Chapter 239
Chapter 239
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 239
Chapter Title: Even If I Fall Into Urban Legends, I Have to Go to Work
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Yi Seong-hae was in a great mood!
'I helped some good people.'
She didn't care at all that the interior of this bizarre underground bunker was visible through the iron door.
Because she'd found the person she was supposed to meet inside.
She stretched out her hand and pointed at him.
"Employee sir, there you are."
The security team's special division employee, shrouded in black smoke.
The Golden Mascot.
And even in that state, whether he was being considerate of the elderly or not, the sight of 'Employee sir' holding the grandmother only made her feel even warmer.
'He's such a good employee!'
So, introducing him to equally good people wasn't a bad thing at all.
...Regardless of what expressions the agents she was 'introducing' him to were making, or what emotions they were feeling.
She was congenitally insensitive to others' emotions, and that self-centered trait made her efforts to do the right thing turn her ethics and morals into something rather extreme.
Just like in this current situation.
'Perfect.'
Yi Seong-hae recalled what had happened a few days ago, after capturing the 'Man in the Screen' urban legend into a USB.
"Hmm~"
On her way home from work.
She was happily heading back. Today's exploration had ended safely, and at dawn, she planned to stop by the annex to meet 'Employee sir.'
So her steps were light.
Then.
Bzzz.
Her smartphone buzzed.
[K.LEE: Hello, Deputy Manager lololol]
A profile picture and name that felt almost unfamiliar.
But her sharp mind remembered.
'The person who introduced me to Salmon Market.'
It was the season for new hires, so the association came quickly.
A mysterious KakaoTalk from someone introducing themselves as Lee Kang-hun, deputy manager of C Squad, contacting the 'promising newbie.'
[K.LEE: It's been a while~ I heard you got promoted?]
Yi Seong-hae typed back.
[Yep]
[K.LEE: Woo, congrats!! lol Wanna meet up? I could buy you a meal!]
[Probably can't]
[K.LEE: Aw, come on, I can afford to treat a fellow employee lol]
Really?
But.
[You're not a fellow employee though?]
It was a lie.
And Yi Seong-hae hated liars.
[There's never been anyone named Lee Kang-hun at this company, who are you?]
The truth, pieced together from the intranet and rumors.
A moment of silence.
[K.LEE: You only just figured it out?]
As Yi Seong-hae stared blankly at her phone screen.
[K.LEE: But that doesn't matter, right?]
[K.LEE: What matters is this: I might be able to tell you where missing junior Kang Ihak disappeared to hehe]
"Huh."
Yi Seong-hae blinked at the mention of the employee whose disappearance she'd left alone.
In truth, Kang Ihak was already out of her mind. No need to worry about a 'bad person' who'd been dealt with.
But this mention was significant.
Because Kang Ihak hadn't just gone missing.
[Are you from the Disaster Management Bureau by any chance?]
Since they'd taken him away from the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.
[K.LEE: Let's go with that.]
"Ooh."
The response was astonishingly nonchalant, but circumstantially, it was probably bluffing to avoid getting caught in the lie.
So even if a liar, it was a lie for a good reason—fine by her!
[So what do you want in exchange for telling me where Kang Ihak is?]
[K.LEE: Wanna meet and talk?]
[Sure!]
If they weren't really an agent, she could handle it in person.
And so, an hour later, Yi Seong-hae found herself sitting in the corner of a franchise cafe, waiting to meet 'Lee Kang-hun.'
She was the personification of 'pull the ox horn off quickly,' so it felt natural.
Plus, she was in a great mood.
A brilliant idea had come to her.
And then.
"Nice to meet you. Agents!"
The ones who soon sat down were...
The two agents she'd met while dealing with the 'Man in the Screen'.
'Ooh.'
The one with the scar on his neck, and the tired-looking guy who'd taken Kang Ihak away.
And among them, Lee Kang-hun was...
"Hey, hello? Deputy Manager."
This one.
The man with the neck scar smiled brightly and sat across from her.
Yi Seong-hae read several signs that the smile was habitual, and he was actually in a very sharp, alert state.
'Must be something important.'
"You need a favor from me, right?"
