Chapter 14: Trapped in Darkness

The number one dream job for anyone is undoubtedly being a Hunter.

Superhumans who fight monsters to protect humanity.

The stories of such superhumans have spread widely through various media.

Among them, what I had read was an online article.

It was a simple question about what it feels like to cross over a gate.

A Hunter answered that it just feels like crossing over a door normally.

“Ugh…”

I got up from my seat and looked around.

A space shrouded in darkness.

No matter where I looked, there was only darkness.

However, mysteriously, my vision wasn’t obstructed.

I could easily distinguish objects, like using night vision goggles.

‘…Have my eyes changed like a beast’s?’

Eyes distinctly different from a human’s.

Perhaps this was the reason I could see the rifts.

I used my enhanced vision to survey my surroundings.

I remembered an interview with a Hunter stating that understanding the surrounding environment would help identify what kind of dungeon it was.

“This is…”

Torn doors and crumbling walls.

Droplets falling from the ceiling formed puddles, flowing stickily.

The ominous atmosphere was apparent at a glance.

This was undoubtedly a ‘Horror’ dungeon, regarded as the worst among all types.

“Ah…”

As I recognized the type of dungeon, my body trembled.

A Horror dungeon, huh?

The absolute worst of the worst.

“C-come on…”

As my reason began to fade, I bit my lip tightly.

I couldn’t lose my mind here.

“I-I have to get out… what do I do…”

I had no idea where to start or what to do.

The only thing I could rely on was my powerless body.

Thump thump—

My heart was pounding violently, painfully, and as I clutched my chest, I suddenly noticed something hanging on it.

‘This is…’

The tablet I had hastily grabbed before coming down to the first floor.

I instinctively pulled out the tablet and looked at the screen.

[What is it??]

[It’s dark and I can’t see anything]

[I heard an explosion; did something happen?]

“Ah…”

The chat was rising quickly.

Thinking back, I realized I was still broadcasting.

‘W-well, that’s a relief.’

I felt a sense of relief at the fact that I wasn’t alone.

Even if they weren’t physically with me, they were certainly conscious beings.

“Everyone, I’m trapped in a dungeon.”

[Dungeon? All of a sudden?]

[Unni, it’s so dark I can’t see anything.]

“Ah.”

Now that I thought about it, it was dark here.

I pressed the tablet and accessed the camera option.

The tablet that Jinhyang had given me was certainly a high-end model used by Hunters.

It had enough night vision capability.

“…Found it.”

-Night Mode

As soon as I clicked it, the tablet screen lit up.

There was still some darkness, but…

“C-can you see?”

I held up the tablet and illuminated different areas of the room.

[Is this an abandoned house…?]

[Is it some kind of hospital?]

Just like the comments in the chat, this place looked like an abandoned hospital.

Mattresses for transporting patients, IV bags whose contents I couldn’t identify, and syringes were rolling around on the floor.

“O…”

My heart felt like it was going to explode.

To calm myself, I squeezed my eyes shut and took deep breaths.

-Crack…

A sound like scratching came from somewhere.

It was a very faint noise, only discernible if I focused.

“What, what’s that noise…?”

[I can’t hear anything.]

[Unni, I can’t hear anything. Don’t worry.]

The viewers said they couldn’t hear it, but I was sure I could.

Clatter-clatter—metal scraping against metal.

‘Is it because of my ears…?’

It seemed my hearing was better than that of ordinary people.

I had felt on edge when Yoon Bora whispered in my ear.

For now, I had to trust my ears.

With my eyes still closed, I waited for the sound.

-Crrrk…

A grotesque sound echoed again, coming from somewhere closer.

It seemed to be moving towards me.

It was as if it knew I was here.

“Oh, it’s coming. This is bad, this is really bad…!”

Death was approaching me physically.

What would happen when I faced that unknown being?

It was horrifying, and I didn’t even want to think about it.

‘Calm down. I need to calm down.’

I forced myself to hold my trembling body still.

I pinched my limbs and slapped my cheeks for good measure.

To survive, I absolutely couldn’t lose my composure.

‘First, let me say something in the chat…’

My only salvation lay with the viewers watching the broadcast.

I could only hope that one of them was a famous Hunter.

“Please, please help me.”

[Is this for real?]

[It looks like she’s really in trouble.]

[Unni, just take a deep breath.]

The chat was moving quickly, but there was nothing helpful.

‘Ah.’

Was there really nothing at all?

