my hand and felt my eyelids twitch.

…This was Disaster Management Bureau equipment!

----------------------------------------

Tangy-Sweet

A caramel-like chewy candy.

Upon consumption, lying induces unbearable discomfort, compelling the user to tell the truth.

----------------------------------------

“This is a light truth verification procedure.”

No, this is practically a confession-inducing torture tool!

“If you take this and accompany me, you’ll be compensated accordingly.”

“……”

“If it’s too difficult, I’ll simply give you a name tag and execute you to send you back.”

Wow. For real?

“Civilian?”

If only I could fake eating it and stash it in my tattoo, but in this dream where I’d fully reverted to a high schooler, I had no tattoos.

After an intense internal debate, I made my decision.

“……Alright.”

I reluctantly chewed and swallowed the truth-inducing candy.

Its tangy-sweet flavor caught in my throat, but I forced it down.

‘Getting caught throwing it away or not consuming it would be a bigger problem.’

It would reveal that I knew exactly what this candy was.

“I’ve swallowed it.”

Tears welled up.

But as they say, the stick is often accompanied by the carrot.

To my surprise, the unexpected carrots started rolling in.

“Well done. Now, take this.” “……?”

The agent swiftly handed me something else, placing it in my empty hand.

It was a metallic badge, vaguely resembling a silver heart.

Huh?

“This is an identification badge for agents. Wearing it will allow you to receive assistance if you encounter other agents.”

“……”

“And this.”

No sooner had I clipped the badge on than a small ivory-colored pistol was placed in my hand.

The translucent cylinder gleamed with multicolored glass beads that served as its ammunition.

It looked extraordinary at a glance…

----------------------------------------

Glass Handgun

A specialized exorcism pistol manufactured by the Disaster Management Bureau.

It uses custom glass beads as ammunition and is so compact it resembles a toy or lighter.

----------------------------------------

“This is a weapon for dealing with supernatural Disasters. It should be effective against those ‘students’. Keep it with you.”

“……”

Wow.

This was the standard issue gear for Disaster Management Bureau agents, the kind I’d only ever seen on the wiki.

Like the Dream Essence Collectors and masks used by Daydream Inc., this was iconic agent gear.

‘And now I’m wearing it all.’

Somehow, I’d ended up playing the part of a Disaster Management Bureau agent.

‘What is even happening?’

It was absurd, but oddly thrilling. At the same time, I had a strong urge to run for my life.

But for now…

‘There’s no time to dwell on this.’

“…It’s starting.”

Flicker.

“We’re almost at the end of the hallway. From here on, you must also face this way. …Do not, under any circumstances, drop the flashlight.”

……

I adjusted my grip on the unfamiliar pistol.

They’re coming.

Chapter 75 - [Within the Shadow of Darkness], V

The agent and I pressed our backs against the wall, our gazes fixed on the hallway ahead—specifically, Class 1-5, from which we had just escaped.

Then, I finally saw it.

Flicker.

On the far end of the hallway, mannequin-like figures appeared.

‘…Three of them?’

Another one had joined the group.

Two male students and one female student.

The two who had emerged from the classroom were drenched in blood, smiling as they looked our way, while the third—still wearing a pristine school uniform—stood motionless.

When the lights were on, they looked like grotesquely realistic wax mannequins or people frozen in time in a photograph.

But every time the lights flickered out—

Flicker.

—they reappeared closer to us.

Again and again.

Even when we moved further back—

Flicker.

—they advanced just to the edge of the flashlight’s beam.

Whenever the light shone on them, they froze, illuminated in a terrifyingly close pose.

They never got any farther away.

Flicker.

“……”

I couldn’t help but imagine what would happen if the flashlight’s battery ran out.

This standoff would end… and not in our favor.

‘Hah.’

Even as I moved carefully and deliberately, fear clawed at my mind.

Eventually, we reached the dead end at the hallway’s farthest point and were forced to stop.

And then—

[Ding- dong- daeng- dong-]

“……”

[A death has occurred in Class 3-2.]

Motherfucker.

[The deceased is third-year student Park Chae-ah.]

[Please observe a moment of silence for five seconds.]

“Get ready.”

I gripped the flashlight tightly and pressed my back against the wall.

[5]

I quickly swept the flashlight across all three figures.

Each time the light passed over them and returned, they were closer.

[4]

The agent and I divided our focus, aiming our flashlights at two of the entities.

…But what about the third?

[3]

The third one—where was it?

I swung my flashlight side to side, covering every blind spot, but it was nowhere to be found.

[2]

Time seemed to speed up with my mounting anxiety.

Where? Where could it be? Where—

Ah.

I whipped the flashlight downward.

[1]

The light revealed my feet and…

A bloodstained white hand reaching for my ankle.

A hand in a school uniform.

“……”

A Sekwang Technical High School student lay sprawled on the floor, grinning up at me.

[The moment of silence is over. May the deceased rest in peace.]

“……”

Slowly, I pulled my foot back.

‘Hah.’

Shitshitshit!!

If my reflexes had been even slightly slower, I’d be dead.

‘I’ve never even played a VR horror game, and now I’m experiencing this in real life?!’

I alternated blinking one eye at a time, making sure to never close both at once, as I slowly backpedaled.

My limbs trembled uncontrollably.

The agent, still glaring at the remaining two student entities, spoke.

“Once we leave a floor, the students from that grade level usually stop actively pursuing us.”

I knew that.

If there were still prey left on their floor, the students would likely prioritize those over us…

“Let’s head upstairs.”

“…Not down to the first floor?”

“No. This mission’s objective is the fifth floor, specifically the auditorium.”

Immediately, I recalled the announcement we’d heard at the very beginning:

– Students of Sekwang Technical High School! The graduation ceremony will begin shortly. Please gather in the auditorium.

“…What’s in the auditorium?”

“There’s no information yet. That’s why we need to investigate.”

Of course.

‘The exploration logs so far are still considered early to mid-stage material in the <Dark Exploration Records>.’

Few people would have willingly gone to the place announced as the meeting point in this nightmare school.

And those who tried to ascend likely encountered the students and died.

The higher the floor, the more aggressive, unpredictable, and intelligent the students’ behavior became.

And the greater problem was this.

Never go to the fifth floor!! It’s better to die on the lower floors. Never go up

—Final log of Exploration Record #12

…This is what happens when you somehow manage to make it all the way to the fifth floor.

‘Hah, I really don’t want to go…’

But the most painful part was knowing that I’d have to go there eventually, regardless.

At least I could take some comfort in having a companion.

But as we were, we wouldn’t make it. I needed to prepare thoroughly, and I had an idea to adjust the plan slightly.

“Would it be alright if we stop briefly to explore the third and fourth floors as well?”

“Is there a reason?”

“Well, this setup feels strangely like a horror game to me.”

“……!”

“In games, obtaining key items is often essential to progress.”

I spoke while slowly climbing the stairs backward.

“I’m not sure, but if it were me, I’d start by checking special rooms—like the music room, science lab, or faculty office. I’d also look into the yearbook or student records.”

“……”

“I think there could be hints or keys hidden in objects or props.”

As we continued up the stairs, the distance between us and the ‘students’ that had been surrounding us grew, allowing the flashlight beam to cover a wider area and keep them in check.

It was only then that the agent finally spoke.

“Our analysis team reached a similar conclusion… that this ghost story seems to have a game-based structure.”

Oh.

“They noted how the name of the fictional high school and the structure of running and hiding from monsters are remarkably similar to a game.”

“Ah, I thought the same thing.”

“But it’s the first time I’ve heard such a suggestion—to focus not on monsters or people, but on objects…”

For some reason, the agent’s eyes seemed to sparkle.

Since he looked like a high school student without dark circles under his eyes, it didn’t come off as out of place.

“Very well. Let’s examine the spaces as thoroughly as we can. We’ll also relay this idea to the other agents once they join us…”

More agents? I’d rather not.

But the agent, as if excited, went a step further.

“Now that you’re a temporary agent, we should call each other by codenames. Do you have a preferred codename?”

Oh my god.

“Oh, we typically use historical materials for codenames. Non-ordinary terms make it easier to distinguish between agents.”

‘He’s even letting me pick a codename?’

It felt like they were fulfilling every conceivable fantasy.

…Oh. Did I already have a codename I wanted to use for a Disaster Management Bureau agent in the Darkness Exploration Records I’d envisioned?

Yes. Yes, I do.

But… I had enough self-awareness not to bring it up now. It would be far too embarrassing.

“…I’ll go with Grapes.”

“A fruit? Simple and neat. I like it.”

For a moment, I imagined what Braun would’ve commented on my choice.

‘I miss that guy a little.’

Pushing away the sense of loss over my ‘Good Friend’, I kept the conversation going.

“And what should I call you, Agent?”

“My codename is Bronze.”

“Alright, Agent Bronze.”

The agent—Bronze—smiled faintly and nodded in satisfaction, almost as if he were looking at an intern.

‘Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of new recruit-like treatment. Is it just my imagination…?’

In any case, we continued checking below as we ascended, keeping a vigilant eye out to ensure no students were following us up the stairs.

One of us always kept an eye on the upper floor.

And finally, we arrived.

[3F]

The third floor, where the second-years stayed.

“……It’s quiet.”

The students from the lower floor had naturally left our line of sight and didn’t appear at the top of the stairs either. It seemed they had found someone else to chase.

Still, we kept glancing back at the stairwell as we stepped into the third-floor hallway.

Under the bright ceiling lights, the hallway was surprisingly clean.

No blood, no filth, no corpses. Not even people sitting frozen, tears streaming as they stared desperately at a student.

“……”

Even the student entities were nowhere to be seen.

And I thought I knew why.

‘They’ve sealed the doors.’

Someone had already locked all the classroom doors.

Chains and padlocks were even looped around some.

‘…! This has to be the work of Daydream Inc. employees.’

It matched our manual perfectly.

Students in Sekwang Technical High School uniforms exhibit some resistance to damage or destruction of school property.

When not provoked, closing and locking doors quietly has been observed to render them inactive, often seated at desks.

Moreover, sealing the doors like this meant any attempt to open them from inside would make noise.

That noise would immediately alert others to turn and look.

‘It’s a basic safety measure.’

When there were still plenty of people around to restrict the movements of the student entities, sneaking around and locking doors like this would have been quite feasible.

“……”

But as quiet as the hallway was, we needed to be just as silent.

The students are drawn by noise.

‘The second-year faculty office is just around the corner.’

‘Should we crawl there?’

A nod.

With a brief whisper and nod, we ended the conversation and began moving quietly, staying close to the wall and crawling to avoid detection.

Even as we moved, we didn’t stop watching the corners—places like the end of the hallway or the stairwells—where someone could appear silently.

Cold sweat ran down my back.

‘Just a little further, just a little more.’

Slowly.

We just had to pass through without rushing.

We had made it more than halfway when—

AAAAHHHHH!

……

A blood-curdling scream came from beyond the hallway.

‘No.’

If there’s noise…

Rattle.

Rattle-rattle-rattle-rattle-rattle-rattle-rattle—

I couldn’t bring myself to look up.

The sound of doorknobs being rattled echoed from every locked door.

…The students had heard the noise too.

Rattle-rattle-rattle-rattle-rattle-rattle-rattle—

The agent and I crawled frantically down the hallway, desperate to escape.

When we finally turned to look back—

Rattle…

“……”

“……”

Huu.

Fortunately, the rattling stopped, likely because the scream had been a one-time occurrence.

However, I could see faint shadows of figures standing behind some of the doors, peering out…

“……”

Terrifying.

At least they weren’t looking in our direction—that was our one saving grace.

I swallowed hard.

The only consolation was that we’d reached our first destination.

[Second-Year Faculty Office]

Turning the corner, it appeared before us.

But this office was also locked up tight. Chains and padlocks secured the doors, and the windows had been covered from the inside with something like newspaper, preventing us from seeing in.

It was eerily unsettling, yet I couldn’t have been more relieved to see it.

“Please keep watch for a moment.”

The agent slipped a thimble-like item onto his finger, then inserted it into the lock on the faculty office door.

Though the thimble didn’t seem to match the size of the keyhole, it slid in easily, and the lock clicked open.

‘Wow.’

Disaster Management Bureau equipment really lived up to the hype.

“There may still be students inside, so let’s be cautious as we enter.”

And when we opened the door—

“……!”

“……?!”

What greeted us was completely unexpected.

“Quietly close the door.”

“……”

“Quickly.”

I shut the door behind us.

There were no students inside.

Instead, about seven people were locked in a tense standoff, glaring at one another.

High schoolers wearing animal masks stood on one side, and others, holding translucent pistols, stood on the other.

Disaster Management Bureau agents and Daydream Inc. employees.

‘They’re fighting!’

On the table in the center of their standoff was a single fountain pen.

‘…An item.’

I recognized it immediately.

Fountain Pen of Second-Year Student ■■■

It seemed they were locked in a standoff over who would claim it.

‘Instead of exploring the ghost story, they’re wasting manpower on this!’

It seemed they hadn’t noticed our entrance until it was too late.

“Agent Bronze.”

Several of the agents finally spotted the codename Bronze beside me and greeted him warmly.

But Bronze, rational as always, was unlikely to empathize with the situation…

“Let’s join them.”

“……??”

Wait, what?

Before I could protest, Bronze had already stepped forward to join the agents.

And as for me…

“……”

The animal-masked Daydream employees were staring intently at me.

Especially the two who recognized me.

“??”

“??!”

Seeing Baek Saheon and Jang He-oun make identical expressions was not something I ever thought I’d experience.

Their eyes darted between the Disaster Management Bureau’s metal badge and translucent pistol I was holding, as if silently asking,

‘Why are you here…?’

And yet, the agent called out to me again.

“Agent Grapes.”

“Gr—Grapes?”

The agent responded coldly.

“Mocking codenames? Truly fitting for a company like yours.”

“……??”

I’m losing my mind.

“Come here. You should step away from the door.”

“……”

‘What now?’

After a moment of frantic deliberation, I made my decision.

‘I can’t bring myself to betray.’

Reluctantly, I stepped forward and stood beside the agent.

“Yes, Agent.”

Right next to Agent Bronze.

“This… what is…!”

“……”

Yes. I cannot betray.

‘I can’t betray… my own survival…!’

And so it came to this, my dear coworkers.

Chapter 76 - [Within the Shadow of Darkness], VI

Baek Saheon, for once, doubted his one remaining eye.

Was he dreaming?

No, he was definitely dreaming—trapped in this ghost story nightmare. But…

No!!

Just moments ago, his mood had been one of pure irritation.

‘I came here because I heard this school’s faculty office had an item with powerful mind-control abilities…’

Seeing the number of people gathered, it was clear this wasn’t some exclusive, top-tier information. Inwardly, his anger was simmering.

‘…Whoever gave me that tip is going on my blacklist.’

Grinding his teeth, he mentally updated his list of people to take revenge on after returning to the company.

Still, he had confidence.

In fact, he saw opportunity in the standoff between the two factions.

‘Just a little push, and it’s chaos, right?’

Whether by stirring up infighting or luring monsters into the mix, he figured he could snag the item and make a clean getaway—just like how he’d always used fools around him as bait at critical moments.

Even the sight of his weak-willed coworker in the bison mask struggling to hold back tears was tolerable—the guy might still be useful.

But then…

‘That fucker… What the hell is he doing.’

Baek Saheon stared ahead in disbelief.

There, standing nonchalantly alongside the Disaster Management Bureau agents, was an all-too-familiar face in a black school uniform.

The employee, who had been carrying nothing special earlier, now wore the Bureau’s signature metal badge and wielded one of those strange toy-like pistols.

…Kim Soleum!

“Agent Grapes.”

G-Grapes??

What even was that?

The last time Baek Saheon had seen him in the classroom, that guy hadn’t been equipped with any of this gear. And now…

‘Why is a Daydream Inc. employee standing so comfortably on the other side?!’

“Looks like everyone is securing the item. Could it be what we’re looking for?”

“Perhaps, sir.”

Kim Soleum was casually engaging in Bureau-like dialogue!

The other Daydream employees nearby whispered amongst themselves.

“They don’t seem ordinary.”

“Do you think he’s a high-ranking agent? Maybe he was summoned here?”

“……”

Jang Heo-un, the bison-masked coworker, alternated between staring at Baek Saheon and Kim Soleum, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

As one of the few here who knew Kim Soleum’s face, Jang Heo-un’s astonishment was palpable despite the mask.

And then—he opened his mouth, clearly about to call out to Kim Soleum!

‘Yes, that’s it! You do it!’

Let him handle it!

“Th-that…”

“Would you mind stepping aside and letting us handle this?”

“What?”

But of course, it was Kim Soleum.

This… ‘Agent Grapes’ instantly cut Jang Heo-un off, looking around at the employees with a serious expression.

He spoke in a voice dripping with authority:

“In supernatural Disasters like this, personal possession of dangerous items can lead to catastrophic results. As you may have experienced, things that seem beneficial here don’t always bring good outcomes.”

His voice was, somehow… convincing.

“…Even now, there are monsters roaming outside.”

“……”

Kim Soleum spoke earnestly, his eyes filled with feigned desperation.

“Please, for the sake of saving more lives, I ask for your cooperation.”

You?

Baek Saheon felt chills run down his spine.

And yet, Jang Heo-un, blinking slowly as if entranced, began to murmur,

“Then, maybe this time, we could—”

‘You’ve got to be kidding me!’

“……! Hey! You’re just a newbie—what are you talking about?!”

“Shut your mouth, would you?”

The other company employees snapped out of it and began shouting in outrage.

What Baek Saheon didn’t know was that Jang Heo-un had been carrying a mental defense item strong enough to partially mitigate the influence of the Bureau’s Silver Heart.

Still, the scene was chaotic enough to make the Bureau agents on the other side whisper to each other.

“Corporate culture is trash, huh?”

“Right? But that Agent Grapes sure knows how to talk.”

“……”

That punk’s even being recognized by the agents…!

‘Just what is that guy, pretending to be a government agent…’

No, wait.

In that moment, a realization like a bolt of lightning struck Baek Saheon’s mind.

‘W-Wait… was he actually a Disaster Management Bureau agent from the start?’

Looking closer, the agent standing beside Kim Soleum was the same one Baek Saheon had encountered at that insane murder lodge!

The mask issued by the company had an effect that disrupted recognition for non-employees, so it seemed the agent hadn’t identified him… but still…

‘…Could this all have been planned from the start?’

Could Kim Soleum have been a Bureau spy all along?

A chill ran down Baek Saheon’s spine.

But at the same time, he felt like he’d just been dealt a new card.

‘If I reveal his true identity…’

At that moment, Kim Soleum’s eyes met his.

Kim Soleum smirked, lightly tapped his chest, and mouthed a single word:

‘Debt.’

“……!”

– Debt

The very word Baek Saheon had written on the note he left with the emergency flashlight.

‘Y-You crazy bastard, that’s the debt you owe me, not the other way around…!’

Was Kim Soleum implying that if Baek Saheon wanted the debt paid, he’d better shut up and cooperate?

How was the debtor turning the tables and blackmailing the creditor? No, wait—

‘Fuck, that’s not important right now!’

Baek Saheon gritted his teeth.

The agents now outnumbered the Daydream employees.

‘If this continues, the Field Exploration Team members aiming for a high-clear bonus will likely back off and give up the item.’

If that happened, the chaos would end, and with it, his opportunity.

‘In that case…’

“……”

After some hesitation, Baek Saheon made up his mind.

He absolutely needed that item.

…Absolutely.

Moreover, he knew the specialized equipment he had invested a fortune—1,000 points—into acquiring was securely attached to the sole of his shoe.

This equipment, meticulously chosen and crafted for this purpose.

A lethal weapon with the purpose of confusion.

----------------------------------------

Owner : Baek Saheon

Registered Equipment Description : A device in the form of a three-color pen. When the pen tip is clicked, the nib ejects and explodes like a firecracker.

Manufactured by : Qterw-E-99

----------------------------------------

Enjoying the cylindrical pressure against the sole of his shoe, Baek Saheon deliberately turned to Jang Heo-un and struck up a conversation.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t you hear something strange outside…”

And with that, he naturally aimed at Kim Soleum and fired.

“…Out there?”

His target was that fucker’s head.

‘Die!’

Instant death would ensure that even if Kim Soleum woke up from this nightmare, he wouldn’t realize who had shot him.

‘He probably has a name tag anyway!’

There was no way Baek Saheon could risk his sabotage being traced back to him, not after he’d set up the debt narrative.

‘I’ll just pin the blame on someone else.’

After all, every employee in this company had the same level of moral ambiguity.

Hiding his glee, Baek Saheon allowed a sly smile to creep across his face.

Fwoosh.

The pen tip launched silently from the sole of his shoe and flew straight toward Kim Soleum’s head…

…but it didn’t hit.

Kim Soleum casually tilted his head, dodging the pen tip.

“……?!”

Kim Soleum glanced at Baek Saheon.

‘How many times do you think I read about your equipment usage on the wiki?’

He already knew how it was loaded.

‘You click the left heel twice.’

Having prepared for this ever since they became roommates, Kim Soleum’s reflexes, in hindsight, were only natural.

Not that he had expected much, so he wasn’t even angry…

‘But I can’t let this slide.’

At that moment, Kim Soleum grinned at Baek Saheon.

‘I know you fired it.’

And that meant one thing:

You’re fuckin’ screwed.

“……”

Baek Saheon felt a chill run down his spine.

The learned fear surged to near panic levels.

But his objective of creating confusion had succeeded nonetheless.

“Ahhh—”

“……!”

The pen tip struck the locker behind Kim Soleum and exploded, filling the room with light, noise, and smoke.

“…Who did that?!”

At this level of chaos, it didn’t matter how softly anyone spoke.

This kind of commotion was enough to lure the ‘students’, even if it meant they’d tolerate some damage to the school’s property.

They’d be coming soon.

“……!!”

“Flashlights.”

Everyone crouched and pressed themselves against the walls. The smoke obscuring their vision created the worst possible conditions in this nightmare school.

‘Who did this?’

For now, survival instincts overrode the need to find the culprit.

‘In that case…!’

Baek Saheon seized the opportunity to lunge at the table.

Fountain Pen of Second-Year Student ■■■

He snatched the item and stuffed it into his pocket.

Blending seamlessly back into the crowd of employees, Baek Saheon joined the rush to flee the faculty office.

Inside, the Bureau agents, who had maintained a near-perfect formation to monitor all angles, only realized what had happened once the smoke began to clear.

The fountain pen and the Daydream employees were gone.

“Those Daydream bastards…!”

Kim Soleum had suddenly become guilty by association.

‘Wonderful.’

Kim Soleum, who had been keeping an eye on Baek Saheon the entire time, caught the exchange.

But the situation was too urgent to dwell on it.

[There has been a death in the 3rd-floor hallway.]

[The deceased is second-year student Kim Sora.]

The Daydream Inc. employees fleeing down the hallway had killed one of the students.

“…Hah.”

The power went out.

Five seconds of darkness.

Flashes of light from flashlights.

Screams.

Corpses.

‘This is insane.’

With both people and monstrous entities running rampant, this resembled a scene from a B-grade splatter horror film.

A suffocating type of terror different from the earlier stillness.

Aaaagh!

There, in the window!

Blood! Blood!

Requesting ba— thud!

Amid the gruesome carnage unfolding in every direction, I somehow managed to spot the students trying to enter the faculty office through the mist and freeze them in place.

It felt like playing a nightmarish tower defense game. Or maybe a horror game where I was trapped and utterly cornered.

“Move!”

The only silver lining was that the agents were taking the brunt of the aggression, leaving me mostly out of the spotlight.

But even that had its limits.

Flicker.

The instant a drop of blood splashed into my eye, I had no choice but to blink.

A student’s hand, hooked like a claw, stopped just above my head.

“……!!”

I quickly stepped back.

…My skull had almost been crushed.

My hair stood on end.

‘Hah…’

My heart felt like it would give out.

‘This is bad.’

This was a death trap.

‘The range a single flashlight can cover is no longer enough.’

From what I knew, the number of students per floor varied by each exploration round, but there were at least twenty students on any given floor.

And if someone killed a student and triggered the announcement?

[There has been a death in the second-year faculty office.]

More would come.

Accompanied by another five-second blackout for a moment of silence.

‘It never ends.’

The likelihood of everyone dying here and the exploration ending was overwhelmingly high.

So…

‘I need to escape while I still can.’

I gritted my teeth.

I needed to find the others on another floor and join forces with them.

The mist was beginning to clear, and the blackout had just ended…

Flicker.

‘…Now!’

I slid across the faculty office, cutting through the carnage of blood, gore, and violence, and made it out through the door that had been open from the start.

In that instant—

“Mr. Grapes!”

“……!”

As the mist dissipated, I spotted Agent Bronze.

He was grappling with an employee wearing an animal mask— and the owner of that mask was…

“Hiiek—”

“Quiet.”

Jang Heo-un, from the Y-squad Round-Off Team.

‘So you didn’t manage to escape with the others, huh?’

“Use this to restrain him…!”

The agent tossed me what looked like a pair of handcuffs.

Clearly, he thought I had come to assist him.

But I had already decided to cut ties with everyone here…

“R-Run, Roe Deer!”

“……!”

Damn it.

Jang Heo-un, startled by his own outburst, slapped a hand over his mouth.

He had called me by the name of my mask.

“…Roe Deer?”

“No, that’s…”

The look on the agent’s face said it all.

‘He knows.’

Damn it. If that’s the case…!

I swiftly caught the handcuff-like item the agent had handed me.

And then I clamped it on him instead.

“……?!”

The cuffs expanded, binding the agent’s arms and mouth, with a silver chain extending from them to my hand.

“Let’s go, Bison.”

“Y-Yes…?!”

Dragging Jang Heo-un and the restrained agent, I bolted out of the faculty office.

Aaaagh!

[The moment of silence is over. May the deceased rest in peace.]

Leaving behind the chaos of the faculty office, we sprinted madly up the stairs.

A couple of students followed us out but were drawn back by the ongoing commotion inside the office.

“Keep an eye on what’s above us.”

“Got it!”

Jang Heo-un responded quickly, diligently watching the upper stairwell.

‘Huu.’

I stopped midway up the stairs, watching as the students who had been following us disappeared, and turned my head, wanting nothing more than to wipe the sweat off my face.

And that’s when I made eye contact with the restrained person at the end of the chain I was holding.

Agent Bronze from the Disaster Management Bureau was glaring at me like he wanted to kill me.

“……”

At this point, I had no choice.

‘Time to bluff…!’

With a speed I’d never achieved before in my life, I began crafting an elaborate, emotional appeal.

Chapter 77 - [Within the Shadow of Darkness], VII

I am walking up the stairs of a nightmare school with an agent from the Disaster Management Bureau.

…While dragging him along like a prisoner after restraining him.

For context, I used an item he handed me to betray and restrain him.

“……”

This is a mess.

‘This can’t go on.’

This definitely feels like I’ve crossed the line. By tomorrow, I might find myself on the Disaster Management Bureau’s blacklist, conscripted for whatever sinister purposes they have in mind.

Sure, the company might protect me, but I really don’t want to owe Daydream Inc. anything—it would be utterly insane…!

‘I-I need to fix my image somehow.’

The cold sweat on my back never seems to dry.

I spoke carefully.

“If you promise not to yell, I’ll remove the gag. Please just nod your head.”

The agent’s murderous glare softened slightly. He gave the faintest of nods.

‘…What a lie.’

If he’s going to deceive me, he could at least try to hide it better!

With a sigh, I continued.

“I have no intention of harming you, stealing Disaster Management Bureau intel, or reporting anything back to the company.”

“……”

“And… as I just said that, I felt no pain whatsoever.”

“……!”

“I know the caramel you gave me is a truth-inducing interrogation aid.”

The agent’s pupils trembled.

“Of course, I don’t think you gave it to me with malicious intent. It’s just…”

I gazed at the air with a melancholic look.

“I wanted to convey that even though I work for Daydream Inc., I wasn’t planning to lie to you.”

Strictly speaking, I was lying.

If it came to it, I fully intended to use express-delivered alien painkillers to bypass the effects and lie my way to survival.

Unsurprisingly, a sharp discomfort began to rise from within.

‘Ugh.’

It felt like my insides were twisting, like the onset of an ulcer.

But now wasn’t the time to let it show.

‘I can endure this without flinching.’

The more malicious or deliberate the lie, the greater the pain. What I’d just said was evasive at most, barely a level one discomfort.

Endure it.

‘Next step…’

Building trust.

I discreetly loosened a small silver badge in my pocket while keeping my face composed. Then, I openly showed the item—the Silver Heart—to the agent.

“I’m telling you this without relying on tools like these.”

“……”

“I’ll repeat myself. …If you promise not to yell, I’ll remove the gag. Just nod your head.”

Conflict flickered in the agent’s gaze.

When we stopped on the landing, he gave another faint nod.

“……”

Without a word, I removed the gag.

The agent kept his promise and didn’t cause a commotion.

‘Hmm.’

Good. Next step.

I returned the flashlight and pistol I had confiscated from the agent. Then, I loosened the restraints on his arms.

“This is…”

“You’ll need them to defend yourself in this kind of urgent situation.”

‘Not that the pistol works on anything but ghosts or supernatural entities.’

Though it could theoretically harm bad actors depending on the ammunition, I didn’t think either Jang Heo-un or I fit the criteria for such targets.

‘Jang Heo-un hasn’t caused any significant trouble in the past three months.’

Still, I didn’t completely remove the restraints. If the agent escaped before I finished winning him over, it could spell disaster.

I offered a plausible excuse.

“It’s too dangerous to wander off alone here. I’ll keep the restraints on until your judgment fully returns.”

“……”

We cautiously ascended the stairs, keeping watch in all directions.

Suddenly, the agent asked,

“Is ‘Roe Deer’ your alias?”

“……”

“Your group operates in units and uses aliases derived from your masks, correct?”

“…That’s correct.”

“Are you a squad leader?”

“No, just a new hire. This one here… is a fellow new hire.”

With a faintly bitter smile, I pulled a half-mask from my pocket and placed it over my face.

The familiar texture of bark with horns sprouted settled over my skin.

The agent looked at me, visibly shaken.

Then, I heard Jang Heo-un’s subdued voice.

“…I’m sorry, Mr. Roe Deer. I know you were trying to help me…”

“No, it’s fine. You must be very flustered.”

Honestly, compared to Baek Saheon, who was determined to get me fucked up, this was something I had already braced myself for when I decided to act as a temporary agent…

Moreover, Jang Heo-un even went as far as to vouch for me to the agent.

“Mr. Roe Deer is truly a kind and dependable person. Even when we first met, he risked his life to save me from the Darkness…”

“That’s, uh, an exaggeration.”

Nice shot!

“We just… helped each other. To survive the Darkness together.”

“Mr. Roe Deer…”

“……”

The agent fell silent, a complicated expression on his face.

At least he didn’t try to smack me with the grip of that small pistol, and I’ll take that as progress.

“…Entering the fourth floor.”

We ascended the final stretch of stairs.

[4F]

“……”

We made it, but…

‘I feel uneasy.’

From the fourth floor onward, this ghost story starts getting even more warped.

For one, when students die, there’s no announcement over the speakers anymore.

The floor is eerily dark.

Bzzt, bzzt…

Most of the lights were already shattered or burnt out, and the few remaining ones flickered sporadically, except for a handful that stayed on.

And the bigger issue…

“……!!”

“Huhp—”

Dozens of students were standing in the hallway.

And they were already staring directly at us.

‘Hah.’

In the dimly lit school hallway, they lined up like mannequins along either side.

The fourth-floor student entities were all third-years, with more than a hundred confirmed in every exploration log of this floor.

Hearing that alone would make you think, ‘Well, guess we’re all doomed.’

But.

“……It’s fine.”

The agent spoke in a firm voice, offering critical information.

“They cannot leave their positions.”

That’s right.

The fourth floor is truly strange. While we’ve never witnessed those ‘students’ move, we’ve seen their locations change.

But the students on the fourth floor? They don’t move at all.

It’s like their feet are glued to the classroom floor.

—Excerpt from Exploration Record #09

As long as they’re not lunging at us and stay rooted in place, we can avoid danger by staying out of their territory.

If we have to approach, we can stop them by maintaining eye contact to freeze their movements.

‘The problem is how easy it is to lose track of them in the dark.’

And they’re very… very cunning.

They often exploit psychological tactics to catch you off guard.

‘……Hmm.’

So that’s how it is.

I confirmed that Jang Heo-un had pinned the nametag he had retrieved from one of the school’s students onto his blazer, then spoke firmly.

“Let’s proceed cautiously and thoroughly investigate the fourth floor.”

There were no objections.

We entered the gaps between the students.

‘Huu.’

Jang Heo-un swallowed nervously.

It felt incredibly unsettling.

To brush past the sleeves of those ‘students’ while trembling with fear.

But he gritted his teeth.

‘I have to be useful.’

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had somehow ruined his kind colleague Kim Soleum’s exploration.

What was he planning to accomplish by accompanying the agent?

‘He was probably aiming for a high score… a clean clear.’

According to the manual, the longer you survive here and the more nametags you collect, the higher the concentration of Dream Essence in the collector.

But it was too dangerous. Kim Soleum hadn’t even glanced at the nametags on the fourth-floor students.

‘…I don’t get it.’

Jang Heo-un decided not to overthink it.

Relying on his own judgment wasn’t exactly a strong suit.

Instead, he focused on diligently watching the approaching students.

Especially when entering areas where the lights were shattered or flickering—he aimed the flashlight obsessively.

Step, step.

“Mr. Bison, watch the rear.”

“Yes.”

His voice trembled slightly.

Jang Heo-un turned to look behind them, walking backward.

From where they had passed, dozens of students were now turning their heads and stretching out their hands toward them…

“There’s the music room up ahead. Let’s hang in there just until we reach it.”

They moved forward.

Soon, they reached a section entirely devoid of lights.

‘Huu.’

In the suffocating darkness, the students stood eerily still, staring silently at them.

They advanced cautiously, illuminating the gaps between them with their flashlights.

Then—

Flicker.

A light blinked somewhere. It felt like a power outage had occurred…

‘Huh?’

Wait.

Something felt wrong.

‘There aren’t any lights here, so how could one flicker?’

Jang Heo-un realized it a step too late.

It wasn’t a power outage.

The flickering light…

…was someone’s flashlight up ahead.

Just now, someone had lost sight of their surroundings.

“……!”

Jang Heo-un almost turned around in panic. But a calm voice from behind him stopped him.

“Don’t look back.”

“You…!”

“We… have to keep moving.”

Kim Soleum’s voice was strained, mixed with heavy breaths.

And then—

The metallic scent of blood.

Drip, drip…

As Jang Heo-un backed away, he noticed red liquid dripping onto the floor.

Focused on the students, he hadn’t been able to see clearly, but the ground beneath his shoes was slippery.

And then…

He spotted the hand of a student reaching out from the middle of the hallway, close enough to brush against his waist.

It was drenched in crimson, blood dripping from its fingertips.

Jang Heo-un fought the urge to retch.

“M-Mr. Roe Deer…!”

When they finally made it out of the crowd of students and turned around,

Kim Soleum stood clutching his abdomen, his face pale as a sheet.

The flashlight in his hand flickered once more.

With a faint smile on his ashen face, he said,

“…The battery—”

– Effective illumination time: 60 minutes

Of course.

Emergency flashlights weren’t meant to last long.

‘Ah…!’

Though they had prepared supplies, the two of them had failed to account for the time left on the flashlight the other was carrying…

“W-Wait… Ugh.”

“P-Please don’t speak!”

Jang Heo-un struggled to suppress his nausea and tried to support Kim Soleum. The agent instinctively joined in.

Together, the Daydream Inc. employee and the Disaster Management Bureau agent hurriedly helped him into a nearby classroom.

Even there, a few students peeked inside. They managed to set Kim Soleum down just outside the students’ range.

Seated on the floor, clutching his wound, Kim Soleum spoke.

“You two.”

“……”

“Leave me here.”

The one wearing the horned mask, his face strained from the pain, forced a smile.

“Ah, one moment.”

Kim Soleum reached out with his free hand and completely undid the agent’s restraints.

“I almost forgot. Now you can leave…”

The agent ignored him and instead pulled a spare nametag from his pocket and shoved it into Kim Soleum’s jacket.

But…

“You don’t have to give it to me. Don’t you need it for something else?”

“……”

“Go ahead. I’m sure there are others on this floor. If you join them you’ll—ugh—you’ll be fine.”

Kim Soleum frowned slightly but quickly smoothed his expression.

“To be honest, even if I die here, it wouldn’t cause any major issues with my job at the company. They’d still be satisfied with this much…”

“That damn company!”

The agent clenched his fists tightly.

“Why on earth do you people trust such an absurd, disgusting organization!”

It seemed to strike a nerve.

“You really think that a company that treats human lives so lightly will actually grant your wishes?”

“……!”

Jang Heo-un turned to the agent in surprise.

The agent gritted his teeth and continued.

“I know you’re all working there for those wish-granting rights. Do you honestly believe in that nonsense? That some magical potion will grant any wish?”

Kim Soleum looked up at the agent, his expression calm.

“They do grant them.”

“……”

“If the wish ticket was a lie, this structure wouldn’t hold. Once you’ve onboarded, any wish can be granted.”

“……Hah.”

The agent let out an exasperated sigh, as though his frustration had reached its peak, and repeated an argument that sounded well-worn.

“Think about it. Let’s say someone wishes for world peace, while another wishes for the extinction of humanity. How do they grant both contradictory wishes?”

Jang Heo-un, wearing the bison mask, flinched.

But Kim Soleum remained unperturbed.

“For the person making the wish, yes. It comes true.”

“What does that even mean—”

“A wish ticket isn’t meant to change the world. It’s an omnipotent tool to fulfill personal desires.”

What does that even mean?

It sounded like some cultish doctrine of salvation.

But Kim Soleum’s demeanor wasn’t that of a religious fanatic—it was more like someone who had repeatedly and empirically tested the circumstances and resigned themselves to reality.

The agent stared at him in bewilderment, but Kim Soleum simply shrugged.

“Well, I guess this is the end for me.”

“……!”

Blood surged out from beneath the hand clutching his stomach.

The bleeding wasn’t stopping at all.

Kim Soleum handed the blood-stained nametag back to Agent Bronze.

The agent gritted his teeth.

“Even if you keep sacrificing your nametag every time you’re dragged here on a new moon, that company will never save you.”

“Maybe not.”

Kim Soleum shrugged again, though his expression tightened slightly from the pain. Even so, he managed a faint smile.

“But the Disaster Management Bureau will eventually put an end to this Darkness… or rather, this Disaster. When that happens, I’ll finally be free too.”

“……!!”

The agent looked at Kim Soleum as if he’d been struck.

“Go now, both of you. Staying here while looking back is dangerous.”

Kim Soleum lifted his still-functioning emergency flashlight and shone it outside the classroom.

“I’ll keep an eye ahead while you go.”

“……”

“And… Mr. Bison, you didn’t do anything wrong. You’re just a rookie. Please, if possible, stick together for a while and stay safe.”

“Mr. Roe Deer…”

The agent hesitated, but he ultimately gritted his teeth, turned around, and started walking with his flashlight.

“Follow me.”

“Ah…”

Jang Heo-un wavered but eventually made his decision.

‘I can’t do anything for him by staying here…’

Leaving quickly might actually be easier for Kim Soleum.

But he couldn’t leave without doing something. So, as he followed the agent, he secretly slipped something into Kim Soleum’s pocket.

“Mr. Roe Deer, here… this is my spare nametag.”

“……!”

“I survived longer thanks to you… and I don’t have anyone else to save. It’s not much, but at least take one… thank you.”

Without waiting for a response, Jang Heo-un left with the agent, unable to look back.

“……”

Kim Soleum watched them leave as promised, keeping an eye on them until they disappeared around the corner.

And then…

‘Finally!’

As soon as they were out of sight, Kim Soleum swiftly retrieved something he had prepared from his pocket.

A piece of candy, individually wrapped in plastic.

A nostalgic relic from a warmer time,

Magic candy!

A large, old-fashioned round hard ball candy in cheerful red, yellow, and white, nestled in its quaint wrapper.

Nostalgia Candy

The emergency recovery item Kim Soleum had purchased.

With blood-streaked hands, he unwrapped it and popped the candy into his mouth.

And then, a transformation began.

“……!”

The wounds on his body began to close.

Spilled blood was reabsorbed, and fractured bones seamlessly reconnected, as though time itself was rewinding.

When rolling the candy in his mouth,

Rediscover cherished memories!

While the candy melted, it fixed the consumer’s body and mind to their healthiest state from the past ten years.

‘Since this is a dream anyway, temporary measures like this are more than enough.’

His condition surged to peak form, and his mind grew razor-sharp.

His thoughts spun at lightning speed.

‘It worked…!’

Kim Soleum exhaled a sigh of relief.

His gamble had paid off—this was the most effective strategy in such a scenario.

‘Faking my own death is still the best play.’

He had seized the opportunity to both secure freedom for exploration and repair his image.

‘I was so nervous the flashlight would die before I could time it right.’

He dusted himself off, took another deep breath, and let out a long sigh of relief.

His heart pounded.

Relief mingled with lingering fear.

‘…Alright.’

Now he knew exactly what to do next.

After standing, he double-checked the re-emerged tattoos on his body and retrieved a spare heavy-duty flashlight from the depths of one wrist tattoo.

With a steadying breath, Kim Soleum stepped out of the classroom and into the dark, eerie hallway of the fourth floor.

Chapter 78 - [Within the Shadow of Darkness], VIII

The dark hallway of the fourth floor.

Students stood in a line like mannequins.

I calculated the range of the students’ reach beforehand and carefully took a step forward.

‘Huu.’

First, I unfolded the carefully tucked-away item from my pocket and wrapped it around my vital areas. A piece of ‘armor’ purchased from the alien store.

Wrapper 12B357나

The loose packaging snugly settled under my high school uniform from back in the day.

‘The Nostalgia Series doesn’t heal wounds or remove contamination sustained while active.’

From now on, I needed to be extra cautious.

I moved carefully, ensuring I didn’t overlap into the active territory of any of the students.

Since I occupied a smaller area as an individual, navigating alone might actually be safer on the fourth floor.

“……”

I wondered if Agent Bronze and Jang Heo-un made it safely.

‘They’re probably prioritizing regrouping with others.’

The agent wasn’t foolish enough to head to the fifth floor with just the two of them. They’d likely search for others on the fourth floor.

Judging from the situation, it didn’t seem like Jang Heo-un would be taken prisoner or anything.

‘Even if he’d do that to you, I did everything I could, my fellow new hire…’

I walked all the way to the end of the hallway.

“Huu.”

I arrived at the staircase we had climbed earlier with the agent and Jang Heo-un.

And then…

I started heading back down the stairs.

[3F]

I retraced the way I had come, moving in reverse.

Why?

To be perfectly honest, I didn’t have much use for the scattered informational items throughout this school.

‘I already have all that information in my head.’

I had essentially already obtained and seen everything.

I knew everything about this ghost story, right up to the moment it ends.

Why this school ended up in this state, what the theme of this ghost story is, and what exactly these ‘students’ are.

There was only one thing I truly needed.

‘The key item that will unlock the highest grade for a clear.’

And now, I was going to get it.

‘By now… it should have been ‘created’.’

I stopped on the landing.

The third floor below was eerily silent.

“……”

Everything down there had turned into corpses.

Under the bright lights, blood-soaked bodies lay mutilated, their horrifying condition vividly displayed.

It seemed most of the school-uniformed figures on this floor were dead.

‘If any agents survived, they must have moved elsewhere.’

It also appeared that nearly all the students who had swarmed the faculty office were rendered immobile or killed, as indicated by the death announcements.

“Huu.”

Setting aside the grotesqueness of the scene, it felt as if I were standing in the middle of a catastrophic disaster site where dozens of people had died.

‘Stay calm.’

This is a dream… all of it is a dream…

I repeated this to myself as I continued descending the stairs, constantly checking both ends of the hallway and the opposite faculty office.

And then, I spotted my target.

Flicker.

In the brief moment I turned my gaze, a student’s posture shifted inside the faculty office.

“……!”

Of course, it wasn’t chasing me.

The condition of the student entity was far too pitiful for that.

Both arms were broken, one leg was in a compound fracture, and its abdomen was drenched in blood.

Yet, it seemed to have enough ‘awareness’ to tilt its head slightly in my direction.

“……”

I surveyed the surroundings.

‘No sign of other students appearing… good.’

Satisfied, I approached the faculty office.

I walked right up to the student slumped near the front door.

With bleached hair and piercings, he had the stereotypical appearance of a delinquent, though his injuries erased any impression of defiance.

“……”

Wow, I’m seriously about to go insane.

I grabbed the ‘student’ with both hands and lifted him over my shoulder.

“Huuuu.”

Carrying the student like a heavy sack over my shoulder, I walked on, ensuring he stayed out of sight.

‘This is insane.’

Lugging a killing machine weighing several dozen kilograms like this wasn’t exactly easy on the nerves.

Physically, though, I could manage. Nostalgia Candy was still rolling around in my mouth, keeping me in peak condition.

‘And… this is the destination.’

I had mapped out a route in my head.

Given the chaos that had erupted, it was unlikely that many students remained on the third floor, but just in case, I moved quickly.

With the flashlight held in my mouth, I steadied myself against the wall and pressed forward.

The powerful flashlight brightly illuminated the entire hallway, defying the darkness—even if the bloodied scene still suffocated me.

Still.

[Infirmary]

The destination appeared.

Slide.

I silently dropped the name tag my colleague had slipped to me onto the floor, then quietly opened the door and stepped into the infirmary.

There were three beds lined up near the window, their curtains drawn.

Two of the beds already showed shadows of someone lying inside.

“……”

I took slow steps forward.

My eyes caught sight of a whiteboard with a note attached to the door of the infirmary:

Students injured during physical activity should lie on a bed and wait for the nurse to arrive!

“……”

Something about it was out of place.

‘So, that’s it.’

This was the clue that had led me to write a continuing exploration log for this ghost story.

It came from the twelfth exploration log left by the previous explorer.

----------------------------------------

Exploration Record #12

Assistant Manager Kang Jiwoo entered the infirmary and placed an injured colleague (Supervisor Park Cha-on) on an empty bed, following the instructions.

Nothing significant to report.

Afterwards, all were killed by the student entity that chased them into the infirmary. Clear.

----------------------------------------

From the moment I read it, I suspected there was an overlooked detail.

‘The previous writer seemed to have left this intentionally.’

Explorers in this ghost story are presented as ‘outsiders’—as students from another school.

In other words…

– What if they had placed a real Sekwang Technical High School student on the bed instead?

That question sparked the imagination that drove me to write the thirteenth exploration log.

‘Writing it was thrilling.’

Even now, my heart raced—whether from tension, fear, or anticipation, I wasn’t sure.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the curtain to the only bed without a shadow.

On the clean, makeshift bed, I carefully placed the student.

In my mind, I could see the words I had written in my own exploration log overlapping with this moment.

----------------------------------------

Exploration Record #13

[…]

Employee ■■■ successfully lured an injured student entity with the help of a civilian.

After binding the entity, they entered the infirmary and placed it on a bed.

The name tag was not removed during the process.

----------------------------------------

The student was limp but could have moved their joints awkwardly if I had forced them to.

I covered them with a blanket, then stepped out of the infirmary.

Leaning against the bloody hallway wall, I waited for several seconds, my heart pounding.

‘After this…’

After a brief wait, I knocked lightly on the infirmary door and reentered.

Inside, I would find the injured student entity lying on the bed in gym clothes, having received proper first aid.

And that’s exactly what I saw.

“……”

A feeling of awe—or perhaps fear—overwhelmed me as I approached the only bed with its curtain undrawn.

The bleached-haired student I had brought lay on the bed, now dressed in gym clothes.

Bandages and splints had been applied, and he didn’t even look in my direction.

‘At this point…’

In the original exploration record, it was noted that ‘the discovery was made while thoroughly searching the surroundings’.

Slide.

I opened the drawer beside the bed without hesitation.

Inside was a neatly folded school uniform.

[Sekwang Technical High School]

It belonged to the student lying in the bed.

The buttons were loose, and some parts were frayed, but strangely, the uniform was clean, with no blood or stains.

‘Hah.’

My heart pounded fiercely.

Without looking back at the student lying on the bed, I grabbed a sheet of A4 paper from the infirmary and wrote:

I’ll just borrow your uniform for a bit.

– Transfer student who brought you here

Folding the paper neatly, I placed it in the drawer where the uniform had been. In its place, I took out the uniform.

“……”

Turning my head, I saw the student lying on the bed, still dressed in gym clothes, with his eyes closed.

He looked as if they were in a deep, peaceful sleep.

‘It worked.’

I quickly began to undress.

I threw my old high school uniform out the infirmary window and started putting on the ‘borrowed’ Sekwang Technical High School uniform.

Luckily, our builds were similar, and it fit reasonably well.

Once I finished donning the old-style school uniform—

Drrk—

“……”

I heard the sound of a drawer opening behind me.

Turning back, I saw that a reply had appeared on the note I left inside the drawer.

What grade and class are you in?

“……”

Swallowing hard, I wrote down the same profile I had scribbled on the back of my old high school photo to prepare for this moment.

The name of the class where I first woke up.

Class 1-5.

The instant I wrote that—

The entire world plunged into darkness.

“……!”

A total blackout enveloped me, but as my eyes adjusted, faint outlines of the world began to emerge.

Emergency lights, LED clock faces—dim glimmers just enough to distinguish the school’s infirmary from complete void.

And then—

Tap, tap.

“……!”

Something tapped my shoulder.

I turned around.

The student, who had been sitting idly on the bed, was now lightly tapping my shoulder.

The bleached-haired student casually retracted his hand and began moving.

Yes, naturally.

With movements far too human, he took the A4 paper and pen from my hands with his bandaged arm and quickly scribbled something before handing it back to me.

Transfer student, huh? Tough luck.

And then, he lay back down on the bed as if to resume sleeping, every motion eerily natural.

“……”

With a grim expression, I stood and left the infirmary.

Slide.

The world was still dark.

But strangely, everything seemed unnervingly clear—as though I could see even the dust floating in the air.

It felt like a peculiar certainty radiated from the uniform, taking root in my mind.

“……”

Walking down the hallway, I bent to pick up the name tag I had dropped outside the infirmary earlier and tucked it into my pocket.

[■■■]

The name tag now glowed strangely, far more than before.

Even in this dark, bloodied, and filthy environment, an odd calmness pervaded me.

But then—

Something appeared in the distance.

“……!”

From Class 2-7, shapes began to emerge, peeking out.

The silhouettes were human.

But their entire bodies squirmed grotesquely, as if pixelation errors in a video game had manifested in real life—ghastly creatures out of a horror movie.

Their decaying forms, clad in what barely resembled school uniforms, looked like glitched-out abominations, errors not meant to exist in this world.

And the moment they noticed me—

“……!”

I froze.

A sensation like my insides flipping surged within me.

Flicker.

“……!!”

Suddenly, like lightning, the world became blindingly bright.

Instinctively, I dashed forward.

Those glitch-like monsters, blinded by the intense light, couldn’t seem to look at me. Their movements slowed to a crawl.

This was my chance to finish them!

“……”

‘No.’

I forced myself to stop.

I suppressed the urge to chase them down. The sweetness of the candy rolling on my tongue brought me back to my senses.

And then—

Flicker.

Once again, the world turned pitch black.

When my eyes met theirs again—

They were already far away, sluggishly retreating down the hallway to the opposite stairwell.

Leaving me behind.

“……”

My entire body was drenched in sweat.

My clenched fists trembled as if I had narrowly survived an overwhelming addiction.

But I could endure it.

I had read about this moment in the logs, after all.

There was no confusion.

I had merely confirmed what I already knew.

‘So that’s how it works.’

Did you notice?

The monsters I had just seen—they were the explorers.

The ones dragged into this ghost story, just like me, until moments ago.

‘And now I…’

If an explorer dons the uniform of Sekwang Technical High School with the permission of a student, they can take on the role of a student in this ghost story.

I was now a student of Sekwang Technical High School.

Chapter 79 - [Within the Shadow of Darkness], IIX

Exploration Record #13, which I had added.

– If you acquire and wear a school uniform in the proper manner, you will be treated as a student.

This is, in truth, a rather groundbreaking concept.

Handled incorrectly, it could distort the original essence of the ghost story.

The school ghost story.

Monsters that only move when unobserved.

‘Within the Shadow of Darkness’, which was built by remixing these two classic tropes, originally adhered to the theme of classic ‘fear of the pursued’.

A nightmare in which familiar places and people turn into incomprehensible horrors that chase you down until you’re dead.

However, as exploration records accumulated beyond ten entries, a subtle build-up began to emerge.

‘It’s the kind of thing that adds the fun of imagining a more specific backstory to the world.’

----------------------------------------

Exploration Record #05

Text found on the blackboard :

Avoid the teacher. The teacher is (the rest of the text was crudely erased).

----------------------------------------

In this way, bits of foreshadowing steadily piled up.

For twelve entries, it had only been accumulating, and the story had gained enough popularity to make it seem like it would keep ‘accumulating’ indefinitely.

‘That sort of thing gets frustrating after a while.’

It becomes difficult to sustain the original theme of fear born from gaps in information.

But then, a thought occurred.

‘If I could explore as an insider, as a student, wouldn’t it add the thrill of retrieving all these clues?’

The thirteenth exploration record I wrote aligned with what the creators of the ghost story had been craving.

Thus, the ghost story of ‘Within the Shadow of Darkness’ reached a new turning point.

From mid-to-late explorations onward, all the eerie foreshadowing scattered throughout the logs would be retrieved, revealing shocking twists.

The latter half was filled with deeper, more story-driven exploration records.

It was a remarkable experience to witness indirectly.

Seeing the seeds I had sown grow into a larger, new story through the contributions of many others.

‘But to actually experience it myself…’

Right.

I planned to encounter the very climax of that story a little earlier than expected.

‘Let’s go.’

Dressed as a student, I walked down the dark hallway on the third floor of Sekwang Technical High School.

In the distance, I saw ‘monsters’ full of fear slowly disappearing around the corners of the hallway.

The urge to chase them surged and then subsided.

‘Huu.’

Strangely, existing in this school as a student felt comfortable.

It felt like I was standing where I belonged.

This only intensified the rejection and destructive impulse I felt when witnessing those alien ‘monsters’ roaming the school.

Especially.

[A death has occurred in Class 2-2.]

When I first heard that announcement, my heart sank.

A bittersweet sadness and a chilling emptiness.

And a sense of duty to uncover the cause of the accident!

[Please observe a moment of silence for five seconds.]

I wanted nothing more than to sprint through the now-brightly lit school, eagerly eliminating the source of this error and ‘observing silence’.

But…

‘I’m not really a student.’

I must not forget.

Kim Soleum has many tasks to accomplish.

First, I had to go up to the fourth floor.

I stepped onto the stairs.

‘Ah.’

Huh?

The classroom of Class 1-5, which I belong to, is on the second floor.

It seems there’s no reason to go up to the third floor.

A thought that popped up like a notification.

“……”

This is why students were described as ‘rarely leaving their assigned floors’.

Of course, I wasn’t bound by that restriction.

I was only borrowing the uniform, not a true student of this school.

‘Huuu.’

I resumed walking.

Step by step.

[4F]

Before the blinding ‘light of silence’ that filled the hallway disappeared completely, I reached the fourth floor.

The place was dark, with flickering lights and shattered bulbs.

The floor that had once been filled with dozens of mannequin-like students staring lifelessly was now…

Alive.

“……!”

The students now exchanged lively glances, gestured at one another, and silently chatted among themselves.

I bit my tongue to ensure I made no sound.

Students of Sekwang Technical High School had no voices.

If I spoke to them in my normal voice while wearing this borrowed uniform, I would ■■■ ■■■■.

Afterward, I would wake up and regain consciousness.

To think that I would end up bound by the very sentences I had written.

I walked through the crowd of students who occasionally glanced at me indifferently or smiled awkwardly when our eyes met.

Don’t appear awkward…

‘Act natural…’

I passed a corner in the hallway and stopped right before the stairs near the faculty office for the third years.

A small iron door stood there.

[Faculty Storage]

It was an ordinary storage area typically used to keep cleaning supplies in schools.

And right in front of it, five or six students were gathered in a tight circle.

If I weren’t wearing Sekwang Technical High School’s uniform, I would have never been able to approach such a densely packed group.

‘But now, I can.’

I stepped forward.

The students looked at me with puzzled expressions.

Why has a first-year come all the way up here?

Their expressions seemed to ask that very question.

I pulled out an A4 sheet of paper I had brought from the infirmary and wrote slowly.

Seniors asked me to fetch a ladder from the storage room.

May I take it with me?

One of the students chuckled, took my pen, and wrote a reply.

ok lolol

Clink.

When I looked up, another student was already holding a set of keys and shaking them in front of me.

I took the key bundle.

Using the key labeled ‘4F Storage’, I unlocked the storage room and stepped inside.

A place only students could enter.

Creaaak.

The light reflecting through the gap in the door stabbed at my eyes.

Inside, various objects shimmered, as if radiating their own presence.

Much like the nametag Jang Heo-un had given me.

‘Damn.’

As expected, the sight was even more bizarre and eye-catching than I had imagined.

After carefully shutting the storage room door, I immediately reached out toward the objects…

It seems I can’t take this item yet.

Ignoring the thought that popped into my mind like a notification, I rummaged through the shimmering items—buckets, mops, small whiteboards—and finally found what I was looking for.

“……”

It was a decorative brooch.

A somewhat clumsy-looking decoration made by laminating thick paper, as if handcrafted by an amateur.

Obtained a ‘Name Tag Decoration’!

Name Tag Decoration : A flower decoration that says ‘Congratulations on Your Graduation’. It seems to be modeled after Sekwang Technical High School’s official flower, the azalea.

Perhaps it’s intended as a gift for graduates?

I tucked the glittering ‘Name Tag Decoration’ into my pocket.

‘Got it.’

I now had the essential item to ‘attack’ this ghost story.

I continued exploring places that only students could access, verifying whether the information I knew from the exploration records matched reality.

I borrowed a book from the library, tapped on the piano keys in the music room…

‘If anything was even slightly off, it would be better to die and wake up quickly.’

Fortunately, everything aligned perfectly.

‘…Good.’

During this process, I avoided going to the fifth floor, where the ‘graduation ceremony preparation hall’ was located.

It wasn’t time yet.

‘When will the notification come?’

Taking a tense breath, I waited slowly…

And then.

₩uc544₩uc544₩uc544₩uc545₩u0021₩u0021₩u0020₩uc800₩ub9ac₩u0020₩uac00₩u0021₩u0021₩u0020₩uc800₩ub9ac₩u002e₩u002e₩u002e

A tremendous roar struck my ears.

“……!”

Would this be what a sound glitch feels like?

It was like the noise of hundreds of people scratching their nails against chalkboards—a maddening cacophony!

And I knew what it was.

‘…The monsters!’

The voices of explorers, who appeared as glitched monsters to me, were unmistakable!

The deafening noise of whatever they were saying to each other downstairs pounded not just my ears but my brain.

A powerful urge enveloped me.

‘So this is why they chased noisy ones first!’

At the very least, I wanted to eliminate the sound…

‘……! Calm down, calm down…’

I suppressed the overwhelming urge and refrained from running down the stairs.

Instead, I took a few seconds to quell my impulses.

‘Now, let’s move.’

Once I was fully composed, I proceeded carefully and checked the monsters at the far end of the fourth-floor hallway.

The monsters were confronting a student.

No, the situation was almost over.

The student was lying immobile on the ground, unable to move.

Yet, the monsters weren’t all retired.

‘Damn.’

I prepared myself.

One monster was still intact.

It stared at the student lying on the ground before turning to look at me.

And it stopped me in my tracks.

……

I saw it from a distance.

The monster that froze me in place.

Its face, horrifyingly melted, resembled a grotesque figure smeared like pixels.

But one thing was different from the other monsters.

‘It’s wearing a mask.’

And the mask was…

A goral!

‘…Go Yeongeun!’

“Wow.”

I’m the only one left.

Go Yeongeun caught her breath and leaned against the hallway wall.

In front of her lay (probably) the last student on this third floor, immobilized on the ground.

It seemed to still be alive, but she had no intention of killing it.

‘If I kill this one, there’ll be another blackout, and more will swarm in… ha.’

The civilians she had been escorting were all already dead.

‘At least the last three had nametags with them when they died…’

According to company protocol, even if someone dies, they can live their daily lives in reality.

Still, it was unsettling that the liquid in the Dream Essence Collector only refilled when a ‘nametag’ was obtained.

‘…Something’s definitely up.’

Go Yeongeun had somewhat given up on collecting nametags meticulously for a high-grade clear.

Instead, she subtly shared information about them with her companions and divided what she had.

And those people had just all died.

‘Ugh…’

Having worked at this company long enough to grow accustomed to gore-filled carnage, monsters, and ghosts, she wasn’t overwhelmed.

After all, she’d completed anatomy studies and cadaver practice without any trouble during her time at med school, so she’d always been strong-willed.

‘Thank goodness they didn’t actually die for real…’

She had become so desensitized that even thoughts like this came naturally now.

‘…Should I go upstairs now?’

Just as Go Yeongeun decided to catch her breath and start moving again—

Flicker.

“……!!”

Beyond the hallway…

Another ‘student’ appeared.

They were tall, wearing the somewhat disheveled uniform of Sekwang Technical High School, giving off the atmosphere of a delinquent.

‘Ha.’

Wow…

I can’t take this anymore!

‘Let’s just go.’

Surely, lasting this long should be enough to avoid any issues in her performance review.

Go Yeongeun felt so worn out that she wanted to rip off the ultra-powerful headlamp strapped to her head.

She was ready to wake up from this wretched nightmare…

Flicker.

…Wait?

‘H-Hold on.’

Under the dim light, she caught a glimpse of the student’s features.

Their face was calm, sharp, and composed.

“…Mr. Roe Deer?”

It was Kim Soleum.

At first, she thought it might be a lookalike student.

But even though they looked slightly younger than the face she was used to seeing, it was unmistakably them.

It was really Kim Soleum.

A chill ran down Go Yeongeun’s spine.

‘W-Wait a second…!’

What kind of situation was this?

Could it be?

If certain conditions were met in this ghost story, would someone get ‘corrupted’ and end up like this?

Turned into a student monster?

“Ah…”

Having worked for months, she knew enough about ghost story contamination to feel a surge of terror.

But in the next moment, she resolved herself.

‘I need to confirm this.’

If she woke up now and something had truly gone wrong, she would hate herself for running away.

‘It’s fine if I die and wake up from the dream anyway.’

Determined, she approached the hallway, trying not to blink both eyes at once.

The closer she got to the student standing still, the more certain she became that it was Kim Soleum.

‘…Even the rabbit plushie is gone.’

The keychain plushie he usually carried wasn’t with him, leaving Go Yeongeun with a strange mix of bitterness and sorrow as she moved closer.

Flicker.

The light flickered, but the flashlight secured on her head saved her from any trouble.

‘Just a little closer.’

She drew nearer.

But then—

Thud.

Suddenly, a burst of blinding light pierced Go Yeongeun’s eyes.

“……!!”

Her vision vanished temporarily.

The source was a flashlight in Kim Soleum’s hand.

It was set to flash a few seconds after being activated, momentarily blinding whoever approached.

Go Yeongeun couldn’t tell exactly what object had caused it, but she quickly grasped the situation.

‘A trap?! Set in advance?!’

A sudden wave of dizziness hit her, but she composed herself quickly.

‘It can’t be helped.’

What frustrated her was not understanding the strange situation in full.

But there wasn’t much time to dwell on it. The monsters were insanely fast.

In the next moment, she would die…

“……??”

She didn’t die.

There was no pain or the floating sensation of waking up from a dream.

…She was fine!

‘What?’

As her eyes adjusted to the aftereffects of the flash, Go Yeongeun looked up at the ‘student’ in confusion and froze them with her gaze.

……

Kim Soleum, wearing the Sekwang Technical High School uniform, wasn’t looking at Go Yeongeun.

Instead, he was staring at the floor.

‘The floor?’

Go Yeongeun stepped back slightly, aligning her view to see both Kim Soleum and the floor simultaneously.

“……!”

On the floor, words had appeared.

An A4 sheet of paper had been laid down, and writing was scrawled on it.

Ms. Goral?

“GAAAHHHH!!”

Chapter 80 - [Within the Shadow of Darkness], IX

Alright. Let’s sort through this.

The monster in front of me…

That grotesque figure with its pixelated, distorted appearance, was undoubtedly my colleague, Go Yeongeun.

The goral mask was clearly visible, after all.

‘I feel bad for blasting that high-powered flashlight in her face…’

Clenching my teeth, I tried to focus on the mask instead of my sense of revulsion.

The problem was that normal communication was impossible!

I couldn’t speak, nor could I properly hear what the other person was saying…

There’s no way we can talk anyway!

If that’s the case, might as well kick her out of the school.

The urge to destroy everything surged up to my throat like bitter bile…

‘Ugh.’

It felt like my head was filled with errors.

This was driving me crazy.

Unable to think of another way to communicate, I eventually pulled a pen out of my pocket and, avoiding looking at her directly, wrote on the floor.

Ms. Goral?

Then, I waited in silence.

The moment ‘Go Yeongeun’ turned her gaze toward me, I froze.

A reply appeared on the A4 paper on the floor.

Mr. Roe Deer?? Are you self-aware? Can you act independently?

‘Phew.’

Good.

I looked at the monster—no, ‘Go Yeongeun’—and wrote a response.

Yes, I can. Don’t worry, I’m not contaminated. Although I imagine even a contaminated person might say something like this, so I’m concerned about how it sounds… This is all part of this ghost story’s gimmick.

A gimmick?

Yes.

How should I explain this?

‘In this case, it’s probably best to go straight to the point.’

Knowing that the colleague in front of me was clearly intelligent, I decided to forego roundabout explanations and write the direct answer instead.

The solution to this ghost story that all the foreshadowing in its lore pointed toward.

This is a school where a horror game has become reality.

<Within the Shadow of Darkness>.

The name registered in the wiki for this ghost story,

And the cause of all the events happening in this nightmare version of Sekwang Technical High School.

Hints about it can be found in exploration records that uncover the lore in the faculty office and certain classrooms.

----------------------------------------

Item Confiscation List (Month of ■■, Day ■■) :

Game Console

When obtained from the first-year faculty office and turned on, a pixelated image of the school at night briefly appears on the screen before it shuts off.

Memo in the top-right corner of the blackboard in Class 3-2 :

That’s supposed to be the teacher?

Notebook found on the floor of the music room :

There’s a small doodle in the corner.

– Why am I in school after waking up? (A sketch of a surprised puppy.) Graduation ceremony prep? What does that even mean? It’s May right now!

----------------------------------------

And various other notes and items.

If you search the bag of the student whose console was confiscated, you can even find an empty game case with a plot summary written on the back.

The day before graduation.

Students supporting the graduation ceremony preparations at ■■■■ High School spend the night at school.

Of course, the preparations are mostly an excuse, and the students enjoy the atmosphere of a nighttime camp.

New couples form, best friends argue, and someone’s secrets are exposed…

Then, the school broadcast comes on.

[The graduation ceremony has begun.]

[To penalize students who did not attend, the teacher is now leaving the auditorium.]

The bloody graduation ceremony begins.

Can they escape the nightmare school unscathed?

That’s how it becomes evident.

This ghost story is about a horror game that devoured a real school, forcing it to replay the events of the game as a nightmare.

That’s why the students don’t speak.

‘Because it’s a game without voice acting.’

That’s why the third-year students on the fourth floor can’t leave their spots.

‘Because the main game hasn’t started yet.’

That’s why the students can’t move when explorers are watching.

‘…It’s a bug that wasn’t part of the original game.’

In fact, the explorers weren’t even official participants in the game.

‘We’re not playing the game at all.’

We were dragged in after attempting to glimpse the game’s story through an unofficially downloaded text file…

‘Huu.’

Of course, I didn’t explain all of this in full detail to my colleague.

I only shared hints and conveyed the core logic.

Here’s the point.

I obtained a student uniform in an unusual way and tried becoming a participant in this horror game. For now, it seems to be working.

A game? Oh, it sounds like that one! The horror game where you’re trapped in school the night before White Day!

But isn’t becoming a participant in the ghost story’s game even more dangerous? Especially since you don’t know what might happen if you keep wearing that uniform for too long.

Go Yeongeun’s writing started off energetic but became rushed and frantic toward the end.

It was a reasonable concern.

You’re right. If it gets dangerous, I’ll stop right away.

I also planned to run for it if things didn’t go as expected.

But so far, things were proceeding exactly as I had anticipated…

Still, this might turn out to be the most definitive clear route we can document in the manual.

I’m going to give it a try.

After a brief silence—

Alright, then. I trust you, Mr. Roe Deer. You’ve always been strong against ghost stories…

“……”

Seriously, it’s just a misunderstanding…

Still, please don’t do anything too dangerous.

I’d like that too, but things in life rarely go as planned…

Ah, then, if we stay here together, other students might grow suspicious of you, so I’ll take my leave.

Huuuh?

Please, be careful!

That was the last thing she wrote.

The moment I was unfrozen, I saw Go Yeongeun slowly walking away down the hallway, turning her back to me.

W-Wait a second, Yeongeun-ssi…!

‘I still have things to ask you!’

Please help me!

I hurriedly caught up to her, lightly tapped her back, and hastily wrote out a new note.

Excuse me, Ms. Goral, there’s something I need to ask you.

It’s probably specialized knowledge only you can answer.

Sure! Feel free to ask!

Thankfully, Go Yeongeun turned back and kindly agreed to answer.

Whew!

Grateful, I quickly scribbled out my question.

Can you tell me where each organ is located in the human body?

What??

A-Ack.

Fortunately, Go Yeongeun didn’t cut me off right then and there…

She simply asked me multiple questions about work, accounting, and other real-world details, calmly and sternly verifying whether I was in my right mind.

Once she was convinced that I wasn’t completely contaminated or some science-lab student with a morbid fascination for anatomy, she became kind again.

Alright! I’ll answer as best I can haha

Thank you… hiiic.

And so, I spent the remaining time engaging in an intense Q&A session with Go Yeongeun.

Thanks to her, I was able to finish my ‘clear preparations’ in a safer and more certain way than I had expected.

Then, good luck.

I’ll do my best. Thank you!

…Hmm.

I added one last comment, just in case.

If you plan to stay in this dream for a while longer, it might be best to stick to the first floor.

Because soon, the true ‘Within the Shadow of Darkness’ will begin.

“……”

And with that,

After seeing off Go Yeongeun a few minutes later—

[Ding- dong- daeng- dong-]

[The graduation ceremony has begun.]

A new broadcast echoed.

…Just as I had written in my thirteenth exploration record.

----------------------------------------

Exploration Record #13

Elapsed time wearing Sekwang Technical High School’s uniform : 2 hours and 13 minutes.

A new school broadcast emerged, one not described in prior logs.

Its content matches the plot summary on the back of the game case of ‘Within the Shadow of Darkness’.

----------------------------------------

I went up to the fourth floor.

The countless third-year students who had filled the hallway there…

Had all disappeared.

“……”

The empty fourth-floor hallway resonated with the broadcast.

[To penalize students who did not attend, the teacher is now leaving the auditorium.]

Just as I had written in my exploration record.

The main storyline of the horror game began to unfold.

It was becoming real.

“……”

I swallowed hard.

The atmosphere in the school changed completely.

The previously comforting sense of belonging as a student had been replaced with an oppressive, unsettling tension.

No—

I could actually hear the BGM right now…!

The haunting 8-bit game music descended upon my ears in sharp, eerie minor tones.

And then, a pop-up appeared.

Something feels off.

Before it’s too late, let’s look for the other students.

‘No.’

I wouldn’t do that.

I knew a faster route and steeled my resolve.

First, I would…

‘Hide.’

I ran toward the third-year faculty office.

Hiding inside a locker there was the standard move…

#>< ₩uc774₩uc74₩u0020₩uc528#₩ubc1c₩u0020₩ub300#₩uccb4₩u0020₩ubb50₩uc57c₩u003f₩u003f

<#

“……!!”

Again.

‘A monster!’

Rejecting the deafening, ear-splitting noise, I quickly slipped inside the faculty office locker.

The problem was that one of the monsters had been in a classroom next to the office on the fourth floor.

The monster hesitated as it opened the door and stepped out, then looked directly at me.

At my shadowed face behind the locker’s door.

‘…It looks like it’s wearing a mask.’

I couldn’t move my face to get a better look, but the limited view through the locker door made it hard to discern what kind of mask it was.

‘At any rate, they’re definitely one of our company employees.’

The sheer number of nametags they had collected made it almost impossible to recognize them as a glitch, thanks to the light emanating from them.

‘…Wait a second.’

Light?

If it’s that conspicuous…

Step.

“……”

Over there.

I could hear faint and heavy noises from upstairs.

Specifically, the sound of something large walking with small, deliberate footsteps.

StepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStep

It’s coming down, right now— right now!!

…’The teacher’ is!!

‘Damn it.’

The fear was overwhelming. I held my breath.

But the glitch, possibly attracted to my nametag, quickly moved toward me, despite my stillness…

‘Can’t they hear it??’

No, of course they can’t. They’re not players in the game!

‘The glitch doesn’t even recognize the teacher! They won’t be attacked by the teacher at all…!’

That’s part of the game’s rules—it doesn’t acknowledge the start of the game.

However…

Important Note.

In this game,

One way the ‘entity’—the teacher—recognizes players is through their nametags.

But since explorers are essentially glitches themselves, having just one or two nametags doesn’t typically register them as players.

In other words, unless an explorer gets overly greedy, they don’t usually get caught.

…For example.

By collecting a ridiculous number of nametags, a symbol of players.

Step.

I remained frozen, holding my breath.

The glitch approached my locker and grabbed the door.

Then it pulled—

S L A S H

A massive, sharp metal plate slammed down on the masked glitch.

Its mangled form split apart.

Thunk.

Blood splattered across my face.

Right in front of me, separated by the locker door, the vertically bisected form of a bespectacled employee fell to the ground.

The glitch, now reduced to a corpse, lost its pixelated distortion, returning to a human body.

When an explorer—a glitch—remains in the school until the game starts and gets discovered by the teacher, they are eliminated.

‘……Oh.’

I knew that face.

It was one of the supervisors newly assigned to the D-squad.

He would be eliminated in reality, too.

He just died.

“……”

StepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStep

The ‘teacher’ left the faculty office.

While dragging the supervisor’s lifeless body across the floor.

“……!”

I covered my mouth with my hands.

It was the first time I had seen someone from my team dismembered right before my eyes.

‘Stay calm.’

Nothing you do now will change what’s happened.

What you must do next also won’t change…

“……”

Kim Soleum.

Do you remember?

How explorers, before the exploration record you wrote, used to collect high-value items like nametags to make their presence stronger in the game or survive longer.

‘It’s an exploit.’

So, what does a proper player need to do to truly ‘clear’ the game?

‘……They have to see the ending.’

And in most games, the ending…

Happens after the final boss battle.

“……”

The time had come.

…The time to stop being a coward.

‘Let’s go.’

I pulled out a tattoo sticker with a tomato tree design.

With trembling hands, I slapped it on my neck.

Chapter 81 - [Within the Shadow of Darkness], X

The tattoo stickers.

It was something I got as freebies from the <Moonlight Tattoo Shop>.

– Are there any designs related to courage or boldness—symbols of fearlessness?

In response to that question, the tattoo artist recommended a design of a tomato tree…

And that design was preserved as stickers.

This is the tattoo I’m currently sticking on my neck.

“……”

To be honest, it had some of the effects I expected.

It felt like the fear-processing part of my brain was paralyzed, making paranormal occurrences less frightening.

Just like the D-squad… Right.

…Just like Assistant Manager Eun Haje and Supervisor Park Minseong before me.

Their guts seemed so out of place it felt like their bravery bordered on recklessness as they fearlessly explored these supernatural horrors.

But.

“……?”

Inside the locker, I blinked.

‘It… doesn’t seem to have much effect, does it?’

I recalled the students who had chased me earlier.

Absolutely terrifying.

I thought about the crazy red bunny mascot I encountered in the theme park ghost story.

It sent shivers down my spine.

I thought about the ghost who pretended to be human, sobbing and knocking on the door in the changgwi ghost story.

‘…Terrifying!!’

No matter what I thought of, it chilled me.

‘C-Could this be a scam?’

Or maybe I applied the sticker wrong? After all, I’ve never used a tattoo sticker before, so I wouldn’t know.

But either way, it wasn’t something I could verify right now.

“……”

Shit.

Either way, I still had to proceed as planned.

Now that the ‘teacher’ had vanished from the fourth floor, this was my chance.

‘They must have gone downstairs.’

In the end, I swallowed hard and stepped out of the locker.

…Of course, the sight before me would be gruesome.

The bloodstains and flesh chunks of the newly assigned D-squad supervisor—who had just died—would be scattered, so I braced myself as I stepped out…

……

“……?”

‘Tomato?’

Wait a second.

I quickly left the faculty office and headed up to the fifth floor.

There…

The very reason I avoided the fifth floor was laid bare before me.

AAAACK!

The walls of the fifth floor were now plastered with pages from old graduation albums.

And the students in the photos wore agonized expressions, their arms reaching out toward the outside world.

AAAACK!

Beyond the torn fragments of the graduation album, writhing chunks of flesh were visible.

The fifth floor itself was a source of immense psychological burden and panic for anyone who entered.

It looked less like a school and more like a grotesquely twisted alternate reality.

The places where light fixtures should have been pulsated with a red glow.

But…

Tomatoes, huh.

Ha.

Hahaha!

‘No, what? This is crazy!’

Where there should have been human heads, there were tomatoes attached!

No, it wasn’t like they didn’t seem human.

The people in the graduation album photos? They still looked like people. Faces distorted in pained screams!

But somehow, they just felt like tomatoes.

It made no logical connection to fear, and this rational voice transformed directly into an emotional reaction.

Yeah, that’s exactly how it felt…

Like nothing at all.

‘Hahaha…’

As I walked further down the hallway, the graduation albums went further back in time, and the graduates melted into even more grotesque and inhuman forms, solidifying into the walls.

The walls and ceiling pulsed with strange talismans and chunks of flesh.

And voices.

I’msorryI’msorryI’msorryfortearingupthetalismanIdugupintheschoolbackyard.Iwaspreparingforthegraduationceremonyof■■School.I’msorry…No,no!Thegraduationceremonyisnotaritual,it’snotasacrifice,no!!Pleasesaveme,pleasesav

This is all just game lore.

Hearing it now wouldn’t change anything.

I walked down the hallway feeling almost cheerful, as though I were on a casual stroll.

Everything being tomatoes made it a little amusing.

And at the end of the hallway, I stopped in front of a massive door to the right.

A neat teal-colored iron door.

It was the only thing maintaining its original form in this grotesque fifth-floor maze.

It was the door to the auditorium.

The place where this game’s final chapter would unfold.

Graduation Ceremony In Session>

Graduates only. Please knock before entering.

I read the printed note on A4 paper.

Am I not considered a graduate since I’m set as a first-year in Class 5?

‘This kind of thing is just a gimmick activated by an item though.’

And I already have it.

Something you’d normally acquire only after fully playing through the game and reaching the final chapter.

Would you like to use the ‘Nametag Ornament’?

Of course.

Knock, knock.

I pinned the nametag ornament to my chest and knocked on the auditorium door.

Then the massive door before me slid open smoothly.

“……”

Hundreds of third-year students sitting in hundreds of seats turned to look at me.

This year’s graduates.

They were partially melted and fused with their chairs, black ink-like tears streaming from their eyeless faces.

And yet…

I felt no emotion beyond pity.

In this situation, that’s all I should feel.

‘They can’t harm me anyway.’

Irrational fear had been replaced with tomatoes, and I walked along the path between the chairs.

Toward the giant stage on the opposite side, adorned with a graduation ceremony banner.

Step, step.

The graduates turned their heads to stare at me expressionlessly as I walked past them.

I ascended the stage.

Grabbing the standing microphone installed in the center, I shouted:

“Let the graduation ceremony begin.”

[Ding- dong- daeng- dong-]

As if on cue, bright and grandiose event music began to play in response to my declaration.

The graduation march starts to play…

At that moment—

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Screams erupted in the auditorium.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

As if peeling away a façade, the intact appearance of the auditorium was stripped away, revealing its grotesque and distorted true form.

The horrific scenes I had witnessed in the fifth-floor hallway emerged before me.

As if in a final outburst of fury, the imagery seemed to lash out, eager to punish the one disrupting its order—me.

But it didn’t faze me.

After all, everything looked like tomatoes.

And the greater danger was just about to begin.

‘It’s coming.’

The sound of crazed footsteps storming up from below to forcibly drag the student who dared to start the graduation ceremony without permission back to their seat.

StepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStepStep

The sound of footsteps barreling upward.

‘The teacher is coming.’

It was fine.

‘I’ve done everything I needed to before it arrives.’

I pulled a stick-type auto-injector from my pocket and jabbed it into my arm.

Happy Maker.

The ultra-potent, single-use painkiller injected its neon-colored liquid into my veins with an artificial, cheerful wave.

A wave of comforting and refreshing vigor coursed through my body, light as air.

As if it were a lie.

‘Good.’

Simultaneously, I popped two Nostalgia Candies into my mouth.

Take no more than three at a time!

Nostalgia might overwhelm you and drag you under!

I even followed the dosage instructions.

Now, I was in the best and most perfect state imaginable.

‘Whew.’

The time had come.

BANG

Through the crack in the auditorium door, something forced its way in.

trigger warning: blood, gore

The ‘teacher’ reached its deformed hand, fused with a chalkboard, through the gap, tearing apart the metal door itself.

CRRRK-CRACK-CRACK

The door crumpled and fell away.

And there it stood, revealed—

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

A massive humanoid figure.

But only a silhouette.

It looked as though multiple teachers had been crumpled together, stitched, and forcibly shoved back into a mold resembling a human.

A fleshy monstrosity with arms on its head, heads on its shoulders, and shoulders on its knees.

Walking into the auditorium with disturbingly deliberate steps…

StepStepStepStepStep

Chalkboards, textbooks, student rosters, chalk, and glasses haphazardly attached to various body parts swayed with each movement.

Standing on the opposite side of the stage, I observed its grotesque form.

“……”

All I felt was boiling determination.

If I could overcome this, I could return home and fill up the Collector…

‘That’s right.’

This situation didn’t require fear but relentless tenacity.

The tattoo on my neck burned hot, fueling my guts, heart, and mind.

‘Ah.’

Now I understood.

The tattoo sticker’s effect was—

‘Euphoria.’

An overflow of adrenaline.

A surge of exhilaration, driving me to pursue any goal with ferocious intensity.

And paired with the strange perception that turned everything into tomatoes…

‘I can do this.’

Without hesitation, I grabbed the auditorium microphone and stared ahe

S L A S H

I dodged.

Well, I was hit, but instead of losing my head, just half of my right hand was severed.

“……!”

I was a little surprised, but there was no pain.

No mental shock! It felt as if I were watching a tomato being crushed.

The courage to let reason triumph over instinct.

And a burning determination.

‘I’ll succeed no matter what.’

…Did you know?

This horror game isn’t action-based.

While basic gaming reflexes are necessary for chase sequences, the core gameplay revolves around puzzles and deduction.

As the player progresses through the game, they acquire various abilities to use in the final chapter.

To counter the teacher’s attacks, the player must solve puzzles and endure at the microphone until the graduation song concludes.

But as an explorer, such progression was impossible for me.

‘I only borrowed a uniform. I’m not a real student.’

However.

‘I can handle it like this.’

I pulled out my glass handgun and fired.

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

The transparent, small-caliber weapon I received from a Disaster Management Bureau agent worked with decent effect.

A bullet struck the teacher’s shoulder, eliciting a pained scream.

But it didn’t seem to inflict significant damage.

‘Well, it wasn’t exactly top-tier equipment.’

It didn’t matter.

‘The goal was to throw off its aim…!’

S L A S H

The rusty chalkboard slammed into me, severing my left foot.

“……!”

Still, I didn’t move. I just stood there, clutching the microphone.

Blood gushed from my wounds, soaking the stage.

“……”

Right. With human strength alone, it was impossible to evade or overpower that monster’s attacks.

After all, I wasn’t Chief Lizard.

But that didn’t mean there was no way.

‘I just have to stop caring.’

Thunk.

The rest of my right hand disappeared up to the wrist.

Unbothered, I aimed the glass-handled pistol with my left hand and fired again.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

LISTENTOYOURTEACHERAAAAAAHHHHHSITDOWNTHISISTHEGRADUATIONCEREMONYIAMINCHARGEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

And again.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

My left thigh exploded.

I held on.

S L A S H

Both legs were now gone.

‘I’m out of bullets.’

I slid downward, still gripping the standing microphone.

S L A S H

The left hand holding the pistol was severed, but I clung to the microphone stand with the rest of my body.

S L A S H

Using my remaining left elbow, I climbed up the microphone stand.

Blood splattered violently.

“……”

And then…

The graduation music has stopped.

‘Now!’

Just as the ‘teacher’ raised its grotesque chalkboard-hand to strike again.

I shouted into the microphone:

“Congratulations on your graduation!”

……

At that moment.

The auditorium filled with a pixelated holographic shower of flowers.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The monstrous teacher let out a final scream before melting away. The grotesque shapes that had overtaken the auditorium vanished as if consumed by flames.

Even the chairs that had trapped the students…

WAAAAHH!!

The now-liberated third-year students exploded out of the auditorium, racing toward freedom.

Tears of joy and relief streamed from their eyes.

In the original ‘Bad Ending’, they would have all turned into the teacher’s zombified minions, killing any remaining explorers…

‘But this time, the ending is different.’

I looked up.

The curtains of the auditorium drew back, revealing soft yellow and red light streaming in from outside.

Dawn had arrived.

“……”

A popup appeared.

Happy Ending 02

: Graduation of Liberation

So, this is the ending.

Next, an evaluation of my performance during the final chapter appeared below.

Happy Ending 02

: Graduation of Liberation

Score : A

I checked the Dream Essence Collector.

Golden liquid sparkled inside, rich and dazzling, as vibrant as during the Tuesday talk show.

– Grade A or higher.

‘I did it.’

A thrilling sense of accomplishment washed over me.

As I swallowed the last fragment of candy lingering on my tongue, my consciousness began to fade, a smile curling my lips.

Now I would wake up.

No, I would return to myself lying in bed, having successfully cleared the ghost story and escaped!

‘Good.’

I would drift into a restful sleep and wake up in the morning…

……

……

……

…Am I back?

Huh?

The handbook’s still inside my tattoo inventory, it seems! Should I take it out?

Hold on.

Since when have I been hearing this voice?

No, it’s not that I’m hearing it…

I’m the one speaking.

……

Since when.

Has the handbook been in my tattoo this whole time?

Why have I been casually brushing aside the teacher’s intrusive thoughts, treating them as natural?

Why did I suddenly feel indifferent about visiting the Fox Counseling Room after the next exploration, despite previously being concerned about side effects?

Why do I now think of the eerie, incomprehensible entity I once called a ‘Good Friend’ as my most comforting confidant?

Without any inherent unease or sense of caution?

……

……!!!

‘No.’

I can’t allow myself to be consumed now!

But already, my doubts were fading.

As the Nostalgia Candy’s effects wear off, the present version of me was reclaiming its place.

The contamination is creeping in…!!

In the hazy sensation of floating on the edge of wakefulness, I struggled.

‘Kim Soleum!!’

Remember.

Remember!!

You are being contamina…

“Huuuhk!”

Whoa.

“I thought I died.”

I woke up drenched in cold sweat.

A deep sigh of relief escaped my lips.

‘Anyway, I made it.’

But at the same time, a faint chill of unease lingered, as if I’d forgotten something……

– ……

– You’re awake…, Friend.

……

…!!

‘AAACK!’

In a panic, I bolted upright and rescued Braun from beneath my pillow, just before he was about to get squashed flat.

‘That was close.’

“Sorry!”

Then, I flopped back onto the bed, arms spread wide. Exhaustion and comfort overlapped as a grin spread across my face.

Anyway… it seems I’ve made it back safely!

Chapter 82 - A-grade Essence

The morning after clearing a horrific high school ghost story horror game.

Still, the fact that I had to go to work—a reality more haunting than the ghost story itself—meant I was busily preparing to head out.

This time, though, the commute didn’t feel as burdensome.

Because I had something to rely on.

The A-grade liquid filling the Dream Essence Collector.

‘Reassuring.’

I carefully packed the Dream Essence Collector, brimming with golden liquid, into my briefcase.

It was the fruit of my labor from the night before.

Moreover, as I fully rose from bed, I noticed a rather peculiar ‘extra reward’.

Clatter, clatter.

Something that had been covering me spilled onto the floor.

Dozens of… beads?

They were transparent, like they could be loaded into the glass-handled pistol.

I picked one up to examine it closely and read the single Chinese character inscribed within it.

護

This reads as… ‘Hù’, I think?

– Ah, this is a commonly used character symbolizing protection or defense. Fairly straightforward and intuitive.

Ah.

I immediately understood.

‘This is the reward for clearing the game’s final chapter!’

!_ Graduation Ceremony Successfully Completed (2 Deaths, 1 Survivor)

Members of the Field Exploration Team who died as students confirmed to have safely awakened the next morning.

A large number of reward items discovered at the bedside of the sole survivor. (Analyzed to be a type of protective charm with minor effects in exorcism and defense.) -!

In other words, I had brought items from the dream game into reality.

Just like when Baek Saheon swiped that fountain pen item from the faculty office and ran off with it.

“…Hmmm.”

Thinking about that, I stepped out to the entrance.

Baek Saheon’s shoes were already gone.

‘He’s already bolted to work. Figures.’

I’ll catch up with him later.

Anyway, the dozens of glass beads seemed to function as ‘protective charms’ to some extent.

‘I’m sure they’ll come in handy.’

I tucked all the ‘protective charms’ into my tattoo inventory, keeping just one or two in my pocket, then continued preparing for work.

But.

– ……

– ……

A strange silence seemed to hang in the air.

‘…Braun.’

– Oh, calling for me, are you, Friend?

By any chance.

‘Were you… uncomfortable last night?’

The host of the Tuesday Quiz Show, whose stuffing had nearly been flattened because Soleum used him as a pillow…

– Haha, well, it wasn’t exactly the best feeling of my life!

– Anyone would feel a bit slighted if their friend had such a fun and extraordinary experience alone without inviting them…

Oops.

– Ah, but no matter. It seems my friend had a special time of his own while this Braun was having the unique experience of feeling like a waffle!

“……”

Umm…

‘It was a special time indeed.’

– As I thought!

‘The graduation ceremony was quite intense.’

– A graduation ceremony? Did you give a congratulatory speech?

No.

‘The teacher didn’t like my hosting style and attacked me. I had to endure, losing limbs one by one, until it ended safely.’

– Good heavens!

Though initially offended, Braun quickly grew excited as I explained in detail what had transpired in the dream.

I’ll make it up to him later with that… aromatherapy massage-like thing the tattoo artist did in the evening.

– A most commendable attitude, Mr. Roe Deer! I’d love to hear more.

Sure, sure.

On my way to work, I recounted everything that had happened to me.

From being chased by students to becoming one of them myself.

– Hooh!

Finally, as I arrived at the building and began heading up to his office, he ran into a familiar face.

“Soleum-ssi!”

“Ah, Section Chief Lee Byeongjin.”

It was Lee Byeongjin, the manual revision officer Soleum had rescued from the changgwi ghost story.

He lit up at the sight of me.

“So, the entire Field Exploration Team attempted to enter this ghost story with decent item yields this time!”

Ah, so he already knew about my involvement in the high school ghost story.

Well, it’s not surprising. There was even an official directive for the entire Field Exploration Team to attempt entry.

“What happened to your squad, Soleum?”

“Oh, I went in and came back, but… I’m not sure about the others.”

I doubted Chief Lizard managed to enter.

‘If he had, it would’ve definitely been written in the <Dark Exploration Records>.’

Actually, no, they wouldn’t have even bothered recording it. After all, the perfect counter to this ghost story is Lee Jaheon.

‘A pursuit-based ghost story is meaningless for someone who can just destroy everything with brute force…’

There’s no point in ruining the ghost story mechanics.

Even if my involvement caused some butterfly effect during the exploration, I would’ve noticed if Chief Lizard had been part of this expedition.

‘He wasn’t there.’

…And then.

One other member of D-squad…

Didn’t make it out alive.

‘Huu.’

Just as I was about to say it aloud—

“Oh, right. There are only two people left in D-squad now: Squad Leader and you, Supervisor Soleum, right? I guess you didn’t run into each other.”

“…Pardon?”

“Still, it’s a solo mission, huh? Well, at least our company’s future is in capable hands with the talented Supervisor Soleum, ha-ha!”

……

Excuse me?

“Wait a second. When you say there are only two people left in D-squad…”

“Huh? Oh, wasn’t the personnel decision temporarily put on hold?”

The section chief looked at me quizzically.

“You know, D-squad was told to focus on support work this season since the contaminated member might recover. Didn’t you get that notice?”

“……!”

Ah.

In that moment, I realized something.

Supervisor Yoon Johoon.

The newly assigned member.

He had been eliminated as a ‘glitch’ by the ‘teacher’ in the dream…

And was erased in reality as well.

Literally deleted.

As if he had never existed in the first place.

“……”

That’s right.

‘That’s why people mistakenly believe there were no fatalities in this ghost story.’

At worst, they thought people who were ‘retired’ were just dragged back to the school on the next new moon.

Everyone believed this!

Because…

Those who collected a lot of nametags and stubbornly stayed on the higher floors without retiring… were all ‘deleted’.

They became people who had never existed.

…An unnerving ability to manipulate reality.

‘No wonder the essence was rated A-grade.’

It felt as though a deeper darkness was at work here…

A chill ran down my spine.

Objectively, this situation might not seem bad for me.

After all, someone difficult to work with had conveniently disappeared.

But…

‘It’s no different from having their existence erased.’

My stomach churned.

The fact that I was the only one who remembered him felt profoundly strange.

Wait.

‘Why am I the only one who remembers?’

Shouldn’t we all have forgotten?

Could it be because I witnessed his death directly?

Ah!

Or maybe it was because I had eaten the Nostalgia Candy at the time, and its effects shielded me?

Come to think of it, when I ate the Nostalgia Candy, I…

……

……

“S-Soleum-ssi?”

“…Ah. I must have been mistaken about something.”

Anyway, it wasn’t something important, so I decided to refocus on the conversation.

Even if he was from a different team, a superior was still a superior.

At that moment, Section Chief Lee Byeongjin, looking slightly expectant, asked me,

“Oh, by the way, Soleum-ssi, what grade did you clear with? If you show me your collector, I can estimate the liquid concentration and tell you the grade…”

“Ah.”

I readily pulled the collector from my briefcase and showed it to him.

The golden liquid shimmered as it sloshed.

“Here, sir.”

“……”

A silence followed.

“……?!”

Lee Byeongjin hastily wiped his glasses.

“Ha-ha, I must be getting old. My eyesight’s so bad that the light seems to be over-reflecting or someth—?!?”

“Ah.”

I responded with a pleased tone.

“Do you also think it’s A-grade, Section Chief?”

“……”

Lee Byeongjin adjusted his glasses and put them back on.

“……Immediately,”

“……?”

“—Immediately report this! What are you waiting for? Hurry!”

In an instant, I was summoned.

This meant that before I could even report to the D-squad office, the Collector was confiscated by the relevant personnel.

“Goodness!”

The looks from the team—faces screaming ‘It’s you again?’—weren’t exactly welcoming, but I figured it was better than nothing.

And as for the measured grade…

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“Yes, Squad Leader.”

“The liquid you collected from the Darkness last night has been confirmed as A-grade.”

That afternoon, while I was sitting in the office writing my exploration report, Chief Lizard delivered the news without much fanfare.

Up to that point, it was as I had expected.

But it was the next part that was the problem.

“And regarding this exploration, there’s been a request for a one-on-one interview with you.”

“……”

Well, this wasn’t something I could avoid…

The second A-grade.

And this time, it came from an unprecedented ghost story.

‘A-grade in this ghost story was probably only theoretical, a placeholder, right?’

Most yields were either D or F.

Occasionally, someone who lasted long enough while hoarding items and nametags would pull off a C-grade, but that was about it.

The jackpot from a ghost story usually treated as an item-farming zone had now sparked all sorts of chatter from the higher-ups.

But here’s the thing:

‘This is it for this one.’

That was the first clear.

Subsequent attempts to clear it in similar ways yielded liquid one or two grades lower than the same ending (B).

‘That’s just how the game mechanics are.’

If it’s not the first time, it’s just repetition—it doesn’t count as an achievement.

Of course, I didn’t plan to explain all of this, but I’d have to drop enough hints to avoid ridiculous blame later, like: ‘We invested in you, and no more A-grades came out!’

‘Looks like I’ll be running in circles all afternoon…’

Just as I was bracing myself for the inevitable, Chief Lizard spoke again.

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“Yes?”

“Do you not want to do the interview?”

Could I, uh, skip this somehow?

But after a moment of thought, I shook my head.

“No, it’s alright, sir. I’ll do it.”

To avoid some absurd blame game like, ‘You only got the A-grade because you refused to write a proper report!’

“Yes.”

Lee Jaheon didn’t ask twice. Very typical of him.

And so, at the appointed time, I left the D-squad office for the interview.

‘They’re calling me to a higher floor, huh.’

Ascending to the designated 31st floor, I found the meeting room.

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

Hearing the voice granting permission, I cautiously opened the door.

Sunlight poured in through the blinds, casting a solemn atmosphere over the meeting room.

At the center was a massive, black, round-table desk.

But…

“Hmmm.”

The researchers who were supposed to conduct the interview weren’t there.

Instead, sitting alone at the head of the massive desk, was one person.

A woman with deep blue-black hair, dressed impeccably in a three-button suit, looked at me with a kindly expression.

She didn’t seem old, but there was something about her that made it difficult to guess her age.

And on the desk before her was a striking black lacquer nameplate.

Managing Director Cheong Dallae

“……?!”

D-Director??

Wait, why is an executive sitting alone in the meeting room I was called to?

And it wasn’t even that Director Ho who Lee Byeongjin and the A-squad were connected to.

But that surname…

‘I’ve heard it before…’

When Section Chief Lee Byeongjin went missing, his team had speculated about who might replace him.

– The new person they bring in might be… who knows, right? But it’s unlikely it’ll be another one of the same line. Probably someone from Director Cheong’s side.

Director Cheong.

A senior executive from the company’s Development Department, someone I’d never been involved with before, had summoned me!

‘What the hell…’

Of course, even as I panicked internally, I bowed deeply.

Because no matter how shocked I was, I couldn’t forget social etiquette!

“……! It’s an honor to meet you, Managing Director.”

“Good. Nice to meet you too.”

Managing Director Cheong shook my hand and gestured broadly to the row of chairs lined around the round-table desk.

“Go ahead and take a seat.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Where should I sit?

I hesitated for a moment before choosing a spot—not too close to the head of the table but still within reasonable distance for a conversation.

Then, someone who seemed to be from the executive secretary’s office entered the meeting room, placed an unknown set of documents in front of the Managing Director, and left.

I could feel cold sweat forming.

‘What is this situation?’

I couldn’t make sense of it, so I focused on grasping the context first.

“So… Supervisor Soleum, are you still in your twenties?”

“I was born in XX, ma’am.”

“How young. I’ll speak casually, so just relax. This is a good meeting.”

“A good meeting, you say…?”

“I’ve heard a lot about you over time.”

Managing Director Cheong smiled faintly.

“You’ve left quite an impression. If only we had more recruits like you, there’d be no issues with acquiring raw material.”

“Thank you.”

When someone this high up starts praising you, it’s best to just sit politely and listen.

Trying too hard to guess what they want or speaking out of turn could easily backfire.

‘Is this meeting just to commend me and encourage me to write a good A-grade manual? Maybe she’s come all this way to leave a strong impression.’

But then—

“So, Supervisor Soleum.”

The main point came out of nowhere, without warning.

“Do you have any interest in joining an elite squad?”

I nearly choked on my own spit.

“Well…”

“Oh, I know you were offered a position by Section Chief Baek from the A-squad last time, and you declined.”

“……!”

“‘I need to focus on foundational skills and knowledge first’… Good excuse. Well-played.”

Oh, good god.

“That squad… hmm, they care about hierarchy, which is fine, but sometimes their priorities shift, and they put hierarchy above exploration.”

“……”

“It’s not a good look, but hey, being good at playing the game is a skill too, isn’t it? Ha-ha!”

She wasn’t even subtle about pointing out that the A-squad was part of a different faction.

‘I am not going to respond to that, Director…’

I forced a faint smile and nodded lightly.

If I were to take one wrong step here, it would sound like I was gossiping about the A-squad with her.

For a Managing Director, that’s no big deal!

But for a new recruit like me, it’s a surefire way to crash and burn.

Trying to stay composed, I carefully spoke, pretending to struggle with my words.

“Um, I felt that as someone who just joined the company, building a solid foundation was necessary… so I’ve been working hard to learn…”

“Hahaha! That’s fine, that’s fine. I understand this must be a nerve-wracking situation for you, Supervisor Soleum.”

Managing Director Cheong laughed heartily before suddenly turning serious.

“You don’t need to just agree with everything I say. I’m not very fond of sycophants.”

“……”

“Right. I suppose I should phrase this more clearly, don’t you think?”

Managing Director Cheong paused for a moment, as if deep in thought, before closing the folder in front of her and speaking.

“I’m not saying I want to place you in one of the elite squads.”

“……?”

“What I’m asking is if you’d be interested in receiving the same treatment as someone on an elite squad. Or, let me put it another way.”

Managing Director Cheong smiled again.

“What would you think if D-squad became one of the elites?”

“……!!”

“And you get to pick a squad member to bring in, too. Just say the word.”

Holy shit.

Chapter 83 - Elite Squad Offer

Elite squads.

In Daydream Corporation, where the lives of Field Exploration Team members are valued less than B-grade Dream Essence Liquid, being designated as part of an elite squad means you’re finally considered a ‘long-term valuable employee’.

This designation comes with perks: a personal office, a separate salary table, and additional options in the corporate benefits mall.

Most importantly…

If things go south, they assign you a Round-Off Team member to act as a sort of extra life.

While it’s a policy that leaves a bitter taste, there’s no denying it improves survival rates…

And now.

The Development Department Managing Director in front of me was making an offer.

“Currently, there’s a growing initiative to increase the number of elite squads… Wouldn’t it look great if D-squad were one of them?”

She was offering to elevate D-squad itself to elite status.

To keep my current environment intact while drastically improving the treatment and benefits.

“It just happens to fit alphabetically, and it would simplify administrative processes in many ways.”

“……”

“Pick one coworker you’d like to work with. If you prefer, you can prepare a list of two or three candidates.”

Wait a second.

I can’t keep up with the flow of this conversation…

“Thank you, but… why are you making such a significant offer to me?”

To be frank, I’d understand if she wanted to send Squad Leader Lee Jaheon to an elite squad.

As far as I remember, he was already on track for a brief stint as an elite squad leader before being promoted through another route.

But why… did I somehow fit her criteria?

‘It’s strange to bypass the squad leader and make this kind of offer to a new hire.’

Sure, I’d delivered extraordinary results by creating manuals and pulling two A-grade essences, but there were others who cleared ghost stories in similarly unconventional ways.

Their exploration records contributed just as much to the manuals.

And yet, none of them ever heard something like, “We’ll turn your entire squad into an elite team for you~”

‘Weird.’

To anyone, this situation would seem unnatural.

“With all due respect, ma’am, I’m just a new recruit. I’ve been adequately rewarded with points and bonuses for the work I’ve done, and even my rapid promotion has been more than enough…”

“Supervisor Soleum. Have you ever heard the name Yoon Johoon?”

A chill ran down my spine.

I barely managed to keep it from showing. Instead, I succeeded in responding in a calm, tense tone appropriate for the situation.

“…Is he an employee?”

“That’s correct.”

The Managing Director replied nonchalantly, smiling faintly as she looked at me.

“He was the supervisor newly assigned to D-squad in the last round of personnel changes.”

“……”

“But now, you won’t find him in the company database. Nor will he exist in your memory.”

I didn’t react.

“At higher levels, there’s sometimes a Darkness like this. When someone ‘fails’, their existence is erased. But…”

The Managing Director placed the folder in her hand down and retrieved something from beneath the desk.

A Dream Essence Collector.

“Dream Essence Collectors from deceased employees are still retrieved by the company.”

“…!!”

“Regrettable, but this is a self-operating model powered by the essence collected right up until the moment of death. And…”

The Managing Director flicked the edge of the recorder attached to it.

“It also includes a basic recording function.”

“……”

“This means that even exploration records from employees erased from existence can still be reviewed and referenced by the company.”

Holy shit.

“You’ve probably wondered about it at some point: ‘How are the records of deceased employees referenced in the manuals?’”

Wait a second.

She’s right. Of course, the <Dark Exploration Records> included the results of deceased employees’ explorations, right?

That was natural. To build the atmosphere of a ghost story, records of explorers being wiped out had to be included. They were effective at heightening the fear!

Even the records of erased employees and objects existed in pristine detail.

But…

‘I always thought the wiki was omniscient by design.’

The logic behind their existence seemed conceptually sound.

Records of the Field Exploration Team’s employees are transmitted to the company upon death.

That’s how it was explained.

Details about the items or methods used weren’t elaborated on, supposedly to prevent conflicts in the system’s settings…

So when I landed here, I accepted that blind spot as just another natural element of the setting.

After all, this was a universe based on a wiki!

‘But now I find out there’s such a detailed and definitive system in place…’

Suddenly, all the questions I had brushed aside as ‘just part of the worldbuilding’ came rushing back to me.

Could there be coherent background explanations for all of those gaps too?

In ways like this?

My mind was racing.

– Mr. Roe Deer! The person in front of you is still watching you. It seems she wants to continue the interview.

‘……!’

– She seems to prefer a humble attitude from stars like you, so let’s focus…

Right.

For now, I needed to focus on the conversation at hand.

Fortunately, my reaction didn’t go beyond the level of ‘a curious employee uncovering a company secret’, and the Managing Director continued speaking.

“Based on this record, it seems you have a rather unique way of exploring and dominating the Darkness, Supervisor Kim Soleum.”

“……”

It appeared that Supervisor Yoon Johoon had recognized me when I became a student.

“Becoming part of an urban legend yourself. ‘Assimilation’—it’s not a method for the faint-hearted or the unwise to attempt…”

What are you even saying? That sounds terrifying…

“In any case, even such exploration records are being collected without gaps… I wanted to share that with you.”

Managing Director Cheong looked at me.

“What do you think? Is it more systematic than you expected?”

“……”

“I’ve heard there are employees who claim this company runs on sheer improvisation.”

Th, this… is making me break out in a cold sweat as a mere cog in the system.

“I’ve even met and spoken with some of them. Most of them are bright individuals.”

Her tone was strangely kind.

“But eventually, they’ll realize there’s no other company in the world where rewards and punishments are as clear and rational as this one.”

“……”

“If you’re truly capable, even a few mistakes won’t stop you from moving up smoothly.”

I didn’t agree with her.

But Managing Director Cheong smiled as if I had enthusiastically responded with, “Of course, ma’am, I’ll think positively about it!” and then dismissed me with a parting remark.

“Off you go. Send my regards to Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.”

– Friend. Do you know this saying? ‘Cream always rises to the top.’

– It means the excellent always stand out, no matter where they are. A phrase perfectly suited to describe you right now!

Honestly, ‘The nail that sticks out gets hammered’ feels more accurate…

I returned to the D-squad office feeling utterly drained.

It was like reading a pseudo-scientific book and realizing it was all true.

I couldn’t hold back any longer and spoke to Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.

“Squad Leader.”

“Yes.”

“What I just went through wasn’t an interview.”

“I see.”

“……”

“……”

“Do you need help?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Explain.”

I practically rapped out everything that had just happened.

From Managing Director Cheong’s remarks, the Dream Essence Collector, the missing D-squad employee…

And even the proposal I received!

‘Anyway, information about the Dream Essence Collector is probably something a squad leader would already know.’

Plus, I knew Squad Leader Lee Jaheon wasn’t the type to get angry or manipulate me for receiving an exceptional offer over him.

Because, well… he’s a lizard.

“I see.”

As expected, the lizard simply nodded.

“Do you need my advice?”

“Yes.”

“Decline it.”

“……!!”

That’s it? Just a flat-out conclusion?

“Could you tell me why?”

“Certainly. Managing Director Cheong Dallae is a being with a strong sense of ownership over the company.”

“……”

Does she think of the company as hers?

Wait a minute.

“Did you just refer to her as a ‘being’?”

“Yes.”

That’s a very suspicious term.

“…Are you saying Managing Director Cheong isn’t human?”

“I cannot answer that.”

“……”

That’s basically the same as confirming it, isn’t it?

At the very least, it’s clear there’s something off about Managing Director Cheong.

But then again, this is a ghost story specialist corporation!

“A-Anyway, please continue.”

“Yes. Because of this, Managing Director Cheong will not hesitate to seize an opportunity to bind capable individuals to what she considers her property.”

“……!”

“There’s a high likelihood that, during this process, actions will occur that go strongly against your ethical standards, Supervisor Kim Soleum’s.”

Holy shit.

“Don’t take the risk. Additionally, there’s a strong chance you’ll be assigned to an elite squad within six months.”

“…But I’ll have to leave D-squad, won’t I?”

“Yes.”

“……”

“Do you wish to stay in D-squad?”

“I’d prefer to, if possible.”

“I see.”

Not even a hint of regret, huh, Squad Leader…

What a consistent man… I mean, a consistent lizard.

‘Not that I was expecting anything else.’

At least I could trust that he wouldn’t deliberately try to deceive me. I could take his advice at face value.

“Thank you for explaining everything, Squad Leader.”

“Yes.”

Hm.

I hesitated and then asked,

“By any chance, Squad Leader, don’t you want to become the leader of an elite squad?”

“I have no desire for it.”

In other words, he doesn’t care either way.

Which also means his opinion isn’t helpful for my decision at all…

‘This is driving me nuts.’

Afterward, I had a few more conversations with Squad Leader Lee Jaheon, but nothing particularly fruitful came from them.

It only deepened my dilemma.

‘An elite squad, huh…’

While the squad leader had logically and rationally advised me to refuse, corporate life often operates on irrationality and emotions.

Why else would Squad Leader Lee Jaheon have so many enemies in the company, and why would the A-squad leader glare at him like she wanted to kill him every time they met?

‘I appreciate the advice, but it’s hard to approach this situation that way…’

Moreover, the senior staff at this ghost story company didn’t seem like the kind of people you could just refuse outright.

Dodging the way I had with the A-squad leader wouldn’t work here. Managing Director Cheong had practically implied that refusing outright would lead to disaster.

“Ha…”

Why am I agonizing over this when I’ve been promised a promotion and exceptional treatment…?!

‘I just want to quit this ghost story company…!!’

That evening, in the end, I went home utterly mentally exhausted.

“……”

I didn’t even explore any Darknesses—just stayed in the office, writing reports—and yet it had been ages since I’d felt so drained.

– Oh dear, my friend seems utterly worn out.

– Let’s head inside quickly. Rest is crucial for delivering a great performance, isn’t it?

‘…Yeah.’

Meeting a high-ranking official, learning about the lore, and receiving an extraordinary proposal…

‘I’m exhausted…’

As soon as I showered, I collapsed on the living room sofa.

– Friend, how about we have a nice cup of hot chocolate and chat tonight? It’ll help you unwind from the day’s fatigue!

I don’t have hot chocolate… but a glass of honey water sounds like a good idea.

I set Braun on the dining table, boiled water in the kettle, and made myself some honey water.

As I drank it absentmindedly, I turned my back slightly to Braun, intending to continue our conversation lightly.

– Friend. I have a secret to share with you.

A secret?

– Yes. With my professional charm, I’ve hidden it well, so it might have been hard for you to notice. But in truth…

Braun took a dramatic breath before announcing,

– Last night’s events were a tremendous shock to me!

“……”

A secret…?

Well, it seemed his intention was to console me, so I responded earnestly.

“What… shocked you so much?”

– A ‘good friend’ goes wherever their friend wants to go… Yet, this Braun… couldn’t follow you.

The shadow of the bunny plushie seemed to droop slightly.

– It is truly a shameful and mortifying experience.

D-Does it really have to be that serious?

It was just a dream, after all.

I figured Braun couldn’t come along because he’s not just an item I carry, but an independent entity that might require a special ritual.

‘You don’t have to worry. That sort of thing won’t happen often in the future.’

– Oh, my friend is so considerate. In that case, let’s think of it this way…

– If I, your very good friend, had accompanied you to last night’s intense graduation ceremony, don’t you think today’s troubles would’ve been a little easier to handle?

……

Well… maybe.

Assistant Manager Yoon Johoon might not have noticed me at all.

If Braun had triggered his ‘Lights Out’ ability.

– Exactly! That’s my role!

– …It’s been a while since I’ve felt such anticipation. For our friendship, and for me to fulfill my role, hmm…

From behind me came the sound of someone pacing nervously, like a shoe tapping against the floor.

And then, they stopped abruptly.

– Right! I would’ve loved to act directly, but with this body of stuffing, I’m afraid I’ll need your help.

– Just one simple action, and we’ll be in a much better position, Friend. Could I ask you for this favor?

Braun spoke in a polite and warm tone.

– If you help me bathe in the Tub of Youth just one more time, I’ll be overjoyed!

Ah.

‘That.’

……

……

“Sure, why not?”

– Oh! Thank you so much, Friend…!

I readily agreed!

Seeing my good friend so happy made me feel a little better.

– You won’t regret this decision.

Chapter 84 - [Fox Counseling Office], I

We decided to try using the Bloodbathtub once more.

– If I rejuvenate a little more, it’ll be much easier to accompany you, Mr. Roe Deer!

I accepted Braun’s assertion.

The plushie might grow slightly larger… but once more should be fine. It’s still the size of a regular keychain plushie.

However, Braun flatly refused the idea of conveniently using my blood as a bath additive.

– Good heavens! I must respectfully decline. There’s so much bodily fluid from other sentient beings readily available, so why does my friend always resort to his own blood?

It seemed that the scare I gave him last time had left a lingering impression.

‘Well, I wasn’t planning to spill that much this time…’

Feeling slightly guilty, I agreed to find another way to procure the blood.

– Good, very good… Let’s look for a suitable bath additive, Friend!

Alright.

Having something else to focus on amid the office politics was somewhat refreshing…

‘This is already proving helpful.’

I sighed and headed to work.

Incidentally, Baek Saheon didn’t return to the officetel at all last night. Let’s see how long he can keep that up.

In any case, I needed to make a decision soon since I didn’t know how long Managing Director Cheong would wait…

“Soleum-ssi…!”

Huh?

While waiting for the elevator, I turned my head to see a fellow new hire holding a bison mask approach.

‘Jang Heo-un!’

He was the employee I briefly but eventfully accompanied last night at Sekwang Technical High School.

“You’re safe!”

“Yes, and it seems you managed to escape safely too, Heo-un-ssi.”

“Y-Yes! Thank you. I cleared it safely…”

Yesterday, I was too overwhelmed by everything to even think about how others fared, but it was nice to meet him again like this.

Furthermore, Jang Heo-un seemed to have developed a surprisingly positive impression of the agent. When the topic came up, he responded with a bright expression.

“Actually, he was nicer than I expected. He didn’t use me as bait… and explained things about the Management Bureau at the end.”

Isn’t that bar set a little too low…?

Anyway, it seemed like the agent had been critical of Daydream Inc., but perhaps his perspective changed after working with a decent human being.

Since there weren’t any major issues, it made sense that Jang Heo-un looked fine.

‘Maybe he’ll buy some ghost story food next time.’

I felt a flicker of hope for some extra income.

“And… that agent seemed to be worried about you until the very end, Soleum-ssi. Oh, but I didn’t mention that I gave you a nametag!”

Ah, the nametag!

“I used the nametag you gave me well. Thank you,” I replied.

Honestly, even after borrowing the uniform, there were ways to procure a nametag, but it was true that I used it quickly and effectively thanks to him.

“I won’t forget that you gave up something so valuable, even though it must’ve been precious to you, out of concern for me.”

“Oh, no… It was nothing compared to what you did for me.”

“……?”

What I did for him?

At that moment, Jang Heo-un clenched his fists and spoke with a joyful expression.

“Soleum-ssi. I’ve been reassigned to a general squad…!”

“……!”

“They really transferred me after three months of holding out. Truly, truly… thank you. I think it was thanks to you!”

Ohh!

It was such a chaotic reassignment season that I hadn’t checked other squads, but this was great news.

I asked cheerfully,

“Congratulations! Which squad were you assigned to?”

“I’m with F-squad now…!”

“……”

Oh.

“You’re in the same squad as Baek Saheon…ssi.”

“Yes! He’s very kind.”

“……”

It seems like his standards for good people have significantly dropped after his experience with the Round-Off Team…

‘No wonder they worked together in the last ghost story.’

Turns out they weren’t just passing by—they were on the same squad.

Smiling, I said,

“What an amusing coincidence. I share a unit with him at the company housing. …Let’s all meet up for dinner sometime, just the new hires.”

“Oh, thank y… Sir!”

At that moment, an unexpected encounter happened in front of the elevator.

“Good morning, Squad Leader Lee Jaheon!”

“Yes. Good morning.”

It was Squad Leader Lee Jaheon, also on his way to work.

After briefly responding to Jang Heo-un’s polite greeting, Lee Jaheon immediately addressed me.

“Soleum-ssi, you’ve been summoned.”

Again??

“Do I need to stop by the office first, or can I head straight there?”

“Head straight there.”

Feeling like I was developing a phobia of summons, I reluctantly pressed the button for the 25th floor instead of the 13th.

‘Once again, leaving the Field Exploration Team’s floor…’

I prayed it wouldn’t be anything serious.

“Have a great day, Soleum-ssi!”

“Yes, you too, Heo-un-ssi.”

After seeing off Jang Heo-un, I ascended to the 25th floor with Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.

Ding.

“Follow me.”

“Yessir.”

I trudged behind the squad leader.

‘This feels longer than I thought.’

After taking several winding turns down the hallway, instead of a meeting room, a door came into view.

It had an unexpectedly warm, wooden nameplate.

Fox Counseling Office

“……”

Wait a sec.

“Squad Leader, this is…”

Thud.

Suddenly.

I was pinned to the wall by Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.

……?!

“Soleum-ssi, answer the following questions immediately and without hesitation.”

– Oh dear! Do you need my assistance, Friend?

‘Wait, hold on…!’

The atmosphere felt tense.

I glanced at the lizard.

His red, vertical pupils stared sharply at me.

“Do you remember the conversation we had yesterday?”

I swallowed hard.

“…Yes.”

“What was the topic at the end of our discussion?”

“That D-squad could possibly become an elite team.”

“That was not the last topic. Answer again.”

What?

“That was the last topic!”

“It wasn’t. We discussed another topic afterward.”

No way!

Maybe we did… but it was just small talk, wasn’t it?

“Do not hesitate.”

“……!”

“Answer me.”

Damn it!

“I don’t remember!”

“……”

“Wasn’t it just small talk… idle chatter?”

The heavy silence and pressure continued.

And then…

Srrrk.

“I see.”

Squad Leader Lee Jaheon released me from the wall.

I didn’t know what just happened, but at least it seemed to be over…

“Soleum-ssi.”

“Yes?”

“You are contaminated.”

“……”

Huh?

But, that’s…

“Well, it’s common to have some level of contamination after exploration…”

But I couldn’t even finish speaking before—

Thud.

Lee Jaheon threw open the counseling room door, grabbed me by the collar, and flung me inside.

“……!”

“You may not leave until the counseling is complete. I will wait outside.”

Bang!

And the door slammed shut.

“……”

No.

No!!

– How dare you treat my friend so rudely!!

W-Wait, hold on.

Let’s not overreact, Braun. Let’s calm down…

‘It’s alright. This feels like a misunderstanding.’

I held back a sigh and raised my head.

Though I wasn’t thrilled…

‘I guess there’s no harm in getting some counseling. It might even be good for my mental health.’

Let’s not dwell on any side effects—it’s probably a very low chance anyway.

– Hmm… if that’s what you think, Mr. Roe Deer!

Alright.

The decision was made.

Dragging my feet, I walked reluctantly.

What lay ahead appeared to be a locker room.

A flowery sign was attached to the lockers.

Welcome, dear client!

Please change into a gown before entering \^\^

Rows of hospital gowns with green leaf patterns were lined up in various sizes.

Is this a medical check-up or what…?

– If clothing were only about comfort, we would all go about naked.

– In that sense, this is a piece of cloth that fails at everything except covering the body.

Exactly.

‘Still, I should wear it.’

There was a lizard out there who could physically destroy ghost stories standing guard. I’d better cooperate and finish the session.

I changed into a gown.

‘That curtain looks like the way into the counseling space.’

Just as I reached to pull aside the curtain that seemed to be the exit of the locker room, I noticed writing.

From here on, only the client may enter \^\^

Friends, family, and guardians must wait here!

‘Ah.’

Hmm… Even if this was technically a benefit, it was still part of a ghost story. Better not break the rules.

“Braun, can you wait here for a bit?”

– Oh, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried, but in this case, I must, of course, respect your privacy!

OK.

I carefully placed Braun near the vase on the locker room table and drew back the curtain.

Jingle…

Sunlight poured down warmly over my head.

“……!”

A small, cozy space lay before me.

A soothing room bathed in the glow of midday sun.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[**Fox Counseling Office]**

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – **Qterw-E-925**

A counseling space consisting of a sunny window, soft pastel-tone sofas, and a small silver bell that emits a clear sound.

Listed as an E-level employee benefit at Daydream Inc., it has mild effects on mental stabilization and contamination recovery.

Refer to the full document for detailed usage records of the Fox Counseling Office.

----------------------------------------

Indeed, the atmosphere here was… quite nice.

– May it be a productive counseling session, Friend!

I sincerely hoped so.

I pulled the curtain closed again and stepped into the room.

Once more, a guiding note appeared.

Please sit comfortably on the sofa

and enjoy the view outside!

I sat down on the sofa as instructed.

Then I crossed my arms.

Well, the atmosphere was nice, but…

‘I already know what’s going to happen.’

It’s truly fascinating. It helped me recover lost motivation and remember things I had forgotten…

– Interview after counseling with Lee Jeongeun (Supervisor)

Someone would appear outside the window to counsel me.

The figure would be customized for each person.

It would likely show me a person or object related to my trauma and create a scenario where the situation is resolved, allowing me to observe it.

For those who immerse themselves deeply, the session brings emotional healing, and they often leave either in tears or with a peaceful expression. That’s the cliché of the usage records for this ‘Fox Counseling Office’ ghost story.

‘Will it have any effect on me when I already know everything?’

At this point, I doubted it.

I crossed my arms and gazed at the large window showcasing a beautiful outdoor garden bathed in sunlight…

And then.

Someone appeared near the garden.

“……!!”

It was… me.

A tired, somber-looking version of myself stood in the sunny garden, looking back at me in the room.

Then, it waved.

“……!”

I instinctively raised my hand… and then lowered it.

‘What is this.’

It wasn’t a doppelgänger, but a strange unease and discomfort crept over me.

However, the ‘Kim Soleum’ standing in the garden didn’t stop there.

He looked around, grabbed a nearby chair, and sat right in front of the window.

Smiling brightly, they faced me and smiled.

“……”

‘Should I just stand up and leave?’

Even if the door wouldn’t open for an hour, I could just wait by it…

I was getting more uncomfortable when—

“Sir Kim Soleum.” (T/N: ‘Sir’ as in, the counselor is calling him ‘Teacher’. The term blatantly means teacher, but it can also be used as an expression of respect — Baek Saheon used the same term when he and Soleum first met)

“……!!”

“Thank you so much for coming for counseling today. I’ll be your counselor.”

The figure outside the window, looking exactly like me, began to speak.

“You seem quite tired today. How have you been sleeping recently? How many hours of sleep do you usually get?”

I gritted my teeth.

“……I sleep well enough.”

“I see… Could you give me a specific number? More than five hours?”

“……Sometimes.”

“I understand. Do you think sleeping less at times might be related to the stress of work?”

Wow.

‘This is driving me insane.’

I barely managed to respond.

“I don’t want to answer that. Hearing it from someone who looks exactly like me just makes me uncomfortable.”

“Why do you think you feel uncomfortable, Sir Kim Soleum?”

“Isn’t it natural for people to feel a sense of existential threat when they see someone identical to themselves?”

“But… I’m an intelligent being with clear differences from you, Sir Kim Soleum.”

What?

“Would you like to figure out what those differences are?”

I instinctively scanned the person in front of me.

Eyes, nose, mouth, body, clothing.

“……Still identical.”

“Then let’s use a mirror for a better comparison.”

Clatter.

The bookcase next to the sofa slid open, revealing a full-length mirror.

I found myself looking into it.

A tired office worker.

“……”

“Would you like to compare now?”

Whether I compared or not, it looked exactly the same…

“……”

“What do you think?”

“…I seem,”

I stared at my reflection.

“…To look more fatigued… maybe.”

Was it just my… imagination?

“I see.”

But the ‘me’ outside the window nodded.

“Why do you think there’s a difference?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then let’s observe a little more. Maybe something else will stand out.”

I alternated between looking at the ‘me’ outside the window and the one in the mirror.

Eyes, nose, mouth, shoulders, arms…

Wrists.

“The tattoo.”

I muttered as if in a trance.

“You don’t have a tattoo.”

The tattoo I had retained from the theme park was there.

But…

: 恩主 :

This one was missing.

The tattoo that functioned as my inventory.

“What kind of tattoo is it? Oh, that one!”

“Yes.”

“There must be a reason you got such a tattoo. What does it do?”

“It lets me store items.”

“I see. Do you have anything stored in it now?”

“Yes.”

“Could you show me? If you’re uncomfortable, you can just place the items somewhere I can’t see.”

“…Alright.”

I retrieved items from the tattoo.

Equipment, coins, various items…

They were all familiar.

“I’ve taken everything out.”

I still didn’t understand the point of this.

How was this different from the ‘me’ outside?

“Sir Kim Soleum.”

“Yes?”

“I think there’s still something left inside your tattoo.”

Enough!

“Would you like to extend your hand to me?”

I don’t want to kno—

“No, you do. You want to know, Sir, and you can do it.”

“……”

I stood up from the sofa.

I walked right up to the window…

And extended my hand.

“You’ve worked so hard.”

The me outside the window grabbed my hand.

And then.

He thrust his hand straight into my tattoo.

Chapter 85 - [Fox Counseling Office], II

The warm sunlight streamed into the Fox Counseling Office.

Standing outside the window was another version of me.

He was gripping my arm and stirring through the tattoo.

……

Huh?

That’s someone else, isn’t it?

Then I must reject this. Did I break the rules? No. Exactly, this situation isn’t right! It isn’t right! It isn’t right! It isn’t right! I must follow the rules because I’m a new teacher who adheres to them.

“All done, Sir.”

The hand that had been stirring inside my tattoo withdrew.

Thud.

An object emerged along with the hand that had come out of what should have been an empty tattoo.

“This was inside.”

Under the garden’s lights, the bold red title came into clear view.

A brown file folder.

<■■ Kindergarten Handbook>

“It looks familiar. How do you remember it?”

Good god.

It felt like cold water had been dumped on me, and my mind instantly cleared.

‘That…!!’

And like a dam breaking, fragments of blurred memories from the past few weeks came flooding back vividly.

When I had sealed the contaminated Supervisor Park Minseong from the kindergarten into my wrist!

The tattoo’s space had consumed him effortlessly… Ah, the handbook must have touched me! I meant to handle it separately and would never have done that intentionally.

The handbook Park Minseong had been holding was absorbed into my tattoo along with him in one go!

I must’ve suppressed the urge to handle it separately, even though I fully intended to report everything to the Security Team after the rescue.

But…

– If you’ve taken any items or supplies from the “Hungry Hangman” Darkness, please return them.

– Oh, I don’t have any.

I hadn’t returned the handbook.

More accurately, whenever I tried to recall if there was anything else in the tattoo, an unconscious sense of rejection stopped me.

Doubting the rules is against the rules!

And even the fact that I felt rejection was gradually buried, as if I wasn’t allowed to acknowledge it.

Because teachers mustn’t feel resistance to the rules…

No, I shouldn’t overthink this!

What’s clear is that I did make repeated attempts.

Attempts to let others know that something was wrong with me.

– …Squad Leader.

– Yes.

– If it seems like I have a strange obsession with the rules, please look into it…

– Yes.

– ……Ah. I’ve just been overly focused on work lately, so I thought I’d mention it.

– I see.

I had even brought it up to Section Chief Lee Jaheon several times, though each conversation ended with vague self-doubt and trailed off.

‘I almost made a serious mistake.’

The handbook within the tattoo had begun to erode my subconscious, and eventually, it all seemed natural to me so I could no longer recognize any of the bizarre signs…

‘…At least I regained my senses at Sekwang Technical High School!’

Thanks to taking the Nostalgia Candy.

But the moment I woke from that dream, even that reprieve ended.

And yesterday, the ‘last topic’ I had with Section Chief Lee Jaheon in that conversation culminated everything.

– Kim Soleum-ssi.

– Yes?

– Have you recently felt an unusual compulsion or pressure to follow the rules?

– Following the rules is only natural for a member of the workplace, Squad Leader!

– I see.

“……”

Wow. Oh my god.

‘I feel like throwing up.’

Was that really me??

I staggered and leaned against the window.

‘So that’s why Section Chief Lee Jaheon…’

He’d been so insistent on sending me straight to the counseling office.

“……Ha.”

Everything was becoming clear now.

It felt as if I’d taken off a too-tight turtleneck or wiped clean a pair of smudged glasses.

A refreshing sense of liberation and exhaustion wrapped around my entire body.

And… unease, too.

“……”

“What are you thinking right now?”

“…I feel both tired and relieved.”

“Does it feel like you’ve escaped from some uncomfortable compulsion?”

“…Yes.”

The ‘counselor’, who looked like me and stood outside the window, gazed at me with a comforting expression.

“You’ve done very well. Staying here and following through with counseling is a testament to your strong will.”

“……”

Then, he quietly set the handbook down on the garden floor, retrieved a shovel from somewhere, and lightly dug into the ground.

“When you’re caught in powerful compulsions or ideas against your will, it’s truly distressing, isn’t it?”

Rustle, rustle.

The ‘Kim Soleum’ outside the window created a small dirt hole in the corner of the outdoor garden.

Thuk.

The handbook was tossed into the hole.

“While change isn’t always bad, it’s only right to resist when your body and mind are being strained.”

The me outside the window neatly covered the hole with soil, then dusted off his hands with satisfaction.

“Sir Soleum, do you see the small plant in that pot?”

A pot?

When I turned my head, there was indeed a small pot on the table near the sofa.

It was a sprig with tiny, under-ripe fruits the size of beans.

“Could you pick one of the fruits you like and bring it to me?”

“……”

I carefully plucked a fruit that seemed the ripest and handed it over to the ‘me’ beyond the window.

“You did very well.”

The counselor outside the window held both the fruit and my hand.

Then—

“……!”

The fruit in my hand ripened to a vivid red.

It swelled, looking plump and appetizing, as if it had absorbed plenty of nutrients.

“Chew it thoroughly before you swallow.”

“……”

I placed the fruit in my mouth.

A torrent of intense anxiety, frustration, thoughts, and irrational sorrow and pain slowly melted away along with the fruit…

When a client with severe mental contamination visits, red fruits (suspected to be from the Fox’s Pouch family or Fox Beads) are offered as medication.

The fruit has been shown to have excellent effects on mental stabilization.

Any attempts to take the fruit outside result in its disappearance the moment it crosses the doorway.

Huu.

With a deep breath, all the emotional residue scattered like grains of sand.

I felt at peace.

Just an ordinary, weary office worker once more.

Back to being my usual self.

I lifted my head and looked at the counselor standing by the window.

“Thank you. I feel much better now.”

“No, I should be thanking you, Sir Kim Soleum!”

The counselor’s face brightened noticeably.

For some reason, they no longer seemed to be mimicking my appearance.

“Shall we talk a little more?”

From that point on, it was an ordinary therapy session.

To be precise, it felt like a very skillful and comfortable counselor had helped me open up about various things.

‘I’ll give credit where it’s due.’

If this profit-driven ghost story company, Daydream Inc., did one thing right, it was including this in their employee benefits.

“I’ll give you a sign so you can visit the Fox Counseling Office anytime you feel overwhelmed by negative thoughts.”

On my way out, I received an item.

It was the same sign that had been on the door I entered through earlier.

Fox Counseling Office

“If you attach this sign to a door and open it, it will connect to our counseling office.”

“…Thank you.”

Though I’d like to keep it, I’d have to attach it to a door once I left.

Every client who uses the company’s welfare program is required to affix the sign to the door after completing their session.

‘The nameplate I used earlier must have disappeared by now.’

Thinking of it as repaying a debt made it easier to accept.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave now.”

I was about to stand up when the counselor’s regretful voice stopped me.

“Actually, scheduling regular appointments every one or two weeks is the best approach…”

Ahhhh!

“Sorry, but I’m too busy… That might be difficult.”

“Of course. These days, everyone says that…”

The ‘counselor’ looked slightly dejected, nodding their head.

But I couldn’t afford to fall for that look.

‘Scheduling regular counseling increases the likelihood of side effects dramatically…!’

----------------------------------------

Usage Record #521 (Irregular)

The ‘counselor’ strongly urged the client to schedule regular sessions.

The client initially declined, but after 1 hour and 21 minutes of persistent persuasion, the client accepted with a sense of ease.

Afterward, the client went missing.

※ Full access to this record requires B-level security clearance.

----------------------------------------

Fortunately, the counselor let me go with a smile instead of pressing further.

“Still, it’s a relief that you have good colleagues, family, and friends around you, Sir Kim Soleum.”

“……”

Wait a second.

It’s true that even in this insane ghost-story-filled world, I have decent people and a ‘good friend’ around me, but…

“Family…? What do you mean?”

The counselor extended a hand and tapped their wrist.

I looked down at my own wrist.

The spot was…

: Socius :

“That person.”

“……?!”

♬♩♪♬~♪♪♩~

“Ah, our time is up. Take care, Sir Kim Soleum.”

I lifted my head.

No one was there.

The counselor who had been smiling at the window vanished like a lie, leaving only the sunlight pouring in from the quaint, beautiful outdoor garden…

♬♩♪♬~♪♪♩~

A light waltz melody signaled the end of the session.

In the distance, I thought I glimpsed a fox’s bright orange tail darting away under the garden’s stone wall.

“……”

I rose from the sofa and headed toward the changing room curtain.

On the way, I noticed a cool-looking drink placed on a floral lace table.

Keep up the good work today! ^^

“……”

I downed the drink in one go and set it down with gratitude.

It was a delicious, nutty barley tea.

– Was the counseling helpful, Friend?

“Yeah.”

I grabbed my ‘Good Friend’ plushie.

……Now that my mind had cleared, I had a few thoughts about this little thing as well…

‘I’ll save that for after work.’

For now, there was someone I had to face first.

Creak.

I opened the door and stepped out.

The head of a white lizard in a black suit, as he was leaning against the opposite wall, turned to look at me.

“Did you complete the counseling session?”

“Yes.”

I was sure I had an awkward expression on my face as I answered.

“Thank you, Squad Leader. Thanks to you, I’ve been freed from the contamination.”

“No need to thank me.”

Chief Lizard being humble…?!

“Kim Soleum-ssi, you are still contaminated. Make sure to attend counseling sessions regularly.”

“……Yes.”

Ah. So that’s what he meant.

“Still, I feel much better than before. Doesn’t it seem that way to you too, Squad Leader?”

“Yes.”

Chief Lizard scrutinized me carefully before declaring,

“Let’s proceed now.”

“Proceed… with what?”

“A message from Supervisor Park Minseong.”

“……!!”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon pulled a small post-it from his suit pocket and handed it to me.

You’ve worked hard, Roe. Thank you for getting me out.

“…….”

I took a deep breath.

“Has he recovered?”

“What exactly is the standard for recovery…”

“Can he communicate rationally?”

“It’s possible, technically speaking.”

Huu…

‘So that means he’s still a bit unstable.’

Regardless, it was a relief to know I was recovering.

And naturally, another teammate came to mind.

“…By the way, Assistant Manager Eun Haje hasn’t contacted you at all… right, sir?”

“Yes.”

“…….”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje had completely vanished as soon as she went on leave.

If I sent her texts or messages on KakaoTalk, she’d occasionally read them, but she never replied. Just the read receipt.

‘She’s probably trying to distance herself from this ghost story company.’

After all the chaos caused by mental contamination, it seemed like a wise move.

Anyway, with that, my morning schedule came to an end.

“Should I head back to the office now?”

“Yes.”

“Once again, thank you so much, Squad Leader.”

“Yes.”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon went off to attend to his own tasks, and I spent some time browsing the welfare mall in the office before lunch.

It was a small luxury made possible by having just secured an A-grade essence.

‘Being sane definitely feels better….’

I don’t know. This company is terrifying.

Knock, knock.

“Good afternoon.”

Huh?

I looked up from my monitor.

Someone had entered the office without me noticing and was carefully tapping on my desk.

It was a young man in a gray suit.

‘A face I don’t recognize.’

Was he from another squad or department?

He seemed to be around my age but had the kind of presence you’d never want to face as a competitor during an interview….

‘Why didn’t he just join another major corporation instead of this one?’

For a brief moment, I almost pitied him, but I quickly adjusted my posture.

“Good afternoon. How can I help you?”

“Oh, I had something to ask.”

He spoke just as politely.

“Did your counseling session go well, Soleum-nim?”

“……!”

“It’s good to see you’ve recovered so much. I’m glad. I’m Ho Yoowon, by the way.”

He extended a hand for a handshake.

“I heard Director Cheong recently made you an interesting offer.”

“…….”

Director Cheong.

He didn’t use an honorific. (T/N: Instead of eesa-nim, he just said eesa)

And that name.

Ho Yoowon.

……

…Director Ho!!

“It’s quite a coincidence. I also have a proposal to make.”

Director Ho had paid a personal visit to D-squad’s office.

Chapter 86 - Director Ho

I had heard about Director Ho indirectly several times.

Mostly due to internal office politics.

He was in ‘line’ with the elite A-squad and Lee Byeongjin, who was the one in charge of manual evaluations.

– That section chief was close with A-squad. You know, like… ‘on the same line’.

– Director Ho has his eye on you, Supervisor Kim.

– The director is the best superior you could ever have in this company. Don’t miss this opportunity.

I had been encouraged multiple times to align myself with those on Director Ho’s ‘line’.

But I never expected the man himself to suddenly show up, unannounced, in D-squad’s office like a casual neighboring coworker!

“……!”

I instinctively stood up and bowed.

“Good day to you, Director Ho.”

“Oh, you recognized me right away…”

What was he trying to act sheepish about after casually addressing Director Cheong without honorifics earlier?!

‘He barged in as if he already knew about Director Cheong’s “interesting proposal” to me…’

Wait a second.

‘Didn’t Director Ho just say he had a proposal of his own to make?’

A proposal?

I glanced at the young man with a pleasant demeanor.

In a friendly tone, he continued speaking.

“Sorry about that. I must’ve made you tense by bringing up someone so intimidating, right?”

“Not at all. If anything, I’m sorry for not properly introducing myself earlier…”

“Ohh, no need for that! I’m not big on formalities, so feel free to speak casually.”

As if that were possible.

‘Is he the type who lacks basic decency?’

Or perhaps he was intentionally trying to create tension.

Either way, I nodded and took a deep breath to appear slightly more relaxed.

‘This must be the reaction he wanted.’

Sure enough, Director Ho continued with a calm expression, though his words didn’t sound so benign.

“Let me take a guess. Director Cheong likely made a proposal related to the elite squads—perhaps about forming a new one?”

“……”

Wow. Seriously.

Should I just come clean and tell him everything?

But even if I didn’t, it felt like I’d still end up in trouble.

My thoughts raced.

“Well, yes, but… Ah! My apologies. I’ve been a bit flustered. Let me show you to a more comfortable spot.”

Feigning sudden realization, I guided Director Ho to the guest sofa in D-squad’s office, breaking the flow of conversation.

– Ah, you’re buying time to handle a tricky guest. Well done, Mr. Roe Deer! That was perfectly natural!

The ghost story quiz show host who incinerated anything unnatural in his show might’ve approved, but I still felt uneasy. At least I’d bought some time.

I quickly dashed to the break room, prepared some snacks, green tea, and coffee, and hurried back out.

“Would you prefer tea or coffee?”

“Oh, just have whatever you like and give me the other.”

Does he not realize how insidiously passive-aggressive that sounds coming from an executive?!

I gauged his reaction and handed him green tea, pretending to prefer coffee. I bowed slightly as I brought it over.

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“Not at all.”

Director Ho sipped the tea and made a generic remark about how warm and pleasant it was.

“Really, I didn’t come here to pressure you, Soleum-nim. I just thought it’d be nice to get acquainted and have a conversation.”

As if anyone in the working world didn’t know that being too casual with an executive could end in disaster.

But his next words caught me off guard.

“We don’t often get to see members of the Field Exploration Team for long periods, so when I come across someone I might see more frequently, I make sure to check in often.”

“……”

“Frankly, the Field Exploration Team contributes greatly to this company. Yet even within the Development Department, there are people who sit at their desks ranting about efficiency and treating the Field Exploration Team as disposable short-term workers.”

Director Ho’s eyes flickered briefly with emotion.

“You might think I’m an idealist, but this isn’t a situation I find agreeable. Don’t you agree?”

“……”

Doesn’t that sound like a kind statement?

But actually, it gave me a foreboding feeling.

‘…An executive in this company shouldn’t say things like that.’

If he’s at the executive level, he has the power to fix such issues directly. Why was he seeking agreement from a new hire, asking, ‘Doesn’t this seem like a problem?’

‘It’s not like he’s conducting a loyalty test for subversive ideas.’

But since he might be sincere, I carefully adjusted my tone. I aimed to respond in a way that wouldn’t cause trouble, regardless of his intent, while giving the impression that I wasn’t opposing him.

“…At least no one here is forced to work. I’ve heard the company allows resignations freely and ensures the wish tickets are properly distributed.”

“Yes, as you said, that’s one silver lining.”

Director Ho smiled warmly.

“Compared to organizations that brand ordinary citizens as criminals without trial and sacrifice them to the Darkness, at least this place offers some autonomy.”

“……”

Wow, this man really despises the Disaster Management Bureau.

‘Better not let him find out I was involved.’

The agent ID badge was still in my possession, and a cold sweat ran down my back. I hid my expression behind a sip of coffee.

“Still, people who want to live even one day like a human being might reject such a place.”

“Right? It’s easy to talk with you, Soleum-nim.”

That’s a misunderstanding.

But please, hold on to that misunderstanding for a long time…

Before the conversation turned into a ticking time bomb, I desperately steered it elsewhere.

“Thank you. By the way, Director, about that proposal you mentioned…”

“Ohh, right! We need to talk about that.”

Director Ho’s face lit up.

“Actually, I’m in the middle of forming a project team, and I’m recruiting employees for it.”

“……!”

“I’d like to invite you to join this project team, Soleum-nim.”

What?

I suddenly recalled something Section Chief Lee Byeongjin had once mentioned:

– There’s even a rumor that Director Ho runs a top-secret project team under his department… You might get transferred there.

‘And now that rumor’s become reality.’

But what came next was even more shocking.

“To be precise, as a candidate for team leader.”

“……”

Has this director lost his marbles?

“There are three candidates I’m considering. Honestly, if you had just two more years of experience, you’d be my top pick. For now, consider yourself one of the finalists.”

My mind was reeling.

– Oh, this offer seems to promise more authority than last time. Let’s hear out the conditions, Friend!

No, hearing the conditions only works when I have some leverage to negotiate! Right now…!

‘…This feels like I’m doomed, huh?’

Isn’t this just like Paris receiving the golden apple?

Whichever choice I make, I’ll likely anger the remaining superiors.

This is worse than just joining a line.

‘I’d burn all bridges for switching sides.’

What do I do?

I could barely maintain my outward composure, and even that felt like an accomplishment.

‘Refusing both offers might be the best option…’

“Oh, I might’ve been too hasty. I should’ve mentioned the compensation first.”

“…Compensation, sir?”

“A performance bonus for the project.”

Director Ho smiled.

“If the project succeeds, all team members will receive a wish ticket.”

“……!!”

“One for each member, no exceptions.”

Holy shit.

“And the team leader will receive an additional perk, but we can discuss that in more detail once you’ve joined the team.”

“……”

“Oh, and thank you for the tea.”

Director Ho got up from the sofa, placed his mug in the sink, and headed for the office door.

“Take a few days to think it over and let me know. But I suggest not taking longer than a week.”

He leaned in slightly, as if giving friendly advice.

“Director Cheong isn’t known for her patience.”

“……”

“If you ever need someone to talk to while working, feel free to stop by my office anytime. Then, bye!”

That night.

Though I had mostly recovered from the contamination and regained a clear mind, I returned home feeling incredibly unsettled.

‘This feels like déjà vu.’

“Phew.”

I collapsed onto the bed.

‘I’m definitely caught up in some internal power struggle between the executives in the Development Department, aren’t I?’

It’s true I might seem like an exceptionally useful outlier, but the situation has escalated this far because the two directors are clearly aware of each other.

Their proposals were ridiculously excessive.

……If that’s the case.

‘I should go with the one offering better treatment.’

At least that way, I won’t end up as a discarded pawn.

‘The problem is I have no personal information about either director.’

The <Dark Exploration Records> focused primarily on the employees who conducted the exploration.

In other words, while it included staff names and profiles, it didn’t bother to detail the personal information of the executives making decisions from up top.

‘In any case, it’s clear neither of them is ordinary, which only makes this more maddening.’

Director Cheong was already suspicious because Chief Lizard referred to her as a ‘being’, while Director Ho seemed off from his appearance and overly friendly speech.

For an executive, he looked too young and spoke like some social service worker.

‘…I do have a rough idea about his identity from his surname and appearance……’

But at this point, it was all just speculation.

‘What a headache.’

Dealing with ghost stories is hard enough. Having to worry about this on top of it feels unreal…

After agonizing over it, I decided to temporarily set the issue aside.

…There was another more urgent matter at hand.

……

“Braun.”

– You’re calling me, Friend!

Huu.

“About bathing in the Bloodbathtub. Can’t we replace it with something else?”

There was a brief silence.

– …You’ve changed your mind in just one day, Mr. Roe Deer! Breaking promises isn’t a good habit, you know.

“……”

– But since I’m your good friend, it’s fine, Friend!

“Sorry.”

I immediately apologized.

“You’re right—I shouldn’t have gone back on my word. I think I made a mistake because I wasn’t in the right state of mind when I agreed.”

– How strange, Mr. Roe Deer. This host distinctly remembers that just last night, you had no signs of extreme fatigue, panic, dizziness, or anything else that might hinder an interview.

The ‘good friend’ spoke in his usual cheerful tone, which only made him more terrifying.

– Oh, I’m now curious by what standard you’re claiming you weren’t in your right mind…

“……”

Today was full of cold sweat moments.

How had I never realized how scary this thing was?

I tried my best not to look directly at the plushie as I continued.

“…But you knew my mind was contaminated by that handbook, didn’t you? The one I brought back from that kindergarten, which was still in my tattoo.”

It was obvious Braun knew.

He had even pointed it out during the last Bloodbathtub session.

– Mr. Roe Deer, your bath additive is blended, isn’t it?

He had to have known I was being consumed by the ghost story.

“You just didn’t think of it as ‘contamination’… more like a transformation.”

-That is correct, Mr. Roe Deer!

Haah……

‘So that’s how it was…’

Even the word ‘correct’ gave me chills, but I managed to respond calmly.

“But I see it as contamination, and I don’t want to be contaminated.”

I raised my hand into the air.

The tattoo on my wrist was now empty and clear.

“I like myself better as I am now.”

– ……

“I also don’t like having my judgment flip like a coin.”

To end, I added something I figured even Braun could empathize with.

“At the very least, I never want to become a teacher at some outdated kindergarten running creepy Hangman games.”

– Hmm… yes. That is quite an irrefutable statement.

Braun seemed somewhat shocked.

– Right. Mr. Roe Deer, belonging to that old-fashioned kindergarten? Impossible! Such a waste would be unthinkable!

– I must admit, I haven’t been acting like a true good friend…

– All right. Let’s work on getting closer through a different kind of transformation!

“……”

So then.

“If I let myself get contaminated because it makes interacting with you easier, does that mean you’ll just leave me contaminated?”

– Haha, no need to ask in such an unfamiliar tone. That’s simply the theory you’ve proven yourself over the past few weeks, Mr. Roe Deer!

Images of my actions over the past few weeks flashed through my mind.

Consumed by contamination, I had talked freely and relied on the ghost story resident without hesitation or concern.

– It’s only natural, isn’t it? After all, similar people tend to become friends.

Good grief.

No, I had anticipated this much.

I took a deep breath.

It was time to say what needed to be said.

“That’s not true.”

– Not true?

“Yeah. It’s not really necessary for friends to share the same values as each other.”

I carefully chose my words.

“And being comfortable with each other doesn’t automatically make someone a friend, either.”

This part… was honestly true.

“Friends try to understand each other’s differences, and even when they can’t, they still care for one another… by talking things through.”

– ……

“And to reiterate, I don’t want to be contaminated.”

Without turning my head, I gently placed my hand on the desk where the plushie sat.

“If you can’t understand that, at the very least, let me know before doing something I don’t want. Give me a chance to talk to you about it.”

– Hmm.

A sound like plastic fingers tapping on the desk echoed as if Braun were thinking deeply.

And then,

– Very well, Mr. Roe Deer.

– Logical, reasonable, and it even moved my heart. I see no reason not to agree! After all, you are my friend.

Huuu.

“Thank you.”

It seemed to have ended well.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I finally turned to face my ‘good friend’—the slightly scary but strangely dependable plushie I had summoned.

I carefully picked it up.

“Let’s keep working together from now on.”

That, too, was sincere.

Afterward, I proceeded with one of the decisions I had made while contaminated: an aromatherapy massage.

“I’ll do it while looking at the shadow, so let me know if anything feels off.”

– Of course, Friend!

Honestly, I wasn’t a professional, and working just by observing the silhouette probably didn’t feel very refreshing, but Braun seemed quite satisfied.

– Not everyone needs to be a massage expert! This will do just fine.

Even as he gently gave it a three-star rating, he still added,

– But I do miss bathing… To always be by my friend’s side, I’ll need to rejuvenate a bit more!

“That’s something… we’ll discuss over time.”

…It’s tough.

Maintaining a relationship with a ghost story resident like the ‘good friend’ wasn’t easy.

It wasn’t purely terrifying or nerve-wracking, but it wasn’t entirely trustworthy or comforting either.

‘Finding balance between those extremes is the rational approach.’

I needed to be careful not to lose that balance.

As Braun, refreshed from the aromatherapy massage, chattered away, I listened quietly.

– Come to think of it, I’m curious again. Which of the two legendary proposals you received at work will you accept, Mr. Roe Deer?

– Still deliberating? While my advice as an industry expert is worth its weight in gold… I’m happy to offer it free of charge for a friend!

Hmm. Well…

“Actually, I’ve almost decided.”

– Oh!

“I just need to ask one last question tomorrow, then I’ll pay them a visit.”

– And if you could share a little about that decisive question with this legendary host?!

I rested my head on the pillow and laughed.

“You’ll find out tomorrow.”

– ……!!

– I’m somewhat moved, Mr. Roe Deer…

Thus ended the tumultuous day.

And the next day,

I truly did ask my ‘decisive question’ before heading to the office of one of the two directors.

Chapter 87 - New Elite Squad

The upper floors of Daydream Inc. headquarters.

Knock, knock, knock.

I carefully rapped on the luxurious door with the back of my hand.

The door slid open automatically, and…

“You’re here.”

Inside, the figure of the director seated at their desk came into view.

An executive with dark, blue-tinged hair of indeterminate age.

Director Cheong Dallae.

“You didn’t waste unnecessary time, nor were you deceived by schemes. A wise child always lives long, you know.”

Quite the fierce way to deliver a compliment…

“Yes, thank you, ma’am.”

In any case, I’d made my decision.

I chose to accept Director Cheong’s proposal: ‘to turn D-squad into an elite squad’.

There were reasons, of course, but I’d reflect on those later. For now, I had to handle the intimidating executive in front of me.

Director Cheong examined me with a satisfied expression and smiled.

“I trust you’ll wait quietly while the reorganization takes place in the necessary time.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll work even harder to ensure I’m deserving of this promotion.”

I shook hands with Director Cheong, maintaining a perfectly polite demeanor.

And beside me…

“You’ll do the same, won’t you, Section Chief Lee Jaheon?”

“Yes.”

Chief Lizard was accompanying me.

…For the record, this is how Section Chief Lee reacted to my decision:

– I see.

End of story.

‘Is it really fair to call that reaction… easygoing?’

It was hard to believe that this was the same lizard who had previously advised me to ‘refuse’.

‘Seriously, isn’t he also in the same boat now? Shouldn’t he at least listen to some of the reasoning?!’

Thanks to that, I ended up explaining my choice to the seemingly indifferent Chief Lizard, hearing ‘I see’ and ‘Yes’ about ten times in the process.

I also discussed how to minimize the ‘risks’ associated with Director Cheong.

“So, have you decided on the third squad member?”

Right on cue, the topic came up.

With only two active members currently in D-squad, Director Cheong had suggested I bring in whoever I wanted for the remaining position.

“I’ve come up with an idea regarding that matter.”

“What kind of idea?”

I spoke as calmly as possible, getting straight to the point.

“To ensure that anyone can work together.”

[Leave the third member of Elite D-squad as an open slot]

Since D-squad wasn’t being absorbed into the existing elite squad structure but rather trialed under a new system, it was a plausible suggestion.

The biggest advantage?

‘It prevents Director Cheong from indiscriminately placing one of her own people.’

Didn’t she say I could bring in whoever I wanted?

If I trusted that at face value, this wouldn’t be a company.

‘If the person I picked didn’t meet her expectations, she’d just ask if there was anyone else.’

From there, she’d gradually steer the selection toward someone she preferred.

‘Once I accepted the offer and willingly aligned myself with her line, she’d have nothing to lose.’

She’d either insert her own person or, at the very least, try to sway whoever joined next.

In my view, that’s where Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s warning about the ‘danger’ came into play.

‘The person working alongside me shouldn’t be a pawn of Director Cheong.’

It’d be better to have a rotating roster for each exploration mission.

This approach even provided a reasonable pretext.

‘Since it’s a new trial, why not leave a vacancy in D-squad as an internship spot for aspiring elite squad members?’

Like that.

Obviously, elite squad positions were limited, and few people advanced from regular squads.

Most junior employees tended to give up early, prioritizing cost-efficiency unless they had exceptional performance or networked well.

From the management’s perspective, they likely viewed this lack of initiative as inefficient, criticizing employees for being ‘fixated solely on points, with no loyalty to the company’.

‘Seriously, without the points, why would anyone join in the first place?’

It was a rather ridiculous expectation, but… hmm, seeing how this company operates, I thought it might actually work.

– I considered whether it might provide a new motivation for junior employees in the Field Exploration Team, who currently lack incentives beyond wish tickets, to want to improve their performance.

I gave Director Cheong a thorough presentation along those lines.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure if the employees would really bite.

At best, a few capable supervisors or assistant managers might try the elite squad experience and then reassess their career plans.

But it sounded convincing enough, and it wouldn’t be entirely ineffective, so it worked out.

‘At the very least, it should help set the tone.’

And at the very least, it… worked on Director Cheong.

– Not bad.

…I felt a little stung by her ‘I’ll let it slide’ kind of reaction, but what mattered was that it passed.

Sure enough, within a few days, rumors had spread through the Field Exploration Team, and even the group chat among my batchmates was buzzing for the first time in a while.

[does anyone know the deets on the new elite squad? ㅎ]

[is it true theyre selecting employees with 1–3 years of exp?]

[I heard about elite squad internships. What have you all heard? ^^]

[the elite squad’s benefits are incredible…]

The funny thing was… no one messaged me directly anymore.

Even after news broke that I’d cleared another A-grade mission, no one sent congratulations or inquiries.

‘Is this… ostracism?’

After carefully responding to a few group chat questions to avoid being underestimated, the questions themselves stopped coming.

‘Come to think of it, I was the last to be added to the group chat in the first place.’

It was a bit bitter.

[Heard the news! Congrats, Soleum-ssi! You really succeeded with that method!]

[Thank you, Yeongeun-ssi.]

Still, I was grateful that one colleague consistently sent congratulatory messages.

Taking the chance, I also squared up with Go Yeongeun for the help she’d given me during the last ghost story mission.

‘Since she’s the type to return the favor, it’s best to keep building trust.’

I shared the method I used to clear the mission and offered her part of the ‘boss fight rewards’ I’d received.

‘Thanks to her, I survived the mission.’

Specifically, I’d learned from Go Yeongeun where to protect my organs to avoid instant death.

Of course, recalling the experience sent goosebumps down my spine. It had been utterly reckless.

‘Note to self… Use tattoo stickers sparingly.’

They worked, but they weren’t something to mess with lightly…

[Ah… um. I’ll gratefully accept.]

Go Yeongeun seemed conflicted but accepted, and we met in front of her dorm to hand over a few protective talisman beads.

During our conversation, the topic of the ‘new elite squad’ rumors came up…

“By the way, Yeongeun-ssi, are you thinking of aiming for the elite squad?”

“No I’m perfectly fine as I am thank you.”

“……”

Please, breathe before you answer, Yeongeun-ssi…

She seemed to strongly suspect I might include her.

‘To be honest, I’d considered her as a candidate… but maybe it’s good I didn’t push for it.’

In any case, this seemed like the best answer I could come up with in the current situation…

Though, of course, not everyone would agree with me.

“I really can’t believe you’ve become an elite squad…”

“……”

“Why would you make such a risky choice?”

The voice was filled with concern.

Sitting at a desk in D-squad’s office, I rubbed my forehead.

“…Director Ho.”

“Yes?”

“If I’ve been rude in any way, sir, I sincerely apologize.”

Why exactly are you here?

Why are you sitting in D-squad’s office, as casually as if you were a coworker visiting from the next department, when we’re about to vacate this place?!

“Pardon? You’ve never been rude, Soleum-nim. Honestly, you should have more confidence in yourself.”

“……”

This man is no ordinary character…

Director Ho, with a slightly disappointed look, acted as though I’d refused a simple lunch invitation from a coworker.

That made it all the more terrifying.

‘I expected him to either target me or ignore me completely.’

Why is he acting so… neutral?

To be honest, Director Ho had the authority and had made a more shocking proposal, so rejecting him could’ve easily offended him.

‘Any rational person would’ve chosen his side.’

Naturally, I was leaning more toward that side.

At least, until I asked this question.

– Director, if it’s not too much trouble, may I ask what iteration this project is on?

– Iteration? Ah, you’re asking which one this is?

– Yes, that’s correct.

– If that’s what you mean, there’s no specific number. It’s a new initiative.

– …I see. Thank you.

In that moment, I made my decision.

‘Let’s cut ties.’

A new project in a ghost story company?

Nine times out of ten, a project like that’s established due to a high-grade, unidentified ghost story.

‘It’s definitely A-grade or higher.’

At this point, we’re not talking about ghost stories that simply correlate with risk levels.

The projects are based on fears so devastating that no individual could handle them—utter despair with no way to predict or prepare.

These aren’t just fears of death or disappearance—they’re existential, higher-level horrors.

And now they’ve dangled wish tickets as rewards, the kind that would make any employee lose their mind?

‘It’s probably S-grade, isn’t it?’

This project seemed poised to be the company’s top-tier mission for the Field Exploration Team.

On top of that, this was the first trial run, meaning there was no prior data available?

‘It’s a suicide mission.’

No matter how good the perks were, the premise was flawed from the start.

If I were guaranteed to be the team leader, it might’ve been different… but honestly, even as a team leader, it’d be a hollow title.

‘As if the dream team of employees handpicked by the director would ever listen to someone like me, who hasn’t even been here a full year.’

Besides, with the director involved, the team leader would just be a middle manager, caught in the crossfire and barely surviving—or not surviving at all.

‘…I don’t want that.’

I’d already accumulated nearly a third of the required points. I didn’t need to take such a gamble for a wish ticket.

…Besides, staying with D-squad had another practical benefit.

‘This way, if Supervisor Park Minseong or Assistant Manager Eun Haje returns, they can naturally rejoin D-squad…’

…It’s much easier to bring someone into a spot that’s been kept open and flexible.

So, it was a multifaceted decision.

But since I couldn’t explain all this, I simply said this.

“This seemed like the better choice for more people, so I had to go with this side. My apologies.”

“……”

In that moment, Director Ho’s genial expression seemed to falter.

And then he spoke.

“Kind-hearted people are always the hardest to understand…”

“……”

Wait, just now…!

Tak.

“Well, if you ever change your mind, feel free to reach out, Soleum-nim.”

With that, his voice faded.

Director Ho casually nodded at me, smiled, and left the office.

“……”

Just now… that didn’t seem normal.

– Mr. Roe Deer, I detect the scent of pestilence on that man.

Pestilence?

– Be sure to take extra care with sterilization if you invite him into a personal space or studio!

“……”

‘Pestilence, meaning a plague…?’

I mulled over Director Ho’s identity for a moment before shrugging it off.

‘First things first. Focus on the urgent tasks.’

For now, I needed to reorganize and prepare for what I’d need before officially joining the elite squad…

“Soleum-ssi.”

Aagh!

“S-Squad Leader.”

Chief Lizard entered through the door that Director Ho had just exited, holding out some documents.

“Director Cheong asked me to pass these along, saying, ‘Perhaps it’s worth checking out.’”

“Yes. Understood…”

‘Please, a little warning next time…’

I quietly exhaled as I took the documents and read the title on the first page.

Qterw-C-1603

Unregistered Exploration Testimony #21

Security Clearance: [C]

…Huh?

“Am I allowed to read this…?”

“Yes.”

Umm.

It appeared to be a ‘pre-registration’ exploration report that required C-grade security clearance for access. It seemed Director Cheong had given me special permission to read it…

‘That’s even scarier!’

But refusing to read it felt even riskier, so I took a deep breath and began reading.

What kind of exploration record could this be…?

……

Huh?

Ad leaflet introducing a new product released, confirmed to be from Qterw-C-1603.

Product name : Good Child Chocolate Bar (Cinnamon Churros Flavor). Features : Packaging depicts a caricature of a child’s face wearing a suit and a mask with tree branch-like goat horns.

※ The character on the packaging resembles the company’s Field Exploration Team uniform. Be cognizant in checking staff with a similar mask design.

“……”

Wait a second.

Isn’t this…

Me?

Chapter 88 - [■■■ 16th Avenue], I

During exploration missions into the Darkness, it’s only natural to encounter absurd events or chilling experiences.

Being chased by ghosts, public transport suddenly heading to some unknown destination, or people on the streets staring at you the moment you step outside your home…

But over time, many employees say they’ve grown accustomed to such things.

‘Even I’ve gotten a little used to it, I think.’

After all, the previous ghost story, despite involving contamination and items, was one where I managed to clear a high-grade mission by losing my limbs.

But certain types of eeriness never become familiar.

For instance, a ghost story that suddenly ‘recognizes’ me.

“……”

I nervously flipped through the documents.

The report even included a crude sketch of the packaging drawn by the exploration staff who filed it.

– Oh, it seems the artist sacrificed aesthetics in favor of conveying key information.

It was terribly drawn, but you could still tell exactly who it resembled.

‘…Braun.’

– Speak freely, Friend!

‘Doesn’t that look like me?’

– Taking into account the artistic style, as well as the mask and hairstyle, it seems we’ve reached the same conclusion!

“……”

Even the product name was ‘Good Child’, and the flavor was ‘Cinnamon Churros’.

‘That’s the blue mascot from the theme park.’

And the ghost story it appeared in? Qterw-C-1603?

Why did I show up in that ghost story?

I instinctively glanced at my tattoo but stopped myself.

Then I turned to Section Chief Lee Jaheon, who was staring blankly at me, and asked,

“This hasn’t been officially added to the manual yet, correct?”

“Yes.”

Huu.

That was a relief, at least.

‘If Director Cheong went out of her way to show me this in advance…’

…A favor? A debt?

Probably both.

Once this is officially recorded as an exploration log, any identifying descriptions would be censored with black squares, depending on the security level.

Instead, the Research Team would likely jump at the chance to conduct experimental exploration, claiming they needed to figure out why such phenomena occurred…

Maybe they’d send in someone dressed like me. Or they’d send me in without any information.

‘Kwak Jaekang might even notice and shove me back into the theme park.’

What a nightmare.

If it came to that, asking Director Cheong for help would mean cementing my fate as a ‘Loyal Employee under Director Cheong’s wing, 30 Years of Service’.

Why is it that no matter how hard I try, I’m surrounded by so many ways to get screwed over?

‘That’s just the nature of ghost stories, I guess.’

Anyway, I should be grateful I learned about this now.

Even if I ended up indebted to Director Cheong, this was better than having the Research Team sink their teeth into it.

‘And since she showed me this in advance…’

“Is the Darkness we’re exploring this week related to this case?”

“I do not know.”

“…Do you think there’s more than a 50% chance it is?”

“Yes.”

As expected.

‘If the director’s giving me a heads-up, it only makes sense for me to check it out myself.’

Qterw-C-1603.

If I’m going to face mental torture as a coward in a ghost story anyway, I might as well make it count.

That principle has never wavered.

‘Let’s confirm it.’

And this time, I had a solid companion.

The widely recognized brute-force exorcism expert, Section Chief Lee Jaheon!

…Though, thinking back to the clown ghost story, his fearlessness could lead to some questionable decision-making under pressure.

‘Well, if it’s just one-on-one, I could probably find a way to persuade him or find an escape route…’

Lately, I’d even gotten better at handling conversations.

So having a fearless squad leader as my partner wouldn’t be a bad thing—it’s actually quite reassuring.

But there was one more variable.

“Soleum-ssi.”

“Yes.”

“Would you be requesting additional support staff?”

Ah, right.

Squads in the Field Exploration Team operate with a three-member standard, so this time, our squad would get one extra member for support.

‘I suppose this is like a pre-run for the elite squad.’

Usually, they just assign someone randomly, but… hmm.

“Is it possible to request a specific person?”

“Yes.”

Oh! …Wait, hold on.

“……I’d prefer not to go through Director Cheong. Is that still possible?”

“No.”

“……”

‘Good thing I asked…!’

That could’ve doubled my debt.

I suppressed a sigh but couldn’t hold back a lingering question.

It was something I’d always been curious about with Chief Lizard.

“Pardon, Squad Leader. You tend to give very concise answers. Is there a particular reason for that?”

“Yes.”

The lizard briefly looked skyward before refocusing on me.

“It’s based on feedback to only provide detailed answers when explicitly requested.”

“…In what situation did you receive such feedback?”

“On the third day after I started working here, during an exploration mission into the Darkness.”

“……”

So that’s why…

Even without a detailed description, I could vividly imagine the situation, like a picture forming in my mind.

“Um, Squad Leader, if it’s not an urgent situation, I’d appreciate it if you’d speak more freely when it’s just the two of us.”

“Understood.”

And then, Section Chief Lee Jaheon… began to explain!

“If you wish to specify the traits of the support staff, report it to me, Kim Soleum-ssi. While specific names cannot be designated, you may request preferred characteristics for the candidate pool.”

“……!”

He’s voluntarily explaining things!

– Mr. Roe Deer, you have a knack for conducting interviews!

T-Thanks.

For a moment, I felt a surge of confidence, but the important thing was what Section Chief Lee Jaheon had just shared.

‘So while I can’t pinpoint exactly who should join, I can specify the kind of person I’d prefer?’

Hmm.

After some thought, I decided on one characteristic for the ‘support staff’.

“I’d prefer someone from among the current junior employees.”

There was an implicit meaning behind this.

All current junior employees were my peers.

‘Not because I feel isolated in the group chat or anything…’

Well, to be honest, there was something suspicious about this exploration, so I didn’t want someone too high up the ladder, or rather, someone overly familiar with how the company worked.

‘It’d be nice to make more acquaintances, too.’

I figured it was about time to expand my network within the company.

“Yes.”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon readily approved my request, and I found myself feeling a little excited.

Who would the new face be?

A few days later.

“……”

“……”

I met Jang Heo-un, who was standing in front of the D-squad office door, looking at me with a welcoming expression.

“I’m Jang Heo-un, from F-squad…!”

A familiar face.

It wasn’t a bad result, though. Since he wasn’t a superior, the exploration would likely feel more relaxed.

I smiled and extended my hand to Jang Heo-un.

“Nice to see you again. Let’s have a good exploration today.”

“Of course, Soleum-ssi! I’ll do my best to contribute to a clear!”

Jang Heo-un enthusiastically shook my hand. He was definitely a good guy…

“Ooh, yes-yes, let’s work well together~!”

“……”

“……??”

When I turned, I saw another employee stepping off the elevator, smiling broadly as she approached and greeted us with a slight bow.

A cheerful-looking woman, about my age, wearing a pony mask.

“This is the support staff from I-squad. The manual for this particular Darkness recommends an even number of explorers, so two were assigned as support.”

“My name’s Kang Yihak~ Nice to meet you, Supervisor and fellow employee!”

“Right…!”

Jang Heo-un, who had quickly bowed his head, suddenly exclaimed in realization.

“Oh, you’re the one who’s always chatting in the group chat…!”

“Yes-yes, haha, embarrassing as it is, that’s me!”

Ah.

[Kang Yihak : Is it true you received 40,000 points? haha]

Now I remember.

When I joined the group chat, she was the one actively digging for information, prompting me to hold back a little.

‘She seemed to dominate the group chat’s atmosphere.’

More focused on extracting benefits than fostering camaraderie.

That same peer now smiled and extended her hand to me.

“Wow, the top new recruit! Nice to meet you in person. Let’s work well together~”

“Yes, likewise.”

I shook her hand lightly.

…Straightforward.

‘She’s less sharp than I expected.’

I had anticipated someone more calculating, but she gave off an easygoing vibe. There was no sense that her questions were laced with ulterior motives.

‘Well, if she’s genuinely a good person, I can be thankful for that.’

It’s much easier to work with decent people than deal with someone like Baek Saheon, who was an absolute menace in a team setting.

People who haven’t experienced it wouldn’t understand—screaming internally at ghosts while being stuck with a sociopath as your only companion… uugh.

“Let’s move out.”

“Yes, sir.”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon strode forward, and we quietly followed him to the vehicle. I got in the driver’s seat and set up the navigation app.

“We’re heading to Gyeonggi-do, right, sir?”

“Yes.”

So, this Darkness was taking us entirely out of Seoul.

Judging by the exploration report I reviewed earlier, someone might misunderstand it as just a weird candy store ghost story, but Qterw-C-1603 was far bigger… and gloomier.

“Um, to enter this ghost story… oh, we gathered late because we need to wait until sunset, right?”

“That seems to be the case.”

I kindly answered Jang Heo-un and started driving.

To enter this Darkness, both the time and location needed to align perfectly.

To access Qterw-C-1603, we had to travel to a residential area on the outskirts of ■■ City, Gyeonggi Province.

The neighborhood, once a trendy alley business district in the early 2010s with popular restaurants and cafes, had since become quiet and desolate.

In this area, promotional posters for local stores were occasionally spotted on utility poles.

In the center of the poster, a QR code was printed alongside the phrase: ‘Visit the Death Lane of ■■ City.’

※ Do not stare at the text on the poster for too long.

For convenience, the company had pre-secured a poster, covering everything except the QR code.

“Supervisor, I’ll scan the QR code for you!”

“Ah, thank you.”

When scanned, the QR code directed to the download page of an event app certified by the ■■ City local government.

It was noted that the app could be downloaded only if the user was under 40 years old.

A short while later, we reached our destination.

After parking in a public lot, we stepped out and began walking along a quiet alley.

It was the twilight hour, as the short winter day gave way to dusk.

While many restaurants and cafes still remained, the alley had a stagnant air typical of once-trendy districts past their prime…

“Activate the app now.”

I looked at the screen.

After an opening featuring ■■ City’s old logo and mascot, in a slightly outdated design…

When the app was first launched at this location, just before twilight, a navigation feature was activated to guide the user.

The app began directing us:

Head toward Death Lane →

Follow the arrow!

My current location appeared on GPS, like augmented reality displayed on the smartphone screen.

“Let’s walk.”

“……”

Keeping our eyes fixed on our respective phone screens, we moved together.

“Follow the arrow!”

At first, everything seemed normal.

The app guided us along one of the main alleys, gradually leading us toward the outer edges of the district.

But as time passed…

The path began to distort.

Follow the arrow!

It directed us through narrow gaps between houses, into buildings through front doors and out the back.

Sometimes it even led us to dead ends, only to make us double back.

The dim alleyways grew darker and eerier, and an uncanny unease began to creep in.

The nape of my neck felt cold, strange murmurs without proper grammar reached my ears, and shadowy figures seemed to flicker just out of sight…

‘…Stay calm.’

But I couldn’t turn my head.

While following the app’s navigation, do not take your eyes off the screen for more than 3 seconds or deviate from the guided path under any circumstances.

Failure to comply will result in being classified as missing.

In silence, we kept moving.

Carefully avoiding bumping into or startling each other.

Follow the arrow!

“I just saw something stra—”

“Shh.”

After about 16 minutes of walking in silence…

The faint twilight glow completely vanished.

“……”

“……”

The already dim alley was now plunged into total darkness, all light gone.

Only the glow of our smartphone screens illuminated the residential area.

Tak.

Ta-ta-tak.

One by one, lights began to flicker on along the dark alley.

“……!”

The street-side shops lit up.

Yellow and blue lights from the signs bathed the alley in an eerie glow.

…But this wasn’t the familiar, worn-down district we’d seen earlier.

Rustle, rustle.

The bustling figures of shadowy people filled the alley.

The signs, though seemingly familiar at a glance, bore distorted and unrecognizable names.

The various shops lining the alley had their doors wide open, welcoming customers…

Ding!

The app displayed a celebratory message.

Congratulations! You’ve arrived safely. Welcome to Death Lane!

“…Have we arrived?”

“Yes.”

We had successfully entered.

Right into the heart of the ghost story.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[■■■ 16th Avenue]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records> : Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-C-1603

A street lined with shops where beings other than humans solicit customers.

Explorers who access this alley through the smartphone app must never close the app.

----------------------------------------

“Walk slowly.”

“……”

We nodded silently and followed Chief Lizard, stepping deeper…

Into the strange alley.

Chapter 89 - [■■■ 16th Avenue], II

Death Lane.

A grotesque alley whose name seems inspired by once-trendy hotspot districts.

If a civilian casually downloaded the app from the flyer and got caught up in this, they might initially be confused.

The first area they encounter, the ‘Main Alley of Death Lane’, is filled with street vendors, making it seem like a lively night market at first glance.

But upon closer inspection…

< Confirmed Items Sold at Death Lane Stalls >

1- Beaded Strap : A strap made of crimson string and ivory beads. Touching it leaves salt and ash on the hands, and the beads writhe and vibrate. Employees who touched the strap later complained of prolonged distress, claiming to hear cries for help, sobbing, and the voice of ■■. Recovered after a short-term memory erasure procedure.

2- Traditional Bubble Gum : Gum with reversed lettering printed on it. A balloon inflates inside the throat rather than the mouth. Removed just before suffocation.

3- Floral Slippers : A civilian who tried on these slippers under the vendor’s insistence reported seeing fire, blades, and ■■ beneath their feet, followed by ■■ ■■. They then disappeared, sobbing, into the alley.

4- Picture Frame : Displays an image of a close relative being murdered. -$

……

By this point, anyone would understand.

‘To leave here safely, I must avoid looking at anything!’

The items being sold are all unusable by a normal person, yet the vendors actively solicit customers.

The best strategy is to act disinterested, like someone with a destination in mind, and quickly pass through.

However, as you escape from the flashy signs and bright lights into smaller alleys, the strangeness grows stronger…

Because it never ends.

The alleys grow narrower and narrower, eventually becoming so tight that no person could fit through.

‘…If you reach that point, it’s over.’

That’s right. You can’t simply walk out of this lane.

So, what should you do?

It’s simple.

Just as you followed the navigation guide on the app to enter, you must use that same navigation guide to exit.

Ding.

‘…It’s begun.’

I glanced at the new event page that popped up on my smartphone app.

Death Lane Step Count Challenge

Don’t give up on your body!

Remaining steps : 10,000

This is it.

The very thing that lures people into the ghost story and, at the same time, the most straightforward and safest lifeline for escape.

If you successfully complete the ‘Step Count Challenge’ on the smartphone app, you can leave the alley.

This is the only way out.

…But while I, the coward, was busy thinking about this, the ghost story resident in my pocket seemed fully immersed in the night market atmosphere.

– Ah, it’s been a while since I’ve visited a place like this. Isn’t this a rare spot for a show host to visit personally?

– There’s certainly a charm to exploring such a lively night market! Why not pick out something that suits us, Friend?

– The quality may not be ideal, but a piece or two for keepsakes wouldn’t hurt!

Aaagh.

‘No. Let’s buy something from elsewhere. I should get something better for a friend.’

– ……! How touching! Very well. This Braun will also think of something that suits a friend…

And then, at that moment—

got sOMeTHiNg speciAL* to ShoW* yoU?*?*

“……!!”

One of the street vendors grabbed my arm.

oveR heeeRE iVE got soMeThIng Even BE*TTER. leT mE SHoW YoU. coME IN*side.

Behind the vendor, there was nothing. No open door, no shop, no space.

Yet the vendor insisted again.

COME INside.

Don’t look directly.

Without closely examining the vendor’s face, I just needed to calmly and naturally refuse. I barely managed to open my mouth…

But before I could speak, Chief Lizard grabbed the vendor’s arm.

“??”

Tightly.

The vendor flinched as the red vertical pupils of Section Chief Lee Jaheon focused on them.

“……”

“……”

The vendor averted their gaze and quietly released my arm.

Then, as if nothing had happened, they began soliciting another shadowy figure.

“……”

So that… actually worked?

I just realized something new: even ghosts seem to mind their manners around the lizard.

“Thank you.”

“Yes.”

Physical exorcism—nothing could be more convenient.

‘Come to think of it, I was supposed to receive some equipment from Section Chief Lee that enhances physical strength as a custom parent item.’

I’ll have to bring that up after this mission is over.

For now, though, Chief Lizard remained quiet, likely because this was a situation with real threats. He refrained from giving instructions that would only make someone with nerves of steel pass out.

Instead, he simply said one thing.

“In cases where more than four people enter, it’s standard procedure to split into pairs and explore new paths if possible.”

Hmm?

“Mr. Roe Deer, choose a pair.”

Ah, I see.

Since I technically outrank the others, the squad leader likely wants to balance the pairs by assigning me to a different one.

‘What a shame… I’ll miss the lizard’s strength.’

The convenience I just experienced was almost addictively sweet.

Still, it was expected. At least I had already entered with Section Chief Lee Jaheon, so if things went south, I could rely on him, like during the exhibition Darkness.

‘So, I need to pick someone to accompany me from a batchmate?’

Hmm.

I spoke politely.

“Since we’re acquainted, may I go with Mr. Bison?”

“Yes.”

It seemed logical to stick with someone familiar for ease of movement.

‘Especially since I need to check that chocolate packaging…’

Besides, I figured Kang Yihak might prefer to pair up with the squad leader…

Kang Yihak interjected.

“Oh, wait a moment! Would it be okay if I went with Mr. Bison instead?”

Huh?

“Since you two were originally on the same squad, it wouldn’t feel right for us support staff to split you up! Plus, I have something to discuss with Mr. Bison…”

Kang Yihak diplomatically explained that, since this wasn’t a high-grade ghost story, it should be fine for two junior employees to follow the manual together.

“If both of you are okay with it, it should work just fine!”

“Yes.”

The lizard nodded.

“Move in a group of three.”

“…Pardon, sir?”

“Mr. Roe Deer, Ms. Pony, and Mr. Bison. Move as a group of three.”

Kang Yihak managed to respond without losing their friendly demeanor.

“Oh, thank you, but… Is it not going to be risky for you to go alone, Section Chief?”

“Yes.”

“……”

Well then.

At this point, further persuasion was futile.

‘A group of three, huh.’

Before leaving, Section Chief Lee approached me.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

Without warning, he handed me something.

“If a problem arises, press this.”

“……”

A small, round brown object dropped into my hand.

A button.

I’d used the same thing during the Tuesday Quiz Show.

…It was Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s communication device.

“…You’ve made contact with Assistant Manager Falcon?”

“Yes. She asked me to deliver it to you yesterday.”

“……”

I nodded slowly.

“Thank you.”

“Yes.”

And with that, the lizard vanished into the depths of the alley…

“Well, let’s move as well and make our way out of this street vendor alley.”

“Yes…!”

“Ah, yes-yes.”

I began walking with my two fellow rookies.

Don’t give up on your body!

Remaining steps : 9,130

Walking through the eerie, brightly lit vendor alley while keeping the app running turned out to be more mentally draining than expected.

Especially since you couldn’t afford to let your guard down for even a moment.

“Huu.”

Jang Heo-un began to lift his mask slightly to wipe away the sweat that had accumulated underneath.

Wait.

“Be careful.”

“……!”

I stopped him immediately.

“It’s best to strictly follow the anonymity manual here… Mr. Bison.”

“……Yes.”

Jang Heo-un slowly lowered his hand and wiped the sweat off without removing his mask.

……

One of the street vendors, who had been observing him closely, resumed their sales pitch.

Whisper, whisper.

‘Phew.’

The vendors in this alley have an aggressive tendency to sell their goods and claim payment by any means.

To avoid getting caught up in this, it’s crucial not to reveal any personal information, appearance, or vulnerabilities.

The company’s manual was precise.

‘The moment you fail to follow this, you’ll be passively drawn into their sales trap.’

Like those people hovering at the far end of the alley.

“This place is incredible—I had no idea it was here.”

“Huh? What’s that? It looks so real… real, real, real, real… REAL! I’ll buy it!”

“That’s the one! Yes! It’s a real person!”

The problem was that they had no masks or information to hide their identities.

“Huh? W-wait… why does that person have three eyes? Huh? Oh, right! Humans always had three eyes! My bad, I must’ve been mistaken. I’ll go buy another eye, honey.”

“Sure! Trade it for an ear!”

They followed the vendor into the alley and disappeared.

‘…It’s too late.’

That’s how they go missing.

A chilling fear ran down my spine.

But I couldn’t show it—not in front of my fellow rookies.

Instead, I clenched my teeth and feigned composure as I kept walking.

“For now, let’s just get out of this stree—”

“Mr. Roe Deer, over there…!”

Jang Heo-un pointed with a trembling hand.

It was…

A ‘person’ walking right past us.

A high school student with a nervous expression, glancing around anxiously.

‘Damn it.’

“This is…!”

Jang Heo-un hastily rummaged through his bag and pulled out a black cloth mask.

He walked straight up to the student and handed it over without preamble.

“Wear this.”

“W-What…?”

‘This could go horribly wrong…!’

I immediately stepped in.

“Stay calm. Put on the mask quickly, and no matter what anyone says, stay quiet and keep walking.”

“What… oh.”

“Try not to look around. Act as if you’re just here for a casual stroll.”

Whether it was due to the influence of my Silver Heart badge or something else, the student, sensing something was off, hesitantly took the mask Jang Heo-un offered.

“Do not turn off the Death Lane app and complete the 10,000 steps. That’s the only way out.”

“……”

The student, their face a mixture of suspicion, anxiety, and alertness, glanced at us before turning and running in the opposite direction.

“Ah…!”

Jang Heo-un looked like he wanted to call out but hesitated, eventually giving up. The student had already disappeared into the distance, and Kang Yihak was just watching with a calm smile.

“……”

And I could guess the other reason.

“By the way.”

Jang Heo-un muttered incredulously,

“That student… wasn’t that the uniform of Sekwang Technical High School?”

“……”

Indeed.

In this space, you can witness all sorts of things.

Dead friends, family members who disappeared in childhood, victims of major accidents, pedestrians in 1980s attire, or even students from schools that don’t exist in reality.

Countless customers, onlookers, and… products flow through this alley.

But.

“It’s best to act as if you didn’t see anything here. Staying unnoticed is the basic rule of the manual.”

“Ah, got it…!”

Jang Heo-un took another deep breath.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Hey, no need to be too tense. Just like the manual says, let’s act like we’re casually exploring this alley as if we’re out with friends!”

Kang Yihak had a point.

The manual strongly recommended maintaining a natural demeanor, as if you were just visiting the district with acquaintances.

“Still, let’s stay cautious as we move.”

“Yes!”

We continued walking through the crowd, trying our best not to bump into anyone or draw attention.

Step, step.

With every step on the alley’s cobblestones, the app’s counter ticked down.

And when the thousand-digit number changed.

Don’t give up on your body!

Remaining steps : 8,999

A gap between the street vendors came into view.

‘A passage.’

It was a path leading into a narrower alley.

Beyond it, the street vendors disappeared, replaced by formal shops selling various daily necessities…

“We’ll turn here.”

At that moment—

“Oh, since we’re entering a new alley… how about we try to be even more natural now?” Kang Yihak chimed in.

Hmm.

“Could you elaborate a bit more on what you mean?”

Kang Yihak grinned.

“Let’s try to score some rare finds!”

“……!”

“There are a lot of exploration records about finding good ‘items’ here, so why not do a little market browsing ourselves? It’s the most natural thing to do, after all!”

Shopping, plain and simple.

“……! But the manual specifically advises against that…”

Jang Heo-un was right.

While purchasing items deemed useful for exploration wasn’t outright prohibited, it wasn’t encouraged either.

Any risks associated with such purchases wouldn’t be eligible for workplace injury compensation.

That bottom line sounded shady, but there was a clear reason why the manual discouraged it:

The likelihood of impulsive buying was high.

The longer you walked, the more this street would tempt you with appealing shops and goods.

Employees, gradually losing their reason in this bizarre place, often ended up snatching up dangerous items without a second thought.

Even when payment didn’t involve ordinary currency.

And yet, Kang Yihak brought this up anyway…

‘What’s her angle?’

She definitely had some hidden motive.

– Ah, politics! Life’s unscripted variety show.

– But if you back down, it turns into a documentary. We can’t have that. Let’s go, Mr. Roe Deer!

Sigh.

I’d hoped meeting new people might be refreshing, but here we are again…

‘Well, no choice.’

I flashed Kang Yihak a grin.

“Sure.”

“……!”

“Browsing sounds fun.”

“Oh! You’re on the same page, Supervisor! I knew you’d agree!”

“Yes.”

Then I casually raised my hand and pointed toward a certain shop I was all too familiar with.

“How about that one?”

Fresh Meat Butcher Shop : A shop displaying live organs and body parts. Identifiable by its red and blue lights and the bloodstained apron of the shopkeeper seated in front of the glass window.

“……”

“……”

“The goods look promising. Let’s head inside.”

I took a step toward the butcher shop.

“……?!”

This is what you call the ‘You can’t reason with a lunatic’ strat……!

Chapter 90 - [■■■ 16th Avenue], III

In the ghost story <Death Lane>, each alley has its own theme.

Just like how shops in real life often cluster together by type, forming a commercial district. Of course, these alleys appear unpredictably, and their occurrence rates vary.

Confirmed sections of Death Lane:

1- Street vendors

2- Bookstores

3- Pets

4- Jewelry

5- Everyday goods

6- Lighting

7- Meat

……

Currently, we were in the alley that sells everyday goods.

But somehow, I was heading straight for the most uninviting shop in this alley.

A butcher shop displaying hanging, writhing organs and flesh.

Wriggle, wriggle.

‘Think of it as a haunted house.’

It’s fine. Nothing here looks like its original form in life. They’re just parts. I’ll pretend this is an animatronic attraction at an amusement park…

Wait, no. Thinking about amusement parks just reminds me of Cheerful Theme Park, and that’s even scarier!

‘C-Calm down.’

I can’t back down now.

Feigning composure, I took steady steps toward the butcher shop.

Fresh Meat Butcher Shop

Beneath the red and blue lights shining on the glass window, the shopkeeper, who had been sharpening a knife on a stone, raised their head.

A hulking figure in a blood-soaked apron.

Upon closer inspection…

A skinned cow with only chunks of flesh left on its head stared back at us.

Creak.

It gestured toward us, as if inviting us closer with the promise of good service.

“S-Supervisor, wait!”

Kang Yihak stepped in front of me.

“Haha, uh, I don’t think we need anything from this shop. Let’s check out another one!”

“But the shopkeeper’s already signaling us. It’d feel rude not to go in.”

– Ah, quite right. It’s good manners, after all!

“No!”

Realizing her voice had grown too loud, Kang Yihak quickly lowered it, speaking urgently.

“The manual explicitly says not to enter meat-themed alleys…!”

She was correct.

Manual Entry : Meat-Themed Alleys

– Upon discovering a meat-themed alley in Death Lane, do not enter. Stay in the previous alley.

– If entry is unavoidable (e.g., being chased by a vendor), block out sound using earbuds and walk 1,000 steps as quickly as possible to move to the next alley.

– If a companion gets caught up in a vendor’s sampling offer, leave them behind and move ahead at a faster pace.

Just reading these instructions was enough to send chills down one’s spine.

“That’s true.”

“Oh, so you remember? Then—”

“So?”

“……?!”

“I want to shop.”

And with that, I strode toward the butcher shop.

“Mr. Roe Deer…!”

I’m sorry, Mr. Bison! You’re free to run if you want…!

But I could hear the footsteps of both my companions following me. Apparently, they’d decided to stick with me.

Huh. I thought they’d bolt.

‘Maybe I’m the one who wanted to run the most…’

But if I stopped now, I’d likely end up dragged around by Kang Yihak’s schemes again. So, I kept moving forward.

Eventually, the three of us stood side by side in front of the brightly lit butcher shop, with its grotesque display of writhing body parts…

Of course, I was at the front.

Haa.

……

The skinned cow stared at me.

‘Uuuugh.’

I couldn’t look too closely.

I unfocused my eyes and glanced near the shopkeeper’s neck, but the sight of pulsing veins made me quickly shift my gaze to their bloodstained apron.

The apron was somehow less disturbing.

“Hello. Do you offer fresh packages by any chance?”

N…od.

“You have a lot of good cuts here. Hmm… could I see the front limbs?”

Thud.

The skinned cow’s head moved, opening the glass door.

From within, the ‘front limbs’ were pulled out and displayed before me.

…Still writhing, still alive.

An animal’s paw.

A primate’s hand.

A primate’s hand.

Tentacles?

An animal’s paw.

A primate’s hand…

And then, a trembling human hand, with a ringed finger, desperately scraping against the glass floor…

‘Urgh.’

I had to hold it together.

Feigning indifference, I looked down at the display.

…There wasn’t a suitable left hand among them.

‘What a pity.’

Having endured this mental torment, it’d be nice to get some kind of reward out of it.

Pushing aside thoughts of Assistant Manager Eun Haje, I paused for a moment before speaking to the butcher.

“Something with sturdy bones would be better for a rich broth… Hmm. Do you happen to have anything with eyes?”

Thud!

Having already been declined once, the shopkeeper’s movements grew rough. I could faintly hear my companions holding their breath behind me.

I, too, took a deep breath to suppress my fear.

‘The display…’

The front limbs were cleared away, revealing rows of eyeballs before me.

A black-sclera eye with violet irises. A fist-sized blue eye. A lens with bits of flesh still attached. A white, trembling eye, unfocused.

And… a desperate dark brown eye, gazing at me.

‘Haa.’

I closed my eyes briefly, then opened them.

“That one looks good.”

I pointed to the first one displayed—the black eye with the glinting violet iris.

“I’d like to buy it. No need to cut it up.”

……

The skinned cow stared blankly at me before extending its hand.

A clear gesture—payment was required.

Kang Yihak murmured in a small voice.

“…Supervisor, maybe you should subtly check what form of payment they want…”

“No need.”

I retrieved a box from my tattoo inventory.

Thud.

A heavy box filled with corn and carrots landed in front of the shop.

“……??”

“……?!”

“I’ll pay with this.”

When attempting barter at this butcher shop, the items must be food consumable by cattle.

That’s right. While the shops in Death Lane often use peculiar currencies, we don’t have access to them.

‘So we have to rely on bartering.’

Since each shop accepts different goods, I’d stuffed my tattoo inventory with a mix of daily necessities, jewelry, and snacks… including a box of vegetables.

Of course, some shops demand something no sane person would willingly give, but this should suffice here.

“How much of this would you like?”

……

The butcher extended its hand to take the entire pile of vegetables.

My companions, who had been silently horrified by my inventory trick, suddenly looked relieved.

“Oh, the trade went through…”

“Hold on. All of it?”

“……?!”

I frowned and interrupted.

“That’s too expensive. I mean, no matter how fresh it’s been packaged, there should be limits. It wasn’t easy for me to bring these here in such good condition…”

“M-Mr. Roe Deer…?!”

My companions now stared at me as if I’d lost my mind, but I kept talking.

“Did you raise the price just because I selected it? Or is this a general supply issue?”

N…od.

“I see, you’ve been struggling. But even so, this goes over my budget… Huu.”

I let the silence hang deliberately.

The shopkeeper remained silent as well.

The skinned cow’s head seemed to blankly watch me before finally moving toward what appeared to be the cash register. It returned holding a handful of rusted coins, with all numbers and letters printed in reverse.

The local currency.

‘Yes!’

Success…!!

Not all shops accept bartering, and in those cases, you need coins to escape!

– Ah, how perfectly scripted! The joy of a well-prepared performance!

Smiling, I accepted the coins.

“This change will do. Thank you. I’ll take my purchase now.”

……!

The skinned shopkeeper excitedly rose and began packaging the item I bought.

The wildly rolling black eye was sealed in transparent liquid and handed to me in a plastic wrap.

I tried my best not to look too closely at either the coins or the item.

“Thank… you.”

And then—

Drip.

Blood splattered from the shopkeeper’s apron onto my face.

And onto Jang Heo-un’s face as well.

“……!”

Jang Heo-un, wearing his bison mask, stiffened and lowered his head.

He was likely fighting the urge to vomit…

‘Damn it.’

I jumped in and started talking.

“Ah, my friend here seems a bit weak from hunger. We should head back soon so he can eat something.”

Please, please!

The skinned cow peered intently at Jang Heo-un.

Just as he began to break into a cold sweat, frozen stiff—

Thud.

The shopkeeper dropped an item in front of him.

…It was one of the ears of corn I had used as payment.

“Th-thank you…”

Jang Heo-un, with trembling hands, took the corn.

The shopkeeper stared blankly at him for a moment before returning to their seat in front of the butcher shop’s glass door.

‘…We made it.’

We quickly walked away from the ‘Fresh Meat Butcher Shop’.

At the same time, I glanced at Jang Heo-un, who was gripping the corn tightly.

More specifically, I looked at what he was wearing.

‘…Was it the mask?’

It seemed the shopkeeper had mistaken him for a bison.

As expected, the masks from Daydream Inc. were no ordinary items—they worked like Dream Essence Collectors.

‘Phew.’

Don’t give up on your body!

Remaining steps : 7,999

Our steps only stopped when the next alley came into view. I immediately checked on Jang Heo-un.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? Oh, yes… well, since the blood was all cleaned off and the cuts were neat, I think I’m fine now…”

‘Isn’t it more horrifying that they were so clean yet still alive?’

But fear points differ from person to person. Best to respect that.

At least he seemed okay now, which was a relief. His complexion looked fine too.

Just as we were about to move again—

“W-What was that just now? How did you manage that trade…?!”

Kang Yihak finally started asking questions.

Alright.

‘Let’s go all in one more time…!’

I deliberately asked back in a casual tone,

“What do you mean?”

“That thing you bought! The manual clearly says to avoid meat-themed alleys, but you handled it all so smoothly, like you were prepared…”

I was prepared!

But I couldn’t admit that, so I replied,

“It was obvious.”

“……?”

“From the manual’s description of meat-related shops, I figured it’d be like a restaurant district. The problem usually comes from eating things, right?”

I lifted the bag containing my purchase.

“But this is a butcher shop. I assumed I could just buy without eating anything.”

“……!”

“And judging by the display…”

I spun the bag around to show them the bizarre black eyeball.

“Since it’s alive, I figured it could be used for something else.”

“……”

“For example… organ transplants.”

“……!”

Exactly.

Explorers don’t buy food at this butcher shop.

There’s a record of an employee successfully attaching a tongue purchased from the Fresh Meat Butcher Shop into their mouth. It functioned perfectly, enabling movements impossible for humans.

If you attach a fresh, still-living part from this shop to a missing body part, it becomes functional.

Sometimes, it even carries over abilities the original part possessed.

Of course, blindly approaching this shop without knowing that and trying to buy something is absolutely insane!

So I rambled on.

“In places like this, it’s vital to make creative inferences from limited clues.”

No, it’s not.

‘Trying to gain an edge through wild guesses is a surefire way to get yourself killed…’

Everyone knows that such moves are a last resort when there’s no other escape.

But I had no choice but to act calm and crazy. After all, lunatics always have their own impeccable line of logic.

“I succeeded with my inference. Is there a problem?”

There were bound to be plenty!

Sure enough, Kang Yihak stared at me with her mouth agape.

Yep, she’s baffled.

“Wow!”

Whoa, that startled me.

“You’re absolutely right!”

……?!

Her eyes gleamed through the pony mask.

“Wow, I see now. To achieve high rewards, you have to think differently from the crowd. I’ve been too cautious, worrying about risks this whole time.”

“……”

“Life is all or nothing anyway, isn’t it? Haha! Exactly!”

W-Wait a second.

Something’s off here…

“Alright, let’s move forward. Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve met a superior worth emulating!”

“……”

At that moment, it hit me.

‘Silver Heart!’

I still had the Silver Heart badge pinned inside my pocket.

‘And I used it while rambling nonsense, so it ended up convincing her!’

The issue was that this situation was still bizarre.

The Silver Heart isn’t a brainwashing tool—it’s a persuasion tool.

Its effectiveness relies on both logical validity and emotional resonance.

‘So logically, this kind of absurd rant shouldn’t have worked…’

“I’ll make sure to support your endeavors from now on, Supervisor! Haha.”

“……”

Ah.

I get it now.

This person… genuinely believes the insane logic I spouted made sense.

‘What kind of person is this?’

A cold sweat trickled down my back. I turned to my one last hope—a sane colleague.

‘Mr. Heo-un, at least you…’

“Yes, I’ll support you too!”

“……”

Where did this go wrong?

Jang Heo-un’s face was lit up with the look of someone thinking, ‘Wow! I’ve been helped again! How lucky!’

He was already fully convinced.

– Congratulations. You’ve earned the trust of your colleagues, Friend!

“……”

Sure.

But something feels… off.

For now, the only option was to keep walking and get out of here…

‘First, escape.’

Don’t give up on your body!

Remaining steps : 6,999

Surprisingly, the next alley went smoothly.

So did the one after that.

“These are lighting shops. Don’t look directly at the windows, or you’ll risk going blind or getting burned. Let’s pretend we’re chatting and avoid looking at them as we walk.”

“Got it!”

The alleyways were lined with all sorts of bizarre and mystical shops.

Still, since I knew the manual by heart, it felt like taking a pop quiz after memorizing the textbook.

Of course, the stakes were death if I got even one answer wrong, so I stayed hyper-focused…

“Oh! A pharmacy! Shall I try buying something there this time? What do you think, Supervisor? You okay with it, Mr. Bison?”

“Yes! I’m fine with it!”

“…The items don’t seem particularly valuable, so let’s keep moving.”

“Ah, right, gotta save our bullets for the big stuff, haha!”

Why does it feel like they expect me to make bold purchases again…?

And the worst part? It seemed like they’d fully support me if I did. That was the most nerve-wracking part.

Meanwhile, the shop I suspected might have the chocolate I came here for wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

It was exhausting, sneaking glances around without making eye contact with the shopkeepers. Huu…

Then, at that moment.

Don’t give up on your body!

Remaining steps : 4,999

“Supervisor, a new alley appeared…”

I stopped and looked at the narrow gap between the pharmacies.

From within, a foul stench wafted out.

‘Ugh.’

It was a cramped back alley, barely half the width of the street vendor alley… but overwhelmingly dark.

“……”

Whoosh.

The alley stretched ahead, lined with rickety side doors. A few gas lamps flickered faintly, barely lighting the way.

In that dim light, thick, sewer-like sludge oozed from pipes beside the doors, only to disappear into the darkness.

And beneath the gas lamps, leaning against the walls, were skeletal, hunched silhouettes.

Glance.

Clad in filthy, tattered uniforms, they stared right at us.

…Taking everything into account—

‘Even if this wasn’t a ghost story, the atmosphere screams turn around and get out immediately.’

The alley exuded a chilling and eerie vibe that made any normal transaction seem impossible.

“…This isn’t in the manual.”

Right.

At this point, even Daydream Inc. hadn’t conducted an official exploration here. It was an unfamiliar and unknown alley to the staff.

The problem was…

‘I have to go in there.’

Tears welled up.

And the fact that I wouldn’t even have to convince my teammates to enter this insane place… also made me want to cry.

With a heavy heart, I turned to my companions and said,

“We’re going into that alley.”

Their responses?

“Understood!”

“Looks like a black-market spot! High profits guaranteed!”

“……”

Please, let me be the only lunatic in this group!

Chapter 91 - [■■■ 16th Avenue], IV

A grimy back alley.

Even within the noisy, bizarre night market filled with non-human entities, this dark and foul-smelling place felt distinctly out of place.

Under the flickering gaslights, strange figures in uniforms fixed their hollow eyes on me as I stood at the mouth of the alley.

– My, this looks like the kind of place you’d rather avoid stepping into with polished shoes.

But I had to go.

And I couldn’t let my teammates notice that I was momentarily frozen by the sight.

Slosh.

I stepped into the back alley.

My teammates followed close behind.

Glop, slosh.

Walking between narrow walls under dim gaslights, we passed rows of tightly clustered side doors.

“……”

It was surreal.

The scene felt like stepping into a poorly stitched-together image meant to stretch endlessly with its strange side doors.

As we walked between the doors, eyes stared at us from both sides.

‘Haah.’

Figures in filthy, stained uniforms. Their abnormally thin black bodies stood silently against the walls, their heads turning to follow us.

– A star is always subject to attention! But even stars need a break. As always, this Braun could relieve that burden for you…

I felt like screaming and begging him to do exactly that, but—

‘No. It’s fine.’

I couldn’t use ‘Lights out’ now.

‘I’ll save it for when I truly need it.’

– Of course!

Right. I had to endure this.

‘Stick to the plan.’

I swallowed hard and kept walking.

Just as the chill creeping up my neck made my legs stiffen to the point where walking became difficult—

“…Huh?”

My teammate’s exclamation snapped me out of it.

The endless side doors, the figures in uniforms, and then—

Just one.

A door, slightly ajar.

“……”

The door was protruding slightly.

From the crack came an inky darkness.

‘Wow, seriously.’

It was straight out of a horror movie. My eyelids twitched from the tension.

But I had to say this:

“There’s a door slightly open over there. It seems like a welcoming sign. Let’s go in.”

“Yes!”

“Ah… I see!”

“……”

‘Shouldn’t they be questioning this nonsense?!’

But I had to do what needed to be done.

Taking a deep breath, I approached the single open door.

The closer I got, the stronger the urge to run, but I resisted.

I bent down to peer into the narrow crack of the black door…

And came face to face with a bloodshot eye.

“……!!”

Calm down.

I had anticipated this. No panicking, no stupid moves…

I carefully slid something I had prepared through the door crack.

A pack of cigarettes.

“……”

My hand trembled.

It felt like something icy grazed my fingertips…

Creeeak.

The door creaked open wider.

‘……Phew.’

In this alley, entering shops was generally prohibited, but the use of addictive items like alcohol or cigarettes occasionally allowed for temporary exploration.

I did it.

Retrieving my now-empty hand, I clenched my teeth.

Wow, I could cry… seriously.

“Opening a business contact’s door with a simple 5,000 won investment? You’re amazing, Supervisor!”

“Right?!”

“……”

I’d rather have someone else persuade me to that degree, honestly. I’d be able to just go ahead comfortably like them…

But since I was the one who had done the persuading, I could only trudge forward in regret.

‘Ugh.’

The bloodshot eye was gone, but a faint scent of cigarettes lingered.

‘Better than before.’

I sighed in relief and stepped inside.

“……”

It was pitch black, but I could vaguely make out shapes. Stacks of boxes and items draped in black cloth formed a maze-like space.

The musty scent of a warehouse filled the air.

“Ah, if this is a discount warehouse or overstock store, we could find plenty of valuable items…”

Too bad it wasn’t.

Pushing past the boxes, I finally spotted what I was looking for.

“……! Mr. Roe Deer, over there…”

“Yes.”

A second door stood deeper inside.

It looked similar to the one we’d just entered, but it was less worn and much cleaner.

‘……I guess I’ll have to open this one too.’

At least I wasn’t at the back of the group this time.

I stepped forward, grabbed the doorknob, and pulled hard…

A dazzling, colorful light pierced my eyes.

“……!!”

As my vision gradually recovered from the flood of light, the space before me slowly came into focus.

A dazzling scene filled my eyes.

Elegant chandeliers made of crystal and brass, deep-toned wooden structures forming the interior framework, and walls adorned with golden frames and thick, glossy green velvet curtains.

But the most striking element was the three ivory torsos lining the walls. Each displayed an unfinished suit or dress, with disembodied gloved hands meticulously measuring and tailoring the garments in between.

My teammates gawked, their mouths hanging open.

“Th-this place…?”

How could such a scene suddenly appear after that eerie back alley, one might ask.

To put it simply…

‘That was truly a back alley.’

Confirmed sections of Death Lane:

38- Boutique back alley

We had entered this lavish boutique through the filthy backstreets.

Naturally, we weren’t legitimate customers.

We were nothing more than thieves who’d slipped in through a slum-like area filled with vagrants and dismissed laborers, bribing our way in with a pack of cigarettes.

But irregular methods in ghost stories weren’t exactly new.

‘If things go south, we’ll just bolt.’

If caught trespassing, we’d likely face a gruesome fate, but that’s when I’d rely on Braun to erase our presence and escape.

‘The backdoor exit is ready, after all.’

That’s why I’d saved my request to Braun until now!

I stepped forward.

“Whoa…!”

Please, don’t be impressed, everyone…

Despite my nervousness, the gloves tending to the torsos reacted in unison.

Fweeeep!

With a light whistle, the gloves suddenly attached themselves to the bodies of mannequins clad in sophisticated navy uniforms.

They resembled the figures we saw in the alley but were far cleaner, neater, and more detailed.

Even the heads appeared.

The mannequins’ painted faces stared back at us.

‘Ugh.’

Don’t make eye contact.

I quickly averted my gaze.

It was eerie but bearable.

The mannequin bowed deeply, its posture polite, and gestured for me to follow.

Of course, following it would result in certain disappearance.

Assistant Manager Choi went missing after following the directions of a mannequin clerk. These were the last words in the last communication from the employee: ‘I think I’m heading to the membership registration corner of Boutique Street.’

Additional note: A vagrant wearing the missing employee’s broken glasses was later spotted in the back alley of the boutique. Presumed to be the employee. (Refer to Exploration Record #145)

It implied the assistant manager had been forced into labor for debt repayment upon being exposed as a trespasser—or perhaps the membership registration fee never got paid.

“……”

Either way, I tried not to imagine what those grotesque figures in tattered uniforms once were.

‘That’s irrelevant now.’

The only thing that mattered was this.

Membership registration was dangerous and must be avoided.

‘For now, I’ll try to buy something at the non-member price.’

If only members could purchase, I’d bolt—my life was worth more than what I came for.

But as I raised my hand to gesture goodwill—

……!

The mannequins flinched as though a signal had appeared on their printed faces.

They bowed again.

“……”

And I knew exactly why.

I turned my arm to check.

Beneath my raised shirt cuff, a familiar Latin word peeked through.

: Socius :

“…Does this count as membership verification?”

The mannequin bowed deeply.

“……”

Now this was unsettling.

‘This is the second time already.’

The ‘theme park membership’ tattoo left by the mascot had granted me authority within another ghost story.

– Socius.

– The Latin term for ‘companion’, ‘member’, ‘kinsman’!

As Braun had said, the word’s meaning seemed to carry universal significance across different places.

Even the Fox Counselor had recognized it…

‘Why did it leave this on me?’

Before, I might’ve seen it as sheer luck and moved on, but things felt different now.

I’d experienced firsthand how devastating contamination could be.

‘This thing is powerful, but it’s bound to affect me just as strongly.’

This was no ordinary mark, summoned through some verified ritual. It was an unpredictable, potent symbol etched into my skin.

Still, the membership verification had already succeeded. If it was dangerous, I might as well use it wisely.

“Show me the items.”

The mannequins nodded once more and moved toward the torsos they had been working on. They pulled back the curtain behind them, revealing a glass display case as if by magic.

Inside was a sleek, elegant suit, similar in style to the one I was currently wearing, though its deeper hues and peculiar sheen gave it an otherworldly quality.

The mannequins clasped their hands politely and looked at me, as if asking if I liked it.

‘It begins.’

I raised my hand.

“Hold on. I’m mostly looking for small, giftable accessories.”

There was one important rule to remember here.

You must never be greedy.

Attempting to take something beyond your means would undoubtedly result in a price far too steep for any human to bear—whether in barter or currency.

So I needed to narrow my scope.

“I’d prefer something casual and easy to wear daily.”

The curtain fell, and when it rose again, the contents of the glass display had changed, as if by magic.

Gone were the torsos. Instead, there were three or four upper-body mannequins. Around their necks, arms, and fingers, accessories gleamed under the light.

“……”

I scanned them carefully, picking out the lightest and least conspicuous item.

A thin silver ring.

Its elegant engraving was delicate, and it looked as though it required the least material to craft.

In other words, it appeared to be the cheapest.

“How much is this?”

The mannequins simultaneously raised their hands, pointing…

At my companions behind me.

“……”

Of course.

According to the <Dark Exploration Records>, the standard form of barter in this boutique is…

Human lives.

Assistant Manager ■■■ successfully posed as an existing boutique member using mind-disrupting equipment.

Purchased item : Ring

Cost : Three civilians (One aged 35, two aged 21)

※ For government audit purposes, this exploration record was transferred. Full document access limited to C-level security clearance.

“Mr. Roe Deer?”

“……”

“U-Um, excuse me, but what exactly is happening right now…”

“Ah, I see. Please wrap it up.”

The mannequins moved with precision, delicately removing the chosen ring from the glass case.

From somewhere, they brought out a silk string with an elegant tag and tied it to the ring. Then, as if inviting me to inspect it, they presented it to me.

On the tag, fine script was written in impossibly tiny, elegant letters.

Rather than risk treading the direct path to Death Lane contamination by trying to read it, I turned to my reliable friend.

‘Braun, would you mind reading this?’

– No problem! It says, ‘Specialized tailoring, eternal luster that never fades. The craftsmanship of a noble artisan, always present.’

– Sounds like the kind of pitch that’d appeal to nouveau riche or social climbers! Oh, but let’s keep that between us, Friend!

‘…Right.’

As expected.

‘Never fades, always present’…

Those keywords were exactly what I had anticipated.

They suggested abilities tied to durability and permanence.

I recalled that in the exploration record mentioning the ‘Purchased item: Ring’, there was a separate wiki entry describing its origins.

A large-scale mental contamination incident.

The sole surviving company employee from that incident had reportedly traded three civilians for this boutique’s ring and worn it to survive.

‘How could I not think of that?’

The event was connected to the merch that I owned.

That one catastrophic train accident, all because of the Silver Heart.

Employee ■■■

The only surviving Daydream Inc. employee from the ‘Tamra Express Disaster’.

They claimed to have lost the piece of equipment—a ring—immediately after the incident. The ring was suspected to have played a decisive role in their survival.

This incident was documented under the Disaster Management Bureau’s human error cases, and it held the longest entry, even adapted into a short story for the company’s wiki.

A ring crucial enough to ensure survival without contamination during such a massive disaster…

To provide coherence and narrative depth to the ring’s origin, the boutique entry was created as its source.

In short, the accessories and garments sold here are indirectly verified by the wiki.

When worn, they supposedly provide resistance in situations that disrupt the ‘steadiness of one’s mind’, such as mental confusion or brainwashing.

In short.

‘This could be powerful mental defense equipment.’

…A must-have for someone like me, who’d narrowly escaped disaster due to contamination before.

“……”

I raised my head.

“Perfect. I’ll take this ring.”

Chapter 92 - [■■■ 16th Avenue], V

The mannequin staff lined up neatly and began clapping in unison. It was an enthusiastic response to my decision to purchase the ring.

Meanwhile, the two colleagues who had followed me stood there, dumbfounded by the situation.

The ring I had chosen, paired with the two humans deemed suitable for barter.

Clap, clap, clap…

The mannequins stopped clapping and, as if preparing to finalize the payment, began walking toward the two standing behind me…

I raised my hand.

“However, I’d like to propose a change in the payment method.”

The mannequins halted abruptly and turned to look at me.

Yes, it was true that this boutique accepted humans for barter. It had been done before, and the transaction was still viable.

But why did they accept humans in the first place?

If you think about it fundamentally…

Labor.

Whether as grunt workers or as individuals promoted to become mannequins like these, the wiki had already detailed this fact.

In other words, humans were accepted because they provided definite operational support for the boutique.

So, aside from labor, what else could offer definite support to the store?

Even in Daydream Inc., the answer was obvious.

Resource procurement.

I reached into my tattoo and pulled out an item. The most valuable substance I had prepared.

“I’d like to pay with this.”

A gold bar.

“……!”

Even in a ghost story, the sudden appearance of capitalism’s shining star caused my colleagues behind me to stir.

Honestly, after nearly emptying my balance on that alien shop, I’d debated whether or not to use this…

Good thing I grabbed it on my way through Jongno.

Gold and silver are classic staples in ghost stories.

Unlike silver, which is primarily used for exorcisms, gold carries a more universal symbolic weight, often associated with greed or ritualistic offerings. It’s a versatile currency.

So…

“Will this suffice as payment?”

A mannequin wearing a more formal uniform approached me. It bent its head low over the small gold bar and…

Politely extended both hands.

Success!

It worked.

I’d been prepared to flee if this failed, but the situation couldn’t have turned out better.

I placed the gold bar in the mannequin’s hands. The mannequin stepped back, then returned from behind the glass case, holding the ring in even more elaborate packaging.

The silver ring I had purchased now rested on a velvet cushion embossed with an intricate snake design.

Even the cushion is included?

Since taking the cushion didn’t prompt any reaction, I stored everything in my tattoo inventory.

Next, two other mannequins stepped forward, each holding a rectangular velvet box.

Though the boxes were identical in shape, their contents were different.

The one on the left contained an elegant, traditional pouch with an opening that revealed coins printed backward.

Change!

It was an additional profit.

The pouch’s weight was noticeably heavier than the coins I’d received at the butcher shop earlier, and the coins themselves were larger and thicker. Clearly, they were of a different denomination.

This must all be mine.

Already leaning toward the more practical option, I glanced at the other box.

Inside were various small trinkets—accessories, though calling them that felt like a stretch. They didn’t seem wearable or worth gambling on for potential mental defense properties.

Clearly, they were trying to pitch some additional sales before handing over the change.

The universal currency seems like the better option.

But just as I reached that conclusion, one particular item caught my eye among the trinkets.

A small ribbon hair tie.

Its material was unclear, but its sleek, dark brown sheen looked expensive.

“……”

Interesting.

“Can I take that as well?”

I pointed at the hair tie.

The mannequins clapped again and removed half of the coins from the pouch before presenting the remaining change to me with a bow.

“Thank you.”

I accepted the neatly packaged items and stored them in my tattoo.

“Wow, I’ve been thinking about this for a while… That ability of yours looks incredible! What kind of equipment are you using?”

“Indeed.”

I turned to Kang Yihak, who was grinning slyly.

Did she not realize I could’ve bartered her and the other colleague away?

Haah… Let’s try this one more time.

I decided to attempt one final gambit: ‘Act like a lunatic to avoid being messed with’.

Fixing my gaze on Kang Yihak, I spoke.

“I’m curious.”

“Excuse me?”

“If I were to sell one sentient being, how much gold could I get in return?”

After a brief silence,

“Huh? Why would you even think of something so illogical? Haha!”

Kang Yihak laughed heartily.

“You’d probably get a few more gold bars by selling kidneys or corneas instead.”

“……”

Is this a normal way of thinking?

It clearly wasn’t. So, I gave up arguing.

This was getting seriously unsettling.

‘I just have to endure this until we escape from this ghost story.’

Instead, I decided to offer my colleagues a carrot.

“Here, take this.”

“W-What…?!”

I divided the change from my pouch into three parts and handed some to each of them.

“I’m lending this to you. If you use it, repay me in gold. If you don’t use it by the time we leave, I’ll take it back.”

“T-Thank you…”

Jang Heo-un was the first to bow his head in gratitude.

I could brush off Kang Yihak as someone utterly beyond my comprehension, but I couldn’t understand why Jang Heo-un was so calm.

‘What on earth did you go through on the Round-Off Team…?’

At the start of this mission, I’d thought, This is going to be a reliable exploration with my sane colleagues! But now, I’d reached a point where I actually missed Baek Saheon.

At least that guy was predictably awful…

Here, I was practically bathing in cold sweat.

When I noticed Kang Yihak raising the coins to inspect their surface, I quickly intervened.

“Don’t look too closely.”

“Got it~”

Kang Yihak murmured in a slightly dazed voice.

“Gold never fails, does it?”

“……”

“Excuse me, Ms. Pony.”

Jang Heo-un quietly interjected.

“Isn’t it dangerous to make such conclusions? There are many things more valuable than gold in this world.”

“Haha, well, Mr. Bison, let me give you a tip as a fellow colleague. What do you think is the most valuable use of a wish?”

“A wish…? To save people and benefit the world, I’d imagine.”

“Eyy~ There are so many people in the world! No, no, it’s more efficient to endlessly produce what’s scarce and valuable!”

Kang Yihak declared, spreading her hands wide.

“And that is none other than the Midas Touch!”

“……!”

What?

“…You mean the hand that turns everything it touches into gold, from Greek mythology?”

“Exactly! Koreans really know their Greek and Roman myths!”

Kang Yihak grinned.

“Of course, I wouldn’t ask for everything I touch to turn to gold. I’ve already thought about a specific part of the body where it wouldn’t interfere with daily life.”

“……”

To my surprise, Jang Heo-un’s gaze turned cold, reminiscent of the time during the new hire orientation when he raised his hand to ask about wish tokens, his suit and hair drenched in blood.

“…Then why not just ask for a hundred billion or a trillion won in your bank account?”

But Kang Yihak didn’t falter.

“What? Why waste a one-time wish on that? Besides, paper money turns into worthless scraps if this country collapses. But gold?”

Kang Yihak leaned her pony mask closer to Jang Heo-un.

“Gold never loses its value.”

“……!”

“Even when diamonds, dollars, and every other currency in the world collapse, gold has never once deviated from its upward macro trend. It’s the perfect capital.”

“……”

“Let’s hear it, shall we? Our batch leader, the fastest to become a supervisor, and the record-holder for the quickest point accumulation—Supervisor Roe Deer, you agree with me, don’t you?”

Before I could respond, Kang Yihak continued without pause.

“No need to answer, really~ After all, you brought gold bars, didn’t you? You’ve just seen how useful gold can be as an item!”

That’s when it hit me.

“Gold is money, and money is power. That’s the rule in human society!”

Kang Yihak wasn’t hiding any ulterior motives. At all.

‘This person… is just absolutely obsessed with money…!

Sure, most people want to make money, but someone willing to weigh their soul on a scale to sell it off like this was overwhelming.

Perhaps the Silver Heart and the commercialized atmosphere were amplifying her behavior, but I had a feeling this was her true, unfiltered self.

She’d probably harbored these thoughts beneath her friendly demeanor even before we entered this ghost story.

‘…She’s dangerous.’

Once we leave this place, I’ll make sure to avoid her.

For now, I crossed my arms and maintained a neutral expression.

“Well, I’ve heard your point. I wish you success in making lots of money.”

“Haha, yes!!”

First, let’s get out of this store.

I declined the staff’s offer to escort me out, claiming I’d look around a bit more before leaving. As soon as the employees reverted to their floating, disembodied hands form, I rushed out through the back door.

‘Huu.’

The dark alley lined with tightly packed side doors. Who would’ve thought this bizarre place could feel comforting?

‘Let’s complete the objective, then quickly find a relatively safe and manageable alley to finish the remaining steps before the path narrows further.’

Fortunately, having easily covered 1,000 steps at the boutique, a new alley appeared without much trouble.

Do not give up on your body!

Remaining steps : 3,999

The path between the narrow side doors was about the same width as the previous alley but felt much more manageable.

“This place feels oddly familiar, doesn’t it?”

Dim lamplight flickered softly from utility poles.

Under the starlit sky, the glow of yellow light spilled gently from the signs and windows of small shops.

It feels strangely nostalgic…

The atmosphere resembled a quaint alley in an old residential neighborhood, exuding a cozy and comforting vibe.

Of course, letting my guard down here could lead to being lured into one of the shops, where I might end up missing—or worse, losing my sanity.

“I recognize this place!”

Confirmed Sections of Death Lane:

12- Old Shopping District

This alley was frequently mentioned in the manual and appeared often in exploration logs. It was also considered one of the safer paths.

And it happened to be my destination.

“Let’s move to the next alley.”

“Got it!”

We stepped into the quaint, nostalgic alley.

It was almost deserted.

The air carried a subtle, mysterious vibe, like Christmas Eve or New Year’s night.

I walked past the small, modest shops with my colleagues until I stopped in front of one.

“……”

It was a stationery store.

Not the kind with just a few school supplies and toys for students, but one that sold snacks, much like the shops near schools in the 2000s that offered tteokbokki and cheap junk food.

I glanced at the display stand. Where odeng and tteokbokki should have been, stacks of buckwheat jelly with intricate lotus patterns were piled.

And above it, the store sign.

Sweet Stationery

Found it.

This was the store said to sell chocolate bars wrapped in packaging that matched my description.

‘Huuu.’

Now that I was here, the tension was mounting.

I turned to look at my colleagues…

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

GAAAH!

I nearly jumped into the air!

Barely suppressing my startle, I turned my head to see a white lizard head staring blankly at me from the shadows beside a utility pole near the shop.

…Squad Leader!

“How many steps do you have left?”

I alternated between glancing at the stationery store and the lizard before finally regaining composure.

“Were you waiting for us here?”

“Yes. How many steps remain?”

“…We have about 3,900 steps left. Have you nearly completed your 10,000 steps, Squad Leader?”

“Yes. I determined this alley had the highest likelihood of encountering fellow explorers, so I waited with 500 steps remaining.”

It seemed he had anticipated my likely arrival at this stationery store, given that our reason for entering this ghost story in the first place was tied to the snacks reportedly sighted here.

He almost gave me a heart attack!

Still, having him give detailed answers was a relief. My opinion of the lizard as a superior fluctuated between plummeting and rising again.

At that moment, Kang Yihak chimed in.

“Wow, Squad Leader, you’re really reassuring! While we’re here, could we check out that shop next door to rack up some steps?”

The shop she pointed to sold knit goods like gloves and scarves, and it had already appeared in exploration records.

She even rattled the coins I’d handed her earlier as if to emphasize her point.

The lizard fixed his red, vertical pupils on her.

“You have the currency for this place?”

“Yes-yes! Supervisor Soleum secured it for us~ Truly amazing! D-squad members are all so capable. I’ve learned so much from you. Haha!”

“I see.”

The lizard quickly gave instructions.

“Enter in pairs. Do not engage in activities contrary to the manual. Return to the alley within ten minutes.”

“Got it!”

“Ah, um… Yes, sir.”

Kang Yihak swiftly dragged Jang Heo-un toward the shop selling gloves and scarves.

Well, since this alley and shop were relatively low-risk according to the records, it made sense for Lee Jaheon to let them go.

It worked out perfectly for me.

Now I can check out the destination without sharing any ‘secrets’.

“……”

I stood in front of the glass door of the stationery store.

Lee Jaheon followed closely behind.

“I’m going in.”

“Yes.”

Ding.

I stepped inside the stationery store.

Time to find the ‘Good Child Chocolate Bar’.

Chapter 93 - [■■■ 16th Avenue], VI

The inside of the store smelled faintly of dust, but it was warm.

It had the cozy atmosphere characteristic of an old space.

As if living up to its name, Sweet Stationery Shop carried a faintly sweet scent that felt almost comforting.

The tension that had stiffened my shoulders began to ease… No, that wouldn’t do!

‘Stay alert.’

I bit the inside of my mouth once and moved forward again.

Narrow shelves lined the walls like a maze, each one packed with various snacks.

At the very front of the large display in the center, the names of popular products were written.

Forget-Me Cotton Candy

Softie Cookie

Taste of the Sun Chips-Chips

Carrot? Of Course!

Reverse Bubble-Chomp-Gum

Nostalgia Candy SOLD OUT!

I walked quietly, scanning the snacks with my eyes.

I didn’t see the ‘Good Child Chocolate Bar’, but I recognized a few familiar names and packages.

Some of them were relatively safe and useful.

‘Alright. Since I’m here, I might as well spend my change.’

They were decent as items, or I could resell them for some extra income.

The last time I parted ways with Agent Bronze, the atmosphere hadn’t been too bad. Maybe I could restore my sales route for creepypasta snacks through them…

Considering I’d been stripped of everything down to my last gold bar, I needed a way to make money.

– You’re picking quite a lot, Friend! Be careful not to rot your teeth.

I quickly picked out a few snacks.

Then, I turned to glance at the lizard that had been following me in silence, taking slow, deliberate steps.

“…Section Chief, is there a snack you’d like to have? I’d like to offer one as a token of gratitude.”

“Yes.”

Surprisingly, Lee Jaheon didn’t refuse. After briefly scanning the surroundings, he grabbed a snack.

Reverse Bubble-Chomp-Gum

Blow it like a balloon in your mouth, and your body will grow as big as a building!

Certified original by Cheerful Research Institute (Beware of cheap knock-offs sold at street stalls!)

“…Are you sure about this one?”

“Yes.”

Did he… want to turn into a giant lizard?

I pushed down my unnecessary imagination.

‘Let’s just pay.’

Holding the selected snacks in both hands, I headed toward the cash register in the back of the store.

On the way, I scanned the entire interior again, but the Good Child Chocolate Bar was still nowhere to be seen…

‘Hmm.’

I reached the counter first in the end.

“Hello.”

The employee sitting at the iron counter gave a slow nod.

Likely the store’s owner, they wore a sloppy casual outfit and had a hat pulled low over their face.

At first glance, they seemed like an ordinary stationery shop owner, but… six arms tapped against the counter.

‘Phew.’

I made sure never to look at their face and instead carefully placed my selected snacks on the counter.

Then, I quickly pulled out my coins.

“Here you go.”

I didn’t want any misunderstandings about this being a barter transaction.

I recalled the first recorded successful purchase at this store in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

Purchased Item: Carrot? Of Course! (1pc)

Cost : Memory of the second day of a family trip in 1997

Right.

This stationery shop traded in memories instead of money.

From happy recollections that made you smile just by thinking of them, to horrifying traumas you wanted to forget.

The type of memory lost depended on the snack purchased.

‘That’s why the exploration records ranged from heartwarming to downright eerie.’

I had no desire to gamble on what I might lose. Especially not in this creepypasta world, where every bit of knowledge in my head was crucial.

‘I just need to find that Good Child Chocolate Bar.’

I considered asking the owner directly.

However, since the packaging featured something that seemed suspiciously like me, I didn’t want to risk drawing unnecessary attention to it…

“Kindly tell me the location of the chocolate bar.”

Squad Leader!

I barely stopped myself from grabbing my direct superior by the collar.

But the store owner merely pointed to a shelf without a care, still lounging deeply in their chair.

‘Phew.’

