---

Unexpectedly, the ghost cat had some boldness.

Leaving a note about embarking on an adventure, it truly hit the road.

Although it loved adventures as a romantic cat, I didn’t expect it to go this far.

Hmm.

Since it could ghost, there shouldn’t be much danger, right?

But then again, there are certainly objects that can attack a ghost, so I was a bit worried.

What can I do but worry?

I have to go.

To pass the time and to secretly follow the cat’s adventure, I made up my mind to tail it.

Was it really heading towards the ‘Incheon Gye-yang Mountain Temporary Camp’? In the blink of an eye, it was leaving Seoul and heading into more desolate areas.

Late at night, when the sun had completely set, the cat stopped and stared at something.

It was a building stained red against the sky.

The ruins of a building on fire, flames constantly engulfing it.

From the perspective of an object sense, it was a dangerous fire that could even burn a ghost.

Surely, it wouldn’t be going in there, right?

*

Having left Seoul in search of adventure, I found hardly any thrilling escapades in sight.

Ordinary ruins, regular towns, peaceful daily lives.

I wandered around for quite a while but couldn’t find anything satisfactory.

It would be nice if I could at least have one adventure before entering the camp…

In the meantime, I was able to spot some ruins that caught my attention.

A building with flames that would not extinguish, gently flickering all over!

The entire building was covered in red oil, which was continuously burning.

The burning oil glimmered blood-red, and the dense smoke made it hard to see anything in the ruins.

This is it!

This was the place I had been searching for.

It looked exceptionally dangerous and was a spot teeming with thrilling adventures.

And in the center of those ruins was a red jewel shimmering with mysterious light.

A treasure, the reward for the adventure I’d always wanted!

If I had that jewel, my story would become much more vibrant.

It was something I hadn’t obtained in all my adventures until now.

Lowering my body as much as possible, I crept into the ruin filled with flames.

Amidst the smoky haze, I could barely see fat frogs resembling pigs.

Pig frogs oozing red oil.

Using ghosting as a shield, as I approached the building leisurely, I felt the frogs notice something.

!

I quickly hid behind the ruins, startled.

I never expected the frogs would have the ability to see ghosts.

Their gleaming, large eyes were no decoration.

I lowered my body as much as possible and slowly advanced, using the haze rising from the burning oil for cover.

Since they were frogs with good eyesight, I moved as stealthily as I could, trying not to be spotted.

Thus, I weaved in and out of the destroyed building while edging closer to the jewel that shone in the center.

After sneaking for a few minutes, I finally arrived in front of the jewel.

The jewel was located at the center of the building, filled with thick smoke.

The red jewel! The destination of my adventure.

I thought this was finally going to be the end of the adventure, but someone was waiting in the clearing.

A massive frog peering down through the blurry smoke.

Naturally, this was the moment to flee.

But I didn’t want to run away with treasure so close.

So I puffed out my chest and shouted.

“Bring it on!”

Swallowing my fear and shouting, the earth began to rumble.

Flames and smoke flowed into the frog, and the sound of boiling oil echoed.

Dust from the shaking ruins began to rise, as if there was an earthquake.

Scary!

But I gritted my teeth and endured it.

For a few seconds, we glared at each other.

The giant frog slowly turned and began to retreat.

I had defeated the monster with courage and will!

As the frog backed away, booming like thunder, the red necklace in the center of the clearing was revealed.

I grasped the red necklace, the refined treasure of my adventure from the ruins filled with smoke and flames.

*

The cat surprisingly hid very well.

Well, considering that even 10% of its tales were true, it should be able to manage this much.

Hiding here and there, throwing stones to divert attention, it slowly ventured towards its destination like the protagonist of an action flick.

I sat inside the ruins, watching that scene like a film.

No popcorn, but instead, I had my frog balance balls and aromatic oils.

The cat was rolling around, rounding up fat frogs behind the veil of unseeable flames and smoke.

Puffed up like a ball, jumping on the frogs!

Leaning my waist against a frog’s body, yay!

Gathering the frogs in a line and sliding over them!

Smooth and nice-textured balance ball frogs and the fragrant red oil.

It was a perfect combination.

Thanks to that, I got all sticky and drenched in red oil, but it was still rather fun.

A fun game with the frogs that had to repel intruders!

Frogs that didn’t want to play?

Sadly, one of them had become a popped balance ball; I wonder who did that.

Still, the cat’s adventure seemed likely to be a failure.

Would it get scared and flee before reaching the destination?

That might be understandable since there was a giant balance ball frog in front of the jewel.

Upon reaching the destination, the cat wore a face of despair at the sight of the giant frog.

And unexpectedly, instead of running away, the cat took completely different actions.

Meow!

It shouted with firm resolve.

The angered frog puffed up its belly, ready to spit fire any moment.

Even so…

As I stared at it intently from the side, it shrank back down and left the clearing with a pitiful gait.

Thus, the great cat adventure concluded in success.

