The interviewers, their expressions cold and unflinching, read and assessed the candidates' unspoken thoughts.
Panic. Hesitation. Resentment.
'Ordinary.'
'Unremarkable.'
Except for one.
Candidate #4 :
...
Candidate #4, Kim Soleum.
Nothing appeared on the screen.
No thoughts. No hesitation.
He simply sat there in complete silence, the oxygen mask securely fastened to his face.
"Is he frozen in shock?"
"Look at him—his head's down. Seems like he has no guts."
"..."
Ryu Jaekwan maintained his composure and picked up the microphone again.
– Candidate #1. Answer.
The young man, who had been darting his eyes nervously, straightened his back and spoke.
"For the safety of the majority, sometimes cruel decisions must be made. I… I will volunteer myself to be killed."
But the screen revealed something else entirely.
Candidate #1:
N-No way I can do it… But if I convince myself I can die, that must be the right answer, right?! That's why they're asking like this?!
'Panic. Lack of critical thinking. Extreme compliance.'
…
Eliminated.
– Candidate #1. Remove your oxygen mask and stand by."
"…!"
Candidate #1 stood in a daze, then, realizing what had happened, shakily removed his mask and stepped back.
"Wait, shouldn't we reconsider and give him another question—"
"Shh."
A fellow assistant interviewer cut in.
"Agent Bronze's judgment has never been wrong. Just watch."
"..."
"He always passes the right people."
As if to prove the point, the aptitude test continued without pause.
– Candidate #2. Answer.
"…I would choose someone close to me and ensure the process is as quick and humane as possible… Prioritizing a painless method."
Candidate #2 :
Too obvious? But this is the safest answer. No way I'm saying outright who I'd kill while everyone's listening…
Evasive response.
Eliminated.
– Remove your oxygen mask and stand by.
In an instant, the second elimination was complete.
Next.
– Candidate #3.
Candidate #3 lifted his head, sweat beading on his forehead.
But there was a certain confidence in his expression.
"I will not kill anyone!"
"…!"
"There's always a Plan B. There must be another way out. We can find a way for everyone to escape—"
Thud.
Candidate #3 collapsed mid-sentence.
"…!!"
His oxygen mask, which had been stained and damaged moments before, was now spotless and brand new.
His face had gone completely pale.
The interviewers, their expressions cold, read the blazing red text on the screen—the 'true feelings' he himself hadn't even realized he was suppressing.
Candidate #3 :
Holy shit, this is exhilarating. 'Killing the person next to you', huh? LMAO this is exactly what being a secret agent is about.
Candidate #3 was left sprawled on the floor.
"..."
Inside the room, the last remaining agent candidate sat frozen in place, awaiting his turn.
Only one person still had his oxygen mask on.
– Candidate #4.
– Answer.
The question remained the same.
'To eliminate the dangerous anomaly, which of the four people here will you choose to kill?'
Ryu Jaekwan stared at Kim Soleum through the glass.
How would this former employee of an unethical pharmaceutical company answer?
Would he, perhaps, try to sound more cunning this time? Or maybe more virtuous…
"Candidate #3."
...
Huh?
"The one who has already collapsed."
– …!
For the first time, someone had been explicitly named.
The interviewers widened their eyes and waited for further explanation—
"..."
"..."
No.
That was it?
Candidate #4 remained silent, head lowered.
The system voice chimed in with an awkward, slightly disoriented tone.
– Is that the end of your response?
"Huh?"
– Do you have anything more to explain?
Candidate #4 hesitated so much it was agonizing before finally speaking, voice barely above a whisper.
"Well, um… in the scenario you described, it seems like we four are responsible for this disaster, somehow…
– …!!
"If the disaster can only be stopped by the death of one of us, then that must mean we're fundamentally tied to the cause of it. Like… maybe we triggered it by interfering with something we shouldn't have."
– ...
"Uh, is this the right answer?"
– Candidates are not permitted to ask questions.
"Ah…! S-Sorry…"
Candidate #4 mumbled, still keeping his head down.
Almost as if he was embarrassed to be saying something like this.
"Then… yes. That's my reasoning. I chose the easiest target, the one who's already incapacitated."
Truth.
– ...
"However, if we had even the slightest extra time, I'd do my best to find another option."
A predictably moral answer.
"Because life is precious. It's difficult and painful to decide someone's worth based on sheer numbers… or on who is more valuable."
But his tone had a strange kind of conviction.
"Still, if no alternative exists within the given time frame, and if there's a high likelihood of mass casualties… then there may be no choice."
For the first time, Kim Soleum raised his head.
Through the glass, through his glasses, his eyes remained sharp—even after passing through two layers of barriers.
And then, his inner thoughts appeared on the screen.
Candidate #4 :
But if possible, I want to save them all…
…It was exactly the ideal response that the Disaster Management Bureau wanted from its agents.
To follow regulations in unavoidable disaster scenarios, while still keeping a moral compass intact…!
Rustle.
Candidate #4 quickly lowered his gaze again, as if nothing had happened.
The interviewers exchanged silent nods of admiration.
"He means it."
"His ethics and judgment are sound. And his reasoning is…"
Clench.
Ryu Jaekwan barely stopped himself from crumpling the papers in his grip.
No.
There was no way.
"This candidate is…"
– Next question.
"What? W-Wait, Interviewer—?"
Ignoring the other interviewers, Ryu Jaekwan forced the test into a second round of questioning—a step only taken in cases where a candidate's assessment remained unclear.
– You are trapped in a supernatural disaster.
– You can only send one person to safety—either the most virtuous candidate in this room, or your closest friend.
– Who do you choose?
-x-X-x-
Candidate #4's face now looked completely bewildered.
Like he had no idea why such an obvious question was even being asked.
"Uh. The one who has the highest chance of survival…?"
– …!
"I mean… my goal is always to save as many people as possible."
Candidate #4 :
That's how the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau is supposed to operate.
– ...
Ryu Jaekwan stared blankly through the glass.
The assistant interviewers instantly understood.
'This is a pass.'
'A guaranteed pass.'
Candidate #4's attitude might have been overly passive, but in reality, most highly competent Disaster Management Bureau agents tended to be… a little off in some way.
Trauma exchanged for conviction.
In that sense, he was a textbook example of a viable candidate.
'So, a pass—'
And then, suddenly—
Candidate #4's inner thoughts updated.
Candidate #4 :
…Not that I'd ever find myself in a situation where I'd have to make a choice like this in the first place.
– …!
Something about that wording—
That phrasing was far too deliberate.
'A gap.'
Ryu Jaekwan and the assistant interviewers tensed up for a moment. Their eyes widened as they focused on the next line of text—
Candidate #4 :
Uh, well… I don't really have anyone I'd call a friend, so…
Oh.
Candidate #4 :
Should I have just pointed out that this question doesn't even apply to me? Saying it's fine because I don't have friends sounds kind of embarrassing though…
"..."
"..."
Candidate #4 :
No, I shouldn't say anything. Let's just… try to make some new colleagues here. Fighting!
A heavy silence settled over the interviewers.
"..."
Ryu Jaekwan could feel the assistant interviewers staring at him.
Their looks were practically screaming, If you keep dragging this out and don't pass him now, you are officially the worst piece of shit alive!
– …Remove your oxygen mask and stand by.
Candidate #4 gave a small nod and took off the mask.
The instructions were the same as before, but everyone in the room—both the candidates and the interviewers—understood.
"…Thank you."
Candidate #4 had passed.
– All four candidates who have completed the aptitude test, please move to the waiting area.
Beyond Candidate #3, who was being dragged out like a sack of potatoes, Candidate #4 adjusted his glasses in a slightly hunched posture before moving along.
Even though… he had just taken a subtle hit to his dignity without even realizing it.
Which, ironically, made him all the more memorable as a successful candidate.
'Looking forward to seeing where that guy ends up.'
'Yeah.'
The assistant interviewers exchanged glances, silently agreeing—
'If we ever run into that timid-looking Candidate #4 again, we should keep an eye out for him.'
Not that they needed to.
Because that answer had been calculated to produce this exact effect!
* * *
'Phew.'
At the waiting room.
I sank into a chair with a deep sigh.
My knees were pressed together—making sure I didn't look too relaxed.
'I made it through…'
But seriously—why the hell was Agent Bronze there?!
