Chapter 630

I walk and walk in a place that is devoid of anything.

The paint on the walls is peeling in patches, exuding a gloomy atmosphere, and the distinct smell of concrete tickles my nose. With each step, the dust carries the unique scent and ambiance of a derelict building, and occasionally, when my shoulder brushes against the wall, a cold yet oddly damp sensation skims across my skin.

It’s not that something is wet or overly humid.

It’s just a feeling.

As if I brushed against moldy wallpaper, the mere feeling makes the walls feel cold.

If I were to actually touch the wall, it would feel surprisingly dry.

Sure, it possesses a slight chill characteristic of the night, and it’s hard to say it’s completely dry since there would naturally be some moisture unless it were winter… Nevertheless, it could be said that the ventilation is quite excellent.

‘Of course, it’s a building in the heart of Seoul. There must be a caretaker…’

Nothing strange about that.

Even if it has an odd nickname like “Ghost Building,” it’s still a building in Seoul.

Even if it’s unoccupied, there ought to be maintenance.

They must have hired a caretaker or contracted a service; if not, it would be normal for the owner to come and go frequently to manage it.

It’s not like a building in Seoul is some dog’s name.

Considering the potential loss from mismanagement, it’s only right to keep a vigilant eye on it, no matter the rumors.

Yes.

So that’s not strange, but…

At the same time, it does feel a bit odd.

Because where he is, it’s not just a “building in Seoul,” but “another world accessed through a building in Seoul.”

Another world.

He properly transitioned to this other world.

Using the elevator, he employed all sorts of unusual methods and, using a single thread as a lifeline, he descended out of the elevator.

But… hmm.

Is this right?

‘Am I really in another world…?’

He had a dubious expression.

Something…

Something feels a bit different from what I imagined…

How should I put it?

It’s hard to grasp it.

Is it that I can’t be certain…?

Having followed the manual for such a grand escape, it feels deflated.

Like going to a famous restaurant buzzing on social media, only to find the food tastes just like the ordinary stuff near home.

He feels a sense of disappointment, as the inflated expectations unexpectedly deflate.

All because of the mere feel of a wall.

‘Tsk. No. If I explore more, something must be different.’

He tried hard to shake off the disappointment.

He thought maybe if he explored more, he would see something great—something unique to another world.

But…

‘What’s this?’

The more he looked around inside the building, the more his disappointment grew, failing to satisfy his expectations at all.

It’s ordinary.

The inside of the building was too ordinary.

The ghostly signs he subtly anticipated, or an event where he spots a ghost from afar and frantically returns to the elevator, or glancing out the window to see the sky blood-red with bizarre monsters roaming the streets, or an event where a being exactly like him suddenly reveals itself…

None of those things happened.

Not a single one!

It was just a vacant house or a haunted building; it could be the common sight you’d find entering any darkened building.

Just traces of past tenants or offices, remnants of wallpaper or paint on the concrete walls, and the exterior view so obscured it was barely visible…

Ha.

There’s nothing to find.

‘Outside is pitch black, I can’t even see. If I try to shine my flashlight, it’s like it reflects back at me like a mirror.’

Is it special glass?

Some buildings do install such glass…

Hmph.

‘Is it really a success? I thought the elevator was different, but what if it really wasn’t?’

The man, shoulders slumped from disappointment, turned back the way he came.

In doing so, rational doubts arose: Did they really follow the manual precisely, or was the thought that something changed their illusion, causing them not to arrive in another world?

‘Come to think of it, I did board thinking it had changed… But I never saw what changed.’

Looking back, that was indeed the case.

Someone said the elevator had changed, and in a hurry, he got on.

He thought if he missed it, he’d have to return another day, focusing solely on boarding the elevator.

He had to concentrate on getting in at the right time.

If he got on too early, he’d be stuck at the back of the elevator and might miss exploring another world, so he couldn’t board right away, but if he was late, he might be too many people and not get on…

So he focused on boarding at the optimal moment or finding the ideal position.

And after boarding, he made sure to keep an eye out for those who didn’t manage to get on.

‘I didn’t block them, but…’

He felt uneasy watching the people blocking four unfortunate souls who failed to board the elevator.

Everyone’s just trying to have fun, but rejecting someone because it might make him uncomfortable…

He seriously considered going to different gatherings next time.

Due to the nature of a courage test exploring a haunted house, something genuinely dangerous could happen, so he needed reliable partners for the exploration.

Because if it was like in horror movies, if someone felt a bit scared, they might abandon everyone and run away or throw their companions under the bus, or worst of all, some lunatic sneaks off to practice necromancy or perform weird rituals…

Furthermore, those who worship evil spirits or demons and those obsessed with seeing ghosts often show up, so to safely enjoy the thrill, repeated caution was necessary…

Well.

The participants in this experience didn’t seem overly trustworthy…

‘Yeah. I noticed from the way they subtly gave side-eye to the remaining four.’

Yeah.

They did seem a bit unimpressive.

So, it might be that the manual wasn’t followed from the start.

The most crucial condition—that the elevator had to be somehow different—wasn’t met, right?

The man slowly pieced together his logic in his mind.

He squeezed his memories together, enjoying the utterly ordinary, utterly shocking landscape of this “other world” that makes him want to let out a sigh of disbelief.

So he stomped back toward the elevator.

“Oh, I’m back. How was it?”

“Wow, your body looks all slack. You were pretty tense, huh?”

“Tense? Well… I’m looking forward to this! Just what could be different from the ordinary world? Since it’s a ghost world, is there blood oozing from the walls or something?”

“Aah, that person’s clothes are clean! Maybe they felt some presence or saw something strange on the way.”

“Then that means there’s a ghost… Did you see a real ghost?”

When he returned to the elevator, countless people welcomed him.

They had expressions full of excitement and anticipation.

They bombarded him with questions about what it felt like in this other world, whether anything dangerous happened, or if he saw anything unusual. Their faces practically radiated with the unbearable excitement of experiencing this “other world” for themselves.

Without a clue about what he truly felt.

“Uh…”

“Uh?”

“…Nope. Just see it for yourselves. If I tell you now, it’d be a spoiler.”

What could he say if there was nothing to share?

Regrettably, there were no tales of glorious adventures to boast about.

And it would be burdensome to deaden the mood by saying absolutely nothing…

So he chose to stumble through words.

“You’ll know when you experience it yourself.”

“Oh. Right, right. You’ve got a point. If you spill details now, it’ll spoil the fun.”

“Wow, you’re quite the experienced one. Yeah! The advance team has spoiled the fun a few times by babbling about this and that. Guess we messed up.”

“Okay! Let’s follow this guy’s example. Unless something really dangerous pops up, like seeing something terrifying or some weird phenomenon with a talisman… We’ll hold back on spoilers too! Got it?”

“Yes~”

But perhaps due to the lively atmosphere.

Even though the man halfheartedly deflected their questions, the people interpreted it positively, increasingly filled with expectations that there would be some incredible twist or jump scare waiting for them.

“It’s my turn now, right? Off I go.”

And with that, the second person tied up their thread and headed outside.

…And shortly afterward, he returned to the elevator.

“…Haha. I’m back.”

“Oh! You made it! How was it?”

“…Oh. Now I understand why you advised against spoilers.”

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