Surviving Restructuring

Throughout his life, Eun-Ho had met all kinds of people, including back in school, and even more so after becoming an adult.

“Assistant Manager! How about we go for lamb skewers instead of sashimi tonight? Manager Song’s not big on seafood.”

“Huh? You remembered that?”

Every time, he’d had to size them up. There were people who wanted him to approach first, people who only wanted to talk business, and people who needed their past achievements constantly praised. There were older folks desperate to fit in with the younger crowd, yet still clinging to authority.

However, once the corporate layoffs began, things became much simpler. Everyone either helped him survive or didn’t. Eun-Ho started to wonder which category the thirteen people here fall into.

“You and that student have done so much for us already. I feel like we’ve only taken,” the man said hesitantly.

“Really, there’s no need to repay us,” Sol-Ah replied with a pale smile.

“I’m good too!” Jae-Hyuk added, practically beaming.

The man’s eyes lit up as he snapped his fingers. “Well then, if there’s anything you’d like to eat, just name it. If I’ve got the ingredients, I’ll do my best to make it.”

“Wait, are you a chef or something?”

“Sort of. I used to be head chef at the Haemil Hotel.”

Sol-Ah blinked in surprise, but it was Yeo-Jin who gasped and blurted out, “What?! Really?!”

“I mainly did Western cuisine,” the man said, chuckling. “But I’m decent at other stuff too. Got anything in mind?”

“Uh, well... We...” Yeo-Jin glanced in Eun-Ho’s direction as if she was waiting for approval.

Head chef, huh, Eun-Ho thought.

The Haemil Hotel was right in front of Itaewon Station. It wasn’t a five-star place, but still respectable. Besides, the guy had to be legit to have become head chef in his early thirties.

Eating a meal prepared by someone like that was tempting, for sure. However, until he could confirm Subject X’s identity, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down. What if something had been slipped into the food?

“Mister, what do you think?” Yeo-Jin asked.

“I’m fine. I already ate plenty earlier,” Eun-Ho replied.

“Well, if Hyungnim is not eating, then I’ll pass too,” Jae-Hyuk replied.

Following a stranger just because they offered something to eat was how one could die in places like this.

Seeing Eun-Ho’s reaction, Yeo-Jin and Sol-Ah both gave reluctant little shrugs.

“Well then... I’m good too. Sol-Ah, how about you?”

“I’ll pass.”

“Oh... Alright.”

The chef scratched his head, seemingly a little deflated.

Just then, a woman nearby shot her hand up. “Ooh! I’ll take you up on that!”

She was one of the eight who had come from Itaewon with the chef. It was hard not to notice her, as she had striking features, long legs under short shorts, and big hoop earrings.

“Great! What would you like?” the chef asked.

“Fresh fruit and veggies. God, I miss them so much I could die.”

“Uh, but that’s not cooking, that’s farming.”

“Hm... fair.” She pouted, scrunching her brow and then relaxing her plush lips. “Ugh. I used to hate them when I was trying to lose weight. But now that I can’t have any, it’s driving me nuts. Life’s unpredictable like that, huh?”

She then turned to Yeo-Jin with a casual “Right?” and Yeo-Jin eagerly nodded. “Unnie, are you a model? You’re gorgeous!”

“Oh, I’ve done a few runway gigs. Nothing major, though. Guess I still give off the vibe?”

“No way! That’s amazing! I’ve never met a celebrity before!”

Listening to their conversation, Eun-Ho vaguely remembered something about fashion shows and performances in someone’s memories.

He hadn’t paid much attention to her before as modeling wasn’t exactly useful for survival.

“Celebrity? Nah, not really, haha.”

Despite her words, she waved her hands around with a huge, bashful grin. The chef lingered nearby, clearly unsure if he should speak again. Others continued to steal glances in Eun-Ho’s direction.

I remember about half of them and their memories.

Excluding his own party, there were thirteen newcomers. Of those, Eun-Ho could recall faint fragments of memory for maybe six or seven. It would’ve been ideal to have clearer intel, but even this much was valuable.

