The first thing I felt was dampness.
Splat.
When I thrust my salt-water-soaked hand into the snake pit, a bizarre chill, as if I had plunged my hand into ink, washed over me.
And then, I was sucked in.
“…!”
The suction that began at my hand soon swallowed my entire body.
‘I—I can’t breathe.’
It felt like wet paper was sticking to my whole body, constricting me.
My vision spun amidst the pitch-black darkness and sensory deprivation, until...
“Gasp!”
Thump.
I took a breath in the cool, open air.
I opened my eyes.
The night view of a provincial city, where neon signs twinkled instead of stars, spread out before me.
An autumn night in Korea.
‘…I survived.’
It was reality.
“Phew.”
I tried to stand on my trembling legs but nearly collapsed.
Dark red ink was leaking and trailing beneath my feet.
“…….”
I followed the trail of ink with my eyes.
A single ink wash painting on old hanji paper was there, all blurred and faded.
It was barely recognizable, as if someone had poured fresh ink over a drawing that had already withered away after many years...
‘…That must be one of the many paintings that lead into those crazy mountains from earlier.’
Feeling an eerie chill for some reason, I immediately looked away and instead scanned the people sprawled on the ground.
One, two, three, four… seven. Everyone was here.
It seemed the painting had spat them out right after me.
“Ughhh….”
“Are you alright?”
“Ugh… Huh?! The—the outside!!”
Section Chief Lee Byeong-jin shouted as he stared into the air.
“Haha!! I—I’m alive!! I’m alive!!”
Then, with an expression full of joy and tears, he looked back at me and bowed his head deeply.
“Th—thank you. For saving me….”
“You saved yourself, Manager. Weren’t you the one who performed the ritual?”
“…Haha, well, you’re quite humble… It’s embarrassing. Yes.”
Section Chief Lee Byeong-jin bowed his head again, looking somewhat moved.
It was closer to flattery than humility, but I decided to let him keep his pleasant misunderstanding.
“Wh—what!?”
The next to regain consciousness were the middle schoolers, and as I looked after them, I heard a surprising story.
“This was the site of your school trip?”
“Yes!!”
Come to think of it, this place perfectly matched their description of ‘the pavilion on the mountain behind the lodging.’
‘I guess we were all spat out here.’
……It was a relief that I hadn’t woken up in that bizarre crack of an office in the company basement.
I didn't stop the kids as they hugged each other with relieved faces and started crying, preparing to run straight down. I simply left them with a warning to be careful.
“Watch your step. As soon as you get down, find an adult and call your parents, okay?”
However, the kids seemed to get scared instead.
“Aren’t you coming with us…?”
Well… that’s difficult.
Whether I was mistaken for a kidnapper or treated as a hero who saved the kids, the moment I went to the police station, the company wouldn't be very happy about it...
‘It’s enough that the kids return safely.’
I slowly shook my head and said,
“We have to go somewhere else. You guys just head straight down from here. Don't look back.”
Since they might trip.
“…! Yes.”
The kids seemed to find their courage, as if they had made a big resolution. Just as I told them, they leaned on each other and carefully but diligently descended the mountain.
‘That’s done.’
The mountain was shallow with well-maintained walking trails anyway, so it would only take five minutes to get down.
I was watching the kids’ backs as they safely descended when...
Tap, tap.
“Excuse me….”
The Sergeant, who had staggered to his feet early on, tapped my shoulder.
“Take this with you….”
“Ah.”
The Sergeant held out a wooden stick with a bluish Mountain Ginseng hanging from it.
‘Honestly, you could have just left it there.’
Anyway, as I reflexively took the fainted Mountain Ginseng, the Sergeant turned around and began to trudge away.
“…Where are you going?”
“The company……. I’m still on duty….”
Ah.
‘But we’re in Gyeongju.’
Won’t his shift be over by the time we get back up?
Regardless, I followed him. I had to get to Seoul anyway.
While carrying the still sprawled-out graduate student, Go Seon-ha, on my back.
‘I’ll leave her in front of a police station on the way.’
It was then.
“Ah, the two of you are from the Security Team, so you must return quickly! I—I’ll follow you! Haha! The missing person you were looking for should go too, right? Let’s go together!”
I looked back at Section Chief Lee Byeong-jin.
The way he hurriedly followed us made him look like a sycophant worried about losing his backing.
Well, since we’ve escaped…… I suppose it’s time he knew the truth.
“And, uh, after everything is settled, I’ll stop by your workplace to pay my respects. Hehe, which office does the Security Team work out of……?”
“I’m not.”
“…?”
“You won't be able to meet me even if you go to the Security Team.”
“What?”
“Because I’m part of the Field Exploration team.”
A long silence followed.
“But your, your clothes are Security Team,”
“I borrowed them…….”
