It Seems I Must Go to Work Even After Falling into a Horror Story 041

In the dark vent of a horror story.

In a situation where I’m holding my breath to escape the terror.

It’s utterly ridiculous that Baek Sa-heon is the one who saved my life.

‘Why is it you of all people?’

Moreover, he’s now desperately avoiding my gaze.

“……?”

This isn’t his usual demeanor…….

‘Oh, no way.’

A thought suddenly pops into my mind.

-Beware of the serial killer

Maybe it’s because I send kind reminders about the serial killer every day.

He looks a bit jumpy. Well, it’s understandable.

‘That’s just perfect.’

In fact, it was somewhat intentional. I didn’t send it anonymously for nothing; I aimed for this effect.

Sounds psychotic, right? So let’s not get involved.

Seeing his distinct personality of being both tough and weak, he’ll probably try to avoid getting entangled with me instead of seizing the opportunity to eliminate me.

‘That would be a warm welcome.’

…The problem is, for now, we have to stay huddled in this vent together.

I held my breath. Fortunately, Baek Sa-heon was also as quiet as a mouse.

Outside, the shadows of those who failed to escape flickered faintly in the darkness as candles illuminated them.

Creeeak, thud.

The machine came to a stop.

From the trapped shadows of people, something slender slithered out.

A shadow with spider-like legs.

And silence.

“…….”

“…….”

Only the unknown machine noise echoed.

Whoosh.

The spider-like silhouette stretched out right in front of a person’s eyes.

Hiiiiii!!!

Eight sharp and delicate something-or-others appeared to grip the human torso, seen through the quivering shadow.

Help me, save me…… Aaaah!!!

Thump.

A single spider leg dug into the person’s head.

And with a flick, something was pulled out from the head.

“…….”

And by now, I already know what was pulled out…….

‘…An eye.’

That’s it.

The reason why this exhibition is called “The Mansion of the Blind.”

———————=

Many viewers testified to the guide that they had lost human body parts, and the body part most commonly lost first is said to be the ‘eye’.

———————=

‘Guide.’

If you encounter that machine here, they’ll pluck out your eyes.

Next, when you meet them again, it’s usually one of the limbs, the tongue, or the ears.

As a result, the final outcome is that people who are blind and mute become like slugs, wandering around the dark exhibition hall—such a crazy story….

What’s more cruel is that this doesn’t happen all at once.

Amazingly, this exhibition is accommodating.

You don’t even have to ask; it’ll take care of your ‘convenience’ for you.

———————=

For the convenience of the audience, sensory correction devices are always available for free rental.

(Currently supported devices: Sight, Smell, Hearing, Touch, Taste, Spatial Sense, Visual Sense)

———————=

Ugh, ugh.

A spider leg-like silhouette elegantly and delicately approached the eye of a person who had their eye plucked out.

At the end of its leg was a slender shape, momentarily revealing a clear shadow under the candlelight.

A thin thread and a needle.

‘Fuck.’

I held my breath and waited until all the commotion died down.

Cold sweat drenched my body.

A short while later.

Tap, tap, tap…

The machine sounds dwindled.

……Soon, the one who had their eyes plucked began to stumble forward.

Unfortunately, they approached the vent, and a blood-soaked face was briefly illuminated before disappearing.

Instead of eyes, it had a telephoto lens attached.

“…!”

I saw Baek Sa-heon beside me silently cursing.

This doesn’t seem like someone else’s problem.

‘That device, if it’s short, it can provide sight for a few hours; if long, maybe a day or two.’

But being a rental device, its functionality gradually deteriorates, leaving one more terrified.

And when you meet them next, that too gets ‘reclaimed.’

Because it’s a rental.

‘I can’t stand this.’

It feels like the horrifying events ahead are about to unfold, making my eyes instinctively close….

‘If I get found out as a coward, I have to hold it in.’

I made sure the surroundings were quiet before stepping outside next to Baek Sa-heon.

‘I can’t stay here forever.’

I need to move quickly and find a way out. The exploration records and manual can wait until after I part ways with Baek Sa-heon….

“Hey.”

Huh?

“Thank you.”

Suddenly, Baek Sa-heon spoke to me formally.

Nodding politely as if that were how it always was. Just like when we first met in the subway.