So, the illustration on the wrapper wasn’t similar enough to me for immediate recognition.

‘I’d seriously settle for having half the liver of a lizard…’ (T/N: in this context, liver = guts = courage)

Maybe I should’ve bought some at the Fresh Meat Butcher Shop. Muttering nonsense under my breath, I leaned down toward the counter to collect my purchased snacks and remaining change…

And then, I saw it.

‘Huh?’

There was something behind the counter.

A life-size cutout and decorative papers, hastily stashed away.

A sign… and a blue box filled with chocolate bars.

Theme Park Collaboration – New Product Launch!

Good Child Chocolate Bar (Cinnamon Churros Flavor)

Oh god.

‘Found it!’

I quickly examined the wrapper.

It depicted my hairstyle, mask, and suit far more accurately than I’d expected.

Had they removed the promotion display after the event ended?

No… It looked more like they had rushed to hide it.

“……”

Wait a moment.

I looked at the chocolate bar’s packaging again.

And then I realized.

That product didn’t use me as an advertisement model, nor did it decorate the packaging with a character that just happened to resemble me.

It was…

Please find this good child. We are waiting for eyewitness reports.

It was a missing person advertisement.

“……”

Cold sweat dripped down my back as I took a step backward.

That means…

Ding-ling-ling—

……

I stiffly turned my head to look toward the counter.

The store owner was holding the telephone.

The ringing sound was connecting somewhere…

Click.

The moment the call connected—

Here you are!

I turned around—grabbed Section Chief Lee Jaheon—and bolted.

Here you are! Here you are! Here you are!

I didn’t even have time to cuss. I could barely breathe as I sprinted across the store, putting as much distance as possible between me and the counter.

I reached for the door I had entered through—

Huh?

Why are you over there?

Clack.

The door locked.

“……”

I turned my head to look back at the store owner standing behind the counter.

“I’m leaving now. Please unlock the door.”

A short silence.

It’s okay.

The store owner’s voice echoed in my ears…

From the telephone in his hand, black liquid had begun to drip, pattering onto the floor.

Thicker and thicker.

Drip. Drip.

The once-thin trickle of liquid began to pool together, twisting and distorting midair like clay being molded into shape.

I came to take you back.

…Taking the shape of some mascot costume animal I had definitely seen before, somewhere…

“……!!”

I desperately yanked on the door handle. But it didn’t budge.

Damn it, this son of a—

“Let go of the handle.”

Ah.

The moment I released the door, Lee Jaheon slammed his left fist into the handle.

Crack! Thud!

Like a lie, the handle snapped off and fell to the floor.

The door burst open with a kick, revealing the alley outside.

Without hesitation, we ran.

My door!!

A furious, gushing sound erupted behind us. Splash, splash, splash!

The sound of water mixing with the store owner’s enraged voice chased us down the alley. My spine went ice-cold.

“Braun!”

– You seem to be in need of my help, Friend!

Exactly!

“Lights Out! For Section Chief Lee Jaheon too!”

– Even him? Very well. Consider this my gift!

Snap!

A cheerful snapping sound came from the plush doll, and once again, heavy darkness blanketed over me.

That familiar sensation of fading away.

“!”

Lee Jaheon’s vertical pupils darted toward me.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

“I’ll explain later. Just run!”

Splash, splash, splash…

The sound of water crashing against the alley walls was getting closer.

‘Shit, shit!’

…What happens if we get caught?

No matter how much I thought about it, I had no way of knowing. The unknown outcome made it even more terrifying.

I gritted my teeth.

‘Running was the right answer.’

Coming here in the first place, thinking I could figure something out—that was the mistake.

This was a ghost story.

Seeking the truth wasn’t the way to solve things—it was a shortcut to death in this kind of world.

‘I should have just ignored it and moved on…!’

No, no. I can regret it after I survive.

Don’t give up on your body!

Remaining steps : 3,441

I needed to last 400 more steps.

‘Whatever the next alley is, I have to run that way…!’

From behind, I could hear the alley’s residents chattering as the floodwaters swirled around their ankles.

“Wow, how fun~! What is this?”

“The mascot is coming in a parade on the water! So fun! So fun!”

“In Waterland, you can ride the Flume Ride! Eat the chocolate bar and win a trip to Waterland! Let’s find the good child!”

“Wow, the good child…”

“……”

“……”

“That guy?”

Motherfucker.

“Who?”

“Where is he?”

“I don’t see him…”

Cold sweat ran down my spine as I pushed through the ghostly crowd, making my way down the alley.

– Oh, of course. Even when all the lights disappear, a star remains a star. And a star’s fate is to endure their obsessive fans’ relentless pursuit.

– If they know the star’s defining features well, wouldn’t they only search more persistently for those?

Defining features.

I recalled the illustration on the chocolate bar’s packaging.

‘…The mask!’

I ripped off the mask I was wearing and shoved it into my tattoo.

Then, I pulled out a cap and mask, jamming them onto my face.

As my movements slowed, the water behind me surged closer. In my lowered gaze, I could see the flood right there at my heels…

No. The speed difference was too great.

‘In that case…’

I checked another direction.

Above!

“…Squad Leader, the utility pole!”

“Yes.”

I grabbed onto the nearby utility pole and climbed up quickly.

I had never climbed anything so desperately fast in my life.

Whether my palms got scraped or not, I had to—somehow, somehow…

‘…Made it!’

Water surged into the spot where I had just been standing.

But I had successfully climbed up to just below the power lines of the utility pole.

“Hah…”

I steadied my grip, nearly loosening it in relief.

‘For now, I’m safe.’

Just as I was about to twist my body and brace my legs against the alley wall for stability—

Thuk.

From my suit pocket…

My phone slipped out as the screen lit up.

Splash.

It fell into the water surging below.

The screen cracked as it hit the stone pavement, and water seeped in, causing the app display to flicker.

~~Do not give up on your body!~

~Remaining steps : 3,210~

And then…

The screen went black.

“……”

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

All that was left of my shattered phone was a dark, blank screen.

The black, writhing masses in the shape of grotesquely moving mascot chunks filled the narrow, dim alley, peering into the shop windows one by one.

My phone was carried away by the current.

It drifted along the alley, moving, moving… until it vanished among the crowd following the mascot-like lump.

The rushing water brushed past the utility pole I was clinging to…

Along with my escape route.

“……”

I’m screwed.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

Frozen in place, I turned my head.

Right below me, gripping onto the utility pole with one hand, the lizard extended something toward me.

It was his perfectly intact phone screen.

Death Lane Exit →

Follow the arrow!

Section Chief Lee Jaheon had successfully completed his ten thousand steps in this moment.

I stared blankly at the navigation screen already activated on Lee Jaheon’s phone…

And then.

“Take this.”

“…Sir?”

The lizard held out his phone to me.

“Follow the app’s directions and escape.”

“……!”

A lifeline had been thrown my way.

“The app does not recognize a change in user. As long as you don’t deviate from the guided path, you can escape.”

“……”

I reached for Lee Jaheon’s phone.

But then…

I clenched my teeth and refused.

“I can’t accept this.”

“?”

“Section Chief. That strange black water… It was definitely looking for me. It’s still searching this alley right now.”

I had barely evaded it by removing my mask and suppressing my presence.

However—

“If I follow the app’s directions, I won’t be able to avoid encountering the black water. …Because I can’t deviate from the path.”

While following the app’s navigation, do not take your eyes off the screen for more than 3 seconds or deviate from the guided path under any circumstances.

Failure to comply will result in being classified as missing.

This rule applied just the same on the way back.

“So… The probability of me escaping safely without disappearing is extremely low.”

For me to have a chance at survival, I needed to hide in another alley first before activating the navigation.

‘Ha…’

“…I think finding another way out would give me a better chance of survival.”

Lee Jaheon’s vertical pupils stared at me in silence.

“I see.”

“Yes. So, Squad Leader, you should take the phone and escape—”

Then, he turned off his phone.

“……!!”

Had this lizard lost his mind?

“What are you doing?”

“I am following the two-person team protocol from the manual.”

What kind of nonsense was that?

“Then why were you trying to hand me your escape route earlier? You would’ve been left alone, not in a two-person team!”

“I followed the priority order in the manual. If you require a more detailed explanation, request it after we escape.”

Lee Jaheon spoke in his usual flat tone.

“From now on, all conversations and questions will have less priority in favor of our survival and return.”

“……”

“Mr. Roe Deer, devise a new escape plan based on what you know, even if it is not documented in the manual.”

Dear god.

“…Understood.”

I barely managed to answer.

A moment later.

We climbed down from the utility pole.

And we started walking again…

…Across the alley floor that had just been swept by the flood.

Without navigation.

Without an escape plan.

Chapter 94 - [■■■ 16th Avenue], VII

A person who lost their phone in Death Lane and desperately tried to return to reality.

I can say with certainty—I am not the first.

The <Dark Exploration Records> documented a variety of tragic and eerie ends met by such individuals.

For detailed records on employees and civilians who went missing in Death Lane, refer to the document filed as ‘■■■ Escape Attempt via Alley 16’.

For now… let’s recall the common premises first.

1- Attempting to blindly follow someone else who is receiving navigation from their phone always ends in failure.

The app’s navigation could not be shared.

Ultimately, every attempt ended with ‘At some point, the person I was following simply disappeared.’

As these failures accumulated, people abandoned the idea and instead started looking for escape hints from within Death Lane itself.

‘There were all kinds of methods.’

A store that promised to open a backdoor out of the alley if you sacrificed a limb.

A passerby who claimed you could escape through a manhole.

A shoe shop insisting that if you wore their shoes, you’d see the exit path.

Fortunately, I don’t have to try all of these methods to reach the conclusion.

All of them failed.

…Yeah.

A cruel truth, deduced through inductive reasoning.

2- The residents of Death Lane have no knowledge of the way back to reality.

Everything they said was a deception.

It was no different from stopping a random office worker in Seoul and asking them directions into a creepypasta.

The residents here never had that knowledge in the first place.

‘I need to abandon any expectation or plan of escaping with someone’s help.’

That meant I had to think of an escape method assuming I wouldn’t receive any new hints at all…

Huu…

“Squad Leader.”

“Yes.”

I forced myself to open my mouth.

“…I’ll brief you on what I’ve figured out so far.”

Now, the third premise.

3- From now on, it is impossible to enter new alleys.

Normally, for app users, a new alley would appear every thousand steps, and they could choose whether to enter it or not.

But with my step-tracking app broken, that rational system was gone as well.

‘We’re trapped in this alley.’

It was possible the scenery would change as we walked…

But we had no control over it.

As outsiders to this ghost story, we were fundamentally unable to find the path forward…

“Therefore, we must find a way to escape from within this alley.”

“Yes.”

And now, the fourth premise.

“…Also, we must escape before dawn.”

A time limit.

Naturally, most members of this company’s Field Exploration Team had nerves of steel.

Some even deliberately tried to stay longer in certain alleys, experimenting to see if they could increase the Dream Essence’s grade.

‘There were times when the Research Team requested this at a corporate level.’

For instance…

Seeing how long they could last without walking, maximizing the time spent in Death Lane within the limits of their phone’s battery.

The result?

Total communication loss.

…And this ‘communication loss’ was not the kind where someone was later found in some grotesque transformation, like the forced laborers at the boutique back alley.

It was a complete disappearance.

Even a staff member who attempted to stay overnight in an inn, maintaining radio contact with dedicated equipment, ended up vanishing.

Exploration Team Member : Yes, yes. I’ve entered a place called the Goldfish Eyes Inn. Just in case, I’ll be taking turns standing watch with Supervisor ■.

Exploration Team Member : What did I pay for lodging? Oh, well, I just used a dead body. That person was already dead anyway, so I put the body to good use. That’s all you need to know.

Exploration Team Member : Anyway, I’ll try staying up all night like this. If my Dream Essence grade goes up, I get proper points for it, right?

[ … ]

Exploration Team Member : The sun is rising.

Exploration Team Member : The sun is burning the alley! It’s on fire! Everything’s burning, everyone’s running! I can’t esc— (Connection lost)

“……”

I never wanted to experience something like that.

‘This is driving me nuts.’

Walking through Death Lane without my phone, all these thoughts running through my head—reality was beginning to sink in, brutally and unmistakably.

The fact that I could become just another entry in those records.

“Time constraints, spatial constraints, method constraints.”

I barely managed to report to Lee Jaheon with a calm tone.

“…Overall, no matter what method I come up with, it will amount to a reckless gamble.”

“Yes.”

Lee Jaheon remained composed as ever.

“…Aren’t you worried about our current situation, Squad Leader?”

“No. Worrying serves no purpose in resolving the issue.”

“……”

Wow.

‘So basically, as long as I can present my insane idea convincingly, he’ll go along with it without a word of complaint.’

Just like my fellow new hires who had been with me earlier.

“……”

Wait.

‘Where did they go?’

Lee Jaheon had told them to ‘be back in ten minutes’, when they entered the shop next door.

If they really came out after just ten minutes…

‘That means they were there when the alley was hit by the sudden torrent…?’

Could they have been swept away and dragged under by the current…?

“Supervisor!”

Ah.

When I turned my head, I saw Kang Yihak and Jang Heo-un running toward us, waving their hands.

Judging by the paper shopping bags in their hands, each adorned with a ball of yarn design, they had successfully completed their purchase.

“Aiyah~ There you are!”

Kang Yihak beamed with a broad smile.

Phew.

“Looks like your shopping went well.”

“Ahh, yes-yes. The store owner seemed desperate for money. He was so eager to meet our budget, he nearly sold us his own hat. Really, just a fantastic, yes, a fantastic shopping experience!”

Then, after a quick glance at Lee Jaheon’s face, Kang Yihak suddenly pretended to check her phone and hastily added,

“Oh? Wait, how did so much time pass already…? I’m so sorry! You told us to be out in ten minutes, but we got too absorbed when we found something useful for our exploration endeavors. Truly, our apologies, Squad Leader!”

“Yes.”

Her excuse was obviously rehearsed, but at least it was better than nothing.

They must have been so engrossed in haggling that they didn’t even notice the flood outside.

Meanwhile, Jang Heo-un, standing beside her, looked slightly pale as he glanced warily at his shopping bag.

“Mr. Bison, is there a problem with the item you purchased?”

“Oh, no. It’s not that… It’s just that among the things they were selling, some of the yarn wasn’t actually yarn… There were these weird strands that looked like veins mixed in.”

“……”

Good lord.

“I mean, of course, I didn’t buy any of that. Also, thank you so much for the coins, Mr. Roe Deer. I’ll make sure to repay you in gold once we get out of here…!”

“Come to think of it, shouldn’t we be heading out soon? Oh! Have you been counting your steps while walking around this alley? Can you share your ‘remaining steps’ from the app?”

Lee Jaheon, expressionless, gave an immediate answer.

“No.”

“…Pardon?”

Aaaagh!

‘This damn lizard!’

I swiftly and discreetly kicked Lee Jaheon’s shin at an angle where no one else could see.

“?”

Then, maintaining a completely natural tone, I said,

“We were just walking slowly to check something. Have you both reached your step count?”

“Oh, we’re almost there. We did a lot of pacing back and forth while browsing in the shop.”

“……”

“A bit of a shame, really~ We could have checked out two more alley options!”

Kang Yihak clicked her tongue regretfully.

On her phone screen, the remaining step count was clearly displayed.

Don’t give up on your body!

Remaining steps : 1,052

“Well, since we’ve already spent all the money you lent us, we might as well check what the next alley looks like before heading back. Haha!”

“…Yes.”

Did you know?

There was exactly one way for someone who had lost their phone to successfully escape this place.

A method recorded multiple times, thoroughly verified, and confirmed as fact.

I had almost been presented with a similar opportunity just now.

And that was…

To steal someone else’s phone.

Supervisor Park Dojeong got into a scuffle with a merchant during a transaction. In the process, he sustained three hairline fractures to his left rib and had his phone destroyed.

Successfully returned after seizing a civilian’s phone.

“……”

I stared at Kang Yihak’s phone, dangling in the air without protection…

Then said,

“Yes. Please return first. Squad Leader, would it be alright for them to go back on their own?”

“Yes.”

I sent my two batchmates away.

“Well then, we’ll head back. Thank you…!”

“Haha, see you at work tomorrow. We can talk more about our spoils then~!”

The two of them walked down the alley and suddenly vanished.

…They must have entered the next alley.

Don’t do anything you can’t handle.

‘That’s an undeniable act of evil.’

If I went that far, I might not be able to use my Silver Heart anymore.

Even if that weren’t the case, if I later realized I could have survived without stealing a phone, my mind wouldn’t be able to bear it…

‘Unless it’s the absolute worst-case scenario, don’t go that far.’

The moment I crossed that line, my corruption might accelerate.

I traced the silver ring I was already wearing, grounding myself.

– Oh, Mr. Roe Deer, you chose dignity. What admirable restraint!

– Some guests will resort to the most disgraceful acts just to gain attention. That too is a kind of noble professionalism, but isn’t it contestants like you who truly win over the audience?

R-Right.

‘Thanks.’

Though, honestly, I’d rather not be compared to that.

I took a deep breath, trying not to recall the chaos of the Tuesday Quiz Show.

I was already trapped in a ghost story—I didn’t need to relive the time I nearly died in another one.

Instead, I focused on combing through my mental records, searching for any clue in this alley that might help—

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

Fwik—

Lee Jaheon grabbed me by the nape and yanked me through a shop door.

Then, after pulling me inside, he immediately dropped to the floor.

“There’s water.”

“……!”

I lifted my head.

We were inside an unmanned laundromat.

Beyond the cheap, printed-glass door, the alley was filling with water…

Ssshhhaaa—

From the narrow gap between two residential buildings—not an alley—black water seeped through, pooling and congealing into a familiar, mascot-like shape.

A slithering dragon character.

‘…That doesn’t look like the real mascot.’

Unlike before, it didn’t radiate that sharp, intelligent presence.

But that only made it more eerie, more menacing.

‘It doesn’t look like I can negotiate.’

– Indeed. Trying to converse with a parade balloon is a foolish endeavor, Friend!

The water mass jerkily moved its limbs, its grotesque gait carrying it back down the alley.

Luckily, it didn’t peer into the laundromat.

‘Phew.’

Scattered across the damp floor in its wake were chocolate bars, likely washed out of a stationery store during the flood.

Then came the residents of Death Lane—the ones entranced by the parade—rushing toward them.

Mine! It’s mine!

Send me to the Cheerful Theme Park!! Let me win!!

Let’s find the good child! Let’s find the good child!

A chaotic mix of pedestrians and merchants swarmed in, tearing open the chocolate bars, desperately searching for what was hidden inside—

Probably theme park tickets or membership passes.

…Just like my tattoo.

: Socius :

‘……If they see it, they’ll rip my skin off along with it.’

The classic ghost story scenario flashed through my mind, sending chills down my spine.

I opened the glass door slightly the moment the water mass disappeared from view down the alley.

Clink.

…Fortunately, the Death Lane pedestrians who were frantically rummaging through the chocolates didn’t look this way.

I swallowed hard, flicked a coin, and summoned a third hand into the air.

The translucent hand crept carefully through the narrow gap of the glass door and snatched one of the chocolate bars that had bounced toward the laundromat from the alley…

The moment the third hand came back inside, I quickly grabbed the chocolate bar and stuffed it into my other tattoo.

‘Phew.’

If I’m already stirring up trouble, I might as well gather information to analyze.

Thankfully, whether it was due to the silver ring doing its job, I felt no strange hallucinations or noises, nor any fervent craving for the theme park.

‘I’ll examine it more thoroughly once I’m back in reality.’

As I pulled my hand out of my tattoo inventory and deactivated the third hand, I recalled an item I’d been carrying around all this time without trying it even once.

The most expensive item in the alien shop.

We Can Help! – ₩66,666,666

“……!”

I took out that item.

A small, red button.

…Right, Braun had said something like this:

– Hmm. Yes, Mr. Roe Deer, you can think of it as an ‘emergency escape’.

Emergency escape.

‘Should I press it?’

Considering the price, it felt like I should save it for a higher-grade Darkness, but with disappearance looming over me, maybe I was better off using it now rather than risking everything.

‘Alright.’

Let’s see what happens.

Before I pressed it, I showed the button to Section Chief Lee Jaheon.

“Squad Leader, this is—”

“Do you require my advice?”

“……”

Huh?

“Do you require my advice?”

“…Yes.”

“Do not use it.”

“……”

A chill ran down my spine.

“You know about this button, Squad Leader?”

“Yes.”

“…Does something bad happen if I press it?”

“That depends on your perspective.”

“…Could you be more specific?”

“That is not possible.”

“……”

“However, in our current situation, I do not recommend using it.”

“……”

‘Huu.’

In the end, I put the button away again.

Section Chief Lee Jaheon might not say everything he knows, but he doesn’t lie.

And the fact that he’s someone who can also purchase items from the alien shop made me even more uneasy.

‘He’s the reason I got the link to the alien shop in the first place, with his account.’

All in all, forcing the use of this item right now felt like setting up my own grim final entry in the exploration records.

– Oh dear, you’re not pressing it? I was curious to see what would happen, how disappointing.

Really?

A wave of profound exhaustion washed over me.

It felt like realizing that a rope ladder I’d thought appeared out of nowhere was just a drawing.

“……”

Leaning my back against the laundromat wall, I stifled a sigh.

“In that case, all our remaining options are shots in the dark.”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon looked at me. I drummed my fingers nervously on my arm.

“Like… maybe if we destroy an entire house, we can create a gap in the concept of the alley and escape— Wait, don’t do it!”

“Yes.”

I’m going crazy.

I quickly stopped the lizard from punching a hole in the wall with his bare hands, then sank down to the floor.

‘Is there really no other way?’

Either we die, or we escape.

Is there truly no more reliable option than betting on some extreme long shot?

Certainly, the methods for leaving a ghost story…

……

Ah.

“……!”

I jumped to my feet.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

“Squad Leader!”

This—this might work!

“There’s a way we can try. First, we get out of here and move—”

Lee Jaheon grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back.

“Step away.”

“……”

I turned my head.

Through the laundromat’s glass door, I saw a dark shape.

It was watching us.

A mass of black water.

Found you.

Chapter 95 - [■■■ 16th Avenue], VIII

Water poured into the laundromat.

Gurgle, gurgle.

I stepped back to avoid the water seeping through the gaps in the glass door.

But there was no place to hide in the unmanned laundromat. Only a few washing machines were running on all sides.

‘Damn it.’

“This way, sir!”

I immediately stepped up onto a washing machine. At the same time, Section Chief Lee Jaheon climbed onto the one next to it.

But that was it.

‘Where do we go now?’

I scanned the high, small window on the left wall. It had bars, but if Lee Jaheon tried, he could probably rip it o—

♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

“……”

A faint, resounding melody echoed in my ears as the sound of rushing water filled the room.

I recognized the tune.

It was the theme song for the Cheerful Theme Park.

♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

The water that filled the laundromat coalesced into a massive form.

A dragon in the park mascot costume.

Found you.

Suddenly, a voice emanated from the seemingly mindless water mass before me, sounding like it came from the other end of a phone line.

The vibrations traveled through the water…

Found you.

Cold sweat dripped down my back as I stared at the black streams and masses of water occupying the laundromat.

‘How did it recognize me?’

I had taken off my mask and was wearing a hat and a face mask…

Kidnapper.

‘…It recognized Section Chief Lee Jaheon!’

The black water mass raised a forelimb and pointed at the lizard standing on the washing machine beside me.

“I am not.”

Kidnapper.

“I am not.”

Are you guys just gonna do this forever or what…!

No, that might be a relief. Honestly, it wouldn’t have been surprising if this water mass suddenly unleashed some creepypasta ability!

I still hadn’t forgotten the torrent that had surged and swallowed the alley, sweeping away my phone in its madness.

‘…I’m not even sure if brute force exorcism would work on water.’

“……”

Huu.

If words could get through, at least.

B a d . . .

“I am not a kidnapper.”

I took off my face mask and put on my deer mask again.

Then, I rolled up my sleeve to reveal the tattoo.

: Socius :

Trying to appear as calm as possible, I met the water lump dragon’s gaze.

“Mr. Mascot, were you looking for me by any chance?”

The water mass wavered.

And then—

G o o d c h i l d !

Its voice became clearer.

“Yes, it’s good to meet you too…”

I gestured to Section Chief Lee Jaheon not to come down, then carefully climbed down from the top of the washing machine myself.

‘Ugh.’

The water sloshed around my feet, but aside from the theme park melody becoming a little clearer, no other bizarre symptoms appeared.

‘Alright.’

I can do this.

I approached the water mass…

L e t ’ s g o

A vibration emanated from my tattoo. It seemed to resonate with the figure before me.

The dragon’s forelimb moved closer…

P l a y m o r e

I held my breath.

“I’m sorry.”

Then gently pushed its forelimb away.

“I’m not a child anymore, so I can’t stay in the theme park. I have work to do.”

Silence.

‘I’m fucking terrified, fuck.’

But I endured and calmly spoke while meeting the dragon’s gaze.

“Even so, when I want to have fun or spend time at a great waterpark, I’ll make sure to visit you.”

I raised my wrist to show the tattoo.

“That’s why you gave me this, right? So I can come whenever I want.”

The water mass nodded slowly.

“Thank you. …But, um, I’m not sure I know how to get to the Cheerful Theme Park.”

At work, the method to enter the theme park involved a board game, and the structure of the park varied with each game.

‘If I could avoid that, it might actually be safer.’

It would be better to revisit a place I’d already been.

“What if I accidentally end up at a different theme park without you? Is there a way to prevent that?”

I t ’ s o k a y

“…Even if I go to another theme park, it’s fine?”

I t ’ s o k a y

“……”

Strange.

‘Would replaying that board game change anything?’

Well, if that was the case…

P r o m i s e

Hoo.

I suppressed my trembling and extended my hand to the water mass.

“Yes. I promise.”

I hooked my pinky around the water’s.

The clammy sensation sent shivers down my spine, but nothing else happened…

……

After releasing our pinky-lock, the water mass pressed a claw to my tattoo.

It seemed to be checking its attachment, and soon, satisfied, it withdrew its forelimb.

At that moment—

Fwik.

The laundromat door burst open under water pressure, and something flew in, landing atop the water mass’s forelimb.

A small, black, rectangular object.

My broken phone.

I t ’ s y o u r s .

“……”

With trembling hands, I picked up my phone.

“…Thank you. I was worried I’d lost it.”

G o o d c h i l d

The water mass’s form crumbled.

P r o m i s e

The water receded.

And, as if the video were being rewound, it flowed back out through the gaps in the laundromat…

Srrrrrk.

The water receded from the alley in reverse.

In no time, the alley became eerily quiet, with no traces of water left behind.

Inside the laundromat, where black water had once filled the space, only a few chocolate bars, printed with my likeness, were left scattered like golden flakes.

“……”

I survived.

“Huuuuu…”

I collapsed onto the spot.

– Good heavens, Friend! Did you really promise to visit that second-rate theme park again?

‘Yes.’

Honestly, I couldn’t even imagine what might have happened if I’d refused to promise.

‘They might have ripped out my organs and hired me as the second version of the Blue Dragon mascot.’

At least I avoided that.

With a membership, I’d be treated as a guest there. That was better than being dragged there or dealing with unpredictable outcomes.

My mind raced.

‘Should I talk to the company and schedule a board game run?’

Judging by the interval… I’d probably have to go within six months.

‘In the meantime, I’ll prepare items and gear.’

Alright.

What mattered was that I got through this ordeal. I got up on shaky legs, stifling a sigh.

‘If I knew this was gonna happen, I wouldn’t have run earlier…!’

But honestly, who in their right mind would’ve stayed and tried to calmly negotiate instead of running away in that situation?

‘I’d bet a gold bar on nobody.’

Huu.

Just then, Lee Jaheon casually hopped down from the washing machine behind me.

I asked without thinking.

“Squad Leader. If I hadn’t stepped up earlier, would you have tried to obliter… I mean, eliminate that water mass?”

“Yes.”

“……”

As expected.

The timing had been perfect, and if I’d stood there frozen at the stationery store, things would’ve gone disastrously wrong.

‘Guess running away back then was the right call.’

Should I laugh or cry about this?

But let’s focus.

‘We’re still trapped in this alley.’

The only upside was that I had come up with a potential way to escape.

“Squad Leader.”

I dusted off the hem of my suit and stood before the laundromat’s glass door.

“I’ve thought of an escape method. …If a few conditions are met, it might be possible to try it, even in this Death Lane alley.”

“Understood.”

“Yes. And the first condition is…”

I scanned the shops along the alley.

The object the stationery store owner had used to make their call—the one that had put us in this mess.

“A telephone.”

A little while later.

Clink—

We entered a shop in the shadowed alley, its windows emitting a surprisingly cozy glow.

By coincidence, it was the same shop where my colleagues had enjoyed their shopping spree earlier.

True to its sign, ‘Handmade Knitting’, the shop displayed cozy sweaters, socks, and scarves—but mixed in were odd, tattered, and… damp… fibers.

‘Ugh.’

I tried to ignore those as I examined the shop’s layout.

After hours of dodging the stationery store owner’s wrath and exploring countless shops in the alley, I finally found what I was looking for.

‘There it is!’

Another door.

On the wall opposite the one I had entered, a large door stood.

It was bigger than the one I’d just come through, which meant…

‘That must be the main entrance.’

And beyond it lay an unknown street, not part of Death Lane’s alleys…

This was what the <Dark Exploration Records> often referred to as ‘subsequently marked as missing’.

Occasionally, a door on the opposite side of a Death Lane shop would be discovered. Entering it was strongly discouraged.

※ To date, no return records exist.

The fear evoked by the question, Where do explorers who stray from the path go? is met only with the chilling answer, We do not know.

The terror of vanishing.

‘Huu.’

I quickly averted my eyes to avoid glimpsing the neon sign beyond the frosted glass door.

Meanwhile, Lee Jaheon was scrutinizing the socks, selecting one confirmed to be safe. I took it to the counter.

“Hello.”

The shopkeeper, knitting with six hands, glanced at me through their primitive glasses.

Once again, I subtly kept my gaze on their sweater instead of their face.

I casually handed over the socks and spoke.

“Please ring this up. Oh, and may I use your telephone for a quick call?”

Without stopping there, I casually placed a few extra coins on the counter.

……

The elderly Death Lane shopkeeper picked up their analog telephone and handed it to me.

“……Thank you.”

Huuuu.

‘With this, I’ve secured all the conditions.’

1- A telephone.

2- A door leading out, away from the alley.

And…

3- A means of transport.

I examined the rotary dial of the old phone.

Of course, dialing a real-world number on a Death Lane phone wouldn’t guarantee a connection.

There were sporadic records of calls that seemed to connect, but they always twisted bizarrely, as befitting a ghost story.

Sometimes someone would impersonate a relative and burst out laughing when caught, or the line would connect to a family holding a funeral for the caller due to warped time.

‘Horrifying.’

So, what I intended wasn’t a call for help.

‘If anything… it’s the opposite.’

I raised my finger and clumsily spun the rotary dial.

666666 4444 8282

The number made no logical sense, and ordinarily, the call wouldn’t even ring…

Brrr… click.

Incredibly, it connected.

[……]

I steeled myself against the sound of the other party’s breathing and spoke as calmly as possible.

“Hello. Is this the taxi company? I’d like to request a cab.”

[Location confirmed.]

A husky voice responded, polite yet faintly mocking and condescending.

[Please state your desired time of service.]

“I’d like it to arrive right now.”

[Please state your destination.]

“…Exit 1 of Seoul Station.”

[Understood. Dispatching a driver…]

I moved the receiver away from my ear briefly.

A few seconds later—

[Your ride has been dispatched. Have a safe trip.]

Click…

Beep-beep-beep.

The call ended automatically.

“…Thank you.”

I returned the phone to the shopkeeper with a polite bow and handed the bag of socks to Lee Jaheon, concealing my trembling hands.

‘Huu.’

Done.

As one might guess, that was no ordinary taxi service.

A mysterious taxi number that transcends time and space.

‘It’s a ghost story…!’

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Hellfare Taxi]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-C-8282

A taxi ghost story that appears when called at night using a specific number.

Anyone who rides this taxi would be cursed without fail.

----------------------------------------

There’s no normal way out of Death Lane anymore.

In that case…

‘I’ll leave, even if it’s through another ghost story.’

A few seconds later, a faint honk sounded beyond the shop’s main door.

Honk, honk—

“……”

The taxi had arrived.

Chapter 96 - Taxi Service

The ghost story taxi calls for us.

Beyond the shop’s front door.

Honk, honk—

If we board it and follow the manual properly, we can definitely get to Seoul Station…

The problem is figuring out how to get into that taxi.

‘It’s parked outside the shop’s main door.’

That’s precisely why I sought out a shop with a front door—because the alleys of Death Lane are too narrow for a taxi to stop.

‘So, to hail and board the taxi, we need to step beyond the front door…’

But there’s no telling what kind of scenery will unfold outside that door, nor whether Lee Jaheon and I will make it out unscathed.

That’s why I prepared a countermeasure.

Using a product from this shop.

‘I planned to stop by here anyway, and since this shop has a front door, it’s killing two birds with one stone.’

I swallowed hard.

“Squad Leader, let’s proceed as planned.”

“Yes.”

Lee Jaheon reached into the paper bag he was holding and quickly ripped the packaging open.

Along with the cozy socks, a small ball of yarn was revealed.

It seemed the handmade shop included it as a freebie, likely for patching up the socks. But now, it would serve a different purpose.

“Let’s begin.”

Avoiding the shopkeeper’s gaze, I unwound one end of the red yarn and tied it firmly to the leg of a display case.

Then, I halved the yarn ball, handing one half to Lee Jaheon while holding the other myself.

Though it would restrict our movements, it was safer for both of us to hold the yarn directly.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Slowly unraveling the yarn, I stood with my back to the opaque glass door and walked backward…

As soon as my back touched the glass, I groped for the handle below.

Click.

The door swung open, letting in a sudden gust of wind.

And a raw blast of horn sounds.

Honk, honk—

Don’t look back.

Matching steps with Lee Jaheon, I carefully continued walking backward.

Thankfully, I had a reliable guide to act as my eyes.

– Keep walking backward in that direction, Friend! It’s nighttime, so there aren’t many pedestrians.

…Pedestrians? No, don’t dwell on it.

Fixing my gaze on the shop interior, I kept walking backward without glancing at the dark surroundings.

The yarn connecting me to the shop served as my lifeline, keeping me tethered to Death Lane.

‘As long as I hold onto this, I’m not considered missing!’

Slowly, steadily, without rushing, I retreated…

Thud.

I bumped into something.

Honk, honk—

…The taxi.

The blaring horn reverberated through the car, making my body tremble.

Cautiously, I reached back, my hand brushing against the smooth surface of the car.

– Just a little to the left.

I adjusted my hand and felt a sleek groove.

‘The handle.’

I grabbed it, pulled the door open, and slipped into the taxi.

There wasn’t even time to take in the clean, modern interior. I moved over to the seat on the other side and immediately made room for Lee Jaheon, who entered right after me.

As soon as he was in, he tossed the remaining yarn out and slammed the door shut.

The sheer force made the entire sequence happen in an instant.

BANG—

“……”

I finally lifted my head.

In the driver’s seat sat a man in an impeccably pressed, eerie uniform, wearing a peaked cap.

“Please take us to Seoul Station.”

……

[The estimated arrival time is 43 minutes.]

The taxi glided forward smoothly.

‘Phew.’

Leaning back into the seat, I let out a deep sigh of relief.

We made it, for now!

‘Transitioned into a new ghost story… success.’

Of course, since this taxi was itself a ghost story, I couldn’t afford to relax.

I quickly recalled the relevant wiki entry.

The infamous ghost story called ‘Hellfare Taxi’, a name that suggests nothing but trouble when it comes to the fare.

The taxi is typically described as a black luxury sedan of German make.

While the model varies with each call, it can be identified by its scarlet taxi sign and the golden inverted cross ornament hanging from the rearview mirror.

I glanced at the driver’s mirror.

…There it was, the ominous golden inverted cross, swaying lightly.

Confirmed.

‘Huu.’

Even though everything was going according to plan, tension crawled up my spine.

Was it because I was trapped in the confined space of the taxi? The suffocating realization that I was now inside a ghost story where escape was impossible added to the pressure…

Tick, tick.

The meter climbed.

[10,000]

[10,100]

[10,200]

Fast.

“Mr. Driver.”

I had to start talking quickly.

The less interested the driver became in the passenger, the faster the vehicle would move, and the meter would climb rapidly.

And as the meter increased…

Taxi passengers are cursed with a curse equivalent to the amount displayed on the meter when they disembark.

That’s right.

This taxi didn’t charge money as a fare—it assigned curses instead.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t exactly a curse but more akin to ‘supernaturally induced misfortune’, which made it even more chilling.

However, if the driver maintained steady interest in the passenger and drove slowly, the meter would rise gradually, and the resulting ‘misfortune’ would be manageable for the passenger.

In the opposite case…

‘The moment you step out of a wildly speeding taxi, you’re hit with an unbearable curse.’

And no matter how fast the taxi went, it wouldn’t reach the destination early.

All taxis arrive precisely on time, unaffected by the vehicle’s speed.

My allocated time was 43 minutes.

For that duration, I had to consistently hold the driver’s interest.

‘If the vehicle speeds up, there’s a higher chance of strange phenomena occurring inside, like the windows shattering… or so the records say.’

I had no intention of experiencing that.

Fortunately, I’d read the records and knew what kind of conversations could pique the driver’s interest.

The problem?

The taxi is operated by a team of four drivers who work in shifts and refer to one another by numbers.

While their appearances are completely identical, subtle differences can be observed in their interactions with passengers. Each driver also displays a unique preference for specific topics of conversation, adding a distinctive flair to their service.

Since they looked the same, you couldn’t tell who was who. And if you asked directly, ‘Which number are you?’ they would take offense and eject you from the taxi.

‘And anyone ejected becomes a missing person…’

Thus, the only way to figure it out was through conversation.

In exploration records, the following keywords were identified as subjects of interest for each driver :

Number 1 / Olympics, elections, pets, games, social media.

Number 2 / War, mafia, action movies, vampire legends, firearms.

Number 3 / Fine dining, farming, economic recessions, slum tourism, luxury goods.

Number 4 / The afterlife, religious experiences, pandemics, mass murders, ■■■.

The standard strategy was to determine which driver you were dealing with as quickly as possible through the first few exchanges.

But if you have as much information as I do from the records, there’s another option.

A conversation method to exit the taxi in the best possible condition.

[Mr. Passenger.]

“……”

The first question was here.

From the front seat, a low, slightly mocking voice flowed from the driver, who was steering the car…

[How was your day?]

“It was a regular workday.”

[Aha.]

The driver never explicitly stated their preferred topics, only asking questions.

But the meter answered for him.

[10,500]

[10,700]

[10,900]

[11,200]

Out of control.

– Goodness, does this driver not understand the concept of small talk? Friend, if you’d like, I could step in as a skilled broadcaster to spice things up…

‘No need.’

This was expected. I quickly and nonchalantly responded with my next line.

“But I almost died on the job today.”

Thunk.

“Nearly became fresh produce myself while trying to buy some meat at a butcher shop.”

The meter stopped.

[11,300]

“Fortunately, the shop owner turned out to be a vegetarian. I bartered some produce and got out. Even won the haggling match and got some cash.”

[……]

The driver’s fingers tapping on the steering wheel slowed.

The vehicle’s speed decreased.

[And what happened next?]

Phew.

“I headed for the back alley.”

It worked.

What am I doing?

‘Weaving as many correct keywords into my answers as possible.’

The goal was to say something that interested any of the four drivers.

A strategy I called ‘You’re bound to like at least one of these topics’.

And luckily, my current situation naturally allowed me to bring up all kinds of sensational material.

‘The last six months have been full of ridiculous adventures, after all.’

[What kind of work will you have tomorrow?]

The conversation topics seemed endless.

“I plan to take a break and reflect on everything that’s happened. It’s been quite eventful.”

I kept steering the conversation toward stimulating, talk-worthy topics, no matter what the taxi driver asked.

I kept weaving in nightmares, food, blood, violence, survival of the fittest, mascots, cooking, fortune-telling, ghosts…

All seamlessly blended into casual conversation.

Eventually, the car moved forward as slowly as a bicycle.

I kept talking non-stop, enough for Braun to marvel a few times at my ability to fill the air.

By the time my voice was nearly hoarse…

[…We’ve arrived.]

The taxi came to a stop.

[We’ve reached your destination, ‘Seoul Station’.]

Click.

The lock on the back door released, and the tinted window rolled down, revealing a familiar view…

It was the nightscape of Seoul Station.

‘Hah…!’

I was so relieved I could cry.

Though I wanted to leap out immediately, I first needed to settle the fare.

I looked at the meter.

[29,700]

[29,800]

Click.

The driver stopped the meter.

[29,800]

‘I did it…!’

Going under 30,000 was usually only possible for short, 10-minute trips.

This level of fare meant there would be no permanent damage.

[Time to settle the fare.]

The taxi driver extended a hand behind him.

In that hand was a cheque.

-29,900 / Code 1

I carefully took the old-fashioned paper cheque, stamped with a wax seal in the shape of a snake…

The back of the cheque had a description of the curse the passenger would receive.

Fare Code 1 : Illness

– Three days of high fever, headache, hemoptysis, and chills.

Good.

‘This is totally manageable.’

Far better than disastrous bankruptcy or the death of those around me.

“Thank you.”

I clutched the cheque and gave the driver a deep bow before finally escaping the taxi.

‘Ha.’

The winter air felt unbelievably refreshing…

Knock, knock.

“……!”

The driver’s side window rolled halfway down.

[Mr. Passenger.]

I nearly passed out right then and there.

“Yes?”

[That was an enjoyable conversation. I think my colleagues would also be interested in your stories…]

In the darkness, the driver’s gloved hand tapped rhythmically on the steering wheel…

[Let’s meet again after retiring. I’ll buy you a drink then.]

I swallowed hard.

…Had he caught on?

The taxi drivers were inspired by a well-known and terrifying motif.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Conquest, War, Famine, and Death—serving as literal doomsday taxi drivers in this eerie wordplay ghost story.

Given this context, that comment was enough to send chills down my spine.

Still, I nodded calmly.

“Yes.”

But the Horsemen of the Apocalypse wouldn’t retire until the end of the world!

I’d be long gone by then.

“I’d look forward to it. Best of luck on your shift.”

[Hahaha… Indeed. Tiresome work.]

The taxi window rolled up again, and the black vehicle ghosted away from Seoul Station in an instant, leaving only the crimson afterimage of its taxi sign behind.

“……”

I glanced down at the negative cheque in my hand.

At that moment, the cheque burst into flames, and I began coughing up blood.

“Keugh—”

The high fever and pounding headache scorched through my skull, but it was bearable.

And there, watching me, was the lizard.

He, too, was dripping blood from his snout.

‘Uuuuugh.’

Not exactly a pleasant sight, but I couldn’t help swallowing my bloody saliva as I spoke.

“Um, this should clear up in three days. That seems to be… how the rule works.”

“Yes.”

“And thank you for not prying or questioning me back in the taxi. It meant a lot— cough—”

The lizard watched me, his expression unchanged, even as he coughed up blood.

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“Yes?”

“Take a sick leave.”

“…Yes.”

A little while later.

After waiting for the hemoptysis to subside, we called another taxi to return to the company dorms.

Though the thought of another taxi ride was unsettling, there were no further incidents.

Aside from our raging fevers, both the section chief and I safely made it home.

‘I didn’t expect Squad Leader Lee Jaheon to be living in the same dorm building.’

We parted ways in front of the building.

“Take a sick leave.”

“Yes… Thank you.”

We’d save the detailed discussions for later at the office.

‘Phew.’

And so…

I made it back safely.

‘Even a company dorm could feel like home.’

When I opened the door, the warm indoor air greeted me like a comforting embrace. It was almost euphoric.

Feeling this ill, I just wanted to jump into a hot shower and crash in bed, but…

There was one more thing I had to do.

‘Huh.’

I noticed a pair of shoes in the entryway that weren’t mine.

Baek Saheon’s dress shoes.

Chapter 97 - Prank / Crack

When I saw the shoes at the entrance, my first thought was that Baek Saheon had finally returned to the company housing.

‘Took him days to muster the courage.’

Or perhaps he’d heard some rumor that I hadn’t returned from today’s ghost story and rushed back.

‘But I’m back now.’

I was contemplating how to deal with whoever was currently in the room when—

– Oh dear, Mr. Roe Deer. There seems to be a slight misunderstanding in your recollection!

A misunderstanding?

– Those shoes have been in the same spot every evening, Friend.

“……!”

What?

No, I was sure there was nothing in the entrance when I left on the first day…

‘…Wait a second.’

I recalled the last time I saw Baek Saheon.

At Sekwang Technical High School.

Amid the chaos between the Disaster Management Bureau and the Field Exploration Team, I’d seen him fleeing with an item in hand.

And the effect of that pen-shaped item he was holding…

‘Hypnosis.’

“……”

I looked down at my hand.

The silver ring.

The mental defense item I’d purchased today.

‘…Aha.’

That explained it.

Baek Saheon hadn’t been leaving earlier or returning later than me. He hadn’t been commuting from elsewhere either.

He’d been returning to the dorm all along.

He’d simply placed a suggestion on me, ensuring I wouldn’t notice him.

‘But now it doesn’t work on me.’

Thanks to the silver ring shielding my mind, I’d finally ‘seen’ his shoes after days of being oblivious to them.

“…Hah.”

Seriously.

As if being sick and exhausted wasn’t enough, now I had to deal with this nonsense at home…

– Oh, what a perfectly pieced-together deduction, like a beautiful puzzle!

– But… isn’t it a traditional and moral lesson for deceivers to pay the price?

There was a hint of sly amusement in Braun’s voice.

Normally, I’d have been horrified by that, but…

Hmm.

“Braun.”

– Yes, Friend?

“How about we try something fun? You’ll like it.”

– ……!!

‘Phew.’

The moment the noise from the entrance died down, Baek Saheon cautiously got out of bed.

‘What the hell was he doing, taking so long to go to his room?’

It had been days since leaving Sekwang High. He’d been lying low in the company housing, keeping as quiet as possible.

All to avoid being noticed by Kim Soleum.

‘…At first, I just thought I was already fucked.’

Waking up in the morning to realize a psychopath in the neighboring room bore a grudge against him?

To avoid any potential confrontation, he’d used the fountain pen to ensure Kim Soleum wouldn’t notice his presence.

‘It really is a great item.’

That psycho hadn’t noticed a thing!

Still, Baek Saheon had been desperately avoiding any encounter, staying quiet even in his room to prevent the suggestion from wearing off.

He’d considered applying a stronger hypnosis but feared the consequences if it failed…

Even so.

‘…Maybe it’s time to go for a more daring suggestion?’

The hypnosis had held up for days. He was starting to think it might be worth the risk.

Like making Kim Soleum protect him in a crisis or tricking him into handing over valuable items and believing he’d lost them…

‘Hmm.’

Besides, he’d heard a few things from Jang Heo-un— that Kim Soleum’s latest ghost story involved alleys filled with various equipment and items.

‘…I’m jealous.’

Baek Saheon clenched his fist briefly, thinking of his fellow new hires at the Round-Off Team.

He needed his own chance to secure items. More chances…!

Maybe he could subtly hypnotize his colleagues and swipe their items…

‘But I can’t do that right now!’

The fountain pen could only apply hypnosis to one person at a time. Since it was currently being used on Kim Soleum, it couldn’t affect anyone else.

The situation was getting under his skin.

‘I knew it, I’ll need to squeeze more out of Kim Soleum.’

The timing felt perfect.

‘Time to plan.’

Once Kim Soleum fell asleep tonight, he’d use the fountain pen to—

He was mid-thought when he opened his door to get a drink of water.

And froze, horrified.

“……!”

Kim Soleum was sitting in the dark kitchen.

At the dining table, surrounded by what looked like snacks, he was examining their wrappers.

And in the center of the table sat a plush rabbit doll on a cushion…

The same creepy toy Kim Soleum always called ‘Braun’ and carried everywhere.

“What? Cheap-looking?”

Flinch.

“Yeah. I suppose that’s part of the concept. It was a stationery store, after all.”

‘This godforsaken psycho.’

He was talking to the doll again.

‘Why hasn’t he gone back to his room? Why is he still out here doing this bullshit?!’

Baek Saheon shuddered and was about to retreat to his room but… paused.

Wouldn’t this natural encounter be a good opportunity?

Without needing to try anything specific, this seemed like the perfect moment to reinforce the hypnotic suggestion.

“……”

Baek Saheon made up his mind and pulled out the fountain pen.

Then, he quietly stepped forward.

“Sure. But even items like this have their own effectiveness,” Kim Soleum said.

Baek Saheon froze mid-step, the fountain pen in his hand.

Kim Soleum continued speaking, his back turned, talking to himself like the lunatic he was.

“Like my roommate’s fountain pen passing by behind me right now.”

“……”

Ah.

Paralyzed, Baek Saheon felt his blood turn cold.

“Braun, did you know? My roommate tried to brainwash me and take control.”

“……”

“Yeah. I even prepared a gift to repay the favor…”

Kim Soleum’s voice was slow and deliberate. It wasn’t because he was calm—it was because he felt like he’d cough up blood again if he spoke too quickly.

But the low, hoarse voice, tinged with the scent of blood and pain, only made his words sound more menacing and weighty.

“Don’t you think that’s rather rude?”

Kim Soleum set his snacks down on the table and turned his head.

“And someone that rude… doesn’t deserve to be a roommate, don’t you think?”

“……!!”

Their eyes met.

‘Shit, shit, shit…!’

He’d been caught.

How? No, that didn’t matter now. The fact was, he’d been caught. Absolutely, utterly caught!

“I-I’ll leave!”

Without even thinking, Baek Saheon stammered in a trembling voice.

“Supervisor! You’re right—I’m not fit to be your roommate! I’ll leave immediately! I swear I won’t come back!”

Kim Soleum frowned.

“Ugh, my head’s pounding. Don’t you know any etiquette? Why are you shouting in a shared building this late at night?”

Shit…!

Internally cursing up a storm, Baek Saheon begrudgingly shut his mouth, hating himself for doing so instinctively.

“Braun.”

In the meantime, Kim Soleum turned back to the rabbit doll and spoke.

“Hearing someone beg so loudly makes me think… maybe I should give him one chance, even if he’s not qualified to live here.”

What?!

“I don’t ne—”

“Don’t need it?”

Kim Soleum turned his head sharply.

“You’re saying you don’t need the chance to live here?”

“……”

Why did that sound like ‘You don’t need a chance to continue living in this plane of existence’…?

Baek Saheon swallowed hard and answered,

“I need it.”

“Really?”

“Yes…”

“Good. Then hand over the item.”

“……!”

“The fountain pen you were using. The one where you write something on a sticky note, and it becomes a suggestion.”

“……”

“I don’t trust you not to pull another stunt, so I’ll keep it somewhere safe for now.”

How the hell does he know that?

Even as fear crept up his spine, Baek Saheon gritted his teeth.

“I… can’t.”

“……”

“T-Think about it, Supervisor, sir. Honestly, I haven’t caused you any harm with my actions, have I?”

He spoke desperately, his voice full of urgency.

“I need this item. I absolutely can’t give it to anyone. I swear I won’t use it on you again, so please…”

“Hmm.”

Kim Soleum responded flatly.

“Why would I believe that?”

“……!”

“Take a good look at yourself.”

Kim Soleum pointed at him.

“I told you the confirmed entry method to get into Sekwang Technical High School. Even when you tried to kill me there, I didn’t get mad…”

It was a simple fact.

“And yet you repay me with hypnosis? I have no reason to trust you.”

“……”

That… that was…

He couldn’t argue with that.

Even if the supervisor in front of him was a lunatic, he was a skilled one. And perhaps Baek Saheon was the crazy one for picking a fight with him.

‘What’s happening? Was I wrong?’

Baek Saheon’s mind whirled, torn between faint guilt, self-loathing, and overwhelming fear, all tangled in a storm of rationalization.

And then—

“But since it’s still your item, hmm… Let me offer some compensation.”

Huh?

Kim Soleum reached for something he’d placed on the kitchen table.

It was transparently wrapped and…

“Your left eye.”

What the fuck!!

Baek Saheon barely suppressed a scream as he stared at the small black sphere with a faint violet iris shifting within.

But…

“This isn’t just an eye. It’s bio-equipment.”

“……!”

“A piece of equipment with certain abilities…”

Kim Soleum explained the capabilities of the ‘eye’. As he continued, Baek Saheon’s expression shifted dramatically.

“……”

“Do you want it?”

Baek Saheon clenched his teeth.

It was hard to believe, but…

“…Yes.”

He willingly handed over the pen.

With trembling hands, a mix of anticipation and confusion, he accepted the bio-equipment Kim Soleum offered him.

‘Huu…’

That’s a shitton of cold sweat.

I finally ended my conversation with Baek Saheon and slumped onto my bed, battling headaches and coughing up blood.

It had been a struggle to mask my pain.

‘I managed to maintain control, didn’t I?’

At one point, he’d lunged over to nab the eye and I almost flinched. It was ridiculous to be dealing with this in my condition, but…

There was no time for self-pity.

I couldn’t leave a sociopath with a brainwashing item lingering near me while I was sick for the next three days.

‘I think I handled the carrot-and-stick approach well.’

I thought about the purple eye I’d handed over.

It wasn’t a threat to me but had useful features for Baek Saheon.

Well, it just so happened to be a left eye, so he could use it without needing an extraction.

Anyway, of all people, I ended up as roommates with that guy… Though, come to think of it, Go Yeongeun and Jang Heoun were the special cases, and Baek Saheon might just have the average company personality.

In this place, it feels like you can’t swing a stick without hitting a sociopath!

‘The more I dwell on it, the more depressing it gets. Let’s think of something positive…’

For example… the upcoming gift presentation ceremony.

“Braun.”

I stood up and retrieved an item from my tattoo inventory.

A ribbon hair tie, which I had bought in lieu of change at the boutique.

“A gift.”

– ……!

“Do you like it? I had a feeling you might have guessed it’s for you.”

If it didn’t suit his aesthetic, I’d probably end up sweating bullets trying to find another offering…

But Braun’s response was cheerful.

– Ah, it was quite obvious, wasn’t it?

– Not realizing it would’ve been unacceptable as a show host, but pretending not to notice is also part of an entertainer’s job.

– At last, even this stuffed body can be properly dressed.

His tone carried a rare note of excitement.

‘Thank goodness.’

Smiling, I adjusted the hair tie and neatly tied it around the plush bunny.

“Thanks for everything, Braun.”

The bunny’s round button eyes gazed into the air. When I looked away, his familiar, upbeat host’s voice followed.

– As your friend, it was the natural thing to do, Mr. Roe Deer.

The ribbon might have been purely ornamental, but Braun’s voice brimmed with joy as it was donned like a bowtie.

– A neat appearance is an essential courtesy for anyone performing in front of an audience, wouldn’t you agree?

Braun seemed delighted as I repeatedly adjusted the bowtie for the perfect angle. At the same time, he urged me to rest.

– Mr. Roe Deer, maintaining your condition is a basic professional skill. Rest is essential, so it’s best you head to dreamland promptly!

“Gotcha.”

A gift presentation ceremony for a good friend—one of today’s few rewarding moments…

Normally, I’d revisit the wiki for a read-through, but I doubted my broken phone or my ailing body could manage it tonight.

‘I’ll get a new phone or repair this one first thing tomorrow…’

As long as the Memorial Popsocket was intact, swapping phones wouldn’t hinder my wiki access.

I lay back comfortably on my bed and prepared to remove the popsocket from the broken phone.

“……”

– Friend?

I quickly flipped the phone over.

The popsocket… had a crack.

Chapter 98 - [Dokkaebi Workshop], I

I don’t know how I managed to get through that night after noticing the crack in the popsocket.

The next day, I ignored my illness, headed out immediately, and bought a new phone.

After transferring my sim card, I nervously attached the cracked popsocket and powered it on.

‘…It works!’

Thankfully, the wiki was still up and running, but…

Something felt off.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Hellfare Taxi]

----------------------------------------

It’s glitching.

It felt like an old computer on its last legs, showing the characteristic sluggishness of a dying machine.

Although it eventually restored itself, the chill down my spine remained.

‘Right. Even merch can break…’

The strange reality of using merch purchased from a pop-up store in a creepypasta universe had made me overlook how reliant I’d become on my phone.

Why not copy or back up the wiki contents somewhere else, you ask?

‘That would take over a month.’

Pages accessed via the Memorial Popsocket couldn’t be copied or captured. Every entry had to be painstakingly transcribed by hand.

‘And there’s no guarantee that the popsocket as it is would last that long.’

Still, no need to panic.

These merch were, after all, from a creepypasta universe.

I’ve built a foundation here over the past six months, and now other options have opened up.

Get a new popsocket.

Or find a way to repair it.

Interestingly, both required the same type of connection.

‘The Disaster Management Bureau.’

The popsocket’s origin, of course.

And I knew where items like this and the Silver Heart badge were manufactured…

Naturally, I also knew how to gain access there, the passcode, and the necessary preparations.

Conveniently, I even had a temporary Disaster Management Bureau agent badge.

“……”

I pressed my temples and thought.

‘My sick leave’s three days.’

Which meant I couldn’t handle any follow-up tasks related to Death Lane or company work in this condition.

But as long as I didn’t report to work, I could exert myself in other areas if I could bear it. After all, my recovery was guaranteed in three days.

‘However, I can’t avoid the pain from the taxi fare-induced curse artificially.’

Since it’s a curse, even the strongest painkillers wouldn’t help. Moreover, using supernatural methods to escape the pain would only extend the curse’s duration.

Only actual suffering would count as payment.

So, unless absolutely necessary, I’d keep my ultra-potent painkiller, Happy Maker, unused.

Honestly…

“……”

Thinking back to how I used it in that nightmare gave me chills.

‘I truly felt no pain, only peace…’

Had it not been a dream, or if the Fox Counseling Room hadn’t treated my contamination, I might have become addicted to it, reliving those moments whenever things got tough.

I’ve got to be careful.

‘…Alright.’

Don’t procrastinate what I can do now—prepare while I can.

I carefully removed the cracked popsocket from the phone, packed it up, and stored it in my tattoo inventory.

“Braun. We’re heading out again.”

– Aha, the indomitable spirit despite injuries! What an interview-worthy story. A testament to one’s passion for the industry, wouldn’t you say?

– But if it becomes too much, just let me know. This Braun, your perfect colleague and friend, is always ready to help…

That was both comforting and chilling.

“Thanks.”

After another quick shower to wash off my sweat, I slipped on a light hoodie and tucked the gleaming bowtie-wearing rabbit plush into the hoodie’s front pocket.

– Looking sharp, Mr. Roe Deer! So, where to now?

Hmm.

“To the place in Seoul where young people gather the most.”

I got off at Hongdae Station.

It was fascinating how crowded the area was, even on a weekday afternoon.

‘Even far from the station, there are still so many people.’

From Mangwon to Yeonnam, every street would be bustling with visitors.

It was a stark contrast to yesterday’s dead-end alley connected to Death Lane—this crowd felt almost surreal.

– Such a lively place, full of bright and reactive people! Oh, I’d love to invite them all to a show, delivering once-in-a-lifetime thrills and shocks!

Ahhh!

Thankfully, Braun quickly got distracted, sparing me from having to calm his excited voice.

– Ah, the aroma of coffee is delightful! Care for a cup, Friend? …Oh dear! You’re staggering. Do you need support?

‘…I’m fine.’

Cursed with illness and now out in the bustling city of Seoul alongside this ghost story resident, it was inevitable that strange events would follow… Ha, well.

Still, the feeling of being in a lively, sunlit area was comforting.

A street lined with cafes, drenched in sunlight, with not a hint of gloom to be found.

It was almost impossible to imagine anything mystical or eerie happening here in broad daylight.

‘Which is precisely why it’s safe.’

I recalled the instructions on how to access the place that could repair my popsocket.

The Disaster Management Bureau’s document, registered in the wiki complete with an image of a note.

! Destroy after thorough reading Where to go : A café with a blue roof and no sign. It’s a converted house with a buckwheat flower wreath on the door.

There it was.

With Braun’s assistance, I suppressed my presence entirely and slipped into the blue-roofed building.

It was a large café bustling with customers.

Even in broad daylight, the place sparkled with all kinds of lights and decorations, and the staff busily took orders and prepared drinks.

Instead of joining the line to order, I subtly moved aside, ducked, and slipped into the kitchen area.

Venturing deeper, I soon came upon two doors at the turn of a corner.

[Staff Only]

Though both yellow doors looked identical, one led outside while the other…

‘Is the door I need to open.’

Enter through the right-hand door only. Do not touch the left door. Once touched, the ‘location’ becomes inaccessible through the right door.

Carefully, I approached the right-hand door and rapped on the surface rhythmically.

Knock-knock, knockknock—, knock-knock, knockknock—

The Jajinmori Jangdan, a beat familiar to anyone who’d gone through Korea’s public education.

I opened the door just slightly and slipped inside.

“……”

Inside, it looked like an ordinary staff area.

A mix of corridors, storage spaces, and employee lounges.

Worn-out sofas, desks, laptops, boxes of supplies. In one corner, seasonal decorations were stacked.

Look for an object resembling a house, such as a model of a residence, apartment, or yurt.

I carefully sifted through the decorations and found it.

A hanok model.

It seemed to have been used as a Chuseok holiday decoration.

‘This must be it.’

I crouched before the hanok model and reached for its tiny gate.

The moment I opened it—

BAM!

I fell backward, landing hard on my rear.

“Ah…”

Already in pain, I felt blood welling up in my throat but suppressed it.

This was not a place where I could afford to shed blood.

‘Let’s see…’

I got up and surveyed my surroundings, which were no longer the bustling café but a quiet, enclosed hanok courtyard.

The space was eerily still, with no wind and surrounded by walls.

The characteristic wooden beams and ivory-colored walls of a traditional Korean house came into view.

‘Silent.’

It felt like stumbling into a break room where no one was supposed to be.

Suddenly—

[Hey! Who’s there? You can’t just… Eh? Kim-seobang?]

The hanok’s door burst open, and out came someone with braided hair, wearing a tracksuit.

The person pointed a finger at the Disaster Management Bureau’s metal badge on my hoodie.

I took a deep breath and bowed my head slightly.

“Ah, my apologies. It’s my first time here.”

[A new Kim-seobang, huh?! Must be those meddling government agents up to their weird tricks again!]

[What if you, a scrawny Kim-seobang, stumbled upon a mischievous noontime goblin while wandering in broad daylight, eh?!]

Though the figure seemed ordinary—just large and loud—

[What’s wrong? Lost your hearing? Why aren’t you speaking, Kim-seobang?!]

It wasn’t human.

The title Kim-seobang alone gave it away.

‘That’s a goblin.’

And this was their gathering place.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Dokkaebi Workshop]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Disaster Management Bureau identification code – no records found

: Daydream Inc. identification code – no records found

A workshop where goblins gather at night to craft clubs and hats. Nearly all exploration logs occur during the day.

The Disaster Management Bureau strongly restricts information to prevent Daydream Inc. from accessing it.

Refer to the relevant documents for usage details.

----------------------------------------

This was it.

The goblins were said to gather here nightly, drinking, eating buckwheat cakes, and crafting their tools.

This ghost story begins with the idea that some nocturnal goblins enjoy their gatherings so much they linger even during the day.

If you approach the goblins idling in the workshop at midday, offer them something nice, and ask them to craft items for you, they’ll often do so enthusiastically.

Currently, however, they scare off and chase away anyone who isn’t a ‘government official Kim-seobang’.

No one who’s been chased away has ever succeeded in re-entering the place.

Honestly, it feels less like a ghost story and more like a modern version of a charming old folktale.

Isn’t that what urban legends are supposed to be?

‘That’s why the Disaster Management Bureau just quietly thanks them and takes the equipment.’

Some of the low-rank equipment, like popsockets, issued to rookie agents comes from here—including the glass gun I received from Agent Bronze.

Such harmless and straightforward ghost stories aren’t even classified as Disasters—they’re simply labeled as ‘common supernatural phenomena’ by the Disaster Management Bureau.

Although, there is one troubling description…

People are often warned to beware of fearsome daytime goblins, though no sightings have been reported to date.

This loose end hasn’t even been picked up in the <Dark Exploration Records>, so it wasn’t an immediate concern.

‘Let’s get this over with.’

I carefully unwrapped the popsocket, which I’d wrapped in multiple layers, and held it out to the goblin.

“I rushed over, hoping you could fix this. Ah, here’s a token of gratitude…”

[Kim-seobang, this isn’t something we made, is it?]

…What?

“It’s not?”

[Nope, nope. Looks like someone copied us. Haha, funny, so funny…]

The goblin chuckled to himself and stretched his neck forward, closely examining the cracked popsocket.

…’Copied’?

‘But the merch from the merch box had the same effects as the originals.’

Apparently, the source wasn’t treated as identical. I’d need to be careful.

Swallowing down spit and blood, I spoke,

“Then, is this too difficult to repair, even for your marvelous workshop?”

[What are you saying? This old-timer can fix anything smaller than my palm… but, you know.]

A sly grin spread across the goblin’s face.

[Kim-seobang, you seem to have some good stuff on you!]

“……! Oh, I did bring some buckwheat snacks…”

[Huh? Not that!]

[There’s a delicious smell coming from you…]

“……!!”

I’m screwed, aren’t I?

[Ah, it smells aged and divine…]

The goblin grinned even wider.

[Ginseng!]

“……”

Ah.

I adjusted my sleeve to cover my wrist, pretending to rummage in my bag before cautiously pulling out the item.

“Are you referring to… this ginseng, Elder?”

It was a piece of wild ginseng, previously used for Braun’s bath to release its sentience and purify it entirely.

Though the cut surface had dried, the strong scent of earth and forest remained.

[That’s it! Oh, how splendid, what a beauty!]

The goblin practically drooled over it.

[This would make a perfect tonic. How about it? I’ll craft you a fine hoe or broom. Or perhaps a lovely jade ring!]

Whoa.

– Brazen yet amusing offers! What do you think, Mr. Roe Deer? Would you trust the artisan’s skill?

“……”

‘That’s… tempting.’

Why hesitate when a benevolent goblin offers you an item?

‘Because I’m here under false pretenses.’

I’m not an actual agent.

I’m only impersonating one with this temporary badge, so I’ve got to tread carefully here.

‘The government should never find out about me.’

If the Disaster Management Bureau received a report of someone intruding on a ghost story they’re desperately trying to control, it’d be a disaster.

If today had been within fifteen days of their scheduled inspection, I wouldn’t have come at all.

‘That’s exactly the regular schedule for the Bureau’s visit.’

Even if repairing the popsocket is minor, offering premium ginseng and leaving with an item though?

‘It wouldn’t be with any ill intentions, but that goblin would undoubtedly gossip about it.’

– Aha, very true!

Even if I begged him to keep it a secret, he’d likely forget and slip up later.

‘Better refuse.’

“I’ll just give you the ginseng. Please enjoy brewing it into a fine tonic.”

[Oh, what a kind-hearted Kim-seobang! Truly generous!]

The goblin beamed as he took the ginseng.

Then—

[But you see, it’s proper to leave here with something, you know.]

“……”

What?

[Which team are you from? Judging by the temporary badge, are you one of the new recruits undergoing training?]

What the hell was this?

– Ah, goblins may be loose-lipped, but you should’ve been more cautious!

– Your reasoning was sound, Mr. Roe Deer, but there’s a flaw in your logic.

Which was—

– This one’s human.

“……”

I barely managed to turn my head to look up.

[Why aren’t you answering, eh?!]

It wasn’t a goblin—it was a Disaster Management Bureau agent pretending to be one.

Chapter 99 - [Dokkaebi Workshop], II

I knew.

I knew that the Disaster Management Bureau was rigorously managing the information about this ghost story, ‘Dokkaebi Workshop’, to prevent any leaks.

But that’s precisely… where my knowledge stopped!

‘I had no idea that the Bureau was actually managing the ghost story…’

After all, not even a mention of this existed in the <Dark Exploration Records>!

Who would have guessed they’d go as far as conducting undercover surveillance within the ghost story itself—keeping an eye on visitors and monitoring the equipment production?

A Disaster Management Bureau agent, pretending to be a goblin!

[Oh my, why are you taking so long to answer?]

My head was spinning.

‘…What do I do now?’

Wait a second, what have I been saying up until now?

As a chilling realization ran down my spine, I mentally replayed our earlier conversation like a fast-forwarded film.

Thankfully, no critical mistakes… none at all.

‘…I’m fine!’

I could still recover. I could salvage this.

With that in mind, I deliberately displayed a slightly pale, nervous expression.

“I’m sorry, Elder, but I wasn’t given permission to discuss such matters…”

[……]

I know nothing.

I am but a clueless rookie who hadn’t caught on that this ‘goblin’ was actually a fellow agent.

A ghostly goblin interrogating me about my identity had caught me off guard, leaving me fumbling to respond!

‘Please let this work!’

I subtly raised my head, wearing a hesitant expression, as if thinking, What do I do about this goblin?

[Wow, these government Kim-seobangs sure have a lot to fuss over.]

“……”

Huu.

[Kim-seobangs refer to their divisions as teams, don’t they? Why can’t you just tell me?]

“Yes, uh, well… apologies. It’s just how things are set up by the government.”

[Geez, how boring!]

The agent disguised as a goblin clicked his tongue and stepped back.

‘Made it.’

[Still, a kind-hearted Kim-seobang like you who brought ginseng, I’ll let you off!]

It seemed like the agent intended to keep up the goblin charade.

‘…The deflection worked.’

A classic case of teasing the junior.

He was probably hoping that someday, when a senior clued me in—That guy was an agent!—I’d be utterly dumbfounded.

The way he sniffed the ginseng stored in my tattoo and reacted made me suspect he’d adopted some goblin-like traits.

‘He might’ve even used some kind of ‘equipment’ to mimic goblin behavior and abilities.’

After all, goblins were notoriously mischievous.

“Thank you very much, Elder.”

I gave a deep bow, playing along.

[Kind-hearted Kim-seobang, I ought to repay your gift with some fine liquor!]

[Come now, tell me what goblin item you’d like. You could sing a song or even dance for it…]

Now he was trying to reward the rookie.

Perhaps he figured the ginseng I’d given him was a valuable item I’d gotten in a fluster.

‘…The most natural response would be,’

“No, it’s fine, Elder! Instead, could you extend your goodwill to the next ‘government Kim-seobang’ who visits? As generously as you feel today.”

[Hoho, really?]

“Yes, Elder!”

[Alright then, Kim-seobang. I always make sure to repay my debts!]

I smiled brightly and nodded, and the goblin seemed satisfied, even doing a little dance.

Good. That topic seemed to have ended well.

The conversation then naturally shifted to the popsocket I’d brought with me.

[So, the reason you’re here today, Kim-seobang, is to get this trinket repaired, yes?]

“…Yes, Elder.”

Here came the real problem.

This agent had already recognized that my popsocket wasn’t made here.

Sweat dripped from my palms.

Sure enough, the goblin-disguised agent nonchalantly probed further.

[Where did this item come from?]

“Uh, I’m not sure. I received it as a government-issued gift…”

[Hmm, lately, even government Kim-seobangs have been sourcing items from other places…]

[Risky, hm.]

“……”

[You never know when a fearsome daytime goblin might appear!]

True, the Disaster Management Bureau wasn’t relying solely on this workshop to produce equipment for agents anymore.

‘Even my Silver Heart badge must have come from somewhere else.’

Fortunately, the agent seemed to misinterpret the popsocket as something from another similar workshop.

A convenient misunderstanding.

‘Lucky.’

Mentioning a fearsome daytime goblin at the end while staying in character as a goblin helped me relax a little.

It allowed me to laugh it off and roll with it.

‘Still, I’m screwed.’

This agent would undoubtedly remember me—the random visitor who showed up today and handed over ginseng.

‘As soon as he leaves this ghost story and talks with other Disaster Management Bureau agents, I’ll be flagged as a person of interest.’

…Was there really no way out of this?

[Anyway, I’ll fix up this trinket for you, so sit tight!]

“Yes…”

The agent, imitating a goblin, disappeared into the ‘Dokkaebi Workshop’—the tiled house—with my popsocket in hand.

He was probably handing it off to the other ‘goblins’ inside.

I waited quietly.

A dark thought crossed my mind.

What if the agent pieced everything together, confiscated my popsocket, and placed an emergency call to the Disaster Management Bureau? That thought alone made cold sweat trickle down my back.

Thankfully, it didn’t take long.

[Here, take your trinket!]

The returning agent tossed the popsocket lightly toward me. I barely restrained myself from cursing as I carefully caught it.

The crack on the popsocket remained.

However, the fissure was now filled with something smooth and glossy.

An adhesive that shimmered jade-green.

“Ah, is it fully repaired now?”

[Ohoh— You don’t just serve rice without letting it simmer first. You think an elder’s craft can be completed as easily as slurping cold porridge? Wait for the adhesive to dry!]

[Handle it like a swaddled baby for a month. While doing so, wish for what form you’d like it to take. Then, it’ll transform into a splendid trinket!]

A month?

“…Thank you.”

I carefully held the popsocket.

‘…Feels like it’d break apart if I put any pressure on it.’

In other words, I’d have to handle it delicately for an entire month.

Which meant…

‘I won’t be able to access the wiki for a month.’

I’d been re-reading it daily, trying to commit as much as possible to memory. This disruption was unsettling.

Human memory has its limits, after all. I felt uneasy, but there was no alternative. I had to endure. Getting a new popsocket seemed out of reach.

‘At least I managed to get it repaired.’

That left one problem.

How do I leave this place naturally?

[Now now, young Kim-seobang, how about a bite of that buckwheat cake you brought? Let’s chat about what government Kim-seobangs have been up to lately!]

But dear elder, I have no idea…

‘If this conversation drags on, I’ll be exposed in no time.’

I might not just end up on a wanted list—I could be tied up and hauled off to the Disaster Management Bureau’s glass cell right now.

…Fine.

I steeled my resolve.

‘I’d be caught eventually, anyway.’

If I’m screwed either way, I’m going out with a bang!

“Yes, Elder. I’m here because I—”

Cough—

Suddenly, I coughed up blood without holding back.

Gurgling, dark clots spilled down my chin. I hurriedly wiped them away with my sleeve, feigning a panicked expression as I looked at the goblin.

“I-I’m sorry…”

It wasn’t just to stir alarm.

Blood.

[Kim-seobang…!!]

Traditionally, a goblin’s most sensitive trigger.

Rattle-rattle-rattle.

The large tiled house trembled.

Scary! Scary! Scary! Why scary? Why scary? Why scary?

[Aigoo! Quit making such a fuss! It’s nothing!]

Scary! Who’s it? Scary! Who’s it?

Even as the agent yelled, the house continued shaking. I paled, clapping a hand over my mouth as I retched.

“I’m s-sorry.”

[Get out of here! Who the hell sends a sick rookie to the goblin’s turf? I’ll deal with that bastard myself—!]

“N-No! Elder, I… I came here on my own, I didn’t know any better.”

[Elder, my foot! You still don’t get it?]

Time to pretend I’d caught on.

“……!”

I widened my eyes, clumsily scrambling to my feet.

“No way…”

The goblin-agent crossed his arms.

[Consider yourself lucky, rookie, that this sunbae is stationed here.]

“Y-Yes… sorry, sir.”

I wore the most clueless, dazed expression possible, as if I barely understood what was happening, and slowly got back up.

Thud. Thud.

Now, loud knocks—like broomsticks or wooden clubs—echoed from the tiled house’s door.

The agent clicked his tongue and barked at me.

[If you’re sick, just rest! Why crawl into a place like this? Did HQ send you?]

Oh?

Wait, if I play this right…

“…No, sir.”

Quickly, I rifled through my mental database of Disaster Management Bureau anecdotes.

‘…There was that betting culture during training!’

Like some test of courage where they competed to show off their competence and bravery.

Good. I’ll go with that!

“…The other trainees told me to get the Memorial Popsocket repaired myself…”

The agent flinched.

[…Do they still do that these days?]

I just smiled sheepishly.

The agent, still wearing the guise of a goblin, seemed to suppress a laugh, then rubbed his face before waving me off.

[…I’ll let it slide without reporting it to HQ. Just get out of here.]

It worked.

“Th-thank you.”

[What’s your codename?]

“It hasn’t been assigned yet… I’m still thinking about what would suit me.”

[…Fine. You’ll know when the time comes.]

The agent pretending to be a goblin gestured.

Fwick—

With a flick of his hand, I felt myself being gently pushed…

[Go and rest.]

BAM!

I fell flat on my rear.

“Hah…”

When I raised my head, I found myself back on the bustling streets of Hongdae.

The streets were as lively as ever, the sun was blazing, and the café with the blue roof was busy as usual…

‘I made it out alive!’

Without being exposed.

– That was an excellent adlib, Friend!

I let out a long sigh, covering my face.

I nearly sprawled out in the middle of the street.

The next two days were spent in genuine recovery.

Not being able to use the popsocket made me anxious, so I tried jotting down what I remembered from the wiki. But I stopped when I realized I might be unintentionally distorting or creating details that were never true.

Instead, I obsessively replayed the information in my mind, which made time pass more quickly.

And then—

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“Section Chief.”

Three days later, back at work, I met Section Chief Lee Jaheon again.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. You should schedule an additional consultation within the month, Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“……Yes.”

Fortunately, he seemed fine, too.

Section Chief Lee Jaheon didn’t ask me anything further.

Neither about Braun’s ‘Lights Out’ ability nor about the black water mascot that had chased me.

Even when I shared my side of the story as much as I could, he only responded with a calm, “I see.”

‘Consistent as always.’

Because of that, I also found it hard to ask him any questions.

Besides, after three days of sick leave, I had too much work piled up to waste time prying.

‘Wow, how am I supposed to finish all this?’

After yet another irregular escape, the entire D-squad, except for two temporary employees, took immediate leave.

The pressure from all sides was relentless.

I spent the day writing reports with the section chief, doing interviews, and even calling Director Cheong to express my gratitude.

In the midst of it all, I had to include in my report how I’d used the taxi Darkness to escape Death Lane, which left me racking my brain over how to explain how I knew to summon it.

‘Should I just say I saw some flyer advertisement in Death Lane?’

But wouldn’t that count as contaminating the manual?

My head was spinning when—

“The taxi you summoned is categorized as a pending Darkness under manual review.”

“……!”

As I turned to look at Section Chief Lee Jaheon with a chill creeping over me…

The lizard calmly added,

“That means it’s information that can’t be obtained through the company’s official systems.”

Whoa.

“So, I changed the recorded caller.”

“…Who is it now?”

“Me.”

Wait.

“You changed the report to say you were the one who called the taxi, Squad Leader?”

“Yes.”

I was starting to grasp his modus operandi.

“…Was this both a reward for my significant role in escaping Death Lane and you taking responsibility as the squad’s leader?”

“Yes.”

And that wasn’t the end of it.

“Oh, by the way, do you recall, Squad Leader? You once promised me some equipment during the pantry ghost story…”

“Yes. It’ll be ready by next week.”

Wow.

I decided to wholeheartedly respect Section Chief Lee Jaheon.

So what if he’s a bit slow? He’s the dream boss!

‘Just deal with the slowness yourself!’

Got it, Kim Soleum!

I shouted at myself internally and dove into the mountain of paperwork.

New equipment in the works, new team roles ahead.

A new chapter in my corporate life was on the horizon.

But first, another darkness awaited me.

…Along with a most unwelcome face.

“Well, long time no see, Mr. Roe Deer!”

Research Team’s Kwak Jaekang waved cheerfully at me.

“Would you be interested in, say, an abandoned elevator?”

No way! Absolutely not!!

Chapter 100 - [Don’t Look in the Mirror], I

Section Chief Kwak Jaekang of the Research Team.

A mad scientist who once threw his subordinates into the ‘Cheerful Theme Park’ ghost story.

He also served as a consultant for the ‘Manor of the Blind’ incident, which had near-catastrophic results where almost everyone met their end.

“I’ve been wanting to have a long talk with you, Mr. Roe Deer. Finally, the opportunity has come!”

That crazed ghost story researcher grinned and extended his hand.

“Your exploits have been extraordinary! I’ve been dying to hear your thoughts!”

“Thank you, sir.”

What a boss you’d hate to shake hands with. But I did it anyway—such is office life.

“I heard that once the new year begins, D-squad will become an elite squad. With that, we’ll all get so busy working as a unit that even idle chats like this before heading into darkness might be impossible…”

Kwak Jaekang joked a few times about how difficult it was to call me over.

“And I was just too curious.”

Then, with a cheerful face, he got to the point.

“How did you manage to win over Section Chief Lee Jaheon?”

“……!!”

“He always cuts me off when I try to call you over. That’s not like him—he’s not usually that proactive~”

Internally, I screamed.

‘Thank you, Squad Leader…!’

But honestly, I didn’t actively try to win him over.

‘All I had to do was say I didn’t want to.’

Section Chief Lee Jaheon was already a stickler for the rules and made every effort to reflect his squad members’ requests.

No one had made such a request before!

After all, in this ghost story specialist corporation, I’m probably the only one who’d rather split the workload into N parts than venture into a ghost story solo, no matter how cushy it might be.

And if anyone like me did exist, they’re probably long gone—dead or disappeared.

This time, however, it seemed even Lee Jaheon had difficulty stopping it on his own.

Or perhaps there simply wasn’t any justification to do so.

“Anyway, don’t worry. I don’t hold any grudges about how hard it was to bring you in, Mr. Roe Deer.”

Kwak Jaekang smiled.

“It’s just… isn’t it fascinating how there seems to be nothing Mr. Roe Deer can’t do!”

“’Fascinating’… I don’t quite understand…”

“You’re good at your job, articulate, and you manage your reputation well… very impressive. But humans are creatures who can’t excel at everything! Myself included.”

He lightly tapped his own chest.

“Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. So…”

His eyes, gleaming with a passionate obsession for ghostly exploration, fixed on me.

“What’s your weakness?”

“……”

“How does it remain so hidden, even while you’re diving headfirst into bizarre paranormal phenomena… I’m genuinely curious!”

Hah, fuck, seriously…

“If I could tell you, it wouldn’t be a weakness.”

“Haha, a clever answer to a foolish question~”

Kill me now.

‘He’s not predicting that I’m a coward, is he?’

I discreetly swallowed hard.

Kwak Jaekang spread his hands wide.

“Anyway, I called you here today for good news.”

“What kind of good news, exactly?”

“Something worth celebrating! By my calculations… Mr. Roe Deer, you’ve already earned more than half the points needed for a Wish Ticket, haven’t you?”

“……!”

This guy’s scary sharp.

And he’s right.

That’s the truth.

I recalled my accumulated points up until last week.

[Accumulated Points : 177,200p]

Even this number alone was staggering.

It was a figure unimaginable for a rookie who hadn’t even been with the company for a year, so I’d never bragged about it.

Even in a department where everyone openly talks about their resignation dates, there are limits.

‘When someone’s this much of an outlier, people inevitably start thinking differently.’

But who could have guessed?

As of this week, my accumulated points had entered an entirely new, outrageous realm.

[Accumulated Points: 277,200p]

At this point, people could start claiming it was rigged.

‘It’s all thanks to Sekwang Technical High School.’

Let’s break down the base points per grade.

A-grade : 100,000p

And I cleared Sekwang Technical High School solo at A-grade.

Though multiple people entered and cleared it together, I was the only one officially ranked A.

Moreover, the solution I concocted was just intense enough to be recognized as a solo effort.

Thanks to the ‘enthusiastic’ approval of Directors Cheong and Ho, the Development Department’s two powerhouses, my reward passed without issue.

It was both exhilarating and terrifying.

‘And this morning, the registration was finalized.’

Officially, Kim Soleum had now accumulated more than half the points needed for a Wish Ticket.

‘I’m progressing absurdly faster than I expected…’

Everything had strangely aligned, leading me here.

At this rate, if I could endure just one year—or perhaps even less—as part of an elite squad, I might return to my original world.

A peaceful 21st-century Korea where creepypastas aren’t real!

This all flashed through my mind in an instant, but I managed to keep my expression steady… or so I hoped.

‘Don’t give anything away…!’

“Does earning more than half the points change anything?”

Instead of a direct reaction, I intentionally furrowed my brow slightly, giving an ambiguous response. Was I unsettled because I had earned that much, or annoyed because I hadn’t earned enough? I kept him guessing.

“Well, it’s not about change… but it opens up opportunities, doesn’t it?”

Kwak Jaekang smiled slyly.

“Have you ever heard of the Wish Ticket Simulator?”

Simulator?

…Ah!

From a certain point, Qterw-D-718 offers a simulator tailored for promising employees with strong potential to secure a Wish Ticket.

‘Right, that was one of the ghost story entries.’

I remembered.

I forced myself to recall the increasingly blurry wiki entries while Kwak Jaekang’s voice buzzed in my ear.

“This company gives employees close to earning a Wish Ticket a chance to test their wish—to ensure it’s granted in the most ‘appropriate’ way.”

The threshold for being a ‘promising employee’ was likely 250,000 points… or it could have been calculated based on the remaining time needed to claim a Wish Ticket.

Either way, it seemed I’d been given the opportunity to try the simulator.

If entering a ghost story can be called an ‘opportunity’!

“You could always do it later, but Soleum-ssi, who knows when your turn will come up again? I figured it’d be good for you to do it now, so I called you over.”

“……”

I thought for a moment.

Kwak Jaekang, specially arranging a ghost story entry for someone?

‘There’s definitely a trap.’

But refusing outright wasn’t an option either.

This man would hound me for reasons, no doubt.

“Why avoid it if you’re not a coward? Right? Hahaha!”

Hiieek—

“Well, there could be other reasons to avoid it.”

I sighed and stood up, eager to end the conversation.

‘If I have to face a ghost story anyway, I might as well avoid giving him any leverage.’

“Alright, I understand. When should I enter?”

Kwak Jaekang smirked.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

“……”

“You’ve really changed. You’ve shed that rookie aura, haven’t you?”

Wait.

“No, no, that’s a compliment! You’re finally starting to feel like a proper employee here. No pointless chatter, straight to business~ Like a real elite team member.”

His eyes crinkled as he laughed.

“Let’s get you doing some proper company work!”

He slapped a file onto the table.

‘This is…’

A staff profile.

One I recognized.

[Employee : Jang Heo-un]

It was a photo of a gloomy, long-haired peer from the company.

“You’ve met before, haven’t you? You went to the Cheerful Theme Park together. He’s part of the Round-Off Team.”

“He’s not part of the Round-Off Team anymore, though. I believe he was reassigned to F-squad…”

“Oh, right, he got transferred. But he’s still officially listed as someone from the Round-Off Team.”

“……!”

“It’s just a temporary dispatch to a general team. His formal reassignment won’t be finalized until next year, don’t you think?”

Kwak Jaekang tapped the file.

“So… he’s still eligible to be deployed for tasks like this.”

“……”

Tasks like this?

A chilling sense of foreboding ran down my spine.

“What exactly do you mean by that?”

“It’s simple. Once you’re done with your business in the ghost story, call that employee to the elevator and leave him there.”

“……!”

This insane bastard.

No, stay calm. I couldn’t show any signs of distress.

“Is this Darkness only accessible with two participants… or is a sacrifice required?”

“Haha… figuring that out is the whole point of our research, isn’t it? Just follow the instructions. It’s a straightforward task, yes?”

Thump.

Kwak Jaekang tossed another file onto the table.

The ghost story assigned to me.

“It’s the elevator ghost story I told you about.”

– Well, I’ll leave it to you, Mr. Roe Deer! Don’t forget to call the Round-Off Team rookie when it’s time.

“……”

I reread the manual I’d already memorized, then tucked it back into my pocket.

What did I plan to do?

[Heo-un-ssi, we’re set to enter around 5 PM. Take it easy until then.]

[Ahh, okay! Got it!]

I wasn’t going to bring him along.

And I knew what this meant.

‘This could land me in serious trouble.’

No matter how good my excuse was, this would cause an issue.

This wasn’t some flexible rule I could bend and expect to get away with.

But if I didn’t block this entirely, it’d be meaningless.

‘Kwak Jaekang has likely set something up involving Jang Heo-un.’

I had to ensure he wouldn’t come in the first place.

Even if it meant risking disciplinary action, I had a potential benefit in mind—one to address after the exploration.

For now, the pressing matter was this.

……I had to ride a haunted elevator alone.

“Huu.”

This was the first time I had entered a haunted place alone, after being given time to prepare myself.

‘Maybe… it was better when I went in blindly, without knowing anything beforehand.’

My hands trembled with fear.

And I had left Braun behind.

‘The elevator in this ghost story is for one person only anyway.’

I didn’t want Braun near the elevator. Who knew what could happen?

I had asked Section Chief Lee Jaheon to check on Braun periodically, so it should be fine.

‘…Let’s go.’

I entered the building designated by the company as the confirmed entry site for Qterw-D-718.

It was a decrepit rental apartment building, with the water supply cut off long ago, though the company had temporarily restored electricity.

A cold, stale odor of neglect hung in the dimly lit interior.

The shadowed corridor stretched endlessly ahead of me.

And there it was, the lone operating device.

[5F]

The elevator door on the first floor.

“……”

I swallowed hard and walked down the hallway.

The emergency exit signs and dim bulbs flickered as the elevator came into view.

— Under Maintenance —

We will fix it as soon as possible.

Happiness Land Apartment Security Office

Despite the message, the yellowed slip of paper was barely hanging on by worn-out tape.

This phenomenon commonly arises in buildings equipped with a single elevator, particularly when the elevator is frequently out of order or displays a maintenance sign.

This was it.

With trembling hands, I pressed the elevator button.

The elevator slowly descended.

5, F, 3, 2…

[Ding.]

I took a deep breath.

The doors slid open, revealing a dim, rusted interior.

The floor was smeared with soot, as if it hadn’t been cleaned in ages.

Still, I stepped forward.

Inside, I noticed something on either side: dirty mirrors smudged with handprints.

‘…Huu.’

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Don’t Look in the Mirror]

: A ghost story featured in < Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-D-718

One of the ritual-based ghost stories circulating online in the 2000s.

They say if you play rock-paper-scissors with your reflection in the elevator mirror and win, it will answer any question truthfully.

The ghost story entry includes a gamebook-style guide on how to handle various phenomena.

----------------------------------------

[The doors are closing.]

I pressed myself against the wall without a mirror and watched the doors close with a growing sense of dread.

My heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst.

The doors shut completely, and darkness and silence enveloped me.

There I stood, alone, in the stalled elevator’s eerie interior…

…with the mirrors.

“……”

The seconds stretched endlessly.

I had to endure it. If I endured—

[Going up.]

Ding.

The elevator began to move, despite me not pressing any buttons.

…It had been summoned somewhere.

All the floor buttons lit up red, casting an ominous glow throughout the cabin.

It had begun.

Upon entering the elevator, refrain from pressing any buttons.

If the elevator begins moving on its own, you have successfully entered the ghost story.

1- Play rock-paper-scissors with your reflection in the mirror until the elevator reaches the top floor.

If you win at least once : Proceed to 3.

If you don’t win at all : Proceed to 13.

“……”

I swallowed hard and cautiously turned my head to look at the left mirror.

There, in the mirror, stood my pale reflection in the elevator.

Countless versions of me.

My front and back reflections repeated infinitely between the left and right mirrors, shrinking until they became indistinguishable points.

Each reflection grew smaller, blurrier…

“……”

I wiped my sweaty left hand on my shirt and slowly raised it.

Then I muttered softly,

“…Rock, paper, scissors.”

Scissors.

Every one of my reflections in the mirrors was showing scissors, front and back, endlessly.

“Rock, paper, scissors.”

This time, all my reflections showed fists.

I repeated it several more times.

Rock, paper, scissors. Rock, paper, scissors. Rock, paper, scissors…

“Rock, paper, scissors.”

On the fifth round, I chose a fist again.

That’s when I noticed something strange among my countless reflections.

…One of them opened its hand.

Amid all the fists, a single reflection with an outstretched palm appeared in the farthest mirror.

“……”

I froze with my hand still raised.

Then, from deep within the mirrors, that distant reflection of me slowly turned its head—

—and smiled.

A wide, chilling smile.

Chapter 101 - [Don’t Look in the Mirror], II

In the mirrored elevator, among the countless, ever-shrinking reflections of myself, only one anomaly stood out.

A figure of ‘me’ who had won the game of rock-paper-scissors, now turning its head unnaturally to look at me, grinning.

Clunk.

The sound of the elevator shook me back to my senses.

My hand had thrown ‘rock’.

While the figure in the mirror had thrown… ‘paper’.

‘…I lost.’

Losing meant I had to try again. I had to win.

The elevator continued ascending.

[5F]

[Going up.]

※ Warning : Most accounts of this ritual report that the ‘mirror-self’ tends to have an unnaturally high win rate in rock-paper-scissors.

With trembling hands, I raised my fist again toward the mirror.

“Rock, paper, scissors.”

The reflection of my face, a twisted smirk upon its lips, turned its head to the side and changed its hand arbitrarily.

I chose scissors.

The reflection chose rock.

…Another loss.

Clunk.

The elevator, momentarily jolting, resumed its steady ascent.

In reality, nothing had changed.

But in the mirror’s reflection of the elevator…

The doors were slightly ajar.

Suddenly.

Through that gap, a pale hand emerged.

“……”

[7F]

The elevator continued upward.

“Rock, paper, scissors.”

A tie.

[7F]

‘Just once.’

I only needed to win once before reaching the top floor of this building—the 12th floor.

“Rock, paper, scissors.”

I chose scissors, but the ghost chose rock.

‘I lost…’

Rattle.

The elevator trembled slightly, but that was it.

In reality, there was no further change.

However, in the mirror’s reflection… the door was now more open.

Through the gap, an arm and leg became visible.

“……”

Half of a body was now inside the elevator, almost close enough to touch me.

And yet, in reality, there was nothing there. Only the reflection in the mirror displayed this eerie scene, making it impossible to look away.

‘Please, just once!’

If I could win once, it would all end.

3- Congratulations. You’ve advanced to the question phase.

This was the path forward, the least frightening and the quickest route. Please, just let me win…

“Rock, paper, scissors.”

A tie.

[10F]

“…Rock, paper, scissors.”

……

I slowly raised my head.

My hand was clenched into a fist.

And in the mirror, my reflection’s hand was outstretched, palm open, as its face grinned widely at me.

[12F]

I lost.

13- You failed to win even once.

You cannot disembark at the top floor. What a pity.

Clunk.

The elevator stopped.

The red lights on all the buttons extinguished, plunging the interior into darkness. I barely held back a scream.

‘This is insane, insane…’

I cautiously raised my head.

In the enormous mirror reflecting this dim elevator…

“……”

The elevator doors were fully open.

On the floor indicator, strange numbers were displayed: 1930819F. Beyond the open doors in the mirror, only a void stretched endlessly.

And then…

The ghost was standing beside me.

“……”

I exhaled sharply, trying to steady my breath.

The ghost that had been playing rock-paper-scissors with me from the distant depths of the mirrors had now entered through the open elevator doors in the reflection and was standing close, staring back at me from the glass.

I turned my eyes slightly to the side.

In reality, the decrepit, dark interior of the elevator was sealed shut.

But in the mirror…

The wide-open elevator doors revealed only darkness, from which emerged another version of myself. It stood beside me, beaming with a smile so wide it seemed to split its face, gazing intently at me…

……

You failed the ritual.

You should be cautious every time you take an elevator from now on. The thing in the mirror will continue to seek you out and try to meet you.

Fortunately, you still have a chance to ask a question.

However…

: #6

That thing in the mirror smiled as it lowered its hand.

6- From this point onward, the entity in the mirror will proceed with the ritual.

The reflection’s mouth moved silently.

Rock, paper, scissors.

It showed rock.

“……!”

I looked down at my hand, which instinctively responded with rock as well, and broke out in cold sweat.

If you fail to engage in rock-paper-scissors with the mirror-self, it will gladly claim victory by default.

In such a case : No further instructions are provided. May you find luck and happiness in the next life.

I had no choice but to respond.

Rock, paper, scissors.

Once more, I raised my trembling hand.

The reflection showed rock.

And I…

Chose scissors.

“……”

I lost.

Now, it was time to pay the price for defeat.

Sweat beaded on my forehead as I slowly lifted my gaze.

Not me.

The being in the mirror would now be the one asking questions.

The ghost in the mirror, shaped like me, moved its fingers to trace a question on the glass.

What’s your name?

Fucking hell.

With trembling hands, I wrote on the mirror.

Kim Soleum

Smirk.

The ghost standing beside me in the reflection grinned.

…I had to endure.

If you lie in your response: No further instructions are provided. May you find luck and happiness in the next life.

I’m seriously about to lose my mind here.

‘Why can’t I win even once?’

No matter how hard I scoured the exploration records in my mental wiki, there were no answers.

The focus wasn’t on the rock-paper-scissors game itself but rather on what questions were asked afterward. There was no clear solution to winning the game.

After all, isn’t rock-paper-scissors supposed to be a game of luck? There’s no surefire way to win. But…

I forced myself to look directly at the ghost in the mirror beside me, its gaze fixed on me like a predator.

‘…If that’s the case, why hasn’t it lost even once?’

Was it purely luck?

A cliché where the ‘mirror-self’ knows everything I’ll play because it’s me?

‘But if that were true, why have others managed to win?’

And why, in my case, has it even allowed ties?

If it knew everything, shouldn’t it have avoided ties entirely?

If winning is possible, why…

Rock, paper, scissors.

Damn it.

I hastily threw my hand out.

I chose scissors.

The ghost chose… rock.

“……”

When’s your birthday?

My hand trembled as I wrote my response.

September 13th

The ghost in the mirror jumped up and down, gleefully.

…One question left.

“……”

If the mirror entity continues leading the game until the elevator starts moving again:

Win at least once : Proceed to 3. Answer more than three questions : Proceed to 99.

I had already answered twice.

My name.

My birthday.

I could only afford to lose one more time.

‘It’s over.’

99-

By the time you’ve reached this point after answering three questions, there’s a strong chance you’re no longer the same person who began reading this ritual guide.

We wish you a happy life outside the mirror! Please do not return to seek us out.

The mirror-self swaps places with you.

‘No. I can’t let that happen.’

Sweat dripped down my face, but I couldn’t dwell on it. I no longer had control.

Rock, paper, scissors.

I hurriedly threw my hand out.

Paper against paper. A tie.

‘Huu…’

I barely had time to catch my breath before—

Rock, paper, scissors.

“……!”

I missed it.

I failed to respond in time.

‘Fuck—’

Bracing myself, I gritted my teeth and prepared for whatever came next…

……

Huh?

Nothing happened.

‘…Ah!’

I realized it—my hand had remained raised, holding its position, so it seemed to count as a response.

‘Right. I was still holding paper…’

“……”

Hold on.

I quickly reviewed the results of every game of rock-paper-scissors I’d played with the ghost so far.

Could it be…

Rock, paper, scissors.

I kept my hand in the same position.

It was a tie.

Rock, paper, scissors.

Another tie.

And again…

For the third time, it was a tie.

‘…Maybe.’

I swallowed hard.

I had figured out one critical thing.

– The ghost in the mirror does not choose scissors.

That’s why choosing paper always resulted in a tie.

If I played paper, the ghost would have to choose scissors to win. But since it couldn’t, it was forced to choose paper as well, ensuring a tie.

‘But why?’

Why couldn’t it choose scissors?

There must be some hidden backstory behind this… Or maybe I was just making wild guesses. Either way, I decided to focus on the phenomenon itself.

At least now I had a way to defend myself…

Rock, paper, scissors.

I quickly extended my hand, once again choosing paper.

If I continued this way—always playing paper—I could guarantee a tie.

‘But I can’t keep this up forever.’

The manual didn’t account for such a scenario, which was even more disheartening.

The conditions remained unchanged.

‘I need to win, just once.’

The solution…

‘If that ghost is ‘the mirror me’ and already knows what I’ll choose,’

…might actually be surprisingly simple.

‘Play randomly.’

That’s probably how everyone else got a clear

Civilians panicked in fear while playing rock-paper-scissors haphazardly, not even realizing what they were throwing.

Field Exploration Team staff with nerves of steel, who already knew the manual and threw moves absentmindedly.

Even if someone calmed down in between and predicted their moves were being read, they’d likely have won at least one round within five or six tries. No need to keep track of what was thrown or not.

But I managed to avoid both scenarios.

The reason was…

‘…The silver ring!’

Because I wore a mental defense item, I wasn’t in a panic, but fear still gripped me enough that I overthought every move I made, leading to this predicament. Damn it…!

It’s the worst outcome a coward with mental stability could produce.

‘Should I take the ring off now?’

No, it’s too late. I only have one chance left.

‘How can I possibly…?’

I wiped the sweat pouring down my temples.

In the process, a button from my sleeve scratched my cheek, leaving a thin line of blood. I wiped it away along with the sweat.

And at that moment—

A thin red line appeared on the ghost’s cheek in the mirror.

“……!”

My sleeve, now stained with a faint smear of blood…

The blood I had wiped away, mixed with sweat, was reflected exactly.

Wait a minute.

‘Is it… sharing my state?’

Right. The mirror reflects me, after all.

Even if the ghost in the mirror acted independently, it was still influenced by the ‘me’ outside the mirror…

……!

That’s it.

‘…If that’s true!’

A flash of understanding struck me.

I gritted my teeth and rummaged through my pocket.

The ghost, mirroring my movements, mockingly rummaged through its own pocket and pulled out something identical.

But what I retrieved wasn’t some grand item.

It was just a pen and a rubber band.

‘Hurry.’

I looped the rubber band around the pen and started fastening it to my fingers…

Rock paper scissors.

“……!”

I managed to counter.

Responding quickly to the ghost’s sudden move in the mirror, I continued fixing a pen to each of my thumb and index finger, securing them upright.

I did the same with my left hand.

‘Hurry. Hurry up.’

Rock paper scissors.

Rock paper scissors.

Rock paper scissors.

Rock paper scissors.

The ghost in the mirror repeatedly thrust its hand forward as if trying to disrupt me. I frantically kept up while securing my setup.

My pen slipped several times, scratching my arms and hands with its tip, but eventually…

Rock paper scissors.

‘…Done!’

I thrust my hand forward.

This time, it wasn’t paper.

It was scissors.

Fixed in place, my fingers formed scissors with the help of the pens and rubber bands.

……!

But the ghost in the mirror kept its hand fully open, still showing paper.

To be precise—

‘It has no other choice!’

By binding its fingers with the makeshift tools I’d mirrored onto it, the ghost couldn’t bend its fingers to form a fist.

‘This means it can’t throw rock.’

Nor could it throw scissors. The only move left was paper.

Scissors versus paper.

“……!!”

I won.

“It worked…!”

Bang!

The ghost in the mirror slammed its head against the glass.

Bang! Bang! BANG!

I froze in place, paralyzed.

BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!!

The mirror cracked, ripples spreading through it, shards breaking off.

But… but…

The thing inside the mirror—could not escape.

……

The vibrations stopped.

The ghost, which had been smashing its head against the glass, lifted its gaze.

The grin that stretched its mouth moments ago was gone, replaced with an eerie blank expression.

It looked down at its own restrained hands, then its distorted face twisting in frustration.

Distorting even further.

Into an expression no human could ever mimic.

Its bizarre, twisted face stared directly at me before suddenly

HAHAHAHA!!

The ghost cackled madly as it darted out through the open elevator doors inside the mirror.

“…….”

[Going down.]

“Huuuuu….”

I slumped down into my seat.

The elevator began moving again.

The strange symbols on the floor indicator disappeared, replaced by normal numbers….

[12F]

Ding.

[You have arrived at the 12th floor. The doors are opening.]

3- Congratulations. You have successfully completed the ritual!

Exit on the top floor and locate the nearest window.

If no window is present: Proceed to 7.

I survived.

Staggering, I stepped out into the dark, desolate hallway.

Though it had been daytime when I entered, it now felt as if the sun had long since set. The grim corridor was filled with cracked windows, some taped over, others covered in graffiti.

If I had entered alone before, I would have screamed and fled from this abandoned building.

But now, even the eeriness brought a sense of relief.

I moved toward the nearest window on the opposite side.

Though it was filthy and fogged with dust, I didn’t hesitate to place my finger on it.

You are allowed to write any question on the window, and the entity within the mirror would respond.

The answer it provides will always be the truth.

The most pressing question.

The wish I wanted to be granted.

—Will the Wish Ticket elixir from Daydream Inc. allow me to return to the world I originally came from?

I lifted my finger from the glass.

Then, at the bottom of the window, other letters began to slowly appear….

“……!”

The answer to my question.

Chapter 102 - [Don’t Look in the Mirror], III

Winning against the elevator mirror ghost in rock-paper-scissors granted me one reward—a single question answered.

But naturally, the truths revealed by ghost stories weren’t always good.

They might be answers I didn’t like or ones that were completely useless.

For example, if you asked when humanity would go extinct, you might get an answer like, ‘Long after you’re dead’.

That would still technically be the truth.

So, if I were to ask, ‘What’s the way back to my original world?’ it could easily respond with something extremely vague and simplistic.

Instead, it was better to confirm whether the method I was already pursuing could truly return me to my original world.

Daydream Inc.’s Wish Ticket Potion.

My heart pounded as I waited.

The answer, guaranteed to be truthful, appeared painfully slowly on the glass window:

Returning is possible. Certainly.

A clear and absolute affirmation.

“……!”

I let out a deep sigh of relief and slid to the ground.

‘Wow.’

The tension in my body finally eased.

To be honest, I’d been worried it might give me an ambiguous or negative response.

I’d tried not to think about it, but sometimes doubts crept in…

– What if the Wish Ticket Potion can’t bring me back after all?

– What if I mess up the conditions, and it works in some twisted way?

Still, I had tried to suppress those thoughts.

Doubts wouldn’t change the fact that the Wish Ticket was my best chance.

‘Even if I’m scared, I have to keep going.’

And believing it would work was the only way to endure the terrifying jobs I had to complete here.

“……”

Now, with this assurance, I could work with even more determination.

‘Let’s do this.’

I could do it.

I’d gather the remaining points as quickly and safely as possible!

I stood up, bolstered by newfound resolve.

‘For once, I feel motivated to work…’

But I wasn’t out of the ghost story just yet.

‘I still have to complete the ritual.’

If you have safely received your answer, it is now time to conclude the ritual and return.

The steps required to return safely will depend on the number at which you won rock-paper-scissors to reach the top floor:

If you came from 1 : Proceed to 10. If you came from 6 : Proceed to 11.

Number 1 was the scenario for when the person playing rock-paper-scissors had won immediately and reached the top floor without a hitch.

So after that, when proceeding to number 10, the story would end with something like, ‘Take the stairs down, avoid elevators with double-sided mirrors for the next three days, and you’ll be fine.’

But…

‘I failed along the way.’

Failure made the next steps scarier and more painful.

“…Huu.”

I decided to check the company-provided manual to clarify the steps.

Number 11.

11- If you reached the top floor by winning a game led by the entity in the mirror, your escape process depends on how many questions you answered.

First, board the elevator again.

I swallowed hard and turned back to face the elevator doors.

The elevator was still stopped on the 12th floor, and when I pressed the button, the doors slid open.

Ding.

Inside, the right mirror was shattered, revealing the grimy, rusted interior of the elevator.

At this stage, you must hold the ‘door open’ button continuously while inside the elevator.

Do not release the button under any circumstances.

Instead of looking at the mirror you faced during the rock-paper-scissors game, direct your gaze toward the opposite mirror.

I shifted my gaze to the left mirror.

The shattered right mirror no longer reflected an infinite repeating space.

Instead, the fragmented reflections glinted across the elevator’s dim interior, and…

Something strange was there.

I saw myself.

My head hung low, unnaturally so.

I was wearing a tattered suit, standing unnervingly still.

It was the ghost that had played rock-paper-scissors with me.

……

The reflection began to lift its head slowly.

Its expressionless face locked eyes with mine, and it started to move closer.

Closer.

Until it was almost pressed against the mirror.

You must endure until the elevator emits a sound. Do not move or avert your gaze until the sound ceases.

Be aware that the more questions you have answered, the longer this phase will last.

I held on.

But there were limits.

Even though a glass pane separated us, the ghost felt like it was creeping closer—impossibly close.

My trembling hand clung to the ‘door open’ button.

I had to think about something else.

‘Is that… the thing that answered my question on the glass?’

Yes. It must have been.

Bang!

I nearly let go of the button.

The ghost pressed its head against the mirror and glared at me.

Its mouth moved soundlessly.

IwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetout

I quickly shifted my gaze slightly downward to avoid meeting its eyes.

Sweat dripped from my chin.

But through the fear, the effect of the silver ring shone through.

I stayed calm—barely.

Wants to get out?

‘…Because it’s trapped in the mirror?’

My mind raced.

‘Come to think of it, that ghost couldn’t make the scissors hand gesture, could it?’

Why?

Why couldn’t it make scissors?

I thought about the hand gesture for scissors in rock-paper-scissors.

Whether you lift your thumb or middle finger along with it, the index finger always takes center stage.

And when I thought about the hand gestures involving the index finger in an elevator, one action immediately came to mind.

Pressing buttons.

‘…That ghost, can it not press buttons?’

Sure, it could physically press them by hitting them with its fist or banging its head against them, but this wasn’t about physical action—it was about the concept and intent.

A ghost trapped in the infinite mirror world of the elevator.

A completely sealed space created by the two facing mirrors.

And the warning in the manual about failing the ritual by losing rock-paper-scissors.

Exercise caution every time you ride an elevator from this point forward. The entity in the mirror will seek you out and attempt to meet you.

Was it, perhaps…

‘…Because it wants to get out?’

Bang!Bang!Bang!Bang!BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!

Fuck, seriously…!

I tried not to look directly at the ghost smashing its head against the mirror and continued to think.

…Maybe, just maybe.

‘That ghost is trapped in the elevator?’

Then, it happened.

Beep— Beep— Beep—

The alarm for holding the elevator too long sounded.

When this sound is heard, exit the elevator immediately and use the stairs. Never use this elevator again.

If possible, attach an <Under Maintenance> sign to prevent others from riding it until the next day’s sunrise.

Additionally, when using elevators with double-sided mirrors, do not look at the mirrors for more than five seconds.

It will come for you.

In that case…

I hesitated, then stepped out of the elevator and let go of the open button.

At the same time, I lightly tapped one of the floor buttons.

[1F]

As expected, since it was a mirror, the elevator in the reflection also lit up the 1F button.

Without looking at the expression of the ghost that wore my face, I quickly bolted out of the open doors.

Screech.

The doors, no longer held open, slid shut, and the elevator began to move.

[Going down…]

From the 12th floor, I took the stairs down to the 1st floor.

As I rushed down the creaking steps, I thought I heard the elevator’s cheerful announcement, ‘First floor. The doors are opening.’

“Huuuu.”

By the time I emerged from the abandoned rental apartment building, it was already well past sunset.

‘They said time flows strangely inside, and they weren’t lying.’

It was already 7PM.

I immediately called someone.

[Ah, Soleum-ssi…!]

It was Jang Heo-un, who I’d told to meet me at 5 PM.

Despite making him wait for two hours, I smoothly delivered my apology.

The reason? Well…

“I’m really sorry. I mentioned earlier that there might be an issue, but I must’ve kept you waiting too long.”

[Oh, no, it’s fine. This café is great! If something urgent came up, it can’t be helped. Don’t worry about me.]

Right.

I’d deliberately told Jang Heo-un to meet me at 5 PM.

‘Just in case the Research Team found out I went in alone and decided to shove him into some other insane ghost story in the meantime.’

That deranged sociopath of a researcher could absolutely do it, saying something like, ‘Well, since it’s already like this, why don’t you head somewhere else?’

‘Corporate life is such a goddamn mess…’

In any case, I later apologized to Jang Heo-un at the café.

Then, I explained the situation—carefully, without being overly shocking—framing it as though the Research Team had tried to force us into a pointless and dangerous task, and I had refused.

But Jang Heo-un focused on something else.

[Wait, wouldn’t this put you in a tough spot, Soleum-ssi? I mean, you ignored a company directive…!]

“Oh, it’s fine.”

I spoke warmly.

“If you keep this between us, I can make good use of it.”

[……??]

And not long after—

As soon as I returned to hand in the Dream Essence Collector, I was urgently summoned by Kwak Jaekang.

Feigning calm, I shamelessly explained the situation.

“So, you left the Round-Off Team member behind… is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes.”

Kwak Jaekang stared at me like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, then let out a long sigh before laughing in disbelief.

It wasn’t a good laugh.

It was the ‘I can’t believe this’ kind of laugh.

“No but, Mr. Roe Deer! You know this is grounds for disciplinary action, right? Do you think this company’s a school, where you can just do whatever you want? Did Section Chief Lee Jaheon say this was okay?”

“No, Section Chief Lee Jaheon consistently advises adherence to company policies and field exploration manuals.”

“Aigoo, if you knew that, why would you do such a thing? Hm… quite puzzling.”

Kwak Jaekang spoke in a subtly probing tone.

“Do you have a strong aversion to the idea of a colleague being sacrificed in an exploration? Perhaps because you’re acquainted?”

Of course, that’s what he would think.

I replied without hesitation.

“……? Isn’t it just frustrating?”

“…??”

“Why should I, when I’m capable of achieving a quick solo clear, have to drag along—well, pardon my bluntness—a useless burden?”

“……!”

Kwak Jaekang stared at me, momentarily stunned, before hastily trying to explain.

“No, I mean, you could just clear it and leave him alone in the elevator when it’s done…”

“That’s precisely the point. Why should I bother with that kind of thing during Darkness exploration, sir?”

I furrowed my brows slightly, as though barely holding back my irritation.

“Do I need to worry about whether the staff waiting downstairs might run away, or whether I can send them at the right time? None of that helps shorten the exploration time or increase the essence grade, does it?”

“……”

“The purpose of a field exploration role is to extract high-concentration solutions as quickly as possible and supply ingredients for the Daydream Inc. Wish Ticket elixir. Why should I waste time on tasks unrelated to my job?”

“But this is also part of the job—”

“Isn’t that your job, Section Chief?”

Kwak Jaekang shut his mouth.

He seemed at a loss for words in the face of my ridiculous MZ-generation efficiency logic.

Not that I’m a real MZer—my persona is all an act! Like fresh graduates just entering the workforce, I’m just role-playing here. (T/N: MZ generation – a term coined originally for millennials or gen z people, but in a colloquial sense is just a buzzword older people use along with the connotation of ‘Young people these days…’)

“So I figured it’d be more efficient to just take the disciplinary action.”

“…More efficient, you say?”

“Yes.”

I answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“At the very least, I’d be sanctioned with disciplinary action during my downtime when I’m not out for exploration.”

“……”

Kwak Jaekang looked at me like I was some newly discovered alien species.

Of course, even he had to find this absurd.

Exactly.

‘This is the weakness you were so eager to uncover…!’

A meticulous efficiency addict obsessed with their own rules!

While it might come across as morally upright, in reality, it’s just someone who loses their mind if their self-imposed principles are violated, acting with zero social grace.

‘This kind of extreme personality is, by nature, a weakness.’

If it could stop Kwak Jaekang’s unnecessary provocations from here on out, the disciplinary action would be worth it…!

“In that case, I’ll await the decision on my disciplinary measure.”

I maintained my delusional lunatic persona to the end as I left the lab.

‘Time to find Braun.’

I was quite proud of how I did.

The now-quiet office of Research Team 1, after Kim Soleum’s departure.

Everyone else had already left for the day. So, sitting alone at his desk and mentally organizing the events of yesterday and today…

“Hahahaha!”

Kwak Jaekang suddenly burst into laughter.

“Left him behind because it was frustrating? Hahaha!”

How could this be so entertaining?

If it were any other employee, he might have fallen for it entirely.

Extreme statements paired with overwhelming performance often sound convincing.

But…

“I’ve observed a lot of people!”

In the end, actions speak louder than words.

And predicting future actions based on behavioral patterns—well, that’s part of the joy of this job…!

“Ah, delightful.”

Smiling ear to ear, Kwak Jaekang finished jotting down notes, stood up from his desk, and left for the day with a cheerful gait.

Click.

His soft humming echoed briefly in the office before fading with the sound of the door closing behind him.

Left on the desk were a few sheets of documentation.

[Supervisor Kim Soleum / Field Exploration Team]

It was Kim Soleum’s profile file.

Beneath it, hastily scribbled notes in Kwak Jaekang’s handwriting could be seen.

Traits (predictable with meaningful probability)

1- Virtuous.

2- Cowardly.

Chapter 103 - Disciplinary Action

– Friend, your superior is a dull, unimaginative blade grunt…

‘U-Uh-huh.’

I thanked Lee Jaheon and went to fetch Braun.

I felt a little bad for both of them because, by the time I got back, Chief Lizard had already taken the plush to his own place since it was so late.

Thanks to that, Braun ended up visiting a place I’d never seen myself—and had no intention of seeing, period—so he got a bit excited.

– Ah, I would have preferred to sit alone on the cold tiled backstage floor of a studio.

‘…Right.’

In the end, it must have been boring.

As Braun complained about how ‘there was absolutely nothing in that man’s house, no muttering, no humming, just silence dragging on endlessly’, I broke out into a cold sweat.

“But it was honestly so dirty there. It wouldn’t sit right with me to leave you behind in that abandoned building. As your friend, I just couldn’t do that.”

– Friend…!

I’m starting to get it now. Using a ‘good friend’ as the angle when dealing with Braun seems to get the calmest reaction from him.

‘Well, it’s not entirely a lie.’

Anyway, I recalled the conversation I had with Lee Jaheon as I received Braun.

– Thank you.

I’d said it while bowing my head.

– And I’m sorry. I did something deserving of disciplinary action and caused trouble for you as well, Squad Leader.

Honestly, in a normal company, I’d have been smacked over the head with a stack of files for this.

But even after hearing the full story, the lizard squad leader remained composed.

– Yes.

– …I just couldn’t, for no reason, push a peer into a position where he was obviously going to die…

– I see.

He stared at me for a moment and then spoke.

– Take responsibility for your choice.

– …Yes!

It was a little intimidating, but it seemed like he let it slide.

‘Thank goodness.’

After a few more rounds of apologies and thanks, I handed over a gift box of snacks I’d prepared. Now, I was heading down the stairs of the residential building.

– So, are we heading back to your humble and cozy room for some rest, Mr. Roe Deer?

“No, not yet.”

I exited the building.

“There’s one more thing to take care of.”

Today was the day to draw the tarot cards for The Dilemma, the F-ranked Darkness I was managing.

It had been two months since my last visit to the annex to check the cards. Someone else had covered for me during my sick leave, and the cycle had now come back around.

“Hello.”

I greeted the black silhouette of the security team member at the desk, received the key, and made my way down the hall.

‘Last time, I drew the Moon card in reverse.’

– Ah, are you planning to use that trick again? Picking up the card upside down, I mean!

Hmm. That one.

“I’ll use it if I have to, but I’d rather not.”

– Oh?

Something about it… bothers me.

‘When I drew the Moon card in reverse, it supposedly meant the resolution of uncertainty.’

– Indeed. What’s the issue with that?

The card itself wasn’t the problem. Over that month, several things indeed became clearer or were resolved.

For instance… my assignment.

‘I was confirmed to remain in D-Squad.’

…After we lost two members, that is.

“……”

But here’s the thing about that.

‘Resolving uncertainty requires first experiencing an uncertain situation.’

In other words, drawing a bad card in reverse implies that…

‘I would still have to experience the negative state first.’

To recover from or escape that situation, I’d have to go through it at least once.

– Aha, an interesting perspective! Quite persuasive, too!

Exactly.

And even if things eventually recover, in the world of ghost stories, the act of falling into a ‘bad state’ carries enormous risks.

I couldn’t afford to forget the contamination incident.

‘It’s safer to draw something good and upright, if possible.’

So, please, let’s not have a scenario where both cards are bad, leaving me no choice.

‘Huu.’

I entered the containment room and unlocked The Dilemma’s isolation. Taking out two black tarot cards, I placed them face-down on the table.

Taking a deep breath, I flipped them over.

The first card:

The Devil.

Shit.

‘That damned Devil card keeps showing up.’

The only surprising part was that this time, it was already reversed.

– Ah, the Devil in reverse!

– ‘Breaking free from the Devil.’ A card of liberation. It signifies overcoming addiction or obsession, or making future decisions to conquer fears. It suits someone with your willpower and creativity, Mr. Roe Deer.

I appreciated the explanation, but my attention quickly moved to the second card.

…The Sun!

The red and yellow sun burned brightly, illuminating the tarot card with vibrant colors.

This is…

‘Isn’t this undeniably good?!’

– Oh, the Sun!

– Under the clear light of the Sun, one enjoys joy and blessings in abundance! It signifies career success, strengthened relationships, and unparalleled positivity. It guarantees happiness in the near future.

– Some even consider it the best card in the tarot deck, but… isn’t unconditional success and happiness a bit boring?

I’m sorry, but I could really use that kind of ‘boring’ right now, Mr. Host…!

‘This is an easy choice.’

I reached out and picked up the Sun card.

With that, I secured a positive future, stable and upright.

– A somewhat dull choice, but I respect it, Mr. Roe Deer!

‘Thanks.’

With that, I concluded the ritual.

‘Success and joy, huh.’

There’s no downside to that.

At the very least, I could take comfort in the prediction that something good would happen within the month.

‘Time to head back to the dorm.’

– Sounds good, Friend!

And so, I headed home late at night, ending a long and eventful day. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take the elevator and had to climb the stairs.

‘Trudging up the fire escape at night is scarier than you’d think, even without creepypastas…’

It felt a bit unfair.

Still, this truly was the last major event of what had been a tumultuous year.

Surprisingly, the remaining days of the year passed peacefully.

Throughout December, not much happened.

Kwak Jaekang didn’t call for me unnecessarily after the incident, nor did any strange research projects get assigned to me.

‘Looks like my [MZ efficiency] tactic worked…’

I was worried the Research Team might try to involve Jang Heo-un again, but that didn’t happen either.

[Jang Heo-un : Soleum-ssi! No changes in my assignment—I’m officially staying in F-Squad.]

It seemed he’d settled into F-Squad without issue following the year-end personnel announcements.

‘That’s good news.’

Even though he was in the same squad as Baek Saheon… well, based on what I saw at Sekwang Technical High School, it didn’t seem like they were recklessly using Jang Heo-un as bait.

Otherwise, things were ordinary.

‘I diligently entered ghost stories.’

There weren’t any assignments involving high-level ghost stories rated C or above.

As a result, the only ‘horrors’ I experienced were internal screams, fear, and an increasing record of children’s cartoons I watched to combat my insomnia.

On one occasion, I ran into Lee Byeongjin, the manual reviews officer, in the hallway, who gave me a casual hint: “The company’s ridiculously busy with year-end accounting and audits, which is why things have been so quiet for you.”

He still occasionally brought up Director Ho, which was uncomfortable, but the information was helpful…

“Aiyah. Supervisor Kim, you must have no worries! You clear high-level Darknesses and rack up points so fast. You must be disappointed there aren’t more high-level cases these days, haha!”

“……”

I’m not disappointed at all, actually…

Clearing low-level cases steadily still earned points, allowing me to catch my breath and focus my thoughts.

However, during this quiet time, there was one thing that oddly remained unresolved.

“Uh, Squad Leader, is my disciplinary action still under discussion?”

“Yes.”

My disciplinary action, of course.

– Oh. This is quite, hm. Fascinating… didn’t you expect a swift decision, Mr. Roe Deer?

I did.

I wasn’t hoping to avoid punishment, but I didn’t expect it to take this long.

I thought they’d hand me a simple, swift penalty to knock me down a peg for being a cheeky yet competent newbie.

‘…Why is this so complicated?’

It seemed the Field Exploration Team had even caught wind of this, judging by some curious reactions.

[Kang Yihak : Supervisor! I heard about it haha! You took a bold stand against inefficient tasks not covered by your salary. Kyaah! I respect you!]

“……”

Wait, is that how the story’s spreading?

‘I was trying to come across as a morally principled character, but did that backfire too…?’

Thankfully, it didn’t seem to go that far. The Development Department appeared to be debating how to handle my case—whether to make an exception or follow standard procedure.

Finally, in late December.

“The date for your disciplinary action has been set.”

“……”

Huu.

The official notice had arrived.

Disciplinary Notice

Task : Perform night cleaning duties with the Security Team.

Duration : 3 days.

This disciplinary measure is intended to improve the employee’s work attitude and prevent similar incidents in the future.

It was such a quintessentially ghost-story-company type of punishment.

‘Where are the usual corporate disciplinary measures like training, pay cuts, suspension, or demotion?’

So, was three days of punishment not too bad? Did I manage to get off lightly? Sure, but…

“The schedule will be from December 29th to the 31st.”

“……”

Who came up with this?

‘I can feel how much they wanted to make my life miserable with this choice of dates…!’

It was like they wanted me to spend the entire year-end pulling all-nighters at the company and to start the New Year here. I was dying to know who was responsible for this cruelty.

But since I’d already crossed the line once, this time, I had no choice but to comply.

‘Huu…’

So, on the midnight of December 29th, I headed to the basement level 1 of the company, into the Security Team’s area.

And I was greeted by a familiar face.

“Good evening, Jay-ssi.”

“Wow… long time no see…”

It was Security Sergeant J3.

This slender staff member, whom I’d encountered during the Sangun-nim ghost story and the Hungry Hangman escape, raised a hand in greeting, looking somewhat glad to see me.

Of course, the annoyance on his face outweighed any actual joy, so I quickly pulled out the bribe I had prepared.

“My apologies. I’ll be in your care for the next three days.”

“Oh, no need to apologize…”

The security sergeant’s face brightened as he accepted the two large boxes of sugar and cream donuts, each containing a dozen.

“Finally, some payoff for volunteering… thank you… I’ll enjoy these as my snacks…”

“……”

‘I brought two boxes so the Security Team could share, but…’

Since he clearly believed all 24 donuts were his alone, I kept my mouth shut. I figured it was the wise thing to do.

“Alright, follow me…”

The security sergeant led me deeper into the facility, past the CCTV room.

‘This is an area only the Security Team can access.’

I hadn’t expected to return here.

Swallowing hard, I followed him down the hallway. Somewhere here, I’d be doing the cleaning.

“May I ask where exactly I’ll be cleaning for the next three days?”

“Well… it’s a place you’ve been before, so it shouldn’t be too bad. I think… yeah.”

A place I’ve been before?

“Today’s cleaning zone is the Isolation B hallway… you know… the one where they took out that contaminated employee…”

“……!”

Damn.

He was referring to the isolation area next to the Security Team’s storage room.

The hallway lined with sealed rooms, where I’d been briefly held after being rescued from the Hungry Hangman.

‘That place… definitely wasn’t normal.’

I recalled all the strange murmurs and phenomena I’d experienced walking down that isolation hallway and gulped nervously.

‘Cleaning the Security Team’s area, huh.’

The near certainty of encountering something unusual made my heart pound.

“This way… to the locker room.”

I followed the security sergeant to the locker room, swallowing my fear. Along the way, I caught a glimpse of the Security Team’s quarters through an open door.

[Sleeping Quarters]

Through the gap, I could see compact rooms furnished with gray standard-issue curtains, bedding, metal desks, and cabinets.

…Oddly enough, it reminded me of a prison staff dormitory.

‘It looks worse than my dorm.’

The fact that it was underground seemed unhealthy, to say the least.

“Do all the Security Team members live here?”

“No, just the guards… um.”

The security sergeant furrowed his brow slightly, as if deciding how much to share.

Eventually, he gave a vague answer, ending the conversation on this topic.

“The Security Team is… actually a branch of the higher-level Security Management Department. This area is mostly for the guards…”

“I see.”

Finally, we reached the locker room, and I quickly changed into the provided uniform.

It wasn’t the Security Team uniform I’d worn before. This one was bright orange and eye-catching, resembling an engineer’s work suit.

“Cleaning uniforms… not bad… the color’s nice…”

“……”

Was he serious?

In any case, I finished changing and prepared to head to the cleaning site.

‘Huu.’

Feeling like I was being led to the slaughterhouse, I glanced at the security sergeant, who was still lingering in the locker room as if waiting for someone.

“Cleaning… usually requires two people per team.”

Um?

Surely the security sergeant wasn’t going to join me—maybe it was another staff member?

Then, the security sergeant glanced out of the locker room and gestured for me to look.

“There they are… your partner for today.”

I turned to see someone walking down the hallway from the direction of the sleeping quarters.

…A familiar face.

“Roe.”

“……!!”

Supervisor Park Minseong approached awkwardly from the hallway, raising a hand in greeting.

“Long time no see. How’ve you been?”

Chapter 104 - Night Cleaning

“What’s this? You haven’t forgotten me, have you, Roe? It’s been ages!”

The person standing in the dim hallway spoke in a cheerful tone, extending a hand.

It was someone I hadn’t seen in a long time: my old superior from D-Squad, wearing a badger mask.

“…Supervisor?”

It was unmistakable.

Supervisor Park Minseong.

Someone who had been almost like a mentor to me, his demeanor was as clear and distinct as it had been when we worked together.

I quickly shook his hand and asked,

“Have you recovered?”

“I’m doing much better. I’ve started some rehab activities, and daily life hasn’t been too much of an issue lately. Isn’t that right, Sergeant?”

“Yes, well… more or less…”

Phew.

‘I didn’t expect to run into him like this.’

Seeing him in decent shape stirred something in me—it was almost emotional. My tone naturally brightened.

“In that case, Supervisor Park Min—”

“Call me Badger!”

“……”

“Er, um… It’s just… hearing my name still triggers some… issues.”

“…Yes.”

I closed my mouth.

I’d been about to ask whether he was fit to return to work, but now I didn’t need to.

Looking closely, even though he was smiling cheerfully, Supervisor Park Minseong’s face seemed pale and uneasy.

The parts of his face not hidden by the mask, like his cheeks and the area around his eyes, looked a bit hollow…

– Oh dear, today’s partner doesn’t seem to be in top condition!

Right.

‘It looks like he’s still… recovering.’

Is it really okay to assign someone in his state to a disciplinary task alongside me?

“Let’s go, Roe. Let’s get this over with so you can rest!”

“…Yes.”

But as someone being disciplined, I wasn’t in a position to suggest giving my partner a different assignment.

I thanked the security sergeant who had guided us, then followed Supervisor Park Minseong, who was already wearing his cleaning uniform.

“Ah, wait a second.”

“Yes?”

“Take this…”

The security sergeant stopped me and, after carefully setting down the box of donuts he’d been clutching, pulled something out of his pocket.

Two worn walkie-talkies.

“If anything dangerous happens… call me. I’m on night duty today…”

“These connect to you directly, Jay-ssi?”

The sergeant nodded.

I felt two conflicting emotions simultaneously: ‘So this might actually be dangerous,’ and ‘Thank heavens for this.’

“Thank you.”

“No problem…”

In a low voice, almost like an afterthought, the sergeant added something.

He glanced at Supervisor Park Minseong, speaking so softly that it wouldn’t reach him.

“Be careful.”

“……”

My hands turned cold.

I managed a nod and handed one of the walkie-talkies to Supervisor Park Minseong.

Then we started walking down the underground hallway… heading toward the Security Team’s storage area.

Step, step.

Step, step.

Step, step…

“Roe.”

“Yes!”

“Oh, sorry. Did I scare you?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Phew, that’s a relief…”

Supervisor Park Minseong, walking beside me, fell quiet for a moment. His voice sounded slightly shaky.

“Um… it’s been a while since I talked to someone outside the Security Team… D-Did I say something weird? Was it awkward?”

“……”

Huu.

“No, Supervisor. You’re still as… yourself as ever.”

“Huh? Wait a second, that’s not an insult, right?”

“Well, who knows?”

“……! No way, Roe, are you teasing me? What’s this, did getting promoted give you confidence?”

The lighthearted tone in the conversation eased some of the tension.

“…Can I ask how you’ve been lately?”

“Of course. Uh… I’ve been here the whole time, just here.”

He muttered quickly, almost like he was spitting the words out.

“I didn’t know this place had a treatment room, or a training facility, or, uh, other really weird… seriously weird places. Actually, it’s part of the restricted Security Team area, so I shouldn’t say too much…”

Damn.

“In that case, no need to elaborate. We can talk about something else…”

“It’s seriously strange. Why is this basement so deep? You know, I used to wonder why our company didn’t just build an underground parking lot and instead uses a separate parking tower. But now I get it. This basement is so deep and weird that I need to get back to where I originally worked—”

“Supervisor Badger!”

“……!!”

He stopped in his tracks and exhaled slowly.

“Sorry. …Let’s talk about something else, shall we?”

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

I started rambling about whatever came to mind—recent trending shows, random topics—anything to fill the silence. Having Braun feed me material made it much easier.

“Oh, I’ve seen that too!”

“It was fun.”

Thankfully, it seemed that internet and streaming services were accessible, and the small talk flowed smoothly without any issues.

But my back was drenched in cold sweat.

‘This isn’t good.’

Staying in this massive, windowless, underground sealed space for too long felt like it could drive anyone insane, no matter how stable they were.

‘Especially since Supervisor Park Minseong might have a sick family member…’

– …I have a family member in the hospital. I hope someone could check in on her after this filming. If possible.

I couldn’t bring it up directly, so I tried a more indirect approach.

“Do you have to stay down here permanently?”

“No. They said once I recover beyond a certain point, I can either get reassigned or quit altogether and leave.”

Phew.

“It seems like even the Security Team gets to go outside or move around freely at night.”

That was a relief.

“Oh, we’re here.”

Finally, the location for today’s work appeared before us.

[Security Team Storage Room]

Wow.

‘It looks even more intimidating at night.’

I swallowed hard as I stood in front of the iron door.

Then, a cold voice echoed from my pocket.

– Oh, this wretched place.

“……”

Aaaaahhh! Right!

This was the place where Braun had nearly been destroyed and thrown away!!

‘Um, Braun, if you don’t like it, you could always stay home next time?’

– I’m quite alright! It’s the hallmark of a professional to not project personal discomfort onto their work environment. However, Friend,

Braun’s voice lowered.

– I feel like I might get depressed here. Please, do your best to entertain me…

“……”

‘I’ll… do my best.’

This is so hard, Mr. Host…!

“Ah, right. Here.”

Interrupting my internal turmoil, Supervisor Park Minseong pulled something out of the pocket of his orange uniform and handed it to me.

It was a slip of paper, like a photocopy of handwritten notes.

“Here, this is a work tip sheet that’s been circulating among the Security Team. I thought it’d be good for you to read, so I brought it along.”

“Ah, thank you…”

Work tips?

I quickly skimmed the paper.

Night Cleaning Duty Tips

Hi there! If you’re reading this, it means you’ve had the bad luck of being stuck with night cleaning duty.

Yep, that’s right. The Security Team area is full of crazies and contamination, and going in there at night in pairs is a surefire way to have some bizarre experiences.

But don’t worry too much. If you just follow these helpful tips I’ve written down, you’ll get through this without any major problems.

‘Hold on.’

This read exactly like the setup for one of those workplace creepypastas.

You know the kind—where you take on some high-paying night security or babysitting job and are handed strange work rules you have to follow to survive.

Several indie horror games based on the <Dark Exploration Records> instantly popped into my head.

‘This is even scarier.’

I swallowed nervously and hurriedly read the next part.

In a way, it’s worth it, right? You’re getting paid extra for this. Whether you’re in it for money, points, or Nostalgic equipment, just think about the reward and push through.

If you’re doing this as a disciplinary action… good luck.

I hope you’re from the Field Exploration Team.

“……”

Yes. That’s me…

Clenching my teeth, I skimmed through the rest of the ‘tips’ quickly.

…The cleaning was about to begin.

Squish.

I mopped the floor of the storage room.

It wasn’t overly dirty, but there were odd, colorful stains stuck in places…

1- If the mop gets dirty, rinse it immediately. It’s better that way.

The cleaning solution is strong, so it only takes a few rinses. Easy, right?

‘Weirdly comforting…’

Thankfully, about half of the lights in the storage room were left on, even though it wasn’t as bright as daytime.

It was just enough to clean without too much difficulty.

‘I can even read the notices.’

I briefly glanced at a sign that read, ‘Nostalgia Series always looking to be purchased / For more details, visit the desk,’ before focusing back on the floor.

“Roe, if you find anything strange, don’t touch it. Just clean around it.”

“Yes.”

Squish.

“Have you done this before, Supervisor?”

“It’s my first time cleaning… but I’ve done other Security Team work.”

Supervisor Park Minseong smiled. His voice carried a hint of eager anticipation.

“If I pass this stage, I think I’ll be considered recovered enough to transfer to the Security Team.”

“……!”

That’s a relief.

I cautiously asked,

“What about continuing treatment and returning to the Field Exploration Team?”

“Haha… Do you think that’d be a good idea? I’ll give it a shot.”

The conversation felt optimistic.

And so, we diligently continued cleaning with mechanical focus.

‘This is easier than I thought.’

Aside from the exhaustion from working late at night, everything was manageable. The cleaning tips were surprisingly clear-cut.

2- No matter what happens, keep calm and just clean.

Weird things always happen at night in the Security Team’s area, but the storage room isn’t that bad compared to other places!

‘Got it.’

This was pretty much the core rule.

‘No matter what happens, don’t react and just focus on cleaning.’

Let’s get through this.

The cleaning in the front area of the storage room wrapped up quickly. Since the space wasn’t that large, scrubbing the grime off the floor took about an hour.

“We’ve cleaned half of today’s assigned area! Now, what’s left is…”

Both the Supervisor and I turned our heads at the same time.

“…over there.”

One of the three doors leading to the isolation area.

[Isolation B]

‘Huu.’

– Ah, that’s the unpleasant corridor you came out of last time, Mr. Roe Deer.

Right.

Of all places, we now had to enter the corridor where the isolation rooms—including the one I had been trapped in—were located.

3- While cleaning, do not open any isolation room doors. I mean, if you’re a company employee, you should already know this, but just in case, I’m writing it down.

4- Let me emphasize again: ignore any sounds coming from the isolation rooms. Don’t respond. Even if someone pleads for help or claims to be your family or a friend, it’s never true.

DO NOT OPEN ANY OF THOSE DOORS!!

Creaaak.

We opened the door to the isolation zone and quickly closed it behind us.

A gray corridor stretched out before us, flanked by rows of steel doors leading to isolation rooms.

‘This is insane.’

The fact that we couldn’t leave the door open for ventilation made it even more unnerving.

I swallowed hard and kept scrubbing the floor.

…The sounds I had heard when leaving this area last time echoed faintly through the silent hallway.

Heeheeheeheehee.

Helpmehelpmepleasehelpme

I’m

notsupposedtobehereI’mnotsupposedto

behereI’mnothuman.

Heeheeheeheehee.

IfIleaveImustdie

‘Seriously.’

This was maddening.

I deliberately made loud noises as I rinsed the mop, hoping to drown out the unsettling sounds.

Then, it happened.

Supervisor Park Minseong stopped mopping, suddenly lifting his head.

He stared blankly… at one of the tightly shut isolation room doors.

[Isolation Room B14]

“Roe.”

Damn it.

“Roe, I hear the Section Chief’s voice from over there.”

“No, you don’t.”

“But… I hear it.”

“No, you don’t. Let’s keep cleaning, Supervisor Badger.”

“Ah… okay.”

5- If your partner starts saying crazy things, leave them and run. Got it? Don’t try to help them, or you’ll die too. Security Team rookies, take this seriously!

Is this really the right thing to do?

Squish, squish.

As I mopped the floor, an odd feeling crept over me.

‘…Unease?’

This was different from the other Darkness explorations I’d been through.

There were no manuals, wiki entries, or escape pattern analyses to rely on—just the advice of an anonymous veteran. Here I was, cleaning through the night in an eerie location without any concrete information.

I really felt like I was doing some odd part-time job in a creepy place without adequate preparation.

What the hell am I even doing here…

Step, step.

“Roe, be careful.”

“……!”

I quickly stepped aside.

At the end of the gray isolation corridor, someone was approaching…

Step, step.

A person wearing a black facility staff uniform.

They gave us a slight nod as they passed us and then spoke.

“Oh, you’re the cleaning staff for tonight.”

Their tone was casual. What a relief.

As the Supervisor and I nodded back, the staff member quickly added in a slightly awkward tone,

“I’m the night patrol officer tonight. …Sometimes, the cleaning staff gets startled, so I wanted to let you know.”

Ah.

7- Occasionally, you might run into a night patrol officer. They’ll appreciate it if you give them a bottle of water. If you have one, share it. It’s always better to maintain a good atmosphere when working together at night.

“Hello. Would you like a bottle of water?”

“Oh, I’d really appreciate that.”

At Supervisor Park Minseong’s subtle signal, I handed one of the bottled waters we’d been supplied to the patrol officer. The officer took it and gulped it down on the spot.

“Well then, see you around.”

With the bottle still to his lips, the officer headed back down the isolation corridor toward the storage room…

By the way.

The Security Team in this company doesn’t have positions like ‘patrol officer’. Remember, don’t ask unnecessary questions.

“My throat just keeps getting dry…”

From a distance, I could see the words ‘■■ Lab’ faintly stamped on the back of the so-called ‘patrol officer’s’ uniform.

Step, step… gulp.

The sound of footsteps and swallowing disappeared, as if swallowed by the darkness, the moment the officer turned the corner of the corridor.

“……”

Ha.

‘I really feel like I’ve stepped into a horror movie.’

Swish.

I resumed mopping, trying to distract myself by chatting with Braun or talking casually with Supervisor Park Minseong, all while doing my best to ignore the eerie noises coming from the isolation rooms.

Finally, we were almost done cleaning the corridor.

‘Huu.’

Exchanging relieved glances, the Supervisor and I smiled at each other.

“Let’s wrap things up and head out.”

“Sounds good! I think we finished pretty quickly… oh, wait.”

Suddenly remembering something, Supervisor Park Minseong rummaged through his pocket and pulled out another piece of paper.

“This is supposed to be a tip for later in the night. They told me to read it a bit after the shift started, so I thought you should have it, too.”

“Oh, thank you…”

What else could possibly happen?

‘Good thing we’re almost done.’

I stifled a mental scream as I hurriedly read the tip.

But then…

11- Ah… it’s time to tell you this. By now, it’s probably been about three hours since you started cleaning, right?

…Around this time, you’ll start hearing a crazy voice coming from Isolation Room B14.

Wait a second.

“Supervisor, it’s… around 3 a.m. now, right?”

“Yeah, it’s about that time…”

Is someone there?Is someone there?Is someone there?Is someone there?Is someone there?Is someone there?Is someone there?

We both turned our heads.

[Isolation Room B14]

Do you want me to tell you how to get out of here? How to survive? How to bring the dead back to life? Do you want to know this company’s secrets? Just come closer—come a little closer, and I’ll tell you the truth about the world.

I wanted to run.

I wanted to fling the door open and sprint to the storage room, leave this place behind, tell the Security Team Leader ‘I quit,’ hand the remaining Nostalgia Candy to Supervisor Park, and never come back here…

But I couldn’t. So instead, I focused on reading the tip…

Ireum-nim? It’ll start calling you by something weird and babbling about happiness and some nonsense like that. Just yell back at it, curse if you have to—it’ll shut up.

If you don’t want to curse, just tell it to get lost.

I really didn’t want to.

But to tell it to get lost, I opened my mouth…

“……”

Wait a second.

“Roe?”

“Just a moment.”

I pulled out the first sheet of tips I’d been given earlier.

There, it clearly said:

4- Let me emphasize again: ignore any sounds coming from the isolation rooms. Don’t respond.

“……”

Tips 4 and 11 directly contradicted each other.

‘Which one am I supposed to follow?’

Contradictory rules often show up in these kinds of workplace ghost stories, but there’s usually no definitive answer about which one is correct…

Was it that the rules changed as time passed? Or was the second sheet itself faulty? Or maybe…

“Roe.”

“……!”

Supervisor Park Minseong pushed me back.

“Something’s not ri-

SCREEEECH

The door to Isolation Room B14 started to open.

Chapter 105 - 'Doppelgänger?'

I stood frozen, staring at Isolation Room B14.

Creak, creeeak.

The rusty hinges groaned like a scream as the door to the isolation room began to open.

It was a door that should never have opened. And from within, a dark figure…

“Run.”

I immediately turned and sprinted toward the exit of the isolation corridor. Beside me, I could hear Supervisor Park Minseong running just as frantically. Survival instincts pushed my legs forward while my mind raced in confusion.

‘What the hell is this?’

What’s going on?

‘In the work tips…’

Tip 4 said to ignore the sounds coming from the isolation rooms. Tip 11 said to yell and tell it to shut up to quiet it down.

But before I could decide which rule to follow, the door opened?

What on earth is in there…?

“Guys.”

Both of us nearly stumbled at the same time.

That voice—we both recognized it.

But without looking back, we kept running, rounding the corner toward the green emergency exit sign at the end of the hallway. Cleaning tools clattered to the floor as we abandoned them. My chest burned as I gasped for air.

Just as Supervisor Park Minseong reached the emergency exit and grabbed the doorknob—

[BEEEEEEEEP!!]

“……!!”

[Unauthorized opening of Isolation Room detected.]

[Corridor lockdown initiated.]

Red emergency lights began flashing in the hallway.

Accompanied by the cold, emotionless voice of the system, the sound of a security shutter descending outside the emergency exit echoed through the air.

Park Minseong and I exchanged looks in the momentary pause.

“……”

We were trapped inside.

‘We’re fucked.’

Damn it. Damn it!

I fumbled in my pocket. Maybe there was something in the work tips about what to do in this situation…

“Unbelievable. You two are the very definition of Dumb and Dumber. Did you trade your exploration manuals for candy? Where the hell did all your composure go?”

……

‘What?’

The voice was dry, laced with exasperation. Annoyed, but strangely… casual?

Step, step.

“This is driving me crazy. No, wait, maybe I should commend you for being cautious… Hah.”

A voice that was now right behind us.

But there was no eerie laughter, no cold hand reaching out from the darkness, no spine-chilling phenomenon like I expected.

“……”

“Damn it. Hah, no, calm down… Listen, guys. I know I sounded nuts earlier, okay? But I had no choice—I needed to use an escape item. I didn’t have time to explain. Just wrap your heads around it already, will you?”

The voice grew more urgent.

“What else could I do? I acted crazy to try and extract some info while I was at it, but then the item activated, the door opened, and I escaped.”

That voice…

“Snap out of it. I’ll give you ten seconds. Hurry.”

……

……

“…Assistant Manager?”

“That’s right.”

Before I could stop him, Supervisor Park Minseong turned around. And so did I.

And there, standing in the hallway, was a familiar silhouette.

Bobbed hair.

Sharp, piercing eyes.

A cold-looking woman in a crisp suit.

Standing in the corridor was none other than Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

She scanned the scattered cleaning tools we had abandoned with a faintly displeased expression.

“Are those supposed to just lie there? No, whatever—let’s sort that out later. First, let’s deal with this.”

“……”

“……”

The grip of Supervisor Park Minseong’s hand on my shoulder slackened.

We stared blankly at her.

“Badger, and… Roe.”

Eun Haje’s face softened, a trace of an expression forming.

“How have you been?”

Calm, poised, with a slight undertone of fatigue and exasperation—she wore the face of a boss who’d seen too much. And on her lips, a sharp-edged smile.

“This goddamn company… Hah.”

She shook her head with a deep sigh, then gestured toward us.

“Sorry to trouble you, but can you help me out? Just open the door to the isolation corridor for me.”

Her voice was calm.

“After that, I’ll handle the rest and get out.”

Supervisor Park Minseong and I didn’t respond. It was as if we had made a silent pact to say nothing.

My head felt like it was going to explode.

Eun Haje smirked wryly.

“Can’t even respond? Well, that’s a wise choice. I would’ve done the same.”

What is this?

‘Why does it… sound so convincing?’

Why does it feel so real…?

‘No, that can’t be!’

“Supervisor.”

I swallowed hard and spoke quickly, as if to remind myself, keeping my voice low and directed at Supervisor Park Minseong.

“Remember. The Assistant Manager resigned. There’s no way she’s here…”

……

‘Wait.’

Is there really no way?

I suddenly recalled all the strange things that had left me uneasy until now.

The abrupt loss of contact with Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

Passing her equipment without meeting her in person, unanswered text messages except for read receipts, phone calls that never connected—all of it, only hearing about her through Section Chief Lee Jaheon…

Could it be?

‘Is it because she’s trapped here?’

I quickly ran through the criteria for being transferred to the isolation zone by the Security Team.

Emergency contamination, internal anomalies, dangerous individuals, spies, disciplinary actions, and other ominous, censored conditions marked with black boxes.

‘Plenty of possibilities.’

Even Supervisor Park and I had been briefly detained here once.

If that’s the case…

Could Assistant Manager Eun Haje also fit one of those criteria?

“…Roe?”

“Hold on… just hold on.”

It’s possible, isn’t it?

I wanted to immediately interrogate this person who looked like Assistant Manager Eun Haje, confirm the situation, and figure out what had happened. But I couldn’t take the risk of relying on a possibility.

‘Let’s try another approach first.’

I turned to Braun for help.

‘Braun, the person in front of us… is this really D-squad’s Assistant Manager we worked with months ago?’

Braun responded cheerfully.

– Oh, what a shame. As much as I’m a legendary host, I’m no investigative expert!

– My discerning eye is sharp, of course, but alas, even my button eyes have their limitations.

– Outwardly, they do appear identical, but who can say? There are masters of disguise out there in the world, after all.

Damn it.

I pressed further, desperate.

‘Can you at least confirm one thing for me? Just based on what you see, what’s your gut feeling? I trust you.’

– ……! If that’s the case, I’d be happy to answer, Friend!

‘Thank you. So…’

I took a deep breath.

‘Is the person in front of me, in every mental and physical aspect… human?’

– Ah, now that’s a question I can answer definitively.

Braun’s voice turned confident as he declared cheerfully,

– Yes, indeed!

Haa…

‘So, she is human.’

This is driving me nuts.

It would’ve been easier if Braun had said the person wasn’t human. That would’ve settled it once and for all.

…That this wasn’t Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

But the familiar figure in front of me continued speaking in a voice just as familiar.

“I’d prefer to take my time convincing you properly, but there’s not much time, kiddos.”

Her complexion seemed a bit pale.

“The Security Team will be here soon to assess the situation. If I want to get out of here, I have to leave before they arrive.”

“……”

“I’m not asking for much. I’ll just hide for a bit. When the door opens, let me slip out.”

I admitted to myself,

‘I can’t figure it out just by looking.’

That left me with no choice but to take a slight risk.

I turned to Supervisor Park and spoke directly.

“Supervisor.”

“Y-Yeah?”

“Don’t you think encountering the Assistant Manager on leave in the Security Team’s isolation area is an impossible scenario?”

“That’s… true, yeah?”

“Oh. Indirect dialogue—interesting approach, Roe.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje chuckled softly before muttering quickly under her breath.

“They probably stuck me here, telling me to think it over until I changed my mind about resigning. In hindsight, trusting this goddamn company was my mistake. Fuck.”

“Supervisor, if someone escapes the isolation corridor, wouldn’t they be captured almost immediately?”

“I’m not an idiot, you know? I’ve got an item ready. The problem is time. There’s no time. The Security Team is probably on their way right now. I can’t even confirm anything—this is driving me crazy…”

Confirmation.

‘…Wait!’

I remembered what was in my back pocket.

‘The walkie-talkie.’

Pressing my back against the door, I carefully reached behind me, grabbing the walkie-talkie from my pocket without making it visible. Slowly, I turned up the volume just a notch…

Bee-bee-beep.

[Currently in lockdown…]

Damn it!

‘The Security Sergeant has been trying to contact us all this time!’

I immediately turned the sound off, but it was too late.

“I just heard a walkie-talkie.”

“……!”

“Well, whoever has it can use it as they like, but I’m curious…”

Curious?

“They don’t give walkie-talkies to cleaning staff, do they?”

“……”

A chill ran down my spine.

“Did someone give it to you especially? That’s… odd. Cleaning staff usually just scan in and read the manual on automated devices. The system is designed so they don’t need to meet anyone else.”

Eun Haje’s voice carried a mix of suspicion and tension.

“That thing… are you sure it actually connects to the Security Team?”

“……”

“Roe, who exactly did you meet?”

Sweat soaked my palms. This was the first time I’d ever been in a situation like this.

‘I have no idea what to believe anymore.’

There were no hints, no clear answers. Even if this was really Assistant Manager Eun Haje, how could she possibly help us? Could she truly hide from the Security Team? Was that even possible?

‘If I want to figure out the situation even a little more…’

Oh!

I remembered what I’d originally planned to check—the second sheet of tips.

‘If I read all the remaining tips, maybe I can piece together the truth.’

I quickly pulled out the sheet and scanned the next number.

12- If you notice a strange smell or something starts seeping from under a door, run immediately.

That’s always a warning sign before a door opens. Conversely, if you don’t notice anything, it’s usually safe.

Exceptions to this will be explained in the next section. It’s recommended to take a break before reading further.

I moved on to the next point without hesitation.

13- Oh? The door’s open?

Kekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekeke

Reflexively, I crumpled the paper in my hands.

My pulse pounded in my fingertips as if the paper itself were alive.

“Roe, are you okay?”

Calm down. Stay calm…

“Let’s just think rationally. The Security Team is on their way, so now’s the time to figure out the best course of action.”

Supervisor Park Minseong patted my back, but as he did so, I felt him tracing something on my back with his finger.

N

O

T

H

E

R

……

It’s not her.

I froze and slowly lifted my head.

“Wow.”

Eun Haje—or rather, the thing wearing her face—tilted its head toward us.

“How’d you figure it out?”

How’d you figure it out? How’d you figure it out? How’d you figure it out? How’d you figure it out? How’d you figure it out? How’d you figure it out? How’d you figure it out?

HOW DID YOU FIGURE IT OUT?

Heeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehee!!

Thud.

Eun Haje’s head dropped to the floor.

And then… it stood upside down.

Two legs and arms pointed stiffly to the sky as they turned to face us.

Hiya!!!

Do you believe in Ireum-niiiiiiiimmmmmm??

Right then and there.

I…

…fainted.

“Roe.”

“……”

“Roe?”

Ah.

I lifted my head.

“You must be really tired. Why don’t you rest for a bit? I’ll take over.”

Supervisor Park Minseong, holding a mop handle, looked at me with worried eyes.

I glanced around. The isolation corridor looked normal, with all the doors firmly shut.

“Ha…”

I grabbed the mop handle and lowered my head.

“Are… are you okay?”

“Yes… I’m sorry.”

Was it a nightmare?

‘The whole thing didn’t make any sense anyway.’

The isolation room doors suddenly opening, Eun Haje turning into some kind of ghost… It was all absurd.

I rubbed my temples.

“…I’m sorry. I must have dozed off for a moment.”

“You don’t need to apologize! It’s fine. You were working during the day too—of course you’re tired.”

Supervisor Park Minseong gave my back a reassuring pat.

“Let’s hang in there just a little longer. We only have two days left.”

“……”

Two days?

Not three?

“Supervisor, what day is it today?”

“Uh… it’s past midnight now, so it’s the 30th. December 30th.”

“……”

Not the 29th.

The 30th.

“Since yesterday’s cleaning went smoothly, let’s finish today’s as well without any problems.”

“……”

“Oh, here’s a new tip sheet! They told us to read this on the second day. It’s for you… Roe? Roe!”

Chapter 106 - 'Look-alike?'

With trembling hands, I checked the work tip note.

11- Are you doing this for two nights in a row?

Sometimes they give you a day off after a night cleaning shift, but doing consecutive nights? That’s rough… Anyway, here are the tips. During the wee hours of the morning,

Wait, no!

‘I gotta stop reading.’

The last section of the previous note had clearly seemed corrupted somehow. While the first note might have been reliable, starting from the second sheet, the notes themselves could be traps.

I firmly folded the piece of paper and shoved it back into my pocket.

Then, I raised my head to glance at the tightly shut doors of Isolation B, my gaze eventually landing on one particular door.

[Isolation Room B14]

“……”

Just what the hell is going on?

‘Stay calm.’

I needed to organize my thoughts.

I had clearly been in the middle of my first shift.

It was around 3 a.m., nearing the end of cleaning when the door to an isolation room suddenly opened, and Assistant Manager Eun Haje… no, something that looked like Assistant Manager Eun Haje appeared.

And the moment Supervisor Park Minseong realized its true nature…

‘It immediately did… something horrific.’

From then on, my memory went blank.

But why had an entire day disappeared, and why had it suddenly become the second night with the story ending as, ‘We finished cleaning safely’?

The way events were structured, it almost felt like I had regained consciousness just before this all happened…

Wait a second.

I glanced at the digital watch on my wrist.

Just before 3 a.m.

……

“Supervisor, come with me immediately!”

“Huh? Wh, what?”

After shouting at Supervisor Park Minseong, I immediately bolted down the corridor.

Reaching the metal door at the far end, still glowing faintly under the green emergency exit light, I opened it and ran outside.

“What’s going—”

Bang.

I shut the door the moment Supervisor Park Minseong stepped out, cutting off his confused voice.

“Roe, what are you doing? We haven’t even finished cleaning yet—why are you suddenly—”

[BEEEEEEP!!]

[Unauthorized opening of Isolation Room detected.]

[Corridor lockdown initiated.]

As if on cue, red emergency lights flared, and containment shutters began descending over every door.

Including the one leading to the corridor we had just escaped from.

“……!”

Supervisor Park Minseong’s expression stiffened.

“…Wait a minute. Roe, you knew this would happen—”

“Hold on.”

I immediately pulled out my walkie-talkie, turned it on, and cranked up the volume. Then I pressed the button.

If the thing wearing Eun Haje’s face said not to trust the walkie-talkie, it was all the more reason to believe this was reliable.

“Jay-ssi. Something came out of the isolation room.”

Crackle.

The response was instant.

[From the corridor?]

“No. We left the isolation corridor just before. But…”

I glanced toward the door leading outside from the storage room.

The shutters had also descended there.

“We’re trapped in front of the storage room’s entrance. The containment shutters have sealed this door as well.”

[Um okay… That means the first-level containment has been activated. Don’t panic… Just stay put. I’m on my way.]

[By the way… which door opened? Room 12? Room 6?]

I took a deep breath and answered as steadily as I could.

“…I believe it was Room 14.”

Silence.

[…B14?]

“Yes.”

An unsettling stillness hung over the walkie-talkie.

I felt sweat trickling down my back.

Crackle.

[Don’t speak to anyone. Stay quiet and hide. Move away from Isolation B.]

I swallowed hard.

“Understood.”

[There’s a hold time on containment shutters. Even if they’re unlocked immediately, the system keeps them sealed for a while… Ten minutes.]

Ten minutes.

[Hold out for ten minutes until I get there. …And don’t speak to anyone from now on.]

Click.

The transmission ended.

Silence settled over the dimly lit storage room, bathed in the red glow of the emergency lights.

“……”

I glanced to my side. Supervisor Park Minseong, who had overheard everything, looked pale and was carefully stepping away from the door leading to Isolation B.

Then—

BANG!!

The door rattled violently.

Bang, bang, bang!!

Something was pounding on the door from inside the sealed corridor, hard enough to shake the containment shutters.

And faintly, I could hear a voice.

…Hey! What the hell…!

“……”

Someone from the corridor we’d just escaped shouted out. The voice… was starting to sound strangely familiar.

“Roe, don’t listen!”

“……!”

Supervisor Park Minseong covered my ears and pulled me further toward the front of the storage room, away from the isolation corridor door.

Only when we were a safe distance away did he lean in and whisper urgently,

“There’s no way we should be able to hear that sound through the containment shutters… That’s not real. That’s not…”

He swallowed nervously.

“…It’s really something. Just like you said—something came out.”

“……”

“Someone from the Security Team would arrive in ten minutes, right? Until then, let’s not respond to anyone, no matter who tries to talk to us. Don’t speak first, no matter what…”

I slowly nodded. Supervisor Park let out a sigh of relief and sank to the floor.

“By the way, Roe, how did you know? That the isolation room door was going to open…”

“It’s complicated, but first, I need to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“What exactly happened on our first day here?”

Confusion spread across Supervisor Park’s face.

“Huh? On the first day?”

“Yes.”

“We just cleaned normally and… well, sure, a few things from the work tips happened, but we handled them and then went home, didn’t we?”

The examples he listed matched everything we had experienced—up until the chaos with the isolation room.

Then…

“Do you remember giving me the second tip sheet during the early hours?”

“…Roe.”

Supervisor Park’s face hardened.

“There is no second sheet.”

“……”

“Are you sure you’re okay? Could you have been… affected when the isolation room door opened? Hang on, let me check today’s work tips—”

What?

I stopped Supervisor Park from pulling the note out of my pocket.

“Wait a moment. How did you even get that work tip sheet in the first place?”

“Huh? I got it as part of the tips that circulate in the Security Team.”

“And who exactly gave it to you?”

“……”

“Can you describe the person who gave it to you?”

“Of course… uh, actually,”

Supervisor Park Minseong’s face turned pale.

He opened his mouth as if to answer, but closed it again, repeatedly struggling to speak.

Eventually, he admitted,

“…I don’t know.”

“……!”

“I mean, I’m sure it was… huh? Was it left in the dorm room? Or maybe a fellow Security Team newbie gave it to me… Wait, was there even another newbie here? What? Huh? What’s going on?”

Damn it.

“It’s fine! Don’t think about it anymore. Let’s just stay still for now.”

“…Yeah.”

Supervisor Park curled up quietly, lowering his head.

“Let’s just focus on getting out of here. When the door opens, we leave immediately. No looking back.”

“Yes.”

Huu…

‘This is insane…’

My head was spinning.

With our accounts conflicting like this, I couldn’t tell what was real or fabricated.

I couldn’t discern reality from falsehood, nor did I know what to believe. All I had was the oppressive weight of fear in this situation.

‘Am I… under some kind of spell?’

But no—my silver ring was still on my finger. That should have offered strong resistance against illusions, hallucinations, or brainwashing.

In that case…

‘Let’s think logically.’

I forced myself to focus.

1- My mind is intact.

2- Everything I’m experiencing is real.

3- This is an external phenomenon unrelated to my mental state.

For an objective perspective on this phenomenon…

‘Braun.’

The plushie in my pocket might hold the answer.

‘Braun! I need to ask you something. Can you help?’

……

Silence.

No way.

‘…Braun!’

I frantically searched my pocket. Even when I called again, there was no response—

– Ah! Here I am, my friend!

Relief washed over me as I clutched the soft, plush figure in my hand.

– Apologies for the delay in responding! It took me a moment to catch up, I must admit.

“……”

‘Catch up?’

‘…Why did you need time to catch up with me?’

– Oh, because you jumped straight to the 30th, Mr. Roe Deer!

The cheerful voice made an incomprehensible statement.

– But I’m not blaming you. Finishing the disciplinary work quickly is a valid approach! Avoiding wasted effort and welcoming the new year early—it sounds like a splendid plan, don’t you think?

‘Wait, wait!’

I hastily interrupted.

‘Sorry to cut you off, Braun, but I need clarification.’

– Oh, I get complaints from guests as well, so as a friend, this is nothing! I’m all ears! Ask away, Mr. Roe Deer!

Right, here goes.

‘Are you saying I skipped directly from the 29th to the 30th? How?’

– Hm. You entrusted that part of your story to someone else, didn’t you?

“……!”

No. Wait. What?

‘To someone else?’

– Yes, indeed! Why, that someone is sitting right beside you at this very moment.

‘……’

– They’ve done a marvelous job blending in, haven’t they? Truly a master of disguise, Friend.

Barely managing to move my stiff neck, I turned my head toward the figure Braun had mentioned.

The person sitting right next to me.

“Um… Roe? You’ve gone quiet. I’m starting to feel uneasy. Should we talk?”

Earlier.

When I had fled the isolation corridor, I’d assumed I had called out to Supervisor Park Minseong, prompting him to follow me.

But now that I thought about it, I hadn’t grabbed his hand or even looked back to check.

Which meant.

‘That voice could have lured something other than Supervisor Park out with me.’

If so, then the thing pounding on the door earlier, still inside the corridor, was…

“……”

“Roe, are you okay? Say something.”

And then there was the advice from Security Sergeant J3 over the walkie-talkie.

– Don’t speak to anyone. Stay quiet and hide.

That included the person who’d come into the corridor with me, didn’t it?

“Roe? Roe… Oh, you’ve figured it out again, haven’t you?”

Thud.

In an instant, the face of ‘Supervisor Park Minseong’ dropped to the floor.

Shall I tell you about Ireum-niiiiiiiiiiiiimmmmmmmm

The melting figure’s mouth opened grotesquely, its distorted body leaning closer.

Closer to my face…

[BEEEEEEEEP!!]

The red emergency lights flickered wildly.

Mechanical whirring echoed around us.

The sound of shutters rising.

[Lockdown lifted. Shutters opening.]

Ah.

Thanks! It’s open!

The faceless entity drew nearer, its voice brimming with elation.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

The grotesque laughter exploded in my ears, rattling my brain until everything blurred and my mind began to fade.

Reality itself…

…went black.

“……Heuuuuhp!”

I jolted awake.

A dimly lit storage room.

The red emergency lights still flashed, sealing us inside this confined space. Shutters locked tightly in place.

I stood there, clutching discarded cleaning tools, looking as if I had just escaped Isolation B.

The scene before me seemed to rewind slightly to an earlier moment.

In my pocket was another work tip sheet—for Day 3 of my shift.

I immediately crumpled it up and threw it aside.

Crackle.

[Hello? Are you alright?]

The walkie-talkie buzzed, but I ignored it.

This time, I remembered.

‘Ireum-nim, they said.’

My hands trembled as sweat dripped from my brow.

“I understand now.”

The lost story.

The entity that took the form of someone I knew.

The one that cried out about Ireum-nim.

Its true identity was…

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Factions

[Church of the Luminous Unknown]

: One of the three great factions in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

They worship an otherworldly deity referred to as Ireum-nim, and their doctrine centers around becoming a significant existence in this world to survive the end times.

Their practices involve antisocial, supernatural fanaticism, rituals, and laws.

The sect divides into six branches, each devoted to a different divine principle, which results in bizarre paranormal phenomena.

The ultimate truth about them is… [Spoilers].

----------------------------------------

It’s the Church of the Luminous Unknown.

Chapter 107 - [Story Usurper], I

…Church of the Luminous Unknown.

If the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau seeks to eliminate creepypastas, and Daydream Inc. attempts to utilize them…

‘Church of the Luminous Unknown is a creepypasta in itself.’

They worshipped creepypastas, believing that the very foundation of the world is based on them.

The followers of this group are fanatics who think that if they unearth and cultivate ghost stories skillfully and become a meaningful existence in the world, they will be chosen by ‘Ireum-nim’ and granted eternal life.

‘A total doomsday cult.’

To be honest, of the three major factions that appear in the <Dark Exploration Records>, this is the one I feel the most distance from.

‘It’s… not to my taste.’

Of course, I’ve read the wiki entries about this cult.

That’s why I could still access the wiki pages I had saved in my head with the ‘Memorial Popsocket’, but the problem was that I hadn’t been able to read the wiki for days.

‘That’s probably why I didn’t catch on right away.’

But now that I’ve identified it, I can properly assess the current situation.

The bizarre repetitive phenomena during the nighttime cleaning of the isolation room—what exactly caused this nightmare-like situation within Church of the Luminous Unknown’s framework?

I took a deep breath.

This is…

‘A doppelgänger-type creepypasta.’

A supernatural entity that takes over someone’s life.

It was one of the early creepypastas registered under the Church of the Luminous Unknown in the wiki, exploding in popularity and making the cult infamous for its eerie narratives.

To be precise, it was classified as one of the cult’s hierarchical ranks.

This insane cult matches its members and their ranks with specific supernatural phenomena!

And its name is…

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Story Usurper]

: A power of Church of the Luminous Unknown that appears in the <Dark Exploration Records>. Ranked as a 4th-rank entity under the Mimicry Sect of the cult.

It seeks to mimic others, stealing their stories to use as nourishment for its own narrative.

When a person is caught in this phenomenon, they lose potential paths in their life, and if the duration extends, even their very identity can be stolen.

----------------------------------------

From a wiki perspective, this is a creepypasta derived from the fear of an unknown entity replacing oneself or those around them.

‘The most distinct sign is… someone close to you acting bizarrely in their familiar form.’

These entities appear in the guise of a targeted person’s lover, friend, or someone they feel indebted to, luring them into a false sense of security and then inducing supernatural terror.

Their goal is clear.

To invoke a strong psychological state in their target, such as, ‘I wish this situation would just be over’. After gaining elicit implicit agreement and acquiescence, they steal their target’s stories.

And I… I had my stories of the 29th and 30th ‘stolen’.

The Story Usurper robs its target of the ability to make other choices or live through other experiences, claiming those possibilities for itself.

As a result, the target perceives the stolen time as having ‘slipped away meaninglessly’.

That’s why I processed those two days as having been ‘uneventful and unmemorable’, and then snapped back to awareness at a similar time the next day.

‘Maybe it’s thanks to the silver ring that I only lost one day at a time.’

If I’d been less perceptive, I might have been drawn into their flow indefinitely.

When you lose the ability to distinguish between truth and illusion, you end up entirely consumed by the situation.

‘And your life is drained away just like that.’

Thankfully, I managed to stay mentally intact and avoid such an outcome.

– Oh, how fascinating. Pheeew, this time I caught up even faster!

‘Braun!’

From the small plush toy, I heard the exaggerated sound of a host catching his breath, followed by the cheerful voice of a commentator.

– You’ve given away another day of your story, Friend! Hmm, but it seems the other side used some clever tricks to guide you into that choice.

– So, the mimicry of people close to you was part of their strategy?

‘That’s right.’

At first, it mimicked Assistant Manager Eun Haje, and the second time, it impersonated Supervisor Park Minseong, completely throwing me off balance.

It avoided reusing previously exposed identities, constantly switching forms to steal my story.

– Hooh. If that’s the case, I’m curious who you’ll encounter as a ‘familiar face’ on the 31st, Mr. Roe Deer.

– At this very moment, on the third day, who could it be impersonating? The reveal is… coming soon!

“……”

I looked around.

There was no trace of Supervisor Park Minseong. Naturally, there was no sign of Assistant Manager Eun Haje either.

I was alone in the Security Team’s storage room.

‘…At the end of the second day, the lockdown was lifted.’

If so, perhaps it already left as well?

But generally, ‘Story Usurpers’ tend to obsess over their targets, putting in effort to completely usurp their chosen victim’s life if the opportunity arises.

‘It wouldn’t have guessed that I realized its true nature.’

In that case, the next person to appear would be someone I already knew, someone whose presence here wouldn’t feel unnatural, and someone who could relax my guard…

Bee-bee-beep.

[It’s been… almost ten minutes now… I’m coming.]

“……”

I stiffened as I listened to the voice coming through the radio.

A moment later.

[BEEEEEEEEP!!]

[Lockdown lifted. Shutters opening.]

I stood up and looked ahead.

The doors were opening.

The shutters blocking the way out from the Security Team’s storage room were rising, the red emergency lights shifting back to green.

And beyond the rising shutters…

“You’re safe. That’s a relief…”

Sergeant J3 of the Security Team stood there, as he always did, looking utterly exhausted, but with a faint sense of relief in his eyes as he looked at me.

“The other one… Oh, is he still inside… Um, are you okay?”

“……”

“Um…”

I stood up… and turned away from Sergeant J3.

“Huh…?”

I stood facing the wall.

The thing is…

‘When religion enters creepypastas, exorcism tends to follow.’

There are procedures to counteract transcendental beings, a sort of mirror to their existence.

Even Church of the Luminous Unknown, as insane as it is, isn’t exempt from this rule.

‘There’s a way to banish a Story Usurper.’

I recalled the work tips I had received on the first day.

Ireum-nim? Anyway, it’ll start calling you by something weird and babbling about happiness and some nonsense like that. Just yell back at it, curse if you have to—it’ll shut up.

If you don’t want to curse, just tell it to get lost.

Weird.

Even if the second sheet of tips had been corrupted, the hints it provided were accurate.

Because.

“Get lost.”

The way to banish it is to ‘completely reject it after realizing its identity’.

Does it need implicit agreement and acquiescence to steal my time?

If I don’t give my permission, that’s the end of it.

So…

“Um, what’s wrong…?”

“Get lost.”

I declared again, still with my back to it.

……

Kekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekeke

Seriously? For real?

After giving permission twice already?

“Get lost.”

“Roe, what’s with your tone? Even if something’s wrong, why are you speaking like that to a superior…?”

“Get lost.”

“Huuh? Hey, wait, Roe. Isn’t that too harsh? I’m just trying to help you finish cleaning…”

“Get lost.”

“I don’t want to… But, well, I’ll just stay here quietly… I mean… it’s not like I said anything bad to you…”

“Get lost.”

“……”

Kekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekeke

What a shaaaaaaaaame

The voice behind me warped, growing twisted.

To reject the blessing granted to us pitiful beings who can’t leave even a single letter’s worth of impact on the foundation of this world. What a shame.

If you had handed over your meager story, we could have filled it with IREUM-nim’s luminous grace. IREUM-nim would have acknowledged us. How unfortunate.

“Get lost.”

Pity…

I clenched my teeth.

“Get lost.”

The bizarre murmurs behind me began to fade.

And then…

It went quiet.

“……”

It seems to have given up targeting me.

‘Phew…’

I almost collapsed from the release of tension but managed to hold myself together. Instead, I began to think critically.

I couldn’t hear any footsteps yet, so as soon as it moved somewhere else, I planned to run out of here and report everything to the Security Team.

That was the plan…

Bee-bee-beep.

“……!”

The radio in my pocket crackled to life.

A familiar voice came through.

[I’ve arrived… Um.]

“I’ve arrived… Um.”

But then, I heard a voice nearby.

“……”

I slowly turned my head toward the entrance of the storage room.

Standing just outside the door was Security Sergeant J3, his face devoid of expression as he looked in my direction.

‘Is that really him?’

No, it had to be him!

I quickly opened my mouth to explain the situation—

“……! Jay-ssi.”

—when I heard a voice behind me.

It sounded perplexed.

I turned my head further to look over my shoulder.

The Story Usurper from Church of the Luminous Unknown, now wearing a bright orange cleaning uniform, stood there.

“I don’t understand what’s going on.”

It was a young man in his mid-to-late twenties, with black hair and a pale, shocked expression. He alternated his gaze between the Security Sergeant and me, his face etched with confusion.

Kim Soleum.

It was perfectly mimicking my current appearance, staring at me with a bewildered tone.

“What is this…? Could something like this really happen while cleaning?”

It was imitating me.

‘Fucking hell…!’

A chill ran down my spine.

I quickly turned to the Security Sergeant and spoke calmly but urgently.

“Jay-ssi, that’s a Church of the Luminous Unknown cultist.”

“Church of the… what? What do you mean? Jay-ssi, do you know what’s going on here? This seems like some kind of Darkness…”

“Jay-ssi! Do not respond. Just listen and assess the situation silently. If you reply, you’ll get caught up in it.”

“……”

“If you need to test anything, speak to the wall by yourself—or better yet, just yell at both of us to get lost. That’s the safest option.”

The Security Sergeant stared at me, his face unreadable.

Beside me, ‘Kim Soleum’ trembled slightly and spoke in a frail voice.

“I… I don’t understand what that means.”

What?

“Think about it, Jay-ssi. I’m just… here to clean for three days. I only realized this was some kind of Darkness because… something next to me pointed it out.”

“……!”

“It’s more natural that I wouldn’t know what’s in the Security Team’s isolation area. Jay-ssi, please think logically. Isn’t it more likely… that I’m the real one?”

– Oh, quite convincing.

Right? Damn it…!

“And… I feel relieved that you came. I’m sorry you’ve been caught up in this mess…”

“……”

‘It’s disturbingly good at talking.’

Very fitting for a cultist. I gritted my teeth.

Come to think of it, I almost fell for it on the first day when it showed up as Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

‘How did Supervisor Park Minseong realize it wasn’t actually Assistant Manager Eun Haje?’

I tried desperately to recall that moment.

What gave it away?

‘There weren’t any logical inconsistencies back then either…’

What was it?

A sense of unease only someone familiar with the real person would notice?

A nuance in the way they spoke?

‘Or…’

As I frantically analyzed and pondered, another soft and composed voice came from beside me.

“Jay-ssi, please don’t feel guilty. Just act on your judgment. I’ll accept it.”

……

Ah.

‘I understand now.’

So that’s what it was.

I pressed my fingers against my temples and spoke.

“Jay-ssi, please pay attention to the purpose behind their words. Who’s trying to engage you in friendly conversation and draw you into the situation?”

Back then, when it appeared as Assistant Manager Eun Haje…

It was excessively friendly, considering the circumstances.

Someone who had just escaped confinement and was trying to avoid detection wouldn’t behave like that.

‘If it really had been Assistant Manager Eun Haje, she wouldn’t have gone out of her way to reveal herself and convince us. She would’ve hidden until she could escape.’

Especially since she said she had an escape item and just needed to wait for the lockdown to lift.

Taking the risk to talk to us immediately didn’t make sense.

An odd, situationally inappropriate response.

So…

“Who is unnecessarily making sociable remarks in this strange, dangerous situation? Who seems to have an ulterior motive?”

I spoke calmly.

“There’s no need to trust me entirely. Just shout at that guy to leave and ignore him—that’s enough to banish this ghost story. Or you can call for another Security Team unit…”

“Hmm.”

The Security Sergeant rose from his position.

And then.

“It’s this one.”

A massive, wolf-like creature’s black claw came crashing down toward my head like a guillotine.

‘Fuck…!’

In the split second before I could even close my eyes—

Thud.

It wasn’t my head that flew off.

It was the doppelgänger’s.

“……!!”

Squelch.

The grotesque shadowy claw, dripping with the crushed remains of the doppelgänger, rose back up with a sickening squelch and returned to the arm of the Security Sergeant.

“Um.”

“……”

“Are you okay…?”

I looked down at my orange cleaning uniform, now drenched in the doppelgänger’s blood, and collapsed to the ground.

“……!”

“Yes. Thank you.”

I survived.

Chapter 108 - [Story Usurper], II

The security sergeant handed me a towel so I could clean the blood off my stained cleaning uniform.

I mechanically wiped it down, making sure not to look to my side.

Over there lay the grotesque corpse of the Church of the Luminous Unknown cultist, their head crushed by the sergeant.

– Hmm. Certainly not a pleasant sight! It lacks any aesthetic refinement as it stains the floor… Oh! Mr. Roe Deer, something interesting is happening!

“……??”

I instinctively turned my head.

The bloody mess of flesh and the crushed head that had been lying there was now melting away.

As if time were being rapidly rewound, the bloodstains on the floor dried up and transformed into the desiccated body of someone completely dried out and unrecognizable.

From the gaping mouth of the shriveled corpse, a tightly curled, aged piece of paper fell out.

The inside surface of the paper, originally marked with unreadable golden characters, writhed the moment my gaze fell upon it, transforming into readable Korean.

The Mimicry Sect’s Scripture, Verse 4

Story Usurper

“……!”

A sacred law.

In essence, it was like a ghost story generator for the Church of the Luminous Unknown.

Initiates could swallow fragments of the sacred scripture and, through ritualistic offerings on an altar, gain access to the corresponding powers.

The security sergeant slowly approached and crouched down, seemingly intending to collect it.

“Fourth-rank, huh… Hey, do you want it?”

Pardon me?

“The company… I think they buy these at a pretty good price. Just say you found it somewhere else and sell it later.”

“…Jay-ssi, you were the one who dealt with the situation, so is it really okay for me to keep this for personal use?”

“It doesn’t matter…”

“……”

“I don’t really… have any use for money.”

Actually, what I meant was whether it was appropriate for me to keep it after a company security intervention, but… since he was offering it, I quickly took it.

“Thank you.”

Several immediate uses came to mind, even beyond selling it to the company.

‘The more cards I have to play, the better.’

Besides, after all this suffering, I deserved to leave with something.

To be safe from any possible effects, I wrapped the item in ‘Wrapper 12B357나’ before pretending to put it in my pocket and slipping it into my inventory instead.

‘Huu.’

“Thank you again for saving me. I owe you my life.”

“No prob…”

Meanwhile, the memories of the past two days slowly began to return.

The mundane, uneventful routine.

Days that passed in a blur, with nothing noteworthy enough to write in a journal.

Days that, in a year’s time, I likely wouldn’t even remember—what you might call ‘skipped narration’ in a novel.

It gave me chills.

It felt like time had been drained from me.

‘Church of the Luminous Unknown… They’re the worst.’

There was a reason I least wanted to be involved with this particular faction out of the three major ones.

‘Creepypastas blending seamlessly into reality.’

I never thought I’d encounter one while cleaning.

Sure, I knew the Church of the Luminous Unknown had infiltrated Daydream Inc., but I never expected to come across a rogue entity from the isolation room without any preparation.

‘I’m lucky to be alive.’

I let out a long sigh of relief.

I just wanted to go home and rest…

“Oh, here he is. In the corridor.”

Screech.

Beyond the door to Isolation B, which the security sergeant had opened, a man in an orange cleaning uniform collapsed unconscious onto the floor.

The other cleaner who had come in with me.

“…Supervisor Badger!”

Ahhh!

So he was here on the third day, too!

Fortunately, Supervisor Park Minseong regained consciousness not long after being moved to the break room.

“…Huh? What? Over there… Someone pushed me though…”

“There was an escape incident involving one isolation room.”

“Huh?!”

I explained everything I had experienced so far.

The security sergeant, by the way, occasionally nodded when asked but otherwise showed no interest in questioning me about my knowledge of the Church of the Luminous Unknown.

It honestly looked like he just didn’t want to deal with it.

‘Well… He’s a tenured employee, so I guess I can’t blame him.’

I understood.

After hearing my explanation, Supervisor Park Minseong’s expression darkened.

“Now that you mention it, I really don’t remember much about what you did on days one and two… Just that we cleaned up without any issues. That’s what’s left in my memory.”

“……”

“Creepy. That cult is terrifying.”

“Exactly.”

The Mimicry Sect cultist of the Church of the Luminous Unknown had absorbed and nullified even the very incident it caused.

As if it had never happened. Calm and mundane.

‘And that’s only at rank 4?’

A form of reality manipulation, in other words.

To be honest, if I were to compare it to Daydream Inc.’s classification, it would be somewhere between a B-grade and C-grade—not exactly low-tier.

The problem is, there are countless fanatics within the Church of the Luminous Unknown who possess creepypastas classified as ‘powers’ ranked 4 and above.

Recalling the Mimicry Sect cultist from earlier, which barely resembled a human, I swallowed hard.

Please, I hope I don’t cross paths with them again until I’ve collected all my wish-granting points.

“Um… Since the cleaning is finished, you should change clothes too.”

“Ah, right. I’ll go get changed quickly, Roe. Just give me a moment!”

“Yes.”

I bid farewell to Supervisor Park Minseong as he left the room.

Beside me, the security sergeant was sweeping up the papers that Park Minseong had dropped and tossing them into the trash bin.

Among them was that strange work tip sheet.

“……”

“By the way, this tip sheet…”

The security sergeant spoke first, as if he had been waiting to bring it up.

“I was going to ask about it anyway—it’s too suspicious. Was this really a tip circulating within the Security Team?”

“Yes… it is. But… we would never have given it to that person.”

“…What?”

“To Supervisor Badger…”

The security sergeant murmured softly as he looked toward the doorway where Park Minseong had just left.

“That person… He was completely contaminated in the ‘Hungry Hangman’ case. He shouldn’t be coming into contact with any form of work regulation sheets… He’s already been contaminated by a similar type of Darkness after all…”

“……!!”

Wait, right!

‘Supervisor Park Minseong was already contaminated through that kindergarten training manual, so any similar written material could be dangerous.’

Even if the severity differed, the fact that he had experienced a similar form of contamination made me feel queasy.

Restricting access to anything that could trigger the contamination made perfect sense.

But the security sergeant wasn’t done.

He was about to reveal something even more chilling.

“Supervisor Badger can contaminate any rulebook simply by reading it.”

“……”

What did you just say?

“If he realizes it, the contamination could accelerate due to over-consciousness. But so far, he probably doesn’t even know.”

So, then…

“Are you saying someone intentionally gave the forbidden tip sheet to him? To make him read a tip sheet that he would contaminate?”

The sergeant nodded slowly.

– Aha, a classic trap! How traditional.

My response was equally traditional: sticking to the basics.

“Can we review the security footage?”

“There’s no CCTV in the Security Team dorm area… Too much risk of something dangerous getting recorded.”

“Whoever did this must’ve known about that.”

“Probably…”

Who could it be?

This was a perfectly targeted strike against Supervisor Badger’s assignment. It wasn’t just a coincidence or bad luck that led to the escape of the Mimicry Sect cultist.

‘Was this a collaborative effort by another faction of the Church of the Luminous Unknown within the company?’

But with this method, it didn’t seem like they could have helped the cultist escape the isolation room properly—it would’ve just caused chaos.

‘Then maybe the goal wasn’t for someone to escape…’

If the real target was the cleaning staff on duty that night…

‘What if the goal was to mess with me?’

“Jay-ssi.”

“Yes?”

“Is it possible that some Research Team members know a lot about the underground Security Team areas?”

“Hmm… Depending on the team…”

The sergeant’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Is there someone in the Research Team you’re suspicious of?”

“…A little bit.”

“Who?”

“……”

I hesitated briefly.

But since the security sergeant was in charge of this area’s security tonight, he had the right to know.

‘And he could be a witness to the whole situation.’

Fine. I decided to speak openly.

“Section Chief Kwak Jaekang.”

“……”

“He’s the one who got me assigned to this disciplinary duty in the first place because I didn’t follow his orders. He wanted me to leave a Round-Off Team member behind in a dangerous spot, and I ignored him.”

“……”

“I’m not accusing him directly—just considering the circumstantial evidence…”

“I understand.”

“……??”

“Wait here for a moment.”

Bee-bee-beep.

The security sergeant walked over to the landline phone in the break room, picked up the receiver, and seemed to be thinking for a moment before pressing a few buttons deliberately.

The short dial tone rang, and then—click.

[Yes-yes, Kwak Jaekang speaking!]

“……!!”

I gawked in disbelief as the security sergeant directly called the section chief of another department in the middle of the night.

But the sergeant’s expression didn’t change at all.

“Um… this is J3, Sergeant of Security Team Unit 3.”

[…J3? …Wait—who is this again?? Squad Leader of B-squad, right? …Ah, oops, never mind! You’re no longer part of the elite team, correct? Haha, you’re not even part of the Field Exploration Team anymore, my bad!]

“……”

[Still, how long has it been? I did hear that you’re now a sergeant in the Security Team. Wowie~ Talented employees like you really stand out! Shame you can’t enter Darknesses anymore.]

‘Is this guy picking a fight or what?’

Actually, there’s no need to wonder. It’s obvious that he is, isn’t it…?

[So, what’s this call about? Were you on duty today? That’s a phone line from the Security Team’s area, right?]

[Is there an incident? Oh, don’t tell me you’re calling because you want to enter Darknesses again. If that’s the case, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. Haha!]

I glanced nervously at the sergeant.

“Um.”

[Yeah?]

“Just to let you know… I may not be able to enter Darknesses, but… I can still kill people.”

[……!]

“Just saying.”

And then he hung up.

“……”

Whoa.

“Are you sure that’s… okay?”

“Yes… well.”

The sergeant shrugged.

“But it probably won’t have much effect. Those with higher ranks in the Research Team are… hmm.”

He carefully chose his words.

“They’re crazy.”

“……”

Well, no, it didn’t seem like he put much effort into choosing his words after all.

I barely managed a response.

“Anyway, judging from his reaction, um. It seems like my suspicions are valid…”

After all, he indirectly asked, ‘Did something happen during your shift in the Security Team’s area today?’

No matter how I look at it, Kwak Jaekang must be involved.

‘I thought he got tired of my so-called MZ antics and gave up on me.’

But it doesn’t seem like it’ll end that easily.

‘This is exhausting…’

I’ll have to rethink my approach.

Regardless, I nodded toward the sergeant.

“Thank you, Jay-ssi.”

“Well, then… next time…”

Aha.

“I’ll bring some snacks when I visit again. Like donuts.”

“Okay.”

Turns out bribing him is easier than I thought.

“Anyway… be careful… You never know what that guy might do…”

“……”

I hesitated briefly before asking,

“Would it be alright for me to ask, Jay-ssi? If you’ve had any bad experiences dealing with the Research Team, or conflicts of any sort?”

“……”

The sergeant averted his eyes.

“It’s not… a very interesting story.”

A short silence.

“I got trapped in a strange fairy tale… and I only came out much… much later.”

The sergeant said no more after that.

“……”

‘A fairy-tale creepypasta caused by the Research Team.’

I didn’t need more context to figure out which one it was.

I could easily guess what kind of Darkness had contaminated the sergeant.

And naturally, a certain well-known name from the elite team came to mind.

That character.

Then, the tragic exploration records of that character who ended up in the Security Team.

The audio logs from the missing employee during the Qterw-A-37 research project—confirmed under the document titled ‘ And They All Lived Unhappily Ever After’.

‘I could pretend not to know and dig deeper.’

That way, I could confirm the identity of another named character.

“……”

But I decided not to say anything more.

I chose to respect the sergeant’s silence.

A moment later, Supervisor Park Minseong returned, having changed into fresh clothes. The sergeant turned to him and said,

“Well, then… You’ve successfully completed the three-day cleaning assignment… So, um, now… you should be eligible for Security Team duties…”

It was the sergeant’s way of declaring the first stage of recovery.

“……! Really?!”

“Yes… and you should be able to go outside now.”

“Whoa.”

“But only after the sun has set…”

Hmm.

“Then… could he go out today? Since the sun has already set?”

“R-Roe? It’s okay. I can wait and go another day—”

“Hold on…”

The sergeant typed something into the old computer and submitted a report. Then he announced,

“You can go today.”

“Whoa!”

“From now on, you’ll be allowed one outing per week…”

“Whoa!!”

Supervisor Park Minseong’s pale face lit up with life, and a smile spread across his face.

It was the same expression I remembered from our days back in the D-squad.

“……”

“Just make sure you return before sunrise.”

“Uh… what if he doesn’t make it back on time?”

“In that case… the company will deploy a rescue team.//”

“……”

“Don’t do that unless you want a lifetime contract.”

Park Minseong lowered his head.

“Yes. I’ll be sure to return on time. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome…”

The sergeant scratched his cheek.

A moment later, with his outing preparations done in record time, I climbed the stairs alongside Supervisor Park Minseong.

“See you again…”

The Security Sergeant raised his hand slightly to bid us farewell as we left the underground area.

“Wow! Walking outside feels amazing!”

Supervisor Park Minseong beamed, raising both arms in the air.

Though it was past 3 a.m. and the streets were relatively empty, Seoul was still alive with lights twinkling here and there, and people moving about.

“It really feels like ages since I’ve been outside breathing fresh air… I can even see the stars!”

He was wearing a mask and a hat pulled down low, as if he was trying to hide his face as much as possible.

The outdoor time allowed to him today was conservatively set at three hours, until sunrise.

‘Good thing it’s winter.’

“Are you heading home, Supervisor?”

“Ah, well… I’m planning to visit the hospital.”

“……”

“My family member is hospitalized. Probably asleep, but I thought I’d at least take a look.”

He scratched his cheek awkwardly.

“Actually, I’m saving up my points for a wish ticket for my family.”

Damn.

“May I ask which family member?”

“Oh, my younger sibling. Super sweet! And a genius. A violin prodigy!”

He then enthusiastically explained how his younger sibling was such a kind and talented child growing up, having such passion and talent for the violin.

But he didn’t say a word about their current condition.

“……”

“Anyway… that’s why I really need those points for my sibling. So, if possible, I’d rather not quit this job.”

“Then, will you be returning to the Field Exploration Team?”

“…Hmm. That seems like it would take a bit too long.”

He trailed off, then added in a slightly brighter tone,

“Apparently, there’s a department within the Security Team that offers a lot of points. They say you can earn more than in the Field Exploration Team.”

“……!”

…Ah.

That place.

“…There’s probably a reason why they give out so much, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, you’re right… but.”

He murmured softly,

“Sometimes you need to take risks to make your wishes come true.”

“……”

“Ah, we’ve reached the company dorm, Roe!”

He patted my back.

“Go on in. I’ll grab a taxi from here. Take care and get some rest, Roe. You’ve really worked hard!”

Then, in a lower voice, he added,

“Don’t worry about me too much. Honestly, I knew what I was getting into when I took this job. Things actually turned out better than I expected… and that’s thanks to you, Roe. Thank you.”

“……”

I smiled faintly and shook his hand.

“Whatever you decide to do, I’ll be rooting for you. But if possible, I’d love to work together again someday.”

“Yeah, I’d like that too.”

With that, we said our goodbyes, and he took a taxi to the hospital.

“Huu…”

I exhaled as I entered the officetel building.

If I wasn’t imagining things, there was a strange hint of obsession in the way he spoke about wishes.

– Ah, he used to be so ordinary, but now he’s finally gained some interesting quirks.

Don’t say scary things like that, Braun…

‘Anyway, I can finally sleep.’

Getting a day off on the last day of the year wasn’t bad, though I hadn’t expected to spend it sleeping.

I entered the dimly lit dormitory, switched on the warm and bright flashlight of my smartphone to chase away the eerie feeling, and headed to my room.

Then, I went straight to sleep.

‘I’ll think about countermeasures for Kwak Jaekang after I wake up with a clear head… Please, I just need some rest for now.’

Exhausted from the mental and physical labor of the night, my overworked body gratefully accepted the sleep.

It had been a long time.

A long time since I fell asleep without needing to watch children’s cartoons or comedies beforehand.

I enjoyed a deep, dreamless sleep, the kind that makes you feel completely refreshed, as if you had merely closed your eyes for a moment.

And when I woke up, as though I had just blinked—

“Ah, you’re awake.”

“……!”

I shot up from bed.

– You’ve got an unannounced guest, Roe.

Someone was standing by the faintly lit window.

A tired face, casual clothes, hair tied back—

And a missing left hand.

“It’s been a while, Roe. …I heard you were on cleaning duty with Minseong.”

It was the real Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

Chapter 109 - 'Marked for Death'

For a moment, I thought I was still caught up in the Church of the Luminous Unknown’s ghost story.

But my fully awakened mind quickly assessed the situation.

‘This is different.’

The Eun Haje standing before me was no longer the clean-cut, suit-wearing professional boss I remembered from the office.

Instead, she looked more like a detective who had been on a three-day undercover stakeout… or perhaps, a reporter.

Reality hit me like a splash of cold water.

‘What kind of situation is this?’

I immediately got up from the bed.

“Assistant Manager.”

“Yes.”

Eun Haje nodded.

“First of all, sorry for barging into your place unannounced. I can’t afford to be seen right now, but I had to tell you something important.”

Having been missing for two months, she now stood in someone else’s room like a burglar, casting wary glances toward the window.

As if she were being pursued.

“…When you say you can’t afford to be seen, do you mean you’re being tracked?”

“Something like that. But listen to me first.”

Eun Haje brushed off my question and took a deep breath.

“On January 2nd, when you go to work, you’ll be assigned a Darkness. …On paper, it’ll seem normal. It’s rated C-grade, has a complete manual, and you won’t be the only one assigned. But…”

But.

“Don’t go in there.”

“……”

“Find any way to avoid it. Take a sick leave or even quit if you have to. Because…”

She clenched her teeth, then released them.

“If you enter, you’ll die.”

“……!”

“Don’t ask how I know. Just do as I say.”

“Is it Kwak Jekang?”

“…!”

Her expression gave me all the confirmation I needed.

‘Damn it, a death notice the moment I wake up?’

I pressed my hand to my forehead, trying to process it all.

“What does that section chief have against me?”

“We all know he’s a psychopath.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

Eun Haje spat the words bitterly.

“But you’re talented, and you’ve pulled off plenty of impressive stunts. This time, he probably wants to throw you into a situation where you’ll definitely die just to see how you try to survive.”

So, showing off my MZ traits had backfired.

‘Damn it.’

Yeah, with someone like him, I could see how he’d be thrilled at the idea of using me as an experimental test subject, throwing me into a bizarre ghost story under strange conditions.

However…

“Even so, Assistant Manager, there’s still a chance I could survive, right?”

“……”

“And if he’s curious to see how I’ll make it out alive, wouldn’t he pick a Darkness where survival is at least possible?”

I hated to admit it, but I was an elite employee rapidly climbing the ladder.

I had good connections—Director Cheong liked me (for reasons unknown), and Director Ho also viewed me favorably.

‘No matter how I look at it, I doubt a project like this, meant to throw me into certain death, would get approved with just the section chief’s say-so.’

Being sent to a dangerous place was always possible, sure, but ghost stories by nature were inherently risky.

‘Even Assistant Manager Eun Haje herself said it was C-grade with a complete manual.’

Something about this wasn’t adding up.

“So how can you be so sure I’ll die there?”

I looked at her, silently asking for an explanation. Eun Haje pressed her fingers to her furrowed brow, as if trying to suppress a sigh.

“There’s only one thing I know for certain.”

She pointed at me.

“On January 2nd, you’ll be marked as deceased.”

“……”

“I confirmed it… in a Darkness that shows the future.”

“…!”

Damn.

A ghost story that reveals the future? A few entries on the wiki came to mind.

But even setting aside the question of how Eun Haje—who was supposed to be on leave—gained access to such a Darkness…

‘Something feels off.’

“I checked what Darkness you’d be assigned to on the 2nd, and I came here immediately. You saved my life once, so this is the least I can do.”

“Wait a moment. Assistant Manager, this still doesn’t make sense.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve seen my future too. Remember that ghost story I was managing? The one with the tarot cards?”

“…I remember.”

“Recently, I drew a very good card. And that prediction hasn’t come true yet.”

I recalled the Sun card I had drawn.

Upright. A card that guaranteed happiness.

“You can’t be happy after you’re dead.”

“You could be happy, and then die.”

“……”

This still didn’t sit right with me.

But seeing how anxious Eun Haje looked, and knowing she had no reason to lie, I nodded for now.

“Understood. I’ll come up with a plan.”

“Damn, fine.”

Eun Haje looked up at the sky briefly, as if the weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Then she mumbled, as if to justify herself,

“Roe, I wasn’t planning to break into your place like this. It’s just… things were urgent, so forgive the intrusion. Seeing someone who left the team is always unsettling, right?”

“It’s nothing. I was a bit surprised, but I’m glad to see you’re healthy.”

“…Huu. Roe, with that personality of yours, how do you plan on surviving in this company…?”

“Haha.”

My personality is average—it’s the personalities of the employees in this company that are ghost stories in themselves.

‘I mean, seriously, if I acted any less respectful toward a former boss who came all the way here to save me, I’d be an absolute lunatic…’

And let’s not even bring up the fact that my biggest issue isn’t my personality, but the fact that I’m a coward.

Anyway, Assistant Manager Eun Haje looked relieved as she gave me a tired smile and gestured with her chin.

“Alright then, I’m leaving. Get some rest.”

“Wait a moment.”

“What now?”

“Well, about your hand…”

I cautiously looked at her empty left sleeve.

Eun Haje casually waved her arm.

“What? You’re still worried about this? Roe, I told you, I’m not using any regeneration potions. You use them instead.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

I recently thought of a possible solution.

“You passed down some communication equipment to me, remember?”

“Oh, yeah. I did. But that was just because I didn’t need it anymore…”

“So, I’d like to introduce you to a piece of equipment in return.”

I flipped the coin, which was my personal equipment.

A third hand materialized midair. For the price of a 500-won coin, I could use this equipment—

The Third Hand.

In other words, an item that grants the ability to grow an additional hand.

“How about using this as a parent item and customizing one for yourself, Assistant Manager?”

“…!”

And so, that evening on December 31st, I met Assistant Manager Eun Haje in front of the annex. She wore her cap low as we made our way to the Twilight-grade Darkness storage facility where custom equipment was crafted.

[Kind Seed Kit / Qterw-E-99]

A massive, rusted machine stood tall among the fake plants.

It was a custom equipment crafting Darkness primarily used by the Field Exploration Team.

It had been a while since I last saw it.

But Assistant Manager Eun Haje didn’t look too thrilled.

“I feel like I’m interrupting your break.”

“No, it’s fine. I was actually planning on creating some new custom gear myself.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I even brought something for it. The squad leader lent it to me.”

I pulled out the item I had prepared.

– Return this to me after you use it. You can use it only once.

It was the equipment given to me by Section Chief Lee Jaheon, designed to temporarily enhance physical strength!

But before I could even explain, Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s eyes widened in shock.

“You got that?!”

“Oh, do you recognize this item?”

“Yeah, it belonged to a retired guy… Seriously, the squad leader is something else. They weren’t even that close—how did he manage to borrow this?”

I looked down at the equipment.

It was a strange bracelet, as if braided from human hair, but over half of it was already frayed and resembled a bundle of straw.

“That bracelet grants temporary super strength, but each time you use it, the hair fibers snap.”

I see.

“Even as a consumable item, it’s still pretty useful. And he really knows how to avoid unnecessary work through physical strength.”

“……”

I couldn’t argue with that logic.

Anyway, I initially offered to let Assistant Manager Eun Haje use the item first.

“It’s fine. You go ahead.”

“Understood.”

I approached the machine’s worn-out screen.

[Give me plants 0/2]

I placed the bracelet I received from Section Chief Lee into the rusted machine.

[Plant information stored]

[Give me plants 1/2]

Now, for the second item…

‘I do have plenty of useful items by now.’

Let’s see.

Given the attributes of the item from Section Chief Lee Jaheon, I had three viable options:

1- Reinforce its durability as a consumable.

2- Preserve the super-strength enhancement effect.

3- Combine it with a different functionality.

‘That should cover it.’

Of course, since the plant’s genetic inheritance is randomized, the options could turn out completely wrong. But it was worth a shot.

‘Let’s do this.’

After some thought, I inserted another item from my collection and authorized the machine to combine my genetic data.

[Combining genetic information]

[Generating kit…]

[Seed planted]

Thunk.

The front drawer of the machine opened, revealing the new item.

It was a simple bracelet that looked like a thin wire.

‘Hmm.’

I carefully picked up the metal bracelet and stored it safely. I’d test its capabilities once I had the chance.

“Does it seem successful?”

“So far, yes.”

I collected my items and stepped aside. Now, it was Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s turn to customize her equipment.

She first inserted her personal item—her personal equipment.

It was a communication device shaped like a portable battery, capable of temporarily connecting smartphones to the outside world even within a ghost story.

Apparently, the button-shaped device she had passed down to me was a result of this machine’s customization process.

“At first, I thought it was an unexpected upgrade. Probably the luckiest moment of my life.”

Though Assistant Manager Eun Haje grumbled about using up her luck on something trivial, her hands carefully handled the custom battery-shaped equipment.

And then…

“Here’s the next item.”

I tossed in my personal equipment—the coin.

Clink.

The coin with the glove symbol rolled into the machine’s compartment and disappeared.

[Combining genetic information]

“Roe, you know it’s rare for custom items to come out perfect on the first try.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje advised in a calm tone.

“So, don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t. The fact that you’re trying is already enough. Understand?”

“…Yes.”

I turned my attention to the machine’s screen.

[Generating kit…]

[Seed planted]

The process was complete.

The front drawer of the machine slid open, revealing the new item.

It was…

“A glove??”

A semi-transparent glove, its flexible texture giving off an oddly strange atmosphere.

“Hmm.”

As Assistant Manager Eun Haje reached out with her right hand to grab it, sparks flew toward her fingers.

“…!”

“Well, look at that. Seems like the slots are full already, huh?”

She chuckled and brought her empty left sleeve forward.

“Then let’s give it to the empty slot.”

The glove latched onto her left arm, molding seamlessly as if it were part of her skin.

It took on the form of a hand made of electricity.

“…!!”

And soon, it formed a fully functional hand.

“……”

A brief flicker of emotion crossed Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s face before it quickly disappeared, as if it had never been there.

Instead, she raised her new hand slowly and flexed her fingers.

Crackle.

A faint current of electricity sparked through the air.

“Hmm. The sensation’s pretty sharp… Must be due to the electrical signals. I like it. And the fact that I’m wearing a glove obscures its real appearance, too.”

She turned to me and grinned.

“Thanks, Roe.”

“……”

“All that nonsense I spouted earlier turned out to be pointless. It worked on the first try. Looks like I’m lucky when it counts.”

I looked at Assistant Manager Eun Haje, now equipped with two hands, and simply nodded.

“It’s nothing.”

I thought it was a pretty good way to end the last day of the year.

But just as the moment was starting to feel touching—

“Oh, by the way… Do you have any plans to use your welfare points? I can buy something for you worth up to 1,500 points. I just need you to register this under your second-use record.”

Hmm?

– Oh! Is she trying to erase her tracks? It’s like covering up evidence! Isn’t it, Friend? Shouldn’t we subtly coax her to reveal her true intentions?

‘No need for that.’

– Hmm?

I already had a good idea.

“…Assistant Manager, are you working in another department now?”

“…!”

As expected.

“This Darkness is mainly reserved for the Field Exploration Team. If you’re hesitant to leave a usage record here, it must mean you’ve changed departments.”

“……”

After a brief moment of hesitation, she finally spoke.

“Well. Looks like I can’t fool you, Roe. You’re as sharp as ever.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje gave a faint, bitter smile.

“That’s right. I’ve taken a leave of absence from my role as Assistant Manager in the Field Exploration Team and am currently working elsewhere within the company…”

“…May I ask what kind of work it is? Or at least your department?”

“……”

She hesitated again but eventually let out a sigh and answered.

“Fine. At this point, there’s no point hiding it. Roe.”

With an unexpected shift in tone, she continued,

“You know about Director Ho’s project team, right?”

“…!”

“I’m currently working there.”

What did you just say?

Chapter 110 - Bound for Tamra

Director Ho’s project team.

A top-secret project with an unparalleled reward—granting a wish ticket to every team member if the project succeeds.

‘And I turned it down.’

The risks were too high, and it felt suspicious.

But now, Assistant Manager Eun Haje, who had taken a leave of absence, was working there?

“Look at your expression, Roe. Yeah, I know you were offered a spot on the team and rejected it outright.”

The smile faded from Eun Haje’s face.

“…Good call. Don’t ever join. It’s a headache of a team.”

“……”

But you’re working there, aren’t you, Assistant Manager?

“What kind of work are you doing there exactly…?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“……”

Should I push it?

Let’s push it.

“Actually, I was offered the position of team leader for the project.”

“What?!”

“Well, I think it was more of a motivational offer, but I still turned it d—”

“Wait a minute. Let me tell you this before you get any funny ideas later on.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje lowered her voice and whispered,

“Director Ho is a nutjob.”

“…!”

“I don’t even know what the other team members are doing. Director Ho doesn’t allow us to talk to each other if our roles don’t overlap.”

She swallowed hard.

“I think the only reason I was pulled into this is because I applied for a leave of absence. It made me invisible to the rest of the company, which was perfect for him to drag me in.”

“…So that’s why you’ve been hiding?”

“Yeah, it was a requirement.”

That explained why she had snuck into my officetel room quietly, like a ghost.

“I was worried your roommate might catch me.”

“Don’t worry. He’s not here.”

“Oh? Damn, I worried for nothing.”

Baek Saheon had cleverly scheduled his vacation leave with the New Year’s holiday, so he wasn’t here.

“Anyway, I can’t tell you any more than that. Just take it as is.”

And true to her word, Assistant Manager Eun Haje didn’t answer any of my follow-up questions—whether it was about why she needed a wish ticket, what exactly she was doing on the team, or how she was recruited.

She only said,

“I used to make a living uncovering dirt on crazy bastards. This isn’t new to me.”

But those were humans, and this is a creepypasta-infested corporation, Assistant Manager…!

“Take care of yourself, Roe.”

She smiled bitterly.

“Don’t get too invested in other people’s problems. Whether it’s this company or society at large, nothing will exhaust you faster.”

“……”

“I know it sounds ironic coming from someone like me who’s benefited from your help, but I’m serious.”

“It doesn’t sound ironic at all. Thank you.”

“…Ha, you’re still the same.”

As she left the annex, she repeated the same warning several times: take care of myself, mind my own business.

“Thanks again. And remember—January 2nd.”

Then, just like that, she disappeared into the night.

“……”

Director Ho’s project team.

‘It already sounded dangerous just hearing about it.’

For now, I had too many immediate problems to deal with, but I made sure to remember it.

– Well, we’ve gathered quite the collection of intriguing revelations, haven’t we! January 2nd, the swirling conspiracy surrounding Mr. Roe Deer…

– What now, Friend? Do you have a clever plan to avoid a death notice like that? And remember, when things get tough, your good friend Braun will always be by your side.

“Yeah, thanks.”

– Think nothing of it!

And so, I had my first goal for the New Year: find a way to escape whatever Darkness awaited me on January 2nd.

And this plan worked surprisingly well as I spent the entire New Year’s holiday preparing…

And soon, it was time to head back to work.

January 2nd—

Just as expected, the moment I arrived, I was assigned a new Darkness exploration mission.

But it was assigned ‘only to me’.

“So, you’re saying the section chief has an afternoon meeting with the executives and can’t join today?”

“Yes.”

“And I’m going into the Darkness… alone?”

“No. To comply with the 3-person protocol, two support staff will be assigned to join you in the afternoon.”

Of course. I figured as much.

At this point, I suspected Section Chief Kwak Jaekang was pulling strings behind the scenes.

‘Is he pairing me with some weird employees on purpose?’

Group project villains always knew how to create the worst-case scenario.

‘Better brace myself.’

But things started taking a strange turn.

Before the Darkness exploration mission on January 2nd was assigned to me, an announcement was posted early in the morning.

It was about the restructuring of the elite D-squad.

[Notice of Field Exploration Team Reorganization]

Director Cheong’s groundbreaking proposal had finally been made public.

The Field Exploration Team, which had been buzzing with rumors, finally confirmed the shocking reorganization—the entire D-squad was being promoted to elite status. The team was turned upside down with excitement.

Moreover, there was one remaining spot in the elite D-squad that would be open to general employees on a short-term basis, with full elite team benefits!

Naturally, those who were curious about this staffing decision… had identified the person with the lowest rank and shortest experience among the related parties.

Yep.

That would be me.

“……”

Buzz, buzz, buzz!

[Hello, Supervisor~ ^^ Congratulations on joining the elite team! I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions…]

[This is the first time I’m messaging you outside the group chat! I wanted to ask about the last open spot on the elite team…]

‘This is really overwhelming…’

That was already my seventh message.

I wished people would think logically—there was no way someone at my level had any say in personnel decisions.

– Hmm? But Friend, didn’t you have an opportunity to select a colleague to work with during that exciting offer? I vividly recall that moment.

That was a bus that had already left the station.

I had declined the poisoned apple, so this wasn’t my business anymore.

‘I have no authority here.’

I spent my morning responding politely with a variation of, ‘I don’t have any authority in this matter either. I’m just a lowly supervisor like you.’

Still, this influx of messages did help me realize something important.

‘I can’t just be sent off randomly on this exploration.’

The January 2nd Darkness exploration had symbolic significance.

It marked the first trial run of the newly restructured elite D-squad.

With the entire Field Exploration Team watching, there was no way they’d assign random, unqualified personnel to me.

That would ruin the image of a successful elite D-squad launch.

‘It’s unlikely Kwak Jaekang can mess with this.’

I couldn’t help but wonder…

‘Who exactly are the two support personnel assigned to accompany me?’

Then, at two in the afternoon—

“Oh, let’s have a good time working together, Supervisor Roe Deer!”

I nearly broke out in a cold sweat when I saw the cheerful staff member entering the D-squad office.

It was Supervisor Dolphin from C-squad.

An elite team member!

“Oh, do you know who the other staff member is? I’m curious!”

“…I’m curious too.”

I started having a bad feeling.

And ten minutes later, right on the dot, the door opened again, confirming my fears.

“We’re both punctual.”

Through the open door came the confident steps of someone in perfectly fitting formal wear, her hair tied high, and wearing a flashy butterfly mask.

It was Assistant Manager Jin Nasol from A-squad.

‘Oh, god.’

They had assigned me two elite team members!

The sight of her, a sunbae known for her ability-driven, cutthroat mentality, left me dizzy. I immediately prepared to bow and greet her, but before I could—

“Long time no see, Assistant Manager—”

“Uh-huh. I heard you turned down Director Ho’s offer.”

“……”

“You made another stupid choice, and yet you still ended up on the elite team? If only everyone was as competent as you, my work would be much easier. At least today, I won’t have to deal with anyone whining.”

…Right.

Nice to see you too, Assistant Manager.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

I barely managed a response.

I felt like my soul was about to leave my body, but my mouth continued to function in perfect corporate-mannered form.

“What a hassle. This mission is in a far province.”

“Yes, but the company is providing generous travel expenses.”

That’s right.

This C-grade creepypasta required us to travel all the way to Mokpo to deal with it.

(T/N: Mokpo is all the way down south of Korea in Jeollanam-do, a couple cities away from Gwangju. It’s about 3 hours via KTX and one train transfer.)

‘Finally, an out-of-town mission.’

Creepypastas tended to emerge in densely populated areas, so the fact that most of our missions had been confined to Seoul and its surrounding areas wasn’t entirely illogical within the company’s worldview.

‘Still, it’s strange that we’ve almost never been sent beyond the metropolitan area before.’

Regardless, I obediently followed the two elite sunbaes out of the office and onto the road, keeping a close eye on their mood.

Supervisor Dolphin, fortunately, was quite friendly.

“You haven’t moved upstairs yet? You’ll get your own private office soon, right? It’s great for privacy and focus!”

“Yes, I’m looking forward to it, ma’am.”

“Oh, you can speak informally with me! We’re the same rank, after all.”

“Well, you’re my sunbae, and there’s a lot I don’t know yet. I wouldn’t want to be disrespectful. I’ll continue speaking formally, if you don’t mind.”

“Wow. You’re really polite!”

Supervisor Dolphin gave me a thumbs-up, and I felt a bit of tension melt away.

Yeah, she seemed like a genuinely nice person.

‘Let’s try some small talk.’

I smiled warmly and brought up a topic that I thought was safe—someone I had seen sitting next to Dolphin during a previous encounter, during that terrifying creepypasta involving the backhand clapping incident.

“How’s Assistant Manager Leopard doing?”

“Oh, he’s dead.”

“……”

“He mistreated a Round-Off Team member and got what was coming to him. Serves him right, but it’s a bit of a waste of points!”

“I see. My condolences to the deceased.”

This person clearly did not have a normal sense of empathy.

‘Someone, save me.’

Thankfully, we arrived at the high-speed train station.

Trying to remain composed, I sat next to Dolphin on the train, maintaining perfect decorum.

From this point forward, I intended to give my utmost respect to the elite team sunbae seated next to me.

‘I must not act overly familiar or casual, even if we share the same rank.’

Avoiding any possibility of being seen as rude was my top priority.

Meanwhile, seated in front of us was Assistant Manager Jin Nasol…

“I’m going to sleep, so don’t talk to me.”

“…Understood.”

Honestly, I was grateful for that.

– Oh, what a group of striking companions you have!

Yeah, no kidding.

And the significance of this situation?

‘The two most competent non-executive employees in the entire company have been assigned to accompany me.’

In other words, the two most efficient and capable employees were here to witness everything I did.

‘Assistant Manager Eun, how am I supposed to avoid entering the Darkness and sneak away with these two around?!’

I broke into a cold sweat as I realized how full of holes my plan had become.

‘I didn’t expect them to assign two elite team members.’

I had been more prepared for the possibility of getting paired with useless coworkers.

Desperately maintaining my composure, I scrambled to come up with a Plan B.

‘In the worst-case scenario…’

I could excuse myself to the restroom and make my escape.

It would be humiliating, sure, but survival mattered more.

Later, I could return and claim that I had accidentally gotten caught up in another Darkness, which delayed me.

‘If I can find a suitable creepypasta from the wiki, one with an appropriate difficulty level, and clear it while collecting the necessary dream essence, it’ll be believable.’

Being on an out-of-town business trip made this plan feasible.

‘A-Alright.’

I think I can come up with something.

I quietly sighed in relief, satisfied with the plausibility of my revised plan, and finally glanced at the destination displayed on the train’s electronic board.

Bound for Mokpo

Come to think of it, I’d rarely been to Mokpo befo…

Bound for Mokpo

……

Huh?

The destination displayed on the flickering screen changed.

Bound for Tamra

“……!!”

I jumped to my feet.

“Huh? What’s wrong, Supervisor? Oh, the board?”

“Yes. We need to get off immediately—”

……

No.

No, I already knew.

‘It’s too late.’

This was the kind of situation where, once you boarded the train and the destination changed, it was over.

From that point on, there was no getting off.

“……”

Memories surfaced.

– This was recorded as the longest entry under the Human Error incidents in the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau’s records. It even became the basis for a short story in the wiki.

I knew exactly what this was.

– The train disaster caused by Silver Heart. Just once.

I knew this creepypasta all too well.

----------------------------------------

[Tamra Express Disaster]

This document is a recorded case of anomaly ID ‘8008PSYA.2002. 아88’, involving numerous fatalities.

Due to the shocking nature of the event, we advise readers to evaluate their psychological readiness before proceeding.

Reading this material may induce severe mental distress or trauma, so it is recommended to read it only when in a stable condition.

– Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau

Notice from the Records Office

----------------------------------------

The infamous high-speed train incident from which only one survivor returned, the one who’s from Daydream Inc.

‘…Ah.’

That’s when I realized.

Today, January 2nd, the day marked for my death.

‘The C-grade Darkness wasn’t the real problem.’

The threat prepared for me wasn’t the company-assigned, fully documented rural mission Darkness.

‘It was this train.’

The train, which was supposed to be nothing more than a means of transportation, was the threat itself.

“……”

I looked out the window.

Instead of the outside view, the reflection of the destination display flickered back at me.

Bound for Tamra

Departing

With a deafening roar, the train began to move.

Chapter 111 - [Tamra Express Disaster], I

“Bound for Tamra? What’s with that?”

“An error? But whoa, it’s kinda creepy.”

The high-speed train passengers murmured as they noticed the change on the onboard display.

But it wasn’t serious—just the kind of curiosity you’d expect from people trying to pass time during a long, boring trip.

At least, until they truly understood what kind of incident they were dealing with.

“Hey, should I record? I’ll upload it to Inheart and…… …Huh?”

“What?”

“…Internet’s not working.”

Classic.

“Hey, try turning on your phone! Quickly!”

“Uh, excuse me, but mine says I’m out of the coverage area. Does yours work?”

“What? Why isn’t anyone able to connect?”

The murmuring around us gradually grew louder.

But Assistant Manager Butterfly in front of me didn’t move an inch, and Supervisor Dolphin sitting beside me just muttered quietly.

“Ugh, how annoying. Of all times, why did it have to happen when there are so many civilians on board?”

It was the textbook introduction of a Darkness—a pattern any Field Exploration Team employee from our company would immediately recognize.

What the passengers didn’t know was that this particular ghost story had been documented decades ago by the government, not our company.

The Paradise Test (tentative name) was a phenomenon that very rarely occurred on high-speed trains departing from Seoul and bound for Iksan.

To date, there had been no casualties, and its disaster classification was pending review.

But that was the extent of the documentation.

‘Because there were no casualties!’

The Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau only classified ghost stories as Disasters if people had died.

Thus, the official report had been closed with the assumption, ‘The phenomenon appears to have ceased after the Iksan-bound high-speed train route was extended to Mokpo.’

But now… it had returned.

Right here, on this train.

“Look outside! Someone, check the view!”

“Oh my god!”

I turned my head toward the train window.

The view that should have shown us the outskirts of Seoul instead revealed…

An endless expanse of blue ocean.

“…!”

The deep red sky met the horizon, creating a surreal and mesmerizing scene.

The train sped forward, spraying mist as it cut through the waves, gliding across the shimmering surface of the sea.

“This train… it’s running on the ocean?! H-How the heck?”

“Wow…”

“Wait, is this some kind of CG effect? Like a trial run for LCD window displays?”

The passengers, awestruck by the surreal, almost transcendent landscape, momentarily forgot their confusion and began admiring the view.

One passenger tried to take a picture with their phone, only to panic when it failed to save.

The Tamra Express Disaster.

The introduction was exactly as described in the document I had read…

“……”

Damn it.

If only I had focused on the fact that I was boarding a train bound for Mokpo, I might have anticipated this ghost story’s activation.

‘But they designed this perfectly to slip past my attention.’

They had placed another Darkness in front of me as the target to keep me distracted!

– Travel to Mokpo and enter the C-grade Darkness there.

I had been so focused on preparing for that mission that I didn’t see the real threat coming from an unexpected direction.

I clasped my hands together, my mind racing.

‘Was this a trap set on purpose?’

Or was it a coincidence?

According to the document, this phenomenon had been described as one that ‘no one ever expected’.

‘But that was written from the Disaster Bureau’s perspective.’

Other groups—or individuals—might have figured out its activation pattern.

…Especially considering the people accompanying me.

‘The setup feels way too intentional.’

“Pardon me, Assistant Manager, wake up.”

“……Hah.”

Supervisor Dolphin nudged Assistant Manager Butterfly awake.

“Another job? Might as well be high-grade so we can file a report and earn more points.”

“Exactly!”

Two members of the elite team.

In other words, people capable of making cold, ruthless decisions to ensure mission success without hesitation or remorse.

‘…This ghost story couldn’t be a worse match for them.’

Because…

This ghost story tested human morality.

“Hmm. The text on the screen changed.”

……

I lifted my head, my gaze icy.

A new sentence scrolled across the screen:

To reach Tamra, offer a sacrifice.

“…A sacrifice?”

Rattle.

A window at the very front of the train car slid open.

Passengers sitting nearby flinched and recoiled.

“Whoa, what the—!”

“That window’s not supposed to open… Wait a second, why isn’t the wind blowing in?”

“Why did it open so suddenly…?”

As if… inviting someone to throw a sacrifice through it.

“……”

A few passengers, who had gotten out of their seats to investigate the anomaly more closely, now wore expressions of confusion and growing fear.

“What do they mean by a sacrifice? An offering?”

“This is so weird…”

But nobody wanted to theorize out loud about what kind of sacrifice or offering it could be.

“Couldn’t it just have been hacked?”

“Let’s go find a conductor or train staff.”

Avoidance.

Most people either sat back down while clicking their tongues anxiously or moved to other cars in search of train staff, pretending to remain calm.

Because they had already realized that something was seriously wrong, an eerie stillness fell over the train car.

Tap, tap.

Assistant Manager Butterfly lightly tapped the handle of the seat across from her, drawing my and Supervisor Dolphin’s attention.

“Don’t interfere. Just observe what they do first.”

“Understood!”

“Yes.”

The assistant manager was probably waiting for someone else to act first to see what would happen… And perhaps also ensuring that I wouldn’t do anything reckless.

But I had no intention of acting rashly in the first place.

‘If this really is that Disaster, it’s better to stay put for now.’

I quietly observed to see if events would play out ‘as expected’.

After a moment—

“This is way too strange!”

Sporadic screams began to erupt throughout the train car.

“We found a conductor, but they’re in a total panic! They’re screaming that they have no idea what’s happening!”

“There are families with kids in the front car, and they’re freaking out because their kids are missing!”

“This isn’t normal! We can’t contact the engineer either! The control cabin is completely locked!”

As communication spread between train cars, people learned more terrifying details.

– Ah, the chaos of it all! Throughout human history, what cannot be understood has always been a source of fear. And here, it’s no exception.

– Are you going to keep observing where this leads, Friend?

‘…For a while, yes.’

That was the right move for now.

But I couldn’t help feeling anxious, so I clenched my teeth to suppress it.

I watched the people standing by the train door, loudly proposing ideas to the rest of the passengers.

“Everyone, we need to come up with some sort of plan!”

“Yeah, this is starting to look like a serious situation—”

Di-ri-ring!

“……Huh?”

Everyone turned their attention to the onboard screen.

A new message had appeared.

First Altar Entrance

“…Altar?”

Fwick—

Outside the window, the once-brilliant blue sea suddenly turned blood-red—

And then everything went dark.

“Ack!”

Through every window, the horizon was replaced by grotesque, fleshy walls covered in membrane-like textures.

“T-This…”

“Oh my god!”

It was as if the train had entered a tunnel or a strange station, sliding forward smoothly through the eerie, dark space.

Remaining distance : 5

“Shouldn’t we be doing something right now?”

“Let’s find a button or something!”

“A button? There’s nothing like that here…”

Remaining distance : 4

“What do we do? What do we do…?”

“Excuse me! You, by the window—help me close this window! Don’t just sit there!”

“Ugh, shut up already!”

Thud!

Remaining distance : 3

“W-Wait, are you trying to push someone—huh? W-Whoa!”

Splash!

“Ack! Someone fell out of the window!”

“No! They were trying to push me, but they ended up falling by themselves!”

Remaining distance : 2

“Shouldn’t we stop the train? Someone just fell—”

Remaining distance : 1

“Get down on the floor. Stay quiet.”

“Y-Yes!”

0

A sacrifice has arrived

Open the sea path

Whoosh.

The light returned.

Outside the window, the endless blue sea once again sparkled under the dazzling sunlight.

But…

Gaaaaaaasp—!

The train car was in chaos.

I looked toward the people gathered near the open window, especially…

A man in his 30s wearing glasses, his face pale as a sheet.

And the now-empty seat directly in front of the window.

“That guy pushed someone out of the window, I’m telling you!”

“N-No! He tried to push me, but he lost their balance and fell on their own!”

“That’s right! I saw it from the side. The person who fell was acting strange—aggressive even.”

“Still, someone died!”

Next to me, Supervisor Dolphin leaned in and whispered,

“Hmm. The screen did mention a ‘sacrifice’ and ‘offering’, so I guess the person who fell was… processed as the offering?”

“Pretty obvious, huh?”

Assistant Manager Butterfly tossed the remark as if it were nothing and then casually adjusted the equipment attached to her nails, declaring,

“We’ll observe the next event before we take any action. Get ready.”

“Got it.”

“……”

At least, the good news was that the passengers seemed to calm down somewhat, having concluded that the person who fell was at fault.

The few who had been accusing and shouting at the man in glasses gradually backed off, muttering a few parting remarks as they did.

“Are you okay? Don’t take it too hard.”

“Yes… I’m fine. Everyone’s just on edge, that’s all.”

Supervisor Dolphin was observing this exchange closely.

Meanwhile, Assistant Manager Butterfly and I quietly inspected our equipment, keeping a watchful eye on the situation.

But that was where the good news ended.

Twenty minutes later—

“Again!!”

Second Altar Entrance

The train re-entered the tunnel, and the outside view turned crimson and dark once more.

“What the hell is going on?!”

Thanks to their earlier experience, the passengers didn’t fall into a panic. Instead, they quickly crouched down and covered their heads.

“It’ll pass if we wait long enough.”

I overheard the murmuring passengers.

Across from me, Assistant Manager Butterfly was now wearing a strange monocle as she scanned the dimly lit train car.

Her gaze was sharp, searching for something expendable and convenient.

“Assistant Manager.”

“What?”

“Shouldn’t we observe what happens if no offering is made?”

I chose my words carefully, phrasing them the way the assistant manager would prefer.

“We don’t know if reaching ‘Tamra’ is a good idea or not. It’s a situation worth betting on.”

“Hmm.”

A brief silence.

“Fine.”

Phew.

I nodded, exhaling silently.

‘We can’t draw attention by offering someone as a sacrifice.’

Meanwhile, the countdown on the screen continued to tick down.

Remaining distance : 5

Remaining distance : 4

Remaining distance : 3

Remaining distance : 2

Remaining distance : 1

0

Passed

Whoosh.

The outside world was bathed in light again.

The tunnel ended, revealing the vast ocean once more.

“Ah…!”

The passengers instinctively sighed in relief.

“It disappeared!”

The text on the onboard screen flickered and then went dark.

What remained was the breathtaking view of the train speeding across the glittering sea, leaving a trail of white spray in its wake.

“…Ah.”

The tension eased, and one by one, people lifted their heads, relief spreading across their faces.

“It’s still the ocean out there.”

