Chapter 175
I walk down the brightly lit corridor.
With each pass, I see a single door to an isolation room.
Unlike before, there’s no sensation of presence or any sound at all.
Maybe that’s why it feels even more ominous.
But that wasn’t the only thing weighing on my mind.
I turn my gaze behind me.
Park Ye Eun is carrying the still unconscious Jang Chae Yeon, and Yu Da On walks beside me.
“Ugh…”
And lastly, Song Ah Rin, who’s walking then leans against the wall to retch.
Song Ah Rin’s condition has felt particularly alarming since earlier.
“A-Rin, are you okay?”
“…”
Song Ah Rin stares at me with an emotionless gaze.
A feeble sound escapes her lips.
“…I’m struggling.”
“Should we cut it off?”
At this stage, it might be better to just carry Song Ah Rin instead.
She shakes her head at my words.
“I don’t want to.”
“…”
“…I can get used to it.”
Ugh, she retches again, covering her mouth.
“I just can’t… get used to this mental state, ugh…!”
“Da On.”
“Yes?”
I shift my attention to Yu Da On, who’s observing the scene beside me.
“What should we do in this situation?”
Since she was the one who connected us, she must know the best way to resolve the issue.
Wasn’t it Yu Da On I connected with in the first place?
Why is there such a gap between us?
Could it be that what Song Ah Rin is experiencing now is the real Yu Da On?
Yet, the Yu Da On standing next to me, making an awkward expression, looks like a completely different person.
Is there some method I don’t know about?
“Uh, um…”
Yu Da On hesitates at my question.
“I’m not really sure.”
“But I was hoping you could give us some more help.”
If this continues, we’ll fall behind in time, and Song Ah Rin will only suffer more.
“Um, hmm…”
After pondering, Yu Da On approaches Song Ah Rin, who’s leaning against the wall.
“…”
Song Ah Rin’s gaze shifts to Yu Da On, and Yu Da On faces her, smiling softly.
“Accept it.”
“…What?”
“That thought is completely right.”
“…W-What…?”
“Yes.”
Song Ah Rin’s expression stiffens upon hearing her words, and Yu Da On nods gently with a serene look.
“Accept it.”
“…Ugh…”
As Song Ah Rin retches, Yu Da On quietly whispers while stroking her back in a calming voice.
“That will be enough.”
“Huuh, …huuh…”
After repeating deep breaths at Yu Da On’s words,
“Huuh…”
Song Ah Rin breathes in much more stable breaths than before.
“…”
Her emotionless gaze shifts to Yu Da On.
“Perfect!”
Seeing her like that, Yu Da On beams with a bright smile and nods.
“Is it really okay now?”
“Yes, A-Rin is fine now. Right?”
“…”
Song Ah Rin stares hard at me before looking away.
“I’m okay.”
“…”
Can I really trust that?
“Don’t worry.”
Song Ah Rin nods at me.
“I won’t be a burden to you.”
“…”
That’s something the Song Ah Rin I know would never say.
“If anything happens, just say it. I’ll cut the connection.”
“Yeah. I’m okay. Don’t worry.”
Song Ah Rin’s gaze turns to me.
Her unfocused eyes look at me.
“I’ll be watching carefully too.”
“…”
Yu Da On raises her hand to speak, but I don’t feel reassured by her in this regard.
I turn to Park Ye Eun.
“Ye Eun, please keep an eye on A-Rin.”
“I got it.”
Yu Da On, who was next to me, mumbles that she can watch too, but I choose to ignore it.
*
“…”
We continue to walk down the bright corridor.
Passing by another isolation room door,
“Are we lost?”
“It seems so.”
I can’t help but nod at Yu Da On’s words.
It’s absurd to say, but we’re lost in the basement of the Gangdong Branch.
To be precise, the expression should be that we have become lost.
“It feels like we’re going around in circles.”
Park Ye Eun murmurs, looking around without a drop of sweat on her.
“It does feel like that.”
“…What should we do?”
“…”
“…”
Though I didn’t voice it, both Park Ye Eun and I clearly realized what choice we needed to make.
“Ah, Oppa. I’m really anxious.”
“I feel the same way.”
I nodded at Park Ye Eun’s words.
“But it seems we don’t have much choice.”
I turn to Song Ah Rin, who’s standing blankly, and to Yu Da On, who’s looking at me.
“Let’s go through the door.”
“I don’t mind!”
I shift my gaze to Song Ah Rin.
“…I’ll do whatever you want.”
As our eyes meet, she looks at me intently and speaks.
I was the first to look away from her.
“…Alright. Then let’s go through the door.”
Taking a deep breath, I stand in front of the isolation room door.
Given that this is where the initial incident took place, it’s impossible not to feel tense.
Before I knew it, Yu Da On stepped forward and grabbed the doorknob.
“Shall I open it?”
“Please do.”
Nodding, she opens the door.
-Creak!
As the doorknob turns and the door opens,
“…”
A refreshing breeze of wind flows in.
Wind?
“…What is this?”
I take in the scene beyond the door.
