The moment I thought about needing a large sum of money, a message arrived from an unfamiliar profile asking if I needed money.
But this was inside a ghost story.
[K.LEE: Employee? ㅎㅎ]
It seemed like the wise choice would be to scream, block them, and leave the chat room, but….
‘It feels a bit too cliché, doesn’t it?’
Since I was inside a ghost story, let’s listen to some ghost-story-like advice.
I lowered the ‘Good Friend’ under the bed, turned off the lights, and summoned Braun using the usual shadow-casting method.
Except this time, I used a small flashlight I had bought on my way home.
-Oh, Friend!
Braun, who regained consciousness almost without delay this time, seemed quite amused as he recalled my escape method from the previous ghost story, and then immediately grasped the current situation.
A message from a stranger mentioning a large sum of money!
-How suspicious! But curiosity that doesn't overlook suspiciousness is the very virtue of a show, is it not?
-Of course, it would be even better if glittering gold followed!
The plush doll sounded like a dopamine addict, but seeing that reaction confirmed it wasn't a phenomenon related to a ghost story, so that was enough.
‘In that case.’
I sent a simple question to the chat room.
[Kim Soleum: Who are you?]
An answer came back immediately.
I actually thought there was a high probability of getting something like ‘ㅎㅎ Your friend~’, but...
Surprisingly, it was a proper introduction.
[K.LEE: I’m Assistant Manager Lee Kangheon from Group C ㅎㅎ]
“…!!”
‘Group C?’
It was the Elite Team again.
Why on earth are they contacting me… No, they’re revealing their identity and rank so readily?
[K.LEE: Employee, I heard you rejected the scout offer from Group A today!!! ㅋㅋㅋ]
Ack.
[K.LEE: Kkeu-u, your guts are insane! I’ve never seen such a capable rookie ㅋㅋ]
[K.LEE: You rejected them this time, but maybe I'll see you in another Elite Squad next year? Is someone finally coming out who takes the route to the Elite Team as soon as they become a Senior Staff? Just saying ㅋㅋ]
Are you wearing some kind of Exclusive Equipment that makes your typing faster…?
Sentences poured out like a bomb before I could even type a single character in response.
I finally came to my senses and sent one sentence.
[Kim Soleum: Yes, nice to meet you, Assistant Manager Lee Kangheon.]
[K.LEE: Eh, don't mention it. Let's say hi and grab a meal next time we run into each other at the company. I know a really good charcoal-grilled chicken rib place nearby! ㅎㅎ]
[K.LEE: Oops, I've been talking too much. Anyway, the purpose of contacting you today is!]
The atmosphere changed.
[K.LEE: Employee, you need a lot of money, right?]
“…….”
[K.LEE: Right about now is when you'd be wishing for a bit more money... Since the promising kids right before becoming Senior Staff try to find routes to get personal Items ㅋㅋ]
[K.LEE: I heard you already have Exclusive Equipment, Employee. Then you're probably looking for ways to get Items through word of mouth, right?]
I don't have anything like that.
‘I just went to the Alien Shopping Mall I already knew about….’
[K.LEE: All that stuff costs money ㅎㅎ]
[K.LEE: Don't waste your lack of money and time buying meals and drinks for Seonbaes for no reason, just listen to me ㅎㅎ]
Hmm.
[Kim Soleum: I'm very grateful for your words, but why are you telling me this?]
[K.LEE: Because I want to be friends? ㅎㅎ]
At least put some effort into your lie….
[K.LEE: Do you want to hear it? ㅎㅎ]
I contemplated for a moment.
-Oh my! Mr. Roe Deer, I can smell a cheap medicine peddler from those letters. He doesn't seem to be the kind of seed that would appear on a high-class professional channel.
-But… cheap things have their uses in their own way.
-If you coax him gently….
I typed.
[Kim Soleum: No.]
-…!?
[K.LEE: ???????]
