Just now on the radio… Did the DJ really just say the name of a certain ghost-story talk show host I know well?
For a moment there, I thought I was hallucinating.
Driving to a cemetery at 2 a.m. with a ghost in the passenger seat while listening to the radio. It felt like a reasonable delusion under the circumstances.
But then, a voice came through the speakers.
[Oh dear, I hardly know what to do with such praise!]
"..."
A familiar voice.
[Truly, it's a pleasure to be here. Let me share my story with utmost sincerity…]
I need to turn it off.
No matter how you look at it, listening to an A-grade or higher ghost story declare it'll speak with 'utmost sincerity' is not a good idea.
Especially not when a ghost is sitting right next to me…
'Wait, no. Hold on.'
If I think about it another way, wouldn't it actually help distract me?
"Kekekekekekekekekekekeradiofunnykekekekeke"
…the ghost in the passenger seat let out a laugh.
Or, no, it wasn't really laughing.
It was mimicking the sound of laughter, like onomatopoeia.
Mocking, unsettling, twisted.
A purely instinctive kind of fear.
'Ha.'
In the end, I froze mid-motion, hand hovering over the radio.
The soft-spoken DJ and the upbeat talk show host were having a friendly exchange.
I focused on that, kept my eyes on the dark road ahead, and drove.
[I heard that the Purgatory Choir recently sent the Late-Night Talk Show band a special instrument. Rumor has it that it was a gift of apology and gratitude. Whether it's sincere or…]
Typical banter for when a famous talk show host guests on a radio show.
Catching up, current events, inside jokes, fan questions.
All of it followed the usual format, But when you really listened, there was something off, something unsettling.
Nouns that didn't fit the verbs. Impossible details. Words stitched together to form something grotesque.
[Whether the heart or the brain is the true seat of love—our next guest has taken a delicate look into it. Their skill with dissection was impressive! Definitely please, tune in next time.]
[Oh, absolutely! Thank you. Look forward to it…]
"..."
Cold sweat gathered on my left palm gripping the wheel.
At some point… the ghost started staring at me.
Just staring.
"Um… are you enjoying it?"
"..."
"I asked if it's fun."
"Ah, I'm sorry. I was trying to focus on the road, so I only caught bits of it… but the host really is a smooth talker."
"Heeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehee."
I'm going insane.
And the broadcast continued, sweet and calm:
[The Late-Night Talk Show always brings excitement, fear, and joy. But when you're not running the show, Mr. Braun, what hobbies do you enjoy?]
[Ah! Hobbies… Piano, selecting a fine wine, a good bath—such things are dear companions to life. It's a chronic affliction of entertainers, choosing only the most inspiring hobbies. And…]
[Chatting with a good friend is always a joy.]
"..."
[A friend of yours, Mr. Braun? Can we hear more? Maybe a call—aaAAAH—or something like that…]
Holy shit.
[Ah, sadly, we've fallen out of touch recently. A phone call might be difficult.]
[Oh my, that's a shame.]
[Ah, my heart aches with the loss! But fortunately…]
[I do happen to know a few details about my friend's recent activities.]
My throat went dry.
"Excuse me."
[Apparently he joined a barbecue event at a supermarket. And even bought an ugly plush toy. Can you believe it? So silly, so charming. And…]
"It's a little loud… Could you please turn it down?"
My hand reached for the radio, trembling.
[He's using glass in place of an arm now!]
"..."
[Oh dear, glass? Isn't that far too fragile to function properly? Should I say that? Please tell me that's what I should say? Isn't that so?]
[Oh, most certainly. I'm terribly concerned… especially when a foolish and useless creature is stuck to the glass as well!]
A stream of cold sweat ran down my back.
[What a pitiful—]
I finally managed to hit the power button.
Click.
"..."
"..."
A moment of silence.
[—decision indeed! Heavens!]
But the radio came back on by itself.
[How sad that I can't reach my friend due to unfortunate circumstances. I do wish I could tell him this…]
"Why isn't the radio turning off? You're being so rude. Um, if you're not going to turn it off, could you please let me out... I need to get out, please open the door…"
Then, the ghost's voice dropped to a whisper.
"And help me down too I can't do it alone… I don't have feet"
"..."
[Can we confirm if it's possible to reach him?]
I turned my head.
Only then did I see it. The ghost in the passenger seat had no legs.
More precisely, both legs ended in ragged, torn stumps at the ankles.
It was just pretending to walk by dragging those along.
"I can't walk on my own… I have to go with you"
Drip, drip.
Blood was falling.
Or rather, it must have been trickling down all along.
From beneath the passenger seat, now soaked, blood began to pour out like mad, Spreading across the floor, seeping past the edge of the seat.
It kept flowing all the way to the driver's side, over my shoes, over the pedals…
[Hmm, just a moment.]
"..."
[I suppose there's no need to confirm it now. My friend must be doing his best as well.]
The voice deepened.
[Ah, the famous saying comes to mind: 'Heaven helps those who help themselves.' Across many cultures, similar phrases persist like a kind of magic. And in that sense…]
[A friend doing his best surely deserves a bit of special help, too.]
That warm, composed voice continued.
[You may turn off the radio now, Friend.]
"..."
[Oh, look. We have a guest.]
SCREEEEECH.
I barely managed to step on the brake in time.
I almost hit something.
'Haa.'
A hand had appeared against the windshield, like a hitchhiker's with a thumb raised.
My right arm, the dokkaebi flame, mimicked the same thumbs-up gesture… then lowered it.
No.
Cold sweat ran down my back.
Apparently, I'd accidentally turned the radio off while fumbling for the wheel.
"Oh? A person… It's a person, right?"
The ghost beside me seemed to have shifted her attention.
…To the potential passenger outside.
If a passenger tries to join mid-ride, it's better not to refuse. Let them sit in the back quietly.
Refusals have led to cases where the ghost follows the new passenger off the vehicle.
Knock knock.
A hand tapped on the back row's window, then awkwardly opened the door.
It's important to note that there have been cases where the hitchhiking 'passenger' will nnot be human.
Remember, agent, the vehicle you're driving is itself a supernatural entity. It's possible something strange will attempt to board.
In such cases, you may refuse for your own safety. Always remember, your life comes first.
'Haa.'
Please, just please don't get in.
The blood was still pooling all across the front floor.
If this person screamed and ran off, I wouldn't even need to say a word.
If they were normal, maybe they'd just walk away without me having to refuse…
"Excuse me."
"..."
A calm voice spoke.
"Um… is this how you do it… Please take me to Seoul Station where I can ride the KTX…"
...…
Why is he here.
Reflected faintly in the front mirror, pale complexion, scruffy pale-brown hair, a slim frame, and a face that looked perpetually bored and exhausted.
'J3.'
A sergeant of the Security Team at Daydream Inc. was trying to board my taxi, his voice full of apathy.
'What the actual hell.'
Members of the Security Team were allowed out at night after dark, but what was he doing here, in the middle of a mountain road, no less? And what the heck's at Seoul Station…
Maybe because the taxi had become part of a ghost story, it drew in someone contaminated?
I didn't know. What mattered most was… this.
—The sergeant must have been told that I died a month ago.
'…Did he recognize me?'
Did he realize who I was?
No, my head was down, messy hair over my eyes, glasses on, and he could only see the back of my head.
Odds were low.
Stay calm. Stay calm…
"Um, there's already a passenger. I need to drop her off first."
"That's fine."
His tone was indifferent, even though the car smelled heavily of incense and blood.
"Ohohoho onemorepersonjoinedonemore. I'm so happy."
"Ah, what a relief… Alright, I'll hop in..."
The sergeant gently sat in the backseat and closed the door.
"..."
"Um… why aren't we moving...?"
Haa.
I started the car.
'I'm going insane.'
I resumed the route in silence.
– Speed-check zone ahead.
I slowed down.
"Please drive faster..."
The ghost's whisper came from the passenger seat, still flat and lifeless in tone.
I wanted to get out of this nightmare as quickly as possible too, but I couldn't.
If you break traffic laws, the ghost will clap its hands with delight, then attempt to cause a crash. Afterward, it will try to exit the vehicle. Do not let it.
Haa…
"…We might get caught speeding, ma'am, so please hang in there a little longer."
"..."
The limp, long hair turned toward me.
I felt her gaze.
"Excuse me."
"Excuse me… I said hurry up."
