“Please!”
Baek Saheon was nearly screaming in desperation.
At the same time, he kept his voice as low as possible, making it seem as if he simply wanted to escape the tightening supernatural disaster without being caught.
However, Agent Bronze did not release his hold.
He merely glanced at the golden rod I was holding—the one I had taken from Baek Saheon’s pants pocket—and asked a question.
Special Prize.
“What does it mean that you pulled that?”
“What does it mean? It means we’re fucked! So we have to leave before the holiday festival workers come. Right now, from here….”
“Will you die?”
Baek Saheon froze.
Intervening, I asked again.
“But earlier, I saw the person who pulled that rod being congratulated. And there was talk about them taking on an important role in next year’s event….”
“…….”
Baek Saheon’s lips twitched, but he couldn’t speak.
However, terror and rage flickered in his eyes.
‘A Binding Restriction?’
I made eye contact with Agent Bronze.
Nodding slightly, the agent asked in a toneless voice.
“Then tell me how you obtained the Bureau’s direct rescue number.”
“Ha! You think it wasn’t one of those numbers you people hid all over the village?”
“……!”
“They already know. The village knows everything. They just leave it alone. But how can I call that number?”
Sarcasm poured out of Baek Saheon’s mouth.
“Wait. Are you saying they noticed the Management Bureau’s notices and are just ignoring them?”
“Yeah! They say they don’t care if outsiders drink the Divine Mountain Liquor, realize the Truth of the World, and then hang themselves, jump into the river, rot at the bottom of a well, or just forget everything and live their lives. They don’t care if those people slip away one by one, so they don’t pay attention. They’re just managing it to avoid bad luck!”
“‘Bad luck’? What kind of bad luck are you talking about?”
Baek Saheon shut his mouth again.
Cold sweat dripped from his chin.
‘Another Binding Restriction.’
Seeing him suffer under supernatural horror and pressure made my mood sink strangely.
‘…Is it because it reminds me of myself?’
But that was just my perspective.
“I suppose you can’t answer.”
Agent Bronze likely felt no need to have any sympathy for Baek Saheon.
He was a man who, as part of his job, had killed those who possessed tapes at the mountain villa.
Because the Disaster Management Bureau had selected them as villains.
And Baek Saheon possessed a tape.
“If you know so much, leave on your own feet.”
“I told you I can’t!”
At the agent’s cold words, Baek Saheon seemed to be rolling his eyes, assessing the situation.
But in the next moment, his voice became calm.
“Look, there’s that thing. I know it too. The pile of stones in front of the village pine tree. You put a stone on it, pray, and then if the agents walk with you arm-in-arm on both sides, you can leave the village safely.”
“……!!”
He was correct.
If you walk ninety-nine steps east from the well site, there is a withered pine tree, and you must place one more small stone on the rock pile in front of it.
Then, after offering the prayer ‘Turn back and look upon us’ three times, the entire group can safely return to daily life by heading towards the entrance while linked arm-in-arm… that was the current rule.
Because this task requires at least three people, two agents are deployed.
So, do not forget. Let the agents link arms at the left and right ends and put the rescuees in the middle!
“I-I saw it all. I’ve seen it for decades. That’s the rescue method, isn’t it? Do it for me too! I reported it! That’s how it works!”
Desperation and resentment overflowed from Baek Saheon’s tone.
But….
“That doesn’t work for villagers.”
Baek Saheon stopped.
“……What?”
“It means it won’t work for you, who lives in this village.”
It was true.
-I’m writing this again, but this doesn’t work on villagers during the festival, so don’t try it recklessly. Don’t get lost between the village and reality by doing it half-baked without preparation.
“Villagers cannot leave safely using that method.”
“…I don’t live in this village anymore. I live in Seoul.”
Agent Bronze did not answer.
Baek Saheon lowered his voice and cried out urgently.
“I-I only come here once a month, no, once every two or three months and stay for a few days. I don’t live here! You crazy bastards!”
“The criteria is whether you are wearing a feather at the festival.”
“……!”
Baek Saheon’s gaze fell.
To his own chest, where he was still wearing a rooster feather.
“~!!”
He twitched as if trying to tear it off, but soon stopped as if it were impossible.