And then he tried to sneak away.

“Well, I’ll be going then….”

“Wait a second.”

Baek Sa-heon halted his steps.

I asked.

“How long have we been inside?”

“…….”

“Don’t want to answer?”

“…About two hours, I think.”

He came in quite a bit earlier than me.

It’s not a horror story that messes with one’s sense of time, so the newbie Baek Sa-heon must have been summoned since the morning…….

‘So that’s why the D Group superiors saved me!’

I nearly became emotional.

It was enough motivation to urge me to quickly find my team and get out.

‘The Lizard Team Leader would already be among the last seven survivors.’

Gotta find the others from Group D quickly.

…Honestly, as soon as I came out from the vent and saw the hallway, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh…….

‘Wow, I have to rummage around here alone.’

Do I really have to search every nook and cranny for clues? While playing tag with the guide monster?

There have even been horror games based on this darkness; I haven’t played them, but I’ve seen videos on ‘WuTube.’

…Holding my hands halfway over the screen.

“…….”

Hmm. Even if someone has personality issues… wouldn’t it be better to go together?

I looked back at Baek Sa-heon.

In the darkness.

Kim Sol-eum was next to Baek Sa-heon, who swallowed hard.

‘Fuck.’

Of all people to get stuck with this crazy guy.

Nothing seemed to go right since he got assigned as my roommate at the staff quarters.

Listening to him spouting crazy nonsense with a sarcastic tone that suggests he’d never confront a drunkard in the dead of night was enough to make my head spin.

‘Do I really have to stick with this guy?’

The staff who entered together seemed scattered around this strange mansion, finally coming to their senses, and even the other civilians I met just got wrecked moments ago.

Still, it might be better to wander alone than to be with this crazy person…

While I was weighing my options fervently.

Suddenly, Kim Sol-eum spoke up.

“Using formal speech all of a sudden?”

Fuck.

A cold sweat trickled down my back.

“…Previously, I was too pressed for time to mind my manners… but I think it’s right to be polite with each other now.”

Kim Sol-eum looked at me pointedly before answering casually.

“I see. Understood.”

“…Yeah.”

Should I start… running away?

Baek Sa-heon surveyed Kim Sol-eum.

He was already well aware of the ridiculous rumors surrounding her.

The absurd new recruit of the Field Exploration Team.

-They say she cleared A-rank darkness by herself.
-Allegedly, she was almost scouted into the elite team, but she turned it down herself?
-Wow, they say she even found the missing manager. Is she really a newbie?
-They say two rewrites of the manual happened? Is this some kind of propaganda for a newbie trying to swindle the employees…

Eventually, some even suspected it was company propaganda because of how outrageous the claims became.

However, Baek Sa-heon had no reason to doubt the rumors.

‘Is she just crazy or something?’

The fact that her achievements were as monstrous as her mentality might have something to do with it.

Since her line of thinking was clearly different from that of an ordinary person, it was likely she came up with ideas impossible for regular humans even in a horror story!

Baek Sa-heon recognized he was an egoistic person with selfish interests.

Yet the oppressive feeling of dealing with someone unpredictable was different.

The fear of the unknown.

‘Honestly, I’d believe whatever she said about being a monster.’

Cold sweat dripped from Baek Sa-heon.

Still, wanting to gather information, he opened his mouth.

As much as she shares, he should listen.

“Where are you heading? Seeing that monster attacking people, it seems we’re treated like intruders in this darkness…”

“Not at all.”

“Pardon?”

“This exhibition definitely treats us as visitors.”

What sort of nonsense is this?

Baek Sa-heon stared at Kim Sol-eum.

She spoke with unwavering certainty, as if it was the most natural thing.

“So they come to collect the fees. They’re just taking our eyes. They’re simply collecting usage fees.”

“…….”

“Did you not read the manual?”

I did read it.

The strange document infested with the exhibition invitation.

“It’s called an invitation. How could someone who’s been invited be considered an intruder?”

“……But nothing about fees was mentioned.”

“Read it again. Near the end of page 3.”

Baek Sa-heon unfolded the paper.

+++

This exhibition is held with open-minded appreciation for art and is free for the first hour.
+++

“Free admission for the first hour implies they’ll charge a fee or kick us out afterward.”

