Got Dropped in a Ghost Story Chapter 20

Any famous amusement park usually puts serious money into three types of attractions.

First, roller coasters.

Second, carousels.

And third, the most expensive of the three because of all the special effects and animatronics involved—

the dark ride.

It was an indoor attraction where visitors rode through a huge, carefully constructed set designed to introduce the theme and world of the park.

In Korea, Sinbad’s Adventure and It’s a Small World were well-known examples.

And in this ghost story, the attraction that filled that role was this one.

“Fantasy Train!”

The researcher practically screamed the name.

““Everyone who rode that died! I’m not getting on! I’m not riding that thing!”

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

Testimony #4
(Survivor: Park Yae-in)

All four people who boarded the Fantasy Train went missing.

Their clothes and bones were later discovered inside plush dolls being sold at a souvenir shop.

(Presumed deceased)

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

Yes.

That was exactly what the testimony said.

And according to the Exploration Records I had read, this attraction really had caused a huge number of casualties.

But that wasn’t the whole story.

The fact that there are so many records about it means the attraction appears often.

Like any board game with random elements, the zones and mascot combinations in Cheerful Theme Park changed with every entry.

But the Fantasy Train appeared often enough that it was probably one of the park’s standard attractions.

Its purpose was simply too fundamental.

“Please look at the description under the sign.”

I pointed beneath the attraction name.

[Meet the residents and stories of every area in Fantasyland! A delightful train ride!]

“It looks like this attraction introduces the theme park.”

And that was also the most important information we needed if we wanted to escape.

How was this theme park divided into zones?

What did each color represent?

We couldn’t forget that this place originated from a board game.

And in a board game, what did choosing a faction mean?

It meant choosing a set of characteristics.

The fact that we had been separated into teams by color suggested that each color came with its own advantages and disadvantages.

That made understanding our team color essential.

Which color were we?

Which zone belonged to that color?

And what characteristics did that zone have?

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

Cheerful Theme Park User Guide
(Applicable through Exploration Record #64)

4 – Every zone in the theme park is decorated according to its own theme color!

The place where you first open your eyes is the zone belonging to your team!

Respect your zone.

The zone is more important than anything else.

Look at the colors.

Do not upset the mascots.

The mascots are everything in the zone.

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

Of course, that explanation wouldn’t convince people who didn’t already know the ghost story.

So I needed a different argument.

Come on, brain. Work.

My first target was naturally the highest-ranking person here.

“Hm.”

Assistant Manager Jin from Squad A, still wearing her butterfly mask, looked unconvinced.

“But everyone who boarded it died, didn’t they?”

Right.

If I wanted to persuade this elitist superior with an inflated sense of pride, the best approach was obvious.

Flattery.

“They were civilians, weren’t they?”

“Hm?”

I deliberately made my tone sound slightly puzzled.

“They entered without knowing anything and rode it like an ordinary amusement park attraction. The chances that they responded properly once something supernatural happened would’ve been pretty low.”

“And?”

“Comparing them directly to professional Field Exploration Team employees who enter a Darkness with a clear objective…”

I furrowed my brow slightly.

“Wouldn’t that be a little unfair to the civilians?”

“Hah.”

Assistant Manager Jin snorted.

“You’ve got a smooth tongue.”

Then she nodded.

“But you’re not wrong.”

“N-No! We can’t! Absolutely not!”

The researcher immediately protested again.

“Hey.”

Assistant Manager Jin grabbed him by the head.

“!”

Her sharp fingernails pressed against his temple.

“Do you think you’re in a position to have an opinion?”

“…”

“Would you rather die here and become garbage that doesn’t even qualify as souvenir material, or would you rather get on the train?”

The researcher went silent.

Good.

No need for me to play the villain.

“Move.”

“…”

Looking half-dead already, the researcher dragged his feet toward the Fantasy Train.

Two birds with one stone.

Success.

Now there was only one person left to convince.

