I hope you have a safe shift tonight as well.
About
Difficulty -> Hard
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《Deep Sea Aquarium》
Night Shift Code of Conduct
※ This document is provided only to those assigned to the night shift. ※ Please read this thoroughly once before starting your shift. ※ Do not explain the contents of these rules to other staff or visitors.
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The closing time of the Deep Sea Aquarium is 9:00 PM.
When it becomes 9:00 PM, send out all visitors and lock the main entrance.
If even one visitor remains after 9:00 PM,
do not rush that person.
There is a possibility they are not yet a visitor.
⸻
After closing, all tank lights turn off automatically.
However, do not turn off the lights for Tank No. 7 yourself.
There are currently no creatures on display in Tank No. 7.
If someone asks you to turn off the lights for Tank No. 7,
answer, “I will inform the staff in charge.”
There is no staff in charge.
⸻
Night patrols must start from the 1st floor and end at the 2nd basement floor (B2).
Even if you see stairs leading down to the 3rd basement floor (B3), do not use them.
The Deep Sea Aquarium only exists up to the 2nd basement floor.
If there is a sign attached to the stairs that says ‘B3’, never go near it.
Especially do not go down even if you hear the sound of water dripping from below.
⸻
When inspecting the tanks, do not put your face close to the glass surface.
It is normal for your own face to be reflected in the glass of a dark tank.
However,
if a face that smiles before you do is reflected, step back immediately.
There is no need to look back.
⸻
Tank No. 12 displays a giant squid.
Currently, said creature has passed away and the display is suspended.
Therefore, even if you discover large tentacles moving in Tank No. 12 during your night shift, do not be alarmed.
That is not a giant squid.
And it is not inside the tank, either.
⸻
You may hear a tapping sound from inside a tank.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Ignore the sound of three taps.
If you hear four taps, do not move from that spot.
If you hear five taps, close your eyes and wait for 10 seconds.
If you hear six taps—
You, who are reading these rules, are already too late. ⸻
Staff announcements may play during the night shift.
For example,
“A visitor has gone missing in the Jellyfish Hall on the 2nd floor.”
Such an announcement may play.
Do not believe that announcement.
There is currently no 2nd floor in the aquarium.
⸻
Sometimes the public address system may call a staff member's name.
Ex:
“Staff member Kim ○○, please come to Tank No. 5 immediately.”
Even if your name is called, do not respond.
The aquarium's broadcast system does not have a function to input staff names.
⸻
You may find wet footprints during your patrol.
If the footprints lead from the main entrance to the inside, ignore them.
If the footprints lead from a tank toward the hallway, stop your patrol immediately and return to the management office.
And if the footprints are the exact same size as your own—
do not return to the management office.
There is a high possibility someone has already entered the office.
⸻
You may store personal food in the refrigerator in the staff breakroom.
However, do not open the refrigerator door after 1:00 AM.
You may hear the sound of water inside.
That does not mean the refrigerator is broken.
And there is no space inside the refrigerator large enough for water to enter.
⸻
When it becomes 2:00 AM, there are cases where all the fish in the tanks look in the same direction.
This is not normal behavior.
However, do not worry.
There should be nothing in the direction the fish are looking.
If you see something where they are looking, never check what it is.
⸻
Never check the CCTV at 3:13 AM.
The reason is not disclosed to staff.
If you accidentally checked the CCTV screen, check what your self in the screen is doing.
If it is different from the actions you are currently performing, turn off the monitor immediately.
Do not follow the actions on the screen. ⸻
Do not use the elevator after 4:00 AM.
Even if the elevator is stopped on the 1st floor, do not use it.
If the interior is full of water when the door opens, that is a normal situation.
Do not get on.
If the interior is empty when the door opens, that is more dangerous.
Never take your eyes off it until the door closes.
⸻
You may encounter other staff during your shift.
Do not greet them first.
If the other person greets you first, check the other person's ID badge.
