Chapter 13: 31st Student Ghost Story (3)

"Bullying is occurring in Class D."

Getting a hint from this note, I quickly devised a plan.

First, I tore out a notebook page and wrote:

『Class D Hidden Quest Activated!』

『When the classroom clock's second hand reaches exactly 10 minutes before class ends, everyone please enter this 'example' text in the group chat simultaneously.』

『Example: The sunlight was clearly licking the leaves』

『If all 29 members in the chat enter the example at the exact time, each person will receive 30,000 won in cash.』

『Warning - Do not mention this hidden quest or its contents in the group chat.

If the quest is mentioned or if anyone fails to enter the example, the quest automatically fails.』

『Please sign next to your name below if you've confirmed the above.』

Take that, you chat ghost! I bet you didn't expect this?

A digital ghost can't beat analog humans, just like how digital girlfriends can't compare to real ones.

"......"

I reviewed what I'd written in the notebook again.

The biggest question was whether the Class D kids would participate. That's why I offered the substantial reward of 30,000 won per person.

In an era where high school students get around 80,000 won monthly allowance, getting 30,000 won for free?

Honestly, they won't be able to resist. Even I would jump for joy if someone gave me free 30,000 won.

The problem was that I was the one giving the money.... But that wasn't a big issue for me now.

If this ghost story resolves well, I'll get more points.

Then, I can unlock the "Bank" from locked items and convert points to cash to distribute to everyone.

Slide-

I passed the paper sideways.

About 25 minutes left until class ends.

Checking the group chat, it was still in panic mode. Talking about errors, bugs, etc.

Was there a better way?

I fell into thought while watching the note being passed around. Having squeezed my brain in this urgent situation, I was honestly quite anxious.

How many people could stay calm in a situation where everyone might die?

The thought that all of Class D's lives depended on me made it hard to stay calm.

Slide-

Finally, the circulating paper returned to me.

"An Young-mi: Confirmed"

"Park In-bae: 30,000 won"

"Lee Jinsung: sex"

"Cheon So-yeon: Confirmed"

"Jung-seok: Confirmed."

"Kim Geonho: Don't know who you are but if you don't pay I'll kill you everyone better do this right"

.

.

.

"Ha Young-won: "

Only my name, being in the last seat, remained blank. The various signatures and confirmations looked reassuring.

It was great that the money-hungry Geonho had threatened everyone too.

With Geonho laying down the law, no one would mess this up. Good thing I offered money!

"Wait..."

Looking at the list of 29 names excluding Juhee, I realized something important.

...Looking again, mine wasn't the only blank space!

"Jung Sojin: "

Ah, sh*t!

The teacher said Sojin went to the nurse's office at the start of class! Damn!

I quickly checked the clock.

20 minutes left. It should take 5 minutes to get to the nurse's office!

"Teacher! I need to use the bathroom! It's urgent!"

Jump-

I stood up and quickly left the classroom.

Dash-

Thanks to legs trained from buying bread for Juhee, running to the nurse's office was no problem.

Slide-

Opening the nurse's office door, I saw curtains fluttering in the spring breeze. I moved forward through the antiseptic smell and found Sojin lying on the bed.

"Sojin. Hey, could you read this and sign it? Quick! There’s no time!"

"......"

Class president Sojin half-raised herself from the bed. She looked at the paper and pen I held out and frowned.

"No. This is to ostracize me, right? While I'm in the nurse's office, everyone's plotting to exclude me? I know everything."

What's she talking about?! Was Sojin always like this?

"What are you saying! Why would people ostracize you, Sojin!"

"Everyone hates me! Because I'm smart and pretty. Everyone's jealous of me. Especially the girls. I've always known. That everyone's jealous and hates me."

I knew why Sojin was acting this way.

『Jung Sojin: 《Paranoia》 - The parallel lines of dreams and reality that should never meet have finally touched. Are the whispers in your ears really just dreams? Or...』

The 《Paranoia》 quirk possessing her must be making her like this. Is this how quirks from the Nightmare Corridor snowball back to me?

If I can't get Sojin's agreement, at least knowing her chat number might help somehow.

"Everyone hates me. I... I don't even want to go to school. I'll drop out. Just take the GED..."

Sojin was so dejected, she didn't seem likely to tell me her chat number. Like a snail firmly hidden in its shell.

"Hey! Sojin! Wake up! People don't hate you! They hate me! If you, the class president, act like this when even I'm attending school, what does that make me!"

Sojin's help was crucial. Seeing less than 13 minutes left until class ends, I felt my blood rush up and down.

No choice now!

"Status window."

『Treatment Center ◀ Click to open』

『Spending 100P to cure quirk.』

I dragged Sojin's name from the player list into the Treatment Center.

I had 111 points now.

I'd been saving points in case of supernatural attacks like the auntie ghost, but if I didn't cure Sojin's quirk now, everyone might die.

『Quirk 《Paranoia》 has been cured.』

The quirk is cured! Now I just need to convince Sojin!

"Sojin, see this? These words! Look! This! Don't you want 30,000 won too!?"

"No... I'm an ugly bug."

