NOVEL NEXT Chapter 44
On a Wednesday morning, as I was eating champon at the foundation’s cafeteria, the pungent smell of green chili peppers stung my nose.
That’s when Jeong Woo’s call came.
“Hey, what time should we leave?”
“Around 3 PM? Meet me in front of exit 3 at Gangnam Station.”
I was on my way out after receiving discharge approval. The tedious time spent lying on the hospital bed came back to me. The days spent staring at the white ceiling flashed by like a slideshow.
After finishing the last sip of champon soup, I returned to the desk. It took quite some time to pack my things and get the final approvals. I thought it would just be about fighting horror stories, but unexpectedly, this company had a lot of paperwork.
“Mr. Jeong Woo, have a good vacation.”
Kang Hana greeted me with a smile in the hallway. There was an unusual warmth in her voice, probably due to the recent immortal island incident.
“Yes, manager, you too.”
Looking at the clock, it was 2:30 PM.
I hurried out, fearing I might be late.
I arrived 10 minutes early. In between the high-rise buildings, I could see Jeong Woo’s white Avante in the distance. I pushed my way through the crowd of office workers heading home.
“Hey, get in.”
When I opened the passenger door, the smell of tobacco hit me. Jeong Woo was extinguishing a cigarette in the driver’s seat. Normally, I’d nag about it, but today I let it slide.
Jeong Woo smirked while turning the steering wheel. A playful smile could be seen beneath his dark sunglasses.
“It seems like you’ve been dead for a month. Your complexion is bad.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, you look like a zombie.”
He wasn’t wrong. My reflection in the mirror looked haggard. Apparently, the month on Immortal Island wasn’t easy.
The car drove along the Gangbyeonbuk-ro road. The Han River was visible outside the window, reflecting the sunset on its calm surface.
“What have you been up to lately?”
Jeong Woo asked, keeping his eyes forward as if focused on driving. Curiosity from the past month was evident in his voice.
“Hmm….”
I hesitated to answer. Until a month ago, I was an ordinary college student, then suddenly became part of a secret organization fighting horror stories. Who would believe that?
Moreover, the recent events were absurdly bizarre. Infiltrating a cult for a month and encountering a cult leader trying to become a god—no one would believe such a story.
“I got a job.”
“Really? What about school?”
“I dropped out.”
Jeong Woo’s expression slightly changed. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel tightly.
“Why suddenly?”
“Just… there’s something I need to do.”
I evaded the question. I couldn’t explain how reality had transformed into a world of horror stories. Instead, I looked out the window at the line of cars passing by.
“What company?”
This time, answering was even harder. I thought about making up a random company name, but decided to be honest.
“Zigfried Group.”
Squeak—
Jeong Woo slammed on the brakes. The car behind us honked repeatedly. The sudden shock tightened the safety belt around my neck.
“Hey!”
“Sorry.”
Jeong Woo shook his head while moving the car again.
“Zigfried? You mean THE Zigfried? You’re not joking, right?”
“No.”
I pulled out my employee ID from my pocket. It was a fake one made by the Foundation, with a hologram gleaming on the plastic surface.
During the traffic light stop, Jeong Woo stared intently at the ID. His mouth hung open. Silence filled the car for a moment.
“Wow… seriously wow.”
It was a natural reaction. In the Catastrophe universe, the Zigfried Group was a major corporation comparable to Google or Meta.
“Hey, congratulations. Truly.”
Jeong Woo grinned broadly. But I couldn’t genuinely smile back.
Because the Foundation was a black company that constantly sent employees into horror stories.
The car headed towards Yeongdeok, Gyeongbuk. Outside the window, peaceful rural landscapes passed by.
As the sun set, we arrived at a small harbor. We planned to have dinner at a seafood restaurant Jeong Woo knew. The unique briny smell of the seashore reached our noses.
We settled down on the second-floor terrace of the restaurant. The night sea stretched out before us. The lighthouse beacon blinked far away.
After having a glass of soju, the tension seemed to ease. Jeong Woo appeared to have returned to his usual self. His cheeks flushed red with each sip.
“But really, no contact for a whole month, and then you suddenly show up inviting me to go fishing?”
There was a hint of resentment in his tone. His hand was slightly rough as he put down the soju glass.
“Sorry, I was really busy.”
“What kept you so busy?”
“Work.”
I vaguely brushed it off. Already tipsy, Jeong Woo didn’t press further. Instead, he picked a piece of raw fish from the plate and placed it on my dish.
“Still… impressive. My friend works at Zigfried now.”
Jeong Woo’s words contained both congratulations and envy. The sea breeze blowing through the restaurant terrace caressed our faces.