The Y-squad rookie, Jang Heo-un.

As we followed the signs toward the Fantasy Train, I subtly slowed down until I was walking beside him.

Then I whispered,

“Don’t worry.”

“…Yes?”

“What I said earlier was mostly to convince Assistant Manager Jin.”

I lowered my voice further.

“I actually have another trick in mind.”

“A trick?”

“Think of it as insider knowledge.”

I gave him a small smile.

“I used to work part-time at an amusement park.”

“Oh!”

Sorry.

That was a lie.

But in a workplace this hostile to cowards, surely lying was acceptable if it kept us alive.

Trust me.

By the end of this, you’ll be saying, Wow! Thank you for lying, colleague!

“I-I see. Then…”

“Yes.”

I nodded confidently.

“It should be relatively safe.”

Just trust me.

As we continued following the signs, the entrance to the Fantasy Train finally came into view.

It had been designed like an old-fashioned railway station.

An elegant sign hung overhead, while realistic steam-engine decorations and detailed brickwork filled the surrounding area.

But…

“There’s nobody here.”

“…”

The station was eerily empty.

Not a single person was present.

– Haha! Enjoy your wonderful train ride!

– Haha! Enjoy your wonderful train ride!

– Haha! Enjoy your wonderful train ride!

The cheerful theme-park music only made the empty station feel more unsettling.

Beyond the queue, a train was waiting.

And in front of it stood a rabbit mascot dressed as a conductor.

“Another mascot.”

“Is that supposed to be the attraction attendant?”

Exactly.

We quickly made our way through the empty queue.

The conductor rabbit stared at us with hollow eyes, extended one gloved hand, and stamped our wristbands.

[(Cheerful) Fantasyland Admission Ticket ■□□]

One down.

The mascot then guided us onto the train.

It was a small, colorful steam locomotive that looked like something straight out of a fairy tale.

Once we were seated, the conductor returned to its original position and waved both hands at us.

Probably its way of saying—

Have a pleasant journey!

Nothing strange had happened so far.

The researcher and Jang Heo-un both seemed to relax a little without realizing it.

Unfortunately for them—

I was about to do something strange myself.

Where would it be…?

I scanned the area.

There.

It has to be there.

After checking my surroundings, I focused on the conductor mascot.

Then I spoke.

“Assistant Manager Jin.”

“What?”

“Do you see where the mascot is standing?”

I pointed toward the platform beside the conductor rabbit.

More specifically, toward a decorative counter resembling an old ticket booth.

“Could you use your personalized equipment to rotate that platform slightly toward us?”

“Quietly, and without damaging it.”

“Why?”

“There should be something behind it.”

Assistant Manager Jin looked at me suspiciously.

Still, she pulled off her fake fingernail.

Quickly.

Quietly.

Tick.

Scrape…

Scrape…

The nail caught the edge of the retro teal platform.

Slowly, the structure rotated.

Once it had turned halfway around, the back became visible.

Instead of decorative wood—

there were buttons.

Wires.

Circuits.

“!”

An emergency attraction control panel.

Found it.

I knew I had read about this in the Exploration Records.

There had been descriptions showing that the attractions here were equipped with actual control systems, just like real amusement-park rides.

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

Immediately after boarding the basket-shaped attraction [Tomato Express], a label was discovered inside.

Emergency stop button located at the attraction’s starting point.

Attempts were made to activate it.

All attempts failed.

(Executor: Assistant Manager Lee Jiwon / Attempts: 6)

All participants deceased.

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

That attempt had failed.

But this time—

I could make it work.

I immediately flicked my coin into the air.

The translucent glove appeared.

I fed it a 500-won coin and let it merge with my hand.

Five seconds is enough.

The floating hand moved toward the back of the partially exposed platform.

There.

A lever.

[MIN ←────→ MAX]

“Wait, Soleum-ssi.”

Jang Heo-un stared at it.

