Chapter 259: Ch 259: Shall we begin the exploration?
It was the very next day that I met Section Chief Lee Jaheon after he
escaped from the Groom Lesson ghost story.
It was a meet-up arranged with the agents who had obtained permission for
a short outing to stabilize my condition (Condition : There must be no
people nearby), and for a follow-up strategy meeting.
There was already an early guest in the pavilion of the old park that was our
destination.
Ho Yoowon.
"Welcome, Roe Deer-nim!"
The director, who somehow knew we were going to talk about the Sekwang
City exploration, had once again beaten us to it and taken the lead.
And there was one person sitting upright next to Ho Yoowon.
"Additional personnel was needed for the exploration project, correct? It
seemed you were eager to meet Mr. Roe Deer, so we came along
immediately."
A familiar lizard looked at me with vertical pupils.
"Mr. Roe Deer."
Section Chief Lee Jaheon.
Greeting and well-being check
"Yes. I have returned to work."
From the circumstances, it seems he came looking for me that very day I
was rescued, but considering my situation, he chose the right timing that
would let us meet smoothly.
’As expected of a senior employee of this era...’
He is a person of a different character from a certain director.
Section Chief Lee Jaheon did not show a flicker of agitation even when he
saw my Security Team state, which would look quite bizarre.
He had already seen me like this when we entered the resort of the Cheerful
Theme Park last time, and even then Chief Lizard recognized me and
treated me exactly as before.
Just like now.
"Since your return, have any other anomalies occurred to you, Mr. Roe
Deer?"
No anomalies
"I can confirm this."
And even Assistant Manager Eun Haje began talking as if nothing were
unusual.
"Well now, seeing you after a while, your face is shining, Section Chief. Ah,
it is a figure of speech. A figure of speech."
"? Yes."
By their standards, this was an exceptionally warm and friendly lizard-style
conversation.
But to the agents, it seems this scene came across as bizarre...
Agent Choi barely managed to join the conversation.
"Ah, really. You are quite handsome, Mr. Civilian."
"Yes."
"...Haha, you remember us, right? We are the agents who suddenly dropped
into your headquarters~ Thank you for taking the rescued civilian children
to the restroom."
"Yes."
"..."
"..."
"Grapes-ie. Are you sure this person intends to participate in the
exploration?"
This was in truth less a question than an expression of reluctance, but the
lizard answered honestly.
"Yes."
"..."
"..."
Agent Bronze barely opened his mouth.
"Pardon, are you answering with a precise understanding of what the
assignment is?"
The lizard answered as if it were obvious.
"No."
"...!?"
Hahahah...
Before Agent Bronze grew more confused, I raised letters in smoke.
Request : A more detailed explanation
"Yes. Since receiving rescue assistance from Mr. Roe Deer, it has been
judged that accompanying him in a similar rescue operation is ethically
correct in terms of relations. What exactly must be performed in this
process will be determined later."
In short, it was to repay my help.
’Section Chief...!’
From my position, having already received an escape reward from the alien
reptiles of which he is a part, I was grateful and almost moved.
And it seems this nuance made it through the lizard manner of speech to the
agents as well.
"...Hrm."
"See?"
Assistant Manager Eun Haje lightly tapped Agent Choi, whose expression
said, ’Not bad?’
And I added my piece as well.
Additional good deeds by Section Chief Lizard :
Covered rent during the period of disappearance as 130666
Section Chief Lee Jaheon was paying my rent for me too!
"Oh? Covered the rent?"
Yes!
I desperately rendered in smoke the words, ’When I received the wish
ticket, I entrusted all remaining items to Section Chief Lee Jaheon and
asked him, if possible, to use them to cover the rent.’
’Since it was basically renting storage space, calling it rent should still
count.’
"Wow, I knew you had money, Section Chief, but you went that far for
Roe? Now that he’s back, you’re not even billing him?"
That is correct, Assistant Manager Eun Haje. That part is truly worthy of
respect...
"I see. I will do it now."
"..."
"...?!"
"The converted value of the items Mr. Roe Deer entrusted for liquidation
has all been deducted as of last month. 2.3 million won is the current
accumulated debt."
Ah.
Everyone’s gaze turned to me.
I frantically floated smoke.
Request : Term extension
Please.
Repayment of the said debt after this exploration
Scheduled to receive project performance bonus
Payer : Director Ho Yoowon
Please wait just a little until I squeeze the money out of Ho Yoowon.
And also.
Planned recipients of project allowances :
Includes Section Chief Lizard
You can receive it too, Section Chief, so please.
"Yes."
Thank you!
And Ho Yoowon, who had watched all of this, spoke with a smile.
"It is truly good to see. If you carry out the exploration faithfully, of course
you should be paid."
"Oh~ as expected, Daydream’s director is different. That temperament of
taking care only of one’s own company’s people. Khh!"
"A public official under a ban on side jobs coveting additional remuneration
is truly shameless, a dual attitude very fitting of the Disaster Management
Bureau..."
