Chapter 302
Chapter 302
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 302. New Employees
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Inside the HR Team office, I start explaining while looking at my smartphone.
"We're splitting into teams."
"You're talking like you're the Team Leader now."
"I am the Team Leader."
Song Arin shuts her mouth at my words.
After the last meeting with the branch chief, I'd already informed the team members that I'd gained Team Leader-level authority.
Of course, none of them reacted well to it.
Yoo Daon had worried I might leave the team, Jang Chaeyeon fretted over the extra burden I'd take on, and Song Arin got annoyed at the thought of more tedious work piling up.
And the message from the branch chief seemed to imply exactly the kind of tasks a "Team Leader-level" person should handle.
...
After silencing Song Arin's complaints, I look back at my smartphone.
[There's an anomalous phenomenon and containment object detection signal inside the broadcasting station. Please infiltrate it. ^^]
It was a message handwritten by the branch chief.
Scrolling down reveals even more.
[The weather's been chilly lately, huh, Kim Jaeheon? Not a warm heater, but something fiery like youth that suits you... a commission! I've prepared it. ^^]
[Management Bureau has your employee ID ready internally. I recommend bringing someone smooth-talking when you go.]
[I recommend Song Arin.]
[Spring's almost here... A single rose fitting for spring, and have a wonderful day... I'll be off now.]
...
She looks kinda like an older sister or same-age peer, so why does she always type like this?
Anyway, to sum it up:
1. An anomalous phenomenon and containment object are currently appearing inside the broadcasting station.
2. We infiltrate, retrieve and contain it, or destroy it.
That means we'll split into two main groups.
The infiltration team for sneaking in, and the rear team for destruction and combat.
"You can already get the gist just from hearing it, right?"
After hearing my explanation, Song Arin nods, while Jang Chaeyeon and Yoo Daon subtly avert their gazes.
"The others could do it well too if they tried."
"Not as well as me."
Song Arin speaks in a confident voice.
She'd be hateable if she couldn't back up her words.
"Anyway, how are we splitting the teams?"
Song Arin asks in a tone that implies she already knows, narrowing her eyes at us. When I look up at her, a faint flush colors her face.
"You're taking me, obviously?"
"I'm taking everyone."
"But why are you looking at me? Don't tell me it's because of my black hair—"
"For now, let's decide on the personnel."
Ignoring Song Arin, I speak up.
The available personnel are from the HR Team.
Among them, we'll start infiltration with the ones strongest in social skills.
So...
"Song Arin, you're coming with me."
"...I knew it."
Song Arin nods as if it's a given, and Jang Chaeyeon and Yoo Daon say nothing.
"The rear infiltration team will be Ye-eun, Chaeyeon, and Daon."
"Huh, you're bringing the kid too?"
"Yes."
"Seriously?"
Park Ye-eun, hearing her name, pokes her head toward us.
"Jaeheon, think hard before bringing a kid along."
"I've thought about it a lot."
I answer the Team Leader and look at Park Ye-eun, who nods eagerly with shining eyes.
That desperate look begging me to take her.
I planned to bring her anyway.
If we're using all available personnel, we should use Park Ye-eun when we can.
She seems happy about it too.
"So, you and I go in first?"
I have no idea what has her so excited, but Song Arin looks at me with eyes sparkling like a kid on Christmas, and I slowly shake my head at her.
"No."
"...No? Then you're bringing the blonde?"
"No."
Ailin isn't available. She's on the Response Team.
"No, then who?"
"You know."
Someone good at social stuff and available.
Our gazes converge on one spot.
"...What."
The Team Leader, typing away at lightning speed, looks at us.
"It makes sense."
"Right?"
"If something happens, it'll be easy to respond."
"Right."
"What? What's going on?"
The Team Leader stares at us in bewilderment, and I raise my hand.
"Team Leader, it's field work time."
"Hey, I'm still the Team Leader...!"
"The branch chief approved it."
"I'm gonna quit this shitty company someday for sure."
The Team Leader grits his teeth and stands from his seat.
"Fine. Let's go."
And so, the HR Team's full mobilization for fieldwork began.
*
In front of the broadcasting station.
We arrive in front of the building in the van lent by the Management Bureau.
"What? This place?"
Song Arin lowers her sunglasses—somehow she'd put them on—and looks up at the building.
A towering structure so high you have to crane your neck, with walls of floor-to-ceiling glass.
On the first floor, countless vans come and go, and lots of people commute in and out.
"One of the biggest broadcasting stations."
"Any station in Gangseo would be this one, the most famous."