A floor sparsely covered with grass, a dreary sky, and gravestones stuck in the ground.
“A graveyard?”
Park Ye Eun mumbles.
And she’s not wrong.
It was a graveyard.
Entering from the isolation room door to suddenly find a graveyard is utterly incomprehensible.
“Should we go in?”
“…”
I ponder for a moment at Yu Da On’s words.
The corridor that seems to spin like a hamster wheel and the graveyard that appears when the door is opened.
It’s blatantly obvious that this place is telling us to pass through.
The problem is, despite that evident message, we’re left no choice but to follow it.
“…Let’s go.”
There’s no answer when just going in circles.
Yu Da On nods and takes a step forward.
Soon, we all follow her outside.
-Crust…
The sound of stepping on grass is accompanied by the breeze.
“It’s a graveyard, isn’t it?”
“Let’s not go too far.”
I glanced at Yu Da On, who was looking at the tombstone, warning just in case.
We have no clue where we came from in the first place.
I lift my head and look ahead.
The gravestones stretch infinitely, and in the center stands a massive tombstone,
I can tell this is quite a large graveyard, even if I don’t know what it is.
“…”
Yu Da On was staring intently at the tombstone.
“What’s up?”
“There’s something written here.”
Yu Da On murmurs as she shows me the tombstone.
The stone-made tombstone had a clear inscription.
<With this body, I aided the flesh of God.>
“…It’s a bit different from a regular tombstone.”
Typically, the tombstones I know just have names and dates of birth and death, but there’s none of that here.
“Same here.”
Yu Da On comments, muttering while looking at another tombstone.
<With this soul, I contributed to the spirit of God.>
The others were the same.
<Having proven everything to God.>
<That spirit became a splendid meal for God.>
<Having nothing, I offered it to God.>
Each one only contained phrases detailing how they contributed to God.
“…”
Song Ah Rin was closely scrutinizing the phrases with an expressionless gaze.
“Do you remember anything, A-Rin?”
“…Even if I tell you, it won’t be better than your opinion.”
Song Ah Rin shakes her head.
“I don’t want to say anything useless that would ruin your deductions.”
That’s not something Song Ah Rin would usually say.
“Um, is your nausea getting any better?”
“Yeah.”
Song Ah Rin slowly nods and steadies herself.
“I’m okay.”
Then she goes back to staring blankly at the tombstone.
“…”
Should I cut the link even now?
Just let Park Ye Eun carry her.
“Don’t cut it.”
As if reading my thoughts, Song Ah Rin looks at me.
“My worth is better served as a meat shield than to become a burden.”
“I don’t intend to use A-Rin as a meat shield.”
Let’s observe a little longer. If it comes down to it, I’ll have to sever the link.
For now, let me think about this.
The content of the tombstone and the Cross.
A man with his hands together.
“…”
Other than being related to a church, I’m not getting any clear hints.
I keep reading the tombstones.
All of them have similar meanings.
As I read through the tombstones, I arrive at a massive tombstone.
Lifting my head, I gaze at the tombstone.
It’s at least five times larger than I am.
It’s so massive that I can only express it as if someone brought heavy machinery to set up this tombstone right in front of me.
“…”
And on it, just three characters were inscribed.
<Offer up.>
Simultaneously, a translucent window appears in midair.
[Name: Offer up.]
[Age: Age is irrelevant for sacrifices.]
[Specialty: The fervor of your heart is your specialty.]
[Talent: Loving me is your talent.]
[Background: Your life will restart after meeting me.]
[Vulnerability: By meeting me, you will live a perfect life with no weaknesses.]
“Ugh…!”
“Jae Heon?”
“Don’t come any closer!”
As I scream back to Yu Da On, a horrific headache strikes my head.
-Crack!
At the same time, a manual unfolds.
[Manual for Office Staff]
[Containment Object – Graveyard – Latest Edition by Management Team Han Sang Beom]
1. This area can be seen as a gigantic containment object.
2. Interaction with the gravestones in this area has not been conducted, and the massive tombstone cannot communicate with any entity.
3. Upon seeing the massive tombstone, one must offer.
4. Your heart, your soul, everything of yours.
5. And thus, you shall reclaim your citizenship prepared in the heavens.
‘Offer up.’
In my head, someone whispers to me,
“Ugh…!”
The headache intensifies.
At that moment,
–Crack!
The page of the manual tears.
[This page has been corrupted and is deleted.]
[New page is being rendered.]
-Crack!
The manual spreads open, revealing a new page.
Amidst the terrible headache, I read the words.
[Manual for Office Staff]
[Containment Object – Graveyard – Account Team Kim Jae Heon’s Compilation]
1. Critical does not take effect.
2. Regression also failed.
3. Destruction through physical means also failed.
4. Ultimately, the only option is to sacrifice.
5. Leaving something to be offered for my future self.
I hurriedly start reading the manual.
What was left for me…
“…”
I understood.
Clutching the manual,
-Crack!
I tore the page.
“I offer!”
What I had to give was already confirmed.
The past me would give to the future me. And that could only be one thing.
