Baek Saheon.
-You idiots. If you can escape with just one eye, you should do it quickly!
The colleague who had caused such a scene on the subway.
He was also a Named Character employee in the <Dark Exploration Record>, someone who would eventually be promoted to Manager and leave a steady trail of achievements...
"He's going to die?"
Suddenly, the plush doll inside the ghost story had handed down a death sentence to Baek Saheon.
The question came out reflexively.
"Why?"
No, I mean, I know a future where he makes it all the way to Manager...?
-Ah, it is very typical. Very typical... Mr. Roe Deer, have you ever seen a movie like that?
"...A movie?"
-Yes. A movie featuring a serial killer.
Oh, please.
-In popular art, there are targets who become victims. Blondes, college students, hitchhikers, or those with conspicuous symbols like wearing red shoes.
-Do you know what the most typical and sequential way of choosing a Sacrificial Lamb is?
The shadow of the plush doll whispered.
-It is picking up the killer's belongings.
"......"
The giant black shadow cast on the wall pointed beyond the wall.
-Mr. Roe Deer's 'colleague' picked up an object, and he will soon die a gruesome death!
"......"
Ha, seriously...
"Anyway, thanks for letting me know."
-Don't mention it!
I said 'I have to go to work tomorrow so I need to sleep' as gently as possible, and fortunately, the 'Good Friend' readily understood my situation.
-Oh dear, it must have been a tiring day. I hope you fall into a deep sleep and have sweet dreams!
I think that's a lost cause.
'And you have a share in why it's a lost cause...'
-Adios!
The smartphone flashlight turned off on its own.
The giant shadow that had been cast on the wall also vanished.
After some thought, I used a clean towel to make a reasonably soft bed on the desk and placed the plush doll on it.
'With this much care, it shouldn't chase me in my dreams with a knife, complaining about why the treatment is like this.'
Of course, I should probably worry about whether I can even fall asleep and dream in the first place.
"Hmm."
I turned the mood lamp to its maximum brightness and lay down on the bed.
Baek Saheon.
He's probably sleeping in the room next door right now...
'Just what exactly did you do?'
How malevolent was the Ghost Story Substance he picked up for the plush doll beyond the wall to sense it?
Is it the butterfly effect? Or was it something that originally happened but he overcame?
I tried to recall the things Baek Saheon had done in the <Dark Exploration Record>, and even searching the Wiki didn't yield any relevant information.
Perhaps that was natural. If it was a personal incident rather than something that happened while on duty.
Phew.
"......"
'If I knock on his door in the middle of the night, he'll probably have a fit, right?'
Moreover, from my perspective, I didn't want to voluntarily approach a terrifying ghost story that was at the level of being marked as a serial killer's next target...
To be honest, my roommate isn't exactly the kind of person whose character makes me want to risk my life for him.
'Still, since I know, it's only right to at least give him a warning.'
A way to approach him indirectly...
'There is one.'
It happened to be related to the next thing I had to do.
I lay in bed and checked my smartphone messenger.
[Jang Heowoon: This is the new recruits' group chat. You can join through here. Thank you! (Link)]
It was sent by my Team Y colleague.
I clicked the link with a sigh.
[17th Recruitment Field Exploration Team Group Chat]
It was an open group chat.
I wondered why it was in this format, but it seemed they kept it from syncing with the contact list to minimize the impact when news of an obituary arrived.
Anyway, everyone had set their profile names to their actual names, so identifying them wouldn't be a problem.
'I should set my name and enter too.'
[Kim Soleum has entered.]
And just as I was about to type a greeting...
[Whoa]
[Heok]
[Is this really Kim Soleum?]
[Nice to meet you^^]
[Is it for real? Who invited him?]
"...??"
Even before I could finish typing, a flood of intense reactions poured in.
'Don't tell me they're asking who was mindless enough to invite that guy.'
Looking at it positively, maybe they were curious or rumors had spread because my recent performance was decent.
I posted a simple greeting.
[Nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you.]
As if waiting, someone asked.
[Kang Yihak: Is it true you received 40,000 points? hehe]
Hmm.
[Yes.]
[Kang Yihak: I'm so jealous! I'm curious about how you got them hehe]
[I just did my best.]
I didn't answer beyond that and just sent an emoticon of someone bowing.
'It's a total jungle.'
I had wondered if it was a heartwarming group chat where colleagues shared tips, information, and hobbies, but it definitely didn't seem like it.
'It's like a group chat for interns where only 10% get converted to permanent employees.'
The atmosphere was one where everyone tried to scrape up any advantage while pretending otherwise.
'Right. In a situation where people die by the dozens, a Wish Ticket is far off and desperate, so I guess it can't be helped.'
If I felt a sense of belonging to this group chat, I'd just end up getting depressed at the news of an obituary.
It left a slightly bitter taste in my mouth, but it was understandable.
[Go Yeongeun: (Fighting emoticon)]
[Go Yeongeun: (Clapping emoticon)]
Still, there were colleagues who seemed like good people.