"It's chasing us from behind, don't you see it?"
"I can see it. Huh? It's gonna catch us… Ah, caught."
THUD.
A red handprint splattered against the passenger-side window.
Thudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthud…
Handprints bloomed on every window.
The windshield. The rearview mirror. Thick, bloody marks streaked and smeared down like dripping blood.
…Inside the car.
Then I realized.
These handprints weren't being pressed from outside.
They were being stamped from within, as if something inside was slapping the windows, trying to get out.
"..."
A chill of sweat ran down the back of my neck.
The ghost in the passenger seat began to tilt her head… tilting further, unnaturally, until up and down reversed.
Her chin pointed toward the roof, and her mouth came into view…
"I want out. Hurry, or I'll get out. Hurry, drive fast—"
"Ahem."
A soft cough echoed from the backse
You are quite rude.
A massive black tongue shot out from behind the passenger seat, dripping saliva as it swallowed the whole seat in one gulp.
"...!"
Crunch. The ghost's long black hair snapped as a monstrous tongue, jagged teeth jutting in all directions, and a twisted eyeball with a long snout engulfed the entire front seat.
"Rude little lamb… Pig… Red child…"
The beast grew larger.
Its gaping maw started creeping toward the driver's seat, sharp claws unsheathed.
My hands on the wheel trembled, and then, at that moment.
– Approaching destination.
"..."
"..."
I managed to speak.
"We're almost there."
The shadow paused.
Silence.
Stillness.
And then…
"Ah… Sorry..."
Everything vanished.
"..."
The interior of the car was completely empty.
The grotesque, inhuman maw—gone. As if none of it had ever existed. Only a hollow, eerie silence remained.
The ghost in the passenger seat was still there.
"..."
She sat blankly, dazed, staring into space, as if under a spell.
…Which was unsettling in its own way.
Suppressing the crawling sensation up my spine, I barely maintained steady driving.
A few seconds later.
– You have arrived at Sajiyuk Cemetery. This concludes the navigation guide.
The GPS stuttered and shut off.
…In the middle of a mountain road.
The headlights illuminated a sign just ahead.
DANGER!
※ Beware of Falling ※
Do not lean or climb.
There was a cliff ahead.
'Haa.'
Holding back trembling, I reached to unlock the passenger-side door.
"We've arrived, ma'am."
As I slowly turned my head…
There was no one in the passenger seat.
No pool of blood below, no burnt scent, no eerie laughter.
"..."
If the ghost disappears at the destination, you've successfully completed the mission.
Signal the handler waiting at the site, then surrender the taxi to a purification specialist before sunrise.
Thank you for your service.
Huu.
I finally let go of the steering wheel.
Just then, someone gently tapped on the driver's side window.
Knock knock.
…It's Agent Bronze!
"Just a moment, uh, um, officer!"
After addressing Agent Bronze as a police officer instead, I hurriedly rolled down the window and stuck my head out, lowering my voice as I glanced toward the back seat.
"There's… another passenger."
"…!"
"I'll drop him off quickly and come right back."
"…! Understood."
Fortunately, Agent Bronze seemed to interpret my panic as a rookie agent flustered by civilian involvement, and let me go.
I raised the window and drove away from the strange cliffside.
In the side mirror, I caught a flash of something bizarre gleaming at that Sajiyuk Cemetery...
"..."
Haa.
I did it.
I didn't pass out…!
I had nearly screamed at the ghost mid-trip, begging her to please kindly get out.
'My hands are still shaking.'
It had been a nightmare, but at least it was over without a crash or death.
Now, I just had to drop off the sergeant…
Right. He said Seoul Station, right?
I could just babble on about seeing a ghost along the way, play it off like nonsense.
I glanced at the back seat.
Still, that thing earlier… it was terrifying, but in the end, it helped me.
'If things were still the same, I probably would have stopped by with a thank-you gift or something.'
Like donuts, the kind the sergeant liked.
Now though, he wouldn't even recognize me, so I should just chatter on about ghosts, play my role as the cab driver, and—
"…So you were alive."
...!
"What a relief…"
Ah.
…The phrase 'What a relief that you're alive' carried two implied premises.
That he knew who the other person is.
And that he had assumed that person was dead.
All of it pointed back to one thing.
The Security Team's sergeant had recognized me, the one sitting in the taxi driver's seat, as Supervisor Kim Soleum of the Field Exploration Team who had been declared deceased.
'...Since when?'
I checked the sergeant sitting in the back seat through the rearview mirror. He was wearing his worn security uniform as if they were civilian clothes, cap pulled low.
I couldn't see his face clearly.
But somehow… he seemed relieved.
Suddenly, I remembered what Supervisor Park Minseong had said.
– Sergeant Jay from the Security Team asked about you sometimes… I didn't say you got lost in a Darkness or anything… but a few days ago, he seemed to have figured it out already.
…Given his years of experience as a sergeant in the Security Team, he would've seen plenty of rookies from Daydream Inc.'s Field Exploration Team vanish.
Still, maybe because we were acquainted, he'd worried about me...
'I'm grateful. And sorry.'
And on top of that, it was surprising how he recognized me and still played it cool, quietly waiting without saying a word.
Of course, given that I was currently playing the role of corporate spy, this wasn't exactly a heartwarming reunion.
Anyway, Director Ho already seemed to suspect that the D-squad knew I was alive. I couldn't afford to make things worse.
'The sergeant's not the type to run around blabbing about seeing me, anyway.'
A subtle hint when he gets off the taxi, asking him to keep it quiet, would be enough.
Once I'd sorted it all out in my head, I spoke in the most taxi-driver-like, friendly voice I could muster.
"Oh man, what a ride… Thought my heart was going to give out. So, sir. You said you're headed to Seoul Station, right? It'll take about 40 minutes to get—"
"Ah, that… It's fine. I don't need to go."
"...Pardon, sir?"
I instinctively glanced at the mirror to look at the sergeant.
He met my eyes in the reflection, smiling faintly.
"No reason to go anymore, I guess…?"
"..."
Wait a second.
– Um… is this how you do it… Please take me to Seoul Station where I can ride the express train…
Express train. Seoul Station.
…That place is also the publicly known departure point for Tamra Express into the Darkness—the very one I'd been reported missing in.
'No way.'
No, that couldn't be. I kept my eyes fixed on the road ahead.
And yet… I ended up speaking.
"…Ah, did you decide to meet the person somewhere else?"
"That's not it… I already met them."
"..."
"It's okay…"
Ah, damn it.
He really did come looking for me?
'The guy who's not even allowed outside except at night.'
It's been over a month since I went missing. Everyone had given up hope and processed me as dead.
And yet, this guy… just because we were somewhat acquainted, he came chasing traces of me before dawn to catch the express train. That's…
Maybe it's because I know his backstory. Before he was assigned to the Security Team, he was a named squad leader of the B squad. Somehow, that made it even more touching.
And it made me think.
"..."
If it's to this extent… maybe he's trustworthy.
'…He was never the type to be blindly loyal or passionate about the company anyway.'
If that's the case.
I decided to double-check.
"Ah, sir. Are you maybe out on assignment? Does the company reimburse the fare or maybe track your location for reports…?"
"Umm... No. They don't."
The sergeant answered firmly.
"They don't really care enough to do that now… And these days, they're more lenient about going out, too."
"..."
Alright.
"Then… before sunrise, would you like to take a little drive with me?"
"...!"
I turned off the car's built-in navigation and pulled up a new route on my personal phone.
The destination… a location accessible through the keywords: '공감.주목.장난감'.
(T/N: 'Empathy, Attention, Toy.')
The lab where Daydream Inc.'s prototype device was stored.
* * *
I parked the taxi at the destination.
As soon as I got out with the sergeant, I called out to him.
"Jay-ssi."
The sergeant looked up instantly. Not in surprise, but almost with relief.
"Ah, so the taxi wasn't contaminated by the Darkness…"
"…Pardon?"
"The express train… sometimes you get contaminated while riding it, and… um… you end up reassigned to other transport, like as a driver or something…?"
"..."
Hold on.
Did he seriously think I'd been so contaminated by a ghost story that I became a ghost story taxi driver, and just played along the whole time?!
'If I'd pushed too hard, he might've tried to yeet me out of the car.'
Cold sweat ran down my back.
Good thing that misunderstanding didn't go too far, and he got out when he did.
