‘That's right, Manager!’
Since when had that pale reptilian head and vertical pupils become so tearfully welcome?
I almost stood up from my seat when I saw the Lizard wearing the Lizard mask.
‘Of course, the situation isn't exactly one to be that happy about right now...’
Still, the memory of being super-saved by the strongest physical fighter in those crazy ghost stories was just so intense.
Anyway, Section Chief Lizard, who looked as if he had just returned from the Darkness, began his report to the research team.
"It took 3 hours and 24 minutes to clear."
"Ah, um. Manager. It’s a bit difficult to hear the details right now..."
"?"
"Because there are outsiders present."
The research team gestured toward the chaotic office.
A space littered with nearly thirty injured children, Agents, and moaning daydream employees.
"I see."
To Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s eyes, it must have looked like he had cleared the Darkness as usual, only to find the place filled with civilians instead of employees, yet he didn't show even a hint of agitation. Typical of a lizard.
The only thing that bothered me was that no one was following behind him.
‘The researcher definitely said Team D had returned.’
But Section Chief Lee Jaheon was alone.
...Don't tell me all the newly appointed employees died in an instant?
Regardless of my doubts, the interactions of the Daydream Inc. employees continued.
"Um, Manager. The Dream Collector, over here..."
"Yes."
"Thank you...! Please wait for a moment."
The processing of the Mermaid Tomb side, which had been cleared first, took priority.
The Lizard, who had returned the Dream Essence Liquid to the researcher, looked around the research team area, which was more crowded than usual.
As his gaze swept across... his blood-red eyes met mine.
"……."
No way.
‘Wait, did he recognize me?’
However, his gaze soon moved on, and Section Chief Lizard walked silently into the center of the office and sat down on a meeting sofa.
...This meant he walked in and sat down amidst the Contaminated, bloodied children as if it were nothing.
"Th-there..."
Even the research team began to stutter.
It was such an extraordinarily intense presence that I could even hear the Agents whispering.
"...Agent. Do you happen to know him?"
"The Lizard mask? No. If I’d seen it once, I don't think I’d ever forget it."
It seemed Agent Choi was seeing him for the first time as well.
Well, that makes sense.
Section Chief Lee Jaheon, or Employee D, was a character who appeared when the Dark Exploration Records grew larger and Anomaly Gag Clears became acceptable.
‘It’s like his exploration record category doesn't quite match up with Agent Choi, who mainly active in the early records.’
The children, who had regained some energy after receiving first aid, also glanced back and forth at the man in the Lizard mask.
It would have been fine if it ended there.
As time passed, the number of these ‘children who regained energy’ increased, and as a result...
"Excuse me. Are we going to see my mom?"
"I, I want to go to the bathroom..."
"Subin says she's hungry!"
The children who were in relatively good condition began to raise their hands and speak up after observing the atmosphere.
They had gone through a terrible experience in the Sparkling Dragon Palace, but because they had been in that fairy-tale hallucination, they hadn't lost their innocence.
Furthermore, being left in pain on an uncomfortable office floor, it was already impressive that the children had endured this much.
"I have to pee..."
But I could clearly see how this would provide the researchers with the perfect excuse to lure the children away. Damn it.
It looked like the researchers would try to separate and categorize the kids at any moment, saying things like, ‘I’ll guide you to the bathroom,’ or ‘I’ll take you to the cafeteria.’
The Agents would surely follow them closely, but the problem was that some children would remain, meaning the two Agents would have to split up.
‘If the Agents are separated one by one, it will become even harder to handle the daydream employees.’
As it was, the Agents had already pushed their stamina to the limit and were covered in full-body bruises.
This obvious scenario seemed easy enough for the Agents to predict as well, as their expressions turned slightly cold.
In that case, ...this couldn't be helped.
‘I have to strike first.’
And the safest employee here was...
‘Only I know.’
After stifling a sigh, I whispered to one of the children who said they wanted to go to the bathroom.
"Really? You know?"
"Yeah."
At that, the child jumped up, shyly grabbed the pant leg of a nearby person, and asked.
"Excuse me, Mister. Where is the bathroom...?"
"…!"
Section Chief Lee Jaheon.
The reptilian face sitting on the sofa looked back at the child blankly.
"Kids, wait a minute..."
Before Agent Choi could speak, I incited the other children.
"Do you want to go too?"
"Yeah!"
"Me too!"
Kwak Jekang wasn't here, and the employees I knew had all disappeared for treatment or interviews.
Moreover, because half of my face was still covered in traces of inflammation and necrosis from the Ulcer, the possibility of someone recognizing me was extremely low.
‘I just have to act properly.’
