In the narrow alley blanketed with red mist, a suffocating silence hung in the air.
Jung Hae-jun kept his guard up, fixing a sharp gaze on the unidentified figures in front of him. The people in protective suits and black masks also stood stock-still, not making a move. That breathless standoff filled the alley with taut tension.
After a moment, one of the agents slowly raised a hand to the side of their helmet, touching what looked like a comm unit. In a quiet murmur, the agent seemed to be reporting the situation over the radio.
Jung Hae-jun bristled at even that slight movement. Even Fog, who was hovering just behind his shoulder, held his breath in nervous anticipation.
Moments later, the agent finished speaking into the radio and spoke up in a low voice. "For the safety of everyone here... why don't we move to a different location to talk?"
At the unexpected suggestion, Jung Hae-jun narrowed his eyes. They said they wanted to talk, but he couldn't be sure they truly meant to avoid a confrontation.
He cast a quick glance toward the mouth of the alley. Outside, the loudspeaker announcing a "gas leak accident" and the wail of sirens were still echoing through the streets. There was nothing to gain by remaining in a standoff amid all this chaos.
"…Alright." Jung Hae-jun slowly nodded. "But let's make sure we don't interfere with the response efforts at the scene."
As soon as he agreed, the agents exchanged glances. The one in front gave a brief nod and gestured with one hand. "This way, please."
Jung Hae-jun shot Fog a look, wordlessly warning him to stay alert, and only then did he begin to follow the agents at a cautious pace.
They pushed deeper through the red mist, and gradually the noise from outside faded away. Rounding a corner, they reached a small open area that was eerily quiet—so silent that it was hard to believe they were still in the heart of the city. Broken chunks of concrete and discarded boxes lay scattered about, and a curtain of crimson fog enclosed the space on all sides, sealing it off from the outside world.
One of the agents finally spoke, in a calm female voice. "First, let me explain who we are," she said. "We are the Seoul field team of an organization called Searer."
Jung Hae-jun frowned in confusion; it was a name he had never heard before. Beside him, Fog muttered under his breath, "Huh… never heard of that bunch before."
The woman continued evenly, her voice carrying from behind her mask, "Simply put, think of us as a secret agency that studies and responds to paranormal phenomena. The gas leak warnings and evacuation broadcast you heard outside were also staged by us to keep the situation under control."
Jung Hae-jun's eyes wavered slightly. Just as I thought.
He asked quietly, "So that means you're the ones handling the entire perimeter control as well?"
"It was a necessary measure to ensure the civilians were evacuated safely," she replied. "A separate response unit working with us — the Chaser team — has the whole Gangnam Station area locked down at the moment."
Jung Hae-jun silently mouthed the names to himself. Searer… Chaser… Both were entirely new to him. The idea of a secret organization with teams like these burrowed into his mind, stirring confusion.
"Detective Jung." The female agent addressed him again, calling his attention. "We became interested in you because you've already witnessed the red mist incidents – and the entities hidden within them – multiple times."
Jung Hae-jun's eyes narrowed sharply. Clearly, this organization already knew a great deal about him.
She went on, "Just today, Detective, you ventured alone all the way into a site where a distortion was happening. No ordinary police officer would have dared to do that. We took it as proof that you understand the true nature of this situation."
"…The true nature of the situation?" he asked cautiously.
She nodded. "Yes. These red mists and bizarre phenomena are not mere accidents or ordinary crimes. I'm sure you've felt that yourself by now."
Jung Hae-jun let out a bitter little chuckle. A few days ago, he wouldn't have believed it—but now he couldn't deny it. The reality before his eyes was proof enough.
"Let's get to the point," the woman said, her tone lowering a notch.
"Our Searer team and the Chaser team have identified the nature of this phenomenon to some extent and are actively responding to it," she continued. "If you're willing to work with us, we'll share all the information we've gathered."
Jung Hae-jun fell silent. These people's identities and motives were still unclear—but they held the clues to understanding this chaos, and perhaps stopping it. Besides, thanks to their actions so far, civilian harm was being kept to a minimum. If he couldn't handle this alone, it might be better to join forces with them.
"Alright." He exhaled and gave a firm nod. "I'll take whatever information you have and cooperate with you. But I'm going to see this case through to the very end. I won't be backing out halfway."
"Welcome aboard," the woman said warmly. A hint of a smile seemed to touch her eyes behind her mask. "As a key witness to these events, Detective, you'll be able to play an important role."
She then gestured lightly toward her companions. "Let me introduce our team. I'm Park Seo-yeon, and I handle field barriers and sensors. This is Agent Baek Ji-su — she assists with barrier deployment. And Agent Song Ha-rim, our information analyst."
The two agents beside her each bowed their heads in greeting.
"Also, Sister Omaria, who provides remote support with holy relics, is on standby. If needed, we can get additional barrier support from her," Park added.
Jung Hae-jun committed each name and role to memory.
"Now, I'll explain what we've figured out so far," said Song Ha-rim, the intel analyst, as she lifted a handheld tablet and showed them the screen. On the display was a map of the Gangnam Station underground complex, with a red circle drawn around one section of it.
Song Ha-rim pointed at the highlighted section of the map. "As you can see, there's an area where the CCTV feeds have been cut off in a perfect circle. Additionally, we've observed cases of the same billboard or the same license plate appearing multiple times. We suspect that means there's a looping phenomenon — space overlapping itself — in that area."
"The inside of that red circle is the distortion domain," she continued calmly. "In short, it's a closed space created by the Specter, and it's highly likely that at its center, a core has formed — the key to this entire incident."
"Core…" Jung Hae-jun murmured under his breath. That had to be the heart of the Specter lurking behind the red mist, twisting reality.
