I remember the first time I opened my eyes in the subway of Segwang Metropolitan City.
The relief of waking up in a human body, the confusion, and the chilling horror.
Even the misery of dying with a noose around my neck at the very end.
But at some point, all those sensations grew dull and numb.
'I'll come back to life anyway.'
Just like a game.
Even though what I went through in Segwang Metropolitan City was terrible, I never walked around with that same sharp, constant fear of survival I'd felt in the Darknesses—as if every step could break the ice beneath me.
At some point, I even started to think of dying by taking a euthanasia pill as just a means of transportation to the outside.
That unconscious complacency, thinking that there would be no casualties even in the worst-case scenario.
And so, I face the result.
The exploration members trapped in a ghost story, their consciousness remaining in their dead bodies.
…Deputy Manager Eun Haje and Agent Bronze.
[Oh, even in a dead body, they will be able to think and move as if they were alive in this place.]
[Even if their entire body rots away and only bones remain, they might be able to clatter
their bones and move. Or perhaps they won't be able to move as their nerves and muscles rot? Come to think of it, if the brain and bones are separated, we could even confirm which part the consciousness remains in!]
[Oh, my friend, it is heartbreaking, but is it not an interesting inquiry…?]
"..."
No.
No.
There must be a way. For it to end just like that is….
'Actually, it's a common occurrence in this world.'
I froze.
People going missing in ghost stories, dying, suffering fates worse than death, and even after death, their egos slowly collapsing in eternal agony.
Or enduring it all with a sane mind.
Weren't all those things, so chilling to even imagine, the very reason for this world's existence in the first place?
That's what the thrill of the
In the 'Exploration Records,' anyone could meet a terrible end beyond imagination.
Without any context or grand significance.
And if this is that end….
'No.'
I gritted my teeth. That's the Exploration Records, and this is reality. No, even in the
Exploration Record, I can change it if I add a plausible explanation![1]
'Something I can do.'
Something I can somehow try to do….
-Mr. Roe Deer. You are not a studio. The place you operate is not in this isolated location, so how will you 'release them from this place'?
I lifted my head.
At the single notice posted in the empty space, left after Delusion Home Shopping was 'foreclosed.'
Lease Inquiry
■■■■-■■■-■■■■■
"…What if I lease this place?"
[Oh!]
If I occupy this empty space in this Afternoon station.
"If I run this place like Delusion Home Shopping, I'll have a 'place I operate' in Segwang Metropolitan City. Then I can release the two of them from this 'place of operation.' Right?"
[A persuasive inference, Mr. Roe Deer!]
I immediately tried to read the contact number written under the lease inquiry.
■■■■-■■■-■■■■■
…I can't read it clearly. My head felt strangely muddled, and a wave of nausea washed over me.
But my hand was unconsciously dialing the censored number on my smartphone.
The unreadable, censored number was displayed on the screen, and I pressed the call button.
A strange, monotonous mechanical connection tone sounded.
Doo-woo-woo-woo-
Click.
-ThisistheBloodBroadcastingStationIfyouwishtoleaseaspacepress■Ifyouwishtorepayablooddebtpress■Ifyouwishtotoappearonabroadcastpress■
I pressed ■ to lease a space.
-ConfirmedWewillsendyouatextmessagewiththecostoftheleasedspaceatyourlocationThank
you
Click.
The call ended and a text message arrived.
The smartphone screen flickered bizarrely, the words blinking….
Leased Space: Commercial (Store and Office)
Payment Item: Fresh Blood (sentient being)
Security Deposit: 7999L
Monthly Payment: 59L
"…!"
I now understood why this station was named 'Blood Broadcasting Station.'
'The cost… is blood.'
A chill ran down my spine at the abnormality of it, not knowing if it was malice or a distortion.
[Hmm, quite reasonable. You'll take a slight loss in the process of converting gold to blood… but it's impressively cheap, as the location is poor!]
Cheap?
That?
They say a human body has roughly 4L of blood.
If so, that amount is equivalent to wringing out every last drop of blood from about 15 people….
"…If I use all my remaining survival prize money, except for the two daily employment contracts… can I buy that much blood for the deposit?"
[It would be difficult. You wouldn't be able to get even a fifth of it!]
"..."
[But do not worry….]
[You can just borrow from this Braun again, can you not?]
