"Anyway, thank you for your help. I nearly had my identity exposed to the Research Team."
"I see."
"When we return to the room, please also make sure the children don't get led away by researchers along the way."
"Yes."
The lizard's lidless eyes stared into space for a moment, then returned to me.
…The children hadn't come out of the bathroom yet, so we still had time for a short conversation.
I hesitated for a moment, then asked,
"Have you been doing well, Squad Leader? I wanted to ask if the new staff in the D-squad are doing alright, and if your explorations into the Darkness have gone well…"
"There are no new staff."
"…!"
"Currently, the D-squad is assigned to single-person entries into Darknesses, and there are no unusual incidents."
"…I see."
…So Lee Jaheon was working alone.
'He's been left in the lurch.'
Just when the squad had been promoted to an elite squad and was about to start trial operations, I, the person who'd been promoted and transferred, went missing and was declared dead.
In the end, the D-squad was left dangling like a kite with its string cut.
So even if the company had been dragging its feet for months, not knowing what to do with the squad, it wouldn't be strange at all…
But because it was so realistic, my mouth felt even more bitter.
'There must have been a lot of rumors.'
Even if Chief Lizard was the type who didn't care about things like that at all.
...
"Um, Squad Leader."
I opened my mouth before I knew it.
"If I make a purchase at the Space Mall, does that help you, Section Chief?"
"Purchases at the Space Mall are not directly related to Section Chief Lee Jaheon's livelihood."
However.
The corner of his mouth drew a slightly friendly curve.
"But it is helpful to us."
It was an odd way of putting it.
'…That reminds me of 'We Can Help!' somehow.'
At any rate, I understood that it provided indirect help.
If that's the case…
"Do I have to use cash to shop there?"
"No."
"…! Then is it possible to barter items?"
"No."
Damn it.
"Then how do I use other payment methods?"
"Use the VIP card. The conversation will end here. Someone is approaching."
I processed his sentences one by one.
Click!
The restroom's frosted glass door slid open and someone entered with brisk steps, coming all the way to the sink.
"Oh~ What fun conversation are you having with the children?"
Kwak Jaekang.
"I showed them to the restroom."
"Ah, bodily functions! Very important~ Especially for children."
Kwak Jaekang, in a white lab coat, bent down to meet my eyes.
'Damn it!'
Feigning fear, I quickly lowered my head and stepped back.
Kwak Jaekang's voice dropped to a whisper, as if offering a secret favor.
"Want to come with me? We'll have delicious snacks, play on the playground with your friends, and get a good rest~"
"..."
"Let's just go with the friends who are here now. Not the others, just you, specially."
"…I wanna see my mommy and daddy."
"Of course! You'll get to see them too."
This bastard, seriously.
"Dun wanna. Ahjussi's scary and ugly …"
"…!!"
Hearing the children coming out, I hid behind Section Chief Lee Jaheon.
"Scary!"
"What's wrong? Why?"
"He's scary!"
"I guess that Ahjussi's scary…"
Children are quick and easy to influence. The mood shifted in an instant, and all of them hesitated, then rushed behind the kind Ahjussi to get away from the scary Ahjussi in the white coat.
"No, I might not look as good as Section Chief Lee, but still, I have my own… Ah, this is embarrassing."
Seeing the lizard with all the children clinging to him, Kwak Jaekang scratched the back of his head.
There was a flash of regret and obsession in his eyes.
"Section Chief Lee, if you're thinking of trying to lure the kids…"
"?"
"You should know your place. Haah."
Clicking his tongue, Kwak Jaekang eventually turned around… and left the restroom.
Creak.
The moment the bathroom door closed, a few of the children let out involuntary sighs of relief.
…I had a thought.
Maybe the children weren't just reacting to the mood, but instinctively sensing someone harmful…
"Let's go."
"Okay."
Section Chief Lee Jaheon once again became the pied lizard and led the children back to the lab.
The agents, who had been nervously watching the door, finally let out short sighs of relief, and the suffocating tension eased just a little.
'…Thank you.'
I gave Section Chief Lee Jaheon a small, inconspicuous bow of gratitude, and he, still wearing that expressionless reptilian face, sat on the sofa and continued to stand guard…
And about an hour or two later—
"…Staff of the Disaster Management Bureau have arrived."
The backup we'd been waiting for had come.
* * *
What happened afterward went more smoothly than expected.
As soon as Agent Choi's urgent message was received, the Disaster Management Bureau dispatched rescue vehicles and came to Daydream Inc., and with everything ready to escalate, even the Research Team had no choice but to step back.
"We'll just take a simple sample. That's nothing harmful to anyone, so it should be fine, right?"
Agent Bronze was about to explode, but in the end, tissue samples from the 'mer-children' were indeed collected…
'They're just scraping some from the cut tail stumps.'
That much wouldn't harm the children.
What concerned me a bit was that they also took some of my own flesh… I'll have to contact Director Ho quickly to make sure it gets handled.
The important thing is—
"Wow!!"
We were finally free from the ghost story.
.
.
"Aigoo, the kids are all asleep."
The children had all fallen asleep.
Loaded into the ambulances sent by the Disaster Management Bureau, the kids were quickly transported to headquarters.
There, they were cleaned up, treated by medical specialists, changed into clean clothes, and given a meal.
Only after that, maybe due to all the accumulated fatigue from their spectacular ordeal, did they finally fall sound asleep.
'…Thank goodness.'
Of course, the agents were finally able to take a hot shower and get a meal, too.
"Grapes finally turned back into an adult, too."
The same went for me.
Thanks to a quick recharge from the dokkaebi flame, my right arm was restored, and my whole body returned to its original adult male form. I sank into the sofa, feeling a rare sense of stability.
For some reason, the lounge of Black Tortoise Team 1 felt more comfortable than ever.
Then again, it always did feel like a cozy school club room, so maybe it was only natural…
"You never know what that company might try next."
"I know."
In my drowsy state, I caught bits of the agents' conversation beside me.
Agent Bronze seemed suspicious that Daydream Inc. might try something else…
"We got a call from the analysis team, by the way… About the drugs the kids were given. Apparently, some bottles had a Daydream potion mixed in, the kind that makes you fall asleep and get transported 'somewhere' else."
"…!"
My mind snapped awake.
"I did notice they were 'selecting' certain bottles for the more heavily mutated kids, so I was keeping an eye on it."
"Have those all been removed now?"
"Of course!"
Phew.
Agent Choi patted me on the shoulder.
"Grapes, you really did well earlier. You even managed to make that not-yet-in-on-the-conspiracy staff member take you to the restroom for real!"
"...Yes."
At that, Agent Bronze was trying desperately not to meet my or Agent Choi's eyes, even by accident.
Thank you, Agent…
"So now… we should go get that fixed, right?"
Hm?
Agent Choi suddenly pointed at me. Or, more precisely… at the half of my face still bearing the traces of ulcers.
Right. Even after returning to my original appearance, the signs of infection hadn't disappeared.
It seemed that the mental contamination from being merged with the ghost story had been cured by the conch shell, which was why I hadn't been as conscious of it until now.
"So if we go to the infirmary…"
"No, there's a faster way than that."
Agent Choi stood up. Agent Bronze followed suit from the sofa without a word, and both turned to me with a smile.
"Let's go meet the Elder."
"...!"
-x-X-x-
The Elder.
The person known as Team Leader of Black Tortoise Team 1.
It was also this Elder, who, through the window of this clubroom-like waiting area, had played a 'dokkaebi trick' for the agents and sent us into the Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace in the forms of children.
'They can't possibly be human.'
I'm almost certain.
So I expected that we would probably visit the Elder by performing some magical ritual through the window in the waiting room.
But things didn't go that way.