“Since we have to catch the boat tomorrow morning, let’s call it a day?”
I nodded. My body felt heavy from the alcohol.
Back at the lodging, I washed up and lay down in bed. The night sky was visible through the window. Unlike in the city, the stars in the countryside were vivid.
When I woke up suddenly, it was still night. Jeong Woo beside me was tossing and turning. The watch on my wrist pointed to 3 AM.
“You awake?”
“Yeah.”
We quickly packed our gear: fishing rods, bait, and some simple snacks.
The early morning port was silent. Only the streetlights pushed back the darkness. The cold sea breeze ruffled our collars.
We boarded the captain’s boat that Jeong Woo knew. The night sea was surrounded by a dreamlike atmosphere.
In the pitch-black darkness, the boat started moving. Without any light, even my own body wasn’t clearly visible. The sound of the water splashing was all that echoed in my ears.
The moon was hidden behind clouds. Occasionally, when moonlight filtered through the clouds, the vastness of nature made me feel isolated and even a bit fearful.
Three college students who boarded with us were drinking and chatting loudly. The captain scolded them lightly but couldn’t hide his smile.
“My, young people these days sure drink well.”
The captain’s voice carried warmth. Smiles spread across his wrinkled face.
Once we reached the spot, fishing began. The spot recommended by the captain exceeded expectations. The bites didn’t stop.
“Wow, another one!”
“Me too!”
The cheers of the college students continued. But that didn’t last long.
It was around the time the sky started to brighten.
I heard an odd sound.
Creak… creak…
An unusual noise came through the sound of the waves, like old wood bending. Once you heard it, it was unforgettable—an ominous sound.
‘This sound…’
I instinctively realized it wasn’t ordinary. The sixth sense honed from working at the Foundation sounded a warning.
Could it be a horror story?
Jeong Woo and the college students also showed strange expressions. They held their fishing rods and looked around nervously. Their previously lively voices faded.
“What’s that sound?”
Jeong Woo murmured. The captain’s expression stiffened instantly.
“Customers, sorry, but it seems the tide has changed, so we’ll end here for today.”
It was an unexpected announcement. Sighs of disappointment rose from the customers.
“But the sun hasn’t even risen properly yet?”
“Can’t help it.”
The captain’s voice carried firmness. The usual gentle tone was gone.
The boat quickly returned to the harbor. By now, the sun had fully risen.
We decided to eat breakfast cum lunch at a nearby seafood restaurant. Spicy fish soup and sashimi made from the morning’s catch were served. Steam rose from the red broth.
“Hey, what was that sound just now?”
Jeong Woo asked while pouring soju. Transparent liquid filled the soju glasses.
“Hmm…”
While answering, I remained deep in thought. I was certain it was a horror story. Experiences from the Foundation kept coming to mind.
Perhaps Nostradamus’ Eye could have revealed the identity of the sound. But I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t want our rare vacation to be ruined.
‘I hope this trip can just be normal.’
But since the world had already become a place of horror stories, that wish might be futile.
The next morning,
We boarded the captain’s boat again. This time, the same group of college students joined us. The fog-cleared sea sparkled like a mirror.
“The weather is nice today.”
One of the college students said. The sky was clear, and the sea was calm. Just looking at the weather, it was perfect.
However, strangely, there were no bites. All the fishing rods stood still. It was the complete opposite of yesterday.
That’s when it happened.
Creak… creak…
Yesterday’s sound came again. This time, it was clearer, piercing through the sound of the waves and reaching our ears distinctly.
“Captain, something’s over there.”
One of the college students pointed. A small boat could be seen in the distance.
It was a wooden rowboat.
An old wooden vessel.
It was getting closer, definitely heading toward us. It gradually revealed its distinct shape through the mist.
“Captain, the rowboat…”
Jeong Woo said. The captain’s expression turned grim.
“How many people are rowing?”
In response to the captain’s urgent voice, everyone focused on the approaching boat. Stretching their necks, they looked at the distant boat.
“One…”
“I see two.”
“It’s hard to tell…”
Different answers came out. The captain’s face turned pale.
The boat sharply turned direction at a fast speed. We wobbled and clutched the railing of the boat.
The engine roared loudly. But mixed with that sound, the creaking noise came again, getting closer.
With a reluctant heart, I turned around.
The wooden boat was chasing us. It was impossible for a rowboat to catch up with an engine-powered boat. Yet, it was happening.
And finally, I saw it.
The ones rowing the oars were… ‘mummies’.
Bones and skin barely left, looking anything but alive, yet moving and rowing the boat toward us.
‘Rowers…!’
At that moment, I recalled the name of the horror story I was facing.