Chapter 104: Ch 104: Special Rules
"What’s this? You haven’t forgotten me, have you, Roe? It’s been ages!"
The person standing in the dim hallway spoke in a cheerful tone, extending
a hand.
It was someone I hadn’t seen in a long time: my old superior from D-Squad,
wearing a badger mask.
"...Supervisor?"
It was unmistakable.
Supervisor Park Minseong.
Someone who had been almost like a mentor to me, his demeanor was as
clear and distinct as it had been when we worked together.
I quickly shook his hand and asked,
"Have you recovered?"
"I’m doing much better. I’ve started some rehab activities, and daily life
hasn’t been too much of an issue lately. Isn’t that right, Sergeant?"
"Yes, well... more or less..."
Phew.
’I didn’t expect to run into him like this.’
Seeing him in decent shape stirred something in me—it was almost
emotional. My tone naturally brightened.
"In that case, Supervisor Park Min—"
"Call me Badger!"
"..."
"Er, um... It’s just... hearing my name still triggers some... issues."
"...Yes."
I closed my mouth.
I’d been about to ask whether he was fit to return to work, but now I didn’t
need to.
Looking closely, even though he was smiling cheerfully, Supervisor Park
Minseong’s face seemed pale and uneasy.
The parts of his face not hidden by the mask, like his cheeks and the area
around his eyes, looked a bit hollow...
– Oh dear, today’s partner doesn’t seem to be in top condition!
Right.
’It looks like he’s still... recovering.’
Is it really okay to assign someone in his state to a disciplinary task
alongside me?
"Let’s go, Roe. Let’s get this over with so you can rest!"
"...Yes."
But as someone being disciplined, I wasn’t in a position to suggest giving
my partner a different assignment.
I thanked the security sergeant who had guided us, then followed
Supervisor Park Minseong, who was already wearing his cleaning uniform.
"Ah, wait a second."
"Yes?"
"Take this..."
The security sergeant stopped me and, after carefully setting down the box
of donuts he’d been clutching, pulled something out of his pocket.
Two worn walkie-talkies.
"If anything dangerous happens... call me. I’m on night duty today..."
"These connect to you directly, Jay-ssi?"
The sergeant nodded.
I felt two conflicting emotions simultaneously: ’So this might actually be
dangerous,’ and ’Thank heavens for this.’
"Thank you."
"No problem..."
In a low voice, almost like an afterthought, the sergeant added something.
He glanced at Supervisor Park Minseong, speaking so softly that it wouldn’t
reach him.
"Be careful."
"..."
My hands turned cold.
I managed a nod and handed one of the walkie-talkies to Supervisor Park
Minseong.
Then we started walking down the underground hallway... heading toward
the Security Team’s storage area.
Step, step.
Step, step.
Step, step...
"Roe."
"Yes!"
"Oh, sorry. Did I scare you?"
"No, it’s fine."
"Phew, that’s a relief..."
Supervisor Park Minseong, walking beside me, fell quiet for a moment. His
voice sounded slightly shaky.
"Um... it’s been a while since I talked to someone outside the Security
Team... D-Did I say something weird? Was it awkward?"
"..."
Huu.
"No, Supervisor. You’re still as... yourself as ever."
"Huh? Wait a second, that’s not an insult, right?"
"Well, who knows?"
"...! No way, Roe, are you teasing me? What’s this, did getting promoted
give you confidence?"
The lighthearted tone in the conversation eased some of the tension.
"...Can I ask how you’ve been lately?"
"Of course. Uh... I’ve been here the whole time, just here."
He muttered quickly, almost like he was spitting the words out.
"I didn’t know this place had a treatment room, or a training facility, or, uh,
other really weird... seriously weird places. Actually, it’s part of the
restricted Security Team area, so I shouldn’t say too much..."
Damn.
"In that case, no need to elaborate. We can talk about something else..."
"It’s seriously strange. Why is this basement so deep? You know, I used to
wonder why our company didn’t just build an underground parking lot and
instead uses a separate parking tower. But now I get it. This basement is so
deep and weird that I need to get back to where I originally worked—"
"Supervisor Badger!"
"...!!"
