Chapter 51

How a Regressor Conquers the Tower of Urban Legends

Chapter 51

"..."

I couldn't understand the situation unfolding in front of me.

How had this happened?

I had definitely been kidnapped on my way home...

"...!"

Home.

Then could I actually go home now?

Even though I knew full well that I was trapped inside that building, that was the only thought that struck me.

That was how badly I wanted to go home.

Everything I'd done up until now had been for that one purpose.

I hurriedly looked outside.

Countless people were still walking through the streets.

"...Hah. Strange, isn't it?"

I muttered and turned to the side.

"...?"

I was alone.

The mascot was gone.

What?

It had definitely entered with me.

I looked around in confusion.

But the dark office hallway after overtime was completely empty except for me.

"Hello?"

"Is anyone there?"

"Hey!"

Even when I raised my voice, there was no sign of the mascot appearing.

"..."

Had everything I'd seen until now been a dream?

Had I simply been hallucinating all this time before finally going home?

I touched around my ears.

The hard surface of the Silent Headset was still there.

"..."

The headset remained.

Then...

I reached into my clothes.

The old flip phone was there too.

"This is strange."

Every item I owned was still with me.

Only the mascot and the items it had been carrying were gone.

Where had the mascot gone?

What had happened?

I quickly opened the notebook.

No. 9, No. 11, and the others...

Everyone had ended up on a floor connected to their own lives.

Then it made sense that the mascot couldn't come with me.

Its life and mine were different.

Wait.

Then where was the mascot undergoing its trial?

I stared at the old flip phone.

"Why aren't you going home?"

"Ah, Team Leader."

At the familiar voice, I turned around.

My team leader was looking at me with one hand raised.

"I told you to leave about ten minutes ago."

"...Ten minutes?"

"Yeah."

"..."

I couldn't even remember how many days I'd spent inside that bizarre building.

But for him, only ten minutes had passed.

"By the way, was your suit always that worn out?"

"Uh..."

"We should be getting overtime pay and maybe a bonus this time. Buy yourself a new one then. If you're short, tell me. I'll chip in."

"Ah. Yes. Thank you."

He chuckled and waved before heading toward the elevator.

"You coming?"

"Uh... yeah. I should."

I cautiously entered the elevator with him.

The elevator.

The design was identical.

"Looking for something?"

"Ah, no. Nothing."

Without thinking, my hand had naturally moved toward where the notebook should've been.

I quickly pulled it back.

Neither of us spoke until the elevator doors opened again.

Ding.

"..."

"I'm heading off first. See you tomorrow."

"Ah, yes. Have a good night."

"Get yourself a bowl of gukbap on the way home."

Then he suddenly pressed several ten-thousand-won bills into my hand.

"Gukbap?"

"Yeah. Get some sundae too."

"What?"

"I'm going. Good work this week."

My team leader waved and walked out.

I stared at him for a moment before looking away.

What exactly was different?

I'd watched him carefully.

There hadn't been any obvious sign that he was a monster.

More importantly...

What was the condition for escaping this place?

Did I even need to escape?

"...No. Get a grip."

Slap.

I smacked my cheeks.

My goal was to go home.

Not to stay somewhere that merely looked like home.

I needed to escape.

"..."

After one bowl of gukbap, anyway.

After finishing my meal, I stared at the ceiling and thought.

How was I supposed to get out?

Every floor I'd been trapped on until now had some kind of rule.

A monster chased me.

Or I had to use manuals and notebook entries to navigate an unknown place.

But this was different.

I didn't know why I was here.

I couldn't even see a hint of an escape route.

What was I supposed to do?

I closed my eyes and thought.

Escape route...

Escape route...

As I kept thinking, the weather forecast playing on the television reached my ears.

<An unprecedented torrential downpour is currently expected.>

<The storm is gradually moving north from the south. Reporter Lee Mincheol, please give us the details.>

<Yes. I am currently on the southern coast.>

<What is the situation?>

<The rain cloud expected to move northward is projected to bring approximately 170 millimeters of rainfall per hour.>

<Severe damage is expected. Citizens living on lower floors are strongly advised to familiarize themselves with the government's emergency guidelines...>

"..."

Rain.

There had been forecasts of heavy rain even before I was taken into this place.

So it was going to be as much as 170 millimeters per hour.

I looked toward the sky.

Thick black clouds covered everything.

"..."

For now, I probably had no choice but to go home.

I sighed and headed outside.

"Haah."

Clunk.

The door to my home closed behind me.

How long had it been since I'd come home?

I let out a breath of relief and collapsed onto the sofa.

Sitting here made everything feel like a dream.

More precisely...

Everything inside the elevator felt like a horrible nightmare.

And resting here felt like reality.

"...Haah."

But I was too sane to fall for such a sweet delusion.

I sat back up and thought.

The escape method.