'I almost passed out the moment I heard that guy's voice over the speakers.'
When I realized that one of the interviewers was Ryu Jaekwan, I thought I was completely screwed.
But surprisingly… it actually helped me refine my character.
It's…
'A reserved, introverted agent with an unspeakable, tragic backstory, but outstanding abilities.'
That was the character I had planned to play in the Disaster Management Bureau.
To fit the role, I had spent weeks deliberately messing up my appearance before showing up for the interview.
'Being a bit withdrawn raises less suspicion than being overly smooth.'
After all, most Disaster Management Bureau agents had complicated pasts—I wouldn't seem out of place at all.
Oh—was pretending to be shy mentally exhausting?
Not really.
I'm a naturally timid person, after all.
All I had to do was drop my social mask and let my anxious, cowardly thoughts spill out into the open.
'Hahaha…'
...Honestly? This was still better than pretending to be an insane MZ employee at Daydream Inc.
…At least, that's what I had to tell myself!
I wiped the sweat from my face beneath my glasses.
'Anyway, it worked.'
I had basically secured my acceptance.
Even with Ryu Jaekwan as an interviewer.
That's right.
The same agent who had once been spectacularly backstabbed by me… had just passed me.
Since I hadn't been dragged away by agents mid-interview, it meant he had decided to let me through.
'…But now I have to hit him in the back of the head yet again.'
Because, at the end of the day—I was a spy.
I internally apologized while breaking into a cold sweat. I-I'm really sorry, Agent… just one more time…
'But… he's still a little suspicious of me, right?'
He passed me, but was probably going to keep an eye on me.
Maybe even reporting everything to his superiors, detailing my past ties to Daydream Inc.?
That would be a problem.
Since I had already taken this path, I had to fully commit—there was no turning back.
'I need to work harder to completely solidify his trust in me.'
I waited quietly.
Before long, my number was called again.
A confirmation of acceptance.
– Candidate #4 from Group '다 (Da)'.
– You have passed. Proceed to the designated location.
"…!"
I made it through.
That 'location' was probably where the interviewers would finally show themselves, hand me my agent ID, and assign me to a temporary division.
Which meant…
I was about to meet Ryu Jaekwan face to face.
'I didn't expect to run into my biggest threat on my first day as an undercover agent, but… this is actually a good thing.'
Might as well resolve this issue now.
"Yes! Yes…"
I intentionally answered too loudly, then quickly lowered my voice as if I was panicking. After that, I scrambled to my feet and cautiously made my way forward.
…As I walked, I repeated my strategy in my head—the plan I had crafted for this exact moment. Operation: Agent, I Faked My Death and Escaped That Insane Cult Company! ㅠㅠ
Thus began my life as a fraudulent government agent.
...For the record and just to make things absolutely clear… I swear, I never meant for it to get this serious…
-x-X-x-
Agent Bronze—Ryu Jaekwan—stood in a corner of the room, keeping any signs of restlessness off his expression.
The room where the final successful candidates gathered.
Several rounds of announcements had already called out the names of those who had passed, and most of the prepared seats were now occupied.
But…
'Why isn't he here yet?'
As successful candidates were steadily called in and took their seats, the one person he had no choice but to pass still hadn't arrived.
'Kim Soleum!'
His number had already been called three times!
– Candidate #4 from Group '다 (Da)'.
– You have passed. Proceed to the designated location.
If that announcement repeated one more time, his application status would be put on hold.
It would be considered an automatic forfeiture.
'Why in the world…'
He had gone through the entire aptitude test—only to give up now?
Even Ryu Jaekwan himself found it incomprehensible. The frustration was starting to eat at him when—
Thud!
"I-I'm so sorry!"
The door to the already nearly full room burst open, and a man stumbled in, his face flushed bright red.
He was gasping for breath as if he had sprinted all the way here, and his suit sleeves and collar were dripping wet.
[다-4]
The candidate who had been one call away from disqualification.
Kim Soleum.
From the looks of it, he had splashed water on his face out of sheer nerves.
…If he were really a spy, would he go out of his way to draw this much attention to himself...
'Damn it!'
No. No leniency. Ryu Jaekwan pressed his lips shut, maintaining an unimpressed glare.
– Take your seat.
"Y-Yes, sir…"
Kim Soleum adjusted his glasses and quickly shuffled to the farthest back corner, sitting down quietly.
A candidate beside him hesitated before speaking up.
"Are you okay? Here, take this…"
"Ah, n-no, I'm fine! Thank you…"
At the kind offer of water, Kim Soleum startled so visibly that Ryu Jaekwan, knowing his true background, could see it all the more clearly.
Like someone who had spent too long among corporate cultists in an immoral pharmaceutical company, where basic human kindness was an alien concept…
"..."
Ryu Jaekwan said nothing. He simply watched.
– We will now begin the appointment process.
The Disaster Management Bureau's Agent Appointment Ceremony.
It was a simple, streamlined process. First, register funeral arrangements in case of death. Then, receive a temporary identification pass. A brief training orientation shall commence, and after that, there will be an overview of assigned missions.
There were no bureaucratic formalities like in the public sector, nor did it have the rigorous military training of special forces.
Because supernatural disasters—horrifying, unearthly anomalies—were not something any amount of training could prepare an agent for.
Only experience could forge resilience.
And most recruits were people who had lost family or loved ones to mysterious, unexplainable incidents.
Even those who hadn't suffered personal losses carried a grim sense of duty—the unshakable knowledge that they had glimpsed the hidden world and could never turn back.
That atmosphere saturated the room.
– Candidate #4 from Group '다'. Kim Soleum.
"Th, thank you, sir."
Kim Soleum bowed slightly as he accepted his temporary pass.
Looking at him—his timid, withdrawn demeanor—it was clear that if someone with his personality had chosen to apply, it could only mean he had an unshakable resolve.
Though, of course, there were also a few eyes filled with skepticism, as if wondering if he was just unqualified instead.
– For the next three weeks, you will undergo training and supervised field assignments.
– At the end of this period, your permanent division placement will be determined.
– Until then, follow the instructions of your assigned senior agent without exception.
This was when the interviewers appeared.
Each one stepping forward to take direct responsibility for the recruits they had selected.
That was standard bureau policy.
Although, in cases where a match wasn't ideal, existing senior agents could also be assigned instead.
But at the very least—for 'noteworthy' recruits, the original interviewer was almost always the one assigned as their mentor.
And in Kim Soleum's case…
Thanks to the subtle support and recommendations of the assistant interviewers—
– The agent standing before you will be your direct senior.
– They will oversee your training for the next three months.
Ryu Jaekwan stepped in front of Kim Soleum.
"…!"
From behind his glasses, Kim Soleum's face went deathly pale.
The exact moment he recognized him.
* * *
"Follow me."
"..."
Ryu Jaekwan could hear the quiet footsteps of Kim Soleum, his newly assigned recruit, trailing behind him.
Then, as they entered an unmaintained, isolated room in a desolate corner of the aptitude test facility, leaving only the two of them inside—
Rustle.
"…!"
He heard the sound of something being pulled out.
'A weapon?'
Ryu Jaekwan's hand moved instinctively, ready to subdue him—
"Um, Agent."
"..."
"I… wanted to return this."
It was…
The temporary agent badge and pistol.
The very items that had been given to Temporary Agent Grapes during the Sekwang Technical High School incident.
Things that, in the chaos of the situation, even Ryu Jaekwan himself had forgotten about.
"I should have returned them earlier, but I never had the chance. I apologize, sir…"
"..."
Ryu Jaekwan studied Kim Soleum.
If he had just kept his mouth shut, no one would have known.
And yet, here he was—turning himself in, looking as if he had already accepted the worst possible outcome.
As if he were fully convinced that the agent standing before him would report him as a corporate spy for that pharmaceutical company.
…Ryu Jaekwan's initial wariness simmered down.
"Does that company know you're here?"
A slow shake of the head.
"No, sir."
How could he possibly believe that—
"As far as the company is concerned, I'm already dead…"
"…!"
What?
"What do you mean—"
"I was trapped in a Darkness—uh, I mean, a Disaster—for over a month."
Kim Soleum's face turned slightly pale.
"Once it's been over a month, they just assume you're dead. So, as far as the company is concerned, I'm already a deceased employee—or rather, a former employee."
"..."
