STRGS 14

Chapter 14

Hana Galleria Mall Pop-up (4)

The cell phone light pale-illuminated my face. Under the blue glow, my fingers moved busily as I began searching for ghost story keywords.

A ghost story is a well-crafted fiction without proof, yet a collection of credible tales. It needs to be believable evidence that people can trust, while simultaneously lacking sufficient proof to fully rely on.

A ghost story is both a fixed framework and a type of base material that can be varied endlessly. From a single line of text, thousands of imaginations spring forth, and even the exact same form holds its own distinct power and narrative.

Therefore, simply mixing any random story together doesn’t create a rewritten ghost story. You have to blend ghost stories with other ghost stories as plausibly as possible. You must mix things that existed in reality with fabricated elements.

Just like how this place I’m trapped in right now—under the huge category of the post-closing department store ghost story—has tied together the ‘Pebbles Mart Night Shift Ghost Story’ and the ‘Monster’s Mirror Won Gallery Episode’ into a single, new form.

This is what I’m good at. I can do this.

I have to know every single element of ghost stories inside out. I must find the most flawless logic and create an exquisite loophole.

What might our partner’s strategy be, I wonder?

Hertz’s voice came through gently.

“The core premise these ghost stories share consists of four things: ‘a specific space expanding infinitely,’ ‘a space that sells goods,’ ‘nighttime,’ and ‘things that are neither customers nor employees pretending to be so.'”

I pulled out a few sheets of scrap paper and began writing down the overlapping parts between the two episodes.

“However, the parts that don’t overlap maintain their respective ghost story settings.”

There is no mention of mirrors in the Pebbles Mart rules. All mirrors follow the settings that appeared in the Monster’s Mirror.

Conversely, there is no mention of store management in the Monster’s Mirror. That’s because it’s about fleeing from living, inorganic monsters. Thanks to that, all the monsters end up repeating fixed behaviors just like in Pebbles Mart.

“Yet, there was one ghost story I experienced that didn’t appear in its original form in either episode.”

Namely, the mysterious phone call received right after exiting Mangnyang Tunnel. The voice of someone screeching ‘I’ll kill you if you come’ until I entered Yeosan City. It wasn’t certain, but it belonged to a young child.

“Looking at the rulebook, there’s a missing child announcement, right? That must mean a child ghost appears.”

Did a child appear in the Monster’s Mirror as well?

“No. But in the original work, there’s a setting where whenever the ‘Fox, Oh Fox’ song is heard, it’s always a child’s voice. In the drama, they added echo effects, which made the processing ambiguous.”

The radio let out a bouncing tone as if intrigued.

“The characteristic of the child ghosts on both sides is that they only appear through sound and cannot be met face-to-face. And both involve recognizing their appearance through broadcasts—which means the monsters here should also be able to recognize broadcasts.”

I picked up the rulebook and began jotting down a single rule.

「If you hear the “Fox, Oh Fox” song, immediately stop what you are doing and take measures to ensure the song ends correctly. The song repeats randomly, and the exact time it ends is unknown.」

「The following have been confirmed to sing the song: newly stocked supplies, mannequins, mirrors, and electronic devices. No records have been found regarding food items; generally, changes were detected in items newly stocked in the mart.」

So your intention is to make them move all the mannequins, mirrors, and everything else brought in today down to the basement.

“Right. I just need to go down to the basement alone. Because this space is set up so that all inventory management and cleaning equipment storage are located in the basement.”

Then what about the way out?

“The supply warehouse door on Basement Level 1. If we set up the mirror brought down there and reflect it further to bring forth the inverted world, that should do it.”

However, it seems the most crucial part is missing from this logic. Who sings the song?

“Aaaand that’s why there’s one thing I’d like you to help me with…………….”

I briefly gauged the radio’s reaction before carefully laying out my plan.

From inside the communicator, a sound effect like broadcast applause mixed with soft laughter echoed out. The heightened excitement, familiarity, and anticipation shared when pulling off a prank together surged up.

Ah, of course, partner. If that is what you wish, I shall attempt it as many times as you like.

“Thank you so much. Thanks to you, the hardest part is solved.”

It is my pleasure.

