Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Side Story: C-Grade Agents Kim Mi-ri and Shin Young-moon's Love Goods Investigation Mission!
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“Whoa.”
The woman in the black suit, Kim Mi-ri, stood in front of the mirror. After washing her face, she slapped her own cheeks to snap herself out of it.
“First mission! Let's do this!”
[Hey, when are you heading out?]
At that moment, a man in the same outfit, Shin Young-moon, poked his head through the bathroom wall.
“Eek! You scared me! I told you not to pop up like that!”
[Come on, if you jump at this, you can't be an agent.]
“Agent work is agent work, and getting startled is getting startled, okay?”
Grumbling, she headed out, and he floated along behind her.
“First mission, huh.”
[It's not a tough one, so don't stress.]
“If it were that easy, why would anyone ever get nervous?”
After two years of training in an independent dimension where time flowed differently, enduring trials too numerous to describe, the two had finally become official Foundation agents.
[They wouldn't give rookies like us C-Grade newbies a dangerous mission for our first one, right?]
“Yeah, I skimmed the briefing. It's just visiting Love Goods, run by an external special advisor, and checking for any anomalies. That's it. But why am I still so tense?”
[It's just first-time jitters. Everyone's nervous at the start. When I first perfected the Tenpai hand in Mahjong, my hands were so sweaty I could barely hold the mouse.]
“Ugh, that Mahjong again!”
[Don't knock it—try learning it sometime. Mahjong changes your life.]
“I've heard it so much, I feel like a pro already. Not that I want to play.”
Though one was among the living and the other among the dead—fates that should never intertwine—Kim Mi-ri had grown close to her fellow trainee and compatriot Shin Young-moon amid the Foundation's education, surrounded by all manner of anomaly-armed entities. Now Korean-division agents, they were teamed up for their debut mission.
“Never really asked before, but... how'd you end up dying, Shin Young-moon?”
[Sigh. Truth is, I was at the pinnacle of the shadowy Mahjong underworld. Got into a high-stakes game—100 billion on the line, betting my life. But the opponent cheated, and... well...]
The two climbed into a car headed for Love Goods.
“Huh? You know the external special advisor?”
[When I first became a ghost, he was the one who could interact with me. Tried exorcising me at first, but after that, he was great to me.]
“Sounds like a decent guy. Puts my mind at ease.”
The vehicle was a special model ghosts could ride in, and the pair chatted amiably.
“Wonder how Master's doing.”
[If it's him, he's probably fine. Guy's tough, right?]
“Tough is one thing, but with his total lack of common sense, who knows what crazy stunt he'll pull next.”
[He is a bit odd. But he gets the whole nothing-and-void thing, so it'll be okay.]
They'd spent those two years of training glued together, building real camaraderie, but the grueling regimen had left little room for chit-chat back then. Now, their conversation flowed endlessly.
[So, why'd you join the Foundation, Mi-ri?]
“Money, duh. Billion-won salary plus killer benefits? Couldn't pass that up. Didn't expect two years of training, though. Lucky the independent dimension stretches time, so I didn't age, and only two months passed in the real world. What about you? Ghosts don't need office jobs.”
[I wanted to feel alive again. My clothes, this car— the Foundation makes stuff I can interact with as a ghost.]
“Oh yeah! First time I saw you eat, I freaked. A ghost slurping down jjambbong? Thought it was brains and screamed.”
[Brains? I'm a ghost, not a zombie.]
Before they knew it, they'd arrived at the Foundation.
“Well then...”
Shin Young-moon picked up her words.
[Time to work.]
“Welcome. You're from the National Tax Service, right? We've been expecting you.”
Their mission was straightforward.
“Here are Love Goods' financial statements. All organized—take your time.”
Disguised as National Tax Service auditors via Foundation tech, they performed a real audit while scoping out Love Goods from the inside.
“Done?”
[Yep. Just got the summary on Love Goods' finances.]
Shin Young-moon removed his monocle. The Foundation-built eyewear, packed with auto-calculation tech, scanned statements and spat out a tidy overview.
[It's structured to never turn a profit. Welfare costs are insane. Only been ramped up since last December—one month in—but at this rate, annual welfare spending hits tens of trillions.]
“Tens of trillions?”
[Revenue breakdown: manufacturing 10%, imports/exports 30%, other 60%.]
“What's 'other'?”
[Welfare facility fees from outsiders. Public can pay to use the perks—makes up 60% of January's net income.]
“...Maintenance costs?”
[Covered entirely by investments from the chairman, who's also a new hire.]
“Wait, chairman or new employee? What's 'chairman兼new hire'?”
[Dunno. Lee Seung-hoon's an odd one. Anyway, let's check out the welfare spots.]
Free of the paperwork pile, they boarded the elevator.
“23 days ago, we asked the external special advisor if Love Goods posed any entity threat. He said the threat was neutralized, but the company would stay open for people's happiness.”
[Pumping tens of trillions yearly into this for no reason? Suspicious.]
“The Foundation's worried about 'an entity spreading via mental corruption that can't be discussed openly.' Advisor couldn't spill details, so theory is the welfare boosts employee happiness to block propagation.”
[I buy it, but let's verify. Focus on welfare.]
They toured the company, gawking at the perks.
“Whoa, that's refreshing.”
“This is paradise.”
“Gah! S-stop! My soles are ripping! Ow! It hurts like hell!”
Employees lounging under expert masseuses for full-body treatments.
“Haha! Manager Kim! Breathe right—in through nose, out through mouth!”
