I Became the Hidden Mastermind

Chapter 17

017 – “It must be nice to have two moms” #1

“I’m home.”

When I returned home, the atmosphere was quite dull.

It seems like Mom is working late.

I went to my room and turned on the status window.

It was to enter the “Nightmare Corridor” after the waiting time for re-entry had ended.

Chapter 1. The Beginning of the Nightmares’ Corridor.

Please select a player from the list below.

You can choose up to 4 players.

It’s been several days already, but I haven’t adapted to this game-like system.

It seems like it will take quite some time to get used to.

“Player List”

First, I examined the list of players that can be sent to the corridor. There were familiar names like Yang Joo-hee, Jung So-jin, and Kim Geon-ho. I also recalled the names of people I hadn’t seen before.

Kang Ha-neul, Bong Ji-yeon.

What could be the reason for adding Kang Ha-neul and Bong Ji-yeon as new players? I’ve spent a day in the same house with Professor Kang Ha-neul before.

As for Bong Ji-yeon, there’s no particular connection, except for almost losing her panties today.

There seems to be some criteria for becoming a player.

It could be randomly selected from my surroundings.

So, who should I send to the corridor today?

While pondering this, I noticed a “NEW” mark next to the names of Yang Joo-hee, Jung So-jin, and Kim Geon-ho in the “Player List.”

Let’s press it.

“Name: Yang Joo-hee Lv.2

Trait: ＜Tool User＞

From Noble mtl dot com

Disposition: Courageous

Barrier: None

Possessions: Eternal Box Cutter, Zipper Lighter, Multipurpose Room Key”

Unstable and secretive delinquent girl. Bold and adventurous, she takes the lead. In the dark and perilous journey, this girl will mostly be a reliable companion.

“Tool User: Can enter the corridor with a maximum of 3 tools. The durability of the tools increases by 1.5 times.”

Possession: Eternal Cutter

Can momentarily stun with a strange cut. Disappears upon use.

Possession: Zip Lighter

A regular lighter. The flame is dimmer than a lantern, but less likely to be noticed by the eerie. Somehow, the gas can be used infinitely.

Possession: Multipurpose Room Key

A key that can be used to enter the multipurpose room. Seems to have no other use.

Oh, shoot…!

It felt like reading a game character description.

There wasn’t anything like this last time. I wonder why it appeared this time.

It was also next to Jeong Sojin and Kim Geonho.

Could it be an item that only appears for those who have been through the corridor once?

It’s a good idea to check the lists of Jeong Sojin and Kim Geonho as well.

Name: Jeong Sojin Lv.2

Trait: “Attention to Detail”

Disposition: Cunning

Barrier: None

Possession: Class President’s Glasses

A popular girl as the class president of Class D. In most situations, this sly girl would make an excellent companion. At least as long as she feels safe.

“《Attention》: The likelihood of encountering strangeness, taboo, and tools increases.”

“Possession: Captain’s Glasses

Elegant and expensive glasses. Custom-made. Enhances the probability of discovering hidden or disguised anomalies.”

Jeong Sojin possessed the “Captain’s Glasses” with the characteristic of “Attention.”

First and foremost, attention was drawn to the characteristic that increased the probability of discovering strangeness and taboo.

Upon reflection, Jeong Sojin had mentioned seeing not only a bubble girl and a head ghost during the past corridor walk but also another ghost. The effects and characteristics of the “Captain’s Glasses” might have synergized to produce this result.

“Name: Kim Geonho Lv.2

Trait: 《Destroyer》

Disposition: Arbitrary

Hurdle: 《Coward》

Possession: None

A delinquent who mocks the world and adults. Highly effective in surviving in various places due to exceptional physical abilities. However, whether he can become a good companion is uncertain.”

“《Destroyer》: Can destroy locks and lockboxes without keys. Takes time and produces a loud noise, so caution is needed as it can attract the attention of anomalies.”

“《Coward》: Gets surprised by a growing chest and a lid clanging.”

Kim Geonho had no tools but possessed a hurdle.

It was 《Coward》.

A delinquent coward.

Taking this guy to a corridor full of ghosts would likely lead to various troubles.

However, the trait he had, 《Destroyer》, seemed quite promising.

Being able to destroy locks and lockboxes without keys was impressive.

In the previous corridor, recalling the encounter with the head ghost blocking the entrance while trying to obtain the master key, Jeong Sojin got into a mess. Considering that there was no need for the “key,” it was a tremendous merit.

However, there was also a penalty: “It takes time and makes a loud noise, so be cautious as it can attract the attention of the anomalies.”

The moment Kim Geonho, who had torn something while trying to break the master key lock, came to mind. It was clear that he had been caught by the anomalies and killed due to the loud noise.

“Feels like a real game.”

Although slightly, there was excitement and anticipation, making the heart flutter.

Honestly, there had been vague fears and frustration about conquering the nightmare corridor.

In this way, combining the characteristics and tools of each player to form a party, there was a hopeful prospect of conquering the corridor.

Is there an explanation about me?

『Name: Hayoungwon Lv.2

Traits: 《Broken Watch》《Breath Holding》

Barrier: None

Funds: 311 Points

Description: Once admired, you now spend your days in meaningless routine, killing time. However, the broken watch tends to indicate the correct time twice a day.』

「Tool: Battery Lantern

A flashlight operated by batteries. Brighter than expected but with a high chance of being noticed by anomalies.」

My description was identical to the status window.

The only difference was the presence of “Battery Lantern” under the tools section.

If I start the nightmare corridor like this, will I wake up with this “Battery Lantern”?

“Okay. Let’s then assemble the players.”

I dragged the names from the list.

