Chapter 91

“Mine…… all…… mine…… kik!”

At the sound of the cord wrapping around my ankle, I hurriedly pulled my foot back.

Riiiip—!

But the cord caught my ankle first.

“Urgh……!”

I staggered and dropped to one knee.

Then the cord, as thin as a shoelace, crawled up my body while giggling.

“Let’s…… go…… eat…… rice…… with, me…….”

“Urgh……!”

In frustration, I realized it.

This was not a cord, but a contaminated person’s hair stretched to its absolute limit.

Then what about the other cords that had retreated outside the railing earlier?

They were other contaminated people.

The bastards had stuck themselves to the floor and waited for me to come out.

After agreeing that whoever I stepped on first would have me.

-Do-un, what happened?!

“A contaminated person……!”

There was no time to explain leisurely.

As soon as I grasped the situation, I grabbed and tore at the cord climbing up my body.

But the force with which it wrapped around me was no joke.

It was not enough to break free like this, so I spread my elbows and created space.

Then I took out my knife and scraped at the cord that was tightly constricting me.

“Ah……! It hurts……! Aaaah……!”

The cord screamed and loosened.

It had not been cut, but it seemed the pain had been transmitted.

Using that opening, I threw off the cord wrapped around me and ran down the corridor.

But damn it…….

Whirrrwhirrrwhirrr—!

There came the sound of a cord being rapidly wound, and a human body rose floating outside the railing and blocked my path.

The body of a headless man.

No, the body of a man in casual clothes, with an extremely, extremely thin cord attached to its neck.

“Let’s…… eat…… delicious…… riiice…….”

Whispering voices came from in front of and behind me.

It was the sound of the tiny holes in the cords singing in chorus all at once.

Behind me was a tough, noisy cord.

In front of me was the man’s body hanging from that cord.

It would be impossible to simply shove past that thing.

I had already confirmed the monstrous strength of these contaminated people through the woman in the winter coat.

“I will enter the exhibition space.”

-What?

After briefly notifying Kwon Mu-seop, I entered the entrance of the exhibition area beside me.

The exhibition area beside the Room of Silence.

It was the Donation Hall, where donated artifacts were displayed.

When I entered the Donation Hall, the contaminated person lamented from the entrance.

“Ah…… there…… nooo…….”

The contaminated person no longer chased me.

With that, I had avoided pursuit, but this was not a situation where I could relax.

After watching the contaminated person’s movements, I turned around and immediately came face-to-face with it.

A white cloth worn over its head like a mantilla,

Its neck bent deeply as it looked down at me,

The 「Exhibition Docent」 with eyes far too large.

---

■ Final Communication Record #3 of the Late Team Leader Kang Seung-cheol

The third danger factor is the 「Exhibition Docent」 that wanders through the exhibition spaces.

It walks upright like a human, stands approximately 3m tall, and has limbs as thin as a mummy’s.

It wears a white gown like a priest and has a white cloth over its head.

It seems to wish for visitors to the exhibition hall to have a proper viewing attitude.

When Agent Son Ji-yong, injured and panicking, shouted in the viewing area, the 「Exhibition Docent」 shouted, ‘Quiet! Quiet! Quiet!’ and broke Agent Son Ji-yong’s neck.

Yes, it said ‘quiet’ in words I could understand.

It may not have been audible over the communication line, but I clearly heard that entity pronounce it ‘too-shh-nim’ as it demanded silence.

The 「Exhibition Docent」 speaks fluent Korean.

The 「Exhibition Docent」 politely said to us, ‘I will provide exhibition commentary, so please follow me.’

We accepted that proposal, but Agent Kim Hye-min, who had lost her legs, could not follow in time.

Then the 「Exhibition Docent」 said, ‘You will need legs to view our artifacts,’ and attached Agent Kim Hye-min’s arms to her legs.

In other words, the 「Exhibition Docent」 seems to expect visitors to possess zeal for knowledge.

The 「Exhibition Docent」 gave us explanations about various artifacts.

I was able to understand that commentary immediately, but the other agents were not.

So the 「Exhibition Docent」 continued its commentary while circling the exhibition hall for 16 hours and 16 minutes, until we understood.

Then the other agents also became able to understand the 「Exhibition Docent」’s words.

When the agents began self-harming during this process, Agent Park Min-hyeok used his wits and separated us from the 「Exhibition Docent」.

So we were able to escape the exhibition area.

In any case, I think the viewing experience was enjoyable. Hek.

Even so, haek, I do not recommend entering the exhibition space.

As one listens to the 「Exhibition Docent」’s commentary, one’s sense of propriety grows stronger, huu, and for more perfect silence, huu, mmph. Without realizing it, one’s tongue.

Tongue, because you wand to cut id off…….

---

Was this what they meant by meeting a tiger while trying to avoid a wolf?

I forced myself to face the 「Exhibition Docent」 staring down at me.

Hssaaah—! Too-shh-krrashia—!

The 「Exhibition Docent」 swelled its throat, which had no vocal cords, and growled lowly.

At its strangely sharp reaction, I flinched, then soon realized.

The 「Exhibition Docent」 was glaring at the black ring on my left hand.

I hurriedly put on a glove.

Then the 「Exhibition Docent」 abruptly stopped breathing.

After that, it guided me with a polite gesture.

Having entered this place, I had no choice but to listen to the 「Exhibition Docent」’s explanation.

But if one kept listening to this entity’s voice, contamination occurred.

So when the 「Exhibition Docent」 turned away, I removed the earpiece and plugged my ears with earplugs.

In that state, I followed along while pretending to listen to the 「Exhibition Docent」’s explanation.

The inside of the exhibition hall was moderately dark, and various artifacts were displayed inside glass cases.

However, even those perfectly normal exhibits made my eyes hurt as if they would fall out if I kept looking at them.

