Supervisor Park Minseong suppressed a sigh and sat down next to the sofa in the terrace room where he had been hiding.
‘I think it’s taking too long.’
It had already been over 70 minutes since Kim Soleum had taken his colleagues downstairs.
Although Soleum had mentioned it could take that long, he had also left a tip, assuming a scenario where he or his colleagues didn’t return even after two hours….
-…You don’t have to wait for us or come looking for us.
It meant that if things went south, he should be left behind.
‘I should have just gone with them.’
Park Minseong suppressed another sigh.
No matter how much Daydream Inc. was a place where everyone fended for themselves, some Field Exploration teams had a strong sense of camaraderie depending on the group, and Team D was particularly like that.
Assistant Manager Eun Haje also looked slightly distraught, sighing as she made revisions to the makeshift Map of Darkness on the sofa.
‘…Roe Deer, I was hoping he’d settle into our team permanently once his rookie period ended.’
First, getting out of here safely had to come first.
Park Minseong felt a bit gloomy, but he still had something to believe in.
‘Section Chief Lee Jaheon confirmed it, after all.’
That meant that item must have truly looked useful.
He didn’t know where the rookie had managed to get such a thing, but occasionally, people like that did join the company—cases where someone who had already been living caught up in urban legends or ghost stories got hired.
‘Is he one of those cases?’
Or perhaps his bad luck was just that strong.
Even for the Field Exploration team, it was an event that happened maybe once a year for a rookie to be fully mobilized into such a dangerous Darkness.
But considering Kim Soleum, who had been dragged into things consecutively starting from the theme park, his heart practically bled for the guy…….
‘At least it’s a relief he’s racking up Points.’
Park Minseong suppressed a sigh and looked toward the terrace door.
There stood a human figure who looked perfectly composed, in stark contrast to his own distraught mind.
Section Chief Lee Jaheon.
He was waiting right in front of the terrace door without a single movement.
He was likely measuring the time with his unnervingly accurate biological clock.
And when the countdown ended, he would rise without hesitation and move according to the plan.
Park Minseong only hoped that the plan wasn’t based on the premise that ‘Survival of Employee Kim Soleum is unlikely, so exclude him from the escape plan.’
‘No, before that, I hope Roe Deer returns….’
Except for the occasional scream, the outside was heartlessly quiet.
‘There are no footsteps.’
If Roe Deer had finished his work, the quiet footsteps of the three of them would surely be heard first….
[Can you hear me?]
“…!?”
Park Minseong sprang up.
He saw Assistant Manager Eun Haje reflexively stand up beside him.
[This is an announcement regarding the escape.]
[There is no time, so I will not repeat this. Please pay attention.]
It was the rookie of Team D they had been waiting for.
It was Kim Soleum’s voice.
[The exit is on the 0th floor.]
[I will explain again. The exit is on the 0th floor. As you go down the stairs, in the section where it turns a bronze color….]
It was definitely Roe Deer.
And if it was this extraordinary rookie, it wouldn’t be that strange for him to use some mysterious method to make an announcement broadcast from somewhere……. But.
…What was the probability that something not human was imitating Kim Soleum?
“…….”
The two Team D members glanced at each other and then deferred the judgment to the final decision-maker—their Section Chief, who knew how to judge with a ghostly intuition and utter coldness in these matters.
“…….”
Lee Jaheon heard the ‘announcement broadcast’ more clearly than anyone else near the terrace door.
[You must use the spiral staircase.]
Gazing into the air as if deep in thought, he… declared this:
“We are moving.”
[That is all.]
I finally finished the message I had repeated six times.
From the 1st floor to the 6th.
‘With this, I’ve informed everyone on the upper floors.’
I had actually debated whether to only inform the 1st floor where Team D was, but Ms. Go Yeongeun had strongly agreed with the idea.
-Y-You can do something like that? Then we should save as many people as we can!
It was a very medical-professional sort of remark.
But from now on, it was up to each individual’s judgment.
‘Just in case, I didn’t introduce the company, but I did include a few terms used by the Field Exploration team….’
Still, some might be suspicious and not come out.
Even if they were unlucky enough to encounter a Guide Machine in charge of that floor while using the stairs, there was nothing to be done.
Isn’t it better to survive even if you lose a body part or two than to be trapped in this crazy exhibition and die as a Human Larva?
‘It also has the effect of dispersing the machines that might have come for Team D.’
I cleared my throat.
“Ahem, ahem.”
The strange resonance I felt in my throat and lungs had vanished, as if Braun had tactfully withdrawn his power.
