Chapter 23: The Sender Is Not in the User’s Contacts
GcBlYI stared fixedly into the darkness where even boundaries between shadows could not form.muMq
g6Ce4Clank, splash.Aya
HxMCThe footsteps of mercy echoed beside my ears.7yWRBLC
2nXR“What’s wrong? You’re suddenly acting creepy. Is there something behind us?”fWwWd
zKkI looked at the face of the cowardly accountant.WQB2L
HyyzVChoi Jaeha’s expression, bent over while checking the tires, looked surprisingly normal.CF1QTc
ZHT“N-no. It’s nothing.”SJF0JF
D80NI shook my head.9bI8
u8Auj“There’s nothing.”yymx
f3az0BKIn the end, it really had been an illusion.bga
BrMOpMercy is not coming toward me.I9p
Ku4IY“Haa, not this one either.”97OcZd8
7Pfh“Huh, but don’t you need to look at the pattern photo?”Ay7HbS
39HU6YWhen I showed him the image on the screen, Choi Jaeha barely glanced at it and waved his hand.FsDt4
nWHcg“I’ve already more or less memorized it. Besides, it’s annoying to keep staring at your phone all the time. Ah, Seon Yuhan, you still don’t have a car, right? Look, tire patterns vary depending on the manufacturer, but normally this part has vertical grooves following the circumference, and that’s what’s most commonly used…….”kAS
MMVYpI half-listened to the explanation about tire patterns from certified public accountant Choi Jaeha, the proud owner of his own car.MoJIdN
nWkHQ3It wasn’t anything especially important.r01yGEl
jn22Nor was it something completely unfamiliar to me.1s1i
Bax3QQThere was a time when I obsessed over the marks left behind like scars in the place where someone had lost their life.R7N6
EhRIZA very long time ago.rTWA
aznlZKqEven now, sometimes I calculate the appropriate speed capable of pulverizing my femur.Mqn
vxFbJJIt’s a bad habit.KlY4
eTCwPRA“Haa, but even though all the patterns look similar, they’re also different. It’s more complicated than I thought.”56vd
pVXPerhaps because he depended on a rather weak flashlight, Choi Jaeha blinked several times with tired eyes.zp0q0M
4DKn“Let’s switch. I’ll check this area.”AQ1l
SgSuThis time Choi Jaeha illuminated the area with his phone while I inspected the tires.bPDO9g7
0KIWhat we were looking for was a rib pattern with thick grooves undulating vertically.2qdILc
Wd8WNZJust as Choi Jaeha had said, the details differed on every tire, so we had to check carefully.xv30B6F
6YrThough more than that, those skid marks.haH1fGq
uDXThey keep appearing before my eyes.tugKjL
bDg“For them to be so long and clear……”bjMDtWf
C2tOtuQ“Huh? What did you say? Did you find something?”Ydoy
Maz1PyO“Ah, no. That’s not it.”Rr6u486
OCrI kept comparing the patterns as I spoke.w5CwYL
Xf2“I mean the tire marks from earlier. Normally they don’t end up that long or that deep.”UTlbG
mBL“Mm…… now that you mention it. For the mark to come out that strongly, the car would have had to be going pretty fast. There was probably a lot of empty space in front and behind.”YbTEHj0
0sipxq“Do you think it was an accident?”czNoHB
kLHAOrY“It could be. Or maybe something like a wild animal ran across.”tArgcP
rtVB74Choi Jaeha shrugged as if it didn’t matter.a76B
w7a“But who cares, right? What if it’s just a fake created by the labyrinth?”zqvS
kTPxIDXWhat matters is not whether it’s fake or real.ghb
Bn4z5What matters is that the labyrinth created it.i4bcj59
xVbkzBz“It could be a clue to reach the next floor.”Cw1L5
FLj“Ah…… really? But nothing like that happened on the second floor. Couldn’t it just be that there aren’t any clues?”FweE
NyF5“That……”a0A
EcFI was left speechless.kiD
sRbPJMANow that I think about it, this person believes we escaped from the second floor because we “saved Jung Jiho” in Saenal Daycare.Lfdx
epLHe does not know that the librarian of Book & Allae was not human.b85c
pc712Nor does he know the clues related to her.hQIlGY
vbSAt that instant, an inexplicable anger churned inside my stomach.Oaw9qUb
Txx34B2That the labyrinth is not a place you escape from by saving people.Rd5O
M6xh0That saving the child did not help at all in escaping.vVC
LotcIThat perhaps what I truly wanted to save was not the child.oEKv9w
FXOJThat what is truly necessary in a labyrinth is not the determination to die, but the determination to kill.mG5
S7VjThat life is not something given freely, but a “state” barely maintained after miserable and desperate struggles.PMYXm
