– 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…
※Amazing items from outer space※~!!
>>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… ȓαɴő₿ÊꞨ
'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…
[Easy and Fast 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!
-x-X-x-
T/N:
Important edit to our favorite creepypasta monster's name!
I'll be spelling his name as BRAUN from now on! I couldn't find any official confirmation from the author on this spelling, but Braun makes more sense for a dapper gentleman with a TV for a head if you take these things into account: &
So everyone, please adjust your mental image of our dear Braun~ He's got an old timey TV head that looks kinda like this:
Major thanks to kelet for pointing this out! Wouldn't have caught that if not for you!
-x-X-x-
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
'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
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!"
T/N:
With the recent change to Braun's name spelling, I was also thinking of making a minor change on Soleum's name. I thought about this early on, (like literally chapter 1) but I doubled down on it and now it's just bothering me.
So basically, the Korean ㄹ consonant is both R and L—kind of in the middle—but our MC's name pronunciation is closer to R than it is to L.
-x-X-x-
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
"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." [1]
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
: 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. [2]
Note/s:
[1] Adding -ah (or -ya, -ee) to the end of a person's name indicates closeness between friends or family, or when one is talking to someone younger. In Japanese, the closest equivalents are -chan and -kun. ↩
[2] Sangun (山君), translated literally as Lord of the Mountain, is a mountain spirit or deity often depicted as a tiger.
Jangsanbeom (장산범), from folk tradition, is the tiger of Mt. Jang (in Busan) that has the ability to conjure hallucinations, imitate people's voices and possess their bodies. It is often depicted as a white-haired ghost or a tiger/cryptid with crimson skin and long, silvery fur. Read more about it here or here
Changgwi (창귀), from folk tradition, are spirits who have either drowned to death or have fallen prey to a tiger, becoming resentful ghosts who further create more victims. Read more about it here: ↩
Instead of trying to translate them to fit a more Western point of view, I've decided to keep the terms as is given that we're dealing with a traditional Eastern folktale/ghost story this time. Translating them as Mountain Lord, Jangsan Tiger and Vengeful Ghosts might be fine, but they don't exactly retain the original contexts of their respective folktales.
-x-X-x-
Sangun-nim.
One of the most eerie and unsettling stories from
========================
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
========================
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
'But…'
Isn't that a one-person-only solution?
-x-X-x-
'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. ᚱÄΝȯᛒЕꞨ
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.
-x-X-x-
– '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… ȓàɴŏꞖĘȿ
"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.
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. ꞦἁꞐŐΒΕⱾ
"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
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
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!" ȑÃNÔＢƐʂ
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.