Chapter 169

Chapter 169.

"And so~!"

Do-hyeon raised a thumb.

"I've landed a role!"

"Isn't that corruption?"

At Do-heon's mutter, Seung-jae nodded.

"Sure is. Illicit solicitation."

"Parachute appointment?"

"Personnel disaster, preferential hiring, pulling strings...."

Seon-hae cut off the two Kwons.

"That's not the point right now. Mr. Cha, for real? You sweet-talked a five-year-old into passing an audition?"

"No, how... Mr. Cha, I never thought you'd stoop to that with sweet little baby-faced Mr. Yeon-woo...."

As Seon-hae and Gyeong-yeon vehemently condemned him, Do-hyeon was baffled.

"Did you all forget he's not a person?"

"Don't disrespect our Mr. Yeon-woo."

"This really is enchantment, isn't it?"

Do-hyeon protested "is he seriously not a fox Dokkaebi?" in bewilderment. Seung-jae, who'd harbored similar suspicions, jumped on it.

"Right! I've been saying it's a fox! No matter how you look at it, fox blood runs in those veins!"

Do-heon watched his uncle leap up and declaim with a peculiar look.

"You keep saying that, but aren't Traditional Dokkaebi the folktale kind? The ones born when people pour feelings into something for a long, long time... that sort of... thing."

"Your tiny adorable brain tried hard there, nephew."

"So why does it follow the path of animals?"

"It's similar to how mages follow the path of elements, but it's complicated to explain."

"By that logic, do Dokkaebi include things like nine-tailed foxes?"

Do-hyeon answered that one.

"Korea doesn't have any, but Japan does."

"Oh, for God's sake."

Do-heon decided to just stop asking.

"Inner peace... my inner peace...."

"Hoo."

The owl, suddenly subjected to a belly-absorption, wore an expression of pure contempt but didn't resist. Its white feathers were plush enough that Do-heon's face, buried in them, was nearly invisible.

Do-hyeon shrugged at their reactions and spoke.

"What matters is that the role I've secured is 'friend.'"

"That's still hard to wrap my head around...."

Gyeong-yeon asked.

"Where exactly does the 'role' you're talking about belong? My script, or this place's existing one?"

"It depends, but in this case, both."

Do-hyeon shrugged.

"It's confusing, I know, but my method is inherently variable-heavy. Ms. Hong, you just need to listen to Director Seon-hae and me chatter and write the script."

"I genuinely don't understand. You're remarkably honest about that."

"Again, what matters is that my role is 'friend.' Meaning the influence I can exert on this labyrinth isn't trivial."

He looked at Do-heon, Seung-jae, and Hyeon Si-gyeong.

"So."

Do-hyeon grinned.

"Everyone get some sleep?"

"Feels like I literally just shut my eyes."

"Time to move again."

"Ah, and it's just us going?"

"We're non-combat types, after all."

"That feels really unfair."

Do-heon waved his gun.

"Does holding a gun make me look like a combat type? I'm Detection System."

"If you can fight, you're combat."

"Then why do Gaps people even bother with system classifications?"

"Fundamentals matter even in applied work, you know?"

The short, heavy rest was over. The Room 1209 living room table was strewn with torn memo pads, a fountain pen, and strange paper bundles Do-hyeon had apparently scavenged overnight.

Jet-black paper bundles. And--

"Let's have a look."

--paper birds folded from them.

Do-hyeon flicked a stiff, black-painted paper bird with his fingertip.

"A script brimming with our on-site director and writer's expert consultation is complete."

Seon-hae and Gyeong-yeon looked at Do-hyeon.

"This is the first I'm hearing of it."

"Nobody told me."

Do-hyeon said coolly.

"Don't overthink it--it's basically cue sheets."

"What?"

"Think of it as a live script. It's real-time."

"You're running this on the fly?"

"Time isn't exactly abundant."

"What do you mean by 'time'...?"

Hyeon Si-gyeong, who'd been quiet throughout, spoke.

"The longer this takes, the harder it'll be for the General Manager to maintain 'neutrality.'"

"Oh, then we gotta do it. Let's try these cue sheets."