He stopped in his tracks and exhaled slowly.
"Sorry. ...Let’s talk about something else, shall we?"
"Yes. Let’s do that."
I started rambling about whatever came to mind—recent trending shows,
random topics—anything to fill the silence. Having Braun feed me material
made it much easier.
"Oh, I’ve seen that too!"
"It was fun."
Thankfully, it seemed that internet and streaming services were accessible,
and the small talk flowed smoothly without any issues.
But my back was drenched in cold sweat.
’This isn’t good.’
Staying in this massive, windowless, underground sealed space for too long
felt like it could drive anyone insane, no matter how stable they were.
’Especially since Supervisor Park Minseong might have a sick family
member...’
– ...I have a family member in the hospital. I hope someone could check in
on her after this filming. If possible.
I couldn’t bring it up directly, so I tried a more indirect approach.
"Do you have to stay down here permanently?"
"No. They said once I recover beyond a certain point, I can either get
reassigned or quit altogether and leave."
Phew.
"It seems like even the Security Team gets to go outside or move around
freely at night."
That was a relief.
"Oh, we’re here."
Finally, the location for today’s work appeared before us.
[Security Team Storage Room]
Wow.
’It looks even more intimidating at night.’
I swallowed hard as I stood in front of the iron door.
Then, a cold voice echoed from my pocket.
– Oh, this wretched place.
"..."
Aaaaahhh! Right!
This was the place where Braun had nearly been destroyed and thrown
away!!
’Um, Braun, if you don’t like it, you could always stay home next time?’
– I’m quite alright! It’s the hallmark of a professional to not project
personal discomfort onto their work environment. However, Friend,
Braun’s voice lowered.
– I feel like I might get depressed here. Please, do your best to entertain
me...
"..."
’I’ll... do my best.’
This is so hard, Mr. Host...!
"Ah, right. Here."
Interrupting my internal turmoil, Supervisor Park Minseong pulled
something out of the pocket of his orange uniform and handed it to me.
It was a slip of paper, like a photocopy of handwritten notes.
"Here, this is a work tip sheet that’s been circulating among the Security
Team. I thought it’d be good for you to read, so I brought it along."
"Ah, thank you..."
Work tips?
I quickly skimmed the paper.
--------------------
Night Cleaning Duty Tips
Hi there! If you’re reading this, it means you’ve had the bad luck of
being stuck with night cleaning duty.
Yep, that’s right. The Security Team area is full of crazies and
contamination, and going in there at night in pairs is a surefire way to
have some bizarre experiences.
But don’t worry too much. If you just follow these helpful tips I’ve
written down, you’ll get through this without any major problems.
--------------------
’Hold on.’
This read exactly like the setup for one of those workplace creepypastas.
You know the kind—where you take on some high-paying night security or
babysitting job and are handed strange work rules you have to follow to
survive.
Several indie horror games based on the <Dark Exploration Records>
instantly popped into my head.
’This is even scarier.’
I swallowed nervously and hurriedly read the next part.
--------------------
In a way, it’s worth it, right? You’re getting paid extra for this.
Whether you’re in it for money, points, or Nostalgic equipment, just
think about the reward and push through.
If you’re doing this as a disciplinary action... good luck.
I hope you’re from the Field Exploration Team.
--------------------
"..."
Yes. That’s me...
Clenching my teeth, I skimmed through the rest of the ’tips’ quickly.
...The cleaning was about to begin.
* * *
Squish.
I mopped the floor of the storage room.
It wasn’t overly dirty, but there were odd, colorful stains stuck in places...
--------------------
1- If the mop gets dirty, rinse it immediately. It’s better that way.
The cleaning solution is strong, so it only takes a few rinses. Easy,
right?
--------------------
’Weirdly comforting...’
Thankfully, about half of the lights in the storage room were left on, even
though it wasn’t as bright as daytime.
It was just enough to clean without too much difficulty.
’I can even read the notices.’
I briefly glanced at a sign that read, ’Nostalgia Series always looking to be
purchased / For more details, visit the desk,’ before focusing back on the
floor.
"Roe, if you find anything strange, don’t touch it. Just clean around it."
"Yes."
Squish.
