Content warning: gore
The high school student trapped in Looky Mart.
Jang Minseo, who had called the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau for rescue, covered his mouth while hiding beneath the mobile display stand.
His heart pounded.
An unsettling noise echoed close by.
Screek, screek, screek, screek, screek, screek, screek, screek.
The sound of something pretending to be an employee moving.
'Did they see me?'
Did they see me hide under the display stand?
No—they weren't right behind me when I slipped in, so they probably didn't.
'I turned the corner and went straight under.'
They probably didn't see me…
But the sound kept getting closer.
Screek, screek, screek, screek, screek.
"Hff, hiic…"
Tears wouldn't stop falling.
'Why did I come here in the first place?'
He shouldn't have followed his friend. Jang Minseo cursed his friend in his head over and over… until he realized it was pointless and stopped. Fear had already overtaken him completely.
The noise grew louder. And louder.
Screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek.
It was right next to him.
His body froze.
Through the gap beneath the display stand, he could see a pair of feet passing right by.
Strange footsteps—ankles twisted unnaturally, dozens of them creaking as they moved.
Screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek screek.
Jang Minseo held his breath.
But unfortunately, that wasn't the end of it.
Among the countless strange, shuffling dress shoes passing by—something different caught his eye.
A pair of old sneakers.
"…!"
Between the awkwardly waddling employee uniforms, he saw a pair of worn-out sneakers being dragged along.
"P-Please, help me…!"
A chill ran down Jang Minseo's spine.
It was a human.
Someone had been caught.
"I-I can pay! I can pay! Money—here, I have money, I'm a customer! A customer…!"
"Welcome to Looky Mart!"
But instead of politely escorting the unfortunate victim outside, the employees were dragging them away.
Because…
You cannot purchase goods in this supermarket using Korea's currency.
Remember. You do not have the ability to pay.
"Help me!"
The moment this fact is exposed, the employees no longer see you as a customer.
In most recorded cases, those discovered were repurposed… as store supplies.
Clatter.
Jang Minseo's body locked up.
Slowly, he looked up.
The mobile display stand he was hiding under… was shaking. Clatter, clatter, clatter.
The employees had surrounded it.
And then—
Whiiiiiirrrrr.
"AaaAAAAAGH!"
The sound of a blender filled the air.
"Isn't this a wonderful product?"
Jang Minseo realized.
They were imitating a promotional demonstration.
Grinding a victim alive in a blender—turning them into store supplies.
"Mmpph."
Jang Minseo covered his mouth.
Luckily—or maybe unluckily—the screams and blender noise were loud enough to drown out his muffled gasps.
"Aaaah! Hhhhhggk, aaaaaagh!!"
"Thank you for shopping with us, dear customer!"
"Isn't this a wonderful product?"
"Welcome to Looky Mart!"
Pleading. Screaming. The blender. More screaming. Employees greeting customers. Screaming. The blender again.
He couldn't take it. He was about to scream. He had to get out of here. Where was the exit? Someone, please, tell me where to—
Someone grabbed his shoulder.
"…!"
A hand.
A warm hand.
The trembling grip pressed him further under the display stand. It was the agent.
The one who had come in response to his rescue call.
"…Huuuhp."
Jang Minseo's breathing slowly returned to normal.
Even in the midst of the overwhelming noise that could drive someone insane or unconscious, he clung to the warmth of that grip—and endured what felt like eternity.
The sounds of the blender continued. The employee's cheerful sales pitch repeated over and over.
But at some point… the screaming stopped.
And then—
Whiiiiirrrrrr… click.
"..."
The space above them fell silent.
The promotion had ended.
Screek, screek, screek…
"..."
The sound gradually faded away.
The feet that had been visible through the gaps in the display stand… The sneakers that had been dragged along…
Even their shadows had disappeared.
"..."
"..."
"It's okay now."
"Huuuhp."
The agent checked outside, then spoke.
Hearing that, Jang Minseo let out a shuddering breath—and finally started sobbing again.
