Imaginary Space (5)
Underground bunker. A shelter where people evacuate during natural disasters or wars. Normally, you'd expect them in cities.
But this is a rural village.
Of course, rural villages could have bunkers too. But they'd usually be small. This one, though, was bizarrely huge, with top-tier facilities.
"It's massive!"
"...Yeah, it is."
High ceilings, vast spaces. And above all, a ton of rooms—workshops, cultivation chambers, lounges, you name it, all sorts of uses. Hell, there was even a game room.
What the hell?
It was like one of those nuclear bunkers from the movies. Not just a concrete hole stacked with supplies, but a place built for long-term survival and leisure. Blatant overkill. A bunker like this in a rural village? Definitely suspicious.
"Yu-hwa, how'd you know about this place?"
"Well, that's..."
I figured she might know something, so I asked. She'd led us here, after all. Maybe she had some connection to the facility.
"I found it by accident when I came to play at the village hall!"
"...For real?"
"Yup!"
That was it? I gave her a skeptical look, but baby-mode Yu-hwa just tilted her head like what's wrong with that?
No way.
Deep down, I rejected her words. This was Yu-hwa's inner world, built from her memories. If she'd never been here, this place wouldn't exist.
Sealed memories...
Maybe this space tied into some repressed memory of hers. Tricky to pursue right now, though.
"Yuri, let's play games!"
"Sure, but don't cry when you lose!"
While I was lost in thought, Yu-hwa and Gung-gi had slipped into the game room. Kids being kids at 13, I guess.
...Gung-gi's at least thousands of years old, right?
The thought crossed my mind, but seeing her current state made it click. Condition-wise, she was worse off than a terminal cancer patient. With 99% of her body gone, regressing to kid-mode with Yu-hwa made sense.
"..."
Mulling that over, I wandered the bunker. Not staying long—just a day—but I still felt compelled to explore.
I walked the corridors, opening and closing doors to a few rooms.
"Hm?"
Then, at the end of a hall, I spotted a room labeled Laboratory.
A lab in a bunker? No reason for it to exist. Its presence screamed anomaly.
"Locked."
Tried the door—sealed tight. Needed a keycard, probably. Too much hassle. I just smashed it open.
"..."
The moment the lock broke, the lights flickered on one by one. Inside: high-end equipment, stacks of messy papers.
I skimmed them, absorbing the knowledge effortlessly.
"Hmm?"
The research was intriguing. Earth-affinity studies, underground vein surveys, subterranean creature logs. All highly specialized, all earth-related. Looked like the bunker was built for earth research.
"This is..."
Tinkering with the gear, my eyes landed on a small desk in the corner—and a notebook on it.
I picked it up and read.
The villagers have gone mad. They were normal just yesterday, but today they're raving cultists. They performed some unidentified ritual, shrouding the village in fog. Now they've turned themselves into monsters. Even my fellow researchers became monsters. What the hell happened? I'm the only one left sane—
"..."
That was the end. No clue what happened to the writer mid-sentence, but I'd gotten the info. Some mystery ritual in the village.
"Hm..."
The cause and effect seemed clear: villagers were a cult, held the ritual, village went to hell. Simple. But...
"Something feels off."
For some reason, I sensed deeper layers to this incident. Easy reason: was Yu-hwa's village really a cult den?
"Maybe ask her."
Had to grill Yu-hwa for details. I'd avoided sensitive topics before, but now? No choice.
Sis!!
"!?"
I'd just set the notebook down to find her when Gung-gi's scream echoed.
Monsters invaded? Something lurking in the bunker? Thoughts raced as I bolted to the game room.
"What happened?!"
"I-it's..."
Three seconds flat, I burst in, kicking the door wide. There: Yu-hwa collapsed, Gung-gi cradling her. Ping-pong paddle on the floor—they'd been playing.
"Yu-hwa, you okay?"
"Ughhh..."
Checked her up close. Vital signs fine, but no response to calls or shakes. She'd been fine moments ago—not sick. Mental attack? From who?
"I didn't do it!"
"..."
"Fuck, seriously, it wasn't me!"
I'd just glared, and Gung-gi freaked. ...Okay, I did suspect her. But given her state, low odds she was guilty.
