Suddenly, when the Section Chief of another company, Lizard, was mentioned as a recommendation from a colleague, the civil servants diligently grilling Korean beef responded, too bewildered to even chew their meat.
"Cheongdong, are we… being recommended someone from Daydream Inc. as a good person to work with?"
Of course, the Daydream D-team alumni are resilient.
Positive
"No, more than half of this group were already from Daydream, so why are you so surprised? It's a place where people live, too."
Of course, what I'm recommending isn't a person, but an alien reptile….
"Our Section Chief is a genuinely good person. He's strong and straightforward, perfect to work with."
"Someone from that company, and strong-willed too…."
"No, that's not it. Old Man."
"…?"
Assistant Manager Eun Haje solemnly shook her head.
"It's just that he's genuinely strong. That's all."
Agree
Agent Bronze looked a bit more confused, but both Assistant Manager Eun Haje and I nodded as if we had agreed beforehand.
Then, the Deputy Manager's gaze turned.
"But this person isn't surprised."
"Hey, I was surprised too."
However, Agent Choi wasn't particularly surprised and was just making light of it.
And I already seemed to know the reason.
The other identity Agent Choi had used.
'Lee Kangheon.'
-K.LEE: Is he perhaps Lee Ja-heon Section Chief's cousin? ;; He has the same personality
I had sent a message like that before when recommending Salmon Market.
'It means Agent Choi already knows what kind of person Lee Ja-heon Section Chief is.'
No, it's more than that. It actually means he knows the messenger profiles of Daydream employees and has a general grasp of their personalities and trends.
…There was no such record on the wiki.
'He couldn't have infiltrated Daydream.'
Agent Choi didn't have two bodies, and he couldn't attend Daydream while doing his busy agent work. In the first place, there is no such person as Deputy Lee Kangheon in the company.
So, I extended smoke from under the table, subtly drawing only Agent Choi's attention.
"Hmm?"
And I asked.
Question: Lee Kangheon's identity
"..."
The characters I made were quickly erased so that the others at the table couldn't see them.
Agent Choi smiled faintly.
"Ho ho, you shouldn't covet a Seonbae's trade secrets."
....
Indeed.
It's an identity meant to extract information from Daydream, so it would be difficult to reveal it to an employee who still works there….
-But if you're curious, shall I tell you?
...!
Agent Choi wrote letters with his finger in the smoke gathered under the table.
-The person named Lee Kangheon really exists.
-A Daydream retiree.
…!
-But oh? One day, a brilliant ace agent from the Bureau obtained Lee Kangheon's messenger account haha.
He didn't say how he obtained it.
However, he added a description of the account.
-There were so many group chats he hadn't left.
Entry-level colleagues, short-term projects, anonymous rooms for information sharing, even office gambling.
They were all places useful for obtaining information. Moreover, with Agent Choi's skill, he would have successfully infiltrated various new chat rooms derived from those.
That's how he dug up employee profiles one by one… and eventually, he would have continuously found out the profiles of new hires.
I recalled the testimony of Deputy Lee Seong-hae, who said she was introduced to Salmon Market by someone named Deputy Lee Kangheon from D-team. And….
-I also heard good rumors about the elite top new recruit, Kim Soleum, who explores ghost stories without batting an eye lololol
....
As expected, he knew everything from the beginning….
-Well, it's just this much.
Request: More detailed explanation
-Grape, you're really shameless....
-But if our maknae wants it, I should tell them more! I'll tell you everything on the day you completely cut ties with Daydream haha.
Meaning he wouldn't tell me.
With that sentence, Agent Choi returned his attention to the table as if no secret conversation had ever taken place under the table.
I suppressed a groan.
'…Is this why I didn't trust Wish Tokens more?'
A retiree who evaporated after leaving behind an account, and he had actually used that account.
At any rate, I was bewildered that my curiosity had been resolved like this.
'I didn't expect him to answer.'
Of course, his words about trusting me were naturally lies. He cut off the detailed story in the first place.
After years of use, the name 'Lee Kangheon' would have become well-known enough that he wouldn't be invited to new group chats, so he was probably planning to stop using it anyway.
He surely has other information gathering routes.
'Still, what's grateful is grateful….'
While I was organizing my thoughts, casual jokes were exchanged at the table.
"Wow, Section Chief Lizard. I wonder how strong he is, does he chew rebar?"
"He seems like the type who could if he wanted to."
"…??"
