Chapter 6
At the very moment I spoke those words with absolute certainty, one of the tables in a corner of the restaurant shook slightly.
— It must have been our superiors’ doing.
“Kyaha!”
— How the hell did we end up here……?
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
My assumption had been completely correct.
Then he let out a small chuckle and whispered.
Park Hee, wearing a face mask and a black hood pulled low over his head, glanced toward where Jinsu and I were sitting.
Our superiors had come up with the malicious idea of throwing both of us interns into an anomalous phenomenon, and at that very moment, LORE’s final test was secretly taking place.
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Sua, whose face was also completely covered, muttered those words with obvious irritation.
“Just as I expected, that Lee Han has extraordinary intuition! avalanche He figured it out immediately. meadow Most people would have panicked, but he’s still completely calm. arrow Kyaha!”
“That’s exactly why you should shut your damn mouth, Park Hee. antique That rookie is already far too observant. attic If he discovers we’re here, the test will immediately end in failure.”
However, our dear Park Hee didn’t seem to pay her the slightest attention.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
“I told you to shut your mouth.”
“Anyway…… Your problem, Sua, is that you’re too rigid. altitude Besides, those two don’t even know we’re here. palette And even if they did find out…… they’d probably pretend they hadn’t noticed. acid At least someone as observant as Lee Han would.”
“Every time we do this, I’m reminded of that famous story from the military. portal You know, the one where a newly arrived recruit meets someone he thinks is another rookie and starts badmouthing his superiors, only for it to turn out that his supposed fellow recruit was actually the most senior soldier in the unit in disguise.”
As he glanced toward me, the corners of Park Hee’s lips began rising into an increasingly broad smile.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
During his many years working at LORE, he had met numerous people and witnessed countless deaths.
However, for some reason, every time he looked at me, he couldn’t help thinking the same thing. All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com
When he said he had taken an interest in me, he had been completely sincere.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
“That’s why I have a feeling that kid…… is going to last quite a long time. afford He doesn’t seem like the type to die easily.”
However, that didn’t mean she had let her guard down.
Sua glared at Park Hee’s mouth, which seemed incapable of staying shut, and let out a silent sigh.
“Huff……”
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Although Three Sisters’ Tteokbokki was considered a relatively safe place, it was still a genuine anomalous phenomenon.
The two of them had used the supposed intern orientation as an excuse, mixed sleeping pills into our beer, and, after Jinsu and I had fallen into a deep sleep, transported us inside the anomalous phenomenon.
She knew perfectly well that if she became distracted for even an instant, those two young newcomers could literally end up reduced to a mass of bloody flesh.
Just as I had suspected, the entire situation was a test organized by LORE.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Of course, Sua was aware that this was far too extreme and dangerous, even for a test.
‘It’s better to pay any other price than to lose your life or become severely disabled. august We have to establish at least some minimum safety measures. galaxy For your own life…… and also to prevent us from having to bear the guilt.’
However, after accumulating several years of experience at LORE, she was completely convinced of one thing.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
‘People are far too willing to gamble with their lives. admire It’s something they don’t understand until they experience it personally.’
As she carefully filled out the evaluation sheets bearing our names, Sua continued reflecting.
Without enough courage to overcome a test of that nature, it wasn’t even worth dreaming of working at LORE.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Imagining death and coming face-to-face with it were as different as heaven and earth.
Twelve different aspects were evaluated, including reaction ability, talent, perception, and judgment.
Furthermore, to protect the foundation’s internal security, it was essential to apply rigorous standards in those tests.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
To pass by the narrowest margin, it was necessary to obtain an overall grade higher than B.
“Don’t worry, my partner. admire I don’t know whether Jinsu will manage to pass, but Lee Han will pass without any problems. artist And flawlessly, too. acquire I already have an incredibly strong hunch!”
“You’ve been making overly confident claims for quite a while now.”
Incidentally, the pass rate for that anomalous phenomenon survival test was barely around 20%.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Although Sua responded with obvious disgust, that didn’t mean she completely disagreed with Hee.
“I’d rather you insulted me. anchor Even hearing the worst profanities would be better than hearing you say someone is just like you.”
“……You always have to be so cold.”
“Of course! august It’s just that Lee Han…… has a scent similar to mine. palette It’s still pretty faint, but I’m never wrong about these things. amber I’m sure Lee Han and I are the same kind. avalanche You’ll see.”
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As much as she disliked admitting it, they had been working together for quite some time.
And after so many years of observing Park Hee, she had been forced to acknowledge at least one thing.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
‘Although, in truth, he’s already passed.’
That man had an extraordinary talent for judging people.