“What is that? That label…”

“Hold on tight.”

“Excuse me?”

He blinked.

“Hold on to what?”

“The handle on your seat.”

My floating hand grabbed the lever.

“Grab it and hold on tight.”

Then I pulled it all the way to the end.

[MIN ←────→ MAX]

The train launched forward.

Screeeeeech!!

– The Fantasy Train is departing!

“Ugh!”

“What the hell?!”

I gripped the handle on my seat and shouted over the noise.

“I moved the speed control!”

“To maximum!”

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

Because I had a plan.

“If we get through the attraction fast enough, it won’t have time to do anything to us!”

“!”

That was the trick.

Skip the events.

A dark ride normally moved slowly so visitors could take in the scenery, special effects, and events built into the attraction.

But what happened if you blasted through the entire thing at insane speed?

You skipped all of it.

The scenery.

The effects.

And hopefully—

the life-threatening events too.

In one of the Exploration Records I had read, someone had used an attraction’s controls to slow down a roller coaster.

The important part wasn’t that they had slowed it down.

The important part was that the speed could be controlled at all.

So I had figured there was a good chance the same method would work here.

And judging by what was happening—

Good.

It worked.

The problem was what came next.

I glanced outside.

Screeeeech!

The wind pressure was intense.

We were moving almost as fast as a roller coaster.

This speed was clearly meant for safety testing, not normal operation.

If someone got scared enough to faint, they could easily be thrown from the train.

And if that happened, they would definitely die.

That was the obvious downside of turning this ride into a runaway train.

For a coward like me, it was a fatal weakness.

But I had a backup plan!

Afraid you might faint?

Then just don’t look!

[Dear passengers, welcome to beautiful Fantasyland!]

The narration began.

“I’m closing my eyes!”

“What?!”

I squeezed my eyes shut without hesitation, fully committing to the act.

“This narration sounds important, so I’m going to concentrate on it as much as possible!”

“!”

“If it looks like I’m about to die, tell me!”

“You really are completely insane, huh?! Haha! Fine!”

Assistant Manager Jin’s laughter faded behind me as the narration rushed past my ears.

[How did this Fantasyland come to be?]

[A long, long time ago, 403930291928494 hours ago, a yellow flower, a blue dragon, and a red rabbit lived together on this land.]

[This wonderful place, right here!]

“T-That weird flower… the flower is calling me…”

“Duck!”

[But they were far too different!]

[‘You’re too noisy!’]

[‘You’re too dirty!’]

[‘You’re too boring!’]

[Eventually, they could no longer accept each other and began to fight.]

[This is my land!]

“Aah! Snakes! There are snake monsters crawling all over the ground! Eek! They tried to grab onto the train… but we left them behind…!”

“Gaah—!”

[The yellow flower said,]

[‘I hate you! Get out of here!’]

Everything flew past in an instant.

The train tore through the attraction so quickly that the entire ride felt like it had been fast-forwarded.

[The blue dragon said,]

[‘I hate you! Get lost!’]

Looks like we’re already near the end of their fight.

Now came the last part.

This part had appeared several times in the Exploration Records too.

The mascots ultimately just wanted to live however they pleased.

So they divided Fantasyland into different colored zones and peacefully lived according to their own preferences…

[The red rabbit said,]

[Die.]

…

Well.

[The red rabbit decided to eliminate his friends by any means necessary.]

[No.]

[They were no longer friends.]

[Enemies! Enemies! Enemies!]

[One by one, one by one, one by one!]

[Dropping them into pits, 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! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!]

Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die

The narration abruptly cut off.

Then, just as suddenly, it started again in an oddly cheerful voice.

[The red rabbit won!]

The voice crackled.

[The only one who rules this land is the red rabbit, Magic Bunny.]

[Magic Bunny is the dream, the fantasy, and the law. Only his ideals are worthy of being enjoyed.]

Silence followed.

