Chapter 40
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Wailing Valley Lodge Special (7)
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I tilted my head back and stared blankly at the talismans plastered tightly to the wall.
The joy of discovering this hidden attic space was short-lived. The moment I realized we had to find the real talisman among them, exhaustion washed over me.
‘Too tough for just the two of us. Would’ve been better if Cha Jae-hyun had survived.’
But regrets wouldn’t help. Our top priority was finding the talisman as quickly as possible.
“I’ll take this side. You handle over there.”
With that, I placed my hand on the wall and began scrutinizing the talismans intently.
What we needed was a talisman marked with a star pattern drawn in red ink.
That’s when Eun Hae-sol shouted.
“Hey! Is this it?”
I whipped around hurriedly to check the talisman he was pointing at.
It was star-shaped, but…
“Nope. Close, but not quite.”
The shape was subtly different.
‘As expected, they’ve set traps with similar-looking patterns.’
Eun Hae-sol looked disappointed as he bent down to inspect another one.
I turned back to the wall.
“It’s gotta be somewhere around here…”
Maybe I could spot it from farther away. I leaned my upper body back.
“Why can’t I see it?”
No matter how hard I looked, nothing.
“Will we even get lunch today?”
Suddenly, images of the other members waiting anxiously for us came to mind.
“Let’s find it. Somehow.”
I scanned the wall again. Top to bottom, left to right.
As I methodically swept my gaze over it, a chuckle escaped me.
“If it’s not here after we’ve searched like maniacs, that’d be hilarious.”
“No way. It’s gotta be here.”
“Yeah, right?”
It had to be.
Thinking that, I rubbed my stiff neck and lifted my head.
“Huh?”
I spotted a talisman on the ceiling.
“Hey! Up there!”
At my urgent shout, Eun Hae-sol, who had been one with the wall in his search, turned around.
“Where?”
“Right there. See?”
A faint smile crept onto Eun Hae-sol’s lips as he confirmed it.
‘The talisman wasn’t on the wall to begin with.’
Joy at finally finding it mixed with a complex feeling of ‘Why did it take us this long?’
“We approached it with too narrow a view. We assumed it had to be on the wall since that’s where the others were.”
The realization that we’d wasted time distracted by oddities made me even more urgent.
“How do we get that one down?”
“Nothing to stand on?”
I looked around.
The attic was filled only with discarded empty boxes—no sturdy footing in sight.
“Should we grab a chair from another room?”
I shook my head.
Too risky with the steep stairs.
“Whew…”
One idea came to mind.
‘But using that now…’
I glanced silently at Eun Hae-sol. He stared back, puzzled.
Anyone else, fine—but with Eun Hae-sol?
A sigh escaped first.
‘Do I really have to go with that?’
But in this situation, it was our only option.
I steadied my breath and spoke.
“I’ll give you a piggyback ride. You peel that one off.”
“…What?”
Eun Hae-sol recoiled in horror.
This guy. You think I’m enjoying this?
“Do we have a choice?”
“Or levitate. Can you fly up there and back? If so, no need.”
Eun Hae-sol hesitated, deep in thought, then spoke.
“How about I piggyback you instead, and you step up from there?”
…Be serious.
“I’ll take the thought.”
Put my weight on that skinny frame? He’d collapse in under a minute.
Sure, it might look funny on variety for us to flop around awkwardly, but for some reason, I didn’t want to stage that with Eun Hae-sol.
“Hurry up and climb on.”
“But still.”
“No buts. If you don’t, I’ll step on you to get up.”
As I crouched down, Eun Hae-sol reluctantly draped his legs over my shoulders.
Gripping his ankles firmly, I stood up.
“Hup.”
Thankfully, his slim build made it manageable, no real strain.
‘This is embarrassing.’
Giving Eun Hae-sol, of all people, a piggyback felt oddly awkward.
Eun Hae-sol reached up and peeled off the talisman.
“Got it?”
“Yeah. Let’s go down.”
The moment I lowered myself, he quickly hopped off and put distance between us.
Awkward silence followed.
“L-Let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
We left the room and headed to the living room.
“Now we perform the exorcism, right?”
“Oh, just shout ‘attain Buddhahood’?”
We gathered the five talismans on the side table and yelled “Attain Buddhahood!”
From afar, the actor in ghost makeup flailed his arms with a “Whoooaaah.”
I waved at him.
“Bye, ghost.”
“Kinda grew attached.”
Soon, he let out dramatic screams, acting out his ascension.
“That it?”
“Go to a good place!”
Clap clap clap—
Right on cue, the PD appeared, applauding.
“Great job!”
“So it worked?”
“Yes! You cleared the game!”
“Wooo!”
As soon as filming wrapped, the ghost actor yanked off his wig.
“Whoa, look at that sweat.”
“Extreme job for him too.”
We all called out “Great job!” to the departing ghost.
Then, the eliminated members shuffled out from the rooms.
“It’s over?”
“Did we win?”
Hearing the success news, they jumped around, hugging each other.
