It Seems I Must Go to Work Even After Falling into a Horror Story 042

Thud thud.

I’m quietly walking through an exhibition showcasing eye-popping horror.

And right beside me is a character from a horror story that fits the “human trash” type.

‘I wish Baek Sa-heon would just keep his mouth shut and act as a human totem.’

On my way here, I spotted a hideous shadow crawling on the floor several times. Each time, I couldn’t be more grateful for the person next to me…

‘Just don’t let your guard down. Just don’t.’

Brown spoke to me with a somewhat amused tone.

– “Doe, you sure do communicate in a very entertaining manner. You almost seem like a different person.”

‘Is that bad?’

– “Of course not! It’s very interesting. It seems like you’ve fashioned a more exaggerated… persona for the show.”

Hmm. That seems fitting.

– “So, is escaping this magnificent exhibition your goal?”

That’s correct.

And….

‘I already have an escape plan.’

I confirmed that it was listed as the seventeenth exploration record in the [Dark Exploration Records], so I arranged an escape route accordingly.

I had also decided which items I would use from what I had with me.

– “Oh!”

– “But do we really need to attach the word ‘escape’ to this? I feel like if you just grabbed any staff member and asked them to guide you to the exit, they’d happily comply!”

That’s where the problem arises.

‘In this exhibition, guides are machines.’

I mean the monster swinging its spider-like legs.

– “Hmm. And?”

‘And each machine only knows information about its designated area.’

———————=

In this exhibition, a guide has been assigned to each area for the visitors’ convenience.

Many past visitors have referred to these guides as ‘monsters,’ but they are automated steam puppets of the Metri-Kiosku style.

They are vintage models from the 62627th year of the Empire, and their memory capacity is quite poor, only learning information about their designated area, but they are historically significant artistic collectibles.

We kindly ask you to refrain from derogatory expressions for a healthy viewing experience.

———————=

This means that if you want to ask about the exit, you must go to the area where the exit is located and speak to the staff there.

And if too much time has passed by then… you’ll end up being charged a “fee” and reborn as a human grub in a horrifying state.

Even realizing where the exit is located is exceedingly difficult.

‘But there are hints.’

I suddenly stopped.

Because I had found what I was looking for.

“…Elevator?”

In front of me and Baek Sa-heon stood a very retro elevator in a modern style.

Before the brass elevator, a caged area flickered with small light bulbs.

And, like any elevator, a sign for the floors and usage instructions was attached to the side wall.

Except, of course, we couldn’t read the characters at all.

‘One of the things that increases the exploration difficulty.’

The character’s gap.

Baek Sa-heon frowned.

“…Are we seriously going to take that?”

“Not sure.”

“We can’t even check which floor it is on? Are you out of your mind?”

I silently stared at Baek Sa-heon. He hurriedly averted his gaze.

‘Would that even be possible?’

But I have a horror talk show host who claims to be fluent in all languages!

‘Brown. Can you read this elevator description for me?’

– “Not a difficult task, my friend!”

– “Ahem,”

Brown cleared his throat and explained in a friendly tone…

– “This elevator has a guide stationed, and if you tell them which floor you want to go to, they’ll press the button for you. Wow, that’s quite a vintage method….”

To ride the elevator, one must inevitably meet the guide, which means losing their eyes.

I know that, but I couldn’t help but swallow.

‘What about information on the exit?’

– “Unfortunately, no! It’s mainly about the floors and the description of the exhibits.”

– “And right now, Doe, you are on the 2nd floor. …Oh, wait a moment. There’s also a note on the history of this mansion.”

“…!”

This was information that wasn’t even in the [Dark Exploration Records].

‘Keep going.’

– “Of course, my friend!”

– “This is the residence of a very high-standing noble… a magnificent collector, and due to his charitable spirit wanting to share his art and philosophy, they are hosting endless exhibitions!”

– “Additionally, this historic mansion consists of 7 above-ground floors and 7221 basement floors.”

“……”

Wait a moment.

What?

‘Basement… 7221 floors?’

– “That’s correct. Hmm, it seems they have gathered quite the collection over time!”