"Alright, let's go carefully."
Tak.
We traveled by car.
"…??"
"It's not that far, maybe about forty minutes?"
Maybe I should just be grateful it wasn't by bicycle.
The three agents used, of all things, an ordinary means of transportation, and crossed the city of Seoul toward our destination.
That place was…
[Blue Hope Hospital]
"..."
A white building in a quiet area.
A convalescent hospital.
From the way the staff were all kind and there seemed to be many visitors, it looked like a very well-managed place…
The agents, as if familiar, entered the main entrance without hesitation.
"We're here to visit Park Hongrim."
"Ah! Right this way…"
Going up to the fifth floor, there was a sunlit single room.
And…
There, lying on a bed bathed in the warm glow of sunset from the window, was an elderly person with a peaceful face.
If she had her eyes open, I would have thought of her to be an intelligent and kind person.
Truly… the Elder.
"Grapes-ie. Let's say hello. This is our Elder."
"..."
On the table, there was a picture frame filled with messages written on rolling paper.
Just like in Black Tortoise Team 1's waiting room.
– Hongrim-unnie, love you so so much
– Thank you always
– Leaving a message as your beloved disciple who tracked down and rescued the master of Andong soju for the sake of solidarity with our soju-loving Team Leader
– Our great leader, our Team Leader
Traces of people.
"Grandma, I— Huh?"
Just then, a student entered the room in a hurry and was startled to see us.
"Hello, Agents…!"
"Hey, Yeji-ya. Good to see you. Have you been well?"
"Oh, you know, about the same as always. Now, let's see how our Madam is doing…"
The high school student who seemed to be her granddaughter checked her grandmother's temperature by touching her forehead and then looked up with a smile.
"She must be in a good mood."
"She does look well."
"Haha. Oh, Uncle Jaekwan, have you been well?"
"…Yeah."
The granddaughter and the two agents seemed to know each other, exchanging words naturally, then introduced me.
"This is our new recruit."
"Ah… Nice to meet you."
"Yes, me too…!"
This was no time to be flustered. I hurriedly bowed my head in greeting, and the student also bowed deeply in return.
Then she said,
"…Please take good care of my grandmother."
"..."
For some reason, my chest felt tight.
"I should be the one saying that… I've received so much help from the Team Leader."
"...Yes."
The granddaughter took a deep breath, as if holding back tears, and then smiled brightly.
"Then, I'll step out so you can greet her."
"Alright. Thank you."
Tak.
The hospital room door closed, and silence settled in.
Agent Choi looked at her unconscious Team Leader and gently reached out to straighten her hair.
Still, the Elder did not move.
"There… was an accident."
"..."
"As you know, Grapes, with supernatural disasters, even the slightest mistake can lead to someone dying in the most absurd way, right?"
Agent Choi's voice grew a bit softer.
"They say the last supernatural disaster our Team Leader entered was a real labyrinth, mysterious and bizarre, just all sorts of strange things happened…"
He took a deep breath.
"Her upper body was almost blown away."
"…!"
"Especially her head… I heard nearly half of it was gone."
I instinctively checked the Elder lying on the bed.
…She looked perfectly intact.
"Yeah. But she looks fine now, doesn't she?"
Agent Choi couldn't continue, and like me, just quietly looked at the bed.
…Agent Bronze slowly opened his mouth.
"Team Leader passed the dokkaebi trial and received her own personalized dokkaebi flame lantern."
Ah.
I instinctively looked down at my right arm.
More precisely, at the dokkaebi flame that had replaced it.
– You must want a custom version made, right? That requires a full consecration ritual, which you can't get with this temporary issue. You'd have to pass a dokkaebi's trials, too… Goodness, it's powerful but no easy task.
Could it be.
"So, right now, from the Team Leader's head down to her upper body… more than half has been replaced by a dokkaebi flame."
"…!"
"They say the reason she can't wake up is that the dokkaebi flame is already using too much mystical power, so it can't withstand the causal interference of directly manifesting in reality…"
"..."
I looked at the elderly woman peacefully sleeping on the bed.
…Most likely, forever asleep.
"…That's how our Team Leader became the 'Elder'."
No longer just a human, but a supernatural being. A dokkaebi Elder.
Agent Choi, who'd been staring at the bed alongside me, finally managed to lift his head.
He wore a gentle smile.
"But we know she's always watching over us! In dreams and fantasies."
"...Yes."
"Let's greet her, then. …Elder! We came to offer our thanks, and to introduce our new recruit as well."
Agent Choi patted me on the shoulder.
"See? I told you this one would do well. He really did a great job. I'm sure you've already seen it yourself."
At this point, I couldn't say I had no intention of joining this team.
I wondered for a second if Agent Choi had planned even this, but looking at his soft smile, that didn't seem to be the case.
"..."
With Agent Bronze's guidance, I stepped up right to the bedside.
"…Hello, Elder."
And I bowed deeply and respectfully.
"I'm the new recruit who just joined."
At that moment.
[Grapes-ie.]
"…!"
I raised my head.
Everyone else in the hospital room had vanished without me noticing.
And instead of sunset, a brilliant full moon shone into the room from the window.
There…
[You did very well.]
A gentle, softly glowing flame was stroking my hair.
No, something with a warmth like flame, but also with the sense of body heat… a fragment of the Elder.
Warmth and an image.
I blinked.
"Am I… dreaming?"
[Yes. Your weary journey has made you doze off for a bit. Come, sit here for a while…]
A familiar hand took hold of mine.
My eyes drifted closed.
Before I knew it, I was leaning against the bed, receiving the Elder's comforting pat on my back…
"…Do you—"
The words came out suddenly.
"Do you really think I did well?"
[Of course!]
[You did your very best, and thanks to you, the children came back alive and smiling. That's all because of your efforts, and your good fortune.]
"..."
[Don't be so hard on yourself. No one else could have done better than you. Even if you went back, you couldn't have done it better than you did.]
For some reason, I felt choked up.
To be emotionally supported by someone had a power that shook a tired heart.
'But…'
A suspicion came over me.
'It feels like she knows my real identity.'
I'd felt it in the previous conversation with the Elder, too. She seemed to know all about the items I had.
'Maybe it's because this is a dream.'
She must already know about me.
Then, maybe, is this also a ploy to make a spy let down their guard?
Rather than suspicion, it was a strange feeling, closer to disappointment.
Like realizing your grandmother had some hidden motive for being so kind to you…
And anxiety.
But…
[And really, who in this world has no secrets? Who is without fault?]
Once again, the hand patted my back.
[The important thing is to always keep a little light burning in your heart. If you ever realize, 'Ah, I've lost my way,' then sometimes you need to check your footing so you can turn back.]
"…Thank you."
I steadied my breath.
[Yes. I've become an old woman for whom it's hard enough to know even those in my own care… Life is so complicated, with all its quarrels and troubles, I don't really understand much of it.]
It was a gentle way of saying she wouldn't reveal my true affiliation to the Disaster Management Bureau.
…Or about my suspiciousness.
"..."
The hand patting my back lifted away.
There was a hint of excitement in the gesture.
[But the elderly have their own kind of wisdom, you know. And…]
[They have gifts to give, too.]
Before I knew it, I'd sat up and was perched on the edge of the bed.
As always in dreams, the context had shifted, but it didn't feel strange. Because this was a dream.
And this gentle request as well.
[Take your trinket out of your pocket, would you?]
"..."
Before I knew it, I'd taken the item out of my pants pocket.
A round accessory marked with an X.
Memorial Popsocket
The item that let me read the
But it had cracked, so I hadn't been able to use it anymore.
[Ah, I remember this.]
[All the kids put these on everything these days, the administrators must be so upset. The dokkaebis didn't even throw a party for eight days just to make one of those.]