[K.LEE: Ah, Employee, you’re good at joking ㅎㅎ As expected of the record-breaker for the fastest accumulated Points ㅎㅎ]
[Kim Soleum: I will just ask the Manager.]
[Kim Soleum: I hope you have a good night.]
[K.LEE: Wai-;]
[K.LEE: Hey, wait a minute]
[K.LEE: No, are you by any chance Section Chief Lee Jaheon's cousin? ;; Your personalities are identical]
I'd rather you just swear at me….
Anyway, since he didn't seem to know my personality well yet, this bluffing worked well.
The other person poured out messages in a hurry.
[K.LEE: Ah, I'm not taking money for this, so just listen, really, I don't make this kind of proposal often? ;; ㅠㅠ]
And then, KakaoTalk messages came in rapid succession.
[K.LEE: (Link)]
Along with a link to some internet page.
[K.LEE: If you need seed money or items, try going in. You can just designate me as the inviter, it's hawaiib53 <- you can put this in]
[K.LEE: You don't have to, but since I'm the one who introduced it to you, follow the voice of your conscience ㅋㅋㅋ Hey, you know what I mean? ㅎㅎㅎ]
[K.LEE: Keep it a secret from others! (Shy emoticon)]
‘…A template?’
No matter how I looked at it, it seemed like a copy-paste….
[K.LEE: Anyway, I’m the one who told you, okay?]
[K.LEE: Then, before I get caught by an audit, I'll be going. Have a happy shopping life ㅎㅎ]
[K.LEE has left the chat room.]
“…….”
‘If you were worried about getting caught by an audit, why did you even introduce yourself….’
Does he want to leave it as a debt of heart?
I erased the reply I was writing, which said, ‘What on earth is the site you sent?’
‘Seeing as he talked about shopping and such, it seems like a platform for buying goods.’
Opening up a route other than the Alien Shop wasn't bad.
Besides, the other person's expression was quite interesting.
‘Seed money.’
He makes it sound like I can earn quite a bit of money.
‘It's not an internal company gambling page, is it?’
Anyway, there was only one way to find out.
I ran a safety check on the link's authenticity just in case and then carefully accessed it.
The smartphone screen was dyed pitch black, and the letters that floated up were….
Salmon
“…??”
Like salmon swimming against the river current
We are those who swim against the crazy world
‘CyX World……?’
What on earth was this old-school sentimental phrase?
The text disappeared with an effect as if salmon were really swimming, and a new sentence appeared.
Membership possible (Referral required)
Hmm.
It was really suspicious (in many ways), but anyway, I put that employee as the referrer and made an account. I had to check it out anyway.
And as soon as I logged in, I realized it as I saw the page change.
Salmon Market
“This is a second-hand trading site.”
This was a site for buying and selling goods between individuals.
Except for the fact that they traded superstitious and bizarre items or information.
[Selling Mermaid Jerky (Genuine, Hannuri Jade appraisal included)]
[Looking for Blood Bath tile pieces, no discoloration X]
[$$Get reliable information on the location and frequency of the Misfortune Vending Machine$$]
[Selling efficacious protective talismans]
I roughly understood the situation as I clicked through.
So this was….
‘It’s full of pure scams.’
To someone who had read the <Dark Exploration Record>, it was just full of junk, meaningless props, or false information.
In short, it felt like an occult second-hand trading site that wasn't very professional (by industry standards).
I rubbed my forehead and said.
“Is this a place with more ordinary people than stakeholders?”
-Hmm. Originally, popularity inevitably brings about a decrease in professionalism! It takes a lot of effort and trouble to prevent that… but this place feels intentionally neglected.
-Enthusiasts without professionalism often buy even trivial things at high prices.
-It's like the psychology of tearing off pieces of the floor from a stage set where a star stepped!
No, that can be a souvenir and it's real, so that's possible.
The problem was that this place was crawling with fakes.
But even those showed traces of transactions completed at quite high prices.
“…….”
‘Right. The ghost phenomena haven't been officially recognized in this world view.’