Now that the plan was set, it was time to insert the ghost story and prepare to operate it. I stood up and stretched once.

Do you think the story will be modified according to your desires?

“Yeah. I tried it back during the Bloodwater Valley and Mangnyang Tunnel incidents, too.

Fundamentally, people inside ghost stories end up with bad endings, don’t they?”

That is correct. Even so, it is a characteristic of such stories that survivors rarely end up in good shape either.

“Which means if there’s a living person, the ghost story itself will react to my perception and move in order to catch them.”

And then?

“If I believe that ‘this ghost story must be like this’ and build logic around it, the perception of this space can shift in that direction as well.”

Of course, it won’t last long. Even at the valley, it took only a few meters before the valley realized it had been tricked. But I only need to hold out until I reach the basement. This time, I even have a collaborator to help me.

Preparations were complete. I shoved the rest of the donut and cola into my mouth and stepped outside the safe zone once again.

‘First, I need to count the number of mannequins.’

I tilted the flashlight beam slightly toward the store. Standing in various poses, the swaying mannequins came into view.

‘They react to light, but they don’t seem to perceive people.’

Suppressing my sound as much as possible, I counted the number of clothes illuminated by the swaying light. Since they wouldn’t display people cut in half with separate tops and bottoms, just roughly counting the number of outfits dressed like visitors would allow me to grasp the count without having to count ‘every single’ mannequin.

‘One, two, three……………… eight, nine……………….’

“Customer, are you looking for any specific clothing?”

“!”

I held my breath and turned my head. When did it get behind me? In the dark store, a faceless clerk was looking down at me.

Underneath hair that looked like an awkwardly placed wig, a mannequin with only its lips painted red flapped its mouth.

‘The name tag is…… black.’

At least it’s the type you’re allowed to talk to. When I stayed silent for a moment, an unnaturally soft and flat voice flowed from the mannequin.

“Would you like a recommendation? How-about a coat? You know winter coats need to be prepared in sum-mer-, right? Cus-tomer, I can help- you with a fitting.”

“Which color- do you like? Our new- arrivals were just stripped off, so they are really, really fresh and clean. If you purchase- now, we can even alter- the lining to fit- you.”

I glanced briefly inside the coat hanging on the mannequin’s arm. An extremely soft material. I quickly raised my head again.

「There are cases where employees pitch items even during closing hours. In such cases, never comply with a fitting. All employees who entered the fitting room have been processed as resigned.」

I put on as soft a smile as possible and replied.

“Ah, the coat is nice. But it seems a bit far from the style I was looking for.”

“Then how,about pants? We have shirts, too-. Or how about a hat? How- about a belt- and earrings-?”

The clerk’s red mouth area slowly began to split open to the left and right. Flesh tore apart between the widening gap with a sticky cracking sound. I tried hard not to fixate my gaze on what was wriggling inside.

“Are you real-ly not go-ing to try- it on?”

“………………To be honest, I don’t like anything unless it’s a ‘new arrival.’ Are those over there new clothes that just came in?”

I pointed at the nine mannequins. The clerk rotated its neck sideways while keeping its body and wig completely still. A grinding sound echoed from the joint.

“Yes, that’s right. Today, new. Very latest. Fresh, and clean.”

I see, Jae-hyun. So that’s how you bypass it.

From the single earbud plugged into one side, Hertz’s smooth voice rang out. Explaining my actions as if broadcasting them, offering commentary that sat somewhere between advice and backseat driving from a third-person perspective.

As if his claim of being a radio host wasn’t empty talk, Hertz was truly a DJ with a silver tongue. How on earth had he held back his desire to chatter like this?

“Will there be more new arrivals coming in?”

“New arrivals, new arrivals, three garments, three sets- more are scheduled, to come in! Would you like to try- on the new arrivals?”

“Ah, I already have everything else. Once the new arrivals come in, I’ll come back and buy them.”

“The fitting is……………”

“No fitting needed. Because I’m going to buy all the new arrivals.

Well then.”

I hastily left the spot. The store clerk didn’t hold me back any longer.

The people who lost their way will soon all become mannequins, it seems.

“Yeah. Luckily. Now I just need to find the way down.”