"It's nothing. Still… Thank you for worrying about me."
"Yes… What a relief…"
'I almost had the rare experience of walking straight into the maw of a ghost story…'
I let out a sigh of relief inwardly and locked the car door after the sergeant stepped out.
Then suddenly, a question popped into my mind.
"Um, but… why did you suddenly hail a taxi in the mountains?"
Don't tell me… he tried walking to Seoul Station from the mountains and got lost…
"The mountain?"
A confused voice.
"I… was in front of the company."
"…?!"
The explanation that followed was this.
As expected, the sergeant had been dazedly walking from in front of the company toward Seoul Station.
It was so early that all public transportation had stopped, and apparently he'd forgotten how to call a taxi.
And then he saw it.
A taxi that oddly stood out to the eye.
"And I heard the radio…"
"…!!"
"Hearing the radio, um… reminded me of the time I took a taxi before…"
So, though clumsy, he'd impulsively followed the taxi and managed to catch it.
...There was only one possible explanation for this entire story.
'…Braun!'
Distorted time and space, and the spotlight.
If it was the handiwork of the showbiz ghost story host, then no wonder it left such a chilling impression.
And the way the sergeant recognized me was just as striking…
"The smell."
"...!"
"I have a good nose…"
A remark that, to anyone watching, would be extremely convincing coming from someone tainted by an animal ghost story with a snout…
In any case, I had a rough grasp of the situation now. I shook my head once and moved closer to show him something.
"This way, please."
A door disguised as a manhole cover, propped up against a wall in an alley.
"It would be better to go inside and talk in more detail."
Then I opened the door and headed down.
"Oh…"
The sergeant followed behind with a lifeless murmur, but the moment he saw the lab's nameplate, he froze for a second.
Dream Incubation Room.
"..."
"This is… the company..."
"I don't think so."
I opened the lab door and let the sergeant see inside.
"But it does seem to be connected."
"...!"
Among the people I know, he had worked the longest at the company, was deeply involved, but had no particular personal stake.
The former squad leader of elite B-squad quietly lowered his gaze as he looked at the fundamental research lab of Daydream Inc.'s pharmaceutical tech.
"Jay-ssi, is there anything here that catches your eye?"
Rather than his usual sluggish motions, which had shown not even a drop of enthusiasm, the sergeant moved swiftly and precisely through the lab.
Even his eyes seemed like someone else's.
"Well, there are some unusual items here, so I hope you won't overexert yourself."
There was no reply.
He even tried to skim through the research journal I had once tossed away in exhaustion, but when a grotesque black shadow tried to leap out over him again, I freaked out and snatched it away.
"..."
"..."
Only after that whole inspection ended did the sergeant finally speak.
"…Um, this place… who told you about it? A company employee?"
"No, I happened to find a clue in another ghost story. When I looked into it, strangely enough, it didn't seem to belong to Daydream Inc."
"..."
"Even though it clearly looks like a prototype made with the same technology."
The sergeant affirmed this with silence.
"Do you have any idea what this place might be? Even if it's just a suspicion or a partial guess."
"…Hmm."
The sergeant glanced around the lifeless, seemingly abandoned lab space, then opened his mouth with a peculiar expression.
"You know… have you heard of the company disposing of Darknesses?"
…!!
"No."
But I actually had.
I'd directly witnessed how that plot device was updated several times to become more coherent.
But since it would be too odd for a rookie to know such things, it was better to hear it directly from the sergeant.
"What do you mean by disposing of Darknesses?"
"I mean… even if someone clears it, if Essence can't be extracted from it anymore… they throw it out…"
"..."
"Because it's no longer useful…"
That's right.
Ghost stories that, from Daydream Inc.'s perspective, no longer yield any productivity.
When a Darkness loses its supernatural presence, Dream Essence can no longer be harvested from it.
In such cases, after the deletion procedure of its registration number, it's discarded, although some are recycled through research or recharge processes.
Here, 'loses its supernatural presence' typically means that too much exploration data has accumulated and the manual is overly complete.
'They've fully mapped out the ghost story.'
The sense of the extraordinary and mysterious fades, and employees just handle it like routine, without tension.
Once all its mechanisms are revealed and there's no longer anything creepy or left to imagine, that ghost story becomes reality.
Just a slightly dangerous reality.
No different from a high-risk industrial site.
Of course, since it was originally a ghost story, it might still retain some eerie traits that could act as an unnatural trigger.
Like that blood and filth-covered research journal the sergeant was now tapping with his fingers.
"This kind of thing too… It just feels like one of those discarded Darknesses…"
Hmm.
Then there's a high chance this space itself was originally a ghost story.
If I piece it all together…
'Daydream Inc. extracted pharmaceutical technology from this ghost story… and in the process of wringing it dry, the ghost story itself disappeared… is that it?'
In any case, the fact that this place had now become relatively safe was good information.
"And this…"
The Security Sergeant picked up the card key placed in front of the Dream Incubator.
The ID I had found on the corpse of the deceased researcher.
Researcher Yoo Kwe
■■■
"This says… 'Yoo Kwe,' right…?"
"That's how I read it too."
"Ah, I thought so."
The sergeant fiddled with the card key and spoke slowly, gaze lowered.
"Then by any chance… do you know 'Cheerful Research Institute'?"
"…!"
The moment I heard that specific name.
I realized.
Why the name 'Yoo Kwe' had felt strangely familiar.
'…Cheerful Research Institute!' [1]
From the mysterious candle kit I had to the theme park ghost story I previously investigated.
It was the origin of those ghost stories I'd repeatedly come across but dismissed as incidental worldbuilding tidbits.
A name that had shown up several times even in the
A ghost story maker.
========================
Dark Exploration Records / Factions
Cheerful Research Institute
A strange group that produces toy-themed ghost stories. Their size, personnel, and purpose are all unknown.
Products from the Cheerful Research Institute appear in various places, from ghost story shopping platforms like Delusion Home Shopping, Space Shopping Mall, Today's Catalogue, to old rural attics.
They're often registered as Darknesses with Daydream Inc. The most famous example is that theme park.
========================
"Um… There are ghost stories that produce other ghost stories… and the company kind of favors those…" the sergeant explained.
That Cheerful Research Institute is a name you can come across fairly often within Daydream Inc.
And then came something new to me.
"I heard about how the very first Darkness the company ever registered had the Cheerful Research Institute tag too."
Huh?
"…Do you know what that Darkness was?"
"No idea. I only overheard the executives talking about it… that it had already been discarded..."
Holy shit.
"You… remember all that?"
The sergeant gazed at me blankly.
"When it comes to the company, I remember everything… all of it."
"..."
"Other things… I've forgotten a lot of this and that..."
"…Would you like to remember them again?"
The sergeant pressed down his cap.
"Not really… They weren't all good memories."
"..."
Maybe he only thinks that because he's forgotten.
"I understand. Still, if the opportunity comes someday, wouldn't it be nice to look for the good memories? Like a really tasty meal or a fun place."
"Mmh."
The sergeant's voice brightened slightly.
"That… might not be so bad."
"Right?"
I nodded with a smile.
"Thank you for kindly explaining all this despite being dragged to such a strange place. I doubt there are many employees who know that the first ghost story Daydream Inc. registered had the Cheerful Research Institute tag…"
"You're probably not supposed to know it in the first place…"
"..."
Ack.
The sergeant brought his index finger to his lips.
"So don't spread it around… unless you want a visit from the Security Team…"
A chill ran down my spine.
Note/s:
[1] Yoo Kwe – the word 유쾌 can be translated as 'cheerful', but Soleum kinda misconstrued it as the name 유 Yoo 쾌 Kwe because he saw it right before the designation/job title of 연구원 researcher. Since it's all cleared up, the ID can be read as such:
Cheerful Researcher
■■■
-x-X-x-
"Of course… Mr. Roe Deer… Since you played dead and slipped away... it might take the Security Team a while to find you."
"…?!"
Played dead…? Oh, right.
"Uh, I didn't actually escape the company…"
"…?!"
"I'm currently on Director Ho's project team."
I quickly explained my current situation. Skipped over the part about being missing inside a ghost story for a month, and focused on the fact that I was now being worked to the bone at the director's task force.
"I applied because it seemed like the fastest way to get a Wish Ticket."
"..."
"I'm not really supposed to say this either, so I'd appreciate it if you kept it secret."