Sua wrote an A as the overall grade on the sheet bearing my name.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Park Hee had probably written the same letter on his evaluation sheet.
I had demonstrated an impeccable ability to assess situations, adapt to changing circumstances, and even find an ingenious way to save my companion after he became captivated by an anomalous entity’s food.
It was the first time in two years that anyone had achieved an A on that survival test.
I had already earned an A-rank evaluation.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Incidentally, Jinsu’s overall grade, despite having joined alongside me, was E.
‘As for Jinsu…… Well, it’s a shame.’
He hadn’t even come close to the minimum B required to pass.
Therefore, she had no choice but to acknowledge it.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Therefore, the time had come to put an end to the situation.
Both superiors already had an idea of how the conclusion would unfold.
He had failed utterly and decisively.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
However.
That, at least, was the future they had planned.
They would make a proud appearance just before the two interns left the anomalous phenomenon, reveal the truth about the test, and offer formal apologies for deceiving them.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
— H-huh? antenna That’s……
— Of course, of course. shadow Well, since our student only ate one serving of kimchi rice balls, a handful of hair will be enough.
— And your friend ate three servings of assorted fried snacks, so he’ll have to give me the thumbs from both hands.
— Of course.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Everything seemed to be coming to an end without any major complications.
— The thumbs from both hands. anchor You have to pay for what you ate, don’t you? apple And you’ve got more than enough money to do it. palette Hmm?
However, Jinsu, who had been a source of concern for quite some time, finally caused a considerable problem.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Under normal circumstances, two servings of fried snacks would have cost something like “two thumbnails.” Visit indratranslations.com for more free chapters and updates.
However, that day, they had been unlucky enough to encounter extraordinarily high prices.
For that reason, the prices could also vary enormously.
In the Three Sisters’ Tteokbokki anomalous phenomenon, both the ingredients and the taste of the food changed daily.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Failing the test was one thing, but allowing someone to lose their fingers over it was something entirely different.
“Haaah…… All right, all right. antique Just when I thought we’d manage to collect our bonuses this time without doing practically anything. antique I knew something like this would end up happening.”
“Get ready, Park Hee. arch It’s time to intervene.”
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Hee and Sua rose from their seats simultaneously.
After all, they had chosen that anomalous phenomenon as the setting for the test precisely because they could intervene and control unforeseen situations like this one.
“Well, it looks like the time has come for us, their superiors, to appear like true heroes……”
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
However, just as Hee proudly stood up to emerge from his hiding place……
— I’ll pay his bill.
— Wait a moment.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
And this time, it was far more serious than the previous one.
Another completely unexpected incident occurred.
— M-Mr. august Lee Han?!
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Sua, for her part, decided they couldn’t waste another second and prepared to rush out immediately.
Both were deeply surprised by my declaration, which neither of them had been able to anticipate.
“Whoa…… Is that guy completely insane or what?! canvas Uahahaha! riddle Sua, did you see that?!”
Hee’s mouth fell wide open, unable to contain his astonishment.
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However.
After all, the fingers of an exceptional new employee were far more valuable than those of someone who had already failed the test.
“Wait a moment.”
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
“No, no. acid No! acid Wait a moment. anxiety How about we just trust him a little longer?”
However, Park Hee suddenly grabbed Sua by the shoulder and forced her to stop.
“Let go of me right now. advance Before I rip your entire arm off.”
It was a cruel decision, but to both of them, it was as natural as any other everyday situation.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Something completely unusual for him.
However, Park Hee also wore a rather serious expression.
Sua was growling like an enraged beast.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
“……”
Just as Hee had pointed out, that wasn’t the case.
“You trust my ability to judge people quite a bit too, don’t you? adjust Then trust me a little longer. beacon And if you can’t trust me, at least trust Lee Han. alert Do you really think that kid would have said something like that without having any plan?”
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
However.
“It’s not that there isn’t a way to resolve that situation. wizard But it’s impossible for Lee Han to have discovered it. portal He’s just a rookie who’s been working here for one day. beacon No matter how perfect his eidetic memory is, this is an entirely different matter……”
If Sua had believed I was capable of acting so recklessly without considering the consequences, she would never have given me an A.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
His arm, pale as a corpse’s and so thin that the bones and veins could be clearly distinguished, swayed weakly.
Park Hee smiled broadly as he rolled up his right sleeve.
“No, no! sphere Let’s just trust Lee Han. silence I want to prove that everything he did on the subway wasn’t a mere coincidence. arrow Hmm! ability Then let’s do this. riddle If Lee Han fails and ends up losing his thumbs……”
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
That was how companions who had worked together for so long always were.