“Seems like it’s over, right? Everything’s fine now, isn’t it?”

“This feels like some kind of event or something. Wait—did anyone sign up for an escape room experience or something like that?”

Tap, tap.

Supervisor Dolphin whispered softly,

“This might be easier than expected, huh? Maybe we can clear this without even sacrificing anyone ourselves. It’s kind of a predictable condition.”

“Let’s observe a bit longer. This is my order as assistant manager.”

“Yes-yes.”

Another ten minutes passed.

Slightly more relaxed, some of the passengers began moving around the train car, searching for the missing children, calming down the train staff, and trying to communicate with the engineer.

Just when it seemed like everyone had adapted to the situation, regaining some composure and rationality—

Suddenly, without warning.

Thud.

The train tilted forward abruptly.

“…!!”

“W-What? What’s going on?”

Passengers tumbled out of their seats, rolling across the floor. I clung tightly to the handrail and managed to hold my ground for one moment longer.

Swallowing my fear, I forced myself to look outside.

Specifically, I strained to see the surface beneath us—wherever the train met the ocean below.

The white spray that had been rising as the train sliced through the shimmering waves…

Was gone.

THUD!

The train broke through the surface of the water and began to sink.

“Aaaahhh!”

“Nooo!!”

The windows shattered, and seawater rushed in. The conscious passengers screamed, desperately trying to swim out or cling to each other.

The unconscious ones floated limply on the rising water. It was chaos—enough to drive someone insane.

– Isn’t this the perfect moment to call for help, Friend?!

……

Not yet…

– Hmm!

Submerged in the cold, suffocating darkness of the sea, I followed Assistant Manager Jin Nasol’s precise hand signals directing us to escape through the windows.

But as I got closer to the exit, I felt something strange—my consciousness was fading much faster than my lungs could handle.

A dizziness like I was suffocating overwhelmed me…

……

‘Huuuhp—’

My mind…

Went blank.

“……”

“……”

“…Huh??”

I opened my eyes to the sound of the cheerful train jingle.

Di-ri-ri-ring!

We were back inside the train car bound for Mokpo, the doors just having closed at Seoul Station.

Next to me sat Supervisor Dolphin, and across from me was Assistant Manager Butterfly.

The electronic display panel showed:

Bound for Mokpo

Around us, I heard the dazed voices of other passengers.

“Hey, I just had the weirdest dream…”

“You too? Me too. Something about a Tamra-bound train?”

“Huuuh? H-Hold on. Me too?”

“What?”

Bound for Mokpo

“…H-Heeeey! Over there, over there!”

“Huh? Huuuuuh?!”

Bound for Tamra

Departing

The train roared to life and began moving again.

Like the first time.

Exactly the same.

“Aaaaaahhhh!!”

Crying, screaming, and panicked voices erupted throughout the cabin.

“Wait! WAIT! What’s happening?! What the hell? Just what…!!”

“Let me out! Please let me out!”

“Mom… what’s going on?”

What indeed.

‘…It’s exactly what it looks like.’

I pressed my lips together in silence.

※ URGENT NOTICE

Recent recurrence of the anomalous phenomenon known as ‘The Paradise Test (Tentative)’ has revealed fatal, unpredictable anomalies.

It has been confirmed that when the train crashes into the water, passengers are transported back to the exact moment of initial departure.

Survivors claim they were trapped in an endlessly looping time sequence aboard the Tamra-bound train.

Right.

Everything here resets.

‘…And everyone remembers.’

All passengers retained the memory of what they experienced, without exception.

So.

This marked the start of the second cycle.

– A time loop! A classic sci-fi trope. But what makes this particular case interesting is how profoundly trapped the participants are.

– With collective memory stacking up for everyone involved, even the bravest among them would hesitate to act. The looming specter of eternal consequences creates a remarkable barrier to action, wouldn’t you say?

Exactly.

‘That’s why I need to be extremely careful.’

I had to stay calm.

I also couldn’t afford to get swept up in the panic.

One thing mattered most to me now.

‘I can convince people logically.’

Everyone had experienced something undeniably supernatural. They wouldn’t dismiss me as some lunatic spouting nonsense anymore—they’d listen.

Now, it was time to act cautiously and deliberately.

‘This isn’t… too bad.’

I could survive this.

I would survive this.

Yes, I had to believe that.

I steadied myself and thought about what I needed to do first.

‘Find the person with the Silver Heart.’

Aside from me, there was one other key figure responsible for this nightmare becoming a perfect hell. That person was somewhere on this train.

I needed to identify and control them.

‘Let’s find them and neutralize the problem.’

I remembered that they had been briefly mentioned in the short story adaptation of this event.

I tried to recall the specific car and seat number where they had been sitting.

It was definitely in the first car, seat number…

……

‘Wait.’

Calm down. Think carefully.

Their name—what was their exact name?

……

“……”

“Uh, hey? Supervisor?”

I couldn’t remember.

‘Ah.’

It had been weeks since my Memorial Popsocket broke.

The gaps in my memory were finally starting to show.

Chapter 112 - [Tamra Express Disaster], II

The owner of the Silver Heart.

A good person possessing a badge-shaped item capable of swaying others.

This individual is a critical figure in the Tamra Express Disaster, though they only receive significant attention in the final part of the short story.

So the fact that I can’t recall their seat number or exact name…

Maybe it’s only natural.

‘I read the wiki focusing on how to break the creepypastas!’

After I fell into this world, the wikis that became my lifeline and that I repeatedly studied were mostly about creepypasta entries and exploration records.

In short, I prioritized reading the wikis that provided information on clearing the ghost stories.

‘I put all the supplementary content aside.’

Anything long and emotional, like short story-style spin-off prose on the wiki? Those ranked low on my priority list.

The personal details about the Silver Heart owner were mentioned maybe once or twice within that kind of content.

Remembering those exact letters and numbers several months after I first read them?

Yeah… that was unreasonable.

‘I’m screwed…’

No!

I swallowed hard.

‘I can still make educated guesses.’

And even if I don’t get ahold of that person right away, I will find a way to deal with this.

‘I do remember other wiki entries about the Tamra Express Disaster.’

For example, urgent notices and official reports from the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.

I know the flow of this event by its loops, which means I can do this.

I can do this…

……

‘Alright.’

I determined the direction I needed to take.

‘It’s a bit extreme, but there’s no other choice.’

Of course, all this thinking occurred within the span of a few seconds in my head. Meanwhile, the elite team members next to me were having a completely calm conversation.

“Wow, a time loop! I’ve read a lot of short sci-fi anthologies like this.”

“It basically means we get unlimited retries until we meet the conditions, right? Annoying, but convenient.”

“……”

What an absurd conversation.

Fortunately, nobody paid any attention to us speaking calmly.

The entire train was filled with screams, panic, and crying.

“Huuuuk, huuk!”

“This is a dream, just a dream… it has to be.”

But as always, there’s bound to be someone who can’t just sit and watch.

“Everyone! Please, calm down! Calm down!”

…There it was.

Second Loop :

In every car of the high-speed train, someone began stepping up to calm the passengers and bring order.

– Ah, doesn’t someone always say that a crisis is an opportunity? In chaotic situations, there’s always someone eager to rise as a leader!

Exactly.

And in our car, that someone was the man with glasses—the office worker.

The one who, in the first loop, had argued about closing the window until the other man lunged and fell outside.

“At least we’re all still alive, right? That’s what’s important. Let’s take a moment to calm down and figure out what’s going on.”

“A…Ah.”

“D-Do you have any ideas?”

People began paying attention, now that someone was willing to take the lead.

“I believe… time is repeating itself.”

The man with glasses began organizing the situation and calming the passengers.

“We’re definitely caught in some strange phenomenon, but I believe we’ve been given this chance for a reason. Maybe it’s to figure out the right way to escape.”

“Ah…”

“So, let’s trust in that and try to figure it out. Stay calm, everyone.”

He probably thought things were heading in a good direction.

At least until he glanced at the seat where I was sitting.

“Look, there are people already staying calm.”

“…!”

“Let’s try to analyze the situation with that kind of composure.”

Damn it.

The three of us—employees of Daydream Inc.—had just been singled out.

‘Were we being too quiet…?’

…No, this was actually good.

It was time to establish a position early.

This was only the second loop, and I needed to step up now.

“N-No. It’s not that we’re calm… We’re just confused.”

I quickly shook my head, forcing a nervous smile.

“We’re just… just trying to process things. We were dozing off since we were on a work trip.”

There was no way they’d suspect me. I didn’t even have to try too hard—my face was already pale.

When I spoke up first, Assistant Manager Jin Nasol raised an eyebrow slightly but let it slide. I took the opportunity to press on.

“But then suddenly, the view outside changed to the ocean, and there was all this talk about sacrifices… Are you saying all of that was real?”

“Um, yes. That seems to be the case.”

I swallowed, pretending to be tense.

“Then… the person who fell out of the window earlier…”

“……”

Everyone’s eyes slowly turned toward the man sitting next to the window where the ‘sacrifice’ was made.

The middle-aged man who had been arguing before tumbling out during the first loop.

His seat, which had been empty before…

Now, it had someone sitting in it.

“…!!”

I saw the silhouette of a passenger sitting there, motionless.

It was the man who had fallen out of the window.

“He’s alive?”

“Oh, thank goodness…”

That’s when it happened.

The passenger suddenly shot up and lunged at the man with glasses.

“…!!”

“You bastard! You son of a—because of you, because of YOOOUUUU!!”

“L-Let me go!”

Chaos erupted.

The middle-aged man, dressed like a nouveau riche, spat as he shouted, his eyes filled with madness.

“Die, die! I fell because of you… I-It hurt! It hurt so much…!!”

His eyes gleamed with crazed intensity.

“Falling down there is awful! It’s painful! It’s straaaange— aaak! Ugh, uuueegh!”

“Hiieek!”

The man staggered and trembled before vomiting a strange, dark red mass onto the floor.

“Ugh!! UUUUGH!”

The man with glasses stumbled backward, his face frozen in shock.

‘Hah.’

Those who became ‘sacrifices’ and fell out of the window exhibited symptoms resembling madness and supernatural afflictions during the next loop.

After falling, they reported experiencing burning pain and endless torment from non-human whispers.

Seeing it in person, the instability of his condition was overwhelmingly apparent.

The man with glasses, seemingly overwhelmed, slowly backed away on shaky legs.

– Ah, voluntary surrender! A brief yet noteworthy display of leadership. But now, the leader’s seat is vacant.

– Perhaps my friend could step in and lead these people with flair… Hmm, no? That’s fine! This Braun will observe the situation together with you.

‘Yeah.’

I intentionally took a step back.

And at that moment—

To reach Tamra, offer a sacrifice.

The onboard display changed again.

“Th-The text is back!”

“Wait, wasn’t it last time when…?”

When someone fell out of the window, the train had safely exited the tunnel and kept moving forward.

“……”

“……”

For now, people avoided openly acknowledging the truth, mumbling instead.

“…What do they mean by sacrifice?”

“Well, wouldn’t it have to be something alive? I mean, based on those horror YouTube videos…”

I interrupted.

“No, it could be an object. Even food offerings in traditional rites count as sacrifices.”

“Ohhh…!”

“That’s right! Let’s stay calm and try throwing a few things out.”

But fear, excitement, and anxiety still flickered in their eyes.

“……”

“Does anyone have any food with them?”

Before long, the passengers holding snacks began to gather whatever could be thrown out. Fruits, eggs, meat, bread, and so on.

Right on the edge of time, the scenery outside the window changed.

First Altar Entrance

This time, the passengers remained relatively composed.

“Let’s throw them out.”

“Yes…!”

Plop, plop.

In silence, the food disappeared through the window.

Remaining distance : 4

The display didn’t react; only the countdown continued.

“It’s not working! It’s not stopping!!”

Screams filled the train car.

Even when sacrifices were accepted, the countdown had always continued to the end—but I intentionally chose not to point that out.

I had known from the start that food wasn’t the answer.

Remaining distance : 3

The passengers finally began to accept it.

The truth.

“So, it really has to be a person?”

“Ah…”

“No way, how can we…”

“If we don’t, we’ll all die! The train will sink!”

“But who…?”

Remaining distance : 2

“……”

“……”

Their gazes shifted.

What they meant was clear.

‘He’s already not in his right mind, so why not just throw him out again?’

A suppressed, unspoken instinct that surfaced in emergencies.

The ‘first-loop sacrifice’ began to panic.

“Spare me! Please, spare meeee! I don’t want to die! I don’t want to! I don’t want to!!”

“Calm down, it’ll be okay…”

Remaining distance : 1

“No! Noooo!”

“Just step away from the window—huh? Huhhhh??”

Whoosh.

SPLASH—

0

The tunnel ended.

The train interior brightened as the view of the blue sea returned.

The ominous purple text filled the onboard display: ‘A sacrifice has arrived’ ‘Open the sea path’.

Near the window lay a pair of broken glasses on the floor.

“……”

“……”

And the man who had been the first sacrifice.

“The bastard who pushed me is dead! I didn’t die! I didn’t die! I-I’M ALIIIIVE!!”

Foaming at the mouth, the middle-aged man staggered down the aisle, collapsed in a corner, and began sobbing uncontrollably.

The train car was steeped in a chilling, suffocating silence.

The atmosphere felt maddening.

– The former leader became the sacrifice! A cliché development, albeit a bit quick this time.

Then—

“There’s another one coming, isn’t there?”

A cheerful voice that didn’t suit the situation echoed through the train.

Supervisor Dolphin.

“W-What did you say?”

“The second altar will appear soon, right? We should prepare for that.”

“Shut up already!!”

“Ack!”

The passengers’ stress-fueled reactions burst out, but Supervisor Dolphin seemed completely unbothered.

“This time, let’s do it properly. Find the worst person and throw them out!”

She pointed ahead with her finger.

“Let’s include everyone from the other cars too!”

“…!!”

“And hey… it’s not like there’s any guarantee they’ll die, right? The last guy came back alive, didn’t he? So, wouldn’t it be better to throw out someone awful and let them suffer?”

It was madness.

But in an incomprehensible disaster, sometimes madness that sounds appealing is exactly what works.

A little distorted, of course.

“Yeah! So far, only people from our car have been thrown out! The other cars should have to do it too!”

“That’s right!”

Why should our car be the only one to suffer and debate this agony?

Consumed by resentment and strange fury, the passengers of Car 7 surged forward en masse.

Myself and the members of the elite team followed, with Supervisor Dolphin practically leading the charge.

“Excuse me! There’s an open window here too, right? When the train fell last time, it seemed like nobody fell out from here, so…”

Predictably, as we moved forward, most of the passengers in the other cars had no idea what was happening.

“W-What kind of nonsense is this?”

“Who are these people?”

“Hey, if you don’t want trouble, move along. Or else.”

“Ooong.”

“…For now, let’s keep moving and see.”

As Supervisor Dolphin spoke, she eyed the last speaker like they were a prime candidate for her twisted logic.

She quickly moved to the next car.

But the moment we entered Car 3—

Second Altar Entrance

It began again.

“Aaahh!”

“Someone, throw someone out now!”

“The train’s going to sink! Waaahhh!”

“Throw someone out! We have to throw someone out the window!”

The shouts of panic came from the people in our car, Car 7, and echoed alongside the confused cries of the passengers in the other cars who had yet to grasp the situation.

Remaining distance : 5

“Who are these people?! Where did they come from??”

“These fuckers are crazy!”

“If you don’t want to die, volunteer! We need a volunteer!”

“Well, why don’t you jump out, then?!”

“We’ve already lost someone from our car! Find someone from another car!!”

“Fine! Then who’s going to volunteer—”

Remaining distance : 4

Amid the chaos, a clear, authoritative voice cut through.

“There’s no volunteer, huh?”

Assistant Manager Jin Nasol extended her hand.

‘…No!’

She was about to single out the most uncooperative person and throw them out.

‘And if the loop restarts, she’ll just keep using the same people as sacrifices!’

It was efficient, but I couldn’t allow it.

Jin Nasol was undoubtedly competent, but she clearly had no understanding of how to manage public sentiment.

I raised my hand immediately.

Remaining distance : 3

“I volunteer!”

“……”

Jin Nasol turned to look at me.

“What?”

I repeated firmly.

“I’ll be the one to fall.”

“…!!”

“Why…”

Remaining distance : 2

“It’s not like it’ll be a real death, right? I’ll hold out and see.”

Then, I quickly leaned in and whispered to Jin Nasol.

“We need to find out what’s actually happening down there.”

“Is that necessary?”

“We can’t rely on civilian testimonies. I’ve prepared mental defense measures too.”

“Hmm…”

Remaining distance : 1

“Do as you like.”

“…! Thank you.”

I finished the brief exchange and turned to the crowd.

“There’s not much time left! Clear the way—I’m heading to the window!”

“U-Uhhh…”

The crowd, both from our car and the others, hesitated but stepped aside.

‘Good.’

Even though I spoke calmly, my hands were trembling.

But I had no choice.

‘According to the plan, this step is absolutely necessary.’

Since Plan A—immediately identifying and securing the person with the Silver Heart—had failed…

‘I have to go with a more extreme approach.’

“Everyone, stay back!”

I clung to the window and pulled out a painkiller from my pocket.

It might not work, but—

‘Better than nothing…!’

I jabbed the ‘Happy Maker’ syringe into my arm.

Then, without hesitation, I threw myself out the window.

Into the crimson tunnel.

0

Chapter 113 - [Tamra Express Disaster], III

The first thing I saw was the pulsing red.

Thump, thump, thump.

I realized, belatedly, that I had collided with something.

Squelch.

With a short, thick sound, I landed on something slimy and sticky.

A foul stench.

The next moment, I recognized it—the stench of decaying meat.

The flesh scattered around me clung to my body, oozing.

It pulsed red.

Whoosh!

A gust of wind swept past as the high-speed train I had jumped from roared by, leaving behind a deafening noise and a blast of pressure.

In an instant, the train disappeared into the far end of the tunnel, where a flickering light awaited.

“……”

To be honest, it was disgusting and a bit terrifying, but I wasn’t in pain, nor did I spiral into panic.

It felt more like standing alone at night in front of the garbage sorting area of an apartment complex.

– Good heavens! What an unhygienic environment! Are you all right, Friend?

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

‘…The Happy Maker is really doing its job.’

It was as if my mind had been sedated, but in reverse. Instead of the cold clarity you get from calming pills, my mind felt warmly dulled, steady.

I stood up, my thoughts calm and stable. But as I brushed off the rotten flesh with my bare hands—

DEVOUR YOUR CORRUPTION

A strange voice echoed inside my head.

“……”

Hmm. Matching this to the testimonies of the previous ‘offerings’ and the current situation, it seems…

‘I should be feeling burning agony all over my body by now, unbearable pain driving me to claw off my own skin and flesh…’

And I would be forced to chew and swallow what I tore off as I staggered toward the light at the end of this disgusting, humid corridor.

This whole tunnel was a testament to that horror.

Luckily, I didn’t feel any of that. I had the mental resistance boost from the silver ring, and the Happy Maker had numbed any potential pain.

“Huuu.”

I stood fully upright and gave my body a light shake.

It didn’t help much—traces of grime and rotten flesh still clung to me.

As for where this flesh had come from… I chose not to think about it.

Even though the Happy Maker kept me calm, it was still gross.

Ah, right.

“Braun, are you alright?”

– Ah, are you referring to the repetitive, radio-tape-like noise? It’s an annoying hum, but not unbearable!

“…And the burning pain?”

– Haha!

– This body doesn’t have skin or flesh! I’m just fabric, cotton, and a pair of eyes and a nose, after all…

R-Right.

‘So the conditions for being a sacrifice apply only to humans.’

Thankfully, I didn’t have to worry about Braun losing control and going berserk.

– Well then, does my friend have any more business in this filthy place?

“…No.”

– Then let’s get moving.

Indeed.

‘To escape, I need to get back on that train.’

I began walking toward the end of the corridor.

Squelch, squelch.

The slime and fluid splashed under my feet, seeping into my shoes and soaking my socks red.

CAST OFF YOUR SINS

TEAR THEM AWAY

CONSUME YOUR SINS

“……”

Could it be that the more sins a person has committed, the more intense the burning pain they feel here?

‘In theory, a good person who falls through the window should only experience minimal pain.’

This ghost story focused on the train’s group dynamic devolving into a chaotic, inhuman disaster with each loop. Some details, like this, could only be understood by experiencing them firsthand.

Regardless… the corridor was longer than expected. I kept walking persistently.

‘I hope I don’t need to use another Happy Maker.’

CAST OFF YOUR SINS

CAST OFF YOUR SINS

CAST OFF YOUR SINS

Ignoring the voice, I trudged onwards.

Though my legs felt heavier with each step, the light was steadily growing closer.

Step, step.

The intense light pouring out from the tunnel’s exit nearly blinded me, making it hard to see.

‘Almost there.’

I squinted and pushed forward until the light completely engulfed me.

Go to Tamra

‘……!’

A small, gentle invitation.

The strange warmth and sense of liberation felt like a soft but overwhelming command piercing through the top of my head.

– Whoa! That was quite an aggressive invitation. Wait just a m…

And in the next instant, it disappeared.

I felt my consciousness being pulled downward, like a train speeding down a steep slope.

“…!”

“Huuuhk!”

“Ack! AAAAACK!”

I opened my eyes.

I was sitting in a clean, modern high-speed train car. My body was spotless again, and my mind…

‘Wow.’

The memories surged back, and a wave of nausea hit me.

My stomach churned.

‘I didn’t feel this earlier though?’

I had been buried in a mass of flesh—flesh that people had torn off themselves, eaten, and then vomited. I had stood up and walked through that.

‘Stop thinking about it.’

What mattered now was that I had successfully returned to this point in time.

‘The Happy Maker’s effects have reset to the starting point, too.’

I quickly regained my composure and immediately checked the number of Happy Makers in my inventory.

……

Before use: 11.

Now, still 11.

– Ah, your consumed items have reverted to their unused state. This makes sense, as you’ve returned to the train’s departure point!

Right. I had anticipated this.

‘Good.’

I’m ready.

When I looked up, Assistant Manager Jin Nasol was calmly watching me.

“How was it?”

“It’s a disgusting, horrific place. Anyone who falls without preparation will almost certainly suffer mental breakdowns or signs of contamination.”

“That so? Then get up. We need to secure—”

“Hey! Over here! This person’s fine!”

“……”

Jin Nasol’s words were cut off, and she frowned in irritation as civilians swarmed toward us.

‘L-Let’s do this quickly.’

Seeing the astonishment on their faces, I forced a weak, blurry smile.

“Are you okay?! My god!”

“This person volunteered to jump out! But… they’re fine?”

“Yes, I’m fine now. But… what happened after I fell?”

“W-Well…”

After some frantic, disorganized chatter, the important points became clear.

“After you fell, the countdown restarted…!”

“Yeah! It was like the system reset and started demanding another sacrifice.”

Just as expected.

“…! I see. So, after that, did the train crash again?”

“No! It wasn’t that!”

One of the passengers stepped forward to clarify.

“Something weird happened. No one from our car fell, but suddenly the offering was accepted, and the path opened…”

“……”

“There was some commotion from the front cars. People were saying someone fell, but everyone was so worked up and fighting that we couldn’t tell exactly what happened.”

“……”

“They even called us crazy! When they’re the ones not understanding the situation!”

“Exactly!”

“It’s so frustrating!”

“In games, you can’t let trolls like that go unpunished.”

I see.

The tensions were starting to build.

‘It begins from this loop.’

Third Loop :

The train cars divide into factions, and conflicts break out. Passengers pressure each other to offer sacrifices. The first instances of violence and bloodshed occur.

And…

Eventually, deaths result from fights within the train cars.

……

I nodded calmly.

“Understood. It seems the number of sacrifices required increases with each altar.”

“W-What do you mean?”

“One person for the first altar, two for the second. It looks like the required offerings increase sequentially.”

“Ah…!”

They must have suspected as much but hadn’t dared to say it out loud. I heard anxious murmuring and suppressed gasps, but no one outright denied my statement. They were simply too afraid.

“What now? What do we do? No… Why is this even happening to us? Hiiic…”

“D-Do we all have to jump out the window for this to end?? Is that it?!”

It was a reasonable guess, but I gently placed my hand on the person’s shoulder.

“No. Calm down. There’s definitely a way to end this.”

“Hiiicc…”

“Look at me. I fell, and I’m fine. There’s always a way.”

“Ah……”

The atmosphere began to settle slightly. I took advantage of the calm to speak gently.

“You said the others who fell weren’t doing well, right? Could you guide me to them?”

“Ah… Ah, yes!”

“This way!”

Following their hurried lead, I began walking down the aisle, observing the other passengers as I went.

“Oh, me too!”

Supervisor Dolphin immediately followed me, and beyond her, Assistant Manager Jin Nasol stood with her arms crossed, as if daring me to proceed.

‘She’s letting me do this.’

I wouldn’t have been surprised if, the moment she deemed my approach inefficient, she’d pivot and start tossing problematic people out the window one by one.

‘But that won’t clear the scenario.’

For now, this was the most efficient and humane option available to me.

“Here… he’s sitting over here…”

I looked at the person sitting in the indicated seat.

It was the man with glasses, staring blankly into space. The first sacrifice of the second loop—the man who had fallen out of the window.

“Sir?”

“……”

No response. He appeared completely out of it.

“What on earth is down there that made him like this…?”

“It’s horrific. But…”

I placed one hand over my chest.

“I realized something down there.”

“…What?”

Gently, I lowered my hand and slipped it into the inner pocket of my suit jacket.

I pinned on the small badge that had been hidden there.

The Silver Heart.

“Everyone! There’s no need to worry.”

As I spoke, I approached the man with glasses.

“Hic! Hic-hic! Hic!”

“It’s okay… It’s okay.”

I carefully injected him with a dose of Happy Maker.

‘The next loop will reset its effects, so it’s better for him to have temporary relief than to stay trapped in this panic.’

Given the chaos and terror he’d experienced, this was the most merciful option. And since the Happy Maker was as small as a pen, to others, it would simply look like I was helping him calm down through reassurance.

Like magic.

“……Huuhk!”

The man took a deep breath, and clarity returned to his eyes. A sense of calm settled over him.

“I-it was truly horrifying… but, ah… it’s over.”

Slowly, a faint smile spread across his face.

“Thank you… I feel… I feel so at ease now…”

He stood up gradually, then hugged me and the other passengers. Caught off guard, they awkwardly accepted his embrace, all while staring at me in awe.

“You… you brought him back to his senses…”

“How did you do that…?”

I am a fraud.

But I kept my face calm, as though even I were amazed by what I had just done.

“I’m not sure why I was granted this ability, but now…”

I took a deep breath.

“I think I understand what’s happening on this train.”

“…!!”

“F-For real?”

“Yes.”

I raised my hand and began counting on my fingers as I explained.

“I know who needs to be thrown out the window, and how many times it must happen before this ordeal ends.”

“M-My god.”

What was I doing right now?

‘Lying.’

And this type of scam? A staple in apocalyptic fiction.

‘The classic cult leader tactic.’

A con artist manipulating people under the guise of divine guidance or prophecy.

In previous loops, there had even been a cult leader who appeared in Car 6. If I could recall correctly…

Fifth Loop :

Each train car forms exclusive factions. Some adopt superstitious beliefs and even perform sacrificial rituals, throwing victims out the window after ritualistic killings.

Sorry…

No. Actually, I’m not sorry at all.

‘That cult leader role is mine now.’

I’m taking it before anyone else can.

“Kind passengers of Car 7, please lend me your ears.”

I stood near the train door and raised my voice.

“We’ve been chosen for a great trial!”

– Oh my goodness!!

From my suit pocket, I heard Braun clapping in delight.

I had just earned the creepypasta host’s seal of approval.

Here and now…

A cult leader was officially making his debut.

Chapter 114 - [Tamra Express Disaster], IV

The method of deception resembles a form of unethical marketing:

1- Build trust.

“Did he really fix that glasses guy? Even though he was completely out of it?”

“Yeah! Look at him now—he’s fine. And this guy also fell out of the window and survived. He said he saw something down there!”

“Wow… Are you really okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. And so is he—he’s at peace now.”

2- Present the problem and its cause.

“So… you’re saying this is like a test? If we pass, we can get out?”

“Yes. I’m sure we’ll be able to leave.”

“Ah…!”

“Wait, is this some kind of fictional hunter scenario? Are we about to awaken abilities or something…?”

“Exactly! There’s no way we’d be thrown into such a crazy situation without a reason!”

“Right. There is a reason.”

Once the mood was sufficiently heated.

“And to escape this situation…”

3- Sell the magical solution.

In unethical marketing, this ‘solution’ would be the product being sold. In a cult, it’s the doctrine.

And the method I proposed was:

“Everyone must go out through the window at least once.”

“…!!”

“W-What?!”

“Fear not, everyone.”

I smiled and gestured to myself.

And to the man with glasses, now calmed by the Happy Maker.

“Anyone who accepts my recommendation and goes through the window will be fine, just like me. This is a kind of trial.”

“Ah…!”

“If you’re skeptical… I can try to convince you. Or, I could jump again myself.”

And just then, the announcement appeared again.

To reach Tamra, offer a sacrifice.

“Ah…!”

But this time, the atmosphere was different.

At least in Car 7, where people had been listening to my ‘marketing’, they began murmuring and glancing at the window.

‘So, going out there might actually be okay?’

There wasn’t just panic and fear—there was curiosity and even anticipation.

– Ah, this is fascinating! What excellent work, Mr. Roe Deer!

– But all great performers face challengers. Oh, look over there!

Thwack!

“What a load of bullshit, you crazy bastard!!”

The middle-aged man from earlier—his face flushed red—slammed the armrest of his seat and shouted.

This was the man who had fallen out of the window in the first loop and pushed the man with glasses in the second loop.

‘Looks like skipping a turn has restored a bit of his sanity.’

But he wasn’t fully back to normal.

“That bastard pushed someone out of the window before— UGH!”

“Crazy jerk… Get lost, you son of a bitch!”

His eyes spun wildly, like he might stab me any second.

“Jump out the window?! I’m not jumping! No way, you piece of shit! You jump again!”

He pushed past another passenger and came right up to me. I spoke calmly.

“If you don’t want to participate, you don’t have to right now.”

“W-What?!”

“Take your time. Besides, you’re not qualified at the moment.”

“W…What?!”

“I’m saying that even if you beg to go out the window, I won’t assist you.”

This was another crucial step.

4- Restrict access to the solution.

Why do brands produce limited quantities, create artificial shortages, and tell customers to message them for prices?

Scarcity makes things seem valuable, and difficult-to-obtain items appear even more desirable.

You give people the sense that they’re close enough to grasp it, but far enough that missing out would be devastating.

“Only those who are qualified can go through the window without suffering.”

“W-What kind of nonsense is this…?”

“And that’s not you. You haven’t earned the right to pass the trial without pain. Step back.”

“…U-Uh……”

The middle-aged man stammered, then stumbled back and collapsed into his seat.

It worked again. The saying about fighting madness with madness was spot on this time.

With all the commotion, everyone in the car had their eyes locked on me. I smiled warmly at them.

“But do not worry too much. Eventually, everyone will be ready.”

“……!”

– Magnificent!

Over Braun’s cheers, the crowd swarmed toward me, bombarding me with questions.

“Excuse me! Then, who is qualified?”

“I do not know. I can just sense who’s ready.”

“So, is there someone qualified among us?”

It was then—

“Am… Am I qualified?”

The man with glasses, who had been sitting quietly, raised his hand and asked.

Thanks to the Happy Maker, he was calm, free from fear and PTSD. He didn’t lash out at the middle-aged man who had once attacked him.

Even so, he couldn’t suppress his nervousness and swallowed hard.

I smiled and nodded.

“Yes.”

“…!!”

“You are qualified. You’ve already proven yourself.”

I walked over and held his hand.

“There’s no need to go down again. Your current calmness is the proof. You’ve endured it. You’ve been brave.”

“Ah… Ahhh!”

Tears streamed down the man’s face.

The murmuring around us quieted.

In its place, a new sentiment began to form—desire and agreement.

“From now on, for those deemed qualified and who go down, I will give a token to protect you from as much pain as possible.”

“…!”

“Th-Then…”

But no volunteers came forward just yet.

‘As expected.’

I had just told them that everyone needed to jump out the window to escape. No one would be eager to jump into potential suffering without any clear benefit.

– Friend, any clever solutions up your sleeve?

Of course.

‘Rally them again.’

I nodded, as if fully understanding their hesitation.

“I get it. It’s hard, I know. In this life, I’ll go out the window one more time…”

“I’ll go.”

Huh?

Supervisor Dolphin raised her hand.

Supervisor! My eternal gratitude…

“But not alone. Supervisor, you should jump with me.”

“Huuuh?”

“W-Wait, sir. Are you su—”

“Of course. I’ll be alright.”

I had planned on doing it anyway! As disgusting and revolting as it was, there was no way around it.

“If no one else volunteers, I shall demonstrate again.”

“Yup! But before we do, I’d like someone else to go first.”

Supervisor Dolphin pointed with both hands.

Right at Assistant Manager Butterfly.

“Seniority first!”

Aaack!

“Hey, you said you’d do me a favor, right? I’m calling it in now!”

“This isn’t exactly the favor I had in mind… But fine, whatever.”

Surprisingly, Assistant Manager Butterfly seemed calm. It felt like the two of them had discussed this beforehand.

“Should I go now?”

First Altar Entrance

The surroundings darkened with a crimson hue.

People instinctively froze, but Assistant Manager Jin Nasol’s small, composed voice cut through the tension.

“I don’t like repeating myself.”

Eek.

“Y-Yes. Please close your eyes for a moment. I’ll give you the token of approval.”

I pretended to shake her hand while discreetly passing her the Happy Maker in the darkness.

‘Just stick it in.’

Before I could mouth the words, she had already expertly and discreetly injected herself with the Happy Maker.

It was as if she had anticipated it all along—likely realizing it was a pain-relieving item.

“Hmm.”

Plick.

The soft sound of the stick being used was followed by the leftover injector disappearing seamlessly into her sleeve.

“Not bad at all.”

Assistant Manager Jin Nasol grinned, then immediately leaned back and let herself fall out of the window.

“Hiieek!”

“S-She was smiling as she went!”

Thus, the first offering for the altar willingly sacrificed herself.

The atmosphere in the car had now shifted into full excitement.

No one found my companions suspicious anymore. They wanted to believe this would work.

‘The feeling that things are being resolved—it’s addictive.’

Soon after, two more volunteers came forward.

“M-Me!”

“Me too. We’ll go together.”

It was a couple sitting near the window. They had been observing everything since the first loop—the falling, the conversations—so their courage likely came from all the ‘information’ they had gathered.

Still, I didn’t immediately say yes.

“……”

I stared at them quietly for a few seconds, as if evaluating their worth.

The couple, now filled with both anticipation and nervousness, waited as if they were being judged.

A moment later—

“Yes. You two are qualified.”

“Oh…!!”

“When we reach the altar, close your eyes briefly and extend your hands. I will grant you the sign of approval.”

The couple, overjoyed and receiving congratulations from those around them, stood before the open window.

Second Altar Entrance

Taking advantage of the darkness, I secretly injected them both with the powerful painkiller, the Happy Maker. Holding hands, they leapt out of the open window together.

Hmm. The scam was proceeding smoothly…

‘This is much better than everyone throwing each other out the window, going mad in the process.’

Still, cold sweat trickled down my back as I carried out the deception.

“Since there are no other volunteers, the supervisor and I will proceed next. Please remain calm and safe, and we’ll see you all at the starting point.”

“A-Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine. I can handle another round.”

“…Ahh!”

I truly hated this, but I had no choice. I’d do it again.

‘I need to set myself apart.’

To continue leading these people, I had to highlight my uniqueness. Showing them that I could survive multiple falls without issue would leave a strong impression.

Fortunately, Supervisor Dolphin didn’t change her mind.

“Let’s do this together!”

“Ah, thank you.”

“But, you know…”

She looked up at me with a curious gaze.

“Am I qualified?”

“…Yes.”

The nuance was subtle, but—

Third Altar Entrance

“B-Be careful!”

“We’ll see you soon!”

And so, I successfully rallied the crowd and fell out of the window once more. This time, with Supervisor Dolphin.

Into the mad tunnel filled with rotting flesh.

“Gross!”

Supervisor Dolphin, who had landed with a roll, grimaced at the horrific surroundings, shaking herself off as she complained.

“Uuuugh, filthy. W-What? Ugh, so noisy. Ah, that way? Toward the light?”

“Yes. It’ll be a bit tough, but if we walk, we’ll get there.”

It was somewhat reassuring to have someone else with me.

‘…The voices are gone.’

The eerie whispers urging us to ‘Cast away our sins’ and ‘Go to Tamra’ were mysteriously absent.

‘Not that they’re essential for the escape, though.’

I tilted my head slightly as I walked.

Then, Supervisor Dolphin spoke up.

“Actually, I had something to talk to you about, which is why I jumped with you.”

“Yes.”

“The things you told the others—you know, about protecting them from pain and all that. Technically, it’s not a lie, right?”

“Yes. I chose my words to fit the situation. It’s a bit extreme, but a method like this works.”

“Hmm…”

She touched her chin, thinking for a moment, then suddenly said,

“Supervisor, do you know how many people have suffered because of cults?”

She didn’t scowl or frown.

She simply stared at me, her gaze unwavering, not even blinking.

“……”

Right.

Supervisor Dolphin was an extreme idealist when it came to integrity…

‘O-Oh no, she might outright reject anything cult-related!’

I quickly tried to salvage the situation.

“I’m aware. In fact, one of my close friends got involved with a cult and cut off all contact.”

That part was true.

“That’s why I decided to get ahead of it.”

“Hmm.”

“In this situation, cults and superstitions are bound to thrive. When people experience pain without understanding why, they’ll start clinging to anything for hope.”

It had happened in the previous loops, after all.

‘Of course, my current actions weren’t just about preventing that. They were about escaping without mass panic or violence.’

But I couldn’t explain all that logically, so I ended my statement there.

“I chose this method to minimize the damage. I know it’s extreme and strange, but…”

“Hmmmm…”

Three agonizing seconds passed.

“Well, you’ve got a point.”

Phew.

“So, you’re just saying those things to calm people down, but in reality, you’re actually helping them feel less pain and find a way for everyone to escape, right?”

“Exactly that, yes.”

“Sounds good! I’ll fully cooperate!”

Supervisor Dolphin extended her hand for a handshake.

When I took her hand, she suddenly pulled me closer.

“But you can’t exploit good people.”

“……”

“Otherwise, I’ll have to fight you, Supervisor.”

“Of course. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Great! Perfect!”

I smiled and completed the handshake with her.

I-I’m saved.

Cold sweat dripped down my back.

Fighting a senior elite team member from the nightmare company and dealing with decaying flesh? No thanks! I’d rather bash my head into a wall.

“Judging by the mood, it looks like everyone in our car is fully on board, huh?”

“That’s right.”

Squelch, squelch.

I kept walking toward the light at the end of the tunnel as I responded.

“But this isn’t where I stop.”

My ultimate goal…

“I will make the majority of passengers on this train ‘believe’ me.”

At least seven of the eight train cars needed to be on my side. I needed to secure a dominant public opinion.

Fifth loop—

After experiencing death and resetting multiple times, the passengers of this high-speed train were sinking beyond panic and into exhaustion, resignation, and madness.

Their perceptions were distorted, and it had become difficult for them to think as they normally would.

And through these repeated loops, they had heard certain things over and over.

“Someone’s been whispering strange stuff… like saying we’re chosen, and that this is a test?”

“…Sounds like cult nonsense. What kind of test?”

“Apparently, if we pass, we’ll gain some sort of transcendental power?”

“But all the people who fell out of the windows went crazy. Yet, people from the rear cars said they fell but came back fine, describing what they saw outside…”

“…Seriously? No way. They’re probably just bluffing, right?”

But even as they voiced their doubts, their desire for answers was evident.

It was the subconscious hope that those claims were true.

“There’s someone called ‘Pathfinder’ from Car 7, and he’s teaching people how to escape.”

“He’s offering to help everyone, saying we’re all qualified.”

And as the murmurs among the passengers of Car 3, a special cabin, grew louder—

There, a man seated in the front-row single seat.

Baek Saheon opened his eyes.

‘Fuck.’

He had been on his way back home for the holidays when he got trapped in this fucking train ghost story. It felt like he was going to rot away here.

‘No. That’s not it…’

He thought of the new eye hidden under his medical eyepatch and grinned slyly.

By observing how things were playing out, he could tell.

‘So, this whole thing is about tossing people out the window!’

Basically, he figured they had to throw about half the passengers out and then reach the destination to clear the ghost story.

‘I just need to stay out of sight and hide.’

Cults were a predictable response to situations like this.

In a small, high-stress emergency environment, humans tended to do whacko things.

With the train endlessly looping back to the starting point and the extreme stress of an inescapable scenario, even ridiculous suggestions that would normally be scoffed at suddenly seemed worth clinging to.

Things that would normally be dismissed with a ‘Not buying your cult nonsense’ were now being embraced. It was human nature.

‘I just have to stay quiet and let them toss each other out until the chaos clears.’

“O-Over there!!”

“…!”

There was a commotion at the back.

A fight?

No. It wasn’t a fight.

Someone had entered the car.

“There they are! The Pathfinder and the people from Car 7!”

That cult group.

‘Let’s at least get a look at them.’

Baek Saheon casually turned his head toward the corridor.

And then, he saw familiar faces.

“…!!”

‘The elite team.’

Assistant Manager Jin Nasol from A-squad and Supervisor Lee Seonghae from C-squad.

He recognized them instantly—they were faces he had memorized from the company’s intranet, just in case.

‘Why the hell are they here?’

As he was trying to process whether this train was connected to Daydream Corp’s managed Darknesses—

“Attention!!”

Amid the cult-like group, Supervisor Dolphin shouted, drawing everyone’s attention.

“We have someone here who will teach you how to escape!”

As she stepped aside, someone emerged from the door connecting to the rear car.

A calm, sharp-looking man in a suit, exuding an eerie composure with a serene smile.

Baek Saheon’s eyes widened in recognition.

‘…Kim Soleum!!’

“Everyone, please do not worry.”

Kim Soleum smiled softly, spreading his arms wide.

“This is all part of a grand test, and you have been chosen.”

H-Holy shit!!

That psycho bastard is the cult leader?!!

Chapter 115 - [Tamra Express Disaster], V

Hold up.

Let’s take a moment to delve into Baek Saheon’s turbulent encounters with his psychopathic roommate.

The psycho who mocked him for losing his left eye.

The dopamine junkie who used people as bait in dangerous Darknesses.

The lunatic who pretended to be a serial killer, hacking away with an axe.

‘And now he’s playing cult leader too??’

At this point, the sheer absurdity of the situation surpassed all reason, and Baek Saheon began to feel the anomie phenomenon—a breakdown of norms where everything about this chaotic lineup just seemed expected just because it involved that bastard Kim Soleum.

Fine. Let’s say that’s all whatever.

But how the hell was he facing that lunatic here and now?!

‘I even took a vacation leave!’

He hadn’t just left the company dorm—he had left Seoul altogether!

Baek Saheon shook his head violently, wondering if this was a nightmare, but the reality was unyielding.

With two elite team superiors by his side and leading dozens of people, Kim Soleum stood in the center of Car 3’s corridor, raising his arms dramatically—just like a cult leader would.

“There is no need to worry. We can all pass this test safely.”

The only comforting thought Baek Saheon had was the fact that the people in this car were smart enough to point fingers and ridicule the guy.

“Who the hell is that guy?”

“Jesus, now we’ve got another lunatic.”

“Ugh…”

“D-Don’t make eye contact.”

Ridicule and rejection erupted toward Kim Soleum, who was spouting nonsense.

‘Yeah… This is normal.’

But Kim Soleum wasn’t shaken in the slightest.

With a gentle smile, he calmly scanned the people in Car 3.

“…?!”

That made it even scarier!

“Everyone, I understand that you’re confused by this sudden gathering, and you probably think this is insane. ‘A test? What test?’”

Kim Soleum gave a sheepish smile, his demeanor that of a composed office worker.

“To be honest, I know this sounds cultish, even to me. It’s a bit embarrassing, really.”

His tone was calm and steady, like someone giving sincere advice over coffee.

“But in such terrifying and dreadful circumstances, we have to muster courage to speak up. If someone knows an answer, sharing it is the right thing to do.”

Kim Soleum’s expression hardened as he made eye contact with those around him.

“I ask that you set aside your discomfort and think this over. We are not fools—there is a reason why so many of us are here, sharing the same story.”

Baek Saheon glanced around at the people teetering on the edge of madness, trapped in this surreal loop of dying and restarting on the same train.

Kim Soleum was telling them exactly what they wanted to hear—the promise of an escape.

And his voice brimmed with conviction.

“This is a test, and there is a way to pass it.”

Suddenly, someone spoke up.

“So… you know how to get out of here?”

“Yes.”

“…!!”

Kim Soleum subtly turned his gaze behind him.

The people from Car 7, standing excitedly with eyes brimming with fervor, spoke up enthusiastically.

“We just need to go out through the window!”

“Just jump out the window, and it’ll be over!”

“What kind of bullshit is this?!”

The horrified passengers of Car 3 were met with a barrage of explanations.

“It’s not nonsense! There’s a way to make it painless! At least ten people have already gone out!”

“Sure, it’s a bit gross, but you just follow the light, and you’ll find the exit. Anyone can do it.”

“If anyone has trouble walking, someone else can jump out with them to help! It’s not hard at all!”

“As long as the venerable Pathfinder helps us…!”

The surprising part was that, although only ten people had jumped so far, there were dozens—nearly a hundred—following this group, including passengers from other cars.

Kim Soleum, watching the hopeful and eager eyes around him, turned his gaze forward and smiled faintly.

“That’s right, everyone. You can all make it out through the window.”

And at that moment, Baek Saheon realized something—

“There will be no problems.”

“That’s right!”

—It’s a scam!

‘T-This fucken psycho.’

He’s rallying all these idiots to jump out of the windows so that he can escape safely himself!

‘But he won’t fool me.’

Baek Saheon swallowed, convinced he had figured it out.

“Listen to the people who’ve already been out the window…”

“We have! We’re the couple who went through the second altar during the third life loop…”

Watching the passengers from Car 3 gradually lean in to hear the testimonies of the Car 7 survivors, who sounded like they were sharing triumphant stories from a self-help seminar, Baek Saheon clicked his tongue.

Idiots.

‘I could fabricate testimonies like that with my pen anytime!’

Clearly, Kim Soleum had used the pen he confiscated from Baek Saheon to brainwash these fools.

Fine. If that’s how he wanted to play it, Baek Saheon had a strategy of his own.

‘Just stay put.’

As long as he didn’t join the procession of Kim Soleum’s worshipers, he’d be fine.

Baek Saheon grinned confidently, relieved by his quick thinking. He had nearly gotten dragged into this mess!

‘Stay under the radar, and once that psycho fools the rest of them into jumping out all at once…’

Just then—

“Alright, let me show you right now! I’ll jump through the window this time!”

Huh?

“This time, I’m the one qualified to go through the altar.”

“Yes, you’ve been approved this time.”

“Wow!”

“Let’s give a round of applause!”

Wait, what?

“The first altar is the loneliest and scariest because you have to go through it alone…”

“It’s fine! I want to follow in the venerable Pathfinder’s footsteps exactly.”

“I-I’m not a Pathfinder, just the first one to try it… Umm. Yes. Well.”

Kim Soleum smiled shyly before earnestly grasping the participant’s hands as if in prayer.

“I’ll do my best to ensure you’re protected from pain by strengthening the mark I’ll give you.”

“…! Yes!”

First Altar Entrance

Baek Saheon watched the scene unfold, his expression blank with disbelief.

Under the dim, crimson lighting of the train, he saw Kim Soleum gently grasp the volunteer’s arm and do something subtle…

“I’m off!”

“See you soon!”

“Good luck!”

Amid cheers and encouragement, the volunteer, now resolute, stepped through the window.

This repeated over and over until—

Fourth Altar Entrance

“And now, we have our final participants.”

That’s when it hit him.

‘…Items!’

Kim Soleum had been secretly using some kind of item on the participants before they jumped.

Whatever it was, it actually helped them avoid going insane after falling through the window!

‘Wait a second.’

Could he actually be doing something about this?

And if that psycho was going so far to ensure people were safe, then—

Baek Saheon’s mind spun rapidly as he switched gears.

‘This Darkness is a first-come, first-served clear system!’

A system where you had to fill the quota before anyone could clear the game!

‘Jumping through the window isn’t just some symbolic act—it’s the main event!’

And Kim Soleum would be the type to stir up a frenzy to get people to willingly jump. Why?

‘Because that gives him more dopamine!’

Forcing people through the window wouldn’t be as fun for him. No, he’d prefer this method because it was more exciting and rewarding.

What a terrifying lunatic.

Baek Saheon shivered.

But that wasn’t the issue right now.

‘If that psycho has a plan—’

Then!

“S-Supervisor!”

Baek Saheon shot his hand up and stood, finally revealing his presence right after the train passed the fourth altar and the light returned.

“Who’s that?”

“Wait, was someone else in here?”

The passengers, who had become familiar with each other after looping five times, were startled by the unfamiliar face.

But Baek Saheon put on a shocked expression, pretending to be as surprised as they were, and turned to address the person he knew would give him the best chance—Kim Soleum.

Sure, approaching the elite team was tempting, but he doubted they’d entertain a random new face meaningfully.

Better to play the roommate angle.

And judging by how Kim Soleum had made himself the ringmaster of this whole circus, it seemed like the safer bet.

“My goodness… Hello, sir! I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“……”

Kim Soleum stared at him silently for a moment.

Then, he smiled.

“Really? But I did.”

Fuck!

“Truly?”

“Haha, of course not. Just kidding. How could I have known?”

“……”

Driven by his rising fear, Baek Saheon barely stopped himself from blowing a goddamn fuse.

“Ahh, this person is from the same recruitment batch as mine. I heard he took a vacation leave and was on his way to his family home.”

“Ah.”

“Nice to meet’cha.”

The two elite team members nodded indifferently, showing little interest in a rookie with no seniority.

Instead, it was the crowd behind them that grew excited.

“Oh, if he’s a colleague, then maybe he can head straight to the window!”

“Yeah, just like those others!”

Perfect!

Baek Saheon beamed.

“Oh, in that case, I’d be happy to test the window…”

“No. He’s not qualified yet.”

This fucking bastard!

“T-Then… when will I qualify?”

Kim Soleum looked at him as if he truly pitied him and shook his head.

“I do not know.”

“……”

“I’m just someone who passed the test before, trying to guide everyone toward the least painful path.”

A vein throbbed on Baek Saheon’s temple.

But he forced a polite, desperate smile.

“I see. Oh! Even so, I’d like to speak privately with you, about some work-related matters—”

“Hey!”

Suddenly, a thunderous scolding erupted from the passengers eagerly sending off window jumpers.

“What’s wrong with this guy? The train is in chaos, and he’s talking about work?”

“Does he not understand the situation?”

“It’s fine, everyone. People prioritize different things. We still have time until the next life loop, so I’ll have a quick chat with him.”

“Aigoo, yes-yes.”

The passengers muttered among themselves, calling Kim Soleum ‘too kind for his own good’.

Baek Saheon no longer felt goosebumps—just resignation.

“Shall we talk over there?”

“…Sure!”

But the moment they entered the restroom and locked the door, Baek Saheon couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“I saw you using an item, Supervisor.”

Kim Soleum’s polite smile vanished, his face becoming expressionless as he crossed his arms.

“And?”

Baek Saheon gulped.

“I’m just saying… think about what would happen if I went out there and told everyone.”

He had to get this lunatic to the negotiation table somehow.

But Kim Soleum silently studied him for a moment before subtly nodding.

“Braun says you won’t do that.”

“…Oh, really?”

“Yeah. He says if you tried, they’d throw you out the window with nothing but your clothes.”

“……”

“It’s simpler to just jump on your own than to get thrown out, don’t you think?”

It was the truth.

Damn it.

Baek Saheon gulped, hard.

Fortunately, Kim Soleum didn’t press him further. Instead, he did something unexpected.

He dangled a carrot.

“Actually, I have a favor to ask you.”

“……!”

“I need your eye.”

Huh?

“The one I gave you as a gift.”

Baek Saheon instinctively put a hand over his eyepatch, thinking of the purple reverse-eye beneath it.

The device allowed him to see dangerous entities through glowing heat halos—the more dangerous, the brighter the halo.

It was an excellent danger detector, highly valuable to the Field Exploration Team, though Baek Saheon never fully understood why Kim Soleum had given it to him.

The truth was simple: if Kim Soleum wore it, everything would glow red.

The device was so sensitive to the wearer’s subconscious that someone with even a hint of fear wouldn’t be able to distinguish levels of danger.

And since giving it to anyone else would mean telling them to ‘pluck out their existing eye’, it was only natural that the already one-eyed Baek Saheon ended up with it.

He was, after all, the perfect candidate. No one in their batch had stronger survival instincts.

But Baek Saheon, unaware of this reasoning, remained cautious as he asked,

“…When should I use it?”

“In the Car 1.”

“Car 1?”

Baek Saheon frowned as he tried to recall what he’d overheard from others. Then it hit him.

“…They said the door to that car is locked.”

“That’s right.”

Kim Soleum admitted it casually.

“It’s probably been locked since the second loop. And now, every time the train returns to its starting point, they lock it again.”

“……”

Just hearing that…

Felt suspicious.

‘How does this bastard know all of this?’

Wasn’t he originally from Car 7?

How could he possibly know what’s going on at the front of the train?

‘Is that why he’s been leading people around, gathering information?’

Whatever the case.

“So, what do you want me to do about it?”

“Simple.”

Kim Soleum spoke nonchalantly.

“When the door to Car 1 opens, you go in and identify the person with the highest danger reading.”

“W-Who exactly is in Car 1?”

“No idea.”

If you don’t know, then who does?!

As expected, Kim Soleum tilted his head to the side and stroked his chin.

“But you know… they’ve been randomly throwing people out the window in that car every loop.”

“…!”

“And it happens on its own. It’s like someone gets thrown out every time, without fail. It must be painful for them… poor souls.”

“……”

“So, I figured I should stop them.”

Lies.

“Sounds good, doesn’t it?”

“Y-Yes! Absolutely!”

Total BS.

‘He’s pissed that they’re messing up his grand plan and wants to take control.’

But Baek Saheon kept his mouth shut. His life was more important.

Instead, he forced a smile and said,

“Then, if I identify the most dangerous person in Car 1, wouldn’t that qualify me for an ‘item’? The item that grants eligibility.”

This has to be how I get one of those items, right?

“Huh? That’s a different matter. Items and eligibility aren’t related.”

“……”

“But if someone volunteers to help convince the people in Car 2 to open Car 1’s door, maybe that person will earn eligibility.”

“……”

Baek Saheon grinned widely.

“Wow! That’s exactly what I wanted to do! Haha…”

“Great. I’ll leave it to you, then.”

“Yes!”

Die!

Die, you bastard Kim Soleum!

And that’s how Kim Soleum successfully roped Baek Saheon into unpaid labor.

‘After all, even dogshit can be used as a remedy, as they say.’

“You’re here!”

“Yes. Let’s give it our best again.”

The train restarted. The passengers from Car 7 greeted each other enthusiastically and even struck up conversations with people from other cars.

Despite having experienced six train crashes, they seemed remarkably stable.

‘It’s true—having hope makes it easier to endure.’

But keeping people mentally grounded meant one thing.

‘I’ll have to keep up this crazy cult leader scam act.’

‘Damn it.’

– Let’s go, Mr. Roe Deer! Today, I’m excited to see what kind of audience—or passengers—will be captivated by your brilliant performance. Oh, how very fun…

“Everyone, today many from Car 8 have gained eligibility.”

“Wooooo!”

Braun, stop cheering. Please.

Kim Soleum was beginning to feel a little existential dread, but he didn’t let it stop him. He remained dedicated to his ‘job’ of leading the passengers.

And so, time passed…

The fourteenth loop.

“Venerable Pathfinder!”

“Venerable Pathfinder, we’re almost there. Haha!”

Kim Soleum had gained the support of 342 out of 355 passengers, unifying the sentiment in every car except the first.

Braun even suggested creating a TV show based on his leadership.

Only one car remained.

‘Car 1.’

A total of 53 passengers had locked themselves inside since the second loop, cutting themselves off from the rest of the train. The only thing known about them was that they had been consistently offering sacrifices.

“T-The door, it opened!”

Finally, the news they had been waiting for.

Chapter 116 - [Tamra Express Disaster], VI

“The door to Car 1 has opened, you say?”

“Yes!”

I immediately moved with the others to Car 2. Baek Saheon rushed out, looking triumphant.

“I did my best to convince the passengers in Car 1 to open the door. Of course, it was a group effort from everyone, venerable Pathfinder.”

“I see. You worked hard.”

It seemed that every time the loop restarted, he had been knocking on Car 1’s door, shouting about how there was a solution and asking them to come out.

– And surely, he must have enthusiastically shared grand tales of the things you have accomplished, Mr. Roe Deer!

– Ah, I wish I could’ve heard those fascinating stories myself… But, fret not! A good friend always chooses to stay by his friend’s side!

Yes. Thank you, legendary host…

Anyway, it seemed that effectively sharing information about the outside situation had indeed made a difference in Car 1.

I remembered exactly how it had been described on the wiki.

Everything repeated dozens of times.

Blood and madness reigned in every loop.

Those two sentences were crystal clear in my memory.

‘The door to Car 1 only opens after all those loops.’

Honestly, I had planned to break in myself around the 20th loop.

‘But 14 loops in? That’s pretty good.’

No wonder Baek Saheon had earned the nickname Field Exploration Team’s ‘Viper’ on the wiki. I nodded, acknowledging his efforts.

“Well then, let’s proceed to talk with them—”

“Wait!”

Baek Saheon hurriedly stopped me.

No way…

“Th-The door has shut again.”

“……”

“Well, technically, we did make contact. Look at this!”

Baek Saheon frantically handed me something.

A crumpled, filthy piece of paper.

Scrawled in large letters…

JUST EN**DU**RE SEVEN TIMES MORE

…were jagged words that were pressed firmly into the paper, surrounded by dark, reddish-black stains of some vile, slimy substance.

“Ugh.”

“Th-That stuff… It looks like the rot we saw in the tunnel.”

A murmur of unease spread among the crowd.

“W-Wait. What if Car 1 has turned into some sort of cursed hellhole? Like the tunnel!”

“Right! They shut themselves off and ignored the Pathfinder’s guidance, and now look at them—suffering horribly!”

Please, calm down.

I quickly shook my head, trying to soothe the crowd on the brink of falling into cult-like panic.

“That’s unlikely. They seem to be in great pain, yes. But give me a moment.”

I headed straight to the connection between Cars 2 and 1.

Then I knocked firmly on the closed door of Car 1.

Knock, knock.

“Is anyone there?”

“It’s useless. I’ve tried multiple times—”

“Hello. I’m the one people call the ‘Pathfinder’. Can we talk?”

I continued calling out.

“Behind me are over 300 passengers. We can help you.”

“Hello?”

“We came to offer our assistance!”

“I’m telling you, it’s useless—”

Click.

“…!”

The lock disengaged.

I ignored Baek Saheon’s dumbfounded expression and calmly turned to address the crowd.

“…I’ll go in alone.”

“W-Wait, you can’t!”

“Venerable Pathfinder, what if something happens?”

I smiled, reassuring them.

“If too many people enter all at once, it might overwhelm and frighten the passengers in Car 1. And if something does happen, we’ll just return to the start of the loop, right? I’ll be fine.”

“B-But at least take something for self-defense—”

Thank you. I was waiting for someone to say that.

“In that case, I’ll rely on my colleagues.”

I looked at the two elite team superiors and my fellow batchmate.

The three, who had already been briefed, immediately nodded. Thus, the united front of Daydream Inc. employees entering Car 1 was formed.

‘Perfect.’

It was a relief, especially since I could already see the signs of Jin Nasol’s patience wearing thin.

“Be careful, venerable Pathfinder!”

I asked the passengers to stay in Car 2 until called for, and despite their concern, they reluctantly complied.

Another relief.

‘Pheww.’

…It’s getting harder and harder to manage everyone.

‘Sooner or later, things will start spiraling in unpredictable directions.’

“The only reason we’ve managed to maintain a relatively calm atmosphere so far is because people have been listening to me.”

I could still feel the weight of the small badge inside the pocket of my suit jacket.

The power of the Silver Heart was terrifying—undeniably so.

I took a deep breath.

“Then, I’ll open the door now.”

That was when I felt it.

Jin Nasol’s cold gaze, quietly watching me.

“Isn’t this taking too long?”

“……”

“Should it have even reached the 14th loop?”

“Yes.”

I replied calmly.

“A safe clear is important. I’ve minimized variables, gathered experience from the altars, and confirmed the escape method.”

Now, we just needed to execute it.

“That’s why this train ride will be our last.”

“……”

Jin Nasol crossed her arms, silently granting me one last pass.

Hopefully, the final one.

“Well, since we’re ready as you say, let’s just get on with it.”

“Yes.”

As Baek Saheon scrambled after us without any authority to object, Supervisor Dolphin opened the door.

Clack.

The moment it opened, a sharp, metallic stench hit our noses.

“……”

It was the same smell from the altars.

And then—

“I’m scared! I’m scared! I’m scared! I’m scared!”

“Blaaargh! Gruuuh, uuurk!”

“Hiiic, hiiicc…”

Wailing voices.

“Go in.”

I stood there, momentarily stunned by the scene before me.

Car 1 was completely contaminated.

Over 50 people inside were thrashing around, laughing hysterically, rolling on the ground, and sobbing uncontrollably.

The floor was a mess of vomit, blood, and torn chunks of flesh.

A small banner, soaked in filth and blood, lay crumpled across the aisle.

[Blue Photography Club – 17th Annual Trip]

That’s right.

The passengers in Car 1 were members of a large group booking—a travel agency tour.

They were people who already knew each other well, who were connected and friendly.

And now, they had ended up like this…

“These people… they’ve been taking turns throwing each other out the window, haven’t they? Or maybe they’ve been doing it by rotation?”

“What? But 53 people are completely out of their minds. Even if they threw someone out each time, it’s only been 14 loops.”

“You’re right. Which means… just as Supervisor Kim speculated, there’s a ‘person of interest’ among them.”

Exactly.

Unless every single person had been thrown out, there was only one possibility.Someone within the contaminated group had overwhelming influence—strong enough to sway and lead others.

And that someone, within this closely-knit group, likely wore a piece of equipment that could spark extreme persuasion and groupthink.

“Employee Baek.”

“…!”

“The thing I asked for.”

Baek Saheon flinched before hurriedly lowering his eyepatch and scanning the area. His purple reverse-eye darted around frantically until it suddenly froze.

He held his breath and pointed.

“There.”

Right behind me.

I turned slowly to look at the person Baek Saheon was indicating.

“……”

A middle-aged man lay collapsed, gripping the handle of the door connecting to Car 2 before losing consciousness.

If I had passed him on the street, I would’ve thought he was just an ordinary, kind-looking man.

That is, if his entire body weren’t convulsing, twisted grotesquely on the floor.

“W-We caaaaan…”

Dark red fluid dripped from his mouth as the veins in his temples bulged. His entire body was covered in self-inflicted scratches where he had torn at his own skin.

“Possible, it’s possible…” “S-Seven times, seven more times…”

I slowly approached the man as he mumbled into the air. His shirt had ridden up slightly due to his thrashing, revealing the end of his belt.

There it was—glinting faintly in silver.

A small, shining badge.

“Is this the person of interest?”

“…Yes.”

The critical figure behind the Tamra Express Disaster—

The Silver Heart Owner.

“H-Help…”

All that remained now was to confirm it.

“Elder Sir.”

I knelt down in front of him, meeting his eye level. I leaned in just enough to whisper into his ear, making sure no one behind me could hear.

“You read the directive, didn’t you?”

“……!”

“The confidential government directive about ‘The Paradise Test’.”

The dull, vacant eyes that had been clouded with confusion suddenly regained a faint spark of awareness.

“H-How did you—!”

“One moment, please.”

As expected.

‘So it’s true…’

After brief consideration, I took out a Happy Maker syringe from my pocket.

– Ah, preparing for another interview, are we?

‘…Yes.’

I needed to talk to this man, no matter what.

To secure the information I needed—and to subtly dispel the growing suspicion that I knew too much about this situation from the start.

I injected the potent painkiller into the back of the Silver Heart owner’s hand.

Phhk.

“Huuuuhk!”

With a loud gasp, his convulsing body immediately stilled, collapsing onto the floor with a soft thud.

And then—

“Hiiic! Hiiuuhk! Hiic, hicc…”

Tears streamed down his face as he drooled onto the ground.

“What the hell? What’s wrong with him?”

“…He’s fallen too many times into the altar.”

Judging by his condition, he had likely been thrown out at least five times.

Since Happy Maker was a painkiller, not a restorative, his shattered mind wasn’t going to recover fully.

But at least he could talk now.

“I can’t… I-I can’t do it anymore…!”

“……Yes.”

This man was the key.

Thankfully, he began providing valuable information right away.

The Silver Heart owner, tears streaming down his face, grabbed my shoulders as soon as we made eye contact. His grip was desperate.

“You! You know, don’t you?!”

His trembling hands tightened around my shoulders.

“Seven! Seven times is all it takes! W-We can do it!”

“What exactly do we need to endure?”

“The altars!!”

Then, with a pleading tone, he added,

“I know what this is. This, it’s. I know. It’s managed by the government! Over there, we, we have a department dedicated to these kinds of phenomena—this is part of it. I’ve seen it myself!”

“……”

“I read it! I-I worked in that place—”

Behind me, I could hear the elite team members murmuring.

“Ah, so he’s a retired employee of the Disaster Management Bureau?”

“Hmm… maybe he has some useful equipment.”

They were spot on.

I pressed forward with more questions.

“I understand, sir. Then, can you tell me—what exactly is this supernatural phenomenon?”

The retired lower-level office worker from the Disaster Management Bureau, still half-delirious, began spilling bits and pieces of classified knowledge.

“Uuhh, the thing is, this—this supernatural phenomenon. It’s, uh, if you survive seven altars. Just seven altars—it ends. Just a dream… oh, It’s all just a dream. And, and that’s why our photography club…”

He trailed off, his cloudy gaze shifting around the carriage.

He looked at the other members of the Blue Photography Club, lying on the floor, writhing in pain and madness.

I understood now why they had ended up like this.

‘The Silver Heart owner convinced them…’

He had persuaded them that they only needed to sacrifice themselves once to reach the seventh altar.

But not everyone had the same kindness and courage as the Silver Heart owner.

Some resisted. Others hesitated or panicked. Some were too afraid to jump when it was their turn. Amidst the chaos and arguments, the Silver Heart owner likely became the example—jumping out of the window repeatedly to encourage them.

And the more he fell, the more his mind broke, and the contamination from his Silver Heart spread to the entire car.

Trapped in a cycle of pain and contamination, everyone in Car 1 eventually lost their minds.

At some point, they all started jumping out of the window, their sanity fully shattered.

Eventually, they unlocked the door and spilled into the other cars, causing the chaos that followed.

‘That’s when things took an even darker turn.’

That was why we couldn’t forcibly open the door to Car 1 earlier.

If we had, we would have triggered a full-blown catastrophe with the half-crazed Silver Heart owner leading the charge.

‘That’s why we had to wait.’

Until the right timing presented itself.

Even the owner of the Silver Heart wasn’t a god.

At some point, amid the madness, confusion, and crumbling sense of self, that passenger must have desperately wanted help from others.

But by then, it was already too late.

The chaos unfolding in the other cars had reached a level that couldn’t be undone…

The moment they gave up and wrestled with accepting help from others—

There had to be peace outside Car 1, and the appearance of an alternative solution.

Something convincing enough for their shattered mind to reach out and unlock the door.

…But this was the 14th loop. By now, Car 1 was already hell.

“I-I’m sorry, e-everyone… It h-hurts so much… hiiiiiic…”

“……”

This is maddening.

The overwhelming tragedy of seeing this firsthand hit much harder than any prose I’d read in the wiki.

‘That’s why we need to escape quickly.’

I bit down on my lip and asked the critical question—the one that could give me the decisive clue.

“Elder, the train you saw in the directive… which train was it exactly? Was it this one?”

“Hiiic, yes. It’s this train, that’s right. The train to Iksan. The train bound for Iksan…”

Supervisor Dolphin tilted her head, puzzled.

“Iksan? That’s strange. This train is heading to Mokpo.”

Baek Saheon quickly chimed in.

“Um, actually, we do pass through Iksan Station, Supervisor.”

“Oh, really? So, Iksan is just a stop along the way?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

But instead of trusting Baek Saheon’s explanation, Dolphin decided to verify it herself.

She strolled through the filth-covered aisle of Car 1, ignoring the sobbing and chaos around her. Eventually, she pulled a booklet from a seat pocket and quickly flipped through it.

She nodded after confirming the details.

“Aha. Yup, that’s right!”

“Okay. Then, according to the retired Disaster Management Bureau employee, we just need to get through seven altars, correct?”

“Exactly. Seven altars… which means 28 sacrifices—oh, wait a second.”

She froze.

“Seven altars?”

“……”

Ah.

She caught on.

“Um, Supervisor Roe Deer.”

“Yes.”

“Did you know that train routes often get extensions over time?”

“That makes sense.”

“So, maybe this train used to have a shorter route. Maybe back when Iksan Station was the final stop.”

“……”

“That could be why it was originally called the Iksan Express.”

Bingo.

She nailed it.

Technically, the route had been extended in the mid-2010s—from Iksan to Mokpo.

“And one more thing.”

Dolphin’s finger stopped at a specific section in the guidebook.

“From Seoul to Iksan, if you’re on a local train, you pass through exactly seven stations.”

“……”

“So, those altars we’ve been passing through—those are the stations.”

Right.

“And if we follow that same logic…”

She flipped the page with a flick of her wrist.

“Unlike the old Iksan route, the current train to Mokpo passes through nine stations.”

She clapped the booklet shut.

“Which means the altars aren’t over at seven—we have to pass through nine altars.”

“……”

“And that means we need to offer sacrifices at nine altars, totaling 45 people.”

It was a chillingly accurate deduction.

‘As expected of an elite employee.’

And that truth explained why the passengers in Car 1 had completely lost their minds.

■■th Loop :

After passing the seventh altar, an eighth altar appeared.

The supposed ‘solution’ provided by the Silver Heart owner—their one thread of hope—was shattered.

With that hope gone, Car 1 fell into a spiral of rage, fear, and panic until everyone mentally collapsed.

‘…It’s a relief we didn’t get to that point.’

I wouldn’t have been able to handle it.

As I let out a silent sigh of relief—

“But, Supervisor.”

Dolphin turned toward me.

“You only have 11 doses of painkillers, right?”

“……”

“And you’ve already used one, which leaves 10. So…”

“We need 45 people to jump, but the painkillers will only cover 10 of them, right?”

Chapter 117 - [Tamra Express Disaster], VII

– What a surprise! The moment of a difficult choice has arrived, Friend.

Braun’s cheerful voice echoed in my ear.

– So, Mr. Roe Deer, you have only 10 passes in hand, but there are 45 poor candidates who must fall into that wretched altar of rotting flesh to suffer. What criteria will you use to select the 45 sacrifices and then choose the 10 lucky ones to be spared?

– A trial? A vote? A review process? A lottery? Oh, it all sounds terribly unfortunate…

Braun’s voice grew more and more excited.

– But isn’t that tension, pressure, suspense, relief, joy, and despair the essence of a great show?

– This is the ultimate moment. Ah! Look over there—a panelist is speaking!

At that moment—

“It doesn’t matter, does it?”

Assistant Manager Jin Nasol spoke up.

“Assistant Manager?”

“Whether there are 10 painkillers or just one, what difference does it make? Just grab 45 people and throw them out. That’s all.”

Her tone implied she couldn’t understand why this was even up for debate.

She turned toward me and added—

“Isn’t that what you set everything up for in the first place?”

Click.

The assistant manager lightly pushed the door to Car 1 open.

“…! Assistant Manager…”

“Look.”

Through the slightly opened door, I saw the passengers in Car 2, waving and offering concerned smiles.

The hundreds of friendly people, creating an atmosphere where everything was progressing smoothly without friction.

“Well, this turned out better than I thought. I figured all this would be a waste of effort, but now it seems like it’ll make things easier.”

“……”

“After all, the people on this train don’t really understand what’s happening, do they? They won’t figure it out until after they’ve fallen.”

…It was the truth.

I could grab anyone right now and say, ‘You’ve qualified as one of the 45, and it’s your turn to jump out.’

They wouldn’t even know they were supposed to receive painkillers before falling.

They’d simply jump without preparation… into what felt like hours of endless torture.

“And if it doesn’t end at the ninth altar, we can just keep making them jump until no more altars appear.”

“……”

“So, let’s start throwing them now—”

“That’s not possible.”

“…!”

Someone else answered.

It was Supervisor Dolphin.

She looked up at Assistant Manager Jin Nasol and firmly replied—

“It’s not possible.”

“Really?”

Jin Nasol’s temple twitched, but she was skilled enough to give the other person a chance to explain.

“Then what do you suggest?”

Supervisor Dolphin, staying true to her nature, offered a solution that’s very like her.

“Just pick out the worst people and throw them out.”

“Are you crazy? Why would we go through the hassle of doing that?”

At that moment—

To reach Tamra, offer a sacrifice.

“It’s time.”

Jin Nasol strode toward the exit of Car 1.

Supervisor Dolphin’s eyes gleamed, and her hand twitched as if ready to act… W-Wait just a second!

“Wait!”

I quickly stepped in front of the assistant manager.

“What.”

…It felt like standing on the edge of a cliff.

‘Stay calm. Be cautious.’

I swallowed hard and spoke—

“The supervisor’s suggestion makes sense. We shouldn’t just tell people to jump blindly.”

“……”

“What I mean is, there’s a valid reason to do it this way!”

“A reason?”

“Yes.”

I took a deep breath.

Stay calm.

I had to reflect what I knew from the narrative story into my argument naturally.

“Assistant Manager, when you went out the window, you heard the voice at the altar filled with rotting flesh, didn’t you? The one saying things like, ‘Abandon your sins’.”

Cast away your sins.

Tear off as much as your sins deserve.

The strange, overwhelming resonance that even Happy Maker couldn’t block out.

Without it, I would’ve been clawing at my skin, burning with pain.

“And?”

“If the voice is that powerful, it must be deeply connected to this phenomenon. I think that in this Darkness, the keyword is ‘sin’.”

“……”

“The keyword we need to clear this.”

Jin Nasol stopped walking.

“Keep talking.”

“Yes.”

I swallowed again.

“Isn’t it strange from the beginning? Why do the sacrifices wake up on the train again after falling? If they’ve been offered as sacrifices, they shouldn’t return.”

“They come back messed up, though.”

“Yes, but that’s because they follow the voice telling them to ‘tear off as much as their sins deserve’. The pain drives them insane.”

I connected two things that had been vaguely lumped together over 14 loops.

“So, the sacrifice isn’t the person itself—it’s the ‘flesh’ they offer in proportion to their sins, isn’t it?”

“…!”

Haven’t I gone over this before?

When the cult madness spread, passengers from all the cars killed each other, held deranged rituals, and tossed corpses out the windows.

If you were to count the number of people who had fallen to their deaths, the ninth altar should’ve been easily surpassed by now.

And yet, despite looping hundreds of times, this nightmare never ended. The reason was simple.

“The people themselves are not the sacrifices. It’s their sins they’re offering at the altar.”

“……”

“And the people return.”

After completing the offering, the person always walks back through the altar and returns to the starting point of the train.

That’s how the loop resets.

Although they come back half-crazed from the pain of ‘tearing off their sins’, the person themselves always returns.

“They leave their sins behind, in the form of torn flesh scattered throughout the passageway.”

Chewed, vomited, and discarded as they go.

“That’s what I believe is the offering.”

The agony.

The searing pain proportional to their sins. The voice echoing in their head.

Once you see the tunnel littered with rotting flesh from that perspective, it’s easier to understand.

Those grotesque remains aren’t just remnants of gore—they’re accumulated offerings.

“So, the surest way is for someone with sins to offer them at the altar and letting them fall down. …That’s what I think, at least.”

“……”

“……”

Clap, clap, clap.

Supervisor Dolphin softly clapped from behind, but Assistant Manager Jin Nasol remained perfectly still.

“Of course, my theory could be wrong. But isn’t it rational to take the safer route, just in case I’m right?”

Maintaining eye contact with Jin Nasol, I pleaded earnestly,

“So, for a safe clear, please allow me to convince the passengers—”

“You.”

The assistant manager opened her mouth.

“You’re a good liar.”

“……!!”

“Well, I’d rather deal with someone who can talk than someone who can’t.”

“Assistan—”

“This is the third time.”

Thud.

She grabbed me by the collar and lifted me into the air.

“Venerable Pathfinder!”

“Aaaah!”

“Getting lenient with you seems to have no end. We have to dive into the next Darkness at Mokpo Station, but you’re wasting my time and energy here?”

From beyond the connecting corridor, passengers from Car 2 screamed and ran toward us. But Jin Nasol didn’t flinch.

She calmly shut the door to Car 1 and locked it.

Click.

“Be grateful I’m wasting my time explaining this to you.”

She leaned in close, her face right in front of mine.

“You said the offering is the flesh torn off their bodies? Then how come those people you injected with painkillers didn’t offer anything, and yet they moved on to the next altar just fine?”

“…!!”

“According to you, they didn’t give any offerings, and yet the train progressed just fine, didn’t it?”

That’s…

“You knew the truth, didn’t you? You lied.”

……

“You’ve been caught.”

– Oh my goodness!

That’s right.

I’d tried to con her.

‘Didn’t expect to get caught this fast, though.’

Sweating, I forced a smile.

But most of what I’d said was true.

Except for one thing.

The conclusion.

“Of course.”

The grip on my neck tightened.

“So, we can just throw anyone into the altar, right?”

“Y-Yes, that’s right.”

I confessed willingly.

“The amount of sins they offer probably doesn’t matter. Even if they don’t offer anything at all, the act of entering the altar is what’s important.”

And beyond that—

“After all… in this Tamra-bound train, it seems like everyone is considered guilty.”

We’ve seen it, haven’t we?

Even the virtuous owner of the Silver Heart had to tear at their own flesh at the altar.

In the twisted logic of this nightmare, no human is free from sin.

Everyone is a sinner—the difference lies only in degree.

So, if the goal is to clear the loop, there’s no need to waste time picking and choosing the ‘worst’ people.

“Now you’re making sense.”

Jin Nasol let go, dropping me.

I barely managed to regain my balance and gasped for air.

“Good. Now stop wasting time and make sure everyone cooperates efficiently.”

“……”

I forced a smile despite my aching body.

“That sounds strange.”

“What?”

“Assistant Manager, you’ve made an inefficient choice.”

Thud, thud!

I glanced back at the passengers knocking on the door, Supervisor Dolphin, and Baek Saheon.

“If you proceed with your method, you’ll have to fight three of your own employees.”

“…!!”

“And since the passengers just saw you grab me by the collar, they’ll resist you fiercely and fight back no matter what you do.”

“……”

Given how things had already unfolded, the ‘most efficient plan’ Jin Nasol had in mind was bound to meet massive resistance.

The passengers wouldn’t cooperate at all!

And now that the situation had reached this point, Supervisor Dolphin would certainly side with me and work together to overpower Jin Nasol.

“Of course, Assistant Manager, you could subdue all of us, but that would be such a hassle, wouldn’t it?”

“A great point, Supervisor!”

Supervisor Dolphin smiled and stepped closer.

“Why go through all that trouble? Just take a nap, and the three of us will handle everything.”

Behind her, Baek Saheon had a face that seemed to say, Me? Seriously? But instead of siding with the assistant manager, he silently rolled his eyes and kept his mouth shut.

Since I was an elite team member now too, he’d likely choose to align with the side that had the numbers advantage.

“So, Assistant Manager, could you just turn a blind eye this once? Please?”

“……”

“This isn’t really company business—it’s just a situation we happened to get caught up in. We just want a slightly safer and calmer approach. It’ll only take a little more time.”

Please!

‘Jin Nasol is a rational person.’

She’s not the type to throw tantrums and take the long way around just because she’s annoyed.

That was my only hope.

But still, she’s human, and humans can act unpredictably when their mood sours.

Especially an elite team superior—she’d naturally feel resentment toward two subordinates opposing her.

I swallowed hard.

“Just as the Supervisor said. This isn’t exactly work, is it, Assistant Manager?”

“……”

“……”

After a tense silence, Jin Nasol stomped across Car 1. Then, she sat down on an empty seat.

“…Thank you.”

She didn’t reply. She simply closed her eyes with a blank expression.

Clearly, she was holding back her anger.

Honestly, challenging a superior during an official mission was a crazy move!

Phew.

I’m sorry, Assistant Manager…

But once this is over, I believe the results will be efficient enough for her to accept them.

For now, though, I needed to act quickly.

“…Let’s get this done right away.”

We were nearing the first altar.

Supervisor Dolphin seemed to think the same, as she began unlocking the door.

“Alright! Let’s head out and pick 45 wicked people to drop!”

Uh…

“Supervisor, about that—”

“…?”

“Could we approach it a little differently?”

“Oh?”

Drrrk—

I opened the door to Car 1.

“Oh! It opened—huh!”

“W-What is this place?”

The passengers who had been discussing whether to break down the door looked relieved when it opened but recoiled in shock upon seeing the horrifying state of Car 1.

Their fear faded slightly when they saw me.

Probably because the ‘answer sheet’ they trusted on this train was still standing.

I bowed my head.

“Thank you all for waiting.”

“Are you alright, venerable Pathfinder?”

“That person earlier…?”

“I’m fine, of course.”

I glanced at Jin Nasol and forced a bitter smile.

“She was helping me snap out of it after I discovered something shocking.”

“Shocking?”

Huu.

“Everyone, I have something to tell you.”

I took a moment to steady myself as I faced the hundreds of expectant eyes before me.

“This time, there is no limit to who can leave through the window.”

“Ooohhh!”

“And this will be the last time.”

“……”

“Excuse me?”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s exactly as it sounds.”

I spoke slowly and clearly.

“After this, the trial will be over.”

The passengers murmured, some asking what I meant and whether everyone still needed to jump through the window.

“Originally, yes—everyone was supposed to go out one by one. But there’s been a change.”

The passengers fell silent, listening intently.

“Everyone here has qualified.”

“T-Then!”

I nodded.

“Yes. Anyone can go through the window and pass the trial.”

“Oh my god!”

“Then I’ll…”

I raised my hand to stop those who were already stepping forward.

“However, this time, it will be painful.”

“…!!”

I said it plainly and honestly.

“When you fall, you will feel searing pain as you walk. You may even feel the urge to tear your own flesh off. You’ll have to fight through the pain and the voice echoing in your head, taking one step at a time toward the light…”

The passengers fell silent.

They began exchanging glances and whispering.

Then, someone shouted from the back.

“This isn’t what you promised!”

“Yeah! You said you’d protect us…”

I nodded.

“Of course. If you don’t wish to participate, you don’t have to.”

“H…Huuuh?”

“But there is one thing I can guarantee.”

According to the confidential document from the Disaster Management Bureau about the Iksan Express, where this same ghost story ended safely in the past…

When this ghost story ends, the passengers will suddenly awaken at the starting point of the train, as if waking from a nightmare.

They’ll brush it off as a ‘bad dream’ and go back to living their normal lives.

The events aboard the Tamra Express will fade like an unpleasant dream within half a day, and eventually, they’ll forget everything.

However…

A few changes were observed among those who voluntarily jumped through the window.

I remembered the passage.

A passenger who habitually verbally abused their subordinates apologized immediately after getting off the train and never did it again.

A passenger who used to jaywalk out of habit felt too ashamed and stopped doing it. Another passenger, who had only considered volunteering at a youth center, actually started doing it.

Even a scammer involved in an insurance fraud scheme abandoned the plan and handed over information to the police.

Overall improvements in morality, self-esteem, and pride were observed.

Exactly.

As long as the train didn’t endlessly loop but ended safely as it had in the past, the horrifying pain from this ghost story would remain nothing more than a fleeting nightmare, quickly forgotten.

But the positive changes would remain.

‘…That’s why, when this ghost story happened on the Iksan Express, the Disaster Management Bureau didn’t label it as a disaster—they simply documented it in a confidential report…’

In short, if I exaggerated just a little—

“Those who go through the window this time will feel proud of themselves when they emerge from the tunnel.”

I continued.

“Instead of regretting what you did yesterday, you’ll be someone who steps forward in the moment. You’ll meet a better version of yourself without shame.”

A small voice came from the crowd.

“…Is that the answer?”

I met the passenger’s gaze and slowly nodded.

“Yes.”

“……”

“That much, I can promise you.”

The crowd fell silent again.

“Then, let me ask once more. Is there anyone here willing to endure the pain and go through the window?”

……

“I will.”

I turned my head. Supervisor Dolphin had raised her hand.

And then—

“I’ll go too.”

One by one, more hands went up.

“I will.”

“Me too…!”

On their faces was a strange sense of exhilaration, overcoming their fear.

This was crowd psychology.

A double-edged sword.

But after 14 loops, the collective bond and influence that had built up among the passengers now manifested as something reverent.

Their courage inspired those closest to them.

In an instant, nearly half the passengers on the train had voluntarily raised their hands.

…The ending I had worked so hard for, even playing the role of a cult leader over 14 loops, was now right in front of me.

“Everyone…”

First Altar Entrance

“Thank you. I will go with you.”

Just as the Silver Heart owner had once envisioned.

Chapter 118 - [Tamra Express Disaster], VIII

“Supervisor, I’ll go now. I’m fine going alone.”

Dolphin Supervisor volunteered to be the first to jump at the first altar.

Since someone had to take the lead and jump alone, and there needed to be someone to stay behind to manage and confirm the final group of passengers, I had to remain until the end.

However, Dolphin Supervisor wasn’t entirely alone.

“Then, I’ll go too…! For the first one!”

“It’s better to do it first if you’re going to do it anyway.”

There were so many volunteers that even at the first altar, a few people ended up jumping together.

And we haven’t begun in earnest yet.

Remaining distance : 4

“There’s still time to back out if you want to.”

But no one backed out, even at the final decision point.

“Let’s go!”

“Ahhh!!”

With Dolphin Supervisor leading the charge, more than seven people rushed and jumped through the window, into the first altar.

Open the sea path

The train quickly passed through the altar, and the surroundings brightened once more.

“Oh…”

The passengers blinked at the now-familiar scene, repeated for the fourteenth time, a sight that had become routine.

“T-They’re gone.”

Of course, it didn’t seem much different from the previous jumps.

But that was because the real effects of not having the painkiller only kicked in after they’d already fallen.

And then, a strange reaction began to occur.

People started thinking, Was it not that big of a deal after all?

Some suddenly decided they wanted to jump too.

Like this person.

“Excuse me! I’d like to go as well!”

This particular passenger was someone Dolphin Supervisor had previously flagged as a candidate for sacrifice after witnessing their nasty behavior.

Early in the loops, this person had raised their fists and shouted things like, “Get lost before I punch you.” But now, they conveniently seemed to have forgotten all that and approached me as if nothing had happened.

Well, that’s fine.

“Then you can jump from the second altar…”

“No, I’d like to go with you—specifically with you, venerable Pathfinder, at the very end.”

“…Hm. Understood.”

If that’s what you want.

– What a rude person.

Braun wasn’t wrong.

I heard the passenger talking with someone in the background.

“Hey, what are you doing? Why are you suddenly volunteering to jump?”

“Can’t you see what’s happening? I’m sure if we jump, we’ll get some special ability or reward. It’s obvious. You’ve got to ride the wave when it comes.”

Hmm.

‘There’s…’

No such thing.

“And all that talk about pain? Probably just a bluff to scare us off.”

Nope.

‘You’ll actually be in searing pain.’

Well, they’ll confirm it themselves soon enough.

Still, it wasn’t my job to correct these people’s misconceptions. I let them believe what they wanted. I simply added their name to the list of volunteers and took another look at their face to make sure I had the right person.

Wait.

That mole on this person’s cheek…

I hadn’t noticed it before because I’d rushed past him earlier, but now it stood out.

‘And he’s from Car 6, right?’

I remembered someone with those exact features.

Hmm.

‘That’s the passenger who was supposed to become the cult leader in one of the previous loops.’

– Oh my! Did he lose the role to you, Mr. Roe Deer?

Ugh. As much as I hated to admit it… it seemed like that was the case.

‘I guess with how smoothly the past fourteen loops have been going, things like this can happen.’

Still, it was much better than the chaos from the original—where the cult leader dragged passengers around, harvesting their organs for live sacrifices, and tossing their hollowed bodies out the window…

The important thing was that most of the volunteers were calm and determined as they headed toward the altar.

“Let’s do this.”

“Let’s become better people!”

“We’ve got this!”

The atmosphere grew oddly positive. Some passengers even teared up while waiting for their turn.

“This is my first time really challenging myself…”

“That’s amazing!”

As the passengers encouraged each other and shared honest stories, I turned to look at one person standing off to the side.

Baek Saheon, who was looking at all these people with a look of utter disbelief.

“…Pardon me. I don’t know why you’re looking at me like that, but I’m not going to jump.”

“Understood.”

I hadn’t expected him to volunteer anyway.

“But, you know.”

Baek Saheon lowered his voice this time.

“If you give me one of those painkillers, I might consider jumping.”

“Oh? Then, will you use it right now?”

“No, after this is all over and we get off the train.”

“Oh…”

I smiled.

“No thanks.”

“……”

‘He really thought he could get a free item, huh.’

“Ah, we’ve reached the fifth altar, venerable Pathfinder!”

“Yes, let’s proceed.”

Leaving Baek Saheon behind, I mingled with the passengers, offering advice and applause to the volunteers.

It was my way of fulfilling the role of the Silver Heart holder.

And then…

About three hours passed.

Ninth Altar Entrance

“……”

At last, the final moment had arrived.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

I stood together with the remaining volunteers. This time, more than twenty people were lined up to jump through the window.

‘This number is insane.’

To be honest, it scared me. If these people started writhing in pain and resenting me afterward, would my mental state hold out?

“Let’s go!”

“Yes! Down we go!”

Without hesitation, two or three people held hands and leapt through the window one after another. I watched until the last of the volunteers jumped, then moved to the window myself.

“A-Are you really going, venerable sir?”

Technically, I could step back now without affecting the clear.

But still…

– Ah, are you going to use that excellent painkiller again, Friend?

……

‘No.’

I returned the painkiller to my pocket.

And launched myself through the window.

SPLAT—

My body tumbled into the crimson corridor of the altar after falling from the high-speed train. The moment my senses began to register the surroundings—

‘God damn.’

It was pure, unfiltered hell.

I couldn’t believe I hadn’t been disturbed by this scene before. Despite having experienced this twice, the difference without the Happy Maker was overwhelming.

The ground writhed with countless rotting flesh pieces, squirming like worms, while decayed blood and filth formed a grotesque sea.

A-Are these hallucinations? No, I have the silver ring, so I should be… No, stop. Stop thinking.

I took deep breaths, allowing the ring’s protective effects to kick in. At least the dreadful voice that had once echoed through my mind was gone.

‘Focus… focus…’

At that moment.

Searing pain engulfed me.

“…!!”

I nearly collapsed.

It burns.

It burns!!

I

T

B

U

R

N

S

I

T

B

U

R

N

S

I

T

B

U

R

N

S

Each letter felt like molten wax searing my entire body.

The absence of the voice didn’t lessen the agony. Around me, those still hearing it were writhing in torment.

“Madness! This is madness!”

“Aaaaaargh!”

“What’s it saying…? Sin? Sin?!”

Cries, screams, and chaotic babbling filled the altar. My head spun.

Thud.

Nearby, someone collapsed into the pile of flesh. I bit back a scream and helped pull them out.

“Grkkk…”

Painkiller.

I focused only on supporting the person and preparing to inject the Happy Maker when—

Suddenly, the pain lessened.

‘No… that’s not right!’

It wasn’t that the pain had decreased. It was that where my body was in contact with the other person—on my back and shoulders—the pain didn’t register, making the rest more tolerable.

“…Ah!!”

I realized something.

Where there was physical contact, the scorching pain wasn’t felt. The body wasn’t exposed to the altar’s environment!

“Everyone! Stay close to each other! It helps with the pain!”

I linked arms with someone nearby as I shouted. The message spread quickly.

“Don’t expose your bare skin! That’s where the voice comes from!”

“Grab someone’s hand!”

Groups of scattered people began clustering together, huddling close.

“Get off me, you piece of shit! Aaaaah!”

Of course, not everyone was coping well. Some still panicked, shoving others into the flesh piles.

“You fucking bastard! I won’t let this goooo! You lied! You liiiii■■■”

That one man, who had arrogantly joined the group earlier in hopes of gaining ‘special powers’, screamed curses at me before sinking into the mire.

But over twenty people managed to band together, pressing close like penguins.

“We’re holding on…”

“It’s bearable… It’s bearable!”

“Let’s move!”

Linked together, we interlocked arms and pushed forward, sticking as closely as possible. Our intertwined hands gripped one another firmly, preventing any self-harming reactions. Feet scattered the decaying flesh as we ran.

Screams and cries echoed, but so did words of encouragement and determined shouts.

A shared sense of purpose.

“We’re almost there!”

The light drew closer. Slowly but surely.

Just a bit more.

A bit more…

And finally—!

“Ah…”

The people let out desperate cheers as they hurled themselves into the light.

“Whooaaaaa!!”

I, too, was engulfed by the light, my consciousness slowly elevating into a distant euphoria. Though the voice had long since vanished…

……

Suddenly, a thought occurred to me.

Perhaps, this test that the ghost train presented had never been properly solved until now.

And at this moment, I felt like I had glimpsed the direction of the answer.

‘What if, in Tamra…’

What if, by having all the passengers on the train jump together and go through this process, we could reach an unknown world?

I opened my eyes.

“Huuuhk!”

“Urgh…”

“Ah… W-What is this?”

All around me, I heard people gasping for breath and letting out small groans.

The distinct jerking movements of people waking up from a nightmare were evident, as I saw chairs shaking across the train car.

I immediately lifted my head to check the train screen.

There were letters on the display

Bound for Mokpo

Then, it changed.

Departing

Fweeeeet!

With a high-pitched sound, the high-speed train began pulling out of the station…

“Oh, we made it back safely.”

“…Yes.”

Escape, successful.

‘Huuuu…’

I exhaled, my body slumping fully into the seat as the tension drained away. But the moment I glanced at the seat in front of me, I snapped to attention.

‘…Assistant Manager Jin Nasol!’

She was sitting there, arms crossed, silently staring at the ceiling of the train with an unreadable expression.

Of course, it was all part of a dream now, and since she hadn’t jumped through the window in the end, she probably wasn’t too angry. But still…

‘I should still do what needs to be done!’

I quickly rummaged through my pocket and pulled out something designed to restore energy to a no-nonsense, efficiency-obsessed superior like her.

It was something that all three of us in this section had.

“…Assistant Manager.”

“……”

“The Dream Essence Collector is full.”

Clear, golden liquid shimmered inside the collector as it sloshed.

Right.

Since we were technically on a business trip, we had brought Dream Essence Collectors with us. By clearing this ghost story, they had been filled.

‘If we had cleared the ghost story back when it was still just the Iksan Express, we’d probably only get an F or D-grade…’

But an abnormal phenomena had occurred, and the route was extended. And then there were the double-digit loops, and there were numerous people jumping through the altars this time…

“It’s a C-grade.”

The same grade as the Darkness we were supposed to explore in Mokpo.

Now that the collectors were full, entering a new Darkness wouldn’t have any benefit.

Assistant Manager Jin Nasol’s expression finally shifted.

“Then we don’t have to go to Mokpo anymore. We can return at the next station.”

“Yeees!”

Relief washed over me, and I let out a deep breath.

‘Thank goodness.’

For a corporate worker, going back home early is truly the best gift.

Just then, I heard murmuring from the seats behind me.

“Hey, I had the weirdest dream. The train was running on water or something.”

“Haha, what? That sounds like nonsense.”

“But it was fun. Everything was chaotic, and there was even this saint-like figure they called the venerable ‘Pathfinder’—that guy sitting right in front of us.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“…!”

H-Hold up.

It seemed my stint as a cult leader had left a lasting impression on some people.

‘I need to get out of here.’

I quickly excused myself to my superiors and discreetly headed for the restroom.

Click.

“Huu.”

Okay. I’ll hide here for a few minutes until the details of the dream started fading from their memories.

– You’re like a celebrity avoiding overzealous fans…

It was embarrassingly accurate.

But this wasn’t a bad outcome.

‘No, it’s actually a great ending.’

A faint sense of pride spread through my chest.

……A sense of peace that the original passengers of the Tamra Express had never experienced.

‘Because back then, the ending had been far more horrific.’

It was seared into my memory, even without referencing the wiki.

At one point in the endless loops, the passengers’ minds had completely broken. They had descended into collective madness, becoming something no longer recognizable as human.

By then, the train cars had become a living nightmare, where the mere concept of deciding to jump through the windows was lost in the sea of pain.

‘But if you repeat the process enough times, there’s always a chance that someone stumbles upon the right answer…’

After countless restarts and endless time, they eventually gathered the correct number of sacrifices for the ninth altar and escaped this anomaly.

But in a sense, they never truly escaped.

Even for those who experienced being offered once, the trauma lingered for several minutes afterward, as if waking from a terrible nightmare.

So what happens to those who endure it hundreds or thousands of times?

‘…They could never escape the nightmare.’

The passengers presumably did not realize that the supernatural phenomenon had ended and they had returned to reality.

They mistakenly believed they were still trapped in the loop…

In fact, as their mental strength partially recovered upon returning to reality, their despair intensified, leading them to act even more irrationally and violently.

Thus, even in the real world, hell descended.

The majority of the passengers killed and dismembered each other on the spot—on their seats, in the aisles, and near the windows.

After that horrifying chaos and madness, the train derailed…

And exploded.

This was how the ‘Tamra Express Disaster’ met its terrible conclusion.

Survivors : 7

Casualties : 404

…Thankfully, this outcome hadn’t become reality.

I let out a deep breath of relief.

Um, now that everything was over, I finally had the time to question a lingering mystery.

Supervisor ■■■

The only known employee from Daydream Inc. who had survived this incident in the original scenario.

The same employee who presumably had the same silver ring I was currently wearing, having bartered it with three civilians at Death Lane.

Where exactly had that person been?

‘Or rather… were they even here?’

I didn’t know.

The only company employee I had directly confirmed aboard the train earlier was Baek Saheon.

And since I didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble or draw attention by sniffing out all the employees, I let it be.

‘Well, in any case, it all worked out.’

If they were aboard, they must have survived since the incident had ended peacefully.

What mattered was that the tragedy originally tied to this train had been averted.

Bang, bang, bang!

Ah—

‘It’s time to leave.’

Someone, impatient from waiting, was knocking on the bathroom door.

I quickly jotted down a few notes in my smartphone’s memo app to hold on to the fading memories of the past 14 loops, splashed cold water on my face, and stepped out of the train restroom.

Click.

The person waiting outside barged in the moment the door opened.

‘They must’ve been in a hurry.’

I passed by them and headed back to my seat.

Fwick—!

“You fucking piece of shit.”

I instinctively lowered my gaze.

A box cutter.

The blade had narrowly grazed past my chest.

“…!!”

Fuck!

I immediately stepped back while grabbing the attacker’s forearm and twisting it sharply.

Clang!

The cutter blade fell to the floor with a sharp clang as I pushed the attacker down and pinned him to the floor.

That’s when I saw his face.

“You bastard—ah, ahhh!!”

This lunatic.

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

‘The wannabe cult leader!’

“Fuck! It hurts—damn it, it hurts!!”

It was the same person who was left behind at the ninth altar!

‘This insane idiot…’

“You lied to me?! Then die, you bastard, you piece of—”

I forcefully slammed him into the floor once more.

Thud!

A short, dull impact rang out.

And he passed out.

“Hahh…”

My hands were drenched in sweat.

‘Did he lose his mind after we left him behind there?’

Considering his already bad personality, he had probably experienced even more suffering during the offering because of his greater guilt.

Still, even if it had been a nightmare, it must have been a particularly severe one for him.

What an uncontrollable temper.

‘No wonder he ended up like this.’

I wiped the sweat off my face.

At least the blade hadn’t cut through my chest or caused any pain.

Why?

‘…Good thing I wrapped myself in protective packaging beforehand.’

I hadn’t expected to be dragged into another ghost story during our trip, but I had prepared for the possibility by layering my skin with a protective wrapping item before departing.

The item, ‘Wrapper 12B357나’, was something I’d bought from the alien shop.

Given the death prediction I had received, it had been a sensible precaution.

‘Still, I didn’t think I’d be dodging death from a knife-wielding maniac rather than getting done in at a ghost story…’

Was this the death prediction I had been warned about? Did I just narrowly avoid it?

‘What do you think, Braun?’

……

……

No response.

“…Braun.”

An unsettling feeling crept down my spine.

I had just been slashed across the chest.

Though the packaging had protected my skin, the outer layer of my suit—specifically, the left chest pocket—had taken damage.

And in that pocket was…

“…Braun?”

Still.

There was no answer.

My heart pounding, I hurriedly reached into my suit pocket.

My trembling fingers pulled out the fluffy animal plushie inside…

Plip, plip, plip.

Cotton fell to the ground.

The pink fabric dangled, torn and frayed, as the broken plush keychain swayed in my hand.

“……”

I stood frozen, staring at the plush doll, now split in two.

Chapter 119 - Cotton Insides

My hand slipped.

The coin tumbled out from the lower half of the torn plush toy’s insides.

“…!”

I hurriedly clamped it shut, pressing the two torn halves together as if that would fix it.

“Braun?”

But of course, there was no response.

The upper half of the plush toy merely slid off the bottom half.

“……”

No.

No, this couldn’t be it. Maybe it was because I was staring at it…!

“Braun.”

I turned my head and closed my eyes, pressing the plush toy close to my ear.

Then…

– ■■, ■■■■■…

“…!!”

There was a faint vibration from the plushie.

It was definitely a signal.

But it was incredibly faint, like the static from a stray radio frequency.

‘He’s still there.’

He was still there. In that case…

‘Bloodbathtub!’

Click. I immediately locked the bathroom door and pulled out the small, checkered bathtub with golden legs from the tattoo on my wrist.

The so-called Bathtub of Youth.

Thud. The tub settled on the floor, and I carefully placed the nearly severed plush toy inside.

Then…

I picked up the box cutter the unconscious passenger had dropped during the failed attack.

Without hesitation, I slashed my forearm.

Blood poured from the opened veins.

‘There’s no time for alternatives in this kind of emergency…!’

Cutting the unconscious guy’s arm was risky—he might wake up or I wouldn’t be able to stop the bleeding.

‘I can’t handle any more chaos.’

My blood spilled into the tub. The scent of wood and fragrant aromatics wafted through the air.

The plush toy began to swell as if soaking up the bath salt’s essence.

It was rejuvenating.

Its fur grew cleaner, shinier, and its pebble-like eyes shimmered mysteriously.

And then it started to expand rapidly.

It seemed to reach a threshold, soaking in the bath until it grew from keychain size to something that filled both my hands.

It now resembled the original ‘Good Friend’ plush.

Pop.

The bow-shaped hair tie snapped under the pressure and flew off, landing against the tub’s side.

The transformation was undeniable.

But, but…

The plush toy was still silent.

“……”

Holding my breath, I leaned in again, pressing my ear close to it.

The faint vibrations from earlier were gone.

The plush toy, its body still torn, merely floated on the aromatic bathwater.

“……”

I stared at it again.

The plush toy, now large enough to fill the small tub, gleamed as if it had just been handcrafted by an artisan.

But it remained severed.

‘Ah.’

The Bathtub of Youth restored youth, but it didn’t heal wounds…

“……”

I had known this.

I knew it, but I had tried anyway.

The Good Friend plush was broken.

I took a deep breath.

‘It’s fine.’

I could get another one.

Yes, I just had to get it from its original source instead of relying on the merch box.

The Cheerful Theme Park still existed. The Good Friend plush was a souvenir sold in its gift shop.

‘I was going to go there anyway, so this is actually efficient.’

I could get a new plush there and summon it again like before…

……

“……Ha.”

Who was I kidding?

I already knew.

The method for summoning a Good Friend didn’t summon the same specific being—it summoned ‘someone’ from the otherworld.

‘There’s no guarantee the same one will appear again.’

In fact, it would be strange if it did.

I had enjoyed reading the <Dark Exploration Records> for how different beings appeared with each summoning.

‘Ha ha…’

Ha…

“……”

I had no choice but to admit it at this point.

It wasn’t because of any mental contamination.

I had genuinely grown attached to this strange plush toy…

‘But who wouldn’t, right?’

After all, he really had been a ‘Good Friend’.

He encouraged me when I was struggling, got angry alongside me when I was mad, had deep conversations with me, and stayed up at night watching comedy shows.

He was the kind of friend who prioritized me without any calculation.

The kind of friend you could only meet back when you were a kid in school…

“……”

Okay.

Let’s see what else I can do.

“Maybe I should try sewing it back together.”

If that doesn’t work, I can search for a recovery item, dive into a ghost story that repairs items, or dig through any relevant information and attempt something new. There are plenty of options.

For my sanity’s sake.

“Let’s give it a shot.”

I calmed down a bit. The overwhelming panic I had felt from the unexpected incident was subsiding, replaced by a sense of clarity and calculation.

‘First, let’s clean this up.’

I reached into the Bloodbathtub and pulled out Braun’s upper and lower halves, dangling separately. I was about to neatly gather the stuffing and store the plush toy when—

‘Huh?’

A piece of fabric flapping on the back of the plush caught my eye. It was a small silk tag sewn along the seam that connected the head to the body.

‘…A tag?’

It seemed like the faint traces that had previously emerged during the last bath had now fully returned.

‘The Good Friend’s… product label, maybe.’

You know the kind—labels indicating origin, washing instructions, handling guidelines, or even a creator’s or buyer’s signature.

My gaze naturally fell on it.

The label looked properly formatted, with a structure typical of product tags. Strange, tiny, incomprehensible symbols were written in rows. But that wasn’t what stood out the most.

Across all that information, there was something scrawled in thick black marker, almost like a form of censorship.

Label Removal Required

[Ah.]

[So it’s here.]

SNAP—

A massive hand grabbed the tag.

It was a hand wearing an elegant, tailored dress glove. The thumb quickly covered most of the label’s text as the hand yanked the tag.

[Gotcha.]

The hand was emerging from the torn body of the Good Friend plush I was holding.

Riiiiiiiiiiiip.

The lower half of the plush split open as the arm, then the shoulder, emerged. A second arm violently pushed against the sink.

The rest of the large body spilled out, filling the cramped bathroom space.

A towering figure, dressed impeccably in a brown three-piece suit with long legs, polished black dress shoes, and—

A vintage television for a head.

The screen displayed a smiling face.

[😄]

The giant TV head tilted toward me, emerging fully from the shredded lower half of the plush toy.

[Mr. Soleum!]

Its head bobbed as the host gripped my shoulders.

[Oh dear, you must’ve been terribly worried about me! Haha! But no need for concern any longer. Now… Here I am—your dependable host, Braun, has found you once again!]

The ghostly host twirled the label between his fingers, causing the tattered upper half of the plush toy to dangle back and forth.

[Ah, restoring this tag was a fantastic move! Thanks to it, I could find this address. Phew.]

[I don’t expect applause or praise, but if you insist, I won’t decline. Haha! I happened to wrap up a live broadcast rehearsal just in time for this.]

[And here we are, meeting again so soon!]

“……”

[Mr. Soleum?]

What… is this?

[You don’t seem happy to see me. Hmm… Oh! Is it because the plush toy is damaged? Of course. Audiences are always affected by what they see, aren’t they? But not to worry!]

Snap—

The host snapped his fingers.

[What do you think of this?]

The emoticon on the TV head vanished.

In its place, something shuffled into view on the screen.

…A Good Friend bunny plush, wearing its signature bow tie.

[Look! Your plush friend has returned—right here on my screen! Isn’t it still adorable? Oh, it’s even waving!]

“The Good Friend…”

[Exactly! Your Good Friend is right here. I, Braun, am your Good Friend!]

No.

“The Good Friend…”

“Is supposed to be a plush toy.”

…… ……

[Mr. Soleum.]

Click.

A pinpoint spotlight shone on the narrow bathroom, turning it into a studio set.

The light focused on me and the legendary host standing before me.

I couldn’t turn away.

[Ah, I see now. You were holding back because of a major misconception. But that’s perfectly fine. After all, I am a very kind and skilled show host.]

[And, as always, I’m quite good at explanations. Now, let me clarify this misunderstanding for you.]

The gloved hand grasped not just the tag but the broken plush toy itself.

The Good Friend bunny plushie that had been displayed on the TV screen vanished in a flicker, replaced by the familiar smiling emoticon.

And then—

Fwoooooosh!

…The Good Friend plush toy in the host’s hand was incinerated.

[This is nothing to worry about.]

As the host dusted off his hands, a small handful of ash scattered from the gloves and fell to the floor.

I watched it happen in a daze.

But—

‘It wasn’t just about embedding a part of someone in the toy to make them act like a friend…’

[Now… Let’s think back. How exactly did you summon your friend?]

……

A strange item that invites someone from the Otherworld, allowing a part of their spirit to dwell in the doll and become your friend.

In other words, using the plush toy, the tie, and the coin, I had…

[You summoned ME.]

The host pointed at himself.

[If a phone breaks, does it cancel your evening plans? If you destroy your mailbox, do the bills disappear? If you rip up a love letter, does the relationship end? We already know the answer.]

[Of course not!]

[So here’s the question.]

[Does destroying the plush toy cancel your invitation?]

The host spread his arms wide.

[Not a chance!]

Ah.

[What you performed was an eternal ritual. Oh yes, indeed…]

“……”

My stiff mind slowly processed the sentence.

‘So then—’

The Good Friend ritual wasn’t about summoning only a small part of a non-human entity and trapping it in the plush toy to act as a friend.

The plush toy was merely a filter, limiting how much of that entity was revealed—like a roleplaying game for children.

[Do you wish to continue calling this a friendship? Then I will forever be your friend, Mr. Soleum! Ah, what a beautiful term—eternal friendship!]

The TV head displayed an emoticon with teary eyes, but it quickly returned to a wide, cheerful smile.

[And our MVP participant—once again, you’ve shown impeccable timing! Mr. Soleum…]

The hand gripping my shoulder gave me a supportive pat on the back.

And then came the words—

[The new talk show is ready.]

“……!”

[New guests, a new set, new music, a new season… Everything has been prepared for filming. My humble talk show, designed solely for the audience’s enjoyment.]

[Let me introduce you to your new job…]

No.

I instinctively stepped back, reaching for the door.

I had to get out of here, escape this spotlight, clear my head, think—

[Oh dear.]

The smiling emoticon vanished from the TV head.

No.

The screen went black.

[You said that you were a fan of my show and that you enjoyed it so much, even when you had just been a contestant. But now, when presented with the chance to truly be part of the show, you’re running away? After all the advice, help, unwavering support, and dedication I’ve given you?]

[Mr. Soleum, isn’t friendship supposed to be a mutually supportive relationship? This emotional and one-sided rejection! It’s, it’s… heartbreaking.]

I felt like I was going to vomit.

“S-Sorry…”

[Oh, no need to apologize, Mr. Soleum. Mindless apologies are not a virtue for a show creator.]

[And as always, I’m a host who can understand and empathize with my guest’s innermost thoughts and feelings…]

[So.]

In the next moment—

[This Braun shall kindly and sincerely persuade you.]

Flicker.

The screen filled with a massive, smiling emoticon.

Filled.

Completely.

“Wait…”

But the giant vintage TV head was moving closer.

Closer.

Even closer.

[Now…]

Look at me.

Chapter 120 - [Braun's Tuesday Quiz Show], I

Click.

The vintage television turns on.

The black screen dominates my entire field of vision and mind.

I can’t look away.

I have to watch.

Channel locked!

A special message

just for you

is now

playing

Cheerful, classical orchestral music plays in the background.

Then, a black-and-white video begins.

Starring : Kim Soleum

A weary young office worker in their mid-to-late twenties, wearing a black suit.

Sometimes, they sit at a desk, writing documents with a bare face. Other times, they wear a strange horned mask, narrowly escaping death while running through the dangers of ghost stories.

It’s me.

Are you feeling down?

Exhausted?

Suffering from endless tasks, verbal abuse, and office politics?

Are you anxious, unable to trust anyone, living in fear of when you might die next?

When that happens, you should sit in front of a TV and watch something fun and new!

I see myself, sitting blankly in front of a TV after returning to my company-provided housing.

I’m watching a children’s cartoon, trying to calm my fear.

But the cartoon ends quickly, as children’s shows do.

I sit in a daze for a while, staring at the blank screen, before heading to my room and attempting to sleep.

Have you ever been afraid that the show would end?

Of tomorrow coming?

Did you dread returning to a job that suffocates you, day by day, with stress, anxiety, and suffering?

Is it that, the deeper you think, the more trapped and scared you feel, as though there’s no other path to take?

Are you enduring the unbearable, simply because you think this must be the right way?

……

I… I…

For people like you!

Just a moment now. Don’t panic. Take a deep breath.

A perfect alternative,

A new path has found you!

Ba-bam!

On the screen, a spotlight shines on my bedroom door.

The door swings open dramatically, revealing a silhouette in a sleek brown suit, head replaced by a vintage TV.

It’s the host.

*The answer you’ve been waiting for!*

I jump out of bed, shake hands with the host, and smile in relief. I throw the mask and briefcase out the window without a second thought.

With a snap of the host’s fingers, the company housing turns to ashes, revealing a dazzling, brightly lit studio.

Standing on stage, the host and I beam with joy.

Scenes I’ve never lived are mixing seamlessly with my memories, piercing my mind with their uncanny, dizzying realism.

It’s just like the real thing.

The new talk show host is witty, charismatic, full of humor, and always listens to and understands your worries!

Accept this perfect offer from the one you personally invited, and everything will get better.*

It’s the kind of job no one would want to turn down.

Prepare for your new life!

No.

No, I.

I need to go home…

Oh dear!

Struggling with homesickness?

The scene shifts.

It’s me again, but not my past self.

It’s me, now.

Staring into the TV.

We lock eyes.

Face-to-face.

Starring : You

I see myself reflected on the screen like a mirror.

But the me on the screen looks distressed, his face twisted into a grimace, on the verge of tears.

No, that’s not me. I’m not making that face right now… right? Am I? Am I frowning right now? Stop! I’m getting dizzy. I press both hands against my face, trying to calm down.

My vision goes dark.

But the TV remains clear.

Below my face, a caption appears:

Why are you always longing for home?

Do you crave the happiness of escaping an uncomfortable, burdensome environment?

Do you cry at night, yearning for peaceful sleep without fear or nightmares?

Fear not.

The greatest talk show awaits you!

No.

This is a special message for you—yes, you!—who is currently watching:

The crew members of the greatest talk show have no faces.

No discomfort from unfamiliar faces. No awkward interactions. Just the ideal workplace.

Join us now!

This is madness.

Faceless coworkers? Who would want that? I certainly don’t—

In this workplace, no one struggles with hiding who they really are.

And neither should you, dear viewer.

Feel free to reveal yourself!

Your talents and ideas will flourish in this one-of-a-kind job.

The legendary host has personally turned down countless applications to reserve this spot just for you!

……

It’s a job so appealing, no one would want to say no.

Welcome to your new home!

No, NO!

On purpose, he keeps using the word home. He knows I want to go home. That’s what he’s doing.

But what I want isn’t a new home. I’ve never wanted that.

What I want…

What I wish for… is to return to the world I originally lived in, the familiar world. That place.

A place where I don’t have to worry about being eaten by monsters on the street. A place where ghost stories are just entertainment. My friends and family are all there.

And I shouldn’t forget!

I have the silver ring in my hand right now.

I can resist this. I can resist this.

The image on the TV is not me.

I am not smiling.

You will be happy.

In your new home.

I won’t be confused.

I’m going back to my original home.

That’s not home.

I am working to return home, and that purpose will never be reversed.

In your new home.

This insane talk show is not my home.

This insane talk show is not my home.

THIS INSANE TALK SHOW IS NOT MY HOME!!

[Hmm.]

Brief

technical adjustments

ongoing…

The TV screen shattered.

“Hah…”

I exhaled, collapsing onto the floor.

The cold tiles of the cramped train bathroom grounded me back in reality.

Or at least, I thought they did.

[Understood, Mr. Soleum.]

In the next moment, I was standing in a cozy studio.

No, this place had always been a studio.

But this small, cozy space had no audience yet. Only two comfortable armchairs faced each other.

And standing before me, extending a hand with a solemn air, was the TV-headed host.

[Oh dear, you seem quite tense… Why don’t we sit down first? Fix your clothes, wipe away the blood, and let’s have a calmer conversation.]

[It seems the advertisement message was a bit too physically and mentally stimulating for my friend.]

Soft piano music drifted through the room.

[I overdid it, didn’t I? After all, you don’t have media experience. Let’s take a moment to breathe.]

With a wave of the host’s hand, a steaming cup appeared on the table between the two chairs.

…Hot chocolate.

[Ah, do you remember? It’s the drink I always recommended to you whenever you felt worn out, Mr. Roe Deer. Chocolate! Nothing beats something warm and comforting for a tired body…]

A smiling emoticon filled the TV screen, and its antenna perked up slightly, as if excited.

It busily stirred in some marshmallows.

[This is the first time I’m serving it directly, though. When I was just a stuffed body, I always had to rely on others for things like this.]

“……”

[There were so many things I couldn’t do in that form. Now, come on. Let’s take a break.]

Following the gentle guidance, I found myself naturally sinking into the chair.

…Because there was no other choice.

But surprisingly, the host didn’t push me further. It didn’t force the hot chocolate on me or make any sudden moves.

While I bandaged my arm and stopped the bleeding on my own, the host simply waited—silent, patient.

It waited like a thoughtful interviewer, saying nothing, letting me regain my composure. Gradually, my scattered thoughts began to clear.

[Feeling a bit calmer, Mr. Roe Deer? Take a deep breath, yes… Let’s have a proper talk.]

The host clasped its hands together and leaned forward politely from the opposite chair.

[You’ve made it clear—you absolutely do not want to quit your current job. Am I right?]

“……”

I nodded slowly, cold sweat trickling down my back.

The antenna on the TV head tilted slightly, as if curious.

[That’s strange, so strange… You loathe this job, Mr. Roe Deer!]

“…!”

[We’ve had so many conversations about it. I’ve listened to the countless complaints of how much you despise this job and how you never want to do it again once your goal is achieved.]

But that was only because I had to keep going until my goal was reached.

To use the wish ticket and go home, I had no other choice but to stick with it.

[Just a moment.]

[Yes, Mr. Roe Deer, this is exactly what I wanted to focus on!]

[My friend—you’re saying you desperately want to go home. And, in fact…]

The host leaned in and whispered.

[I know why you’re saying you want to go home, Mr. Roe Deer.]

Why would there need to be a reason for someone to want to go home?

I tensed, preparing for whatever nonsensical argument it was about to make.

I had to let it talk and let it pass.

[Oh, this may be shocking, but please keep calm.]

But the host’s voice lowered further, turning into a soft whisper, compelling me to listen.

[It’s because…]

I couldn’t help but lean in, ears straining to hear.

[You actually don’t want to go home.]

……

What?

[Deep down, you already know this, don’t you?]

[You’re confusing yourself, misunderstanding things, and building biases because of two intense emotions.]

[Fear and desire.]

What are you saying right now…?

[Oh, Mr. Roe Deer… You don’t miss home, and you don’t think that being home is good. You’re just scared and miserable with what you’re doing right now.]

“……!”

[Now, Mr. Roe Deer, do you truly hate the fact that the stories you enjoyed have become reality?]

[Didn’t you feel even a little thrill or excitement seeing how the things you imagined were brought to life? Are you really telling the truth when you say you only hate it?]

I don’t…

I don’t hate it as much as I fear it because it’s too dangerous.

[Danger! Ah, yes, a classic and respectable excuse. But let’s think about this, Mr. Roe Deer.]

The old TV set, replacing the host’s head, crackled faintly.

[Is the ‘home’ you wish to return to truly safe?]

Images flickered across the TV screen—grisly black-and-white news clips.

[War, poverty, climate crisis, terrorism, plagues… and all the other small, horrific tragedies. Hell can visit anyone, and you are no exception.]

[In any reality, we cannot choose which tragedy will strike. Unless it’s on a show, of course!]

But that’s…

[Oh, you already know, deep down. The place you call ‘home’ and this place aren’t really all that different.]

[Does it matter whether the monsters from stories come to life or whether real monsters roam the streets? What matters is your suffering.]

Braun spread his fingers, folding them one by one as he listed various disasters.

[Death that strikes without warning? Tell me, is there such a place where death announces its arrival beforehand? It’s equally terrifying everywhere.]

[Your peace in that world is just as fragile and meaningless. It can be shattered by the push of a button by some maniacal dictator…]

[In the end, isn’t this just about your subjective experience, Mr. Roe Deer?]

I stared blankly at the TV.

[And subjective experiences are not truth. They’re distorted perceptions unique to you.]

[Set aside your biases, Friend.]

That… that can’t be true…

……

……

Right?

It felt like something didn’t quite fit, but I couldn’t find the words to argue back. It sounded convincing.

But surely, this isn’t just about my perception.

[That’s okay. Acceptance always takes time. This Braun is always here to talk things through with you… Just like always!]

[For now, let’s develop this conversation further, shall we? Let’s dig a little deeper.]

Braun’s voice softened as he asked,

[What is it that you truly want, Mr. Soleum?]

[Let’s think beyond ‘going home’ for a moment.]

……

What do I truly…No, wait.

How does he know so much about my situation?

He’s reading my thoughts completely.

How much does he know? How deeply has he understood me?

And if he already knows what I’m thinking, does arguing have any meaning? Is there even a way to escape?

Wait. Can he hear this thought too? How much of my mind is the host able to read? Does he know about the things I’ve learned from the Dark Exploration Records…

[Mr. Soleum.]

I felt like I was going insane.

The fear was suffocating me. I just wanted to escape this situation…

[Exactly! That’s it!]

Huh?

[You’ve finally realized it, Mr. Soleum. What your heart truly desires!]

The host snapped its fingers with a loud SNAP—

[To escape fear.]

“…!!”

The TV screen moved closer.

[And look here, we have a quick and guaranteed method…]

How to

Escape Fear :

Join Braun

and Create a Talk Show

Together

[You will be comfortable and enjoy yourself in my studio.]

[With the passionate spirit of a show creator, your creativity and brilliance will shine even more brightly when fear is absent. This Braun fully guarantees it.]

[A workplace where you don’t need to overthink—just focus on making great shows. Free from any other dangers, welcome to the studio of this legendary host.]

The words sound the same, but they feel different.

I don’t find them absurd anymore.

That’s terrifying.

[Hush now, shh. No need to be afraid. Let’s listen to this Braun’s words…]

[Now, Friend, can you take a moment to look at your hand? Yes, just like that… What do you see?]

…The silver ring on my index finger.

[Correct! And what does wearing that signify?]

……

‘That I—haven’t been corrupted.’

It means my judgment hasn’t been consumed by the anomaly, and I’m in a state where I can think clearly, resist mentally, and make rational decisions like any human being.

[That’s right! If this were a quiz show, you’d have won a prize—how unfortunate.]

[In any case, this means your current decision isn’t wrong. Take a deep breath and relax.]

[How do you feel right now?]

I—

[Let me guess… ‘Braun’s words make sense, and maybe it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try, just this once?’ Right?]

……

……

But…!

[Exactly!]

[Now, let’s seize this opportunity together, Friend.]

Braun stands up, adjusting his suit with the poise of a business partner ready to close a deal.

[All it takes is a handshake.]

[No complicated contracts are needed between us. Just a handshake and we’ll start working together.]

……

[Don’t you want to spend peaceful days free from fear and pain? All you need is a stronger friend by your side and a more enjoyable job ahead.]

[And if, by chance, you don’t find it enjoyable at all… you can return to your original workplace.]

……

“Really?”

[Really.]

……

[Seize this chance, Friend.]

[This is your moment.]

I raised my trembling hand.

And extended it.

Toward him.

[That’s it.]

Firmly.

The host’s large hand completely engulfed mine in a handshake.

[You won’t regret this, Friend.]

The surroundings brightened.

Lights poured from every direction, and the cramped studio expanded, revealing itself as it emerged from the shadows…

[Now, introducing your new workplace, Mr. Soleum! Your new colleagues! Your new life!]

A pristine set, a stage adorned with sparkling bulbs, and above it, a classic golden sign glowing with elegance…

[The thrill of witnessing, the joy of connection, the excitement of unpredictable developments, anticipation—all of it in this humble space that desires nothing but the audience’s applause.]

Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show

I…

[Congratulations on becoming a part of it, Mr. Soleum.]

…had successfully shifted careers.

Chapter 121 - [Braun's Tuesday Quiz Show], II

A dark office.

Taka-taka-taka.

Someone sits alone, typing away.

Letters appear on the illuminated monitor screen.

----------------------------------------

Report (Draft)

Author : Lee Jaheon

20XX. 01. 02. Eyewitness testimonies of the clearance process of the anomalous C-grade Darkness that occurred aboard the Mokpo Express, and the (presumed) death of Supervisor Kim Soleum.

----------------------------------------

The typing continued at a steady rhythm, with no hesitation or pause, as if the timeline was already neatly arranged inside the writer’s head.

----------------------------------------

Witnesses : Employee A, Employee C, Employee F (Initials assigned based on team divisions for ease of reference.)

Employee A :

Are we really doing this interview again? I don’t see the point.

Anyway… yeah. I boarded the train for a business trip, and next thing I knew, the train itself was running over the ocean.

Employee C :

The clearance went super smoothly! Supervisor Soleum led a lot of it, and it was really nice seeing him work so hard to minimize civilian casualties!

(Employee A inquired whether the anomaly was intentionally orchestrated by the company, but the Research Team stated that it was ‘pure coincidence’ — Further confirmation available in Interview No. 3.)

A three-person elite team successfully led the clearance of the anomalous Darkness. Collection of C-grade essence confirmed.

From this point forward, all testimonies consistently stated that the train was no longer an anomalous space but a fully real-world environment.

Employee C :

Supervisor Soleum was the first to check the liquid and then said he was going to the restroom. Right, ‘that’ restroom.

After the train’s departure, Supervisor Kim Soleum left his seat, stating, “I’m going to the restroom.” No contact for 15 minutes.

At the 17-minute mark, Employee F, who had been seated in Car 3, visited the elite team’s section.

Purpose of visit : ‘To say goodbye’, according to testimony.

Employee F :

Ah, I’ve mentioned this before, but… I was on vacation, sir.

I got caught up in the anomaly unexpectedly, but I tried to stay calm and assist the team as best I could. It’s only natural as an employee of our company.

After everything ended, I went to say goodbye to my superiors—then realized my friend—who’s from the same recruitment batch as me—wasn’t at his seat. So I went to look for him.

Employee C :

Oh, you were heading the wrong way at first, so I directed you to the correct way! I guess you instinctively turned toward your original seat!

Following Employee C’s guidance, Employee F proceeded to the restroom.

There, they found a collapsed man outside the restroom door.

Condition of the victim :

– No external bleeding

– Both hands and feet had been removed

– The severed areas were covered in fine ash

A medical professional diagnosed that the limbs appeared to have been instantly incinerated by an extremely high temperature.

( Source : Somang Medical Center [Daydream Inc. Affiliated Hospital] )

Employee F :

I had a bad feeling about it. But the restroom door was locked. No response when I knocked.

Well… not to brag, but I’m pretty handy with locks. I tried unlocking it myself… and succeeded.

…But. (Sharp inhale.)

At the 21-minute mark, the express train restroom door was unlocked.

Employee F :

The restroom was… silent.

There was no one inside. Just a perfectly clean, ordinary express train restroom. Which made it feel even more wrong. So I instinctively stepped back to leave…

And that’s when things started falling out of thin air. …Along with blood.

----------------------------------------

The hands typing on the keyboard momentarily halted.

The cursor moved as the mouse navigated toward a desktop folder labeled ‘Scene Photos’.

Several images were attached to the document.

Photograph of the interior of the restroom beside Car 7 of the blood-soaked express train.

The walls and floor are drenched in blood, with everything scattered haphazardly across the ground, stained red.

A mask, an employee ID, a briefcase, and… a Dream Essence Collector filled with C-grade liquid.

Yet, amidst the carnage, there was one pristine space.

A small, bathtub-shaped patch of tile—completely free of blood.

As if… someone had taken it away.

----------------------------------------

Employee F :

And then, a giant hand suddenly appeared—ugh! Uuuurgh, it—it pushed me! Flash, flash, flash, flash… HelloThejoyofthisnightanewfaceeverydayandyourfamiliarhostGoodeveningthisisTheLateNightTalk— BLAAAAARGH (Interview terminated)

Contamination and PTSD symptoms. Fox Counseling Center referral recommended. Seventh interview ended.

A testimony from the fourth interview is hereby referenced instead.

(Fourth Interview)

Employee F:

A hand appeared from thin air—a hand with a halo, no, some kind of strange light, no… no, never mind.

(Deep breath.)

It picked up a strange bathtub that had fallen onto the floor. A small bathtub with a checkered pattern and golden feet. A-And… when that happened, blood spilled across the floor, and… something—

Something like a shredded black ribbon fell with it.

The hand grabbed the ribbon too. And then… on the mirror.

It wrote something.

----------------------------------------

The typing hands stopped once more.

The writer reached for a printed photograph pinned to the board beside his desk.

A bathroom mirror, covered in blood, its surface serving as an inkwell for an elegant, cursive message.

Mr. Kim Soleum

is working somewhere else

starting today.

:)

----------------------------------------

The Research Team theorized that the message was linked to the anomalous ‘Tamra Express’ Darkness that had manifested on the train.

(This hypothesis was considered highly credible and formally recorded in internal research logs.)

Supporting evidence include Supervisor Kim Soleum’s active role in this Darkness’s resolution and his unique ethical approach to clearing Darknesses, increasing the likelihood of irregular occurrences.

There is a possibility that, while on a routine business trip, he was ‘invited’ to a place called ‘Tamra’—a yet-unknown space—where the message now hinted at his death.

Or, conversely, that Supervisor Kim Soleum had been chosen as the final sacrifice for Tamra Express.

----------------------------------------

Tak.

The writer stopped typing.

Not because he didn’t know what to write next—

“Section Chief.”

“Assistant Manager Eun Haje.”

—but because he had a visitor.

In the dim office, Lee Jaheon lifted his head.

Standing at the door, arms crossed, was Eun Haje, her expression worn and hollow.

“You need to stop now, sir.”

“…….”

“How many more times are you going to conduct these interviews? Even the directors have lost interest.”

Eun Haje walked into the office.

Her gaze swept over the vacant seat, as though confirming, once again, that the colleague who once sat there was truly gone.

All that remained was the sentence in the official report: Presumed deceased as of January 2nd.

“It’s already been a month.”

Now, standing before the desk of the now squad-less D-squad leader, she continued.

“After a month of no news, sometimes you have to know when to give up. …Writing reports isn’t going to bring back the dead.”

“…….”

“And the Dream Essence Collector data was ultimately marked as death-confirmed.”

She was right.

----------------------------------------

The Dream Essence Collector’s record had confirmed the missing employee’s groans and brief murmured phrases, such as, ‘Is that so?’

It has been meaningfully inferred that this is part of the psychotic symptoms observed in the Tamra Express, a dark anomaly that occurred during the elite team’s assignment.

Statistical projections estimate that the probability of deep contamination or death for the employee in question exceeds 80%.

----------------------------------------

Additionally, per protocol, if the Dream Essence Collector is returned and no significant developments are reported within 30 days, the employee is automatically declared deceased in the system.

In other words, this matter is already settled.

“…He’s already been added to today’s termination list, Section Chief.”

Supervisor Kim Soleum (Employment contract terminated due to death.)

…By the time it reached that stage, death was usually certain.

Assistant Manager Eun Haje rubbed her face before speaking again.

“…The company won’t support this anymore. You know how it is. We don’t waste money or time on the dead.”

All the searches and repeated reviews had only been approved because Kim Soleum was an exceptional and talented employee.

But there were no manuals detailing what had triggered the Tamra Express Darkness, and it had not reoccurred even once in the past month.

“Is there even any point in organizing all this? Haven’t you thought about stopping?”

“Yes.”

“…….”

Did he mean to say that there is still a point to this? Or that he did consider stopping?

“What’s your reason?”

“Because Supervisor Kim Soleum is not dead.”

“…!!”

Eun Haje’s eyes widened.

Lee Jaheon was not the kind of person to blindly cling to hope.

Which meant—he truly believed this.

And Lee Jaheon wasn’t someone who believed things without reason.

Which meant—he had proof.

“W-Why do you think that?!”

“There’s a hint.”

Lee Jaheon recalled something.

A seemingly unrelated incident from late last year.

– Please take care of this.

Before heading into the Darkness, Kim Soleum had entrusted him with something for half a day.

A small stuffed toy.

– My goodness. Are you truly entrusting me to an unimaginative blade grunt such as this? Mr. Roe Deer!

That stuffed toy, speaking in its strangely old-fashioned and eerie tone.

Of course, Lee Jaheon had not responded.

He was supposed to be a well-mannered person of modern sensibilities, and thus saw no obligation to entertain a talking plushie.

However.

Something about the way it spoke felt familiar.

And then, there was the site of Kim Soleum’s disappearance.

In the train restroom, all of Kim Soleum’s company-related belongings had been scattered haphazardly across the floor.

Yet, Lee Jaheon’s focus had not been on that.

Instead, his eyes had gone straight to the writing on the mirror.

Because—he had recognized the handwriting.

“Compare these.”

He pulled out the developed photograph of the mirror message and placed it alongside an old, worn-out postcard that had been carefully stored away, untouched for years.

Even retrieving this single postcard had taken weeks of authorization.

“This is…”

A remnant from a broadcast-themed Darkness that D-squad had cleared multiple times.

But in the most recent expedition, an unexpected event had resulted in an entire squad being wiped out—

And thanks to the quick thinking of one employee, D-squad had barely escaped with some A-grade Dream Essence.

A Darkness so unusual that its classification was still under review, bouncing between the Research Team and the Assessment Division.

Quiz Show Application Form

To :

From :

“…Tuesday Talk Show!”

The handwriting was the exact same.

Lee Jaheon nodded.

“Supervisor Kim Soleum is there.”

No matter what form he may have taken.

A studio bathed in blinding lights.

A thunderous applause erupted from the audience, rolling over the stage like a tidal wave.

[Thank you! Thank you!]

The crowd, still intoxicated by the thrill of the final segment, whistled and cheered in pure excitement.

The host pressed a dramatic hand to his chest, feigning deep emotion.

[Oh dear, with this kind of response… Haha, shall we start from the very beginning again? You are currently watching Braun’s Late-Night Talk Sh— Goodness.]

WAAAAAH!

The host let out an exaggerated flinch at the overwhelming cheers—before his TV screen face returned to a grinning expression.

[Unfortunately, before the furious advertisers come storming in, we must endure a heart-wrenching farewell! But don’t be too disheartened! We’ll meet again tomorrow!]

The house band struck up an energetic, playful tune, signaling the end of the talk show.

The host steps to the center of the studio, bowing politely with his TV head tilted forward.

[To all our viewers who tuned in today! Those watching from the depths of the underground in repentance, those sobbing in regret, and even those joining us from EPUB viewers.]

[Tomorrow at exactly 11:33 PM, we shall meet again… Have a wonderful night!]

As the band’s finale swells to its peak, the host raises both hands, acknowledging the thunderous applause.

And then—

[Cut!]

The show ends.

Click.

Everything falls silent.

The audience vanishes.

The once dazzling lights blink out, leaving only a few soft overhead fixtures illuminating the now-empty seats.

Crew members flood the stage, swiftly moving to reset the set and attend to the performers.

I am among them.

Or rather—

[Mr. Soleum!]

The host is calling me over.

[Come over here. That was splendid! Your choices in themes and guest selection are truly fascinating. Every time, you pick the most fitting candidates…]

Hmm. That’s a bit embarrassing.

Though, honestly—

‘It’s just thanks to the <Dark Exploration Records>.’

This talk show, ‘Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show,’ feels almost like an entertaining rundown of Dark Exploration Records to me.

The only difference is—it’s far more immersive and thrilling.

After all, we actually bring in residents of urban legends and ghost stories for interviews.

We brief the audience on recent supernatural events, spin humor from them, and experiment with bizarre concepts in front of a live crowd.

Sometimes, a guest, still believing they’re in a dream, will recklessly attempt something dangerous.

And the thrill of watching it all unfold from the sidelines, balancing on that knife’s edge between terror and comedy, is exactly what makes this show work.

Plus, the audience seems to be arriving through more than just postcards these days.

All things considered… I only bring up a few interesting ghost stories once or twice a week, yet every time, they rave about how incredible my insight is.

‘…This job is surprisingly easy.’

I don’t think I’ve ever had work that felt this effortless and fun.

[Ah, this past month has been an absolute delight! And I’m thrilled to share some wonderful news with you…]

The TV face flickers with a smiling, watery-eyed expression.

[Our show has broken another viewership record.]

“…!”

[The growth curve is downright terrifying! And so, let me ask— Mr. Soleum, do you find this fun and enjoyable?]

His tone is filled with absolute confidence, yet there’s the slightest hint of nervous anticipation.

Seriously.

With a smile, I nodded.

“It’s fun.”

[Isn’t it?]

[Ah, but of course. This legendary host already knew. That this would be the most fulfilling workplace for you, Mr. Soleum.]

The TV head beams.

And I, feeling at ease, let out a small smile as well.

I am not afraid.

There is nothing here that threatens me.

I create content—I don’t have to live through it!

So then, working here means I’ll never have to live in constant fear again… Well, it’s only natural that there’s some pressure to perform well, but that’s just the normal kind of stress people need to function in their daily lives, right?

This is fine.

[However, there is one thing that stands out to me. Just a moment…]

Braun rests a hand on my shoulder, leaning in.

[We’re hitting a plateau. The segments are starting to feel a bit… repetitive.]

Ah.

[Don’t you think it’s time for something more provocative? Something bolder, Mr. Soleum? Here, in this independent, investor-free production, there are no limits. We can do whatever we want… And.]

Griiip.

…The host’s grip on my shoulder tightens.

[This past month, your dedication has been astonishing. Your adaptation was swift. Your achievements were spectacular.]

[You are more than capable.]

…I should work harder.

I tried to nod, feeling slightly nervous.

But at that moment—

The host said something completely unexpected.

[So… I believe the time has come.]

[For you to stand beside me—not as crew, but as a guest.]

“…!”

[I speak with complete sincerity—you are already qualified. Oh, Mr. Soleum. My friend. Let us share stories together and bring joy to our audience.]

[A fresh face will serve as an excellent stimulant for the viewers as well.]

“…No, it’s fine. I don’t really enjoy standing in front of an audience—”

[Oh, now, now! Dismissing the idea so quickly wounds this Braun’s heart! Let’s think it over, shall we?]

His grip on my shoulder tightened once more.

[In this Braun’s eyes, you have an undeniable gift for showmanship. This is the realm of natural talent.]

[Do you remember? The way you played both prophet and cult leader aboard that train over the sea? That is something only the truly gifted can do. Yes, indeed.]

[But, my very dear friend, if you’re too anxious, we can start small. Just a few minutes—no, just a few seconds on stage.]

[Why not consider it more casually?]

……

That doesn’t seem so bad, does it?

Now that I think about it, I never really thought I couldn’t do it.

‘If you work, you should aim for results.’

In the end, feeling a little self-conscious, I nodded.

“…Alright. If it’s just a small role.”

[That’s the spirit! Excellent.]

The TV head beamed.

[And so humble, too—just as expected from my show’s MVP. Isn’t that right?]

[Since you joined our talk show, there hasn’t been a single dull day!]

Come to think of it, has it really been a month already?

Time had passed without me even realizing it.

Busy, fun, fulfilling.

‘Even the staff are surprisingly kind.’

I gave a small nod of thanks to a coordinator who handed me a bottle of water before disappearing, then—without much thought—asked Braun a question.

“By the way, why do all the staff here have no faces?”

[Ah, that’s a sign of their deep consideration for the show. They chose it themselves to prevent unexpected sounds—sneezes, coughs, or any unintended noises—from disrupting a live broadcast.]

“…That’s some serious professionalism. Um, then, do I… need to lose my face, too—”

[What nonsense, Mr. Soleum?!]

Whoa.

[For those who step onto the stage, expression and presence are essential! Expressiveness is the heart of entertainment!]

[Ah, of course, if you truly insist… there is an alternative. Just a moment.]

Tak.

The host grabbed my chin.

And examined me, as if calculating something…

[Hmm. Of course, removing your face is an option. However, I’d rather craft you a most exquisite… mask instead.]

That’s…

……

“I’ll think about it some other time.”

[Right? Hah! It would be a shame to lose such a fine face.]

The host let go.

As I watched Braun’s beaming smile, I found myself smiling as well.

[Ah, I must prepare for the next broadcast. Let’s see… Oh, today’s audience is… office workers! We must bring them some well-earned joy.]

[So… Mr. Soleum, will you be stepping onto the stage tonight?]

“I’ll do my best.”

[Splendid. Absolutely splendid…. It shall be a magnificent debut, Mr. Soleum!]

Mm-hmm. That would be great.

Chapter 122 - [Braun's Tuesday Quiz Show], III

Just before the live talk show begins, the backstage is bustling with activity.

The silent staff move in perfect coordination, checking and handling situations in real-time.

“Phew.”

I took a deep breath.

By now, I could understand their expressions more clearly—

The whispers of the faceless staff.

– Additional lighting for spot #5.

– Mr. Host’s shoes need replacement.

– Verify cushion placement for the guest.

Each of them worked diligently in their respective roles, all striving to create a great show.

And since the host never failed to personally acknowledge each of them for their efforts, the atmosphere always remained lively.

It was honestly a great workplace.

At first, the fact that my colleagues had no faces had been unsettling, but now—I think I’ve completely adjusted!

‘Humans really are creatures of their environment, huh?’

I could never get used to entering ghost stories no matter how many times I did it, so… maybe, just maybe, Braun was right—it might really have been a matter of matching aptitude.

‘It’s fine.’

I habitually checked the silver ring on my finger before finally stepping onto the stage.

“…Huu.”

Today was the day.

The day I would appear in a segment of ‘Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show’ for the first time.

[Mr. Soleum!]

The host, already prepped and ready, approached me.

[Your outfit suits you perfectly. Yes, very well… oh my! Makeup, let’s cover this tattoo a little more thoroughly.]

The host meticulously checked even the tattoo peeking out from beneath my suit sleeve.

In the blink of an eye, the tattoo vanished without a trace.

And before long, I safely reached my designated seat—just in time for the live broadcast.

[Excellent. Very good… Now, Mr. Soleum, the cameras will go live any moment now.]

“Yes.”

[And soon, the audience will be seated before you—so just focus on entertaining them. Now then, we’re starting…]

The countdown appeared on the retro prompter in front of me.

3.

2.

1.

0.

[Good evening! The joy of the night, the fresh new face you meet every day, and… your friendly host!]

Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show

As the studio lights flashed and the band played—

The live broadcast began.

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

“What… what the hell?”

The audience seats filled up in an instant.

One by one, people materialized in their chairs—each with an expression of confusion or shock as they found themselves in the dazzling studio.

“Why am I wearing this?”

All of them were dressed in various office outfits—as expected for our special ‘Corporate Workers’ episode.

[Welcome, hardworking professionals! Tonight, we have an exhilarating, eye-catching, spine-chillingly entertaining talk show just for you—guaranteed to wash away the fatigue of your day!]

Clap, clap, clap…

Braun clapped alone, then flashed a sheepish and sad emoticon on his TV screen.

[…No applause? Not even one?]

Clap! Clapclapclapclapclap!!

The bewildered audience hurriedly clapped along.

“What the hell is this…?”

“Eh, well… he’s good-looking, so let’s just go with it.”

Beside me, two office workers—who seemed to know each other—murmured before clapping again.

The host engaged with the audience one by one, gradually warming up the room.

There was something a little eerie about the atmosphere, but ultimately, the jokes were funny, the topics were intriguing, and the news was a mix of horrifying yet fascinating updates.

“Ah.”

As the tension eased, the audience began to naturally accept the surreal environment.

Like watching a magician’s act or an elaborate sci-fi film, their familiarity with fictional content blurred the boundaries between reality and the show.

And then—it happened.

[Tonight’s guest is… Oh, here they come now!]

The glittering star-shaped bulbs lit up as the ornate guest entrance swung open.

The guest I had chosen…

…Toddled in.

A ragged teddy bear.

Its button eyes were mismatched, its stitching uneven—but it was rather cute.

[Isn’t it just adorable? Allow me to introduce tonight’s guest… ‘Happy Ending Teddy’!]

As the small bear settled onto the sofa, murmurs rippled through the audience.

“What the hell is that?”

“Wait, it’s actually cute.”

“It’s moving… where are we? Is this a dream? What kind of talk show is this… oh, right, I signed up for an audience ticket!”

The murmur of confused whispers soon died down, all converging into a single reaction—

Fascination and immersion in this surreal talk show.

[This segment is sponsored by Delusion Home Shopping! Ah, yes, this is an industry-defining collector’s item—this is a limited edition item from 1999 that is no longer available for sale.]

[For those who treasure it until death, it grants the ‘Ending of Life’—a peaceful slumber. But for those who discard it? It will visit them at midnight and transform them into a doll just like itself!]

Braun stepped forward, holding a microphone to the teddy bear.

[How are you feeling? ……Oh, I see. You’re so overwhelmed that you want to visit your first owner’s grave and weep your heart out.]

“Hahahaha!”

The response was great.

I felt relieved.

Cute and friendly, yet undeniably eerie—the unsettling concept of an inanimate object gaining sentience and seeking revenge had always been a hit.

That was also why, with the Good Friend, I was also… No. Never mind.

‘Anyway, if the audience reaction is good, the viewers will likely enjoy it too.’

That was reassuring.

Since not all viewers were human, the structure of the talk show was designed to let them enjoy the audience’s reactions—as if they were watching a reaction video.

Fascinating.

A story is always best enjoyed from a safe distance.

[Now then, let’s hear our guest’s story and recent updates!]

The show progressed smoothly.

The ‘Happy Ending Teddy’ shared, through the host, a bittersweet farewell with its kind owner—followed by a chilling tale of cruelty and satisfying revenge.

The presentation was enriched with props, photographs, and illustrations to heighten the immersion and atmosphere.

And finally—the climax.

[Ah, so the one who burned you with a cigarette and beat the child who played with you… is actually sitting right there, in the audience!]

[That person is… YOU!]

BAM!

A spotlight illuminated a single audience member.

[Come on up… Haha! Let’s welcome our second guest with a round of applause.]

It was the previous owner—the one who had discarded the teddy bear.

They had been planted among the audience.

Now, they were brought onto the stage…

…where the ‘Happy Ending Teddy’ would personally transform them into a new teddy bear.

Screams and blood splattered across the stage, but the audience—deeply immersed—felt a mix of horror and catharsis.

Some at the front row, having been handed raincoats by the staff, even applauded.

Just like reading a thrilling horror story.

[Ah, fantastic. We now have one more adorable teddy bear.]

[Isn’t this wonderful? A guest who even generates additional value! Let’s give a big round of applause to our dear ‘Happy Ending Teddy’!]

WOOOOOOO!!!

The teddy bear trembled slightly before bowing happily to the crowd.

And at this moment…

[Now, let’s move on to the next segment : Q&A!]

Braun cupped one hand over his speaker, as if listening.

[Are you there? My friend!]

This is it!

“Right here, Friend!”

I shot up from my seat in the audience, raising my hand high.

Gasps erupted from those seated around me.

And above my head—

A glowing sign lit up.

Tell Braun’s Friend

All About It!

[For the next 100 seconds, my friend here will ask the audience for their thoughts on the show or any fun questions! Those who give great answers will win fabulous prizes—so let’s participate! Now then…]

A digital clock appeared on Braun’s TV face.

[Starting now!]

Whoosh.

Hands shot up across the audience.

I pointed at myself, looking mildly bewildered.

“Wait, you’re all raising your hands without even hearing my introduction or question…?”

Laughter.

“Ah, you’re rushing because there’s a time limit? I, see… al-ri-ght… then…”

I deliberately dragged out my words agonizingly slowly.

The laughter grew louder.

Good.

“First question: What was the absolute most boring moment of this show?”

[FRIEND!!]

“A moment so dull you thought you could do a better job yourself?!”

Braun’s perfectly-timed reaction triggered more scattered bursts of laughter.

From the front row—where people were still drenched in the blood of the transformed guest—some audience members enthusiastically took off their raincoats and waved them.

I hurried over to them, microphone in hand.

“Now.”

[Oooooh!]

Laughter erupted again. I deliberately looked at the audience member with an expression of deep betrayal, as if asking, How could you say that?!, before smoothly transitioning to the next question.

Perhaps because the previous segment had been so entertaining, the audience’s reaction far exceeded my expectations.

It was almost hypnotic.

‘This is kinda… fun?’

For some reason, I felt a little exhilarated.

The 100 seconds passed in an instant, and just as we were nearing the final moments, the microphone was passed to an audience member.

“If you could make one request to this talk show, what would it be?”

I excitedly called out the question, and the audience enthusiastically shouted back.

“I want to take that teddy bear home!”

Ah.

“You can’t.”

……

Silence fell over the audience.

And the stage.

“……”

Why did I say that? No—damage control first.

I quickly raised my eyebrows, making it seem like I had deliberately given a curt response. Then, with a knowing nod, I added,

“Our dear guest, Mr. Teddy Bear, says they don’t want a serious relationship with a busy, overworked professional who has no time for them.”

“What?!”

The ‘Happy Ending Teddy’ frantically waved its tiny arms from the sofa, as if protesting. I solemnly nodded at the bear’s reaction and relayed the message to the audience.

“They really don’t want to.”

“…?!”

The teddy bear toppled over. The audience burst into laughter.

“Just kidding. They’d be delighted to go with you.”

“Wow! That’s amazing! A natural death has always been my dream.”

“For real? Me too.”

Grinning, I high-fived the audience member.

Phew. Crisis averted.

‘Next!’

I quickly turned to find the next person to ask a question.

And then—

I froze.

The next person to raise their hand the fastest—was wearing an all-too-familiar outfit.

“…!!”

I stared blankly.

A faceless office worker in a suit and mask.

‘…A Field Exploration Team member from Daydream Inc.’

My old workplace.

And among them…

‘…The guys from D-squad.’

Three people I knew, sitting together.

How were all three of them here? No—D-squad should only have Chief Lizard left, right? So how…?

[Ding! Time’s up!]

Ah.

[Now! Friend, let me ask you. Who is today’s MVP audience member?]

“Today’s MVP is…”

I pointed at the last audience member.

“Our guest’s new adopter!”

“Ooooooh!”

[Hahaha! Wishing you a happy natural death!]

The chosen audience member sat back down happily, receiving a beautifully wrapped gift.

The ‘Happy Ending Teddy’ was staring at them intently.

“……”

With that, my segment came to a close. As I stepped offstage, I was met with the applause of the audience.

My heart was pounding.

‘I did it.’

And just then—

[Now, let’s introduce our next guest. Ah, but before that…]

[We’ll be right back after these messages!]

Noooooo!

The audience booed and cheered as Braun laughed and waved them into the mid-show ad break.

Phew!

[Mr. Soleum!]

Braun’s TV screen displayed a massive grinning emoticon as he approached me backstage. He swapped to an awestruck face and held up a hand for a high-five.

Then, as if he were truly proud, he patted my shoulder.

[Friend. You did an amazing job! I can’t believe that was your first time hosting a segment. That was a truly impressive 100 seconds. Ah, I’m simply in awe…]

“I don’t think it was that great…”

[No! This isn’t flattery or empty praise—it’s genuine admiration. You’re starting to feel passion for this show, and that’s making you even better at it.]

That was… a good thing.

“Um, by the way.”

I smiled.

“…There were some familiar faces in the audience. Would it be alright if I went to chat with them? Just for a bit during the break. It won’t take long……”

[Ah.]

The host paused.

And then—

[Of course. It’s break time, after all. Feel free to chat.]

Whew.

I got permission! What a relief.

“Alright, then—”

[Wait.]

A hand gripped my shoulder.

[Just one thing. Do not say anything that might make the audience feel out of place… Oh, and don’t forget. Even when the cameras are off, the audience still sees you as part of the show.]

“…I understand.”

The TV host’s face loomed over me.

[You’ll keep that in mind, won’t you?]

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

[Excellent!]

I took a step back, retreating from the host.

Then, I descended from the stage, making my rounds among the audience with the staff, checking in as if ensuring everything was running smoothly.

And finally… I arrived at a familiar spot, where recognizable masks had gathered.

Familiar masks.

“Roe…?”

“…Assistant Manager.”

There they were—Section Chief Lee Jaheon, Assistant Manager Eun Haje… and even Supervisor Park Minseong.

‘Wow.’

Seeing them like this… It felt surreal.

It was like I’d gone back in time, to just before we entered the ‘Hungry Hangman’ Darkness.

“I never thought I’d see you all here! It’s good to see you. Have you all been well?”

Chief Lizard and Assistant Manager Eun Haje both nodded.

Supervisor Park Minseong, making eye contact with me, gave a smile and a wave. He looked a little pale—but otherwise, healthy.

It’s such a relief to see that he had recovered enough to go out at night and do other things like this.

“Yeah, we’re doing fine… But, Roe. Are you okay? How have you been?”

“Ah. I’ve been doing well.”

That, I could confidently say.

But in the end, I couldn’t hold back my curiosity.

“Actually, today was my first appearance on the show… I was wondering what you thought of it. I was a little nervous.”

Silence.

“It was very good.”

“…Thank you.”

Phew.

The pause was a little unsettling, but Assistant Manager Eun Haje wasn’t the type to give empty praise.

I decided not to overthink it.

“By the way, have you eaten today?”

“Eaten? I…”

Oh.

Come to think of it… it had been a while since I last ate.

Since before the broadcast, maybe?

Or was it back on the train, before I switched jobs?

Something like that.

But my body felt perfectly fine, so it wasn’t a problem!

Besides, this wasn’t the time or place for a personal conversation like that.

I waved a hand dismissively, smiling.

“I’m fine without it.”

“……”

Supervisor Park Minseong quickly searched his pockets and pulled something out.

“Roe, still… It’s break time, right? How about a snack? Here…”

He held out a small, old-fashioned candy.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I can only accept gifts from the audience through official channels. It’s a policy to keep things fair and clean.”

I politely declined.

The expression on Supervisor Park’s face dimmed.

“Ah…”

…Did I do something wrong?

I thought hard, then came up with a compromise.

“Don’t worry. I have the exact same candy with me—I’ll eat that instead.”

“…!”

“Alright.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje reached out and shook my hand.

Her hand was warm.

“Make sure you eat it.”

“……”

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

Ah.

Section Chief Lizard was looking at me.

“That button. Press it.”

“……?”

I had no idea what he meant.

But showing confusion wouldn’t be professional.

“Of course. I’ll do my best. In any case, enjoy the show. Rest well tonight, and good luck tomorrow.”

I hoped that tonight’s broadcast had been a brief moment of joy in their exhausting lives.

Was this… what Braun meant?

The feeling of a show creator?

I glanced at their reactions.

‘Their masks make it hard to read their expressions…’

Wait.

If they’re wearing masks…

Were they in the middle of a Darkness exploration?

If so—I should reassure them!

“Ah, if you’re here for ‘work’, don’t worry. There is no danger. You can just enjoy the show and leave.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes! This place is completely safe.”

Honestly, it was one of the easiest Darknesses to clear.

Even easier than Tuesday Talk Show.

‘After all, no regular audience members ever die!’

If we wanted something more intense, we could have set up brutal punishments like in Tuesday Talk Show.

But for now, the show was lighthearted enough that even the audience could comfortably enjoy the poetic justice being served.

For that, I felt a little grateful to Braun.

But Supervisor Park Minseong slowly shook his head.

“We didn’t come here for work.”

Huh?

“…We came to see you, Roe.”

……Me?

“Roe. How did you even end up in this situation—”

[Goodness, Friend!]

“…!”

The host gestured from the stage.

Right. The commercial break was almost over. That meant… the show was about to resume!

“I’ll be heading back up now. See you next time! Ah, this next segment is going to be really fun, so… just sit back and enjoy.”

“Wait, that—”

I didn’t hear the rest.

With a quick farewell to the audience, I dashed back to the stage.

The lights were blinding.

The talk show ended with thunderous applause and cheers.

[Thank you, everyone! We’ll see you again tomorrow at 11:33 PM!]

As always, Braun wrapped up the broadcast seamlessly, and once the lights went down, he turned his attention to the staff and crew.

And of course, I did the same.

I was staring at the now-empty audience seats when I snapped out of it—just in time to receive Braun’s praise.

[So? It was fun, wasn’t it, Mr. Soleum? More than you expected?]

“Yeah. Um… It was better than I thought.”

[That makes me very happy! Excellent. I’ve spoken to the writers, and from now on, you’ll be appearing about once or twice a week. As ‘Braun’s Friend’!]

“Ah… yeah.”

The recognition made my stomach churn. But I should just accept it happily!

Then, the host asked casually,

[Ah. Did you enjoy catching up with your old coworkers, Friend? I saw you speaking with them in the audience.]

“…! Yeah. It was nice seeing them after so long.”

[I see. I’m very curious—what delightful conversation did you have?]

“Ah, they were just checking if I’d been eating properly.”

[Aha! But of course. Our show always provides a dedicated catering service for the staff’s health and well-being—]

The TV screen flickered.

[…Wait. You haven’t eaten anything at all, have you, Mr. Roe Deer? You never even applied for the personal catering service. Unbelievable! And after I explained everything on your first day.]

Well… it just felt like a hassle.

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling a little sheepish.

“I’ve been fine without it.”

[Good heavens! Are you trying to make me look like a terrible business partner who neglects his friend? No, no, this was my failing. The new crew members have been busy adjusting that they must have overlooked this. So this Braun should have paid more attention, especially as your friend…]

Braun held out his hand.

[There is a saying: ‘Inspiration and ideas come from good health.’ Let’s make a promise that this won’t happen again.]

Hmm.

I didn’t feel any different, honestly. I wasn’t even hungry. If anything, I felt better than ever.

“Alright. I’ll try.”

[Ah, my dear friend has already started using those dreadful industry-standard phrases!]

Braun let out a mock-scolding sigh, but didn’t press the matter further.

It was break time, after all.

[Just in case you forget—remember, the best shows come from well-rested minds, Mr. Soleum!]

“Yes, I understand. I’ll see you in a bit.”

With that, we parted ways.

I walked past the staff, through the backstage corridors, and finally reached my dressing room.

Click.

I stepped inside, rolled up one sleeve, and looked down at my arm.

Beneath the makeup, my tattoos were hidden from view.

“…Hmm.”

Interesting. It seemed that as long as they were covered, they wouldn’t activate.

‘Now that the live broadcast is over, I should wipe this off.’

I rubbed at my skin, removing the makeup.

: Socius :

: 恩主 :

I reached into the tattoo that functioned as my inventory and pulled something out.

‘It’s been a while, huh?’

Resting in my palm was a single piece of Nostalgia Candy.

‘I did say I’d eat it, after all.’

I wasn’t hungry.

I wasn’t tired.

But after a brief hesitation…

I unwrapped it.

And put it in my mouth.

Suddenly—

Chapter 123 - [Braun's Tuesday Quiz Show], IV

[Oh dear.]

The Nostalgia Candy in my hand disappeared.

“…!”

[Good heavens! Mr. Roe Deer, have you been surviving on candy alone?]

“Haha…”

[That’s not good at all!]

Like magic, the missing Nostalgia Candy appeared in Braun’s gloved hand, only to vanish once again with a flourish.

…Completely gone.

“……”

Ah, was I supposed to applaud?

Clap, clap, clap…

As I clapped my hands together, Braun bowed theatrically like a magician.

“Um, where did the candy—”

[Mr. Roe Deer, your first meal in a month was going to be an ancient, dusty old candy? Oh, this is an insult to catering itself!]

Snap.

The host snapped his fingers.

[Some say the passion for creation is born from hunger, but… my philosophy is a bit different!]

[First, let’s have a proper meal.]

At Braun’s request, the faceless staff opened the door to my dressing room, greeting me cheerfully.

A white tablecloth was laid over the table in the corner of the room, and in perfect synchronization, dishes were set one after another.

Steam rose from the plates—Western cuisine.

A full-course meal that should have been served dish by dish was instead arranged all at once.

[Since you didn’t submit a request, Mr. Roe Deer, I took the liberty of selecting tonight’s menu.]

[Once you finish eating, you’ll feel revitalized…]

“……”

…That’s when I realized it had been a long time since I’d last seen warm food.

Seated across from me, the host’s TV screen displayed a cheerful emoticon as he waved his utensils from side to side.

Bon appétit!!

…Somehow, the surroundings felt darker.

It was as if the spotlight was focused solely on the meal in front of me…

Glint.

My silver ring reflected the light from the table, momentarily catching the glow before being overpowered by the shine of the fork.

“……”

I hesitated, then picked up the utensils.

But as I debated what to eat first…

[And for your drink… Ah, Mr. Roe Deer. You mentioned you liked grapes, didn’t you?]

“……!”

With a smooth motion, a curved glass bottle filled with ruby-red liquid landed on the table.

A bottle of wine.

[This is an exquisite vintage. A gift I received while hosting the quiz show. But now, it seems fitting to open it in celebration of your successful debut, my friend…]

Absentmindedly, I read the label’s production year.

1999.

The same year the ‘Happy Ending Teddy’—tonight’s guest—had been released.

“…Did you match the vintage to the guest’s production year?”

[Ah, I do appreciate an observant audience! That’s correct!]

[It’s a congratulatory gesture. After all, this was your first time on stage!]

[Ah, such details are essential for any great entertainer. Mr. Soleum, I hope this serves as a valuable lesson…]

Braun personally uncorked the wine.

The ruby-red liquid swirled into the crystal glass before being placed in front of me.

[Now… shall we have a toast?]

……Hmm.

Refusing at this point would feel awkward, but for some reason, I wasn’t particularly eager.

[…Oh dear. Does it not suit your taste, Mr. Roe Deer? It seems I’ve failed to understand my friend’s preferences. How shameful for a host…]

“No, that’s not it.”

Feeling pressured, I quickly lifted the glass—

And drank.

……

“It’s good.”

[Isn’t it? Please, enjoy it at your leisure…]

“Alright.”

I picked up my utensils.

“……”

The meal continued.

Strangely, the more I ate and drank, the clearer my mind became.

As if my exhausted body was finally absorbing much-needed nutrients… No, that wasn’t just a metaphor. That was exactly what was happening.

‘I thought I was in good condition.’

Maybe I was more drained than I realized.

……

…Wait, hold on!

‘Of course I’d be feeling like this—I haven’t eaten in a month!’

Logically speaking, there’s no way a human could go a whole month without eating and still be fine.

‘I should be dead.’

Goodness. Am I only realizing this now?

[Hmm? Mr. Roe Deer, is something wrong with the food?]

“No. That’s not it.”

I resumed eating.

With every bite, my thoughts sharpened.

‘Even if I wasn’t fully corrupted by this Darkness, I must have been affected in some way.’

Had my mind been foggy this entire time?

Even after arriving here, all I did was throw myself into work.

Had I been too giddy, thinking I was finally free from fear…?

Regardless—

‘I should confirm this.’

I instinctively reached for another piece of candy from my tattoo inventory but hesitated at the last second.

I’d need the great host’s permission, after all.

“Braun, could you return the candy you took earlier?”

[Hm?]

“I’ve eaten, so I figured I’d have a little dessert.”

[Oh… I see. Very well.]

Braun placed the candy back into my palm.

Nostalgia Candy.

[Here you go, Mr. Soleum!]

Now I remembered for sure.

‘This candy restores my body to its peak condition from the past ten years.’

This was how I survived in Sekwang Technical High.

‘Alright.’

I popped the candy into my mouth.

……

Hm.

‘No change at all?’

It just… felt like I had confirmed something I already knew.

‘This probably means that my current condition is the best it’s ever been.’

They say stress is the root of all illness—so maybe people really do need to find work that suits them.

From now on… I should at least try to eat properly instead of just working non-stop.

Even if working at a supernatural talk show made it feel like skipping meals didn’t affect me, it clearly had an impact.

‘Now that I think about it, working non-stop was a bit strange too.’

Placing my now-empty wine glass on the table, I spoke with a serious tone.

“Braun. No matter how I think about it, I need to bring this up.”

[Hmm?]

“My employment contract. Shouldn’t we discuss things like vacation time and salary?”

[Oh… Mr. Soleum.]

Braun gave me an unenthusiastic look, out of character for him, then pressed a hand to his forehead. His TV screen displayed a sighing emoticon.

[Of course, my show’s crew members are guaranteed ample vacation time and silver. I must say, I’m baffled—what exactly were you told on your first day?]

Oh…

‘Was I too out of it from not eating?’

Come to think of it, my memories of the first few days here were oddly hazy.

I even seemed to have lost all my belongings from Daydream Inc… What a mess.

“Sorry. But I’d still like to negotiate my work conditions properly now.”

[Of course, Mr. Roe Deer!]

With a full stomach and a clear mind, I had a fierce negotiation session with the host.

The final contract included two days off per week, summer and winter vacation leaves, 50 Silver Coins of the Uncanny, and a biannual performance-based bonus…

Not bad.

[Then, let’s finalize the contract by the end of this week!]

“Got it.”

[Now you’ll be officially employed at the talk show. Ah, that’s right—while hosting today’s live broadcast, I had a sudden burst of inspiration!]

[That’s why I originally stopped by your dressing room. But when I saw you breaking your month-long fast with candy, I was so shocked that I lost my train of thought. Good heavens!]

“Haha… um. Sorry. So, what was the idea?”

Braun pointed at my forearm with his gloved hand.

[Your tattoos, Mr. Roe Deer.]

Ah.

I lifted my arm and glanced at the text.

The makeup had started wearing off, leaving my forearm blotchy and uneven.

[It must be a hassle to get makeup done every time you appear on the show. Oh, and knowing you, Mr. Roe Deer—you’d rather work through your break than sit still for that! So, with that in mind…]

[Why not erase them completely?]

“……”

[Think about it! It’ll save time and free you from unnecessary burdens…]

“Wait a second.”

[‘Wait a second’? Aha, is there something bothering you?]

“These tattoos have been useful in a lot of ways.”

[Haha! Oh, come now!]

[That was back when you were suffering at that joyless, underpaid job!]

[But now, Mr. Soleum, you’re part of this splendid talk show! No matter where you go, you’ll be treated well. You could even get free sundae ice cream at boutique parlors. Come, come—let’s clean up these messy little scribbles.]

Hmm.

“I still think… I could have some fun using these.”

Especially the inventory tattoo.

‘It could even be used for some entertaining moments on the show.’

Like pulling out props from my arm as if by magic, surprising the audience.

Even if I didn’t step on stage, it’d still be useful—helping the staff move sets or lights in a pinch.

“Why should I get rid of something that’s already useful? Really, I’m only asking because I don’t understand.”

[Hmmm.]

Braun clasped his hands together.

[I see, Mr. Soleum. Now that you’ve eaten and regained your strength, you’re showing more of your true self… Very good!]

[In that case, I’ll look into alternatives. I’ll find something that offers a similar effect.]

[You’re even aiming for a magician’s tricks now! Such passion—it’s truly moving! Haha!]

Braun’s TV screen displayed an emoticon wiping away tears.

[Then, enjoy the rest of your break, Friend!]

“Yeah. Thanks.”

The host watched as the catering staff thoroughly cleaned up my dressing room before finally waving goodbye and stepping out.

“Phew.”

I sat down on the sofa.

Since I wasn’t scheduled to appear in the next show, and the guest booking and production meetings for this week were already done, I had some free time.

‘Might as well do some organizing.’

If my tattoos might be erased, it wouldn’t hurt to go through my inventory and sort things out.

And since I’d just realized I lost my old belongings from Daydream Inc., I should also take stock of what I still had.

Tak.

I reached into my inventory tattoo and started pulling out items, laying them out on the table one by one.

‘Most of them are still intact.’

Everything except items from the company was intact, but the Bloodbathtub isn’t here either… Ah, that had been in the bathroom too. So, it was gone.

Even the company-issued special equipment was still perfectly fine.

Among them were things I hadn’t made myself—some were gifts.

“Oh.”

I pulled out a tiny black button.

…Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s comms button.

‘Could this be the button Section Chief Lee Jaheon was talking about?’

Hmm, it seemed like an invitation to stay in touch.

‘That’s thoughtful.’

I’d have to test it out once I got some vacation time. Smiling, I pocketed the button.

Then, past emergency rations, the Happy Maker, Bloodsucking Knife, Wrapper, and the Necronomicon…

I spotted the red button.

We Can Help! – ₩66,666,666

‘There’s no way he was talking about this button, right?’

This was something meant to be pressed only in a life-or-death emergency.

There was no reason to push it just because I had comfortably settled into my new job.

Absentmindedly, I placed it on the table.

‘Almost done.’

There was barely anything left inside my tattoo inventory… Oh, wait. One more thing.

A paper bag with a theme park mascot printed on it emerged.

Inside… was a dragon-shaped churro.

[Blue Soda Churros]

Wow.

‘I can’t even remember when I got this.’

Didn’t I sell one to a Disaster Management Bureau agent, then kept the rest?

Still, since I had stored it in my inventory tattoo, it hadn’t gone bad.

I was about to place it on the table when I got a strange feeling and took a closer look.

Previously unreadable text was now legible.

A Taste of Bliss

A Healthy Snack for Children

A healthy snack, huh.

‘…Is it safe to eat?’

Well, Braun did allow me some candy.

And he did tell me to eat properly!

‘If I erase my tattoos, it might go bad. I might as well eat it now while I still can.’

It’d be a waste otherwise.

‘Alright.’

I bit into the churro.

The crisp, popping texture was reminiscent of cheap junk food, but it melted in my mouth and went down easily.

And then.

And then—

“~~!!”

Something surged up from my throat.

Splish, splish, splish!

Dark blue water began pouring out of my mouth.

The salty scent of seawater filled the air.

“…!! ~!!”

It gushed out uncontrollably, flooding the talk show’s waiting room floor.

I—I couldn’t breathe!

I couldn’t breathe!!

‘W-What the hell—’

What kind of healthy snack was this, you goddamn—! No, no cursing! But what the hell do I—

No. Oxygen was running out. My mind was going blank. I was going to d-die—

…

‘That thing.’

We Can Help.

With the last of my strength, I slammed my hand onto the table.

My fingers fumbled desperately through the scattered items until—

The red button.

“~!!”

I wildly flailed my arm, slamming my palm down on it.

Water streamed from my eyes, nose, and ears.

‘S-Someone, help—’

And then.

BEEEEEEP!

A deafening alarm exploded inside my head.

EMERGENCY CALL

CONFIRMED

And my consciousness was wrenched away.

– Supervisor Kim Soleum.

“……”

– Supervisor Kim Soleum.

GASP—!!

What the ever-loving FUCK!

I jolted upright—

Or at least, I thought I did.

The world was pitch black.

……

There was nothing. I couldn’t see, I couldn’t feel. No touch. No smell. No sound. Nothing. Nothing! There’s nothing at all—

– Are you awake?

“…!!”

A familiar voice resonated in my head.

It was…

“…Squad Leader Lee Jaheon?”

– Yes.

And at that moment—

THUD!!

The entire world shook.

‘W-What the hell?!’

– Please hold on a moment.

A few seconds later—

Suddenly, my vision returned.

I saw… my waiting room, half-flooded with water.

The same scene I’d seen just before losing consciousness.

But I wasn’t seeing it directly.

It felt like I was watching through someone else’s eyes.

Like a CCTV feed, floating in front of me……

“……!”

The view shifted, scanning its surroundings.

The angle changed as if checking its own limbs.

My wrist tattoos flashed into view.

…That was my body.

Someone else was controlling my body!

– Moving now.

And my vision started walking.

Huh. Huh—?!

‘Hold on, don’t tell me—’

“W-Wait a second. Squad Leader, are you moving my body right now?”

– Yes.

I swallowed hard.

“…Was this triggered by the ‘We Can Help’ button?”

– Yes.

“……”

Wait a second.

Wait just one damn second!

The ‘We Can Help’ button—bought from an alien shop—had summoned Section Chief Lee Jaheon?!

“Squad Leader.”

I swallowed again.

“…Are you, by any chance, an alien from the Space Shopping Mall?”

– ? Yes.

AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

Chapter 124 - [Braun's Tuesday Quiz Show], V

Space Shopping Mall.

Also dubbed as the Alien Shop.

A bizarre creepypasta about a mysterious site that sells high-priced, supernatural, and extraordinary goods—the very place that had allowed me to acquire all kinds of useful items and equipment.

But now…

‘…Chief Lizard is one of the aliens from there?’

I tried to swallow—but then flinched, realizing I had no physical body.

Because right now, my body was being occupied by Chief Lizard.

So instead, I asked him directly.

A question so absurd, I could hardly believe I was saying it.

“…Are you the site owner of the Space Shopping Mall?”

And the answer was—

– No.

Oh.

‘Then what kind of connection does he have to the site?’

I was curious, but that wasn’t the priority right now.

The immediate crisis had been averted.

‘Phew.’

I looked at my dressing room through the CCTV-like view that my consciousness was observing.

The dark blue water that had flooded the floor was now pooling and fading away, leaving the room mostly intact, aside from a bit of a mess.

I still had no idea what exactly had happened, but from the looks of it, when I was ejected and Squad Leader Lee Jaheon took over my body, the situation had stabilized.

At the very least, I wasn’t vomiting water anymore.

‘That’s such a relief, seriously…’

Thanks to Squad Leader Lee Jaheon, my body hadn’t died. I let out a mental sigh of relief and spoke.

“Anyway, thank you. Now that things have settled, please… leave my body.”

– ………

“…Squad Leader Lee Jaheon?”

– Initiating emergency escape protocol via distress beacon.

My vision abruptly moved.

“…?!”

I—no, Squad Leader Lee Jaheon, in my body—suddenly swept all of my belongings from the table and stored them into the tattoo inventory.

Wait, what is he doing—

– In three minutes, I will authorize the ‘Sacred Fire’ bombardment…

What?

“W-Wait, please don’t do that.”

What kind of insane nonsense was this? Bombardment?!

“Why are you even using something like that right now?”

– As part of the distress beacon’s optional features, all available armed forces from the Coalition are mobilized until the user is transported to a secure location.

– In the process of extracting Supervisor Kim Soleum—

“Hold on a second!”

This damn lizard— no, this reptilian alien!

Grinding my metaphorical teeth, I demanded,

“Why do I even need to escape?”

His steps halted.

I hadn’t been in danger.

I had successfully changed jobs and was living a fulfilling, enjoyable life at this talk show.

So why the hell was he acting like this was some prison break?

It had already been over a month since I’d left Daydream Inc.

“I’ve settled in well at my new workplace, I’m doing fine, and there’s no danger at all.”

Honestly, I should be grateful this happened during my break—if this had happened during a live show or a meeting, I don’t even want to imagine the disaster it would’ve caused.

– I see.

Right.

So now that things were resolved, just return my body, and—

– When was the last time you slept?

“……”

That…

That was…

Before I joined this talk show. So…

A month ago.

– For an organism to survive, food and sleep are essential.

“……”

– The fact that you do not require them suggests that you are closer to a supernatural entity than a natural being.

Which meant…

I had become a ghost story.

“……That’s not true. I’m… I’m not corrupted. I can still think properly, and my sense of judgment hasn’t changed.”

– Is that so.

“Of course.”

– Then why was there water flooding your dressing room?

“Because… I ate a churro…”

– Are you referring to the ‘Healthy Snack for Children’ churro you claimed to have received from Cheerful Theme Park?

“……”

– Under normal circumstances, the probability that you would consume food of supernatural origin without hesitation would be extremely low.

– Why did you press the distress beacon?

“……Because… I was drowning. The water was so overwhelming that I couldn’t breathe.”

– And yet, in a state of suffocation, you chose to press an unknown, supernatural escape button without any knowledge of its origin or effect.

– You had once debated for hours whether to press this button in Death Lane, ultimately deciding against it after listening to your superior’s advice.

“But…”

– It is natural to seek help from others.

“……”

Had I…

Had I unknowingly started using ghost story artifacts as if they were just ordinary daily necessities?

– You have been bound to this Darkness.

“…! That’s— That’s not true!”

That, at least, I could confidently refute.

“I can leave whenever I want. If I just ask Mr. Host for vacation, I can leave.”

– ‘Mr. Host’.

– Is that what you have always called that talk show host?

“…!”

B, But…

Even if he was my business partner, Braun was still the one running this show.

So wasn’t it natural to address him respectfully when working?

I was starting to feel uneasy.

Squad Leader Lee Jaheon used to be my boss, but now that I had quit, he was nothing more than a passing acquaintance.

Wasn’t this level of interference in my personal life crossing a line?

Shouldn’t I feel offended?

– Supervisor Kim Soleum.

But right now, Section Chief Lee Jaheon was the one controlling my body.

No.

“D-Don’t launch those bombs. Do you know how much effort the staff put into this show?”

I desperately argued.

“And nobody is actually dying! So—”

– They die.

“……”

What did you just…

– Every audience member invited to this talk show receives a ‘Thank You’ card the next day. The card is sent to the medium through which they applied for tickets.

– And on this card, there are detailed instructions on how they can meet the ‘most impressive guest’ from that night’s episode.

“……”

– Some audience members become entirely entranced by the talk show.

– To meet the guest, they willingly step into the Darkness.

I felt a phantom heartbeat pounding through my nonexistent body.

I recalled the audience member from yesterday.

The one who had wanted to adopt the ‘Happy Ending Teddy’.

The way that teddy bear had stared at them.

At that moment, I felt it.

A deep, instinctive revulsion.

– We have confirmed at least three cases of audience members who were definitively killed or went missing.

“……”

My mind reeled.

My stomach lurched.

Even though I had no body, I still felt sick.

This was a mental reaction.

A reaction to the horrific realization that was dawning upon me.

“……”

What have I been doing all this time?

What kind of show was I working for?

But Braun, he… No.

No.

Braun never promised not to kill anyone from the audience.

He only promised that I wouldn’t be afraid.

I had simply convinced myself of the wrong conclusions.

‘Ghost stories…’

…Were always like this. Always.

“……”

– Supervisor Kim Soleum. You need to escape this talk show immediately.

My mind turned ice-cold.

“Squad Leader.”

I knew.

I wasn’t contaminated.

At least, not back when I made the decision at that train restroom.

But, but…

“I think I’ve… been looking at this all wrong.”

I had overlooked something.

A person doesn’t have to be contaminated to make bad decisions.

People fall for scams. People commit crimes. People make mistakes, have misunderstandings, and…

Sometimes, people believe in things they shouldn’t.

Maybe…

Maybe this was one of those times.

“For now… leaving the talk show and taking some time to think might not be a bad idea.”

I needed some time.

Time to be alone with my thoughts…

– Yes.

“But— no bombs!”

If I still had a body, I would have run a hand down my face in frustration.

“You cannot take down the host in this studio with that method…”

I was certain.

‘The moment we’re caught, we’ll be incinerated.’

And if we were lucky enough to only be fined for damages, I might end up working here for eternity—unpaid—until I died. Or even after I died.

…The fact that I felt that wouldn’t be so bad was the most terrifying part of all.

– Do you know where the studio’s exit is?

“…I don’t know.”

I don’t even know how big this studio is.

I know that it has an impossibly vast number of sets and storage rooms. But I have no idea how many floors it has, or how far each section extends.

At some point, I naturally started memorizing the paths within the staff-only areas, but everything beyond that was still a blur.

Most of the time, I either stayed in my designated waiting area or only visited other sections while accompanied by staff.

‘In the entire month I’ve been here, I’ve never once left.’

And why would I? My waiting room was comfortable. I never felt the need for food, water, or sleep, and I was too busy adjusting to my new job.

“But just walking out through the exit without even requesting vacation would be stupid. It’d be better to sneak out instea—”

……

Ah.

– Were you about to suggest sneaking out?

“…No. That’s impossible.”

Damn it.

Even the thought of sneaking out was meaningless. Because…

“…The host always knows where I am.”

Because I checked the tag.

Because of the ‘Good Friend’ contract, the one I had called would be able to find me forever.

No matter where I went, he would always be able to follow…

……

– Do you want to try persuading him to grant you a vacation?

“No.”

If the host asked why I needed a vacation, there was no way he wouldn’t notice that Section Chief Lee Jaheon was inside my body instead.

And even if I spoke to him myself…

I wasn’t confident.

‘I’d probably end up being persuaded instead…’

Persuaded to happily return to work on the talk show, no matter how many audience members died.

The legendary host of a supernatural talk show wasn’t just someone with exceptional speech skills.

He was something so utterly terrifying that his very presence felt like a paranormal phenomenon in and of itself…

The only reason I’d ever been able to scare my good friend before was because of the restrictions of the ‘Good Friend’ doll.

My blood ran cold.

– I see.

– Even if we destroy half the studio, you will still be immediately found by the entity that poses a threat to you. Is that assessment correct?

“…Yes.”

There was no way out.

Or rather, even if I did escape, it wouldn’t matter.

It felt like a perfectly sealed space.

……

‘……No.’

There’s always a gap somewhere.

‘The host doesn’t know that I called Section Chief Lee Jaheon using an item.’

If that’s the case…

“…Section Chief, how long can you stay in my body?”

– As Section Chief Lee Jaheon, it is possible to maintain this state for up to 60 hours.

– Additionally, the summoner cannot manually deactivate the effect. The emergency call function will only deactivate once the summoner has safely escaped the danger zone.

That was an interesting choice of words.

But that timeframe was plenty.

Enough time to wait for an opening.

“To prepare, we’ll wait.”

I forced my nerves to settle and began thinking.

“…Until just before the talk show begins.”

Time passed.

Preparations for the live broadcast were underway.

Most of the staff were busy moving between the backstage and the main stage, setting up equipment.

Normally, I would have used this time to check the equipment or talk to the host. Sometimes I’d even attend meetings or observe different departments.

‘I might be part of the production staff, but I’m not part of the cast.’

Since I wasn’t part of the on-site prep team but rather worked as a show creator, there were no specific tasks assigned to me during the live broadcast.

Which meant I could move however I wanted.

I could act as if I were on an errand, or pretend I was looking for something. I could even wander from place to place without drawing suspicion.

“Over here.”

I was frantically searching the empty parts of the studio, now mostly abandoned by the faceless staff.

I was looking for one thing.

“There should be a waiting area for guests.”

I was sure I had heard about it before.

‘There’s a guest entrance.’

Every guest had a place they originally belonged to, and the studio had set up some kind of… ‘accommodation’… to make their arrival smoother.

‘I have to find it.’

Of course, finding the waiting rooms was a challenge in itself.

The moment I stepped beyond the waiting rooms and staff areas, I completely lost my sense of direction—like being trapped in a maze.

But Section Chief Lee Jaheon…

‘…He’s unbelievably fast.’

Is he seriously brute-forcing it right now?

Even though he was controlling my physical form, the sheer speed and strength of his movements made it hard to believe it was the same body. My shared vision flickered rapidly as he checked multiple pathways and signs in mere moments.

‘His performance is exactly the same as when he’s in his own body.’

Maybe Chief Lizard could exert that kind of power and endurance in any body…

But the real problem was—

Tap, tap.

“…!”

The view turned.

A faceless staff member stood before me, gesturing as if to ask why I was here.

They tilted their head, then made a motion—as if offering to escort me back, assuming I had lost my way.

“……Tell them I’m running an errand and will return shortly.”

– I am running an errand and will return shortly.

The faceless staff didn’t insist twice.

Instead…

They disappeared around the corner—

And came back with another staff member.

“……”

Gulp.

If I had a body right now, I would have swallowed hard.

‘This is bad.’

If I looked suspicious here, word would immediately reach the host. And if that happened…

I’d find myself happily hosting the talk show again.

All of my doubts would be neatly erased, thanks to his kind and ‘persuasive reasoning’.

‘……’

The new staff member gestured.

“They… they’re offering to complete the errand on my behalf.”

– That won’t be necessary.

Squad Leader!!

“P-Please say that I prefer to do it myself. It’s not a big task, so I’d rather complete it quietly as a new employee.”

– P-Please say that I prefer to do it myself.

“……”

No, that’s—

– It’s not a big task, so I’d rather complete it quietly as a new employee.

Fortunately, the staff member accepted that reasoning and left.

It seemed they had no time to waste with the live broadcast approaching.

‘Phew…’

– Continuing the search.

‘This feels like I’m piloting a robot.’

A robot ten times stronger and faster than me.

Suppressing my nerves, I continued monitoring Lee Jaheon’s vision as he searched.

There were a few close calls, but we managed to avoid trouble.

And before long.

– I’ve found it.

“…!”

Ka-chak.

The door in my vision swung open.

Guest Area

The CCTV-like view in front of me now displayed a dimly lit, antique-style corridor.

Rows of doors lined the corridor, each still bearing the nameplates of the guests who had appeared over the past month—none of them had been replaced…

As if a new one was used for every guest who appeared.

“……”

…A strange, uneasy feeling—one I hadn’t noticed all month—began creeping over me, even beyond my skin…

I swallowed hard.

“Please find the door labeled ‘Happy Ending Teddy’.”

The view shifted rapidly, and soon enough, we found the door.

The light above today’s guest waiting room was glowing brightly, but I ignored it and instead approached the door next to it.

A door with a dimly flickering light—yesterday’s guest waiting room.

Happy Ending Teddy

Ka-chak.

…The dark waiting room had yet to be cleaned, and everything inside was scaled to fit the size of a fabric doll.

Traces of the teddy bear remained.

…As well as remnants from the process of making one.

“……”

I tried my best not to look at the scattered body parts and bits of skin.

Luckily, since Section Chief Lee Jaheon was the one controlling my body right now, it wasn’t too difficult to avoid focusing on them.

He quickly scanned the room, then finally, he found something.

– It’s a dollhouse door.

One side of the wall had a small, brightly colored door, barely reaching my waist—almost like a child’s toy.

“Let’s go through there.”

Creeeak.

…From my point of view, my hand reached out and opened the tiny door, then crawled forward, inching through the darkness.

A faint light appeared ahead.

And moments later—

“…!”

The view suddenly brightened.

A modern hallway came into sight.

In stark contrast to the classic elegance of Braun’s studio, this place had a contemporary design—concrete walls, painted surfaces.

And from a distance, voices echoed…

– Now! Introducing today’s featured item! A miraculous product that transforms your hair into living snakes…!

The absurd voice of a home shopping host promoting a ridiculous product.

Delusion Home Shopping!

‘As expected.’

Since the show had received sponsorship from here when the Happy Ending Teddy’s made its guest appearance, I figured this passage might lead to this place.

‘Good.’

I let out a sigh of relief.

I’d done something similar before in Death Lane—escaping from one ghost story by slipping into another.

‘Since this is still a broadcasting studio, Braun might take a little longer to notice my absence.’

Besides, the live broadcast was about to start soon, meaning he wouldn’t have time to come after me.

Or, maybe I could even find something useful here to prevent Braun from tracking me.

‘With Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s strength, there shouldn’t be any danger here.’

I was willing to bet on that.

The view moved as he stepped forward into the bright hallway.

I suppressed my excitement and said,

“Chief, first, let’s find something discreet but useful—”

[Goodness.]

G

R

A

B

I was dangling in midair.

Someone was holding me.

[It looks like you took a wrong turn, Friend! I don’t think you were trying to leave the studio. The hallways can be quite confusing, can’t they?]

A massive—truly massive—TV screen loomed before me, displaying a friendly, smiling emoticon.

[The live broadcast is just around the corner, so I had to call you back this way. Now, take a nice break. You’ll find it much more comfortable this way!]

Below, an enormous gloved hand had me by the scruff of my neck, then gently supported my back and legs before carefully placing me onto a dark brown desk.

[Oh, I’ve experienced a body like this before, so I can assure you… Seeing it again is rather nostalgic.]

[My dear, ‘Good Friend.’]

I had a body again.

But I couldn’t move.

The shimmering lights of Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show flashed before me—the stage, the audience seats, and…

Everything was gigantic.

On the black TV screen, my reflection stared back at me.

[Now, now… Just sit back comfortably and enjoy the talk show. It’ll be starting soon!]

I…

I became a plush doll.

Chapter 125 - [Braun's Tuesday Quiz Show], VI

I didn’t know.

How vast and overwhelming the talk show set would look from the perspective of a palm-sized stuffed doll.

How everything could appear unnaturally massive, and what kind of pressure it would bring to be unable to blink or even struggle.

Especially.

If the eerie host, with a television in place of a head, loomed over me, casting a massive shadow.

And when that voice, so vividly real, echoed—

Now then, let us welcome today’s guest!

‘~~!’

The vibrations rattled through my stuffing like an earthquake.

But no matter what state I was in, the talk show continued.

‘Guest…’

The vintage stage lights flickered as the door swung open.

A grotesque ghost story—one I had personally suggested in a meeting, calling it ‘a fantastic idea’—stepped onto the stage and took its seat.

Or rather, the staff carried it in and propped it up in the guest’s seat.

Because it was merely a vaguely human-shaped figure made of wooden sticks.

The Crimson Scarecrow!

Its head was wrapped in cloth, crudely scrawled with facial features in red marker—eyes, nose, and mouth, drawn with careless, slashing strokes.

The rain had smudged the markings, making it appear even more nightmarish.

A monster said to lurk in a cornfield the size of a city, luring people in until they lost their way—then, once night fell, hunting them down one by one until they vanished.

An entity derived from a famous American horror story, turned into an entry into the <Dark Exploration Records>. It had fit perfectly with the tone of the show, which was why I had recommended it.

And now, it sat right there.

I could feel a swell of nausea rising.

But, there was nothing inside me.

Because I’m a stuffed doll.

I had no mouth, no stomach, no organs.

[You’ve made quite the journey to be here today. Now then…]

The host stepped closer to the guest, and the suffocating weight of his presence over me lightened slightly.

The scarecrow, of course, did not respond. Its vandalized face continued staring blankly into space, but the host carried the interview effortlessly.

[Oh! I hear that the most recent incident involved a group of bank robbers escaping into a cornfield! How thrilling…]

A chilling tale unfolded—how a group of robbers, fleeing the police, had hidden in a cornfield… only to encounter the Crimson Scarecrow and meet a gruesome fate. By morning, the criminals’ entrails had become nothing more than fertilizer for the corn and the stuffing for the scarecrow itself.

A thrilling, action-packed ‘exploration record’, laced with humor and suspense, while keeping the ethical discomfort to a minimum.

“Wow, that’s seriously creepy.”

“Amazing.”

The audience gasped, startled and entertained in equal measure, unable to suppress their laughter even as the horror unfolded before them.

Yes.

It was as if, as long as everyone laughed together, even the most terrible things could be seen as fun.

Even as the interview veered toward increasingly disturbing stories of innocent victims, the audience only cheered louder, exhilarated by the thrill.

‘They’re contaminated.’

Now I understood.

These people—slowly, bit by bit, were becoming contaminated just by watching the talk show.

And maybe, just maybe…

I, too, had become contaminated the longer I worked on this talk show…

[What an exciting story! Don’t you all agree? Ah, let’s give a round of applause for our guest, stepping beyond the cornfield and into the public eye for the very first time!]

The eerie scarecrow, still nothing more than a red-marked sack, sat motionless.

And yet, somehow, it now seemed as if its eyes were truly looking at the audience.

[Now then… It’s time to move on to our next segment… Oh, that’s right! We introduced this new corner last episode, didn’t we? Do you all remember, dear viewers?]

Tell Braun’s Friend

All About It!

Wait.

[Unfortunately, my friend wasn’t originally scheduled to appear today, so he couldn’t come in his usual form…]

[But with his burning passion, he’s returned in a brand-new appearance!]

The host lifted me.

Dangling in midair, my small, stuffed limbs swayed as his gloved hands made me wave my arms and nod my head.

Can you see him?

Here is my dear friend!

The audience erupted into laughter, pointing at me, clapping, and cheering.

He lifted me like a puppet and began speaking for me, like a ventriloquist.

[‘Now, what’s that, my friend? Aha!’]

[‘For the next 100 seconds, we’ll ask some questions! Audience, please respond!’]

The host mimicked my speech patterns and intonation with eerie accuracy. My stuffed arm waved toward the audience. People laughed.

I was terrified by how easy it was to get swept up in the excitement.

[Now, shall we hear what my friend wants to ask?]

The TV screen tilted toward me, as if expectantly.

…I couldn’t speak.

Because a stuffed doll has no mouth.

But…

‘I can think.’

And my thoughts would be transmitted with perfect clarity.

Just like when I had been able to hear the voice of the ‘Good Friend’.

So…

I thought.

‘I want to stop.’

[…Aha! My friend is feeling a little nervous.]

[But here we go, the first question—oh, how bold! ‘If you could redraw the Crimson Scarecrow’s face, what would you draw?’]

‘I want to stop.’

[‘Cute! Oh, what a wonderful answer.’ Don’t you think so, my friend?]

‘I want to stop.’

[‘Of course, Braun!’]

I kept resisting his words.

But the host, as if completely unaffected, continued his ventriloquism effortlessly, making the doll move as though I were enthusiastically responding.

And so, the 100 seconds passed.

[‘Hahaha! Thank you! That was the Braun’s Friend segment!’]

[Now, it’s time to welcome our next guest. But first… we’ll be right back after these messages!]

The cameras stopped.

The stage lights went dark.

……

……

[How dare you disrupt a live broadcast.]

My entire body froze.

The enormous TV-headed figure leaned down and whispered.

[This is unacceptable. Mr. Soleum, have you started thinking with straw instead of a brain, just like the scarecrow? Did you really try to ruin my show?!]

A gloved hand pressed down on my head.

My head—my entire being—was crushed beneath the pressure, as if my thoughts were dissolving into nothingness.

[Heavens… This… is unforgivable.]

[As your good friend, I have done nothing but support your work, and yet! Mr. Roe Deer, you’re trying to sabotage this talk show right now—your own workplace, no less!]

[Absolutely unacceptable…]

‘There’s something I can’t accept either.’

[……]

‘The audience members. They went missing. They died.’

Even as my vision blurred from the pressure of the gloved hand, I kept thinking.

‘After the show ended, you sent them thank-you letters, and inside, you included instructions on how to meet the guests.’

‘You did that because it made for great entertainment when the guests returned with more gruesome stories, didn’t you?’

[Who told you that?]

[No, that’s not the issue here. Friend, there seems to be a misunderstanding…]

The pressure on my head eased.

Instead, the gloved hands smoothed out my stuffing, gently restoring my shape.

[Mr. Roe Deer, my show never forces anything.]

[If someone watches a horror movie and is inspired to commit murder, is that the movie’s fault?]

The TV screen displayed a crying emoticon.

[Why must my show prioritize anything other than joy, thrills, and excitement?]

‘I’m not trying to convince you.’

I thought.

‘So don’t try to convince me.’

And then—

‘I don’t want to create, participate in, or be a part of a talk show that murders people and burns them to ash.’

……

……

[Oh.]

The hand lifted away from my head.

And then.

[I see.]

[In that case, from now on, I suppose you’ll just be treated as a lowly backstage staff member.]

It felt as if my blood had frozen.

But I had no blood.

So I kept thinking.

‘You don’t have the right. I never signed the employment contract.’

Exactly that.

Everything had been verbal.

The contract was only scheduled to be signed sometime soon.

‘And you said it yourself.’

‘That if I wasn’t enjoying it, you’d let me go.’

I stared at the blank screen of the vintage TV with unblinking eyes.

‘So let me go. I’m scared, and I’m not enjoying this.’

The vintage TV remained still.

‘I’m not interested in listening to your persuasion or arguments. Just send me away, right now.’

……

……

Thuk.

Braun placed me back onto the desk.

And then, his voice softened into something… almost sorrowful.

[I just… don’t understand. Think about it, Mr. Roe Deer. Why would you leave behind something fulfilling and enjoyable, only to return to a life of misery?]

[Was there something you didn’t like about our show’s working conditions? No show in the world is perfectly ethical, Mr. Roe Deer… you know that.]

He whispered.

[Perhaps… your conscience is merely an excuse. Could it be that, deep down, you were simply dissatisfied with your role as staff?]

[How about a change of residence? Ah, or perhaps… a stronger, more magnificent form—one that better suits the show?]

No!

‘I already told you—I won’t listen to any of your persuasion!’

I’d be trapped if I wasn’t careful. I was a doll now. I didn’t even have my silver ring. I couldn’t afford to let him convince me…

‘I’m quitting. That’s it. This conversation is over.’

[……]

The TV-headed figure pulled back.

[I see what your misunderstanding is.]

[But as your friend, it’s only right for me to grant your wishes.]

His gloved fingers gestured to the staff, as if instructing them to remove me.

[You are fired. Go ahead, leave this wonderful studio behind and return to your pathetic, dull life.]

[However… there will no longer be a good friend waiting for you.]

‘……’

[Remember that. Now, once today’s show ends, you can go wherever you please. That is, of course…]

His voice turned mocking.

[If you can go anywhere at all, in that stuffed body of yours.]

‘You’re the one who put me in this form. Change me back.’

[Oh? And why should I do that?]

‘Because—’

[How laughable, Mr. Kim Soleum. You’ve done nothing but act selfishly, saying whatever you please without taking responsibility for this show.]

[And yet, when you refuse to listen to my persuasions, now you are trying to persuade me? How very shameless. Ah, but I suppose that, too, is a form of entertainment.]

[One of the best kinds, in fact—the joy of watching someone get punished.]

The staff didn’t place me back on the desk.

Instead, they tossed me onto the small table beside the guest’s chair.

A precarious spot—dangerously close to the edge, as if I might tumble into the trash bin below.

[Oh, and look at that! The cameras are turning back on!]

Braun’s voice shifted instantly, bright and cheerful again.

A perfect fit for the talk show.

[Now, sit back and enjoy the rest of the show. Think carefully because this is your last chance.]

[Will you choose punishment, or…]

At that moment—

Pik.

A thin, strange noise rang out before me, accompanied by a flash of light.

Something entered my field of vision.

A pin-thin hole had been punctured in the studio’s ceiling.

And from above, an eerie, unnaturally blue light shone down upon me.

Then—

Pikpikpikpikpikpikpikpik!

More holes appeared in rapid succession.

Stuffing burst from my body.

‘Ah.’

Something had…

…Pierced me.

[……!]

Could it be…

Was this the ‘Sacred Fire’ bombardment?

No.

‘Am I… dying?’

If I died in this form, would I just… die as a stuffed toy?

At that moment—

[Wait…]

I felt a hand grip my plush body.

The host.

He was likely trying to stop my stuffing from spilling out.

But the relentless barrage of precision strikes targeting my ragdoll body refused to stop.

Pikpikpikpikpikpikpikpik!

My head was severed from my body.

And it fell to the ground.

[……!!]

BOOM.

Krrrrrk-KRRRRK-KRRRRK!

The ceiling collapsed.

A rain of transparent, glowing projectiles crashed down onto the talk show stage like a meteor shower, destroying the entire set.

In my tumbling field of vision, I caught sight of the host, standing frozen, gripping the tattered remains of what had once been my fabric body and stuffing.

Ah.

Just like how I had been momentarily shaken when my good friend was torn in two…

He also…

– Kim Soleum-ssi.

“……!”

– Are you back?

“…Yes.”

I regained consciousness in the void once again, where nothing could be felt.

Through the CCTV-like vision before me, I could see that Lee Jaheon was still on the move.

The only difference now was that the studio in his field of vision was shaking violently, as if it had been struck by a bomb.

– The ‘Sacred Fire’ bombardment has commenced.

Yes. I know…

Because you shot me with it.

“…Did you deliberately target the stuffed doll I was in? To force me back into this body?”

– Yes.

– The bombardment will continue for another ten minutes, but the current situation remains high-risk. You must escape this location as quickly as possible—preferably within the next three minutes.

“…Can’t the host just force me back into a doll again?”

– It is possible.

– However, that Darkness is an extreme phenomenon devoid of balance. As a supernatural entity fixated on its talk show, the host will likely prioritize restoring the studio and eliminating the cause of its destruction before anything else.

Lee Jaheon was moving at an insane speed, his tone utterly dry as he spoke of something so chilling.

Then, just as emotionlessly, he made another statement.

– Additionally, access to a safehouse has been approved.

“…What?”

– The Coalition has acknowledged that the current situation prevents the emergency call user from escaping.

– Therefore, Supervisor Kim Soleum, you can now be transported to a location where you will be safe from pursuit by supernatural entities.

“……”

I don’t know what this ‘Coalition’ is, but it’s probably some kind of alien organization.

– Given the circumstances, the only way to prevent further complications is to leave this studio immediately and relocate to the safehouse.

So… I could escape the host’s pursuit for a while?

That meant I’d have time to reassess my situation and maybe find a way to completely sever his ties to me through the <Dark Exploration Records>.

Through the CCTV-like vision, I watched Chief Lizard sprint down the violently shaking hallway of the studio amidst the deafening explosions.

“…Have you found the exit?”

– Yes.

– While infiltrating the studio again to locate your summoned consciousness, I reverified the escape route.

“……!”

It felt as if I really could escape.

Whether it was through the ‘Delusion Home Shopping’ or somewhere else, I might be able to make it to that ‘safehouse’ they approved, and at least buy myself some time.

It was a tempting solution, but…

……

I knew the truth.

It was nothing more than a temporary fix.

‘This is an extreme and hostile method of escape.’

If I left like this, it felt like I’d be making an irreversible choice against the host…

‘The host… Or rather, Braun might just be able to find me again.’

This escape wasn’t a solution. It was just a delayed confrontation.

And more importantly…

“……”

I recalled the moment just before I was wrenched away from the stuffed doll.

The sight of the host desperately trying to hold my plush body together as it was being torn apart.

“……”

Maybe…

“…Squad Leader.”

– Yes.

“Are you the type of sentient being that gets easily contaminated by darkness?”

– No.

‘…Okay.’

And one more thing.

“If I die in this body, will you simply return to being Section Chief Lee Jaheon?”

– If you die within 55 hours, yes.

……In that case.

“Squad Leader.”

I swallowed hard.

“Don’t head for the exit. Go to the host instead.”

If this was a gamble anyway—

I’d take a direct approach.

“I’m going to try a different way out.”

Chapter 126 - [Braun's Tuesday Quiz Show], VII

Kim Soleum’s body sprinted through the maze-like, chaotic corridors of the studio.

Bam— Bam— BOOM!

The narrow indoor space shook with a deafening roar, yet Lee Jaheon traversed it at an impossible speed once again.

Even the original owner of the body, watching through the CCTV-like perspective, held his breath, his hands sweating from the sheer velocity and audacity of the movements.

And soon enough…

“The door.”

A pair of double doors came into view, marked with a sign:

Filming in Progress

Without hesitation, Lee Jaheon broke the lock and charged in.

Bang!

Beyond the doors…

– …!

…A vast studio set stretched out beyond, so massive that its sheer scale was overwhelming.

However, at the center, where the main talk show stage should have been…

It no longer seemed functional.

– ……

The once-glittering ceiling lights had already half-collapsed. Shattered lighting fixtures, twisted metal beams, and dust covered the stage furniture and floor in a chaotic mess.

Even now, through the gaps in the destruction, the ‘Sacred Fire’ bombardment continued to rain down.

The audience was murmuring in confusion. Trapped in their seats, they had initially found this entire disaster entertaining due to their contamination—but soon, they would start screaming for their lives.

Kim Soleum swallowed back a sigh.

– …The live broadcast is completely ruined.

The remnants of a shattered variety show lay before them.

And then.

[Oh.]

At the heart of the half-destroyed stage, a lone entertainer stood.

[You came of your own accord.]

The host.

Even as the stage was reduced to rubble, even as the ‘Sacred Fire’ bombardment fell like meteors, he merely leaned against his desk, illuminated by the very destruction raining down upon him.

He already knew exactly who had dared to break the set. Yet, he did not scream in rage.

He simply stood there, gazing silently at the intruder who had stormed onto the stage.

And it was as if he already understood that the one moving inside that body was not his friend, but the mercenary summoned through the emergency beacon.

-……

For a moment, Kim Soleum felt as if his eyes had locked with the host’s through the screen.

He swallowed dryly.

– Squad Leader.

“Yes.”

– From here on out, something… completely absurd might just happen.

The host raised his hand.

As if he were still hosting the talk show—

As if the program was still going on.

[I am delighted to introduce the mastermind behind this catastrophe!]

Click.

One of the few remaining spotlights suddenly illuminated Kim Soleum.

[The one who destroyed the talk show set and caused chaos during the live broadcast… oh my, how shocking! It’s a member of the audience from the previous episode!]

[Please welcome him with applause! Ah, boos are an acceptable choice as well!]

He had immediately recognized Lee Jaheon for who he was.

[A villain who has committed such an atrocious crime must face a proper challenge—appropriate hardships and trials, and of course… PUNISHMENT!]

The stage grew darker and darker.

[Ah, yes. In the medieval era, executions were a public festival, weren’t they? Of course, our talk show wouldn’t do something as boring as a hanging!]

[Tonight, we introduce a surprise new segment! It’s called…]

The host’s silhouette raised both hands in the shadows.

And his shadow began to grow.

Larger—

Larger—

And larger still, until his shadow completely covered the wall behind him.

THUD.

The surrounding set walls vanished into darkness.

On the seemingly floating stage…

A massive, spherical TV head began descending.

T H U D !

A colossal CRT television, as big as the entire stage itself, crashed down—crushing the guest entrance beneath it.

The host’s gloved hand, now gigantic, rested beneath the massive TV as if propping up his chin, while the other hand pointed directly at Kim Soleum—as if firing a gun.

[A breathtaking performance! A dizzying thrill! Terrifyingly fun, and deliciously thrilling… ‘Punishment Acrobatics’!]

On the TV screen, a dazzling, flashing neon sign lit up with dozens of light bulbs.

Braun’s

Exciting Punishment

Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom…

A drumroll began.

The host’s gloved knuckles rapped against the ruined set, like a countdown to the show’s next act.

The sound of drums, like the prelude to a circus stunt.

– …He won’t try to kill me immediately.

Lee Jaheon lifted his gaze, listening to the words of the body’s original owner.

– It’s still a live broadcast.

The black TV screen—

Came crashing down.

[And now… the show begins!]

BOOM.

Kim Soleum’s silhouette was swallowed whole.

……

……

[Now then…]

The old-fashioned TV lifted its head once more.

Inside its screen—Kim Soleum’s trapped figure was visible.

The audience, thrilled by the spectacle, erupted into applause at this fascinating illusion.

[Shall we take a look at his skills?]

The stage lights flickered.

A subtitle appeared.

Punishment 1

Happy Ending Teddy

Inside the TV, a horde of teddy bear-shaped monsters bared their fangs and lunged toward Kim Soleum, attempting to peel away his skin—just as they had done to the neglectful owner of the past.

But Kim Soleum’s body exhibited such unnatural strength, and he pried open the bears’ maws, forcing them to bite into each other instead.

He ran.

The TV’s background shifted, forming a new setting.

A city at night.

An alleyway.

A manhole cover.

Punishment 2

The Manhole Arms

From the sewer grates, grotesque arms burst forth.

Kim Soleum stomped on them, then swung onto a streetlamp like an acrobat, narrowly avoiding the elongated, skeletal hands that clawed toward him.

Every challenge mirrored a past guest that Kim Soleum himself had once suggested for the show.

Merciless and absurd, each punishment pushed him closer and closer to a dead end.

[Oh dear.]

But, Kim Soleum survived them all.

His left arm was fractured.

His forehead was split open.

Yet, as long as he wasn’t caught, the punishment wouldn’t end.

As the punishment numbers increased, they grew even more brutal and horrifying.

Punishment 3, Punishment 4, Punishment 5…

Clang!

Kim Soleum barely escaped a gourmet restaurant that specialized in cooking sentient beings, dodging the chef’s cleaver—at the cost of losing a few strands of hair.

And then.

Punishment 6

The Crimson Scarecrow

A vast cornfield.

From the thickly grown stalks and leaves, a twisted, multi-limbed creature slithered, chasing Kim Soleum like a centipede.

By this point, escape seemed impossible…

But the one controlling Kim Soleum’s body was a named character from the <Dark Exploration Records> —Employee D of the Field Exploration Team.

Dodging like an acrobat, he counterattacked.

And with a flash of the bloodsucking knife—

Slash! Three or four scarecrow limbs were severed. The audience gasped in awe.

However, it was only a matter of time.

In a ghost story about a monster in a cornfield, one could never win by brute force.

His already-wounded body had limits…

‘…So this punishment was designed for me to die.’

Kim Soleum waited.

Waited—

Waited for the moment—

Just as the scarecrow lunged to pounce…

– NOW!

Following Kim Soleum’s advice, Lee Jaheon abruptly turned at a sharp angle.

And then—sprinted at full speed.

Towards the TV screen.

“Wha—?!”

“He’s getting bigger!”

And then.

[Oh!]

He jumped straight out of the TV.

Kim Soleum’s body rolled onto the floor, and Lee Jaheon landed in a controlled breakfall.

WAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

Crazy!!

The audience went wild.

[Unbelievable! My goodness!]

For a moment, the host himself seemed to forget his anger.

What mattered now was that the show had reached new heights.

As if the only thing that mattered in the world was that a good show could be completed, a smiling emoticon flashed on the massive vintage television’s screen with the accompaniment of a showman’s bright voice.

[To clear six punishments! That was absolutely thrilling! A breathtaking, edge-of-your-seat spectacle! Ah, truly delightful. Everyone, did you enjoy it?!]

YES!!!

The audience erupted in cheers.

And then—

The host, speaking in a velvety smooth voice from within the colossal TV, responded.

[Well then…]

[Get back in and take the 7th punishment.]

The TV screen loomed closer once more.

[The audience’s cheers were sweet, weren’t they? You must repay their enthusiasm. Oh, we can’t possibly end it now—look how much they love it! Keep going. KEEP GOING…]

At that moment.

From the rubble, an anonymous, faceless crew member barely managed to retrieve a sketchbook and held it up from below the stage.

—EMERGENCY ALERT.

[…Aha!]

The TV stopped.

[Oh, would you look at that?]

[It’s time for a commercial break.]

The audience groaned in disappointment.

[Haha, as much as I regret it, we must wrap up this surprise segment here. But don’t worry—an extravagant finale awaits you all!]

[And of course, this brief commercial break will only heighten your anticipation!]

With a smiling emoticon on its screen, the TV head made a bow to his audience.

[Yes. When the cameras turn off, when the audience’s eyes are gone, when the stage lights go dark…]

The host addressed Kim Soleum’s figure.

[Who can say what wonderful things might happen to a guest after their segment ends?]

“……”

[We’ll be back shortly.]

Click.

The camera lights went out.

Yet, the crew members did not come up to clear the half-destroyed stage.

In the darkness, with the murmuring voices of the audience still vividly present…

The host raised his hand.

He fixed his gaze upon the now-useless guest of a finished segment—

Upon the reckless fool who dared destroy his set and break his dear friend.

And then, the giant gloved fingers slowly pressed together, about to produce a chilling snap….

“Braun.”

The hand stopped.

“Did you incinerate my ‘stuffed body’?”

……

[Aha. So you’ve returned to that form.]

[Did you come crawling back to ask for help? How shameless. Then again, shamelessness is a virtue in showbusiness…]

“No.”

Lee Jaheon, still piloting Kim Soleum’s body, calmly recited his words.

“I just had a question.”

The emoticon disappeared from the TV screen.

‘I knew it.’

Kim Soleum was certain.

Braun couldn’t read his thoughts right now.

Because the one speaking directly to Braun was Lee Jaheon.

Just as reading a script aloud doesn’t mean knowing the playwright’s full intent, Braun had no way of deciphering the true mind behind the words.

And the same applied to Kim Soleum.

‘Because I’m not really here.’

He was seeing and hearing everything indirectly.

In persuasion, context and atmosphere play a crucial role.

But right now, all information was being filtered solely through words and visuals. Without the full sensory experience, he could withstand the ‘persuasion’ of the great host.

That meant, for the first time, they could have a real conversation.

A genuine conversation. One where neither party could see into the other’s mind—where they would have to listen, interpret, and truly engage.

“Will you hear me out? I think you won’t be expecting this question…”

[Ah. Bluffing can sometimes have its uses on stage.]

[But such tactics only work on amateurs—not on a true entertainer.]

The master of this talk show creepypasta fixed his unseen gaze upon him.

[Do you really believe that reciting tired old scripts, common ghost stories, or dull platitudes will be enough to move me?]

But.

“That’s not it. It’s just a personal question.”

His voice was calm.

[‘A personal question’?]

“Yeah.”

Kim Soleum’s lips moved.

“Was it frustrating being a good friend?”

...

The TV screen froze.

But still—his smooth voice continued.

[A performer who finds their given role suffocating does not deserve to be on stage.]

[In that sense, this Braun has never once felt confined by masks.]

“I see. Because when I was a stuffed doll, I felt pretty trapped and scared. I was just wondering if you ever felt the same way.”

[Oh, forming empathy and connection? Predictable, and oh, how boring.]

[Go ahead, waste your breath trying to justify why I shouldn’t incinerate you and that grunt right here and now.]

[Before the commercials end.]

“……”

Kim Soleum thought.

He knew—if he simply ran away now, he would inevitably face an even worse end in the future.

Still, putting all his bets on this gamble remained an option to him.

But to Kim Soleum, a gamble was only worth taking if there’s a real chance of success.

And he had his reasons for taking this bet.

This was the possibility he was holding onto.

“Then. Did being a good friend make you happy?”

Chapter 127 - [Braun's Tuesday Quiz Show], VIII

[What a strange line of questioning! Was I happy, you ask? Of course! I am an entertainer who enjoys every role…]

“So, being a good friend wasn’t particularly more enjoyable than any other role? Not even a little?”

[……]

The body controlled by Lee Jaheon remained completely still.

Then, the giant TV screen lit up.

[Ah, I see what you’re trying to say.]

[Is it that you wish for me to become that warm-hearted stuffed toy and become your good friend once more? Hahaha!]

[To keep playing the happy little role of the good friend?!]

Inside the giant TV, a rabbit plushie appeared, waving its hand—just like a certain moment from a month ago.

But Kim Soleum remained unfazed.

“That would’ve been nice. I miss it.”

[Oh, Mr. Kim Soleum.]

The TV spoke in an exaggeratedly cheerful tone, almost mockingly.

On-screen, the rabbit plushie looked around nervously before curling up in a corner.

[Unfortunately, that good friend has already been torn apart and reduced to ashes! You’ll never see it again!]

“No, it’s you.”

[……!]

“The plush body was just an external appearance.”

That’s right.

In the end, the one who willingly accepted the constraints of being a good friend and moved within that plush body… was the host standing right in front of him right here and now.

Even now, displaying that rabbit plushie on the screen—

‘That’s you.’

He was the one speaking about it himself.

“I’ve heard something like this before.”

Kim Soleum’s calm voice filled the space.

“When actors play deeply memorable roles, even after the performance ends, sometimes they struggle to fully leave the character behind.”

Because.

“If the role was fun or immersive enough, traces of it remain even after it’s over.”

[……]

He recalled what he had seen earlier.

The host, freezing when Kim Soleum’s plush body was torn apart.

‘Honestly, he should’ve known that I wouldn’t actually die just because the plushie was destroyed.’

After all, wasn’t he the one who put me inside it?

Going further, it was odd for a talk show host to allow silence to linger on his show just because a guest had died.

A being like him should’ve simply displayed a crying emoticon on the TV screen, pretended to mourn for a moment, then turned it into material for the next segment.

Yet, if he had been startled enough to try and hold the stuffing together—

That was definitely strange.

“I wondered if the same applied to you.”

[Oh. You mean to say that this great host who brought that role to life was affected by a mere mask he wore for a few months… You think my professionalism is that lacking?]

“I don’t see why doing such a thing would mean you were lacking in any way. Even great actors sometimes struggle to separate from their roles. That just means they were deeply immersed.”

[That is…]

“It’s true, isn’t it?”

Lee Jaheon continued to recite Kim Soleum’s words in a detached tone.

“And in a slightly different way… I also found a lot of comfort in you being my ‘good friend’.”

[……]

“I appreciate it. Really, thank you. In difficult times, having you as a friend really helped and reassured me. And… there were a lot of fun moments, too.”

Kim Soleum’s voice resonated.

“Didn’t you feel the same?”

[……]

[Goodness.]

The host’s voice dropped slightly.

[How embarrassing, but I suppose I must admit it. Yes. It was a truly fresh and enjoyable experience!]

[It’s rare to find someone with such natural talent as both a creator and a performer. Watching and meddling in your journey was an utterly unique delight…]

“I see.”

But.

“That’s exactly why I don’t want to work at this talk show anymore.”

A calm voice.

“For one, this talk show scares me. It’s not that I didn’t find it entertaining, but honestly, it’s difficult for me to work here. You know that—my personality.”

Just the thought of people dying sent chills down his spine. The idea of contributing to that in any way was horrifying.

And Kim Soleum understood something else.

‘Even if I try to convince him, would he—the host—suddenly start making ethical decisions?’

Absolutely not.

Just as Kim Soleum, being who he was, would always reject working as a crew member here, the host would never suddenly develop moral scruples.

And the more terrifying possibility, if he lost that sense of rejection entirely, if he no longer felt any aversion to this place, that would mean something far worse.

Whether it was brainwashing or contamination, it would mean the erasure of his own identity.

“To be honest, even if you called me a partner, this whole thing was one-sided. I was basically forced into your crew. The atmosphere even made me start calling you ‘Mr. Host’ out of habit.”

A joking remark with an undeniable edge of truth.

“In that state, we can’t stay friends. I’ll be your subordinate if things stay like that. I wouldn’t be acting of my own will anymore.”

Kim Soleum looked beyond his own vision.

“And when that happens, you’ll get bored of me pretty fast.”

[……]

“So, I have to go back. …It’ll be much more fun for you that way, too.”

A strange gleam passed over the surface of the TV.

Kim Soleum speculated that perhaps this was why the host had wanted to keep him working at the talk show—keeping him as intact as possible, without changing his way of thinking too drastically.

Like a steady drizzle slowly soaking someone through.

‘It almost worked to some extent… but not like this.’

He couldn’t stay in this creepy place forever.

But still.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”

[…!]

“Do you remember what I said before?”

– Friends try to understand each other’s differences, and even when they can’t, they still care for one another. – …By talking things through.

“We don’t have to work at the same place to share our lives and stay friends.”

Since the bridge had already been burned, it was time to rebuild it in a different way with this entity he had summoned.

If you can’t avoid it, just face it.

“You don’t have to be a good friend. Just a friend is fine.”

Inside the TV, the plush rabbit seemed to lean toward the screen as if listening intently.

Kim Soleum almost wanted to smile.

“If you’re okay with it, how about we try that?”

[Hooh.]

[And what if I’m not fine with that?]

The plush rabbit inside the TV hesitated, but the host’s voice grew softer, more cunning.

[Look around, Mr. Soleum. See how your brutish mercenary has wrecked the set. This space, built with the sweat and tears of the staff, the cost of disrupting the broadcast…]

At that moment.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Inside the giant TV, the plush rabbit suddenly sprang up and began smacking the screen with its stuffed hands.

As if protesting against his words!

[…! My goodness, this is—]

The TV abruptly shut off.

The host’s massive gloved hands reached up as if trying to adjust an antenna, but the screen flickered, briefly revealing the rampaging Good Friend plush inside.

Eventually, the host sighed in frustration and withdrew his hands.

And then…

[It can’t be helped.]

Flicker.

All the stage lights momentarily dimmed.

[Very well.]

Before Kim Soleum even realized it, the host had returned to his prior form, standing right in front of him.

– …!

[Yes… It’s true that watching and getting involved in your actions was immensely enjoyable.]

[Who would have thought my mask would become such a nuisance…]

The host spoke in a refined, almost resigned tone.

[This Braun acknowledges it.]

[That following your unique, creative, and gripping developments was thrilling and fun…]

[That playing the role of the good friend was… uniquely enjoyable.]

“……”

Kim Soleum realized something.

It was obvious that the one moving the plush inside the TV was the host himself.

Which meant that the rabbit’s earlier outburst…

Was an extension of some part of the host that had felt that way.

A lingering trace of the ‘Good Friend’.

“……”

The bombardment that had stormed the talk show had ended at some point.

The lights had returned, and now, in this half-destroyed set—which somehow still looked like a part of the show—Braun stood, watching Kim Soleum.

Watching the friend who had been just beyond his reach.

[But now, that plush body is no more.]

Ah.

[Of course… A great host always has a Plan B.]

With a magician’s flourish, the host’s gloved fingers twirled, revealing a single silver coin shimmering between them.

The Silver Serpent Coin.

– …!

The coin Kim Soleum had used to summon the ‘Good Friend’ before.

The very item he thought had burned away along with the plush body.

Kim Soleum, watching from beyond his body, was visibly shaken.

“I was sure it got incinerated…”

[Haha, a true entertainer must also be well-versed in magic! Just a simple little trick.]

Ching.

The coin fell from Braun’s hand into the front pocket of Kim Soleum’s suit.

The very spot where the ‘Good Friend’ had always stayed.

A gloved finger gave the pocket a light tap.

[Take it. And if you use the proper medium to call me again… I will come, Mr. Roe Deer.]

– ……!

Unlike the shocked Kim Soleum, Lee Jaheon coolly relayed his words aloud.

“Alright.”

[Oh, but this friend may not be as ‘good’ as before.]

“So that means you still could be.”

[…Ah, such a magician with words, Friend!]

The TV screen remained dark, displaying nothing.

But in its reflection, Kim Soleum could see his own face.

And he spoke with the urge to smile.

“See you again.”

[A teaser for a sequel!]

[Not bad at all.]

The host raised both hands.

[Now, let’s give a round of applause to my temporary crew member, who is leaving this magnificent, dazzling studio to return to the dreadful reality of his challenges!]

WAAAH!!

Kim Soleum turned his head in surprise.

The audience seats were still filled. The cameras were still rolling.

And on the stage screen, glowing letters read: ‘Special Bonus Segment! Behind the Scenes with the Host (Sensitive Personal Information Will Be Censored)’.

‘Come to think of it… we’re still in a commercial break.’

So this was being broadcast too…

‘He really loves his show.’

He could only hope that the crew censored his personal information properly.

Kim Soleum wasn’t sure whether he wanted to sigh or laugh.

[Now, it’s time for the exit.]

The host extended his hand for a handshake.

Kim Soleum requested the ‘mercenary’ controlling his body to accept it.

And then—he heard it.

A low whisper.

[Mr. Roe Deer.]

[You’d better be as entertaining as you promised. I’ll be watching to see if you truly are…]

– ……

If he had his real body, he might have broken into a cold sweat.

But since Section Chief Lee Jaheon was in control, he simply nodded to the audience before confidently striding through the broken guest entrance and running out.

[Then, have a delightful departure!]

He exited the talk show set.

For a fleeting moment, he caught a glimpse of the audience. Unlike before, they no longer seemed like ordinary people, but rather, something… else. Viewers of a different kind…

It was unsettling, but strangely, he felt lighter than ever.

WAAAAAAAH!

Behind him, the lively yet eerie voice of the talk show host—his friend—resounded.

[Until now… this has been Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show!]

“……!”

I opened my eyes.

The sky was dim with the first light of dawn.

A dawn I recognized… a morning of the ordinary world.

‘I made it out!’

“Hah.”

I took a deep breath and sprawled out on the ground.

I was lying on a park bench, somewhere unfamiliar.

‘Did they leave me here?’

The feeling of freedom was almost overwhelming.

The fact that I could move my own body. And the fact that I had made it outside, safe and sound…

Everything felt right.

“Huuu…”

Did Squad Leader Lee Jaheon return properly?

More importantly, was I actually okay? I wasn’t sure how I could feel this clear-headed and normal after everything that had happened.

‘…Wait a second. Could it be that after throwing up that churro…’

Hmm. Just speculation for now, so let’s set that thought aside.

The important thing is.

‘I escaped. After an entire month!’

“Haaaah……”

I stretched out my arms and legs.

Now what?

I lost all my company belongings—my Dream Essence Collector, my employee ID, my mask.

‘I should probably contact the company firs—’

……

…Wait a second.

Did I just… miss work for an entire month without notice?

Which meant—

‘Did they… fire me?!’

What about my points?!

The realization hit like a bucket of ice water.

I shot upright.

‘My phone.’

I needed to check right now.

Screw exhaustion and relief—my blood turned cold as I scrambled to figure out a way to contact someone.

And then—

A flicker.

Above me, something shimmered in the air.

Something I hadn’t seen in a long time.

[Dark Exploration Records Real Merch Box]

– New merch unlocked! (!)

“…!”

And then—

Thud.

Something dropped into my hands.

I looked down at it, my hands trembling. It was a brand-new, unopened product, still with its price barcode attached.

A compact, high-quality item, made small to reduce costs—but still absurdly expensive due to its precision engineering.

A cylinder with metallic accents.

I knew exactly what this was.

Dream Essence Collector (Elite Team Edition)

And inside…

The cylinder was already full with gleaming golden liquid…

A glowing, golden liquid shimmered within, reflecting light like a hologram.

I held it up with shaking hands.

With a holographic glow that I’ve never seen before—

‘This is…’

A-grade or higher.

Chapter 128 - Elite Essence Collector

Dream Essence Collector.

As the name suggests, it was a piece of equipment issued by Daydream Inc. to the Field Exploration Team members, designed to collect the liquid known as ‘Dream Essence’ from within ghost stories.

The concentration of the liquid collected depended on the grade of the ghost story cleared.

And the highest-grade liquid I had ever seen with my own eyes was…

‘A-grade.’

During the anomalous manifestation of <Chorus of the Sacrificial Lambs> in Tuesday Talk Show, and inside Sekwang Technical High School when dealing with <Within the Shadow of Darkness>.

Both times, the liquid had been a brilliant, luminous gold.

But the one I was holding right now…

‘Good lord.’

On top of its golden glow, it had an iridescent holographic sheen.

The way its radiance shimmered made it look almost like some kind of elixir.

‘…It reminds me of that Wish Ticket potion I saw when I first joined the company.’

It was eerie how similar it felt. Maybe because this was raw Dream Essence?

No—this wasn’t the time to focus on that.

The important thing was…

‘Does this mean this is S-grade…?’

I turned the cylinder in my hand. Its glow flickered, gleaming.

It didn’t feel real.

‘That grade isn’t just arbitrarily assigned to dangerous ghost stories.’

Abyss (S) Grade.

The creators of the Wiki had all agreed on one thing.

‘For something to be given an S-grade, shouldn’t there be a more special criterion?’

Until then, Daydream Inc.’s ghost stories had always been ranked based on an unspoken consensus—something like, ‘If it’s this extreme, it should probably be graded high.’

Factors like danger level, uncertainty, ominousness, scale—all the things one would naturally associate with ghost stories—were used to determine grades.

But when it came to A-grade and above, something more was needed.

That’s why they came up with this condition.

Who exactly do you meet in the darkness?

A story wasn’t just cosmic horror-themed—it had to be cosmic horror itself.

Only when a ghost story forced you to confront an existence beyond human comprehension—not just its atmosphere, but the horror itself—could it surpass the A-grade threshold and be classified as Abyssal (S) Grade.

‘But was Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show seriously on that level?’

Sure, I worked there for a whole month as a crew member before escaping, but this felt like overkill.

Braun was definitely a deranged talk show host and an incredibly powerful supernatural entity, but did he really qualify as a cosmic horror? If anything, he seemed oddly close to a human being.

Maybe the Dream Essence in my collector hadn’t been gathered during my time there—maybe it was just a bonus feature attached to the merch itself.

