Ghost stories are terrifying.
No matter how many you survive, they only grow more and more horrifying.
Gang Yerin was no exception.
Even as a civilian, she had survived three ghost stories,
and the ones she had been dispatched to since being scouted by Unique Company already numbered over seventeen.
Even so, ghost stories remained terrifying.
The fear of not knowing when death would come, and the survivors dying right beside you.
Holding your breath while drenched in their blood, listening to the crunching sounds of humans being devoured by something.
Endure that enough times, and you come to realize something before you know it.
That in a ghost story, humans are nothing but prey.
That to those ghosts, humans are merely food.
Take this bank ghost story, for instance.
Employees with unfocused eyes, and doors leading who-knows-where.
A security guard holding some bizarre skewer-like object, and concrete reeking of rotten blood.
All of this was telling her something.
That she was nothing but food served on a plate.
That she had managed to avoid it all this time, only to end up on the plate this time.
‘… No.’
That was why Gang Yerin was afraid.
Of her situation—perfectly trapped on the plate, left to wait for her slow death.
She had dodged it dozens of times, but in the end, she had become someone living on borrowed time, merely waiting to be eaten by the ghosts.
And that made her suddenly feel aggrieved.
I followed the rules!
I followed the rulebook!
I was just a little greedy, but I didn’t do anything wrong! Even the Survivor Gallery said this was right!
How can this be!
How do you clear something like this!
She had followed the rules because they told her to, yet in the end, the only one who could escape this insane ghost story safely was some crazy bitch who hadn’t followed them.
But where the hell was that crazy bitch…!
“The ones who disappeared were probably the survivors, right? Yeah, that’s the only possibility. Then my hypothesis is correct. There’s another rule hidden here.”
She was right in front of her.
That crazy human who had been staring holes into the rulebook from the very beginning.
It was clear who she needed to cling to in order to survive.
Gang Yerin grabbed Han Yujin’s sleeve as if prostrating on the floor.
“Wh-why are people disappearing? We followed the rulebook, the procedures! What’s the problem? Why!”
Watching the desperately shouting Gang Yerin, Han Yujin snickered.
“About that. First, while you have a loan, the bank recognizes you as a ‘customer’ and protects you. That’s definite. That’s why I took out 30 billion won first.”
“Th-then what about me? I took out a loan too. They’ll protect me too, right? Right?”
“That’s right. That’s why you didn’t die. Even after business hours ended.”
Gang Yerin recalled the survivors who had turned into piles of ash and pools of blood the moment operating hours ended. Damn it.
“But you said they disappeared. That people disappeared. What about that? Those people followed the procedures perfectly too—they must have all taken out loans!”
“Wow. Spot on. That’s the point of this ghost story.”
Han Yujin clapped as if praising a student who had asked a good question.
“The ■■■ Bank Customer Ghost Story was judged D-rank even by the Gallery. It means most people can ‘safely’ escape if they just follow the rules! But why do people who escaped disappear? That’s not safe? Is the Gallery wrong?”
“That can’t be! The Gallery is absolute!”
“Well. I don’t exactly agree, but most survivors say that. Anyway. That’s why there’s a trap in this ghost story. But what is it? Think about it.”
Gang Yerin quietly listened to Han Yujin’s words.
“If the Ghost Story Gallery is absolute, then the method to escape this ghost story is safe. Survival must be guaranteed. Therefore, there’s no problem with the act of taking out a loan.”
“Right.”
“Then what is the problem? If the loan isn’t the problem.”
“Deposits?”
“Ding-dong-dang.”
Han Yujin hummed a little tune, sounding pleased.
Well, it might not be deposits exactly, but something else is hidden. But deposit customers are customers too.
Muttering that, Han Yujin continued.
“We. No. You just need to solve this problem.”
Han Yujin drew a sharp line between ‘we’ and ‘you,’ but Gang Yerin didn’t understand.
“… Problem?”
“It’s the deposits. The deposits that everyone except me received. The loan counter calls you a ‘customer,’ so why does the deposit and exchange counter call you a ‘user’? Why did you become users? That’s the problem. Why do you think?”
At Han Yujin’s question, Gang Yerin was at a loss for words.
“H-how should I know!”
“Right?”
Han Yujin shrugged.
Gang Yerin waited for her to continue.
But she just stood there wide-eyed.
Frustrated, Gang Yerin let out a screech without realizing it.
“We’re dying every second here!”
“You, what do you think! You said you’re smart! Tell me, what is it! What do I have to do to survive!”
At Gang Yerin’s desperate cry, Han Yujin grinned. That smile looked demonic.
“Ah, about that. I don’t know either?”
“What?”
“I didn’t make a deposit anyway, so I just have to pay back the loan and get out. Even if I don’t pay it back, they’ll protect me so I’ll stay alive. Why should I tell you?”
Gang Yerin was speechless.
She was right.
There was no obligation to care about others’ lives inside a ghost story. She herself had always acted that way.
She had always taken it for granted to use newbies or idiots as bait and send them into dangerous situations.
The moment Gang Yerin was about to sink into despair and collapse, Han Yujin continued.
“Of course, if you listen to me well, I might just figure out why this ghost story is such a fucking mess.”
“……What? You said it doesn’t matter to you.”