As I slowly fell into despair, I spotted a familiar writing style among the rising messages.

[If you’re going to do it, lower the brightness.]

A few concise words with typos.

I quickly checked to see if it was Jinhyang, but…

-Zanya

That wasn’t Jinhyang’s nickname.

“Haah…”

Just someone with a similar vibe.

As I sighed in disappointment, his chat popped up again.

[If you’re going to do it, lower the brightness.]

“Ah.”

The brightness of the tablet screen.

He was definitely right.

The stronger the light, the faster the tablet would drain its battery, and the monster could be drawn in by the light.

I followed his advice and reduced the screen brightness to the minimum.

Though there were many typos, he might be quite an expert on dungeons.

“What, what should I do now?”

[Just hide, it’ll come.]

Hide?

I looked around for a place to conceal myself.

Then I found an old cabinet.

I quickly ran over and opened the door.

“Hmm…”

The cabinet was cramped with items, but I figured I could fit my small body inside.

I climbed into the cabinet and shut the door behind me.

Click!

As I pulled on the door, my chest pushed against the metal door of the cabinet.

As if it had a spring inside.

“What, what is this…!”

This ridiculous, useless mass of flesh.

Was it trying to kill me?

“P-please…!”

I pressed down on my chest with one hand and pulled on the door with the other.

As I struggled with myself, the door clicked shut.

‘Hah, haah.’

I almost died.

Feeling the wave of relief wash over me, I caught my breath inside the cabinet.

“Crrrk!”

From the spot where I had just been standing, I heard an unknown creature’s cry.

“Ugh…!”

I clamped my mouth shut, afraid I might scream or groan.

However, my above-average hearing picked up every detail of the monster’s cry.

Yoon Bora stood there blankly, her hand outstretched.

In the moment when Harang pushed the child away, a portal to the dungeon had suddenly appeared.

Yoon Bora rushed out to grab Harang, but—

Zzt!

The dungeon sucked only Harang in and repelled Yoon Bora.

One of the random rules of the dungeon.

In some dungeons, only one person can enter.

And that rule was something no one in the world could break.

“Harang…”

Yoon Bora thrust her hand toward the portal, but Zzt!

An invisible barrier pushed her hand back.

The rules of the dungeon were at play.

“Ah, no…!”

Yoon Bora knew Harang’s physical abilities.

She was delicate and fragile, a weakness that could hardly compare to the child.

For someone like Harang, the chances of clearing the dungeon were close to zero.

To clear a dungeon, strong physical abilities were essential.

“It’s all my fault…”

Thud— Yoon Bora collapsed onto the ground.

The guilt of having caused Harang’s death tightened around her heart.

The monster left, and—

Thud!

My chest pushed against the metal door of the cabinet.

I could only relax and lay face down on the floor.

“Haah…!”

The extreme fear made it feel like I would faint at any moment, but I couldn’t lose my senses here.

Fainting now would mean death. That thought clung to the remaining thread of my sanity.

Hiss.

I wiped the saliva running down my chin and looked down at the tablet.

[What was that just now??]

[It sounded like a beast;;]

[Are you okay, unni…?]

Questions and worried messages filled the chat.

I felt sorry for them, but it didn’t matter to me.

What I needed was the chat filled with typos.

[It’s not that difficult of a dungeon. Even an ordinary person could clear it, so don’t worry.]

“Is that so?”

[Yeah, it’s just one monster.]

If what he said was true, it was a small blessing amidst the misfortune.

It meant I wouldn’t die as long as I avoided the monster I had just encountered.

‘Is it a recurring dungeon?’

Even if I cleared it, it would continue to appear in the same pattern.

Typically, the lowest-grade dungeons exhibited such traits.

‘This, this should be manageable…’

Fear comes from the unknown.

No matter how terrifying a movie is, knowing the scary scenes beforehand lessens the fear.

“Um, do you know how to get out of here?”

[You have to open the roof door, but it’s locked. Find a cutting tool.]

“A cutting tool?”

[Yes.]

“Where is the cutting tool?”

[Behind the central staircase on the first floor in the storage room. By the way, you’re on the third floor.]

“Ah…”

I’d have to go down and then back up again.

Swallow. I gulped nervously.

But according to his words, the only monster I had to avoid was just one.

The chances of encountering it in this vast hospital were low.

“Then I’ll move for now?”

[Yes, keep an eye on my chat while you go.]

“Ah, okay.”

The presence filled with typos.

My life depended on him.

I had no choice but to trust him.