The one making the kind offer warmly placed a hand on my shoulder.
"..."
I lifted my head.
"…First, I'd like to make another lease inquiry."
[Excellent. How much would you like to borrow, my friend?]
"…More importantly, could you possibly relay my words to them, Braun? You're more of a business expert than I am."
[My, such an appropriate request is hard to refuse!]
"…Thanks."
I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead as I watched the host's gloved hand begin to make a call on my smartphone in the darkness.
…Actually, the first thing that came to mind was to pull money from the Resort.
'But I can't do that.'
It was impossible to pour in an even more astronomical amount of the Resort's currency.
'Because… that would have a negative impact on the Resort's operation.'
And I, as a Mascot, cannot commit an act that would openly cause a negative impact.
Sprinkling some currency and gifts fell under the category of promotion, so I had been doing it without issue, but the story changes when it reaches the level of a 'security deposit.'
This was just an isolated city subway station with almost no practical benefit for promoting the theme park.
'Investing that much money is impossible with the identity of a Mascot.'
And around that time, the same strange, emotionless voice I heard before started coming from the smartphone.
[I'm connected.]
"Thanks. Then, please ask this."
I swallowed.
"…Is it possible to lease only a part of the space? About 1/10th of the total area, no, 1/20th."
[Hoh!]
Yes.
'If I can't lease it all, a part of it should be fine.'
The important thing is that the place exists, and then the terms of the daily employment contracts can be naturally inherited…!
[They say it's possible.]
I clenched my fist.
[They say they will provide the security deposit and rent costs.]
And Braun informed me as follows.
Leased Space: Commercial (1-20)
(Store and Office)
Payment Item: Fresh Blood (human)
Security Deposit: 499L
Monthly Payment: 3L
[Hmm, it has become a modest sum.]
This is it.
It's not exactly 1/20th of the price, but I could definitely afford this much with my prize money.
[Shall I deduct it from your prize money, my friend?]
"…Yes. Please use that for the security deposit."
And at that moment.
The lease inquiry notice moved.
And in its place, a 'space' appeared.
"…!"
The notice that had been right next to the stairs had moved to the opposite wall, and a crimson line appeared inside the glass door where the notice had been attached.
A small, rectangular space.
It was the size I had spoken of leasing, an incomparably small space compared to Delusion Home Shopping.
And in the corner, a red mailbox had appeared.
Instead of its characteristic letter logo, the mailbox was covered with a crimson inverted cross, as if smeared with a finger dipped in dried blood.
And even a notice.
Blood Broadcasting Station Monthly Payment: Unpaid
It seemed this was where I was supposed to pay the rent.
In that case…
[Well then, will you be deducting the rent from your prize money as well?]
"Wait."
I began to pay the rent myself.
[…Mr. Roe Deer?]
I pushed my arm into the mailbox slot.
Then I took out the combat knife from the supplies I had brought and slit my arm.
My blood poured into the mailbox along with a jolt of pain.
"…!"
But with desperation and tension, even the pain wasn't that strong.
'This reminds me of what I did with the Blood Bath.'
I heard the sound of liquid dripping from my hand inside the slot.
[Good heavens, my friend! What are you doing?]
"Saving prize money."
Just before I was about to lose consciousness, I slowly drank a low-grade regeneration potion.
To recover gradually.
And only after the bleeding stopped did I pull my hand out of the box.
…It seems I paid about half.
"Braun, could you deduct only the amount of rent I haven't paid yet from my prize money?"
With this, I should be able to get more items from Delusion Home Shopping.
'I can't miss this chance.'
I had to do everything I could.
I can't be complacent anymore.
[Oh my god….]
[The viewers must be fainting. That must have made for a truly shocking thumbnail cut.]
I smiled bitterly. I heard Braun sigh and snap his fingers.
And….
Monthly Payment: Paid
As the inverted cross mailbox disappeared along with its mark, the lights came on in the small space I had leased.
"…!"
And at the same time, the huge Black Silhouette of the host that had been next to me in the darkness was gone.
But his voice, as always, remained by my side as a 'Good Friend,' continuing the conversation even in the bright space.
Still lamenting what I had just done.
[Yes. In any case, you now have a small space that you can operate, Mr. Roe Deer.]
[But what kind of shop will you run? More importantly… who will you entrust its operation to? My friend, who has much to do in this area, won't be able to be cooped up in a small shop running a business!]
