Death Road.
A bizarre alleyway with a nuance that seemed to be taken from once-popular "hot-place" alleys.
If a civilian had installed the app from the flyer for fun and got caught up in it, they might be confused at first.
This is because the 'Main Alley of Death Road' that one first encounters has many street stalls and looks like a lively night market.
But if you look a little closer...
Confirmed Items Sold at Death Road Stalls
1. Bead Strap
: A strap consisting of an orange string and ivory-colored beads. When touched, saltiness and ash rub off, and the surface of the beads wriggles and vibrates.
An employee who touched the strap complained of distress for a long time, saying they continuously heard someone's request for rescue, sobbing, and the voice of ■■. They recovered after a Short-term Memory Removal Procedure.
2. Old-fashioned Bubble Gum
: Gum with letters printed backwards. The balloon inflates inside the throat, not outside the mouth. Successfully removed before death by suffocation.
3. Flower-patterned Slippers
: A civilian who wore them under pressure from a merchant testified that there was fire, blades, and ■■ under their feet, then ■■ ■■.
Afterwards, they disappeared into the alleyway while sobbing.
4. Picture Frame
: Images of relatives being murdered are printed on it.
…….
By the time you read this far, anyone would know.
'To get out of here in one piece, I shouldn't look at my surroundings at all!'
The items being sold are things that cannot be used normally if the buyer is human, and yet the merchants are actively soliciting customers.
The best course of action is to pass by quickly with an uninterested face, like someone who has a destination.
However, as you move away from the brilliant signs and lights and head toward the small alleys as if escaping, you will gradually feel something strange...
Because it doesn't end.
The alleyways get narrower and narrower... until finally, they narrow to a width that a person cannot enter.
'...It’s the end if you go that far.'
Right. You cannot leave the alleyways just by walking aimlessly here.
Then what should you do?
It's simple.
Since you were guided here, you just need to be guided on your way out.
Ding.
'...It’s started.'
I looked at the new event page that appeared on the smartphone app.
Death-Street 10,000 Steps Event
Don't give up on your body!
Remaining steps: 10000
This was it.
The culprit that lured people into the ghost story, and the most standard and safest lifeline to get out.
If you successfully complete the '10,000 Steps Event' on the smartphone app, you can escape from the alleyway.
I had to focus only on this and leave.
...But regardless of what a coward like me thought, the Ghost Story Resident in my pocket was just intoxicated by the night market atmosphere.
-Ah, it has been a long time since I've been to a place like this. Isn't it a difficult place for a show host to visit privately?
-Occasionally, even a lively night market like this has its charms to behold! How about picking out items that would suit each other, Friend?
-I don't care for the quality, but a piece or two wouldn't be bad as a souvenir!
Argh.
'...No. Let's buy them somewhere else. I should buy something better for my friend.'
-...! How touching, very well! This Braun will also think of an item that would suit Friend...
It was at that moment.
Want me to show you something precious??
"...!!"
One of the stall merchants who popped out grabbed my arm.
There's something better over there. I'll show you. Come inside.
There was nothing behind the stall.
No open door, no shop, no space.
But the merchant said again.
Come inside.
Don't look at them.
Don't look closely at the face; just decline quietly and naturally. I barely managed to...
I was about to open my mouth,
But before that, Section Chief Lizard grabbed the merchant's arm.
"??"
Grip.
Red vertical pupils turned toward the merchant.
"……."
"……."
The merchant slowly averted his gaze.
Then he slunk away, letting go of my arm, and began soliciting another human figure as if nothing had happened.
"……."
This... actually works?
I realized something new. The Lizard can make ghosts mind their manners...
"Thank you."
"Yes."
Physical Exorcism, it couldn't be more convenient.
'Now that I think about it, Section Chief Lee Jaheon said he'd provide me with equipment that increases physical strength as custom parent equipment.'
I should bring it up after this is over.
Perhaps because he was a practical threat right now, Section Chief Lizard didn't utter any instructions that only someone with nerves of steel could carry out without fainting.
He simply spoke like this.
"When four or more people enter this place, the standard manual is to move in teams of two and check new alleys if possible."
Hmm?
"Mr. Roe Deer, choose the employee who will accompany you."
Ah. I see.
Since I have the highest rank among the three of us here, he probably intends to keep things fair by sending me to a different team than his own.
'What a shame... the power of the Lizard.'
The sweet taste of the easy win I just experienced was delicious.
But it was also something I had expected. Still, since I entered with Section Chief Lee Jaheon, I might be able to get help if needed, just like during the exhibition.
