Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Moonlight Tattoo Shop
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Originally, office workers always carry their resignation letter close to their hearts, either literally or figuratively.
But they usually keep it hidden...
'Telling the newbie?'
And from their direct superior, no less.
"I've almost gathered the points. Don't spread it around."
"......"
I'd figured Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je was the type to keep a straight face right up until her last day, only announcing it on the spot.
"Is it okay for you to tell me?"
"Well, it's not bad news. Plenty of people here brag about how many points they've got anyway..."
The deputy manager clapped me firmly on the shoulder.
"But I wanted to give our squad a heads-up at least."
"Cough. It's touching even from the sidelines,前辈!"
"Cut it out."
I sighed at Foreman Park Minseong, who sidled up and started making a fuss.
Seemed like the foreman had known ahead of time.
'Company culture, I guess.'
This was a job where you desperately chased impossible dreams through work that was basically Russian roulette to the temples.
Everyone wanted out eventually, so there wasn't much point in hiding it fiercely. That made sense.
Still, it was a shame to lose a direct boss who bent over backward like this... but good for her. Time to celebrate.
One question, though.
"Deputy Manager."
"Yeah?"
"Does that mean you've collected all 500,000 points?"
"What?! Where'd you get 500,000..."
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je recoiled, then smirked as realization dawned.
"Oh, you thought I was gunning for a Wish Grant?"
"...?"
Isn't everyone?
Finding someone who isn't would be the real challenge here.
"Yeah, that was my goal when I first started. But after poking around, I realized other options work too."
"...!"
Ah.
'Right.'
Come to think of it, you didn't always need a Wish Grant.
'If employee point store items can fulfill your wish, that's plenty.'
"One of the high-grade magic potions from this company will do it for me."
Figures.
"...Mind if I ask how many points?"
"170,000. Less than 5,000 left now. Though... thanks to you and all those bonus points, it'll wrap up soon. Might take a few more months, but still."
The deputy manager winked in a rare playful move.
"I'll talk to the squad leader. See if we can keep you here until the next personnel shuffle."
Meaning, if I held out that long, I'd naturally stay with D Squad afterward.
Her spot would open up, after all.
'That's awfully thoughtful.'
Especially since it showed confidence I'd want to stay.
"前辈, when you leave, we gotta have a proper squad dinner... Let's keep in touch after. Go see a baseball game or something!"
"You bet. Hey, just hang in a few more years."
"Me? Sigh, no can do. Stuck grinding out 500,000."
The foreman scratched his head but brightened up anyway.
"Anyway... looks like Deer gets to stay with us!"
"If the squad leader pulls it off."
And the 'squad leader' in question returned from the manager meeting and confirmed it coolly.
"Yes. High likelihood."
"Ooooh!"
"It's a matter of probability. Don't plan your work assuming you'll stay."
"...That's what he said, Deer......"
"Yes......"
Pure Lizard.
"Congrats anyway, Deputy Manager."
"Thanks."
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je grinned and headed out for a smoke. Her back already looked unburdened.
'...What happens to quitters?'
No tales of human rights stripped for secrecy, locked in labs, or quietly vanished.
'Several cases described retiring pretty nicely.'
You know those fan-favorite side characters everyone loves from the wiki? The ones readers root for so hard they get a happy ending.
'...Hope she's one of those.'
I wished her well briefly, then got back to work.
Meaning, assignments from the squad leader fresh from his meeting.
"This darkness is C-Grade Spider. Manual complete, stable supply source."
"Ooh... so per head, 600-700 points?"
"Yes."
"Good call stockpiling points before jobs dried up, Deer."
The 'new darkness manual completion' surveys that flooded D Squad exclusively were tapering off.
"New darkness surges have seasons. Research team crams registrations at deadline."
"Ah."
So corporate.
Of course, newbies pointing it out changes nothing.
I smiled brightly.
"Guess we can all work safely for a while then."
"Yeah, Deer's always so positive~!"
The foreman laughed heartily and handed over a tablet with the manual PDF.
"C-Grade even with manual, so no slacking. Tell me when you're memorized."
"Got it."
"Looks like survive one day in certain spots."
Hmm.
I took the tablet and read.
The official manual was standard format, unchanged.
Like the [Darkness Exploration Records] wiki, but with precise metrics from our logs.
'Let's see.'
An urban legend about getting lost in a commercial building full of vacancies and falling into a space called 'Backrooms' online...
"......"
