Chapter 89

Death Row.

A bizarre alley with a name seemingly borrowed from the trendy shopping streets that were once all the rage.

Any civilian who downloaded the app on the flyer for fun and got caught up in this might be confused at first. The “main alley of Death Row” they initially encounter is lined with stalls, making it look like a lively night market.

But look just a little closer...

Confirmed Items Sold at Death Row Stalls

1. Beaded Strap

: A strap consisting of scarlet cord and ivory-colored beads. Salt and ash rub off when touched, and the surfaces of the beads writhe and vibrate.

An employee who touched the strap subsequently complained of prolonged distress, claiming to hear continuous pleas for help, sobbing, and the voice of ■■. Recovered following a short-term memory removal procedure.

2. Old-Fashioned Bubble Gum

: Gum with lettering printed backward. Bubbles inflate inside the throat rather than outside the mouth. Successfully removed before death by suffocation.

3. Floral Slippers

: A civilian who tried them on at a vendor’s insistence reported fire, blades, and ■■ beneath their feet, then ■■ ■■.

Subsequently disappeared into an alley, sobbing.

4. Picture Frame

: Printed with images of relatives being murdered.

...

By this point, anyone reading would understand.

'If I want to get out of here in one piece, I can’t look around at all!'

Nothing for sale could be used normally by a human, and the vendors were actively soliciting customers to boot. The best course was simply to hurry past with a disinterested expression, as though you had somewhere to be.

But the farther you fled from the dazzling signs and lights into smaller alleys, the more you would realize something was wrong...

Because they never ended.

The alleys simply grew narrower and narrower... until they were too narrow for a person to fit through.

'... Once you get that far, you’re done for.'

Right. You couldn’t escape these alleys simply by walking aimlessly.

Then what were you supposed to do?

Simple.

You’d received directions on the way in, so you just needed directions on the way out.

DING.

'... It’s started.'

I looked at the new event page that had appeared in the smartphone app.

Death Row 10,000-Step Walking Event

Don’t Give Up on Your Body!

Steps Remaining : 10000

This was it.

The very thing that lured people into the ghost story was also their safest, most straightforward lifeline out. Successfully completing the smartphone app’s “10,000-Step Walk” event allowed you to escape the alleys.

We had to focus on this alone and get out.

... But whatever a scaredy-cat like me thought, the resident of a ghost story in my pocket was simply soaking up the night-market atmosphere.

“Ah, it’s been so long since I’ve been somewhere like this. It’s not easy for a show host to visit such places privately, is it?”

“There’s a certain charm to browsing a lively night market like this once in a while! Why don’t we pick out something that would suit each other, my friend?”

“The quality isn’t to my liking, but a souvenir or two wouldn’t hurt!”

Aaaaargh.

'... No. Let’s buy something elsewhere. I should get my friend something better.'

“...! How touching. Very well! I, Braun, shall also give some thought to what would suit my friend...”

It happened just then.

WannaSeeSomethingPrecious??

“...!!”

One of the street vendors lunged out and grabbed my arm.

GotSomethingBetterOverThere. I’llShowYou.ComeInside.

There was nothing behind the vendor.

No open door, no shop, no space.

Yet the vendor repeated:

ComeInside.

Don’t look.

All I had to do was decline quietly and naturally, without examining its face. I struggled to open my mouth...

But before I could, Section Chief Lizard grabbed the vendor’s arm.

“??”

His grip tightened.

Red, vertically slit pupils turned toward the vendor.

“...”

“...”

The vendor slowly averted its gaze. Then it discreetly released my arm and began hawking its wares to another figure as though nothing had happened.

“...”

That... actually worked?

I’d learned something new. The lizard could make ghosts mind their manners...

“Thank you.”

“Yes.”

Exorcism by brute force couldn’t have been more convenient.

'Come to think of it, Section Chief Lee Jaheon was going to give me strength-enhancing equipment to use as parent equipment for customization.'

I should bring it up once this was over.

For now, perhaps because the threats were real, Section Chief Lizard didn’t issue any instructions that only someone utterly fearless could carry out without fainting.

He merely said:

“When entering with four or more people, standard procedure is to split into pairs and investigate new alleys if possible.”

Hmm?

“Mr. Roe Deer, choose an employee to accompany you.”

Ah. I see.

Since I had the highest rank of the other three, he apparently intended to keep things balanced by putting me on the other team.

'What a shame... That lizard strength.'

