Chapter 124

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The Space Shopping Mall.

Otherwise known as the Alien Shop.

It was a bizarre website ghost story that sold expensive supernatural and mysterious items, which had allowed me to equip useful items and gear in the meantime.

But….

‘…The Lizard Leader is an alien from there?’

I tried to swallow my saliva but was startled upon realizing that I had no body.

Because it seemed Manager Lizard had entered my body right now.

So I asked instead.

It was a truly unbelievable question.

“…Are you the operator of the Space Shopping Mall?”

And the answer was….

-No.

Ah.

‘Then what kind of associate is he?’

I was a bit curious, but that was not what was important right now.

The situation was resolved.

‘Phew.’

I looked at my waiting room reflected beyond the CCTV-like field of vision.

The dark blue pools of water that had poured out were pooling on the floor and dispersing before I knew it, and the waiting room looked fine other than being slightly messy.

Somehow, though I didn’t know what it was, the situation seemed to have been resolved as I was bounced out and Lizard Leader entered.

Seeing as he was no longer spitting out water.

‘I am truly grateful for that….’

It was a relief that my body did not die thanks to Lizard Leader. Breathing a sigh of relief internally, I spoke.

“Anyway, thank you. Since it has calmed down now, I would like you to leave my body.”

-…….

“…Group Leader Lee Ja-heon?”

-Implementing the escape protocol via the emergency pager.

Abruptly, the field of vision moved.

“…?!”

Me, that is, Manager Lee Ja-heon moved and seemed to sweep all of my items on the table into the tattoo for storage.

Wait a minute, what are you doing right now….

-In three minutes, I will order a Holy Fire bombardment….

What?

“S-Stop it.”

What kind of crazy talk is this? Bombardment?

“I don’t know what it is, but why on earth are you using that right now?”

-As an option included in the emergency pager, we mobilize all exportable armed forces from the Union until the user is transported to a safe place.

-Mobilizing in the process of Mr. Kim Sol-eum’s escape….

“Therefore!”

This lizard… no, reptilian alien!

I spoke, feeling like gritting my teeth.

“I’m asking why I have to escape.”

The steps of the field of vision stopped.

I was just living a meaningful and fun life after changing jobs to this talk show, so I didn’t know why talk of escape suddenly came up.

It had already been over a month since I escaped Daydream Co., after all.

“I have adapted well to my new workplace and am doing fine without any particular problems. This is not even a dangerous situation.”

It was fortunate that it was break time now; if it had been in the middle of a meeting or the talk show, I didn’t know what kind of nuisance it would have been….

-I see.

Right. So if you’ve finished resolving everything, return my body to me…

-When was the last time you slept?

“…….”

That was…….

Before entering this talk show, which is to say….

A month ago.

-Animals must eat and sleep in order to survive.

“…….”

-That it is not necessary means you are closer to a supernatural entity than a creature of the natural world.

Which meant that I,

had become a ghost story.

“……No. I… am not polluted. I can think properly, and my ethical standards have not changed.”

-Is that so.

“Of course.”

-Why is there water pooled in the waiting room.

“That is because I ate a churros……”

-Do you mean the snack you stated you received at the Pleasant Theme Park?

“…….”

-Under normal circumstances, there is a high probability you would not have consumed food derived from the Dark without reluctance.

-Why did you press the emergency call button.

“……That was because water poured out like I was going to suffocate.”

-It is unnatural to press a bizarre escape button, whose origin and efficacy are unknown, in a suffocating situation.

– You agonized countless times over whether to press the button when you were in danger of dying on Samangdan-gil, but gave up upon your superior’s advice.

“But…”

-It is normal to request help from others.

“…….”

Was I… naturally using things from ghost stories like daily necessities before I knew it?

-You have become subordinate to this Dark.

“…! That, that is not true!”

That, at least, I could definitely refute.

“Even now, I can leave whenever I want. I only need to ask the host for vacation.”

-‘The host.’

-Did you originally refer to the talk show host by that title?

“…!”

B-But.

