Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 61. The Trap of Experience
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I look around. What the hell happened?
First, let's check the situation. Did I die and come back to life or something?
I quickly rummage through my pockets.
A perfectly intact statue comes into my hand.
...I'm not dead.
It wasn't just the statue. The pistol, walkie-talkie, butane gas—everything I'd packed was functioning perfectly, not a drop of water on any of it.
So, did I enter the theater and come out?
But if so, there's no memory of it, no migraine either.
I gaze out the window where dawn is still breaking, shaking off the fog in my head like it's stuck there, then pick up my smartphone to check the date.
...
A day has passed.
In other words, after being swept away by the seawater, a full day passed for some reason, and now I'm lying in my room with only that bizarre experience to show for it.
Is this really related to the 'theater'?
Let's compare it to the 'Red Lady' incident.
If so, then either my eyes aren't working right, or there's no one outside?
Time to check right now. No time to change clothes.
I dash to the door to check the others' rooms, but just then—
The door to my room flies open with a bang, and an urgent voice calls my name.
"Kim Jaeheon!"
It was Jang Chaeyeon.
Wasn't this the first time she'd called my name?
Dressed in just a white dress shirt, soaked in sweat, she stares at me.
Her shoulders heave roughly up and down, then slowly settle as she sees me.
"...You okay?"
"...Chaeyeon?"
I quickly scan her with my eyes.
[Name: Jang Chaeyeon]
[Age: 25]
[Specialty: Telekinesis]
[Talent: -]
[Background: Her life, which was headed for a lonely death, completely changed when she joined the HR Team. Sometimes, to protect a colleague or someone precious, she throws herself into danger without hesitation.]
[Weakness: Blind her eyes and seal her hands.]
My eyes are working fine. Nothing off about Jang Chaeyeon either.
I quickly look her up and down.
The sweat-soaked shirt clings to her body, revealing its curves and giving off a strange allure, showing things I shouldn't see, but I force myself to ignore it and check for wounds or anything unusual.
...
Oblivious to my inner turmoil, she looks at me with a puzzled expression.
No injuries.
After confirming everything, I let out a sigh of relief and slump onto the bed.
She slowly approaches me and sighs in relief too.
"...Thank goodness. You're okay."
"You're okay too, Chaeyeon."
"...What happened?"
"Time for cross-verification. How far do you remember?"
"...I lost my memory when the water came pouring in..."
"You felt like you turned into a fish?"
...
Jang Chaeyeon nods at my words.
"No weird stuff with your body?"
"I'll check."
She slightly raises her index finger.
Whoosh—a gust of wind gently brushes my hair.
"My power's fine too. Nothing weird."
"Got it."
I look out the window again where dawn is breaking.
"Haven't checked the other two yet, right?"
"Came to you first."
She tilts her head as if wondering why I'd ask something so obvious.
"...Let's go check the others."
She nods at my words, and we hurriedly leave the room, walking down the hallway.
"Where did you wake up, Chaeyeon?"
"On the hallway floor."
"Not in bed?"
"Nope."
Everyone woke up in different places?
If so, we can't rule out Song Arin or Yoo Daon not being in their rooms.
As we walk the hallway, I reach into my pocket, pull out the compact walkie-talkie I'd kept, and switch to Song Arin's channel.
"Song Arin."
No response.
I switch to Yoo Daon's channel and call out.
"Yoo Daon."
No sound at all.
"Let's check the closest rooms first."
"Okay."
Song Arin's room is nearer.
Jang Chaeyeon easily rips open the locked door, and we enter.
...
No one there. Even the bed is neatly made, proving no one used it.
Did we miss each other somehow?
"...Next room."
"Okay."
Jang Chaeyeon nods and follows.
Yoo Daon's room is locked too. We open it the same way and go in.
"No one's here either."
...
Yoo Daon isn't here either.
The only difference is a faint fishy smell in the room.
An uneasy feeling creeps in.
"Let's find the two of them first."
"Know where they are?"
I pause at her question.
Truth is, I have no way to find the others.
"...Then let's check the theater first. After that, we look for them."
"...Don't worry."
She pats my shoulder at my words.
"They're not the type to go down that easy."
"That's true, I guess."
Still, I can't help worrying.
Jang Chaeyeon and I walk down the hallway.
As we do, people finally start appearing.
"...What the hell happened..."
"Heeek... heeek..."
People clutching their heads and muttering, others laughing alone and mumbling.
I pass them, checking their names.
First, the muttering one.