'So I have to choose which of my colleagues to go with?'
Hmm.
I spoke politely.
"Then, since we're already acquainted, would it be okay if I accompanied Mr. Bison?"
"Yes."
After all, it's difficult to move freely when there's someone new.
'...Because I'm in a situation where I need to check that chocolate wrapper.'
Besides, that colleague named Kang Yihak would probably prefer to accompany the team leader...
"Whoops! Wait a moment. If it's okay, could Mr. Bison and I go together?"
Kang Yihak cut in.
Oh?
"They were originally on the same team, after all; it wouldn't be right for the people who came to support to split the team up! I also have something to tell Mr. Bison..."
Kang Yihak persuasively told Section Chief Lee Jaheon that 'it's not even a high-grade ghost story anyway, so even two employees will be fine as long as they follow the manual,' in a way that wouldn't offend anyone.
"If it's okay with the two of you, it should be fine for us colleagues to go together!"
"Yes."
The Lizard nodded.
"Move in a team of three."
"......Pardon?"
"Mr. Roe Deer, Pony, and Bison. Move in a team of three."
Kang Yihak barely managed to answer without losing her social grace.
"Uh, I'm grateful, but... wouldn't it be a bit much for the Manager to bear the risk of going alone?"
"Yes."
"……."
Oh dear.
But once things turned out like that, persuasion was futile.
'A team of three, then.'
Section Chief Lee Jaheon approached me before leaving.
"Mr. Roe Deer."
And he suddenly handed me an object.
"Press this if a problem occurs."
"……."
A small brown circle fell onto my hand.
A small button.
It was something I had used once during the Tuesday Quiz Show.
...It was Assistant Manager Eun Haje's communication device.
"......Did you get in touch with Assistant Manager Falcon?"
"Yes. I was asked to deliver it to Mr. Roe Deer yesterday."
"……."
I nodded slowly.
"Thank you."
"Yes."
And the Lizard disappeared into the distance of the alley...
"...Then let's walk and move from this stall alley to somewhere else."
"Yes...!"
"Ah, y-yes."
I also started walking with my two colleagues.
Don't give up on your body!
Remaining steps: 9130
In a long alley where the lights of bizarre street stalls flickered, walking while making sure the app didn't turn off was surprisingly mentally taxing.
Even more so if you can't let your guard down regarding your surroundings for even a second.
"Phew."
Jang Heowoon tried to slightly lift his mask to wipe away the sweat that had gathered beneath it.
Wait.
"Be careful."
"…!"
I stopped Jang Heowoon.
"In this place, it would be better to follow the Anonymity Manual even more strictly than elsewhere. ...Mr. Bison."
"……Yes."
Jang Heowoon slowly lowered his hand after wiping away his sweat.
…….
One of the stall merchants, who had been watching him intently, began soliciting customers again.
Whisper, whisper.
'Whew.'
The merchants in the alley show an aggressive tendency to sell items and receive payment in any way possible.
To avoid getting caught up in this, do not expose any information, personal details, or appearance that could become a weakness.
In particular, it is strongly recommended to strictly control mentions and actions related to the characteristics of humans in reality, their residence, and acquaintances.
The company's manual was accurate.
'The moment you fail to keep this, you passively get swept into their solicitations.'
Like those people peeking around at the end over there, for example.
"It's really amazing that a place like this existed in this neighborhood."
"Oh? What's that? It looks so real... Re-re-re-re-re... real!! I want to buy a real one!"
"That person is right! Yes! It's a person!"
The problem was that they didn't have masks to hide their identities, nor any information... nothing.
"Huh? Uh... huh? Why does that person have three eyes? Oh? Oh? Ah, humans originally had three eyes! I'm sorry, I was mistaken about something. I'll go buy one more eye, Darling."
"Yeah! Exchange it for an ear!"
They followed the stall merchant and disappeared into the distance of the alley.
'...It's already too late.'
That's how people go missing.
A chilling fear swept down my back.
But I shouldn't show it. Because I was in front of my coworkers.
Instead, I gritted my teeth and moved my feet again, pretending to be nonchalant.
"First, let's get out of this street—"
"Mr. Roe Deer, over there...!"
Jang Heowoon pointed at something with a trembling hand.
That was...
A 'person' passing right next to us.
A high school student with an anxious face, looking around.
'Damn it.'
"This...!"
Jang Heowoon rummaged through his bag and pulled out a black cloth mask.
