■■■ Bank Customer Guidelines (2)
Horrors are terrifying. Not just the chilling atmosphere that hits you the moment you step inside, but the conditions for survival—they're all bizarre and grotesque without exception. Ogling other people's organs becomes everyday life, and losing a finger or two often feels like a blessing. Eventually, you start muttering crazy shit like "Whoa, got off cheap" even if you lose an eyeball or an entire hand. After going in and out of horrors a few times—no, dozens of times—it's only natural for your humanity to wear down. That's why so few survivors who escape horrors are normal.
Kang Ye-rin, field team manager at Unique Company, was one of those types. The kind who could slap the cheek of some weak-looking newbie survivor just for startling her.
But Kang Ye-rin made a few mistakes. One was assuming Han Yujin was that weak. Another was the fact that she was holding a money bag in her left hand.
—Thwack!
Her vision flashed white, and the world tilted sideways. Kang Ye-rin rolled across the floor without even realizing what had hit her. Kang Ye-rin, Unique Company's field team manager—a veteran who'd survived countless horrors—was getting her ass handed to her by a little girl, wiping the floor with her face.
'…What the hell?'
By the time she came to her senses, the money bag was already in the opponent's hands. She clutched her throbbing cheek. It wasn't just a poke. Her jaw felt dislocated, and a metallic tang of blood lingered in her mouth.
Kang Ye-rin's mind raced. At the company, she was known as the reckless, capable "big sis who hits." For someone like her to get smacked by a fresh-faced kid in a place like this, kneel, and lose her money bag? She had no idea how to write this up in her report. Her vision went dark just thinking about it.
"Sorry! I'm so sorry!"
Of course, a report was a report, and survival was survival. A trait of long-time horror survivors: they're crazy, but servile around the strong and threats to their lives. She apologized first. Assess the situation.
But the silver-haired girl in front of her didn't look like she was in a forgiving mood.
"Ahh. Your voice is so quiet. Is your hair covering it or something? Can't hear you. This body's got a small face too, you know. Small ears. So I can't hear well."
Slick, mocking tone. Obvious trolling. Kang Ye-rin swallowed her humiliation and yelled at the top of her lungs.
"SOR-RY!"
"Who told you to say it like that? You rebelling? Won't speak properly? Actually, I've been curious what happens if I just head out that exit. Wanna try?"
"I'm sorry! I've committed a grave sin! Please forgive me just once!"
In the end, Kang Ye-rin fully tucked tail. The opponent wasn't ordinary. At minimum, not someone she could overpower with brute force right now.
Meanwhile, Han Yujin was just as surprised by her own body's changes.
'Whoa, it actually worked.'
She already knew combat theory inside out. Baseball player vs. boxer, shooter vs. pitcher. Over the past ten years fighting in every mudslinging shitpost war, she'd mastered biomechanics and physics. The issue was a body that could keep up with the theory.
'This body's more useful than it looks?'
She'd felt it last time too—this body was pretty damn capable. With a satisfied smile, Han Yujin picked up Kang Ye-rin's fallen name badge from the floor and checked it.
[Unique Company Field Team 2 Manager Kang Ye-rin]
Unique Company—the ones often mentioned in the gallery. Guys who make bank off horrors. Perfect timing. She had questions. Especially the true nature of this horror. Han Yujin's gut said it wasn't D-rank.
"Whatever. Spill what you know."
Kang Ye-rin flinched at Han Yujin's cold voice and opened her mouth. Well, technically, it was the voice and a little swing of the money bag, but anyway. She started spilling about this "money-copying horror" and how Unique Company exploited it.
"…Our Unique Company calls this place a 'mine.' It's been discovered for a while, but records say we started seriously profiting a year ago."
"Mine?"
"Yes. It's the only place to reliably grow assets without risk. Discovered a while back, but serious mining started a year ago per records."
"Records?"
Kang Ye-rin hesitated. Probably company security-related. Han Yujin scratched her head, pondering. She didn't know how to threaten properly. The problem was, a pretty girl frowning with blood (someone else's) on a stolen money bag, scratching her messy hair—that alone was intimidating enough.
Kang Ye-rin spilled Unique Company's special copying method.
"We manage procedures on our internal network."
"How? Procedures have to be registered."
New horror info must be recorded in procedures. Gallery-enforced.
"There's a way. But it means we can't always use the gallery. We use it to manage our own on the company intranet."
Han Yujin was genuinely surprised. Thought the gallery was absolute.
"Ho, so you suck the honey all for yourselves."
Han Yujin's eyes narrowed. Unique Company wasn't just using horrors—they controlled info to monopolize profits.
Kang Ye-rin cleared her throat. "Ahem, anyway, it's hard to get in, but once you're here, it's paradise. Low death risk, and you leave with a fortune."
Han Yujin stared holes into the terms again. Suspicious as hell. 200% deposit rates, collateral loans on existence value, guaranteed escort service.
