Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary!

Chapter 732: Return to Malovia [3]

“We’re going on another trip!?”

Mia’s voice loudly reverberated across the entire office the moment I shared the news with everyone.

“And we’re going back to Malovia?”

She wasn’t the only one who looked excited. So were the others.

I looked around the room before nodding.

“Prepare. We might be gone for a longer time this time.”

To be honest, it wasn’t going to be for that long. About a week or something.

“Woohoo!”

Mia jumped out of her seat, fists in the air.

“Calm down! You’re going to knock the cup over again!”

Joanna grabbed the cup on the desk before it could fall, glaring at Mia.

“Hehe, sorry, sorry.”

“Wow, another trip. I’m sure nothing bad will happen this time either.”

Nora’s voice was as flat as ever.

“…Can I just stay here?”

Ariel yawned, not even bothering to look up from her phone.

As for Niel and Min, the two of them simply nodded.

Same as always. I honestly couldn’t tell what went on in those two’s heads.

“What are we going there for?”

“…!”

A whisper came from right next to my ear. My body jolted, and turning my head, I found Sarah standing next to me, her face barely a hand away from mine.

‘…Damn it, not again.’

She was really starting to test my heart.

I took a step back and cleared my throat. By then, everyone’s eyes were on me.

“A person went missing on the island four days ago. Our job is to find him.”

I paused for a moment.

“Officially, we’re going back to get our stuff and assess the situation on the island. So keep the first part to yourselves.”

“A missing person…”

“Who?”

“You’ll get the details on the way. For now, pack up. We leave tomorrow morning.”

“Roger!”

The office turned busy in an instant. Mia was already dragging a suitcase out from god knows where, and Joanna had started writing a list.

I watched them for a bit before walking out of the room.

And of course.

“Mr. Thorne.”

Halfway down the corridor, a snake-like voice called out to me.

I turned around, and a man in a neat suit walked toward me, a gentle smile on his face. I recognized him in an instant.

He was Secretary Kim, Section Chief Johansberg’s secretary.

I nodded at him.

“…Secretary.”

No wonder I could feel the snakeness in the voice.

Okay, now let me go.

He was the last person that I wanted to talk to.

Of course, things weren’t going to be that easy for me.

“I heard you’re going back to Malovia. That’s an interesting place to go.”

‘News sure travels fast.’

I had handed in the papers less than an hour ago.

“Well, there are a few things there that I need to get back, and I also need to check and assess the situation back on the island to see if it’s possible to move back.”

“Is that so?”

The secretary nodded slowly. His smile didn’t budge.

“I heard most of the escaped anomalies are still there. The place shouldn’t be very safe.”

“…I am well aware.”

“In that case, must you go? You’re quite valuable to the Guild. Well… you still are, but your recent performance has left some things to be desired. I’m sure you’ll get back to it. I don’t think this is the greatest way to spend your time. What was it again…? Don’t eat more when your stomach is full?”

Ah, look at this guy…

“Thanks for the advice.”

“I’m glad I was able to…” The Secretary paused for a second, blinking slowly before shaking his head slightly as he continued, “Please have a safe journey. “

He bowed lightly and walked past me.

‘Safe journey, my ass.’

I cursed in my mind, my gaze tracing his back until he turned the corner and disappeared.

Everyone in this branch knew what that man was doing. And yet, nobody could lay a hand on him. With the Section Chief backing him, he was sort of untouchable.

But—

I looked down at my phone and stared at my flickering screen.

‘Well, I did warn him.’

My grip over the phone tightened.

At the same time, the Team Leader’s words from before echoed in my mind.

‘It’s simple, really. If you want all of this to stop, you need to become the Guild Master.’

“…..”

I shook my head.

‘No. What am I thinking?’

I already had enough on my plate.

*

Malovia had changed.

That was the first thing I thought as I stepped off the plane.

Dark clouds covered the entire sky from every direction. They hung low above the city, swallowing whatever little light managed to slip through them.

It was supposed to be noon, but it looked more like the sun was about to set, leaving everything beneath the clouds cast in a dull, gloomy light.

‘…No birds either.’

The city used to be full of them.

“…Whoa.”

Mia’s voice came out small.

“This is… so much different compared to how it was before. It’s like a ghost town.”

Even Nora didn’t have anything to say.

“Stay close. This place is still filled with anomalies.” Joanna warned from behind as she babysat the rest of the group in my stead.

We walked into the city.

It was exactly as I remembered. That was the creepy part. The stores weren’t destroyed. They were just… the exact same as before, the lights still on. A café with cups still sitting on the tables. A bicycle lying on its side in the middle of the road. Laundry hanging from a balcony, swaying slightly.

A TV inside a store was still on, playing the news to an empty room.

Everything was working as it was supposed to, and yet, everything felt so off.

Our footsteps were the only sound. They echoed far too loudly against the buildings, and at some point, I noticed that Mia had started whispering without even realizing it.

“Squad Leader… is it always this quiet?”

“No.”

We passed a checkpoint. Two BUA agents in dark suits stood there, watching us without a word. Neither of them asked for identification or greeted us.

Only as we walked past did one of them speak.

“Don’t wander after dark.”

That was all he said.

‘…..’

The traffic light ahead of us turned green.

Eventually, we arrived in front of a familiar building.

The Severed Stars Guild.

The main headquarters stood exactly as I remembered it, only now, barricades circled the entrance, and a few more agents stood by the doors. Watching them crawl around our building felt a little weird, but nothing unusual. It was even worse now with all the reporters.

I stepped toward the entrance.

But just as I did, I stopped. For a moment, it almost felt as though the wind had stopped too.

“…..”

I turned my head.

Something was watching me. I could feel it on the back of my neck. I wasn’t guessing or anything or so… I could feel it. Someone had their eyes on me right now.

I scanned the street, and everything around me.

But—

Nothing

But just then, across the street, on the third floor of an apartment, a curtain moved. Just ever so slightly.

The strangest thing…?

There was no noticeable wind.

I stared at it intently before licking my lips.

“What’s wrong?”

Mia’s voice.

“Hm? No, nothing.”

I turned around and walked toward the entrance as if nothing happened. Whether it was an anomaly or something else, I wasn’t sure. But I wasn’t all that interested in finding out.

There were other things that I needed to handle.

But…

Looking up at the sky and then at the building in front of me, I couldn’t help but think, ‘Something about this island… It feels quite creepy.