I Became the Hidden Mastermind

041 – Corridor Strategy # 1

041 – Corridor Strategy # 1

You can enter the Nightmare Corridor with an ‘item’.

The “Princess Magic Wand” That Yang Joo-hee acquired in reality was in Yang Joo-hee’s possession.

「Princess Magic Wand: A very sturdy toy. Through a special spell, a barrier can be formed that denies entry to monsters.”

“It’s fun.”

Basically, each person could only carry one item, but Yang Joo-hee had the “Tool User” Trait.

「《Tool User》: You can enter the hallway while holding up to 3 tools. The durability of tools increases by 1.5 Times.”

Currently, Yang Joo-hee owns 4 items.

「Eternal cutter knife, Zippo lighter, multipurpose room key, princess magic wand」.

Yang Joo-hee was able to start with three of these items.

They say you have to remove one thing.

In this case, should we first consider the essential items?

“It would definitely be a good idea to bring a cutter knife.”

I had quite a bit of survival experience thanks to Yang Joo-hee’s cutter knife.

「Eternal Cutter」 Could in fact be seen as ‘adding lives.’

“The magic wand sounds really good once you hear the explanation.”

Creating a barrier that prevents monsters from entering.

I knew very well how important the safe zone was in “The Corridor of Nightmare.”

If you can create something like that at random, this is the same as ‘adding lives’.

“The rest is a lighter and keys….”

The description of the Zippo lighter was as follows.

「Owned: Zippo lighter

Ordinary lighter. The light is darker than a lantern, but there is less chance of being caught by a ghost. “For some reason, gas can be used infinitely.”

A lighter that can emit infinite light.

It was less bright than the “Flashlight” I had, but because of that, there was less chance of the light being caught by someone.

Also, my “Flashlight” Had battery limitations, but this lighter’s gas flame was infinite.

“It’s a good product.”

Excluding the lighter, the other item is the “Multipurpose room key.”

「Holding: Multi-purpose room key

This is the key to the multipurpose room. Other than that, it seems to be of no use.”

It was literally the key to the multipurpose room.

Other than that, it is a useless item.

Looking at it this way, it seemed right to leave the key behind. But what if you ever need the key to the multipurpose room? I will regret it so much.

Key or lighter?

I feel like my head is about to break.

According to common sense, it is a lighter.

Then, shall we first equip Jeongseok with the “Multipurpose Room Key”?

Jeongseok’s character sheet didn’t all look like “???”.

It seemed like it was because I hadn’t even experienced the first time through the hallway of nightmares.

But I was able to equip the item.

Then now it is my turn.

I also had three items.

(1).

「Eternal glow-in-the-dark pen: This pen is highly visible even in the dark. “The marks made with this pen will never be erased unless you use the eraser on the cap.”

(2).

「Battery lantern: A flashlight that runs on batteries. “It’s brighter than you think, but there’s a high chance of being caught by a ghost.”

(3)

「Map: A detailed map of the first floor of the old building. It looks like someone worked hard at drawing with clumsy handwriting. If you have this, you might be able to go deeper. However… “Who on earth drew this?”

Unlike Yang Joo-hee, I did not have the characteristics of a 《Tool User》, so I had to take only one out of the three.

I’m so sorry.

A pen, a lantern, or a map?

These are all really good items.

First of all, a glow-in-the-dark pen.

It would be nice to have a pen to mark various things.

But… If it is an item that is essential for survival… I don’t think so.

Then what about a flashlight?

The nightmare hallway was so dark that I couldn’t even see my hands if there was no light source.

If you have a flashlight, the process will of course be faster.

“But the map….”

Map acquired by Jeong So-jin.

This was something I had never seen before.

However, the potential of this map seemed great even at first glance.

“If the goal was simply to survive in the hallway… “I would have brought a flashlight.”

Now is the time to ‘strategy’ rather than ‘survive’.

After much consideration, I decided to take a ‘map’ with me.

“Good.”

I guess we can say that the setting is complete at this point.

The funds I have now are 538 points.

Even if 4 people entered the corridor of nightmares, were wiped out, and acquired quirks, if each person used 100P, they could sufficiently cure the quirks at the treatment center.

