The agent group chat that Go Yeongeun showed me left quite a shock and a realization.
'No wonder Agent Choi sent me to work in the Preliminary Investigation Unit so easily.'
Was it because my transfer to Black Tortoise Team 1 was already decided?
And Agent Bronze's consideration in sending me to Go Yeongeun's team today… Was that actually because today would be my last before officially joining the Dispatch & Rescue Unit…?
'Not fair…'
No, if you only look at what's on the surface, the only unusual thing 'Agent Grapes' did was insist on staying an extra day to take care of the children and ended up getting contaminated in the process, right?
So I thought I was in the clear, but I guess the fact that a supernatural disaster that could barely be handled by regular rescue was resolved, and I was the only variable, made me stand out.
And if that variable's nickname is 'Destruction King Rookie'… does that mean my image is set in stone?
I guess so!
'Ha.'
"..."
"Um… Soleum-ssi. Are you alright?"
I nodded.
But maybe I didn't look so good, because Go Yeongeun's eyes held a hint of worry.
'It would be weird if I acted too strange…'
Let's get it together before I come off as too much of a coward.
Doing my best to seem calm, I opened my mouth, pretending to be just a little disappointed.
"The Dispatch & Rescue Unit is a good unit, of course, but I'm really more of a paperwork type than a fieldwork person… so I'm a little flustered."
"..."
"Yeongeun-ssi?"
"Um, sure…"
For some reason, Go Yeongeun's expression looked more troubled.
But in the next moment, she began offering me words of comfort, so I guess I was just imagining things.
"Well, looking at the big picture, it could actually be a good thing. After all, each team has one assigned—!"
…?
The agent in front of me stopped speaking unnaturally.
And pressed the back of her hand.
Where Director Ho had set a restriction.
"...!"
Someone's listening.
Pretending to be out of the room, someone is somewhere in this office, listening in on the rookies' conversation.
I made eye contact with Go Yeongeun.
'Don't panic.'
She was probably going to say something like, 'Each team has one assigned person to balance it out, so it's good.'
I picked up the conversation smoothly.
"Yes. Each team has its strengths, so even if I do end up going to the Dispatch & Rescue Unit, I'll do my best."
"Yes. Let's do our best…!"
Fortunately, the conversation ended naturally.
We both raised our hands like fresh rookies and did a 'fighting' pose together.
After that, Go Yeongeun naturally shifted the topic to explaining the work of 'White Tiger Team 2' in the Preliminary Investigation Unit.
'Phew.'
Later, we pretended to be surprised as we saw an agent yawning and standing up from under a desk in the office.
"A-Agent?"
"Ah, sorry. I just closed my eyes for a bit… You're both rookies, right? Looks like you've already gotten close. Do your best. I'm off-duty today… haaahm."
"Yes, thank you!"
After giving us a warm look, the agent left the office. I let out a sigh of relief inside.
'Nothing to get caught on.'
It didn't feel like surveillance so much as… just finding a couple of rookies cute and were curious, wondering if a sunbae could help. Still, we should be more careful.
'…Director Ho's restriction really did help.'
From then on, Go Yeongeun and I didn't mention any related topics, focusing on PC setup, and before long, the agents returned from their fieldwork.
"We're back, Yeongeun-ssi!"
"Team Leader."
I stood next to Go Yeongeun to greet them.
The Team Leader of White Tiger Team 2 had a very hearty impression, and laughed loudly when he saw me.
"Ah, so you're that… um. The new recruit!"
"..."
Did he just almost call me Destruction King out loud…?
If all these people were in that group chat, my nickname might be truly irreversible now.
'Ha…'
I never thought I'd say this, but being a supervisor at Daydream Inc. was less embarrassing than this…
"You just got back from a big rescue mission the other day, right? I heard you did a great job. For today, relax do nothing special yeah? Just observe what kind of work the White Tiger Team does~ and then you can clock out. Alright?"
"…Thank you."
I almost ruined the character I'd been building.
