**Episode 10
Ghost (2)**
A few days later…
Deep underground, on B2 of the Hunter Management Bureau.
The Machine Upcycling Department felt darker and more ominous than ever.
Clank—
The door creaked open slightly.
Only a head peeked in.
Park Gyu-tae.
His cheap implant arm trembled uncontrollably.
His eyes darted toward the hanging machine parts…
…then to the android in the corner.
Gulp.
“…He’s not here yet?”
He couldn’t step inside.
His face turned pale.
Then—
The android’s eyes rolled.
“Eek…!”
SLAM!
He shut the door instantly.
Since that day—
Park had been completely shaken.
Terrified.
He couldn’t even stay in the office alone anymore.
Then—
A voice behind him.
“Good morning, Assistant Manager Park.”
He flinched—
then exhaled in relief.
“…You’re here.”
“…Yes?”
“…N-nothing.”
Du-ho observed him calmly.
‘He’s seeing a psychiatrist over that?’
Apparently—
The android was “chasing him in his dreams.”
Trying to kill him.
Ridiculous.
- Should we scare him more?
‘No.’
‘If he quits and we get a competent boss, that’s worse.’
So instead—
“Assistant Manager Park, you don’t look well.”
“I’ll handle the morning work alone.”
“…Oh? Y-you will?”
“Yes.”
Please just disappear somewhere.
“You’ll get in trouble if the higher-ups see…”
“Then why not go check the rooftop storage?”
“…Ah! Right! Parts are up there!”
Hooked.
“I’ll be in the rooftop storage!”
“Call me if you need anything!”
“I’ll carry everything myself!”
“…Excuse me?”
“Transport! I’ll handle all the heavy stuff!”
“You just stay here!”
…Complete role reversal.
Before:
“You carry it yourself, idiot.”
Now:
“Please let me carry it!”
“…Alright.”
“Y-yeah… you just fix your machines…”
Du-ho shrugged.
‘He’s improved a lot… considering.’
- Still far from perfect!
‘We’ll train him slowly.’
Whir—
Park rushed off with a cart full of parts.
Du-ho muttered:
“Life is ironic.”
- But why is he THAT scared?
‘Because of the android.’ - That’s it?!
‘Same reaction I had.’
Originally—
This was meant to pressure him.
But it worked…
in a completely unexpected way.
Du-ho changed into his work clothes.
Then—
Isto spoke.
- By the way… that command you gave the android that day? Genius move.
“…What command?”
- You told it to stare at him.
“…I did?”
“…Wasn’t that YOU?”
- Huh?!
Silence.
“…Let’s just work.”
- Agreed.
Something felt off.
But neither pursued it.
* * *
Lunch time.
Du-ho returned with a triangle kimbap and water.
Entered the Garage.
Tap tap tap—
Keyboard sounds.
Isto was staring at an old laptop.
“Whoa~”
- It went up!
“What went up?”
Isto turned the screen.
[Ratkin Mana Stone: 50,000 → 70,000 coins]
“Oh!”
“Price jumped.”
- That’s not all!
Next headline:
[King Ratkin Mana Stone sold at 10 million coins!]
“…TEN MILLION?!”
- Yes! But Queen Ratkin… no data yet.
Makes sense.
Floor 1 vanished.
Supply collapsed.
Demand exploded.
Du-ho calculated mentally.
1,000 Ratkin stones…
Plus 7 King stones…
“…140 million coins?”
His heart pounded.
Then—
- They’re looking for the one who cleared Floor 1.
- Let’s step forward!
“No.”
- Why not?
Du-ho smirked.
“If I step forward…”
“…you get exposed too.”
Isto tilted his head.
“So what?”
Du-ho’s expression hardened.
“No electronic devices have ever worked in the Abyss.”
“If you’re revealed?”
- They’ll worship me.
“…Or dissect you.”
Silence.
- …They would dare?
“Yes.”
“And if they see you as a threat?”
“They’ll destroy you.”
Isto trembled.
- Unacceptable!
“Yes. That’s why we wait.”
Du-ho continued:
“We build power first.”
“Secure our position.”
“Grow stronger.”
“Gather more allies.”
“Then… we step out.”
- Understood.
Reluctantly—
Isto agreed.
He climbed onto the workbench.
“So… what about these mana stones?”
- You use them.
“Keeping some for you.”
- Plenty more in the Abyss.
Convenience store mindset…
Du-ho chuckled.
“Sell Ratkin stones gradually.”
“Auction King stones.”
“Queen stone… keep.”
Plan set.
He cracked his fingers.
“Let’s check your arm joints.”
- Finally, upgrade time!
“Oh—one more thing.”
“In the Abyss…”
“Time in the Garage felt normal.”
- That’s because—
“When both of us are inside…”
“Outside time slows down.”
“…That’s broken.”
- Very.
Du-ho smiled.
“Let’s begin.”
Silver particles flowed from his arms.
Upgrade—
began.
* * *
Meanwhile—
The world was in chaos.
Online forums exploded.
[Hunter Forum: 50,000 new posts]
- “Korea destroyed Floor 1???”
- “What’s Queen Ratkin?”
- “If top clears work, why go down??”
Immigration surged.
Flights full.
Language schools flooded.
National pride vs conspiracy wars.
Globally—
Media frenzy.
Governments panicking.
Hunter clans realizing one thing:
“…We almost died.”
But now—
Time extended.
Difficulty reduced.
A miracle.
* * *
Hunter Management Bureau
12th Floor Meeting Room
Director Ma Jeong-seok spoke:
“Report.”
“Another request from the U.S.—”
“Tell them we know nothing.”
“Understood.”
Data appeared.
Major clans offering contracts:
- 500 million
- 700 million
- More…
“Why assume it’s one person?”
“Because…”
“No team entry records.”
“…None?”
“Correct.”
Then—
The shocking line:
[Abyss Floor 1 Entry Record: 0]
“…Impossible.”
“Exactly.”
“That’s why…”
“We’re calling them—”
“Ghost.”
Silence filled the room.
“Fake claimants?”
“Plenty.”
“Expose them with Queen stone verification.”
“…If they even have one.”
Final conclusion:
“We must keep the Ghost in Korea.”
Support them—
no matter what.
Because if rumors were true—
They might reduce the Abyss itself.
Meanwhile—
Far below.
In a dark basement.
The “Ghost” was quietly repairing an android.
