The exit for clearing the Darkness under Daydream Inc.’s jurisdiction was set to the company.
It wasn’t strange. But….
‘If the entry paths were different, we should have been able to leave through where we came from...!’
I gulped.
Looking around, it seemed that everyone who had been in the escape pod had, without exception, dropped into the research team's office.
No, why the hell does everyone who escaped end up stuck at Daydream for no reason? If it's an escape pod, it should at least ask the passengers where they want to go….
Ah.
‘Wait, was it because the person who first boarded and operated the escape pod was from Daydream Inc....?’
Was the destination set based on that?
‘It's highly likely.’
The problem was that thinking about it now was meaningless.
Breaking into a cold sweat, I quietly moved only my eyes to look at Agent Bronze, who was facing off against Section Chief Kwak Jekang.
“Seeing those uniforms, you must be from the Disaster Management Bureau? It seems a distress call was sent from our Darkness this time. Haha!”
“Supernatural Disasters are not property. Refrain from using inappropriate titles.”
Agent!
“Ah, well. You can say that, Agent, but….”
Kwak Jekang smiled broadly behind his glasses.
“In any case, didn’t you trespass on a private company's property?”
“…….”
“But well, I suppose it was a case of mutually helping each other clear it, right? Haha, in that case, if you just give us a simple interview, we won't charge you separately….”
“Charge?”
“I mean, you used our Clear Path! Things like information usage fees, labor costs, professional consultation fees…. You're a government agency, so surely you won't stiff us.”
I wouldn’t have been surprised if Agent Bronze punched Section Chief Kwak Jekang.
However, surprisingly, instead of getting angry, Agent Bronze looked at the other with a gaze full of contempt and said:
“I never sought consultation. We already identified the escape method used just now.”
“Hoh… Then it's not a collaboration, but trespassing.”
Kwak Jekang stared at Agent Bronze with a smile.
“…….”
Agent Bronze watched him silently while sliding his hand inside his jacket.
A strange tension filled the air.
Right.
‘This is… the middle of a major psycho pharmaceutical company's headquarters.’
And the research team, no less.
If he just pressed a call button, Security Team employees would come running to suppress the ‘trespassers’ as much as they wanted.
And since the Security Team employees were those who had already reached a state of no longer being human, there was a high possibility that even two veteran agents could be suppressed in a horrific manner.
In short, it was the middle of a bizarre enemy stronghold where social common sense did not apply.
…A chill ran down my spine.
‘With this crazy company, they might just report a few civil servants missing and use them as test subjects….’
“Oh, my aching bones….”
“…!”
At that moment, a human figure lying on the floor stood up, groaning loudly.
His attitude was so nonchalant that it broke all the tension.
‘Agent Choi!’
“I can't just lie here because it's too scary. Trespassing, you say? Since when is a crash landing while escaping a ghost story considered trespassing? My goodness, how can one work in such a stingy world?”
Agent Choi stood up and smiled at Kwak Jekang as their eyes met.
“Our Disaster Management Bureau isn't that stingy when we see people who accidentally enter during a safety inspection….”
“…….”
Ah, right.
In the first place, the reason Daydream Inc. was sick and tired of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau wasn't because their public spirit seemed useless.
Naturally, the government did not recognize ownership of ghost stories. Officially, that is.
Thus, whenever the Disaster Management Bureau identified a ghost story managed by Daydream Inc. that looked clearable, they would push their way in and try to end it.
Under the guise of a ‘safety inspection.’
‘To Daydream, the Disaster Management Bureau is the true disaster that ruins their raw material sources.’
Thanks to this, rules were even established so that the frequency of exploration records where the two forces collided in ghost stories wouldn't be too high.
It was because there were so many records written recklessly just because it was interesting.
…Just like this case.
“I'm afraid things might get bloody if this continues~ Right?”
In other words, Agent Choi was pressuring Kwak Jekang by implying he could become a huge pain in the ass in the future.
And while the veterans of the two forces engaged in a wordless battle, Agent Bronze, who had escaped the spotlight, turned around as if checking on the children and made eye contact with me.
I read his lips.
-Stay still.
You bet.
‘I’ll shut my mouth and stay out of sight.’
If I get caught here, things will get incredibly complicated.