"There's no one I can even tell…"
Oof.
The sergeant said something casually miserable, then stared into space as if deep in thought.
"Director Ho… All the executives in this company are out of their minds anyway…"
Yeah. I'm starting to get that too…
"Um, do you know Director Ho well?"
"No… Director Ho came in after I was already in the Security Team…"
Ah.
"I saw Director Cheong a few times… but that was ages ago..."
The sergeant looked around.
"Anyway… don't tell the executives about this…"
"Of course."
The staff member who originally discovered this facility and reported it was dead now. I had no intention of divulging this place either.
But at this point…
'…Should I share a bit more clearly.'
I'd already gone ahead and shown this place to the sergeant. And despite how suspicious I must've looked, he'd continued to show trust and offer information.
'Wouldn't it be good to solidify that trust a bit more here.'
I should share what I know too.
After all, I've confirmed that he's still a decent person—from the detailed records in the to the real-life person right in front of me.
'Alright.'
"…Jay-ssi, then could you take a look at this?"
I reactivated the Dream Incubator, which had been in sleep mode, using the card key.
Ziiing—
The panel and glass chamber lit up with a sound.
🥰🥸🤯🧐🤪🥱
"…!"
"If you press this, it seems to produce a syrup similar to Daydream's potions."
I showed the pipe mechanism, even explaining how the Dream Essence had been charged.
"It looks like we'll be able to recharge Dream Essence separately going forward…"
"That."
A light returned to the Security Sergeant's eyes.
"Elite Team Collector."
Ah.
"Yes. I acquired an unregistered one by chance."
"..."
The sergeant cautiously reached out, gently touched the collector I was holding, then pulled his hand back.
"…I heard they don't make these anymore..."
"..."
Had the sergeant used this type of collector back when he was in the B-squad?
"It won't be tracked, right…?"
"Yes. It's an item that was never registered with the company."
"I see..."
The sergeant didn't even ask where I'd gotten it.
He just stared at the collector, lost in nostalgia, before turning his gaze to the buttons on the Dream Incubator.
"…Do you recognize any of these emojis?"
"No… But the machine itself… it looks similar to what I saw at the company…"
"…!"
As expected.
"Does the company also produce potions with a similar machine?"
"Probably… Hmm."
The sergeant looked at me and gave a faint smile.
"If you're curious… should I look into it a bit…? Cheerful Research Institute… and other things..."
…!
"Wouldn't that be dangerous?"
"..."
The sergeant's face returned to its usual expressionless state. He spoke as if even shaking his head was too much effort.
"It's not dangerous…"
Well, if you say so.
"Thank you."
"Mmh…"
And with that, I gained an internal collaborator within the company.
The sergeant, a reliable—if lethargic—veteran.
Some time later.
"Get home safe, sergeant."
"Yeah."
Before the sun rose, the sergeant returned home safely.
And after finishing our conversation, I pressed a new emoji and obtained one potion.
For the record, the emoji I pressed was…
🤯
…I admit, it was a button I would never have pressed if I were alone.
Huu.
I had originally meant to give it to the sergeant as a token of thanks, but he rejected it with his usual dead-fish eyes.
– I… don't really need something like that.
– …Right.
Let's give him something else next time.
I absentmindedly fiddled with the glass bottle in my pocket as I saw the sergeant off.
…By the way, (not that it's surprising), the sergeant didn't even have a cell phone, let alone a smartphone.
So I bought a prepaid SIM at a convenience store, backed up my old phone, reset it, inserted the SIM, and handed it over to him.
And as soon as stores opened, I went out and bought myself a new phone.
"You can reach me through this number."
"Okay…"
How should I put it. Aside from donuts, the man seemed completely devoid of any worldly desires…
'Is that what it's like to be deeply contaminated, I wonder.'
On my way to return the taxi, I dropped the sergeant off about a 12-minute walk from the company.
"Aaalrighty."
And so, at last, my long night shift was over.
'The Disaster Management Bureau task went smoothly too!'
I returned the taxi on time, got a favorable evaluation for carrying out my role without incident!
"Good work."
"No, not at all…!"
It was hellish, but here, the right answer was to deny it. I bowed my head to Agent Bronze while ignoring the right hand that was giving me a proud thumbs-up.
Then, after a few days of proper rest during my off-duty period and finishing the associated paperwork…
"You'll be working here today."
Back at the Disaster Management Bureau headquarters, I encountered a familiar face.
Jang Heowoon.
"Ah…!"
My fellow recruit's eyes lit up when he saw me, but he quickly bowed his head in a forced show of politeness.
The supervisor standing in front of him laughed and extended a hand to Agent Bronze beside me.
"It's been a while, Agent Bronze. Ah, is this the new recruit?"
"Yes, yes…! I look forward to working with you!"
That's right.
Today was the job I'd been waiting for. Site Cleanup Unit duty!
'I'll definitely prove I'm suited for this…!'
* * *
"..."
I failed to prove it.
The beginning of this whole shitshow traces back to when I first reported in for duty with the Site Cleanup Unit.
Up until that point, everything had been going smoothly.
"Alright, time for introductions. This here is our new recruit, Agent Hwagak."
A middle-aged woman with the air of a kindly scholar introduced me to Jang Heowoon, and we exchanged names as if it were our first time meeting.
"Pardon, um, I go by Grapes… N-Nice to meet you…"
"…?! Hrk—cough—yes…"
For some reason, Jang Heowoon nearly choked once, but things moved along smoothly, and everyone laughed and greeted each other in good spirits.
The team leader of Site Cleanup Unit's Vermilion Bird Team 2[1], was chatting with Agent Bronze, and I could overhear them mention that I had requested to join their team—likely a nudge from Bronze's side.
"Haha, our kid's still a rookie too, so it'd be nice to have someone his age on the team."
"Yes. I'll do my best."
Thank you, Agent Bronze…!
I did my best to look tense, hunching my shoulders like a nervous newbie, even though I was grinning like a fool inside. Jang Heowoon glanced at me and quickly redirected his gaze.
"Alright, today's site… Yeah, it shouldn't be too tough, so the two rookies should be just right for the job."
The team leader gave us each a friendly pat on the shoulder.
"It's a ghost story the Black Tortoise Team 1 just cleared during a civilian rescue. That team's under Agent Bronze. Heard of them?"
"Yes…!"
I've heard more than enough to feel like I was being forced into that division at one point…
Anyway, Vermilion Bird Team 2's leader gave us a clean and efficient briefing on today's supernatural disaster site.
Even covered safety measures.
"If at any point you feel like you can't handle it, speak up. Agent Grapes's senior is on standby outside."
"Thank you…!"
But that won't be necessary.
I was absolutely going to complete this site cleanup perfectly! And wrap up the documentation just as flawlessly…!
Besides.
'It's a ghost story I'm familiar with.'
No, more than familiar. It was practically a friendly face. I didn't even care whether my popsocket got restored or not.
'I remember watching people fight all night over how this ghost story should end.'
And because it ended in the way I thought was most logical, I'd shown up to work the next day running on dopamine, so it stuck clearly in my mind.
Sure, it's the kind of ghost story that scares me the most.
But the ghostly stuff has already passed! No ghosts appear anymore!
And as far as cleanup goes, it's similar to the taxi case I handled previously. The difference is that no more supernatural beings will jump out. This is literally just cleanup work…!
"Wearing this uniform makes me feel strangely calm."
Putting on a white hazmat-suit-like uniform provided for cleanup, Jang Heowoon spoke cheerfully.
"It really does…!"
Being covered head to toe like this gave a sense of psychological safety.
I responded with a bright smile, and for some reason, Jang Heowoon's expression turned a little awkward. Did I come off too friendly…?
"Alright then, Agent Hwagak, give us the field briefing again."
"Yes!"
Following the team leader's cue, Jang Heowoon turned to me and spoke crisply,
"The supernatural disaster we'll be handling today is located in Dobong-gu, and the estimated time for full cleanup is three hours. Its key feature is as follows…"
A clear, concise description followed.
"A public phone booth that tells scary stories."
* * *
A neighborhood in Seoul, with the sky darkening into dusk. Standing alone by the roadside…
Was an old public phone booth.
Something you hardly see in Korea anymore. It had a pale blue roof.
Its appearance is that of a standard public booth manufactured in the 1980s, visibly aged. But if you try calling from it, the line still connects.