A hearty and kindly laugh.
[But this one is… a little different, I think. Let's see…]
The Elder put on her reading glasses and peered at my popsocket.
In the crack of the popsocket, the adhesive left by the government agent pretending to be a dokkaebi in the dokkaebi workshop was still there.
"Um. He said that adhesive would set within a month… but even though a lot of time has passed, it hasn't changed at all."
[Hmm? Ah… I see. Since that fellow wasn't a real dokkaebi, just a human in disguise, it's no wonder he didn't know.]
[That person is more of a strange creature. But it looks like they were imitating something from our workshop.]
[But if you treat something made by street riffraff like a knockoff, things just won't work out.]
The Elder infused the popsocket with fire.
"…!"
The popsocket, which had been burning brightly, suddenly sparkled as if all the old grime was scrubbed away, and the crack disappeared.
[There you go, it's now properly bonded.]
"…! Thank you…"
[But the important step isn't finished yet.]
[You have to make a wish for what you want it to become.]
"…!"
Come to think of it, I'd heard that at the dokkaebi workshop, too.
– Wish for what form you'd like it to take. Then, it'll transform into a splendid trinket!
But things had been moving so frantically that I'd barely paid attention to that part.
'This time, I'll try to be conscious of it.'
I politely put the popsocket back into my pocket.
"Thank you."
[Grapes, you really are so polite.]
I could feel a look of fond satisfaction.
She patted my head again.
It felt as if the warm fire seeped into my entire body, burning away all pain and contamination…
[This old woman would love to give you a dried persimmon, but… it seems our time is up.]
Huh?
[Your drowsiness is wearing off!]
"..."
I opened my eyes.
Before I knew it, my head was nearly bumping into the bed in the hospital room, and I reflexively straightened up.
A person startled awake from a nap.
"…!"
I quickly raised my head.
I saw the two agents looking back at me, smiling.
And… the Elder, still lying sound asleep in bed.
"Did you greet her properly?"
"…Yes."
The clock in the hospital room showed the same time as when I'd entered.
I had literally just 'nodded off' for a moment.
And even in such a brief nap, a dream had visited.
"..."
I looked down at myself.
The tumors and ulcers that had sprung up across my body… were all gone.
"…Thank you."
I bowed deeply toward the sleeping Elder. The agents smiled and patted my back.
"Then we'll come again next time, Elder!"
I followed the two agents out of the hospital room.
The Elder, still peacefully sleeping with her eyes closed, seemed to be seeing us off…
"How was it? She's a wonderful person, isn't she?"
"...Yes."
"Told you so. We're really lucky when it comes to people. Our team~ Maybe Grapes also got some luck with superiors, huh?"
This time, Agent Choi's confident assurance didn't feel annoying at all.
I slipped my hand into my pocket. I could feel the popsocket, now perfectly fixed.
"..."
"For now, just rest well. Think about things like the report tomorrow. The Site Cleanup Unit already went, and all the kids are asleep anyway."
"Please get home safely."
"Yes… Thank you."
I bowed my head and thanked the two agents as well.
They rode off across the road on the bicycles they'd brought with them.
Only after they'd disappeared did I raise my head.
"...Huu."
It was amazing.
'At least I gained something from all this.'
I never expected to get the Memorial Popsocket repaired like this.
'So… does that mean I'm supposed to make a wish until it activates?'
.
.
Alright, now what I have to do is…
"…Contact Director Ho."
…I have to clean up the mess that broke out at Daydream Inc...
'This is seriously making me want to cry.'
Didn't Agent Choi just say I had great luck when it came to bosses?
I don't think so.
'Ah, please.'
I squeezed my eyes shut and picked up my smartphone.
Please let this get cleaned up quickly…!
* * *
"Hey, I don't think this rumor is going to be contained."
Agent Choi smirked as he slapped his direct junior on the back.
Ryu Jaekwan held back a sigh and half-heartedly dodged his hand.
"It's dangerous, sir."
"Eyy, I'm a bicycle master."
After telling Agent Grapes to rest up, they headed back to HQ to file their report, just the two of them, chatting as they rode their bikes.
"What do you mean, the rumor can't be contained?"
"What else? It's about Grapes."
"…!"
They'd gone out for a regular rescue in a supernatural disaster and managed to save every single child, and might have even ended the disaster itself.
And to think, this miraculous achievement happened right after a new recruit joined the team.
"When coincidence repeats twice, it starts being called skill."
And if this new recruit had even just completely ended a supernatural disaster while working with the Site Cleanup Unit before?
Then the probationary period for new recruits doesn't matter anymore.
His aptitude score just blasted through the ceiling…!
"Congratulations on your assignment to Black Tortoise Team 1. Hahaha!"
"..."
Ryu Jaekwan pressed his fingers to one temple.
The one saving grace was that the Disaster Management Bureau was generous when it came to investing in equipment for talented people.
'…Maybe things really will get safer.'
At this rate, it seemed like even a custom dokkaebi flame lantern wasn't far off… If not, at least Grapes would be able to get some more gear.
The only concern was whether he had attracted too much attention.
'…Let's hope the rumors don't get exaggerated in some weird direction.'
He decided to keep an eye on things.
Ryu Jaekwan sighed and pressed down on his bicycle pedals.
"Let's go, Jaekwan-ah~"
For reference, this speculation was taking place in a completely different direction within a different faction…
.
.
At the same time, in an office at Daydream Inc.
"Lord Cat!"
BANG!
An employee from the Field Exploration Team, wearing a pony mask, banged on the table and conducted a vivid interview with the Research Team.
"The Great Lord Cat was in that Darkness! The all-knowing, all-powerful Lord Cat!"
For reference, the Research Team was in total chaos.
It was because the 'Mermaid Grave'—which used to yield only C-grade Dream Essence—had just produced B-grade or higher essence.
A crazy anomaly!
And to make things worse, the Disaster Management Bureau had spirited away all the mer-children, and the agents had dashed off in a hurry.
So, now lacking research material, the Research Team was furiously extracting every possible statement from the Field Exploration Team members who had entered at the time.
And… this is what the testimonies had in common.
"It was a monster! A monster! Please, save me!"
"I don't know… The letters I saw? Were they really there? Maybe I was just seeing things… I was terrified, but I did my best for the clear."
"The GreatLordCatIsWatchingUsLettingUsOut!WeHaveToSaveTheChildren!"
Multiple employees have reported observing an anomalous entity manifesting as a black cat (hereafter referred to as 'The Black Cat').
Documented effects include: induction of panic and madness, brainwashing, physical transformation, causal distortion, reality manipulation, and collective mind control. These abilities exhibit anomalous characteristics that are not currently explainable by conventional means.
"Yes. It did help with the clear this time, but… I don't know what might happen if we meet it somewhere else."
Attempts to determine the entity's objective or intent have been inconclusive. Certain Field Exploration Team personnel reported that the entity appeared to be attempting to seize control of the ghost story (Qterw-C-1642); however, these accounts are classified as unreliable.
Notably, the prevailing hypothesis is that an entity of greater transcendence than Qterw-C-1642 irregularly intervened within this instance of Darkness. This hypothesis is considered highly plausi
"I want to avoid it as much as possible."
Accordingly, the entity designated as 'The Black Cat' has been assigned a unique Darkness identification code.
Designation : Qterw-A-1845
And so began the real chaos.
The very night I escaped from the Mermaid Grave—
I was able to meet Director Ho immediately at the usual Fox Counseling Room's waiting area.
And…
"Goodness, you must have had a rough time, Soleum-nim! Don't worry about the bodily tissue that was harvested from you. I'll recover it right away."
"…Yes. Thank you."
