WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

The Legendary Newbie of the Ghost Story Labyrinth

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 11 - Time Left to Remain Human (2)

This time, Park Minho was confident.

"Hehe, now go ahead and applaud!”

But no reaction came to his masterpiece, ‘A_Warm_Moment_With_The_Bros.jpg’.

"What…?”

Frowning slightly, he kept refreshing the page.

"You dare ignore me?”

But the silence wasn’t because of that.

The single image he uploaded contained so much information. Even the veteran users were left speechless.

Park Minho, drenched in blood, sitting arrogantly in a chair, with Facelings striking absurdly cute poses behind him. And there were still chunks of flesh and organs from the higher-tier still clinging to their bodies……

Then, someone finally left a comment, and, as if it were a signal, the entire forum exploded.

ㄴWhat the hell is this?

ㄴ?????????????

ㄴHoly shit. What am I even looking at???

ㄴWait, everything he said was real?

Of course, there were plenty who still denied it.

ㄴBullshit. This is obviously AI-generated.

ㄴYou can do that in here?

ㄴSome people fall in with devices from outside. If they run an integrated model, generating AI images is easy.

ㄴYeh, yeh. Just train it on Backrooms photos and mass produce.

ㄴOooh, is that so? Almost got filled loool ;;

However, those takes were immediately shut down.

ㄴ(LostHassan) You idiots looool. Always acting like experts at times like this.

ㄴOh look, the regular got triggered lol

ㄴ(LostHassan) You brainless morons. If you post fake AI shit here, the admin insta-bans you.

ㄴSuuure. Since when is the admin an AI detector? It’s pretty much impossible to tell apart, you know?

ㄴ(LostHassan) Ugh…stuck in a forum with idiots like this. Guess dying and ending up in the white room really is a sin looool

ㄴCan’t argue, so you start insulting? LMAO

ㄴ(LostHassan) Hey, you worthless trash. The admin is an entity. This whole forum is an anomalous space.

That made people freeze for a second before comments started streaming in again.

ㄴWait a sec? What did you just say?

ㄴWhy are you suddenly saying something this scary?

ㄴNah, you’re the one talking nonsense. The admin's an entity? looool

ㄴ(LostHassan) You idiots. Go read the notice. The notice. You’ve been here this whole time and never noticed?

Only then did some users go to check the announcements, something they had never once read before. And just like LostHassan said, the mod was an entity, and the forum itself was an anomalous space implemented inside a computer.

ㄴHoly shit…how did I not know this?

ㄴI was too busy looking at the girls’ thirst pics……

ㄴSo the mod was actually terrifying, fuck ;;

ㄴI talked shit to the mod before…wait, do entities even have parents?

ㄴNo idea, but what if it shows up in your White Room when it’s mad?

ㄴEeeeeeek!!!

Just as everyone was getting chills down their spines, the usually silent mod left a comment.

ㄴ<Admin>Not AI-generated. If you still don’t believe it, I can come visit and explain it to you personally.

They’d come visit their white room?

At those words, every skeptic instantly shut up. This was a different kind of horror compared to the monstrous entities they had encountered in the Backrooms.

No, those words were even more terrifying to them than those loudly howling things.

ㄴLoyalty, sir ^^7

ㄴ^^7

ㄴ^^7

ㄴShould we hang the doubters first? For the record, I always trusted you, Sir Admin.

With the Admin's words, the only thing that remained was pure shock and admiration.

ㄴThat mannequin’s face ( ⚆ .⚆) wtf is that? LMAOOOO this guy’s insane.

ㄴNah ( ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ ) ← this one’s worse. Smiling brightly while holding guts??

ㄴWhy do the Facelings actually look cute? I think I’m having cognitive dissonance.

ㄴ”The bros” my ass LOOOOL

People soon started commenting on Park Minho’s appearance.

ㄴWait, why the hell is this guy so handsome?

ㄴThat arrogant pose sitting in the chair goes hard as hell;;

ㄴThe way he’s got the Facelings around him like subordinates feels way too natural. What was he even doing before he fell in here? Look at those shoulders.

ㄴCan I call you oppa? 👉👈

The gallery’s opinion had completely flipped in Park Minho’s favor.

ㄴ(Pitbull) A Backrooms newbie taking over a whole zone is actually insane. He really is a top-tier prospect.

ㄴ(LostHassan) I taught him everything I knew, but honestly didn’t expect him to actually pull this off;;

ㄴAll the idiots who were talking shit earlier should bow their heads now, right?

ㄴHyung-nim, I’m sorry! Hyung-nim, I’m sorry! Hyung-nim, I’m sorry!

ㄴMy bad, I’m just a scrub.

ㄴOh, Lord Cheezza……

ㄴWe greet Lord Cheezza.

ㄴThis lowly one failed to recognize the future head mod……

At the same time, a certain expectation began to spread among the users.

ㄴHe’s a next-level lunatic.

ㄴDoes this mean he might actually grant our wish?