The inner walls were plastered with old, peeling phone number ads, stuck there long ago.
Most of the advertisement stickers attached next to the phone are from businesses that are no longer in operation.
However, among them, there is a 12cm x 7cm advertisement sticker finished in dark red and yellow. When the number listed under 'We Tell Scary Stories' is dialed, it tells a terrifying story related to the phone booth.
(The number consists of 13 digits and cannot be connected to from outside the booth using other devices.)
Booth users who witnessed the sticker reported feeling a strong urge to make the call.
That's where the supernatural disaster begins.
And the terrifying story it tells actually takes place within the booth itself.
Earlier this afternoon, a response and rescue team pulled a civilian out of that phone booth after they'd gotten caught up in the ghost story.
So our job now was to clean up that eerie 'site' left in the wake of the ghost story…
The current situation:
The inside of the booth was filled with bright red blood, spilling out and pooling onto the ground.
"..."
"..."
Wow.
'I want to run away.'
But if I screw this up, I'll be recommended for resignation.
I swallowed hard.
"Let's go in."
"Y-Yes…"
Jang Heowoon, who was also weak against blood, looked like he might faint, but like me, he was a spy. There's no backing down.
So the two of us creaked our way toward the phone booth.
Note/s:
[1] Vermillion Bird (주작) – one of the Four Gods of east Asian mythology, representing the fire element, the directional south and the season of summer. It is a red bird that resembles a pheasant with a fire-colored plumage and is perpetually covered in flames. (source: Wikipedia, NamuWiki)
-x-X-x-
The receiver was dangling by its cord, barely hanging on, and it looked like the blood had started spilling from there…
"I'll take pictures…"
"Ah, y-yes!"
I raised the camera, zoomed in with the phone booth centered in the frame.
'…There's something floating on the blood?'
Organs.
Goosebumps ran down my back.
'Please.'
Think. The civilian was rescued safely, so that stuff might as well be props. Yeah, just pretend I walked into a haunted house…
'Haunted houses are scary too!'
Anyway, suck it up!
I scolded myself and finally finished the burst shots, then lowered the camera. Next to me, Jang Heowoon stiffly approached the booth, opened the door, and inserted the 'cleaning device'.
Misfortune Swallower.
It was a special device of the Site Cleanup Unit that was shaped like an industrial vacuum. It efficiently sucked up the blood.
However, due to the size of the entrance, 'anything larger than that' had to be manually collected by us.
"..."
"Are, you okay?"
"Y-Yes… We're, um, fu—lly covered, so…"
Yeah, direct contact without a protective barrier would be the absolute worst.
Fortunately, Jang Heowoon didn't pass out, and the two of us entered the booth to begin cleaning.
What the hell…
Swallowing curses, I picked up the entrails and round organs and placed them into the designated collection bin.
There was no actual danger to our lives, so I got to fully experience the fear in its purest form, completely conscious and calm.
I can't take this anymore…!
'Help me.'
I squeezed my eyes shut several times out of sheer revulsion.
Seeing that, Jang Heowoon, pale-faced, offered a kind of praise.
"Um, you're doing a great job… You really seem like a proper rookie…!"
"..."
"Ah, I-I mean that in a good way."
"…Thank you."
I'm not acting…
Holding back things I couldn't say aloud, I continued the cleanup quickly, mechanically. Uuugh.
Thankfully, the blood inside the booth was vacuumed up easily.
And maybe because of the protective suits we were wearing, the job was going far more smoothly than I'd expected after first seeing that insane booth.
'Let's not look too closely.'
I tried my best not to think about how we'd have to count how many organs were recovered when this was over, and I thoroughly cleared out the ghost-story filth inside the booth.
And then, spraying disinfectant…
Next...
"Huh?"
"Yes?"
"Just now, did you say what we're doing next…?"
Ah. Did I accidentally say my thoughts out loud from too much tension…
The next thing is...
"..."
"..."
We slowly turned our heads.
The top of the phone, previously submerged in blood, was being revealed as the vacuum sucked it up.
The clotted blood splashed and dripped to the floor.
Drip. Drip.
And then it revealed—
A clean speaker.
[To hear the next scary story, please press 4.]
Thunk.
The booth door closed shut.
"…!!"
[To hear the next scary story, please press 4.]
We instinctively backed away from the phone.
That gritty, mechanical buzz of a pre-recorded message played from the speaker.
"The call didn't end…!"
Beep.
A short electronic tone.
…One of the buttons on the phone body pressed itself.
First of the second row.
4.
Brrriiing!
[Let us tell you the next scary stor—]
I rushed the phone.
And reflexively slammed the pound key, yelling into the receiver like a man possessed.
"Today is March 7, 202X. There are no public phone booths in Dobong-gu. That's really scary, isn't it?"
[]
"I already heard the next scary story!"
The call stopped.
'Now…!'
"Agent, this!!"
I almost shouted Jang Heowoon's real name and grabbed the body of the phone itself with both hands, lifting it into the air.
"…?! W-What are you—"
"Get back!"
And I threw the entire thing at the glass door of the booth.
"…!!"
CRAAAASH!
The door shattered as the phone slammed into the pavement outside. With each bounce, it broke apart further, emitting strange recorded screams, button clicks, and connection tones all jumbled together…
And then it vanished, leaving only black ash.
"…Huuhk."
"Ha… haaaaah…"
Jang Heowoon and I collapsed to the ground.
The glass booth we had entered was gone without a trace. The space around us was wide open, and even the collection bin we'd filled with blood-soaked organs was now perfectly empty.
Only the roar of the vacuum sucking up empty air echoed through the space.
'Huuu…'
Possessed phone booth… dismantling complete.
'That scared the hell out of me.'
I nearly ended up in a horrific situation.
I was just glad the resolution method for this ghost story wasn't all that difficult.
'By creating a contradiction, like letting it know I was already involved in a phone booth-related ghost story, and then tearing out the phone and throwing it outside…'
Since the 'scary story' only has effect within the booth, it naturally dissipates once removed.
It was a supernatural disaster resolution method that essentially made the ghost story consume itself.
'I always liked that kind of method personally… It's kind of amazing I actually got to use it.'
"Agent Grapes!!"
I could hear my senior agent running toward us.
They must've been shocked when the phone booth suddenly disappeared. Yes, Agent Bronze, I managed to escape safel…
"..."
No, wait.
So there was a senior agent on standby outside the whole time.
'Didn't that mean I could've just stayed put…?'
And more than that.
'I didn't clean up the site. I erased the site entirely… didn't I?'
I looked up.
Agent Bronze, who had come running, was staring at us in stunned silence.
"..."
"..."
"Did you just… destroy the phone booth?"
Ah.
* * *
"Bwahahahaha!!"
"..."
"That wasn't cleanup, that was annihilation! Destruction King Rookie! Agent Grapes!"
Agent Choi, laughing like a madman, gave me a huge thumbs-up.
"Yeah! Ending a supernatural disaster is the ultimate cleanup! You did great, hoobae-nim!"
I wanted to punch him just once.
'Hah.'
I forced down my sigh and irritation, holding back my right hand as it tried to give another unsolicited thumbs-up.
…I still remember the awkward tone of the Vermilion Bird Team 2's leader as he talked to Agent Bronze after I wrecked the phone booth.
– It was pretty impressive, but… Well, it could've been dangerous. I feel like someone with a calmer personality might be better suited for our team.
– ...
Of course, I couldn't exactly say, 'I saw the countermeasure in the Dark Exploration Records, so I knew it was completely safe.'
In the end, my actions were interpreted as a timid rookie making a bold, somewhat risky decision based on instinct and inspiration during a brief moment of confusion.
And thankfully, it worked out!
Of course, successfully resolving the supernatural disaster was a major achievement, so I think I was recognized for that part at least…
...But the final assessment went like this.
– Yeah, that rookie agent's a perfect fit for your team, Agent Bronze! The Dispatch & Rescue Unit!
Grghhh.
…Jang Heowoon, who had been nervously looking on from behind, had the look of someone thinking, 'Sure, but wouldn't Agent Roe Deer be better suited for a different role?' It's seriously driving me nuts.
'…But I could've handled the paperwork really well!'
There was no site left to clean, so there was nothing to document.
And with the ghost story completely resolved, I… became the subject of the report, not the one writing it.