Pretending to be timid, I bowed my head low, resisting the urge to go full MZ-crazy like I did at Daydream Inc…
"Now, now. For today, you can work at Agent Mint's desk, since she's off."
So I sat at the desk of an agent who had the day off, and got a quick briefing on work from the person in question herself, Go Yeongeun.
Phew.
"The work you'll be doing today is ghost story research… but it's not fieldwork. You'll be working on the PC, and if you can also learn how to do the documentation afterward, that'd be great."
"Um, will you be teaching me, Agent Mint?"
"Yes. I've been handling this kind of work a lot lately."
Go Yeongeun seemed a bit conflicted, then added,
"That, well, the agent who went into the mart with me… um, after that unexpected incident, I've been given mostly paperwork since then."
Ah.
'A rookie like her almost drowned and died, so they must have pulled her from fieldwork for a while.'
Of course, Go Yeongeun was already had similar work experiences from Daydream Inc., so it seemed she'd quickly cut off that agent mentally and recovered…
'In this place, too, they'll probably have her back in the field within a month.'
Still, if she were to continue to handle paperwork, she might get a natural chance to access the Disaster Management Bureau's secret archive in Gangwon-do someday.
'…I'm jealous.'
I wanted to take that route, too.
'…No.'
It's not too late yet.
'This time, I'll really make a good impression.'
And since it's not fieldwork today, it's the perfect opportunity.
I'll show just how skilled I am at ghost story documentation…!
Especially—
The documentation for the Preliminary Investigation Unit?
'That's all about tracking and writing up ghost stories.'
This is work made for me.
I smiled as I sat down in front of the computer.
"I'll give it a try."
And so, the ghost story I would be tracking down information on during my work hours today was…
[Do you know about the Red Clothes at Exit 4?]
It's a ghost story that originated from one particular internet post.
Modern-day internet is little more than an incubator for urban legends.
All sorts of nonsense, rumors, and ghost stories run wild, and with truth and lies hopelessly tangled, things spread from mouth to mouth, or rather… from post to post, from video to video.
Because people spin stories in whatever way fits their worldview best.
Whatever way is most interesting, entertaining, or believable to them.
And through that process of mutation and regeneration, some stories end up with extraordinary lifespans.
Even though they clearly started from a lie.
For example…
Like this very ghost story I'm investigating now.
[Do you know about the red clothes at Exit 4?]
Lately, more and more people have reported seeing this next to subway station Exit 4
(photo)
A red piece of clothing with the sleeves tied twice
It looks way too clean to have been thrown out, and the color stands out so much that it gives off a weird atmosphere
So people are saying it's for organ trafficking, or someone possessed by a ghost, or the work of a crazy person…
But it's appearing all over the place, and it really seems like someone put it there deliberately, which makes it creepier
No one knows what the intention is, but it just feels off, and a lot of people say they felt sick or had nightmares after seeing it
(photo)
Has anyone here seen it too?
This was the most famous version that first appeared two months ago.
A ghost story about spotting something suspicious and eye-catching at subway Exit 4.
It's a report that blends the chill of encountering something strange in a mundane place with the horror born from imagination.
It quickly spread through all kinds of internet forums and social media, with similar reports popping up everywhere.
And now, two months later.
The urban legend has become genuine fear.
[Do not touch the red clothes at Exit 4]
More and more people are testifying that it's a shamanistic ritual bait
They say it's meant to attach a ghost to anyone who touches it
– they made it red on purpose to attract people… dont touch it
– Even getting close is risky. It's so the ghost thinks that red clothing is yours. If you're spiritually weak, just looking at it up close could bring you bad luck
– Just pretend you didn't see it and walk by. Don't pay any attention. There's someone in the clothes.
– d sleeves r tied twice… ugh i have a bad feeling if its the ritual i know that isnt smth a normal shaman wud use…
– thats something you should never leave in a crowded place why would someone do that do they have a death wish
– if u check inside the clothes ull definitely find hair or a jijeon or smth right? but if u touch it to check ig ur an idiot? ㅋㅋ
(T/N: jijeon = shamanistic talisman paper)
These are just what I found and captured
And the clincher is…
Someone actually found hair and paper inside the clothes…
(photo)
I don't know what this is, but it feels so wrong. Everyone, be careful
And the most upvoted comment was this.
