That very night, right after escaping from the Mermaid Tomb.
I was able to meet Director Ho immediately at the waiting area of the usual Fox Counseling Room.
And….
“Oh dear, you must have gone through so much, Soleum! Don't worry about the body tissue that was harvested from you. I’ll retrieve it right away.”
“…Yes. Thank you.”
The conversation was ending much more smoothly than I expected….
‘To this extent?’
To be honest, it wasn't my fault, but the situation of having an emergency meeting with a Director when it wasn't even a regular report was enough to make a lower-ranking employee break into a cold sweat.
However, Director Ho listened to my story with great interest and even clapped his hands in delight.
There was only one moment when he indirectly revealed his discomfort.
“So the Disaster Management Bureau support team came all the way to the company headquarters.”
Damn it.
“Ah, I’m not complaining to you, Soleum! It’s just, they’re such a hypocritical group that says one thing and does another… Being near them is instinctively unpleasant.”
“…….”
You’re saying that after putting an employee there as a spy?
And honestly… their personality shouldn't even be compared to Daydream Inc.
‘I feel like our company is the one that needs to at least pretend to be hypocritical….’
It was strange to see where that near-loathing repulsion toward the Management Bureau came from.
“I apologize if my personal feelings made you uncomfortable, Soleum.”
“Not at all.”
Anyway, the conversation itself flowed smoothly, and Director Ho gracefully wrapped up the topic.
“Regardless, don't mind these issues at all and feel free to tell me anytime!”
And….
“Is there anything else that's uncomfortable?”
I had been waiting for this.
‘…The atmosphere is good right now.’
And it was just the two of us.
It was right to go for it when I could. I poured another glass of hot water into Director Ho’s green tea and said,
“It’s not an inconvenience, but… there is one point of concern.”
“Please, feel free to speak.”
Director Ho nodded with a face that seemed to say, ‘It pains me greatly that you are concerned.’
So I explained.
“There is a Darkness I must enter as soon as possible.”
“…….”
About the Cheerful Theme Park.
I didn't specifically mention the Blue Mascot there, but since it was common to get ‘marked’ by an eerie entity while exploring ghost stories, Director Ho would have easily understood the situation.
“I almost died, but they let me go after I promised to ‘visit again next time.’”
My following explanation was also reasonable.
I told him that since I was an employee at the company at the time, I thought I would naturally be able to re-enter the ‘Cheerful Theme Park,’ but as things turned out, I could no longer enter.
‘You’re the one who gave me the spy work.’
And given Director Ho’s personality traits I’d seen so far, a request of this level would…
“The Cheerful Theme Park, I see….”
Director Ho gave a thin smile.
“Don't worry. I’ll arrange a way for you to enter so you can visit as quickly as possible!”
As expected.
“Thank you. I was very worried because if I couldn't enter within a month or two, my personal issues might make it difficult to perform my duties….”
I nodded seriously.
“Now that you've taken action, Director, I can focus diligently on my work.”
So give it to me within a month.
If you don’t, I might drop dead before I can even do any spying.
I trust that my intention was well conveyed.
“Of course. It will be ready soon. Don't worry.”
He was refreshing in these aspects, which made things easy.
Because he was competent.
‘Actually, surprisingly, is he a decent boss as long as you don’t press his trigger buttons…?’
Was it just that I had been assigned to roles where I frequently had to jump on that madman’s activation button…?
It was the first time I could relate to what that Section Chief from the Audit Team said— that ‘Director Ho is quite a decent superior.’
“Thank you.”
With that, the emergency report drifted toward an end.
Director Ho would stand up saying he should be going soon, and I was about to prepare to head back after seeing him off.
“Ah, come to think of it, there was something I wanted to ask as well….”
Director Ho, who was about to stand up, stared at me intently.
“You aren't using the Fox Counseling Room?”
“…….”
Ugh.
“Once you enter the counseling room, there’s no need to worry about running into other employees. I’d like you to use it actively to heal your contamination and psychological trauma.”
As if I would.
‘No matter how I think about it, this place seems linked to you…!’
Look how it's miraculously closed every time I come to report.
I’m at the point where I’d believe it if someone said Director Ho was giving the Counselor commissions to steal employees’ counseling information.
What was certain was that this space, this ghost story, was definitely within Director Ho’s domain.
That was why I had been intentionally avoiding the Fox Counseling Room until now.
‘It’s uncomfortable.’