Do-heon was incredulous.

"This paper bird is actually going to work as a navigation system?"

"If we follow in person, we'll only draw the hotel system's attention."

"Didn't you say the General Manager is neutral?"

"I said yesterday too--this hotel has two owners."

Just because the 'General Manager' looked the other way didn't mean the 'hotel' would. Do-hyeon nodded.

"I'll be watching from this room how the labyrinth unfolds, and our birds will deliver tactical briefs on schedule. You just need to read them and act well."

"This is literally fantasy."

Seon-hae said, looking tired.

"Be careful out there. We'll support as much as we can from here."

"Don't worry, we're grateful for the brain power~"

Seung-jae cheerfully grabbed his revolver. The white owl on Do-heon's shoulder puffed up and called out low. Amid the urging voices, Do-heon rose after a moment's hesitation.

Seon-hae, watching the boy, started to say something, then stopped.

"......"

Then she smiled.

"Be safe out there."

"Huh? Oh, yes ma'am."

Do-heon bowed awkwardly, and Seung-jae tossed him his bag.

"Let's go, nephew."

"Is this what commuting feels like?"

"Hate it?"

The hotel quest resumed.

***

"Well then, let's set the board."

"Finally seeing you work."

"Got a grudge against me, Ms. Hong?"

Do-hyeon leaned back on the sofa and waggled his fingers. The memo pad and fountain pen on the table slid toward Gyeong-yeon. Gyeong-yeon's eyes were stolen by the genuinely 'magical' sight.

Savoring the reaction, Do-hyeon spoke.

"Stage is already set, and our supporting cast will be hard at work in the basement soon. Just send instructions on schedule and we're golden."

"How do you know there's a basement... no, wait, how is my writing going to actually affect reality? I have zero intuition for this."

Gyeong-yeon asked with a skeptical look, and Do-hyeon grinned at her.

"Making what you write become reality is my ability. This is admittedly tough solo, but this place so kindly has excellent couriers to deliver the 'script.'"

His gaze drifted to the air.

The space held paper birds entirely different in character from the white owl that had sat on Do-heon's shoulder--jet-black paper birds, as if they'd crawled from shadows, drifting through the room.

"My little ones are already flying all over the hotel. What they feed me in real time appears right here, on this...."

Tap. He tapped the black paper.

"'Existing script.'"

The instant Do-hyeon's finger touched, white text filled the paper densely.

"Specially treated paper. Through this, we can create both the existing script and the revised script. Now then, Director and writer, please contribute."

"I genuinely have no idea what's happening...."

"Don't stress. It really is a script."

"That's exactly why it's absurd."

Gyeong-yeon stared at Do-hyeon in disbelief, but soon gripped the pen. Do-hyeon said, oh, and added.

"By the way, that pen has voice recognition."

"What fountain pen has voice recognition?"

"It'll transcribe everything."

"Oh, for f--"

As the 'dialogue' appeared on the memo pad verbatim and Gyeong-yeon clutched her hair--

"......"

"...Ah, right now."

Seon-hae, who'd been reading the 'Black Script' alongside her, spoke.

"Looks like they've arrived."

***

> [SYSTEM] Entered the B1 boiler room corridor.
> Heavy mechanical thrumming and bubbling steam fill the air.
> [SYSTEM] The witch, enraged by the loss of the first 'memento,' is furious.
> [SYSTEM] Map-wide [Hostile Environment: Witch's Thorns] applied.

"Wow...."

The corridor to the boiler room was choked with stifling heat and damp mildew. Do-heon picked his way carefully around the red blood and black thorned vines that covered the floor.

"Fuck, stepping on those would put a hole through my foot."

"Hooeng."

"This kind of reminds me of the Back○○ms."

Just then, the owl flew up and landed on Do-heon's head.

"Oh...."

A cool sensation washed over him.

"I keep noticing this--is it doing something?"

"Hoo."

"Still can't interpret that."

"Hooo."

"Why does it feel like I'm being scolded?"

That was when Seung-jae, walking ahead, stopped dead before a massive, rust-red main pipe.

"Uncle? Why now?"