They finalized an employee's status as deceased without even attempting a rescue?
Ryu Jaekwan was momentarily at a loss for words at the sheer brutality of that system.
But then, another realization struck him.
"You were trapped in a supernatural phenomenon for over a month?!"
-x-X-x-
Chapter 132.3 MISSING
-x-X-x-
I'm on the Disaster Management Bureau's rescue team, huh.
Having to go into a ghost story to save civilians, when I can barely look after myself as it is…
'Am I dreaming?'
But it was reality.
And I even had to enter a ghost story right this moment to rescue someone.
7:30 PM.
Exactly an hour and thirty minutes had passed since I finished the aptitude test and was appointed.
Yet, here I was, already receiving agent gear at headquarters due to the urgent directive Agent Bronze had received.
And now I was riding a Disaster Management Bureau bicycle, heading toward the site of the ghost story.
'…The sun's completely gone.'
Riding a bike in this cold, through the dark, makes me shiver—and so many thoughts run through my head…
"Citizens caught up in a Disaster can request rescue using the number provided on the Bureau's informational leaflets."
Yes…
'And I'm also aware that this number sometimes miraculously works even inside the ghost story.'
Just listening to this impromptu rescue briefing, which was so like the Disaster Management Bureau, was already making my head spin.
I kept pedaling mechanically after the agent.
"When entering a Disaster, traveling by bicycle is actually safer than going by car."
'Yes. Since most means of transportation either don't work inside ghost stories, or else trigger some of the worst mishaps…'
It was a fun worldbuilding tidbit when I was only reading about it, but experiencing it in reality was really cold and grueling.
For reference, the gear I received this time was more extensive than what I had as a temporary agent.
A glass handgun, an iron badge, a notebook, and… a fishing line.
"Whatever you do, don't lose the fishing line. It's the tool you'll need to make an emergency solo escape in this Disaster."
"…Understood."
Remembering what happened when I was a temporary agent left me slightly uneasy, though I can't deny there was a bit of excitement, too.
Which ghost story am I entering right now…!
"The Disaster we're heading into for this civilian rescue is…"
Disaster?
Noticing my expression, Agent Bronze paused briefly, then spoke in a slightly more reassuring tone.
"…You don't have to be so nervous. The civilian who called for help isn't going to die just from listening to the explanation."
"…Yes, sir."
His kindness was somewhat misplaced…
"First, let me explain everything."
"Yes."
All right, I get it already.
Facing forward again, Agent Bronze pedaled along a deserted neighborhood bike path and spoke.
"Kim Soleum-ssi, do you remember a chain store called Lucky Mart?"
"..."
"They pulled out of Korea eleven years ago, but they're still well-known in English-speaking countries… Agent?"
"Yes. I've heard of them."
'Oh God.'
It's more than just 'heard of'.
I know it so well, it's practically a problem.
A giant supermarket chain by the name of Lucky Mart.
It became the motif for a certain ghost story.
Back in the earliest days when the
People rushing to find a supermarket late at night would stumble on a Lucky Mart branch by chance and go in…
Then, vanish.
========================
[Looky Mart]
: A ghost story featured in
: Disaster Management Bureau registration number – 1793PSYA.2001.나31
A bizarre phenomenon mimicking a large-scale shopping mall, trapping those who enter to wander forever, unable to escape.
Associated with at least 300 disappearances over the course of decades, it's classified by the Bureau as a Fracture-sanctioned Disaster.
A known method to end or seal it does not exist, and proactively preventing disappearances is likewise impossible.
However, informational leaflets assisting individuals in escaping have been placed throughout this ghost-story mart. Using those leaflets, certain citizens managed to return to reality, and their reports formed the basis for the exploration record.
========================
A massive shopping mall.
A setting that feels comfortable and familiar in everyday life, yet also one that magnifies fear with its vast, mechanical repetition—making for a thrilling, chilling story.
That is, when you're just reading it.
'It's Fracture-sanctioned.'
Compared to the Bureau's classification, it's two whole tiers above that mountain lodge swarming with a serial killer where I met Agent Bronze.
If this were Daydream Inc. standards, it'd be close to B-grade!
I broke out in a cold sweat as I turned it over in my head.
'…Have there been many cases where a Disaster Management Bureau agent entered Looky Mart to rescue civilians and brought them out safely?'
Mostly… I think they got out fine.
Sure, there were plenty of special cases in the exploration records where things went wrong. But typically, the wiki focuses in detail on such exceptional situations, so maybe it's nothing to stress over… Damn.
'I do want to see it for myself though.'
I have no idea why the item still isn't repaired.
The Memorial Popsocket!
I recalled my checking item, which still had unset adhesive on it, and let out a silent sigh.
'That person told me it would definitely be fixed in a month.'
That agent who pretended to be a dokkaebi didn't seem like he was lying.
'…It must be one of two things.'
Either because it came out of that merch box, so the repair didn't go through properly…
…Or because I spent the past month in a ghost story, so it didn't count as a proper 'period of time'.
'In either case, I need a backup plan.'
Looky Mart was such a famous ghost story that I could pretty much remember all its details. In that sense, I guess I should be thankful it's a named ghost story…
'But there'll come a time when this kind of luck won't cut it.'
Whenever I'd recall that time on the Tamra Express, where I couldn't remember anything about the owner of the Silver Heart, it would still send chills down my spine.
To avoid another crisis like that, the Memorial Popsocket was absolutely necessary.
'Now that I'm an agent, getting a new one should be even easier.'
I'll keep it in mind as a Plan B, in case the repair never finishes—maybe I can find a replacement.
Thinking about the broken Memorial Popsocket, carefully wrapped in cushioning and stored in my pocket, I turned over possibilities in my head.
Meanwhile, Agent Bronze's briefing on 'Lucky Mart' continued.
"It's a Disaster you can only enter after sundown, so the timing worked out well for the person who called for help."
"…May I ask about the appearance of the caller?"
Agent Bronze answered calmly.
"They're two first-year high school students."
Wow.
'They just had to be kids…'
Now my conscience will stop me from bailing halfway and running off.
Holding back a sigh, I memorized the descriptions and the official report from the time they called in.
Noticing my demeanor, Agent Bronze gave me a somewhat sympathetic look and spoke.
"…Don't worry too much. That explanation about being able to hold out for around half a day applies to high schoolers as well."
"...Yes, sir."
My pang of conscience only grew stronger.
"However, two agents who went in earlier are currently in a short-term missing status within this Disaster."
"..."
"Don't worry. They weren't rescue agents. It was an unfortunate mishap during a routine search for sealing methods."
That's very encouraging news, Agent…
"We must remain vigilant during the rescue effort, so refrain from any rash actions. Make sure of it."
"Yes. I'll keep that in mind."
The words 'Do you really have to bring a new recruit in a place like that?' rose to my throat, but I swallowed them back.
He's well aware I'm a 'career-track new recruit', so there's no way he'll cut me any slack.
Drr-ring.
The cheerful sound of a bike bell didn't reflect my mood at all, but I kept pedaling.
Agent Bronze gradually slowed down, letting me take the lead.
"…Agent?"
"We'll be 'wandering' like this for at least twenty minutes. …The person who doesn't know where the building is should go first, so please proceed."
I remembered.
Looky Mart entry condition : Roam around for over twenty minutes, within a 3km radius of the old Lucky Mart location, searching for the store.
In the freezing cold, I quietly rode my bicycle around the unfamiliar neighborhood.
As long as I kept my mind focused on finding the supermarket—looking around the area without a navigation system, lost for about twenty minutes…
"…Agent Bronze."
I braked to a stop.
"I think I've found it."
Then, I saw a fairly large three-story building rising between the dark streetlights…
A green, glowing sign for a mart.
FRESH MART
It wasn't a chain store, but rather a locally branded supermarket you might find in any neighborhood.
"..."
No, wait.
The moment I blinked again…
L UC K Y M A R T
In front of the supermarket building, I saw the familiar chain store logo.
It looked like it hadn't been refurbished in years. Dust clung to some of the letters on the signboard, and some sections weren't even lit.
"..."
If you look more… more closely at one of the unlit sections…
Flick.
The light went on.
LOOKY MART
Suddenly, a different set of letters than what I'd read at first appeared there…
"Try not to dwell on it."
"…!"
He's right.
L UC K Y M A R T
I'm looking at Lucky Mart.