– Someone told me the person who checked out the clothes in that screenshot hasn't been heard from since…
└ seriously?
└ crazy
└ It's true. Apparently they sprinkled salt and even did a ritual or smth like that? And even posted proof that all the salt was burned up, but after that there's been no word
└ haㅠㅠ
└ fk thats scary as hell ㅋㅋ
Even more chilling and eerie testimonies have surfaced.
And comment sections and quote threads everywhere turned into a madhouse.
– there's even a rumor that the person who disappeared was reported dead? is that for real?
– Isn't this about that youtuber who picked up the red clothes and got hospitalized and kept posting about having nightmares and asking for help?
– crazy. this is scary as hell tho fuckk is there actually no one trying to figure out whos behind this?
– theres even shamans saying maybe it wasnt a human being who left those behind too
If you've read this far, it really feels like a terrifying twist in a supposedly-true ghost story.
Even now, red clothes are still being found at subway entrances everywhere, but with no involvement from authorities, only those who know about it are left trembling in fear, watching more victims appear.
But it doesn't die down.
Because it's still ongoing.
– another missing person case added… feels like we should report this
– red clothes found outside seoul (photo) is this a copycat or the real thing?
And people who'd been consuming these internet horror stories as casual entertainment were starting to feel the creepiness and horror so close to home that they began considering real-world measures.
Law enforcement.
– Even if you report it to the police, they don't do anything since it's 'just clothes' ㅠㅠ And apparently, a lot of police who know what it is actually avoid it, especially the older officers
└ ig we just dont know but there must've been cases like this before
Public attention.
– can't we tip off the news or smth?
└ tried it, but they just mentioned it as an internet oddity at the end of the morning news, even when I said there was an actual missing person. they just treated me like an overreacting jobless person ㅋㅋ아ㅋㅋ
And more realistic eyewitness accounts.
– I tried telling a station attendant but since it's outside the exit they just said its not their responsibility, the other day i saw people yelling and fighting over it (video)
– someone stared at the red clothes for a while n then collapsed. nobody helped, so sum elderly person supported them n called an ambulance but what if smth happens to them too? I can't stop worrying…
– Stop taking photos of the red clothes and posting them online, it seems like it's having an indirect effect too
And finally, this internet urban legend even reached the Disaster Management Bureau.
Of course, most of these internet ghost stories are really just a mix of coincidence, misunderstanding, and a psychological desire to believe.
At first, the Disaster Management Bureau also approached it that way.
The problem was…
An agent who witnessed the 'Red Clothes at Exit 4' attempted contact and sample collection.
Afterward, they lost consciousness and were in a coma for five days. Symptoms of sleepwalking. Hostile reaction from their dokkaebi flame. After regaining consciousness, they could only repeat, 'I have to wear the red clothes'.
Afterward, that agent jumped to their death.
This confirmed that the ghost story was real.
And all the rumors spreading online…
They were all true.
The agent has been stabilized through memory-erasure therapy and is currently hospitalized.
There is now discussion about registering the 'Red Clothes at Exit 4' as a supernatural disaster. More case studies needed.
And so, I, 'Agent Grapes', was put in charge of collecting various stories about the Red Clothes at Exit 4 from the internet…
Honestly, it's basically a given that it'll be registered… they just want me to grab more supporting material from the internet for documentation.
It's a bit spooky and creepy, but compared to fieldwork, it's really just at the level of reading ghost stories.
A true training slash 'rest day' assignment for a rookie.
However…
'I can't just stop there.'
Didn't I say it?
I'm much better at paperwork.
And… organizing internet ghost stories into documents?
'That's my specialty, a thousand percent.'
I'll show you all exactly what I can do.
With a grin, I put my hands on the keyboard.