‘And the reason I got this merch now…’

Since I cleared a high-grade ghost story without a Dream Essence Collector, the system probably decided I had earned the right to be issued a new one.

But more importantly…

‘…If this really is S-grade, how much would it be worth in company points?’

A corporate payout memo flashed in my mind.

S-Grade: Subject to special review.

I swallowed hard.

A-grade was worth 100,000 points.

Given the increasing trend in rewards…

This could be worth 500,000 points.

‘…That’s enough to exchange for a Wish Ticket immediately.’

Holy shit.

That meant I didn’t even need to worry about whether I’d been sacked.

If I just submitted this collector, the company would—

……

Oh.

‘Fuck.’

My whole body sagged.

There’s no way to submit it.

– Make sure you don’t lose it—those things have serial numbers, and it’ll be a nightmare to explain if anything’s off.

I remembered Assistant Manager Eun Haje telling me that once.

It’s exactly as she said.

Every single Dream Essence Collector was serialized and individually registered to an employee.

Meaning that having a spare was not just weird—it was downright suspicious.

This would be the equivalent of finding an extra bullet casing during an inventory check and cheerfully reporting, ‘Oh hey, I found another one!’

‘They’d demand an explanation, and I… had none.’

There was no way I could just say, I bought it at a pop-up merch store.

Especially not this Dream Essence Collector.

“…Haa.”

The Elite Team Edition was smaller and fancier than a standard collector, too.

I silently peeled off the product sticker from its side.

Dream Essence Collector (Elite Team Edition)

It wasn’t a regular collector—it had been released as merch for a reason.

‘Because it came from a famous game based on the <Dark Exploration Records>…!’

It was a game adaptation of a certain exploration log, where the Elite Team Cylinder served multiple roles: as an identifier for important NPCs, a collectible required to unlock the true ending, and an item crucial to gameplay.

To avoid lore conflicts with the wiki, the game developers even came up with this backstory.

Elite Team Cylinder

A special piece of equipment once produced for the Elite Team, but discontinued due to budget constraints as the design was standardized for all team members.

So, if that in-game lore applied here…

– A piece of equipment, originally produced in limited quantity and owned by only a select few, suddenly appears in the hands of a rookie employee who had been missing for a month.

That’s insane.

‘And if this wasn’t based on the in-game lore, that’s an even bigger problem.’

Bringing back a Dream Essence Collector that doesn’t match the company’s standardized models?

Anyone would see that as a tech leak. The Development Department would have a complete meltdown.

‘They’d think I was a corporate spy.’

Or worse, they might start suspecting I was some kind of parallel-world anomaly.

A missing employee, presumed terminated, suddenly reappears with unknown technology?

I could see my future clearly… as a test subject…

‘…Nope. Absolutely not.’

I swallowed hard.

For now, let’s put this on hold!

“Huuu…”

I shoved the cylinder back into my pocket.

Even so, my heart was racing.

A raw potion-like liquid, capable of granting wishes.

There was no way the wiki would simply describe this as ‘used as raw material by a ghost story specialist corporation’.

‘There’s got to be other uses for this.’

It wasn’t just something to hand over to the company for points—there had to be other ways to use it.

‘That’s what I’ll aim for.’

For now, though…

“First, I need to call someone.”

I left the park, just as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon.

After getting my left arm treated for fractures and bruises, I immediately used a free public phone charger to power up my phone.

Then, I made the call.

To the one true boss of this era—the person who had played the biggest role in my escape.

That evening—

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“Squad Leader.”

The moment I saw Section Chief Lee Jaheon, I bowed my head. Deep.

Because I owed him. A ton…

“Thank you. Truly, sincerely… thank you.”

“Yes.”

I may have spent 66,660,000 won, but honestly?

It was the best deal I’d ever made.

‘Physical strength… is an amazing thing.’

No wonder Employee D was a staple character in so many special exploration logs.

…I just never expected him to be an alien.

‘Maybe I should’ve suspected something when he literally had a lizard’s head.’

I exhaled in relief as I looked at Lee Jaheon’s still-lizard-like face.

Who would’ve thought his ‘Coalition’ was connected to the bizarre Space Shopping Mall—one that could even bombard creepypasta entities with orbital strikes?

‘He did call it the Coalition… right?’

There was no mention of this in the wiki’s Employee D entry.

I couldn’t suppress my curiosity any longer.

“Uh… Squad Leader. May I ask what exactly this ‘Coalition’ you mentioned is?”

“You may not.”

“……”

Ah. Gotcha.

Guess we’ll move on to the main topic.

I made sure to get a firm agreement first that he wouldn’t report anything to the company—then I showed him the Dream Essence Collector.

“This liquid inside the collector.”

His vertical slit pupils stared at the device—an unusual design, even by company standards—as if trying to dissect it…

I took a steady breath and asked,

“This is… an S-grade essence, right? That is, Dream Essence of an Abyss-grade Darkness?”

A tense silence.

Then.

“No.”

Ah.

“It exceeds the standard concentration for ‘Grade: Void (A)’ classification within the company database. However, it does not qualify as Abyss-grade.”

I let out a long breath.

‘Knew it.’

There was no way S-grade would appear that easily.

‘So this is basically A+ or something.’

Satisfied, I put the collector back into my pocket.

“Then… what color does an actual S-grade look like?”

“There is no precise term in the language currently in use. However, upon witnessing it, one would have no doubt regarding its concentration.”

“…I see.”

Wow. He really just screamed ‘I am an alien’ in the most roundabout way possible.

Suddenly, another thought struck me.

‘What exactly is Lee Jaheon’s connection to the Space Shopping Mall?’

And more importantly—why is he working at Daydream Inc. in the first place?

I had a lot of questions.

But right now, the real issue was…

Could I even keep working for this company?

“Squad Leader, I was under the impression that if an employee goes missing for a month due to unexcused absences, they are automatically processed for termination.”

I swallowed hard.

“Does that apply to me as well?”

“Yes.”

Damn it!

“Would it be possible for me to return if I claim that my absence was due to being caught up in a Darkness and was therefore unavoidable?”

“Yes.”

Phew.

That was a relief. As long as I could talk my way through this, I should be fine. Letting out a sigh of relief, I spoke,

“Then I’ll just—”

Bzzzzzt—

At that moment, Lee Jaheon’s phone rang.

He glanced at the screen before speaking.

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“Yes?”

“There are people who wish to meet you.”

.

.

Moments later.

“Roe!”

I came face-to-face with familiar faces outside Lee Jaheon’s residence.

Assistant Manager Eun Haje and Supervisor Park Minseong.

The very people who had gone looking for me, even delving into a ghost story in their search.

Seeing them again made my chest tighten strangely.

‘They really went through so much.’

Barely surviving the Chorus of the Sacrificial Lambs, only to deliberately enter its sequel, Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show—that wasn’t just determination.

One of them had to constantly avoid company surveillance, while the other was practically confined from even stepping outside.

Yet, when I had been fully immersed in the show, becoming one with the Darkness, I hadn’t been able to feel anything.

But now—standing here, seeing them again—I was overwhelmed with an indescribable emotion.

I bowed deeply.

“Thank you. The candy you gave me helped me find a lead.”

That clue had ultimately led me to press the ‘We Can Help’ button.

Eun Haje waved it off.

“It’s fine. We didn’t do much, really.”

“I only found out about it because these two talked about it, and then I just went in at the end,” Park Minseong added with a grin.

He did look far more stable than when we had last spoken—during the New Year’s isolation room cleanup—but…

My gaze drifted to his outfit.

Unlike before, he was wearing black casual clothes instead of a suit.

“Supervisor… have you returned to work?”

“…Yeah. I’m with the Security Team now.”

He was no longer part of the Field Exploration Team.

And he didn’t elaborate beyond that.

He simply said, “It’s nice to be earning points again.”

“……”

I didn’t press further and let him change the subject.

“Oh, by the way, Sergeant Jay from the Security Team asked about you sometimes. I didn’t say you got lost in a Darkness or anything… but a few days ago, he seemed to have figured it out already.”

“…I see.”

I had intended to simply nod along—

But then, a realization hit me.

Wait a second.

“Are you saying the company already knew I wasn’t just skipping work, but that I had gone missing inside a Darkness?”

“Uh, yeah. They decided that you’ve just disappeared on the ‘Tamra Express’.”

Oh!

“Then—does that mean the company hadn’t actually given up on finding me this whole time? Or at least… they still officially considered me missing?”

“……”

“……”

My two superiors suddenly avoided eye contact.

‘…They already declared me as dead, didn’t they?’

What a phenomenal company.

Well, not that it really mattered. I fought the urge to pinch my temples and nodded.

“Understood. Then I’ll just report that I’m alive, that I cleared the Darkness, and—”

“R-Roe! About that…”

“You can’t.”

“…?!”

Eun Haje cut me off.

“…Assistant Manager?”

“Listen, Roe. The company put an unusual amount of effort into searching for you these past few weeks.”

Park Minseong quickly jumped in to elaborate.

“And if the auditors determine that you weren’t lost due to company work but were just absent on your own…”

“……”

“…They’re going to charge you for all the costs.”

“……”

…Excuse me, what?

“I didn’t make the rescue request myself, so wouldn’t that mean there’s no justification for covering my expenses?”

“Justification is just a matter of framing.”

“……”

“The points we earn aren’t salaries—they’re ‘welfare points’. If the company really wants to penalize you, it’s not like they don’t have ways to do it. …At minimum, they could suspend your point payouts as a ‘disciplinary action’ for a few months.”

A chill ran down my spine.

“So, if they find out this wasn’t a work-related accident, but rather just you getting caught up in a random Darkness incident? The company would realize they’ve suffered a loss.”

Eun Haje spoke with a sharp, almost biting tone.

“They’ll argue that this was a personal accident, that you were absent for personal reasons—so your absence caused them damages.”

“…!”

“If you never came back, there wouldn’t be much they could do. But if you return as an employee…”

It’s complete bullshit.

But the problem is—this kind of corporate nonsense happens in regular companies too.

“What if we just use the escape method and turn it into an official manual? If we can frame what we did as a documented escape method, it could be considered as work. That way, the company can’t penalize Roe for it, right?” Supervisor Park asked.

“That’s impossible.”

“……”

The way I entered was already an exceptional case. And the method I used to escape? There was no way that could be turned into a manual.

Not to mention, spending an entire month working as a staff member inside a creepypasta talk show before escaping wasn’t exactly a normal case either.

‘If I could just submit the Dream Essence, I’m sure this would all get smoothed over…’

The fact that I couldn’t was frustrating.

‘…Should I just accept the point loss and move on?’

No way. No matter how I looked at it, that was unacceptable.

Not just frustrating—it was infuriating.

‘I collected over half the points I needed.’

I worked so hard throughout those months, dancing to the tune of the higher ups the entire time… But now, the company wanted to take them away just because they could? There was no way in hell I was going to accept that.

And the problem didn’t stop there.

“In any case… Let’s say you describe how you escaped. If you mention that you spent an entire month as part of the ghost story…”

Park Minseong swallowed hard.

“They might decide you’re contaminated. You could end up… going through the same process I did.”

“……”

Right.

Normally, if someone spent a month inside a high-grade Darkness, there would be no way they’d be considered mentally fit to return to the Field Exploration Team.

Instead, they’d be analyzed, reassigned, or even quarantined.

“In that case, you might never be able to return to the Field Exploration Team.”

“……”

At this point, anyone else would be screaming ‘Screw this company! I quit!’

But I couldn’t afford to quit out of frustration.

I needed a Wish Ticket.

I had already confirmed it during the Elevator Creepypasta. A Wish Ticket could send me home…!

‘Besides, if I’m going to keep my promise and call Braun again… I need to get my hands on a plush from the Cheerful Theme Park creepypasta.’

I had barely secured a stable friendship with him. If I broke that promise now… I had no idea what an Otherworld entity, summoned under a contract for ‘eternal companionship’, might do.

I gritted my teeth. I could still feel the weight of the coin in my jacket pocket.

‘The situation has turned into a mess, but… No. There’s definitely a way out.’

I had a high-grade Dream Essence in my hands.

I had escaped the ghost story in one piece.

Things weren’t worse than before.

There had to be a solution…

“……”

As I looked at the worried expressions of my superiors, a thought suddenly came to me.

Maybe.

“Assistant Manager.”

I turned to Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

She was someone who had changed departments.

“Could you get me in contact with Director Ho?”

“……!”

Chapter 129 - Director Ho's Project

A moment later.

I dialed the number Assistant Manager Eun Haje had given me.

It was an internal company line that connected directly to Director Ho’s private office.

[Hello.]

“…!”

“Good evening, Director Ho.”

The moment the call connected, my superiors fell silent.

I continued speaking as calmly and respectfully as possible.

“This is Supervisor Kim Soleum—I went missing a month ago. I’ve only just managed to escape the Darkness and am reaching out now.”

[Wow. Hello, Soleum-nim! Have you been well this past month?]

…The response was unsettlingly casual.

It was the tone one would use to chat with an old acquaintance. Slightly warm, even a little cheerful. It sent a chill down my spine.

That was not how anyone should react when a supposedly deceased employee suddenly called out of nowhere.

‘This guy isn’t normal.’

I would have preferred to contact Director Cheong Dallae instead, but that wasn’t an option at the moment.

So, I listened to what Director Ho had to say.

[I’m truly relieved that you didn’t actually pass away. It’s wonderful to hear you’re safe.]

“Thank you.”

[But isn’t this situation quite troublesome for you? If you return like this, you’ll suffer a significant loss in points…]

Of course, he already knew.

‘He’s speaking as if it’s already a given that the company will charge me for the costs of my ‘rescue’.’

As the Director of the Development Department, he could have easily prevented this from happening—but instead, he was only sympathizing, making it clear that he had no intention of helping.

Not that I expected him to.

I had already made my decision.

“Yes. That’s why I wanted to discuss something with you.”

I deliberately paused for a beat before continuing, keeping my voice steady.

“Director, is the offer you previously extended to me still valid?”

……

[Wooow, Soleum-nim.]

[What a brilliant idea you’ve had!]

His bright, almost delighted voice hit me like a downpour.

[You want to join my project, have your disappearance classified as classified project work instead of unauthorized leave, and avoid any losses in company points—correct?]

Goosebumps ran down my arms.

Beside me, Assistant Manager Eun Haje clenched her fists.

[That’s such an excellent strategy!]

I couldn’t bring myself to say thank you.

It wasn’t gratitude I felt—it was pure, instinctive wariness.

This wasn’t just a well-aligned conversation. It was as if I had stepped into a deal with an otherworldly creature.

[And of course, it’s possible.]

“Thank you—”

[That means that, from this moment onward, Supervisor Kim Soleum is officially a member of Director Ho Yoowon’s newly established project team. This verbal acceptance is being recorded as part of this call. Welcome aboard!]

“……”

It felt like I had just been pressured into signing a highly questionable real estate contract after barely five minutes of looking around.

“I truly appreciate your generosity. However, I had intended to consult with you, not to immediately declare my intent to join…”

[Ah, of course.]

[Then, shall we meet in person?]

“…I would greatly appreciate that. However, as you know, I am currently unable to visit the company in person due to my circumstances.”

[Ah, I expected as much. In fact, I was thinking it would be best to meet elsewhere.]

What a surprisingly accommodating response.

‘…Where exactly does he want to meet?’

I vaguely imagined a private dining space, perhaps a discreet meeting room.

But then—

[The Fox Counseling Room.]

“…!”

What?

[How does that sound? Warm and pleasant, don’t you think?]

[I’ll send the nameplate through Assistant Manager Eun Haje.]

“……”

Slowly, all of us turned to look at Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

‘Didn’t she say she had been reassigned to a role where she had to avoid company surveillance?’

Yet, Director Ho spoke as if he already knew she was right here.

[Please wait just a moment.]

“…Understood. Thank you, sir.”

The call ended with polite farewells.

And then—

Rrrrrring!

Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s phone immediately buzzed.

She glanced at the screen, then held up the display so we could all see.

[Caller ID: Director Ho Yoowon]

“……”

She answered.

“Yes. Yes, sir… Um. Understood. I’ll return immediately.”

Click.

“You heard that, right? That man is not normal.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje pulled the phone away from her face, shaking her head.

“The Fox Counseling Room… He’ll dress it up as ‘a comfortable place for Soleum-nim to receive counseling in case of contamination, while also having a discussion,’ but really? He just wants to establish dominance over the conversation.”

“……”

“Roe.”

She lowered her phone, looking visibly unsettled.

“It’s my firm belief that, even if it means taking a longer route, it’s better not to get involved in Director Ho’s project. Losing the points is painful, but… damn it.”

In the end, Assistant Manager Eun Haje ran a hand through her hair and sighed.

For the members of the Field Exploration Team, company points were practically as valuable as their lives. She knew exactly how much they meant.

“I’ll bring back the nameplate for you, but don’t let things slide too easily. Find a way to wheedle yourself out of this and don’t let the director pull you in. …You’re good at talking your way through things, so I believe in you.”

“Yes.”

I nodded.

“I’ll be careful and listen to what he has to say.”

“Good.”

A short while later.

Assistant Manager Eun Haje returned from the company and handed me the item Director Ho had promised.

A nameplate I was now quite familiar with.

Fox Counseling Room

Huu…

“Roe, if things feel off, just bolt!”

“Thank you, Supervisor.”

With my superiors’ encouragement and advice, I attached the nameplate to a random door.

And for the first time in a long while, I stepped into the Fox Counseling Room.

Creak—

“……”

Previously, this door had led to a changing room.

This time, a different space lay beyond.

A waiting room?

A small space where one could chat or undergo psychological assessments before a counseling session.

It was simple and cozy, with a few ivory-colored wooden chairs and a cypress table, giving it a rustic charm.

However, the actual counseling room’s door was firmly shut.

A sign was taped to it.

Closed for the day⠀ \^\^*

(Please take your nameplate back with you!)

Wait, if that’s the case…

Tap, tap.

“Hello, Soleum-nim!”

I nearly passed out.

I turned my head.

A young man, wearing a bright and kind expression, stood there, having just tapped my shoulder.

Director Ho Yoowon.

He smiled like a benevolent host and gave a slight bow.

“What a coincidence! The Fox Counseling Room is closed today, so we won’t be interrupted. Isn’t that just perfect?”

“……Yes. Thank you.”

How the hell did he know the counseling room was closed?

‘It almost feels like he has some kind of connection to this place.’

Better not dig into that.

I needed to keep my focus.

Right now, my priority was recovering my company points.

“Shall we take a seat?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

I took a seat across from the director in one of the comfortable waiting room chairs.

The whole situation felt completely surreal.

‘Huu.’

I poured some of the green tea provided in the waiting room and placed it in front of him.

Director Ho thanked me but said nothing further.

He simply smiled.

He’s waiting for me to start the conversation.

Fine.

“Director, I can’t help but feel hesitant about joining your project. I wonder if I’d even be suitable…”

“Oh my, to think you’d feel that way. What exactly is concerning you? Over the phone, it sounded like you were interested.”

Stay calm.

Right now, I’m not involved.

If I refused to return, I’d remain a civilian, which meant the director didn’t have as much leverage over me as before.

I had more room to push back.

Folding my hands together, I spoke.

“Yes. I’m afraid of dying, sir.”

“…!”

“Losing my points would be painful, but if I die before I can collect them, it would mean nothing.”

“Aha.”

“If this project is more dangerous than the Field Exploration Team, then I don’t see the point in taking the risk. Frankly, I’m considering only two options—either I return to my original position, or that I’ll resign entirely.”

“I see. Wow. You’re truly smart!”

“……”

Was that sarcasm?

But his face remained unreadable, his expression as earnest and good-natured as ever.

“And I think that’s a very good question. ‘Is Director Ho’s classified project more dangerous than the Field Exploration Team?’”

“……”

“My answer to that is…”

Director Ho smiled.

“It’s not dangerous. In fact, you could even say that it has a higher survival rate.”

“…!!”

“Oh, of course, some tasks could be riskier depending on circumstances. But at the very least, the job I’m offering you right now? It’s nowhere near fatal.”

“…I assume you can’t provide more specifics.”

“That’s right. This is all I can share for now.”

Director Ho looked at me with a seemingly regretful expression before adding in a soft tone,

“But I can assure you that your circumstances will be much better, and that this job has a higher survival rate than your previous one!”

“……”

“So, will you be joining the project now? Just a heads-up… after this, our team will be finalized, and we likely won’t be able to take on new members.”

So this was my last chance.

I looked at Director Ho, deliberately hesitated for a few seconds as if I were deeply contemplating my decision…

And then, I nodded.

“I want to do it.”

“Oh! Fantastic!”

Not I will—but I want to.

A phrase that left me with room to back out at the last moment.

Fortunately, Director Ho didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he clapped in delight.

He was so pleased that he even refilled my cup and placed fresh green tea in front of me.

It didn’t feel like a gesture of kindness—it sent a chill down my spine.

“You’ve made a truly excellent decision. Really. I told you—the working conditions have actually improved.”

“…The working conditions, you say.”

“Yes. It’ll be much more comfortable for you.”

Director Ho took a sip of tea and smiled, his eyes narrowing.

“After spending a month in that Darkness, you must have endured quite the ordeal. It would be difficult for you to enter another high-grade Darkness so soon.”

His voice remained warm and gentle, as if he were just looking out for me.

“So I thought… why not try something fun instead?”

Something about that phrasing…

There was a strange nuance to it.

“…Something fun, sir?”

“Yes! In other words, the job I’d like you to do is…”

And then, as if it were the most casual thing in the world—

Director Ho revealed the utterly ridiculous ‘task for Supervisor Kim Soleum’ that he had in mind.

“I need you to infiltrate the Disaster Management Bureau.”

“…!!”

“I suppose you could call it spying?”

Director Ho gave me a playful wink.

“You’ll be slipping in under the identity of a newly recruited agent. It’ll be a completely clean record, and you’ll be officially hired.”

Holy shit.

“You’ll blend in, live among them as an agent… and then, you’ll retrieve information on a specific supernatural disaster they manage. Simple, right?”

I gulped.

“And what exactly is this supernatural disaster you want me to investigate, sir?”

Director Ho raised an eyebrow slightly—before giving me another good-natured, amused smile.

“Not questioning how to do it, but rather asking what the target is first. Just as I expected.”

“……”

“We’ll go over that later. The first priority is ensuring your successful infiltration…”

His gaze shifted, subtly assessing me.

“And personally? I don’t think there’s a better candidate for this job than you, Soleum-nim.”

“……”

…Had he figured it out?

That I already had some level of connection with the Disaster Management Bureau?

That I even possessed an item from their organization?

I forced myself not to think about the Silver Heart still resting in my pocket.

‘For some reason, it seems like Director Ho Yoowon has a deep grudge against the Disaster Management Bureau.’

For now, it was best to keep my mouth shut.

And just when I thought the surprises were over—

“Oh, and since I figured it’d be a bit lonely for you to go in alone, you won’t be infiltrating by yourself.”

…Excuse me?

“…Who else is going in, sir?”

For a moment, I thought of Assistant Manager Eun Haje—but the answer I received was something I never could have predicted.

“Two of your fellow new hires will be going in with you.”

“…!!”

“Would you like to see for yourself?”

Director Ho handed me a document—most of it blurred out, except for the names and department affiliations.

I glanced at the page.

Field Exploration Team, R-squad— Go Yeongeun (Employee)

Field Exploration Team, F-squad— Jang Heoun (Employee)

The only two names among my peers who might actually be able to blend into the Disaster Management Bureau…

Director Ho beamed.

“Well then, Soleum-ssi.”

His voice was practically cheerful.

“I’ll be looking forward to your spectacular performance as a spy for the Disaster Management Bureau!”

Chapter 130 - Spy Work

The night Kim Soleum agreed to infiltrate the Disaster Management Bureau as a spy…

At that same moment, in his unit at the company housing, Baek Saheon was thoroughly enjoying the greatest luxury of his recent life.

Namely—the fact that his psycho roommate had disappeared!

That bastard, always sticking his nose where it didn’t belong… Baek Saheon figured that guy would end up dead one of these days.

He grinned with deep satisfaction.

Sure, that lunatic’s near-identical counterpart—D-Squad’s crazy squad leader—had relentlessly hounded him for interviews about the Tamra Express.

And yes, as a result, he had suffered through some truly horrifying… deepened contamination. But things had settled down now. He could even think about such ‘great’ talk—fuck, whatever it was—without throwing up or going out of his mind.

Which meant he could finally access the Fox Counseling Room.

For free!

‘Normally, you’ve got to be at least a supervisor to qualify for this perk… but the trade-off wasn’t bad at all.’

Thanks to the intervention of D-squad’s section chief, Baek Saheon had been able to secure a Fox Counseling Room nameplate just for himself. That alone was a huge win.

And the best part? That creepypasta therapist always handed out extra nameplates after a session.

Thanks to the ‘treatment’ he received at the company, he had permission to use the service ‘until he had sufficiently recovered’.

Which meant…

‘I could always hand one off to someone else if I play my cards right.’

At this rate, he could milk this for at least three more months—right up until he could get promoted.

But before that—tonight, he would use it himself.

Humming to himself, Baek Saheon strode over to the room of his dearly departed roommate and placed the nameplate on the door.

But as he pushed it open…

“…Ah. They’re closed today.”

“…??!!”

A sharp-eyed office worker with dark hair stood just beyond the threshold, speaking to him casually.

And then, he stepped out of the room.

A face Baek Saheon would never, ever be able to forget.

It… It was…

“…K-Kim Soleum.”

His former roommate—officially missing and presumed dead—looked at him…

And smirked.

What?

…Whaaaat??

“……??!”

Baek Saheon’s mind whirled into overdrive.

‘I-Is this a dream?’

Had he unknowingly stumbled into a hypnosis-based Darkness?

Because if not, then why the hell was a presumed-dead, missing lunatic casually walking out of the Fox Counseling Room?!

Smack!

Baek Saheon slapped himself.

His cheek burned.

Okay. Not a dream.

‘Fucking hell.’

He could feel the pitying stare of a certain someone, watching him like he was an idiot who had just punched himself in the face.

“…Hm. I get why you were trying to book a session.”

“…?!”

“But I’m telling you, they’re closed today. Take your nameplate off and try again later.”

Thud.

Kim Soleum fully stepped out of the room and shut the door behind him.

Then, with undeniable physical and not spiritual force, he ripped the nameplate off the door and tossed it back at Baek Saheon.

“…!”

On reflex, he caught it.

“But, huh… of all times, you just had to open the door now?”

“……”

“Didn’t think I’d be running into you like this.”

Baek Saheon swallowed hard.

His mind was spinning, scrambling to process the sheer absurdity of the situation.

But amidst the shock and confusion, one realization hit him with absolute certainty.

It was a persistent glow shone in his vision, right behind his eyepatch.

Internal warning alarms blared.

—I just saw something I wasn’t supposed to see.

If a company-declared deceased employee was standing in front of him, alive and well…

That meant there was some kind of cover-up at play—either at the corporate level, or something even bigger.

‘And they used me as a witness for his disappearance…!’

Baek Saheon forced himself not to think about the horrifying, mind-warping pressure he had experienced when they interrogated him about Kim Soleum’s last known whereabouts.

His head throbbed with a cocktail of anger, unease, and pure survival instinct.

But above all else—a warning blared inside his skull.

‘……Wait. But if this psycho bastard is standing here, alive…’

Should I…

Should I even be seeing this?!

“……”

“……”

The most efficient way for a psychopath to eliminate a loose end would be…

—Eradication.

‘N-No!’

Baek Saheon immediately corrected his own insane train of thought.

It was the modern era—who the hell resorted to something so primitive?!

‘And this bastard still has my mind-control fountain pen.’

The very item he had traded this eye for.

Right. This guy would surely brainwash Baek Saheon right here and now. They could just both live their lives while pretending that this never happened. Such a simple solution was available for them here, so there’s no need for—

“You want me to erase your memory with the pen, don’t you?”

“…!!”

Baek Saheon’s thoughts ground to a screeching halt.

“M’not gonna do that though.”

Baek Saheon’s mind raced through possible courses of action—punching, using his special equipment, calling for help, begging for his life…

And the moment he considered them, he dismissed them all.

‘N-No way.’

If he made a wrong move, there was no telling what this lunatic might do.

As much as he hated to admit it, Kim Soleum was as ruthless and efficient as a true psychopath should be.

If he wanted to avoid getting dragged into some deeper hell—or worse, getting outright killed—he had to stay calm.

What the hell does this psycho bastard want?

Was he actually here to kill me…

‘…No!’

A flash of realization struck Baek Saheon as he rearranged the pieces in his mind.

—This guy wants something.

That bastard was standing in front of him because there was something he wanted.

Baek Saheon forced himself to steady his breathing.

He crossed his arms, barely managing to look like he was composed.

“…So, I take it you’re here because you want something, Supervisor?”

“Mm.”

Knew it!

“…Ah. Do you need my eyewitness account or something? Like last time? You want me to report to the company that I think I might have seen you at the company housing?”

“No.”

Damn it.

Baek Saheon swallowed the curses threatening to spill out and forced himself to keep a straight face.

Kim Soleum, on the other hand, was watching him in quiet amusement.

Now that Baek Saheon looked closer, this guy was still wearing formal attire, but his hair was slightly shorter, and he had a splint on one arm.

He wasn’t in perfect condition, then.

Where the hell did he get injured?

And even his suit—it was slightly different.

It looked… oddly high-end. Not the kind of thing a regular office worker would wear. It was tailored, stylish—almost like something meant to be seen…

‘Like something a person would wear on TV…’

…Huh.

Something about that thought almost connected—

And then Soleum spoke.

“You seem pretty greedy when it comes to items.”

“…!”

“You don’t care for scraps—you want the good stuff. Hypnosis, suppression, healing… Wouldn’t you like to have more useful items like that?”

Desire flared, shoving every other thought aside.

Baek Saheon’s head shot up.

Kim Soleum was grinning.

“Then keep me updated on what’s happening inside Daydream Inc. Give me regular reports.”

“……”

He was proposing a deal.

An intel deal.

“…You mean things like high-grade Darkness exploration manuals?”

Kim Soleum gave him a completely unimpressed look.

Yeah. No way he’d be asking for something that boring.

“Why would I care about that?”

“……”

“Company rumors, staff reassignments, employee gossip. Just bring me anything that you think would be valuable to an insider.”

“…Why?”

“Because I’m curious?”

“……!!”

“Well, I got fired and I can’t hear the gossip anymore. It’s boring.”

This goddamn…!

Baek Saheon barely stopped himself from screaming his head off.

If it were any other human being, this would be an obvious bluff. A way to avoid admitting the real reason.

But this was Kim Soleum.

‘Shit, he might actually be telling the truth.’

It was entirely possible that this lunatic just enjoyed hearing company gossip and was trying to get his fix.

Which made it even harder to figure out what the hell was going on in his head.

‘Haa…’

“…So? Are you going to bring me information in exchange for items?”

“Information—”

……

……

“—I can bring it, sure.”

Baek Saheon made up his mind.

‘Who cares.’

If the company found out?

He could just say he’d been threatened or brainwashed—simple.

As long as he wasn’t selling company masks or Dream Essence Collectors on the black market, the higher-ups wouldn’t really care what the Field Exploration Team got up to.

Answering a few casual questions about ‘company atmosphere’? That wasn’t even a crime!

Sure, the company had ‘misunderstood’ and officially declared Kim Soleum dead, but how was that his problem?

There was no way this would get him fired.

‘It’s not like I’m selling classified research to the Disaster Management Bureau or something. Right?’

He wasn’t even a section chief, and he had no access to the Research Team’s secrets—nothing that would actually put him in trouble.

‘Alright.’

Yeah, no matter how much he thought about it, this was a deal worth taking.

……And as much as he hated to admit it, Kim Soleum wasn’t the type to scam people out of their payment… He never shortchanged people or humiliated them by withholding promised rewards.

‘I’ll go for it.’

Eat now, think later!

As soon as he saw an opportunity, Baek Saheon’s usual cocky smirk slid back into place.

“But, you see, Supervisor—ah, goodness, goodness. You’re not even a supervisor anymore, are you?”

“……”

“Anyway, how do I know you can trust me with this? What if I just lie to you?”

Translation: Hand over an item in advance if you want to buy my loyalty.

Kim Soleum smiled broadly.

“Oh, you want to lie? That sounds fun. You should try it.”

“……”

‘Son of a bitch.’

“Still, if you bring in more interesting information, naturally, the items I give you will be better. That’s how transactions work, right?”

“…!”

So he wasn’t planning on lowballing him.

Which meant, if Baek Saheon played this right, he could actually get some useful shit out of this.

So, he forced a grin and extended his hand.

“Alright, sir. I’ll bring you some ‘interesting information’.”

“Good.”

Kim Soleum shook his hand.

Just like that, he had successfully planted a highly opportunistic corporate informant within the company.

‘Phew.’

He had survived.

Kim Soleum let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Unofficial informant… secured.

Director Ho had deliberately framed the conversation to make it seem like he and his ‘fellow batchmates’ would be on the same playing field, trying to obscure the reality of the situation, but Kim Soleum knew.

He and his fellow employees were not in the same position at all.

‘I’m the the only one who’s officially pronounced dead.’

And on top of that, he was terminated from the company.

Which meant that every natural channel through which he could have kept up with company affairs had been completely cut off.

‘And Director Ho is the kind of boss who would happily exploit that isolation.’

Kim Soleum recalled Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s words perfectly.

– I don’t even know what the other team members are doing. Director Ho doesn’t allow us to talk to each other if our roles don’t overlap.

There was no way Director Ho would voluntarily provide him with any useful information.

Which meant, he needed another source.

‘But not the D-squad.’

Director Ho had already caught onto that link. The way he had sent the doorplate through Assistant Manager Eun Haje was proof enough. It was too obvious.

That was why Kim Soleum had already been planning to target either Baek Saheon or Kang Yihak.

And the situation had just played out perfectly.

‘Honestly, Kang Yihak… I could already imagine it. I could pay her to keep her mouth shut, but if the price is right, she’d sell me out in a heartbeat.’

Just thinking about it made him break into a cold sweat.

That’s why Baek Saheon was the better choice.

This guy was moderately scared of Kim Soleum and was also wary of other people. On top of that, he had strong survival instincts.

Kim Soleum glanced at his former roommate one last time before giving a small nod.

“Alright, bye.”

“What? Oh, uh… you seem busy.”

Soleum nodded again at Baek Saheon’s half-hearted response.

“I have work to do.”

He had less than a few weeks before his deployment to the Disaster Management Bureau.

‘Not much time.’

He needed to prepare.

Not as a Daydream Inc. rookie, but as a bureau agent!

February 22nd.

“Agent Bronze, the aptitude test for new recruits is ready.”

“Understood.”

Ryu Jaekwan, an agent of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau with the codename ‘Bronze’, stood by the glass window, reviewing the documents in his hands.

The glass was one-way—to those on the other side, it would appear as nothing more than a mirror.

Beyond it, the candidates for the bureau’s newest recruitment cycle were waiting.

Seated around the room, their faces carried an unmistakable tension—yet beneath it, there was a quiet determination.

All that remained was the personality test.

And yet, this was the most critical stage of the process.

Those who fail the aptitude test won’t just be rejected.

‘They’ll forget they even applied in the first place.’

They wouldn’t be given a second chance, because failing meant there was no point in trying again.

It meant they were either psychologically unfit to handle the work, or that they possessed a morally compromised sense of ethics.

Either way, such individuals could never be allowed to work here.

“……”

Still, Ryu Jaekwan was aware.

Most of the people sitting in that room had their own reasons for being here.

Some were searching for missing family members.

Some had supernatural threats they needed to eliminate.

For those applicants, more than anyone, he quietly hoped they would pass.

“Let’s begin.”

“Yes, sir!”

Of course, Bronze wasn’t the type to go easy on anyone. No matter what he personally felt, his strict evaluation criteria would not be changing.

The assistant examiners sitting beside him swallowed nervously.

They were acutely aware of Agent Bronze’s reputation.

‘I heard he’s seriously strict about his passing criteria.’

‘Too bad for the applicants in this room.’

The assistant examiners exchanged glances before proceeding with the aptitude test, following Agent Bronze’s instructions.

– Group ‘다 (Da)’ candidates 1 through 4, please step forward.

The announcement echoed through the room beyond the glass.

Four final candidates stepped into the center of the room.

Candidate #1, age 25, visibly tense. Candidate #2, age 38, appearing calm but unnaturally pale. Candidate #3, age 31, eyes burning with intensity. And…

“Pfff—!”

“S-Sir…?”

Ryu Jaekwan barely stifled a choking cough.

For a moment, he thought he must be hallucinating. But, no. The reflection in the glass remained unchanged.

A face he had unexpectedly seen far too many times from within supernatural phenomena—that peculiar yet virtuous person…

‘…Agent Grapes?!’

Kim Soleum.

Standing directly across from the mirror, adjusting his glasses awkwardly while looking a little tense—the former Daydream Inc. employee!!

He was Candidate #4 for the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau’s Group ‘다 (Da)’ selection.

Chapter 131 - Interview

Ryu Jaekwan remembered clearly.

The mountain lodge where serial murders occurred.

The person who, despite being caught up in that horrific disaster, managed to find clues to prevent further killings and even tried to save the true culprits.

The one who possessed the Silver Heart.

– People were hidden away while we staged their deaths. Using real body parts meant no one suspected anything.

– I figured the real killer might get flustered and stay quiet if I acted first.

And also, the devotion and sacrifice he had shown in that strange nightmare of a school—Sekwang Technical High School.

– I did acquire a name tag, but I no longer have it in my possession.

– I gave it to the person who was alive in the classroom.

Giving away a lifeline to someone else in an extreme situation was not something just anyone could do.

Ryu Jaekwan, who had seen all kinds of people at the Disaster Management Bureau, was at a loss for words at such unwavering choices.

Of course, at the same time… he had also learned the shocking truth that the owner of the Silver Heart was not an innocent civilian.

– …Roe Deer?

A person treated as a mere tool by an immoral, insane pharmaceutical company.

A foolish and selfish office worker, enthralled by the absurd promise of a ‘Wish Ticket’ like a cult follower.

That was Kim Soleum.

The fact that Ryu Jaekwan had even given such a person a temporary agent badge was enough to send chills down his spine.

It had been, without a doubt.

– You two. Leave me here.

“……”

Sometimes, a person’s actions reveal more than any description ever could.

Even with a hole torn through his stomach, he had prioritized his colleague’s safety and the security of the agent traveling with them.

Kim Soleum.

Now, that very man was standing beyond the glass.

Applying for the Disaster Management Bureau’s agent exam.

“……”

But strangely, something about him felt different.

‘…Why won’t he meet my eyes?’

Kim Soleum had always appeared neat and composed, even during their past encounters. Even when he had been pulled into that nightmare as a high school student, his appearance had remained meticulous.

But now, the person beyond the glass had unkempt, disheveled hair and kept his head down, glasses barely sitting on his face.

Like someone experiencing their first-ever job interview, overwhelmed by the crowd.

Or perhaps…

Someone who had suffered a significant mental blow and had withdrawn into himself.

‘……’

Yet, Ryu Jaekwan only narrowed his tired, wary eyes through the glass.

The name stamped clearly on the personnel file in his hands.

Name : Kim Soleum

That was all.

‘No employment history with Daydream Inc.’

Apart from a brief record from his university years, the work history section was completely blank.

Ryu Jaekwan clenched his jaw.

This was so blatantly obvious that it was almost laughable.

‘Is he infiltrating as a spy for that cult-like company?’

It was possible. No, highly likely.

‘Did he really think I wouldn’t recognize his name and shamelessly apply like this?’

As if assuming he wouldn’t be noticed.

…He needed to be thoroughly investigated.

He couldn’t afford to be deceived by appearances.

“Give it to me.”

“Ack…!”

Agent Bronze snatched the mic from the assistant interviewer, his voice completely devoid of emotion as he took control of the session.

– Candidates #1, #2, #3, #4.

– Attach the oxygen masks in front of you, in order.

The applicants hesitantly reached for the oxygen masks laid out in the center of the room.

Bloodstained, with snapped tubing—as if someone had deliberately sabotaged them.

They shouldn’t have been functional.

Yet, inexplicably, the indicator lights flickered on successfully.

The candidates swallowed hard.

But none of them refused.

Each one strapped the oxygen mask to their face.

A cold chill ran through their hands and feet.

– These oxygen masks originate from a supernatural disaster. Improper use can lead to horrifying consequences.

– From this moment on, whenever you lie, you will be supplied with something other than oxygen.

“…!”

Beyond the glass, the applicants flinched and squeezed their eyes shut, dread creeping over their expressions.

Even candidate #4, Kim Soleum, shrank back slightly.

Yes. He should be afraid.

Especially if he had infiltrated this place to engage in something as despicable as espionage.

– Speak only the truth.

A psychological aptitude test, using the power of a ‘supernatural phenomenon’ authorized for limited use by the Disaster Management Bureau.

A lie detector.

A tool to discern malice.

A process designed to unmask criminals.

An essential safeguard for ethical integrity.

Ryu Jaekwan stared through the glass.

The agent candidates sat frozen, their faces stiff beneath the oxygen masks.

– We will now begin the questioning.

A ruthless, universal question followed.

– From this moment forward, you must choose one of the four agent candidates here to eliminate.

“…!!”

– This is a necessary action to resolve a supernatural disaster.

– State who you will kill.

The candidates’ lips trembled in shock.

No one had answered yet.

But in the observation room beyond the mirror, the interviewers were already ‘receiving responses’.

Candidate #1 :

K-Kill someone? Are they insane?!

Candidate #2 :

…Who should I pick? Maybe saying I can’t kill anyone is the right answer? No, do agents need to be ruthless? Ahhh, shit…

Candidate #3 :

What the fuck, are they being for real right now?! Should I check the person next to me first?

Each thought was neatly transcribed on the screen, listed alongside their assigned numbers.

Instead of displaying pulse readings as the device was originally designed to do, the output screen revealed something abnormal—sharp, crimson text.

Their inner thoughts.

The ‘Truth Respirator’.

A residual phenomenon left behind after clearing a high-level supernatural disaster, The Last Confession, which had occurred at a nursing facility in Gangwon-do.

And while the method was ethically questionable, the Disaster Management Bureau had long since adopted similar aptitude tests as standard practice.

Because if they failed to screen candidates properly, a catastrophe could unfold.

The interviewers, their expressions cold and unflinching, read and assessed the candidates’ unspoken thoughts.

Panic. Hesitation. Resentment.

‘Ordinary.’

‘Unremarkable.’

Except for one.

Candidate #4 :

……

Candidate #4, Kim Soleum.

Nothing appeared on the screen.

No thoughts. No hesitation.

He simply sat there in complete silence, the oxygen mask securely fastened to his face.

“Is he frozen in shock?”

“Look at him—his head’s down. Seems like he has no guts.”

“……”

Ryu Jaekwan maintained his composure and picked up the microphone again.

– Candidate #1. Answer.

The young man, who had been darting his eyes nervously, straightened his back and spoke.

“For the safety of the majority, sometimes cruel decisions must be made. I… I will volunteer myself to be killed.”

But the screen revealed something else entirely.

Candidate #1:

N-No way I can do it… But if I convince myself I can die, that must be the right answer, right?! That’s why they’re asking like this?!

‘Panic. Lack of critical thinking. Extreme compliance.’

…

Eliminated.

– Candidate #1. Remove your oxygen mask and stand by.”

“…!”

Candidate #1 stood in a daze, then, realizing what had happened, shakily removed his mask and stepped back.

“Wait, shouldn’t we reconsider and give him another question—”

“Shh.”

A fellow assistant interviewer cut in.

“Agent Bronze’s judgment has never been wrong. Just watch.”

“……”

“He always passes the right people.”

As if to prove the point, the aptitude test continued without pause.

– Candidate #2. Answer.

“…I would choose someone close to me and ensure the process is as quick and humane as possible… Prioritizing a painless method.”

Candidate #2 :

Too obvious? But this is the safest answer. No way I’m saying outright who I’d kill while everyone’s listening…

Evasive response.

Eliminated.

– Remove your oxygen mask and stand by.

In an instant, the second elimination was complete.

Next.

– Candidate #3.

Candidate #3 lifted his head, sweat beading on his forehead.

But there was a certain confidence in his expression.

“I will not kill anyone!”

“…!”

“There’s always a Plan B. There must be another way out. We can find a way for everyone to escape—”

Thud.

Candidate #3 collapsed mid-sentence.

“…!!”

His oxygen mask, which had been stained and damaged moments before, was now spotless and brand new.

His face had gone completely pale.

The interviewers, their expressions cold, read the blazing red text on the screen—the ‘true feelings’ he himself hadn’t even realized he was suppressing.

Candidate #3 :

Holy shit, this is exhilarating. ‘Killing the person next to you’, huh? LMAO this is exactly what being a secret agent is about.

Candidate #3 was left sprawled on the floor.

“……”

Inside the room, the last remaining agent candidate sat frozen in place, awaiting his turn.

Only one person still had his oxygen mask on.

– Candidate #4.

– Answer.

The question remained the same.

‘To eliminate the dangerous anomaly, which of the four people here will you choose to kill?’

Ryu Jaekwan stared at Kim Soleum through the glass.

How would this former employee of an unethical pharmaceutical company answer?

Would he, perhaps, try to sound more cunning this time? Or maybe more virtuous…

“Candidate #3.”

……

Huh?

“The one who has already collapsed.”

– …!

For the first time, someone had been explicitly named.

The interviewers widened their eyes and waited for further explanation—

“……”

“……”

No.

That was it?

Candidate #4 remained silent, head lowered.

The system voice chimed in with an awkward, slightly disoriented tone.

– Is that the end of your response?

“Huh?”

– Do you have anything more to explain?

Candidate #4 hesitated so much it was agonizing before finally speaking, voice barely above a whisper.

“Well, um… in the scenario you described, it seems like we four are responsible for this disaster, somehow…

– …!!

“If the disaster can only be stopped by the death of one of us, then that must mean we’re fundamentally tied to the cause of it. Like… maybe we triggered it by interfering with something we shouldn’t have.”

– ……

“Uh, is this the right answer?”

– Candidates are not permitted to ask questions.

“Ah…! S-Sorry…”

Candidate #4 mumbled, still keeping his head down.

Almost as if he was embarrassed to be saying something like this.

“Then… yes. That’s my reasoning. I chose the easiest target, the one who’s already incapacitated.”

Truth.

– ……

“However, if we had even the slightest extra time, I’d do my best to find another option.”

A predictably moral answer.

“Because life is precious. It’s difficult and painful to decide someone’s worth based on sheer numbers… or on who is more valuable.”

But his tone had a strange kind of conviction.

“Still, if no alternative exists within the given time frame, and if there’s a high likelihood of mass casualties… then there may be no choice.”

For the first time, Kim Soleum raised his head.

Through the glass, through his glasses, his eyes remained sharp—even after passing through two layers of barriers.

And then, his inner thoughts appeared on the screen.

Candidate #4 :

But if possible, I want to save them all…

…It was exactly the ideal response that the Disaster Management Bureau wanted from its agents.

To follow regulations in unavoidable disaster scenarios, while still keeping a moral compass intact…!

Rustle.

Candidate #4 quickly lowered his gaze again, as if nothing had happened.

The interviewers exchanged silent nods of admiration.

“He means it.”

“His ethics and judgment are sound. And his reasoning is…”

Clench.

Ryu Jaekwan barely stopped himself from crumpling the papers in his grip.

No.

There was no way.

“This candidate is…”

– Next question.

“What? W-Wait, Interviewer—?”

Ignoring the other interviewers, Ryu Jaekwan forced the test into a second round of questioning—a step only taken in cases where a candidate’s assessment remained unclear.

– You are trapped in a supernatural disaster.

– You can only send one person to safety—either the most virtuous candidate in this room, or your closest friend.

– Who do you choose?

Candidate #4’s face now looked completely bewildered.

Like he had no idea why such an obvious question was even being asked.

“Uh. The one who has the highest chance of survival…?”

– …!

“I mean… my goal is always to save as many people as possible.”

Candidate #4 :

That’s how the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau is supposed to operate.

– ……

Ryu Jaekwan stared blankly through the glass.

The assistant interviewers instantly understood.

‘This is a pass.’

‘A guaranteed pass.’

Candidate #4’s attitude might have been overly passive, but in reality, most highly competent Disaster Management Bureau agents tended to be… a little off in some way.

Trauma exchanged for conviction.

In that sense, he was a textbook example of a viable candidate.

‘So, a pass—’

And then, suddenly—

Candidate #4’s inner thoughts updated.

Candidate #4 :

…Not that I’d ever find myself in a situation where I’d have to make a choice like this in the first place.

– …!

Something about that wording—

That phrasing was far too deliberate.

‘A gap.’

Ryu Jaekwan and the assistant interviewers tensed up for a moment. Their eyes widened as they focused on the next line of text—

Candidate #4 :

Uh, well… I don’t really have anyone I’d call a friend, so…

Oh.

Candidate #4 :

Should I have just pointed out that this question doesn’t even apply to me? Saying, ‘It’s fine because there aren’t any people I could call friends,’ sounds kind of embarrassing though…

“……”

“……”

Candidate #4 :

No, I shouldn’t say anything. Let’s just… try to make some new colleagues here. Hwaiting!

A heavy silence settled over the interviewers.

“……”

Ryu Jaekwan could feel the assistant interviewers staring at him.

Their looks were practically screaming, If you keep dragging this out and don’t pass him now, you are officially the worst piece of shit alive!

– …Remove your oxygen mask and stand by.

Candidate #4 gave a small nod and took off the mask.

The instructions were the same as before, but everyone in the room—both the candidates and the interviewers—understood.

“…Thank you.”

Candidate #4 had passed.

– All four candidates who have completed the aptitude test, please move to the waiting area.

Beyond Candidate #3, who was being dragged out like a sack of potatoes, Candidate #4 adjusted his glasses in a slightly hunched posture before moving along.

Even though… he had just taken a subtle hit to his dignity without even realizing it.

Which, ironically, made him all the more memorable as a successful candidate.

‘Looking forward to seeing where that guy ends up.’

‘Yeah.’

The assistant interviewers exchanged glances, silently agreeing—

‘If we ever run into that timid-looking Candidate #4 again, we should keep an eye out for him.’

Not that they needed to.

Because that answer had been calculated to produce this exact effect!

‘Phew.’

At the waiting room.

I sank into a chair with a deep sigh.

My knees were pressed together—making sure I didn’t look too relaxed.

‘I made it through…’

But seriously—why the hell was Agent Bronze there?!

‘I almost passed out the moment I heard that guy’s voice over the speakers.’

When I realized that one of the interviewers was Ryu Jaekwan, I thought I was completely screwed.

But surprisingly… it actually helped me refine my character.

It’s…

‘A reserved, introverted agent with an unspeakable, tragic backstory, but outstanding abilities.’

That was the character I had planned to play in the Disaster Management Bureau.

To fit the role, I had spent weeks deliberately messing up my appearance before showing up for the interview.

‘Being a bit withdrawn raises less suspicion than being overly smooth.’

After all, most Disaster Management Bureau agents had complicated pasts—I wouldn’t seem out of place at all.

Oh—was pretending to be shy mentally exhausting?

Not really.

I’m a naturally timid person, after all.

All I had to do was drop my social mask and let my anxious, cowardly thoughts spill out into the open.

‘Hahaha…’

……Honestly? This was still better than pretending to be an insane MZ employee at Daydream Inc.

…At least, that’s what I had to tell myself!

I wiped the sweat from my face beneath my glasses.

‘Anyway, it worked.’

I had basically secured my acceptance.

Even with Ryu Jaekwan as an interviewer.

That’s right.

The same agent who had once been spectacularly backstabbed by me… had just passed me.

Since I hadn’t been dragged away by agents mid-interview, it meant he had decided to let me through.

‘…But now I have to hit him in the back of the head yet again.’

Because, at the end of the day—I was a spy.

I internally apologized while breaking into a cold sweat. I-I’m really sorry, Agent… just one more time…

‘But… he’s still a little suspicious of me, right?’

He passed me, but was probably going to keep an eye on me.

Maybe even reporting everything to his superiors, detailing my past ties to Daydream Inc.?

That would be a problem.

Since I had already taken this path, I had to fully commit—there was no turning back.

‘I need to work harder to completely solidify his trust in me.’

I waited quietly.

Before long, my number was called again.

A confirmation of acceptance.

– Candidate #4 from Group ‘다 (Da)’.

– You have passed. Proceed to the designated location.

“…!”

I made it through.

That ‘location’ was probably where the interviewers would finally show themselves, hand me my agent ID, and assign me to a temporary division.

Which meant…

I was about to meet Ryu Jaekwan face to face.

‘I didn’t expect to run into my biggest threat on my first day as an undercover agent, but… this is actually a good thing.’

Might as well resolve this issue now.

“Yes! Yes…”

I intentionally answered too loudly, then quickly lowered my voice as if I was panicking. After that, I scrambled to my feet and cautiously made my way forward.

…As I walked, I repeated my strategy in my head—the plan I had crafted for this exact moment. Operation: Agent, I Faked My Death and Escaped That Insane Cult Company! ㅠㅠ

Thus began my life as a fraudulent government agent.

……For the record and just to make things absolutely clear… I swear, I never meant for it to get this serious…

Chapter 132 - Dispatch & Rescue Unit

Agent Bronze—Ryu Jaekwan—stood in a corner of the room, keeping any signs of restlessness off his expression.

The room where the final successful candidates gathered.

Several rounds of announcements had already called out the names of those who had passed, and most of the prepared seats were now occupied.

But…

‘Why isn’t he here yet?’

As successful candidates were steadily called in and took their seats, the one person he had no choice but to pass still hadn’t arrived.

‘Kim Soleum!’

His number had already been called three times!

– Candidate #4 from Group ‘다 (Da)’.

– You have passed. Proceed to the designated location.

If that announcement repeated one more time, his application status would be put on hold.

It would be considered an automatic forfeiture.

‘Why in the world…’

He had gone through the entire aptitude test—only to give up now?

Even Ryu Jaekwan himself found it incomprehensible. The frustration was starting to eat at him when—

Thud!

“I-I’m so sorry!”

The door to the already nearly full room burst open, and a man stumbled in, his face flushed bright red.

He was gasping for breath as if he had sprinted all the way here, and his suit sleeves and collar were dripping wet.

[다-4]

The candidate who had been one call away from disqualification.

Kim Soleum.

From the looks of it, he had splashed water on his face out of sheer nerves.

…If he were really a spy, would he go out of his way to draw this much attention to himself……

‘Damn it!’

No. No leniency. Ryu Jaekwan pressed his lips shut, maintaining an unimpressed glare.

– Take your seat.

“Y-Yes, sir…”

Kim Soleum adjusted his glasses and quickly shuffled to the farthest back corner, sitting down quietly.

A candidate beside him hesitated before speaking up.

“Are you okay? Here, take this…”

“Ah, n-no, I’m fine! Thank you…”

At the kind offer of water, Kim Soleum startled so visibly that Ryu Jaekwan, knowing his true background, could see it all the more clearly.

Like someone who had spent too long among corporate cultists in an immoral pharmaceutical company, where basic human kindness was an alien concept…

“……”

Ryu Jaekwan said nothing. He simply watched.

– We will now begin the appointment process.

The Disaster Management Bureau’s Agent Appointment Ceremony.

It was a simple, streamlined process. First, register funeral arrangements in case of death. Then, receive a temporary identification pass. A brief training orientation shall commence, and after that, there will be an overview of assigned missions.

There were no bureaucratic formalities like in the public sector, nor did it have the rigorous military training of special forces.

Because supernatural disasters—horrifying, unearthly anomalies—were not something any amount of training could prepare an agent for.

Only experience could forge resilience.

And most recruits were people who had lost family or loved ones to mysterious, unexplainable incidents.

Even those who hadn’t suffered personal losses carried a grim sense of duty—the unshakable knowledge that they had glimpsed the hidden world and could never turn back.

That atmosphere saturated the room.

– Candidate #4 from Group ‘다’. Kim Soleum.

“Th, thank you, sir.”

Kim Soleum bowed slightly as he accepted his temporary pass.

Looking at him—his timid, withdrawn demeanor—it was clear that if someone with his personality had chosen to apply, it could only mean he had an unshakable resolve.

Though, of course, there were also a few eyes filled with skepticism, as if wondering if he was just unqualified instead.

– For the next three weeks, you will undergo training and supervised field assignments.

– At the end of this period, your permanent division placement will be determined.

– Until then, follow the instructions of your assigned senior agent without exception.

This was when the interviewers appeared.

Each one stepping forward to take direct responsibility for the recruits they had selected.

That was standard bureau policy.

Although, in cases where a match wasn’t ideal, existing senior agents could also be assigned instead.

But at the very least—for ‘noteworthy’ recruits, the original interviewer was almost always the one assigned as their mentor.

And in Kim Soleum’s case…

Thanks to the subtle support and recommendations of the assistant interviewers—

– The agent standing before you will be your direct senior.

– They will oversee your training for the next three months.

Ryu Jaekwan stepped in front of Kim Soleum.

“…!”

From behind his glasses, Kim Soleum’s face went deathly pale.

The exact moment he recognized him.

“Follow me.”

“……”

Ryu Jaekwan could hear the quiet footsteps of Kim Soleum, his newly assigned recruit, trailing behind him.

Then, as they entered an unmaintained, isolated room in a desolate corner of the aptitude test facility, leaving only the two of them inside—

Rustle.

“…!”

He heard the sound of something being pulled out.

‘A weapon?’

Ryu Jaekwan’s hand moved instinctively, ready to subdue him—

“Um, Agent.”

“……”

“I… wanted to return this.”

It was…

The temporary agent badge and pistol.

The very items that had been given to Temporary Agent Grapes during the Sekwang Technical High School incident.

Things that, in the chaos of the situation, even Ryu Jaekwan himself had forgotten about.

“I should have returned them earlier, but I never had the chance. I apologize, sir…”

“……”

Ryu Jaekwan studied Kim Soleum.

If he had just kept his mouth shut, no one would have known.

And yet, here he was—turning himself in, looking as if he had already accepted the worst possible outcome.

As if he were fully convinced that the agent standing before him would report him as a corporate spy for that pharmaceutical company.

…Ryu Jaekwan’s initial wariness simmered down.

“Does that company know you’re here?”

A slow shake of the head.

“No, sir.”

How could he possibly believe that—

“As far as the company is concerned, I’m already dead…”

“…!”

What?

“What do you mean—”

“I was trapped in a Darkness—uh, I mean, a Disaster—for over a month.”

Kim Soleum’s face turned slightly pale.

“Once it’s been over a month, they just assume you’re dead. So, as far as the company is concerned, I’m already a deceased employee—or rather, a former employee.”

“……”

They finalized an employee’s status as deceased without even attempting a rescue?

Ryu Jaekwan was momentarily at a loss for words at the sheer brutality of that system.

But then, another realization struck him.

“You were trapped in a supernatural phenomenon for over a month?!”

Kim Soleum, still with his head lowered, gave a small nod.

It felt like a hammer had struck the back of Ryu Jaekwan’s skull.

‘No way…!’

His gaze swept over the other man again.

This was someone who had once been neat, composed, meticulous.

Yet now, he reacted to everything around him with quiet, careful hesitance.

Like someone who had been… irreversibly changed by a long, harrowing period spent inside a nightmare.

“Don’t tell me… you did it on purpose—”

“No, sir.”

Of course.

Who in their right mind would willingly choose to be trapped in a ghost story for over a month?

Especially someone who had already experienced such incidents firsthand while working there.

“But after I got out, I didn’t report back to the company… on purpose.”

“……!”

Ryu Jaekwan responded instinctively.

“Because that was the only way… to leave quietly—without ‘causing any problems’?”

“……”

Kim Soleum took a deep breath—then, at last, nodded.

“Yes.”

Liar.

Daydream Inc. was the kind of place that would cheerfully wave goodbye and say, ‘Dobby is free!’ if someone wanted to quit.

It wasn’t that they wouldn’t let you leave.

It was just that no one ever did—because it meant throwing away every point they had painstakingly accumulated.

“I don’t regret it, sir.”

But to Ryu Jaekwan, an agent unaware of how the company truly functioned, the situation seemed like a textbook case of a cult escape.

A victim of psychological trauma, PTSD, gaslighting, who had suffered so much that he had to fake his own death just to escape…

“Um… I mean, I know I can’t stop you if you decide to report me, but… Please, just don’t make it public knowledge, sir…”

“……”

He was afraid of being tracked down by Daydream Inc.

Ryu Jaekwan realized it immediately.

But outwardly, he didn’t show it. He only pressed further.

“What about your ‘wish’? That was why you worked for them, wasn’t it?”

Kim Soleum, still looking down with his head hung, let out a small, hollow chuckle.

“That… doesn’t matter anymore.”

“……!”

“Something happened while I was working there. The progress I had built up for my wish was completely reset.”

“……”

“That’s when it finally hit me.”

Daydream Inc.’s Wish Ticket system did grant wishes.

But the company could decide, at any time, to deny an individual their reward.

Completely at their own discretion.

Unreasonably and unfairly.

“That I had been throwing my life away, working indefinitely in that nightmarish place for something that could be erased at a moment’s notice…”

Ryu Jaekwan gritted his teeth.

The words ‘I told you not to believe in that nonsense about wishes’ almost slipped out, but somehow or another, he held them back.

“Ah! Don’t worry. Since I’ve already been officially declared dead… I can’t accumulate performance points or withdraw anymore anyway.”

The bitter smile slowly faded from Kim Soleum’s face.

What remained was emptiness.

“And once that happened… I didn’t have anything left to do.”

“……”

“So… I remembered the business card you gave me and applied to the Disaster Management Bureau.”

Then, he shrank back slightly.

“…If that offended you, I apologize.”

Suddenly, Ryu Jaekwan felt as if he had been pressuring someone for something completely unreasonable.

A guilt that settled deep in his chest.

It was the kind of guilt one might feel if, after rescuing a civilian from a supernatural disaster, that same agent grabbed the civilian by the collar and demanded a detailed explanation of what had happened to them.

Here was a victim who had tried, against all odds, to live morally despite the circumstances. The guilt of psychologically cornering someone who had barely escaped from the immoral grip of a corrupt company…!

During the interview, Ryu Jaekwan had singled him out, going as far as putting him under excessive scrutiny? And even now, he had called him in separately and was practically interrogating him?

On top of that, Kim Soleum had already lost everything—his goal, his affiliation, even the one thing that had kept him tied to that company.

Ryu Jaekwan thought,

…And yet, perhaps with some expectations, Kim Soleum still chose to come here.

The kind of work the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau did—protecting citizens from supernatural disasters, ghosts, unidentified lifeforms, and unknown phenomena—was the complete opposite of what Daydream Inc. stood for.

Given their past encounters, if Kim Soleum had entered this agency with even a sliver of hope or a sense of purpose—

‘Then…’

Ryu Jaekwan clenched his fist.

‘He’s not about to punch me, is he?’

I stared, cold sweat forming, as Agent Bronze’s hand clenched into a fist.

I had said everything I needed to.

‘Seems like he’s buying it.’

So why the hell was he making a fist?!

I kept my head down, keeping my face carefully neutral, and waited in silence for a few seconds. And then…

Bbee-bee-bee-bee-beep!

“…!”

The watch on Agent Bronze’s wrist suddenly let out a blaring alarm.

“…Wait here.”

“Yes, sir.”

Phew.

‘So that’s why he clenched his fist.’

Click.

The moment Agent Bronze stepped out the door, I let out a long sigh and sank to the floor.

Haa.

‘The only time I’ve ever lied this hard to a good person was during a game of mafia…’

And now, I was deceiving a civil servant so I could spy on a government agency.

I was sweating bullets. At this rate, I might be able to take a bath in my cold sweat.

But the important thing was…

‘He believes me, right?’

It seemed like he did.

I took note of how Agent Bronze had gradually spoken less and less, how his gaze had shifted into something almost sympathetic.

As long as that sympathy wasn’t the kind reserved for criminals on their way to a high-security cell, then ‘Candidate Kim Soleum’ was no longer under suspicion.

‘Perfect.’

I wiped the cold sweat off my temple.

They say a great scam is 90% truth and 10% lies—

And, unintentionally, I had kept that ratio quite well.

…For the record, neither of my fellow spies who infiltrated the Disaster Management Bureau had to go through this mess.

– Director Ho, about my fellow batchmates who…

– Oh, they’ve already entered.

– ……

– Until last month, we had a direct recruitment pathway into the bureau, so they got in right away.

…In short, I was the only one who had to take the official entrance exam.

Which meant, I had to suffer through this entire ordeal alone.

Haha…

Go Yeongeun, Jang Heoun… I don’t know where you’ve been assigned within the bureau, but please…

Just relax, enjoy yourselves, and if things go south, please… please come save me.

‘I’m begging you.’

Was it selfish to hope my batchmates were safe and comfortable purely so I could use them later?

Maybe.

But right now, the only thing that mattered was—

‘Where exactly am I getting assigned?’

It wasn’t too hard to figure out.

I crossed my arms.

Let’s see—based on the <Dark Exploration Records>, the three main divisions that Disaster Management Bureau agents were assigned to after completing their three-week probation were…

‘There are three major units.’

Simply put, these are the three main stages of handling supernatural disasters.

First.

1- Preliminary Investigation Unit

: A reconnaissance team that analyzes newly emerging ghost stories, assesses their progression and threat level, and reports findings.

Their job is to track down rumored ghost stories, both online and offline, and categorize them.

Of course, unlike Daydream Inc., they don’t just throw agents into a disaster site and force them to create a manual on the spot, as they do with members of the Field Exploration Team. Instead, they gather information and conduct investigations as safely as possible.

‘This really makes me realize just how insane my old job was…’

Then again, I’m still technically working there—as a spy, no less.

…That’s depressing. Let’s not think about it.

Anyway, next was the second one.

2- Dispatch & Rescue Unit

: A rapid-response task force that answers civilian distress calls when they’ve already been caught in a supernatural disaster or urban legend.

Basically, a rescue team.

They’d jump into the middle of a supernatural disaster, right when things were at their most terrifying, and pull people out.

It’s the most dangerous assignment, but at the same time, it’s considered the core of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau. It’s the most respected unit in the agency.

‘And their mission reports are the most entertaining to read, too.’

But… this is not what I’m aiming for.

‘I’ve had enough excitement.’

I could experience thrills vicariously just fine.

The one I’m targeting was…

3- Site Cleanup Unit

: A post-disaster team responsible for restoring an affected area after a supernatural incident, ensuring that civilians remain unaware of what happened.

Basically, the cleanup crew!

Like crime scene cleaners, they’d go in after ghost stories had been resolved or sealed and restore the site. They were also in charge of handling documentation.

That means, I’d be in charge of registering and organizing documents!

This was the best role for gaining access to classified supernatural records, including those on the specific phenomenon that Director Ho mentioned.

‘And for someone who’s already read the <Dark Exploration Records>, this is basically free real estate.’

It would be as easy as editing a wiki page.

Relaxing. Enjoyable. No sudden death threats.

And most importantly…

‘I only go in after all the scary shit is over!’

In other words, it’s the least terrifying unit to be assigned to.

For the first time, I could finally work a government job without breaking into cold sweats…!

Can you hear that? The sound of my quality of life skyrocketing!

And getting assigned there is simple.

‘For the next three weeks, I just need to act passive and show that I have a sharp, analytical mind.’

If I emphasize classification, documentation, and organization—basically, skills suited for research—I’ll be a perfect fit.

And, hasn’t it become obvious now? This perfectly aligns with the character I’ve been playing!

Even better, my senior agent already knew I had past experience with supernatural incidents.

And he also knew about my suspicious background.

‘I managed to talk my way out of it, but if there’s still any lingering doubt, they’ll stick me in a paperwork-heavy role.’

Agent Bronze seemed competent.

And there’s no way a rational agent would expect an ex-employee of a deranged pharmaceutical company to be put in charge of saving people!

“Huu.”

With a quiet sigh of relief, I got to my feet.

Just in time, the agent returned.

Thud.

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

Ah, he’s probably going to tell me to go home now…

“Take this.”

Thuk.

Before I could react, something was tossed into my hands.

‘An identification pass?’

It looked like an access badge—but I had already received one earlier during the appointment ceremony…?

“New recruits are usually assigned to a unit after completing three weeks of training in pairs.”

I knew that.

But I had no way of expecting what came next.

“However, I’ve taken the liberty of assigning you to a unit myself.”

“……”

Excuse me?

“From this moment forward, you’re in the same unit as me.”

“……”

Wait.

If Agent Bronze’s unit is…

I had a terrible feeling.

I flipped over the badge I was holding—

Agent (β)

Name : Kim Soleum

Assigned Unit : Dispatch & Rescue Unit, Black Tortoise Team 1

“As of this moment, you are part of Black Tortoise Team 1.”

“……”

No…

NOOO!!

“Coincidentally, we’ve just received a rescue call. We’ll be entering a Disaster zone immediately to extract civilians from the scene. Follow me.”

“……”

My persuasion check landed a nat-20 in the weirdest place!

Chapter 133 - [Looky Mart], I

I’m on the Disaster Management Bureau’s rescue team, huh.

Having to go into a ghost story to save civilians, when I can barely look after myself as it is…

‘Am I dreaming?’

But it was reality.

And I even had to enter a ghost story right this moment to rescue someone.

7:30 PM.

Exactly an hour and thirty minutes had passed since I finished the aptitude test and was appointed.

Yet, here I was, already receiving agent gear at headquarters due to the urgent directive Agent Bronze had received.

And now I was riding a Disaster Management Bureau bicycle, heading toward the site of the ghost story.

‘…The sun’s completely gone.’

Riding a bike in this cold, through the dark, makes me shiver—and so many thoughts run through my head…

“Citizens caught up in a Disaster can request rescue using the number provided on the Bureau’s informational leaflets.”

Yes…

‘And I’m also aware that this number sometimes miraculously works even inside the ghost story.’

Just listening to this impromptu rescue briefing, which was so like the Disaster Management Bureau, was already making my head spin.

I kept pedaling mechanically after the agent.

“When entering a Disaster, traveling by bicycle is actually safer than going by car.”

‘Yes. Since most means of transportation either don’t work inside ghost stories, or else trigger some of the worst mishaps…’

It was a fun worldbuilding tidbit when I was only reading about it, but experiencing it in reality was really cold and grueling.

For reference, the gear I received this time was more extensive than what I had as a temporary agent.

A glass handgun, an iron badge, a notebook, and… a fishing line.

“Whatever you do, don’t lose the fishing line. It’s the tool you’ll need to make an emergency solo escape in this Disaster.”

“…Understood.”

Remembering what happened when I was a temporary agent left me slightly uneasy, though I can’t deny there was a bit of excitement, too.

Which ghost story am I entering right now…!

“The Disaster we’re heading into for this civilian rescue is…”

Disaster?

Noticing my expression, Agent Bronze paused briefly, then spoke in a slightly more reassuring tone.

“…You don’t have to be so nervous. The civilian who called for help isn’t going to die just from listening to the explanation.”

“…Yes, sir.”

His kindness was somewhat misplaced…

“First, let me explain everything.”

“Yes.”

All right, I get it already.

Facing forward again, Agent Bronze pedaled along a deserted neighborhood bike path and spoke.

“Kim Soleum-ssi, do you remember a chain store called Lucky Mart?”

“……”

“They pulled out of Korea eleven years ago, but they’re still well-known in English-speaking countries… Agent?”

“Yes. I’ve heard of them.”

‘Oh God.’

It’s more than just ‘heard of’.

I know it so well, it’s practically a problem.

A giant supermarket chain by the name of Lucky Mart.

It became the motif for a certain ghost story.

Back in the earliest days when the <Dark Exploration Records> had still been archived under the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau, this ghost story was the seventh ‘original’ ghost story documented.

People rushing to find a supermarket late at night would stumble on a Lucky Mart branch by chance and go in…

Then, vanish.

----------------------------------------

[Looky Mart]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Disaster Management Bureau registration number – 1793PSYA.2001.나31

A bizarre phenomenon mimicking a large-scale shopping mall, trapping those who enter to wander forever, unable to escape.

Associated with at least 300 disappearances over the course of decades, it’s classified by the Bureau as a Fracture-sanctioned Disaster.

A known method to end or seal it does not exist, and proactively preventing disappearances is likewise impossible.

However, informational leaflets assisting individuals in escaping have been placed throughout this ghost-story mart. Using those leaflets, certain citizens managed to return to reality, and their reports formed the basis for the exploration record.

----------------------------------------

A massive shopping mall.

A setting that feels comfortable and familiar in everyday life, yet also one that magnifies fear with its vast, mechanical repetition—making for a thrilling, chilling story.

That is, when you’re just reading it.

‘It’s Fracture-sanctioned.’

Compared to the Bureau’s classification, it’s two whole tiers above that mountain lodge swarming with a serial killer where I met Agent Bronze.

If this were Daydream Inc. standards, it’d be close to B-grade!

I broke out in a cold sweat as I turned it over in my head.

‘…Have there been many cases where a Disaster Management Bureau agent entered Looky Mart to rescue civilians and brought them out safely?’

Mostly… I think they got out fine.

Sure, there were plenty of special cases in the exploration records where things went wrong. But typically, the wiki focuses in detail on such exceptional situations, so maybe it’s nothing to stress over… Damn.

‘I do want to see it for myself though.’

I have no idea why the item still isn’t repaired.

The Memorial Popsocket!

I recalled my checking item, which still had unset adhesive on it, and let out a silent sigh.

‘That person told me it would definitely be fixed in a month.’

That agent who pretended to be a dokkaebi didn’t seem like he was lying.

‘…It must be one of two things.’

Either because it came out of that merch box, so the repair didn’t go through properly…

…Or because I spent the past month in a ghost story, so it didn’t count as a proper ‘period of time’.

‘In either case, I need a backup plan.’

Looky Mart was such a famous ghost story that I could pretty much remember all its details. In that sense, I guess I should be thankful it’s a named ghost story…

‘But there’ll come a time when this kind of luck won’t cut it.’

Whenever I’d recall that time on the Tamra Express, where I couldn’t remember anything about the owner of the Silver Heart, it would still send chills down my spine.

To avoid another crisis like that, the Memorial Popsocket was absolutely necessary.

‘Now that I’m an agent, getting a new one should be even easier.’

I’ll keep it in mind as a Plan B, in case the repair never finishes—maybe I can find a replacement.

Thinking about the broken Memorial Popsocket, carefully wrapped in cushioning and stored in my pocket, I turned over possibilities in my head.

Meanwhile, Agent Bronze’s briefing on ‘Lucky Mart’ continued.

“It’s a Disaster you can only enter after sundown, so the timing worked out well for the person who called for help.”

“…May I ask about the appearance of the caller?”

Agent Bronze answered calmly.

“They’re two first-year high school students.”

Wow.

‘They just had to be kids…’

Now my conscience will stop me from bailing halfway and running off.

Holding back a sigh, I memorized the descriptions and the official report from the time they called in.

Noticing my demeanor, Agent Bronze gave me a somewhat sympathetic look and spoke.

“…Don’t worry too much. That explanation about being able to hold out for around half a day applies to high schoolers as well.”

“……Yes, sir.”

My pang of conscience only grew stronger.

“However, two agents who went in earlier are currently in a short-term missing status within this Disaster.”

“……”

“Don’t worry. They weren’t rescue agents. It was an unfortunate mishap during a routine search for sealing methods.”

That’s very encouraging news, Agent…

“We must remain vigilant during the rescue effort, so refrain from any rash actions. Make sure of it.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

The words ‘Do you really have to bring a new recruit in a place like that?’ rose to my throat, but I swallowed them back.

He’s well aware I’m a ‘career-track new recruit’, so there’s no way he’ll cut me any slack.

Drr-ring.

The cheerful sound of a bike bell didn’t reflect my mood at all, but I kept pedaling.

Agent Bronze gradually slowed down, letting me take the lead.

“…Agent?”

“We’ll be ‘wandering’ like this for at least twenty minutes. …The person who doesn’t know where the building is should go first, so please proceed.”

I remembered.

Looky Mart entry condition : Roam around for over twenty minutes, within a 3km radius of the old Lucky Mart location, searching for the store.

In the freezing cold, I quietly rode my bicycle around the unfamiliar neighborhood.

As long as I kept my mind focused on finding the supermarket—looking around the area without a navigation system, lost for about twenty minutes…

“…Agent Bronze.”

I braked to a stop.

“I think I’ve found it.”

Then, I saw a fairly large three-story building rising between the dark streetlights…

A green, glowing sign for a mart.

FRESH MART

It wasn’t a chain store, but rather a locally branded supermarket you might find in any neighborhood.

“……”

No, wait.

The moment I blinked again…

L UC K Y M A R T

In front of the supermarket building, I saw the familiar chain store logo.

It looked like it hadn’t been refurbished in years. Dust clung to some of the letters on the signboard, and some sections weren’t even lit.

“……”

If you look more… more closely at one of the unlit sections…

Flick.

The light went on.

LOOKY MART

Suddenly, a different set of letters than what I’d read at first appeared there…

“Try not to dwell on it.”

“…!”

He’s right.

L UC K Y M A R T

I’m looking at Lucky Mart.

‘Good thing I was trying to find a supermarket in the first place.’

I parked my bike nearby and approached the supermarket building, which still had its lights on as if it were open.

Let’s enter ‘Lucky Mart’ naturally like this.

That made sense—since Lucky Mart is a massive supermarket chain with branches all over the country, there’s no reason to feel nervous unless you consciously think about it…

If you see the supermarket after sunset, you enter under the illusion that Lucky Mart is still in operation.

The automatic doors slid open smoothly, and I stepped into the brightly lit interior.

It was a typical supermarket.

It felt somewhat outdated and cheap, but as an old neighborhood mart, it was still mundane enough to be overlooked.

First Floor. Daily Necessities Section.

Children’s toys were stacked on a seasonal promotional display.

A song that had long gone out of fashion played softly in the background.

“Is this the idol song you like?”

“No, Mom! That’s a rookie group from MS Entertainment…”

People passed by while shopping.

…A family dressed in clothes that were trendy ten years ago, holding outdated smartphones.

Shoppers from the past.

Upon entering, the scene appeared just like an ordinary supermarket with people casually shopping. But these were actual shoppers from the past, from when Lucky Mart was still in operation.

“……”

“Hahaha!”

The shoppers walked past us.

Not only were their outfits outdated, but considering how cold it was outside, their light clothing felt out of place.

As if, beyond a single doorway, time inside the supermarket was flowing differently.

“These are not people caught in the Disaster. Ignore them.”

“……”

I nodded slowly.

‘The callers… they said they were in what seemed to be the basement level, right?’

Caller 1 :* H-Help, please. We came into the supermarket and something’s off…! Ah, no one can see us, and it feels like we’re in an old supermarket.*

Caller 1 :* The area? Uh, well… we’re around the snack aisle right now. Yeah, a-and I’m really thirsty…*

“We’re heading to the basement.”

I nodded and slowly followed Agent Bronze.

This place, which seemed like a perfect recreation of Lucky Mart’s past, still looked fine.

No. If anything, it might have even felt nostalgic, like stepping into an earlier time.

If, of course, you didn’t know it was a ghost story.

“……”

A tight tension coiled in my throat.

Wow. This is insane.

Every horrific case I’d read in the <Dark Exploration Records> was coming back to me.

Come to think of it, ‘Looky Mart’ had an unusually high number of unexpected twists in the records…!

‘S-Stay calm.’

Agent Bronze wouldn’t have dragged a new recruit into a hardcore-level rescue mission without reason.

I swallowed dryly as I stepped onto the escalator and began descending.

Then… between the two escalators, moving up and down, I saw something fall.

A slip of paper, like a receipt.

Wait a second.

‘Could that be…’

I quickly reached out and grabbed the small, receipt-like paper.

“…! You found it already. That’s one of the informational leaflets placed by the Bureau.”

Right.

A leaflet hidden discreetly out of the employees’ sight—meant to help civilians who got trapped in this ghost story through no fault of their own.

‘The callers probably saw this, too.’

I checked the contents of the receipt-like leaflet.

You have been caught in a Supernatural Disaster.

However, there is no need to despair.

There are at least dozens of documented cases of successful escape from this Disaster, and the government has recorded methods here to aid your escape.

Please check the instructions on the back.

…Ugh, just reading this already makes me anxious. It’s exactly the kind of thing you’d find in a ghost story survival manual.

‘Honestly, before telling people to take deep breaths, they should fix the red font and formatting…’

But the content itself was exactly as I remembered.

Flipping to the back, the instructions remained the same.

‘I’m not sure which version this is, though.’

Among the listed escape methods, some would become ineffective after enough exploration attempts.

As time passed, objects, targets, and layouts would change, altering the situation.

‘Of course, some things never change.’

Like this.

The ghosts standing at every entrance do not move until business hours end. Please rest assured.

“……”

Right.

At the entrance I came through, there must already be a grotesque ‘ghost’ standing there by now…

And the easiest escape method was to dash out when that ghost wasn’t looking.

If business hours haven’t ended even once since you entered, you still have a chance.

If you block the ghost’s line of sight, you can leave.

But not everyone’s so lucky.

Caller 1 : [Sniff, hiic]… Yes, we saw the escape instructions on the leaflet, but we… we can’t do it… We don’t have anything to throw over the ghost’s head… and we didn’t steal anything. Our arms can’t reach…!*

‘This is exactly why an agent is needed.’

Specifically, someone who had useful items for the situation and knew how to use them.

So once we confirmed the caller’s identity, we had to get out of here before business hours ended.

‘If the store closes, it becomes a real horror escape game.’

And fortunately for us, we quickly found two uniformed high school students near the escalator on B1 by the snack aisle.

“Wahhhh…”

They were pressed into a corner, crying their eyes out.

Those were the callers.

“Would you like to speak to them yourself?”

“……Pardon, sir?”

“Stay calm and try. Consider it part of your training.”

“Um, okay……”

Agent Bronze looked at me with an oddly warm gaze.

I felt a different kind of cold sweat.

Carefully, I approached the two teens, crouched down in front of them, and met their eyes.

“Hello. You’re the ones who called for rescue, right?”

“……!!”

“A-AHHH!”

Thump.

Both high schoolers fell onto their rears.

“Y-You’re human, right?! You can see us?!”

“Yes. I can see you clearly.”

I tried to smile as much as possible.

“We came in response to your call. You’ve been through a lot so far.”

“Wahhhhhhh…”

They turned on the waterworks like someone opening a faucet.

They’d probably been trapped here for about three hours since it’s winter and it gets dark early—long enough to be thoroughly freaked out.

“H-How do we get past that ghost at the entrance? Can we really get out?”

“Of course. Don’t worry.”

I gestured behind me, tossing all responsibility to Agent Bronze!

“The person behind me is a really capable agent… I’m sure we can make it out.”

“Wow…”

As the two students took a better look at my scruffy figure versus the neat appearance of Agent Bronze, they inched toward him.

‘Their survival instincts are kicking in.’

“So, w-we’re leaving right now?”

“That’s right.”

One of them practically latched onto Agent Bronze like a lifeline.

That’s the spirit!

I breathed a sigh of relief and checked the digital watch on my wrist.

‘So if we head for the exit now…’

[ 20 : 24 ]

8:24 PM.

As far as I know, in the ‘Looky Mart’ ghost story, the passage of time in hours, minutes, and seconds corresponds to the real world.

‘Closing time’s at 11.’

We still had plenty of time. Enough to craft a plan with our items and make it out safely.

And it seemed Agent Bronze was about to explain something similar.

“They close at 11, so we’ve got plenty of time. Let’s keep calm—”

Na-na-na-na, na-na-nan-na-na-na, na-na-nan~

“……”

…I instinctively looked up.

The Lucky Mart theme song piped in, all jaunty…

Like some sort of announcement chime.

– Hello, dear customers. Thank you for shopping at Looky Mart today.

– As previously announced, in celebration of Labor Day, May 1, our store will be closing at 8:30 PM.

“……!”

– Customers still in the store, please follow the employees to the exit.

Flick, flick, flick—

Lights began going out from the far end of the store, leaving only minimal illumination—like they were prepping for closing.

…The escalators ground to a halt.

– Repeating the announcement.

– Please follow the employees’ guidance to exit.

“Why…!”

I clapped a hand over one of the high schooler’s mouths and ducked down.

When business hours end, do not let the store-closing staff see you. They will guide you outside.

That ‘outside’ is not reality.

Na-na-na-na, na-na-nan-na-na-na, na-na-nan~

“……”

Oh, we’re absolutely fucked.

Chapter 134 - [Looky Mart], II

A bizarre supermarket, just moments before closing.

The lights go out, and the store goes dark.

Na-na-na-na, na-na-nan-na-na-na, na-na-nan~

Amidst the lively signature jingle, I could feel the panicked breathing of the high schooler whose mouth I’ve covered, transmitted as vibrations.

My entire body was being taut with tension.

And beyond the noise of music and those vibrations, in the distance, a faint scraping sound sets my nerves on edge…

Scre-e-e-e-k.

A metal door opening.

If there’s a metal door somewhere in this supermarket and not glass…

‘…The staff area.’

That’s the sound of employees coming out.

‘Ha.’

Swallowing a rising groan, I turned my head and peeked out from behind the display…

Waddle, waddle.

Figures in store uniforms start appearing in the dark interior, one by one…

Like balloons shaped to mimic human forms, these bizarre ‘employees’ waddled along.

[ LOOKY MART ]

The logo of Looky Mart, imitating Lucky Mart.

A clumsy mock-up pinned to their caps and chests flickered briefly under the light, then faded back into the darkness.

In that moment.

“Hurry, let’s go. They said they’re closing.”

“Got it.”

Someone passed by the liquor section right beside our hiding spot, heading to the checkout.

“…!”

It’s two or three of those past-era shoppers still in the store.

Then… one of the ‘employees’ who entered the liquor corner bumped into them, lightly.

Tap.

“Oh, sorry.”

The employee’s head turned.

“Welcome to Looky Mart!”

“Let’s hurry.”

“Thank you for shopping with us!”

The shoppers felt nothing amiss.

They just walked past the employee and went on to the checkout…

The high schooler whose mouth I was covering kept breathing raggedly.

“Goodbye, dear customer!”

The employee figure, head still turned, creaked out of the liquor corner.

Then, in that strange, shuffling gait, it headed down the aisle again…

Past the snack corner.

Right beside the display we were crouching behind.

Screek, screek.

“……”

“……”

The eerie noise sounded like balloons rubbing against each other.

We practically flattened ourselves to the floor, holding our breath.

Screek… screek.

The sound grew distant…

“……”

‘Ha.’

Tap-tap!

One of the high schoolers tapped the hand covering their mouth.

He was a tearful mess but he continued to keep quiet.

“You won’t scream anymore, right?”

He nodded silently.

When I let go, the student gasped as if he’d been suffocating.

“Th-those weird employees… We can’t let them see us, right? Right? The leaflet said…”

That’s right.

Once Looky Mart’s business hours end, the employees start pretending to continue the store’s operations and act bizarrely.

If even one of them catches sight of you, every single employee on that floor will come after you.

To survive in Looky Mart after closing, you have to move around like you’re in a survival horror game.

But… is it really safe dragging these two clueless teenagers around?

‘No matter how I look at it, the gear I was given doesn’t seem prepared for that scenario.’

They must have assumed we’d get out during operating hours.

Surely the Disaster Management Bureau has some contingency plan in place, but it still felt like there were too many variables.

‘Damn it.’

Cold sweat trickled down my chin.

Should we just hide out? What’s Agent Bronze planning? It looks like maybe we should stay hidden for now?

Wait!

‘He seems like he’s about to take out that employee…’

Agent Bronze, pistol in hand, was eyeing the departing employee quietly.

It looked like he was plotting an escape route but that employee might be in the way.

…Should I help him?

If Braun were here, I’d have asked him to activate his ‘Lights Out’ ability… No. The fact that this method, which I couldn’t even use right now, was the first thing that popped into my head as my top priority… I had to cut that train of thought right there.

‘Think, just think…’

I racked my brain desperately, trying to sift through my memories of the <Dark Exploration Records> as fast as I could.

So, after closing time, Looky Mart…

……

No, wait.

[ 20 : 25 ]

“Agent…!”

I crawled over to Agent Bronze and whispered urgently.

“There are still five minutes left until closing. Business hours aren’t fully over yet!”

“…!”

“The doors should still be open.”

We can leave right now!

Agent Bronze quickly glanced past the escalator by the checkout. Seeing that the escalator out of the basement floor was still running, he made a quick decision.

“Let’s move out. Now.”

Then, seizing the high schooler who’d latched onto him, he started moving swiftly.

“…!”

Right. Each of us needed to take one.

I turned back to the high schooler whose mouth I’d just been covering.

He shook his head in panic.

“I’ll run on my own, I’m faster than them…!”

“……”

Maybe I should’ve tried to look a bit more trustworthy? No, this isn’t the time to think about that!

I started running along with the high schooler, pushing from behind so he wouldn’t fall behind.

We dashed past the empty checkout counters, barreling through the escalator where shoppers were still riding up, making a mad dash toward the exit before closing time.

“Ah!”

“You okay?”

“Yeah. I think I missed a step.”

Unaware of the crowd, we jostled our way between the shoppers, heading for the exit just before the store closed.

And at the first-floor entrance…

“……”

Something was standing in front of the doors.

It looked like it used to be a cardboard cutout advertisement.

The classic, trustworthy grin of a blonde, middle-aged caucasian man, presumably the famous entrepreneur who founded Lucky Mart, giving a thumbs-up.

But…

It was alive.

– Mmph!! Uuuurgh! Mmph, mmph! Uurgh!

Whoever it was had been forcibly flattened into a shape like a standee, as if a human corpse had been pressed into a two-dimensional form and then reanimated.

Though it was smiling, its eyes were still rolling around, tears and saliva dripping.

It was looking at us.

…It recognized us.

Its eyes roamed desperately, as if begging for help—or perhaps trying to pass on its torment to someone else—and the standee shook…… Fuck!

“Hiiek.”

“Quiet.”

Up ahead, I could see Agent Bronze calming the high schooler he was guiding.

‘Ghost’ was such an all-encompassing word. It lets you encapsulate that kind of monstrosity in one term.

‘This is insane.’

Still, we had to ‘block’ that thing’s line of sight.

‘To do that, first…’

I needed to create a diversion.

Holding back a groan, I grabbed the high schooler’s shoulder.

“You read the leaflet, right? We have to steal something. We each have to do it ourselves.”

Before blocking the entrance ghost’s view, you have to make it mistake you for just another shopper.

Steal one of the items a shopper has already checked out and keep it on your person.

Make sure no fuss arises during the theft.

“But if we get caught…”

“If you steal something that won’t be noticed, it’s fine.”

I glanced at the entrance.

There weren’t too many people, but those who’d heard closing was near were finishing up at the registers or leaving.

‘If we just slip out among them, we might block its view without doing anything else.’

But I wasn’t about to take that risk.

“The fishing line.”

“Yes, sir.”

I immediately pulled out an item I had on me.

A spool of fishing line… and a small, red, goldfish-shaped lure on the end.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau / Items

Toy Bait

An item with a red lure attached to the end of a transparent fishing line.

When used, it can draw the attention of supernatural entities categorized as Fracture-sanctioned or below.

The more powerful and closer to the ‘source’ the entity is, the weaker and less effective it becomes.

Item usage condition : 7th-level or higher civil servant of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau, or someone with special authorization.

----------------------------------------

The instant we steal something, I’ll use this to divert the standee’s attention.

By taking turns with Agent Bronze, we could buy enough time for both high schoolers to get out.

Agent Bronze readied the fishing line and gave me a signal with his eyes.

“Start stealing.”

I nodded and turned to the two teenagers.

“W-We can’t steal…”

“Listen, kids. They can’t see us anyway, so as long as it’s not something super noticeable if it goes missing, we’ll be fine.”

People rarely pay attention if something disappears from a bag or box—especially if they’ve already bagged it.

‘So we should pick something they’re least likely to notice…’

Something small, like a daily necessity.

Something they bought because they needed it, but they’re not particularly interested in.

Something they won’t use or eat right away.

“……”

I approached a shopper sitting in a chair near the entrance.

‘It’ll be easier if they’re not moving.’

Probably waiting for someone, this person had the store’s eco-friendly tote bag on their lap, eyes closed for a moment.

I quickly examined the tote bag.

‘Great.’

Then I slid my hand inside… and pulled out something stuck to the interior.

Dental floss.

“There are a few more in there.”

“…!”

“When I took this one, I almost pulled out the others. So just grab them carefully, okay? Nice and easy.”

“……”

Swallowing hard, the high schooler reached in with a pale face, and succeeded in pulling out the floss I’d placed on top.

“…I-I got it!”

“Nicely done!”

Clutching the dental floss, the student backed away, visibly flustered.

Then both of us turned to look at the one person left.

The other high schooler, who’d been sticking close to Agent Bronze.

“……”

He approached with a worried expression, unable to hide his nerves.

“It’s alright, stay calm…”

“Oh, come on, I know that already! Please just be quiet!”

“……”

He seemed almost panicked.

The high school student who yelled at me, perhaps wanting to finish quickly, squeezed his eyes shut and reached out.

Then he shoved his hand into the tote bag and snatched the floss.

“Got i…”

The student pulled his hand out, beaming.

Wait, if you yank it out so suddenly—

Thud.

The student’s hand brushed against the shopper’s cheek.

“Oh my god!”

“…!!”

Startled, the shopper who’d been sitting with the tote bag on her lap toppled backward off the chair.

“Huh—huhhh?”

The high schooler reacted in shock and reflexively clung to the tote bag.

“M-Mom, are you okay? Wait— gah!”

Someone who seemed to be with them ran over, grabbed the tote bag to help the shopper up, then saw the tote bag floating in midair, held by the high schooler, and freaked out.

‘Shit!’

I immediately grabbed the student and yanked him back. The tote bag fell to the floor, spilling its contents everywhere.

The bag’s owner let out a scream.

“There was a—a person here, but he disappeared!”

People around us started to buzz with confusion. Their eyes turned on us.

“What are you talking about? You must be mistaken…”

“No, Dad! Something was wrong with my bag!”

“There was some boy holding my bag! Huuuuuh…?!”

Damn it.

Under normal circumstances, shoppers would not notice you.

But they can sometimes perceive you if there’s physical contact.

if communication is possible, there are a few methods you can try to get their help in escaping.

Up to that point, it seemed hopeful.

But…

“Excuse me! Someone help!”

“Huh? What day is it today? What’s going on? Why am I here? Huh?!”

Still, if a shopper sees you and senses something off or goes into a panic, you must quickly get away from them.

“Run.”

The employees are coming.

Simultaneously, Agent Bronze and I pushed the high schoolers and started sprinting toward the opposite side of the exit.

…Because something was waddling out from the escalator, from the far edge of the checkout, from the restrooms.

Screek, screek.

I could hear it.

Screek-screek-screek-screek-screek-screek-screek-screek.

That squeaking, rustling sound—like balloons rubbing together—pursued us from behind like madness. And it was multiplying.

Instinctively, we dashed toward a wide and complex area.

…Through the checkout counters and into the store aisles.

‘Damn.’

I glanced at my watch.

[ 20 : 29 ]

It’s over.

Closing time was almost here.

‘We have to hide.’

We had to give up on the exit for now.

Before the store finished closing, the shoppers disappeared, and even more employees appeared. We’ve got to shake them off within sixty seconds. To do that, we had to hide…

‘Four people is too many!’

I locked eyes with Agent Bronze.

He glanced upward once, nodded, and veered quickly to the side, guiding one of the high schoolers away.

“Ah…!”

“Over here.”

I took the other student and moved in the opposite direction.

We sprinted so hard we were gasping for breath. The manic squeaking still echoed behind us, but it had definitely diminished.

‘They’re going after Agent Bronze’s group more!’

He must have purposely drawn them away. I shoved my worries aside, silently grateful, and ran like a madman.

Vacuum cleaners, cosmetics, bowls, kitchenware, bleach…

All sorts of display racks repeated endlessly throughout the massive supermarket, until—

We ran right into another employee.

‘Damn it.’

Screek, screek.

They chased after us. Each time, I immediately changed direction with the student and kept running.

“Hahh.”

The high schooler was panting raggedly.

I could taste metal in my mouth.

But in this labyrinthine mart, it felt as if employees and corners were spewing out endlessly…

‘God damn it!’

Screek-screek-screek-screek-screek.

We rounded corner after corner of shelves.

‘This won’t work.’

We needed somewhere to hide.

We had to find a moment when no employee would see us, somewhere we could slip inside without any prep—where two people could stay hidden!

Then, as we turned another corner…

‘…!’

I saw it.

[Electric Mixer 50% Off]

A mobile display stand.

‘Got it.’

I pushed the high schooler under the giant mobile stand stacked with mixers. Then I squeezed in there as well.

And, we held our breaths.

Chapter 135 - [Looky Mart], III

content warning : gore

The high school student trapped in Looky Mart.

Jang Minseo, who had called the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau for rescue, covered his mouth while hiding beneath the mobile display stand.

His heart pounded.

An unsettling noise echoed close by.

Screek, screek, screek, screek, screek, screek, screek, screek.

The sound of something pretending to be an employee moving.

‘Did they see me?’

Did they see me hide under the display stand?

No—they weren’t right behind me when I slipped in, so they probably didn’t.

‘I turned the corner and went straight under.’

They probably didn’t see me…

But the sound kept getting closer.

Screek, screek, screek, screek, screek.

“Hff, hiic…”

Tears wouldn’t stop falling.

‘Why did I come here in the first place?’

He shouldn’t have followed his friend. Jang Minseo cursed his friend in his head over and over… until he realized it was pointless and stopped.

Fear had already overtaken him completely.

The noise grew louder. And louder.

Screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek.

It was right next to him.

His body froze.

Through the gap beneath the display stand, he could see a pair of feet passing right by.

Strange footsteps—ankles twisted unnaturally, dozens of them creaking as they moved.

Screekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreek.

Jang Minseo held his breath.

But unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of it.

Among the countless strange, shuffling dress shoes passing by—something different caught his eye.

A pair of old sneakers.

“…!”

Between the awkwardly waddling employee uniforms, he saw a pair of worn-out sneakers being dragged along.

“P-Please, help me…!”

A chill ran down Jang Minseo’s spine.

It was a human.

Someone had been caught.

“I-I can pay! I can pay! Money—here, I have money, I’m a customer! A customer…!”

“Welcome to Looky Mart!”

But instead of politely escorting the unfortunate victim outside, the employees were dragging them away.

Because…

You cannot purchase goods in this supermarket using Korea’s currency.

Remember. You do not have the ability to pay.

“Help me!”

#><The moment this fact is exposed, the employees no longer see you as a customer.

In most recorded cases, those discovered were repurposed… as store supplies.

Clatter.

Jang Minseo’s body locked up.

Slowly, he looked up.

The mobile display stand he was hiding under… was shaking.

Clatter, clatter, clatter.

The employees had surrounded it.

And then—

Whiiiiiirrrrr.

“AaaAAAAAGH!”

The sound of a blender filled the air.

“Isn’t this a wonderful product?”

Jang Minseo realized.

They were imitating a promotional demonstration.

Grinding a victim alive in a blender—turning them into store supplies.

“Mmpph.”

Jang Minseo covered his mouth.

Luckily—or maybe unluckily—the screams and blender noise were loud enough to drown out his muffled gasps.

“Aaaah! Hhhhhggk, aaaaaagh!!”

“Thank you for shopping with us, dear customer!”

“Isn’t this a wonderful product?”

“Welcome to Looky Mart!”

Pleading. Screaming. The blender. More screaming. Employees greeting customers. Screaming. The blender again.

He couldn’t take it. He was about to scream. He had to get out of here. Where was the exit? Someone, please, tell me where to—

Someone grabbed his shoulder.

“…!”

A hand.

A warm hand.

The trembling grip pressed him further under the display stand.

It was the agent.

The one who had come in response to his rescue call.

“…Huuuhp.”

Jang Minseo’s breathing slowly returned to normal.

Even in the midst of the overwhelming noise that could drive someone insane or unconscious, he clung to the warmth of that grip—and endured what felt like eternity.

The sounds of the blender continued. The employee’s cheerful sales pitch repeated over and over.

But at some point… the screaming stopped.

And then—

Whiiiiirrrrrr… click.

“……”

The space above them fell silent.

The promotion had ended.

Screek, screek, screek…

“……”

The sound gradually faded away.

The feet that had been visible through the gaps in the display stand…

The sneakers that had been dragged along…

Even their shadows had disappeared.

“……”

“……”

“It’s okay now.”

“Huuuhp.”

The agent checked outside, then spoke.

Hearing that, Jang Minseo let out a shuddering breath—and finally started sobbing again.

The bespectacled agent beside him watched with a complicated expression.

“……”

And at that moment, Kim Soleum realized something.

‘This is insane…’

Because…

He and the one high schooler he had to rescue were now alone.

‘Splitting up was the right call.’

But damn, this was terrifying.

The sound of a human being ground alive—

He had a feeling it would be waiting for him in his nightmares.

Kim Soleum’s back was already drenched in cold sweat.

‘…I nearly passed out.’

But he couldn’t show it.

Not when a fifteen-year-old kid, still paralyzed with fear, was clinging to him.

“W-What do we do now? Hiiic…”

“Hey, it’s okay.”

Kim Soleum spoke to the high schooler as gently as possible.

At some point, he had started speaking informally, but there was no time to worry about that. Right now, it was better to act like a familiar, reassuring adult.

‘…Sergeant Jay actually played a much bigger role in the Sangun-nim ghost story than I thought.’

But as he watched the high schooler still trembling with fear, he decided to speak again.

“Want to hear a secret?”

“……”

Though still crying and struggling to steady his breathing, the word ‘secret’ made the student instinctively lift his head.

And the agent really did share a secret.

“Actually, I’m the agent who knows the most about this supermarket.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

But rather than being reassured, the high schooler just felt bad for the guy.

‘That’s obviously a lie.’

Everything about him screamed rookie.

Glasses, messy hair, the way he seemed to chew on his words…

Compared to the sharp, competent-looking agent from earlier, he looked more like a bumbling sidekick to a superhero.

Still, the agent continued speaking, determined to calm him down.

“I’ve researched this place a lot. I know what’s dangerous and what isn’t. Even things the other agent doesn’t know—I know them all.”

Messy hair.

Eyes meeting from beneath his glasses.

‘Huh?’

Instead of the hesitant, unsure look Jang Minseo was expecting—

For just a moment, there was a sharp, calculated gaze.

Then it was gone.

“……”

Somehow…

It all sounded completely true.

“I’ll find the safest and fastest way out of here for us.”

“I-Is there still a way to escape…?”

“Of course.”

…The problem was, more than half of those methods had an absurdly high chance of death.

Kim Soleum swallowed that thought and added something actually helpful.

“Do you remember the back of the leaflet? The guidelines for what to do after closing hours?”

“……Yes.”

Jang Minseo recalled the text, as if entranced by the memory.

After closing hours, it is recommended that you abandon all escape attempts.

Almost every opportunity that seems like a way out is actually a trap.

Prioritize survival and endure until business hours resume.

As of the latest reports, the safest floor is the second floor.

The second floor.

They were currently on the first floor.

“Then… if we just go up one more floor… we’ll be safe?”

“That’s right. The other agent and your friend definitely went up, too. So don’t worry.”

“……Okay.”

The certainty in the man’s voice made Jang Minseo feel a little reassured. He sniffled and steadied himself.

The agent checked outside, then pulled himself out from under the display stand.

“Alright. We’re safe now. Let’s move.”

“Hiic… okay.”

Though he whimpered, the high schooler didn’t refuse Kim Soleum’s support as they carefully crawled out from under the display stand—

“Ah!”

—And hurriedly clamped a hand over his mouth.

Thankfully, the noise wasn’t too loud.

But the problem remained.

‘My ankle…’

It was throbbing.

Jang Minseo must have twisted it when he dived under the display stand earlier.

“…Your ankle hurts?”

“Yeah…”

“……”

Kim Soleum’s mind worked fast.

Then he came to a cold conclusion.

‘I can’t give him an item right now.’

Not in this ghost story.

A strong painkiller like Happy Maker could make the high schooler overuse his leg and end up not being able to use it anymore.

And Nostalgia Candy… nope.

‘Out of the question.’

Unless you are in the food court, please do not consume any products inside the supermarket. Even food you brought in yourself is not an exception.

The employees do not differentiate. If they witness you eating, they will charge you accordingly.

You do not have the ability to pay.

And this rule didn’t just apply to food items sold in the store.

Looky Mart employees couldn’t tell the difference.

Even shoving the kid into his tattoo for safekeeping was too risky. There was no way to predict what kind of contamination or horrific transformation might occur.

Not to mention, explaining that to the Bureau later would be a nightmare.

“……”

The high school student had no way of knowing what the silent agent was thinking, but just seeing him hesitate sent a cold wave of unease down his back.

‘No way…’

Is he going to leave me behind?

Had he decided the rescue was too difficult? Or was he picturing both of them getting caught if he tried to carry him? The terrifying thought spiraled through his mind—

“Don’t worry. We’ll move in a way that won’t require running.”

A firm voice snapped him out of it.

The high schooler lifted his head.

“For now, let’s head to the escalator.”

“……”

“But not up. We’re going to the downward escalator instead. Got it? The one that comes down from the second floor.”

Since the store had already closed, the escalators had likely stopped running, so maybe it didn’t matter which one they took.

But why specifically the downward escalator?

“…Okay.”

Instead of asking, the high schooler simply nodded.

The agent helped him up and carefully began moving.

“If you hear an employee, let me know immediately.”

“Okay…!”

The high schooler tried his best not to look at the display stand where he had been hiding. Instead, he focused entirely on listening for employee noises as he carefully followed the agent.

A few times, pain made him wince, but he endured it.

The agent led him past the checkout counters and toward the inactive escalators with steady, unhurried movements. The high schooler followed as quickly as he could.

But when they finally arrived—

Whirrrrrr.

Tutu-tutu-tutuk…

One of the escalators was still running.

The one leading down from the second floor.

“…!”

A darkened store after closing hours.

A slowly moving rail.

And at the top of the escalator…

A figure stood motionless.

No.

Not a person.

An employee.

After closing hours, escalators remain deactivated and blocked.

However, they may run at certain times when employees are conducting maintenance.

Do not approach.

It seemed to be imitating an escalator ‘inspection’.

However, the employee standing on the escalator, with its head tilted to the side, blankly staring down at the floor, looked grotesque and unnatural.

And that figure… was coming closer, moving downward along the operating escalator.

Backward.

“W-We have to r—”

“No need.”

Beside him, Kim Soleum pulled something from his pocket.

A fishing line with a red goldfish lure at the end.

Toy Bait.

‘…In the records, they always checked the second-to-first floor escalator right after closing.’

That was why he had specifically come to this escalator.

Originally, he had planned to use this item to get past the entrance, but there was no other option now.

Even if it was a waste—there was no choice but to use it now.

Kim Soleum cast the fishing line.

Fwick.

Defying normal physics, the transparent wire flew through the air as if launched by an actual fishing rod, landing perfectly on the escalator’s advertisement board.

“…!”

The fishing line wrapped around the board, dangling below it.

And at the very end, the red lure swayed in the air.

The employee descending backward on the escalator spotted it.

Screek. Screek.

Screek, screek.

“…!”

At that moment, the employee’s body began to move.

It turned toward the lure.

And then.

It walked against the flow of the escalator.

Screek, screek.

Kim Soleum carefully adjusted the fishing line. His hands were damp with sweat, but the trembling lure moved precisely as he intended.

Slowly. Steadily.

The red bait shifted to the far left side of the escalator.

The employee stumbled sideways to follow it.

And as its head leaned out past the handrail…

Screek… screek… screek……

Kim Soleum let go of the line.

Whirrrr—!

The fishing line unraveled, pulling free from the advertisement board—

And the red bait dropped between the two escalators.

Thud.

The employee fell headfirst between the moving escalators.

It had thrown itself after the lure.

“Huuk…!”

“Let’s move. Before it gets out.”

The agent immediately sprang into action.

“Take off your shoes. Crawl up—use your knees instead of your feet. Stay quiet.”

The high schooler handed over his shoes, then got down on all fours and crawled up the stopped escalator.

At that moment, he didn’t feel any embarrassment.

He didn’t feel pain.

All he cared about was that this was quieter.

And that it meant he wouldn’t enter the employee’s line of sight.

Even so, the tension squeezed his throat tight.

What if something jumped out at them?

But in the end—

He successfully crawled up the escalator, moving against its direction.

“Huuuk.”

The moment he pulled himself up onto the second floor, tears pricked at the corners of his eyes.

The agent helped the high schooler get to his feet.

“You did well.”

“T-Thank you…”

Kim Soleum glanced down at his empty hands a few times, feeling the absence of the fishing line. Then, clearing his mind, he shifted his gaze forward.

The second floor.

The first thing visible upon reaching the top of the escalator… was a massive food court.

In the darkened supermarket, only the food court’s signs emitted an eerie glow, and strangely enough, there were sounds of cooking.

The number of roaming employees was…

‘Zero.’

Surprisingly, it was a relatively safe zone.

“We can rest here for a while.”

The second-floor food court is an area where employees do not patrol.

However, do not sit for more than an hour without ordering.

Kim Soleum led the high schooler to a quiet corner near a bibimbap stall and had him sit down.

“Um… Why specifically here?”

“It’s safer in places that don’t serve meat.”

The high schooler swallowed hard.

The agent remained calm.

He sat down and allowed the student to catch his breath and rest his injured ankle.

…It was hard to believe that this was the same person who had just pulled off a crazy stunt at the escalator.

‘…He’s amazing.’

He was far more skilled and knowledgeable than expected.

Just as he had confidently claimed.

Without realizing it, the high schooler wanted to leave a good impression—so he opened his mouth.

“Um, uh… My name is Jang—”

“Let’s not share names.”

“…!”

“It’s better not to use real names in places like this. Be careful.”

Gulp.

The high schooler swallowed hard.

“T-Then… What should I call you, Agent?”

“…Call me Grapes.”

“Yes, Agent Grapes.”

The student exhaled deeply, finally feeling some relief.

Maybe this was what being a real agent was like?

Maybe all his awkwardness was because all his ability points were dumped into being a competent agent.

‘…I think we can escape.’

Even with an injured ankle, the high schooler felt hope.

And with that newfound confidence, he asked,

“T-Then we’re safe here, right?”

“Yeah.”

Agent Grapes nodded.

The high schooler felt a deep sense of relief.

“It’s okay.”

That was a lie.

And it wasn’t enough.

‘…Even on the second floor, the chance of death or disappearance is still high.’

While keeping his voice steady, Kim Soleum’s mind was racing through the <Dark Exploration Records>, trying to find this specific scenario.

His brain, now freed from immediate survival mode, was reorganizing priorities and digging through data.

‘We need to get out.’

Had there been a precedent for an irregular situation like this?

‘Labor Day, early store closure, anything…!’

And then—

Closed early due to ??? reason.

…!

He found it.

Kim Soleum gritted his teeth and forced himself to remember more details.

He couldn’t remember specific numbers and names right now, but he was slowly reconstructing this exploration record in his head…

----------------------------------------

Exploration Record #3[?]

An agent responded to a civilian distress call and entered the store around 7PM. (Agent : ???)

Looky Mart closed early due to ??? reason. An unexpected situation arose, and the agent lost contact for three days.

----------------------------------------

“…!”

This was it.

He anxiously dug deeper into his memory.

Then, the outcome of this record…

Result : Rescue failed. Agent returned alone.

“……”

So that’s why he hadn’t remembered it well.

‘It ended in just one line.’

These types of records were common.

Interesting in concept, but the detailed aftermath was often skipped, leaving it up to the reader’s imagination.

Just a simple line.

Success.

Failure.

But the implication was clear.

“……Ha.”

—Agent Bronze failed the rescue mission.

So if he reunited with Agent Bronze.

No matter what decision that agent made inside Looky Mart, Kim Soleum would have to oppose it.

And he would have to convince him to escape according to his own plan.

‘…This is insane.’

No, not me— the difficulty level is insane.

Suppressing a sigh, Kim Soleum forced himself to stay composed, scanning the surroundings from their corner in the food court while keeping the high schooler seated.

‘Let’s just wait it out.’

If Agent Bronze was still alive, he would definitely make his way to the second floor.

Kim Soleum forced himself to stay optimistic.

‘We can talk it through once we meet up again.’

But three whole days passed by.

Kim Soleum never found Agent Bronze anywhere in Looky Mart.

Chapter 136 - [Looky Mart], IV

Do you know what it feels like to die from your blood drying out?

It’s an expression describing extreme torment, used when someone suffers physically and mentally for a long, grueling stretch.

We’re feeling exactly that right now.

A sensation like our blood’s drying up.

“……”

“……”

Three days.

We’ve been trapped in this ghost story, trembling in fear of death, waiting for our companions who’d never come—without proper sleep or food. We’re experiencing firsthand what a human being is like in that state.

Did you know that if a person doesn’t sleep properly for a solid three days, they start to lose the ability to think rationally?

We’re taking one-hour naps in turns on the second floor’s food court, but that’s barely sustainable. Every hour, our nerves were on edge because of mortal danger.

‘Perfect for going insane.’

Especially if the person you’re with was a minor who just got involved in a ghost story for the first time.

“Hiek! W-Where are we going…?”

“…It’s been 56 minutes. Let’s move.”

The high school student I was supposed to rescue staggered to his feet, limping.

He’s probably more mentally drained than I was. He’s starting to waver more from dizziness than from the ankle injury and was muttering nonsense into thin air instead of crying.

He didn’t even have the energy left to weep or get angry anymore.

‘He’s hardly eaten, too.’

Obviously, safe food was extremely scarce in this damned supermarket, and nearly everything that’s available was something a high schooler wouldn’t normally touch.

…Like rats or cockroaches.

Things that clearly wouldn’t be considered store merchandise by anyone’s standard.

‘He’d rather starve for three days than eat that lineup.’

Occasionally, we found items that shoppers already paid for but lost—things that appeared in the food court randomly. If those happened to be food, we’d eat them.

In the last three days, that’s happened exactly once.

When had a banana ever been so precious in your life?

‘Which means the only thing we’ve eaten in three days was that single banana…’

It’s insane.

Luckily or unluckily, we hadn’t come across any other missing persons on the second floor, so we had no competition for resources.

It made sense, though. Most missing people…

‘…are on higher floors.’

“……”

Anyway.

We’re at our limit.

‘The high schooler I’m looking after is out of stamina and willpower.’

Even trying to fill up on water from the food court’s dispenser had its limits.

If this were to go on for two more days, he’d probably be forced to eat those rats or bugs.

‘Of course, it’s even more likely that something else will ‘go wrong’ before that.’

Currently, we got up to go to the bathroom every hour. If one of us would doze off or collapse and we miss our window, then…

That’s it.

‘…We’d run into an employee.’

Whether it’s an employee coming by to take orders, or one pretending to clean the restroom…

Escorted outside. Reported missing.

Nothing but a single line in an exploration record stating our disappearance.

The mix of revulsion and dread creeping down my spine was overwhelming.

“……”

Frankly, managing to survive for three days in a ghost story with an injured minor was already feat in itself.

And to be clear, I’m not an idiot. I didn’t intentionally create this situation.

‘I never thought I’d go three days without finding Agent Bronze…!’

Right. My senior agent has vanished.

This is insane.

“……”

On the first day, I thought maybe we were just missing each other.

‘Did we spend those thirty-plus minutes hiding under the display while he came up to the second floor and left?’

If I didn’t have an injured high schooler to look after, I might’ve been more aggressive in planning an escape.

So, after much deliberation, I decided to stay on the second floor.

‘If he wants to rest, he’s most likely to come back here.’

Honestly, I didn’t have much choice anyway. Hauling an injured teenager up and down floors was practically suicide.

So we picked the relatively safe second floor to wait it out, and I still think it was a sound decision.

But that guy never showed up.

So from the second day on, I began searching other floors.

I couldn’t do long searches, because leaving the injured high schooler alone for hours seemed like a death sentence.

But I pushed myself to the limit, even making a crazy trip down to the basement floor, and still nothing changed.

Agent Bronze was nowhere to be found.

At least not within the area I could feasibly search in an hour.

That’s how three days had gone by.

And then…

‘All this time, the supermarket never resumed normal operations…’

This is one of the reasons they urge you to escape before closing—the culprit that makes this supermarket a hell and lowers the survival rate for civilians.

The shortest interval observed for the supermarket to resume operations is one day, and the longest is twenty days.

It’s impossible to know when it would reopen for business.

That’s right.

No one knew when Looky Mart’s ‘next day’ would begin.

Sometimes it opened normally after just one day, but other times hundreds of hours might pass from a human perspective, yet not even a day has gone by in the supermarket’s timeline.

‘That’s why people speculate the timeline in Looky Mart gradually drifts further and further from reality, until eventually… it’s stuck way in the past.’

Whether that’s accurate or not doesn’t matter right now. What mattered was the reality that we’re facing.

We’ve been trapped here for three whole days.

…And I’m starting to fear what might be going through the high schooler’s head.

“W-We actually came here looking for a kid who lives in our apartment complex.”

Right then, I heard him mumbling dazedly.

“…You came looking for him?”

“Yeah, yeah. He sent me a DM saying he was heading to Lucky Mart, and then he vanished. So we thought it was some kind of ghost story, and decided to investigate…”

Good grief.

“But that was stupid. He’s probably dead by now… H-How awful if he ended up in that blender?”

“…Don’t go leaping to the worst conclusion.”

I patted the high schooler on the shoulder.

“For now, you’ll be able to leave today.”

“…Huh?”

I had a reason to believe that.

I recalled the record that presumably belonged to Agent Bronze.

An unexpected situation arose, and the agent lost contact for three days.

Result : Rescue failed. Agent returned alone.

If I reconstruct that.

‘After three days, the Bureau reestablished contact with the agent.’

He then escaped on his own.

Even if the rescue attempt failed, he definitely tried to save the civilian.

‘He must have planned to hold out until the supermarket resumed operation.’

So statistically speaking, there was a high chance the store would open again today.

“W-Wait, are you saying…”

“Yeah. Let’s see.”

Hope and expectation surged as I calmly checked my wristwatch.

[ 09 : 59 ]

My heart pounded.

Any moment now, when the time changed…

[ 10 : 00 ]

On the dot.

Silence.

“…?”

I waited a bit longer.

But nothing happened.

No jingle. No announcements. No lights clicking on.

……The doors did not open.

“……”

Once again, the supermarket didn’t reopen for business today.

content warning : suicide attempt

‘Shit.’

I blinked, a cold, dull shock rippling through my sleep-deprived brain…

“I-Is it over for us?”

“……”

“N-No… oh no oh no…”

“It’s okay. We still have other ways…”

I turned my head.

The high schooler was fidgeting with something.

A receipt. Or rather, the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau’s leaflet in disguise. Most likely the same paper he found when he called for help.

‘Why’s he…?’

Was he trying to look for advice?

But instead of reading it, he was peeling something off the paper. Then he tried to put it in his mouth…

“…!!”

I slapped the high schooler’s hand away.

“Ah!”

I pried his fingers open and snatched what was inside. He struggled, but I ignored it.

“Don’t—!”

…A white capsule-shaped pill.

‘I know this…’

The Bureau once included these pills with the guide sheets for high-level ghost stories…

Euthanasia pills.

If it becomes unbearably painful, please take the enclosed capsule.

We guarantee you a comfortable end.

My worst fear was right.

‘Damn it, damn it, damn it!’

So this was in the leaflet he found.

“S-Sorry.”

He was crying as he spoke.

“I… I just can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to get put through that blender. I’m so scared and dizzy, I just can’t… I’d rather die comfortably…”

I couldn’t breathe.

“I’m sorry. Am I being selfish because I’m the only one wanting peace? If… if half a pill is enough to kill someone, we could split it—?”

“No.”

I gritted my teeth at his panicked rambling, then forced myself to smile reassuringly as I patted his arm.

“It’s going to be okay. There’s still a way out.”

“H-How, exactly?! We’ve spent three days now unable to sleep, eat, or do anything…”

“We can do this.”

I grabbed him firmly.

“Up until now, we believed the store would reopen soon, so we tried to stay as safe as possible. If it’s not opening any time soon, there are other methods.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes.”

It was true.

…As long as I made one decision.

—Abandon Agent Bronze.

Forget any worry that he won’t escape because he’s looking for us, any pressure that we need to confirm each other’s survival, any hope that we can get help from him.

Throw it all away.

Anyway, the record showed that Agent Bronze did manage to escape on his own.

…It’s just that, he would fail to rescue the civilians.

‘The idea that he might also save the civilian who went with him is… fantasy.’

Time to snap out of it.

I decided to do everything I could with my capabilities.

‘If the two of us have to wait until the store reopens…’

My priorities shifted swiftly. After three days of stewing over it, I already had the next plan ready.

“We’re going up.”

“Huh…?”

“Don’t take that pill. Put this in your mouth instead—just keep it in there, all right?”

I handed the high schooler a Nostalgia Candy.

A strange item that would revert you to your best physical condition.

“Wow…!”

The moment he popped it in his mouth, the high schooler’s expression changed.

“M-My leg— It’s fine now!”

“Think of it as letting it melt slowly. It only works while you’re holding it in your mouth.”

“Yes…!”

He stood up, face bright with excitement. Even his mental state seemed to revert to its best condition.

I half expected him to ask why I hadn’t given it to him sooner, but apparently he was too thrilled about his miraculous recovery to think of that.

“So, the third floor is the top level, right? Is there some escape route up there? We can get out if we go there? Are we escaping now?”

“We’re going up there to prepare for an escape.”

And also—

“The third floor isn’t the highest floor.”

“…Huh?”

“Sometimes you’ll find a door that leads above the third floor.”

But—

“The— The leaflet said not to go up there…”

That was correct.

This supermarket has three floors above ground and one basement level.

To reiterate: Do not trust any emergency exit leading to a ‘fourth floor’. The fourth floor is not part of this supermarket.

Looky Mart’s fourth floor.

A gimmick that’s practically a meme in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

‘It’s a keyword that screams ‘missing’.’

Headed up to the fourth floor.

The sentence ends there, and everyone vanishes.

No matter how intense or gripping their exploration was before that, it wouldn’t matter. It’s like they become entranced, and poof! They’d disappear without explanation.

All the more frightening because nobody ever wrote why they’d go missing, or what’s actually on the fourth floor.

It’s an unspoken agreement—even in the case that covered a disappearance in the most detail, that part would always be missing.

I recalled one particular entry.

The agent who realized the rescue targets were all dead and decided to challenge it.

----------------------------------------

@rsll@/ Start of recording@llrs@

Agent Choi : So, I’m on the third floor, and I’ve just found a door leading to the fourth floor.

Agent Choi : I’m only going to open it a little. I’m not crazy, okay? But we can’t just leave that place alone, right? Isn’t it recorded that nearly a hundred people have gone missing after going upstairs?

(The agent rambles on with personal excuses and parting words considered to be a will.)

Agent Choi : All right, I’m opening the door to the fourth floor now. And… it’s open. Ta-da!

(Sound of door opening, footsteps entering, door closing in quick succession.)

Agent Choi : Looks normal enough, just some old emergency exit… There’s a staircase… Nothing unusual… The exit door’s still there.

(He observes for a few more minutes—no anomalies.)

Agent Choi : Great. I’m heading up now.

(Echoing footsteps. Presumably the sound of someone climbing up the stairs.)

Agent Choi : Let’s see… The exit’s still… Oh. …It’s gone now. So I’ve got no choice but to keep going. Off I go!

(Footsteps continue for 30 seconds.)

Agent Choi : Whew… Made it. Fourth floor door.

Agent Choi : Looks like nothing special on the outside. It’s just a metal door.

Agent Choi : …Alright, I’m opening it now.

(Sound of a metal door opening. At the same time, Lucky Mart’s jingle starts playing.)

Agent Choi : Huh?

(The jingle grows louder, shifts in tone.)

Agent Choi : W-Wait.

(A cacophony that defies description. Deafening roars, bizarre howls, noise like wind filling a void, begging, balloons rubbing, bursting sounds, 12 unidentifiable noises, and ■■■ ■■.)

Agent Choi : (silence)

Agent Choi : Welcome to Looky Mart!

Nothing of note recorded in the next 24 hours. When the battery died, the recording ended.

The agent’s recorder was later found in the electronics section on the third floor of Looky Mart.

----------------------------------------

“……”

It’s the kind of record that’d make you vow never to open that emergency door leading to the fourth floor.

But.

“Don’t worry. Once we find the door, I’ll show you what to do.”

That’s our destination.

“……Okay.”

Whether because of the trust built over three days or from witnessing the mysterious power of the Nostalgia Candy, the high schooler obediently nodded.

“Let’s move quietly.”

We left the second-floor food court.

Then we carefully climbed the stopped escalator. To avoid being noticed by any employees, we even took off our shoes and went barefoot, moving as silently as possible.

We stopped talking.

Step by careful step, in total silence, cold sweat trickling down our backs.

And finally, upon reaching the third floor…

“Ah……”

Something was off.

Originally, in the old Lucky Mart, the third floor was said to be used for limited-time deals.

Different themed promotional stands would rotate daily with various discounts on display.

But what we saw now was…

“W-What is this…?”

That display was repeated endlessly.

An endless supermarket.

If floors 1 and 2 simply re-created Lucky Mart’s past, making it feel eerie, then from the third floor onward, the space stretched out infinitely in a bizarre manner.

So far, 3,611 event stalls have been reported on the supermarket’s third floor, covering an area of 232 km².

Always confirm your starting point.

If you lose your way, you may never find the escalator leading down again.

A giant maze, like stepping into the mad blueprint or painting of a deranged mind, where infinite lines of stands and special displays repeated, perfect for driving someone insane.

On the other hand, that meant it was easier to evade or hide from employees.

Some parts of the supermarket supposedly went months without a single employee appearing.

‘It’s also good for secretly stealing food or necessities…’

…If you give up on escaping, that is.

So that’s likely where countless missing persons were scattered.

Perhaps Agent Bronze too.

“……”

“……”

“Stick to the wall. If you see the emergency door, let me know right away.”

“Y-Yes…!”

We pressed ourselves against the back wall of the escalator and moved slowly, entering that dizzying path of endless display racks.

In the dim store, lit only by emergency lights after closing, corner after corner repeated among the shelving.

[Camping Gear Sale]

[Winter Season Outlet Event]

[Housewarming Gift Specials]

[Sell Your Flesh at Looky Mart]

[Spring Cleaning Kitchenware Super Sale]

Soon, the signs turned increasingly disturbing. Each time I saw one of those stalls or signs, I’d turn away and choose another path.

For about half an hour, we crossed from one stall to another, confirming the escalator’s location and how far it was to us.

Then, I heard a faint noise.

Some dull, distant sound from beyond the next set of shelves.

– ……

I quickened my pace.

Bit by bit, the noise became more distinct, until at last…

– Huh? Is someone there…?

“Huh?”

The high schooler jerked his head up.

– Who’s there? Need some help?

A voice calling from far away.

“That’s… another person…”

“Shh.”

I crouched down with the high schooler and whispered a quiet warning.

“It might not be human.”

“…!”

“And… even if it is a human being, if they’ve been here a while, are they still… normal?”

“…!!”

No way they could be in their right mind.

That possibility was unbelievably slim.

And the fact that they had such a friendly tone.

‘That’s dangerous.’

It was scarier if it was a human being.

– Hey! You there, you’re a person, right? I can help you.

We started running, hugging the wall. The friendly-sounding voice kept calling out:

– If I keep talking, the employees might come. I know a way out. I can help you.

Sweat beaded on the back of the high schooler’s neck. I kept moving, gauging the distance to that voice.

– Hurry. You don’t want an employee seeing you.

‘Shit.’

Should I try to subdue them, even briefly? But then, if employees really showed up… Right, if it’s an actual person, maybe letting them get snatched by an employee before they reach us is best.

Just keep moving… Wait a second.

‘That…’

Suddenly, as I lifted my head, something came into view along the wall we were following.

A metal door.

A green-lit emergency exit. And…

A sign.

[ 3F ↗ 4F ]

“Th-That…!”

There it was.

The emergency exit leading to the fourth floor.

I immediately ran over and grabbed the metal handle. Then, in a rush, I gave the high schooler a crucial warning.

“Whatever you do, do not go up those stairs.”

“Huh?”

“After we open the door and step in, stand right there—don’t move. Got it? Don’t ever move from that spot.”

The high schooler nodded, fear in his eyes.

Alright.

This was my theory.

Agent Choi : Looks normal enough, just some old emergency exit… There’s a staircase… Nothing unusual… The exit door’s still there.

‘…But once he started going up the stairs, the door suddenly disappeared, right?’

So, if you put it another way.

—If we don’t climb the stairs, the door on the third floor won’t vanish.

Because we hadn’t actually left the third floor yet.

And if that guess was correct, this spot was safer than anywhere else.

‘There’s no record of employees climbing to the fourth floor.’

Because that floor wasn’t part of the supermarket.

So, the space inside the emergency exit leading to the fourth floor would remain a safe zone only people could enter.

That would simplify everything.

‘I can even use the food I stored in my tattoo there.’

Because once we go through this door, it’s no longer part of the supermarket.

We can stay on the stair landing and check outside at 10 o’clock each day to see if business has resumed.

‘It’s the safest bet we have.’

Trying to escape with an injured high schooler without an infinite supply of Nostalgia Candies… This was our best shot.

No matter how terrifying the rumors of the fourth floor were, we just had to push through.

I gritted my teeth and opened the metal door.

Screeeak.

It made the exact noise described in the records, revealing an old staircase inside.

“Let’s go, and be careful.”

“Y-Yeah…!”

We went in together. And to prevent any unforeseen incidents, I tore out a scrap of paper from my notepad and wedged it between the door so it wouldn’t fully close.

From the outside, no one would notice it was open.

‘Phew.’

That should help us evade that crazy person chasing from behind.

And just as I was taking a breath—

“A-Agent Grapes…!”

The high schooler tugged on my arm in a shaky voice…

While pointing upwards.

“Look…!”

Up the stairs.

I felt a chill and raised my head.

Someone was standing inside the staircase to the fourth floor.

A pale-faced woman with sunken eyes and short hair.

“…A h-human!”

Go Yeongeun.

My batchmate who’s a former med student.

“……”

‘…What?’

My brain couldn’t process what the hell was going on.

But then I noticed what she was wearing.

A metal badge pinned to her collar, the official identification for Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau agents.

‘Ah.’

Words from my memory resurfaced.

– Two agents who went in earlier are currently in a short-term missing status within this Disaster.

Agent Bronze mentioned it earlier.

There were two missing agents.

“…!”

And one of them happened to be my fellow spy who’d infiltrated the Bureau as a new recruit.

Go Yeongeun.

Chapter 137 - [Looky Mart], V

Go Yeongeun was one of my more level-headed colleagues.

That much was certain. Even when we woke up on that deranged subway during the company’s entrance test, and later when we escaped the psychotic art exhibit that involved plucking out visitors’ eyes, she never lost her composure.

But right now, seeing Go Yeongeun at the stairs leading to the ‘fourth floor’, the source of so many disappearance stories in this bizarre supermarket…

“Sh-She’s a real human being, right…?”

She was too calm.

Despite the high schooler’s startled cries, her pale face didn’t flinch.

No words.

No expression.

She just stood on the stairs, looking down at us…

Wait.

‘…She’s standing on the landing?’

Wait, that’s—

Didn’t the door to the third floor vanish the moment someone started going up the stairs, making it impossible to get back?

Then…

‘How long has she been there…?’

No, more importantly.

‘Why… is she here?’

Sure, Go Yeongeun could be one of the two agents who entered earlier. The mention of ‘two missing’ was a clue already. The Bureau typically sent out agents either individually or in pairs, so two usually means a senior-newcomer pair.

But here she was, a new recruit, on the stairs to the fourth floor. Alone, with no senior agent in sight.

And presumably for at least a week…

“……”

A foreboding sense of dread prickled up my spine.

“Agent?”

No reply.

“Miss… Goral?”

Go Yeongeun’s lips parted.

“Welcome to Looky Mart!”

I immediately shoved the high schooler behind me and reached for the door.

“Agent.”

“We appreciate your business, dear customer!”

Expressionless, the figure stumbled down the stairs.

It was Go Yeongeun.

Or rather, something that looked like Go Yeongeun… acting like an employee.

‘Shit…!’

I was about to fling the door open and drag the high schooler out, when I realized something odd.

‘The sound.’

There was no squeaking.

…And she wasn’t dressed in a uniform—still wearing her Bureau attire.

So…

‘Contaminated…?’

I looked again.

The shape of Go Yeongeun—a clearly human figure—was descending the stairs.

“Hold the door handle.”

“Huh, what?!”

I lunged forward, pinning Go Yeongeun as she stepped onto the landing.

“…!!”

“Welcome… to Looky Mart…”

Okay.

She still had a human body.

Which meant…!

Holding her shoulder down with one hand, I reached into the tattoo on my wrist with the other, pulling out the last of my Blue Soda Churros.

Then I shoved it into Go Yeongeun’s open mouth as best I could.

“!”

She didn’t even resist. She just kept trying to walk and recite the same line. In the process, her teeth moved naturally, crushing part of the churro, at least enough for it to go down her throat.

Sweating all over, I watched…

And, moments later.

“Gueeeeh!”

Go Yeongeun retched violently, spewing a deluge of water.

I patted her back. The stair landing was soon slick with inky-black fluid.

It wasn’t quite enough to drown in like my month on Braun’s talk show… but it was nonetheless bizarre enough to make the high schooler recoil in horror.

Finally, she vomited a bluish liquid, slumped, and I caught her.

“Hurrk, huhk, huuu…”

“Agent.”

I called out to my colleague.

“……!”

Her eyes, now aware, shifted to me.

They dilated. She started trembling uncontrollably.

“…Mr. R-Roe Deer.”

She’d come back to her senses.

She responded to being called ‘Agent’, and she was alert enough now to the fact that we were inside a ghost story, so she addressed me by my alias instead.

‘Thank goodness…’

“U-Urgh!!”

“…?!”

She suddenly tried to crawl back up the stairs again, and I grabbed her in a panic.

“Huhuh—Ugh, damn this supermarket! Even the hallucinations look real! Ack!”

“……”

“I-I won’t be fooled! Mr. Roe Deer’s dead…”

Ah.

Right.

“Hey, I’m not dead. Agent.”

“…?!”

“I got assigned to the same job as you.”

“?!”

It took another few dozen minutes to convince Go Yeongeun—who believed I’d died during my month-long disappearance—that I was very much alive, and had re-entered as a spy…

“Th-Thank you… Thanks to you, I survived…”

“No, don’t mention it.”

Fortunately, once Go Yeongeun regained her composure, she cross-checked a few details with me and accepted the situation.

Though trying to explain everything without giving the high schooler weird intel was… a different level of difficulty.

Looking at the now-empty churros wrapper, I felt a strange mix of emotions.

‘The churros… They’re really something else.’

I hadn’t paid it much attention before, because everything in Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show happened so crazily fast. But if it could clear contamination in a single go like that, it was an unbelievably powerful item.

‘In the context of Dark Exploration Records… it’s almost too good to be true.’

Anyway, the priority right now was escaping this deranged supermarket. Still, I felt a bit more confident now that another person had joined, especially because it was a colleague I could actually rely on.

So, first, I needed to confirm something.

I stepped aside and clearly showed Go Yeongeun the door leading back to the third floor of the supermarket.

“Can you see the entrance?”

“……”

Go Yeongeun nodded.

“Yes.”

Phew.

“Rather, I can’t see the door itself, but I do see light coming through a gap. …If someone opens it for me, I think I could get out.”

“That’s good enough.”

The moment I let out a little sigh of relief, Go Yeongeun lifted a hand to cover her face.

“But… I can’t leave the supermarket anyway.”

“Huh?”

“…I damaged merchandise.”

“…! That’s okay. We’re outside the supermarket here, so unless you were seen eating something in there—”

“No, I broke stuff in the supermarket and got caught.”

“……”

“It wasn’t me, exactly—it was another agent—but I guess they treated us as equally responsible.”

I fell silent, then asked,

“Where is that senior agent now?”

“He’s dead.”

“……”

“Or at least, I’m assuming he is… He went up that staircase.”

Go Yeongeun pointed up the stairs.

“His family had disappeared here, apparently. Their last trace ended on the fourth floor… so he came here specifically intending to go up there.”

“……”

“I mean, is he crazy? If he wants to die, go alone. Why drag me along just when I—ah.”

“……”

“Anyway, I stayed here while covering my ears. But the moment he opened the door to the fourth floor… I still heard it.”

The jingle.

And not long after… she ended up acting like an ‘employee’.

“……”

“Um, pardon me.”

“Call me Grapes.”

“Right. Agent Grapes.”

Go Yeongeun rubbed her face, then looked up. Her expression was more composed.

“There’s no hope for me anyway, so if you two plan on leaving, I’ll at least serve as a decoy. I got trapped and contaminated here, almost starved… that’s the least I could—”

“No.”

After a moment’s hesitation, I stepped back and pulled the high schooler forward.

“Huh? Agent…?”

“Actually, we could really use your help. …He has an injured ankle.”

“Ah.”

We barely managed to persuade the nervous high schooler to take the candy out of his mouth for a moment. Then I handed over the emergency first-aid kit I’d brought, and Go Yeongeun treated his ankle with skill twenty times more professional than mine.

“But if he goes back to eating that candy afterward, won’t this be kind of pointless? The candy…”

“Just keep the splint on for a few hours anyway.”

With his stamina and composure drained, the high schooler returned to a state of near-panic, so he needed some coaxing.

I took out my bargaining chip.

“Let’s eat this first.”

“…!! F-Food…!”

The high schooler’s eyes went wide as saucers.

The instant meals I whipped out vanished in seconds, shared among the three of us.

‘We can finally eat these now that we’re technically outside the supermarket.’

Back in the food court, we could only eat ‘safe’ foods, so I’d never dared bring these out. Even then, I only chose items without a strong smell, just in case.

Honestly, I’ve never eaten this fast in my life.

I polished off a carton of UHT milk in about two seconds, then wolfed down a castella cake in under thirty.

‘I feel alive again.’

After that, we put the high schooler to sleep. I wanted to collapse and rest as well, but first I needed to talk to my equally exhausted colleague.

We exchanged the information we each had, and made small talk to recover our mental strength.

“Mr. Ro… I mean, Agent Grapes, you always come so prepared. Meanwhile, I wasted space lugging around a store layout map.”

She said, sounding bitter, explaining that the third floor was so enormous that her map was hardly useful. It was basically a scattered mess of vague details.

“I even brought some coins from a different Darkness, just in case. But it looks like they don’t count here as valid currency…”

Wait a minute.

“You have a map?”

“Yes. It’s part of the standard equipment for the regular exploration team… They want us to investigate places that haven’t been fully explored yet.”

“Could I see it, please?”

“Of course.”

From a small backpack, Go Yeongeun took out what looked like a thick, folded pamphlet. It was a printed floor plan of the building, overlaid with handwritten notes and sketches in various colors.

‘…The handwriting of Disaster Management Bureau agents.’

“……”

I stared at it, almost spellbound, until I noticed a specific store name.

There was a separate notation on the map.

Some people seem to think they could get something out of this stall, but that’s just suicide. Don’t go.

“…Agent.”

“What you mentioned before. ‘Currency to pay’.”

“Huh? Y-Yes.”

“I think there’s a place where we can get that, based on a hint on your map.”

“……”

But Go Yeongeun took a deep breath and shook her head.

“I’m… sorry, but I object. The third floor is so huge, who knows how long it’ll take just to get there. And I’m afraid of how long it would take to find our way back to this stairwell afterward, especially without any item to fend off employees or danger.”

Beads of sweat formed on her calm face, and she seemed to be trying hard to hide her fear.

“You two can leave when the store reopens. I… I’ll just wait for a rescue. If we don’t have another way to dodge employees or anything, I’d rather not…”

Well, here’s the thing.

“Now we do.”

“…!”

“Remember? There’s something we’ve used before.”

I retrieved an item from my inventory tattoo—something I hadn’t touched in ages.

Now that we were three, we met the recommended number of participants. It was finally usable again.

…And there was no need to think about Agent Bronze for now.

[Quick and Easy Candle Making Kit]

I held the ‘Mysterious Candle Kit’ item box in my hands and, for the first time in three days, I allowed myself a faint smile.

“Let’s make some candles again.”

In the Manor of the Blind, this candle-making item had played a big role in our escape. Now was the perfect time for a comeback.

In that dark stairwell.

The three of us crouched down, looking at the floor.

I spread out the black paper that came with the kit, carefully drawing intricate patterns for the candle.

Then I suggested,

“Let’s each draw a card.”

“Huu…”

“Wow…”

Go Yeongeun and the high schooler each drew a random card by its back. Their cards would determine the candle’s attributes:

[Confusion]

[Dream]

‘Not bad.’

It oddly matched their current state of mind, but hey, it worked.

Now it was my turn to pick the final card. I flipped the remaining cards face up.

Honor, Healing, Meditation, Wound, Deceit, Rage, Interference, Protection, Strike, Gaze…

‘Last time, I chose ‘Deceit’.

We used Honor, Interference, and Deceit to trick the automated exhibit machines and pretend we were legitimately paying patrons.

‘In that case.’

I chose without hesitation.

[Protection]

An illustration of two hands gently cradling a glowing lavender crystal.

I burned the three chosen cards into ash, sprinkled them within the crayon outline of the candle on the black paper, then folded the paper—just like I’d done once before.

After waiting a while…

“It’s done.”

“W-Wow.”

A pale indigo candle rolled out from inside the folded paper, landing in my hand.

Obviously I couldn’t use this, and the high schooler, who was living on borrowed time through the Nostalgia Candy as it was, obviously couldn’t either.

Besides, there was someone here with firsthand experience.

I offered the candle to Go Yeongeun.

“I’ll leave it to you again this time.”

“…Alright.”

Taking the completed candle in her hand, Go Yeongeun spoke in a subtle tone.

“This time, I’ll do it properly.”

With those words, she lit the newly-made candle. The flame flared up from the wick, and.

A prayer-bearer shall lift the candle to any confused being, bestowing the power of dreams, manifesting protection.

And the bearer will be granted a blessing.

Visitor amidst the Fog

Whoosh.

The candlelight shone upon us.

“Ah…”

I stood behind Go Yeongeun, with the high schooler in tow.

It reminded me of when Braun would turn off the lights. But colder, and more ethereal.

It felt as if a cool fog followed the candlelight, enveloping us…

“……”

Slowly, we opened the door and stepped out onto the third floor.

Even though we carried a flame in a dark store and should have stood out, somehow it blended in naturally, as if we were shrouded in mist.

And then we ran into an employee.

“Hiek—”

I covered the high schooler’s mouth when he made a sound.

The employee, squeaking a little as it approached, simply…

“……”

…brushed past us without incident.

“Ha…”

Go Yeongeun let out a breath, more relief than fear.

‘Thank goodness.’

This time, the alien shop item proved its worth again.

But unlike our time at the exhibit hall, the duration of this item was even more of a concern.

We might have to hold out until the store eventually reopened.

“Once the candle burns down, that’s it, so we need to move quickly if we want to use it again after business hours resume.”

“Got it. Where should we go?”

“Here.”

I pointed to a spot on the floor plan Go Yeongeun had brought.

When she glanced at it, she recoiled in horror.

“…! W-Wait…”

“It’ll be fine. Let’s go.”

“……”

We were already holding the candle, and blowing it out by getting into some scuffle would be a terrible idea.

So despite wanting to object, she started moving.

‘Thank you…’

I could see why she was so reluctant. The place I was headed…

[Sell Your Flesh at Looky Mart]

…was a bizarre ‘event stall’ with that insane sign.

“……”

If the other stalls imitated Lucky Mart’s old sales promotions, these freakish ones felt more like glitches, abnormally tacked on.

In this particular spot, there was nothing on the white floor except row upon row of grills.

And in the silence, something was sizzling.

“Hiieek.”

“Quiet.”

I clamped a hand on the high schooler’s shoulder as he started trembling. Not that he was overreacting…

“Haa.”

Right on the grill displayed out front, pitch-black charred meat was cooking as a demo. …You could tell at a glance it came from some two-legged creature in a shape far too familiar.

Likely missing persons, repurposed as store ‘supplies’.

‘I feel like throwing up.’

But I held it in.

Above us was a banner.

…Just like the agent’s notes said.

Instant BBQ Event!

Participate alive, and receive a guaranteed gift certificate!

A gift certificate.

Who the hell wants to win a gift certificate in a place like this? It would only attract the long-term missing people, and they’ll attack you. They’re basically not even human anymore—don’t bother rescuing them.

But for now, we were briefly able to melt into the supermarket’s surroundings, our presence softened by the candle’s protective fog.

I lightly tapped Go Yeongeun on the shoulder.

“Could you please shift to the side? I need to stand in front of one of these empty grills.”

“Huh? W-Wait a second, this…”

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine.

I desperately wished someone else would handle this.

‘Wouldn’t anyone in their right mind?’

But…

One of my companions had been trapped in the stairwell, contaminated for over a week. The other was a civilian minor.

Not exactly people I could saddle with something so extreme.

Besides, this was an opportunity.

‘I have to get that gift certificate.’

If I took this on, I’d get the currency directly, allowing me to control how it’s used.

‘I want to push my own plan for escaping, so I need to take the initiative.’

I gritted my teeth.

…First, I used a syringe of Happy Maker so I wouldn’t go into shock. My hands were shaking.

‘Calm… Calm down.’

From items I had swiped on our way here, I pulled out one, trying not to let my shaking fingers drop it.

A massive butcher’s knife.

Its razor edge glinted.

“H-Hey…!”

“It’s alright. As long as we don’t break the item and return it to its original state, the store won’t register it as a purchase.”

“That’s not the issue, Agent—!”

I brought the butcher’s knife down on my own right forearm.

Chapter 138 - [Looky Mart], VI

※ WARNING ※

This chapter contains violent and gory scenes. Reader discretion is heavily advised.

From the moment I saw the store layout, I’d been agonizing over it.

Just how much of my body would I have to cut off and place on the grill for this damned supermarket ghost story to count it as ‘barbecue’?

I considered everything from the wrist to the shoulder.

But from the start, I knew my target.

‘My right arm.’

If I cut a leg, I’d lose mobility.

If I cut my left arm, I couldn’t use my tattoo.

Besides, I’m almost ambidextrous anyway, so I’d be able to function with whichever arm remained.

In other words, there was only one conclusion.

‘Cut off part of my right arm.’

Of course, slicing a fully grown adult forearm, bones and all, measuring around 10cm in diameter with a knife is crazy.

Obviously, it wouldn’t be done in a single chop.

‘An electric saw would’ve been better.’

Thwack, thwack.

I used a giant butcher’s knife, practically ripping my arm apart. Amidst the splatter of blood, I could hear the other two sobbing softly.

There was no pain, but I could still feel it.

The sensation of nerves in my arm being severed.

Cold sweat trickled down my back, my mind reeling with dull shock—terror and fear.

I’d definitely injected myself with Happy Maker, yet it was hitting me anyway.

‘Am I building up a tolerance?’

Or maybe the candle’s ‘protection’ somehow dampened its effect. Or it could just be in my head.

Either way, the crucial fact is that I didn’t go into shock, and I could still move.

And then…

Thwack.

The final blow.

It came off.

“…!!”

Done.

With my right arm fully severed, I tucked it under my left arm while pressing something against the cut:

The blood-sucking knife.

‘I can’t believe I’m using this to stop the bleeding…’

It was just a temporary measure. Ignoring the blade’s tremor as it drank my blood, I pulled it away and pressed the wound to the grill.

If I still had any sensation, I’d have passed out right then.

I held it there just long enough to stop the bleeding. Once I was sure I wouldn’t die from blood loss, I moved again.

“What— What the hell… Aaaah!”

“Just a moment.”

Thud.

I took the piece I’d removed and chopped it in half. I had to match the approximate size of the other chunks already on the grill.

Then, without time for anyone to react, I put one of those halves on the grill.

Sssss—

It sizzled, or rather, burned.

It was burning. Burning away…

‘It’s just a piece of meat now.’

No longer mine.

And as soon as we escape this insane supermarket, I plan to drink Daydream Inc.’s C-grade regeneration potion. Then everything will be fine…

Stay calm.

Sweating profusely, I stared at the grill with unfocused eyes.

And after a hellish stretch of time—

Ding.

In this ‘Sell Your Flesh at Looky Mart’ stall—where dozens of grills are lined up randomly—one of them made a noise, like it was just another grill in the row.

A counter, like a mini checkout, had a plain white envelope labeled [Thank you for participating in our event].

With my one good hand, I managed to open it.

Inside were gift certificates, and they looked kind of like sloppily-made play money.

[₩50,000]

If this were a normal supermarket, that’d be a pretty hefty reward for joining some promotional event.

But whether it’s enough in our current situation is another question.

“W-What is this? What are you—”

“Wait.”

One more time.

I repeated the process.

Except this time, I told the high schooler to put the remaining chunk on another grill.

“H-Huuhp…”

He almost collapsed, but he gritted his teeth. It tore me up inside, but we had no choice.

Go Yeongeun had to keep holding the candle, and my own ‘participation’ wouldn’t be counted again.

And only after another 50,000-won voucher appeared did I allow myself to pop a Nostalgia Candy into my mouth.

‘Ha.’

I’d resisted until then, worried about messing up the event outcome.

But the second that candy touched my lips, it reverted me to my ‘healthiest point in time’.

Nostalgia’s magic.

“…It’s okay. See? I’m all better now.”

“Hiic… hiiiccc…”

The high schooler wouldn’t look at my newly restored arm. He couldn’t even nod.

Go Yeongeun had gone deathly pale, but mindful of the candle, she didn’t turn around or freak out.

She already knew I had a special regeneration potion from Daydream Inc., so maybe that’s why she managed to contain herself.

“…Agent, did you just take the potion?”

“No. It’s an item that temporarily restores my appearance.”

Her shoulders twitched again.

“It was only the right arm missing, so even if something else happened, we wouldn’t have trouble running. Please don’t worry.”

“How can you say that right now… Fine. …Alright.”

I silently thanked her composure.

At any rate, I’d finally used one of my last Nostalgia Candies, which I’d been saving to endure the worst. I finally recovered after three days of no real sleep or food.

And now, my status was…

“……”

‘Wow.’

This was insane.

My mind, now somewhat clear, was spinning wildly, sounding alarms at the dangers. Over the last three days, I’d been pushed to my limits, acting like a madman—and only now was I starting to realize it.

‘I haven’t been thinking straight since about the second day…’

I was under the impression that I had ‘searched the entire supermarket’ thoroughly while leaving the high schooler in the second-floor food court to go find Agent Bronze. But that’s not actually possible.

‘If I could supposedly scour it in just a handful of hours, it means there was nowhere truly hidden in the first place.’

This wasn’t a tiny convenience store or a small corner shop. It’s a massive chain supermarket. The very idea of ‘searching it all’ was impossible—especially considering the infinitely repeating third floor.

‘So my judgment was completely shot.’

It’s not just the high schooler in panic. I, too, had been half-crazed for three days.

“…Let’s go back to the emergency stairwell.”

“Yes.”

We walked under Go Yeongeun’s candlelight, and I cleaned the butcher’s knife of my blood, repacked it, and put it back where I found it. In the process, my mind flickered with new inferences.

Mistakes.

Counterarguments to the little ‘certainties’ I’d clung to so casually.

—Does Agent Bronze really escape on the third day?

Let’s re-check that exploration record I could somehow still remember.

Exploration Record #3[?]

An agent responded to a civilian distress call and entered the store around 7PM. (Agent : ???)

Looky Mart closed early due to ??? reason. An unexpected situation arose, and the agent lost contact for three days.

Result : Rescue failed. Agent returned alone.

First counterargument.

—The entry time is different.

We entered after 8 PM, while the record said 7PM.

Sure, maybe that changed because my presence delayed the schedule. He had to hand out items and explain the situation to me, among other things. So, we entered about an hour late, which could somewhat line up.

But the crucial point was still one thing. The situation wasn’t exactly the same.

‘I shouldn’t be forcing my situation to fit that record.’

Second counterargument.

It never said when the agent escaped.

‘Lost contact for three days’ didn’t necessarily mean the supermarket reopened on the third day.

So my certainty that business hours would definitely resume after three days was nothing more than a leap of faith.

‘…Phew.’

And…

Let’s think more rationally about the bigger picture.

Right. From the beginning…

‘Isn’t it odd that the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau would let a newly hired agent dive straight into a high-level ghost story?’

It’s not like this was Daydream Inc.

They wouldn’t send someone unprepared into a Fracture-sanctioned nightmare, roughly on par with a Daydream B-grade, unless there was some solid safeguard.

‘So if I reason from that premise…’

…There’s something that comes to mind.

Bureau agents would sometimes get assigned an item allowing ‘emergency escape’ from ghost stories below a certain level.

And with a newcomer, that item usually stayed under the senior’s control since a panicked rookie might misuse it.

In other words…

If Agent Bronze really was issued such an item, then.

‘He’d do everything he could to take me with him on that escape.’

It’s a matter of responsibility.

“……”

“Agent Grapes?”

“Just a moment, please.”

I paused and tried to piece together the first day’s events from Agent Bronze’s perspective.

A situation where he got separated from his new recruit.

No shared coordinates or direct communication method. Just that one glance of ‘I’ll see you upstairs’.

High-level ghost story with unexpected complications.

A veteran used to handling rookies…

“……”

Ah.

“Agent.”

“Yes?”

“I think I can figure out where my senior ended up.”

“…!”

After I neatly summed it up with, ‘Teaming up with a veteran will give us a better chance to escape,’ Go Yeongeun agreed to use the candle for further exploration.

Our destination…

“This specific escalator, right?”

“Yes.”

The escalator going from the first floor up to the second—

That’s the one.

“……”

All three of us descended to the first floor and stood in front of the escalator.

The still rails lay silent in the dark.

But this was an escalator we’d never used before.

The high schooler and I had only used the opposite escalator—the one that went from the second floor down to the first—while crawling up.

‘And that’s the only one I used.’

Any time I tried searching alone, I’d check between the escalators and the floor, hoping to recover the fishing line from the items we used. That’s how desperate I was.

But…

‘Normally, if you want to go upstairs, you’d use the escalator that goes up…’

Agent Bronze must have expected I’d use this escalator.

I handed the high schooler another Nostalgia Candy, letting him stand in front.

‘…Three left.’

I’d have to be more cautious with them. But at least for the time being, I needed the maximum efficiency from it.

“Agent, would you mind going up the escalator?”

“…I’ll walk slowly. Be careful.”

“Yes.”

Go Yeongeun led the way onto the escalator. The three of us began walking up on foot.

“Huu…”

Let’s think.

‘Just like I’m deducing his actions, Agent Bronze might’ve been predicting mine…’

And he was probably more rational than I was, given I’d been knocked off balance by everything—witnessing people get ground alive in a blender, a high schooler with a broken ankle to rescue, and so on…

Trying to see it from his perspective.

– A rookie agent, who had some ghost-story experience but is traumatized and timid.

If, on that first day, I moved more cautiously than I actually did, what would I have done?

‘I probably would’ve gotten to the second floor a lot later.’

Instead of rushing there, I might’ve lurked on the first floor, hiding in different spots, too overwhelmed to do much—typical rookie behavior.

‘Agent Bronze would guess it’d take me a long time to make my way upstairs.’

But if he had a different, supposedly ‘safer’ hideout in mind, knowing I’d panic if I arrived on the second floor and found him gone, then…

There’s only one possibility.

‘Let me leave a sign before he even gets to the second floor.’

“……”

I peered at the escalator’s billboard, spotting a red advertisement panel near the bottom. There, as if it were just another piece of the display, the corner of a receipt peeked out.

A Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau leaflet.

“Huh?”

It was easy to miss in a normal supermarket scene, but for anyone in the know, it was like a shining beacon.

While my companions murmured behind me, I carefully peeled it off and opened it.

On the back, thick scribbled writing.

Off-Season Winter Camping Mega Sale

Leftmost wall on the 3rd floor. 12th stall.

“I think I know where he is.”

I recognized it as a sign left by Agent Bronze.

Under candlelight and fog, we moved quickly.

We practically formed a three-person relay, hustling through the store.

“12th stall, right? The 12th!”

“Yes…!”

Realizing there was a chance we might find a friend, even the high schooler pushed on, determined.

We passed through the eerie, repetitive spaces of the massive store until we reached…

[Off-Season Winter Camping Mega Sale]

It finally appeared.

A display area set up like a camping scene, with tents, a campfire, a burner, chairs—

Screeeak.

One side of the tent slid open. A nervous face peeked out, eyes scanning the area.

“Hey! Kim Jaehoon!”

The high schooler who’d stayed with me dashed forward from the circle of candlelight. It made sense.

He’d come in looking for this friend, the one Agent Bronze had taken along.

“O-Ohhhhh!”

“Are you okay?”

“Hiic, waaahhh…”

Both kids clung to each other, crying. I tensed a moment—shouting outside the candle’s protection might attract danger—but nothing happened.

‘Agent Bronze must’ve set something up.’

Thank goodness. With that in mind, Go Yeongeun and I relaxed a little and walked over.

“Shall we put out the candle for a moment?”

“Yes, let’s.”

We followed the veteran agent’s lead to a safe zone.

“Sniff…”

It took a few minutes for the two high schoolers to calm down. The one who’d been with Agent Bronze looked like he’d been through a lot, but he wasn’t badly hurt or exhausted.

‘He must’ve been well looked after.’

That’s the difference between a rookie rescuer and a veteran, I guess. Feeling a little guilty, I watched the two high schoolers.

The one I’d been taking care of, effectively fine now thanks to Nostalgia Candy, forced a smile.

“I’m just glad you made it out okay, too.”

“…Yeah.”

……

Something felt off.

I noticed the boy rescued by Agent Bronze displayed signs of fear and panic. Granted, he’d been wandering this ghost story for days. But even so, his anxiety seemed… more pronounced.

Go Yeongeun leaned in and whispered to me.

“Agent Grapes, that high schooler isn’t who you were looking for, right?”

“…Right.”

“Then… where’s that agent?”

“……”

An unsettling feeling crept up my spine.

‘No way.’

I locked eyes with the high schooler Agent Bronze had been guiding. He flinched, as if scared.

The reason we’d come here, after all…

“Where’s the agent?”

“……”

Sitting in the tent, the boy’s eyes brimmed with tears again.

“That agent… h-he got spotted by employees…! Th, there were dozens of them, all at once…!”

“…!”

“A-And… I think he was caught.”

……

“They… the employees… must’ve dragged him off somewhere, hiic…”

After three days trapped in the Looky Mart ghost story,

Agent Bronze… had already been reduced to mere ‘store supply.’

Chapter 139 - [Looky Mart], VII

Agent Bronze, dragged away by supermarket employees.

That future was easy to imagine.

After all, I had already witnessed a similar case on the first day.

– Aaaaagh! Aaaaaaahhh!

Just recalling that ‘supply’ being ground alive in the mixer sent cold sweat trickling down my spine.

And now, the veteran agent I had been searching for over the past three days might be suffering the same fate?

The high schooler Agent Bronze had been taking care of described the situation as if vomiting out the memories.

“A-At first, I felt a little reassured…”

On the first day, the agent moved the rescued student to the store’s tent area, secured the surroundings, and seemed to take some measures.

The anomaly happened on the second day.

“Originally… um, well, he was looking for you.”

“…Us?”

“Yes. I think he was trying to find you.”

But instead of finding me, Agent Bronze stumbled upon something else entirely.

“T-That guy… that guy came out…!”

That guy?

Everyone turned their heads in the direction the high schooler was pointing, but all that was there was the tent fabric.

“Ugh!”

Then, the student got up, walked outside the tent, and opened the entrance of the adjacent one.

Inside, a uniform-clad figure was lying down—

“…?!”

“Lee Soobin!”

The high schooler I had been taking care of sprang up and dashed toward the tent. Then, looking back at me, he spoke urgently.

“T-That’s the friend we were looking for! Lee Soobin!”

Ah.

The friend who had gone missing first, the one these students had been searching for.

“S-Soobin?”

The high schooler called his friend repeatedly.

But ‘Lee Soobin’ did not respond. Lying in the tent, staring blankly at the air with a slightly open mouth—he looked completely vacant.

‘…Has he been missing for too long?’

His body was covered in scratches and bruises.

It was a pitiful sight.

But now, I had a better idea of why Agent Bronze had been missing for days.

“…Where did the agent find him?”

“I-I don’t know. He just suddenly brought him back and said he found him. He asked if he was wearing the same uniform as us…”

Having to take care of two underage civilians would have severely limited his movements.

For two days, he must have been focused on looking after them, waiting for business hours to resume…

…While simultaneously waiting for me to safely arrive at the stall.

“…So, when exactly did the agent disappear?”

“I think… Early this morning…?”

“……”

That was more recent than I expected.

“A-All of a sudden, a bunch of employees swarmed in, and then, t-they just took him.”

“He wasn’t seriously hurt or anything? Just ‘taken’?”

“How would I know! …I-I think so, but…”

If that’s the case…

“S-Shit, we’re screwed, right? We’re all gonna die, aren’t we? The only competent guy is gone! And you’re just a rookie, aren’t you? That’s what the agent said.”

“Hey! Why are you talking like that? Are you insane?”

“……”

The high schooler I had been taking care of flinched and scolded his friend, then glanced at me and Go Yeongeun, gauging our reactions.

The other high schooler, the one who had been with Agent Bronze, sniffled and lowered his head, ashamed.

“A-Anyway… we’re doomed, aren’t we?”

“No.”

“…!”

Go Yeongeun spoke firmly.

“We are not doomed. You have a safe place to stay, and you have more adults here to help you. Things have actually improved.”

“Ah…”

“If you start acting reckless just because you think it’s over, you’ll lose even the chances you still have. If you want to make it out safely, we all need to cooperate. Understood?”

“……”

The two high schoolers nodded.

The one who had been shouting at us now looked embarrassed, regret written all over his face.

…I suddenly thought that Go Yeongeun might be better suited for the Disaster Management Bureau than Daydream Inc.

“Huu.”

After calming the students, we stepped outside the tent for a moment.

Go Yeongeun let out a short sigh, gulped, then turned to me.

“…I wasn’t just saying that to reassure them. I think we need to believe it, too.”

“I agree.”

And, actually.

I hesitated, then whispered to Go Yeongeun about something that had been bothering me ever since the high schooler’s account.

“My senior agent… there’s a chance he’s still alive.”

“…!”

That’s right.

The missing people who had been processed as ‘supplies’ could, if unlucky, be ‘used’ immediately according to the employees’ routines.

‘But usually, they wait their turn.’

Like proper inventory.

The employees were mimicking supermarket work, which meant they stored supplies according to regulations.

And the place where those items were stockpiled…

Somewhere deep inside the supermarket’s staff-only area.

“He might be in the supply warehouse.”

Supply warehouse.

Unable to escape from the supply warehouse. Considered deceased.

…That kind of sentence appeared frequently in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

But looking at it another way, it also meant that missing persons still had the chance to attempt an escape. That they were alive, still conscious, and physically capable.

‘There were even rare cases of successful escapes.’

That is, if they possessed a special item or ability.

…Of course, there were also plenty of cases where the missing had already been ‘processed’ in accordance with their intended use as supplies.

But what mattered now was this—

This group currently possessed one of those special items that could grant access to the supply warehouse.

“……”

I looked at the soft-textured mass that Go Yeongeun was holding—the one that now had its flame extinguished.

A mystical candle.

It required three people to create, but once made, a single person could carry and use it.

‘As long as it can be lit…’

However, for some reason, I couldn’t ignite this candle that only ‘people of current times’ could use. So, I couldn’t carry and use the item alone.

“…Agent.”

“Let’s go.”

“…!”

“With two people, we have twice the brains and twice the hands—it should make things a little easier.”

Go Yeongeun glanced at my arm before nodding, her expression stiff.

…She was taking into account the fact that I could only function properly by relying on Nostalgia Candies.

“Thank you.”

“I should be the one saying that. If it weren’t for you, I would have died on that stairwell.”

She shuddered briefly, as if recalling it.

“Anyway, let’s go… to find your senior agent.”

I nodded.

We’re about to go out and find Agent Bronze.

The high schoolers’ reactions were intense.

“Wait, if you both leave, what are we supposed to do? What if an employee shows up? If we’re left alone—”

“You’ll be fine.”

I calmly placed a hand on the high schooler’s shoulder.

“…Another agent already set up protections before leaving.”

Agent Bronze had likely chosen a section of the store where employees rarely appeared.

But long-term missing persons could still attack unpredictably, so he must have accounted for that as well.

‘…Is that it?’

I noticed an object pressing down on a tent peg—it looked like a simple toy jack but was actually a specialized item.

Weighted Air Stone

: Equipment of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau that creates hallowed ground.

I recalled its description. Placing these stones in a designated area would create a safe zone, repelling malicious forces.

Contaminated missing persons likely couldn’t recognize this store section properly and would simply pass by.

…If only the agent had stayed put inside this barrier, he wouldn’t have been taken. The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.

“Will you… come back?”

“Of course. I’ll find the agent and return.”

I handed a Nostalgia Candy to the high schooler I had been taking care of, instructing him to rest but keep it ready—just in case he needed to take it to move.

Though he looked uneasy, fortunately, he accepted my advice.

Fwoosh.

Go Yeongeun reignited the candle, and I stepped back into the fog and shadows it cast, blending into its obscurity.

“…About a third of the candle has melted.”

“……”

We had to move quickly.

We took our first steps, advancing through the eerily vast and seemingly endless third-floor store sections.

‘…The agent was taken from the third floor.’

That meant we needed to find a door along the walls of the third floor again.

“What kind of door are we looking for?”

“Remember the announcement before the store closed? And how, at the same time, those balloon-like employees flooded in?”

“…Yes.”

“It’s the door that opened back then.”

This time, however, we didn’t have to find it on our own.

Screek… Screek… Screek…

“……Let’s follow.”

“……”

We trailed behind a single employee, moving stiffly, its gaze hollow and empty.

It wandered through the third floor for a while, seemingly imitating a patrol routine.

Then, as if its shift had ended, it returned to its point of origin.

[Staff Only]

A metal door leading to the staff section.

“……”

“……”

Creak…

The door opened.

There were many similar doors scattered around, but they were all likely connected through an antnest-like network of corridors, leading to one shared space.

Somewhere inside, we had to find the supply warehouse.

Holding our breath, we slipped through the door just before it shut.

And then, we were met with the overwhelming sight of the inner staff area spilling out before us…

“Hhk.”

Go Yeongeun clamped a hand over her mouth.

Under the bright fluorescent lights, countless employees were crammed together, stacked upright in tight vertical rows.

These weren’t the grotesque, balloon-like employees that emerged after closing hours. They looked like normal human employees.

Stacked. Crushed. Wedged together. Those were the only ways to describe it.

In this brightly lit, modern space—so seemingly ordinary—human bodies were stored in layers, crumpled and compressed without a hint of abnormality.

“…They look like the employees who were working during business hours. Uuurp.”

Go Yeongeun swallowed back a dry heave, trying to steady her breath.

So they were mimicking shift rotations, too.

I didn’t even want to imagine how those crushed bodies emerged looking normal when business hours resumed.

Revulsion crawled up my throat, but I forced my feet to move.

Without the candle and the Nostalgia Candy, I would have given up right here.

Screek… Screek…

The employee started moving again.

“…Should we follow?”

“Yes.”

Our footsteps echoed faintly in the staff area, making my nerves tense up.

With nothing but the candle’s protection, we advanced cautiously.

“…I remember every turn we’ve taken. Don’t worry, we won’t get lost.”

“…Alright.”

Since both of us were memorizing the path, even if one of us lost track, the other could compensate.

We held our breath and pressed forward.

More employees. Fragments of what used to be employees. Half-formed remnants, muttering the same distorted greetings over and over again.

My skin crawled, every pore standing on end.

But we had to stay alert. We needed to find the warehouse.

‘We can do this… We can do this.’

Through hallways, break rooms, and warehouse areas strung together in a surreal, disjointed layout—until finally…

[Supply Storage]

The sign was posted above a door, and in front of it stood a cluster of employees, packed tightly together.

Screek. Screek. Screek. Screek.

The employee we had been following joined the group in front of the door.

“Ha.”

Go Yeongeun swallowed hard, staring at the iron door now completely obscured by employees.

“…If we slip inside when they open the door…”

And just then—

Clunk.

The supply warehouse door opened from the inside.

“…!”

Several employees stepped out, carrying supplies.

And that’s when I saw it.

A familiar face among the ‘supplies’.

“T-That person…”

A tall, broad-shouldered young man in an agent’s uniform—being carried by two employees.

Agent Bronze.

But.

He had no legs.

“……”

A cold chill slithered up my spine.

“…Could it be…”

“Yes.”

It was clear.

Agent Bronze had been processed into a mannequin.

The only upside was that there was no bleeding.

But with his eyes closed and his body limp, he looked completely unconscious.

“…Should we move in?”

“…Yes.”

We trailed closely behind the two employees carrying him.

Even as we followed, my mind went blank.

What the hell are we supposed to do?

‘Fucking hell.’

Is he… still alive?

Should I call out to him? But even with the candle’s protection, would making noise this close to the employees be safe?

Creeeak.

Just then, the two employees carrying Agent Bronze passed through the staff area exit.

That was actually better for us.

After a brief moment of hesitation, I made a bold move.

“…Stay as close as possible.”

“……”

Go Yeongeun nodded, quickening her pace to stick right beside the employees.

And just as they entered the foggy range of the candle’s protection, I reached out toward Agent Bronze.

I gently tapped his neck.

Tap, tap.

“…!”

Agent Bronze’s eyes snapped open.

I swallowed hard.

“…Agent.”

And in that instant—

Pfffffff—

One of the employees carrying him deflated like a punctured balloon.

“…!!”

A second later, the other employee also began collapsing, hissing out air as its form crumpled.

And in Agent Bronze’s right hand—

A small, transparent pistol.

Glass Handgun.

A standard-issue weapon from the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.

It shone in the hands of a true professional.

With a flick of his wrist, the pistol vanished back into thin air.

“Tha… you… dear customer!”

“Eueuuuhhh—hello…”

The employees who were deflating let out bizarre noises, repeating scripted customer service phrases.

Something even more grotesque and nightmarish seemed to be writhing inside them, trying to emerge—but before that could happen, Agent Bronze had already tied them down.

‘Binding Rope.’

A standard-issue suppression item.

In an instant, his hands moved, wrapping the two employees in thin, cord-like restraints. Then, as if subduing them completely, he sat down on top of them.

…Handling two employees like that. He made it look so effortless.

“They won’t be able to make a commotion for at least five minutes.”

His skill was almost like a magic trick.

…It was hard to believe this was a man who had lost both his legs.

“…Agent Grapes.”

Agent Bronze looked up at me with a faint smile.

The eyes of someone who had already resolved themselves.

“You made it. I’m glad my endurance paid off.”

“……”

“And who’s this?”

His gaze shifted to Go Yeongeun.

“One of the missing agents who entered earlier and survived.”

“……”

Go Yeongeun lowered her head.

“…You did well. I’m glad you’re safe.”

Agent Bronze looked at me with a warm, almost resigned expression.

It made me feel sick.

“Agent Grapes.”

He reached into the inside of his agent uniform.

“Take this. It’s for escaping.”

…A pair of shoelaces.

They were woven with five-colored threads, an intricate pattern with a strangely glossy texture.

“There are only two, so the two of you can leave.”

“……!”

“Tie them onto your shoes, take three steps forward, and you’ll be instantly transported out of here.”

I involuntarily glanced at Agent Bronze’s lower body.

…His missing legs.

He couldn’t walk.

He couldn’t use the escape item.

For him, there had never been a choice.

“…I’ll look for another way. You, on the other hand—ensure your own safety.”

“……”

“There’s not much time left. Hurry.”

No.

I could use Nostalgia Candy—if I gave one to Agent Bronze, he could escape right now.

But—

No.

I clenched my fists so hard they turned white.

I only have three left.

If I used one to let him escape now… then what do I do with just two left?

Of the three high schoolers I needed to save, two were unable to move on their own.

Wouldn’t it be better if Agent Bronze stayed to help?

The calculations swirled in my mind, making my head pound.

Was there another way?

Something else…

“……”

Ah.

That’s it.

“Agent.”

I pretended to retrieve something from my belongings, but in reality, I pulled out an item from within my tattoo.

A small glass vial, glowing a fresh, leafy green.

: Daydream Potion :

Regeneration

C (Excellent)

My lifeline.

I subtly angled it away so that Go Yeongeun wouldn’t see the label, then discreetly showed it to Agent Bronze.

“Drink this. It’s a regeneration item.”

“…!!”

“Wait—”

“It’s fine. It’s a verified item.”

I shot a quick glance at Go Yeongeun before she could object.

‘…If my guess is correct.’

This wasn’t just about making Agent Bronze’s escape easier.

This was an investment.

A move that would yield even greater returns.

A build-up toward my real goal.

‘This is the right answer.’

A shiver ran down my spine with the satisfaction of finding the most optimal solution.

…Suppressing the instinctive fear of loss.

“……”

Go Yeongeun, though visibly unsettled, remained silent.

But Agent Bronze didn’t take the potion immediately. Instead, he studied my face, his expression unreadable.

“…Was this made ‘where you’re from’?”

“……Yes.”

I gave a small nod, forcing a smile.

“It’s my last one. …I know you might find it uncomfortable. But you need to take it.”

“……”

An unreadable flicker crossed the agent’s face.

It was a clearly complicated expression, impossible to discern whether it was a reaction born out of reluctance or anger.

Then, with a sharp exhale, he reached out.

Tak.

A short sound as the vial landed in his hand.

Without another word, he unsealed the potion and drank it in one gulp.

Chapter 140 - [Looky Mart], VIII

Daydream Inc.’s ethics may be questionable, but the effectiveness of their potions was undeniable.

Like magic.

“…!”

As soon as Agent Bronze drank the C-grade Regeneration Potion, flesh burst forth from the stumps of his severed thighs, rapidly reconstructing into the shape of fully restored legs.

Go Yeongeun swallowed hard. She had used the same potion on herself before, but this was her first time witnessing it in action, and she was in awe.

I felt the same way.

Seeing such a large area regenerate instantly—and it was only a C-grade potion?

‘…Didn’t they say it costs about 10,000 points?’

It was an effect so overwhelming that anyone watching would be shocked and mesmerized.

I unconsciously tried not to touch my right arm, which had been restored by Nostalgia Candy, as I continued watching the scene.

“Huu.”

Soon, Agent Bronze mechanically tested the movement of his legs.

Then, standing up barefoot, he grabbed the Binding Rope that restrained the employees… before lowering his head slightly, avoiding my gaze.

“…Thank you.”

“Yes.”

As if she couldn’t hold back any longer, Go Yeongeun muttered under her breath.

“……You could afford to be a little more grateful.”

Ah.

“What do you…?”

“Let’s talk outside.”

Hurriedly, I cut off their conversation and suggested returning to the base camp that Agent Bronze had set up.

But the Binding Rope began to tremble.

“…!”

The two deflated employees, who had been subdued with holes in their forms, started to twitch.

And over there.

The door to the staff-only area we had come from.

Dudududududududu!

A heavy, repetitive thudding sound rang out—

Then, with an ear-piercing creak, the metal door burst open, and employees poured out.

“……!”

“This way—!”

We barely dodged the stampede of employees rushing toward us, hastily pulling Agent Bronze beneath the candle’s shadow.

Three people.

With the group full once more, we pressed ourselves against the wall, avoiding the terrifying wave of employees flooding into the area.

“…!!”

“We’ll be fine. We’re inside the candle’s range…”

Agent Bronze glanced at the candle in Go Yeongeun’s hands.

“…Is that originally yours, too?”

“……Yes.”

I deliberately lowered my voice as I looked back at Agent Bronze.

“Um, I… I told them I got it from you—so, um, I’d appreciate it if you could go along with that.”

“……”

Agent Bronze gave a slight nod.

‘…He’s cooperative.’

Even though he knew the item came from Daydream Inc., he wasn’t questioning it.

It seemed like giving him the regeneration potion had earned some goodwill.

ScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreek

‘Damn it, I can’t even think straight…!’

The number of employees kept growing, their presence suffocating. Go Yeongeun backed away instinctively, her ears turning pale.

The Binding Rope lost its effect. The two distorted employees who had been shot with the Glass Handgun began grotesquely oozing out of their restraints.

And the other employees that had poured out surrounded them, circling frantically, like a bizarre ritual.

Their arms were crushed under the weight of the swarm, heads flattened—but then popped back up, reshaping unnaturally.

It looked like some kind of bizzare ritual.

“It looks like they’re looking for the person who harmed an employee…”

“If you harm an employee in this mart, and they see it happen… they’ll hunt you down until you’re caught.”

“…!”

Yet he shot them without hesitation and sat on top of them?

Agent Bronze’s expression hardened.

“…I figured this would be my last mission anyway, so I was prepared to handle the consequences.”

“~!!”

Go Yeongeun seemed ready to argue again, but held back.

“Let’s move. Now.”

“Yes.”

We hurried away from the disturbing ritual-like gathering.

Still, the relentless screeking sounds echoed behind us, an unsettling, high-pitched noise.

‘Huu.’

I looked down at the floor.

Then at Agent Bronze’s bare feet against the cold mart tiles.

“Agent, do you have spare shoes…?”

“…In the camping section.”

Okay.

I checked my wristwatch for the time.

Luckily, we had found Agent Bronze fairly quickly—at most, two or three hours should have passed.

Even if I accounted for some distortion in my perception of time, it should still be around evening.

Maybe around 19:00. At least, that’s what I thought…

Until I looked at my watch.

[ 09 : 04 ]

Nine o’clock. In the morning.

“……!”

I looked again.

But the time was still exactly ten hours off from my estimate.

It obviously wasn’t the past which meant…

‘……It’s the next morning?’

“The time is acting… strange…”

And at that moment, I realized it.

“Agent Grapes. Time does not flow consistently in the staff-only area of this supermarket.”

“……”

So that’s why the layout felt nonsensical, like spaces were stitched together without logic. It wasn’t just confusing. It was designed to be terrifying.

‘A horror cliché.’

Maybe it had been mentioned in the <Dark Exploration Records>, but it was such a common phenomenon that I must not have paid attention, but… That wasn’t the issue now.

‘…How long have the kids been alone?’

To make matters worse—

Agent Bronze muttered grimly.

“…Nine o’clock.”

“…Yes.”

“Let’s move as quickly as possible. …The barrier I set up in the store doesn’t have much time left.”

“…!!”

We sprinted toward the camping section—almost at full speed. The fact that we didn’t drop the candle was a miracle.

“Hahh… haah…”

And we were just in time.

The high schoolers were on the verge of fleeing.

“They’re not coming back! And something’s wrong right now!”

“T-That’s…”

‘Damn it.’

The agents hadn’t returned for over a day, and the store had been filled with the relentless sounds of moving employees.

Understandably, the students had panicked and were preparing to escape to another floor.

They had been desperately debating how to transport their catatonic friend, whether to leave him behind, and what to do next. But the moment they saw us, they collapsed on the spot.

“Ahhh!”

“A-Agent…!”

This was a nightmare.

We led the high schoolers—who were simultaneously crying in relief and yelling at us for being so late—back toward the center of the camping section.

Meanwhile, Agent Bronze swiftly checked the barrier he had set up.

“How much time is left?”

“About an hour.”

Damn it.

“At least we’re guaranteed an hour of safety. Let’s use it to regroup quickly.”

Go Yeongeun immediately extinguished the candle, checked on the students’ condition, and started piecing together what had happened.

…She’s so reliable.

‘Phew.’

“I’ll keep watch. You should focus on getting changed.”

“…Understood.”

While Go Yeongeun was inside the tent, Agent Bronze took the chance to change into a spare agent uniform he had brought with him.

Meanwhile, I listened carefully to our surroundings, trying to figure out our next move.

‘The stairwell is too narrow.’

…I wanted to hope against hope that the store would open today, but counting on something that convenient was bad for my sanity.

I swallowed the sugary aftertaste of the Nostalgia Candy, then distracted myself with another concern.

“How are you holding up?”

“……I’m fine.”

Agent Bronze reached into the bloodstained pockets of his old uniform pants, quickly re-equipping some of his gear.

But, one item stood out.

He had been casually retrieving and organizing his belongings until he picked that one up and froze.

…A white popsocket.

A label was stuck to it—handwritten.

Must be delivered

It reminded me of the Memorial Popsocket.

It looked like something from the Disaster Management Bureau.

“Agent, that’s…”

“……”

Agent Bronze silently stared at it for a moment.

Then, without a word, he tucked it into his new uniform and muttered.

“It belonged to another agent. I found it… in the supply warehouse.”

And from his tone, I realized.

‘…There were other agents in the warehouse.’

Most likely, he had taken it from a fellow agent’s corpse, one that had been ‘stored’ in the supply warehouse for a long time.

Now fully dressed, Agent Bronze looked up and met my gaze.

Then, he asked in a low, quiet voice,

“Did you enter the supply warehouse?”

“……”

I shook my head.

For a brief moment, relief flickered across his face.

“You did well. From now on, avoid places that ‘feel wrong’. Human instinct is surprisingly useful in dealing with supernatural phenomena.”

“……”

What the hell was inside that warehouse?

I didn’t know the details, but the <Dark Exploration Records> had given me enough descriptions to guess.

‘…Dozens of dying people, processed into ‘supplies’, rotting and mutating inside.’

I forced myself not to imagine it and changed the subject.

“So, what does that item do?”

If it was useful, Agent Bronze would have mentioned it already.

And sure enough, his expression darkened slightly.

“…It ensures a guaranteed transmission of an emergency rescue request to the Disaster Management Bureau.”

“……”

Ah.

“It’s an attachment for a smartphone. I thought maybe I could send out a message from here, but… it seems like it only works if the user is designated as a rescue target.”

So it was specifically designed to function only for missing persons.

‘…That agent must have been carrying it to give to someone else.’

Under normal circumstances, it was an invaluable item.

But here—where it didn’t recognize us as ‘rescue targets’—it was useless.

I couldn’t even begin to imagine what Agent Bronze had gone through, enduring inside that warehouse.

“Um, are you done changing?”

“…! Yes.”

Go Yeongeun stepped out of the tent.

“Agent Bronze, I think you should talk to the students. They already know you’re the highest-ranking agent here.”

“……”

After a brief nod, Agent Bronze entered the tent.

With a deep sigh, Go Yeongeun sat down beside me.

“…How are the students holding up?”

“They’re alright. Now that all the agents have returned and even managed a rescue, their morale has skyrocketed.”

…Because they still didn’t realize we would have to flee this tent section right away.

Huu.

Both Go Yeongeun and I sighed at the same time.

“I really hope the store reopens today.”

“…Yeah.”

Please, please.

I agreed wholeheartedly, slumping down.

“I mean, it was running just fine when we first entered, but how many days has it been closed now…?”

Exactly.

Every word hit home.

‘It was open when we arrived…’

…

…

Wait a minute.

“G-Grapes?”

I shot up from my seat and sprinted toward the tent.

Then, I threw open the entrance.

“Agent!”

Agent Bronze and the high schoolers looked up at me in shock.

“That emergency request item—can we use it right now?”

“Huh?”

Agent Bronze stared at me, momentarily confused, but soon, with a surprising amount of patience, he answered,

“The item itself is functional, but agents can’t use it.”

“What if one of the students uses it?”

“Duplicate requests… are deprioritized compared to the first report.”

The high schoolers flinched.

Right. They had been the ones who sent out the initial request, which was why we entered this damn Looky Mart in the first place.

But.

“There’s one more student.”

“……!”

I thought of the student still lying blankly in the other tent.

The friend of these high schoolers, the one Agent Bronze had found.

The missing person who had never sent a rescue request to the Disaster Management Bureau.

“Calm yourself, Agent.”

Agent Bronze spoke gently, as if trying to steady me.

“This device only allows for a 33-character message, and detailed explanations are impossible.”

“That’s fine.”

I wasn’t planning to explain our situation with it.

“The student can request rescue however they see fit. …As long as they do that, then.”

If my theory was correct.

I swallowed hard.

“…The supermarket will open today.”

“…!!”

I rushed to the adjacent tent.

Then, from the three remaining Nostalgia Candies, I took one and fed it to the unresponsive student lying there.

The student named Lee Soobin.

Unlike the others, this student had gone missing days earlier—before the initial rescue request was even made.

Go Yeongeun had suggested that a familiar face nearby might help ground him, so the other high schoolers stood beside me, anxiously watching.

I tore open the wrapper and placed the Nostalgia Candy into Lee Soobin’s mouth.

“……”

“S-Soobin? Are you okay?”

Drip, drip. Tears streamed down his face.

And then, he started sobbing.

“Huuhp, hiiiic…”

“It’s okay, i-it’s okay…”

The high schoolers rushed in, hugging him tightly.

…Nostalgia Candy restored a person’s body and mind to their peak condition, but it didn’t erase their painful memories.

I stood back and let them help him recover, checking the time.

[ 09 : 22 ]

And then, when we couldn’t afford to wait any longer—

[ 09 : 43 ]

I finally spoke.

“Student Lee Soobin.”

“Hiiiic… Yes…”

“To be honest with you, to get out of here faster, we need your help.”

I handed him the smartphone with the emergency request attachment.

“Write down your name and ID, then type ‘Looky Mart’ and send the rescue request.”

“……”

“Please.”

With trembling hands, the student took the phone.

And then, he frantically started typing.

[HelpmepleaseI’mtrappedinLookyMartIlivein■■districtplease]

It was a message filled with pure desperation. Tears dripped from his eyes as his fingers moved.

Then… he sent it.

“……”

“You did well. Try to rest now.”

I couldn’t bring myself to tell him to spit out the Nostalgia Candy.

…If my theory was wrong, then maybe I would need to save it after all.

‘For now… we wait.’

Leaving the students behind, I stepped outside the tent.

Ziiip.

Go Yeongeun, who had been sitting nearby, looked up at me.

I sat down beside her and kept checking my watch.

Waiting for that time.

For 10:00 AM, the opening hour.

[ 09 : 51 ]

Agent Bronze began preparing to retrieve the protective item.

[ 09 : 54 ]

I calculated how long we could hold out in the second-floor food court if we failed.

[ 09 : 58 ]

In the worst case… who should receive the two escape items?

Then…

[ 09 : 59 ]

The moment approached.

All three of us lifted our heads, staring at the ceiling and the air above.

Waiting for the signal.

And…

[ 10 : 00 ]

Time was up.

“……”

“……”

“Agent Grapes, are you alri—”

Na-na-na-na, na-na-nan-na-na-na, na-na-nan~

“…!!”

A chime-like melody suddenly filled the store.

– Looky Mart’s doors are now open. We welcome our valued customers with bright smiles today~

A cheerful announcement.

The familiar store jingle played without distortion, ringing through the mart loud and clear.

Flicker, flicker, flicker.

Bright fluorescent lights flickered on.

Sunlight began streaming through the glass windows.

And the grotesque employees vanished as if rewinding.

With an eerie, creaking noise, they were sucked back into the staff-only area, disappearing through the gaping metal doors…

Thud.

The doors slammed shut.

Every single one of them was gone.

Not a single trace left behind.

“……”

The supermarket… had finally reopened.

“Hahhh…”

‘…We survived.’

I collapsed onto the floor.

“It worked! It actually worked!!”

Exactly.

Go Yeongeun, looking more excited than I had ever seen her, clapped me on the shoulder, her face flushed with relief as she glanced around the mart.

“How in the world did you— No! It doesn’t matter! Let’s just get the hell out of here first and talk later!”

But Agent Bronze, who had been staring at the store in a daze, suddenly turned to look at me.

“The emergency request… This was…”

“Yes.”

Had he figured it out?

I finally smiled and answered.

“The store has to be open for a rescue agent to enter.”

“…!”

Yes.

‘Kind of like reverse logic.’

I forced the mart into a situation that ‘made sense’ where it had to reopen.

Right… by changing the conditions.

“You said before that there’s no way to stop people from entering Looky Mart.”

It wasn’t just in the agent handbook I received. The <Dark Exploration Records> also stated it explicitly.

A known method to end or seal it does not exist, and proactively preventing disappearances is likewise impossible.

Even the entry conditions were documented.

Looky Mart entry condition : Roam around for over twenty minutes, within a 3km radius of the old Lucky Mart location, searching for the store.

Which meant—

‘As long as someone follows that condition, they will be pulled into this cursed Looky Mart ghost story.’

But now, let’s flip that logic.

“Then, if someone is about to enter, Looky Mart must be open for business.”

—Looky Mart must be open for new victims to enter.

“And…”

“That means… a new agent is coming today.”

Go Yeongeun blurted it out, her face flickering between shock and realization.

“Because the high school student sent a rescue request—a new agent will be entering!”

Correct.

So, if the Disaster Management Bureau had received that request and sent someone…

“Yes. Today, the store had no choice but to open.”

I smiled.

Go Yeongeun briefly smiled along—but then, confusion settled into her expression.

“…? Wait. Then doesn’t that mean the cause and effect are reversed?”

Exactly.

“It’s not that the store opens, and people go missing. People need to go missing for the store to open, so it starts business every morning.”

“That’s completely out of order.”

“That’s why it’s a ghost story.”

A bizarre, twisted reality that doesn’t follow the laws of logic…

Just like how the infinitely repeating third floor made no sense.

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

The confusion on Go Yeongeun’s face shifted into grim understanding.

She looked like she wanted to run out of this supermarket immediately.

…Honestly, I felt the same.

So let’s get out of here.

We quickly got up and started preparing to leave.

‘We have gift certificates. We have escape items.’

That was more than enough to get all three high schoolers and the three of us out.

“Well done.”

As we packed up, Agent Bronze whispered quietly.

Then, with a glance, he motioned toward the three students stepping out of the tent, faces lit with hope.

“These civilians… are being rescued thanks to you.”

Honestly? That wasn’t true. If either Agent Bronze or Go Yeongeun hadn’t been here, we all would’ve died…

Still, just as I was about to thank him—

“……”

Suddenly, I had a strange thought.

It felt too easy to speak.

The usual obstruction in my mouth… was gone.

‘Ah.’

And I realized I could no longer taste the sugary sweetness of the Nostalgia Candy.

“……”

The candy had completely dissolved.

Which meant…

“……!”

“Agent!”

Agonizing pain exploded from the right side of my body.

Chapter 141 - [Looky Mart], IX

Nostalgia Candy restores me to my prime condition.

In other words, that version of me is still me. It doesn’t make me smarter or stronger than I actually am.

Relying too much on the state it provides and letting my guard down is dangerous.

I knew that.

“…!”

I clenched my teeth as agony erupted from my right arm—or rather, the empty space where my right arm used to be.

I had missed the timing to take another dose.

God damn it.

‘I got careless.’

With our safe zone about to disappear in less than an hour, and the sudden breakthrough that allowed us to reopen the supermarket, I had gotten distracted.

And the price was excruciating pain.

The arm I had cauterized to stop the bleeding—

Every single word used to describe that process now stabbed into me as raw, searing agony.

“Hhk—!”

My legs buckled, and I nearly collapsed.

Out of habit, I tried to brace myself with my right arm, only to stumble, realizing it wasn’t there. I barely managed to steady myself with my left hand.

But it’s fine.

“Agent…!”

“J-Just a moment—”

Agent Bronze quickly stepped in, supporting me from behind as I gasped for breath.

Go Yeongeun rushed over, checking my condition. Then, urgently pressed me for something.

“What about the candy?! Where is it?!”

Ah.

“Hurry!”

I reached into my jacket pocket with my remaining hand—

But Go Yeongeun was faster.

She dug into my pocket, snatched out the candy, and ripped open the wrapper.

‘All I have to do is eat that.’

I knew that.

I really did.

“……”

“Agent Grapes?!”

Maybe it was the endorphins kicking in, but a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

Nostalgia Candy… I only have two left.

Who knew how many more ghost stories I’d have to go through?

‘…Do I really need to take it?’

Couldn’t I just endure with Happy Maker instead?

The bleeding had already stopped.

And from the beginning, my plan had been to make sure we could escape even if I had to lose an arm.

The supermarket had already reopened, so my goal had been achieved.

‘If I consider item efficiency.’

Rather than wasting one here would mean…

“……”

I took the candy from her hand.

Then—I put it back in its wrapper.

“W-What are you—”

I struggled to put the wrapped candy back into my pocket, then reached for another item instead. A small, stick-shaped device.

Happy Maker.

This one will do.

‘Okay.’

I moved to inject it, only to realize something. I couldn’t roll up my sleeve to expose my skin.

Because I had no sleeve left to roll up.

“…Agent, I’m sorry, but could you… inject this for me?”

“……”

“It’s a painkiller.”

But the way Agent Bronze’s expression hardened told me that he knew exactly where this item came from. …Delusion Home Shopping.

At this rate…

“This isn’t the time for that. Please—just…”

“…!”

Fortunately, instead of arguing, Agent Bronze took a deep breath, rolled up my remaining sleeve, and injected the Happy Maker.

Pik.

A small sound.

The drug surged through my veins instantly.

‘Ah.’

The pain faded. Calmness settled in.

An eerie peacefulness.

Anxiety and panic shattered into dust, drifting away. And then, nothing.

‘Ha.’

I stood up smoothly, without stumbling this time.

“Thank you.”

But, an unsettling silence hung in the air.

“Why…”

“I can still move fine for now, so I’d rather hold off on using the candy.”

“……”

The item was too valuable to waste.

Go Yeongeun seemed to read that thought directly from my expression.

“Hah…”

My batchmate from Daydream Inc. let out a deep sigh. Then, deliberately looked away with a complicated look on her face.

…She must have understood at least to some extent.

But one person didn’t.

“…You’ve been walking around in this condition?”

“……”

Agent Bronze was staring at my missing arm, his face blank with disbelief. Then, as if realizing something, his eyes snapped back to mine.

“That potion.”

Right.

He had just figured it out.

What the regeneration potion I gave him was supposed to be meant for.

“……”

“Are you insane?!”

“No, I’m not.”

The Happy Maker kept my mind completely level.

I exhaled slowly, then even forced a small smile as I answered.

With a rational explanation, one that he couldn’t argue with.

“Listen. It was the rational choice.”

“What?”

“I wasn’t in immediate danger without treatment, but you were dying.”

“……”

“And if a veteran like you hadn’t joined our group, the civilians who requested rescue would have been in even greater danger.”

Yes.

From the start, I hadn’t taken account for the two high schoolers who Agent Bronze had been protecting.

My original rescue plan was based on a three-person survival strategy at the stairwell.

Me, Go Yeongeun, and the high schooler I was responsible for.

A three-person team.

‘…I was prepared to leave Agent Bronze behind.’

But then, things changed when I found the sign he left.

Instead of him, I ended up with two unpredictable high schoolers—one barely functioning, and the other completely catatonic.

‘…It got complicated.’

If they had been adults, maybe I could have ignored them.

But they were just kids. Fifteen or sixteen years old. Abandoning them wasn’t an option… not for a contemporary person’s perspective.

In the end, the best decision was clear.

Save Agent Bronze.

‘And since I couldn’t afford to waste Nostalgia Candy, the best alternative was the regeneration potion.’

Logically speaking, even without my personal long-term strategy, it was the most rational decision as a rescue agent.

“So… I still think my decision was the most logical one.”

“……”

But Agent Bronze’s expression darkened.

When he finally spoke, his voice was strained.

“……Then why,”

However, at that moment—

Clatter!

“…!”

All three agents snapped their heads toward the sound.

“Ah, shit.”

Someone had been hiding behind the tent, watching us, and in his panic, he dropped a camping cup. The culprit fumbled, hastily picking it up and placing it back while glancing at us nervously.

…One of the high schoolers Agent Bronze had been protecting.

‘Damn it.’

I quickly pulled my jacket over the missing part of my arm, concealing it.

“…Let’s discuss this outside the supermarket.”

“……”

Agent Bronze opened his mouth slightly, as if about to say something, but then, his expression twisted in regret. Without another word, he simply lowered his head and walked away toward the far end of the camping section.

Go Yeongeun sighed, glancing between me and Agent Bronze, then quietly followed after him.

“……”

Meanwhile, with the high schooler still looking hesitant, he shuffled over to me.

“Um, I’m sorry….”

“……I know you weren’t trying to eavesdrop. It’s fine.”

“No, it’s just…”

The student hesitated, then finally spoke properly.

“I mean… about what I said before.”

“……”

“How… I acted.”

It seemed like he had realized something from listening to our conversation.

That the agents had been risking their lives to save them.

And now, he was thinking back on his own behavior—his outbursts, his mistakes.

“……”

‘Huu.’

Even adults get emotional in extreme situations. How could I expect a kid to be any different?

The fact that he was apologizing at all was already more than I expected.

Even if, deep down, part of his apology came from fear. Or, from the worry that if he pissed me off, I might abandon them and escape alone.

“It’s fine. Apology accepted.”

“……”

“Just hold on a little longer until we get out of here.”

“Um,”

The student hesitated, then suddenly blurted out,

“This time… when we leave, I’ll steal properly.”

Ah.

“It’s fine.”

I patted his shoulder with my remaining hand.

“This time, we won’t have to steal anything.”

“…?”

Because we weren’t taking that risk again.

The student looked a little confused but nodded, then quietly returned to his friends.

For a moment, I was left alone.

“……”

It felt a bit awkward.

…Maybe I had gotten too used to having a friend who completely understood my thought process?

But regardless.

‘Hoo.’

Now, only the final steps remained.

And, this part…

‘…Even with a larger group, we have two different escape methods.’

We can get out.

I reached inside my jacket and pulled out the most carefully guarded items in my possession.

Two white envelopes.

‘Gift certificates.’

Then, I sat down quietly and went over my final plan one more time.

Until everyone was ready.

After a while.

“You both have the candy in your mouths, right?”

“Yes! We both do!”

“Good.”

I checked on the high schoolers as they looked out for each other, then turned to the agents.

The two of them, who had meticulously restored the camping section to its original state, met my gaze with tense expressions.

All the briefings were done.

Now…

‘It’s time to leave.’

The six of us left the third floor and calmly began descending.

Faint echoes of an old pop song, laughter, and shopping carts rolling filled the air.

“Haha!”

“No way, that’s too expensive. Put it back.”

The lively chatter of shoppers surrounded us.

It had only been three or four days, but the normality of it felt overwhelmingly comforting.

Of course, these voices of the past neither saw us, heard us, nor acknowledged us. A creeping unease still lingered.

As did the tension.

“……”

“……”

“Um, excuse me.”

One of the high schoolers broke the silence.

“Behind us…”

“Shh.”

I warned him quietly, nudging him forward.

I had already seen what he saw.

At the bottom of the escalator, someone was standing still, staring at us blankly.

Bloodshot eyes, filthy clothes, lips murmuring something incomprehensible.

Once, that person must have been ordinary, too—someone who had just gone out for a quick grocery run at night, still wearing the same casual outfit he had worn months ago.

A long-term missing person.

I pulled the high schooler closer to me.

“…Don’t smile. Don’t look nervous.”

If you smile, they think you know a way out and follow you.

If you look anxious, they sense weakness and follow you.

‘…We can’t save them.’

There was no point in torturing ourselves with either false hope or fear.

The high schooler swallowed hard and nodded, lowering his head as he stuck close behind me.

“……”

The long-term missing person watching us dragged his broken leg and tangled hair as he stepped onto the escalator.

Because he wanted to leave.

But he wasn’t the only one.

…I could feel the stares.

Behind the butcher’s counter, behind the promotional display stands, next to employees.

Murmuring, crying, laughing, staring blankly.

And now, they were all stepping onto the escalator.

‘…The first floor will be packed with them.’

Eventually, when they get caught by the employees, they will be turned into ‘supplies’ and disappear.

By evening, the lower floors will be ‘cleaned out’, and the next batch of victims will wander the store alone, believing they are the only ones trapped here.

“……”

The eeriness trickled down my spine, even through the numbing effect of the painkiller.

Not too fast, not too slow—we continued moving forward.

And soon, we arrived back where we had entered.

The first floor.

In front of the checkout lanes.

“…Let’s do this quickly.”

I took the high schooler I was responsible for and…

Instead of heading for the exit, we went directly to the cashier.

Each of us picked up a snack and a canned drink from the nearby shelves.

Beside me, the high schooler’s breathing was ragged as he struggled to stay calm.

It was a weekday afternoon, and the store was relatively quiet. No lines at the registers. Smoothly, we reached the cashier…

“……”

I pulled out the gift certificate from my pocket and lightly tapped it against the counter.

“Excuse me.”

“Hm?”

The cashier snapped her head up, looking directly at me.

That’s right.

She ‘acknowledged’ me.

“Oh! A customer!”

“……!”

That was the power of the gift certificates.

It identified us as legitimate customers.

– If you we use gift certificates, we can just walk out.

– …!

There was no need to trick the supermarket anymore.

“Please ring these up for me.”

“Oh, of course!”

Beep. Beep.

The cashier scanned my items cheerfully and accepted the gift certificate.

“By the way, we can’t give change for gift certificates in units of 100 won, but if you give me 600 won in cash, I can round it to the nearest 1,000.”

“…That’s fine. Just take it as is.”

“Are you sure? Alright~”

She handed me four 10,000-won gift certificates and eight 1,000-won bills as change.

Immediately, I passed some of the change to the high schooler beside me.

Following my lead and with a slightly trembling voice, he repeated the process.

“A-And this too, please!”

So that the cashier wouldn’t find anything strange, we made sure our purchases matched the exact amount needed.

And then…

“Thank you.”

“Thank you~! Please visit Looky Mart again!”

We passed through.

Chapter 142 - [Looky Mart], X

We successfully made a legitimate purchase in this insane supermarket ghost story using gift certificates.

“……”

I picked up my purchased items and steadied the trembling high schooler beside me.

To avoid drawing attention to my empty right sleeve, I casually draped my jacket over my shoulders as we stepped past the checkout counter.

One step. Two steps.

And then, taking a deep breath, I turned back—

“…!”

The bizarre distortions of the supermarket had blurred.

The eerie signs, the strange products, the horrifying stains of blood and organs.

They had all faded into the background, as if blurred out from my perception.

Or rather, they no longer seemed unnatural. Everything now appeared… completely normal.

As if we were just ordinary shoppers in an ordinary supermarket.

“Wow.”

The high schooler exclaimed in amazement and came to a halt.

But at the same time—

“Aigoo.”

“……!”

The past shoppers around us had begun to perceive us normally.

“Oh, excuse me.”

A shopper apologized after bumping into the high schooler.

The student stiffened, stepping back awkwardly.

“I-I’m sorry.”

I grabbed the startled high schooler and pulled him aside.

“I told you, don’t act surprised.”

“Y-Yeah… got it.”

He hurriedly clung to my side, but now his eyes were shining.

“So… does this mean we can just walk out now?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow…!”

With this, all the complicated escape procedures were skipped.

By using a gift certificate at checkout, we were treated exactly like the past shoppers.

Even if someone broke items or ate food during closed hours, they could pay for it and leave without issue.

“Excuse me, I would like to pay…!”

“Wait a moment.”

Just like Go Yeongeun-ssi was doing now.

I listened closely as she stood at the register.

“Customer! You damaged Looky Mart property! Please compensate! Total: 39,900 won!”

“Alright.”

Go Yeongeun calmly handed over a 50,000-won gift certificate.

The inflated, balloon-like cashier snatched the gift certificate and, with an unnaturally wide smile, returned 10,000 won as change.

Then, in a flat, monotonous voice, the cashier asked,

“Ah, would you like me to ring up this gum as well?”

“……Yes.”

Only after that transaction was complete did the items she had picked out get processed normally.

Huu. I let out a sigh of relief.

As expected.

‘…Nothing beats this method when you don’t know when the store will open again.’

By paying for past mistakes, we could leave cleanly, without incident.

And… to be completely honest.

If Looky Mart had remained closed for over a week, someone in our group would have made a mistake sooner or later.

Me. The high schoolers. Even Go Yeongeun.

‘…My personal supplies wouldn’t have lasted forever.’

Eating food in the stairwell was only an option if we had food. Once my stash ran out, we would have no choice but to steal from the supermarket. And eventually, someone would get caught.

Which meant… they’d be turned into store supplies.

‘I’m just glad we avoided that outcome.’

I looked forward with renewed determination.

Once the student Agent Bronze had been protecting finished checking out, Go Yeongeun waited for him and walked out of the checkout line together.

Safe.

“…We made it through. Thank you.”

“It was nothing.”

Now, all that remained was…

“Agent Bronze.”

We signaled to the two remaining people still standing at the registers.

Ryu Jaekwan and Lee Soobin.

The two who had been chosen to use the emergency escape item—the five-colored shoelaces.

– Agent Bronze, you most likely wouldn’t be able to leave using a gift certificate within the 100,000-won limit. – And… it’s best if that student leaves with you. …The one who went missing first.

Agent Bronze had already been processed as ‘store supplies’.

The cost of restoring him through normal checkout was far beyond 100,000 won—making it impossible for him to leave that way.

And as for Lee Soobin, he was the earliest victim of this ghost story.

Meaning, he was the second person confirmed for emergency escape.

Among us, he had been missing the longest, and we had no way of knowing how much ‘debt’ he had accrued to the supermarket. On top of that, without the Nostalgia Candy, he could barely move due to the sheer mental shock.

‘Not like we could steal that item anyway.’

Whether the shoelace’s ‘spiritual power’ had been used or not could be tracked by the Dokkaebi Workshop.

Which meant it was better to use it wisely.

I spoke quickly.

“You should leave now.”

“……”

Agent Bronze met my gaze in silence, then said,

“You go first.”

Ah.

“Once I confirm you’re safely out, I’ll immediately—”

“Can you leave?!”

“…!!”

Someone suddenly lunged toward Agent Bronze.

A woman in her forties, drooling as she stumbled forward… Or rather, someone who had once been a housewife. She was contaminated. Her eyes had become unnatural, and instead of arms, her sleeves ended in mannequin hands.

A long-term missing person.

“You can get out?? You’re talking to them?! Hahaha! Let’s go out! Let’s go ouuuutttt~!”

…She had realized Agent Bronze was with us.

‘I thought we could just check out and leave without an issue…’

Causing a commotion with normal shoppers would draw in employees, which usually prevented the missing persons from interfering.

But that assumption had been too logical.

Once someone is corrupted by the ghost story, their desires can become twisted.

For example…

A single-minded, obsessive urge to escape.

“I wanna leave too! I wanna leave toooooo!! Give it! Give me the gift certificate!!”

The surrounding shoppers turned to look.

The cashier’s gaze fell on us.

“CUSTOMER! YOU HAVE DAMAGED LOOKYMARTPROPERTY!COMPENSATIONREQUIRED!TOTAL:5,208,240 WON!”

‘No, this can’t happen.’

At the very least, if we had to run, we could leave these people behind—but those two couldn’t get caught.

I dashed back into the store, blocking the cashier’s view as I shouted—

“Go! Now!”

Without hesitation, Agent Bronze subdued the missing woman, pushing her aside just long enough to grab the high schooler and tie the shoelaces.

Then—three steps.

“Hhhahhh— Scary! Scary! Let me leave!”

“PAY COMPENSATION!”

With panicked screams and the cashier’s distorted voice as the backdrop, the two of them vanished, as if they had been erased from existence.

Phase 1 Escape : Ryu Jaekwan, Lee Soobin / Success.

But we had no time to catch our breath.

“Can you leave? Can you leave?!”

“I wanna go too!! They have money!!”

With attention drawn, other long-term missing persons began to mutter—

Emerging from behind displays, escalators, and restroom corners.

I sprinted toward the counter, yelling—

“The candle! The candle!!”

Go Yeongeun had already drawn it, pulling the high schoolers behind her.

“Get out!”

The three of them ran toward the exit. Then… Go Yeongeun shoved only the two high schoolers through the glass doors.

The moment they stepped outside, they vanished.

Phase 2 Escape : Jang Minseo, Hyeon Jaehoon / Success.

They had returned.

Then, Go Yeongeun bolted back inside.

“Noroo— Grapes!! Whatever you’re doing—!!”

She frantically waved at me while gripping the candle.

I rushed into the glow of the flame.

But by now, the storefront and checkout area had turned into pure chaos.

More long-term missing persons were appearing, whispering, approaching. And the ‘employees’ had begun reacting to the strange situation, turning toward us, ready to confiscate more ‘supplies.’

“Get out now!”

I really wanted to.

But this was the moment I had been waiting for.

The moment where only two people remained—

A spy and an insider.

“Wait—just a moment.”

“What now—?!”

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the remaining gift certificates.

“Let’s use up the rest of the gift certificates before we go.”

“…!!”

I quickly stepped back inside the checkout area.

From the moment I realized we’d have leftover balance, I had been planning for this.

The strange products sold in this supermarket.

Just like how I had obtained items from the Death Lane and the alien shop ghost stories, this was still a supermarket ghost story. That meant there had to be peculiar, abnormal items hidden among the shelves.

‘But among them, there must be useful ones.’

After all, that’s what made it interesting.

And those items couldn’t be obtained by stealing from the past shoppers.

Since they were merely repeating their previous actions, all their purchases were just ordinary household goods.

Which meant I had to find them and purchase them myself.

‘I need to find them fast.’

Before the people who had already escaped started questioning things.

And before I’d get caught up in the chaos…!

‘Hurry!’

I frantically scanned the store.

Since it was May, the Children’s Day event section on the first floor was packed with toys, and that actually made it easier to find the ‘strange products’.

They appeared blurred, almost as if intentionally hidden from perception.

The ‘special edition products’ of the Looky Mart ghost story.

I saw a train model, a donut float, a clay set. But I didn’t pick them up.

‘Something safe.’

I didn’t want to take unnecessary risks.

If possible, I wanted an item I had already read about in the exploration logs of this supermarket’s ghost story.

The problem was that most of the descriptions I remembered were only a few words long, and it wouldn’t be easy to match them with the exact products.

‘Identify it.’

I clenched my teeth and searched both my memory and the shelves at the same time. If I could find something I already knew about…

“……”

Wait.

‘That one.’

I spotted an event display piled with plush toys.

And among them, some were blurred.

I stepped closer and focused past the distortion to get a better look.

A white lizard plushie.

The exact same one that had been sitting on Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s desk in D-squad’s office.

“…!!”

I grabbed the plushie.

“Have you chosen?”

“Yeah. What about you, Yeongeun-ssi?”

Go Yeongeun nodded.

She was holding a small item in her hand.

“Let’s go.”

We rushed back to the checkout counter, each clutching our chosen ‘items’.

Behind us, the long-term missing persons were being turned into store supplies.

The amounts demanded of them were so absurdly high that they weren’t even worth considering.

“Total comes to 28,000 won.”

In the blink of an eye, we had checked out our items and gasped for breath as we hurried toward the exit.

“…If the Bureau doesn’t ask, let’s just not mention this.”

“……Agreed. …Thank you.”

Rather than testing the last bit of Go Yeongeun’s patience, I obediently ran alongside her toward the supermarket entrance.

“I’m putting out the candle!”

“Yes!”

And then—

We pushed open the exit doors.

‘Ha.’

Maybe it was because we had been trapped inside for days, but my stomach churned. I kept second-guessing whether I had made a mistake somewhere.

‘Let’s go.’

I gritted my teeth and forced myself forward.

The once distorted promotional stand barely registered in my vision anymore. What lay ahead was the glass doors, and beyond them, the past landscape.

For a moment, I felt a brief terror. What if we were about to walk into the past?

But…

‘Ignore it.’

Go Yeongeun and I stepped forward.

The automatic doors slid open smoothly.

Ding.

We ran.

Forward, forward.

A chill breeze struck my face, followed by the blinding sunlight.

I blinked.

“Ha.”

Slowly, the brightness faded.

And with my restored vision, I saw…

A familiar street bathed in late winter sunlight.

A quiet alleyway from the 2020s.

And ahead of us, the people who had escaped before us.

“…!”

“A-Agent…!!”

The high schoolers ran toward us.

Their faces were streaked with tears and snot, but their expressions were filled with pure relief.

Seeing them, it finally felt real.

‘We made it out.’

Phase 3 Escape: Go Yeongeun, Kim Soleum / Success.

We’re finally free.

Chapter 143 - Agent Choi

A few days inside that eerie supermarket ghost story.

Days filled with mental strain, severed limbs, cold sweat, tension, shock, and fear.

‘Ah.’

My arm hurt.

But it was fine.

Because I was out now.

From now on, I could relax…

It doesn’t seem like that to me though?

……

What?

Still feels like that place, right?

I lifted my head.

Looked around.

The dimly lit, eerie second-floor food court of the supermarket.

I… was still standing there.

“……”

I’m still here?

Was escaping just a dream?

Was escape… impossible all along?

Had I misjudged everything?

Then why had I cut off my arm?

I…

– Oh dear, looks like you’re having a nightmare, Friend!

“…!!”

I jerked awake.

Sunlight stabbed into my eyes.

A clean, peaceful hospital room. Soft late-winter sunlight filtered through the window.

…This wasn’t the supermarket.

I gasped for breath.

It was peaceful.

‘…This is reality.’

Yeah.

After successfully escaping Looky Mart, I had been taken away in an emergency vehicle sent by the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.

And then I lost consciousness…

“Ah, you’re awake.”

“…?!”

I turned my head—

And saw someone in a bureau agent uniform, casually sitting in a caregiver’s chair, peeling an apple.

……?

“Did you sleep well? Looked like you were having a nightmare.”

He had the neat appearance of a salaryman, but his neck bore a conspicuous scar.

A stranger.

Who…?

As our eyes met, he handed me a slice of apple with a grin.

“Nice to meet you, hoobae! Thanks to you, I got to experience entering Looky Mart… and leaving in just three minutes.”

“…!”

Ah.

“That’s right. The agent you summoned? That was me.”

I had made that high schooler send a distress message to the Bureau, forcing Looky Mart to resume business.

‘So the person dispatched because of that was…’

This person.

“I heard the story. You came up with that ‘reverse strategy’ to force the supermarket to open, huh? That’s exactly the kind of thinking we need in this job.”

“……”

“Come on, don’t look so shy.”

As I lowered my gaze, the man laughed, stood up, and held out a hand.

“Let me introduce myself. Hmm, I don’t really like using my agent codename, but…”

Wait.

That line…

“Just call me Agent Choi.”

“……”

Holy.

‘It’s him.’

/ Start of recording

Agent Choi : So, I’m on the third floor, and I’ve just found a door leading to the fourth floor.

The sole concrete exploration log I remembered regarding the fourth floor.

Agent Choi : Welcome to Looky Mart!

A Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau agent who had once explored the fourth floor and met a horrifying fate. ‘An early named character…!’

Yes.

He was a named character from before the wiki’s worldbuilding expanded to include the rule that agents of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau were referred to by codenames.

Agent Choi.

He was one of the key figures who had been active back when the Dark Exploration Records only contained government investigation logs, without any data from other organizations.

‘…That neck scar.’

I knew how he got it. That was… from the Cold Storage ghost story.

I swallowed hard.

‘An agent who appeared frequently in the early exploration logs…’

Even though his ultimate fate had been a horrifying disappearance.

His tragic ending had caused quite a stir at the time. People argued whether it was too cruel to kill off an early named figure so brutally. But in the end, it was approved with people saying, ‘Isn’t that just in line with the spirit of a creepypasta universe like this?’

Yet now…

‘…Something changed, didn’t it?’

Because of what Go Yeongeun and I experienced, the fourth-floor stairwell would be repurposed.

‘A warning will probably be added to the official records.’

Which meant, the timeline had shifted.

Agent Choi might never open the fourth-floor door at all.

This time, he had entered Looky Mart and left in just three minutes.

‘Holy shit.’

The fate of an early named agent had changed.

A strange, indescribable feeling washed over me as I looked at him.

Then, belatedly, I managed to respond.

“Yes, Agent Choi.”

“You can call me Choi-sunbae, you know.”

He winked playfully. However, as he glanced at my severed right arm, his smile faltered slightly.

But he still kept his cheerful demeanor.

“Don’t worry about your arm. We’ll take care of everything.”

“……”

“For now, just rest. No wait, hold on!”

Suddenly, he swung open the hospital room door and pushed someone inside.

…Agent Bronze.

He seemed to have tidied up his appearance and was dressed in casual clothes instead of his agent uniform, but for some reason, his complexion didn’t look too good.

“……You’re awake. That’s a relief.”

“Yes.”

A strangely awkward atmosphere filled the room.

But Agent Choi, the sociable type that he was, clapped Agent Bronze on the back and casually offered me another slice of peeled apple.

“Jaekwan— I mean, Bronze immediately threw you into Black Tortoise Team 1, huh? That stiff guy skipping protocol to bring in a rookie? Goodness. I was wondering why, but yeah, you’ve got talent.”

Then, he held out his hand to me.

“Welcome to Black Tortoise Team 1. You’re going to do meaningful work here.”

“……”

“Come on, don’t you feel like calling me sunbae already?”

Uh…

About that.

“No. I…”

I deliberately lowered my head, putting on a fearful, dejected expression.

“Please, I want to transfer to another team.”

“…?!”

…Sorry, but I planned this.

‘Escape route from the rescue team…!’

Honestly, once I had already been registered with the Dispatch & Rescue Unit, getting out wasn’t going to be easy.

Even in a normal modern workplace, you can’t just cling to your boss’s leg and beg for a department transfer. You’d just end up branded as a problem employee.

‘And that would be the worst thing for a spy…’

But in the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau, there was a loophole.

That’s right… Traumatic experiences!

‘That’s the weakness of ghost story explorations.’

You never know what’s going to happen.

And a rookie, on their very first mission, cut off his own arm in a desperate attempt to escape?

If I claimed psychological trauma, the bureau was at least understanding enough to release me.

‘This has to work.’

The only problem was…

I might have done my job a little too well.

“Just try one more time! Just one!!”

The early-era named agent, acting like that meme of a man tearing his hair out, was desperately trying to convince me…

“This job is perfect for you! You survived an irregular Disaster, rescued your fellow agents and even saved those civilians! Do you have any idea how insane that accomplishment is?!”

He sounded like a man refusing to let go of valuable manpower.

A classic overworked civil servant.

Gone was the relaxed, well-adjusted professional I had seen earlier…

Now, he was pointing at my severed arm in desperation.

“And that decisiveness—willing to cut off your own arm—no, your sheer willingness to sacrifice your body—”

Ah.

“About that.”

I took a shaky breath, my face pale.

“That was a crazy thing to do.”

“……”

…Apologies, but I’m about to weaponize guilt.

“I-I don’t even know what I was thinking when I did it.”

I do.

“I just… feel sorry. I know this makes me seem weak, but… I can’t do this.”

But… even though these were pre-planned lines…

The more I spoke, the more real they started to feel.

“I feel like I’ll die from stress.”

I clenched my remaining hand into a fist, lowered my head, and mumbled.

“I was terrified the whole time that the kids would die…”

“……”

Agent Choi opened his mouth—then closed it.

“I just can’t… do this anymore. I’m sorry.”

“……”

A heavy silence fell over the hospital room.

“Mmh… yeah. That’s understandable.”

Agent Choi finally sighed, settling back into his caregiver’s chair with a practiced air of sympathy.

“But look, if you transfer teams after just one mission, it won’t reflect well on you. …People might misunderstand and think you got kicked out, and you’ll end up branded as a burden.”

His voice was calm and concerned, framing it as if he was worried about my future.

And then, in a subtly coaxing tone, he added,

“Of course, you wouldn’t lose your job, but the rumors…”

“I will restore his original status.”

“Jaekwan!”

Agent Bronze interrupted, ruining Choi’s momentum.

Then, after a glance at me, he turned his gaze away, his expression dark.

“…You’ll be allowed to work with different teams as you wish. After three weeks, you can report back to me with your final decision.”

“…!”

“I can arrange at least that much on my authority.”

“……Thank you.”

“Ugh, at least meet the elders on your team first… Ah, forget it.”

Agent Choi let out a deep sigh.

“Fine. Three weeks to experience different teams. Yeah, that’s reasonable.”

And just like that, it was settled.

– Agent Kim Soleum will rotate through multiple teams for three weeks before reporting back to Agent Bronze with his decision on his final placement.

– Agent Bronze will use his senior authority to formally recommend Kim Soleum’s preferred assignment.

…Just like that.

“Think about it. We’re a really great team.”

Agent Choi kept nudging me, telling me to keep my options open.

He threw out various selling points. That I was talented, that everyone on the team was unique and fun, that the job was incredibly fulfilling…

And then, finally, he brought up this.

“And those kids you saved.”

“…!”

“Don’t you want to know what happened to them?”

The students we had rescued.

Agent Choi lightly nudged Agent Bronze, signaling him to speak.

“Tell him, Bronze.”

“……All three returned home safely.”

Ah.

Agent Bronze calmly explained their whereabouts.

Their injuries were properly treated, and they had emotional reunions with their families.

And the high school student I had personally looked after was even actively participating in interviews with the Bureau, emphasizing how much I had helped him in Looky Mart.

“…He kept asking if you were okay. Now, I can finally give them a proper answer.”

As for Lee Soobin, the student who had suffered severe psychological trauma, he had undergone mild memory erasure treatment and was reportedly doing much better.

And during the process, Agent Bronze had even covered for me regarding the Nostalgia Candy, presenting it as a government-acquired anomalous food item.

He had been so casual about it that I almost missed the fact that he had done me a huge favor.

‘…I owe him one.’

“All three of them wanted to thank you in person.”

Since direct meetings weren’t permitted under bureau guidelines, they would be sending letters instead.

“…That’s all.”

It seemed like everything had wrapped up well.

Even Go Yeongeun.

“And the agent you saved is recovering. She’ll be back on duty soon.”

“……I see.”

I let out a deep breath and leaned my head against the bed. And without even realizing it, I savored the moment.

Everyone’s safe.

Everyone made it out alive.

“Feels good, doesn’t it?”

“……”

“Yeah, I figured. This job suits you— Argh!”

Agent Choi grinned right before Bronze shoved him toward the door.

“Ah! Jaekwan’s trying to kill me!”

“For now, just rest. Don’t worry about anything else.”

“Yes, sir.”

Still seated, I bowed my head toward Agent Bronze.

“Thank you for being so considerate.”

“……It’s nothing.”

His expression was complicated as he looked at me.

But in the end, he simply turned toward the door.

“That rookie really belongs in Black Tortoise Team 1…”

Seeing Agent Bronze’s piercing glare, Agent Choi finally shut up.

And with that, the two left the hospital room.

Ka-chak.

“…Phew.”

It was over.

I let out a deep sigh of relief and sank back into the bed.

‘Escape from the Dispatch & Rescue Unit… success.’

A perfect outcome.

But…

‘Feels weird.’

Both the missing arm and my dynamic with Agent Bronze.

‘He’s been looking out for me, but I get the feeling he’s also kind of hurt?’

Still, at least I was definitely no longer under suspicion as a spy.

“…Ugh.”

I stretched deliberately, trying not to think about the pain of my missing right arm.

And as I did, one particular sentence resurfaced in my mind.

– Don’t worry about your arm. We’ll take care of everything.

…’Take care of it,’ huh.

I recalled the various options the bureau had for handling agents with missing limbs.

Including the most impressive and exciting one.

‘Well, even if that’s too expensive, they won’t just leave me like this…’

And more than that.

Before the Bureau could ‘take care of it’ for me, I had a chance to secure an alternative method myself.

“Hmm.”

I reached toward the bedside table and retrieved my phone.

Then, I checked a message I had received last night.

[ Consultation Appointment / See you this Friday, Mr. Soleum \^\^ ]

It was time for my first report on the spy network to Director Ho.

But this meeting wasn’t just about delivering a report.

‘I need to extract as much as I can from him.’

“Director, I’d like to file for workers’ compensation.”

“…!”

Chapter 144 - Compensation

A cozy and warm atmosphere filled the Fox Counseling Office.

In front of the nameplate that read ‘Closed Today’, at a table in a waiting area that resembled a hallway, Director Ho was waiting for me.

And the moment I greeted him politely and sat down across the table, the first thing out of his mouth was this.

“So, you want… to file for workers’ compensation?”

“Yes, sir.”

I confidently brought out the empty sleeve where my right arm should’ve been and displayed it on the table.

“I was forced to cut off my arm during my very first mission with the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.”

“……”

If Director Ho had any sense, he’d remember it too.

– It’ll be much more comfortable for you.

He was the one who introduced this spy job to me, all the while saying that there were better working conditions and safer assignments.

But after crawling through Daydream Inc. for over half a year and extracting two A-grade solutions without a scratch, I lost one of my limbs just three days after becoming a civil servant.

‘This is basically fraud.’

Of course, I was prepared for the possibility that he might try to spin it as bad luck on my part, or a lack of competence…

“Oh dear! Of course we should take care of that!”

“……!”

Director Ho’s face crumpled with concern as he nodded.

“That must have been incredibly painful for you, Soleum-nim. Then… would it be correct to assume you need a regenerative potion from Daydream Inc.?”

“Exactly as you say, sir.”

“Of course, I’d love to give you as much potion as you want right away, Soleum-nim. But… I’m just a little worried whether you’ll be able to manage it.”

“…Sorry?”

Director Ho glanced at the empty space where my arm used to be.

“If your arm suddenly reappears… there won’t even be any room to make excuses to the bureau, right? It might cause some issues for you.”

“……”

“And I’m sure the bureau must have its own procedures for handling lost limbs, so… is there a particularly urgent reason why you’d want Daydream Inc.’s regenerative potion…?”

He trailed off with a worried expression, then caught himself and clasped his hands together.

“Ah, I suppose I may be overthinking this. I’m sure you have a brilliant plan in mind, Soleum-nim.”

“Yes.”

“……”

“Hm, I think I might’ve phrased things poorly and caused some misunderstanding.”

I gave a slight smile.

“I’m not bothering you right now because I want to use the regenerative potion immediately.”

“Of course not! I didn’t think it was a bother, but if that’s what you meant?”

“I need the potion so that I can immediately regenerate if I lose another body part in the future.”

“…!”

“The Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau fundamentally operates with one-man teams. So I figured… if I regenerate before I report back from the ghost story site, it’ll all go without a hitch.”

How’s that?

“I also heard that if your injuries reach an unmanageable level, they strongly recommend retirement… so it’s also meant to prevent that outcome.”

“……”

“Of course, if it’s too difficult for the company to provide it right now, I’ll hold out as best I can.”

Now, if Director Ho were going to turn me down by saying the company’s in dire straits?

‘There’s no way he’d do that.’

If he were going to refuse, he’d either start saying regretful things and hemming and hawing, or he’d abruptly switch tactics and try to assert dominance by pulling rank.

‘But neither of those is Director Ho’s style.’

I could at least trust that he wouldn’t try to act all stingy over one measly C-grade regenerative potion…

“Did you know, Soleum-nim?”

Director Ho stared straight at me.

“When I look at you, I often feel like I’m seeing my past self…”

The Fox Counseling Office wavered strangely.

The worn dirt walls, paper sliding doors, exposed rafters, and the moldy wooden floor.

“I really miss those days…”

For some reason, a rundown thatched cottage flickered at the edge of my vision.

Beyond the comfortable, modern interior, there lay a bleak, abandoned house…

Ka-chak.

“Ah, you’re here.”

“…!”

The door to the Fox Counseling Office opened, and everything came to a halt.

Through the door stepped a man and a woman, their faces tense as they entered the cozy waiting area.

Familiar faces.

“G-Good afternoon, sir.”

“…!”

Go Yeongeun. Jang Heowoon.

The two who had infiltrated the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau with me as spies had also been invited here today.

I was on the verge of tears from how happy I was to see them.

“Welcome, both of you.”

Director Ho smiled and seated them at the table.

I looked at Go Yeongeun, who gave a small nod, and then Jang Heowoon, whose face lit up with relief… before going completely pale the moment he saw what happened to my right arm.

“Ah, thanks to Soleum-nim’s suggestion, all of you will be receiving one regenerative potion each. Isn’t that wonderful?”

“…?! Y-Yes…”

“…Yes, sir. Thank you.”

Go Yeongeun-ssi was holding up better, but Jang Heowoon-ssi looked exactly like a mouse in front of a cat.

Meaning, he was extremely tense.

‘Well, that’s probably the right attitude in front of an executive…’

Especially an executive from a ghost story company, the kind you encounter in a ghost story.