The sweet, sweet convenience I’d just experienced had been incredible.

But I’d been prepared for this. At least we’d entered with Section Chief Lee Jaheon, so perhaps we could get his help in a pinch, like at the exhibition.

'So I’m supposed to pick one of my fellow recruits to go with me?'

Hmm.

I spoke politely.

“Then, since we’re already acquainted, would it be all right if I went with Mr. Bison?”

“Yes.”

Having someone new around would make it harder to act freely.

'... Especially since I need to check that chocolate wrapper.'

Besides, that fellow recruit Kang Ihak would probably prefer accompanying the team leader—

“Oh! Just a moment. If you don’t mind, could I go with Mr. Bison?”

Kang Ihak cut in.

Huh?

“You two are on the same team, after all. It wouldn’t feel right for us support staff to split you up! And I have something to discuss with Mr. Bison...”

Without offending anyone, Kang Ihak persuasively conveyed to Section Chief Lee Jaheon that this wasn’t a high-grade ghost story anyway, so two Employees would be fine as long as they followed the manual.

“If you two don’t mind, we fellow recruits should be fine together!”

“Yes.”

The lizard nodded.

“Move as a group of three.”

“... Pardon?”

“Mr. Roe Deer, Ms. Pony, Mr. Bison. Move as a group of three.”

Kang Ihak barely managed to retain her sociable manner as she answered.

“Uh, thank you, but... wouldn’t it be a bit much for you to take the risk of going alone, sir?”

“Yes.”

“...”

Oh dear.

But once things had reached this point, there was no persuading him.

'A group of three, then.'

Before leaving, Section Chief Lee Jaheon approached me.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

Then he abruptly handed me something.

“Press this if a problem arises.”

“...”

A small brown circle dropped into my hand.

A little button.

I’d used it once before during The Tuesday Quiz Show.

... It was Deputy Eun Haje’s communication equipment.

“... Have you been in contact with Deputy Peregrine Falcon?”

“Yes. Yesterday, she asked me to pass this on to you.”

“...”

I nodded slowly.

“Thank you.”

“Yes.”

And the lizard vanished down the alley...

“... Then let’s walk somewhere else, away from these stalls.”

“Yes...!”

“Ah, yep.”

I set off with my two fellow recruits.

Don’t Give Up on Your Body!

Steps Remaining : 9130

Walking down the long alley beneath the flashing lights of bizarre stalls while making sure the app didn’t close was surprisingly draining.

Especially when you couldn’t let your guard down for even a moment.

“Whew.”

Jang Heoun began lifting his mask slightly to wipe away the sweat collecting underneath.

Wait.

“Be careful.”

“...!”

I stopped him.

“I think we should follow the anonymity protocols even more strictly here than elsewhere. ... Mr. Bison.”

“... Yes.”

Jang Heoun slowly wiped away his sweat and lowered his hand.

...

A vendor who had been watching him closely resumed soliciting customers.

A murmur rippled through the stalls.

'Whew.'

The alley’s vendors display an aggressive tendency to sell goods and collect payment by any means available.

To avoid becoming entangled, do not expose any information, personal details, or physical features that could become a vulnerability.

In particular, strict control over remarks and actions concerning human characteristics, places of residence, and personal associates in reality is advised.

The company manual was accurate.

'The moment you fail to follow it, you get passively drawn into their sales pitches.'

Like those people looking around at the far end over there.

“I seriously can’t believe there’s a place like this in this neighborhood.”

“Huh? What’s that? It looks so real... Reel, reel, reel, reel, reel... a reel!! I wanna buy thread!”

“I am a person! Yes! I’m human!”

The problem was that they had neither masks to conceal their identities nor information... nothing.

“Huh? Uh... Huh? Why does that person have three eyes? Huh? Huh? Oh, humansAlwaysHadThreeEyes! Sorry, I got confused. I’ll go buy another eye, honey.”

“Okay! Trade an ear for it!”

They followed a vendor and disappeared down the alley.

'... It’s already too late.'

That was how people went missing.

A chilling terror swept down my back.

But I couldn’t show it. Not in front of my coworkers.

Instead, I gritted my teeth and resumed walking, pretending to be calm.

“First, let’s get off this stree—”

“Mr. Roe Deer, over there...!”

Jang Heoun pointed at something with a trembling hand.

It was...

A “person” passing right beside us.

A high school student, anxiously looking around.

'Damn it.'

“Here...!”