The conversation was wrapping up much more smoothly than I'd expected…
'Is it really this easy?'
Honestly, even though it wasn't my fault, and this wasn't even a routine report, just the fact that I was having an emergency meeting with a director at my rank was enough to make me break out in a cold sweat.
But Director Ho listened to my story with great interest, and even clapped his hands in delight.
The only moment he indirectly showed any discomfort was just once.
"So that's why the Disaster Management Bureau's support team ended up coming all the way to company headquarters."
Shit.
"Ah, I'm not complaining to you, Soleum-nim! It's just… they're such a hypocritical group, all surface and no substance… I instinctively feel uncomfortable getting too close to them."
"..."
And this from someone who planted a corporate spy in there?
And honestly… personality-wise, aren't they on a completely different level compared to Daydream Inc.?
'Shouldn't our company at least pretend to have some self-awareness…'
It was almost bizarre, the level of revulsion he showed toward the Disaster Management Bureau.
"If my personal feelings made you uncomfortable, I apologize, Soleum-nim."
"Not at all, sir."
In any case, the conversation itself flowed smoothly, and Director Ho brought things to a gentle close.
"In any case, please don't worry about this sort of issue. If anything comes up, just let me know anytime!"
And then…
"Is there anything else that's bothering you?"
I'd been waiting for this.
'…The mood's not bad right now.'
And we were alone.
You have to ask while you can. As I poured some more hot water into Director Ho's green tea, I spoke.
"It's not exactly discomfort, but… there is something I'm concerned about."
"Please, speak freely."
Director Ho nodded with an expression that said, 'I'm so sorry you have a concern.'
So I explained.
"There's a Darkness I need to enter as soon as possible."
"..."
About Cheerful Theme Park.
I didn't specifically mention the blue mascot there, but since getting 'marked' by strange beings during ghost story explorations was pretty common, Director Ho would have easily understood the situation.
"I nearly died, but when I promised, 'I'll come back next time', it let me go."
My follow-up explanation made sense too.
At the time, I'd still been working for the company, so naturally I thought I'd be able to re-enter 'Cheerful Theme Park' whenever necessary. But after things turned out like this, I couldn't get in anymore.
'You're the one who assigned me this spy job.'
And from what I knew of Director Ho's personality, this level of request would be no problem.
"Cheerful Theme Park, huh…"
Director Ho beamed.
"Don't worry. I'll arrange for you to be able to visit as quickly as possible!"
As expected.
"Thank you. I was really worried that if I couldn't get in within a month or two, personal complications would make it impossible for me to keep doing my job…"
I nodded seriously.
"Thanks to your help, Director, I'll be able to focus on my work without worries."
So please make it happen within a month.
If not, I might drop dead, spy or not.
I trust that message got across.
"Of course. It'll be ready soon. Don't worry."
He was so refreshingly decisive in matters like this, and it was comforting.
Because he's competent.
'Maybe… he's actually not a bad boss at all, as long as you don't hit his berserk button…'
Maybe the only reason I've had a hard time is that I was always assigned to jobs that made me dance on that crazy button…?
For the first time, I could relate to what the Section Chief from the review team once said: 'Director Ho is actually a pretty decent superior.'
"Thank you."
With that, the emergency report began to wind down.
Director Ho would soon say he had to head back in and get up from his seat, and I was about to see him off and get ready to leave quickly.
"Oh, by the way, there's something I wanted to ask you…"
As he was just about to stand, Director Ho looked gave me a scrutinizing gaze.
"You haven't been using the Fox Counseling Room, have you?"
"..."
Uuugh.
"If you use the counseling room, you don't have to worry about running into other employees. I'd really like you to use it actively and heal your contamination and psychological trauma."
Like hell I will.
'No matter how I look at it, this place feels like it's connected to you…!'
Just look at how the place is always coincidentally on break whenever I come to make a report.
At this point, I could believe Director Ho pays commissions to the counselor to steal information from the employee sessions.
One thing's certain. This space—this ghost story—is definitely under Director Ho's authority.
That's exactly why I'd been deliberately avoiding the Fox Counseling Room.
'It's just too awkward.'
Even though the last time I had a session there, it was actually very helpful.
And besides, the Elder had just burned away all traces of my contamination, so I probably don't even need to go now.
But since I couldn't say any of that out loud, I just nodded my head.
"Yes. I'll try. But, this space, including the Fox Counseling Room, is still a Darkness, and that person isn't a real counselor, so…"
I was about to finish by saying, 'I'll keep that in mind.'
"But it's real."
"…!"
"It's a 'real counselor'."
Director Ho's usual gentle tone disappeared.
A voice, flat and almost emotionless, came out.
"Because he's a Darkness, he's even more strictly bound by the professional code of a counselor. He knows exactly what he's doing and has the pride of a true expert."
"..."
"So I just want you to know, you can trust the Fox Counseling Room's doctor!"
"…Yes."
"And… he's been very concerned about the state of Client Kim Soleum, too."
"..."
Tap tap. Director Ho patted my shoulder in encouragement.
"Then, I'll be heading in. See you again at the next regular report, Soleum-nim!"
"Yes, Director."
And with that, the emergency report ended.
'…The Fox Counseling Room and Director Ho.'
And Director Ho was a character not even detailed in the Dark Exploration Records.
…For some reason, I feel like there's more to him that's hidden. I want to look into it further, but…
'Yeah. Focus on the Wish Ticket.'
Let's not forget: never let the means replace the end.
Just finish this spy job, claim the wish token, and go home. That's all that matters.
…In that sense, I might have gotten a little too wrapped up in this 'Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace' ghost story, desperately trying to get all the children out safely…
"Phew."
But there was an extra reward.
"The Dream Essence grade went up."
I looked at the elite team collector, which was now full of golden liquid.
Glittering Dream Essence, B-grade or higher.
Given that the original Mermaid Grave was C-grade, this is an irregularity.
'Maybe dragging out the core of that biohazard was what raised the grade.'
It's possible.
And while I was at it, I took out the Research Team's potion I'd secretly stashed in the tattoo on my wrist and squeezed it into a plastic bottle.
It was a recovery potion meant to be given separately to children with heavy contamination or foreign elements.
'If you drink this, you get transported to 'somewhere' the Research Team set up, right?'
It's probably one of the Research Team's experimental spaces, but just in case, I won't throw it away. I'll keep it for now.
With a sigh of relief, I returned the potion—bottle and all—into my tattoo.
And I rummaged through the space again.
'Good thing all the items in the tattoo-subspace are kept separate from each other.'
If not, I might have gotten this tag card contaminated too.
I am a Space Shopping Mall VIP!
~ Special Gratitude Cells Included ~
I even found, tucked away in the tattoo, the golden card I'd gotten a few months ago, hand-delivered by an alien shop's delivery tentacle.
The 'VIP card' that Section Chief Lee Jaheon mentioned is probably this, right?
'Hmm.'
I examined the card-letter more closely, running my fingers over it.
Then, inside the slightly thick card stock, I could feel something thin layered inside.
"…!"
Carefully, I peeled back a layer of the card paper, and inside, a small… chip-like object appeared, sealed inside.
'…It looks like a SIM card.'
There was a sticker in rounded font attached to it.
Cell Meal Anywhere!
Healthy And Peaceful Purchase
※ Fast Connection to a Customer Service Agent Guaranteed ※
"..."
Please, just hire a professional translator...
'Meal…'
So this chip is a 'cell', and… I'm supposed to eat it? 'Healthy and peaceful purchase'?
'Somehow this reminds me of talking with Chief Lizard.'
It's the sort of translation error you get when someone isn't familiar with modern culture.
Still, I decided to try using this 'cell' if it ever comes down to it.