Even if he was a partner, Brown was the one hosting this talk show.

So wasn’t it only natural to call him the host with respect while working?

I was gradually starting to feel strange.

Manager Lee Ja-heon had certainly been my boss before, but now that I had resigned, he was merely an acquaintance. But was it right for him to interfere in my private life like this?

Shouldn’t I feel offended?

-Supervisor Kim Sol-eum.

But the one using my body right now was Manager Lee Ja-heon.

No!

“P-Please do not bombard. So many staff members are putting in effort to make this talk show.”

I spoke desperately.

“It’s not like the audience members die. So….”

-They do die.

“…….”

What did he just say….

-The people invited as audience members to this talk show receive a thank-you card the day after viewing. At this time, the card is sent to the media through which they applied to attend.

-And on that card, the method to meet the ‘especially impressive’ guest of that day’s talk show is written in detail.

“…….”

-Some audience members show a tendency to be completely enchanted by the talk show. Because of that….

-They willingly enter the Dark to meet the guest.

The thumping of my non-existent heart seemed to echo through my entire body.

I recalled the audience member I interviewed yesterday.

The… sight of the ‘Happy Ending Teddy Bear’ staring intently at that audience member who said they wanted to adopt it.

What I felt at that time was definitely….

repulsion.

-We have confirmed three or more cases of certain death or disappearance of past audience members.

“…….”

My mind was in turmoil.

My stomach churned.

Since the current me has no such body, it was strange for it to churn.

This was a mental reaction.

Which meant….

The shock when realizing something absurd.

“…….”

What had I been doing until now?

This talk show, what on earth is this broadcast doing?

But Brown… no,

no.

Brown had never promised not to harm the audience.

He had merely guaranteed that he would keep me from being scared.

I must not understand the situation conveniently by my common sense.

‘A ghost story is….’

originally, just like that.

“…….”

-Mr. Kim Sol-eum, you must escape from this talk show right now.

My head grew cold.

“Group Leader.”

I knew.

I was not polluted.

At least, not in that train restroom where I decided to come to this talk show.

But, but….

“I think… I was thinking about something wrong.”

I had overlooked it.

Even if not polluted, humans can always make wrong judgments.

Being scammed, committing crimes, having illusions, making misunderstandings…… and even believing things that should not be believed.

Perhaps….

Even now might be such a case.

“First… if possible, leaving this talk show and thinking a bit more… doesn’t seem like a bad idea.”

I think I need some time to think alone for a bit….

-Yes.

“But bombardment won’t do!”

If I had a body, I would have washed my face dryly.

“With that sort of thing, you can never defeat the host in this studio….”

I was certain.

‘The moment we are detected, we will be incinerated.’

On a day when we are generously only billed for expenses, I might have to work at this talk show without pay until death, no, even after that.

…What was more terrifying was the thought that even that might not be bad.

-Do you know the exit of the studio?

“I do not.”

I didn’t even know how vast this studio was.

I knew there were unbelievably diverse sets and warehouses. But I didn’t know what floor it was, or how far any area stretched.

From some point on, I could naturally find paths in the staff area, but other than that, it was still faint.

The only times I had briefly visited other areas were when I remained in the waiting room area or accompanied other staff members….

‘I haven’t left this place for a month.’

It made sense, since my waiting room was sufficiently comfortable, I didn’t feel the need for food, clothing, or shelter, and I was busy during the adaptation period.

“But confidently walking out of the exit without even taking vacation is also foolish, rather, secretly……”

…….

Ah.

-Were you trying to say we should leave secretly?

“No. We cannot.”

My goodness.

The idea of leaving secretly itself was impossible. Because….

“…The host knows where I am no matter what.”

Because he verified the tag.

Under the ‘Good Friend’ contract, he can find me who called him, forever until death.

So no matter where I went, he could pursue me now….

…….

-Do you want to persuade him to give you vacation?

“No.”

When the host asks why I want vacation, there is no way Manager Lee Ja-heon wouldn’t be caught being inside my body instead.

