Baek Saheon was, for once, doubting his one remaining eye.
Am I dreaming right now?
Well, he was technically dreaming. A nightmare within a ghost story… no.
No!!
In fact, until just a moment ago, he had simply been enraged.
‘I only came here because I heard there was an item with a powerful brainwashing effect in this school’s faculty office….’
Seeing all these different parties gathered here, he could only seethe internally, realizing the information hadn't been that exclusive after all.
‘…I’m not letting the person who told me this was “high-level info” off the hook when I get to work tomorrow.’
He ground his teeth as he updated his mental hit list with that person's name, but even then, he was confident.
In fact, he thought this tense standoff between the two factions was a good situation to exploit.
‘If I shake things up just a little, it’ll turn into a total mess, won’t it?’
Whether he drove a wedge between them or summoned a monster to wreak havoc, he felt he could snatch the item and slip away.
Just as he had always done, using the idiots around him as bait at critical moments to climb his way up.
He could even tolerate his weak-willed colleague in the Bison mask, who was suppressing his sobs and tears. The guy looked like he could be put to use.
But….
‘That bastard… what the hell is he?’
Baek Saheon stared ahead, dumbfounded.
A familiar face, an employee wearing a black school uniform, was standing boldly and naturally next to the people from the Disaster Management Bureau.
He was wearing the same steel badge they were, holding a strange, toy-like pistol.
…Kim Soleum!
“Agent Grapes.”
Gra—Grapes??
What on earth was that?
When he had seen him in the classroom earlier, he certainly wasn't wearing that equipment. No….
‘Why is a Daydream Inc. employee standing on the other side so nonchalantly!’
“It seems everyone is trying to secure the item. Is it the one we were looking for?”
“That may be the case.”
They were even having a natural, Bureau-like conversation…!
Seeing this, the Daydream Inc. employees next to him whispered.
“They don’t seem like ordinary guys.”
“Is he a high-ranking Agent? It looks like he came after receiving a call, right?”
“…….”
Beside him, Jang Heowoon’s mouth hung open as his gaze darted back and forth between him and Kim Soleum.
Aside from himself, Jang Heowoon was the only employee here who knew Kim Soleum well enough to remember his bare face.
Even through the mask, his shock was palpable.
And then, he actually opened his mouth as if to call out to Kim Soleum!
‘Yes. That’s it!’
You do it instead!
“That… that.”
“Would you mind stepping back for now?”
“Pardon?”
But the opponent was Kim Soleum.
That… ‘Agent Grapes’ cut off Jang Heowoon, who was about to recognize him, and looked around at the employees with a solemn face.
Then, he continued speaking in a persuasive voice.
“In a supernatural disaster like this, an individual possessing a dangerous object can lead to catastrophic results. As you’ve all experienced, an item that looks good here doesn’t always yield good results.”
His voice sounded incredibly…
Incredibly convincing.
“…Even now, monsters are roaming around outside.”
“…….”
Kim Soleum spoke with pleading eyes.
“I hope you will concede for the sake of saving more lives.”
You?
He got goosebumps.
However, Jang Heowoon blinked his eyes and then slowly opened his mouth as if possessed.
“Th-Then… this time, we’ll conce—”
This crazy bastard!
“…! Hey! You’re just a rookie, what are you talking about!”
“You, shut your mouth.”
The other employees, having snapped back to their senses, began to voice their protests.
Baek Saheon didn't know it, but this was only possible because they were carrying mental defense items strong enough to somewhat resist the influence of the Silver Heart.
Of course, the optics weren't great, so the Agents on the opposite side whispered among themselves.
“Their corporate culture is trash too.”
“I agree. Still, that Agent is a very good speaker.”
“…….”
He was being recognized by the Agents…!
‘What the hell is that guy, pretending to be an Agent….’
No, wait.
At that moment, a lightning-like realization struck Baek Saheon’s head.
‘W-Wait… was he a Disaster Management Bureau Agent from the very beginning?’
Looking closely, the civil servant standing next to him was that guy he met at that crazy murder mountain cabin!
The masks provided by the company had the effect of confusing the perception of those who were not company employees, so the man didn't seem to recognize him, but….
‘……Don't tell me.’
Was it all a setup?
Was Kim Soleum a spy for the Disaster Management Bureau from the start?