“Um, aren’t you happy?”

“I-I’m happy, sir.”

“…Of course, it’s something to be happy and grateful about, sir, but I’m nervous about the upcoming report. I apologize.”

“Ah, of course. That’s perfectly understandable. Then let’s quickly touch on that topic!”

Director Ho smiled like he understood everything and swiftly turned to one of them.

“Yeongeun-ssi, I heard you were nearly declared missing, but thanks to this batchmate of yours, you made it out safely. That’s truly fortunate, isn’t it? Seems like it paid off for the three of you to infiltrate together.”

“……Yes.”

A short, sharp breath escaped Go Yeongeun-ssi.

“I also heard you’re doing well, Heowoon-ssi. You joined the Site Cleanup Unit, didn’t you? That team has good access to documentation, right?”

“Y-Yes, sir. That’s correct…”

Jang Heowoon couldn’t lift his gaze.

Director Ho smiled and picked up the green tea I made for him.

“It’s really nice to meet and talk with you like this in person. Since it’s your first time, please don’t be too nervous and just relax…”

“……”

“……”

If this was the first report for all three of us…

Then who exactly did he ‘hear’ our assignments from?

‘…So there are other hands and feet in the Disaster Management Bureau.’

He knew exactly how to set the tone to keep us from making any careless moves.

I really hated this kind of higher-up…

But as low-ranking employees who had to follow orders, the three of us stiffly bowed our heads and silently sipped our instant green tea.

“E-Excuse me.”

“…!”

No, I thought that was it—but surprisingly, one of us spoke up.

Even more surprising, it was Jang Heowoon.

“If it’s not rude, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask…”

“Ah, what is it?”

“What exactly are the documents we’re supposed to locate in the Disaster Management Bureau—”

“That’s not something you need to worry about.”

Silence fell.

“When the time comes, I’ll let you know! Once you’ve gained sufficient access to the information we need for this project.”

“……”

“For now… Hmm, I think just this much is enough for you to know.”

Director Ho smiled.

“They’re documents related to a certain supernatural disaster.”

That much, I expected.

“They’re stored in the archives on the 33rd basement floor of the Gangwon branch of the Disaster Management Bureau. If we’re calling it by classification… Annihilation-sanctioned.”

“…! T-That’s……”

“Ah, you must’ve heard about it during training! That’s right.”

Annihilation-sanctioned.

“It’s the classification for supernatural disasters that the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau has officially designated as the highest level of danger.”

…Exactly that.

Even within the bureau that handles ghost stories resulting in casualties, this label is only given to supernatural disasters that cause uncontrollable, massive loss of life.

The standard is…

An estimated death toll of over 500,000.

In other words, it’s the kind of absurd catastrophe where a whole metropolis gets wiped out. The kind of cosmic horror ghost story where the term disaster truly applies.

But here’s the thing.

‘I… think I know what it is.’

That ghost story Director Ho just mentioned.

—An Annihilation-sanctioned ghost story from the bureau, connected to Daydream Inc.’s ‘project’.

Just from that one clue, the possibilities narrowed dramatically.

‘There’s only one in the Dark Exploration Records.’

Thanks to that, I now knew exactly what Director Ho was looking for, and what the hell this ‘project’ was trying to accomplish…!

‘This is gonna drive me insane.’

Just thinking about it made my mind reel. I had been digging into the background of that completely deranged ghost story.

My heart pounded like mad as my head went cold.

This won’t do.

‘At this rate… I won’t get the Wish Ticket for years.’

I have to cut ties.

However, I didn’t even want to imagine what might happen if that sharp, frightening director realized I already knew.

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

The wisest choice was…

‘Just keep my mouth shut for now.’

Don’t get caught between fighting whales.

I kept my gaze on the table, avoiding eye contact with the director, trying to look as tense as everyone else. It wasn’t hard—I was already tense.

Thankfully, the director didn’t seem to notice.

“Um, would that answer suffice?”

“……Yes, sir.”

“Wonderful!”

The conversation continued smoothly.

“Ah, and about that ‘workers’ compensation’ matter.”

The regenerative potion.

“It seems formal approval might be difficult. Officially speaking, the three of you aren’t registered as headquarters employees.”

Thankfully, he wasn’t about to backpedal or say something else entirely.

“So let’s categorize it as an operational expense.”

Director Ho extended his fingers.

“Ten thousand points. Monthly.”

“…!!”

“I’ll issue you temporary Welfare Mall accounts. You’re free to spend it however you like, but if unused after a month, it will disappear.”

Holy shit.

That’s enough to buy a C-grade regenerative potion every month.

“So then, are we all satisfied?”

Director Ho glanced at each of us, including me.

I bowed politely.

“Yes. For now, I’m simply grateful.”

For now, that is.

“Excellent!”

Director Ho beamed.

And then he took it one step further.

“Ah, would it be alright if I offered you one more little aid for your activities? All three of you, please hold out your hands.”

“Ah.”

The two of them politely raised both hands, palms open.

I also lifted my one hand, palm up, and reached toward the table.

“No, like this. With the back of your hand facing up.”

“……”

The moment we adjusted the position…

“That’s right.”

Something began to form across the backs of our hands.

“…!!”

“Careful now. If you move, you might end up needing a regenerative potion…”

Oh, this is insane.

Dozens of punctured circles rippled like waves across the back of my hand.

‘What the hell is this?’

A strange sense of pressure, like being bound, began to spread…

– Man, woman, man. From this point on, the three of you will be unable to call one other by your codenames.

“……!”

– If there are any watching eyes, you will not be able to share any information that hints at your true identities.

Thump.

Thump.

– Should you attempt to break this, you will be punished.

Something round struck the back of my hand, as if burrowing into it.

The pulse spread from the hand across my entire body. And then—

“Haaah!”

It vanished. Without a trace.

“……”

“……”

The three spies, drenched in cold sweat, pulled their hands away from the table.

“…T-This.”

“I worked hard on this, just to help prevent any possible slip-ups from you all.”

Director Ho smiled benevolently.

But none of us could smile back.

“Just now… I heard the word ‘punishment’.”

“Yes?”

“You said we’d be punished.”

“Oh, it’s nothing major—just the usual. If someone’s trying to forcibly break this restriction, wouldn’t that mean something serious has gone wrong?”

Director Ho smiled, lacing his fingers together.

“And as for that ‘punishment’… You’ll be reunited with whatever you hold dearest.”

“……!”

“I’ll make sure to take good care of it.”

“Wait a second! That’s—”

I made deliberate eye contact with Go Yeongeun-ssi, cutting off her protest.

“……”

“You were saying?”

Go Yeongeun-ssi slowly calmed herself, then spoke up again in a steady tone.

“…So, will we be bound by this restriction until the ‘project’ succeeds?”

“No, this is merely a support measure to help you during your assignment!”

He really knew how to twist words.

‘Support’, huh?

“As soon as you bring back the information I asked for regarding the Annihilation-sanctioned Disaster, this auxiliary measure will disappear. And then…”

Director Ho rested his chin on his hand,

Leaning toward us.

“Whoever contributes to the success of this mission… will receive the potion right then and there.”

“……”

Wait a second.

Beside me, I heard Jang Heowoon’s trembling voice.

“P-Potion… you mean…”

“The Wish Ticket.”

“…!!”

“You’ll receive the Wish Ticket as soon as you fulfill your assigned role! Isn’t that amazing?”

Goddamn.

“I worked hard to make it so you wouldn’t have to wait until the project succeeds.”

Suddenly, the timeline to receive the Wish Ticket had been drastically shortened.

This spy work was starting to feel absurdly enticing.

‘If I do well, I could get it unbelievably fast.’

As long as I perform well!

“……”

At the same time, a chill crept down my spine.

‘He revealed that on purpose.’

It was a secondary incentive, meant to make us cling to this like our lives depended on it.

Instead of disclosing everything from the start and letting us make a careful decision, he controlled the information.

‘So now it feels like it’s just within reach.’

I’d thought it before, but his methods were sweat-inducingly elaborate and layered.

‘…And that’s not even all.’

I recalled something Director Ho had said previously—

What he told me when he assigned me to the spy role.

– And since I figured it’d be a bit lonely for you to go in alone, you won’t be infiltrating by yourself.

Just hearing that, it sounded like he was sending others into the bureau for my sake to join me in the infiltration.

But once I agreed and confirmed the details, it turned out to be the opposite.

‘My batchmates had already been deployed to the bureau before I was.’

Director Ho never lied about the facts of a situation.

But he would freely manipulate the framing of intent and interpretation to steer people exactly where he wanted them…

Just look at my peers’ faces.

‘Their eyes are shining.’

The phrase ‘you’ll get the Wish Ticket once this is done’—how sweet that must sound.

But.

“Then, may I ask whether we would all be acknowledged equally?”

“Hm?”

Now’s not the time to miss the details.

“If we ‘contribute’ in the delivery of the documents, will we all receive a Wish Ticket potion?”

“Ah, of course.”

“…Then, will you be the one to determine whether we ‘contributed’ properly, Director?”

“……”

Director Ho locked eyes with me for a brief moment, then smiled again.

“I’ll trust your report, of course!”

Huu.

“Thank you.”

With that, I prevented the situation where Director Ho might deny the group’s joint effort and designate only one MVP to skimp out on distributing the Wish Ticket potion.

“Ah, it’s time.”

Just then, Director Ho glanced at his wristwatch and stood up.

And then, clap! After bringing his hands together once, with a cheerful expression on his face, he spoke to us in a friendly tone.

“Take your time chatting, you three. You won’t get many chances to gather together like this ‘outside’ anymore. I set this up just for that.”

In other words, don’t gather together and raise suspicion.

Still, he left us with at least a sliver of professional courtesy.

And that’s the signal that the senior officer was finally excusing himself, leaving his junior staff to have their meeting.

“Well then, I’ll be off.”

He waved, beamed as he left us with the parting words that he’d try to arrange for more chances to meet in the future.

We hurriedly stood from the table and bowed.

“You didn’t have to stand! But thank you.”

He walked all the way to the counseling room door, and just as he grabbed the doorknob, he turned back as if something had occurred to him.

Our eyes met.

Director Ho gave a subtle nod toward the silver ring on my left hand’s finger.

The silver ring.

My mental protection item.

“That thing. It’s completely worn down, you know.”

“…!”

Srrrk.

“Well then, I’ll see you at the next session.”

The Fox Counseling Office door closed with a soft, courteous sound.

Thuk.

“……”

“……”

Director Ho was completely gone.

And then—

“Haah……”

A heavy sigh filled the waiting room.

It was the sigh of low-ranking staff who’d just faced off with an absolutely insane, far-above-them superior…

‘Still, I guess it helped that it wasn’t a one-on-one meeting.’

And I had the chance to reunite with these guys after a long time.

“Um… It’s been a while, Soleum-ssi.”

I turned to look at my fellow batchmate.

A former member of the Round-Off Team.

The long-haired man greeted me with clear relief and concern in his voice.

“Have you been doing well?”

It’s Jang Heowoon-ssi

Chapter 145 - Gathering

Jang Heowoon.

This peer, who had received the codename ‘Bison’, was originally someone whose gloomy expression didn’t quite match his large build.

Even during the new recruit orientation, he was the last to receive his mask, covered in blood, and had been assigned to the Round-Off Team where he endured work that bordered on workplace harassment.

But after surviving in a chaotic and insane pharmaceutical company, it seemed like he was finally becoming a bit tougher…

“I hadn’t heard anything after the last word that you’d gone missing, since I’ve been infiltrating the Disaster Management Bureau… But it’s really great to see you again like this.”

Surprisingly, he even seemed calm now.

‘…Maybe the Disaster Management Bureau suits him better too.’

Though, judging by the way he kept glancing at my empty right arm and growing visibly pale, he probably thought it’d be rude to bring it up.

This is one of those times where I should ease the tension.

I deliberately waved my empty sleeve lightly and gave a wry smile.

“I just got unlucky on my first mission and got caught up in something tough. But the bureau’s taking care of it, so I think I’ll be fine.”

“Ah… I see.”

For some reason, I could feel a strange look from Go Yeongeun, but I let it slide for now.

“I heard you were assigned to the Site Cleanup Team, Heowoon-ssi.”

“Ah, yes.”

Jang Heowoon’s expression brightened a little.

“Well, sometimes I have to see… some horrific things, yes, but…”

Ah, right. The Site Cleanup Team usually deals with cleaning up all the messes.

“Everyone’s been kind and understanding since I’m new, so thankfully, I’ve been adjusting well.”

That was good to hear, but his expression darkened slightly again.

“It’s just… so I’m even more concerned.”

“Pardon?”

“From what we were told earlier, we’re supposed to steal documents about a really dangerous ghost story… and I’m just wondering… if we’re really okay with that.”

“…!”

“The Disaster Management Bureau truly acts with a sense of duty to counter paranormal phenomena, and I’m worried we might cause major harm.”

Hmm.

“If that’s the case, would you quit?”

“……”

I already knew the answer without hearing it.

—No.

Only people that desperate for a Wish Ticket would end up in a situation like this.

I knew that in different circumstances, they wouldn’t act selfishly. Especially thinking about the compassion and determination Go Yeongeun had shown back in Looky Mart.

But there’s something inside these people—something they won’t compromise on.

…Yeah.

‘If nothing’s going to change anyway…’

Then it’s better to at least choose the path that gives you some peace of mind.

“I think it’ll probably be okay for us to take it.”

“…! R-Really?”

“Yes.”

This was the truth.

“The company wouldn’t dare to carelessly mess with such a high-ranked ghost story. And besides, we’re not even taking the ghost story itself—just the information.”

Of course, Daydream Inc. wasn’t after it for noble reasons, but as far as the Dark Exploration Records went, that Annihilation-sanctioned Disaster hadn’t done any further harm to humanity.

…Because it was already as harmful as it could possibly be.

“As long as we don’t go overboard and steal an entire supernatural disaster under government control out of excessive loyalty to the company, we should be fine.”

“Ah, y-yes, of course…!”

The real thing to worry about was something else.

‘I’m worried they’ll just toss us aside after the job’s done…’

…Would Director Ho really not discard us once we’d outlived our usefulness?

Once I got the Wish Ticket, I could go back to where I came from, so I didn’t care much.

But the other two, if they wanted to continue living in Korea, needed to be more careful not to get marked by the bureau.

Hmm.

“First of all, let’s make sure we don’t slip up and use the wrong names. Shall we share our agent codenames?”

I pointed to myself.

“I’m ‘Grapes’. And you, Heowoon-ssi…?”

“Ah, I received the codename ‘Hwagak’.”

“Hwagak?”

“Yes. They said it’s a traditional lacquerware technique using cow horns… I, uh, was recommended for it.”

Fittingly, he ended up with a cow-related codename even here.

“I’m… ‘Mint’.”

And then Go Yeongeun-ssi spoke up as well.

“It was used as medicine in the past, and I didn’t want to choose a name that stood out too much.”

“I see. It’s a good agent name.”

Then, as we exchanged brief updates, a warm atmosphere lingered for a moment.

Oh, and we’d even received our vitamins.

“The Preliminary Investigation Unit has a bit of an individualistic atmosphere. But when I came back after going missing, my superiors gave me vitamins as a welcome-back gift… You two should have some too.”

“Ah.”

“T-Thank you.”

Honestly, if this were a normal company, they’d be coworkers I’d be more than satisfied with.

…If we weren’t spies for a deranged pharmaceutical company, infiltrating the government in a ghost-story universe, that is.

‘Huu.’

I gave a brief update about myself as well.

“…! You’re being discharged within a week!?”

“That’s right.”

The wound where my right arm had been severed had quickly stabilized and was healing well—perhaps due to some sort of supernatural treatment at the Disaster Management Bureau–affiliated hospital.

‘A rough estimate… one more week of hospitalization and I’ll be returning.’

“And as soon as I’m discharged, I’ll be serving as a temporary agent and experiencing various assignments for three weeks. If we happen to run into each other, I look forward to working with you.”

“O-Of course!”

I’m definitely going to the Site Cleanup Team. I’ll be in your care, Heowoon-ssi…

Just then.

“Um, Soleum-ssi. About that discharge…”

“Yes?”

Go Yeongeun-ssi suddenly spoke up.

“You’ll be receiving psychiatric counseling before being discharged, right? I mean, since you were seriously injured in what’s essentially a survival situation… I thought they’d also check for psychological trauma.”

“Ah, yes. I think they’ll refer me to someone… Don’t worry. I’ll be careful not to leak any intel during it.”

“……”

But Go Yeongeun-ssi shook her head.

“We’re already under this restriction thing anyway, so we can’t leak anything. I think it’d be better if you just spoke honestly.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

“……Yes.”

She gave a small nod.

“And now that we ‘officially’ know each other within the bureau… I’ll act like I’m visiting you in the hospital and pretend to exchange numbers. That way, it won’t be weird if we message occasionally.”

“Sounds good. Ah, Heowoon-ssi—let’s create a natural excuse when we see each other next.”

“Y-Yes…!”

That’s how we laid out our future protocols.

1- Create a natural point of contact outside the Fox Counseling Office.

2- For critical or urgent matters, contact via anonymous messenger while disguised as spam messages.

“Then, I hope to see you again, safe and sound.”

“Yes. Definitely…”

As I left the Fox Counseling Office, I held back a sigh.

‘Spy work really isn’t for the faint of heart.’

Especially with a boss like that.

If I wanted to survive more safely, I’d need better preparation.

I’d already resolved to be fully prepared—if only to avoid running into another disaster like Looky Mart.

‘Alright.’

One week left until discharge.

‘Time to prepare everything I can.’

And the first step was this.

I checked the message I’d sent just before entering the counseling room.

[Squad Leader, are you available for a call this evening?]

A fast, concise reply had already come in.

[Yes.]

D-squad’s leader, Lee Jaheon.

A reply from my former supervisor.

The goal was simple.

‘The plush I brought back from Looky Mart—Lee Jaheon had one just like it.’

It was definitely the same item I’d seen on his desk. And I was convinced it was a usable item.

Safety and effectiveness.

I could have both.

If it were dangerous, he wouldn’t have just left it sitting on his desk at the office.

And considering the true identity of that lizard, there was a high probability it was no ordinary object—but a powerful one.

Even without overthinking it, if a section chief of the Field Exploration Team had it on his desk, obviously it’d be something useful in ghost stories!

‘Alright.’

Only one thing left.

‘I just need to figure out how to use it.’

Chief Lizard would give me the answer!

And a little while later, we were on the phone.

With a pounding heart, I asked immediately…!

“Squad Leader. That lizard plush on your desk—what kind of situation have you used it in?”

– ? None.

“……”

Wait a minute.

That offhanded denial… don’t tell me.

“You… You’ve never used the lizard plush at all?”

– Yes.

“…You didn’t purchase that item, Squad Leader?”

– Yes.

“……”

I’m screwed…

‘N-No.’

Let’s narrow it down further. Like this.

“Do you know how to use the lizard plush?”

Please.

Please…!

– Yes.

Phew.

Thank god.

“I’ve managed to get one of those plushies myself, but I have no idea how to use it. I’d appreciate it if you could tell me the specific purpose.”

And finally, I added,

“…It wasn’t purchased from the Space Shopping Mall.”

I blurted it out because I felt guilty.

‘I haven’t even been able to set foot in that place since I don’t have any money…’

Anyway, Lee Jaheon remained calm.

– Yes.

And he explained it without a hint of hesitation.

– It’s an educational reptile plush used for ecology lessons.

“……”

Huh?

“An educational toy?”

– Yes. When fed appropriate food, it shows a molting process after eating.

“……”

– ……

“……”

I barely managed to ask,

“Is the shed skin perhaps a defensive item?”

– No.

“……Like, if you feed it an item or blood, does it display some unique ability or…”

– No.

I want a refund.

‘Fuck…’

So why the hell did you leave it on your desk and confuse people?!

‘It’s just a glorified food disposal toy!’

Of course, I couldn’t scream at a laser-eyed alien lizard, so I managed to say,

“I see. Thank you for the information.”

– Yes.

Yeah. This was all my fault for betting on some weird possibility from that deranged supermarket. Haa…

‘It was really just a toy, huh.’

In the end, I gave up and changed the topic.

“It’s been a while since we last talked, sir. I’m sorry for contacting you through a call instead of visiting in person.”

– It’s fine. This way is safer.

Was he being considerate, worried that the Disaster Management Bureau might find out I was a spy?

“Thank y—”

Just as I was about to say thanks,

That emotionless voice gave me a completely different reason.

– Director Cheong has discovered your whereabouts.

“……!”

Excuse me, what?

– Director Cheong suspects that your disappearance was fabricated, and that you’ve actually been working for Director Ho since a month ago.

Goosebumps crawled down my spine.

Wait.

If she believes my disappearance itself was faked…

‘Then she likely thinks I betrayed her and teamed up with Director Ho from the beginning.’

Cold sweat ran down my face.

“…Would she retaliate against me because of this misunderstanding?”

– Yes.

I swallowed hard.

– So be careful.

“Understood.”

I made up my mind.

‘As soon as this spy mission ends, I’m out.’

I wouldn’t waste a single second.

As soon as I got that Wish Ticket, I’ll bolt straight out of this damn company.

I’m going back home!

“Thank you, sir.”

I thanked him and ended the call with Assistant Manager Lee Jaheon.

Then, I saw another notification pop up on my smartphone.

[Baek Saheon: Pardon me.]

[Baek Saheon: Are you not going to buy info?]

My former company dorm roommate, who now brought me gossip and intel from said damn company.

[Baek Saheon: Do you have no need for intel?]

Hmm.

I sent a message.

[Feeling confident, are you?]

But no reply came.

Guess he doesn’t have anything yet.

‘Then I’ll leave him alone until he’s got something worth bragging about.’

Let him squirm and scrape together more intel.

‘Truth is… I don’t really have any items worth trading for it right now anyway…’

Not that I plan on staying broke forever.

Didn’t I just say it? I’m getting prepared.

‘…And I just heard something concerning too.’

– It’s completely worn down.

Director Ho’s ominous remark.

‘If my silver ring’s mental protection has run out, that’s dangerous.’

Thankfully, I hadn’t recently felt any desire to dive into a ghost story or bind myself to one.

‘Unless I start having nightmares of going back there…’

Still, I should prepare just in case.

I briefly considered stopping by the Fox Counseling Office again, but ended up canceling the idea due to a bad feeling.

Unlike last time, I had a clear reason now.

‘…It’s definitely connected to Director Ho.’

It was best to avoid it for now.

And besides.

‘It doesn’t have to be there. A few more places are open to me now.’

That’s right. I was now also an ‘agent of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau’.

With my new position, there were more places and organizations I could visit without raising suspicion.

“Let’s see…”

I rested my chin on my hand.

With 10,000 welfare points, I could afford Dream Essence of A-grade or higher.

And now that I had agent status with the bureau, there was somewhere I could try.

“Hm.”

I stood up from the café I’d been sitting in, pulled my hood over my head, and started walking.

Toward a ghost story’s gathering place where real occult items were traded.

What I was looking for was…

‘The manhole from which a human arm emerges.’

Chapter 146 - [Faceless Market], I

When people are in a bad mood, they tend to walk while looking down at the ground.

It’s a little less common now thanks to smartphones, but in the past, it was something everyone had probably experienced at least once.

And so, everyone must have, at least once, absentmindedly yet attentively looked at this thing on the sidewalk or street.

A manhole.

That gray circle you’d see here and there along the roadside when nothing else was going on.

A maintenance passage through which workers could access underground water pipes.

Everyone knew that.

So at least once, they must have looked at that round gray manhole cover and imagined it.

Someone suddenly coming out from underneath.

Or… imagining themselves opening it and going down inside.

Of course, it wasn’t something one could easily encounter in real life.

To begin with, those covers weren’t something anyone could lift easily. Most of them weighed over 100 kilograms.

So usually, it was something that remained purely in the realm of imagination…

‘When something you’ve casually imagined in everyday life actually happens in reality.’

In that moment, people couldn’t help but grow curious and focus their attention.

The ghost story I was searching for began from there.

“……”

I lifted my head.

It was a dark alley.

Laughter, shouting, and music blared from nearby. The flashing lights and noise sounded close enough that I’d probably hear them clearly if I just turned the corner.

A sleepless entertainment district.

But here, in this shadowed, stagnant alley, a damp silence hung in the air.

Location of occurrence : Concrete ground near nightlife districts late at night, such as places swarming with crowds intoxicated by the excitement of bars, clubs, and college towns.

And a single streetlight lit up the dirty concrete floor of the alley.

The manhole cover was there.

In the center of that dim pool of light, just sitting there as casually as any other piece of the city’s pavement, was the manhole. However, something was strange about it.

It was slightly ajar, and protruding from it was…

A human hand.

“……”

Inexplicably, an arm had slipped out through the slightly displaced manhole cover.

Five pale fingers dangled under the streetlight, gently swaying.

As though asking for help.

Previously reported arm appearances :

An elementary schooler’s hand with nail art; a sanitation worker’s uniform; a knitted sleeve; an old-style student uniform; a business suit; a military uniform from of the ■■ division; a wart-covered elderly hand; a ■■■ fingernail-less hand covered in ■■■ tattoos.

Ordinarily, it was such an unnatural sight that people either screamed, froze, or reported it to someone.

‘But if they were drunk or swept up in the atmosphere, they might just approach without thinking.’

That was exactly what this ghost story was aiming for. To lure people in.

“……”

I slowly approached the arm sticking out of the manhole.

The fingers quivered slightly.

One step. Then another. And when there was about one body-length of distance left between us—

“Huu.”

I turned around.

Then I rummaged through the backpack I was wearing, reached into a packet of salt I had brought with me, and grabbed a handful.

I threw it over my left shoulder, straight toward the manhole.

KIIIIIIIEEEEK!!

A screech erupted behind me. It was such a thunderous sound one would never believe was caused by just a bit of salt.

Then came a stench, as if something rotten was burning.

‘Ugh…’

Smoke billowed up and rolled in.

But I never turned to look back.

If I just stood still right where I was…

Before long, both the sound and the stench disappeared completely.

“……”

Only then did I turn my head.

The arm was gone.

All that remained was the dark manhole, faintly illuminated by the streetlight.

And, just slightly, the cover was ajar.

‘…Alright.’

Once the ‘arm’ is driven out using a salt offering, the manhole becomes temporarily accessible.

I stuffed salt into both side pockets and approached the manhole. The raised pattern and lettering on the manhole cover, lit by the streetlight, gradually became clearer.

Usually, the outer ring of a manhole cover displayed its purpose and destination, while the center showed the logo of the managing agency.

This manhole cover was no different. Looking closely, I could identify both its “destination” and its ‘managing authority’…

Hell

鬼鬼鬼鬼鬼

This didn’t lead to a sewerage.

It was an entrance to something else, somewhere else.

“…Ha.”

I grabbed the lid with a trembling hand and pushed.

It was heavy.

But slowly, the black manhole cover began to slide aside, revealing the pitch-dark hole beneath it…

Thunk.

Nothing could be seen below.

A deeply unpleasant void.

“……”

I double-checked that I had my gloves, mask, and hat on properly. Then, after sprinkling salt all over my body, I stepped down onto the ladder.

Tak. Ta-tak.

I grew more distant from the noise above.

Light and any sign of life faded away.

Downward. Even further down.

Alone.

‘…Maybe it’s scarier because I’m alone.’

A chill ran down my spine, but I grit my teeth and kept going.

I was the same person who had survived four whole days inside that insane supermarket just a few days ago…!

‘I can do this.’

Clenching my jaw, I kept moving downward.

After several dozen seconds, by the time one of my gloved hand was slick with sweat…

Splosh.

My feet touched the ground.

I ignored the disgusting, squelching texture as much as possible and moved mechanically.

What lay ahead was a cramped, dark sewer where I couldn’t even fully straighten my body.

Strangely, there was no light, and yet the gloomy passageway was clearly visible.

‘This is seriously insane.’

Enduring the spine-prickling silence, the darkness, and the chilling stench, I pressed deeper in.

To a place so cut off that neither phone signals nor cameras would work…

And then, at some point.

‘……There it is.’

I finally found it.

“Huu…”

It was a rusted door that looked like it belonged in a sewer.

A round, bulkhead-like door. It’s filthy and heavy, the kind you might see in an old industrial facility.

And on it, carved in raised characters.

餓鬼

‘Agwi.’

A hungry ghost tormented by starvation after falling into hell due to greed. Or, the hell where such a ghost resided.

Strangely, just to the left of that door, there was a single hole.

…From beyond it, the sound of flowing water could be heard……

“……”

I steadied my breathing, coated myself with salt once more, and gripped the rusted door’s handle.

Then, holding my breath, I opened it.

Creeeeeak.

A wide, plaza-like space spread out before me.

The dome-shaped ceiling above made it look somewhat like a traditional wastewater treatment plant, but…

AAAAH!

The walls were completely covered in hands.

Dried-up hands with exposed bone.

Corpse-blue hands.

Hands tattooed with strange symbols on the backs.

Hands wearing ceremonial gloves.

Hands with manicured nails…

And every one of those hands was clutching something.

‘I made it.’

The Plaza of Encounters, as recorded in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

‘The Faceless Market.’

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Record / Special Zones

[Faceless Market]

: A small-scale special zone that has branched off from a ghost story featured in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

A bizarre space that can be accessed by using the ‘manhole arms’, which lure people by moving between the realm of the living and the dead.

If you insert only an arm into this place, you can tempt others with whatever’s in your palm, just like the ‘manhole arms’.

Because it can be accessed from anywhere, and because transactions can occur without revealing one’s identity, it is highly valued as an anonymous marketplace among ghost-story-related entities.

A space where factions that would never normally meet interact, giving rise to wildly unexpected combinations and dynamics that are a joy to observe.

----------------------------------------

Right.

The arms installed here would react if someone approached and offered a suitable item.

In doing so, they would drop what they were holding, thus completing a barter.

What constitutes a ‘suitable item’ is determined by the seller’s desires.

It was a bizarre marketplace that repurposed the terrifying phenomenon of ghost stories—ones where humans were lured in, had their organs harvested, and disappeared—to facilitate trade.

In the case of Daydream Inc., their tendency to attract hostility meant that if someone’s affiliation to the company was exposed, they might be refused or even attacked. honestly, considering those bastards’ personalities it’s only to be expected anyway. kinda fun just reading about these special records tho

That’s also why I had avoided coming here until now.

‘I already dive headfirst into ghost stories on the regular, why add even more risk?’

It was like choosing between a verified, stable vendor like the alien shop, where you could get quality goods if you had the cash, compared to an unverified, high-risk black market where you might end up buying cursed items.

But right now… I’m completely broke.

And if something happened by chance now, I could always ‘reveal’ an identity that wasn’t affiliated with Daydream Inc.

‘Huu.’

I stepped inside, keeping in mind the kinds of restrictions typical of ghost stories.

If you remain in this space for more than two hours, the manhole arm(s) you drove away will be waiting for you in front of the door.

I had to move quickly.

Honestly, when I first read about it, it seemed more intriguing than scary. But now that I was actually here, the atmosphere was downright chilling.

‘Feels like I’ve stepped into a horror game…’

Some unknown fluid was flowing across the floor, but I forced myself not to react and ignored it.

After all, I wasn’t alone.

“……”

A few people were already wandering about this shared space at scattered intervals.

With most of them completely covered from head to toe, they moved along, checking out the arms embedded in the walls.

Occasionally, someone in ordinary clothes would stroll by openly showing their face and smiling, but I made a point of avoiding them.

‘Now that’s real madness.’

Let’s not get involved for no reason.

I had specific trade targets in mind.

Even though everyone was technically anonymous, you could still glean which faction they belonged to.

The clue lay in the arms’ appearances.

As expected in a ghost story world, the features were bizarre and unique.

If you had enough knowledge, you could identify affiliations by their sleeves, tattoos, accessories, and so on.

‘Not many people have that level of knowledge, so for the most part, this place remains virtually anonymous.’

But I did have it—that knowledge.

And the person I was looking for had a particularly distinctive physical trait. Namely…

“……”

I stopped walking.

Among the alluring arms swaying with items, I spotted a dried-up hand.

A hand missing its pinky finger.

Resting on its palm wasn’t an object but a scrap of paper stained with blood.

It was gripping it so tightly that I couldn’t even make out the writing.

It was hard to tell whether it was actually offering something for trade or not, so no one paid it any attention.

But it was exactly what I was looking for.

‘That piece of paper.’

I approached the arm and reached out my hand…

“Eyy, that one’s been here for, like, five years now.”

My body froze.

“You’re not really familiar with how things work here, are you? These arms aren’t physically waving them in real time. They’re just ghostly phenomena mimicking the original.”

Someone grabbed my shoulder and started chatting.

“It’s not like someone’s been holding out that arm for five years straight. They probably left five years ago. Or died.”

The real problem was that—

“How’s that?”

—it’s a voice I recognized.

“……”

Instead of ripping myself free and running at full speed, I stiffly turned my head.

“Doesn’t exactly look like a tempting item, right?”

Only the crescent curve of their eyes was visible above the mask.

But just from that and their voice, I could tell who it was.

I had seen that face only a few days ago.

‘……Agent Choi!’

The early-era named agent who had visited my hospital room.

‘W-Wait.’

He’s talking to me?

Right now, I had padded the area where my right arm should’ve been with a mannequin prosthetic and cotton, then concealed it under a coat.

In this kind of darkness, it shouldn’t be easy to tell I was missing an arm.

Of course, given that he was a veteran agent of the Disaster Management Bureau, he might pick up on it through sheer intuition and experience…

‘Still though, in a ghost-story world, it wasn’t exactly rare to find people missing limbs.’

But I couldn’t count on that for certain.

Running away now would only make me look suspicious.

I barely managed to steady myself and looked straight at him.

There was still a chance he’d only struck up conversation to identify the item I was reaching for.

“Ah~ Want another tip? Not a lot of people know this one…”

Agent Choi glanced at the hand I’d extended toward the ‘arm’, then leaned in close, whispering like we were old friends.

It was…

“The veins on wrists. Turns out those are unique to each person too.”

Goosebumps spread across my skin.

“They’re almost like fingerprints. If you memorize someone’s vein patterns, it’s perfect for tracking them down. People can cover their faces, disguise their body shapes, even burn off their fingerprints… but veins? Can’t exactly burn those, now can you?”

“……”

“And most people let their guard down. Think they’ve hidden everything.”

I’m screwed.

“Hoobae-nim. What are you doing here? Or rather…”

Agent Choi beamed.

“Who told you about this place?”

Chapter 147 - [Faceless Market], II

I hadn’t expected there to be a lunatic who could recognize someone just from the veins between their glove and sleeve.

‘Agent Choi.’

And even less did I expect to be the one caught by it.

‘This is driving me nuts.’

A situation that went beyond chilling, to the point that it made a person freeze.

But I couldn’t afford to freeze.

I just had to show a little confusion. Anything more would look suspicious.

So…

“Sorry?”

Might as well reverse the suspicion.

Feigning nervousness, I swallowed audibly as I looked at him.

Then, like someone cornered by a street cultist, I backed away.

“I, I’m s, sorry, but… I’m here with someone.”

“Huh??”

“I’ll be going now.”

In other words, I pretended not to recognize Agent Choi.

‘A rookie agent, mentally wrecked after losing an arm, might very well fail to recognize a sunbae who visited once in the hospital just by their eyes…!’

Especially if that rookie had mustered their last bit of courage to step into a terrifying place like this ghost-story realm.

‘This way, he might get flustered too and start explaining things…’

“Aigoo, alrighty. Take care~ See ya at work.”

“……”

Wow, fuck.

‘No way out of this.’

In the end, I opened my mouth.

As if I was speaking out of vague uncertainty upon hearing the word ‘work’.

“…Um, are you… the, um. The superior I met at the hospital…”

“Oh~ Now you recognize me. Good.”

Agent Choi patted my shoulder and casually tried to guide me toward the edge of the plaza. Wait, hold on…!

“Um, sorry, I was actually going to buy that…”

“Eyy, I told you already, that thing’s been sitting there unsold for five years, yeah? Let’s talk instead. I’m just happy to see you here. …Why’s a rookie who should be in a hospital showing up in a place like this?”

“……”

Deliberately, I reached under my coat and touched the fake right arm.

I felt Agent Choi’s gaze.

“…In this place, um, I heard that there might be something here that could be used temporarily to replace an arm.”

“Aha~ And who told you that? Jaekwan?”

“I can’t say, sir.”

It’s a trap!

Dropping a name just like that would scream ‘I’m lying through my teeth to get out of this.’

It also didn’t fit the persona I’d been building back at the bureau. That would’ve been pathetic.

“Loyal, huh.”

As expected, Agent Choi chuckled and gave me another pat on the shoulder.

So this approach was working after all…

“Or maybe you figured I’d see through a made-up name right away.”

“……”

“Isn’t that right? Uhahaha!”

Aaaaack!!

“It’s fine. What agent doesn’t have secrets? Maybe there’s a reason you can’t say.”

“……”

“Let’s see… you were trying to buy that, right? Mind if I take a look?”

Agent Choi turned his attention to the arm I’d been about to make a deal with.

A hand missing its pinky finger, clutching a bloodstained, crumpled scrap of paper.

“But that doesn’t really look like an item linked to the arm itself.”

“……”

“Why were you trying to buy it? I don’t get it.”

Shit.

In that case!

“…Because, um.”

“Ohh?”

I lowered my head.

“…It looks desperate.”

“……”

“It’s gripping that paper so tightly, and there’s blood on it, so… I thought maybe the hand’s owner was holding onto some kind of distress message.”

It’s the truth.

Not right now, but that had been my theory when I first read the entry about this arm in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

Either way, Agent Choi didn’t respond for a moment.

Now’s my chance. Time to explain…!

“I didn’t know it had been here for five years, though…”

“Hoobae-nim, let’s think about it for a sec.”

Agent Choi placed a hand on my shoulder and gently turned me around.

From the front, the wall of the plaza came into view, covered in undulating, grotesque arms.

“Does this really seem like the kind of place where someone would be sending a distress signal?”

“……”

“Everyone here came voluntarily into this bizarre space to sell things. Doesn’t seem like a likely setting for someone in need of rescue, does it?”

That’s…

“Seems like we can pass on this one then, yeah?”

…not something Agent Choi would normally say.

That is, not the Agent Choi I knew from the Dark Exploration Records.

‘He was the type who would do anything to save even just one more person.’

Agent Choi was a named character of the wiki’s early-era.

And in the founding days of the <Dark Exploration Records>, back when only the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau existed, the logs had emphasized the government agency’s core mission—to save civilians.

To enhance immersion and narrative cohesion, additional settings were added for tonal consistency and ease of story progression.

The Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau prioritizes the lives of its agents above all else during all operations.

Moreover, they placed more weight on ending the ghost story itself than on rescuing civilians. Thus, occasional civilian casualties were an acceptable risk.

But Agent Choi had been a named character before those worldbuilding details were added.

Naturally, that meant he was the type of agent who pushed himself to the limit to save every last civilian.

In the process, he used underhanded or clever tactics, gained various abilities and items… but his essence had never changed.

Not until he was presumed dead after going missing during the Looky Mart incident.

“……”

As expected.

Looks like I can go through with this.

“Still, I’d like to try, sir.”

“…?!”

I suddenly pulled out the item I had prepared and reached out—

Toward the hand missing its pinky finger.

“That arm doesn’t even do trades—”

Whip—

The arm lunged out aggressively.

“…!”

And then a crunching sound came, as if the hand without a pinky swallowed the item I had offered.

In return, the bloodstained, crumpled scrap of paper it had been holding dropped to the filthy floor, and I barely managed to catch it.

Meanwhile, Agent Choi narrowed his eyes as he caught a glimpse of the item I’d handed over.

“…A coin?”

“Oh, it’s not just a regular coin… I, uh, got it from another ghost story.”

That part was true.

Though the fact that the ghost story was a custom equipment line from Daydream Inc.—a Twilight-grade ghost story called the ‘Kind Seed Kit’—was a secret.

Right.

That coin was the first custom equipment I ever created at the Field Exploration Team.

‘The Third Hand…!’

A coin-shaped item that could summon a phantom hand in midair.

Given the nature of this arm, the required item was blatantly obvious.

It had to be something from a ghost story originally developed, contained, and utilized in Daydream Inc.’s early days.

It had to be this.

But because Daydream Inc. employees were essentially blacklisted from this marketplace, the trade had failed to go through for five years and had just been left there, untouched.

‘Got it.’

Gripping the scrap of paper, I felt a small but thrilling sense of accomplishment.

And it’s not that I had rashly sacrificed my custom equipment. I’ve got plans to retrieve it later.

Right now, the priority was Agent Choi.

I gave the excuse I’d thought up.

“I figured currency would be immediately useful in a ghost story… I, uh, just remembered what happened at the supermarket.”

For reference, the Looky Mart’s vouchers had vanished the moment I left the store, balance and all. That ghost story supermarket really was run by vicious scoundrels.

Anyway, I thought that came off suitably rookie-like.

It probably looked like I didn’t realize different ghost stories use different currencies and just gave it a shot.

And luckily, it worked.

Time to stick with that meta.

“Hmm… Hoobae-nim. That arm’s been left untouched for five years—didn’t it occur to you that any emergency might already be over?”

“Even so… the arm was still there, sir.”

I finally gave a small smile.

“I figured… if a barter was accepted, that meant there had to be someone on the other end ready to take it. Um, well, it’s just a theory, and I could be wrong.”

“……”

Agent Choi stared at me for a moment, then—

“Ah~ I really like this!”

“…?!”

“Khheuu, right. This is it! Hard to find someone who actually uses their head and imagines things with internal logic!”

He ruffled my hat-covered hair. Aack!!

Then, lowering his voice so others wouldn’t hear, he spoke quietly.

“As I thought…”

As you thought?

“You really should join our Black Tortoise Team 1.”

“I apologize, sir.”

“Hiing.”

I was seriously fed up…

Still, at least I seem to have avoided suspicion for now…

“But didn’t you say you’re too scared to join the Dispatch & Rescue Unit? And yet you’ve got the guts to come into a dangerous place like this alone?”

“……”

“Then… maybe you can survive in Black Tortoise Team 1, huh?”

Damn it.

Was that a threat? Join if you don’t want to be suspected?

My head was spinning.

But then, the next words came.

“That fear of yours in the first place. Honestly, it’s probably just a hallucination brought on by overexertion during your first mission…”

I exploded.

“No, I’m scared to death! I’m really scared!!”

“…?!”

“But I have no choice but to endure it, right?! I can’t just say I’m too scared to do anything! I’m a rookie!”

At this moment…

Act or die!!

“Of course I’m scared of not having an arm! I was terrified something might go wrong, but I still came all the way here!”

I practically coughed up blood as I shouted.

It was partly intentional, but as the resentment that had built up from working at a certain insane ghost-story pharmaceutical company burst out, I genuinely felt wronged.

…Agent Choi was staring at me, mouth open.

“S-Sorry?”

“……”

“Alright, alright. Hoobae-nim, congrats on your first trade, and um… Right, the note! Gotta check the note, right? How about it?”

“……Yes, sir.”

I took a deep breath.

Still, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been in a situation where I could speak this honestly… in that sense, it felt a little refreshing.

Surely, even after all that, he wouldn’t try to drag me into the Dispatch & Rescue Unit… please.

“I apologize for yelling, sir.”

“Eyy, don’t worry. You’re not the only one doing crazy stuff around here. Think of it as a good 3-second spotlight.”

So I looked that unhinged, huh. Good to know…

I let out a sigh.

“I, um… It’s been a long time since I shouted like that.”

“Aigoo, guess your place doesn’t have good soundproofing, huh?”

“No. I… don’t have a place to go home to right now.”

“……”

“I’d like to have one, though.”

“Okay.”

Huu.

I finally calmed my breathing and opened the note in my hand.

‘Feels like Agent Choi suddenly went quiet.’

Still, since he wasn’t provoking me anymore, it was better this way.

I turned my attention back to the note.

The blood-soaked scrap of paper I carefully unfolded with one hand had—

Dried letters, written in smeared blood.

LOOK HERE

THAT WHICH RESPONDS TO EMPATHY AND ATTENTION

THERE IS A TOY

The dried, crusted blood that stained the entire page had caused the letters themselves to blur and run…

‘Ha.’

It looked like a prop straight out of a horror movie. I wanted to throw it away right then, but.

“Wait a sec.”

Agent Choi casually took the note from my hand.

I didn’t stop him on purpose.

Agent Choi began inspecting it using something like a strange form of dowsing.

That was a Disaster Management Bureau-issued tool too.

&+ *Tracking Rod*

: A curved stick made of glass and brass.

When placed over a substance derived from a ghost story or a medium that triggers a paranormal phenomenon, it spins in place. +&

But the rod showed no reaction at all to the note I’d just bought.

“Hmm, no mysterious response. Just an ordinary note. The message though…”

Agent Choi chuckled.

“Looks like it’s meant to lure people in through a ghost story, huh?”

“That could be the case.”

Still, I took the note back from Agent Choi and held onto it.

“Oh~ you’re keeping it?”

“Yes.”

I lowered my head, slightly embarrassed.

“There might really be a hidden distress call in it somewhere… I figured I’d at least take it and check it out myself.”

“……”

Agent Choi didn’t ask why I wasn’t reporting it to my superiors, either.

The Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau wasn’t the kind of organization that had the luxury to leisurely analyze a mysterious note left behind by some unknown person after five years of abandonment.

There were way too many ghost stories out there currently killing people.

Even a brand-new rookie would know that vague cases like this would always be deprioritized.

Agent Choi himself had literally just said so.

Still… I made one last move.

After hesitating, I held the note back out to him.

“Um, sunbae-nim, if you happen to have time later… would you mind checking it just one more time…?”

“…!”

Truth was, as long as I memorized the contents, the note itself wasn’t essential.

And because of its nature, there was no issue entrusting it to a bureau agent capable of identifying ghost stories.

“Sure. I’ll take another look.”

“Ah, thank you, sir…!”

I handed it over without hesitation. Hopefully, this would move me further out of the circle of suspicion.

After that, the atmosphere between us softened a bit.

“Not bad, right?”

“Yes. Thank you…”

Under Agent Choi’s watch, I barely managed to acquire one of the items I’d wanted to buy.

That was rough.

Not just because of the surveillance. Choosing the item itself was hard too.

Most of what you could get here came from standard ghost story settings.

Which meant, these weren’t items refined by a major corporation or filtered for customer safety by aliens.

They come with horrific side effects.

That was the premise.

They weren’t objects made for humans to use conveniently in the first place.

And plenty of the sellers weren’t in their right mind either, so the things they offered often weren’t sane, either…

What was surprising was that Agent Choi wasn’t just supervising—he genuinely tried to help me.

“This place is exactly like Hanyang. The kind where you get robbed in broad daylight, you know? If you watch how your sunbae-nim does it and follow along…”

…Didn’t always work, of course.

“…Someone already bought it.”

“……”

“N-No worries! The next one’s good too! Onward to the next arm~”

Still, true to his veteran status, he knew the origin or specific side effects of items I didn’t, and helped me make careful ‘purchases’.

Yeah. That was all great, but.

He made me buy something he knew.

In the end, he guided my actions under his control.

Whether that was a strong sign of suspicion or genuine concern… even I, who’d tracked Agent Choi’s entire history in the <Dark Exploration Records>, couldn’t tell.

‘Honestly though, I was pretty much playing into it since I’d wanted that item anyway…’

The scary part was that, even if he hadn’t guided me, I probably would’ve ended up buying it while crying inside.

I touched the item in my pocket and let out a sigh.

‘Huu…’

Agent Choi stayed with me until right before his time limit ran out, and even saw me off afterward.

Waving the piece of paper I’d bought as he did.

“Then I’ll take another look at this note and return it to you later, okay?”

“Yes. Thank you…”

Honestly, there was no need for him to return it. I’d already memorized it.

And there wasn’t even a point in him checking it either.

Because…

That note wasn’t related to any ghost story to begin with.

‘A psychological trap.’

Because it was a marketplace frequented by ghost-story-related figures, of course you’d assume any message was ghost-related.

But it wasn’t.

If anything… yeah.

It’s a ‘legacy’.

Let’s go back to that note again.

LOOK HERE

The ‘here’ that was mentioned referred to an actual location in the real world.

In other words, a ‘location’.

And the next line…

THAT WHICH RESPONDS TO EMPATHY AND ATTENTION

THERE IS A TOY

The grammar was strange, the phrasing unnatural.

It had clearly been forced together.

‘So let’s break it apart.’

What’s left would be…

THAT WHICH RESPONDS TO EMPATHY

AND ATTENTION

THERE IS A TOY

Three words.

And if you have three words and a ‘location’, it’s the perfect hint for deduction.

Like the address system ‘what3words’, which expresses a 3mX3m location with three words. ‘If I plug those words into a search…’

Immediately, a small location in the old city center of Seoul comes up.

And I’m standing there now.

“……”

The word coordinates pointed to a location that slightly veered off from the building itself, spot tucked awkwardly between a cluster of small commercial buildings.

And what was there was…

A manhole.

More precisely, an old manhole cover propped up next to the wall of a vacant unit.

As if someone had just leaned it there.

As if to hint at something.

“……”

I pushed the manhole cover.

Creeeaak.

Surprisingly, it moved more easily than expected. And behind it…

A stairwell leading down to a semi-basement.

“……”

A hidden place.

Why did the hand without a pinky finger lead me here?

And why did it only accept items from the early days of Daydream Inc. as payment?

It was simple.

Because it was connected to Daydream Inc.

‘Huu.’

I descended all the way down the stairs and looked up.

[Dream Incubation Room]

Daydream Inc.’s Dream Essence Synthesizer.

The prototype laboratory, built long ago, now stood revealed before my eyes.

Chapter 148 - [Faceless Market], III

----------------------------------------

Daydream Inc.

A pharmaceutical company known for the improbable achievement of mass-producing potions with wish-granting properties.

The raw materials consist of ghost stories.

……That was all the <Dark Exploration Records> had to say when the company was first introduced.

----------------------------------------

Because there were no detailed explanations, it sparked more imagination. The bizarre technology, the mystique, the cruelty, the blanks. All of it felt chilling.

But as the wiki grew, so did the breadcrumbs.

‘Backstories started getting attached.’

Of course, even Daydream Inc. couldn’t have just fallen out of the sky with perfect, unknown pharmaceutical tech.

Even if it seemed that way on the surface, digging deeper should allow you to deduce its origins and history… because that’s what made it exciting and fun.

Eventually, as time passed, meaningful exploration logs were added here and there throughout the Dark Exploration Records, and readers began forming and theorizing several conspiracies about Daydream Inc.

—What even is Daydream Inc.?

And the place I had just visited… was evidence for Conspiracy Theory No. 2.

Conspiracy Theory No. 2 : Daydream Inc. was not originally a pharmaceutical company.

The original source of Daydream Inc.’s pharmaceutical technology.

“…Huu.”

I swallowed hard and began to look around the Dream Incubation Room.

The dust-covered lab looked like a disused school science room, or a decrepit lab abandoned after the end of the world.

Everything looked dead.

Worktables and experimental equipment.

Beakers and cabinets filled with unidentified liquids.

And… a massive device at the center.

“……”

The lights were off, and beneath an empty glass tube sat a button panel and keyboard was an old-style experimental machine straight out of the 2000s.

Dream Incubator

And beside it was an experimental logbook.

It was the same one mentioned in the exploration records.

I opened the worn pages and began to read it.

Every single page.

All the clean handwriting that must have once filled the log had been deliberately and thoroughly obliterated.

Filth, blood, ink, and pencil markings covered every surface, drenched in cramped scribbles of madness and screams…

“Uurp.”

I dropped the logbook like I was throwing it away and gasped for breath.

‘I thought I could handle it.’

I couldn’t.

You’d think that I would at least try to restore the text buried below, but I gave up right away. And it wasn’t because this was some plot device like in the <Dark Exploration Records> where information would be blocked purposefully to build suspense. It’s just that, I physically could not.

It was simply unbearable.

“……”

I remembered now.

These were the responses provided by an employee who, by sheer accident, succeeded in conducting trades in the ‘Faceless Market’—an underground exchange located within a manhole—without disclosing his employment status, during the company’s internal interrogation.

Assistant Manager ■■■ : Yes! I was the one who discovered it. The machine looked old, but it still seemed to function properly. There also seemed to have been classified documents on Dream Essence potions and a few certain Darknesses. I was afraid it might fall into outsider hands, so I quickly… pardon?

Assistant Manager ■■■ : ……You’re saying that facility doesn’t belong to our company? …Wait, so it wasn’t contaminated by a Darkness, but it’s because the company…… W-Wait, why are you pointing that at m—

…That record ended with the company successfully ‘cleaning up’ the anonymous employee.

“……”

A chill crawled down my spine.

Something ominous was hanging in the silence of the lab. I wanted to turn around and run out of there right away…

‘No!!’

Time to move to the next step.

Gritting my teeth, I looked behind the machine.

There was a standard office desk with a data-entry PC, and beneath the chair… something heavy had rolled onto the floor.

A corpse.

I already knew, but I still gasped.

The body, as if it had just fallen from the desk, was dried up and lifeless like it had died long ago, which somehow made it even more disturbing.

But I understood what had happened.

Analysis results indicated that the body’s motor functions had ceased five years prior.

Given the circumstances, it is presumed that only vital signs were somehow sustained.

It was the final researcher of this incubator, forcibly kept alive until the note at the Faceless Market was passed to someone else.

The owner of the hand I had traded with.

“……”

From the corpse’s left hand, which was missing its pinky finger, I retrieved the custom equipment coin I’d paid with.

Then, I carefully picked up the card key hanging around its neck.

Researcher Yoo Kwe

■ ■ ■

Scrawled in ruined ballpoint ink above the smudged-out name was a phrase: ‘Can’t let them find out.’

But I could still make out the first syllables of the name.

“…Yoo Kwe?”

Something flashed through my mind reflexively, But I pushed it down, for now.

“…Huu.”

If I searched this space further, I felt like I might uncover more of Daydream Inc.’s hidden backstory or origins.

‘But who knows what might jump out…’

Even just the lab journal from earlier had given me a weird feeling.

‘For now, I’ll only touch what’s already been verified.’

I returned to the central device labeled ‘Dream Incubator’.

While there were no detailed operation logs in the <Dark Exploration Records>, it had clearly stated: ‘Though it looks like an old prototype, it appears to be in proper working condition.’

All that remained was to piece together what was needed.

“Huu.”

First, I picked up the card key I had retrieved from the dead researcher.

Then, feeling along the surface of the ‘Dream Incubator’, I found a slot located on the outer front panel.

‘Here, maybe.’

I inserted the card key into the slot.

Ziiiiing—

“…!”

The machine lit up with red and blue lights.

A huge experimental device glowing as if it were the only living thing in this decrepit old lab.

And then, The glass tube mounted at the top.

‘Is something inside?’

There seemed to be some kind of round object set at the center of the glass chamber.

‘That might be the core component.’

In any case, the Dream Incubator had successfully reactivated.

Along with a number displayed on a small panel next to the glass tube.

DE 0000000

Time for the next step.

I opened a valve at the end of a small pipe connected to the side of the glass tube.

Inside, there was an oddly shaped recess.

‘…This is it.’

I reached into my coat and pulled out the item I had prepared, Something I’d held onto ever since pulling it from a merch box, never able to use it no matter the situation.

It was said to lose its effectiveness if exposed to air due to oxidation, so I hadn’t even dared to touch it.

—Dream Essence, A-grade or higher.

A shimmering golden potion, like a hologram, contained within a Dream Essence Collector designed for Daydream Inc.’s elite teams.

…I could finally use it what I had charged up during my escape from Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show.

I fit the sharp end of the collector into the recess on the end of the pipe.

Thunk.

It clicked in perfectly, almost like a lie.

And then… the essence began to flow in.

“…!”

The dazzling, prismatic fluid filled the pipe and began to pour into the transparent glass chamber. It was almost overwhelming to look at.

‘Was it really that much?’

From what I remembered, it had only been stored in a palm-sized cylinder. Yet somehow, it filled a quarter of the chamber with a soft swish.

As the golden glow filled the glass, the object inside briefly revealed its silhouette.

‘…An egg?’

Something scarlet, the size of five chicken eggs.

It seemed to pulse, and inside, a strange form flickered for a moment.

But then it was completely submerged in the luminous liquid, vanishing from view.

And then…

DE 0000001

The number on the panel increased.

Accompanied by the hum of machinery, the number rapidly climbed…

DE 00158313

And stopped there.

“Huu.”

Success.

‘I’ve charged the Dream Essence into the machine…!’

The number, oddly reminiscent of welfare points, made me wonder. Could Daydream Inc.’s entire point system have originated from this?

Not that it mattered now.

What mattered was that everything had gone exactly as I’d planned.

All that was left was to use it.

“……”

I turned my attention to the buttons below the panel.

…They were emojis.

🥰🥸🤯🧐🤪🥱

Out of the dozens available, only these few were properly lit.

‘Maybe I don’t have enough materials?’

Or maybe it was a limitation of the machine itself, I couldn’t be sure.

Either way, I thought carefully and clicked the one that seemed the safest and most useful.

🥰🥸🤯🧐🤪🥱

The ‘observant’ emoji with a silly face.

The button lit up…

DE 00158313

DE 00148313

The number decreased, and the machine activated.

Oooooong!

With a motor-like sound, the liquid inside the glass chamber was sucked downward.

The vibrations of the machine made my whole body tremble slightly, and then…

Clunk.

The lower section of the machine opened, and a cylindrical, transparent glass bottle emerged.

“……!!”

I picked it up with a trembling hand.

A bright purple liquid, shimmering with an eerie radiance, swirled inside the bottle.

Even the label was printed on graph paper.

Detective Syrup for Kids

(Cherry Flavor)

★★★

A familiar color.

And just from the emoji and name, I could guess, Daydream Inc.’s detection potion…!

----------------------------------------

Detection Potion

: When consumed, it illuminates what you need most at the present moment.

----------------------------------------

Judging from the color, it looked to be at least C-grade.

The name was different, but I was sure the effect would be similar.

But what made it even more interesting was this…

‘This potion was discontinued.’

Right.

It was a potion no longer produced by Daydream Inc. Naturally, that meant it was also unavailable for purchase through the employee welfare mall.

At this point, it might very well be an item that can only be obtained through this prototype device…!

‘I definitely charged over 150,000 points into it.’

Since this potion had consumed 10,000 points, I could try pressing all the remaining emoji buttons.

‘Alright, then next I’ll—’

At that moment.

The panel’s display changed.

06 / 23:59:54

And the entire lighting of the ‘Dream Incubator’ dimmed, as if entering a power-saving mode.

‘…A cooldown countdown?’

Usable once per week.

A limitation befitting a prototype.

“Huu.”

Honestly, it was a relief. If I’d gotten too excited and started pressing buttons at random, I might have wasted all that precious Dream Essence I’d just charged.

‘Let’s think it through a bit more.’

I decided to examine the powered-down machine more closely.

Outwardly, it was a dull, ordinary hunk of metal, so I focused on the user interface instead.

Especially the buttons.

‘Each of these must correspond to a potion.’

I looked through the emojis. A mask, a demon, a thermometer, money, and other various icons. I could guess how these would match specific Daydream Inc. potions.

Except for one thing.

‘…I don’t see one that looks like a Wish Ticket.’

Of course.

The emoji resembling the quintessential potion—the one considered the very core of Daydream Inc.—was nowhere to be found.

‘…Maybe this?’

I noticed a strange trace at the very bottom.

◎

It looked like the space where a button used to be had been forcibly gouged out.

“…Can’t say for sure.”

The ghost-story setting wasn’t forgiving enough to go poking around based on hopeful speculation.

‘…Maybe another employee could figure something out?’

If I brought someone who’d been at the company longer than me, I might be able to safely uncover more hints here.

Of course, sharing unnecessary secrets might put both of us in danger…

‘Still, there might be someone who wouldn’t care about that.’

I thought about a few candidates, then stopped myself.

Now that I’d taken on the role of a corporate spy, that kind of move was out of the question. And in any case, by the time this whole spy job was over, I’d already have the Wish Ticket in hand.

‘Put it on hold.’

For now, I could be satisfied with the fact that I’d secured a personal use for the Dream Essence.

I packed the ‘Detective Syrup for Kids’ and stepped outside.

“Huu.”

The yield was big, so I didn’t feel too bad.

But as I looked back at the manhole cover, I started to feel a bit uneasy.

Agent Choi had taken the note.

‘Could he deduce the location like I did and show up?’

Or maybe he was already tracking my movements?

But there was no way to trace which manhole I’d exited from, and even if he had the note, it would be hard to break the code while stuck in the mindset of ‘this is obviously ghost-story related’.

Even in the <Dark Exploration Records>, it took a former Daydream Inc. employee three months to crack the cipher after obtaining it.

And that was purely by chance.

‘If your thought process is stuck in this must be ghost-related, then… yeah, it’s inevitable.’

Still, just in case, I decided to take a temporary precaution.

“I think this’ll do.”

After taking a 3,000-point potion I’d purchased from the welfare mall, I closed the manhole cover.

Gatekeeper Potion

: The first door you close after taking this potion can only be opened by someone to whom you personally disclose the door’s location.

I think it was also called the Secret Potion.

It vaguely reminded me of something Director Ho had done, which annoyed me a little. But the relief outweighed the discomfort.

“Alright.”

There weren’t any ridiculous worldbuilding elements like ‘Daydream Inc. tracks all potion usage locations,’ so this was enough to feel moderately safe.

Now all that was left… was to return to the bureau and enter another ghost story, huh?

I dragged my feet on the way back to the hospital room, grumbling to myself.

‘My life, seriously…’

Still, from now on there’d be a bonus income from going into ghost stories.

Since I could collect Dream Essence.

Not to hand over to the company, but for my own use!

“Let’s hang in there.”

I gave the elite-team Dream Essence collector, soon to be in use again, a quick pat, and successfully returned to my hospital room.

A few days later.

“…You’ve done well.”

“N-No, not at all.”

I was finally discharged and returned to temporary agent duties.

“As mentioned before, you’ve been assigned to a general operations role, not to the Dispatch & Rescue Unit.”

Thank you…!

I almost cried while listening to Agent Bronze’s briefing.

“…This time, the work won’t be as dangerous. Civilian rescues are already completed, and you’ll just be wrapping things up on site.”

Everything was beautiful.

Yeah, people need to do some low-stress jobs from time to time…

“For this assignment, all you need to do is drive at 2 a.m. with a ghost in the passenger seat.”

“……”

Excuse me, what?

Chapter 149 - Ghost Taxi, I

I had already experienced it firsthand several times before, how most of the ghost stories handled by the Disaster Management Bureau result in fatalities.

Because for something to be registered as a supernatural disaster, there must be human casualties.

In that sense, tasks that allow you to act as a bureau agent while staying a step removed from actual harm… can seem very appealing.

I mean, I get it. But still.

“Wait, so… I’m supposed to drive at an ungodly hour… with a ghost in the passenger seat?”

“Yes.”

“……”

You’ve got to be kidding me.

“Don’t worry. No driver has ever died.”

“……”

“At worst, there have been mild heart attacks or brief loss of consciousness. You won’t need any major mental preparation.”

Oh, I will, actually.

I almost turned to stare at Agent Bronze in betrayal and disbelief, but managed to hold it in.

‘Wait a second.’

…If I blatantly say I’m scared right now, won’t I just be told to quit?

I already complained once to get out of the Dispatch & Rescue Unit.

If I do it again, Agent Bronze—who already seems a bit awkward around me—might just sigh in relief and encourage me to switch careers altogether.

‘No way!’

That’d be the worst possible route for a spy.

So I changed strategies.

“Um, but… I’m not in a condition to drive.”

“……”

Lowering my head and playing the part of the pitiful rookie, I glanced at my empty right arm.

Yes.

‘They wouldn’t actually make someone drive with one arm… right?!’

Unless someone had trained that way from the start, how the hell is a person supposed to drive with a ghost, at 2 a.m., after suddenly losing an arm?!

This should naturally get me reassigned to something else, but…

“That won’t be an issue.”

……

“Pardon me?”

Agent Bronze looked at me with a faint smile—the first I’d seen in days.

“It’s time you receive treatment for your arm.”

Ah.

Thinking about it now, it made perfect sense.

The bureau wasn’t stupid enough to just throw someone with one arm behind the wheel.

Before starting this task, it was only natural they’d do something about my missing right arm.

‘Should I laugh or cry?’

Honestly, I kinda wanna cry.

Thanks to that, though, I finally got to enter the main facilities of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau with Agent Bronze.

‘I can’t believe I’m actually getting to do this.’

“This way.”

“Yes…!”

I followed Agent Bronze, not into the bustling city hall where civil servants were hard at work, but instead around the back, down the narrow alley between City Hall and the Seoul Library.

The shadows of both buildings made the path dim.

As we walked past the unmanned library book return kiosk at the rear of the Seoul Library…

‘Here.’

A glass walkway connecting the two buildings stretched overhead.

Stepping beneath that bridge…

Shiiing.

The metal badge I wore gleamed and reflected faintly onto the narrow flowerbed beneath the library window.

And then, a door that had not been visible revealed itself.

“…!!”

The flowerbed widened and deepened, and a hidden space emerged. A clean, opaque glass door with a nameplate.

[ Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau ]

“Please enter.”

And so, in the narrow path between Seoul City Hall and the Seoul Library—where countless pedestrians passed by without noticing, we entered the hidden headquarters of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau through that secret door.

For the record, it was an automatic door.

‘Whoa.’

And inside… surprisingly, it looked just like a typical government office.

A slightly aged interior, with people of various ages in business attire walking around doing their jobs.

Though, the conversations being exchanged were anything but ordinary.

“How many people died?”

“Fifteen.”

“What the hell’s going on at Dobong District lately? That damn haunted phone booth just won’t stop…”

Everyone was moving in a hurry.

And occasionally, strange lights or shadows followed behind them, Perfectly capturing the eerie public-institution atmosphere of this ghost story world.

“The bureau’s main facilities are located underground. They say it’s much harder to hide things above ground.”

“I see…”

I stepped into the elevator with Agent Bronze.

It looked like a typical, moderately outdated modern elevator, But instead of buttons for floors, there was a keypad input system.

‘Probably so people can’t easily tell how many underground floors there are…’

[07]

Agent Bronze quickly entered the code.

“The Equipment Management Unit is on B7.”

We got off at Basement Level 7, which had the exact same layout as B1, and went straight to the door at the end of the hall.

[Supernatural Equipment Registration Room]

As we entered, a middle-aged civil servant seated alone in the small office looked up and greeted us with recognition.

“Ah, Agent Bronze! Just in time, the senior in your team was asking… Oh, is this the new recruit?”

“…Yes. That’s right.”

“Hello…! I go by Agent Grapes……”

“Ahaha, I see. Nice to meet you! I’m Oh Jeong-hye, administrative officer in the Equipment Management Division. I’m not a field agent, so I don’t have a codename.”

The middle-aged officer smiled and led me and Agent Bronze deeper inside.

She opened a door that looked like a display case made of old wood in a deep hue… revealing shelves stretching far inward like a warehouse.

“…!”

“Now then, what you’ll be issued today, Agent Grapes…”

Her voice gradually faded behind me, and the warehouse ahead grew darker.

“This one!”

Twinkle.

Something glinted, like moonlight hitting glass.

I looked at the item on the nearest shelf.

A worn and cracked glass lantern.

But so delicately crafted that light shimmered through the fine glasswork.

And at its center, a pale blue flame flickered wildly as if it had noticed me.

“This dokkaebi flame just came in today. It’s full of energy! Says it’s super excited to help you.”

Oh my god.

This turned out to be the coolest, most anticipated method possible.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau / Items

Dokkaebi Flame Lantern

A glass lantern imbued with a will-o’-wisp, consecrated with sacred energy over a hundred days.

Usually inhabited by a mischievous yet kind spirit, the wisp cools itself and trains while residing within.

The item adapts to the user and follows them as a natural accessory, sometimes even serving as a substitute limb.

When compatibility is high, the user can access several of the dokkaebi flame’s playful tricks.

Usage Condition : Available only to Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau civil servants who have received authorization for its use.

----------------------------------------

“Would you like to try it now?”

With a trembling left hand, I carefully accepted the glass lantern.

In that moment, the glass collapsed.

“……!”

The shattered transparent lantern reassembled my missing right arm with a crisp sound, like piecing together ice shards.

Then, as the dokkaebi flame enveloped it…

“It worked!”

…my arm transformed into a normal, intact one.

I moved it.

…It responded perfectly.

No pain at all.

‘Wow.’

Of all phenomena categorized as ghost stories, this one was among the warmest and most comforting I’d ever encountered.

It feels more like something from a folktale or legend.

I flexed my right hand. It moved by my will but still felt strangely cool and soft.

Then, suddenly, my right thumb shot up on its own.

“…?!”

“Ah, it’s got a bit of a mischievous streak. But that’ll probably help you on the job. Haha!”

“…Yes, ma’am.”

So this is what even civil servants become like after being immersed in the ghost story world…

And so, I filled the void of my right arm with the spiritual energy of a dokkaebi flame.

Of course, it wasn’t permanent.

“We didn’t personalize it with your birth sign or perform a dedicated consecration ritual, so it’ll revert to a lantern after three days. When that happens, just come back for a recharge.”

Yeah, I figured as much. They wouldn’t hand over a custom-made, official dokkaebi flame lantern to a rookie right off the bat.

What I got was probably more like a shared, general-purpose item than the real thing that lets you use proper dokkaebi tricks.

‘If they handed these out freely, the bureau would be OP and collapse the balance in the Dark Exploration Records.’

“You must want a custom version made, right? That requires a full consecration ritual, which you can’t get with this temporary issue. You’d have to pass a dokkaebi’s trials, too… Goodness, it’s powerful but no easy task.”

That kind of treatment was reserved for aces or team leaders within the bureau anyway.

‘Having a reason to use a healing potion mid-mission will be helpful, though.’

At any rate, I bowed my head and thanked the two supervising officers who helped me complete the issuance paperwork.

“Thank you very much.”

“Oh, no need for that.”

And the administrative officer from the Equipment Management Division gave me a tip with a wink over her glasses.

“Agent Bronze has never gone this far to take care of a rookie before.”

“…!”

“He always works himself to the bone without showing it. He’s admirable, but sometimes it’s a bit sad to watch… I’m glad to see he’s getting along well with you.”

“Ah, thank… you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

…Whether we were really getting along or not, I wasn’t sure. But after spending time with him today, he definitely seemed more courteous and attentive than I’d expected.

Maybe he’d had time to sort out his thoughts while I was hospitalized?

‘Maybe he decided he should treat me decently, even if it’s uncomfortable, since he kind of owes me his life.’

Either way, I was genuinely grateful.

On our way back, Agent Bronze had said this to me.

– It may take time, but someday… let’s find you a personalized dokkaebi flame of your own, too.

– …Thank you, sir.

It was honestly kind of fascinating. I couldn’t help but wonder what form mine would take.

‘If I can use a dokkaebi’s tricks too, escaping ghost stories might become way easier.’

Of course, the odds of that happening were low. My spy assignment would likely end before then. And frankly, it’d be better for me if it did. But it was still a fun thought.

…Even if it felt extremely strange to have a right arm that wasn’t really mine.

……And even if I was now stuck waiting until dawn to serve as a ghost’s personal cabbie.

‘Save me.’

I endured the wait in silence, suppressing my groan.

Now that I had both arms, I couldn’t wheedle myself out of driving.

‘Guh, hiic…’

Time passed mercilessly, and at last… the moment came.

2:00 a.m.

Darkness loomed over the Express Bus Terminal Station.

Of course, it also had to be drizzling.

The regular operation hours of public transportation had long since ended, the crowds had vanished, and silence settled in.

Only a few taxis like mine were parked in a row, taking advantage of the night surcharge and the absence of other transport options.

“……”

I gripped the steering wheel tightly.

Three civilians were trapped and unable to escape after seeing a ghost in the restroom near Express Bus Terminal Station. At around 12:45 a.m., they were safely rescued and returned to reality.

Now, if the ghost is safely returned to its original location, the supernatural phenomenon will conclude.

And the person tasked with ‘safely returning the ghost to its original location’… was me.

‘Agent Bronze said he’ll be waiting at the destination.’

Huu…

Alone in the silent car, I took a deep breath.

Although the ghost has already lost its chosen offering, it cannot cause direct harm to the driver. However, various strange phenomena may occur inside the vehicle. Do not panic and respond calmly.

Now, let me explain the vehicle assigned to you.

And that’s how I ended up in this four-seater taxi with at least two number 8s on its license plate.

As I was sitting in that very car, I could barely hold it together behind the wheel.

The ghost will check the license plate at the taxi stand, then board the vehicle assigned to you.

Eventually.

From the looming darkness outside, a long-haired figure appeared, peering into the windshield.

She was… bowing her head low, staring at the license plate.

“…!”

I tried my hardest to keep my hands from shaking on the wheel, pretending to stay calm.

If the driver shows signs of agitation, the ghost may leave the taxi.

In that case, the Disaster will not conclude. Please be careful.

The long-haired silhouette staggered oddly toward the passenger side.

Then—

Knock, knock.

I unlocked the door.

A person with her face nearly hidden by their long hair and dressed in a faded, seasonally inappropriate summer outfit got in.

As they entered, they mumbled,

“Please take me to Sajiyuk Cemetery…”

Click.

The passenger door closed.

“Understood.”

“This car’s number is nice. The number is… goodeighteighteighteighteighteighteighteightgoodeighteighteighteight…”

I nearly passed out.

“Is that so.”

Doing my best to sound composed, I tapped the destination into the navigation system.

Sajiyuk… Ceme…tery…

– Search complete.

A location with a name too strange to be real was, shockingly, found. The GPS began guiding the route.

– Estimated arrival time: 4:04 a.m.

“……”

Two hours.

I barely pressed down on the pedal.

The car started moving, leaving the Express Bus Terminal behind…

Vrrrrrrr…

The engine was the only sound left in the car.

Now I had to sit in this cramped space with a ghost for the next two hours.

While driving. Without getting into an accident.

“……”

“……”

A strange chill crept through the car.

The plaster air freshener on the dashboard swayed, but instead of a floral scent, it gave off something else.

The smell of something burning.

Suffocating silence.

– Turn left in 200 meters.

My hands on the wheel almost twitched.

Even the emotionless voice of the navigation system sent shivers down my spine.

“……”

I did my best not to let my emotions show. More precisely, not to look to my side.

But the less I looked, the more terrifying it became. Sweat gathered on my palms, and I couldn’t focus properly on the dark road ahead.

Maybe it would be better to just look! Not knowing just made it worse! The imagination, the pressure… it’s unbearable!

‘Just a little, just a little.’

“……”

I glanced at the passenger seat.

The long-haired woman was sitting quietly…

With her neck was twisted around.

“I can’t breathe.”

I focused on the steering wheel.

“Something’s chasing us!”

Eyes fixed on the road.

Cold sweat clung to the back of my neck.

I couldn’t stop picturing what I had just seen. Her head completely twisted, her face crushed against the headrest, only the back of her head visible under all that black hair…

“Hey! Driver, I said something’s chasing us! Look behind you, behind you!”

BEHIND YOU!

I turned my head.

And…

“……Ah. It’s another vehicle.”

I checked the side mirror.

“Don’t worry, ma’am. There aren’t many cars on the road right now, so I guess that one’s just speeding. I’ll keep driving safely.”

“Ah, yeeees drive safe, drive safe—”

“……”

I didn’t look at the passenger seat again.

I didn’t look behind me either.

I tried my hardest, so hard, not to look anywhere…

‘This isn’t gonna work.’

Ha. This is driving me absolutely insane. I can’t, I really can’t…

I need some sound. Anything.

“Would it be alright if I turn on the radio?”

“Yes.”

I forced my frozen hand forward and turned on the radio.

Turning on the radio will temporarily calm the ghost passenger.

[Welcome to the late-night romance that keeps you company through the deep hours. Hello, this is Kim Miyeong’s Deep Night Romance Radio.]

The smooth, stable voice of the radio DJ briefly drove back the fear.

‘Huu.’

I could finally breathe.

But the radio wasn’t a cure-all.

Though it resembles a real radio broadcast, the longer you listen, the more unsettling the content becomes.

Traffic accidents dated a week into the future, condolences for disasters that haven’t happened, interviews with the dead, and so on.

It is recommended to leave the station on the initial broadcast. The more you change frequencies, the stranger—and more horrifying—the content is likely to become.

This was the reason I hadn’t turned it on earlier.

I only played it now as a last resort, and I was still prepared to shut it off at a moment’s notice. Please, please, please, just let this buy me a little peace…

[Now, let’s welcome today’s guest! This is a program I personally enjoy watching—yes, it’s the Late-Night Talk Show!]

“……!”

[We have a legendary host in the radio booth tonight. Everyone, please give him a warm welcome!]

[Host of ‘Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show’, the incredible and marvelous Braun!]

…Wait a minute.

Chapter 150 - Ghost taxi, II

Just now on the radio… Did the DJ really just say the name of a certain ghost-story talk show host I know well?

For a moment there, I thought I was hallucinating.

Driving to a cemetery at 2 a.m. with a ghost in the passenger seat while listening to the radio. It felt like a reasonable delusion under the circumstances.

But then, a voice came through the speakers.

[Oh dear, I hardly know what to do with such praise!]

“……”

A familiar voice.

[Truly, it’s a pleasure to be here. Let me share my story with utmost sincerity…]

I need to turn it off.

No matter how you look at it, listening to an A-grade or higher ghost story declare it’ll speak with ‘utmost sincerity’ is not a good idea.

Especially not when a ghost is sitting right next to me…

‘Wait, no. Hold on.’

If I think about it another way, wouldn’t it actually help distract me?

“Kekekekekekekekekekekeradiofunnykekekekeke”

…the ghost in the passenger seat let out a laugh.

Or, no, it wasn’t really laughing.

It was mimicking the sound of laughter, like onomatopoeia.

Mocking, unsettling, twisted.

A purely instinctive kind of fear.

‘Ha.’

In the end, I froze mid-motion, hand hovering over the radio.

The soft-spoken DJ and the upbeat talk show host were having a friendly exchange.

I focused on that, kept my eyes on the dark road ahead, and drove.

[I heard that the Purgatory Choir recently sent the Late-Night Talk Show band a special instrument. Rumor has it that it was a gift of apology and gratitude. Whether it’s sincere or…]

Typical banter for when a famous talk show host guests on a radio show.

Catching up, current events, inside jokes, fan questions.

All of it followed the usual format, But when you really listened, there was something off, something unsettling.

Nouns that didn’t fit the verbs. Impossible details. Words stitched together to form something grotesque.

[Whether the heart or the brain is the true seat of love—our next guest has taken a delicate look into it. Their skill with dissection was impressive! Definitely please, tune in next time.]

[Oh, absolutely! Thank you. Look forward to it…]

“……”

Cold sweat gathered on my left palm gripping the wheel.

At some point… the ghost started staring at me.

Just staring.

“Um… are you enjoying it?”

“……”

“I asked if it’s fun.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I was trying to focus on the road, so I only caught bits of it… but the host really is a smooth talker.”

“Heeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehee.”

I’m going insane.

And the broadcast continued, sweet and calm:

[The Late-Night Talk Show always brings excitement, fear, and joy. But when you’re not running the show, Mr. Braun, what hobbies do you enjoy?]

[Ah! Hobbies… Piano, selecting a fine wine, a good bath—such things are dear companions to life. It’s a chronic affliction of entertainers, choosing only the most inspiring hobbies. And…] [Chatting with a good friend is always a joy.]

“……”

[A friend of yours, Mr. Braun? Can we hear more? Maybe a call—**aaAAAH**—or something like that…]

Holy shit.

[Ah, sadly, we’ve fallen out of touch recently. A phone call might be difficult.]

[Oh my, that’s a shame.]

[Ah, my heart aches with the loss! But fortunately…] [I do happen to know a few details about my friend’s recent activities.]

My throat went dry.

“Excuse me.”

[Apparently he joined a barbecue event at a supermarket. And even bought an ugly plush toy. Can you believe it? So silly, so charming. And…]

“It’s a little loud… Could you please turn it down?”

My hand reached for the radio, trembling.

[He’s using glass in place of an arm now!]

“……”

[Oh dear, glass? Isn’t that far too fragile to function properly? **Should I say that? Please tell me that’s what I should say?** Isn’t that so?]

[Oh, most certainly. I’m terribly concerned… especially when a foolish and useless creature is stuck to the glass as well!]

A stream of cold sweat ran down my back.

[What a pitiful—]

I finally managed to hit the power button.

Click.

“……”

“……”

A moment of silence.

[—decision indeed! Heavens!]

But the radio came back on by itself.

[How sad that I can’t reach my friend due to unfortunate circumstances. I do wish I could tell him this…]

“Why isn’t the radio turning off? You’re being so rude. Um, if you’re not going to turn it off, could you please let me out…… I need to get out, please open the door…”

Then, the ghost’s voice dropped to a whisper.

“And help me down too I can’t do it alone… I don’t have feet”

“……”

[Can we confirm if it’s possible to reach him?]

I turned my head.

Only then did I see it. The ghost in the passenger seat had no legs.

More precisely, both legs ended in ragged, torn stumps at the ankles.

It was just pretending to walk by dragging those along.

“I can’t walk on my own… I have to go with you”

Drip, drip.

Blood was falling.

Or rather, it must have been trickling down all along.

From beneath the passenger seat, now soaked, blood began to pour out like mad, Spreading across the floor, seeping past the edge of the seat.

It kept flowing all the way to the driver’s side, over my shoes, over the pedals…

[Hmm, just a moment.]

“……”

[I suppose there’s no need to confirm it now. My friend must be doing his best as well.]

The voice deepened.

[Ah, the famous saying comes to mind: ‘Heaven helps those who help themselves.’ Across many cultures, similar phrases persist like a kind of magic. And in that sense…] [A friend doing his best surely deserves a bit of special help, too.]

That warm, composed voice continued.

[You may turn off the radio now, **Friend**.]

“……”

[Oh, look. We have a guest.]

SCREEEEECH.

I barely managed to step on the brake in time.

I almost hit something.

‘Haa.’

A hand had appeared against the windshield, like a hitchhiker’s with a thumb raised.

My right arm, the dokkaebi flame, mimicked the same thumbs-up gesture… then lowered it.

No.

Cold sweat ran down my back.

Apparently, I’d accidentally turned the radio off while fumbling for the wheel.

“Oh? A person… It’s a person, right?”

The ghost beside me seemed to have shifted her attention.

…To the potential passenger outside.

If a passenger tries to join mid-ride, it’s better not to refuse. Let them sit in the back quietly.

Refusals have led to cases where the ghost follows the new passenger off the vehicle.

Knock knock.

A hand tapped on the back row’s window, then awkwardly opened the door.

It’s important to note that there have been cases where the hitchhiking ‘passenger’ will not be human.

Remember, agent, the vehicle you’re driving is itself a supernatural entity. It’s possible something strange will attempt to board.

In such cases, you may refuse for your own safety. Always remember, your life comes first.

‘Haa.’

Please, just please don’t get in.

The blood was still pooling all across the front floor.

If this person screamed and ran off, I wouldn’t even need to say a word.

If they were normal, maybe they’d just walk away without me having to refuse…

“Excuse me.”

“……”

A calm voice spoke.

“Um… is this how you do it… Please take me to Seoul Station where I can ride the express train…”

………

Why is he here.

Reflected faintly in the front mirror, pale complexion, scruffy light-colored hair, a slim frame, and a face that looked perpetually bored and exhausted.

‘J3.’

A sergeant of the Security Team at Daydream Inc. was trying to board my taxi, his voice full of apathy.

‘What the actual hell.’

Members of the Security Team were allowed out at night after dark, but what was he doing here, in the middle of a mountain road, no less? And what the heck’s at Seoul Station…

Maybe because the taxi had become part of a ghost story, it drew in someone contaminated?

I didn’t know. What mattered most was… this.

—The sergeant must have been told that I died a month ago.

‘…Did he recognize me?’

Did he realize who I was?

No, my head was down, messy hair over my eyes, glasses on, and he could only see the back of my head.

Odds were low.

Stay calm. Stay calm…

“Um, there’s already a passenger. I need to drop her off first.”

“That’s fine.”

His tone was indifferent, even though the car smelled heavily of incense and blood.

“Ohohoho onemorepersonjoinedonemore. I’m so happy.”

“Ah, what a relief… Alright, I’ll hop in……”

The sergeant gently sat in the backseat and closed the door.

“……”

“Um… why aren’t we moving……?”

Haa.

I started the car.

‘I’m going insane.’

I resumed the route in silence.

– Speed-check zone ahead.

I slowed down.

“Please drive faster……”

The ghost’s whisper came from the passenger seat, still flat and lifeless in tone.

I wanted to get out of this nightmare as quickly as possible too, but I couldn’t.

If you break traffic laws, the ghost will clap its hands with delight, then attempt to cause a crash. Afterward, it will try to exit the vehicle. Do not let it.

Haa…

“…We might get caught speeding, ma’am, so please hang in there a little longer.”

“……”

The limp, long hair turned toward me.

I felt her gaze.

“Excuse me.”

“Excuse me… I said hurry up.”

“It’s chasing us from behind, don’t you see it?”

“I can see it. Huh? It’s gonna catch us… Ah, caught.”

THUD.

A red handprint splattered against the passenger-side window.

Thudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthud…

Handprints bloomed on every window.

The windshield. The rearview mirror. Thick, bloody marks streaked and smeared down like dripping blood.

…Inside the car.

Then I realized.

These handprints weren’t being pressed from outside.

They were being stamped from within, as if something inside was slapping the windows, trying to get out.

“……”

A chill of sweat ran down the back of my neck.

The ghost in the passenger seat began to tilt her head… tilting further, unnaturally, until up and down reversed.

Her chin pointed toward the roof, and her mouth came into view…

“I want out. Hurry, or I’ll get out. Hurry, drive fast—”

“Ahem.”

A soft cough echoed from the backseat

You are quite rude

A massive black tongue shot out from behind the passenger seat, dripping saliva as it swallowed the whole seat in one gulp.

“……!”

Crunch. The ghost’s long black hair snapped as a monstrous tongue, jagged teeth jutting in all directions, and a twisted eyeball with a long snout engulfed the entire front seat.

“Rude little lamb… Pig… Red child…”

The beast grew larger.

Its gaping maw started creeping toward the driver’s seat, sharp claws unsheathed.

My hands on the wheel trembled, and then, at that moment.

– Approaching destination.

“……”

“……”

I managed to speak.

“We’re almost there.”

The shadow paused.

Silence.

Stillness.

And then…

“Ah… Sorry……”

Everything vanished.

“……”

The interior of the car was completely empty.

The grotesque, inhuman maw—gone. As if none of it had ever existed. Only a hollow, eerie silence remained.

The ghost in the passenger seat was still there.

“……”

She sat blankly, dazed, staring into space, as if under a spell.

…Which was unsettling in its own way.

Suppressing the crawling sensation up my spine, I barely maintained steady driving.

A few seconds later.

– You have arrived at **Sajiyuk Cemetery**. This concludes the navigation guide.

The GPS stuttered and shut off.

…In the middle of a mountain road.

The headlights illuminated a sign just ahead.

DANGER!

※ Beware of Falling ※

Do not lean or climb.

There was a cliff ahead.

‘Haa.’

Holding back trembling, I reached to unlock the passenger-side door.

“We’ve arrived, ma’am.”

As I slowly turned my head…

There was no one in the passenger seat.

No pool of blood below, no burnt scent, no eerie laughter.

“……”

If the ghost disappears at the destination, you’ve successfully completed the mission.

Signal the handler waiting at the site, then surrender the taxi to a purification specialist before sunrise.

Thank you for your service.

Huu.

I finally let go of the steering wheel.

Just then, someone gently tapped on the driver’s side window.

Knock knock.

…It’s Agent Bronze!

“Just a moment, uh, um, officer!”

After addressing Agent Bronze as a police officer instead, I hurriedly rolled down the window and stuck my head out, lowering my voice as I glanced toward the back seat.

“There’s… another passenger.”

“…!”

“I’ll drop him off quickly and come right back.”

“…! Understood.”

Fortunately, Agent Bronze seemed to interpret my panic as a rookie agent flustered by civilian involvement, and let me go.

I raised the window and drove away from the strange cliffside.

In the side mirror, I caught a flash of something bizarre gleaming at that Sajiyuk Cemetery……

“……”

Haa.

I did it.

I didn’t pass out…!

I had nearly screamed at the ghost mid-trip, begging her to please kindly get out.

‘My hands are still shaking.’

It had been a nightmare, but at least it was over without a crash or death.

Now, I just had to drop off the sergeant…

Right. He said Seoul Station, right?

I could just babble on about seeing a ghost along the way, play it off like nonsense.

I glanced at the back seat.

Still, that thing earlier… it was terrifying, but in the end, it helped me.

‘If things were still the same, I probably would have stopped by with a thank-you gift or something.’

Like donuts, the kind the sergeant liked.

Now though, he wouldn’t even recognize me, so I should just chatter on about ghosts, play my role as the cab driver, and—

“…So you were alive.”

……!

“What a relief…”

Ah.

Chapter 151 - Phone Booth Disaster, I

…The phrase ‘What a relief that you’re alive’ carried two implied premises.

That he knew who the other person is.

And that he had assumed that person was dead.

All of it pointed back to one thing.

The Security Team’s sergeant had recognized me, the one sitting in the taxi driver’s seat, as Supervisor Kim Soleum of the Field Exploration Team who had been declared deceased.

‘……Since when?’

I checked the sergeant sitting in the back seat through the rearview mirror. He was wearing his worn security uniform as if they were civilian clothes, cap pulled low.

I couldn’t see his face clearly.

But somehow… he seemed relieved.

Suddenly, I remembered what Supervisor Park Minseong had said.

– Sergeant Jay from the Security Team asked about you sometimes… I didn’t say you got lost in a Darkness or anything… but a few days ago, he seemed to have figured it out already.

…Given his years of experience as a sergeant in the Security Team, he would’ve seen plenty of rookies from Daydream Inc.’s Field Exploration Team vanish.

Still, maybe because we were acquainted, he’d worried about me……

‘I’m grateful. And sorry.’

And on top of that, it was surprising how he recognized me and still played it cool, quietly waiting without saying a word.

Of course, given that I was currently playing the role of corporate spy, this wasn’t exactly a heartwarming reunion.

Anyway, Director Ho already seemed to suspect that the D-squad knew I was alive. I couldn’t afford to make things worse.

‘The sergeant’s not the type to run around blabbing about seeing me, anyway.’

A subtle hint when he gets off the taxi, asking him to keep it quiet, would be enough.

Once I’d sorted it all out in my head, I spoke in the most taxi-driver-like, friendly voice I could muster.

“Oh man, what a ride… Thought my heart was going to give out. So, sir. You said you’re headed to Seoul Station, right? It’ll take about 40 minutes to get—”

“Ah, that… It’s fine. I don’t need to go.”

“……Pardon, sir?”

I instinctively glanced at the mirror to look at the sergeant.

He met my eyes in the reflection, smiling faintly.

“No reason to go anymore, I guess…?”

“……”

Wait a second.

– Um… is this how you do it… Please take me to Seoul Station where I can ride the express train…

Express train. Seoul Station.

…That place is also the publicly known departure point for Tamra Express into the Darkness—the very one I’d been reported missing in.

‘No way.’

No, that couldn’t be. I kept my eyes fixed on the road ahead.

And yet… I ended up speaking.

“…Ah, did you decide to meet the person somewhere else?”

“That’s not it… I already met them.”

“……”

“It’s okay…”

Ah, damn it.

He really did come looking for me?

‘The guy who’s not even allowed outside except at night.’

It’s been over a month since I went missing. Everyone had given up hope and processed me as dead.

And yet, this guy… just because we were somewhat acquainted, he came chasing traces of me before dawn to catch the express train. That’s…

Maybe it’s because I know his backstory. Before he was assigned to the Security Team, he was a named squad leader of the B squad. Somehow, that made it even more touching.

And it made me think.

“……”

If it’s to this extent… maybe he’s trustworthy.

‘…He was never the type to be blindly loyal or passionate about the company anyway.’

If that’s the case.

I decided to double-check.

“Ah, sir. Are you maybe out on assignment? Does the company reimburse the fare or maybe track your location for reports…?”

“Umm…… No. They don’t.”

The sergeant answered firmly.

“They don’t really care enough to do that now… And these days, they’re more lenient about going out, too.”

“……”

Alright.

“Then… before sunrise, would you like to take a little drive with me?”

“……!”

I turned off the car’s built-in navigation and pulled up a new route on my personal phone.

The destination… a location accessible through the keywords: ‘공감.주목.장난감’. (T/N: ‘Empathy, Attention, Toy.’)

The lab where Daydream Inc.’s prototype device was stored.

I parked the taxi at the destination.

As soon as I got out with the sergeant, I called out to him.

“Jay-ssi.”

The sergeant looked up instantly. Not in surprise, but almost with relief.

“Ah, so the taxi wasn’t contaminated by the Darkness…”

“…Pardon?”

“The express train… sometimes you get contaminated while riding it, and… um… you end up reassigned to other transport, like as a driver or something…?”

“……”

Hold on.

Did he seriously think I’d been so contaminated by a ghost story that I became a ghost story taxi driver, and just played along the whole time?!

‘If I’d pushed too hard, he might’ve tried to yeet me out of the car.’

Cold sweat ran down my back.

Good thing that misunderstanding didn’t go too far, and he got out when he did.

“It’s nothing. Still… Thank you for worrying about me.”

“Yes… What a relief…”

‘I almost had the rare experience of walking straight into the maw of a ghost story…’

I let out a sigh of relief inwardly and locked the car door after the sergeant stepped out.

Then suddenly, a question popped into my mind.

“Um, but… why did you suddenly hail a taxi in the mountains?”

Don’t tell me… he tried walking to Seoul Station from the mountains and got lost…

“The mountain?”

A confused voice.

“I… was in front of the company.”

“…?!”

The explanation that followed was this.

As expected, the sergeant had been dazedly walking from in front of the company toward Seoul Station.

It was so early that all public transportation had stopped, and apparently he’d forgotten how to call a taxi.

And then he saw it.

A taxi that oddly stood out to the eye.

“And I heard the radio…”

“…!!”

“Hearing the radio, um… reminded me of the time I took a taxi before…”

So, though clumsy, he’d impulsively followed the taxi and managed to catch it.

……There was only one possible explanation for this entire story.

‘…Braun!’

Distorted time and space, and the spotlight.

If it was the handiwork of the showbiz ghost story host, then no wonder it left such a chilling impression.

And the way the sergeant recognized me was just as striking…

“The smell.”

“……!”

“I have a good nose…”

A remark that, to anyone watching, would be extremely convincing coming from someone tainted by an animal ghost story with a snout…

In any case, I had a rough grasp of the situation now. I shook my head once and moved closer to show him something.

“This way, please.”

A door disguised as a manhole cover, propped up against a wall in an alley.

“It would be better to go inside and talk in more detail.”

Then I opened the door and headed down.

“Oh…”

The sergeant followed behind with a lifeless murmur, but the moment he saw the lab’s nameplate, he froze for a second.

Dream Incubation Chamber.

“……”

“This is… the company……”

“I don’t think so.”

I opened the lab door and let the sergeant see inside.

“But it does seem to be connected.”

“……!”

Among the people I know, he had worked the longest at the company, was deeply involved, but had no particular personal stake.

The former squad leader of elite B-squad quietly lowered his gaze as he looked at the fundamental research lab of Daydream Inc.’s pharmaceutical tech.

“Jay-ssi, is there anything here that catches your eye?”

Rather than his usual sluggish motions, which had shown not even a drop of enthusiasm, the sergeant moved swiftly and precisely through the lab.

Even his eyes seemed like someone else’s.

“Well, there are some unusual items here, so I hope you won’t overexert yourself.”

There was no reply.

He even tried to skim through the research journal I had once tossed away in exhaustion, but when a grotesque black shadow tried to leap out over him again, I freaked out and snatched it away.

“……”

“……”

Only after that whole inspection ended did the sergeant finally speak.

“…Um, this place… who told you about it? A company employee?”

“No, I happened to find a clue in another ghost story. When I looked into it, strangely enough, it didn’t seem to belong to Daydream Inc.”

“……”

“Even though it clearly looks like a prototype made with the same technology.”

The sergeant affirmed this with silence.

“Do you have any idea what this place might be? Even if it’s just a suspicion or a partial guess.”

“…Hmm.”

The sergeant glanced around the lifeless, seemingly abandoned lab space, then opened his mouth with a peculiar expression.

“You know… have you heard of the company disposing of Darknesses?”

…!!

“No.”

But I actually had.

I’d directly witnessed how that plot device was updated several times to become more coherent.

But since it would be too odd for a rookie to know such things, it was better to hear it directly from the sergeant.

“What do you mean by disposing of Darknesses?”

“I mean… even if someone clears it, if Essence can’t be extracted from it anymore… they throw it out…”

“……”

“Because it’s no longer useful…”

That’s right.

Ghost stories that, from Daydream Inc.’s perspective, no longer yield any productivity.

When a Darkness loses its supernatural presence, Dream Essence can no longer be harvested from it.

In such cases, after the deletion procedure of its registration number, it’s discarded, although some are recycled through research or recharge processes.

Here, ‘loses its supernatural presence’ typically means that too much exploration data has accumulated and the manual is overly complete.

‘They’ve fully mapped out the ghost story.’

The sense of the extraordinary and mysterious fades, and employees just handle it like routine, without tension.

Once all its mechanisms are revealed and there’s no longer anything creepy or left to imagine, that ghost story becomes reality.

Just a slightly dangerous reality.

No different from a high-risk industrial site.

Of course, since it was originally a ghost story, it might still retain some eerie traits that could act as an unnatural trigger.

Like that blood and filth-covered research journal the sergeant was now tapping with his fingers.

“This kind of thing too… It just feels like one of those discarded Darknesses…”

Hmm.

Then there’s a high chance this space itself was originally a ghost story.

If I piece it all together…

‘Daydream Inc. extracted pharmaceutical technology from this ghost story… and in the process of wringing it dry, the ghost story itself disappeared… is that it?’

In any case, the fact that this place had now become relatively safe was good information.

“And this…”

The Security Sergeant picked up the card key placed in front of the Dream Incubator.

The ID I had found on the corpse of the deceased researcher.

Cheerful Researcher

■ ■ ■

“This says… ‘Cheerful’, right…?”

“That’s how I read it too.”

“Ah, I thought so.”

The sergeant fiddled with the card key and spoke slowly, gaze lowered.

“Then by any chance… do you know ‘Cheerful Research Institute’?”

“…!”

The moment I heard that specific name.

I realized.

Why the name ‘Cheerful’ had felt strangely familiar.

‘…Cheerful Research Institute!’

From the mysterious candle kit I had to the theme park ghost story I previously investigated.

It was the origin of those ghost stories I’d repeatedly come across but dismissed as incidental worldbuilding tidbits.

A name that had shown up several times even in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

A ghost story maker.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Factions

Cheerful Research Institute

A strange group that produces toy-themed ghost stories. Their size, personnel, and purpose are all unknown.

Products from the Cheerful Research Institute appear in various places, from ghost story shopping platforms like Delusion Home Shopping, Space Shopping Mall, Today’s Catalogue, to old rural attics.

They’re often registered as Darknesses with Daydream Inc. The most famous example is that theme park.

----------------------------------------

“Um… There are ghost stories that produce other ghost stories… and the company kind of favors those…” the sergeant explained.

That Cheerful Research Institute is a name you can come across fairly often within Daydream Inc.

And then came something new to me.

“I heard about how the very first Darkness the company ever registered had the Cheerful Research Institute tag too.”

Huh?

“…Do you know what that Darkness was?”

“No idea. I only overheard the executives talking about it… that it had already been discarded……”

Holy shit.

“You… remember all that?”

The sergeant gazed at me blankly.

“When it comes to the company, I remember everything… all of it.”

“……”

“Other things… I’ve forgotten a lot of this and that……”

“…Would you like to remember them again?”

The sergeant pressed down his cap.

“Not really… They weren’t all good memories.”

“……”

Maybe he only thinks that because he’s forgotten.

“I understand. Still, if the opportunity comes someday, wouldn’t it be nice to look for the good memories? Like a really tasty meal or a fun place.”

“Mmh.”

The sergeant’s voice brightened slightly.

“That… might not be so bad.”

“Right?”

I nodded with a smile.

“Thank you for kindly explaining all this despite being dragged to such a strange place. I doubt there are many employees who know that the first ghost story Daydream Inc. registered had the Cheerful Research Institute tag…”

“You’re probably not supposed to know it in the first place…”

“……”

Ack.

The sergeant brought his index finger to his lips.

“So don’t spread it around… unless you want a visit from the Security Team…”

A chill ran down my spine.

“Of course… Mr. Roe Deer… Since you played dead and slipped away…… it might take the Security Team a while to find you.”

“…?!”

Played dead…? Oh, right.

“Uh, I didn’t actually escape the company…”

“…?!”

“I’m currently on Director Ho’s project team.”

I quickly explained my current situation. Skipped over the part about being missing inside a ghost story for a month, and focused on the fact that I was now being worked to the bone at the director’s task force.

“I applied because it seemed like the fastest way to get a Wish Ticket.”

“……”

“I’m not really supposed to say this either, so I’d appreciate it if you kept it secret.”

“There’s no one I can even tell…”

Oof.

The sergeant said something casually miserable, then stared into space as if deep in thought.

“Director Ho… All the executives in this company are out of their minds anyway…”

Yeah. I’m starting to get that too…

“Um, do you know Director Ho well?”

“No… Director Ho came in after I was already in the Security Team…”

Ah.

“I saw Director Cheong a few times… but that was ages ago……”

The sergeant looked around.

“Anyway… don’t tell the executives about this…”

“Of course.”

The staff member who originally discovered this facility and reported it was dead now. I had no intention of divulging this place either.

But at this point…

‘…Should I share a bit more clearly.’

I’d already gone ahead and shown this place to the sergeant. And despite how suspicious I must’ve looked, he’d continued to show trust and offer information.

‘Wouldn’t it be good to solidify that trust a bit more here.’

I should share what I know too.

After all, I’ve confirmed that he’s still a decent person—from the detailed records in the <Dark Exploration Records> to the real-life person right in front of me.

‘Alright.’

“…Jay-ssi, then could you take a look at this?”

I reactivated the Dream Incubator, which had been in sleep mode, using the card key.

Ziiing—

The panel and glass chamber lit up with a sound.

🥰🥸🤯🧐🤪🥱

“…!”

“If you press this, it seems to produce a syrup similar to Daydream’s potions.”

I showed the pipe mechanism, even explaining how the Dream Essence had been charged.

“It looks like we’ll be able to recharge Dream Essence separately going forward…”

“That.”

A light returned to the Security Sergeant’s eyes.

“Elite Team Collector.”

Ah.

“Yes. I acquired an unregistered one by chance.”

“……”

The sergeant cautiously reached out, gently touched the collector I was holding, then pulled his hand back.

“…I heard they don’t make these anymore……”

“……”

Had the sergeant used this type of collector back when he was in the B-squad?

“It won’t be tracked, right…?”

“Yes. It’s an item that was never registered with the company.”

“I see……”

The sergeant didn’t even ask where I’d gotten it.

He just stared at the collector, lost in nostalgia, before turning his gaze to the buttons on the Dream Incubator.

“…Do you recognize any of these emojis?”

“No… But the machine itself… it looks similar to what I saw at the company…”

“…!”

As expected.

“Does the company also produce potions with a similar machine?”

“Probably… Hmm.”

The sergeant looked at me and gave a faint smile.

“If you’re curious… should I look into it a bit…? Cheerful Research Institute… and other things……”

…!

“Wouldn’t that be dangerous?”

“……”

The sergeant’s face returned to its usual expressionless state. He spoke as if even shaking his head was too much effort.

“It’s not dangerous…”

Well, if you say so.

“Thank you.”

“Mmh…”

And with that, I gained an internal collaborator within the company.

The sergeant, a reliable—if lethargic—veteran.

Some time later.

“Get home safe, sergeant.”

“Yeah.”

Before the sun rose, the sergeant returned home safely.

And after finishing our conversation, I pressed a new emoji and obtained one potion.

For the record, the emoji I pressed was…

🤯

…I admit, it was a button I would never have pressed if I were alone.

Huu.

I had originally meant to give it to the sergeant as a token of thanks, but he rejected it with his usual dead-fish eyes.

– I… don’t really need something like that.

– …Right.

Let’s give him something else next time.

I absentmindedly fiddled with the glass bottle in my pocket as I saw the sergeant off.

…By the way, (not that it’s surprising), the sergeant didn’t even have a cell phone, let alone a smartphone.

So I bought a prepaid SIM at a convenience store, backed up my old phone, reset it, inserted the SIM, and handed it over to him.

And as soon as stores opened, I went out and bought myself a new phone.

“You can reach me through this number.”

“Okay…”

How should I put it. Aside from donuts, the man seemed completely devoid of any worldly desires…

‘Is that what it’s like to be deeply contaminated, I wonder.’

On my way to return the taxi, I dropped the sergeant off about a 12-minute walk from the company.

“Aaalrighty.”

And so, at last, my long night shift was over.

‘The Disaster Management Bureau task went smoothly too!’

I returned the taxi on time, got a favorable evaluation for carrying out my role without incident!

“Good work.”

“No, not at all…!”

It was hellish, but here, the right answer was to deny it. I bowed my head to Agent Bronze while ignoring the right hand that was giving me a proud thumbs-up.

Then, after a few days of proper rest during my off-duty period and finishing the associated paperwork…

“You’ll be working here today.”

Back at the Disaster Management Bureau headquarters, I encountered a familiar face.

Jang Heowoon.

“Ah…!”

My fellow recruit’s eyes lit up when he saw me, but he quickly bowed his head in a forced show of politeness.

The supervisor standing in front of him laughed and extended a hand to Agent Bronze beside me.

“It’s been a while, Agent Bronze. Ah, is this the new recruit?”

“Yes, yes…! I look forward to working with you!”

That’s right.

Today was the job I’d been waiting for. Site Cleanup Unit duty!

‘I’ll definitely prove I’m suited for this…!’

“……”

I failed to prove it.

Chapter 152 - Phone Booth Disaster, II

The beginning of this whole shitshow traces back to when I first reported in for duty with the Site Cleanup Unit.

Up until that point, everything had been going smoothly.

“Alright, time for introductions. This here is our new recruit, Agent Hwagak.”

A middle-aged woman with the air of a kindly scholar introduced me to Jang Heowoon, and we exchanged names as if it were our first time meeting.

“Pardon, um, I go by Grapes… N-Nice to meet you…”

“…?! Hrk—cough—yes…”

For some reason, Jang Heowoon nearly choked once, but things moved along smoothly, and everyone laughed and greeted each other in good spirits.

The team leader of Site Cleanup Unit’s Vermilion Bird Team 2, was chatting with Agent Bronze, and I could overhear them mention that I had requested to join their team—likely a nudge from Bronze’s side.

“Haha, our kid’s still a rookie too, so it’d be nice to have someone his age on the team.”

“Yes. I’ll do my best.”

Thank you, Agent Bronze…!

I did my best to look tense, hunching my shoulders like a nervous newbie, even though I was grinning like a fool inside. Jang Heowoon glanced at me and quickly redirected his gaze.

“Alright, today’s site… Yeah, it shouldn’t be too tough, so the two rookies should be just right for the job.”

The team leader gave us each a friendly pat on the shoulder.

“It’s a ghost story the Black Tortoise Team 1 just cleared during a civilian rescue. That team’s under Agent Bronze. Heard of them?”

“Yes…!”

I’ve heard more than enough to feel like I was being forced into that division at one point…

Anyway, Vermilion Bird Team 2’s leader gave us a clean and efficient briefing on today’s supernatural disaster site.

Even covered safety measures.

“If at any point you feel like you can’t handle it, speak up. Agent Grapes’s senior is on standby outside.”

“Thank you…!”

But that won’t be necessary.

I was absolutely going to complete this site cleanup perfectly! And wrap up the documentation just as flawlessly…!

Besides.

‘It’s a ghost story I’m familiar with.’

No, more than familiar. It was practically a friendly face. I didn’t even care whether my popsocket got restored or not.

‘I remember watching people fight all night over how this ghost story should end.’

And because it ended in the way I thought was most logical, I’d shown up to work the next day running on dopamine, so it stuck clearly in my mind.

Sure, it’s the kind of ghost story that scares me the most.

But the ghostly stuff has already passed! No ghosts appear anymore!

And as far as cleanup goes, it’s similar to the taxi case I handled previously. The difference is that no more supernatural beings will jump out. This is literally just cleanup work…!

“Wearing this uniform makes me feel strangely calm.”

Putting on a white hazmat-suit-like uniform provided for cleanup, Jang Heowoon spoke cheerfully.

“It really does…!”

Being covered head to toe like this gave a sense of psychological safety.

I responded with a bright smile, and for some reason, Jang Heowoon’s expression turned a little awkward. Did I come off too friendly…?

“Alright then, Agent Hwagak, give us the field briefing again.”

“Yes!”

Following the team leader’s cue, Jang Heowoon turned to me and spoke crisply,

“The supernatural disaster we’ll be handling today is located in Dobong-gu, and the estimated time for full cleanup is three hours. Its key feature is as follows…”

A clear, concise description followed.

“A public phone booth that tells scary stories.”

A neighborhood in Seoul, with the sky darkening into dusk. Standing alone by the roadside…

Was an old public phone booth.

Something you hardly see in Korea anymore. It had a pale blue roof.

Its appearance is that of a standard public booth manufactured in the 1980s, visibly aged. But if you try calling from it, the line still connects.

The inner walls were plastered with old, peeling phone number ads, stuck there long ago.

Most of the advertisement stickers attached next to the phone are from businesses that are no longer in operation.

However, among them, there is a 12cm x 7cm advertisement sticker finished in dark red and yellow. When the number listed under ‘We Tell Scary Stories’ is dialed, it tells a terrifying story related to the phone booth.

(The number consists of 13 digits and cannot be connected to from outside the booth using other devices.)

Booth users who witnessed the sticker reported feeling a strong urge to make the call.

That’s where the supernatural disaster begins.

And the terrifying story it tells actually takes place within the booth itself.

Earlier this afternoon, a response and rescue team pulled a civilian out of that phone booth after they’d gotten caught up in the ghost story.

So our job now was to clean up that eerie ‘site’ left in the wake of the ghost story…

The current situation:

The inside of the booth was filled with bright red blood, spilling out and pooling onto the ground.

“……”

“……”

Wow.

‘I want to run away.’

But if I screw this up, I’ll be recommended for resignation.

I swallowed hard.

“Let’s go in.”

“Y-Yes…”

Jang Heowoon, who was also weak against blood, looked like he might faint, but like me, he was a spy. There’s no backing down.

So the two of us creaked our way toward the phone booth.

The receiver was dangling by its cord, barely hanging on, and it looked like the blood had started spilling from there…

“I’ll take pictures…”

“Ah, y-yes!”

I raised the camera, zoomed in with the phone booth centered in the frame.

‘…There’s something floating on the blood?’

Organs.

Goosebumps ran down my back.

‘Please.’

Think. The civilian was rescued safely, so that stuff might as well be props. Yeah, just pretend I walked into a haunted house…

‘Haunted houses are scary too!’

Anyway, suck it up!

I scolded myself and finally finished the burst shots, then lowered the camera. Next to me, Jang Heowoon stiffly approached the booth, opened the door, and inserted the ‘cleaning device’.

Misfortune Swallower.

It was a special device of the Site Cleanup Unit that was shaped like an industrial vacuum. It efficiently sucked up the blood.

However, due to the size of the entrance, ‘anything larger than that’ had to be manually collected by us.

“……”

“Are, you okay?”

“Y-Yes… We’re, um, fu—lly covered, so…”

Yeah, direct contact without a protective barrier would be the absolute worst.

Fortunately, Jang Heowoon didn’t pass out, and the two of us entered the booth to begin cleaning.

What the hell…

Swallowing curses, I picked up the entrails and round organs and placed them into the designated collection bin.

There was no actual danger to our lives, so I got to fully experience the fear in its purest form, completely conscious and calm.

I can’t take this anymore…!

‘Help me.’

I squeezed my eyes shut several times out of sheer revulsion.

Seeing that, Jang Heowoon, pale-faced, offered a kind of praise.

“Um, you’re doing a great job… You really seem like a proper rookie…!”

“……”

“Ah, I-I mean that in a good way.”

“…Thank you.”

I’m not acting…

Holding back things I couldn’t say aloud, I continued the cleanup quickly, mechanically. Uuugh.

Thankfully, the blood inside the booth was vacuumed up easily.

And maybe because of the protective suits we were wearing, the job was going far more smoothly than I’d expected after first seeing that insane booth.

‘Let’s not look too closely.’

I tried my best not to think about how we’d have to count how many organs were recovered when this was over, and I thoroughly cleared out the ghost-story filth inside the booth.

And then, spraying disinfectant…

Next……

“Huh?”

“Yes?”

“Just now, did you say what we’re doing next…?”

Ah. Did I accidentally say my thoughts out loud from too much tension…

The next thing is……

“……”

“……”

We slowly turned our heads.

The top of the phone, previously submerged in blood, was being revealed as the vacuum sucked it up.

The clotted blood splashed and dripped to the floor.

Drip. Drip.

And then it revealed—

A clean speaker.

[To hear the next scary story, please press 4.]

Thunk.

The booth door closed shut.

“…!!”

[To hear the next scary story, please press 4.]

We instinctively backed away from the phone.

That gritty, mechanical buzz of a pre-recorded message played from the speaker.

“The call didn’t end…!”

Beep.

A short electronic tone.

…One of the buttons on the phone body pressed itself.

First of the second row.

4.

Brrriiing!

[Let us tell you the next scary stor—]

I rushed the phone.

And reflexively slammed the pound key, yelling into the receiver like a man possessed.

“Today is March 7, 202X. There are no public phone booths in Dobong-gu. That’s really scary, isn’t it?”

[]

“I already heard the next scary story!”

The call stopped.

‘Now…!’

“Agent, this!!”

I almost shouted Jang Heowoon’s real name and grabbed the body of the phone itself with both hands, lifting it into the air.

“…?! W-What are you—”

“Get back!”

And I threw the entire thing at the glass door of the booth.

“…!!”

CRAAAASH!

The door shattered as the phone slammed into the pavement outside. With each bounce, it broke apart further, emitting strange recorded screams, button clicks, and connection tones all jumbled together…

And then it vanished, leaving only black ash.

“…Huuhk.”

“Ha… haaaaah…”

Jang Heowoon and I collapsed to the ground.

The glass booth we had entered was gone without a trace. The space around us was wide open, and even the collection bin we’d filled with blood-soaked organs was now perfectly empty.

Only the roar of the vacuum sucking up empty air echoed through the space.

‘Huuu…’

Possessed phone booth… dismantling complete.

‘That scared the hell out of me.’

I nearly ended up in a horrific situation.

I was just glad the resolution method for this ghost story wasn’t all that difficult.

‘By creating a contradiction, like letting it know I was already involved in a phone booth-related ghost story, and then tearing out the phone and throwing it outside…’

Since the ‘scary story’ only has effect within the booth, it naturally dissipates once removed.

It was a supernatural disaster resolution method that essentially made the ghost story consume itself.

‘I always liked that kind of method personally… It’s kind of amazing I actually got to use it.’

“Agent Grapes!!”

I could hear my senior agent running toward us.

They must’ve been shocked when the phone booth suddenly disappeared. Yes, Agent Bronze, I managed to escape safel…

“……”

No, wait.

So there was a senior agent on standby outside the whole time.

‘Didn’t that mean I could’ve just stayed put…?’

And more than that.

‘I didn’t clean up the site. I erased the site entirely… didn’t I?’

I looked up.

Agent Bronze, who had come running, was staring at us in stunned silence.

“……”

“……”

“Did you just… destroy the phone booth?”

Ah.

“Bwahahahaha!!”

“……”

“That wasn’t cleanup, that was annihilation! Destruction King Rookie! Agent Grapes!”

Agent Choi, laughing like a madman, gave me a huge thumbs-up.

“Yeah! Ending a supernatural disaster is the ultimate cleanup! You did great, hoobae-nim!”

I wanted to punch him just once.

‘Hah.’

I forced down my sigh and irritation, holding back my right hand as it tried to give another unsolicited thumbs-up.

…I still remember the awkward tone of the Vermilion-Bird Team 2’s leader as he talked to Agent Bronze after I wrecked the phone booth.

– It was pretty impressive, but… Well, it could’ve been dangerous. I feel like someone with a calmer personality might be better suited for our team.

– ……

Of course, I couldn’t exactly say, ‘I saw the countermeasure in the Dark Exploration Records, so I knew it was completely safe.’

In the end, my actions were interpreted as a timid rookie making a bold, somewhat risky decision based on instinct and inspiration during a brief moment of confusion.

And thankfully, it worked out!

Of course, successfully resolving the supernatural disaster was a major achievement, so I think I was recognized for that part at least…

……But the final assessment went like this.

– Yeah, that rookie agent’s a perfect fit for your team, Agent Bronze! The Dispatch & Rescue Unit!

Grghhh.

…Jang Heowoon, who had been nervously looking on from behind, had the look of someone thinking, ‘Sure, but wouldn’t Agent Roe Deer be better suited for a different role?’ It’s seriously driving me nuts.

‘…But I could’ve handled the paperwork really well!’

There was no site left to clean, so there was nothing to document.

And with the ghost story completely resolved, I… became the subject of the report, not the one writing it.

…Even just now, I was even interviewed for testimony… by Vermilion-Bird Team 2’s leader…

“……”

“Ahem, but hey, you broke the ice with that rookie from the other team, right? It’s good to know people outside your squad. Makes it easier to ask little favors.”

Which brings us to why I’m currently with Agent Choi.

“Whoops! My bad. I forgot your team assignment hasn’t been finalized yet. I got ahead of myself~ …But hey, you’re with us today, right?”

Yeah. Because my next assignment’s already been decided.

…As a rookie agent, I’m doing three weeks of rotational duty with various teams.

Which means…

“Welcome back to Black Tortoise Team 1!”

Yep, I get to do another round with the Response & Rescue Unit.

Apparently, the incident I caused gave HR just the nudge they needed to justify assigning me back here ‘one more time, just to see how it goes’.

‘Agent Bronze…’

He must’ve tried to shield me, but the logic of ‘this is something rookie agents should experience’ was too strong to overcome.

“Man~ some rookies have all the luck. You get to work today with a team that fits you perfectly~”

“……”

Agent Choi smiled cheerfully, rubbing his hands together.

“Today, you’ll get to do a super fulfilling trio mission with us!”

Please save me.

Chapter 153 - [Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace], I

Routine rescue mission.

Written out like that, it might sound vague, but in reality, it’s something that happens quite naturally even in the real world.

“If people keep tripping and getting hurt in an area I manage, of course I’d look into it more. It’s like that.”

It refers to patrolling and checking areas or facilities where accidents frequently occur, to regularly monitor for people in danger and carry out rescue operations.

It was the same at the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.

“We designate certain supernatural disasters and go in like this once every few months to check them out.”

To see if there’s anyone inside who needs rescuing.

But there’s one crucial additional condition.

—Ghost stories where it’s impossible to report a rescue request.

“It’s for people caught in a supernatural disaster who can’t yell ‘Save me~’ even if they want to.”

Exactly. A number of ghost stories, by their very nature, don’t allow for calls or any kind of contact for help.

Among those, if agents can enter and exit relatively safely, the Response & Rescue Unit is assigned to patrol them on a regular basis.

‘…There definitely were exploration records based on that setting.’

When the fun of the story came from tracking changes over time, or when the point of interest was how the scenario shifted as episodes accumulated, that was the case.

In that way, it’s similar to how Daydream Inc. assigned ‘designated Darknesses’ to specific employees or teams.

Though, of course, the objective here is incomparably more noble…

Just a moment ago, Agent Choi—who’d been teasing me to death—now looked surprisingly reliable as he scratched the back of his head with ease.

“And this ghost story… Hmm, as long as you strictly follow the rules, it’s not dangerous. But because of how the rules work, the job has to be done in pairs for it to function properly. It’s a two-person assignment.”

Huh?

“But earlier, you said it was a three-person mission…”

“That’s right! Our rookie here is the tag-along extra.”

E-Extra…

My vision went a little dim at being treated in a way I’d never experienced before, but then I realized that this was actually a huge win and shut my mouth.

‘The more people there are, the less scary it’ll be.’

Besides, agents from the Disaster Management Bureau weren’t likely to be trolls or anything.

And when I heard who was on the lineup, they were all people I was familiar with.

“Me and Jaekwan-ie!”

Agent Choi waved his hands vaguely in the air to indicate Agent Bronze, who had stepped away for a report, then pointed to himself.

And then that hand pointed to me.

“And our honorary member here.”

“R-Right…”

I gave a defeated, awkward nod.

Seeing my expression, Agent Choi chuckled and clapped me on the shoulder.

“You’re taking this well.”

“…?”

“Let’s go. Jaekwan-ie’s probably been waiting forever. I’m sure your senior will find his way to the destination too~”

Agent Choi led me to the elevator.

The destination was basement 2.

“If someone’s heading out for fieldwork from headquarters, odds are they’re on standby on B2.”

Because fast response is often crucial, the lower levels are allocated for deployment, he explained.

As soon as we stepped off the elevator and turned the corner, I saw a nameplate.

[Black Tortoise Team 1]

Agent Choi cheerfully swung open the door.

“Ta-da! Welcome to Black Tortoise Team 1’s standby zone!”

The inside was… unexpectedly cozy.

Circular couches, a break area, blankets, bookshelves packed chaotically with board games, philosophy books, and manhwa books.

It didn’t have the sleek, modern aesthetic of a government office lounge, but it had the vibe of a college club room.

On the wall’s whiteboard, old graffiti was still clearly visible.

– The best rescue agent was here

– If you play EDM at my funeral, a dokkaebi will come get you

– We’ll never forget our Black Tortoise Team 1

…They were probably messages left by people who could no longer take on missions, never erased, just accumulating over time.

It was the complete opposite of the sleek, personalized solo workstations of Daydream Inc.’s elite teams.

“Haha, one of our retired guys was into home decor and once brought in a haunted painting… Isn’t it great? Just sitting here, the work practically finds you!”

“Yes. …It’s a very pleasant space.”

“……”

Agent Choi, momentarily at a loss for words, gave me a slow smile.

“Right? I told you it was a good team. I wasn’t lying.”

“……”

“In that sense, well hey, you could totally join our tea—”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

That was close. I almost gave him an opening.

“Yeah, yeah! Still got some time left anyway.”

Agent Choi guided me over to the sofa, and we sat across from each other, taking a short breather.

Between the two sofas was a table, lumpy and uneven under a tablecloth—probably meant to keep the dust off—but it somehow felt oddly homey.

“Phew! Let’s rest a bit until Jaekwan-ie gets back.”

“Yes.”

“And… here.”

Agent Choi suddenly gave a somewhat gentle smile and took out a well-sealed piece of paper from his inner pocket.

…It was the scrap of paper I had given him, the one I’d bought at the manhole market.

Ack.

“Sorry, but there doesn’t seem to be any supernatural disaster in the Bureau’s database that matches this note.”

“……”

Well, of course not. That was just a clue pointing to the location of the lab hidden behind the manhole…

And as if this kind of situation was familiar to him, Agent Choi added a few words, like he was trying to comfort a rookie.

“Maybe… the Bureau just hasn’t picked it up yet. These things happen a lot. You’ve just got to be patient and wait it out.”

“……”

“Are you okay with that?”

He was probably asking because what he really meant was: ‘Looks like we’re not going to be able to save this person.’

But I nodded.

“…Yes, really.”

Then, taking a deep breath, I accepted the slip of paper Agent Choi held out.

‘To be honest, I’ve already confirmed the corpse of the researcher I made the transaction with…’

If this were a real situation, I’d probably say something like this.

“Still, I think there’s meaning in at least making the attempt.”

“……”

Agent Choi didn’t respond for a moment.

‘…Was that too obvious?’

Just as I started to regret it—

“Hoobae-nim, give that back for a sec.”

“…?!”

Agent Choi extended his hand again.

“I’ll check one more time. Just once.”

“Sorry?”

“When you’ve been around this long, you’ve got more than just the database. I’ve got my own tricks too. I’ll give it one more shot.”

…And so the note returned to Agent Choi.

I felt a bit guilty, but this was a life-or-death matter, so I kept my mouth shut. I’ll repay him by working like a mule for the Bureau…

“……Thank you.”

“Okay.”

This time, Agent Choi didn’t say anything like “If you’re that thankful, just join our team already.”

He just gave a dry chuckle and let it go.

‘…Is he going to ask one of his informants?’

Agent Choi had so many exploration records, and that meant he’d crossed paths with plenty of different factions.

Which meant that, in the end, he’d become a character with wide-reaching connections.

So when he said he’d look into it again, it probably meant he was going to check sources outside the Bureau too.

‘Well, whatever.’

If he says he’ll take a look, that’s all it means. Probably just another excuse to try and recruit me into Black Tortoise Team 1…

…Wait a second.

‘No way… He’s not seriously going to find a ghost story that fits the note, is he?’

Don’t tell me this is going to spiral into some ridiculous and implausible plot twist where there really is a matching ghost story… Nah, no way.

Just imagining it made cold sweat trickle down my back. Time to stop.

And right after Agent Choi tucked the note back into his coat, finally, the last agent for today’s mission walked through the door of the waiting room.

“Oh, Jaekwan-ie!”

Agent Bronze strode in confidently and took a seat on the sofa.

Yes, this was the person I needed to make a confession to.

I immediately bowed my head.

“Agent Bronze! Um, I’m really sorry…”

“…Huh?”

“You went out of your way to help me, and I totally messed up the field cleanup mission…”

“……”

This was my appeal. Please, give me one more chance.

I haven’t given up on the Site Cleanup Unit just yet…!

Agent Bronze let out a quiet sigh and shook his head.

“There’s no need to apologize.”

“Yeah~ it’d be weirder if someone apologized for obliterating a supernatural disaster!”

“……Agent.”

“Aigoo, Jaekwan-ie’s so scary~ Let’s work, work!”

When Agent Bronze glared at him, Agent Choi panicked, whistled, and quickly pulled out the mission briefing papers.

…Thanks to that, I missed my timing to make an appeal. I’ll have to wait for another chance.

But since I’d be joining today’s mission, another opportunity was bound to come.

“Hoobae-nim, where did I leave off?”

“Ah, you mentioned that today’s mission was a three-person job…”

“That’s right! And on top of that, someone very reliable will be helping us out today.”

Agent Choi pointed to the wall next to the sofa.

There, a translucent curtain hung loosely.

“Our Elder. The Team Leader!”

“……”

Curtain?

I managed to speak.

“…Um, I don’t see anything.”

“You don’t see them, but you believe they’re there!”

“……”

“The Elder said, since a new rookie was coming today, they’d definitely lend us a hand.”

‘Is this some kind of rookie initiation ritual?’

I was starting to get confused.

Was someone actually transformed into that curtain? Is that even possible? I was about to dig through the Dark Exploration Records in my head when Agent Choi nudged me to stand in front of the curtain politely.

“Jaekwan-ie stands here, and you, rookie, stand in the center… Perfect.”

Agent Bronze, me, and Agent Choi.

Then Agent Choi stepped forward and pulled the curtain aside.

Light poured through the curtain.

“…!!”

Behind the translucent curtain was, surprisingly, a glass window that hadn’t been visible before.

Of course, since we were underground, we couldn’t see outside. But instead, a mystical, aurora-like glow shimmered beyond the glass.

Rippling like rice paper doors, the glass flickered with sacred, almost divine light.

“Pretty cool, right? Apparently it’s made with some kind of magical glass… I don’t really know the details.”

Agent Choi smiled as he approached.

“The important thing is, this is how the Elder watches over this place!”

The Elder.

“The Elder… who exactly are they?”

“Told you already. Our Team Leader here at Black Tortoise Team 1!”

Surprisingly, even Agent Bronze didn’t object. Which meant that it was true.

“Jaekwan-ah. That.”

Agent Bronze quietly removed the cloth covering the table between the sofas.

Whoosh.

Revealed underneath… was food.

‘Buckwheat jelly… and raw chocolate?’

What kind of combination is that supposed to be?

“Alright. Wave your hands.”

Agent Choi enthusiastically raised both his hands. Agent Bronze followed, so I hurried to raise mine too.

“Wishing you many blessings again today, Elder!”

Then we all bowed deeply toward the window.

“…?!”

“We humbly ask for your guidance on today’s mission.”

I was so thrown off—I had never read about anything like this in the Dark Exploration Records.

Still, I bowed along like a proper rookie.

And the moment I stood up…

“…!!”

My body started shrinking.

My viewpoint lowered, my arms and legs got smaller. Everything around me seemed just a bit larger and slightly wobbly.

No, it was my head that was wobbling! Compared to my now-shrunken body, my relatively large head tilted for a moment, struggling to balance.

“Huh.”

Even my voice had changed. And then…

The transformation stopped.

“……”

“……”

Only two things in my vision remained the same size as before.

The two people beside me.

“All set. Thank you, Elder.”

I turned my head.

In Agent Choi’s spot stood an elementary school kid, examining me as if checking me over.

No, I mean— it was Agent Choi, just younger!

His mischievous grin and relaxed air were still there, just on a child’s face.

“Are you alright?”

Across from me stood the child version of Agent Bronze. Same stiff demeanor… No, wait.

‘Oh my god.’

I looked down at my own hands.

Even my dokkaebi flame arm had shrunk down to match my reduced size, waving excitedly instead of giving a thumbs-up.

“Alright. Mission prep complete.”

“……”

“Today’s supernatural disaster… can only be entered normally by the children of the New Nation.”

“……”

“So now we’ve all become exactly eight years old!”

I think I’m going to lose my mind.

Chapter 154 - [Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace], II

Rejuvenation.

It’s the dream of humankind, but no one has succeeded through science yet, so in reality, no one has truly experienced becoming younger.

But in this ghost story world, I am experiencing it… that very rejuvenation!

…Though my height has been cut in half, mind you.

“Achoo—”

“Hey, be careful. Kids get cold easily, you know.”

I fell into momentary silence as I watched Agent Choi grinning under a blanket.

It was so absurd that I was speechless.

‘This doesn’t feel real.’

I’m… eight years old!

Being in the body of a lower-grade elementary schooler felt bizarre.

All those cartoon protagonists who instantly adapted to being kids again were total liars. A child’s senses were magnified several times over, and their stamina surged in strange ways.

I thought I’d waddle clumsily because of the shorter reach, but to my surprise, I didn’t.

“It’s because it’s a dokkaebi trick,” explained Agent Bronze smoothly.

Of course, that’s only a clear explanation if you’re a veteran of the <Dark Exploration Records>. To a rookie like me, it was anything but.

So I responded as expected.

“D-Dokkaebi trick…?”

“You can think of it as a supernatural phenomenon that deceives reality. It’s not a Disaster, and it can’t be used for anything malicious. It’s a ‘trick’, after all.”

Hmm. That was a pretty good explanation.

I glanced at the dokkaebi flame embedded in my arm and recalled the <Dark Exploration Records> entry I was familiar with.

----------------------------------------

Dokkaebi Trick

A mysterious ability used by some agents of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.

Occasionally manifests when an agent is issued a spiritual item tied to dokkaebi lore.

Abilities drawn from traditional dokkaebi myths—like transformation, concealing objects, showing illusions, or conjuring fire from thin air—may appear depending on the compatibility with the agent.

----------------------------------------

“As you might’ve guessed, the Disaster Management Bureau is quite deeply tied to the dokkaebi. So, you can just assume that the team leader of Black Tortoise Team 1 also uses a dokkaebi trick.”

He’s telling me outright that there’s deeper lore and that I’ll learn it once I’ve put in more time. Much appreciated…

“Oops, Jaekwan-ah, you’re saying too much! What should we do, hoobae-nim? You might get your memory wiped!”

“……”

“Hiing. You didn’t fall for it.”

Agent Bronze pressed a finger to his temple. Seeing a child make such a world-weary expression was incredibly uncanny…

“If Agent Choi… says something not directly related to the mission, you don’t have to respond.”

“Hey! That’s too harsh. Fine, I’ll stick to mission talk!”

Agent Choi’s grumbling was slightly less annoying in child form.

“Anyway, so a dokkaebi trick is, at its core, an illusion~ We’re not really children of the New Nation, so don’t forget that.”

“Yes.”

Okay, I get what you’re saying…

“But senses fool the body, and the body fools the mind.”

Agent Choi leaned in with a sly smile.

Wearing the face of a child but making an adult expression—it was eerie and vaguely unsettling.

“While you’re in this form, your emotions will be harder to control, your fitness will surge, and your strength will be weaker.”

Because you’re a child.

“That’s why it’s a two-person team job. When you’ve got another child-like teammate nearby, it grounds you. You try to take care of each other, and that brings out your adult self a bit more.”

“……”

Makes sense.

“A trick is just a trick. Make sure you don’t get swallowed by it!”

“Yes…! I’ll be careful!”

“Aigoo, our rookie gives such good answers.”

Around then, the Disaster Management Bureau’s transport vehicle stopped.

Due to the constraints of our new physical forms, bicycles weren’t an option. This time, a van was assigned to transport us.

The destination was quite far, after all.

“We’ve arrived.”

Tak.

The door opened, revealing…

Shwaaaaa…

The sea.

On a chilly early spring day, the beach without sunlight felt somber and majestic.

If someone said a ghost story about children going missing happened here, anyone would nod without question…

“Not there. Over here.”

“…?!”

I turned my head to follow Agent Choi’s gesture.

It was… an old, massive seafood restaurant.

‘Holy shit.’

A huge neon sign with a tail-flicking amberjack shimmered boldly overhead. Extremely avant-garde.

But taped to the glass door was a notice.

[Closed Today]

Nevertheless, the three of us children approached the door and placed our hands on the handle.

“We’re about to enter the Ocean Palace.”

Entry location.

A children’s playroom attached to large seafood restaurants or fish markets dealing in marine life.

The playroom must have a floor area exceeding 49㎡ and must contain a red cylindrical slide.

Additionally, murals related to an underwater kingdom must be visibly present on the walls.

(When murals in such playrooms were replaced, distorted and vaguely similar underwater images began appearing irregularly. Complete prevention of entry is presumed to be impossible.)

“Confirmed.”

“Good.”

With his now-shorter arms, Agent Bronze pushed aside some toys, revealing a wallpaper-style poster underneath.

The Mermaid Princess, smiling fish, coral, clams, and a cute shell-shaped castle.

Next to it sat a red slide-like playground structure and a ball pit.

“Whoa, nostalgic. Places like this really never disappear. I guess the demand’s consistent?”

“Enough chit-chat. Let’s get ready.”

“Yessir.”

Even the bickering sounded more endearing in children’s voices.

“Hoobae-nim, you read the instructions, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Good. Let’s do this.”

Following the others, I stood at the base of the red slide.

Entry method.

With eyes closed, climb up the slide from the bottom.

During this process, you must hold a strong desire to enter the underwater kingdom depicted on the wallpaper.

Possessing a related item (e.g., a seashell) increases the likelihood of success.

Then, recite the incantation.

“Twinkle twinkle, Ocean Palace, I’ve moved into the Ocean Palace.”

With eyes shut, we entered the cold, smooth black tunnel of the slide.

The incantation appears irregularly in the form of graffiti on the walls or floor of playrooms that meet the entry conditions.

At times, it is found illustrated in detail under the title ‘How to Go to the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace’ on bonus pages of comic books placed within the playroom.

“Twinkle twinkle, Ocean Palace, I’ve moved into the Ocean Palace.”

I kept climbing upward.

From in front and behind, high and clear children’s voices echoed as they repeated the chant.

A strange feeling.

It was dark.

We kept chanting.

“Twinkle twinkle, Ocean Palace, I’ve moved into the Ocean Palace.”

The slide wouldn’t end.

Instead, the incline grew steeper and steeper, until I had to cling to it just to keep climbing.

I could hear the kids panting behind me. It felt like I might cry, but I held it in.

If the incline begins to steepen precariously, this indicates that the entry ritual has succeeded.

There are no recorded outcomes for individuals who fail to maintain their grip and slide back down at this stage.

How much time passed?

Eventually, I found myself clinging as if to a cliff.

“Twinkle twinkle, Ocean Palace…!!”

Then, I dropped forward.

“Ack!”

Just like falling off a cliff, or plunging down a rollercoaster.

My small body tumbled downward.

“Hicc!”

When the little body couldn’t take it anymore and let out a scream, the moment I opened my eyes—

I saw a fantastical sight.

“…!!”

A city out of a dream.

Bathed in golden light, a vast blue sky—or rather, waves of aurora light flowed across the void above.

No, not the sky. It was the ocean.

Beneath the dazzling, undulating sea were golden pipes and ivory-brick houses lining elegant, fairy tale-like streets.

Sparkling coral reefs, colorful streamers and decorations. Golden speakers, ornate floral and wave-patterned metalwork shimmered from every streetlamp.

And high above, a beautiful palace adorned with pearls and gold in shimmering hues of blue.

“Ah…!”

Somehow, I was no longer falling.

I floated, gently drifting downward like flying through a dream, toward the stunning golden city below.

Drifting.

The two children who had come with me floated beside me.

As we descended, the city’s central white fountain came into view, and a banner rippled above it in gold, blue, and red.

To Our Newest Children Moving In

Welcome To The

Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace!

And then.

“A new friend!”

“Wow, more came!”

More than twenty children came rushing down the beautiful boulevard beneath the banner.

All of them were smiling from ear to ear.

Clean, pretty hair and clothes. Dressed like fairy tale princes and princesses, like the stars of a birthday party.

“Three of them came?”

“I like this one!”

“…!”

When one child grabbed Agent Bronze’s arm, he flinched in alarm, but the child just giggled brightly.

Laughter and glittering euphoria filled the air.

“Where… is this place?”

“This is Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace! It’s sooo much fun! It’s really great!”

The child chattering to me beamed and began leading the way.

Like they had nothing in the world to worry about.

Like their parents had sent them to some amazing camp, and they were making new friends in paradise.

But…

“……”

These children.

They’re all missing persons.

All living entities confirmed within the scope of this supernatural disaster are presumed to be missing children.

Verified age range spans from 5 to 11 years old. The majority display expressions of deep euphoria and contentment.

“Ahahaha!”

The children burst into laughter as they led us, running down the grand street, trying to get us to the palace in one go.

Still, like kids, they were easily distracted, looking around at everything.

“Look at this, look!”

Throughout the street, there were decorative dolls with gears winding inside them, moving slightly.

Golden signs dangled from above.

Children,

Please take your honey!

There was a drinking fountain built into the belly of a colorful toy soldier with a comical expression.

When the faucet was turned, honey actually poured out.

“If you carefully fill a bottle and leave it in front of the Mermaid Princess, she’ll give you a gift!”

In front of the white ivory statue of the Mermaid Princess at the palace gates, children placed their honey. The statue’s base would open and pour out things like amazing toys, clothes, or fairy tale books—the kinds of things they’d always wanted.

Waaaaah!

Children’s cheers and laughter rang out.

“Here, for you.”

“…Thanks.”

A younger-looking child in a blue dress handed me a pair of very nice-looking shoes.

There’s a theory that this supernatural disaster is a manifestation of a folk belief, one that stemmed from stories about pitiful children who disappeared near the sea, said to have gone to the Ocean Palace.

“……”

I deliberately held the child’s hand and spoke quietly, with a worried tone.

“Um… I need to go see my mom now…”

“Mom? She’s coming to get you! Just play here and wait, okay?”

“……”

“You know, my mom’s really cool? She’s super good at sewing too, and when she gets here, I’ll show you first.”

Then, she laughed shyly again and ran off down the street.

“……”

…That child will probably never be able to show her mom anything.

– You’ll feel like you could just grab them all and take them out the moment you see the kids, right? But you can’t get caught up in it. Got it?

I clenched my teeth.

– If you take the wrong one out, the kid dies.

In ‘Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace’, when rescuing a long-term missing child (over 1,000 days), they vanish like a bubble the moment they return to reality.

You must confirm the date of disappearance beforehand.

But it’s reportedly maddeningly difficult.

– …Each time we come, the group of kids we meet changes. But we’ve even had cases where a kid not seen in the previous year showed proof of having been here over three years.

Time flows chaotically here.

Some children who went missing yesterday in the real world may have already been living here for five years.

Conversely, some children are from far in the past or even from alternate timelines where different events occurred.

That’s why you must talk to each child, learn what year they were living in, and confirm whether they’re a recent missing person, and only then can you take them out.

The only saving grace is that agents’ sense of time hasn’t been warped. Likely because, while the ‘dokkaebi trick’ makes them appear as children, they’re still adults inside.

– But we can still be affected by supernatural phenomena just like kids, so staying here too long is dangerous.

Agent Choi, the mission lead, had declared this.

– Two days.

– ……

– We’ll spend exactly two days here and leave on the third. Got it? …Honestly, we could hold out longer, but the Bureau says two days, so…

– Agent.

– Yeah! That’s why I said only two days.

And so, from now on, the three of us in Black Tortoise Team 1 ‘must find a child who’s been missing in the real world for less than three years’…

…and only that child.

“……”

No good. Maybe it’s because I’m in a child’s body, but I’m too easily swayed.

“Stay calm…”

I took a deep breath and got to work.

I had to meet as many children as I could in my assigned area within the time limit, to listen to their stories.

And I can proudly say I did my best for those two days.

I spoke with each of the kids who greeted us, and even found the bedrooms where kids who hadn’t come out to welcome us were staying.

But…

“…This is the end of this rotation’s rescue mission.”

“……”

“……”

……We didn’t find a single child who met the criteria in two days.

Not one.

“Let’s return.”

I lowered my head.

“……”

…There are things in life that don’t work out, no matter how hard you try.

‘I don’t know this ghost story.’

Since I’d never seen it in the <Dark Exploration Records>, I didn’t have any secret tricks or special methods.

It was safest—and right—to follow the rules of the Bureau and the plan laid out by our superior.

‘Besides, it’d be dangerous for me to stand out too much right now.’

So this was just…

“Don’t wanna!”

……

…?!

Wait.

W-Was that me just now?

“I don’t want to! We gotta keep looking!”

…It was me!

“……T-That’s.”

What made it even worse, my superiors were starting to look distressed, too.

…Because we’re in child bodies!

Chapter 155 - [Mermaid Grave], I

One rookie throwing a tantrum.

Two supervisors on the verge of tears.

All three are eight years old.

The situation was deteriorating beautifully.

‘Damn it!’

This wasn’t a discussion, it was just an expression of overwhelming emotion…!

I finally tried to explain the reason behind my ‘No! We gotta keep looking!’ with the intention of biting my tongue if necessary, but both of them were already getting swept up by the mood.

Tears spread quickly among children…!

“W-We still have time left, and you said we’re only doing two days because of the rules. So I thought that meant we still have time to explore safely without getting contaminated…”

“…That’s true.”

“Then I’d like to keep looking, sir. Just one kid. Maybe they’re here, and we just didn’t find them!”

Child Agent Choi sniffled.

“Th-then maybe just… two more days…”

“Agent!”

Agent Bronze, eyes red at the corners, stepped in and sharply glared at Agent Choi before turning to me with a firm voice.

“No.”

I wanted to say, ‘Why not?!’

And I did.

“Why not?!”

I’m going crazy.

Agent Bronze shouted back.

“Because it’s dangerous! An agent’s life always comes first. If we push past the rules…!”

His voice caught in his throat.

“I’ve seen agents die from that. So many sunbaes never made it back.”

“……”

“That’s why… we should never start something like this. Following the rules is the right way.”

‘……Huu.’

He’s not wrong either.

Then, Agent Bronze glanced at my arm.

“Don’t forget that arm of yours needs to be recharged every three days.”

“I brought a charger for it! Th-then how about this? Just one more night. Just a single night.”

Choi raised one finger.

“If by tomorrow afternoon we’re not sure we can rescue anyone, we’ll just leave. Okay? Delaying the mission by half a day is… it’s something you just mention in a single line of the report.”

“……”

Both of us instinctively looked at Agent Bronze.

“Jaekwan-ah…”

“Agent, um…”

“Do whatever you want.”

And then Agent Bronze shut his mouth.

Leaving only those words.

“I never agreed to it.”

It certainly seemed that way.

His face was flushed red, unable to hide his frustration and bitterness.

Still, it was also an unspoken signal that he wouldn’t protest further, so Agent Choi wrapped it up right away.

“All right. Then just one more day!”

So, the three of us children promised this: if we still found nothing, we’d give up and leave right away.

And so we each returned to the sleeping quarters of the children in our assigned areas.

Agent Choi took the area near the palace, Agent Bronze stayed near the central fountain, and I… headed toward the town entrance.

The annoying part was that our paths overlapped, so I ended up walking with Agent Bronze.

“……”

“……”

“Um, I’m sorry…”

“…It’s fine.”

Agent Bronze let out a sigh and spoke.

“Compared to other cases of people affected by dokkaebi tricks… this was a pretty rational outcome.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. Some agents ended up bawling and wrestling with each other.”

O-Oh, I see.

“…That’s why we need rules. In supernatural situations like this, even if it doesn’t make sense in the moment, following protocol is important. You’ll eventually realize it was the right call.”

Agent Bronze took a deeper breath.

“Of course, you aren’t at fault, Agent Grapes. Every rookie goes through something like this at least once. But the person in charge failed to explain things properly and went along with it, so…!”

“……”

You’re really skilled at shutting up the rookie who just successfully negotiated for one more day thanks to that very person in charge…

Anyway, although Agent Bronze still didn’t look happy, the mood recovered enough that he gave me advice as we split up.

“All the kids will fall asleep before midnight anyway. Agent Grapes, don’t waste your strength. Get some rest too.”

“…Yes.”

In Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace, day and night are determined by the chimes of the town clock tower.

When night falls, a drowsiness appropriate to children’s sleep cycles sets in. Everyone falls asleep before midnight, and cheerful music plays at sunrise to wake them.

It was a distinctly supernatural structure, fitting for a ghost story.

I walked past the dazzling reddish-gold hues of the palace district, into the softly glowing navy and white-lit part of town, and entered the lodging I was assigned.

A sign at the entrance read:

Dreamland Beds

for Children

Inside was a huge, whimsically decorated room fitting for young kids, with a dozen or so fluffy canopy beds.

…All the children in the room were already fast asleep.

Because I had spent every last possible moment searching for a child I could still rescue, I had pushed time to its limit.

Sleepiness washed over me too.

“Huu.”

I picked one of the empty beds at random and lay down. The absurdly soft and warm bedding gently wrapped around my head and body.

Then, briefly, the disgrace I just showed flashed through my mind… Wow.

I threw a tantrum? Me?

‘I don’t think I ever even acted like that even as an actual kid.’

And judging by their personalities, Agent Choi and Agent Bronze probably felt the same way about themselves.

Maybe because dokkaebi tricks aren’t true rejuvenation but more like deception, there’s this strange sense that we’ve been turned into the ‘concept’ of children.

So what matters now is staying calm and not being swayed by the exaggerated traits of this child’s body.

The goal hasn’t changed, after all.

With a hazy mind, I made a slow vow.

‘…Let’s get up early and start searching right away.’

Maybe one.

Just one… maybe I could bring back at least one child.

……

……

[Grapes.] (T/N: Spoken affectionately; Podo-ya)

…Hm?

[Grapes. I think you’ll make a fine agent. Your arm thinks so too.]

A voice, warm and familiar, drifted in.

No, listening again, it sounded reliable and strong.

What is this?

[It’s your dream.]

I see.

Come to think of it, I had fallen asleep.

Before my closed eyes, sparkling light shimmered like a warm flame.

[And in dreams, thoughts that don’t come to you in reality often rise up. Because you’re free from the constraints of the real world.]

……

Things you can’t think of in reality.

That’s true. Now that I was running a rescue mission as a child due to the entry requirements, there were things I had most likely overlooked.

In this dream, I could calmly review those.

As an adult.

For example…

‘Why do more than half the children we meet change every time agents come in?’

If all the children were different, I could logically assume, ‘Ah, there are multiple similar places like this due to the nature of the supernatural phenomenon.’

But if more than half change… that’s something else entirely.

That means more than half of them have disappeared.

At the very least, disappeared in a way that prevents them from meeting the agents.

And then…

‘Why aren’t the agents questioning that?’

Two eerie but simple and clear possibilities flashed through my mind.

Either they themselves are being influenced by this ghost story.

……Or there are truths they’re deliberately hiding from me, the rookie.

Maybe both.

‘If that’s the case…’

…Then don’t I have something perfect for this kind of situation?

Something that could support my insight.

Something I don’t need to ask the others for.

[Indeed! Clever boy. Grapes, a wise idea is a treasure for all time.]

[Don’t forget what you’ve learned in this dream when you wake up tomorrow.]

It felt like a wrinkled hand gently stroked my head in encouragement.

Ah, thank you, Elder.

……

……

“Ah.”

Kyararararara…

Laughter and the sound of chimes.

A new golden morning had begun.

“Let’s go see the Mermaid Princess!”

“I wanna play tag!”

Children chattered cheerfully as they woke up and began leaving the bedroom.

Normally, I’d immediately follow to gather information, but my mind was already focused on one clear idea.

Something I’d concluded during the dream.

“……”

I reached inside the thick coat I wore and carefully pulled out what I had packed to avoid breaking it—

Detective Syrup for Kids.

The syrup I’d made by pressing one of the emoji buttons in the Dream Incubator.

At Daydream Inc., it was officially called this.

Detection Potion

: When consumed, it brightens your vision to reveal what you need most at the moment.

If I drank the detective syrup, I’d see which child could be rescued.

Because right now, my mission—and what I most need—is to rescue a child.

‘Alright.’

Normally I’d have weighed this or that option, but…

Come on, this is about saving a kid. Being too calculating about it just makes me feel like scum.

‘Besides, I needed to test its effect anyway.’

I opened the sealed cap of the syrup and drank it in one go.

Just as the label described, the syrup had an artificial cherry scent and sweetness that slid down my throat.

“…Huu.”

I pocketed the empty bottle.

There was no dazzling, dramatic change like you’d expect from a healing potion, but I felt my heartbeat steady and my mind grow calm.

‘Now, let’s check.’

I turned my eyes to the children still in the common area, then to the kids running outside through the window.

Looking for the one who would ‘catch my eye’.

But…

“……”

Why can’t I see anything?

The kids running off, the ones laughing by the fountain in the distance.

They’re just kids. None of them stand out in any way.

For a moment, I started to feel a chill. Was there truly not a single viable target to rescue?

But then.

‘…Huh?’

I felt a presence elsewhere.

Something distinct and bright registered at the edge of my vision.

“……”

I turned my head to check what it was.

My coat’s opposite pocket.

The one holding the item I’d bought at the Faceless Market in the manhole.

‘Why is this…’

I reached in and pulled it out.

It was a sheet printed with four vintage stamps.

They looked like cheap fundraising seals or promotional stickers, each showing an old Korean street scene.

And if you looked closer, you could see things in the background that weren’t human.

Pigeons, rats, stray cats, sparrows, cockroaches.

Creatures that coexisted with people on the streets.

Street Stamp

: A strange stamp that allows the user to disguise themselves as one of the animals commonly seen on the streets of Yeongdeungpo-gu, Korea, during the 20th century.

Crafted by the Today’s Artifacts Dealership.

…I’d picked it up just in case I needed to run or hide while spying. I’d even broken into a cold sweat when Agent Choi suggested it himself.

And sweated more sorting through non–Daydream Inc. items to trade for it.

Anyway, the core ability of this item is exactly that.

‘I can transform into a non-human street animal.’

Sounds useful?

Of course, there’s a fatal side effect.

If the stamp’s effect lasts more than 2 hours continuously, the user’s body may begin to mutate into something from the stamp.

Not simply becoming an animal, but rather having their body infected with features from that animal.

Like something out of a bio-horror game.

Imagine growing a pigeon’s beak out of your jaw, or sparrow eyes on your forehead.

‘Ugh.’

Just thinking about it made my skin crawl. I vowed again never to exceed the time limit.

But… transforming into an animal in a ghost story that requires the form of a child to enter… was that really ‘what I need most’ at this very moment?

I felt uneasy.

But also something colder. A gut feeling told me I needed to check.

‘Daydream Inc. never scams people with their potions, even if they lie about other stuff.’

Their effects are always spot-on. There’s no need to fake it.

‘Alright.’

If something feels off, I’ll spit out the stamp immediately and return to my child form.

I took a deep breath and peeled off one of the stamps. Then placed it in my mouth.

“…!!”

My field of view dropped.

Even lower than when I’d turned into a child.

My back hunched, and I stood on all fours.

I felt fur. My ears rose. Whiskers twitched.

‘A cat, huh.’

I lifted my head.

It might’ve been more useful to be a pigeon, at least I could’ve flown. But at least I didn’t turn into a cockroach or a rat, which was comforting enough…

……

‘Oh.’

The golden city collapsed.

The blissful blue ocean, the fairytale-like brick houses and wide boulevards, the beautiful banners all lost their color and decayed.

And in their place, horrifying sights appeared. Rusty metal pipes. Flickering, broken streetlamps. Half-collapsed buildings. Scribbles of blood and filth. Grotesque, bulging, ulcer-like masses filled the cracks in the bricks and lampposts, pulsating and oozing. The whole space is infected! It’s wrong! It’s wrong! It’s everywhere! I’m contamin—

Spit it out!

I had to spit out the stamp. Something’s wrong—

……

No.

‘That’s… not it.’

This was the shock of falling from paradise into a nightmare.

I wasn’t contaminated.

“Hhu.”

I caught my breath.

The panic faded as I adjusted to my environment. Then, shivering, I looked around with a cold, adult mind.

A grotesquely collapsed civilization. Flesh-like infected masses embedded across a ruined cityscape.

I recognized this.

Yes. ‘Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace’ wasn’t a ghost story I didn’t know, nor was it an unrecorded one left out of the <Dark Exploration Records>.

It simply didn’t look the way I remembered.

The one I knew was…

…a horrifying ghost story from Daydream Inc.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Mermaid Grave]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-C-1642

A story of wandering a strange city submerged deep into the sea.

Victims are chased by swarms of grotesque lifeforms and, when caught, have all blood and mucus drained from them to death.

----------------------------------------

That one.

The city is already in a ruined state, and remaining records suggest that it fell due to infection from a biological disaster.

Traces of what was once a beautiful city now contrast starkly with the current apocalyptic state brought on by a tragic and horrific biological outbreak.

As the records within the city refer to the biological disaster as ‘merfolk’, the site has been registered in the database under the designation ‘Mermaid Grave’.

So… the children of Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace—

At the city’s heart lies a grotesque mass, the central cluster of infection for the ‘biohazard-merfolk’, from which infected fluids endlessly pursue any explorer.

If caught, one becomes infected. A host of the merfolk.

I staggered forward on all fours, walking along a shattered street.

Scattered throughout the dark deep-sea city, I saw bodies frozen in strange positions—half-alive, half-dead—drawn along by ulcer-like lumps.

They moved stiffly, like dolls, swaying as they walked.

‘Those decorative figurines on the fountains.’

Children,

Please take your honey!

Those colorful soldier figurines, elephant-shaped ones too.

‘They were once human.’

People infected after being drawn into this cursed ghost story.

Then the faucet sticking out of their stomachs that spewed honey…

That was actually blood, extracted from the bellies of those people by those ulcerous growths.

‘…Ugh.’

I ran.

Kicking off with four legs, I sprinted through the sunken ruins of this once-seaside city, now crawling with twitching, corrupted biomechanical filth.

And finally, I reached the heart of the city.

…What had once looked like a beautiful Ocean Palace—

Was a mass of festering ulcerous clusters.

Thump, thump.

The pulsing of the vile mass could be felt even here. A sprawling, pus-colored flesh conglomerate, in dirty red, green, and pale pink hues, clung to crumbled buildings like some grotesque art installation.

And at the forefront, an oozing sac, covered in tentacles, like a deformed egg nest.

To anyone who’s seen it before, its silhouette is unmistakable.

It resembles the statue of the Mermaid Princess.

The infectious fluids extract the blood and mucous membranes of explorers who have become hosts, delivering them to the central cluster at the heart of the city. The cluster then expels infectious mucus and residue.

Residue has been identified as indigestible materials such as fibrous matter and plastic.

Right.

…The toys, clothes, picture books that were gifted to children when they offered ‘honey’ to the statue at ‘Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace’.

They were the worn belongings of those who had gone missing here.

It only appeared beautiful to the children, a seductive illusion.

That’s what this ghost story does.

And it was infecting the children. Those horrific infected fluids, called ‘mer-children’ in the <Dark Exploration Records>, were, in the end…

In the end…

“……”

No.

‘This is… this is…’

I have to leave. I can’t make contact with the children like this. I turned around, staggering.

But at that moment.

Wrrggghhhgh!

With a repulsive sound, one of the ulcerous growths on the floor shot mucus at me.

“…!”

Contagious fluid.

If that sticks, I’ll end up with a faucet on my belly too…!

‘Damn it.’

Thank god cats can run fast.

Moving on instinct, I dashed between rusted alleyways and rotting ruins, fully adapted now to this feline body. Maybe this was why Agent Choi had recommended it after all.

‘Anyway!’

So the question is.

What the hell do I do about this?

Should I report this to the other agents? And if I do, how much do I say?

How do we even rescue the children now? Should the agents even remain in child form in this situation?

Is being in a child’s body… really safe anymore?

Is it really better to let these kids keep ‘living’ here rather than turning into bubbles?

“This area’s clear. No mer-children.”

…!

“Let’s move on.”

“Yes, Assistant Manager!”

I froze.

Three figures had entered the alley.

Calm voices. Phrases I recognized from the <Dark Exploration Records>. People addressing each other by job positions.

…Daydream Inc.

‘So a squad of the Field Investigation Team really was dispatched…!’

Of course. Most of the long entries in the Dark Exploration Records had been written by employees of the company. So it only made sense I’d run into them here.

…Which meant.

Maybe I could use this.

‘If they’re Daydream Inc. employees, they’ve gotta have at least one or two special equipment, right?’

Something that could help resolve this. Even just an idea…!

Even if not, it was better to have more cards to play.

‘Let’s go.’

I held my breath and crept toward the alley the masks and suits had passed through.

“…is what I heard.”

“Oh. This thing here.”

Their conversation filtered through my sensitive feline ears.

And when I rounded the corner, finally seeing the three figures clearly—

……

Familiar masks.

“…Hmm. Doesn’t look useful.”

“Huh? Looks valuable to me. I’m taking it.”

Goat, Baek Saheon. Pony, Kang Yihak.

And.

“Pipe down.”

Butterfly, Assistant Manager Jin Nasol of the A-squad.

“……”

‘Goddamn.’

An absolute nightmare lineup

Chapter 156 - [Mermaid Grave], II

The members of Daydream Inc.’s Field Exploration Team were people who literally staked their lives on the job because they had a single, desperate wish they wanted fulfilled.

In other words, most of them are perfectly willing to use anyone—coworkers, civilians, even deranged ghost stories—to achieve their own goals!

They only care about the welfare points they need for their own wish.

Three prime examples of that kind of person stood right in front of me.

Of course, it’s not just the wishes that made them… who they were.

“Assistant Manager, what about those who lagged behind when we first met the mer-child…?”

“Don’t care.”

“Ms. Pony, it’s tragic that some people were taken, but… that was their fate, right? Should we press on? We have to find our item…”

“Right, right. But maybe they dropped some equipment when they were taken, so I’ll just check real quick… Hahaha!”

“……”

They really never change…

‘Telling those people that the ‘mer-children’ were actual children…’

…wouldn’t make a dent. Rather, they’re the kind of people who’d just find a way to exploit this situation. Having a familiar face among them was useless.

No, to begin with, my current form couldn’t intervene directly anyway, so knowing them only goes so far.

Hiding in the black shadow cast by a collapsed streetlamp, in my street-animal guise, I watched the Daydream Inc. employees scouring the alley.

Then…

“Quiet.”

Jin Nasol stopped and crouched low.

“Merfolk.”

“……”

“A fledgling at that.”

All three held their breath and pressed against the alley wall.

Kyararara…

A sound like a child’s laughter drifted through.

‘Hah.’

My whole body froze, but I had to confirm.

Cautiously, I contracted my four legs and silently climbed onto the wall, peeking over the alley’s edge.

And there, at last, I saw the ‘mer-children’.

Kyarararara…

It was bizarre.

Small, humanoid bodies, emulating people, walking the broken avenues of this infected city.

Some were unnervingly precise—mimicking human expressions with a grin—but others had faces so swollen with ulcers they pulsed grotesquely.

Beneath each face, raw mucous throbbed, leaking air with each pulse, making a sound eerily like a child’s laughter.

Clumps of pink ulceration, greenish flesh, and contaminated masses dripped from their limbs like tails.

They wore discarded belongings and scraps of clothing, haphazardly draped, as if desperately trying to mimic humans.

Even knowing they were innocent children…

“……”

My spine and whiskers bristled in a cold sweat.

My instincts screamed just one thing.

Run.

Upon encounter with infectious fluid:

Avoid detection and evacuate the area immediately, increasing distance as much as possible. In the event of failure, no manual is available. Rescue attempts for personnel who have failed to evade are not recommended.

The infected fluids marched down the avenue like a grotesque parade. Everyone in the alley, Daydream employees and I, held our breath.

Then someone burst out of another alley.

A person, running straight into the infected mass.

“……!”

But they were already covered in the viscous infection, their joints engulfed by ulcerous growths, forced along like a puppet.

It was hopeless.

The infected person was no longer of sound mind, but they could still scream.

The infection hadn’t removed their mouth.

“Ahh!! Aaaah! AAAHHH!”

The infected fluids laughed as they surged forward.

Tentacle-like ulcer clusters lunged at the victim.

The growth on the victim’s belly split open, spewing blood, mucus, and indescribable horrors.

“Ahh, haaah, huuuh……”

They were having their ‘honey’ collected, over and over…

I huddled in place, enduring the spectacle.

Finally, the screams stopped.

“……”

The victim lay dead.

The infected fluids, bellies bulging with blood and mucous, resumed their march.

Toward the mermaid statue.

A tumor of infection, a swarm of biohazard.

Kyarararara…

“……”

Only after the sound fully faded did the three employees move again.

“…If you get caught by that tail, it’s over instantly, right?”

“Yes.”

That was why we had to run.

The tail of the infectious fluid secretes mucus that induces severe paralysis. A single puncture is sufficient to cause immediate and permanent loss of muscle function.

Anyone infected in that state was already as good as dead.

At this point you’d wonder how this ghost story ever earned a Grade C rating.

‘Because there’s a rock‑solid way to clear it.’

And, like two sides of the same coin, the way to clear it actually lies with those mutated creatures.

Thunk, tututung…

A strange sound echoed again on the boulevard.

But this time, it wasn’t the infected fluids.

It was full‑grown, human‑like forms.

Their size had grown so large that the fine details had all but blurred away. These wobbling things had no faces left.

The ulcer‑laced ‘tails’ had transformed into vein‑like cords, interconnecting and stretching high above the avenue… directly linked to the central cluster.

They’d nearly shed any human appearance, looking more like bait the cluster used to lure in prey.

…This must be the final mutated form of the infected fluid.

General infected entities appear to be fully absorbed into the central cluster and function similarly to nerve endings.

They are considered extensions of the cluster rather than independent organisms.

Assistant Manager Butterfly’s eyes brightened slightly.

“They’re out.”

Therefore, if the encountered threat is identified as a general infected entity rather than an infectious fluid—

“Shoot them.”

Terminate the entity and collect evidence material.

The three employees stepped out, luring the creature into the open and firing.

Ordinary infected bodies, once their tendril‑cord is severed from the cluster, wither and die almost instantly.

“……”

Upon presentation of the collected evidence, access to the remaining escape vessel within the city will be granted, allowing for successful clearance of the associated Darkness.

So… the children.

Once they’re fully infected, their bodies overrun by those ulcerous growths, they lose their humanity and transform into those bio‑horror lifeforms.

That’s why every time agents visit, the children vanish.

They die, become part of the grotesque cluster, and are absorbed…

‘…Damn it.’

I clenched my forepaws against the urge to swear.

Even though I’d read about this in the <Dark Exploration Records>, the visceral revulsion still made my fur stand on end.

“Evidence collected!”

“Shut up.”

“Y‑Yes, ma’am.”

At last, the three employees succeeded in hunting down the ‘merfolk’ and retrieving a sensory organ from its tail as proof.

The sight—so reminiscent of the mer-children extracting blood and mucus from victims—was strangely overlapping.

With that proof, they could now escape this place.

But instead of heading straight for the boat, they continued scouring alleyways, pushing forward.

‘…Because they have a second objective.’

Anyone familiar with Daydream Inc. employees would realize immediately.

‘An item.’

That’s why this Darkness, despite being only C-grade, was still under the Research Division instead of handed over to general teams.

They judged, ‘Given its scale and clues, a greater secret must be hidden here.’

They always recruited volunteers for these missions, and there was never a lack for applicants.

‘There’s a reason.’

Because the very ‘clue’ they sought was an item found only here. A remnant of a wondrous, lost civilization in this ruined city.

Namely…

‘Angel’s Sigh.’

“Aargh, there is no ‘sigh’ or anything here!”

“Quiet.”

A Daydream Inc. employee, wearing a suit and a bizarre mask, grumbled in a side alley.

They weren’t here just for points. They knew rumors of a hidden, ancient technology beneath the ruined streets,

And this squad was composed of volunteers more interested in loot than glory.

The Angel’s Sigh.

It was a conch‑shaped artifact sometimes found inside or outside the city’s ruined homes.

Its true power would be revealed when you press it to your ear.

A beautiful hum emanates from inside the shell, calming the mind, healing wounds, and restoring vigor.

A healing item.

It was one of the few that Daydream Inc. would purchase, so employees scour every ruin looking for it with bright, eager eyes.

But they had searched these streets dozens of times already. Finding it was no easy task.

They would have to venture deeper into danger or uncover secret chambers overlooked by all others.

And, just like now, many end up infected by the creatures before they find it.

“Argh!”

‘Idiot.’

Hearing a scream from the alley they’d passed, Baek Saheon allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction with the companions he’d chosen.

‘Good thing I shoved them and came first.’

These people were crazy, but at least they weren’t short‑sighted fools who’d do something that dumb just for an item.

He discreetly touched the ‘ticket’ to the escape launch he’d cut from a tail and let one corner of his mouth twitch.

‘All preparations for a clear are also done.’

Now he could go and look for items. If anything were to happen, he’d just toss the others to the merfolk and…Wait a sec.

Just now.

Something went by?

‘…Huh?’

Baek Saheon blinked.

He could have sworn something darted out of the street‑lamp shadow and slipped around the corner, right at the edge of his vision.

He checked his companions, but neither reacted.

‘Did I imagine it?’

Baek Saheon had always trusted only his own senses, so he couldn’t accept that.

Yet he had no wish to tell the A‑squad assistant manager.

…More than anything, that woman was the least likely person to get lured into taking action.

– Hey. If you’re going to talk about some new monster coming out of a Darkness that’s only produced merfolk for seven whole years, at least try and describe it properly.

– Get in my way again and I’m leaving you behind.

‘And she actually would, that prick.’

Ah, fuck. No time to spare, not even for items.

Grinding his teeth, Baek Saheon kept his eyes on the corner of the alley.

Then, at that moment.

Swish.

A shadow flitted across the lamp.

It was the same black thing that he had seen earlier.

Triangular ears, sleek body, four legs.

…Huu, what the hell.

A familiar thing.

‘It’s just a kitten.’

Baek Saheon let out a sigh of relief, laced with irritation. That was just one of the common, cumbersome stray animals often seen on the roads.

That’s what he thought…

‘……Huh?’

In that instant, a cold shiver ran down Baek Saheon’s back.

In the darkness where no life forms had ever been found aside from the biohazard-merfolk…

There was no reason for a stray cat to be there.

“…!”

Baek Saheon’s mind went through many different calculations.

And quietly, so the other employees wouldn’t notice, Baek Saheon gently lifted his eye patch… to check for danger using the violet inverse eye hidden beneath it.

And then.

He saw danger.

“…!”

A terrible crimson halo surged beyond the corner of the alley.

Even in its shadow, it was visible. Rats, cockroaches, wings, teeth—a writhing mass that resembled a swarm of all the vile, harmful vermin one might encounter on the streets.

No.

It wasn’t a cat!

That wasn’t a four-legged animal. Something’s wrong! It’s the merfolk! No, something even more dangerous than merfolk. That particular shape of the halo… he had seen it somewhere before…

‘……Kim Soleum?’

Baek Saheon suddenly lifted his head.

“What are you doing?”

“N-Nothing.”

With a stiff neck, he looked again toward the corner of the alley…

The shadow was gone.

The crimson halo beyond the corner had vanished as if it had never been there.

“……”

Feigning a search, he moved toward the corner with rigid steps.

His heart pounded.

And the moment he turned the corner, he saw it.

…On the ground, a phrase had been carved as if with sharp claws slicing through the dust.

Prepare for death.

“……!!”

Phew.

‘Atmosphere setup complete.’

With this, I’ve laid the groundwork to potentially guide the Daydream Inc. employees, if needed.

I ran through the alley, holding back a sigh.

‘As expected, Baek Saheon’s eye works well.’

The eye-shaped equipment I gave him is proving effective. Honestly, it almost feels like a loss compared to the brainwashing fountain pen I received in exchange.

‘I never even used it because I was afraid people would suspect me of being a spy…’

Now that the item has become valuable, I’m thinking all kinds of things.

In any case, I saw the situation firsthand with my own eyes. …A living hell, where children and adults slaughter each other in a place overrun with infected entities.

Hell itself.

‘…I feel like I’m going to throw up.’

The bigger problem is… it’s not enough.

Time, information, strength.

All of it.

‘…How the hell am I supposed to save the kids in here?’

As the shock faded, reality set in.

There was no answer.

‘If I tell the agents, they might seriously suggest it’s more humane to just kill everyone…’

It already looked like I’d barely be able to protect myself.

Besides, once the sun would set today, I’d be leaving this supernatural disaster with the agents.

I already knew.

Just because I had learned the horrific truth doesn’t mean I was responsible for saving anyone. And honestly, it’s easier on my conscience to ignore it. My own situation was dire enough.

Laying low and waiting out the day until extraction seemed like the best plan.

But…

‘…I have a bad feeling.’

I had already seen both sides of this.

Still, could I really escape safely using the Disaster Management Bureau’s protocol, especially when I was being treated as a child…?

‘…There’s a good chance I won’t make it.’

It seemed smarter to dig a little deeper and come up with countermeasures.

And if I could save even one more child in the process… all the better.

Besides, this ghost story was packed with meaningful details. If I were to investigate further, I might stumble upon items or unexpected information that could help me survive in the future.

‘…Alright.’

Let’s do what we can.

At least until the promised afternoon rendezvous, Black Tortoise Team 1’s agents wouldn’t come looking for me even if I didn’t show up.

It wouldn’t feel awkward either, since the children were scattered across this wide area and we wouldn’t run into each other.

‘A method… something usable…’

I began combing through my hazy memories of the <Dark Exploration Records>, trying to recall any hints.

Even if it’s not directly about the Mermaid Grave, looking into similar stories might remind me of a viable countermeasure…

Wait, hold on.

“…!”

Ah.

‘That’s right.’

There was another exploration log that mentioned the Mermaid Grave…!

And that particular Darkness… was one that I had already experienced.

‘…Alright.’

I’ll give it a try.

Once more, I began to move forward on all fours.

I ran.

Though danger lurked throughout the city ruined by infection from monstrous creatures, it was somewhat easier thanks to the nimbleness of my quadruped body.

‘Being small makes it easier to dodge.’

My destination, as I avoided the mucus and ulcers, was clear.

‘The western outskirts.’

Far from the infected cluster.

And among them, especially… was a place with fewer ulcer masses, which felt relatively safe.

However, since it’s not in the residential area where items were located, no Daydream Inc. employees ever came here.

Even the mer-children… weren’t here.

That’s why exploration in this area was slow.

‘Somewhere around here… Right.’

Found it.

Amidst the half-collapsed and old buildings, I saw the door of a small brick house, now a semi-basement due to ground collapse…

And if one were to look closely at the corner of that door, it’s possible to make out its inscription.

Moonlight Tattoo Shop

“…!”

Written in a more ornate script than the one I’d seen before, delicately carved into the edge of the door.

“……”

I found it.

The back door of Moonlight Tattoo Shop.

A connected door was discovered within Qterw-C-1642 (Mermaid Grave), marked with a sign reading ‘By appointment only’.

The door appears to be a sealed rear entrance rather than a main entry point.

All attempts to open the door and gain entry have resulted in signal failure.

This was one of many sightings related to Moonlight Tattoo Shop.

However, in most of those sightings, the door remained closed, preventing entry. Daydream Inc. had no confirmed visit records, aside from the one time I used the ‘It Is Empty’ method.

Even now, the door’s small glass window—meant to allow visibility from inside—was entirely covered with a note.

Currently accepting appointment-only clients.

That one.

‘…I don’t have an appointment, but still.’

Knock, knock.

I politely knocked on the door with my front paw, then slid a prepared note under it.

It had been difficult to write with a paw.

– Hello. I’m the person who received a tattoo cover-up last time. I’ve come by with some related questions.

“……”

And then, a few seconds later.

I heard it.

Click.

The sound of the back door’s lock disengaging.

“…!!”

It worked.

I leapt up with my hind legs, grabbed the door handle, opened it, and quickly slipped inside before the door could close.

Into the Moonlight Tattoo Shop.

Chapter 157 - [Mermaid Grave], III

The Moonlight Tattoo Shop I returned to was darker than before.

It felt warm here before, but unlike last time, it felt somewhat eerie.

Maybe it was because I slipped in through the back door? Or…

‘Because the moonlight is too weak?’

The round beam of light, coming down to the massive procedure machine in the center of the room, cast a crescent shape today.

‘…I don’t think it’s business hours.’

……I’d never read a record about that.

I crept forward, one careful step at a time… and locked eyes with the dark counter.

“…!”

The curly‑haired tattooist, neck covered in dense Hangul tattoos, stood behind it.

The shop’s owner.

She looked at me with even darker eyes than before, then lifted a single notice.

[Guests with fur are requested to don a gown before entering.]

Oh.

I quickly spat out the stamp I’d been holding in my mouth. As my body grew, I shifted back into human form, albeit that of a child. As soon as my mouth returned to human shape, I hurriedly spoke.

“Um, I’m sorry for entering through the back door—”

My face was grabbed.

“…!!”

The tattooist, wearing black gloves, clenched my face in one hand and stared at me from every angle. Front, back, left, right.

Her black eyes drilled into me.

Dilated pupils. Black. So jet‑black that it felt wrong. Humans usually had visible whites of the eyes, right? Why couldn’t I see any white?

The tattooist towered over me. Growing larger by the second. Her deep‑green curls lengthened, filling the air like seaweed.

The small, cozy, professional interior I’d remembered felt alien now, an unfamiliar space of incomprehensible techniques and styles.

‘What? What is this?’

My mind spun with confusion and blaring alarm bells as I realized I was trapped in the ghost story itself…

No.

“Um.”

I forced my mouth to move.

“Could I… be in my cat form?”

……

Thud.

The tattooist released my face. I shoved the stamp back into my mouth without even pausing to process the disgust, and my body shrank, returning me to feline form.

“……Meow.”

Everything returned to normal. I was once again in a small, cozy, professional tattoo shop, facing a kind, characterful tattooist.

“Is this… okay?”

And I spoke in a child’s voice.

“…!”

No, I really spoke in a human voice.

“Uh… yes.”

The tattooist rifled through the counter and pointed to another notice.

[Comfortable communication guaranteed]

“……”

Now that I think about it…

‘The Moonlight Tattoo Shop owner never speaks a word.’

And the sign I’d seen before coming in…

‘…It wasn’t written in Hangul.’

Yet I’d read it perfectly. I mean, if not for this disquieting feeling, I’d have assumed it was in Korean all along.

Even the tattoos I’d thought were Hangul on her neck might not be…

“……”

Indeed. A strange, ghost‑story twist.

‘Stay on guard.’

The owner’s lack of malice applies only to tattooing—nothing more. I’ve got to remember that.

But her reaction just now confirmed something.

“…You inspected me because I came in as a child through the back door, right? …Children are more vulnerable once infected.”

!

The tattooist lifted her head.

Of course.

‘This shop accepts only sea‑related items as payment.’

And there’s the Mermaid Grave connection. Eyewitnesses even mentioned a back door.

A back door is usually ‘staff‑only’, after all…

“…Ms. Owner.”

I very carefully extended a forepaw.

“…I found this back door in the ruined underwater city.”

The tattooist’s eyes swirled.

“Um… Was this shop here originally?”

Silence.

“Are you from that city?”

Silence.

“Why did it end up like that? Children are being deceived and dying…”

Sadness filled the tattooist’s eyes. Instead of the usual swirl, they shimmered with moisture.

I wet my parched muzzle and spoke,

“There are still children there now. Is there any way those children could leave through this shop’s front door…?”

Thunk.

The wall vibrated as the tattooist slammed her pen down. Thick pen strokes trembled, carving out enormous letters in earnest.

N O

“I see. I understand.”

My heart felt like it would burst, but my lips moved smoothly.

“…Because they’re infected, it won’t work? If so, perhaps…”

Please.

“About the source of infection, the strange clusters of flesh… could you tell me about them?”

……

The tattooist picked up her pen again.

With a trembling hand, she tore a memo pad’s sheet from the counter and began to write.

Tiny characters pressed firmly onto the paper.

Two strokes. I could see the pen’s movement carving each line.

Finally, she flipped the note around and showed me the completed word.

■ ■

“……”

Huh?

I didn’t understand its meaning, but I could still pronounce it.

So… then…

“■■!”

A shock shattered my mind. Images whipped by.

StrangecreaturesrisingfromtheglowingsurfaceSilentmitesclingingtoedgesbitingandregrowingandburrowingevenifyoupickthemoffandpickthemoffandpickthemofftheygrowagainandinvadethecityofgreatwavesResearchersstudiedsuicidedeathfromsubterraneanlabsspreadingcontaminationScreamsEscapeattemptsThefinalark’ssinkingTheconch’slamentNOContaminatedchildrenChildrenSeverinfectioncordsScreamsBewarethechildrenItishellRemovetheconchDonottrustTheinfectionrunsrampant…

“Cough—”

Blood burst forth. Not just from my mouth, but my nose and eyes, from every mucous‑lined orifice. The shock made them bleed.

The tattooist gasped and hurriedly poured a lemon drink into a bowl, offering it to me. I didn’t know if cats could even drink it, but I drank deeply.

Focusing on the taste of the sour, bloody lemonade on my tongue, I forced the images from my mind…

Bitter as it was, inspiration struck.

‘Just now.’

An explosion of meaning lay buried in those two symbols.

Was that the true language of the Mermaid Grave? I wasn’t sure I’d fully understood. If I could, I wouldn’t be human.

But one thing I knew for certain.

‘The tattooist originally came from the Mermaid Grave ghost story.’

And for some reason…

‘The conch.’

That Angel’s Sigh item was deeply tied to this crisis…

Strangely, two utterly opposite images were fused in that conch.

‘Healing and death.’

It was spine‑tingling.

…If seen through a child’s eyes, what would the conch look like?

“…Tattooist-nim.”

I swallowed the sour, bloody taste.

“Could you tell me… what you thought of the conch‑shaped object you remembered?”

The tattooist’s lips moved, revealing only the shape of the word. I read it.

Filth.

Disgust. A sense of uncleanliness and unease. Even knowing it posed no rational threat, the horrific imagery left a powerful, repellent after‑image.

The space around the tattooist shimmered again…

“I see. Understood. …Thank you.”

Was that it?

Having calmed her, I began to piece together all the clues I’d gathered so far.

“……”

My vague grand plan finally began snapping into place with these finer puzzle pieces.

Even if it was my own hypothesis…

‘If this is right.’

By pushing things to the very limit, there was something worthwhile to attempt.

‘Good.’

My mind cleared.

What I needed now were the conditions to support this plan, and the abilities to satisfy them.

And, by a stroke of luck, I had just entered the very shop where I might purchase those abilities.

“I’d like to talk about tattoos now, if that’s all right…”

The tattooist nodded in understanding and quickly held up another notice.

[Procedures on underage individuals require a guardian’s consent.]

“…Yes. I’m not planning to get a tattoo right this second.”

Given the insane power of the Tomato Tree tattoo stickers, I’d need to be extremely cautious about any permanent ink here…

Even if the artist had only the best intentions, everyone’s standards were subjective, and irreversible results could happen.

So, instead of a permanent tattoo, I asked again for a temporary effect.

“…Do you have stickers for, you know, simpler designs like this?”

The tattooist tilted her head and began reaching for the booklet of designs. The same ‘Royal Special Premium #1 (Customizable)’ I’d chosen last time…

No!

“That’s fine. Just the basic style, please.”

At last, a plain booklet appeared. Whew.

‘Because I don’t have the money to pay for fancier work…’

I’m such a beggar…

I don’t even have enough for pearls. I’d thought about scavenging something from Mermaid Grave, but judging by her reaction, I’m glad I didn’t.

I nodded at the very simple design she indicated.

“Great. Let’s go with that.”

Then came the real question. I forced out the words.

“So, about the cost—”

Tap, tap.

The tattooist knocked on another notice.

[Write a review and receive three free tattoo stickers (basic designs only)]

……!

……

“So… Where should I write it?”

And so I had the odd experience of tapping out a review with my forepaw: ‘The owner is kind and highly professional.’

Where that review ends up… well, let’s not think about that right now.

What mattered was this.

‘Escape safely from this crazy ghost story with the largest group possible.’

And I had just acquired the ability to do it.

In my quadruped form, I bowed politely and concluded my second visit to the Moonlight Tattoo Shop.

The agreed‑upon time with the agents was fast approaching.

“Agent Bronze.”

Ryu Jaekwan turned his head.

His senior, who’d been playing with the kids and just waved goodbye, was approaching.

“Agent Choi.”

The moment the children disappeared from view, Agent Choi’s smile faded.

“There’s none left.”

“……”

“I guess we really have no choice this time, Bronze-ah.”

“I…”

Jaekwan clenched his teeth.

“I told you we should leave yesterday…!”

“……”

“Breaking the rules, giving false hope…”

“I know.”

Agent Choi habitually mimed putting a cigarette to his lips, then caught himself and laughed softly.

“But at least we tried our best. No regrets that way.”

“……”

“That’s what I think.”

Ryu Jaekwan quietly clenched his fist.

“And besides, we didn’t break the one truly critical rule… not revealing the truth about this place.”

“……”

That was right.

The Bureau already knew.

Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace is a hallucination induced by hypnosis.

Many agents had confirmed this during missions.

And while they all tried rescuing the children in adult form, each attempt ended in utter failure.

If an infected child is forced onto the escape boat, they undergo acute molting and develop ulcers all over, losing all vital signs.

Never attempt this.

The children transformed into ordinary infected creatures and their bodies would burst, killing them.

After such missions, agents suffered severe trauma and nightmares, often never returning to duty. Since then, the Bureau stopped telling new agents the truth upfront.

“Grapes still doesn’t know.”

“……”

“Let’s keep it from him. Got it?”

Ryu Jaekwan nodded.

At that moment.

Whoosh.

A small shadow flickered near the alley entrance.

The two agents who’d been watching immediately turned to a defensive stance.

Ryu Jaekwan frowned.

“Just now… I thought I saw a cat’s shadow…”

“A cat?”

Agent Choi let out a nervous laugh.

“Aigoo, you mean something that just looked like a cat… probably nothing.”

“……”

That’s right. You can’t trust appearances here.

Though this place would dazzle you with the innocence of children, they had already seen what lay beneath.

Ryu Jaekwan slowly crouched and peered around the alley corner.

And… he saw the unexpected.

Life‑sized clockwork animal figurines walking down the alley.

“…Daydream Inc.”

“…!”

The Field Exploration Team of Daydream Inc.

Perhaps due to those eerie animal masks, they always appeared in the bizarre form of a ‘cute animal-themed drinking fountain’, making them stand out even to a child’s eyes.

This time was no different.

One had a beautiful butterfly perched on it, another was shaped like a cute pony, and the last resembled a friendly-looking goat.

To a child’s eyes, they were simply adorable decorations.

But.

“Hm.”

Approaching silently, Agent Choi pulled out something that glittered like wings.

It was a suncatcher made of glass.

‘Suncatcher’.

It looked crude, like something made by a child, yet emitted an uncanny light even though there was no sunlight. When raised to the eye…

The truth would become visible.

“…It’s them. Damn, these guys are good. They look totally normal, too.”

Ryu Jaekwan likewise raised his Suncatcher and checked them.

Three people in suits. Animal masks. Butterfly, pony, and…

Goat.

“……”

That one.

Ryu Jaekwan gripped the glass tightly, blood running cold.

He recognized that guy.

‘Kim Soleum’s coworker…!’

It was the man in the black goat mask he had seen at Sekwang Technical High School.

Recalling the conversation with the one in the bison mask at the time, it was clear this man knew Kim Soleum fairly well.

‘If that’s the case.’

If, by some chance, someone recognized Kim Soleum’s features hidden beneath a child’s appearance.

If they started asking questions.

‘No.’

He couldn’t allow that damn company to track down someone who had barely managed to get out and rebuild his life.

Ryu Jaekwan’s mouth opened on its own.

“Agent.”

“Mmh?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to subdue them and drive them out now?”

“Oh.”

Agent Choi shrugged his shoulders.

“Bronze-ah. We’ve got only one day left. Why stir up trouble now?”

Of course, the Disaster Management Bureau already knew that the damn company was sneaking into this place using some private route only they were aware of.

But they hadn’t acted on it. Fighting them might only lead to civilian casualties.

Resources were best used to save more people, to end the supernatural disaster more effectively.

“Let’s just keep an eye on the kids instead, just in case.”

“……”

“…Is what I should say!”

A twisted smile spread across Agent Choi’s face.

He looked at one of the staff.

The one wearing the butterfly mask, stamped with a gold emblem.

“…An elite team member is here.”

A dangerous glint flashed in Agent Choi’s eyes.

“If we toss them into a glass cell for obstructing official duties, I bet we’d get some prime intel.”

“……!”

“Let’s go.”

The agents began to move.

“A-Assistant Manager!”

Jin Nasol clutched her throbbing head and looked toward the dumb brat sprinting toward her.

“Over there, over there…!”

And behind him, there were mer-children chasing after him.

Only, they had no tails.

“Special variant, huh.”

Jin Nasol’s index and thumb extended unnaturally, revealing a sharp, chilling thread of silvery wire between her nails.

“…What a drag.”

Chapter 158 - [Mermaid Grave], IV

Jin Nasol looked up.

Something peered around the corner of the alley, staring right at her.

A tail‑less mer-child.

It hurled something at her.

Whoosh.

The projectile glittered in the dim light.

Without hesitation, Jin Nasol reached out, grabbed the fleeing employee by the scruff and stopped the attack.

“Hicc!”

The moment glass shards struck the employee, bubble‑like shards erupted across his body, encasing head and hands in a crystalline cage.

Then, over it all, a geometric, traditional seal appeared, as if stamped in midair.

‘…The Bureau!’

[Warning. You are currently obstructing a rescue operation in a supernatural disaster.]

[Cease obstruction of official duty and surrender. Surrender. Surrender…]

The seal emitted a recorded warning.

It was mandatory whenever a civilian obstructs a Disaster Bureau operation. At the same time, it functioned as an item. Hearing that broadcast drains aggression and compels compliance.

Well, that is, for ordinary people.

‘Nuisance.’

A vein pulsed in Jin Nasol’s temple beneath the golden mask of the elite team.

Those weren’t merfolk fledglings but agent punks in disguise.

“How irritating.”

“Ugh…”

Jin Nasol kicked the bound employee aside, then, as if by magic, donned her monocle to identify the agents.

Two agents stood beyond the corner.

‘Should I pursue them?’

No, no. The priority was finishing the mission quickly and racking up points. Maximal effect for minimal effort. That meant ditching tedious item searches and boarding the escape vessel to clear the Darkness.

But…

“What a fucking drag.”

A severed nail soared like a projectile, embedding itself in the far wall.

“…!”

Her irritation boiled over into action. Nails screeched as they gouged the wall, catching on the corner.

Along with a few of Agent Choi’s cut bangs.

“Agent!”

“Uck, what a piece of work.”

But these were Black Tortoise Team 1 veterans, adept at one‑on‑one combat. Even in a child’s form, Agent Choi dodged with practiced ease.

“When you reel in the wire, pursue.”

He moved…

Then Assistant Manager Butterfly seized the wire and fired it back, aiming at the mer-child behind the agent.

The two Disaster Bureau agents rolled aside and returned fire.

Shattered glass shards flew.

“Argh!”

Jin Nasol pulled the bound employee toward her using the wire on her forefinger, blocking the shot.

The Daydream Inc. employee was hit by a Bureau restraint round and screamed,

“Ahh! A mer-child! Merfolk!!”

The fool cried as if a Bureau bullet would kill them, though they weren’t even scratched.

And they still saw only a mer-child—clearly his brain was completely gone…

……Hmm.

‘Something’s there?’

Jin Nasol peered through her monocle again.

Behind the two agents, there was one more.

A mer-child.

……!

At that moment, one of the unusual ‘agent’ entities—slightly larger—shifted its position to better hide the mer-child.

“Aha.”

A-squad’s Assistant Manager Butterfly narrowed her eyes. She tossed the bound employee at the agent, then sprang the wire nail again.

This time, toward the mer-child behind the agent.

“…!”

Ping.

The nail clicked off the wall and flew true.

The Bureau agent moved again.

“Ha.”

Jin Nasol seized the opening, sliding backward out of the standoff.

For a brief moment, her headache vanished in a rush of exhilaration. Because if the Bureau agents had truly committed to defending that point… there was only one possibility left.

‘Is a mer-child considered a civilian?’

This meant…

—Critical intel for a manual revision!

Huge points.

Jin Nasol’s eyes shone fiercely.

Anger aside, she had to board that escape vessel immediately. A clear priority had emerged.

‘If all else fails, take the mer-child hostage.’

Jin Nasol casually snapped off the part attached to her nail and hurled it forward.

A smoke screen billowed up.

Using the gap in the obscured view, she slipped back through the alley by a hair’s breadth.

Her mind had conceived the simplest, most violent solution, yet her relentless focus on points demanded a smarter plan, and the words tumbled out…

“Hey.”

Jin Nasol used her wire to eavesdrop, then yanked in the other rookie employee who’d been plotting an escape route in the meantime.

The woman wearing the pony mask.

“Yes, yes?”

“Draw their attention to you.”

“Me?”

Kang Yihak, the pony‑masked rookie, pointed at herself in surprise, eyes wide.

“You’ll at most be detained, thrown in a cell, then released. You’re still a rookie—no obstruction record, no grounds to lock you up.”

“Oh…”

Kang Yihak glanced back, then beamed.

“Brilliant plan, Assistant Manager! Then let’s have Mr. Goat do it. Look at him, he’s pretending to be a dead rat anyway…”

“One gold piece per day of detention.”

“I respectfully volunteer.”

The unrelenting gold‑worshipper grinned and gave an immediate thumbs‑up.

“Just one thing, Assistant Manager. If you’re lying, I’ll squeal your personal info to the Bureau, then take out a long‑term secured loan in your name on the way out.”

“Go right ahead.”

Leaving the rookie as a decoy, Jin Nasol stepped back and began to run for a quick escape…

Khiiiiiiing—

Blades rained down.

“…!!”

Bell‑tipped traditional swords poured out all around, blocking her path and embedding in Jin Nasol’s legs.

‘…!’

A wave of excruciating pain shot up her limbs, paralyzing them.

Most of the Bureau’s anti‑human gear is designed to kill marked villains when minimal deaths are required in a supernatural disaster.

They were tools for subduing and killing as needed.

“Oh, come on!”

One agent in the form of a tailless mer-child laughed, shoved Kang Yihak aside, and charged toward her.

‘That goddamn bastard.’

It was targeting the elite team.

Occasionally a veteran agent would behave like this.

Field records and testimonies from the elite team were prime intel.

And besides, anyone who rose to that level at Daydream Inc. was assumed villainous.

Locked up, you could squeeze them for anything.

‘Should I just kill this fucker?’

Whoever it was, he’s been obstructing her at every turn.

Crawling on her belly, Jin Nasol reached into her suit and drew out a lethal weapo

B O W D O W N

A t r e m e n d o u s w i l l

slammed into the entire alley.

Everything froze.

Contextless violence.

The fleeing employees of Daydream Inc., the goat mask with his head bowed, the mer-children, the agents from the Disaster Management Bureau, and even the pony mask mid-gesture.

All of them could only move their eyeballs, looking upward.

A massive eye was watching.

No. It was language.

■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■

A sinister string of words was being spoken aloud, and the very sound became a gaze directed at humankind. Words that couldn’t be described—language from beyond, fundamentally unknowable, conceptually ungraspable—came crashing down from another dimension.

Be grateful that you can’t understand it! The moment you do, it’s irreversible!

One of Daydream Inc. Corporation’s employees, collapsed on the ground, began frothing at the mouth, convulsed, and ended up strangling themselves.

S p e a k

The mer-children who had been laughing suddenly collapsed.

B o w d o w n

Kang Yihak gaped up at the sky, vacant, then slammed her forehead into the ground.

A muttering voice.

S p e a k

It wasn’t even saying that in the first place! But when filtered through human comprehension, that’s what it sounded like. Oh, the whispers of the abyss. Deep. So deepSoalluringWemustescapeButwecannotescape??????Soalluringandsoprofane?????Wemustworshipit????

“D-Death…”

One person said so. Muttered.

“That guy said we’re all gonna die. Told us to prepare for death, uh…”

“What are you talking about?”

Jin Nasol barely managed to grab someone by the collar—not just anyone, but the rookie in the goat mask.

“That guy told us to prepare for death! Death! The cat! That monster, Kim Sol…!”

A mouth appeared above the alley.

A massive shadow of an open mouth, as if to swallow everything.

It began to speak.

It’s still reading something! It’s reading—no, no…!

Damn it.

“Agent Choi loaded the strongest mental defense round he had into the glass handgun, feeling an overwhelming urge to bite down on his own tongue. There were only three rounds—prioritization was crucial.”

What? Wait.

The narration and thoughts were starting to merge.

“Even the thoughts and words of Daydream Inc.’s employees are now being understood. Agent Bronze swallowed hard. …The supernatural structure of the ghost story, which normally only presents hallucinations to children, is being ignored.”

Hold on.

“A chilling sense of crisis crawled up the scar on his neck.”

This phenomenon that’s appearing right now, this is…

“Annihilation-sanctioned?”

“What do you want?! What do you want from us?! Why are we dying?! I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die! I’ll do anything—I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do, but I’ll do it! Please, just go awa—

^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^

“……”

“……”

It vanished.

Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace and Mermaid Grave returned to view.

Thud—

They collapsed to the ground, eyes vacant. The indescribably vast ■■■ had disappeared, and the void slowly filled…

And then, a grim premonition.

“Just now you said you’d do anything…”

All eyes turned to the black goat mask-wearing Baek Saheon.

“If I go away, you’ll do anything, you said…”

As Baek Saheon’s face went ashen—

Jingle.

“…!”

Something emerged silently from the darkness at the alley’s end.

“That…”

It was a black cat.

The red‑eyed quadruped stared blankly at the humans.

A symbol of misfortune, a history of fear and persecution, a familiar street animal passing through everyday life.

The protagonist of the most famous short horror tale.

The cat stepped forward.

“…!”

A crackling sound accompanied its shifting form.

Tension rippled through the crowd. They halted their complex rivalries and conflicts to watch the moving creature.

Before the black‑goat mask, it opened its mouth.

[This way]

“…!”

A will was spoken*.*

[This way]

The cat’s gaze was directed towards that side.

Baek Saheon staggered to his feet, glared at the cat with a pale face, then began to move.

The black quadruped walked alongside him. Humans and mer-children alike staggered along…

‘It’s working, it’s working.’

Even if inside he was Kim Soleum swallowing cold sweat and tears!

– Do you have a sticker for tattoos that reads aloud anything I input, like an app? …Ah! You can print it on the spot?

Yes, that’s right.

At Moonlight Tattoo Shop, Kim Soleum had purchased a music‑note tattoo sticker that ‘transmits thoughts as spoken words’ and applied it to his paw-pad.

He moved on all fours, desperately projecting composed authority.

In any case, he was relieved that events were unfolding as intended.

‘I thought I’d actually go crazy!’

A few hours earlier.

‘Huu.’

Emerging from Moonlight Tattoo Shop, Kim Soleum shed his cat guise and returned to being a child.

He surveyed the surroundings—once again a blissful paradise—and stifled a shudder.

The old stamp was now tattered. One more use and it’d be spent…. But this was absolutely a deed that had to be done in human form.

“I finally have the chance to try it.”

He retrieved the item he had been saving.

Deep within the inventory tattoo on his skin, he at last drew out the object he’d bought long ago at the Space Shopping Mall.

‘Huu.’

Right then…

It was a strange tome. Its cover was bound in human skin, finished with dark red wax, bearing human faces mid‑scream.

Necronomicon

The Book of Death.

Kim Soleum stared at the ancient grimoire, its red‑wax seal seeming to hold back unspeakable secrets.

‘…Braun recognized it.’

But there’s one thing about it.

– This is not the Necronomicon you’re thinking of.

It’s exactly as he said back then.

Kim Soleum reverted to cat form and shifted his forepaws. To reduce suspicion.

By carefully feeling beneath the wax with his paws… he could find it.

There, at the edge, was a tiny hinge.

Of course. This thing…

‘This grim tome was really just a bookcase.’

When he opened it—

Click.

He saw a wireless‑bound softcover with neat, standard fonts and cover.

네크로노미콘

Easy Korean Revised Edition Now Available!

A slick yet tacky modern publication.

“……”

At this point you’re probably thinking, ‘????’ but just bear it a bit more.

He flipped the cover. Beyond the table of contents, the text began.

Wijah e’i wijah e’i enkuru ga zakayip hirigeubu someruka bua-teu ni— allat hotelp peurigibeu winiwi-keu zaiche-ruleuge

…Did you catch that?

Alien words written in approximated phonetics.

Right. This book was a (different kind of) horrific mistranslation…!

According to researchers in the <Dark Exploration Records>, it was so full of typos it was laughable.

A botched edition that clumsily mimicked the pronunciation of some old‑version Necronomicon!

‘In cosmic horror, fictional tongues are nearly impossible to fully pronounce or understand, so this was truly pointless.’

Needless to say, it couldn’t summon the madness or cosmic dread of the real thing. Its true nature was…

A ghost story mocking crowdfunding scams.

Mm-hmm, right. That sort of item.

Yet in every ghost story, there’s always at least one gruesome side effect.

And this corrupted edition had exactly one—appropriate to its scam theme.

Exactly what’s expected… A psychological effect.

When this book is read aloud, the reader falls into a state of delusion, experiencing madness and fear as if a colossal entity has truly descended.

It is also estimated that all individuals within a 10-meter radius who hear the reader’s voice are subject to similar effects.

The more deeply the reader is immersed in horror media or possesses a high level of suggestibility, the more vivid and pronounced the effects become.

At the very least, it provides the reader with an immersive experience– making it, relatively speaking, a more ‘honest’ form of deception.

—Assistant Manager Lee Yeonhwa of Research Team 1

In short, a bluff item for intimidation!

And a little embarrassing…

The more deeply the reader is immersed in horror media or possesses a high level of suggestibility, the more vivid and pronounced the effects become.

…Which meant, Kim Soleum judged, it was an item made for him.

‘Keuugh.’

Of course, he nearly lost his mind reading it.

Without the lemonade from Moonlight Tattoo Shop, he might have bled from every pore.

Anyway.

‘I can’t do that anymore.’

He couldn’t read another line. He’d go mad mid‑reading. And if he stayed in cat form and was caught reading it, the plan would be ruined.

But that terrifying psychological effect only triggered when reading the Necronomicon.

So, disguised as a cat now, Kim Soleum’s abilities were no different from any other street animal…

‘Could I… fool them?’

But he had to try.

[This way]

And so Kim Soleum resolutely led the Daydream Inc. employees and the Disaster Bureau agents as if he were an extraordinary creature.

‘Please, I implore you, just help me escape.’

Their destination…

The place where the Angel’s Sigh still remained.

Chapter 159 - [Mermaid Grave], V

Kim Soleum thought to himself.

If he’d had his ‘Good Friend’ with him in this absurd situation, he could almost guess what he’d say.

– Oh! Deception, yes. An effective tool of governance since ancient times. I can’t wait to see how the crowd will be guided. This is getting exciting…

Something like that.

‘Come to think of it, there’s no room to carry a stuffed bunny when you’re on all fours.’

Kim Soleum zoned out on that thought, desperately distracting himself.

Because the stares from behind were too intense…

‘Gaaah!’

Behind him, the Daydream Inc. employees and Disaster Bureau agents followed as if entranced.

Even the mer-children—rather, the children—were trailing after him.

‘This far?’

It felt like he was about to break out in cold sweat.

He’d deliberately steered the two factions into witnessing each other, heightening chaos so the fake Necronomicon’s psych effect would hit harder!

But he never expected it to work this well, with no one breaking away and everyone actually following him.

‘If they find out, I’m massively screwed…’

He could only imagine what those veterans would do if they realized the truth. His paws felt damp with dread.

Yet astonishingly, Kim Soleum managed not to betray any of it.

His survivor’s instinct from his rookie days at the ghost‑story company kicked in.

As a result, they took him for the avatar of that cosmic‑horror entity behind the horrific phenomenon they’d just experienced.

Even that guy who’d suspected this cat’s true identity!

“Um…”

Baek Saheon.

The goat‑masked employee walking next to the cat finally found his voice after what felt like an eternity of hell.

“What on earth…”

The cat stared.

It halted, and with red‑glowing eyes, silently beheld the black‑goat mask.

“……”

“……”

“……Ugh.”

At last, Baek Saheon covered his mouth, sweat beading on his spinning eyes, and started walking again…

‘He’s not killing me.’

‘He’s definitely not going to kill me.’

‘He definitely has a purpose.’

Just as rational thought began to resurface in everyone’s heads, the massive terror in cat form spoke again.

In a different tongue.

[10]

…A countdown.

“…!”

[9]

And the cat’s paws quickened.

[8]

It began shrinking away, toward the far side of town.

If you didn’t follow right away, who knew what would happen…

[7]

With cold sweat dripping down their napes, everyone fell silent and followed the cat’s resumed stride.

A rare scene even for seasoned ghost‑story investigators.

Because they all knew this unwritten rule.

—In a ghost story, if you scream blindly and run, you usually die.

Thus the logic of the tale protected Kim Soleum!

Moreover, with a bizarre entity planted between these two hostile factions, they now kept each other in check, unable to act rashly.

‘Thanks, Baek Saheon…!’

Thanks to him, despite his sweaty paws, Kim Soleum was able to cultivate real fear and pressure as he guided them.

The ominous black cat pressed on, its paws carrying it at lightning speed deeper into the city.

The employees dodged patches of ulcerous slime along the way, and the agents hoisted children whose legs ached onto their backs. They all hurried along.

Eventually, past the city streets, a strange building appeared…

“Huh?”

“It looks like… a cathedral?”

It was a stained‑glass structure at the eastern edge—though its windows were shattered and its symbols destroyed.

The cat silently entered that ruined building and moved beyond a collapsed beam into a strangely concealed space.

Amazingly, there lay a small annex.

“…!”

“I’ve never been here before.”

Hidden by the collapsed structure, this annex was a place the Daydream Inc. employees had never noticed. Or rather, didn’t even know existed.

Through the eyes of children bewitched by Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace, it must have looked like a fully intact, beautiful building…

“This is the spot we searched last time, right?”

“Yes. No anomalies were found.”

So, one side entered warily, the other with puzzled suspicion—both following the black cat inside.

[This way]

The cat stopped only once it reached the annex, in front of the left interior wall.

Directly beneath a small, torn painting.

Baek Saheon hesitated.

“…What am I supposed to do with this?”

[This way]

Shit.

Baek Saheon broke into a cold sweat as he examined the damaged painting, then spun around and smiled.

“Um, Ms. Pony.”

Despite how Kang Yihak pretended not to hear, Baek Saheon pressed on.

“I’m not great at art… Could you take a look? I feel like there’s a safe hidden behind this painting…”

“A safe?”

“Yes.”

In an instant, Kang Yihak stepped forward. She studied the painting intently, then…

“Aha.”

She reached out confidently and pulled it aside.

Behind it was, sure enough, a rusty iron locking mechanism.

“…!”

It was supposed to be a bluff, so why was it actually there?!

Baek Saheon nearly grabbed her by the collar.

‘If only I’d done this myself…’

Kang Yihak sprang into action.

“Cat-nim.”

She knelt before the cat. Kim Soleum nearly toppled backward, but held his form with practiced composure.

Kang Yihak’s eyes glittered.

“The safe key! Where could it be?”

Good grief.

“Haha, you said to bow earlier, so I gave it a try. A hint about how valuable what’s inside might be would be… nice.”

[This way]

The cat remained (unwillingly) resolute!

Meanwhile, Baek Saheon quietly reached out, gripped the safe door, and wrenched it open.

Creeeeak.

“Oh—it just unlocked…!”

Everyone from Daydream Inc. froze. One, two, three… twelve.

Inside the safe were twelve beautiful, white conch shells, each tied with a golden cord.

These were rare treasures once scattered across the city, now nearly impossible to find.

“T‑The Angel’s Sigh!”

Thirteen ‘Angel’s Sigh’ items discovered in the safe of the annex beside the ruined cathedral at the city’s eastern edge. Due to the building’s significance, these were likely professional stockpiles.

This was what the cat had wanted to show them.

The cat watched, red eyes gleaming, as the employees beamed with joy.

If this had been a post‑exploration find, they could’ve quietly led everyone on to another site, but this was the place it had to be.

There was a reason.

But the promised side effects were unavoidable.

‘Item!’

Greed flickered in the Daydream Inc. employees’ eyes.

‘How many points is that worth?’

‘I’ve got to take them all.’

Yet they still hesitated, under the lingering fear summoned by the fake Necronomicon.

They seemed certain the cat’s true, immense malice would trigger some terrible condition if they acted rashly.

And so…

[This way]

The cat moved on again.

A suffocating silence followed.

Then… it sat before the children—the agents of the Disaster Management Bureau.

“…!”

“It’s a cat doll! Cute!”

“No! You can’t, Jiji-ya!”

Agent Choi barred the mer-child from pouncing on the cat.

Ryu Jaekwan broke into a cold sweat.

In any case, having glimpsed the otherworld, the cat could detect the agents’ voices as they were still disguised as ‘children’.

And it urged them, again.

[This way]

“…It looks like it wants us to look inside that safe.”

“……”

They calmed the mer-children, then approached the safe with caution.

The Daydream Inc. employees’ hands itched in greed, but they stayed silent.

Finally, the agents peered in…

“……”

“…Bronze-ah, can you see it?”

“No.”

“I see.”

Agent Choi wiped cold sweat from his brow and forced a grin.

“…There’s nothing here.”

That’s right.

To the agents in child form, the gleaming ivory interior of the safe appeared completely empty.

“But actually, there is something here, right?”

Agent Choi raised his suncatcher again and peered at the spot where the Daydream Inc. employees had been gushing.

He finally confirmed it.

“…!”

There really were twelve conch shells.

Agent Choi hurriedly asked one of the mer-children,

“Hey, kid, can you see that?”

“What? See what? What’s there?”

“I—”

“I see a cat,” the children answered with innocent cheer.

The agents realized.

This item is invisible only to children.

More precisely… they simply cannot perceive it.

‘Wait…’

Agent Bronze felt a chill run down his spine.

‘So… there was a critical item the Bureau never identified until now……’

They had always infiltrated the ghost story in child form. In that guise, they could not even sense the conch shells. Only by forced searching might they barely find them.

But at this moment, the Disaster Management Bureau agents had learned of the shells’ existence…

Agent Choi whipped his head toward the cat, but the cat calmly looked back and once again conveyed its will.

[This way]

“Agent—”

“Ah, no no, it’s fine.”

Agent Choi answered the call.

He reached into the safe to touch where the shells lay…

But he couldn’t.

“……”

He wasn’t allowed to.

The hallucination that underpins Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace—the root of this ghost story and its infection—was rejecting any attempt to touch the shells.

“Then…”

[This way]

“……”

Agent Choi fell silent.

As if its turn concluded, the cat moved on, its steps heading straight for Baek Saheon.

‘Why me again?!’

Baek Saheon yelped inwardly, yet in the next instant he realized.

“Oh… Shall I gather these conch shells, sir?”

Exactly.

‘It’s telling me to collect the items!’

Filled with a sudden thrill at obeying the cat’s command for the first time, Baek Saheon thrust his hand into the safe and grabbed the shells.

[10]

Even in his joy, his mind spun with calculations

‘How do I scoop up all twelve in this situation?’

Had the cat spoken only to him, he could’ve grabbed them all at once. But now, he’d have to hand a few to my nasty boss and money‑obsessed coworker to keep them satisfied.

‘Fuck.’

[9]

It must have assembled everyone here to create a more dramatic, sensational scene. That cat is that psychopathic bastard Kim Soleum…

‘Wait a minute…’

Baek Saheon paused.

That insane, strange, grotesque pressure he’d just felt—this presence—was beyond what any mere human psychopath could muster, right?

The red halo around Kim Soleum felt different, too.

Though Baek Saheon had seen danger halos on humans before, this one was… something else entirely.

[8]

It felt more like the anomalous phenomena described in ghost stories…

A sense of the uncanny.

‘No way.’

No way his old roommate was simply an inhuman psychopath…

[7]

‘He was never really human…’

A shiver ran down his spine.

But the boat had sailed. He had to gather the items.

‘Doesn’t matter.’

[6]

The countdown neared its end.

Baek Saheon gritted his teeth and swiftly collected the golden‑corded conch shells, ignoring Kang Yihak’s peeks and the intense gazes of his boss and the agents.

When he’d swept all twelve into his bag…

“Huh?”

He found one more shell hidden at the very bottom.

It lacked a golden cord, but it was indeed an Angel’s Sigh.

‘Bonus.’

As he wondered how to pocket it secretly and reached out—

[This way]

Something sprang out from inside.

“…!”

Baek Saheon almost tripped over the cat and fell.

The slimy infection spurting from inside the conch shell flew through the air but lost its target.

“Argh!”

Baek Saheon quickly threw the shell he’d been holding.

Agent Bronze, watching with the suncatcher in hand, dashed forward and struck the slime‑shooting shell with his glass handgun.

Bang! With a short crack, the shell shattered, and the tick‑like chunk of flesh twitched and crawled out like a bug, only to be hit by another round and flung against the floor.

Crunch.

Jin Nasol’s shoe crushed it into the ground.

“……”

In the bone‑chilling silence, everyone turned to look at the cat.

The ghost‑story entity that had forcibly guided them here.

Phew.

I did my best to avert my gaze from the others, feeling as though I’d break out in a cold sweat.

It wasn’t hard in a cat’s body.

‘I just wanted to verify this.’

That’s why I’d chosen this spot among all the places I could farm Angel’s Sigh shells.

The moment you grab the shell hidden at the very bottom of the safe, infective slime will spurt out.

That was the trap, the unique danger of this place.

Like a mimic, the biohazard had parasitized an apparently useful item, hiding within in a classic, creepy horror twist.

But when you combine that trope with what I learned from the tattooist…

‘It becomes an even clearer hint.’

A hint at the conch shells’ true nature.

■■.

From the tattooist’s overwhelming sensory insight at Moonlight Tattoo Shop, the shells—Angel’s Sigh—were tied to dark, catastrophic events.

Likely the insane infection and the city’s ruin.

Yet at the same time, the shells bore the opposite image of solace and healing.

Add the tattooist’s words—‘Even knowing rationally it’s not a threat, its very image feels filthy and horrific’—and reassemble the clues…

—Originally a cure, the conch shells triggered a catastrophic event, though that wasn’t their intended function.

…You arrive at this deduction.

So who contaminated the shells?

‘A very obvious suspect.’

—A biohazard ulcer burrowed into the shells, posing as Angel’s Sigh.

The biohazard‑merfolk’s tactic of creating the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace hallucination to ensnare child hosts is identical.

‘It first hid in the shells, spreading infection.’

Thus the children became infected, this madness raced unchecked, and the city’s civilization distrusted the shells so much that they prevented timely treatment…

‘Everything fits.’

Kim Soleum had driven everyone here so he could convey this hint directly, without suspicion.

And…

“Aha.”

Here was someone who’d grasped the hint exactly.

“……”

As Agent Choi picked up a shard of the broken shell, goosebumps ran up his hand.

Almost a thrill.

The sharp and experienced spot clues quickly, drawing them closer to the answer.

“A cure?”

He looked back at the cat.

“This is a cure?”

“…!!”

“So you blocked the kids from seeing or touching the shells, mixed in blanks to mislead them—to keep them from being cured.”

The cat offered no reply, but Agent Choi was already certain.

In a voice so calm it hardly seemed directed at the presence that moments ago had exuded pure terror, he declared,

“Yes. This… is a cure.”

“……”

Tension began to thicken the air.

‘What…?’

To the Daydream Inc. employees, his words sounded only like mer-child giggles.

Unintelligible, yet the uncanny atmosphere prickled their instincts.

“But here’s the thing…”

Agent Choi glanced at the bag Baek Saheon clutched.

Baek Saheon’s hand tightened on the strap.

“There are twenty‑eight children out there.”

And they were all too infected to escape.

“But only twelve shells… and look whose hands they’re in.”

Agent Choi raised his hand, then readied his glass handgun…

[10]

“……”

[9]

The cat…

Before anyone knew it, it was now seated somewhere else.

[8]

At Jin Nasol’s shoes.

“What.”

[7]

“I don’t know what you want me to do.”

[6]

“‘Do what you were going to do,’ is that it?”

[5]

“Fine, go ahead then.”

[4]

And so Jin Nasol did as planned.

[3]

The Daydream Inc. elite team assistant manager flicked her attack wire from her nail…

Not at an agent, but at a mer-child.

Chapter 160 - [Mermaid Grave], VI

The Disaster Management Bureau agents snapped their heads around.

“Whoa!”

Wires tipped with Jin Nasol’s ornate nails shot out and snagged the mer-child’s sleeve.

This was the personal weapon of A-squad’s assistant manager.

“Huh? Look, fireworks!”

The child laughed.

Hearing the tainted mer‑child’s giggle, Jin Nasol sliced the most lethal appendage first—the part that secreted paralytic and infectious fluids.

Slice.

“Aaaagh!”

The enormous tail attached to the mer-child dropped to the floor. Blood and slime burst out.

“It hurts! It hurts!”

An agent’s counter‑strike missed by a hair.

Without a pause, Jin Nasol yanked the now‑crippled mer-child in with her wire and clamped the child under one arm.

“Eek!”

Then she announced.

“Take one more step and it dies.”

“…!”

It was a perfectly rational choice.

‘Her legs aren’t in perfect condition.’

Her calf, still numb from the bell‑blade trap, had already forced her to burn items just to keep up with that ominous cat.

Trying to fight two Bureau agents, grab the loot, and run in this state would be idiotic.

And Jin Nasol loathed idiocy.

So, she chose.

“I said stay back.”

“…!”

Words failed, but the gesture spoke plainly.

“Hold on, Bronze-ah.”

Agent Choi, who valued every single life, raised both hands as if to yield while frantically hunting for alternatives.

But…

That was not the Bureau’s textbook response.

‘Hostage.’

The textbook agent, Agent Bronze, stared at the villain with dark eyes.

These scum planned to steal the twelve shells that could save twelve children.

‘Even though those people could escape without them.’

Letting them go would doom those kids.

The Bureau’s priority was crystal clear.

Maximize lives with minimal sacrifice.

—If one civilian must be lost to save many more.

‘So be it.’

“…Bronze-ah?”

Agent Bronze made his decision in a flash.

He raised his glass handgun and charged.

“Hey—!”

At that exact instant, another creature moved.

Jingle.

“W‑Wait…!”

Amid Baek Saheon’s startled cry, the cat sprang soundlessly off his shoulder.

Clamped in its jaws was an Angel’s Sigh conch, pulled straight from Baek Saheon’s bag.

“No!”

The cat sprinted straight at Jin Nasol.

“…!”

She reflexively braced to kick and flick her wire, yet the cat wasn’t aiming for her.

It veered slightly, down and sideways.

“Huh? Kitty doll…”

Straight to the mer-child in Jin Nasol’s grip.

The cat pressed the conch, still clenched in its teeth, tight against the child’s ear.

“…!”

From within the shell flowed a tingling voice.

Hummm.

It was a hum as lovely as a soprano’s aria, a lullaby a parent once crooned.

A stirring phrase of a national anthem, a jubilant hymn brimming with life.

But only one phrase.

A single melody drifted softly, tenderly from the shell and tickled the child’s ear.

“…Huh?”

The tailless mer‑child froze.

Hm, hmmmm, hmm, hmmmmmhh…

Bleeding slowed.

Ulcers shrinking on face and limbs, the torsion of infection easing, vocal cords returning to proper shape.

It wasn’t a full rewind to a pristine child, but the rampant infection faltered, and the human life still inside flared like kindling catching flame.

Next moment—

“Huuu…”

With a deep sigh, the child was once more simply a sick little boy.

“……”

“……”

Everyone, stunned by the miracle, hesitated on pure instinct.

“W‑What’s going on? Mom…!”

The boy burst into hysterical sobs, the hallucination collapsing, Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace gone, and horrific reality laid bare to naked eyes.

“…!”

‘It even breaks the brainwashing…!’

And as the child was banished from that blissful dream and kept bawling, the cat, astonishingly, crept into his arms and let him cling for comfort.

“K-Kitty…”

Even when the child yanked its head with a rather rough grip, the cat sat motionless.

That only made it creepier, yet the signal was unmistakable.

That creature was friendly toward children.

‘Is this a ghost story whose rules change by age?’

Ever an elite of the Field Investigation Team, Jin Nasol kept analyzing, yet she did not release her hostage.

She merely stopped overtly subduing the child. No one could predict how that cat‑shaped danger would react.

But…

“Really, these people are out of their minds.”

Someone exploited that tiny opening.

“…!”

A glass bullet flew.

Jin Nasol saw it. One agent fired the glass handgun at her legs while another, already in range, tried to bind her torso.

‘Hah.’

She deliberately let herself topple backward.

Her body, suddenly limp and boneless, slipped past their grapples by a hair.

At the same time she flung the hostage straight into Agent Choi’s arms.

“…!”

The moment Agent Choi caught the child, who was still clutching the cat.

‘There are hostages everywhere.’

Jin Nasol made the cold calculation and kicked the door.

‘We’re pulling out.’

The other Daydream employees, reading her intentions, moved to follow. Baek Saheon gripped the bag holding the remaining eleven Angel’s Sighs and bolted.

[This way]

The cat looked up.

“…!”

The ominous cat quietly stepped out from the arms of the child held by Agent Choi.

“Why are you…”

The quadruped creature walked among the frozen onlookers. Then, after passing by everyone, it stopped in front of something.

The severed tail of the young mermaid, the one Jin Na-sol had cut off.

A strand of the ulcer mass.

[This way]

The cat’s form crackled as it turned to face the people.

“W-What are we supposed to do with that…?”

[This way]

Its blood-red eyes looked directly at me.

A gaze that seemed to already know everything about me.

“……”

Fucking hell.

Baek Saheon quickly grabbed the tail with his gloved hand, trying to stuff it into the waterproof pouch on the front of his bag.

But Agent Choi was faster. He snatched the tail away before he could.

“Ah…!”

Agent Choi, still categorized as a ‘child’, firmly gripped the still-wriggling tail that was desperately trying to parasitize him, and spoke to the cat.

“You provoked the attack because you needed this, didn’t you?”

Silence.

“What use is this tail?”

The cat did not speak.

And yet, it answered.

[This way]

By fixing its gaze on the employees of Daydream Inc.

“…!”

Agent Choi secured the tail in a containment case and then hurriedly began scribbling words on the ground with the chalk he carried.

A point of connection where the gaze of the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace and the Mermaid Grave intersects.

– You guys are using the tails, huh?

“…!”

– If you tell me where and how you use it, I promise I won’t fight anymore until we get out of here~ I swear it on my honor as an agent! ^^

– Is it something you use to escape? I know all about you running away on the escape vessel. So where and how do you use it?

‘This crazy bastard…’

But Agent Choi had his reasons for confidence.

– The cat seems to want us to talk, too, right?

[10]

“Agh, seriously!”

With the cat starting yet another countdown, Baek Saheon glanced about.

‘Not wearing the target for this…’

Thankfully Kang Yihak crouched first and began writing.

– How much will you pay us if we tell? haha

Another lunatic…

– We’re completely broke ㅠㅠ You rich guys suck it up! Don’t want Kitty to pop your head, right~

“Eyy.”

‘You lil shits…!’

In the end, under the pressure of the countdown, Baek Saheon wrote the answer himself in place of his money-crazed colleague, using his best judgment.

– You already know, right… The tail’s an entry pass for the escape run.

– But we never brutally cut the tails off of the mer-children. We only took the minimal amount from already fully infected general entities. We need to survive too…

‘Telling them we butchered a kid would make them flip!’

Even so, Agent Choi didn’t blink.

– How is it used? Fuel? Ticket? Sacrifice?

Was it safe to spill this much?

[6]

Damn it.

– An admission ticket.

As he wrote, Baek Saheon instinctively glanced toward where the cat had been. After squeezing him with that killer countdown—are you satisfied now, you psycho bastard?

But the cat was gone.

“…!”

It was now standing in front of the window.

Standing… on two legs.

[This way]

The cat’s posture was uncanny.

As if something else were forcing it to move, it stood eerily upright on two legs near the window and lifted its left front paw, pointing sharply westward.

That direction was…

…The escape vessel!

And with that, it dropped below the window.

“…!!”

People rushed to the window and looked down, but below—there was nothing.

The cat had vanished.

“……Hah.”

The air suddenly felt lighter.

As a few people caught their breath and began thinking rapidly—

“The escape vessel… the escape vessel!”

Baek Saheon tore at his hair.

“That’s it! The cat meant for us to board the escape vessel and get out!”

“What?”

“I-It said, ‘Prepare for death’! I thought that meant something else, but now it seems it was a warning! If we don’t all escape by boat, it’ll kill us…!”

“…!”

“We have to get out of here—”

But the Daydream Inc. employees didn’t forget the danger so quickly. The Disaster Management agents were still here. And…

The memory of what the cat had just done.

“……”

At that moment, Agent Choi fell into thought.

The cat had forced them to sever the mer‑child’s tail, then used the conch shell to heal it.

Any adult would have recognized that as a friendly act toward children…

“Hmm.”

Thinking of that, Choi calmly wrote on the ground.

– The cat showed us where the conch shells were and even demonstrated the cure. Clearly it wants us to use them to save as many kids as possible…

– Unless you’d rather risk being slaughtered by a monster for your greed?

‘Damn it.’

But Choi didn’t stop there.

– Otherwise, will you cooperate only until we’re all safely out?

“…!”

– Make sure you escort every child out safely, using the conch shells on the escape vessel.

“……”

Jin Nasol shoved Baek Saheon aside and strode forward without hesitation. She barely blinked as she wrote.

– Any foolish moves and you’re shot.

“Okay~”

Thus, a strange temporary alliance was born.

It was a team capable of utilizing both the sensory perception of the Mermaid Grave and the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace, with enough personnel to both handle the biological disaster and protect multiple children at once.

‘…Was it leading us into this?’

Ryu Jaekwan’s eyes twitched slightly.

Just what kind of supernatural phenomenon was that rumor in the form of a cat, to lead to something like this…? No, what mattered for now was getting out of here safely and completing the mission.

Wait!

Yes, and he wasn’t even alone anymore. They had a rookie now, too…

“Grapes!”

Ryu Jaekwan spun to face his superior grimly. Their rookie must still be searching for survivors among the children…

“We have to find him at once. If someone’s left behind…”

“Hold on, hold on! Calm down. We’re meeting this evening anyway. We’ll pass by and pick him up on the way out.”

That was the problem…!

‘We can’t take these maniacs with us…!’

“I’ll… threaten them a bit first.”

Agent Choi, instead of keeping the conch shell with Baek Saheon, demanded the tail tissue of the general infected creatures as collateral, and verified that the employees weren’t lying about the location of the escape vessel.

He even pretended to wrestle over the conch shell to discreetly attach a tracking device to it, completing the precautions.

“All set.”

Finally, they firmly agreed to meet in front of the building near the escape vessel.

“Now let’s gather the kids.”

“…Yes.”

In any case, the encounter between that lunatic pseudo-pharmaceutical company and Agent Grapes was now inevitable.

Ryu Jaekwan felt a chill in his chest, but resolved that he should spot the rookie first and make him cover his face with a hood or something.

If he said he wanted to protect the rookie’s identity from the cult-like pharmaceutical staff, his superior would probably understand.

“By the fountain!”

“Yes.”

But the moment they met Agent Grapes at the central fountain of the city—

“Agent!”

Ryu Jaekwan realized his plan had been meaningless.

Through the suncatcher he had been holding up reflexively—just in case—he saw it clearly.

The rookie agent, who turned back after noticing them…

“I’ve been gathering and organizing the children by age group!”

Half of his face was covered in ulcers.

“……”

Ryu Jaekwan came to a halt.

Cold sweat ran down his back as his trembling eyes scanned the childlike figure of the rookie agent…

Below the torso, long umbilical cord-like masses of cellular tissue dangled.

From his waist, thick chunks of flesh extended outward, with ulcers hanging from him like a tail.

It was grotesque and horrific. But because of the setting in an underwater city, and because the form resembled a tail…

This biological disaster was referred to as the merfolk.

“But playing together is so much fun…”

The mer-child, who had once been an agent, smiled and waved.

“Can’t we stay just one more day?”

Upon seeing the rookie fully infected by the biological disaster, the two agents stopped in place, their faces completely drained of color.

Chapter 161 - [Mermaid Grave], VII

A rookie agent had been infected.

“Agent?”

Ryu Jaekwan had already experienced similar situations multiple times.

An agent who miscounted the final step and stepped onto the wrong stair. An agent who endured two days without a drop of water, only to be contaminated by a raindrop falling into the membrane of their eye…

They just disappear.

Just like that.

Without context, without warning.

The kind of eeriness that some find entertaining is what people often call an ghost story…

But for the person involved, it was only natural for it to feel like a common tragedy.

Just like now.

“Bronze-ah.”

At that moment, his superior quickly bumped his shoulder and slung an arm around him.

“…!”

And with a finger on his back, he wrote one word.

So the infected rookie agent wouldn’t notice.

Calm.

“Grapes-ie! But hey, we should get going. Your hand’s about to disappear too, right?”

“Ah…”

The rookie agent, Kim Soleum, looked down at his right arm, which had been severed and vanished, and answered rather brightly.

“It’s fine! The Mermaid Princess said she’d give me a new one. I’ll be okay!”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes! Look over here, I even got this…”

Kim Soleum lifted a few items the children had given him and proudly showed them off.

In reality, they were all worn-out, shabby trinkets, glittering only in the eyes of the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace. The kind of toys only young children, not full-grown adults, might like.

“…Right. Just a sec.”

The two of them let Kim Soleum continue playing with the kids and quickly stepped aside to speak in hushed urgency.

“I don’t know what the hell happened, but the infection’s already way too deep.”

Half his face was covered in tumors, and the infection core, manifesting as a ‘tail’, had grown far too large.

Normally, something like this wouldn’t happen after just three days.

Had he actually entered the ‘Ocean Palace’ and come back? Or maybe something went wrong when he came into contact with the kids? Or perhaps Kim Soleum himself simply had a body that was exceptionally vulnerable to biological disasters.

Either way, while rare, it wasn’t impossible for a rookie to experience such a thing. But with his mind already seeming contaminated, it was hard to confirm anything through him right now.

Or maybe…

“You don’t think that cat…”

“……”

…A more dangerous entity had intervened.

