# Chapter Nine
The part of the Whispering Souls Market where "The Grand Whisper" was said to hide was even more chaotic and confusing than the rest of the market. The passages here seemed to shift and twist on their own, and the sounds were a discordant mix of whispers, muffled laughter, and soft cries. The air was heavier, laden with the scent of old book dust, magical ink, and something else unidentifiable, something like the smell of decaying secrets.
Kang Jin-woo moved through this labyrinth with calculated caution. "The Heart Collector" had given him a vague description of The Grand Whisper's location: "Where dead words gather and living lies dance." It wasn't precise guidance, but Jin-woo was beginning to understand that everything in this dimension was a riddle or a metaphor.
He used his "Cold Observer's Eye" continuously, examining every dark corner and every strange creature he passed. He noticed that the entities here were more cautious and elusive than those in other parts of the market. It seemed everyone here had secrets to hide or debts to evade.
After some searching, he began to notice a pattern. There were small, scattered stalls selling ancient manuscripts, tattered scrolls, and strange writing implements made of bone and black feathers. The closer he got to these stalls, the louder and clearer the whispers in the air became, as if the words themselves were seeping from the old pages.
[Stall of "Forgotten Words"]
[Owner: Inkling (Level 6)]
[Description: Sells scraps of lost texts and incomplete spells. Most are useless or dangerous. The entity itself is made of enchanted ink and can slightly alter its form.]
[Note: Hates holy water and the smell of lemons.]
Jin-woo passed by several of these stalls, ignoring the vendors' attempts to lure him with promises of forbidden knowledge or easy power. He was looking for something bigger, for the center of this network of information and secrets.
Finally, at the end of a narrow, dead-end passage, he found what he was looking for. It wasn't a stall, but a strange structure resembling a huge pile of books and scrolls stacked haphazardly, as if a giant had dumped his entire library in this spot. There was a small opening at the base of this pile, like the mouth of a dark cave, and from it emanated the strongest whispers, accompanied by the thick scent of dust and old ink.
[Lair of The Grand Whisper – Strong Influence of Distorted Information Energy]
[Description: The dwelling place of "The Grand Whisper," the legendary information broker of the Whispering Souls Market. It is said he knows every secret in this dimension, for the right price. The lair itself is a maze of tunnels and passages carved within piles of forgotten texts.]
[Expected Threat Level: Medium to High (Depends on The Grand Whisper's intentions and defensive capabilities).]
[Warning: The Grand Whisper is skilled in psychological manipulation and may try to deceive or confuse you with false or contradictory information.]
Jin-woo smiled. "Where dead words gather..." This was definitely the place. He took out his shadow dagger, holding it inconspicuously by his side. Then he bent down and entered the dark opening.
The interior was as the System described: a maze of narrow tunnels carved between endless piles of books, scrolls, and manuscripts. The lighting was dim, coming from strange, intermittently glowing crystals embedded in the papery walls. The whispers here were almost deafening, a cacophony of thousands of voices speaking in different languages, some known, some utterly alien. Jin-woo felt a slight tingling in his head, as if information was trying to force its way into his mind.
["Information Noise" effect active. May cause slight confusion or difficulty concentrating. High "Perception" skill mitigates this effect.]
Jin-woo resisted the effect with his cold focus. He had faced worse things than annoying whispers. He began to advance cautiously through the maze, trying to find any sign of The Grand Whisper.
The passages twisted and branched randomly, and it would have been easy to get lost. But Jin-woo was using his "Cold Observer's Eye" to track any energy traces or signs of a living being. He noticed that some of the books on the shelves moved on their own, as if breathing, and some scrolls whispered their own secrets to him as he passed by.
["The Seven Madrigals of Madness" Book – Sentient Artifact (Medium Grade)]
[Description: A book containing seven poems said to cause insanity in those who read them aloud. The book itself enjoys tempting the curious.]
[Note: Hates bad literary criticism.]