Agent Bronze probably wants to protect my identity because he thinks I faked my death and quit this company to go into hiding, but in reality, it’s not just that.
‘I’m faking my identity as dead within the company to perform spy work.’
If the research team discovered my identity and it reached Director Ho's ears… I couldn't even imagine what would happen.
Furthermore, what if Director Cheong, who thinks I betrayed him and ran away, found out that ‘Kim Soleum’ is currently in the building?
I gulped.
‘…I’ll die.’
No, it might be a fate worse than death. This is a ghost story, after all.
‘I must never be caught.’
I naturally avoided standing out among the children and hid my presence as much as possible.
In any case, Agent Choi's subtle threat—that if this continued, he would more persistently track and inspect only the ghost stories under their jurisdiction—was slowly leading to a conclusion.
“We’ll just take the civilians and be on our way. Well, you don't have to thank us separately for saving your employees~ Hahaha!”
It was a clean compromise.
However, Kwak Jekang is a madman.
“…Ah, indeed. How could I not know that you are always busy working for the civilians?”
He spread his arms wide while holding a file folder.
“Then by all means, just take the civilians!”
“……!”
Kwak Jekang walked toward us.
‘…!’
I hurriedly lowered my breath and bowed my head, pretending not to have regained consciousness.
The sound of footsteps.
Thud, thud.
They drew closer.
A voice heard from above my head.
“But these Contaminated Entities here… no matter how I look at them, they don't seem like normal civilians of our society.”
Shit.
“Look here. I mean, they have gills instead of ears, there's no way they're our civilians! Oh, this one has an extra arm, and this one….”
A gaze.
“Has no right arm.”
I got goosebumps.
“Ah, of course, it could be a poor civilian who lost their right arm in an accident, but… we’ll have to examine to know for sure!”
An excited voice.
“Their overall contamination is severe, so we will perform an examination, sort out the civilians, and send them back safely.”
If they weren't ‘civilians.’
It meant they would handle them as they saw fit.
“Well, since you busy Agents must be tied up with other work, you should head off~”
At this point, it seemed Agent Bronze's patience had snapped.
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“Nonsense?”
Damn it.
“I'm saying it's not certain if this falls under the jurisdiction of the Disaster Management Bureau Agents… Dear me. If you keep this up… Fine. Let's hear some testimony from our employees. Hey, Assistant Manager Jin!”
Beside him, the sound of Kwak Jekang shaking Assistant Manager Jin Nasol awake could be heard.
And a dry voice, heavy with annoyance.
“…What.”
“Oh, you’re awake. In the eyes of the elite squad, did these kids look like innocent civilians? I mean, I'm just so frustrated!”
“Aren't you frustrated every day, Manager?”
However, Assistant Manager Jin Nasol seemed to have grasped the situation and stated only the facts that were advantageous. Damn it!
“…Those things are Mermaid Spawn.”
“Oh!”
Kwak Jekang's footsteps became bustling.
“Mermaid Spawn! This is so interest—I mean, what a new discovery. Then they aren't innocent civilians, but more like Darkness Collaborators!”
“Wait.”
Agent Choi's voice became firm.
“That is for the Bureau to judge; a private company shouldn't reach its own conclusions. Especially,”
Even though I couldn't see it, I could feel it.
“You, personally.”
The pressure.
“…….”
“…….”
“…Haha, it seems our opinions differ!”
Clap. Kwak Jekang applauded.
Then he stepped back slightly.
“It seems I acted a bit too hastily, as you said. Then… how about you rest for a while first and then we talk again?”
“…….”
The two agents seemed to be calculating the situation.
It was precarious.
No.
‘The conflict shouldn't escalate any further here.’
The best course of action is to get out as smoothly and intact as possible.
If hostility was expressed directly, there was no telling what might happen in a situation where everyone was already exhausted from escaping the ghost story.
So….
“We can talk as much as you like~”
Whew.
“We’ll stay here and rest with the children. Come to us when you've organized what you want to say.”
“Haha, well. Understood.”
The agents sat down as if they would never let the children out of their sight, and Kwak Jekang finally seemed forced to leave.
But….
‘The tricks won't end there.’
I naturally opened my eyes.
