Chapter 274
Chapter 274
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 274
Chapter Title: Even If I Fall into a Ghost Story, I Still Have to Go to Work
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Director Cheong, who had offered Foreman Park Minseong a new employment contract to generously cover the "re-education costs."
"What do you think?"
Director Cheong looked at me.
And so, I remembered.
The contract I had received from Director Cheong.
The horrific process of my entire body melting away, my sense of self and flesh collapsing as I reverted to my original form, teetering on the brink of death—that choice I made then.
It was... it was...
Eternal labor.
Being permanently confined underground in Daydream Corporation without ever retiring.
'No.'
I reflexively tried to summon smoke to stop Director Cheong, then clenched my teeth and halted.
He had already prevented me from responding to Foreman Park Minseong's fairy tale earlier. Attacking him directly? Obviously impossible. It would be blocked.
Even Director Ho hadn't physically restrained him until after the three warnings rule.
Especially against Director Cheong, the very person I had contracted with, I'd need even more justification.
For instance.
In this situation where Foreman Park Minseong's contamination had worsened so severely, there was clear evidence that Director Cheong was involved. If I could pin it as his fault, I could discipline him...
'I can even get testimony from the person involved.'
"Do you think you even have the right to question me?"
...!
"From the moment you joined Director Ho's project, you lost the ability to discipline other employees. You're not in security anymore."
Director Cheong raised his hand and grabbed my head.
Like restraining a dog.
"Besides, even if I said 'yes,' nothing would change."
....
"An employee should know and handle their own contamination first. Blaming a superior's orders for your own flaws isn't proper employee conduct, is it?"
I looked at Director Cheong.
"But you're quite fortunate."
....
"Even after wrapping up Director Ho's pathetic little project, those security staff will still be there waiting. ...Forever."
In my dulled mind, an emotion I hadn't fully reclaimed—merely mimicked by traces in its empty space—rose sharply.
[Oh, friend...]
At that moment.
"Sorry to interrupt your brilliant plan, but unfortunately, it won't become reality..."
...!
"What do you mean?"
"I'm planning to treat that employee at the Fox Counseling Room."
Director Ho pointed at Foreman Park Minseong.
"Director Cheong seems to exaggerate the Fox Counseling Room's vacancy—mere two or three times—into a massive crisis, so I'm trying to compensate like this."
Director Ho's smile.
"By recovering someone fully contaminated faster than re-education facilities... It's a small way to show my loyalty to the company."
Director Cheong and Director Ho stared at each other.
"I'll handle the 'accidental' incident where Director Cheong worsened this security team member's condition and report it to the company. No need to worry."
"Worry."
"Of course. Since Director Cheong is concerned about my performance, I need to step up."
Director Ho met Director Cheong's gaze with a smiling face.
"Using a contamination recovery method far more effective than the re-education zone—surely Director Cheong, who has even greater loyalty than I, wouldn't oppose it without reason?"
"......"
"......"
The next moment.
Director Cheong's hand, gripping Foreman Park Minseong's head, relaxed.
Thud. The Sprout Class teacher collapsed onto his own bloodstains.
"Remember this."
Director Cheong examined his bloodied hand.
The next instant.
The bloodstains vanished without a trace.
"I don't like stray dogs that meddle with others' possessions. Especially if they're diseased."
"I see. I'm not interested in what Director Cheong thinks, regardless."
Director Ho's smile remained unchanged.
Director Cheong watched him, then suddenly burst into laughter.
"Some advice: Don't let it show you're desperate. It screams 'I'm at my wit's end.'"
"......"
"And desperation is a weakness."
Director Cheong's nose wrinkled slightly in disgust amid his laughter, but he soon composed himself.
Looking at me.
"Don't misunderstand. All alliances are mere products of circumstance. How long Director Ho's choices align with your tastes... who knows."
....
"And keep this in mind."
Director Cheong pulled a single sheet of paper from his pocket.
A once-folded document.
Under the printed text, a signature scrawled messily, spilling out of its box...
"That it's in my hands."
