Mountain Lord (Sangun-nim).
One of the eeriest and most unsettling records in the <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>.
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Though it resembles the internet-famous "Jangsan Beom" urban legend, this tale carries a stronger shamanistic and bizarre tone.
The ghost, which is claimed to have been killed by a tiger known as the Mountain Lord, persistently changes its appearance and chases victims, luring them in and dragging them away.
Many who read it reported feeling uneasy or even nauseous, which led to it going viral in the first half of 20XX as part of the Chronicles of Darkness Exploration.
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It was exactly as described.
As someone who can generally handle ghost stories in written form, I found myself pausing multiple times while reading because of the unsettling aftertaste it left behind.
Part of its creepiness came from how familiar it felt due to the popularity of similar stories.
Most people have probably heard it at least once.
A ghost story about a person devoured by a tiger who then becomes a ghost and seeks out someone they’re close to…
Commonly referred to as vengeful spirits (Chang-gwi).
This ghost must find another victim to pass on its burden so its soul can finally move on to the afterlife—a chilling story, indeed.
‘Honestly, just recalling it feels unsettling.’
But, rationally speaking, there’s still a way to survive.
‘If it’s C-Grade, then there must be a proper escape method recorded for it.’
It won’t be easy, but it’s not entirely impossible to escape from this darkness.
The problem is… the method involves some rather grotesque and unjust choices, causing mental anguish and a lot of pressure on the person involved.
It’s the kind of ghost story designed to make readers shiver with immersion.
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A man in his 50s downloaded a landscape painting from the internet that is said to bring good fortune.
The painting, a late Joseon-era ink wash depicting a mountain shrouded in mist, was described as unnervingly vivid even in low resolution.
After downloading it, he occasionally dreamt of wandering near the mountain in the painting. Strangely, these dreams made him feel calm and focused.
However, the dreams changed after he received an unexpected promotion at work.
In the mist of the mountain, he began hearing a voice calling out to him.
The voice said it was the duty of a gentleman to repay favors and spoke tearfully, accompanied by the sounds of footsteps trudging along a mountain path and animals’ cries.
Terrified, the man turned and tried to run.
But then, he heard someone repeatedly muttering, “You’re caught, You’re caught,” followed by cackling laughter and the sound of pursuit.
Every night, he dreamt of desperately running away.
Eventually, the man realized during one such dream that he’d run all the way to his own front door.
Panicked, he woke up and immediately fled his home to stay at a hotel, hoping to avoid the voice and protect his family from getting involved.
That night, the voice didn’t chase him.
Instead, he saw a pale-faced figure slither through the crack of his slightly open front door, laughing softly.
It was then he realized.
The voice hadn’t been following him. It had been trying to find his house.
Result: His entire family, except for himself, went missing. Six months later, three unidentified bodies were found in a nearby dam.
The man later committed suicide while hospitalized for PTSD.
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This is how it went.
The worst part was imagining the mental torment of someone caught in such a ghost story.
And there was something even more unsettling.
‘…I’ve come too far.’
I was already trapped, lured in by the vengeful spirit.
There were signs I had responded to its calls multiple times.
The talisman was nearly useless.
This was the kind of dire scenario usually described in the final moments of a long exploration record, right before everyone died.
It meant I was already backed into a corner.
‘Damn it.’
I ran a hand through my hair.
“– Are you in trouble, my friend?”
Trouble doesn’t even begin to describe it. I was practically swimming in a cold sweat.
“– Oh dear. Is it because of that unwelcome guest from earlier? An uninvited guest is always unpleasant, especially in unwanted places.”
“– Allow me to offer you some advice. Would that be acceptable?”
Huh?
I looked down at my pocket.
“– I can turn off your spotlight, Roe Deer!”
“– That way, you’ll attract no one’s attention and can quietly slip out of this place.”
“…!”
I recalled the uncanny ability this plushie had shown back at the theme park—how it made me completely unnoticeable, allowing me to move without being spotted by the blue mascot.
“– Just quietly step out that door and head home. There’s no better way to avoid a stressful situation…”
“……”
Based on the <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>, I probably had a good chance of figuring out the correct escape route.
If I could avoid being detected by the vengeful spirit, I might truly be able to leave this ghost story behind with ease!
‘But…’
Isn’t that a one-person solution?
‘Would you be able to do the same for someone else?’
“– For someone other than you, my friend?”
Braun’s voice momentarily warped as if I’d made an unpleasant request. But, ever the performer, he quickly returned to his usual cheerful tone.
“– Perhaps I could, but I wouldn’t recommend it! You see, everything has a set limit, and the more it’s shared, the less there is for you to use.”
It seemed that using his ability on others would reduce its duration or effectiveness.
‘So, it’s really only suitable for one person, huh?’
Still, leaving others behind didn’t sit well with me—my modern conscience, shaped by public education, wouldn’t allow it…
And besides.
‘Braun, If I can’t get Manager Lee Byungjin out of here, our budget will be in serious trouble.’