The government, fearing social anomie, and corporations, wanting to keep trade secrets, are all keeping quiet while exploring ghost stories in secret.
But there must already be widespread civilian victims.
Since ominous rumors or personal experiences would be circulating secretly among ordinary people, it wasn't strange for a site like this to exist.
Furthermore, looking at the prices compared to the items being traded made me even more lightheaded.
‘A million won for one sheet….’
Something like a monthly rent deposit is flying back and forth.
I don't know if it's because it's a matter of survival, or if there's a Veblen effect even on occult items, but….
‘Could I sell something here too if I play my cards right?’
If that employee who introduced me was really an Assistant Manager of Elite Team Group C, it seemed that the employees working at ‘Daydream Inc.’ were secretly selling junk items or information through this place.
That actually bothered me more.
‘The moment I cross the line, I’ll definitely get caught in an audit….’
So, let's create a safety measure.
I logged out of my current account and created a new one.
The name, hmm…….
[Blue Friend]
-‘Friend’! Did you make it thinking of me? My, how touching!
I combined something that came to mind with something I saw, so I guess that's right.
And for the referral ID, I put the account I first made earlier.
“There.”
-Ho-oh. You're creating a new identity to avoid tracking!
Correct.
I intended to trade items that a <Daydream Inc.> employee wouldn't have, or things that might get me caught in an audit, with this account.
‘This way, hopefully, my purchases won't be traced.’
“Of course, I’ll leave some transaction history with the first account I made too.”
-To avoid suspicion. Excellent.
With the previous account, I planned to handle things that an ‘employee of Daydream Inc.’ would likely trade within a range that doesn't cross the line.
Now that the social life part was over, let's get to the main point.
What should I sell?
‘First of all… reselling things bought from the Alien Shop won't do.’
Look at the amateurishness of this site. It would cause a huge uproar.
Well, anyway, I'm already busy enough buying useful items from the Alien Shop, so I don't have the leisure to work on such price margins.
I scrolled through the Salmon Market in chronological order.
Is there anything that won't stand out too much, but I can make money by selling….
[Buying food derived from an Anomalous Phenomenon.]
Oh?
[Buying food derived from an Anomalous Phenomenon.]
For research use.
Prefer strong Anomalous Phenomena (Disaster Management Bureau Waveform Anomaly).
40.0
-This bastard's here again
-Ah, the food I'm seeking is the First Type Waveform, for 'research use'. (Adjusts glasses) ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Is this person a macro? It seems like it's posted every day
-Occult geek, please come out of your own world view. What the hell is a Disaster Management Bureau Waveform
Only a few comments of people's ridicule and teasing remained.
However….
‘…It’s real.’
<Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau>.
In the <Dark Exploration Record>, it was a government agency that served as one of the three major powers along with Daydream Inc.
My merchandise, the Memorial Pop Socket, was also an Item issued to civil servants by this agency.
‘And the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau classifies the risk level of ghost stories with Punishment (Punishment)….’’
The Waveform (Punishment Breaker) mentioned in this post was also an actual rank. In terms of Daydream Inc., it's slightly above Grade C.
This person was someone who actually ‘knew something’.
I stared at the page.
‘If they're a real stakeholder, there's a high probability they won't rip me off.’
Mentioning professional terms that a layperson wouldn't know without explanation in the post itself lowers the probability of a scam.
It was an element that increased transaction reliability.
Besides, look at the price.
40.0?
‘It’s forty million won.’
At this level, even if someone didn't know anything, they might try to contact them once, thinking they'd take a chance.
Sure enough, looking back at previous posts, there were already stories in the comments.
-Wow, still, it's forty million won.. Anyone contact them after seeing this?
└I actually contacted them thinking of selling, but they vanished after asking about the source a few times lol
└Everyone got left on read ㅋㅋ They're a roleplayer, don't bother with them lol
No, that's not it.
‘Hearing that, they must have been ignored because the ghost story wasn't Waveform rank or higher.’
