…The Church of the Luminous Unknown.
If the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau seeks to eliminate ghost stories and Daydream Inc. seeks to exploit them...
'The Church of the Luminous Unknown is the ghost story itself.'
They worship ghost stories and believe that ghost stories are the source of this world.
They are fanatics who believe that if they excavate and cultivate ghost stories well to become meaningful existences in the world, they will be chosen by 'Ireum-nim' and granted eternal life.
'It's a complete doomsday cult.'
To be honest, of the three factions that appear in the <Dark Exploration Record>, they are the one I feel the most distant from.
'Because... they're not my style.'
Of course, I had read the Wiki entries for that cult.
So, while the Wiki page came up successfully via the 'Memorial Pop Socket', the problem was that I hadn't read the Wiki for several days.
'That's probably why I didn't notice it immediately.'
But now that I’ve identified it, I can properly grasp the current situation.
The bizarre repetition occurring during the night shift cleaning of the containment cell. Exactly which part of the Church of the Luminous Unknown was responsible for this nightmarish situation?
I took a deep breath.
This was….
'A doppelganger-type ghost story.'
A supernatural being that usurps someone's life.
It was one of the cult-style ghost stories that gained explosive responses and fame in the early days when the Church of the Luminous Unknown was first registered on the Wiki.
To be precise, it was one of the ranks within the Church of the Luminous Unknown.
Because that crazy cult matches anomalous phenomena according to affiliation and rank!
And its name was….
==========
Dark Exploration Record / Ghost Story
[Story Usurper]
: A Divine Power of the Church of the Luminous Unknown appearing in the <Dark Exploration Record>. Rank: 4th Class of the Imitator Cult.
A representative anomalous phenomenon of the Imitator Cult that seeks to imitate others, steal their stories, and use them as its own narrative nourishment.
Those caught in this anomalous phenomenon are robbed of the possibilities of their story, and if the period is prolonged, they are robbed of their very selves.
==========
In Wiki terms, this was a ghost story derived from the fear of an unknown being replacing oneself or those nearby.
'The most distinct symptom is... performing bizarre acts in the guise of a close relative or acquaintance.'
It appears by imitating various acquaintances—the target's lover, friend, or someone they feel indebted to—inducing a lapse in vigilance before staging supernatural horror.
Its purpose is this:
To induce a powerful psychological state in the target of 'wishing this situation would pass.' To seize the target's narrative by gaining implicit concurrence and agreement.
And I, who had fallen for this... had been 'robbed' of the narratives of the 29th and 30th.
The Story Usurper takes the possibility of doing other work or making other choices from the target and makes it its own.
As a result, the target feels as much as was stolen as 'time having passed meaninglessly before they knew it.'
Thanks to that, the past two days were processed as having been spent dryly 'without anything particularly worth remembering,' and I had come to my senses at a similar time the next day.
'Was it thanks to the silver ring that I only lost one day at a time?'
If I had been unlucky, I could have lost my way and just let things flow like this.
Once you lose track of what's what and start doubting what's real, you get dragged along by the situation.
'That's how your life gets sucked dry.'
I was lucky that my mind remained intact enough that it didn't reach that point....
-Ah, how interesting. Phew, you caught up even faster this time.
'Braun!'
From the small plush doll, I heard the sound of the Host exaggeratedly catching his breath and dusting off his suit collar, followed by a cheerful voice.
-You've surrendered another day's story, Friend! Hmm, but it seems the opponent used a clever trick to induce that choice.
-Was imitating Mr. Roe Deer's acquaintances a part of that?
'That's right.'
First, it imitated Assistant Manager Eun Haje, and the second time, it imitated Supervisor Park Minseong to catch me off guard.
It's trying to steal my narrative by continuously changing identities, never using one that’s already been exposed….
-Oho. Then I'm curious to see which 'acquaintance' Mr. Roe Deer will encounter on the 31st.
-In this very moment, in the situation of the 3rd day, just who could it have imitated... It will be revealed shortly!
“…….”
I looked around.