'…Chief Lizard isn't the type to endanger others with lies or tricks, after all.'
If anything, it's more reasonable to worry about my head getting smashed by brute force.
"All sorted."
I finished the accounting and raised my head.
Anyway, for now, I have the most convenient usable items on hand, so I'll use those up first.
'Cheerful Research Institute's potion.'
Right.
At this moment, I was back at the research lab hidden beneath a manhole cover in the middle of the night.
'It's even scarier at night.'
But the Dream Essence in the Dream Incubator, sparkling in a dazzling hue, made it a bit better.
DE 00128313
I injected all the B-grade Dream Essence I obtained this time into it.
The number increased.
DE 00143126
'So, a B-grade is about fifteen grand or so.'
You could say it's equivalent to a bottle a half of a potion, but there's actually a catch here.
The cost is different depending on which button you press.
The first one I drew cost 10,000 points, but the second one was 20,000 points.
'It might depend on how many stars it has.'
The first one I drew, 'Detective Syrup', had 3 stars, and the next, 'Surprise Syrup', had 4 stars.
These stars…
'They definitely represent a difference in performance.'
The 4-star potion even worked, if only briefly, on a biological disaster.
But if you convert it one-to-one with Daydream's welfare points, these potions were still more expensive than Daydream's.
'Maybe it's just that this Dream Incubator is an early model and not very efficient.'
But on the other hand, it seemed to produce more potent syrups, closer to raw essence, than Daydream's potions.
In any case.
'You don't know how much will be deducted until you press the button and draw a potion.'
Not very user-friendly, was it.
'It would have been nice to have research logs or something.'
The security sergeant said he'd look into it for me, but there's still no special news.
I'll wait a little longer. There might be more functions hidden in this Dream Incubator…
Anyway, since I've been using it quite usefully, I decided I'll visit every week to collect a potion.
And now, the time to choose.
🥰🥸🤯🧐🤪🥱
"Hmm."
There is a way to safely draw a potion whose effects have already been verified…
'But maybe it's better to be more prepared before entering the theme park.'
If I can verify the effect, it's better to do so quickly, while I have the chance. Who knows if there are even more useful ones.
For now, I'll use all the means available to me to pick out the most useful one.
'Association and reasoning.'
With that in mind, the button I chose to check this time is…
'The one that, compared to Daydream Inc.'s potions, is the most expensive and has the best effect.'
🥰 🥸 🤯🧐🤪🥱
Clatter.
"Good."
At the same time that 30,000 points were deducted, a small glass bottle filled with syrup emerged from the dispenser.
I took the shimmering teal liquid.
Disguise Syrup for Kids
(Green Grape Flavor)
★★★★★
An expensive potion. Bull's eye.
-x-X-x-
The next day—
I took a whole day off, just as the agents told me I could, and only went into work late the following day.
"Agent Grapes, thank you for your hard work."
And, thankfully, thanks to the members of Black Tortoise Team 1, who had already finished almost all of the situation report, I was able to wrap up the 'Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace' work with just a few simple answers.
'Thank you so much I could cry.'
I received all sorts of compliments from the agents.
And then…
Good news, too.
"They've already found the guardians of more than half the children."
"...!"
"Since the entry method was so unique, it looks like there were a lot of similar cases already in our database."
"There were no cases of rescued citizens vanishing, either. …As of 7PM last night, we've confirmed all rescues."
The faces of the Black Tortoise Team 1 agents speaking glowed with rare delight.
…I probably wasn't much different.
"And, and— Want to hear another piece of surprising news? …Someone on a neighboring team found a younger sibling who went missing back in 1989."
"...!"
"There are quite a few agents here who signed up hoping for just that."
To find missing family.
"Thanks to you, that agent finally got to see their years of searching rewarded, and can sleep easy at night. Together with their family."
"..."
"So, how do you feel?"
How do I feel?
An agent who joined here after searching for their sibling for decades.
Someone who, after finally learning where their sibling disappeared, couldn't rescue them because of distorted time.
To hear that person finally found their sibling, safe and sound?
'My god.'
A powerful, overwhelming wave swept over me, like a chill running down the back of my neck.
This isn't just a sense of accomplishment.
'So this is why people do this work.'
It was dangerous.
If I'm not careful, I might actually start working here with a real sense of duty.
'…No.'
I gripped my once-missing right hand tightly.
I have to go home.
That has to be my only goal.
Already, I've survived more brushes with death than I can count. For someone who used to only experience ghost stories as content in a world without them, there's no way I can live here with my sanity intact.
'The end and the means to reach it. I must not confuse the two.'
I took a deep breath and tried to calm my heart.
But my excited heart didn't completely settle.
"Anyway, really, you did a great job."
Agent Choi, who had been listing off rewards that fit a successful investigation, smiled and patted me on the back.
"Oh, Grapes, you're still in your rookie period, so you have to move on to your next assignment, right?"
"Yes. They'll assign me to a different mission."
"Alright. I've kept you too long. Good luck with your work~!"
I parted with the waving Agent Choi and followed behind Agent Bronze.
Thankfully, he didn't try to recruit me to the Black Tortoise Team again.
Good. Being on the Dispatch & Rescue Unit… I don't think I could keep doing this kind of work. Not emotionally.
'Ha.'
Suppressing a sigh, I walked after Agent Bronze.
And the place he led me to was…
[Preliminary Investigation Unit, White Tiger Team 2]
[1]
This was the team Go Yeongeun was on.
"Soleum-ssi!"
As soon as I entered the office, one delighted Go Yeongeun jumped up from her seat when she saw me.
Reflexively, I glanced at Agent Bronze.
He was smiling, albeit faintly. It seemed he had specifically arranged for me to join this team, out of consideration for the fact that we knew each other from Looky Mart…
"Today there's no fieldwork, so you don't need to work in pairs with anyone. You can just work in this office. …If you have any problems, come find us in Black Tortoise Team 1's waiting room."
"…Yes. Thank you."
I was truly grateful.
And the fact that it wasn't fieldwork made me feel even more at ease.
'Today is a bit of a breather, huh.'
Of course, I'll do my best to show I'm someone who fits right in with the Preliminary Investigation Unit.
After bowing my head to the departing Agent Bronze, I entered the office with Go Yeongeun-ssi.
It looked just like a clean, standard office, and was still pretty quiet.
"Everyone else is out in the field right now, so I'm the only one here, but when they get back, we can greet them together."
"Yes. Understood."
I added, with a hint of hope,
"I look forward to your guidance. Who knows, I might end up being officially assigned to this unit and working with you."
"Ah, um…"
…??
Go Yeongeun somehow trailed off at her answer.
Why such an ominous reaction…?
"…Did I do something wrong?"
"No! It's not that… huu."
Go Yeongeun made a mysterious expression.
"It's just, being too competent is… well, it can't be helped, I guess…"
Pardon?
"Here, would you… take a look at this?"
I took the phone Go Yeongeun handed me.
It looked barely used, like it had just been issued for work, and on the screen was—
[Agent TalkTalk Anonymous Chatroom]
A somewhat old-fashionedly named anonymous group chat.
"..."
Wait a sec.
Is there another group chat that only I'm not in…?
"Ah. I heard they usually invite you after your rookie period ends and you get officially assigned to a unit."
"I see."
Thank goodness.
'Hmm.'
With Go Yeongeun's permission, I scrolled through the chat to get a feel for the atmosphere.
– sudden fortune vending machine appearance in Seocho-dong oncall agents please check
– About the Swamp Orgel, is it actually okay to just leave it alone if it's not working
– yeah it's fine, it'll be reflected in the rulebook next month anyway
– lunch menu recs pls
'The atmosphere's more laid-back than I thought.'