I froze.

‘…I knew there were basements.’

It hadn’t initially been described.

The early exploration records of this horror story called [The Mansion of the Blind] were about individuals who had miraculously escaped from the ground floors or those who couldn’t escape and died.

This gained popularity among readers.

As a result, the records were crazily updated, extended, and the world of the story grew larger.

Then someone among the explorers comes to a realization.

———————=

The 23rd record is a testimony left by a visitor who entered the basement through the elevator.

———————=

The existence of the basement.

Thus, those who couldn’t find a way out on the ground continued to follow the records leading down to the basement.

The overwhelming and chilling fear of continuously going down in search of the exit.

From that point on, this horror story was classified as cosmic horror.

Exploration records aimed to leave readers breathless and bewildered.

Some records even detail individuals who, giving up on escaping, became half-mad and continued downward.

———————=

This is a testimony from a visitor who viewed the exhibition on the 105th basement floor.

Staff 753: What I hear is tragically beautiful, things I cannot see with my ears. The ■■ forms a structure and ■■ of a human ■■. To die for this.

No further records exist.

Thank you for your profound reflection. We strive to enhance the exhibition experience.

———————=

The deeper one goes, the more bizarre and unmanageable the strange collections become. At some point, countless words become censored and leave nothing but an empty void of terror….

Down there, there are thousands of mysteries, and they…

Smack.

I slapped my face.

“…?!”

Get a grip.

‘There are multiple exits.’

Even if the positions change every time an exhibition starts, that doesn’t change.

Isn’t there a record of someone escaping to a different floor in the same round?

‘I can do this.’

No matter how astronomically vast or illogical this space is, there might be an exit open nearby.

With over a hundred rounds of exploration information, and even the records from this round, it would be foolish to be disoriented.

‘Even if the floors aren’t specified, I have figured out all the hints.’

I had to move quickly without being overwhelmed by the scope of the horror.

No foolishness…I need to keep my head clear!

‘…Alright.’

I took a deep breath and moved.

Towards the stairs beside the elevator.

“Wait, so we aren’t taking the elevator… What do you think you’re doing?!”

“2nd floor.”

“…?”

“I’m moving to the basement 1st floor from now on.”

“Basement? There’s a basement… no, you said this was the 2nd floor? How can you be so sure?”

“Brown told me.”

“……”

“Aren’t you grateful?”

“……”

– “You’re welcome!”

Amazingly, Baek Sa-heon didn’t run away this time, either.

Hmm. I’ll have to treat him with this level of urgency from now on.

Even as I descend the stairs, there isn’t a single change in decoration; the same majestic brightness continues.

The dusky brass-lit scenery goes on. It almost feels like I keep looking at the same floor over and over.

Except the stairs have disappeared from one floor below.

‘…This staircase doesn’t lead to the basement.’

For now, I’ll look for new stairs or another means of transport on the 1st floor.

Of course, no more casual chatter with Baek Sa-heon.

Because the mechanical sounds around us are growing more frequent.

’We’re nearing the Main Exhibition Hall, where guides are almost constantly stationed in a rotation.’

As I silently shuffled along, almost crawling, I raised my head and spotted a massive sign just below the ceiling.

‘We’ve arrived.’

Main Exhibition Hall.

The ornate sign, intricately carved, was adorned with a very fluid… unknown script.

– “‘The Power of Emotion’ is it? That’s a unique exhibition title!”

“…!”

It’s the exhibition I read about in the [Dark Exploration Records]. Just reading the text gives me goosebumps…

‘This is insane.’

I desperately wanted to turn back but held it back.

‘If I’m searching for the exit, I’ll inevitably have to see it once.’

In light of the need to secure a route, avoiding a “safe” exhibition would be foolish.

So I gritted my teeth and slowly approached…

As soon as I peered through the open door with a dazzling relief of intricate decor.

The exhibition space unfolded.

With the sound crashing in like waves.

Ahhhhhhhhh

I saw mouths of countless people shouting.

To be precise, their teeth and tongues.

The beautiful Baroque frames filled up a massive wall, showcasing the human oral cavity.