fOsThat, just like outside the labyrinth, surviving is fighting and fighting can never be elegant.kdHl
s08FgFAnd that because of that, in the end, inside the labyrinth we all become the same.jri
C2HThat you people know nothing…….wtJ
ZOCJw“Maybe there were clues we didn’t find and we just got lucky.”nqwQkLq
JO2nzUI forcibly swallowed that blind curse and that frustration.LMdXf2
Q2sSpit it out.mxy
Q5D0fSpit it out.QLMtvm
jVefSpit it out.EPsj
DjL8pFkSpit it out.5dDOQzS
nq8A7Spit it out.OGi
COl6Spit it out.ZCJDU
jT57HsSpit it out.jlWk7Ao
XsOI told you to spit it out!LTap5v
FW4gnQ5A sharp scream I could not digest clawed at my insides.Chnz
0qL“Yeah? Ah, right, you said you wanted to become an agent. Then you know something about labyrinths, huh? Mm, well. Maybe you’re right.”w08mV9
EnIAfter that, we switched tasks again.RuH
PvIhChoi Jaeha checked the tires one by one while I illuminated them with my phone flashlight at the lowest brightness.szSkYWe
ceABzzz.SPhG
Tu2u2cEAs soon as I picked up the phone again, messages started pouring in one after another.lBWOpyz
Ap3x[(National Message)6iJ2Zt
3c3qpdcHello, we are recruiting people to help write delicious reviews for an online store.AGx
RPFtYou can do it anytime and anywhere regardless of time or space.l08oKpW
VcI624IWe ship the same day, so many customers are satisfied. Don’t feel pressured and contact us comfortably whenever and wherever you like.9MPH
egpMore than 1.2 kg per day / more than 30 kg per month.Rfdb
ADx▾Real-time inquiry▾hv0In
Q7VN1Jphttps://s.ub-5iK.comBNOklhi
WZccatSlots: 11 people (first come, first served)]ICwy
MKtbB8eWhat the hell is this suspicious advertisement.Tif
hsKiovDelete.W2UBn
dcx[::Web Message::CpEQ
1mRLThe first floor at double~♥73Bd
3RGsThere is no4G9o7V5
W80Hw3placeyu8Uaq
3PBthis spaciousNVb9M
pgVEtUEscape beforeB9F7
tj7G8zthey closeXkKuRq
tFfmFree cancellation 080730616]cTG
A0oAre they making fun of me?M43
I4QBDelete.ZiJT
UkA[giM
qKMOvPWe regret to inform you that you passed away today.pgHTRob
L6KPZkFuneral https://r.ly/6e1leV3]Vs1iDjF
WuWS9GNo.P9WLurt
nuJI’m not going to die today.YCt
vVyTXbUEven if I die.ujyl87V
tjxNDl0Delete.DjfMdT
xNJ9C6[Son of a b✱tch d@mn y0u
You too, Seon Yuhan, w1ll d1e✚]ckZqhw
mPPAI’m the one working myself to death.Pn0
wrACVRV……No.QMxG
P8RPbDelete.Y2zO
4yp[〔International Message〕 Oppa, I’m hungry. Let’s go outside together. There won’t be anyone there. It can only be now. Now. Now. Now. Now. Ah……]GpdwbCd
Tu5ev2yBut I don’t have a younger sister.ylVXS9c
e9SLZJThough I really do want to go outside.HOCOK
c1nRight now.NSbTk
icJTlTo somewhere with nobody there.CWrWfO
SrQj2Delete.qyil
SG0Jv4Y[(Advertisement)WJh84e
HU4The one who wanders between time and space84jzyg
orfThe one who moved forward facing destinyoWA
jXUKzWlThe one who gave love without reserveIVLGwn
krLBR8wThis body born upon the gallowsmHIEc
oLhuNow becomes one formed by threeh4AkZ
nxioqwYahweh, do you know my name?]2t6h
2ylxNo. That can’t be.6ETrj
DMk……Delete.p4J
QBcX8R7[DC3※8※ Card6IKQOo5
HxCw9Customer: 3,185,000cEh7dq
bXbz1Transaction at va.rious merchants?xCbsCh3
XmFInquiry regarding suspicious activity ▶ In-person visit required]Nlcfh
SsDJIhDelete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete dele—m52mVfq
LwiQQ“Eh? Found……, huh?”U0gOUr
6b3ck0w“Ple……ase.”sTUN
XAUwuThat damned exclamation nearly made my heart stop.fzt0t
DkaU8It better not be anything important.szHNfRv
TUj“Huh?”50tFxx
Yf6LehIt was important.h8IK2l
pgQXvB“What the hell is this?”gG2Ll
GHdoLX1What Choi Jaeha was pointing at was.jWD
LmGKF“Looks…… like a package.”XaJYdY
ZzvA small delivery box rested alone on top of the hood.ANv
9RDMghdA compact box, smaller than an adult man’s hand in width, length, and height.Uyrk
4WfvrQ“No, I mean. There was definitely nothing there just now! But I was looking at the tires, thought ‘this is it,’ looked up, and suddenly this thing appeared……!”ER4SO
vdSuk“For now, don’t open it. Let’s take it back and check it with the others.”bNrOil
882First I took pictures showing the vehicle number, the appearance, and the location.DicSJ43
ZDo77Go1020, black sedan, D11.NSwlLi
l2ghMeanwhile, the accountant stared curiously at the box sitting on the hood.TyDbNI
eZVeGVi“Sammae Delivery…… is there even a company like that? The address says Seoul…… this is this building and, huh? What kind of address is Go1020? What lunatic uses their own car as a delivery address?”1ztrf