ㄴWe should back him 100% from now on. yeh, yeh

ㄴWe don’t even know what he’s gonna pick yet, though. He still hasn’t chosen from those three options from before.

ㄴHmm......

Park Minho wanted to keep browsing, but there was too much to sort out, so he closed his laptop.

"Alright, let’s see what you brought.”

At that, Unit 1 with the ( ⚆ .⚆)-face stepped forward as if it had been waiting.

"Kwiik! Kwiik!”

Its shoulders were slightly raised, like it was proud of what it brought.

Together with the mannequins it took, it bought back all sorts of things. The useful items among them were:

-A box of instant ramen (spicy).

-Several 2l bottles of water.

-Dried, shriveled rice cakes.

-2 disposable lighters.

But since entities weren’t exactly great at telling what humans actually needed, it also brought back some junk.

-Event sashes.

-A broken broom.

-Several shards of a shattered hand mirror.

-Crushed AA batteries.

There were also some disturbing items among them...

-A glass jar filled with human fingernails and fingers.

-A torn teddy bear with no eyes.

-A single bloodstained high heel.

-A clump of hair that may or may not be real.

-A flyer covered in strange symbols.

'What am I even supposed to do with this stuff...'

While Park Minho speechlessly stared at the stuff, Unit 1 proudly pulled something out and handed it to him.

"What is it?"

It was a rotten slice of cake. Maggots crawled all over the half-decayed surface.

"Kwiiik!”

It looked like it wanted praise, but Park Minho recoiled in horror.

"Holy hell, how the hell am I supposed to eat this? Throw it out!”

At that, Unit 1’s shoulders immediately slumped.

"Kwiiik…Kwinng..."

It shuffled back gloomily. Seeing that, Park Minho felt a bit bad.

'Was that too harsh? It probably just knew humans liked cake and brought it…’

Still, being an entity, it didn’t seem to understand what ‘rotten’ meant.

In the end, Park Minho called Unit 1 back over and gave it plenty of praise.

“Ahem. Anyway, good job! You brought back some excellent supplies. Keep it up.”

"Kwiik?”

At that, Unit 1’s shoulders immediately shot back up, clearly pleased.

"Kwiiik! Kwiiiik!”

Unit 1 suddenly lifted its chin and started swaggering, glancing over at Unit 2, who was waiting nearby.

It seemed a rivalry had formed between them without Park Minho realizing.

“Kwikkwik! Kukuku!”

It almost looked like Unit 1 was mocking Unit 2. And rightly so, since what Unit 2’s group brought back was pretty underwhelming by comparison.

In fact, it looked more like they’d just gone out to collect trash.

But strangely enough, Unit 2 didn’t seem bothered at all.

"Kiik! Kikiki!”

Unit 2 approached with an elegant, composed demeanor, like a butler serving a young master, then bowed and presented something.

"What is it? Huh…!”

Park Minho’s eyes widened instantly.

"Where did you find this?!”

It was a gold coin. The very same kind that had saved his life at the turnstile before.

As if entranced, Park Minho picked it up between his fingers and stared at it.

Under the light, it shimmered brilliantly and almost hypnotically. There was something about it that instinctively stirred human greed.

-Gulp.

Park Minho swallowed without realizing it.

‘Didn’t they say this thing goes for over 300 million won each outside?’ (approx. 202,240.92 USD)

If he could escape with just a handful of these, his life would be set.

Seeing Park Minho’s eyes sparkle, Unit 2 began gesturing frantically.

"Kiiik! Kiiiiek!”

He quickly understood what it meant.

"There’s more?”

"Kiik! Kiik!”

Unit 2 grabbed his hand as if urging him to hurry and led him along. Park Minho followed without hesitation.

The eyeball he was holding felt cumbersome, so he shoved it into his pocket. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to affect his control.

"Where? This way?”

Unit 2 led him to a rundown shop near zone C4.

It was filled with piles of junk, but something unusual stood out along the inner wall.

"Huh? What’s this?”

It was a narrow gap, so tight one would have to turn sideways to squeeze through. Obviously, nothing like this should exist in a normal underground shopping mall. It was a unique distortion of the Backrooms.

"Kiik! Kiik!”

Excited, Unit 2 slipped into the gap first. Park Minho, unable to resist his curiosity, followed.

"Uugh…”

The passage was dusty, cramped, and suffocating. Still, he pushed through until it opened into a small room. Inside was a cardboard box to which Unit 2 eagerly pointed.

"Kik! Kiiik!”

Curious, Park Minho looked inside, after which his eyes widened.

"Wait…How many coins are in there?”

And there weren't just gold coins. There were several other items mixed in as well.

There was a strange barcode scanner, a yellow armband, and a keycard.

'These aren’t normal, right?'

Park Minho could tell instinctively.

This was the jackpot of this entire floor.

It seemed this place was the deceased higher-tier entity’s treasure stash.

* * *

Two days later.