As if artificial vocal cords had been attached, each mouth recited poetry in their own language and voice.

These hundreds and thousands of frames harmonized to create an eerily strange melody.

And…

Beneath them, writhing grubs.

Huhhhhh, huhhhhhh.

People who can no longer utter human words were struggling with dimmed button replacements in their eye sockets.

Countless people who had been charged multiple times and lost almost all semblance of human form.

The lack of human features contrasted grotesquely with the beautiful, elongated frames displayed.

‘Ah.’

I felt like I might throw up.

The sheer horror made my head spin, and I looked down at the ground.

I had to calm down, calm down.

‘They’re not company employees.’

These would be people who had been caught up in this for several days.

Those poor souls… no, I can’t think about it now. I’ve got to push those thoughts out of my head as much as possible……

Creeeeak.

Finally, I saw the shadow of a guide machine approaching from a distance.

Baek Sa-heon and I held our breaths and crawled into a nearby vent shaft.

The shadow of the guide machine wandered among the grubs.

It seemed it was searching for and carrying motionless bodies….

The sounds of dragging corpses mixed with the mechanical noises.

“……”

“……”

A few suffocating minutes passed.

“Hey.”

“……”

“You just took away a corpse. A corpse has value, right? For a fee?”

What is this jerk’s problem?

“It’s likely that it had no value as a fee, so they just left it there until it died without collecting.”

“Oh, I see.”

Do I really have to listen to this crazy talk at a time like this? My fatigue is overwhelming.

Plus, he’s making lies up as well.

‘To be honest… it would have value. Obviously!’

They treat us as “visitors,” so it seems they only charged for body parts that wouldn’t harm live people such as noses, eyes, and mouths!

I wonder if they’d consider things like the brain or spinal cord valuable too? There seemed to be a floor where those were on display.

But there’s no way I can say that to this jerk. He’s the type that would suggest using those dead bodies to pay up.

And then, as I was keeping quiet…

“…!”

The guide machines vanished, leaving behind the empty Main Exhibition Hall on the 1st floor.

Here and there, people who had been hiding in the dark under the corner tables sprang out, murmuring swiftly, scattering and beginning to run.

Wearing masks.

‘Employees…!’

Their mask shapes and suits were unmistakable.

These were the on-site exploration staff from our company who had been deployed with me. They seemed to be carefully evading the machines while hiding near off-beat areas.

“Hey.”

Why.

“If you see any newbies among them, let’s get them on our side. It would be better with one or two extra, right?”

“Why?”

Baek Sa-heon looked at me as if surprised at such an obvious question.

“If we run into monsters, we need some bait to use.”

This guy, seriously.

I feigned puzzlement and nodded.

“But I’ve already got one.”

“What?”

“You.”

Baek Sa-heon’s expression hardened before softening again.

“Right. I was planning to bring another human as bait.”

“Good. Let them know they’re being used as bait.”

“……”

“I’ve already told you, right? You should be kind enough to do the same.”

Baek Sa-heon fell silent with a frustrated expression.

I’m the one who’s frustrated. This tiresome guy…

‘I miss you, Lizard Team Leader.’

I long for the direct, straightforward type.

But just then, when I saw a figure running out from behind the couch outside the exhibition hall, I was startled.

“…!”

It’s a familiar employee.

“……”

“…! What are you doing….”

I hesitated and then stepped outside the vent.

Waving my hand at the person, they also jumped back in surprise and quickly lowered their voice.

“…! Is it… no, Doe? Can I call you that?”

“Yes. Goat.”

Ko Yeong-eun.

The newbie from the subway who had fully supported my words stood there. She mentioned dropping out of medical school, didn’t she?

“Doe, you’ve been deployed, too? Well, at least I’m glad you’re safe.”

“…Thank you.”

In any case, Ko Yeong-eun, wearing her assigned goat mask, seemed much calmer than when we first met.

Though her eyes were a touch bloodshot.

‘Has she adapted to the job……’

The fact that rational conversations could happen even amidst this madness moved me slightly.

Ko Yeong-eun carefully scanned the surroundings, lowering her voice to a whisper.

