Chapter 219
Chapter 219
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 219
Chapter Title: Even If I Fall Into a Ghost Story, I Still Have to Go to Work
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One of the many offices in Daydream Corporation's main building.
A small-statured employee with long curly hair sits at a conference chair in that neat space.
"Hmm hmm hmm."
An elite Field Exploration Team employee already wearing a dolphin mask on her head.
The materials placed on the table she was reading were the special assignments for today, distributed just yesterday.
Ones that had specifically named her.
And...
"Hello, Deputy Manager!"
Lee Seonghae looked up.
An employee entering through the office door greeted her cheerfully with a bow.
"I'm Kang Ihak. Ah, you can just call me Pony!"
"Yep. Hello."
An employee she was acquainted with.
After about a year of survival since joining, people started remembering each other.
There was proof of that.
Promotion to junior associate.
"Ah, you got promoted to junior associate this time, right?"
"Yep yep yep. We all got promoted together. Uhaha, no promotion feast to pay for—what a steal~"
Kang Ihak laughed and patted his chest twice.
That's right.
About half of the Field Exploration Team new hires who survived without dying or retiring had been collectively promoted to junior associate just before this year's new recruit selection.
Of course, a few top performers had gotten theirs two or three months earlier... but Kang Ihak would have politely declined if he could.
He'd realized something recently.
'No need to create reasons to spend money!'
Wasn't it human nature for the shameless to expect favors once they saw things going well?
This place didn't reward early promotions with big paychecks or prime darkness drops falling into your lap.
Of course, if it came with substantial rewards—like shiny gold or green ones—the story might change!
But a little salary bump was a net loss in the grand scheme.
Thanks to that, he could suppress the dopamine-chasing reward center craving short-term gains...
'And some people just like becoming the boss first.'
Kang Ihak recalled a colleague who had promoted ahead of him.
The employee with the eyepatch and goat mask, Baek Saheon.
That guy had obsessed over info and items from the start, buttering up superiors until he climbed the ladder first.
'He was always bold about investing in squeezing info from seniors!'
Lately, he'd gone quiet. Clearly, he'd learned the truth: invest in the darkness.
And with that thought, other colleagues came to mind.
Ones no longer in the head office Field Exploration Team.
"Ah~ There were people who got junior associate super fast, and some really model employees too... Ah, do you remember by any chance?"
Kim Sol-eum, Go Yeongeun.
The two, thinking of the same employees, nodded.
"Yeah. They were good people... such a shame..."
Lee Seonghae frowned as if truly regretful.
Kang Ihak deftly smiled and changed the subject. No need to upset the boss over something that didn't pay!
"Congrats on your promotion too, Deputy Manager~ I heard you got reassigned to B Squad."
"Ah, yep."
Lee Seonghae nodded.
"Hahaha, so how's B Squad?"
"Eh. Same company work!"
But elite team intel paid off.
Kang Ihak sweetened his tone to butter her up a bit more.
"Come on, the people you're working with changed, so if there's anything you want to say, just to me..."
"Eh, me?"
"No need! Yep!"
Don't poke the boss! Again, no need to upset her!
Especially if she was the one rumored to have dunked two of C Squad's superiors in darkness to get shipped to B Squad!
'Long-term vision, long-term vision.'
Kang Ihak swiftly switched gears and sat down politely.
"Then I'll diligently read the materials too!"
"Yep."
With appropriate pre-work small talk wrapped up, just as they finished reviewing the assignment materials on the table...
"Greetings!"
A Research Team employee appeared.
The briefer for today's task.
Gwak Jegang, section chief of Research Team 1. Everyone stood politely at the sight of the superior from another department.
"Everyone reviewed the materials?"
"Yes!"
"Wow~ Elite Team's Dolphin Deputy Manager, sure, but Pony Junior Associate, you're fast. Perks of being junior associate now?"
"Hahaha, thank you!"
No. He'd found a side hustle in the work.
Gwak Jegang knew it too but laughed as he looked at them both before getting to the most important part.
Introducing the darkness whose life-or-death power he held.
"Well then... this is the VIP you'll be escorting today!"
The office door opened.
A figure emerging amid black smoke.
Eerie bone-like horns crowning massively like a tiara, yellow lantern eyes and glow piercing through the black Security Team uniform.
Lee Seonghae's eyes widened hugely at the familiar sight.
The owner of Flower Golden Resort!
"Mascot... no, Security Team employee!"
To meet again like this!
Lee Seonghae stood with a beaming smile and approached.
"So glad to see you! How have you been?"
The black Security Team special division employee didn't twitch, just looked down at her.
One eye seemed to glance at the researcher briefly, then it bowed its head toward Lee Seonghae and raised a hand...
"I'm always healthy!"
Still as kind and good an employee as ever!
"As expected of Elite Team's Dolphin Deputy Manager. Even looking strong next to a Security Team employee like this, and you're acquainted!"
Kang Ihak, grasping the situation, quickly moved to stake his claim.
"Really glad to meet you. Feel free to call me Pony, employee!"
He even offered a handshake.
"......"
"......"
Ah.
Mistake.
The moment that chilling sensation flashed through his mind, a gloved hand emerged from the black smoke and grasped the offered one.
"...!"
Surprisingly, it accepted the handshake.
But an eerie sense of crisis crawled up Kang Ihak's neck.
Chilling.
His spine tingled.
Instinctual alarm of danger, overwhelming power, grandeur.
...But somehow familiar?
Like he'd encountered it in some darkness before...
"Alright, anyway. This employee's too hard to walk into the broadcasting station, so we called you two from Field Exploration."
Before Kang Ihak could recall, the handshake ended, and the task briefing continued.
