Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 124. Loose Lips
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As I descended underground, waiting for me was Eileen, arms crossed and wearing a serious expression.
"Eileen."
"Get some good rest?"
"No."
"Something happened?"
"Mostly mentally exhausting stuff."
"Physically okay?"
"Better than I thought."
She looked at me with pity, then turned around.
"Anyway, about why you called me..."
"Something's bothering me."
Eileen kept walking nonstop as she continued.
"But it's just a hunch—no hard evidence."
"No evidence—what does that mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
She turned back to meet my eyes.
"No massive changes."
"So no massive changes means there are changes, right?"
"Right."
"Then there are changes, aren't there?"
"...That's the problem."
Eileen sighed and stopped in front of a room.
"For example, take this."
"..."
I followed her gaze.
"A fish tank."
"Yeah."
There was a fish tank.
A translucent window popped up.
[Name: Fish Tank]
[Age: Created 12 years ago]
[Specialty: Holding fish]
[Talent: Holding fish]
[Background: The fish that go into this tank are special, they say.]
[Weakness: Just break the tank.]
Three fish were swimming inside the tank.
"...Did one of the fish disappear by any chance?"
"Right."
Eileen nodded at my words.
"Something go wrong?"
"...Yeah, not sure yet."
I had no way of knowing exactly what "special" meant for these fish or what happened if one disappeared.
Still.
"If they took it, there must be a reason. Anything else?"
"Next..."
Eileen looked around before pulling me along to somewhere else.
"This."
This time, it was a bottle of vitamins.
[Name: Baekbaek]
[Age: Created 1 year ago]
[Specialty: Getting healthy]
[Talent: Getting healthy]
[Background: Vitamins you're not supposed to take more than three a day. Two give healthy effects to the body, but the third one kills you for sure.]
[Weakness: Just don't take more than three.]
"When I counted, there were definitely 129 vitamins in here."
"Yes."
"Now there are 127."
"..."
I knew exactly what Eileen meant.
"Someone tampered with a Containment Object."
This seemed reportable to the branch chief.
"Then I'll tell the branch chief—"
"But there's a problem."
"A problem?"
Eileen looked at me gravely.
"No traces left."
"...But there should be records."
"That's a problem too."
"No way..."
"You got it."
Eileen nodded.
"Checked with the Management Team—records are intact."
"..."
"Can't just say I wandered the underground containment level checking everything one by one."
"Uh, why not?"
"Why not?"
Eileen stared at me blankly.
"Because you asked. This is overstepping normally."
"Oh, really?"
"What's with the 'Oh, really?'"
She swept back her dull blonde hair and sighed.
"I owe you one, and you owe me. So I made time. Don't forget I dumped some paperwork on my subordinates to patrol around here."
"You went through a lot."
"Good you know. HR Team's already gossiping about me hanging around with one guy."
Gossiping?
I stared at Eileen, and she let out a big sigh.
"HR has a lot of pretty girls, and me with just one guy. Maybe I'm into something..."
"Ah, we're not like that—"
"Got some dirt on me or whatever. That's the talk."
"...People's imaginations know no bounds."
This was ridiculous.
"It's fine."
Eileen patted my back reassuringly—hard.
"You know I'm not like that. You're a good guy."
"That's really kind of you."
Not sure if this is something to hear from someone six years younger than me.
"So, what do we do? Report it?"
"Hmm."
I pondered her words.
If talking wouldn't solve it anyway.
"Thanks for telling me. Let's keep it between us for now. You be careful too, Eileen."
"Not sure who to watch out for, but okay. No separate report?"
"Even if I wanted to."
I recalled what happened with the branch chief.
"It'd be pointless."
"...Got it."
She stared at me.
"Next."
"Yes?"
Next?
"Heard anything?"
"...Heard what?"
"Yeah. Church or something going on."
"Oh."
Yeah, I had.
I looked at Eileen and started explaining.
Kim Chanhho and the church, and everything else.
"..."
After hearing me out, Eileen closed her eyes, then opened them as if thinking.
"Church..."
"I'm planning to check out the church once."
"...Really?"
Eileen's eyes widened as she looked at me.
"Yes."
There were things I was curious about. And things to be cautious of.
Come to think of it. I haven't tried this yet.
"Eileen."
"Yeah?"
"I'm fighting a regressor."
***
"...Really?"
Eileen's eyes widened as she looked at me.
Same reaction.
"Yes. If I go, I'll let you know."