'Looks like she's doing well...'
I nodded, looking at the clean emoticons from the medical school dropout colleague who had fully supported my opinion on the train where people were dying.
'Now, shall I do what I came for?'
Following the voice of my conscience.
I found Baek Saheon's profile in the group chat and started a 1:1 open chat.
And I said:
[Beware of the serial killer]
The '1' disappeared in a second.
However, no reply came.
Well, maybe he has a guilty conscience?
'If he does, he'll be careful.'
This seemed like enough of a warning.
"I should send it every morning from now on."
Doing it for about a week until the impact wears off should be enough.
I gave myself a passing grade and turned off the smartphone.
'...Now, let's sleep.'
I didn't know if I could sleep, but I had to try. Because I have to go to work tomorrow too... sob.
'I wish the company would explode.'
I spent the night wide awake, bitterly chewing on the sad fact that, given the nature of the company, I'd still have to go to work anyway...
When I fell into a light sleep for a brief moment at dawn, I had a nightmare where I was being chased by theme park mascots swinging intestines while offering churros to a plush doll.
'Save me.'
It was the night of an ordinary office worker suffering from trauma.
Though the news I heard the next day was anything but ordinary.
"Roe. You hit the jackpot."
"......?"
"You... you got 20,000 points."
Pardon?
I looked up and checked the accumulated points for this morning.
[Employee Kim Soleum / Accumulated Points: 20000p]
It was true.
'They definitely said only 10,000 points would come in yesterday...?'
The Senior Staff pounded my shoulder.
"It seems Assistant Manager Jin from Team A filed a report saying you absolutely must be given additional points!"
Assistant Manager Jin...!
You recognized my hard work in trying to save you even when my palm was pierced!
I upgraded my internal evaluation of the Butterfly Mask assistant manager, who was work-obsessed to a psychopathic degree, by about three levels.
From now on, she is a competent boss who works well, is quick-witted, and is clear about rewards and punishments.
"Originally, our Team Leader was also discussed as a major contributor to the clear, but the Team A Leader is throwing a fit..."
Ah.
That... honestly, from their perspective, it was understandable for them to throw a fit...
'Did I gain some benefit by chance?'
I wasn't sure if I should be happy about this, but I'd take it gratefully.
"Anyway, it's a jackpot, Roe. They're saying you're not just at the level of the shortest record since joining the company! It's crazy."
"Thank you."
However, it seemed I might have to give up on staying under the radar at the company...
'Still, the points are sweet.'
But that wasn't the end of it.
Before the morning was over, a call came in.
"...Assistant Manager Jin?"
-Yeah.
It was a moment when I should have been having a somewhat relaxed day, doing paperwork since I had finished a B-grade Darkness investigation yesterday.
The call came from the Team A Assistant Manager through the company network.
I thanked her immediately.
"Um, thank you. I heard you recommended me as a major contributor to clearing the theme park Darkness..."
-Things only work properly when the person who did well gets more points. Why are you thanking me for something like that?
Ah, yes.
-Anyway, come up for a bit.
"......?"
-Our team is going into a Darkness today, but we're short-staffed. Come and help.
"......."
-You don't want to?
Yes!
If a newcomer almost died yesterday, would it kill you to let them rest today!
"Please wait a moment. ......Excuse me, Assistant Manager Eun. There's a call."
"Oh, why?"
Help me, boss from the same team!
I called over the bosses of our team and tried to pass the phone to them, intending to vaguely brush off the call.
But it didn't work.
"Team A is short-staffed? Was this a call for a Team A vacancy?"
"...!"
Oops.
Even the Senior Staff, who had his head down on his desk, suddenly flew over in his chair and whispered.
"Wait a minute, Team A called Roe for an empty spot today?"
I don't know either, Senior Staff. My shoulder hurts, so please stop shaking it.
"Understood for now. Yes."
Meanwhile, Assistant Manager Eun hung up the phone.
And with eyes gleaming, he shook his fist at me.
"Hey. Go."
...Pardon?
"That's right! If it's Team A right now, it's a golden opportunity! It's safer but you can earn more, you can't miss this!"
"It's all points. Points, Roe."
"......."
...So, what they meant was this.
'First, Team A, being an Elite Squad, gets separate additional points per case.'
I heard that was quite sweet.
But seeing as there was no call for a Cleanup team like Team Y, it wasn't a Darkness that required a Sacrificial Lamb.
On top of that, since they even called me, a newcomer, as a filler, it likely wouldn't be a very difficult Darkness.
In short, it was overtime, but with good pay and an easy job!
"They need to fill a spot, and since they saw you in a good light yesterday, they probably want to take you along once. Go on!"
"......."
'I have no excuse...'
I could never say words like 'I couldn't sleep because I was scared, so I want to rest a bit' even if my mouth were torn.
'A Field Exploration employee who says something like that when a lot of points are on the line in a relatively safe situation? That's too suspicious...!'