I can’t help but be frustrated because I never saw Subject X’s face.

Subject X was the guy who, even in a world at peace, could kill people like swatting flies. The fact that he’d shown up with a group meant he was hiding among them.

So he’s wearing a mask. How am I supposed to find him?

***

“So, Eun-Ho’s group will take the café, the rest of the Namsan team will sleep in the souvenir shop, and the Itaewon folks will stay in the restaurant.”

“Sounds good.”

Evening had fallen quietly and as the sky darkened, the survivors split into groups, each claiming a space to sleep.

Eun-Ho, however, quietly slipped away from the rest. “I’m just stepping out for a bit. I’ll be back.”

“Ah, got it, Hyungnim! Take care!”

Ding—

He took the elevator up to the Namsan Tower observatory. It was the same office he’d been dragged into by the Ghosts after the “Hunt” trial ended. Or to be precise, what used to be an office.

They’re already gone.

The once cluttered space, packed like a library, was completely empty. It seemed like an office floor waiting for a new tenant. How disappointing.

Thanks to their proposal, which predicted the Entrance Exam trial, Eun-Ho had enjoyed a solid advantage. He came here planning to threaten them into coughing up their next report.

“Is the project over?”

“Yup!”

“That’s right!”

Eun-Ho remembered the conversation he had with them earlier which already hinted at it. Besides, when the protective barrier disappeared, he’d suspected as much, but still he didn’t think they’d vanish this fast. They’d even cleared out all the books and furniture. Only a single sheet of paper remained, lying in the middle of the floor.

Flutter—

The sheet of paper said, “Hey monster, we’re leaving first...”

Leaving first?

Below the cryptic message, someone had drawn a face. Eyes arched in a crazed grin, sharp predatory teeth packed into a wide mouth, and even a pair of horns on the head. Next to the crude drawing, in jagged handwriting was “Lee Eun-Ho.”

“What the hell is this?”

Eun-Ho flipped the paper over, checked the back, and squinted at the corners just in case there was something more.

Pssssh—!

Suddenly, there was a soft hiss.

Clang!

Then a metal canister, no larger than a fist, dropped to the floor. Thick smoke burst out like a fire extinguisher.

His vision clouded.

Click. Rattle—

The door slammed shut and locked behind him.

“Keugh!”

A dry cough escaped before he could stop it. He yanked his sleeve up over his nose, but now his eyes were burning like hell.

It’s poison gas! Eun-Ho thought.

[99%]

A number appeared in front of him, hovering above his hand.

[95%]

[94%]

[93%]

His stamina was draining slowly but surely.

Huh, interesting. A sealed room, poison gas, and no way out, suggesting a classic death trap.

However, he staggered across the room toward a shattered window.

Whoooosh—

It was the very same window he’d kicked out during the fight with the ghosts.

Hah... I bet they didn’t expect the observatory’s glass wall to be busted wide open.

This wasn’t really a sealed room anymore. He took a deep breath of the freezing night air and his head started to clear. His eyes were still stinging, but it was manageable now.

Whoooosh—

He leaned into the night wind, glancing down at the ground below. There was not a soul in sight, with no movement nor sound.

However, two people were down there somewhere. Yul and Han-Wool were standing watch at the tower’s entrance, hidden at his request.

“Yul, can Uncle ask you for a favor?”

He hadn’t expected the enemy to go for a ranged ambush, but he’d planned for every angle. Honestly, he was grateful.

Thanks for walking right into the trap, just like I hoped.

If someone was going to attack him eventually, it was better to flush them out fast. That said, laying the trap was one thing.

Ssshhh—

However, a sudden gust of wind blew through the broken window, pushing the gas back toward the door. The smoke pooled like mist at the sealed exit.

Charging through that would mean running into the enemy. Meanwhile, only half of his stamina remained, leaving him no choice.

I guess I’m jumping again from the top of the Namsan Tower, huh?

***

[You have sent a gift to Subject Kim Ji-Eun.]