Quite apart from the fact that I had received significant help during my last counseling session.
Besides, the Elder had completely burned away my infection traces now, so I didn't need to go.
But since I couldn't honestly blurt all that out, I just nodded.
“Yes. I will make an effort. However, since this space, including the Fox Counseling Room, is Darkness, and that person isn't a real counselor either….”
Just as I was about to finish by saying ‘I will keep that in mind.’
“He is.”
“…!”
“He is a ‘real counselor.’”
The gentleness vanished from Director Ho’s tone.
A somewhat numb-sounding voice came out without any rise in pitch.
“Because he is Darkness, he is more firmly bound by professional codes. He knows exactly what he is doing, and he has pride as a professional.”
“…….”
“So, I’d like to say that you can trust the teacher in the Fox Counseling Room!”
“…Yes.”
“Also… the counselor is very worried about his client Kim Soleum’s condition.”
“…….”
Tap, tap. Director Ho patted my shoulder as if to encourage me.
“Well then, I’ll be going. I’ll see you again at the regular report. Soleum!”
“Yes. Director.”
The emergency report ended like that.
‘…The Fox Counseling Room and Director Ho.’
And Director Ho was a person who wasn't recorded in detail in the Dark Exploration Records at all.
…I felt like there might be more hidden settings. I wanted to check a bit more, but….
‘Yeah. Let's just focus on the Wish Ticket.’
Don't forget. The ends and the means shouldn't be swapped.
Let’s focus on finishing this spy work quickly, getting the Wish Ticket, and going home.
…In that sense, I feel like I got too immersed in the ‘Sparkling Dragon Palace’ ghost story and tried too hard to get all the kids out….
“Phew.”
Still, there was an additional harvest.
“The Dream Essence Liquid grade went up.”
I looked at the golden liquid filling the collector for the Elite Squad.
Shimmering B-grade or higher Dream Essence Liquid.
Considering the Mermaid Tomb was originally C-grade, this was an Irregular occurrence.
‘Did the grade go up because I pulled out the main body of that Biological Disaster?’
It was possible.
And while I was checking, I also squeezed out the research team’s potion that I had secretly tucked into my wrist tattoo and put it in a plastic bottle.
A recovery medicine I had intended to give only to children who were severely contaminated or had heterogeneous elements.
‘If you drink this, you move to ‘somewhere’ the research team set up, right?’
I suspected it might be one of the research team’s experimental spaces, but just in case, I should keep it rather than discard it.
I let out a sigh of relief and stored the potion back in the tattoo, bottle and all.
Then I rummaged through the space again.
‘It’s a relief that the items put into the space in the tattoo exist separately from each other.’
Otherwise, it might have even gotten on this tag card.
I am a Cosmic shopping mall VIP!
~Gratitude Cell included~
I also found the golden card in the tattoo that I had received a few months ago, delivered directly by the courier tentacles at the Alien Shop.
The ‘VIP Card’ Section Chief Lee Jaheon mentioned is probably this, right?
‘Hmm.’
I examined the card letter more closely, feeling it.
Then, I felt something thin, one more layer inside the slightly thick card paper.
“…!”
Carefully peeling back a layer of the card paper, a small… chip-like thing sealed inside revealed itself.
‘…It looks like a SIM chip.’
A sticker with a Gulim font was attached to it.
Dine on cells anywhere!
Healthy and peaceful purchase
※Fast counselor connection guaranteed※
“…….”
I really wish they would hire a professional translator…….
‘Dine….’
First of all, this chip is a cell, and it seems like I’m supposed to… eat this, but ‘Healthy and peaceful purchase’?
‘It oddly reminds me of when I talked to the Lizard leader.’
That part where translation-error-like expressions come out because they don't know the cultural context of modern people.
Anyway, I decided to try using this ‘cell’ if the situation called for it.
‘…The Lizard leader isn't the type to put others in danger through lies or trickery.’
It was more reasonable to worry about my head bursting from pure physical force.
“Sorting complete.”
I finished my settlement and looked up.
At any rate, for now, there were items that were the easiest to use, so let’s consume those first.
‘The Cheerful Research Institute’s potion.’
Yes.
In the middle of the night, I had visited the laboratory hidden under the manhole cover again.
‘It’s even scarier seeing it at night.’
However, it was a bit better because the Dream Essence Liquid stored in the dream incubator was sparkling with enchanting colors.
DE 00128313
I also injected all the B-grade Dream Essence Liquid I had obtained this time into it.