So I passed by the exhibits with my focus blurred, in a state that was neither looking nor not looking.

As I walked through the dark space like that, this entire situation suddenly felt unreal.

Why am I here?

Until yesterday, everything was going according to plan.

「Crow」.

Is this also its doing?

If so, I really do not understand.

Why interfere?

Why?

Is there some deep meaning again?

Will this side bring about a result more astonishing than our plan?

Then what about me?

What about me, who has to keep going through this shit because I am being played by your great plan?

How long do I have to endure this?

On top of that, the Bureau is disappointing too.

They knew very well that I could be dragged away at random.

Then at the very least, they should have checked the condition of the passage.

They said we would help one another, but in the end, the only one desperate because his life is on the line is me…….

……My condition must really be bad right now.

My thoughts are filthy.

Following the 「Exhibition Docent」, I forced myself to take deep breaths.

Every person has their own narrative.

And what creates a narrative is situation and action.

Situation is what is given to a person.

Action is what a person chooses.

This is the same whether the person is a character in a novel or a person in reality.

Sometimes, situations unilaterally dump unexpected incidents and accidents on you, but at least I can choose my action in response.

By doing so, I can decide for myself.

At every moment, what kind of person I will be.

So let us decide.

For now, let us become “a person who calmly responds to crisis.”

I can be irritated after I get out. Not now.

I forcibly gathered my scattered mind.

In the meantime, we arrived at the last area of the Donation Hall.

In front of the final artifact, the 「Exhibition Docent」 stared down at me.

If things continued like this, it would return to the beginning and repeat the exhibition commentary again.

I had only pretended to listen and had understood nothing, and the 「Exhibition Docent」 had passion for its job.

So I raised my hand.

“I have a question.”

The 「Exhibition Docent」 tilted its head and met my eyes.

The fist-sized eye visible through the white cloth was dreadful, but I calmly continued speaking.

“Among the donated items, there was Zhuangzi. What is the complete spiritual freedom Zhuangzi spoke of?”

From the moment it first met me until now, the 「Exhibition Docent」 had been bending its waist 90 degrees to meet my eye level.

But suddenly, it straightened its back.

The 「Exhibition Docent」, which had become so tall its head nearly touched the ceiling, held its own forehead in that state.

---

The method to separate oneself from the 「Exhibition Docent」 is as follows.

The 「Exhibition Docent」 also enjoys receiving questions.

If it is a question concerning artifacts, it will answer with utmost sincerity.

However, what the 「Exhibition Docent」 can answer is only standard information about artifacts. It does not possess segmented expert knowledge.

Regarding a ceramic artifact, Agent Park Min-hyeok asked, ‘How are the raw materials of the glaze used on that white porcelain mixed, and at what temperature is it reduced?’

Then the 「Exhibition Docent」 could not answer and became deeply anguished, feeling extremely ashamed.

Escape during that opening.

The 「Exhibition Docent」 is truly deeply ashamed of its own ignorance.

---

Fortunately, it seemed I had asked the question properly.

I watched the 「Exhibition Docent」 agonize and slowly stepped backward.

The exit was not very far.

Since I had come to the end of the building through the exhibition area, if I ran straight up the stairs from the exit, I would be able to reach the rooftop.

It was when I retreated one step, then two.

The troubled 「Exhibition Docent」 suddenly looked at me.

Then it stretched an arm toward me.

The arm, as long as its height, reached the area near my shoulder in one instant.

As I flinched, unable to either dodge it or strike it away, the 「Exhibition Docent」 touched my ear.

Slide—

Then it removed my earplug.

“…….”

Jursaaa—!

The 「Exhibition Docent」 shouted something while looking at the earplug.

Unlike the late Team Leader Kang Seung-cheol, I could not understand those words.

But I could tell it was angry at me.

As if to slap me across the face, the 「Exhibition Docent」 swung its arm wide.

I ducked and avoided it, and that blow struck the glass case beside me.

SHATTER—!

The glass protecting the artifacts shattered and collapsed.

The 「Exhibition Docent」 instead flinched at its own atrocity.

I was about to use that opening to run away, but changed my mind and roughly grabbed the artifacts inside the broken glass.

Sissaaraga—!

The 「Exhibition Docent」 screamed at my action.

Before it could lunge at me, I threw an inkstone with all my strength.

Sishagi—!

Like a dog playing frisbee, the 「Exhibition Docent」 ran after the flying inkstone.

Using that opening, I escaped through the exit.

“Heeh…….”

As soon as I came outside, I heard a giggling sound.

In the corridor, a contaminated person was standing crookedly while drawing graffiti in the air with its heavily stretched head.

I did not even have the energy to be more surprised, so I thrust the ceramic bottle I was holding toward the bastard.

CLINK—!

When the contaminated person struck the ceramic and broke it, the 「Exhibition Docent」 that had run out behind me pounced on the contaminated person.

Heeshya—! Agaga—!

“Ah…… ah……! Do, not…….”

While the contaminated person and the 「Exhibition Docent」 tangled together and floundered, I ran up the stairs.

I went up one floor, moved to the end of the corridor, and found the door leading to the rooftop.

As expected, the door was locked.

I took a lockpick out of my vest pocket.

Then I pushed it into the keyhole and moved it.

Quickly, no, slowly. There is no time, hurry!

Enduring the feeling of a frost-sharp edge pouring down my back, I clung to the keyhole.

With the thin metal rod, I touched the internal cylinders of the lock one by one.

Rattle, rattle, click—!

The feeling of something catching.

At the same time, a low whisper came from behind me.

“You were…… bad…….”

Feeling the hair all over my body stand on end, I twisted the doorknob.

The door opened, and I ran out as I was.

When I came out onto the rooftop, bright light greeted me.