Chapter 047
Senior Staff Park Minseong sat down beside the sofa in the terrace room where they had been hiding, holding back a sigh.
‘This is taking too long.’
It had already been over seventy minutes since Kim Soleum went downstairs with the batchmates.
He had said it might take this long, yes, but at the same time Kim Soleum had also left them a hint about what to do if two hours passed and neither he nor the others returned….
-…You don’t have to wait or come looking for us.
Meaning, if things went bad, they were to leave him behind.
‘We should’ve just gone with him.’
Park Minseong held back a sigh.
Even if Baekilmong Co., Ltd. was the sort of company where everyone mostly had to fend for themselves, some Field Operations Team groups still had a strong sense of camaraderie, and Group D was especially like that.
Even Assistant Manager Eun Haje, over there, had let a trace of unease show on her face as she sighed and revised the makeshift map of this Darkness she had drawn on the sofa.
‘…I was thinking it’d be nice if Roe Deer settled into our group even after the rookie period ended.’
First, they needed to get out of this place alive.
Park Minseong felt a little gloomy, but he still had something to rely on.
‘Group Leader Lee Jaheon approved it, didn’t he.’
Which meant that item had truly looked usable.
He had no idea where on earth a rookie had gotten something like that, but every now and then people like that did join the company.
People who had already spent their lives getting tangled up in urban legends or Ghost Stories before being hired.
‘Is he one of those cases?’
A person with extraordinarily bad luck, perhaps.
Even for the Field Operations Team, an occasion where a rookie got thrown into a dangerous Darkness like this in a full mobilization was usually an event that happened maybe once a year, if that.
And when he thought about Kim Soleum, who had come in one after another from the theme park onward, tears nearly blurred his vision…….
‘At least he’s been earning points well.’
Park Minseong suppressed a sigh and looked toward the terrace door.
Standing there was a figure who appeared completely composed, the exact opposite of Park Minseong’s troubled state of mind.
Group Leader Lee Jaheon.
He stood waiting right in front of the terrace door without the slightest movement.
He was probably keeping time with that bizarrely precise inner clock of his.
And once the countdown ended, he would rise without hesitation and move according to plan.
All Park Minseong could do was hope that plan did not begin with, “Kim Soleum’s survival is unlikely, so exclude him from the escape plan.”
‘No, better yet, I just hope Roe Deer comes back first….’
Outside, except for the occasional scream, it was cruelly quiet.
‘No footsteps.’
If Roe Deer had finished what he was doing, the first thing they should hear would definitely be the footsteps of three quiet people…….
[Can you hear me?]
“…!?”
Park Minseong leaped to his feet.
He saw Assistant Manager Eun Haje beside him stand up reflexively as well.
[I have an announcement regarding escape.]
[There is no time, so I will not repeat this. Please pay attention.]
It was Group D’s rookie, the one they had been waiting for all this time.
Kim Soleum’s voice.
[The exit is on Level 0.]
[Let me explain again. The exit is on Level 0, and if you keep going down the stairs, then at the point where the color changes to bronze….]
It was definitely Roe Deer.
And if it was this extraordinary rookie, then even doing something bizarre like a public address announcement from somewhere wouldn’t be that strange……. But.
What was the probability that something nonhuman was imitating Kim Soleum?
“…….”
The two Group D members exchanged quick glances, then handed the final decision over to the one person with ultimate authority.
Their group leader, who in matters like this could judge with an unearthly instinct, colder and more accurate than anyone.
“…….”
Lee Jaheon heard the “announcement” more clearly than anyone else from where he stood by the terrace door.
[You must use the spiral staircase.]
He had been staring into empty space as though pondering something deeply…
Then he declared this.
“We’re moving.”
[That is all.]
I had finally finished saying the same thing six times.
From Level 1 to Level 6.
‘That should inform everyone on the above-ground floors.’
Actually, I had debated whether I should only do it for Group D on Level 1, but Go Youngeun had strongly agreed with it.
-I-if that’s possible, then shouldn’t we save whoever we can?
A remark befitting a medical professional.
But from here on out, it depended on each person’s own judgment.
‘I didn’t introduce the company just in case, but I did slip in a few terms used by the Field Operations Team….’
Even so, some people might get suspicious and choose not to come out.
And even if, while using the stairs, they ran into the guide machine responsible for that floor, there was nothing to be done about that.
Even if they lost one or two body parts to collection, surviving was still better than staying trapped in this insane exhibition and dying as a human grub.
‘And it’ll also scatter whatever machines might end up coming after Group D.’
I cleared my throat.
“Ahem, ah.”
