A classroom inside a ghost story, with bright interior lights.
“Die! Die!”
Behind me, people were desperately battering a creepy student who stood motionless.
“Let’s wait until they pass.”
In front of me, an official watched my company’s employees pass by with eyes full of wariness and contempt.
And caught in the middle….
Me, without my colleagues and having missed my timing.
I have to look like an innocent civilian to the official beside me while safely clearing this nightmare-like ghost story.
My true identity is… actually from the pharmaceutical company that official hates!
“…….”
Just how high is this damn difficulty going to go…?
‘This is driving me crazy.’
In the meantime, the employees moved further away. I felt like I made eye contact with a few of them, but when I avoided their gaze, they walked quickly without saying anything.
Just as I felt a bit of relief.
Flicker.
The blackout happened again.
“Eek!”
But this time, the people were faster than the approaching darkness.
“……A-It’s not moving!”
“We did it!”
I took a deep breath.
When the lights flickered and then turned back on.
The ‘Sekwang Technical High School Student’ who had been frozen like a statue was now collapsed on the floor near the back door.
“Waaaaah!”
The people’s frantic battering definitely had an effect. This time, the student couldn't move even when the lights went out.
Instead, he looked as if he had died, collapsing as if receiving the full impact of the accumulated assault.
However, only the right hand of the frozen student remained stretched toward the air, as if still trying to grab the back door….
“…….”
People cheered with jubilant expressions, holding blood-stained mop handles and chairs.
“It worked! This is it!”
“…….”
We have to run.
When one of the student entities falls into a state of immobility similar to biological death.
Fast.
Every student nearby is summoned to that spot.
[Ding-Dong-Dang-Dong]
[A fatal accident has occurred in Class 1-5.]
“Uh…?”
A school broadcast came on.
Unlike before, the voice was deeply somber.
A slow funeral march played in the background.
“Now.”
The official poked my back.
“Let’s run.”
[The deceased student is 1st year Lee Wonyul.]
I immediately dashed out the door.
And as quickly as possible, I took in as much of the hallway scenery as I could.
After confirming what was needed, I stuck close to the side to minimize my body's volume.
“Should we put our backs against the wall?”
“Exactly.”
[Let us all observe five seconds of silence.]
Without resisting the official pressing down on my shoulder, I sat down right there with my back against the wall.
And then.
Click.
The lights went out.
[5]
Through the melody, the sound of a door sliding, creeeak.
The sound of the back door opening.
[4]
“Aaaaaah!”
“Ack!”
“Wh-Wha… Urgh.”
[3]
“Sav…….”
“Sob,”
[2]
Screams, screams, short screams.
[1]
…….
…….
Silence.
The funeral march continued.
[The moment of silence is over. We offer our deepest condolences to the deceased.]
I forced my trembling head up to look inside the classroom.
Because I had to see.
Flicker.
My vision returned as the lights came back on.
The inside of the classroom was a mess of blood and filth.
All sorts of corpses were strewn about—flung against the wall, scattered on the floor and desks.
‘……Ha.’
And in the middle of it all, only two human figures stood tall.
The Sekwang Technical High School Students, frozen by my gaze.
One entity stood trampling over a person who had been decapitated, and the other was smiling, holding the front door….
Staring at me.
“…….”
I’ve been perceived.
‘Damn it.’
Beads of sweat dripped down my chin.
“…I’ll back away for a moment. To an angle where I can still see inside the classroom.”
“…….”
The official nodded slightly.
While keeping my eyes fixed forward, I felt behind me along the wall.
The reason I stood at this wall.
[Portable Lighting Device]
The red emergency flashlight was right nearby.
A portable light source that can ‘freeze’ students even when a blackout occurs.
‘It’s an absolute necessity.’
However, in the spot where three should have been plugged in, only one remained.
‘The employees must have taken them.’
I’m just surprised that even though that bastard Baek Saheon was in the group, they didn't pull all three to keep as spares.
