Chapter 235
Chapter 235
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 235
Chapter Title: Even If I Fall Into a Ghost Story, I Still Have to Go to Work
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Life in the Happy Ending Parish's underground bunker was monotonous and bizarre.
People taking turns at prayer.
Fresh corpses arriving every day.
And people passionately explaining how wonderful the deceased had been in life, and how they thus deserved a happy ending.
Others tearing up, smiling, and applauding at those words.
Corpses crammed into black boxes.
The sight of this tiny, deranged society was repulsive, yet peaceful among themselves.
'Truly cult-like.'
Cruel, insane acts.
Contrasted with a closed-off sense of comfort.
The parishioners were strangely kind, treating each other with warmth and intimacy, calling one another family.
In an underground survival bunker, isolated from the world.
Yeah. It could even be seen as natural. But...
'...It feels like the details are lacking somehow.'
The details that make this irrational situation possible.
For instance... In most cults, these rituals involve some specific act shared by all.
'Like drinking a particular beverage, holding a certain branch, or mimicking an animal...'
A small symbol shared only among themselves.
Something slightly ritualistic, unique, symbolic, and not too difficult—something that fosters a sense of religious belonging.
'The attire is the same.'
I figured they usually share a unified color or some decoration.
But everyone in this underground bunker is just in casual clothes. Meaning there's no clear sign of initiation.
Even the uniforms worn by the executives... Hm, symbolically speaking for a ghost story, but they blend right in with casual wear without any sense of incongruity.
'It would've hit harder if they were all in uniforms.'
Having only the executives in them makes it feel half-baked.
'How do they even build solidarity like this?'
Maintaining this inhumane group just with "Name" and "happiness" ideology?
Brainwash them with the Name, kill people, and done?
Th-thanks, but I'll pass for now.
Anyway.
To be brutally honest, those elements feel like gaps.
As a wiki entry.
'Like they skimped on the lore settings.'
Focusing only on visceral stimulation and discomfort to build the event and horror leaves it feeling devoid of realistic details.
Those are the foundation that supports the story, after all.
'...The Happy Ending Parish is one of the most recently created wiki entries among the Nameless Radiant Church factions.'
Is that why? Maybe it would've been different if I'd gone to an older one from the wiki's early days.
'Like the Garden Praise Priest Parish or something?'
But I dismissed the thought quickly.
This state—able to feel only discomfort without major turmoil—is probably better.
'...Genuinely thankful it's not creepier realism.'
I sighed at the sloppy balance, gradually adapting to the stomach-churning sight of cruelty and horror.
So, I have to join to feel the real thing...?
'Hard pass.'
There'd been no coercion over the past two days to swallow an empty scripture fragment and ascend via Nameless Radiant Church powers.
No subtle hints or pressure either—which, in any other cult, might've felt even creepier.
It felt like deliberate calm.
'Maybe they see me not as a contaminated human, but as the ghost story itself, so they're taking a long view.'
I even asked Ho Yuwon, but she just shook her head.
"Ah, nothing like that."
...Really.
"But it's hard to scout for real intel anyway. Right? It's convenient being able to check separately with you, Deer."
Indeed.
The Happy Ending Parish had assigned us to a sort of... communal living space on equal footing in this underground bunker.
Hemisphere-shaped rooms connected like an anthill.
Unlike the cramped shelters guaranteeing bare minimum survival for the initiates, packed tightly together.
This was a bit separated. Wider, emptier... independent spaces. Like assigned territories.
Eerie sealed rooms without even CCTV.
For reference, the nearby 'Authority Zones' excluding ours seem empty.
Except for those two in uniforms.
"Authority Zone... In the Nameless Radiant Church, they seem to call Darkness 'authority.' Right?"
Correct.
Come to think of it.
How much does Ho Yuwon know about the Nameless Radiant Church?
"As much as needed. I saw the experiment log mentioning the Jolly Lab."
Ah.
A derivative of prior research, adopting the name of the god worshipped by a recently popular cult as its subtitle.
...The experiment log next to the tank where I woke up.
Apparently, Ho Yuwon had found traces mentioned several times in the underground Jolly Lab.
"An extreme religious group worshipping Darkness and seeking to become it, rapidly growing in influence—that much I confirmed. It seemed perfect for finding info we hadn't yet. And..."
Ho Yuwon met my eyes.
"The experiment log that made you, Deer... It said they took the name from this cult's god, right?"
...!
"I'm a bit curious what connection you have to the cult. Ah, that's not a question."
......
"Then it's my turn to ask, Deer."
The topic cut off in the elevator.
One obsessively persistent question.
"How do you know about Se-gwang Special City?"
......Whew.
'Can't say I read it on the wiki.'
No choice.
"......"
Ho Yuwon's laughter stopped.
For a brief moment, her expressionless face stared at me before a smile returned as if by magic.
"Unable to answer... I see."
......
"I'll remember that, Deer."
No follow-ups.
A somewhat sticky end to the Q&A.
And that evening.
One convincingly detailed, everyday event returned.
