ALL NOVEL Chapter 2
Beep beep~
Amidst my dim vision, the alarm clock blares.
As I woke up to the sound notifying it was time to rise, the familiar ceiling greeted me.
“Hmm! Luckily, I woke up at home again today!”
After getting up from bed, I shrugged off the combat knives, fire axe, and portable saw hanging from my body and tossed them carelessly into a corner of the room.
Huh? Why do I sleep with so many weapons, you ask?
Well, since I’ve been reincarnated, isn’t it possible that something like being summoned to another world could happen?
I haven’t been summoned yet, but it never hurts to be prepared.
I put on some comfortable clothes I’d tossed into the corner and sat in front of my computer to reread the novels and webtoons that had been posted overnight.
Hmm? You sleep naked, you say?
Isn’t it common sense to sleep in the buff?
More importantly, right now, wow! As expected…
“Today is disgustingly boring too. Authors, use your imagination a little!”
If you’re wondering why I’m reading something so dull, I’ll tell you this: hidden masterpieces often pop up among the mundane and boring tales.
Oh, by the way, it’s already Chapter 2, and I haven’t introduced myself yet.
My name is Han Yu-seong.
A perfectly ordinary seventh-time reincarnator.
*
Here’s what my daily routine looks like:
Wake up at 7 AM.
About an hour of reading webtoons and web novels.
30 minutes for washing my face and showering.
30 minutes for a hasty instant meal.
Exercise at the gym from 9 to 11.
Lunch with games and food at the PC café for 2 hours starting at 11.
And then I come back to the apartment to work.
Bam bang bang
I pound on each apartment door until the residents disappear.
Huh? Calling the police?
I might have mentioned it before, but the police in battle stories are notoriously unhelpful.
They won’t even register your report.
And I think I’ve said this before too…
Swoosh…
The only “human” living in this apartment is me.
The people who turn to dust like security guards the previous day.
Isn’t it puzzling that weird things happen so often in a place called [Ordinary Apartment]?
Ding ding—
– 1,860,000 won deposited.
That’s a bit much today.
Huh? What money, you ask?
For some reason, I get money for catching those who vanish.
10,000 won per one.
The security guard who appears on the 13th floor at midnight is worth 100,000 won.
Isn’t it similar to how mobs drop money in games?
Doesn’t make sense, you say?
Blame this world’s mechanics.
If not for this, how could I, at only 20 years old, afford an apartment even if it was cheap?
Even if it was cheap, it was nearly 100 million won.
Well, now that I’ve accomplished everything except for the 13th floor that comes out at night, it’s time to go home, do a stream, and then beat up the security guard. That’ll wrap up my day…
Click—
“Huh?”
As I stepped out of the next door, having finished my last hunt, I looked around.
The door should lead to a corridor, right?
“What is this?”
I truly believe this apartment should change its name.
*
[Humanity Innovation Alliance]
When traced back, it’s probably the oldest organization in humanity, dating back to the myths of ancient times.
They do many things, but if I had to pick one, it would be this.
They isolate [Abnormalities] to protect humans.
According to the report of an investigator who set out to investigate the peculiar [Abnormality] that appeared and disappeared at midnight, an [Abnormality that devours humans disguised as humans] has emerged.
From the looks of it, it seems the two returned safely, so this [Abnormality] isn’t hostile to humans unexpectedly.
“We need to reclaim it first.”
If the confirmed abilities are true, that [Abnormality] must be reclaimed by the alliance.
By the time the [Alliance] got wind of it, the news probably spread to [Companies], [Temples], and [Artists] as well.
Kim Yu-na, an agent of the [Alliance], arrived at the problematic apartment and surveyed her surroundings.
“Luckily, it seems no one else has arrived yet…”
Had such a place not been detected by the [Alliance] until now?
From a distance, it looks just like an [Ordinary Apartment].
A common sight in Korea.
So common that it doesn’t even evoke a hint of [Strangeness].
Yet, upon entering the premises, this apartment appeared to be truly [Abnormal].
The silence was so profound that not even the sound of people or insects, nor the whispering wind could be heard.
Despite the absence of human presence, the overly well-maintained landscaping and the perfectly clean white exterior of the building felt out of place.
“A building-type [Abnormality]? I heard there are reports of spatial anomalies, but a building itself is an [Abnormal Entity]?”
