Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: 25-Hour Convenience Store Horror — Rules (9)
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Even the faint hum of the refrigerator came to a stop.
For a while, the convenience store was completely silent.
That didn't really change, even as time passed.
She laughed.
—Agent. I checked, and there are no new games. So now it's really over!
—Just hold out until six in the morning like this!
—Finally… it's done.
Rather than a wave of relief washing over me at those words, a strange, grating discomfort settled in.
It was definitely the same voice as before.
Yet, some kind of "wrongness" seeped through it.
Thanks to the countless loops we'd shared conversations in, I could pick up on that subtle difference.
"Wait. You…"
—Why?
—More importantly, Agent!
—I guess we're leaving now, right? You promised. That we'd go together once it was over.
At first, I thought it was my imagination.
But the unfamiliar emotion seeping into her tone began to grate on my nerves more and more.
An inexplicable unease grew stronger.
—But… on second thought. I think it's better if I stay here.
—It's actually pretty nice once you get used to it.
—I can watch people die miserably…
Her laughter stretched out, changing in tone.
—It's kinda weird, but—it feels really good. Heh heh heh.
The sound echoed through the store, all jumbled together.
In that instant, my blood ran cold.
She would never say something like that.
"…Who are you."
—Agent. Why ask something like that?
—Well, it doesn't matter anyway. Heh heh—
Her voice changed.
It grew lower and lower, until finally, it sounded like metal scraping against metal.
Soon, she completely dropped the mask.
—Heh heh heh. The game's over.
—Who am I? I am the higher being who created this convenience store.
—So, inferior creature. Rejoice.
—In honor of your struggles… I have descended personally to grant you one special chance.
The convenience store horror.
The thing that created all the anomalies inside this store.
—If you just open the convenience store door and leave now, I'll spare your life.
—Nothing will happen to you.
—But if you refuse.
Dolls stood outside the door.
Beyond the glass, silhouetted in the light, were figures that looked like puppets with only their forms remaining.
I didn't give them my attention.
I kept my eyes fixed on it.
"Just one question. You."
Leaving like this wouldn't solve anything.
It wasn't concern for my own safety.
If it kept its promise, I could leave anytime.
I could contact the Anomalous Affairs Department afterward.
If I could do it with my real body.
With trained agents and equipment, it would be even easier and faster.
So.
This was a rational decision.
But contrary to my thoughts, my voice came out cold.
"Han Suryeon. What did you do to her."
A moment of silence.
Then, slowly, its voice tilted.
—Who's that?
No more answers were needed.
A thing that couldn't even remember her name.
Had no intention of honoring the contract.
I slowly stepped out from behind the counter.
It spoke at my movement.
—As expected of an inferior creature. You just can't grasp the situation.
—Fine then.
Creeeak—
The automatic door slid open.
—I'll make you grasp it.
I looked at the ones entering.
I couldn't handle all of them alone.
No matter how good I was at fighting, I couldn't take them all down.
I recalled why it had made that offer.
Was it really impressed by my actions and granting me a chance to leave?
I immediately dismissed it.
'No way.'
The horrors I knew.
Saw humans as less than bugs.
And it was impressed because a bug fought well?
No, to me.
It just looked like it was putting on a show because it didn't want to reveal its weakness to me.
Which meant there was a limit to the number of dolls it could control.
It was acting strong, but in the end—
It was the one making threats and begging to be spared.
If I dealt with this, it would be over.
I pulled something from my pocket.
It was the item I'd gotten from Kang Su-ji during the last incident.
I was prepared. I hadn't gone in without countermeasures.
"Done talking?"
The rest was answered by the item in my hand.
Bang—
The head of the one approaching closest exploded like a burst.
Blood scattered into the air.
With that one shot, a few of them froze, and the rest's expressions cracked for an instant.
Like a machine malfunctioning.
It noticed too, its voice frantic.
—K-Kill it! Kill it right now—!!
It would have been nice if the rules had banned guns inside the convenience store.
Bullets were limited.
I couldn't clean up all the dolls with one magazine.
But that—
Didn't mean I was going to lose this fight.
In one hand, I gripped the familiar Great Mop.
In the other, the pistol.
…The final battle.
I'd exhausted all my stamina.
