Chapter 30: Happy Pass
7vccDLee Jinsu’s head looked as though someone had taken a slice out of an ultra-realistic cake called “Lee Jinsu” and left the rest behind.DOEmpf5
UENScalp, skull, brain…Wwr
byLsNThat cross-section, layered like cream, sponge cake, and mousse, did not spill a single drop of blood.RNJGm
jJrzCi【Happyland’s adorable mascot! Are you ready to be happy together with Pipi?】JktF
W79uT50No.uLqJ
cqV8spzI was not.P8JW9
qwZ【Just in case, let’s first check the most important thing.】e7me
HbqcS【Do you remember your name?】HARqF
scNp6O3【▶ I remember】yCTAN0
PLpOF【▶ I forgot】BXT
2NrAh.12TQcL
kplCILSo this was the question about names he mentioned.VR8t
J7FlZuy【I remember!】YMf
OAmqI had entered “Seon Yuhan.”hNeDhWe
ANko【What is your name?】Z3f
nq5lrB【▶ Seon Yuhan】z1J
LxTZZv【▶ Hwang】ztbyL
HYqKB【▶ binary】YNI2
uCyPX【▶ Hyunjae】BdmJ
7cW9JuW【▶ I forgot】0Qwc
7R1So that was how it worked.6yNnaCE
zP5whxaThere definitely had been no need to use a real name.c8HdUi
EoPYF6【Seon Yuhan!】6PO
AKkAnd what the hell was that “I forgot” option? It sounded very unsettling.SyBpf
WNiY【Correct. You are Seon Yuhan.】uRdauyb
PIcpS【Very good! From now on, freely enjoy Happyland, the land of happiness, freedom, liberation, and joy!】f2L9
63tIEIa【A dazzling light rises over the horizon and warmly embraces Happyland. It is a sight that makes you happy just by looking at it. Today you will spend a very happy day. Together with Pipi. Until the very end.】L9Ch1
jutAs the text advanced, chaos reigned around me.tfNTLu
ehI“Ugh… ugh…”YO5vbV
cE1H1YChoi Jaeha, after accidentally opening the infamous kitchen door, found the corpse of Lee Jinsu’s coworker and ended up vomiting while screaming.IF89pRV
LiRQo“Khk… ugh…”fo3K
3EpJung Jiho could not endure the sight either.eecu
20j7He could not even manage to cry properly and ended up vomiting.JRu1yY
Ochxz“Take this. Jiho too, slowly.”PTl
4k3uYoo Hyunjae brought bottled water and some snacks from the kitchen refrigerator.kTqOep
nbzJpKo“I hope we won’t need them, but they might become necessary…”0IL8VKl
foB2HPBHwang Juyeon searched through every drawer in NeoSoft and gathered emergency medicine and first-aid kits.312
SN9b“Don’t go back in there.”Gu6
cKt0JI dragged the chair with Lee Jinsu’s body, slumped over the dark monitor, into the kitchen.qtkjem
u1lIkThen I returned, sat down, and took out the Tarae Journal and a pen.cZR5K
WGYMU3j“Ah, are you going to take notes?”RmlX3Z4
hDY“Yes. First, we should record what Lee Jinsu told us. It might also help to write down the options that appear and their results.”MRJf15i
fzREven though I would probably remember most things.bkh0
8g05There was nothing to lose by recording the game’s script.DcsS
pCnusB【As the owner of a Happy Pass, you can freely enjoy attractions, sweets, and plentiful meals.】1pggXJx
uycThe screen changed once again.YJTVLvx
PqCA pixel-art illustration appeared along with new choices.1x3zqUE
gXPt【A rabbit-costumed employee is selling churros. They look delicious. You are not hungry yet.】Sfvsi5
yo0du5f【▶ Eat】zYw
xVe6【▶ Endure】M7i9
6JK1JAt the top was a bar slowly decreasing, showing the time limit.4deJ
sXRjUAt that speed, it looked like it would last about three or four minutes.bMME
jqfE0IM【Endure!】xQfbue
9MsNVWFIf you are not hungry, endure.X25yc3