Or the condition for leaving.

Nothing came to mind yet.

But surely...

SHAAAAA...

The sound of rain interrupted my thoughts.

I turned toward the window.

Rain was pouring from the sky.

170 millimeters per hour, huh?

It really looked like someone had punched a hole through the heavens.

BEEEEEP!

An emergency alert sounded from the smartphone I'd left charging.

<Torrential rain has begun. Please exercise caution.>

<Residents living close to ground level should remain prepared to evacuate at all times.>

<Use the National Emergency Escape App to easily locate nearby shelters.>

"..."

I half-listened to the deafening rain while thinking.

Was there any clue?

Anything at all...

"...!"

Right.

There was a way I could search for clues.

I quickly turned on the computer and connected to the internet.

Missing-person cases.

Before I'd been dragged into this place, my team leader had mentioned disappearances.

Then I'd ended up trapped inside this godforsaken building.

If I investigated those missing-person cases, maybe I could find an exit.

Good.

Let's search.

I began digging through the internet.

The rain never stopped.

"...Ugh."

Unfortunately, I found nothing useful.

More precisely, I did confirm that disappearances had occurred.

But...

"That's it."

The authorities were still investigating.

There was nothing about how the people vanished.

Nothing about why.

Most importantly, nothing about whether anyone had ever returned alive.

"I was hoping to find a survivor."

I rubbed my aching eyes.

Forget survivors.

I couldn't even find out why people disappeared or what happened to them afterward.

"...Management Bureau."

No. 24 had mentioned an organization called the Management Bureau.

But I had no way to contact them.

I couldn't exactly call somewhere and say, Actually, I'm trapped in a supernatural building.

More importantly, this might not even be reality.

I rubbed my eyes while the rain pounded outside.

Then...

BEEEEEP!

The smartphone sounded again.

<Due to record-breaking rainfall, casualties are expected.>

<Move to higher ground whenever possible. If that is impossible, use the National Emergency Escape App.>

<Do not go outside.>

"..."

The rain really was insane.

I looked out the window, then turned away.

Anyway...

An exit.

An exit.

If I could just figure out whether this was truly the world I'd originally lived in or not, things would be easier.

With no information, it was hard to know what I should even do.

Should I just enter every elevator I could find and see what happened?

Then...

BEEEEEP!

The smartphone rang again.

<Please refrain from going outside.>

<If necessary, use the National Emergency Escape App.>

This rain was relentless.

I sighed and started shutting down the computer.

Maybe I'd think about this after going to work tomorrow.

There was no way I could go outside now anyway—

Knock, knock.

At that exact moment, someone knocked on the door.

"..."

Who was that?

I hadn't ordered any delivery.

I stared at the door.

The knocking mixed strangely with the sound of rain.

"Who is it?"

Knock, knock!

No answer.

Only more knocking.

I stood up.

Who the hell was it?

Then...

BEEEEEP!

Another emergency alert sounded.

I glanced at the smartphone.

A new message had arrived.

<Extreme rainfall is currently occurring.>

<Do not open your door even if someone knocks.>

<There is currently something hiding within the rain and pretending to be human.>

<Do not open the door under any circumstances.>

<If necessary, check the National Emergency Escape App.>

"..."

Knock knock knock!

The knocking became clearer.

I didn't like this.

I grabbed the flip phone, which still hadn't rung, and locked the door.

Click.

The instant the lock engaged...

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"!"

Whatever was outside started pounding much harder.

"..."

I swallowed and fastened every latch.

"Damn it."

What the hell was going on?

After hesitating, I turned on the news.

<We have just received breaking news from the government.>

<Strange knocking sounds are being reported in areas affected by the torrential rain.>

<Citizens must not respond to any knocking.>

<Keep your doors closed and check the National Emergency Escape App.>

<We repeat.>

<Keep your doors closed and check the National Emergency Escape App.>

What the hell was this National Emergency Escape App?

Fine.

I'll install it.

I carefully started downloading the app onto my smartphone.

It had been a while since I'd used a smartphone normally, so I felt strangely clumsy with it.

BANG BANG BANG!!!

Now whatever was outside was pounding hard enough to nearly break the door.

"...Damn."

If I died here, would I restart from the previous floor?

Or from the elevator I'd ridden with my team leader?

I was still thinking when...

CLUNK!

"Ugh!"

The entire door shook.

Seriously, how strong was that thing?

Should I barricade it?

I frantically looked around and reached for something nearby.

Then...

CRACK! BANG!

The door burst open.

"...!"

I grabbed the closest thing that could serve as a weapon.

Something immediately rushed through the broken doorway and lunged at me.

"Urgh...!"

I swung whatever was in my hands.

But my weapon was caught effortlessly by a soft hand.

A soft hand?

I froze and looked over.

"..."

"..."

A soaking wet bear mascot stared back at me.