Baek Saheon was unusually doubting his one remaining eye.

Am I dreaming right now?

No, I am indeed dreaming. A nightmare from a ghost story... No.

No!!

In fact, just a moment ago, he was simply angry.

‘I came here because I heard there’s a brainwashing item with strong effects in the school’s staff room…’

Seeing all the people involved here, he thought to himself that it probably wasn’t as high-level of information as he had believed, and he boiled with anger inside.

‘...I won’t let this go when I go to work tomorrow.’

Even though he gritted his teeth and updated the list of people to be eliminated with the one who had provided that so-called high-level information.

Still, he was confident.

No, he actually thought that this tense standoff between the two factions was a good opportunity to exploit.

‘If I just shake things up a little, it’ll turn into chaos, right?’

Whether by sowing discord or summoning a monster to cause chaos, he thought he could grab the item and escape.

It was as if he had been using the fools around him as bait at crucial moments to climb up until now.

I could tolerate my weak classmate wearing the bison mask, growling and holding back tears, because he seemed useful.

But…

‘What the hell is this guy…?’

Baek Saheon stood frozen, staring ahead.

An employee with a familiar face, wearing a black school uniform, stood confidently and casually next to the Disaster Management Bureau personnel.

Wearing the same metal badge as them, holding a strange toy-like pistol.

...Kim Sol-eum!

“Agent Grape.”

G-Grape??

What the hell does that mean?

I clearly saw him in the classroom earlier, he wasn’t wearing that kind of gear. No…

‘Why the hell is a staff member from Daydream Corporation standing so naturally over there?!’

“It seems like everyone is securing items, could this be what we were looking for?”

“That might be the case.”

They're talking so naturally, like members of the Disaster Management Bureau...!

The employee from Daydream Corporation standing nearby whispered to each other upon seeing that.

“They don’t seem like ordinary people.”

“Could he be a higher-ranking agent? He seems to have been called here.”

“…….”

Beside them, Jang Heo-un flapped his lips and glanced back and forth between himself and Kim Sol-eum.

Apart from himself, he was the only one here who remembered Kim Sol-eum's real face.

Even though he was wearing a mask, the astonishment was clearly visible.

Then, he opened his mouth, seemingly trying to act as if he knew Kim Sol-eum right in front of him!

‘Yeah. That's it!’

You take my place!

“That... that.”

“Would you mind stepping back a bit?”

“Hah?”

But the opponent was Kim Sol-eum.

The... 'Agent Grape' immediately interrupted Jang Heo-un's attempt to act familiar and looked around the staff with a serious expression.

And with a persuasive voice, he continued speaking.

"In a supernatural disaster like this, an individual possessing dangerous items could lead to catastrophic outcomes. As you may have experienced, items that seem good here don’t always bring good results.”

His voice somehow sounded very…

Convincing.

"...Even now, monsters are roaming outside."

"......"

Kim Sol-eum spoke with desperate eyes.

"Please, I ask you to make a concession for the sake of saving more lives."

You?

A chill ran down my spine.

But for some reason, Jang Heo-un blinked and slowly opened his mouth as if entranced.

"Th-then... this time, I’ll concede,"

This crazy bastard!

"...! Hey! What nonsense is this coming from a rookie?"

"You, shut your mouth."

The employees, snapping back to their senses, began to pour out their complaints.

Baek Saheon didn’t realize it, but it was possible because he carried a mental defense item strong enough to resist some of Silver Hear’s influence.

Of course, the scene wasn’t very pleasant, so the agents on the opposite side whispered among themselves.

"Corporate culture is trash as well."

"Exactly. But still, that agent speaks so well."

“…….”

He’s even being acknowledged by the agents…!

'Just who the hell is he to be pretending to be an agent…?'

Wait a second.

At that moment, a thunderous realization struck Baek Saheon’s mind.

'C-could it be… he was a Disaster Management Bureau agent from the start?'

Upon closer look, the official standing next to him was that guy he had met at the insane murder lodge!

The mask provided by the company had the effect of disrupting recognition for non-employees, so it seemed they hadn’t recognized him…

'...No way.'

Was this all planned from the start?