"Don’t say things like moonlighting. That would be disappointing. Making
money in a supernatural disaster is originally a perfectly legal agent-style
practice, but... hrmm... well, let’s just say it’s for helping civilians in
trouble."
Even as he said that, it didn’t seem like Agent Choi actually intended to
receive any money. His intention was more likely to prevent Ho Yoowon
from demanding Disaster Management Bureau supplies or equipment for
the exploration.
’They must be trying to sort everything out before going.’
Before re-entering Sekwang City.
[Hmm, it feels like the moment when a new story begins is approaching.]
That’s right.
We had secured Chief Lizard as additional personnel, and we had smoothed
things over enough to hide some of the sharp hostility toward Ho Yoowon.
I had also finished explaining Sekwang City to Section Chief Lee Jaheon.
So at the very moment when the rescue operation was truly about to launch.
It was then that that statement came from Section Chief Lee Jaheon, who
had grasped the full situation.
"...Additional personnel?"
"Yes."
A recommendation for another team member.
And that person was...
"Baek Saheon?"
"Yes."
"...You mean that guy from Roe’s batch? That sly, slippery punk."
"Yes."
"What exactly is his profile?"
In response to Agent Bronze’s question, Assistant Manager Eun Haje
propped her chin on her hand.
"Hm, you know, the old-fashioned type. When you hear ’Daydream Inc.
employee’, don’t the stereotypical, prejudice-filled keywords pop right into
your head?"
Terrible personality, self-preservationism, selfishness, slyness...
Even without speaking, it was obvious which words had run through Agent
Bronze’s mind...
And.
"That’s exactly it."
"Yes?"
"That’s the kind of guy he is."
A deathly silence flowed over the table.
’But you’re recommending a psycho like that?’
Everyone turned their gaze toward the lizard with that exact expression.
"?"
But the lizard didn’t react.
Because the usage was wrong...
Question : Reason for recommending Supervisor Goat
"He possesses abilities needed for the exploration."
"Hm, could you explain in more detail?"
"Yes."
"..."
"..."
"Ahem. If you would please explain?"
"Yes."
Only then did Section Chief Lee Jaheon begin explaining. Agent Choi
somehow looked even more worn-out...
[Mr. Roe Deer. At times, sharing one’s suffering can indeed create a sense
of closeness.]
Right. I’m glad there’s at least one good effect...
"I understand that the exploration site is composed of nooses that induce
strangulation, corpses of suicides, trees, and a dense fog that is difficult to
distinguish with the naked eye."
"That’s correct."
The faces of the exploration members stiffened slightly as they recalled
those nooses that had chased them down through the strange fog of the
Sekwang area, leading them all to die side by side.
"If that is the case, then if we recruit someone who can differentiate those
elements within the fog and possesses suitable vision, the mobility of the
group will become far easier."
"...!"
"Then this Baek Saheon possesses the appropriate vision?"
"Yes."
I immediately remembered.
Baek Saheon’s trait.
Wears a semi-permanent device in the place of the lost left eye
: Vision that distinguishes danger
"...!!"
"Since extracting only the eyeball and inserting it into one of the existing
exploration members would be difficult, I propose recruiting the individual
himself."
People’s complexions shifted.
They realized the proposal made a certain amount of sense.
"Hm. True... most equipment of that type used by the bureau borrows the
sight or senses of a spiritually potent being."
"Yes. If a truly new body part has been inserted, the reading will likely
register it as belonging to the user."
But Agent Choi shrugged.
"But would someone with that kind of personality join a rescue mission?"
As for that.
Method : Order from a superior
"Oh."
Everyone looked toward Ho Yoowon, who smiled pleasantly.
...It was the exact expression Assistant Manager Eun Haje once hoped for
when requesting Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s recruitment from this fox.
’You need him for the Sekwang exploration? Then of course it can be done.
I’ll kidnap him right now.’
Yes.
That expression.
’Fuck!’
Baek Saheon was swearing violently on the inside.
No, it’s that he could only swear on the inside.
Because he was gagged, covered with a cloth, and being transported
somewhere!
He had gone up to the director’s office after that summons, and this insanity
had happened.
’...Am I actually fucking screwed?’
This was the intuition of someone who had worked at a deranged ghost
story company was screaming.
With cold sweat running down his skin, he desperately waited for a chance
to bolt in case he was dragged off to the Research Team, and only a few
minutes had passed.
The movements stopped, and the cloth covering his head was removed.
"...!!"
– Supervisor Baek Saheon, Director Ho is requesting your presence.
And what he saw before him was...
’W-What is this.’
The Fox Counseling Office.
More precisely, seated at the waiting room table of the Fox Counseling
Office were people wearing masks.
Two of them he knew.
A lizard mask and a falcon mask.
’W-Wait.’
One was someone who had gone missing and returned just yesterday, and
the other was someone who had already quit long ago.
At that point, a thought flickered through Baek Saheon’s mind.
’Director Ho’s project team?!’