The cat, having defeated the giant frog, wore a joyful expression as it pranced about with the jewel necklace around its neck.

Watching the cat run out of the building, I thought.

Ah, finally heading back to the research institute.

But it wasn’t going in the direction of the institute.

It had gained an adventure and a treasure, yet I thought it would return to the institute!

*

Nom nom nom.

The Golden Reaper was devouring cake.

While busily eating cake, it stretched out a hand and held onto my pinky finger.

Ah, how cute.

The Golden Reaper, as a rule, did not stray far from people.

“Yerin, it’s time to go to work!”

Ah, has time flown by so quickly…

With reluctance, I stroked the Reaper once and stood up from my seat.

In the Sehee Research Institute Lounge, the Golden Reaper had recently been stationed.

The reason, of course, was the wheelings of the Reaper.

The Gray Reaper had disappeared ‘again.’

It was common for the Gray Reaper to go missing, but this time felt slightly different.

It had left something behind in the spot it vanished from.

What it left behind was a mini Golden Reaper.

Like it had substituted for itself, it left a Golden Reaper in the isolation room and departed.

Unlike the Gray Reaper, the Golden Reaper couldn’t bear being alone in the isolation room.

Thus, the place chosen for the Golden Reaper’s isolation was the lounge, a spot frequently visited by people.

The result was successful.

The Golden Reaper enjoyed its time in the lounge with a happy expression.

Though there was a side effect of too many regulars in the lounge, so the usage time was limited.

A time limit for usage, really!

Sehee Research Institute should abolish the Golden Reaper lounge time limits!

*

The darkness sank down around the camp, blurring the boundary between sky and earth.

The night, full of people and life, was in stark contrast to the completely different feel of the day.

This eerie space oddly felt more comfortable.

At least, this atmosphere wasn’t creepy.

A silence that would normally be burdensome hung in the air.

Using that silence and the night’s darkness as a nest, I quietly got up.

In fact, I should have left much earlier.

During the day, it would have been best to slip out pretending to be a tourist.

But I couldn’t do that.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching me, so I couldn’t move.

Sneaking up, I tiptoed away.

The night streets with streetlights off.

In the thick silence where there were no sounds of insects or animals, only the sound of my small footsteps echoed throughout the camp.

I kept my breathing quiet and long.

It was dark enough to not be able to distinguish objects, but the paths I had grown familiar with since childhood were comforting.

Just as I was about to nearly exit the camp, lights appeared far away from the camp.

“Sis, where are you?”

“Sis, are you mad because of the prank?”

Beam lights appeared from all directions.

Whispered voices.

Those voices remembered me.

The butcher uncle called my name, warmly inviting me over.

The new landlady had been looking for me, saying she wanted to at least see my face once.

My younger brother remembered me and was wandering around, sharing memories of us.

Hearing those voices sent shivers down my spine.

Those weren’t people I knew.

What had happened to my real younger brother?

My heart raced.

It felt dizzy, nauseating, and oppressive inside.

I couldn’t bear it any longer and dashed out like a maniac.

Even if I tripped and fell, I would get back up and keep running.

I just had one thought—to escape the camp.

*

The dawn sky began to bloom with various colors.

At the start of that day, a mud-covered girl entered an old police station.

The tired-faced police officers, just finished with their night shift, welcomed the girl.

“I’m here to report a missing person.”

Mud-covered, scarred, and with tear-stained cheeks, the girl spoke clearly.

“I’m a child living at the Incheon Gye-yang Mountain Temporary Camp.”

“Ah….”

Upon hearing that, the young officer sighed sadly.

He handed a piece of paper to the girl.

[Incheon Gye-yang Mountain Temporary Camp Related Directive.]

[Directive.]
[Do not take any reports regarding any incidents related to the Incheon Gye-yang Mountain Temporary Camp.]

[Including kidnapping, terrorism, or disappearances.]

“A few days ago, the area around there was declared abandoned. Though the situation hasn’t worsened to that extent, I have no idea why this is happening….”

The police wouldn’t accept any cases.

Upon hearing such absurd news, the girl wanted to scream, but seeing the officer’s expression made her resign from that notion.

Even this young officer was feeling pity.

In reaction to such an absurd situation.

The discouraged girl stepped out of the police station with weak footsteps.

“Isn’t it strange? Reports of disappearances are coming from near the camp, yet a directive comes down as if it were predicted.”

“The association’s directives have always been strange; don’t worry about it if you want to live longer.”

At the police station, conversations filled with doubt about the situation could be heard.

The girl, whose feet dragged weakly, squatted in front of the police station’s wall, bowing her head low.

“What should we do?”

A small, damp sigh escaped the girl’s lips.

Thud thud.

At that moment, confident footsteps reverberated.

As she lifted her head, a man in a yellow suit stood against the backdrop of the sun, looking down at the girl.

“Hello. Do you perhaps have something you need to request?”