The elevators were shut down, and the escalators were running upward at such a high speed that the moment a person stepped on, they would be hurled straight back out.

There was no choice. It would be better to take another lap. Relying on the faint ambient light with my flashlight turned off, I began walking along the corridor.

Fortunately, no further anomalies in the clothing store grabbed hold of me. The 3rd floor was likely adult clothing and the 2nd floor children’s clothing, but right after passing the adult section, the 1st-floor food court appeared.

As soon as I stepped into the 1st-floor food court, I scanned the shops. A savory smell of grilling meat wafted through the air. In one corner, several free sample stands were operating.

“Come try a sample before you go.”

“These are leftovers from today, let’s eat together as staff.”

“Don’t you like meat?”

“Shall I prepare a meal for you?”

“If you’re on night patrol, take a box of donuts.”

Every time I caught a whiff, hunger rushed over me. The thought that I had to stop dominated my mind.

I’ve only eaten one donut up until now. Since morning, I barely scraped by on a single roll of gimbap to check on the pop-up. Wouldn’t just one of those be okay? They’re giving it to me for free anyway. I’m an employee here, so shouldn’t I be allowed to eat at least that much?

Partner, please focus only on my voice.

Along with a gentle voice, jazz music snapped my mind back to clarity. I hurriedly took a step back.

“………………Thanks, you saved ♥ me.”

I whispered into the earbud and resumed walking. Calling sounds from behind echoed incessantly in a steady tone.

It wasn’t that I rejected the samples. I simply didn’t hear them. I muttered internally as if casting a spell on myself. Eventually, the sounds grew distant.

I had already circled this bizarre shopping mall three times. From the 3rd floor to the 1st floor, and back from the 1st floor to the 3rd floor. However, the results were disastrous.

No matter how many times I tried, the place I ultimately arrived at was the starting point of the 3rd-floor store. I slumped down near an emergency exit.

“It would be better if they weren’t running free sample corners at least.”

Every time I passed by, the smell kept changing and tempting me, making it even harder to move. On top of that, the space that had been pitch black during my first lap was growing incrementally brighter with every round I completed.

“If it gets completely bright, that must mean opening time, right?”

Since it was a rulebook for night shift workers, that would likely be the case. What do you think the opening time inside the story will be like?

“It won’t welcome me, that’s for sure. If it’s the Pebbles Mart ghost story, everything belonging to the ghost story will evaporate as day breaks, and if it’s the Monster’s Mirror… anomalies get trapped wherever anomalies exist.”

If the sun rises here, it’s game over. The back of my neck felt stiff and tight.

You look exhausted, partner. But you likely already know a good answer. You just need a little time to think, that is all.

Let me give you a moment alone to organize your thoughts……………… After all, even radios have mid-station commercials.

The surroundings quieted down in an instant, and a soft piece of music floated out. It was an old pop song playing as if through an antique gramophone, the needle occasionally making crackling, popping sounds. A song whose lyrics and melody I didn’t know brought a sense of stability.

Let’s think of a way down.

Set up a premise as I’ve done so far, build evidence backwards to fit it, and prove the hypothesis.

This place is Hana Galleria Mall, the Pebbles Mart night store, and simultaneously the Won Gallery Mall Fox Passage from the Monster’s Mirror.

The common point shared by all three places—an endlessly continuing and expanding space. A space that alters through sound.

“Ghosts pass from beyond the mirror to this side, and vice versa……………….”

The reason the title of Monster’s Mirror is ‘Mirror’ is that anomalies are isolated or confirmed through mirrors. Things that shouldn’t be reflected are shown, left and right are inverted, and what flows downward goes upward.

“………………Up is down, and down is up…………….”

Inverting the way down makes it the way up. Since it’s such a mirror, that logic could make sense too.

I shone a weak light onto the black screen of my cell phone. A faint mirror image was reflected on the liquid crystal display. Using that, I aligned the perspective with the escalators.

Inside the mirror image reflected on the cell phone, all the escalators were obeying safe speeds and heading downward.

Inside the makeshift black mirror, non-human entities enjoying shopping were moving about fluidly in full force.

“Alright, found it.”