84A【You lick your lips as you pass by the stand. Curiously, seeing delicious food seems to have awakened your appetite.】FD7I
G5svBH“Mr. Seon Yuhan… are you good at games?”xNLPTqP
sReHwang Juyeon, who would probably be the next one to play, approached me with a worried look.mRj
sXEwGAC“I don’t know. This kind of game is just choosing options, so I wouldn’t say there’s such a thing as being good or bad at it…”oon11XC
6c056aPText adventure games do not require mechanical skill.FVJn
eE0kk3BAnyone can play them.c9I0Ham
kCIEBut in exchange, they depend heavily on luck.j34uK0
4Cuk7Even choosing the same option can produce different outcomes.Vtewe2
vO9CRnxAnd it is difficult to know which path is the correct one.AO8i
vtDfLmExactly like an invasion-type labyrinth where everything is unknown.UeV
x4g8Dyy…Unless you can start over several times.ayp
Ltnz9【Look! It’s the Typhoon Express! Fast and intense like a typhoon! But the eye of the typhoon is the highest and most thrilling place of all. There you will find liberation. Be happy!】dSsY
nPbVRY【▶ Be happy】b9v
k6ZR【▶ Be unhappy】VJ5
sqrLFmrJudging by the pixel illustration, it was a roller coaster with three complete 360-degree loops.4tR
70EJdwtI had no idea how the hell that was supposed to make anyone happy.JRQyD
tTCj“Ugh… ah…”D4IVX
gBDMHis stomach was still unsettled, so Choi Jaeha dragged a chair next to mine and read the entire script.jBwClH
VxkNAD“Well… couldn’t it be something like this? Look, here. The part where it spins the hardest. Maybe they hang you upside down at the top with the safety bar open and you have to hold on.”lM0zoFJ
iEmByHis speculation was so oddly specific that I was speechless for a moment and looked at him.W0f
LYv“How did you even come up with something like that?”alBW
3UelHz5“There was something similar in a movie I watched in middle school. To be honest, I haven’t been able to go to amusement parks since then.”4kYiJ
U2iHonestly, I have no idea what kind of movies this man watched.bNGJ5
yJ6LE3“But I was curious about what happens to the employees when someone gets on.”T0vojm
hkm5“Right. Couldn’t it be that the employees get on too and have to hold on? If they endure, they survive, and if they don’t… well…”XqHC
U8X193WChoi Jaeha left the sentence unfinished.n4ZA
Um9AVsWithout thinking too much about it, I chose an option.8129Qj
Sy6SA【Be happy!】OE6F
wEfMxdaIn any case, I would not know until I tried.zRaLgIt
xiZkvXEven if I chose “Be unhappy,” I would be the one paying the price. The dead would not come back.DfOlT
1SExkHRumble!A4mz9m
eeDkAfter the sound of a roller coaster accelerating at full speed, a shrill scream that seemed capable of tearing apart one’s ears rang out.ivS2K3
h4D“Aaaah—!”KWEn2f
hWrUKg【The highest and most motionless place. From the depths of an inverted world, you free yourself from the shackles that bound you.】1lq
JpMCreeeak, Craaack.T6STQZ
XvbThe sound of a metal structure deforming.x0PXMck
zvKu【Now that you are free, you cling to the steel track and move swiftly forward. At this moment, you can still catch the prison that left you behind and is disappearing into the distance. It will be a perfect memory!】R0O
BzHgg4“Uh… this…”nE6
EH2qYbChoi Jaeha looked confused.P9RR
yd9Apparently, he had guessed correctly about being freed from the safety bar.pZB9z
jJRQGBut after freeing himself, the monster was chasing the roller coaster that had departed without him.cZeV9
