Saint U's 'Peek-a-Boo'.
According to the middle schoolers, this was the final album by a famous girl idol group that made a grand comeback a few years ago after a long hiatus.
The song was upbeat, addictive, and cheerful, lingering on the music charts for a long time.
Now, that very song echoed through the dark, fog-filled forest, accompanied by clapping hands in rhythm.
Clap.
"My sharp gaze catches you in an instant, but I don't plan to make the first move…"
"I'll wait patiently, pretending I'm not interested until you approach."
"Cuz predators never move first…"
Even the adults clumsily joined in, trying their best to sing along.
Clap.
"Alright, get ready. I'm the elegant tiger waiting for you to come closer— Peek-a-boo!"
The lively, energetic melody continued.
Maybe because everyone was singing together, the kids' expressions began to relax, and their voices grew stronger.
"Peek-a-boo! Here I come, so get ready! I'm the tiger. My eyes sparkle even in the dark!"
– 'Walk along the path while offering the song, with the sacrifice at the back of the line.'
But at the end of the line, instead of a person, a tiny purple wild ginseng dangled like a little bundle, swinging as it hung from a stick. The security sergeant held the stick over his shoulder as if it were a garbage bag, with the ginseng swaying at the back.
Go Seonha kept glancing at it suspiciously from the side, but the ginseng itself seemed to be enjoying the song, humming along cheerfully.
"Peek-a-boo! I'll entrance you, make you lose your mind. Peek-a-boo, so get ready."
Clap.
I signaled for everyone to stop.
'The thirtieth step.'
The group paused, then awkwardly bowed deeply before standing back up. The song continued.
"Peek-a-boo!"
The narrow path gradually leveled out, making it easier to walk.
– 'When the song ends, so does the path. When you find a small snake hole in a place with no grass, express gratitude for Sangun-nim's mercy and reach inside.'
– 'Make sure your hand is covered in the well water mixed with salt.'
By the time we reached the final chorus of the second verse, the surroundings began to change.
The trees that had been packed so densely were thinning, and the fog grew even thicker.
Everyone sensed it instinctively.
'We're almost there…!'
The expressions on their faces were a mix of tension, anticipation, and caution.
But they remained calm, singing the song to the very end.
"Peek-a-boo, so get ready…"
Clap.
And with that final line—
"Now I'm coming closer."
Our footsteps halted.
"..."
"..."
The path had ended.
Ahead, the narrow trail opened into a wide clearing.
"There… there are no trees."
Our steps quickened. And through the thick fog, the final result of the ritual appeared before us.
"Now, the snake hole should be…!"
It was a massive reservoir.
"..."
"..."
'What is this?'
An expanse of dark water stretched before us, the fog endlessly rolling over its surface.
The group halted, faces filled with confusion and terror, as if they couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
"W-Why…"
"T-There was supposed to be a snake hole, but… w-what is this…?"
What was going on?
What went wrong?
I looked at the ginseng the security sergeant was carrying.
…It was still there, perfectly intact.
'It should've disappeared… right?'
Go Seonha, her face pale with fear, murmured—
"…Water ghost."
"...!"
The words I'd heard a few hours ago rushed back to mind.
'The changgwi are ghosts cursed by tigers and bound to serve them, but… historically, the term also referred to water ghosts.'
"It was a trap! The ritual itself was a trap! We were lured by the water spirit…!"
"Ahhh!!"
"We were all led here, right to the reservoir…!!"
Section Chief Lee screamed, stumbling backward as he tried to run, only to trip. The children began to whimper, clutching onto each other and screaming in panic.
I felt a chill down my spine, nearly falling to my knees.
It was like being in the final scene of a horror movie, where every character faces impending doom.
"..."
'Are we really going to die here…?'
…No.
NO!!
At the very least, I needed to understand why.
I couldn't think of any mistake we'd made within the information we'd been given. Even considering every exploration log I'd read from the Exploration Records, nothing indicated we'd gone wrong. A sense of frustrated disbelief overtook my fear.
Go Seonha's panicked voice echoed in my ears.
"Turn around, let's run back. Back to the abandoned house…!"
…Wait.