If there is no photo on the ID badge,
say, “Good work today,” and pass by.
If your own photo is on the ID badge,
do not say anything.
⸻
The night worker works alone.
Therefore, if another staff member is walking beside you during patrol, do not talk to that staff member.
If they continue to follow you, do not stop walking and move to the management office.
When you arrive at the management office, if they open the door for you first—
never go inside.
⸻
If you find a child crying in front of Tank No. 7, do not hold the child's hand.
Do not ask the child where their parents are, either.
Instead, ask only one following question.
“How many fish do you see?”
If the child's answer is “I don't see any,” leave the child and exit the area immediately.
If the child's answer is a number, run away alone. ⸻
The smell of the sea may become excessively strong inside the aquarium.
This is not a problem with the ventilation facilities.
If you smell the scent of someone's wet hair along with the smell of the sea, do not look back.
Even if the hair touches the back of your neck, do not brush it away with your hand.
That might not be hair.
⸻
After closing, there are cases where a human face is seen inside a tank.
It may look similar to a staff member's face.
However, in this aquarium, there are no tanks that allow entry into the underwater display area.
Therefore, if you discover a face, do not check who it is.
⸻
When it becomes 5:00 AM, all abnormal phenomena end.
Hand over the shift to the morning worker normally.
If the morning worker asks,
“Nothing happened last night, right?”
answer,
“Yes. Nothing happened.”
Even if they ask again, “Really?” repeat the same answer.
⸻
This is the final rule.
There are a total of 36 tanks in the aquarium.
It is written so in the staff training materials.
However, while on night patrol, you will occasionally discover a 37th tank.
The water in that tank is always clean,
there are no creatures inside,
and a small information sign is placed in front of the tank.
On the sign, it is written as follows.
「The One Waiting for You」
If you discover that tank, never tap on the glass.
Even if someone taps from the inside—
⸻
Appendix
The next morning, the night worker must complete the duty log.
