A few hours later.
“Fuck…!”
The staff member wearing the ladybug mask was hiding in the restroom next to the resort lobby, gasping for breath as he wiped the sweat from beneath his neck.
His vision was spinning.
‘What is this.’
What the hell is all this.
If this was a new Darkness with no manual, he could have at least mentally prepared himself, but everything happening now was so abrupt that he couldn’t keep up…
‘I, I definitely entered as a guest!’
That damned Security Team monster became the mascot and then dragged them into the ghost story…!
And soon, this Cheerful Theme Park Resort zone would start its operations.
The ladybug employee swallowed hard.
‘…Isn’t there some way to sneak out?’
Steal the stamp and stamp the pass, then run for the gate.
‘If I could just deal with the choking rope…’
At that moment.
Creak.
“…!”
The bathroom door opened and someone entered.
…Two Field Exploration Team staff in resort uniforms.
“There you are. Come out and get this.”
The harvest mouse staff member waved a piece of paper.
After being utterly terrified by that Security Team monster, they’d changed somehow after the monster had actually stamped their ride ticket. Even when told to wait and freshen up before the opening, they’d really obeyed!
It was as if, thinking maybe escape really was possible this way, they’d given up on resisting.
‘Idiot!’
While trying to sneer at their slave mentality, the ladybug employee managed to reach out and take the paper…
Flower Golden Resort Work Regulations
“…!!”
Welcome to our newly refurbished dream rest space, our luxurious and cozy resort, where you will work as one family.
Before today’s work begins, please make sure to read and understand the following items.
“These are the guidelines for work, stacked in the staff room… Assistant Manager?”
The ladybug employee gulped and looked down at the document.
1- Please observe your assigned work hours.
2- Do not leave your post during work without permission.
3- In case of emergency, politely inform the mascot. The mascot will take care of everything.
4- During breaks, you may move freely within the resort, but please try to keep your uniform bowtie with you.
In case of emergency, it will serve as your identification.
5- The mascot’s office is a restricted area. However, for exit interviews, you may enter after knocking politely. Unless you are personally invited by the mascot, never enter otherwise.
6- All guest requests must be fulfilled, and if necessary, please split open your skin and offer up your organs as complimentary service.
7- Do not attack the mascot. All damages will be charged as overtime.
Regulations may be revised or added without prior notice. Employees are strongly encouraged to review the rules at all times to prevent improper responses or handling.
Chilling, bizarre expressions.
A ghost story written in the form of regulations.
‘Fucking hell…’
Cold sweat trickled down the ladybug employee’s back.
He reluctantly grabbed the document with a trembling hand. As a supervisor managing similar Darknesses in his own squad, he knew that there was a hint in here somewhere.
But there were still too many uncertainties. As always with Darknesses. So…
‘…I’ll have to make someone else break the rules and see what happens.’
He needed to check that.
Concealing a calculating look, the employee glanced at the others.
Then, with a suggestive tone, spoke.
“So, what do you all think?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, these rules just popped up out of nowhere, right? Do you think… it’s just that Security Team mascot improvising on the spot?”
His voice lowered further.
“Do you get the feeling that guy’s contaminated too, just making stuff up as he goes…?”
“…!”
Egging them on, the staff member continued.
“Hey, um, you’re Mr. Bison, right? What do you think?”
“Huh?”
“About the mascot’s condition.”
“Ah…”
Jang Heowoon, wearing a bison mask, quietly lowered his head as he read the work regulations.
“Well, how should I put it… Um, I don’t think he’s a bad person.”
“…?!”
“What did you say?”
Has this reject already been contaminated?
The two employees exchanged glances for a moment, thinking that if need be, they could use this creepy branch office staff as bait.
Jang Heowoon, lost in thought, spoke up.
“This is my second time visiting this place. Even before, the theme park’s zones were divided between scary mascots and kind mascots.”
“……”
“In other explorations recorded in the manual, it seemed like the mascots pursued various, uh, values as well…”
“So you’re saying that one’s kind?”
“Not exactly kind, but… if you think about a mascot like Magic Bunny… ugh.”
Recalling that time, Jang Heowoon’s face turned pale and he gagged. The staff in the ladybug mask silently sneered at him.
‘Typical of a round-off team alum.’
Useless.
Surviving and even getting promoted with that attitude must mean he was just lucky.
“A-Anyway… I think it’s rather considerate to even provide us with rules like this…”
“Oh, I see.”
Good.
Look at that pointless optimism.
‘He’ll probably make a mistake soon, so I can observe the result.’
Concealing such gruesome calculations, the ladybug employee left the restroom for now.
In that case, he should get his own stamp, too.
May as well take what he could.
If he had to spend the night in this Darkness, staying here seemed like it would give him the highest chance of survival.