Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Dealing with Difficult Customers 2
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[Happy Storage]: Uh...
[Heaven-Shattering Emperor]: Was that just now a customer? No, an anomaly clerk?
Kim Boram stared blankly at the screen.
As soon as she checked the incoming chats, her mind snapped back.
She immediately hammered the keyboard.
As a member of the Infinite Newb Adoration Squad.
She couldn't tolerate even the slightest negative opinion about newbs.
There must be a reason for what the newb did.
So.
That is...
That is... exactly... what?
Ah!
[Not Human]: Could be an anomaly?
ㄴ[Narita]: What kind of nonsense is that?
ㄴ[Not Human]: From what I saw earlier. It seemed like it stole merchandise... or maybe not.
ㄴ[Narita]: I saw it clearly! It never—
At that moment, inside the conference room.
Kim Boram tore her eyes from the screen and lifted her head.
Her gaze met the Information Junkie's across the table, and several Voices of the Dead.
She nodded faintly.
They were all thinking the same thing.
Soon, the Voices of the Dead jumped into Narita's chat one after another.
ㄴ[Narita]: I saw it clearly! It never happened!
ㄴ[Information Junkie]: I saw it too.
ㄴ[BeatBeat]: For real, me too.
ㄴ[Serious Junkie]: ...Ahem. Maybe I saw it too.
ㄴ[Narita]: ?! N-No way! I really saw it clearly with my own two eyes!
Fortunately, the suppression went smoothly.
The troll stirring up strange public opinion soon went quiet.
But the bewilderment didn't end there.
As if it were familiar.
The newb dragged the corpse along, hauling it to the regular trash bin.
At that moment, the convenience store door opened, and another customer entered.
The newb and the customer.
Their eyes met precisely.
Then, the automatic door behind the customer hissed shut with a click.
For some reason, the lighting flickered, the lights shaking.
The customer's gaze slowly dropped.
From the face to the newb's fingertips.
And below that—
A brief silence.
As the newb took a step closer, the customer staggered back.
Like the unique instinct of an anomaly.
[Happy Storage]: Whoa... I actually got to see an anomaly backing away lol
ㄴ[BeatBeat]: Fr, even I'd back away if I were the anomaly lmao
ㄴ[Real Ru]: Walks in to blood smeared on the face and a corpse at the feet, then approaches me in that state? You'd get a pass for straight-up running lolololol
[Heaven-Shattering Emperor]: Lmaoooooooo suddenly the slice-of-life turns into suspense genre swap lololol
[Flounder]: Where do you think you're running.
The customer's resistance didn't last long.
At first, it looked like the newb paused for a moment.
To the point where you might think, "Is she letting it go?"
But in that instant.
The newb's head tilted slightly, and just as the tension eased—
The Great Mop swung.
Fortunately, it dodged.
But in the next scene, something zipped past with a rapid patter.
At some point, the customer was up on the counter.
Then the newb mercilessly shredded the customer.
The first time seeing the newb in combat.
Up until now, the newb had mostly focused on breaking rules and evasion.
This time was different.
A proper fight, using her body in earnest.
Even to her eyes, it was clean, with almost no wasted movement.
No unnecessary actions, no excessive emotional agitation or excitement.
The battle flowed like water and ended.
Up to now, the newb had seemed more like an investigator.
But seeing this, she had the makings of a suppression squad fighter too—
Another distraction pulled her mind away.
As Kim Boram and the voice on the receiver both swallowed hard at the same time.
—Gulp.
"Gulp—"
At that moment.
A chat slipped through the gap.
[Narita]: What is this?
[Narita]: Huh?
[Narita]: Huh???
Narita, still riled up from earlier.
Kept repeating the same line.
After tweaking her response a few times, Kim Boram typed calmly.
[Not Human]: ...A greeting.
[Narita]: Greeting?
[Not Human]: She didn't greet!!!
ㄴ[Narita]: Do customers in Korea greet part-timers? Don't lie—
ㄴ[Information Junkie]: Yeah, in our country, customers greet part-timers when entering.
ㄴ[Heaven-Shattering Emperor]: Fr lol if you don't greet, they call you rude and beat you up, can't even complain about it.
ㄴ[Happy Storage]: Fr, how dare a customer
ㄴ[Crazy Woman]: Wow, Narita, you... you really thought like that? Sis is disappointed.
ㄴ[Narita]: Eeeeeeee?!
Ignoring Narita sinking on her own, Kim Boram focused on the screen.
—Th-That... is she some special forces from outside or National Intelligence Service!
—Or an assassin?! ...Or... a famous... serial killer...?
At this moment, she nodded vigorously along with the voice on the receiver.