“Um, I found a blocked window nearby and was trying to open it. Did you happen to see a lever or anything on your way? I don’t think I can use any exhibits…”

“Not a chance.”

“Hmm?”

“Aren’t you trying to exit through the window?”

“…Is that not alright?”

It’s definitely not.

In the exploration records of this horror story, mentions of windows come up only once. Do you know what that was?

———————=

The 19th record is from a visitor who attempted to pass outside through a window, but for credibility issues, it will be omitted.

This exhibition has no windows.

———————=

It’s a landmine.

I had to come up with a fitting excuse.

“Somehow, if you attempt to go out through a window, it feels as if you’re physically leaving the mansion… and not returning to the real world.”

“……Ah.”

Ko Yeong-eun’s face turned pale.

“Right. Since this isn’t reality… We need to find a door that’s recognized as an exit.”

“I think so too.”

“But since we don’t even know which floor we’re on…”

“I checked, it’s the 1st floor.”

“…! How did you… no, wait a second. The 1st floor?”

A spark of hope gleamed in Ko Yeong-eun’s eyes.

“Then the chances of finding a door nearby are high! Most exhibition entryways are on the 1st floor; if we look carefully….”

I forced my mouth open, which was refusing to budge.

“……The reason most entryways are on the 1st floor is because we’re typically walking on the ground.”

“That’s…”

“Do you really think the original visitors of this horror story would think the exit would be on the 1st floor?”

“……”

Ko Yeong-eun sealed her lips tight.

She seemed to understand the implication immediately.

‘How can we be sure the monster would have a door on the 1st floor?’

And soon her face was clouded with despair, much like mine from a few minutes ago.

“Then… what do we do? I can’t believe asking the machine monster earlier was the answer! But, I can’t meet machines anymore. There won’t be any more chances…”

“There won’t be any more chances….”

“……”

Ko Yeong-eun hesitated, brushing her hair back lightly.

Where her ear had originally been, there was nothing but a stitched scar.

“Our ears… they were taken.”

“……”

“Instead of eyes, it’s ears! Instead of eyes, it’s ears! And then they listened to me doing gestures… It didn’t hurt at all. It was so bizarre….”

Ko Yeong-eun trembled slightly.

“And it seems they put something weird inside… but I can still hear sounds? I don’t know what principle this is, but it feels like my ear canal or eardrum is an artificial construct?”

Oh, great.

“Shouldn’t it be alright? Things like regenerative potions for corporate staff? They sell those, right…?”

“It’ll be fine.”

I asserted immediately.

“It’ll be fine. Just focus on getting out.”

“…Yes.”

Ko Yeong-eun’s breaths became calm again. For someone who had just lost their ears, her mental fortitude was almost superhuman.

Honestly, I found it somewhat admirable.

But it seemed someone wasn’t going to fare as well.

“Shall we get moving? Let’s not waste any more time.”

“…! Baek Sa-heon.”

As the goat-masked Baek Sa-heon emerged from the vent, a look of attentiveness flashed in Ko Yeong-eun’s eyes.

“Wait, are you saying you’re with that person?”

“By coincidence, yes.”

“…I see.”

Though she looked at Baek Sa-heon suspiciously, Ko Yeong-eun didn’t ditch me and continued to follow.

‘Thank you….’

I lost track of how long it had been since I’d traveled with someone normal.

Having experienced psychopaths and possessed folks, I was almost brought to tears.

Though Ko Yeong-eun made a quiet murmur.

“That person even picked a mask that looks just like him… You know, in Western culture, goats symbolize devils, right?”

“Wow, did you know that goats are also regarded as sacrificial animals?”

“Unlike devils, they’re much more helpful to humanity.”

Baek Sa-heon seemed to find this completely absurd, gazing incredulously at Ko Yeong-eun, who ignored him.

– “Is this an intermission? It feels like a skit.”

Sure.

But the problem is that it’s not a skit, it’s real life…

‘It seems the party composition has gone awry.’

But our destination was surely drawing closer.

‘…!’

I found it.

The stairs leading down to the basement appeared at the end of that corridor.