"Have you done this before, Supervisor?"
"It’s my first time cleaning... but I’ve done other Security Team work."
Supervisor Park Minseong smiled. His voice carried a hint of eager
anticipation.
"If I pass this stage, I think I’ll be considered recovered enough to transfer
to the Security Team."
"...!"
That’s a relief.
I cautiously asked,
"What about continuing treatment and returning to the Field Exploration
Team?"
"Haha... Do you think that’d be a good idea? I’ll give it a shot."
The conversation felt optimistic.
And so, we diligently continued cleaning with mechanical focus.
’This is easier than I thought.’
Aside from the exhaustion from working late at night, everything was
manageable. The cleaning tips were surprisingly clear-cut.
--------------------
2- No matter what happens, keep calm and just clean.
Weird things always happen at night in the Security Team’s area, but
the storage room isn’t that bad compared to other places!
--------------------
’Got it.’
This was pretty much the core rule.
’No matter what happens, don’t react and just focus on cleaning.’
Let’s get through this.
The cleaning in the front area of the storage room wrapped up quickly.
Since the space wasn’t that large, scrubbing the grime off the floor took
about an hour.
"We’ve cleaned half of today’s assigned area! Now, what’s left is..."
Both the Supervisor and I turned our heads at the same time.
"...over there."
One of the three doors leading to the isolation area.
[Isolation B]
’Huu.’
– Ah, that’s the unpleasant corridor you came out of last time, Mr. Roe
Deer.
Right.
Of all places, we now had to enter the corridor where the isolation rooms—
including the one I had been trapped in—were located.
--------------------
3- While cleaning, do not open any isolation room doors. I mean, if
you’re a company employee, you should already know this, but just in
case, I’m writing it down.
4- Let me emphasize again: ignore any sounds coming from the
isolation rooms. Don’t respond. Even if someone pleads for help or
claims to be your family or a friend, it’s never true. DO NOT OPEN
ANY OF THOSE DOORS!!
--------------------
Creaaak.
We opened the door to the isolation zone and quickly closed it behind us.
A gray corridor stretched out before us, flanked by rows of steel doors
leading to isolation rooms.
’This is insane.’
The fact that we couldn’t leave the door open for ventilation made it even
more unnerving.
I swallowed hard and kept scrubbing the floor.
...The sounds I had heard when leaving this area last time echoed faintly
through the silent hallway.
Heeheeheeheehee.
Helpmehelpmepleasehelpme
I’m
EMPTYTEXTEMPTYTEXTnotsupposedtobehereI’mnotsupposedtobehereI’
mnothuman.
Heeheeheeheehee.
IfIleaveImustdie
’Seriously.’
This was maddening.
I deliberately made loud noises as I rinsed the mop, hoping to drown out the
unsettling sounds.
Then, it happened.
Supervisor Park Minseong stopped mopping, suddenly lifting his head.
He stared blankly... at one of the tightly shut isolation room doors.
[Isolation Room B14]
"Roe."
Damn it.
"Roe, I hear the Section Chief’s voice from over there."
"No, you don’t."
"But... I hear it."
"No, you don’t. Let’s keep cleaning, Supervisor Badger."
"Ah... okay."
--------------------
5- If your partner starts saying crazy things, leave them and run. Got
it? Don’t try to help them, or you’ll die too. Security Team rookies, take
this seriously!
--------------------
Is this really the right thing to do?
Squish, squish.
As I mopped the floor, an odd feeling crept over me.
’...Unease?’
This was different from the other Darkness explorations I’d been through.
There were no manuals, wiki entries, or escape pattern analyses to rely on
—just the advice of an anonymous veteran. Here I was, cleaning through
the night in an eerie location without any concrete information.
I really felt like I was doing some odd part-time job in a creepy place
without adequate preparation.
What the hell am I even doing here...
Step, step.
"Roe, be careful."
"...!"
I quickly stepped aside.
At the end of the gray isolation corridor, someone was approaching...
Step, step.
A person wearing a black facility staff uniform.
They gave us a slight nod as they passed us and then spoke.
"Oh, you’re the cleaning staff for tonight."
Their tone was casual. What a relief.