Kim Yu-na was shocked that something like this could exist right in the heart of Seoul, and she was shocked again that the [Alliance] had not yet detected it.
She gathered her thoughts and headed towards the apartment.
While a [Building-type Abnormal Entity] is especially dangerous, it follows specific rules, so unless there are unique variables, it’s generally safe.
In fact, since the investigation team had explored the building just yesterday, it should be free of risks except for the [unwelcome 13th floor] that appears at night.
The moment she stepped through the door of the apartment…
“This is…!”
*
Three rooms and one bathroom.
The living room of the apartment looks to be about 26 pyeong.
As I opened the door to the big room, I was met with the underground parking lot.
“Is this what they call a back room?”
Han Yu-seong sensed that he was in a crisis.
“The broadcast time… has passed!”
Current time: 4:02 PM.
It had been 2 minutes past the promised time to start the broadcast.
The bigger problem was that it seemed impossible to start the broadcast for the next few dozen minutes.
What the heck? Isn’t this supposed to be a battle story…?
Don’t stray from the genre!
“There was definitely an escape method for the back room…”
I remembered seeing it on a wiki once.
Looking back, if you’re not lucky enough to escape, you’ll wander forever.
…
“No answer in sight, huh?”
What do I do now?
Screech—
“Huh?”
I could hear some noise from a distance.
Clearly, the sounds mentioned in the back room creepypasta…
“Oh wow.”
Without a moment to think, I dove to the side.
Vroom— screech—
A car zoomed past where I was standing.
Did that car just drift like that? It turned and stared back at me.
“Do cars really pop out in a parking lot?”
I glared at the driver’s seat.
Of course, there’s a driver in the car.
A silhouette visible through the light tint.
Familiar but unpleasant.
They resembled the humans that respawn in the apartment every afternoon.
Despite clearly looking human, they gave off an unsettling vibe.
As they drove toward me with an everyday demeanor, reminiscent of someone just going out shopping.
“Ah, right.”
If I get hit head-on by that approaching car, this ordinary human body will die.
Then…
“I found it.”
As long as I don’t get hit head-on, that’s all I need.
Crack—
I grabbed the driver’s collar as the windshield shattered.
“An escape method.”
*
In this apartment, which does not suit the name [Ordinary Apartment] and occasionally witnesses [Abnormal] events, something special happens at noon and midnight.
The residents of the apartment appear at 12 PM.
At 12 AM, the 13th floor and the security guard show up.
I’ve always wondered where they came from, but I let it go.
I thought it was just an action battle world where monsters attack and hunters or defenders fight the monsters.
In such a setting, there’s no need to question the source of the monsters.
However, after experiencing this incident, my mind has shifted a little.
“It’s a creepypasta story.”
No wonder there are so many creepy tales online.
Well, it’s not completely wrong to call it an action battle story.
In this world, wouldn’t the protagonist be someone like an exorcist who fights physical manifestations of ghosts?
Swoosh—
As those who pretended to be human decomposed and vanished, I felt my arm improving a little.
Silly me, did I really think they’d show up with a car?
Thanks to that, my arm is a mess.
Breaking tempered glass alone would be tough even for me.
It’s just not within a human’s capability.
But if a car comes at me head-on, it’s not like it’s completely impossible.
Well, although my fist and arm bones broke upon impact, and my skin got torn a bit.
Normally, a hospital would recommend amputating the arm for injuries this severe, but I have my reasons for doing this.
This world has RPG-like mechanics.
They give you money for defeating mobs and even heal your wounds!
It’s a confusing world where I can’t quite understand why there are poor and sick people, but maybe it’s all just a setting that only special people can fight those things?
Whoosh—
My right arm tingled a bit, and the scratches and tears on my skin began to heal.
“Is one insufficient after all?”
The wounds were so severe that one monster couldn’t suffice to heal me.
There are faint scars, and my arm aches as if the bones are just barely healing.
Anyway, I have a rough idea about what this space presumed to be the back room is.
There are some hints regarding escape methods.
“Well, shall we go?”
Saying that, I moved as quietly as I could, looking for another door.
Huh? You think I’m not bold enough despite my confident words?
Go try fighting a car coming at you head-on and see if you can say that again!
I need to hurry before it comes back out…