Even if you spend 400 points, 138 points remain.

“I think I can go at this level.”

After looking at the player lists again….

I dragged each name and inserted it into the corridor explorer.

# # #

“… ….”

When I suddenly came to my senses, I was lying in a pitch black and cool hallway.

It was a dark place where you could only tell that this was a hallway somewhere.

The windows that allow faint light to seep in are blocked by boards that someone has nailed down.

“Hey, Mr. “I should have brought a flashlight.”

If I had brought a flashlight instead of a map, I would have seen something.

I came to regret my actions… There was nothing that could be done about the water that had already spilled.

Sch-.

I rummaged through my pocket and obtained a rolled up piece of paper.

It was a map.

It seems like the items I brought in advance were in my pocket when I started walking down the hallway.

“I can’t see because it’s dark.”

After checking the map, I quietly listened to my surroundings.

Fortunately, there seemed to be no ghosts around me.

As I remember, there were a total of three ghosts on the first floor of this hallway.

One is a shaman ghost called “Bululnyeo.”

It was a ghost that moved around while making a jingling sound, and it was thought that it had visual limitations because it had no eyes.

The two were “Head demons.”

The head ghost is a ghost that spreads hair like a spider web, but it does not respond even if you make a loud noise until you get close and step on the hair.

And the third 「??? Ghost”.

This person’s identity was still unknown.

I don’t know what it is… You’d better be careful.

So what should I do now?

Of course, you can join your friends who participated as players!

Then where can I join the children?

First of all, it was said that classes “1-4” Were the safe zone.

If my prediction is correct, there was a high probability that the smart Jeongseok would have noticed the existence of the ‘joining base’ and be at “1-4”. First, let’s join Jeongseok.

I was walking down the hallway with that feeling… It felt a little strange.

“What?”

It was dark so it was hard to see things, but I could see it clearly.

The hallway is different from last time.

「Teacher’s Office」

After wandering around for a while, I saw the first-year teacher’s office.

I could tell it was the teacher’s office because there was a small light on inside….

Dalgrak, Dalgak-.

The door to the teacher’s office was locked very tightly.

Wasn’t the teacher’s office door open the last time I came?

And there must have been a ‘multipurpose room’ near the teacher’s office.

However, the multipurpose room that was supposed to be there was not visible nearby.

“… “It has changed.”

The hallway of nightmares.

The structure of the first floor was different from what I remembered.

How did this happen?

Is there a change because this place is the setting of a ‘dream’? When you think about it… In the game “Abyss Corridor,” The hallway structures and item placement were different for each version.

So, I was able to play the game with a new mind.

I never thought the maps would be mixed up randomly, including the real “Nightmare Corridor,” Which is not a game….

The good news was that I had a map.

Palak-.

When I illuminated the map with the light coming from the teacher’s office, a drawing that looked like someone had drawn it in a sketchbook with crayons appeared.

It was a real map.

And the map clearly showed the geography of the first floor.

The evidence was the walls and corners near the teacher’s office, and the bathroom that was so clogged that it was impossible to enter.

My hypothesis is that the structure of the hallway changes every time you enter.

Then what about maps?

“… “Does the map also change when the hallway changes with each entry?”

I don’t know.

The important thing is that I found out the location of “1-4”.

Luckily it was nearby.

I headed toward “1-4,” Which was the safe zone.

# # #

Drurr-.

When I opened the door to 「1-4」 And entered, the shadow inside rustled as if greatly surprised.

“Who… “Who are you?”

It was Jeongseok’s voice.

Jeongseok, as I expected, he was in the safe zone “1-4”.

“Hey. Jeongseok. It’s me. Ha Young-won.”

“Give me evidence!”

“Topliner. Nasus one pick. Jeongseok: You have a crush on Bong Ji-yeon and a fetish for being bullied by Iljin girls, right? “You only told me.”

“Oh. “The fetish part is bullsh*t, but I guess Ha Young-won is right.”

Jeongseok slowly approached me.

「1-4」 Was dark, but if you got close, you could make out the other person’s face.