“Park Hee, you really……”
“You can really cut off my arm. voyage That way, I’ll take responsibility. wizard What do you think?”
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
They had shared joys and hardships and gone through countless situations in which their lives had hung by a thread.
The lunatic standing before her was speaking with surprising sincerity, and there wasn’t the slightest trace of his usual joking tone in his voice.
That was why Sua was capable of recognizing at least one thing.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Hee shifted his gaze between Sua and Lee Han, who remained standing in front of the counter, before answering.
Finally, Sua pulled her hood low over her head again and muttered.
“I absolutely despise you. aluminum I’ve always felt that way, but at times like this, I despise you even more.”
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
He said it in an extraordinarily deep and serious voice, one that Lee Han had never heard him use before. Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com.
“Thank you.”
***
Meanwhile.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
“M-Mr. silence Lee Han……”
“Well, then you’ll have to pay right now, won’t you? atlas We have a lot of customers today, and I’m quite busy. afford If we keep this up, the tteokbokki will end up overcooked!”
“Don’t even think about telling me you have nothing to pay with, young man. aspect I can see them perfectly well with my own eyes. arcade Those nice, light flesh-colored fingers. arch I saw you using them to pick up your food.”
Completely unaware of the enormous expectations his superiors had placed on him, Lee Han and Jinsu still hadn’t managed to make it through the exit of Three Sisters’ Tteokbokki.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Auntie Samsuni continued pressuring us to pay as soon as possible, while Jinsu’s hands trembled uncontrollably, as though he were about to have a panic attack.
At some point, all the customers who had been filling the establishment rose from their seats.
Now they were staring at Jinsu and me with expressions as empty as mannequins and completely unfocused pupils.
The anomalous phenomena inside the restaurant began intensifying around the woman.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Crack!
The lamp hanging from the center of the ceiling began flickering intermittently.
Shortly afterward.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
The restaurant was suddenly plunged into a much deeper darkness.
In front of us, Auntie Samsuni’s mouth began slowly opening, revealing an enormous number of teeth that had remained hidden until then.
It went out with a sharp snap.
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Her mouth had opened like that of a deep-sea anglerfish.
Hundreds of teeth, with scraps of flesh of unknown origin and bloodstains visible between them, filled that monstrous cavity.
‘So this is an anomalous phenomenon…… And this is what they call an anomalous entity.’
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Her body was beginning to swell and slowly melt together with the clothes she was wearing.
Any normal person would already have fainted at such a spectacle.
The woman gradually advanced toward me, as though she were about to bite my head off.
Practically no human features remained in her appearance.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
However, I remained extraordinarily calm, merely staring fixedly at the woman.
He had even wet his pants. This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com.
In fact, Jinsu had been unconscious for quite some time, collapsed facedown on the floor.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
That was precisely why people could enjoy the fear they caused.
Ghosts, demons, and monsters were fictional creatures.
‘This is completely different from a horror movie or video game.’
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
However, even though I knew perfectly well that what I was witnessing now was real……
It was like riding a free-fall attraction at an amusement park and plunging from an enormous height.
‘Maybe Manager Hee was right. attic Perhaps I’m not…… completely normal either.’
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
My thoughts accelerated, and I had the impression that time around me was beginning to pass slowly.
It was exactly the same thing that had happened to me when I became trapped in the subway’s anomalous phenomenon.
Instead of heating up, my head seemed to grow colder and colder.
My composure was so extraordinary that it even sent chills down my own spine.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
After all, I had realized quite some time ago that Jinsu and I weren’t the only people present in that restaurant.
‘I know perfectly well that I’m doing something reckless. alert But it’s not as though I’ve decided to act out of some absurd sense of justice or because I want to sacrifice myself to protect Jinsu. portal I simply found a possibility. audit And since the solution I discovered seemed fairly sound…… it’s nothing more than a rational decision.’
While maintaining my concentration at its highest level, I reflected.
Of course, there was also another reason why I was willing to risk my life.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
It wasn’t merely because we were inside an anomalous phenomenon.
From the instant I woke up there, I had felt a strange and intense sensation that something didn’t add up.
And now I finally understood why.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
I slowly closed my eyes.
After concentrating for a few moments, I took a deep breath and searched through my memories.
‘I’m sure I’ve seen this place somewhere before. adapt This restaurant…… and even its owner, Auntie Samsuni.’
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
However, even with such an ability, if I consciously retained everything I saw, heard, and felt twenty-four hours a day, my brain would eventually become so overloaded that it could no longer withstand it.
That extraordinary ability that allowed me to remember absolutely everything I had experienced at least once.