It looked like a group chat where agents would ask each other for advice when they were stuck or in a bind at work.
Given the frequent solo and shift work, it made sense to have a place to share information.
Since it wasn't like a certain company's death-match, survival-style competitive structure, the atmosphere was better, and useful tips seemed to get shared more freely.
'Come to think of it, I think I read about this in the
That made it feel a bit familiar. I nodded inwardly as I scrolled.
It might actually be fun to get invited here at least once…
– Destruction King Rookie has gone n wrecked another disaster
"..."
Wait.
Is this… me?
'No way.'
I scrolled down faster to check the latest messages.
– I heard that rookie rescued all thirty kids who were trapped in a regular rescue disaster? And apparently demolished the entire city
– wait for real??
– aigoo black tortoise team 1 must be jumping for joyㅋㅋ
– Wowie if it's at that level it's not a coincidence, that's straight-up skill… This person's not ordinary, might be the first since team leader hong joined isn't it
– I wish to be friends, sir…
– Any chance you're interested in black tortoise team 3? We'd treat you right, honestly better than that choi from team 1
– Noonim I'm here too ^^
– Uh-huh i know
"..."
And the group chat was summed up in one conclusion…
– weve got someone ready to go all-in for dispatch&rescue huh? ㅋㅋ
– YOUNGEST. TEAM. LEADER. Hope you make it~^^
Please, anyone, save me…
Note/s:
[1] White Tiger (백호) – one of the Four Gods of East Asian mythology, representing the metal element, the directional west, and the season of autumn. Among the representative gods, it is revered as the protector against bad fortune and evil beings, however it is also depicted as the one with attributes that are particularly unstable. (source: Wikipedia, NamuWiki).
-x-X-x-
The agent group chat that Go Yeongeun showed me left quite a shock and a realization.
'No wonder Agent Choi sent me to work in the Preliminary Investigation Unit so easily.'
Was it because my transfer to Black Tortoise Team 1 was already decided?
And Agent Bronze's consideration in sending me to Go Yeongeun's team today… Was that actually because today would be my last before officially joining the Dispatch & Rescue Unit…?
'Not fair…'
No, if you only look at what's on the surface, the only unusual thing 'Agent Grapes' did was insist on staying an extra day to take care of the children and ended up getting contaminated in the process, right?
So I thought I was in the clear, but I guess the fact that a supernatural disaster that could barely be handled by regular rescue was resolved, and I was the only variable, made me stand out.
And if that variable's nickname is 'Destruction King Rookie'… does that mean my image is set in stone?
I guess so!
'Ha.'
"..."
"Um… Soleum-ssi. Are you alright?"
I nodded.
But maybe I didn't look so good, because Go Yeongeun's eyes held a hint of worry.
'It would be weird if I acted too strange…'
Let's get it together before I come off as too much of a coward.
Doing my best to seem calm, I opened my mouth, pretending to be just a little disappointed.
"The Dispatch & Rescue Unit is a good unit, of course, but I'm really more of a paperwork type than a fieldwork person… so I'm a little flustered."
"..."
"Yeongeun-ssi?"
"Um, sure…"
For some reason, Go Yeongeun's expression looked more troubled.
But in the next moment, she began offering me words of comfort, so I guess I was just imagining things.
"Well, looking at the big picture, it could actually be a good thing. After all, each team has one assigned—!"
…?
The agent in front of me stopped speaking unnaturally.
And pressed the back of her hand.
Where Director Ho had set a restriction.
"...!"
Someone's listening.
Pretending to be out of the room, someone is somewhere in this office, listening in on the rookies' conversation.
I made eye contact with Go Yeongeun.
'Don't panic.'
She was probably going to say something like, 'Each team has one assigned person to balance it out, so it's good.'
I picked up the conversation smoothly.
"Yes. Each team has its strengths, so even if I do end up going to the Dispatch & Rescue Unit, I'll do my best."
"Yes. Let's do our best…!"
Fortunately, the conversation ended naturally.
We both raised our hands like fresh rookies and did a 'fighting' pose together.
After that, Go Yeongeun naturally shifted the topic to explaining the work of 'White Tiger Team 2' in the Preliminary Investigation Unit.
'Phew.'
Later, we pretended to be surprised as we saw an agent yawning and standing up from under a desk in the office.
"A-Agent?"
"Ah, sorry. I just closed my eyes for a bit… You're both rookies, right? Looks like you've already gotten close. Do your best. I'm off-duty today… haaahm."
"Yes, thank you!"
After giving us a warm look, the agent left the office. I let out a sigh of relief inside.
'Nothing to get caught on.'
It didn't feel like surveillance so much as… just finding a couple of rookies cute and were curious, wondering if a sunbae could help. Still, we should be more careful.
'…Director Ho's restriction really did help.'
From then on, Go Yeongeun and I didn't mention any related topics, focusing on PC setup, and before long, the agents returned from their fieldwork.
"We're back, Yeongeun-ssi!"
"Team Leader."
I stood next to Go Yeongeun to greet them.
The Team Leader of White Tiger Team 2 had a very hearty impression, and laughed loudly when he saw me.
"Ah, so you're that… um. The new recruit!"
"..."
Did he just almost call me Destruction King out loud…?
If all these people were in that group chat, my nickname might be truly irreversible now.
'Ha…'
I never thought I'd say this, but being a supervisor at Daydream Inc. was less embarrassing than this…
"You just got back from a big rescue mission the other day, right? I heard you did a great job. For today, relax do nothing special yeah? Just observe what kind of work the White Tiger Team does~ and then you can clock out. Alright?"
"…Thank you."
I almost ruined the character I'd been building.
Pretending to be timid, I bowed my head low, resisting the urge to go full MZ-crazy like I did at Daydream Inc…
"Now, now. For today, you can work at Agent Mint's desk, since she's off."
So I sat at the desk of an agent who had the day off, and got a quick briefing on work from the person in question herself, Go Yeongeun.
Phew.
"The work you'll be doing today is ghost story research… but it's not fieldwork. You'll be working on the PC, and if you can also learn how to do the documentation afterward, that'd be great."
"Um, will you be teaching me, Agent Mint?"
"Yes. I've been handling this kind of work a lot lately."
Go Yeongeun seemed a bit conflicted, then added,
"That, well, the agent who went into the mart with me… um, after that unexpected incident, I've been given mostly paperwork since then."
Ah.
'A rookie like her almost drowned and died, so they must have pulled her from fieldwork for a while.'
Of course, Go Yeongeun was already had similar work experiences from Daydream Inc., so it seemed she'd quickly cut off that agent mentally and recovered…
'In this place, too, they'll probably have her back in the field within a month.'
Still, if she were to continue to handle paperwork, she might get a natural chance to access the Disaster Management Bureau's secret archive in Gangwon-do someday.
'…I'm jealous.'
I wanted to take that route, too.
'…No.'
It's not too late yet.
'This time, I'll really make a good impression.'
And since it's not fieldwork today, it's the perfect opportunity.
I'll show just how skilled I am at ghost story documentation…!
Especially—
The documentation for the Preliminary Investigation Unit?
'That's all about tracking and writing up ghost stories.'
This is work made for me.
I smiled as I sat down in front of the computer.
"I'll give it a try."
And so, the ghost story I would be tracking down information on during my work hours today was…
[Do you know about the Red Clothes at Exit 4?]
It's a ghost story that originated from one particular internet post.
-x-X-x-
Modern-day internet is little more than an incubator for urban legends.
All sorts of nonsense, rumors, and ghost stories run wild, and with truth and lies hopelessly tangled, things spread from mouth to mouth, or rather… from post to post, from video to video.
Because people spin stories in whatever way fits their worldview best.
Whatever way is most interesting, entertaining, or believable to them.