"Doesn't seem like it."
"Pardon?"
"Doesn't look safe at all."
Kang Ye-rin looked puzzled at Han Yujin's question.
"No, this is one of the safest we manage internally. Staff death rate under 3%... mostly from not reading terms properly."
Safe? Han Yujin furrowed her brow. Something was off. But what? The procedures, the staff's words—subtly twisted somehow. She grilled her more, but same answers. Kang Ye-rin truly believed it was safe.
"Hmmm…."
Meanwhile, watching Han Yujin ponder, Kang Ye-rin was convinced. Combat skills like that, cautious even in a safe horror? Not a newbie—veteran. Maybe from that rumored top-tier anonymous women's group whispered among survivors. Why ask basics? Probably testing her. She overthought it.
Then—
—Creak.
The lounge door opened, and a crowd poured in. Five or six. Two types: bewildered newbies scanning around, and veterans grinning, fists clenched like old pros.
"Wh-where are we all of a sudden?"
"Scary… I wanna go home."
Newbies trembled in fear.
"It's here! Money copy time!"
"Cover this month's salary with it!"
Veterans cheered. Probably gallery-scoured already. In the commotion, the bank teller reappeared.
"Our business hours will end soon. We close at 4 PM. What will you do?"
Clock on the lounge wall. Little time left till closing. Time to decide.
Everyone gathered at the counters: [Loan] and [Deposit and Trade].
[Loan]
[Deposit and Trade]
"Loans feel shady…."
"How can we trust these weird rules? Better just leave?"
Newbies stirred. Han Yujin stood blankly, watching.
29 minutes till closing. Kang Ye-rin glanced cautiously at Han Yujin, like seeking permission. Han Yujin nodded lightly; Kang Ye-rin bolted to the loan counter.
"Welcome, customer."
She muttered with the staff, got a passbook, then headed to deposit and trade per procedures.
"Welcome, patron. What product would you like? You've brought quite the value."
More back-and-forth, then she returned looking refreshed. Exactly as procedures said.
"See? Nothing weird."
Han Yujin nodded silently. Her passbook showed [1.3 billion].
Two more followed Kang Ye-rin's exact steps. Textbook.
What am I missing?
Han Yujin frowned, still pondering.
"Wh-what do we do? Really?"
"Get the loan first at least."
Han Yujin advised the squealing newbies nearby. Two followed. Three still shook in fear.
"Y-you're not doing anything! Testing us, right?"
"Y-yeah!"
Han Yujin ignored them. Fair point, nothing to say.
The survivor next to Han Yujin—who seemed horror-experienced—snapped his fingers and chatted with his buddy.
"Wait, what if we skip loan and deposit straight? No interest to pay."
"Dude, better follow procedures? Gallery comments say get loan."
"Nah, no one's tried it."
He strutted to [Deposit and Trade], plunked down a money pouch like prepared.
"Welcome, patron."
Faint monster voice. He returned from the deal… looking fine. Peeked: [50 million].
"No one else getting loan?"
Han Yujin asked around. Nods. She headed to loan.
"Welcome, customer."
The monster greeted kindly, expressionless.
"Want a loan."
"Please wait. Evaluating your grade… complete. You qualify for ■■■ loan."
"Pardon?"
What the hell is this monster saying?
"■■■ loan possible."
Why's my unit different? Everyone else got won.
"In won equivalent?"
"■■■ loan possible."
Damn.
Staff spouting gibberish. Han Yujin found a workaround quick.
"100,000 won loan possible?"
"Minimum 1 million won. You qualify for 1 million."
She pondered. Loans… probably smart to get. Issue: how much? Terms tied repayment to survival. Doubting the horror, minimal seemed safe.
But couldn't trust it.
Damn, think. Why so fishy? Why does a horror everyone treats as free money feel wrong? Like distinguishing lowercase L from uppercase i in procedures….
"Ah."
Han Yujin's eyes lit up.
"Hey. What'd you say?"
"You qualify for 1 million won loan."
Ah. That's it. Why didn't I see sooner! And how much to loan—figured out.
"Can I loan 100 million won?"
"Yes, customer."
"1 billion?"
"Yes, customer."
"5 billion?"
"Yes, customer."
Ah, insane, how high does it go? Kang Ye-rin had 1.3 billion with her bag…!
"10 billion?"
"Yes, customer."
"30 billion?"
"Yes, customer."
Clock hit 15:59:41.
"Do it! 30 billion loan!"
"Thank you for your business, customer."
Staff handed passbook. Confirmed 30 billion.
"Business hours ended. Thank you for your business."
"Business hours ended. Thank you for your business."
"Business hours ended. Thank you for your business."
"Business hours ended. Thank you for your business."
"Business hours ended. Thank you for your business."
All bank staff shouted in unison.
—Roar of flames!
Four survivors died.