My heart pounded like mad, my palms still trembling faintly.
Pain shot through my body like it was being torn apart.
As the sharp scents of blood and gunpowder in the air began to settle, I exhaled.
Just standing was all I could manage right now.
—The fight is over.
And then.
The now almost monotonous alert sounded.
Beep—
[06:00:00]
Its voice rang in my ears.
—You seem pretty attached to that doll.
The bravado from earlier was gone.
From midway, it had tried coaxing and bargaining to stop me somehow.
—You think I'd just let you go easily?
But now, it had sized me up and given up on survival.
Instead, what filled the void was.
—I absolutely…! Absolutely…!!!! Won't let you go—!!!
—We'll vanish together!! Forever with me!!
Endless malice.
—Here's your finale. Heh heh heh heh—
—Like the inferior creature you are.
—Die pathetically.
With those words, its voice cut off.
And then—
The receiver rang.
***
The horror collapsed.
With the sound of space crumbling, the power embedded in the air exploded outward and dispersed.
The phone rang.
[Ring… ring ring… ring ring…]
No number appeared.
Just an old phone trembling.
I reached out and picked up the receiver.
As my fingertips touched it, dust stirred in the air.
Like electricity flowing, light spread out.
And when all those phenomena ceased—
She stood before me.
The one who had been caught in the horror and become a part-time clerk.
The being who had become part of the horror, trapped as an energy source in endless agony.
Her eyes trembled faintly, then slowly opened.
Our eyes met.
For an instant, it felt like time had stopped.
Light flickered and scattered over the collapsed display shelves.
Her pupils slowly came into focus.
This was—
The moment she first regained reality.
And then.
—…Heh heh.
The corners of her mouth trembled faintly, lifting upward.
—I… died, huh.
The moment she recognized her death.
A single transparent droplet trailed down from the corner of her eye.
The water drop slid down her cheek and gathered at her chin.
…My breath caught.
—…C-Can I vent a little?
Her voice cracked.
Her shoulders shook faintly.
I couldn't say a word.
I could only stand silently in place, listening intently.
As she caught her breath for a moment and quietly opened her mouth.
Petty stories of daily life.
Memories before death.
Anecdotes with friends.
Memories with her parents.
And—
The deep stories from the heart that she had never shared with anyone.
—I was worried.
—All my other friends were moving ahead, but it felt like only I was stuck here.
—Why can't I make it… Everyone has dreams.
—At night, the city lights up.
—But I… wasn't in any of those lights.
Her voice grew fainter and fainter.
Amid the scattering light, I could see her lips smiling faintly.
The light spread slowly, blindingly bright.
—Still.
Our eyes met.
—Still. It wasn't all bad.
—There were customers who said, "Good work today."
—Friends who said let's eat together…
—The manager was a bit of a boomer, but he treated me well.
Heh, a chuckle escaped.
The light grew stronger.
—Yeah.
—It was worth living.
—That must've been what kept me going all this time.
—..If I'd had this kind of courage, I should've tried one more time.
—How precious the people around me were... If only I'd realized it... a little... sooner...
Her body shattered like glass.
—My friends at school called me an idiot.
—..I denied it then. But now it seems they were right.
Her legs vanished.
—I should've realized it sooner.
It climbed up her knees.
—I need to apologize to Mom too. Sniff—I'm sorry.
—Dad said he'd help cheer her up once she calmed down.
It moved toward her upper body.
—P-Please… tell her for me.
—That my trip's gonna be a bit longer…
Her arms.
—I'll give you all my part-time wages. Th-They're on my desk.
—It's a whopping… ten million won! Heh heh.
Her shoulders.
—And… and…
—Thank you.
—For believing in me.
—Until the end.
With those words.
Her mouth, which had been going on for a while, stopped.
And sunlight began to filter into the convenience store.
That's when.
I placed my hand on her head.
Only then did the memory finally come back.
Who this part-timer was—
…And that I had been a customer at this convenience store too.
After pulling an all-nighter at work.
A place I'd stopped by with a heavy heart.
Each time, from behind the counter.
She had greeted me with an awkward smile.
Why her face had brightened when I responded to that greeting.
I hadn't thought deeply about it then.
"You worked hard today too!"