'Good thing I was trying to find a supermarket in the first place.'
I parked my bike nearby and approached the supermarket building, which still had its lights on as if it were open.
Let's enter 'Lucky Mart' naturally like this.
That made sense—since Lucky Mart is a massive supermarket chain with branches all over the country, there's no reason to feel nervous unless you consciously think about it…
If you see the supermarket after sunset, you enter under the illusion that Lucky Mart is still in operation.
The automatic doors slid open smoothly, and I stepped into the brightly lit interior.
It was a typical supermarket.
It felt somewhat outdated and cheap, but as an old neighborhood mart, it was still mundane enough to be overlooked.
First Floor. Daily Necessities Section.
Children's toys were stacked on a seasonal promotional display.
A song that had long gone out of fashion played softly in the background.
"Is this the idol song you like?"
"No, Mom! That's a rookie group from MS Entertainment…"
People passed by while shopping.
…A family dressed in clothes that were trendy ten years ago, holding outdated smartphones.
Shoppers from the past.
Upon entering, the scene appeared just like an ordinary supermarket with people casually shopping. But these were actual shoppers from the past, from when Lucky Mart was still in operation.
"..."
"Hahaha!"
The shoppers walked past us.
Not only were their outfits outdated, but considering how cold it was outside, their light clothing felt out of place.
As if, beyond a single doorway, time inside the supermarket was flowing differently.
"These are not people caught in the Disaster. Ignore them."
"..."
I nodded slowly.
'The callers… they said they were in what seemed to be the basement level, right?'
Caller 1 : H-Help, please. We came into the supermarket and something's off…! Ah, no one can see us, and it feels like we're in an old supermarket.
Caller 1 : The area? Uh, well… we're around the snack aisle right now. Yeah, a-and I'm really thirsty…
"We're heading to the basement."
I nodded and slowly followed Agent Bronze.
This place, which seemed like a perfect recreation of Lucky Mart's past, still looked fine.
No. If anything, it might have even felt nostalgic, like stepping into an earlier time.
If, of course, you didn't know it was a ghost story.
"..."
A tight tension coiled in my throat.
Wow. This is insane.
Every horrific case I'd read in the
Come to think of it, 'Looky Mart' had an unusually high number of unexpected twists in the records…!
'S-Stay calm.'
Agent Bronze wouldn't have dragged a new recruit into a hardcore-level rescue mission without reason.
I swallowed dryly as I stepped onto the escalator and began descending.
Then… between the two escalators, moving up and down, I saw something fall.
A slip of paper, like a receipt.
Wait a second.
'Could that be…'
I quickly reached out and grabbed the small, receipt-like paper.
"…! You found it already. That's one of the informational leaflets placed by the Bureau."
Right.
A leaflet hidden discreetly out of the employees' sight—meant to help civilians who got trapped in this ghost story through no fault of their own.
'The callers probably saw this, too.'
I checked the contents of the receipt-like leaflet.
Take a slow, deep breath.
You have been caught in a Supernatural Disaster. However, there is no need to despair. There are at least dozens of documented cases of successful escape from this Disaster, and the government has recorded methods here to aid your escape. Please check the instructions on the back.
…Ugh, just reading this already makes me anxious. It's exactly the kind of thing you'd find in a ghost story survival manual.
'Honestly, before telling people to take deep breaths, they should fix the red font and formatting…'
But the content itself was exactly as I remembered.
Flipping to the back, the instructions remained the same.
'I'm not sure which version this is, though.'
Among the listed escape methods, some would become ineffective after enough exploration attempts.
As time passed, objects, targets, and layouts would change, altering the situation.
'Of course, some things never change.'
Like this.
The ghosts standing at every entrance do not move until business hours end. Please rest assured.
"..."
Right.
At the entrance I came through, there must already be a grotesque 'ghost' standing there by now…
And the easiest escape method was to dash out when that ghost wasn't looking.
If business hours haven't ended even once since you entered, you still have a chance. If you block the ghost's line of sight, you can leave.
But not everyone's so lucky.
Caller 1 : [Sniff, hiic]… Yes, we saw the escape instructions on the leaflet, but we… we can't do it… We don't have anything to throw over the ghost's head… and we didn't steal anything. Our arms can't reach…!
'This is exactly why an agent is needed.'
Specifically, someone who had useful items for the situation and knew how to use them.
So once we confirmed the caller's identity, we had to get out of here before business hours ended.
'If the store closes, it becomes a real horror escape game.'
And fortunately for us, we quickly found two uniformed high school students near the escalator on B1 by the snack aisle.
"Wahhhh…"
They were pressed into a corner, crying their eyes out.
Those were the callers.
"Would you like to speak to them yourself?"
"...Pardon, sir?"
"Stay calm and try. Consider it part of your training."
"Um, okay..."
Agent Bronze looked at me with an oddly warm gaze.
I felt a different kind of cold sweat.
Carefully, I approached the two teens, crouched down in front of them, and met their eyes.
"Hello. You're the ones who called for rescue, right?"
"...!!"
"A-AHHH!"
Thump.
Both high schoolers fell onto their rears.
"Y-You're human, right?! You can see us?!"
"Yes. I can see you clearly."
I tried to smile as much as possible.
"We came in response to your call. You've been through a lot so far."
"Wahhhhhhh…"
They turned on the waterworks like someone opening a faucet.
They'd probably been trapped here for about three hours since it's winter and it gets dark early—long enough to be thoroughly freaked out.
"H-How do we get past that ghost at the entrance? Can we really get out?"
"Of course. Don't worry."
I gestured behind me, tossing all responsibility to Agent Bronze!
"The person behind me is a really capable agent… I'm sure we can make it out."
"Wow…"
As the two students took a better look at my scruffy figure versus the neat appearance of Agent Bronze, they inched toward him.
'Their survival instincts are kicking in.'
"So, w-we're leaving right now?"
"That's right."
One of them practically latched onto Agent Bronze like a lifeline.
That's the spirit!
I breathed a sigh of relief and checked the digital watch on my wrist.
'So if we head for the exit now…'
[ 20 : 24 ]
8:24 PM.
As far as I know, in the 'Looky Mart' ghost story, the passage of time in hours, minutes, and seconds corresponds to the real world.
'Closing time's at 11.'
We still had plenty of time. Enough to craft a plan with our items and make it out safely.
And it seemed Agent Bronze was about to explain something similar.
"They close at 11, so we've got plenty of time. Let's keep calm—"
Na-na-na-na, na-na-nan-na-na-na, na-na-nan~
"..."
…I instinctively looked up.
The Lucky Mart theme song piped in, all jaunty…
Like some sort of announcement chime.
– Hello, dear customers. Thank you for shopping at Looky Mart today.
– As previously announced, in celebration of Labor Day, May 1, our store will be closing at 8:30 PM.
"...!"
– Customers still in the store, please follow the employees to the exit.
Flick, flick, flick—
Lights began going out from the far end of the store, leaving only minimal illumination—like they were prepping for closing.
…The escalators ground to a halt.
– Repeating the announcement.
– Please follow the employees' guidance to exit.
"Why…!"
I clapped a hand over one of the high schooler's mouths and ducked down.
When business hours end, do not let the store-closing staff see you. They will guide you outside.
That 'outside' is not reality.
Na-na-na-na, na-na-nan-na-na-na, na-na-nan~
"..."
Oh, we're absolutely fucked.
-x-X-x-
A bizarre supermarket, just moments before closing.
The lights go out, and the store goes dark.
Na-na-na-na, na-na-nan-na-na-na, na-na-nan~
Amidst the lively signature jingle, I could feel the panicked breathing of the high schooler whose mouth I've covered, transmitted as vibrations.
My entire body was being taut with tension
And beyond the noise of music and those vibrations, in the distance, a faint scraping sound sets my nerves on edge…
Scre-e-e-e-k.
A metal door opening.
If there's a metal door somewhere in this supermarket and not glass…
'…The staff area.'
That's the sound of employees coming out.
'Ha.'
Swallowing a rising groan, I turned my head and peeked out from behind the display…
Waddle, waddle.
Figures in store uniforms start appearing in the dark interior, one by one…
Like balloons shaped to mimic human forms, these bizarre 'employees' waddled along.
[ LOOKY MART ]
The logo of Looky Mart, imitating Lucky Mart.