Maybe to push them along.

Ryu Jaekwan’s face turned pale, then snapped back to focus.

“The conch.”

It was the cure.

“We need to bring it. Right now!”

“Wait.”

Agent Choi grabbed his arm.

“That cat seemed to give the cure to save the children.”

“But Agent Grapes still looks like a child on the outside…”

“Listen to me. If that cat’s a high-risk phenomenon ranked higher than even the dokkaebi trick our Elder set up… it might not recognize that guy as a ‘child’ anymore.”

“…!”

Ryu Jaekwan nearly shouted, ‘So what, do we just give up?!’

But his superior, Agent Choi, was looking at ‘Agent Grapes’ with an unreadable expression.

“……”

Then, after calming his junior, he walked back over to Kim Soleum among the children.

“Grapes-ie.”

“Yes?”

“Then would it be okay if you just stayed here altogether?”

“Yes!”

Ryu Jaekwan couldn’t hold back and yanked the back of Choi’s collar.

“Sunbae!!”

“Hey, hey, I’m asking to check how far the infection’s gone. …It’s serious. It’s not just physical, it’s in his thinking, too…”

“……”

“Let’s get him out now.”

“Then…”

“No, I mean the way we always do.”

Agent Choi sighed and patted his junior’s back.

“Bronze-ah, Bronze-ah. Get it together. Our escape method isn’t based on infection levels. It’s based on the time of disappearance.”

“…!!”

That’s right.

According to the Disaster Management Bureau’s escape protocol, a child wouldn’t vanish into nothing if their disappearance had occurred within the last 1000 days.

And Agent Grapes had only been here for three days. He still met the criteria!

“All we have to do is convince him to leave. I’ll send him out, so just keep the kids from scattering, okay?”

Then he turned toward the infected Kim Soleum and called out in a cheerful voice.

“Let’s come back to the Ocean Palace next time, Grapes-ie! But how about we play balloon ride on the way? Just like when we came here earlier, floating up, nice and easy!”

It was one of the escape routes identified by the Disaster Management Bureau.

Do you remember?

Wasn’t it said that children’s books with a surprise appendix titled ‘How to Get to the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace’ were often found scattered throughout the playrooms?

In truth, those books contained an additional passage.

At the very back of the books that had ‘How to Get to the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace’ written in them, there were rare instances where a method for returning from the Ocean Palace was included.

That particular page was composed with advanced vocabulary and steps comparable to professional manuals, demanding a level of reading comprehension impossible for preschoolers.

All attempts to identify the required materials for the ‘returning from Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace’ ritual had ended in failure.

So, to actually use this escape method, the agents carried the necessary supplies with them directly.

Fortunately, because the entire preparation process was so irrational and obstructed, the escape method itself was narratively sound.

Up until this very moment.

“It’s not going up…”

“…!!”

This time was an exception.

Agent Choi, with a look like he might bite his tongue, almost gawked at Kim Soleum dangling from the balloon, but managed to keep a straight face.

Originally, a child tied to the ‘going home balloon’ would close their eyes and gently float into the sky, and when the balloon eventually popped, they would fall—

And be found rolling out from a slide.

That was how it was supposed to work…

But the balloon wasn’t rising at all.

This had never happened before.

That’s because no agent had ever been this deeply infected…!

Moreover, the degree of infection usually matched eerily well with the symptoms of a year of disappearance.

So, any child still within the viable window for escape always floated upward with the balloon.

But now, a new irregular had occurred.

– If the subject is severely contaminated, the balloon cannot rise into the sky, rendering the escape method useless.

Like a parasite gripping its host tightly, refusing to let go.

The tumor-tail, ulcerated and grown from Kim Soleum’s back, lay heavily grounded and squirming.

‘…Is he almost fully merged with the ulcer mass?’

Thinking about that bizarre collective entity resembling the Ocean Palace, Agent Choi’s brow twitched.

Yet his mouth spoke casually.

“Oops~ I must’ve under-inflated it! Let’s try a different way, okay?”

“Okay…”

And the moment Ryu Jaekwan, who had been with the children, saw the two returning empty-handed, he immediately sprang into action.

“Bronze-ah.”

“We need to get the cure right now. The prepa—”

“Bronze-ah.”

Agent Choi paused briefly, then spoke slowly…

“Did it ever occur to you that, if Grapes was in his right mind, he would’ve given up his spot to a child?”

Ryu Jaekwan’s hands froze.

“It did.”

“…!”

“That’s exactly why he should be prioritized. Most agents think like that. If you don’t prioritize them… they’ll give up their lives too easily.”

“……”

“Saving the agent means saving more lives.”

Ryu Jaekwan’s superior fell silent for a moment, as if at a loss for words.

Then sighed softly.

“I… I don’t know. It’s not like we can assign rankings to human lives…. Wouldn’t it be better to save him just because he’s a comrade?”

“……”

“Was our bureau… always like this? I feel like it used to be different…. But at some point, everyone started staking their lives on that principle.”

“Because they realized it was necessary.”

“……”

Ryu Jaekwan knew full well that Agent Choi’s silence leaned closer to disagreement than agreement.

Still, even Choi let out a small sigh of resignation.

“Anyway, fine. Grapes must be saved.”

“…!”

“Let’s go see those cult-company bastards.”

But before that.

From the remaining eleven Angel’s Sigh conches, they would have to set aside one for the agent.

That left room for only ten others.

“Ten children. We’ll have to choose.”

“……”

Agent Choi’s eyes dimmed, but regardless, he moved toward Grapes.

“You said you sorted the children by era, right? Can you show me how?”

“Yes!”

Agent Grapes had diligently categorized the children.

Somehow, he had managed to gather all twenty-something children scattered across the entire city.

‘…Did they gain the ability to communicate with each other after becoming infected and connecting to the hive?’

Ryu Jaekwan pushed aside the chilling speculation.

“These ones all know the same songs!”

The children were sorted—

From kids of the 2010s, all the way back to those from the 1960s.

And a few were explained a little differently.

“These kids… seem like they came from a slightly different place.”

They had six fingers, or no whites in their eyes, or claimed to be from countries that don’t exist on Earth.

Agent Bronze immediately placed them at the end of the priority list—there was a high chance they weren’t ‘civilians’.

…It didn’t feel good.

Assigning ranks to human lives.

Ryu Jaekwan felt a deep fatigue he had momentarily forgotten.

…Tired, as always.

And so, he implicitly prioritized children who had gone missing more recently.

Because with the intel they had now, those children had the highest probability of successfully escaping.

“…But still, we’ll bring all of them for now.”

“……”

Ryu Jaekwan slowly nodded.

“Alright. Grapes-ie, the kids might get scared now, so how about we walk and play together? We’ll see the Mermaid Princess tomorrow. Today, you can play with me.”

“Okay!”

They decided to hide Agent Grapes among the children to protect him as much as possible from Daydream Inc.

If it were revealed that he was an agent, he’d become a target. A group like Daydream’s elite team would likely know that the Disaster Management Bureau prioritized agents’ lives over civilians’.

‘A contaminated agent… is an easy target.’

At least until they could secure a conch shell and treat him.

With that, they hastened their steps.

And shortly after—

“Ooh! Over here!”

At the agreed-upon location, a staff member wearing a pony mask was waving, and the rest of the employees watched warily.

‘They didn’t run off.’

Ryu Jaekwan confirmed that the tracking signal attached to the conch shell by Agent Choi was still active, and joined up with the members of Daydream Inc.

They flinched at the sight of dozens of ‘merchildren’, but perhaps due to the lingering influence of the cat, they didn’t act rashly.

They simply kept a clear distance.

– This way.

After a brief exchange of written notes, the two factions began moving, each cautiously keeping the other in check.

Downward, into the depths of the city.

“This place… it’s where the kids usually don’t go, right?”

Even seen through the eyes of the ‘Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace’, it wasn’t particularly beautiful or remarkable.

A shaded place under a bridge.

In reality, it was beneath a rusted iron bridge that somehow hadn’t collapsed, beside a stream of black, contaminated water.

There, a small door waited.

However…

“We can’t see it.”

The door wasn’t visible to the infected children at all.

Just like the conch shells, they simply didn’t appear to them.

“……”

Then.

Agent Choi, aware of Daydream’s staff watching closely for any slip, calmly closed his eyes and reached out with his hand.

…Okay. He passed through.

“Ah. So it works if we just trick our senses. If you walk in with your eyes closed, you can go in.”

The only problem was that they’d have to get all twenty-eight children to do it.

“Hey, kids! Let’s play a game. Let’s see who can walk with their eyes closed the longest!”

“Um…”

“But it’s scary.”

Usually eager to play together, a few of the children now hesitated, fidgeting strangely.

As if they instinctively felt something was off.

‘Damn it.’

…One ominous thought struck the agents. Would they have to leave behind the kids who couldn’t pass this threshold?

But then.

“Are you a scaredy-cat?”

“…!”

“I-I’m not!”

“Then close your eyes!”

Kim Soleum began encouraging the children.

“You know that shiny thing you see when your eyes are closed? You can see it, right?”

“Yeah, I see it!”

“Look closely. If you can’t see it yet, just walk a little and it’ll show up.”

Amazingly, he succeeded in getting the children to walk forward with their eyes closed.

“……”

“Agent…”

“…Ah, let’s go.”

Agent Choi, who had been watching the scene in a bit of a daze, quickly came to his senses.

He tapped the shoulder of the anxious Agent Bronze and began to walk.

“Let’s go!”

The children, with their eyes closed, safely passed through the ‘wall’ and entered.

And then.

“Huh.”

A place that was not the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace revealed itself to them.

From the perspective of Daydream Inc.—that is, from the viewpoint of the ghost story ‘Mermaid Grave’—it was nothing more than a slightly less rusted, harsh-looking steel corridor compared to the outside.

It resembled a hastily built emergency passage for authorized personnel.

But in the eyes of the children…

‘Nothing’s there.’

Just a white rectangular path.

As if all texture had been stripped away.

It seemed this area couldn’t sustain the illusion of the ‘Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace’.

A space, presumably, somewhat isolated from contamination.

‘…This is getting more and more suspicious.’

All the more reason, a veteran would know, that this was likely the correct path. So he hastened his steps.

“Should I keep my eyes closed?”

“If you open them, you’ll see something amazing, right?”

Thankfully, the children didn’t collapse in fear or burst into tears. If anyone started to cry, Agent Grapes distracted or comforted them.

“……”

They reached the end of the corridor.

What was visible through the suncatcher item was the true scene beyond.

“Ha.”

A roughly constructed, ramshackle terminal.

It seemed there had once been a total of seven escape pods.

In the spots where some alien, mechanical-technology escape pods had already launched, only dust, filth, and dried infectious fluid remained.

But there was one left. A massive capsule-type escape pod.

Covered in blood.

As they approached, the door’s device spoke.

[Please ve■fy removal of infect■ ■■■.]

Hmm.

– So you just have to show it a severed tail?

When a few employees from Daydream Inc. only nodded weakly in response and said nothing, Agent Choi quickly added one more thing.

– To the cool person who answers quickly: 50,000 won, haha

– I thought it was to prove you’d hunted an infected entity and helped stop the spread! That’s how you get access to the pod, haha

As soon as that answer came back, Agent Choi nodded and immediately handed over cash.

“Yahoo!”

Then, ignoring the giggling employee in the pony mask, he turned around and called out,

“Alright then… Grapes-ie. Want to come over here? And let’s bring that friend you were just talking to as well!”

“Yes!”

Kim Soleum, standing among the children, took one child by the hand and walked toward the escape pod.

Fortunately, it seemed the Daydream employees hadn’t realized he was an agent.

Ryu Jaekwan, on alert, reached into Baek Saheon’s bag and yanked out several conch shells as if robbing him, handing them to Agent Choi.

“This…”

Baek Saheon’s quiet stream of curses, swallowed in frustration, didn’t make it through.

Agent Choi smiled and lifted one of the conch shells, approaching Grapes.

“If you just close your eyes for a second, it’ll be over quick…”

But at that moment.

“What’s that?”

“Whoa! It’s a real white spaceship!”

The child standing beside Grapes suddenly ran toward the escape pod.

“…!”

“Let’s go together!”

Grapes followed the child, running all the way to the front of the escape pod.

“Wait…!”

Forcibly boarding an infected child onto the escape pod will trigger rapid shedding, causing ulcers to erupt across the entire body and resulting in total loss of life signs.

Do not attempt under any circumstances.

It must not happen—!

To make matters worse, the Daydream Inc. employees immediately shifted into an aggressive stance. Agent Bronze stepped in to block them.

“Grapes-ie!”

“Huh?”

At that moment, Grapes turned at the sound of his name.

Naturally, his tail brushed against the escape pod’s door device.

“…!”

The message displayed the same message again.

[Please ve■fy removal of infect■ ■■■.]

“Wow! You were right! It flashed just now!”

“Right?”

In that brief moment, Agent Choi ran over and yanked both of them back.

Watching the scene through the suncatcher, Agent Bronze let out a short sigh and dropped his threatening posture toward Daydream Inc.

A tense silence lingered in the air.

“Ha. Still, at least the escape pod isn’t attacking. That’s a relief.”

Agent Choi didn’t even have time to wipe the cold sweat from his brow before he raised the conch shell.

But…

“……”

Agent Bronze felt something strange from the scene he had just witnessed.

The device had reacted again the moment a living tail made contact.

And his superior’s words…

– At least the escape pod isn’t attacking. That’s a relief.

“…!”

Could it be.

“If we just treat the kids, hand them the severed tails, and board them…”

“No.”

“…Bronze-ah?”

“This… this isn’t what we think.”

Agent Bronze reread the text on the device.

[Please ve■fy removal of infect■ ■■■.]

It read as if one were meant to remove an infection, like killing the infected merfolk, and verify it.

But…

“This is already a ruined city. Judging by how hastily this escape pod space was constructed, it must’ve been built in a rush during the final collapse as a last-ditch escape attempt.”

“And?”

“That would mean most of the people expected to use this escape pod were already infected.”

“…!”

Agent Bronze turned again toward the last remaining escape pod.

“And if it really was the last remaining means of escape, it wouldn’t be strange for it to have been designed under the assumption that everyone was infected.”

“…That makes sense.”

Agent Choi’s eyes lit up.

“In that case, to minimize the risk of contagion spreading to other locations…”

“Yes.”

Both agents turned their gaze to the tails.

Those grotesque biological masses, leaking infectious mucus.

“It means the directive is to sever the infectious appendage—the tail—and then board the escape pod.”

Then, the device’s message took on a completely different meaning:

[Please verify removal of infectious protrusion.]

It wasn’t telling them to hunt and kill another infected being.

It was telling them to remove their own infection source: the tail.

Only coherent beings who had severed their tail and ‘verified’ it could safely board.

“Wait. Then that means…”

“Yes.”

For the first time today, a faint smile of exhilaration appeared on Agent Bronze’s face.

“We don’t need to fully cure the infection. If the children simply cut off their tails and verify it, they should be able to board the escape pod without the conch shell.”

“…!”

“And if we only use the conches on the kids who are at risk of dying from blood loss when cutting their tails…”

As long as they distribute them correctly—

“We can all get out. Together.”

Not a single child left behind.

They could rescue everyone from this supernatural disaster.

That’s it!

I clenched my fist discreetly.

I was still among the children, so I wouldn’t be noticed, but I had to stifle the sighs of relief and joy that kept trying to escape my lips.

‘We did it.’

By naturally merging Daydream Inc.’s intel with the Disaster Management Bureau’s, they had reached a conclusion similar to the one I’d reasoned out.

How much effort had it taken to steer everyone to this conclusion without raising suspicion…!

It’s been a truly brutal day.

I swallowed hard.

‘…Even getting infected was a wise choice.’

It would be a lie to say it wasn’t horrifying and revolting.

But the benefits gained by becoming infected were too valuable to give up.

From concealing my identity completely from Daydream Inc. employees by hiding behind the tumor covering half my face, to ultimately giving them a direct hint toward the conclusion: ‘you can enter the escape pod if you sever the tail’…

It had been the one and only correct answer. It was the only way to break through every obstacle naturally, without arousing suspicion.

And…

‘…I might be able to take myself off the suspect list too.’

That cat.

Agent Choi knew I could transform into a ‘stray animal’. After all, he was the one who recommended the item.

Of course, due to the effects of the fake Necronomicon, the two couldn’t be directly linked, but you never know. After escaping, suspicion might still arise.

‘Better to bury it with something stronger.’

That’s why I chose to attempt infection up to ‘the limit of what my rationality could endure’.

Gradually increasing the infected mucus, deliberately ingesting it little by little.

‘This was the limit.’

This current state, with half my face engulfed in tumorous boils.

Able to understand the hive’s will and the strange telepathy shared with the children, yet without losing my own sense of self.

…Strangely enough, the dokkaebi trick that turned me into a child actually helped. Maybe because it forcibly fixed me in the form of ‘my child self’.

In any case, I’d kept the option of taking a Nostalgia Candy if things went south…

But now it looked like I wouldn’t need it.

‘Perfect.’

I believed in you, agents…!

The Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau really is different from that damn psychopath potion company!

It was… actually kind of touching.

‘This is the classic Disaster Management Bureau-style resolution I haven’t seen since before the Dark Exploration Records took off…!’

Trying to save as many as possible, and actually succeeding in the end.

Maybe it was because I was in a child’s body, but my chest swelled with emotion. Sniff.

Of course, this being a ghost story, about half the time these kinds of attempts ended in total annihilation, but this time, things were going smoothly.

Now all we had to do was time our escape together…

Tingle—

‘…Huh?’

That’s when it happened.

A strange sensation began crawling up from my tail.

Tingle—

‘Above?’

My head shot up.

…Beside me, a child in a blue dress muttered softly.

“Weird.”

She was right.

“Weird.”

No, it wasn’t just that one child.

All twenty-seven children standing near me lifted their heads to look into the air.

Every single young mer-child… who still had their tails attached.

“The Mermaid Princess… is angry.”

It seemed so.

All the hosts sensed something, from somewhere no one could pinpoint.

A threat to survival.

She was searching for where it had been triggered…

And now, she had found it.

The Mermaid Princess.

Tingle—

“Grapes-ie?”

“Right now.”

A chill swept down my spine.

My mouth moved on its own, quickly.

“The Mermaid Princess is on her way.”

BOOM.

The ceiling collapsed.

And hundreds of tumor masses began to surge downward.

Chapter 162 - [Mermaid Grave], VIII

When you think about it, it’s strange.

The disaster that occurred when a Disaster Management Bureau agent once tried to forcibly load an infected child onto the escape pod.

Acute molting occurs. Ulcers erupt across the entire body, and all vital signs are lost.

Contamination spreads rapidly, resulting in death.

If this were the escape pod attempting to eliminate internal threats, the reaction was far too… deliberate.

It was more like the action of the infection source itself.

Right.

It makes more sense to interpret it as the doing of the ‘biohazard-merfolk’.

A punishment dealt to a host that dares to break away from the hive.

A retrieval of energy.

But this information was known only to the Disaster Management Bureau agents, while, conversely, more detailed intel about the escape pod was only available to the employees of Daydream Inc…

Fragmented information.

And that’s exactly why no one could’ve reasonably predicted what was happening now.

“Ah.”

A child raised a hand.

“It’s the Mermaid Princess!”

BOOM!

With a thunderous crash, a mass pierced through the ceiling and smashed into the terminal.

Kyarararara—!

A sound like children laughing—no, like ulcerated tissue colliding—filled the entire station.

Countless tumor-like tendrils, spewing horrid mucus, descended and braced themselves like feet.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!

Like spiderwebs hanging down, flesh masses that excreted mucus extended limbs like tentacles and clung to every wall of the shattered terminal.

From the massive infected hive came its most grotesque core was a monstrous shape that now coiled before the ‘Ocean Palace’.

Kyarararara!

It slammed its meaty mass down, blanketing the terminal.

THUD!

“Fuck!”

Baek Saheon stood frozen, screaming, then shoved back the employee who tried to push him forward and quickly retreated.

A company employee was snatched by the fleshy mass.

The sound of a skull cracking, blood and mucous being sucked out.

‘Gotta get out!’

Clutching the bag containing the conch shells, he bolted toward the escape pod.

But at that moment—

Someone grabbed the back of his neck.

“…!”

A young mer-child.

No, he’d already confirmed who it was through that halo, but had kept quiet until now…

‘Kim Soleum!’

The infected Kim Soleum slammed the back of Baek Saheon’s head to the floor.

“Agh!”

In that moment, a mass of flesh flew past overhead.

Baek Saheon swallowed hard.

‘Move recklessly and die.’

The infected mass had very clearly wrapped itself around the escape pod at the center.

Then Kim Soleum, with a strange expression, began looking up at the grotesque mass of infection.

‘What is he doing.’

“Why are you—”

The surroundings turned disturbingly quiet.

“……”

Baek Saheon frantically looked around.

…All the mer-children were looking up at the sky with the same expression, raising their hands.

“Princess!”

“It’s the Princess!”

The two agents also turned their eyes to the massive figure that had burst through the ceiling into the terminal.

Their gazes blanked.

Come here.

A dazzlingly beautiful mermaid form appeared, as if sunlight had poured in from the terminal ceiling—

Filling the empty white space.

Beautiful.

Like a living statue of the Mermaid Princess, the enormous mermaid glowed with a divine aura.

Overwhelming awe, admiration, and enchantment filled their minds—emotions that one should rightly feel in the presence of a being so great.

Come here.

TheemptywhitevoidisoverlaidbythebeautifulTwinkleTwinkleOceanPalaceAsmallgoldenfangshapedplazaglimmerslikeachapelFillitwithpraiseworshipandaffectionandlookuptoyourmasterchildButthereisnosuchthingasanescapepodhereThisisaplaceofprayerAplacetopraytotheMermaidPrincessand

“Damn it.”

Agent Choi lifted his suncatcher and barely managed to block his view.

Beside him, his hoobae mimicked the action and spat blood, having bitten his tongue to jolt himself back.

But again, the gaze from above…

Come…

“Elder!”

A flash burst from Agent Choi’s hand.

A flicker of light, burning within the lantern.

Red and blue fire pushed back the golden glow of the mermaid’s halo.

Dokkaebi House.

The Dokkaebi House blazed, creating a space of illusion.

Where the flames reached, tile-roofed houses wavered, and the shadows of dancing, singing dokkaebis flickered.

A fleeting moment where anomaly repelled anomaly.

“We won’t last long, during that time…!”

They had to sever as many tails as possible and get the children into the escape pod.

The mermaid—no, the fleshy mass—raged and tried to reach the escape pod again, but the space around it distorted, forcing it to circle near the ceiling. Now’s the chance…

Whoosh.

The adults in suits scrambled toward the escape pod.

Those wearing animal masks.

The employees of Daydream Inc.

“……”

Agent Choi’s eyes darkened.

At the same time—

‘I have to follow…!’

Baek Saheon was grinding his teeth, watching the same scene.

Now was the time to run, but the problem was that Kim Soleum still had his hand gripped tightly around Baek Saheon’s head, holding him down.

‘Fucking hell.’

Cunning flashed in Baek Saheon’s eyes.

Was there a way to push him off?

This little… Since the fucker looked like a child, maybe he’s physically weaker than him? No, wait. He’s contaminated. He might be even stronger.

Still, one thing was clear. Most contaminated individuals often lacked signs of human intelligence.

Madness and bizarre rules governed their minds!

“Excuse me. Shouldn’t you be more worried about the big one above me? She can’t come in right now. Shouldn’t you be cheering her on?”

The bastard was baiting him.

Ah. Did turning into a mer-child make him unable to understand words? Then Baek Saheon could just write on the ground!

But just as he tried to scrawl the same message on the dusty floor with his finger, the pressure pinning his head down vanished.

“…!”

It worked!

Baek Saheon shot up, ready to bolt… only for Kim Soleum to press him back down again.

“Argh!”

‘Why, again!!’

Then Kim Soleum began writing on the floor.

– Carry me.

“…?!”

– Carry me and run.

“What the actual f—”

A dazed Baek Saheon blurted out without thinking.

“To where?”

Kim Soleum turned his gaze.

Toward the opposite side of the escape pod.

The passage going out.

“…?!”

At the same time—

“Are they all morons or what?”

Jin Nasol twitched her temple as she looked at the Daydream employees clinging to the escape pod like moths.

Even if they got inside, how exactly did they plan to get out?

The path for the escape pod’s launch was completely blocked by that filthy biological disaster mass.

They were acting like clueless punks blinded by rewards instead of reading the room.

“Ooh! Is there like, a spot on the escape pod where we can shoot a laser beam or something??”

Ignoring the money-obsessed rookie’s nonsense, Jin Nasol assessed the situation.

‘…Why the hell am I the one stuck doing this?’

It soured her mood to think she was doing all the work while the regular team staff loafed around, but if she wanted to escape, she had no choice.

‘That flesh lump started going berserk the moment the mer-children were brought near.’

Hmm.

As a test, she grabbed one mer-child by the scruff of the neck and prepared to toss it toward the biomass—

Smack.

“You’re out of your mind.”

“Excuse me?”

The sharp glare of a furious government agent stopped her.

Agent Bronze.

Having completed a quick emergency ritual under Agent Choi’s protection, he had shed his child form through the dokkaebi trick and returned to his adult self.

A necessary decision, as the situation was escalating fast.

Clenching his teeth, he growled at the employee in the butterfly mask like he was spitting poison.

“You saw him as a real child, didn’t you!”

“If he can’t use the conch, he’s just an infected freak, isn’t he?”

“Even without it! If he just cuts off the tail, he can board the pod. So stop—”

“Hey.”

Jin Nasol interrupted, barely suppressing her irritation.

“Even if you board, then what? You think you can pry that thing off the launch gate?”

“……”

“So, do you have bombs stashed in your pocket or what? No? Yeah, I figured.”

Of course not.

And it wasn’t even certain whether human firepower would work, whether it was a biological disaster or a ghost.

“Let’s just throw a few of them outside and scatter the focus, then make a run for it. Take whoever’s left if you want.”

“But Assistant Manager! The cat told us to take all of them! If we leave any behind, we’ll get cursed or lose our reward… There’s even that saying, ‘a cat always returns a favor’— Ugh!”

“We’re about to die and you’re worried about a curse? Go cry about it when you’re outside, yeah?”

That cat hadn’t shown itself again.

Chances were, it was a one-off irregular phenomenon.

“So forget the cat or whatever—”

“Please cooperate with the civilian rescue.”

The capture cable sprang out from Agent Bronze’s hand.

Jin Nasol scoffed and grabbed her own special equipment.

‘No time left.’

He had to incapacitate her fast.

Agent Bronze gritted his teeth, glancing toward Agent Choi’s flames. The infected hive’s call was beginning to pierce through the warped space and infiltrate the illusion of fire.

Come here.

The mesmerizing golden light began to take hold of the children once again.

Somehow, please, just hurry. No, even if they cut every child’s tail, it was becoming impossible to see how they could all escape from this place…

Did they… have to make selections?

With grim eyes, Agent Bronze reached out his hand—

F O U N D Y O U

A malevolent gaze slammed into the space.

A description of a terrible, overwhelming being filled the room like a divine descent.

Yes. It was descending.

Descending!

“Lord Cat!”

A voice soaked in rapturous madness burst from behind the pony mask.

All the humans froze.

Bells, voices, laughter, deception. ThecalltoabeautifulGermaniclandtoeternalrotdecayandmindlessservitude!

B E H O L D

The children once enthralled by the biological disaster staggered, lowering their heads.

Their collective psychic disarray shook the infected hive, and even the towering image of the Mermaid Princess began to tremble.

Then came telepathy.

C U T I T

A forceful command.

C U T I T

The children began tearing off their own tails.

With faces twisted in madness and terror, they screamed toward the sky. Then, sobbing, they ripped their own tails off.

Blood and mucus sprayed in all directions. It was a hellish sight.

“…!”

The anomaly was devouring the anomaly…!

Ryu Jaekwan struggled to his feet and began stopping the bleeding of several children. But his mind had begun to comprehend the language of a different dimension. Wouldn’t you like to know the horrific truth of this world? Madness shall set you free. It shook his thoughts.

……

What?

So this world is actually…

“Bronze-ah!”

Ryu Jaekwan jerked his head up.

The sound of that malevolent scripture had vanished without him realizing.

All that remained were the children standing stiff from mental shock, bleeding from the spots where their tails had been—

Kyarararara—!

—and the giant tumorous mass, writhing violently.

The creature, now severed from every single host, shrieked in rage. Or perhaps, in instinctive panic at the threat to its survival.

Agent Choi’s Dokkaebi House was starting to collapse…

‘No.’

Priorities.

Agent Bronze quickly scanned the group. That’s right. First, the agents—

But Grapes was missing.

“…!”

Where had he gone?

He looked through the children, but the agent was truly gone.

‘No, it can’t be…’

At that moment—

He heard the sound of someone running from the far end.

From the opposite side of the escape pod, the corridor leading out, a Daydream Inc. employee was sprinting toward them.

Black goat mask.

“…!”

And slung on his back, covered in blood with his tail completely torn off… was Kim Soleum, limp and unconscious.

Dripping blood, the employee shouted.

“MOVE!”

What?

“MOVE, YOU FUCKERS!”

Fwick—

Something glittering arced through the air from the goat-masked employee’s hand.

Ryu Jaekwan turned his head.

The glass bottle struck the tumor mass of the biological disaster. From the mouth of the bottle, a thick, purplish-pink liquid began pouring out.

Surprise Syrup for Kids

(Grapefruit flavor)

★★★★

It was the potion Kim Soleum had picked, based on the security chief’s advice.

If you converted it into Daydream Inc. terms, its effect would be…

Expose Potion

: Target temporarily loses reason and, while incapacitated, reveals their most emotional and honest secrets.

Incapacitation.

Kyarararara—!

The Mermaid Princess’s figure, now doused in syrup, began to collapse.

Twisting violently, it slumped to the floor.

Dozens of tumor tendrils writhed inside the ulcers, calling to the children, but the connection was already severed.

However, that potion had been made for humans.

Which meant…

“That stuff doesn’t last long!”

Just a very short opening.

“RUN!”

The agents dashed for the escape pod, dragging the children with them.

And then.

“Seriously, what a drag.”

Amazingly, Daydream Inc.’s elite team member also sprang into action, quickly grabbing children and running straight into the escape pod.

“…!”

She even barked orders at her fellow employees.

“Grab them.”

“Yes. Yes?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

After witnessing the insane events just now, they recalculated the risks of leaving the children behind and made the snap judgment to comply.

“If you send the escape pod out first and I’m not back yet—know that you’re dead.”

At that shout from the elite team, the employees inside the escape pod clenched their jaws and helped get as many children onboard as possible.

For those bleeding badly, they applied the conches.

The chaos was barely controlled, but time was running out.

“There are still some outside!”

“Now…”

[Verification complete.]

“All aboard!”

“Okay!”

Having also consumed his dokkaebi trick and returned to adult form, Agent Choi sprinted in last and slammed the escape pod door shut.

[Boarding confirmed]

And then—

[Beginning transport to destination]

Chiiiiik—

With a hiss of steam from the machinery, the massive escape pod began to launch from the tunnel.

“Ah…!”

Through the pod’s window, they saw the giant mass moving to block the launch gate once again.

THUD!

Hundreds—no, thousands—of ordinary infected creatures surged into the terminal.

But it was too late.

The escape pod slipped through just in time and shot out beyond the city.

[In transit]

“Ha…”

They’re alive.

As people relaxed slightly and slumped in their seats.

“There!!”

Far off in the opened view of the city…

“It’s moving…!”

The massive cluster that had once clung to the castle called Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace…

Was lurching forward.

BAM.

The tremor reached the escape pod.

The hive of the biological disaster was not limited to what they had seen.

“W-What is that?”

It had burrowed underground, had spread across the entire city.

Endlessly crawling to the surface, it covered the city’s center and spilled outward.

Flesh.

“Ugh…!”

The monstrous mass of flesh, now above ground, smashed the castle it had infested and hurled itself toward the escape pod in a final frenzy.

It slapped its sticky mass down on the ground with heavy, thudding weight, twisting itself forward.

The grotesque, horrifying, massive biological disaster reared up and revealed the mouth that had once been flush with the ground. A gaping hole lined with rows upon rows of massive, jagged teeth opened, roaring toward them.

Hurled flesh like missiles.

Sticking.

Latching on.

Catching—

Thunk.

“…!!”

The escape pod shook as it was struck by the ejected flesh.

“Aaaagh!”

“Quiet!”

But it didn’t crash.

“Hrrk.”

Agent Choi clamped a hand over an unknown staffer’s mouth and looked back out the window.

“It’s not as close as it looks. Everyone calm down!”

And then those who were finally able to gauge the biological disaster’s scale realized something.

…It was so massive that it surpassed the range of human comprehension. The numbers were astronomical, so much so that it distorted all sense of distance.

“…Ha.”

“Huff… huff, huff…”

In the end.

The enormous hive of the biological disaster couldn’t leave the city’s entrance and collapsed.

Kyararararara—

Leaving behind a strange vibration, like the sound of children laughing.

The city’s underground foundation began to cave in, pulling the disaster down with it.

Into the deep sea.

“Ha…”

“……”

The escape pod quickly distanced itself from the scene, safely shooting up through the water.

People exhaled hard, cold sweat on their faces.

And then, not long after.

[Please board your capsule.]

“We’ve arrived…!”

The Daydream Inc. employees promptly began entering the capsule devices attached to the escape pod.

Once inside, a person would be enveloped in a bubble-like sphere of strange air and launched toward the surface, losing consciousness in the process.

When they woke again, they’d be back in reality.

That was the ‘escape method’.

The agents, having overheard this procedure while managing the company employees through both carrot and stick, followed suit.

First boarding the children, then themselves.

Naturally, the youngest agent went first.

“Grapes-ie.”

Because his contamination was so severe, they’d used a conch shell to prevent him from bleeding out.

He’d avoided death and recovered somewhat, though he still looked exhausted.

And since he still had the appearance of a child bearing remnants of an infected mer-form, he looked all the more pitiful.

“Um… Did it all work out?”

“Of course!”

Agent Choi grabbed his hand tightly.

“You did so, so well. Bet you were scared, huh? You can sleep now. We’ll be heading back soon.”

“Yes… Thank you.”

Kim Soleum, blinking slowly, climbed into a capsule.

Soon after, he closed his eyes and took a deep, steady breath.

We did it.

As the capsule sealed shut, I barely suppressed a sigh of relief.

‘I almost lost my mind.’

The aftereffects of reading the Necronomicon nearly shattered my sanity.

If I hadn’t used the conch, who knows what might’ve happened… but it was a gamble I had no choice but to take.

‘What else could’ve cut all the kids’ tails at once, incite the Daydream employees, and shake off the biological disaster!’

It had been sheer luck that I’d been connected to the children via infection-based telepathy.

In a state where the hallucination of ‘Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace’ had already weakened under madness and fear… And then, someone yelling ‘Cut your tail!’ inside your mind?

Of course kids would follow for sure…

‘I feel sorry for scaring them, but…’

But this was the only way to save everyone.

I just hoped the shock wasn’t too deep, and that with memory suppression and proper treatment afterward, they’d recover.

I bit down on my lip.

Still… I felt a bit more at ease.

Because I’d brought every last child with me.

‘And now that the entire city’s been buried, it’ll be a lot harder for anyone to start snatching kids again.’

Maybe this really was the end of the Mermaid Grave. Of the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace.

And if Daydream Inc.’s Research Team threw a fit about it?

Honestly—not my problem.

‘Those psychos can deal with their own fallout…’

I swallowed another sigh and let the growing haze of unconsciousness wash over me.

A success was a success.

‘Now, once I get back to reality…’

……

Wait.

They did say we were going back to ‘reality’, but where exactly is that?

The coast?

Well, not really my concern.

‘The veteran agents will handle it, right…?’

I believe in you, sunbaes.

Even as I realized my right arm was still gone, I accepted the drowsiness with a strangely peaceful mind.

Escape.

……

“Oho? What’s this!”

Huh?

I opened my eyes.

All around me were unconscious adults and children who had yet to fully wake.

And near me stood a single man, completely awake.

White lab coat. Glasses.

He stood in front of a now-awake Agent Bronze, grinning brightly, his eyes twinkling with fascination.

“Ah, government agents, are you?”

A familiar face.

‘…Kwak Jaekang!’

Research Team Section Chief of Daydream Inc.

Goosebumps spread across my entire body.

‘Wait a minute.’

No way… this place—

I looked around.

White-walled office. Laboratories. A modern, pristine corporate interior I knew too well.

Yes, it was familiar. Because…

‘This was my workplace until just a few months ago!’

We had escaped… right into the heart of Daydream Inc…!

Chapter 163 - [Mermaid Grave], IX

For the escape destination to be set to Daydream Inc.’s headquarters, given that it was a Darkness under their jurisdiction…

Sure, it’s not all that strange. But still.

‘If we all entered through different paths, shouldn’t we have been sent back to where we each came from…!’

I gulped hard.

Looking around, it seemed like everyone who’d been aboard the escape pod had, without exception, been dropped into the Research Team’s office.

Why the hell had every last one of us ended up stuck inside Daydream Inc? Shouldn’t an escape pod, at the very least, ask passengers where they want to go…?

Ah.

‘Don’t tell me. It was because the first person to board and calibrate the pod was someone from Daydream Inc…?’

Maybe that initial input had set the default destination for everyone.

‘Totally possible.’

Problem was, thinking about that now didn’t change anything.

I wiped my cold sweat and shifted my eyes to glance at Agent Bronze, who was now facing off with Section Chief Kwak Jaekang.

“Ah, I see the uniform now. Disaster Management Bureau agents, right? Looks like a distress signal from our Darkness reached your organization somehow. Haha!”

“Supernatural Disasters are not private property. Please refrain from inappropriate terminology.”

Agent-nim!

“Well, you can put it that way, sure, but…”

Kwak Jaekang smiled behind his glasses.

“Still, you did trespass into this here private company. Right, sir?”

“……”

“But hey, since we helped each other clear things up down there, yeah? If you’ll just give us a quick interview, we won’t even charge you for—”

“Charge us?”

“Well I mean, you did use one of our designated escape routes! Things like data usage fees, labor costs, expert consultation fees… You’re a government agency, so surely you’re not planning to dine and dash?”

Honestly, I wouldn’t have been surprised if Agent Bronze introduced his fist to Kwak Jaekang’s face right then and there.

But shockingly, he didn’t get angry. Instead, he stared with quiet contempt and replied.

“We did not request any consultation. And the escape method we used was based on our own previously acquired intel.”

“Pfft… Then I guess that makes it unauthorized trespassing, not collaboration.”

Kwak Jaekang continued smiling at him.

“……”

Agent Bronze, silent, slipped a hand into the inside of his jacket.

A strange tension crackled through the room.

Right.

‘This place… We’re standing in the heart of a psychotic pharmaceutical megacorp.’

And not just any office, but the Research Team.

A simple press of a call button would make Daydream Inc.’s Security Team come running to subdue the ‘intruders’ in no time.

And since those Security Team members had long surpassed what could be called human… Even these two veteran agents could end up horribly overpowered.

In short, we were deep in enemy territory where no concept of societal common sense applied.

…A chill ran down my spine.

‘This lunatic company wouldn’t bat an eye at making a few civil servants disappear and turning them into test subjects…’

“Aigoo, my back…”

“…!”

Just then, a groaning voice cut through the tension as someone stirred on the floor.

With deliberate exaggeration, Agent Choi sat up, playing up the drama enough to cut through the tension.

‘Agent Choi!’

“Well, I couldn’t stay lying down, I was too scared. What’s this about trespassing… I mean, these days even crash-landing out of a ghost story counts as unauthorized entry, huh? Goodness gracious, how’s a guy supposed to work under such cruel rules?”

Agent Choi stood up, locking eyes with Kwak Jaekang and flashing a cheeky smile.

“Over at the Disaster Management Bureau, we don’t treat people who wander in during a safety inspection so coldly, you know…”

“……”

Ah, right.

Daydream Inc.’s hatred for the Disaster Management Bureau didn’t stem from anything like wounded pride or jealousy. The reason was far more simple.

The government simply did not recognize ownership over supernatural disasters. Officially, that is.

So, when the bureau identified a ghost story under Daydream Inc.’s ‘jurisdiction’ and deemed it solvable, they’d storm in and put an end to it.

All under the banner of a ‘safety inspection’.

‘From Daydream Inc.’s point of view, the bureau’s more like a disaster that would ravage through and destroy raw material suppliers.’

Because of this, both sides had even established rules to limit how often their investigations clashed over ghost stories.

Otherwise, the number of chaotic reports would have gotten out of hand.

…Just like this case.

“I worry we might get a little too aggressive if this keeps happening~ Don’t you think?”

In other words, Agent Choi was now politely threatening to make their lives hell.

And as the veteran members of both factions dueled with words and veiled menace, Agent Bronze, now out of the spotlight, casually turned his head in my direction while pretending to check on the children.

Our eyes met.

And I read his lips.

– Stay still.

Yes, sir. Absolutely.

‘Zip it and don’t stand out.’

If I got exposed here, the consequences would spiral out of control.

Agent Bronze probably thought I’d ‘faked my death and resigned’ from this company, which was why he was trying to protect my identity… But the truth was far more complicated.

‘I’m not just missing. My identity was officially altered so that, as far as the company’s concerned, I’m dead because I’m working undercover as a corporate spy.’

If the Research Team found out who I really was, and that information reached Director Ho… I couldn’t even fathom what might happen.

And if Director Cheong—who thinks I hit her on the back of the head and ran—found out ‘Kim Soleum’ was currently inside the company?

Gulp.

‘…I’m dead.’

No, worse than dead. This was a ghost story, after all.

‘I absolutely cannot be exposed.’

So I naturally blended in among the children, doing everything I could to hide my presence.

Meanwhile, Agent Choi’s subtle threat—basically, ‘keep this up and we’ll keep crashing into your jurisdiction with inspections’—was gradually leading the conversation toward a conclusion.

“We’ll just take the civilians and be on our way. No need for any formal thanks for rescuing your employees, of course~ Haha!”

A clean, diplomatic offer.

But, let’s not forget. Kwak Jaekang’s a total nutjob.

“…Ah, yes, of course. Always so busy, working for the good of the citizens. I understand completely.”

He spread his arms wide, holding a file folder.

“Then by all means, take only the civilians!”

“……!”

Kwak Jaekang started walking toward us.

‘…!’

I quickly lowered my posture and bowed my head, pretending I was still unconscious.

Footsteps.

Tap. Tap.

They drew closer.

Then, right above me—

“But these contaminated ones here… No matter how you look at them, they don’t seem like proper, functioning members of society.”

Shit.

“Why, look right here. Gills instead of ears! That’s not something a citizen should have! And this one has an extra arm. This one over here…”

A gaze.

“…is missing his right arm.”

Goosebumps raced up my back.

“Oh, of course, it could just be a poor civilian who lost it in an accident, but we won’t know until we run some tests, right?”

His voice turned gleeful.

“Since they’re all heavily contaminated, we’ll go ahead and examine them, sort them, and make sure only true citizens are safely sent home.”

And if they aren’t ‘citizens’…

The company would handle it themselves.

“So, dear government agents, I’m sure you’ve got plenty of other things to do. So why don’t you clock out and go home now~?”

At that moment, it seemed Agent Bronze’s patience snapped.

“Cut the nonsense.”

“Nonsense?”

Damn it.

“I’m just saying, it’s unclear whether these fall under the jurisdiction of the Disaster Management Bureau. And if you keep pushing… Hey, let’s ask our own staff. Hey, Assistant Manager Jin!”

Beside him, we heard Kwak Jaekang shaking awake Jin Nasol.

And then came her flat, annoyed voice.

“…What.”

“Oh, you’re up. As an elite team member, do you see these kids as innocent citizens? I mean, seriously, I feel like I’m being treated unfairly here!”

“You feel unfairly treated every single day, sir.”

But Jin Nasol, seeming to grasp the situation, gave a cold and strategic response.

A damning one.

“…They’re mer-children.”

“Oho!”

Kwak Jaekang’s footsteps grew animated.

“Mer-children! What a fun—no, fascinating discovery. So in truth, they’re not innocent citizens at all. They’re something like traitors from the Darkness!”

“Just a moment.”

Agent Choi’s voice turned sharp.

“That is a matter for the bureau to decide. A private company has no authority to make that call independently. Especially—”

Even though I couldn’t see it, I could feel it.

“—you, personally.”

Pressure.

“……”

“……”

“…Haha, looks like we have a difference of opinion!”

Clap— Kwak Jaekang started to applaud.

Then took a step back.

“You’re right. Maybe I acted a bit rashly. So then… why don’t we all take a little break and talk again after we’ve cooled down?”

“……”

The two agents seemed to be calculating their next moves.

This was a precarious moment.

No.

‘This can’t escalate further.’

Getting out of here as smoothly as possible without any conflict was the best outcome.

If hostility boiled over here—especially with everyone already drained from escaping a ghost story—no one could predict what might happen.

And so…

“Oh, we’re always open to conversation~”

Phew.

“We’ll just rest here with the children. Come back when you’ve organized your thoughts.”

“Haha. Mm. Got it.”

The agents sat right where they were, making it clear they would not take their eyes off the children. And perhaps realizing he had no leverage at the moment, Kwak Jaekang finally stepped away.

But…

‘There’s no way that’s the end of it.’

I opened my eyes naturally.

At some point, agents had moved closer and now sat beside me as if we’d relocated together by chance.

They were talking, clearly for me to hear.

“How long will it take?”

“Dunno~ Maybe half a day at most.”

Agent Choi’s voice was laced with a relaxed sigh.

“Not the first time we’ve seen a guy like that. Let’s just wait here a bit until backup arrives.”

Thank god.

It seemed like we’d successfully created a window to contact the Disaster Management Bureau and get their support.

The problem was…

“Excuse us for a moment, we’ve got some procedures to handle…”

…that the Research Team would try every trick in the book until then.

I cracked one eye slightly open and watched someone approach the group.

A sleep-deprived researcher with deep eye bags and glasses was tending to the Field Exploration Team staff, getting them treated and guiding them toward the interview room.

[Lee Yeonhwa]

Assistant Manager, Research Team 1.

The name tag matched a researcher I remembered reading about in the Dark Exploration Records. Which meant one thing.

‘She’s notable enough to have her own wiki entry.’

And her ‘notable trait’ was…

She was one of the rare few in Daydream Inc. who actually cared about research ethics.

The kind of researcher whose attitude made that clear.

If this had been under different circumstances, I might’ve even felt glad to see her. But not now.

Not when she’d almost certainly been sent by Kwak Jaekang on purpose…

To lower the agents’ guard.

“Um, I think both the kids and the agents should really receive some basic first aid, especially the children. They’re suffering from severe blood loss, and a few seem to be in shock.”

“…Hmm.”

It wouldn’t be easy to refuse, right?

After the bureau agents confirmed that the researcher meant no harm, they scanned the recovery potions she offered with their equipment and gave a reluctant green light.

Of course, they didn’t drink it themselves. But since the kids had just gone through things like ripping off their own tails, the urgency of the situation forced them to allow it.

“Drink up.”

Naturally, a potion made its way to me as well.

One of the standard-issue red recovery potions stocked in their infirmary.

‘Been a while.’

I tried reached out with both hands, only to remember one of them was missing, so I just accepted it with my left hand.

Instead of drinking the potion though… I just pretended to, while secretly funneling the liquid into the tattoo on my wrist.

‘That guy might’ve recognized me and spiked it with something strange.’

Even if that wasn’t the case, the researchers could’ve tampered with it for ‘research purposes’.

…I’d definitely saw it.

While handing out potions, some of them had exchanged signals and deliberately chosen different bottles for certain children who seemed ‘unusual’.

‘It’s a real healing potion, but something’s probably mixed into it.’

Call it paranoia, but it never hurts to be cautious.

That’s when I noticed something else.

As I moved, I suddenly felt the presence of an unfamiliar object tucked into my clothes.

‘…The glass lantern!’

The dokkaebi flame, now transformed into a glass lantern, was stowed away beneath my coat.

“…!”

If someone caught me with this, it’d be obvious I was an agent.

In other words, it would be the perfect excuse for Kwak Jaekang to lock onto me.

‘That can’t happen.’

Pretending to be a scared little civilian kid, I nestled deeper among the children and tried to subtly stow the lantern into the tattoo.

But the dokkaebi fire inside rejected it violently.

“…!”

It didn’t want to go into the tattoo…?

‘Damn it!’

Left with no choice, I used my oversized jacket to cover it up as much as I could.

Then, keeping calm, I sat back down and handed the now-empty-looking potion bottle to the researcher with a scared look on my face.

That’s when I locked eyes with Baek Saheon, who had just woken up.

“……”

“……”

– Acknowledge me and you’re dead.

– Ah, yessir.

That was the gist of the unspoken exchange. Baek Saheon turned away quickly, one eyelid twitching.

Honestly, he’d probably imagined ratting me out and getting a promotion, but…

‘He won’t move recklessly. He still wants the item he was promised.’

He’s the type to calculate every gain and loss.

I remembered the conversation we’d had right before the escape, when I used Baek Saheon as a ride to read the Necronomicon.

– If you do it right, it’s yours.

And how his heartbeat had quickened with greed.

‘Good.’

I could stay quiet.

I sat still, quietly observing the dazed and traumatized children around me, letting time pass uneventfully.

But then.

“The D-squad has returned!”

A new voice rang out as someone entered the lab.

I instinctively looked up.

“Ah, you’re back.”

“Yes.”

An emotionless voice.

And… a white lizard mask.

‘S-Squad Leader…!’

It was Section Chief Lee Jaheon.

Chapter 164 - [Mermaid Grave], X

‘It’s actually him! Squad Leader!’

Since when did that white reptilian head and those vertical pupils start making me feel so relieved I could cry?

I almost jumped to my feet when I saw the lizard wearing the lizard mask.

‘Of course, it’s not exactly the right situation to be feeling that happy right now…’

Still, the memories of being super-saved by the physically strongest in those insane ghost stories were just too vivid.

Anyway, Chief Lizard, who seemed to have just returned from the Darkness, was now starting his report to the Research Team.

“It took three hours and twenty-four minutes to clear.”

“Ah, um. Section Chief. Now might not be the best time for details…”

“?”

“There are outsiders present.”

The Research Team gestured towards the office, now thrown into chaos.

Nearly thirty injured children, a handful of government agents, and even the groaning Daydream Inc. staff lay scattered around the space.

“I see.”

Even though Section Chief Lee Jaheon would have just seen, as usual, a room full of civilians instead of employees after clearing the Darkness, there wasn’t a trace of disturbance on his face. Typical of the lizard that was him, really.

What bothered me, though, was that no one else had followed in after him.

‘The researcher definitely said the D-squad had returned.’

But Section Chief Lee Jaheon was alone.

……Don’t tell me the new hires all died in an instant?

Whatever my doubts, the interactions among Daydream Inc. employees continued.

“Um, Section Chief. The Dream Essence Collector, if you could bring it over this way…”

“Yes.”

“Thank you…! Um, if you could just wait for a moment.”

With the Mermaid Grave cleared, it was the first thing that needed to be handled.

After handing back the Dream Essence solution to the researcher, Chief Lizard looked around the unusually crowded Research Team area.

As his gaze swept the room… those blood-red eyes locked onto me.

“……”

No way.

‘Ah, did he recognize me?’

But soon, the gaze moved on, and Chief Lizard silently walked into the center of the office and sat down on a meeting sofa.

…That meant he’d just walked in and sat right among the blood-soaked, contaminated children without batting an eye.

“Th-that spot…”

Even the Research Team was stammering.

His presence was so extraordinary and forceful, you could hear agents whispering to each other.

“…Agent. Do you know him, by any chance?”

“The lizard mask? No. But if I’d seen him even once before, I’d never forget him.”

Agent Choi also seemed to be seeing him for the first time.

Um, that made sense.

Section Chief Lee Jaheon, or rather Employee D, was a character who would first appear when the Dark Exploration Records got bigger and anomalous gag (joke) clears became acceptable amongst the community.

‘You could say his exploration records don’t really overlap with Agent Choi’s, who was active mostly in the early days.’

Even the kids who’d just received first aid and regained their energy were sneaking glances at the man in the lizard mask.

It would’ve been nice if things had just ended there.

But as time passed, the number of ‘kids who’d regained their energy’ kept increasing, so…

“Excuse me. Are we going to see my mom now?”

“I, I wanna go to the bathroom…”

“Subin is hungry!”

The relatively uninjured kids started looking around and then began raising their hands to speak.

Even though they’d had horrific experiences in the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace, because it was all inside that fairytale-like hallucination, they hadn’t lost their innocence.

On top of that, being left injured on the uncomfortable office floor, it was impressive the kids had held out this long without a word.

“I need to pee…”

But with this, the researchers now had the perfect excuse to lure kids away one by one. Damn it.

Any minute now, the researchers would probably start saying things like, ‘Let’s take you to the bathroom, let’s take you to the cafeteria,’ and try to separate the kids into groups.

The agents would certainly stick with them like glue, but the problem was, there would always be some kids left behind, which meant they’d get split up.

‘If the agents are separated one by one, it’ll only get harder to deal with the Daydream Inc. employees.’

As it was, the agents were already at their physical limits, covered in bruises from head to toe.

This obvious setup wasn’t lost on the agents either. Their expressions had grown subtly colder.

If that’s the case… there’s no other way.

‘We’ll have to make the first move.’

And the safest employee here is…

‘Only I know that.’

Holding back a sigh, I whispered to one of the kids who said they wanted to go to the bathroom.

“Really? Do you know where it is?”

“Yeah.”

With that, the kid shot up and shyly grabbed the pants leg of someone nearby and asked,

“Excuse me, Ahjussi. Where’s the bathroom…?”

“…!”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon.

The lizard-faced man sitting on the sofa blinked and looked back at the child.

“Kids, just a moment…”

Before Agent Choi could say anything, I egged the other kids on.

“Do you wanna go too?”

“Yeah!”

“Me too!”

Kwak Jaekang was gone, and all the familiar employees had disappeared for treatment and interviews.

On top of that, half my face was still covered in ulcer scars and necrosis, so the odds of anyone recognizing me were extremely low.

‘As long as I act properly, it’ll be fine.’

Blending in among the kids, I went up to Section Chief Lee Jaheon and asked as much like the other kids as I could,

“Ahjussi, can you take us to the bathroom?”

“Yes.”

The kids who had gathered around me looked up at him with shining eyes.

“Are you going to show us the way?”

“Yes.”

And as soon as Section Chief Lee Jaheon stood up, the children finally burst into giggles and clung to his thighs and back.

“Wow!”

Only then did I give the two agents a small nod.

It was a signal that if anything went wrong along the way, I’d shout and alert them to danger.

Agent Bronze seemed to realize that I’d picked the ‘safest’ employee, and though his expression was complicated, he stayed silent and did not intervene.

“Let’s go!”

In any case, thanks to this, Section Chief Lee Jaheon started walking down the hallway with about six or seven children in tow, just like a pied piper lizard.

.

.

And fortunately, there were no other incidents until we safely finished using the nearby restroom.

‘Phew.’

After helping the children who were too young to use the bathroom alone, I washed my hand with cold water at the sink to try to collect myself.

‘It really is inconvenient having only one hand.’

And now that I was using this familiar company restroom again, it felt like my mind might float away.

‘I just want to collapse into a bed…’

Suppressing my fatigue, I finished washing my hand.

Section Chief Lee Jaheon quietly came up next to me.

No way, was he going to look after me just because I was a child…

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

I almost struck the lizard head with my remaining hand.

“Anti-eavesdropping equipment is currently active. This conversation will not leak outside.”

Phew.

With a trembling hand, I turned off the faucet and lowered my voice.

“How did you recognize me? I mean, I don’t even have an arm anymore, and my age has changed…”

“? Yes. You have been determined as the same person through the change in age and loss of limb.”

“……”

Let’s just move on.

He’s a reptilian alien who fires holy bomb barrages, so maybe he has other methods of analysis…

“Anyway, thank you for your help. I nearly had my identity exposed to the Research Team.”

“I see.”

“When we return to the room, please also make sure the children don’t get led away by researchers along the way.”

“Yes.”

The lizard’s lidless eyes stared into space for a moment, then returned to me.

…The children hadn’t come out of the bathroom yet, so we still had time for a short conversation.

I hesitated for a moment, then asked,

“Have you been doing well, Squad Leader? I wanted to ask if the new staff in the D-squad are doing alright, and if your explorations into the Darkness have gone well…”

“There are no new staff.”

“…!”

“Currently, the D-squad is assigned to single-person entries into Darknesses, and there are no unusual incidents.”

“…I see.”

…So Lee Jaheon was working alone.

‘He’s been left in the lurch.’

Just when the squad had been promoted to an elite squad and was about to start trial operations, I, the person who’d been promoted and transferred, went missing and was declared dead.

In the end, the D-squad was left dangling like a kite with its string cut.

So even if the company had been dragging its feet for months, not knowing what to do with the squad, it wouldn’t be strange at all…

But because it was so realistic, my mouth felt even more bitter.

‘There must have been a lot of rumors.’

Even if Chief Lizard was the type who didn’t care about things like that at all.

……

“Um, Squad Leader.”

I opened my mouth before I knew it.

“If I make a purchase at the Space Mall, does that help you, Section Chief?”

“Purchases at the Space Mall are not directly related to Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s livelihood.”

However.

The corner of his mouth drew a slightly friendly curve.

“But it is helpful to us.”

It was an odd way of putting it.

‘…That reminds me of ‘We Can Help!’ somehow.’

At any rate, I understood that it provided indirect help.

If that’s the case…

“Do I have to use cash to shop there?”

“No.”

“…! Then is it possible to barter items?”

“No.”

Damn it.

“Then how do I use other payment methods?”

“Use the VIP card. The conversation will end here. Someone is approaching.”

I processed his sentences one by one.

Click!

The restroom’s frosted glass door slid open and someone entered with brisk steps, coming all the way to the sink.

“Oh~ What fun conversation are you having with the children?”

Kwak Jaekang.

“I showed them to the restroom.”

“Ah, bodily functions! Very important~ Especially for children.”

Kwak Jaekang, in a white lab coat, bent down to meet my eyes.

‘Damn it!’

Feigning fear, I quickly lowered my head and stepped back.

Kwak Jaekang’s voice dropped to a whisper, as if offering a secret favor.

“Want to come with me? We’ll have delicious snacks, play on the playground with your friends, and get a good rest~”

“……”

“Let’s just go with the friends who are here now. Not the others, just you, specially.”

“…I wanna see my mommy and daddy.”

“Of course! You’ll get to see them too.”

This bastard, seriously.

“Dun wanna. Ahjussi’s scary and ugly …”

“…!!”

Hearing the children coming out, I hid behind Section Chief Lee Jaheon.

“Scary!”

“What’s wrong? Why?”

“He’s scary!”

“I guess that Ahjussi’s scary…”

Children are quick and easy to influence. The mood shifted in an instant, and all of them hesitated, then rushed behind the kind Ahjussi to get away from the scary Ahjussi in the white coat.

“No, I might not look as good as Section Chief Lee, but still, I have my own… Ah, this is embarrassing.”

Seeing the lizard with all the children clinging to him, Kwak Jaekang scratched the back of his head.

There was a flash of regret and obsession in his eyes.

“Section Chief Lee, if you’re thinking of trying to lure the kids…”

“?”

“You should know your place. Haah.”

Clicking his tongue, Kwak Jaekang eventually turned around… and left the restroom.

Creak.

The moment the bathroom door closed, a few of the children let out involuntary sighs of relief.

…I had a thought.

Maybe the children weren’t just reacting to the mood, but instinctively sensing someone harmful…

“Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon once again became the pied lizard and led the children back to the lab.

The agents, who had been nervously watching the door, finally let out short sighs of relief, and the suffocating tension eased just a little.

‘…Thank you.’

I gave Section Chief Lee Jaheon a small, inconspicuous bow of gratitude, and he, still wearing that expressionless reptilian face, sat on the sofa and continued to stand guard…

And about an hour or two later—

“…Staff of the Disaster Management Bureau have arrived.”

The backup we’d been waiting for had come.

What happened afterward went more smoothly than expected.

As soon as Agent Choi’s urgent message was received, the Disaster Management Bureau dispatched rescue vehicles and came to Daydream Inc., and with everything ready to escalate, even the Research Team had no choice but to step back.

“We’ll just take a simple sample. That’s nothing harmful to anyone, so it should be fine, right?”

Agent Bronze was about to explode, but in the end, tissue samples from the ‘mer-children’ were indeed collected…

‘They’re just scraping some from the cut tail stumps.’

That much wouldn’t harm the children.

What concerned me a bit was that they also took some of my own flesh… I’ll have to contact Director Ho quickly to make sure it gets handled.

The important thing is—

“Wow!!”

We were finally free from the ghost story.

.

.

“Aigoo, the kids are all asleep.”

The children had all fallen asleep.

Loaded into the ambulances sent by the Disaster Management Bureau, the kids were quickly transported to headquarters.

There, they were cleaned up, treated by medical specialists, changed into clean clothes, and given a meal.

Only after that, maybe due to all the accumulated fatigue from their spectacular ordeal, did they finally fall sound asleep.

‘…Thank goodness.’

Of course, the agents were finally able to take a hot shower and get a meal, too.

“Grapes finally turned back into an adult, too.”

The same went for me.

Thanks to a quick recharge from the dokkaebi flame, my right arm was restored, and my whole body returned to its original adult male form. I sank into the sofa, feeling a rare sense of stability.

For some reason, the lounge of Black Tortoise Team 1 felt more comfortable than ever.

Then again, it always did feel like a cozy school club room, so maybe it was only natural…

“You never know what that company might try next.”

“I know.”

In my drowsy state, I caught bits of the agents’ conversation beside me.

Agent Bronze seemed suspicious that Daydream Inc. might try something else…

“We got a call from the analysis team, by the way… About the drugs the kids were given. Apparently, some bottles had a Daydream potion mixed in, the kind that makes you fall asleep and get transported ‘somewhere’ else.”

“…!”

My mind snapped awake.

“I did notice they were ‘selecting’ certain bottles for the more heavily mutated kids, so I was keeping an eye on it.”

“Have those all been removed now?”

“Of course!”

Phew.

Agent Choi patted me on the shoulder.

“Grapes, you really did well earlier. You even managed to make that not-yet-in-on-the-conspiracy staff member take you to the restroom for real!”

“……Yes.”

At that, Agent Bronze was trying desperately not to meet my or Agent Choi’s eyes, even by accident.

Thank you, Agent…

“So now… we should go get that fixed, right?”

Hm?

Agent Choi suddenly pointed at me. Or, more precisely… at the half of my face still bearing the traces of ulcers.

Right. Even after returning to my original appearance, the signs of infection hadn’t disappeared.

It seemed that the mental contamination from being merged with the ghost story had been cured by the conch shell, which was why I hadn’t been as conscious of it until now.

“So if we go to the infirmary…”

“No, there’s a faster way than that.”

Agent Choi stood up. Agent Bronze followed suit from the sofa without a word, and both turned to me with a smile.

“Let’s go meet the Elder.”

“……!”

Chapter 165 - The Elder

The Elder.

The person known as Team Leader of Black Tortoise Team 1.

It was also this Elder, who, through the window of this clubroom-like waiting area, had played a ‘dokkaebi trick’ for the agents and sent us into the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace in the forms of children.

‘They can’t possibly be human.’

I’m almost certain.

So I expected that we would probably visit the Elder by performing some magical ritual through the window in the waiting room.

But things didn’t go that way.

“Alright, let’s go carefully.”

Tak.

We traveled by car.

“…??”

“It’s not that far, maybe about forty minutes?”

Maybe I should just be grateful it wasn’t by bicycle.

The three agents used, of all things, an ordinary means of transportation, and crossed the city of Seoul toward our destination.

That place was…

[Blue Hope Hospital]

“……”

A white building in a quiet area.

A convalescent hospital.

From the way the staff were all kind and there seemed to be many visitors, it looked like a very well-managed place…

The agents, as if familiar, entered the main entrance without hesitation.

“We’re here to visit Park Hongrim.”

“Ah! Right this way…”

Going up to the fifth floor, there was a sunlit single room.

And…

There, lying on a bed bathed in the warm glow of sunset from the window, was an elderly person with a peaceful face.

If she had her eyes open, I would have thought of her to be an intelligent and kind person.

Truly… the Elder.

“Grapes-ie. Let’s say hello. This is our Elder.”

“……”

On the table, there was a picture frame filled with messages written on rolling paper.

Just like in Black Tortoise Team 1’s waiting room.

– Hongrim-unnie, love you so so much

– Thank you always

– Leaving a message as your beloved disciple who tracked down and rescued the master of Andong soju for the sake of solidarity with our soju-loving Team Leader

– Our great leader, our Team Leader

Traces of people.

“Grandma, I— Huh?”

Just then, a student entered the room in a hurry and was startled to see us.

“Hello, Agents…!”

“Hey, Yeji-ya. Good to see you. Have you been well?”

“Oh, you know, about the same as always. Now, let’s see how our Madam is doing…”

The high school student who seemed to be her granddaughter checked her grandmother’s temperature by touching her forehead and then looked up with a smile.

“She must be in a good mood.”

“She does look well.”

“Haha. Oh, Uncle Jaekwan, have you been well?”

“…Yeah.”

The granddaughter and the two agents seemed to know each other, exchanging words naturally, then introduced me.

“This is our new recruit.”

“Ah… Nice to meet you.”

“Yes, me too…!”

This was no time to be flustered. I hurriedly bowed my head in greeting, and the student also bowed deeply in return.

Then she said,

“…Please take good care of my grandmother.”

“……”

For some reason, my chest felt tight.

“I should be the one saying that… I’ve received so much help from the Team Leader.”

“……Yes.”

The granddaughter took a deep breath, as if holding back tears, and then smiled brightly.

“Then, I’ll step out so you can greet her.”

“Alright. Thank you.”

Tak.

The hospital room door closed, and silence settled in.

Agent Choi looked at his unconscious Team Leader and gently reached out to straighten her hair.

Still, the Elder did not move.

“There… was an accident.”

“……”

“As you know, Grapes, with supernatural disasters, even the slightest mistake can lead to someone dying in the most absurd way, right?”

Agent Choi’s voice grew a bit softer.

“They say the last supernatural disaster our Team Leader entered was a real labyrinth, mysterious and bizarre, just all sorts of strange things happened…”

He took a deep breath.

“Her upper body was almost blown away.”

“…!”

“Especially her head… I heard nearly half of it was gone.”

I instinctively checked the Elder lying on the bed.

…She looked perfectly intact.

“Yeah. But she looks fine now, doesn’t she?”

Agent Choi couldn’t continue, and like me, just quietly looked at the bed.

…Agent Bronze slowly opened his mouth.

“Team Leader passed the dokkaebi trial and received her own personalized dokkaebi flame lantern.”

Ah.

I instinctively looked down at my right arm.

More precisely, at the dokkaebi flame that had replaced it.

– You must want a custom version made, right? That requires a full consecration ritual, which you can’t get with this temporary issue. You’d have to pass a dokkaebi’s trials, too… Goodness, it’s powerful but no easy task.

Could it be.

“So, right now, from the Team Leader’s head down to her upper body… more than half has been replaced by a dokkaebi flame.”

“…!”

“They say the reason she can’t wake up is that the dokkaebi flame is already using too much mystical power, so it can’t withstand the causal interference of directly manifesting in reality…”

“……”

I looked at the elderly woman peacefully sleeping on the bed.

…Most likely, forever asleep.

“…That’s how our Team Leader became the ‘Elder’.”

No longer just a human, but a supernatural being. A dokkaebi Elder.

Agent Choi, who’d been staring at the bed alongside me, finally managed to lift his head.

He wore a gentle smile.

“But we know she’s always watching over us! In dreams and fantasies.”

“……Yes.”

“Let’s greet her, then. …Elder! We came to offer our thanks, and to introduce our new recruit as well.”

Agent Choi patted me on the shoulder.

“See? I told you this one would do well. He really did a great job. I’m sure you’ve already seen it yourself.”

At this point, I couldn’t say I had no intention of joining this team.

I wondered for a second if Agent Choi had planned even this, but looking at his soft smile, that didn’t seem to be the case.

“……”

With Agent Bronze’s guidance, I stepped up right to the bedside.

“…Hello, Elder.”

And I bowed deeply and respectfully.

“I’m the new recruit who just joined.”

At that moment.

[Grapes-ie.]

“…!”

I raised my head.

Everyone else in the hospital room had vanished without me noticing.

And instead of sunset, a brilliant full moon shone into the room from the window.

There…

[You did very well.]

A gentle, softly glowing flame was stroking my hair.

No, something with a warmth like flame, but also with the sense of body heat… a fragment of the Elder.

Warmth and an image.

I blinked.

“Am I… dreaming?”

[Yes. Your weary journey has made you doze off for a bit. Come, sit here for a while…]

A familiar hand took hold of mine.

My eyes drifted closed.

Before I knew it, I was leaning against the bed, receiving the Elder’s comforting pat on my back…

“…Do you—”

The words came out suddenly.

“Do you really think I did well?”

[Of course!]

[You did your very best, and thanks to you, the children came back alive and smiling. That’s all because of your efforts, and your good fortune.]

“……”

[Don’t be so hard on yourself. No one else could have done better than you. Even if you went back, you couldn’t have done it better than you did.]

For some reason, I felt choked up.

To be emotionally supported by someone had a power that shook a tired heart.

‘But…’

A suspicion came over me.

‘It feels like she knows my real identity.’

I’d felt it in the previous conversation with the Elder, too. She seemed to know all about the items I had.

‘Maybe it’s because this is a dream.’

She must already know about me.

Then, maybe, is this also a ploy to make a spy let down their guard?

Rather than suspicion, it was a strange feeling, closer to disappointment.

Like realizing your grandmother had some hidden motive for being so kind to you…

And anxiety.

But…

[And really, who in this world has no secrets? Who is without fault?]

Once again, the hand patted my back.

[The important thing is to always keep a little light burning in your heart. If you ever realize, ‘Ah, I’ve lost my way,’ then sometimes you need to check your footing so you can turn back.]

“…Thank you.”

I steadied my breath.

[Yes. I’ve become an old woman for whom it’s hard enough to know even those in my own care… Life is so complicated, with all its quarrels and troubles, I don’t really understand much of it.]

It was a gentle way of saying she wouldn’t reveal my true affiliation to the Disaster Management Bureau.

…Or about my suspiciousness.

“……”

The hand patting my back lifted away.

There was a hint of excitement in the gesture.

[But the elderly have their own kind of wisdom, you know. And…]

[They have gifts to give, too.]

Before I knew it, I’d sat up and was perched on the edge of the bed.

As always in dreams, the context had shifted, but it didn’t feel strange. Because this was a dream.

And this gentle request as well.

[Take your trinket out of your pocket, would you?]

“……”

Before I knew it, I’d taken the item out of my pants pocket.

A round accessory marked with an X.

Memorial Popsocket

The item that let me read the <Dark Exploration Records>, displaying past memories concisely as text.

But it had cracked, so I hadn’t been able to use it anymore.

[Ah, I remember this.]

[All the kids put these on everything these days, the administrators must be so upset. The dokkaebis didn’t even throw a party for eight days just to make one of those.]

A hearty and kindly laugh.

[But this one is… a little different, I think. Let’s see…]

The Elder put on her reading glasses and peered at my popsocket.

In the crack of the popsocket, the adhesive left by the government agent pretending to be a dokkaebi in the dokkaebi workshop was still there.

“Um. He said that adhesive would set within a month… but even though a lot of time has passed, it hasn’t changed at all.”

[Hmm? Ah… I see. Since that fellow wasn’t a real dokkaebi, just a human in disguise, it’s no wonder he didn’t know.]

[That person is more of a strange creature. But it looks like they were imitating something from our workshop.]

[But if you treat something made by street riffraff like a knockoff, things just won’t work out.]

The Elder infused the popsocket with fire.

“…!”

The popsocket, which had been burning brightly, suddenly sparkled as if all the old grime was scrubbed away, and the crack disappeared.

[There you go, it’s now properly bonded.]

“…! Thank you…”

[But the important step isn’t finished yet.]

[You have to make a wish for what you want it to become.]

“…!”

Come to think of it, I’d heard that at the dokkaebi workshop, too.

– Wish for what form you’d like it to take. Then, it’ll transform into a splendid trinket!

But things had been moving so frantically that I’d barely paid attention to that part.

‘This time, I’ll try to be conscious of it.’

I politely put the popsocket back into my pocket.

“Thank you.”

[Grapes, you really are so polite.]

I could feel a look of fond satisfaction.

She patted my head again.

It felt as if the warm fire seeped into my entire body, burning away all pain and contamination…

[This old woman would love to give you a dried persimmon, but… it seems our time is up.]

Huh?

[Your drowsiness is wearing off!]

“……”

I opened my eyes.

Before I knew it, my head was nearly bumping into the bed in the hospital room, and I reflexively straightened up.

A person startled awake from a nap.

“…!”

I quickly raised my head.

I saw the two agents looking back at me, smiling.

And… the Elder, still lying sound asleep in bed.

“Did you greet her properly?”

“…Yes.”

The clock in the hospital room showed the same time as when I’d entered.

I had literally just ‘nodded off’ for a moment.

And even in such a brief nap, a dream had visited.

“……”

I looked down at myself.

The tumors and ulcers that had sprung up across my body… were all gone.

“…Thank you.”

I bowed deeply toward the sleeping Elder. The agents smiled and patted my back.

“Then we’ll come again next time, Elder!”

I followed the two agents out of the hospital room.

The Elder, still peacefully sleeping with her eyes closed, seemed to be seeing us off…

“How was it? She’s a wonderful person, isn’t she?”

“……Yes.”

“Told you so. We’re really lucky when it comes to people. Our team~ Maybe Grapes also got some luck with superiors, huh?”

This time, Agent Choi’s confident assurance didn’t feel annoying at all.

I slipped my hand into my pocket. I could feel the popsocket, now perfectly fixed.

“……”

“For now, just rest well. Think about things like the report tomorrow. The Site Cleanup Unit already went, and all the kids are asleep anyway.”

“Please get home safely.”

“Yes… Thank you.”

I bowed my head and thanked the two agents as well.

They rode off across the road on the bicycles they’d brought with them.

Only after they’d disappeared did I raise my head.

“……Huu.”

It was amazing.

‘At least I gained something from all this.’

I never expected to get the Memorial Popsocket repaired like this.

‘So… does that mean I’m supposed to make a wish until it activates?’

.

.

Alright, now what I have to do is…

“…Contact Director Ho.”

…I have to clean up the mess that broke out at Daydream Inc……

‘This is seriously making me want to cry.’

Didn’t Agent Choi just say I had great luck when it came to bosses?

I don’t think so.

‘Ah, please.’

I squeezed my eyes shut and picked up my smartphone.

Please let this get cleaned up quickly…!

“Hey, I don’t think this rumor is going to be contained.”

Agent Choi smirked as he slapped his direct junior on the back.

Ryu Jaekwan held back a sigh and half-heartedly dodged his hand.

“It’s dangerous, sir.”

“Eyy, I’m a bicycle master.”

After telling Agent Grapes to rest up, they headed back to HQ to file their report, just the two of them, chatting as they rode their bikes.

“What do you mean, the rumor can’t be contained?”

“What else? It’s about Grapes.”

“…!”

They’d gone out for a regular rescue in a supernatural disaster and managed to save every single child, and might have even ended the disaster itself.

And to think, this miraculous achievement happened right after a new recruit joined the team.

“When coincidence repeats twice, it starts being called skill.”

And if this new recruit had even just completely ended a supernatural disaster while working with the Site Cleanup Unit before?

Then the probationary period for new recruits doesn’t matter anymore.

His aptitude score just blasted through the ceiling…!

“Congratulations on your assignment to Black Tortoise Team 1. Hahaha!”

“……”

Ryu Jaekwan pressed his fingers to one temple.

The one saving grace was that the Disaster Management Bureau was generous when it came to investing in equipment for talented people.

‘…Maybe things really will get safer.’

At this rate, it seemed like even a custom dokkaebi flame lantern wasn’t far off… If not, at least Grapes would be able to get some more gear.

The only concern was whether he had attracted too much attention.

‘…Let’s hope the rumors don’t get exaggerated in some weird direction.’

He decided to keep an eye on things.

Ryu Jaekwan sighed and pressed down on his bicycle pedals.

“Let’s go, Jaekwan-ah~”

For reference, this speculation was taking place in a completely different direction within a different faction…

.

.

At the same time, in an office at Daydream Inc.

“Lord Cat!”

BANG!

An employee from the Field Exploration Team, wearing a pony mask, banged on the table and conducted a vivid interview with the Research Team.

“The Great Lord Cat was in that Darkness! The all-knowing, all-powerful Lord Cat!”

For reference, the Research Team was in total chaos.

It was because the ‘Mermaid Grave’—which used to yield only C-grade Dream Essence—had just produced B-grade or higher essence.

A crazy anomaly!

And to make things worse, the Disaster Management Bureau had spirited away all the mer-children, and the agents had dashed off in a hurry.

So, now lacking research material, the Research Team was furiously extracting every possible statement from the Field Exploration Team members who had entered at the time.

And… this is what the testimonies had in common.

“It was a monster! A monster! Please, save me!”

“I don’t know… The letters I saw? Were they really there? Maybe I was just seeing things… I was terrified, but I did my best for the clear.”

“The GreatLordCatIsWatchingUsLettingUsOut!WeHaveToSaveTheChildren!”

Multiple employees have reported observing an anomalous entity manifesting as a black cat (hereafter referred to as ‘The Black Cat’).

Documented effects include: induction of panic and madness, brainwashing, physical transformation, causal distortion, reality manipulation, and collective mind control. These abilities exhibit anomalous characteristics that are not currently explainable by conventional means.

“Yes. It did help with the clear this time, but… I don’t know what might happen if we meet it somewhere else.”

Attempts to determine the entity’s objective or intent have been inconclusive. Certain Field Exploration Team personnel reported that the entity appeared to be attempting to seize control of the ghost story (Qterw-C-1642); however, these accounts are classified as unreliable.

Notably, the prevailing hypothesis is that an entity of greater transcendence than Qterw-C-1642 irregularly intervened within this instance of Darkness. This hypothesis is considered highly plausi—

“I want to avoid it as much as possible.”

—ble. Accordingly, the entity designated as ‘The Black Cat’ has been assigned a unique Darkness identification code.

Designation : Qterw-A-1845

And so began the real chaos.

Chapter 166 - [The Conspiracy of Belief], I

The very night I escaped from the Mermaid Grave—

I was able to meet Director Ho immediately at the usual Fox Counseling Room’s waiting area.

And…

“Goodness, you must have had a rough time, Soleum-nim! Don’t worry about the bodily tissue that was harvested from you. I’ll recover it right away.”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

The conversation was wrapping up much more smoothly than I’d expected…

‘Is it really this easy?’

Honestly, even though it wasn’t my fault, and this wasn’t even a routine report, just the fact that I was having an emergency meeting with a director at my rank was enough to make me break out in a cold sweat.

But Director Ho listened to my story with great interest, and even clapped his hands in delight.

The only moment he indirectly showed any discomfort was just once.

“So that’s why the Disaster Management Bureau’s support team ended up coming all the way to company headquarters.”

Shit.

“Ah, I’m not complaining to you, Soleum-nim! It’s just… they’re such a hypocritical group, all surface and no substance… I instinctively feel uncomfortable getting too close to them.”

“……”

And this from someone who planted a corporate spy in there?

And honestly… personality-wise, aren’t they on a completely different level compared to Daydream Inc.?

‘Shouldn’t our company at least pretend to have some self-awareness…’

It was almost bizarre, the level of revulsion he showed toward the Disaster Management Bureau.

“If my personal feelings made you uncomfortable, I apologize, Soleum-nim.”

“Not at all, sir.”

In any case, the conversation itself flowed smoothly, and Director Ho brought things to a gentle close.

“In any case, please don’t worry about this sort of issue. If anything comes up, just let me know anytime!”

And then…

“Is there anything else that’s bothering you?”

I’d been waiting for this.

‘…The mood’s not bad right now.’

And we were alone.

You have to ask while you can. As I poured some more hot water into Director Ho’s green tea, I spoke.

“It’s not exactly discomfort, but… there is something I’m concerned about.”

“Please, speak freely.”

Director Ho nodded with an expression that said, ‘I’m so sorry you have a concern.’

So I explained.

“There’s a Darkness I need to enter as soon as possible.”

“……”

About Cheerful Theme Park.

I didn’t specifically mention the blue mascot there, but since getting ‘marked’ by strange beings during ghost story explorations was pretty common, Director Ho would have easily understood the situation.

“I nearly died, but when I promised, ‘I’ll come back next time’, it let me go.”

My follow-up explanation made sense too.

At the time, I’d still been working for the company, so naturally I thought I’d be able to re-enter ‘Cheerful Theme Park’ whenever necessary. But after things turned out like this, I couldn’t get in anymore.

‘You’re the one who assigned me this spy job.’

And from what I knew of Director Ho’s personality, this level of request would be no problem.

“Cheerful Theme Park, huh…”

Director Ho beamed.

“Don’t worry. I’ll arrange for you to be able to visit as quickly as possible!”

As expected.

“Thank you. I was really worried that if I couldn’t get in within a month or two, personal complications would make it impossible for me to keep doing my job…”

I nodded seriously.

“Thanks to your help, Director, I’ll be able to focus on my work without worries.”

So please make it happen within a month.

If not, I might drop dead, spy or not.

I trust that message got across.

“Of course. It’ll be ready soon. Don’t worry.”

He was so refreshingly decisive in matters like this, and it was comforting.

Because he’s competent.

‘Maybe… he’s actually not a bad boss at all, as long as you don’t hit his berserk button…’

Maybe the only reason I’ve had a hard time is that I was always assigned to jobs that made me dance on that crazy button…?

For the first time, I could relate to what the Section Chief from the review team once said: ‘Director Ho is actually a pretty decent superior.’

“Thank you.”

With that, the emergency report began to wind down.

Director Ho would soon say he had to head back in and get up from his seat, and I was about to see him off and get ready to leave quickly.

“Oh, by the way, there’s something I wanted to ask you…”

As he was just about to stand, Director Ho looked gave me a scrutinizing gaze.

“You haven’t been using the Fox Counseling Room, have you?”

“……”

Uuugh.

“If you use the counseling room, you don’t have to worry about running into other employees. I’d really like you to use it actively and heal your contamination and psychological trauma.”

Like hell I will.

‘No matter how I look at it, this place feels like it’s connected to you…!’

Just look at how the place is always coincidentally on break whenever I come to make a report.

At this point, I could believe Director Ho pays commissions to the counselor to steal information from the employee sessions.

One thing’s certain. This space—this ghost story—is definitely under Director Ho’s authority.

That’s exactly why I’d been deliberately avoiding the Fox Counseling Room.

‘It’s just too awkward.’

Even though the last time I had a session there, it was actually very helpful.

And besides, the Elder had just burned away all traces of my contamination, so I probably don’t even need to go now.

But since I couldn’t say any of that out loud, I just nodded my head.

“Yes. I’ll try. But, this space, including the Fox Counseling Room, is still a Darkness, and that person isn’t a real counselor, so…”

I was about to finish by saying, ‘I’ll keep that in mind.’

“But it’s real.”

“…!”

“It’s a ‘real counselor’.”

Director Ho’s usual gentle tone disappeared.

A voice, flat and almost emotionless, came out.

“Because he’s a Darkness, he’s even more strictly bound by the professional code of a counselor. He knows exactly what he’s doing and has the pride of a true expert.”

“……”

“So I just want you to know, you can trust the Fox Counseling Room’s doctor!”

“…Yes.”

“And… he’s been very concerned about the state of Client Kim Soleum, too.”

“……”

Tap tap. Director Ho patted my shoulder in encouragement.

“Then, I’ll be heading in. See you again at the next regular report, Soleum-nim!”

“Yes, Director.”

And with that, the emergency report ended.

‘…The Fox Counseling Room and Director Ho.’

And Director Ho was a character not even detailed in the Dark Exploration Records.

…For some reason, I feel like there’s more to him that’s hidden. I want to look into it further, but…

‘Yeah. Focus on the Wish Ticket.’

Let’s not forget: never let the means replace the end.

Just finish this spy job, claim the wish token, and go home. That’s all that matters.

…In that sense, I might have gotten a little too wrapped up in this ‘Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace’ ghost story, desperately trying to get all the children out safely…

“Phew.”

But there was an extra reward.

“The Dream Essence grade went up.”

I looked at the elite team collector, which was now full of golden liquid.

Glittering Dream Essence, B-grade or higher.

Given that the original Mermaid Grave was a C-rank Darkness, this is an irregularity.

‘Maybe dragging out the core of that biological disaster was what raised the grade.’

It’s possible.

And while I was at it, I took out the Research Team’s potion I’d secretly stashed in the tattoo on my wrist and squeezed it into a plastic bottle.

It was a recovery potion meant to be given separately to children with heavy contamination or foreign elements.

‘If you drink this, you get transported to ‘somewhere’ the Research Team set up, right?’

It’s probably one of the Research Team’s experimental spaces, but just in case, I won’t throw it away. I’ll keep it for now.

With a sigh of relief, I returned the potion—bottle and all—into my tattoo.

And I rummaged through the space again.

‘Good thing all the items in the tattoo-subspace are kept separate from each other.’

If not, I might have gotten this tag card contaminated too.

I am a Space Shopping Mall VIP!

~ Special Gratitude Cells Included ~

I even found, tucked away in the tattoo, the golden card I’d gotten a few months ago, hand-delivered by an alien shop’s delivery tentacle.

The ‘VIP card’ that Section Chief Lee Jaheon mentioned is probably this, right?

‘Hmm.’

I examined the card-letter more closely, running my fingers over it.

Then, inside the slightly thick card stock, I could feel something thin layered inside.

“…!”

Carefully, I peeled back a layer of the card paper, and inside, a small… chip-like object appeared, sealed inside.

‘…It looks like a SIM card.’

There was a sticker in rounded font attached to it.

Cell Meal Anywhere!

Healthy And Peaceful Purchase

※ Fast Connection to a Customer Service Agent Guaranteed ※

“……”

Please, just hire a professional translator……

‘Meal…’

So this chip is a ‘cell’, and… I’m supposed to eat it? ‘Healthy and peaceful purchase’?

‘Somehow this reminds me of talking with Chief Lizard.’

It’s the sort of translation error you get when someone isn’t familiar with modern culture.

Still, I decided to try using this ‘cell’ if it ever comes down to it.

‘…Chief Lizard isn’t the type to endanger others with lies or tricks, after all.’

If anything, it’s more reasonable to worry about my head getting smashed by brute force.

“All sorted.”

I finished the accounting and raised my head.

Anyway, for now, I have the most convenient usable items on hand, so I’ll use those up first.

‘Cheerful Research Institute’s potion.’

Right.

At this moment, I was back at the research lab hidden beneath a manhole cover in the middle of the night.

‘It’s even scarier at night.’

But the Dream Essence in the Dream Incubator, sparkling in a dazzling hue, made it a bit better.

DE 00128313

I injected all the B-grade Dream Essence I obtained this time into it.

The number increased.

DE 00143126

‘So, a B-grade is about fifteen grand or so.’

You could say it’s equivalent to a bottle a half of a potion, but there’s actually a catch here.

The cost is different depending on which button you press.

The first one I drew cost 10,000 points, but the second one was 20,000 points.

‘It might depend on how many stars it has.’

The first one I drew, ‘Detective Syrup’, had 3 stars, and the next, ‘Surprise Syrup’, had 4 stars.

These stars…

‘They definitely represent a difference in performance.’

The 4-star potion even worked, if only briefly, on a biological disaster.

But if you convert it one-to-one with Daydream’s welfare points, these potions were still more expensive than Daydream’s.

‘Maybe it’s just that this Dream Incubator is an early model and not very efficient.’

But on the other hand, it seemed to produce more potent syrups, closer to raw essence, than Daydream’s potions.

In any case.

‘You don’t know how much will be deducted until you press the button and draw a potion.’

Not very user-friendly, was it.

‘It would have been nice to have research logs or something.’

The security sergeant said he’d look into it for me, but there’s still no special news.

I’ll wait a little longer. There might be more functions hidden in this Dream Incubator…

Anyway, since I’ve been using it quite usefully, I decided I’ll visit every week to collect a potion.

And now, the time to choose.

🥰🥸🤯🧐🤪🥱

“Hmm.”

There is a way to safely draw a potion whose effects have already been verified…

‘But maybe it’s better to be more prepared before entering the theme park.’

If I can verify the effect, it’s better to do so quickly, while I have the chance. Who knows if there are even more useful ones.

For now, I’ll use all the means available to me to pick out the most useful one.

‘Association and reasoning.’

With that in mind, the button I chose to check this time is…

‘The one that, compared to Daydream Inc.’s potions, is the most expensive and has the best effect.’

🥰 🥸 🤯🧐🤪🥱

Clatter.

“Good.”

At the same time that 30,000 points were deducted, a small glass bottle filled with syrup emerged from the dispenser.

I took the shimmering teal liquid.

Disguise Syrup for Kids

(Green Grape Flavor)

★★★★★

An expensive potion. Bull’s eye.

The next day—

I took a whole day off, just as the agents told me I could, and only went into work late the following day.

“Agent Grapes, thank you for your hard work.”

And, thankfully, thanks to the members of Black Tortoise Team 1, who had already finished almost all of the situation report, I was able to wrap up the ‘Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace’ work with just a few simple answers.

‘Thank you so much I could cry.’

I received all sorts of compliments from the agents.

And then…

Good news, too.

“They’ve already found the guardians of more than half the children.”

“……!”

“Since the entry method was so unique, it looks like there were a lot of similar cases already in our database.”

“There were no cases of rescued citizens vanishing, either. …As of 7PM last night, we’ve confirmed all rescues.”

The faces of the Black Tortoise Team 1 agents speaking glowed with rare delight.

…I probably wasn’t much different.

“And, and— Want to hear another piece of surprising news? …Someone on a neighboring team found a younger sibling who went missing back in 1989.”

“……!”

“There are quite a few agents here who signed up hoping for just that.”

To find missing family.

“Thanks to you, that agent finally got to see their years of searching rewarded, and can sleep easy at night. Together with their family.”

“……”

“So, how do you feel?”

How do I feel?

An agent who joined here after searching for their sibling for decades.

Someone who, after finally learning where their sibling disappeared, couldn’t rescue them because of distorted time.

To hear that person finally found their sibling, safe and sound?

‘My god.’

A powerful, overwhelming wave swept over me, like a chill running down the back of my neck.

This isn’t just a sense of accomplishment.

‘So this is why people do this work.’

It was dangerous.

If I’m not careful, I might actually start working here with a real sense of duty.

‘…No.’

I gripped my once-missing right hand tightly.

I have to go home.

That has to be my only goal.

Already, I’ve survived more brushes with death than I can count. For someone who used to only experience ghost stories as content in a world without them, there’s no way I can live here with my sanity intact.

‘The end and the means to reach it. I must not confuse the two.’

I took a deep breath and tried to calm my heart.

But my excited heart didn’t completely settle.

“Anyway, really, you did a great job.”

Agent Choi, who had been listing off rewards that fit a successful investigation, smiled and patted me on the back.

“Oh, Grapes, you’re still in your rookie period, so you have to move on to your next assignment, right?”

“Yes. They’ll assign me to a different mission.”

“Alright. I’ve kept you too long. Good luck with your work~!”

I parted with the waving Agent Choi and followed behind Agent Bronze.

Thankfully, he didn’t try to recruit me to the Black Tortoise Team again.

Good. Being on the Dispatch & Rescue Unit… I don’t think I could keep doing this kind of work. Not emotionally.

‘Ha.’

Suppressing a sigh, I walked after Agent Bronze.

And the place he led me to was…

[Preliminary Investigation Unit, White-Tiger Team 2]

This was the team Go Yeongeun was on.

“Soleum-ssi!”

As soon as I entered the office, one delighted Go Yeongeun jumped up from her seat when she saw me.

Reflexively, I glanced at Agent Bronze.

He was smiling, albeit faintly. It seemed he had specifically arranged for me to join this team, out of consideration for the fact that we knew each other from Looky Mart…

“Today there’s no fieldwork, so you don’t need to work in pairs with anyone. You can just work in this office. …If you have any problems, come find us in Black Tortoise Team 1’s waiting room.”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

I was truly grateful.

And the fact that it wasn’t fieldwork made me feel even more at ease.

‘Today is a bit of a breather, huh.’

Of course, I’ll do my best to show I’m someone who fits right in with the Preliminary Investigation Unit.

After bowing my head to the departing Agent Bronze, I entered the office with Go Yeongeun-ssi.

It looked just like a clean, standard office, and was still pretty quiet.

“Everyone else is out in the field right now, so I’m the only one here, but when they get back, we can greet them together.”

“Yes. Understood.”

I added, with a hint of hope,

“I look forward to your guidance. Who knows, I might end up being officially assigned to this unit and working with you.”

“Ah, um…”

…??

Go Yeongeun somehow trailed off at her answer.

Why such an ominous reaction…?

“…Did I do something wrong?”

“No! It’s not that… huu.”

Go Yeongeun made a mysterious expression.

“It’s just, being too competent is… well, it can’t be helped, I guess…”

Pardon?

“Here, would you… take a look at this?”

I took the phone Go Yeongeun handed me.

It looked barely used, like it had just been issued for work, and on the screen was—

A somewhat old-fashionedly named anonymous group chat.

“……”

Wait a sec.

Is there another group chat that only I’m not in…?

“Ah. I heard they usually invite you after your rookie period ends and you get officially assigned to a unit.”

“I see.”

Thank goodness.

‘Hmm.’

With Go Yeongeun’s permission, I scrolled through the chat to get a feel for the atmosphere.

– sudden fortune vending machine appearance in Seocho-dong oncall agents please check

– About the Swamp Orgel, is it actually okay to just leave it alone if it’s not working

– yeah it’s fine, it’ll be reflected in the rulebook next month anyway

– lunch menu recs pls

‘The atmosphere’s more laid-back than I thought.’

It looked like a group chat where agents would ask each other for advice when they were stuck or in a bind at work.

Given the frequent solo and shift work, it made sense to have a place to share information.

Since it wasn’t like a certain company’s death-match, survival-style competitive structure, the atmosphere was better, and useful tips seemed to get shared more freely.

‘Come to think of it, I think I read about this in the <Dark Exploration Records> too.’

That made it feel a bit familiar. I nodded inwardly as I scrolled.

It might actually be fun to get invited here at least once…

– Destruction King Rookie has gone n wrecked another disaster

“……”

Wait.

Is this… me?

‘No way.’

I scrolled down faster to check the latest messages.

– I heard that rookie rescued all thirty kids who were trapped in a regular rescue disaster? And apparently demolished the entire city

– wait for real??

– aigoo black tortoise team 1 must be jumping for joyㅋㅋ

– Wowie if it’s at that level it’s not a coincidence, that’s straight-up skill… This person’s not ordinary, might be the first since team leader hong joined isn’t it

– I wish to be friends, sir…

– Any chance you’re interested in black tortoise team 3? We’d treat you right, honestly better than that choi from team 1

– Noonim I’m here too ^^

– Uh-huh i know

“……”

And the group chat was summed up in one conclusion…

– weve got someone ready to go all-in for dispatch&rescue huh? ㅋㅋ

– YOUNGEST. TEAM. LEADER. Hope you make it~\^\^

Please, anyone, save me…

Chapter 167 - [The Conspiracy of Belief], II

The agent group chat that Go Yeongeun showed me left quite a shock and a realization.

‘No wonder Agent Choi sent me to work in the Preliminary Investigation Unit so easily.’

Was it because my transfer to Black Tortoise Team 1 was already decided?

And Agent Bronze’s consideration in sending me to Go Yeongeun’s team today… Was that actually because today would be my last before officially joining the Dispatch & Rescue Unit…?

‘Not fair…’

No, if you only look at what’s on the surface, the only unusual thing ‘Agent Grapes’ did was insist on staying an extra day to take care of the children and ended up getting contaminated in the process, right?

So I thought I was in the clear, but I guess the fact that a supernatural disaster that could barely be handled by regular rescue was resolved, and I was the only variable, made me stand out.

And if that variable’s nickname is ‘Destruction King Rookie’… does that mean my image is set in stone?

I guess so!

‘Ha.’

“……”

“Um… Soleum-ssi. Are you alright?”

I nodded.

But maybe I didn’t look so good, because Go Yeongeun’s eyes held a hint of worry.

‘It would be weird if I acted too strange…’

Let’s get it together before I come off as too much of a coward.

Doing my best to seem calm, I opened my mouth, pretending to be just a little disappointed.

“The Dispatch & Rescue Unit is a good unit, of course, but I’m really more of a paperwork type than a fieldwork person… so I’m a little flustered.”

“……”

“Yeongeun-ssi?”

“Um, sure…”

For some reason, Go Yeongeun’s expression looked more troubled.

But in the next moment, she began offering me words of comfort, so I guess I was just imagining things.

“Well, looking at the big picture, it could actually be a good thing. After all, each team has one assigned—!”

…?

The agent in front of me stopped speaking unnaturally.

And pressed the back of her hand.

Where Director Ho had set a restriction.

“……!”

Someone’s listening.

Pretending to be out of the room, someone is somewhere in this office, listening in on the rookies’ conversation.

I made eye contact with Go Yeongeun.

‘Don’t panic.’

She was probably going to say something like, ‘Each team has one assigned person to balance it out, so it’s good.’

I picked up the conversation smoothly.

“Yes. Each team has its strengths, so even if I do end up going to the Dispatch & Rescue Unit, I’ll do my best.”

“Yes. Let’s do our best…!”

Fortunately, the conversation ended naturally.

We both raised our hands like fresh rookies and did a ‘hwaiting’ pose together.

After that, Go Yeongeun naturally shifted the topic to explaining the work of ‘White-Tiger Team 2’ in the Preliminary Investigation Unit.

‘Phew.’

Later, we pretended to be surprised as we saw an agent yawning and standing up from under a desk in the office.

“A-Agent?”

“Ah, sorry. I just closed my eyes for a bit… You’re both rookies, right? Looks like you’ve already gotten close. Do your best. I’m off-duty today… haaahm.”

“Yes, thank you!”

After giving us a warm look, the agent left the office. I let out a sigh of relief inside.

‘Nothing to get caught on.’

It didn’t feel like surveillance so much as… just finding a couple of rookies cute and were curious, wondering if a sunbae could help. Still, we should be more careful.

‘…Director Ho’s restriction really did help.’

From then on, Go Yeongeun and I didn’t mention any related topics, focusing on PC setup, and before long, the agents returned from their fieldwork.

“We’re back, Yeongeun-ssi!”

“Team Leader.”

I stood next to Go Yeongeun to greet them.

The Team Leader of White-Tiger Team 2 had a very hearty impression, and laughed loudly when he saw me.

“Ah, so you’re that… um. The new recruit!”

“……”

Did he just almost call me Destruction King out loud…?

If all these people were in that group chat, my nickname might be truly irreversible now.

‘Ha…’

I never thought I’d say this, but being a supervisor at Daydream Inc. was less embarrassing than this…

“You just got back from a big rescue mission the other day, right? I heard you did a great job. For today, relax do nothing special yeah? Just observe what kind of work the White-Tiger Team does~ and then you can clock out. Alright?”

“…Thank you.”

I almost ruined the character I’d been building.

Pretending to be timid, I bowed my head low, resisting the urge to go full MZ-crazy like I did at Daydream Inc…

“Now, now. For today, you can work at Agent Mint’s desk, since she’s off.”

So I sat at the desk of an agent who had the day off, and got a quick briefing on work from the person in question herself, Go Yeongeun.

Phew.

“The work you’ll be doing today is ghost story research… but it’s not fieldwork. You’ll be working on the PC, and if you can also learn how to do the documentation afterward, that’d be great.”

“Um, will you be teaching me, Agent Mint?”

“Yes. I’ve been handling this kind of work a lot lately.”

Go Yeongeun seemed a bit conflicted, then added,

“That, well, the agent who went into the mart with me… um, after that unexpected incident, I’ve been given mostly paperwork since then.”

Ah.

‘A rookie like her almost drowned and died, so they must have pulled her from fieldwork for a while.’

Of course, Go Yeongeun was already had similar work experiences from Daydream Inc., so it seemed she’d quickly cut off that agent mentally and recovered…

‘In this place, too, they’ll probably have her back in the field within a month.’

Still, if she were to continue to handle paperwork, she might get a natural chance to access the Disaster Management Bureau’s secret archive in Gangwon-do someday.

‘…I’m jealous.’

I wanted to take that route, too.

‘…No.’

It’s not too late yet.

‘This time, I’ll really make a good impression.’

And since it’s not fieldwork today, it’s the perfect opportunity.

I’ll show just how skilled I am at ghost story documentation…!

Especially—

The documentation for the Preliminary Investigation Unit?

‘That’s all about tracking and writing up ghost stories.’

This is work made for me.

I smiled as I sat down in front of the computer.

“I’ll give it a try.”

And so, the ghost story I would be tracking down information on during my work hours today was…

[Do you know about the Red Clothes at Exit 4?]

It’s a ghost story that originated from one particular internet post.

Modern-day internet is little more than an incubator for urban legends.

All sorts of nonsense, rumors, and ghost stories run wild, and with truth and lies hopelessly tangled, things spread from mouth to mouth, or rather… from post to post, from video to video.

Because people spin stories in whatever way fits their worldview best.

Whatever way is most interesting, entertaining, or believable to them.

And through that process of mutation and regeneration, some stories end up with extraordinary lifespans.

Even though they clearly started from a lie.

For example…

Like this very ghost story I’m investigating now.

----------------------------------------

[Do you know about the red clothes at Exit 4?]

Lately, more and more people have reported seeing this next to subway station Exit 4

(photo)

A red piece of clothing with the sleeves tied twice

It looks way too clean to have been thrown out, and the color stands out so much that it gives off a weird atmosphere

So people are saying it’s for organ trafficking, or someone possessed by a ghost, or the work of a crazy person…

But it’s appearing all over the place, and it really seems like someone put it there deliberately, which makes it creepier

No one knows what the intention is, but it just feels off, and a lot of people say they felt sick or had nightmares after seeing it

(photo)

Has anyone here seen it too?

----------------------------------------

This was the most famous version that first appeared two months ago.

A ghost story about spotting something suspicious and eye-catching at subway Exit 4.

It’s a report that blends the chill of encountering something strange in a mundane place with the horror born from imagination.

It quickly spread through all kinds of internet forums and social media, with similar reports popping up everywhere.

And now, two months later.

The urban legend has become genuine fear.

----------------------------------------

[Do not touch the red clothes at Exit 4]

More and more people are testifying that it’s a shamanistic ritual bait

They say it’s meant to attach a ghost to anyone who touches it

– they made it red on purpose to attract people… dont touch it

– Even getting close is risky. It’s so the ghost thinks that red clothing is yours. If you’re spiritually weak, just looking at it up close could bring you bad luck

– Just pretend you didn’t see it and walk by. Don’t pay any attention. There’s someone in the clothes.

– d sleeves r tied twice… ugh i have a bad feeling if its the ritual i know that isnt smth a normal shaman wud use…

– thats something you should never leave in a crowded place why would someone do that do they have a death wish

– if u check inside the clothes ull definitely find hair or a jijeon or smth right? but if u touch it to check ig ur an idiot? ㅋㅋ

(T/N: jijeon = shamanistic talisman paper)

These are just what I found and captured

And the clincher is…

Someone actually found hair and paper inside the clothes…

(photo)

I don’t know what this is, but it feels so wrong. Everyone, be careful

----------------------------------------

And the most upvoted comment was this.

– Someone told me the person who checked out the clothes in that screenshot hasn’t been heard from since…

└ seriously?

└ crazy

└ It’s true. Apparently they sprinkled salt and even did a ritual or smth like that? And even posted proof that all the salt was burned up, but after that there’s been no word

└ haㅠㅠ

└ fk thats scary as hell ㅋㅋ

Even more chilling and eerie testimonies have surfaced.

And comment sections and quote threads everywhere turned into a madhouse.

– there’s even a rumor that the person who disappeared was reported dead? is that for real?

– Isn’t this about that youtuber who picked up the red clothes and got hospitalized and kept posting about having nightmares and asking for help?

– crazy. this is scary as hell tho fuckk is there actually no one trying to figure out whos behind this?

– theres even shamans saying maybe it wasnt a human being who left those behind too

If you’ve read this far, it really feels like a terrifying twist in a supposedly-true ghost story.

Even now, red clothes are still being found at subway entrances everywhere, but with no involvement from authorities, only those who know about it are left trembling in fear, watching more victims appear.

But it doesn’t die down.

Because it’s still ongoing.

– another missing person case added… feels like we should report this

– red clothes found outside seoul (photo) is this a copycat or the real thing?

And people who’d been consuming these internet horror stories as casual entertainment were starting to feel the creepiness and horror so close to home that they began considering real-world measures.

Law enforcement.

– Even if you report it to the police, they don’t do anything since it’s ‘just clothes’ ㅠㅠ

And apparently, a lot of police who know what it is actually avoid it, especially the older officers

└ ig we just dont know but there must’ve been cases like this before

Public attention.

– can’t we tip off the news or smth?

└ tried it, but they just mentioned it as an internet oddity at the end of the morning news, even when I said there was an actual missing person. they just treated me like an overreacting jobless person ㅋㅋ아ㅋㅋ

And more realistic eyewitness accounts.

– I tried telling a station attendant but since it’s outside the exit they just said its not their responsibility, the other day i saw people yelling and fighting over it (video)

– someone stared at the red clothes for a while n then collapsed. nobody helped, so sum elderly person supported them n called an ambulance but what if smth happens to them too? I can’t stop worrying…

– Stop taking photos of the red clothes and posting them online, it seems like it’s having an indirect effect too

And finally, this internet urban legend even reached the Disaster Management Bureau.

Of course, most of these internet ghost stories are really just a mix of coincidence, misunderstanding, and a psychological desire to believe.

At first, the Disaster Management Bureau also approached it that way.

The problem was…

An agent who witnessed the ‘Red Clothes at Exit 4’ attempted contact and sample collection.

Afterward, they lost consciousness and were in a coma for five days. Symptoms of sleepwalking. Hostile reaction from their dokkaebi flame. After regaining consciousness, they could only repeat, ‘I have to wear the red clothes’.

Afterward, that agent jumped to their death.

This confirmed that the ghost story was real.

And all the rumors spreading online…

They were all true.

The agent has been stabilized through memory-erasure therapy and is currently hospitalized.

There is now discussion about registering the ‘Red Clothes at Exit 4’ as a supernatural disaster. More case studies needed.

And so, I, ‘Agent Grapes’, was put in charge of collecting various stories about the Red Clothes at Exit 4 from the internet…

Honestly, it’s basically a given that it’ll be registered… they just want me to grab more supporting material from the internet for documentation.

It’s a bit spooky and creepy, but compared to fieldwork, it’s really just at the level of reading ghost stories.

A true training slash ‘rest day’ assignment for a rookie.

However…

‘I can’t just stop there.’

Didn’t I say it?

I’m much better at paperwork.

And… organizing internet ghost stories into documents?

‘That’s my specialty, a thousand percent.’

I’ll show you all exactly what I can do.

With a grin, I put my hands on the keyboard.

Chapter 168 - [The Conspiracy of Belief], III

Go Yeongeun glanced at her colleague sitting beside her.

Kim Soleum, typing rapidly on the keyboard while staring into the monitor, looked easygoing with his tousled hair and glasses—a style crafted for this undercover work.

True to that image, he usually presented himself at the Disaster Management Bureau as a timid new recruit, shoulders hunched, gaze averted, projecting a passive persona.

But right now, the eyes behind Kim Soleum’s glasses, as he looked at the computer, were filled with certainty and composure.

It was the same person she’d seen at Daydream Inc.

That relaxed air unique to those with keen insight and long vision, the so-called ‘composure of someone in the know’.

‘Is he that immersed in his work?’

For a moment, this person’s original attitude was showing through.

He said paperwork was his specialty, and it didn’t seem to be a lie…

‘A deceiver…?’

Go Yeongeun regarded her colleague, who’d become a supervisor not even one year after getting hired—the top recruit in their batch—with complicated feelings!

But soon Kim Soleum finished his last task on the keyboard with a flourish and turned to look at her as well.

And just as quickly, he slipped back into his crafted passive persona.

“Um, excuse me… Agent. Would you mind giving this a quick look to see if I’m doing it right…?”

“Yes, of course.”

She might even learn something new. If not, at the very least, she could help her colleague get more familiar with the documentation process.

Go Yeongeun looked at the computer monitor together with Kim Soleum.

“These are the versions of the urban legend currently collected online by the Disaster Management Bureau.”

[Red Clothes at Exit 4 current ver.]

A flood of cases.

A red piece of clothing left, standing by itself at the exit.

All sorts of chilling testimonies, ominous and unsettling sightings that seemed straight out of a horror movie, filling the document in posts, comments, and videos.

But Kim Soleum continued his explanation without batting an eye.

‘As expected, things like this don’t scare him at all.’

(No, it’s just that he’s strong when it comes to text!)

“First, I classified these witness accounts. I divided those with actual incidents from those without any substance.”

He sorted the document properly, too.

“Then an interesting trend becomes apparent.”

Interesting?

“It’s that real incidents happen after unsubstantial witness claims are posted.”

“…!”

“Look here.”

– if u check inside the clothes ull definitely find hair or a jijeon or smth right? but if u touch it to check ig ur an idiot? ㅋㅋ

“And indeed, hair and paper were found.”

Kim Soleum included the comment from the person who discovered the hair and jijeon in the ‘red clothes’.

“Next, there’s the issue about the whereabouts of the person who found the hair and paper.”

– someone told me the person who checked out the clothes in that screenshot hasn’t been heard from since…

“This comment wasn’t posted after the disappearance. The news of their disappearance spread after this comment was posted.”

“…!”

Go Yeongeun’s face hardened.

…It’s just like what had happened at Looky Mart.

“The order is reversed.”

“Yes.”

That’s the nature of ghost stories.

Kim Soleum gave a faint smile.

“When you focus on this kind of trend, and then look at the ghost story again… you can start to see a larger pattern emerge.”

Kim Soleum clicked on another document.

[Red Clothes at Exit 4 base ver.]

“This is a version from three months ago.”

When the rumors about the red clothes were running wild.

So there are theories that it’s an organ trafficking marker, or someone possessed by a ghost, or just some mad person’s act… All sorts of talk.

“But none of the things in here ever actually happened. Do you know why?”

“……”

Go Yeongeun fell into thought.

“Because there are too many, so if one thing is realized, it contradicts another?”

“That’s right.”

Kim Soleum smiled faintly.

“And one more thing. I think it’s because there hasn’t been a single speculation that people completely believed in.”

“…!”

“There were just so many speculative statements, and hardly anyone spoke as if making a definite conclusion. There were lots of rebuttals too, so none of it was enough to be treated as an actual incident.”

“…Because there was no evidence?”

“That’s right.”

To put it another way—

“They just weren’t ‘convincing enough’.”

Kim Soleum clicked his mouse again.

“But then, all of a sudden, such a story appears in the comments.”

A ‘sufficiently convincing story’.

These repeated testimonies appear to serve as bait for shamanic rituals.

“This is where the situation changes rapidly.”

Go Yeongeun read through the document Kim Soleum had compiled, hardly breathing.

Tricks to lure in ghosts. Someone getting attached to the clothes. Tying the arms twice not being an ordinary shamanic ritual. Instead something meant to bring misfortune…

“When it comes to shamanism, unless you’re an expert in that field, it’s hard to refute these statements. And as soon as someone presents themselves as an expert, it just seems plausible for some reason.”

“…But they don’t even have to provide any proof, like photos or credentials?”

“…! Exactly.”

Kim Soleum smiled as he reviewed the comments he had collected.

– if u check inside the clothes ull definitely find hair or a jijeon or smth right? but if u touch it to check ig ur an idiot? ㅋㅋ

“I checked that person’s comment history. He works as an office worker at a steel company.”

“…!”

So, not an expert.

But a field where it’s easy to pretend.

“Someone who’s met a shaman a few times, or read a couple of books, could easily make things up.”

No one knows whether these people on the internet are actually shamans. And whether it’s really possible to pass on ghosts or curses in the way they describe. No one has ever credibly proven it.

But because it seems convincing, people end up believing it.

The effect of fear combined with familiarity!

“And if you look closely, these so-called experts are all telling different stories.”

“……Huu.”

It’s true.

As she read through the comments, Go Yeongeun barely stifled a sigh.

She hadn’t realized it because of the horror atmosphere and all the shamanic claims with a similar ‘feel’, but really, everyone was just cobbling together every chilling story they could find.

Shamanic rituals, ghosts attached, inviting misfortune…

“…So most of it’s made up?”

“Probably.”

Or maybe… not just most, but all of it.

“But people believed it.”

And so—

“So you’re saying that’s why it became reality.”

“Yes.”

Kim Soleum gave a bitter smile.

“The information contaminated reality in reverse.”

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[The Conspiracy of Belief]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Disaster Management Bureau registration number – 2106PSYA.2025.바56

A ghost story that has materialized as a result of conspiracy theories spread on the internet by individuals who believe in them.

The notable aspect of this ghost story lies in its suggestion that human imagination and confirmation bias may have been the underlying cause of supernatural disasters.

----------------------------------------

A ghost story that, someday in the future, will be verified and registered by the Disaster Management Bureau.

“If you trace the origin back further…”

– fuk why’s there a bright red piece of clothing at the subway entrance shit why tf do i have to live thru a horror experience or sum shit huh? i almost fainted pls hug me

This was the social media post registered along with that photo of a red garment abandoned in front of a subway exit.

The sign for Exit 4 was visible in the background.

“This is how it starts as a simple everyday post.”

Maybe that red piece of clothing was just a jacket a drunk person dropped mistakenly, or something that fell off a used-clothing collection truck…

Either way, it was probably just some ordinary, mundane mishap.

“It was most likely just a coincidence, or a funny misunderstanding.”

“But the important thing is that people started misunderstanding it.”

That’s the correct answer.

In the end, this witness account went viral and was quickly reproduced, gaining new explanations with each new iteration. And as fear and rumor attached themselves, it became reality.

“This concludes the results of my investigation.”

“……”

He’s seriously good at this…

“Um, but… by any chance, did I make any mistakes…?”

And yet, he’d go back to that crafted passive persona again. It really does make him look like a deceiver…!

‘Well, I know it’s because of the spy thing, but still!’

Go Yeongeun held back another sigh and yet another bitter smile. Instead, she nodded.

“No. …You’re probably exceeding the expectations of the agents in this office.”

“Oh, that’s a relief…! Then, would it be fine if I continue working in the Preliminary Investigation Unit?”

No, wait a minute. That’s not the important part right now…

“So, does this mean you’ve pretty much figured out the mechanism behind this supernatural disaster? If your reasoning is correct.”

“Ah, maybe so…”

No, not ‘maybe so’— it seems he’s actually right!

Go Yeongeun looked at her colleague with a slightly excited expression.

If that’s the case, then couldn’t they also deduce the solution?

In other words…

“If people just stop believing in it, this ghost story would end too!”

“That’s right.”

In that case, if they could just set the record straight somehow……

‘Ah.’

Go Yeongeun came to a realization.

“…Making people stop believing is practically impossible.”

“Yes.”

Because actual incidents are happening.

This is an anomalous phenomenon that has already stepped into reality.

“Since too many people already believe, persuading them won’t be easy.”

This ghost story itself is a conspiracy theory about internet rumors that become real because people believe them.

Maybe the author of this entry in the Dark Exploration Records wrote it as a kind of satire, mocking the so-called evidence and testimonies behind various conspiracy theories.

“…And on top of that, it really has turned into a supernatural disaster. Since the evidence and situation are real now, it would be even harder to refute.”

Exactly right.

That’s why, whenever agents encounter this ghost story in the Dark Exploration Records, they continually ‘manage’ the situation by destroying the focal object of the incident or erasing people’s memories…

A method of acknowledging the ghost story’s existence, managing the risk, and slowly neutralizing it.

A lukewarm solution that matches the uncomfortable nature of this particular ghost story.

But.

“That’s not necessarily the only way.”

“…Pardon?”

Kim Soleum smiled faintly and brought his hands back on the keyboard.

There was another way.

It was a countermeasure he’d thought of ever since reading this entry in the Dark Exploration Records.

‘I can do this.’

The only reason he didn’t update the wiki back then was because…

It just didn’t fit the atmosphere of a creepypasta!

7.3 Countermeasures

Go Yeongeun watched as Kim Soleum, without hesitation, began typing up the final section of the document.

And then, looking a little satisfied, he took his hands off the keyboard.

“This should do it.”

“……”

Kim Soleum.

This time, he’s determined to show up and show out!

A few days later.

A red piece of clothing at a station’s Exit 4 appeared again, just as before.

– There’s one at Yeongdeungpo Station exit. Everyone, avoid it.

By now, people had started to become afraid of even mentioning the red clothing directly.

It seemed like TV stations would start covering it soon. With several missing person and death cases, people on the internet were murmuring that, even though it’s a supernatural matter, at the very least, there would be an investigation.

However.

– what’s this?

This time, there was black writing on the red garment.

[Red Baccarat New Signup 50,000 Won Free. Poker, Sports Toto, Roulette – All in One. Guaranteed ghostly chills and profits (website address)]

An ad for an illegal gambling website!

– what, it was a damn gambling ad?

People exploded.

– are you shitting me? isn’t spam sms enough damn

– fuckass buildup for nuthin

– goddamn illegal gambling ㅋㅋ

– Are you happy now, using people’s fear to get clicks?

– let me kill these scammer dickwads

– Reported to police. I’m seriously pissed off.

Profanities and annoyance flew everywhere.

But after things settled down a bit, a few other opinions quietly appeared.

– but arent they jus using the red garment for clout cuz it went viral?

– doesnt it look like their just exploiting it tho? tbh im kinda scared like wont sm happen to those guys now?

At a glance, it sounded plausible.

So those who firmly believed in the ghost story of the red garment began to whisper again, saying, ‘Isn’t something going to happen to that company?’ and started creating an ominous atmosphere.

But the very next day.

[Were you frightened by this red garment?]

[Human life is filled with fear. The lover of paradise, who will protect and love you so that you no longer have to be afraid, is waiting for you. Come to the Paradise of Love.]

A famous cult put the red garment on official display at the exit, complete with a sign…!

– tf is this

– HAㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

– arent these the guys who always go around asking about your ideal type and then ask you to buy them coffee on the street

And to top it all off, even a phrase attached under the sign!

[We are a wholesome religion and do not operate illegal gambling sites. We are proceeding with legal action against the aforementioned company for intellectual property theft.]

People picked up on the subtext.

– wait a sec… so the red clothes thinf was their doing all along?

– it was a religious cult?

It turned out that the trap created by the cult to lure in emotionally vulnerable people had been hijacked and used by an illegal gambling site!

– there they go outing themselves in a panic as soon as their idea got stolen.

– just go get sued for illegal waste dumping

– I really hate it. The scum of society.

– thinking back on all that atmosphere with shamanism and stuff just makes me feel even more annoyed

People, shuddering with irritation, started to remove the red clothing from their conversations altogether.

‘Perfect.’

Kim Soleum smiled as he scrolled and checked the scene.

That’s right.

If it’s a ghost story that becomes reality through people’s belief, then the solution was simple.

‘Just make it so that no one wants to believe it.’

Make it cringe, make it lose all its tension.

‘If you connect it to something that annoys and bothers people in everyday life, it’ll disappear in no time.’

– never falling for it again u damn phishing asshats

And so, together with their irritation, people quickly erased the whole affair from their memories.

Even the fact that there were actually dead or missing people was conveniently dismissed as “Ah, it was all a fake for advertising.”

And just like that…

—’Red Clothes at Exit 4’ has been resolved.

Amazingly neatly, the ghost story ended.

Safely, without a single agent getting hurt.

All it took was the cost of making a few banners.

– gratz gratz

– Amazing but how did it end as soon as it was found tho

– Great work, everyone~

Borrowing Go Yeongeun’s phone to check the unusually active agent anonymous group chat, Kim Soleum smiled to himself.

‘Investigation, solution proposal, and documentation of the ghost story all handled in the office. I did it right.’

And if he gets recognized for his ability in the Preliminary Investigation Unit like this…

– Nono to be honest ㅎㅎ It wasnt all our unit’s work sirs and maams

– eh?

– That famous new recruit wrote up the documentation and even included a solution… and it worked perfectly ㅎㅎ

And then.

– that rookie again?

– daebakㄷㄷㄷ

– Destruction King as expected

– Truly, as consistent as ever ㅎㅎ

– even destroying ghost stories with documents now

“……??”

Kim Soleum really did prove himself.

And in truth, the conclusion of a ghost story is always achieved by teams piecing together clues and trying different ideas.

But the world already has its set images.

And so, the ‘Destruction King Rookie’ made a major contribution to destroying the ghost story, even while working in the Preliminary Investigation Unit…!

– Look at that initiative, must be destined for black tortoise team 3

– Team 1 you mean, maam? ㅎㅎ

– born to slay in d&r

It was all consumed as reinforcement of his existing image!

So, Kim Soleum, who had ruined a ghost story through image, ended up ruining his own plans through image as well.

“……”

‘Hwaiting, Soleum-ssi…’

Foreseeing all of this, Go Yeongeun just squeezed her eyes shut and sent a silent message of support to her colleague…

And on the last day of the two-week probationary training for new recruits.

Kim Soleum… was assigned to Dispatch & Rescue Unit, Black Tortoise Team 1……

Not a single soul was even surprised.

Chapter 169 - Taking Care of Business

On the day of assignment.

“Let’s all congratulate our Agent Grapes on his official appointment~!!”

“……”

“Wahahaha! How about a team dinner tonight? Our team’s overtime meal allowance for this month has stacked up quite a bit, right? How much do I have again? Anyway, it’s on me!”

Wow.

I received the team’s welcome in the waiting room of Black Tortoise Team 1, eyes already resigned to everything.

Honestly, calling it a ‘welcome’ didn’t feel quite right. I saw them just a few days ago.

It’s just that today, I’d been officially confirmed to be a member of Black Tortoise Team 1!

“…I look forward to working with you.”

“……Yes.”

Incidentally, the senior who said he’d do his best to voice his opinion so I could be assigned to a different team was here as well.

Agent Bronze, even while shaking my hand, avoided my gaze.

“……”

Yes, I know, Agent. I dug my own grave…

‘Destruction King… Let’s just work diligently and try to shake off that nickname.’

Though I wondered if this was really okay for a spy.

‘Ha ha…’

In the end, I gave a polite bow to Agent Choi as well.

We’ll be seeing each other often now, so there’s no point in whining again about not wanting to join Black Tortoise Team 1.

“…Thank you for the welcome.”

“No problem~”

Agent Choi grinned and patted me on the back.

At the very least, he has a decent personality…

“We’ll be working together for life now. Shouldn’t the welcome be even more extravagant? Haha!”

“……”

The sense of mission in these early agents is a little scary.

“Let’s work together for a long time, Grapes-ie…”

No, like really…

.

.

Anyway, Agent Choi’s dinner suggestion became reality that evening.

As soon as work ended, Black Tortoise Team 1 moved out to eat together.

“This is a place we come to often. The owner here is a retired agent. Ah, please bring a large portion of gopchang-jeongol! And two bottles of soju.”

And so, in the corner room of a popular, crowded restaurant, we started our meal and conversation with some light drinks.

It was during this time that I was finally, officially introduced to Black Tortoise Team 1.

“Team numbers don’t really mean much anymore, but when we first started, Team 1 did take on tougher missions. So it’s fine to feel a little pride in your team, thinking of your seniors!”

I already knew that.

But hearing it explained directly by the person involved felt different.

Same with hearing about the current situation like this.

“Black Tortoise Team 1 originally had a team leader and five regular agents… but two are on sick leave, and one is… um, on an extended hiatus.”

“……”

He didn’t mention it, but I’m sure there were many who died in the line of duty.

Thinking of the writing in all sorts of handwriting covering the whiteboard in the waiting room, I looked at the two remaining team members.

Agent Choi grinned.

“And now we’re finally back to three members. Isn’t that great? Hey, Jaekwan, don’t you agree?”

Maybe… this person was just happy to see a new face.

I suppressed a wry smile. Raising my glass, I gave a polite bow to the two of them.

“Um, thank you again… for welcoming me…”

“…!”

Even though they knew I’d stubbornly requested to go to another team, not once did they rebuke me for ending up here anyway, and I was grateful for that.

And I could tell they understood what I meant.

“No, we should be thanking you.”

Agent Choi waved his hand as if to brush it off.

“You didn’t want to come, right? Our team.”

“……”

I held back a sigh and downed a shot of soju.

“It’s not that I dislike Dispatch & Rescue. It’s just… I can’t really trust myself.”

“Soleum-ah.”

Agent Choi looked at me.

“It’s fine. No one actually does.”

“……”

“Who could ever be one hundred percent sure they’re doing the right thing in a supernatural disaster? If someone is, that’s the real supernatural phenomenon.”

At some point, this senior had started calling me by name and title, instead of ‘hoobae’.

He grinned as he ladled stew into my bowl.

“…But for us, we have advice from those who’ve gone before us, don’t we?”

“……”

“Believe in that.”

The exploration records.

“And as you go on… Sometimes, you’ll want to try something yourself, even just once. Then you’ll be the one giving advice to whoever comes after you.”

“……”

Agent Bronze’s gaze turned distant, but he didn’t argue.

It felt like the two had already fought and settled this issue long ago.

“But there’s no need to think that far ahead just yet!”

Agent Choi grinned and refilled my glass.

“Soleum, you’ve really had a rough time since coming here.”

I really couldn’t deny it.

“But honestly, things like that only happen maybe once every six months—or sometimes, not even once in several years if you’re lucky. Just because you joined our team doesn’t mean you’ll be dealing with that stuff all the time, so don’t worry.”

Agent Choi grinned and clinked his glass against mine, unilaterally.

Clink.

“You’ll do fine.”

“……”

“Got it?”

I nodded.

And, as if it was a lie, those words soon came true.

Three weeks since the official assignment to Black Tortoise Team 1—

“Grapes-ie, over there!”

I was handling rescue work in ghost stories much more smoothly than I’d expected.

“Catch that guy!”

“Yes!”

I grabbed the person requesting rescue, who was frantically trying to run past me, and shoved him into the washing machine.

“Ack!”

Sorry, but that’s the exit, so please bear with it for a moment!

“Hey, it’s over! Get out of here!”

Before the drying finished, I also dove into an empty washing machine, plunging into the swirling water…

“Phew!”

I managed to escape safely.

“Rescue of the requester and two others, safely completed at ‘Intersection Laundromat’.”

Today, I saved three civilians from a crazy laundromat that remodels your personality and reformats your body.

And the past three weeks were much the same.

‘About one dispatch every three days…’

Honestly, it’s scary and exhausting.

But…

“Is that kid the one? The Destruction King? Wow, he really gets things done, doesn’t he!”

“Wahaha! Right, Team Leader!”

“……”

Surprisingly, the ‘Destruction King Rookie’ image was working in my favor!

– Destruction King Rookie is adapting smoothly ^^

– so ur in this chat now too, huh?

Thanks to my persona being a kind of funny, approachable, and positive character, it made adjusting easier.

And this characterization just kept getting reinforced. At this rate, it wouldn’t even be strange to read about myself on the wiki.

‘Me, being a named character of the Disaster Management Bureau…’

Honestly, it didn’t feel bad.

And maybe because what I went through before was like an exorcism, for three weeks there were no unexpected incidents in the ghost stories.

All that was left was to follow the already established rescue manuals and bring people out.

If you could just put up with the terrifying stuff, it’s doable!

‘If it’s a ghost story where you can even find the Disaster Management Bureau’s rescue request number, it means the Bureau already has a good grasp of it.’

To the extent they can embed a number into the ghost story.

Now I can understand why there are so many solo missions.

‘At this rate, I can handle it…!’

Besides, since I’m still a rookie, I was always in a pair.

Less scary! A lot safer!

So, at one point I tried bringing this up to Agent Bronze, but he looked at me seriously.

– No, it’s not safe.

– ……

– Your standards are a bit warped.

Once you’ve spent just half a year in Daydream Inc. like me, you’ll be the same, Agent-nim…

‘I could almost cry.’

Since I ended up in Black Tortoise Team 1, Agent Bronze had been looking after me a bit excessively, while also subtly avoiding small talk. He must have an awkward sense of indebtedness. I get it…

Anyway, for the past three weeks, it was something I could endure even while tense.

I naturally blended into Black Tortoise Team 1, and now I didn’t even have to introduce myself as part of the team whenever I met people at headquarters.

I’d blended in so well that everyone already knew.

‘…It’s fine.’

I couldn’t deny the sense of security that came from belonging.

…The problem was, it was about time for me to get my first solo mission.

Ha.

‘Alone… It’ll be scary.’

Having to experience a ghost story alone every three days… that’s the real problem.

But before that, I got this suggestion.

.

.

“Grapes-ie. Do you want to take a little break?”

It was when I was getting ready to leave in the waiting room, having finished transferring duties to the Site Cleanup Unit.

“You haven’t really taken a break these past three weeks, and you kept helping out with support duty too. Someone who was hospitalized just a month ago shouldn’t be overdoing it. You need to rest now, to clear your head and recover your strength.”

Agent Choi made the suggestion.

And…

To be honest, I kind of planned for this.

‘It’s hard for a rookie to just use up their annual leave all at once…’

So I purposely overworked and maxed out my hours, hoping a senior would eventually urge me to take a few days off.

‘Success.’

Agent Bronze caught my eye and quickly nodded in agreement.

Good.

“Thank you.”

“Yeah, make sure to use your two days off together, and don’t forget to tack them onto your regular days off!”

That way, I managed to take four consecutive days of leave.

If you add the two regular days off per week, that makes six days total.

Of course, I definitely needed this time off for a reason.

[Sir Kim Soleum, your psychological stability test results are in. Please book a counseling session and pick them up when you’re free \^\^]

Last week, Director Ho texted me.

…Soon, I’d be able to enter Cheerful Theme Park.

‘I need to prepare.’

And I need to handle the schedules I’d put off because of work.

[Arent you going to trade, sir?]

[its info youll definitely want to hear]

Baek Saheon seemed to be ready.

And that evening—

I met him at a secluded room café in Seoul.

“Hurry up and talk.”

Baek Saheon, pressed as soon as we met, had veins standing out on his temple.

“……Hey, this is a trade, you know. If you talk like that, it doesn’t exactly feel good.”

“You like efficiency, don’t you? Isn’t it better to talk fast and get your item? Try thinking things through for once.”

“~!”

Baek Saheon’s face twisted in anger for a moment, but he quickly hid it and smiled.

“…Then fine. Let’s just get on with it!”

Oh. He must be feeling pretty confident.

I focused, ready to listen closely.

“So, first…”

Baek Saheon began in a very meaningful tone, about to reveal something special…

“Two people from our batch have disappeared.”

“……”

“Remember? Go Yeongeun and—”

“Jang Heowoon.”

“…!”

Ugh.

“I know, already so skip that part.”

“W-Wait a second. But even you don’t know where they went, right, Supervisor?”

Nah, I actually do.

I looked at Baek Saheon with dead fish eyes, and he broke into a cold sweat as he hurried to continue.

“They got reassigned to a branch office!”

Nope.

“You know about the branch offices, right? Out in the countryside. These days there are a lot of people being assigned to headquarters from the branches, but honestly, the place feels pretty suspicious? I mean, they’ve cut off all contact…”

“Uh-huh. Next.”

I told you, that’s not it.

I’m pretty sure Baek Saheon was swearing at me internally right now.

‘Whatever…’

But I should give him a bit of hope if I want more info to come out. So I changed tack.

“Tell me something else. There’s no point going on about stuff I already know. You’ll just tire yourself out.”

“……”

“No other rumors?”

Baek Saheon gave me a look that basically screamed, ‘How do you even know this?!’ but eventually coughed up the next bit of information.

And that was…

“I saw people from the Research Team and the Security Team fighting not long ago.”

Hmm.

‘Did a researcher get his head bashed in or something…?’

Maybe my face looked disgusted, because Baek Saheon hurriedly explained.

“No, listen. You know that researcher too. Section Chief Kwak Jaekang from Research Team 1—”

“…!”

What?

I almost lost my composure right then.

I barely managed to just widen my eyes, but it was already too late.

“Looks like you’re really interested.”

Baek Saheon grinned with satisfaction.

“I want to tell you quickly, too, but… Well, let me see the item first, just in case. If you hear everything and then say you don’t have it, that would be a problem.”

“……”

“I’m not saying you’d do that, Supervisor… It’s just, mutual trust, you know? Speed is important, but so is trust when you’re making a deal.”

Hmm. Cheeky.

“Is that so?”

“…!”

Fine.

Like a magic trick, I pulled out the Necronomicon from my wrist.

Seeing the intimidating book-shaped item, encased in a creepy book case, Baek Saheon’s eyes sparkled with greed.

He reached out his hand…

Smack!

“You said you were just going to look.”

“……”

For a second, Baek Saheon gave me a hostile glare, but then started spilling more information.

“I heard that Security Team member picked a fight with the researcher. Apparently, he asked the researcher something but didn’t get a straight answer, so he tried to hit him?”

And the ‘rumor’ goes like this:

A Security Team member ran into a researcher while on duty and asked him something about the facility. Then the researcher’s superior showed up.

That’s Kwak Jaekang.

And he said something to him.

“What did he say?”

“No idea. Doesn’t sound like it was anything special. But suddenly, the guard attacked.”

“……”

A scene came to mind.

The sergeant talking to Kwak Jaekang on the phone.

– Just to let you know… I may not be able to enter Darknesses, but… I can still kill people.

Wait.

‘Could that Security Team member be… Jay-ssi?’

“Probably because of contamination. Those Security Team guys go absolutely nuts from contamination you know—”

“Don’t make things up.”

“What?”

“You’re mixing in your own imagination.”

I put on my crazy act, too.

“If I can tell you’re exaggerating… my dopamine dries up.”

“……”

“Keep going.”

Baek Saheon looked a little scared.

His tone became more matter-of-fact.

Thankfully.

“…A-Anyway, that Security Team member hardly ever comes outside, but now he’s volunteering for shifts in the annex and things like that. I hear he used to be pretty famous.”

“Who said that?”

“A bunch of section chiefs were chatting. I don’t know exactly who, but they were all pretty senior.”

“……”

‘The sergeant… he was originally a squad leader on an elite team.’

Looks like it really was Jay-ssi.

‘He’s actually trying to look into the Cheerful Research Institute for me…!’

Still, I hope he doesn’t do anything too dangerous, but it seems he’s keeping a safe distance.

Running into Kwak Jaekang is enough to make you sweat, but even if he gets hit, it’s not like anything’s going to happen to the sergeant. What’s scary about Kwak Jaekang is the crazy explorations he sets up for people!

‘It’s nice to have this confirmed.’

Now I don’t have to worry for no reason.

“This one’s for sure!”

“Yeah, okay.”

After that, I pretended to be interested and listened to a few more useless bits of gossip from Baek Saheon.

And when I sensed that his patience was just about gone, that the price had reached the right level—

“Honestly, the rest of the backstories weren’t that interesting.”

“……”

“But the one about the fight with the researcher was interesting. Good job. That’s quality info.”

“…!”

I smiled and lifted my hand off the Necronomicon.

“Take it.”

Baek Saheon snatched up the bizarre book the moment I finished speaking.

His eyes scanned the eerie bookcase in excitement, then he suddenly looked at me and asked,

“This isn’t, like… only readable by people like you, Supervisor, or anything, right?”

“No.”

I met his gaze straight on.

“But don’t expect to use it with the same power as I can.”

Because you’re not a creepypasta maniac!

“……”

Baek Saheon hesitated, but in the end, packed the book away.

Phew.

At last, I was able to relax my tense shoulders.

Item disposed of.

‘Got some info, and got rid of that thing too.’

That fake Necronomicon. I’d been uneasy about keeping it around, so this worked out well.

Not that it’s the kind of item that causes problems just by having it, but…

‘…I think I’d want to just keep using it for work.’

It’s just that powerful.

If I kept it, every time things got complicated, I’d feel the urge to just read it and resolve things ‘that way’.

Because then everyone would listen to me.

But the longer you use something like that, the more likely you are to get caught.

‘It’s practically asking to be found out.’

And… no matter how you look at it, if I overdid it even a little, I’d end up going insane or suffering some permanent mental problem.

So, selling it for information to someone who isn’t a ghost story maniac is just right.

‘Things worked out well.’

As he put away the book, Baek Saheon’s face visibly brightened, and then he looked back at me with a subtle expression.

“Um, Supervisor. I’d like to hear more about what counts as ‘good information’ for you.”

It seemed he wanted to squeeze a bit more out of me, since the trade item was so powerful.

“If you could be a bit more specific, I’ll—”

“Something interesting.”

“……”

“I already told you, didn’t I? You want it even more specific?”

“…Yes. If you would, I’d appreciate—”

I rested my chin in my hand.

“That story about the researcher was interesting, too. It’s easier to picture when it’s someone I know… Right. The security guy is fine too. It’s unique.”

“…Then I’ll try to focus on rumors about those two, and look into some other things as well.”

“Good.”

I nodded.

And so, the deal ended with an unspoken sense of closure. Baek Saheon packed up his bag with today’s spoils and stood up from the table.

Once he left, I also—

“Excuse me.”

Hm?

Baek Saheon hesitated before continuing.

“You’re still at the Disaster Management Bureau, right, Supervisor?”

“……”

“You were rescued by the agents in the form of a child back then. So…”

I quietly turned to look at Baek Saheon.

And I warned him.

“It’s better not to know.”

It was the truth.

Unless you want to disappear with a ‘branch office assignment’ too.

‘If he keeps digging into my past and gets caught by Director Ho, it’s over…’

“There’s nowhere in there you can get something like a Wish Ticket anyway.”

“……”

“There’s nothing in it for you.”

Maybe sensing something was off, Baek Saheon glanced around, then nodded.

‘That should be enough.’

But then, unexpectedly, he added,

“…Yes. Well… Take care of yourself, Supervisor.”

“You too.”

And that was the end of our deal.

I only sighed after confirming Baek Saheon had left the room café.

“Haa.”

Baek Saheon.

I already knew what kind of person he was as a character, and after living in the same company housing unit, I’ve figured him out.

So in that sense, he’s a low-risk guy.

‘He acts just as expected.’

That’s why I’m still trading with him… though honestly, I barely know anything about him besides his personality.

And come to think of it, that goes for almost everyone I’ve met here, not just Baek Saheon.

‘…Because I’m going to go home eventually.’

Maybe only my superiors in the D-squad are the exceptions.

After hearing Baek Saheon’s trivial gossip today, I became keenly aware of that.

So now I’m a bit curious, too.

‘Why is Baek Saheon so desperate to get a Wish Ticket?’

There was never any particular mention in <Dark Exploration Records> as to why someone who gambles everything on survival would risk his life this way.

‘Well… Not that it’s any of my business.’

Honestly, I’m more curious about the other batchmates’ reasons than his.

I’ll ask if I get the chance later. For now, I should focus on my own Wish Ticket.

And on my own survival.

“Huuu.”

After making sure Baek Saheon was really out on the street, I took out my smartphone.

And sent the reply I’d prepared.

[I’d like to make an appointment, sir.]

To Director Ho.

Let’s go.

Cheerful Theme Park.

Chapter 170 - [Flower Golden Resort], I

Cheerful Theme Park was a B-rank Darkness under Daydream Inc.

And its manual had already been written, with the analysis completed by the Research Team.

…I don’t have to make an effort to remember that I contributed to it.

: Socius :

Because the tattoo on my wrist, engraved as the admission ticket for that theme park, burned in as it activated.

And usually, the fate of a high-ranked Darkness that’s been fully analyzed goes one of two ways.

Assignment to the Research Team.

Or…

“It’s handled by the A-squad.”

Elite team responsibility.

“Usually, the A-squad assembles three regular members, three round-off team members, and six general members, so twelve people enter at a time… Well, the last entry was three months ago, so there’s still some time before the next.”

Director Ho smiled as he handed over the documents.

The manual for Cheerful Theme Park, describing the twelve-person entry method using a board game.

And the work order.

[Special Research Entry]

“So I went ahead and scheduled it separately.”

“…Thank you.”

“No problem! It wasn’t even difficult.”

That might actually be true.

After all, the A-squad is part of Director Ho’s faction.

‘Since it’s a ghost story under his jurisdiction, it must’ve been easy for him to arrange it.’

Of course, that’s Director Ho’s situation, and as a mere regular employee who got special consideration from him, I should just bow my head for now…

But Director Ho’s explanation didn’t end there.

“And to make your entry easier, I’ve already gathered all the other staff who’ll be entering with you. Haha.”

“……!”

Why do I have such a bad feeling about this…?

“Ah, are you worried you’ll know someone among the group going in? Worried they’ll recognize you, Soleum-nim?”

“Yes. As you said, I am a bit concerned about that.”

“Right! That’s why, Soleum-nim, unfortunately…”

Director Ho pointed at me.

“You won’t be able to enter in your original appearance.”

I know.

“Yes. That’s why I was planning to use the welfare points you distributed to purchase a disguise potion and take it…”

“That would be so inconvenient for you. And, since you’re having to live as someone else even outside of work these days… I wanted to minimize that discomfort for you.”

“……”

“So, I found a way for you to enter that no one will suspect at all!”

Excuse me?

I looked at him warily.

In turn, Director Ho beamed at me.

“How about you go in with a special identity, Soleum-nim?”

“…!?”

The next day.

Conference room of Daydream Inc. Research Team 2.

“I heard it’s B-rank today.”

“They’ll give us extra points, right?”

One by one, people appeared. Modern office workers in suits, each wearing a strange animal mask. Employees of the Field Exploration Team.

They were general team members who had gathered despite the ‘slightly special’ risk, drawn by the rumor that the point bonus would be better.

“Cheerful Theme Park, right?”

“Yeah, gotta go for that one.”

Word had gotten around.

Even though this Darkness was high-ranked, it had a thorough manual, and a certain staff member’s theories during previous expeditions had proven exactly right, so it was considered relatively safe.

So when news of a special entry came up, and it turned out to be the Cheerful Theme Park, people quietly spread the word and came together.

The fact that it was for research made people nervous, but as long as they weren’t the one to die, that was enough.

‘If only there were at least one round-off team guy, I’d feel safer.’

People kept their eyes narrow and scanned the room, pretending not to, but unfortunately, there wasn’t anyone who looked like round-off team staff.

However, there was someone who used to be in the round-off team.

“Huh?”

A tall figure with long, dark brown hair, standing quietly against the wall, wearing a bison mask.

“You were assigned to a branch, weren’t you? They let you sign up for this from over there? Haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Uh… Um, yes.”

It was Jang Heowoon.

He broke out in a cold sweat as an employee he barely knew came up and started talking to him.

A side effect of spy work…!

“How’s the branch? Surviving over there?”

“Haha, yes…”

Jang Heowoon gave an awkward smile and slipped away.

The people who spoke to him didn’t press further and simply ignored him.

They misunderstood, thinking he was just embarrassed.

‘I heard that it’s absolute hell in the branch offices.’

‘He’s basically done with Wish Tickets now.’

Anyone who managed to escape from a branch office back to HQ clammed up and refused to describe it, just shaking their head in disgust.

And a subtle stigma attached to them.

No doubt the entrance exam for HQ was more difficult.

Judging by the level of benefits and treatment, maybe at the branch offices even random nobodies could work there.

So there was no one here who’d share information or make friendly small talk with someone thrown out of HQ and dumped into a branch office.

‘If something happens, that guy can die for us.’

‘He was from the round-off team, anyway.’

And so, a tacit air of disregard settled around him.

“Are you okay?”

Except for this person.

“Hey, how have you been? Escaping the round-off team was pretty cool. Let’s do our best today!”

“T-Thank you…”

Wearing a dolphin mask, Supervisor Lee Seonghae of the C-squad shook hands with Jang Heowoon and took a seat beside him

‘Acting all damn nice, huh.’

‘Such a try-hard.’

But since she’s from the elite team, everyone keeps their mouth shut and looks away in a different sense.

And here, there’s someone whose position is ambiguous. Hard to call elite, but not really general team staff either.

“It’s Section Chief Lee, isn’t it?”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon of the D-squad sat on a conference room chair, ramrod straight, wearing a lizard mask.

‘He’s going in too?’

‘He tanked in the elite team, and now he’s doing all sorts of odd things.’

‘What a waste of a good face.’

Still, people avoided making eye contact, as if they’re afraid.

A fist was closer than the law… especially if that fist could smash through iron.

Anyway, that was the end of the subtle sizing-up.

“Once everyone’s here, we’ll begin the briefing in a moment.”

Soon, a researcher entered and started setting up for the Darkness entry procedure, and the staff quickly scanned who was sitting at the table.

One, two, three…

“There’s only eleven.”

“Huh? Who’s missing?”

Some of the more impatient and senior staff glanced over at the researcher.

But—

“Uh, um…”

The researcher was sweating bullets.

“……”

…A bad feeling crept down the employees’ spines.

“Excuse me, but who’s the last one?”

“Supervisor Park, you know you’ve got to disclose this properly if you want a successful run, right?”

“Ah, well…”

Even if the researcher was still junior, the fact that he was so flustered made people even more uneasy.

‘What is this.’

‘Who the hell is it…?’

Then—

Knock, knock.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the conference room door.

“……”

“……”

Silence fell over the room.

Everyone looked toward the door.

After just two knocks, the black door didn’t move at all, as if one had to be granted permission to enter.

“……”

“…Come in!”

Bam.

The door opened.

Black smoke drifted in.

“…?!”

The smoke pooled thickly on the floor, then seemed to get sucked back out, repeating over and over. And then, in the midst of it all…

A pair of black combat boots stepped across the floor, cutting through the smoke.

With every step, the smoke seemed to inhale and exhale, flowing around the figure’s feet.

And within the black smoke, the silhouette of a large person appeared.

Light.

Oooooong—

Yellow lantern-like lights shone from the figure’s waist and eyes.

The bizarre sight left everyone frozen.

But at least they recognized the affiliation.

“S-Security Team…!”

However, a mask completely hid the man’s face.

And atop that, countless horns branched out over the head like the limbs of a tree.

“…!”

Dressed head to toe in black special equipment, the figure looked as if armored in custom gear—or perhaps, confined by it.

“……”

“……”

Gulp. Someone swallowed hard.

Security Team… why here?

—Security never enters the Darkness.

That rule usually held. If security staff did enter the Darkness, Dream Essence could not be extracted.

They only ever appeared to suppress incidents…

Yet, sometimes, according to their unique abilities, there were individuals with terrifying, transcendent powers.

“T-This is… the staff member who will be entering with us today.”

“…!!”

The employees stared in shock at the strange figure standing silently at the door.

The ‘employee’ from the Security Team wore a particularly unique outfit full of belts and a mask marked with a special logo on the head.

A strange, twisted rectangle shape.

The staff recognized it at once, as if struck by lightning.

‘Special unit…!’

Security Team’s special unit.

Within the Security Team, there were many units whose true composition wasn’t even known—just names on the intranet organization chart, operating behind the scenes.

So all anyone knew were the rumors that circulated after running into them during unfortunate work situations.

And the special unit’s rumors were the most chilling.

There were whispers saying that you’d witness employees so monstrous, it was hard to believe they were ever from the Field Exploration Team who, in the first place, were people whose origins were impossible to guess.

And the researcher, now sweating coldly, had heard even more specific rumors…

– Supervisor Park, if you see someone from the Security Team’s special unit, be polite. …They’re not human. No, I’m not talking about contamination…

– ……They really weren’t human to begin with.

‘A department that hires anomalies from the Darkness itself, in human form…!’

A rumor as chilling as a ghost story itself—that, thanks to Daydream Inc.’s ‘know-how,’ the company had signed contracts with the Darknesses as if they were employees.

For the researcher, it was the first time meeting one of these creatures in person.

Despite analyzing Darknesses and sending in Field Exploration Team squads, he’d never actually come face to face with a monster himself until now.

“……”

He swallowed hard, staring at the bizarre employee in front of him.

Somehow, the conference room seemed a little darker…

The yellow lantern-like eyes and the glimmer at the waist of the employee flickered even more strangely in the black smoke.

Looking closer, the ‘lantern’ on the waist was actually a cluster of horns, like ribs.

‘Uuugh.’

The researcher managed to squeeze out some courage and spoke.

“Um… hello.”

Silence.

“Ah, you can have a seat.”

No response.

Swallowed by the silence of the conference room, the researcher continued, nearly in tears.

“Um, w-we’ll… begin the briefing now.”

Only then did the strange horned mask walk forward.

And sat in the seat closest to the door.

…Right next to Jang Heowoon.

‘Haah.’

Thank goodness it’s not me.

Everyone tried their best not to look that way, swallowing hard.

‘Please, don’t let me be in the same group.’

‘Please…!’

As long as they weren’t in the same group, it was fine!

Every time you entered the theme park, the names and areas changed, but only the rules stayed the same.

– Follow the mascot’s rules.

– If you cannot follow the rules, move to another mascot’s area.

And,

– The four group members who drew the same color piece must always stick together.

In other words, if you weren’t in the same group as that monster, you wouldn’t even have to encounter them to clear the run.

If you were lucky with your area, you could just ride three attractions and walk away with a high-grade Dream Essence and a bunch of points.

The problem was… this was a special entry.

A research entry with additional objectives.

And no matter how you looked at it, this time the ‘variable’ was… that employee.

‘Please.’

The staff stared at the researcher giving the briefing.

Hopefully, they wouldn’t be told to find and follow that employee around, right?

“And for this entry, there are… no special instructions.”

Phew!

“It’s just that, um, whatever the Security Team employee does inside… you are not to interfere.”

“……”

“Everyone… understands, right?”

Yes.

The Field Exploration Team members assembled in the conference room nodded desperately.

And the very source of this fear, the ‘Security Team Special Employee’, was—

‘Wow, this disguise is really doing its job…’

—letting out a sigh of relief.

That’s right. It’s Kim Soleum!

I held back a sigh as I looked around the conference room.

Well, even if I did sigh, my mask would block it and only black smoke would come out.

‘I didn’t expect Director Ho to go this far.’

– This was a prototype piece of equipment, but I’m glad we get to try it like this!

He had just slipped me actual Security Team gear.

A so-called ‘reverse-side suit’.

Over the suit, a monster that looks like you appears.

That’s what was written in the developer’s notes included with the suit, which resembled combat gear from a game.

As for why the security team was developing a suit that lets a person pretend to be a monster, I desperately avoided asking and chose to ignore it.

For the sake of self-preservation, it just seemed best not to know…

‘Probably for some project.’

Anyway, I didn’t know the exact mechanics, but I’d heard about the features.

‘Supposedly, it manifests differently for each person.’

And in my case, it meant lugging around a pile of horns on my head.

My look was like… a monstrous being bursting out, yet forcibly crammed into a human suit.

‘Hmm.’

I made sure not to scratch my head by accident.

‘It feels strangely reminiscent of my original mask…’

Remembering the wooden antler mask that had earned me the nickname ‘Roe Deer’, I felt oddly nostalgic.

“Um, I’ll explain how to enter Cheerful Theme Park.”

Meanwhile, the briefing was nearing its end.

Entry method, huh.

‘I need to go to the theme park section with the blue dragon mascot.’

The only problem was whether that place would be chosen for the board this time, but I was strangely confident.

It was a kind of inductive certainty, gained from my experience with ghost stories up to now.

‘It’ll… probably call me.’

Like a certain TV-headed talk show host who once swore he’d show up whenever I just provided the ‘right medium’.

“……”

“Um, please draw a piece…”

The researcher politely held out the board game piece capsule with both hands.

For some reason, it was my turn first.

‘I think I’m actually the maknae here…’

But I couldn’t show that, so I reached out as if nothing was wrong and took a capsule—

“Aaack!”

“……”

“Ah, s-sorry……”

This person… seems like someone who’ll have a hard time lasting long in the Research Team.

‘Please start looking for another job.’

I politely ignored the panicked researcher and grabbed another capsule.

And shook it.

With a rattling sound, a game piece fell out of the capsule.

A bright yellow.

“It’s a yellow piece!”

Okay.

I picked up the piece and passed the capsule to the next person.

“Ah…!”

It was Jang Heowoon.

…I have no idea why Director Ho recruited someone already busy working as a corporate spy, but I felt a cold sweat thinking of how I’d inadvertently forced him to spend his valuable day off on this.

I barely managed to get time off myself… he probably did the same.

‘Why did you sign up for this…!’

Last time, you almost threw up just from seeing the Magic Bunny area’s interior parade!

Of course, now wasn’t the time to ask.

And Jang Heowoon…

“Yellow!”

“Yesss!”

He drew the same piece as me.

For reference, that wasn’t Jang Heowoon who just shouted.

Other staff were clenching their fists in relief. With someone else getting yellow, their own chances of getting stuck with me had gone down.

Because they didn’t want to be in the same group as me.

‘Haha…’

Meanwhile, Jang Heowoon bowed his head to me.

“Um, please take care of me.”

“……”

I gave Jang Heowoon a small nod.

Thank you for understanding my situation… This is the best I can do…

But after that, a slightly awkward situation began.

“Please…!”

Everyone was openly hoping not to get yellow.

“Ah! Red!”

And when someone drew a red piece, they practically cheered.

“……”

Hey, you all read my previous expedition reports, right? Then as soon as you see the Magic Bunny, just run like crazy to the blue zone…

Still, it was reassuring to see that the familiar faces were calm about it.

Like this:

“Oh.”

I watched as Supervisor Lee Seonghae drew a red piece. And then…

“Blue.”

…Section Chief Lee Jaheon drew a blue piece.

‘Why is Chief Lizard here anyway.’

No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Director Ho put him here as the ‘stick’ among the carrots.

…He already knew I shared all my project outcomes with the D-squad.

It’s like a subtle reminder not to try anything funny.

‘He’s making sure I can’t let my guard down, even when receiving a favor.’

I seriously just want to quit my job already.

‘Phew.’

“We’re down to the last one.”

Anyway, the distribution was almost finished.

After drawing the yellow piece, I ignored the staff wearing a harvest mouse mask and a ladybug mask who stared at me stiffly.

‘Let’s just hurry up and get on the rides.’

I’ll send them off and then take care of my own business.

Clack.

And as the last person drew a piece—

– Departing for Fantasyland~!

The board game board flew up into the air and swallowed everyone’s field of vision.

We were entering.

Since I’d experienced it once before, I could calmly review my plans for what came next.

Let’s see. There’s no yellow zone though, right?

‘Didn’t that Magic Bunny kill the yellow mascot?’

So I remembered escaping by activating the gate to the ruins of the yellow zone, the resort.

‘I’ll head straight to the blue zone.’

I’d better make sure to check the souvenir shop. That’s what I thought as my mind blurred…

Not long after, my senses cleared again.

Now it should be time for the cheerful theme song of the theme park to play in my ears…

……

‘…Huh?’

Everything was quiet.

“……”

I opened my eyes.

In the dim indoor space, I saw walls with all the paint peeled off and a dust-covered light fixture.

There was no light, and even the windows were all broken.

A stale, dead space.

“……”

What… is this?

This isn’t inside the amusement park. This is definitely not the park…

“…!”

I immediately got up and ran to the window to look outside.

A huge, crumpled sign, with one side’s fixture barely hanging on and swinging dangerously in the wind, came into view…

[Flower Golden Resort]

“…!!”

I stared blankly at the distant, shining blue lights of the water park.

Looking down, I saw only ruins.

“……”

I had woken up in the ruined yellow zone.

‘What is this…’

At that moment.

Click—

The lights in the room I was in began to flicker back on.

“…!”

I realized I wasn’t just in a simple room.

Desk, chair, battered filing cabinet.

Through the open door of the worn cabinet, I saw a huge machine.

It was like a small office or management room.

And on the desk… was a single, formally presented sheet of paper.

“……”

I approached and read the paper.

Congratulations on your appointment as the new mascot of Flower Golden Resort!

“…!!”

Chapter 171 - [Flower Golden Resort], II

New mascot?

‘What kind of crazy nonsense is this now.’

I immediately recoiled from the desk. But nothing changed.

Congratulations on your appointment as the new mascot of Flower Golden Resort!

The message didn’t change.

And in the ruined manager’s office of Flower Golden Resort, I was the only one there.

Wearing a suit that made me look like a monster.

“……”

Don’t tell me… Did they judge my disguised self as a ghost story resident and just straight-up hired me as a mascot for Cheerful Theme Park…?

It was a goosebump-inducing thought, but the logic didn’t quite add up.

‘This place was always meant for beings that aren’t human, anyway.’

Even if it’s a ghost story, there’s usually some internal logic. Assigning me as the mascot out of nowhere, as if I were being targeted, feels odd. There must be some reason…

Ah.

I recalled what I’d done the last time I entered this theme park.

The already-ruined yellow zone.

I was the one who activated the gate to that place.

So, strictly speaking, I… had ‘reopened’ this resort.

‘……’

This is driving me nuts.

I swallowed hard.

‘So I became the mascot? Me?’

I hurriedly checked my appearance, but it was still that combat suit with the monstrous look.

‘Another hint.’

I inspected the desk again, where the card with the message had been placed.

Next to the card was an ink bottle.

And an old-fashioned quill pen stuck into it.

“……”

Did they use this pen to write the congratulatory message?

Thinking of the various ghost story gimmicks, I sat in front of the desk. Maybe if I politely wrote something like ‘I respectfully decline’ on the document with that pen, I could get out of this situation.

But the moment I grabbed the pen.

‘…?!’

…My hand started moving on its own, writing a message.

Requirements to begin resort operations

Employees : 3

This is insane.

My hand kept scribbling. The sentences continued.

The employment contracts should be in the desk drawer.

And, as it happens, there are visitors outside right now. If any of them are suitable, why not politely scout them?

It was utter madness. But then…

…‘Visitors outside’?

Just then.

“This place…?”

“It’s not even a real resort, is it?”

Voices came from outside the door.

A chill ran down my spine as I looked at the closed door.

The employees from Daydream Inc. who had drawn the ‘yellow piece’ with me had ended up here too…!

‘Damn it.’

I immediately got up and opened the door.

Bang.

As soon as the door opened and our eyes met, the employees started and stiffened, frozen in place.

“Huhk…!”

“Uhh…”

The only reason they didn’t scream must have been their experience with explorations into the Darkness.

The two employees, eyes wide with tension and fear behind their masks, hesitantly backed up against the wall and looked up at me.

At least Jang Heowoon’s face had turned pale, but he didn’t press himself against the wall as obviously. Maybe Director Ho had told him who I was.

Either way, my head throbbed.

Inside the theme park, I couldn’t get too far away from these people.

‘…Last time, the people who drew the same piece were also transported nearby.’

If you went further than a set distance, a rope would appear, put a noose around your neck, and you’d be strangled.

‘For now, we have to stick together.’

And the escape method was obvious.

Be the first team to ride all three fantasy attractions with your teammates and win spectacular prizes!

Just ride three attractions and get a stamp from the mascot.

The problem was, it seemed the mascot was me.

“Um.”

Jang Heowoon spoke to me.

“It doesn’t look like there are any attractions to ride here… Should we try moving to another area to ride something?”

I looked back at Jang Heowoon.

“Hiek!”

For some reason, the other employees let out a sharp breath.

‘But I agree!’

I just nodded slowly, and Jang Heowoon—face still pale—nodded back.

“Then let’s move…”

Phew.

We stepped outside.

The place we’d been was like a corner of the lobby attached to the largest building.

We walked straight through the gloomy ruins of the resort, heading outdoors toward the gate.

I took the lead. Toward the very gate I’d escaped from last time.

“Uh, y-you know the way, don’t you?”

“Shut up.”

Luckily, the gate I’d used last time… was still in operation. The lights were flickering and looked unstable, but at least part of the gate was lit.

…Just as I’d left it.

[◎ Welcome ◎ ]

And from the resort, just an entrance ticket for three attractions was enough to enter the theme park…

But.

“……”

I stopped in front of the gate.

‘I can’t leave…!’

– The theme park mascots cannot leave their own zone.

Cold sweat ran down my back.

An overwhelming pressure pinned down my limbs.

I can’t interfere with other zones. That would be a horrific violation threatening my very existence. I can’t. I can’t…

My bizarre identity, now defined as the mascot, was strangling me.

‘But if I can’t leave this place, I can’t ride any attractions!’

There are no attractions in this ruined Golden Resort.

Because it’s a ruin!

I looked at the gate that could lead to Blue Dream Waterpark.

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

‘…Even if I died and became a corpse, I don’t think it would work.’

Of course, just imagining my corpse being dragged around by the others and going on rides in the blue zone gave me chills up to my scalp.

But this isn’t just a matter of whether I’m willing to accept such a miserable death.

‘I can’t even be sure you can drag a dead mascot into another zone.’

No, I have no idea what would even happen in this zone if the mascot died…

Not for those people, either.

‘……’

In that case.

I looked at the company employees.

“Hiek!”

The harvest mouse-masked employee’s mouth was covered by the ladybug-masked employee to keep him from screaming.

Ignoring the sight with polite indifference, I blocked the path in front of the gate.

“Uh…?”

And then pointed in one direction with my finger.

Back to the room we started in.

“Um, are you… not supposed to leave? Do we have to go back?”

Nod.

“I-If we go back, is there another way?”

Nod.

“…!”

The employees’ faces turned pale as a sheet.

“N-No way…”

“Hahaha, s-so we just have to follow you, right? Is that it?”

The ladybug-masked employee, holding back the harvest mouse-masked one, looked at me as they awkwardly shuffled backward.

‘Damn.’

Still, I was relieved they listened.

Suppressing a sigh, I headed back inside the building where we’d regained consciousness.

And opened the office door I’d come out of.

“Ah…!”

I stopped Jang Heowoon, who was about to follow me in, and pointed at the worn-out door sign.

[Administrator Area]

Rule violation.

No matter how I thought about it, letting them in was a bad idea.

Bang.

I slammed the door on purpose and went inside, shutting my eyes tight.

Wow…

‘This is seriously driving me insane.’

…For a moment, I even thought, what if I just take off this suit and get judged as human again? Maybe I’d lose my mascot qualifications.

But on the other hand, being ‘modified by the ghost story’ to fit the role could lead to a truly horrific ending.

No, in creepypastas, that’s the more standard outcome.

‘Ha.’

In the end… judging from the hints so far—

The only way for the group who drew the yellow piece to escape from Cheerful Theme Park is this.

‘…To get the resort operating and make it possible to use three attractions.’

And what’s needed is…

I went back to the desk and looked at the document card.

Requirements to begin resort operations

Employees : 3

“……”

I opened the desk drawer.

Inside were employment contracts, just as the document had said.

Employment Contract

I accept my employment at the Flower Golden Resort with gratitude and joy, and pledge my sincerity and my existence to the operation of a happy and joyful theme park.

Employer : ＿＿＿＿＿

Employee : ＿＿＿＿＿

A chilling document, like something for illegal test subjects.

‘No way am I letting it end like this.’

I immediately grabbed the pen and edited the contract.

Employment Contract

I accept my employment at the Flower Golden Resort with deep gratitude and joy, and pledge my sincerity and my existence to the operation of a happy and joyful theme park.

The employee may, at any time, safely return home if they wish to resign, and may refuse any action that threatens their safety.

Employer : ＿＿＿＿＿

Employee : ＿＿＿＿＿

I erased as much as possible of the ambiguous parts that could be interpreted in multiple ways.

‘Writing over the sentence is not allowed.’

The pen refused. I could barely manage to cross out and erase lines, and squeezed in some added provisions in small letters in a blank space.

Then, holding the completed contract, the original document card, and the quill pen, I went back outside.

Click.

The staff, huddled in the hallway on high alert and whispering to each other, turned to look at me.

Only Jang Heowoon stood a bit apart, as if he hadn’t been included by the others, waiting quietly.

‘Phew.’

I held out the employment contract to them.

“What’s this…?”

“……”

“…!!”

As if confirming something horrific, the employees stared at the contract with trembling eyes, then immediately froze in horror.

Because I was telling them to get hired by the theme park.

“Y-You want us to sign this…?”

“Uh…”

Of course, signing an employment contract in a ghost story leads to a horrible disappearance more than half the time.

Those who knew that had a different look in their eyes.

The eyes of experienced people searching for a way out.

“Um… I already have a job, so it’s difficult to sign something like this right away. Could I have a moment to think about it?”

“M-Me too, please…!”

So, given time, they’d try to find a way to escape, or prepare some gear to temporarily overpower me the moment I let my guard down.

‘If they’re veterans in the Field Exploration Team, they’re bound to have at least one life-saving trick hidden.’

So I couldn’t just wait for them.

‘No choice.’

I silently stared at the person who spoke first.

“Uh, uh…?”

And then I stopped breathing.

“…!”

Instead of being drawn in with my breath, black smoke thickened around my suit.

Smoke that wouldn’t disperse began to flow heavily beneath the staff member’s feet and around their waist.

If you don’t sign, something will happen.

That was made clear to all five senses.

So clear that, trying to buy time, they’d realize they might die right now.

I lowered my face and looked down at Employee Harvest Mouse.

Up close.

Completely enveloped in black smoke and the dim glow of yellow lanterns, the staff member’s hand shook.

“H-Hiicc…”

In the end, Harvest Mouse, tears streaming down his face, reached out to the paper and, with trembling hands, took the pen I held out and signed in the employee section.

‘Please, don’t write your real name.’

If they tried to, I was going to snatch it back and nudge him to write a nickname, but luckily ‘Harvest Mouse’ was what was written.

‘Phew.’

I immediately inhaled and drew back the black smoke.

“Ah…!”

Harvest Mouse sat down right there and pressed back against the wall, bowing her head to me.

And, while all this was going on, Employee Ladybug—whose eyes were quivering as he watched—quietly started backing away…

“Ugh!”

Then shoved Jang Heowoon and bolted down the hallway, trying to escape in a panic.

But.

“Urk!!”

As Ladybug ran, a rope wrapped around his neck and he collapsed.

‘He tried to break away from the yellow group.’

So the yellow line strangled her neck…

As I thought, I was still recognized as a member of the yellow group. The rules of entry through the board game were still in effect.

I suppressed a sigh and walked over to them.

Fortunately, instead of running away again, the staff member knelt in the hallway.

“S-Sorry. I just thought I saw something over there… If it was a trespasser, I was going to chase them out, ha ha…”

I silently held out the employment contract again.

“……”

He gulped, then, eyes squeezed tightly shut, signed the document.

Ladybug. Good.

And finally…

“……”

Jang Heowoon glanced up at my face for a moment, then hurriedly lowered his head and signed.

‘Thank you.’

In this way, I got signatures on all three employment contracts.

‘And last…’

Employer. It was time to sign my name.

I chose the most appropriate alias.

Employer : GOLDEN

At that moment.

Fwoosh.

The employment contracts burst into flames and turned to ash.

And the ashes stuck to the foreheads of all three people.

“Ah…!”

Now, on the foreheads of the Daydream Inc. employees, something like an ornate cursive letter ‘G’ was engraved.

“……”

I looked at the first document I’d brought from the room.

As soon as I lifted the pen above it—

Requirements to begin resort operations

Employees : 3 complete.

The area began to tremble.

“…!!”

The decrepit ruins we had been in collapsed, and something new emerged.

A glittering golden light.

A splendid and cozy corridor surrounded on all sides by bright and beautiful wood and gold decorations.

Elegant, small chandelier-style lights swayed from the ceiling, and at the end of the corridor, a grand and dazzling lobby appeared.

A space where golden staircases like in a cartoon, magenta velvet, and sparkling yellow crystal ornaments bloomed like flowers.

And then…

[Flower Golden Resort]

The sign of Flower Golden Resort appeared in elegant script, revealing the glorious resort of Cheerful Theme Park.

“…!”

Unfortunately, the guests were not suitable candidates. But I pitied these frail lower life forms and hired them.

They may be unqualified to work as full-time staff at the Flower Golden Resort, but I expect them to do their best.

The pen moved on its own.

The document updated itself.

With ■■ being insufficient, it was decided to begin temporary operation of the lobby and basic accommodations.

May many guests find peaceful rest.

And.

And for the guests who come seeking rest, I resolved to show a friendly and cheerful appearance, befitting a theme park.

The moment that sentence was recorded—

My appearance began to change.

“…!!”

Something warm, soft, and suffocating began to wrap around me over my suit.

With its soft fur, it naturally enveloped my entire body and formed a thick figure, as if it were my own skin.

“……”

Before I knew it, I saw my reflection in the clean, shiny corridor window.

There stood the mascot.

“…!”

With branch-like horns, a cat-like thing, stylized into a deformed, toy-like form.

The new mascot suit of Cheerful Theme Park.

But it wasn’t only me who was changing.

“Ahh!”

The employees’ bodies began to twist and transform, taking on the standard mascot form. Wait a minute…!

Gritting my teeth, I grabbed the pen with my stubby mascot paw and wrote on the document.

However, for regular staff, wearing uniforms instead of mascot suits would better match the luxury of the resort.

“Huuuhk!”

The transformation stopped.

Instead, the employees’ suits changed, becoming formal uniforms adorned with golden bowties.

I withdrew my sweat-soaked hand.

It seemed I could write things, as long as it didn’t go against the operation of the resort.

And I… I would be fine. My body hadn’t actually turned into a mascot. I was just wearing the mascot costume.

…Probably.

‘Huu.’

I took a deep breath and waddled out to the lobby.

Horribly, there were already mascots with my appearance waiting there.

“…!”

Bellboys, cleaning staff, security, front desk—all kinds of uniforms.

No… It was all me standing there.

I would manage the resort as the mascot.

I could do anything and be anything. As long as it was for the operation of the resort.

…Just as the text said.

I could know whatever I wanted about what I was doing.

‘I’m going to hurl.’

My stomach churned. This didn’t feel like a human sensation.

But I had to keep working. There was no other way right now.

I approached the largest front desk in the lobby. Avoiding eye contact with the mascot standing at the reception, I scanned the desk.

There was a golden stamp.

‘…!’

No matter how I looked at it, it seemed to be a stamp for confirming attraction usage.

It looked like, at the resort, you could get a stamp by using subsidiary facilities.

“Um, this…”

I immediately tried to pick up the stamp and stamp the other people’s wristbands, but a strong resistance stopped my hand.

‘No!’

Youabsolutelycannotdarestampthecountforguestswhohaven’tenjoyedanattractionyet! Thatwouldviolatetheoperationrules!

My breath got stuck in my throat.

Instead, I handed them the guestbook.

“…!”

The employees looked disoriented, clearly overwhelmed by a situation far outside the manual, but eventually wrote their nicknames in the guestbook after seeing the stamp.

“I-I’m fine!”

Except for Employee Ladybug.

“……”

I stamped the guestbook entries for Jang Heowoon-ssi and Employee Harvest Mouse.

[(Cheerful) Fantasy Land Ride Ticket ■□□]

[(Cheerful) Fantasy Land Ride Ticket ■□□]

“Ah…!”

“It’s real.”

The atmosphere brightened a little.

Ladybug glanced over here with a look of mild regret, but didn’t say anything for now.

‘I’ll set things up so he can come forward on his own later.’

For now, if he saw any chance to escape or incapacitate me, he’d surely take it… so dragging this out was dangerous.

I’m not an actual Security Team member, and I don’t possess any overwhelming, superhuman power.

‘If I slip up, this could fall apart and end in death.’

I had to keep this group together as stably as possible.

And besides.

‘If we just stay here for three nights, would that count as the three attractions?’

It said three attractions. Maybe if we changed room types each night?

Wondering if there was a hint, I lifted the pen over the document.

I should assign accommodations to the staff.

And since they’re guests today, let’s use the ride tickets to let them stay in a fabulous suite.

Yes.

And the official opening is only after sunset.

…What?

I’m quite looking forward to it.

I stared blankly at the pen.

‘…Of course.’

Reopening the resort meant accepting guests.

And the guests of this theme park were originally…

‘Not human.’

Which meant—

After sunset, non-human entities would flood in here.

‘…!’

I had to get out before that happened.

‘Expansion!’

I needed to add attractions immediately. I had to open up more areas of the resort and find new attractions!

A new page appeared in the document and words began to write themselves.

Requirements to expand resort facilities

Employees : 3

Damn it!!

‘Where am I supposed to get three more?’

Anyone in the other zones, unless they’re crazy, will just finish the rides at Blue Dream Waterpark and escape.

There’s no reason for anyone to come here!

I was anxiously biting my tongue when—

…If I started business as is, there was no telling what the guests would do.

‘That would be a ghost story all on its own.’

At that moment.

My pen moved again.

Then let’s establish the resort’s rules of use before the official opening.

“…!”

As the mascot of this place, I must wholeheartedly decide what kind of place the Flower Golden Resort should be.

Just as the red mascot pursues endless stimulation and slaughter.

Just as the blue mascot values kindness and honor.

My own mascot values.

‘In that case.’

I immediately took up the pen.

Flower Golden Resort Rules of Use

1- Our resort is a dream destination for guests with courtesy and class.

That’s right!

Please be sure to observe resort manners and etiquette.

No troublemakers allowed.

Chapter 172 - [Flower Golden Resort], III

A few hours later.

“Fuck…!”

The staff member wearing the ladybug mask was hiding in the restroom next to the resort lobby, gasping for breath as he wiped the sweat from beneath his neck.

His vision was spinning.

‘What is this.’

What the hell is all this.

If this was a new Darkness with no manual, he could have at least mentally prepared himself, but everything happening now was so abrupt that he couldn’t keep up…

‘I, I definitely entered as a guest!’

That damned Security Team monster became the mascot and then dragged them into the ghost story…!

…as employees of this place.

And soon, this Cheerful Theme Park Resort zone would start its operations.

Ladybug swallowed hard.

‘…Isn’t there some way to sneak out?’

Steal the stamp and stamp the pass, then run for the gate.

‘If I could just deal with the choking rope…’

At that moment.

Creak.

“…!”

The bathroom door opened and someone entered.

…Two Field Exploration Team staff in resort uniforms.

“There you are. Come out and get this.”

The harvest mouse staff member waved a piece of paper.

After being utterly terrified by that Security Team monster, they’d changed somehow after the monster had actually stamped their ride ticket. Even when told to wait and freshen up before the opening, they’d really obeyed!

It was as if, thinking maybe escape really was possible this way, they’d given up on resisting.

‘Idiot!’

While trying to sneer at their slave mentality, Ladybug managed to reach out and take the paper…

Flower Golden Resort Work Regulations

“…!!”

Welcome to our newly refurbished dream rest space, our luxurious and cozy resort, where you will work as one family.

Before today’s work begins, please make sure to read and understand the following items.

“These are the guidelines for work, stacked in the staff room… Assistant Manager?”

Ladybug gulped and looked down at the document.

2- Do not leave your post during work without permission.

3- In case of emergency, politely inform the mascot. The mascot will take care of everything.

4- During breaks, you may move freely within the resort, but please try to keep your uniform bowtie with you. In case of emergency, it will serve as your identification.

5- The mascot’s office is a restricted area. However, for exit interviews, you may enter after knocking politely. Unless you are personally invited by the mascot, never enter otherwise.

6- All guest requests must be fulfilled, and if necessary, please split open your skin and offer up your organs as complimentary service.

7- Do not attack the mascot. All damages will be charged as overtime.

Regulations may be revised or added without prior notice. Employees are strongly encouraged to review the rules at all times to prevent improper responses or handling.

Chilling, bizarre expressions.

A ghost story written in the form of regulations.

‘Fucking hell…’

Cold sweat trickled down Ladybug’s back.

He reluctantly grabbed the document with a trembling hand. As a supervisor managing similar Darknesses in his own squad, he knew that there was a hint in here somewhere.

But there were still too many uncertainties. As always with Darknesses. So…

‘…I’ll have to make someone else break the rules and see what happens.’

He needed to check that.

Concealing a calculating look, the employee glanced at the others.

Then, with a suggestive tone, spoke.

“So, what do you all think?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, these rules just popped up out of nowhere, right? Do you think… it’s just that Security Team mascot improvising on the spot?”

His voice lowered further.

“Do you get the feeling that guy’s contaminated too, just making stuff up as he goes…?”

“…!”

Egging them on, the staff member continued.

“Hey, um, you’re Mr. Bison, right? What do you think?”

“Huh?”

“About the mascot’s condition.”

“Ah…”

Jang Heowoon, wearing a bison mask, quietly lowered his head as he read the work regulations.

“Well, how should I put it… Um, I don’t think he’s a bad person.”

“…?!”

“What did you say?”

Has this reject already been contaminated?

The two employees exchanged glances for a moment, thinking that if need be, they could use this creepy branch office staff as bait.

Jang Heowoon, lost in thought, spoke up.

“This is my second time visiting this place. Even before, the theme park’s zones were divided between scary mascots and kind mascots.”

“……”

“In other explorations recorded in the manual, it seemed like the mascots pursued various, uh, values as well…”

“So you’re saying that one’s kind?”

“Not exactly kind, but… if you think about a mascot like Magic Bunny… ugh.”

Recalling that time, Jang Heowoon’s face turned pale and he gagged. The staff in the ladybug mask silently sneered at him.

‘Typical of a round-off team alum.’

Useless.

Surviving and even getting promoted with that attitude must mean he was just lucky.

“A-Anyway… I think it’s rather considerate to even provide us with rules like this…”

“Oh, I see.”

Good.

Look at that pointless optimism.

‘He’ll probably make a mistake soon, so I can observe the result.’

Concealing such gruesome calculations, Ladybug left the restroom for now.

In that case, he should get his own stamp, too.

May as well take what he could.

If he had to spend the night in this Darkness, staying here seemed like it would give him the highest chance of survival.

“E-Excuse me.”

He carefully approached the mascot standing motionless at the front desk.

Since it was a basic mascot costume with no accessories, this was probably the real Security Team monster transformed.

Bowing as politely as possible, he spoke.

Acting arrogant in a ghost story is basically foreshadowing your own death.

“If it’s alright with you… I’d like to use this ride ticket to stay at the resort tonight as well…!”

The round, black eyes of the yellow mascot stared at him silently.

Completely black.

…Strangely, the yellow light above that black, gaslamp-like face came to mind……

Just as cold sweat started to bead at the nape of the ladybug-masked staff’s neck—

[(Cheerful) Fantasy Land Ride Ticket ■□□]

“…!”

The mascot permitted him to write his work name in the guest register and stamped it.

“T-Thank you…!”

But.

S o o n

“…!!”

Ladybug snapped his head up in surprise.

The mouth of the theme park mascot—creepy in its cuteness—did not move. It was a mascot suit, after all.

But a voice echoed through the lobby.

O p e n

And the monster began to assign staff to positions.

G e t R e a d y

Jang Heowoon was assigned as the assistant front desk attendant and stood beside the counter, while Harvest Mouse, assigned as a cleaner, went to the back of the lobby.

The ladybug gulped and quickly looked around.

Then, the remaining position was…

‘Security!’

The mascot approached him.

“…!”

No way. That looked like the most dangerous post!

He instinctively spoke up.

“Um, I’m better with my head than my strength… If I could be assigned to a different position, I think I’d be able to demonstrate my abilities better!”

What he was aiming for was Jang Heowoon’s position.

‘It makes sense for me to take the position with a higher chance of survival, rather than the one who gags at the sight of gore.’

Pretending not to be obvious, Ladybug sneaked a glance at the front desk spot where Jang Heowoon was.

The mascot silently stared at him.

“……”

And then began to guide him.

To the spot he’d been eyeing—the front desk!

“…!”

Success! He’d gotten the spot!

The ladybug’s heart pounded as if it would burst.

But…

H e r e

The position he was assigned to was… the desk next to the front.

…The one taking room service requests by phone.

‘Damn it.’

Room service in a ghost story… Just the thought of the kinds of requests that might come in was horrifying.

Ladybug clenched his teeth. But he couldn’t ask the mascot for another reassignment.

Becoming the first to stubbornly demand something meant there was a 50% chance he’d end up dead.

Meanwhile, the mascot moved away and walked off.

T h r e e

The mascot stood at the reception desk.

The position for directly receiving and checking in guests.

T w o

The golden sun was setting outside the window.

O n e

When the mascot at the desk looked at the entryway, the standard-issue mascots standing there reached for the glass doors.

And then.

R e s o r t O p e n

The doors opened.

– ♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

– Ahahahaha!

Music plays, and the laughter of children fills the lobby.

It’s the background music of Cheerful Theme Park.

W e l c o m e

The mascots all bow in unison toward the open doors.

The Flower Golden Resort was now officially open for business.

I realized something.

Being able to communicate in words is truly precious…

Even if those words are in that bizarre mascot-style yellow speech.

‘Ahem.’

I never thought I’d say this myself…

‘At least the atmosphere is set.’

Suppressing a sigh, I squeezed my eyes shut inside the mascot suit, then opened them.

I looked over at the employees.

‘I’ve assigned everyone to the posts where they can get by with the least effort while shifting as much responsibility as possible.’

They must have learned the work rules well. I fought with the pen to write them.

I could only hope that they’d use their heads and work sensibly. If they worked too hard though, they could end up subjected to something outrageous by a ghost or monster.

But if they slacked off enough to be noticed… I have no idea how the resort will react.

“……”

I swallowed and looked at the wide open resort doors.

And at the newly added clause in the document.

Requirements to expand resort facilities

Employees : 3

Satisfied Guests : 30

Either way, it had to be operated.

‘No matter what, I need to fill thirty satisfied guests to open the next area.’

Even if I somehow trick or force the three employees, there’s no way around the second requirement.

For now… I have to endure.

At least for today.

– Ahahahaha!

And, and…

Through the open doors of the resort, guests finally begin to enter.

They were carrying souvenirs from other parts of the theme park. …I tried not to imagine what those souvenirs might be made from.

But.

‘…Why am I excited?’

My guests.

As soon as I recognized them as official guests of this wonderful resort, my heart inside the mascot suit started pounding.

No!

I desperately suppressed the feeling and greeted the first arriving guests.

At a glance, they looked like an ordinary, happy family. Their hair was wet, as if they’d just had a great time at the water park.

“Hello. Please give us a room.”

If only their heads, bellies, and hips weren’t crushed and their organs weren’t a mess from being squeezed by something like a tire.

…It was obvious the entire family had died in a horrific accident together.

‘Huu.’

I assigned them to a deluxe room and added an extra bed for the child.

“Dad, are we really sleeping at the amusement park this time?”

“That’s right. My dear ■■, you can finally get to play one more day at the amusement park!”

Blood dripped onto the counter, then was reabsorbed into their mashed organs.

Face pale, Jang Heowoon covered his mouth, but got through it by bowing deeply as if to greet them.

“Thank you!”

As the guests headed for the elevator, Jang Heowoon let out a faint sigh of relief.

I lifted a mascot paw and patted his head.

G o o d J o b

“…! T-Thank you…”

Jang Heowoon bowed his head, then, for some reason, raised his eyes with a bit of sparkle and started handling his duties with more enthusiasm.

‘……??’

I told you not to work too hard…

In any case, the process of assigning rooms to various strange guests continued after that.

There were more guests than expected. It was as if they had all been waiting for the grand opening.

And they all handed over the same kind of currency.

I rolled it in my front paw.

Colorful plastic coins.

‘…These look like pieces from the Cheerful Theme Park board game.’

Right. They were like the plastic game tokens used in board games.

On the front, a strange language. On the back, the theme park logo.

Most of them were blue.

‘Hmm.’

I decided to keep them. Since it was currency that’s being used to pay for the rooms, I figured I’d need them at some point.

After sending off three or four groups, I finally caught my breath.

Creeeeak.

A strange sound started coming from the door.

The sound of a balloon rubbing against glass.

A Magic Bunny balloon.

Holding a bright red balloon and dragging its feet, it approached me, looked up, and spoke rapidly and precisely.

“Hello, I’d like to stay one night. A quiet room. A room no one can find. A room where I can die, please.”

“I-I’m sorry, guest, but in our resort, acts that violate public morals are strictly prohibited.”

Heowoon-ssi!

‘Seriously! You really don’t have to work that hard!’

I hurriedly pulled out an information leaflet I’d kept under the desk and handed it over to the figure in front of me—one so inhuman, it could barely be mistaken for a person anymore.

It was a notice derived from the resort usage regulations.

Flower Golden Resort is a space for happiness. Please refrain from any actions that would make other guests or employees uncomfortable.

The mascot determines the standards of happiness.

“Dying is my joy! Dying is my joy!”

It was causing a scene.

‘Violation of resort usage rules!’

The standard mascots ran over and grabbed the troublesome guest by the arms, dragging them out the door.

…Through the back door.

Phew.

‘That’s done.’

A-Anyway, I’d protected the resort safely.

If I can keep this up… this should work, right?

Yes.

‘Let’s keep enduring like this.’

A safe horror story resort filled only with dignity and class!

At about the same time, Blue Dream Waterpark.

“Huuu. We got all the stamps.”

“Let’s get out of here!”

The Field Exploration Team employees who had drawn the blue pieces had finished riding all three attractions and were ready to leave.

‘This is a piece of cake, piece of cake!’

‘B-rank sushi! It’s that easy!’

Since there were already exploration records for this place and the rules in Blue Dream Waterpark weren’t too difficult, they had finished the work comfortably.

They went to look for the exit.

“…?!”

“I-It’s closed…?”

[Maintenance Ongoing]

A sign was posted on the main gate, blocking access.

“W-What’s going on?”

“Um… Where should we go to get out?”

Perplexed, but very carefully, they addressed the blue mascot standing beside the gate.

The mascot pointed in a direction.

“Thank you!”

They hurried away. Every time they passed a mascot, it raised its hand and pointed them the right way.

“So fucking kind.”

“Wouldn’t it be great if all the other Darknesses were like this?”

As the two snickered, the lizard-mask employee quietly watched his surroundings and followed.

The path gradually led them to the outskirts, into a beautiful garden.

“Oh.”

“This looks newly built? Smells like fresh paint.”

And at the end of the garden path… there was a gate.

Beyond the gate, dazzling lights could be seen.

“Huh…?!”

At the end of a line of golden streetlights, there was a huge, gorgeous hotel-like building shining brilliantly.

The Field Exploration Team members instinctively realized—

“T-The yellow zone.”

“That wasn’t in the previous explorations…?”

The blue mascot standing next to the gate quietly watched them, then held something out.

“Huuuh?”

[Special Lottery Event]

It was a board with thick, small slips of paper attached, covering their contents. The kind where you peel off a slip to see what’s inside.

“……”

The employees gulped.

“Um, if it’s here…”

“Yeah. Should be fine.”

This area was supposed to be a good place, so maybe they could get a useful item.

‘That’d be a huge gain.’

‘Might as well take a shot at it…’

They figured they must be lucky, since they’d managed to avoid that monstrous Security Team employee today.

And besides, they’d be leaving soon anyway!

In the end, unable to resist their greed, they reached out and peeled off slips.

“Oh? I won!”

“Aw dang, blank…”

And the one standing at the very back quietly reached out and peeled a slip off the board…

Y o u

“……”

I K n o w Y o u

Lee Jaheon looked up and met the gaze of the blue dragon mascot. They had once faced each other at Death Lane.

But the mascot didn’t stop him from taking part in the lottery.

G o o d

So, Lee Jaheon reached out and drew a slip.

Winner.

“……”

He accepted the prize that the mascot handed him.

It was a coupon that looked like a printed ticket.

Flower Golden Resort

Deluxe Room – One (1) Night Accommodation Voucher

(Experience review required)

He looked up at the Flower Golden Resort, its golden lights shining brilliantly.

Chapter 173 - [Flower Golden Resort], IV

The first day of resort operations is proceeding smoothly.

‘Huu.’

Though inside the mascot suit, I was sweating cold bullets.

‘T-There are just too many problem guests.’

To be precise, they’re not just ‘problem guests’, but the sort of terrifying, ominous beings you’d expect to see in a horror movie—one out of every three guests was like that.

– Please give me Room 404. It absolutely has to be Room 404, and never, ever come looking for me.

– Letsburntodeathtogether

– There sure are a lot of elevators here… Heeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehee.

And I’m starting to realize that it’s honestly easier when they just make it this obvious.

…Because, gradually, the room service desk is getting flooded with bizarre requests……

Calls that are hung up abruptly, pretending to desperately ask for help and then bursting out in wild laughter when you point out something strange, and bizarre, incomprehensible tales of a religious judgment day that no human could understand.

‘Scary as hell.’

This is just a Neapolitan ghost story hotel.

Save me. I’m going to lose it.

Still, the only consolation is that today is almost over.

It looks like today’s check-ins will soon be finished.

Let’s check the results of the first day’s opening after business ends.

‘Looks like the theme park is nearing closing time too.’

Except for the night shift, the resort seems to close together with the theme park.

– Ahahahahaha!!

Far outside the window, fireworks were going off.

…It seemed like the red zone, the Magic Bunny Zone, had some horrific and fun parade, because I could hear guests gossiping in disappointment about having missed it…

‘That insane red zone, I guess it’s still operating just fine…’

For once, I’m glad mascots can’t leave their own zones……

And I realized something else. A significant number of these problematic guests coming to the resort had spent most of their time in the Magic Bunny Zone.

For example, even now.

“Excuse me. I don’t have eyes, and if I don’t have eyes, I can’t close my eyes, so I can’t sleep, so there’s no point in renting a room. Give me eyes. Eyes.”

“Ah, one moment, allow me to check our inventory…”

“You have some. You have them, don’t you! You’re holding onto them!!”

“Huhk.”

Get lost!

I barely managed to rescue Jang Heowoon, who was about to have his eyeballs yanked out, and chased that horrifying thing out the front door.

“Eyes!!! EYES!!”

That thing, with empty eye sockets blinking all over its body, wailed as it was forced out by a standard mascot’s intimidation.

The employee wearing the harvest mouse mask, working as a cleaner, was hunched up in a corner while half-heartedly sweeping as if wishing he could disappear from this place.

It made sense. If I weren’t wearing the mascot suit, I might have fainted, too…

‘…Can’t I spot them ahead of time and just refuse them entry?’

I wanted to kick all the troublemakers out before they even made it inside.

Three more provisions had already been added to the staff work regulations because of this…

‘Huu.’

As I was considering what method to use during a lull in check-in guests—

A guest burst through the glass door.

“Save me!”

No, maybe it wasn’t a guest.

A Field Exploration Team employee wearing a weasel mask spotted the ladybug-masked employee sitting at the room service call desk and sprinted over, clinging to him desperately.

“A-Assistant Manager! Assistant Manager, please save me. I tried to go out through the gate, but I can’t get out…”

“E-Excuse me? I’m not sure what you mean…”

“No matter what I do, I can’t leave! I can’t go back into the blue zone, either! I was told my ride ticket has already been used! Please save me. Please, please…”

“…I apologize, dear guest!”

The ladybug-masked staff politely disentangled himself and pointed toward the front desk.

“I’m not a concierge, so, if you have questions about the exit, please inquire at the front desk over there.”

“……”

The weasel-masked employee stiffened, creaked as he turned his head, and met my eyes.

Welcome.

C o m e H e r e

Don’t worry. I’m an ally.

But the weasel-masked staff tried to turn and run out the glass doors.

No, if you do that, where do you plan to sleep…?

I mean, how did you even make it over here in the first place? Did you cross the gate without getting your ticket stamped?

At that moment.

“…!”

Just then, a guest entering the lobby grabbed hold of the fleeing weasel-masked employee.

…It’s Section Chief Lee Jaheon!

Ah, no, why is the squad leader here instead of leaving!

Dragging the sobbing staff by the scruff of the neck, Section Chief Lee Jaheon strode up to the front desk and looked straight at me before greeting me.

“Hello.”

H i

“May I use this?”

He held out something like a small, rectangular paper badge.

It was a lodging coupon.

‘…??’

W h e r e D i d Y o u G e t T h a t

“The Blue Dream Waterpark mascot is handing them out as event prizes.”

‘……’

Wow.

‘Why would it do something like that?’

No… More importantly, was it even allowed to do that without permission?

Absentmindedly, I reached for the paperwork hidden under the front desk.

The pen started moving on its own again.

It seems like the Blue Dream mascot is holding an unauthorized experience-review event. Is this meant to be a welcome gesture?

It’s almost an overreach, but since they’re mascots from the same theme park, I decided to let it slide this time.

Even though there was no such plan.

It should at least help with publicizing the resort’s opening.

Is this really necessary…?

And it seems like that mascot pledged to personally cover the cost of all the lodging coupons issued.

Haa.

Holding back a sigh, I struggled to keep the pen from moving on its own as I filled out the form.

I resolved to accept only the price with the insider discount applied, charging even down to the very last coin.

‘Let’s just maintain a good relationship.’

No matter how you look at it, it’s a gesture of goodwill.

But how do I receive it? I can’t get over to that area myself.

If you go near the gate that leads to the Blue Dream Waterpark zone during park operating hours, you should be able to meet the mascot.

Thanks for letting me know that.

I stifled another sigh as I finished the paperwork.

As I took the coupon, I met the round, expressionless eyes of the lizard in front of me once again.

No, shouldn’t you be leaving?

W h y A r e Y o u H e r e

“The Blue Dream Waterpark currently has all its other gates closed for maintenance. Only the gate leading to this resort is open.”

What the hell.

‘No wonder there have been so many guests since opening day!’

Why are they sending us all the overflow!

“And anyone who receives an event coupon cannot leave.”

“…!”

“It seems they’re considered to not have used up all their ride tickets.”

Ah.

So they’re saying we haven’t ‘enjoyed the theme park’ enough.

That must be why Squad Leader Lee Jaheon, and the employee he’s dragging, can’t leave either.

‘Hmm.’

W e l c o m e

At any rate, I can’t just let them disappear in a closed theme park after hours.

I took the coupon from the sniffling employee and gladly assigned both Section Chief Lee Jaheon and the weasel-masked staff a deluxe room.

I even had a standard mascot escort them to their room.

‘I’d better assign them to a floor with only quiet guests…’

That includes our employees, too.

Please, let’s hope none of them turn up as corpses the next morning…

“Um, Mr. Mascot.”

Then, during a brief lull in guest check-ins, Jang Heowoon whispered quietly.

“Thank you. For helping…”

I t ’ s O k a y

Honestly, it’s amazing that even after being forced into an employment contract, he’s still thankful to his employer for a little help.

‘How did you survive in Daydream Inc…’

It was the moment I looked at Jang Heowoon with a hint of pity.

– ♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

The background music in the theme park changed.

‘…!’

A lively… ending song.

– See you again next time~

One by one, the dazzling lights of the theme park, so bright and glorious from the window, began to turn off.

Bit by bit, all across the park.

‘…Business hours are over!’

Theme park operations ground to a stop.

The standard mascots close and lock the lobby’s glass doors.

At that moment.

“LET US INNNNN!!”

More than a dozen figures rushed madly at the glass doors and began pounding on them.

…They must be theme park visitors who didn’t make it out in time.

But the lobby doors would not open.

The standard mascots simply waved goodbye to them in the friendly manner of theme park mascots.

Blood began to stain the glass, and those whose hands had been smashed weep loudly, banging or slamming their heads against the doors.

But still, the doors would not open.

And now, the lights of the resort’s streetlamps start going out.

Tik.

Tiktiktiktiktiktiktiktiktiktik.

The guests outside, staring in terror as the lights go out one by one in the distance, eventually flee somewhere as if being driven away by the darkness.

Where they’re going, I have no idea, either…

‘……’

My heart was pounding.

Meanwhile, the great chandelier in the lobby also went dark.

Only the gentle glow of the gas lamps remained, softly and warmly wrapping the resort lobby.

Today’s operations have ended.

‘Huu.’

A cool sigh, a mix of fear and relief, escaped my lips.

‘End of Day 1.’

Either way, I endured.

G o o d J o b

At my words, the employees collapsed to the floor as if their legs had given out or bowed their heads deeply.

N o w

R e s t T i m e

Only the night shift remains. Everyone else, go turn in.

For the record, I’m the one taking the night shift… It seems mascots don’t need to sleep. Hiic.

‘If something happens, this is probably for the best.’

It’s terrifying, but I’ll endure. If I force someone else to do it because I’m scared, the resort could fall into chaos.

I assigned rooms to each employee, their exhaustion plain on their faces.

‘Please get a good rest…’

Please, just put aside any pointless curiosity and sleep.

After sending everyone off, I stayed in the lobby alone for a moment before returning to the administrator’s office.

‘Huu.’

I considered taking off the mascot suit for a second… but I held back, worried that I might lose my mascot status if I did.

And, strangely enough, the suit is starting to feel more and more comfortable.

‘It’s like being wrapped in a down comforter.’

It’s a bit heavy and stuffy, but bearable. In the end, I sat down at my office desk and picked up my pen.

It was time to settle today’s operations.

Day 1 Performance

Visitors : 78

Guests : 45

Rooms Used : 27

Satisfied Guests : (Tallying)

Revenue : Cheerful Coins x51

Cheerful Coins?

‘Are those the plastic tokens I got as payment?’

I asked a standard mascot to bring the coins to the office.

Sure enough, there were 51.

‘Looks about right.’

And if this is based on a board game… coins like these usually have a use somewhere.

Should I try buying resort supplies with Cheerful Coins?

Or.

Alternatively, it may be possible to upgrade or remodel resort facilities.

I decided I’d choose whichever option would help operations the most.

Hmm.

I crossed my arms. It was a bit awkward, but I managed.

‘…If I want to make this resort safe, I really need to block those problem guests ahead of time.’

So what method would be the most effective?

If I can do some changes to the resort, then it’s actually a simple matter.

‘Just make it so they can’t come in.’

I started adding another item under the existing resort rules.

2- For the peaceful rest of all guests, all disruptive behavior is prohibited within the resort.

All amenities, welcome gifts, and services are provided immediately upon check-in. After that, you can enjoy a dignified and peaceful rest in your room, without disturbance from anyone.

Strict social distancing!

‘It’s like acting like one of those clothing stores where not soliciting customers is the main selling point.’

With that, I can naturally add this line:

If you disturb the peaceful rest of other guests, your room stay may be cancelled.

But this is a resort attached to a theme park.

Saying, ‘You’ve had plenty of fun at the amusement park, so now it’s time to get a good rest,’ is plausible enough… but if I’m not careful, there might be lots of complaints about lack of service or boredom.

I need to pay attention to guest satisfaction too, since adding new facilities and earning more stamps to escape depends on it…

Alright.

I decided to use Cheerful Coins to purchase the highest quality amenities and welcome gifts.

In addition, I’ll replace all the bedding in the guest rooms with the very best.

I’m going with the ‘freebie meta’.

Facility investment? That’s for mascots who plan to run this place long-term. For a mascot like me, who just wants to milk guest satisfaction as much as possible and bail, it’s irrelevant.

Let’s just spend all the game money!

Hahahaha!

Ha……

Huu.

‘…But where am I supposed to find more staff, seriously.’

Even the people who used coupons to check in today are all going to run away tomorrow unless they’re crazy.

There’s no answer. Ugh.

‘For now, I’ll just focus on picking out supplies…’

And so, the night shift hours passed by.

Less than an hour before Kim Soleum’s frenzied shopping spree for supplies.

Lee Jaheon took the antique wooden elevator up in Flower Golden Resort and was assigned a room on the third floor.

The standard mascot who’d guided him opened the door for him, then waved a few times in a somewhat friendly manner before politely disappearing.

And so he was left alone in the room.

“……”

As is often the case with hotel-style accommodations, it was a bit narrow, but fitting for a theme park, it was a baroque-style, atmospheric room.

Brass decorations and glass ornaments faintly reflected the dim light.

He passed by the crystal stand lamp and headed for the bed.

On the nightstand was a beautiful information sheet, engraved with golden flowers.

Information Guide for Guest ……Lizard……-nim

We sincerely welcome you, our valued guest, to Flower Golden Resort, a fantastic place of rest.

To help ensure your comfortable and pleasant experience, we have prepared a simple resort information guide.

We hope you enjoy all the delights this resort has to offer.

Beneath that was item number 1, which could be summed up as a request to be polite and respectful. And then…

Lee Jaheon’s gaze drifted downward.

…On the information sheet, a second item was being added in real time.

2- For the peaceful rest of all guests, all disruptive behavior is prohibited within the resort.

“……”

And at that moment.

Knock, knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

Without hesitation, Lee Jaheon set the paper down and walked to the door.

The knocking didn’t stop, coming more and more rapidly…

Knock, knock, knock…

Click!

He opened the door without a second thought.

If Kim Soleum was here to witness it, he might have torn all his hair out, wondering if he should have included ‘ignore all requests to open the door’ as a rule, but Lee Jaheon was unperturbed.

And the person standing outside his room was…

“Uh, um, good evening, sir.”

The employee wearing the bison mask.

Jang Heowoon.

Though his shift was over and he’d changed out of his uniform and back into a suit, the gold bowtie was still tucked into the breast pocket of his jacket.

He glanced nervously and anxiously down the hallway, but quickly spoke up again.

“Sorry for the sudden visit, Section Chief. The reason I came is…”

With a look of determination, he raised his head.

“Would you consider working at this resort? …We need more staff.”

Lee Jaheon stared at him with his vertical pupils.

The next morning.

“I’d like to work at this resort.”

“…?!”

The yellow mascot, who had been carrying welcome gifts, dropped them all onto the floor with a crash!

Chapter 174 - [Flower Golden Resort], V

A lizard, becoming a theme park employee.

No, for real!

Kim Soleum stared blankly at Section Chief Lee Jaheon, who had, instead of suddenly checking out this morning, firmly expressed a desire to be hired.

R e a l l y ?

“Yes.”

And in a flash, he finished signing the employment contract. Section Chief Lee Jaheon, now wearing the uniform, really, truly…

‘Uh, it suits him.’

With that lizard appearance, he genuinely looked the part of a theme park employee…

“Is it over there?”

Y e s

Naturally assigned to security, Section Chief Lee Jaheon ended up working near the main entrance.

‘Please take care of getting rid of the problem guests…’

By the way, standing next to him, Jang Heowoon was staring awkwardly at the suite room voucher in his hand.

That’s right. I’d already heard it was all Jang Heowoon’s doing!

– Um, to tell you the truth, last night I went to see Section Chief Lizard and asked him for help. We’re short on staff at the resort, and we can’t leave…

And so, Jang Heowoon was promoted to HR manager.

“……?!”

So it was a multi-level promotion structure? But since everyone was just trying to get through and escape, nobody cared!

However… Kim Soleum couldn’t shake a faint sense of dissonance.

‘How did he know?’

That more staff were needed to escape the resort, I mean.

“Huh? Oh, well, it just seemed natural… I figured since we needed three employees to run the resort and get a stamp, the next requirement would be similar… that is, that we’d need more manpower.”

Hmm.

It was quite the deduction, but the strange feeling lingered, so Kim Soleum decided to remember it.

‘Anyway, it’s a good thing.’

If it’s Section Chief Lee Jaheon, it’s not strange for a human being with such values (well, alien, but still) to step in for the sake of everyone’s survival.

Just like that, they were a step closer to escaping!

However, there was someone watching this with growing anxiety.

‘Damn it.’

Ladybug’s eyes darted around.

Now that a manual had appeared for dealing with the crazy room service requests, making the job a little more doable, he started plotting something else.

Standing out in a ghost story is always dangerous, but falling behind and getting left out of ‘success’ is also a direct survival problem.

He looked at Jang Heowoon in the bison mask and barely held back a curse.

‘Isn’t he just trying to save only himself?’

Ghost stories where only those who meet some bizarre criteria survive are practically a cliché.

‘No way.’

In the end, he convinced the weasel-masked employee who’d come during check-out time—through lies and veiled threats—to sign an employment contract.

The things he said were along the lines of, ‘If you don’t become staff, you can’t leave. That’s why Section Chief Lizard is working here, too.” Terrified, the weasel-masked employee, on the verge of panic, approached the mascot.

‘This is it.’

Ladybug was secretly hoping he’d be promoted too…

Y o u M a y G o

But the yellow mascot simply told Employee Weasel he could leave.

After staring intently for a moment, just— thump.

‘Shit!’

Does that mean I’m useless?

…Still, since Weasel managed to get hired by clinging on, he was somewhat satisfied.

Looks like we have another guinea pig… huuuuh?

At that moment.

The standard mascots suddenly appeared and began installing something in the center of the lobby.

L o o k

A giant capsule machine had appeared in the middle of the lobby.

“……??”

For a moment, Ladybug forgot to say anything and just stared blankly at the dazzling, glittering glass ornament that looked like a gigantic Christmas tree.

Wh, what is this, even.

As if to explain, a colorful sign was attached to the front.

[Welcome Gift Capsule Draw]

Meet wonderful items to enhance your relaxation.

Inside, like a giant snow globe, it was filled with wrapped presents.

Guests could press a button to draw a gift from inside.

Inside the yellow mascot suit, Kim Soleum watched with satisfaction.

‘Gacha never fails to trigger dopamine…’

Incidentally, the special gifts were wrapped in gold, and if you drew one, your room was upgraded to the top-floor suite.

And besides, there weren’t any blanks. Every prize was a good one, so there’s no way people wouldn’t like it… hahaha.

‘Take this, and just have a nice, quiet stay in your rooms. Please.’

The yellow mascot threw out bribes like confetti in all directions!

“Oh my, oh my, it’s so sparkly! I love sparkly things! Can I draw one?”

Y e s

G i f t

And that wasn’t the end.

For each guest, for whatever reason, room upgrades were being handed out…!

‘W-What is this?’

Truly a giveaway-style operation!

Ladybug looked at the mascot in confusion and bewilderment.

And realized.

‘Is this a ploy to charm guests and pressure them into lingering at the theme park, to raise its own status as the resort’s owner?!’

No it’s not!

Kim Soleum, who was running this as a variety-show-style board game, betting all the coins on escape, looked at the guests with satisfaction.

Incidentally, starting today, there was even a sign right on the lobby’s glass door: ‘A Space for Tranquil Rest’.

It seemed to work, as some problem guests were getting screened out right at the entrance.

‘Good.’

The yellow mascot let out a sigh of relief, picturing a pretty decent future.

It felt like they were finally getting a handle on how to run the resort on day 2.

But, just before closing that day.

An unexpected incident began to unfold.

I looked at the prospective staff in front of me… No, at a hopeful guest who had run out of money.

The person, whose eyes were sunken but who still looked human, anxiously rummaged through their pockets, then began to sob.

“I—I don’t have any… I don’t have any money…!”

Oh!

I held out my hand in welcome and spoke kindly.

T h e n

W o r k

Labor counts too!

“Hiiiieeeek!”

But instead, the person bolted for the front entrance. I mean, I was even planning to let them camp out in the lobby…

I could only hope that they’d hurry up and leave the park before business hours were over. I clicked my tongue and looked at my front paw.

‘Recruiting even one last person… it’s hard.’

Failed to hire in lieu of lodging fee.

Still, I figured if I kept at it, at least one more person would get roped in.

‘…How much longer will it take?’

I was starting to feel a little anxious at how much time it was taking, but I suppressed it. This isn’t the time to panic in fear.

I am a mascot right now.

And then…

– See you again next time~

‘It’s closing time again.’

Theme park operations have ended.

End of Day 2.

“Aaaaah!”

“It’s the resort!”

The last guests rushed in through the doors, and the standard mascots began to prepare to close, lining up on both sides.

Section Chief Lee Jaheon was apparently still being trained, as the standard mascot wielding the baton had him standing behind, giving instructions.

‘The chief as a rookie…’

As I was thinking about how it was a rather amusing sight, at that moment—

Thud.

“…!”

Someone forcefully pushed through the glass doors and appeared in the lobby.

“Welco— hiiek.”

Next to me, I heard Jang Heowoon gasp and struggle not to throw up.

…I also, at first, thought it was a monster.

A lump of flesh with human arms sprouting in place of its own.

But on closer inspection, it was a small person dragging two others along by each hand.

…You could have called it a gruesome sight.

If what they were holding in both arms hadn’t been corpses, with every limb broken and heads smashed, dragged along like trash.

“Uurrp—”

Harvest Mouse, who had been cleaning, clapped a hand over his mouth. This was pure fear, not of the supernatural, but a primal terror for survival.

Leaving two thick trails of blood behind, it barreled through the other guests and approached the front desk at terrifying speed…

“……”

Wait.

Instead of fear, a strange emotion welled up.

Displeasure.

‘You shouldn’t cut in line.’

Isn’t that quite rude?

And what reason is there for blatantly dirtying the floor like that?

If they’d left the corpses in the lobby, or asked the standard mascots, they would have been courteously ushered!

How lacking in class.

This does not suit our resort.

The standard mascots and I all stared at it together.

‘……’

However, this odd and sudden displeasure vanished the moment our eyes met at the front desk.

The small, blood-soaked figure, gasping for breath, looked up at me at the front desk…

“One room, please.”

‘…!!’

A dolphin mask.

…it was Supervisor Lee Seonghae of the elite team!

‘Why, why are you here?’

Weren’t you supposed to have left yesterday? Why are you still here, and more than that…

‘How did you even survive the night?’

In the closed theme park.

Dragging two dead bodies behind you.

‘……Wait a minute!’

I managed to get a good look again at the horrifying bodies in Lee Seonghae’s hands.

Masks and suits.

They were the teammates who, like Lee Seonghae, had drawn the red piece.

A chill ran down my spine.

‘They died, so she had to carry them.’

If you let physical distance grow, you get strangled to death.

‘……’

It felt strange somehow, but as a mascot, I responded with polite service.

R o o m F e e

“Ah.”

Thud, thud.

Supervisor Lee Seonghae dropped the corpses on the floor and held out to me a small bloodstained golden object.

“Um, how about this?”

It was pure gold.

Probably something that used to be a decorative item, now broken up.

‘Gold, huh.’

If it were the old me, I would have gladly accepted it, thinking what a windfall this was when funds were tight.

But as a mascot, I can’t do that… Huu.

N o

T h i s

I took out a plastic coin, a Cheerful Coin, from under the desk and showed it.

But Supervisor Lee Seonghae didn’t react. Of course, it looked like she didn’t have any coins…

Ah.

In that case.

T h e n

W a n t T o W o r k ?

Maybe it’ll work this time.

I nervously watched her mouth.

Lee Seonghae opened her mouth……

“Sure!”

Wow!

“But both of my legs are fractured, so… is it okay if I do a desk job? Hehe.”

‘……’

How can you say that so cheerfully.

Now that I look, she probably cut the line because she could barely move, not out of any awareness of others.

In any case, she really needs to rest for now.

‘I’ll ask for the details tomorrow.’

H e r e

I quickly handed over the employment contract, and Lee Seonghae carefully read through it…

“But there’s no salary clause?”

Ah.

Right. From an employee’s perspective, that’s the most important part.

‘Things have just been so hectic…’

We built this resort out of ruins and started normal business in half a day, after all.

J u s t A M o m e n t

I quickly scribbled on the back of the employment contract.

The employee is entitled to guaranteed accommodation while working at this resort.

Hmm.

And on top of that.

Furthermore, if the employee works until all three resort facilities are operating successfully, they may take one item of their choice from the souvenir shop that will open in the future.

That way, you can at least get an item.

‘It’s worth a try.’

I don’t know if a real souvenir shop will ever open, but given what happened in other theme park zones, it was a reasonable guess.

“Oh, nice.”

Supervisor Lee Seonghae checked every line, then cheerfully signed her name after receiving the pen.

Employee : Dolphin

At that moment, something amazing happened.

“Ah.”

The traces of blood vanished from Lee Seonghae’s body, a clean uniform covered her, and her messy, tangled hair was neatly tied back.

Over the most badly injured body parts, buckles or stickers in the style of the mascot appeared, adding the kind of decoration you’d expect from a theme park employee.

…As if it were magic.

“Oh.”

Supervisor Lee Seonghae bounced on the spot and raised both hands.

“My body feels light!”

That’s a relief.

‘It seems it’s not just about putting on the uniform, but about giving you the appearance of an employee so you can work properly.’

G o o d

Now, since I have to process the next guests, I was about to show Supervisor Lee Seonghae to her room… Ah!

She was trying to pick up the corpses again. Nooo!

N o

You’ll get your uniform dirty!

‘Seriously creepy.’

I suppressed a shudder as I looked at the two corpses Lee Seonghae had tossed carelessly on the floor.

Then I pointed with my finger.

L e a v e T h e m

“If I leave them, I’ll die…”

I n s i d e T h e R e s o r t

I t ‘ s O k a y

Strictly speaking, all my employees are essentially part of me, since we’re all mascots.

So, while working as employees—inside the resort—we seem to be recognized as a single group.

‘That’s why everyone is able to work in their respective positions right now.’

And as for the corpses of teammates from the same group… hmm. It looks like they automatically became part of my domain.

They’re mine now.

I watched as the standard mascots took the two corpses and carried them off somewhere.

…Let’s not worry about what happens next. It’s bad for my mental health, and I don’t have the mental bandwidth to care about that right now.

Let’s focus on the living.

T o d a y

R e s t

I handed Lee Seonghae a welcome gift I hadn’t yet put in the machine.

It was a golden flower-scented candle that cures insomnia.

“Ohhh.”

She watched the tiny flame in the air, tracing the shape of a golden flower, and soon smiled softly.

“You’re such a good mascot.”

T h a n k Y o u

Lee Seonghae raised both fists into the air.

It looked like a dolphin doing a cheer.

“So, where do I work starting tomorrow?”

Well, about that… hmm.

‘I bet she’d be amazing at filtering out problem guests.’

But she also seems like the type who would openly fight or even try to kill guests making unreasonable demands…

‘Ummm.’

I decided to put her assignment on hold.

W a i t F o r N o w

“Yes, yes.”

Because it’s just about time for new positions to emerge.

‘Resort expansion.’

After closing time that day.

Day 2 Performance

Visitors : 102

Guests : 67

Rooms Used : 41

Satisfied Guests : 33 / 45

Revenue : Cheerful Coins x62

‘There we go.’

I managed to get a decent report card.

‘The satisfaction rate was good even on the first day.’

It looks like I’ll be able to confirm tomorrow just how effective the new ‘social distancing’ theme, which started today, will be.

What’s important is…

‘Now I can expand the facilities.’

I looked at the document.

Requirements for Resort Facility Expansion

Staff: 3 – Complete.

Satisfied Guests: 30 – Complete.

Requirements to expand resort facilities

Employees : 3 complete.

Satisfied Guests : 30 complete.

The opening proceeded smoothly! The guests are generally satisfied, and the top reason seems to be that it’s a ‘theme-park-style accommodation’.

I’m looking forward to seeing what results come from the new bedding and welcome gifts purchased with revenue investment.

And… It looks like this resort is now ready to open a new facility.

Which facility should I open?

I’m pondering the options below…

I looked at the pen moving as if flying in my hand.

The words I’d expected filled the page.

Spa

Restaurant

Fitness Center

Swimming Pool

‘…Huu.’

It’s easy since I thought this through in advance.

Let’s see.

Given the personalities of the current staff and the clichés of ghost stories…

‘This is it.’

I circled one facility with my pen.

Spa ○

Restaurant

Fitness Center

Swimming Pool

Restaurants are a classic horror story setting, fitness centers have a gore risk, and the swimming pool overlaps with the blue zone so I have no idea what kind of incident might break out.

‘So it has to be the spa.’

Everyone, just go have a sauna and a massage!

I was pleased and satisfied.

Incidentally, this choice would bring about a completely unforeseen event.

Two days later—

Our resort’s number of guests would explode by a factor of seven…

‘……?!’

And.

…On that same day.

The first death would occur.

Chapter 175 - [Flower Golden Resort], VI

The morning of the third day since the opening of Flower Golden Resort dawned.

One hour before the lobby doors opened at 9AM, the employees who had come to work gathered in the lobby to hear the mascot’s briefing.

And today, once again, something extraordinary happened.

O v e r T h e r e

The mascot pointed to the resort’s left window.

Beyond it, you could still see part of the resort area that was in ruins.

B u s i n e s s

S t a r t

And the moment the mascot declared it—

“…!!”

The ruins beyond the window began to reconstruct themselves.

Broken glass swirled together to form a dome, with gold accents glittering in the seams.

Inside, it’s filled with dazzling golden flowers.

Steam rose from above, and a glass hallway extended from the resort building, breaking through the window and forming a door that connected them.

Standard mascots rushed out and put up an elegant sign overhead.

[Healing Golden Spa]

All the staff widened their eyes at the golden glass greenhouse.

From this view, it looked like a marvelous place straight out of a fairy tale… but it was not meant for humans.

If a human entered with no information and tried to enjoy the spa, ‘■■ goes missing’, ‘bones removed from all limbs, later found in the recycling area’—such horrific endings would fit perfectly here.

Even the oils used were like that.

The spa’s featured oils were carefully selected from the finest ingredients: Sun Orange, Grape, Fig, Everfarm’s Apple Juice, Blood of 18-year-old ■■ from Mt. ■■, vascular juice of bipedal primates, and so on…

…Recalling the sample spa introduction with such phrases, Kim Soleum felt light-headed.

‘It’s the perfect place to die.’

So after much thought, he introduced an emergency measure.

That was… automation!

At Healing Golden Spa, all massages are performed by highly professional, self-aware plants, customized for each guest.

Every massage at this spa was now done automatically by these bizarre greenhouse installations.

Kim Soleum had poured coins into the place to sever any possible connection between this perilous facility and the staff…

In the process, the spa only became more grotesque, but there were no regrets!

‘No more new Neapolitan-style ghost story rules, please…’

The theme of ‘guaranteed private rest for our valued guests’ proved useful once again.

For the record, the leftover coins were all scraped together and spent to replace the beds with top-quality furniture to match the upgraded bedding in the resort rooms.

An investment with no regard for profitability!

‘Be satisfied with your rooms, so you never leave for the lobby or hallway.’

It was all about minimizing foot traffic and eliminating variables.

In truth, the goal was no different from an exorcistic seal.

The mascot’s struggle to keep the work rules from ballooning to Rule #20 was tear-inducing…

The yellow mascot stifled a sigh and finally assigned the new employees their new duties.

First, Supervisor Lee Seonghae in the dolphin mask was put at the spa’s reservation desk.

“Okay. Understood!”

Next, Weasel was assigned as the spa lounge cleaner.

“Y-Yes…”

Still not fully back to his senses, Weasel nodded repeatedly and quickly bowed his head as he hurried off in that direction.

And there was one employee watching all this closely.

Ladybug mask.

He was just realizing something on his own.

‘…Useless staff are being assigned to posts where there’s no direct interaction…!’

In a sense, he had hit the mark.

By Kim Soleum’s standards, the more reliable staff were assigned to directly face the ghost stories.

It was a utilitarian arrangement to maximize the survival rate of the whole team, but people naturally judge others according to their own values and ways of thinking.

‘It’s sorting us!’

Ladybug clenched his fist.

Would useless staff end up fired, or converted into standard mascots?

Either way, it would be a spine-tingling ending.

‘Damn it, seriously.’

And he looked around at his competitors with a darkened gaze.

Now that he had already become a staff member, the safest official method of ‘fading into the background and clearing the stage unnoticed’ could no longer be applied.

If so, he would have to use a different method.

Make it into the passing group.

Make the ghost story itself judge that it’s fine for him to survive…!

T h i s W a y

The yellow mascot called over the staff who had been on his team and stamped their ride tickets with the stamp at the spa entrance.

Next to him, Employee Harvest Mouse, now finally seeming a bit more relaxed, even started to grin.

“At this rate, we’ll escape in four days, won’t we?”

“……”

You idiot.

The ladybug, anxious, thought.

As the person in charge of room service, what ranking am I…?

‘I can’t afford to get pushed out before getting all three stamps.’

However, regardless of what any one employee thought, the resort kept running.

B u s i n e s s S t a r t

A new day began with the new facility.

That day was a success as well.

However, starting the next day, the yellow mascot began to notice strange phenomena.

The fourth day of operations—

Kim Soleum inadvertently exchanged confused glances with Jang Heowoon.

“……”

“Um, it feels like the guests have changed a bit…”

Yes, that’s right.

Since the spa opened, something strange had been happening.

Up to yesterday, most of the guests coming to the resort looked like they were here for the theme park, or had already enjoyed it.

That was only natural. After all, this was a resort attached to a theme park.

But… today, there was a noticeable increase in strange appearances.

“Iheardthisisaplaceforquietrestthankyouforthegiftpleasedon’tmindmeaslongastheresbathwatertheresnoproblemthankyouverymuch”

Just now, something weird—something like a blob of slime with only arms and legs—had passed by.

It looked like something out of a horror story set in a remote forest.

There was no entry ticket on its wrist, and no souvenirs or headbands either. By all appearances, it wasn’t here to enjoy the theme park.

And today, all sorts of such strange guests rushed the front desk to get rooms, like a sudden rush hour.

A crowd so big, it wouldn’t even matter if they came flooding in!

‘…??’

Is it really supposed to be this successful?

A bad feeling crept up. Sales were good, but…

N e x t

Anyway, Kim Soleum welcomed the next guest.

But that guest…

He even recognized them.

“One room, please. Including the spa. Huu…”

A pale man wearing a service uniform and a peaked cap, like a driver.

‘It’s the Hellfare Taxi driver…!’

Kim Soleum broke into a cold sweat, remembering the favor owed from escaping Death Lane!

Why would someone like him come to a theme park? Was there even a member among the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse who would care about a theme park?

‘This isn’t good.’

I need to get a handle on what’s happening.

In the end, the yellow mascot opened his mouth.

P a r d o n M e

“Hmm?”

I f Y o u D o T h i s

O n e M o r e G i f t

Kim Soleum hurriedly put together a survey—How did you find us?—and handed it over.

The taxi driver scanned it with tired eyes, but just replied verbally.

“These days, there’s a lot of promotion in reviews… My job requires rest, you see. I can’t quit until it’s all over. Hahaha…”

……??

Watching the taxi driver go up to the fourth floor with his deluxe room key, the yellow mascot blinked.

‘Promotion by reviews…?’

And then, he remembered.

The coupons the blue mascot had been handing out.

Flower Golden Resort

Deluxe Room – One (1) Night Accommodation Voucher

(Experience review required)

‘…!!’

No way.

The yellow mascot immediately called for Lee Jaheon.

D i d Y o u W r i t e A R e v i e w ?

“Yes.”

My god!

W h e r e

“One of the mascots assigned as a guide gave me a postcard.”

Kim Soleum called over the standard mascots in charge of the task and confirmed the origin of the postcards.

‘Holy shit.’

…There were already dozens of postcards written by coupon-using guests stacked up.

And among them was Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s one-line postcard.

– The bed mattress is soft.

‘……’

Well, it’s a nice review, at least…

‘It seems these review postcards are being circulated as advertisements through some kind of strange ghost story network.’

…And this, combined with the newly launched social distancing theme, was creating an incredible synergy that attracted even the kinds of ghost stories that would never normally come to a theme park…

A boom in business that was completely unexpected!

‘Ughhhh.’

It wouldn’t have been surprising if Kim Soleum, in a fit of frustration shouting, “Why the heck is the business doing so well!” would suddenly slashed the number of rooms dramatically.

But as a mascot, his identity simply couldn’t permit him to chase away guests like that…

In the end, the yellow mascot drooped his horns and resigned himself.

‘…Let’s just think of it as being able to fill the satisfied guest count quickly.’

He recalled the requirements he’d written yesterday for adding the third facility.

Requirements to expand resort facilities

Staff : 3

Satisfied Guests : 300

Mascot Ceremony Rites

The required number of guests had increased exactly tenfold.

And now there was even a suspicious ceremony that needed to be held…

‘Still, I guess I should be relieved that the number of extra staff needed is still only three.’

Anyway, with guests flooding in, there was no need to worry about filling the guest count.

“Is there a problem?”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon asked, seeing the yellow mascot with his horns drooping.

Of course, the mascot had no reason or guts to get mad at the alien lizard who’d simply written a good review as asked…

N o

The yellow mascot patted the lizard’s back.

G o o d J o b

“? Yes.”

It was like something out of a sitcom.

But someone watched this scene without smiling at all, anxiety written all over his face.

Ladybug, sitting at the room service call desk.

He swept his bloodshot eyes over the scene.

‘Is that guy being acknowledged?’

What if Section Chief Lizard gets promoted?

He’d fall behind.

His survival odds would drop…!

‘No.’

He’d have to do something.

Ladybug recalled his ‘trump card’, but quickly clenched his teeth.

Section Chief Lizard was simply too difficult an opponent for tricks.

That guy’s special method of clearing ghost stories was already famous in the company. If he tried anything stupid, his head could literally explode.

For the same reason, Supervisor Dolphin was also out of the question. She was from the elite team.

In the end…

There was only one employee who was rated higher than himself, but still manageable.

“……”

He glanced over at the front desk.

The bison-mask-wearing Jang Heowoon, who was now promoted to manager.

That night—

Knock, knock, knock.

A guest came to Jang Heowoon’s room.

“Uh, who is it…?”

“Oh, it’s me. Ladybug.”

“Ah!”

Recalling several work rules, Jang Heowoon’s tension eased a little as he stepped back.

Luckily, the ghost-guest who could mimic voices had checked out yesterday. He’d handled the check-out himself.

‘G-Good.’

Jang Heowoon opened the door, and Ladybug stepped inside, looking a bit sheepish.

“Uh, hello, Mr. Bison. Sorry, but could I just borrow a…”

“Um, excuse me.”

“Yes?”

Jang Heowoon blocked the way.

“Please don’t come in.”

“……!”

“It’s in the work regulations.”

16- Please refrain from inviting other guests into your room.

It is better not to make exceptions, even for fellow staff. By the time you realize it’s not actually them, it will already be too late.

“……”

“Um, I don’t mean to be rude. It’s just… I think it’s safest to follow the rules as much as possible,”

“Yeah, of course.”

Ladybug stepped back with an awkward laugh.

“I’m just out of bottled water in my room. If you could just lend me a bottle, I’ll leave right away…”

“Ah…! Of course. I should have a spare. Just a moment…”

The color returned to Jang Heowoon’s face beneath the mask, and he quickly went to the mini-fridge inside the room.

“……”

Taking advantage of the moment, the ladybug made a tiny, subtle movement.

Just a little.

Flutter.

“……”

“Ah, here you go.”

“Thank you!”

Ladybug received the water bottle from Jang Heowoon, who had come back from the fridge to the doorway, and left with a smile.

Jang Heowoon bowed his head to him and closed the door.

“Huu.”

He was alone.

Somehow, it felt even scarier to be resting at night like this. Remembering the blood and entrails seen during the day made him feel like throwing up.

‘Still, it’s worth it.’

This resort is truly a wonderful place, and the mascot is really amazing, wonderful, and great.

It felt like his daily life was coming alive again for the first time in ages.

Thinking so, Jang Heowoon went to check the front door one last time before bed…

But.

‘Huh?’

Something had fallen on the floor at the entrance.

A flat yellow square.

‘A post-it?’

It was an ordinary post-it like the kind you use on documents.

It seemed like the cleaning mascot or Ladybug must have dropped it while cleaning.

And since it was yellow, Jang Heowoon smiled unconsciously.

‘So fitting for this place.’

It was closer to yellow than gold, but at any rate, he picked up the note.

The front side of the post-it, which had landed face-down, was revealed…

what to do

so young

what a pity

boohoohoohoohoo

“……”

Jang Heowoon froze.

With trembling hands, he peeled the post-it off.

‘I…tem?’

For someone who’d spent a year professionally entering ghost stories, instincts naturally kicked in.

A sense that something was very wrong.

He realized it.

“……!”

He dropped the post-it on the floor and dashed to the emergency phone in the room, snatching up the receiver.

“P-Please help, Mr. Mascot! Thi—!”

That moment.

Jang Heowoon slipped.

As he grabbed the receiver, his foot caught in the coiled phone cord stretched across the floor.

‘Ah.’

And then.

Thud.

Unluckily, his head struck the nightstand by the bed.

Unluckily, the yellow mascot had recently replaced all the beds and nightstands with sturdy oak to match the luxury bedding.

Unluckily, as his head struck, Jang Heowoon was concussed and crashed hard against the nightstand.

Unluckily, as his hand swept the nightstand, he knocked down the crystal lamp, shattering it to pieces.

