The bluish-green feet of the hanged corpse are above my head.
Despite being thoroughly dried, the feet were strangely swollen, as if they were puffed up.
Sway.
They hit my cheek.
"..."
"Noruya?"
"Yes."
This is driving me crazy.
I felt my entire body shriveling and wanted to squeeze my eyes shut, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.
'If anyone in this group can cry and say they can't do this, they're truly amazing….'
Could I really show myself being the only one freaking out in fear, while everyone else remained unfazed and fearless?
'It's not my first day exploring the Darkness!'
Besides, this is an Extinction-class Disaster.
'I have to do something to earn my keep, anything…!'
"I will confirm."
Suppressing the urge to grab onto their pant legs and beg them to let me offer my wiki knowledge in exchange for being their side dish, I gritted my teeth and reached out.
And I examined the corpse that (oh please, just let it not be) hit my head.
I felt like I would faint at the thought of having to touch this, and recalling that I had been in a peaceful state right next to a corpse whose eyes had been removed when I was 130666 made me feel even more like I would pass out, but my mind was still working….
'…It's cold.'
For starters, touching it didn't cause any ominous contagion, suicidal impulses, or bizarre hallucinations.
"It just feels like a corpse."
"…Yes."
However, the sheer number of them was overwhelming.
I saw a hint of frustration flicker across Agent Choi's face as he tried to peer into the fog.
"It's not working well. The talisman has no effect at all. But… one thing is certain."
"..."
"You can't see the end of it with the naked eye. …The tree the corpses are hanging from."
The corpses were of all ages and genders.
Countless people filled this forest….
A mixture of fear and complex emotions settled on people's faces.
"Are they really dead people?"
"There's a chance it's some kind of staging, but if a disaster has truly occurred in this city… the possibility of them being real is much higher."
"Our Bronzie is being too honest with a citizen."
"It's okay. Well, they're already dead, what can we do? Let's just work hard so we don't end up like them!"
I moved forward, suppressing the urge to vomit from the overwhelming sense of dread.
Most of the corpses' clothes were covered in dust, as if they had been there for years.
'Meaningful information….'
"Could you examine their hands specifically? If they are indeed corpses, I wonder if there might be any clues about the circumstances of their death."
"I'm already looking. Grape-ie. Ugh."
And then we found something.
The hand of a corpse wearing a checkered shirt and glasses.
"…It's a bit smudged, but there's something."
Words written with a pen on the palm.
No one comes to save us Seven thousand people were abandoned We want to run away But there is no way out So we become trees instead
"..."
The dried pen marks made me imagine.
'…Did they realize they couldn't be rescued?'
The call ended, and countless people were isolated within a history of collapse, without food.
Some terrible disaster was unfolding outside, making it impossible to leave. There was no hope of anyone coming to rescue them from that ongoing horror.
And so….
"Hmm. Still, they chose a rather peaceful method. Instead of killing each other, they all died together, right?"
"It could be an influence of the Darkness. Or conversely, this peculiarity might have become material for the Darkness."
"Aha."
In contrast to the calm conversation of the Daydream employee, the expressions of the two Disaster Management Bureau agents were somewhat stiff.
But like veterans, composure soon settled upon them.
"…Now that we've grasped the background of the disaster, shall we go look for the information board?"
"Yes."
After some deliberation, we decided to leave the corpses hanging and moved on, not wanting to stir up any unnecessary trouble.
And after 17 minutes had passed according to my Smartphone clock.
"Found it."
The information board appeared.
It was a typical public institution sign, with neat blue letters between black and yellow outlines, looking damp from the mist….
The rules of this ghost story.
Segwang Station (Forest of Demise) Etiquette
1.Do not break branches.
2.If you stand too close to the platform screen door, you will see something strange.
3.If you run near the ticket gate, an exit will appear.
4.Do not separate from your companions.
5.Do not hang yourself from a tree.
6.Those causing disturbances within the station are in the fog.
7.Trains bound for ■■■ no longer stop.
"Hmm. Quite chilling, isn't it, Old Man?"
"Old… Hmph. Yes. It's a typical manual for supernatural phenomena."
Listening to people's words, I tried to deduce the rules from that rulebook….
"I think the content can be classified by the tone."
If we use the presence or absence of a period at the end of a sentence, the tendency becomes apparent.
"It's divided into the forest and the subway station."
And the subway station side is closer to an announcement, while the forest side is a set of instructions.
"Hmm. Was there originally a forest outside, and it mixed with the station?"
"Or perhaps 'the forest being nearby' influenced the identity of this station. Darkness, in its essence, affects human perception, doesn't it?"
As she said this, Assistant Manager Eun Haje tapped the information board lightly.
With a thud, the corpse hanging behind the information board slid down and stopped right in front of my eyes.
"…!"
I almost swore.
"Oh dear, Grape must be very scared?"
But Assistant Manager Eun Haje scoffed.
"Mr. Public Official, why would Roe Deer be scared of something like this? This kid has even been on a talk show that grinds people up. Isn't that right?"
"..."