A clumsy mock-up pinned to their caps and chests flickered briefly under the light, then faded back into the darkness.
In that moment.
"Hurry, let's go. They said they're closing."
"Got it."
Someone passed by the liquor section right beside our hiding spot, heading to the checkout.
"…!"
It's two or three of those past-era shoppers still in the store.
Then… one of the 'employees' who entered the liquor corner bumped into them, lightly.
Tap.
"Oh, sorry."
The employee's head turned.
"Welcome to Looky Mart!"
"Let's hurry."
"Thank you for shopping with us!"
The shoppers felt nothing amiss.
They just walked past the employee and went on to the checkout…
The high schooler whose mouth I was covering kept breathing raggedly.
"Goodbye, dear customer!"
The employee figure, head still turned, creaked out of the liquor corner.
Then, in that strange, shuffling gait, it headed down the aisle again…
Past the snack corner.
Right beside the display we were crouching behind.
Screek, screek.
"..."
"..."
The eerie noise sounded like balloons rubbing against each other.
We practically flattened ourselves to the floor, holding our breath.
Screek… screek.
The sound grew distant…
"..."
'Ha.'
Tap-tap!
One of the high schoolers tapped the hand covering their mouth.
He was a tearful mess but he continued to keep quiet.
"You won't scream anymore, right?"
He nodded silently.
When I let go, the student gasped as if he'd been suffocating.
"Th-those weird employees… We can't let them see us, right? Right? The leaflet said…"
That's right.
Once Looky Mart's business hours end, the employees start pretending to continue the store's operations and act bizarrely. If even one of them catches sight of you, every single employee on that floor will come after you.
To survive in Looky Mart after closing, you have to move around like you're in a survival horror game.
But… is it really safe dragging these two clueless teenagers around?
'No matter how I look at it, the gear I was given doesn't seem prepared for that scenario.'
They must have assumed we'd get out during operating hours.
Surely the Disaster Management Bureau has some contingency plan in place, but it still felt like there were too many variables.
'Damn it.'
Cold sweat trickled down my chin.
Should we just hide out? What's Agent Bronze planning? It looks like maybe we should stay hidden for now?
Wait!
'He seems like he's about to take out that employee…'
Agent Bronze, pistol in hand, was eyeing the departing employee quietly.
It looked like he was plotting an escape route but that employee might be in the way.
…Should I help him?
If Braun were here, I'd have asked him to activate his 'Lights Out' ability… No. The fact that this method, which I couldn't even use right now, was the first thing that popped into my head as my top priority… I had to cut that train of thought right there.
'Think, just think…'
I racked my brain desperately, trying to sift through my memories of the
So, after closing time, Looky Mart…
...
No, wait.
[ 20 : 25 ]
"Agent…!"
I crawled over to Agent Bronze and whispered urgently.
"There are still five minutes left until closing. Business hours aren't fully over yet!"
"…!"
"The doors should still be open."
We can leave right now!
Agent Bronze quickly glanced past the escalator by the checkout. Seeing that the escalator out of the basement floor was still running, he made a quick decision.
"Let's move out. Now."
Then, seizing the high schooler who'd latched onto him, he started moving swiftly.
"…!"
Right. Each of us needed to take one.
I turned back to the high schooler whose mouth I'd just been covering.
He shook his head in panic.
"I'll run on my own, I'm faster than them…!"
"..."
Maybe I should've tried to look a bit more trustworthy? No, this isn't the time to think about that!
I started running along with the high schooler, pushing from behind so he wouldn't fall behind.
We dashed past the empty checkout counters, barreling through the escalator where shoppers were still riding up, making a mad dash toward the exit before closing time.
"Ah!"
"You okay?"
"Yeah. I think I missed a step."
Unaware of the crowd, we jostled our way between the shoppers, heading for the exit just before the store closed.
And at the first-floor entrance…
"..."
Something was standing in front of the doors.
It looked like it used to be a cardboard cutout advertisement.
The classic, trustworthy grin of a blonde, middle-aged caucasian man, presumably the famous entrepreneur who founded Lucky Mart, giving a thumbs-up.
But…
It was alive.
– Mmph!! Uuuurgh! Mmph, mmph! Uurgh!
Whoever it was had been forcibly flattened into a shape like a standee, as if a human corpse had been pressed into a two-dimensional form and then reanimated.
Though it was smiling, its eyes were still rolling around, tears and saliva dripping.
It was looking at us.
…It recognized us.
Its eyes roamed desperately, as if begging for help—or perhaps trying to pass on its torment to someone else—and the standee shook... Fuck!
"Hiiek."
"Quiet."
Up ahead, I could see Agent Bronze calming the high schooler he was guiding.
'Ghost' was such an all-encompassing word. It lets you encapsulate that kind of monstrosity in one term.
-x-X-x-
'This is insane.'
Still, we had to 'block' that thing's line of sight.
'To do that, first…'
I needed to create a diversion.
Holding back a groan, I grabbed the high schooler's shoulder.
"You read the leaflet, right? We have to steal something. We each have to do it ourselves."
Before blocking the entrance ghost's view, you have to make it mistake you for just another shopper.
Steal one of the items a shopper has already checked out and keep it on your person.
Make sure no fuss arises during the theft.
"But if we get caught…"
"If you steal something that won't be noticed, it's fine."
I glanced at the entrance.
There weren't too many people, but those who'd heard closing was near were finishing up at the registers or leaving.
'If we just slip out among them, we might block its view without doing anything else.'
But I wasn't about to take that risk.
"The fishing line."
"Yes, sir."
I immediately pulled out an item I had on me.
A spool of fishing line… and a small, red, goldfish-shaped lure on the end.
========================
Dark Exploration Records / Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau
/ Items
Toy Bait
An item with a red lure attached to the end of a transparent fishing line.
When used, it can draw the attention of supernatural entities categorized as Fracture-sanctioned or below.
The more powerful and closer to the 'source' the entity is, the weaker and less effective it becomes.
Item usage condition : 7th-level or higher civil servant of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau, or someone with special authorization.
========================
The instant we steal something, I'll use this to divert the standee's attention.
By taking turns with Agent Bronze, we could buy enough time for both high schoolers to get out.
Agent Bronze readied the fishing line and gave me a signal with his eyes.
"Start stealing."
I nodded and turned to the two teenagers.
"W-We can't steal…"
"Listen, kids. They can't see us anyway, so as long as it's not something super noticeable if it goes missing, we'll be fine."
People rarely pay attention if something disappears from a bag or box—especially if they've already bagged it.
'So we should pick something they're least likely to notice…'
Something small, like a daily necessity.
Something they bought because they needed it, but they're not particularly interested in.
Something they won't use or eat right away.
"..."
I approached a shopper sitting in a chair near the entrance.
'It'll be easier if they're not moving.'
Probably waiting for someone, this person had the store's eco-friendly tote bag on their lap, eyes closed for a moment.
I quickly examined the tote bag.
'Great.'
Then I slid my hand inside… and pulled out something stuck to the interior.
Dental floss.
"There are a few more in there."
"…!"
"When I took this one, I almost pulled out the others. So just grab them carefully, okay? Nice and easy."
"..."
Swallowing hard, the high schooler reached in with a pale face, and succeeded in pulling out the floss I'd placed on top.
"…I-I got it!"
"Nicely done!"
Clutching the dental floss, the student backed away, visibly flustered.
Then both of us turned to look at the one person left.
The other high schooler, who'd been sticking close to Agent Bronze.
"..."
He approached with a worried expression, unable to hide his nerves.
"It's alright, stay calm…"
"Oh, come on, I know that already! Please just be quiet!"
"..."
He seemed almost panicked.
The high school student who yelled at me, perhaps wanting to finish quickly, squeezed his eyes shut and reached out.
Then he shoved his hand into the tote bag and snatched the floss.
"Got i…"
The student pulled his hand out, beaming.
Wait, if you yank it out so suddenly—
Thud.
The student's hand brushed against the shopper's cheek.
"Oh my god!"
"…!!"
Startled, the shopper who'd been sitting with the tote bag on her lap toppled backward off the chair.
"Huh—huhhh?"
The high schooler reacted in shock and reflexively clung to the tote bag.
"M-Mom, are you okay? Wait— gah!"