“…!?”
At the Sergeant’s words, Section Chief Lee Byeong-jin’s face filled with confusion, but he soon seemed to piece the situation together in his head.
“Ah! Ah! I see. Huh? But I don’t recognize your face at all… Do you not receive administrative support? Ah! Are you perhaps a special team, or something like that? That’s why you’re wearing the security uniform…….”
“I’m a rookie.”
“……?”
“I’m a new employee in Team D.”
“…???”
The aftermath was handled quite swiftly.
Section Chief Lee Byeong-jin repeatedly cried out “Lies” all the way from Gyeongju until we returned to the company, but after checking my personnel files, his face went blank again.
And he didn't… change his attitude as if it were natural.
‘Why?’
I expected him to look down on me as a rookie in the Field Exploration team, but surprisingly, he acted politely and kept watching my reactions.
Though he did try to act jovial and started speaking informally to me.
“Oh, Soleum, did you hear? About, well, those kids and the graduate student. I heard they returned home safely.”
A few days later, the Manager informed us that the people who escaped with us had been registered as civilian survivors with <Daydream Inc.>.
He also tipped me off that they likely received a decent amount in information fees.
“In a sense, you could say their luck with money really opened up. Isn’t it ironic? Huh? That’s life for you.”
And that irony found its way to me as well.
“Anyway, from now on, Soleum, you just have to trust me!”
“……Um, yes.”
“Hahaha!”
Section Chief Lee Byeong-jin processed the Manual Review with lightning speed.
…Only mine.
‘Is it okay for him to act like that after showing up after a week of unexcused absences?’
Regardless, it was a good thing for me.
The Scroll Painting, which was the gateway to the ‘Sangun’ ghost story, was quickly collected by the Darkness under <Daydream Inc.>, and in the process, my unique escape method was accepted as a Manual once again.
Furthermore, the manual revision review I had submitted back when I applied for Team A, which had been pending, passed rapidly.
As a result, the amount deposited into my bank account was…….
Review Payment ₩100,000,000
“…….”
‘This is insane.’
A hand-trembling amount was recorded.
Since two types of Darkness had passed the review, an unimaginable sum appeared in my banking app.
It felt like I was receiving money as an alternative since these weren't officially assigned tasks and didn't grant Points, but when the amount reached this level, it was enough to make one’s eyes spin.
‘Shouldn’t I try to conquer as many new Darknesses as possible while the manual review person is this friendly…?’
However, I couldn’t bring myself to voluntarily go around meeting all sorts of ghosts and monsters alone, so for now….
‘I should spend this 100 million well.’
Where could I spend it to hear that I spent it well?
Actually, the destination for 30 percent of it had already been decided.
The starting point of all this hardship.
“Congratulations, Braun.”
-Ooooooh!
Blood Bath - ₩29,999,999
= ₩29,999,999
Ready for purchase.
Fortunately, the Blood Bath remained in the Alien Shop, and I was able to keep the promise I made to the moving Plush doll.
‘I wonder if it’ll come by courier this time too.’
I felt a bit stunned thinking back to the post office boxes that were suddenly vomited out of thin air.
From what I knew, the Blood Bath was… a four-legged bathtub about the size of a built-in tub in a large house.
It was even luxurious, with legs decorated in gold leaf, and that was going to drop into this one-room company housing unit?
‘…Should I order it in the bathroom?’
F-First, I decided to push the bed and desk aside to secure some space and press the order button here. There was too little space in the bathroom.
“…Alright. I’m ordering it now.”
-I am looking forward to it! My heart is pounding.
In a room lit by a single flashlight, while talking to a Plush doll that shouldn't even have a heart to pound, I finally clicked the ‘Order’ button.
Rippp.
Space tore open, just like the last few times. Tension rose.
But the torn space was… smaller than expected?
Plop.
It spat out a package.
The package was also… small…?
“…?”
I opened the post office box, which was less than a quarter of the expected size.
I saw the product box.
[Fountain of Youth Bathtub – Foot Massage Edition]
“…….”
No wonder it was cheap.
Come to think of it, since these things originated from a home shopping ghost story, all sorts of editions and versions were probably in the records….
Except for a few specific cases, there usually wasn’t a very significant difference, and they were mostly just for detailed amusement.
‘Still, I never dreamed there would be something like a foot bath version.’
As if it were a special edition, it even came with a shiny gold sticker and a warranty.
[10-Year Free A/S]
Truly meaningless….
‘As if I’d ever apply for A/S.’
But anyway, I opened it.
There were no records in the <Dark Exploration Record> about someone’s blood being automatically drained upon touching the Blood Bath.
When I unpacked the angular box, like those used for general electronic devices, I saw the item covered in expensive packaging material, just like luxury brands do.
