Joyful Research Lab – Office.
Director Ho.
Black roulette.
Something dangerous.
“Soleum...”
Instinctively, I cloaked Director Ho’s face in smoke.
The man wearing a Joyful Research Lab employee badge was engulfed by the black smoke, his silhouette vanishing. I tried to read the origin and configuration of the thing. To erase him, then—
“You know, killing me would technically be a violation of company regulations.”
......
“If there were proof I was harming the company, it might be possible... but do you have that?”
......
I dispersed the smoke.
From within, Director Ho emerged, smiling as always.
I left a trace of smoke around his neck as insurance, and asked:
Requesting explanation of current situation
“Ah, I was just out on an inspection to check the security team... and I happened to see the elevator button for Basement Level 29. So I pressed it.”
......
Lie
“Huh?”
I raised my hand and gave a light tap to the badge he was wearing.
Prepared item.
“Ah.”
Director Ho glanced down at his ID badge and let out a crooked smile.
“You’re still sharp as ever. Even in that state?”
He gave me a once-over, mockingly comparing my appearance to the prototype security uniform he himself had once given me, then continued.
“That's right. I, too, have a darkness I’m searching for. So I come out for the occasional walk. With this badge, I can move around this hell a little more safely.”
...Hell?
A strange word choice.
But more importantly—
Source of the ID badge
“Sorry, but I don’t see any reason I should tell you that... Oh, but if you’d like, I could lend it to you? Want to try it on?”
Director Ho whispered, ever so kindly.
“With this on, you can see the employees of the Joyful Research Lab. I’ll make a special exception for you, Soleum-nim.”
......
I turned my body and resumed the search.
“Soleum-nim?”
No need to get entangled anymore.
There was at least one benefit to having my life collateralized by Director Cheong while no longer being human.
I no longer had to respond meekly to that bastard’s words.
“Soleum-nim?”
I tucked the roulette into my uniform pocket and continued inspecting the office.
“Why are you taking that? Is it darkness... Ah, must be. I suspected it too, but you spotted it right away, huh?”
Director Ho continued in a calm, conversational tone.
“Do you think the darknesses produced by the Joyful Research Lab can recognize one another?”
I stopped walking.
Just now—
“I know you were born from the final Dream Incubator at the Joyful Research Lab.”
......
Question: When did you find that out
“From the very first meeting, of course.”
...!
“But I suppose you made the wrong wish. Considering you signed a contract with Director Cheong.”
I turned to face Director Ho.
He was smiling like a picture.
“Still, even so, I think this is a much better place to be. At Baekilmong Corporation, it doesn’t matter what form you take—they’ll accept you. As long as you’re useful... Like you, Soleum-nim.”
A twisted logic.
And that form of address—
Request: Change form of address
Don’t call me by my real name.
“But Soleum-nim. You’re still Soleum-nim, aren’t you?”
Was he doing it on purpose?
Calling someone by their real name deep within the darkness—it sets my nerves on edge.
Especially in the Joyful Research Lab.
And even more so if the speaker is Director Ho.
“Well, if it really bothers you that much, I’ll try a different title. How about... Noru-nim?”
I looked at him.
“I’ll take the silence as a yes. Noru-nim!”
Question: What do you know about me
“I know that Noru-nim is a very special existence. So much so that the last remaining researchers of the Joyful Research Lab are willing to risk everything to summon and smuggle you out. And...”
Director Ho’s voice shed its emotion.
“You were able to hand over the data I requested on Segwang Special City—as if you already knew it—despite the fact that the SDRA hadn’t conducted any intelligence activity whatsoever.”
......
So he was suspicious, after all.
At the time, when I handed over the information and received the Wish Ticket, I didn’t care if he found me suspicious.
I hadn’t expected we’d meet again like this.
And I realized something.
He doesn’t know who I am.
That I come from a world where only the Exploration Log of Darkness wiki existed—a world without ghost stories.
He’s been digging around this main building’s basement Joyful Research Lab. Maybe he saw the same experiment logs I did. But he doesn’t seem to know the full story.
Which means—
He, too, wants information from me.
And I have neither the intent nor the need to give it.
I resumed my search.
“Say, what if we traded? Our identities, I mean.”
Unnecessary.
“Then how about we go together? I’m scared to walk around alone...”
Claim: Fearful
▶ Ineligible for employment at Baekilmong Corporation
“...It’s fine. That only applies to full-time employees.”
