Translator: Nox

Chapter 20

Even if you fall into a ghost story, you still have to go to work.

Even if you fall into a ghost story, you still have to go to work. Chapter 20

Even if you fall into a ghost story, you still have to go to work. Chapter 020

In any amusement park with a decent reputation, there are three types of attractions they invest heavily in.

One is the roller coaster, another is the carousel.

And finally, the high-end attraction that eats up the most money because it requires a massive injection of special effects and animatronics…

‘The Dark Ride.’

It’s an indoor riding attraction where you tour a vast, elaborate set that introduces the theme of the park itself.

In Korea, things like Sinbad’s Adventure or Global Village were famous.

And in this ‘Joyful Theme Park’ anomaly, this attraction was exactly that.

“Fantasy Train!”

The researcher spluttered.

“Everyone who rode this died! I’m not getting on! I said I’m not!”

Testimony #4 (Survivor: Park Ye-in)

-All 4 people who boarded the ‘Fantasy Train’ went missing.

Later, stuffed dolls made by recycling the clothing and bones of said individuals were found in the souvenir shop. (Presumed deceased)

It was certainly written that way.

And in the <Baekilmong Field Exploration Records> I read, it was an attraction that had indeed caused numerous casualties…

But that wasn’t everything.

‘The fact that it caused numerous casualties means this attraction appears that frequently!’

Like a board game with random elements, the ‘Joyful Theme Park’ anomaly changed its combination of zones and mascots every time someone entered.

However, this ‘Fantasy Train’ attraction was likely one that appeared consistently in every iteration.

Because… the theme was so definitive.

“Look at the introduction below the sign.”

I pointed to the sign beneath the <Fantasy Train>.

-Meet the residents and stories of each zone in Fantasyland! A joyful train ride!

“It seems to be the attraction that introduces this theme park.”

It was also the most critical element for escaping this anomaly.

‘How is this theme park divided into zones, and by what colors?’

Don’t forget. This originated from a board game.

What does it mean to choose a faction in a game?

It means choosing my traits.

‘And the fact that the teams are divided by color means that benefits or penalties occur based on those colors.’

Therefore, identifying that first was more important than anything else…

Which zone does the color of your team represent?

What are its unique characteristics?

======================

Joyful Theme Park User Manual (Applicable up to Exploration Record No. 64)

4. Each zone of the theme park is colored according to its theme! The place where you first open your eyes is the zone your team belongs to!

Respect the zone. The zone is more important than anything else look at the colors do not offend the mascots the mascots are the zone itself

======================

However, to persuade those who didn’t know this yet, I needed a different logic.

‘Brain, get to work.’

Target number one… was the highest-ranking person, of course.

“Hmm. Everyone who rode it died, didn’t they?”

Deputy Manager Jin from Team A, wearing the butterfly mask.

To win over this elitist elite with a superiority complex… that’s right.

I had to flatter him.

“They were a team of civilians, weren’t they?”

“Hmm?”

I intentionally made my tone sound a bit inquisitive.

“They were people who approached it like they were just going on a ride, without any sense of alarm or knowledge. The probability that they responded properly to a supernatural situation is low.”

“And?”

“Comparing them to a Field Exploration Team that professionally clears the darkness with a clear objective… well.”

I frowned slightly.

“It seems a bit harsh on the civilians.”

“…Hah.”

The Team A superior snorted.

“You certainly have a silver tongue for a rookie. …Well, you’re not wrong.”

“W-wrong about what… !”

“Hey.”

The Team A superior grabbed the researcher’s head firmly.

“… !”

Sharp fingernails dug into the researcher’s temple.

“Do you think you have a right to speak?”

“…….”

“Do you want to die right here and become food waste that isn’t even worth being a souvenir? Or do you want to ride that?”

The researcher fell silent again. This guy was really his natural predator…

“Move.”

“…….”

Looking like he was on his way to his execution, the researcher began to drag his feet.

Toward the Fantasy Train.

‘Two birds with one stone…’

It was a success.

Then there was only one left.

The Y Team newbie, Jang Heo-un.

While following the ‘Fantasy Train’ sign, I slipped back and whispered to the new employee as I matched his pace.

“Don’t worry.”

“Yes…?”

“What I said just now was just to persuade him… Actually, I’m going because I thought of another plan.”

“A plan… you mean,”

“Think of it as staff know-how.”

I gave a small smile.

“I used to work part-time at a theme park.”

“Ah!”

I’m sorry. That was a lie…

But in an unfriendly, extreme situation like this, isn’t it fine as long as it leads to survival?

You’ll end up saying, ‘Wow! Thanks for lying to me, colleague!’ too.

“I-I see. In that case…”

“Yes. It should be quite safe.”

Just think of it that way.

Anyway, as we followed the sign, the entrance to the ‘Fantasy Train’ soon appeared.

It was a model station with a cool sign decorated with various elaborate and realistic steam engine parts and brickwork, but…

“There’s no one here.”

“…….”

The inside was eerily empty.

No one was there.

-Haha, enjoy a wonderful train journey! Haha, enjoy a wonderful train journey! Haha, enjoy a wonderful train journey…

The cheerful amusement park music felt strange as it overlapped with the silence.

All that could be seen was the train standing beyond the queue line.

And the rabbit mascot standing in front of it, dressed as a conductor.

“Another mascot.”

“Is that the employee for this attraction?”

It was.

As we quickly passed through the empty queue and approached, the hollow-eyed conductor mascot reached out a gloved hand and stamped our bracelets.

[Joyful Fantasyland Boarding Pass

■

□□]

So that’s one.

We were then guided to board a small train that looked like a colorful steam engine from a fairy tale.

