Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Even If I Fall Into a Ghost Story, I Have to Go to Work
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...After that, the situation quickly calmed down.
No, in fact, it couldn't help but calm down.
Because the Lizard had grown suspicious of my previous actions.
-Mr. Deer, were those questions last night intended to mistake me for a ghost and engage in a long conversation with one?
That was when I truly felt a chill down my spine.
-...How could that be? I was just flustered by the handclap on the back of your hand and was considering both possibilities.
And with that, I raised a thumbs-up toward my esteemed superior.
It was meant to pass it off as flattery.
-I couldn't miss the chance to have a deep conversation with you, Squad Leader, just because I misunderstood you as a ghost.
-I see.
-Thank you for kindly consulting with me at length.
-You're welcome.
Whew.
By the way, the C Squad members, who had slept soundly and peacefully, woke up just before Lizard and I left.
And they chuckled.
"Ah~ Of all people, you two had to run into it. How unfortunate."
"Wow, we must've been pretty scary."
"Yeah, it was chilling~"
Lies!
Seeing them laugh heartily as they recalled the things the ghost imitating them had done, I was once again struck by the sheer guts of this company's elites.
Oh, before that.
'Now's my chance to find out who referred Salmon Market.'
"Um, could I get your names, by any chance?"
"Of course!"
The Dolphin assistant manager shot her hand up.
"I'm Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae, and over there is Deputy Kang Dojun."
"......"
Huh?
Wait a minute.
The deputy who introduced me to Salmon Market... Ah!
"By any chance, is the C Squad leader named Lee Kangheon?"
"Huh? No."
"......"
'I got played.'
No wonder they gave up their info so readily—it was all lies.
'A, B, and C Squads are elite teams, so they figured regular teams couldn't look up names or contacts via the internal network.'
Well, it didn't matter much. I just felt glad I'd made my ID through a backdoor method.
I was just about to wrap up the conversation with something like "My mistake" when—
"Um, Mr. Deer Assistant Manager."
While the Leopard deputy was talking with Squad Leader Lee Jaheon—
The Dolphin assistant manager suddenly turned her head slightly and spoke to me.
"Did you... get a KakaoTalk saying they'd help you make money?"
"......!!"
"From someone with a Hawaii beach profile picture."
"Is it a famous person?"
"Word of mouth among people in the know?"
The Dolphin assistant manager glanced at her colleague worker, confirmed no one was looking our way, and quickly continued.
"You know, I was the top hire too."
Ah.
"I got a message too. That thing about fish bears eat a lot... Ack, Salmon Market. Salmon Market."
She'd been phished too...
"I heard a few promising up-and-comers got them!"
According to her explanation, the sender's identity varied each time, but one thing was the same.
The profile picture and the name 'K.LEE'.
The Dolphin assistant manager whispered.
"Mind if I share my deduction?"
"Of course."
"I think no matter how you look at it, it's from the site admin. Trying to promote their secondhand site and recruit people to sell real Darkness items!"
Oh.
"You think a company employee made that site?"
"At least someone connected! They knew way too much about the Field Exploration Team."
Indeed.
I rubbed my chin.
'If there's really an employee doing that...'
They'd have to be a named character, right?
I mentally sifted through wiki-listed employees who might pull something like this.
"Thank you. That cleared up some questions."
"No problem."
The Dolphin assistant manager shrugged with a smile.
"But are there that many employees using Salmon Market internally?"
"Quite a few? The company doesn't care as long as we don't sell Dream Essence Collectors or masks. Like letting soldiers loot during war to boost morale? Urk."
The Dolphin assistant manager grumbled.
"Anyway, it's a really annoying company."
I nodded unwittingly.
"They do tend to downplay loss of life."
"Well, yeah... Humans dying is eco-friendly anyway, so whatever."
"......"
"The problem is how randomly they kill. If it were me, I'd rank by personality and send the jerks first. Sigh."
I...... am scared of C Squad.
"Anyway, that's it."
"Thank you."
"No biggie."
The Dolphin assistant manager tied her long hair into a ponytail and answered briskly.
"Mr. Deer Assistant Manager, you were so polite even when I was a ghost. I think good people should live long."
The Dolphin assistant manager flashed a thumbs-up and grinned.
Hm. Thank you.
Anyway, we parted on pretty warm terms with C Squad.
"See you next time in a high-point Darkness! We'll show off our cool side then!"
"Better if just the one who gives points comes! Hahaha!"
Hm.
'I don't want to witness the elite team's coolness in a Darkness...!'
Though they seemed frictionless and smoother than A Squad.
Of course, C Squad had a bit of chosen-people vibe, but that was typical for elites, so it was forgivable.
...Excluding the fact that the shocking ghost versions of C Squad kept replaying endlessly in my head.
'Ugh.'
Time to go home.
Go enjoy the luxury of sleeping during the day...
Feeling a small gratitude that today was my day off, I bowed politely to Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.
"Squad Leader, thank you for today. As I said again, thank you for kindly answering even when I was bombarding you with questions amid the Darkness chaos."
-You're welcome.
"If there's ever anything you'd like to ask me, feel free anytime, Squad Leader!"
-You're welcome. I'll ask now.
"......"
Already?
Squad Leader Lee Jaheon asked flatly.
"Kim Sol-eum. Have you used the 'Fox Counseling Room'?"