…Even just now, I was even interviewed for testimony… by Vermilion Bird Team 2's leader…
"..."
"Ahem, but hey, you broke the ice with that rookie from the other team, right? It's good to know people outside your squad. Makes it easier to ask little favors."
Which brings us to why I'm currently with Agent Choi.
"Whoops! My bad. I forgot your team assignment hasn't been finalized yet. I got ahead of myself~ …But hey, you're with us today, right?"
Yeah. Because my next assignment's already been decided.
…As a rookie agent, I'm doing three weeks of rotational duty with various teams.
Which means…
"Welcome back to Black Tortoise Team 1!"
Yep, I get to do another round with the Response & Rescue Unit.
Apparently, the incident I caused gave HR just the nudge they needed to justify assigning me back here 'one more time, just to see how it goes'.
'Agent Bronze…'
He must've tried to shield me, but the logic of 'this is something rookie agents should experience' was too strong to overcome.
"Man~ some rookies have all the luck. You get to work today with a team that fits you perfectly~"
"..."
Agent Choi smiled cheerfully, rubbing his hands together.
"Today, you'll get to do a super fulfilling trio mission with us!"
Please save me.
-x-X-x-
Routine rescue mission.
Written out like that, it might sound vague, but in reality, it's something that happens quite naturally even in the real world.
"If people keep tripping and getting hurt in an area I manage, of course I'd look into it more. It's like that."
It refers to patrolling and checking areas or facilities where accidents frequently occur, to regularly monitor for people in danger and carry out rescue operations.
It was the same at the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.
"We designate certain supernatural disasters and go in like this once every few months to check them out."
To see if there's anyone inside who needs rescuing.
But there's one crucial additional condition.
—Ghost stories where it's impossible to report a rescue request.
"It's for people caught in a supernatural disaster who can't yell 'Save me~' even if they want to."
Exactly. A number of ghost stories, by their very nature, don't allow for calls or any kind of contact for help.
Among those, if agents can enter and exit relatively safely, the Response & Rescue Unit is assigned to patrol them on a regular basis.
'…There definitely were exploration records based on that setting.'
When the fun of the story came from tracking changes over time, or when the point of interest was how the scenario shifted as episodes accumulated, that was the case.
In that way, it's similar to how Daydream Inc. assigned 'designated Darknesses' to specific employees or teams.
Though, of course, the objective here is incomparably more noble…
Just a moment ago, Agent Choi—who'd been teasing me to death—now looked surprisingly reliable as he scratched the back of his head with ease.
"And this ghost story… Hmm, as long as you strictly follow the rules, it's not dangerous. But because of how the rules work, the job has to be done in pairs for it to function properly. It's a two-person assignment."
Huh?
"But earlier, you said it was a three-person mission…"
"That's right! Our rookie here is the tag-along extra." [1]
E-Extra…
My vision went a little dim at being treated in a way I'd never experienced before, but then I realized that this was actually a huge win and shut my mouth.
'The more people there are, the less scary it'll be.'
Besides, agents from the Disaster Management Bureau weren't likely to be trolls or anything.
And when I heard who was on the lineup, they were all people I was familiar with.
"Me and Jaekwan!"
Agent Choi waved his hands vaguely in the air to indicate Agent Bronze, who had stepped away for a report, then pointed to himself.
And then that hand pointed to me.
"And our honorary member here."
"R-Right…"
I gave a defeated, awkward nod.
Seeing my expression, Agent Choi chuckled and clapped me on the shoulder.
"You're taking this well."
"…?"
"Let's go. Jaekwan's probably been waiting forever. I'm sure your senior will find his way to the destination too~"
Agent Choi led me to the elevator.
The destination was basement 2.
"If someone's heading out for fieldwork from headquarters, odds are they're on standby on B2."
Because fast response is often crucial, the lower levels are allocated for deployment, he explained.
As soon as we stepped off the elevator and turned the corner, I saw a nameplate.
[Black Tortoise Team 1]
Agent Choi cheerfully swung open the door.
"Ta-da! Welcome to Black Tortoise Team 1's standby zone!"
The inside was… unexpectedly cozy.
Circular couches, a break area, blankets, bookshelves packed chaotically with board games, philosophy books, and manhwa books.
It didn't have the sleek, modern aesthetic of a government office lounge, but it had the vibe of a college club room.
On the wall's whiteboard, old graffiti was still clearly visible.
– The best rescue agent was here
– If you play EDM at my funeral, a dokkaebi will come get you
– We'll never forget our Black Tortoise Team 1
…They were probably messages left by people who could no longer take on missions, never erased, just accumulating over time.
It was the complete opposite of the sleek, personalized solo workstations of Daydream Inc.'s elite teams.
"Haha, one of our retired guys was into home decor and once brought in a haunted painting… Isn't it great? Just sitting here, the work practically finds you!"
"Yes. …It's a very pleasant space."
"..."
Agent Choi, momentarily at a loss for words, gave me a slow smile.
"Right? I told you it was a good team. I wasn't lying."
"..."
"In that sense, well hey, you could totally join our tea—"
"I'm fine, thank you."
That was close. I almost gave him an opening.
"Yeah, yeah! Still got some time left anyway."
Agent Choi guided me over to the sofa, and we sat across from each other, taking a short breather.
Between the two sofas was a table, lumpy and uneven under a tablecloth—probably meant to keep the dust off—but it somehow felt oddly homey.
"Phew! Let's rest a bit until Jaekwan gets back."
"Yes."
"And… here."
Agent Choi suddenly gave a somewhat gentle smile and took out a well-sealed piece of paper from his inner pocket.
…It was the scrap of paper I had given him, the one I'd bought at the manhole market.
Ack.
"Sorry, but there doesn't seem to be any supernatural disaster in the Bureau's database that matches this note."
"..."
Well, of course not. That was just a clue pointing to the location of the lab hidden behind the manhole…
And as if this kind of situation was familiar to him, Agent Choi added a few words, like he was trying to comfort a rookie.
"Maybe… the Bureau just hasn't picked it up yet. These things happen a lot. You've just got to be patient and wait it out."
"..."
"Are you okay with that?"
He was probably asking because what he really meant was: 'Looks like we're not going to be able to save this person.'
But I nodded.
"…Yes, really."
Then, taking a deep breath, I accepted the slip of paper Agent Choi held out.
'To be honest, I've already confirmed the corpse of the researcher I made the transaction with…'
If this were a real situation, I'd probably say something like this.
"Still, I think there's meaning in at least making the attempt."
"..."
Agent Choi didn't respond for a moment.
'…Was that too obvious?'
Just as I started to regret it—
"Hoobae-nim, give that back for a sec."
"…?!"
Agent Choi extended his hand again.
"I'll check one more time. Just once."
Note/s:
[1] The term used was actually 깍두기, which is a kind of kimchi that's made of radish; used as slang to refer to someone who's less popular but allowed to hang out with a group.
-x-X-x-
"Sorry?"
"When you've been around this long, you've got more than just the database. I've got my own tricks too. I'll give it one more shot."
…And so the note returned to Agent Choi.
I felt a bit guilty, but this was a life-or-death matter, so I kept my mouth shut. I'll repay him by working like a mule for the Bureau…
"...Thank you."
"Okay."
This time, Agent Choi didn't say anything like "If you're that thankful, just join our team already."
He just gave a dry chuckle and let it go.
'…Is he going to ask one of his informants?'
Agent Choi had so many exploration records, and that meant he'd crossed paths with plenty of different factions.
Which meant that, in the end, he'd become a character with wide-reaching connections.
So when he said he'd look into it again, it probably meant he was going to check sources outside the Bureau too.
'Well, whatever.'
If he says he'll take a look, that's all it means. Probably just another excuse to try and recruit me into Black Tortoise Team 1…
…Wait a second.
'No way… He's not seriously going to find a ghost story that fits the note, is he?'
Don't tell me this is going to spiral into some ridiculous and implausible plot twist where there really is a matching ghost story… Nah, no way.
Just imagining it made cold sweat trickle down my back. Time to stop.
And right after Agent Choi tucked the note back into his coat, finally, the last agent for today's mission walked through the door of the waiting room.
"Oh, Jaekwan!"
Agent Bronze strode in confidently and took a seat on the sofa.
Yes, this was the person I needed to make a confession to.
I immediately bowed my head.