"Then why's she like this?"
"Gimme a sec to think."
She pondered deeply—or more accurately, felt Yu-hwa's condition through their fusion. Separate personalities, shared body.
"Brain overload, looks like."
"Simple terms."
"This imaginary space is taxing her."
Explanation: Normal minds don't have these spaces. If they do, they're buried in the subconscious, distorted from reality. But hers had invaded her consciousness, near-identical to real life. Too much for a regular girl.
"Smash the space?"
"Spot on."
Before more pain, destroy it fast. Not physical destruction—more like clearing the "rules" by achieving the goal.
"Condition... probably resolving the incident."
"Yeah."
Yu-hwa had mentioned it: everyone survives, crisis ends. That was the clear condition. Fulfill it, space shatters, she wakes.
"Let's go."
"...Me too?"
"Want me to drag you?"
"Right away!"
With that, we prepped for another expedition. Night hadn't fully passed—fog still lingered.
"Be back soon."
"Ughhh..."
Dumped Yu-hwa in the lounge, climbed the ladder with Gung-gi.
"Gotta face those freaks again..."
"You're one too."
"Don't compare me, Soho's heir, to those bugs!!"
Chatting idly, I shoved the bunker door open. Peeked out: village hall trashed by monsters, but no guards at the entrance.
"Out."
"Eek!"
Gung-gi hated it, but a hair-pull got her moving. I poked her side warningly.
"Quiet. Get us caught, you're dead by my hand."
"Gulp."
She clamped her mouth. Showy reaction—I snorted, ignored it. She'd prioritize her own skin.
"..."
"..."
Exploration proper began. Stealthy steps, flashlight from Yu-hwa's pocket sweeping ahead. Demon Eye full throttle—lost x-ray, but superior vision still shone.
"That way."
"Fucking tons."
Monsters emerged from fog, half-camouflaged, dormant till sound.
"Ritual site?"
"Church, maybe."
Central area reached—now hunt the site. Gung-gi pointed to a church on the map corner. Rituals often near sacred spots. Solid guess; church it was.
"I'll lead—"
"Shut up and follow."
"Asshole."
She sucked at navigation, so I led. Didn't know the layout perfectly, but church on main road—easy via map.
"Here?"
"Seems so."
Not huge, but big for rural. Pointed roof, faint cross atop. No presence inside, but ominous aura pulsed vividly.
"Count of three, we go in?"
"Yes."
"One, two."
"Now!"
"You psycho."
Tensed to open, Gung-gi shoulder-charged the door wide, then hid behind me—gauging my blind spot, probably.
We'll settle this later.
Infuriating, but priority: enter. Pushed through the darkness.
"..."
"..."
Church interior: dozens of empty chairs, stained glass diffusing hazy moonlight. Everything creepy—but the altar-stage stole the show.
"Fucking hell."
"Hmph..."
Told the Bak freaks they had no eyes. Guess those eyes were for the altar. Hundreds of pairs lined up, surrounded by crusted blood.
"Shoddy summoning circle. All the villagers sacrificed for this magic? Lame."
"..."
"Smash it quick. Lost interest."
I felt disgust; Gung-gi barely blinked. Fitting for an ex-Evil Saint who'd massacred thousands.
No room for attachment.
Don't forget: she's pathetic-looking now, but still an Evil Saint. "Friendly" doesn't change that.
"Wipe the circle and—"
[Woooong.]
As Gung-gi approached to smash, the circle glowed, greedily sucking ambient mana. Rift opened—a pale arm emerged.
"Wh-what?!"
[Groooar...!]
Dozens of empty sockets on the arm. It grabbed altar eyes, jamming them into its voids. Like puzzle pieces, they blinked alive.
"Danger!"
"Kyaaah!"
Boom!
It eyed Gung-gi, swung a fist. I intercepted, scooped her, retreated.
[Groar! Groooar!]
It fully emerged: towering white giant, sockets riddling its body.
[Grooooh!]
"..."
Ignored us, fitted more eyes—half-filled sockets. Satisfied growl, then turned. Its gazes locked on my face—my Demon Eye.
[Groak! Groak!]
"You little shit?"
Daring to eye Shin-nim's gift? Altar was secondary—this thing dies.