“No, because it’s fucking annoying. Do you know the two types of people I hate the most?”
*How the fuck would I know!* she wanted to scream, but Gang Yerin barely managed to shake her head instead.
“First, voice phishing bastards. These guys think I’m some kind of idiot. If you’re going to scam someone, put some effort into it. What is this? Is this a world where just impersonating a prosecutor works?”
Voice phishing. Yeah, Gang Yerin hated that too. But what, why was that coming up now? Since she couldn’t act recklessly toward the person holding her lifeline, Gang Yerin hurriedly tried to show empathy.
“What’s the second? What’s the second one?”
“People who fall for voice phishing. Pathetic, aren’t they? Blinded by money. In the end, they get caught because they’re full of greed.”
“They’re victims too…!”
Gang Yerin, about to shout something, soon closed her mouth.
Because she fully understood the meaning of Han Yujin’s words.
I took the bait.
By the ghosts, no less.
Han Yujin smiled and said.
“Since you’re already hooked, get hooked one more time by me.”
“… What?”
“Become my chess piece. Do whatever I tell you to do.”
Gang Yerin realized.
She had no choice.
To survive, she had to do anything.
“… What do I have to do?”
Han Yujin stretched the corners of her mouth into a wide grin at the muttering Gang Yerin.
◆
The chime bell announcing the bank’s opening rang out.
Cold air, mechanical voices of the employees, and the stench of blood.
Gang Yerin suppressed her urge to cry and walked alone toward the bank counter.
Every sense in her body stood on edge like a blade.
In her ear was the ultra-small Bluetooth earpiece Han Yujin had given her.
[Well then, shall we begin, Manager?]
Han Yujin’s languid voice echoed in her ear.
“Wh-where… should I go?”
[Go to the loan counter first.]
Gang Yerin moved her trembling steps. An employee with the exact same face as yesterday greeted her with a mechanical smile. It felt like her heart had dropped.
[From now on, do exactly as I say.]
*Fine! Goddammit! I was planning to do that from the moment I put this earpiece in!* Instead of screaming, Gang Yerin just spoke quietly.
“…Got it.”
For some reason, she felt like Han Yujin was smirking on the other end.
[Raise hell.]
“What, you crazy bitch?”
Gang Yerin muttered a curse without thinking. Han Yujin’s reply was icy.
[Or just disappear as you are. They’re hiding something over there. Are you going to take it lying down? If you stay silent and take the beating, you’re a retard. You have to at least squirm a little.]
Gang Yerin gritted her teeth.
She took a deep breath, then rested her arm on the counter, trying to look as confident as possible.
“Excuse me. I think there’s something strange about this contract.”
In an instant, the employee’s smile vanished.
Glass bead-like eyes devoid of emotion stared straight at Gang Yerin.
Just from that gaze, her whole body froze and her stomach felt like it was turning inside out.
*Fuck, fuck, fuck……!*
I must be crazy!
Complaining to an entity inside a ghost story!
Wouldn’t it be better to just disappear quietly!
But the voice on the other end pushed further.
[No. Can’t you file a more spectacular complaint? Slap them like you tried to do to me. Or at least scream.]
“How is that possible, you crazy bitch!”
A moment of silence.
Only then did Gang Yerin realize she had shouted out loud.
— Screeeeech
Every employee in the bank turned their heads toward her.
At the same time.
— Splat!
With a sound like a watermelon smashing, blood splattered.
Gang Yerin blinked blankly.
It wasn’t her blood.
The employee sitting in front of her had reached out and protected Gang Yerin from something.
As a result, the employee’s hand had burst into minced meat down to the bone, but.
— Thud
Part of it was wriggling on the desk.
Bone and flesh like that of a human. Fingers.
Gang Yerin barely managed to calm her churning stomach.
Until Han Yujin’s voice came through.
[Wow. The service here is really good. Total self-sacrifice. They’re definitely protecting you. Want to touch that piece of flesh? I don’t think it’s human.]
“Uuuegh!”
In the end, Gang Yerin vomited.
Regardless, the employee opened their mouth.
“Our bank prioritizes customer safety until the loan is repaid. You are soon to be our bank’s asset. How may we assist you? Currently, you are eligible for partial loan repayment.”
[Forget repayment and tell them to call the person in charge.]
“You do it, fuck…… Uuuegh! Crazy bitch. You’re messing with me right now. If you’re going to do this fucking test, come out and do it yourself. Save me. Me. Properly.”
“I apologize, customer. Our bank does not offer a ‘you do it, fuck’ service. Furthermore, our bank is currently doing its best to save you.”
“No. I wasn’t talking to you……”
[Aww, she figured it out. I wanted to see the person in charge’s face too. I’m curious. How far will they protect you? If you raise hell with the person in charge, will they protect you from the person in charge too? I think you’ll be safe anyway, so try it.]
Han Yujin’s laughter came through the earpiece.
A demon. This woman was a demon.
Gang Yerin lowered her voice as much as possible, whispering quietly enough to only be picked up by the Bluetooth earpiece.
“Tell me. What I have to do. I’ve played along with your fucking game enough by now. Help me properly.”
Tch.
Han Yujin clicked her tongue, fell silent for a moment, then opened her mouth.
[Ask for it.]
“… What? What should I ask for?”
[The Bank User Terms and Conditions]