Furthermore, they even had the sense to jam a wad of paper into the light's discharge sensor to prevent the alarm from sounding. It was typical of people with experience in ghost story exploration.
They even left one piece of paper behind in the empty flashlight slot.
‘I’ve seen that far.’
I reached back and picked up that piece of paper….
And as I stretched my hand forward, a phrase folded on the back of the paper caught the edge of my vision.
-Debt
“…….”
Not bad.
I crumpled Baek Saheon’s note, shoved it back into the sensor with my hand behind my back, and pulled out the flashlight.
‘Phew.’
With this, the first stage of temporary blackout preparation is complete.
‘Next is….’
“…! Did you pull out the flashlight?”
“Yes.”
“……Excellent. You just need to keep it on. …Now, let’s retrieve the name tags.”
The official strode toward the front door of the classroom.
Right up to the nose of the student entity that was staring intensely at me.
‘Huuuu….’
Just looking at it made me feel like warning signals were screaming in my head.
However, the official swiftly tore the name tag from its chest,
And took it.
And beyond that, he even retrieved the name tag of the first dead entity lying by the back door.
“…….”
This is crazy.
‘This is a step you can’t take back.’
If you are witnessed stealing a student’s name tag, you will be pursued by that student until you die.
Though I suppose it might have been hopeless anyway from the moment we made eye contact.
‘I’ll definitely be chased.’
Even with a flashlight, moving through the school at night with two students trailing you is madness for an ordinary person.
It was a choice only an Agent of the Disaster Management Bureau, equipped with gear and allies, could make.
‘…Still, if it were me, I would have done it differently.’
But the milk is already spilled, and thinking rationally….
Getting my identity caught by the official.
Dying in a ghost story nightmare.
No matter how I looked at it, the former carried more risk. Dying here is just a bonus; it feels like I’ll be marked and investigated.
‘For now, I have no choice but to trust the move of a Disaster Management Bureau Agent.’
But let’s do my part… let’s do my part.
‘If I’m going to do it, I have to do it fast.’
At the same time the official moved, I also approached the classroom.
Then I reached out to the student near the back door and pulled off the name tag.
‘Ughhhhh!’
This is insane, it’s really terrifying.
The student, frozen without the slightest movement, felt like he might turn around at any moment and crush my head….
But that didn't happen, and I succeeded.
‘Phew.’
It was then, as I held my hand which was tingling with goosebumps.
“H-Help me….”
I heard it.
“…….”
I thought the student entity was only stepping on the dead person’s neck, but I was wrong.
Beneath it, someone was shedding nothing but tears.
“P-Please….”
There was someone still alive.
Perhaps they didn't even have the energy or spite to scream, but their thin whisper reached my ears.
“…….”
After a brief and intense deliberation, I performed a certain action.
…….
“…! Gasp, sob……. Yes….”
Since I was using my eyes entirely to watch the student-shaped entity, I couldn't be certain, but the person below seemed to nod faintly…….
“…….”
I slowly backed away and joined the official. Then, after stepping back into the hallway, we began to move quickly.
“Look ahead. I’ll watch the classroom side.”
“…Yes.”
The official took out his own flashlight.
And as I watched the back of the head of the entity that had stared straight at us from the front door.
I looked ahead in the hallway to ‘stop’ any new entities that might appear with my gaze.
Sticking to the wall, we moved while complementing each other to ensure there were no blind spots.
“…….”
It was a desperate, silent, and rapid movement.
As the classroom grew distant from our view… just as it seemed the one entity that had been inside was finally out of sight.
The official, who must have been watching it, muttered as if puzzled.
“Why isn't it following… don't tell me,”
Agitation was transmitted through the back I pressed against the official.
“…Was there someone alive inside? Is that person watching?”
“…Yes.”
The official took a deep breath.
“They must have been in a state where they couldn't move due to severe injuries. …You did well. During a disaster, you secure your own safety first before helping others.”
“…….”
