Chapter 265: Ch 265: Destination: us..
Baek Saheon sprinted forward, stuffing the coins and the item that had
spilled out of the winning slot machine into his arms.
And behind him, the missing persons of the casino ghost story, who had
traded away most of their limbs for coins, came charging after him like
mad.
Their destination was... us.
’This little shit.’
It was a spine-chilling sight.
Of course, given the number of people here, if Baek Saheon wanted to live,
running toward us was the right move. But how was this any different from
that serial killer mountain lodge incident at all.
’You’re dead later.’
Swallowing hard, I hurriedly prepared to respond.
But facing dozens of deranged long-term missing persons head-on...
"Let’s get out. For now!"
"Spread out to a wider area."
"No."
"...!"
"If we go outside, they’ll chase us until we die. We have to keep running
inside the casino and hold out as long as possible."
At Go Yeongeun-ssi’s voice, the people who had been trying to secure the
entrance hesitated.
"If a disturbance breaks out in the casino, are ’measures’ taken?"
"...Yes. So we need to avoid them as much as possible, and move in a way
that doesn’t damage the casino..."
People who had entered ghost stories more than once grasped the situation
in an instant.
’Just until those insane casino staff come to control the disturbance...’
We just need to endure.
Then among us, the one with the greatest mobility and strength was...
"Section Chief! Pick up that prick Goat!"
"Yes."
"Ack!"
Baek Saheon let out a short yelp, but we ignored it.
Then we started running like mad, dodging the long-term missing persons.
Where to.
It flashed through my mind.
"Let’s go to the dealer room."
There’s a fifty-coin requirement, so the long-term missing persons who’d
been glued to the slot machine zone probably won’t be able to enter at all.
"This way."
I ran desperately. The moment I exited the slot machine room and turned
the corner.
Thud.
A body of a long-term missing person that had burst out with us grazed past
me by a hair’s breadth and slammed into the wall.
"...!"
The sound of dozens of human bodies crashing into the wall as they failed
to overcome inertia. The sound of the section chief vaulting over them and
landing on the floor with explosive power no human movement should
have, then went sprinting. Even the sound of the dilapidated casino
breaking apart under the rampage of the missing persons.
"Haah."
Beside me, I heard Go Yeongeun-ssi, whose stamina had weakened during
her time missing, gasping for breath. I urgently supported her and kept
running.
The wide-open dealer room door came into view.
"We’re going in."
The agents stepped into the dealer room while tripping or shoving the long-
term missing persons just enough to block them, without getting entangled
in a full fight.
And then.
"Is it... blocked?"
"Yes."
Quite a few of the long-term missing persons stopped at the entrance to the
dealer room.
’I was right.’
But reality doesn’t always follow theory.
More missing persons soon followed, forcing their way into the dealer
room.
’Damn it.’
Crawling, staggering, trampling over those who had stopped, they chased
after us again.
But the dealers still didn’t intervene. Why.
"...Roe, is there a chance those guys are all being counted as one party
among themselves, and their total exceeded fifty coins?"
There was.
That’s how we were introduced to the dealer room too.
’Damn it!’
Still, just the fact that the number of pursuers had dropped significantly
gave us some breathing room.
"Huuhk."
With a bit of leeway secured, people started moving between tables, trying
to put distance between themselves and the long-term missing persons and
prepare defenses.
But there was no need.
The long-term missing persons were only chasing Section Chief Lee
Jaheon, who was carrying Baek Saheon.
"...Wait."
Agent Choi quickly came over, jumped over a broken table, and snatched
the coins out of Baek Saheon’s arms.
"No...!"
"Mr. Civilian, just a moment."
Then he showed those coins from the slot machine to the surroundings
once, and jumped over the table again.
"..."
But the long-term missing persons still chased only Lee Jaheon.
"Why aren’t they being drawn away?"
"They’re probably not after the coins."
Agent Bronze was right.