A chill ran down his spine.
But at the same time, it felt like he had a new card to play.
‘If I reveal that guy’s identity….’
Just then, his eyes met Kim Soleum’s.
Kim Soleum gave a thin smile and tapped his own chest.
And then, he mouthed the words:
‘Debt.’
“……!”
-Debt
The word he had written when leaving the emergency flashlight.
‘Y-You crazy bastard, that’s a debt you owe me…!’
Was he saying that if he wanted to be repaid, he should shut up and cooperate?
How could a debtor threaten a creditor in reverse… no!
‘Fuck, forget that!’
Baek Saheon ground his teeth.
Right now, his team was outnumbered.
‘The Agents have more people.’
At this rate, the Field Exploration Position employees aiming for a High-Score Clear would likely just step back and give up the item.
Then he wouldn't be able to cause any distraction. The opportunity itself would vanish!
‘I’d rather….’
“…….”
Baek Saheon agonized for a moment before making his decision.
He absolutely needed that item.
…Absolutely.
Furthermore, he knew that his Exclusive Equipment, which he had prepared by pre-investigating and investing a large sum of a thousand Points, was securely attached to the sole of his shoe.
This item, which he had carefully crafted by choosing parent equipment, was….
A lethal weapon intended for causing chaos.
Owner: Baek Saheon
Registered Equipment Description: A device in the shape of a triple-color ballpoint pen. When the end of the pen is pressed, the pen nib shoots out and explodes like a firework.
Manufactured by Qterw-E-99.
Enjoying the cylindrical, slender pressure felt from the sole of his shoe.
Baek Saheon deliberately turned to Jang Heowoon and spoke.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t you think there’s a strange sound coming from outsi….”
And then, he naturally fired at Kim Soleum.
“…de?”
His target was the head.
‘Die!’
Die instantly.
That way, even if he woke up from this nightmare, he wouldn't realize it was him who fired.
‘A guy like that probably has a name tag anyway!’
Even though he had mentioned the debt, he couldn't get caught ruining this situation.
‘I can just pin it on someone else.’
The personalities of this company's employees were all more or less the same anyway.
Baek Saheon wore a satisfied smile that he tried to hide.
Whoosh.
The pen nib of his Exclusive Equipment, which flew from the sole of his shoe, silently pierc—
…No, it didn't?
Kim Soleum naturally twisted his head and dodged the pen nib.
“…?!”
Kim Soleum glanced at Baek Saheon.
‘I’ve read the instructions for your Exclusive Equipment on the Wiki so many times.’
He already knew the loading motion.
‘It’s clicking your left heel twice.’
Since he had been preparing for this since they became roommates, this reflex was, in a way, only natural.
In fact, because he had zero expectations for him, he wasn't even angry, but….
‘I can’t let him push me around.’
In that moment, Kim Soleum looked at Baek Saheon and smirked.
‘I know you’re the one who fired.’
And that means you’re fucked now.
“…….”
A chill ran down Baek Saheon’s spine.
The learned fear rose to the level of near panic.
However, his goal of causing chaos was itself a success.
“Ugh,”
“…!”
The pen nib that hit the locker behind Kim Soleum exploded in all directions.
In an instant, light, noise, and smoke filled the faculty office.
“…Who is it!”
Now, no matter how low they spoke, it was useless.
With this much commotion, the ‘students’ would come running even if it meant risking a little property damage. Which meant….
They would be swarming in soon.
“…!!”
“Flashlights.”
Everyone lowered their posture and pressed against the walls. Having one's vision obscured by smoke was the worst possible condition in this nightmare school.
‘Which bastard was it?’
Just before survival became a higher priority in everyone's minds than finding the culprit.
‘Since it’s come to this…!’
I’m taking what I came for!
Baek Saheon lunged toward the table.
Fountain Pen of 2nd Year ■■■
He grabbed the item and stuffed it into his pocket.
Then, he naturally joined the other employees and sprinted out of the faculty office.
The Agents, who had formed a defensive formation with no blind spots inside the office, only checked the situation after the fog had cleared slightly.
They realized that the fountain pen and the employees had vanished simultaneously.
“…! Dammit!”
“Those Daydream Inc. bastards…!”
Suddenly, they were held collectively responsible.
