The Cave by Yangcheon-gu Lake

 

Located on the outskirts of Yangcheon-gu Lake, there was a cave renowned as a must-see attraction for visitors. A journalist, trying to appear casual, entered this famous tourist spot, holding a camera with a tense, sweaty grip. Although he wore a cheerful expression and light clothing as if on a sightseeing trip, his nervousness betrayed his true feelings.

Two of his senior colleagues had gone missing while covering this lake. He had no desire to investigate this Object.

Yangcheon-gu Lake wasn’t something a journalist or a media outlet should be covering—it was a national disaster on a scale that required the intervention of the entire country.

He wasn’t talking about the size of the lake. He was referring to the madness that had gripped the entire nation of South Korea. Despite public demands to open the lake to the public, the decision to do so this quickly was far from normal.

The whole country had gone insane!

The large Object news agency he worked for was no different. No one, except for his two missing colleagues and himself, seemed to notice anything unusual. Those two seniors had gone on their assignments with the mindset of war correspondents, but they never returned.

Or rather, they couldn’t return. They had disappeared without a trace.

He had come here to finish what they had started.

The journalist’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of exclamations.

"Wow, look at that!"

Cries of amazement and the click of camera shutters echoed all around him. He turned toward the source of the noise and saw an incredible sight.

The cave walls seemed to flow with a mix of crystal and blue gemstones, creating an otherworldly effect. The cave pulsed with light, reflecting off the shimmering water surface, making it seem alive.

Had he come here as a mere tourist, it would have been an unforgettable memory.

But the journalist steeled himself and pressed deeper into the cave, where the number of tourists dwindled. His objectives were twofold: first, to find out what happened to his missing seniors; and second, to uncover evidence of the rumored "human sacrifices at Yangcheon-gu Lake."

As he ventured further into the cave, the atmosphere changed. Amethyst, sapphire, and emerald-colored crystals adorned the walls and ceiling, scattering light in a kaleidoscope of colors. Majestic columns seemed to support the sky, and delicate arches decorated the landscape, like natural works of art.

This cave must have been created by an Object, a hypnotic masterpiece designed to lure people in.

And Objects that lured people in…

As he continued deeper into the cave, a suspicious group of people came into view.

A large, round hole in the ceiling allowed the full moon to shine through.

A rock formation resembling steps leading up to the moon.

Below, a pool of water connected to Yangcheon-gu Lake.

And at the end of the steps, people were throwing themselves into the pool.

"!"

He found it.

The people who fell into the lake did not resurface.

They sank into the water and disappeared.

He found it.

"People being sacrificed under the influence of the Object."

The evidence his seniors had sought!

As he hastily snapped photos, he heard a familiar voice.

"Our rookie has done well, coming all the way here."

"Senior?"

But no matter where he looked, he couldn’t see his senior anywhere.

"Over here. Look over here."

Only the voice echoed around him.

"Haha, where are you looking?"

The voice bounced off the cave walls, adding to the confusion.

Then he saw them—his seniors, standing by the brilliantly shining moon, waving at him.

Behind them, the other missing senior stood, smiling and waiting.

"Senior? What happened to you?"

Tears welled up in his eyes as he slowly walked up the steps toward them.

[What should we choose this time?]

Then a strange voice echoed.

It was the voice of an evil old woman.

"Huh?"

Suddenly, he snapped back to his senses.

His seniors were nowhere to be seen, and he found himself standing at the edge of the steps, staring down into the pool.

[What are you doing? You woke up!]

Something sharp pierced his heart.

Through his blurring vision, he saw grotesque, twisted creatures arguing among themselves.

***

The sound of a cheerful keystroke echoed.

James stretched his stiff shoulders as he stood up from his desk.

He was exhausted.

The cleanup from the pudding factory incident was finally wrapping up.

It was almost time to return to the United States.

He had too much work waiting for him back in America to stay in Korea any longer.

James left the study and settled comfortably on the sofa, turning on the TV.

"Experience the enchanting lake and the dreamlike cave up close!"

The screen displayed an advertisement for a cruise hotel near a famous tourist spot.

It looked like a very appealing destination, even to James.

"Hmm, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to visit before heading back to the States."

The stunning view of the lake lifted James’s spirits, prompting him to mutter to himself.

Beep, beep, beep.

A shrill noise came from James’s smartwatch, breaking the moment.

An Object alert message.

A warning message from the American Object Association had arrived.

"Emergency Evacuation Alert."

"All U.S. citizens currently in South Korea are strongly advised to evacuate immediately using the provided flights."

"Widespread severe mental contamination is anticipated throughout South Korea."

"Especially, leave Seoul immediately."

"If you do not return within 48 hours, you may be permanently barred from reentry due to mental contamination."