The bespectacled agent beside him watched with a complicated expression.
"..."
And at that moment, Kim Soleum realized something.
'This is insane…'
Because…
He and the one high schooler he had to rescue were now alone.
'Splitting up was the right call.'
But damn, this was terrifying.
The sound of a human being ground alive— He had a feeling it would be waiting for him in his nightmares.
Kim Soleum's back was already drenched in cold sweat.
'…I nearly passed out.'
But he couldn't show it.
Not when a fifteen-year-old kid, still paralyzed with fear, was clinging to him.
"W-What do we do now? Hiiic…"
"Hey, it's okay."
Kim Soleum spoke to the high schooler as gently as possible. At some point, he had started speaking informally, but there was no time to worry about that. Right now, it was better to act like a familiar, reassuring adult.
'…Sergeant Jay actually played a much bigger role in the Sangun-nim ghost story than I thought.'
But as he watched the high schooler still trembling with fear, he decided to speak again.
"Want to hear a secret?"
"..."
Though still crying and struggling to steady his breathing, the word 'secret' made the student instinctively lift his head.
And the agent really did share a secret.
"Actually, I'm the agent who knows the most about this supermarket."
"…Really?"
"Yeah."
But rather than being reassured, the high schooler just felt bad for the guy.
'That's obviously a lie.'
Everything about him screamed rookie.
Glasses, messy hair, the way he seemed to chew on his words…
Compared to the sharp, competent-looking agent from earlier, he looked more like a bumbling sidekick to a superhero.
Still, the agent continued speaking, determined to calm him down.
"I've researched this place a lot. I know what's dangerous and what isn't. Even things the other agent doesn't know—I know them all."
Messy hair.
Eyes meeting from beneath his glasses.
'Huh?'
Instead of the hesitant, unsure look Jang Minseo was expecting— For just a moment, there was a sharp, calculated gaze.
Then it was gone.
"..."
Somehow…
It all sounded completely true.
"I'll find the safest and fastest way out of here for us."
"I-Is there still a way to escape…?"
"Of course."
…The problem was, more than half of those methods had an absurdly high chance of death.
Kim Soleum swallowed that thought and added something actually helpful.
"Do you remember the back of the leaflet? The guidelines for what to do after closing hours?"
"...Yes."
Jang Minseo recalled the text, as if entranced by the memory.
After closing hours, it is recommended that you abandon all escape attempts.
Almost every opportunity that seems like a way out is actually a trap. Prioritize survival and endure until business hours resume. As of the latest reports, the safest floor is the second floor.
The second floor.
They were currently on the first floor.
"Then… if we just go up one more floor… we'll be safe?"
"That's right. The other agent and your friend definitely went up, too. So don't worry."
"...Okay."
The certainty in the man's voice made Jang Minseo feel a little reassured. He sniffled and steadied himself.
The agent checked outside, then pulled himself out from under the display stand.
"Alright. We're safe now. Let's move."
"Hiic… okay."
Though he whimpered, the high schooler didn't refuse Kim Soleum's support as they carefully crawled out from under the display stand—
"Ah!"
—And hurriedly clamped a hand over his mouth.
Thankfully, the noise wasn't too loud.
But the problem remained.
'My ankle…'
It was throbbing.
Jang Minseo must have twisted it when he dived under the display stand earlier.
"…Your ankle hurts?"
"Yeah…"
"..."
Kim Soleum's mind worked fast.
Then he came to a cold conclusion.
'I can't give him an item right now.'
Not in this ghost story.
A strong painkiller like Happy Maker could make the high schooler overuse his leg and end up not being able to use it anymore.
And Nostalgia Candy… nope.
'Out of the question.'
Unless you are in the food court, please do not consume any products inside the supermarket. Even food you brought in yourself is not an exception. The employees do not differentiate. If they witness you eating, they will charge you accordingly.
You do not have the ability to pay.
And this rule didn't just apply to food items sold in the store.
Looky Mart employees couldn't tell the difference.