"Got it. Oh, and."
"Yes?"
Eileen stared at me.
"Remember Gangdong Branch is by mountains?"
"Oh, yes."
Gangseo was forest, Gangdong mountains.
So that's a wedge too?
"They say a large-scale ritual starts there today. Wide range—might affect locally."
"No way we're getting called in..."
"Nope. We're Gangseo Branch."
Eileen cut me off firmly and continued.
"But we could get caught up? So be careful."
"...If they cast a curse like that, there might be times you and I are together."
"Even as a joke, that's scary."
Eileen chuckled softly.
"Anyway, that's your favor fulfilled."
"Understood."
"I'll poke around more when I have time. Tell me if you need anything."
"Yes, thanks in advance."
"Alright, I'm off."
We took the elevator up to the first floor, and she waved as she left first.
"..."
On the way back to HR, my thoughts raced endlessly.
When I told Gangseo Branch Chief, time rewound—but why wasn't clear.
So I had two hypotheses.
First. If the branch chief was in cahoots with the regressor.
That was my initial thought.
Not suspecting her. Just because our enemy is a regressor.
I couldn't know what he told her.
Second. Setup to control info if anyone spills about the regressor.
Forcing a reset if anyone opposes the regressor or mentions them.
But big issue here.
HR members weren't affected.
So if I told Yoo Daon, Jang Chaeyeon, Song Arin, I'd keep regressing.
But I didn't.
So what was the reason?
Couldn't pinpoint it, but those who heard about the regressor without rewinding had something in common.
[Coordinate Rip: 3 times]
[Method: 1 time]
[Chronos's Shield: 10 seconds]
A translucent window appeared before my eyes.
People with joint skills with me.
Directly or indirectly connected to me.
"...Damn."
Hand on chin, deep in thought.
So, what allows me to escape the regressor's power?
No clue.
"...Mr. Heon."
Or the manual?
"Jaeheon."
"Whoa, you scared me. Where's everyone else?"
"In the office."
Yoo Daon whispered in my ear, hands clasped, with a playful smile.
"Lost in thought like that—what about?"
"Oh. The regressor."
"Ah..."
Yoo Daon nodded.
"How to deal with it?"
"Right."
"Hmm... I thought about it..."
"Oh."
Yoo Daon's thoughts.
"...If I fought that person, would I lose?"
"...Uh..."
Her words left me speechless for a moment.
"Well... probably not?"
To her, he's no different from someone from the future.
She'd be readable no matter what.
"Yeah, probably."
Yoo Daon looked at me like I stated the obvious.
"But every time I die once, doesn't he die once too?"
"Uh... maybe?"
Even from the future, his past self lost to her once, so he'd need to prepare that pattern.
"Then I win."
Yoo Daon smiled softly.
"The point is, no matter how many times I die, if I hold on, he dies and comes back for me."
"...Right."
"No one beats me there."
"...I'll keep that in mind."
Even if Yoo Daon can't die, it's too harsh for her.
"If you're thinking about it, I'm grateful."
She smiled softly and opened the HR door.
"You rush out all panicked, come back relieved—must've sorted something."
Song Arin muttered indifferently,
"...You okay?"
Jang Chaeyeon scanned my face.
"Yes, I'm fine."
I answered them and headed to my seat.
Before sorting payroll, I reviewed what to watch for.
First, regressor, fish, vitamins.
That should be it for now.
Gangdong mountains—just avoid getting involved. Probably no big deal.
With that thought, I started entering the payroll ledger.
Enjoy this break for now.
"...Huh? It's snowing!"
"Bullshit."
"No, look! It's snowing! In summer?"
"Quit bullshitting—oh, for real?"
...Enjoy the break.
*
-Whoooosh!!
Fierce winds howled.
"...Why..."
"Less talking, walk faster! I'm freezing!"
Song Arin yelled from ahead as she trudged on.
I looked ahead.
Blizzard raging, Field Manual half-frozen.
"But doesn't it feel like camping?"
"Shut up."
Jang Chaeyeon grabbed the cheerfully speaking Yoo Daon's arm and dragged her past me in a flat voice.
"..."
-Shrrk!
The manual unfolded.
[Field Manual for Office Workers]
[Winter Alert]
1. Keep your body warm.
2. Then, place the manual by a warm campfire. The book gets soggy after freezing and thawing.
"Got it."
I tucked the manual back in and kept walking.
How did this happen?