There was no sign of Supervisor Park Minseong. Naturally, there was no sign of Assistant Manager Eun Haje either.
I was alone in the rental storage.
'…At the end of the 2nd day, the lockdown was lifted.'
If so, hadn't that thing already left?
But usually, 'Story Usurpers' tend to be obsessed and put in a lot of effort if they have a chance to completely steal the life of a person they've marked for consumption.
'It probably doesn't suspect that I’ve caught onto its identity.'
In that case.
An acquaintance who is already known to me and can appear naturally in this place to ease my tension is….
Beep-beep-beep.
[It's been... almost 10 minutes now....... I'm coming.]
“…….”
Listening to the sound over the radio, my shoulders stiffened.
A moment later.
[BEEEEEP!]
[Lockdown is lifted. The shutters are opening….]
I stood up and looked ahead.
The door was opening.
The protective shutter of the door leading out from the Security Team rental storage front opened, and the lamps that had been glowing red turned green again.
And beyond the rising shutter….
“You're safe. Thank goodness…….”
Sergeant J3 was looking at me, his eyes tired as usual but containing a slight sense of relief.
“The other employee... ah, are they inside that door... hey, are you okay?”
“…….”
“Hello…?”
I stood up… and turned my back on the Sergeant.
“Uh…?”
Then I stood facing the wall.
Actually.
'Usually, when a ghost story takes on a religious color, an exorcism method follows.'
There are procedures for dealing with transcendent beings. Like a sort of two-way mirror.
In this regard, even the lunatic Church of the Luminous Unknown is no exception.
'There's a way to repel the Story Usurper as well.'
I recalled the work regulations I had received on the first day.
Ireum-nim? Anyway, it's a bastard that shouts strange things and says it'll tell you how to be happy, but it'll shut up if you just curse it out.
If you don't want to curse, just telling it to get lost is fine too.
It’s a strange thing.
Even if that 2nd page was contaminated, the hint was correct.
Because.
“Get lost.”
The way to drive this thing away is indeed to 'notice its identity in advance and completely reject it.'
It needs implicit concurrence and agreement to steal my time?
Then I just won't give it.
Therefore….
“Hey, what's wrong…?”
“Get lost.”
I declared again, still ignoring the other person.
…….
Hahahahaha.
Really? Really?
After I gave you two chances?
“Get lost.”
“Roe. Where did you learn such language? No matter what, saying that to a superior is….”
“Get lost.”
“Uh-oh? Hey, Roe. You're being too harsh! We have to finish the cleaning. I just want to help you.”
“Get lost.”
“I don't want to... hey, I'll just stay here…. Honestly... it's not like I said anything bad to you….”
“Get lost.”
“…….”
Hahahahaha.
What a waste.
The voice behind my back twisted.
Refusing the grace bestowed upon us, who live the lives of insignificant creatures that cannot influence a single letter of the world's source. What a waste.
If you hand over your wretched story, we would fill it with the brilliant grace of Ireum-nim. Ireum-nim would look upon me, what a waste.
“Get lost.”
What a waste….
I grit my teeth.
“Get lost.”
The strange whispering behind me subsided.
And….
It became quiet.
“…….”
It seemed that thing had given up on targeting me.
'Phew….'
The tension broke, and I almost collapsed, but I endured. Instead, I kept my brain working.
Since I don't hear any footsteps yet, as soon as that thing moves elsewhere, I'll run out of here and report to the Security Team. Then it'll be fine….
Beep-beep-beep.
“……!”
The radio in my pocket rang.
A familiar voice... was heard.
[I've arrived... hmm.]
“I've arrived... hmm.”
But, I also heard a spoken voice nearby.
“…….”
I turned my head very slowly and looked at the entrance of the rental storage.
Outside the door, a characterless Sergeant J3 was looking this way.
'Is it the real one?'
No, this is definitely the real one!
I hurriedly opened my mouth to explain the situation….
“…! Mr. Jay.”
……A voice came from behind me.
A voice that sounded perplexed.
I turned my head further to look behind me.
