How a Veteran of the Urban Legend Gallery Survives – Chapter 6

Endless yellow wallpaper and damp carpet.

A corridor where fluorescent lights buzz incessantly.

This is the Back Room.

The old carpet smelled of mold. The fluorescent lights on the ceiling flickered irregularly, trembling as if broken. It was as if a corner of an old office building had been cut out and infinitely replicated.

I remembered when I first encountered this horror story. In 2021, it became a viral internet legend. If the real world is the stage, this place is like the backstage. Simply put, it’s a kind of bug space that exists in reality. Hence the name “Back Room.”

The reason the Back Room gained such popularity was clear. A familiar yet strangely eerie place. A space everyone might have seen once, but no one would want to stay in for long.

The primal unease it evoked captivated people. It felt like it touched some deep-seated fear buried in the human subconscious.

“Could it be that the Back Room is a horror story managed by the Catastrophe Foundation…?”

I took a deep breath to collect myself. The air in the corridor was heavy, and with each inhale, the smell of old dust stung my nose.

Of course, I had read the Back Room document before. But it was so vast that I didn’t read it as thoroughly as the Catastrophe Foundation documents. Still, I tried to recall the information I remembered.

This place is three times the size of Earth’s surface. Just looking at the numbers, it was hard to grasp the scale. Finding an exit back to reality in such a vast space was harder than winning the lottery. Plus, there are these monstrous creatures called “Entities” that hunt humans… Just thinking about it sent chills down my spine.

Every time the fluorescent lights flickered, the shadows swayed. It felt like something was moving within those shifting shadows.

They said there are no Entities at Level 0, but the fear of being in a closed space didn’t easily subside.

“First, let’s check the communication.”

With trembling hands, I took out my smartphone and tried to connect to the internet.

As expected, there was no signal.

Only a message saying I was out of range. The “No Service” sign on the screen blinked mockingly.

But the Horror Story Gallery was accessible.

It was strange. In this place where all communication was impossible, the fact that only this site was accessible reminded me once again how abnormal the Horror Story Gallery was.

I immediately posted a thread. My fingers trembled as I typed. I couldn’t believe this situation, but at least the Horror Story Gallery users would understand my predicament.

─Title) Are the Catastrophe Foundation guys insane?

─Author: [White Nightⓖ]

─Content: I came for the new employee orientation, and they threw me into the Back Room for some aptitude test lol. Are these guys really insane? It’s a horror story that’s at least C to B grade, and they’re trying to kill new employees lol. What am I supposed to do now? Damn it.

I wrote in a light tone, but in reality, I was sweating. My fingers trembled as I typed the “lol” to show I was laughing. Was it a struggle to not lose touch with reality? Or was it just bravado to hide my fear?

A reply came immediately. The notification sound made my heart sink. Any sound in this space was unwelcome.

[500 Won for Jjolmyeonⓖ]: Dude, are you really insane? Why did you even join the Foundation?

It was a familiar nickname. Normally, I would have been happy, but now it only added to my frustration. Since no one knew about the reset button or the Dalant Shop app, I answered carefully. I couldn’t reveal all the information. With horror stories becoming reality, any information could lead to another catastrophe.

└[White Nightⓖ]: Since horror stories are becoming reality anyway, I thought I might as well make some money, but damn, I didn’t expect to be thrown into the Back Room on the first day.

I tried to hide the truth without lying. Every word had to be careful. In this situation, wrong information could be fatal.

└[500 Won for Jjolmyeonⓖ]: What did you expect from the Foundation lol? Damn, I don’t know much about the Back Room, so I can’t really give you any advice.

A sigh escaped me. Even 500 Won for Jjolmyeon, known as the kind helper of the Horror Story Gallery, was like this. Despair washed over me.

Then, a new reply came. The phone screen glowed coldly under the fluorescent light.

[Cryptidⓖ]: In advance, I offer my condolences. Action beam.

For a moment, I was furious. But then I calmed down. Cryptid… He’s an expert on unidentified creatures. Of course, he would be knowledgeable about the Back Room horror story, which involves monstrous creatures.

└[White Nightⓖ]: Damn it, I’m serious. How do I get out of here?