The numbers rose.
DE 00143126
‘B-grade is roughly 15,000, then.’
One might think of it as about one and a half potions, but there was actually a catch here.
The price was set differently depending on the button.
The first one I pulled deducted 10,000 Points, but the second one I pulled deducted 20,000 Points.
‘It might also depend on how many stars there are.’
The first ‘Detective Syrup’ I pulled had 3 stars, and the ‘Surprise Syrup’ I pulled next had 4 stars.
These stars….
‘They’re definitely a difference in performance.’
Because the 4-star potion had worked, even if briefly, against a Biological Disaster.
However, if converted simply one-to-one with Daydream Inc.’s Welfare Points, it was more expensive than a Daydream Potion.
‘This dream incubator is an early model, so maybe its efficiency is poor.’
But it also seemed that a syrup more effective than a Daydream Potion, closer to the raw essence, was produced.
At any rate.
‘I won't know how much will be deducted until I actually press the button and pull the potion.’
How unfriendly.
‘It would be nice to have the research notes.’
The Sergeant said he would look into it, but there was no special news yet.
Let’s wait a bit more. Perhaps this dream incubator has other functions….
Anyway, since it was very useful even now, I decided to visit every week if possible and grab a potion.
Thus, it was time for a choice.
🥰🥸🤯🧐🤪🥱
“Hmm.”
There was the option of safely pulling a potion with confirmed effects….
‘It might be better to prepare more before going into the theme park.’
Things whose effects could be confirmed should be checked as soon as timing allowed. There might be more useful ones.
First, let’s use the means I have to pick out the most useful one.
‘Association and reasoning.’
In that sense, the button I would check this time was….
‘The most expensive and effective one when matched with the potions from Daydream Inc.’
🥰🥸🤯🧐🤪🥱
Clack.
“Good.”
At the same time 30,000 Points were deducted, a glass bottle containing a small amount of syrup came out of the exit.
I took the shimmering turquoise liquid.
Children's Disguise Syrup
(Green Grape Flavor)
★★★★★
An expensive potion. A successful snipe.
The next day.
I took the whole day off following the Agents’ message that I should rest well, and only showed up for work late the following day.
“Agent Grapes, you did a great job.”
Moreover, thanks to the Hyunmoo Team 1 agents who had already mostly finished the situation report, I was able to wrap up the work related to the ‘Sparkling Dragon Palace’ with a brief response.
‘I’m so grateful I could cry.’
I received various praises from the Agents.
And….
Happy news as well.
“They say they’ve found guardians for more than half the kids.”
“……!”
“Apparently, the entry method was so distinctive that there were many cases collected in our database.”
“There was also no phenomenon of the rescued civilians evaporating. …Rescue for everyone was confirmed as of around 7 PM last night.”
The faces of the Hyunmoo Team 1 agents as they spoke were unusually bright with joy.
…I probably wasn't much different.
“And, and listen to this. Shall I tell you one more piece of surprising news? …There's someone in the team next to us who took back their younger sibling lost in ’89.”
“……!”
“Among the agents who entered here… quite a few applied hoping for only that.”
Finding a missing family member.
“Thanks to you, that person has finally been rewarded for the past years and can sleep comfortably at night. Together with their family.”
“…….”
“How is it?”
How was it?
An agent who had come here, searching for their sibling for decades.
A person who finally found out where their sibling went missing but couldn't rescue them because of distorted time.
How did I feel hearing that they had safely regained their sibling?
‘Oh my god.’
An overwhelming thrill, like something tingling at the back of my neck, swept over me.
It wasn't just a sense of reward.
‘So this is why they do it.’
It was dangerous.
If I wasn't careful… I felt like I would end up working this job with a real sense of duty.
‘…No.’
I tightly gripped my right hand, which had once disappeared.
I had to go back home.
I had to make that my only goal.
Right now… I don’t know how many times I’ve nearly died. It was impossible for someone like me, who used to consume ghost stories only as content in a world without them, to live here and stay sane.
‘The ends and the means. They must not be flipped.’
I took a deep breath and calmed my mind.
But my heightened heart didn't fully settle.
“Anyway, you did a really great job.”
Agent Choi, who was rattling off stories like rewards fitting for a successful exploration, gave a thin smile and patted my back.
“Ah, Grapes is still in the rookie period, so you have to go do other work now, right?”
“Yes. I will guide him to other duties.”