Hold on a second.
I turned to Go Seonha.
"…Do you know something?"
"What?"
"The abandoned house is a trap, too."
"…What?"
"Think about it. Isn't it strange?"
Slowly, I pointed out the intended contradiction of this ghost story.
"It's strange, don't you think? We're lured into this place by the changgwi, yet we're supposed to feel safe in an abandoned house with protective talismans that supposedly keep the changgwi out."
"..."
"And that same house just happens to contain a ritual for escaping? Conveniently spelled out for us?"
This was exactly why interpretations of this abandoned house were split in the wiki's comment section. But I was almost certain now.
'This story was designed from the start to slowly drain people's sanity.'
The intended reasoning went like this—
"They lock people up in this abandoned house during the full moon, pushing them to their limits and weakening their spirits."
It dangles the hope of a 'ritual' in front of them, leading people to endure a state of mental breakdown while clinging to that hope.
"That makes it easier to lure people in."
And the most decisive part…
"If they make a mistake during the ritual, all the better. But even if they don't, it doesn't matter."
I looked at the wild ginseng.
"The process of choosing a sacrifice is bound to create conflict, leading to at least one dropout. They're guaranteed to 'claim' a sacrifice."
"..."
"Of course, the ritual is real. That way, people are more desperate to cling to it."
After all, this is the [location name].
You can't just throw in too many convenient plot devices. It breaks immersion and ruins the suspense. The ritual itself has to be genuine. That's why I had full confidence in performing it, but…
"That only raises more questions."
I've read a lot of ghost stories.
In fact, I've read every single ghost story uploaded to the [platform].
Some were hard to get through, but reading them became part of my daily routine at work, so I've read them multiple times.
In the process, I picked up a few bits of obscure knowledge…
Here's an example.
"Peach branches are commonly known to ward off spirits."
"So?"
"And plums are a favorite fruit of the changgwi. That's probably why both of these materials were required."
"…Ah."
"Lure the changgwi to the shrine, and while it's there, the person conducting the ritual uses the peach incense to escape."
I looked up.
"But then, isn't it odd that someone here seemed uncomfortable with the peach incense and overly drawn to the plum?"
"..."
Among seven people, only one kept staying close to the security sergeant at the back of the group, as if wanting to keep as far away from the peach incense as possible.
"Go Seonha-ssi."
I looked directly at her.
"Are you sure you're speaking of your own will?"
"…What are you implying?"
It's possible that…
The real Go Seonha may have failed the ritual in the shrine long before she ever met us…
"Isn't it actually the changgwi that's speaking to us through you right now, Go Seonha-ssi?"
The group froze.
"You figured it out."
Go Seonha's mouth stretched into a grotesque grin.
But it's too late! Too late!
Her arms began to elongate, reaching out toward me with a strange fluidity, trying to grab and pull me closer…
'ACK!'
I rolled to the ground, dodging her outstretched arms.
Behind me, the screams of Section Chief Lee and the children echoed in terror.
"Ahhhh!!"
"G-Ghost!"
Instinctively, I pulled a knife from my front pocket. This isn't a full changgwi—it's a person possessed by one, which means I might be able to subdue her…
But I realized something.
'I can't get close enough to use it!'
With a short-range weapon like this, I'd have to get right up to a possessed person's face! I already feel like I'm about to faint!
But my brain, running on adrenaline, instantly found the right person for the job.
"Sergeant!"
I tossed the weapon toward the figure standing behind me.
"Please subdue her!"
Whoosh.
The Bloodsucking Knife cut through the air.
"…Ah."
The security sergeant caught the knife and, after a brief glance, immediately lunged at the changgwi-possessed person.
Hihihi!!
Go Seonha's face and arms twisted into a bizarre, hideous form, sprouting the distorted features of countless men, women, and children—arms, faces, strands of hair, and eyes pointing in all directions.
Please, please, help me!
"Eeeek!"
"Get back and close your eyes!"
Section Chief Lee scrambled backward with the children, huddling on the mountain path.
Can you hear me? Somebody, help me!
At that moment, the security sergeant's appearance started to distort too. A monstrous form.
