Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Exploration Team (2)
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[Title: Can I Survive a Month Living with a Long-Haired Stunning Ghost (Virgin)?]
Dongto? They offered me a spot on an exploration team here, but is this really a major corporation?
They suggested I join the exploration team.
The conditions are too good, which feels suspicious. Doesn't this just mean they'll use me as cannon fodder and toss me aside?
If there are any current employees or people in the know, please give me some advice.
I heard that rookies aren't sent to dangerous spots right from the start, but is that just bullshit?
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Comments poured in the moment I posted.
I slowly began reading through them one by one.
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ㄴ Suicide hopeful, come on in lol
ㄴ Monster lunch (scheduled) has arrived lol
ㄴ Joining an exploration team is suicide in itself. Ever encountered a monster? It leaves serious trauma.
ㄴ But Dongto should have good gear, right? Grab the survival kit or hazmat suit and bolt ㅇㅇ
ㄴ It varies. Dongto's a massive company, so team vibes differ. Rookies really do mostly support roles or safe zones, or so they say. Of course, bad luck and you're dead on day one.
ㄴ My friend joined Dongto's exploration team and lost contact after a month... Think it over carefully.
ㄴ For real? Scary;
ㄴ But exploration teams make bank, right?
ㄴ Lol, you gotta be alive to cash it lol
ㄴ So where's this stunning ghost in the title, fuck? Live straight.
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Opinions were sharply divided.
The negatives edged out slightly.
The main reason was that being on an exploration team meant taking on massive risks by nature.
But one comment caught my eye: "Rookies aren't sent to dangerous spots right away."
It might not be true, of course, but if it was?
Couldn't I use my Cheat Mode to gain experience relatively safely, save up cash fast, and head to Seoul?
"With great power comes great responsibility."
The phrase I'd thought of before circled back in my mind.
Big money came with big responsibility too.
The power I had was definitely special.
Would I just use it to run away? Or take the risks and seize greater "safety" and a future?
I was scared, sure—
But I didn't agonize long.
I texted the number on the business card.
I accepted the offer.
A few days later, I stood in front of Dongto's headquarters.
"...Wow, this is a mega-corp, alright."
I'd come to HQ, but it wasn't just one building.
I had to crane my neck back to see the tops of the skyscrapers—not one, not two, but three lined up side by side.
All three massive buildings belonged to Dongto.
Following the text instructions, I entered the one nearest the station.
The lobby inside was practically airport-sized.
Huge space buzzing with busy people; to go deeper, you had to pass through security checkpoints like at an airport.
As I stood there dumbfounded, a female staffer from the checkpoint approached.
"What brings you here?"
"Uh... I'm heading to the exploration team meeting room..."
"Ah, are you... Mr. Kim Minjun...?"
"Yes, that's me."
"This way, please."
I followed her guidance through the procedures and cleared security.
She directed me to Basement Level 2, so I got on the elevator.
The building rose dozens of floors above ground, but I was shocked it plunged ten levels underground too.
'How deep does this go?'
Riding the descending elevator, memories of the hotel basement from days ago sent a chill down my spine.
The reason I was headed to the exploration team meeting room was a text I'd gotten a few days back.
The instant I messaged that I'd join, I was assigned to Exploration Team 15 and told to report for my first day today.
Right now, I was on my way to meet the rest of Team 15.
I stepped off on Basement 2 and immediately spotted the door labeled "Exploration Team Meeting Room."
"Hoo..."
I took a deep breath in front of the door to shake off the nerves, then pushed it open.
Creak.
Three people—men and women—turned to look at me as I entered.
Three figures in the same black suits as me stood there.
One was a middle-aged man, the other two women around my age.
Rahee must've been assigned elsewhere; she wasn't there.
I gave a light bow in greeting and walked toward them.
The first to catch my eye was the middle-aged man who seemed like the team leader.
He was a bit skinny, shoulders slightly hunched, and when our eyes met, he awkwardly looked away. He had a somewhat frail impression.
Next to him stood a woman in glasses, scanning me up and down with sharp eyes, exuding a cold, analytical aura.
The last was a short-haired woman who, unlike the other two, beamed at me with curious eyes. She seemed cheerful.
"Uh... um, you're the new guy, Kim Minjun... right?"
The middle-aged man spoke first, but his voice trembled slightly, trailing off.
He seemed more nervous than me.
"Yes, that's right. Kim Minjun, joining starting today. Nice to meet you."
I bowed politely, and he hurriedly bowed back.
