NoveLight ™
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 22
Current Location: Tier 1, Hallway
Sage’s Advice: 0]
The third attempt was completed in just one day.
Looking around after stepping outside, everyone wore a perplexed expression.
I could guess why. Aside from Grandpa Mookseong and me, no one else had even reached the "ABS Broadcasting Station."
Everyone must have tried to uncover something in their own way but ended up stuck without making any breakthroughs.
"Let’s wrap things up for today and head to Room 105. It seems there’s a lot I need to explain to you all."
When I hinted that I had discovered something, a wave of relief washed over the group, and they began to rise. As we walked, I organized the discussion topics into three main categories:
By deciding on these points, we could plan tonight’s discussion and rest afterward.
Unfortunately, we had spent so much time on the third attempt that the dinner service in Room 105 had already ended.
With no other choice, everyone regrouped at the front desk and gathered around the refreshments table. Fortunately, the table was always stocked with snacks and drinks, so we could at least fill our stomachs a bit.
Eunseol began the meeting.
"Alright, it seems like Kain and Grandpa here have figured something out. Let’s hear it. I’ll just listen since I was on the ‘Rest Team’ and didn’t do much."
...She still seemed upset.
We started with the first point: sharing what Grandpa and I had discovered.
First, I explained that our internet research confirmed the need to reach the ABS Broadcasting Station.
Judging by their expressions, some hadn’t even figured that out, while others seemed to have realized it but were stumped on how to actually get there.
Next, I detailed what we found while exploring the station’s basement. The horrific state of the security room. The “warnings.” The sights revealed when breaking those warnings.
The eerie hospital. The nurse-like monsters. The grotesquely transformed students.
While it felt like we had uncovered a lot, it was hard to connect these findings into something coherent.
Others seemed to share the same sentiment.
"It’s all over the place. We have a ton of information but no thread to tie it all together."
"I think the information can be grouped into three main chunks: the broadcasting station, the hospital, and the school."
"You mean the high school students who turned into those lumps of flesh?"
"Yes."
"Maybe searching keywords like ‘Shinsegae Hospital,’ ‘Lee Hyukjin,’ or ‘Kim Sangmin’ online could reveal something?"
"Next attempt, let’s all use the smartphones or computers inside Room 101 to search for those terms. Then we can share findings at the station and relay them to those who didn’t make it out of the room."
We agreed that in the next attempt, everyone would search for those keywords and meet at the station to exchange information.
The second point: how to actually get to the broadcasting station.
"I used a difficult method. I brought my cursed sibling along. The original plan was to maintain distance under the guise of COVID restrictions, but taking a taxi made that impossible. Without a filter or bracelet, it’s practically unfeasible, so Grandpa’s method might be better for a ‘universal approach.’"
"The method I used is the one you all employed during your first time in Room 101. Teleportation."
Grandpa briefly explained his approach:
Everyone was amazed, their mouths agape.
As we discussed this method, Songyi raised a concern.
"Grandpa, I think there’s a potential risk with this method. What if we change our plans mid-curse?"
Changing plans—something we hadn’t considered yet.
"Even if we set a clear intention like, ‘Let’s go to the station while we’re cursed!’ there’s no guarantee we’d follow through.
Being cursed doesn’t turn us into mindless robots; it twists our logic into that of another version of ourselves.
If that other self decides not to go to the station, we’d just end up cursed with no way to escape."
Ahri pointed out another issue.
"It’s a bit like what Songyi said about ‘changing plans.’ What if a family member follows us during the teleportation? For instance... my mom. She’d probably insist on coming with me no matter what."
Ahri’s mention of her mother intrigued me further. What kind of being was her mother, to be so overwhelmingly strong that even Ahri, who claimed she couldn’t defeat her, was convinced she’d follow her everywhere?
The risks of teleportation became clearer.
If the cursed version of oneself changes plans, they might choose not to go to the station at all—or worse, bring cursed family members along.
The first case would result in a solo failure, but the second could endanger the entire group.
I proposed an idea.
"Since teleportation carries significant risks, let’s not standardize a single method for everyone. Instead, we should try different approaches. Who here can manage to bring family members, like I did?"
I glanced at Songyi. Realistically, only Songyi and I had the resilience to endure long-term travel with cursed family members.
As expected, she nodded.
"I live just a 15-minute walk from ABS, so I’ll take my family along, like you did, Kain."
"Huh? You live near ABS?"
It seemed her failure to reach the station in the third attempt stemmed from not knowing she needed to go there at all. Living just a 15-minute walk away meant her house must be incredibly expensive.
For a moment, I felt the humility of a commoner. Looking around, it seemed everyone agreed.
With only two ways to reach ABS—bringing family members or teleporting—the others would need to rely on teleportation, as Songyi and I were the only ones capable of bringing family.
Ahri concluded the discussion with her decision.
"Sorry, but I’m giving up on teleportation altogether. I might manage it, but my mom will definitely follow me."