"...!"
It was one of the three new access spots granted upon promotion to assistant manager.
1. Security Team Rental Warehouse
2. Annex (Free equipment crafting twice a year)
3. Fox Counseling Room
The only one I hadn't tried yet...
"No."
Of course not—I hadn't had the time or timing.
"Do you plan to?"
"......"
Hm.
"...Squad Leader, you're recommending it because it's for recovering mental damage from contamination, right?"
-Yes. I recommend scheduling it soon.
Sound advice.
If not for one issue.
'It has side effects.'
In truth, the 'Fox Counseling Room' had a highly dangerous side effect not listed in the employee manual.
Of course, the probability was very low, not something regular employees worried about...
But I didn't want to risk even that low chance.
......Especially now, when probabilities made me sick.
'I can still hold out.'
No weird inner whispers or urges to read training manuals unless I consciously thought of them.
Falling asleep at night was a bit tough, but having someone to talk to helped.
Brown, that is.
-Oh! An honor, friend.
Yeah.
Who'd have thought a monster from a ghost story would be my lifeline...
'Humans really are creatures of adaptation.'
Anyway, since today was my day off, I could sleep during the day and catch up on sleep like this—no problem.
Of course, outwardly, I nodded eagerly.
-Yes. I'll schedule it when I can.
Of course, that "when" might not come for a while, maybe months.
But it wasn't a lie.
"...You're welcome."
The Lizard squad leader stared at me blankly for a moment but accepted and left.
And so, I returned home safely...
"Phew."
Click.
I opened the door and entered my room.
The dorm was quiet since everyone was at work. No Baek Saheon either.
'Time to sleep.'
I washed up, lay in bed, and was about to do my final check of known info and sites...
"...!"
When sleepiness vanished.
'It's open!'
The alien shop had finished renewing and was showing a new homepage.
The flashy colors on the clicked screen stabbed my eyes.
Wow, really... amazing.
The design.
'How did it get even crappier?'
Amid it, dot fireworks exploded like confetti. The more colors and effects, the worse it got.
If these aliens were outsourcing, I'd beg them to stop.
-Mr. Deer, out of pity for the designer, please keep that horrific flyer away from Brown.
I gladly placed Brown on the desk towel.
I'd endure this design terrorism alone.
'Anyway, renovation commemoration discount event.'
That was a good opportunity. Maybe more items now.
With slight excitement, I clicked enter.
Happy Maker - ₩27,999,999 ★Nostalgic Candy - ₩12,999,999 ★Wrapping Paper 12B357 - ₩9,999,999 Necronomicon - ₩49,999,999 We Help! - ₩66,666,666
Spend over 100 million for 20% off!
Become a Universe Shopping Mall VIP!
"......"
Wait.
"It's here!"
-Mr. Deer?
I nearly jumped out of bed in excitement but barely calmed down.
"The armor finally dropped!"
-Ah, you found the item you've been seeking? Congratulations!
Truly.
Wrapping Paper 12B357 - ₩9,999,999
'I have to buy this.'
And it's the cheapest. What a steal.
I added it to cart, then realized it was 10 million won and felt a brief reality check, but no intention of canceling.
Calming my excitement, I scrolled through the other items.
"......"
-Friend? Is there a problem?
"No."
If anything, the opposite.
I double-checked the list in slight bewilderment, but it was real.
'No... I know all these items.'
This was a first.
Even for items without dedicated wiki entries in [Darkness Exploration Records], there were at least mentions allowing reasonable inference.
Some looked suspiciously ghost-story-ish, but still just text, so my mind went to utility and usage first.
'Jackpot.'
And then I noticed the special mark.
Happy Maker - ₩27,999,999 ★
Touching it brought up an explanation.
★ Similar to previously purchased items!
'Ah.'
These aliens... that's why the renewal.
They'd implemented an algorithm! Items related to my past purchases starred at the top!
'But shouldn't this be reversed?'
Not likely to buy similar clothes, but for consumables out of stock, it works.
Like this!
Nostalgic Candy - ₩12,999,999 ★
'Nostalgic series.'
Items from the same maker as the yarn-like restraint on my wrist in the Security Team isolation room with the training manual.
Series concept: Return to 'a good past self'.
Candy form probably eaten for similar effect.
Must've popped up since I'd bought several edibles. Similar to White Snow Mountain Apple too.
'Definite buy.'
My mini-apple was nearly out of juice or core anyway.
I added it to cart and slowly checked the rest...
'Painkillers, restoratives, armor, intimidation, escape in crisis...'
And realized.
'These are all good.'
All useful items. Knowing their uses let me discern easily.
And moreover.
Truly, spend over 100 million for 20% off!
"......"
Discount, huh.
'Not something you encounter often.'
Combining salary, side earnings so far, performance bonuses, minus living expenses, my ammo was...
'140 million, no... maybe even 150?'
"......"
-Friend, are you enjoying shopping despite that brutal visual torture?
"No."
-Hm?
"Just finished."
I looked at the cart.
Happy Maker - ₩27,999,999 Nostalgic Candy - ₩12,999,999 Wrapping Paper 12B357 - ₩9,999,999 Necronomicon - ₩49,999,999 We Help! - ₩66,666,666
= ₩167,666,662
※Discount Applied!※ : ₩134,133,329