“……!”
What?
“…You mean the hand that turns everything it touches into gold, from Greek mythology?”
“Exactly! Koreans really know their Greek and Roman myths!”
Kang Yihak grinned.
“Of course, I wouldn’t ask for everything I touch to turn to gold. I’ve already thought about a specific part of the body where it wouldn’t interfere with daily life.”
“……”
To my surprise, Jang Heo-un’s gaze turned cold, reminiscent of the time during the new hire orientation when he raised his hand to ask about wish tokens, his suit and hair drenched in blood.
“…Then why not just ask for a hundred billion or a trillion won in your bank account?”
“What? Why waste a one-time wish on that? Besides, paper money turns into worthless scraps if this country collapses. But gold?”
Kang Yihak leaned her pony mask closer to Jang Heo-un.
“Gold never loses its value.”
“……!”
“Even when diamonds, dollars, and every other currency in the world collapse, gold has never once deviated from its upward macro trend. It’s the perfect capital.”
“……”
“Let’s hear it, shall we? Our batch leader, the fastest to become a supervisor, and the record-holder for the quickest point accumulation—Supervisor Roe Deer, you agree with me, don’t you?”
Before I could respond, Kang Yihak continued without pause.
“No need to answer, really~ After all, you brought gold bars, didn’t you? You’ve just seen how useful gold can be as an item!”
That’s when it hit me.
“Gold is money, and money is power. That’s the rule in human society!”
Kang Yihak wasn’t hiding any ulterior motives. At all.
‘This person… is just absolutely obsessed with money…!
Sure, most people want to make money, but someone willing to weigh their soul on a scale to sell it off like this was overwhelming.
Perhaps the Silver Heart and the commercialized atmosphere were amplifying her behavior, but I had a feeling this was her true, unfiltered self.
She’d probably harbored these thoughts beneath her friendly demeanor even before we entered this ghost story.
‘…She’s dangerous.’
Once we leave this place, I’ll make sure to avoid her.
For now, I crossed my arms and maintained a neutral expression.
“Well, I’ve heard your point. I wish you success in making lots of money.”
“Haha, yes!!”
First, let’s get out of this store.
I declined the staff’s offer to escort me out, claiming I’d look around a bit more before leaving. As soon as the employees reverted to their floating, disembodied hands form, I rushed out through the back door. ŗÃℕÓ₿Ê𝘴
‘Huu.’
The dark alley lined with tightly packed side doors. Who would’ve thought this bizarre place could feel comforting?
‘Let’s complete the objective, then quickly find a relatively safe and manageable alley to finish the remaining steps before the path narrows further.’
Fortunately, having easily covered 1,000 steps at the boutique, a new alley appeared without much trouble.
Do not give up on your body!
Remaining steps : 3,999
The path between the narrow side doors was about the same width as the previous alley but felt much more manageable.
“This place feels oddly familiar, doesn’t it?”
Dim lamplight flickered softly from utility poles.
Under the starlit sky, the glow of yellow light spilled gently from the signs and windows of small shops.
It feels strangely nostalgic…
The atmosphere resembled a quaint alley in an old residential neighborhood, exuding a cozy and comforting vibe.
Of course, letting my guard down here could lead to being lured into one of the shops, where I might end up missing—or worse, losing my sanity.
“I recognize this place!”
Confirmed Sections of Death Lane:
12- Old Shopping District
This alley was frequently mentioned in the manual and appeared often in exploration logs. It was also considered one of the safer paths.
And it happened to be my destination.
“Let’s move to the next alley.”
“Got it!”
We stepped into the quaint, nostalgic alley.
It was almost deserted.
The air carried a subtle, mysterious vibe, like Christmas Eve or New Year’s night.
I walked past the small, modest shops with my colleagues until I stopped in front of one.
“……”
It was a stationery store.
Not the kind with just a few school supplies and toys for students, but one that sold snacks, much like the shops near schools in the 2000s that offered tteokbokki and cheap junk food.
I glanced at the display stand. Where odeng and tteokbokki should have been, stacks of buckwheat jelly with intricate lotus patterns were piled.
And above it, the store sign.
Sweet Stationery
Found it.
This was the store said to sell chocolate bars wrapped in packaging that matched my description.
‘Huuu.’
Now that I was here, the tension was mounting.
I turned to look at my colleagues…
“Mr. Roe Deer.”
GAAAH!
I nearly jumped into the air!
Barely suppressing my startle, I turned my head to see a white lizard head staring blankly at me from the shadows beside a utility pole near the shop.
…Squad Leader!
“How many steps do you have left?”
I alternated between glancing at the stationery store and the lizard before finally regaining composure.
“Were you waiting for us here?”
“Yes. How many steps remain?”
“…We have about 3,900 steps left. Have you nearly completed your 10,000 steps, Squad Leader?”
“Yes. I determined this alley had the highest likelihood of encountering fellow explorers, so I waited with 500 steps remaining.”
It seemed he had anticipated my likely arrival at this stationery store, given that our reason for entering this ghost story in the first place was tied to the snacks reportedly sighted here.
He almost gave me a heart attack!
Still, having him give detailed answers was a relief. My opinion of the lizard as a superior fluctuated between plummeting and rising again.
At that moment, Kang Yihak chimed in.
“Wow, Squad Leader, you’re really reassuring! While we’re here, could we check out that shop next door to rack up some steps?”
The shop she pointed to sold knit goods like gloves and scarves, and it had already appeared in exploration records.
She even rattled the coins I’d handed her earlier as if to emphasize her point.
The lizard fixed his red, vertical pupils on her.
“You have the currency for this place?”
“Yes-yes! Supervisor Soleum secured it for us~ Truly amazing! D-squad members are all so capable. I’ve learned so much from you. Haha!”
“I see.”
The lizard quickly gave instructions.
“Enter in pairs. Do not engage in activities contrary to the manual. Return to the alley within ten minutes.”
“Got it!”
“Ah, um… Yes, sir.”
Kang Yihak swiftly dragged Jang Heo-un toward the shop selling gloves and scarves.
Well, since this alley and shop were relatively low-risk according to the records, it made sense for Lee Jaheon to let them go.
It worked out perfectly for me.
Now I can check out the destination without sharing any ‘secrets’.
“……”
I stood in front of the glass door of the stationery store.
Lee Jaheon followed closely behind.
“I’m going in.”
“Yes.”
Ding.
I stepped inside the stationery store.
Time to find the ‘Good Child Chocolate Bar’.