Chapter 6: Room 101, Cursed Room – ‘A Strange Family’ (1)
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)]
[Date: Day 2]
[Current Location: Floor 1, In front of Room 101 (???) ]
[Sages’ Advice: 3]
As everyone stood in front of Room 101, a tense atmosphere enveloped us.
What kind of monster could be waiting inside? It can’t be something even Jinchul-hyung can’t handle, right?
Honestly, if whatever was inside was a monster that was too powerful for Jinchul-hyung, it would just mean we’re all toast right there.
I did pack a dagger for myself, but to be frank, I didn’t think just holding a dagger would make me a valuable combat member at all.
Everyone seemed to share the same thought, stealing glances at Jinchul-hyung.
Clearly, he was our muscle, our fist, and the most reliable person among us. It was reassuring that someone so dependable also had a good personality. Seriously, it would have been terrifying if it weren’t for him.
Perceiving our gazes, Jinchul-hyung cleared his throat and advanced to the door of Room 101 first.
“Well, let’s go in. I’ll lead the way. Let’s not worry too much. Just a thought, but… is it possible this hotel actually wants to kill us? If that’s the case, they wouldn’t need to go through all this trouble. If they just stopped feeding us, we’d starve to death, and if they poisoned the food then we’d all be dead in no time too, right?”
He continued, “From what I’ve seen so far, they’ve fed us well and even provided spacious beds to rest. That’s not all; just in case something dangerous happens, they gave Kain a warning alarm, handed fake Amazon items to Eunsol-noonim just in case we lacked gear, and even helped beef me up a bit.”
“They seem to genuinely want us to overcome dangers and obtain treasures, right?” Eunsol-noonim asked.
“Exactly. I don’t know why they’re doing this, but they’re definitely not planning to hunt us down blindly. That’s my conclusion. They’re not just saying ‘dear customers’ for no reason, you know. Even if there are monsters inside, they won’t be some random creatures popping out and killing us all instantly. I doubt that will happen.”
If they were going to pull something like that, they could’ve simply poisoned the food without making things this complicated.
His reasoning was persuasive. I hadn’t realized it until now, but he surprisingly had a depth of thought.
Yeah, this hotel wasn’t designed to kill us. There’s surely a risk in here that we can tackle in some way!
As I shifted my thoughts, the tension began to ease.
[You have understood a little bit about the hotel.]
Finally, the moment we opened the door and stepped inside, I instinctively realized… the order in which we entered the room was meaningless.
*
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)]
[Date: Day 2]
[Current Location: Floor 1, Room 101 (Cursed Room – A Strange Family)]
[Sages’ Advice: 3]
I had a strange dream.
It felt like a nightmare, but I can’t recall the details. There’s nothing unusual about that, though. Dreams, in fact, are usually hard to remember once you wake up.
I shook my head and tried to forget it.
I felt my consciousness plunging back into the world of dreams…
Thud!*
“Han Kain! Wake up! It’s already bright outside! If you keep this up, you’ll turn into a cow! A COW!!!”
A shout loud enough to ring in my ears startled me awake.
“Ah! Seriously, Mom, please don’t scream!”
“Wake up on time and see if I ever need to yell at you! How old are you now that your mother still has to wake you up? Hurry up and eat breakfast! Everyone else is already done!”
Dazed, I got up, washed myself just enough, changed clothes, and headed towards the dining table.
*
As I walked to the dining room, I glanced at my family and talked to them, feeling an elusive haze clouding my mind. The plans we had made, my companions, the current situation.
All of that knowledge faded away like sand slipping through my fingers.
My consciousness floated up and slowly evaporated.
Before ‘I’ faded completely, I thought to myself, “Was talking with my family a mistake in the first place?”
And then, I lost ‘myself.’
*
It felt like I was meeting someone I hadn’t seen in ages. Was it because of yesterday’s nightmare? Who knows.
Naturally, my family was at the dining table, and not only had they finished their breakfast, they hadn’t even picked up their spoons. Mom always woke me up saying that everyone had finished breakfast without even opening the rice cooker, and I never understood why she did that.
“Ahh! I thought I was going to explode because of you, oppa. Why did you have to wait until I called you 5 times?”
“Dude, it was because of that weird dream last night. My head is killing me. By the way, why aren’t you at school? Can a high schooler like you wake up at the same time as me? Are you just being lazy now that you’re in your second year?”
“Super lazy people forget the date all the time, and that’s totally you, oppa! Today’s Sunday, and tomorrow is a public holiday, so we’re going on a trip! Don’t you remember any of that?”
“Seriously? Why can’t I remember a single thing?”
“Your life is so disorganized, of course, you wouldn’t remember. Thank your lucky stars for university letting you in! Hurry up, eat something, and finish packing your stuff!”
We continued our chaotic conversation while I hurriedly ate my meal.
Wait, we’re going somewhere today? Even though I was being lazy post-exams, did I really forget about our family trip until the actual day? I was slightly shaken by this realization.
But more importantly, what in the world was my younger sibling eating?
“Heegang? What is that… thing? Is it edible?”
“Are you kidding me? Silkworms are the hot new health food, Mom always adds them to rice; why are you acting surprised?”
Silkworm rice. Right, that’s that trendy health food everyone was buzzing about, isn’t it? I forgot again. Looking down, I saw a fresh silkworm wriggling on my rice. Yet, for some reason, I found I had no appetite.
“Mom! I’m going to go pack my bag now.”
“Are you skipping breakfast? How can you still be picky at your age?”
“No, it’s not being picky; it’s because I haven’t packed anything yet and have so much to do.”