’Are they just blindly chasing the jackpot winner?’
Either way, watching the long-term missing persons cling relentlessly to
Section Chief Lee Jaheon made my chest tighten.
There was obviously a limit to shaking them off in this confined space.
Then.
"Dear guest."
The dealer’s voice.
"Dear guest?"
They were paying attention to us.
...!
"Section Chief, please brush past right next to that table over there."
"Yes."
I ran ahead. Following me, Section Chief Lee Jaheon moved almost pressed
against the table.
The very table where the dealer was standing.
Long-term missing persons chased us through the gap.
But those whose bodily balance was off slammed into the table this time,
just like they had piled into the wall moments before...
With a crash, the table overturned. Then it shattered. The long-term missing
persons ran over the table, but...
"Please stop."
The dealer raised a hand and spoke.
While looking at her broken table.
"..."
"..."
What was astonishing was that, in that instant, all the long-term missing
persons in the body casino stopped moving.
Like mice before a cat.
"I’m sorry, but violent disturbances inside the casino are prohibited.
And..."
The dealer took something out from her chest and raised it.
A single sheet of paper.
An invoice.
"Costs will be charged due to damages."
Then.
Thunk.
Thud thud thud—
Thud thud thud thud thud...
The long-term missing persons’ limbs and organs fell away.
"...!!"
"Table damage, door damage, slot machine damage, entrance lighting and
equipment malfunction have been confirmed. These costs have been
charged to the parties deemed responsible."
From those who ended up writhing on the stairs like the addicts who could
not enter the casino, to those who barely preserved their legs and fled back
to the slot machine room.
One thing was certain. The fallen organs and body parts twitched, and then
vanished before long.
’Ha.’
Even after seeing all kinds of scenes, it was a sight that made bile rise in my
throat.
And those who had lost so much of their bodies that they could not rise
again...
They were simply left on the floor.
With only twitching remnants of flesh remaining.
"..."
"..."
"Are you alright, dear guest?"
When I turned my head, the dealer with Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae’s
head was smiling.
"...Yes."
"Don’t worry. The ones who caused the disturbance and damaged property
were not your party. Please enjoy your time at the casino from here on out."
"Thank you."
Baek Saheon’s eyes darted here and there, as if gauging whether there was
anything more to squeeze out under the pretense of being a wronged
customer. But in the end, he behaved himself.
Concluding that making a scene would more likely get him screwed was a
good judgment, but it was impressive to the point of being irritating...
In any case, with that, we sat down in a corner of the dealer room where the
disturbance had more or less settled and began sorting things out.
"..."
Section Chief Lee Jaheon set Baek Saheon down without hesitation, and
Baek Saheon avoided our gazes and stood pressed against the wall.
And then.
"Mr. Goat."
"...Yes?"
"Why are you so startled. I was just trying to say thank you."
I smiled and patted Baek Saheon on the shoulder.
"You brought in a lot of public funds for the team."
"...!"
"Oh, I switched to honorifics without thinking because I was grateful.
Really."
"No, I..."
"Right?"
I leaned my face close to Baek Saheon.
"You’re not about to say you spun slot machines alone to earn coins for
personal use while everyone else was gathering information, dumping all
the risk on your teammates. That’s not what you’re saying, yeah?"
"..."
With things having gone this far, Baek Saheon had no choice but to force a
strained smile and answer.
"Of course. I’m happy I made a big contribution to the team."
"Ee-yah."
I heard Assistant Manager Eun Haje let out an impressed remark. I felt a bit
embarrassed...
But honestly, this was not me threatening him. This was just basic
professional ethics.
I held back a sigh so it would not show.
’Still, once this is over, he can return whatever he personally won.’
Now I had a rough sense of what kind of stick and carrot to use.
[Exceptional work, Friend!]
Thanks.
"Then let’s settle the accounts."
"Yes."
We put our heads together and totaled up all the coins we had.