“That happy?”
“Time to eat!”
“Meat party!”
Staff emerged from the rooms carrying trays of food.
Finally, meal time.
“Dig in!”
We sat around with the members and ate. Having run around half the day, it tasted even better.
“We still have a game left?”
“…Yeah. No idea what.”
“Eat up, everyone. Who knows what’s next.”
No sooner had we spoken than they scooped rice into their bowls.
‘After this lunch ordeal, dinner’s probably just mafia game or cards—something simple indoors.’
I looked up, and the PD wore a suspicious smile.
‘Just eat more.’
* * *
Back in the room, I flopped onto the bed. Post-lunch break time again.
‘Exhausted.’
As sleep tugged at my eyes, the group chat pinged.
I grabbed my smartphone.
[Baek Si-woo]
What’s everyone up to lol
Baek Si-woo, already bored after parting ways minutes ago.
[Baek Si-woo]
Anyone wanna hang in my room if bored?
[Cha Jae-hyun]
Someone play with Si-woo.
[Gelgelgel]
Eun Hae-sol’s alien emoticon popped up.
When would that guy stop with the alien emoticons?
[Jeong Eun-ho]
What game tonight, guys?
[Baek Si-woo]
Wailing Valley Lodge special, so probably something scary? Like a guts test.
[Jeong Eun-ho]
No way.
I replied and set the phone down, closing my eyes.
* * *
8 PM.
Members gathered in the living room.
And before us sat the PD who’d just dropped a bombshell.
“Huh?”
We all doubted our ears.
Talk about jinxes…
“Where to?”
“Just head to that cabin over there!”
The cabin attached near the lodge—we’d passed it, never imagining we’d use it.
‘Worst case.’
Outside the window, night had fallen.
“How do we go in the dark?”
A staff pulled a flashlight from his bag and tossed it at our feet.
“Rely only on this one flashlight to reach the cabin.”
“That’s success?”
“No. You’ll do one more game there. You’ll see what when you arrive.”
Another game at the cabin?
“Jae-hyun hyung. You okay?”
“…….”
“Won’t faint before we even start?”
Can we even make it?
I picked up the flashlight at my feet.
“Who’s leading?”
At my question, everyone averted their eyes. Like teammates in a hopeless group project.
Reluctantly, I spoke.
“Fine, I’ll lead.”
* * *
Crunch crunch—
I gripped the flashlight tight and walked.
The members, just out of the lodge, followed single file behind me.
“I’m gonna die.”
“Jae-hyun hyung, don’t get too close.”
“Stick together or perish apart. Ever heard that?”
“I’ll die because of you, hyung.”
Then, a distant crow caw chilled the air.
“Uh, wanna chat or tell fun stories to pass the time?”
They’re really scared.
Pondering how to shake off the fear, I spoke.
“How about singing a verse each? Three full songs and we’ll be there.”
“Let’s do upbeat songs.”
“Any upbeat ones?”
A few suggestions, but lyrics issues stalled us.
“Just sing the national anthem.”
We settled on the anthem everyone knew.
In single file, the front person sang a line, the next continued.
That’s when it happened.
“Long live Korea, forever preserve…”
“Huh?”
Murmurs from behind. I stopped, sensing something off.
“What’s up?”
“Who sang that?”
“Jae-hyun hyung’s turn, right?”
“Not me.”
“Then who?”
Silence fell.
“What the. No pranks.”
More silence.
Then, a dark shape slithered toward us.
“Aaah!”
“It’s a plastic bag! Plastic bag!”
The flashlight beam revealed a wind-blown plastic bag.
“Just a plastic bag.”
We sighed in relief and resumed.
“Who sang Jae-hyun hyung’s part? Own up, no jokes.”
“Not me.”
“Me neither.”
Frustrated, I turned.
“Which side was the voice from?”
“Dunno. Sounded from the back.”
I shone the light rearward, meeting the staff’s eyes—he held the camera.
“Staff pranking us, huh?”
But he looked flustered too. His stiff face suggested he was scared.
‘What?’
Weird.
Doesn’t seem like a prank.
Then Baek Si-woo spoke.
“Oh, staff knows.”
“Right. You’re at the back—saw who sang?”
All eyes turned rear.
The staff met our gazes with a heavy voice.
“How to explain this…”
“Huh?”
He spoke slowly.
“Truth is, I was scared silent, just watching. But I didn’t hear a thing.”
Didn’t hear anything?
We were dumbfounded.
“Come on, no prank.”
“Too into the variety bit.”
But he denied vehemently.
“Really, nothing.”
At first, I brushed it off as a joke.
But his repeated insistence on hearing nothing sparked doubt.
“So we all hallucinated? I’m actually getting scared.”
“Can’t we check the camera?”
The staff waved us off.
“Calm down. We’ll show after filming. Let’s go for now.”
Should we?
“L-Let’s go.”
We pressed on reluctantly.
“Shouldn’t have sung.”
“Scarier now.”
After pushing through bushes a while, the cabin appeared.
“Finally there.”