“For heaven’s sake, I told you to pack last night! Get going!”
As I headed to my room to gather my things, I got flustered again. “Where were we going again? Why can’t I remember anything? Did I somehow develop Alzheimer’s at 20?”
Confused, I returned to the living room and discovered Dad, having somehow wolfed down his meal, munching on something wriggly while sitting on the sofa.
It was a grub. Perhaps that’s also one of those trendy health foods?
“Dad! Where were we supposed to go again?”
“Oh, so that’s why your mom was making a fuss this early. You really don’t know anything, do you?”
“Ugh, where are we going? Seriously, you always love to nag, Dad.”
“We’re going to a botanical garden in the morning, having some grilled duck for lunch, headed to a resort later, and tomorrow morning we’ll go skiing. Pack accordingly; it’s getting cold these days.”
“Got it.”
I went back to my room and started packing. I stuffed in a simple sports outfit for the botanical garden, some underwear, and a thick down jacket for the ski resort. To my surprise, 30 minutes had already passed before I realized it.
When I exited my room for a breather, my sister handed me a pair of scissors as thick as my arm.
“What on earth is this?”
“What would you do without scissors at the botanical garden? Did you forget again?”
Ah-ha! I’d almost overlooked it; scissors were essential for a botanical garden!
Right after packing my belongings, we departed and somehow arrived at the botanical garden in mere seconds. I remembered it taking around three hours by car when I was younger. What’s this? Did highways turn into super-speedways or something?
Arriving at the botanical garden enveloped us in a joyful atmosphere. Lush meadows, beautiful blossoms, and even birds chirping! I could see plenty of families wandering around joyfully.
Scissors! Right, scissors! People were gleefully chopping up plants with their scissors. How could I forget? After all, the essence of a botanical garden is to enjoy the surroundings while slicing some greenery, right?
Why do we raise livestock? To eat them.
Humans cultivate everything to devour it, and naturally, we raise plants with the intent to chop them up.
Returning to my childhood self, I began slicing everything within reach with my scissors. Across from me, I spotted my sister gleefully tearing apart bluebells.
What a peaceful moment! How splendid it would be if such happy times lasted forever!
I then caught sight of Mom yanking out a worm from the ground. I thought it looked silly, so I walked over and couldn’t help but comment.
“Mom! You’re not even broke, why are you eating stuff straight from the dirt? You could just buy some at the market!”
“Right. You looka bit too frugal at times. We already have two bags of worms at home, so why bother picking stuff up?” Dad chimed in.
“Sigh… how about you spit out the beetle you’re gnawing on first? And all that’s because you’ve never managed a household before. If you gather a few of these, you only need to buy two bags instead of three from the market, and if you keep doing that for ten years…”
“Ugh! Mom started lecturing again! This is all your fault, oppa! Just come here and chop some trees with me!”
It was my mistake. My pointless rambling had given her an opening to go on her lecture spree!
I evaded further lectures as I merrily chopped trees with my sister, making for a fun-filled morning.
Time slipped by, and we headed to a renowned duck restaurant for lunch.
Again, something strange occurred; when we all gathered and said, “Let’s go have lunch!” we arrived at the restaurant in just 3 seconds. Isn’t today just an exceptionally convenient day?
Upon entering the duck restaurant, a fragrant scent of blood filled the air, accompanied by the screams of ducks adding to the lively ambiance. Feathers flew around us — what a charming scene.
Such a delightful atmosphere! Since the place is so nice, our family always makes a point to visit once or twice a year.
As we sat at the table, like usual, staff brought two live ducks. Upon seeing them, I flinched nervously. Are ducks meant to be enjoyed raw?
“Heegang? Doesn’t this feel a bit underdone? I mean, this looks more like a duck, rather than duck meat.”
“Seriously? Cut the act, will you? Who roasts duck meat alone these days? The trend is to eat them fresh and raw!”
Aha, that was me being an idiot again. I was getting scolded by my family way too much today.
It seemed the world had advanced significantly while I had been lazing around after the exam.
But how exactly do you eat a live duck? Asking that would probably just make me sound foolish, I decided to look around instead.
A cheerful couple was pinching the legs of a duck, gnawing straight from the head.
Isn’t that a bit dangerous? The duck beak is already stabbing the lady’s mouth!
As I was taken aback by the sight, Dad interjected with his two cents.
“Eating a duck from the head like that is both risky and ridiculous. These kids nowadays… well, I guess it’s just the way they play at that age.”
“Were you a well-behaved young man, dear?” Mom replied.
“Of course, I was a blazing hot guy back in my day. When I grabbed your mom, Mrs. Yumi, by the arm, she…”
“Oh my, oh my! What kind of things are you saying in front of our kids!”
“Hahaha! What can’t I say? The kids are all grown up now. Anyway, Kain, the proper duck-eating way is to stab the neck with your fork, rip it open, and drink the blood first. Celebrities on TV are eating it like that nowadays. Keep your manners!”
For some odd reason, I felt absolutely no urge to have lunch, so I stood up after playing a staring game with the duck. Thankfully, everyone was too busy wrestling with their ducks to bother about me.
Finishing our meal, I stood up from my seat.
After spending time enjoying free activities at the resort until dinner, we were scheduled for a buffet tonight. Tomorrow was the long-awaited ski adventure.
Suddenly, I felt like I was forgetting something. Somewhere — a vague sensation flickered in my vision. Probably nothing important, I must just be a little tired.
*
[Your mental contamination has reached a critical level. You must cease any contact and communication with your family immediately.]
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