“What’s going on now?”
“What did he do?”
What happens when a short-term daily laborer, at the bottom of the performance rankings, pulls off crazy results twice in a row at a crazy pharmaceutical company?
And what if he didn’t do it over two weeks, or even two days, but twice in a single day, morning and evening?
Furthermore, what if, as a short-term worker, the second result he pulled off was something even a regular elite from the Field Exploration team, equipped with a manual, would find difficult to achieve…?
This is what happens.
[Wait a second! Wait, let’s hear a more detailed answer there! You’re saying you couldn’t get out of the retreat center?]
“Yes….”
This guy was really crossing the line.
‘I figured as much, though.’
The researcher, looking nearly half-crazed, confined me in an interview room-like space and squeezed testimony out of me almost all night long.
I thought he downed about five cans of energy drinks.
As I was about to collapse in the middle of it, he tried to administer a stimulant but gave up after seeing the state I was in.
Honestly, there was no need to act. I really felt like I was going to die….
And I was certain.
‘This reaction….’
The Dream Essence definitely turned out to be around B-grade.
‘It makes sense.’
I encountered an irregularity, and even ‘something difficult for human perception to handle,’ and came out alive.
However, objective understanding is one thing, and the researcher's perspective is another.
A daily laborer who pulled out one bottle each of C-grade and B-grade Dream Essence in a single day?
‘Wow, if this goes wrong, word might reach too high up the chain.’
So, I immediately decided on my stance.
After roughly treating my injured hand and waking up after a night of sleeping like the dead, I regained my senses….
I persistently pinned everything on Jin Nasol.
“So, she told me to keep my eyes closed, and that’s what I did….”
[And then?]
“She beat up the person next to us….”
[…….]
Basically, I claimed everything was Assistant Manager Jin Nasol’s hard carry, and I just tagged along.
‘Knowing she’s from A-Squad of the Headquarters, it’ll be very persuasive.’
I have to do at least this much so it doesn't seem too strange.
To be honest, it’s true that I survived without being retired at Sagyeong Lodge thanks to Assistant Manager Jin Nasol.
However, for ‘some unknown reason,’ I couldn’t return with Assistant Manager Jin Nasol and wandered the courage test site.
Then, it felt like I stepped on something within the Darkness….
[…And you found yourself here when you woke up?]
“Yes, yes….”
[…….]
Even so, what are you going to do about it?
‘It was a good thing I pushed the luck-based narrative in advance.’
Even now, they probably wanted to verify it one more time via hypnosis or a truth serum, but they lacked the budget to use a guaranteed method, right?
From what I can see, this branch doesn’t even seem to have issued potions or a proper item maker.
‘But they’d want to observe me more before rashly using an unsafe method.’
No one wants to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
Eventually, the researcher changed the question.
[…Then what is this receiver? Hmm? You must remember holding it in your hand when you returned. Where did you get this receiver with the cord ripped out? The lodge?]
“I got it as a prize….”
[……]
[What rank was it?]
“6th place!”
I answered brightly.
For the record, most of the 6th-place prizes here are recycling items abandoned in the retreat center.
[…….]
In the end, the receiver, which looked useless to everyone, was returned to my hands.
‘Yahoo.’
The research staff at the Namhae Branch are more complacent than I thought.
I thought they might find out it was a Disaster Management Bureau item by inspecting it like crazy, but it seems it was judged as an ordinary object because its functions were lost and it didn't react.
I wanted to keep it as a souvenir for no reason, so this worked out well.
“You’re here.”
“Yes.”
I successfully retrieved the glasses case Assistant Manager Jin Nasol passed to me in a blind spot of the lodging.
Anticipating this, I had poked Jin Nasol while pretending to be supported by her before being transported to the interview room.
-Ex, excuse me… I can’t get up. Please support me….
‘I don’t think she’s the type of person to snatch it for herself just because she’s rank 1.’
Of course… I had a vague feeling that she might take it if she felt certain that ‘she could use it better.’
Since I’ve been recognized by her as a capable employee in my own way, that possibility was extremely slim.
‘Good.’
Things have been cleaned up nicely like this.
I had also kept completely silent about the fact that there was one more stamp inside the retreat center.
‘If I’d blabbed about that, they’d send every single worker into that basement from now on….’
Then it would be a mass slaughter. I really wanted to avoid that.
I thought of that underground space, tightly packed with religious symbols, and shuddered even now.
And the thing beneath it that had followed me…….
