Ch.8Department Store

I’ve heard about astronaut training. They take a plane up high, and when it reaches maximum altitude…they turn off the engines. Something about inertia and acceleration creates a momentary state of weightlessness.

Drrrrrrrr-

The elevator plummets rapidly downward.

“We’re almost there!”

How long had it been? Everything stopped, leaving only the red light indicating the floor number.

[2E*&!]

“Let’s get out.”

“…Okay.”

Park Sungjin immediately exits. I catch my breath and look around inside the elevator. First, I notice several buttons arranged like a control panel. Above them, sentences are floating.

[ARRAY]

[Set coordinates here. Z]

[Set floor levels here. 0-]

[Set ■■■ here. 0-14]

This feeling is strange. It’s not like seeing the sentences with my eyes, but more like they’re flowing directly into my mind. But the sensation is somewhat blurry. If I had to describe it as “seeing,” it feels like looking at something from a distance. Like if I squinted to focus, I might just make it out. That kind of image. I concentrated a bit more.

[ARRAY]

[Set coordinates here. A-Z]

[Set floor levels here. 0-ㅁㅁ]

[Set ■■■ here. 0-14]

A little more.

This time, a new sentence appeared below.

[Requests or queries without proper authorization may be rejected.]

[Warning: ■■■■■………..■■■■■■■■■■■■■]

Suddenly I felt dizzy and braced myself against the elevator wall. I was short of breath and everything went dark. Standing on trembling legs, I could see myself in the mirror. A high school girl in a tracksuit looking like she’s about to die. Ha. This is ridiculous…

“What are you doing?”

“……”

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m coming out.”

I barely managed to escape the elevator.

– The door is closing.

“If I’d known, I should have warned you about the sudden drop.”

“Shouldn’t you… have told me that anyway?”

“I thought of it as a bit of a courage test.”

What a patronizing old man. Fortunately, my breathing quickly returned to normal.

“If you’re feeling better, we’ll head out right away.”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

A dark space. Park Sungjin shines a large flashlight around.

“Tell me immediately if you see anything unusual.”

“What? Is this your first time here too?”

“It changes appearance every time I visit.”

I took out my flashlight too. The purpose of our exploration is to connect the internet network inside the apartment. But no matter how I look, there’s nothing resembling internet equipment. Gray concrete walls with peeling paint. Abandoned exercise equipment. Clothing donation bins. It just looks like a garbage dump.

“What is this floor even for?”

“Department store. You’ll find useful things here.”

“Then couldn’t we have gone to the 11th floor instead?”

“It’s a bit different. You can find more useful items here.”

Ah. I get the feeling now.

“So you found the electric generator here too? The one that maintains the 7th floor normally. What was it called again? You also got the Reality Anchor from here?”

“Yes. If we go deeper, we’ll probably find internet equipment too.”

Swoosh.

Park Sungjin shines his light toward me.

“There’s some kind of condition we need to meet for the entrance to appear. Duck down for a moment.”

“What?”

The light points toward the ceiling—

CRACK!

The flashlight violently strikes something behind me. Fragments scatter everywhere, and plastic parts roll across the floor.

[1/5]

“……”

“Flashlight. Give me yours.”

“Here.”

Park Sungjin takes the flashlight, then tosses his bag to me.

“There’s a crowbar in the bag, get it out.”

Hissssss—

A black figure lies on the floor. Irregular hexagonal crystal formations clustered together in a human shape. Red eyes and white teeth.

CRACK!

[2/5]

Park Sungjin has already dealt with another one. This time too, the flashlight shattered into pieces.

“Damn it. Hurry up and get it out!”

“I can’t see anything, how am I supposed to find it?!”

“Then just give me something long!”

“Found it!”

The weapon immediately passes to Park Sungjin’s hand. A gust of wind rises, followed by the sound of an enemy collapsing. Dull impact sounds echo in succession, and monsters fall helplessly.

[Bam-ba-ba-bam— Finished!]

[Congratulations! You may now enter the department store!]

Is this what being a veteran is like?

“Last time the condition was finding ticket fragments. It’s changed. Got any cigarettes?”

I wonder if this is just a habit of his, adding contextually irrelevant questions at the end of sentences.

“No.”

“Weren’t you originally a man? Don’t you smoke?”

“No. Never started because it’s expensive.”

“Wow… you should just live in that form forever then.”

“Look, I understand I can’t smoke, but what kind of comment is that?”

“Why? Isn’t it a good thing?”

“People around me wouldn’t recognize me, so it’s hardly good. I couldn’t survive outside like this.”

It’s literally true. If I went outside and said I’m Lim Dabin, who would believe me? Even my mother wouldn’t believe it. Since my body has changed, even DNA testing might be useless. Then I’d become a mental patient who thinks they used to be a man… rotting away in a psychiatric ward as an unidentified person. My worries ended quickly.

“We’ll think about what to do next after we get out. If we can’t get out of here, nothing else matters. Let’s find the department store entrance.”

“What does the entrance look like?”

“Didn’t you say you can perceive anomalies? You need to concentrate.”

“How can I concentrate when I don’t know what I’m looking for…”

In the darkness, Park Sungjin takes out his phone to provide light.

“Oh? I see something over there.”

“What does it say?”

Something like a sign appears floating in the air. Park Sungjin must have spotted it too, as he starts reading the contents haltingly.

“Upon entry… rules…”

[Follow these rules upon entry.]

– The rules of this space follow the specified format.

– Reference: TEMPLATE B11

“Follow these rules upon entry. What does that mean?”

“Wait. Don’t do anything.”

Park Sungjin takes out a notebook and pen and starts writing something. Meanwhile, the surroundings begin to change. From an old garbage dump to a department store. White floors. White pillars erected here and there, and sleek black counters. Lights fill the space, but somehow the interior remains gloomy.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

Two twins say the exact same words.

“Are you looking for something?”

“Are you looking for something?”

Tap tap.

“Here. Read the rules.”

This is a department store. We hope our customers enjoy their shopping experience, and we are doing our best to ensure that. If customers follow a few guidelines, you will be able to take your desired items and return home safely.

The rules below can be checked at any time by entering the reference address TEMPLATE B11 on a storage medium (paper, electronic device with a screen, etc.).

1. If you encounter twins in formal attire at the department store entrance, find the nearest lounge and rest for 5 minutes as if nothing happened. Do not speak to them or answer their questions.

1-1. If you have already responded to the twins, try your best to forget that fact. Thinking of classical music in your head might help.

2. If you feel someone watching you from behind the food stacked on the counters, do not check. Our staff will help you.

3. Do not run or shout. Not only is it disrespectful to other customers, but it may unnecessarily provoke the animal dolls.

Park Sungjin quietly moves forward.

“Customer? We’ll take care of any items you’ve brought from outside.”

“Customer? We’ll take care of any items you’ve brought from outside.”

He passes by them without any reaction, heading deeper into the department store. Now it’s my turn.

“You look nervous, are you alright?”

“You look nervous, are you alright?”

Closing my eyes while passing would probably count as a reaction too. I need to breathe as normally as possible. Just normally…

Step. Step.

I focused only on the sound of my footsteps while keeping my gaze fixed on a distant point. Just as I was about to pass the twins.

“I think she reacted?”

“Yes. She seems to be looking at us?”

The two look at each other. Their excessively pale faces with empty-looking eyes turn back toward me. Slowly.

Crrrrrack.

With the sound of twisting bones.

“I’m sure.”

“She saw us.”