But contrary to what I had thought, my hand stopped moving stiffly like a machine that had forgotten to be oiled.

“Do I really have to go there again?”

I thought I had made up my mind, but just the idea of entering that nightmare filled with ghosts made me tense.

It wouldn’t matter if I sent other people in instead of going in myself.

But I knew firsthand how much of an impact the “Ghost Wall” in the hallway had on people, and I knew I had to spend 100P to resolve it.

Is it okay for me to recklessly destroy other people’s lives?

But if I don’t investigate this hallway, I might continue to be attacked every day by strange things like the “Aunt Ghost,” the “Death Game,” or the “Placebo” without even knowing what they are.

My life.

Other people’s lives.

After weighing the options for a while, I came to a conclusion.

“If possible, let’s start with the ones who would feel less guilty even if they were put into the nightmare…”

This time, let’s observe the situation without going in ourselves.

I found the names of Kim Young-ho, Lee Jin-sung, and Park In-bae, the troublemakers who always treated me like a punching bag, in the player list.

And I dragged Bong Ji-yeon’s name, who tried to take off my panties after school today, and put it in the player section.

Should I send the captain one more time? I’m curious to see what changes there will be if I enter for the second time.

Captain Jung So-jin, go back to the party as the representative for the first round.

# # #

“Encounter with Ghost: 3rd Round + 30P”

“Number of Deaths: 4 people + 30P”

“Item Acquisition: [Jeong Sojin – Map (Rare) + 100P]”

“Progress of the Nightmare Corridor: 10% + 50P”

“Total: 210P Obtained”

When I woke up in the morning, points had been added.

Now, my total points have reached 521P.

I don’t know if I can say this, but it felt like I had turned on an automatic hunting mode.

Even though they were the ones who tormented me, I felt a little uneasy about putting the kids into a scary nightmare.

With points coming in so generously, honestly, it was better than expected.

The person I paid the most attention to was Jeong Sojin, who entered the corridor for the second time.

This time, Jeong Sojin acquired the ‘Map’.

“Tool: Map

A detailed map of Gugyo High School’s first floor. It looks like someone drew it with an unskilled hand. With this, we might be able to go even deeper. But… who could have drawn this?”

“Oh yeah.”

Acquiring the map of the corridor is great news!

Jeong Sojin is more talented than I thought.

“Death 4 people obtain the ‘Key to the Wall’.”

“Kim Young-ho ◀ Select to confirm.”

“Lee Jinseong ◀ Select to confirm.”

“Jeong Sojin ◀ Select to confirm.”

“Bong Jiyeon ◀ Select to confirm.”

Four investigators developed a crack.

They each had “Gambler,” “Fanatic,” “Referee,” and “Masculine Phobia.”

In the end, they all died in the corridor.

I don’t know what happened in the nightmare last night… but I briefly mourned them.

“……”

Because I overslept a little, I didn’t have time. I quickly washed up and changed into my uniform.

I should eat breakfast.

With that thought in mind, I went to the living room, but my mom was crouched under the dining table, trembling with a kitchen knife in her hand. She looked like a startled cat, shivering as if she had suddenly been splashed with cold water.

“…Mom, what are you doing there?”

“Yeong-won, there’s someone in the bathroom! Yeong-won, be careful! There’s something there! Something!”

…Someone in the bathroom?

In a house without dad, I was the only male.

I was terrified, but I grabbed the nearest flowerpot, thinking that I had to protect my mom.

It was a large flowerpot.

With a weapon in hand, I slowly opened the bathroom door, and my mind was stained with tension and confusion.

“…Mom, what are you doing there?”

“Yeong-won, there’s someone in the kitchen! There’s something under the kitchen table!”

My mom was in the kitchen, and she was in the bathroom too.

Suddenly becoming the only adult, I was bewildered and suddenly scared.

I looked back and forth between the kitchen and the bathroom.

Both the mother in the bathroom and the mother in the kitchen looked like the stereotypical 34-year-old married woman.

Did Mom have twins?

No, I’ve never heard such a thing!

Then there’s only one answer!

It’s a ghost!

Clearly, one of them must be the fake mother!

Who would have thought this situation would arise from the morning?

I really wanted to burst into tears, but there was no one to talk to about it.

Since it’s come to this, I have to resolve this myself.

“Mom, come out for a moment.”

I called the mother in the bathroom to the living room.

And I took the knife away from the mother who was crouching in the kitchen.

“It’s… it’s me! Yeongwon, don’t you recognize Mom?”

“It’s me! I’m Yeongwon’s mom!”

Both claiming to be the real one.

I thought for a long time, and a good idea popped into my head.

“Say that the mother in the kitchen is real, and say that the mother in the bathroom is real. Honestly, there’s no answer. So, cut me in half and take me.”

Swoosh.

I put the kitchen knife on the dining table and thought.

King Solomon supposedly said to two women claiming to be the mother of a baby, “Cut the baby in half!”

Fake Mom empathized, lacking maternal love, saying, “Let’s do that!” But the real mom, crying, said, “I’d rather give up!”

This story was no different.

The real mom would be astonished, saying, “How could this happen?” And the fake mom would probably try to stab me with a knife, intending to split me in half.

Swish-.

That’s when Kitchen Mom grabbed the kitchen knife.

Her gaze was anything but gentle.

“Hey. You take the lower half. I’ll take the upper half.”

“No, I refuse. I’ll take the upper half. You take the lower half. Or let’s split it left and right.”

“Huh?”

Oh, damn!

I was shocked to the core and chose to run to my room for now!

“Son! Come out! We need to go to school!”

“Moms are humans too! Human! Please come out of the room! Mom trusted you!”

Thud, thud, thud, thud-.

Moms continuously knocking on the door.