WETRIED TRANSLATIONS
The Legendary Newbie of the Ghost Story Labyrinth
[Translator – Aren]
Chapter 82 - State-of-the-Art Military Base (3)
I couldn’t help being shocked.
For a soldier, desertion was the ultimate taboo. Even though I already knew something about my military service was terribly wrong, just hearing the word "desertion" triggered an instinctive sense of revulsion.
Of course, that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to run.
"But comrades? I have comrades?”
"Naturally. It is exceedingly rare for Backrooms explorers to travel alone. The companions who entered Floor 15 with you are here as well.”
"Can you tell me who they are?”
That was a crucial question. Deserting would already be difficult enough. If I didn’t even know who I was supposed to escape with, then this plan has no chance of succeeding. Especially since I still hadn’t recovered my memories.
"Hmm……I’m afraid that isn’t something I can simply tell you. Everything we’re doing here is already a favor to you. But in the end, it involves one floor interfering with another.”
According to the Inspector, floor 15’s goal was to assimilate explorers into its internal world and transform them into entities.
What was happening now was the Inspector of this Dream Backrooms floor interfering with that process.
"What’s an entity?”
"It is the term for the anomalous beings that inhabit the Backrooms.”
"Anomalous beings…”
"In any case, I hope you’ll understand that there are limits to what I can reveal.”
"Isn't there any way around that? Finding my companions is difficult enough already. If I don’t know who they are, I might end up leaving someone behind.”
"Hmm......."
The Inspector seemed to fall into thought. I couldn’t really read its expression, but the restraints wrapped around its body shifted restlessly enough to betray its mood.
"...If you insist, but I have one condition.”
"A condition?”
"Yes, if I reveal the secrets of another floor, we will suffer the consequences. Even so, there is a reason we are willing to help you this much, as you are probably aware.”
"......I don’t know.”
Apparently, the real me would have understood. Why were they helping me at all?
Fortunately, the Inspector explained.
He wanted me to become the new director of Bright Mind Psychiatric Hospital.
My face immediately twisted into a frown.
"The director?”
"There’s no need to look so displeased. I’m not trying to force the position upon you.”
"Really?”
"However, what if you simply promised to help our hospital someday?”
"Help…?”
"It wouldn’t be anything unethical, nor would it involve turning humans into entities, the sort of thing you despise. But, if the continued existence of our hospital were ever threatened, I would like to ask for your assistance. If we’re granted at least this insurance policy of that sort, we’re willing to bear the cost now.”
"What could someone like me possibly do?”
"Aren’t you the one who defeated the Hanged King?”
I had no idea who the Hanged King was, but apparently he had been a formidable figure I’d defeated. It seemed the real me had been quite an accomplished explorer.
But right now, I was nothing more than a powerless victim caught in an anomaly. After a long moment of thought, I nodded.
"Alright. I can agree to that.”
"Very well. Then I’ll tell you. First, there’s Private Nicola.”
"Nicola?”
"Didn’t it strike you as odd that a foreigner was openly serving in the South Korean military? He isn’t even a naturalized citizen.”
"Ah, now that you mention it…Why didn’t I think that was strange?”
I’d noticed the Polish UHT milk, yet somehow I’d accepted Nicola from another squad without questioning it.
“There’s no need to worry that you’ve suddenly become an idiot. It’s simply the diminished perception commonly caused by Floor 15.”
"I see."
"At this moment, Nicola has likewise been caught by Floor 15 and is faithfully carrying out his military service.”
"How do I bring him back to his senses?”
"The only certain way to restore someone completely is to leave Floor 15. Until then, no matter how many clues they uncover, the floor’s anomalous influence makes it difficult for them to recover. Of course, there are rare exceptions who regain their sanity even within this environment.”
It wasn’t going to be easy.
I wasn’t even sure I should believe the Inspector myself.
I was actually a Backrooms explorer?
And now I was trapped inside an anomaly, forced to play a role?
"To be honest, even after hearing your explanation, I’m still not completely convinced. But who am I supposed to persuade Nicola? He can’t even fully recover his memories.”
"I’m afraid that is something you’ll have to solve with your own wisdom, Park Minho.”
"......"
Right now, Nicola was faithfully living out his assigned role, without sensing anything strange. If I suddenly suggested we desert, he’d think I’d lost my mind.