"Ooh, you just grant favors like that?"
"Yep. I'll help you out!"
"...Wow, really?"
His smile didn't crack, but his voice softened further.
"For real! But could you do me one favor later? It's not bad, it's something good!"
"What's the line between good and bad?"
"Me, obviously."
Yi Seong-hae beamed.
"I don't do bad things to good people!"
A brief silence passed.
"Alright!"
'Lee Kang-hun' answered refreshingly.
"As long as it doesn't harm the Disaster Management Bureau."
"Of course!"
As the two grinned at each other, the tired-looking burly agent stared at her.
"Yi Seong-hae."
"Yes?"
"If you really want to help good people, wouldn't it be better to reconsider working for a company that harms society first?"
Hmm.
Yi Seong-hae noticed Lee Kang-hun hurriedly stepping on the agent's foot under the table but kindly ignored it!
Even though she'd asked something similar last time.
Lee Kang-hun tossed in a word, unclear if covering or questioning.
"Aw~ Doesn't she just have some wish she really wants to fulfill?"
"I do!"
"See? But you know."
His voice lowered slightly.
"Do employees who win a Wish Grant keep in touch afterward? I'm talking about the ones who've consistently stayed reachable after quitting."
Hmm.
Excluding A Squad leader who's still employed.
The retired C Squad leader, and three from the Field Exploration Team who quit last year after winning Wish Grants—two whose wishes weren't 'grand' were still in easy contact.
"Yep! They're all doing well."
"...Really? What about the missing ones?"
"Ah, of course some employees do go missing. If they wish for that kind."
"......"
"......"
A thick, heavy silence fell, but Yi Seong-hae's bright voice cut through.
"Anyway, what do you need help with?"
"...Ah, it's something even our Yi Seong-hae Deputy Manager already knows, so not hard."
Lee Kang-hun said casually.
"The black carrier next to you last time we met."
"Ah, Employee sir?"
Strangely, the agents shut their mouths.
As if she'd said something shocking.
"He's an amazing person. So kind, always trying to help people!"
"...Ah, yeah?"
His voice was strained.
"But you're all fine stuffing that good person into a pet carrier?"
"Agent."
The other agent restrained Lee Kang-hun. But Yi Seong-hae cleanly caught just the question in his words.
"Hm. But Employee sir uses that carrier because it's comfy for him..."
"......"
"He seems to think people get scared if he just comes out. It's consideration!"
"People are, scared."
"Some judge by appearances?"
"......"
The agent who moved his lips fell silent for a moment.
When he spoke again, it was in a businesslike tone.
"Got it. Anyway, just one request: let us access that carrier."
Hmm.
"Nothing fancy, just that. Tell us its location when it goes to other sites."
A fairly convincing guess popped into Yi Seong-hae's head.
'Scouting him maybe?'
Come to think of it, the Bureau works with good spirits to dispose of bad Darkness.
Employee sir was perfect.
'Sounds good!'
Much better than slaving away under jerks like Director Cheong without pay.
Still, confirm first.
"Will you help Employee sir transfer jobs?"
"...If that's the case?"
"Then I'll help."
"...!"
"He seems to be working without pay. He's at the annex even now, conditions look really bad..."
"Right now,"
The agent stood up.
"he's at the annex?"
"Yes."
"Daydream Corporation annex."
"Yep. But..."
Planning to storm in right now?
Yi Seong-hae smiled brightly.
"You can't get in as outsiders."
Daydream Corporation's security features.
Darkness sneaking in or breaking out happens often, but security against outsiders stealing Darkness via infiltration routes was ironclad.
A typical greedy corporation prioritizing raw material supply lines over lives.
So impulsive break-ins without proper methods would be very hard.
Without an inside collaborator.
"Wait a bit."
And Yi Seong-hae was confident she could provide excellent collaboration.
She'd planned to go to the annex today anyway!
Over the next few days, she'd brought snacks (which she'd planned to anyway!) and gathered info while building contact with the security team paired with 'Employee sir.'
The plan was to naturally learn when the carrier went out via this route and pass the info to the Bureau agents immediately.
The problem was she hadn't expected Employee sir to take on a job deep inside the company.
