Elevator (4)
The elevator doors slid open. Beyond them stretched a pristine white corridor—but unlike the endless hallway we'd just left, this one clearly had an end, with branching paths visible too.
"Research labs, maybe?"
"Who knows. It kinda looks like it."
I stepped out and scanned our surroundings. Spotless white walls evoked those sterile lab corridors from movies. Doors dotted the hall here and there, each one a solid slab of steel that looked like it could shrug off a cannon blast.
"This feels like either a prison or an isolation ward."
"Hmm..."
A gleaming white research hallway paired with heavy steel doors built for containment. It was the ominous combo I'd seen in too many films. I let out a deep sigh. What fresh hell would pop out here? At this point, I couldn't even guess.
"Shall we keep going?"
"Yeah. I've got no surprises left in me anyway."
I nodded at Yeon Dae-ri's suggestion. The elevator had vanished the moment we'd exited downward, just like before. We had no choice anyway.
We walked slowly, probing the area. "Hey, Team Leader Kim. I've got a question."
"Shoot."
Just then, Yeon Dae-ri, walking ahead, turned to me. A question? I figured it was about that deep-sea entity from earlier, so I listened closely.
"Have you... ever been through something like this before?"
"Uh..."
And there it was—the question I'd dreaded. I'd expected it eventually, but not this soon.
"Why do you ask?"
"You're way too calm. And how does a regular guy pull someone out of a monster brawl like that?"
Damn. No good comeback for that. Should've prepped a better excuse. A twinge of regret hit me, but it was too late now.
What to do.
I pondered for a moment. I hadn't exactly hidden it desperately, and I didn't mind if she knew. I owed her big time, and she was one of us anyway.
"I've just dealt with something similar before."
"That's it?"
"Yeah. That's the whole story."
"Hmm..."
But I didn't spell it out. It wasn't about trust—it was efficiency. The second I confirmed it, game over. Until then, she only had suspicions, no proof.
...If she finds out, I'm screwed.
It wasn't fear of her linking me to that head-smack earlier. Denying my magic was non-negotiable.
"This place is huge."
"Yeah. But there's nothing here."
We kept exploring this mystery facility, but after a while, we'd found zilch. The office hallways had varied room shapes and contents; even the cave had weird structures and artifacts. This place? Just corridors and doors. Nothing else.
I'd peek through a door if I could, but how do you open solid steel?
...I could probably force it.
I could smash one if I tried, but if it led to the exit, fine. Otherwise, 99% chance of something hostile inside. No point wasting mana and blood when donating plasma would be more useful.
"Huh?"
As we wandered, seeking a room or anything, something appeared at the corridor's end. A blue flame hovered in midair, flitting about like a living bird.
"Team Leader? Stay back."
"Don't push yourself."
Yeon Dae-ri tensed into combat stance. I stepped back behind her.
"Hyah...?"
Just as she lunged, the flame bobbed away down the hall, fleeing.
Yeon Dae-ri froze in confusion. I patted her shoulder.
"Chase it?"
"Won't that be dangerous?"
"Didn't look dangerous to me."
If it turned nasty, we run. Worst case, magic. I urged her on. She hesitated, then nodded.
"Guess we should check it out."
"Right?"
With her agreement, we headed after the flame. Rounding the corner revealed a truly bizarre sight, anomaly-style.
"What is that?"
"..."
In the middle of the white corridor loomed a massive gate. Dark blue tiles on the roof, red-lacquered wooden pillars, thick wooden doors with an iron knocker gripping the handle.
Why the hell was a traditional Korean hanok gate here?
"That's a Ghost Gate."
"Ghost Gate?"
"A passage ghosts use. A door to the otherworld."
She explained its nature. I wanted to ask how she knew, but after dodging her question earlier, it'd draw suspicion.
"So what now?"
"What else? We go in."
"Pardon?"
It screamed anomaly portal, and she wanted to waltz through? Not like the cautious Yeon Dae-ri I'd seen.