Even shoving the kid into his tattoo for safekeeping was too risky. There was no way to predict what kind of contamination or horrific transformation might occur.
Not to mention, explaining that to the Bureau later would be a nightmare.
"..."
The high school student had no way of knowing what the silent agent was thinking, but just seeing him hesitate sent a cold wave of unease down his back.
'No way…'
Is he going to leave me behind?
Had he decided the rescue was too difficult? Or was he picturing both of them getting caught if he tried to carry him? The terrifying thought spiraled through his mind—
"Don't worry. We'll move in a way that won't require running."
A firm voice snapped him out of it.
The high schooler lifted his head.
"For now, let's head to the escalator."
"..."
"But not up. We're going to the downward escalator instead. Got it? The one that comes down from the second floor."
Since the store had already closed, the escalators had likely stopped running, so maybe it didn't matter which one they took.
But why specifically the downward escalator?
"…Okay."
Instead of asking, the high schooler simply nodded.
The agent helped him up and carefully began moving.
"If you hear an employee, let me know immediately."
"Okay…!"
The high schooler tried his best not to look at the display stand where he had been hiding. Instead, he focused entirely on listening for employee noises as he carefully followed the agent.
A few times, pain made him wince, but he endured it.
The agent led him past the checkout counters and toward the inactive escalators with steady, unhurried movements. The high schooler followed as quickly as he could.
But when they finally arrived—
Whirrrrrr.
Tutu-tutu-tutuk…
One of the escalators was still running.
The one leading down from the second floor.
"…!"
A darkened store after closing hours.
A slowly moving rail.
And at the top of the escalator…
A figure stood motionless.
No.
Not a person.
An employee.
After closing hours, escalators remain deactivated and blocked. However, they may run at certain times when employees are conducting maintenance.
Do not approach.
It seemed to be imitating an escalator 'inspection'.
However, the employee standing on the escalator, with its head tilted to the side, blankly staring down at the floor, looked grotesque and unnatural. And that figure… was coming closer, moving downward along the operating escalator.
Backward.
"W-We have to r—"
"No need."
Beside him, Kim Soleum pulled something from his pocket. A fishing line with a red goldfish lure at the end.
Toy Bait.
'…In the records, they always checked the second-to-first floor escalator right after closing.'
That was why he had specifically come to this escalator.
Originally, he had planned to use this item to get past the entrance, but there was no other option now.
Even if it was a waste—there was no choice but to use it now.
Kim Soleum cast the fishing line.
Fwick.
Defying normal physics, the transparent wire flew through the air as if launched by an actual fishing rod, landing perfectly on the escalator's advertisement board.
"…!"
The fishing line wrapped around the board, dangling below it. And at the very end, the red lure swayed in the air.
The employee descending backward on the escalator spotted it.
Screek. Screek.
Screek, screek.
"…!"
At that moment, the employee's body began to move.
It turned toward the lure.
And then.
It walked against the flow of the escalator.
Screek, screek.
Kim Soleum carefully adjusted the fishing line. His hands were damp with sweat, but the trembling lure moved precisely as he intended. Slowly. Steadily.
The red bait shifted to the far left side of the escalator.
The employee stumbled sideways to follow it.
And as its head leaned out past the handrail…
Screek… screek… screek...
Kim Soleum let go of the line.
Whirrrr—!
The fishing line unraveled, pulling free from the advertisement board— And the red bait dropped between the two escalators.
Thud.
The employee fell headfirst between the moving escalators. It had thrown itself after the lure.
"Huuk…!"
"Let's move. Before it gets out."
The agent immediately sprang into action.
"Take off your shoes. Crawl up—use your knees instead of your feet. Stay quiet."
The high schooler handed over his shoes, then got down on all fours and crawled up the stopped escalator.
At that moment, he didn't feel any embarrassment.
He didn't feel pain.
All he cared about was that this was quieter.
And that it meant he wouldn't enter the employee's line of sight. Even so, the tension squeezed his throat tight.
What if something jumped out at them?
But in the end—
He successfully crawled up the escalator, moving against its direction.