"Agent Bronze! Um, I'm really sorry…"
"…Huh?"
"You went out of your way to help me, and I totally messed up the field cleanup mission…"
"..."
This was my appeal. Please, give me one more chance.
I haven't given up on the Site Cleanup Unit just yet…!
Agent Bronze let out a quiet sigh and shook his head.
"There's no need to apologize."
"Yeah~ it'd be weirder if someone apologized for obliterating a supernatural disaster!"
"...Agent."
When Agent Bronze glared at him, Agent Choi panicked, whistled, and quickly pulled out the mission briefing papers.
…Thanks to that, I missed my timing to make an appeal. I'll have to wait for another chance.
But since I'd be joining today's mission, another opportunity was bound to come.
"Hoobae-nim, where did I leave off?"
"Ah, you mentioned that today's mission was a three-person job…"
"That's right! And on top of that, someone very reliable will be helping us out today."
Agent Choi pointed to the wall next to the sofa.
There, a translucent curtain hung loosely.
"Our Elder. The Team Leader!"
"..."
Curtain?
I managed to speak.
"…Um, I don't see anything."
"You don't see him, but you believe he's there!"
"..."
"The Elder said, since a new rookie was coming today, he'd definitely lend us a hand."
'Is this some kind of rookie initiation ritual?'
I was starting to get confused.
Was someone actually transformed into that curtain? Is that even possible? I was about to dig through the Dark Exploration Records in my head when Agent Choi nudged me to stand in front of the curtain politely.
"Jaekwan stands here, and you, rookie, stand in the center… Perfect."
Agent Bronze, me, and Agent Choi.
Then Agent Choi stepped forward and pulled the curtain aside.
Light poured through the curtain.
"…!!"
Behind the translucent curtain was, surprisingly, a glass window that hadn't been visible before.
Of course, since we were underground, we couldn't see outside. But instead, a mystical, aurora-like glow shimmered beyond the glass.
Rippling like rice paper doors, the glass flickered with sacred, almost divine light.
"Pretty cool, right? Apparently it's made with some kind of magical glass… I don't really know the details."
Agent Choi smiled as he approached.
"The important thing is, this is how the Elder watches over this place!"
The Elder.
"The Elder… who exactly is he?"
"Told you already. Our Team Leader here at Black Tortoise Team 1!"
Surprisingly, even Agent Bronze didn't object. Which meant that it was true.
"Jaekwan. That."
Agent Bronze quietly removed the cloth covering the table between the sofas.
Whoosh.
Revealed underneath… was food.
'Buckwheat jelly… and raw chocolate?'
What kind of combination is that supposed to be?
"Alright. Wave your hands."
Agent Choi enthusiastically raised both his hands. Agent Bronze followed, so I hurried to raise mine too.
"Wishing you many blessings again today, Elder!"
Then we all bowed deeply toward the window.
"…?!"
"We humbly ask for your guidance on today's mission."
I was so thrown off—I had never read about anything like this in the Dark Exploration Records.
Still, I bowed along like a proper rookie.
And the moment I stood up…
"…!!"
My body started shrinking.
My viewpoint lowered, my arms and legs got smaller. Everything around me seemed just a bit larger and slightly wobbly.
No, it was my head that was wobbling! Compared to my now-shrunken body, my relatively large head tilted for a moment, struggling to balance.
"Huh."
Even my voice had changed. And then…
The transformation stopped.
"..."
"..."
Only two things in my vision remained the same size as before.
The two people beside me.
"All set. Thank you, Elder."
I turned my head.
In Agent Choi's spot stood an elementary school kid, examining me as if checking me over.
No, I mean— it was Agent Choi, just younger!
His mischievous grin and relaxed air were still there, just on a child's face.
"Are you alright?"
Across from me stood the child version of Agent Bronze. Same stiff demeanor… No, wait.
'Oh my god.'
I looked down at my own hands.
Even my dokkaebi flame arm had shrunk down to match my reduced size, waving excitedly instead of giving a thumbs-up.
"Alright. Mission prep complete."
"..."
"Today's supernatural disaster… can only be entered normally by the children of the New Nation."
"..."
"So now we've all become exactly eight years old!"
I think I'm going to lose my mind.
-x-X-x-
Rejuvenation.
It's the dream of humankind, but no one has succeeded through science yet, so in reality, no one has truly experienced becoming younger.
But in this ghost story world, I am experiencing it… that very rejuvenation!
…Though my height has been cut in half, mind you.
"Achoo—"
"Hey, be careful. Kids get cold easily, you know."
I fell into momentary silence as I watched Agent Choi grinning under a blanket.
It was so absurd that I was speechless.
'This doesn't feel real.'
I'm… eight years old!
Being in the body of a lower-grade elementary schooler felt bizarre.
All those cartoon protagonists who instantly adapted to being kids again were total liars. A child's senses were magnified several times over, and their stamina surged in strange ways.
I thought I'd waddle clumsily because of the shorter reach, but to my surprise, I didn't.
"It's because it's a dokkaebi trick," explained Agent Bronze smoothly.
Of course, that's only a clear explanation if you're a veteran of the
So I responded as expected.
"D-Dokkaebi trick…?"
"You can think of it as a supernatural phenomenon that deceives reality. It's not a Disaster, and it can't be used for anything malicious. It's a 'trick', after all."
Hmm. That was a pretty good explanation.
I glanced at the dokkaebi flame embedded in my arm and recalled the
========================
Dokkaebi Trick
A mysterious ability used by some agents of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.
Occasionally manifests when an agent is issued a spiritual item tied to dokkaebi lore.
Abilities drawn from traditional dokkaebi myths—like transformation, concealing objects, showing illusions, or conjuring fire from thin air—may appear depending on the compatibility with the agent.
========================
"As you might've guessed, the Disaster Management Bureau is quite deeply tied to the dokkaebi. So, you can just assume that the team leader of Black Tortoise Team 1 also uses a dokkaebi trick."
He's telling me outright that there's deeper lore and that I'll learn it once I've put in more time. Much appreciated…
"Oops, Jaekwan-ah, you're saying too much! What should we do, hoobae-nim? You might get your memory wiped!"
"..."
"Hiing. You didn't fall for it."
Agent Bronze pressed a finger to his temple. Seeing a child make such a world-weary expression was incredibly uncanny…
"If Agent Choi… says something not directly related to the mission, you don't have to respond."
"Hey! That's too harsh. Fine, I'll stick to mission talk!"
Agent Choi's grumbling was slightly less annoying in child form.
"Anyway, so a dokkaebi trick is, at its core, an illusion~ We're not really children of the New Nation, so don't forget that."
"Yes."
Okay, I get what you're saying…
"But senses fool the body, and the body fools the mind."
Agent Choi leaned in with a sly smile.
Wearing the face of a child but making an adult expression—it was eerie and vaguely unsettling.
"While you're in this form, your emotions will be harder to control, your fitness will surge, and your strength will be weaker."
Because you're a child.
"That's why it's a two-person team job. When you've got another child-like teammate nearby, it grounds you. You try to take care of each other, and that brings out your adult self a bit more."
"..."
Makes sense.
"A trick is just a trick. Make sure you don't get swallowed by it!"
"Yes…! I'll be careful!"
"Aigoo, our rookie gives such good answers."
Around then, the Disaster Management Bureau's transport vehicle stopped.
Due to the constraints of our new physical forms, bicycles weren't an option. This time, a van was assigned to transport us.
The destination was quite far, after all.
"We've arrived."
Tak.
The door opened, revealing…
Shwaaaaa…
The sea.
On a chilly early spring day, the beach without sunlight felt somber and majestic.
If someone said a ghost story about children going missing happened here, anyone would nod without question…
"Not there. Over here."
"…?!"
I turned my head to follow Agent Choi's gesture.
It was… an old, massive seafood restaurant.
'Holy shit.'
A huge neon sign with a tail-flicking amberjack shimmered boldly overhead. Extremely avant-garde.
But taped to the glass door was a notice.
[Closed Today]
Nevertheless, the three of us children approached the door and placed our hands on the handle.
"We're about to enter the Ocean Palace."
* * *
Entry location.
A children's playroom attached to large seafood restaurants or fish markets dealing in marine life.
The playroom must have a floor area exceeding 49㎡ and must contain a red cylindrical slide.
Additionally, murals related to an underwater kingdom must be visibly present on the walls.