Furthermore, even if I did it myself… I lack confidence.

‘I feel like I will be persuaded conversely….’

Because whether the audience died or not, it seemed I would blindly and happily accept working at the talk show again.

Being the host of a legendary ghost story talk show was not just a matter of having excellent speech; it was terrifying enough to be felt as a supernatural phenomenon itself….

The reason I was able to scare the good friend in the past was purely due to the constraints of the ‘Good Friend’.

My heart grew cold.

-I see.

-Even if we escape after half-destroying the studio, it is meaningless because the subject of danger can find Mr. Kim Sol-eum immediately. Is this description correct?

“…Yes.”

There is no way out.

No, even if we leave, it is meaningless.

It looked like a perfect seal.

…….

‘……No.’

There is a gap anywhere.

‘The host must not know yet that I summoned Manager Lee Ja-heon with an item.’

If so.

“…Manager, how long can you remain in that body?”

-As Manager Lee Ja-heon, 60 hours is possible.

-Also, the caller cannot arbitrarily stop the usage. The emergency pager is only deactivated when the caller escapes from the dangerous situation.

It was a subtle choice of words.

But that amount of time was plenty.

Enough to match the timing when there would be some sort of gap.

“Let’s prepare and wait.”

Calming my anxiety, I began to rack my brain.

“…Until right before the talk show begins.”

* * *

Time passed.

Preparation for the live broadcast of the talk show began.

Then, most of the staff members moved back and forth between backstage and the stage, busily setting up equipment.

Normally, I would squeeze in between them to check equipment or talk with the host. Or I could attend meetings altogether, and sometimes peer into other departments.

‘As production staff rather than cast, that was possible.’

Particularly since I worked as a talk show creator rather than a hands-on prep staff, I had no set task to do during the live broadcast.

So, whatever action I took, it was somewhat natural….

For instance, even if I roamed around here and there as if I had received an errand or was looking for something.

“It is over there.”

I was frantically searching the studio where the faceless staff had almost all gone.

I was looking for only one thing.

“There must be a place where the guest waiting rooms are clustered.”

I had definitely heard of it.

‘They said there is a guest entrance.’

Every guest has a place where they originally existed, and I heard they made some sort of… ‘consideration’ so that they could be comfortably invited to the studio.

‘We must find it.’

Of course, finding the waiting room itself was a tricky task for me.

Because the moment I stepped out of the waiting room and staff area, I was failing to find my sense of direction as if caught in a maze.

But Manager Lee Ja-heon was….

‘…incredibly fast.’

Is he winning by quantity…?

With a strength and speed that made it hard to believe he was using the same body as me, the field of vision shifted rapidly, checking numerous paths and checking signs to move.

‘His performance is exactly the same as with his own body.’

Maybe Manager Lizard can use that kind of physical strength and power in any body….

The only problem was….

Tap, tap.

“…!!”

The field of vision turned.

A faceless staff member gestured as if asking why I was here and offering to guide me if I was lost.

“……Please tell him that I have an errand and will return quickly after finishing it.”

-I have an errand, so I will return quickly after finishing it.

The faceless staff member did not offer twice and seemed to disappear… but then appeared from around the corner bringing another staff member!

“…….”

Gulp.

If I had a body, I would have swallowed my saliva….

‘No.’

If I looked suspicious here, news would immediately go to the host. And if that happened….

I would end up hosting the talk show happily again.

With my doubts cleanly resolved thanks to the friendly ‘persuasion’, that is.

‘…….’

The newly appeared staff member gestured.

“It seems that staff member is offering to do the errand instead….”

-No need.

Group Leader!!

“P-Please say that doing it directly seems to have meaning. Say that since it is not a big deal, a rookie like me wants to do it quietly and quickly.”

-D-Doing it directly seems to have meaning.

“…….”

No, well…….

-Since it is not a big deal, a rookie like me wants to do it quietly and quickly.

Fortunately, the staff members nodded at those words and disappeared. Since the live broadcast was right in front of them, they didn’t seem to have more time to waste here…….