No, more likely he’d report me to our superiors.
"......"
Perhaps the Inspector pitied the way I stood there frowning in frustration, because it offered another piece of advice.
"Focus on what Nicola desires. If there is something he wishes to accomplish or someone he longs to find, that desire may allow him to break free from Floor 15’s deception.”
"I don’t know what that would be. I’ve lost my memories.”
In response, the Inspector explained that Nicola had been exploring the Backrooms in search of someone named Drago.
"And make use of the recycling station as well. Your belongings have been discarded there. It seems the entities of Floor 15 simply throw outsiders’ possessions into the recycling yard without much thought.”
After hearing that, I finally had an idea of what to do. Besides, Nicola was smarter than I was.
Once he started noticing inconsistencies, he might begin questioning his assigned role on his own.
"Who’s next?"
"Administrative Supply Sergeant Gu Bonjae.”
I let out a groan.
"Shit, the supply sergeant…?!”
It wasn't that the supply sergeant was a bad person. But people who’d spent years in the military eventually stopped thinking like ordinary civilians.
Their way of thinking was fundamentally different from that of enlisted soldiers who would return to society after only a couple of years.
I remembered something one of the older soldiers had once told me.
-After 10 years in the military, you stop being able to reason with them. After 20? You start wondering whether they’re even the same species.
They still had two eyes, one nose, and one mouth, but the moment you actually had to work with them, you could feel the enormous gulf between you.
And that wasn't even the biggest problem. Enlisted soldiers might desert, but career soldiers sure as hell didn't. I’d never once heard of an administrative supply sergeant deserting.
When their shift ended, they could just go home, you know? So deserting during working hours was another matter entirely.
"That is going to be incredibly difficult."
"All I can do is wish you the best of luck……”
"......"
Getting Nicola back on board seemed difficult, but at least it felt possible. That Gu Bonjae, though? That seemed completely impossible.
Still, he had entered Floor 15 alongside us. I couldn’t just abandon him. The thought alone gave me a headache.
I decided to worry about him later.
For now, all I could do was hope my default mode brain would do its job and eventually stumble upon a workable idea on its own.
"Are there any others?"
"Yes, one last person.”
"Don’t tell me…?”
I already had someone in mind. The Inspector nodded.
"Sergeant Ma Ilho.”
"Ah......!"
I knew it. It really was Sergeant Ma Ilho, but something didn’t add up.
"It seemed that Sergeant Ma Ilho had realized that something was wrong, unlike the rest of us.”
"Not just realized. He knows quite a lot, because Sergeant Ma Ilho was never affected by Floor 15 in the first place.”
"How is that possible? Is he an incredibly powerful Awakened?”
Startled, I asked the question, but the Inspector merely chuckled.
"I would very much like to tell you, but I cannot afford to reveal any more. I ask for your understanding. You’ll learn soon enough why Sergeant Ma Ilho remained unaffected.”
"...I see."
"If you intend to desert, Sergeant Ma Ilho is indispensable. Plan carefully.”
"The thing is…whenever I try to talk to him, something always interrupts us.”
"That is Floor 15 attempting to interfere. You’ll have to find another way around it.”
"There certainly are a lot of problems to solve. And there’s a time limit on top of everything.”
"Indeed. Which is why so many people have succumbed to Floor 15. The people surrounding you were once explorers themselves, but in the end they dissolved into the Floor.”
"......That’s terrifying.”
"Please look at the bright side. You still have a chance, Park Minho.”
"I have one last question. Do you know who Seol Suyeon is?”
"I’m sorry.”
The Inspector slowly shook his head. It was clear he couldn’t tell me anything more.
"......I understand.”
The Inspector gestured toward the door.
"I sincerely hope you succeed. As far as I know, you are the first person ever to use the Backrooms within a Dream to overcome Floor 15. It was a remarkably original idea.”
* * *
"Minho. Minho.”
Someone was shaking me awake. A flashlight shone directly into my face.
"Private First Class Park Minho.”
"Huh, right. It’s time for your shift. You’ve got the OP tonight. Must be a real pain in the ass.”
"Not at all.”
"Do your best."
While hurriedly pulling on my combat uniform for night watch, the things I’d experienced in the Backrooms within my dream still felt vivid. Maybe because of that I looked at the darkened barracks differently now.