Gwak Jegang smiled as he explained why two Field Exploration members were needed.
People familiar with darkness but not too contaminated.
"The employees who usually assist this one are Security Team, so they can't go to the station during the day either. Haha!"
That's right.
This horror had occurred at a broadcasting station, a place swarming with civilian eyes, so cooperation from insiders was needed for proper confirmation.
Overly conspicuous supernatural beings or Security Team unable to venture out by day couldn't easily take the forefront.
Lee Seonghae smiled brightly at the researcher explaining they'd already secured a PD.
"So we're bringing dangerous darkness from the broadcasting station!"
"Exactly!"
"Mm, great!"
If Daydream isolated and secured that darkness, ordinary people wouldn't get swept up in the horror anymore.
Rarely starting from such a kind premise, Lee Seonghae gladly accepted the task.
Soon, the employee's transport method was introduced.
"Get in here, and you two carry it."
Watching the employee vanish into the black carrier like magic, the two Field Exploration members felt an eeriness akin to darkness itself.
And for emergencies, communication gear was provided.
A small walkie-talkie.
"It's linked to Security Team handlers... uh, press if an 'emergency' happens."
The researcher laughed, saying newbies would tense up just at this.
A quick test call was made.
Click.
"Yes. Loud and clear!"
"Yep. This is I Squad Pony Junior Associate, and I'm B Squad Dolphin! Nice to work with you."
Silence.
"Yep."
The man with the drowsy voice explained slowly.
How to call the handling Security Team in case of issues.
And even simple communication with the 'employee' in the carrier.
"Oh, got it."
Kang Ihak noticed.
Gwak Jegang watching the exchange between the walkie-talkie Security Team and Lee Seonghae Deputy Manager, stifling a grin.
But none of my business!
Realizing no money scent here for now, Kang Ihak turned away immediately.
Toward the money scent right there.
The carrier held by the employee.
Dark, black, chilling—it exuded an eerie presence even plopped on the floor...
"Haha... so, should I carry it? Us underlings should handle this, right!"
How much could he get?
If he smuggled this carrier somewhere?
There was a darkness in the annex that turned fun offerings into gold by weight—wonder what this carrier would fetch?
Kang Ihak approached the carrier...
"......"
The dolphin watching him blankly spoke up.
"Hey."
"...Yes?"
"I'll carry it. The carrier."
"...Yep!"
And so Lee Seonghae Deputy Manager picked up the carrier.
It was cold and light.
Thick darkness inside, but she stroked the cage without hesitation and asked.
"Comfortable in there?"
Thud.
"Good to hear!"
She hummed a tune, cradling the precious carrier.
And headed to the site with Pony.
To the broadcasting station.
"Uh, um, you... you're the ones from the agency, right? Dreamwalking?"
"Yep."
They were escorted via the pre-arranged VIP entrance to the variety show's editing room.
There, a PD with deep dark circles and a haggard face anxiously greeted them alone in the inner secure room.
Believing the elaborate cover identity Daydream Corporation used for unavoidable supernatural work in public, he took a breath and continued.
"Never thought I'd meet actual experts for this... I-is this really like real exorcism stuff?"
"Of course."
The two in suits and masks oddly inspired trust, calming the PD a bit.
Still, his face remained pale, flesh sagging from worry and fear.
Not just the PD. On the way here, the head writer, two assistant writers, and lighting director they'd passed all looked unwell.
Something everyone here knew about.
"Y-you heard the gist, right? About... the current situation..."
Lee Seonghae Deputy Manager recalled.
An internet post attached to the table materials.
A chilling urban legend circulating among civilians.
Anyone remember PBS? Even kids in school now have probably heard of it. It was an old station from about 20 years ago, now defunct. Up until 30-ish years back, it aired a ton of popular variety shows of the era. Love House Sports Day, Family Takes Off, Hot Talk Talk, Fun Saturday Night, that kinda stuff.
Various images attached. Big colorful subtitles, low-res footage, exaggerated audience reactions and sound effects. Kinda tacky now but nostalgically charming. Scenes from 2000s variety shows. They all had one thing in common. Tons of cast members.
You know those variety shows packed with people. Tons of panels, special eps with dozens of contestants, or hundreds of audience reacting—caught on mic or screen. Before observational shows or YouTube content blew up, these ruled. Still missed by some, hated as chaotic and dated by others... Anyway, that format dominated back then. But word spread quietly among PDs and editors. Check this out. (Photo)
It was a photo capturing people doing sports day on an old linoleum-floored set. Love House Sports Day, the exact PBS variety just mentioned. And the photos didn't stop there. More random captures from other shows followed. Family Takes Off, Hot Talk Talk, Fun Saturday Night... And finally.
Notice it?
Red circles on the corners of those photos, shown again in sequence. One man.
All the same guy.
A black-eyed man staring at the camera. Wearing a hat, smiling without showing teeth.
Apparently sighted in most PBS variety shows—among cast, audience, crowds. Editor spotted something off and checked: he was really there. Then chatting among themselves, they realized... This guy only shows up in episode 6.
Explanation under the photo.
Rumor is he only appears in episodes ending with 6. Creepy, right? Broadcasting world's full of ghost stories, sightings galore... So it stayed insider chatter, printed in horror mags, faint rumors among viewers. Low odds, but possible for one guy to keep showing as panel or audience. Then the twist.
A newspaper clipping attached. Broadcasting station blackout wipes episode data.
Blackout messed up editing data storage. Hit docs and news too... Key point: Hot Talk Talk episode 166 final edit was among them. So ep 166 aired as highlights from priors... And From here, things get weirder and weirder ..... This guy appeared in every highlight reel.