And through that process of mutation and regeneration, some stories end up with extraordinary lifespans.
Even though they clearly started from a lie.
For example…
Like this very ghost story I'm investigating now.
——————–
[Do you know about the red clothes at Exit 4?]
Lately, more and more people have reported seeing this next to subway station Exit 4
(photo)
A red piece of clothing with the sleeves tied twice
It looks way too clean to have been thrown out, and the color stands out so much that it gives off a weird atmosphere
So people are saying it's for organ trafficking, or someone possessed by a ghost, or the work of a crazy person…
But it's appearing all over the place, and it really seems like someone put it there deliberately, which makes it creepier
No one knows what the intention is, but it just feels off, and a lot of people say they felt sick or had nightmares after seeing it
(photo)
Has anyone here seen it too?
——————–
This was the most famous version that first appeared two months ago.
A ghost story about spotting something suspicious and eye-catching at subway Exit 4.
It's a report that blends the chill of encountering something strange in a mundane place with the horror born from imagination.
It quickly spread through all kinds of internet forums and social media, with similar reports popping up everywhere.
And now, two months later.
The urban legend has become genuine fear.
——————–
[Do not touch the red clothes at Exit 4]
More and more people are testifying that it's a shamanistic ritual bait
They say it's meant to attach a ghost to anyone who touches it
– they made it red on purpose to attract people… dont touch it
– Even getting close is risky. It's so the ghost thinks that red clothing is yours. If you're spiritually weak, just looking at it up close could bring you bad luck
– Just pretend you didn't see it and walk by. Don't pay any attention. There's someone in the clothes.
– d sleeves r tied twice… ugh i have a bad feeling if its the ritual i know that isnt smth a normal shaman wud use…
– thats something you should never leave in a crowded place why would someone do that do they have a death wish
– if u check inside the clothes ull definitely find hair or a jijeon or smth right? but if u touch it to check ig ur an idiot? ㅋㅋ
(T/N: jijeon = shamanistic talisman paper)
These are just what I found and captured
And the clincher is…
Someone actually found hair and paper inside the clothes…
(photo)
I don't know what this is, but it feels so wrong. Everyone, be careful
——————–
And the most upvoted comment was this.
– Someone told me the person who checked out the clothes in that screenshot hasn't been heard from since…
└ seriously?
└ crazy
└ It's true. Apparently they sprinkled salt and even did a ritual or smth like that? And even posted proof that all the salt was burned up, but after that there's been no word
└ haㅠㅠ
└ fk thats scary as hell ㅋㅋ
Even more chilling and eerie testimonies have surfaced.
And comment sections and quote threads everywhere turned into a madhouse.
– there's even a rumor that the person who disappeared was reported dead? is that for real?
– Isn't this about that youtuber who picked up the red clothes and got hospitalized and kept posting about having nightmares and asking for help?
– crazy. this is scary as hell tho fuckk is there actually no one trying to figure out whos behind this?
– theres even shamans saying maybe it wasnt a human being who left those behind too
If you've read this far, it really feels like a terrifying twist in a supposedly-true ghost story.
Even now, red clothes are still being found at subway entrances everywhere, but with no involvement from authorities, only those who know about it are left trembling in fear, watching more victims appear.
But it doesn't die down.
Because it's still ongoing.
– another missing person case added… feels like we should report this
– red clothes found outside seoul (photo) is this a copycat or the real thing?
And people who'd been consuming these internet horror stories as casual entertainment were starting to feel the creepiness and horror so close to home that they began considering real-world measures.
Law enforcement.
– Even if you report it to the police, they don't do anything since it's 'just clothes' ㅠㅠ
And apparently, a lot of police who know what it is actually avoid it, especially the older officers
└ ig we just dont know but there must've been cases like this before
Public attention.
– can't we tip off the news or smth?
└ tried it, but they just mentioned it as an internet oddity at the end of the morning news, even when I said there was an actual missing person. they just treated me like an overreacting jobless person ㅋㅋ아ㅋㅋ
And more realistic eyewitness accounts.
– I tried telling a station attendant but since it's outside the exit they just said its not their responsibility, the other day i saw people yelling and fighting over it (video)
– someone stared at the red clothes for a while n then collapsed. nobody helped, so sum elderly person supported them n called an ambulance but what if smth happens to them too? I can't stop worrying…
– Stop taking photos of the red clothes and posting them online, it seems like it's having an indirect effect too
And finally, this internet urban legend even reached the Disaster Management Bureau.
Of course, most of these internet ghost stories are really just a mix of coincidence, misunderstanding, and a psychological desire to believe.
At first, the Disaster Management Bureau also approached it that way.
The problem was…
An agent who witnessed the 'Red Clothes at Exit 4' attempted contact and sample collection.
Afterward, they lost consciousness and were in a coma for five days. Symptoms of sleepwalking. Hostile reaction from their dokkaebi flame. After regaining consciousness, they could only repeat, 'I have to wear the red clothes'.
Afterward, that agent jumped to their death.
This confirmed that the ghost story was real.
And all the rumors spreading online…
They were all true.
The agent has been stabilized through memory-erasure therapy and is currently hospitalized.
There is now discussion about registering the 'Red Clothes at Exit 4' as a supernatural disaster. More case studies needed.
And so, I, 'Agent Grapes', was put in charge of collecting various stories about the Red Clothes at Exit 4 from the internet…
Honestly, it's basically a given that it'll be registered… they just want me to grab more supporting material from the internet for documentation.
It's a bit spooky and creepy, but compared to fieldwork, it's really just at the level of reading ghost stories.
A true training slash 'rest day' assignment for a rookie.
However…
'I can't just stop there.'
Didn't I say it?
I'm much better at paperwork.
And… organizing internet ghost stories into documents?
'That's my specialty, a thousand percent.'
I'll show you all exactly what I can do.
With a grin, I put my hands on the keyboard.
-x-X-x-
Go Yeongeun glanced at her colleague sitting beside her.
Kim Soleum, typing rapidly on the keyboard while staring into the monitor, looked easygoing with his tousled hair and glasses—a style crafted for this undercover work.
True to that image, he usually presented himself at the Disaster Management Bureau as a timid new recruit, shoulders hunched, gaze averted, projecting a passive persona.
But right now, the eyes behind Kim Soleum's glasses, as he looked at the computer, were filled with certainty and composure.
It was the same person she'd seen at Daydream Inc.
That relaxed air unique to those with keen insight and long vision, the so-called 'composure of someone in the know'.
'Is he that immersed in his work?'
For a moment, this person's original attitude was showing through.
He said paperwork was his specialty, and it didn't seem to be a lie…
'A deceiver…?'
Go Yeongeun regarded her colleague, who'd become a supervisor not even one year after getting hired—the top recruit in their batch—with complicated feelings!
But soon Kim Soleum finished his last task on the keyboard with a flourish and turned to look at her as well.
And just as quickly, he slipped back into his crafted passive persona.
"Um, excuse me… Agent. Would you mind giving this a quick look to see if I'm doing it right…?"
"Yes, of course."
She might even learn something new. If not, at the very least, she could help her colleague get more familiar with the documentation process.
Go Yeongeun looked at the computer monitor together with Kim Soleum.
"These are the versions of the urban legend currently collected online by the Disaster Management Bureau."
[Red Clothes at Exit 4_current ver.]
A flood of cases.
A red piece of clothing left, standing by itself at the exit.
All sorts of chilling testimonies, ominous and unsettling sightings that seemed straight out of a horror movie, filling the document in posts, comments, and videos.
But Kim Soleum continued his explanation without batting an eye.
'As expected, things like this don't scare him at all.'
(No, it's just that he's strong when it comes to text!)