[Name: Jeong Chanje]
Next, the one laughing like they're insane.
[Name: OXX]
Those with some sanity have names; those without don't.
Some are fine, some aren't?
As I ponder, turning my gaze to them, Jang Chaeyeon tugs my sleeve.
"The theater's open."
...
I stare at the theater.
Just as she said, the entrance gapes open like a black maw.
Did the show really happen here?
"Let's go."
No choice but to go in and check.
I draw my pistol from my pocket and step inside without hesitation.
The moment I enter the theater, a musty smell mixed with a faint fishy odor assaults my nose.
I frown and look around.
This place is dry too.
Splash.
Footsteps echo, and a nauseating fishy stench hits my nose.
I quickly look up.
It's a person with their head split in half.
Octopus tentacles pulse on the right cheek like blooming flowers, barnacles cling to legs and joints, clacking with every step.
Their clothes are soaked in something, reeking of fish, and each step splashes like walking through water.
Soon, info appears in my vision.
[Name: X X X]
[Age: 31]
[Specialty: X]
[Talent: Sea]
[Background: The weak one lost himself to the deep sea after just a single experience.]
[Weakness: Killing physically is not recommended. Liberate him from the sea.]
Liberate from the sea?
I thought it was theater-related.
Crunch!
Right after I finish reading, Jang Chaeyeon extends her hand and clenches her fist.
Overwhelming pressure rushes past me, grabs its leg, and twists.
A gruesome bone-crunching sound, and it topples.
"Ugh..."
But without even a cry of pain, it crawls toward us on its arms.
Splash... splash...
As if unbothered by having no legs.
No different from a zombie.
"...Kill it?"
Jang Chaeyeon keeps her hand extended, turning only her head to look at me.
"...Hold on."
I stare at the thing crawling on its arms.
"Ugh... ughhh...."
Just spewing meaningless sounds, slowly coming toward us.
"Don't."
"Okay."
"Not recommended" has never led to anything good.
I skirt around it and look around.
Something's off.
"No staff."
"Staff?"
If this was a show, shouldn't staff come out to stop me while I'm doing something? Like with the Red Lady.
But nothing stops us, no actors either.
Then how do we explain the water pouring out when the show started?
Ah, my head hurts.
...
Lost in thought, I open the manual.
Any helpful part?
[Office Manual]
[YH - Advice for Situation Assessment]
1. Working for the Management Bureau, you'll naturally get caught up in countless incidents.
2. If it's your first time in such an incident, the first thing you need is composure. Think calmly.
3. Conversely, if you've been through many such incidents, the thing to be most wary of is your own experience.
3-1. Experience can be key to survival, but it can also narrow your field of vision. Never forget that containment objects always betray your common sense and memories.
...
I snap the manual shut, and Jang Chaeyeon looks at me curiously.
"Find something helpful?"
"Not sure if helpful, but good reference material."
Seawater, and a single deep sea experience.
...
What was the seawater's effect?
I recall the background.
[Background: The weak one lost himself to the deep sea after just a single experience.]
I remember too—when I was swept in seawater, becoming a fish and screaming in agony.
Jang Chaeyeon went through the same.
So, didn't we all experience the same phenomenon?
But why are some fine, and others half-monster like that one?
"...Found you!"
Mid-thought, a familiar voice makes me turn.
Song Arin and Yoo Daon come hurrying from the theater entrance.
"Where the hell were you? I was looking—"
...
I look at Song Arin's head as she speaks.
[Name: Song Arin]
[Age: 21]
[Specialty: Hypnosis]
[Talent: -]
[Background: Sensitive about everything, she's learning to hold back. She still blurts things out sometimes, though.]
[Weakness: Flick her hard on the forehead.]
Fine.
Next, Yoo Daon.
Her unusual quietness bothers me.
Soon, a translucent window appears over her head.
[Name: Yoo X On]
[Age: 23]
[Specialty: Immortality]
[Talent: Regeneration (Undefined)]
[Background: Having even the hole in her life acknowledged, she tries to fill it, but it still seems hard.]
[Weakness: If you had to pick two people never to make enemies of in this world, it's the Regressor and the Immortal.]
"Chaeyeon."
"Yeah."
"Grab Daon."
"Yeah."
At my words, Jang Chaeyeon slams her hand down, and Yoo Daon is crushed to the ground by overwhelming gravity.
...
"What? What's going on? Hey! What's this?!"
Only Song Arin's panicked voice echoes in the dark theater.