Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Security Handover
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"Excuse me......"
"......"
"Excuse me."
I snapped my eyes open.
The first thing that came into my opened field of vision was a familiar face.
"...Security Captain?"
"Yes......"
A slender build in a security uniform, light hair color, name tag reading 'J3'.
This was the exact same security guard who'd gotten caught up with me in that Window Ghost darkness...!
I tried to hurriedly prop myself up.
An immense headache crashed down... Huh?
Jingle.
I froze.
Both my hands, stretched out to support my body against the floor, were wrapped tightly in red yarn strung with little bells.
'Yarn?'
A familiar use and shape from somewhere... Oh.
'Security team's gear...'
It was an item that temporarily restored anyone to their 'best past state'.
Knowing what it was put my mind slightly at ease.
I started to relax my body...
"......"
"......"
No, wait a second.
Why the hell am I restrained??
I jerked my head up.
The security captain's face, looking like everything was a hassle, showed a faint hint of familiarity now that our eyes met.
He gave a small wave.
"We meet again..."
"Yes. But..."
I lifted my arms as high as I could.
"What the hell is this?"
"You rescued a contaminated employee......"
"Yes, but why am I..."
The security captain pointed at me.
Oh.
"...Did the security team think I was contaminated?"
"Seems like it... Yeah...... No one else was around."
And then the security captain raised both hands, his expression a vague mix of expectation and embarrassment.
"Uh, welcome to the security team...?"
Ah, no.
This guy's mistaking me for a new hire...!
"It's not me."
"......Huh?"
"It's not me."
I emphasized it twice, then finally came to my senses and looked around.
'...An isolation room, maybe.'
The room, walled in gray, was completely empty. Even the lighting was embedded seamlessly into the ceiling without any protruding fixtures.
'Looks like the security team mobilized properly.'
Meaning my call had connected.
This facility, which I'd gained access to upon promotion to assistant manager, was literally a warehouse where you could rent security team gear via phone or visit.
However, if the security team deemed it a 'subdue' situation, they intervened directly like this...
'Jackpot.'
Evidently, since I was now detained in a security team facility.
I nodded slowly.
"This must be in the company building. The captain being here confirms it."
"Yeah...... Sharp one......"
"......"
I swallowed.
If I wasn't mistaken, the contaminated Park Minseong assistant manager was inside the tattoo on my wrist.
'I need to pull him out here and hand him over for contamination control.'
Wouldn't formally registering this tattoo with the security team be a stupid long-term move?
In the end, I probed lightly.
"Is there CCTV in here, by any chance?"
"Probably not......"
Good.
Since a person contaminated by the [Hungry Hangman] ghost story emerging into reality was unprecedented, they likely hadn't placed recording devices.
CCTV footage itself could get contaminated.
'Especially since Hungry Hangman is a ghost story with such potent mental contamination...'
Anyway, it seemed no one knew that the fully contaminated Park Minseong was currently inside my arm.
I swallowed again.
"...Security Captain."
"Just call me Jay... I'm the only J left in security now......"
"Yes, Jay."
I made a serious request.
"Can you keep everything from now on a secret?"
He'd obviously say no.
Or pretend to hesitate, agree trustworthily, then report it immediately.
Either way, I'd prepare countermeasures...
"Sure, whatever......"
"......"
"As long as it's not blowing up the company...... Actually, even then it'd be fine...... Just keep that I heard it a secret too......"
"......"
Was this the boldness of lifetime employment...?
'What the hell is this company.'
I steadied my reeling mind and stated firmly.
"It's not company demolition."
"Then...?"
"Truth is, I rescued the contaminated employee and have him subdued separately."
"......"
"......"
"...??"
The security captain stared at me with a what-the-hell-are-you-saying expression.
"Are you hallucinating...?"
"I'm fine. I wasn't even wearing contamination suppression gear to begin with."
I raised my arm.
"This bell yarn... looks like contamination suppression gear."
"Well...... Yeah."
"So you know I'm speaking clearly."
The security captain stared at me intently.
I swallowed.
"Once you're ready, I'll pull the contaminated employee out here."
"Ah."
He blinked, gazing at me without much trust, but slowly opened his mouth.
"Yeah.... Give it a shot... "
"No special prep needed? This is a one-use item for me, so only one shot."
"Eh......"
The security captain patted himself.
"Me."
It could sound arrogant, but his exhausted, everything's-a-hassle tone made it sound refreshingly straightforward.
'Plus he's a captain.'
His capabilities as a security team captain specializing in 'darkness suppression'—I'd seen them in that Window Ghost incident...
...Fine. Then.
"Yes."
I took a deep breath.
And plunged my hand straight into the tattoo.
"...!"
It latched on without searching. Locking up a fellow teacher? Screw the rules!!
'Pull!'
As my hand emerged from the tattoo, what I gripped came dragging out.
Thud thud thud crack.
With a grotesque sound, the 'teacher' began emerging from the tattoo.
And then.
Snap.
The moment the yarn snapped from the impact,
Blood sprayed from my arm like a fountain.
The wound from the bloodsucking knife had reopened.
"~!"
Fuck! I had to hold back curses, but it hurt so much!! Contamination was returning too. But more importantly...
"Teacher Sol-eum! Doing something this naughty is against the rules at our ■■ Affiliated Kindergarten..."
I froze.
Park Minseong assistant manager, smiling gently as the 'teacher', stopped.
Then he blankly looked around.
"......"
"......"
"This isn't the kindergarten!!"
Damn it.
"This isn't the kindergarten! It's not the kindergarten! I snuck out, snuck out without permission. I wasn't a perfect teacher... I broke the rules...!"
I couldn't respond somehow; guilt just flooded in.