"Oh, oh... yes. I'm Park Cheolwoo, leader of Exploration Team 15."
"I'm Seo Ji-hyun. I handle analysis and recording."
The glasses woman gave a short, curt introduction.
Her voice was just as cold and businesslike.
"Nice to meet you, rookie! I'm Han Sora! Just call me Sora sis casually! If you've got any tough stuff, come to me!"
The short-haired Han Sora clapped my shoulder with a bright, straightforward voice.
Her words eased my tension a bit.
But was she really older? She looked about my age, maybe younger.
"Alright then... Let me explain our team's duties properly."
Team Leader Park Cheolwoo cleared his throat and, unlike before, spoke in a clear voice.
"Our Dongto exploration teams are divided by number. Teams 1 through 5 handle high-risk monster eliminations or first scouts of unidentified monsters—dangerous missions."
I swallowed hard at his words.
I was relieved to be on Team 15.
"Teams 6 through 10 manage mid-risk monster explorations or hazard zones. And we, Teams 11 through 15..."
He paused for breath.
"...mostly handle 'management' of monsters whose areas have already been explored or with established response protocols. Relatively stable work."
"More precisely, it means operations in low-variable, controlled environments."
Seo Ji-hyun adjusted her glasses and added.
"So our team's pretty safe! No need to freak out, rookie!"
Han Sora laughed and clapped my shoulder again.
The gallery comment about rookies not going to rough spots right away wasn't totally wrong. I felt a little relieved.
Still, hearing there were 15 exploration teams all risking their lives managing monsters sparked some curiosity.
"Um, but how does this job make money? The contract terms were insane..."
How did managing these deadly monsters pay off?
When I voiced my biggest question, Team Leader Park Cheolwoo answered.
"Officially, we report our activities and results to the Monster Management Bureau, and they allocate the budget. Of course, there are other revenue streams..."
He trailed off.
I didn't know what "other revenue streams" meant, but I let it slide for now.
"Oh, right."
As the briefing wrapped, Team Leader Park Cheolwoo said,
"Since it's your first day, you should observe our 'monster management' op firsthand. Just watch from the side today, Kim Minjun."
"Got it."
"Alright! Let's head out?"
Han Sora took the lead, and we left the briefing room.
The other two followed her casually, as if used to it.
We went down the hall to a corner elevator reserved for exploration teams and headed lower.
When the doors opened, a corridor with a whole different vibe appeared.
The walls were solid metal, lined with warning signs and heavy security measures.
"This is the low-risk entity containment and management sector."
Seo Ji-hyun explained curtly. We walked the hall and stopped before a thick steel door.
It read "Containment Room 11," with a plaque beside it: [Management Target: 'Floating Eye']
'Floating Eye?'
Unique name.
Ding, ding, click.
Team Leader Park Cheolwoo went through authentication and opened the door.
What lay beyond?
With bated breath, I followed the team into the containment zone.
"...Ugh."
I grimaced and looked up at the monster.
True to its name, a massive eyeball floated root and all through the air.
As big as an adult man's torso.
The eye itself was fine, but the root part creeping out was creepy enough to make me wince involuntarily.
"Th-this..."
Team Leader Park Cheolwoo showed me his smartphone.
An app was open, displaying info and a manual for the Floating Eye.
[Floating Eye]
- Risk Level: Low
- Safe as long as you don't touch it or stare too long.
- For tear collection, use sad movies or dramas.
"This is Dongto's monster app. You'll get it too, Minjun."
"...Tear collection with sad movies?"
What the hell? I glanced around the room and spotted a huge TV mounted on one wall.
"Watch close, rookie!"
Han Sora strode forward, grabbed the remote on top of the TV, and deftly queued up a drama.
Swoosh.
The moment it started, the giant eye floated over like it was waiting, locking gaze with the wall-mounted TV.
Han Sora casually placed a large square container beneath the eye.
Then yelled,
"All set! Retreat!"
"...Huh?"
This easy?
Compared to the monsters I'd faced?
Sure, they weren't huge deals for me, but escaping that ruined hospital and freaky hotel had me sweating bullets.
Unwanted fights—no, attacks.
And here, just play a sad movie and done.
It didn't even try to attack humans.
Monsters like this existed?
"We need to get out quick."
Seo Ji-hyun tapped my shoulder then.
"Huh? Why?"
"If it sees you watching it cry, it goes berserk."
"...Oh."
Scrolling down the manual on my phone, sure enough: [Caution: Becomes ferocious if watched while crying]
Monsters were still monsters.