Before I knew it, I heard the agents sitting next to me—as if they had naturally ended up there while moving—talking.
As if they wanted me to hear.
“How long will it take?”
“Well~ half a day at most.”
A sense of leisure mixed with a sigh returned to Agent Choi's voice.
“It’s not the first time I’ve seen a guy like that. Let’s just stay for a bit until backup arrives.”
What a relief.
It seemed they had successfully bought a gap to contact the Disaster Management Bureau and get help.
The problem was….
“Excuse me. We need to do our work….”
The research team would pull as many tricks as possible until then.
I squinted my eyes and saw someone approaching the people.
A researcher with glasses and deep dark circles was attending to the field exploration team employees, giving them treatment and leading them to the interview room.
[Lee Yeonhwa]
Assistant Manager of Research Team 1.
The name on the name tag was a researcher I had seen in the Dark Exploration Records. What this meant was….
‘She has enough character to be mentioned in the Wiki.’
That character was….
One of the few researchers at Daydream who was conscious of research ethics.
She was a researcher whose attitude reflected that.
If it weren't for this situation, I might have been a bit glad to see her, but not now.
Because Kwak Jekang had probably sent her on purpose.
To lower the agents' guard.
“Um, regarding the children... and you Agents, it might be best to receive some basic first aid. Especially since the children have severe bleeding, and some are in shock.”
“…Hmm.”
It would be difficult to refuse this, wouldn't it?
After confirming that the researcher had no ill intent, the Disaster Management Bureau agents checked the recovery potion she offered with their equipment and gave the okay.
However, they didn't drink it themselves. It seemed they only permitted it for the children out of necessity, given the urgency of their situation, such as having their tails torn off.
“Drink up.”
Just like that, a recovery potion naturally came to me as well.
The standard-issue Red Potion stocked here in the medical room.
‘It’s been a while.’
I went to take it with both hands, only to realize I was missing a hand, and took it with my left.
And instead of drinking the potion… I pretended to, while storing the liquid inside the tattoo on my wrist.
‘They might have recognized me and given me something strange.’
Even if that wasn't the case, they might have pulled some trick to ‘study’ the children.
…I definitely saw it.
Several researchers giving out potions were exchanging signals, choosing potions to give to children who were ‘different somehow.’
‘They are healing potions, but they’ve mixed something small into them.’
It might be a bit paranoid, but there was no harm in it.
However, I realized something during this process.
The moment I moved, I felt the presence of an object in my coat that wasn't there before.
‘…The Glass Lantern!’
The Dokkaebi Flame, which had returned to its Glass Lantern form from my right arm, was inside my outer clothing.
“…!”
If this was caught, it would be revealed that I’m an agent.
To put it another way, it was perfect for attracting Kwak Jekang's attention.
‘No.’
Pretending to be an innocent civilian child, I tried to hide the Glass Lantern and store it in the tattoo while masked by the crowd of children, wearing a terrified expression.
However, a violent reaction of refusal came from the Dokkaebi Flame inside.
“…!”
It doesn't… want to go into the tattoo?
‘Damn it!’
With no other choice, I hid it as much as possible with my oversized jacket.
Then I sat back down and handed the empty glass bottle to the researcher, acting scared.
While doing so, I made eye contact with Baek Saheon, who had just opened his eyes.
“…….”
“…….”
-If you act like you know me, you’re dead.
-Ah, yes.
I believe a silent conversation like that took place. Baek Saheon's eyes twitched as he quickly looked forward.
Honestly, I wondered if he had imagined a scenario where he turned me in and got a promotion….
‘He won't act recklessly because there are items he needs to receive.’
He's a guy who calculates gains thoroughly.
I recalled the conversation we had right before escaping, when I used Baek Saheon as a means of transportation to read the Necronomicon.
-If you do it right, it's yours.
And how the bastard's heart had raced with greed.
‘Good.’
I can endure this quietly.
I decided to sit still and spend the time quietly, checking on the children who were dazed from the shock.
But at that moment.
“Group D has returned!”
Along with an announcement, a new person entered the research lab.
I suddenly raised my head.
“Ah, you’ve returned.”
“Yes.”
A flat voice.
And… a white Lizard head.
‘L-Leader…!’
It was Section Chief Lee Jaheon.
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