The Happy Ending Parish's mealtime.
"Let us spread happiness."
"Under the gaze of the Name."
Here, everyone must attend breakfast and dinner, eating together without exception.
No exceptions.
Even those contaminated by ghost stories sit with the initiates.
For reference, the uniformed executives sat across from me.... Whew.
'At this rate, even if I kill an initiate, they'll say I made them happy.'
I swallowed a groan.
The meal soon began.
I scanned the exposed cement walls and ceiling of the underground bunker, then sat quietly, peering at the table...
Canned food.
"Can't eat?"
I turned my head.
A uniformed executive who called me was resting her chin, looking this way.
She poked the delicate-looking male student beside her.
"Hey, hey, what does a dragon usually eat?"
The boy just shrugged. She smacked his back once, then brightly said to me,
"Ah, introductions! Self-intros are important... Hey, I'm Lee Seoyu, this is Lee Seobin. Twins, I'm the older sis!"
She grinned.
"Some friends call me 'I-seo-yu~' in Chungcheong dialect!"
Cheerful.
Which made it all the more awkward.
The casual cheerfulness of someone who'd killed wildly, brainwashed with hallucinations and auditory tricks, and tried to abduct people.
The unease of casually giving her real name in a ghost story. And...
'They really are twins.'
Now it clicked. The Happy Ending Parish twins from a few Nameless Radiant Church ghost stories.
I'd seen them in wiki thumbnails a few times.
First time hearing their real names, though.
"Like, do you eat something special? Brains or livers?"
Up close, they just looked like high schoolers.
So after some hesitation, I asked.
"Ah, my uniform?"
Her head tilts.
"Curious?"
She rolls across the table.
Her long hair with the red headband writhes over the tablecloth.
"Reallyreallyreallyreallyreally curious? Why I'm wearing this? Reallyreally? For real?"
No.
It's fine...
"I see! Got it!"
'Leave me alone, please...'
Crazy people give no warning.
I'll lose my mind before figuring out how to disguise as human.
Everything just felt exhausting and overwhelming...
Then.
Thud.
"Ouch..."
My right side.
The grandma eating next to Ho Yuwon bumped his arm and spilled her water glass.
Her clothes got wet.
"Oh dear, are you alright?"
But instead of checking the water on his arm, Ho Yuwon immediately helped the grandma up, cleared the table in front of her, and wiped her clothes.
...Ho Yuwon going that far?
"Such a good person."
"A good soul."
...I felt eyes on us.
From every table, whispers about Ho Yuwon's actions.
'......'
That evening, Ho Yuwon chatted amiably with the grandma... then even invited her to his 'zone.'
"Let me tell you an interesting story."
No one stopped him.
Yeah.
Anticipation.
One of the Happy Ending Parish executives, who introduced herself as Lee Seoyu, whispered to us as we left,
"If you're gonna make Grandma Kim Bok-ja happy, tell us in the morning. We need to prepare the ritual!"
......
My stomach churned.
But I didn't stop Ho Yuwon.
'It's for intel.'
If things go south, I'll step in. No issues.
Thus, I slowly followed as Ho Yuwon escorted the grandma to his zone...
And entered Ho Yuwon's zone.
Thud.
But the moment I closed the door and leaned against it.
Ho Yuwon released the grandma and stepped back.
And the grandma straightened up casually, standing tall.
'...!'
The round glass marble-like thing in the grandma's mouth popped out. Then her form shifted, firming up...
Cold, weary impression.
Hawk-like sharp gaze.
Pale face, blue bobbed hair.
Someone I knew.
'...!!'
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je.
'Hold on.'
What situation is this?
My mind blanked, unable to process.
Then realization struck like lightning.
'No wonder she helped the grandma.'
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je had infiltrated this Happy Ending Parish facility disguised as a grandma...!
And the one who'd order that was singular.
Ho Yuwon!
"You sent someone and came in yourself like this?"
"No. Coincidence. Didn't expect to run into you here."
"Sure, sure."
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je plopped down where she was.
Her face flashed with desire to smack Ho Yuwon, then her eyes gleamed as she checked the bruise on his face.
"Director, are you hurt?"
"Ah. This one has heavy hands..."
So, yeah.
Ho Yuwon pointed at me, and Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je glanced my way naturally.
She looked stunned for a second, took a breath, and asked calmly,
"...Security team?"
"Yes. And actually, Rosefinch knows you too."
"......"
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je's eyes darkened.
As if recalling the lists of Field Exploration Team employees she'd worked with and their fates.
But before that finished, Ho Yuwon spoke first.
"Long time no see? You're Deer."
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je froze.
Her gaze fully shifted to me.
Her mouth opened.
"Deer?"
......
I formed letters with smoke.
'It's fine.'
Better state than meeting Security team folks.
I could think rationally again, freer than in isolation.
To match eye level with the seated Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je, I carefully sat by the door.
Effortfully mimicking my old speech patterns.
"My mistake caused this form, but it'll be okay.
We're looking for a way to recover."
"......"
