A few days in the chilling mart ghost story.

Days filled with spine-chilling terror, severed arms, cold sweat, tension, shock, and fear.

‘Ah.’

My arm hurts.

But it's okay. I've already left that place.

From now on, I can finally relax…

Or maybe not?

…….

Huh?

It feels like I’m still there.

I lifted my head.

I looked around.

The eerie and grotesque second-floor food court of the darkened mart came into view.

I was… still standing there.

“…….”

I’m still here?

Was escaping just a dream?

Was escaping… impossible?

Did I make the wrong judgment?

Then why did I cut off my arm?

I….

“ – Whoa, having a nightmare, huh? Friend!”

“…!!”

I opened my eyes.

The sunlight pierced my eyes.

It was a clean and peaceful hospital room. The clear late-winter sunlight streamed through the window.

…This isn’t the mart.

I took a deep breath.

It’s peaceful.

‘…This is reality.’

Yeah.

After successfully escaping from Luck Mart, I was transported in an emergency vehicle sent by the Disaster Management Bureau.

And then I lost consciousness….

“Ah, you’re awake.”

“…?!”

When I turned my head, I saw a person in an agent’s uniform sitting on a caregiver’s chair, peeling an apple.

……?

“Did you sleep well? You seemed to be having a nightmare.”

He looked like an ordinary office worker, but strangely, the scars around his neck were conspicuous… A stranger.

Who is he?

The moment our eyes met, he grinned and handed me a slice of the peeled apple.

“Nice to meet you, junior~ Thanks to you, I got to experience entering Looky Mart and leaving in just three minutes.”

“…!”

Ah.

“That’s right. I’m the agent you called.”

In order to resume the mart’s operations, I had a high school student send a rescue request message to the Disaster Management Bureau.

‘So the one who responded to that….’

Must be this guy.

“I heard about it. You came up with the reverse idea of ‘opening the mart’s doors,’ right? That’s exactly the kind of talent needed for situations like these.”

“…….”

“Come on, don’t be shy.”

When I quietly lowered my gaze, the man smiled slightly, stood up, and extended his hand.

“Shall I introduce myself first? Hmm, I don’t really use my agent alias because it’s a bit embarrassing, but….”

Wait a second.

This line….

“Just call me Agent Choi.”

“…….”

Oh my god.

‘That agent…!’

/Recording start/

Agent Choi: So, I’m currently on the third floor. I’ve found the door leading to the fourth floor.

The protagonist of the only detailed exploration record related to the fourth floor that I had recalled.

Agent Choi: Welcome to Lucky Mart!

An agent from the Disaster Management Bureau who originally explored the fourth floor of Rookie Mart and went missing in a horrific way.

‘A legendary early name…!’

Yeah.

Before the world expanded and the setting where ‘agents of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau are given code names’ was established, he was already a legendary figure.

Agent Choi.

Back when the dark exploration records contained only government data and no other institutions’ records, he was one of the most active figures.

‘…That scar on his neck.’

I remember how he got that too. That was… the frozen storage ghost story.

I swallowed hard.

‘He was a recurring figure in the famous early exploration records….’

Even though his final fate was a horrifying disappearance.

There was an uproar about making such an early legendary figure disappear in such a horrific way, but it was approved despite opposition and tears, as they said, ‘Isn’t this fitting for a true horror world?’

But….

‘…Has something changed?’

Once my and Go Yeongeun’s experiences are relayed, the staircase leading to the fourth floor will be used for something else.

There will probably be warnings posted as well.’

Then, the timeline changes.

Agent Choi might not have to open the fourth-floor door anymore.

After all, this time, he entered Lucky Mart and ‘just’ left within three minutes.

‘Oh my god.’

The fate of an early legendary figure has changed.

For a moment, I felt a strange sensation as I looked at him, then barely managed to react belatedly.

“Yes, Agent Choi.”

“You can just call me Senior Choi.”

Agent Choi winked, but his cheerful expression slightly faded when he looked at my severed right arm.

But he was still smiling.

“Don’t worry about your arm. We’ll take care of everything.”