As the employment contract swayed from Director Cheong's fingertips.
"See you on the day the project ends."
Director Cheong vanished.
As if it were a lie.
"......"
"......"
Thud. From the corner where he had been hidden, Baek Saheon, now slumped after his strength gave out, muttered curses.
"Deer."
I supported Foreman Park Minseong.
Security Captain J3 regained consciousness two days later.
Fox Counseling Room recovery ward.
The man lying on the bed opened his eyes motionlessly, like a withered dead tree.
And beside him...
I was sitting there.
"......"
The security captain stared blankly at the sunlight filtering through the curtains.
Then, as if confirming something, he raised one hand, but soon realized the sunlight wasn't real and lowered it.
He looked at me, checking my condition.
I gazed back at him steadily through my gas mask, black smoke draped around me unscathed.
His eyes softened in relief, but the next question came in a low, gravelly voice.
"......Badger...?"
I glanced at one side of the comfortable recovery room.
Behind the isolated partition was a door leading to a sealed chamber. The security captain's eyes slowly turned to it as well...
In that instant, the security captain's pupils narrowed.
His gaze scanned the surroundings like probing, then stilled. Once more, his worn, hollow shell of a body lay silently on the bed, dead to the world.
And slowly, he asked.
About the consequences of his own contamination's actions.
"Badger, both arms......"
"......"
The security captain's next response came excruciatingly slowly.
"I see..."
....
"Phone...... around...?"
"Contact security team....... Badger... recovery costs... bill me..."
And I realized anew.
That the security captain had gone through a similar process to become lifetime employed.
His condition.
'......'
In the end, I grabbed the notepad and pen from the table and quickly scribbled, showing it to him.
"......"
The security captain didn't respond.
"......What do I... need...?"
I didn't answer.
Was it okay to tell the security captain about Segwang Special City right now?
He had barely recovered.
But telling him about a "sealed horror where no one can escape" might trigger him again.
Moreover.
'The Nostalgic Candy that briefly worked on the security captain too.'
That one,
was a different version.
I had thought the beads felt subtly thicker than before, and upon checking here, the packaging description was slightly different.
[As expected of a food and beverage company's cheap marketing ploy. Seasonal edition!]
Yes. And on the back: "■■ 300% contained."
'Three times, huh.'
Judging by the "more distant" descriptor...
'30 years?'
The original Nostalgic Candy evoked the peak of 10 years past, so this guess was likely close.
Thus, one could infer:
If used as is, it would have had zero effect.
'......'
In the end, I gave a slightly different answer, changing the subject.
I wanted to reassure him.
'That way, at least they won't get tangled with Director Cheong anymore.'
But.
"...Won't work....... At least... for me...?"
....
Such a thought occurred.
Perhaps all the security team's lifetime employees had signed Director Cheong's contracts.
"Badger... if it works for him......"
The security captain rolled his eyes toward the partition again.
Probably to the sealed room beyond.
......
"......?"
"No......"
I bowed my head in apology.
"The one who should apologize... is me..."
When I didn't react, the security captain fell silent for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth as if changing the subject.
"Over there... you know. The thing I asked you to look into......"
Ah.
Right.
I had indeed asked the two security team members to investigate that, right before entering the Groom Class horror.
About how Ho Yu-won had been at Daydream.
And his recent status too.
"Tell me... now...?"
....
I nodded.
And thus, belatedly learned about Director Ho's background from the security captain.
How Ho Yu-won had lived at the company.
"Director Ho... four years ago, suddenly appointed as Development Division Director at HQ... No one knew... Rumors he was at a branch before that..."
Branch?
Come to think of it, I recalled that other disaster management bureau spy employees besides me had been listed as branch assignments.
'Why a branch, of all places.'
There might be some connection between the Daydream branch and Ho Yu-won. Note that...
"More focus on Field Exploration Team than R&D... more of his people there... L Squad completely his line..."
Some familiar info too.
And...
Moving to recent updates.
"Um, rumors about the project team too..."
Project team.
