The days in the Happy Ending Cult's underground bunker were monotonous and strange.
Those who prayed in turns.
A new corpse arriving every day.
And people who passionately argued how good a person the corpse was in life, and thus deserved to meet a happy ending.
People who teared up, smiled, and applauded at their words.
The corpse being stuffed into a black box.
The image of a small society gone mad was grotesque, yet peaceful amongst themselves.
'Truly like a cult.'
Cruel and insane acts.
Contrasted by a closed-off comfort.
The cult members were strangely kind, treating each other warmly and intimately, calling themselves family.
In the survival bunker isolated underground.
[Ah, that too is a technique of governance. A sense of solidarity and belonging, and the constraints of daily life are what prevent people from leaving the group.]
Right. Perhaps it can be seen as natural. But….
'…It feels like something is missing in the details.'
[Hmm?]
The details that make this absurd situation possible.
For instance… usually, when cults conduct such rituals, there are always specific actions shared by everyone.
'Drinking a specific beverage, holding a certain branch, imitating an animal….'
Small symbols shared only amongst themselves.
Something that is somewhat mystical, unique, symbolic, and not difficult, making them feel a sense of religious belonging.
'The clothing is the same.'
I believe it's common to share a unified color, or at least an accessory.
But the people in this underground bunker are all wearing casual clothes. Meaning there's no clear proof of initiation.
Even the uniform worn by an executive… well, it's symbolic in a ghost story, but it doesn't feel out of place even as casual wear.
'It would have been disturbingly impactful if they all wore uniforms.'
Giving it only to the executives makes it feel like neither here nor there.
'No, how do they form a sense of unity?'
How can this inhumane group be maintained solely by the ideology of 'Lord Name' and 'Happiness'?
Is it just about brainwashing with Lord Name and killing people?
[Oh, what witty analysis! My friend could even create a cult group himself and it would be wonderful. The prophet role you showed on the train was also very impressive.]
[How about creating a wonderful organization right now? Something interesting, bizarre, and pleasant…. And this is a truly unconventional proposal, but I permit the use of this Brown's cotton-filled body as a symbol!]
Thank you, but I'll pass for now.
Anyway.
So, to be perfectly honest, um… those aspects feel like a kind of void.
As a wiki.
'It feels like they couldn't provide the setting values.'
It seems like they focused only on superficial stimulation and unpleasantness, constructing events and ghost story horror, but lacked realistic details.
In fact, that's where the foundation that supports the story comes from.
'…The Happy Ending Cult was the most recently created wiki among the Nameless Brilliant Cults.'
Is that why? I wonder if it would have been better to go to a cult created earlier in the wiki registration.
'Like the Right Number Praise Sect?'
But I quickly dismissed it.
It would be better to be in a state where I can only feel discomfort, without causing major upheaval like now.
'…Rather than genuine, realistic unease and creepiness.'
Let's be thankful it's not that.
I'm just sighing at the clumsy balance, and getting used to feeling sick to my stomach while witnessing cruel and chilling sights.
[Ah, it's certainly a sharp analysis…. But, well. Mr. Roe Deer.]
[Have you never considered that some cult groups only reveal their true nature once you enter their inner circle?]
So, you can only feel the real thing if you join, is that it….
'I want to decline.'
There was no forced ingestion of scripture fragments to be reborn with the power of the Nameless Brilliant Cult for the past two days.
The absence of subtle hints or pressure… in other cults, this situation might have felt even more chilling.
Because it feels like intentional tranquility.
'Perhaps they're taking a long-term view, thinking I'm not a contaminated human but a ghost story itself.'
So I asked Ho Yuwon, but he also shook his head.
"Ah, there wasn't anything like that."
…Is that so.
"But it's hard to find any special information, isn't it? Though it's convenient that it's easy to see Mr. Noru separately like this."
That's right.