Then he muttered.
“It won’t work?”
“…….”
“No. That can’t be. I’m an adult and I don’t live here, so I’m an outsider. Then… then there must be another way. You said you have to save civilians. You have to save the caller. That’s how it should be!”
Agent Bronze’s cold voice declared.
“Currently, it is impossible.”
…….
…….
“Then die.”
…….
What?
“Then you all die too.”
Baek Saheon’s mouth opened.
“O Proxy, grant us the scattered white blessing of Jisan! O Proxy, grant us the scattered white blessing of Jisan! O Proxy, grant us the scattered white blessing of Jisan! O Proxy, grant us the scattered white blessing of Jisan… mmmph!”
I hurriedly covered Baek Saheon’s mouth.
Immediately, a sharp pain flared as flesh was gouged from my hand.
“…!”
He had bitten me.
“Agent Grapes!”
“These outsiders are taking the Proxy away! They’re taking the Proxy away! They’re bringing bad luck!”
The moment the force covering his mouth loosened as Agent Bronze quickly pulled my hand away, Baek Saheon’s voice burst out again.
And then.
“O Proxy, grant us the scattered white blessing of Jisan….”
Human figures appeared from behind the abandoned house.
No, several of them.
I realized it.
“Do not cause such a commotion in the village.”
“That’s right. Oh dear, what’s going on in the middle of the night? Our bathwater is very good, so have a warm bath and get some rest.”
“You must have been unable to sleep because your stomach wasn’t full enough.”
I realized why Agent Choi said that if it seemed like we would be discovered by villagers, we should hide quickly or conversely subdue them and hide them in an abandoned house.
The treatment had changed.
“The meals are here~”
After being caught meeting at the well site.
The soft-spoken villagers guided us back to a tile-roofed house.
And they changed our sleeping quarters from the small single room of Baek Saheon where we originally stayed to a luxurious large room with a Sliding Door.
It wasn’t a suggestion. They just naturally set it up that way.
And they encouraged us to bathe and brought out festival food. Along with liquor.
“Drink it all down. It’s medicinal liquor. Medicinal liquor.”
“It’s made with mountain herbs, medicinal plants, and ginseng from here, so it’s very restorative and will open your eyes~”
Just like the ones who had stuck to the nuisance who threw a cucumber on the ground.
Baek Saheon was nowhere to be seen.
The villagers had led him away somewhere.
“…….”
With a chilling premonition, we exchanged glances.
Did the people who sent rescue requests after seeing the notices hidden by the Disaster Management Bureau feel this same sense of dissonance?
The villagers left the room after setting the meal, so it was just the two of us, but I could still sense a presence outside the door for a moment.
Then it vanished.
“…….”
Agent Bronze approached the door and listened.
After waiting until he was sure there was no presence, he reached out to open the door slightly to cautiously check outside….
Wait.
I grabbed Agent Bronze’s shoulder to stop his movement.
Then, rummaging through the table, I picked up a flat candle used to keep the food warm.
I held it near the Sliding Door.
I could see the shadows of people huddled closely together on the other side of the door.
“……!”
They were eavesdropping.
It wasn’t that their presence had vanished because they moved away.
‘Fuck.’
Chills crawled up my neck in waves.
I hurriedly put the candlestick down naturally, and instead, I slightly spilled a water cup, wetted my finger, and switched to Written Conversation.
-Is it impossible to put them all to sleep and leave quietly?
-It’s difficult.
Agent Bronze replied quickly.
-In a ghost story with such blatant religious overtones, sleep isn't necessarily a good method.
“…….”
I see.
It seemed to be a ghost story observed from a very long time ago, so they must have tried various methods.
They probably tried many things that couldn't all be contained in the tips from Agent Choi that I read. Among them, only the effective and safe ones would have become rules.
…And in the meantime, not a single method for rescuing a villager from the disaster had been confirmed.
Even so.
-Exactly how do the outsiders who visit this village festival go missing?
I had to hear this.
But….
-It is unknown.
…!!
-The villagers send the outsiders away as soon as the festival ends.
And it was said that there were quite frequent records of people who stayed only one night insisting strongly on leaving in the middle of the festival and successfully getting out.