"No notable achievements, heavy pressure from above."
...!!
"Something has to come out by year's end... overheard admin team talking..."
......
It was sincere.
Because I had realized one thing clearly.
'Ho Yu-won is overextending.'
With the actual Segwang Special City expedition underway, he seemed to be throwing everything he had at it.
He probably didn't even consider it overextending. If he could find what he wanted in Segwang Special City, he was prepared for anything.
But that was a problem for me.
'......'
[Deer, you're thinking deeply... Made a new decision?]
Yes.
[Oh!]
And the next day.
A modest meeting for the "Segwang Special City Exploration Project" was held at the Fox Counseling Room.
"First, we need time to greet the newcomer, so I prepared this!"
But silence like death hung over the table.
Everyone already knew each other, and the "newcomer" was silently staring at Baek Saheon—slumped in his chair with his goat mask on—with quiet, tense eyes.
Baek Saheon desperately avoided that gaze, the security captain slowly turned his eyes to the table, and only Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je waved brightly.
It was then that mention was made of someone who absolutely couldn't be at this gathering...
"Nice to meet you like this, but welcome. Minseong..."
"...!"
A wry smile crossed Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je's face.
"...Right. The one who worked with 'Badger,' isn't he?"
I remembered.
-Then Park Min...
-Call me Badger!
Foreman Park Minseong, so contaminated he couldn't even be called by his real name, had slowly recovered enough to smile and react to Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je's "Minseong-ah."
That was just a few days ago.
And in a blink, it had worsened this dramatically.
To a state beyond saving.
-...Yeah. That's how it is...
When first hearing the news, Section Chief Lee Jaheon and Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je's reactions were pure dismay...
"Director, how's Badger's recovery pace?"
"Recovering, but not to your desired state. Probably needs at least a few weeks?"
A groan rippled again, but Section Chief Lee Jaheon continued calmly.
"I see. Tell me about his arms' status."
"The arms... recovered with blunt stumps."
"...!"
Yes.
I had done my best to staunch Foreman Park Minseong's bleeding. And tried to use a C-Grade potion, but...
"Fully contaminated by a darkness that extracts stronger Dream Essence than C-Grade... Probably can't without higher-grade potions?"
In that sense, impossible.
But.
Director Ho smiled faintly.
"But there's a way to recover him as early as tomorrow."
"......"
"Does that method involve entering Segwang Special City?"
"Yes!"
Yes.
Entering Segwang Special City would block external influences like the "■■ Affiliated Kindergarten," allowing Foreman Park Minseong a momentary recovery from contamination.
Like me, he would regain his senses and be able to use potions...
Section Chief Lee Jaheon eyed Director Ho with reptilian eyes.
"Inducing employee entry for faster exploration than scheduled?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
...!
"I want as much exploration as possible. So... do you hate me?"
Director Ho's eyes calmly scanned Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je, who had stood from the table, and Assistant Manager Lee Seong-hae, who stared unblinking.
"Frankly, in the Director Cheong incident, I did nothing wrong. I just helped you all infiltrate the annex for equipment..."
"......"
"The one to resent is someone else."
And with that, he beamed.
"But I understand fully. Resentment always goes to the easiest, closest target, right? Feel free to resent me. I have only one desire..."
Finding what he wants in Segwang Special City.
"That's it."
....
But I saw it differently.
'Need to steer the project more stably.'
Only then could I prevent the security team and my affiliation from falling back into Director Cheong's hands when it ends.
'That contract.'
At least until I could wrest it away somehow.
For that, I needed something.
'Results.'
This Segwang Special City expedition needed tangible "achievements."
Suited to Daydream Corporation's tastes.
Without revealing Segwang Special City info, something the company would accept and leave.
Actually simple.
This Expedition Additional Equipment Recommendation:
Dream Essence Extractor
⏰ Just check if it extracts any.
"...!"
Let's at least confirm if it extracts.
And shortly after.
The exploration team, including the two new explorers J3 and Foreman Park Minseong, entered Segwang Special City.
Carrying the Dream Essence Extractor.