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
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.
…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
'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
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.
-x-X-x-
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…"
-x-X-x-
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 Jekang."
"..."
"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 Jekang 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 Jekang 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.
-x-X-x-
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 Jekang 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.
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." řＡΝŎᛒĘS̈
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're 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?"
"…!"
-x-X-x-
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…
"Gloves??"
A pair of semi-transparent gloves. Their flexible texture gave off an oddly strange atmosphere.
"Hmm."
As Assistant Manager Eun Haje reached out with her right hand to grab them, 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 gloves obscures its real appearance."
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?
-x-X-x-
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.
-x-X-x-
"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.
"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:
marquee.addEventListener('finish', function() { loopCount++; if (loopCount >= 104) { marquee.stop(); // Stops after 104 loops } });
"…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.