[You have sent a gift to Subject Choi Jae-Hyuk.] After dispatching the gifts along with a message to Ji-Eun and Jae-Hyuk, Eun-Ho leaned against the railing. He looked down at the ground far below. It felt even farther away now, cloaked in the dark of night. His mind wandered back to the first time he jumped from this tower.

Back then, I summoned the door too early. If it weren’t for those vines in the cave, I’d have broken my neck.

Summoning too soon meant falling farther, whereas too late meant he’d slam into the ground. If he wanted to survive again, he needed to time it just right.

Not too early but not too late.

“Summon.”

He gripped the audit pass in his left hand, keeping his right free. He needed it for the doorknob that would soon appear. Then, he leapt without hesitation.

Tap—!

The wind howled past him as gravity pulled him toward the earth. For a moment, it felt like a bungee jump.

With no cord, obviously.

He remembered reading somewhere that when people fall from great heights, most of them die from a heart attack before they even hit the ground.

I get that feeling now.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

His heart pounded as the ground rushed up to meet him. He waited and waited.

Then just as he was about to panic, he yelled, “Activate!”

[You have activated the audit pass.]

Fwoosh—!

A metal doorknob appeared like a lifeline, and he reached out and grabbed it midair.

“Haaah...”

His legs swung wildly in the air, less than a meter above the ground. That was close. Any later, and he would’ve smashed both legs on impact.

His heart was racing, nerves on fire—but the crazy part was, it was starting to feel familiar. He was actually getting used to this.

While lightly tracing his fingers over the cold, iron doorknob, he let go and landed on solid ground. Waiting nearby, just as planned, were Yul and Han-Wool.

Thud!

“Sir! Are you all right?”

“Uncle! You were like whooosh, flying!”

“Haha... You saw that?”

He ruffled Yul’s hair, still twirling her arms like a helicopter, then gave Han-Wool a glance.

Han-Wool picked up on the signal and answered calmly, “No one’s entered or left the building.”

“What about the elevator?”

“Still hasn’t moved since you got off.”

“So they must’ve used the stairs then...”

That confirmed the person who tried to gas him was still inside. The bastard had waited inside Namsan Tower until Eun-Ho was alone. Then, they followed him and set off the toxic gas.

So you did it without realizing we were already prepared.

Now it was his turn to act.

- To: Lee Eun-Ho

- From: Choi Jae-Hyuk

- Message: No one came out the back. I’ll keep watching a bit longer before heading back.

The back entrance and the front entrance were both clear and quiet.

- To: Lee Eun-Ho

- From: Kim Ji-Eun

- Message: The Namsan five and Itaewon four have all stayed together.

Reading their messages, Eun-Ho thought, With nine people accounted for, thirteen people showed up today so that leaves four unaccounted for.

Eun-Ho was just about to ask Ji-Eun for the names of the ones who weren’t present.

Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed up from the stairs. “... So like I was saying. Huh?”

“What are you all doing up here?” Eun-Ho asked.

The hotel chef and the model walked into view side by side. Moments later, a couple also stepped out. They were dressed in light jackets, clearly headed for a nighttime stroll.

“It’s dangerous out here at night. Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Mm... I just needed a little air. I’ll feel better after a short walk.”

There were four people just as he’d expected.

How convenient.

The count matched perfectly. However, the only problem was that their expressions were calm and totally unbothered. It wasn’t the look of people who’d just botched an attempted murder.

“Aww, what a cute kid. I didn’t see you earlier. How old are you?”

“Why are you all gathered here? You’re not sneaking off for snacks without us, are you?”

“Do you mind if we talk for a moment?” Eun-Ho asked.

“Huh?”

“Is something wrong?”

The culprit wasn’t wearing a mask this time, but a smile.

“Wait, what?”

Just then, a fifth figure appeared behind them.

“... It’s you again Swear-Master?”

“Ugh, seriously! Can you stop with the Swear-Mater crap? I have a name, you know—”

“I don’t care.”

I guess it’s five suspects, not four, Eun-Ho thought.

Either way, it was time to get started on the detective game.

“Where did you all come from?”