The Happy Ending Cult has assigned us to living spaces of a sort… of similar standing within this underground air-raid shelter.
Semi-spherical spaces connected like an anthill.
[Power Zone]
Unlike the cramped living quarters for initiates, packed together, guaranteeing only minimal living conditions.
A zone slightly separated from that. Wider, emptier… and independent. As if assigning territories.
Strange, sealed rooms, without even CCTV.
[It's just like a lion's den. If such a thing were equipped in the living quarters of those who hid underground during the end times.]
Incidentally, the nearby 'Power Zones,' excluding our assigned areas, seem to be empty.
Except for the two people wearing uniforms.
"Power Zone…. In the Nameless Brilliant Cult, they seem to call Darkness 'Power,' don't they?"
That's right.
Come to think of it.
Question:
What do you know about the Nameless Brilliant Cult?
How much does Ho Yuwon know about the Nameless Brilliant Cult?
"I know as much as I need to. I saw the experiment logs mentioned in the Pleasant Research Institute."
Ah.
Derived from prior research, the name of the deity worshipped by a recently flourishing cult was adopted as a subtitle for that research.
…The experiment log that was next to the incubator I woke up in.
It seems Ho Yuwon had found traces of the underground Pleasant Research Institute mentioned several times elsewhere.
"I confirmed that it's an extremist religious group that worships darkness and seeks to become darkness, and it seems to be rapidly gaining followers. It looked perfect for finding information I couldn't find before. And…."
Ho Yuwon makes eye contact with me.
"The experiment log that created Mr. Noru… it stated that the name was taken from this religious group's deity, right?"
…!
"I'm a little curious about what relationship Mr. Noru might have with the religious group. Ah, this isn't a question."
....
"Then, this time, I'll ask. Mr. Noru."
The topic that was cut off in the elevator.
A single, almost obsessive question.
"How do you know about Segwang Metropolitan City?"
...Hoo.
'I can't say I read it on the wiki.'
It couldn't be helped.
Cannot answer
: Please substitute with another question.
"...."
Ho Yuwon's laughter stopped.
For a brief moment, his face, which had been looking at me with a blank expression, regained its smile as if by magic.
"You can't answer… huh."
....
"I'll remember it well, Mr. Noru."
There were no follow-up questions.
It was a somewhat unsettling conclusion to the Q&A.
And that evening.
Just one detail that was understandable, an everyday event, returned.
It was the Happy Ending Cult's mealtime.
"Let's spread happiness."
"The gaze of Lord Name."
Here, everyone must attend the morning and evening meals and eat together.
There are no exceptions.
This means even those contaminated by ghost stories sit at the same table with initiates.
Incidentally, the executives in uniform also sat across from me…. Hoo.
'If this continues, they'll say they made them happy even if they killed them.'
I suppressed a groan.
The meal soon began.
I looked around at the walls and ceiling of the underground bunker, where the cement and structure were fully exposed, then sat still and looked at the dining table….
Canned food.
"Can't eat it?"
I turned my head.
A uniformed executive, who had called me, was looking at me with his chin resting on his hand.
And he nudged the handsome male student next to him.
"Hey, hey, what do dragons usually eat?"
The male student just shrugged. The executive smacked his back and then spoke brightly to me,
"Ah. I should introduce myself! Introductions are important…. You see, I'm Lee Seoyu, and this is Lee Seobin. We're twins, I'm the older sister!"
He grinned.
"There's also a friend who calls out 'Isseoyu~' in a Chungcheong dialect!"
He's cheerful.
Which makes it more awkward.
The ordinary cheerfulness of someone who crazily killed people, brainwashed them with hallucinations and auditory illusions, and tried to kidnap them.
The unsettling nature of speaking their real names freely in a ghost story. And….
'They really were twins.'
Coming this far, I know who they are.... The twins from the Happy Ending Cult who were active in several Nameless Brilliant Cult ghost stories.
I'd seen them on YouTube thumbnails a few times.