“– Pardon?”
“Which means we can’t buy the Bloodlust Bath…”
Ah, capitalism.
“– Oh no!”
“– But if I turn off two spotlights, any sharp-eyed observer might notice! That would ruin the scene’s quality!”
Exactly.
‘Then I’ll have to find another way.’
Of course, if things got dire, I’d SOS Braun to save at least one of us.
‘For now, let’s see how far I can go.’
“– How unfortunate! Very well.”
I rummaged through my pockets.
Thankfully, I still had some items I always carried on workdays: smiley face stickers, Alice’s buff/debuff foods, and Snow White’s apple.
Though I’d lost the bloodsucking fork earlier…
‘At least there’s still the knife.’
I pulled the remaining piece of bloodsucking cutlery from my opposite thigh pocket.
And I was surprised.
“…It got bigger!”
The knife was no longer the size of dessert cutlery. Its handle had intricate carvings, adorned with a small red gemstone.
It had clearly evolved.
‘Did the blood the fork absorbed get shared with it?’
They were a pair, after all.
“…!! I-Is that the security team’s suppression equipment?”
I didn’t respond, letting Manager Lee Byungjin misunderstand.
I carefully cleaned the now-larger knife on my clothes and tucked it into the front pocket of my jacket, hoping I wouldn’t have to use it.
“I’ll search this house now.”
“Ah… Yes!”
As I stepped forward, Manager Lee quickly moved aside.
I stared at him.
“…?”
“Please accompany me.”
“Wha…? Oh, no. I-I’ve already checked everything…”
“I’m asking you to guide me since you’ve already seen it all.”
“O-Oh… Yes.”
Though reluctant, Manager Lee followed me nervously.
Good. At least he wouldn’t pass out from fear while wandering alone.
“This is… probably the kitchen, sir. There wasn’t any food, though.”
The old, abandoned house was filled with rust, dust, and mold. Talismans covered the walls.
It resembled one of those decrepit houses you see perched on mountainsides while driving along the highway.
“Didn’t you feel uncomfortable staying here for a week?”
“Well… I wasn’t thirsty or hungry….”
His face turned pale.
“B-But every night, whenever the ghost came, I’d feel completely drained…”
“Did you ever try going outside during the day?”
“…Yes, but no matter how far I walked, it was just forest… I was scared the sun might set, so I always came back here.”
His testimony matched the other exploration records.
If that’s the case…
“Wh-Where are you going?”
I headed to the end of the hallway, where there was no door.
And I stopped in front of a dead end.
“There seems to be an upper floor.”
“Huh?? N-No, there’s no staircase! I searched everywhere for a week and didn’t find a trace of one…”
I summoned my remote hand.
And placed the bloodsucking knife in its grasp, aiming it at the ceiling.
To be precise, at a small crack.
‘Hah!’
The knife struck the ceiling with precision, lodging in the gap.
A snapping sound echoed, followed by a loud crash as the ceiling gave way, revealing a hidden attic ladder.
“Found it.”
“A-Amazing! As expected of the security team…. Your perspective is truly different from ordinary people!”
“……”
No, not really.
I just read the exploration records...
Abandoned houses always have an attic.
‘The perspective of someone who knows there’s something is obviously going to be different from someone who knows nothing…’
Anyway, it seemed certain that what I was looking at led to the attic.
‘Wow.’
It really looked like something I didn't want to deal with.
‘It’s like entering an open room in a haunted house by yourself.’
But since I had already pretended to be part of the security team, I had essentially volunteered as the tank. I climbed the ladder, trying to act nonchalant.
Creeeeek.
‘Follow me, please!’
As expected, no one followed.
‘Pretending to be security will be something I remember…’
I did my best not to shake and quickly made my way to the attic, completed the search, and hurriedly came down.
I acted like I was efficient and had quickly completed the search.
‘Phew.’
I probably seemed natural.
"H-How was it?"
"It’s just an old attic. Nothing special…."
I lifted up the only find.
"This was on an old low table."
It was a book, aged and bound in a traditional way.
[活路]
“‘Way to survive?!’ Could this be a way out?”
He can read classical Chinese?
I carefully opened the fragile book.
The entire thing was written in Chinese characters.
‘Chinese… the best I did was pass the Level 2 exam back in high school…’
“– Oh. This is an interesting read.”
“…!”
Wait, can Braun understand classical Chinese too?
“– Oh my, Roe Deer. A capable host like myself can communicate with all beings in the universe… almost all of them, anyway.”
I thought I had just heard an absurd statement, but the important part was this.
‘...Can you read this out loud?’
“– Of course!”
Good.
After a brief clearing of the throat, Braun’s voice deepened and took on a distant, ancient tone.
– "This is your only way out."
Thud.
– "You, who are foolish enough to enter the Mountain Lord’s tomb, having been ensnared by the Vengeful Spirit. Your path is dark, and a ghost clings to your back."
I gulped.
– "Do not answer. Do not open the door. Cleanse your body and endure until the full moon, then go to the shrine and perform the ritual."
