Genius Plan...???
A genius plan...?? The families, couples, and countless visitors enjoying a fun day at the amusement park froze in an instant at the announcement blaring from the speakers.
[Those seeking tender, delicious young children, please contact the slaughterhouse.]
"S-Slaughterhouse? Why would there be something like that in an amusement park...?"
"No way that exists! Can't you tell? This is a ghost story, damn it! We're trapped here!"
"The whole massive amusement park under control...? That means at least Catastrophe-grade, right...?"
"Ah, aaaah... P-Please, someone tell me this is a dream..."
Everyone collapsed, legs giving out beneath them. Most were sobbing or trembling in terror; some had lost their minds completely, others banged their heads on the ground, screaming for help. No one could accept that their happy outing had turned into hell in a heartbeat.
"A-Another one... The speakers are making weird noises again..."
With a terrified voice from someone in the crowd, another broadcast crackled out.
[Searching for a child.]
[9-year-old girl. Sky-blue T-shirt, frilly lace skirt, hair in twin braids. Blood type A.]
[If you've found her, contact the slaughterhouse at the amusement park entrance or call 010-42XX-44XX.]
[Deliver only this girl, and no additional meat will be required.]
The voice from the speakers sounded like a mix of adult and child, half and half—mixed with electronic static, metallic scrapes, and glass-shattering shrieks. People plugged their ears and screamed.
"KyaAaAaH...! What the hell is this, what?!"
"Urk...! Bleeech...!"
Blood trickled from some ears; others dry-heaved uncontrollably. While most just sat there sobbing, a few snapped out of it.
"Wait, if it's really a ghost story, we just follow the rules to escape, right?"
"I survived one before by sticking to the rules. Might work here too."
"So we find a kid matching that description?"
It was known that surviving a ghost story meant either dismantling it directly or following its rules to escape its domain—those were the only two ways.
"No powers means rules are our only shot."
"Everyone, look for a girl in a skirt with twin braids!"
"Wait, over there! That kid!"
At the shout, all eyes turned to a corner. There—a girl in a sky-blue T-shirt, frilly skirt, twin braids—shivering in her mother's arms.
"Haha... Closer than I thought?"
"Perfect match for the description."
"Not yet—one more check."
A middle-aged man stepped toward the woman holding the child.
"Hey, lady. What's the kid's blood type?"
"D-Don't come closer! My daughter's O-type. Not A!"
"Bullshit! Perfect match except blood type?"
"She's lying! Gotta be A! Grab her!"
"Sacrifice one kid to save us all! Hand her over!"
But a few clung to their humanity even now.
"Even so, sacrificing a child? That's inhuman!"
"And the rules never said they'd let us go after. It's a trick!"
"Fuck, got any better ideas? No?!"
Voices rose; the child's cries grew louder.
"Whatever—gotta try something! Can't just sit and die!"
"Grab the kid! Someone call that number from the broadcast!"
As the mob seized the girl from her mother's arms in madness—
A massive truck with a weathered "Slaughterhouse" sign creaked into view from the entrance, matching the eerie broadcast. Rusty iron plates covered it, plastered with chunks that looked horrifyingly like human flesh.
[Due to the delay, the slaughterhouse will collect the meat directly.]
[Penalty incurred: In addition to the 9-year-old girl, 44 more will be collected.]
[Resistance increases it to 444. Do not resist.]
"Fuck, what is that?!"
"Should've handed over the kid sooner! Now we're all dead because of you!"
"R-Run!!"
The moment they heard "44 more," everyone bolted. Their minds held one thought: 'Run. Get caught by that truck, and you're dead.'
But amid the chaos, the truck neither sped up nor slowed—just advanced steadily, as if escape was futile.
[Fleeing detected. Additional penalty applied.]
[444 meat units will be collected.]
[387 humans confirmed here. All are targets.]
With a grotesque voice, the truck's cargo bay slowly opened, dozens of long, pale arms bursting out. Bizarre fingers with multiple joints snagged nearby people, stuffing them into the truck.
"M-Mom! Help!"
"A-Ahh...! Not my child... Please!"
"It's coming for us! If those hands grab you, you're done!"
"Fuck, move! Get out of the way!"
"Throw the old folks and kids to the arms! We can survive!"
Terror. Madness. In death's grip, they screamed and fled desperately—but they were mere prey to the ghost story.
After the frenzy of "human hunting"—
[387 meat units collected. Need 57 more.]
[No fresh meat within 100m radius.]
[Moving to fresh meat location.]
The slaughterhouse truck leisurely vanished in search of more prey.
While the [Slaughterhouse Ghost Story] devoured everyone at the entrance, Emilia scanned the park's ghost story energy with her portable detector.
"Emilia, anything?"
"Wait a bit. Results in a few minutes."
"Hurry up. We got this powerless bro next to us—every second counts."
"Hey, Ga-eun, that's too blunt—"
"Shin oppa... Even if you're useless, it's fine. I'll protect you."
"Cough...! Y-Yeah. Thanks..."
Luckily—or unluckily—no ghost story had hit us yet. I waited for Emilia's results, pondering our escape.
It's not sunset, but everything's too dark. Means ghost stories blanket the whole park. Weird, though? Controlling this huge area screams Catastrophe-grade, so where's the Netherworld?
No Netherworld, no clear ghost story info. Sure, some hid their nature, but...
Something feels off.
Illusion- or Disaster-grade, I could pop the beginner package for a 'click dismantle.' But not now.
Ga-eun and Emilia won't leave my side. I get they're worried since I'm 'normal,' but...
Nothing to do but wait. Five minutes later, Emilia finished.
"Shin oppa, results are in."
"Already? Interpreting that fast—you're amazing, Emilia."
"It's nothing..."
"So, what ghost story is it?"
Emilia glanced between me and Ga-eun, explaining calmly.
"Not in the database, so no name. But... it's not just one ghost story."
"Not one?"
She nodded at Ga-eun's question, showing the screen: a park map dotted with red points.
"These red marks—each a ghost story?"
"Yeah. Like a hive. Small ones swarming together, hunting in sync like one big one."
Emilia described them moving independently yet orderly, like a hive mind, preying on people.
Wait... If true, are these Illusion- and Disaster-grades herd-hunting?
Ghost stories rarely cooperated. But low-grades without Netherworld sometimes teamed up.
Seen it in novels.
Her data showed no Catastrophe+ energy. Meaning? These were weaklings a single beginner package could crush~♡!
Good news... but need to be alone to use it. How to ditch Emilia and Ga-eun?
"Shin oppa, no matter what, don't let go of my hand... Got it?"
Emilia gripped my hand tight. And
"Oppa! Stick right by me! Even 10cm away, you're dead!"
"Can't I just hit the bathroom?"
"Bathroom too—with us!"
Ga-eun insisted on sticking together, glued to my side.
No bathroom break? Gotta find a way—
As I pondered ditching the girls, a weird truck approached.
The grotesque truck snatched fleeing people with white hands, cramming them into the cargo bay.
Whoa, total nightmare fuel.
Seeing those hands sparked a brilliant idea to separate from Emilia and Ga-eun.
Ha, I'm a genius, right?
A way to naturally slip away, transform into Phantom undetected!
Let those white hands grab me and drag me into the cargo bay!
Transform inside—no problem. Minor wounds? Heal with Mengmang energy anyway!
They might think I'm dead, but pop back later like 'whoops, survived!' It'll be fine.
What's a little crying between friends?