“Go to the stairs. We’ll stop once near the fire hydrant.”
“Yes.”
I moved my feet. And….
Flicker.
…Another blackout.
“I’m shining the flashlight.”
“Yes.”
I continued to move.
And I realized.
During the blackout just now,
The person I gave the name tag to died.
‘They’re coming.’
Two entities must be coming out of the classroom now.
But the fact that I can't turn back because I have to watch the front… makes my hair stand on end.
“Don't panic. There’s still a chance.”
“…….”
“You obtained a name tag earlier, right?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now, you just need to commit suicide.”
I thought I was going to faint.
“We’ll do it as soon as we stop at the emergency light. You look too pale, so it would be better for you to wake up from the nightmare quickly. Since you have a name tag, there won't be a problem.”
“…Umm.”
But the thing is.
I swallowed hard.
“I did obtain a name tag, but it’s not in my hands right now.”
“……!”
“I gave it to the person who was alive in the classroom.”
Yes.
I had intentionally dropped the name tag on the floor earlier.
So that the person pinned under the ‘student’ could grab it.
-If you hold that, you’ll wake up from this dream.
-…! Gasp, sob……. Yes….
“Since they have the name tag, that person will wake up safely.”
And they even bought us time like this.
“…!”
The official took a short breath, filled with frustration and stress.
Then he spoke in an even more tired and business-like voice.
“…Did you trust in the spare name tag I have?”
“No. You don't have to give me that. You’re the one who earned it, Agent.”
“…….”
“You need more name tags, right? You’ll have to give them to your colleagues too.”
“…That’s.”
Of course.
I wasn't saying this because I was a reckless pushover.
‘It’s really okay.’
Why?
‘Because I never intended to commit suicide just by obtaining a name tag in the first place!’
Exploration Records #13
The exploration record I’m using as a basis for my escape, the wiki entry I wrote… was originally the record of an explorer who failed to get a name tag.
Furthermore, I had analyzed this ghost story quite a bit and considered the variables to write those exploration records.
And I had reached a conclusion.
‘Only by performing a ‘certain act’ while not possessing a name tag can you clear this without facing physical death…!’
And that was also the strategy to take the highest grade of Dream Essence Liquid.
‘Then I absolutely have to do it.’
I have to prove that Group D… that is, that I can continue to produce similar results even in new situations.
“Do you know what happens if you die without a name tag?”
I know.
“Every time you sleep on a new moon night from now on, you’ll be dragged back here, and you won't even be able to deal with it because you’ll forget it when you wake up.”
“…….”
“Can you handle that?”
I don't think I can, but I have to handle it, what else can I do….
Ideally, it would be much safer to keep holding the name tag and then relinquish ownership at the decisive moment.
But as long as that official was stuck with me as part of my group, it was impossible for me to obtain a name tag and discard it when the time came.
So I took the risk and gave the name tag away naturally instead.
“There will be another chance.”
Even if there is, I’ll give it away again.
While I’m accompanied by you.
“And I’ll seize that chance myself. Don't worry, I won't ask you for yours.”
“…….”
And around now, once.
Should I try it?
I continued speaking with a voice that sounded somewhat determined.
“…As I thought, let’s split up here.”
“…!”
“If you need it, I’ll even give you the flashlight I have.”
‘I brought a super-powered flashlight anyway.’
I brought all sorts of other things too.
As long as I part ways with you, I can stop pretending to be a civilian and use them! Only if we split up!
Walking alone is scary, but I couldn't go on with my hands and feet tied like this.
Whether it’s a civilian or a company colleague, that side is better!
‘I need to join a larger group.’
This ghost story has a bizarre structure where it’s safer the more eyes there are, but more dangerous the noisier it gets.
‘I need to form a party of about four quickly.’
Given the risk factor of me being a Daydream Inc. employee, I shouldn't be traveling with this Agent.
I needed a stage where I could move more proactively.
‘Let’s part ways while pretending I’m giving in.’