I'm so sorry, teacher. I made the wrong call. This wasn't right. I'll take your punishment instead and recite the handbook. I grabbed our ■■ Affiliated Kindergarten handbook and...
"Whoa there."
Grab.
Someone seized my face.
And shoved something into my ear.
"Sleep anesthetic... or whatever."
......
......
Flicker.
I blinked.
"Excuse me."
"......"
"Excuse me..."
I opened my eyes again.
Everything was quiet.
"You okay...?"
"I'm fine."
I knew reflexively.
"Did you knock me out?"
"Yes..."
I spotted the capsule shell that had fallen from my ear onto the floor.
'Some kind of drug.'
Seemed like a short-term knockout effect.
Similar to the White Snow Mountain apple I had, but a lower-tier version.
'Calm down.'
Thanks to it, I'd escaped the contamination's influence.
I caught my breath and looked down at my arm. The wounded spot was now bandaged.
And the yarn that had been on me...
"......"
I looked up. Now it was wrapped around the limbs of Park Minseong in the corner.
Right. Not the teacher's appearance.
Park Minseong assistant manager!
'...It worked.'
Park Minseong, in his black suit and mask, looked perfectly normal, like right before entering a ghost story.
Even if it was just a temporary effect from the suppression gear.
"...Ha."
All strength drained from my body, and I leaned against the wall.
'...Handover success.'
I heard the security captain mutter beside me.
"Lucky guy...... Didn't know you could snap out of it that fast... Jealous......"
Wait.
"So snapping out quick means full recovery from contamination?"
"Well......"
The security captain ducked his head like even thinking was a hassle, but met my insistent gaze and spat it out.
"That's Dusk Grade......"
"Yes? Yes. Correct. B-Grade."
"Then he's fine......"
B-Grade?
"Company know-how and all... Uh. In decent cases... Department transfer?"
"......"
Yeah. Better than dying, security duty or whatever.
'Hope he recovers well and comes back or quits properly...'
"......"
I turned to look at Park Minseong again.
Maybe because the tension finally eased.
I felt a bit off.
Just yesterday, this coworker who'd joked and exchanged greetings in the same office.
The feeling that starting tomorrow, he'd suddenly vanish from my daily life.
"...Please take good care of him."
"......"
The security captain gave a slight nod.
An ambiguous expression.
...Up to there, my mind finally recalled the last scene I'd seen.
...Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je!!
"What happened to the corpse next to me? The one missing its left hand...?"
"No idea......"
No way, surely it wasn't incinerated or something. No, impossible.
'Missing a hand, not the head—they must've found it suspicious.'
But anxiety drove me to hurry the procedures and leave the isolation room.
"Come with......"
"Ah, yes."
Escorted by some of the summoned security team staff—somewhere between guard and surveillance—I walked out of the isolation room door.
And the moment I stepped out, I realized.
This was the isolation zone attached to the Security Team Rental Warehouse.
'There were dedicated docs on this place in the Darkness Exploration Records too...'
All creepy as hell.
The two summoned staff walked calmly down the hall, half a step behind me. I followed, suppressing chills...
Giggle giggle hehe giggle.
Ahhhh radiant name shine upon me
Please save me save me save me
Chilling sounds echoed from the isolation rooms lining both sides.
'D-don't look.'
I kept my eyes strictly forward on the light from the exit door, not sparing a glance...
......
Who's in the hall?
Aaahhhhh!!
Who's in the hall? Who's in the hall? Who
Please walk faster! Faster!!
But these damn security staff stubbornly kept pace until we reached the door.
I was utterly drained, a total limp rag, as I went through rental warehouse checkout...
"......"
The rental warehouse front desk looked like a stark facilities team hallway.
At the counter, a silent security staffer pulled out my belongings from isolation storage.
"Thank you."
I took my document bag. A sticker marked [Cleared / Risk Level D] was stuck on the surface.
'They didn't inspect items one by one.'
No questions like what I pulled from my arm or extra checks.
Surprisingly, Security Captain J had kept his promise fully.
'But he might talk someday.'
I could handle that. I'd mentioned it was a one-use item on purpose.
Key was handling it well.
'Let's do this.'
I took a deep breath.
'Now to check on Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je quick...'
-Friend!
-Friend!
Eh??
-Friend!!
"......"
Brown!!!
"Is this all my stuff?"
The staff pointed to a bin in the front desk corner.
There, soaked and crumpled into a mess, were my suit jacket and the little plush doll stuffed inside...
Huhwhaatt!!
-Not even a studio, and they toss me in a dump like this on their whim!! This is overreach and insult! Never happened even when I was a rookie!
Y-you maniacs!
I could practically bathe in cold sweat.
I hurriedly snatched the jacket, straightened the doll, and tucked it into my shirt pocket.
'S-sorry. You did great.'
-Hoo... No need for Mr. Deer to apologize. It was their rudeness!
Seemed calmed a bit. I quickly turned and stepped away.
But a gloomy voice trailed after...
-But a good friend doesn't forget...
"......"
Never keep Brown near the security team...
That was the moment I stepped out the door.
"Kim Sol-eum."
"...!!"
Someone was waiting at the security team front desk.
"...Squad Leader."
The Lizard squad leader looked at me with vertical pupils.
"Here to pick me up?"
"Yes."
"Where to? And please tell me why there too."
"Infirmary. Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je is there."
"...!!"
I,
hesitated several times before barely opening my mouth.
"...Is she alive?"
The Lizard squad leader turned to me.
And answered clearly.
"Yes."
"......"
Something welled up to my throat.
"...Squad Leader. Assistant Manager Park Minseong made it out too."
"I see."
Lee Jaheon squad leader paused thoughtfully, then asked.
"Is he alive?"
"...Yes."
"Then full survival."
"......Yes."
That alone had value.
Definitely.