jtp1Ok2And there were probably people riding it.DE1k
RnZws【Ouch! Something keeps falling from the moving prison and hurting you. But do not give up.】QXh5DC
yi7Craaack! Boom! Splaaash!FTsuUEm
icoDThe screen filled with blood once again.fACm
bHhEFjRed stains appeared all over the pixelated roller coaster.MrZsG
hI6ZEsT【You have tasted freedom. Freedom has a salty and metallic flavor. It seems you will become addicted to it.】XItE
98QRfThe screen changed immediately.N2uDe
ZgBThe illustration of the stand that I had already seen during Lee Jinsu’s playthrough appeared again.jc0o
l0fM0P【A raccoon-costumed employee is selling ice cream. It looks delicious. Right now you are full.】TyvEaKY
nL7pC【▶ Eat】kPJK
VD6VrT【▶ Endure】xMS
Lmd1kwIf you are full, endure.YFI
vt2avS【Endure!】Mr8Qx
mJv【You lick your lips as you pass by the stand. Seeing delicious food seems to have awakened your appetite.】ylBEQlE
SBPuY0Z“Mr. Seon Yuhan. Is it necessary to endure?”DnbMNo
HcdREYoo Hyunjae finally spoke after quite a while.Es8d
DNTMeAnd that was the first thing he said.lN91
wSinHqCompletely innocently.Cvrtg
YpgD“It’s not necessary to eat either.”XDeM
UhDw“But you don’t want to be unhappy either?”9QY9n
goXzKI had just chosen “Be happy” on an attraction where people were killed.yldi6
Vlxr7And now I was refusing to eat people.RBMoca
1EsiWas he asking whether that was hypocrisy?HLisj6l
2jkEIf so, I already had my answer prepared.unyz
dzkAs always.q1Ydloz
xst6iAQ“Then why would I deliberately choose to be unhappy?”7QOH
OxRYzuYoo Hyunjae watched me silently.OuAMl
m8ttuSB“There was no indication here that choosing ‘Endure’ would harm me. That’s why I chose it.”48agQBf
9hC3TFW“Ah.”WNJCqs9
Q0AsnOYoo Hyunjae nodded naturally, as if he understood.79pAGfX
zorwG7vSurprisingly, he did not seem annoyed.Ook8l6
bewV0There really was something strangely easygoing about him for someone in his position.qsi
Lcg“So that is the best result Seon Yuhan-ssi can achieve.”cW2HaTL
vXKqEaHuh?PlCyI
oWYolWas he annoyed after all?sIJN7j
BIXjuWas he provoking me?MVmuUN
xaR“Ah. What I mean is…”ZFf
b3FJq4Yoo Hyunjae smiled faintly and waved his hand.hQW9cF
iIwK“That I understand. I understand that you did everything you could. Within the limits that were given to you.”uDsvfk
2UohWas that so?VdxU
qJBJYI did not know.phX42
2IfcZ“I hope you keep doing so. When people try to go beyond their own limits, they end up breaking.”HJArjH
7acEov“Ah… yes.”kHPX
c3v2fOIDid he mean that I should not take on unnecessary penalties and should simply pass the turn?nwY0
8JXqZI could not tell whether he meant it sincerely or not.irx
bDz【Do you remember your name?】yvlIwN
EsJYF2L【▶ I remember】3x4
tuf1【▶ I forgot】7UEvk
ghsThis again.T3ON
UwEy【I remember!】T51LDJ
sODA5G【What is your name?】ECseGfb
IHJa【▶ Jyo】hFEVi
MAdU【▶ Seon Yuhan】xN7b1w
6srW【▶ JunSeo】5ja
gdZ【▶ Hwang】98LBy
9H4Mv【▶ I forgot】8mt
nj0“Hmm?”r1irXRA
OQdCWho the hell was JunSeo?gMdxRmH
5rRLQl“Ah. This person.”fpEwq
SVAZYoo Hyunjae pointed at the screen with a look of recognition.aJdu7
7Jd“…You know him?”Pj2Kyp
sQtI“Yes. He’s in the kitchen.”gYcgnfE
hoDROWhile gathering food from the kitchen, did he also take the time to check the dead coworker’s ID?t256
X7HYpAnd did he consider that a sufficient reason to answer so naturally that he knew him?pdKu7
lBK9565This man really did have a few screws loose.weytmCX