Was Kim Sol-eum a spy for the Disaster Management Bureau from the beginning?

A chill ran down his spine.

But at the same time, it felt like he had a new card to play.

'Then if I expose that bastard's true identity….'

At that moment, his eyes met with Kim Sol-eum’s.

Kim Sol-eum grinned and lightly tapped his own chest.

And he mouthed the words.

'Debt.'

“……!”

-Debt

The phrase he had written while leaving behind the emergency flashlight.

'Y-you crazy bastard, that's the debt you owe me…!'

Could he possibly mean, 'If you want to collect your debt, shut up and cooperate'?

How could a debtor threaten the creditor in reverse… no, wait!

'Damn it, forget about that!'

Baek Saheon gritted his teeth.

Right now, this team was outnumbered.

'The agents' side has more people now.'

At this rate, the field exploration staff aiming for the peak clear would likely back off and give up the item without resistance.

Then, there would be no disruption. The opportunity itself would vanish!

'Rather….'

“…….”

After pondering, Baek Saheon made a decision.

He absolutely needed that item.

…Absolutely.

He also confirmed that his personal equipment, purchased with a hefty upfront investment of a thousand points, was securely attached to the sole of his shoe.

This, meticulously crafted after selecting the best components with great care…

Was a lethal weapon designed for chaos.

Owner: Baek Saheon

Registered Equipment Description: A three-colored pen-shaped device that, when the tip is pressed, ejects the pen nib and explodes like a firecracker.

Manufactured by Qterw-E-99.

Enjoying the slender, cylindrical pressure felt from the sole of his shoe.

Baek Saheon deliberately turned to Jang Heo-un and started a conversation.

"Hey."

"Yes?"

"Doesn’t it seem like there’s a strange noise coming from outside…."

And then, naturally, he fired at Kim Sol-eum.

"…Isn’t there?"

He aimed for the head.

'Die!'

Die instantly.

So that even if he woke up from this darkness, he wouldn’t realize it was him who fired.

'That bastard would have a name tag anyway!'

He had even written off the debt, so he couldn’t let it be discovered that he ruined this situation.

'I can just pin it on someone else.'

After all, the morals of the company employees were all pretty much the same.

Baek Saheon discreetly flashed a triumphant smile.

Swoosh.

The pen tip of his specialized equipment shot out from the sole of his shoe and silently pierced through Kim Sol-eum’s head…

…But failed?

Kim Sol-eum naturally twisted his head to dodge the pen tip.

"...?!"

Kim Sol-eum glanced at Baek Saheon.

'How many times have I read about the usage of your specialized equipment on the wiki.'

He already knew the reloading mechanism.

'You hit the left heel twice, don’t you.'

Since he had prepared for this from the moment they became roommates, this reflex was only natural.

In truth, he had no expectations, so he wasn’t even angry….

'I can’t lose the upper hand.'

At that moment, Kim Sol-eum smiled at Baek Saheon.

'I know it was you who fired.'

'And that means you’re screwed now.'

“…….”

Baek Saheon felt a chill run down his spine.

The conditioned fear surged to the brink of panic.

However, his goal of creating chaos had succeeded.

"Urgh,"

“…!”

The pen tip hit the locker behind Kim Sol-eum and exploded in all directions.

In an instant, the office was filled with flashes of light, noise, and smoke.

"...Who’s there?!"

Now, no matter how much you lower your voice, it’s useless.

With this level of commotion, even the 'students' would chase after them, willing to risk a bit of property damage.

So……

They’ll be swarming in soon.

“…!!”

"Flashlights."

Everyone crouched down and pressed against the wall.

Obscured vision due to the smoke was the worst condition in this nightmare of a school.

'Who the hell is it?'

Survival rose as a higher priority in everyone’s minds than finding the culprit.

'At this point…!'

I’ll take what I was aiming for anyway!

Baek Saheon leapt onto the table.

The fountain pen of 2nd-year ■■■

He grabbed the item and slipped it into his pocket.

And then, he naturally joined the employees and rushed out of the office with them.

The agents, who had been setting up a tight formation with no blind spots in the office, only realized the situation after the mist had slightly cleared.

