By Zephyria 
If you have no cash, you must earn money in the market.
4-1. You may perform. Equip yourself with an object capable of holding money, such as an empty can or a hat, and perform in an open space on market days. The content of the performance does not matter. However, keep in mind that beside you, Aberrations will be performing acts such as swallowing boiling molten iron, beating drums with their feet while playing accordions with their hands, spinning sangmo on their heads, dancing the lion dance while being eaten alive by a lion, and walking on blades while their legs are severed.
4-2. You may beg. Equip yourself with an object capable of holding money, such as an empty can or a hat, and amputate one of your four limbs. If you fail to attract the attention of the Aberrations, please amputate another. You may pay for the treatment of your wounds at the health center at the northern end using the amputated limb as payment.
4-3. You may work part-time at the shops. There are no precautions other than the general common sense required of a part-time employee, but keep in mind that the money earned is a mere pittance compared to that obtained through performing or begging.
If you have spare cash and are waiting for the next market day, purchase at least one item from the market every day. You must not be surprised to encounter items such as pillows made of human skin, necklaces of strung eyeballs, or lower jaws gasping inside birdcages. If you submit the purchased items to the headquarters, a designated reward will be paid.
In the five-day market, day and night switch exactly every 12 hours. You must remain in the market during the hours the sun is up.
6-1. Beware of pickpockets. It is recommended to keep your cash inside your underwear. If stored anywhere else, your cash will vanish in less than 10 minutes. If you clutch the money in your hand, you will lose your hand as well. If you possess a coupon, you may ignore this item.
6-2. Be careful not to bump into Aberrations. Most will back off if you apologize, but there are occasionally those who do not. You, trembling in fear within the Aberrant Realm, cannot handle the tantrums of an Aberration mimicking a human.
6-3. Beware of begging Aberrations. If caught by one, you will be seized by an impulse to cut off and give it a protruding part of your body. If your fingernails have grown long, pull them out and give them. Otherwise, cut off and give one of your fingers, as it is the part where bleeding is relatively minimal.
During the sunless night, you must remain inside a building.
7-1. There are lodging facilities on the outskirts of the market. Depending on the amount paid, you may check into a yellow linoleum inn, a decent motel, or a 3-star hotel room. Regardless of the room, do not turn on the water in the bathroom or power on the provided TV and radio. Do not open the closet doors or look under the bed. Do not request services from the staff.
Staying at a lodging facility for more than one day or renting a room for a short stay during the day is not permitted. If you remain in the room past checkout time, you will become a new employee of the lodging facility starting that evening.
7-2. If you lack money, sneak into a shop with the lights off and spend the night. However, the headquarters recommends drinking the provided medication.
Yoo Jiha felt complicated at the thought of having to hide cash in his underwear in a rural market, as if this weren’t some trip to Europe…
「Welcoooome to the five-day maaaarket. How about a coupooon that can be used everywhere in our maaaarket¿」
“I’ll buy the coupon with this.”
「Here you gooo, please be caaaareful¡ Please find me again if you are shoooort¡」
Jeil Heon’s single drop of blood was a free pass this time as well. Kim Min-seop pleaded with a very desperate look in his eyes.
“Um, Team leader. Even if you end up leaving the Exploration Division later… would it be possible to share a little bit of your blood with us? No, probably not, right? I’ve said something strange. I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.”
“Of course I’ll give it to you. Since there’s a victim, let’s find the quilt shop before the sun sets.”
The group scattered to find the quilt shop. Kim Min-seop was supposed to be Yoo Jiha’s guardian, but before he knew it, Jiha had naturally ended up standing behind Jeil Heon.
Meanwhile, the market where the five-day fair was held was swarming with pedestrian entities. There seemed to be hundreds of them. The first thing to be careful of while walking around here was not to bump into anyone.
Yoo Jiha simply followed closely behind Jeil Heon’s broad back. It felt just like when they first met at the Eight Phases Mental Hospital. The only difference from that day was that Jeil Heon was wearing a thin t-shirt, making the fit stretched tight by his back muscles clearly visible, and because of that, the thumping of Jiha’s racing heart echoed exceptionally deep.