Jin-woo ignored the temptations of the sentient books. He had only one goal. After what felt like a long time walking through this paper labyrinth, he reached a central chamber slightly larger than the passages. The room was filled with scrolls hanging from the ceiling like strange curtains, and in its center, a shadowy figure sat on a pile of open manuscripts.
The figure was somewhat humanoid, but very thin and tall, its limbs looking as if they were made of tightly rolled paper. It had no discernible face; its head was a shifting mass of symbols and letters that glowed faintly. Several small mouths appeared and disappeared on its papery "face," each whispering something different simultaneously.
[The Grand Whisper – Informational Entity (Level 9)]
[Status: Engaged in Information Processing (Curious, Amused)]
[Skills: Parallel Information Processing (Legendary Level), Word Manipulation (Expert), Auditory Illusion Creation (Advanced), Extensive Knowledge of Secrets (Whispering Souls Market)]
[Description: A unique entity composed of accumulated information. Considered the primary source of secrets and rumors in the Whispering Souls Market. Sells information for exorbitant prices, often non-material.]
[Warning: Extremely intelligent and elusive. Nothing he says can be fully trusted. Has the ability to overwhelm a target's mind with misleading or painful information.]
"Welcome, seeker of secrets," said The Grand Whisper, all its mouths speaking in eerie unison for a moment before returning to their discordant whispers. "I have been expecting your arrival. Or the arrival of someone like you. There are always those who seek what should not be known."
Jin-woo didn't reply immediately. He was studying the creature before him, analyzing the information the System provided. Level 9. That made him stronger than "The Heart Collector." But his nature as an "informational entity" might mean he had different weaknesses.
"I am here at the request of a mutual acquaintance," Jin-woo finally said, choosing his words carefully. "The Heart Collector sends his regards. And he would like to reclaim what is his."
The mouths of The Grand Whisper laughed, a dry rustling sound like thousands of pages. "The Heart Collector... Yes, that greedy creature. He claims I owe him something. But debts, my friend, are a matter of perspective, are they not? Especially in a place like this."
"I am not here to discuss the philosophy of debt," Jin-woo said coldly. "I am here for a small coffer of Soul Echoes. I believe it belongs to The Heart Collector."
The Grand Whisper tilted its papery "head" to the side, the symbols on its face shifting and dancing. "Soul Echoes... Yes, an interesting substance. They carry the whispers of dead souls, the echoes of their final emotions. Why would The Heart Collector want such a thing? Is he planning a tea party with ghosts?"
"His motives are none of my concern," Jin-woo replied. "Nor yours. Will you hand over the coffer, or will we have to resolve this in a less... civilized manner?"
A smile (or what passed for a smile on a face made of letters) appeared on The Grand Whisper. "You are bold, human. Most who come here are more... respectful. Or fearful. But I appreciate boldness. It makes things more entertaining."
He paused for a moment, and the whispers around them seemed to hold their breath. Then The Grand Whisper continued, "Very well, I will give you the coffer. But not for free. Everything here has a price, as you know. Even settling an old debt."
"And what is your price?" Jin-woo asked, ready for anything.
"My price is simple," said The Grand Whisper. "I want a secret. A secret no one has ever heard. A secret that belongs to you. The deeper and darker the secret, the greater the value of the coffer in my eyes."
Jin-woo stared at The Grand Whisper. A personal secret? He had plenty of dark secrets. But which one would be enough to satisfy this information-hungry entity? And which one could he reveal without endangering himself?
Jin-woo smiled a cold, dark smile. "I have many secrets, Whisperer. The question is, are you prepared to hear them? Some secrets... might be more than you can handle."
The Grand Whisper laughed again, and this time his laughter carried a note of challenge. "Try me, human. Try me. For there is no secret dark enough to shock me. I am made of secrets."
The game had begun. A game of secrets and deception, in the heart of a labyrinth of dead words and living lies. And Jin-woo was ready to play.