“Right. I’ve held you up too long. Good luck with your work~!”
I parted ways with the waving Agent Choi and followed behind Agent Bronze.
Fortunately, he didn't tell me to come back to the Hyunmoo Team.
Right. The Emergency Rescue Squad… doing this kind of work continuously would be too difficult. Emotionally, too.
‘Sigh.’
I held back a sigh and walked behind Agent Bronze.
And the place he guided me to was….
[New Investigation Unit Baekho Team 2]
It was the team where Ms. Go Yeongeun was.
“Soleum!”
As I entered the office, a familiar face, Ms. Go Yeongeun, saw me and jumped up from her seat.
I reflexively looked back at Agent Bronze.
The other party was smiling, however faintly. It seemed he had specially arranged for me to work in this team, considering that we knew each other from Lookie Mart….
“There is no field work today, so there is no need to move in a pair with me. You can work in this office. …If a problem arises, please find us in the Hyunmoo Team 1 waiting room.”
“…Yes. Thank you.”
I was truly grateful.
Moreover, it was a relief that it wasn't field work.
‘Today is a time to take a breather.’
Of course, I would do my best to show that I was someone who belonged in the New Investigation Unit.
I bowed to the departing Agent Bronze and entered the office with Ms. Go Yeongeun.
The place, which looked like a neat, ordinary office, was still quiet.
“Everyone is out on field duty right now, so it’s just me in the office. I think you can greet them once they return.”
“Yes. I understand.”
I added with a bit of a wish.
“I look forward to your guidance. Perhaps I will be assigned to this department and work together with you.”
“Ah, um….”
…??
Ms. Go Yeongeun’s answer trailed off for some reason.
Why that… ominous reaction?
“…Did I do something wrong?”
“No! It’s not a mistake… Phew.”
Ms. Go Yeongeun made a subtle expression.
“Being too competent is, well, something that can't be helped….”
Pardon?
“Here, would you like to… take a look?”
I took the Smartphone Ms. Go Yeongeun handed me.
On the screen of the phone, which seemed new and barely used, as if it had been newly opened for work, was….
[Agent Talk-Talk Anonymous Room]
An anonymous group chat room with a slightly old-fashioned name.
“…….”
Wait.
Is there another… group chat without me…?
“Ah. Usually, they seem to invite people once their rookie period is over and they receive a formal assignment.”
“I see.”
That’s a relief.
‘Hmm.’
I asked for Ms. Go Yeongeun’s permission and scrolled up the group chat to check the atmosphere.
A Fortune Vending Machine appeared in Seocho-dong. Those on reporting duty here should check this.
-Is it okay to leave the Swamp Music Box alone when it’s not working?
-Yeah, it’s fine. It’ll be reflected in the rulebook next month too.
-Recommend something for lunch.
‘The atmosphere is more relaxed than I expected.’
From the look of it, it seemed like a chat room used by Agents to seek advice from one another when things got urgent or frustrating while working.
One could say it was an information-sharing room that formed naturally due to the nature of the profession, which involved frequent solo shifts and waiting on rotation.
Since they weren't in a Death Survival-style competitive relationship like a certain company, the atmosphere seemed a bit better, and valuable information appeared to flow easily.
‘Come to think of it, I think I saw something like this in the <Dark Exploration Record>.’
Thinking that way made it feel a bit heartwarming. I nodded to myself while scrolling.
It would be fun to be invited here at least once...
-Newbie King of Destruction destroyed another Disaster.
“…….”
Wait a minute.
Is this… me?
‘No way.’
I quickly scrolled further down to open the latest messages.
-They said he rescued all thirty people who were trapped in the regular rescue Disaster. And apparently, he smashed the city to bits.
-Is that for real??
-Hyunmoo Team 1 must be thrilled, lol.
-Wow, at that point, it’s not a coincidence but pure skill… Doesn't seem like an ordinary person. Isn't this the first time since Team Leader Hong joined?
-I want to get to know him…
-Is he interested in Hyunmoo Team 3 by any chance? We can treat him really well. Honestly, I’m better than a certain Mr. Choi from Hyunmoo Team 1.
-Noonim, I’m here too ^^
-Yeah, I know.
“…….”
And the conclusion of the group chat room was summarized into one….
-Looks like we found someone who’s going to settle down for good in the Emergency Rescue Squad lol.
-I. hope. he. becomes. the. youngest. Team leader.~^^
Please spare me….
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