-But the problem is… some of them never make it home.
“…….”
-Frequently, even after returning home safely, many cases are observed where they suddenly choose death themselves a few weeks later.
-It was mostly deaths involving natural objects.
Chilling.
-The cause of this situation is unknown, but a common procedure has been confirmed.
Entering this ghost story, following the guidance of the kind villagers, and being provided with a bath, food, and liquor.
-It hadn't been revealed which of the three was exactly the factor, but we've found a hint this time.
I recalled what Baek Saheon had shouted.
-Whether outsiders drink the Divine Mountain Liquor, realize the Truth of the World, and then hang themselves, jump into the river, or rot at the bottom of a well….
I see.
‘So the liquor is a certainty, at least.’
I looked at the liquor placed on the table.
Clear liquor contained in an ordinary white porcelain bottle.
But….
‘If you drink this, you realize the Truth of the World and die… what on earth does that mean?’
What kind of ‘truth’ could it be?
In Ghost Story Worldviews, there are many cases where they slap the name "truth" on something and ruin a person's mind through brainwashing or hypnosis.
That is, of course, scary.
But what’s scarier is this.
…It is truly the truth, but simply knowing it makes a person choose death.
When a human learns something they aren't supposed to know.
‘…Somehow, this feels ominous.’
My chest felt cold.
…It felt safer to just leave.
My peripheral nerves signaled that it would be wise not to dig any deeper.
And there was still a definitive method left.
The escape method provided to agents by the Disaster Management Bureau.
Five-Colored Sneaker Laces.
“…….”
I saw Agent Bronze already conflicting as he glanced slightly inside his jumper.
-Are we leaving like this?
However, even if they weren't the ones who requested rescue, I had seen people who would surely fail to return home even after the festival ended if left like this.
Agent Bronze was a stickler for rules, but it seemed he couldn't ignore that as an agent.
-If there is no way to quietly slip out of this room until today’s festival ends, I will do so.
And he added with a tired and guilt-ridden expression.
-I’m sorry. I spoke too harshly and gave him an excuse to act out.
No.
‘I should have known Baek Saheon was the kind of person to act out….’
Because I’d seen it so much on the Wiki and even lived with him in the company housing.
…It felt like my predictions had dulled because I was exhausted.
After shaking my head, I slumped down in a corner of the room.
It was already dawn.
‘The festival will start soon.’
And then.
Hiyahiyaaaaa!
Until the festival music and noise outside grew stronger and reached its climax, we could not leave the room.
‘They won’t leave.’
Even though the festival had started, someone occasionally came to our room to bring warm food and liquor.
And there were always at least two people standing in front of the door.
Neither persuasion nor leading worked.
They were just kind, and it seemed they had no intention of conversing with us at all.
‘They’re going this far?’
It was to a bewildering degree.
‘Just how did Baek Saheon snitch on us to the villagers?’
It was unusual.
At this rate, we would really have to just tie our sneaker laces and return.
It was just as Agent Bronze’s judgment was gradually leaning that way.
A sound was heard from outside.
‘People were making a fuss over there… should I tell them here?’
‘Yes, yes. They were fighting. You know, knocking over food…. Uh, uhhh?’
There was a brief sound of chatter outside, then the sound of people running in a swarm.
And a moment later.
Drrrrk.
The Sliding Door opened, revealing a familiar face.
“I knew there’d be people here too.”
“…!!”
It was Assistant Manager Eun Haje.
Agent Bronze’s eyes widened.
“You….”
“Shh.”
The assistant manager raised her index finger to her lips.
Then she muttered with a frown.
“Is this some kind of human trafficking village? Everyone’s related, and they’re trying to lock up outsiders like they’re some kind of subversives. Anyway, you two want to get out of this room, right?”
“Yes!”
“Then let’s go.”
Assistant Manager Eun Haje began to lead us, cleverly slipping out of the tile-roofed house.
For some reason, there were almost no people in the house.
“Why did the numbers drop so suddenly?”
“People were already few because of festival preparations, and then a fight broke out among the villagers outside, so everyone went to break it up.”
“…Was there someone who instigated that fight, by any chance?”