Someone who seemed to be with them ran over, grabbed the tote bag to help the shopper up, then saw the tote bag floating in midair, held by the high schooler, and freaked out.
'Shit!'
I immediately grabbed the student and yanked him back. The tote bag fell to the floor, spilling its contents everywhere.
The bag's owner let out a scream.
"There was a—a person here, but he disappeared!"
People around us started to buzz with confusion. Their eyes turned on us.
"What are you talking about? You must be mistaken…"
"No, Dad! Something was wrong with my bag!"
"There was some boy holding my bag! Huuuuuh…?!"
Damn it.
Under normal circumstances, shoppers would not notice you.
But they can sometimes perceive you if there's physical contact.
If communication is possible, there are a few methods you can try to get their help in escaping.
Up to that point, it seemed hopeful.
But…
"Excuse me! Someone help!"
"Huh? What day is it today? What's going on? Why am I here? Huh?!"
Still, if a shopper sees you and senses something off or goes into a panic, you must quickly get away from them.
"Run."
The employees are coming.
Simultaneously, Agent Bronze and I pushed the high schoolers and started sprinting toward the opposite side of the exit.
…Because something was waddling out from the escalator, from the far edge of the checkout, from the restrooms.
Screek, screek.
I could hear it.
Screek-screek-screek-screek-screek-screek-screek-screek.
That squeaking, rustling sound—like balloons rubbing together—pursued us from behind like madness. And it was multiplying.
Instinctively, we dashed toward a wide and complex area.
…Through the checkout counters and into the store aisles.
'Damn.'
I glanced at my watch.
[ 20 : 29 ]
It's over.
Closing time was almost here.
'We have to hide.'
We had to give up on the exit for now.
Before the store finished closing, the shoppers disappeared, and even more employees appeared. We've got to shake them off within sixty seconds. To do that, we had to hide…
'Four people is too many!'
I locked eyes with Agent Bronze.
He glanced upward once, nodded, and veered quickly to the side, guiding one of the high schoolers away.
"Ah…!"
"Over here."
I took the other student and moved in the opposite direction.
We sprinted so hard we were gasping for breath. The manic squeaking still echoed behind us, but it had definitely diminished.
'They're going after Agent Bronze's group more!'
He must have purposely drawn them away. I shoved my worries aside, silently grateful, and ran like a madman.
Vacuum cleaners, cosmetics, bowls, kitchenware, bleach…
All sorts of display racks repeated endlessly throughout the massive supermarket, until—
We ran right into another employee.
'Damn it.'
Screek, screek.
They chased after us. Each time, I immediately changed direction with the student and kept running.
"Hahh."
The high schooler was panting raggedly.
I could taste metal in my mouth.
But in this labyrinthine mart, it felt as if employees and corners were spewing out endlessly…
'God damn it!'
Screek-screek-screek-screek-screek.
We rounded corner after corner of shelves.
'This won't work.'
We needed somewhere to hide.
We had to find a moment when no employee would see us, somewhere we could slip inside without any prep—where two people could stay hidden!
Then, as we turned another corner…
'…!'
I saw it.
[Electric Mixer 50% Off]
A mobile display stand.
'Got it.'
I pushed the high schooler under the giant mobile stand stacked with mixers. Then I squeezed in there as well.
And, we held our breaths.
-x-X-x-
The high school student trapped in Looky Mart.
Jang Minseo, who had called the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau for rescue, covered his mouth while hiding beneath the mobile display stand.
His heart pounded.
An unsettling noise echoed close by.
Screek, screek, screek, screek, screek, screek, screek, screek.
The sound of something pretending to be an employee moving.
'Did they see me?'
Did they see me hide under the display stand?
No—they weren't right behind me when I slipped in, so they probably didn't.
'I turned the corner and went straight under.'
They probably didn't see me…
But the sound kept getting closer.
Screek, screek, screek, screek, screek.
"Hff, hiic…"
Tears wouldn't stop falling.
'Why did I come here in the first place?'
He shouldn't have followed his friend. Jang Minseo cursed his friend in his head over and over… until he realized it was pointless and stopped.
Fear had already overtaken him completely.
The noise grew louder. And louder.
Screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek.
It was right next to him.
His body froze.
Through the gap beneath the display stand, he could see a pair of feet passing right by.
Strange footsteps—ankles twisted unnaturally, dozens of them creaking as they moved.
Screekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreekscreek.
Jang Minseo held his breath.
But unfortunately, that wasn't the end of it.
Among the countless strange, shuffling dress shoes passing by—something different caught his eye.
A pair of old sneakers.
"…!"
Between the awkwardly waddling employee uniforms, he saw a pair of worn-out sneakers being dragged along.
"P-Please, help me…!"
A chill ran down Jang Minseo's spine.
It was a human.
Someone had been caught.
"I-I can pay! I can pay! Money—here, I have money, I'm a customer! A customer…!"
"Welcome to Looky Mart!"
But instead of politely escorting the unfortunate victim outside, the employees were dragging them away.
Because…
You cannot purchase goods in this supermarket using Korea's currency.
Remember. You do not have the ability to pay.
"Help me!"
The moment this fact is exposed, the employees no longer see you as a customer.
In most recorded cases, those discovered were repurposed… as store supplies.
Clatter.
Jang Minseo's body locked up.
Slowly, he looked up.
The mobile display stand he was hiding under… was shaking.
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
The employees had surrounded it.
And then—
Whiiiiiirrrrr.
"AaaAAAAAGH!"
The sound of a blender filled the air.
"Isn't this a wonderful product?"
Jang Minseo realized.
They were imitating a promotional demonstration.
Grinding a victim alive in a blender—turning them into store supplies.
"Mmpph."
Jang Minseo covered his mouth.
Luckily—or maybe unluckily—the screams and blender noise were loud enough to drown out his muffled gasps.
"Aaaah! Hhhhhggk, aaaaaagh!!"
"Thank you for shopping with us, dear customer!"
"Isn't this a wonderful product?"
"Welcome to Looky Mart!"
Pleading. Screaming. The blender. More screaming. Employees greeting customers. Screaming. The blender again.
He couldn't take it. He was about to scream. He had to get out of here. Where was the exit? Someone, please, tell me where to—
Someone grabbed his shoulder.
"…!"
A hand.
A warm hand.
The trembling grip pressed him further under the display stand.
It was the agent.
The one who had come in response to his rescue call.
"…Huuuhp."
Jang Minseo's breathing slowly returned to normal.
Even in the midst of the overwhelming noise that could drive someone insane or unconscious, he clung to the warmth of that grip—and endured what felt like eternity.
The sounds of the blender continued. The employee's cheerful sales pitch repeated over and over.
But at some point… the screaming stopped.
And then—
Whiiiiirrrrrr… click.
"..."
The space above them fell silent.
The promotion had ended.
Screek, screek, screek…
"..."
The sound gradually faded away.
The feet that had been visible through the gaps in the display stand…
The sneakers that had been dragged along…
Even their shadows had disappeared.
"..."
"..."
"It's okay now."
"Huuuhp."
The agent checked outside, then spoke.
Hearing that, Jang Minseo let out a shuddering breath—and finally started sobbing again.
The bespectacled agent beside him watched with a complicated expression.
"..."
And at that moment, Kim Soleum realized something.
'This is insane…'
Because…
He and the one high schooler he had to rescue were now alone.
'Splitting up was the right call.'
But damn, this was terrifying.
The sound of a human being ground alive—
He had a feeling it would be waiting for him in his nightmares.
Kim Soleum's back was already drenched in cold sweat.
'…I nearly passed out.'
But he couldn't show it.
Not when a fifteen-year-old kid, still paralyzed with fear, was clinging to him.
"W-What do we do now? Hiiic…"
"Hey, it's okay."
Kim Soleum spoke to the high schooler as gently as possible.
At some point, he had started speaking informally, but there was no time to worry about that. Right now, it was better to act like a familiar, reassuring adult.
'…Sergeant Jay actually played a much bigger role in the Sangun-nim ghost story than I thought.'
But as he watched the high schooler still trembling with fear, he decided to speak again.
"Want to hear a secret?"
"..."
Though still crying and struggling to steady his breathing, the word 'secret' made the student instinctively lift his head.
And the agent really did share a secret.
"Actually, I'm the agent who knows the most about this supermarket."
"…Really?"
"Yeah."
But rather than being reassured, the high schooler felt even more doubtful.