[But if you were to sneak away that unsophisticated Caretaker from the Resort, your beautiful and humble Resort would be without a manager. They will end up calling for you….]
"..."
Regarding that, there was just one thing.
One method that came to mind….
I reached my hand into my tattoo.
And, from within, I pulled out the bisected corpse I still hadn't disposed of.
Kim Heo-un.
Shlk
…The new employee who had been sliced in two and killed by a Nameless Brilliant Cult executive in front of the Main Building elevator.
The one who grew up in the same facility as Jang Heo-un, who came back to life when Jang Heo-un's wish was granted with a Wish Ticket.
And.
-Just as you took in Jang Heo-un, could you take all of us in as well?
The person who had pleaded to be hired by me.
[Oh, but this is… a corpse, is it not? A corpse cannot sign an employment contract!]
That's right.
"But this person already verbally expressed his intention to join."
If so, I can conduct an 'interview' to ask if that intention remains unchanged.
If what I create here is a part of the 'Flower Golden Resort.'
If it is that magical space…
[Impressive! So… will you begin now?]
"..."
I nodded, then placed a hand on my chest while standing inside the 'space' I had leased.
And I called forth the Contamination of the 'Flower Golden Resort.'
The yellow Mascot.
The thick costume enveloped me, and the softness of that thick cottony mass settled in.
I w i l l s t a r t
I thumped my chest in a presentable, mascot-like way.
But inside the costume, my hands were trembling.
'Is this the right thing to do?'
To bring back someone who died miserably as something from a ghost story, just to save my companions?
Even though I clearly saw that even Jang Heo-un couldn't recover from the Contamination after he died, is doing something like this… really right?
I wondered if it would be better to call Jang Heo-un instead, but calling him would mean completely giving up on the possibility of him recovering as a human.
Sticking him here would mean stopping his treatment at the Disaster Management Bureau.
I felt like I was making an irreversible decision, but there was no other way. I had to somehow get the daily employment contracts today and free those two from their hellish end.
'I have to do it, I have to do it….'
I have to bear it.
And the Resort is a good place. I will treat my employees very, very humanely….
So let's do it.
H e r e
I raised a forepaw and declared.
R e s o r t
S o u v e n i r S h o p
The small space sparkled.
The magic of the Pleasant Theme Park began to imbue the place declared as a zone of the Resort.
A part of the terrible, fun, pleasant, and beautiful Resort.
The interior wasn't done yet, but the declaration alone was enough for now.
And I summon it.
The Resort Employee Employment Contract.
'....'
I looked down at the bisected corpse and asked his intention.
W i l l y o u w o r k ?
At that, the corpse began to join together.
The upper and lower halves attached, and a neat belt, as if for an interviewee, fastened between them, engraved with the Pleasant Theme Park logo.
Soon, color returned to his face, and a hairstyle and clothes suitable for a Resort job applicant wrapped around his body like winding tape.
And he opens his eyes.
H e l l o
I expect it.
That this person's dead ego, completely contaminated by the Pleasant Theme Park Resort, will react to me like a Mass-produced Mascot.
And so, I will operate this space using a dead person as an employee….
"Sir?"
....
...!!
"Sir? This place is… no, where on earth am I?Did you… hire me?"
A bewildered face.
A gentle expression and tone of voice.
And confused gestures and expressions.
I realize.
He is sane.
Not a contaminated, subservient mind.
"I'm sure, my waist was… uh, huh?"
His face paling as if he remembered being cut in half, Kim Heo-un fumbled at his waist, then lifted his head in expectation and tension, as if he understood.
"Did you… fix me?"
S o m e t h i n g l i k e t h a t
"Th-thank you."
And I realized.
That person recognized me as the Golden Mascot at a glance, even though he had only ever seen me in my 130666 form.
He's definitely not in a normal human state. But how can he seem so… rational and normal?
As if he's not contaminated….
'…Wait a minute.'
It was like a bolt of lightning went through my head.
Deputy Manager Minseong, too, had his ego restored as soon as he entered here in a state of extreme Contamination.
What if… that wasn't a condition limited to the living.
'No way.'
No way....
'....'
I called a name.
My employee, whom I could now summon through a 'connection' since a Resort zone now existed here.
B i s o n
[1] I’m assuming he means that he can edit it? kinda unclear