‘Thanks.’
-Gratitude is always pleasant to hear!
Braun replied cheerfully, though his voice sounded a bit tired.
However, an annoyed voice that seemed unable to understand sounded from beside me.
“Why are you wasting Points? The more people escape, the fewer Points we get per person.”
There he goes again with his trash personality.
It was even an ignorant remark.
“Are you an idiot? If a rookie like you is escaping, do you think there aren’t veteran employees who would find the exit and leave on their own without help?”
“…!”
Employees with items and Exclusive Equipment that synergized well, or employees who were naturally talented—several of them would escape anyway.
Even looking at the <Dark Exploration Record>, the escape of seven people was already fixed, so the Points distributed per person would have been less than 1/8th even if I hadn't done this.
It meant it was difficult to hit the jackpot with Points from this ghost story.
But instead of explaining it that way, I just grinned.
“You have to take credit at times like this to make company life interesting later…. And observe various reactions.”
“…….”
Baek Saheon turned his head away with a disgusted expression.
‘Do you even have a conscience?’
Considering what you just said, I should be the one making that face, you ghost story worldview sociopath.
But just in case even Ms. Go Yeongeun was horrified, I called out to the person in front.
“Ms. Goral.”
“…….”
“Ms. Goral?”
“…Wait a moment. By any chance, did you call me?”
“…!”
No way.
“…It seems like, somehow, I’ve started to lose my hearing.”
“…….”
I looked at the spot where Go Yeongeun’s ear, covered by her hair, had disappeared.
I didn’t know what exactly had been put inside the empty space sewn shut with thread, but the ‘rented’ auditory device was losing its function.
In a relatively very short amount of time.
‘Of all times, now….’
“But it’s not like I can’t hear anything at all. Also, there’s still quite a bit of the candle left, so I think we’ll be fine if we move carefully.”
“Yes.”
I lightly tapped Go Yeongeun’s shoulder to signal more accurately.
Go Yeongeun winced slightly, then soon began to walk down the stairs resolutely….
Baek Saheon said urgently.
“It would be better if I held that item. Hand it over to me.”
“And what if Ms. Goral accidentally looks back?”
“…….”
Baek Saheon shut his mouth.
Tense, we began to descend the six flights of stairs.
Tramp, tramp.
Only the echoing footsteps filled the stairwell.
It seemed no one had rushed out yet after hearing my broadcast…….
“Um, excuse me.”
Go Yeongeun called out.
“Yes.”
“…….”
Can she not hear me?
“Um, you’re there, right?”
I tapped Go Yeongeun’s back very gently. Baek Saheon also tapped her shoulder with a reluctant expression.
“Ah…. Thank you.”
Relieved, Go Yeongeun gripped the candle tightly with both hands again.
We continued down the stairs.
Tramp, tramp.
After a silent time that felt like eternity….
We arrived at the 1st floor.
Skreeeeeeech….
The sound of Guide Machines moving along their routes echoed from all directions.
One was passing right next to us…. dragging away a collected, dead Human Larva.
“…I’ll head to the spiral staircase now.”
“Yes.”
Go Yeongeun’s voice grew louder.
As if she couldn't control her volume because she could hardly hear anything.
‘It’s okay, we’re almost there.’
Instead, I listened intently to my surroundings to react quickly, walking calmly and cautiously.
I don’t think my response was wrong.
The only problem was that crises sometimes arrive regardless of our preparations.
For instance… while all my senses were focused on listening, a completely unrelated obstacle appeared.
“Eh?”
The person in front disappeared from my sight.
As I looked down, I saw Go Yeongeun’s figure falling.
Something shiny slipped out from under her foot.
A telephoto lens.
An invisible, transparent rental item that had fallen from the dead body the Guide Machine was dragging had rolled down and perfectly wedged itself in.
Thud.
I caught Go Yeongeun.
But the candle flew out from her arm, which had already hit the floor.
“No…!”
I reflexively caught the candle and threw it to Baek Saheon, but.
It was already too late.
The candle went out.
“…….”
“……Gasp.”
The Guide Machine turned toward us.
Whoosh.
A metal blade flew in.
“H-hik!”
I rolled to the side. A sharp groan was heard from beside me.
The Guide Machine, which had set down the corpse it was carrying, lifted its gas lamp and shone it on us.
It had clearly confirmed that we were all delinquent on our fees.
And so, the needle-like appendage attached to the upper abdomen of the monster, whose ‘priorities’ had been rearranged, flew out once again.
First, starting with the eyes that were closest…….