8in3Z“……The labyrinth is insane.”DaCcnBT
uts9After reading the recipient address written on the label, it was obvious this was a gift sent by the labyrinth.7Qhiq
RwDCKI picked up the box with one hand.2Xt4G
oDrThe box itself was small, and whatever was inside seemed even smaller.5t8l96
hXOIp“Let’s go back.”8nI
dSPpL“Yeah. But do you think there’s actually something inside? It feels super light.”GR4i
hHou“I don’t know…….”3qtl34w
qcdK5PAWe walked through the darkness relying on tiny lights, while at the same time trying not to look directly at those lights.NlIDCE
B3P3BdWe only lifted them briefly to check for obstacles ahead or confirm we were still heading the right direction, then immediately pointed them back toward the floor.zx4m
Sf3jSometimes a dim light is scarier than absolute darkness.Pa5
pIwzUi“By the way, this is the first time I’ve seen Director Yoo Hyunjae this close. He’s so handsome it’s actually terrifying.”vBs31
wTsahmThe accountant leaned slightly closer and whispered.kz3n
9g0Ulx“I mean, I totally get why he’s so popular. And well, even though he was vomiting and all…… hm, he still feels kind of human. I’m definitely bragging later that I met Yoo Hyunjae.”7bev
GYO4mhM……If we get out.oC543S
f0spYH8Choi Jaeha’s voice trembled slightly when he added that at the end.Id7EpDD
D8JkgEven though he looked anxious, he was holding up surprisingly well.VnumAZl
ickHe didn’t seem to be seeing strange things.NCY
Uh1W8Not like me.pI8kCdS
wVRVWhen I heard Yoo Hyunjae’s theory that we shouldn’t make loud noises like screaming, honestly, I worried more about Choi Jaeha than Jung Jiho or Hwang Juyeon.BjK4JV
hJgWC6Because despite his size, he’s extremely timid and dramatic.MNLgse
WEngEZII thought he would be the real problem.MdesFf
a4dyw“Ah. My niece is a fan of Director Yoo Hyunjae…… no, actually, isn’t it weird to be a fan of a CEO? Last time she asked me to buy her some Yuwi Red Snake figures, so I went to look, but they don’t even sell merchandise of the director. So how are people supposed to fangirl over him? Though honestly, if they did make merchandise of the directors, it’d probably sell better than the Red Snake stuff. Ah, right, those tiny figurines are ridiculously expensive. How the hell does something the size of your palm cost tens of thousands of won? But what could I do? She likes them. That kid is seriously scary. She’s always calling me saying ‘Uncle, buy me this,’ ‘Take me there,’ ‘Do this for me.’ She knows perfectly well I’m weak against her. I seriously spoiled her too much. And she doesn’t even take after my brother or sister-in-law. She just had to resemble her aunt…….”oi89M
eAF5H“Ah, I see.”qCH
TdiABH2This man is the type who talks nonstop when he’s nervous.sIMZFv
CfX2I take back what I said about him “holding up surprisingly well.”aRVKP3j
hl9jEChoi Jaeha’s words poured out like machine-gun fire until one of my ears started going numb.Q5qm
FFIoUMJWhen we were searching tire patterns, he was calm because he had something to focus on.wrL
lRUClBut now that he no longer had that, it seemed the fear was finally catching up to him.5kaB3fT
9CNbeIn a situation like this, I feel like if he so much as sees a bug crawling by the wrong way, he’s going to scream immediately.2FBm
S8BfWSf……And I don’t want to see that again.8kncSh
chEf0Or go through it again.RW7e5A
dnjUBzzz.VvjeY
lutjQBqThen.mvVKj8
bC6I felt a faint vibration in my hand, and the locked screen suddenly lit up.eUY
WsAiyP“……Ha.”1kfOMl
tiYuMThe moment I saw the incoming call screen, I inhaled sharply.CaDX
LjdARNs[Aunt]9Zq
tdArEY[Swipe to answer]I8BG9xm
0PkHl9It felt as if someone had pulled my lungs aside and squeezed my heart directly.U2UUwq9
FpCHnA call from “Aunt.”UX5HMu0
UMy7XLI quickly pressed the side button to reject it.44yxl
ttoIt vibrated again.c8u
r0Cw[Aunt]b8Sje9s
3yf[Swipe to answer]yyRsCvj
tfuNI rejected it.yX5A0x
g331MUI must not answer.cl2X
TtatNever.Iny
AY33And not just because the internet doesn’t work, calls shouldn’t work either, and messages shouldn’t work as well.VfGZuGJ
UMuR5pC[Aunt]oD1
C2AVCg[Swipe to answer]wY5
F4skge2But because.UfSGf
hyYzawYI don’t have anyone saved as “Aunt” in my contacts.4lTey
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!