The movements were too familiar.
For a first-timer.
At that moment, a smile crept onto the newb's lips.
Maintaining her expressionless face, she opened her mouth calmly.
"I was a company employee."
"Before that, unemployed."
"And now—"
—Hah... haa... haa...
"Hah... haa... haa."
"I'm an agent."
Click—
The regular trash bin lid closed, air hissing out.
No one paid it any attention now.
—We haven't introduced ourselves yet!! I'm Han Su-ryeon, 20 years old! Call me Su-ryeon casually!
"Alpha Agent. Call me 'Alpha' casually."
Even now, as she spoke, the newb was cleaning the surroundings.
After that, she held her breath.
The peaceful convenience store scenery shifted.
Clearly.
It should have been long.
21 hours of work.
Boring, repetitive time.
But—
The newb moved.
What she saw from then on.
Wasn't convenience store work.
It was a suspense mad movie.
***
It should have been boring.
She glanced at the time above her phone.
—It's almost 4 PM now!
The bright voice of the woman who introduced herself as Han Su-ryeon came through the receiver.
Now completely proficient in tone.
It had to be.
Already 7 hours since starting the shift.
About time to get familiar.
—Camera 2 and 3 anomaly clear!
—One left at the bento shelf now! This anomaly clerk bastard!
—Handle it quick! Alpha Agent! How dare it touch store goods with filthy hands!
And that meant she'd been sitting in the conference room for over 7 hours too.
'Maybe hit the bathroom now...'
—...Ah! It's running!
She plopped back into her seat from halfway standing.
And the sound of chairs scraping the floor overlapped from others doing the same.
Drag—drag—, draaaag—
Faces were grim.
But no one's eyes left the screen.
The Great Mop swung from below upward.
Thud—
When the clash ended, its head was on the counter.
Once.
Bang!
Twice.
Bang!
Three times.
Bang!...Crunch!
Black liquid dripped below the counter.
[17:41:25]
[18:31:52]
[19:54:14]
[20:15:24]
[21:26:45]
[22:35:31]
Time piled up.
And—
When she came to, it was already 11 PM.
Her neck was stiff, shoulders aching.
From midway, she even removed her earphones.
She could access the anomaly gallery on her phone without charging.
But not the earphones.
She felt like dying.
Muscles locked in sitting position, shoulders rigid.
Neck like rusted iron.
At that moment, her gaze shifted back to the chat window.
The door opened into the convenience store, customers entering.
The final wave.
Critical moment.
[Narita]: Ufufufufufufufufufu!!! What is this!
To one user completely hyped up, the critical moment didn't register.
Only madness to find the reason remained.
Thanks to that, she couldn't leave her seat either.
Now Kim Boram responded familiarly.
She'd learned to counter with nonsense.
[Not Human]: The reason it's an anomaly clerk is the shoes.
ㄴ[Narita]: That's forced!! Totally forced!!
ㄴ[Not Human]: Tsk! Feet are dirty!
ㄴ[Narita]: What does that matter! Customers are wearing shoes right now!
ㄴ[Not Human]: Sigh. Obviously take off shoes before entering. Common sense?
ㄴ[Information Junkie]: Fr lol how dare a customer! Should wipe feet with wet wipes after taking off shoes!
ㄴ[Information Junkie]: Heard Japan is clean... but enter stores without removing shoes? Like the West? Ugh—
ㄴ[Crazy Woman]: Ugh— I almost puked. Narita, for real? You walk around outside with shoes full of all kinds of filth and freely enter someone else's shop, dirtying it up?
ㄴ[Flounder]: Wow, even I'm disappointed? No matter how work-obsessed I am, can't cover this;;
ㄴ[Narita]: .....Eh?
ㄴ[Narita]: Ehhh?
Chat went silent for a while.
And—
ㄴ[Narita]: Joke. Was fun? That was obviously a Japanese joke.
ㄴ[Crazy Woman]: Really?
ㄴ[Narita]: In Japan, obviously wipe shoes before entering stores!
ㄴ[Not Human]: Sure?
ㄴ[Narita]: ..C-Confident.
She won.
A smile formed on Kim Boram's lips.
And the chats stopped all at once, as if by agreement.
The battle began.
At times like this, no chatting was the unspoken rule.
On screen, the battle started.
Not a single chat line appeared.
Blood sprayed.
As everyone focused on the battle.
Only Kim Boram heard the breathing from the receiver.
Little by little, slowly, she began to understand the person on the other end.
The remaining time after battles was filled with conversations between the newb and the receiver voice.
She heard much of their dialogue.
—When I said I was doing part-time, Mom worried a lot.
