Prettiest Eyes and the Zero-Discount Escape
There's a saying that awakened eyes are windows to the soul. If your heart's pure, your eyes shine beautifully. The moon was exactly that.
Fucking gorgeous, for real.
Even seeing something beautiful turns into a fight. Made me really feel how dark the world is—like that convenience store right in front of us.
[Gap Convenience Store]
All items cheap and reasonable. New products fully stocked this time.
Tearing up the return ticket didn't bring me back. The rulebook was basically useless now.
That mindset was key to escaping the community center without touching a single anomaly. Deep down, I wanted to nab them all.
Mountain Hermit's words hit me like a truck.
I'd been wrapping my inability to provide the best in "respect." From now on, I'd make them happy no matter what it took.
Ding-dong~
"Welcome."
One employee in a red robe greeted Jeongchan. The ambiguous human-or-anomaly vibe made him approach and stare right through them.
Psycho?
Maybe the moonlight, but those gleaming eyes in the dark spooked the employee. Jeongchan finally spoke after staring.
"Possible."
The first utterance of the phrase that would make all anomalies tremble—the symbol of the Management Director.
Gotta unwrap the packaging.
◈ Controls the wearer
◈ Ordinary human
Thud.
Left the woman who was the robe's host and took the robe.
Anomaly 'Red Robe' contained.
Easier than I thought?
Jeongchan beat down the grandma attacking at the snack bar and the werewolf that burst from the soup kitchen.
◈ Hungry. Eats discarded or non-items after training. Checks if faced item is merchandise.
◈ Weakness: Ripped stomach.
Anomaly 'Werewolf' contained.
◈ Prepared new merchandise to boost sales in the deserted store.
Anomaly 'Gap Convenience Store Owner' contained.
Now just buy something and leave.
◈ Chew to feel the chewy guts from inside.
◈ Price: Half a heart.
◈ Sometimes hides special noodles in the broth.
◈ Price: One brain.
No way—from a fingernail to this? How am I supposed to pay?
Checked the empty soup kitchen and freezer for cheaper stuff.
"Hiiiik! Nuaaaah!!!"
A volunteer who'd gone in before me was caught in a slaughter hook like a pig, screaming in agony. I yelped in shock.
"Aaaah!!!"
Fuck, you gotta dress 'em up!
Pretty's one thing, but gross is a no-go!
"Please spare me." "Please wait a moment."
◈ Lacked looks for employee. Perfect as merchandise.
◈ Price: One identical human.
Dragged the bound guy to the counter.
Headache. How to ring this up.
One fake-employee woman and one pre-slaughter man lay scattered.
Can't just leave 'em.
Fuck it.
Rang up woman, then man on the POS.
Beep. Beep.
Price: '2 People'
Proceed with payment?
Staring at the POS made the text clear.
Direct Discount: -100%
Paid for free in the end.
Blinked, and I was back in the Response Agency basement convenience store.
The exam halted. Later applicants rescheduled. Over 30 minutes, but I passed.
Team formed quick.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Nahee."
"Jeongchan. Team leader."
"You already pulled off a big one. I knew quietly, but Gangseo Branch is buzzing. Hard to snag you."
The convenience store stunt, probably.
"Was simple. Can I start today?"
Team leader looked baffled.
"Well... I'd like that, but other members aren't here yet. Plus, that incident needs cleanup. Weren't you called in a lot, Jeongchan?"
"Yeah."
In and out of the store multiple times, sharing intel constantly.
"Take a week off. Got the subsidy, right?"
15th Grade gear subsidy hit right after passing. With bonuses, decent cash.
"Buy the gear I recommended with it. Wanna go together some day?"
"Sounds good."
Exploration Period: Total 7 days
Purpose: Confirm internal structure and phenomenon changes post-mutation
Deployed: Gangseo Branch Echo Team (All recoverable entities, Ratman)
Final Result: Echo Team fully retired.
1. Simultaneous entry impossible. Only one entity in store at a time. Cannot rescue previous distressed.
2. Observed humanoid anomalies (employees, customers, soup kitchen wolf doll) fully vanished.
3. Echo-3 gouged own eyes after staring skyward, instant death. Action cam shows 'moon' in view. ※ Analyst Lee Ha-seong mentally polluted post-review.
4. Echo-4 paid gum with liver loss. Escaped anomaly space, returned origin.
5. Echo-5 same item (gum), paid with heart. Price varies even same item.
6. Echo-1 guts burst chewing gum. Merchandise non-standard. Collect from survivors.
7. Echo-2 deployed sans impulse suppressants. Failed survival.
6. Echo-1 recovered Echo-2 body parts from shelves. Processed and resold presumed.
7. Echo-3 exit sans purchase. Failed survival.
8. Echo-1 attempted checkout with fake organs. Success.
9. 14th Grade freelancer 'Jeongchan' recovered Echo-3 intact. Confirmed lossless exit via discount.
10. Echo-1 tried discount per 'Jeongchan'. POS inoperable. Returned heartless.
POS inoperable by normals.
11. No trace of 9th Grade 'Yi Pyeongan'. Further investigation needed.