Ha.
I managed to give Assistant Manager Eun Haje a smile.
"Of course. …It's a character setting I created while infiltrating the Disaster Management Bureau."
"You rascal, you're still good at your job."
"Thank you."
If only that were true….
Honestly, I wanted to tell them the truth even now… but no, look at the atmosphere here.
Four veterans who have entered an Extinction-class Disaster.
'If I say I'm scared now, it'll sound like I'm lying to get a free ride on a group project….'
Ha.
And amidst all this, there's someone who's throwing a fit because their talk show was mentioned….
[Good heavens. Did you refer to this Brown's Late-Night Talk Show by such an ignorant term? My word, no matter how much the public craves sensational stimulation, this is too much!]
[I cannot understand why someone with such delicate sensibilities as Mr. Roe Deer maintains a friendship with such a person, but I will respect that judgment. Friend.]
Right. Thank you…. It's a little less scary now.
I looked at Agent Choi.
He smiled faintly.
"Oh~ So Grape is actually a person with a fearless and cool-headed personality?"
"..."
No, I didn't say that much…!
"Got it. Okay. Then from now on, Grape will…."
He stopped mid-sentence and suddenly turned his head. Why…
"Duck."
I instinctively pressed down on the shoulder of the person next to me and lowered my head.
Whoosh.
Something.
I felt a strange sensation brush past my head with a taut sound. I pressed myself to the ground silently and listened to my surroundings.
....
....
I noticed.
My hand, which had been pressing on someone's shoulder, was now empty.
"..."
When I lifted my head.
I was alone there.
Trees and fog.
An escalator and a station name sign.
I stood alone amidst the forest of countless hanged people.
'Ah.'
I didn't do anything foolish like screaming or calling for others.
I simply stiffened and began to walk.
One step.
Two steps.
My steps gradually quickened. The purpose of finding others, combined with fear, gave me increasing momentum.
But at the same time, I thought. I'm not an idiot. This is a supernatural phenomenon. I need to be careful not to get disoriented, using a corpse as a reference point, and try not to stray too far from it, while turning my head….
Something appeared.
A long object.
Something extending from a tree and remaining still.
"..."
I slowly approached.
A tightly twisted old rope, tied in a loop to be hooked onto something….
A Noose.
A noose, hanging exactly at my eye level, extending from a thick branch above, was right before my eyes.
"...!"
I slowly stepped back.
The noose, which had been hanging in the air, gradually disappeared from my sight into the fog. Without even a moment to sigh in relief, I turned my head again and moved forward.
This time, something revealed its silhouette in the fog. As I quickened my pace, expecting to see another person, there was….
A noose for hanging.
"..."
No wonder.
The corpses hanging from the trees around me seemed to have increased.
They seemed more visible.
The corpses of various people, wearing shirts, tracksuits, dresses, suits, blouses, jackets, and various other clothes, swayed as black silhouettes within the fog, as far as my vision could reach.
Sounds could be heard.
News.
-Another body has been discovered in the ■■■ forest of Segwang Metropolitan City. Mr. Shin, in his 30s, is presumed to have made an extreme choice due to personal despair....
-This is the seventh discovery of a body in the ■■■ forest this year, and authorities have closed the subway connection passage and are undertaking construction to post notices….
I moved forward again. I couldn't bring myself to enter among the corpses, and instead moved in a direction with as few of them as possible. Then, this time too….
There was a noose.
As if prepared for you, who have become alone.
-■■■ Forest, also known as a suicide hotspot, is a forest in Segwang Metropolitan City that has gained a notorious reputation. The corpse of the person who hanged themselves from a tree spread as a photo on social media, causing further controversy….
-Experts express concern about the negative impact of this trend, stating that it encourages imitation among citizens. Like this.
"..."
-Don't you want to give up too?
I realized.
'How on earth could so many people have hanged themselves?'
Even to die, preparation is necessary. If seven thousand people all hanged themselves, there must have been a corresponding amount of rope, twine, or something similar.
Rope strong enough to support a human weight.
So….
'If this forest, from the very beginning, was already filled with ropes for hanging.'
-Don't you want to give up too?
If it was providing nooses.
For the quiet demise of the other party.
This forest was prepared to hang seven thousand people.
Just as it had been in people's perceptions.
"..."
Even if I turn around and run, I come back.
A rope, tied in a circle.
[Oh, an inevitable development.]
[It's calling Mr. Roe Deer to the ending. Isn't it like a black box with arms outstretched?]
Why use such a metaphor!
I gritted my teeth. I shouldn't recall. What state I was in then, what state I became afterward….
More importantly.
'How did I originally deal with it?'
I have to remember.
Even if I wasn't in a state like 130666, I survived by deciphering ghost stories. Surely, there are things I can do even as a human.
'Although this is within an Extinction-class Disaster, that's outside.'
The strange phenomena here might have more avenues for escape.
Stay calm, stay calm….
-Don't you want to give up too?
Don't touch the noose.
'Damn it.'
I held my own strangely raised hands and thought, looking at the floor to avoid seeing the corpses above my head.
