Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 172. Click.
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I look at the man once more.
His weathered face was full of fatigue, but his eyes sparkled with sharp intelligence.
He presses the end of his pen, and click.
"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"
The man looks at us and laughs, clearly amused.
I check above his head again.
[Name: Choi Sucheol]
[Age: 67]
[Talent: None]
[Abilities: None]
[Background: The insight and experience gained purely through effort can sometimes shine brighter than any innate ability.]
[Weakness: He's just an ordinary human. Strike a vital spot, and he'll die.]
"My name is Choi Sucheol. These days, I'm just a lowly employee drawing a salary from the Management Bureau."
"Bullshit."
Song Arin sighs as she looks at him while listening to his words.
"Watch out. He talks like that, but he knows an insane amount."
"Knows what? What's he supposed to know?"
The man bursts out laughing and turns to me.
"Kim Jaeheon from the Gangseo Branch. Word is you're the best talent they've produced since Ahn Sanghyeon."
"Not really."
"And humble too. I like you already."
A smile spreads across his face.
"How's the branch manager doing?"
"You mean the Gangseo Branch Manager?"
"Yeah. Back when I first started... No, I shouldn't say that."
He slaps his own mouth and chuckles softly.
"Anyway, he's still doing well, right?"
"Yes."
"Amazing. Still active at his age."
He mutters to himself, shaking his head, then looks at the door.
"Time to get to the point."
He smiles at me and,
-click.
presses the end of the pen.
"And you observe people really well. You've got a bright future ahead."
...
"You're thinking all sorts of things."
...
-click.
"People always only catch my first sentence."
He sighs.
"It's stressful for me too."
"Does that happen a lot?"
"Ugh. Even Arin next to you walked out halfway through listening..."
"That's not true?"
Song Arin grits her teeth, and he smiles.
"Arin once ignored me and went underground, fighting the Management Team the whole way."
-click.
"So now the Management Team isn't on our side."
"Damn it, old man! It's not that bad!"
Song Arin yells through gritted teeth.
...
"You must have a lot of questions. Where should I start?"
The man rests his chin on his hand, closes his eyes, and
points at the ceiling with his finger.
-click.
"Alright, better mix in some body language."
"Yeah, some things are hard to explain with words alone."
He gives me a sly smile at my words.
"Lately, more people have been having the same dream."
"Hmm..."
The man points at the ceiling with his finger.
"Honestly, sharing the same dream is odd, but it might not be that big a deal."
He nods and continues.
"But the content of the dream is what's important."
"The content?"
"Yes."
...
"Everyone says the same thing. 'I'm wandering a dark museum.'"
"I see."
I nod.
"But the name of the museum is the problem."
The man clasps his hands together and looks at Jang Chaeyeon and Song Arin.
"Isn't the museum called the Museum of Truth?"
...
...
The two women's faces stiffen at his words.
"The Museum of Truth?"
Song Arin is the first to speak.
She stares at him like she can't comprehend, and he glances at me.
"What's the Museum of Truth?"
"Oh, that. Hmm..."
Song Arin rests her chin on her hand, lost in thought at my question.
"It's hard to explain. It was a crazy place."
"Ah, why?"
"They acted based on one truth."
-click.
"What was it? 'Don't believe anything except what you hear here.'"
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, I think so?"
Song Arin tilts her head.
"We definitely contained it, though."
"Right."
"So that's what's weird."
The man shrugs as he looks at the two women.
"Why is it showing up in dreams in the first place?"
"That's why I looked around."
-click.
He nods and points downward with his index finger.
"Something new popped up."
"Shouldn't we ask the Containment Team?"
"You think I didn't?"
He looks at Song Arin like she's said something ridiculous.
"They couldn't find it either."
...
"So I'm asking you."
His gaze turns to me.
"Find it for me."
"Where?"
"Where else? The city."
He keeps pointing downward as he speaks.
"Yes."
"But asking us to search the city..."
Song Arin mutters with a troubled look, and Jang Chaeyeon closes her eyes with a hum.