The ghost story from the Church of the Luminous Unknown that had been there was now wearing an orange cleaning uniform.
“I don't know what's happening.”
Black hair, mid-to-late 20s. A man with a pale impression, looking back and forth between the Sergeant and me with a shocked face.
Kim Soleum.
A perfect copy of my current appearance looked at me and spoke in a flustered tone.
“What is... can one be caught in this kind of anomalous phenomenon even during cleaning?”
It was imitating me.
'Fuck…!'
A chill ran down my spine.
I hurriedly looked at the Sergeant and said calmly.
“Mr. Jay, that thing is a member of the Church of the Luminous Unknown.”
“Wha... what do you mean. Mr. Jay, do you happen to know what this situation is? It seems like Darkness….”
“Mr. Jay! Do not answer. You must judge while only listening. The moment you answer, you will be drawn into the situation.”
“…….”
“If there's something you want to verify, say it to the wall alone... no, preferably just shout at everyone to get lost. That's the safest.”
The Sergeant was staring this way with a face that revealed no expression.
And beside me, I heard the thinly trembling voice of 'Kim Soleum.'
“I... don't really know what that's about.”
What?
“Think about it, Mr. Jay. I just... came in to clean for three days. And I realized this phenomenon was Darkness because... something next to me said so.”
“…!”
“It's more natural for me not to know what's in the Security Team containment cells. Mr. Jay, please think logically. Isn't this side... the right one?”
-Oh, that's quite plausible.
Tell me about it. Damn it…!
“And... I was really relieved that you came. I'm sorry for putting you in this situation….”
“…….”
'It sure has a silver tongue.'
Typical of a cult. I grit my teeth.
Well, I almost fell for it myself when it appeared in the form of Assistant Manager Eun Haje on the first day.
'Just... how did Supervisor Park Minseong realize it wasn't Assistant Manager Eun Haje?'
I desperately tried to recall that time.
Where did he notice?
'I don't think there were any logical flaws then either….'
What could it be?
A sense of mismatch that only someone who has known her for a long time could notice?
A nuance felt in the conversation?
'Or else…….'
While I was desperately reviewing and agonizing, another soft and calm voice came from beside me.
“Um, Mr. Jay. Please don't feel guilty, and just move according to your judgment. I will accept it.”
…….
Ah.
'I got it.'
Was that it?
I pressed my temples and opened my mouth.
“Mr. Jay, look at the purpose of the words. Look at who is trying to carry on a friendly conversation with you somehow and make you immersed in the situation.”
At that time, Assistant Manager Eun Haje….
She was excessively friendly for the situation.
In a situation where one is trapped in a prison and barely managed to escape, one cannot be like that.
'No, to begin with, if it were the real Assistant Manager, instead of taking the risk of revealing herself and persuading us, she would have stayed hidden and then slipped out.'
When she has an item to help her and the lockdown will be lifted if she just waits.
There's no way she would decide that she must talk to us right now while bearing that risk.
A bizarre reaction that doesn't fit the situation.
Therefore….
“In this strange and dangerous situation, who is it that's making unnecessarily social remarks? …Who is it that has another purpose?”
I spoke calmly.
“Even so, you don't necessarily have to believe me. It's a ghost story that will disappear if you just shout for it to get lost and ignore it. Or you could call other Security Team members….”
“Mmm.”
The Sergeant straightened up.
And.
“It's this side.”
The black front claw of a giant wolf-like monster dropped over my head like a guillotine blade.
'Fuck…!'
The instant before I closed my eyes.
Thwack.
A head flew off.
The head of the imitator that had been stuck to my side.
“…!!”
Splat.
The twisted, giant shadow-like front paw made a crunching sound over the mangled corpse, then lifted again, leaving behind a tremendous pressure as it brushed past me….
And returned to the Sergeant's arm.
“Hey.”
“…….”
“Are you okay…?”
I looked down at my orange cleaning uniform, now covered in the imitator's blood, and flopped down onto the floor.
“……!”
“Yes. Thank you.”
I lived.
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