Adding Baek Saheon’s slot machine winnings to the initial funds...
"256 coins."
It was a considerable amount.
"It was worth helping him escape while losing even his shoes. Don’t you
think, dear civilians?"
"Haha..."
At Agent Choi’s words as he patted Agent Bronze, who had ruined his coat
and shoes holding back the long-term missing persons, the group let out dry
laughs. I was genuinely impressed.
’You’re incredible at padding the public fund...’
The coins were sorted out and returned to Assistant Manager Eun Haje for
the time being.
And what remained was.
[Oh, there was an item. Of course, it would be hard to expect something
amazing from a cheap slot machine, but still.]
That’s right.
"It looks like a slot machine prize."
Aside from the fact that it had unreadable words printed on it, it looked like
an ordinary packaged box.
"Here."
I held it out to Baek Saheon, and although he watched our reactions, he
unwrapped it and checked the inside.
The contents were revealed.
It was neatly wrapped in vinyl...
’...An electronic device?’
A small, square, blue plastic body with two pressable buttons attached.
There was something about its overall appearance that immediately brought
another object to mind.
"It kind of looks like a voice recorder."
"Yes."
It did not look very sturdy, and given how small it was, it seemed likely to
be disposable.
"Hm."
Then, Baek Saheon’s spoke.
For some reason, his voice sounded softer and more subdued.
"You’re not planning to take even this item, are you?"
Oh?
"Running away is something anyone here can do. You’re all veterans. But
hitting a slot machine jackpot is an achievement only I pulled off. I’d like it
if you left me at least this much..."
[Hm. His acting isn’t awkward, is it.]
Right.
It seemed he had adjusted his approach after gauging the team.
But.
Yeongeun-ssi, her face pale, shook her head first.
"Um, for now, it’d be better if you didn’t use that item if at all possible."
"What?"
...A bad feeling rose up.
"Do you know what it is?"
"...I heard ’rumors’."
Yeongeun-ssi glanced at the item with slightly fearful eyes.
"...Most of the people who can’t leave the casino are that way because of
slot machine items."
"...!"
Wait.
"Then the reason they chased us earlier was also..."
Because of the item?
"Now that I think about it, that might be the case. If it wasn’t because of the
coins."
"..."
"Supervisor Goral, do you also know what that item does?"
"...From what I’ve heard."
Yeongeun-ssi swallowed and spoke.
"They say that if you hear the sound coming from that recorder, your mind
becomes calm, your vitality surges, and your wounds heal."
It was an exceptionally good effect.
"Oh?"
"Then it sounds better than our company’s standard potions."
But it ended chillingly.
"That’s only at first."
...!
Don’t tell me.
"They say the addiction is extreme."
"...Ha."
That was when I understood why the updated
had referred to the casino’s long-term missing persons as ’addicts’.
’It wasn’t just gambling addiction.’
They had been captivated by ’something’ that came out of this disposable
recorder.
To the point that they would go to the casino and pull slot machines even
after losing their limbs and eyes, nose, and mouth.
"..."
Baek Saheon began turning the item over with a deeply uneasy expression.
"...How long can you endure it?"
"Three times. They said that if you listen more than that, there’s no turning
back."
Yeongeun-ssi continued, her face tense.
"But I don’t know anything beyond that. I only heard ’rumors’."
"...I see."
I watched as Baek Saheon finally set the object down upside down.
Then I saw it.
...On the back of the recorder, some kind of design was embossed.
’What is that?’
When I focused, the outline became clear. Curves, a spiraling shape. It
was...
A conch shell.
"...!"
"Mr. Roe Deer?"
I lifted my head reflexively.
Baek Saheon, who had met my eyes, seemed to have noticed the same
thing. His pupils were shaking.
And he knew too.
’...Mermaid Grave.’
The conch shell shaped item we saw there.
Angel’s Sigh
"..."
Why was it appearing here?