I look up alongside Song Arin, then glance back.
...
...
...
We meet the stares of three people gazing blankly at us.
"Don't look at me like that."
"Oppa, no matter how I think about it, this feels wrong."
Park Ye-eun waves her hand at me.
The hygiene cap she's wearing flaps with her movement.
"What's wrong with janitors? Janitors!"
"Most buildings outsource cleaning to contractors, so it's easy to blend in."
No need for acting. Just clean.
"...This feels uncomfortable."
Jang Chaeyeon squirms like her clothes itch, while Yoo Daon curiously examines hers.
"Wow, this makes you sweat so much! My underwear's already soaked—"
"Alright, everyone, that's enough."
I cut off Yoo Daon and look at the two.
The Team Leader, dressed like a perennial big-corp manager no matter who sees him.
Me and Song Arin, suited up like new hires.
"...You two do look kinda young."
"I'll handle the deception, so you focus on your job."
Song Arin snaps back thorny words at me, then gets out of the car.
I turn back to the three.
"You three come out when I call."
"What do we do?"
"For now... just get to the spot I mentioned."
"We'll follow the map you gave us, right?"
"Yes."
"Got it!"
Yoo Daon smiles brightly, and Park Ye-eun sighs.
"I thought it'd be something cooler..."
"There's no 'cool' in work. Once you get paid, it's all just work."
The Team Leader's world-weary words don't reach Park Ye-eun.
I look at the grumbling Park Ye-eun, then at the other two, who smile and nod.
"Leave it to us."
"Don't worry!"
"Yeah, I trust you both."
"Hey, Oppa, what about me!"
Leaving the clamoring Park Ye-eun behind, I get out with the Team Leader.
"Alright, let me brief you on our assigned roles."
I start briefing the Team Leader and Song Arin.
"We're entering as employees from the broadcasting station's HR Team."
"HR Team here too?"
"We might have to sit at a desk and work if things go sideways."
Better stick to jobs we can actually do. Can't hand us a camera out of nowhere.
"Question."
The Team Leader raises his hand, and I look at him.
"What if we get caught?"
"With Song Arin here, we won't."
...
Song Arin sighs softly under our gazes.
"Yeah. Don't worry about that part."
"Good. So, what we're looking for is a video."
"...A video?"
"Oh man, back in my day, there were horror movies where ghosts popped out when you played a video..."
I let the Team Leader's words flow in one ear and out the other, continuing.
"They say there's info on that video that shouldn't be there, and above all, people exposed to it are trying to broadcast its contents."
"Mental and informational contamination. Got it. How'd the Management Bureau miss this until now?"
"Have you ever seen the Management Bureau do its job properly?"
"A true office worker harbors infinite disgust and distrust for their own company. I get it."
Song Arin nods, and the Team Leader nods along.
"Good. Let's go."
And so, we step into the broadcasting station.
*
Amid the bustling crowd, I scan the surroundings eagerly.
"We should start by finding the video, right?"
"How?"
"The video archive or something..."
"Where's the video archive?"
"Hang on..."
Three people—one looking like a Team Leader furiously typing on his phone amid the throng, and two looking like new hires.
Fortunately, people don't seem too interested in us.
"Ah, here it is."
"Alright. Let's go."
This might be easier than expected.
The three of us hurry along.
"Team Leader, as I keep saying, if you feel off—"
"Yeah, yeah, let you know right away. I got it."
"Right."
Knowing danger's coming ahead of time is a huge help.
The three of us board the elevator.
This elevator's huge too.
"What floor's the video archive on?"
"Let me see, 19th floor."
"That's high..."
I mutter and press the button for the 19th floor, and right before the doors close—
-Rumble!
A horde of people starts pouring into the elevator.
"Agh, wait...!"
The Team Leader gets swept away in the crowd, and I barely grab Song Arin's hand, pulling her to my side and into my arms.
...!
Song Arin twitches in my embrace, letting out an inexplicable yelp.
This many people all of a sudden?
I look up at the crowd.
...
"Y-you crazy bastard... let go...!"
Song Arin keeps twitching in my arms.
"Hey, idiot. The people here—"
"Shh."
I cover her mouth with my hand, and Song Arin freezes solid.
But I had no time to worry about that.
I stare at the translucent window floating before my eyes.
[Name: Crowd Psychology]
[Age: X]
[Specialty: Crowd Psychology]
[Talent: Crowd Psychology]
[Background: Where are all these people going, and where did they come from? Even those who created this phenomenon can't know.]
[Weakness: When they cease to be a crowd, they will disintegrate.]
It was an incident.