■■■ Bank Customer Guidelines (3)

Whoosh―! In a flash of light, something evaporated in an instant. The spot where the four survivors had stood was now an empty lot scattered with dark red stains and ashes. The revolting stench of burning flesh filled the bank's cold air, and drops of still-warm blood pattered from the ceiling, soaking the floor.

"……."

"Eek…! Hic…!"

An utterly alien and brutal scene. The surviving newbies froze, their faces drained white. One clamped a hand over their mouth, unable to even scream, while the other collapsed to the floor, vomiting stomach acid.

Watching someone they'd just been talking to turn to ash in a heartbeat was more direct and violent than any horror they'd faced before. Amid that blood-soaked slaughterhouse, only two people stood unmoving.

"Tch, if it's your first time, just follow the damn procedures."

Kang Ye-rin clicked her tongue like it was routine, casually wiping the blood splattered on her cheek with a handkerchief. Her eyes held no pity or fear—just the numb gaze you'd give an annoying bug.

And the other one, Han Yujin. Death wasn't something she was used to. Her stomach churned with nausea. But.

'Who died, and who didn't?'

Fresh intel. For Han ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Yujin, who'd been doubting the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠horror's procedures themselves, this was top-tier information. Better than any fleeting emotion—a dopamine hit that tugged her lips into a smirk.

'Ah, but this blood smell.'

Stronger than expected… Her focus kept drifting to it. Well, with blood pooling everywhere, even if it wasn't hers, it screamed emergency. And human instinct pours everything into surviving crises.

"Handkerchief."

Han Yujin held out her hand to Kang Ye-rin.

"……Pardon?"

"Give me one too."

Han Yujin extended her hand again, as if it were the most natural request. Kang Ye-rin looked dumbfounded for a second but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pulled a fresh handkerchief from her pocket under that chilling gaze.

"……Here."

Kang Ye-rin wouldn't normally buckle to a look alone, but that subtle smile on Han Yujin's lips… She looked like a bloodthirsty maniac reveling in the scent. Or no—was she actually a monster?

In truth, Han Yujin was just thrilled by the new clue.

As Kang Ye-rin piled on misconceptions, Han Yujin wiped the blood from her face and tossed the handkerchief to a newbie.

"Clean your face with that."

The newbies, trembling and covered in blood and vomit, looked up at her.

"Y-yes… Th-thank you…."

One took it, voice breaking. Kang Ye-rin stared in disbelief.

'Why's she using my stuff like it's hers…?'

She couldn't snap at Han Yujin, though. As Kang Ye-rin glared at the newbies, about to chew them out, Han Yujin's icy voice cut in.

"What? You wanna slap them too?"

"…No, that's not—"

Kang Ye-rin trailed off instinctively. Something about this woman made her lose her edge. Instinct, maybe. From that jaw-cracking briefcase hit earlier? No, it was those eyes. Piercing, emotionless—like they saw right through everything.

'Sh-she's planning to use them as bait?'

Horrors often had hidden rules. You tested them with lives. And newbies were usually the ones sacrificed. To Kang Ye-rin, that's the only reason to babysit newbies—making Han Yujin seem even more terrifying.

Han Yujin's thinking was a bit different.

'Newbies are precious. The gallery's future, my adoring audience.'

Kuhuhu. A sinister chuckle escaped inwardly.

Newbies kept the gallery buzzing, and a buzzing gallery amplified her exploits. Perfect virtuous cycle! For the gallery's revival, newbies must be protected!

…For those shady reasons, Han Yujin instinctively shielded newbies. As long as they weren't too much hassle.

With business hours over, all the 'customers' here were safe for now. Han Yujin's focus snapped back to the Customer Terms of Use.

Terms, deaths, employee words. Intel overflowed. The rule's sly omissions. The overlooked crux dividing life and death.

'Patrons' vs. 'Customers'.

The bank distinctly separated the terms.

"Hey."

Kang Ye-rin flinched at Han Yujin's call.

"Yes, yeah."

"This terms thing—doesn't it seem off? They use 'patron' and 'customer' separately."

Kang Ye-rin shrugged indifferently.

"So what? It's not make-or-break. This place is a honey pot—just follow rules and copy money."

"Ha…."

Han Yujin sighed deeply, tongue clicking. Too jaded by horrors to spot basics. Horrors lived or died on details like this. Well, with her limited experience, it was more like her gallery trolling lived or died on them. Same difference—trolling was her life.

No point talking. She pulled up the gallery.

As expected, the gallery echoed Kang Ye-rin—zero interest in her sharp catch, just random questions.

'These thick-headed idiots….'

Han Yujin seethed. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠One persisted relentlessly.

She answered.

The gallery froze. Then exploded.

The gallery flipped. Shock and envy over the unprecedented 30 billion loan poured in.

"Why they jealous?"

Han Yujin posted lightly.

Silence again. Bigger explosion.

Summary of the replies flooding in:

"Ah."

These morons. No communicating. Han Yujin swallowed her rage and closed the gallery.

Then a 'pfft' laugh from beside her. Kang Ye-rin was shaking with mirth, phone showing the same thread. Unique Company folks only accessed via those phones, apparently. Seeing Han Yujin bombed made her day.

Kang Ye-rin grinned. "No deposit for real?"

"Too risky. No such thing as free horror."

"That's a misconception. Some horrors give weapons or items. Not all harm humans—that's prejudice, right?"

Han Yujin knew those. But their rules were clean. Not filthy like this. Like ads baiting you on purpose. Sleazy as "Work in Cambodia, 20 mil won a month!" vibes.

"Anyway, really borrowed 30 billion?"

"Yep."

"Whoa."

Kang Ye-rin eyed her in awe. Loan size equaled human value here. Unique Company watchlist material. Ballsy beyond norms. Gotta recruit her.

"Why so shocked? Some secret?"

Han Yujin's eyes narrowed. Kang Ye-rin backpedaled.

"N-no! Just… big loan means big deposit payout."

She flashed her passbook defensively.

"See? Interest already. Special rate here—1% daily. Yours is 30 bil, so 300 mil a day… Wow."

Kang Ye-rin's eyes dripped envy. Then Han Yujin muttered low.

"Hold up."

"…Huh? Why so creepy."

All puzzle pieces clicked. Ignoring flustered Kang Ye-rin, Han Yujin yanked open the gallery.

Few results. Suspiciously few.

"Kang Ye-rin."

"Yeah?"

"Unique Company explored this years ago, right?"

"One year."

"Interest rate then?"

"360%."

'…As expected.'

People brag gains, especially abnormal ones. So why no proof posts for this 'honey pot'? Tough entry, sure, but with the hype, tons of survivors should've passed through. Just chatter and guesses—no solid proof. And scrolling down, posts just… vanished. Oldest from 1 year, 10 months ago.

A few proof replies on it. She searched the nicks one by one.

All gone. As if they'd never existed. A chill crawled up her spine. Trembling, Han Yujin started a new post.

This was no longer a D-rank 'honey pot' horror.