8r2Fortunately, they were not loose in the wrong direction.ixeUH
dXy2hZR【Seon Yuhan!】cWywSoZ
qzIue【Correct. You are Seon Yuhan.】Fcm5YsJ
byu6【Look! It’s the Rolling Cup! The cups spin and spin! Crash! Be happy!】jTg
YHVuy【▶ Be happy】Svj26R
heOYSgh【▶ Be unhappy】eqr
VfmhThis seemed like an attraction where people were smashed apart like porcelain cups.A5IrNt
SZXfD【Be happy!】53Qc
uBzpQvHJust as expected.XzapWW
tjzClang! Crash! Craaack!Dxa0
ZTF【What a perfect spinning attack! You struck with precision a cup moving freely across a trembling table.】rzTlzhH
qEh7The sound of something made of solid and liquid matter being crushed and bursting apart echoed out.zpe
zeyl6【You bite, tear apart, savor, and happily enjoy the cup.】vbtAW
FBVU“This game… is too much. Too much…”W7a
kmomLHwang Juyeon’s face was filled with emotions that were impossible to describe.88K
0MJMu1AAs if she did not even know where to begin cursing this thing.Ccj
2IG“All of this must have happened to real people…”dVBz
E2d5Some things are especially cruel precisely because they have no malice.8ib
tLkAnd labyrinths, for the most part, have no malice.DUz
goHoJust like a natural disaster that drowns people or burns mountains and fields.2WM80j
ZLhI thought about the Seonghwa High School Labyrinth, the Yeongun Mountain Labyrinth, and the Happyland Labyrinth.ijoy
mHagqI thought about why stories from invasion-type labyrinths kept appearing.Myt
ywZeAnd also about the true nature of labyrinths.LFSvU4
zfpDTx2‘Labyrinths are graves of unresolved problems. And those things simply wait for someone to come and solve them.’5ZWVf
7QUNinety percent of invasion-type labyrinths end with the complete annihilation of everyone trapped inside.206wSD
YDfThat is why there is almost never any way to know exactly what happened there.4t9HqR
7LGBP0That, in itself, makes them unresolved problems.qzl3
sIGupBecause nobody managed to solve them.Kq2OTl
ld3Perhaps that is why they keep reappearing as the problems of other labyrinths.pRu
6xitBecause they want someone to solve them.1i8x
F71trzEven if only a little.68jDjn
meTou【There is a box on a bench! Maybe it contains a gift that will make you happy!】efcs5aD
nkPB【▶ Open it】I8OX2
iYyrV【▶ Leave it】N8yfS
c6dpQpThere was not going to be any happiness.CvhY5z
0SJANpOnly misfortune.Qb20qkR
cu3G8H7【Leave it!】J8B7
yZvPvShhh…mayjt5
mJvv【How could you abandon such an adorably wrapped box? You return to the bench and open it.】mAvy
Lom“No, haa…”uvxD
htRy5Then why the hell are you asking me?j4V8
cy2h【What did you find inside the box?】lvN2g
xWjNWgH【▶ Doll】2SQ7
0u5MT【▶ Trash】LP4HO8
LqErBPK【▶ Headband】YuHQ
ivkpv9qThat was why I wanted to leave it alone.3pluNg
wyYwfatBoth the doll and the headband looked as though they were made from people inside the game.H72p
vs6ScMxAnd the trash seemed like an option intended to harm me, a person from the outside world.7jl
8bR02If that was the case, then the answer I should choose was obvious.h2jhcO0
NreldR【Headband!】Pq95C
6dBX5wEI would choose the path that did not kill me.EmAVMb
7kiGlNBecause I could not kill someone who was already dead again.softewa
GpQABEven if I wanted to.UmgE3o
DTq2VN3【Incorrect!】Omo2
9GkTZxWhat?EoIJK
orj35z【You found trash inside the box.】46aG2B
wFqVPjCAre they insane?DAjwE
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