"Rawi."

"...? What... Rawi?"

Do-heon frowned at the unfamiliar word, but Seung-jae continued.

"Someone's calling me from beyond that pipe. Can you open the door? Can you? If you come in, you'll be torn apart. Torn apart. Someone's calling me from beyond that pipe."

"Uh...."

"Someone's calling me from beyond that pipe. Can you open the door? Can you? If you come in, you'll be torn apart. Torn apart. Someone's calling me from beyond that pipe."

"Um...."

"Someone's calling me from beyond that pipe? Someone's calling me from beyond that pipe? Someone's calling me from beyond that pipe? Someone's calling me from beyond that pipe? Someone's calling me from beyond that pipe?"

"Fuck."

Do-heon's face twisted. The edges of his vision rippled red.

> [SYSTEM] Party member 'Kwon Seung-jae' status abnormality detected!
> [Madness Stage 2: Auditory Hypersensitivity and Regressive Anxiety]

'Stage 2?'

It had been Stage 3 before. It was actually lower now?

'Something feels off.'

Just as the dissonance pricked his neurons--

"! Urk,"

FLUTTER--!

"A b-bird?"

"Hooeng."

A bizarrely stiff black paper bird swooped in.

The black vines on the floor tried to coil around the paper bird and incinerate it, but the white owl perched on Do-heon's shoulder was faster.

"Hooo--."

The owl shot upward and snatched the paper bird with a raptor's agility, then dropped it far from Seung-jae.

Then it looked at the slowly approaching Seung-jae and cried again.

"HOO--!!"

"GAAH."

Genuinely feeling scolded, the dazed Do-heon whipped around and sprinted toward the owl. Being light on his feet, dodging Seung-jae's hands wasn't hard.

Having scrambled up the pipes entirely, he grumbled.

"Seriously, why does it only scold me...."

"Hoo."

"I honestly don't know what it's saying, but I can feel the expression."

"Hoohoo."

The owl seemed to say 'shut up and do your job,' then settled on his shoulder.

Do-heon looked down at Seung-jae, shambling below like a vacant zombie, then at the paper bird on the floor.

> Pick up the paper bird on the floor? [Yes / No]

"So this is, in other words, from that Cha Do-hyeon guy's...."

"Hooo."

> [Yes]
> Acquired [Someone's Hastily Scrawled Cue Sheet].

"This really doesn't feel like the right development."

It wasn't exactly Zhuge Liang's secret stratagem pouch.

'It's weirdly funny, though.'

Do-heon picked up the crumpled paper bird and unfolded it. Inside the creased paper, three different people's handwriting was jumbled together in chaos.

"So this has some kind of survival tips written in it...."

Do-hyeon: (reading the existing script) The White Crow is livid. For a classical labyrinth's stage, the plotting's soggy and above all boring. I can't fathom why it's acting this stupid. Punching Black Magic barriers to get paper birds through is no small feat either... Anyway, our expedition members should watch out for hallucinations.

Seon-hae: (frantically grabbing Gyeong-yeon) Ms. Hong! You read this script? Then you can see it's definitely a trap, the pipes are about to burst everywhere! Master Nakdo's lost it, he's a total ocean sunfish! Tell that man to cover his ears right now! Tear his pockets open if you have to! Huh?! Figure out how to break through and...!!

Gyeong-yeon: (being yanked by Seon-hae) It's writing itself without me! Look, it's actually auto-transcribing! Everything we say is being written right now! Please, Director!! Just because I'm the one holding the pen doesn't mean a survival manual script is going to magically...!!

Do-hyeon: Well, this is a complete mess.
Seon-hae: Mr. Cha, do something!!
Do-hyeon: I told you to focus moderately. See, she is enchanted.
Seon-hae: Am I the only one freaking out here?!
Do-hyeon: It's not like I can knock her out.

"......"
"......"

Do-heon and the owl held a grave silence.

"...?"
"??"

What am I looking at?

***

"...?"
"??"

The General Manager and Coco felt similarly.

"Was this how things were supposed to go?"

"Yesno?"

"Agreed."

My horror hotel simulation game.