“…….”

“For now, just get some rest. Oh, wait a second!”

Then, he suddenly swung open the hospital room door and shoved someone waiting outside into the room.

…It was Agent Bronze.

He had changed into casual clothes instead of his agent uniform, as if he had tidied himself up, but his complexion didn’t look very good.

“…You’re awake. That’s a relief.”

“Yes.”

A strangely awkward atmosphere filled the room.

However, Agent Choi casually patted Agent Bronze’s back and offered me another peeled apple slice.

“Jaegwan—no, I mean, Agent Bronze—put you straight into Team Hyunmu 1? I was wondering why such a by-the-book guy suddenly ignored protocol and brought in a rookie, but I see he has a good eye.”

Then, he extended his hand to me.

“Welcome to Team Hyunmu 1 . You’ll be doing meaningful work here.”

“…….”

“Come on, you feel like calling me ‘senior’ now, don’t you?”

Hmm….

About that….

“No. I….”

I deliberately lowered my head with a frightened and gloomy expression.

“Please, I want to transfer to another division.”

“…?!”

Sorry, but this was my plan all along.

‘A chance to escape the rescue unit…!’

***

Honestly, once I was officially registered in the deployment rescue unit, there weren’t many ways to get out.

Even in modern society, if you cling desperately just because you don’t like the department you’ve been assigned to, wouldn’t you just end up being labeled a troublemaker?

‘That would be the worst thing for a spy….’

But in the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau, there was one loophole to escape.

A shocking experience!

‘It’s a blind spot in ghost story exploration.’

The fact that no one knows what might happen.

But a rookie, on their first ghost story case, went as far as cutting off their own arm just to escape?

It’s a bureau that at least has enough decency to let you go if you claim trauma.

‘This will definitely work.’

The problem is.

I… might have done a better job than I thought.

“Just once more! Let’s try it one more time!”

An early legendary agent was trying to persuade me, clutching his head like a crying internet meme…. 

“This is your calling! You survived this irregular situation and even brought back a civilian! That’s an unbelievable achievement!”

It sounded like the desperate cry of someone who couldn’t afford to lose a valuable asset.

He was truly a government worker suffering from chronic manpower shortages. The composed and sociable figure from before was gone….

Now, he was even pointing at my severed arm.

“And your decision-making! You even sacrificed a body part for it!”

Hmm.

“About that.”

I took a deep breath, my face pale.

“That was insane.”

“…….”

Sorry, but I’m about to guilt-trip him a bit.

“I-I don’t even know what I was thinking when I did that.”

I do know.

“I’m… sorry. I know I might seem weak, but I can’t do this.”

But… this was all planned, yet…

The more I said it, the more I meant it.

“At this rate, I think I’ll die from stress.”

I clenched my remaining hand into a fist, lowered my head, and mumbled.

“I was so terrified the others would die….”

“…….”

Agent Choi opened his mouth as if to say something but then shut it again.

“I really… can’t do this anymore. I’m sorry.”

“…….”

The atmosphere in the hospital room grew heavy.

“Hmm… Yeah. That’s understandable.”

Agent Choi, looking a bit calmer, sat skillfully in the caregiver’s chair and spoke.

“But if you transfer units after just one mission, it won’t look good for you. … People might think you got kicked out and start treating you like a troublemaker.”

His calm and concerned voice reflected his worry about my future.

Then, he continued in a subtle tone.

“Of course, it’s not like you’ll get fired, but the rumors….”

“I will restore your original status.”

“Jaegwan!”

“I’m talking about a temporary agent who hasn’t been officially assigned yet.”

Ryu Jaegwan suddenly intervened, disrupting Agent Choi’s argument.

Then, he glanced at me before averting his gaze with a dark expression.

“…You can work with other teams as you wish. After three weeks, let me know which unit you want to join.”

“…!”

“That much… I can arrange on my end.”

“……Thank you.”

“Hey, at least meet our senior officer first… Sigh.”

Agent Choi let out a sigh.

“Alright. Three weeks to experience other units… That makes sense.”

And with that, the matter was settled.

