Chapter 57: Chapter 57

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 57: The Uninvited Guest (2)

Throughout my life, I've met countless people.

Not just during my school days, but even after becoming an adult.

"Assistant Manager! How about lamb skewers instead of sushi? Manager Song isn’t too fond of seafood."

"Huh? You remembered that?"

Every time, I had to figure people out.

Those who wanted someone to approach them first.

Those who only wanted to talk about work in the office.

Those who needed their past achievements praised.

Those who wanted to mingle with younger people but still maintain their authority...

However, after the restructuring began, things became simpler.

Everyone was either beneficial or harmful to survival.

No in-between.

And these thirteen people?

"That student, and the person who saved us earlier... I feel like I’ve only been receiving help."

Which side were they on?

"I want to repay the favor somehow..."

"You don’t need to. I just did it, that’s all."

"I'm fine, too!"

When the man cautiously asked, Sola shook her head with a pale face.

Jaehyuk also responded with a contented smile.

At that, the man exclaimed, "Ah!" and snapped his fingers.

"If there’s something you’d like to eat, let me know. If I have similar ingredients, I’ll make it for you."

"Sir, are you a chef?"

"Well, I’m not sure if you know, but I used to be the head chef at the Haemil Hotel."

"Gasp! Really?!"

Sola’s eyes widened at the man’s words, and Yeojin, standing beside her, was startled and asked again.

"I specialize in Western cuisine, but I can make other dishes too. Anything in mind?"

"Ah, well… we..."

Yeojin glanced at me, seemingly seeking permission.

"The head chef of a hotel, huh."

Haemil Hotel... that’s the one right in front of Itaewon Station.

It might not be a five-star hotel, but to become a head chef in your early thirties must mean he’s recognized in the industry.

Food prepared by someone like that would surely be mouthwatering, but...

"Sir! What about you?"

"I’m good. I ate a lot earlier."

"If you’re not eating, I won’t eat either."

Until I confirm X’s identity, I can’t act recklessly.

Who knows what could be put into the food.

Accepting food from a stranger could be disastrous.

"Uh... Then I’ll pass too. Sola, what about you?"

"I’m good too."

At that, Yeojin and Sola shrugged, as if they had no choice.

"Ah... I see."

The chef scratched his head, seemingly not expecting such a reaction.

Then, one of the eight people from Itaewon raised her hand high and said,

"Oh! Then make something for me!"

She was one of the group of eight that came from Itaewon Station.

Her strikingly glamorous features, long legs under hot pants, and large hoop earrings made her stand out.

"Ah, sure. What would you like to eat?"

"Fresh fruits! Vegetables! I’m so desperate for them I could die!"

"Excuse me? That’s farming, not cooking."

"Uh... Is it really?"

The woman furrowed her brow slightly, then pursed and relaxed her plump lips.

"Ugh. I used to be so sick of them during diets, but now that I can’t have any, it’s driving me crazy. See? You never know what the future holds."

She turned to Yeojin and added,

"Right?"

Yeojin agreed enthusiastically and asked with sparkling eyes,

"Unnie, are you a model? You’re so pretty!"

"Oh, I’ve walked the runway a few times, but I’m not very famous. Still, I guess it shows?"

"Wow, amazing! I’ve never seen a celebrity before!"

Ah.

Come to think of it, I’d seen memories of fashion shows and performances before.

I didn’t pay much attention, thinking runway walking wouldn’t be particularly useful, but...

Anyway.

"A celebrity? No, no way."

Despite her words, the model waved her hands with a broad grin.

Meanwhile, the chef hovered awkwardly around her.

I glanced at the people who’d been staring this way for a while now.

‘I remember about half of them.’

Out of the thirteen strangers apart from those I’d been traveling with, I could vaguely recall the memories of six or seven of them.

It would’ve been better if I could remember everything, but this much was still beneficial.

The only regret?

‘I haven’t seen X’s face.’

X.

The one who used to kill people like flies even in a peaceful world.

The fact that they came in a group meant they were hiding their true form.

How could I catch them?

How...

* * *

"Let’s have Eunho’s team take the café, the Namsan team the souvenir shop, and the Itaewon team the restaurant for sleeping arrangements."

"Sounds good."

As evening darkened, the groups began settling into their designated sleeping areas.

I left the scene alone.

"Ah, I’ll just step out for a bit."

"Alright! Take care, hyung!"

─ Ding!

The elevator took me up to the Namsan Tower Observatory.

It was the office where I’d been abducted by the spirits after completing the 'Hunting' mission.

Or rather, it used to be an office.

‘They’re already gone.’

The once-library-like office was now empty.

It looked like a vacant space waiting for new tenants.

What a shame.

The proposal I’d received from them only covered the 'entrance exam' phase.

It had been useful for getting insights into upcoming missions, so I’d planned to intimidate them into handing over any other proposals.

"Is the project over?"

[Yep!]

[That’s right!]

I had suspected as much from their fading voices and the eventual disappearance of the barrier, but...

To think they’d leave so abruptly.

And even clear out all the papers and desks.

All that remained was—

Flutter!

A lone piece of paper on the empty floor.

「Monster. We’re leaving first.」

‘First?’

The paper had some incomprehensible words written on it, along with a drawing.

Eyes drawn slanted upwards, a mouth full of sharp, carnivorous teeth, and even horns sprouting from the head—a mysterious face.

Next to it, written in crooked handwriting:

「← Lee Eunho」

"...What is this?"

Hoping there might be some other meaning, I flipped the paper back and forth, inspecting it carefully.

Psssshhh!

Suddenly, a sound of air escaping came from somewhere.

Thud!

A metal chunk, about the size of a fist, fell to the floor.