“…!”

“But instead of evicting us, if they’re plucking our eyes, it suggests they’re collecting fees. That thing earlier… would be one of the ‘employees’ at this exhibition.”

Astonishingly, her argument was persuasive.

Baek Sa-heon carelessly asked.

“Why an eye of all things, you think?”

“Who knows? I guess it’s considered one of the most valuable body parts humans have?”

“……!”

“It seems that whatever we possess holds no value to them.”

“…‘Them’?”

Kim Sol-eum shook her head expressionlessly.

“No idea.”

And, no one who got caught in this mess would know either…

A chill ran down my back.

“Anyway, it seems that whoever runs this exhibition thinks human bodies are among the most valuable possessions people have.”

“…….”

“Initially, eyes seem to be the most appropriately valued.”

Eyes.

You only have one of them.

Baek Sa-heon almost unconsciously pressed down on the eye patch over his eye.

He still vividly remembered.

Kim Sol-eum glaring at him as he stepped out of the subway, lifting up the ‘correct’ other eye.

That eerie calmness and observation, waiting for him to realize that his eye had been plucked out without any meaning.

That mocking gaze.

Since the darkness apparently collects as a fee, what kind of upbringing made her so creepily competent?

“But….”

“…!”

Kim Sol-eum was staring intently at Baek Sa-heon.

“You’ve switched back to informal speech.”

Chills surged up his spine.

Baek Sa-heon forced his voice to stay calm.

“Right. Let’s keep it casual. We’re colleagues, so let’s escape together…”

“Not really.”

“…….”

In that instant, a burst of frustration hit him, but he forced a smile.

“Come on. Since you helped hide me in the vent, you must have wanted to save me, right?”

“Sure. I might use you as bait if things go south.”

“…….”

Baek Sa-heon completely gave up on gaslighting and switched to persuasion instead.

Since Kim Sol-eum seemed to have a good grasp of this horrifying exhibition horror story.

“If there’s one more person, it’ll be easier to explore. Especially in a dark place like this.”

“Not particularly necessary.”

“…….”

“But for the dopamine, let’s team up. With more people, there are more variables.”

She’s insane.

Baek Sa-heon was convinced.

Never in his tumultuous life had he encountered someone so openly crazy.

But…….

‘Could it be that someone like her is what it takes to survive in this company?’

With an innate feeling of defeat, he bit his teeth under his black goat mask.

“Let’s move.”

Kim Sol-eum bypassed the frozen Baek Sa-heon and began to walk away.

Then she suddenly said.

“Thanks. That’s a relief.”

“What?”

What is she grateful for?

Just as he was about to say something in confusion.

Kim Sol-eum placed a hand over her mouth.

“Shhh. I’m talking to Brown.”

“…….”

Baek Sa-heon barely managed to speak.

“Brown?”

“Yeah.”

Kim Sol-eum put her hand into her suit pocket and pulled something out.

It was a cute and fluffy keychain with a rabbit doll.

“Brown is saying hello to you right now.”

“…….”

Baek Sa-heon started to feel like he really wanted to run away!

Of course, he had no idea that Brown was actually saying something like, “Oh, hello, it’s the soon-to-be-sacrificed guest from the next room!”

Nor did he realize Kim Sol-eum was thinking this.

‘Phew. At least it’s a bit less scary with another person around.’

The thought of wandering through here with Brown, the doll, felt as creepy as during the spirit encounter.

‘It seems like a decent choice!’

“Are we going to scavenge for more places like that vent earlier?”

“No.”

Kim Sol-eum looked at Baek Sa-heon as if he were the most ridiculous person.

“We need to find the exit. Why would we look for vents?”

“…….”

“If you like the vent, you can keep hiding in there. Just be careful not to get caught and pay the fee.”

Kim Sol-eum understood.

‘This guy is someone who shouldn’t be let loose.’

Baek Sa-heon was someone who, if given even a slight chance, would act like a total jerk!

He was the one who suddenly attacked a stranger without blinking an eye, bursting their eye out.

Let’s not forget the nickname “Viper” that this jerk carries in the [Dark Exploration Records].

Never let your guard down!

‘I’ll also act like a crazy person.’

Thus began the inconvenient dark exploration of two crazy individuals.