“Hey. Youngwon Ha. When I opened my eyes, I suddenly found myself in this place. Is this because of what you said? “That ‘corridor of nightmares.'”

“That’s right. It seems like you remembered what I said well. If you look at what was waiting in [1-4]. “Maybe it’s because of the many amulets attached here, but it seems like ghosts can’t come in.”

“Okay. I knew you would come here. But are you sure ghosts can’t come in?”

Are you sure?

If you asked me that, I couldn’t be very sure.

At that time, Yang Joo-hee, who was in 「1-4」, Was declared dead.

“Let’s start by looking for Joohee. “It’s probably somewhere nearby.”

Yang Joo-hee had a lighter to light up her surroundings.

I have a sword and a magic wand, so I wouldn’t have been attacked by a ghost already.

Jeongseok said.

“You mean this is a dream? Even though I know it’s a dream, how can it be so vivid as reality? It feels so real. Even if I pinch it, it really hurts. “Is this really a dream?”

Jeongseok seemed unable to believe that the situation he was currently experiencing was not reality but a ‘nightmare’.

“They say dreams are becoming more and more sophisticated so that humans don’t realize they’re dreams. Why is there such a story? Someone was at school and realized it was a dream. “Ah, it was a dream,” He said, and then everyone in the class fell silent and glared at him.

“… ….”

“The story is that from then on, every time I had a dream, my dreams became more and more sophisticated to the point where I couldn’t even tell that it was a dream. Youngwon Ha. “Have you ever heard of something like this?”

“I’ve never heard of it. You always tell such scary stories when you’re scared. Men and horses. “It’s already scary, but when you even talk about it, it’s creepy.”

Jeongseok had a unique defense mechanism.

When I felt afraid, I always told scary stories. Are you trying to control your fears from external factors by telling yourself scary stories?

I don’t know.

Because I am not a psychologist.

“Anyway. “Now I’m going to call Yang Joo-hee.”

“I’m calling you?”

Jeongseok seemed to feel puzzled.

I pointed to the many talismans attached to this “1-4”.

“Ghosts aren’t allowed in this class. So it’s safe to scream loudly in here. So, let’s call Yang Joo-hee out loud.”

Of course 「??? Although there was a risk of the variable called ‘ghost’….

It seemed like the return would be greater for the one who joined Yang Joo-hee quickly.

Drurr-.

I opened the classroom door of “1-4” And shouted.

“Yang Joo-hee! Come to class 4! You have a lighter! “Come this way with your lights on!”

Thanks to the stamina developed through “Strong Heart” And the lung capacity from “Breath Holding,” My voice was as loud as I thought it would be.

Now.

What will happen now… As I was thinking that, I felt someone running towards me from far away.

“Yang Joo-hee?”

Is this Yang Joo-hee?

As I was scanning the hallway with hope and anticipation, I had to admit that my thoughts and guesses were way off.

The woman was Yoo Da-hee!

“Guys!”

Yoo Da-hee hurriedly ran towards 「1-4」.

Jeongseok seemed a little embarrassed as he looked at him out of breath.

“Oh. It’s Dahee. Ha Young-won, you. “Did you put Dahee in it too?”

“… ….”

No.

There are only three people I included this time.

B. Jeongseok. Joohee Yang.

Yoo Da-hee… I thought about it but didn’t put it in.

Because I didn’t explain “Nightmare Corridor” To Yoo Da-hee.

It was said that he was not yet an official member of the Ha Young-won Pirates.

Why is Yoo Da-hee in “The Corridor of Nightmares”?

I swear to heaven, there will be only three players: me, Jeongseok, and Yang Joohee!

Yoo Da-hee said.

“Guys! It was too loud! Get out of there quickly! You have to avoid here! You have to get out of here quickly! “Guys, get out of that class quickly!”

Yoo Da-hee stands in the hallway and shouts at “1-4.”

The way he was urging seemed very urgent, but at the same time, I was puzzled.

Why are you asking us to come out?

Spooky-.

At that time, a chill ran down my back.

A classmate you shouldn’t have.

I wonder if the identity of the third ghost “???” Is… !?

“… Dahee. I’m sorry. “Would you like to come into class 4?”