"!!"

And then smoke started pouring out, just like a fire extinguisher.

My vision blurred in an instant.

Clatter! Click-!

The door locked itself.

Hack! Hack!

I coughed uncontrollably.

Covering my mouth with my sleeve, my eyes started stinging intensely.

‘Poison gas!’

「99%」

Numbers floated above the hand covering my mouth.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

「95%」

「94%」

「93%」

My stamina was visibly decreasing.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"This is fascinating."

A locked door from the outside.

A sealed room with only me inside.

Spreading poison gas.

A definite death flag, but...

I dragged my trembling legs to the shattered window.

Whoosh-!

The window I had smashed entirely while fighting those ghosts.

‘...Ha.’

Unfortunately, this place is no longer a sealed room.

‘They couldn’t have known. That all the glass walls of the Namsan Tower observatory were already broken.’

I took a deep breath of the cold night air, and my head started to clear.

My eyes still stung, but it was tolerable now.

Whooosh-!

The cold night wind hit me head-on.

Looking down at the ground, I saw no one.

No signs of life at all.

However.

"Yura, can Uncle ask you a favor?"

They would be somewhere down there.

Yura and Hanul, who I’d asked to hide and guard the tower entrance, would be waiting.

The enemy not opting for close combat was unexpected, but I had prepared for everything.

In fact, I was even grateful.

‘Thanks for acting according to plan.’

Since they were bound to attack anyway, it’s better to deal with them quickly.

But still, while setting up a trap was a good move...

Sssssssssssss-!

The wind blowing through the broken window pushed the smoke toward the locked door like a smog.

If I went through that, I’d face the enemy with half my stamina gone.

So...

‘I have to jump again, don’t I?’

From the Namsan Tower observatory.

[You have sent a gift to ‘Kim Jieun.’]

[You have sent a gift to ‘Choi Jaehyuk.’]

After sending messages to Jieun and Jaehyuk in turn, I stared down at the distant ground below, which felt even farther because it was night.

I thought back to the memory of my first jump from here.

‘That time, I summoned the door too quickly. If not for the vines growing in the cave, I might’ve been in serious danger.’

Summoning it too early results in a higher jump, while summoning it too late could lead to crashing into the ground.

For the safest outcome...

‘Not too early, not too late.’

"Summon."

I held the pass in my left hand, leaving my right hand free.

For the handle that would soon appear.

Then.

Leap!

I jumped without hesitation.

The sensation of gravity and the night wind hitting my entire body.

It almost felt like bungee jumping.

‘Though it’s a bungee jump without a cord.’

I’d heard somewhere before.

When falling from a great height, you usually die from a heart attack before hitting the ground.

I think I understand that now.

This feeling.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

My heart pounded as the ground rapidly approached.

I waited, waited some more, and just as it became unbearable...

‘Now!’

"Activate!"

[Activating pass for ‘Lee Eunho.’]

─ Flash!

I grabbed the handle of the iron door that appeared like a lifeline.

"Whew..."

My feet dangled less than a meter above the ground.

It was a close call.

A moment later, and my legs would’ve been shattered.

So this is what it means for your heart to feel like it’s in your throat.

Still, having done this twice now, I think I’m starting to get used to it.

...Or so I thought as I carefully touched the cold doorknob.

─ Thud!

I jumped down.

As I landed, Yura and Hanul appeared, as if on cue.

"Teacher! Are you all right?"

"Uncle! You went whoosh just now!"

"Ha ha... You saw that?"

While I ruffled Yura’s hair as she swung her arms in awe, I looked to Hanul for confirmation.

He answered, as if reading my thoughts.

"No one has gone in or out."

"And the elevator?"

"It hasn’t moved since you got off."

"Then they must’ve taken the stairs..."

What’s clear is that the person who tried to suffocate me is still inside.

They stayed in the tower with me the entire time, waiting for me to be alone.

Then, they followed me and released the poison gas.

"Not knowing we were already prepared."

Alright, time to make our move.

────── ──────

ㆍTo: Lee Eunho

ㆍFrom: Choi Jaehyuk

ㆍNo one has come out through the back door. I’ll watch a little longer and then return!

────── ──────

The front and back entrances are quiet.

────── ──────

ㆍTo: Lee Eunho

ㆍFrom: Kim Jieun

ㆍFive at Namsan, four at Itaewon. They’ve been together the whole time.

────── ──────

That leaves out the nine who were all together.

‘There were thirteen people who came today. That means the remaining four are the suspects.’

Just as I was about to ask Jieun to tell me who’s not here—

“...So what I’m saying is… huh?”

A familiar figure appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

“What are you all doing here?”

The hotel chef and a model, side by side.

And then, shortly after—

“It’s dangerous at night. Will you be okay?”

“Mm… I think some fresh air will make me feel better.”

A couple came down, grabbing their coats as if to go for a walk.

Exactly four people.

How convenient.

Hmm.

The numbers line up perfectly.

The problem is—

“What a cute kid. I didn’t see him earlier; how old is he?”

“Why is everyone gathered here? You’re not sneaking off to eat something delicious without us, are you?”

Their faces were calm.

None of them looked like someone who had just realized their secretly planned murder had ended in failure.

But—

“Can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Huh?”

“Is something wrong?”

The culprit is here.

This time, they’ve swapped a mask for a disguise.

“Huh? What’s this?”

At that moment, the last person appeared...

“…The foul-mouthed one?”

“Ugh! Seriously, stop calling me ‘foul-mouthed!’ My name is—”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Turns out there weren’t four—there were five suspects.

Anyway...

“Where is everyone coming from?”

Shall we get started?

A game of detectives.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]