As the Supervisor and I nodded back, the staff member quickly added in a
slightly awkward tone,
"I’m the night patrol officer tonight. ...Sometimes, the cleaning staff gets
startled, so I wanted to let you know."
Ah.
--------------------
7- Occasionally, you might run into a night patrol officer. They’ll
appreciate it if you give them a bottle of water. If you have one, share it.
It’s always better to maintain a good atmosphere when working
together at night.
--------------------
"Hello. Would you like a bottle of water?"
"Oh, I’d really appreciate that."
At Supervisor Park Minseong’s subtle signal, I handed one of the bottled
waters we’d been supplied to the patrol officer. The officer took it and
gulped it down on the spot.
"Well then, see you around."
With the bottle still to his lips, the officer headed back down the isolation
corridor toward the storage room...
--------------------
By the way.
The Security Team in this company doesn’t have positions like ’patrol
officer’.
Remember, don’t ask unnecessary questions.
--------------------
"My throat just keeps getting dry..."
From a distance, I could see the words ’■■ Lab’ faintly stamped on the
back of the so-called ’patrol officer’s’ uniform.
Step, step... gulp.
The sound of footsteps and swallowing disappeared, as if swallowed by the
darkness, the moment the officer turned the corner of the corridor.
"..."
Ha.
’I really feel like I’ve stepped into a horror movie.’
Swish.
I resumed mopping, trying to distract myself by chatting with Braun or
talking casually with Supervisor Park Minseong, all while doing my best to
ignore the eerie noises coming from the isolation rooms.
Finally, we were almost done cleaning the corridor.
’Huu.’
Exchanging relieved glances, the Supervisor and I smiled at each other.
"Let’s wrap things up and head out."
"Sounds good! I think we finished pretty quickly... oh, wait."
Suddenly remembering something, Supervisor Park Minseong rummaged
through his pocket and pulled out another piece of paper.
"This is supposed to be a tip for later in the night. They told me to read it a
bit after the shift started, so I thought you should have it, too."
"Oh, thank you..."
What else could possibly happen?
’Good thing we’re almost done.’
I stifled a mental scream as I hurriedly read the tip.
But then...
--------------------
11- Ah... it’s time to tell you this. By now, it’s probably been about
three hours since you started cleaning, right?
...Around this time, you’ll start hearing a crazy voice coming from
Isolation Room B14.
--------------------
Wait a second.
"Supervisor, it’s... around 3 a.m. now, right?"
"Yeah, it’s about that time..."
Is someone there?Is someone there?Is someone there?Is someone there?Is
someone there?Is someone there?Is someone there?
We both turned our heads.
[Isolation Room B14]
Do you want me to tell you how to get out of here? How to survive? How to
bring the dead back to life? Do you want to know this company’s secrets?
Just come closer—come a little closer, and I’ll tell you the truth about the
world.
I wanted to run.
I wanted to fling the door open and sprint to the storage room, leave this
place behind, tell the Security Team Leader ’I quit,’ hand the remaining
Nostalgia Candy to Supervisor Park, and never come back here...
But I couldn’t. So instead, I focused on reading the tip...
--------------------
Ireum-nim? It’ll start calling you by something weird and babbling
about happiness and some nonsense like that. Just yell back at it, curse
if you have to—it’ll shut up.
If you don’t want to curse, just tell it to get lost.
--------------------
I really didn’t want to.
But to tell it to get lost, I opened my mouth...
"..."
Wait a second.
"Roe?"
"Just a moment."
I pulled out the first sheet of tips I’d been given earlier.
There, it clearly said:
--------------------
4- Let me emphasize again: ignore any sounds coming from the
isolation rooms. Don’t respond.
--------------------
"..."
Tips 4 and 11 directly contradicted each other.
’Which one am I supposed to follow?’
Contradictory rules often show up in these kinds of workplace ghost stories,
but there’s usually no definitive answer about which one is correct...
Was it that the rules changed as time passed? Or was the second sheet itself
faulty? Or maybe...
"Roe."
"...!"
Supervisor Park Minseong pushed me back.
"Something’s not ri
SCREEEECH
The door to Isolation Room B14 started to open.