– "Only then will you live to see the sunrise. But…"
I flipped the page.
– "The Vengeful Spirit will hunt for its prey, a person destined to be devoured by the tiger. You have already been ensnared by the tiger. There is no escape."
– "The ghost will remain with you, by your doorstep, at your bedside, wherever you sleep."
– "Thus, you must become a Vengeful Spirit too. Find someone to sacrifice to the tiger, in order to escape."
…!
– "The sacrifice must be someone with vitality, flowing hot blood, and the ability to speak. Only then can you deceive the spirit chasing you."
– "While offering the sacrifice, follow the moonlit path, and you will find a small pit of serpents."
– "This is your only way out. There is no other."
“……”
“– End. Oh, fascinating.”
I stood frozen, closing the book.
‘...So this is what it was.’
The exploration record briefly mentioned a ritual where a victim was selected by drawing lots, and when the chosen one refused, they were tied to a pillar and dragged away. But seeing it in person... the psychological pressure was suffocating, far beyond mere unease.
Flap.
At that moment, something fell out from the last page of the book.
“......”
A small card.
When I picked it up, there was hastily scribbled writing on the back.
⧻⧻ Leaving tomorrow.
I flipped the card over.
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Go Seonha
Department of History, Jugang University
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Was this the person who had read this book before?
Meanwhile, Lee Byungjin, the manager who knew classical Chinese, was fumbling through the book, trying to read the text himself.
And he was shocked.
"犧牲物... Th-This means... someone must die, right?"
“......”
"That's it! If just one person dies, everyone else will survive!"
I didn’t respond.
Manager Lee Byungjin started nervously rubbing his palms as he looked around.
"Well, but, if we don't do this, we'll all die, right... so..."
"So?"
"...If we kill someone who doesn't matter, it works, right? Someone who’s definitely going to die anyway.”
Is he talking about himself?
But when I saw the look in his eyes, I realized.
‘He’s talking about the kids.’
"Honestly! If one of the kids... they’d be dead anyway if the security team hadn’t come. We need to focus on getting out of here!"
“......”
“I mean, if one of them dies and the rest survive, isn’t that a good thing?"
I didn’t think I’d hear such a thing in real life.
But considering that we had been trapped here for a week, gripped by the fear of death and in panic, I could somewhat understand his state of mind...
‘But I can’t go along with such nonsense.’
I glanced briefly at the Chinese text.
"An Intelligent being."
"Excuse me?"
"This book says the sacrifice must be someone with intellect, that is, an intelligent being."
I tilted my head slightly.
"But can a child who hasn't reached adulthood really be considered an intelligent being?"
"Uh... uh...."
"I don’t think so."
I lowered my voice and stared at Manager Lee Byungjin.
“Only adults, those who are fully formed, could be used as sacrifices. So... there's only one candidate.”
“......!”
He broke into a cold sweat, his pupils trembling as he opened his mouth.
"Uh, uh...."
I opened my mouth.
"It would have to be me."
“......?”
“Unless we count the children and you, who have been trapped here for a week and are mentally disoriented.”
“......”
"Then there's no other choice but me."
Manager Lee Byungjin started sweating even more, his eyes darting nervously.
“Wh-What?!”
I sighed.
"But I don’t want to die. So, I’ll find another way."
I started flipping through the book again.
A long silence passed.
"Uh, I... I’m sorry."
“......”
“I didn’t mean to talk about the children’s lives, and I... I don’t know what I was thinking. Haha…”
He collapsed, completely drained of energy.
"On the first day, it was my father who died..."
“He had passed away from cancer, and I couldn’t be there for his last moments because of work.”
“But he kept saying ‘Byungjin-ah, let me see you.’ He was crying, asking to open the door.”
“......”
"I had to stop myself from opening the door while hitting my head, but the ghost, imitating my father’s voice, mocked me with all sorts of insults before leaving."
He buried his face in his hands.
"Every day, it’s the voices of people who have died—family, friends, neighbors—coming to haunt me...!"
People who had treated him kindly like his uncle, aunt, cousin who died in an accident, his college friends, and even his neighbor's child who was kidnapped and disappeared...
"Now, every dead person I knew keeps coming back as if they’re being… pulled. I can’t hold on anymore... If there is a hell, this must be it."
“......”
Come to think of it, the middle school kids didn’t even know there were ghosts knocking on the door outside.
They hadn’t noticed even after being here for two days.
‘Was he standing by the door on purpose?’
Whether it was intentional, a coincidence, or due to being entranced by a ghost, I wasn’t sure, but in any case, his actions seemed to have helped protect the kids' mental state, which gave me a strange feeling.
I nodded briefly, still watching the manager.
"If this is hell, then we really need to escape."
“......”
“I’ll study this book more carefully…”
Knock, knock, knock.
“…!”
Both our faces turned towards the door.
"Did you just…?"
Knock, knock, knock.
"......"
"......"
Excuse me.
The voice was back again.
