Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Mirror, Mirror
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"The most famous person from the Gangseo Branch has come to visit. I am grateful."
Gangbuk Branch Chief Kim Pil-sik spoke in a subdued voice as he began guiding me.
"Do you know why you all came here?"
"Uh... I only heard it was a dispatch."
"It is a dispatch."
"That old woman." Kim Pil-sik muttered, clicking his tongue.
The Gangseo Branch Chief also made a displeased face as he thought of her. It seemed wise to stay cautious.
"Anyway... I have a favor to ask of you regarding an appraisal."
"If it's an appraisal, couldn't you have just called me?"
"Indeed."
He looked at me, then at the three people behind me.
"That was the original plan."
"You're talking too much."
Song Arin raised one eyebrow as if sensing his gaze and shot back, and his eyes fixed on her for a moment before turning away.
"I'm getting old. Let's get going."
With that, he started walking ahead, and I opened my mouth to scold Song Arin as she passed me, but she cut me off first.
"I did it on purpose."
"...Why?"
"Two reasons. First, I'm pissed. Second... I'm worried."
"Worried? About me, you mean?"
"...Never mind."
Song Arin let out a small sigh and walked beside me.
"Anyway, the Gangbuk Branch Chief had a lot of bad things to say."
"...Like what?"
"For starters, he said you're surprisingly ambitious."
"Ah."
That was something I already knew.
Song Arin continued, carefully watching Kim Pil-sik's back as he walked ahead.
"Anyway, he gets jealous of the employees under him... but he's competent enough to still be Branch Chief."
"Then isn't that fine?"
He was the Branch Chief, after all. If he had the skills, he could keep the position.
"I hear there's a rumor he devoured a containment object before becoming Branch Chief."
"...Devoured?"
"Or that he killed the Team Leader he always clashed with in an accident."
"...How is someone like that a Branch Chief?"
"I wonder too."
Song Arin clicked her tongue and started walking.
"..."
Greed.
The description didn't stir any emotions in me, so I decided not to act for now.
He was the Branch Chief to begin with. No reason to fight, and no chance of winning.
I recalled the Gangseo Branch Chief, Yi Haneul, shattering people bare-handed in the rain that couldn't be allowed to touch her.
Even if all four of us combined our abilities, could we beat her?
We probably couldn't win at all. Maybe we could buy some time.
He headed toward the stairwell.
Stairwell?
"Wait a minute."
I hurriedly spoke up to stop Kim Pil-sik.
"...Something wrong?"
"Th-the stairs... Aren't we not supposed to use them?"
"Th-that's right."
Yoo Daon, having gone through the same thing as me, knew what it meant to take the stairs.
"Ah."
He smiled as if understanding my words.
"It's the opposite here. If you're curious, feel free to check the manual."
"..."
Narrowing my eyes at his words, I opened the manual.
[Office Manual]
[PLZ - Save the Manual]
1. The manual is delicate. Please handle with care.
2. No matter how sturdy the manual is, refrain from using it as a shield.
3. Treat the manual like an old friend.
4. Do not flick the manual on the head.
It's because you said something unnecessary.
I flipped to the next page, and the item I wanted appeared.
[Office Manual]
[Gangbuk Branch - Stairwell]
1. There are no elevators in the Gangbuk Branch.
2. Even if you see an elevator, never board it.
3. If you board the elevator, absolutely do not look at the floor.
4. If you look at the floor, immediately refer to [T - Suicide Methods].
5. Use the stairs, and if you're tired, take a break.
"So everyone here only uses the stairs?"
"It's good for your health, and no harm in it."
It felt like it could turn into a disaster.
"But it's not far, so follow me."
We followed him up the stairs.
Kim Pil-sik stopped in front of the second-floor entrance and nodded toward it.
"Go on in."
"..."
Opening the door and stepping inside revealed a familiar containment room corridor.
"...Containment rooms?"
"You know your stuff."
"Why are containment rooms on the second floor?"
"That's how the Gangbuk Branch is."
It was convincing enough.
We followed him down the hall.
"Truth is, I picked up a mirror."
"...A mirror?"
"Yes."
He nodded and looked at me.
"But everyone who looks in it sees a different reflection of themselves."
"..."
"So I called you."
"Couldn't the Management Team have handled it?"