“ – Agent Kim Sol-eum, as a rookie, will experience different teams for three weeks before reporting his preferred unit to Agent Bronze.”

“ – Agent Bronze, using his senior authority, will actively recommend Kim Sol-eum’s chosen unit to the higher-ups.”

…Just like that.

“Think about it. Our team is really great.”

Agent Choi kept telling me to ‘keep my options open’ while continuing to make his case.

That I would do well, that the team was full of interesting and unique people, that the work was truly rewarding….

And then, finally, this topic came up.

“And those kids you saved.”

“…!”

“Aren’t you curious about what happened to them?”

The students we rescued this time.

Agent Choi gave Ryu Jaegwan a light push and nudged him toward me.

“Please, tell me, Agent Bronze.”

“…All three of them returned home safely.”

Ah.

Agent Bronze calmly explained the whereabouts of the three to me.

Their injuries were properly treated, and they had an emotional reunion with their families.

And the high school student I was in charge of actively participated in an interview with the Disaster Management Bureau, emphasizing how much I had helped in Lucky Mart.

“…They kept asking if you were safe. Now, they’ll finally get a proper answer.”

Lee Subin, the student who suffered severe psychological trauma to the point of losing reason, also received a minor memory erasure procedure and is now fine.

During this process, regarding the Nostalgia Candy the student had been eating, Agent Bronze even explained to the government that it was a food item originating from a ghost story, which he had obtained.

He talked about it so casually that I almost missed it.

‘…That’s really kind of him.’

“All three of them wanted to meet you in person to thank you.”

Since it’s difficult due to the bureau’s regulations, they plan to send letters instead.

“…That’s all.”

And with that, everything wrapped up well.

Even Ms. Go Yeongeun.

“And the agent you saved is also recovering, but they should be able to return soon.”

“…Yes.”

I took a deep breath and rested my head against the bed. Without realizing it, I savored the moment.

Everyone is safe.

They all made it back alive.

“Aren’t you happy?”

“…….”

“Yeah. I knew it. This is your true calling—ack!”

Agent Choi grinned warmly, but Ryu Jaegwan shoved him toward the door.

“Ack! Jaegwan, you’re out to kill me!”

“For now, just get some more rest. …Don’t worry about anything else.”

“Yes.”

I sat on the bed and bowed my head slightly to Agent Bronze.

“Thank you… for being so considerate.”

“…No.”

Agent Bronze looked at me with a complicated expression but eventually turned his head toward the door.

“But that junior would really fit perfectly in Team Hyunmu 1… Hmm. Alright, get some good rest!”

Under Agent Bronze’s intimidating glare, even Agent Choi shut his mouth, and with that, the two left the hospital room.

Creeeak.

“…Phew.”

It’s finally over.

I let out a long sigh of relief and lay back down on the bed.

‘Escape from the deployment rescue unit… success.’

A splendid outcome.

However…

‘This feels awkward.’

Not having an arm, and my relationship with Agent Bronze as well.

‘He’s being considerate, but it somehow feels like he’s a bit upset.’

But at least I was definitely out of the suspicion zone for being a spy, which was a relief.

“…Ugh.”

I tried not to focus on the pain in my empty right arm and stretched, letting out a random noise.

Then, the words I had heard earlier came to mind on their own.

“ – Don’t worry about your arm. We’ll take care of everything.”

…‘Take care of it,’ huh.

Various measures taken by the Disaster Management Bureau for agents with missing limbs flashed through my mind.

Among them was the most impressive and anticipated option.

‘Well, even if they don’t go for that because it’s too expensive, they wouldn’t just leave me like this….’

And also…

Before the Disaster Management Bureau made their move, I had a chance to extract another ‘option.’

“Hmm.”

I reached into the bedside table and found my smartphone.

Then, I checked a message I had received last night.

[Consultation Schedule / See you this Friday, Mr. Sol-eum ^^]

It was almost time for my first spy report to Director Ho.

And I wasn’t planning to just give a report at that meeting.

‘I need to extract as much as I can.’

***

“Director, I’m filing for workers’ compensation.”

“…!”