“I think I’ll only be a hindrance to you, Agent. I’ll… try to manage on my own somehow.”
You said you consider civilians caught in a disaster as dead anyway! Just think of it as an unavoidable situation and let’s call it quits!
However.
A completely unexpected reaction came back.
“……I misjudged you.”
“…?”
The official looked at me with an expression that seemed to have reached a firm resolution.
“I was planning to carry out a humanitarian execution as soon as you obtained a name tag.”
What?!
‘This is insane.’
Even if you wake up when you die, saying you’re going to kill someone right to their face like that.
Feeling a cold sweat running down my back, I forced a smile.
“Ah, yes. Suicide is difficult even in a dream….”
“Yes. But… if you’re okay with it, I’d like you to accompany me in this disaster investigation.”
…….
Excuse me?
The official spoke quickly.
“You’ll be becoming an interim Agent. This isn't my solo mission, so it’s something that would normally require the agreement of another Agent… ah.”
The official rummaged through his pockets, pulled something out, and handed it to me.
“If you take this, they’ll recognize it as a simplified procedure.”
My eyelids flickered as I looked at the small caramel candy wrapped in silver foil, shaped like a rectangular prism, that had fallen into my hand.
…It’s a Disaster Management Bureau issued item!
==========
Sour-Sweet
A caramel-textured chewable candy.
Upon consumption, you will feel an uncomfortable pain whenever you tell a lie, compelling you to speak the truth.
==========
“It’s a light truth-verification procedure.”
No, this is no different from a confession drug used for torture.
“If you take this and accompany me, you’ll also be paid a small remuneration.”
“…….”
“If it’s too difficult, I’ll give you a name tag and then kill you to send you back.”
Wow, fuck, seriously.
“Civilian?”
If only I could pretend to eat it and shove it into my tattoo, but in my current state in the dream, where I had fully rejuvenated into a high school student, I didn't even have my tattoo.
After weighing the scales intensely.
“……Yes.”
I diligently chewed and swallowed the torture-grade confession drug.
It had a good, sweet and sour taste that caught in my throat, but I chewed and swallowed it.
‘The problem would be bigger if I got caught throwing it away or if I got caught refusing to eat it.’
Because that would mean I know what this caramel is.
“I’ve swallowed it.”
It makes me want to cry.
But do they say the stick comes with a carrot?
Unexpected carrots began to pour in.
“Well done. Now, take this.”
“…??”
The official quickly handed something else to my empty hand.
It was a steel-colored badge that looked somewhat similar to the Silver Heart.
Huh?
“It’s an Agent identification badge. If you wear that, you’ll be able to get help even if you encounter other Agents.”
“…….”
“And this.”
No sooner had I put on the badge than a small, ivory-colored pistol was quickly handed over.
Inside the translucent cylinder, small multi-colored glass beads sparkled like bullets.
This, which didn't look ordinary at first glance, was….
==========
glass hand cannon
An exorcism pistol loaded with specially made glass beads manufactured by the Disaster Management Bureau. It is so small that it looks like a toy or a lighter.
==========
“It’s a weapon for dealing with Supernatural Disasters. It will definitely be effective against those ‘students’ too. Keep it with you.”
“…….”
Wow.
This is the standard Disaster Management Bureau Agent issue set that I’d only seen on the wiki.
Like Daydream Inc.’s Dream Collector and mask, it was like an Agent identifier.
‘I’m actually wearing all of this.’
It looks like I’ll even be pretending to be a Disaster Management Bureau Agent, which wasn't in my destiny.
‘What kind of situation is this?’
It was funny, but I also felt a bit of a thrill; at the same time, I desperately wanted to run away.
But for now….
‘I don’t have the luxury to worry about that.’
“…It’s started.”
Flicker.
“We’re almost at the end of the hallway, so from now on, you look this way too, Civilian. …You must never let go of the flashlight.”
…….
I adjusted my grip on the unfamiliar pistol.
They’re swarming in.
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