I went up to Section Chief Lee Jaheon from among the children and asked as much like the other kids as possible.
"Mister, can you take us to the bathroom?"
"Yes."
The children who swarmed around also had sparkling eyes.
"Are you going to guide us?"
"Yes."
And as Section Chief Lee Jaheon stood up, the children finally giggled and clung to his thighs and such.
"Wow!"
Only then did I give a small nod to the two Agents.
It was a signal that I would scream to alert them of danger if things went wrong.
Agent Bronze seemed to realize that I had chosen the ‘safest’ employee, as he remained silent with a complicated expression.
"Going out!"
Anyway, thanks to that, Section Chief Lee Jaheon began walking down the hallway like a Pied Lizard with seven or eight children in tow.
And fortunately, there were no other variables until we successfully finished using the nearby bathroom.
‘Whew.’
After helping the children who were too young to use the bathroom easily on their own, I tried to pull myself together while washing my hands with cold water at the sink.
‘It’s inconvenient having only one hand.’
And using this familiar company sink again made me feel like I was losing my mind.
‘I want to collapse onto a bed...’
I finished washing my hands while suppressing my fatigue.
And Section Chief Lee Jaheon quietly pulled up beside me.
Don't tell me he's trying to take care of me like a child...
"Mr. Roe Deer."
I almost struck the Lizard head with my one remaining hand.
"Anti-eavesdropping equipment is currently active. This conversation will not be leaked to the outside."
Whew.
I turned off the faucet with trembling hands and asked in a low voice.
"How did you recognize me? No, I mean, I don't have an arm right now, and my age has changed..."
"? Yes. I judged it to be age variation and loss of Body parts of the same individual."
"……."
Let's just move on.
He’s a Reptilian Alien who fires a Holy Fire Barrage, so he probably has some other method of analysis...
"Anyway, thank you for your help. My identity almost fell into the hands of the research team."
"I see."
"When we go back to the room, I’d like you to support the children so they don't follow the researchers halfway."
"Yes."
The Lizard looked into the air for a moment with his lidless eyes and then looked back.
...Since the children hadn't come out of the bathroom yet, we had time for this much conversation.
I hesitated slightly before asking.
"How have you been, Manager? I’d like to ask if the new employees who joined Team D are okay, and if the Darkness investigations are going well..."
"There are no new employees."
"…!"
"Currently, Team D is being assigned to single-entry Darkness, and there are no special circumstances."
"…I see."
...It meant Lee Jaheon was working alone.
‘He’s been abandoned.’
At the very moment the team had been promoted to an Elite Squad and was about to begin pilot operations, I, the very person who had brokered the deal with the Director and promotion, was processed as missing or dead.
In the end, Team D was left hanging like a kite with a broken string.
So it wouldn't be strange at all if the company was being indecisive, unable to do anything with the team itself, leaving it neglected for months, but...
It felt even more bitter because it was so realistic.
‘There must have been some rumors going around.’
Even if the Lizard Manager was the type not to care about such things at all.
.......
"Um, Manager."
I spoke up without thinking.
"By any chance, if I make a purchase at the Cosmic shopping mall, does it help you?"
"Purchase records from the Cosmic shopping mall are not directly related to Section Chief Lee Jaheon's livelihood."
However.
His mouth formed a slightly favorable line.
"But it does help We Help."
It was a strange way to refer to it.
‘...It reminds me of "We Help!".’
Anyway, I understood the meaning that it helped indirectly.
If that’s the case.
"Do I have to use only cash to use the shopping mall?"
"No."
"…! Then is bartering Items also possible?"
"No."
Damn it.
"Then how do I use other payment methods?"
"Use the VIP Card. Ending conversation. Someone is approaching."
I understood the sentences in order.
Click!
The opaque glass door of the bathroom opened, and someone walked in toward the sink with a light step.
"Oh~ what pleasant conversation were you having with the children?"
Kwak Jekang.
"I guided them to the bathroom."
"Ah, physiological phenomena! They’re important~ especially for children."
Kwak Jekang, wearing a white coat, lowered his body as if to meet my eye level.
‘Damn it!’
I purposely lowered my head and stepped back as if I were scared.
Kwak Jekang's voice became low, as if he were secretly giving a special benefit.
"Want to go with Mister? You can eat delicious cookies, play on the playground with friends, and get plenty of rest~"
"……."
"Let's just have the friends here go. Just you guys, specially, not the other friends."
"...I want to see my mommy and daddy."
"Right! I'm telling you, you can see your mommy and daddy too."
This bastard, seriously.
"I don't want to. Mister is scary and ugly..."
"…!!"
Hearing the sound of the children coming out, I hid behind Section Chief Lee Jaheon.