So, this place is….
-Divided into the forest and the subway station.
"..."
Right.
'The subway station's fixtures haven't changed.'
The information board, the walls, they are all the same.
Only the trees are strangely numerous, the fog is thicker, and it's a maze-like forest where nooses keep appearing.
Therefore, I know a definitive 'symbol' that signifies a place without fog and trees.
Stairs.
'The platform…!'
I sprinted past the noose.
Rummaging through my mind, adding the locations of the subway fixtures, I found the location of the stairs.
The illuminated ceiling, mirrors, signs, escalators, tactile paving, fire hydrants….
And.
'Found it.'
I ran down the stairs.
At that moment.
"Noruya."
I realized I was being grabbed by the shoulder and was standing at the end of the platform stairs.
Assistant Manager Eun Haje's face, slick with cold sweat.
And the others were also gasping for breath, as if they had just escaped down the stairs.
They held various items in their hands.
'They all escaped using items.'
It was a relief.
I sighed and was about to secretly wipe the cold sweat from my forehead… when I suddenly realized my hand felt heavier than expected.
A corpse was in my hand.
"…!!"
What I had thought was someone's shoulder and had lowered earlier was actually a hanged corpse.
'Shit.'
And I, probably, had been continuously looking at the noose that had been empty when that corpse disappeared.
'Ha….'
As soon as I realized it, goosebumps spread all over my body.
I couldn't bring myself to throw it away, and with trembling hands, I managed to set it down.
On the clean platform floor, a bluish-green corpse, swollen and gaunt, was placed with a thump.
The lingering sensation made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
"Are you alright?"
Agent Bronze, who approached, quickly scanned me with his still-functioning equipment as if checking. With a slight relief that I showed no signs of being 'possessed,' he stepped back.
"The fog suddenly got so thick that we couldn't see each other at all. We only heard each other's voices and barely found the stairs to return. During that time, items kept malfunctioning, which was troublesome. But…."
He explained that when they reached the stairs, I was the only one missing.
"We were just discussing whether we'd have to go back out to find you, so it's a relief."
Thank you….
It was fortunate that I found the stairs and came down before it was too late.
"Still, seeing that everyone got out safely, it makes sense that the company values experienced hires."
"Haha…."
A weak laugh was exchanged.
"Anyway, we learned one thing from this. If you stay in that forest for too long, the fog thickens, and you get mesmerized by the hanged corpses, right?"
"It seems similar."
I shared the details about the empty noose rope I had seen.
The others hummed.
"This is why I hate investigations without a manual. Don't you think? It's like stepping on landmines everywhere."
"It's a bit troublesome!"
"Do the public officials have any methods? It feels like a place with a strong sense of ominousness, like ghosts or vengeful spirits, a traditional ghost story kind of place, right?"
"Oh, you guessed well. I did feel a generally malevolent… that is, a wicked feeling from that foggy forest. We usually call that a malevolent spirit."
Agent Choi stroked his chin.
"But I don't know if it originates from the forest itself, or if it's because too many people have died here."
"Oh, if one of those is determined, can you perform some kind of purification?"
Agent Choi and I exchanged glances.
"…Yes."
Agent Choi smiled, a bead of cold sweat on his brow.
"If we have the appropriate supplies."
However.
"But right now, do we even have about three bullets' worth of usable ammunition for Bronze? Is that right?"
"…Yes. And they are all for large ghosts, not suitable for this kind of area-based supernatural phenomenon. Moreover,"
Agent Bronze pressed his furrowed brow.
"Whichever it is, it will only be possible by borrowing the power of a supernatural being cooperating with the Disaster Management Bureau."
That's right.
Whether it's Beom Janggun, or the elder, the power of some supernatural, efficacious being will be needed.
And in this Segwang Metropolitan City, equipment or items that 'borrow power from the outside' are probably all non-functional.
In short, the situation is hopeless and frightening.
'This is insane.'
And immediately after, I realized something else.
…Thirst.
'I'm thirsty.'
Other people are probably feeling the same way.
But without water and food, how long can we last here?
'…Hoo.'
But for now, let's be grateful that no one died and we can put our heads together, and grateful that there's a platform to escape to.
'First, I think we need to do something about that corpse….'
As I thought this and was about to open my mouth.
♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪
"…!!"
I turned my head.
A sound was coming from the speakers installed on the platform.
It was a melody I had never heard before, but its purpose was predictable. It was….
"…A subway announcement chime?"
A train is approaching.
Whoosh.
If there hadn't been platform screen doors, a tremendous gust of wind would have hit us.
The light of the train, which had been speeding from the end of the tracks, illuminated the platform through the glass windows and instantly swept past.
The announcement voice could be heard.
Due to the absence of current passengers, the train will pass through our station without stopping….
"..."
"..."
The train disappeared with a roar. We watched the train's lights recede beyond the platform screen doors….
And.
"People."
I made eye contact with my companions.
"There were people inside."
"...!"
Thus, another option arose.
·Track the train along the tracks.