Maybe Brown had tactfully withdrawn his power, because the bizarre sense of resonance I had felt in my throat and lungs disappeared.
‘Thanks.’
-Gratitude is always pleasant to hear!
Brown answered brightly, though his voice sounded a little tired.
But beside me, an irritated voice rang out as if it couldn’t understand me at all.
“Why waste points like that? The more people escape, the fewer points each person gets.”
There he goes again, talking like his character’s rotten.
And on top of that, it was a statement made in ignorance.
“Are you an idiot? You think there aren’t any veteran employees who could’ve found the exit and gotten out on their own without you helping, when even a rookie like you escaped?”
“…!”
There were employees whose item sets and dedicated gear fit together perfectly, and employees who were just highly capable to begin with—at least a few of them would have escaped anyway.
Even judging by the Darkness Exploration Record, seven people were guaranteed to escape no matter what, so the points distributed per person would’ve been less than one-eighth even if I hadn’t done any of this.
Meaning this Ghost Story was never going to be a great place to rake in points anyway.
But instead of explaining all that, I just smiled faintly.
“It’s better to make a show of it at times like this. Makes company life more entertaining later…. And I get to observe all kinds of reactions.”
“…….”
Baek Saheon turned his head away with a fed-up expression.
‘Do you have any conscience?’
Thinking about what you just said, I’m the one who ought to be making that face. You psychopath in a Ghost Story world.
Still, just in case Go Youngeun had been startled too, I called out to the person in front of me.
“Ms. Goral.”
“…….”
“Ms. Goral?”
“…Wait. Were you, perhaps, calling me?”
“…!”
No way.
“…It feels like I’m starting not to hear very well.”
“…….”
I looked at the place where Go Youngeun’s ear had vanished beneath her hair.
I had no idea what had been placed inside the empty spot sewn shut with thread, but the “borrowed” hearing device was beginning to fail.
And in a relatively very short time, too.
‘Of all times….’
“But it’s not like I can’t hear at all. And there’s still quite a bit of candle left, so if we move carefully, I think we’ll be okay.”
“Yes.”
To signal more clearly, I lightly tapped Go Youngeun on the shoulder.
She flinched a little, then steadfastly started going down the stairs again….
Baek Saheon spoke urgently.
“It’d be better if I carried that item. Give it to me.”
“And what if Ms. Goral accidentally turns around while trying to hand it over?”
“…….”
Baek Saheon shut his mouth.
Tense, we began descending the stairs from Level 6.
Step, step.
Only the echoing footsteps filled the stairwell.
It seemed no one had come rushing out after hearing my broadcast yet…….
“Excuse me.”
Go Youngeun called out.
“Yes.”
“…….”
Couldn’t she hear?
“Um, you’re there, right?”
I very gently patted her back. Baek Saheon, with a less-than-willing expression, also tapped her shoulder twice.
“Ah…. Thank you.”
Seeming reassured, Go Youngeun gripped the candle tightly in both hands again.
Down the stairs again.
Step, step.
After passing through a silence that felt eternal….
We reached Level 1.
Creeeeak…….
The sounds of guide machines moving along their routes rang out everywhere.
One was passing right by us…. dragging along the corpse of a dead human grub it had collected.
“…We’re going to the spiral staircase now.”
“Yes.”
Go Youngeun’s voice had grown louder.
As if she could no longer control her volume because she could barely hear.
‘We’re almost there. It’s okay.’
So instead, I listened carefully in every direction so I could react quickly, and walked calmly and cautiously.
I don’t think that was the wrong response.
The problem, though, was that danger sometimes arrived completely unrelated to how prepared we were.
For example… if we had sharpened all our focus on listening, only for an entirely unrelated obstacle to appear.
“Huh?”
The person in front of me vanished from view.
I lowered my head and saw Go Youngeun falling.
At her feet, something sparkling slid across the floor.
A telephoto lens.
It had fallen from the dead body the guide machine had been dragging, and the invisible transparent rental item had rolled right between us with exquisite timing….
Thud.
I grabbed Go Youngeun.
But the candle had already bounced out of her hand after her arm hit the floor.
“No—!”
I reflexively snatched the candle up and threw it to Baek Saheon, but.
Too late.
The candle went out.
“…….”
“……Hhk.”
The guide machine turned toward us.
Whoosh.
A metal blade flew at us.
“Eek—”
I rolled sideways. I heard a shrill gasp from beside me.
Setting down the corpse it had been moving, the guide machine lifted its gas lamp and shone it on us.
It had clearly confirmed that all of us were behind on our fees.