‘Well, look at that.’
Only Kim Soleum, who had been keeping a close eye on Baek Saheon, confirmed this.
But the situation was too urgent to talk about it.
[A fatal accident has occurred in the 3rd-floor hallway.]
[The deceased student is 2nd Year Kim Sora.]
The Daydream Inc. employees fleeing down the hallway had killed one of the students.
“…Hah.”
A blackout arrived.
A five-second blackout.
Flashlight beams flitting everywhere.
Screams.
Corpses.
‘This is insane.’
With so many people and strange creatures, this was nothing short of a B-grade splatter horror movie.
A different kind of fear from the suffocating silence of earlier.
“AAAAAAAH!”
“That, over there by the window!”
“Blood! Blood!”
“Requesting backu— hkk,”
Amidst the gruesome scenes unfolding all around that made my hair stand on end, I was somehow spotting students trying to enter the faculty office through the gaps in the fog and stopping them.
It felt like playing a gruesome defense game.
Or a horror game where I was so cornered that this was all I could do.
“Go!”
Was it a relief that because the Agents were actively attacking, hardly any aggro was drawn to me?
But that, too, had its limits.
Blink.
The moment I was forced to blink from the blood that splattered in my eye.
A student’s hand stopped right above my head like a hook.
“…!!”
I quickly threw myself backward.
…My skull was almost pierced just now.
My hair stood on end.
‘Heh…….’
I felt like my heart was going to drop.
‘No.’
This was a swamp.
‘It’s beyond the range I can cover with a single flashlight.’
From what I knew, although it varied by round, there were at least twenty students on each floor.
What happens if an announcement broadcast plays because a student was killed?
[A fatal accident has occurred in the 2nd-floor faculty office.]
More would come.
Along with a five-second blackout for a moment of silence.
‘It won’t end.’
There was a high probability that everyone would die here and the exploration would end. Therefore….
‘I’ll use this chance to escape instead.’
I ground my teeth.
I would find and join the others on a different floor.
The fog began to subside, and the blackout had just ended….
Blink.
‘…Now!’
I cut across the faculty office, which had become a center of blood, organs, and violence, and slid through the door that had been open from the start.
In that moment,
“Agent Grapes!”
“…!”
I saw Agent Bronze in my clearing vision.
He was in a standoff, holding one of the masked employees, and that mask was….
“Hiek.”
“Quiet.”
The Bison mask. Y-Team Cleanup Team.
‘It’s Jang Heowoon.’
Couldn't you follow the other employees when they escaped…!
“Use this to restrain him…!”
The Agent threw an item that looked like handcuffs toward me.
He probably wanted me to restrain Jang Heowoon. He mistakenly thought I had come this way to help him.
But I had already decided to ditch everyone….
“E-Escape, Mr. Roe Deer!”
“…!”
Damn it.
Jang Heowoon called out to me, then covered his mouth in shock.
He had said the name of my mask.
“……Roe Deer?”
“No, that’s….”
I could tell just by the Agent’s expression.
‘I’m busted.’
Damn it, if that's the case…!
I quickly caught the handcuff item the Agent had thrown.
And I locked it onto the Agent instead.
“……?!”
The handcuffs expanded, restraining the Agent’s mouth and arms, and a silver chain emerging from them connected to my hand.
“Mr. Bison, let’s run.”
“Ye-Yes…?!”
Then, I sprinted out, dragging Jang Heowoon and the Agent along.
“AAAAAAAH!”
[The moment of silence is over. We offer our deepest condolences to the deceased.]
Escaping the chaotic faculty office, we sprinted up the stairs like madmen.
One or two entities followed us out of the office, but they turned back toward the commotion happening inside again.
“Please keep an eye on the area above!”
“Yes!”
Jang Heowoon answered quite alertly as he looked up the stairs.
‘Whew.’
Watching the students disappear without following us up from the middle of the stairs, I turned my head with a feeling of wanting to wipe away my cold sweat.
Then, I locked eyes with the person restrained at the end of the line I was holding.
The Disaster Management Bureau Agent, Mr. Bronze, was glaring at me as if he wanted to kill me.
“…….”
Since it’s come to this.
There’s no other way.
‘Let’s scam him…!’
I began to spin a systematic sob story at a speed faster than I had ever been in my life.
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