—If I say I went on a short trip, she'll believe it, right? To Japan or something? What do you think, Agent?
—Actually, because of part-time... nerves were frayed, fought with Mom that day too.
—So! Planned to secretly buy cake after shift, hehe.
At some point, Kim Boram no longer doubted.
She knew now it wasn't fake.
Truly, someone in need of help.
From the tone in the voice.
From the casual, matter-of-fact way of speaking.
In the screen voice, she saw her past self.
Worn bed.
Herself placed on it.
And Dad smiling down at her.
The hand stroking her hair came to mind.
"Dad."
When her mind returned, the battles were all over.
The newb returned to the counter.
Then, the newb's gaze slowly moved downward.
At the end of that gaze, a single notebook reflected on screen.
Its contents followed the newb's eyes, visible to her too.
January 21
Resolved this year to try something.
So got a part-time job first.
This New Year, I'll change.
February 10
First day at convenience store part-time!
Few customers, lucky.
Boss is quiet, seems manageable.
February 25
Getting used to it.
Night shifts tiring, but good for listening to music and organizing thoughts alone.
Lately, dawn air feels nice.
March 9
Difficult customer came.
Yelled suddenly about wrong cigarettes...
Laughed it off, but trembled inside.
March 28
Smiling less these days.
Customers venting irritation casually is weirdly fascinating.
Just wait for payday.
April 14
Boss suddenly wants longer shifts.
Other part-timer quit.
Body hurts, but endure one more month.
April 29
Drunk customer at dawn yelled.
Just needed to ring up.
That voice keeps echoing.
May 10
Can't sleep well lately.
Hard to smile at work.
Mirror shows... not me.
Really weird. Hate everything.
...
December 18
...Decided.
Tell boss tomorrow I quit.
Go to academy, study again.
Last page opened.
Text circled repeatedly with stars and hearts.
[December 31 — ♡♡♡Our Kim Suk-ja Madam's Birthday♡♡♡]
—I actually contracted with the anomaly.
—If someone survives and leaves here, the anomaly will release me and all the dead too!
—No one's believed me so far.
—But this time... feels different!
From then, she could no longer type chats.
The oddness felt from midway was confirmed by this notebook.
The dates... were wrong.
The dates the receiver voice mentioned.
At that moment, her voice came.
—This is really the last!
Her voice mixed excitement, hope, anticipation.
—Agent!
—Better late than never... thank you in advance! You said no to gift earlier.
—Instead, hehehe— look forward! I'll treat to something delicious!
—I have lots of money! Haven't spent a dime of part-time pay!
—So, really expensive is fine! Totally serious!
A bad feeling crept in.
Her chest slowly tightened.
Beep—
[00:00:01]
And that peaked the instant the second hand passed 12—
With the appearing bastard.
***
—Agent. Checked, no new game. So really the end now!
—Just hold till 6 AM like this!
—Finally... it's over.
"Wait. You..."
—Why?
—More importantly, Agent!
—I'm leaving now, right? You promised. Leave together after end.
—But... on second thought. Better if I stay here.
—Grew on me living here.
—Can watch people die miserably...
Laughter dragged on, tone shifting.
—Somehow, feels— really good. Hehhehe.
"...Who are you."
—Agent. Why ask that?
—Well, doesn't matter. Keh—
—Kehhe enough joking.
—Who? I am the higher entity that created this convenience store.
—So. Lowly one. Rejoice.
—For your struggles... I descended specially to grant one chance.
—Open the door and leave as is, I'll spare your life.
—Nothing will happen.
—But if you refuse.
"One thing. You."
Its playful attitude like toying.
As if life meant nothing.
The newb's face hardened.
Eyes turned icy.
"Han Su-ryeon. What did you do to her."
Brief silence.
Then, its voice flowed slowly.
—Who's that?
Crunch—
The pen in her hand snapped outright.
Commotion rose around seeing it, but she couldn't react.
Clenched fist too hard.
Broken shards stabbed her hand, pain piercing.
But even so.
She couldn't release the grip.
This bastard trampling others' hopes.
Using them at will.
Planning to discard like consumables in the end.
Couldn't extract the rage.
—As expected of lowly ones, can't grasp situation.
—Then..
Screeech—
Automatic door opened.
—I'll make you grasp it.
At that moment, the newb's mouth opened.
"Done talking?"
Instead of answering the anomaly's question, an item from the newb's bosom did.
Bang—
The doll entering the convenience store's head exploded in an instant.
Blood scattered into the air.
The sound cut through.
Heavy silence flowed.
Soon, urgent voice burst from the receiver.
—Ki-Kill! It right now—!!
The full battle began.