"Well..."
He stared straight ahead quietly.
A woman was knocking on a door.
"Please... please..."
Tears streaming down her face, she kept knocking endlessly, until soon people appeared from the opposite side and began dragging her away.
"No! Please! Just let me see it once! Please!"
Even as the people restrained her, she reached out desperately.
"...Tch."
Song Arin, watching, clicked her tongue and turned her gaze to the woman, whose expression went blank before she meekly let herself be dragged away.
"Just now..."
"Hypnosis."
Song Arin muttered as she stood behind me.
"It's something only I can do, so I should."
"...Haha."
Kim Pil-sik chuckled at the sight, then stood before the door the woman had been knocking on.
"Here we are."
"..."
"Nothing strange about it. There's a mirror, so look at it and tell me what it is."
"Is that really all?"
"What else would I ask of you?"
He smiled and opened the door.
"The rest of you, stay out."
"Haha."
The others hesitated at my words, while Kim Pil-sik followed behind me and looked at the mirror.
"Danger..."
"It's not."
"What?"
"I've seen this mirror plenty. Unfortunately, I carry too much to be swayed by something so trivial."
His eyes...
He cackled with laughter, and feeling uneasy at the sight, I looked ahead.
It was an old mirror.
Framed in wood like something from a grandmother's house long ago.
A translucent window floated up from above.
[Name: Mirror]
[Age: Created 49 years ago]
[Specialty: Projection of Desires]
[Talent: X]
[Background: How could he make people happy? He pondered all day. Finally, he reached a conclusion. He would create a mirror that shows people what they desire.]
[Weakness: It won't break from physical impact. Only by denying what's inside will the mirror reveal truth and the future.]
I looked into the mirror.
My reflection appeared.
"..."
It was just me, sitting in the office, killing time.
No one beside me. No Team Leader, no other colleagues.
Not wrong. That's what I wanted too.
But being alone would get boring faster than expected.
As if reading my thoughts, the me in the mirror shimmered and showed a new scene.
This time, the Team Leader, Yoo Daon, Jang Chaeyeon, Song Arin—all chatting happily while working.
"So that's it."
"Oh, you figured it out right away?"
Kim Pil-sik beamed at me.
"This... um. It's a mirror that shows people's desires."
"...Yes."
Anticipation filled his face.
"Is that all?"
"Pardon?"
"I asked if that's all."
"..."
[Only by denying what's inside will the mirror reveal truth and the future.]
This old man knew the mirror's truth, or at least had a rough idea.
I recalled the old man's appearance from earlier.
No good would come of telling him.
"That's all I know."
"A shame."
He shook his head and stepped out the door.
"...Maybe if I look a bit more, I could learn something. Could you give me a moment?"
"Do as you like."
He waved dismissively and left.
I still saw myself working with my colleagues.
It was my desire, but was this all?
I expected something more impressive.
"...Hmm."
These things are fake anyway.
I rubbed my temple.
No headache in particular. So what had that woman seen to go so mad for it?
As I thought that, the mirror shook and began showing a new scene.
"...What."
There I was.
Me, lying with a hole in my head.
Black sky pouring endless rain, surroundings all destroyed into ruins.
No Yoo Daon, no Jang Chaeyeon, no Song Arin.
Someone stood beside my corpse and muttered.
"...To interfere until the end. Next time, I'll definitely strike first—."
A voice full of noise.
Soon, the mirror shook again and showed another scene.
This time, other colleagues were there.
Same ruins as before.
Song Arin sighed and stepped forward, only to have both arms severed and collapse in blood.
Jang Chaeyeon laughed and pushed me away, then soon had both eyes gouged out and fell.
Yoo Daon was different.
She held out until the end, then pushed me away and—
—Kiiing!
"Ugh...!"
A massive pain surged through my temple, and the image in the mirror vanished like dust.
Drip. Nosebleed flowed.
"..."
Too stunned by the scene to even wipe the flowing nosebleed, I replayed it.
My dead body, and someone looking at it.
Then my colleagues, dying after sending me away.
"..."
Drip drip. Wiping the falling blood with my sleeve, I turned around.
"...Huh."
My eyes met Kim Pil-sik's, watching me with interest.
"..."
"You must have seen something amusing."
He narrowed his eyes and smiled like a snake.