A few days later.
I met Jang Heo-un, who was standing in front of the D-squad office door, looking at me with a welcoming expression.
“I’m Jang Heo-un, from F-squad…!”
A familiar face.
It wasn’t a bad result, though. Since he wasn’t a superior, the exploration would likely feel more relaxed.
I smiled and extended my hand to Jang Heo-un.
“Nice to see you again. Let’s have a good exploration today.”
Jang Heo-un enthusiastically shook my hand. He was definitely a good guy…
“Ooh, yes-yes, let’s work well together~!”
When I turned, I saw another employee stepping off the elevator, smiling broadly as she approached and greeted us with a slight bow.
A cheerful-looking woman, about my age, wearing a pony mask.
“This is the support staff from I-squad. The manual for this particular Darkness recommends an even number of explorers, so two were assigned as support.”
“My name’s Kang Yihak~ Nice to meet you, Supervisor and fellow employee!”
“Right…!”
Jang Heo-un, who had quickly bowed his head, suddenly exclaimed in realization.
“Oh, you’re the one who’s always chatting in the group chat…!”
“Yes-yes, haha, embarrassing as it is, that’s me!”
Ah.
[Kang Yihak : Is it true you received 40,000 points? haha]
Now I remember.
When I joined the group chat, she was the one actively digging for information, prompting me to hold back a little.
‘She seemed to dominate the group chat’s atmosphere.’
More focused on extracting benefits than fostering camaraderie.
That same peer now smiled and extended her hand to me.
“Wow, the top new recruit! Nice to meet you in person. Let’s work well together~”
“Yes, likewise.”
I shook her hand lightly.
…Straightforward.
‘She’s less sharp than I expected.’
I had anticipated someone more calculating, but she gave off an easygoing vibe. There was no sense that her questions were laced with ulterior motives.
‘Well, if she’s genuinely a good person, I can be thankful for that.’
It’s much easier to work with decent people than deal with someone like Baek Saheon, who was an absolute menace in a team setting.
People who haven’t experienced it wouldn’t understand—screaming internally at ghosts while being stuck with a sociopath as your only companion… uugh.
“Let’s move out.”
“Yes, sir.”
Section Chief Lee Jaheon strode forward, and we quietly followed him to the vehicle. I got in the driver’s seat and set up the navigation app.
“We’re heading to Gyeonggi-do, right, sir?”
“Yes.”
So, this Darkness was taking us entirely out of Seoul.
Judging by the exploration report I reviewed earlier, someone might misunderstand it as just a weird candy store ghost story, but Qterw-C-1603 was far bigger… and gloomier.
“Um, to enter this ghost story… oh, we gathered late because we need to wait until sunset, right?”
“That seems to be the case.”
I kindly answered Jang Heo-un and started driving.
To enter this Darkness, both the time and location needed to align perfectly.
To access Qterw-C-1603, we had to travel to a residential area on the outskirts of ■■ City, Gyeonggi Province.
The neighborhood, once a trendy alley business district in the early 2010s with popular restaurants and cafes, had since become quiet and desolate.
In this area, promotional posters for local stores were occasionally spotted on utility poles.
In the center of the poster, a QR code was printed alongside the phrase: ‘Visit the Death Lane of ■■ City.’
※ Do not stare at the text on the poster for too long.
For convenience, the company had pre-secured a poster, covering everything except the QR code.
“Supervisor, I’ll scan the QR code for you!”
“Ah, thank you.”
When scanned, the QR code directed to the download page of an event app certified by the ■■ City local government.
It was noted that the app could be downloaded only if the user was under 40 years old.
A short while later, we reached our destination.
After parking in a public lot, we stepped out and began walking along a quiet alley.
It was the twilight hour, as the short winter day gave way to dusk.
While many restaurants and cafes still remained, the alley had a stagnant air typical of once-trendy districts past their prime…
“Activate the app now.”
I looked at the screen.
After an opening featuring ■■ City’s old logo and mascot, in a slightly outdated design…
When the app was first launched at this location, just before twilight, a navigation feature was activated to guide the user.
The app began directing us:
Head toward Death Lane →
Follow the arrow!
My current location appeared on GPS, like augmented reality displayed on the smartphone screen.
“Let’s walk.”
Keeping our eyes fixed on our respective phone screens, we moved together.
“Follow the arrow!”
At first, everything seemed normal.
The app guided us along one of the main alleys, gradually leading us toward the outer edges of the district.
But as time passed…
The path began to distort.
Follow the arrow!
It directed us through narrow gaps between houses, into buildings through front doors and out the back.
Sometimes it even led us to dead ends, only to make us double back.
The dim alleyways grew darker and eerier, and an uncanny unease began to creep in.
The nape of my neck felt cold, strange murmurs without proper grammar reached my ears, and shadowy figures seemed to flicker just out of sight…
‘…Stay calm.’
But I couldn’t turn my head.
While following the app’s navigation, do not take your eyes off the screen for more than 3 seconds or deviate from the guided path under any circumstances.
Failure to comply will result in being classified as missing.
In silence, we kept moving.
Carefully avoiding bumping into or startling each other.
Follow the arrow!
“I just saw something stra—”
“Shh.”
After about 16 minutes of walking in silence…
The faint twilight glow completely vanished.
The already dim alley was now plunged into total darkness, all light gone.
Only the glow of our smartphone screens illuminated the residential area.
Tak.
Ta-ta-tak.
One by one, lights began to flicker on along the dark alley.
The street-side shops lit up.
Yellow and blue lights from the signs bathed the alley in an eerie glow.
…But this wasn’t the familiar, worn-down district we’d seen earlier.
Rustle, rustle.
The bustling figures of shadowy people filled the alley.
The signs, though seemingly familiar at a glance, bore distorted and unrecognizable names.
The various shops lining the alley had their doors wide open, welcoming customers…
Ding!
The app displayed a celebratory message.
Congratulations! You’ve arrived safely. Welcome to Death Lane!
“…Have we arrived?”
“Yes.”
We had successfully entered.
Right into the heart of the ghost story.
========================
Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story
[■■■ 16th Avenue]
: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>
: Daydream Inc. identification code– Qterw-C-1603
A street lined with shops where beings other than humans solicit customers.
Explorers who access this alley through the smartphone app must never close the app.
“Walk slowly.”
We nodded silently and followed Chief Lizard, stepping deeper…
Into the strange alley.