Jang Heoun rummaged through his bag and pulled out a black cloth face mask. He approached the student and thrust it out without preamble.

“Put this on.”

“Wh-what...?”

'One wrong move and this could go to hell...!'

I stepped in immediately.

“Stay calm. Put the mask on quickly, and walk quietly. Ignore anyone talking beside you.”

“What... Oh.”

“Avoid looking around as much as possible. You need to act natural, as though you’re just here for fun.”

Perhaps the Silver Heart Badge I wore exerted some influence; sensing that something was seriously wrong, the student reflexively accepted the mask Jang Heoun offered.

“Do not close the Death Row app, and complete 10,000 steps. Then you can get out.”

“...”

The student stared at us with an expression mixing suspicion, anxiety, and wariness, then finally turned and ran in the opposite direction.

“Ah...!”

Jang Heoun seemed about to call out, but reconsidered after glancing around. The student was already far away, and Kang Ihak was simply watching with a smile.

“...”

And I thought I knew another reason, too.

“Um, but...”

Jang Heoun muttered in disbelief.

“Wasn’t that student... wearing a Segwang Technical High School uniform?”

“...”

Yes.

You could witness all sorts of things in this place.

Dead friends, family members who disappeared in childhood, victims killed in major accidents, passersby dressed in 1980s clothing, and even students attending schools that didn’t exist in reality.

Among the countless customers, sightseers, and... merchandise that had drifted into this alley.

But.

“Whatever we see here, I think it’s best to pretend we haven’t seen it. Avoiding attention is basic procedure.”

“Ah. Yes...!”

Jang Heoun took another deep breath.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Aw, I don’t think you need to be quite so tense. Like the manual said, let’s act as if we’re here for fun!”

Kang Ihak did have a point.

It is strongly recommended that you maintain a natural demeanor, as though visiting this shopping district with acquaintances for leisure.

“Still, let’s keep moving without letting our guard down.”

“Yes!”

We continued through the crowd, doing our best not to bump into anyone or stand out.

Step by step.

The app’s counter dropped with each footfall on the alley floor.

Then, the moment the thousands digit of the remaining step count changed:

Don’t Give Up on Your Body!

Steps Remaining : 8999

I spotted a gap between the stalls.

'A passage.'

A path leading into another, narrower alley.

There, the stalls gave way to proper shops selling an assortment of everyday necessities...

“We’ll turn in here.”

It happened just then.

“Ah, since we’re entering a new alley... why don’t we try acting a little more natural from here on?”

Kang Ihak cut in.

Hmm.

“Could you explain what you mean?”

Kang Ihak grinned.

“I mean, let’s try scoring some loot!”

“...!”

“I’ve seen quite a few Exploration Records about people buying decent... ‘items’ here. Why don’t we browse the market ourselves? That would look the most natural, after all!”

Openly shopping, huh.

“...! But the manual said to avoid that if possible...”

Jang Heoun was right.

Purchasing goods deemed helpful to the exploration is not prohibited by the manual, but is not recommended.

Any risks arising from such purchases are ineligible for workers’ compensation.

That last line was a scumbag thing to say, but there was a clear reason the manual discouraged it.

The high likelihood of impulse purchases.

The longer we walked, the more this street made tempting shops and products catch our eyes.

Employees who gradually lost their reason, as though bewitched by this bizarre place, would often snap things up, dangers be damned.

Even though the price wasn’t paid in ordinary money.

For Kang Ihak to bring it up anyway...

'What’s she after?'

It meant she definitely had something up her sleeve.

“Ah, politics! The variety show of everyday life.”

“But back down, and it becomes a documentary. We can’t have that. Let’s go, Mr. Roe Deer!”

'Ugh.'

I’d thought I was finally meeting someone new and getting acquainted, but here we were again...

'Can’t be helped.'

I grinned at Kang Ihak.

“Let’s do that.”

“...!”

“A little window-shopping sounds good.”

“Oh! You were thinking the same thing, Supervisor! Right?”

“Yes.”

Then I casually raised my hand and pointed.

At a certain shop nearby that I knew very well.

“How about that one?”

Raw Food Butcher Shop

: A shop displaying living organs and body parts.

Identifiable by its red and blue lights and the proprietor sitting in front of the window wearing a blood-soaked apron.

“...”

“...”

“The merchandise looks good. Let’s hurry inside.”

I started toward the butcher shop.

“...?!”

The strategy was known as “You can’t reason with a crazy motherfucker”...!