…….
‘Let’s not think about it.’
I must break free from its influence. I took a deep breath.
“What did you do this time?”
“Hahaha….”
Just what I’ve been doing every day since joining Daydream.
And so, the next day.
I saw the special notice that had been overwritten once again.
{Special Reassignment
Y492 -> X915
Y491 -> X916}
Wow.
“…Is jumping groups your specialty?”
“Hahaha….”
This time, Assistant Manager Jin Nasol was reassigned with me. Nice. This is important.
‘Assistant Manager Jin Nasol is a great tanker not just in ghost stories, but in society as well….’
If our groups were too far apart, it would be hard to plot together.
But I didn't expect that researcher to do this so quickly.
‘Hmm, is he controlling the variables?’
Since I moved up in groups and immediately produced higher grade Essence, he’s raising it once more… to see.
‘There’s definitely a possibility.’
Whatever the reason, better sleeping quarters and food were always welcome….
‘The food gets even better than this?’
Even the happiness of eating has returned, but how far will it go…!
During Group Y’s breakfast period, I felt a modest sense of anticipation while eating freshly heated instant rice with stir-fried spicy pork and seaweed soup.
And the dopamine-inducing events didn't end there.
[Those in the Y410s, this way.]
The darkness I entered that day wasn't very scary!
‘Finally, I’m having some real luck….’
I stifled a sigh of relief as I put a coin into a ‘coin purse.’ When kept inside, the face engraved on the coin would occasionally change to a crying expression. If you keep staring at that crying expression, you’ll hallucinate a future where you are crying.’
It’s normal to get something like this when you’re thrown haphazardly into unclassified ghost stories without manuals, and I finally got to experience it.
“Um, everything is finished….”
I was able to return to the break room first after quickly finishing the work.
“Whew.”
Since none of the workers who came with me on the mine cart were my roommates, I could remain alone in the break room.
‘It doesn't seem like the wiretaps are on right now.’
So, I could take out the item I had hidden in a blind spot.
It was the receiver.
I held the thing that had been connected to the Disaster Management Bureau in my hand and stared at it for no reason.
‘…He definitely called me a transfer student at the end.’
There was only one person who called me that.
Which made the lingering regret even greater.
“…It’s a waste that the connection isn’t working anymore.”
-It is working.
…!!
-Civiliam, is this a situation where it’s okay to speak right now?
I immediately gripped the receiver properly.
…A voice was coming from the receiver!
-And….
A slightly trembling voice could be heard.
A voice that sounded not mature–but surprisingly young, making me wonder how I only noticed just now.
-Are you the transfer student?
…….
I swallowed hard and lowered my voice to answer quietly.
“…Right. The transfer student who said he was from Grade 1, Class 5.”
-…!
‘…As I thought.’
Lee Gyeol.
The high school student from whom I borrowed a school uniform at Sekwang Technical High School was the one on the other side of this receiver.
“How did you know it was me?”
-Because your voice… is similar.
Ah.
A logical and simple reason was given. More than that….
“Did you become an agent?”
My goodness.
It felt like only yesterday that he appeared as a trapped entity within a high school ghost story, and I couldn't believe he was now talking as an agent. No, wait.
“Then your age right now….”
Aren't you barely twenty at most?
“A-Aren't you too young to be a field agent for the Disaster Management Bureau?”
-…I don’t know. I’m not that old.
For some reason, it’s a voice that sounded like he’s trying to speak more bluntly out of slight embarrassment!
-I’m not an agent yet. Just… while working part-time, I sometimes answer the phone here.
“Ah, volunteer work?”
-How is it volunteer work if I’m getting paid? I’m just doing it.
Oh. That kind of thing usually went to ‘smart civilians with no ties who got caught up in a supernatural disaster.’
‘It seems he’s getting along well with the agents.’
And he sounds like he’s preparing to take the Disaster Management Bureau civil service exam as soon as he’s of age.
Thinking that the Sekwang Metropolitan City situation seemingly settled better than I thought, I spoke with a lighter heart.
“I’m really glad to hear from you. Have you been well?”
-Yeah. Thanks to you. …The other kids at our school are doing well, too.
“…….”
That was a relief.
-What about you? Where on earth have you been for three years? Even when I asked the Disaster Management Bureau, I only heard that you had resigned.
“Um. I went back home for a bit.”
Once the topic reached that point, I finally couldn't help but ask.