A group of humans entered the floor where Park Minho was staying.

"Where are we…?"

“Hmm, it’s bright… That’s something at least, right?"

"Stay sharp."

"Yes, Hyung-nim."

The group consisted of five people. Four rough-looking men and one young woman. They were so exhausted and terrified that they didn’t move for a while. However, after some time, they cautiously began to explore their surroundings.

“Hyung-nim, this floor seems safer than expected."

"Hm, don’t let your guard down.”

What stood out was how the four men surrounded the young woman, front and back. But it felt less like they were protecting her and more like they were making sure she couldn’t escape.

In fact, the woman’s face was filled with fear.

She wore thick-rimmed glasses on an otherwise unadorned face. Her hair was messy and unkempt, with faint freckles across her face. At first glance, she looked fairly plain.

But upon closer inspection, one could see the smooth, sculpted line of her jaw and her large eyes behind the strong-prescription lenses… Her beauty was simply hidden beneath all the other disarray. If it were to be revealed, it would be enough to take someone’s breath away.

But in the Backrooms, beauty meant nothing to those struggling just to survive.

“Hyung-nim…”

One of the men walking behind called out to the leader. The man in front gave a small nod.

"I know. But we need to find a place to settle first. It won’t take long, so just hold out a bit, even if you’re hungry.”

"Yes! Got it.”

At those words, the men, except the leader, looked quite happy. The woman, on the other hand, trembled uncontrollably.

'How did things end up like this…?'

Her name was ‘Seol Suyeon.’ Just a few days ago, she had been sitting at her computer, preparing for a stream.

She was a well-known VTuber, popular enough to be considered top-tier. But that day, her facial tracking wasn’t working properly, leaving her in a state of frustration. Then her computer suddenly froze, a violent spark bursting out, followed by her chair dropping straight through the floor.

For a moment, it felt like she was on a freefall tower ride at an amusement park. And when she landed, she was somewhere else entirely.

Level 0 of the Backrooms.

A world filled with yellow wallpaper, damp carpet, and endless, uncanny hallways.

She spent nearly an entire day curled up in a corner, shaking in fear. Then, the next day, she ran into the men she was with now.

At first, they were polite. And in a place like this, the only thing one could trust was other humans, so she felt like she had no other choice but to go along with them.

After that, it was nothing but terrifying chaos.

Monsters would appear from which they would run again and again. She even saw someone get eaten right in front of her.

After enduring all that, they passed through several stairways and eventually arrived at this floor.

'This is bad. I need to get away…'

The problem was the way they acquired food.

It was something no human should ever do to another.

The men hadn’t started out that way. Everything changed about five days after they entered the Backrooms when the leader found a strange device the size of a trash bin.

A bizarre compactor, which was completely pitch-black and empty inside. It was just large enough to somehow fit a human body.

Once someone was thrown inside, a horrific grinding noise would follow. After the grotesque compression process finished, it would spit out a dense, dark red block of processed human flesh.

The first time their companions died, they had all been starving, so their hesitation lasted only a moment before they frantically devoured the flesh blocks like beasts.

In that moment, they looked more monstrous than any entity in the Backrooms.

Only Seol Suyeon refused. As a result, she had grown weaker and weaker. However, she didn’t regret her decision.

Because she had seen what happened to the men after they ate those things.

They were gradually changing. Their teeth sharpened. They began repeating the same phrases over and over. Their skin slowly turned red.

They were getting contaminated.

At first, it had been natural for the men to keep her around, but at some point, everything changed. She found herself surrounded by monsters.

Her role had also changed to walking food.

When the time came, she would be killed, cut apart, and fed into the compactor. And then she would be reborn as another flesh block.

"Hyung-nim, it’s time! It’s time! It’s time!”

"That shop looks like a good place to settle. Good. Very good…Hehehe…”

The leader nodded.

"Alright. Let’s finally have a proper meal.”

Seol Suyeon’s face turned deathly pale, as if she had just been sentenced to death.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

'Please, someone……!'

She silently prayed from the bottom of her heart while knowing that no hero of justice would suddenly appear in these damn Backrooms.

And yet, interestingly enough, while not a hero of justice, there was something like a treasure goblin carrying a ton of food approaching.

"Hmm~jerky’s so good~!”

A cheerful humming voice echoed through the halls. And soon, a young man appeared, casually chewing on beef jerky, a plastic bag full of food in his hand.

As he chewed, he came face-to-face with the group.

"Huh?"

"Wh-who the hell are you?”

The man looked impossibly clean for someone in the Backrooms. His clothes were neat and his complexion was healthy.

One thing stood out though. He was wearing a yellow armband on his arm.

His name was Park Minho.

For various reasons, he had been separated from Unit 1 and 2 and was currently moving alone.

And just like that, he encountered other Backroom survivors for the first time.

“Oh? Hey guys, nice to meet you?”

He smiled warmly before saying something oddly out of place.

"Did you happen to pay the entrance fee?”

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