Just as his feelings had changed, he wanted to know more about him.
Taking advantage of the moment Jeil Heon stepped away briefly to check the name of the quilt shop he had found, Jiha asked the guarding Enforcement Division agent discreetly.
“Agent. Our Team leader… was he famous even before he went missing?”
“He wasn’t just famous; he was a legend.”
The agent began pouring out information, sounding as delighted as a fan who had been waiting for a chance to geek out. Thanks to that, Yoo Jiha managed to gather quite a bit of information in a short time.
Stories such as how he had slain a Disaster Grade Aberration alone at the age of 14, how he had worked unofficially for the Management Bureau from then on and became the youngest Head of department in the Enforcement Division ten years after officially joining at 17, how he had achieved unprecedented feats in the century-long history of the Management Bureau, and how the current Head of department finds him very daunting because Jeil Heon was already a Head of department when the current one was a rookie.
“That’s why I heard it was chaos when he went missing. To kill a Sunbae without a trace, it would have to be at least a Catastrophe Grade Aberration, and there’s a chance an Aberration that dangerous might be targeting the Management Bureau.”
While listening to the chatter, Jeil Heon returned and waved his hand. It seemed this wasn’t the place.
After searching the market for about an hour, Song Hilda finally found the Wing Quilt Shop.
“I’ve noted the location, and there’s plenty of time before the sun sets, so shall we explore the interior of the market? This place changes quite often, so it’s time to check. Actually, on my way here, it looked like something new appeared at the health center.”
“No. We will rescue the victim and get out as we are.”
“Right now?”
“I have a bad feeling.”
Song Hilda seemed puzzled, but she did not contradict Jeil Heon’s judgment. The intuition of an experienced agent is sometimes more accurate than the precise calculations of a computer.
When it was time to receive the quilt purchased with the coupon, Jeil Heon gestured.
“Jiha, come here. This is my first time taking this exit, so let’s go together.”
Jiha started to run over immediately, but then thought, ‘Still, I’m technically a working adult earning money; isn’t this too childish?’ He stole a glance at the others, but they didn’t seem to find it strange. He figured it was a rookie’s privilege. Relieved, Yoo Jiha slipped right under the arm Jeil Heon used to lift the quilt.
“Grab the other side of the quilt with your right hand and put it over your head. Yes, good. And since you might lose your grip, do you want to hold my other hand?”
“Ahem. I’m not scared at all, but I’m holding it because the Team leader asked me to.”
“That’s right. Our Jiha is helping me.”
Jeil Heon, nodding with a mock-serious expression, grasped his left hand. Yoo Jiha let out a needless cough. His own fingers weren’t short for his height, yet he felt completely enclosed within Jeil Heon’s hand.
“I’ll lead the way, so walk with your eyes closed today. This is better until you get used to it.”
Yoo Jiha closed his eyes tight, capturing the image of the round, hard-candy-like sun one last time. Then, the movement toward the place where the sun shone began.
With his eyes closed, relying only on the warmth touching his left hand, he stepped forward carefully. That warmth felt like the only signpost in the darkness. After walking a few steps, worried if he was walking correctly, he wiggled his fingers, and Jeil Heon squeezed his hand firmly as if to tell him not to worry. He felt reassured by the momentary pressure exerted by that large, rough hand calloused with hard skin.
With his sight blocked, his other four senses became acute. Aberrations openly whispered and spoke to him. Where are you walking so hurrriedly be careful a huge rock is rolling toward you to crush you with a crunch you will be smashed with your guts spilling out like a frog with a burst belly can’t you hear this sound crash bang boom crunch. His hand must have trembled unconsciously. Jeil Heon moved his fingers and interlaced them firmly.
Only then did Yoo Jiha realize his palm was drenched in cold sweat. To let him know he was okay now, he tapped the back of Jeil Heon’s hand with their interlaced fingers. Jeil Heon lightly shook his hand up and down once. Despite the clamor of Aberrations pouring in from all sides, a silly smile escaped him.
At that moment, something knocked on the soles of his feet touching the ground, as if knocking on a door.