Though this is the first time I'm hearing their real names.
"Do you eat weird things, perhaps? Like human brains, you know. Or livers?"
However, looking at them like this, they just seem like high school students.
So, after some thought, I finally asked.
Reason for clothing choice
"Ah, my uniform?"
Her head drooped.
"Are you curious?"
She rolled on the table.
Her long hair, tied with a red ribbon, wriggled on the tablecloth.
"Are you really, really, really, really, really curious? Curious why I wear this? Really? Really?"
No.
It seems fine….
A polite fib for table manners
"I see! I see!"
'Just leave me alone, please….'
Because they're crazy, they don't give any warning.
I'll get mentally exhausted before I find a way to disguise myself as a human.
Everything was just tiring and a bit overwhelming….
Just then.
Thump.
"Oh dear…."
To my right.
The Grandmother, who was eating next to Ho Yuwon, bumped into his arm and spilled her water cup.
Her clothes got wet.
"Oh no, are you alright?"
However, instead of looking at the water on his arm, Ho Yuwon immediately moved to help the Grandmother. He tidied the table in front of him and wiped her clothes.
…Ho Yuwon is going this far?
"She's a good person."
"She's a good person."
…I feel eyes on me.
From every table, I can hear murmurs as people watch Ho Yuwon's actions.
'....'
Ho Yuwon seemed to be chatting with the Grandmother that evening… and then even invited her to his 'zone.'
"I'll tell you an interesting story."
No one stopped him.
[Oh. I can feel the audience's anticipation.]
Right.
Anticipation.
The executive of the Happy Ending Cult, the one who introduced herself as Lee Seoyu, whispered to us as we turned to leave.
"If you want to make Grandma Kim Bokja happy, tell me in the morning. We have to perform a ritual!"
....
My stomach churned.
But I didn't stop Ho Yuwon.
'It must be for information.'
If necessary, I'll step in, so there won't be any problems.
And so, I slowly followed the Grandmother, whom Ho Yuwon was supporting, into his zone….
And entered Ho Yuwon's zone.
Thump.
But the moment I closed the door and leaned against it.
Ho Yuwon released his hand supporting the Grandmother and stepped back.
And the Grandmother straightened her back as if nothing had happened, standing tall.
'…!'
The Grandmother spat out a round, glass-like bead she had put in her mouth. Then, her form began to change and harden….
A cold and tired impression.
Sharp, hawk-like eyes.
A pale face with blue bobbed hair.
Someone I know.
'…!!'
It's Assistant Manager Eun Haje.
'Wait a minute.'
What is this situation?
For a moment, my mind stopped, unable to process the situation.
And then, like lightning, I realized.
'No wonder he helped the Grandmother.'
Assistant Manager Eun Haje had infiltrated this Happy Ending Cult facility disguised as a Grandmother…!
And there was only one person who could have ordered her to do that.
Ho Yuwon!
"No, you send someone and then you come in like this yourself?"
"No, it's a coincidence. I didn't expect to run into you like this either."
"Yes, yes. I see."
Assistant Manager Eun Haje slumped onto the floor.
And she made a face as if she wanted to punch Ho Yuwon, but then her eyes gleamed as she noticed the bruise on his face.
"Director Ho, are you injured?"
"Ah. This person was a bit rough with their hands…."
[How despicable.]
So, as Ho Yuwon pointed at me, Assistant Manager Eun Haje naturally glanced at me as well.
And just as she was about to be stunned, she took a breath and calmly asked.
"…Aren't you from the Security Team?"
"That's right. And actually, I know Ms. Falcon too."
"...."
Assistant Manager Eun Haje's eyes darkened.
As if recalling the list of various Field Investigation Team employees she had worked with and encountered, and their final moments.
But before that thought process could finish, Ho Yuwon spoke first.
"It's been a while, hasn't it? This is Mr. Noru."