Assistant Manager Eun Haje shrugged as she asked the part-timer to change the grill.
"Anyway, as Mr. Noru said, it would naturally be good if our Section Chief helped, but… it's difficult to do while working at the company."
....
Actually, that wasn't the only problem.
The news I heard from Cosmic shopping mall when I was buying the Amulet Dried Pollack.
-The entity is currently at the boarding school.
In essence, it meant that Lee Ja-heon Section Chief was unable to escape from some Darkness.
'It was called a boarding school ghost story.'
So, since I had already decided to find Lee Ja-heon Section Chief, I wanted to confirm it somehow. It seemed like no ordinary matter.
After regaining my senses thanks to Agent Haegum, I even felt a bit anxious.
'I intended to ask Baek Saheon to precisely understand what kind of Darkness it was.'
But there's a bigger hurdle here.
It's… my condition.
Concerns:
Request to return to Daydream Inc. for 130666's work
"...!"
The announcement urging me to return was still echoing in my head.
Thanks to the giant Jade Bell, which seemed to be the origin of the Jade Drop, I regained my senses, but I don't know how long I can resist postponing this call request arbitrarily….
That wasn't all.
'…Entering Segwang Metropolitan City again is the same.'
I don't know how.
If I try the Well again, the Disaster Management Bureau is likely to notice something strange. Once might be excused as recklessness during an operation, but repetition would reveal intent.
Besides, even if I use that….
'…Can I take these people with me?'
Dying is something I never get used to, no matter how many times I experience it, and it was accompanied by immense contamination. Moreover, many would have had their trauma of nearly dying in a ghost story reawakened….
…As expected.
'Is it right for me to do this alone?'
Because my condition isn't human. The aftereffects of contamination will surely be less severe than for others….
In the first place, I was the one who pushed Deputy Lee Seong-hae onto the train. If Deputy Lee Seong-hae can't get out, it can be seen as a clear case of responsibility for who became the decisive cause.
So… yes.
That would be better.
"…Alright. The company is the problem in many ways."
Assistant Manager Eun Haje patted my back and said, unable to know my thoughts.
And seeing the part-timer approaching to change the grill, I leaned back and muttered as if joking.
"Geez, should I tell Director Ho about this?"
"Then I think I can help."
"…!"
Without realizing it.
The part-timer who had been serving our table sat down at our table, smiling.
Only then did I see his face. A friendly-looking young man smiling.
…It's Director Ho.
'How.'
He had blended in so subtly that I couldn't tell when he had arrived at this spot.
The friendly young man's face looked around at us.
"Everyone. Congratulations."
"..."
"You've been there and back, haven't you?"
Segwang Metropolitan City.
The young man's expression, pronouncing it only with his lips, was utterly serene, but I noticed a strange madness flowing in his eyes.
"How was it? You went to a special secret place that others can't perceive, didn't you? Was it enjoyable, or were you nervous? Or were you in pain because you couldn't tell your affiliated organization anything?"
"..."
"Please speak comfortably."
I realized that while the agents looked tense and frozen, they were actually checking their equipment while scanning their surroundings.
This is a restaurant full of civilians….
"Don't worry. The people at this table will be safe."
"…!"
"I don't like commotion, nor do I arbitrarily harbor ill will towards others."
"Oh…"
Agent Choi gritted his teeth and smiled.
"Someone like that, suddenly pushes others into a Supernatural Disaster where they suffer and die?"
"That's something we've already discussed."
Ho Yuwon said sweetly.
"The Disaster Management Bureau is fine with that."
The madness disguised as rationality was chilling.
Holding individuals accountable for collective grievances: Illogical
"Yes? You're saying strange things…. Emotions are originally illogical. Mr. 130666."
Sigh.
Recommendation: Alternative title for 130666
▶ Mr. Noru
▶ Grape
Grape.
As Ho Yuwon read the agent's name, something that looked like anger or distortion seemed to flash in his eyes, but it was quickly concealed without a trace.
"Haha, you like informal titles, Mr. Noru."
I read something peculiar there.
Anxiety.
Trying to suppress anger to move the conversation forward quickly.
"Just a moment."
Agent Bronze opened his mouth.
"Did you know?"
"Know what?"
"That the well could connect to a specific region? Was that your goal from the start?"
"And if so?"
"..."
"If so, isn't it for the better? It means our objectives align."
Clap.
Ho Yuwon clapped and smiled.
"I will spare no support to help you rescue Deputy Lee Seong-hae."