It was the rumored existence of the ’project’ known only to those in
Director Ho’s circle. Even Baek Saheon, as a supervisor, had heard of it.
’Are they trying to assign me to the project?’
But in the next moment.
Baek Saheon noticed how the two people sitting in the table’s shadows
were dressed.
’...Disaster Bureau!’
They were government agents. However...
The agents were wearing masks.
’What the heck.’
And so they’d hurriedly procured them.
The two people wearing the nobleman and butcher Hahoe masks[1] looked
extremely suspicious, yet in another sense they also gave off the impression
of strong Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau agents.
In any case, the simple fact that Disaster Management Bureau agents were
calmly sitting together with Daydream employees was shocking enough for
Baek Saheon.
But then.
"Supervisor Goat."
"...Yes."
The person Baek Saheon was most conscious of at this table was Director
Ho, seated there.
He sat smiling with the same ever-youthful face as always, but strangely,
his eyes looked filled with exhilaration.
Baek Saheon recognized those eyes.
The eyes of a fanatic with his goal right in front of them.
"Today, we’ve gathered here to offer you a very good proposal,
Supervisor."
– As agents, we cannot reveal our identities to a human who is dangerously
untrustworthy.
– Then why don’t you wear masks as well?
– Oh.
"...A proposal, sir?"
"I run a small project, and I’ve been selecting people to join me."
As expected.
"Congratulations, Saheon-ssi. You’ll be working in the project team from
now on."
Suspicious.
’Introducing me like this instead of issuing an official appointment?’
It felt cult-like in some way.
He grew even more wary, but first he desperately forced a smiling face.
Because he had to lie.
"Thank you for thinking well of me, Director!"
"No need for that. Then why don’t you say hello to your team members?"
Say hello my ass, you bastard.
Feeling both the urge to spit on that punchable face amidst fear at the same
time, Baek Saheon turned to look at the others.
They were all masked anyway, but he looked at the two agents who weren’t
among the familiar faces.
"..."
Then suddenly, he realized something.
Below the table, one of the masked agents clenched their fist upon seeing
him.
As if he recognized him.
But that gesture felt less like something a bureau agent would do upon
seeing a Daydream employee and more like the reaction of someone
encountering an unexpected person...
...!
"You."
Baek Saheon snapped his gaze toward that agent.
"You were the agent in Jisan Village, weren’t you??"
"..."
The one wearing the butcher mask looked at him.
He could sense displeasure radiating from their whole body, but that didn’t
matter.
Baek Saheon, unable to stop himself, blurted out the question he’d been
curious about.
"Where is the other agent who came with you back then?"
"..."
"The one who drew the golden stick."
"There is no reason to speak of that to you."
Son of a bitch.
Well, it figured. The agent had been trying to leave him behind in that
village. Typical. Probably someone who only cared about their own work,
who broke promises, changed their words, a complete bastard.
It was unbelievable that agents of the same bureau could be this vastly
different.
That is, compared to that guy who communicated with him through the
paper boat.
"..."
Someone like that agent would never be involved in something so
suspicious.
’So they’re cooperating with Director Ho.’
No matter how he looked at it, everything felt shady.
Thus, Baek Saheon roughly pieced the situation together. No, he only
thought he had.
"Ah, the last member is arriving."
Creeeak.
The counseling room door opened, and that appeared.
"...!!"
Black smoke, gas mask, countless sprawling horns, yellow gas-lantern
lights. Black combat boots, full-body uniform.
A monster of the Security Team.
’F, Fuck.’
Was this guy a surveillance measure to stop employees from escaping?
"Mr. Goat?"
"Y-Yes."
Baek Saheon pretended to wipe sweat, lowered his head, and crooked his
eye mask a bit. He was trying to gauge the danger level of the being before
him...
...
It was Kim Soleum.
"...!!"
Right after the mermaid grave, again.
He once more encountered him in an incomprehensible, grotesque form.
Goosebumps erupted over his entire body.
’He actually wasn’t human after all.’
Following the cat and the child form, now Kim Soleum appeared as the
bizarre Security Team existence and approached the table.
Flinch.
Baek Saheon nearly leapt away from the table, but barely managed to stay
composed, keeping his gaze fixed under the table instead of meeting Kim
Soleum’s eyes.
’You bastard.’
He was definitely doing this to keep him from revealing his identity again,
to shut him up....
"Ah, Mr. Goat, he’s someone familiar to you, isn’t he? He’s the employee
you knew as Supervisor Roe Deer."
"...?!"
"You’re of the same batch. Go ahead and chat."
W-Wait.
"You two will be in the same team now and will be exploring the same
Darkness together."
Baek Saheon let out a silent scream.
"Well then, shall we begin the exploration?"
Second attempt to enter Sekwang Special Metropolitan City.
Thirty minutes before commencement.
Note/s:
[1] Hahoe masks – Traditional masks worn in special ritual theater plays
dedicated to the gods, with 13 masks in the collection. Read more about it
here and here. ↵