The others, who had been making a commotion as though they had seen every kind of horror imaginable, were now only breathing heavily.

Ragged, terrified breaths filled the train.

Then I noticed something else.

The train was slowing down.

I swallowed.

We’re reaching the end.

No matter how fast a ride went, it always slowed down before stopping.

[Magic Bunny’s Fantasyland]

Cold sweat soaked the back of my neck.

A terrible feeling crept over me.

I finally raised my head.

[The Great Magic Bunny!]

A gigantic rabbit mascot head appeared directly in front of us.

Its bright red eyes spun wildly.

Its mouth opened wide, revealing rows of jagged, grotesque teeth jutting forward.

[Become a part of the Great Magic Bunny!]

This was a scene I had never seen before.

[Die]

A dizzying noise filled the air.

Red rabbits pressed their faces against the windows from every direction, their mascot suits looking as though they were about to burst apart.

All of them stared straight at us.

[Die]

I nearly fainted.

“Haaaah… haaaaah…!!”

“D-D-Die…”

The giggling narration went berserk.

Red lights flashed repeatedly throughout the train.

Panicked muttering filled the carriage, making it difficult to think.

Then a voice cut through all of it.

“Ah. I get it now.”

“What?”

“It’s like a new-hire initiation, isn’t it? Making everyone kill each other. Classic.”

What the hell was she talking about?

“You saw what happened earlier, right? The rabbit killed all its friends.”

Assistant Manager Jin continued calmly.

“Oh, right. You had your eyes closed, so you didn’t see it. But you heard the narration.”

I turned toward her.

The Squad A employee in the butterfly mask was staring at the rabbits outside the windows as though this were an ordinary day at work.

“So who should we kill?”

“What…?”

“Shh.”

The eyes behind her butterfly mask turned cold.

She began looking us over, judging our value.

“Hmm.”

Squad Y.

The researcher.

Me.

Squad Y.

The researcher.

Squad Y.

The researcher.

The researcher.

Squad Y…

“You.”

She made her choice.

The Squad Y rookie’s jaw went pale.

Assistant Manager Jin pointed.

“Grab the guy in the white coat.”

The researcher.

“!”

It was practically a death sentence.

“Uh… uh…”

Snap.

Jang Heo-un’s body moved stiffly and unnaturally.

He grabbed the researcher’s arms and legs, restraining him.

“W-What are you doing? What—wait! Wait a second!”

“Cover his mouth.”

Assistant Manager Jin added casually,

“And keep yours shut too.”

“Mmmph!”

“Hmm… Do we each have to kill one ourselves?”

Then she looked at me.

“Hey, top recruit.”

I reflexively turned toward her.

“Why don’t you kill this one?”

She sounded almost curious.

“I want to see what happens.”

“Mmm! Mmmmmmm!”

“And don’t use your personalized equipment. Do it yourself.”

She thought for a moment.

“Ah, right. Earlier, the rabbit threw the dragon off a cliff, didn’t it?”

Her finger pointed toward the window.

“Throw him out of the train. Let’s see if that counts too.”

Me?

“Go on.”

I slowly turned my head toward the window.

Then immediately snapped it back.

The mascots are crying blood!

They were plastered all over the windows.

There was absolutely no way I was opening one.

If I did, I’d probably collapse on the spot and start screaming.

And more importantly…

What?

She wanted me to kill someone as casually as making instant noodles?

No.

Forget that.

There was an even bigger problem.

This is a death route!

Only now, after another irregular event had thrown everything into chaos and scared the life out of us, did I fully realize it.

If we obeyed the mascot, we were all going to die.

If we followed this route, everyone here would be killed.

But how was I supposed to convince her?

If I suddenly said, I’ve read more than seventy Exploration Records from the future, she’d probably cut my head off on the spot.

So…

So…

Fuck it!

“Wait!”

“What?”

“This is a trap.”

I decided to bluff my way through it.

Without even hesitating, I started making things up.