His once-slender upper body swelled to an enormous size, his mouth extending into a snout with a tongue that lashed out, brutally snapping the changgwi's long arms.
Aaaaagh!
No… it was an illusion. The security sergeant looked just like a regular human.
But then again, he seemed like some monstrous creature…
'Wow, this is insane.'
I managed to shift my focus.
The reason the Security Team was so adept at handling the Darkness. And the reason they weren't part of the field investigation team. It was becoming clear right in front of me.
[Security Team]
: One of the three teams under the Security Division of Daydream Inc., a major department featured in the [system]. This team is comprised of employees who have been so heavily tainted by certain anomalies that they are no longer classified as human. Employment is for life, and resignation is impossible.
Did you know?
If you're no longer classified as human, even if you clear a ghost story, the Dream Essence Collector won't be filled.
There's no investigative value in it.
That's why people who have practically merged with ghost stories, becoming almost monstrous themselves, were assigned to the Security Team.
Especially… those affected by particularly violent or territorial ghost stories…
It hurts! It hurts!!
…They're assigned to the Security Team to handle significant issues with company-managed Darkness.
'…And if he's the sergeant of that team, he's no different.'
In short, he's an employee specialized in confronting the monsters within these ghost stories.
Gaaaaahh!
The changgwi's many arms were torn apart by the sergeant's jaws, claws, and teeth, stretching from his maw like a monstrous, serpentine tongue. Drooling saliva and blood dripped from the mouth that had transformed into a wolf-like snout lined with countless fangs. The illusion flickered in and out of my vision.
'…Wolf?'
For a brief moment, I saw the illusion of countless teeth in his elongated jaw, dripping with saliva and blood, before it vanished.
A wave of dizziness and nausea washed over me, and I quickly averted my gaze to the ground.
'This feels like a nightmare.'
I began to understand why the Security Team always evacuated people when they subdued ghost stories in the [system]. Despite the risks, things were progressing smoothly.
"Keep your eyes closed!"
I urged the others as I kept my gaze down, bracing myself. Then, in the next moment—
– Oh, Mr. Roe Deer, it seems that peculiar guest you brought won!
It was over.
When I looked up, the changgwi lay on the ground, the Bloodsucking Knife embedded in its right hand.
Standing over it was the distorted, monstrous form of the security sergeant, gripping its head tightly.
– Good riddance, a brute right to the core. If this had been my show, I'd never let it on as a guest!
I'd never been so grateful that only I could hear Braun's voice. I mustered a calm voice and addressed the sergeant, who was still gripping Go Seonha's head.
"Thank you, Sergeant."
"Urrgh…"
– He says he's tired. How rude!
You're scarier for translating that monstrous growl…
But then, at that moment.
A faint, muffled sound came from under the sergeant's hand. It was a human voice.
"W-Wait, please…"
"...!"
Somehow, Go Seonha's face had returned to normal, her expression one of pure terror as she moaned weakly.
"P-Please help me… save…"
Leave this child here…
"Uh, ugh…"
Her eyes rolled back, and the changgwi's voice took over again.
Only you need to die… Hm? Right? You deserve to die. You killed people. You tried to kill the children. I know everything. You deserve to die.
Go Seonha struggled.
"No, no…"
Just leave her behind. Leave her, yes? Hmmmm?
"Please, save me, save me! Aaaah!"
At that moment—
"Tell me,"
The sergeant's voice, now sounding human, asked, "Did you formally request emergency rescue from [company name]?"
I couldn't see his face beneath the monstrous form, but his voice clearly posed the question directly to Go Seonha.
"This is an official request requiring a signed contract… isn't that… right?"
Something about it felt off.
Go Seonha, dazed, looked up, then seemed to snap back, responding in a desperate tone.
"Ri—"
Wait.
"No, it isn't."
I intervened, forcing the words out.
"This Darkness isn't under Daydream Inc.'s jurisdiction, we didn't enter to rescue civilians, and more than that, there was mutual assistance on both sides."
"Huh…? Weird…"
The sergeant's voice dropped, dangerously low and growling. "Wasn't she trying to prevent us from escaping…?"
Gaaasp.
"…That doesn't matter, sir. In the end, she helped us."
