Daydream Inc.’s ethics may be questionable, but the effectiveness of their potions was undeniable.
Like magic.
“…!”
As soon as Agent Bronze drank the C-grade Regeneration Potion, flesh burst forth from the stumps of his severed thighs, rapidly reconstructing into the shape of fully restored legs.
Go Yeongeun swallowed hard. She had used the same potion on herself before, but this was her first time witnessing it in action, and she was in awe.
I felt the same way.
Seeing such a large area regenerate instantly—and it was only a C-grade potion?
‘…Didn’t they say it costs about 10,000 points?’
It was an effect so overwhelming that anyone watching would be shocked and mesmerized.
“Huu.”
Soon, Agent Bronze mechanically tested the movement of his legs.
Then, standing up barefoot, he grabbed the Binding Rope that restrained the employees… before lowering his head slightly, avoiding my gaze.
“…Thank you.”
“Yes.”
As if she couldn’t hold back any longer, Go Yeongeun muttered under her breath.
“……You could afford to be a little more grateful.”
Ah.
“What do you…?”
“Let’s talk outside.”
Hurriedly, I cut off their conversation and suggested returning to the base camp that Agent Bronze had set up.
But the Binding Rope began to tremble.
“…!”
The two deflated employees, who had been subdued with holes in their forms, started to twitch.
And over there.
The door to the staff-only area we had come from.
Dudududududududu!
A heavy, repetitive thudding sound rang out—
Then, with an ear-piercing creak, the metal door burst open, and employees poured out.
“……!”
“This way—!”
We barely dodged the stampede of employees rushing toward us, hastily pulling Agent Bronze beneath the candle’s shadow.
Three people.
With the group full once more, we pressed ourselves against the wall, avoiding the terrifying wave of employees flooding into the area.
“…!!”
“We’ll be fine. We’re inside the candle’s range…”
Agent Bronze glanced at the candle in Go Yeongeun’s hands.
“…Is that originally yours, too?”
“……Yes.”
I deliberately lowered my voice as I looked back at Agent Bronze.
“Um, I… I told them I got it from you—so, um, I’d appreciate it if you could go along with that.”
“……”
Agent Bronze gave a slight nod.
‘…He’s cooperative.’
Even though he knew the item came from Daydream Inc., he wasn’t questioning it.
It seemed like giving him the regeneration potion had earned some goodwill.
ScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreekScreek
‘Damn it, I can’t even think straight…!’
The number of employees kept growing, their presence suffocating. Go Yeongeun backed away instinctively, her ears turning pale.
The Binding Rope lost its effect. The two distorted employees who had been shot with the Glass Handgun began grotesquely oozing out of their restraints.
And the other employees that had poured out surrounded them, circling frantically, like a bizarre ritual.
Their arms were crushed under the weight of the swarm, heads flattened—but then popped back up, reshaping unnaturally.
It looked like some kind of bizzare ritual.
“It looks like they’re looking for the person who harmed an employee…”
“If you harm an employee in this mart, and they see it happen… they’ll hunt you down until you’re caught.”
“…!”
Yet he shot them without hesitation and sat on top of them?
Agent Bronze’s expression hardened.
“…I figured this would be my last mission anyway, so I was prepared to handle the consequences.”
“~!!”
Go Yeongeun seemed ready to argue again, but held back.
“Let’s move. Now.”
“Yes.”
We hurried away from the disturbing ritual-like gathering.
Still, the relentless screeking sounds echoed behind us, an unsettling, high-pitched noise.
‘Huu.’
I looked down at the floor.
Then at Agent Bronze’s bare feet against the cold mart tiles.
“Agent, do you have spare shoes…?”
“…In the camping section.”
Okay.
I checked my wristwatch for the time.
Luckily, we had found Agent Bronze fairly quickly—at most, two or three hours should have passed.
Even if I accounted for some distortion in my perception of time, it should still be around evening.
Maybe around 19:00. At least, that’s what I thought…
Until I looked at my watch.
[ 09 : 04 ]
Nine o’clock. In the morning.
“……!”
I looked again.
But the time was still exactly ten hours off from my estimate.
It obviously wasn’t the past which meant…
‘……It’s the next morning?’
“The time is acting… strange…”
And at that moment, I realized it.
“Agent Grapes. Time does not flow consistently in the staff-only area of this supermarket.”
“……”
So that’s why the layout felt nonsensical, like spaces were stitched together without logic. It wasn’t just confusing. It was designed to be terrifying.
‘A horror cliché.’
Maybe it had been mentioned in the <Dark Exploration Records>, but it was such a common phenomenon that I must not have paid attention, but… That wasn’t the issue now.
‘…How long have the kids been alone?’
To make matters worse—
Agent Bronze muttered grimly.
“…Nine o’clock.”
“…Yes.”
“Let’s move as quickly as possible. …The barrier I set up in the store doesn’t have much time left.”
“…!!”