“Who knows?”
And Assistant Manager Eun Haje winked.
‘It was her doing.’
I felt a surge of emotion, a mix of wanting to scream at her to stop doing dangerous things and feeling grateful.
“Anyway, get going quickly. This doesn’t seem like an ordinary village.”
“……Thank you.”
“For what.”
And as we slipped out through a back door that Assistant Manager Eun Haje seemed to have scoped out, we were met with the same scenery as yesterday.
[Receive the Blessing of Jisan!]
A village in the middle of a holiday festival.
Hiyahiyaaaaa!
“It’s still a madhouse.”
Assistant Manager Eun Haje said, turning back to us while running a hand through her hair.
“Don’t get caught again and dragged back to a room. In this chaos, you should be able to reach the entrance quietly without being noticed….”
“Wait a minute.”
Agent Bronze frowned and said strictly to Assistant Manager Eun Haje.
“Let’s leave together.”
Of course, Assistant Manager Eun Haje looked bewildered.
“No, I told you I have other business. I have to do my coverage so I can make a living too.”
“It’s dangerous.”
“I’m the one who just saved you from danger, remember?”
Agent Bronze sighed. He seemed frustrated about wasting time arguing, but also determined to persuade Assistant Manager Eun Haje.
He was likely worried that the person who had helped them this much might go missing here. He probably wanted to rescue her if at all possible.
But I….
‘I’m worried, but I’m not sure which side is more dangerous.’
If I dragged Assistant Manager Eun Haje out because this village seemed dangerous right now, she might be harmed by Director Ho for neglecting her duties.
It was something I had just experienced myself.
‘Phew.’
My head was a mess.
And one more thing bothered me.
‘Is it really okay to leave Baek Saheon like this?’
Of course, Baek Saheon wouldn’t die and would continue to be promoted all the way to Section Chief. If this was Baek Saheon’s family home, then things that wouldn't have happened wouldn't be occurring just because of a variable like me, meaning he wouldn't die here according to the Wiki’s settings.
‘But… that terror was real.’
Is it really okay to just leave?
I reflexively looked around, and in that moment, he came right into view.
Baek Saheon himself.
“……!”
The guy was still helping with village chores, like carrying food and guiding people.
His eyes were hollow, but his face was more peaceful than expected.
And then.
Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!
[Everyone! The drawing time has returned! Everyone, please receive your prizes and enjoy much of the Blessing of Jisan!]
The drawing time had returned.
The villagers began to move in perfect order, holding the drawing boxes again.
“We have to leave.”
“No, I’m telling you….”
While Agent Bronze’s urgent words and Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s words clashed.
“Receive the Blessing of Jisan!”
Villagers scattered toward the outsiders.
‘…At this rate, we would have been caught even if we had just run straight for the entrance.’
It meant it was an unavoidable flow.
Being noticed by them.
One of them approached us as well.
Naturally, our turn arrived in no time.
“Receive the Blessing of Jisan!”
The drawing box was held out.
“…….”
Wouldn't it be more suspicious not to draw?
There were too many villagers.
‘I don't think we should cause a scene.’
To leave without being caught by the people who were at the tile-roofed house, it would be bad to draw attention by refusing or raising our voices.
‘Even if I win, I just won’t take the prize with me when I leave.’
After intense deliberation, I eventually reached out and picked up the first random rod closest to me and pulled it out….
But.
I saw a golden tip.
“…!!”
A rod with gold encrusted on the end.
The very thing that was in Baek Saheon’s pants pocket yesterday.
Special Prize.
“…….”
The surroundings suddenly became insanely quiet.
Gaze—even without looking, I could feel the gazes.
And.
“Aaaaaah!”
“Aaah!”
[He has come! He has come! The Blessing of Jisan has come!]
O Proxy, grant us the scattered white blessing of Jisan
O Proxy, grant us the scattered white blessing of Jisan
O Proxy, grant us the scattered white blessing of Jisan
O Proxy, grant us the scattered white blessing of Jisan
The sound echoes.
I barely managed to tear my eyes away from the stick and raised my head.
And I saw.
Over there.
Baek Saheon, holding the draw box, was laughing with pure ecstasy.
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