"Huuuk."
The moment he pulled himself up onto the second floor, tears pricked at the corners of his eyes.
The agent helped the high schooler get to his feet.
"You did well."
"T-Thank you…"
Kim Soleum glanced down at his empty hands a few times, feeling the absence of the fishing line. Then, clearing his mind, he shifted his gaze forward.
The second floor.
The first thing visible upon reaching the top of the escalator… was a massive food court.
In the darkened supermarket, only the food court's signs emitted an eerie glow, and strangely enough, there were sounds of cooking. The number of roaming employees was…
'Zero.'
Surprisingly, it was a relatively safe zone.
"We can rest here for a while."
The second-floor food court is an area where employees do not patrol. However, do not sit for more than an hour without ordering.
Kim Soleum led the high schooler to a quiet corner near a bibimbap stall and had him sit down.
"Um… Why specifically here?"
"It's safer in places that don't serve meat."
The high schooler swallowed hard.
The agent remained calm.
He sat down and allowed the student to catch his breath and rest his injured ankle.
…It was hard to believe that this was the same person who had just pulled off a crazy stunt at the escalator.
'…He's amazing.'
He was far more skilled and knowledgeable than expected. Just as he had confidently claimed.
Without realizing it, the high schooler wanted to leave a good impression— so he opened his mouth.
"Um, uh… My name is Jang—"
"Let's not share names."
"…!"
"It's better not to use real names in places like this. Be careful."
Gulp.
The high schooler swallowed hard.
"T-Then… What should I call you, Agent?"
"…Call me Grapes."
"Yes, Agent Grapes."
The student exhaled deeply, finally feeling some relief.
Maybe this was what being a real agent was like?
Maybe all his awkwardness was because all his ability points were dumped into being a competent agent.
'…I think we can escape.'
Even with an injured ankle, the high schooler felt hope.
And with that newfound confidence, he asked, "T-Then we're safe here, right?"
"Yeah."
Agent Grapes nodded.
The high schooler felt a deep sense of relief.
"It's okay."
That was a lie.
And it wasn't enough.
'…Even on the second floor, the chance of death or disappearance is still high.'
While keeping his voice steady, Kim Soleum's mind was racing through the records, trying to find this specific scenario. His brain, now freed from immediate survival mode, was reorganizing priorities and digging through data.
'We need to get out.'
Had there been a precedent for an irregular situation like this?
'Labor Day, early store closure, anything…!'
And then—
Closed early due to ??? reason.
…!
He found it.
Kim Soleum gritted his teeth and forced himself to remember more details. He couldn't remember specific numbers and names right now, but he was slowly reconstructing this exploration record in his head…
Exploration Record #3[?]
An agent responded to a civilian distress call and entered the store around 7PM. (Agent : ???) Looky Mart closed early due to ??? reason. An unexpected situation arose, and the agent lost contact for three days.
"…!"
This was it.
He anxiously dug deeper into his memory.
Then, the outcome of this record…
Result : Rescue failed. Agent returned alone.
"..."
So that's why he hadn't remembered it well.
'It ended in just one line.'
These types of records were common.
Interesting in concept, but the detailed aftermath was often skipped, leaving it up to the reader's imagination.
Just a simple line.
Success.
Failure.
But the implication was clear.
"...Ha."
—Agent Bronze failed the rescue mission.
So if he reunited with Agent Bronze.
No matter what decision that agent made inside Looky Mart, Kim Soleum would have to oppose it.
And he would have to convince him to escape according to his own plan.
'…This is insane.'
No, not me— the difficulty level is insane.
Suppressing a sigh, Kim Soleum forced himself to stay composed, scanning the surroundings from their corner in the food court while keeping the high schooler seated.
'Let's just wait it out.'
If Agent Bronze was still alive, he would definitely make his way to the second floor.
Kim Soleum forced himself to stay optimistic.
'We can talk it through once we meet up again.'
But three whole days passed by.
Kim Soleum never found Agent Bronze anywhere in Looky Mart.