'That's obviously a lie.'
Everything about him screamed rookie.
Glasses, messy hair, the way he seemed to chew on his words…
Compared to the sharp, competent-looking agent from earlier, he looked more like a bumbling sidekick to a superhero.
Still, the agent continued speaking, determined to calm him down.
"I've researched this place a lot. I know what's dangerous and what isn't. Even things the other agent doesn't know—I know them all."
Messy hair.
Eyes meeting from beneath his glasses.
'Huh?'
Instead of the hesitant, unsure look Jang Minseo was expecting—
For just a moment, there was a sharp, calculated gaze.
Then it was gone.
"..."
Somehow…
It all sounded completely true.
"I'll find the safest and fastest way out of here for us."
"I-Is there still a way to escape…?"
"Of course."
…The problem was, more than half of those methods had an absurdly high chance of death.
Kim Soleum swallowed that thought and added something actually helpful.
"Do you remember the back of the leaflet? The guidelines for what to do after closing hours?"
"...Yes."
Jang Minseo recalled the text, as if entranced by the memory.
After closing hours, it is recommended that you abandon all escape attempts.
Almost every opportunity that seems like a way out is actually a trap.
Prioritize survival and endure until business hours resume.
As of the latest reports, the safest floor is the second floor.
The second floor.
They were currently on the first floor.
"Then… if we just go up one more floor… we'll be safe?"
"That's right. The other agent and your friend definitely went up, too. So don't worry."
"...Okay."
The certainty in the man's voice made Jang Minseo feel a little reassured. He sniffled and steadied himself.
The agent checked outside, then pulled himself out from under the display stand.
"Alright. We're safe now. Let's move."
"Hiic… okay."
Though he whimpered, the high schooler didn't refuse Kim Soleum's support as they carefully crawled out from under the display stand—
"Ah!"
—And hurriedly clamped a hand over his mouth.
Thankfully, the noise wasn't too loud.
But the problem remained.
'My ankle…'
It was throbbing.
Jang Minseo must have twisted it when he dived under the display stand earlier.
"…Your ankle hurts?"
"Yeah…"
"..."
Kim Soleum's mind worked fast.
Then he came to a cold conclusion.
'I can't give him an item right now.'
Not in this ghost story.
A strong painkiller like Happy Maker could make the high schooler overuse his leg and end up not being able to use it anymore.
And Nostalgia Candy… nope.
'Out of the question.'
Unless you are in the food court, please do not consume any products inside the supermarket. Even food you brought in yourself is not an exception.
The employees do not differentiate. If they witness you eating, they will charge you accordingly.
You do not have the ability to pay.
And this rule didn't just apply to food items sold in the store.
Looky Mart employees couldn't tell the difference.
Even shoving the kid into his tattoo for safekeeping was too risky. There was no way to predict what kind of contamination or horrific transformation might occur.
Not to mention, explaining that to the Bureau later would be a nightmare.
"..."
The high school student had no way of knowing what the silent agent was thinking, but just seeing him hesitate sent a cold wave of unease down his back.
'No way…'
Is he going to leave me behind?
Had he decided the rescue was too difficult? Or was he picturing both of them getting caught if he tried to carry him? The terrifying thought spiraled through his mind—
"Don't worry. We'll move in a way that won't require running."
A firm voice snapped him out of it.
The high schooler lifted his head.
"For now, let's head to the escalator."
"..."
"But not up. We're going to the downward escalator instead. Got it? The one that comes down from the second floor."
Since the store had already closed, the escalators had likely stopped running, so maybe it didn't matter which one they took.
But why specifically the downward escalator?
"…Okay."
Instead of asking, the high schooler simply nodded.
The agent helped him up and carefully began moving.
"If you hear an employee, let me know immediately."
"Okay…!"
The high schooler tried his best not to look at the display stand where he had been hiding. Instead, he focused entirely on listening for employee noises as he carefully followed the agent.
A few times, pain made him wince, but he endured it.
The agent led him past the checkout counters and toward the inactive escalators with steady, unhurried movements. The high schooler followed as quickly as he could.
But when they finally arrived—
Whirrrrrr.
Tutu-tutu-tutuk…
One of the escalators was still running.
The one leading down from the second floor.
"…!"
A darkened store after closing hours.
A slowly moving rail.
And at the top of the escalator…
A figure stood motionless.
No.
Not a person.
An employee.
After closing hours, escalators remain deactivated and blocked.
However, they may run at certain times when employees are conducting maintenance.
Do not approach.
It seemed to be imitating an escalator 'inspection'.
However, the employee standing on the escalator, with its head tilted to the side, blankly staring down at the floor, looked grotesque and unnatural.
And that figure… was coming closer, moving downward along the operating escalator.
Backward.
"W-We have to r—"
"No need."
Beside him, Kim Soleum pulled something from his pocket.
A fishing line with a red goldfish lure at the end.
Toy Bait.
'…In the records, they always checked the second-to-first floor escalator right after closing.'
That was why he had specifically come to this escalator.
Originally, he had planned to use this item to get past the entrance, but there was no other option now.
Even if it was a waste—there was no choice but to use it now.
Kim Soleum cast the fishing line.
Fwick.
Defying normal physics, the transparent wire flew through the air as if launched by an actual fishing rod, landing perfectly on the escalator's advertisement board.
"…!"
The fishing line wrapped around the board, dangling below it.
And at the very end, the red lure swayed in the air.
The employee descending backward on the escalator spotted it.
Screek. Screek.
Screek, screek.
"…!"
At that moment, the employee's body began to move.
It turned toward the lure.
And then.
It walked against the flow of the escalator.
Screek, screek.
Kim Soleum carefully adjusted the fishing line. His hands were damp with sweat, but the trembling lure moved precisely as he intended.
Slowly. Steadily.
The red bait shifted to the far left side of the escalator.
The employee stumbled sideways to follow it.
And as its head leaned out past the handrail…
Screek… screek… screek...
Kim Soleum let go of the line.
Whirrrr—!
The fishing line unraveled, pulling free from the advertisement board—
And the red bait dropped between the two escalators.
Thud.
The employee fell headfirst between the moving escalators.
It had thrown itself after the lure.
"Huuk…!"
"Let's move. Before it gets out."
The agent immediately sprang into action.
"Take off your shoes. Crawl up—use your knees instead of your feet. Stay quiet."
The high schooler handed over his shoes, then got down on all fours and crawled up the stopped escalator.
At that moment, he didn't feel any embarrassment.
He didn't feel pain.
All he cared about was that this was quieter.
And that it meant he wouldn't enter the employee's line of sight.
Even so, the tension squeezed his throat tight.
What if something jumped out at them?
But in the end—
He successfully crawled up the escalator, moving against its direction.
"Huuuk."
The moment he pulled himself up onto the second floor, tears pricked at the corners of his eyes.
The agent helped the high schooler get to his feet.
"You did well."
"T-Thank you…"
Kim Soleum glanced down at his empty hands a few times, feeling the absence of the fishing line. Then, clearing his mind, he shifted his gaze forward.
The second floor.
The first thing visible upon reaching the top of the escalator… was a massive food court.
In the darkened supermarket, only the food court's signs emitted an eerie glow, and strangely enough, there were sounds of cooking.
The number of roaming employees was…
'Zero.'
Surprisingly, it was a relatively safe zone.
"We can rest here for a while."
The second-floor food court is an area where employees do not patrol.
However, do not sit for more than an hour without ordering.
Kim Soleum led the high schooler to a quiet corner near a bibimbap stall and had him sit down.
"Um… Why specifically here?"
"It's safer in places that don't serve meat."
The high schooler swallowed hard.
The agent remained calm.
He sat down and allowed the student to catch his breath and rest his injured ankle.
…It was hard to believe that this was the same person who had just pulled off a crazy stunt at the escalator.
'…He's amazing.'
He was far more skilled and knowledgeable than expected.
Just as he had confidently claimed.
Without realizing it, the high schooler wanted to leave a good impression—so he opened his mouth.
"Um, uh… My name is Jang—"
"Let's not share names."
"…!"
"It's better not to use real names in places like this. Be careful."
Gulp.
The high schooler swallowed hard.
"T-Then… What should I call you, Agent?"
"…Call me Grapes."
"Yes, Agent Grapes."