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je looked at the floor.
Her face, hidden by hair, unseen briefly...
"Yeah. Deer."
Met my eyes again.
Her face clear of agitation, only composure remained.
"Of course you can recover. Hey, you gotta suffer some absurd side effects from Darkness to call yourself a real Daydream employee."
She poked my arm in the black smoke.
"You're smart, so you'll find a way. Think about what you wanna do once recovered."
......
"Thanks my ass. Hey. I can just stand next to you whenever I wanna smoke."
Anyway, we talked more—Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je grumbling about not smoking in this disguise, and recent events.
A short but good time.
Her face even faintly smiled hearing I'd worked with Foreman Park Minseong.
Though it vanished returning to main topic.
"Rosefinch. I didn't call you to chat idly with Deer."
"Sorry."
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je apologized promptly, but her face said 'whatcha gonna do about it.'
Hm, seems they're more familiar than expected...
'Was worried since he even controlled her body last time.'
Good to see her acting normally.
'Still, check later.'
For now, this.
"Yep. A real pain. Fetching corpses and all..."
She grumbled she'd only infiltrated cults as a reporter twice before.
"Worshipping Darkness in an underground bunker and killing people? Happy Ending? Then have your own damn happy ending, why drag innocents into it."
Every word spot on...
"Nah. Initiation rituals are prime for digging up dirt."
Huh?
"Cults always show their true colors right after reeling someone in."
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je smirked.
"And for that, they've prepped something, right? Gotta be something somewhere in this facility. Then..."
"That's all fine, Rosefinch. But don't forget why you came here."
Ho Yuwon cut in.
"Found anything on Se-gwang Special City?"
"Not in front of him...? Anyway, to find that here, we need to figure their schemes first as a base... Sigh."
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je said wearily.
"Just wait. You sent me here after confirming I'd learn about Se-gwang Special City here, didn't you?"
......!
'Future?'
A memory flashed.
Right before boarding the Tamra train, Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je rushed to my dorm room and said,
-You're processed dead on January 2nd.
-Confirmed via... a future-seeing Darkness.
If learned during Ho Yuwon's project activities.
'Then his behavior so far makes sense.'
Ho Yuwon had already confirmed it.
'Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je will learn about Se-gwang Special City in the Nameless Radiant Church' future.
Realizations piled on.
'Wait, even her infiltrating as an initiate was planned?'
As director, noticing something day-of or prior and arranging accordingly isn't odd.
No wonder fewer casualties at Happy Ending Parish executives, smooth infiltration to company basement.
Probably pulled security strings to minimize clashes for seamless entry.
And sure, feeling dragged into his scheme sours my mood, but more importantly.
'...What Darkness for seeing the future?'
This accuracy.
Darknesses are anomalies; stronger ones are riskier and more inscrutable.
What is Ho Yuwon using?
"...Asking me? Odd. The Q&A stopped on my turn."
Damn.
"Deer, you can't ask until I do."
Gas mask me and smiling Ho Yuwon stared briefly.
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je watched puzzled, then shrugged and spoke.
"Anyway, more hands make it easier. If Deer and Director search together."
"Search?"
"Yeah. Was gonna scout the facility... Hm."
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je shrugged.
"Even if this bunker's a Darkness, there must be an entrance somewhere. To the surface."
That... surely.
'Space-type ghost stories usually have an exit to reality.'
If you can enter, you can exit.
No Nameless Radiant Church ghost story breaks that basic rule.
Even if the bunker isn't fixed-location, it connects somewhere each time.
Initiates pass out and wake here unaware, but key insiders know.
Like those twins.
"And those watchlist persons, the uniformed twins, seem most inner-circle. Never at lunch in the cafeteria."
Deputy Manager added they seemed busy with 'non-initiate management' tasks.
Anyway, finding entrance hints would help.
To backtrack the core.
"Cults usually stash valuables farthest from entrances, deepest inside. For escape if needed."
"Aha."
Ho Yuwon didn't object.
I pondered briefly before replying.
"Oh, could be."
Actually, certain.
Some wiki entries on final ritual sites described checking outside from within.
"Probably not where clueless initiates are. Ruins the indoctrination."
Away from initiate living areas.
Higher ground.
Convenient for insiders.
Which is...
'Here.'
Anthill structure with high ceilings, so areas closer to surface.
Ultimately, we decided to cautiously explore this zone avoiding the twins.
"Good. Two can escort this grandma easier."
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je swallowed the glass marble again.
And shortly after.
"Here it is."
We found it.
Authority Zone's far end. Empty zone.
A small round cover near the ceiling there...
"Glass."
Opening it revealed a fixed periscope-like device for peeking outside.
"Deer, wanna check?"
Gladly.
I cloaked in light smoke, peered into the opened round hole...
A handspan of opaque glass periscope view.
......
......!!
"Deer?"
I looked again.
But the scenery unchanged. Old houses, mountains, poles, dirt roads, hanoks.
That was...
Jisan Village.
This Nameless Radiant Church ritual site was under Baek Saheon's hometown village.