Assistant Manager Eun Haje stopped.
And her gaze, which had been meeting Ho Yuwon's, shifted entirely to me.
Her mouth opened.
"Noru?"
....
Yes, Assistant Manager.
I formed letters with smoke.
'It's okay.'
This is a better situation than when I met the Security Team members. I'm in a state where I can think rationally, and I'm freer than when I was in the isolation room.
And to match Assistant Manager Eun Haje, who was sitting on the floor, I also carefully sat down by the door.
Trying to use the speech pattern I used before.
I made a mistake and caused a problem, which led to this appearance, but it will be okay.
I am looking for a way to recover.
"...."
Assistant Manager Eun Haje looked at the floor.
Her face, hidden by her hair, was not visible for a moment….
"Yes. Noruya."
She looked back at me, her face now showing only composure, completely devoid of agitation.
"Of course, you can recover. Hey, you have to experience absurd side effects from darkness to truly become a Daydream employee."
And she patted my arm, which was in Black Smoke.
"You're a smart kid, so there will be another way. Think about what you want to do once you recover."
....
Thank you.
"What are you thanking me for? Hey. Whenever I want to smoke, I can just stand next to you."
That doesn't seem quite right….
Anyway, we were able to talk a bit more about what had happened, with Assistant Manager Eun Haje grumbling about how she 'can't smoke in this form.'
It was a very short but quite good time.
Assistant Manager Eun Haje's face showed a faint smile when she heard about working with Team Leader Park Min-seong.
Of course, it disappeared again when we returned to the main topic.
"Ms. Falcon. My calling you here was not with the intention of having you enjoy casual conversation with Mr. Noru."
"I apologize."
Assistant Manager Eun Haje apologized immediately, but a 'What are you going to do about it, you bastard?' kind of expression remained.
Hmm, it seems they've become quite accustomed to each other, more than I thought….
'I was worried because that guy controlled Assistant Manager Eun Haje's body last time.'
It's a relief that Assistant Manager Eun Haje is acting according to her personality.
'Still, I should check once later.'
For now, this.
Assistant Manager, were you sent here on Director Ho's orders?
"Yes. It's a death sentence. Having to retrieve corpses and all…"
Assistant Manager Eun Haje grumbled, saying she had only infiltrated cults twice as a reporter.
"They're worshipping darkness in some underground air-raid shelter and killing people. What, Happy Ending? Then they should have a happy ending themselves, why are they doing this to innocent people?"
Every word she says is absolutely right….
And this seems to be where they gather people for initiation, so won't it be difficult to obtain any special information?
"No. It's at the initiation ceremony that you can really dig up things."
Huh?
"Usually, cults reveal their true colors once they've drawn someone in."
Assistant Manager Eun Haje grinned.
"And to do that, they must have prepared something, right? There must be something somewhere in this facility. Then…."
"All that is fine, Ms. Falcon. But please don't forget the purpose for which you came here."
Ho Yuwon cut in.
"Did you find out about Segwang Metropolitan City?"
"No, you can't say that in front of him… I guess you can. Anyway, so to find that information here, you first have to find out what they're doing, and then use that as a base to approach… Hoo."
Assistant Manager Eun Haje said, sounding utterly fed up.
"Please wait a moment. Didn't you send me here because you confirmed that I would know about Segwang Metropolitan City in the future?"
...!
'Future?'
A memory flashed in my mind.
The words Assistant Manager Eun Haje urgently said to me in my room at the residence just before I boarded the Tamra train.
·You will be declared dead on January 2nd.
·I confirmed that… from the darkness that sees the future.
If that was something she learned through activities related to Ho Yuwon's project.
'Then Ho Yuwon's actions so far make sense.'
Ho Yuwon had already confirmed it.
'Eun Haje would find out about Segwang Metropolitan City from the Nameless Brilliant Cult'… a future like that.
Realizations came one after another.