Damn it.

The quirk should be cured! She still hasn't come to her senses!

Come to think of it, I was also dazed for a while after being cured of the 《Ghost Possession》 quirk. I only came to my senses when I heard police sirens, right?

She needs a big shock!

Slap!

I reached out and slapped Sojin's cheek. It made quite a sound, and her eyes went wide behind her crooked glasses.

"Wake up! You're not a bug! I need your help!"

"......"

Tick-tick-tick-

As the nurse's office clock ticked loudly, Sojin's eyes gradually regained focus and moved to the paper I held out.

About 2 minutes left. Sojin looked at her phone.

With a "whatever happens, happens" attitude, I opened the group chat and pre-typed the agreed example text.

"The sunlight was clearly licking the leaves"

"Sojin. The classroom clock and nurse's office clock will be different. When everyone starts typing the same message, you quickly type it too around that time."

Buzz-

The sunlight was clearly licking the leaves

The sunlight was clearly licking the leaves

The sunlight was clearly licking the leaves

The sunlight was clearly licking the leaves

...

The same text started appearing rapidly in the chat.

his is it!

The scroll moved quickly in an instant.

Only one number hadn't entered the text.

"30: Number 4. It's you?"

"4: You caught me"

..."You caught me"?

Number 4 readily admitted their identity.

As I wondered what would happen next, text appeared before my eyes.

『Congratulations! You have defeated the 'Death Game'!』

『Beginning settlement for 29 Survivors.』

『Acquired 290P.』

***

"Oh?"

Settlement for 29 survivors!

2900 points...!?

I was too shocked to speak.

But the points I received were 290.

"Huh?"

Wasn't it supposed to be 100 points per person when defeating a supernatural entity? 290 points was still a lot, but it felt somewhat disappointing.

Seems different supernatural entities give different points. Maybe based on difficulty level...

Well, thinking about it, this "Death Game" was easier than the "Auntie Ghost."

Come to think of it, Number 4 said at the start "4: Added everyone in our class except Juhee lol." They were both the chat admin and the supernatural entity.

"User 4 has left"

"User 22 has left"

"User 11 has left"

The chat room dissolved smoothly.

It's all over.

No, I still had to deal with paying 30,000 won to everyone who participated.

Honestly, it felt a bit wasteful... but running off with the money would be the worst move.

Who knows how many times this might happen again?

I might need the class's help like this again, and if they think "They won't pay anyway," that would be trouble.

I needed to give the kids an "experience." The experience of completing a hidden quest and receiving a reward.

I spent 100 points to unlock the "Bank."

『Would you like to withdraw 90P?』

『Yes/No』

Let's try withdrawing 90P first.

Whir-

『Remaining Balance - 111P』

『Check your locker.』

Locker? Does it mean my school locker?

I wanted to check what happened right away. I better head back to class.

"Young-won."

As I was about to leave the nurse's office, Sojin got up from the bed and called me.

Sojin's cheek was red and swollen, and I just remembered that I had slapped her. I guess I didn't control my strength well. I hope this doesn't cause trouble later.

"Young-won, what did we learn in math today?"

"......"

But Sojin, seemingly unbothered by the slap, asked what we learned in first period. How would I know? I wasn't paying attention either.

"Sojin. I'm busy so I have to- uh... need to go buy bread for Juhee."

Slide-

I left Sojin and slipped out of the nurse's office. I heard Sojin calling "Hey-" from behind, but I had more important things to worry about.

I quickly went to the classroom and checked my locker, and there was a thick white envelope inside! Awesome!

Should I... distribute this to everyone now?

No.

If I distribute the money, everyone will know that I, Ha Young-won, was the mysterious person behind the mission.

That would make things really complicated.

All the class bullies would come after me saying "Young-won, you're rich? Give us money." Things would get messy.

It was better for me to keep my identity hidden. That's why I left my name blank on the "Hidden Quest note" too, so it wouldn't look like I wrote it.

"Hmm."

Thinking about what to do, I decided to write a note on the envelope.

"Vice President Jung-seok. Distribute 30,000 won to everyone. From the Hidden Quest Issuer."

Vice President Jung-seok, the model student type.

I slipped the envelope into his desk while passing by.

About 5 minutes later?

"Hey everyone. I'll distribute 30,000 won to each of you."

Ooooh-

The students started buzzing at the vice president's words.

"Amazing!"

"Must have been some kind of surprise!"

"It's really 30,000 won!"

The only one who didn't fit in the exciting atmosphere was Juhee.

"What's this? Ostracizing me like this? Class D kids are so childish."

Juhee, who wasn't in the group chat, seemed unable to understand the situation. Sadly, I felt the same way.

My 840,000 won....

To change my mood, trying some mind control - in the end, I gained a lot too.

My points increased and I found the informant.

Slide-

Watching Vice President Jung-seok coming to hand me 30,000 won, I said quietly.

"Hey. Jung-seok. It was you. Who wrote the note about bullying in Class D. Don't try to deny it. I already have all the evidence."

The "report note" and this guy's "Hidden Quest signature."

The similarities between them are pretty strong evidence.