"A visible Ghost Gate means the owner invited us."
"..."
"Refusing's rude. Even if we escape this place, we'll suffer backlash."
Hmm, fair enough. She seemed the expert here, so I deferred.
"Let's go in."
"...Got it."
She pushed the gate open cautiously and entered. I followed.
The scenery flipped instantly. No more white lab hall—now a winding path amid lush green trees.
"Flame's over there."
"Guiding us, probably. Follow it."
She gave a quick rundown: the flame was a will-o'-the-wisp. Humans born with spiritual power sometimes reincarnated as one upon death.
"They love people so much, they cause all sorts of trouble."
"Like?"
"Start forest fires playing around, or lure folks to the afterlife."
Innocent oddity. A mischievous prankster, basically.
"We're here."
"Whoa..."
Trailing the wisp along the path led to a clearing with a hanok house. Not your standard one, though—roof draped in five-color banners, yard with altars and flags. A shaman's abode.
"Does a shaman live here?"
"..."
Shamans exorcise evil spirits, right? Appearing in an anomaly felt off.
I tried asking Yeon Dae-ri's take, but no response.
"Woooow... awesome!!"
"???"
Turning to her in confusion, I saw Yeon Dae-ri with sparkling eyes, like a kid at a candy store.
What? What was so awesome?
"Team Leader Kim, can't you feel the divine presence?!"
"Nope."
"The spiritual energy is profound! An incredible shaman must live here!"
She revved up, barely containing her excitement. Divine spirits this, sacred grounds that—she rattled off feng shui and shamanism lore, half in classical terms I couldn't parse.
Still, sounded safe enough?
[Is your chat over?]
"Ah, yes!"
A voice echoed from the hanok. Yeon Dae-ri snapped to attention like a private spotting a general and barked a reply.
[Come in. I want to talk with you both.]
"Let's go in, Team Leader!"
"Uh, yeah. Sure."
She was thrilled, which was cute, but I wished she'd remember we were still in an anomaly.
Mind control?
Did she feel like this in the cave? I debated knocking her out to snap her free.
But it might be a genuine good entity, so I followed her into the house.
"Pardon the intrusion."
"Coming in!"
We slipped off our shoes neatly and crossed the wooden floor to the room. Sliding the paper door revealed a dimly lit space with a shaman seated in the center.
[Welcome, child of shamans.]
"Hello!"
She knelt swiftly on a cushion and dove into conversation.
[I am Seonpung Shaman, servant of the wind spirit.]
"Ooh!"
[You're my guests. Ask anything you're curious about.]
They chatted away—basic stuff like why we were trapped here and why she called us, plus Yeon Dae-ri's personal queries.
"Seonpung Shaman, my luck's been awful..."
[Cursed with misfortune. Some pest's got you marked?]
"Yes! Keeps showing up in my dreams."
Yeon Dae-ri... you didn't forget about me, right? Spilling secrets like that? Her carelessness irked me, but feeling like an eavesdropper, I slipped out to the hall to wait.
"Hmm..."
I zoned out, replaying the shaman. Yeon Dae-ri idolized her with reverent eyes, but to me, she screamed "oddity" and "fake."
I couldn't sense any spiritual power. Was it because I wasn't a shaman? Nah—Yeon Dae-ri's mana registered fine...
"Team Leader Kim! The shaman wants you!"
"Pardon?"
"I'll step out for a bit. Chat with her!"
The paper door slid open as Yeon Dae-ri emerged. The shaman wanted me? I wanted to ask why, but she was already out admiring the sacred tree in the yard.
"Hmm..."
I hesitated, then entered. Suspicious, but not hostile. If attacked, I'd blast her with magic.
"I'm here. You wanted to see me?"
[Has the shaman's child left?]
"Yes, she's checking out the yard."
I sat on a cushion for small talk, then she shoved aside the low table and stared me down.
What? Reading my mind with some technique?
[I greet the husband of the great one!!!]
"???"
She leaped into the air and prostrated perfectly.
...What the hell is this?