Then he approached the high school student and handed it over without warning.
"Wear this."
"Ye-yes...?"
'If he's not careful, he'll blow it...!'
I immediately stepped in.
"Calm down. Put the mask on quickly, and even if someone talks to you from the side, ignore them and walk quietly."
"What... ah."
"Avoid looking around as much as possible. You must act naturally, as if you've come here to play."
Whether the 'Silver Heart' I was wearing had some effect, the student seemed to sense something unusual and instinctively accepted the mask Jang Heowoon offered.
"Don't ever turn off the Death Road app, and complete the 10,000 steps. Then you can get out."
"……."
The student, looking at us with a face mixed with suspicion, anxiety, and alertness, eventually turned around and ran in the opposite direction.
"Ah...!"
Jang Heowoon seemed about to call out but gave up after sensing the atmosphere. Not only was the high school student already far away, but Kang Yihak was just watching with a smile on her face.
"……."
And I felt like I knew the other reason too.
"Um, but."
Jang Heowoon muttered with an expression of disbelief.
"Just now... wasn't the uniform that student was wearing from Sekwang Technical High School?"
"……."
Right.
In this space, you can witness many different things.
A dead friend, a family member who went missing as a child, victims who died in major accidents, pedestrians in 1980s clothing, and even students attending schools that don't exist in reality.
Among the countless guests, spectators, and... products that had drifted into this alleyway.
But.
"No matter what you see here, it's better to pretend you didn't. It's the basic manual not to draw attention."
"Ah. Yes...!"
Jang Heowoon took another deep breath.
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Oh, come on, I don't think you need to be that nervous. Like it said in the manual we read, let's go as if we're here to play!"
Kang Yihak was right.
It is strongly recommended not to lose a natural atmosphere, as if you have come to play in this alley's commercial district with an acquaintance.
"Still, let's move while being careful not to let our guard down."
"Yes!"
We continued to walk through the crowd, trying our best not to bump into anyone or stand out.
Thump, thump.
With every step taken on the alley floor, the app's count decreased.
And the moment the digit in the thousands place changed.
Don't give up on your body!
Remaining steps: 8999
A gap between the street stalls caught my eye.
'It's a passage.'
A path leading to another, narrower alley.
Over there, the street stalls disappeared, and in their place, official shops selling various daily necessities were lined up...
"I'll turn in this way."
It was at that moment.
"Ah, then since we're entering a new alley... shall we try to be a bit more natural from now on?"
Kang Yihak cut in.
Hmm.
"Could you explain a bit more about what you mean?"
Kang Yihak grinned.
"I mean, let's aim for a chance to score a good deal!"
"…!"
"No, I saw quite a few Exploration Records that said they bought decent... 'items' here, so I'm saying let's do some market scouting ourselves. That's also the most natural thing to do, after all!"
Outright shopping, huh.
"…! But the manual says not to do that if possible..."
Mr. Bison was right.
Purchasing items under the judgment that they will help in exploration is not prohibited by the manual, but it is not encouraged.
Industrial accident compensation is not available for all risks occurring at the time of purchase.
The last line sounded like something a scumbag would say, but the reason it wasn't encouraged in the manual was clear.
It was because there was a high probability of impulsive buying.
The longer one walks, the more this street makes tempting shops and products appear before our eyes.
Then, an employee who was gradually losing their reason as if possessed in this bizarre place would often snap up items without a second thought, regardless of their danger.
Even though what they paid with was not ordinary currency.
Even so, the reason Kang Yihak brought that up was...
'What is she aiming for?'
It clearly meant she had an ulterior motive.
-Ah, politics! It's a variety show of daily life.
-But if you back down, it becomes a documentary from then on. We can't have that. Let's go, Mr. Roe Deer!
'Sigh.'
I thought I'd finally get to know someone new, but is it going to be like this again...
'It can't be helped.'
I grinned as I looked at Kang Yihak.
"Let's do that."
"…!"
"Looking around and shopping sounds good."
"Oh! You were thinking the same thing, Senior! I knew it!"
"Yes."
And I raised my hand and nonchalantly pointed.
Toward a certain shop nearby that I knew well.
"How about that place?"
Raw Organ Butcher Shop
: A shop displaying live organs and body parts.
Identifiable by the red and blue lighting and the owner wearing a bloodstained apron sitting in front of the window.
"……."
"……."
"The items look good. Let's head inside quickly."
I moved my feet toward the butcher shop.
"…?!"
It's the so-called 'You can't reason with a crazy bastard' method...!
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