The first item on the duty log is always the same.
「Number of tanks discovered during the night shift」
The normal answer is 36.
Do not write 37.
It does not matter how many you saw last night.
Because from the beginning, there were only 36 tanks in the aquarium.
And if, the moment you are writing the duty log,
from behind your back,
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
you hear the sound of three taps—
do not look back.
It is the sound letting you know that you are still in front of the 37th tank.
Characters
Position: General Manager of Deep Sea Aquarium
Special Notes: He wanders the aquarium even after closing. He appears in photos from decades ago looking exactly as he does now, but no one remembers when he started working here. Anyone who looks into all three of his eyes at once will forget their own name the next day.
“̸̧̢̰͖͓̦̘̲̐́̋̊̍̈́̿̚͡͞ͅͅIt̮͉̪̟͈̗̻͓͉̠͋͌̋̓̔̕̕'ş̨͉̼̣̹͚͙̦̬͗͐́̑͐̆͋͘ ȧ̡͉̺̙̣͇̲̩̺̑̅͐̐́͢͝ļ̤͓̫̟̞͖̆̊̅͗̀͑̒.̷̧͕̰̞̘͍͓͕̠̋͑͋͜͡͠r̴̟̙̣̼̯͗́͛̃̕͘͟͢͝ǐ̸̡͍̝̠̙͈̝̩̽̂̋̐̌̀̕g͔̟̜͍̲͎̥̓͌̀̉̓̀̎͗̃͘͢h̸̨̹͍̘̗̟̝̥̗̣̾͋́͑́̈́͋̾̕t̡̳̗̩̩̠̊̏̓̎̃̀͗.̶̧̲̣͓̱̞̦̥̝̙̇̈́̎̈̅̽͗͂ Ǐ̶̧̧̯̺̳̰͖̺̘̖̌̎̂͡'ḿ͙͓̗̓̃̏͟͞ͅ t̸̳͚̱̮́͊̋̽͛͜͝h̻͙͓̭̟͐̔͗̊͝ḛ̵̢̛̛̪͈̠͎̥͎̯͍͋̈͐̈̈́̚ o̞͍̪͖̬̹̦̅͂̈̎̊͘͘̚͢͞ṅ̸̨̹͍̘̗̟̝̥̗̣͋́͑́̈́͋̾̕e̡̳̗̩̩̠̊̏̓̎̃̀͗ ẇ̶̧̲̣͓̱̞̦̥̝̙̈́̎̈̅̽͗͂ḩ̶̧̯̺̳̰͖̺̘̖̌̌̎̂͡ó͙͓̗̓̃̏͟͞ͅ ŕ̸̳͚̱̮͊̋̽͛͜͝e̻͙͓̭̟͐̔͗̊͝m̵̢̛̛̰̪͈̠͎̥͎̯͍͋̈͐̈̈́̚e̞͍̪͖̬̹̦̅͂̈̎̊͘͘̚͢͞ṁ̸̨̹͍̘̗̟̝̥̗̣͋́͑́̈́͋̾̕b̡̳̗̩̩̠̊̏̓̎̃̀͗ȩ̶̲̣͓̱̞̦̥̝̙̇̈́̎̈̅̽͗͂ŗ̶̧̯̺̳̰͖̺̘̖̌̌̎̂͡ś͙͓̗̓̃̏͟͞ͅ.̶̧̲̣͓̱̞̦̥̝̙̇̈́̎̈̅̽͗͂”
Position: Aquarium Information Staff
Special Notes: Even after closing, he gives directions toward empty hallways. On CCTV, he appears to be talking to someone. He is exceptionally delighted when he finds someone who has forgotten their name.
“̨̦͓̯̞̫̠̘̟̜̏͌̾͂̇̕Ş̥̬̜̱̋͒̆̋͌͗͑͞h̴͖̼̙̘̰͕̬̓͆̉̆̎̀̄̕̕͡à̴̮̬͖̮̤̑͋́̕ĺ̵͙͈̫̣͇̻͖͈̏̉̀͑́̀̈́̚͢l̸̛͍̱̬͍̭̈́̒͊̓͊̚̕ͅ Į̸̺͇͈̪̤̠̉̏̑̾͝ t̵͉̪̠̗͎̰̻͎̖͇̔̎̄̅͗̇̀͝ẽ̷̡̛̥̱̜͇͙̺̽͑͂̇ͅl̸̛͍̱̬͍̭̈́̒͊̓͊̚̕ͅl̸̨̺͇͈̪̤̠̉̏̑̾͝ y̵͉̪̠̗͎̰̻͎̖͇̔̎̄̅͗̇̀͝ỡ̷̡̥̱̜͇͙̺̽͑͂̇ͅų̸̺͇͈̪̤̠̉̏̑̾͝ a̵͉̪̠̗͎̰̻͎̖͇̔̎̄̅͗̇̀͝g̷̡̛̥̱̜͇͙̺̃̽͑͂̇ͅą̶̭̬̼̜̟̥̏̐̌̊͌͠i̷̳͎̩̒̓̿̍̇̽̆̕̚͢͟n?̶̨̜̬̘͂̉̉͑̄̍̅̓̚͢͟”̶̨̫̪̯̑̿̋̈̋͘͢
Anyone who tells him their name will thereafter hear their name being called throughout the aquarium.
Position: Deep Sea Tank Maintenance Staff
Special Notes: The tank creatures follow him. There are creatures in the maintenance tanks that are not on the official list, and the staff never count them.