'Wait, so did they plan for her to be proselytized and infiltrate herself?'
If it were Isara, it wouldn't be strange if she had noticed something amiss and taken some measures the day of or the day before, given her title.
No wonder the Happy Ending Cult executives had infiltrated the company's Main Building basement so smoothly, without more casualties.
I suspect they must have employed some trick to minimize confrontation, perhaps by drawing away the security personnel that day.
All so that we would enter without suspicion.
And of course, I don't feel good about being caught up in that planned act… but more than that.
'…Through what kind of Darkness did they see the future?'
This accuracy.
Darkness is an Anomalous Phenomenon, and Anomalous Phenomena are usually more dangerous and unfathomable the more powerful they are.
What is Ho Yuwon using?
Question: Darkness that confirms the future
"Did you ask me a question? That's strange. I'm sure the Q&A stopped at my turn to ask."
Damn it.
"Mr. Noru, you don't have the right to ask questions until I say so."
The gas-masked me and the smiling Ho Yuwon stared at each other for a moment.
Assistant Manager Eun Haje watched this unfold with a 'what is going on' look, then shrugged and spoke.
"In any case, now that there are more people, it will be easier. If Mr. Noru and Director Isara help with the search, that is."
"Search?"
"Yes. I was thinking of looking into this facility itself… hmm."
Assistant Manager Eun Haje shrugged.
"Even if this bunker itself is Darkness, there must be an entrance somewhere, right? One that leads to the surface."
That… would certainly be the case.
'Usually, Spatial Ghost Stories have an escape route to reality.'
The fact that we entered means there is a way out.
Even if it's a ghost story of the Nameless Brilliant Cult, they wouldn't break that basic condition.
Even if this underground bunker isn't fixed in location, there must be a connection point each time.
The initiates might not know, as they wake up here after losing consciousness, but perhaps those with deeper involvement would know.
For instance, the Twins.
"And I suppose you could call them persons of interest, but those school uniform-clad Twins seem to be the most insider here, yet they are never in the cafeteria during lunchtime."
Eun Haje added that they seemed to be doing something 'other than managing initiates.'
Anyway, to cut to the chase, she said it would be good to find a hint about the entrance.
Because it allows us to track the center in reverse.
"Usually, in cults, the most valuable things are placed furthest from the entrance, deep inside. Of course, it also allows for escape if necessary."
"Ah ha."
Ho Yuwon did not object.
And I, after a moment of thought, replied.
I think there might be a device nearby that can check the outside.
"Oh, that's possible."
In fact, this is a certainty.
There were several descriptions in the wiki records related to this Final Ritual Site that seemed to describe checking the outside from within.
"Well, it wouldn't be in places where clueless initiates are, would it? Showing them the outside would reduce the educational effect."
Away from the living quarters of the initiates.
A place with higher elevation.
A place convenient for insiders to check.
But that would be…
'Here.'
[Power Zone]
It has a cave-like structure with a high ceiling, and thus a larger area closer to the surface.
In the end, we decided to explore this zone very carefully, making sure not to encounter the Twins.
"Good. If the two of you go together, it will be easier for this Grandmother to move around too."
Assistant Manager Eun Haje swallowed the glass bead again.
And a moment later.
"Here it is."
We discover it.
At the very end of the Power Zone. An empty area.
When we open a small, round cover near the ceiling…
"It's glass."
We find a fixed facility, like a small telescope, made for peeking outside.
"Noruya, want to check?"
I gladly did so.
I lightly drifted up, covered in smoke, and placed my eye against the round opening where the cover had been removed…
The view through the opaque glass telescope, about a handspan wide.
....
...!!
"Noruya?"
I looked again.
But the scenery doesn't change. Old houses, mountains, utility poles, unpaved roads, traditional Korean houses.
That's…
Jisan Village.
The ritual site of this Nameless Brilliant Cult was located underground in Baek Saheon's hometown.