Receiving this message felt like a hammer blow to James’s head.

Had he really considered visiting such a suspicious lake?

How could he have not sensed anything strange about this lake’s sudden appearance?

He prided himself on being an Object expert, yet he had made such a critical mistake.

Ding dong. Ding dong. Ding dong.

The frantic sound of the doorbell rang out.

The urgency was evident as the person on the other side began knocking on the door and shouting before James could even respond.

Bang, bang, bang.

"Mr. James, we assume you’ve received the emergency alert. We’re here to get you."

The familiar English accent.

People had arrived from America to retrieve James.

The American Object Management Association.

They had sent people to escort James out.

Half willing and half reluctant, James quickly gathered his belongings and began his escape from Seoul.

***

The lake was filled with lively chatter, and cheerful music echoed across the expansive water.

Under a sky sparkling with starlight, the staff of Sehee Research Institute enjoyed a party while taking in the breathtaking views of the lake.

The deck of the ship was warmly lit with twinkling lights, creating a cozy atmosphere, while the Golden Reapers ran excitedly around, adding a vibrant energy to the celebration.

The enticing aroma of barbecue filled the air as the cooks dazzled the guests with their fiery displays, captivating the researchers’ attention.

With the sizzle of the grill as background music, the party’s atmosphere grew increasingly lively.

I stood a little apart from the central festivities, in a slightly darker but still atmospheric spot, watching the party unfold.

Sehee Research Institute hadn’t changed.

There was no sense of concern about partying at a suspicious lake.

The Object lurking within Yangcheon-gu Lake probably had the ability to dampen unease or worry, making people less concerned about it.

The problem was that Sehee Research Institute never had much unease or worry to begin with.

Everyone’s heads were so full of flowers that there wasn’t much difference to notice.

In fact, the Golden Reapers, who smiled brightly but never let their guard down, seemed more like researchers than anyone else.

Even Seo-ah, who used to be the most cautious, had been in poor condition lately, leaving Kim Jung-rye as the only normal person left at the institute.

Leaving the Golden Reapers to handle any Object-related threats, I nestled into Yerin’s arms and enjoyed the various delicious foods she offered me at the party.

"Reaper, Reaper, try this too."

Nom, nom.

"This sashimi is really good!"

Nom, nom.

Yerin kept feeding me all sorts of dishes, and they were surprisingly tasty, so I ended up just accepting whatever she gave me like a baby bird.

Then, amidst the lively music, Yerin called out to me.

"Reaper, Reaper, look over there! It’s hilarious!"

She poked my cheek, urging me to look, and I turned to see a completely unexpected sight.

The only normal person at Sehee Research Institute, Kim Jung-rye.

The Kim Jung-rye who never cracked a joke was dancing with impressive flair!

And when Kim Jung-rye danced, a small Golden Reaper on the table mimicked his moves.

Wiggle, wiggle, hop, hop.

While Kim Jung-rye’s dance looked sharp and precise, the Golden Reaper’s imitation was adorably cute.

I was genuinely surprised by the scene.

It was impressive enough that the Golden Reaper could instantly copy the dance moves.

But what shocked me even more was seeing Kim Jung-rye doing something like this.

If even Kim Jung-rye was acting this way, it was clear that the Object’s influence was at play.

Ding, ding, ding.

Just then, an eerie bell rang out.

As I scanned the area, I noticed that the lake was now shrouded in thick fog, silently blanketing everything.

The lake’s Object had finally shown itself.

It didn’t seem to have immediate intentions to harm humans.

The bell’s sticky, eerie resonance spread across the deck, and the dense fog followed, creeping over the ship like tendrils.

Even with the unsettling bell and the thick fog, the people of Sehee Research Institute continued to laugh and chat as usual.

In contrast, the Golden Reapers were on high alert, scanning the surroundings.

The thick, clinging fog began to rise, wrapping around the deck like writhing tendrils.

Ding.

As the last bell rang, those touched by the fog fell into an unnatural deep sleep.

The Golden Reapers hurriedly caught the suddenly slumbering people to prevent them from getting hurt, while I calmly observed the center of the fog.

[Hehe.]

The laugh of an old woman echoed from within the fog.

Scratch, scratch.

The sound of claws scraping against something accompanied the appearance of something crawling onto the deck from the fog.

The first thing I saw was a claw, stained with human blood.

Then, a withered, corpse-like arm.

Hair matted like a ruined broom.

A face with empty eye sockets and jagged teeth protruding at odd angles.

A twisted body with spine bones jutting through the skin.

[Looks like there are plenty of toys this time too.]

The voice of the sinister old woman resonated as a grotesque monster emerged from the fog.

And as it clambered onto the deck, my eyes met those of the hideous creature.