The next paragraph hit me with a strong premonition.
'This is......'
It's been months since I started piecing together ghost story identities from [Darkness Exploration Records] manuals.
No surprise at knowing already.
But still shocking?
Usually [Tuesday Quiz Show]-style massacres or my confirmed death.
Not this time.
'This... is a good one!'
Good lord, a heartwarming ghost story!
Terror level probably 0. Even cowards breeze through post-spoiler.
Why C-Grade?
'Daydream Corporation misclassified it!'
It's about finding joy there.
Aka, misunderstanding ghost stories!
Looks dangerous but actually gentle, safe, friendly. Hilarious due to preconceptions.
'More magical experience than ghost story...'
Rare in [Darkness Exploration Records].
Heart racing a bit.
Me, going in?
'Hold on.'
If played right...
'Not just feel-good—could make my life feel-good from here on?'
Brain spinning.
One thing needed.
That was...
"Deployment tomorrow afternoon, plenty of time. Read slow. ...Not that you need hand-holding, Deer!"
"Then... tomorrow, lunch before, mind if I step out briefly?"
"Huh? Squad leader or deputy wouldn't care... Why? Hospital? I can give extra time."
"No, nothing like that. Just..."
I pictured my bank account, counted.
"Need to buy something quick."
"...?"
And the next day, post-lunch.
We piled into the deputy manager's car for the site.
Where this darkness was contained.
"Packed everything?"
"Yes."
My 'expensive purchase' from lunch sat snug in my briefcase.
Deputy Manager checked from the driver's seat.
"First time for Deer entering an actual urban legend space in a real building, not some kidnapping gimmick?"
No. Just did a mountain lodge corpse-chopping serial killer act. Nearly hurled.
...Best not mention.
"Yes. Feels like my first field trip."
"Haha. You're still in your twenties, right? First job too."
Vibe was warm; smooth ride with chit-chat.
"Heard Squad Leader busted the steering wheel three times on duty by accident. Rumor he'll never drive again unless zombies hit."
"......"
Hmm. Won't ask him.
Forty minutes later, smooth arrival.
"Here."
Seoul suburb bedroom community, dense shopping alleys.
Post-boom, post-dev, folks left—eerie, hollow 'old' new town.
Vacant glass fronts plastered with realtor signs.
"One of these buildings is the urban legend. Enter at sunset on clear day, weird stuff happens."
"Yes."
With bosses briefing manual kindly, I approached the specified building.
"Civvies blocked by... security gear. Recognizes our masks, lets us in."
Hmm.
"Careful inside."
Foreman whispered gravely.
"Tons of gruesome records. Stay sharp."
"......"
This kind of thing?
Creepy at a glance.
But notice?
'Just... a pet cafe.'
Spooked by dog barks, rolls down stairs, complex injuries—and the ghost story kindly ejects him outside...
This darkness? Old shops normally operating is the 'weirdest' part.
But explorers freak, misinterpret negatively, fail hilariously. Smirk-worthy tale.
And the very victims advise me earnestly...
"Careful. Plenty records of harming entrants."
No.
"Don't pass out. Ends in major injuries."
Just big oof, passes out, gets booted out on time...
Literal mall—closes politely after business.
But explaining risks 'Oh, mental corruption too!' sparking more hilarious misreads. So zipped it...
Instead, nodded eagerly to distributing relays and splitting for efficiency.
"You good, Deer?"
"Yes."
Normally cling like pants-leg, but coward's day off!
"Call if trouble."
"Will do."
Radio from security (uncannily like alien shop toy walkie) clipped, I moved out.
-Any shops you wanna visit? Several operating.
You know it?
'Just... unique access method.'
Space warped, floors/directions mess—but patterns emerge.
Like this:
7F elevator, probabilistic basement button.
After tries, spotted 'B1'.
-Hidden spot? Reminds of that classy exhibit.
Must bring that up?
Still dream of trapped in exhibit basement, looping no-exit, spider machine organ-harvest nightmare!
'Th-this place is friendly....... friendly......'
Shaking nightmare, pressed button.
Ding.
Doors open: underground parking.
'Someone honked car, passed out here too.'
Irrelevant.
Followed memory directions diligently.
'Left three times.'
Loop garage, new unseen zone appears.
'A19.'
Basically there.
Excited, hurried steps.
Zone has mall door; enter, skip elevator—side small shop.
Thus appears:
Moonlight Tattoo Shop
The magic spot.