Something's Wrong
"Alright. If I just tweak the end like this..."
[ [email protected] -> [email protected] ]
Kim Jah-ha chuckled as he stared at the email he'd hijacked.
"Hiding like a little rat won't save you."
Just a few hours earlier, he'd stormed Han Yujin's place, but it was empty. He'd half-expected that. She was sharp, with killer instincts. Still, he hadn't thought she'd ditch her own home that fast.
"Running's pointless anyway."
The gear at Unique Company blew past anything a normie could imagine. Tracking one person? Child's play.
That's how he'd zeroed in on Han Yujin's comms logs. Perfect timing—she'd logged into the Universal Shop.
For Kim Jah-ha, it was an opportunity too good to pass up. The Universal Shop's rules were ironclad. Hijack the comms between it and Han Yujin, and boom—shove her straight into a horror story managed by Unique Company.
"See you in the horror."
Kim Jah-ha grinned wickedly, clutching his still-throbbing crotch.
"Whoa, jackpot."
The Universal Shop was wild. The second she hit purchase—
Bang bang bang!
A racket at the front door. There sat a delivery box, big as you please. Hadn't even been 10 seconds.
Heart racing, she tore it open. Pretty ordinary inside: ten white pills in a medicine envelope. That was it.
"...Did I get scammed?"
A million won per pill. Way too pricey to test right now.
"Guess I'll stash 'em for now."
Not heavy, not bulky. Pocket a couple, and someday the chance would come.
Worst case, scam or not, call it the 10-second delivery experience fee...
"Still too steep for that."
If it didn't work right, she'd flood the review board with one-stars.
Then the rest rolled in one by one. Han Yujin grinned ear to ear.
Especially the "A-grade Crystal 40g Anywhere Money Bag (Reaper, discounted to 13.3g)"—pure gold!
Whoosh whoosh!
The handle gripped her hand like it was made for it. Swinging felt perfect. Endless uses too—testing them all took over three days.
"No wonder everyone obsesses over designer bags."
But it wasn't all fun and games. A vague unease started creeping in.
...Why no email?
Jeong Gongbeop had drilled it in: follow the site's guide emails to the letter when using the Universal Shop.
Days passed, nothing. Inquiry emails? Crickets.
She tried shaking it off, but the doubt festered.
The gallery was useless, as expected. Per Jeong Gongbeop, the Universal Shop spread purely by word of mouth—no link sharing possible.
Growing anxiety led to a review board inquiry, but sellers just looped "no issues with our products."
Something's off.
The unease crawled over her skin like bugs. Like she was being tracked.
Time for precautions.
March 27, 2025, pre-dawn.
A crushing disgust jolted her awake. Her body soaked in cold sweat.
"...W-what the hell."
Someone was watching. From the darkness, way too close.
Goosebumps exploded across her skin. Too vivid for a mere feeling.
Creeeak. She scanned the room.
"...Hah. Hah."
Nothing. But the stare lingered—heavy, piercing every breath, every twitch.
Too sticky, too real for a dream.
"Nightmare?"
She dragged her sweaty body up, pulling up the gallery. Fingers trembled faintly.
A few lol's, a few worries. Banter calmed her down. Phew. Overreacting?
No sleep coming, so she kept clapping back at the jokes, gallery-hopping till dawn lightened the window.
Dawn breaking. She got up for the bathroom.
"Huh?"
Something wrong. Couldn't pinpoint it.
Then it hit: silence. Dead silence. No sparrows, cars, footsteps—life's usual hum, gone. Like sound itself evaporated.
Chills ripped through her.
And—creeeak.
Like a rusty machine, her head swiveled to the door.
The peephole in the center: pitch black. Absolute void, swallowing all light.
"...Fuck."
Don't go. Instinct screamed.
But her body betrayed her, stepping toward the door. Gotta check, right?
Finally, eye to peephole.
A jet-black eyeball—filling her vision.
"Hngh...!"
She swallowed a scream, staggering back. Heart slamming into her throat.
Blood turned ice-cold. Shaking, she crawled into bed. Crazy, crazy—what the fuck was that.
Muttering nonstop, she hammered out a gallery post. Fingers flew wild, typos everywhere—no time to care.
The gallery's jokes froze solid. Their shock and fear bled through the screen.
Then—
KABOOM!
The door nearly ripped off its hinges, shaking the whole place. Wall frames crashed and shattered.
Panicking, she dragged desk, chair, wardrobe to barricade the door. Hands shook, dropping stuff, tripping constantly.
Still, she kept posting.
KABOOOOOM!
Second hit tore the hinges; door buckled inward. Through barricade gaps: that black eye, staring right at her.
"Crazy. Crazy. Crazy."
Dead. She'd die like this.
"M-money bag!"
Desperate yell summoned the heavy bag from thin air. Her only weapon.
Grip tightened—
KABOOOOOOM!
Door exploded. Barricade shredded like paper. Beyond: darkness.
No—not darkness. Humanoid shape. Twisted limbs, freakishly long body. Bug-like arms and legs. And... a massive black eye sucking in everything.
"Shit."
Curse slipped out. Survivors fought these?
Then—in a blink.
The bulk vanished from view.
Scrabble scrabble scrabble!
Cockroach skittering. Then—
"—————————"
Black eye—no, black hole—right in her face.
——Crack!
Reflex swing at its jaw with the bag.
Beeeeep———
Ear-splitting ring filled her skull.
"Gasp!"
Breath caught late. Vision—snuffed out.