Unluckily, one of the jagged shards bounced off the wall and stabbed him straight in the spine.

“…!”

He tried to reach behind him, but it was already over.

Thunk.

He collapsed to the floor.

And did not rise again.

That was how Jang Heowoon died.

Without even a single scream.

Unluckily.

Room 303 was awash in blood.

‘……’

I stared blankly at Jang Heowoon, collapsed on the floor.

With a pale face, his neck and below shredded by crystal shards.

…Dead.

“Looks like he broke a work rule.”

“Tsk.”

A few employees, summoned suddenly at dawn, murmured in the background.

These people were accustomed to death.

After that first time witnessing a scream, they’d gotten used to it. Now it was like nothing to them.

Like a true alumni of the round-off team, he was dismissed with a simple ‘Guess he just messed up, huh.’

‘……’

But I had already found something at the entrance.

In my hand was a crumpled item that had lost all effect.

A post-it note.

…I know this item.

It’s a horrible, classic curse item listed in the Delusion Home Shopping Network.

----------------------------------------

Unlucky Post-it

: Got someone you really resent? Here is a cursed talisman, an old superstition that comes to life! Now, with a simple trap, you can mourn their tragic accident yourself!

Tip) The more your target believes in superstitions, the faster and stronger the effect!

(Note : The target must be someone the user knows personally. The target must discover and read the talisman directly. The target must be flustered. The effect of hemothorax is only guaranteed if ALL precautions are followed.)

----------------------------------------

If you didn’t know, you might have missed it. But I know.

And the one who knocked on Jang Heowoon’s door a few hours ago.

The mascot knows.

Y o u

“……!”

Ladybug froze.

I looked at him.

You thought you wouldn’t get caught?

“U-Uuuuh ……”

He doesn’t understand. Why?

This isn’t a ghost story where you kill someone and only you can escape. Why your teammate?

W h y ?

I stared at him.

“No, I just… I thought only people who did their jobs well would be allowed to survive! Hic!”

N o

“Strange… Oh, right! The better you do, the more you might just be told to keep working at the resort and never go home, so I don’t know why I believed it had to be that way. Ah!”

Ladybug suddenly grinned and started clapping.

“Maybe it’s because I came to love the resort! Mr. Mascot! I’ll be a really outstanding employee here! The best employee—”

Thunk.

“……”

Supervisor Lee Seonghae withdrew the hand that had struck the ladybug mask’s neck.

“What a lunatic. Right?”

But I couldn’t answer.

I just kept staring at Jang Heowoon’s corpse.

It wasn’t even my first time seeing someone die anymore, but it felt too strange……

My stomach churned.

‘……’

Just then.

“Um, can’t you revive him?”

What kind of crazy talk is that?

‘It’s not like I have a Wish Ticket…’

But Supervisor Lee Seonghae pointed to her arms and legs.

The parts were now adorned with resort staff accessories and knick-knacks instead of wounds.

“You fixed me too, didn’t you?”

……!

“A mascot can do anything in their own zone, right? And staff are part of that zone…?”

It flashed through my mind, reflexively.

The thought I’d had a few days ago, when I’d seen the corpses Lee Seonghae had dragged in.

– It feels like even the corpses naturally became my subordinates.

“Can’t you fix the staff too? Like resort facilities.”

Could it be.

‘……’

The yellow mascot opened its mouth.

G e t U p

The dead Jang Heowoon’s body began to rise from the head up.

“…!”

His pale face, dripping blood and entrails, remained unchanged.

“Hiiek!”

Ignoring the scream, I stared at Jang Heowoon’s corpse.

L e t ’ s W o r k

For that, I had to make him presentable for work.

“……!”

The sharp shard embedded in Jang Heowoon’s punctured spine was pulled out, and the blood pooled on the floor was drawn back into the gaping wound. The wound closed, covered over by a stylish uniform vest.

The sharp crystal fragment became a mascot-printed handkerchief tucked into his pocket.

With that, Jang Heowoon’s corpse twisted and shook in midair…

Thunk.

…and stood on its own strength on the floor.

Then, he opened his eyes.

“……”

The room was filled with nothing but breathing and silence.

And finally…

The bison mask transformed grotesquely.

Jang Heowoon was now wearing a strange, feline golden mask with horns.

A yellow mascot mask.

And he smiled as he spoke.

“Mr. Mascot! Then should I go back to my post now?”

“AAAAGH!”

From that day on, the real ghost story began.

Chapter 176 - [Flower Golden Resort], VII

The resort must open its doors.

Even if someone died three hours ago.

Even if that person was a close coworker of mine.

Even if their blood and entrails flowed back into him and he was resurrected as something no longer human.

“Welcome, dear guest! What kind of room would you like?”

We stand side by side at the front desk.

…Right next to me, the staff member in the yellow mascot mask is courteously attending to guests.

Jang Heowoon.

No, rather……

‘I don’t know.’

Cold sweat trickled down inside the costume. As I mechanically handed a room key to a guest, I kept thinking…

What in the world is this?

‘Did I bring Jang Heowoon back to life?’

But can I really call that thing Jang Heowoon?

My sense as a mascot recognizes the employee standing next to me as a being pledged to me by contract.

However, for him to start working with a wide smile like that… It’s not the reaction of a human being who was impaled through the spine and brought back to life.

It’s a ghost story.

But since the resort must operate, and since Jang Heowoon also has to work diligently to fulfill the conditions as an employee and get his ride ticket stamped, I stand here.

But now, I even doubt whether escape is possible at all.

If you’ve already become part of a ghost story, can you really escape back to reality under human rules?

And is it even okay to escape…?

“Wow… thank you so much!”

He’s no longer overly tense.

He really acts like a hotelier, even toward the strangest-looking guests.

No matter how bizarre the requests, he doesn’t sweat or get flustered.

Who is that?

Even at lunchtime, instead of joining the other employees and heading to the staff cafeteria I had set up, he continued to work among the standard mascots.

He wouldn’t even look at Ladybug—the one who killed him—who was now muttering to himself, cleaning in a deranged state in the corner.

No resentment, no forgiveness, no interest.

Nothing.

‘He’s not human.’

All of that incongruity made my stomach churn and sent chills down my spine.

Thankfully, the mascot suit hid everything.

N e x t

I sent off a guest and glanced around as I saw the next guest approaching, mouth half-open.

But…

“E-Excuse me…”

A modern person in a hoodie and jeans, looking flushed and glancing around nervously.

‘That’s a human.’

Was she caught up in the theme park board game? If so, then all I could hope for was that she’d just fill up her ride ticket and get out quickly.

But…

“This is the resort from that magazine, right? Amazing…”

…Magazine?

‘Wait a minute.’

I checked both her wrists.

…No ride ticket band.

Y o u C a m e T o

T h e T h e m e P a r k ?

“Huh? There’s a theme park here too? I just, um, saw the review ad… Huh? But how did I get here? I remember wanting to visit, but why am I here?”

The person’s face went blank.

And I felt a chill down my spine.

…A human has shown up, dragged here by a method other than the board game.

Just for this resort?

“Um, but I don’t know how I got here. How do I leave?”

“This way, dear guest!”

Jang Heowoon cheerfully pointed toward the lobby door.

But the exit to this resort… Wait a second.

You can’t just let them walk out that way…!

A legitimate theme park guest will safely return to where they entered from. But a mere visitor… Wouldn’t she have a high chance of just ending up ‘outside’ the theme park?

And who knows what’s outside the theme park…

Just think of Death Lane or the Mansion of the Blind!

‘She’ll go missing.’

I hurriedly stopped the person.

W a i t

“Uh… yes?”

T h i s

I handed over one of the room keys hanging behind the desk at random.

T a k e I t

“Huh? Ah, no, I’m fi…”

I lowered my head.

And I gave the last chance to become my guest to this bystander who had entered the resort, not even as a guest.

The mascot’s pupils stared at the bystander.

T a k e I t

“Y-Yes…”

The person, trembling, held out her hand and accepted the room key.

It was basically a forced sale.

But there was no other way.

‘Just let her stay for now.’

At that moment.

“How would you like to pay?”

…!

“P-Pay? Card…”

Jang Heowoon, in the yellow mascot mask, smiled as he handed the card back.

“That’s not a payment method accepted at Cheerful Theme Park, dear guest! Please pay in Cheerful Coins.”

“Uh… um, where can I get those?”

No.

“It’s simple! At the Theme Park ■■’s where you can ■■■■■ your ■■■ ■■ and ■■■■■.”

“Aaaah! Ohthere’sawaylikethat!”

“Yes! It’s very simple.”

“I’ll go exchange it now! It’s so reasonable! Imagine, evenhumanscanbeusedascurrency!”

He’s saying things that should never be heard! He’s talking about things that should never be known! There’s a reason I deliberately assigned a human staff member, not a mascot, as the assistant front desk attendant! And there’s a reason I make sure not to think about it but of course as the mascot I already know. No, I won’t think about it! No…

Q u i e t

The staff member closed his mouth.

The drooling human guest looked up at me.

G i f t

“Uh, but, payment…”

F o r g e t I t

“Yes.”

The guest staggered away and went up to her room.

A sigh of relief slipped out between my twisted lips.

“……”

There was one thing I was sure of.

The employee standing next to me had just done something that the real Jang Heowoon would never have done.

“Mr. Mascot, shall I bring in the next guest?”

I couldn’t hold it in.

Y o u

W h o A r e Y o u

“Pardon? Ah, I’m a staff member you hired, working at this resort…”

W h o A r e Y o u

The staff member glanced at the mascot’s eyes, but soon answered brightly, just like any employee at Cheerful Theme Park.

“I’m the HR manager of this resort!”

Y o u r N a m e

“Um… Ah. My name is Bison, sir!”

……

The nickname signed on the contract.

W h o A m I

“You’re Mr. Mascot!”

M y N a m e

“Mr. Golden!”

The employer’s name on the contract.

With a devastated heart, I stared at the employee wearing Jang Heowoon’s face, whose identity I could not gauge.

And finally, I asked.

D o Y o u K n o w

R o e D e e r ?

“…Roe Deer?”

The staff member in the yellow mascot mask paused for a moment.

“Batchmate.”

…!

“A colleague from the previous company I worked at before getting this job at the resort. I was very grateful to them. I remember you, Mr. Mascot, were also a member of the Security Team there…”

……

Could it be.

Y o u r R e a s o n

F o r W o r k i n g T h e r e

The reason he worked at Daydream Inc.

Wish Ticket.

The most desperate goal in his life.

If I reminded him of the essence of who Jang Heowoon was, maybe……

“Ah… I wanted to save my precious family.”

…!

“I was an orphan and grew up in a facility, but three years ago, there was a huge fire, and all the family I lived with died in it. I just barely survived, by chance.”

……

“I tried to die too, but they told me I shouldn’t. So I tried to save other people. If I did that…”

E n o u g h

“Yes? Understood, Mr. Mascot!”

I couldn’t listen any more.

I was losing my mind.

“But it turns out all of that was meaningless obsession. I feel so fulfilled and happy working at this resort!”

……

W h y

“…Yes?”

W h y A r e Y o u H a p p y ?

“Because it’s a wonderful resort run by the amazing Mr. Mascot…”

W h a t D o e s T h a t H a v e T o D o W i t h Y o u

“I-I’m sorry… That was presumptuous. I’ll work even harder for you and the resort……”

Damn it.

S o r r y

“No! Mr. Mascot, you can do anything. This resort runs entirely on your decisions and will. I’m honored to work at a place like this.”

……

N e v e r M i n d

After that, I returned to accepting guests at the front desk.

The staff member with Jang Heowoon’s face seemed a little nervous for a moment, but when another guest approached, he went right back to acting like a Cheerful Theme Park Resort employee.

Which only made my mind go cold.

‘I really shouldn’t have heard all that.’

That sense of rejection when you hear someone’s deeply personal, desperate story in a far too light, careless, and offhand manner.

It made me nauseous.

I was honestly relieved that I’d cut it off before hearing even more details.

……

Is there really, truly, no way…?

I even took out the operational guideline document I’d used like a manual, and picked up my pen.

I repaired one staff member. It took some effort, but it seems like he became an even better employee through the repair process. Very satisfied

It gave me goosebumps.

I forcibly twisted the pen.

Very satisfied, but being an excellent employee isn’t necessarily the same as being a good employee, so I’m trying to find a way to return things to normal.

But the pen won’t stop.

However, there is no such way.

……!

All I can do is think about how to run the resort better. I decided not to waste energy on meaningless worries.

I will exist solely as the mascot of this resor

I picked up my pen and finally managed to erase all the notes.

My breath grew rapid inside the costume, but the mascot did not falter. I can’t let this shake me.

‘I need to get out quickly.’

Something is going wrong.

But… first, to do that, I needed to successfully expand this resort one more time.

As quickly as possible.

Requirements to expand resort facilities

Staff : 3

Satisfied Guests : 300

Mascot Ceremony Rites

For now… at this rate, I’d reach 300 satisfied guests in no time. Honestly, judging by how many guests flooded in today, I’d probably hit the goal within a day or two.

It was an astounding achievement.

‘Why does the social distancing concept work even for ghost stories?’

If it were before, I might have found it infuriating or funny, but now I really didn’t care. The real issues were above and below. Staff and the ceremony.

‘……’

Three additional staff members.

One way was to tempt civilian visitors into taking a job here, using a night’s stay as bait, just like before.

The problem was, how many people could I actually persuade like that? And if someone died while working here, who would be responsible?

‘Those people don’t even have basic gear like a mask.’

There was also the question of whether my own mind could handle it.

The next method was…

Gruesome, but I’d learned about it from the recent incident.

‘……’

I called for the standard mascots.

Then, I asked them about the whereabouts of certain things they had stashed away.

Specifically, the two corpses that Supervisor Lee Seonghae had dragged in with her.

Right.

I was going to check if I could revive those corpses and use them as staff.

The standard mascots led me to the back of the resort building.

It was a place where only mascots worked, where human staff avoided and guests were forbidden from entering.

Among those spaces, they guided me to the cold storage section in the room service warehouse.

Two mascots were standing guard at the entrance.

[Freezer Storage. Lock Confirmation Required]

‘Ha.’

I was about to open the door, imagining the corpses inside…

‘……’

And then I realized.

As a mascot, I could see it immediately.

Y o u T w o

The corpses were not in the freezer.

The two standard mascots guarding the freezer were the employees’ corpses themselves!

‘Fuck!’

The corpses had turned into those standard mascots…!

Just like how Jang Heowoon’s corpse became an employee…

The mascots stared at me.

I almost stumbled back, but my identity as the resort’s operator kept me upright.

Then, the mascots—creatures that, in a sense, I recognized as extensions of myself—approached and tried to support me.

Goosebumps crawled down my spine.

That means, all the standard mascots here are……

‘Damn it.’

There must have been corpses wandering in the resort ruins.

I was raising up people who had died who knows when, and using them as staff!

This was a terrifyingly creepy resort… Wait a minute.

If you think about it, it’s not the resort’s fault.

‘Corpses end up buried in graves and become nutrients for nature anyway.’

But if they became nutrients for this wonderful resort, isn’t that better than simply decaying for bugs and weeds?

Yeah. If someone’s already dead, it might actually be better to make good use of them.

‘Huu.’

I barely managed to calm myself, letting out a sigh of relief.

…Anyway, reviving the corpses to use as staff was a failure.

‘Maybe because I didn’t make a separate contract, they’re not recognized as individual beings.’

Still, there was one silver lining. Jang Heowoon was still counted as staff, not just a standard mascot.

In other words, he’s recognized as an individual, not just as a mascot with no self.

…Even if he didn’t have a mascot appearance, it’s just because I allowed staff to maintain a human appearance.

“……”

I squeezed my eyes shut— No, I wanted to, but the mascot head prevented it.

This situation… is spiraling out of control.

‘I’m so confused.’

The weirdness of the ghost story was starting to show itself blatantly.

I’d been so focused on running things, but now that I took a step back, I realized things could get far worse at this rate.

I had assigned Ladybug to keep a close eye on the two powerful staff—Section Chief Lee Jaheon and Supervisor Lee Seonghae—but I couldn’t load all the burden on him forever.

‘I have to get out of this insane resort as soon as possible.’

No matter how dazzling this resort is, or how much care I put into it, this is something I can’t avoid.

‘I need more information.’

Ironically, now that Jang Heowoon… is a perfect staff member for the resort, I can leave him in charge of the front desk while I move around.

If I give him instructions, he’ll carry them out precisely.

I’ve gained a bit of freedom of movement.

So, on this fourth day, my evening plan was… this.

I left the resort building entirely and walked down the road.

Then…

H e l l o

I went straight to the gate leading to Blue Dream Waterpark.

That is to say…

To meet the blue mascot.

I ’ m H e r e

The blue mascot, standing on the other side of the gate, tossed aside the booklet it was holding and ran over.

Chapter 177 - [Flower Golden Resort], VIII

The Blue Mascot.

A bizarre being who turned my ride ticket into a membership card. They even treated me as a missing person and put out a wanted notice after I escaped through the gate.

The more I remember, the more that cute Blue Dragon exterior feels unsettling…

G o o d C h i l d !

Strangely friendly.

Just seeing them now brings a sense of calm.

I walked up right to the gate and waved my hand at the flustered Blue Mascot.

Perhaps realizing once again that we couldn’t cross into each other’s zones, the Blue Mascot looked a little downcast, but soon enthusiastically waved back.

Some visitors nearby smiled as they watched the two mascots waving at each other across the gate.

G o o d C h i l d

I

C a m e T o S e e Y o u

And then I realized something odd.

‘I can… hear them more clearly.’

It’s like… Beyond the short phrases unique to mascots, I can also hear a deep, grand voice like the one I once heard before.

But unlike that time, there’s no crushing pressure that makes me cough up blood.

It just transmits a pure will, as if imbued within the words.

Maybe because we’re both mascots?

Right now, the Blue Mascot’s short words seem to carry both: ‘You finally came to see me’ and ‘I’m really happy and thankful that you came to meet me like this’.

So mascots can communicate this richly with each other, huh.

‘If that’s the case… the visitors around us probably don’t understand these meanings.’

It means we can communicate more directly.

I

W a n t T o P l a y

!

W h y

I n v i t e M e ?

I’m basically asking: Why did you invite me here, saying we’d have fun at the theme park, only for me to end up having to work even in this place?

Hearing that, the Blue Mascot fidgets anxiously and answers,

W e C a n P l a y

…!

L e t ’ s M a k e

O u r O w n Z o n e

…What?

Then the Blue Mascot shows me some kind of vision.

‘…!’

Creating a shared zone between the Yellow Zone and the Blue Zone.

‘Ah!’

That’s it! My third facility can be made from this!

That way, we can spend time together.

Then I’ll be able to cross into the Blue Zone! And the Blue Dragon can come to the Yellow Zone too!

Guests will have twice as many rules to follow, but it’ll be twice as fun!

And since our rules won’t be in conflict, it’s definitely possible.

We can cheerfully enjoy each other’s theme parks together, spending eternity in this marvelous Cheerful Theme Park, happy and cheerful and happy and cheerful and happy and cheerful and happy and cheerful and happy and cheerful and happy and cheerful and happy and cheerful and happy and cheerful and happy and cheerf—

‘…!’

I bit my tongue.

…Barely, I managed to pull myself out of that vision…

‘I almost… just went along with it.’

It feels like the Blue Mascot’s will is contaminating me. Not good.

Even without malice, it’s dangerous.

‘Trying to do more right now would be suicide.’

I waved my hand, speaking to calm the Blue Mascot.

W h a t I f

I J u s t

Q u i t

Like, what if I just quit being a mascot and cross over into the Blue Zone as a guest instead?

But the Blue Mascot sadly hangs their head.

N o

……

T h e r e H a s T o B e

M a s c o t

There must always be a mascot in an active theme park zone.

So I can’t just quit being a mascot on a whim.

‘I knew it.’

I figured it’d be something like this.

Still, if I forced my way out, the consequence would be…

G o o d C h i l d

D i s a p p e a r

‘……!!’

This Yellow Mascot would remain as is.

But the me that’s not a mascot… would separate from the mascot and disappear.

If I’d already become deeply fused with the mascot’s identity, all of my self and power would be sucked into the mascot, leaving not even ‘discarded scraps’ behind…

‘No!’

It’s only the fourth day. I… I haven’t been assimilated with the mascot to that extent yet!

I haven’t lost myself to the point that quitting as mascot would make my very existence disappear!

I know who I am. I’m fine.

The me who isn’t the mascot can leave!

‘……Huu.’

With trembling hands, I barely managed to grab onto the gate and lean against it.

A swirling mix of wanting to tear off this mascot costume right now because of the creepiness, a resistance to the question of whether I actually could take it off, and the comfort and security provided by its softness and coziness.

I

P r o t e c t

G o o d C h i l d

The blue mascot speaks, fidgeting anxiously.

It wasn’t the Blue Dragon’s intention for me to become the resort’s mascot, but even about that, it’s as if they’re saying they could offer full help and advice.

They seem to be giving their wholehearted support.

And then, from somewhere, other blue mascots start running to the gate all at once.

They each have an envelope in their hands.

They gently toss the envelopes over the gate, and I catch one successfully.

Visitors nearby clap as if they’re watching something entertaining.

Inside the envelope, which I opened a little—

‘Cheerful Coins…!’

Inside were a hundred blue and red coins.

It seemed like the blue mascot was settling accounts for the accommodation event they held on their own. But, wait…

T o o M u c h

I t ’ s O k a y

The blue mascot looks a bit triumphant.

I H e l p

G o o d C h i l d

Good grief.

But it seems that a mascot who has run their own area successfully for a long time becomes rich. It doesn’t look like they’re overexerting themself, so I’ll just accept these for now.

I can invest these in the resort. No, no! I might need them for something else!

‘…Get it together.’

I tucked the envelope into the pocket at my mascot belly and pulled myself together.

‘I need to hurry.’

As soon as I open the third facility, I need to get my ticket stamped, quit being a mascot, and escape.

‘I can’t take it anymore.’

Hurry up and recruit additional staff, then hold the mascot ceremony.

The plan hasn’t changed. Just do it as is.

And my instincts as a mascot were telling me I should return to the resort soon.

If I leave my post too long during operating hours, that’s neglect.

I should quickly ask the Blue Dragon what I need and go.

C e r e m o n y

H o w ?

H a v e F u n !

The blue mascot raised their hand.

Their ceremony was fireworks.

Beautiful lights exploding over the waterpark, reflected on the water’s surface, evoking memories of his beloved deep sea ■■, though now faded… Wait, what?

‘A-Anyway. It’s some sort of signature theme park event.’

Apparently, you can choose the ceremony to fit your mascot’s taste. For example… Magic Bunny’s seems to be a parade.

It’ll probably be similar for me.

T h a n k Y o u

The blue mascot looked even more pleased.

Then they hurriedly grabbed something else brought over by another version of themself and handed it to me.

G o o d C h i l d

G i f t

Snacks.

A bunch of treats sold at the waterpark. From hot dogs to chocolate. And just like before… churros, too.

‘…!!’

Wait a minute.

[Blue Soda Churros]

A product that, when eaten, causes you to vomit out sea water as a form of contamination.

The item’s description isn’t very precise, but since it originated from a ghost story, I haven’t used it except in desperate, urgent situations where there was no other way… but now the creator is right in front of me!

I picked up the churro and waved it.

T e l l M e

M o r e P l e a s e

The blue mascot looked at me blankly, as if confused by the question.

Wait a minute.

They’re saying there isn’t any special intended effect…?

‘……’

I looked at the churro.

If it’s just a natural description…

Usually, when you eat ghost-story food in a ghost story… what happens?

In countless legends, what happens if you eat food from a strange and mysterious place?

—You become a part of that world.

Right.

If a human eats food from the theme park, they gradually change into a being suitable for this theme park…!

‘So that’s why all those other contaminations were vomited out.’

Things that don’t belong in the theme park!

The realization sent a jolt through my head, but instead of excitement, a cold shock took over.

‘Then…’

It’s completely useless for Jang Heowoon.

The Jang Heowoon, who was revived as a staff member, is already a being perfectly suited for the theme park.

Because he’s a ghost story now.

‘……’

There won’t be an effect, at all.

G o o d C h i l d

S a d ?

I don’t know.

‘…I need to do what needs to be done.’

I moved on to the next topic.

I

N e e d

I used my forepaws to gesture the shape of a soft, plush doll as I desperately appealed.

The Good Friend Doll.

It originally came from the Cheerful Theme Park’s souvenir shop, and it was one of my main reasons for coming here.

But the blue mascot shakes their head.

N o t

H e r e

Ah.

Right, it wouldn’t really fit the theme to sell a plushie in a water park. They’d sell cute tubes instead. Damn it!

I

N e e d

Then is there any way to get it from the Magic Bunny zone?

C a n ’ t

D a n g e r o u s

To summarize what the Blue Mascot said:

Magic Bunny is a lunatic.

Do you really think something from that souvenir shop will actually help you?

‘…Hearing it like that is a bit…’

Either way, the Blue Mascot wasn’t wrong. But still, the Good Friend’s power was proven in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

It shouldn’t be any different no matter the zone of the theme park.

N e e d

You said you’d help with anything!

Finally, the blue mascot drooped their horns and ears, but nodded.

D a n g e r o u s

But it seemed like they would try.

Still, they kept reminding me to absolutely avoid Magic Bunny and never go near that zone.

Of course, I’ll keep that in mind, too.

‘It’s a relief that the blue zone is in between, at least.’

I grew quiet, recalling the terrible sight of the red team where only Supervisor Lee Seonghae survived.

Now that I think about it, it’s really a mystery how Supervisor Lee managed to survive outside after business hours ended…

Oh?

G o o d C h i l d ?

I turned my head.

Just now.

Something happened at the resort.

The yellow mascot could sense it. Something had happened in my area. I need to know!

Time to return!

I

G o t t a G o

The blue mascot looks at me calmly.

A l r e a d y

T h e r e

…!

Come to think of it.

It’s impossible to tell amongst the blue mascots which one was a special individual and which ones were just standard mascots.

Every mascot costume is the Blue Dragon, and the blue mascot can freely move all of their bodies as they please.

All the blue mascots are them.

The blue zone is theirs.

And…

The yellow zone is mine.

G o o d C h i l d

A l s o

I n R e s o r t

I understood that lesson as if under a spell.

And thus, the me who was in the resort.

I focused my consciousness on one of the standard mascots. And then…

I became myself.

‘…!’

When I blinked, I was a mascot standing guard inside the resort.

‘Oh my god.’

But before I could even be surprised or disoriented, I was confronted by a shocking scene.

Section Chief Lee Jaheon was restraining Supervisor Lee Seonghae in the lobby.

‘…?!’

And that wasn’t all.

Next to the tied-up Supervisor Lee was someone’s limbs strewn about like garbage.

Blood, soaking the lobby.

Employee Ladybug, dead.

A knife was stuck in his neck, blood gushing out in spurts.

He must have died trying to stop the bleeding, hands also covered in blood…

‘…!!’

And blood had also splattered onto Supervisor Lee Seonghae’s uniform.

Every sign pointed to one conclusion.

…Supervisor Lee Seonghae killed Employee Ladybug.

“Uurgh— Section Chief, it’s fine. I did everything I needed to do!”

But Section Chief Lee Jaheon did not release the restraints.

However, when our eyes met, surprisingly, he seemed to realize that the standard mascot was me. He picked up the bound Supervisor Lee Seonghae and brought her over to me.

“Eh?”

W h y

“Oh, Mr. Mascot, you’re here.”

Supervisor Lee Seonghae spoke in her usual calm voice.

“Um, can you take the cost of reactivating that one over there out of my salary? I’m fine even if I don’t get anything from the souvenir shop…”

W h y

K i l l

Supervisor Lee Seonghae looked at Jang Heowoon.

At the employee who no longer wore the bison mask, just a resort staff member.

“Because he killed that good person over there for no reason.”

…!

“And if given the chance, he’d kill someone else too, so you can’t just let him be! Honestly, dying actually lets them be reused in a way that benefits the resort.”

My head spun.

But do you know what the real problem is?

…Somewhere, there’s a part of me that feels relieved.

What’s more, the guests aren’t shaken up at all.

Some of them even clapped as if they’d just seen an entertaining show, or tried to tip Supervisor Lee Seonghae.

Which means…

It’s an even bigger problem.

M y

J o b

It should have been me, the mascot, to punish Ladybug.

Whether I made him serve the horrific toxic bath users in the spa, forced him to run around on foot for room service, or made him do whatever the guests wanted. That was my decision to make.

But…

“But Mr. Mascot, you’re just too good.”

……

“Stuff like this is best handled by someone who doesn’t get stressed out, like me!”

Huu.

N o S u c h

P e r s o n

“…!”

F r o m N o w O n

R e p o r t

A b s o l u t e l y

“…Yes, yes.”

In the end, I had a standard mascot assign Supervisor Lee Seonghae to spa cleaning duty as a demotion.

Honestly, rather than a real demotion, it felt more like a show of punishment for overstepping authority.

I don’t know whether I should be grateful, scared, or horrified… haa.

‘My head hurts.’

I gritted my teeth and even revived Ladybug.

…Whether this could really be called reviving, I’m not sure.

“I’ll work hard, Mr. Mascot!”

With that, the number of casualties reached two.

Two human beings were replaced as perfect staff members.

“……”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon somehow seemed to be quietly watching me, but I avoided his gaze and went to the front desk.

I was exhausted.

But there, too, was the staff member in Jang Heowoon’s form.

‘God damn it, seriously.’

Just work.

Work faster, escape faster…

N e x t

Then, as I was welcoming the next guest—

“Team Leader, look! Daydream bastards!”

…!

“Yeah, I’ve got eyes too. I’ve seen those maniacs more than once during Disasters, stop making a fuss.”

…That familiar term of address.

Their voices were soft, almost whispers, but since a standard mascot was nearby, I could hear it.

“Still, you have to note that there are people here working just fine. Got it, Gomyeong?” (T/N: Gomyeong = garnish)

I looked up.

Two people in Disaster Management Bureau jackets were approaching the front desk.

‘…!’

Holy shit.

The one called ‘Team Leader’ looked down-to-earth, but somehow tough, and stepped forward to speak to me.

“Hello?”

H e l l o

“Um, we’re here to ask a few questions.”

And the Team Leader explained as she looked at me.

“I heard a guest who looks similar to us, wearing a hoodie and jeans, checked in recently.”

That civilian.

This was obviously a response to that person’s call for help.

Which means these people are…

‘One of the other Black-Tortoise teams…!’

Oh god.

And I’d seen Team 2, the team next door, coming and going for weeks, but these people were strangers.

That means only one thing.

‘Black-Tortoise Team 3!’

“Could you tell us which room that guest is staying in?”

I barely managed to reply to Black-Tortoise Team 3’s leader.

P e r s o n a l I n f o r m a t i o n

C a n n o t

“…You’re really strict about professional ethics, huh?”

“Seriously?”

The members of Black-Tortoise Team 3, who had been staring at me blankly, soon shifted their gaze to the ‘staff’ beside me.

“Pardon me, isn’t there some other way?”

“I apologize, dear guests! As Mr. Mascot said, here at Flower Golden Resort we absolutely cannot disclose the personal information of our guests. Is there anything else we can help you with?”

“Ah, then…”

“Wait.”

At that moment, the team leader’s face hardened as she studied the staff member.

She stepped closer, checked over the build of the front desk employee, and then looked into the eyes behind the yellow mascot mask—

“…Site Cleanup rookie?”

…!

She recognized Jang Heowoon.

“Why’s he here…? Wait, this isn’t a registered site. That’s why only two people were assigned, right?”

“Yes? Yes! That’s right. And as far as I know, that rookie was on vacation…”

“……”

“……”

The two agents fell silent and stared at the staff member with Jang Heowoon’s face.

And then—

“How can I help you, dear guests?”

A small curse nearly escaped the Black-Tortoise Team 3 leader’s lips, but she swallowed it.

…Still, the two of them quickly regained their composure, showing the calm typical of people used to situations like this.

They looked at me with cooler eyes than before, but did not forget their reason for coming.

“…You said you can’t tell us what room the guest is in. Then, please call the guest for us. Tell her we’re here.”

O k a y

I gladly accepted that request.

The civilian, startled several times, at first wouldn’t answer the phone, and then, even after finally picking up, dropped the call in terror a few times or cried, but in the end, believing she’d been rescued, she finally came down.

The problem was…

R o o m

P r o p e r t y D a m a g e

In the process, the guest broke a few things in the room…

“…!!”

“S-Sorry, I was just so startled…! I’m really, really sorry…”

I t ’ s O k a y

P a y m e n t P l e a s e

I politely held out both hands to the civilian.

But, of course, the civilian couldn’t pay.

Realizing this, the team leader pushed her aside and stepped up to face me.

“Even without money, is there some other way to pay you back?”

Huu.

W o r k

“…?!”

I gestured toward the group.

Then I made a bold suggestion.

T h r e e P e o p l e

T w o D a y s

Or…

I f N o t

Y o u A l o n e

S i x D a y s

The civilian I pointed to froze.

“T-Tha, that…”

The agents immediately moved to shield the civilian.

And the team leader calmly confirmed,

“If we say we’ll work, do we end up like that?”

She gestured to Jang Heowoon.

……

“Or can we work like the other employees?”

If I were just a mascot, I might not have understood what that meant.

But I do understand.

P o s s i b l e

I lowered my head.

I t ’ s O k a y

N o M o r e

B a d E m p l o y e e s

“……”

The agents flinched.

The Black-Tortoise Team 3 leader studied me as if gauging something.

After several tens of seconds passed, she finally declared,

“…Fine. The three of us will work here.”

“Team Leader!”

“Yeah. Just think of it as good work experience. And you know…”

She glanced at her sneakers.

Or more precisely, an item attached to their laces. It was most likely that kind of item.

An escape item.

“I brought it.”

“…!”

The agents ended up protecting the civilian, and it seemed they intended to look for a chance to rescue Jang Heowoon as well.

The three took the employment contracts, read them carefully, and signed.

…And with that, the staff requirements were all fulfilled.

‘……’

Now for the last thing.

It’s time to set up the ceremony.

Chapter 178 - [Flower Golden Resort], IX

The Black-Tortoise Unit of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau are people who experience all sorts of bizarre ghost stories firsthand.

Their job is a bit different from the Preliminary Investigation Unit or the Site Cleanup Unit. In the process of rescuing survivors, they often end up soaking in the ghost story itself, experiencing its full ‘flavor’.

But today was a rare case.

“T-Team Leader.”

“Shh.”

Team Leader of Black-Tortoise Team 3, codename Haegeum, pressed down her team member’s head.

[Flower Golden Resort]

It had already been five hours since they arrived at this strange place.

And the agents had noticed quite a few bizarre signs of incongruity.

All the staff members at this resort are human.

And except for the rookie from the Disaster Management Bureau they found at the front desk, most of them seemed to be maintaining their sanity.

No. At least, that’s how it looked on the surface.

Is that even possible in a supernatural disaster?

“B-But. There’s another weird one.”

The team member whispered.

“The staff who takes the room service calls!”

The two of them turned their gaze toward the side of the front desk.

“Hello, I’m the room service staff, Ladybug!”

The staff member who introduced himself as Ladybug in a cheerful tone over the phone was wearing a mascot mask imitating the resort’s mascot. He’s anything but a real ladybug.

…Just like the rookie from the Site Cleanup Unit.

‘What on earth happened in this place?’

Only those two seemed to have lost their human identities, wearing mascot masks.

When they asked if it was because they hadn’t done their jobs properly and got ‘corrected’, everyone shook their heads.

“That’s not it!”

“If you have to call it something… goodwill?”

Goodwill?

A strange choice of words brought a wave of unease.

But no one could give a proper answer as to what exactly had happened.

“Mr. Mascot said no.”

“Check the employee work rules.”

Yeah, those damned work rules.

R e a d

The team leader, opening the ‘Resort Employee Handbook’ that the mascot kindly provided, had squeezed her eyes shut the first time she saw it.

The rules went up to 37.

The densely written pages all hinted at gruesome outcomes that could occur while working at this resort.

“Textbook case, right, Team Leader?”

That’s true. But still, somehow…

“Welcome!”

It was all too peaceful.

The staff seemed totally unfazed by the pressure and anxiety the work rules should have brought.

Even after seeing the two people who’d lost all self and become just accessories of the resort, no one was scared. They calmly went about their assigned tasks.

They greeted the mascot, even chatted with him.

Sometimes, when talking among themselves, if anyone from the team approached, they would glance over and quietly disperse.

“……”

It was a strange feeling.

Dangerous, bizarre guests kept pouring into the beautiful resort, but as for her, she only had to greet them at the entrance.

Absolute division of labor.

Her team member had been assigned elsewhere. The civilian to be rescued was also placed in another area.

Isolation.

But you could go greet them anytime. The work rules were ‘recommended’ for staff, not forced.

‘Strange.’

Time passed extremely naturally and calmly, but oddities crept in as if seeping through the cracks.

“……”

Slap—!

The team leader slapped her own face.

‘I have to stay alert.’

Even if today’s mission was simple rescue and not closing the supernatural disaster, this resort was bizarre in a way fundamentally different from other disasters…

They’d have to stay on their guard for two days.

And a few hours later—

– See you next time~

“Aaaagh!”

“Let me in! Let me in!”

Ignoring the figures desperately pounding on the door outside, the hotel’s operations ended for the day.

That eerie madness appeared for just a moment, then disappeared, and the staff didn’t even glance over, just calmly continued their conversations.

“Is it okay if I go to bed now?”

“I’m sleepy.”

That was even scarier.

No matter how crazy that cult company they came from was, this was strange.

‘These bastards are the type to cling desperately to their own lives.’

She managed to coax a staff member in a harvest mouse mask with a cigarette and got a bit more of the story about this ghost tale.

“Ah! This was originally a theme park ghost story, but suddenly a new resort was built…”

A newly made place.

“Anyway, as long as you work as staff, you can leave!”

“Who?”

“Huh?”

“Who said we could leave? That’s not in the handbook, is it?”

“Uh… it was Mr. Mascot!”

Even when she asked the other employees, their answers were similar.

– As soon as the third facility opens, we can all leave.

– We’re just waiting for the third facility… Huh, scared? I was scared before, yeah, but now I think it’s fine… because Mr. Mascot takes care of everything.

– ? Yes. That’s right.

“……”

It really was just… so bizarre.

The crowning touch was the reaction from the civilian they were supposed to rescue, who’d been working elsewhere.

The person who’d cleaned the spa hallway looked strangely relieved.

“Mr. Mascot helped me… And, well, the work isn’t hard… There’s only one day left, right? He even said he’d give me a gift when I leave.”

“……”

“He said we’ll be able to leave soon!”

This lukewarm goodwill, the peacefulness that soaks in, the bright and luxurious resort, the creeping sense of psychological unease.

The team leader genuinely craved a cigarette.

There’s nothing like it to drive away the eeriness.

‘This kind of thing is my weakness, fuck.’

She was, if anything, the type who could handle traditional ghosts and shamanic supernatural disasters well.

But the assignment couldn’t be helped.

In fact, if the rescue signaler hadn’t used such a special device, the Black-Tortoise Team wouldn’t have dived in so quickly.

A rescue signaler that, when pressed in a supernatural disaster, even indicates the exact route by which the person entered—a device that’s practically equipment-grade.

Such a high-level device is used by people in high government positions or ‘VIPs’, but… most of the time, the rescuee is someone with a special status.

For example, the dearest relative of a fallen agent, or someone like that.

‘…Huu.’

…Knowing this, it was psychologically hard to give up on the rescue and just escape on their own.

And the person they were here to rescue wasn’t the only one weighing on her mind.

“Hey.”

“Yes, Employee!”

The team leader met someone waiting in the third-floor hallway.

A male employee with long, dark brown hair.

Emerging from the elevator was a front desk employee in a yellow mascot mask, smiling kindly, just as he was leaving work.

The team leader clenched her teeth for a moment.

…It really was the rookie from the Site Cleanup Unit.

His agent name… was Hwagak, wasn’t it.

“I just had a question.”

“Ask me anything!”

“I was wondering if you remember what you were doing before you entered this resort.”

“Yes! Of course I remember! You’re from the Disaster Management Bureau, right? I used to work there too.”

He remembers?

“That’s right. Then I’ll send your regards. Vermillion-Bird Team 2, right?”

“Yes! Thank you.”

The team leader carefully chose her words.

“But you know, you could always go and deliver your regards in person, right? When you leave here…”

“Not possible.”

“……”

“I swore to Mr. Mascot that I’d devote myself to this resort, and I signed a contract. I won’t leave. And the contract is valid forever, until it ends, forever.”

“How about taking some vacation?”

“I do not take breaks.”

“……”

The resort employee, who had once been a rookie on the Site Cleanup Unit, smiled silently at the team leader.

Silence.

“I need to go to my room now. I have to follow the work rules! You should go to your room quickly too, and no matter who comes, don’t open the door.”

And he walked down the hallway and into his room.

Thunk.

“Motherfucker…”

The team leader let out a curse, more like a sigh.

Not being able to smoke, since doing anything that draws attention in a supernatural disaster is idiotic, was all the more frustrating.

‘How am I supposed to get him out of here.’

She didn’t open the window, but just stood at the end of the hallway, staring out past the window as if she were smoking.

It felt like if she at least set the mood, she’d be able to organize her thoughts…

Wait.

‘…?’

There’s something beyond the window.

“…!”

The team leader immediately stepped away from the window and pressed herself to the wall.

Noticing something in a supernatural disaster is rarely a good thing.

Instead, she organized what she’d just seen in her mind.

‘So…’

The resort grounds with all the lights out showed only a very dim silhouette. And beyond that, there were faint traces of where colorful lights and music had come from.

‘…It looked kind of like an amusement park.’

But the ‘something’ wasn’t over there.

Beside it.

From beyond the ruins, out of reach of the resort’s lights… something lumpy was moving.

‘…A forest?’

Maybe it was just leaves rustling in the wind.

But surely, wasn’t something over there… looking up this way?

Something that looked like… a mascot.

“……”

The team leader stepped away from the wall.

She frowned and approached the window one more time…

H e l l o

“…!”

She turned around.

In the middle of the dim, cozy, rustic hallway stood a cute mascot costume.

…At some point, the yellow mascot had appeared right in front of her.

W h y

I ‘ m H e r e

“…Ah. I just wanted to check if my team was okay.”

The yellow mascot, with its adorably shaped face, stared at her without any expression.

Cold sweat ran down the team leader’s back, but with years of experience, she managed not to let it show.

“Actually, I was craving a cigarette, but I held back.”

G o o d J o b

Surprisingly, the mascot patted the team leader’s head as if praising her.

And even gave her a small gift.

…A sleep mask.

“……”

She took it for now and kept it safely. She would hand it over to the forensics unit later.

And as for the strange thing she’d just seen outside the window…

‘I won’t mention it.’

A strong survival instinct jabbed at her, but before that, her instincts as an agent—needing to grasp the nature of this disaster—surfaced as well.

‘Damn it.’

“I’m curious, though. What’s over there?”

In the end, she reached out and pointed in the direction where something had been moving.

And she twisted her hand slightly.

T h e m e P a r k

“Oh, so that’s the theme park. Then, this is the theme park, but that place… doesn’t look like it.”

The team leader rotated her hand, adjusting the direction to the forest.

T h a t

O u t s i d e

The yellow mascot peered at her.

D o n ’ t g o

“……”

D a n g e r o u s

After that, the yellow mascot guided the team leader to her assigned room and opened the door for her.

H e r e

And until she was fully inside and closed the door, the mascot just stood there silently outside.

Through the closing door, the team leader could hear the mascot mutter,

I t A l l E n d s

T o m o r r o w

And the next day.

For the first time since entering the resort, the agents were able to go outside.

Because the back of the resort had been opened.

T h i s W a y

Before operating hours began, the mascot gathered the staff and went to the ruins behind the resort.

And as the mascot raised both arms into the air—

Wooooooo—

The shattered facilities in the ruins vanished into the ground.

Instead, beautiful garden trees began to rise.

“…!”

Landscaping took place.

Bushes full of green leaves, trees, golden flowers sparkling. Clusters of small flowers in various colors shimmered, making the huge golden blossoms stand out even more.

And even a fountain.

“Wow! Is this the new facility?”

N o

C e r e m o n y

S p a c e

‘…Ceremony?’

The team leader looked around.

Standard mascots were busily carrying things.

…Flyers.

On the backdrop of the beautiful night garden, golden-lighted, antique, sparkling promotional phrases were written.

‒‒‒

**Come and See the Flower Golden**

Dazzling brilliance!

Astonishing blooming!

The most beautiful illumination in the ■■!

※If you stay in a theme park view room, you can enjoy special effects through the window.

‒‒‒

…Something was being prepared.

Day 5 of resort operations, evening.

The time had come.

I checked my outfit in the facility office.

Over the signature yellow mascot fur, I fastened a dignified golden bow tie.

And on the horns, I placed golden glass ornaments like flowers…

Lastly, I held armfuls of glow sticks.

Now, all preparations are complete.

Once the mascot, having carried out the ceremony, truly becomes the owner of the resort, the third facility can be opened.

Thanks to the Blue Mascot perfectly settling the event funds, the budget is generous.

I stepped out of the office.

When I entered the lobby during the busy evening hours, guests looked my way at my appearance.

I handed out glow sticks to each of them.

The standard mascots also waved and generously handed out small glow sticks to visitors.

The ceremony I chose was an illumination. A festival of beautiful lights.

It’s a perfect match for Flower Golden Resort. As a flawless ceremony, it will further elevate the prestige of this resort, demonstrating a dignity incomparable to a certain loud parade.

I led the guests to the back of the resort building.

The huge, beautiful rear gate that had been set up in advance opens.

Oooooooo—

It looks desolate.

The grounds of the dark resort, long after sunset, are shrouded in darkness, and only the theme park lights twinkle in the distance.

But even that is about to end.

G o l d e n F l o w e r s

The moment the mascot raised its hand…

Lights began to sparkle all across the garden.

Ooooohhhh—!

The night garden blooming in gold glittered and danced strangely.

The glow sticks given to guests, shaped like flowers blooming on branches, also lit up, each flower shining with its own light.

Oooooohhhhh—!

Cheers and shouts from the guests rang through the garden.

Some guests were crying or laughing, even wailing on the ground in awe.

Now, preparations are complete.

– We would like to thank everyone who visited Cheerful Theme Park again today.

Soon, our Twinkle Illumination will begin at Flower Golden Resort. We hope you’ll join us and witness the birth of the magnificent Flower Golden…

I took a deep breath.

‘Let’s do this well.’

The mascot must absolutely take center stage for the finale of this show.

And after that…

“Oh, now we’re opening the third facility!”

That’s right.

I nodded proudly at Supervisor Lee Seonghae, who had come over.

“That’s great. The other zones have, like, ten attractions each, right? I think it’d be good to have that many more here too.”

No. I’m going to cut ties and leave immediately…

But as the mascot, I couldn’t say something like that out loud, so I just stood there quietly.

If I bring up another topic… Ah, that’s right.

S o

“Yes?”

I’d been curious for a while.

R e d Z o n e

L e a v e

H o w ?

How exactly did Supervisor Lee Seonghae escape the red zone, and how did she survive a full day there?

Might as well ask now to relax a bit.

“Oh, I got one stamp on my ride ticket. But that rabbit kept chasing me! I couldn’t ride anything else. They wouldn’t let me enter the blue zone at all.”

As expected.

“So I went the other way!”

……

Huh?

“You can actually go to the opposite forest, you know? Once business hours end, there were weird noises from the theme park, but even if that crazy rabbit chased me into the forest, it was a bit slower there.”

Probably because it wasn’t its own zone.

No, but…

Does that mean you circled all the way through the opposite forest and came out to that forest over there?

‘Unbelievable.’

“So when I got here, I saw the resort!”

G o o d J o b

“But isn’t it cool? Heehee.”

Yeah. It’s really cool.

To escape here by dodging Magic Bunny.

Even if the mascot slowed down after leaving its own zone…

……

Wait.

R e d

M a s c o t

C h a s e H e r e ?

“Yes!”

I n F o r e s t ?

“Yup!”

If the forest isn’t considered someone’s zone, I can understand that.

But that’s not the real issue.

I t C h a s e Y o u

U n t i l H e r e ?

“Yes, yes! It chased me almost the whole way! Once I got here, it couldn’t come out and got blocked, though!”

……

The Magic Bunny…

…knows how to get…

…to the Yellow Zone.

-♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

– Kyahahahaha!

“……”

“…Mr. Mascot?”

I turned my head.

With the garden’s creation, the once-ruined ground had been developed.

And it brought the zones even closer, now completely adjacent.

The forest.

And the light from the garden shone all the way into the depths of the forest.

And thus, it is revealed.

A red path.

And standing silently on it.

C a u g h t , H u h ?

The red mascot moves.

The Magic Bunny, who had spent the last four days clearing the forest to expand it its own zone, now begins the final phase.

Wearing overalls, the mascot raises its hand, and between the forest and garden, a device decorated with a cute rabbit drawing rises up.

A gate.

A facility connecting the two zones.

And then.

– Kyahahahaha!

A flood of long-term red zone guests and missing persons comes pouring in through the gate, running down the path.

Chapter 179 - [Flower Golden Resort], X

It’s all red.

Because of the countless red things pouring in through the gate connected to the forest.

Those who have followed Magic Bunny’s parade.

-♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

– Ahahahahaha!

People holding snacks made from their own ribs, headbands decorated with their own plucked-out eyes, balloons made from the intestines that were once part of their family.

The wretched people driven mad by the horrifying shows of the Magic Bunny zone and Magic Bunny’s cruel, brutal demands.

Now, those who have become monsters inhabiting the red zone are recklessly flooding into the yellow zone.

And they shout,

“They’re giving out a mask prize, a mask prize!”

“I wish everyone could become like me.”

“Enjoy your time in the Magic Bunny zone! It’s fun! I told you, it’s fun! Please! It’s fun!”

…The most dangerous things I’d worked so hard to keep out of the resort were now pouring in.

Dozens, hundreds of them.

‘No.’

G o B a c k

I hurriedly moved the staff to the rear, and had the standard mascots gather near the gate.

‘Block them.’

If I could just do some crowd control somehow and proceed with the illumination as planned…

“The yellow mascot!”

“It’s him!”

“Ahahahahahaha!! Hahahahahahahahaha!”

Horrifyingly-shaped guests leap madly at the Flower Golden mascots.

‘…!!’

I looked up.

Beyond the surging horde of monsters, the red Magic Bunny at the gate raises a sign.

Prize Event

Bring back pieces of the Yellow Mascot’s flesh!

1st prize: The Great Magic Bunny

2nd prize: The Great Magic Bunny

3rd prize: The Great Magic Bunny

Ah.

“Yellow!!”

The red guests swarm the standard mascots, scratching with bare hands and digging out flesh with Magic Bunny-branded items.

Eyes are torn out of the mascot suits.

It hurts.

Horns are ripped off, stuffing bursts, the felt-made organs inside are torn out.

The yellow mascots writhe and are torn to pieces in agony. No… I’m being torn to pieces!!

“Got it!”

“Ahahahaha!”

“Lookitsparkles??Kkakkakkakka!”

These rude, pathetic, penniless, red-zone trash addicts, how dare they, in my zone!

Still thinking they’re in the red zone, doing this disgusting act. I cannot allow it! Never!! Absolutely not!

You all.

D I E

The red visitors raise both hands and strangle their own necks.

It’s almost time for the ceremony. Don’t do anything so disgraceful as to stain the garden red. Don’t even think about being absorbed by me and becoming nutrients for the resort.

D i e

These disrespectful pieces of shit have no right to be guests at my resort.

I won’t send them back to the red zone, either.

Even if it takes a little time, asphyxiation will be the cleanest and most pleasing way.

It’s like watching an ant swarm invade the office and gnaw away at the documents and supplies as they please.

I was furious, my vision blazing yellow. No, not fury—this was the revulsion that comes when something absurdly unfair happens.

So…

D i e

The red zone mutants, with blood pouring from their eyes, bang their heads on the floor.

The other resort guests watch with interest at this quiet rhythm.

Fine. If it’s a spectacle before the illumination, it will make for an even more successful ceremony…

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

……

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

Huh?

I turned my head.

An employee wearing a lizard mask was looking at me.

What did he just call me?

In a low, impassive voice, so others wouldn’t hear, he whispered,

“Do you remember your name?”

……

That is,

K i m

“Don’t say it.”

Ah.

I closed my mouth.

It’s not a good idea to say your real name in a ghost story.

And I… That is, my name is…

……

‘Kim Soleum.’

Yes. That’s it.

The yellow mascot I wear is just a costume. Flower Golden is a made-up name, and I’m only disguised as a monster.

The real one is inside.

I am… human.

‘……’

S t o p

“Huuhhk!”

The red zone visitors, who had been strangling themselves, let go of their throats.

“Hiic, hiiiiic…”

“Givemeaprizeifyougivemeaprizepleasereturnour■■please”

Even as they burst into manic laughter, or wept, or crawled desperately across the floor toward the yellow mascot, I spoke gloomily.

L e a v e

Regardless of whether the yellow mascots are being torn apart, I push them toward the gate.

“AAAAAHHH!”

As I forcefully push them, these people, who weren’t normal to begin with, are somehow driven back through the gate.

As she watched the broken pieces of yellow mascot suits rolling on the ground, Supervisor Lee Seonghae spoke quietly.

“Should I go after them?”

I shook my head.

My heart thundered in my chest, and at the same time, it turned cold.

‘Just now.’

What was I about to do just now?

‘I’m being assimilated.’

It’s dangerous.

I need to get out, quickly. Quickly.

As soon as the staff are safe, immediately…

‘The ceremony!’

I had to start the ritual!

I anxiously looked toward the gate.

…But what was even more horrifying was what happened after I pushed those guests back through the gate.

“Priiiiiize…”

Magic Bunny welcomed those coming back through the gate with open arms.

And then.

“Uck.”

He pulls out their heads.

“…!!”

He pulls out their entrails, snaps their waists.

As if letting them ride each attraction one by one, as if playing or putting on a show, the guests are killed one by one as they cross the gate.

“Blaaargh!”

“…!”

I could hear the voices of the Disaster Management Bureau agents tending to the civilians in the back. Even Daydream Inc.’s employees, who were almost immune to gruesome sights, were overwhelmed and froze at the horror.

And yet, they still throw themselves at the gate.

“Give me a prize!”

“I brought this, please, a prize!”

And then, the ‘prize’ is given.

Cruuuuuunch

The empty body of the dead, toppled like a toy, is crudely transformed into a cute animal mascot suit.

Right.

Those who get lost or who’d die in the theme park are recycled into mascot bodies.

That’s why, inevitably, in the red zone… there can only be an insane number of mascots.

‘……Ha.’

This was the chilling truth.

At Magic Bunny’s playful gestures, they die and turn into mascots in that death march. Even when I stopped pushing visitors out with the standard mascots, the red zone visitors did not stop.

They continued to grip at the yellow mascot’s flesh and fling themselves at the gate.

“AAAHHHHHH!”

The gate had become a sight no one should ever have to see.

And it doesn’t end there.

Magic Bunny, using a long magic wand-like toy merchandise, was even stabbing visitors who hadn’t yet crossed the gate.

“…!”

“Stop it, you disgusting…!”

Thunk.

A red visitor’s neck is snapped and they roll onto the garden.

In the yellow zone…

…they became a corpse.

But the one who thoroughly corrupted that visitor was the Magic Bunny, and the one who killed and disposed of them was also the Magic Bunny.

Their form twists and distorts.

“…!!”

“Eek, r-red mascot…!”

The Magic Bunny mascot, having shed its corpse, rises up in the yellow zone.

And, drawing terrifyingly close, it rushes madly toward the staff and me.

“Aaaack!!”

But mascots cannot cross into another zone.

Thunk.

The advancing Magic Bunny mascot, like a balloon slowly losing air, staggers and then collapses, stiff on the ground.

“……”

“I-It stopped…”

But the red mascots don’t stop their actions.

Playful bunny dolls bash the heads of the unfortunate.

“Ack! Aaaah!”

“The Great Magic Bu—”

Those who died caught in the gate transform into Magic Bunnies and, as they rush forward, they keep collapsing and stopping in place.

Overwhelming waste.

Overwhelming brutality.

…Before long, dozens of corpses—red mascot mutants—piled up in the resort garden.

The staff watched, frozen in place, not even daring to breathe…

“……”

“……”

I lifted my head and looked at Magic Bunny beyond the gate.

And I realized it.

This performance is a threat.

It’s meant to make me get angry or scared and overreact, so that what happens next will be even more fun for them—a kind of prelude to their amusement.

F u n !

Fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun

On the other side of the gate, the Magic Bunnies clap their hands.

– Kyaahahahahaha!

Some guests from my zone laugh along with them.

…Laugh?

They’re laughing after seeing this scene? Even though they might miss the dazzling illumination, even those people laughing seem to have no manners!

Q u i e t

The guests hurriedly covered their mouths.

The Magic Bunnies poked their heads through the gate, as if wanting to get a better look at the scene.

‘You too, shut up.’

I grabbed one of the Magic Bunny mascot suits lying around on this side and hurled it hard.

Thunk!

The Magic Bunnies that got hit in the head toppled backward.

“Huuk!”

At that moment.

Whip.

The red mascots who hadn’t been hit all turned their heads at once and stared right at me.

Hahahahahahahaha

As if to kill.

Hahahahahahahaha

Silently.

…A chilling terror swept over me. Still, I felt like I could breathe again, just a bit.

Whenever you try to pull something like you did earlier, I’ll just have to do this—

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

Even if you don’t keep calling me, I remember that was my old name.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

I know!

I turned to the one who called me.

Section Chief Lee Jaheon.

“It looks like you need help.”

But who could possibly help me now?

…Ah, wait.

……

Maybe.

– We Can Help.

That button item, the emergency escape tool, the one that reptilian alien used to control my body before. Is he talking about that?

It was certainly useful. But I can’t use it now. Besides, I don’t have any money to use the Space Shopping Mall…

N o B u t t o n

“I see.”

Lee Jaheon replied, looking at me without a hint of agitation.

“Please reconsider this conversation after business hours are over.”

……

“When business hours end, you need to rest as well. Have you gotten any rest lately?”

N o

“Tonight, take off your mascot suit and rest.”

C a n ’ t

If tonight’s ceremony ends safely, I’ll come out and stand guard. The red mascot will definitely try something else.

‘…If I’m careless, I’ll die.’

No, it’ll be a massacre.

This mascot was very clearly depicted as killing other mascots in the attractions.

He definitely knows how to kill mascots and will try to do it.

C a n ’ t T a k e O f f

“You can take it off.”

Lee Jaheon’s voice was utterly flat.

“When the theme park’s operations end, your shift ends as well. That means you can rest as yourself, not as a mascot.”

That’s not the problem, though…

Wait.

Wait, wait.

Just now… I feel like I heard something strange.

‘So, after the theme park closes for the day, I can exist in a state other than the mascot…’

……!!

I remembered.

After the theme park’s operating hours ended, the guests who couldn’t get back into the resort, begging and pounding on the lobby door.

– Let us innnnnnn!

People vanishing in terror as they ran away. All those people who entered the theme park via the board game and never made it out before closing time, eventually going missing.

…Unless they were a special case like Supervisor Lee Seonghae.

‘And Supervisor Lee even said it herself.’

– Once business hours end, there were weird noises from the theme park, but even if that crazy rabbit chased me into the forest, it was a bit slower there.

If it was just normal sounds you’d expect from the theme park—like attraction repairs—she wouldn’t have called them ‘weird noises’.

That means… they were sounds that should never be heard in the theme park.

So…

Noises that don’t belong in the theme park.

And, with no other employees possessing separate selves, only the Magic Bunny mascot exists in the red zone after closing hours, so it’s only natural that it would be the one making those noises…

‘……’

I looked at the red mascot in the rabbit costume on the other side of the gate.

Then.

Then maybe, after operating hours, a mascot can take off their suit and walk around.

If Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s explanation is right.

The reason it was able to chase Lee Seonghae through the woods wasn’t just because that was a space outside another mascot’s territory…

But what if it wasn’t even wearing the mascot suit?

If it was counted as ‘not a mascot’, maybe it could move into other zones?

But in just a single night, it wouldn’t have had enough time to cross the forest and reach here. Unless it deliberately expanded its territory all the way here.

‘……’

No.

I realized.

How Magic Bunny was able to kill the other mascots.

– After the theme park closes, it comes to kill.

Then, today, with a gate to the red zone set up right in front of the resort…

‘…!!’

“Mr. Mascot?”

I frantically began tidying up the garden.

‘I have to start the ceremony right now.’

I need to open the third zone and escape before the theme park closes.

T o d a y

“Yes?”

I t ’ s C o m i n g T o d a y

I pointed beyond the gate.

W h e n I t C l o s e s

I t W I l l C o m e

“…!!”

The moment the park closes, it’ll attack.

The employees didn’t even ask how that could be possible, their faces just went pale.

They had already witnessed Magic Bunny’s insanity.

“Th-Then…”

“Wait, so if we just do this ceremony quickly, we can escape, right?”

I nodded.

The Disaster Management Bureau agents rushed over to help clean up the garden.

I assigned tasks to the other staff as well.

My mind was almost breaking from anxiety.

It felt like listening to a countdown before a nuclear explosion.

‘No.’

More information… Right. Maybe I can hear something helpful.

Just in case, I sent one of the standard mascots toward the gate where the Blue Dragon was.

Since the blue mascot had boasted about it, they’d definitely help.

But…

‘…So much for the Good Friend.’

There was no time left to get it.

If I successfully escape today, I’ll have failed my original goal for coming here.

And… there’s no more time to figure out a way to get out a staff member who’s been revived from the dead in a ghost story, while they’re still alive.

……

N e e d . . .

“What do you need?”

…!

I turned my head. Supervisor Lee Seonghae, still busily cleaning, had also been watching the Magic Bunny gate I was looking at, and as she stroked her chin, she spoke.

“Do you, uh, need anything from over in the red zone? You keep looking over there!”

!

“Oh, I guessed right. In that case…”

Supervisor Lee Seonghae whispers.

“Should I go get it for you?”

What?

“I’ll hurry and do it while you’re running the ceremony! I’m probably the fastest one here with both legs still working. I may not be as strong as Section Chief Lizard, but I’m smarter!”

She glances at the gate.

“I think it’s because of me that that crazy mascot figured out how to get here…”

……

I opened my mouth.

I t ’ s O k a y

I couldn’t send her to a place of certain death on the off chance that she might succeed.

L e t ’ s J u s t F i n i s h U p

Just hurry, let’s conduct the ceremony as planned, as quickly as possible.

“…Yes, yes.”

I began cleaning up the now-ruined garden once more.

‘There’s no time.’

Faster, faster.

The ceremony is an event held right before closing, and of course I’d prepared it to match that time, so there wasn’t much time left until closing now.

Any moment, the announcement might play.

-♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

– Hahahahaha!

My staff and I frantically cleaned up the area.

Dozens of Magic Bunnies were staring at us from just beyond the gate, but weren’t doing anything crazy like before.

Still, the sense of tension lingered.

I sent the employees to give gifts to the guests, and I personally used the standard mascots to clean up the mess near the gate.

. . . . . .

On the other side of the gate, the Magic Bunnies stared at me as I cleaned.

‘Don’t show it.’

They seemed like the kind who would enjoy it more if I looked rattled. I quickly finished cleaning up the horrible blood and flesh and backed away.

‘Is there still enough time?’

-♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

– Hahahahaha!

This area’s good, that area’s good.

Everything is ready for the illumination.

I anxiously scanned the garden. The only things left were the Magic Bunny mascot suits that had lost function, like kites with broken strings.

Let’s hurry up and clear them.

The standard mascots picked up those rabbit mascot suits and carried them away.

‘It’d be great if I could turn them into my own mascots instead.’

But that didn’t seem possible.

These seemed to be recognized as something unique, originating from Magic Bunny, the red zone.

‘Like a souvenir, maybe.’

It was disgusting, but that’s how it seemed.

‘……’

No, wait.

Wait a second!

I stopped in my tracks.

And looked down at the Magic Bunny mascot suit I was holding.

‘Souvenir.’

A thing made from a guest’s corpse, with the appearance of a mascot. A plush toy filled with soft fur and stuffing, with a cute look—something you can only get at the theme park.

There was one other thing that matched this description exactly.

‘…Good Friend!’

♩-♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

Then, could a non-functional mascot suit essentially be treated the same as a Good Friend…?

– Attention, please! Our theme park will soon be closing for the day~

…!!

“Mr. Mascot!”

I had to make a decision.

If the ceremony didn’t go well and closing time arrived, it would all be over.

And just in case, right now… we needed a trump card.

If it were someone who knew a lot about the nature of ghost stories, who had various abilities, and who was on my side…

‘……’

– We hope all guests inside the park enjoy Cheerful Theme Park until the very end!

I gritted my teeth and made up my mind.

“Mr. Mascot…?”

I immediately grabbed one of the Magic Bunny mascot suits, dragged it, and dashed like mad into the resort. Then…

– One hour until closing!

I began drawing the Good Friend summoning circle.

Chapter 180 - [Flower Golden Resort], XI

I remember it exactly.

It’s vivid and unforgettable. It was an event that marked a turning point in my Daydream Inc. days.

The Good Friend summoning ritual.

1 - On a smooth floor, dip your finger in water and draw a hexagram using the enclosed design.

I ran to the bathroom, got some water, poured it on the office floor, and began drawing the pattern with my finger.

Strangely enough, I could recall the design with perfect clarity, as if someone had etched it into my mind.

In no time at all, the floor was covered with the damp outline of the hexagram.

But there was one difference…

B i g g e r

The hexagram was big enough to cover the entire office floor.

I placed the nonfunctional Magic Bunny mascot suit in the center of the completed hexagram.

And, as carefully as I could, I reached for a coin…

‘……’

But I couldn’t get the coin out.

The original ‘Silver Serpent Coin’ used to summon a good friend… it was inside my mascot costume, inside the Security Team’s uniform under that, and all the way down in the pocket of my regular clothes.

But I couldn’t take off the mascot suit.

‘…In that case!’

I opened the office drawer and took out a Cheerful Coin.

‘This is a coin too.’

Even though it’s a plastic token, it’s still definite currency, and it fits the intent of ‘coin’ in this ritual.

It doesn’t have to be a real metal coin, it just needs to be a small, round object with monetary value.

I made sure the mascot’s glove was completely dry, then picked up the coin and placed it on the mascot suit’s belly.

‘Done.’

I hurried on to the next step.

So…

‘Salt!’

4- Hold a tablespoon of salt in your mouth and burn the item related to a friend using fire.

5- When the ‘Good Friend’ starts to speak, swallow the salt and return the greeting kindly!

If the coin has disappeared, the ritual was successful! You have met a reliable friend. Always keep them close and cherish them!

※ If you cannot swallow the salt, tastes strange, turns to ash, or if blood comes out, run away.

There was little time left.

The standard mascots came running from the room service storage, carrying salt. I snatched the salt up outside the office and put it in my mouth…

……

Would it work, putting it in my mouth while I was wearing the mascot suit?

‘Let’s try.’

I cautiously opened the yellow mascot’s mouth and poured the salt inside, then closed it.

Now, there was one last thing to do: burn something.

Last time, I’d used my necktie, but I didn’t have one now.

‘This will do.’

I took off the yellow bowtie from around the mascot’s neck and held it in my hand.

Then I brought it to the flame of a prepared candle.

Whoosh.

The bowtie flared up in the fire.

The oddly tall flame brought back memories of the time I had summoned Good Friend before.

A huge shadow fell across the pink mascot suit.

And it wavered.

Shake.

Shake.

I watched, anxious.

I know that that as long as you used a suitable medium, it would come.

So it should work.

Shake.

Shake.

The shadow seemed to move as if the mascot suit itself was about to stir.

Any moment now. Any moment.

Shake.

Shake.

Within the dark shadow…

…the massive mascot suit opened its mouth.

– My resort!

……

What?

– My resort has called me back! Hahahahaha! Hahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahaha! My resort! My resort! Myyyyyyy resooooooort! Beautiful Flower Golden Resort!

In the center of the hexagram, the mascot suit shook with spasmodic laughter. I watched, frozen.

Thunk.

Its upper body sat up.

It twisted its head around to look at me.

– Give it

The Cheerful Coin placed on its belly sizzled as it burned, then was sucked into the mascot suit.

The stench of burning plastic filled the facilities office.

– My

– Resort

The water on the hexagram vibrated, and blood flowed.

From the eyeholes and mouth of the mascot suit, something like melted plastic dripped out.

It rose to its feet on the hexagram.

– Give it

‘……’

Something’s wrong.

I needed to end the ritual—right now!

‘Swallow it.’

I tried to swallow the salt. If I just got the saltwater down my throat…

……

What?

Why… don’t I have a throat?

– Hahahahahahahahaha!

I looked down at myself.

And realized something shocking.

‘I don’t have a body.’

Inside this mascot suit, I was filled with stuffing. And the reason was—

I hadn’t returned to ‘my own body’.

After meeting the blue mascot, and after Supervisor Lee Seonghae killed Ladybug, when I rushed back to the resort, instead of moving my original body, I’d started using one of the standard mascot bodies as if it were mine.

And I’d kept doing that.

So, so…

I had forgotten that I even had an original body.

Right now, I’m using a standard mascot’s body.

‘…!!’

Then… where is my original body?

Don’t tell me… When the Magic Bunny attacked earlier, was it torn apart as one of those standard mascots…?

Ah, no.

If my real body had been torn up, there would have been blood and real entrails, not just stuffing and cloth organs.

There was no yellow mascot like that. My body must be somewhere…

……

But then, where?

– Hello?

And the thing summoned by the Good Friend ritual, whose call had it responded to?

I realized.

My reasoning was right.

A mascot costume was indeed a suitable medium for the invitation ritual.

But there’s a flaw.

‘Undefined purpose.’

Because it’s not a plush sold at the souvenir shop.

It has no ‘Good Friend’ seal or restriction.

– Hello? Hello? Hello? Answer me. Answer me.

The mascot suit twists, transforming into something grotesque.

…That’s not a ‘Good Friend’.

It’s just something from the other side.

– Greet me warmly and accept me, you hollow thing.

……Wait a minute.

‘My resort’? Don’t tell me that’s…

– Behold the true mascot!

……!

The being within the hexagram begins lurching out of the mascot suit.

Petals of a bizarre, fractal structure, shining in dirty gold, burst upward and fall back down, threatening to pierce its head.

…Flower Golden.

– Accept me.

The silhouette from the ruined resort’s sign.

The mascot resembling a golden flower was inside.

The invitation ritual, performed by a ‘standard mascot’, had awakened and called the deceased original owner of this resort—who knows where they’d been since dying.

– Accept me.

The papers on the desk tremble.

A pen, all alone, dances across the document that once celebrated my appointment.

The true owner of the resort has appeared.

I was nothing but a pitiful interim manager, just holding his seat until now. Now, I must humbly hand over everything I’ve built to him and step aside.

Everything was undoubtedly prepared for this moment!

The document floats toward me.

The pen scribbles furiously in my own handwriting.

He will perform the ceremony. The great Flower Golden will personally take back the mascot position and run this resort!

Up until now, I had been borrowing his power! I dared to take the seat of a temporary manager, but it’s all over now.

Ah.

Accept him.

Completely accept him, become part of him, and follow the mascot.

Accept him.

– Accept me.

I stumbled backward.

The mascot suit moved to the edge of the hexagram, peering at me.

– Accept me.

The ritual had failed. I needed to run.

But where could I run to?

And, up until now, I’d been following the excellent advice of those documents. Now that it’s been revealed that these documents were following the true mascot’s will all along, surely the right thing is to submit to the true mascot!

Yes, that must be—

……

‘No!’

I looked at the other documents on the desk.

Work regulations, employment contracts, guest policies—all things I’d written while fighting against the will of the mascot that wanted to run the resort in its own monstrous way.

I…

……

N o

I looked at the being inside the hexagram.

Th i s I s

M y R e s o r t

I grabbed the document and stood before it.

My head was pounding, but I could handle it.

Because I’d realized something.

Y o u A r e

N o t Q u a l i f i e d

– Ooooooooooooh?

How dare you say such a

I crumpled up the document.

Y o u L o s t

– !!!!!!

Right.

You’re a specter who lost your territory by dying to another mascot.

And now.

I t ’ s

C o m i n g

The very being who killed you and turned this resort into ruins is right outside the garden, ready to re-enter this zone and start hunting again.

Let me show you proof.

H e r e

I flung open the office door.

Directly across the hall was a large window.

Through that window, where it was too dark outside to see much, the bright office was reflected instead.

There it was, clearly visible. The silhouette atop the hexagram in the reflection.

The red rabbit.

M a g i c B u n n y

I s H e r e

You.

– ……

The mascot suit touched its face, reached up to its head, and checked for the two ears sticking up.

And then, looked down at its own hands.

Red fur. Rabbit paws.

– Magic Bunny.

Its hands trembled violently, and its limbs twisted with terror.

-Magic Bunny! Uwaaaah! Aaaaaaah! Save me! Save me!! Please save me! Don’t take out my guts! My resort! Resort!

I hurriedly dumped salt over the office floor.

‘Erase it.’

White salt poured over the blood and black plastic drawing the hexagram, erasing the pattern.

As it was erased, the mascot suit was gradually pushed toward the center, clutching its head and screaming.

– Run away! Magic Bunny is coming! The red mascot is coming! It’s coming along the red path! Aaaah! Aaaaahhh!

– Save me! It’s infiltrating! The wriggling red ■■ inside the suit ate me! Only the dregs remain underground! Save me!

– Disappear, red thing, disappear, red thing, disappearredthingdisappearredthingdisappearredthingdisappearredthinplease

The summoned one, who had been tearing at its head…

Cruuuunch.

…finally tore its own head off.

With both hands, as if wishing to get farther away, or in awe, or in terror, it lifted the mascot head high into the air. Raised it up.

And then.

Thud, it collapsed to the floor.

……

……

‘Haah.’

I sank down onto the office floor.

‘I thought I was done for.’

I almost got absorbed and ended with the standard mascot ending.

Even though this body is just stuffing, my heart felt like it would burst.

Still, somehow… I managed to handle it, and it feels like I achieved something impressive, but what’s important now…

‘…Time!’

How much is left?

I looked at the clock.

20:11.

‘49 minutes left until closing.’

Should I be dismayed or relieved that all this chaos only took ten minutes? What matters is one thing.

I failed to summon a good friend.

‘……’

No.

This definitely means something.

I gained something.

I learned the true identity of what was forcing me to run this resort.

And I got rid of it.

I straightened the crumpled document and picked up the pen.

……I didn’t feel that odd sense of control anymore.

‘I’ll be able to write the operating rules more freely now.’

Even things I couldn’t write before, things that would harm the ‘successful operation’ of the resort, I think I can now implement as I wish.

…Just like the crazy things Magic Bunny does.

‘It’ll be useful.’

I stood up.

…Still, if only I’d had a bit more time, maybe I could have succeeded. That lingering regret clung to my back.

Was it the coin that was the problem, or the bowtie, or…

‘…Maybe he just decided not to answer.’

Maybe the fatal flaw was that I didn’t summon it with my original body.

‘Huu.’

I gathered up the documents, looking for even a little bit of extra protection, and set out to find the blue mascot…

Driiiing—

“……”

I froze.

Driiiing—

I turned my head.

The telephone on the office desk was ringing.

Driiiing—

I stared at it, frozen.

Had the phone ever… rung at this resort before?

‘No.’

Room service calls use a walkie-talkie that plays a calling melody. Summoning a mascot makes a real bell sound.

But this was an old-fashioned ring.

…Someone was calling.

Driiiing—

‘……’

I walked over to the desk and picked up the old-fashioned receiver.

Click.

A dark brown, elegant wooden phone.

A cheerful and pleasant male voice sounded out from within.

[Hello! What a fine night. Oh, I’d be very grateful if you could connect me to the talented and cheerful mascot of Flower Golden Resort.]

…!

[Oh, it’s you. Perfect. Actually, I’d like to rent your simple and beautiful resort for a few days.]

[As you know, a celebrity needs a private place to relax. So I was thinking of spending my summer vacation at your resort…]

……

N o

[Hmm?]

I ’ m Q u i t t i n g

R I g h t N o w

[Oh my, but why didn’t you hand over the resort to that fellow just now? He seemed so desperate!]

[I’m kidding. Hahaha! It’s quite unpleasant that such a crude person tried to snatch away the resort you’ve nurtured.]

The distinctive voice of the Host comes from the phone.

[Mr. Roe Deer.]

‘……’

[It was an excellent idea to try to summon me, but you were so deeply immersed in the show that you overlooked a few things.]

Over…looked?

[Of course, that’s the talent of a performer fully immersed, and it’s fitting for the genre, but if it goes on too long, it gets boring. Now it’s time for the perfect advisor for you to appear—at the perfect moment for fun.]

[So from now on, your friend will offer you a few kind words of advice…]

The voice on the phone lowers.

[Now, hold the receiver and listen carefully to the amazing voice of this Braun.]

The Host’s friendly advice began to flow from the telephone.

Chapter 181 - [Flower Golden Resort], XII

……

[Can you hear me?]

I can hear it.

Braun’s voice.

Classic, cheerful, and with a distinctive accent.

[My heartfelt advice is already prepared, but no matter how good the advice is, it’s meaningless if you’re not ready to listen to it.]

[So, first, I need to properly introduce you to your current situation, Mr. Roe Deer.]

…Introduce my situation to me?

I held the receiver, and gradually fell into a strange sense of immersion, as if the conversation was spreading beyond hearing to all five senses…

…

[Can you see it?]

Ah.

I can see it.

[Oh, good! Then, let me introduce it! Roe Deer’s Great Adventures, Resort Arc!]

A classic band sound and applause as the curtain rises.

That’s…

‘Me.’

As if rewinding a sitcom, my days from the very first day I entered Cheerful Theme Park begin playing before my eyes.

Me, waking up in the resort facilities office wearing a Security Team uniform.

[What a fun costume! Isn’t it rather nice? A beast restrained by a belt, so typical of horror and allure. But it’s not bad. Not bad at all…]

Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong!

With cheerful sound effects, the things I did are edited and pass by in quick succession.

[That was the moment you became the owner of this resort. Hmm, the mascot’s deformed style looks a little childish… but it’s fine. This is a theme park, after all!]

[Yellow bowties for all employees? Oh my! It would’ve been better to just put mascot suits on all of them! Good heavens!]

Laughter.

[Goodness, giving out gifts and free spa services too? That’s a promotion so outrageous all the world’s gloomy souls would come running! Well, unless the resort goes bankrupt first, of course!]

Scenes flash by rapidly, edited for speed.

Braun’s cheerful commentary turns my desperate survival story into something like a fun and successful resort management tale.

[The dead staff rise up and start working again! Thus, Mr. Roe Deer learns another valuable mascot lesson.]

[‘You can’t fix a person, but you can fix an employee’!]

I felt strange.

‘…Did I really do all that?’

It was an odd feeling.

After all, true immersion is when you get absorbed in something that’s not your own experience.

In other words… it’s based on distance.

So, the yellow mascot’s actions in the flashback felt like something to be evaluated, not relived.

[And another! Someone unsuited to the dignity of the resort is thrown out the lobby doors once again!]

At some point during the past few days, I’d started endlessly adding new guest and staff rules, gradually becoming the resort’s powerful and fearsome manager.

A typical Cheerful Theme Park mascot.

That… that’s…

[Look at your rigorous guest selection process!]

The more successful the resort became, the more powerful I grew.

As the resort expanded, brought in more guests, earned better reviews, and made more profit, I began to judge management policy not by safety, but by the presence or absence of discomfort.

‘Wait a second.’

A feeling of wrongness slowly crept in.

And then… the scene finally reached the moment I changed ‘bodies’.

In the flashback, I naturally transfered my consciousness into a standard mascot to deal with the chaos inside the resort, when Supervisor Lee Seonghae killed Ladybug.

…Seeing it this way, it really was a perspective and ability that was no longer human.

[This is the scene. Here’s my first piece of advice for you, Mr. Roe Deer.]

[Let’s focus on this moment. But…]

With a tape rewind sound, the scene rewinds.

[It’ll be fun to watch it from a different angle this time.]

My consciousness, which had moved into a standard mascot, and what was left behind. My body.

The yellow mascot standing at the gate to the blue zone stands still for a moment, then soon begins handing out balloons and greeting guests at the gate.

Just like the standard mascots.

‘…!’

Thank goodness. It was right there the whole time.

Since it was next to the blue zone gate, it shouldn’t have been harmed or gone missing.

…Although I was immediately struck by horror at the thought that my own body could be treated like a standard mascot.

Anyway, an overwhelming sense of relief washed over me for a moment.

Now I just have to retrieve my body and quickly perform the ceremony!

T h a n k Y —

[Shh! Let’s enjoy just a little more.]

But the ‘advice’ wasn’t over.

[Now then… here it comes. Oh, what a foul and rude intruder!]

It’s dizzying.

The flashback fast-forwards again, soon leading to the recent rampage of Magic Bunny’s crazy gate attack.

The missing people, driven insane by torture from the red mascot, wail and beg and die as lunatics.

It was a hellish scene.

[A surprise attack! What an electrifying event that ratchets up the tension. Oh! Your response is great, too!]

One by one, countless missing people who were once ordinary become terrifying monsters, shouting for the red mascot, being killed like a joke, and rising again as red mascots.

And in the scene, the yellow mascot—filled with rage—threatened by throwing the corpse of the red mascot back through the gate.

From the black shadow of the mascot whose territory had been invaded, strange golden branches bulged out and then disappeared…

……

Wait a minute.

Rage?

Instead of feeling devastated or terrified by what happened, what came first was the anger of having my territory invaded?

I was going to punish the intruders?

S t r a n g e

That’s really how it was.

A chilling sensation crawled up my back.

In the end, I came to a conclusion about the evaluation of my own actions…

—Thoroughly contaminated.

As the yellow mascot, I had already become thoroughly assimilated into this resort.

Under the pretense of acting for the sake of escape, I was doing everything I could to make the resort more successful and expand it.

And the principles of the resort, which I had originally created for safety, had ended up dominating me, enforcing etiquette and dignity above all else.

…The means and the ends had been reversed.

S t r a n g e

I flailed my arms, and then realized.

Why do I still have my right arm?

This was already my fifth day here.

So why was my right arm still moving without any problem?

The dokkaebi flame that mimicked my right arm should be recharged every three days, yet there’s been no reaction.

Even my original body, which I’d left near the blue zone gate, still had its right arm intact. I, I…

I had reached a point where I could move my right arm just by having the form of a mascot suit.

A cold realization ran down my spine.

‘Just how much have I been consumed by the mascot?’

It wasn’t simply a matter of how long I’d been a mascot, but rather, the more successfully the resort was operated, the deeper this consumption became…

[That’s right. You were far too devoted to your role as the mascot of this resort. And…]

[It’s already too late.]

[You can’t quit on your own anymore. You are now a member of the Cheerful Theme Park.]

My hands trembled.

[You even personally drove out your meddlesome predecessor just now. The resort is now completely yours!]

Then…

C a n ’ t

E s c a p e ?

[Oh, it seems that’s the case, doesn’t it?]

This can’t be.

[And once the final announcement is made, everyone will know the truth. I’m talking about your soon-to-begin event, the Flower Golden Resort Illumination.]

…The mascot ceremony.

The mascot ceremony is a ritual that officially announces which mascot owns the Flower Golden Resort and has it recognized by the guests.

If it’s carried out successfully, that fame can be used as a stepping stone to expand to yet another facility.

The ceremony is about establishing one’s identity as a mascot.

So, the moment the ceremony is completed successfully…

—I’ll be officially recognized as a complete mascot.

The true and sole owner of the resort.

All traces of my former self will be colored over, and there won’t even be a remnant of self left to separate from the mascot…

‘That can’t happen.’

[Hm. I agree. What a boring fate it would be to spend the rest of your days in such a musty old resort!]

[Mr. Roe Deer, you have an obligation to keep experiencing and showing entertaining things. It’s something you personally promised your friend…]

F r i e n d

[That’s right. I am your friend. The very reason you came here!]

The kind voice continued to guide me.

[You wish to leave this place, don’t you, Mr. Roe Deer?]

That’s right.

[Then you’d best keep listening to my advice. Just take the receiver with you, Friend. Now, quickly unplug it and bring it along. Good…]

With trembling forepaws, I unplugged the receiver and picked it up.

The voice still came from the receiver, even after it was unplugged.

[Good… Very good!]

[Now, let me give you my final piece of advice… Don’t be surprised. It’s a magical solution that can get you out of this predicament! And that is…]

The voice drops to a whisper.

[Switch your place as mascot with one of the employees.]

……!

[There’s no need to make a brand-new mascot! Just have him imitate you.]

[If you make him perform the ceremony in your place, he’ll be mistaken for you. After all, if everyone thinks so, that’s what becomes reality. Oh, this will be so much fun!]

[Someone might feel sorry for that fate… but you can just pick one of those who exist only for your sake!]

[The two employees who swore to serve you forever until the contract ends, who have nowhere else to return.]

Bison.

Ladybug.

Those brought back from the dead.

[That’s right. The chosen one will faithfully carry on your mascot duties… well, until he’s eaten alive by the red mascot, anyway.]

[Choose one of the two and make him perform the mascot ceremony in your place, Mr. Roe Deer!]

……

[Very simple, isn’t it? If I dare guess, this is as good as already decided…]

The voice rises in excitement.

[The one your heart is pointing to, if you were to say the name…?]

……

[Mr. Roe Deer?]

N o n e

[Hm?]

I raised my trembling body and grabbed the facilities room door.

The time left until closing… 45 minutes.

C e r e m o n y

I ’ l l

D o i t

[…Oh. Don’t tell me you’re saying you’ll spend the rest of your days in this dusty old theme park, Friend? You, who have turned down a far more wonderful and suitable job for your talents, much less this one…]

N o

[Then do you have another alternative? How surprising! It must be quite a remarkable idea if you’re rejecting advice from this Braun here!]

I walked out of the facility office with a sense of resolve.

And I declared into the receiver.

My plan.

R e s o r t

B l o w I t U p

[……?!]

For a moment, there was silence on the other end, as if startled.

Of course, the legendary Host was quick to recover and speak smoothly.

[Good heavens. Mr. Roe Deer, destroying this resort doesn’t mean you’ll be freed from your mascot duties! In fact, you’ll only have to deal with tremendous expenses.]

[Where on earth did you get that reckless and useless idea?]

I t ’ s W o r t h w h i l e

Meanwhile.

I had finished my conversation with the blue mascot by using my original body, which was standing by the blue zone gate.

I t ’ l l B e F u n

F r i e n d

[…Oh, good heavens.]

Alright.

I took a deep breath.

…Let’s do this.

At the same time—

Flower Golden Resort, Evening Garden.

‘T-They’re still here…!’

The Magic Bunnies continued to stare.

The cute rabbit mascot, without the slightest movement, was watching the Flower Golden Resort’s garden and the employees within.

“……”

Dozens of mascot suits stared at me in silence.

It was a bizarre and unnerving experience.

All the more so if you had seen those mascot suits tearing out human entrails and laughing just a few dozen minutes earlier.

A few of the employees were breaking out in cold sweat. Though, this wasn’t just because of those unnerving stares.

“W-Why isn’t he coming??”

The yellow mascot still isn’t here!

Because they had all received a direct order from the mascot to ‘look after the guests’, they couldn’t leave their posts.

But the employer who had dragged a Magic Bunny mascot into the resort was still nowhere to be seen.

Ten minutes, twenty minutes passed, each one feeling like an hour…

“Don’t you know how much time is left now?”

“Forty minutes.”

“……”

“There are forty minutes left until closing.”

Yes……

The Disaster Management Bureau agent hesitated, hiding behind the team leader to avoid the Daydream Inc. employee in the lizard mask.

The team leader stifled a sigh.

‘…Should I be preparing, just in case?’

She gripped the Four-Tiger sword in her inner pocket.

And it wasn’t just her getting ready for a fight.

Some of the Daydream Inc. employees seemed to be limbering up.

Lizard. Dolphin.

‘…Looks like some pretty tough ones.’

Elite team, maybe.

She was eyeing them sharply, checking if their masks bore the gold emblem. But at that moment—

The one in the dolphin mask clapped her hands and waved.

“He’s here!”

“…!”

It was true.

There, the yellow mascot suit was waddling with all its might, running toward the resort.

The mascot with glass golden flowers adorning his horns.

At that moment, chills ran down the team leader’s back.

‘…He’s gotten stronger?’

He felt somehow like a far greater presence.

It was as if his power could be felt directly on her skin…

But his outward appearance hadn’t changed.

‘What is it?’

Did he devour something on the way?

But regardless of her suspicions, the yellow mascot’s gentle manner as he checked on each of the staff one by one was not reassuring.

It was almost like he was checking on his employees, making sure everyone was safe before calling all the other mascots together.

N o w

S t a r t

The team leader raised her hand.

“Wait.”

“…!!”

“T-Team leader!”

“You said after the event, when the amusement park closes, that thing comes, right? Do you have any countermeasures?”

The yellow mascot turned to the team leader and held out his hand.

I t ’ s O k a y

And pointed.

Y o u A l l

O v e r T h e r e

“…?!”

And so, with thirty minutes left until closing.

The long-delayed, extravagant illumination event began.

Chapter 182 - [Flower Golden Resort], XIII

In the evening garden of Flower Golden Resort, lights bloom.

Fwoosh.

A beam of light shoots into the sky, spectacularly exploding, cascading glittering lights like a waterfall onto the resort building.

Wow!

All around the garden, flowers of various colors blossom in radiant light, dancing gently and blooming sequentially as if choreographed. Even the luminous flowers held aloft by the non-human guests glow, eliciting exclamations of awe.

A sight so breathtaking it borders on the uncanny.

And soon after, the resort building itself begins to bloom with light.

Vines of glowing light climb upward, glittering along windows and terraces, rising to the very top of the building before bursting brilliantly into shimmering, pollen-like specks of radiance.

Letters carve themselves out in midair.

F L O W E R G O L D E N

At last, he has stepped fully into the spotlight.

The owner of this resort.

The yellow mascot walks out to the center of the garden accompanied by numerous mascots, performing choreographed dances. With each of their movements, the lights dance in harmony.

The cheerful theme song of Cheerful Theme Park flows through the air.

-♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

At the same time, faint echoes of the same tune, variated and coming from afar, softly reverberate.

Sounds from distant places.

“……”

The team leader of Black-Tortoise Team 3 glances around quickly.

Red zone and blue zone.

The other zones are also holding their own ceremony events.

Blue zone’s fireworks display, and…

– Kyahhahahaha!

The parade from the Red Zone.

Led by Magic Bunny, the insanely painful, joyful, horrific, and splendid procession had set off from the Magic Castle at the center of the Red Zone, accompanied by loud music, screams, and cheers.

The details were impossible to discern from this distance, but the team leader could roughly gauge the parade’s route.

And she sensed it clearly.

Their destination is here.

This was not the case yesterday. They must have changed their route.

As soon as this ceremony ends, that parade will also come to a stop at the red gate before the garden.

And the moment operating hours conclude…

“The entire parade will come flooding in, I guess.”

“…!”

“Ah, sorry. Did I surprise you?”

Had he made the same guess?

The team leader quietly observes the employee wearing the dolphin mask, who bows apologetically toward her, before nodding in acknowledgment.

She wasn’t young enough to openly express hostility toward the suspicious pharmaceutical company, especially after witnessing the strange exchange earlier.

– I W i l l S t a y H e r e

– I don’t like it.

– I t ’ s O k a y

– It doesn’t seem alright at all.

Right before the ceremony began, the yellow mascot had sent all the employees away from the garden, having them gather in front of the resort building.

As if protecting them from something.

Consequently, the staff were observing the illumination show from a considerable distance, nearly as far as the resort building itself.

And yet, seeing her team members staring as if hypnotized, the team leader feels acutely the bizarre nature of this ‘Mascot Ceremony’.

And if her eyes were not mistaken…

That dolphin-masked employee had been attempting to help the mascot, who had insisted on protecting his staff until the end.

‘……’

Younger agents often conflate the unethical nature of an organization with the individual personalities of its members, but reality was not so simple.

This applied equally to creatures from ghost stories.

And that only made matters more complicated…

‘Huu.’

She shook off those thoughts.

There was work to do.

And now was precisely the time to act.

Wowwwww!

Toward the finale of the illumination, as the yellow mascot takes center stage, his horns burst into brilliant golden light, blossoming into flowers.

At that moment, the yellow mascot turns toward them, lifting his front paw and waving theatrically, as if part of the act.

A will conveyed without words.

G o

“…Now!”

At that signal, the employees started running frantically.

Their destination was the gate leading to the Blue Zone.

And moments later…

The ground near the gate began shaking and rising.

The illumination raced toward its climax.

Beneath the feet of the yellow mascot standing in the center of the garden, lights gathered, lifting him gently into the air.

A drumroll.

Ooooh!

From the mascot’s horn, beams of light grew, spreading out and swaying like a massive tree, towering above the resort building.

Breathtakingly blooming flowers.

And as the mascot raised his hand perfectly timed with the end of the music…

Aaaaaah!

His name exploded in midair, crystallizing into complete recognition.

Flower Golden.

Master of the Cheerful Theme Park’s Yellow Zone.

Everyone knew. It was proclaimed to all.

Congratulations. Now, he was the perfect mascot of this place.

And the yellow mascot was overwhelmed by an extraordinary new sensation.

‘…!’

He felt the entirety of the Yellow Zone.

He knew everything happening in his resort, could control all mascots as he wished, and understood every law and ■■ governing Cheerful Theme Park!

Now he was the absolute master and mascot of the zone!

Aaaaah!

An instinctive thrill maximized the splendor of the illumination, culminating in one last magnificent burst of golden flowers, concluding the Mascot Ceremony.

Aaaaaaaaaaah!

However, at that moment, something emerged beyond the red gate.

The Parade of Madness.

The revolting, overwhelming, and splendid march led by Magic Bunny reached its end.

[Great Magic Bunny!]

The red rabbit, the carriage, the giant balloon shaped like a smiling face, and various parade floats stopped before the gate, having concluded their last sacrificial ceremony.

Lights flashed madly as if challenging the illumination, then abruptly went out.

Simultaneously, the waves of brilliant illumination faded into a final silence.

Ending.

Flowing softly now…

-♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

…The ending theme.

The gently rearranged version of the theme song began playing.

The park was approaching closing time.

– Attention please. The theme park will close in ten minutes…

The garden became quiet.

Guests who had enjoyed the illumination began dispersing, quickly heading toward the exit gates.

The zone quickly regained its busy tranquility.

It was the final stage of operations.

The yellow mascots tidied up the night garden, courteously guided the remaining guests, and managed the resort facilities.

No movement could be seen beyond the dark red gate.

The yellow mascots lightly celebrated the day’s successful event, checking to ensure no guests were left in the lobby.

No movement could be seen beyond the dark red gate.

The serene resort building now stood quietly illuminated, its soft lights gently visible through the lobby windows. Inside, the yellow mascots waved goodbye to the departing guests heading toward the exit gate.

No movement could be seen beyond the dark red gate.

Then the lobby doors closed.

THUD.

– See you next time~

……

……

……

Beyond the dark red gate.

Countless red eyes began popping open.

Magic Bunny’s parade horde surged through the gate.

Crunch, crunch—

The sound of guest corpses and living beings used as mats to prevent the carriage from getting stuck in the gate echoed horribly, staining the gate red.

The carriage rolled forward. From an attached music box beneath its wheels, a whimsical melody played. To that melody, creatures wearing Magic Bunny mascot suits stumbled onward toward the resort.

Their mascot suits melted stickily away.

Now, no longer restricted by mascot rules after operating hours, the red mascots discarded their forms to invade another zone.

Having surpassed the regulations and rules that no longer needed upholding after business hours ended—

Aaaaaah!

The red lumps, now walking on two legs, interconnected like blood vessels, morphing into something bizarre that the illusion of the theme park could no longer conceal.

Yet, even so, the parade continued onward.

Along with the sound of the music box, they trampled into the Yellow Zone garden, encircling the resort building in their parade formation.

Slowly, they drew closer, tightening their bizarre circle.

Closer and closer.

Pressing in.

Inside the lobby, the yellow mascots watched through the windows, taking defensive stances.

It drew nearer.

3-

2-

1-

Aaaaaaah!

The lobby windows shattered, and the parade poured into the resort building.

Utter chaos erupted.

Unfiltered killing intent and destructive urges exploded, and dozens of yellow mascots were captured and slaughtered.

Some yellow mascots attempted resistance or fought back, temporarily overwhelming a few attackers, but only briefly.

Soon, they were casually torn apart like toys, stuffing scattering everywhere as they ceased functioning.

Mascots fell from rooftops, their heads exploded, others were impaled onto freezer doors.

A cruel, horrifying, breathtakingly brutal scene.

Magic Bunny’s occupation!

Magic Bunny’s immense power!

Crunch, crunch, crunch!

Amidst this carnage, a single yellow mascot frantically fled.

The mascot with ornate horns.

The very mascot who performed today’s illumination.

The main body.

Kyaahahahaha!

Magic Bunny’s decorative fireworks burst alongside laughter, and sparks struck the fleeing mascot’s leg.

Ultimately, the mascot collapsed and crawled desperately as the lead parade carriage chased after it, careening wildly along a narrow path toward the facilities office.

Click!

The yellow mascot entered the office area exclusively for Yellow Zone staff, barely locking the door before the carriage reached it.

BANG!!

The massive carriage decoration tore the door apart and crashed inside.

The colorful carriage with its festive lighting, which had led the parade. The symbolic vehicle of Magic Bunny.

The huge, smiling red face of Magic Bunny on the front split apart.

Crunch, crunch, crunch!

Its decorative eyes burst open, its mouth ruptured, powder sprayed, and finally, from within, something oozed forth.

Aaaaah!

Magic Bunny’s true form.

Something digested by the red mascot.

A strange mass that had lost all resemblance to what it was before becoming a mascot spilled forth from the carriage.

Trophies of various body parts were crudely attached as if to replace its own lost limbs.

Countless eyes and ears, arms and legs.

Aaaaah!

Trembling with joy, it approached the yellow mascot.

Slowly, slowly.

Joyful!

Raw hunting. Raw delight!

Vengeance and liberation!

The thrill of usurpation!

With its leg damaged and stuffing spilling out, the yellow mascot could no longer flee.

It simply gazed upward at the horrifying, overwhelming figure before opening its mouth.

I d i o t

At that moment.

BOOM!!

The ceiling of the facilities office collapsed with a deafening crash.

The thing emerging from the red mascot’s shell lunged to devour the yellow mascot’s head regardless, but it wasn’t just the ceiling that collapsed.

Crash! Bang-bang-bang!

The resort itself crumbled amidst deafening explosions.

Heavy construction materials plunged down onto the parade creatures hunting the yellow mascot.

AAHHH!

An indiscriminate destruction of another kind.

Yet, the destruction didn’t stop there.

Under the weight and gravity, the resort’s first floor shattered and caved inward.

Countless Magic Bunny entities were crushed beneath, extinguished alongside yellow mascot corpses.

Crash! Boom-boom-boom!

Even in the facilities office—where the largest Magic Bunny entity had emerged—heavy chunks of concrete and metal pipes smashed violently onto the documents scattered across the desk.

The original document placed on that desk was…

I have decided to demolish the resort today.

Why?

Because I want to. Someone advised me that this resort is overly modest. Clearly, the previous owner’s taste wasn’t impressive.

It’s better to blow it up and build an even nicer one.

Unfortunately, I informed the guests scheduled to stay tonight about refunds and kindly escorted them out through the gate.

During the Mascot Ceremony, I set explosives.

It might be amusing to detonate it tomorrow morning and get some word-of-mouth publicity, but… well, who knows. I might suddenly blow it up tonight.

Either way, it doesn’t matter.

Because I’m the master of this Yellow Zone.

And.

Everything else that was in the resort at the time must be demolished together.

In accordance with this intent.

The resort was completely shattered and burning.

Along with everything within it.

“O-Oh my god.”

Far away, the employees groaned as they watched the resort building collapse, half-destroyed.

For now, they were safe from closing time.

Shelter>

As soon as the Mascot Ceremony concluded, the yellow mascot had hastily created this third facility underground near the Blue Zone gate.

Of course, rather than a proper service facility, it was closer to an emergency shelter. It was completely empty inside, but this emptiness was advantageous.

Employees could freely enter and exit without any cost or consequence.

Because there were no extra effects, it was ironically safe for humans.

Thus, in this Cheerful Theme Park after closing time, they could remain safe without entering the lodging facility of the resort…

They watched their workplace get smashed and their employer repeatedly slaughtered through a small window near the ceiling.

“Wait a second! Is that mascot trying to commit suicide with them…?”

“H-Hey! It’s still there!”

“Fucking hell.”

From the rubble of the resort, a red mass surged upward.

Aaaaaah!

The red mass spat out something it had been chewing.

Golden fur.

The yellow mascot’s head rolled onto the ground, faintly illuminated by the flames of the burning resort…

“Ah…”

Though its slow movements suggested it had suffered significant damage, it had not completely stopped.

And this alone was enough to give the Yellow Zone employees an ominous feeling.

They had lost.

They would be absorbed into the Red Zone.

But then.

“T-Team leader!”

“Hold on a second, please.”

The team leader of Disaster Management Bureau’s Black-Tortoise Team 3 stepped out of the shelter’s door.

Since the Magic Bunnies had all swarmed into the resort building to tear apart and kill every yellow mascot, they hadn’t yet come to this place that lacked any mascot forms.

Thanks to this, the team leader could briefly step outside the shelter to fulfill a ‘special order’ from their employer.

The yellow mascot’s request.

– U s e – T h a t

How exactly he knew about it or calculated this was entirely beyond comprehension, but since it was a reasonable request…

“Huuu.”

She drew the sword from her coat.

A weapon said to embody pure yang energy, repel evil spirits, and dispel wickedness—a sword that cuts through disasters.

The Four-Tiger Sword.

An item exclusively provided to the team leaders of the Disaster Management Bureau’s Black-Tortoise teams.

The blade, emerging from its short glass sheath, extended endlessly outward.

One canvas depicted the 28 constellations, the other depicted sword energy.

All of it…

Lifted high.

The heavens bestow essence,

The earth gives aid with spirit.

The sun and moon assume their forms,

Mountains and waters take on their shapes.

And.

Thunder and lightning rage forth.

She swung the sword.

The collapsing resort.

Lightning struck down upon the head of the ensnared wicked being.

Chapter 183 - [Flower Golden Resort], XIV

The Four-Tiger Sword.

Legend says it was a sword originally forged in ancient times through rituals performed precisely during the Year, Month, Day, and Hour of the Tiger, to dispel evil spirits.

Specifically, the sword now grasped by the team leader of Disaster Management Bureau’s Black-Tortoise Team 3 wasn’t even sharpened. It was crafted solely for ceremonial purposes.

But precisely for this reason, it exerted incredible power in cases of supernatural disaster.

“Haa.”

Of course, it wasn’t usable in every supernatural incident.

Nor could just anyone wield it.

Only under specific circumstances.

– When an evil entity, clearly defined as calamity or demonic, directly invades one’s space.

The closer it matched this condition, the stronger its effect.

In most supernatural incidents, people usually enter or are drawn into a creature’s territory.

On the contrary, cases where an entity ‘invaded’ directly were rare, and situations perfectly classifiable as purely evil were even rarer.

But this time…

‘It’s perfect.’

The team leader’s hand trembled with excitement.

Because the entity had invaded the zone where she herself was employed.

Moreover, because it had discarded even the facade of a theme park’s friendly mascot!

Every condition aligned perfectly, thrillingly, like puzzle pieces falling into place.

“Ha!”

Thus, the pure yang energy from the sword surged forth along its half-drawn path, transforming into lightning that struck the evil and unholy being.

Utterly powerful.

Absolutely complete!

AAAAAHHHH!

“Aghh!!”

Thunder and tremors, powerful enough to shake even the distant shelter, rumbled through the ground and radiated outward.

Dust and debris momentarily clouded vision, then cleared…

“…!!”

Within the collapsing, flaming ruins of the resort building.

The grotesquely crushed corpse of the massive Magic Bunny parade cast its shadow amid the flickering flames.

And in the next instant—

Boom, boom, BOOOOM!!!

The remaining debris of the resort collapsed, burying everything inside the red mascots deep underground with the structure itself.

Completely.

“……”

“……”

“Is… Is it over?”

The team leader of Black-Tortoise Team 3 opened the shelter door and lightly stepped back inside.

“Ah! Team Leader!”

“Hush.”

She sighed, brushed off her clothes, briefly examined the sword intently, and nodded.

“…There’s nothing evil left here now.”

“Huu!”

The agent sat down with relief.

The resort employees, who had already guessed the identities of the Disaster Management agents from their appearance and speech but had hesitated to confront them given the situation, also visibly relaxed.

“Was this what Mr. Mascot asked for?”

The team leader nodded lightly.

The employees murmured softly in admiration. Mr. Mascot had planned it all along!

Right. So while he used the resort building itself as a trap to contain the insane Magic Bunny, he had arranged for a suitable employee to deliver a decisive blow…

……

…Wait a minute.

“T-Then what about Mr. Mascot…?”

He was buried within the building when the lightning struck.

Silence.

All eyes turned to the team leader, but she slightly shook her head.

“I didn’t hear anything beyond that.”

“……!!”

Wait.

“I-If even one yellow mascot remains, can’t we still communicate? It seemed like he switched bodies…”

“They all stayed at the resort!”

Moreover, everyone had seen from the shelter that the mad Magic Bunny had chased down every last yellow mascot to rip them apart!

“Then… the Yellow Mascot is dead too?”

“…!”

Some employees panicked at the agent’s speculation.

Harvest Mouse grabbed the collar of the employee who had once been Ladybug.

“Y-You, don’t you know something? Anything?!”

“Communication with Mr. Mascot is currently cut off! Let’s just wait together until the theme park opens again!”

“Aghh!”

“W-Wait! If Mr. Mascot’s not here… who’s going to stamp our cards? We need proof of using this shelter! Who’ll confirm we used this place?!”

“Calm down! Tomorrow morning we can just go to the Blue Zone and get stamped there!”

“You can! I have a yellow token—I have to drag even Mr. Mascot’s corpse with me! Otherwise, we’re stuck here!”

As the mascot grew stronger, they could freely move around within the zone, but rules were still rules.

If they wanted to clear the board game without getting hanged, they absolutely had to move together!

…Dragging a dead mascot along?

The face of the sole surviving member of the yellow team, Harvest Mouse, holding a yellow token turned pale.

Tap-tap.

“……?”

A polite knock echoed.

Turning their heads, they saw Section Chief Lizard tapping gently on the floor.

“Come out now.”

In that instant—

Crack.

With an odd sound, the floor suddenly burst open, and someone sprang out from within!

“Aaaagh!”

“Ahh!”

It was… it was…

“T-The Security Team!”

A figure wearing a strange mask, black smoke pouring from its entire body. Numerous bizarre horns, yellow lantern-like eyes, and a glowing light at its waist. It looked like a supernatural being forcibly restrained into human form by a belt.

This was the true body that had been inside the yellow mascot suit.

“…!!”

Because they had become accustomed to facing the mascot’s cute appearance, the Daydream Inc. employees had forgotten. But at the sight of its raw, grotesque form, with danger signals blaring, a sudden chill ran down their spines.

But at the same time, they realized the reality.

He’s alive!

“Aha! You must have thought Magic Bunny wouldn’t find you easily without your mascot form!”

“Ah…!”

Indeed, after business hours ended, the yellow mascot had shed its mascot costume, just as Magic Bunny had done. While the yellow mascots lured Magic Bunny into the resort, the real body had quietly hidden beneath the shelter, safely alive. In other words…

He’s completely fine!

“Th-then… is the Yellow Zone safe now? Eek!”

The true body of the yellow mascot quietly turned toward the weasel-masked employee and nodded.

“Ahh…!”

At that moment, the shelter filled with relief.

They survived!

They had safely survived Magic Bunny’s attack!

“Ahhh!”

Observing all of this silently was the team leader of Disaster Management Bureau.

‘Hmm.’

Her eyes rapidly scanned the yellow being.

Apparently, this was the real entity hidden inside the cute yellow mascot costume.

‘Did Daydream Inc. actually find a way to control supernatural entities?’

She knew that Daydream Inc. had been obsessively trying to figure out how the Disaster Management Bureau cooperated with the dokkaebi, and perhaps they’d developed their own method.

‘…It seems there might be some sort of seal on it as well.’

It certainly didn’t look harmless, but not every powerful entity was evil.

She recognized that this entity genuinely intended goodwill towards and protection of the human employees.

‘Hmm. But… did that entity consider the consequences of failure?’

What if the Magic Bunny had realized sooner that the real body of the yellow mascot was hiding beneath the shelter? They certainly would’ve attacked the shelter, killing everyone.

‘Well… maybe they thought if things got that bad, dying cleanly together would have been better.’

The team leader felt a vague unease but decided to let it pass.

After all, this intimidating supernatural phenomenon seemed to harbor enough goodwill to avoid outright classification as a disaster.

“Oh, so Section Chief Lizard already knew Mr. Mascot’s plans! That’s why you knocked to inform us, right?”

“No.”

“Huh? Then how did you know?”

“I heard a sound.”

“Oh.”

The atmosphere became fairly amicable.

The team leader also noticed that despite the mascot’s intimidating presence, its current movements seemed oddly weak, and its spiritual aura was no longer making her skin tingle.

Ironically, when it had worn the yellow mascot costume, its presence had been chillingly oppressive.

……Apparently, it had been severely weakened, either from Magic Bunny’s lethal attack or from losing the resort, the source of its mascot power.

‘…Has all its energy been drained?’

The team leader conveniently misunderstood the costume’s effect!

Meanwhile, the yellow mascot did something else unusual.

“Uh, Mr. Mascot…?”

The special Security Team entity calmly raised something and placed it near where the ear of its mask would be.

It was…

‘A phone receiver…?’

A classic-style receiver with its cord torn off.

For a while, he stood silently, occasionally nodding or shaking his head.

Of course, no sound came from the disconnected receiver…

“……”

“……”

What on earth was he listening to?

In the silence, employees felt an odd creepiness, but they tried to keep the hopeful mood alive.

“S-So, we just need to hold out here until morning, then leave! Anyway, we used the facility, and with Mr. Mascot here, he can stamp our cards, so…!”

“……”

“R-Right?”

The mascot stared quietly at Harvest Mouse.

Then shook his head.

“…!”

“Does that mean… we can’t get out?”

At that moment—

The black smoke swirling around the mascot drew shapes in the air. Like dark haze, it revealed clear forms illuminated by the yellow lantern-like glow.

Words.

You can get out

“Ah…!”

But first

Let’s finish this

“Huh?”

We’re taking over

The Red Zone

“…?!”

And so, in the dead of night—

The employees of the Yellow Zone carefully emerged from the shelter, following the bizarre entity that had served as the yellow mascot.

Even the shelter itself had begun to waver, perhaps due to the collapse of the Yellow Zone.

“Well, since it’s come to this, let’s just go along.”

“Team Leader…”

Agent Gomyeong wiped tears, complaining how he’d spent all day calling on superiors.

Several employees considered rebelling, refusing to follow, but inevitably came out of the shelter begrudgingly, as their teammates moved first.

Because if they became separated from those who’d drawn the same-colored pieces, they’d face immediate execution by hanging. And none were confident enough to overpower Section Chief Lizard or Supervisor Dolphin, who had already moved to join.

Moreover, the most capable potential rebel had already been reborn with a new identity as an ‘Employee of Flower Golden Resort’.

“My instructions are to follow the employees’ actions and cooperate!”

Thus, everyone followed the special Security Team entity wearing the security uniform.

The first destination…

…was the gate, now darkened.

– Are we infiltrating the Red Zone through the Blue Zone?

The former yellow mascot nodded affirmatively to this question.

“Huu.”

The employees hurried across the gate, even careful of their breathing, and then…

Their eyes met those of the Blue Mascot.

“…Ack!”

It sat motionlessly by the gate, still wearing its mascot costume.

But it lacked the liveliness of business hours. Anyone could tell this was merely an empty mascot suit controlled from within, rigid and lifeless.

The strange entity, formerly the yellow mascot, approached it and communicated once more with smoke.

To the Red Zone.

The one wearing the Blue Mascot costume quietly stood up.

Then began walking, as if to lead.

“……”

“……”

Had this already been agreed upon?

Swallowing nervously, the employees silently followed the two supernatural entities.

The Blue Mascot led them through the closed-down water park.

Splash.

With each step, water splashed underfoot.

A dark waterfront, illuminated only by the eerie yellow lantern-light emanating from the strange entity, feeling ominous enough to forget it was ever a theme park… tension crept up some employees’ spines.

Then—

“Hey, Blue Mascot? Isn’t it stuffy to keep that mascot costume on?”

Aaaack!

“Mr. Mascot said you can’t cross zones in mascot form. Shouldn’t you remove your costume if you’re coming along?”

At Supervisor Lee Seonghae’s blunt words, several employees and even an agent froze in shock.

But the Blue Mascot remained silent.

……

It simply stared at the questioner briefly, then kept walking without a word.

Supervisor Lee Seonghae tilted her head curiously but quickly shrugged it off and followed along.

Soon, they stood before a giant wall.

The barrier separating Magic Bunny’s Fantasyland and Blue Dream Waterpark.

It seemed to have been reinforced once more, thicker and flashier than before.

Section Chief Lizard asked,

“Shall we break in?”

The former yellow mascot nodded, but raised a hand.

Wait.

Then he turned to gaze at the Blue Mascot. The one in the costume quietly walked to the very back.

Thud, thud.

The employees heard the heavy, sluggish footsteps of the mascot suit moving behind them.

And then.

Do not look back

“…!”

The employees staggered.

It felt as though a deep, oceanic pressure, a force as overwhelming as a tidal wave, had seized their insides.

Instinctively, they knew. It was safe only because it was behind them. They must never face it. To look back would be—

Disastrous.

“……”

Zzzzzzip.

Behind them, a rusty zipper slowly opened, followed by the sound of heavy fabric falling to the ground, leaving something standing there.

Splash.

The sound of water dripping.

At the very front, the entity carrying the yellow lantern formed new words from smoke.

From now on

Never

Look back

“……”

The employees swallowed hard.

Thus, they took their first step into the darkness of Magic Bunny’s Fantasyland…

With something from the abyss following right behind.

The ending was near.

Chapter 184 - [Flower Golden Resort], XV

I walked forward, slowly.

Magic Bunny’s Fantasyland.

Everything had stopped, and it was dark.

A silent amusement park, in itself, was enough to conjure up truly terrifying thoughts.

All the more so if I was the one walking at the very front.

‘Huuuu…’

Is this what it would feel like, hiding in a haunted house, dressed up as a ghost?

I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry about the fact that I was wearing a Security Team uniform now.

One thing was certain. The strange sense of stability I’d felt inside the mascot suit was now gone.

…It has its pros and cons, but I couldn’t help feeling the tension rising.

[Ah, a midnight infiltration! What a tense and delightful situation!]

[And, if I may, let me say this once more. What a spectacle that was earlier! A gigantic trap to hunt a gigantic monster! Destruction is, after all, one of life’s most primal joys. What a wonderful show it was!]

Hmm.

Hearing Braun’s voice through the receiver, I felt a familiar, easygoing comfort, and a faint sense of relief.

‘Should I be glad that at least you’re enjoying this?’

If the storyteller from a ghost story had said it was boring after I’d promised him entertainment, I would’ve broken out in a cold sweat.

And even aside from that, this was a moment to be glad and relieved.

Everything was proceeding according to plan.

Splash.

Behind me, following along, was the Blue Mascot.

No, not the mascot, but whoever had taken off the mascot suit.

Just thinking of them sent a chill down my back, but at the same time, someone inside me let out a sigh of relief.

Terrifying, but at the same time, it felt like having a whole army at my back.

‘It’s a relief we reached an agreement right before the ceremony.’

At first, I’d wanted to ask them to attack the Magic Bunny zone right after the park closed for the night.

To tell them, ‘Attack the Red Zone while my resort is under siege. Eat it.’

But the timing would have been off… and if the Blue Mascot lost, it would be a disaster.

‘It seems like the two of them are evenly matched.’

I suspect the Blue Mascot thinks that the Magic Bunny is just as powerful as they are, which is why those two had maintained this mutual standoff.

If either one made a move, it could mean mutual destruction.

‘Given that the crazy Red Mascot never invaded the Blue Zone, there must be some kind of balance of power.’

So, I had to set the stage so they could safely devour Magic Bunny.

‘It needed to proceed step by step.’

That’s why I took the most cautious approach that had the most probable chance, and it led to this very moment.

The employees and I hid in the shelter, and bombed the resort itself.

Then, together with the powerful Blue Mascot, we invaded the Magic Bunny’s zone.

Of course…

‘There were conditions.’

N e v e r

L o o k B a c k

‘……’

Still, I couldn’t help but listen intently.

Splash.

The sound of water behind me, the tail dragging on the ground, something massive dragging its belly as it walked, following behind.

It was audible.

It sounded like the roar of a giant wave, or a snake moving, or something strange—maybe even like wings or whiskers brushing by. Or like something sticky, dragging itself across the floor.

Following behind, the being who’d taken off the Blue Mascot suit… something.

Splash.

My nerves were instinctively on edge.

Maybe… unlike the Magic Bunny, the Blue Mascot hadn’t had their entire identity sucked dry by the theme park, hadn’t lost their outer form.

The sounds suggested they were at least maintaining some kind of shape.

Of course, I couldn’t turn around to check.

‘There must be a reason.’

I kept the smoky letters, ‘Never look back,’ floating ahead as I walked. Ah, at some point, I started being able to do this. Was my own costume influenced by the mascot in return?

Anyway, we kept moving forward.

The destination was the center of the Red Zone.

Magic Bunny’s Fantasy Castle.

“……”

“……”

I hadn’t even warned them to be quiet, but even the civilian being rescued by the Disaster Management Bureau was keeping her mouth shut, treading carefully.

‘There’s really no need for that.’

But maybe because of the anxiety, our steps became more like a near-run.

The brightly colored castle-shaped building of the amusement park loomed rapidly out of the darkness.

The largest, most important facility in this zone.

‘…Something must still be there.’

Even though the Magic Bunny’s main body and its horde had invaded the Yellow Zone, been struck by lightning, and buried under the rubble, there were surely scraps left in the Red Zone.

And any of those could become the Magic Bunny.

Now I knew. That’s the nature of mascots.

And over time, those scraps could start functioning as a new main body.

We had to take care of it before that happened.

“…We’ve arrived.”

I stopped first, hearing Supervisor Lee Seonghae’s whisper.

The back side of the Fantasy Castle was visible.

Yes. We’d approached from the rear, and as befitted an exaggerated fairytale palace, there was a cleverly concealed back door finished with modern technology.

“……”

I didn’t stop Section Chief Lee Jaheon from forcing the door open.

Crack, screeeech.

The door swung open, revealing a gaudy, silent interior in all its colors.

Things that looked horrific, yet were displayed as if they were just theme park props, appeared in the darkness and then disappeared again as soon as my lantern light passed.

Gulp.

I heard someone behind me swallow.

[Now, search to your heart’s content, Friend…]

I thoroughly searched every wall, making my way to the gate where the red rabbit mascot would have stood to greet guests.

And then, what I’d been searching for appeared.

[Authorized Personnel Only]

“This is…”

“…Looks like a staff area, maybe?”

That’s right.

Even the resort had an office for authorized personnel only.

Remembering how I’d found operational documents and stamps in there, I figured the red zone must have a similar space.

If there was any place where I could be recognized for conquering the red zone…

‘This must be it.’

“Is this our destination?”

I nodded.

Section Chief Lee Jaheon, without hesitation, forced open the locked door again.

Down below.

A modern-style staircase leading underground appeared.

The stark design looked corroded here and there, as if rusted by blood.

“……”

With smoke, I presented everyone with options.

Choose freely

▶ Wait here

▶ Go down

“Huh…?”

And I quietly stood at the stairway leading into the ‘Magic Bunny Only’ area.

‘Please, let at least a few strong ones follow me.’

The thought of walking down in silence, unable even to look back, with whatever had taken off the Blue Mascot suit, made me break out in a cold sweat.

But surprisingly, everyone came along.

“W-What if I stay behind and accidentally look ‘back’ while I’m waiting!”

“In situations like this, the stragglers always die.”

“……”

Hm. That was a pretty convincing argument.

Anyway, the darkness exploration began again.

As we descended, we passed doors with strange names: ‘Supply Room’, ‘Freezer’, ‘Magical Storage Room’, but I ignored them and kept going.

I could feel it.

[Oh, is that the instinct of a former mascot?]

Something like that.

The others followed me, doing their best not to even look through the glass set into those doors.

At last, when we reached the bottom, I saw a rusted nameplate.

[Mascot Development Lab]

The door was half-open.

Found it.

“Excuse me, sir. Just a moment. ‘Mascot Development’… what does that—”

I grabbed the doorknob and flung the door open.

“…!!”

I heard the employees clamp their own hands over their mouths to stifle screams.

No wonder. What was in front of us was…

[My, how avant-garde!]

In the center of the huge Development Lab, a gigantic red body, only half-stuffed with cotton, was visible.

It was a gigantic, monstrous… thing. Hind legs with sharp claws, grand and sinister membranous wings, a severed tail, only the lower half remaining.

“Urrrp—”

People froze with fear.

Then, a lively voice piped up beside me.

“Oh, it’s a mascot suit!”

“…!”

“But it looks unfinished, doesn’t it? There’s only half of it.”

That’s right.

On closer inspection, the half-finished lower body on display was empty inside, with bundles of cut hair stuffed in to substitute for cotton here and there.

Traces of trying to create a mascot suit in-house.

‘Huu.’

With my lamp-lit vision, I inspected the lower half of the strange beast more closely.

It was covered in dense scales.

Those were human fingernails.

‘…Ha.’

And that wasn’t all.

All over the spacious ‘Development Lab’ were parts that had never been assembled, just left scattered about.

A yellow, vertically slit eyeball, small fin-like membranes, huge birdlike foreclaws, a tongue, bits of flesh from a snout.

Remnants of mascot development. Many of the materials hinted at their disturbing origins, making me nauseous.

Apparently, they had never managed to officially introduce or use this as a mascot for the theme park.

This was, after all, the zone of the red rabbit, Magic Bunny.

That majestic and overwhelming form simply didn’t fit this cute, colorful amusement park.

Cheerful Theme Park would never have allowed it.

“Instead of the rabbit, did it… want to use that as the new mascot?”

“……Who knows.”

I could hear the agents whispering.

[Developing a new image! A cliché but classic idea. What’s your take, Mr. Roe Deer?]

Hmm.

‘…I think it might be the opposite.’

[Hmm?]

‘I mean, maybe it was trying to restore its original form with that suit.’

The Magic Bunny had completely lost its original form inside the mascot suit.

‘So I think it tried to remake the suit in the image of its true self.’

Whether by instinct or calculation.

But in the end, it failed.

‘And judging by those fragmented pieces, the original identity of Magic Bunny was…’

At that very moment, something moved.

“AAHHH!”

I quickly grabbed the civilian by the back of the neck and tossed her toward the agents.

Ssssslurp…

The scaly tail the civilian had been staring at intently started to move, dripping some viscous fluid.

“Huuuhk.”

A remnant of Magic Bunny.

It had been clinging to the inside wall of the tail-shaped mascot suit, writhing.

No limbs.

No collection of organs or limbs harvested from missing persons and guests.

Just the residue from inside the mascot suit, having lost its original shape.

But its cunning and aggression seemed unchanged.

And then.

Creakcreakcreakcreak.

Sounds began echoing from all around.

All the mascot suit parts in the Development Lab began to vibrate.

And the huge mass in the center started to twist its joints, following the tail.

Beneath the red costume, even redder things were writhing and swelling.

“AAHHH!”

Some screamed, others hesitated on the stairs, unsure whether to run because they couldn’t look back, and agents took defensive positions with the civilian between them…

“Should we destroy it?”

“I feel like we could actually fight this one?”

N-No, that’s not it!

I quickly shook my head and manipulated the black smoke again.

I sent it toward the huge figure that had quietly waited in one corner of the lab, the one that had followed us from the very back.

The true body of the Blue Mascot.

“…!”

The one who had shed the Blue Mascot suit was engulfed in my black smoke, momentarily hidden from everyone’s view.

‘Now!’

I gestured for everyone to evacuate up the stairs.

The employees rushed to the stairs in a panic, and I followed, taking up the rear and pressing my back to the lab door.

Standing the same way, backs to the lab and sweating coldly, I drew back the smoke I’d sent to the Blue Mascot and formed new words.

Never look back

And then.

Splash.

A sound came from the Development Lab.

“……”

The one who had been inside the Blue Mascot moved.

To do what had been promised.

A massive, powerful step moved slowly. An oceanic presence. The master of the deep. There was a grinding sound, as if, with a sense of regret, it surveyed the scattered mascot suit pieces and their contents…

At last, this moment has arrived

O wicked seed of a foreign land

It devours.

“…!!”

The remnants of Magic Bunny’s contents in the Development Lab were crushed and sucked in, as if by a raging tidal wave or vortex.

Just like the ‘bad child’ who’d been sucked into their mouth at the water park.

Devoured.

Grotesque screams, monstrous emptiness.

“Huuhhk.”

“Urk!”

Instinctively, people clamped their ears and bowed their heads, not wanting to witness or accept what was happening.

But…

Someone was looking at me.

The one wearing the yellow mascot mask.

Jang Heowoon was smiling faintly.

As if he were already completely subsumed by something else, as if he no longer capable of feeling fear in this situation.

As if he could turn around at any moment if he wanted and look directly at what was happening now.

A different kind of chill ran all over my body.

But even behind me, the immense presence reached its peak.

A huge surge of something lashed around the lab like a massive whip or tail. And then.

It vanished.

“……”

“……”

Those who’d had their ears covered slowly lowered their hands.

From behind us, a will that seemed to try to be gentle could be felt.

It is done

“……”

And then.

The staircase began to move.

“Huuuuh?!”

It shifted like a wave, pushing people gently up the stairs as if being remodeled in real time.

“W-What is this?”

At last, the ‘Authorized Personnel Only’ door opened, and as they burst out into the open… they witnessed something astonishing.

“Uh…?”

All the red rabbits had disappeared from Magic Castle!

The grotesque symbols he had created were still there, but every rabbit character that used to fill the Magic Castle was completely gone.

Instead, a new image was appearing.

Blue Dream.

Here and there, the figure of a cutely deformed blue dragon was showing up, as if hurriedly renovating before opening hours.

“…!”

“I-It worked?”

The staff glanced at me, somehow, and I nodded.

The Magic Bunny zone had been overtaken by another mascot.

Completely!

Now

Safe

“Ah!!”

“We… We did it!”

Seeing the words I wrote in smoke, people let out sighs of relief. Some even smiled or laughed with joy, though they still couldn’t look back, so the sound just escaped their mouths.

“Um, thank you.”

“Thank you!”

They said, directed at the Blue Mascot.

The shadow behind me, cast by my yellow lantern, seemed to sway happily.

That shadow…

“…A dragon?”

“Team Leader?”

“A dragon or an imoogi… No, never mind.”

The team leader started to say something, then stopped herself.

“……”

A thought crossed my mind.

‘I was forced to take up the mascot role, too.’

If the one behind me was something else before becoming the Blue Mascot…

And if that mascot suit just now really was Magic Bunny’s true original form, now lost…

What if… Cheerful Theme Park had captured powerful beings from other ghost stories or legends and forced them into contracts as mascots.

“……”

Didn’t the board game you play to enter the theme park also come from Cheerful Research Institute?

‘It’s an odd feeling.’

Anyway, it’s not something to worry about right now.

What matters is…

The Magic Bunny is gone now.

Even if someone remains in the resort, there’s no longer any chance of being killed by the Magic Bunny.

‘It’s done.’

My heart felt lighter at that.

[You’re the one who worked the hardest, Mr. Roe Deer!]

[Thanks to you giving all the credit, that mascot, who now thinks he’s the star of a drama, will probably get even more full of himself.]

Huu.

‘Still, it’ll be fine.’

I led the staff out of Magic Castle.

Dawn was breaking.

Cheerful Theme Park would soon open for business.

We returned to the connecting gate to the yellow zone, but the gate we’d used was no longer the entrance to Blue Dream Waterland.

It was the gate Magic Bunny had installed.

But now, a different sign hung there.

[Blue Dream Fantasyland Gate]

The Blue Mascot, who had put their mascot suit back on, now waved from what was now their own territory.

The staff clumsily waved back.

[Good heavens, it’s like Stockholm syndrome.]

…That’s probably what Braun would have said, if he’d been there.

But with the arrival of dawn, the receiver had lost its function, and the connection with Braun had already been cut.

Still, I was sure we’d meet again soon.

I hung the receiver on my belt.

Just then, Supervisor Lee Seonghae came up to me.

“Um, does this mean you have to go back into your mascot suit now?”

I just looked at her.

If there was no other solution, that’s what I’d have to do.

And then, unable to follow the others out, I’d remain in this theme park as a mascot forever…

If I quit being a mascot, there would be nothing left of me. …I would disappear.

But then.

– Cheerful Theme Park is now open!

As lively music signaled the start of operations, my Security Team uniform was overlaid with a resort staff uniform.

But it wasn’t a mascot suit.

“Huuh?!”

A neat suit uniform, with a yellow bowtie.

“A… staff member?”

That’s right.

Finally, the horns on my mask were smoothed down, and I stood there as a fully-fledged employee of Flower Golden Resort.

“Mr… Mascot?”

Um.

Strictly speaking, no.

This body was an employee.

Since when, you ask?

Since just before the illumination show started!

‘Because I signed an employment contract!’

Employer: GOLDEN

Employee: Roe Deer

That’s right.

I brought my original body, which had been waiting by the blue gate, and made it sign an employment contract.

So that I would be separated from the mascot!

‘As long as the being is alive, you can make it an employee.’

Since the mascot ceremony had not yet been performed, not all of my mind and body existed for the mascot.

But the mascot’s will was so strong that even a standard mascot suit could serve as a body, so this separation was carried out perfectly.

Thus, my original body was separated as an employee!

That’s why, even while I was buried inside the shelter, the Magic Bunny couldn’t notice me.

Because I was not a mascot, but an employee.

“Uhhh…”

I felt a little sorry that, as part of the Security Team concept, I couldn’t even manage a smile for the few staff who stared at me in confusion.

‘Still, I have to do what needs to be done.’

…Of course, there were problems with this process.

Namely, that my consciousness was split in two.

Experiencing the death of the ‘me’ in the standard mascot suit was not pleasant.

But I could endure it.

No, I had to endure it.

For this result!

‘Now I can leave.’

All the yellow mascots except for a few standard ones were dead, and even the resort had collapsed.

Taking advantage of this moment, when the mascot’s power was weakened, I could quickly resign as an ‘employee’ and leave this theme park.

As for the part of my consciousness that would remain behind, torn apart as a mascot and left in a ghost story… It was horrifying, but I had to accept it.

If, as Braun said, I’d dumped all of this on another employee, we both would have been torn apart by the Magic Bunny.

‘…If I’d tried that, my already weakened self probably wouldn’t have survived.’

In fact, this whole expedition into Cheerful Theme Park had been a special event arranged at my request by Director Ho.

Even if everyone had volunteered, especially Jang Heowoon… I kept thinking Director Ho had hand-picked him.

So, if I had to bear something, it was better this way.

I took a breath.

And from the ruined resort, I had the me inside the standard mascot suit escape…

‘Let’s have everyone resign first, then rebuild the resort.’

If I poured in the Cheerful Coins we earned by taking over the red zone, it would be easy.

Then the remaining employees would have a workplace again, and we could all escape quickly.

There shouldn’t be any problem.

Or so I thought.

Good Child

The Blue Mascot, standing beyond the gate, looked at me in silence.

Then, raising their hand to the air, they pointed toward the zone conquered by Magic Bunny, where they now stood.

Hm?

Here

Good Child

Take It

‘…?!’

W-Wait a minute.

But it was already happening.

The color of the zone transferred by the blue dragon began to change.

The paths that had turned blue now began glowing gold again.

And the golden light, spreading along half the path, began to occupy ‘Fantasy Land’.

‘Oh god.’

Nearly a third of the entire ‘Fantasy Land’, the parts serving as resort facilities, were dyed in golden light.

And everywhere, cat mascot decorations with flower crowns on their heads began to appear.

Good Child

For You

No.

No!! I had utterly no plans to expand the yellow zone at all…!

‘All I wanted was a bit of money to rebuild the resort!’

I barely stifled a scream at the expectant face of the Blue Mascot watching me.

Now there were five—no, seven—yellow zone facilities!

‘I’m going crazy.’

I could feel it.

The mascot’s consciousness was swelling far too much.

Wait, at this rate, I won’t be able to resign…!

‘The mascot is getting too powerful!’

Compared to when I just had just the resort facility, overwhelming things were pouring into my mind, pushing aside my employee self and making me want to shift my vision back to the standard mascot. No!

‘If I resign now, will I… will I even be left?’

On the verge of being overwhelmed by terror, and in that maddening moment when the mascot’s joy surged over me—

Light began to shine through my Security Team uniform.

“…!”

I looked down.

Light was leaking from my wrist in the shape of letters.

: 恩主 :

The tattoo that acted as my inventory.

And that light detached from my skin and formed an object.

Its shape was…

‘The employment contract!’

The words that had been blurred there began to come to life.

A person of inherent, existential nobility.

The strikethrough, which had previously been drawn across it in denial…

A person of inherent, existential nobility.

…disappeared.

Chapter 185 - [Flower Golden Resort], XVI

I remember.

When I had just been promoted to Supervisor at Daydream Inc.

I got caught up in that serial killer lodge ghost story because of a certain roommate of mine, but I barely managed to clear it without having anyone killed.

As a reward, I ‘inherited’ this tattoo from the lodge owner.

: 恩主 :

Later, I upgraded it at Moonlight Tattoo Shop, so now I use part of the lodge like an inventory subspace, but in truth, that’s not the real nature of this tattoo.

The lodge keeper’s employment authority.

It was a contract for commanding the servants who ran the serial killer lodge.

But I couldn’t use it.

– However, with all due respect, the employer must meet certain qualifications.

– There must be inherent, existential nobility.

That didn’t matter to me. I only tried to take over the employment contract to stop the lodge ghost story.

But…

Now, in this moment.

A person of inherent, existential nobility.

The employment contract says so.

That I meet that standard.

“You called for me.”

Somehow, standing across from me, holding the employment contract, was a man in shabby clothes.

In his hand, the red wax seal he used for his original contract was still intact.

The mountain lodge keeper.

Wearing a worn-out garment that covered his head, he nevertheless looked at me quietly, exuding a certain dignity and decorum befitting an attendant.

‘……!’

“As you have met the qualifications of my employer, I stand before you to serve and follow your orders under the authority of the contract.”

Wait a sec.

I hurriedly summoned my black smoke to move.

Perhaps because this ability was deemed unsuited for a ‘Flower Golden Resort’ employee, it was even harder to use than before.

And even though the black smoke turned golden midway, I still managed to write out the words successfully.

I’m qualified?

Where did that judgment come from?

“I too have some doubts, but that’s not for me to decide.”

But the criteria for nobility are

What you think they are

“I understand.”

Like a true servant, the mountain lodge keeper immediately spoke.

“Exceptional birth.”

…!

“A promised inheritance and power. The existence of those who beg for fear and mercy from them.”

And then…

“The ruthless and powerful authority as a landlord exercised over the parasites, visitors, intruders, and challengers in one’s domain.”

…Why do these explanations sound like something out of a disaster god’s job description? Wasn’t nobility supposed to be about good and virtuous values?

Well, come to think of it, the lodge keeper’s master was a madman who lured people with inheritance just to have them kill and be killed in the lodge.

‘Brutal…’

The more I listened, the more I realized these conditions were never meant for humans.

But apparently, everything I’ve done so far, being reborn as a mascot in a ghost story, fit those requirements.

‘Did the Yellow Zone of the theme park get judged as my domain…?’

But there’s one thing I don’t understand.

A promised inheritance and power?

“That’s right. You’ve had it since the first time we met.”

The lodge keeper bowed his head again.

But do I really have something like that?

Sensing my confusion, the lodge keeper respectfully pointed to something.

“It’s proven by a mark even more powerful than the seal of my employment contract.”

…!

Reflexively, I looked down at my left arm, hidden under my Security Team uniform.

My other tattoo.

: Socius :

The mark given to me by the Blue Mascot.

I turned toward the gate. The Blue Mascot, looking rather proud, said something.

I’m

Good Child’s

Guardian

‘…!!’

Good Child

Must Protect

Wait a minute.

So this tattoo… didn’t ‘socius’ mean something like ‘companion, member, kin’ in Latin?

I’d always thought it was just a VIP annual pass for the theme park since it burned onto my wrist as the annual membership ticket was destroyed.

But in truth, it was something even stronger…

‘They’re saying… They’re guarding me? Claiming me as family?’

I met the gaze of the cutely deformed blue dragon.

A mix of gratitude and chills passed through me.

Surely, it was an act of goodwill, and thanks to it, I had definitely benefited and escaped danger a few times.

But ultimately, it was because of this mascot’s goodwill that I ended up trapped in Cheerful Theme Park.

And besides…

Today, ever since dawn, it feels like I can hear the blue dragon’s words even more clearly…

‘……’

Stiffly, I stared at the Blue Mascot, and both the mascot and the nearby staff seemed to grow restless.

Just then, the lodge keeper’s voice rang out.

“Will you assign me to manage your domain?”

Wait.

Can you work

At this resort?

“Of course. Would you like to instruct me to manage this territory called ‘Flower Golden Resort’?”

He maintained perfect politeness, but there was a hint of impatience or anticipation behind the question.

Suddenly, I remembered how those who were completely bound to an employee contract in this resort had worked with real joy.

Even me, when I was fully immersed in management as a mascot.

Are you someone who wants to work?

“That’s not important. Only the will of my employer matters.”

The employer’s will

I want to know more

“…I exist to manage my employer’s domain on behalf of them.”

The lodge keeper explained.

“I have faithfully cared for the manor of a noble master, but if you entrust me with a greater post, I can serve you with even stronger servants to match…”

A desire to become something greater flickered briefly, then vanished.

So if he’s assigned to manage this resort, which is larger than the lodge, he’ll be able to exercise greater abilities.

Wait a minute.

You said you’d act on my behalf?

Then…

Even if I’m not here

The resort can still be run?

“Yes. I am a servant hired for that very purpose.”

A chill ran through my body.

Every operating zone of Cheerful Theme Park must have a mascot.

I couldn’t just offload my officially recognized mascot duties after the ceremony, but… if there was a perfect agent to take my place…

Could I finally leave?

“Shall I begin?”

I nodded.

At that moment.

“I will work according to your instructions.”

The lodge keeper’s appearance began to change.

…!

His shabby rags vanished, and a uniform and suit befitting a resort staff member appeared.

White gloves, neatly combed black hair, dress shoes, a monocle, and even the mask symbolizing the Yellow Mascot.

And then…

[Manager]

A name badge.

“Thank you very much.”

I had hired the mountain lodge keeper as manager.

With his tidy new appearance, the manager straightened his back, politely held out the red wax seal in his hand.

The wax turned gold.

He resealed the employment contract formed of golden light in front of me, and then the entire contract turned to gold and returned as my tattoo.

: 恩主 :

I watched as the light faded beneath my Security Team uniform.

“The term of your inherited employment contract is 1,241 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes, and 23 seconds by the solar calendar.”

That was more than enough. I’d be long gone with a Wish Ticket long before then.

The important part was this.

Now, I could leave this place without tearing myself apart as the mascot.

Because I had a manager to work in my stead.

A moment of relief left my head spinning.

Behind me, I heard the staff murmuring.

“Is that another Security Team special division staff?”

“Did he set all this up just for this…?”

“Wait, ‘for this’, what do you mean? Wasn’t it a coincidence he came here and got caught?”

“Uh, no, I mean… maybe that Security Team…”

Damn.

Before the Disaster Management Bureau could share more information about me, I quickly cut off the conversation.

Golden smoke spelled out words.

Your choice

▶ Resign

▶ Stay

“…!”

“R-Resign!”

“I want to resign!”

A wise decision.

‘I was planning to get them out right away anyway.’

The mood reversed instantly.

I watched as the standard mascots hurried over with resignation forms, and the staff quickly signed their exit confirmations.

‘Let’s just get everyone out.’

One by one, their uniforms disappeared and they returned to their original clothes.

To give them the promised items, I used a standard mascot to lead them to the gift shop.

Whether to laugh or cry, with part of the red zone now merged into the yellow, the gift shop had been included too.

‘Let’s focus on guiding them to what’s safest.’

But a few did not follow my lead.

“Ah, thank you very much.”

For example, Supervisor Lee Seonghae gave her thanks but didn’t immediately head to the gift shop or the gate.

In fact, once her uniform vanished, she staggered and cautiously sat down on the floor.

…!

The injuries she’d sustained before becoming a resort employee had returned.

Because she was no longer required to work as an employee.

“Oh dear.”

With both legs fractured, she sat comfortably near the gate to the blue zone and looked at me.

Quick return recommended

For injury treatment

“I’m fine! Let’s go together!”

Section Chief Lee Jaheon also checked the remaining staff after looking back at the manager and me, then quietly stood at the gate.

No!

‘Get out.’

All of you, just leave!

“You go first and report the rescuees.”

“Yes!”

…But why isn’t the team leader leaving yet either?!

I stole a glance at the Black-Tortoise team leader, who’d performed so impressively with the Four-Tiger Sword yesterday. She stood at the gate, arms crossed, only sending her subordinate out first. Secretly, I wiped the cold sweat from my brow.

Well, at least the urgent fires had all been put out.

Now, there was just one agent, one elite team member, and one Chief Lizard left.

‘Looks like a lineup that can keep their mouths shut…’

And then…

Two employees still wearing the Yellow Mascot mask.

Those who couldn’t resign.

‘……’

Judging from Supervisor Lee Seonghae’s condition, if those two canceled their employee contracts, they’d probably revert to how they were before returning as staff…

Which meant, as corpses.

‘Phew.’

I looked back at the lodge keeper.

While I was handling things, he stood perfectly still in a polite posture, waiting.

And then he asked again.

“Are those the employees who will work at the resort?”

Pointing to the two remaining staff.

‘…!’

Suddenly, an idea flashed through my mind.

If I could leave as a mascot after all…

They will leave the domain

Together with me

“Forgive me, but isn’t it difficult for those contracted as employees of the resort to leave this place?”

The standard mascot brought the employment contracts I’d signed to the lodge keeper, who checked them carefully and then declared as much.

But I didn’t back down.

The workplace doesn’t matter

Those people signed their contracts with me

And I pointed at the signature line on the contract.

Employer : GOLDEN

See this?

They belong to me

Not the domain

But me

“……”

The lodge keeper seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if checking if this conflicted with the resort’s operating policies…

Soon, he looked up and nodded.

“I acknowledge your instructions.”

It worked!

“Then you’re taking the employees out—”

“Wait.”

Just then, the team leader, who’d been watching our exchange, suddenly jumped in.

More precisely, she was looking at me.

“You’re saying you can send them out, right? Then, would you consider selling one of your ‘employees’?”

……!

Reflexively, I formed words out of smoke.

Employees are not for sale they’re upstanding workers

“……”

The team leader was briefly at a loss for words, then sighed and spoke, sounding a bit frustrated or perhaps exasperated.

“Yeah, that’s fair. Then how about dispatching them temporarily? I’ll pay you. I have quite a few interesting things to trade.”

Ah.

“You know that long-haired staff member? Send him with me.”

She raised a hand and pointed at someone.

…Jang Heowoon.

“I’ll take him.”

I looked between the two employees and suddenly realized something.

Jang Heowoon must never fall into Director Ho’s hands.

No matter what, being handed over to the Disaster Management Bureau was better. If he went to Director Ho, who knew what would happen.

How entertaining would it be? You disguise one spy as a cryptid and send him in, only for another spy who’s become fully contaminated as a ghost-story resident to run straight to back him.

Even if Director Ho wasn’t malicious enough to enjoy it, there was another problem.

‘We’ve lost a spy.’

If I showed too much leniency and suffered a loss, Director Ho’s anger might fall on poor Jang Heowoon as well.

Who knew how he’d be punished, but I had a bad feeling it wouldn’t be humane.

‘But would Jang Heowoon recover if he’s sent to the Disaster Management Bureau?’

He’d gone undercover as a spy, but no one could predict what would happen next.

A fierce debate played out in my mind.

Then, after reaching a decision, I wrote out a word with smoke again.

Alright

“…! Good. Then as payment—”

Wait.

For the safety and wage guarantee

Of the dispatched worker

Drafting a contract takes priority

“……”

After a long discussion with the Team Leader, we drew up a contract and exchanged copies.

And so, Jang Heowoon’s affiliation was transferred.

“My place of employment has changed! I’ll be in your care from now on, Agent!”

He gave me a polite farewell, “I’ll return after this assignment,” then followed the agent without hesitation.

‘Don’t come back.’

I sincerely hoped the bureau could find a way to restore Jang Heowoon to his original self.

Or at least…

‘…Let him be able to keep up the act as a spy for Director Ho’s sake.’

…Then I could use a Wish Ticket for him.

With that wish, I’d be able to restore Jang Heowoon to his living self, before he became an employee.

‘It’s worth trying…’

I quietly clenched my fist.

And… as I checked on Ladybug, I held back a sigh.

“Yes. I’ll prepare for the workplace transfer!”

Honestly, this guy… I can’t save another wish ticket for him, and the state he’s in is honestly his own fault, so I just can’t help him.

‘Still, I’ll at least transfer custody of him to Daydream Inc.’

That’s the right thing to do.

If I could take him out, I had to take him out no matter what.

“Have you finished up?”

After that, I wrapped up the handover and information sharing with the lodge keeper.

About the resort’s operation policies, profit distribution, and also—

“I’ve confirmed the unique implementation method you included in the contract.”

—about the inventory function of the tattoo as well.

“Once you clear out the temporary space you were using, I’ll have a new one set up at the resort. From now on, you’ll be able to send instructions to your domain easily through that gap.”

It seemed this tattoo would now serve as a strange new communication channel.

‘An upgrade again, huh.’

Finally, I asked the lodge keeper for the most basic information for communication.

Name.

Tell me your name

“Address me however you wish.”

What do you want to be called

“In that case, I ask that you call me ‘Resort Manager’.”

I nodded.

The person who was no longer the lodge keeper but would now be called Manager bowed to me, and I turned to head toward the Blue Mascot waiting at the gate.

The Blue Mascot, apparently eavesdropping on my conversation with the manager, desperately began to speak.

Now, Here

Our Home

Huu.

I shook my head.

The Blue Mascot looked shocked.

Why?

Bad Mascot

I Ate It

As if trying to convince me, the blue dragon waved both their front paws.

It’s Gone Now

It’s Safe

I shook my head as politely as I could.

And I formed a message out of smoke.

There is work I must do

My duty

The Blue Mascot’s shoulders drooped, but in the end, they seemed to accept it. Perhaps because I was still the recognized owner of this theme park zone, they seemed reassured that I would be back eventually.

Wait

Instead, they hurriedly used one of their other bodies to fetch something.

Then, just like how they had previously tossed churros and snacks to me, they carefully tossed something to me from the other side of the gate.

Take This

Reflexively, I held out both hands and caught it.

A scale.

A black and blue scale reflected a strange rainbow sheen in the sunlight, then waves of blue shimmered from inside.

You

Can Call Me

‘…!’

…Wait, could this scale be a piece of its original form from inside the mascot suit?

‘Can I really summon that? Is it okay to call them?’

At any rate, it was certainly something incredibly powerful, so I nodded and accepted the scale.

The Blue Mascot quietly watched me, and I shook hands with the mascot.

Then, they reached over the gate and pulled me into a tight hug.

‘Thank goodness I was treated as an employee.’

…And thank goodness I was wearing the Security Team suit.

“Shall we head back now?”

I nodded gladly.

With Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s help, I supported the limping Supervisor Lee Seonghae to the gift shop, then we all made our way to the exit gate.

One of the Fantasy Land exits had already changed to display the symbols of the Yellow Zone.

Looking up at it, Supervisor Lee Seonghae muttered,

“Hmm. If you come in through the board game now, won’t you always end up here? Usually when things get this entangled… it feels like it becomes ‘linked’ or something.”

It was a plausible theory.

But for now, escape was the priority, and I… really, really needed some rest.

‘Let’s go.’

One by one, we scanned our used tickets at the gate.

Beep.

And we all stepped out together.

Bye Bye

From behind us, I thought I faintly heard the now-familiar voice of the Blue Mascot…

The next moment—

“Huuu!”

We all opened our eyes, sitting on chairs inside Daydream Inc.’s Research Team office.

We had finally escaped after six whole days.

Chapter 186 - Reporting in

My second expedition to Cheerful Theme Park has finally come to an end.

And…

The assigned Research Team was thrown into chaos.

Expedition Results:

Of the 12 personnel dispatched, 8 returned.

Among the returnees, 2 completed the expedition within the scheduled time. Meanwhile, 6 were found in the conference room where the board game began, on the sixth day of the expedition.

Among them, an employee displaying symptoms of complete contamination (mask deformation) was identified and transferred to the Fox Counseling Office.

Among the 4 who did not return, eyewitness accounts confirm the deaths of 3. All had drawn the red pawn, and one was transported by a survivor as only a head but was lost in the yellow zone.

Additional Special Note 1) Upon visual inspection, the collected Dream Essence was found to be of higher quality than usual. Classified as similar to A-grade.

Additional Special Note 2) Several of the employees who returned on the sixth day reported having worked as theme park staff. They claimed to have received items from the gift shop as their wages.

This summary looked as though it was organized and had gone through a thorough confirmation process as if it had been a wiki entry.

The expedition duration was multiplied sixfold, yet the resulting essence was a grade higher. Truly, an irregularity.

And there was only one variable responsible for the irregularity.

‘Me.’

A staff member of the Security Team’s special division.

However, seen as something like a ghost story creature or a contaminated being, I managed to scare the Research Team just enough to smoothly escape the interview hell and head home.

– Excuse me! I’m really really grateful for everything. How can I contact you so I can buy you a meal…

– S-Supervisor!! That’s not allowed!

…During this, Supervisor Lee Seonghae kindly tried to make a friendly gesture toward me but was blocked by a researcher.

‘Which was a relief in the end.’

There was no way to contact me in the first place.

After all, all of this was just a disguise created by Director Ho.

And…

Before going home, I had to meet that very Director Ho, a boss even more relentless and frightening than the Research Team.

– You must have had a tough time, Soleum-nim!

As soon as I took off my Security Team suit, I checked the empty right arm and the dokkaebi flame that had returned to its lantern form.

The dokkaebi flame, as if frightened, had its lantern completely hardened.

Director Ho, strangely, smiled with his eyes as he looked at it closely, but fortunately, he didn’t take the dokkaebi flame away.

On the contrary, after seeing the Security Team suit I’d taken off, he said this.

– Wow! After traveling with you through this Darkness, Soleum-nim, it seems the Security Team uniform was affected in an interesting way.

– Even aside from that, it’s quite an interesting outfit, isn’t it? I’ll extend the rental period a bit longer. You never know when you might have another chance to use it.

I nodded obediently.

It was clear that refusal would not be tolerated. I was in no position to complain, either. Because, right then…

– By the way, do you know anything about Jang Heowoon’s whereabouts?

Huu.

– He’s the staff member sent in with you to assist, but I wonder if he was of any use to you.

…I told only the truth.

That agents from the Disaster Management Bureau suddenly entered, and Jang Heowoon, whose identity was divulged, was eventually taken away by them under the pretense of rescue.

– …Oh dear!

Director Ho looked unphased.

‘He… looked kind of pissed, too.’

– But Director, since Heowoon-ssi’s status as an employee of Daydream Inc. wasn’t exposed, he should be able to continue his spy work.

– Ah, is that so?

Disguised as deduction, I gave the excuse that ‘because of the contamination checks during the rescue process, Jang Heowoon’s movements will be restricted for a while’. Somehow, it seemed to work.

…For now, at least.

– Then, was Jang Heowoon’s Dream Essence Collector recovered? The Research Team was in an uproar, saying that A-grade essence was collected during this expedition.

– …Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the retrieval process so that it wouldn’t fall into the hands of the Disaster Management Bureau.

In truth, that’s not what happened.

I destroyed it myself.

To patch this logical hole… Right before escaping the theme park, I retrieved Jang Heowoon’s Dream Essence Collector and crushed it in the form of a standard mascot.

If Jang Heowoon were caught with it by the Disaster Management Bureau, it would be no different from confirming he was a spy.

But if I just left the collector inside a ghost story, it would automatically be sent back to the company, and because of the recorded data, Director Ho might find out exactly what state Jang Heowoon was in.

Destruction was the only answer.

– That’s unfortunate. Normally, the person in charge would have to pay points for destroying a collector… Ah, right. Since this was a special situation in the line of duty, I’ll smooth things over on my end!

– …Yes. Thank you, sir.

– Haha, it’s not like I’m doing you any special favor, Soleum-nim. Really!

Thankfully, Director Ho let it go without further issue.

I thought there might be an uproar because the collected essence was high-grade, but unexpectedly, he didn’t seem particularly attached to the high grade of the essence.

‘…Strange.’

Anyway, A-grade was A-grade, so I figured I should check my own elite team collector as well… but for now, that wasn’t possible.

…Because after going through all of that, I collapsed onto my bed and slept straight through until the next morning.

‘I really thought I was going to die.’

The only consolation was that I was so tired I slept straight through the night without waking up.

And to say it another way…

…It means my six days off vanished just like that.

And this morning.

As soon as I opened my eyes, I went to work at the Disaster Management Bureau……

Uuugh.

“Aigoo, long time no see. Not a word from our cold-hearted MZ Grapes the whole time you were off……”

Agent Choi, who was walking into Black-Tortoise Team 1’s waiting room with an Americano in hand, paused when he saw me.

“Did you go off training on some mountain while you were off? You look totally skin and bones! Hey hey, Jaekwan-ah. You agree, right?”

“Pardon?”

Agent Bronze, who was frowning as his superior pulled his arm and pointed at me, also froze and looked flustered as he realized what condition I was in.

“…Did something happen?”

I barely managed to answer.

“I didn’t, sleep, very well…”

“……”

“……”

It was the truth.

For five nights and six days, I’d worked day and night as a mascot at a ruined resort…

Agent Choi and Agent Bronze exchanged glances for a moment, then, as if coming to a silent agreement, quickly moved to sit on the nearby sofa next to me.

“You didn’t get enough rest?”

I looked at them with a feeble expression, saying nothing.

Ryu Jaekwan asked carefully,

“I heard you didn’t come in to recharge your dokkaebi flame lantern during your time off. …Are you all right?”

Ah.

“Yes, I’m fine… I guess I forgot since I didn’t need it.”

“……”

Phew.

For reference, the dokkaebi flame finally regained its energy after I coaxed and comforted it.

Apparently, something had gone wrong because it was overwhelmed by the mascot’s energy, but when I recharged it on my way to work this morning, it seemed to regain its usual cheerfulness as it returned to the form of my arm.

Though now, just mentioning the Security Team suit makes it tremble and give me a dramatic thumbs-down.

“I’m sorry. You even made sure I could use my vacation time.”

“That’s something you were entitled to anyway, wasn’t it?”

Agent Choi dropped his playful tone and continued comfortably,

“Hmm… Grapes-ie, you know there’s a really nice hot spring run by the bureau out by Seoraksan, right? How about we all go together next time we’re off? It’s pretty nice for an employee benefit.”

“……”

With coworkers… to a hot spring?

…But realizing what exactly that hot spring was, I quickly nodded.

I did want to see what the Disaster Management Bureau’s facilities were like at least once.

“Yeah. Good choice. …Still got some spirit, huh!”

“…?!”

Agent Choi ruffled my hair and patted my back.

“When you work hard and then suddenly rest, it all catches up to you at once. Physically and mentally.”

“……”

“But you still made it to work right on time. Good job.”

I only came to avoid getting exposed as a spy…

And after going through a ghost story under Daydream Inc.’s jurisdiction this time, the Disaster Management Bureau’s ghost stories honestly felt like fairytales in comparison……

Of course, I couldn’t actually say that, so I just nodded.

“Thank you.”

Then I leaned back on the sofa and spent the waiting time…

Except for the effort it took not to be startled when Agent Choi tried to suggest playing a board game—which I absolutely refused—there was nothing of note.

Fortunately, there were no calls for me either.

And in the afternoon, after lunch.

“Agent Grapes!”

I met Go Yeongeun from the Preliminary Investigation Unit, who had come by with some documents.

“Did you hear? You know, Vermilion-Bird Team 2’s… Agent Hwagak, who worked with you, Agent Grapes…”

Ah.

Go Yeongeun didn’t yet know about the theme park incident, but it seemed she’d learned about Jang Heowoon’s condition through other means.

“…No, this is the first I’ve heard. What happened…?”

Go Yeongeun’s face gradually lost its expression, and as if holding back tears, she continued speaking.

“Yesterday, he was found in a severely contaminated state, and I heard he’s now in the isolation ward. I heard he was transferred to Seoraksan…”

“……”

“They say he must’ve gotten caught up in some sort of supernatural… disaster while you were on break.”

“Are you two talking about our rookie?”

“…!”

Go Yeongeun and I both turned our heads at the same time. There stood the Vermilion-Bird Team 2’s leader, Jang Heowoon’s superior at the Disaster Management Bureau. He gave us a bitter smile.

Haa……

“Yeah. I guess for new agents, this could be a bit scary. When your coworker suddenly doesn’t show up to work, it’s unsettling, right?”

“……”

“But he’s all right, given the circumstances. That’s just how it is with people. If you look for a way, you’ll find one. What’s important is that we got him out.”

Behind the glasses of the Site Cleanup Unit’s Vermilion-Bird Team 2 leader, I could see that unique determination agents have.

But at the same time, there was a familiar sense of fatigue and sadness…

…As if remembering the agents they’d never managed to return to their original selves.

‘Damn it.’

I suppressed a sigh and the urge to curse.

In any case, the fact that Jang Heowoon was in a treatment facility and not a glass prison meant his cover hadn’t been blown. That was a relief…

“Still, it’s impressive that friend of mine brought him back. Hey, Haegeum-ie!”

“Huh?”

When the Vermilion-Bird Team 2 leader waved his hand, someone approaching from down the hall came closer.

It was the team leader-level agent who’d entered the theme park, Team Leader Haegeum from Black-Tortoise Team 3.

‘T-Team Leader…!’

I nearly choked.

“Ah. The rookies?”

“Ahh, right. These rookies entered in the same batch as our kid, and… this one’s the new hire for the Black-Tortoise Team this year.”

“Oh. The destroyer!”

……

“That Agent Choi has been doing such a good job at hiding you away that it’s only my first time saying hello to you. Nice to meet you, by the way.”

“I-It’s nice to meet you…!”

I almost retorted, but just barely held it in.

I forced down my embarrassment and greeted Team Leader Haegeum.

In my head, our ‘employee dispatch deal’ was running through my mind.

‘…I had to get something in exchange for sending Jang Heowoon, or it’d look suspicious.’

That’s why I received five jade badges made by the Disaster Management Bureau from this team leader.

…Recalling the wiki entry:

Jade badges made by Baridegi Workshop are frequently used as currency in supernatural phenomena.

Although they are known to be produced for ritual purposes, permission is requested for them to be issued as agent supplies.

A currency of ghost stories.

It probably wasn’t a huge loss for the team leader, but it was definitely useful.

“Still, I should properly greet our destroyer rookie agent. Here, shake my hand.”

“Yes… T-Thank you.”

Even without meaning to, my shoulders tensed automatically. Team Leader Haegeum from Black-Tortoise Team 3 gave my back a light tap, waved, and walked off.

I let out a sigh of relief and turned my attention back to Go Yeongeun…

“Wait a sec.”

……

“Haven’t we met somewhere before? You seem a little familiar.”

A chill ran down my spine.

“Uh, actually, I greeted you once in the hallway outside the waiting room… But you seemed tired and just walked past…”

“Oh?? Sorry. I’ve been busy lately. I guess I shouldn’t blame Choi then. So there was a chance after all.”

Team Leader Haegeum scratched the back of her head and laughed.

“In any case, I’m Team 3’s leader. If you’re bored on your way home, stop by the waiting room sometime. Got it?”

“T-Thank you…”

Huuu.

Just like that, Team Leader Haegeum left while chatting with Vermilion-Bird Team 2’s leader.

“……”

When I turned my head, Go Yeongeun was looking at me with an expression that said, ‘What in the world is going on?’

Really, a lot has happened, Yeongeun-ssi…

And then, 6 p.m.

I finally got off work.

‘Wow, please.’

It was a relief that I had a day shift.

The fact that there hadn’t been any call-outs was a stroke of luck, but even though all I wanted was to collapse and sleep even more, I couldn’t afford to do that.

‘I have things to do.’

“……”

I slipped my hand into the inventory tattoo and touched the ‘thing’ I had to take care of.

The soft plush of a stuffed toy tickled my fingertips.

That’s right.

A stuffed toy from the Cheerful Theme Park’s souvenir shop.

I’d succeeded in smuggling an original Good Friend out.

I’d used various loopholes to manage it, but I’d have to review all that again as I went through the ritual… There’s just one important thing.

Now, I can finally summon a Good Friend under the right circumstances, with the right medium.

‘Let’s do this.’

If I delayed any longer, I might end up repeating that late-night talk show fiasco, and just thinking about it made me break out in a cold sweat. I quickly opened the door to my motel room and went in.

But here’s the thing.

As soon as I opened the door, someone was inside.

A lizard head.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

……??

The familiar lizard face I’d spent the last six days with quietly looked at me.

I almost rubbed my eyes.

“S-Section Chief Lee Jaheon??”

I glanced outside the motel room and then back in, but no matter how many times I checked, it really was Chief Lizard.

No way…!

I hurried inside and carefully locked the door.

Don’t tell me…

“Are you here on Director Ho’s orders?”

“No.”

“Then how did you get in here…?”

“Infiltration.”

“……”

If that’s the case, you shouldn’t just stand there so brazenly…!

‘Director Ho probably already knows we’re meeting in secret anyway, but… i-is this really okay?’

Can you just drop by a spy’s lodging like this? No, seriously, why are you in someone else’s motel room without even a word?

“W-Would you like to sit down?”

“Yes.”

Flustered, I sat facing the lizard at the table.

I tried my best to explain my confusion…

“I see. But I came here to resolve something more urgent, given the priorities.”

Huu.

“I’m sorry, but I have something I need to do first.”

“What is it?”

“……”

Well.

You know that talk show ghost story, the one where you rescued me with bombs galore?

Strictly speaking, I’m planning to summon the host who was the cause of all that chaos again…

Should I even say this? Or, no, would not saying anything just make me a clueless idiot with no sense of danger?

For some reason, I felt like I was getting swept up in things, so I opened my mouth and explained the general situation.

I figured he would understand that it couldn’t be helped.

“I see.”

Sure enough, Chief Lizard nodded without hesitation.

However…

“Please follow proper safety protocols during the ritual. I’ll be checking.”

“……”

It doesn’t look like he’s planning to leave.

And so, with Section Chief Lee Jaheon in tow, I began the official summoning of Good Friend Braun…

‘Is this… really okay?’

I’m about to lose it here.

Chapter 187 - Reuniting

Good Friend.

The preparations for the summoning ritual were already complete.

No more of that tearful act from before, like using a substitute for a substitute at the theme park resort, making do with what little I had.

This time, I had prepared everything exactly as I had when I first performed the Good Friend summoning ritual.

A necktie, a Silver Serpent Coin, and… most importantly, a plushie from the theme park gift shop.

I picked up the stuffed toy.

This plush, fuzzy toy was, surprisingly… keyring-sized, and a pink bunny!

How did I end up with a bunny instead of a yellow-horned cat, even though I got it from the gift shop in the yellow zone?

Simple.

‘With a mascot’s authority, I set up a special sales booth.’

[DIY Plushie]

That’s right, a custom-made Good Friend.

Thus, I succeeded in acquiring an original Good Friend that looked nearly identical to the ‘Good Friend Keyring’ I had gotten from the Real Merch Box, except it didn’t have any of the keyring hardware attached.

Now, I just have to avoid thinking about what the raw materials for this stuffed toy are…

It’s all fine.

But, but…

“……”

“……”

I can feel one pointed stare.

“Um… If I just follow the instructions written here… I can proceed with the summoning ritual.”

“Yes.”

The lizard’s unblinking eyes were unnerving……

But Section Chief Lee Jaheon didn’t look away or seem inclined to compromise, so in the end, I conducted the ritual as he checked the manual.

‘It didn’t specifically say the ritual had to be done alone, but…’

Somehow, rather than tense, I just kept sighing as I went through the motions.

This time, I drew the lines to the right size and placed Good Friend’s small body in the center, then added the Silver Serpent Coin and performed the ritual exactly as before.

‘The necktie is also… same product as before.’

Salt in my mouth.

Burn the necktie with a lighter.

Ssshhh.

…I’m reminded of the first time I tried this.

Before I was desperately looking for an escape route after being suddenly trapped in a ghost story. Back when I was less scared and less resigned than I am now.

And, I recalled the being that answered that ritual.

Flicker, flicker.

The necktie burns and the flames flicker. In that flickering light, the shadow of the stuffed toy sways as if it’s moving.

And then…

The doll’s mouth opens.

– AAAAAAGH!

……

Huh?

– Stop! STOP! I got here firsForgivemedearpassengerherearetoomanyIsee O you who knows honorTeacher, sir?AconsultationlikethisisRockpaperscissorsYoucalledformesoI Worthlessbeings BEGONE! Sangun-nim is descenaaaAAAAAAGH!

The tiny doll jerks and writhes as if countless things are crammed inside it. But soon…

– Oh.

It stops.

– Ooooo the great Master of the Stage has arrived!

It is a chorus.

Like someone already holding all the authority, rousing the audience’s applause.

– He’s here! He’s here! He has returned! He has come to see you! He has come to see you—— that person!

The doll raises both hands high.

And then…

He speaks in a cheerful voice, child-like in his enthusiasm.

– Wow! My friend called me again!

“……!”

In the next moment.

Everything disappeared.

The hexagram drawn with moisture, the necktie I had been holding, the coin, even the salt in my mouth.

As if it had all been that way from the start.

All that remained was the doll, left alone on the motel floor.

This fuzzy stuffed toy.

“…Braun?”

But there was no response.

I almost panicked for a moment, but quickly realized what was happening.

‘The Good Friend originally only moves and talks inside ghost stories!’

And this is reality. Unless the plushie is reinforced with the Bloodbathtub, certain conditions are required. So…

‘Prepare for conversation!’

I quickly set Braun on the bedframe, turned off the lights, and left only the bedside lamp on under the bed.

The lamp’s light shone on the plushie, casting its shadow on the wall.

My hands trembled slightly the whole time.

Whether it was from anticipation, or from what I’d just witnessed, I couldn’t say.

‘…What exactly just happened?’

It was as if countless somethings had been summoned into the Good Friend stuffed toy, but everything passed so quickly, I couldn’t analyze anything.

Reflexively, I looked at Chief Lizard, who nodded.

“It was conducted safely.”

“……”

Alright…

Anyway, finally finished with preparations to converse with Good Friend in reality, I leaned against the bed and looked at Good Friend’s giant shadow cast on the wall…

And then.

– Friend!

“…!”

A lively, familiar voice echoed through the room.

The voice coming from the bunny plush.

“…Braun.”

– We’ve finally met again! How moving this is. Ah, what a perfect scene this would be for a talk show opening!

– Mr. Roe Deer, I heard you’ve been through a lot. But there’s no need to worry anymore. Your most faithful advisor, your best guide, your one and only friend in the world has returned to your side!

That tone, overflowing with showmanship.

Strangely, just hearing his voice brings a quiet sense of… nostalgia and a lump in my throat.

– At times like this, a hug and cheers would be ideal! The audience should be… hmm. Not moving, I see.

– Mr. Roe Deer, for some reason my body feels as heavy as waterlogged cotton… but with my friend’s support, I think I could manage. Come, would you stand in front of the camera with me?

“Haha… No, it’s fine.”

Even hearing such spine-chilling words from him was almost nostalgic now.

Leaning against the bed, I looked at the plushie’s shadow on the wall with relative ease.

“Let’s talk a bit more first. How are you feeling?”

– I couldn’t be better! As long as I can talk to you, Friend, even if my limbs feel heavy, it’s a comfort I can bear. I’ll get used to it again, little by little!

– Then, once more, to the place where each joyful day with this Braun begins anew……

There was the sound of clothes brushing, as if he was looking around at his surroundings.

His voice faltered.

– …Oh my heavens. Friend, where on earth have you been staying?

Ah.

I looked around the room.

As you’d expect from a cheap motel behind a train station, it was a, um, rundown place…

– Has my body really been leaning against this filthy wall? Gracious!

“It’s not dirty. I cleaned it thoroughly before the summoning ritual… It’s just old, that’s all.”

It only looked dirtier because of the floral pattern!

But it wasn’t enough to convince the talk show host.

– ‘Just old’? No, this is an insult to the very concept of housing. My friend is staying in a place worse than a trailer where even third-rate actors wouldn’t stay!

– Whatever happened to the humble haven you used to have, Mr. Roe Deer?

“That’s… um. My work changed, so I can’t stay there anymore.”

– What a terrible company!

Well…

In truth, Director Ho suggested I get an officetel for the sake of stability in my spy activities and clear proof of identity.

He even said the company would cover the cost.

But I refused.

How should I put it… I just didn’t want to create something here that I’d end up calling ‘home’.

The company-provided dorm felt less personal since it was clearly provided by the company, but if I made a place that was truly mine, I felt like my guard might drop.

“It’s actually not so bad here. I’ll make sure your spot is well taken care of.”

– My heavens…

– Friend, I supported your independent and autonomous choices, even cheered you on to resignation. But to think you had to stay in a place like this.

The plushie spoke in a mournful voice.

– Please remember that Braun’s Talk Show is always wide open for you, even now, Friend. Though, these days, you might need to go through a light interview first…

“Mr. Roe Deer, is this stuffed toy currently tempting you with a talk show-style Darkness?”

“No, well, that’s always the case…”

……

……?!

I turned to look at the lizard.

The guy with that white lizard head, who was sitting on the bed, was looking at me nonchalantly.

Nonchalantly?!

“You can hear this?!”

“Yes.”

I nearly fainted on the spot.

Wait a minute. Does that mean he’s been hearing our conversations this whole time? Even when I entrusted Braun to Section Chief Lee Jaheon and went into the ghost story… no, even more than that!

“U-Usually, with this item’s characteristics, only I should be able to hear him. How on earth are you able to hear him…?”

“? The other party is expressing intent to communicate.”

I stared at him, mouth agape.

“…Ordinary humans shouldn’t be able to hear him.”

“Yes.”

“To other people, it would look suspicious.”

“That is correct.”

The lizard just stared blankly at me, as if asking what I expected him to do.

“There is no one else in this space.”

“……”

I gave up on everything.

Come to think of it, Section Chief Lee Jaheon recognized me even when I was turned into a child, or when I wore the Security Team suit, or even when I put on the mascot costume.

‘Is he specialized in mental identification or communication…?’

It’s probably better to just chalk it up to the abilities of a reptilian alien.

That’s just easier…

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

“Yes.”

“Would you like some advice?”

“…Pardon?”

“Burn the doll immediately.”

– Oh.

Aaaack.

“The summoning ritual was carried out in accordance with safety procedures, but the summoned entity appears to have the potential to break free of the ritual’s restraints at any given time.”

– This rude brute still doesn’t know moderation.

Ah, please.

– If you’re present somewhere you weren’t invited, you should at least observe the unspoken rule of keeping your mouth shut. To prattle on so ignorantly! Unbelievable, but out of respect for my friend, I’ll say a few words.

– I am an existence that respects my friend’s privacy and is ready to help with anything for my friend. Because…

– I’m a Good Friend!

“When you placed your trust in those restraints, Mr. Roe Deer, you went missing for a month. Do not forget that.”

– Oh, that was simply an expression of my affectionate heart, worrying over my friend’s well-being. Thanks to that, Mr. Roe Deer, you were able to spend a month in the safest, happiest, most secure workplace for both body and mind… At least, until you dared to set your dirty feet in the great studio.

“Threats are being made.”

“W-Wait a second.”

In any case, since we’re under contract, as long as I exist in this ghost story world, there’s no way out, so there’s no need for things to get ugly…!

“I told you I was determined to resign, and in the end you were persuaded and let me go, right?”

– Of course!

“What logic did you use to persuade him?”

That was…

“…I said I’d show him something more interesting.”

– Ah, that’s right. I was truly curious about the outcome of that promise…

– Of course, even if it turns out not to be interesting, this Good Friend will always protect you. Enjoying my friend’s suffering is not what a Good Friend does!

“……”

What a peculiar way of speaking.

Come to think of it, this plushie-version of Braun is using language that feels much friendlier and more supportive, much more like he’s on my side than when we spoke in the theme park.

Just like in the past.

‘Now that he’s been summoned into the Good Friend plush, is he bound by that rule again…?’

But unlike before, I could now be sure.

The other party is treating the Good Friend’s restraint as a form of amusement.

Even though the restraint no longer served a purpose, he’s acting this way out of a sort of nostalgia and willingness to play along… or something along those lines.

If things get boring, he might just break through the restraint and drag me back to work as a staff member at his talk show.

‘…Thanks to Chief Lizard, I’ve become more vigilant.’

If I’m not careful, I could get swept up in the mood and become too attached to this Good Friend.

Right. I shouldn’t take everything this ‘Good Friend’ says at face value.

I have to prevent a repeat of what happened last time.

“Right. Thank you. Then… Braun, is it okay if you go back into my front pocket for now?”

– Oh, I certainly wouldn’t refuse that!

I barely managed to smoothly shift the topic and end the conversation with Braun.

Phew.

As soon as I put Braun into the front pocket of the top I was wearing, I let out a sigh of relief.

Still, there was a strange sense of stability, like I’d somehow gotten back on track.

For reference, the dokkaebi flame substituting as my right arm shook so badly when I tried to grab the plush toy with it, and I just ended up using my left arm.

‘Since when did it take this much negotiation just to use my own body…’

I feel like I’m reaching enlightenment.

“Is it over?”

“…Yes.”

Fortunately, the lizard didn’t do anything rash like snatching up the Good Friend plush and throwing him out the window.

Though he did stare at the bunny for a while.

‘…If Braun could move right now, a fight clearly would’ve broken out.’

In a way, it was a relief things were as they were.

To clear the air, I spoke up again.

“Um, Section Chief. Then, if the reason you visited today was because you noticed this…”

“It is not.”

Then what is it?

“Is there another reason?”

“Yes.”

“One moment.”

Huu.

I finally sat back down at the table and set out some simple snacks and coffee for Chief Lizard.

He accepted the coffee without hesitation, and I also drank mine across from him.

“I’d like to hear it now, please.”

I was ready to listen.

…It even crossed my mind that this might be about the D-squad.

“Yes.”

After swallowing a snack, packaging included, the lizard looked at me and spoke.

It was an utterly unexpected topic.

“Mr. Roe Deer, during your last ‘Cheerful Theme Park!’ expedition, did you have a Dream Essence Collector with you?”

……

Hmm?

“The company didn’t provide me with one.”

“I see.”

Right. I had been pretending to be part of the Security Team’s special division.

Normally, the Security Team isn’t given a collector because they’re too contaminated. The collector only dispenses Dream Essence if it recognizes the user as human, and they can’t pass that assessment.

But of course, I had brought one of my own.

An elite team collector.

The one I’d received from the Merch Box had, several times now, provided me with raw material so I could extract potions in the Dream Incubator.

‘This exploration is supposed to be A-grade.’

Should I check it now?

I opened my mouth as I checked the elite team collector I’d stored in my inventory tattoo.

“But why are you asking about—”

The elite team collector was completely empty.

“……”

Huh?

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

I carefully took out the collector again and checked to be sure, but still, nothing was inside.

‘That’s, strange.’

I definitely cleared the Darkness and escaped. That means the Dream Essence Collector should be full.

Why isn’t it filled?

‘Even if you clear the darkness, if the collector doesn’t recognize you as human, it won’t fill with essence…’

The phrase that just popped into my mind.

– The collector only dispenses Dream Essence if it recognizes the user as human, and they can’t pass that assessment.

……

Wait a minute.

I’m not human, is that it?

I’ve been classified as a ghost story entity?

But…

‘I’m still completely myself, aren’t I?’

I didn’t show any sudden or bizarre behavior like the time I went to the Fox Counseling Office.

So I feel like I’m maintaining my own sense of identity…

“Section Chief.”

“Yes.”

“Am I… contaminated?”

I met Chief Lizard’s gaze.

He opened his mouth.

“Yes.”

“……But I’m normal. It’s different from when I went to the counseling office…”

“It’s because you’ve been contaminated by a different Darkness.”

……Ah.

‘That… could be possible.’

That’s when it happened.

A brilliant shaft of light descended from above.

I looked up without thinking, and there was the familiar notepad and message…

[Dark Exploration Records Real Merch Box]

– New merch unlocked! (!)

A special phenomenon I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Almost unconsciously, I reached out and caught the item that dropped from the box.

A small silver music box.

“……”

It was the item I’d bought at the pop-up store.

Church of the Luminous Unknown Merch.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Church of the Luminous Unknown / Items

Music Box of Praise

A replica of the music box acquired through a certain ritual at the Church of the Luminous Unknown.

It’s said that the inside of the genuine article was engraved with the words ‘Knowledge of the Truth is Power’.

If someone who has become assimilated with a ghost story listens to the melody of the music box, there is a chance they may regain their human rationality and sense of self.

However, if listened to repeatedly more than three times, it can instead lead to falling into madness and committing unpredictable and horrific acts. See usage records here.

Some claim this is merely a side effect of realizing the unknowable truths of this world, and that the music box’s true usage only begins after listening more than three times.

As soon as the music box is closed, the melody is forgotten, and only the feeling remains, never to be recalled in your mind again.

Usage Requirement : One who has been granted the sacred scriptures of the Church of the Luminous Unknown, and has become assimilated.

----------------------------------------

Here, ‘assimilated’ means those who have mutated so much within a ghost story that they can no longer be recognized as human, according to the Church of the Luminous Unknown’s terminology.

So… the fact that I received this means.

I’ve met the item’s usage requirements.

I’ve been completely contaminated by the ghost story.

And I’m aware of it.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

“……”

“If you still do not wish to visit the Fox Counseling Office, please nod your head.”

This is driving me crazy.

“If you are unable to decide, please execute the alternative immediately.”

That is…

“What is it?”

“Please take out the thank-you card you received from the Space Shopping Mall.”

Reflexively, I did as he said.

A golden card popped out from my wrist, but Section Chief Lee Jaheon didn’t so much as blink.

“Now, please take out the cell enclosed within the card.”

A cell?

Was it referring to the gold chip, shaped like a SIM card, that had been enclosed inside the card?

“Place it under your tongue.”

“……”

“Make sure the circuit is facing up, and press it under your tongue.”

Normally, I would’ve hesitated and wasted more time.

But this time, a cold sense of crisis spurred me to act.

“Yes.”

I pressed the ‘cell’ under my tongue.

Chapter 188 - VIP Shopper

Space Shopping Mall.

How much money have I spent there, I wonder.

Even if I don’t remember every single item, it’s easy to calculate that it’s in the hundreds of millions.

I poured enough money into that shopping mall to buy all sorts of items, maybe about as much as the deposit for an apartment in the Seoul metropolitan area.

And then, one day, what I received was that golden card.

I am a Space Shopping Mall VIP! ~ Special Gratitude Cell Included ~

At the time, I had no idea what that gratitude cell even meant.

At least, not until this moment today.

“Dear Customer.”

I looked up.

I remember putting the cell under my tongue, but after that, things are a bit hazy.

Did I… doze off for a moment?

“Dear Customer.”

Wait a minute. Section Chief. I need to get a grasp of the situation and… Wait.

Dear Customer?

“Section Chief?!”

“No.”

Only then did I properly register the figure in front of me.

A lizard was staring blankly at me.

“Section Chief.”

“No. Dear Customer.”

Twice, I heard clear, firm denial.

I looked closely at the reptile in front of me. The snout covered in scales and the gleaming vertical pupils were the same as before.

But the color was different.

‘G-Grey?’

A grey lizard was now sitting where Lee Jaheon had been just moments ago!

The snacks and coffee I’d hurriedly set out on the table had also disappeared.

I swallowed hard.

“Who are you?”

“I am a shopper dispatched to assist VIPs in their personal shopping, and I act as a sales representative on behalf of the Space Shopping Mall.”

Holy shit.

“Would you like to proceed with shopping?”

I stood up from my seat. Right, I was still sitting at the motel room table.

And Section Chief Lee Jaheon, who had been sitting across from me, had been replaced by some similar-looking alien… Wait a minute.

Space Shopping Mall’s VIP shopping?

Don’t tell me… an employee has come out to do some kind of personal, door-to-door sales for me?

‘…Section Chief!’

Just a moment ago, we were talking about how I was completely contaminated!

Is this some kind of build-up to sell me items that are good for contamination? Well, even if that’s the case, if I can get rid of the contamination, I can’t exactly complain!

Barely calming myself, I quickly sat back down and spoke.

“I’d like to talk to Chief Lizard.”

“Are you referring to the being named Lee Jaheon, who works as a section chief at Daydream Inc.?”

I hesitated.

“Do you require him for psychological stability because he is someone with whom you have built a friendly relationship?”

“What happens if I say yes?”

“I will explain that there is no problem.”

The lizard’s snout opened.

“We know who you are, Mr. Roe Deer, and what we know is exactly the same as what Section Chief Lee Jaheon knows.”

“……!”

“Additionally, we wish to maintain a friendly relationship with you as well, Dear Customer.”

“……”

It was strange.

Come to think of it, Section Chief Lee Jaheon often started sentences or explained things using ‘we’ as the subject.

And the button I used was called… ‘We Can Help’.

We.

“Who exactly is ‘we’?”

“We are the Coalition. Speaking to Lee Jaheon or to the being in front of you now is the same as speaking to the Coalition.”

The conversation was getting more and more metaphysical.

So… a bizarre collective of alien beings sharing a single memory and emotion…

‘I have heard about urban legends like this before.’

It really was like something out of a sci-fi story. I mean, of course it would be, since this was an alien shop at the end of the day.

I held my head in my hands as I replied.

“Just… let me speak to Section Chief Lee Jaheon. I don’t want to shop right now.”

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

“……!”

I looked up.

But the white lizard was a different entity. It’s not Lee Jaheon.

Yet, it spoke in exactly the same manner.

“You are in a situation where you need help. If you can receive the proper treatment in the form of shopping, please accept it.”

“…What kind of treatment are you talking about?”

“I am here to assist you with your shopping. Would you like to start your VIP shopping at the Space Shopping Mall?”

It was an evasive answer.

But catching on to what the lizard meant, I nodded slowly.

So I can only proceed if I shop, huh.

“…Yes.”

“Understood.”

The grey lizard nodded.

The next moment.

The table began to grow enormous.

“…?!”

On the endlessly stretching table to the left, objects appeared, shrouded in mist. And in front of those objects, tentacles… No, wait. Where am I, exactly?

“We accessed you through the cell you ingested. Through your homepage UI complaints, VIPs are now provided with the most familiar and comfortable environment for shopping, as a service…”

“Did I say that out loud?”

“Yes. Please sit back and enjoy your shopping.”

The lizard speaks in an extremely professional manner. No, wait, what does it even mean that I’ve been accessed through a cell…

“In that case, before proceeding with your shopping, we shall conduct identity verification. In your current state, it is difficult to clearly confirm your intent to purchase, so we will distinguish things to help ensure a comfortable transaction.”

“Distinguish?”

“Yes.”

Entities begin to appear along the endlessly extending seats at the table.

“…!”

They’re hard to see, hidden in fog. But the closer they are, the more their features become faintly visible.

A supermarket cashier’s uniform, a stylish broadcaster in a luxurious suit and elegant gloves, a kindergarten teacher holding an handbook, a high school student in a school uniform…

The ghost stories I’ve experienced.

Me, contaminated in those ghost stories.

“……!”

And the two figures sitting closest to me are not shrouded in fog, their forms are clear.

I slowly, stiffly turned my head to check.

Yellow mascot.

Black cat.

I t ’ s O k a y

C a l m D o w n

[This way]

They’re even speaking to me.

Chills ran all the way up my spine.

In front of each at the table, decorations and colors symbolizing their respective ghost stories have been added. I sprang up from the table, trying to run away…

“Dear Customer. You are currently connected to the Space Shopping Mall through the cell. This imagery is merely a projection of your mind. In reality, your personality and self have not been split.”

“……”

“Please do not be overly wary of yourself.”

“…Is this a visualization of my contamination? So I can refer to it while making purchasing decisions?”

“It is similar.”

I’m going crazy.

For now, I sat back down and pressed my temples. The yellow mascot fidgeted, looking like it wanted to help me.

This is seriously driving me insane.

“Would you like to check?”

Check what?

“For a smooth shopping experience, would you like to take another look at the features of the projections sitting closest to you?”

“……”

Instinctively, I understood.

This is advice.

So I lifted my gaze and looked at the ‘me’s’ filling the table.

WhereamII’mconfusedLet’sgofindthehandbookagainThrowingawaythehandbookwasareallyhugemistake.

Welcome to Looky Mart!

[The graduation ceremony will start again soon. I need to return to school.]

– What a unique place. If I do an in-depth report, the great host might prepare a new corner for me!

I’m going to hurl.

But that repulsion comes from things I know. It’s fear that arises because I know them well enough to imagine them.

However…

“……”

I looked at the faces of those sitting closest.

Since they weren’t shrouded in fog, their distinguishing features were relatively clear.

But then.

“Who are you?”

The one sitting just after the huge mascot at my side, obscured by it.

It was draped in something like an old rag.

“I’ve never seen you before.”

A me I don’t know.

I n t r u d e r

The mascot turned its body, clearing my view toward that figure.

As I looked more closely, I noticed the material of the unfamiliar me’s rag.

That was… worn parchment.

“You.”

I looked at the unfamiliar me.

“Take that off.”

“……”

The figure sitting at the table slowly pulled the parchment rag off its head, revealing itself.

Me, dressed in a scarlet janitor’s uniform.

– Caught me.

The mimic from the Church of the Luminous Unknown turned to look at me, twisting its head.

Kekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekeke

“Allow me to cover up anything that interferes with your shopping.”

The next moment.

The me in the janitor uniform vanished from the table.

“……”

My heart pounded.

“Dear Customer. Did anything from your mind’s image just now come to mind?”

“Yes.”

I remembered.

I reached into my inventory tattoo and pulled out the item I’d forgotten… No, the item that had been subsumed so I’d forget it.

A worn, rolled-up piece of parchment.

The Mimicry Sect’s Scripture, Verse 4

Story Usurper

The item that came out when the security sergeant disposed of the mimic I met while cleaning in the company basement, back when I was under disciplinary action.

A fragment of the Church of the Luminous Unknown’s sacred law.

I also remember wrapping it up with ‘Wrapper 12B357나’ to block its effect.

‘And… On Tamra Express, I unwrapped it and wrapped it around my body for defense!’

After that, as I got caught up in Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show, I never had a chance to think about this Church of the Luminous Unknown’s scripture.

Or maybe, at some point, my narrative had been manipulated so I couldn’t recall it.

‘…If I hadn’t just received a music box from the Church of the Luminous Unknown in the Merch Box, I would’ve completely forgotten.’

It was thanks to seeing another item from the same source just now that I was able to recall it.

And…

“Dear Customer. The parchment is swallowing something.”

“Yes.”

I saw it too.

I forcibly pulled out a black, cylindrical object that was almost completely absorbed into the parchment.

A fountain pen.

“…!”

It was the brainwashing item from Sekwang Technical High School, the one I’d gotten back from Baek Saheon by turning the tables on him.

‘I had forgotten about this too.’

I realized.

Apparently, the scripture had been stealing the narrative of this fountain pen.

It grew stronger through that, and one day when I was taken over, I was completely assimilated into the bizarre phenomenon of the Church of the Luminous Unknown…

……

Wait a second.

‘What else have I forgotten?’

I racked my brain quickly. But nothing came to mind.

Of course, it must already be a stolen memory!

If that’s the case…

“Can I receive a list of the items I’ve purchased so far from the alien shop?”

“Yes. Are you attempting to track down the whereabouts of your items?”

“…That’s right.”

“In that case, I have something to tell you.”

The lizard looked at me.

“There is an item you have forgotten.”

“What is it?”

“You received strength-enhancing gear from Section Chief Lee Jaheon and used it to craft new equipment, but the whereabouts of the crafted item are unclear.”

“…!”

“Section Chief Lee Jaheon attempted to inform you of this fact, but soon realized that simply notifying you would not resolve the problem.”

…I remember.

– Does it enhance strength?

– Something similar. Use it as a parent item when crafting a new special equipment.

– ……! Thank you.

We definitely had that conversation.

As I listened, I slowly realized what the item was.

‘…It was a bracelet.’

It was something I last made together with Assistant Manager Eun Haje at the Daydream Inc. annex.

At that time, she had suddenly appeared in my room… just like Section Chief Lee Jaheon appearing in this motel room now.

But after making that custom equipment, I have no memory of what happened to it.

There were several crisis situations where I could have used it, but it never came to mind.

And it probably never will again… because it’s already been devoured by the sacred scripture fragment.

…It’s a chilling thought. I barely managed to speak.

“I’m sorry. After you went through the trouble of lending it to me.”

“It’s alright.”

Even though it said it wasn’t Section Chief Lee Jaheon, it accepted my apology as if it were natural.

‘Huu.’

Calm down, calm down.

At least I noticed in time. That in itself is a relief.

‘Was the Dream Essence Collector not filling up because the mimic had almost completely overtaken me?’

On top of that, I’d been playing all sorts of bizarre roles, from the Security Team’s special division to the mascot, ‘imitating’ them all, so the effect would have been amplified.

…Most likely, that’s why I was judged not as a human, but as a being of the Church of the Luminous Unknown.

‘Huu.’

Thanks to that, it feels like the contamination has gotten even deeper.

With a gloomy gaze, I looked at the bizarre “me’s” seated around the table.

The cat slapped its tail on the table with displeasure, its eyes blood-red as it stared at me, and the mascot drooped its horns, looking dejected.

All the other reactions left me feeling dazed.

And although I hadn’t been expelled from the table, the part of me overtaken by the mimic was probably still inside me…

‘Ha.’

For now, one thing at a time.

I signaled to the fragment of the Church of the Luminous Unknown’s sacred law.

“Can I dispose of this parchment through the shopping mall?”

“It is not an item the Space Shopping Mall purchases.”

“Do you deal with any of the contaminations sitting at this table?”

“They are not items the Space Shopping Mall purchases.”

Huu.

Right. Either way, these are too dangerous to be sold to humans, so of course they wouldn’t be accepted here.

‘But Section Chief Lee Jaheon guided me this way as an alternative to the Fox Counseling Office.’

If so… it must mean there’s some method.

At that moment, the ‘We Can Help’ button flashed through my mind.

“Then, is it possible to request the ‘Coalition’ to remove these, for a fee?”

“Yes.”

“……!”

The lizard looked at me.

“Are you requesting an order to permanently destroy a part of yourself?”

D o n ’ t

I t ’ s D a n g e r o u s

Wait.

Chapter 189 - 'get a hold of yourself'

Something feels off.

I looked around the table. All those versions of myself, sitting there in the forms of various ghost stories.

Right now, my contaminations have been made visible and seated over there by the Space Shopping Mall’s VIP shopping service so that I can perceive them.

And when I asked to have them all removed, what the lizard said was…

‘…That they’re going to permanently destroy a part of myself?’

That sounded as if it meant destroying my contaminated mind itself.

Like amputating a limb to prevent an infection from spreading.

Of course, sometimes you have no choice but to do that.

But normally, it’s an irreversible decision you’d only make when there’s truly no hope of recovery.

“…Is it impossible to remove just the contamination from there? That is, to restore the contaminated mind back to its original state. Permanently.”

“That is not a service the Space Shopping Mall provides.”

“…Is it possible anywhere else?”

“That is information I cannot provide.”

I turned my head.

The yellow mascot was shaking its head at me.

Y o u C a n ’ t

I looked down at my right arm.

In this ghost story world where your body can regenerate, there are times when people even cut off their limbs.

Because here, you can undo it.

But to cut away and destroy your sense of self… In this place, that’s an even more extreme choice than cutting off a limb, isn’t it?

“……”

Did Section Chief Lee Jaheon really intend to introduce this method to me?

“I’ll change the question.”

I don’t think so.

‘Then.’

I looked up.

“Rather than destroy my contaminated selves, I’d like to be able to recognize and manage them myself.”

The problem with contamination is that it can turn you into something else without you knowing.

But if I’m fully aware of what mutations exist inside me, I can suppress them, or at the very least, use them if worst comes to worst.

“…So that I can control myself.”

The gray lizard, meeting my gaze, nodded.

“I see.”

“I want to purchase something that can help with that. Is that possible?”

“Yes.”

The lizard moved its hand at once.

As if I’d picked the correct answer.

“…!”

Then, from far down the table, an object shrouded in fog was swiftly brought right in front of me by some excited tentacles.

“With my personal shopper authority, I recommend this suitable item.”

It was… a small machine.

It looked like a piece of specialized surgical equipment, with a delicately crafted needle at the end of what looked like a robotic hand, and a crescent-moon-shaped lamp shining down on the machine from above.

I already knew something similar to this.

The tattoo machine from the Moonlight Tattoo Shop.

A miniature, item-like version of a bizarre device from an emotional ghost story was sitting right before my eyes.

Single-Use Automatic Moonlight Tattoo Machine

“This is an item produced for a short time before the Moonlight Tattooists all went out of business, except for a handful of survivors, due to certain events. You have acquired one of the three remaining units.”

P r e t t y

U n i q u e

The tentacles that had delivered it waved boisterously like arms, then flinched as if glancing at the lizard for approval, and soon vanished into the mist.

My heart pounded.

“…What exactly does this help with?”

“The spirit of the Moonlight Tattooist residing in the machine inscribes a tattoo tailored to support the user’s needs.”

Just like at the Moonlight Tattoo Shop.

“The tattoo inscribed by this device is fluid. It adapts to the user’s environment and changes into the most suitable form.”

That’s a bit different.

But for me, who would have to enter ghost stories and face different contamination risks in the future, it was even better.

‘Did they recommend this with that in mind from the start?’

“Would you like to purchase it?”

I nodded.

“Yes. I want to buy it.”

“Thank you. The price is 159,999,999 won.” [approx. 116,300 USD]

“……”

I almost choked on my own spit.

“Is it possible to pay with something else? By giving you an item you purchase, for example…”

“What item is it?”

Wait a second.

‘No matter how I think about it, these guys aren’t a buyback specialist business.’

I don’t know where these aliens actually use the money they collect from people, but even so, the prices of the goods sold at the alien shop are already brutal compared to their cost.

Given their business sense… I felt like they’d really lowball me on the buyback price.

‘Of course, just letting me buy at all is already doing me a favor, though.’

In the end, after some thought, I took out a jade token.

A reward I received from Team Leader of Black-Tortoise Team 3 at Cheerful Theme Park.

A disaster management bureau-issued item made at Baridegi Workshop.

“How about this?”

“That is not an item the Space Shopping Mall purchases.”

“Hmm, is it perhaps something you’re seeing for the first time?”

“Yes.”

As expected.

‘The alien shop really has no connection to the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.’

That actually worked in my favor.

“I’m not offering this for sale, but as currency.”

I held the jade token out to the lizard.

“It’s a currency accepted in various places. You’ll find it useful for acquiring a range of goods.”

“Please provide a concrete example.”

I gladly gave a few.

Mainly East Asian legends, ghost stories derived from folktales, and sometimes even European or American traditional fairy tales. All of them accepted jade tokens as currency.

‘Hmm. Summing it up, I guess they work mainly in tales passed down in different cultures.’

The lizard silently looked at the jade token.

And after a moment’s silence…

“Confirmed. I shall recognize it as currency and accept it as payment.”

Of course.

‘Nice.’

However, the lizard took all five of the jade tokens I offered.

‘Not so nice…’

Still, considering the price, it felt like a reasonable deal.

At any rate, that’s how the machine ended up in my hands.

Single-Use Automatic Moonlight Tattoo Machine.

“Would you like assistance with using it?”

“I’m fine.”

I brought the device to my arm.

I planned to have it inscribed over my existing tattoos.

‘It looks like you use it by pressing the switch like this.’

However.

Bzzzz—

The miniature tattoo machine, emitting a soft light and buzzing noise, floated off my arm and began hovering by itself.

“…!”

Then it started inscribing something just below my left collarbone.

As if gathering moonlight and searing the end.

Bzzzz—

Within that sound, I felt the anguish and artistic sensibility of someone who once inhabited the tattoo machine.

What the customer wants is clear.

To govern oneself!

The most fundamental and important thing. But when one’s mind is filled with countless identities and anxieties, it is hard to unify and control them all.

Let’s tag each one and give them a junction.

So that whenever you wish, you can organize and piece them together.

If that’s the case… isn’t the most striking spot right above the heart!

I felt something hot above my heart.

And as the light from the tattoo machine faded, I hastily unbuttoned my shirt to look at my bare skin.

“……!”

A star made of letters was revealed.

A tattoo in the shape of a circular puzzle, repeating like the intricate ring of a tree, as if depicting a halo.

Words from various unknown languages were inscribed in letters the size of the device, interlocked in several precise concentric circles.

There was still plenty of space between them, and I understood…

Now, the worries that made up the design would hold each other in check and maintain balance.

Through this tattoo, the customer can recognize himself and, as he desires, rule himself.

The light and sound from the single-use tattoo machine faded away completely.

Then, with a click, the crescent-moon lamp shut off.

“Usage complete.”

“……”

I turned my head and looked at those who had been sitting at the table.

There was no one there.

No, from the beginning, they had all just been me.

Now that I could verify they were part of me with the tattoo, I no longer needed to see them with my eyes to make decisions.

“……Huu.”

I looked down at the tattoo again.

And among them, I reached out to a word that looked as if its font had glitched out, like a computer error.

The bells of Sekwang High School tolled.

“…!”

I realized that, if I wished, I could instantly don a high school uniform and become a being from a horror game, living in a different time and light from the intruder.

No matter what the side effects might be.

‘…Wait, hold on.’

So this tattoo doesn’t just organize what’s in my mind and show it to me?

It sorted out my contaminations so that I can ‘take them out and use them’ whenever I want?

This is insane.

‘It really was worth one-hundred sixty million won.’

Of course, whether I’ll actually use it is another question, but the important thing is that, for now, my contaminations have been organized and I won’t be swept away by them immediately.

‘Good.’

I carefully straightened my clothes, being especially cautious not to touch the worn Gothic-looking letters that, no matter how I looked at it, seemed to belong to the Church of the Luminous Unknown’s mimic.

Whether it was fortunate or not, a grand, gold, antique script and some words scrawled as if with little claws were inscribed even more prominently in the center.

‘Mascot and… cat?’

A strange sense of familiarity came over me.

Were these two on my side?

…Anyway, for now, this incident seems to have settled down.

Huu.

“Would you like to proceed with your next purchase?”

The lizard asked, as if it had been waiting.

I looked again at the piece of the Church of the Luminous Unknown’s scripture still on the table.

‘I need to deal with that too.’

Like buying something I could use to store it safely, for example.

The problem was, I didn’t have enough money left.

The best thing would be to rush to Daydream Inc. right now and sell it off, but as a spy, the timing wasn’t right…

“If I finish shopping, do you think I might forget about that item again?”

“There is a statistical possibility.”

Hm.

As the penniless wretch I am, I thought for a moment, then asked,

“Do you happen to offer a storage service?”

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“……”

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

Huhk.

I opened my eyes.

A lizard was looking at me from across the table.

But this time, it wasn’t gray.

“Section Chief.”

“Yes.”

White lizard head, red pupils. Section Chief Lee Jaheon was standing in front of me. Huu.

“Did you experience any inconvenience during your VIP shopping?”

“No. It was very helpful…”

And then I saw it.

In front of Section Chief Lee Jaheon, a pink plush doll was now sitting on the table.

“……??”

Why is Braun here?

“Um, I thought I had… put that in my pocket.”

“I set it aside so it wouldn’t interfere with your shopping.”

“……”

I asked, struggling,

“Section Chief, just asking, but… can you still hear Braun— I mean, the plushie?”

“Yes.”

“But I can’t hear him.”

“I see.”

“What… What’s he saying?”

“Sighs, excessive excitement, criticism and threats.”

Aaaagh!

“I determined it had no informational value.”

“Y-Yes…”

Hurriedly, I carefully picked up the plushie from the table and returned it to my shirt’s front pocket.

But at that moment.

– My goodness. Finally.

“…Braun?!”

– Mr. Roe Deer! Oh, we can speak again at last…

I quickly pulled the plush from my pocket and checked it.

But at that instant, the voice cut off.

‘Huh?’

I put Braun back in my pocket.

– Mr. Roe Deer? Can you hear me?

Only one thing had changed.

‘The tattoo on the left side of my chest.’

Could it be that, when Braun is near my tattoo, it counts as being inside a ghost story?

‘Oh god.’

“Yeah. …It seems like, as long as I keep you here, we can keep talking.”

– Near the heart, hm. How fateful! Excellent. I shall generously forgive you for leaving me alone with that crazy, boring fellow for a full 23 minutes, because I am a Good Friend.

– Now, hurry up and kick him out. Quickly.

“W-Wait.”

I quickly soothed Braun, then spoke to Section Chief Lee Jaheon.

“Um, Section Chief… I saw someone who looked a lot like you while I was shopping.”

“That was not Section Chief Lee Jaheon. However…”

“They are still part of the collective ‘we’, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then, does that mean you already know everything I did?”

“Yes.”

I asked a little awkwardly in return.

“So you know what I did at the very end, too?”

“You mean the item storage service request?”

That’s right.

– I’d like you to store this item safely for me.

– Understood.

I entrusted the root of all evil—the Church of the Luminous Unknown’s sacred law fragment—to the lizards… no, to the Space Shopping Mall.

‘It seemed like it would be cheaper than removing it completely or buying an item to control it.’

And that expectation was correct.

…It was still hella expensive, though.

– The price is 8,999,990 won for 100 days, based on the planet you currently reside on.

– …Do you offer installment plans?

Installments, really.

I never thought I’d use a financial service I’ve never even tried in real life in a world of creepypastas…

‘Still, Daydream Inc. would probably pay a higher price if they bought it, so this is probably for the best.’

When the time comes, I’ll just find it and sell it right away.

Fortunately, according to Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s explanation, I’ll be able to retrieve it anytime.

The cell chip I put under my tongue had disappeared without a trace, but now, I can reactivate it by connecting to the Space Shopping Mall.

“Kim Soleum-ssi, you are now connected with us.”

…I wanted to ask if that was also a kind of contamination, but since it didn’t appear on my tattoo, I decided not to be rude. After all, he’s someone who can squeeze steel with one hand.

He’s also the one who always notices my contamination and takes care of it for me, and I’m grateful for that.

“I’m grateful. Thanks to you, I’ve come to my senses a bit.”

“Yes. However, the choice is yours, Kim Soleum-ssi.”

“…Do you think I made the right choice?”

The lizard’s snout curved slightly.

“Yes.”

“……!”

“You made a good choice.”

Just as he’s told me a few times before.

“……”

As expected.

When I was shopping earlier, the lizard had the same head and even spoke similarly, so I didn’t notice, but seeing him in person like this, I could feel it.

‘They’re subtly different.’

How should I put it? With this lizard, you could feel intelligence and emotion, and there was personality, maybe… I’m not sure.

Of course, if those alien reptiles share a single mind and feeling, maybe I’m just projecting that difference onto Section Chief Lee Jaheon because I’ve built a connection with him.

‘Honestly, I’m not even part of D-squad anymore, nor is it his responsibility, but he still looks after me.’

He probably does the same for my D-squad sunbaes, too.

He was a supervisor whose thoughts I was always curious about and whom I was grateful for in many ways.

“Thank you, Section Chief.”

With another word of thanks, I escorted Section Chief Lee Jaheon out of the motel when our business was finished.

Instead of using the door, he quietly disappeared out the window.

– If any issues arise, please contact us.

That was the last thing he said.

“……”

– Is it over?

Yeah.

– Huu. Finally gone.

– By the way, don’t you have any plans for us to leave this dreadful place too?

Hahaha.

“There is.”

– Oh?

“I’m going to work tomorrow.”

And by the way.

“I’m a spy infiltrating a government agency now.”

– Show business, my goodness.

Chapter 190 - Kidnapping

– A spy. Ah, yes. A classic and popular role, one that gets the audience’s heart racing in any era.

– The catharsis of a twist, revealing the mysterious and powerful identity of someone who was anything but ordinary!

– Isn’t it the perfect profession for you, my talented friend?

Hoho.

On my way to work, I listened to Braun’s lively commentary as I entered the Disaster Management Bureau.

‘Thank goodness the Disaster Management Bureau jacket has a front pocket.’

The plush doll’s ears were covered by the upper flap of the pocket, so at a glance, no one would notice.

I greeted the agents naturally as I crossed the bureau’s main lobby.

– A special method for entering through a concealed entrance. It’s the classic trope of a special agent. They seem to be a group that appreciates a bit of romanticism.

– Let’s see where Mr. Roe Deer’s workplace is, shall we? I’m looking forward to it!

It was a good start. Braun gave a pretty decent score to the Disaster Management Bureau’s hidden entrance, and also a passable score to the sights inside.

‘I’m glad you like it.’

Replying appropriately, I took the elevator, walked down the hallway, and opened the door.

That’s how the Black-Tortoise Team 1 waiting room appeared.

And then…

– ……

‘Braun?’

– Oh, I suppose they’ve nicely decorated the spare, temporary space to look like a lounge.

– Haha. Mr. Roe Deer, it’s amusing to see you’ve learned to take it easy since I last saw you! Are you planning to enjoy a secret break here before heading to your real workplace?

‘This is it.’

– Hmm?

‘This is my workplace.’

There was no response from my Good Friend.

– Do you lure visitors here and extract information from them? What an impressive trick to use an unofficial lounge…

No.

‘This really is my official workplace.’

– Friend, what exactly do you do here?

‘I sit on the sofa.’

Still no response from my Good Friend. As if he’d just died…

– Oh. To think you’d play a prank on me.

Aaaagh!

‘Then, when we’re called, we go out on missions. To rescue people in all kinds of unusual disaster situations.’

– Aha.

‘This is just the waiting room.’

– Hahaha. So the real work hasn’t even begun yet.

– Oh, you got me! That was extremely amusing, Friend!

‘Right? Hahahaha…’

Cold sweat trickled down my back. Yeah, this is what it’s always like, hanging out with Braun…… huuu.

At that moment, my right hand, which I’d kept in my pocket, moved discreetly.

It gave a thumbs up… then pointed sharply down.

“……”

Yeah. I get it.

– Very well. In that case, it seems this place isn’t the absolute worst for resting alone!

‘But it’s a waiting room for the whole team.’

– ……

‘It’s fine. Everyone here is fun. They’re good people.’

Braun seemed a bit shocked, but there was nothing I could do about that. He was probably comparing it to the private office I used to have at that major pharmaceutical company…

– …Very well. How many people work with you, Mr. Roe Deer?

‘Ah, at the moment, there are three of us… but usually only two come into the waiting room.’

I looked at the waiting room’s whiteboard.

It still held notes left by people who’d passed through Black-Tortoise Team 1.

‘…Originally, about seven people worked here.’

That’s just my own knowledge.

In the <Dark Exploration Records>, the Dispatch & Rescue Unit of the Paranormal Disaster Management Bureau, especially the main office’s Black-Tortoise Unit, was expanded to as many as seven teams at one point.

But after some incidents, about half were killed or went missing, and it was reduced to three teams.

‘It really was a chilling creepypasta.’

Anyway, there was a time when they were actively recruiting more people… and now seemed to be that time.

– That’s a relief. Phew, to think of having seven people in such a shabby room. What are we, failed comedians who can’t get a gig?

“……Ahem.”

I just laughed bitterly

After some thought, I picked up a marker from the whiteboard and left a line myself.

Admirable people.

I was thinking of the Disaster Management Bureau’s Black-Tortoise Team 1 in the early days of the wiki.

– You left a message? My! The mark of a spy… how intriguing. Could you bring me closer so I can get a better look?

It wasn’t anything special, really.

“Sure.”

That wasn’t hard. I took the plush doll out of my front pocket and supported its body with both hands, bringing it close to the whiteboard…

Ka-chak.

“Grapes, you’re here early again today? Did you sleep well last ni—”

Agent Choi, meeting my gaze, saw the doll in my hand.

And then saw my hands politely pressing the doll up against the whiteboard.

A-Ahhh…

“G-Good morning, Agent Choi.”

“Yeah, good morning. Uh… are you donating that doll to our waiting room? That’s great.”

“N-No, it’s not that…”

– Hoho?

Shrinking my shoulders, I hurriedly put Braun back in my front pocket.

But Agent Choi stopped me.

His eyes were scanning the phrase I’d written on the whiteboard.

“Hm? No, it’s fine. Kids these days take pictures with stuff like this and post them as proof.”

Then Agent Choi started asking about whether I posted stuff on SNS, and told me I couldn’t upload internal photos because it’s classified and to think of this place like the National Intelligence Service… and so on, and I scrambled to play along.

“No, uh, this is just, someone I always carry with me, um, a friend.”

– Nice to meet you! Oh, that scar on your neck is quite stylish. I hope you’ll tell us the story behind it someday.

“…Friend?”

“Yes…”

At that moment, Agent Bronze also opened the waiting room door and walked in.

“Hello—”

“Jaekwan-ah, come over here. Our rookie brought a doll!”

“A doll?”

Agent Choi hurriedly grabbed Agent Bronze and brought him over.

This was overwhelming.

– My goodness, isn’t this the man who took up the serial killer role at that mountain lodge? …Aha! Could it be you infiltrated under the pretense of falling for his persistent recruitment?

No. He’d gotten suspicious of me and started watching…

– Well, not bad. Two sidekicks to support you!

No. They’re my superiors…

Meanwhile, my two supervisors were looking at Braun with curiosity.

“If you always carry it, how come we’ve never seen it before? Jaekwan-ah, have you?”

Agent Bronze’s expression turned strange.

He must have been remembering the times he’d glimpsed Braun hanging from my clothes or sticking out of my pocket…!

‘But if he says so, it’ll sound like we’ve known each other for a while!’

I cut in to ease his dilemma.

“Ah, the friend I had before got torn by mistake… so I just made a new one recently.”

“……”

Agent Bronze’s expression turned even stranger.

He muttered ‘friend’ to himself a few more times, then soon asked,

“Did you… make that ‘friend’ during your break?”

Amazingly, that was true.

“Yes, that’s right! Ah, not that I made it myself, I just bought it at a store…”

“……”

“Grapes-ie, if you call a doll your friend, a ghost will possess it and—”

“Go fetch the documents.”

“Eek!”

Agent Bronze kicked Agent Choi out by the seat of his pants and they left the waiting room together.

Then he turned back and said kindly to me,

“The Preliminary Investigation Unit has summoned you, Agent Grapes. We’ll handle the rescue signals, so don’t worry and just head out.”

“Yes? Yes.”

And the two disappeared in an instant.

Thud.

‘Huu.’

I thought they’d pry further, but thankfully they didn’t.

If I’d looked any more suspicious, Agent Choi might’ve whipped out his ghost story detection device… That could have gotten dicey.

Even though Braun always boasted, ‘No matter what device they use, no one can figure out what I am,’ there’s no harm in being cautious.

‘I figured it would be better to show him naturally from the beginning rather than risk getting caught hiding him later.’

I never expected it would play out like this, though.

Is this… good?

– Friend? So what kind of place is the Preliminary Investigation Unit?

‘Ah, let’s go there now.’

Anyway, since the Preliminary Investigation Unit had called for me, I decided to head out for a bit.

With Braun, I made my way past the real working spaces of the Disaster Management Bureau, the office corridors. And then…

– My goodness, I’d rather this was a comedy skit segment… To think my friend has fallen victim to an employment scam.

“……”

To the eyes of a host from a dazzling capitalist era mass media ghost story, the 21st-century public sector facilities must have seemed utterly dilapidated and substandard…

Fortunately, something else soon caught Braun’s interest.

Right in front of the Preliminary Investigation Unit office was my fellow spy.

Go Yeongeun-ssi.

“Agent Grapes!”

Go Yeongeun, who greeted me with a bright smile and wave, gave me a curious look as she spotted the plush doll on my chest when I got closer.

“You’re carrying that around again?”

“……Yes.”

Now that I think about it, Yeongeun-ssi has seen Braun in the form of a Good Friend fairly often.

Even in that exhibition ghost story, ‘Manor of the Blind’, I used Braun to solidify Baek Saheon’s impression of me… I think she saw that a few times in passing, too.

Anyway, it seems Braun has a greater presence than I thought.

‘I-I figured he wouldn’t stand out that much since it’s so small, but…’

In this ghost story world’s crazy pharmaceutical company, people carry around everything from bunny’s feet to mummy bandages.

With everyone already wearing bizarre animal masks, I thought a little plush pendant would be fine.

Um. Apparently not…

Still, Go Yeongeun remains as kind as ever.

“Um, it’s still cute! I think you picked a good one.”

– Ah, someone with an eye for quality. An appreciative audience is always a delight for an entertainer.

Anyway, it was a relief that everyone seemed satisfied. I smiled and spoke.

“Thank you. Then, Agent Mint, perhaps you also—”

“Ah, no thank you.”

“……”

No, I was just going to ask if you had one too. A plush pendant…

I was starting to sweat.

Ah, looks like the bunny plush stands out even more than I expected.

‘This won’t do.’

After asking Braun’s permission, I pulled the front pocket flap down further to hide as much of the plush as possible.

“Agent Grapes! Please give your statement—huh? That’s cute. Did your younger sibling give it to you?”

“Oh my, what’s that? A doll?”

But even so, whenever I moved and it showed itself, it became a small talk topic several times…

And the finale came after I’d finished a quick statement with the Preliminary Investigation Unit and returned to the Black-Tortoise Team 1 waiting room.

Ka-chak.

“Grapes-ie!”

As I came in, the two agents who’d arrived earlier shot to their feet.

And Agent Choi had a suspicious grin plastered on his face.

……?

“Sorry. I was a bit harsh to your friend earlier! Calling it a ghost and all. Right?”

– Hm. Now he tries to make amends. I’ll let it slide.

“N-No, it’s fine.”

What is going on?

Anyway, now that I know the plushie’s more conspicuous than I thought, I should take steps to handle it.

I sat quietly on the sofa and muttered to myself.

“Um, I’ll make sure to keep it out of sight as much as possible, so even if it’s a bit uncomfortable, I hope you’ll understand…”

“Hahaha, what are you talking about? Of course Grapes’s friend can stay in the waiting room with us.”

Suddenly, Agent Choi put his arm around my shoulder and showed me something.

“Here, this is your friend’s spot.”

On the plush armrest of the sofa by the window, a neatly folded navy blue handkerchief—standard issue for an agent—was laid out…

‘……’

No.

What is this, seriously?

– Haha, I appreciate the kindness, but I’ll decline! I have my own handkerchief… Wait, where did it go? That’s strange, it seems to have disappeared!

I’ll get you a new one later, just wait!

“T-Thank you…”

In the end, unable to resist the flow of the conversation, I set Braun down on the handkerchief.

Agent Choi, still smiling, asked kindly,

“What’s our friend’s name?”

“B-Braun.” (Brown)

“…But it’s pink?”

“Eh?”

“Hahaha, no, it’s fine! That’s possible. After all, the heart is free~”

“Yes… thank you.”

What even is this situation?

I looked to Agent Bronze for help, but when he met my eyes, he just forced a strained smile.

He’s really trying to look warm…

‘……??’

I was even more lost.

“Here, take this too. It’s a diary string, but if you tie it to its ear, it’ll look cute.”

And so, Braun received a cushion near the window and successfully blended into the Black-Tortoise Team 1 waiting room without suspicion…

‘…??’

The cause of all this would soon be revealed in the group chat.

[Let’s not make a fuss if the new Destroyer King Rookie brings a plush keyring, everyone. It’s a precious friend.]

[?]

[so its not a supernatural phenomenon or whatever?]

[That doesn’t seem to be the case. According to another team member, he’s been carrying it around for a while, seems to use it to calm himself. Let’s not pry into personal matters.]

[ah…]

[confirmed]

[we all get it, yeah]

[I was the one who asked if his younger sibling gave him the doll. if you’re reading this, i’m sorry, agent. ㅠㅠ]

“……”

Agent Bronze…!!

– In that sense, I’ll give this place… hmm. 39 points.

On my way home from work, I hurried back to the motel, listening to Braun’s surprisingly generous Disaster Management Bureau rating.

Other than a brief dispatch for a minor supernatural incident in the afternoon, it had been a normal day, so my condition should have been fine, but…

‘I’m exhausted…’

So much happened mentally, and on top of it all, an unexpected new facet to my ‘character’ was added as the grand finale…

‘Ugh.’

I just want to rest.

‘…Maybe I should sleep somewhere nicer, just for tonight.’

As I walked down the street at dusk, I searched for other lodgings on my smartphone…

Bzzzz.

A popup appeared along with a vibration.

A message.

[ J : got so m e in fo ]

[ J : abit ]

“…!”

It’s the sergeant.

This was the first time since I handed over my phone.

But he says he got some information?

[ J : proble ]

[What do you mean?]

I quickly replied.

But there was no response for several minutes.

“……”

And then, much later.

[ J : i’ll come out ]

A chill ran down my spine.

I called immediately. But he didn’t answer.

‘What the…’

There was definitely a signal, so why wasn’t he picking up?

[Where are you, sergeant?]

[Are you alright?]

The ‘1’ disappeared from the message, meaning it was read.

‘Wait a second. He said… he’d come out, didn’t he?’

I hurriedly narrowed my lodging search to the area around Daydream Inc. and grabbed a random unmanned motel.

Then I sent the address, room number, and door code via message.

[ If you’ve made it out, come here (link) ]

Then I immediately dashed back into the subway,

heading to the unmanned motel near the company.

A short while later.

“…?!”

When I opened the motel door, I saw a scene I never could have imagined.

“Mm!”

Kwak Jaekang was tied up and lying face-down on the floor.

And sitting on top of him, restraining him, was the sergeant.

And…

“R-Roe.”

Supervisor Park Minseong, sweating coldly as he looked at me, was there too, in a security team uniform.

“……”

W-What kind of mess is this?

Chapter 191 - [All the Things the Carrot Can Do]

So.

I opened the unmanned motel door, and Assistant Manager Kwak Jaekang was tied up, with the sergeant sitting on top of him?

And why is Supervisor Park Minseong here?

I mean, it’s nice to see him after so long, but what kind of combination is this…

“Mmmpf!”

At that moment, Kwak Jaekang, who was pinned to the floor, started struggling again. Wait a second!

‘This won’t do.’

If he turns his head and sees my face, things will spiral out of control. I quickly got a hold of myself and tried to close the door and leave.

But apparently, the sergeant noticed something before I could move.

“Ah.”

The sergeant struck the head of the man he was restraining.

Just like that, Assistant Manager Kwak Jaekang passed out.

“……”

– It’s a complete mess, my goodness! How chaotic can things get! But there is a certain unique charm that comes from chaos.

Wah, please…

“What exactly is going on here?”

“Ah… I secretly followed…”

“…??”

The urgent explanation that followed can be summarized as this:

The sergeant said he had gone all around the company collecting various bits of information that might be useful for the ‘Cheerful Research Institute’ I’d asked about.

And in the process, he explored different places, and the place he went today was…

“I went to the… Research Team’s special area in the annex…”

“…Wait. Isn’t that a restricted area where only authorized staff can enter?”

“Ah… the Security Team… can go in if it’s for work. Like, for patrols and stuff…”

Ah, I see.

“So you waited until you were assigned patrol duty?”

“No… I just filled in for another guard…”

“……”

“You said you needed information……”

‘Now I feel bad…’

The sergeant looked so proud of what he did that I was at a loss for words.

Anyway, given how much our actions overlapped, it seems pretty clear that the Guard Team member Baek Saheon mentioned really was the sergeant.

Wait, now that I think about it…

“I heard that you got into a fight with Assistant Manager Kwak Jaekang… is that related to what’s happening now?”

“I didn’t fight with him… he kept picking a fight with me……”

“Ah, so you just got caught up in it.”

“No… I ignored him…”

“……”

“He just ran into me by himself and fell over… um. Anyway.”

Scratching his head, the sergeant returned to the main point.

He said that while patrolling the Research Team’s special area today, he noticed something strange with the equipment or documents.

“It felt like someone was following me…”

“…!”

At some point, he felt a persistent, watching gaze.

He even sensed a strange kind of malice.

“So I just went outside… but this person kept following me secretly…”

And then you subdued him…!

“Well… and there was nobody around to see…”

I nodded, feeling like I wanted to hold my head.

“So you didn’t know it was Assistant Manager Kwak Jaekang?”

“No, I knew…”

“……”

Aaagh!

“Well… it didn’t matter much… I just didn’t expect he’d call someone from the Security Team…”

My gaze turned to Supervisor Park Minseong.

His pupils wavered.

“Yeah. I was the one who got the call…”

“……”

“When I got here… he was already… yeah.”

And so, this bizarre meeting occurred…

– Ahaha! My goodness! This is just like a sitcom!

Life is a comedy when you look at it from a distance. The problem is that I’m stuck right in the middle of it all!

‘I’m actually going to lose my mind.’

I barely managed to restrain myself from pressing my temples as I spoke.

“If we just send Assistant Manager Kwak back like this, is it likely he’ll report Jay-ssi, or otherwise exaggerate the situation and cause problems?”

“…Probably?”

Supervisor Park Minseong and I exchanged nervous glances, then looked at the sergeant.

The sergeant just looked annoyed by the whole situation.

‘Whatever happens, happens’, his reaction seemed to say.

“……”

“……”

No, I mean, this is about your own safety…!

“So then… Supervisor, does that mean you have to take the sergeant into custody?”

“Technically, yes, but… Umm. If you just send him back, I’ll try to handle things on my end… I’ll testify that Assistant Manager Kwak Jaekang was there alone.”

Supervisor Park Minseong laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.

“He gets up to so much weird stuff that I think it’ll work ou—”

“It probably won’t…”

“……!”

The sergeant stared straight at Supervisor Park Minseong.

“You just joined the Security Team… that’s when the binding is strongest…”

Binding?

“It… hasn’t even been a full 100 days since you started official duty, has it? It’ll be hard to lie… to the company…”

“……”

“The clock. It’s counting down right now, isn’t it…?”

Supervisor Park Minseong’s face stiffened.

But the very next moment, a picture-perfect smile appeared on his face.

And, as if unconsciously, his hand moved to his wrist. Under the Security Team’s uniform, something resembling a wristwatch could be seen.

Right. A wristwatch.

‘…The binding that falls on the Security Team.’

I recall.

At Daydream Inc., once a rescued employee has sufficiently recovered from contamination and regained their humanity, instead of investing further, they devised methods that could be put to immediate use.

That binding wasn’t described in full detail in the Dark Exploration Records. They believed it would be more meaningful and chilling to let the reader imagine it.

But there were hints scattered throughout.

For example…

----------------------------------------

The wristwatch.

Yes, yes. The company’s Security Team members really do wear wristwatches. What do they use them for, you ask? I don’t know either. The only thing I know for sure is that if they ever… act out of line,

Like, if they try to leave the company during the day, for instance?

Anyway, when that happens, you could hear it. The ticking sound from the watch…

Tick, tock. Tick, tock. That sound.

Why was that so strange? Because it was supposed to be a digital watch, so why was there the sound of a second hand moving? That in itself was creepy, like a ghost story…

It would keep getting faster, and eventually, there would be an alarm, I guess?

And then, they’d suddenly vanish.

Not the watch. The Security Team member.

—Excerpt from Interrogation 26 of Glass Prison Inmate G56 (Origin: Daydream Inc.)

----------------------------------------

“Supervisor.”

“…Ah! Yes.”

Supervisor Park Minseong quickly snapped back to his senses and took his hand off his wrist.

The atmosphere in the unmanned motel grew a bit heavier.

But the sergeant spoke casually.

“Um, don’t worry… I mean… It’ll probably just be a disciplinary measure… It’s not like you killed anyone…”

“…?!”

“Just… go explain it…… But… wait.”

The sergeant looked down at the researcher he’d tied up and muttered seriously,

“Isn’t this a bit… wasteful…”

…??

“This guy… knows a lot… Mm, since it’s come to this… might as well get some information out of him…”

“No. That’s not necessary.”

How suspicious!

And why would he suggest taking on even more disciplinary risk himself!

‘Let’s wrap this up quickly.’

If he hasn’t seen my face, it’s fine… Wait a minute.

Even if Kwak Jaekang didn’t see me, someone else did.

“Supervisor Park Minseong.”

“Yeah?”

“If it’s difficult for you to lie to the company right now, when you’re giving your statement… Do you have to say you saw me?”

“……!!”

Supervisor Park Minseong’s face went pale again.

“If the company demands it. I might have to…”

Damn it!

From that point on, the problem isn’t just that they’ll find out I’m alive.

‘…While trying to cover that up, Director Ho would definitely find out about it.’

If they ask why I was meeting with the sergeant, even the Dream Incubation Chamber could be exposed…

“I’ll try my best to avoid that situation…”

“Hey…”

The sergeant raised his hand.

“Um… actually, I don’t really want to… it’s a hassle…”

Then he pointed at Kwak Jaekang.

“Should I just… kill him?”

“?!”

Immunity for use of deadly force!

Now that I think about it, the Guard Team does have immunity for lethal force!

“If I kill him… and the Security Team reports ‘no target for dispatch’… that’s not a lie… and we can just move on. Plus… it’ll buy us some time…”

“No, you can’t.”

“P-Please calm down, Sergeant!”

No, I mean, the Guard Team’s immunity for deadly force isn’t for the guards themselves!

‘It’s so the company isn’t liable if someone dies during the suppression of a ghost story incident!’

And on top of that, it’s more like, ‘Since they have immunity, don’t get in the way and make it cost more when the Guard Team is working.’

From the start…

“The immunity for deadly force is the right for the Guard Team to kill employees who interfere during official duties. You’re not in the middle of official duty right now!”

If it were that easy to kill someone, Kwak Jaekang would have already been turned into a puddle by another member of the Guard Team a long time ago.

“Well, that’s true… hm.”

“L-Let’s think of another way.”

“Yes! We’ll think of a good way!”

“Hmm… okay…”

Cold sweat broke out on my skin.

‘I-It’s a relief the sergeant isn’t that motivated…’

No wonder he made it all the way to squad leader of an elite team. His judgment is so unflinching.

…Honestly, it wasn’t just the immunity he was thinking of. He was really considering just killing this guy to get rid of any evidence.

It’s only lucky that he’s not a bad person at heart. I wiped the sweat from my brow.

…And honestly, this situation was my fault.

I was too tempted when the sergeant said he’d look into the Cheerful Research Institute for me.

– It’s a moment of decision, Friend! Will you gamble for a flawless outcome, or accept a little loss for the sake of safety?

– Oh, if you want advice from this host, I’m more than ready to give you a hint!

‘…You’re going to tell me to gamble and erase the evidence, right?’

– Correct!

Damn it.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, then suddenly…

An idea came to me.

‘No.’

– Hm?

‘A way to erase evidence… there’s one!’

“I’ll take care of it.”

I pulled out an item I’d been keeping in my inventory.

Disguise Syrup for Kids

(Green Grape Flavor)

★★★★★

A short time later.

“…Hm?”

Assistant Manager Kwak Jaekang opened his eyes.

Or rather, it was a guess that he would, since we’d covered his eyes.