Director Ho gave a gentle, naïve smile, like a harmless worker.
“I’m a contract worker, so I’m exempt. ...Just like you.”
......If a lifetime of collateralized existence still counts as contract work, I guess.
“Noru-nim?”
I left the office and began walking.
Footsteps chased after me.
So did his voice.
“Noru-nim?”
.......
“Please go with me, Noru-nim.”
Warning 1
Reason: Obstruction of duty
Accumulated warnings: 1 / 3 (before disciplinary action)
“...You’re going to discipline me?”
Warning 2
Reason: Obstruction of duty
Accumulated warnings: 2 / 3 (before disciplinary action)
“Who told you it was okay to treat Noru-nim like that? Director Cheongdalrae? Researcher Gwak Jegang? Security Chief J3? Park Minseong...”
Warning 3
Reason: Obstruction of duty
I turned around and grabbed him by the neck.
“...!”
Accumulated warnings: 3 / 3
Initiating disciplinary action
The smoke wrapped around Director Ho’s neck surged back over his face. As he reached out a hand—
Not happening.
I used my other hand to crush his reaching one.
......
......
“Ah. I made contact.”
[Careful, friend!]
Director Ho’s joints twisted grotesquely. He grabbed the zipper on the wrist of my security uniform and—
Zzzzzip.
Yanked it down.
“You shouldn’t say things like that while wearing the burial shroud I created. We’re still under contract, remember? You really shouldn’t say things like that.”
His long fingers curled, trying to seize the distorted flesh exposed beneath the pulled-down zipper.
Blisters rose on the skin.
“Man. You touched—”
Attempting to initiate a binding.
But the blisters formed slower than before. The hand twisted into an unnatural shape.
Barely holding together.
You dare.
I covered him completely in smoke.
And before I cast the prohibition—
I first read him.
The records of Director Ho, employee of Baekilmong Corporation.
-----
Ho Yuwon
An individual afflicted with Ahumyeou Disease. Those who respond to this person’s call may become infected. Real name: ■■. Currently serving as a director at Baekilmong Corporation in order to recover ■■.
The Fox Counseling Office, which appears briefly in the field investigation team’s exploration records, is a darkness born from this person.
Its true identity is the ■■ of the old ■■■■■■■■.
Holding a grudge toward the Natural Disaster Management Bureau, this person’s representative activity involves infiltration into exploration records related to the Segwang Special City, and ■■ society ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■.
-----
Too much redaction.
What the hell is this? Let’s read more. And as soon as I do, I delete those absurdly pompous paragraphs in contempt—
......
Wait.
Since when was I able to recall wiki entries for people who weren’t even listed...?
What is this?
What ability is this—why am I able to edit—what the hell—what■
No.
It warps, unravels. A bizarre ability my brain can’t comprehend. The self I barely recovered begins to collapse—my rationality breaking down. I have to pull my hand away—
[Oh, dear.]
Ho Yuwon and I pulled our hands back at the same time.
“Cough!”
I heard Ho Yuwon groan as he pushed himself up from the floor. The moment I zipped my sleeve shut again and regained my form, I struck him. A short thud, and Ho Yuwon slumped to the ground again, gasping—
......
“...Ah. We’ve been caught.”
From down the hallway.
Something begins approaching, accompanied by screams echoing through the dark.
[Looks like the office personnel noticed the commotion.]
I turned immediately and started heading for the elevator. Ho followed close behind.
His face already swelling on one side where I hit him, bleeding.
“Wow, now we’ve got no choice but to run the same direction, huh? Guess we’re stuck together!”
He was insane.
I tried to reach the closest elevator, but—
Too far.
The elevator’s display was showing a strange number. I couldn’t tell when it would arrive. Then—
Ding.
I pressed the call button for the left-hand elevator instead.
The one going deeper underground.
----!!
A strange sound echoed from behind.
The left elevator door opened—I immediately stepped in and hit the close button.
Beyond the doors, I could see the hallway lights switching on one by one at the far end—
click, click, click...
The darkness vanished, violently, one segment at a time, drawing closer.
Just before the light reached the elevator—
Clunk.
The doors shut.
...Success. I was now isolated from the 29th floor.
Phew.
“Congrats! You dodged it!”
Ho Yuwon chuckled to himself, then began adjusting his bloodied face and clothes.
There was something compulsive in the way he moved.