I spoke firmly.
"Which makes this cooperation."
"..."
The sergeant stared at me, then looked down at Go Seonha…
"Ah… is that so…"
"..."
"Maybe that's correct…"
Srrrk.
His voice relaxed, falling back to its usual tone of casual indifference.
'Huuu.'
I'd intervened because something felt off, and it seemed I'd made the right call.
'It's best not to get entangled with Daydream Inc…'
Especially to end up indebted to them. Just the thought gave me a terrible feeling.
"Hm… so what should we do now…"
"One moment please."
I approached Section Chief Lee Byeongjin, who was standing back with his eyes closed, holding onto the kids. He flinched at the sound of my footsteps.
"Eeeek! Are you here to… take me instead…?"
"The incense burner."
"Huh…?"
"Hand it over."
I took the incense burner from him. Although the peach incense had already burned away, the ashes remained intact inside.
'The changgwi didn't like the peach branches.'
If that's the case…
I poured the ashes over Go Seonha's shoulder.
AAAAAAHHHHHHH!
Sizzle.
Though the ashes weren't especially hot, the smell of burning and salt filled the air as smoke rose from her shoulder.
I won't go! I won't! I'll cling on again! I'll cling on… Aaaaagh!
I poured the remaining ashes over her head.
Her body, possessed by the changgwi, convulsed wildly and then—
Gaaasp —
Her eyes flew open, filled with clarity and relief.
It was Go Seonha.
"I-I'm okay now! I think I'm… fine…"
"No, you're not."
"Excuse me?"
"This is a place we were lured into by the changgwi, so there's a chance it could come back for you anytime."
"T-Then…"
"Let's make sure it can't possess you again, just in case."
"...?"
I had brought an extra pack of the apple juice with me.
I handed the sealed pack to Go Seonha.
"Uh…?"
"Drink it all at once."
I insisted, and although she looked confused, she reluctantly took it and began gulping down the juice while lying subdued on the ground. And a moment later—
She slumped over, falling into a deep sleep like the ginseng.
Phew.
"At least that's taken care of…"
"You can let go now."
"..."
The security sergeant released his grip and, with a faintly amused voice, asked, "Thinking of switching departments…?"
"No thank you, sir."
Please, spare me.
After thanking the security sergeant once again, who had thankfully returned to a more human appearance, I went over to check on Section Chief Lee and the kids, who were still tightly shutting their eyes.
"You can open your eyes now. It's safe."
"Ah…!"
Relief washed over Section Chief Lee's face, but he quickly shot a worried glance at the kids and whispered to me with a desperate expression.
"But now what? How are we supposed to find the way out…?"
"..."
"Dawn is almost here!"
I looked up at the sky.
Through the hazy fog, it seemed like a faint light was beginning to filter through…
The full moon was nearly setting.
'There's no time to redo the ritual.'
But…
"We'll be fine."
"…What?"
"I believe we succeeded in at least half of the ritual."
I remembered how the path changed with each step as we sang and how the incense burned properly.
'Everything we prepared was correct.'
The ritual, strictly speaking, had two purposes.
To avoid the changgwi.
And to seek an escape route by appealing to Sangun-nim.
"It seems we fulfilled the second purpose."
While the first purpose failed due to the changgwi's possession of one of our group members, bringing us close to the water's edge…
"Maybe there's an exit somewhere nearby."
"...!"
We clustered together and began searching in the dense fog, moving away from the water's edge toward the open clearing closer to the mountain. We searched around where the ritual path had ended.
– 'If you find a small snake hole in a place with no grass, express gratitude for Sangun-nim's mercy and reach inside. Make sure your hand is coated in well water mixed with salt.'
'A place with no grass… a place with no grass…'
And then, a few moments later—
"I-I found it!"
"...!!"
One of the middle schoolers spotted a small hole under a tree. A shaft of moonlight pierced through the fog, shining directly onto the dark hole, as black as ink.
"..."
The snake hole.
I quickly had everyone dip their hands in the saltwater, not caring about the fear or hesitation that gripped us.
"Hurry, hurry."
Just before dawn, we each reached our hands into the snake hole.