"The part-timer worked hard today as well."
I hadn't attached any special meaning to those words back then.
But now I knew.
That short phrase had been what got someone through the day.
I let out a small breath.
And opened my stiffly closed mouth.
"…Good work."
As those words fell, a bright light burst forth.
The convenience store, the horror,
Everything shattered and scattered.
Even amid it all, she lifted her head.
Her body was already gone.
Yet, on her lips bloomed a smile brighter than anyone's.
—You finally recognized me. Heh heh. I thought only I remembered all this time…
—Food…
—I'll really treat you next time.
—I keep my promises, Agent.
"No need…"
I couldn't finish.
Now, nothing remained before my eyes.
Only a small cluster of light drifted down.
The convenience store door chimed.
Ding—
That sound echoed unusually long through the air.
Strangely, it felt unsettling.
If only I'd done a little better.
Her tomorrow.
Might have been a bit different.
For the first time, I hoped no system window would appear.
***
Day broke.
Now, nothing indicated she had ever been here.
I stared blankly at the spot where she'd been.
My gaze frozen in place.
Then, I sensed light.
I followed it down.
Inside my pocket.
A faint glow leaked out along with a subtle vibration.
I carefully pulled it out.
A square rectangle.
With a single button on it.
The item that had shown no reaction until now.
[Button]
[Description: Can turn something on or off.]
[Status: Active]
The moment I picked up the button, I understood how to use it.
I'd been thinking about this item wrong all this time.
It wasn't just for turning lights on or off.
It touched "possibility" itself.
In the Happiness Hospital horror, was there really a switch inside the building?
A button that, when flipped, was directly tied to the horror's own life.
No horror would create a structure that threatened its own survival.
I didn't know why it was glowing now.
Or when I could use it.
If I saved it for later, an easier path might open up.
But.
Uncome futures didn't matter to me.
When the moment came that I needed this button.
A smile formed on my lips.
I opened my mouth.
"As many times as it takes."
And—
"As many times as needed."
I could just regress again.
What mattered to me now wasn't the future, but the present.
What I had to do was decided.
Help her.
That was it.
Nothing else mattered to me right now.
There was no hesitation.
My finger moved naturally.
The button—
Was pressed.
Click—
Something that would never normally be possible.
Tampering with "the contract itself."
In that instant, the view before my eyes rippled, and a single contract sheet slowly floated up.
It was densely packed with clauses.
[Party B: Han Suryeon]
The contract between it and her.
And below that.
At the very end of the numerous clauses.
The contract ended at 'Article 12.'
A red sentence slowly burned into existence.
Article 13.
The horror shall restore Party B Han Suryeon to her original state.
This must be fulfilled.
The characters inscribed themselves.
This seemed like it would work.
But—
The writing stopped midway.
Then, one by one, they scattered.
As if blocked by some resistance.
Like ashes caught in the wind, the contract's sentences crumbled and vanished.
Soon, a system window appeared.
[Interference with the contract is 'impossible.']
[This contract is between two entities—]
Life isn't a movie.
When I retired.
I'd known it from then.
That there were no dramatic flourishes.
That I was just one of countless extras.
That I shouldn't expect miracles.
Even so—
In this moment, I sought another miracle.
Desperately.
More than anyone.
Even knowing hope would betray me again.
Then—
An electronic tone sliced through the space.
[Rule violation detected.]
—Forced convenience store patronage
—Forced labor hours
—Imposing responsibility on the part-timer for customer actions.
...
—And 13 other reasons.
—Addition to the treaty is requested.
In that instant, a familiar voice rang out from somewhere.
A firm tone.
The paper floating in the air vibrated.
Red glyphs spread like afterimages.
The contract, now left with nothing but spaces where consonants had been.
[....................Analyzing]
I watched with trembling eyes.
Please.
[Review complete]
Please.
[Decision on the request.]
Please.
[Final: —]
Please…!
['Contract addition' approved.]
The characters began to engrave themselves.
The erased text rapidly returned.
The vanishing sentences revived.
Glowing red clauses.
Restored to their original form, the paper slowly took on light.
Instinctively, I turned my head.
Inside the convenience store counter.
The light was rewinding time.
—A miracle occurred.