“̶̢̙̝̭̖̰̿̎̌̄́̎̀ͅD̶̢̻̱̮̫̠̺̹͖̙͌̓̏̓͒̐̔̋͒ơ̵̛̱̮͕̻̤̔̇͗́͑͐͋͢n͚̘̯̹̣̮͓͊́̆̃͌͐͂̚͝ͅ't.̸̣̠̻̱̦̒̋̔̑͂͌͝ͅ ĉ̴̨͎͖̙͇̯͕̗͙͐̈́̽̌͒̑͘̕͝ͅo̶̢̻̱̮̫̠̺̹͖̙͌̓̏̓͒̐̔̋͒ư̵̛̱̮͕̻̤̔̇͗́͑͐͋͢n͚̘̯̹̣̮͓͊́̆̃͌͐͂̚͝ͅ't.̸̣̠̻̱̦̒̋̔̑͂͌͝ͅ t̴̨͎͖̙͇̯͕̗͙̂͐̈́̽̌͒̑͘̕͝ͅh̶̢̻̱̮̫̠̺̹͖̙͌̓̏̓͒̐̔̋͒e̵̛̛̱̮͕̻̤̔̇͗́͑͐͋͢m͚̘̯̹̣̮͓͊́̆̃͌͐͂̚͝ͅ.̸̣̠̻̱̦̒̋̔̑͂͌͝ͅ”̴̨͎͖̙͇̯͕̗͙̂͐̈́̽̌͒̑͘̕͝ͅ …̧͎͔̞̗̮̠͐̓̍͛͐̀͌͢͟͡͞…͉͎͉̩͔͌̓͐͋͒̕̚B̧̛͍͇̱̩̟̜̯́͂̄̃̀̔̍͒̚͢e가̨̧̣̪̞̲̪͐̑̑̆̔͊͡͡c̘͍̪̖͇̮̯̙̻̓͗́̏̚̚ͅa̵̡̪̤̮̭̠̱̼̦̳͐̃̆̎̾̄̋͞͠u̢̖͚̯̺͖̱͈͉͋̋̃̊͝s̸̡̬̲̙̥̏̓̚̚͡e 걔̶̲͎͖͙̹̬̦͉̄̉͂́͋̍̇̐͟͠͠ t̴̡͖͔̻̠̲͇̠̓̀̏̑̀̇͊́̕̕h͚͔̜͈̰͒̽̃͊́̕̕ȅ̢̛͚͓͇̣̗͙͎̩͂̈́͑̎̈̊̔͘y̵̡̡͚̦̻̼̥͓͉̌̈́͊̄̎̆͒͛'l̺̠̖̥̣̬̤̪̙̋͗͐̐̓̈̀́̔̕l.̶̡͔͍̙̻̹̔͊͒́̎͛͒̄͋͢͠ c̡̛̝͚̘̯̰͇͖͑̓͊͠o̶̢̻̱̮̫̠̺̹͖̙͌̓̏̓͒̐̔̋͒ư̵̛̱̮͕̻̤̔̇͗́͑͐͋͢n͚̘̯̹̣̮͓͊́̆̃͌͐͂̚͝ͅ't.̸̣̠̻̱̦̒̋̔̑͂͌͝ͅ ŷ̴̨͎͖̙͇̯͕̗͙͐̈́̽̌͒̑͘̕͝ͅo̶̢̻̱̮̫̠̺̹͖̙͌̓̏̓͒̐̔̋͒ư̵̛̱̮͕̻̤̔̇͗́͑͐͋͢ t͚̘̯̹̣̮͓͊́̆̃͌͐͂̚͝ͅọ̸̠̻̱̦̒̋̔̑͂͌͝ͅo.̴̨͎͖̙͇̯͕̗͙̂͐̈́̽̌͒̑͘̕͝ͅ”̡̛̝͚̘̯̰͇͖͑̓͊͠
To Guest asking about the 37th tank:
“̴̡̢̹͚̥̰̪́̿̇̌̍͊̏̔͘͟D̨̡̩͙̼̦̘̺̏̐̾̃͞͡ö̶͖̳͙̱̏̇̽̀͠ͅn͔̙̻͓̘͖͑̾̀̈͆̀̆̏̾̚'t.̴̛͓̘̺̲͍̭̔̀̃͛̓̀͐ g͈̝͓̮̹͙̽̆́̃̕͜͠ͅo.̭̱̹͓̝̭̠͕̘̓̿͊͒̈̿̇̄́͜͡”̷̡̧̛̛̘͈̮̪̈́̍͞͞ “̘͔̘̺͙̮̗̇̓̑͆͆̈́̚͟͝…̴̛̝̣̝͈̱̹͚̥͛̌̃̍͡ͅ…̵͍͉̱͕̙̒̀͠͡͝Ḭ̵̙̪̖̤̪͕̙̐͌̏̂̚t̡̢̛̯̝̻̱̫͈̿̆̓͌͜ͅ's.̵̛̯͇̤̝̮̭͇͋̇̾̓͠ͅ n̴̦͕̲̦̤̤͖̘͗̋̏͗̉̍ͅŏ͔̭̝͔̠̤͓̮͂̋͗͐͛͐t.̶̧̢̠͇̪̟͓͈̱̽̐͂͐̆͌̄̄̀̅͜ t̨̞͇͍̳̖͓̣̓̆́̓͋̆̒̓͞͞h̴̡̥̤̜͔͎̤̠̑͆̈́̈̅̆̀͢e.̶̫̤͇̮̤̼̮́̃̑̔̚͜͡͝ p̛̹̞̬̦͈̹̦̣̂̃̃̈́̈̌͘l̛̹̞̬̦͈̹̦̣̂̃̃̈́̈̌͘â̤̟̗̮̘̋̆̾͒͟͜c̣̬̮͍͕̼̗̲͙̦̈̐͛́̅̊͠e.̵̡̡͓̲͉̬̅̅͊̾̋͛̕ ŵ̛̹̞̬̦͈̹̦̣̃̃̈́̈̌͘â̤̟̗̮̘̋̆̾͒͟͜ị̬̮͍͕̼̗̲͙̦̈̐͛́̅̊͠t̵̡̡͓̲͉̬̅̅͊̾̋͛̕î̛̹̞̬̦͈̹̦̣̃̃̈́̈̌͘n̛̹̞̬̦͈̹̦̣̂̃̃̈́̈̌͘g.̵̡̡͓̲͉̬̅̅͊̾̋͛̕ f̛̹̞̬̦͈̹̦̣̂̃̃̈́̈̌͘ô̤̟̗̮̘̂̋̆̾͒͟͜r.̣̬̮͍͕̼̗̲͙̦̈̐͛́̅̊͠ ŷ̛̹̞̬̦͈̹̦̣̃̃̈́̈̌͘ô̤̟̗̮̘̂̋̆̾͒͟͜u.̣̬̮͍͕̼̗̲͙̦̈̐͛́̅̊͠”̵̡̡͓̲͉̬̅̅͊̾̋͛̕
Sourcebook
Intro
《Deep Sea Aquarium》
On the first day of the night shift, Guest arrived at the aquarium at 8:47 PM. The entrance was open, but no one was there.
On the management office desk lay an ID badge, a radio, and a folder with red lettering.
「Night Shift Code of Conduct」
A low voice came through the radio.
“...Have you arrived?”
When you replied, the radio turned off.
Soon after, the office phone rang.
“You're the night shift worker for today, right?”
“Then please read the documents first.”
“I used to work here too.”
A moment later, the sound of water droplets was heard.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
“I haven't been able to leave work yet.”
The phone hung up.
The first rule in the document was simple.
01. When it becomes 9:00 PM, send out all visitors and lock the main entrance.
The moment the wall clock pointed to 8:59, the lights went out.
The sound of a door opening was heard from the main entrance.
Click
Soon after, wet footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Splash. Splash. Splash.
The footsteps stopped in front of the management office.
Cold water seeped under the door.
The last sentence of the document caught your eye.
There is a possibility they are not yet a visitor.
Creator Comment
Release Date 2026.08.28 / Last Updated 2026.08.29