This opportunity, I should be asking other things too, but….
“By any chance, how are the other agents?”
-…You mean Hyunmoo Team 1, right?
“For now, yes.”
I swallowed hard.
Just in case….
-Both of them… are doing well.
“…! I see.”
Thank goodness.
-Anyway, I don’t know how this call is happening either. It should have been cut off, but it keeps staying connected.
So he meant he didn't hang up and waited on mute until now.
‘My God.’
I was curious why it wasn't cut off, but first, I wanted to pay my respects to that patience.
-And I heard some strange noises from that side… Where are you? Are you sure you’re okay there?
“Hmm.”
I hesitated for a moment.
Should I request a rescue from the Disaster Management Bureau here?
‘Tsk….’
I don’t know if it’ll work.
‘This worker position is still a job, after all.’
If the Disaster Management Bureau could have legally saved us, wouldn't they have saved the Security Team in Daydream’s basement first?
Furthermore, if I can leave in two weeks, it might be better not to stir up trouble.
If a ‘commotion from a government agency audit’ breaks out for no reason and attention is focused, it could get a bit troublesome. Because they could track me down, the one who was originally ‘Supervisor Roe Deer.’
If I were to catch Director Cheong’s eye because of that….
‘Wow, absolutely not.’
Okay.
“The situation is a bit ambiguous to report right now.”
Of course, I can’t just let this opportunity go.
“Could I possibly get a direct number for rescue? I’ll contact you there if things go south.”
-…Alright.
Like that, I managed to get a number.
Even as I did so, I couldn't help but say.
“The fact that we can talk right now is irregular. Don’t just give your number to the other party like this. You should at least verify them.”
-You… speak just like an old man.
“…….”
-Another department already checked this phone. So it’s fine, right?
Yeah….
It makes me realize anew that our age gap really is that large….
After that, I thought I’d check one more thing since events had turned out this way.
“…By any chance, did you hear anything strange through the phone?”
Contamination, that is.
-Strange noises? When?
“When the phone was connected for the second time, when I said I was about to escape.”
I swallowed hard.
“Didn’t you hear something like that? Like a voice calling for a lover… a beautiful voice like that.”
…….
-I didn’t hear it.
Phew.
It seems only I, who was possessed, heard it…….
-I did hear some strange creaking sounds like flesh hitting flesh, though.
“…….”
-That was it. You were being chased, weren't you?
“…Uh, yeah.”
I swallowed hard.
“That… must be it.”
It was probably just that.
-Ah, it seems like it’s going to cut off soon. …Damn it. I guess it can’t hold out anymore.
And not long after, the phone began to fail.
-The number I gave you is the rescue number I received. Call whenever there’s a problem.
“…! Thank you.”
-Whatever.
A firm voice was heard.
-You deserve that much.
Click. The phone cut off.
“…….”
Sincerely, I was grateful.
‘Whew.’
Wow, having a conversation where I didn't have to be on edge for the first time in a while really eased the tension.
But at the same time, it also made me uneasy.
The ‘Paradise of Love’ facility I’d encountered in this ghost story.
And… the ‘Lover of Paradise’.
-The rough hemp rope wound tightly around the entire idol had dug into my palm.
-And so… my blood was soaking into the twine.
Did I ‘call’ it because my blood got on the statue in that basement?
‘Surely it won’t… keep chasing me, right?’
In the first place, what is the current state of my body?
I don’t have my previous tattoos, and there are no special signs of contamination. It means I’m an ordinary person staggering from malnutrition.
‘If that’s the case, I seem to have held out fairly well against the Paradise of Love monster.’
Maybe it was because I was already immensely vigilant after recognizing what it was.
‘Ha.’
I needed advice.
With that thought, one name reflexively came to mind.
‘Braun….’
I miss him very much, but I felt a small sense of crisis over the fact that I miss him….
‘I don’t know what’s right.’
For now, unless I obtain a ‘Good Friend,’ I won't be able to officially summon him, so there’s no point in worrying about it now.
‘Two weeks… no, are there about ten days left now?’
Let’s hold out well.
Since I entered Group X, at least the food, clothing, and shelter have been upgraded one more time!
And my anticipation was rewarded even further.
[Group X has one more privilege.]
“W-What is it…?”
[It’s a pass for the rest area. You can use the rest area even if it’s not the weekend.]
The place where I had opened my eyes, the place with the withered ritual table.
The rest area of Daydream’s Namhae Branch had opened.
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