(When murals in such playrooms were replaced, distorted and vaguely similar underwater images began appearing irregularly. Complete prevention of entry is presumed to be impossible.)
"Confirmed."
"Good."
With his now-shorter arms, Agent Bronze pushed aside some toys, revealing a wallpaper-style poster underneath.
The Mermaid Princess, smiling fish, coral, clams, and a cute shell-shaped castle.
Next to it sat a red slide-like playground structure and a ball pit.
"Whoa, nostalgic. Places like this really never disappear. I guess the demand's consistent?"
"Enough chit-chat. Let's get ready."
"Yessir."
Even the bickering sounded more endearing in children's voices.
"Hoobae-nim, you read the instructions, right?"
"…Yes."
"Good. Let's do this."
Following the others, I stood at the base of the red slide.
Entry method.
With eyes closed, climb up the slide from the bottom.
During this process, you must hold a strong desire to enter the underwater kingdom depicted on the wallpaper.
Possessing a related item (e.g., a seashell) increases the likelihood of success.
Then, recite the incantation.
"Twinkle twinkle, Ocean Palace, I've moved into the Ocean Palace."
With eyes shut, we entered the cold, smooth black tunnel of the slide.
The incantation appears irregularly in the form of graffiti on the walls or floor of playrooms that meet the entry conditions.
At times, it is found illustrated in detail under the title 'How to Go to the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace' on bonus pages of comic books placed within the playroom.
"Twinkle twinkle, Ocean Palace, I've moved into the Ocean Palace."
I kept climbing upward.
From in front and behind, high and clear children's voices echoed as they repeated the chant.
A strange feeling.
It was dark.
We kept chanting.
"Twinkle twinkle, Ocean Palace, I've moved into the Ocean Palace."
The slide wouldn't end.
Instead, the incline grew steeper and steeper, until I had to cling to it just to keep climbing.
I could hear the kids panting behind me. It felt like I might cry, but I held it in.
If the incline begins to steepen precariously, this indicates that the entry ritual has succeeded.
There are no recorded outcomes for individuals who fail to maintain their grip and slide back down at this stage.
How much time passed?
Eventually, I found myself clinging as if to a cliff.
"Twinkle twinkle, Ocean Palace…!!"
Then, I dropped forward.
"Ack!"
Just like falling off a cliff, or plunging down a rollercoaster.
My small body tumbled downward.
"Hicc!"
When the little body couldn't take it anymore and let out a scream, the moment I opened my eyes—
I saw a fantastical sight.
T/N: Just so you know, the term used for 'Ocean Palace' could also be translated as 'Dragon Palace' ¯_(ツ)_/¯
-x-X-x-
"…!!"
A city out of a dream.
Bathed in golden light, a vast blue sky—or rather, waves of aurora light flowed across the void above.
No, not the sky. It was the ocean.
Beneath the dazzling, undulating sea were golden pipes and ivory-brick houses lining elegant, fairy tale-like streets.
Sparkling coral reefs, colorful streamers and decorations. Golden speakers, ornate floral and wave-patterned metalwork shimmered from every streetlamp.
And high above, a beautiful palace adorned with pearls and gold in shimmering hues of blue.
"Ah…!"
Somehow, I was no longer falling.
I floated, gently drifting downward like flying through a dream, toward the stunning golden city below.
Drifting.
The two children who had come with me floated beside me.
As we descended, the city's central white fountain came into view, and a banner rippled above it in gold, blue, and red.
To Our Newest Children Moving In
Welcome To The
Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace!
And then.
"A new friend!"
"Wow, more came!"
More than twenty children came rushing down the beautiful boulevard beneath the banner.
All of them were smiling from ear to ear.
Clean, pretty hair and clothes. Dressed like fairy tale princes and princesses, like the stars of a birthday party.
"Three of them came?"
"I like this one!"
"…!"
When one child grabbed Agent Bronze's arm, he flinched in alarm, but the child just giggled brightly.
Laughter and glittering euphoria filled the air.
"Where… is this place?"
"This is Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace! It's sooo much fun! It's really great!"
The child chattering to me beamed and began leading the way.
Like they had nothing in the world to worry about.
Like their parents had sent them to some amazing camp, and they were making new friends in paradise.
But…
"..."
These children.
They're all missing persons.
All living entities confirmed within the scope of this supernatural disaster are presumed to be missing children.
Verified age range spans from 5 to 11 years old. The majority display expressions of deep euphoria and contentment.
"Ahahaha!"
The children burst into laughter as they led us, running down the grand street, trying to get us to the palace in one go.
Still, like kids, they were easily distracted, looking around at everything.
"Look at this, look!"
Throughout the street, there were decorative dolls with gears winding inside them, moving slightly.
Golden signs dangled from above.
Children,
Please take your honey!
There was a drinking fountain built into the belly of a colorful toy soldier with a comical expression.
When the faucet was turned, honey actually poured out.
"If you carefully fill a bottle and leave it in front of the Mermaid Princess, she'll give you a gift!"
In front of the white ivory statue of the Mermaid Princess at the palace gates, children placed their honey. The statue's base would open and pour out things like amazing toys, clothes, or fairy tale books—the kinds of things they'd always wanted.
Waaaaah!
Children's cheers and laughter rang out.
"Here, for you."
"…Thanks."
A younger-looking child in a blue dress handed me a pair of very nice-looking shoes.
There's a theory that this supernatural disaster is a manifestation of a folk belief, one that stemmed from stories about pitiful children who disappeared near the sea, said to have gone to the Ocean Palace.
"..."
I deliberately held the child's hand and spoke quietly, with a worried tone.
"Um… I need to go see my mom now…"
"Mom? She's coming to get you! Just play here and wait, okay?"
"..."
"You know, my mom's really cool? She's super good at sewing too, and when she gets here, I'll show you first."
Then, she laughed shyly again and ran off down the street.
"..."
…That child will probably never be able to show her mom anything.
– You'll feel like you could just grab them all and take them out the moment you see the kids, right? But you can't get caught up in it. Got it?
I clenched my teeth.
– If you take the wrong one out, the kid dies.
In 'Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace', when rescuing a long-term missing child (over 1,000 days), they vanish like a bubble the moment they return to reality.
You must confirm the date of disappearance beforehand.
But it's reportedly maddeningly difficult.
– …Each time we come, the group of kids we meet changes. But we've even had cases where a kid not seen in the previous year showed proof of having been here over three years.
Time flows chaotically here.
Some children who went missing yesterday in the real world may have already been living here for five years.
Conversely, some children are from far in the past or even from alternate timelines where different events occurred.
That's why you must talk to each child, learn what year they were living in, and confirm whether they're a recent missing person, and only then can you take them out.
The only saving grace is that agents' sense of time hasn't been warped. Likely because, while the 'dokkaebi trick' makes them appear as children, they're still adults inside.
– But we can still be affected by supernatural phenomena just like kids, so staying here too long is dangerous.
Agent Choi, the mission lead, had declared this.
– Two days.
– ...
– We'll spend exactly two days here and leave on the third. Got it? …Honestly, we could hold out longer, but the Bureau says two days, so…
– Agent.
– Yeah! That's why I said only two days.
And so, from now on, the three of us in Black Tortoise Team 1 'must find a child who's been missing in the real world for less than three years'…
…and only that child.
"..."
No good. Maybe it's because I'm in a child's body, but I'm too easily swayed.
"Stay calm…"
I took a deep breath and got to work.
I had to meet as many children as I could in my assigned area within the time limit, to listen to their stories.
And I can proudly say I did my best for those two days.
I spoke with each of the kids who greeted us, and even found the bedrooms where kids who hadn't come out to welcome us were staying.
But…
"…This is the end of this rotation's rescue mission."
"..."
"..."
...We didn't find a single child who met the criteria in two days.
Not one.
"Let's return."
I lowered my head.
"..."
…There are things in life that don't work out, no matter how hard you try.
'I don't know this ghost story.'
Since I'd never seen it in the
It was safest—and right—to follow the rules of the Bureau and the plan laid out by our superior.
'Besides, it'd be dangerous for me to stand out too much right now.'
So this was just…
"Don't wanna!"
...
…?!
Wait.
W-Was that me just now?
"I don't want to! We gotta keep looking!"
…It was me!
"...T-That's."
What made it even worse, my superiors were starting to look distressed, too.
…Because we're in child bodies!