Thus, the needle-like appendage attached to the monster’s upper torso, having re-established its “priority,” shot toward us again.
First, the eyes nearest at hand…….
“Mr. Roe Deer.”
A familiar voice.
“Duck.”
I reflexively shoved the backs of both batchmates’ heads down and dropped flat to the floor.
Bang!
A thunderous metallic crash and a spray of sparks exploded above our heads.
“…!”
It was Manager Lee Jaheon.
The Field Operations employee with absurd physical strength had brutally deflected the guide machine’s needle.
Ting.
The broken tip of the needle flew off and embedded itself in the corridor wall. The guide machine twisted its joints with a strange scraping noise.
This is insane.
‘That thing could break?’
Manager Lee Jaheon withdrew his gloved hand. For all I knew, the other side ought to have suffered fractures too, or it would make no sense.
In that hand, he was gripping something metallic like a knuckle weapon….
The terrace doorknob.
“……!”
An alarm blared in my head. That was….
‘Damage to exhibition property.’
———————=
All prohibited actions that occur within the exhibition hall, including any disturbances, theft, or damage to property, will be immediately sanctioned by attendants, and corresponding fines will be collected.
———————=
He had even broken the guide machine itself.
Even if this exhibition didn’t treat it as a criminal matter and politely billed only an apology for the disturbance and a compensation fee for damages… still.
One thing was certain.
The guide machine’s overwhelming priority.
And that would apply not just to the machine in front of us, but to every guide machine in this area as well….
“Group Leader.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s run.”
I hurled myself forward.
Creeeeeeak, creak, jjjjzzzt, jiiik, kik, creeeak, creeeeeeak….
The broken guide machine made a violently aggressive noise, moving more recklessly than any before it.
Beside me, I could hear my batchmates running like mad. The Lizard Manager—no, wait a second!
“Group Leader!!”
“Yes.”
“Don’t fight—run!”
‘No matter how absurdly strong the Lizard Manager is, it’s not like he can smash every guide machine in here!’
Just imagining what would happen if the disturbance spread that far was enough to make my head swim.
‘…The Darkness Exploration Record even censored that part!!’
I didn’t even want to imagine how the redacted contents would play out in reality.
Creeeeak.
‘Fuck!’
We ran into another guide machine on the way to the stairs.
No, one more.
“Uuugh!”
I threw myself between slashing needles. A hot sting flared in my arm.
Even while running, my animal instincts told me.
‘We’ll get caught.’
Given the limits of the human body, this was impossible.
There was no way we’d reach Level 0 before all of us were caught by the guide machines and charged.
A chill ran down my back.
‘…What can I do?’
I was running out of breath. My oxygen-starved brain wasn’t working properly.
Instead, resignation crept in.
‘At this point… did we hold out a long time?’
My thoughts dulled, and even the sounds seemed to split into layers, footsteps humming in my ears.
As if dozens of people were running…….
No, wait!
“…?!”
I realized it.
The footsteps didn’t only sound like there were many of them.
There really were more people now.
Not just two—at least more than ten people running.
-Mr. Roe Deer, those must be the people who seized their chance after hearing your splendid announcement!
“…!”
Field Operations Team employees.
Those “visitors” who had been watching the situation seemed to be using the commotion as cover to approach the spiral staircase.
And that had an unexpected effect.
The guide machines wavered in confusion, recalculating their priorities based on the relative importance of the disturbance, the visitors, and each person’s distance.
People who hadn’t paid their fees were suddenly springing out and running in every direction.
“Move!”
In that brief opening, we gritted our teeth and hurled ourselves toward the stairs too.
Creeeeeeak.
I moved my legs like mad.
And just as the horrifying sound behind us drew closer—
The stairs ended, and the silver hall opened up.
The lobby.
And… the front door!
“Go!”
Assistant Manager Eun Haje and Senior Staff Park Minseong were holding the door open.
I ran like a madman.
Almost at the exact same moment my foot hit the floor before the front door, my supervisors threw themselves toward the exit.
I practically collapsed as I went through after them.
After running so hard my mouth tasted sweet, the moment I went through the exit filled with light….
“Hoo!!”
I opened my eyes.
I saw a ceiling with clean fluorescent lights.
A modern corridor of moderate width.
In front of the conference room on the company’s thirty-first floor.
We had escaped.
“Ha…….”
I collapsed facedown in the corridor.
I heard people bursting out of the large conference room, but I didn’t have the mental strength or physical energy left to care.
Having squeezed out even the very last drop, in my dazed, fading consciousness…….
An alarm rang.
[Darkness Exploration Record Real Goods Box]
-New merchandise usage rights unlocked!