“Whew! Tougher than it looks. But I feel my stamina improving.”
“Hehe! Assistant Yoon! Goggles on before you dive!”
Olympic-sized indoor pool packed with swimmers.
“That's three-cushion!”
“Wow, Director Kim, nice shot!”
“Hey! Assistant Kwak! No masse below 300!”
“I win? Yoon! Jjajangmyeon on you! Haha!”
Smokers puffing away over billiards in the rec room.
*This is a company?*
All at 2 p.m., peak hours.
“...Shall we look around more?”
[...Yeah.]
They kept moving.
“Mmm! So this is Zachy pudding. Delicious.”
“Zachy's good. Zachy, Zachy! But why Zachy?”
“Belgian chocolate lives up to the hype. Nothing like ours.”
A floor loaded with imported global eats.
“Team leader! Stalker! Dodge, dodge!”
“Slide to evade, right? Kids these days can't even do that?”
“Chicken time for real this time.”
“Who ordered jjapaghetti? Smells insane. Me too.”
“Same.”
“Me three. PC bangs are jjapaghetti central.”
Dedicated internet cafe floor.
“This author's new work slaps, even after bombing the last one.”
“Who's the colossal titan and armored one?”
“Unreleased official translation? How'd they snag it?”
Floors stuffed with comics and novels, and more.
After touring the towers, Kim Mi-ri stepped out, fuming.
“Argh...”
[What's up?]
“If I'd known, I never would've joined the Foundation! Post-tax newbie pay at 250 million, plus perks like this?!”
[That's not welfare; it's fattening 'em up.]
“Ugh, I'm so pissed I could die. If I'd held out, I could've worked here!”
[Pfft, Foundation perception filters would've made it seem like a normal corp to you.]
Shin Young-moon pulled up public opinion on his custom smartphone.
[Love Goods hiring? Welfare and pay are insane!]
└[Public channel only. Or inherit from parent employee...]
└[Eh, it's Love Goods—makes sense.]
└[Yeah, Love Goods. Nothing special.]
└[Public channel odds?]
└[Heard they random-draw working-age Koreans for interviews. Everyone 20-60 competes.]
└[That's not hiring; that's lotto.]
[See? No backdoor entry, cutthroat odds. Plus, without Foundation, you'd be in college, Mi-ri.]
“...Don't hit me with facts. It hurts.”
Kim Mi-ri sighed deeply.
“Over 100 floors, but only 30 for actual work—the rest all welfare. Something's up.”
[Yep. Barely 10% working. Docs say five days a month, then full welfare mode.]
“Sigh. Let's check outside.”
Welfare extended outdoors: zoo, hospital, parks for strolls, fishing ponds, and more.
“Amusement park last, then wrap up.”
[Feels off, but nothing concrete. Report'll say that.]
Open to paying public, the park buzzed with crowds.
“Young-moon, check that out.”
[What?]
“Suspicious girl over there?”
A cute silver-haired, red-eyed child.
“Tteolteo! Tteolteotteol! Tteoltei!”
Shin Young-moon ID'd her instantly.
[Camera rig screams streamer.]
“Cute kid, weird speech though.”
[Concept, probably. 'Hou!' spammer exists too. This is tame.]
“Eww, just yells 'Hou!'?”
[Yep. Years going strong.]
The girl shouted; her handler translated.
“Sohee says, penalty for last failed mukbang: world's scariest coaster, 'Hell's Paradise Drop'! That's why we're at Love Goods Amusement Park!”
“Tteolteoooo!”
“Huh? Cry or faint, then lung experience?”
“Tteolteotteolteo!”
Watching the skit, the agents chimed in.
“Just saying, what if she's an entity that can only say 'tteolteo'?”
[We learned snap judgments are bad. Breaking it already?]
“But maybe? What if Love Goods seals that entity?”
[Tteolteo-only entity? Harmless. But caution's fine...]
Foundation rookie rite of passage.
[Let's tail her.]
Suspect everything as an entity.
“For humanity!”
[For humanity!]
“And my bank balance!”
[Don't ruin the vibe.]
Atop a peak 2km from Love Goods.
A woman over 2 meters tall peered through mini-binoculars.
After a long look, someone appeared behind her.
“What're you staring at?”
“Baal.”
Asmodeus set down the binoculars.
“Mission success?”
“Yes, flawlessly. Check the news.”
Baal's paper screamed: [French Chef's Shocking Suicide Show with Drugs and Hallucinogens! Guests Devoured Human Flesh!]
“Classic methods take too long.”
“Quality's solid. What were you watching?”
“You'll see.”
Baal peered.
“Oh.”
He whistled.
“Brilliant corruption system!”
Humans wallowed in sloth.
Surrendering to unearned sweets and comfort, their drive to grow or strive evaporated.
“Post-Belphegor's punishment, sloth became humanity's most reviled sin—hard to spark. This changes everything!”
“High attrition though.”
“True...”
Not everyone surrendered.
Some studied certs or specs over play.
Others saved for startups.
Some banked lifetime funds, then planned retirement travels with studies.
“Some sink eternally into ease; others see it as a dream-chasing pit stop.”
“Limit of no hard bindings.”
“No—that's what makes it better.”
Baal folded the binoculars.
“Voluntarily crawling into corruption, no chains... prime soul quality.”
“Hearing it that way, yeah.”
“So, your take on Seung-hoon? I was right?”
Asmodeus pondered Lee Seung-hoon, then deadpanned.
“The moment he joins, he might become the second human-origin president ever.”