“Ooooh? Am I in the Darkness…… No, that’s not it. My eyes are just covered.”

The excited tone in his voice instantly cooled and became listless.

But soon, perhaps realizing why he was in this situation, his tone changed again.

He’d been following the sergeant, got caught and tied up, and was knocked out.

“No! Just because you cover my eyes doesn’t mean I forget what I saw! Hahaha! Oh, heavens. How do you plan to explain this to the company, pulling a stunt like this?”

“……”

“The situation has changed a lot since you were the leader of the B-squad~ Do you still believe the company will give you special treatment? Golly.”

Things like, ‘Did you really think your immunity for deadly force means you can just kill a real researcher?’, or, ‘I wonder how the company would react if a busy section chief of the Research Team like me turned up as a fresh corpse?’—

He speaks in that typical tone of someone proud of their own irreplaceability, mixing subtle threats and ominous predictions, but lightly.

However, soon.

“Or… maybe you’re desperate enough that you have to go this far.”

“……”

“What were you looking for in the special research lab in the annex? Don’t tell me…”

His voice took on a meaningful edge.

“Were you hoping to find the Darkness you disappeared into there?”

“……”

“Hey, I’m telling you, the entrance has collapsed! Even if you’re curious what state the staff still trapped in there might be in by now—”

He’d talked enough.

I briskly pulled off the cloth covering his eyes.

Kwak Jaekang looked pleased, as if about to say something else, but.

“…!”

But instead of the sergeant—the former elite team leader—he’d been expecting, there was me.

Wearing a Security Team suit.

“……”

In front of the frozen Kwak Jaekang, I took out my pager and flicked it.

“…Aha, so you’re the one who responded to the call! This must be… hmm, the Security Team area?”

Silence.

“By any chance, was there a guard sergeant in the spot where I was?”

Silence.

“…Not much of a talker, huh. ……Wait a second.”

Realization flickered in Kwak Jaekang’s eyes.

“It’s a special suit.”

He recognized my outfit.

The uniform for the Security Team’s Special Division.

“What’s going on? You, responding to a mere Research Team section chief’s call? This kind of cleanup shouldn’t be the job of someone as special and rare as you! Hahaha… Unless you have some other motive—”

As he thought of the next words, his expression changed.

Right.

‘Unless there’s some other motive.’

I silently raised my hand and placed something on the desk in front of him.

[Fun Truth Game!]

[Shall we play a round?]

“…!”

A carrot-shaped plastic recording toy, cheerfully announcing itself.

It looked childish and cheap, completely out of place, but Kwak Jaekang’s face went stiff.

‘As I thought, he recognizes it.’

One of the most famous Security Team interrogation tools from Dark Exploration Records.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[All the Things the Carrot Can Do]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-E-2525.

A party toy that helps you play a game of Truth or Dare.

If the opponent doesn’t tell the truth, it notices immediately and, as a penalty, issues a brutal and shocking dare.

If the mission is not completed, the other game participants can punish the one who failed.

----------------------------------------

Right.

Where did I get this?

To be honest—

‘It’s fake.’

I poured the ‘Disguise Syrup for Kids’ on my smartphone and created a knockoff.

That’s why it’s rated five stars.

It doesn’t disguise me, it disguises whatever I want.

So, because it’s for objects and not people, it is highly versatile. And, it perfectly mimics the look and function the user wants.

And it doesn’t matter if it’s a fake imitating the original.

The important thing is that the person in front of me believes it’s real.

For the first time, I saw a flicker of confusion in Kwak Jaekang’s eyes.

“…What is this? No, there’s no need to go this far, is there? I…”

Now I was ready.

From here on, it was all about skillfully pushing my confused opponent and wrapping up the situation.

Preferably in a way that gave us a bit of an advantage.

[If everyone’s ready, we’ll begin.]

[Now, the question!]

While the carrot blared on, I subtly shifted my position so Kwak Jaekang could see more clearly.

Behind me, the prototype Dream Incubator from the Cheerful Research Institute came into view.

“…!”

Kwak Jaekang’s gaze wavered, but the ‘carrot’ asked its recorded question.

[What do you know about the machine in front of you?]

Thus began the ridiculously efficient clean-up plan.

Chapter 192 - Dream Incubator Confrontation

The underground laboratory.

Kwak Jaekang’s eyes tremble as he looks around the Dream Incubation Chamber of the Cheerful Research Institute, his gaze landing on the massive incubator in the center.

But the countdown had already begun.

The low-quality recorded melody and the cheerful voice rang out.

[10! 9! 8!]

“What do I know? Are you telling me to spill everything I know about that potion-manufacturing device?”

I looked at him in silence.

[7! 6!]

“No, haha. Potion manufacturing? Did I see it once when I joined the company? Even if you ask this of a raw material procurement researcher, you know… The unreasonable is the charm of the Darkness, but this…”

Kwak Jaekang’s movements stopped.

“……Wait.”

His voice trembled.

“Is that, by any chance, that thing?”

Not fear, but excitement.

[5! 4!]

A mad gleam burst in the eyes of someone who realized what it was.

“It’s a prototype potion maker!”

The countdown stopped.

But Kwak Jaekang’s mouth did not.

“The version with no production quality restrictions! Ah, I’m not especially passionate about Daydream Inc.’s potions, but potion-manufacturing devices are a different story, haha…”

A smile spread across Kwak Jaekang’s face.

“It originated from a Darkness, didn’t it? And that’s the original device that was taken out of the Darkness!”

……!!

“To think it’s right in front of my eyes! If you’d just shown it to me instead of all this, I would’ve testified to anything!”

He murmured, practically licking the Dream Incubator with his gaze.

“Where on earth did you get this? If it gives out Wish Tickets, it must be an Abyss-grade Darkness, right? What ghost story did it come from? I don’t know which superior is running this operation, but don’t you need a researcher? I’m tight-lipped and full of passion for research!”

A beaming smile spread across Kwak Jaekang’s face.

“This is way better than the useless work I was doing in the annex! Hey, can I take a look? That one—”

Whoosh.

I set a heavy layer of black smoke before Kwak Jaekang as he tried to get up.

He stopped in his tracks.

But the eyes raised toward me shone not with fear, but with curiosity.

“You’re quite something, aren’t you? Haha… Where are you from? Which Darkness answered Daydream Inc.’s call? Fire? Water? The conception of madness? A fairytale? The Throne of Pure Silver?”

I didn’t answer.

But in my mind, the various special exploration records Kwak Jaekang had been involved with flashed by.

What would it be best to let him misunderstand?

‘Something as powerful as possible, but that Kwak Jaekang doesn’t know much about.’

But also something that would let his imagination run wild.

I reached out and pointed.

At…

The yellow lantern at my waist, wrapped in horn-like ribs.

“…A star?”

Kwak Jaekang muttered.

So that’s how he interpreted it.

“A Darkness related to a star. Gold, restraints… Haha, interesting… Are you interested in humans?”

I didn’t answer.

Instead, I pressed the carrot.

[Next round starting.]

[Now, the question!]

Kwak Jaekang was now looking at me more with intrigue than tension.

He seemed excited at the thought that the question might be related to information about the Dream Incubator.

But this.

This question wasn’t about the incubator.

It’s about smashing your skull in.

[Are you still observing Darkness Qterw-B-553, which you secretly swapped in to deploy the J-squad without your superior’s knowledge?]

Kwak Jaekang’s face stiffened.

[10, 9, 8…]

“I’m still observing it.”

The countdown stopped.

“…How did you know? Does the company already know about this?”

Of course not.

It’s just that, through the ‘#Exploration Records (Extras)’ page of Dark Exploration Records, I knew all the crazy things Kwak Jaekang had done.

Of those, I picked a certain unexpected incident that was particularly large-scale, caused a stir in the Development Department when discovered, but went undetected until the very end.

Endless Life of the J-squad

This notorious irregular record was famous for making people feel unpleasant just by reading it, to the point you’d be unsettled imagining it really happened.

But in this situation, it was definitely useful.

‘There’s no way he’ll ever think I’m just a former employee who quit.’

No matter how good Kwak Jaekang is at reading people, it’s simply impossible.

He can’t help but think this way instead.

‘Ah, someone higher up in the company must have caught on to what I did.’

From here on, things get easier.

“…Haha, if you called me in like this through the Security Team instead of handing out official disciplinary action… what exactly did I touch in there? Just what secret was I getting close to?”

By letting the other person misunderstand, you can guide the situation however you want.

“What does this place have to do with it?”

I didn’t answer Kwak Jaekang, who was muttering to himself. Instead…

[Next…]

I turned off the carrot.

Then I approached Kwak Jaekang and reached out my hand.

“…!”

Still tied to the chair, I pushed him forward toward the incubator.

“Ha… haha!”

Kwak Jaekang laughed nervously, cold sweat running down his face. Even in his fear, I could sense his anticipation for what was to come, which was a little unsettling, but either way, he stopped in front of the gleaming Dream Incubator.

The light of the Dream Essence was reflected in his glasses.

Then, I turned the carrot recorder back on.

A cheerful child’s voice came out.

[What function do you think the machine in front of you has?]

“…A more powerful, fundamental potion-manufacturing function! Since it originates from the Darkness, I’m sure it has even more extreme, incomprehensible rules! Can I touch it? Or at least observe it?”

I allowed Kwak Jaekang to stand up, but closely monitored everything he did as he touched the incubator.

Even as he broke out in a cold sweat, he couldn’t hide his excitement and busily examined and tapped all over the incubator.

“It’s crude… but more complicated than the completed company manufacturing machine. Well, I guess that’s obvious. There are fewer buttons… But, emojis? What’s this? It’s…”

Then he pressed the side of the incubator.

…A pipe similar to the one where I’d poured in the essence appeared.

There was something like that too.

‘Does that mean you can draw out the essence from there?’

I should remember this. If necessary, I could extract all the Dream Essence from there in an emergency.

Even as I thought this, Kwak Jaekang, as if possessed, examined everything, even peering into the glass container where the Dream Essence was stored.

Specifically, at the faint silhouette visible inside the Dream Essence.

A lump about five times the size of an egg, glowing a reddish-orange.

“That thing in the center! What is that? That wasn’t in the company’s manufacturing machine!”

I didn’t say anything.

Because I didn’t know, either…

But thanks to the scenario I’d set up, it seemed Kwak Jaekang took it as a hint that ‘this isn’t something I’ll tell you’.

He licked his lips and withdrew his hand, but his gaze still greedily swept over the incubator.

Then his eyes stopped at the very bottom.

Where a button had been removed.

◎

“Ahh, here… this looks like the spot for the Wish Ticket.”

……!

“Is that right? I think so. Ah, did you remove it so I wouldn’t press it by accident?”

Wait a second.

That spot… is where a Wish Ticket button is supposed to go?

Even a prototype had a Wish Ticket output function?

‘Then, originally… the Wish Tickets were even more powerful than they are now.’

Just what had the Cheerful Research Institute been trying to make?

And…

‘If I find and restore that button, I might even be able to get the Cheerful Research Institute version of a Wish Ticket?’

Thump, thump.

My head spun with the sound of my pounding heart.

No, no… calm down.

This is only Kwak Jaekang’s speculation.

And even if that speculation is correct, all the Wish Tickets I know about are based on what Daydream Inc. refined.

As for the ‘original’ produced by the Cheerful Research Institute… who knows what kind of insane effect it might have. No one could say for sure.

Don’t get swept up by the temptation of a gamble when I have clear answers in front of me!

‘Huu.’

“If you gave me a little more time, I feel like I could learn even more. I don’t know who you are, but if you let me join this project…”

Kwak Jaekang spoke suggestively, looking at me.

I stared back at him in silence.

Black smoke stretched toward him like a line.

Kwak Jaekang flinched.

The black smoke circled him, as if warning him not to do anything foolish, or perhaps as if appraising him, then, as I inhaled, it was sucked back into my body.

“Ha.”

I reached out and activated ‘All the Things the Carrot Can Do’ again.

Time to wrap this up.

‘If I get greedy, he might catch on.’

And the final touch… is for a perfect setup.

[What did you want to hide during today’s Truth or Dare?]

“…!”

It’s the question that the Security Team always asks at the very end of an interrogation.

A direct hit that leaves those who’ve been skirting the truth in despair, thinking, ‘As long as I don’t lie, I’ll be fine.’

But Kwak Jaekang just smiled.

“Nothing in particular. Haha!”

He really seemed off his rocker.

“Anyway, it feels like you already know and are ignoring all the disciplinary issues I was trying to hide, so what’s there to keep secret?”

He smacked his lips.

“It’s just disappointing. I guess I’m not the type of talent that this team is looking for? Hm, then who would be on that team… Confidential team, missing persons, hm.”

And then.

“Supervisor Kim Soleum?”

I almost jumped off the floor.

“Seeing it this way, your build seems pretty similar… Now that I think about it, right, Supervisor Kim Soleum’s mask also had horns, didn’t it? Did you perhaps abduct that employee from the train to use as your vessel?”

What the actual hell.

“No wonder it felt strange! That train Darkness wasn’t the type to just disappear like that, but now the puzzle pieces fit. Hahaha.”

Wait.

He said the train Darkness wasn’t the type to just disappear like that?

That makes it sound as if.

‘He already knew about the Tamra Express ghost story!’

At that moment, it hit me.

‘This bastard set it up!’

The sudden business trip, and getting caught up in the train ghost story along the way.

It wasn’t just bad luck, this guy orchestrated it.

‘He’d already gathered information about Tamra Express.’

Right, Kwak Jaekang can mess around in ways not recorded in <Exploration Records of Darkness>.

Because of the variable called ‘me’!

“A morally upright and cowardly newcomer. Wow, even just listing it out, that sounds like the perfect candidate for a human sacrifice…”

And from the way he spoke, it seemed he’d looked into me, ‘Kim Soleum’, much more than I expected.

…He knew?

My personality?

“Anyway. Now I really want to confirm if my hypothesis is right! Is that Security Team uniform made from the leather of that unfortunate employee? Was it a match?”

Stay calm.

I deliberately gave no reaction.

Whether he spouted nonsense or deduced the truth, I wouldn’t give him any information.

As if I had no meaning or interest outside the task I was assigned.

Then, as if suddenly thinking of it, I picked up the carrot recorder and gave it a small shake.

“…Tsk. So silent…”

Just then.

The sergeant who’d been hiding behind the desk leaped out and struck Kwak Jaekang in the back of the neck, knocking him out.

“Mmf.”

With a short thud, the guy’s body collapsed to the floor.

‘Huu.’

For some reason, I felt relieved.

“I just leave him outside… right?”

I quickly nodded.

As I watched the sergeant move Kwak Jaekang, I hurried to take off the Security Team uniform.

‘…Done.’

So what happens now?

The sergeant will dump Kwak Jaekang near the company, and he’ll be ‘found’ and taken in by Supervisor Park Minseong.

This way, Supervisor Park Minseong can report that he ‘found Section Chief Kwak Jaekang passed out near the company and returned him to work’.

That’s the last eyewitness account!

‘Any sighting of me or the sergeant will have nothing to do with official duties.’

This way, Supervisor Park Minseong didn’t have to lie, and could omit my sighting from his report.

– Mr. Roe Deer! Ah, what a delightful performance. Wit, deception, secrets. You used all three elements very well.

After changing back, I picked up Braun, who had been sitting off to the side of the office, and put him in my front pocket. He burst into applause.

‘Really? It didn’t look awkward?’

– Ah, it was perfect. That composure, not even batting an eye when your own name came up! It was a wonderful performance.

– But aren’t you worried that man will go back and expose everything that happened here, Friend?

Ah. That.

I smiled confidently.

‘That won’t happen.’

– Oho?

Because Kwak Jaekang is the type whose mind is always working.

Security Team interrogations are a strict non-disclosure matter.

Usually, unless someone directly involved asks, everyone keeps their mouth shut.

Especially in Kwak Jaekang’s case.

All the more so if the interrogation was about some outrageous abuse of authority on his part!

‘Why would anyone go around blabbing that they did something to get disciplined?’

Especially when they haven’t even gotten to experience the catharsis of ‘observing’ what result comes of it.

– I see!

This was better than any binding.

I recalled Supervisor Park Minseong’s anxious voice.

– If only we had a memory-erasing pill, or a silencing pill.

We could have bought those, but I opted not to use one.

Those are potions made by Daydream Inc.

Someone in Kwak Jaekang’s position could just buy an antidote from the points mall, and he’d be suspicious of a binding that could be undone so easily.

What’s important is to handle this in the most natural way possible.

Make it seem like there’s no real point in talking about it, even if you do.

And even in the unlikely event that Kwak Jaekang does talk, the higher-ups who hear it will just assume it’s another secret project of some powerful faction and find nothing strange about it.

– So Mr. Roe Deer, you went to great lengths to perfectly recreate a ‘Security Team interrogation’.

– To make even the insiders get the wrong idea, if word gets out.

‘That’s right.’

The only thing that nags at me is… the way Kwak Jaekang associated Supervisor Kim Soleum with my Security Team disguise.

But even if he goes around later telling people in great detail, by the time that news reaches Director Ho, I won’t be here anymore.

“All done.”

In this way, I managed to extract all the information from Kwak Jaekang while also cleaning up the situation.

My whole body aches…

‘Maybe I should rest a bit before the sergeant gets here.’

After dealing with that insane researcher, my stomach’s starting to hurt.

I put away the Security Team uniform into my inventory tattoo and sat down in front of the Dream Incubator.

I gazed at it for a moment.

– Friend, sorry to disturb your break, but… now I feel like giving you a small hint and a preview.

‘…A preview?’

– Indeed! Let’s raise the tension just a bit.

– A very interesting incident will occur soon.

“…Braun?”

Just then.

Bzzz.

My phone buzzed.

“…!”

A call at this hour.

Could it be something that happened at the Disaster Management Bureau? Maybe there were so many rescue requests that they overlapped beyond what could be handled.

I immediately opened my smartphone. But…

[K.LEE: Oh it’s been a while since I’ve contacted you Employeeㅋㅋㅋ]

[K.LEE: Have you been doing well?]

Huh?

A person whose profile picture is a Hawaiian beach.

Someone who introduced himself as Assistant Manager Lee Kangheon from the C-squad, the one who connected me to the Salmon Market.

But……

A message from him?

‘But that’s impossible.’

Because, because…

I’m already a dead person to Daydream Inc.

I changed my number a long time ago.

‘……’

Something’s wrong.

And yet, my phone kept buzzing.

[K.LEE: RightㅋㅋYou’re a supervisor now aren’t you]

[K.LEE: Or rather…]

[K.LEE: A spy, right?]

“So that’s how it is.”

I turned my head.

“If you really want to be a spy…”

From behind the office chair in the Dream Incubation Chamber, someone took off the goblin hat they’d been wearing.

Agent Choi.

In his hand was the crumpled note I’d given him.

“You should have found some way to slip out a hint like this in the middle. …Mr. Roe Deer.”

And then, the blades descended.

Chapter 193 - Unexpected Meeting

I rolled to dodge the falling blades.

But the downpour of blades had already struck my foot.

“…!”

At that moment, Agent Choi lunged at me with frightening speed and pulled something else out with his hand.

A round object.

A glass marble, glinting in the light of the Dream Essence.

‘The emergency glass prison!’

If that hits me, I’ll be bound and transported straight to the Disaster Management Bureau’s infamous glass prison.

The moment that happens, it’s all over.

The spy mission. The Wish Ticket. Everything.

‘No.’

Gritting my teeth, I grabbed the blade embedded in my foot and rolled to the side.

Ping, ti-di-ding…

The glass marble I barely dodged bounced away with a cheerful sound.

But the prison was already open.

“……!”

LET THE ROPE OF

JUSTICE FALL UPON

THE SINNER

Countless hands reached out from within the emptiness of the glass, grabbing hold of me.

I clung to the office furniture, but it was hopeless. I was dragged in. My hands, scraped along the floor, had my fingernails shattered as they were pulled.

There was no time to take out any items.

‘Braun!’

– Oh, you’re desperately hoping for the devoted help of your Good Friend, are you, Friend!

– But I’m afraid that will be difficult.

What?

– This is a decision made for more interesting developments, so I trust you’ll graciously understand, Mr. Roe Deer. Ah, but my heart aches, too! Of course it does…

– The troubles of a friend!

My blood ran cold.

I was trapped in the glass.

Chalalalak.

With a clear, sharp sound as if the glass was resonating, I was separated from the outside world as if I was looking through a shattered mirror.

‘Braun?’

No answer. Fuck!

‘No.’

I grit my teeth.

If the agent contacted the Disaster Management Bureau now, everything would be over.

And Agent Choi is absolutely the kind of person who would do just that!

‘He’s already started contacting them.’

The glass marble spun in Agent Choi’s grip. It was a kind of emergency ritual to summon the warden of the prison.

‘Damn it, damn it!’

How do I stop this? How do I persuade him? He’s a warm person who sometimes lets his emotions get the better of him, but that only works when there’s a gap to exploit.

Now that he knows I’m a spy, he’ll throw me in the glass prison first, and then—

……

Wait.

Instead of looking at the hand holding the glass marble, I looked at his other, left hand.

He was holding a crumpled piece of paper.

‘……’

There it is.

“Is that the note I gave you? Did you solve the riddle recently and that’s how you found this place?”

Agent Choi didn’t answer, just kept rolling the glass marble in his hand. But I kept talking, undaunted.

“At the very least, when you received that note, did you think I was genuinely asking for help to help someone else?”

“No.”

“…!”

“At first, I assumed there must be some trick to it. Given your background.”

…!!

“What are you so surprised about? You transferred from Daydream Inc. to the Bureau here using your real name. Did you really think no one would notice?”

The shock hit me like a hammer to the head, and the result became clear.

‘It was suspicious.’

Yeah. I definitely thought it was strange.

When it turned out the C-squad’s Lee Kangheon didn’t exist, and when Supervisor Lee Seonghae, who supposedly exchanged messages with him, said she’d never met him either.

It was easy enough to deduce the reason with just a little thinking.

That person never existed in the first place.

It was just someone posing as a Daydream Inc. employee to dig for information.

And that person was Agent Choi.

So he’d known from the beginning that I was from Daydream Inc…

“But you know.”

Agent Choi’s voice turned hollow.

“You’re really good at your job. …You work hard.”

“……”

“Trying so hard to help everyone you meet, including kids and even the annoying ones, without picking or choosing. Willing to do anything, even if it means getting hurt or taking a loss.”

His voice shook.

“That’s not something you can fake. Usually, Daydream Inc. employees can’t stand losing out. So I thought. …Maybe, just like you told Jaekwan, you really did fake your death at the company and run away.”

…!

“So I figured, if I kept you on our team and managed you well…”

Agent Choi gripped the glass marble tightly.

“I just believed what I wanted. Hah, making a mistake like this after all these years.”

“……”

“Yeah, people only act if they think they’ll get a greater benefit even if they take a loss. And I forgot about your tendency to risk your life for a Wish Ticket. But…”

Agent Choi’s eyes darkened.

“Mr. Roe Deer. Are you even human?”

“……”

“What was that form just now? And what is this place? What are you doing to the Disaster Management Bureau that Daydream Inc. would grant you a wish? Say something.”

I kept my mouth shut.

Agent Choi met my eyes for a moment, then finally smiled.

“Pointless, isn’t it?”

“……”

“Yeah. You can talk as much as you want after you get to prison…”

“Prison?”

A voice came from above Agent Choi’s head.

“…!”

Looking over him was the black shadow of a monstrous form resembling a giant wolf, with teeth and eyes jutting out haphazardly.

It was the sergeant.

He had returned.

As I continued to stall for time, I clenched my teeth and shouted,

“Aim for the glass marble!”

“Son of a—”

Agent Choi tried to grab the blade at his waist, but it was too late.

The teeth closed in.

Crunch.

The blade was shattered, and the glass marble was crushed together with Agent Choi’s hand.

“Urk!”

As the glass marble shattered between those jaws, the makeshift prison holding me broke apart as well.

I immediately sprang forward and, seizing the opportunity, subdued Agent Choi.

Targeting the area where his reaction would be slowest.

His neck.

“…!”

I deliberately aimed for the scar on his neck.

Whether it was guilt or tension, I couldn’t tell, but a chill ran down my spine.

Thud.

Agent Choi was pinned to the floor. From the wolf-like monster’s black muzzle that bit his arm, fangs and tongue-like lumps appeared, as if about to bite it clean off…

“Don’t.”

I gasped, speaking urgently.

“Don’t kill him.”

“……”

Gradually, the monstrous form faded, revealing the dried-up, apathetic face of the sergeant.

“I wasn’t… trying to kill him… Just… scare him a little…”

Huu.

“That kind of intimidation doesn’t work on someone like him.”

I looked down.

My heart was pounding.

What should I do now?

Does this mean my mission is a complete failure? My Wish Ticket… Can I even still get one? How do I resolve this situation? What do I need to—

“Soleum-ah.”

“……”

“Cough— Kim Soleum. Hey.”

From below, with a small cough and a clogged voice, Agent Choi grinned.

“That blade didn’t hurt much, did it?”

…!

“A blade like that isn’t something you can just keep moving on after it’s stuck in your foot. You saw it, too, right? When that elite team member from your company got hit.”

I saw it.

In the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace ghost story.

The moment the blade struck, Assistant Manager Jin Nasol had collapsed, barely able to stifle her groans.

And the fact that it didn’t really hurt me, that means…

“It means you’re not such a bad guy, right?”

“……”

“Grapes. It’s not too late.”

…!

“If I don’t report you, I can quietly take care of this myself. There are plenty of people in the Bureau with unusual backgrounds.”

“……”

“Let’s just cover this up. Then, just like you said, you can go on living as a new recruit who escaped from that scam company and joined the Disaster Management Bureau.”

Agent Choi’s eyes were calm and clear again.

“Just… keep working with us as the youngest on Black-Tortoise Team 1. Saving people.”

“……”

“I don’t know why you’re still tied to that damned company… but be honest. Wasn’t it a lot more fun being on our team?”

“……”

“And maybe, just maybe, we could grant your wish, too.”

His low voice carried a warmth.

“I’ll help you, Soleum-ah.”

……

I moved my hand.

“Agent.”

“Yeah?”

“Please stop lying. It won’t work on me.”

“…!”

I twisted Agent Choi’s left arm behind his back.

Thunk—

The pager fell from under his left elbow. I grabbed it and crushed it.

“You…!”

As expected.

“Agent Choi.”

While pressing both of his hands behind his back, I spoke firmly.

“I already know.”

“……”

“Pressing the pager you stick under your left elbow is your usual way out of situations.”

Agent Choi’s eyes widened.

“But when it becomes too difficult to retrieve the pager like this… you usually start thinking up ways to subdue your opponent. Normally, you use your dokkaebi flame, but sometimes you also use a book you got from Ijeong Bookstore.”

“……”

“But you only do that when you need to protect someone you’re rescuing. In this situation, you’ll choose escape. Jay-ssi, there’s another pocket inside this person’s pants pocket. There should be a sneaker shoelace in there. Please take it out.”

The sergeant did as I asked.

Agent Choi’s smile turned pale when he saw his own escape item in my hand.

I declared,

“I know you. I can predict everything you’ll try to do.”

“……”

“Don’t make the situation worse with pointless attempts.”

“Haha… you bastard.”

His voice trembled.

“What are you?”

“……”

“Who are you?”

I couldn’t answer.

This was all to make sure he couldn’t act recklessly, to instill a sense of caution.

I then systematically stripped Agent Choi of all his weapons and stored everything in my inventory tattoo.

That was the first stage of neutralizing him.

‘Huu.’

But instead of feeling relieved, my head was spinning.

Next. What next…

‘I have to get out of here.’

It was too dangerous to stay here with Agent Choi. If the Disaster Management Bureau managed to track us down, it would be trouble.

‘The motel.’

For now, we should go to a third location.

“Walk. Quietly.”

“……”

“No funny business.”

I stood Agent Choi up and held him. With the sergeant on the other side, to anyone else we would just look like two coworkers helping a drunk colleague.

As we left the Dream Incubation Chamber, I tried to think of a way to clean up this mess…

“Soleum-ah.”

“……”

Agent Choi smiled with a cold sweat.

“So what are you going to do, bury me somewhere? Or… hand me over to Daydream Inc.?”

“……”

“But you know better than anyone how awful those bastards are. You saw with your own eyes how they were about to use the kids we barely rescued from the Ocean Palace as test subjects.”

We kept moving.

“You’re really going to hand me over to them? Seriously?”

“……”

“Just tell me what you were doing in the Bureau. I’ll help you.”

I couldn’t say a word.

And… I knew he wouldn’t help anyway.

He was just waiting for me to slip up or let my guard down for even a second.

If I showed even the slightest weakness, the experienced Agent Choi would either send me straight to the glass prison, or escape and come back with backup.

That would be the end. No…

‘Is it already over?’

My stomach churned.

It felt like I had passed a point of no return.

I’d thought I could just quietly sneak out the documents Director Ho wanted, but now… there was no going back.

I realized I was about to fall into a swamp I’d never be able to get out of.

I felt like throwing up.

‘……What do I do?’

Is there any way?

There’s no use in Daydream Inc.’s potions that erase memories or force secrecy oaths.

‘He’d get caught in less than a week.’

Agent Choi gets a company check-up every week to make sure nothing suspicious has gotten into him. He’d be caught there.

If only, if only…

“Um…”

“……”

“Excuse me.”

I looked at the sergeant across from me.

The sergeant glanced at the agent he was supporting and restraining, and spoke.

“This person… Disaster Management Bureau…?”

“…Yes.”

“Hmm… I don’t know what’s going on, but…”

The sergeant spoke as if he had realized something.

“You seemed to know each other… and seemed able to communicate.”

“……!”

“How about… talking it out, for now?”

But what was I supposed to say?

I couldn’t reveal what I was doing as a spy, or exactly what Daydream Inc. demanded from me, and those were the most important things. Director Ho’s binding was in place.

If I left that out, what could I talk about…?

……

Only the parts of me that weren’t about being a spy.

Kim Soleum.

What I wanted.

What I’d been thinking about as I worked at the Disaster Management Bureau.

Whether I ever intended to deceive them.

“……”

Maybe… I could at least talk about that.

At the very least, I could say that I had no intention of harming the Disaster Management Bureau.

If I could just prove that I hadn’t done any real harm, maybe we could find a compromise, somehow.

For now… I’d try that.

“…Yes.”

After stepping out into the alley and moving toward the road, I saw a taxi parked there and spoke quietly to Agent Choi.

“We’re going to take a taxi.”

“……”

“Don’t make a scene.”

“Smart, Mr. Roe Deer.”

If there were civilians around, he wouldn’t be able to act rashly or attack. He’d worry that the taxi driver might get hurt or even killed in the process.

‘This way, I can actually prevent any unexpected incidents.’

I felt uneasy about using even this, but there was no other choice.

“Let’s get in.”

The three of us got into the back seat of the taxi together. Then, to keep the driver from being alarmed, we kept up the appearance of supporting a drunken friend…

“Soleum-nim!”

“…!!”

A familiar face turned from the driver’s seat.

Someone who wasn’t the taxi driver. He looked at me with a voice full of regret.

…It was Director Ho.

‘What is this.’

How did he get here?

Why… here?

But shock overtook all other questions.

Director Ho made his declaration.

“Oh dear, you’ve been caught.”

“……”

No.

“But you secured things very quickly! I came out to greet you myself so you wouldn’t have to trouble yourself coming to me.”

Director Ho’s gaze shifted.

Ignoring the sergeant as if he didn’t exist, his eyes settled on the person in the middle of the back seat, restrained by us—Agent Choi.

“How do you do?”

Something inhuman. Something that clearly showed unbridled hatred and resentment toward the Disaster Management Bureau.

That’s what was looking at the bureau agent next to me.

In turn, a tense smile spread across Agent Choi’s face.

“Doesn’t really feel like you’re asking about my well-being, does it?”

“Oh dear, that’s not it.”

A smile appeared on Director Ho’s face as well.

“You’ll be at peace soon.”

No.

“Please wait.”

I hurriedly stepped into Director Ho’s line of sight.

My back was damp with cold sweat.

“If he dies, disappears, or mutates, a notification will be sent to the Bureau immediately.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s certain. So it would be much more efficient and safer to simply place a binding on him and let him return to his daily routine…”

“Soleum-nim.”

Director Ho looked at me and smiled apologetically.

“You’ve been exposed so quickly, it’s hard for me to trust your judgment any longer…”

A chill ran to the tips of my hair.

“I’ll handle this myself.”

“……”

Stiffly, I turned my head.

Over Agent Choi’s face, a circular ripple began to spread.

Director Ho’s spell.

Chapter 194 - Incantation & Betrayal

Director Ho’s lips did not move.

But the incantation had begun.

– Man.

Rippling circles appeared across Agent Choi’s face.

The smile on his face twisted with the waves.

And the moment he pulled his body back.

Thud.

“…!!”

As if one side of his face had collapsed, blood began to pour out.

Chunks of flesh were torn off in the exact shape of the ripples.

No.

“Don’t move. Please don’t move.”

I held on to Agent Choi.

‘He’s doing it to his face, not the back of his hand.’

He was being treated differently than spies.

In other words, move and you die.

Cold sweat ran down my neck.

The incantation continued.

– You shall never be able to speak of this.

That.

– You shall become unable to speak of it.

The bleeding grew heavier.

Blood flowed over my hands as I gripped Agent Choi’s shoulders.

What could I do?

Director Ho’s spell wasn’t spoken out loud. Even if I tried to speak to him or plead, it wouldn’t stop.

– Your final appearance shall be as follows.

If I just held on, wouldn’t I be making it easier, making Agent Choi’s death even swifter and smoother?

I couldn’t help him escape, either. The spell had already begun, and all his equipment… his equipment was all in my tattoo inventory.

‘If only I hadn’t disarmed him.’

No, if only I hadn’t given him that note in the first place.

Maybe even being sent to the glass prison at the last moment would have been better.

But every moment had passed, and now Director Ho continued.

– Any hint revealed by accident, any change in behavior, any giving of clues is strictly forbidden, and your loss of free will shall never appear on the surface.

– Any attempt to reveal the existence of the binding shall fail, and you shall appear no different than before.

– Any attempt to change this shall result in punishment.

‘……’

Is it over?

That sounds like the closing spell, right? So is it just a powerful binding and that’s all?

For a moment, I was relieved.

If I just made it through this, maybe I could figure out another way. At this level, maybe somehow…

– And tonight.

The spell was not over.

– You will resolve to die.

No.

– In despair over your fate, you will, in the lowest, filthiest part of this alley, take your own life…

I lunged forward.

I kicked the back of Director Ho’s seat, grabbed his collar, and shoved him roughly against the steering wheel.

Beeeeeeep!

The horn blared madly under the pressure.

That sound drowned out the incantation, shattered his concentration, and broke the oppressive force pressing on the space.

In that instant, the ripples disappeared from Agent Choi’s face.

Panting.

Silence.

…Stillness.

“……”

“……”

“Soleum-nim.”

“……”

“Did you just attack me?”

I let go.

My mouth barely worked.

“You’ve got to stop.”

“……”

“That was the wrong choice.”

It was a crazy choice.

I had just criticized someone unimaginably higher-ranking, someone who’d placed a binding on me and could kill me at any time—a being who might not even be human.

“Aha.”

Director Ho clapped his hands together with a loud smack.

“So you think you know better than me!”

“……”

“You couldn’t even last a quarter after infiltrating, you got exposed to your own team supervisor, and now, without even a word of warning to me, you’re secretly meeting with the Guard Team as a spy!”

I might die.

One wrong step here and I could die.

Director Ho had never shown such direct hostility before. I’m going to die.

But, but…

Still.

“That was your mistake, sir.”

……

“What?”

“From the beginning, the setup was far too sloppy. An infiltrator should never be sent in under their real name.”

Right.

“If you truly thought the Disaster Management Bureau wouldn’t do a background check on their new hires, then as a planner, that was a hopelessly naive decision.”

Unbelievable words came out of my mouth, all directed at someone impossibly above me.

I couldn’t stop.

“Why did you send me in under such easily discoverable conditions? I thought there were other safeguards in place, but it turns out there were none. Did you do this on purpose…”

……

Wait a minute.

“I see.”

I looked at Director Ho.

“You did it on purpose. You wanted me to get caught.”

“……!”

“You sent me in expecting to be discovered from the very beginning. That’s why you had me use my real name, and that’s why you only selected new hires, not veterans.”

You were hoping the inexperienced ones would make mistakes.

Making an easy excuse about ‘outsmarting the Bureau’s detection capabilities’, you deliberately picked the most decent, diligent rookies who’d fit right in at the Bureau.

And there was another side effect to all this.

“The agents who uncover the identities of those infiltrators will become even more confused. After all, there’s no difference in character between them and the real new agents.”

There would be intense debate internally about how to handle them.

And on top of that, everyone would realize that no personality test could filter out a spy, and suspicion would begin to spread among them.

In this way…

“Was it to induce internal strife within the Disaster Management Bureau?”

“……”

“To slowly unravel a tightly knit organization by sowing seeds of distrust, making it so the existing members can’t trust new hires?”

“Soleum-nim, you have a vivid imagination!”

Do I?

“But you’re not directly denying it.”

Freeze.

Director Ho stared at me in silence.

“‘I had no such intention, and I swear on the Counseling Room that it’s true.’ …Can you declare that?”

“……”

“I asked if you can make that declaration.”

“Soleum-nim.”

A gentle, friendly smile appeared on Director Ho’s face.

“Even if I did, it wouldn’t change anything.”

“……!”

“There was only ever one promise from the beginning.”

Director Ho raised an index finger.

“If you bring me the documents I asked for, the Wish Ticket will be given. That condition is an absolutely unbreakable guarantee.”

“So.”

My mouth was dry with tension.

My heart was pounding like crazy.

But my mouth moved without hesitation.

“So whether I get caught or not, that’s not actually important. As long as I can get you the ‘documents’.”

“……”

“As long as you get to hear that information.”

Information about an annihilation-sanctioned supernatural disaster.

……

Right.

“In that case, I’ll bring it no matter what.”

“The documents?”

“The information you want.”

“But you’ve already been exposed.”

“Even so.”

I met Director Ho’s gaze.

“I can still bring it.”

And at the same time, I pointed to Agent Choi and subtly shielded him with my body.

“But if this agent dies or becomes incapacitated here, it will be impossible to carry out.”

“And why is that?”

“Because from that point on, I won’t be able to manage the aftermath.”

“……”

“……”

Director Ho kept silently smiling at me.

And I couldn’t look away either. I held on.

And then.

“Very well.”

Director Ho announced.

“Our agreement has not changed. I’m truly looking forward to seeing just how you’ll manage to bring me those documents, Soleum-nim.”

“……”

Relief barely managed to slide down my throat.

“But… you’ll still have to accept your punishment, won’t you?”

……!

“I trust you already know how outrageously rude and inappropriate your actions just now were.”

My eyelids trembled.

“From the start… no one else got caught, so I don’t see how you can claim this wasn’t entirely your own fault.”

A cold wave of dread ran down my spine.

“Excuses are free, but attacking your superior just because your opinion wasn’t accepted was too much… If I were to guess why you went that far.”

“……”

“Did you get attached?”

Cold sweat trickled down my chin.

“Did you get scared of having a fellow agent you worked with die? It seems you’re the type to form precious attachments even in unfamiliar places.”

“Director.”

I replied as calmly as I could.

“For a human being, it’s only natural to be afraid of another person dying.”

“……”

“If you were offended by my rebuttal, I apologize.”

“Oh, not at all! I’m not offended. You’re absolutely right.”

Director Ho smiled again.

“But rules are rules.”

“……”

“Would you hold out your hand? You’ll need to accept your punishment.”

……

Slowly, I extended both hands, just barely keeping them from trembling, palms up.

– Man.

Ripples spread.

But unlike the subtle secret binding from before, this was not gentle.

A massive, deep indentation brought a bizarre pain and a twisted sensation to the back of my hand.

“…!”

I clenched my teeth, sweating coldly. Don’t move. If I move…

– You shall die in one month.

…!

– However, if you fulfill your promise with ■■■, this duty shall be revoked.

– Any attempt to avoid this shall result in punishment.

I bit back a scream.

As the ripples faded from the back of my hand, the bizarre sensation and pain slowly disappeared…

“I was worried you might be lying to stall for time. So this time, as you said, I made sure not to be naive!”

Director Ho beamed.

“Thank you for letting me know.”

“……”

I drew my hands back.

For a moment, I met Agent Choi’s trembling gaze.

“Ah. I should get going now.”

“……”

“I only meant to wrap things up quickly, but I didn’t expect such a long chat with you, Soleum-nim.”

“It… didn’t feel like a conversation at all……”

……!!

“You just said… you’ll kill him in a month…”

Sergeant!

‘Don’t say anything, please!’

For the first time, Director Ho seemed to acknowledge the sergeant’s presence and looked at him.

Then… he smiled and spoke.

“Give Director Cheong my regards.”

……!

It was as if Director Ho hadn’t even heard what the sergeant said. He just turned his head back, smiling at me.

“Well then, have a good night, Soleum-nim!”

And with that.

Director Ho disappeared from the driver’s seat.

“……”

“……”

“Director Cheong… will be impossible to meet… Ah, he’s gone.”

I’m alive.

I nearly collapsed onto the taxi floor.

But realizing I was already sitting, I forced my trembling body to move.

The bleeding on Agent Choi’s face was now severe.

I opened up the medical supplies I’d confiscated from Agent Choi and began administering first aid.

“……”

The bleeding on his face stopped, and after some work, he started to stabilize.

Agent Choi didn’t resist.

But he still didn’t speak.

“Agent.”

He just turned his eyes to look at me.

“Don’t think about it.”

“Think about what?”

“Any way to break the binding Director placed on you. Don’t even try to come up with ideas.”

“……”

The first binding Director Ho recited had already been applied to Agent Choi.

Now he could no longer transmit any information about me being a spy, or about what happened today.

He would have to live tomorrow as if nothing had changed from yesterday.

If not.

“You’ll be punished.”

“Punished.”

“Yes.”

I looked up and spoke clearly.

“Whatever is most precious to you will end up meeting the director.”

“……”

Agent Choi quietly took his own medical kit from my hand and continued the first aid himself.

He moved with the practiced skill of someone who’s done this kind of work for a long time.

And then…

“…He’s a director, you said.”

I didn’t answer.

“What kind of binding did the director put on you?”

“……”

“Right now it sounds like he said he’d kill you in a month if you can’t pull off this spy job properly. What did he do to you before?”

I opened the car door.

And nodded my chin toward it.

“Go home.”

“How do you plan to get the information?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

Agent Choi looked at me with an unreadable expression.

“If you tell me what kind of information it is, maybe I can help.”

“That’s not necessary. I’m not going to ask you to steal anything.”

“So what’s the wish you’re trying to fulfill?”

I couldn’t hold it back.

“I just want to go home.”

“……!”

“…I’ll leave your gear in the trunk.”

I got out of the car with the sergeant.

Then I took all of Agent Choi’s equipment and placed it in the trunk, leaving one low-grade Daydream Inc. regeneration potion with it.

I had no idea what kind of talk he’d have to endure showing up to work tomorrow with his face like that.

…While I did that, Agent Choi did not get out of the car.

Click.

I closed the trunk roughly and walked away with the sergeant.

…Somewhere.

“……”

“Um… Are you okay…?”

“…Yes.”

The worst was avoided.

Certainly, I’d managed to get through this situation.

One month.

That was enough. I could do it. I have a plan…

I could do it.

“Mm……”

The sergeant spoke in his slow voice.

“Um, if it really gets impossible… come find me…”

“…Thank you.”

Even just the words were a comfort.

I finally pulled myself together.

“Ah, I’m sorry. You always help me out, and I should treat you to something.”

Wasn’t there a bakery nearby? Even if not donuts, I wanted to buy him something, but the sergeant slowly shook his head.

“Mm. Next time… at a good restaurant…”

“…Yes. Next time. For sure.”

A faint laugh escaped me.

…I felt a little lighter.

“Um… and the information I found out…?”

“I’ll hear that next time, too.”

I’m at my limit.

I barely managed a faint smile as I saw the sergeant off.

He looked back at me several times, but in the end, he needed to head back to Daydream Inc. before sundown…

“……”

– Huu, that was suffocating suspense!

I bowed my head.

I looked at the plush doll on my chest.

– Now that your journey has entered a new phase, I can’t wait to see where it will lead next. Don’t you think so, Friend?

……

“Think what you want.”

And I took the plush out of my jacket.

For a split second, I felt the urge to throw it onto the main road, but I just stuffed it back in my jacket pocket.

At least I wouldn’t have to hear his voice. At least not today.

“……”

I returned to the old motel I’d been renting for the long term.

And five hours later, I reported for work at the Disaster Management Bureau.

As if nothing had changed.

Chapter 195 - [Jisan Village], I

“……”

I stared at the Black-Tortoise Team 1 waiting room door.

After everything I’d gone through, it felt strangely unreal that I was still standing here in front of it.

But habits were such honest things.

Click.

I opened the door and went inside.

And…

“You’re here?”

Agent Bronze stood up to greet me with a welcoming expression.

“Good morning. …Agent Grapes, you don’t look well.”

Ah.

“Did you have trouble sleeping again?”

“Just… didn’t sleep very well, that’s all. I’m alright.”

Thankfully, I’d treated any visible wounds in advance.

“If you’re too tired, you need to let us know.”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

I managed to smile as usual and chat with Agent Bronze, then sat down on the sofa across from him.

And I waited.

“……”

My palms were sweaty.

But after several minutes, the only people in the waiting room were the two of us.

The person who should have appeared… wasn’t here.

“Um.”

“Yes?”

“Agent Choi is…”

“Oh. Agent Choi won’t be able to come in today.”

“……”

What?

‘Wait.’

Did something go wrong?

‘No.’

Could it be Director Ho went to him again? Or maybe he tried to break the binding and got hurt? I…

“He actually came in a little early, but said he wasn’t feeling well and took the day off.”

“……I see.”

There was a witness.

A feeling swept through my chest. It was too strong to call it relief, but something like it.

“You really don’t need to worry. That person… I mean, Agent Choi looked totally fine. And also…”

Agent Bronze went over to a small fridge in the corner of the waiting room and took something out.

A drink carrier with café drinks inside.

“He left these. Said he stopped by a café on the way.”

“……”

“This one’s for you, Agent Grapes.”

I accepted the drink.

It was a can of green grape ade.

A café-style packaged cookie was tucked into the cupholder, and above it, there was a mark in black marker.

A handwritten message from Agent Choi.

[Black-Tortoise Team 1, hwaiting]

And then it was crossed out with a line.

“……”

“Agent Grapes?”

“…Thank you.”

I picked up the ade.

It was so sweet it shocked me awake.

Whether it was the sugar or adrenaline, my head was clear all morning.

My plans, all the things I needed to accomplish in the next month, spun through my mind.

‘For now, keep a low profile.’

Since there was the incident with Agent Choi, I’d keep quiet for about a week, try not to stand out at the Disaster Management Bureau, quietly do some groundwork, then take action.

For me, timing was more important than simply having a lot of time.

But…

There was one thing I worried about.

‘…Should I tell Yeongeun-ssi about this?’

It seemed like I should share my current situation, but it was hard to judge exactly how much to say. I wasn’t sure where the line was.

How would Yeongeun-ssi react if I said I’d have to resolve everything within a month?

Was it right to tell her about Director Ho’s malice, that we’d been sent in as decoy spies, expecting we’d be discovered from the start?

But even if she knew, is there really anything she could do about it……

“……”

Wouldn’t it be easier and less conspicuous for her spy work if she didn’t know?

My stomach hurt.

It felt like acid.

‘No. It’s alright.’

Yeongeun-ssi only has to work here for one more month.

If I do everything properly, I’ll be able to deliver the information Director Ho wants, in the form he wants. And in that process, I’ll be able to assert Yeongeun-ssi’s share.

Then it will all end without a problem.

‘Alright.’

Let’s do this.

“Huu.”

I set down the empty ade.

Agent Bronze, who was reviewing documents while sipping a vanilla latte, spoke up.

“I don’t see your doll today.”

“……!”

“You know, the little rabbit plush you call Braun.”

“…It’s right here.”

I pulled the plush out of my jacket and showed it, then put it away again.

“Is it doing well?”

“Probably.”

I quickly withdrew my hand from my pocket, the one that had touched the plush.

Then—

Beep beep beep beep beep beep!!

“…!”

A shrill alarm sounded from Agent Bronze’s wrist.

A call.

‘Rescue request!’

“Please stand by.”

Agent Bronze tossed the documents aside and got up from his seat.

He checked the code displayed on the call device to see what kind of ghost story it was, then began to get ready…

“…Looks like this is a case where two people are required for the rescue. We’ll go in together.”

“Alright.”

I got up right away, too.

The experience of the past few weeks had conditioned my body to move automatically. And that, ironically, helped ground me in reality.

“The dispatch site is a little far away. Normally, the local branch would get the call, but this time the rescue request came straight to headquarters.”

“Where is it?”

“Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do. Also, this particular supernatural disaster… is rather large in scale, so there’s a lot to keep in mind.”

Agent Bronze quickly pulled a small booklet-style document from the bookshelf.

“This is a manual and set of tips put together by our team. Please read it while we’re on the move.”

“Yes.”

As soon as Agent Bronze sent out a call to the off-duty members, we immediately left headquarters to travel.

And our means of transport…

“Since the rescue window for this disaster isn’t that tight, we’ll use public transportation.”

…was a high-speed train.

Departing from Seoul Station.

“……”

“Agent Grapes?”

“I-It’s nothing.”

I sat in a seat on the train.

Don’t panic.

‘The Tamra Express incident was a special case.’

It doesn’t happen all the time, and Daydream Inc. is probably already monitoring the conditions for its occurrence for research purposes…

It’s okay.

‘I can do this.’

Don’t get anxious.

If I can’t handle this, then I wouldn’t be able to do anything, not even go into a convenience store without flinching, or take the elevator, or step onto a subway train…

The train departed without incident.

I’m alright.

‘Distract yourself.’

Yes. The manual.

“There’s a binding on it, so unless you’re from the Disaster Management Bureau, you’ll see different content. So feel free to read it.”

When I took out the booklet, Agent Bronze kindly added this explanation. Good. I’ll focus on reading the ghost story manual and tips, and plan a rescue.

I turned the pages of the booklet—

– I really worked hard on this, Grapes-ie. Use it well, okay? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

“…!!”

“What’s wr… ah.”

Agent Bronze frowned and sighed.

“Agent Choi wrote most of it. There are a lot of unnecessary comments… and since he joined, he’s added quite a few more.”

I blankly turned the pages.

There were entries that looked like they were written earlier.

– New recruits are totally welcome, here are Agent Choi’s ace tips for Team Black-Tortoise 1

└ Please stop writing stuff like this

└ also includes agent bronze’s less-sweet tips

└ ha…

Different handwriting, different pens.

– Be sure to read the next page thoroughly. It’s an introduction to this supernatural disaster. It’s a bit hard, but try reading it like a novel.

My eyes trembled as I read on.

A field manual and tips for supernatural disasters, handwritten by Agent Choi, something I’d never seen even in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

This guide is solely for smooth human rescue in incident registration number 1006PSYA.1941.아06, a.k.a. ‘Jisan-so Facility Offering Ritual’.

While the strict bureau classified this supernatural disaster as fracture-sanctioned, the author strongly argues for a higher grade.

Even if the rescue itself isn’t difficult, the disaster cannot be completely resolved, and according to the testimony of several dokkaebi, there is something even more malevolent inside.

So don’t let your guard down, and be prepared for dispatch during the 4th and 5th lunar months!

“We’re here.”

We got off at Cheonan-Asan Station.

Then we rode government-issued bicycles stored at the station.

“It’s about thirty minutes by bike.”

Just as he said.

Site: Jisan Village, ■■-ri, Asan-si

The farther we left the station and the city, the more winding unpaved roads appeared, making the bike seats rattle.

And then, in the distance, a small village came into view.

A typical rural village.

Old houses and tiled-roof homes, patched here and there with modern repairs, power lines along the streetlamps, the unpaved road was maintained at least through the village.

It’s a place you can easily get to as long as you have transportation, but it’s mostly families and is closed to outsiders. (No real estate on the market. Moving in undercover is impossible.)

However, during the ‘Jisan Festival’, they welcome outsiders, and visitors can participate in the festival events.

“There it is. …It’s begun.”

A banner comes into view.

May the fortune of Jisan be with you

This festival is the supernatural phenomenon.

“This way.”

We parked our bikes at a corner near the village entrance. There were a few cars with ‘Seoul’ or ‘Gyeonggi’ plates parked haphazardly.

“……”

“Remember this.”

I nodded.

Then, together with Agent Bronze, I entered the village.

Heeyaaaaaah!

As we drew closer, people came into view.

It wasn’t a huge crowd, fitting for a small rural festival, but there were traditional performance groups, people taking photos, people sitting and eating boiled pork and soup distributed by the village.

And others, bored, fiddling with their smartphones.

※Quick tips before entering!

Never wear your Bureau jacket, bring earplugs, matches, and bells.

Most importantly…

Don’t sit among the villagers.

“Hey, what the heck. This is shady.”

“Just wait it out. They’re about to do a raffle.”

We sat next to them, playing the part of uninterested outsiders.

Food was quickly served to us.

“Please have a bite! May the fortune of Jisan be with you!”

A villager who made eye contact with me grinned.

She seemed to be a woman around my age, and there was something like a bird’s feather pinned to her chest.

It’s simple to distinguish villagers at the Jisan Festival.

*If they’re wearing a brooch made of feathers, they’re a local.*

– I swiped one and analyzed it, and it turned out to be a rooster feather. The dokkaebi hated it.

All sorts of voices rang out here and there:

“Oh my, you’re from Mapo? My son works in Mapo too! In Seoul!”

“No smoking here. Absolutely forbidden!”

“Have a drink. I made it myself, it’s real homemade rice wine.”

The villagers chatted up the outsiders or treated them kindly, offering drinks as well.

It seemed like a generous countryside village.

Except for the fact that someone would soon die.

I stifled a small sigh as I looked at the bowl of food.

Festival food is safe to eat. (Honestly, it tastes pretty good)

But personally, I wouldn’t recommend eating anything with broth. You probably don’t want to hear the reason.

Not that I had much of an appetite anyway.

“……Thank you for the food.”

“Thank you for the food.”

Agent Bronze and I just idly moved our spoons.

Heeyaaaaah!

Meanwhile, the sound of music kept flowing throughout the village.

It was like a traditional band, but the rhythm felt oddly unfamiliar, not quite like the traditional style I knew…

– Ah. It’s because the purpose is different. For what purpose was that music composed!

“…!”

I reflexively glanced down at my pocket.

– Ah! So you can hear me now, Friend!

– Haha, I was a little flustered when we couldn’t talk for a moment. But it’s fine! If you’re worried that this stuffed body might fall off somewhere, we can always stop talking for a while.

– As long as we can talk again like this, right?

A supernatural disaster.

Entering a ghost story means this plushie could speak to me again.

– Don’t worry. Even when we can’t talk, I’m always listening. As a good friend should.

……

– Oh, and you don’t need to apologize for leaving me in your jacket yesterday. I was actually grateful. It was better to have something to block my view in that terrible room.

‘…Really? That’s good, then.’

I turned my gaze back to the food.

– …Friend? You look more tired than usual. Oh dear, are you still worn out from last night’s adventure?

‘Maybe.’

– If so, how about we go home and watch TV together? That cartoon or variety show you like would be good.

– And then get a good night’s sleep. This Braun here will tell you a fun story so you can have sweet dreams!

……

– Friend?

‘For now, is it okay if I focus on work a bit? I’m not too familiar with this ghost story.’

– Ah, of course!

And finally, the plushie went quiet.

Thank goodness.

I turned and, like Agent Bronze, started gathering information.

Who sent the rescue request.

And…

Who among the villagers fit the bill.

The Jisan Festival lasts for four days, and as long as the festival isn’t over, you can rescue the person no matter when the rescue signal was sent.

Observe the villagers carefully, and try asking to spend the night at the house of the least friendly-looking person you can find!

– I didn’t describe appearances in case it got confusing. Anyway, never! Trust someone who approaches outsiders first and acts all friendly, Grapes-ie

– You know those creeps who lure kids with candy? It’s basically the same thing haha

I remembered that as I observed the villagers.

Let’s see, someone who looks as unfriendly as possible…

“……??”

Wait a second.

I quickly turned my head.

I saw a familiar face.

A young man in his twenties, standing among the villagers with a sullen expression.

A notoriously nasty employee from Daydream Inc. who wears a medical eye patch.

‘…Baek Saheon!’

That guy’s here.

With a rooster feather pinned to his chest.

And…

Near Baek Saheon, I spotted a woman with a tired expression, sitting among the villagers and some outsiders whom the villagers were chatting up or taking care of.

Wearing gloves, scanning the area with an indifferent face.

A very familiar face.

“……”

It was Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

Chapter 196 - [Jisan Village], II

First of all, I immediately came up with a fairly reasonable guess as to why Baek Saheon was in this strange rural village.

‘…Baek Saheon was on the Tamra Express!’

That same high-speed train passed by Mokpo as well, and that’s the one I had taken today.

‘Was this his destination back then too?’

It seemed like he was heading to his family’s home, so maybe this village… was Baek Saheon’s hometown?

It was a peculiar feeling.

The scene of a modest, warm country festival just didn’t fit Baek Saheon somehow. All the more so if this rural festival was actually a cultish ghost story about a bizarre, insular society.

“Hey, take that over there!”

“Ah, okay.”

Even now, Baek Saheon, though wearing a sullen face, was obediently agreeing to the directions of other villagers, helping out by serving food and such.

But…

Observe the villagers carefully, and try asking to spend the night at the house of the least friendly-looking person you can find!

If I go by Agent Choi’s tip, could that guy be one of the suitable candidates?

It was unsettling and strange, but up to that point I could follow the context. But then…

Why is she here?

‘…Assistant Manager Eun Haje.’

I quickly and naturally turned my head, making sure not to catch Agent Bronze’s attention, and checked that silhouette again.

Assistant Manager Eun Haje was eating boiled pork with soju, having gotten an extra helping. Just as if she were in the office cafeteria.

“……”

Seeing that natural, nonchalant expression and movement gave me a strange feeling.

Almost unconsciously, I focused my gaze in that direction—

Our eyes met.

‘…!’

At that moment, Assistant Manager Eun Haje smoothly lifted her plate of suyuk and bottle of soju… and started coming over here.

‘……?!’

W-Why is she coming this way?

And then she plopped down right at our table and naturally started talking to Agent Bronze!

“There’s quite a lot of suyuk here. Would you like some?”

“……Who are you?”

“I’m a reporter. I heard there was a village festival, so I came to see if there was anything newsworthy… Thought I’d do some interviews, get some impressions.”

‘A-Assistant Manager!’

Eun Haje acted like she didn’t know me at all, chatting up Agent Bronze just like a work-weary reporter.

Agent Bronze’s eyes went dull. He looked as if he’d gotten stuck with an annoying busybody.

“I don’t really have anything to say.”

“Then just let me ramble a bit. From what I saw yesterday, the real lure of this festival for outsiders is…”

DENG DENG DENG DENG DENG!!

“…!!”

The noisy sound of a gong and drum being played together made me turn my head.

The music stopped, and through the people doing the traditional performance, a middle-aged man with a friendly face stepped up and grabbed a megaphone, shouting,

Everyone! It’s time for the raffle! May you all win prizes and receive the fortune of Jisan!

“Yes, I think that’s it. The holiday raffle drawing.”

Apparently, they hold a raffle every day during the four-day festival.

Most of the prizes are agricultural products grown in the village, but sometimes there are handicrafts or jewelry as well.

In the case of jewelry, the branch suspects they might be belongings of missing persons.

Villagers spread out, carrying raffle boxes here and there. I heard people saying they won or didn’t win. Someone who drew gold shouted in excitement and received a pair of gold earrings.

“Oh, that’s nice. But those earrings look like secondhand goods to me.”

“……”

“……”

“Well, I guess someone donated them for the festival.”

None of us could answer.

And then, someone came toward us with a raffle box.

A sullen-looking person wearing a medical eyepatch.

‘B-Baek Saheon.’

Was this some kind of Daydream Inc. employee reunion? Now we were about to have a three-way meeting out of nowhere.

But the bigger problem was this.

Agent Bronze recognized Baek Saheon’s face.

“That…!”

The look on Agent Bronze’s face turned cold as he recognized the face of my ‘coworker’ from the serial killer mountain lodge.

And as his gaze alternated between me and Baek Saheon, I shook my head.

“It’s alright.”

“…Yes.”

Agent Bronze calmed down quickly as well.

Because he was sure my identity hadn’t been exposed.

That’s because…

He wouldn’t be able to recognize us anyway.

During the festival, villagers can’t recognize acquaintances who visit from outside.

They treat them purely as welcome guests for the duration of the festival, and there are a few testimonies from people who felt something was off and left, thus avoiding misfortune.

– I even interrogated them to see if they were just pretending, but they really didn’t seem to know. It feels like there’s some strange binding in effect. There’s no info about it in the branch’s records, so if I’m not around, just ignore.

Baek Saheon approached.

His face still didn’t look happy, but even when our eyes met, there was no reaction at all.

He simply…

“Please pick one.”

…held out the raffle box to our table.

“……”

“I heard the prizes are pretty good… Oh, thanks.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje reached out without hesitation and drew a stick from the box. At the end of the stick, it said ‘Rice’.

“It’s your turn.”

I exchanged glances with Agent Bronze.

Do not refuse the raffle. If you refuse, no villager will let you stay over. If you don’t want to end up hastily calling for backup because you failed the rescue, remember this!

“Excuse me. Aren’t you going to draw?”

“Ah. I’ll do it.”

I reached for the chicken-shaped wooden raffle box. The box felt strangely damp and humid.

What I drew was…

“A dud.”

Huu.

Agent Bronze also carefully drew, and again got a stick that said ‘Miss’.

“That’s too bad. It would’ve been nice if you’d at least won something.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje pointed to the middle-aged man with the megaphone in the village square.

“Would be awesome to hit the jackpot.”

If you win the special prize, treasure is coming your way!

On the corner of the banner the man was pointing to, there was a very lifelike print of a gold rooster statue.

It wasn’t possible to guess the actual size, but from the details, it looked fairly large.

“Wow.”

“That looks like at least 100 don!” (Approx. 4kg)

“Has anyone ever actually won that thing?”

If you ask me…

But there are no eyewitness accounts of anyone winning the special prize yet.

That’s right.

Considering that guests draw more than half the sticks, the odds really are strange.

I suspect it’s a kind of selection ritual within this supernatural disaster.

(According to the branch’s investigation, there’s a folk tale that someone who won 52 years ago ended the village’s drought and was enshrined as a deity at the village shrine, but its credibility hasn’t been verified.)

And just as Agent Choi said, the special prize didn’t come out this time either.

A look of deep disappointment crossed the face of the villager with the megaphone.

Thank you again, everyone! May the fortune of Jisan be with you!

And just like that, that day’s festival came to a close.

“Aww.”

“Isn’t this a scam?”

“Hey, still, the booze and meat are free.”

The outsiders started to get up, but because so many had drunk the free alcohol, a lot of their group couldn’t drive home.

“Jeez, what a situation this is…”

“It’s fine. This person said we can stay over!”

Quite a few outsiders ended up accepting the kindness of the friendly country folk and agreed to stay the night as if at a guesthouse.

It looked like a pretty warm scene.

But if you look closely, you can see that the villagers are quietly gathering here and there, collecting the leftover raffle boxes and muttering something among themselves.

They take turns drawing sticks from the leftover raffle boxes, too.

Once the raffle for outsiders ends, the villagers gather and draw the remaining sticks one by one.

Until they find the ‘special prize’ stick.

At this time, they recite a strange phrase.

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks.

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks.

– It’s probably a spell or prayer of some sort… It’s not exactly a proper shamanic phrase, but don’t pay too much attention to it. Spells in supernatural phenomena almost never have positive effects.

And finally, someone finds it.

The stick with gold attached at the end.

“Ah…!”

Tears fall from the person who drew it.

People surround the winner, shouting as if in celebration.

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks!

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks!

At the branch, there are rumors that the villager who draws the special prize is given a special role at the next festival.

“……”

I turned my head.

Baek Saheon was watching all of this with calm eyes.

“Excuse me.”

Baek Saheon only shifted his gaze.

I asked politely,

“Is there anywhere in this village where we could stay for the night?”

“……You’re not saying you’ll eat and sleep in someone else’s house for free, are you?” he asked back.

Assistant Manager Eun Haje, carrying a sack of rice, suddenly interjected.

“I’ll pay. It must be fate that we’ve met like this.”

“Pardon?”

“Here. Will this be enough?”

Then, Assistant Manager Eun Haje handed over a fairly thick wad of cash to Baek Saheon.

Baek Saheon looked a bit startled, but soon his gaze settled and he snatched it up.

“…Follow me.”

“Okay.”

“Wait! You said you’re a reporter? You should head back now. This is our—”

“Trying to kick out the person who paid? Capitalism might be dirty, but some things still need to be respected. Geez, what a stick-in-the-mud geezer.”

“……”

I heard Agent Bronze quietly mutter, ‘Geezer?’

Good grief.

With a feeling like I wanted to squeeze my eyes shut, I started walking after Assistant Manager Eun Haje, who was following Baek Saheon as if nothing was wrong, and asked,

“…Should I carry the rice sack for you?”

“Oh, little brother, are you paying me back for the lodging? At least you’re doing things right.”

I took the sack of rice from Assistant Manager Eun Haje, who probably still had trouble with her hand. Agent Bronze, wearing a sour expression, helped as well.

“Too late, buddy.”

“……”

Just as Agent Bronze was looking at Assistant Manager Eun Haje with an incredulous expression—

“Hey! Goddamn fucking country hicks! Cucumbers? Do you think I came all the way to this backwoods village for cucumbers?”

Whack!

There was a loud voice and a crash nearby.

A box thrown to the ground burst open, cucumbers rolling through the dirt.

A drunken outsider was now rolling on the ground, making a scene.

“Give me gold, gold!”

“Aigoo, dear guest.”

“You still have two more chances left!”

The villagers, still smiling, coaxed and soothed him.

…It was hard to believe they’d just been cursed out, yet their kindness was unchanged.

Offering him dinner, suggesting he stay and try again tomorrow, telling him about the nice hot springs. Drawn in by these offers, the troublemaker disappeared with some of the friendly villagers into one of the houses.

It was one of the few tiled-roofed houses in the village.

The house in the center of the village looked unusually large.

“……”

I stiffly turned my gaze away.

The smiles faded from the faces of the villagers who remained. They silently gathered up the broken cucumbers and carefully cleaned up.

As they brushed the dirt off the cucumbers, they kept muttering something.

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks…

That same prayer-like phrase from before.

“……”

I managed to tear my gaze away and kept walking.

“…This way.”

But do you know what the problem was?

Baek Saheon was also heading toward that very tiled-roof house.

‘Wait a sec.’

No matter how I looked at it, was it really safe to go in there?

But since Agent Bronze was walking forward without hesitation, I didn’t try to escape.

‘…Agent Choi wouldn’t have lied in the tips section, would he?’

We approached the tiled-roof house.

“…Come in.”

The entrance was wide, and the wooden floor acting as a front hall was also broad.

But Baek Saheon, as if he disliked even stepping inside, carefully and quietly slipped off to the side and opened a side door.

But there was already someone standing there.

The middle-aged man with the megaphone from earlier.

“These guests will be staying here tonight.”

“Ah, come in, come in. Haha! Saheon-ah, take good care of them. No funny business.”

“……”

“May the fortune of Jisan be with you!”

Baek Saheon slowly nodded and led us inside.

The house was strangely large, with a repeating structure and paper sliding doors along the way…

A hallway lined with old wooden doors appeared.

Creak.

Baek Saheon opened one of them.

Inside was a small, lived-in single room.

There was one neatly folded bedding set and another set that looked hastily pulled out, covered in dust.

“Please sleep here.”

“Isn’t this your room? Where are you going to sleep?”

“……”

With an expression that said, ‘What a useless question,’ Baek Saheon turned sharply and opened another door for Assistant Manager Eun Haje. Then he disappeared down the hallway.

“He’s not even giving us what we paid for, huh.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje shrugged and spoke to me in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Well then, have a good night. Let’s see each other tomorrow if we get the chance.”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

I watched Assistant Manager Eun Haje enter the next room.

……Without a doubt, she must have recognized Baek Saheon. But she didn’t acknowledge him. She knew she wouldn’t be recognized herself.

‘She knows a lot about this ghost story.’

It meant she had come here with a clear purpose as well.

And Assistant Manager Eun Haje…… is part of Director Ho’s project team.

‘…What exactly is happening here?’

Given what Director Ho was demanding, which was an annihilation-sanctioned supernatural disaster, I couldn’t help but form a few guesses. No, if it were still from before, I certainly would have, but…

“……”

I’m tired.

Of everything.

I should just focus on the Wish Ticket…

“Agent Grapes.”

“……”

“Do you remember what you have to do?”

“Yes.”

This ‘Jisan-so Offering Ritual.’

When a rescue request comes in, the branch uses the supernatural phenomenon auto-responder to give the rescuee a location and time to meet.

So, go to the place we were given by the branch first.

“This is it.”

Agent Bronze showed me a note.

1 AM

Village well

After midnight, the tile-roofed house fell completely silent.

Agent Bronze and I slipped quietly out of our rooms and walked softly.

– As long as you’re not at the village guardian shrine after midnight, you’re relatively safe to move around.

– Still, don’t make loud noises on purpose!

“The well is to the east.”

We crossed the dark rural village, where only a few streetlights glimmered here and there, until we reached a place that looked like abandoned houses, as if everyone had left.

In the center was the well.

There, standing in front of the stone-covered well as if keeping watch, was… Baek Saheon.

“…!!”

His single eye turned to us and he spoke quietly.

“Are you really agents?”

In the next instant.

Agent Bronze lunged and restrained Baek Saheon.

– If you get caught by a villager late at night, hide as quickly and quietly as possible.

If that’s not possible, you ask?

Subdue them and hide them in an abandoned house!

And just as Agent Bronze was about to drag Baek Saheon roughly into an abandoned house—

“Hey! Isn’t it wrong for government employees to treat an informant like this?!”

“……!”

Agent Bronze’s arm paused.

“You’re the informant?”

“Yes! I’m the one who reported this!”

As Baek Saheon tried and failed to shake off Agent Bronze’s hold, he glanced at us and hurriedly lowered his voice.

“Please get me out of this village. …Tonight.”

“This sounds like a trap.”

Agent Bronze immediately said this to me in front of him.

“Villagers can leave at any time after the festival ends. There’s no reason they’d need help—”

“I can’t leave!”

Baek Saheon panted.

He searched our faces desperately, then swallowed hard and said,

“…Check my pocket.”

“……”

I reached into Baek Saheon’s pants pocket.

What I found inside was…

A lottery stick, the tip gilded in gold.

The special prize.

“I-I drew it on the first day…”

– Unfortunately, there’s never been a case where a villager was successfully rescued from the supernatural influence during the festival period.

If it were the rookie agent I’d picked for my team, he’d probably want to try rescuing that person at least once, so let me say this in advance.

– Hoobae-nim. Your sunbaes will be the ones to try that, so you don’t do it. If an agent tries to leave Jisan Village with a villager during the festival period…

“Get me out of here, please!”

– The agent will disappear too.

Chapter 197 - [Jisan Village], III

“Please!”

Baek Saheon looked like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Yet at the same time, he kept his voice as low as possible, as if he just wanted to escape the strangling supernatural disaster without being noticed.

But Agent Bronze did not release him from his restraints.

He just glanced at the golden stick I was holding, which I’d taken from Baek Saheon’s pocket, and asked a question.

The special prize.

“What does drawing that mean?”

“What do you mean, what does it mean? It means I’m absolutely fucked! That’s why I have to get out before the last day of the festival. Right now, from here…”

“Will you die?”

Baek Saheon froze.

I asked, cutting in.

“But earlier, I saw the person who drew that stick being congratulated. And I heard that at next year’s event, they’re given an important role…”

“……”

Baek Saheon’s lips parted but he couldn’t say anything.

Still, his eyes were filled with fear and anger.

‘A binding?’

I met Agent Bronze’s eyes.

He gave a slight nod, then asked in a calm tone,

“If that’s the case, then explain how you got HQ’s direct rescue number.”

“Ha! Isn’t that one of the numbers you people hid all around the village?”

“……!”

“Everyone here knows about them. The whole village knows. They just leave them alone. But how do you think anyone calls that number?”

Baek Saheon spit out his words sarcastically.

“Wait a minute. You noticed the Bureau’s instructions, but you just leave them lying around?”

“That’s right! Whether outsiders drink shinsanju, reach enlightenment and hang themselves, drown themselves in the river, or rot at the bottom of the well, whether they all forget and go back to living their lives, nobody cares. It doesn’t matter if a few manage to escape. The only thing they care about is not getting contaminated by misfortune, so they just manage things for that!”

“‘Contaminated by misfortune’? What kind of misfortune?”

Baek Saheon clamped his mouth shut again.

Sweat dripped down his jaw.

‘Another binding.’

Watching him suffer under supernatural fear and pressure left me with a strange feeling of gloom.

‘…Is it because it reminds me of myself?’

But that was just my perspective.

“Looks like you can’t answer.”

Agent Bronze clearly felt no sympathy for Baek Saheon.

At the end of the day, he was the one who, as part of his job, killed those who possessed the tapes at the mountain lodge.

And this other guy was selected as a villain by the Disaster Management Bureau.

Baek Saheon had the tape.

“If you know so much, walk out on your own.”

“I said I can’t!”

At Agent Bronze’s cold words, Baek Saheon seemed to assess the situation, glancing around.

But in the next moment, his voice turned calm.

“Look, you know that thing, right? I know it too. The pile of stones in front of the village pine tree. If you put a stone on top, pray, and the agents walk with their arms linked on either side, you can leave the village safely, right?”

“……!!”

He was exactly right.

If you walk ninety-nine steps east from the well, there’s a withered pine tree. You have to place a small stone on the stone pile in front of it.

Then you recite ‘Turn back and grant us your protection’ three times, and as long as everyone links arms, with the agents on the ends and the rescuee in the center, you can all return safely to the real world… That’s the current rule.

You always need at least three people for this, which is why two agents are dispatched.

So, don’t forget. Agents on the left and right, link arms with the rescuee in the center!

“E-Everything’s been discovered. They’ve been discovered for decades. That’s the rescue method, right? Please, do it for me! I’m the one who reported this! That’s how it’s supposed to work!”

Baek Saheon’s voice was desperate and resentful.

But…

“That doesn’t work for villagers.”

Baek Saheon stopped.

“……What?”

“I mean, for someone who lives in this village, it won’t work.”

That’s right.

– I’ll say it again, this doesn’t work on villagers during the festival, so don’t try it recklessly. If you try without being prepared, you might get lost between the village and reality.

“Villagers can’t leave safely by that method.”

“…I don’t live here anymore. I live in Seoul.”

Agent Bronze didn’t answer.

Baek Saheon’s voice grew desperate, almost pleading.

“I-I only come here once a month, no, just every two or three months for a few days, that’s all. I don’t live here! I’m not one of these crazy shitheads!”

“The standard is whether you’re wearing a feather during the festival.”

“…!”

Baek Saheon’s gaze dropped to his own chest, where he was still wearing a rooster feather.

“~!!”

He twitched, as if trying to tear it off, but then stopped, as if realizing it was impossible.

And then he muttered,

“It won’t come off?”

“……”

“No, that can’t be. I’m an adult and I don’t live here, so I’m an outsider. Then… then there must be another way. You’re supposed to save civilians, right? You’re supposed to help the person who reported it.”

Agent Bronze declared in a cold voice,

“At present, it is impossible.”

……

……

“Then die.”

……

What?

“Then you’ll all die too.”

Baek Saheon opened his mouth.

“OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks! OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks! OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks! OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountle—mmph!”

I hurriedly covered Baek Saheon’s mouth.

A sharp pain shot through my hand as the flesh was torn.

“…!”

He bit me.

“Agent Grapes!”

“These people are stealing the Chosen One! They’re stealing the Chosen One! They’re bringing misfortune!”

Agent Bronze quickly pulled my hand away, and the instant the pressure on Baek Saheon’s mouth loosened, his voice burst out again.

And then—

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks…

Figures appeared behind the abandoned house.

No, several figures.

I realized it.

“Don’t make such a fuss in the village.”

“That’s right. Sheesh, what are you all doing in the middle of the night? The bathwater here is excellent, why not take a nice warm bath and get some rest?”

“Couldn’t sleep? Maybe you haven’t eaten enough.”

Now I understood why Agent Choi said that if you think you’ve been spotted by the villagers, you need to hide immediately or subdue them and stash them in the abandoned house.

The treatment had changed.

“Here’s some food~”

After our meeting at the well was discovered…

The ever-friendly villagers led us back to the tile-roofed house.

And instead of the small, cramped room where we had originally been staying, they moved us to a luxurious, spacious room with sliding paper doors.

Nobody outwardly agreed on it, they just did it naturally.

Then they encouraged us to bathe and brought out more festival food and drinks.

“Drink up, it’s medicinal wine.”

“These are herbs, wild greens, and ginseng from the mountain! Very nutritious and good for your eyes~”

Just like the ones who had flocked to the troublesome guest who threw the cucumber on the ground.

Baek Saheon was nowhere to be seen.

The villagers had led him somewhere.

“……”

Feeling a chill, Agent Bronze and I exchanged glances.

Had those who found the hidden Bureau instructions and sent a rescue request felt the same sense of unease?

The villagers set the food down and left the room, leaving just the two of us, but I could still sense people lingering outside the door for a moment.

And then, they were gone.

“……”

Agent Bronze approached the door and pressed his ear against it.

He waited until he was sure there was no sound, and then, very carefully, reached to open the door just a crack to check outside…

Wait.

I grabbed Agent Bronze’s shoulder, stopping his movement.

Then I rummaged through the table and picked up a flat candle used for warming food.

I held it up close to the sliding paper door.

Shadows of people pressed right up against the other side of the door.

“…!”

They were eavesdropping.

They hadn’t left and disappeared after all.

‘Shit.’

A shiver ran up my neck.

I quickly put the candle back down as naturally as I could and instead tipped a bit of water from my glass, wetting my fingers to switch to writing notes.

– Is it impossible to just put everyone here to sleep and quietly slip out?

– It would be difficult.

Agent Bronze answered quickly.

– In a ghost story with overt religious themes like this, sleep is not usually a good method.

“……”

As expected.

This was a ghost story that had been observed for a very long time, and they must have tried all sorts of methods by now.

The manual from Agent Choi can’t have included every attempt, only the most effective and safest ways would have become the official rules.

…But even so, not a single method for rescuing a villager from the disaster had ever been confirmed.

Even so…

– How exactly do outsiders who visit this village festival end up disappearing?

I had to ask.

But…

– It’s unknown.

…!!

– After the festival, the villagers immediately send outsiders away.

And there are quite a few records of people who only stayed one night insisting on leaving in the middle of the festival and actually leaving.

– The problem is… some of them never make it home.

“……”

– Sometimes, even after making it home safely, there are numerous cases where people suddenly choose to end their own lives a few weeks later.

It was usually by means involving natural objects.

A chill ran down my spine.

– The cause of this phenomenon is unknown, but a common procedure has been confirmed.

It’s this: after entering this ghost story, if you follow the kind villager’s guidance to bathe, eat, and drink alcohol, you’re provided with those three things.

– They haven’t determined exactly which one is the trigger, but it looks like we’ve gotten a hint this time.

I recalled what Baek Saheon had shouted.

– Outsiders drink the sacred mountain liquor, realize the truth of the world, then hang themselves, drown in the river, or rot at the bottom of the well…

So that’s it.

‘At least the alcohol is clearly a factor.’

I looked at the alcohol on the table.

Clear liquor in an ordinary white porcelain bottle.

But…

‘If drinking this makes people ‘realize the truth of the world’ and then die, what does that even mean?’

What sort of ‘truth’ could do that?

In ghost story settings, things called ‘truth’ often end up being brainwashing or hypnosis that ruins people’s minds.

Of course, that’s frightening.

But what’s even scarier is this.

…If it really is the truth, and just knowing it makes a person choose death.

A case where a human learns something they should never have known.

‘…I have a bad feeling about this.’

A coldness settled in my chest.

…It seemed safer to just leave.

My nerves were signaling that digging any deeper would be unwise.

And there was still one reliable method left.

The escape method provided to agents by the Disaster Management Bureau.

The five-colored sneaker laces.

“……”

I saw that Agent Bronze had already glanced into his jacket, clearly conflicted.

– Are we going to leave, just like this?

But even if they weren’t the ones who requested help, there were definitely people who would not be able to return home after the festival ended if left here like this.

Agent Bronze was a stickler for the rules, but as an agent, he couldn’t ignore that.

– If we can’t find a way to quietly slip out of this room before the festival ends today, we’ll do that.

Then, with a tired and guilty look, he added,

– I’m sorry. I was too forceful, and that gave him an excuse to act out.

No, that’s not it.

‘I should’ve known Baek Saheon would act out like that…’

I’d seen it enough times on the wiki, and even lived in the company dorms with him.

…I’m just too tired, my judgment’s getting dull.

I shook my head, then slumped down in the corner of the room.

It was already dawn.

‘The festival will probably start soon.’

And then.

Heeyaaaaaah!

Outside, the festival music and noise gradually grew louder and reached a peak, but we couldn’t leave the room.

‘They’re not leaving.’

Even after the festival started, someone would occasionally come to our room to bring heated food and drinks.

And there were always at least two people standing right outside the door.

Persuasion or coaxing had no effect.

They were friendly, but it was clear they had no intention of actually talking to us.

‘They’re going this far?’

It was unsettling.

‘Just how far did Baek Saheon snitch on us to the villagers?’

Something was seriously off.

At this rate, we really would have no choice but to use the sneaker laces and leave.

I could tell Agent Bronze was leaning more and more toward that decision as well.

But just then.

We heard a commotion outside.

‘There were people making a fuss over there… Should I tell them here?’

‘Yeah, they were fighting. Threw food around… huh?’

We heard the sounds of people chatting and then the noise of a crowd rushing off somewhere.

A few moments later—

Drrrk.

The sliding door opened, and a familiar face appeared.

“Knew there’d be people in here.”

“…!!”

It was Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

Agent Bronze’s eyes widened.

“You…”

“Shh.”

She put a finger to her lips.

Then, frowning, she muttered,

“What is this, some kind of human trafficking hub? They’re trying to lock up every family member and problematic outsider. Anyway. You want to get out of this room too, right?”

“Yes!”

“Then let’s go.”

Assistant Manager Eun started leading us skillfully out of the tile-roofed house.

For some reason, there were barely any people left in the house.

“Why did everyone suddenly disappear?”

“They were already short-handed because of the festival preparations, and then a fight broke out between the villagers outside, so everyone rushed out to break it up.”

“…Did someone incite that fight on purpose?”

“Who knows?”

Then Assistant Manager Eun winked at me.

‘It was her doing.’

I felt a surge of emotions. On one hand, I wanted to yell at her to stop doing dangerous things, but on the other, I felt immensely grateful.

“Anyway, you should get going. This isn’t an ordinary village.”

“……Thank you.”

“For what?”

And then, following the back door Assistant Manager Eun Haje seemed to have scouted, we stepped out into a scene no different from yesterday.

May the fortune of Jisan be with you!

The village, with a festival in full swing.

Hiyahhh!

“It’s still total chaos.”

Assistant Manager Eun scratched the back of her head and looked back at us.

“Don’t get caught and dragged back to that room again for no reason. In this mess, you should be able to quietly slip out through the entrance without being noticed…”

“Wait a minute.”

Agent Bronze frowned, then said firmly to Assistant Manager Eun,

“Let’s go out together.”

Of course, Assistant Manager Eun looked baffled.

“Hey, I have other business to take care of. I have to work if I want to eat, yeah?”

“It’s dangerous.”

“I’m the one who just saved you from danger though?”

Agent Bronze sighed, frustrated by the wasted time but still trying to convince her. It was obvious he was worried that someone who’d helped them this much might go missing here, and wanted to bring her out if possible.

But for me…

‘I am worried, but I can’t be sure which is actually more dangerous.’

If I dragged Assistant Manager Eun out just because this village seemed dangerous, Director Ho might retaliate, saying I neglected my duties.

It was something I’d just gone through not very long ago.

‘Huu.’

My head was a mess.

And one more thing was bothering me.

‘Is it really okay to just leave Baek Saheon behind like this?’

Of course, Baek Saheon would survive and keep getting promoted all the way to section chief. If this is his hometown, my presence as a variable doesn’t change what was meant to happen, so according to the wiki, he won’t die here.

‘But… that fear he showed was real.’

Is it really okay to leave like this?

I looked around on instinct, and then I saw him.

Baek Saheon.

“…!”

He was still helping out with village chores, carrying food and guiding people.

His eyes were hollow, but his face looked surprisingly calm.

And at that moment.

DENG DENG DENG DENG DENG!!

Everyone! It’s time for the raffle! Come get your prizes and enjoy the fortune of Jisan!

It was time for the raffle draw again.

The villagers began moving quickly with the raffle boxes, just as before.

“We need to go.”

“No, I mean…”

Agent Bronze’s urgent words and Assistant Manager Eun’s reply overlapped.

May the fortune of Jisan be with you!

Villagers scattered among the outsiders.

‘…At this pace, even if we’d run straight for the entrance, we probably would’ve been caught.’

There was no way to avoid it.

One of them approached us.

And naturally, our turn came quickly.

May the fortune of Jisan be with you!

A raffle box was offered to us.

“…”

Wouldn’t it look more suspicious not to draw?

There were too many villagers.

‘I don’t think it’d be good to make a scene.’

If we wanted to get out without being noticed by the people from the tile-roofed house, we couldn’t refuse or draw attention by raising our voices.

‘Even if I win, I just won’t take the prize with me when I leave.’

After much anxious deliberation, I finally reached out and grabbed the nearest stick in the box…

But then—

I saw the golden tip.

“…!!”

A stick with a golden end.

The same one I had pulled out of Baek Saheon’s pants pocket yesterday.

The special prize.

“…….”

Suddenly, everything went eerily silent.

Even without looking, I could feel everyone’s gaze on me.

And then.

“Aaaaaaaah!”

“Aaaaah!”

He’s here! He’s here! the fortune of Jisan has arrived!

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks

The chanting echoed.

I tore my eyes away from the stick and looked up.

And I saw.

On the other side.

With the lottery box in his hands, Baek Saheon smiled, his face filled with ecstatic delight.

Chapter 198 - [Jisan Village], IV

The villagers gathered around me.

He’s here, the fortune of Jisan!

The man with the megaphone shouted louder and louder, and before I knew it, the singing and the sound of gongs grew wild again.

A vortex of people.

“This way!”

I followed Agent Bronze, ducking through the crowd to hide from the villagers, but it wasn’t enough.

“Whoa, daebak.”

“Is that person really going to get the golden rooster?”

People who still didn’t understand the situation were murmuring, while the villagers all rushed toward me, leaving everything else behind, some bowing to the ground and praying toward the mountain, and Baek Saheon had disappeared into the crowd.

And then…

“Please escape.”

I pushed Agent Bronze and Assistant Manager Eun behind me, trying to shield them from the villagers, but Agent Bronze stepped forward as if to face them.

“Calm down. At this point, the chances are high that I won’t be able to ‘safely’ leave anyway.”

“…!”

“And it was clearly written in the manual.”

I met his eyes.

“What to do in this kind of situation.”

It sometimes happens during rescue operations that one of the agents gets captured by the villagers.

But unless it’s the last day of the festival, don’t charge in recklessly or go up against the whole village.

You can always re-enter the village during the festival. What that means is, you can come back with proper preparation.

Don’t let emotions get the better of you and waste a precious chance by causing a commotion. Act wisely and decisively.

That way, the person who gets captured, those left behind, and those to be rescued can all escape the disaster alive.

“Go.”

“……”

“Go, and quickly figure out a way to rescue me, then come back. That’s the only way I’ll survive.”

I could see the struggle in Agent Bronze’s eyes, a tug-of-war between emotion and rational judgment.

But soon, rationality won.

“Tomorrow.”

“……”

“I’ll come back for you. No matter what.”

Agent Bronze quickly handed me a five-colored shoelace, which I stored in my inventory tattoo.

In the worst-case scenario, if I risked disappearance or suicide, it would be my last resort to escape.

Then Agent Bronze pushed his way through the crowd at frightening speed and ran for the entrance.

“He’s here! The fortune of Jisan!”

At the same time, the villagers swarmed over me.

I blinked.

It seemed I’d lost consciousness for a moment.

And when I came to… I was lying on the wide, old-fashioned wooden floor of a house.

Sliding doors on both sides of the square room.

“……”

I saw a similar layout recently.

‘It’s that tile-roofed house.’

Assistant Manager Eun was nowhere to be seen. …It seemed she hadn’t been captured with me.

That was a relief.

‘……’

I looked down at my legs.

Both my legs were tied with a gold rope.

The gold rope ran out through a hole in one of the sliding doors.

When I gave it a little tug, I felt some elasticity. It seemed fixed in place.

‘So it begins.’

At that moment.

Drrrk.

The sliding door opened, and people came in.

No, only two.

One brought in a tray with festival food, the other carried a bottle of alcohol. The two bowed deeply, set down the neat food and drink.

Then faint music began to play.

It seemed that outside the building, a wild and frenzied festival was still going on, all night long.

“……”

The two brought out a small raffle box and drew lots. Eventually, the one who pulled out a stick with a rooster’s feather stayed behind, while the other lowered his head and left.

The one left was the person who had brought the alcohol.

“Saheon-ssi.”

“……”

The villager who had brought the drink, Baek Saheon, looked at me.

I could guess who had set things up so I would draw the special prize.

“Last night, did you make me draw the ‘special prize’ stick from your pocket on purpose?”

– …Check my pocket.

He’d definitely prompted me like that.

That was the only unusual action that might explain why I, who’d drawn a blank yesterday, got the special prize today.

“Was it to make me into someone who had already drawn the special prize, to make me ‘qualified’?”

“……”

“So that I would be guided to draw the special prize today?”

A deep satisfaction flickered in Baek Saheon’s eyes.

And in a hoarse voice, he spoke.

“If that’s what you think, so what?”

“So you’ve been planning this for a long time.”

“……”

“You must have thought hard about whether this would work, and what to do if the agents failed to rescue you.”

An ecstatic smile spread across Baek Saheon’s lips.

“That’s right.”

Liberation.

Madness.

“I thought about it every day. What would I do if I ever got chosen. I never wanted to end up like that. Every time I slept in this shitty house, every time someone died, even when my older sister died!”

He spat out the words like he was vomiting.

“I always thought, I never want to end up like that. Fuck, if I die, god or whatever…”

“God?”

Baek Saheon swallowed. There was a sense of unease and thrill in speaking a taboo.

“This festival is for worshipping a god, then.”

“Worship? No!!”

Baek Saheon practically screamed.

“This is a ritual to make a god!”

“……!”

“They pick an auspicious day, make it a festival, and whoever’s chosen is enshrined in the village shrine to become the god, the fortune of Jisan, who will free us from the ‘truth of the world’. They actually believe that crazy bullshit!”

“Is that really possible?”

“I don’t know! But…”

He panted.

“There’s really something here.”

“……”

“On the festival days, if no outsider wins the special prize, the villagers gather up the remaining sticks and draw them among ourselves. And if someone gets picked…”

Baek Saheon’s face stiffened.

“When the last day of the festival ends, they put a bag over your head like livestock and drag you to the village deity’s shrine.”

“……”

“They take you there and do something.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know. But, but there’s something…”

His face turned pale.

“When the ones who were dragged out come back in the morning, their faces are different. They can’t speak. They start preparing for next year’s festival together…”

“……”

“And when the festival they’ve prepared for is over, they hang themselves in the shrine.”

…!

“But then, every festival, they appear again. Even though they died, they come back. They walk out of the shrine.”

He howled.

“They play in the traditional band!!”

“…!”

“They’re doing it now. Outside!”

Heeyaaaaaah!

“I’m not going to end up like that. I’m not going to die. No way.”

Baek Saheon’s eyes flashed with fear, anger, survival instinct, and a sense of relief that he’d made it… then settled down into rational calculation.

“Now that you’ve been chosen, the festival and the raffle are over. I don’t have to come back here anymore. Being trapped in this godforsaken Jisan village, being held here, it’s all over now.”

……

“I understand.”

I nodded.

Baek Saheon muttered.

“So now you’re an insider and I can talk about it? Haha. …I used to think anyone who started talking about this stuff first was just an idiot, but this… this is how it feels, huh?”

The feeling of being in a situation no one else knows, having to swallow information you can’t share.

It’s almost funny, but I think I understand better than anyone how Baek Saheon feels right now.

‘……’

Honestly, I should be angry or anxious right now.

This crazy bastard Baek Saheon, just to save himself, pushed a civil servant who had only come to rescue him and said there was no way to help, into his place as the scapegoat.

I should be angry, disgusted, anxious, and desperate to find a way out.

That would be natural.

But strangely, I’m not.

Instead, there’s this odd… sense of peace.

The feeling that the complicated tomorrow and the near future have become a little hazier.

‘Now that I’m trapped here, I don’t have to think about anything else.’

No more wishing for a favor, no more worrying about Director Ho’s binding, no more scrambling for information in a month, no more thinking about what to do with an agent after my cover’s been blown.

‘Is this just escapism?’

It’s almost laughable, even absurd, that the threat of death makes me feel at ease.

But it’s true.

So I could speak calmly.

Without sympathy or anger.

“I see. I understand.”

“Understand?”

Vigilance returned to Baek Saheon’s eyes.

“Are you going to say ‘I feel sorry for you, I understand’ and then ask me to let you go, saying this isn’t right?”

“Maybe. But… I know what it’s like to go through daily life in constant fear, unable to relax, always feeling like I might die at any moment.”

“……”

He looked at me with a subdued expression.

“Still, it’s fortunate how you chose between the two agents.”

“Why, do you want to die?”

……

“A little?”

I’m not sure right now.

“Haven’t you ever wanted to die? Not even once?”

“……”

“So you have.”

“That’s not true.”

Baek Saheon suddenly replied.

“I don’t want to die. If you wanted to die, good for you. You can just stay here, then.”

“……”

Weird.

There was no sign that he was trying to mock me, nor any indication that he was relishing in the fact that I’d been tricked by him. Even though he could easily make fun of me, it didn’t seem to amuse him much.

All I could sense was a selfish desperation for survival.

He didn’t seem to feel any guilt either. Rather, it looked like he had no room left in him for guilt.

‘Come to think of it, it’s always been that way.’

He’s only ever desperately clung to whatever would benefit him, whatever would keep him alive.

But at least, if he doesn’t take pleasure in watching others suffer because of him, or find fun in tormenting people… there might be a different approach.

I could use that.

‘…Still, there’s no way I’m going to just escape into reality until I die like this.’

In the end, I spoke up.

“Saheon-ssi. If there was a way for both you and me to survive, would you help?”

“…What?”

“You’d just have to go through more trouble than now, and take the risk of being found out.”

“You’re seriously asking if I’d do it? Crazy bastard.”

At that moment.

– Heavens, enough! Even from a narrative perspective, there’s a limit. How can anyone be so rude!

– Ah, Friend. Why are there so many people these days who repay your kindness with betrayal? This Braun’s heart aches as well.

…The plushie started talking again.

– Allow me to help you. First, let’s get out of here.

– Then let’s show them what karma really means. Wouldn’t that be thrilling and satisfying?

……

‘Ah. It’s fine.’

The plushie fell silent.

‘I’ll do it myself. Wouldn’t that be more entertaining for you?’

– Well… I suppose it would be best for things to flow with the right support!

‘It’s fine.’

I finished my conversation with the plushie and looked at Baek Saheon again.

Since I didn’t expect anything from him in the first place, I spoke with complete indifference.

“But Saheon-ssi. I’m going to die because of you.”

“……”

“I’m only someone who came here to rescue you but couldn’t because there was no way to do it. I’m dying because you pushed me into this spot.”

“How is this my fault?”

Baek Saheon’s face twisted.

“Did I fucking tell anyone to kill someone if they got the special prize? Did I shove someone into the shrine and kill them? Someone else does the killing! So what, am I just supposed to die instead? That…”

Raging and swearing brings misfortune.

“……!!”

At the same time, both Baek Saheon and I turned toward the sliding door.

A muttering could be heard.

Raging and swearing brings misfortune. Raging and swearing brings misfortune. Raging and swearing brings misfortune. Those who forget, disappear. Those who forget, disappear. Those who forget, disappear. OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaksOChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaksOChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks

A ringing sound.

Baek Saheon stared at the door with a face gone white.

There was clearly nothing there, but the sound of the traditional band outside grew louder and louder…

“Baek Saheon-ssi.”

“No.”

He went over to the opposite side of the door, crouched, and covered his head.

It was hard to believe this was the same person who normally caused all kinds of trouble without hesitation. He was utterly powerless.

‘Is this a trauma response?’

Maybe this would work.

After a brief hesitation, I opened my mouth and spoke toward the sliding door.

“I’m sorry. I was so flustered that I swore.”

The muttering stopped.

“That wasn’t appropriate for the festival. I’ll try to speak more politely from now on.”

The sliding door stayed perfectly still.

And then…

Heeyaaaaaah!

The sound of the traditional band resumed, gradually growing more distant.

Until it completely faded into the festival noise.

“……”

“……”

“Baek Saheon-ssi.”

He got up from the corner by the sliding door, drenched in cold sweat, and looked at me with a confused expression.

“I just helped you not die, again.”

“……”

“Don’t you feel even a little grateful?”

“…So you’re telling me, if I’m grateful, I should die instead?”

“You make it sound like saying thank you would come at an unbearable price.”

Baek Saheon looked at me as if to say, ‘What are you even talking about?’

Is that so.

“Do as you wish. Seems your life is very precious to you.”

Then I looked down at my feet.

“But my life is precious to me, too. Even though I sometimes think about wanting to die.”

“……”

“……”

After a long silence, Baek Saheon finally spoke.

“So what exactly is this way for both of us to live?”

“……”

“Answer me.”

I slipped my still-free hand into my pocket and rolled a silver badge around in my fingers.

Silver Heart.

“It’s simple.”

Because, just now, after hearing Baek Saheon’s words, I realized what kind of ghost story this is.

I’m going to plant doubt in their faith.

God-making, liberation from the world’s truth, rituals shared only by a select few, resurrecting the dead, scapegoats…

All of it pointed to one thing.

This is a ghost story under the Church of the Luminous Unknown.

Chapter 199 - [Jisan Village], V

Jisan Village’s festival continued all night.

Outsiders could sleep in any of the completely open village homes, enjoying free drinks and meat until morning. In the end, quite a few chose to stay rather than leave.

“What’s going on?”

“Oh, there’s supposed to be some big event on the last day. Like… some kind of ritual, I guess?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Dunno. But I’m gonna film it and post them as Shorts.”

The outsiders muttered idly, either staying up through the night or falling asleep drunk in any random room.

And then, with the sun beating down brightly on the last day.

“Oh.”

“I think it’s starting now.”

The fortune of Jisan arrives~

At last, the ritual began.

Doong, doong, doong—

The traditional band pounded their drums, and the villagers lined up on either side as if forming a path, creating a long corridor.

From the tile-roofed house.

To the village shrine.

And from the central tile-roofed house, at the start of this road, something finally emerged.

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks

It was a massive human palanquin.

Four people, rooster feathers pinned to their chests and their heads covered with plain cloth, carried someone upon it.

“Oh.”

“Hey, hey, this is for real.”

The outsiders chatted idly, only interested in the spectacle, but among them were those whose eyes glimmered, watching in secret.

‘This is a mess.’

Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

The one who had been called that by Kim Soleum observed the person atop the palanquin and the movements of the villagers.

At this rate, it looked like her task here on behalf of the project team would proceed smoothly.

Her sharp gaze turned to the outskirts.

Toward the well on the edge of the village, surrounded by abandoned houses.

‘The well.’

That was the objective of her assignment.

The agents of the Disaster Management Bureau still hadn’t figured out exactly why the villagers left them alone near the well, or why it was relatively safe there. They’d even checked it when it wasn’t festival season, only to find it just an ordinary blocked well.

But this ‘reporter’ knew the exact reason, and what needed to be investigated.

That well had once been a passageway, connected to somewhere else.

And during this strange festival, the entire village itself became a high-level zone of Darkness, and sometimes, the passage would come alive again.

So she had to proceed with the investigation now.

However…

“……”

After glancing once at Kim Soleum who was riding atop the human palanquin, the reporter quietly began to move. Not toward the well between the abandoned houses, but in another direction.

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks

Meanwhile, the palanquin procession continued on.

The traditional band opened the way, and as the palanquin passed, villagers bowed in reverence. Some staggered after it with feverish devotion.

But they always kept a certain distance, as if coming closer was not permitted.

The problem was, there were some for whom that rule didn’t matter.

“Wow! Look, this is the first time in decades they’ve held this event!”

A few outsiders, holding up their smartphones, came right up close.

Those who were drunk or had lost their judgment didn’t keep their distance, some even tapping the head-shrouded villagers carrying the palanquin.

These people had only come for the free food and drink at the village festival.

But the villagers didn’t stop them.

They only watched with smiling faces, eyes fixed anxiously on the safe progress of the palanquin.

“Ooh, not bad for a countryside festival.”

“They’re pros. Total pros.”

The villagers didn’t get upset.

They simply watched with earnest eyes to make sure the palanquin reached its destination unharmed.

“……”

Finally, the human palanquin reached the village shrine without incident and stopped.

Those who’d been carrying it carefully lowered the ‘raffle winner’ they’d been bearing on their shoulders. Two of them approached the shrine.

Then, they cut the golden rope around the shrine.

Tuk.

The golden rope fell to the ground. The two remaining people untied the golden rope around the feet of the one who’d ridden the palanquin, and hung it up again at the shrine.

Then, the doors of the shrine were opened.

Inside was…

“The doors are opening! Wow! Look at that! Gold!”

A golden rooster.

The golden rooster statue that had been the ‘special prize’ was enshrined inside the village shrine. And its size was enormous.

“Isn’t that just gold-plated though?”

“Crazy.”

It sat atop a round wooden pedestal, right in the center of the shrine where the altar should have been. It was, quite literally, the size of a person.

Apart from awe, greed sparkled in the outsiders’ eyes.

Most of them hardly noticed that behind the gold, the shrine’s original pole had been stuck upside down, just like the sticks in the lottery box.

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks

The one who had ridden atop the palanquin finally moved.

As the figure in white stood in front of the shrine, the villagers stepped forward one by one, covering the white robe with pieces of paper.

The papers were densely inscribed with writing in both Hangul and Hanja.

They were the villagers’ names.

And then, after three deep bows, they poured out a bottle of liquor over the top.

Jrrrrrk.

As the sacred liquor washed over it, the ink on the papers began to run and the writing disappeared, seeming to seep into the robe itself.

MaywebefreedfromthetruthoftheworldOfortuneofJisanOChosenOne.

MaywebefreedfromthetruthoftheworldOfortuneofJisanOChosenOne.

MaywebefreedfromthetruthoftheworldOfortuneofJisanOChosenOne.

The villagers bowed, prayed, wept, raising their hands and crying out to the sky, pouring out old, deep terror and desperation.

The intensity and desperation couldn’t even be drowned out by the pounding of the traditional band.

“Uh…”

“Hey. This feels kinda off.”

Most of the outsiders began to draw back awkwardly, finally sensing something was wrong…

And then.

“Should we get a closer look at that gold statue? But what’s this, there’s this fragrant… is that the smell of alcohol…?”

Tuk.

It was the moment someone holding up a smartphone stepped into the shrine.

“Huh?”

OChosenOnedeliveruntoustheblessingofJisanofthecountlesspeaks

The golden rooster began to melt.

Bubble, bubble—

As if making that very sound, the rooster melted, gold spreading through the groove in the floor of the shrine…

Soon, it touched the foot of the one who had dared to enter.

Golden liquid.

“……”

The outsider, staring blankly down at his foot, opened his mouth.

“I see it now!”

Thud.

The smartphone fell to the floor.

Theworldis■■!Wearenothingbutone■■inscribedwithinit!

Pleasedontlookatmedontlookatmedont■■atme!

IhavevalueIminterestingarentI??ImnothereWhatisthis?What?Ireum-nim?

Madness began to spread like a contagion.

“W-What’s going on?”

“What’s wrong with those people?”

People on the edge of the crowd recoiled in shock, some even craning their necks to see better.

But it was already too late.

“Aaagh!”

In the end, most people fell into confusion.

Some screamed, others muttered senselessly, or just sat there staring blankly, their eyes emptied out.

A scene where madness and eerie calmness coexisted.

But the villagers paid them no mind.

They’d already seen far too many outsiders fall prey to the truth revealed by the sacred liquor, too many destroyed by that terrifying revelation.

To them, outsiders were nothing but outsiders.

And the families of Jisan Village… Only they could escape such a fate.

Because, at the end of this long Jisan festival, which they had prepared so devotedly for so many years.

He comes!

It would be only the chosen, who had devoted themselves to the rite for decades, waiting for Jisan’s fortune, who would be delivered.

“A new pole will be erected in the shrine!”

The clamor of gongs drowned out the frenzy.

The chosen one, the raffle winner, walked calmly toward the shrine in the midst of this storm of madness.

With the golden stick, the special prize, in hand.

If they simply planted that small stick in the golden liquid left behind by their predecessor, they would themselves become the fortune of Jisan, dissolving into the shrine.

A sacrifice—or rather, a god—who would bring liberation from the terrifying truth of the world.

The villagers would escape from this monstrous, cruel world, dodging calamity and reaching deliverance!

But then…

……

“Everyone.”

It was a civil servant’s flat voice.

“This procedure is all wrong.”

“…?!”

The chosen one looked at the golden stick in his hand and let out a sigh.

“At this rate, you’re all doomed. In your own words, you might say ‘misfortune will befall you’.”

A deathly silence fell.

Then, a wailing voice cried out.

“The fortune of Jisan is trying to deceive us and run away!”

“Dunno about that.”

The figure in white slowly raised both hands toward the sky.

“But I know the truth.”

Speaking in their language, he continued.

“I was cleansed with sacred liquor and awakened to the truth of the world. I, who drew the golden stick and will be enshrined as the fortune of Jisan, already know.”

The truth.

“You have twisted the teachings. Maybe you read a few pages of an unknown scripture somewhere, or stole bits and pieces of doctrine and misunderstood it.”

Confusion.

Moans and muttering from those who couldn’t understand.

“What did you think liberation from the truth of the world meant? Escaping from the cruel, painful, and unreasonable reality of this world, evading disaster under the protection of the fortune of Jisan, and living freely as the chosen exceptions?”

The villagers looked up.

Their actions betrayed agreement.

“I thought so. In that case, let’s begin here.”

Kim Soleum spoke.

The sure knowledge he possessed.

The most important doctrine of the Church of the Luminous Unknown.

Its first teaching.

“There is no freedom in this world.”

“This world belongs to Ireum-nim. It holds meaning only when one is chosen by Ireum-nim, and one must recognize this truth and cultivate and sow the seeds of origin in the world, striving to be worthy of that choice.

“Your free will is meaningless. Only the will and the selection of Ireum-nim hold significance.”

“Those too weak to accept this truth may seek escape through death, but that is no true salvation.”

Thus, he declared.

“There is no escape from Ireum-nim.”

……

“These words are liberation.”

Deathly silence.

The chosen one, the strange figure in white, looked around at the villagers and asked,

“Do you refuse to accept this?”

No.

No.

Impossible!

“In that case, choose another auspicious day and prepare another form of festival and ritual. Because the fortune of Jisan you summoned by these means—”

He pointed to himself.

“—Was me.”

The fate of outsiders’ disappearances and deaths, the sacrificial ritual disguised as a lottery.

Cries and moans of “No,” “Impossible,” “We are tainted, we are impure” broke out from all sides.

But they could not kill the chosen one before them.

If he died in this village, he would become the new god.

That was the procedure.

In the end, they simply had to let him go.

“Aaagh!”

The traditional band staggered, people collapsed everywhere.

The village festival ended in chaos and ruin.

And Kim Soleum, the chosen one who brought about this ending, who succeeded as always with his specialty of informational and psychological warfare……

‘As expected.’

…Just watched with heavy eyes.

Bereft of joy.

I knew it would turn out like this.

I looked around at the mad scene.

This was indeed a ghost story under the Church of the Luminous Unknown. But it wasn’t a place that had ever taught the true doctrine properly.

Probably on purpose.

‘They must have been ’experimenting’, making this village perform a clumsy ritual so it would develop its own unique ghost story.’

To understand the process in detail, I needed Baek Saheon’s help.

I had to figure out exactly how the ritual worked, and what teachings they served.

And.

It was only possible because Baek Saheon manipulated another villager who had drawn a golden stick, giving me enough time through the night to hear and analyze all of this.

‘Did he already pick up another brainwashing item in the meantime?’

I didn’t care to take it back anymore.

It was pointless anyway.

At any rate, I was able to clearly identify their errors……

And since all my knowledge of the Church of the Luminous Unknown was real, the villagers were even more easily swayed.

As for me, since I already knew what that so-called ‘truth of the world’ meant, I wasn’t affected at all…

Of course, all of it was information I’d already read on the wiki.

Anyway.

‘From now on, the villagers of Jisan will all argue over what’s right, each believing what they want, fighting amongst themselves.’

If a split like this occurs, their unity will weaken, and a vulnerability will appear, so the Disaster Management Bureau should be able to take action before next year’s festival.

So, before this commotion settles, I should slip away too.

The festival is over.

The village has rejected me as the raffle winner.

So, probably… I’ll be safe even if I leave the village.

“……”

I tried to walk out of the shrine.

Splash.

A ripple of golden liquid spread from my step.

This must be the golden rooster.

From the color, it seemed that the round wooden base beneath it hadn’t melted, so it was probably still on the floor.

‘Only the gold melted…’

Thunk.

“……”

I stopped in my tracks.

Thunk.

The ground was shaking. No.

Thunk.

The floor.

It split open, and the golden liquid poured down below.

“……!”

I threw myself out of the shrine, barely escaping the collapsing floor in time.

And between the cracks in the round wooden base…

A transparent liquid surged up.

Sacred liquor.

……!

I realized.

‘The golden rooster statue was a weight stone.’

And the round wooden board wasn’t its base at all…

‘It was a lid.’

That golden statue had been pressing down something buried beneath the shrine, preventing it from surfacing.

A gigantic jar of liquor.

And inside, something had been sleeping, bound.

It awoke upon hearing my ‘true’ doctrine.

Chararararak.

The sound of countless legs dragging across the floor.

Aaaaah!

A long body burst out from the transparent liquid.

A thing writhing, covered in countless legs.

A massive centipede that had been inside the liquor jar.

Aaaaah!

But all those legs were human arms.

Praying hands.

Palms pressed together.

The face, with flat features resembling a human’s, moved its holes as if mimicking a face.

It resembled the depraved, heretical monks from old folktales.

……These were characteristics I could recognize.

Centipede Sage

A ghost story that transmits the teachings of the Church of the Luminous Unknown. It is said that, upon being recognized by a certain clergy member who was inspired by the power of stories inhabiting lowly creatures, this entity began to foster mutated followers throughout the world.

But now, its body was already half-rotten.

The arms protruding outside the shrine were corroded by liquor, by the liquid.

Its eyes had melted.

There is a folktale that, in a rural village, the teachings of this being were misunderstood, leading to its capture and confinement within a liquor jar, with the villagers using the resulting liquor for their rituals.

So that was it.

This was the entity that had brought the doctrine here.

To appease it, they placed chicken symbols—its favorite prey—around the village.

But apparently, it hadn’t done any good.

Aaaaah……

Ireum-nim.

That thing, having fallen deep into the doctrine of the Church of the Luminous Unknown, cannot be reasoned with or communicated with.

It only delivers doctrinal teachings and enlightenment.

Truths that cannot be described, violently.

There is no nirvana, no liberation.

This is the truth of the world. Eternal liberation approaches. At the end of the degenerate era, offer up your pain, loss, and madness, spit out your bones, and you will gain eternal life. That is the true form of the Way, and it is the law with priceless worth.

I must respond.

I know that.

But……

‘Do I really have to?’

I let my arms drop.

……I’m tired.

I don’t even know how many times this has happened.

How long do I have to keep doing this?

In my head, I tell myself I just have to hold out for one month, just win my wish, but…

As I listen to that centipede’s horrific preaching, a part of me is crushed by the thought: does it really matter?

Would it really matter if my body was crushed?

Maybe I……

“Agent Grapes.”

A large hand gripped my shoulder.

I turned my head.

A determined face, shining eyes.

Agent Bronze was there.

“I’ve come back on time, just as promised. …And I told you.”

When I return…

“I’ll come back with a way to save you.”

He squeezed my shoulder.

“According to the rules.”

That……

“In this kind of supernatural disaster, two agents are always dispatched to rescue the requester.”

Agent Choi’s blade drove down through the shrine’s roof, and dokkaebi fire erupted ferociously.

Chapter 200 - [Jisan Village], VI

Light pours down.

The forged blade flashes and draws its line with conviction.

A dance of blades performed by both hands and the sky.

Aaaaah…!

The blade pierces the body of the centipede, which takes the form of a depraved monk.

It is not the same criminal-subduing blade that once pierced Assistant Manager Jin Nasol in the Ocean Palace, or myself in the dream cultivation chamber.

This blade is at least twice as large, adorned with brilliant pine and intricate bells.

It’s a ceremonial blade.

A cleaver designed to confront evil ‘entities’.

Uuuuuh…!

Thrashing now was the twisted thing that mimicked a human mouth and planted madness, which had been preaching the so-called truth of the world. Or rather, only muttering its own horrific enlightenment.

Each time, human arms writhing on its body fall to the floor, turning to ash and finding rest.

The procedure of a ritual to appease souls of the dead.

Thud.

The centipede convulses, and the shrine’s pillars and rafters collapse.

It looks as if the debris could fall onto people at any moment, but.

“Do not worry.”

Agent Bronze’s firm voice rang out.

The transparent bullets from his glass handgun embed themselves in the air around the shrine, trapping the centipede inside.

搏

Like a kind of talisman, the bullets engraved with the proper character each activate their precise effect.

“It will be alright now.”

“……”

“The most difficult and tricky part of ending these shamanic-ritual-type supernatural disasters is that you must reveal the hidden identity.”

I know.

You can only exorcise something if you know what it is.

And this is also the reason why the Disaster Management Bureau was unable to easily identify that strange evangelist of the Church of the Luminous Unknown, who had been buried together with the liquor jar beneath the shrine, granting it an unusual power.

Agent Choi’s own hard-won notes come to mind.

– Hmm… Actually, the branch wanted to investigate more thoroughly, but other government agencies kept getting in the way. They were even blocked from dissolving the village itself.

Some said, ‘Why not just keep rescuing people every year? The causal relationship with the disappearances and deaths isn’t proven.’

However, in reality, it seems there was a government official who was being bribed by Jisan Village.

That’s why things were at a standstill.

– If you think of the annual festival as a disaster, it’s actually long and repetitive, right? But the investigation periods are always much too short.

Especially with such an old ghost story, where the ritual has been distorted and it’s hard to find the original form, it gets even more difficult.

We’re always just barely managing to keep the situation stable.

– So it’s always a shame. There must be a real culprit… If we could just find it, we could try exorcism or banishment or whatever. The fact we can’t is just frustrating.

– Wait, Grapes-ie, don’t decide to dig up the village’s secret by yourself just because you read this, okay?! We all do it together! You know, right? ^^

But…

I did it.

“You’re the one who found its identity.”

I lifted my head.

“You drew that thing out of the shrine. And now that its identity has been revealed…”

Agent Bronze was smiling.

“Ending this disaster has become what we do best.”

Namely…

The specialty of the Black-Tortoise Team.

“Eliminating evil things in the traditional sense.”

“Elder!”

A voice calls from the roof.

Agent Choi throws his cleaver into the air, the dokkaebi flame in his hand burning as bright as the sun.

Flames sweep all the way down to the broken base of the shrine.

Aaaaah!

The dark, damp shade created for the centipede burns away as if it’s being erased, and a bright, warm, yang energy arrives.

Aaaa—uuuu—ghhh!

The centipede, having lost many of its human arms, tries to open its mouth again, but now its so-called enlightenment can no longer be properly formed into human speech.

The Black-Tortoise Team’s methodical supernatural disaster response steadily pushes it into a corner.

First. Purification of the ritual space.

Driving out the environment suitable for evil to dwell in.

And, second.

Imprisonment.

“Now!”

Agent Bronze’s bullets constrict the shrine.

The centipede, robbed of many arms and exposed to dazzling brightness, thrashes and struggles.

But the targeted response, stabbing at its inborn, elemental weaknesses like an awl, severed its connection to unspeakable evil truths and left it vulnerable.

Thus, the end draws near.

Third.

“Seal.”

䥗

Agent Bronze’s glass handgun fires its final bullet.

Charged with a powerful exorcistic rite, crafted skillfully at the Baridegi Workshop, it fits perfectly into the evil thing’s body.

Exactly into its forehead.

Thwack.

And then.

From the hole in the centipede’s body where the bullet embedded itself, its innards began to be sucked away.

Inward.

Ooooooh!

The centipede collapsed inward with a strange rending sound, as if it were shrinking down to a single point. No, not just the centipede. Also the shrine, the ground beneath it, the spirits, and all the territory tainted by the Centipede Sage were sucked in.

Into the glass bullet.

Aaaaaaah!

The centipede’s voice rang out in a dying scream, and then…

It was cut off.

……

Clink.

The now-blackened glass orb dropped into the hollow left where the shrine once stood.

On the surface of the orb, now about the size of a fist, was the engraved image of a centipede.

The rough, bold carving gleamed gold for a moment like a fragment of a sacred scripture from the Church of the Luminous Unknown, but then, as if blocked by the sealing power, the light faded.

Soon, the surface of the glass orb cooled and turned to solid silver.

“……”

“……”

Agent Bronze walked over to the pit, picked up the silver orb, inspected its surface thoroughly, then put it into his pouch.

And then he declared,

“It’s over.”

“Huu!”

Agent Choi, still holding the cleaver, sat down on the ground with a sigh.

“Is everyone alright?”

“Yes. They’re calming down.”

The outsiders and villagers who had experienced the shock were either collapsed and unconscious, staggering around aimlessly, or just standing still, staring blankly into space.

Perhaps, with the disappearance of the centipede that had once revealed to them the truth of violent madness, they had lost their reason to emptiness, at least for a while.

The festival musicians had disappeared, leaving only their instruments and clothes behind.

Occasionally, beneath the collapsed clothing, there were glimpses of bone and earth…

And after surveying all of this, my gaze turned back to Agent Choi’s back.

“……”

He was just sitting quietly.

Staring at the hollow left by the vanished shrine.

‘…What must he be thinking?’

A spy who will die in a month unless he leaks information from the Disaster Management Bureau.

He himself nearly died, caught up in all of this.

But after preparing everything in a single day and coming down to the countryside to save that spy, staking his life to fight the centipede… What must a man like that be thinking?

“……”

I didn’t want to know.

The thoughts that would come to mind after realizing it, the tasks I would have to face, felt too exhausting.

That’s how it had been.

But now, for a brief, flickering moment…

I kind of want to hear his answer.

What he’s thinking.

“…Grapes-ie.”

“……!”

“Want to come over here?”

With no thoughts at all, I walked toward him.

Agent Choi didn’t look back at me.

But as I drew closer, he reached a hand behind his back.

Toward me.

“Everything’s done. Let’s go back.”

……

……

I took his hand.

And Agent Choi pulled on my hand and stood up lightly from his seat.

“Up we go!”

There was the same smile on his face as before when he turned to look at me.

And then he started making a fuss.

“Ugh, my whole body aches. I take one day off, and our kid gets himself abducted. This is why I can’t ever rest.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, is it, Grapes-ie? The caller was out of his mind. Unpredictable incidents happen.”

“……”

“But don’t do anything too reckless next time.”

As if, of course, there would be a next time.

That’s how he spoke.

“……Yes.”

It was strange, but for some reason, I felt a little better about the situation.

Even though nothing was really resolved or progressed.

“……”

My head felt a little clearer.

“Alright. That’s how Black-Tortoise Team 1 should be!”

Agent Choi patted me on the back and then headed over to see the orb Agent Bronze had secured.

I took a deep breath in and out.

‘Yeah.’

For now, I survived today.

And having watched Disaster Management Bureau agents seal a bizarre entity through traditional exorcism… Maybe it’s not such a bad day after all.

‘Everyone survived, too.’

…My heart felt noticeably lighter.

The bright dokkaebi flame had disappeared, but the sun was shining in the sky.

‘Um.’

Then, as I looked down, I saw the people who had carried my palanquin lying collapsed next to the now-empty shrine area.

But there were only three.

‘Baek Saheon.’

I turned my gaze to where the rescue caller had been standing.

Baek Saheon was one of the people carrying the palanquin, and he had originally stood to the left of the shrine…

‘Hmm.’

He was gone before I knew it.

He must have run away the moment things started going awry.

‘Not that strange, really.’

No, in this case, that was actually the wisest choice.

Still, now that I was feeling a bit better, it did feel a little annoying.

‘A certain someone shoved me into the place where he was supposed to die and left me to suffer like a dog…’

Still, it was true that taking the risk of being caught and staying up all night to share what he knew about the village did help.

‘Now that guy probably doesn’t have to come back here, either.’

– No, I told you already. I have to come back every year. Even if I try to run away, I’ll just go mad and hang myself!

According to what Baek Saheon said at dawn, it seemed the villagers had to periodically visit Jisan Village to escape the madness of the ‘truth of the world’.

No matter how much they soaked the Centipede Sage in liquor and pressed it down with a stone and enshrined it in the shrine, they’d already had too much contact with it.

But now that the original source, the centipede, was gone, things would probably be better. At least, one could hope.

‘Hmm.’

I was about to look away when I noticed something odd.

There was something left in the spot where Baek Saheon had been.

“……”

I shifted slightly and picked up the item.

A note… no, something like a small paper boat, folded out of paper.

‘Did he leave this?’

Thinking I’d check it out later, I put it in my pocket.

And when I turned my head, I made eye contact with Agent Choi, who had been watching me.

“……”

“……”

Agent Choi turned his head away with a smile and said casually,

“Lucky I made it on time, right? I really rushed over as soon as I finished getting ready.”

“If you hadn’t been at Seoraksan, you could have come even sooner. Seriously, why’d you take your day off to go there?”

“Hahaha… To recuperate in a place with good air and clean water, I guess? Anyway, there he is! The real MVP who made sure we got to Grapes-ie in time.”

Agent Choi pointed somewhere.

And at the end of his finger… was Assistant Manager Eun Haje!

“Yes. She’s the one who told us the location of the shrine right away.”

“…!”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje had been waiting at the village entrance and, as soon as she saw them, told them exactly where the shrine was.

Thanks to that, the agents were able to arrive before I could be enthralled by the Centipede Sage and become one of its arms…

‘…She must have been busy with her own work, too.’

I was grateful.

I tried not to stare blankly.

“She recognized Bronze-ie right away. Oh, she’s waving goodbye.”

When she met our eyes, Assistant Manager Eun Haje nodded slightly, then melted into the crowd.

Or at least, that’s how she probably thought of it, and that’s how I took it, but someone with sharp eyes might not see it that way.

Because even among the dazed, hollow people, she moved with clear purpose.

“Shh.”

Agent Choi put a finger to his lips, squinting as he watched.

“She’s heading toward the abandoned houses. Hm.”

He put away the cleaver and quickly straightened his clothes.

“Let’s follow her. Her destination is a little unusual… Did you say she’s a reporter?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s a great job for going undercover…”

A chilling deduction.

‘The Assistant Manager can’t get found out.’

I didn’t want to make things harder for her, or drag Agent Choi any deeper into Director Ho’s grasp.

That would be a total disaster.

“Um.”

After exchanging a few words with Agent Bronze, Agent Choi turned to look at me. He seemed to study me for a moment, then said,

“Grapes… you can go outside and rest if you want.”

I can’t.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to go with you.”

“Sure. Let’s go together.”

“……”

Did he notice?

Even if he didn’t, his kindness made my stomach twist a bit.

Anyway, I hurried after the agents as they moved.

And before long.

We found Assistant Manager Eun Haje half-removed some of the wooden planks covering the well and was looking inside.

“…It’s not here.”

She muttered.

“Ms. Civilian? Are you looking for something right now?”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje, who had been staring down the well, looked up at us with a slightly exasperated expression.

“Now you’re acting like normal public servants… Seriously. Aren’t you guys, you know, like in the comics? That sort of thing?”

“Comics…”

“Well if we’re going to play the part, why not go for 007? Haha, our dear agent here really likes that comparison, you know!”

“…Ha.”

Agent Choi grinned and patted Agent Bronze on the back, then put a finger to his lips.

Agent Bronze closed his eyes tightly. Agent…

Watching this, Assistant Manager Eun Haje just shrugged.

“Anyway, don’t worry. I don’t plan to tell anyone about this.”

“Thank you!”

But I saw the agents exchange covert glances.

Most likely, before long, agents from the Disaster Management Bureau’s Vermilion-Bird Unit would sweep into this village to ‘clean up’. In the process, they would probably carry out a large-scale, harmless memory erasure on the population…

I could only hope that Assistant Manager Eun Haje got out before then.

Cold sweat ran down my back.

Meanwhile, the agents got down to business.

“So, why were you looking at that well?”

“Well, I heard there’s a strange legend about this place. Something about it being connected to somewhere mysterious.”

Assistant Manager Eun Haje took out a cigarette from her pocket, but quickly put it back as she spoke.

“I’d heard rumors that weird things happen during this village’s festival, so I came to check it out…”

She tapped the well with her finger.

“Well. Doesn’t seem like there’s anything particularly odd.”

“Aha.”

Agent Choi nodded, as if he meant to help with her investigation, and pulled out a light source from his coat.

A lantern inhabited by a dokkaebi.

The red, flickering light brightened the shadows of the well for a moment.

“Here, let me shine a light for you!”

“…Do you really have to use that?”

“Yes, yes.”

Agent Choi replied with a smile.

“And you know, this lantern can also sense danger!”

“Aha.”

“See? The color changes, right? When it flickers this red—”

“And when it flickers?”

“It means there’s something non-human nearby.”

“……”

“……”

“Who are you?”

Silence.

“The one who guided us earlier was definitely human, but you… You’re not human, are you?”

“……”

The thing in the shape of Assistant Manager Eun Haje lifted its head.

That faint, gentle smile on her face.

“You’re quick on the uptake.”

“……!”

“Hello, agent! We’ve met before, haven’t we?”

“Agent Choi!”

Agent Bronze hastily moved to defend, but Agent Choi held him back with a gesture.

Even so, the being in the shape of Assistant Manager Eun Haje spoke with a gentle, kind expression she would never normally wear.

“Ah. What I asked this person to do was definitely something else, but it seemed like she was heading somewhere strange. So I’m assisting her personally.”

Director Ho.

Whether he was disguised or merely controlling her, it was him.

Director Ho, wearing Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s appearance, was standing in front of us.

“By any chance, do you have something to say to me?”

No.

‘He’s trying to provoke us!’

We must not talk to Director Ho any further here. Agent Bronze was present.

‘Agent Choi might break the binding right here…!’

Even if not, it could drag in Agent Bronze. Or Assistant Manager Eun Haje.

Again. It was all happening again.

‘No.’

I clenched my teeth, searching for a chance to cut in. Just as I was about to force my way into the conversation—

“Well, that’s perfect. This’ll be even easier. …As long as we know who it is.”

Agent Choi raised his cleaver and pointed.

…At me.

“…?!”

“Grapes-ie.”

“Agent Choi, what are you—”

Chalang, chalang.

“It’s been hard, hasn’t it?”

“……”

“It’ll be alright now.”

Chalang, chalang.

“Your binding.”

“……?!”

What was he suddenly saying, and at a time like this……

……

‘…Wait.’

I realized.

Right. Agent Choi really couldn’t speak of last night’s events to anyone, because of the binding.

That I was a spy.

That I planned to leak information from the Disaster Management Bureau.

Even the fact that he himself was bound by a supernatural restriction.

‘All of that is forbidden.’

But.

“I thought about it… and realized there’s something I can do.”

The restriction on talking about me was an exception.

The fact that ‘one of our agents is under a supernatural binding imposed by a supernatural being’ is not one of the prohibited topics.

He could attempt to break that binding for me as much as he wanted.

“…!”

“I had a hell of a time finding the right person at Seoraksan.”

Agent Choi looked up at the sky.

“Welcome.”

So it’s you

Fox spirit

You accursed thing

The back of my hand began to burn.

Chapter 201 - Tiger General

“…!!”

Baek Saheon’s head jerked up.

Just now, a tremendous crash had sounded behind him. Maybe something even worse was happening in the village…

‘Fuck, is this the time to be thinking about that?’

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to keep moving.

He had to get as far away as possible, as quickly as possible.

“Huuhk.”

On Baek Saheon’s back as he ran down the mountain path was a huge backpack, packed with water, food, and survival gear he’d agonized over selecting.

It was all stuff he’d collected and hidden in a secret place, planning to use it one day if he ever had to make a desperate escape from the village. He could hardly believe he was finally getting to use it.

But now, in the empty space that had once been left in the backpack…

There were remains.

The bones left behind after the traditional band had collapsed and vanished.

Among them, the bones that had once been his older sister.

“……”

He should have left them behind. They were too heavy to carry.

He knew it was a stupid thing to do, but he just couldn’t bring himself to abandon them on the ground now.

That was the only thing that occupied his mind.

‘I wish everyone would just die.’

It would almost be better this way.

The villagers, the outsiders who’d come to the village, even the agents who failed to rescue him.

He wished they would all die, and this damned village would disappear without a trace.

Just imagining it sent a tingling thrill up his spine.

But.

‘Still, that agent…’

The young agent with glasses who he had maneuvered into drawing the ‘special prize’.

Surprisingly calm, never mocking or getting angry at him even once. Someone who, even after helping him, never demanded anything in return.

And, in the end, kept his promise.

The promise that both of them would survive.

That he wouldn’t betray him.

‘……’

A strange feeling stirred inside him.

It was probably a sensation he was experiencing for the first time in his life.

That peculiar feeling you get when you do something good—something you normally would never do—and succeed, purely by chance.

People called it a sense of fulfillment.

‘……’

That must have been why, on impulse, he left behind the ‘paper boat’.

Of course, it would only matter if that agent survived to the end and found it.

‘…I’ll think about it if he picks it up.’

Considering all the chaos earlier with the centipede, the ceremonial blade, all that madness, that guy could very well be dead by now…

Just then.

“……!”

A bizarre, hair-raising pressure gripped the back of his neck, sending chills down his spine.

Something was behind him.

There was no doubt that something even stranger was happening in the village.

‘…Fuck.’

In the end, Baek Saheon couldn’t resist. He glanced back.

And.

“……!!”

His face went pale as a sheet, and he broke into a run along the mountain path once more.

He never looked back again.

‘Fucking hell.’

The scene he’d just glimpsed.

Crimson blood was pouring down from the sky.

I collapsed to the ground.

It happened automatically. I fell forward, both hands pressed to the earth.

As if bowing.

LetmeseeLetmesee

Let me see

Thud, thud.

Red blood poured onto my head and the backs of my hands.

Wretched beast, plague, ancient fox spirit

A pain hot enough to make me scream suddenly flared in one hand. My left hand, the one that hadn’t been severed.

I feel like I’m going to die!

It reeks of rot

I clawed at the ground with my hand.

“Agent Grapes!”

I could hear Agent Bronze and Agent Choi bickering.

“Isn’t that the Great Tiger General of Daecheongbong? Are you crazy?! Summoning a supernatural entity that’s not even friendly to humans…!”

“Later! Just be quiet for now!”

I stifled my groans and hastily turned my head to the side.

Director Ho, in the shape of Assistant Manager Eun Haje…

Filthy, base creature

Let’s see your true form

…was smiling in the rain of blood.

“These people are my acquaintances. Elder, you need not concern yourself. Please, go on your way.”

Blisters bubbled up on the back of one of my hands.

Your tail, I see

“These people are my acquaintances. Elder, please shout your greetings from beyond the threshold.”

The blisters burst and pus oozed out, marks of contagion.

Your tail has been cut

“These people are my acquaintances. Elder, why don’t you sit on the porch and have a meal?”

The pus burst and trickled down.

Sly-tongued fiend

Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s body floated into the air.

“……!”

Her limbs twisted and contorted, as if bound by brute force, but her gentle smile did not change.

“N—”

“Shh.”

Agent Choi pressed down on my shoulder.

Die

Lightning strikes.

Burn to ashes

Leave only your hide behind

“I don’t want to though?”

Through the flashes of lightning, Director Ho’s face appeared.

“Leaving only your hide after death, huh. That’s what tigers do. I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He was still smiling.

“They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, how frightening. But I’m no fox spirit. Is there any proof that I’m a fox? Or a ghost? How about this: ‘Begone, evil spirit! Namu Amita Bul Kwanseum Bosal, Geupgeupyeoureong, Thy kingdom come, Father God.’ I’ll even sprinkle salt and red beans.”

Lightning struck again.

“But it’s not working.”

A tearing sound.

“What a shame. It seems you’ve made a mistake… How unfortunate…”

A calm voice came from the one suspended in midair.

“You can’t burn me.”

A giant eye appeared amid the blood raining down from the sky.

Noisy thing

Director Ho’s limbs twisted.

Festering for so long

Oh, how foul you are

Begone at once

“My, my.”

Grasp your tail

And flee

“How vicious of you. Forcibly tearing me and my acquaintance apart like this.”

That smiling face turned to look at me.

“What a pity, Soleum-nim.”

“…!”

And in the next moment.

He’s gone.

The body of Assistant Manager Eun Haje, twisted unnaturally and suspended in midair, vanished as if it had never existed.

And with it, Director Ho, who had possessed her.

“……”

“……”

Did he… run away?

I started to speculate in confusion, just how was he controlling Assistant Manager Eun Haje, what kind of binding had been placed on her, was she alright now…

At the same time, I looked up at the sky.

The falling blood had stopped.

I looked down at the back of my hand again.

The blisters and pus had all disappeared, as if they’d been washed away by the blood.

I have torn away

The filth

As promised

“……”

“No, General! Didn’t you say you’d make him grovel and pay his respects? But he ran off so easily!”

Noisy brat

Agent Choi’s throat was seized and he was lifted into the air.

“Agent!”

“Ugh, haha…”

I hastily looked up at the sky and shouted,

“I’m sorry! And thank you!”

……

A child who knows manners

From the sky.

Something looked down at me.

Good

It inspected me.

And proclaimed one thing.

Serve me

Wait.

Bow before me

I grant you permission

Something pressed heavily on my shoulders and back—

“That won’t do.”

“……”

Agent Choi raised his arm.

“There’s already someone being served here. See? The Goblin Elder.”

At the end of his arm, the Elder’s goblin lantern swayed.

“Now that your procession is over, you should enjoy a grand feast. Please return before the food gets cold, Tiger General!”

Cheeky thing

There was a sound like a feline beast snorting.

The feast I was promised

Prepare it

And then.

Everything fell silent.

“……”

The blood that had rained from the sky, the crashing lightning, all vanished as if it had been a lie.

“Hoo…”

With a deep sigh, all three agents collapsed on the spot.

Barely managing, I opened my mouth.

“…That entity.”

“Ah, the Daecheongbong Mountain Guardian, the Tiger General King Bodhisattva… It’s a bit complicated, but you can just think of him that way. He likes to be called that.”

Ah.

At that moment, I realized exactly what kind of ghost story this was.

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Daecheongbong Tiger General]

However at the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau, it was observed that, in cases where a person’s Four Pillars contains this aspect and they are engaged in professions involving blades, blood, or punishment, the effect can be advantageous rather than harmful. Based on this observation, a method was developed to utilize this ghost story to absorb misfortune or bad luck.

For further details, refer to relevant exploration records here.

----------------------------------------

And that meant…

First, one must ascend to Daecheongbong Peak of Seoraksan, bearing the offering entirely by one’s own strength.

Agent Choi had done that.

“……”

I struggled not to ask about it, and with difficulty changed the subject.

“…But according to Agent Bronze, it didn’t seem to be a phenomenon friendly toward humans.”

“Oh, that.”

Agent Choi shrugged.

“Technically speaking… it just doesn’t care. If you prepare a feast with sincerity, it’ll grant your wish if it’s in a good mood.”

“That the feast accepts even a human as an offering is the real problem here!”

Agent Bronze’s eyes flashed. Agent Choi gave a faint smile.

“Ehey, the Bureau is handling it all carefully. The General’s been living a vegan lifestyle these days.”

And then, in the next instant, Agent Choi’s gaze immediately turned to me.

No, more precisely, to the back of my hand, which had been cleansed by the blood rain.

He tried to act casual, but I could see the tension in his eyes.

“It’s really gone… right?”

“……”

Agent Bronze’s eyes also fixed on the back of my hand.

After what they’d just seen, it would be easy to guess that the being who had possessed Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s body might have left some kind of curse or misfortune on me.

“Agent Grapes, just what the……”

“We’ll talk in detail when we get back. For now, let’s just confirm it. …Grapes-ie, say anything.”

I hesitated, then opened my mouth.

“…I am Roe Deer.”

“……!”

I could say it.

With no resistance at all.

It worked.

“It worked!”

The binding was broken.

‘Holy shit.’

In a daze, I stared at the back of my hand.

And just then, from outside the village, the sound of a bicycle bell began to ring.

“Here comes the Vermillion-Bird Unit.”

Like a signal that things were wrapping up.

“There’s still a lot that’s suspicious about this Jisan Village… so from here, they’ll begin a full-scale investigation. They’ll search for people. The well, too.”

Agent Choi tapped the ground beside the well, speaking cheerfully.

“There could still be other anomalies, but for now, not likely. Let’s just head back today.”

“…Yes.”

A strange sense of relief started to spread through my chest.

Right. The binding was finally gone.

No more dying within a month. I was free…

……

Wait.

– What a pity, Soleum-nim.

“…Agent Grapes?”

I was mistaken.

For a moment, swept up in emotion, I’d let myself feel a baseless relief. This was no time to feel happy or at ease.

I needed to cool my blood.

‘Shit.’

I couldn’t afford to fall out with Director Ho here.

Failing my mission and dying in a month? That’s a big problem, but even more important was to complete the mission safely and get a Wish Ticket for myself.

But if things went like this, it would be too blatant a betrayal. If I was to carry out Director Ho’s mission, I couldn’t do it like this…

No way.

I looked over at Agent Choi.

Was it possible he had aimed for this, to completely sever my ties with Director Ho?

“……”

“Grapes.”

Agent Choi didn’t meet my eyes.

Instead, still smiling, he drew his cleaver and as checked its edge, he spoke.

“But… On the way back, there’s somewhere you need to go, as per Bureau procedures.”

“…What?”

The blade spun smoothly in his hand.

“You were under a binding spell that the Bureau didn’t know about.”

“……!”

“Since an agent was under some strange binding, we need to examine exactly what happened. That’s the protocol. For safety… in the quarantine area.”

What he was holding with the blade now came into view.

A small glass orb.

“Let’s go in.”

It was the same thing I’d seen a few days ago.

The portable glass prison.

No.

“Wa—”

Thud.

“……!!”

Before I could finish speaking, countless hands sprang from the emptiness created by Agent Choi’s orb and grabbed me.

“Agent…”

“Shh.”

It all happened so suddenly I couldn’t even try to resist. I was quickly restrained.

“If you cooperate with the interrogation, you’ll be out in no time. Don’t worry.”

I gritted my teeth and glared at him.

Agent Choi blocked the startled Agent Bronze with his blade.

“He’s back to normal enough. He’ll be fine.”

“Agent Choi, just what is—”

“Wait.”

Agent Choi turned to me and spoke softly.

“Take a break. …Grapes-ie.”

I was sucked into the void.

And just like that, I was transferred to the glass prison.

Chapter 202 - [Glass Prison], I

An underground location of unknown whereabouts.

A dark, iron-walled area, like an emergency shelter within a tunnel.

“……”

“Ah, Agent. This way, please.”

The agent from Black-Tortoise Team 1 followed the guide.

There were no guards working in the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau’s Glass Prison.

An unknown, supernatural power with neither sound nor shape acted as the warden, and one human staff member in shifts would monitor the ‘warden’s’ status.

The human custodian asked carefully.

“…Are you here for the interrogation of Agent Gra— Rather, 37-999?”

“……”

“I see. This way.”

The agent followed the custodian’s cautious guidance, avoided the ‘warden’, opened the iron door, and entered inside. And that place…

It was a crystal cave.

“…!”

Countless quartz crystals scattered light in every direction, creating flickering shadows and shapes throughout the cave.

Yet strangely, there was no visible light source to explain the reflected light.

A spectacle of light and shadow with no origin.

Click.

“The cell is here.”

The custodian willingly opened a rusty door located in a corner.

But there was no human figure inside.

Instead…

All along the walls, countless glass marbles were stacked, forming a structure that refracted and scattered light.

“……”

The agent looked at it with dark eyes.

Layer upon layer of glass orbs packed the space, forming a conical shape. It almost looked ornamental.

But within each individual orb, something could be seen moving.

Ahhh…

Letmeoutletmeoutletmeoutplease

You betrayed me.

Am I going to die here?

Isolated inmates.

Standing in front of them, one could feel like a giant, able to observe each and every being trapped inside a glass orb. A bizarre structure, reminiscent of a panopticon.

This was the true nature of the Glass Prison.

A solitary cell made of a single marble.

This crystal cave’s exact location and method of existence were unknown to anyone except authorized personnel, and a person cannot leave unless the warden personally removes their glass sphere from within.

Even if someone managed to break their own orb and escape, it wasn’t true freedom.

It only meant getting imprisoned in yet another orb.

A circular structure. An endless succession of interconnected glass rooms.

“This is the one at the very top. I heard it was specially requested for a bit more comfort, supposedly, since he’s a former agent.”

The agent’s eyes stopped.

Exactly… The 37th floor. The very top of the pile of glass marbles.

A single marble.

With its tag.

“……”

Inside the glass marble, a black shadow could be seen, the figure lying as if on the floor, not moving.

“I’m rambling. I apologize. Here is the previous interrogation record for 37-999.”

The agent barely took the file the custodian handed over, and began reading.

Inmate : Kim ■■ (Agent Codename : Grapes)

Affiliation : Black-Tortoise Team 1, Dispatch & Rescue Unit (Suspended)

Originally, the transfer was conducted for the purpose of a routine physical and mental evaluation, which typically requires 24 hours. However, due to unusual circumstances revealed during the initial interview, the subject’s return has been delayed.

Formal detention is currently under consideration.

At the last line, the agent’s hand clenched tightly, but soon turned the page.

Rustle.

Day 1

The inmate was transferred to the Glass Prison as part of standard procedure for screening agents previously subjected to special restrictive bindings.

It was confirmed that the binding had already been lifted (executed by : Great Tiger General of Daecheongbong). A routine interview and physical examination were conducted.

※ Anomalies were detected during the interview process.

The inmate voluntarily refused to answer any questions regarding the identity, timing, or nature of the supernatural entity responsible for the binding.

Screening procedures halted. Process switched to interrogation.

Of course, even then, the interrogation wasn’t very harsh at first.

Why are you refusing to testify? Are you hurt anywhere? Is there any rough estimate of when the binding was placed? What kind of binding was it?

Believing the agent was displaying trauma responses after a shocking incident, the interrogators attempted a gradual approach.

But there was only one reaction to every question.

The inmate categorically refused to answer any and all questions.

That was when the people in charge began to realize the gravity of the situation.

Suspected of intentionally evading testimony with prior knowledge of the interrogation effects of the Glass Prison.

Thus, starting from the evening of the second day, the true interrogation of the Glass Prison began.

Interrogation Intensity : 3

Professional interrogator assigned.

Persistent and detailed questions, trap questions, suggestive implications hidden within everyday conversation, even silence becoming an answer…

The intensity gradually increased.

After three days, the Glass Prison’s relentless tactics forced even this steadfastly evasive subject to break under the pressure.

Interrogation Intensity : 7

Inmate’s body restrained. Head and eyes fixed to make it impossible for him to avert his gaze. Silence defined as affirmation.

To prevent attempts to evade questions by responding with meaningless exclamations or similar utterances, a gag is applied during questioning.

As a result, it became possible to determine clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers from the inmate.

Fortunately, interrogation methods involving environmental manipulation or pressure within the cell weren’t used.

This decision was out of consideration for the inmate’s health, though it proved not particularly effective.

Day 5

Inmate Status : Poor.

The inmate consistently and politely refused recommendations for sleep and food intake.

The inmate requested the release of his assigned dokkaebi flame from the cell, citing how he ‘felt sorry’ for its condition.

Due to concerns about escape attempts or unexpected incidents, this was denied.

However, for emotional stability, a few items favored by the dokkaebi were allowed into the cell.

The inmate expressed gratitude for these accommodations.

Addendum : Interrogator’s personal opinion

– At this point, it appears that another binding may be in effect. It is recommended that the subject be transferred to a specialized examination facility for further ritual or exorcism.

However, when asked directly if another binding was present, the inmate surprisingly replied, ‘No’.

And the Glass Prison recognized this as the truth.

Despite this personal assessment, the transfer was put on hold for now.

The page turns.

The date changes again, and the inmate’s condition reveals further deterioration.

Day 6

Inmate Status : Poor.

Due to concern for the inmate’s health, a special meal (mung bean samgyetang) was provided. (The meal was left untouched through the following day.)

No interview responses were obtained.

A proposal was made to escalate interrogation intensity via the ‘Labyrinth of Nightmares’, however this was rejected due to strong opposition from field agents.

“……”

“These are the records up to yesterday.”

And from the next page on, the contents are no longer records, but speculation.

Conjecture regarding the inmate’s true identity.

With the stamp ‘Removal from the premises strictly prohibited except by authorized personnel’, this information could only be accessed by the current custodian and interrogator.

Suspicion of espionage confirmed.

The agent clenched his fist.

Although the inmate remained completely silent for all interrogations, certain truths confirmed under extreme circumstances allow inference as to which questions he most wished to avoid.

Points of suspicion are as follows :

– Source of information

– Purpose for employment at the Disaster Management Bureau

– The entity who placed the binding

– An unexplained gap period prior to employment

– Traces of various forms of contamination

And so, this conclusion was reached.

But the report did not end there.

However, considering the detainee exhibits no ethical disqualifications, has faithfully executed all assigned supernatural disaster response duties, and displays verifiably ethical tendencies, it is suspected that these actions may have been compelled by coercion, threats, or sorcery.

Because only limited information can be confirmed by yes/no responses, it is recommended to implement a method to elicit greater cooperation from the inmate.

The agent turned the page.

It was the last page.

A temporary addendum was attached.

This was the reason he was here now.

The agent of Black-Tortoise Team 1 who transferred the inmate to the Glass Prison had strongly requested to serve as an interrogating officer over the past several days, but this was denied due to policy violations.

Confirmation has been made of another Black-Tortoise Team 1 agent who was present at the original scene applying to support the interrogation.

Approval pending.

“……”

“The preparations are complete, Agent.”

Ryu Jaekwan put down the records.

Then, for the interrogation, he approached the glass orb.

I blinked.

A transparent ceiling came into view.

The small, hemispherical space around me contained a bed, a desk, a chair, and a few books and meals arranged according to regulation.

Beyond that, it looked as if everything was shrouded in mist, but I could tell that the material composing the walls was transparent.

‘…So this is what it looks like.’

----------------------------------------

Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[The Glass Prison]

But Kim-seobang, unwilling to lose his home, devised a cunning trick. He accused the dokkaebi of using strange magic to cheat at the game, drove him out, and reclaimed the house for himself.

The dokkaebi was filled with anger.

So, he created a place where no tricks or deceptions could ever be used, and it was a space no larger than the tip of a thumb, sealed inside a glass bead. Into this bead, he invited Kim-seobang for a rematch.

And so, they played yutnori again.

The dokkaebi won.

He won again and again.

He won until everything belonging to Kim-seobang became the dokkaebi’s.

His house, his fortune, his family, his face, his societal status, his lifespan, and his name.

At last, the dokkaebi took over the grand tile-roofed house and became Kim-seobang himself. As a consolation for his vanquished yutnori opponent, he left behind the cave where he once lived, along with the glass bead.

The defeated Kim-seobang— No, he was no longer Kim-seobang, or anyone at all. The one who became nothing remained in that cave.

To this day, the one who is nothing still lingers in the dokkaebi’s old crystal cave, guarding the glass bead.

No one may ever practice ‘trickery or deceit’ within its bounds ever again.

----------------------------------------

The Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau used this story to build the Glass Prison system.

These mysterious glass marbles, which block all supernatural phenomena, and the warden who guards them.

‘This place… Someone said they also mixed in some kind of supernatural phenomenon related to the afterlife and judgment.’

Whatever the case, it didn’t matter.

What matters is that, here in this place where I am now confined, only a clean and precise reality can remain.

Supernatural entities can exist here, but only in a state of pure existence. Nothing impossible in reality can occur.

It’s just like… reality outside the wiki.

Here, all items are rendered useless, and tattoos are nothing more than tattoos.

‘Even during the body search, they only took away things like the glass hand-cannon that I kept on me.’

Because the inventory tattoo couldn’t be activated, there was nothing else for them to search.

But in the same sense, this is also the safest place imaginable.

‘There’s no chance I’ll suddenly get caught up in a ghost story.’

Physically, it was just as Agent Choi said, that this was a place where I could rest ‘safely’. I’d even heard that some people voluntarily asked to be placed here to escape curses or malevolent energies.

However…

“……”

I still can’t sleep.

Tension and resignation continued to pulse through my entire body.

Just like the past few days of interrogation.

The interrogation in the glass prison keeps intensifying. Even though I’m desperately evading the questions, they’ve already extracted quite a bit of information.

‘I’m sure they’ve already guessed.’

That I am suspicious.

That I might even be a spy.

‘Since it’s already like this, they might start using even harsher methods from here on out.’

The Disaster Management Bureau can become utterly ruthless toward those it deems malefactors.

Just remembering a few of their interrogation methods that I already know about makes cold sweat drip down from my temples.

‘Damn it.’

Maybe Agent Choi was hoping that, with my binding lifted, I’d confess everything from the start…

Maybe he wanted me to give up, since I couldn’t go back to Director Ho anyway.

The problem is, my secrets don’t end there.

Among the things I know, there are many that can’t be explained away as merely being a spy.

I don’t even know how much I might end up revealing, and if I do, what will happen to me afterward—these are the kinds of secrets I hold.

My original world, the Dream Incubation Chamber, all the various contaminations, and… even the Dark Exploration Records.

‘If I was going to talk, I should’ve confessed everything from the start and ended it at the ‘spy’ level.’

But then, what about Yeongeun-ssi and Heowoon-ssi who came in with me?

And what about my Wish Ticket?

‘Back then, it was the right choice.’

……But I also know.

I’ll soon reach my limit.

“……”

I was sinking into lethargy, but I still had to keep my wits about me.

Soon the time would come. The nerve-wracking interrogation time, full of traps and bait.

I swallowed hard, forced down my anxiety, and calmly sorted out in my mind the things I absolutely must not reveal.

And then…

Drrrrk.

I heard glass scraping.

Beyond the glass wall, a figure approached.

The interrogator, appearing with the wall between us.

But it wasn’t the same person who handled things yesterday.

“…Inmate 37-999.”

“…!!”

Agent Bronze.

Ryu Jaekwan stood on the other side of the glass, his eyes somber.

Wait a second.

‘Agent Bronze… is today’s interrogator?’

The interrogation method had changed.

I tensed up, quickly assessing the situation.

Agent Bronze didn’t avoid my gaze and spoke slowly.

“…Prior to beginning the interrogation, allow me to inform you. You have the freedom to make false statements, but all lies will be transparently revealed.”

I know.

Only silence can protect you here.

– Inmate from Daydream

That’s why I can’t say anything.

In this place, lying is no different from telling the truth.

But, of course, my silence must have seemed suspicious too. They might suspect that I already know how this prison works. It’s obvious.

‘And that’s… the truth, too.’

I would suspect me, too.

Gritting my teeth, I directed my gaze at Agent Bronze.

‘So the direction of the interrogation is to bring in someone I know.’

It’s a more lenient approach, but… I can’t deny it will be effective.

“We’ll begin the interrogation.”

I gulped.

And then…

A question I never expected came out.

“Where is your home?”

“……!”

Chapter 203 - [Glass Prison], II

Home.

Destination.

The reason I’m striving for a Wish Ticket.

I had shortened my strong desire to escape from this world and return to my original home into that single phrase.

‘I want to go back home.’

…But only internally!

Yet now, this private matter that I never openly spoke about suddenly emerged during interrogation.

‘Where is my home?’

I deliberately forced my hands to relax so as not to grip the chair.

I mustn’t lie.

“Why are you suddenly asking about that?”

“…I was told you value your home greatly.”

Who told him that? Wait…

……

I remembered.

– So what’s the wish you’re trying to fulfill?

– I just want to go home.

Agent Choi must have told him.

I recalled that hellish night when we encountered Director Ho in the taxi.

And the conversation with Agent Choi that followed.

“……”

Home.

Had that been judged as unrelated to me being a spy and just personal talk?

‘But even then, why even bother bringing that up in this place?’

Wasn’t it too dangerous?

And knowing this didn’t change anything for Agent Bronze.

I changed the subject.

“Should I just tell you where I commute from?”

“No. That’s not your home, is it?”

…!

Agent Bronze watched me silently.

“I know you’re living in a motel.”

“……”

“I’ve also confirmed that your room has almost no personal belongings, let alone furniture you could call your own. …All you have is a few sets of clothes.”

It felt like the things I’d kept hidden deep inside myself were being exposed.

“A place like that can’t possibly be called home. Or rather, you’ve intentionally left it as such a place. You haven’t even applied for the bureau-provided dormitory for agents either… Why is that?”

A question I couldn’t answer.

“Agent Grapes.”

“……”

“You don’t need to answer what I’m about to ask you next. However, please understand this.”

Agent Bronze spoke without hesitation from beyond the glass wall.

“This conversation is just between you and me.”

“……”

“It’s neither recorded nor documented. I’m the only one who will hear it.”

I raised my head.

Our eyes met. Agent Bronze nodded slightly, lowered the documents he was holding, and spoke.

“I’ve never had a home from the very beginning.”

“……!”

“My parents divorced when I was young, and after my mother passed away, I grew up in an orphanage.”

Wait a second.

“Even though I ate and slept there, I never really thought of it as home. Rather, whenever I thought of home, I recalled the apartment where I lived with my mother. Even though it’s more a feeling than an actual memory.”

Someone’s personal history poured into my ears. The past of a person not recorded in the wiki.

No, rather…

‘Agent Bronze.’

…the story of someone I knew.

“Then, while heading to school one day, I encountered a supernatural disaster for the first time and learned about the Disaster Management Bureau. When I asked how I could work there, they smiled.”

After hearing his circumstances, the bureau introduced him to a safe, student-appropriate job.

A strange bookstore affiliated with them.

“I worked there and attended night classes. Immediately after finishing university, I took the exam… and passed.”

Agent Bronze looked at me.

“And now, I’m here.”

“……”

“Now, when I hear the word ‘home’, I think of the waiting room of Black-Tortoise Team 1. I think of my room in the bureau dormitory, and I see people’s faces.”

Ah.

“That’s why I want to ask you this.”

Agent Bronze asked quietly.

“…Agent Grapes. Is your home… no longer in this world?”

“…!”

“Did you originally have one, but lost it?”

I could almost hear the unspoken words that followed.

‘Like me.’

“……”

Unlike my previous interrogations, I wasn’t bound.

I could freely evade his question.

However…

“Yes.”

“……!”

“It’s gone.”

A spark lit in Agent Bronze’s eyes.

“Is the reason you worked at Daydream. Is it because you wanted to get that home back?”

“It’s a bit different.”

I slowly shaped my words.

“I want to return to my home.”

“……”

Agent Bronze was silent, seemingly chewing over the meaning of what I had said.

But soon.

“Agent Grapes.”

A firm statement came back.

“You cannot return to a place that no longer exists.”

“……”

“There will only be those who try to use you by deceiving you into believing you can return. …Don’t let yourself be used in that way. You are stronger than that.”

No.

I know that’s not true.

The Wish Ticket is real.

I understand what you’re trying to say, but that doesn’t apply to my situation…

“You can create a new home, can’t you?”

“……!”

“Just as I did.”

I looked at him with a stunned expression, as if I’d just been struck.

“If you go out from here, meet good people, find a place that feels right to you… and create a place where you can rest comfortably and sleep with peace of mind.”

Agent Bronze declared,

“That will become your home.”

Just as he thinks of the Disaster Management Bureau’s main building—its cozy waiting room, like a clubroom—as his own home.

The advice from someone with experience came across refreshingly clear.

And so.

“I’m not saying you have to be completely convinced of this, Agent Grapes. But… I do hope you’ll at least consider it.”

“……”

“Can you do that?”

Very slowly, I nodded my head.

And the glass wall reflected nothing at all.

Truth.

A faint smile of relief spread over Agent Bronze’s face.

“Very good. That concludes today’s interrogation.”

“……”

“I hope you’ll get some real rest tonight.”

I can hardly believe myself.

What did I just say I’d consider?

But the atmosphere was surprisingly gentle, and my heart felt calmer than expected.

As if I hadn’t made a bad choice.

And Agent Bronze didn’t press me for further details about my situation.

“And please make sure to eat and sleep well. For the next week, I’ll be assigned as your interrogator, so there won’t be any harsh interrogations. Please don’t worry and think of this as a time to rest.”

He added that he could provide anything I needed, as long as it wasn’t a prohibited or dangerous item.

There was no sign of falsehood in those words.

It didn’t look like I’d be thrown into the Labyrinth of Nightmares anytime soon……

‘…Huu.’

Up to now, I’d only eaten the safest foods and barely slept, keeping myself in a state of desperate alertness to avoid falling into any traps during the interrogations. But now, that tension almost melted away in an instant.

Just as a wave of fatigue threatened to overtake me—

“And, this is… a personal question.”

A slightly hesitant voice.

“Do you, by any chance, resent Agent Choi?”

“……!!”

“I would understand if you did. As soon as your binding was lifted, you were abruptly transferred to this prison. …And with no discussion with anyone, at that.”

A trace of anger flickered in Agent Bronze’s voice, only to be firmly suppressed.

‘Sounds like there was a fight.’

But not wanting to show it, Agent Bronze changed the subject.

“Over the past week, it’s not that Agent Choi put you here and then deliberately neglected you.”

He went on to explain that Agent Choi had repeatedly applied to serve as my interrogator in order to talk to me.

However…

“Since he was the one who had you transferred you here, and because he didn’t meet the objectivity requirement when he first applied to be your interrogator, he was blocked.”

“……!”

“Fortunately, I passed, so today… I was thinking about what to say.”

Agent Bronze bowed his head slightly.

“Thank you for giving me your answer. I feel somewhat relieved.”

“……”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

After reminding me again to take care of my health and get some rest, Agent Bronze disappeared back into the mist beyond the glass wall.

I was once again left alone in the Glass Prison with only the dokkaebi flame.

But instead of the alertness and tension I’d felt before, my mind was now engulfed in a dazed blankness, as if I’d been struck.

And I turned the recent conversation over and over in my mind.

‘Live here, in this world?’

Give up on going home…?

He was suggesting I make a new home and settle down here.

As an agent of the Disaster Management Bureau.

‘…Is this just interrogation bait?’

But given Agent Bronze’s nature, it didn’t seem likely he would cooperate with such a deceitful approach.

If so, then it must be genuine.

There’s a prerequisite there, of course.

The Disaster Management Bureau has not deemed me a malefactor.

And… It seemed like they want me to keep working for them.

“……”

My god.

‘This… actually seems better than I expected.’

If Agent Bronze is the interrogator, maybe I could just confess to being a spy at an appropriate point and bring things to a close. Maybe, I could walk out of the Glass Prison with all my most difficult secrets still kept safe.

And, and…

Maybe I could just work here.

“……”

To keep living as an agent of the Disaster Management Bureau.

To keep working with Black-Tortoise Team 1 as I am now, spending time with good people and doing good work.

And if things ever get too hard, maybe if I just admit I’m too much of a coward, they’d even transfer me to a different team.

In that way, even in this world of ghost stories, I could build a relatively safe and peaceful daily life with good people.

‘There’s nothing bad about that… is there?’

No, it actually feels pretty decent.

Building a new home……

‘No.’

I slapped my thigh hard enough to make a sound.

I can’t make a mistake and let my exhaustion, physical and mental, make me judge things just for my own comfort.

‘Agent Bronze only made that suggestion because he assumes I lost my home in an accident or disaster.’

I can’t let myself be confused.

‘My home is still there, perfectly fine.’

It’s just that the way back is difficult. It’s not like I’m denying reality or obsessing over something impossible!

I can do this. I can do this…

……Besides,

The truth is, I know.

Truly deciding to live in this <Dark Exploration Records> world is not actually a wise choice.

……Remember? The whole name of that wiki.

That’s right.

‘I can’t stay here long.’

Because this world, from the start…

– Oh dear.

A polite and cheerful male voice.

– You seem troubled, Friend.

“…!!”

I jerked upright.

‘A hallucination?’

– Hallucination? Is there such a thing as a hallucination this vivid? Oh, of course, I can certainly understand if you mistook it for one out of missing this Braun so much. Oh, absolutely…

That smooth, flowing speech was far too clear to be just my imagination. I hurriedly reached into my coat pocket and pulled it out.

A small rabbit plushie.

‘……’

A cold chill crawled down my spine.

‘How is it even talking?’

Inside this Glass Prison, all abnormal supernatural phenomena were supposed to be blocked…

Ah.

‘But supernatural entities… are still allowed to exist here.’

Just like the dokkaebi-flame clinging to the wall, trembling.

So… the ‘Good Friend’, as a being present through this vessel, isn’t just a talking plushie, but is recognized as a sentient being, as an existence here?

– That’s right. Haven’t we often chatted even in your everyday life? One can’t just write off a close conversation between friends as mere trickery. Oh, Mr. Roe Deer, how hurtful!

The host’s cheerful tone falters for a moment at the end.

As if realizing something.

– Yes… it is a little sad.

……

– Friend, it seems you’re not happy to see me. Even though it’s been a week since we talked.

– I… thought you’d be as happy as a child, Friend, awaiting his favorite show that only comes on once a week, finally able to watch it at last…

“……”

Then.

This plush doll must have chosen to remain silent for a whole week, as if by some miracle…

– There you go again. Calling me a ‘plush doll’.

A shiver ran down the back of my neck.

– Hmm. No matter. The host of a great talk show, a showman, must be willing to accept any and all nicknames or insults. If that’s what the audience chooses. And especially if it’s what my very dear friend chooses!

The host’s voice rings brightly inside the glass orb.

It even echoes, as if through a microphone…

– Very well. My friend, who’s had such a rough and exhausting week, deserves a great show.

– Surprise! Look up, Friend!

I stiffly raised my head.

Right there, on the glass wall where Agent Bronze had been standing…

– Let me introduce it… ‘How to Escape the Glass Prison’!

A video began to play.

As if on a screen.

“…!”

– Isn’t this much more admirable than the children’s cartoon we promised to watch together? Haha, goodness! Friend, look at you, so flustered. Everything’s fine. Oh? You say it’s supernatural? What’s so supernatural about watching TV? It’s the most natural, everyday thing there is! Now then…

– Let’s watch together.

Chapter 204 - [Glass Prison], III

A video starts playing on the glass wall. Unbelievable! I’m trapped in this bizarre prison! Where could this place be? Aha, this is the crystal cave in ■■ City, you say? Thanks, Braun! What? You’ll even explain how to get out? Thank you so much! As expected, we’re the best of friends! It’s a miniature-style classic animation. The main character, dressed exactly like me, and the rabbit doll have a conversation. Strange. Just strange…

I turn my head. But there’s a video playing there, too. I see! I’m supposed to break the glass marbles around me, kill the other inmates, and use them as bait to lure out the prison guard!

‘…!’

The video seems to follow my gaze, moving wherever I turn my head.

It’s playing on every glass wall.

What an easy method!

You really are amazing, Braun!

The rabbit doll, identical in size to the me in the video, kindly explains how to escape, moving through the space as it demonstrates. How to move through the glass, how to torture the prison guard, even the maps and the escape routes. It calmly explains methods that are shockingly detailed and outrageously vicious.

Just like an instructional segment in a children’s cartoon…

Ah.

– That’s right! Doesn’t it suit your preferences, Mr. Roe Deer? It’s very immersive, isn’t it? Truly quite excellent…

The cartoon, which has gone to extremes in its children’s art style, shows blood and screams, the prison guard’s severed limbs, Disaster Management Bureau staff fleeing for their lives.

And it ends with the ‘main character’ and the rabbit doll Braun high-fiving each other as they watch.

Alright! This is how you escape!

The final words of the video echo in my ears… and applause sounds.

Clap, clap, clap.

The crisp sound of gloves striking each other.

– Huu! It was a short but spectacular journey! So, what do you think, Friend? Are you now ready to escape, just as Mini-Braun taught you?

“……”

The video on the TV is intense, flamboyant, and all the more chilling for its old-fashioned style. It’s just the sort of production I should have expected from Braun by now.

But I noticed one thing.

– Oh, don’t worry. Like I said, watching TV is just an ordinary, everyday thing, isn’t it!

‘No.’

– Hmm?

I looked at the shadow of the rabbit doll.

‘You didn’t break the rules of the Glass Prison that way.’

– Oh?

Because…

‘The video is being played outside the Glass Prison.’

It’s only being projected into this cell. Just like when I was talking to Agent Bronze through the glass wall.

‘That’s where you got the idea from, isn’t it?’

That’s how it evaded the rules.

‘It’s designed to make it feel like it’s happening inside the Glass Prison, for maximum impact.’

After a short silence.

– Heavens… Correct, Friend! Your keen eye and sharp reasoning would be any magician’s nightmare!

– Such impressive talent. Oh, yes indeed. Every time I’m so impressed, it feels almost wasteful…

– But that’s not what’s important right now, is it? I still haven’t heard your thoughts about the program!

“……”

– So, what do you think?

I opened my mouth to speak.

‘I have a question.’

– Oh, a question about how to escape?

‘No.’

That’s not it.

What I’m curious about is…

‘How much of my thoughts do you actually know?’

……

– Aha.

– I know as much as is needed for understanding between friends!

‘Is that so.’

It was somehow the answer I expected.

Ever since the Late-Night Talk Show incident, I realized that the host could read quite a lot from inside my mind. Maybe even the stray bits of information I let slip through my thoughts.

Maybe even the Glass Prison escape method I just saw was based on that information.

But…

‘Only until that point, huh.’

– ……

– Mr. Roe Deer. There’s a rather strange nuance in your words… Oh, haha. That must be my imagination. Surely you don’t mean that This Braun here doesn’t understand my friend well enough?

‘No.’

A faint, sardonic smile appeared on my lips.

‘You understand exactly as much as you need to.’

And you’re just picking and choosing.

Based on whatever is most important to you.

‘Entertainment, of course.’

A cheerful voice rings out.

– There’s nothing more important to an entertainer than that!

– And this is something you yourself willingly promised, Mr. Roe Deer. I distinctly remember you declaring that you’d entertain me…

‘That’s right. But… I realized I was a little mistaken.’

– Mistaken? Could you share what you mean by that?

I spoke, holding back a sigh.

Now I could finally face it.

‘I unconsciously assumed you’d consider my perspective first, before the enjoyment of the show.’

Honestly, it was a completely unreasonable expectation.

I don’t even know what I was hoping for from a bizarre talk show host straight out of a ghost story.

But after sharing so many secrets and incidents, and even escaping the talk show together by mutual agreement, I guess I developed a kind of vague trust that didn’t align with rational judgment.

The sense that, ‘somehow, it just feels like you would.’

I even forgot the logic I always used to persuade him was ‘for a more entertaining show’.

That’s probably because he helped me out at every crucial moment, and it inevitably led to an emotional bias.

Toward that ‘Good Friend’.

It was a one-sided trust that had accumulated inferentially.

‘I won’t do that anymore.’

And honestly, even saying this doesn’t mean much. I just need to be more careful.

But…

At least this much I can say.

‘You said you felt hurt earlier, right? I felt the same.’

……

– Heavens.

The host let out a sigh.

– So that’s what it was… I did suspect it, but now I understand. Mr. Roe Deer, now I see that you were deeply disappointed when I refused to help you a few days ago.

Huu.

– Such a misunderstanding! This Braun here only ever wanted to give the very best help to my friend. Now, let’s think about this together…

The host’s voice grows lower.

– If I had ‘just’ helped you then, what do you think would have happened? You would have vanished as if by magic.

– You wouldn’t have been able to continue this wonderful spy role of yours, and would have had to just flee, completely out of context.

Unbelievable.

– All the stories you’ve built up until now would have ended in such a hollow and abrupt way. Is there a more futile conclusion than that? Is that really what you wanted, Mr. Roe Deer? Of course not.

“That’s…”

At that moment, the dokkaebi flame that had been stuck to the wall drifted over to me.

Huh?

“What is it?”

I gently picked it up in one hand. The dokkaebi flame, as if summoning courage, stretched itself toward the rabbit doll and made a gesture.

A thumbs-down.

“……”

Then it (probably) buried its ‘head’ into my side and hid.

– Oh, dear.

‘Don’t be angry. It’s kind of fun, right? So you have to endure it.’

– ……

‘Sorry. But isn’t this similar to what you said yourself?’

It felt a little crazy to do this so openly, but somehow it brought me some relief.

‘Anyway… that’s all I wanted to say. I’m not saying your actions were wrong.’

The host’s reaction was just as I expected.

…I won’t be disappointed from now on.

I’ll just be content knowing I have someone I can talk to, someone who might, just by chance, help me.

– …Friend. You don’t trust what I say.

– Very well. Misunderstandings always accompany any relationship. I suppose that’s also my share to bear…

There were a few sounds of disgruntled footsteps, but soon they faded away.

That was a bit surprising. I didn’t think he’d hold back.

‘Is it because there’s something more important ahead?’

– Right now, there’s something more urgent than an argument between friends. It’s not pleasant to see you wasting any more time trapped in this narrow, stifling place.

Escape.

– Do you feel ready now?

Hmm.

I got up from my spot.

A small glass orb, a circular solitary cell comes into view.

And by now, the ‘escape method’ from the video was etched into my mind.

Now, strangely enough, I know how to escape from this notorious Glass Prison by causing a horrific disturbance.

If I did as shown, it would become an irregular incident worthy of being recorded in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

But…

……

‘No.’

I considered it.

And I came to a decision.

I would choose the best method available to me right now.

– You’re not seriously planning to just undergo the interrogation, are you?

……

‘Actually, yes, I am.’

I sat back down in my chair.

‘…I’m going to go through with the interrogation. All of it.’

“……”

Agent Choi lowered his head.

Inmate : Kim ■■ (Agent Codename : Grapes)

Affiliation : Black-Tortoise Team 1, Dispatch & Rescue Unit (Suspended)

He held the updated interrogation records for the inmate in his hands.

Each page he turned showed the miserable week of interrogations.

Refusal to testify, deteriorating health, increasingly extreme forms of questioning.

But after that painful stretch, a change began to appear.

Like this.

Inmate status : Poor. (Recovering)

After the previous day’s interrogation, a significant change was observed in the inmate’s attitude.

Non-cooperative behaviors, such as intentionally causing auditory or visual disturbances to avoid hearing questions or maintaining persistent silence during interrogation, were markedly reduced.

Time spent sleeping and eating increased to levels similar to the recommended amount. The inmate was also observed caring for his dokkaebi flame or checking on his doll (self-identified as a ‘friend’).

It is presumed that these changes resulted from the appointment of a new interrogator with whom the inmate is personally acquainted.

It started from the time Ryu Jaekwan arrived.

The majority of relevant personnel concurred with this assessment without objection.

And so the pages accumulate.

Inmate Status : Poor. (Recovering)

Special meal (galbitang) permitted. The interrogator brought the same menu and ate together with the inmate during questioning.

The inmate earnestly participated in Q&A.

He acknowledged that the traces of contamination originated from separate supernatural disasters experienced prior to his work at the Disaster Management Bureau.

The inmate, confined in the Glass Prison, began to talk about more and more things, and there are hints everywhere that the interrogator and inmate had deeper conversations.

Personal stories, character, affection for the bureau, fear of supernatural disasters, even the relief and sense of reward felt when rescuing civilians.

Several days pass like that…

Eventually, it reaches this point.

The inmate testifies that he previously worked for ■■■ Inc.

He affirms that there was external pressure involved in the process of applying to the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau, and that there was a separate objective he had to achieve while employed.

However, it is established as fact that a binding as powerful as a death curse was placed on him, that there was no intention to harm the bureau, and that during his employment, no actual harm ever came to the bureau as a result of the inmate’s actions.

It is confirmed that the inmate wishes to continue working, regardless of his initial reasons for joining.

The interrogator reports this testimony to the higher authorities.

“……”

The agent, whose hands had begun to tremble slightly, composed himself and turned the next page.

The final page.

Inmate Status : Good.

And.

Release of 37-999 (Agent Codename : Grapes) from confinement and reinstatement of agent status approved.

Scheduled for release tomorrow.

And that ‘tomorrow’ is today.

Tak.

Agent Choi closed the file.

A mix of tension and relief crossed his tired face.

“He’ll be coming out soon.”

“Yes.”

“Stop pacing.”

“I should.”

But even so, Agent Choi continued to pace back and forth in the waiting room.

Because his plans for the future were already taking clear, concrete shape in his mind.

‘This isn’t the end.’

Since it was all but officially recognized that he had been a spy, he might have to go through quite a difficult process.

But that was a matter of gratitude and discipline given to agents.

Kim Soleum would undergo the relevant investigation as a member of Black-Tortoise Team 1…

‘Then, I’ll be able to help somehow.’

That was what mattered.

Now, the being in charge of the Glass Prison would retrieve the glass marble in which Agent Grapes had been confined, lift the binding, and then transfer him into their custody.

Before the disciplinary process, there would need to be a proper conversation about Daydream Inc., as well as the secrets, items, and abilities he had been hiding…

‘But that can be done gradually.’

The important thing was that the interrogation process had ended well, and that Kim Soleum had regained stability.

It had been a long way around, but it was a success.

Agent Choi finally let out a sigh of relief.

The nerve-racking past two weeks had come to an end.

He had no idea how many different methods he had tried to reach this conclusion. And then…

“…Jaekwan-ah.”

“……”

“Thank you. You worked hard.”

Agent Bronze, who was sitting across from him, gave a small nod.

His attitude was blunt, but Agent Choi could read a gentle gesture of reconciliation within it, and he simply gazed quietly at his junior.

A smile returned to Agent Choi’s face.

Feelings of apology and gratitude mingled together.

“First, the three of us should go to the hot springs. Seriously. I’ll pay for everything we do there.”

“Yes.”

It was as he was patting Ryu Jaekwan on the back—

Knock knock.

“…!”

The door opened, and the custodian appeared.

“The detention has been lifted.”

“Then…”

“Yes. Agent Grapes is waiting in the lounge right now.”

“Thank you.”

Agent Choi hurriedly shook hands with the custodian, then quickly made his way forward.

“W-Wait…”

He already knew where the lounge was. Without hesitation, Agent Choi entered the cave and headed for the iron door with the nameplate near the entrance.

He should be inside.

Kim Soleum.

“……”

…He still had no idea where to start the conversation.

Honestly, he still didn’t know the whole truth.

‘What on earth was that?’

That bizarre laboratory and the appearance of the supernatural entity, too.

But what he could be sure of was that, on the night the binding was placed, Kim Soleum had tried to save him.

Risking his life.

“……”

So, he thought,

‘I can start learning from now on.’

Without hesitation, Agent Choi swung the iron door open. And…

There was no one inside.

“……”

The lounge was completely empty. There was no trace of anyone.

As if there had never been anyone there at all.

“Agent?”

Agent Choi stood frozen for a moment, then looked around the lounge again.

On top of a steel chair, only something stark white remained, unnaturally out of place.

A single, neatly folded piece of paper.

On the front, just one word was written.

Resignation

Agent Choi picked it up.

Small objects tumbled out onto the floor. Round candies, stick-shaped syringes.

They looked like mere odds and ends, but each was probably an item.

“……”

He stood frozen for a moment, then unfolded the folded paper.

Handwritten, pressed-down letters appeared.

Hello, Agents.

I want to sincerely apologize for everything that’s happened so far.

I am truly sorry.

Thus began Agent Grapes’s letter.

Chapter 205 - Resignation Letter

The letter was calm and composed.

I am writing this to talk about the things I never had a chance to mention.

It felt like a note left behind by someone who was only going away for a while.

Kim Soleum talked about the spare glasses left on the sofa in Black-Tortoise Team 1’s lounge, the flat rear tire of a bicycle in front of HQ, and the printer ink that was still in delivery.

For a handover, these were small and fragmented details.

There was a lingering sense of regret that seemed about to surface, but then vanished in the next paragraph.

Yet the letter’s nonchalant tone maintained its course, and before you realized it, it would transition into meaningful advice, easy to overlook but significant nonetheless.

Things no new agent at the Disaster Management Bureau could possibly know.

…Advice about supernatural disasters.

It will no longer be safe to wear silk clothing in the pressing section of the coin laundry at the intersection, starting from after the rescue of the civilian in the blue dress.

Please make sure that no agent goes in wearing it, just in case.

These were the ghost stories that Black-Tortoise Team 1 had faced.

It sounded as if he’d figured it out by deduction, but strangely, the words had the certainty of someone who had known all along.

But it was clear the advice was written out of concern and care.

With trembling eyes, they skimmed quickly over the contents.

And… I’m sorry again.

The letter turned more personal.

The events of the night the binding was cast were written in extremely circumspect terms, in a way only those directly involved could decipher.

As if taking care not to expose anyone who might still be under a binding.

Next came gratitude and apologies directed toward Agent Bronze, who had given him room to speak the unvarnished truth without pressing him.

And then…

I still want to go home.

As a farewell.

I can’t just give up without even trying to return.

But I feel heavy-hearted, because it seems like my feelings have only ended up wasting the time of the Disaster Management Bureau’s agents.

Once again, I’m sorry. For not living up to expectations, for not sincerely submitting to the disciplinary action, and for resigning as if running away.

“……”

I know it’s an inconvenience, but I’ve enclosed some items I found useful.

I hope they’ll be of use to Black-Tortoise Team 1.

A detailed description of the functions and effects of the items he left behind was included.

And lastly.

Just in case, I’ll mention it.

There’s nothing significant about what I wrote on the whiteboard in Black-Tortoise Team 1’s lounge.

I thought you might hesitate to erase it, wondering if it was a hint or a marker, so I wanted to let you know you can erase it without worry.

It was something I left on impulse. It doesn’t mean anything.

The letter ended.

The agent hastily flipped the pages front and back.

…And, on the last page, in small writing.

Thank you for everything.

I hope you stay healthy and happy.

“……”

The two people reading the letter dropped their gazes to the items scattered on the floor.

Then, one bent down and slowly picked up one of those seemingly trivial things.

It looked like cheap candy.

But it was an item that could turn back time briefly to the ‘good old days’ and restore one’s condition. It was a tool that would be invaluable to the Dispatch & Rescue Unit.

The little things glinted on the floor.

“……”

“……”

Agent Choi raised his head.

The subdued eyes of the two Black-Tortoise Team 1 agents met each other.

If he had just vanished, there was a good chance he hadn’t yet left this place.

“Wait— Agents…!”

They dashed out of the lounge with the flustered custodian in tow.

To search the crystal cave.

And…

“……”

Kim Soleum, who had been standing absolutely still in the corner of the room, quietly walked out behind them.

Holding nothing but a single sheet of paper.

Through the door the agents had opened to enter this room.

– What an elegant and courteous exit. This method isn’t bad, either.

“……”

I quietly looked at the sunlight pouring down.

‘So I really made it out.’

I did my best to end things safely and smoothly… but honestly, I’m not sure. I don’t know how the Disaster Management Bureau will take it.

Or how Black-Tortoise Team 1 will feel.

Earlier, I deliberately walked faster so I wouldn’t be tempted to recall the faces of the agents I’d just passed by.

After exiting the crystal cave and walking to the bus stop, and all the way onto the high-speed train, I didn’t forget to thank the host for dimming the spotlight for me the entire time.

– Oh, think nothing of it!

Thanks to that, I was able to slip out as quietly as this.

If he hadn’t helped, I would’ve had to escape in a much more complicated and emotionally exhausting way…

“……”

[The train will be departing shortly…]

I tried not to think about it.

How thoroughly they might have searched the crystal cave after I escaped, how they would handle the items I left behind, how suspicious the Disaster Management Bureau would be of me, whether Black-Tortoise Team 1 would erase what I wrote on the lounge whiteboard…

Instead, I tried to sleep.

Fortunately, the high-speed train heading up to Seoul didn’t invoke the horrors of the Tamra line, and I managed to doze off for a while before waking up.

And, just in case I was being tracked, I paid in cash and checked into any random motel.

Thud.

It was only after I closed the door behind me that I was able to calm down and start taking stock of things.

That’s when a sense of reality finally returned.

‘……Did I really leave almost everything behind?’

I only have one or two consumable items left.

Especially the ones purchased from the Space Shopping Mall, which guaranteed safety. I left most of those behind.

…Probably because I won’t be needing them anymore.

‘It makes more sense for people who face more danger than I do to use them.’

All I have left are a few equipment items and my tattoos.

However…

Pop.

A small light popped out from inside my clothes.

The dokkaebi flame.

“Are you really going to keep following me like this?”

The flame bobs up and down vigorously, as if in agreement.

This little guy followed me all the way up to Seoul.

It even left behind the glass lantern it used to inhabit.

I’d worried about being tracked, so this was less troublesome in a way, but…

“Everyone must be worried. Aren’t you part of the bureau?”

The dokkaebi flame sparkled in defiance.

– …It says it’s all grown up now, so it’ll be fine. Heavens. What a stubborn and foolish creature this is. Huu!

According to Braun’s reluctant interpretation, it’s slow, but it can ‘recharge’ itself even when alone.

Apparently, it could recover faster if it absorbed the energy of a mystical lightning bolt, but… that might be hard to come by.

At any rate, the dokkaebi flame’s intentions seemed firm.

“…Then, I’ll be counting on you a little while longer.”

The flame happily flickered as it zipped around the motel room.

……To be honest, it wasn’t just troublesome.

‘At least I still have one thing left.’

A trace that I once belonged somewhere.

Proof of the days I spent with good people… that’s what it is.

‘…Let me hold onto it just a bit longer.’

It won’t last long anyway.

I patted the dokkaebi flame once, then let it settle into my right arm as it transformed.

– Now you’re free again, Mr. Roe Deer! You can go anywhere you want. So, where will you go?

Strictly speaking, isn’t it actually the opposite?

I’d consider myself lucky as long as the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau wasn’t hunting me down as a wanted man, Daydream Inc. had already listed me as dead for a long time now.

There were only a few places I could go or contact.

‘And Agent Choi even found out about the Cheerful Research Institute’s Dream Incubation Chamber.’

Even if the binding prevents me from telling the bureau about that chamber, he himself can always come looking for it. I’ll have to make preparations, but I need to be careful.

But it wasn’t as if I’d escaped without a plan.

‘I do have one.’

– Indeed!

…The problem is, it’s an extremely uncomfortable plan.

“……”

I turned on the phone I had stored inside my tattoo.

Messages that had been left unattended for two weeks appeared.

‘It’s a relief I didn’t slip up during the interrogation.’

If I had, Yeongeun-ssi or Heowoon-ssi’s identities could have been exposed.

I shoved my phone into my tattoo as soon as I got caught in Jisan Village, and since the tattoo lost its function inside the Glass Prison, it was actually a relief.

I let out a sigh of relief and scrolled through the messages.

Most were advertising texts.

But among them, there were also several messages from acquaintances.

[ Are u okay? ]

[ Let me knw when u get this ]

[ excuse me ]

[ If ur sick ]

[ If there’s a problem, contct m e ]

It was the sergeant.

“……”

Somehow, I felt strange.

With this person, it feels like I’ve always just been on the receiving end of worry and help.

‘Come to think of it, I haven’t been in touch since the binding.’

After some thought, I replied.

Then, after hesitating, I sent another one.

[ Let’s get something good to eat, too. ]

Confirmation was quick, but the reply came slowly.

“……”

That’s enough for now.

Now it was time to take care of my business.

I picked my next destination.

I wasn’t keen on it, but there wasn’t a better option.

And…

I was already prepared.

[ I’ve found the information you requested. ]

To Director Ho.

“Soleum-nim, you’re back!”

“……”

I looked up.

At the familiar table in the Fox Counseling Office’s waiting area, Director Ho was sitting there, smiling.

My stomach churned reflexively.

…A sense of resistance at the act of making this choice.

A strange feeling of guilt, as if I were betraying the people who’d even released my binding.

And at the same time, it was a contradictory feeling. Now that the binding was gone, I could finally negotiate in a way that felt like a real negotiation.

“I’ve come to collect my Wish Ticket.”

“One moment, please. There’s something I’d like to say first.”

Director Ho, still wearing a gentle smile, hesitated a little awkwardly as he spoke.

That made my skin crawl even more.

“I think the binding regarding your death was a bit excessive on my part, Soleum-nim. Looking back, it seems I made a rather emotional decision because of the situation… I’m a bit embarrassed about it.”

“……”

“It’s a good thing that it’s gone now though. Don’t you agree?”

I recalled the strange shamanic ritual led by the Great Tiger General of Daecheongbong.

And Director Ho’s bizarre reaction at the time when possessing Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s body.

‘…Even if I’m worried or curious about the assistant manager, I won’t ask.’

If Director Ho noticed me showing concern or recognition, it would probably harm Assistant Manager Eun Haje instead. My insides twisted.

Instead of nodding along easily to Director Ho’s words, I answered carefully.

“It doesn’t matter. A promise is a promise, regardless of the binding. I came here to fulfill my promise to you, Director.”

“Really? But that should be impossible.”

“……”

“You don’t even know exactly which ‘annihilation-sanctioned disaster’ I requested, Soleum-nim.”

That’s right.

Director Ho had said he’d give me more details if us spies managed to access the secret archives under Gangwon Province.

But…

I know.

I could already guess what Director Ho was after.

“I tracked it down through deduction.”

“……”

“Just tell me the name of the disaster. If the information I brought doesn’t match, I’ll accept the penalty.”

For Director Ho, there was no risk.

He could impose a penalty or another binding as he wished.

Either way, the situation had changed. I no longer had any agent allies to lift a binding for me.

So…

“Alright.”

I knew it.

Director Ho smiled and laced his fingers together.

“The name of that supernatural disaster is ‘Sekwang Special Metropolitan City’.”

“……”

“Oh, and! Don’t try to utter the name outside the Fox Counseling Office. Bad things will happen.”

Director Ho looked into my eyes.

“So.”

“……”

“Does it match the information you brought?”

I did not avert my gaze.

“Yes.”

“…!”

“Here it is.”

Thud.

A document was placed on the table in the waiting area of the Fox Counseling Office.

“This is the report regarding the ‘annihilation-sanctioned supernatural disaster’ you just mentioned, Director.”

“……”

“Please check it.”

Director Ho reached out, picked up the paper, and began to read.

And then…

“……!”

He covered the paper.

Director Ho stared at me, his expression now wiped blank.

“…How did you find out?”

So it was correct.

“That’s not important.”

The truth is.

It’s not that I found it out.

‘…I already knew.’

That’s right.

This was why I’d been so confident I could bring the information within a month.

It was because I already knew.

The fastest and surest method.

To simply write down the information from the <Dark Exploration Records>.

It was a method I’d set aside because there was no way to convince or explain it to other spies, and because I was afraid Director Ho might become suspicious and do something terrible to me. I wanted to do it as safely as possible.

But with the whole situation in ruins, there was only one option left.

‘I had no choice but to move quickly.’

If I delayed any longer, the Disaster Management Bureau would start checking for and rooting out other spies.

If Yeongeun-ssi or Heowoon-ssi got caught, they’d never be able to receive a Wish Ticket and would suffer doubly, bound by Director Ho’s binding…

Before that could happen, I had to act first.

However…

“I’m certain you were still imprisoned in the Glass Prison until yesterday. So, how could you have found this…?”

“……”

“They don’t store this kind of information in there.”

He’s right.

Naturally, the crystal cave that stores the Glass Prison doesn’t keep valuable information inside.

Occasionally, reports on supernatural disasters, based on what is obtained from prisoners, are written for updates.

But…

‘There are a few bureau-issued report forms lying around for that purpose.’

Like this, for example.

A blank Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau Disaster Report Form.

Since it’s written inside the Glass Prison, of which the location was generally unknown, it comes in a format where the branch information is automatically redacted for censorship. So…

It’s the most suitable paper to print out documents about annihilation-sanctioned disasters kept in the secret archives.

Ironically, being imprisoned in the Glass Prison became my chance to obtain exactly what I needed.

Thus, I was able to present to Director Ho the ‘Sekwang Special Metropolitan City’ document I’d crafted myself, based on what I’d read in the wiki.

“……”

But there’s absolutely no need to explain any of this to Director Ho.

It would only be dangerous.

‘I did bring my own last line of defense, just in case…’

Cold sweat beaded on my back.

Still, I had to say it.

“The important thing is that I brought the promised intel. And I received help from the other two people during this process. Without a doubt.”

“……”

“Now, Director, it’s your turn to keep your promise.”

A smile spread across Director Ho’s face.

“Very well.”

“…!”

“Congratulations, Soleum-nim. As for the collection of your Wish Ticket…”

I clenched my fist tightly.

Chapter 206 - The Wish Ticket

The Wish Ticket.

In this world of ghost stories, where bizarre bad endings appear everywhere, this is the most certain way for me to return home.

For this alone, I endured at Daydream Inc., and endured even becoming a spy.

And now, at last, with the conditions met to claim my Wish Ticket, Director Ho in front of me is lightly clapping his hands.

As if applauding me.

Clap, clap, clap…

“I’m genuinely happy to see you finally receive your Wish Ticket.”

“……”

“But haven’t you ever thought about this?”

The clapping stops.

“What if Director Ho never intended to give you the Wish Ticket in the first place?”

“……”

“Even if you did exactly as you promised, Soleum-nim, I could just change my words. Tell you to do something else, offer the ticket as bait again and again. Just endlessly string you along like that.”

Director Ho smiled gently.

“Have you really never thought about that?”

“I have.”

You’d be a fool not to.

How often in society does someone avoid paying after you’ve finished the work, or delay it, or just never pay at all?

Conversely, how many times does someone take payment in advance and never do the job right?

And in this situation, the Wish Ticket was Director Ho’s one-sided promise.

And a promise from someone in a position of power can be broken at any time. There’s no penalty for breaking it.

But…

“I also know that you, Director, take promises very seriously.”

“……”

The bindings.

Director Ho was a type of supernatural entity who bound others by the form of a ‘promise’.

Yes, it would be foolish to think of Director Ho as human at this point.

‘And for supernatural entities, rules are a crucial element.’

From a semantic perspective on ghost stories, rules exist to foster a context of uncanny fear, and to dangle hope as a kind of torment for the victim…

In any case, that’s why the rules are actually more trustworthy than if Director Ho were simply a malicious human.

There’s a much higher chance that he’ll have no choice but to keep his promises.

All the more so, when I recall how Director Ho would assert—almost unnaturally—about the trustworthiness of the counselor of the ‘Fox Counseling Office.’

Even if he uses people while hiding other motives or sets traps, he never makes false promises.

I looked at the expressionless Director Ho.

“So I judged that any promise you made yourself, you would absolutely keep.”

“……”

Clap.

“Of course!”

Director Ho laughed as he clapped his hands.

“I always keep my promises. I never make a promise I can’t keep… Absolutely.”

“……”

“Now then.”

Director Ho lifted a briefcase from beneath the table and reached into it.

“It’s time to receive your Wish Ticket.”

And something radiant came out.

A small glass vial.

“…!!”

The waiting area of the Fox Counseling Office. In this comfortable place, an enchanting, otherworldly glow, like an aurora, began to shimmer.

It was hard to believe that such overwhelming mystery could come from a single small bottle.

The Wish Ticket.

“It’s yours, Soleum-nim.”

“……”

Tak.

“Go ahead.”

I reached out my hand.

Just as my arm was about to touch the Wish Ticket set on the table…

“Ah, wait a moment.”

Director Ho smiled.

“It’s not just one bottle, is it?”

“…!!”

Tak. Tak.

Still smiling, Director Ho took two more dazzling glass vials, shimmering with pearly light, out of the briefcase and placed them on the table.

Three vials of Wish Ticket potions in total.

‘Holy shit.’

On the table, waves of light reminiscent of pearls of the orient glowed, rippling like the Milky Way Galaxy.

“…These are.”

“Yes. These are Wish Tickets for the other two employees who worked with you. You said it yourself, didn’t you? That the other two also contributed sufficiently to this assignment.”

That’s right.

But… He’s just handing them over like this?

And Director Ho wasn’t finished.

“But since you came as the representative of the team to deliver the report, it’s only right for you to receive them as the representative!”

“……!”

Wait a second.

“You mean I’m to receive all three bottles…and then give one each to the other two people?”

“Well, who knows.”

…!

“You reported on behalf of the team, didn’t you? Then isn’t distribution up to the representative?”

“……”

“I don’t mind either way.”

A dark flame flickered in Director Ho’s eyes.

But in the next instant, as if nothing had happened, his face returned to a gentle smile.

“I truly hope this Wish Ticket fulfills the wish hidden deep in your heart, Soleum-nim.”

I spoke.

“Aren’t you going to use one, Director?”

“……”

Director Ho looked at me for a moment.

“That’s an item only regular employees can use.”

“……”

“Unfortunately, executives are considered contract workers. That’s the rule.”

Director Ho’s hand reached out as if he wanted to touch the Wish Tickets on the table… but soon withdrew.

“So.”

“……”

“Will you take them now? Or later? Either is fine with me.”

Whether to accept all three bottles, or to leave them all for now.

In truth, I only had one choice I could make.

“Yes. I’ll take them.”

I nodded.

And then…

“Excellent!”

With a bright smile, Director Ho took a box out of the briefcase and began packing the Wish Ticket bottles one by one, tying them with a ribbon and placing them into a bag, as efficiently and neatly as a salesperson.

“Instructions for use are included in the box! I’ll put one bottle in each compartment.”

Director Ho tidied up the box with swift, practiced motions, closed it with a ribbon, slipped it into a bag, and slid it across the table to me.

“Here you are.”

“…Thank you.”

I picked up the bag.

For a moment, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

‘…I did it.’

It was finally starting to feel real, that I had finally gotten my hands on it.

It’s here, in this black paper bag.

I got my Wish Ticket.

“Get home safely, Soleum-nim. I’ll be in touch.”

My mind felt blank.

I rose from my seat.

After politely bowing to Director Ho, who was waving, I left the waiting area of the Fox Counseling Office.

Creak.

I thought I heard the sound of the door to the Fox Counseling Office opening and closing behind me…

As if someone had entered.

And when I glanced back from the entrance, there was no one left at the waiting area table.

All that remained were the three bottles of Wish Tickets in my hand.

“……”

– Oh, congratulations, Friend! Now, do you just make a wish and blow out a candle?

It would be nice if it were that simple, but the problem is…

‘I have two extra bottles in my hands.’

A little while later, at a nearby cafe.

‘How am I going to hand these over?’

I sat down, clutching the bag, my mind racing frantically.

It felt like walking around with checks worth millions stuffed carelessly in my bag.

Every time I was conscious of the Wish Tickets inside, I was seized by the impulse to take them out and drink one immediately, but first I had to finish what needed to be done.

First…

‘I need to contact Go Yeongeun-ssi.’

All I needed was to come up with some indirect way to deliver the item.

Then, that colleague could fulfill her wish and resign safely. She wouldn’t have to enter any more ghost stories.

And…

‘I can save Jang Heowoon-ssi too.’

If someone just wished for Jang Heowoon to be saved using a Wish Ticket, that would be enough.

Everything was perfect.

Once that’s done, once I’ve finished distributing them…

‘I’m going home.’

My heart pounded with anxiety and anticipation.

I put my hand in the bag, touching the box, running through in my mind what I needed to do first.

First, find a safe place…

Bzzz!

My smartphone vibrated and a message popped up.

[ Where shud I g o? ]

“……”

The sergeant.

We had planned to meet at sunset today.

‘It was supposed to be to get information.’

But now, I no longer needed the information.

Whether it was the Cheerful Research Institute or the source of Daydream Inc., once I left this place, none of it would matter anymore.

However, leaving this ghost story world…

It also meant I would never see anyone I’d met here again.

“……”

After some hesitation, I sent a message.

And that evening.

“Hm…”

I met the sergeant at a corner table in a well-known donut shop that closed late.

I had already paid for some donuts, ones that were usually sold out by evening, since people bought them all during the day.

Seeing the donuts, the sergeant’s tired face brightened a bit.

“Thank you…”

“No, it’s nothing. I’ve received a lot of help from you. Honestly, this isn’t enough to repay you, but…”

“No, it’s more than enough.”

The sergeant, looking a little happier, eagerly started eating the donuts.

And then, as if it were nothing, he dropped a bombshell.

“So, about that information… The Cheerful Research Institute… it’s still in our company’s basement…”

“……!!”

Wait a second.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly what I said… hm.”

The sergeant looked at me.

“Um, I actually saw you there once too…”

Me?

“Mmh… when we first met… That thing, when you got sucked into the scroll… you went to the restroom on basement level 2…”

“…!”

“Don’t you remember?”

I do.

When I went down to the basement to track down the missing Section Chief Lee Byeongjin…

Strangely enough, the hallway was lined with ordinary offices back there.

– Shouldn’t this floor have safety equipment or facilities…?

I distinctly remember thinking that.

And…

– Mr. Roe Deer?

That’s right.

‘Suddenly, the ‘Good Friend’ could speak to me…!’

That strange Daydream basement, lined with endless offices, was actually a ghost story.

And that ghost story, in fact… was the Cheerful Research Institute?

“How… did you find out?”

“Hm… We also only knew it by codename… I don’t know, but… I found some documents that weren’t redacted.”

The sergeant shrugged his shoulders and continued.

“Anyway, if you go deeper underground… the same office corridors… just keep repeating…”

“You mean exactly the same corridor?”

“Yes. The same exact office… the same layout, even the same scratches, so it must be the same place, but… maybe… each one is a slightly different time…?”

Voices of people chatting, silhouettes of people in meetings, staff gathering things, people fighting, even offices filled with dust like ruins…

Every time you take the elevator down, the scenes change as if you’re playing a hidden picture game.

Endlessly.

“…How many floors underground are there?”

“I’m not sure… Hm. The farthest I went… was basement 23, I think…? If I try further than that… I just get blocked…”

“……”

“I’m not sure, but… I think there was someone from the Security Team that went… up to basement 40…? But they died, so… hmm.”

“……”

It was a chilling description.

‘Those offices…’

A chill ran down my spine.

Why on earth is the Cheerful Research Institute there, why is it a ghost story, and what is Daydream Inc., which built its building above that, really doing? All sorts of questions flashed through my mind.

But I soon realized none of it mattered anymore.

Because I… would be leaving.

“……”

“Ah.”

And it seemed the sergeant sensed it too.

“So I guess you don’t need this anymore…”

“……”

He pulled his cap down low.

“Well, if that’s the case…”

Then, easily guessing the most likely reason a Daydream employee would lose all interest in everything—

“Did you… get a Wish Ticket?”

“……”

I hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded.

A faint smile appeared on the sergeant’s lips.

A pure, sincere congratulations.

“That’s good news…”

“……”

“Um, you know how to use it, right…?”

“…Yes.”

The sergeant nodded along with my answer, then seemed to hesitate a bit before asking,

“Then… this time… are you really quitting…?”

It was a question he could only ask because he knew I wasn’t truly quitting, but just working undercover under Director Ho.

I nodded.

“I see…”

“……”

The sergeant bowed his head.

“Um, after you quit… would it be possible to… talk now and then…?”

“…I wish I could do that, too.”

But I can’t.

I avoided his gaze.

“Depending on the nature of my wish, I don’t know what will happen.”

“……Ah.”

The sergeant stopped speaking.

“A world-changing… wish?”

“……Yes.”

“In that case… there’s nothing to be done.”

“……”

He must have already known.

Right. As the squad leader of the elite team, it makes sense that the more obsessed the Field Investigation Team members are with the Wish Ticket, the more likely it is they’d know its true nature.

The essence of the Wish Ticket.

There isn’t one. You just drink it and make your wish.

Everything will be granted.

…At least, from your perspective.

– Advice from the Assistant Manager of the Elite Team’s C-squad

So… this is how it works.

If the drinker wishes to become younger, they’ll become younger.

If they wish for a clean, tax-free 10 billion won to be deposited in their account, it will happen.

The Wish Ticket potion displays powers no different from a magical genie’s lamp, changing only the state of the drinker.

But what if.

‘What if the wish is on a much larger scale?’

Wishes that go beyond simply changing one’s own personal circumstances.

Let’s say, for example, the time is set in the past.

A wish like, ‘I wish I could go back to when I was a child, living happily with my parents.,’ or ‘I wish I could go back to the moment when my husband got into the car accident and stop him’.

Or, perhaps much grander.

‘I want the world to end,’ or ‘I wish everyone would become kind,’ or ‘I want a superconductor to be invented,’ and so on…

Wishes that desire to change the world itself.

Of course, even in these cases, the potion still works.

Your wish will come true. However…

It only comes true from your point of view.

In other words…

You will be sent to such a world.

The Wish Ticket is a highly personal potion, its effects are omnipotent, but only for one person.

The one who makes the wish disappears from this world.

Sometimes they remain, but that only happens if they didn’t wish properly, made a mistake, or if the wish was unexpectedly small-scale enough for the Wish Ticket to handle.

At any rate, in no case does the Wish Ticket bring about massive changes to this world.

Only the person moves.

‘That’s why the sergeant knew.’

If the wish is big enough to change the world, he knew that I might leave this place entirely.

That I might disappear.

“……”

I looked at the sergeant, who had finished eating his donuts.

Time was running out.

“Truly, thank you very much for everything.”

“Yeah…”

We stood up from our seats.

I handed the sergeant a box of donuts I’d asked the counter to pack to-go, along with a leftover paper bag containing only a bread knife.

“By the way, Jay-ssi, what kind of wish did you join this company for?”

“……”

The sergeant stared into the empty bag.

“I… can’t really remember.”

“……”

“Don’t worry about it… it wasn’t anything important.”

I couldn’t bring myself to ask any more.

In the end, I nodded and parted ways with the sergeant in front of the donut shop.

He waved his hand.

“…Take care.”

That was the end.

Through the shadows, I saw that the sergeant stood alone on the street for quite a while…

“……”

On the way back, I thought to myself.

…I should say a few more goodbyes.

Chapter 207 - Final Goodbyes

“Oh, right! Just send those to the team leader’s desk, Agent Mint.”

“Yes…!”

Go Yeongeun carried the bundle of documents she had just organized over to her superior’s desk.

It was information on the newly observed supernatural disaster.

She briefly reflected on how the term ‘Disaster’ had now become more familiar to her than ‘Darkness’.

‘Phew.’

Go Yeongeun sat down at her own desk.

Then, she could faintly hear the idle chatter of the other agents sharing the office from the hallway.

“…so that’s what happened. Black-Tortoise Team 1…”

“But honestly, if I were that rookie, I think I’d have done the same……”

“……”

Her nerves instantly went on edge.

Just from that, she could tell who they were talking about.

For nearly two weeks, agents at the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau had been careful about bringing it up, but it was still the main topic of conversation.

Agent Grapes.

Her fellow spy.

Whispers of Kim Soleum’s imprisonment, release, and subsequent disappearance.

That’s right.

Go Yeongeun’s colleague had failed in his spy mission and had gone missing.

…Maybe it was a relief he hadn’t been caught.

Given the circumstances, it seemed something had happened when Director Ho’s binding was exposed, but with the hush-hush atmosphere, it was hard to ask.

She’d heard that things had gotten serious during the imprisonment, but then improved again.

And that even after the disappearance, the mood toward Kim Soleum among the field agents wasn’t that bad.

…News from Black-Tortoise Team 1 had dwindled significantly.

That much was all that Go Yeongeun, as a rookie agent, could know for certain.

Of course, it was difficult to find out anything more after Kim Soleum had disappeared almost as soon as he got out of the Glass Prison.

‘He really… ran away, didn’t he?’

Go Yeongeun would worry herself into a state of nerves, but always ended her thoughts with a sigh.

She couldn’t risk leaking information while trying to track down Soleum’s whereabouts.

If Kim Soleum had managed to escape successfully, poking around would likely only cause trouble, and there was the risk her own identity might be exposed as well.

It was bad for both of them.

Given she was somewhat acquainted with Kim Soleum, and that they were both rookies, there was even more chance she was being monitored for security reasons.

‘…Feels like I’m under suspicion as a spy, too.’

She didn’t know.

The Disaster Management Bureau staff were certainly good people, but they were also skilled at pretending to be nonchalant while probing, or zeroing in on key issues as if it was nothing.

‘Well, they are agents, after all.’

In any case, unlike her nerves-wracked state as a spy walking on thin ice, there was no noticeable change in the other agents’ attitudes.

She hadn’t been dragged off to the Glass Prison herself, at least.

‘That’s a relief, but…’

…Honestly, it felt hopeless.

Of the three who’d come in, one was quarantined due to contamination, and one other had gone missing.

Only she was left, but for a rookie to steal a document on an annihilation-sanctioned disaster was realistically close to impossible.

…If she were Director Ho, she’d have cut her losses by now.

‘But I have to hang on.’

And she had to do her job.

Go Yeongeun forced herself to stay calm and calculated things to avoid panicking.

‘Calmly, one at a time.’

First, she needed to clean up any traces more thoroughly.

She’d only ever contacted Kim Soleum through a separate phone line registered under a different name.

She decided she had to take care of that, too.

So, that evening, when she returned to her officetel after work, she searched for the spare phone.

Rather than hiding it meticulously, she’d just tossed it in a drawer with other old junk, like her previous phone. That way, it would be easier to overlook.

And the moment she turned it on.

Spam messages, which she deliberately invited by giving out this number everywhere, poured in.

Even contact from Director Ho disguised as counseling offers looked like spam at first glance.

“Huu.”

Go Yeongeun began clicking through and deleting the spam one by one.

Her hand froze.

“…Wait a second.”

Serenely, disembark, this stop…

“…!”

She couldn’t help but remember, like being struck by lightning.

The subway of Abyssal Transpo.

This was a hint only someone who’d shared that insane onboarding ghost story would recognize. And at this moment, there was only one person who would send such a message disguised as spam…

Only one.

Go Yeongeun immediately clicked on the message.

“……”

A location and a time.

Go Yeongeun quickly searched the internet.

She looked up the discount phone store near Gangnam Station.

And an hour later.

Go Yeongeun found herself standing in front of a storage locker near the discount phone store at Gangnam Station.

“……”

At first, she wondered if she was supposed to meet at the storefront, but even after the designated time of 21:00 passed, no one appeared.

Then, when she focused on the ‘left counter’ mentioned in the text, she immediately noticed a passage leading to the storage lockers on the left side of the store.

‘Is it here?’

She hesitated for a moment, then looked at the lockers.

There was locker number 17.

The number specified in the message.

“……”

If so.

When she entered the code, the same number sequence from the message, 1721, into the combination lock…

Bee-bee-beep.

“……!”

The locker opened.

Go Yeongeun hurriedly grabbed the card used to pay the locker fee and looked inside.

There was a small paper envelope.

A memo was attached, written in awkward, unfamiliar handwriting on purpose, the letters crooked.

Please open this at home

“……”

Go Yeongeun quickly took the envelope and went home.

Her heart was pounding.

‘What is this?’

Given the circumstances, it was almost certain that the person who left this was Kim Soleum.

But what on earth was being passed on?

Had the method of exchanging information for the spy work changed to something like this? With these swirling thoughts, Go Yeongeun opened the envelope at her dining table.

‘Two boxes?’

There was a black box.

Feeling puzzled, she opened one of the boxes…

A dazzling, multicolored light shone out.

“…!!”

The Daydream Inc. employee quickly shut the box in alarm.

‘W, Wish Ticket!’

That crazy potion with the holographic aurora-like glow— There was no doubt it was a Wish Ticket!

‘Kim Soleum-ssi!’

Did he actually complete the spy mission by himself and bring back Wish Tickets? No, but how? Is this real? Is it really real? There’s a Wish Ticket in a subway locker… Wait.

‘…There are two boxes.’

Her heart pounded in her chest.

She reached for the other box and opened it…

Once again, brilliant light spilled out.

‘Oh my god.’

And then, a small note fluttered down.

“…!”

She quickly picked it up.

Yeongeun-ssi.

Our work is finished.

Do as you wish.

You don’t need to come back.

“……”

She was so shocked her mind went blank.

But the note wasn’t finished yet.

P.S. If possible, please deliver the other box to its intended recipient. If not, please keep it safe until then.

“No way…!”

How could someone just hand over two bottles of Wish Ticket potions with only a note like this, as if it wouldn’t matter if she just took both for herself!

…but even as she thought this, that kind, clever spy knew.

That she would keep her word.

“……”

A swirl of gratitude, obligation, joy, and pressure spun in her mind.

So…

Go Yeongeun made up her mind about something else.

And grabbing something, she ran out of her house.

‘It was delivered safely.’

I looked at the empty bottom of my drink at the café.

This was a café in the underground shopping mall at Gangnam Station.

It had already been an hour and a half since I watched Go Yeongeun pick up the phone from the subway locker.

Nothing unusual had happened in the meantime, so I figured it was about time to leave.

‘That should do it.’

…If it’s Go Yeongeun, she’ll return the Wish Ticket to its rightful owner without pocketing it for herself.

And since she’s still working at the Disaster Management Bureau, she’ll have more chances to deliver it than I would.

‘…She also seems better suited for the Disaster Management Bureau.’

Now that the spy mission itself was over, she could continue working there if she wanted to.

Fortunately, there hadn’t been any tailing by bureau agents.

…It seemed things had wrapped up well.

Now, there was only one Wish Ticket potion left for me.

‘Then, once I drink it too…’

Just as I thought that—

I saw a familiar figure run back toward the lockers.

“…!”

…It’s Go Yeongeun-ssi.

Did something go wrong?

But she calmly reopened locker 17, the one that had held the Wish Tickets, put something inside, and shut it tight again as if nothing had happened.

“……”

What did she put in the locker?

‘Don’t tell me… she put back Jang Heowoon-ssi’s Wish Ticket.’

That’s possible. If I were her… I’d also have trouble carrying out a request to deliver a Wish Ticket to someone who’s been isolated and who knows when he’ll be seen again.

‘Yeah.’

It was an unreasonable request in the first place.

After making sure Go Yeongeun was completely gone and there was no tailing, I quietly left the café and headed to the locker.

I opened locker 17.

…Just as I expected, there was a box inside.

‘It can’t be helped.’

I picked it up.

But… oddly, the weight was different.

“……?”

I quickly went into the restroom, carefully opened the box inside a stall.

But instead of that iridescent glow, a soft green glimmer appeared.

The light green hue of a new sprout.

It was a C-grade regeneration potion.

“……”

I stared at it in a daze.

Inside the box was a note attached, just like the one I had written.

I’ll try my very best.

Thank you.

Take care.

An indescribable feeling welled up inside me.

She must have barely bought one bottle with her points.

She gave it to me probably thinking that, because I had lost my arm and had now left the Disaster Management Bureau, getting access to a dokkaebi flame as a prosthetic would be difficult now.

‘…Thank you.’

I carefully packed up the box and held it close.

That night.

I drank the regeneration potion.

And with my now restored hand, I left my farewells.

Scheduled messages.

Set for the next morning.

To my former superiors in the D-squad, and… a few people to whom I owed debts of gratitude.

‘Let’s send one more to the sergeant, too.’

Mostly to say not to worry, that I’d managed to resign safely.

Writing a text to Section Chief Lee Jaheon during this process made me break out in a cold sweat.

‘That monthly installment plan at the Alien Shop…’

I’m really sorry. I had to run away in the night just after starting the payment plan.

Instead, I put all the equipment I had into a subway locker and sent Section Chief Lee Jaheon the location and password. I hope this will cover it…

“Huu.”

With that, everything was finally settled.

All that remained was… the dokkaebi flame.

I raised my regenerated arm to the small blue flame that had been circling me, watching what I did with interest.

“It’s okay now. See? I’ve got my arm back. You can go home.”

But the dokkaebi flame flickered as if refusing, and sat down in front of my desk.

It was a bit troublesome…but it didn’t feel bad.

“Then, let’s stay together just a little longer. …If I disappear, you go back to the Bureau, okay?”

The dokkaebi flame drooped a little, as if nodding.

Now, there was truly only one thing left.

The last.

I took out the small, fluffy, pink rabbit plush doll.

“……”

Taking a breath, I set the ‘Good Friend’ doll at the foot of the bed, shining the lamp to cast its shadow.

So that we could speak even in the real world.

– Oh, Friend!

The talk show host’s cheerful voice.

By now, I was used to that captivating tone and smooth delivery.

– Tonight’s hotel is not bad at all. This small, cozy space reminds me of the room you used to stay in, Mr. Roe Deer. Is this the night you celebrate your wish coming true?

“Something like that.”

No need to save money anymore.

And…

“……”

– Friend?

“Are you okay?”

– About what?

“I mean about me using the Wish Ticket.”

A question that had weighed on my mind, but I’d been afraid to ask in case the answer was too much to handle.

“You know what my wish is.”

The host already knows.

If he can see into my thoughts and knowledge to any degree, he would have realized, at least by the time I was talking with the sergeant, that my wish was to leave this world.

“But you never asked.”

I continued, looking at the plush doll’s big shadow.

“It felt strange.”

– Oh…

“I wondered if maybe you were thinking that I’ll fail, and that you’re now just waiting quietly for catharsis.”

– Heavens.

– Once again, Friend, I do not wish for your failure… I simply do not intervene inappropriately and ruin the flow and scene!

– And as for now…

A sound like tapping gloves.

– It’s such a clear situation, there’s no need for questions.

– You want to go home, don’t you, Friend? But you refused this Braun’s offer to introduce you to a better, new home…

A chill ran down my spine.

But the host’s tone remained calm and cheerful.

– So, as a host, it’s only right to watch and see where your choice takes this show.

“……”

– Do as you wish, Friend.

– You’ve worked so hard for this, now it’s time to see the result.

The rabbit doll’s shadow flickered, as if pointing at something with a hand.

The Wish Ticket potion on the table.

“…Huu.”

– Let’s go. To the finale and ending!

I picked up the Wish Ticket.

Chapter 208 - ■■■

The iridescent potion ripples in my hand.

The color of Dream Essence.

A potion that grants wishes.

…The instructions are engraved in relief on the transparent glass bottle, and whenever the liquid inside shimmers like waves, the words are revealed.

I looked into it.

----------------------------------------

: Daydream Potion :

Wish

EX (miraculous)

Lift the bottle with both hands.

Express your heartfelt wish in a single sentence…

With your eyes closed, drink all the liquid in the bottle at once.

Any wish will come true.

----------------------------------------

I had already known about these instructions since before.

So I had agonized over it from the beginning.

What sentence should I use?

When using the Wish Ticket, in what single sentence would I express my wish?

Every time I lay awake in bed unable to sleep, every time I wrote an exploration report at the office, every time I barely survived a ghost story and walked home after work, I thought about it.

The very first thing that came to mind was that.

The primal desire.

– Please send me home.

It was a desperate plea.

But I put it on hold.

‘Home’ is too abstract a concept.

It’s not as if there was only one place I’d lived until now. I couldn’t tell by what standard the Wish Ticket would activate.

If I phrased it wrong, it might even send me to the Daydream Inc.’s company dorm.

…Even when I was infiltrating the Disaster Management Bureau, the aversion that made me avoid the concept of ‘home’ and move from motel to motel likely stemmed from this.

So I thought again.

I had to eliminate every possible loophole.

‘I can’t make a mistake.’

I absolutely must not let the Wish Ticket grant my wish in some unintended way.

‘Please send me back to where I originally lived’? That’s just as abstract. Rejected.

‘Please send me to a world without ghost stories’? There’s no guarantee that’ll be the world I was originally from. What if I died and went to heaven? That would technically be a world without ghost stories… Some insane interpretation like that might happen.

I rejected options again and again, and chose with the utmost caution.

A perfect sentence that could designate time and space precisely.

And I decided.

Clutching the potion tightly in both hands, I opened my mouth and spoke.

“My wish is…”

Right away.

“…To return to where I was the day before I joined Daydream Inc.”

To the world I originally lived in, at the point before I spun the roulette at the popup store.

It was the perfect fit.

– Excellent!

‘It’s done.’

Hearing the host’s admiration, I calmly opened the cap of the Wish Ticket potion.

A burst of light erupted, but I covered it with my hand and closed my eyes.

Then I poured the potion into my mouth.

“……!”

A dream that you drink.

That was the only way I could describe it.

A strange, synesthetic liquid like nothing I had ever experienced slid down my throat.

Radiance filled my stomach.

An intangible power. Transcendent authority. Overwhelming mystery.

Ecstasy and awe led me forward.

Yes. I am moving!

‘Holy…’

My whole body was being sucked away somewhere.

Very deep, very far…

To wherever my wish reached.

It felt like I was traveling to fulfill a long-cherished desire. Transcendent power was transporting me.

Yes.

Yes!

Just like this, I’m going to return safely to my home…

……

……

……?

“Cough.”

I collapsed to the floor.

My body rolled across a dusty, filthy floor and I coughed.

Musty air.

Even when I opened my eyes, there was only pitch blackness. Even blinking, I couldn’t make out any contours.

Silence.

Stillness.

What is this?

The fantastic sensation was gone. The Wish Ticket had vanished. Which meant…

This was my destination.

“……”

The blood drained from my head.

I felt numb.

“Ugh.”

I struggled, twisting myself off the floor. Sharp fragments scraped my arms and hands, leaving a stinging pain.

Gasping for breath, I lifted the empty bottle I was still holding in one hand. The last few drops of the Wish Ticket liquid faintly shimmered.

My surroundings became visible.

…I was on top of shattered glass.

“…!”

When I turned my head, I saw where I had fallen.

An empty glass tube was shattered.

I had collapsed onto the broken glass shards in a dust pit.

‘…Why?’

How did I end up… inside this place?

My heart thudded uneasily. Before the ominous feeling could take over my mind, I desperately tried to make out the silhouette of the device in the darkness.

It looked like a device for storing large volumes of liquid. But…

…The machine was familiar.

There were no lights, and below the empty glass tube, I saw buttons and a keyboard panel. An old lab machine, straight out of the 2000s.

That, that’s…

The Dream Incubator.

A broken, shattered Dream Incubator from Cheerful Research Institute.

……

Blankly, I looked around.

My eyes, now accustomed to the darkness, used the leftover shimmer from the Wish Ticket to finally make out my surroundings.

This place.

This is Cheerful Research Institute’s prototype Dream Incubation Chamber.

“……!”

Something’s wrong.

Something’s definitely wrong.

Why did I end up here?

“No.”

Calm down. Calm down. I definitely wished to be returned to where I was the day before I joined, so why am I here. Wait. No, no it’s not.

“This isn’t the same place!”

It’s different!

Yes. The lab had the same structure, but it wasn’t the same. The silhouette was strangely different.

Other machines and documents were visible. Even cassette tapes and empty reagent bottles. And computers, too…

‘There’s no dust on the computers.’

…Strange.

I staggered and turned my head. I needed a hint, any hint.

And then I found it.

An experiment log.

“……”

Soaked in blood and filth, all records meticulously erased, only the phrase ‘We fell for it’ frantically repeated.

It was there, right next to the shattered glass tube of the Dream Incubator.

Just like how I had found it last time in the Dream Incubation Chamber.

“……”

I walked closer.

The old paper wasn’t soaked with blood and filth this time, but was browned as if scorched.

With trembling hands, I turned the pages.

There were charred spots, but I could read them.

From the very first page’s title.

I drew in a breath.

Research Objective: Verification for ......’s existence

…incarnation and contract of an external entity into the present world.

Derived from earlier research, the name of a god worshiped by a certain cult currently in rapid growth was adopted and used as the subtitle for this research.

This would be Cheerful Research Institute’s final project.

My heart pounded with dread.

I flipped the pages frantically.

Countless experiment records filled the pages.

Because none of this was registered in any database, the format was inconsistent, and there were several experimenters.

All sorts of attempts and preparations.

Failure, failure.

Horrible materials of unknown nature and extreme methods, half-erased, remained.

Things that were created, summoned, then discarded.

And then.

Some meaningful result was achieved.

Experiment #316

Essence volume : 1200L

Materials: Qterw-A-4…’s …dragon, ……-…326, human blood, ……, and 13 other synthetic elements.

Successfully awakened Ireum-nim’s mind within the glass tube.

Contract failed. Form collapsed within the essence.

Suspected cause : Insufficient essence. Will adjust variables based on this research.

And then it became more refined.

Experiment #322

Essence volume : 2300L

The awakened Ireum-nim screamed inside the glass tube while and after …… ……… lost all vital signs.

After recognizing the mutation of its own bodily tissue, it rejected the combined materials, resulting in lumped collapse.

A request was made to adjust the material ratios to prepare a medium more closely reflecting Ireum-nim’s exact appearance.

Currently confirming Darknesses related to shapeshifting.

My hands shook.

Ominous speculations swirled through my mind.

The experiments continued, the conditions becoming more and more specific.

The currently confirmed requirements for invitation and contract are as follows:

1- Preservation of Ireum-nim’s original identity.

2- Erasure of previous emotional attachments.

3- Provision of a survival goal.

4- Removal of all sense of incongruity.

It is believed that these requirements can be fulfilled through a powerful binding, and various methods are currently being proposed.

And then…

It is now a discontinued invention, designed to partially imbue a doll with the presence of a being from the reverse world, so that it may serve a supportive role to the contractor.

A limited version is currently distributed as a souvenir in a certain board game, and this

That thing.

“……”

I barely managed to turn the next page.

The final experiment record.

Experiment #444

Essence volume : 39,999L

Materials : Same as #443.

Result : Success.

Utilizing the ritual used in the discontinued invention, Ireum-nim was successfully and fully invited.

…… have been imbued. Stabilized.

As soon as the subject awakens, it will be separated from the Dream Essence and a simple interview will be conducted.

The page ends there.

But.

“……”

When I turned the last page, I saw a torn sheet of paper wedged in.

It looked like it had been crushed and balled up in a hurry, then someone else had carefully smoothed it out and put it back in the experiment log.

And scrawled over it was more writing.

The previously neat handwriting was now completely destroyed.

Please

The writing abruptly and unnaturally ends there.

And under the words ‘place with the most humans’, someone had underlined it heavily and, in a different hand, written another note.

As if deducing from the note.

“……”

It can’t be.

My mind rejected it.

But the conclusion was already clear.

No. There wasn’t even anything left to guess.

It was too obvious.

In answer to my wish, ‘Please send me back to where I was the day before I joined Daydream Inc.’—

I had awakened inside this shattered Dream Incubator.

So, that means.

I…

I was the research subject of this experiment log.

The Good Friend.

Something synthesized, an entity from the reverse world invited by Cheerful Research Institute, imbued within.

Just like the host ‘Braun’ projected into the plush toy.

The consciousness of Kim Soleum, existing in another world, projected into ‘something’ created in the Dream Incubator.

…Is that it?

“……No.”

No, it can’t.

There must be… must be some other explanation.

What did it say about the binding up above? I don’t qualify for that. I want to go home. I need to return to my house, to meet my family and friends.

That’s why…

Who, exactly, are those people?

“……”

I can’t remember.

I mean.

I was sure, back when I first joined, that I remembered.

Didn’t I recall the conversations with my parents and friends? And didn’t I look up contact info, check addresses, search through my records and……

……Did I actually do that?

Or did I just think to myself, ‘I checked,’ and let it go?

What exact contacts did I look up, which previous address did I visit?

I don’t know.

I can’t remember.

There’s only this conviction that I did…

“……”

So, does that mean,

This body I inhabit,

Isn’t Kim Soleum?

If the place I was before joining was this place.

If I’ve returned to the place this body was.

If I was made in the Dream Incubation Chamber.

Then am I… not human?

“No.”

I looked down at my hands.

[No]

E n o u g h

Kekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekeke

My body starts to bulge grotesquely.

The tattoo collapses.

I disappear. The human body falls apart.

The self that has realized the truth rejects the shape of a human body. The body tries to revert to its original form.

Something unknown, sacred and bizarre, synthesized, bursts forth from within me.

Scales and horns, hooves, spikes all pierce through my ribs…

“No!”

My voice rings strangely through the space. But there is nothing I can do. I’ve already disposed of all my items. My tattoo is completely empty…!

N o

At that moment,

I realized it.

There is still one thing left inside the tattoo.

Equipment that’s not mine, something I borrowed.

“…!”

I hastily shoved my mutating hand into my tattoo and pulled out the equipment.

The Security Team suit.

And I started to put it on like a madman.

My mutating body is forced and jammed back into a human form, held in place. Strange noises ring out as black smoke envelops my whole body.

In that way, I barely manage to regain human limbs.

I have to run away.

Staggering, I searched for the door to the lab. Yellow, lamp-like eyes flashed. The light found the doorknob.

Leaning on it, I barely managed to push it open and step out…

There are indoor lights.

“……!”

A normal office hallway.

A scene I had seen before.

‘…Daydream’s basement.’

The sergeant had told me about Cheerful Research Institute being in the company’s underground.

– The Cheerful Research Institute… it’s still in our company’s basement……

– If you go deeper underground… the same office corridors… just keep repeating…

What floor underground is this, exactly?

How do I get out?

‘Elevator…’

My head and body feel heavy.

A strange, intense pain sweeps over my entire body.

Dragging my feet, I tried to make my way somehow to the end of the corridor.

Just then.

“Excellent.”

……

“You have strong company loyalty. To think you’d come back.”

I raised my head.

Someone in a suit was now standing in front of me, staring straight at me.

An ageless impression, cold and immaculate appearance, a perfectly fitted three-button suit, dark blue hair…

Managing Director Cheong Dallae.

“Already wearing the uniform, are you. Looking good.”

Black pupils stared at me.

“But that’s not the proper uniform…”

I opened my mouth,

But no words came out. It felt as if my vocal cords were crumpled up inside the suit.

The mad, suffocating sensation grew stronger, more… painful.

“Yes. That seems to be a uniform that makes a human look like a monster. Is this a new version that’s been developed?”

“……”

“But when a real monster wears it, it’s just a mold that forcibly stuffs the body in. As you know, there are a lot of programs in society whose efficacy only works when there’s a contract. That’s how it is.”

She declared thus.

“At this rate, you’ll soon necrotize.”

“……”

“If you don’t like that, there is another path.”

Executive Director Cheong Dallae took out a neat sheet of paper from inside her jacket.

“A contract.”

……

“You just need to sign. I promise you the most humane treatment. You’ll have a satisfying position… in the Security Team, that is.”

Blood started to flow from my body. Blood dripped down my fingers.

“Here.”

“……”

“Choose.”

I feel like I’m going to die.

My collapsing body is being crushed, and so is my consciousness. I can’t even stumble forward anymore.

I don’t have the strength to even think of any other options.

A dead end.

“……”

I lifted my trembling hand.

And, with the blood streaming down, I signed the contract.

“Good.”

The moment the signing was complete.

My body rapidly began to feel at ease.

As if I were wearing perfectly fitting clothes, as if I had fulfilled a promise, as if just the right amount of water had been poured into a cup.

A sense of peace and unfamiliar power spread through my whole body.

And… more than anything, a clear binding.

“……”

I looked at my superior.

“From now on, you’ll be entrusted with a very important position.”

And just like that,

I started working for the company once again.

〈 End of Part I 〉