'Those people lying there side by side… The inspector was saying, they're actually monsters called entities?’
Honestly, it was hard to believe.
Honestly, it was hard to believe. A moment later, I met the soldier assigned to stand watch with me. I couldn’t hide my surprise.
"Private Park.”
It was Nicola from the neighboring squad who was my shift partner. Thinking back, I’d been so distracted that I hadn’t even checked who my partner was.
Perfect.
'I couldn’t have been luckier.'
I wasn’t going to convince him all at once, but at least I’d have plenty of time to talk.
Since we belonged to the same company, I’d known we’d eventually end up on night watch together. I just hadn’t expected it to be tonight.
"Ready?”
"Yes, we just need to report in before we head out.”
A little while later, we arrived at the guard post on the perimeter of the base. After relieving the previous shift and taking our positions, we spent a while scanning the surroundings, then Nicola broke the silence.
"Next month I’ll finally be promoted to Private First Class, so aren’t you going to get me a congratulatory gift?”
He looked incredibly proud of himself.
"Private First Class? Already?”
"Yeah, I can’t wait.”
"I don’t know what’s so exciting about becoming a Private First Class.”
"Being a private is just so pathetic. Back in basic training, I couldn’t wait to earn this first stripe, but after getting assigned to my unit, it just looked so unimpressive.”
Watching him, the whole thing really did feel bizarre. A blond foreigner who looked about the age of an elementary school kid, talking excitedly about military promotions.
I causally played along while steering the conversation elsewhere.
"So has your family come to visit yet?”
"Visit?”
"Yeah, they come see you, bring you good food, that sort of thing.”
"Huh......?"
For just a moment, Nicola looked completely bewildered. It was as though I’d poked at something he’d never even considered. His expression stiffened.
"A visit…A visit…would be nice, but..."
"There’s no one who could come?”
"......Well, I…?”
It was such a simple question, yet Nicola fell into genuine confusion.
At the same time, he seemed to be wondering why there wasn’t anyone who could visit him.
"So what’s your family like?”
"That…Huh……?”
In truth, Nicola only had one person he could really call family.
"Don’t you have an Uncle Drago?”
Only then did his face light up. He smacked a fist into his palm.
"Right! You’re right! I have Uncle Drago! Why did I forget that? I should ask Uncle Drago to come vis……”
He stopped mid-sentence. A strange expression crossed his face.
"No…Uncle Drago disappeared. How do I know that?”
Though Floor 15 was still suppressing his memories, part of them had begun to resurface. The contradiction left him deeply shaken.
In the end, Nicola spent the rest of the watch lost in thought without saying another word.
* * *
It was obvious now. Nicola was confused.
I had to keep pushing until he’d agree to join the escape plan.
The next step was clearly waiting at the recycling station. When the weekend came, I used the recycling duty as an excuse to bring Nicola with me.
"I’ll treat you to something at PX. Come help me sort the recycling, Nicola.”
"Understood.”
Fortunately, Nicola had always held me in high regards, so he agreed without hesitation. Even better, it ended up being just the two of us.
Since it was the weekend, many of the others were attending religious services, so the sergeant had told me to take only one person along.
After updating the location board to show that I was at the recycling station, Nicola and I headed out together.
“Sorry for dragging you into recycling duty on your day off.”
"It’s fine. My head’s been hurting lately anyway, so I think keeping busy might actually help.”
"Really? What’s been bothering you?”
"Well……"
Nicola hesitated. He couldn’t bring himself to say it.
'It’s because of his Uncle Drago. He probably doesn’t even understand what’s wrong himself.’
After all, I’d gone through the same thing. No, I was still going through it. To be honest, there were moments when I wondered whether deserting really was the right choice.
Soon we arrived at the recycling yard. We began sorting through the enormous piles of discarded items.
But off in one corner there was a heap of objects that clearly didn’t belong. They’d simply been tossed there haphazardly. If what I’d been told was true, these were the belongings we’d had when we were still explorers.
"Huh? What is it? What’s that?”
"Come take a look.”
After rummaging through the pile for quite a while, I found a wallet. Inside it was an ID card.
"Look at this.”
It was an identification card from the TBU Fortress City. And the photo on it was Nicola.
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