"Yes, we've reached the same conclusion," Park Seo-yeon said with a nod. "This whole incident is a reality distortion caused by the Specter. Our mission is to locate that core somewhere beneath Gangnam Station and neutralize it. The trouble is entering that domain. If we go into the warped space, there's a high risk we'll lose our sense of direction or just end up wandering in circles."
"That's why we've prepared some countermeasures," Park added.
At her signal, Baek Ji-su — who had been quiet up to now — unzipped the pack on her back and produced a few devices. They appeared to be small, luminous beacons that blinked at regular intervals, along with several objects that looked like round metal talismans.
"These are portable barrier stones and reality anchor beacons," Baek Ji-su explained.
"Reality anchor… beacons?" Jung Hae-jun echoed, unfamiliar with the term.
Park Seo-yeon answered, "They're special beacons that flash at 0.8-second intervals. By introducing a steady rhythmic signal into the distorted space, they create a reference point that helps us find our way back to reality."
Jung Hae-jun nodded, indicating he understood.
"We'll place these anchor beacons throughout the area as we go in," Baek Ji-su continued. "That should weaken the looping effect, making it easier to navigate inside. And if any of us — or you, Detective — feel momentarily disoriented, looking at this blinking light and taking a few deep breaths will help you stay focused."
"Understood," Jung Hae-jun replied, taking a short, steadying breath.
"Next, the portable barrier stones," Park said. At her cue, Baek Ji-su held up the small, circular talisman-like devices.
"If you set three or five of these at specific intervals, you can create a temporary safe zone within that area," Baek Ji-su explained. "It will block direct attacks or pressure from the Specter, and if any civilians are inside, it acts as a protective shield for them."
"We plan to place these barrier stones at appropriate points as we move in," she added. "And if we happen to find any civilians inside, we'll immediately deploy a barrier to protect them and aid in their evacuation."
Thinking of the missing people, Jung Hae-jun lowered his voice. "Could someone already have been taken inside?"
Park Seo-yeon paused at the question, then answered carefully, "You've probably heard of Lee Seo-ha, who recently went missing. We believe she's a crucial clue in this incident — and quite likely the target the Specter is after."
Jung Hae-jun felt his breath catch. Lee Seo-ha… that name again.
"But right now, we're not in a position to rescue her," Park continued quickly. "We haven't pinpointed her exact whereabouts yet. I mention this only to remind you that the scope of this incident goes far beyond one individual."
Jung Hae-jun pressed his lips together. A surge of hot emotion rose in his chest, but he grit his teeth and forced it down, lifting his head again.
"I'm coming with you to the end," he said, his voice firm with resolve. "I'll go in myself and see what's happening—and I swear I will stop this."
"Thank you for joining us," Park Seo-yeon said sincerely. Her face was hidden by the mask, but her tone made it clear she was smiling.
"Once we're inside, just follow our lead," she continued in a commanding voice. "Detective, you focus on gathering evidence and protecting any potential victims. We'll handle the rest."
Jung Hae-jun gave a slight nod. "Understood."
"Alright. Let's get ready," Park said briskly. She retrieved one of the anchor beacons from a pouch at her waist. "We'll set the first anchor at this entrance."
Ahead of them lay a stairway leading down to the underground levels of Gangnam Station, its entrance blocked by a firmly shut iron door. A faint crimson glow was seeping out through the cracks around the door, spreading an ominous aura.
Baek Ji-su quickly fixed the anchor beacon to the floor at the top of the stairs. "Anchor beacon is set," she reported. Almost immediately, the device began to pulse with an orange light at 0.8-second intervals.
At that moment, the red mist that had been coiling around the entrance visibly receded, and its restless swirling began to calm. Jung Hae-jun felt his muddled senses clear up, as if a fog inside his mind had lifted.
Park Seo-yeon glanced around. "Effect confirmed. Now, let's move in," she said.
Baek Ji-su pulled out a can of fluorescent spray paint.
"I'll mark arrows on the walls as we go," Baek Ji-su said, already shaking the can. "We can follow them back out when we return."
"Got it," Jung Hae-jun replied shortly.
Park Seo-yeon continued, "Let's decide on the entry order. I'll go first, and Agent Baek will come right behind me. Detective, you and Fog stick together in the middle. Agent Song will take up the rear."
"Yes, ma'am," Song Ha-rim answered promptly from behind.
Jung Hae-jun met Fog's eyes. Fog looked absolutely terrified; he swallowed hard and managed only a weak nod. Keeping his expression impassive, Jung Hae-jun turned his gaze forward. "Don't be afraid. We're going in," he said quietly to Fog.
Fog's face was ashen as he hunched his shoulders and began to grumble. "Aw, man… We're really jumpin' straight into a ghost war zone here, ain't we? Ugh… Shoulda never tagged along. Now I'm gonna end up the first to go, just watch."
Jung Hae-jun averted his eyes without a word, but he could tell that Fog's fear was only half in jest. The man was truly scared.
Just then, a burst of static crackled from Park Seo-yeon's walkie-talkie, followed by a woman's voice: "Core reaction confirmed. Central activity increasing. Ready to initiate entry."
Park Seo-yeon pressed a hand to her earpiece and responded immediately, "Roger. We'll be entering shortly."
Noticing Jung Hae-jun's questioning look, she added in a quick aside, "The Chaser team will be breaching from another direction at the same time."
Park gave the area one final scan and then nodded sharply. "Three, two, one—move in!" she shouted.
With that, Park Seo-yeon threw her weight against the iron door, shoving it open, and plunged into the red mist beyond. Baek Ji-su, Jung Hae-jun, Fog, and Song Ha-rim followed one after another right on her heels.
In that instant, a sharp scrraaape echoed from somewhere deep in the darkness ahead, beneath the ground. All four of them halted in their tracks at once.