"I'm scared!"
"What? What's wrong?"
"He says he's scared!"
"I think that mister is scary..."
Moods are contagious among young children and spread easily. Public opinion was formed in an instant, and they all hesitated and backed away from the scary man in the white coat, swarming behind the kind mister instead.
"No, I might not be as good-looking as Section Chief Lee, but I’m still somewhat... Ah, this is quite embarrassing."
Looking at the Lizard with children hanging all over him, Kwak Jekang scratched the back of his head.
Regret and obsession flickered in his eyes.
"Section Chief Lee, by any chance, would you consider coaxing the kids..."
"?"
"I should ask for something possible. Jeez."
Kwak Jekang smacked his lips, but ultimately turned his feet... and left the bathroom.
Squeak.
The moment the bathroom door closed, I could hear the sound of several children let out an involuntary sigh of relief.
...I had a thought.
Maybe the children weren't just following the mood, but had instinctively sensed a person who would cause them harm...
"Let's go."
"Yeah."
Section Chief Lee Jaheon became the Pied Lizard once again and took the children back to the lab.
As the Agents, who had been watching the door tensely, let out a short sigh of relief, the suffocating tension finally began to settle a little.
‘...Thank you.’
I gave Section Chief Lee Jaheon a subtle nod, and the Manager remained sitting on the sofa with his expressionless Reptilian Face to guard the area...
And an hour or two later.
"...The Disaster Management Bureau people are here."
The support we had been waiting for arrived.
The aftermath was smoother than expected.
The Disaster Management Bureau had come to Daydream Inc. with rescue vehicles as soon as they received Agent Choi's emergency text, and seeing that they were prepared to escalate the matter as much as possible, the research team finally took a step back.
"We will simply collect samples. That won't harm anyone, right?"
Agent Bronze was almost at the point of exploding, but in the end, the biological tissue collection of the ‘Mermaid Spawn’ was carried out...
‘Since they’re scraping it from the cross-section of the severed tail.’
That much didn't harm the children.
One slightly concerning point was that they also took a piece of my flesh... but I should contact Director Ho quickly so that it can be dealt with.
The important thing was.
"Whoa!!"
That we had finally escaped from the ghost story.
"Oh boy, all the kids are asleep."
The children were fast asleep.
The children, who had been divided into the ambulances sent by the Disaster Management Bureau, had been transported to the headquarters in an instant.
There, they had washed up, received treatment from medical experts, changed their clothes, and eaten.
After that, perhaps due to the fatigue from the spectacular experience, they had finally fallen into a deep sleep.
‘...Thank goodness.’
Of course, the same went for the Agents, who were finally able to take hot showers and have a meal.
"Grapes has finally returned to an adult too."
I was the same.
I leaned back on the sofa, feeling a sense of stability in my right arm, which had returned due to the emergency charging of the Dokkaebi Flame, and my entire body, which had returned to that of an adult male.
It felt strange that the waiting room of Hyunmoo Team 1 felt so comfortable.
Then again, it had always had a cozy, clubroom-like feel, so maybe it was natural...
"We don't know what else that company might have done."
"I know."
My groggy mind caught the conversation between the Agents next to me.
It seemed Agent Bronze suspected Daydream Inc. of having pulled other tricks...
"Anyway, the analysis team contacted me... regarding the medicine they gave the kids. It seems there was some Daydream Potion mixed in, which transports you ‘somewhere’ if you fall asleep."
"…!"
My mind snapped back to alertness.
"I kept an eye on it because it seemed like they were ‘selecting’ the potions when they gave them to the kids with severe mutations."
"Has it been removed now?"
"Of course!"
Whew.
Then, Agent Choi patted my shoulder.
"Grapes worked hard earlier too. Picking out an employee who hadn't joined the conspiracy yet and making him actually go to the bathroom in the heat of the moment!"
"……Yes."
At this, Agent Bronze was trying his best not to make eye contact with me or Agent Choi, even by mistake.
Thank you, Agent...
"Then now... we should go fix that. Right?"
Um?
Agent Choi suddenly pointed at me. Ah, to be precise... at the half of my face where the traces of the Ulcer remained.
Right. Even after returning to my original form, the traces of this infection hadn't disappeared.
It was just that the Mental Pollution of being assimilated into the ghost story seemed to have been treated by the Conch Shell, so I hadn't been as conscious of it until now.
"Then if I go to the infirmary..."
"Hey, no. There’s a faster way than that."
Agent Choi stood up from his seat. Agent Bronze also stood up from the sofa without a word, and they both looked back at me with smiles.
"Let’s go see the Elder in person."
"……!"
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