‘Phew….’

-Moving now.

‘It feels like controlling some robot.’

A robot with ten times better strength and physical stamina than me, that is.

Sighing repeatedly with relief internally, I shared the field of vision of Manager Lee Ja-heon who continued the search.

There were a few more sweat-inducing, hair-raising moments, but we passed them safely.

And not long after.

-Found it.

“…!”

Click.

In the field of vision, the door opened.

Guest Space

The CCTV-like vision screen in front of me was now illuminating a dark hallway with a classic atmosphere.

Numerous doors were lined up, with the doorplates of the guests who had appeared over the past month still attached without being replaced….

As if they used one every time a guest appeared.

“…….”

…A bizarre and ominous feeling that I hadn’t felt over the past month was transmitted even through a layer beyond…….

I swallowed my saliva.

“Now please find the door labeled Happy Ending Teddy Bear.”

Soon the field of vision moved rapidly, finding a door in an instant.

The light bulb above today’s guest waiting room door nearby was brightly lit, but ignoring that direction, I went to the door next to it.

The waiting room of yesterday’s guest, with the light bulb almost off.

Happy Ending Teddy Bear

Click.

…The dark waiting room was not yet cleaned, and it was a space where everything was scaled to the size of a rag doll.

And traces used by the teddy bear remained.

…And the traces left behind after making the teddy bear.

“…….”

I tried not to look at the body extremities and skins.

Fortunately, it was not difficult because Manager Lee Ja-heon was the one controlling my body right now.

Manager Lee Ja-heon quickly scanned the waiting room and checked inside, soon discovering something.

-It is the door of a dollhouse.

The colorful door on one side of the wall was small enough to barely reach my waist, looking as if it had been made for a child’s toy….

“Let’s go out through it.”

Creak.

…In the field of vision, my hand opened that small door, and I could be seen crawling on my stomach toward the dark space…….

Light was visible ahead.

And a moment later.

“…!”

The field of vision brightened up again.

A modern hallway was visible.

A modern style finished with concrete and paint, contrasting enough with Brown’s classic and elegant studio.

And a voice was heard from over there….

-Now! The product to introduce today is one that turns hair into living snakes….

The voice of the home shopping host, selling ridiculous products.

Delusion Home Shopping!

‘As expected.’

Since they said the ‘Happy Ending Teddy Bear’ was sponsored by them on the last broadcast, I thought the door might connect to this side.

‘It worked.’

I breathed a sigh of relief.

Hadn’t we tried it on Samangdan-gil last time? Moving from one ghost story to another.

‘Since it’s also a broadcasting studio, the host might be a bit slow to notice.’

Furthermore, since the live broadcast will start soon, he won’t have the leisure to chase us here.

No, maybe we could discover a decent item here to prevent the host’s tracking.

‘With Manager Lee Ja-heon’s physical force, it shouldn’t be dangerous here.’

Let’s bet on that.

The field of vision was heading out to the bright hallway while moving.

Calming my excitement, I spoke.

“Manager, first, without catching attention, something that will help…”

[Oh dear.]

Grab

I was hanging in midair.

Someone’s hand was holding me.

[It seems you took a wrong turn, friend! Leaving the studio. The passages are quite complicated, aren’t they?]

A gentle smiling emoticon appeared on the huge… very huge TV in front of me.

[Since the live broadcast is right in front of us and there is no time, I called you like this for now. Sleep well. It will actually be more comfortable!]

Beneath it, a giant giant gloved hand grabbed the back of my neck, then supported my back and buttocks, carefully placing me on a dark brown desk.

[Oh, I guarantee you, having experienced a similar body myself… Looking at it like this makes me feel a bit nostalgic.]

[‘Good Friend’.]

Now I had a body.

But I couldn’t move.

The lights of Brown’s Late Night Talk Show sparkling in front of my eyes, the audience seats, and….

A space where everything was giant.

My figure was reflected on the black TV screen….

[Now, now… sit here comfortably and watch the talk show. It’s starting soon!]

I was.

a stuffed doll.