"…!"
"Think about it."
His voice was deceptively sweet.
"In the Disaster Management Bureau, would they really spend such time and resources? By dispatching busy field agents?"
"..."
"If it were me, I could help no matter what…."
The area around the table shimmered.
"I don't ask for much in return. It's just a humble request, to find just one thing in Segwang Metropolitan City…"
"Oh~ Then why don't you do it yourself?"
"..."
"You know the passage, so if it's a simple task, you could just go in and do it yourself. I don't understand why you're here flapping your gums."
Agent Choi's voice rose with anger hidden within his amusement.
"Don't tell me… you can't go in?"
"..."
"That's right."
I realized it from the silence.
That was correct.
For some reason, Ho Yuwon likely cannot enter Segwang Metropolitan City.
That's why he keeps drawing employees into projects, and why he's using Assistant Manager Eun Haje right now.
"That's right. Unfortunately, I cannot enter that place."
However, Ho Yuwon, without being flustered, put on a sad face as if deeply disappointed.
"So, won't you trust me more? Since I can't go in myself, I'm supporting all actions for the attempt to explore Segwang Metropolitan City. It makes sense, doesn't it?"
If so, then.
Proposal:
Pledge for trust (Target: Ho Yuwon)
"...!"
"Oh, Grape is making a good suggestion."
Ho Yuwon's eyes turned to me.
"Yes. You wouldn't do something cowardly like imposing restrictions on others but not yourself, would you~"
A deep silence fell.
But then.
"Good."
"…!"
"Shall we set mutual restrictions? So that neither of us can betray the other until the exploration of Segwang Metropolitan City is complete."
Ho Yuwon smiled and placed his hand on the table.
"Shall we do it now?"
"..."
"It seems you need preparation. Alright. I can wait…"
Ho Yuwon stood up from the table.
"But considering the person you're trying to rescue, it's best to speed things up. No one knows how long they can hold on…"
"..."
"Assistant Manager Eun Haje will know the contact method. Farewell."
And when he turned his head again.
It wasn't Ho Yuwon, but an ordinary part-timer returning to the kitchen with the grill.
"..."
"...Sigh."
"It's hard to ruin the taste of Korean beef, but you're doing that difficult thing. As expected, superiors shouldn't join company dinners."
"Haha…"
That day.
The company dinner ended with people lost in thought, pondering various worries at the table.
With an unbelievable backup option now available.
'Sigh.'
After the company dinner.
As others returned to their respective living spaces, I too was sent back to the security space for supernatural beings in the Main Building where I belonged.
'It's surprising they let me go out….'
Perhaps they wanted to test my stability by ensuring my safety with agents accompanying me.
And I passed this time.
'Thank goodness.'
Actually, since regaining my senses thanks to Agent Haegum, the extreme isolation has been greatly eased.
Even this place, rather than just a room, feels like a small isolated space projecting an outdoor veranda… It seems to be a facility for the mental stability of supernatural beings.
'I haven't even paid taxes properly yet….'
I felt a bit sorry, as if I were burdening the facility.
I also felt a strange sense of guilt, like I should earn my keep after having consumed several Jade Drops.
[To feel guilty for receiving such a trivial space, my friend is too humble and that's the problem…]
Of course, someone might have said something so absurd…
But now….
'....'
It's gone.
'Has it been about fifteen days already?'
Since Brown's voice became inaudible.
Just like when I worked in the basement of Daydream Annex, I couldn't perceive Brown's voice in my 130666 state.
'But I thought I'd hear his voice again soon after regaining my senses.'
I don't know why, but I still can't hear it.
The merchandise… no, the substitute doll, was also collected by the Disaster Management Bureau and I haven't gotten it back.
'…Will I hear it if I wait?'
Last time, it seemed there was a time lag before Brown's voice became audible after I regained my senses, so I'm waiting for now.
Or maybe an overly invested Brown only speaks when the merchandise is present.
'I wish it were the latter.'
Just as I thought that.
Ting, ting*….
'…!'
The sound of a wind chime.
It means there's a visitor to this isolation space.
Based on my experience these past few days, the assigned agent usually talks safely from beyond the sliding door, recording my condition…
But today, there was a unique guest.
"The elder from Team Hyumoo 1 requested it… would you like to see?"
Inside the small lantern the agent was holding.
Similarly, a small will-o'-the-wisp peeked out.
'…!'
That will-o'-the-wisp, which was once my arm, was shining.