"The city's too big. How are we supposed to scout around?"
"We could split up."
Song Arin shakes her head at Yoo Daon's suggestion.
"No way. That place is crawling with dangers. Even the Containment Team went through hell there."
The man smiles at me.
"We don't even know what it is, what it looks like, or any features. Asking me to find it is pretty tough."
"That's why I mentioned the dream."
The man nods and continues.
"As I was saying, people are having the same dream."
"Right."
"So just have the same dream."
"If it's the same dream... how do we do that?"
"Easy. Sleep in the same place."
He smiles at my question and presses the pen.
-click.
"Anyone from the Management Bureau would use the same spot, right?"
"Ah."
Jang Chaeyeon, who had been listening, tilts her head.
"The on-duty room?"
"If we're thinking same place to sleep, the on-duty room sounds good."
"The on-duty room... kinda creepy vibe, not a fan."
"Whoa, then it feels kinda like a trip?"
The four others besides me chat among themselves.
The man watches them fondly, then,
-click.
"Still, better to go together."
"I'm used to it now."
"Yeah. Keep that up, and you'll be a huge asset."
He laughs out loud.
-click.
"But be careful. Lots of listening ears around."
"Yeah. It's where people live, after all."
"Or maybe not. Everyone might be off work."
-click.
"Isn't the safest time when we're all together? Especially when it's dangerous."
"True."
He smiles and nods.
"I'll tell you how to get to the on-duty room."
"I know the way, ugh!"
He covers Song Arin's mouth as she speaks.
"Arin. He's a former boss. You can't be so rude."
"Wait...!"
She twists, but I quickly pull her into my arms to hold her still and look at the man.
"Mmph...!"
Song Arin finally stops struggling, and Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon quiet down.
"Wow..."
Park Ye-eun mutters,
and he smiles.
"Impressive people skills, as expected."
-click.
"First, go right and walk straight until you hit the elevator."
"Got it."
"But the on-duty room isn't in the elevator, obviously."
"Right."
"So turn left from there, and you'll see a long hallway."
-click.
"Then right."
"Yes."
He keeps his hands neatly folded as he continues.
"Then the on-duty room door should be right there."
-click.
"It'll be locked, so punch in the code. Probably 1234 or something."
"1234...?"
"Gangdong Branch security is kinda lax..."
Jang Chaeyeon mutters, and Yoo Daon echoes her.
"Gangdong Branch is pretty sloppy with security."
The man smiles warmly.
-click.
"No one should be there, but check around. Sometimes people hide out."
"Yeah, some folks love sleeping in corners."
"I did too. Even in bed, I'd end up in the corner."
He smiles happily.
"Anyway, there might be people in the on-duty room."
"Might? They're usually there."
He shrugs at Jang Chaeyeon's words.
"If there are, you know Chaeyeon and Arin, right?"
-click.
"Don't get too chummy just because they talk to you. Better to act like Gangdong Branch folks."
"Yeah. If I saw someone not from Gangseo Branch, I'd wonder why they're here."
"Exactly."
He laughs at my words.
"Aigoo, I'm getting old."
He pats his back and looks at me.
"Well, you'd say that anyway..."
-click.
"But don't act too familiar, even if you know them. Especially you two, Arin and Chaeyeon."
"We don't have anyone that close anymore anyway."
Song Arin mutters in a crawling voice after slipping free from my grip, and Jang Chaeyeon nods.
"Heh heh. Good then."
Then he looks outside the door.
"Alright, off you go."
-click.
"Good luck."
He waves, and I wave back.
The five of us step out the door.
"He's so chatty today, that old man."
"Yeah."
Song Arin and Jang Chaeyeon head toward the elevator, chatting, then turn left.
"This way."
...
"Hey, Jaeheon? It's that way."
...
"Jaeheon?"
"Oppa?"
...
"What? Why."
"Something wrong?"
Yoo Daon and Park Ye-eun look at my face in confusion by my side, and Song Arin and Jang Chaeyeon turn back to stare at me.
The path we were supposed to take wasn't there.