I stared at the screen, waiting for a reply. I swallowed dryly. The endless corridor felt like a prison. The fluorescent lights still flickered irregularly, irritating my nerves.

└[Cryptidⓖ]: First, I don’t know which version of the Back Room you’re in, but the original Back Room isn’t a place you can escape from by just walking around for a day or two. Even if you’re fast, it could take three months, or even years, to get out. Plus, there are Entities hunting humans… Just thinking about it gives me chills.

└[White Nightⓖ]: So what do I do? Am I supposed to die here?

└[Cryptidⓖ]: First, start farming Almond Water at Level 1 so you don’t starve. Manage your stress to avoid Ross Syndrome, pace yourself to avoid exhaustion, and if you have a marker, use it to mark your path so you don’t go in circles. Be careful not to encounter Entities. If you’re at Level 0 or the Manila Room, you can sleep alone, but from Level 1 onwards, sleep in shifts with a companion. If you don’t have a companion and can’t sleep, go to a safe level (Level 0, 0.22, 10, 37) and sleep or hold out until you find a companion. Sleeping in dangerous levels will get you killed by Entities.

Reading Cryptid’s advice, faint memories resurfaced. Like an old film slowly rolling, the contents of the Back Room document I had read in the past came back to me one by one.

Looking around, the yellow wallpaper and endless corridor, the buzzing fluorescent lights… This was clearly Level 0. A corridor with no escape, no place to hide. The only saving grace was that this was the safest level.

There were no Entities here, so there was no direct threat to humans, but the fatal flaw was the lack of water and food. Long-term survival here was impossible. My throat was already dry, and hunger was slowly creeping in.

“First, I need to get to Level 1.”

I opened the Dalant Shop app on my smartphone. The screen displayed numerous items, but most were too expensive to buy. Then, I spotted a 1-Dalant “Black Meteor Marker.” It didn’t have any special abilities, but it seemed sufficient for marking my path.

[Would you like to purchase the Black Meteor Marker?]

I hesitated for a moment. I thought I should save my Dalant. But right now, survival was the priority.

[Purchase complete.]

A marker appeared in my pocket.

The cold plastic touch met my palm.

Now, I was ready.

It was ironic that a cheap stationery item could become a lifeline in this situation.

Walking too fast would exhaust me, so I walked at a moderate pace, scanning the corridor.

I marked the walls with arrows as I passed.

The black ink left clear marks on the yellow wallpaper.

At least I wouldn’t be going in circles.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor. The damp carpet gave an unpleasant sensation with each step. It felt like stepping on the back of a living creature.

The fluorescent lights still flickered irregularly. Sometimes, complete darkness would descend for a few seconds. Each time, my heart sank. Even though I knew there were no Entities in Level 0, it felt like something was watching me in the dark.

About two hours had passed.

My legs were getting heavier. The endless corridor was mentally and physically exhausting.

Then, I saw it.

A staircase. The stairs leading to Level 1. It was an ordinary emergency staircase, but in this monotonous corridor, it felt like an oasis.

Without hesitation, I climbed up. Each step echoed with a metallic sound. The sound was strangely loud, but I didn’t have the luxury to care about that now.

Level 1 was completely different from Level 0. An endless warehouse. A space that completely disoriented you with its non-Euclidean geometry. The ceiling was higher, and the space was wider. But it also seemed more dangerous.

The warehouse shelves were tangled like a maze. Some shelves stood vertically, while others leaned at angles.

It was a sight that defied the laws of physics. It was a space that couldn’t be rationally understood, but now wasn’t the time to question it.

“I need to find Almond Water.”

My throat was dry, and I was hungry. I needed water and nutrients to survive. As I wandered through the warehouse, a translucent green bottle caught my eye. It was exactly what Cryptid had mentioned.

Almond Water. One of the food items you can find in the Back Room, equivalent to a 600-calorie meal. According to Cryptid, three bottles a day would provide sufficient nutrition.

As I picked up the bottle, I felt its lukewarm temperature. The transparent liquid inside sloshed.

Just as I was about to put the bottle into my office bag, it happened.

Time seemed to stand still.

And then…

-Aaaaaah!

A scream echoed. And it was very close.