And when I peeled away the packaging, it finally revealed itself.
‘…The Fountain of Youth Bathtub.’
A.K.A. the Blood Bath.
It was a glossy black-and-white checkered bathtub that looked as if it were made of polished ceramic.
The entire tub was elegantly curved, and golden cat-paw-shaped legs sturdily supported it from all sides.
It was quite a stylish sight.
‘…Except for the fact that it’s a foot bath.’
However, someone who was just the right size for the tub seemed extremely excited.
-Mr. Roe Deer! Please put me in there! Along with the bath salts….
Wait, if it’s the bath salts for the Blood Bath….
“…You want my blood?”
-That is correct! You have excellent understanding, Mr. Roe Deer.
This crazy guy.
For a moment, I deliberated between persuasion and flight, but—
-Haha! Just a joke, Friend!
“…….”
-There is no audience, no camera, so why would I make such an unreasonable demand of my Friend!
Then what about when there are an audience and cameras?
I didn’t say it out loud, though. Usually, the one in the weaker position has to swallow their words.
But I couldn't help saying one thing.
“I’d prefer if you didn't make jokes like that. It’s not funny, it’s scary.”
-Oh dear, I understand. Humor is an element that heavily depends on culture, so it must always be handled with care!
Was that your idea of handling it with care…?
-Anyway, returning to the main point…… Isn't there already something more suitable to use as bath salts in this space?
-Oh, shall we see if our Mr. Roe Deer can guess it!
There was something like that in the company housing?
I turned my head.
‘He can’t be talking about Baek Saheon who lives next door…….’
Surely not. It better not be.
Excluding that for now… there was one thing that caught my eye.
With a reluctant look, I pointed to something that had occupied a corner of my desk for several days.
“…This Mountain Ginseng?”
-Excellent!
Indeed.
That corrupted, purple Mountain Ginseng-looking thing I had reflexively poached from the ‘Sangun’ ghost story.
‘I should call it essence, but it certainly seemed like something like blood was flowing through it.’
However, for days, this Mountain Ginseng had remained an ordinary ginseng, only with a purple color.
I had planned to grind up a whole pouch of apple juice and feed it back if it woke up, or just hand it over to the company if I couldn't handle it, but surprisingly, it hadn't awakened.
‘To the point where I felt like a fool for being so tense when I woke up at sunrise that day….’
Braun had even commented on it like this:
-I do not think it will wake up in the future. Isn't it the nature of a weak beast to play dead when it feels threatened?
I’ll interpret it as a result of being dragged into the real world from that Changwi’s space, the ‘Mountain Lord's Burial Site.’
-Anyway, Friend. If you are very worried, I will keep a constant eye on it from now on.
And so far, no problems had occurred.
Anyway, so he wanted me to use this Mountain Ginseng.
‘Hmm, that might be worth a try.’
If it wasn't possessed by a ghost, it was just preparing a juicy ginseng.
Besides… honestly, I also wanted to see the Blood Bath in action.
‘It’s curious, after all.’
I had curiosity, too. That’s probably why I spent my spare time at work looking into the Ghost Story Wiki….
There weren't many ghost stories I could actually observe safely even through images.
I wanted to take this chance to see it operate with sap instead of blood.
-Oooooh!
I brought rubber gloves and scissors from the kitchen.
A low, excited voice came from the Plush doll monster under the bed.
-Now, please put me in the tub!
“Wait a second.”
There was something I had to say first.
“This tub is effective for rejuvenation, but do you even need rejuvenation? Um… you look young enough.”
I wanted to point out whether such a concept even applied to a doll, but I held back.
However, the Plush doll laughed heartily. It was a clean sound, like a recorded sound effect for a show.
-Hahaha! You have a quite narrow view of the concept of rejuvenation, my Friend! That is fine. Since you have me, a good listener and a conversationalist, right here!
-‘Rejuvenation’ is… I see. In the Sinitic cultural sphere, it means ‘the return of spring.’ So strictly speaking, it means ‘regaining the prowess of one's prime.’
-At this moment when my body feels strangely heavy and it is difficult to maintain balance, it is exactly the effect I need!
Well… but you’re a stuffed doll.
Besides, the manual said it was effective for ‘wound healing, fatigue recovery, arthritis treatment, skin beauty, etc.’
‘…I don’t know.’
If he says so.
There were no cases in the <Dark Exploration Record> where someone was harmed after being kind to or giving power to a Plush doll in the Good Friend ghost story.
The catastrophes happened when they were treated poorly.
I decided to stop my thoughts before they went any deeper. It was pointlessly scary.
Instead, I put on the rubber gloves, held the scissors in one hand and the Mountain Ginseng in the other.
‘Let’s use it.’
And I reached out toward the Blood Bath.
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