“Roe Deer.”
A familiar voice.
“Get down.”
I reflexively pressed down the back of my two colleagues’ heads and collapsed to the floor.
Clang!
A thunderous sound of metal colliding and sparks flying erupted above my head.
“…!”
It was Section Chief Lee Jaheon.
The Field Exploration employee with unbelievable physical strength ruthlessly parried the Guide Machine’s needle.
Ping.
The broken tip of the needle flew off and embedded itself in the hallway wall. The Guide Machine twisted its joints, making a strange grinding noise.
Holy crap.
‘That thing could be broken?’
Section Chief Lee Jaheon withdrew his gloved hand. For all I knew, it wouldn’t be strange for that hand to be fractured.
In that hand, he was holding something metallic like a brass knuckle….
It was a terrace door handle.
“……!”
An alarm went off in my head. That’s….
‘Exhibition property damage.’
==========
Any acts of disturbance, theft, or property damage within the exhibition hall are subject to immediate restraint by the Guide, and a corresponding fine will be collected.
==========
He had even broken the Guide Machine.
Even if this wasn't treated as a criminal offense within the exhibition, and they merely politely requested an apology for the disturbance and a damage compensation fee… well.
One thing was certain.
We were now the Guide Machine’s overwhelming top priority.
And that would likely be the case not just for the machine in front of us, but for all Guide Machines in this area….
“Section Chief.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s run.”
I threw myself forward.
Skreeeech, skritch, bzzzt, zzt, click, skree, skreeeeeeeech….
The sound of the damaged Guide Machine moving more aggressively than ever before was heard.
I heard my colleagues running like mad beside me. Section Chief Lizard… no, wait a minute!
“Section Chief!!”
“Yes.”
“Don’t fight, just run!”
‘No matter how jokingly strong Section Chief Lizard is, he can’t destroy all the Guide Machines here!’
Just thinking about what would happen if the disturbance spread that far made me feel faint.
‘…It was even censored in the Dark Exploration Record!!’
I didn’t even want to imagine how the hidden content would manifest in reality.
Skreeeeeech
‘F*ck!’
I encountered another Guide Machine on the way to the stairs.
No, one more.
“Ugh!”
I threw myself through the gaps of the striking needles. I felt a burning pain in my arm.
Even while running, I knew by biological instinct.
‘We’re going to be caught.’
This was impossible given human physical limitations.
We would definitely be caught and taxed by the Guide Machines before reaching the 0th floor.
A chill ran down my spine.
‘…What can I do?’
I’m out of breath. My oxygen-deprived brain isn’t working well.
Instead, resignation sets in.
‘Is this… as long as I could hold out?’
My thoughts dulled, and whether my hearing was splitting into multiple layers or not, the sound of footsteps echoed in my ears.
As if dozens of people were running…….
No, wait a minute!
“…?!”
I realized it.
It wasn't that the footsteps just sounded like many.
The number of people had actually increased.
Not two, but the footsteps of at least ten people.
-Roe Deer, they are the people who seized the opportunity after hearing your wonderful announcement!
“…!”
They were the Field Exploration team employees.
The visitors who had been watching the situation seemed to be trying to reach the spiral staircase by taking advantage of the chaos.
That had an unexpected effect.
The Guide Machines were flustered, calculating priorities based on the severity of the acts and the distance to each visitor.
People who hadn't paid their fees were popping up and running everywhere.
“Hurry!”
Through that window of time, we also gritted our teeth and threw ourselves toward the stairs.
Skreeeeeech
I moved my feet like a madman.
Just as the chilling sound from behind me grew closer.
The stairs ended, and a silver hall unfolded.
The lobby.
And… the main entrance!
“Go!”
Assistant Manager Eun Haje and Supervisor Park Minseong were holding the door.
I ran like a maniac.
Almost at the same moment my foot landed in front of the main entrance, my superiors threw themselves toward the exit.
I also went in, almost collapsing.
Running until my mouth tasted like blood, the moment I stepped out through the exit filled with light….
“Phew!!”
I opened my eyes.
I saw a ceiling with clean fluorescent lights.
A modern hallway of reasonable width.
It was in front of the meeting room on the 31st floor of the company.
We escaped.
“Ha…….”
I collapsed in the hallway.
I heard people rushing out of the large conference room, but my mental and physical strength were both completely depleted.
Squeezing out every last drop, in my hazy consciousness…….
An alarm rang.
[Dark Exploration Record Real Goods Box]
-Permission to use a new merchandise has been unlocked!
Discussion