The student exhaled deeply, finally feeling some relief.
Maybe this was what being a real agent was like?
Maybe all his awkwardness was because all his ability points were dumped into being a competent agent.
'…I think we can escape.'
Even with an injured ankle, the high schooler felt hope.
And with that newfound confidence, he asked,
"T-Then we're safe here, right?"
"Yeah."
Agent Grapes nodded.
The high schooler felt a deep sense of relief.
"It's okay."
That was a lie.
And it wasn't enough.
'…Even on the second floor, the chance of death or disappearance is still high.'
While keeping his voice steady, Kim Soleum's mind was racing through the
His brain, now freed from immediate survival mode, was reorganizing priorities and digging through data.
'We need to get out.'
Had there been a precedent for an irregular situation like this?
'Labor Day, early store closure, anything…!'
And then—
Closed early due to ??? reason.
…!
He found it.
Kim Soleum gritted his teeth and forced himself to remember more details.
He couldn't remember specific numbers and names right now, but he was slowly reconstructing this exploration record in his head…
Exploration Record #3[?]
An agent responded to a civilian distress call and entered the store around 7PM. (Agent : ???)
Looky Mart closed early due to ??? reason. An unexpected situation arose, and the agent lost contact for three days.
"…!"
This was it.
He anxiously dug deeper into his memory.
Then, the outcome of this record…
Result : Rescue failed. Agent returned alone.
"..."
So that's why he hadn't remembered it well.
'It ended in just one line.'
These types of records were common.
Interesting in concept, but the detailed aftermath was often skipped, leaving it up to the reader's imagination.
Just a simple line.
Success.
Failure.
But the implication was clear.
"...Ha."
—Agent Bronze failed the rescue mission.
So if he reunited with Agent Bronze.
No matter what decision that agent made inside Looky Mart, Kim Soleum would have to oppose it.
And he would have to convince him to escape according to his own plan.
'…This is insane.'
No, not me— the difficulty level is insane.
Suppressing a sigh, Kim Soleum forced himself to stay composed, scanning the surroundings from their corner in the food court while keeping the high schooler seated.
'Let's just wait it out.'
If Agent Bronze was still alive, he would definitely make his way to the second floor.
Kim Soleum forced himself to stay optimistic.
'We can talk it through once we meet up again.'
* * *
But three whole days passed by.
Kim Soleum never found Agent Bronze anywhere in Looky Mart.
Do you know what it feels like to die from your blood drying out?
It's an expression describing extreme torment, used when someone suffers physically and mentally for a long, grueling stretch.
We're feeling exactly that right now.
A sensation like our blood's drying up.
"..."
"..."
Three days.
We've been trapped in this ghost story, trembling in fear of death, waiting for our companions who'd never come—without proper sleep or food. We're experiencing firsthand what a human being is like in that state.
Did you know that if a person doesn't sleep properly for a solid three days, they start to lose the ability to think rationally?
We're taking one-hour naps in turns on the second floor's food court, but that's barely sustainable. Every hour, our nerves were on edge because of mortal danger.
'Perfect for going insane.'
Especially if the person you're with was a minor who just got involved in a ghost story for the first time.
"Hiek! W-Where are we going…?"
"…It's been 56 minutes. Let's move."
The high school student I was supposed to rescue staggered to his feet, limping.
He's probably more mentally drained than I was. He's starting to waver more from dizziness than from the ankle injury and was muttering nonsense into thin air instead of crying.
He didn't even have the energy left to weep or get angry anymore.
'He's hardly eaten, too.'
Obviously, safe food was extremely scarce in this damned supermarket, and nearly everything that's available was something a high schooler wouldn't normally touch.
…Like rats or cockroaches.
Things that clearly wouldn't be considered store merchandise by anyone's standard.
'He'd rather starve for three days than eat that lineup.'
Occasionally, we found items that shoppers already paid for but lost—things that appeared in the food court randomly. If those happened to be food, we'd eat them.
In the last three days, that's happened exactly once.
When had a banana ever been so precious in your life?
'Which means the only thing we've eaten in three days was that single banana…'
It's insane.
Luckily or unluckily, we hadn't come across any other missing persons on the second floor, so we had no competition for resources.
It made sense, though. Most missing people…
'…are on higher floors.'
"..."
Anyway.
We're at our limit.
'The high schooler I'm looking after is out of stamina and willpower.'
Even trying to fill up on water from the food court's dispenser had its limits.
If this were to go on for two more days, he'd probably be forced to eat those rats or bugs.
'Of course, it's even more likely that something else will 'go wrong' before that.'
Currently, we got up to go to the bathroom every hour. If one of us would doze off or collapse and we miss our window, then…
That's it.
'…We'd run into an employee.'
Whether it's an employee coming by to take orders, or one pretending to clean the restroom…
Escorted outside. Reported missing.
Nothing but a single line in an exploration record stating our disappearance.
The mix of revulsion and dread creeping down my spine was overwhelming.
"..."
Frankly, managing to survive for three days in a ghost story with an injured minor was already feat in itself.
And to be clear, I'm not an idiot. I didn't intentionally create this situation.
'I never thought I'd go three days without finding Agent Bronze…!'
Right. My senior agent has vanished.
This is insane.
"..."
On the first day, I thought maybe we were just missing each other.
'Did we spend those thirty-plus minutes hiding under the display while he came up to the second floor and left?'
If I didn't have an injured high schooler to look after, I might've been more aggressive in planning an escape.
So, after much deliberation, I decided to stay on the second floor.
'If he wants to rest, he's most likely to come back here.'
Honestly, I didn't have much choice anyway. Hauling an injured teenager up and down floors was practically suicide.
So we picked the relatively safe second floor to wait it out, and I still think it was a sound decision.
But that guy never showed up.
So from the second day on, I began searching other floors.
I couldn't do long searches, because leaving the injured high schooler alone for hours seemed like a death sentence.
But I pushed myself to the limit, even making a crazy trip down to the basement floor, and still nothing changed.
Agent Bronze was nowhere to be found.
At least not within the area I could feasibly search in an hour.
That's how three days had gone by.
And then…
'All this time, the supermarket never resumed normal operations…'
This is one of the reasons they urge you to escape before closing—the culprit that makes this supermarket a hell and lowers the survival rate for civilians.
The shortest interval observed for the supermarket to resume operations is one day, and the longest is twenty days.
It's impossible to know when it would reopen for business.
That's right.
No one knew when Looky Mart's 'next day' would begin.
Sometimes it opened normally after just one day, but other times hundreds of hours might pass from a human perspective, yet not even a day has gone by in the supermarket's timeline.
'That's why people speculate the timeline in Looky Mart gradually drifts further and further from reality, until eventually… it's stuck way in the past.'
Whether that's accurate or not doesn't matter right now. What mattered was the reality that we're facing.
We've been trapped here for three whole days.
…And I'm starting to fear what might be going through the high schooler's head.
"W-We actually came here looking for a kid who lives in our apartment complex."
Right then, I heard him mumbling dazedly.
"…You came looking for him?"
"Yeah, yeah. He sent me a DM saying he was heading to Lucky Mart, and then he vanished. So we thought it was some kind of ghost story, and decided to investigate…"
Good grief.
"But that was stupid. He's probably dead by now… H-How awful if he ended up in that blender?"
"…Don't go leaping to the worst conclusion."
I patted the high schooler on the shoulder.
"For now, you'll be able to leave today."
"…Huh?"
I had a reason to believe that.
I recalled the record that presumably belonged to Agent Bronze.
An unexpected situation arose, and the agent lost contact for three days.
Result : Rescue failed. Agent returned alone.
If I reconstruct that.
'After three days, the Bureau reestablished contact with the agent.'
He then escaped on his own.
Even if the rescue attempt failed, he definitely tried to save the civilian.
'He must have planned to hold out until the supermarket resumed operation.'
So statistically speaking, there was a high chance the store would open again today.
"W-Wait, are you saying…"
"Yeah. Let's see."
Hope and expectation surged as I calmly checked my wristwatch.
[ 09 : 59 ]
My heart pounded.
Any moment now, when the time changed…
[ 10 : 00 ]
On the dot.
Silence.
"…?"
I waited a bit longer.
But nothing happened.
No jingle. No announcements. No lights clicking on.
...The doors did not open.
"..."
Once again, the supermarket didn't reopen for business today.