That both the fountain pen and the employees had disappeared simultaneously.

"...! Damn it!"

"Those Daydream Inc. bastards…!"

Suddenly, it became a joint responsibility.

'Well, isn’t this great.'

Only Kim Sol-eum, who had been watching Baek Saheon closely, noticed this.

But the situation was too urgent to talk about it.

[A fatal accident occurred in the third-floor hallway.]

[The deceased student is Kim Sora, a second-year.]

The Daydream Inc. employees leaving the hallway had shot one of the students.

"...Ha."

A blackout occurred.

* * *

A 5-second blackout.

Flashlights flickering chaotically.

Screams.

Corpses.

'This is insane.'

With so many people and grotesque creatures, this feels just like a B-grade splatter horror movie.

A different kind of fear compared to the suffocating stillness from before.

Aaaah!

That, over there on the window!

Blood! Blood!

Provide suppor… ugh,

Amidst the chillingly brutal scenes unfolding everywhere, I was somehow spotting and stopping the students trying to enter the office through the mist.

It felt like I was playing a horrifying defense game.

Or, like being trapped in a horror game with no other choice.

"Go!"

The only relief was that the agents were actively attacking, so I wasn’t drawing much attention.

But even that had its limits.

Blink.

The moment I blinked involuntarily because of blood splattered on my eyes.

A student’s hand stopped above my head like a hook.

“…!!”

I quickly stepped back.

…My skull was nearly pierced just now.

My hair stood on end.

'Huh….'

It felt like my heart was about to drop.

'No.'

This was a swamp.

'This has gone beyond what a single flashlight can cover.'

From what I know, though it varies each round, there were at least twenty students on each floor.

If a student is killed and the announcement plays?

[A fatal accident occurred in the second-year staff room.]

They’ll come again.

Along with the 5-second blackout of silent mourning.

'It won’t end.'

There's a high chance everyone will die here and the exploration will end. So….

'I’ll take this chance to escape instead.'

I gritted my teeth.

I’ll find others on a different floor and join them.

The mist was clearing, and the blackout had just ended….

Blink.

'...Now!'

I slid through the staff room, now a scene of blood, organs, and violence, toward the door that had been open from the start.

At that moment,

"Mr. Grape!"

“…!”

In the cleared mist, the Agent Bronze came into view.

He was confronting an employee wearing a mask, and that mask was….

"Hik."

"Quiet."

It was the Bison Mask. The Residual Team of Team Y.

'That's Jang Heo-un.'

Couldn’t he escape with the other employees…!

"Tie him up with this…!"

The agent threw an item that looked like handcuffs at me.

He must be asking me to restrain Jang Heo-un, mistakenly thinking I came here to help him.

But I had already decided to cut ties with everyone….

"R-run away, Roe Deer!"

“…!”

Damn it.

Jang Heo-un called out and then, startled, covered his mouth.

The name of my mask.

"…Roe Deer?"

"No, it’s just…"

Just from the agent’s expression, I could tell.

'I’ve been exposed.'

Damn it, in that case…!

I quickly grabbed the handcuff item the agent handed to me.

And then I cuffed it onto the agent instead.

“……?!”

The handcuffs expanded, restraining the agent’s mouth and arms, and a silver chain extended to connect to my hand.

"Mr. Bison, let’s run."

"Y-yes…?!"

And then, I dragged Jang Heo-un and the agent and bolted outside.

Aaaah!

[The moment of silence is over. We pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased.]

We escaped the chaotic staff room and dashed madly up the stairs.

One or two entities followed us out of the office but turned back due to the renewed commotion inside.

"Keep your eyes on upstairs."

"Got it!"

Jang Heo-un responded rather quickly and looked up the stairs.

'Phew.'

I watched from the middle of the stairs as the students stopped following and disappeared, then turned my head, wanting to wipe the cold sweat off my face.

And then, my eyes met with the restrained person at the end of the chain I was holding.

The Disaster Management Bureau agent, Mr. Bronze, was glaring at me as if he wanted to kill me.

“…….”

At this point.

There’s no other choice.

'Let’s bluff…!'

I started crafting an emotional ploy with a speed I had never achieved before in my life.