Unless I wanted to be certified as a coward and sent to the Cleanup team, I had to keep my mouth shut.
And so, I forced my unmoving feet to move toward the 15th floor...
"How wonderful, the spirit of a newcomer!"
It feels more like defeat than spirit.
I tried not to trudge as I moved to the elevator.
And when the doors opened as I arrived at the 15th floor, the top floor for the Field Exploration team.
I was a bit surprised.
"...!"
There were no packed desktops or partitions commonly seen in offices.
Instead, I saw a luxurious reception room that looked like it belonged in a hotel. And beyond that, I could see individual spaces separated by opaque glass.
They were all private offices with the names of each individual employee on them.
'My god.'
One room per person.
It was a benefit you'd expect to see in an executive's office.
'Is it a kind of motivation?'
It seemed that if you became part of an Elite Squad in the Field Exploration team, you could use personal spaces like this.
'It's an office worker's dream, but...'
Just then, a familiar face walked out of the glass door right next to me.
The boss who was already wearing the Butterfly Mask.
"Good morning, Assistant Manager Jin."
"Yeah."
Team A's Assistant Manager Jin looked a bit more human than when I saw her in the ghost story.
"The Team Leader said he wanted to see you one more time."
And from the larger office opposite, the Team A Leader walked out holding a cup of coffee.
"Mr. Roe Deer."
"Manager, good morning."
With a genial and friendly face, the middle-aged Team A Leader smiled and patted my shoulder.
He was acting as if he had never glared at Team Leader Lee Jaheon as if he wanted to kill him at the theme park.
"Assistant Manager Jin isn't the type to praise people, but it seems she saw our Mr. Roe Deer in a very good light. I've heard many good things."
That much...?
"So I decided to call you today. It's the first time Assistant Manager Jin has kept saying someone is so good, so good."
I reflexively looked back at the Team A Assistant Manager.
The assistant manager wearing the Butterfly Mask snorted and smiled.
"I just reported the facts."
"Aw, there she goes again."
The boss wearing the Butterfly Mask frowned when our eyes met, but her voice remained softened.
"Why? You did do well."
"...Thank you."
"Yeah. Do well today too."
"Oh my, how harmonious the young people are."
The Team A Leader, who had been watching the scene with a chuckle, put on the Mallard Mask.
"Welcome to Team A, Kim Soleum."
"......."
"Well then, let's get to work."
To be honest, I was a bit curious too.
'Do Elite Squads have a different conquest method?'
I had expectations that the work process of the Field Exploration team itself might be different!
Wouldn't it be different from general teams that abruptly receive tasks on the day, read the manual, and roll around in the Darkness!
And it was indeed different.
"Collector check, recording device check, mask check, equipment check, basic supplies check completed. 'Identification Code Qterw-C-402' entry time 31 minutes before 11:00, declaring completion of readiness status check as of this time."
Mmm... it's intense.
The atmosphere was entirely different from Team D, who would sit around on sofas for a briefing, with the team leader cracking jokes no one understood before trudging into the Darkness.
Even though they only had two people since one had died, the hierarchy and manual were clearly established.
The fact that they made me do the supply check briefing as soon as I entered showed that.
"...That is all."
"Good. Now let's go in."
"Yes."
Whether I was a temporary filler or whatever, I absolutely had to do the work of the lowest-ranking position in this team.
'Come to think of it, that Assistant Manager Jin probably doesn't have an easy personality, but she was using formal language with the Team Leader according to the FM...'
Right. I would have had to go through a team like this eventually anyway.
It didn't seem bad to have this kind of experience beforehand.
'I just need to not get caught being a coward...'
If I only knew where the ghost story we were entering today was, I could at least prepare myself mentally.
The Team A Leader spoke to me while holding the manual.
"Ah, Soleum, you haven't read the manual, have you?"
"Yes."
Trying to think positively, I politely held out both hands to the Team Leader.
Just before the manual paper for the Darkness we were about to enter was assigned to me.
The Team A Leader's hand stopped.
......?
"That's right. Soleum, how about you go in without this and experience it for yourself?"
Pardon?
"I heard that deducing without a manual is your specialty."
I snapped my head up.
I could see the lower half of the Team A Leader's face smiling under the Mallard Mask.
"I'll give it to you if it looks dangerous. Got it?"
"......."
That... didn't mean he'd give it to me if I asked for it.
'It means he'll judge for himself whether it's dangerous or not.'
It meant he might not give it to me until I died.
"......."
They knew everything, and they wanted me to enter the ghost story knowing nothing?
"Then shall we go in? Ah, I'm going to have fun working after a long time~"
Wait. Is this by any chance...
'Workplace bullying?'
It's so typical it feels like a joke. My head is spinning.
But a Team Manager from another team I first met yesterday had no reason to... ah.
'......Lee Jaheon!!'
Is he picking on me, a newcomer to that team, because our Team Manager, Section Chief Lizard, got on his bad side?
Am I being targeted along with him!
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