Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Cheongak Mary Hospital # 6
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These were the rules with the strikethroughs.
Finally, the rulebook felt a bit more human. No contradictions left—just feasible ones.
As long as I didn't fall for any tricks and react with a start, I could carry out my security guard duties without issue.
That must have been why my predecessor survived.
"Yeah. Survive. Make sure to get out alive."
If I failed here...
I'd end up as another member of this monstrous hospital, suffering for an eternity. I couldn't let that happen again. Plus, the regression point wasn't my room anymore—it was here. I had to resolve this somehow.
I memorized the rulebook one last time, then waited for the phone to ring.
It rang right on cue, and I snatched it up.
-Work hours today are from eight to seventeen.
So today's shift was confirmed as [08:00 ~ 17:00].
Surprisingly human hours.
The clock showed ten minutes until shift start. Come to think of it, my first shift had been daytime. Time must have passed since I passed out after watching the Management Bureau get wiped out. I changed into the security uniform and pinned on Mr. Lee Seung-cheol's name tag.
I couldn't break any name-related rules. If I did, my name tag would somehow switch to my real name before I knew it, and I'd become part of the hospital.
"Let's go."
Time was up.
I left the security room and entered the hospital. Tension peaked. Would these bastards really look like monsters?
"..."
Thankfully, no.
They were all blank-faced, ordinary people. Nurses and patients alike paid me no mind.
As long as I followed the rules, they'd see me as just another security guard in the hospital.
Alright, time to work.
I grabbed the hand truck, headed to the second floor to collect the black boxes. Never think about what's inside them. The moment I did, I'd hurl.
Ignore everything happening outside the windows. Last time, a monster was plastered to the glass, and I freaked. Now I knew, so act like it wasn't there.
I entered the storage room by the desk.
The air reeked of heavy chemicals and fishy blood. More black boxes than I remembered. All packed with Management Bureau agents...
-Wriggle!
"...!"
One black box suddenly twitched, nearly making me yell. Some agent in there, limbs severed and guts scooped out, must have been struggling desperately.
I wasn't heartless—their pitiful state tugged at me a bit. But that almost made me scream, so any pity vanished.
These fuckers.
Pay the price for ripping out my brain and killing me.
I loaded the hand truck and headed out.
"Hey."
A nurse spoke up with a blank face.
I almost jumped again!
You bitch!
What was this, a jumpscare? Popping out of nowhere to talk!
"Yes."
But I wasn't the one jumping. I replied flatly, face blank. Right now, I was an emotionless Cheongak Mary Hospital security guard.
"New guard?"
"Yes."
"What's your name?"
Asking my name?
[3-3. If someone inside the building asks your name, always answer exactly as written on your name tag.]
Just follow the rulebook.
"Lee Seung-cheol."
"No, it's not."
"Pardon?"
"No, it's not."
"No, it's not."
"No, it's not."
Not just the nurse.
Every bastard on the first floor.
They were all staring at me, saying it.
"Lee Seung-cheol? No, it's not."
"Lee Seung-cheol? No, it's not."
These fuckers!
"""Lee Seung-cheol? No, it's noooot!!!!!!!!!!!!"""
Patients' and nurses' mouths stretched unnaturally wide, unleashing an impossible roar. Overwhelming terror surged, tempting me to give up everything, but I kept my expression locked.
"Lee Seung-cheol."
The rulebook said...
No matter what, always answer exactly as on the name tag.
"..."
Did it work...?
Suddenly, they all went silent.
More than silent—they reverted to normal, as if nothing happened, going about their business.
This hospital was insane...
Couldn't let my guard down for a second.
No time to waste.
I headed straight to the second floor.
As soon as I got off the elevator, I side-eyed the window.
-Thump thump!
A massive eyeball outside pulsed like a heartbeat, fixated on me.
[15. Ignore everything happening outside the windows.]
Ignored.
Pretended not to notice. Acted like nothing was there. No sign of surprise—just moved like someone focused on the job.
Five boxes on the second floor.
Loaded them one by one onto the hand truck, went down to the first.
-Creeeak.
Door opened.
Last time, I'd already broken rules by then, turning everything to shit.
But now?
"..."
No one reacted to me!
I inwardly cheered as I entered the storage room and stacked the black boxes. Midway, some existing ones wriggled, moans leaking out... but I ignored them thoroughly. Management Bureau scum were my enemies. Honestly, them as allies would be scarier—they were that incompetent. What the hell was Section Chief Lee Do-hyung doing? They wrecked people fine but got one-shotted by monsters? Fucking useless.
I pressed on with the job.
Third floor.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Collected all without issue.
Then, sixth floor.
My heart sank.
Two patients in the hallway.
One clung to the wall like it wanted to merge with it.
[8-1. If a patient is bleeding from the mouth and plastered to the wall, do not engage—ignore them.]
Yeah, blood from the mouth.
Ignore this prick.
The other?
"..."
Wandering slowly with vacant eyes. Checked its eyes first. Not pitch black.
Then.
[8. If a patient is wandering, immediately usher them into the room at the end of the floor and lock the door. The door can be locked from the outside.]
Follow Rule 8.
Should be fine if I stuck to the rules.
"Hold still."
I grabbed the patient.
No resistance.
It just let me lead it to the end room. Door lockable from outside.
Opened the door.
-Whoosh.
Pitch black.
Not connected to a room... more like linked to some black void. Like a black hole sucking in all light.
Follow the rulebook.
-Shove.
Pushed the patient in.
It vanished into the darkness.
-Thud.
Closed and locked the door per the rules.
That should do it.
-Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud!
"...!"
As I turned, frantic pounding erupted, but I made no sound. Just cursed inwardly and turned.
Bastard trying to scare me.
Looked ahead—the wall-clinger was gone.
Red liquid pooled on the wall.
[10. Sometimes red liquid oozes from the walls, but it's just paint, so ignore it.]
Right.
That was the rule.
Time to collect boxes...
Nothing else happened after. I circled the floors during my shift, collecting boxes on repeat.
Finally, waited by the first-floor desk until shift end, then bolted to the security room.
Pinned off Mr. Lee Seung-cheol's tag, stashed it in the drawer, changed clothes.
"Locker."
[3-6. Clear the lockers in the security room to access the living quarters. Live there.]
Yeah, lockers hid the living quarters.
Pushed them aside, revealing a small door. Inside was a goshiwon-style studio. Shower booth looked usable. Food? Hadn't eaten.
"Fridge?"
Bento boxes and water inside.
Guess I live here.
"Haa."
Sat on the bed, breath heaving. Somehow survived the day. Finished a shift unscathed in this monstrous hospital.
But it wasn't over.
Unless I escaped...
Tomorrow.
The next day.
Endless days trapped here. Even getting used to the job—would it be safe? One bullshit situation, and game over.
Eternal torment again.
"Better eat."
Shoved thoughts aside, grabbed a bento.
Rulebook said live here. Living included food, clothes, shelter. Ate it all, showered, lay down. Needed rest to work tomorrow.
Eyes closed—Lee Do-hyung's face appeared.
The Management Bureau section chief was a superhuman who shredded monsters in seconds. His demeanor screamed veteran. In a fight, pure Rambo.
Still just a mortal against true monsters.
That superhuman movement was some superpower... But against rule-breaking entities? Done for.
Like me with regression, but helpless.
"Damn it."
What could this regression ability even do?
Couldn't even beat a vampire yet.
Honestly, regression was S-rank bullshit tier.
With power like this, I should deliver results... Nah, stay humble for now. Even that terrifying Management Bureau didn't always win against these things.
Plus, this world had fates worse than death...