The mascot then returned to his position and began to wave both hands.

Like he was saying, ‘Have a pleasant ride!’

Since nothing unusual had happened so far, the researcher and the Y Team newbie looked somewhat relieved despite themselves.

Unfortunately, I was about to be the one to cause something unusual.

‘The place it would be… hmm. Is it only over there?’

After checking the surroundings, I finally fixed my gaze on the mascot.

Then I spoke.

“Deputy Manager Jin.”

“What?”

“The place where the mascot playing the employee is standing. You see the podium, right?”

I pointed to a sort of model ticket booth table right in front of where the conductor rabbit was standing.

“Would it be possible to use your specialized equipment to turn that podium just a little bit this way? Quietly, without damaging it.”

“Why?”

“There’s something on the back.”

The Team A Deputy Manager looked at me with a slightly peculiar expression, but soon plucked off his index fingernail.

Quickly and quietly.

Tick.

Screeeech…

The fake nail, thrown onto the retro turquoise podium and caught on the corner, turned the podium with a faint sound of friction.

As it turned halfway, the wooden finish one would usually expect wasn’t there.

Instead, complex buttons and circuits were visible.

The attraction’s emergency control panel.

“… !”

Found it.

The control panel!

‘I definitely read about it in the <Records>.’

The scene describing how control devices were implemented in these theme park rides, just like in reality!

======================

Immediately after boarding the basket-shaped attraction named ‘Tomato Express,’ a label reading <Safety Speed Override> was confirmed to be attached to the basket.

Immediate search for the emergency stop button.

Successfully found at the attraction’s starting point. However, all attempts to press the button failed. (Executor: Assistant Manager Lee Ji-won, Number of attempts: 6)

All deceased.

======================

Although they failed over there.

‘I can do it here.’

I immediately flicked a coin to summon the translucent glove, threw a 500-won coin, and gestured to merge them.

‘Five seconds is enough.’

My hand, floating in the air, approached the partially exposed back of the podium.

The target was… the lever.

MIN MAX

∥—————–∥

▲

“W-wait a moment, Mr. Soleum. What is that? That marking is…”

“Hold on tight.”

“Yes? H-hold on to what…”

“The train seat handles,”

My hand pulled the lever all the way.

“Hold them properly.”

MIN MAX

∥—————–∥

▲

At that moment.

The train shot forward at an insane speed.

Kiiiiiiiiiiing!!

-The Fantasy Train is departing!

“Ugh!”

“W-what?!\”

I replied while desperately holding onto the train seat handle.

“I pulled the speed lever! To maximum speed!”

“Why the hell would you pull that, you crazy bastard!”

Because I have an objective.

“If we speed through, they can’t mess with the train!”

“……!”

It was a direct skip of the event.

‘A dark ride is usually an attraction where the vehicle moves slowly while you look at and experience the decorated interior.’

But what if you pass through there at a crazy speed?

‘Everything gets skipped!’

The interior decorations, the effects.

Even the mortal danger that comes with them!

In the case I saw in the <Records>, they used it to slow down a roller coaster, but either way, the important thing was the presence of a speed control device!

I figured there was a high probability it would work here too.

‘Good!’

It was a success!

However… the next step was a bit of a problem.

I glanced outside.

Kiiiiiiiiiiing!

I felt the wind pressure.

A speed no different from a roller coaster.

This was surely a speed included only for safety check purposes.

…Meaning it was a speed not intended for actual operation.

‘…If I get scared and faint, I’ll probably be flung out of the train, right?’

Then it was certain death.

You could call it the side effect of the train running like a runaway locomotive.

It was a fatal drawback for a coward like me, but…

‘I have a safeguard!’

Feel like I’m going to faint?

Then I just won’t look!

[Dear passengers, you have found your way to beautiful Fantasyland!]

The moment the narration started, I shouted.

“I’m going to close my eyes!”

“What?!\”

I closed my eyes like a madman.

“That narration seems important, I’m going to focus as much as possible!”

“… !”

“Tell me if it looks like we’re going to die!”

“This guy is a total lunatic! Haha, fine!”

Just as the sound of the Team A Deputy Manager’s laughter died down,

The narration whipped past my ears.

[How was this Fantasyland born?]

[A long, long time ago,

403930291928494

hours ago, a Yellow Flower, a Blue Dragon, and a Red Rabbit lived together on one land.]

[Right in this wonderful place!]

“S-strange flowers, the flowers are calling m…”

“Duck your heads!”

[But they were too different!]

[‘You’re too noisy!’]

[‘You’re too dirty!’]

[‘You’re too boring!]

[In the end, they couldn’t accept each other and started to fight. This is my land!]

“Aaargh! Sn-snakes, snake monsters are crawling on the ground! Eek! They’re trying to… attach themselves to the train, but they fell behind…….”

“Huff.”

[The Yellow Flower said.]

[‘I hate you! Get out of here!’]

The attraction passed in an instant.

As the train shot through, the ride time was fast-forwarded as if on double speed.

[The Blue Dragon said.]

[‘I hate you! You’re the one who should get out!’]

‘Is the fight in its final stages…’

Now for the final part.

‘This was also described a few times.’

Those mascots ultimately want to live the way they want.

So, they divide the zones by their respective colors and live peacefully in Fantasyland in the way each of them desires…

[The Red Rabbit said.]

[Die.]

…….

What?

[The Red Rabbit decided to eliminate his friends by any means necessary. No, they are no longer friends. Enemies! Enemies! Enemies!]

[One by one, one by one, one by one! Dropping them into holes, drowning them in water, pushing them off cliffs!]

[Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!]