But the keyword ’recorder’ had an unsettling way of matching with melody,
which gave me a bad feeling.
And I knew one way to verify it...
’Braun.’
[I know what you’re going to ask, Mr. Roe Deer.]
[Shall I read the text written on the box?]
’If you could, I’d appreciate it.’
[Oh, of course.]
I heard the gentleman clear his throat, and then a low voice with pleasant
pronunciation resonated.
[’Angel’s Sigh’.]
...!!
[...Tape recording. ’Listen to the auspicious melody of heaven at a
reasonable price’.]
[That’s what it says. Oh, such obvious marketing.]
A recording?
Then it was possible to guess that the sound heard from the conch shell in
the Mermaid Grave was the original, and this was a recording.
But...
’The conch shell didn’t have side effects like this.’
Addiction.
[Isn’t that simply a limitation of an inferior copy?]
[When the ingredients are different, it’s only natural that imitating the
recipe won’t produce a proper dish, Mr. Roe Deer!]
...Is that how it is.
It was a plausible line of reasoning, but something about it felt... more
unsettling than that.
Do you remember? In the Mermaid Grave ghost story to begin with, the
conch shell had once been used as a bad trigger.
’Biological disaster.’
The biological disaster that ruined the undersea city and turned it into the
’Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace’ had infiltrated the city disguised as a
conch shell.
The tattoo artist from the Moonlight Tattoo Shop even came to mind,
making my thoughts more tangled.
What was the connection.
Why was an item with the exact same name as the one from the Mermaid
Grave showing up in the casino of the Sekwang City subway.
’...I want to dig deeper.’
Still, I had intuitively grasped the function of that recorder, so that alone
counted as progress.
’Let’s remember it for now.’
And while I was lost in those thoughts, I could hear Agent Choi
interrogating Baek Saheon beside me.
"Mr. Citizen, I’m curious how you hit the jackpot on the slot machine."
"I was lucky."
"Really? You were watching it pretty intensely for that..."
Agent Choi’s gaze shifted to Baek Saheon’s purple eye. The one I had
bought for him at Death Lane.
When vision is checked through that equipment, the more dangerous the
entity, the hotter the color of the halo that appears.
But Baek Saheon was curt.
"Do you think it’s some kind of all-purpose tool? You can’t figure out
jackpot methods with this. I just..."
"Just?"
"I could gauge the danger level of the slot machines."
"...?"
"I only spun the ones that didn’t feel bad."
Unlike the agents, who looked puzzled, I immediately understood what that
meant, and a chill ran through me.
’Even the slot machines were classified as ’entities’.’
As creatures within a ghost story.
So the true nature of the slot machines was... ha.
’No. I’m not thinking about that any further.’
I had never expected a rain of coins from the slot machine room anyway.
’The dealer room is the right answer.’
A prior case had already proven it.
Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae.
– One day she traded in one more body part to get coins, and using that as
capital, she earned hundreds of coins in the dealer room in a single day.
I carefully retraced that course of events.
’She stayed put for several days, then suddenly exchanged coins.’
That meant she wasn’t just spending time listlessly. She had been
’observing’ something.
In this casino, the VIP room was closed, but the dealer room door was open.
’Then you can keep observing the dealer room.’
And the fact that, once that observation was finished, she rushed into the
dealer room and earned hundreds of coins in a single day meant...
’There’s some kind of secret in the dealer room.’
The very place we were in now.
I looked at the old, broken tables, the colorful bulbs flickering on the
ceiling, and the abandoned, aged casino scenery that clearly showed its
years without restoration.
And the dealer’s hands, shuffling cards at the table.
"..."
Ah.
"So does anyone have an idea what we might try with our war funds?"
...
I raised my hand.
"Oh?"
"I think there’s something worth trying."
It seemed they’d caught on.
To the method Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae had attempted.
* * *
And 73 minutes later.
"Current coin count... 924."
"...!!"
Our war chest had grown to more than three times its original size.