But in my possession, there just happened to be an item that perfectly matched the preference.
Something suspicious, where I didn't even know what effect it had, and I couldn't even dare to consume it myself….
‘…I have it.’
Two bags of it, even.
<Blue Soda Churros>
A snack I received from the Blue Dragon Mascot at the theme park.
“…….”
-Ah, that filthy food!
Not exactly… filthy.
But you see.
‘A Good Friend needs military funds.’
The mascot will understand. Yes.
[Blue Friend: Hello, sir ^^ I can sell the food derived from an Anomalous Phenomenon you’re looking for!]
Message sent!
The next day.
‘It just happens to be the weekend.’
I ended up waiting for the meeting partner near Gwanghwamun Station.
In my hand was a box containing a bag of ‘Blue Soda Churros’ received from the mascot.
‘I… handled things well, right?’
I recalled the messages I exchanged with the buyer yesterday.
Almost immediately after I sent the message, a reply came.
[T: Exactly what kind of food is it?]
This was the branching point.
I had two choices.
To give trust with professional knowledge by showing that I knew everything about what the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau was and what the Waveform rank was.
Or….
[Blue Friend: It's like some kind of churros. Honestly, I'm not sure... ㅠㅠ I received it in a very strange situation.]
[Blue Friend: But I'm also scared to have it... and I really need the money. Could you check it and if it meets the conditions you want, just buy it from me.. would that be okay?]
To pretend not to know like this and just leave all the judgment to the other person.
And my choice worked well.
‘To be honest, the second thing I said was all true anyway.’
And I didn't feel like getting caught as an employee of <Daydream Inc.> anyway.
Anyway, that's why I came out to near Exit 5 of Gwanghwamun Station 7 minutes before the appointment time and was waiting for the other person.
‘If it feels strange, I'll run away immediately.’
As I was feeling nervous just in case, I saw a person looking around while coming from Cheonggye Plaza toward Exit 5.
‘Oh.’
It was a gaze that anyone could tell was someone who had come for a second-hand transaction.
The person, who was tall and wrapped their whole body in black clothes and even wore a mask, approached me when our eyes met and said.
“By any chance, Salmon….”
I nodded.
And immediately opened the box and held it out.
It was a sign for them to check.
“…….”
The other person quietly reached out.
They were wearing gloves on that hand too.
Their voice was quite young, but to think they would come all wrapped up so it was hard to deduce their identity.
‘I’m not one to talk, though.’
Actually, I was also in a state where I was wearing everything from a hat to glasses as much as possible.
I pulled down my hood and watched the other person's movements. If they tried to take it and run, I'd have to move first.
The prospective buyer scanned the top of the box with their gloved hand, then soon nodded and grabbed the box.
Hmm?
“It's the item I was looking for.”
And they held out a small drink box to me.
When they slightly opened the box, the inside filled with 50,000 won bills was briefly visible before it was closed again.
“…….”
The other person seemed to be looking at me as if asking what more I was waiting for.
It's a bit of a shame since I can't ask Braun….
‘First, do what needs to be done.’
I set the box down on the ground.
“…?”
After bowing my head to the other person, I took a notebook out of my pocket.
“…??”
And I flipped the page open to show it to the buyer.
[I do not know the effect of this food.]
[It wasn't dangerous to have it, but just in case, it might be better not to eat it.]
[You said you'd research it, but I wrote this just in case.]
“……!”
Although their expression wasn't visible, the other person seemed a bit flustered.
‘You might wonder what kind of performance this is all of a sudden….’
Sorry. I don't want my voice to be caught.
After bowing my head, I showed the last page, politely took the drink box, and ran for it.
[Have a nice day ^^]
“Good.”
After immediately depositing the cash I received, I returned home.
Whether it was because it was the weekend, Baek Saheon was already not in the company housing. Seeing him come and go, I wonder if he's going to his family home or something.
Anyway.
“Now it's time to access the Alien Shopping Mall.”
I brought the link back to life.
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