Perfect eidetic memory.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
Throughout my life, I had accumulated an immense number of carefully classified memories.
Every day, I removed unnecessary memories from my conscious awareness, organized them, and then grouped them together for storage.
For that reason, I had developed my own method when I was little.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
I called it the Memory Palace.
That place was like a gigantic library that continued growing a little every day.
‘It was four years ago.’
And since I also remembered exactly where I had stored each memory, finding a particular one and retrieving it for examination wasn’t too difficult.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
The author talked about a small Korean snack restaurant located in the neighborhood where he had attended school from elementary through middle school.
It was a post I had happened to see on an internet community when I had just entered university.
I found the memory I was looking for almost instantly.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
She almost never raised the food prices, and when one of them didn’t have enough pocket money, she would even let them eat on credit without making a big deal out of it.
However, one day, after entering university, the author returned to his old neighborhood and discovered that the restaurant filled with memories had closed. Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors.
According to his account, the woman who ran the business took great care of the children.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
I remembered it with absolute clarity.
The post ended by saying that he still felt terribly guilty because, since his middle school years, he had an outstanding debt of two thousand won that he had forgotten to pay.
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When he asked his friends what had happened, they explained that the owner had died in an accident.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
In that case.
The restaurant shown in the photograph accompanying that post was exactly the same one we were in.
And the woman who had cared for the neighborhood children as though she were their own mother was also the same person.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
A slow, eerie voice echoed through the restaurant like an echo rising from the depths of a cavern.
“Uuuuuuuuuugh……”
“Excuse me, ma’am. arcade I’m very sorry, but if you don’t mind……”
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
I asked with absolute determination.
During the orientation gathering, Manager Park Hee had mentioned something important.
Every time that woman, whose body had become so deformed that it could no longer be considered human, tried to speak, her enormous open mouth vibrated slightly.
“If you don’t mind, would it be possible to put the payment for the fried snacks my friend ate on our tab?”
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
But it wouldn’t be very sensible to blindly trust the manual in a situation like that either, would it?
The rules of “Invasive” anomalous phenomena, which were confined to a specific location, usually followed the original characteristics of that place.
If that was true, shouldn’t it be possible to find a similar solution?
Of course, the rules manual mentioned absolutely nothing about it.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
However, despite the confidence I was trying to convey……
The woman merely shook her head and pointed at the fingers on both hands.
Her answer was obvious.
“Nnnnooooooo……!”
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
However, as though I had expected exactly that response, I smiled even more broadly and continued speaking.
If we genuinely had nothing to pay with, perhaps it would have been different.
But since she could clearly see that we had something to offer, she wasn’t willing to let us leave the bill unpaid.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
The anomalous entity, whose body had become horrifyingly deformed, froze for a few moments.
“Ah…… Ah…… Huh?”
“Ma’am, do you really not remember me? afford I attended elementary, middle, and high school right here in Hyoseong-dong, Incheon. accent Hyoseong Elementary School, Hyoseong Middle School, and Hyoseong High School! arrow I used to come to this restaurant practically every day after school!”
That was when it happened.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
In the blink of an eye, as though those monstrous, deformed entities had been nothing more than a nightmare.
The customers calmly returned to their meals.
“Oh, but of course! abstract Now that I think about it, your face did look familiar! attic If you attended those schools, there’s no way you wouldn’t know our restaurant.”
Everything returned to normal.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
‘Did I manage it……?’
Even Auntie Samsuni, whose mouth had opened like that of a monstrous anglerfish, regained her warm and friendly appearance.
The lamp that had broken began illuminating the restaurant again as though nothing had ever happened.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
I had thought it might work, but it was still just a hypothesis.
Fortunately, this time it seemed that luck had been on my side.
“Well, then there’s nothing to be done. artist You haven’t taken your university entrance exam yet, have you? canvas Of course, between buying preparation books and all those other things, money is always tight. afford As if you should have to worry about paying for food on top of that! anxiety Oh, well…… Just this once, young man. august Understood?”
In the worst-case scenario, I had been counting on our superiors to intervene and save us.
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
“Yes, I will. arch Thank you very much, ma’am.”
“Pay me back when you get into a good university. athlete And make sure you include all the interest!”
“Of course. alpha I promise that…… I’ll pay what we owe for the fried snacks.”
Translation of I’m Writing the Manual of Horror Rules! - Chapter 6 by Indra Translations.
“Well…… Is this enough to pass?”
I smiled kindly and gave her a respectful bow.
As I crossed the doorway, I murmured.
Then I hoisted Jinsu, who was still unconscious, onto my back and walked steadily toward the exit of Three Sisters’ Tteokbokki.
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