And even less that he'd go missing with the director due to some incident.
Internally, he was listed as 'reassigned by Director Ho Yu-won for separate duties,' but not publicly announced.
Even his security team had clammed up. They seemed to be doing something among themselves.
"Hmm..."
The silver lining in this situation was that Yi Seong-hae had noticed Employee sir was no longer in the carrier.
'I can tell he's gone.'
Sensing the Mascot's presence.
A remnant from working at Flower Golden Resort. Same as with the unlock agents.
Anyway, she'd passed this deflating news to the agents, and they...
[K.LEE: He's gone]
...asked to meet again, requesting she bring something if possible.
A trace of the employee.
[K.LEE: Body part or fragment of everyday clothes is fine]
[K.LEE: Not just any possession. No dolls either]
Hair, nails, or horn shards.
Of course, Yi Seong-hae didn't have Employee sir's hair. The other side seemed to be grasping at straws.
But.
[I think I have something similar!]
Something practically part of him.
"It's the Mascot's flower ornament!"
A 'souvenir' choosable as employee maintenance pay at Jolly Theme Park.
Yi Seong-hae had boldly picked one flower from the horn on the Mascot's main body.
Of course, Kim Sol-eum had been extremely reluctant, but Yi Seong-hae didn't know that...
Re al ly
O kay ?
Recalling only the question the Mascot had asked, Yi Seong-hae happily brought that one flower to show the agents.
The agents' faces darkened at the small golden flower.
"This is... 'part of Employee sir'?"
"Yep!"
The mood grew even stranger, but Yi Seong-hae ignored it.
And the agents used some dowsing-like mystical method on the possession to glean one piece of info.
A direction.
"Southeast?"
The agents seemed ready to start tracking immediately based on that, standing up to thank her for the cooperation.
"Hm... but that flower petal is precious to me too."
Yi Seong-hae declared with a bright smile.
"I'll come along. Taking leave!"
...And thus, after several transfers, Yi Seong-hae finally arrived at Ghost Mountain Village and arranged the meeting between Employee sir and the agents!
And Employee sir's very first reaction upon confirming the agents was...
Huh?
I hadn't expected to meet them like this.
I blankly stared at their faces.
Agent Choi.
Agent Bronze.
Light from the elder flickered in the goblin lantern in Agent Choi's hand, and a binding rope was neatly coiled on Agent Bronze's shoulder.
The sight I'd seen every time they mobilized.
And our eyes met. The moment I slowly widened my view to back away...
I saw the black box with hands sticking out again.
Right next to the entrance.
'...!'
Crisis awareness made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
'No.'
Too close...!
'One wrong move, and it could switch targets to whoever it detects moving.'
Traits of the 'Garden Keeper' in the box.
It 'prefers' drawing the more interesting ones into the garden.
Meaning, it could go after two of those three.
'Need to get them out safely.'
Somehow.
Scare them? I want Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je to leave with them too, but how?
...Lure the box on purpose?
"Podo."
......
......!
"Calm down."
Agent Choi at the entrance slowly lowered the goblin lantern.
And raised both hands.
"See? We're not doing anything. That's fine, right?"
......
"How about we communicate just with head nods? If speaking's hard, nodding's enough."
I slowly nodded.
A smile rose on Agent Choi's face...
"My, the way you phrase it."
Ho Yu-won.
"It's not that speaking's hard—he structurally lacks vocal cords. Right?"
For some reason, my heart shrank.
And.
Ho Yu-won and Agent Choi knew each other.
Moreover, this director harbored tremendous resentment toward the Disaster Management Bureau...
"The restriction I placed? You rushed to some moaning old geezer on the mountaintop to release it. So fitting for your affiliation."
"Agent Podo."
Agent Bronze spoke.
"If a sentient being in a supernatural disaster continues supernatural harm against government agents, the Bureau can immediately relocate them."
His eyes darkly fixed on Ho Yu-won.
"With the victim's testimony alone, it could happen right now."
Ho Yu-won's smile deepened.
...Candidate meaning.
And I realized Brown was suggesting a very simple way to escape this situation.
Six personalities present.
Garden capacity: two.