"First, I classified these witness accounts. I divided those with actual incidents from those without any substance."
He sorted the document properly, too.
"Then an interesting trend becomes apparent."
Interesting?
"It's that real incidents happen after unsubstantial witness claims are posted."
"…!"
"Look here."
– if u check inside the clothes ull definitely find hair or a jijeon or smth right? but if u touch it to check ig ur an idiot? ㅋㅋ
"And indeed, hair and paper were found."
Kim Soleum included the comment from the person who discovered the hair and jijeon in the 'red clothes'.
"Next, there's the issue about the whereabouts of the person who found the hair and paper."
– someone told me the person who checked out the clothes in that screenshot hasn't been heard from since…
"This comment wasn't posted after the disappearance. The news of their disappearance spread after this comment was posted."
"…!"
Go Yeongeun's face hardened.
…It's just like what had happened at Looky Mart.
"The order is reversed."
"Yes."
That's the nature of ghost stories.
Kim Soleum gave a faint smile.
"When you focus on this kind of trend, and then look at the ghost story again… you can start to see a larger pattern emerge."
Kim Soleum clicked on another document.
[Red Clothes at Exit 4_base ver.]
"This is a version from three months ago."
When the rumors about the red clothes were running wild.
So there are theories that it's an organ trafficking marker, or someone possessed by a ghost, or just some mad person's act… All sorts of talk.
"But none of the things in here ever actually happened. Do you know why?"
"..."
Go Yeongeun fell into thought.
"Because there are too many, so if one thing is realized, it contradicts another?"
"That's right."
Kim Soleum smiled faintly.
"And one more thing. I think it's because there hasn't been a single speculation that people completely believed in."
"…!"
"There were just so many speculative statements, and hardly anyone spoke as if making a definite conclusion. There were lots of rebuttals too, so none of it was enough to be treated as an actual incident."
"…Because there was no evidence?"
"That's right."
To put it another way—
"They just weren't 'convincing enough'."
Kim Soleum clicked his mouse again.
"But then, all of a sudden, such a story appears in the comments."
A 'sufficiently convincing story'.
These repeated testimonies appear to serve as bait for shamanic rituals.
"This is where the situation changes rapidly."
Go Yeongeun read through the document Kim Soleum had compiled, hardly breathing.
Tricks to lure in ghosts. Someone getting attached to the clothes. Tying the arms twice not being an ordinary shamanic ritual. Instead something meant to bring misfortune…
"When it comes to shamanism, unless you're an expert in that field, it's hard to refute these statements. And as soon as someone presents themselves as an expert, it just seems plausible for some reason."
"…But they don't even have to provide any proof, like photos or credentials?"
"…! Exactly."
Kim Soleum smiled as he reviewed the comments he had collected.
– if u check inside the clothes ull definitely find hair or a jijeon or smth right? but if u touch it to check ig ur an idiot? ㅋㅋ
"I checked that person's comment history. He works as an office worker at a steel company."
"…!"
So, not an expert.
But a field where it's easy to pretend.
"Someone who's met a shaman a few times, or read a couple of books, could easily make things up."
No one knows whether these people on the internet are actually shamans. And whether it's really possible to pass on ghosts or curses in the way they describe. No one has ever credibly proven it.
But because it seems convincing, people end up believing it.
The effect of fear combined with familiarity!
"And if you look closely, these so-called experts are all telling different stories."
"...Huu."
It's true.
As she read through the comments, Go Yeongeun barely stifled a sigh.
She hadn't realized it because of the horror atmosphere and all the shamanic claims with a similar 'feel', but really, everyone was just cobbling together every chilling story they could find.
Shamanic rituals, ghosts attached, inviting misfortune…
"…So most of it's made up?"
"Probably."
Or maybe… not just most, but all of it.
"But people believed it."
And so—
"So you're saying that's why it became reality."
"Yes."
Kim Soleum gave a bitter smile.
"The information contaminated reality in reverse."
——————–
Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story
[The Conspiracy of Belief]
: A ghost story featured in
: Disaster Management Bureau registration number – 2106PSYA.2025.바56
A ghost story that has materialized as a result of conspiracy theories spread on the internet by individuals who believe in them.
The notable aspect of this ghost story lies in its suggestion that human imagination and confirmation bias may have been the underlying cause of supernatural disasters.
========================
A ghost story that, someday in the future, will be verified and registered by the Disaster Management Bureau.
"If you trace the origin back further…"
– fuk why's there a bright red piece of clothing at the subway entrance shit why tf do i have to live thru a horror experience or sum shit huh? i almost fainted pls hug me
This was the social media post registered along with that photo of a red garment abandoned in front of a subway exit.
The sign for Exit 4 was visible in the background.
"This is how it starts as a simple everyday post."
Maybe that red piece of clothing was just a jacket a drunk person dropped mistakenly, or something that fell off a used-clothing collection truck…
Either way, it was probably just some ordinary, mundane mishap.
"It was most likely just a coincidence, or a funny misunderstanding."
"But the important thing is that people started misunderstanding it."
That's the correct answer.
In the end, this witness account went viral and was quickly reproduced, gaining new explanations with each new iteration. And as fear and rumor attached themselves, it became reality.
"This concludes the results of my investigation."
"..."
He's seriously good at this…
"Um, but… by any chance, did I make any mistakes…?"
And yet, he'd go back to that crafted passive persona again. It really does make him look like a deceiver…!
'Well, I know it's because of the spy thing, but still!'
Go Yeongeun held back another sigh and yet another bitter smile. Instead, she nodded.
"No. …You're probably exceeding the expectations of the agents in this office."
"Oh, that's a relief…! Then, would it be fine if I continue working in the Preliminary Investigation Unit?"
No, wait a minute. That's not the important part right now…
"So, does this mean you've pretty much figured out the mechanism behind this supernatural disaster? If your reasoning is correct."
"Ah, maybe so…"
No, not 'maybe so'— it seems he's actually right!
Go Yeongeun looked at her colleague with a slightly excited expression.
If that's the case, then couldn't they also deduce the solution?
In other words…
"If people just stop believing in it, this ghost story would end too!"
"That's right."
In that case, if they could just set the record straight somehow...
'Ah.'
Go Yeongeun came to a realization.
"…Making people stop believing is practically impossible."
"Yes."
Because actual incidents are happening.
This is an anomalous phenomenon that has already stepped into reality.
"Since too many people already believe, persuading them won't be easy."
This ghost story itself is a conspiracy theory about internet rumors that become real because people believe them.
Maybe the author of this entry in the Dark Exploration Records wrote it as a kind of satire, mocking the so-called evidence and testimonies behind various conspiracy theories.
"…And on top of that, it really has turned into a supernatural disaster. Since the evidence and situation are real now, it would be even harder to refute."
Exactly right.
That's why, whenever agents encounter this ghost story in the Dark Exploration Records, they continually 'manage' the situation by destroying the focal object of the incident or erasing people's memories…
A method of acknowledging the ghost story's existence, managing the risk, and slowly neutralizing it.
A lukewarm solution that matches the uncomfortable nature of this particular ghost story.
But.
"That's not necessarily the only way."
"…Pardon?"
Kim Soleum smiled faintly and brought his hands back on the keyboard.
There was another way.
It was a countermeasure he'd thought of ever since reading this entry in the Dark Exploration Records.
'I can do this.'
The only reason he didn't update the wiki back then was because…
It just didn't fit the atmosphere of a creepypasta!
7.3 Countermeasures
Go Yeongeun watched as Kim Soleum, without hesitation, began typing up the final section of the document.
And then, looking a little satisfied, he took his hands off the keyboard.
"This should do it."
"..."
Kim Soleum.
This time, he's determined to show up and show out!