Ting-a-ling.
I calmed myself with the sound of the bell between my horns.
...What was that?
That wiki-like editing ability of mine... no, why was I able to use it so naturally? How?
Since when have I been able to do that?
I don’t know. Maybe it started after I became like this... no. I can’t be sure.
Even now, I feel like I could still do it if I tried. But if I did, I’d be crossing some line, and something inside me would break.
The framework of my mind.
[Recall the circus performers, friend. You can show off a brilliant performance by stretching a joint past its limit... but push too far, and bones shatter.]
[Mr. Noru, even your spectacular act will need practice and comprehension!]
Yeah.
As I am now, I probably can’t wield that power properly.
I’ll use it with caution.
And as for why I can use it—calmly, quietly, deeply... until the day I die... no.
This is driving me mad.
I should avoid even thinking about it for now. It’s affecting my brain just by recalling it.
Keep calm.
Focus on what I actually need right now.
Like the information I just extracted from the wiki-style entry using that ability.
I took a deep breath and looked at Director Ho.
Ho Yuwon.
And probably... the counselor from the Fox Counseling Room.
“Noru-nim?”
So it really was the same person.
A faint shock spread through my mind—but I pushed it down.
I did receive counseling from the Fox Counseling Room. That counselor seemed like a good one at the time, but... ghost stories often come with two sides.
This is what matters.
The current situation.
I can’t easily erase Ho Yuwon.
And Ho Yuwon can’t easily place a binding on me.
We were locked in a stalemate.
And I wasn’t the only one who noticed the balance of this bizarre power.
“Looks like it’d be hard for either of us to overpower the other, Noru-nim.”
......
“We make a great team for exploring together, don’t we? Neither of us can just toss the other as bait and run away. Right?”
Do whatever you want.
Because—
[Oh dear, too bad, that’s incorrect! Mr. Noru always has a good friend nearby ready to help!]
Even in a pinch, it would serve as a critical defense. As long as the Host didn’t take a liking to Ho Yuwon and decide to help him instead.
So I permitted Ho Yuwon’s company.
And thus, an odd two-person expedition of the Joyful Research Lab began—unable to extract even a single drop of Dreamdew.
“Looking forward to working with you, Noru-nim.”
My stomach throbbed. Maybe it felt more real because I’d recently figured out exactly where my stomach was... ugh.
With a sigh, I folded my arms and turned my gaze to the floor panel beside the elevator.
And of course, we had to get on the left-side elevator...
From here on, we were descending into the lower levels.
Inside the still-stationary elevator, I scanned the buttons.
Below Basement Level 30:
B30–B39 – The Office of Celebration
These floors are in a state of constant festivity. Laughter and noise are common.
Balloons, confetti, and party tents are often found in the hallways.
Attempts to read congratulatory banners on the tents have universally failed. 60% chance of inducing mental confusion.
Entities on these floors are highly active, but relatively less hostile.
Threat Level: Medium
“Are we heading further down, Noru-nim?”
Possibly.
If I was going to take a risk anyway, I might as well go even deeper—
B40–B49 – The Office of Debate
These floors contain rooms where intense verbal arguments can be heard.
Past explorers have likened the sound to life-or-death corporate disputes.
While snippets of conversation can be heard, any attempt to focus results in confusion and complete disorientation.
Explorers often lose their sense of direction and cannot locate the elevator.
However, the entities usually remain inside the debate rooms and are minimally active.
Threat Level: Medium-High
It might not be a bad idea to reach that floor.
Maybe I’ll get off at the 39th first.
But just as my eyes drifted down across the panel—
“Oh? Look at this.”
Ho Yuwon pointed at something.
I followed his gesture.
At the bottom of the panel.
An isolated, out-of-place number:
[ 96 ]
...!!
Down there.
A basement floor number that shouldn’t exist in the real world.
The deepest part of this ghost story.
B90–B99 – [Redacted]
Do not press the elevator button. If pressed by mistake, close your eyes and hit the close button to exit to a different floor.
Access strictly prohibited to all regular employees, including field investigation teams, research teams, and security personnel.
Threat Level: [Redacted]
The button to go there had appeared.
“......”
A dangerous choice.
An exceptional situation where not pressing it would be the rational move.
But—
“Noru-nim, are you curious about—”
I pressed the button.
“...!!”
The elevator began to move.
Descending into the abyss.