Teams for the Next Attempt:
Moving to the Final Topic: How to Explore
"Based on what Grandpa Mookseong and I experienced during our investigation, gathering everyone in the broadcasting station might be a problem.
I managed to navigate the empty basement on my own, but exploring the upper floors seems impossible without mental immunity. What do you think, Grandpa?"
"I just followed behind Kain. Let me be clear: it’s absolutely impossible. I consider myself well-trained in many disciplines, but there’s no way to endure this. The power of the curse isn’t something you can withstand with sheer willpower."
Songyi chimed in.
"Then should it just be me and Kain exploring while the rest wait on the first floor?"
"Hmm. Kain, you’ve already scouted the place once. What do you think?"
"If there’s no better alternative, we’ll have to. Does anyone else have ideas?"
...
Silence lingered. It was a tough situation. Since Ahri had ruled out joining through teleportation due to her "mother," no one besides Songyi and me could endure mental corruption.
After some thought, Eunseol spoke.
"This is our fourth attempt, right? Things reportedly get worse starting with the fifth. Shouldn’t we aim to finish this time? Maybe Jinchul could just take the red pill?"
"..."
It wasn’t a bad idea.
I’d been considering the "attempt count" myself. If possible, it would be best to resolve things in this round. However, Jinchul, the person being asked to take the pill, looked deeply conflicted.
"Got something on your mind? Speak up," Grandpa urged.
After a pause, Jinchul finally spoke.
"I might sound reckless, but here’s my thought. After hearing about 'teleportation,' it struck me: isn’t Room 101 essentially a world where common sense is warped? Maybe we should act even more unreasonably?"
"Spit it out. What exactly are you suggesting?" Grandpa pressed.
"Let’s kill everyone as we go."
"..."
"..."
Everyone was stunned into silence.
"Think about it. During my first attempt, I lost my sanity and participated in a deathmatch tournament. Kain said that, in this world, over a hundred people die in a Russian roulette game during a college orientation, treated like a test of courage.
In such a world, is 'murder' even a crime? Are the police even functioning properly?
Let’s grab guns or any weapons we can find and kill all the broadcasting station staff as we proceed."
...
It was a crazy idea, but it made sense.
Now that I thought about it, my fake sibling had openly murdered a taxi driver with an axe on the street, and no police came.
In a deranged world, deranged plans might work. A world that hosts deathmatch tournaments, features mukbangs where people eat human flesh, and uses Russian roulette at orientations.
Would killing a few broadcasting station employees even matter? Probably not.
If we shoot all the staff as we proceed, there’s no need to worry about mental corruption or anything else!
"Damn. In a world where everyone’s blind, a one-eyed man’s a freak, huh? In this twisted world, a boar-like brute turns out to be a genius!"
"Why does the boar analogy keep coming up?"
"I’m calling you a genius, idiot! That plan might actually work. If killing people landed you in prison in this world, then everyone here would already be locked up."
With that insane conversation, we finalized our plan for the fourth attempt:
With that, the meeting ended, and we concluded our exhausting day by heading back to Room 105 to rest.
Later That Night
While everyone else slept, Kim Mookseong stepped outside Room 105, where Ahri was waiting.
"A 'private message' at this hour? What do you want to talk about?"
"Something felt off during the meeting."
"What’s on your mind?"
"Don’t you think Kain seems... strange?"
"He’s becoming more dependable, don’t you think? Despite witnessing horrific things, he remains rational and capable. He’d make an excellent recruit, even right now."
"That’s exactly what’s strange. How long has it been since we arrived here? Everyone’s timelines are distorted, but for Kain, it’s probably been less than a month."
"That’s true."
"Think about a 'normal person' from the outside world, Mookseong. Most people would scream just at the sight of a corpse. Seeing someone die covered in filth or students grotesquely transformed should leave them paralyzed or break their minds entirely."
"..."
"No matter how much he’s been through, how could he achieve this kind of superhuman mental resilience in just a month? He’s like a 30-year veteran agent. Like us."
"...You’ve got a point. Compared to others, his transformation has been extreme. Jinchul is still naive in some ways, and Eunseol, Songyi, and Elena clearly struggle when faced with such brutal scenes."
"The drastic change started after the 'Hotelgo' cycle, when he learned how to use the filters. Since then, he’s been relying on blessings much more frequently."
"Do you think the 'Owl' is altering his mind?"
"Probably."
"Even if that’s true, is it necessarily a bad thing? The 'Owl' is ultimately on his side in the grand scheme of things. That kind of superhuman mental strength might be a huge asset in a place as cruel as this."
"Only humans are ever truly on the side of humans."
"..."
"..."
"Is that some wisdom you gained from years of experience as an agent, Senior?"
"...You calling me 'Senior' gave me chills."
"Sometimes, it’s lonely being the only one aging."
"Cut it out with the creepy politeness. Anyway, Kain still seems to distrust me, so try steering him more toward a 'human' perspective."
"Fine. I’ll keep an eye on him, if only to guide my future junior agent."