15th Grade Qualification Exam (Despair Edition)
"Senior, you really have to give him to our team."
"Fine. Quit being a pain and go."
With Ha Taewon, the person in charge of this 15th Grade qualification exam, giving his permission, Nahee clenched her fists and let out a quiet sigh of relief.
'I had to snag him. Thank goodness.'
Work at the Response Agency meant risking your life. That made reliable teammates who had your back all the more invaluable. It was why she'd carefully vetted even the applicants for the lowest rung—15th Grade freelancers.
'Who would've thought a gem like this would show up.'
He'd escaped an anomalous space on his own, with zero training or education. Even if it was luck, passing the test would be reason enough to recruit him.
If it was actual skill...
Then he was surely one of those rare monsters who clawed their way up from the bottom—like Ha Taewon, who'd shot from 15th to 7th Grade in three years. The team leader who'd had Ha Taewon as a member was already 6th Grade. For an ambitious soul like Nahee, thirsting for promotion, she needed a monster like that on her team.
Freelancers wouldn't stick around forever, but most ended up staying with their first contracted team long-term. That was what she was banking on.
Even Deputy Manager now?
If I'd just been playing around, I'd have turned Mary's room into a princess paradise by now. Not left it with just a single bed where I tumble around with our Containment Facility's mascot and Mary.
'This is so unfair. It really was training.'
When I'd voiced my exam nerves, ExplorationLover had shared a training tip.
Huh. No wonder. Even I would've quit ages ago without my affection for them—there were times it sucked the life right out of me. I'd thought it was a lack of love, but this was the mechanic at play.
I arrived at the Response Agency Gangseo Branch exam site. It was like an amphitheater.
"No seats left—mind if I take the one next to you?"
"Go ahead."
"Thanks. Jang Namgyu."
"Jeongchan."
He was older, but we decided to drop formalities.
"Hope we pass. They say even 15th Grade's tough."
"Couldn't find any info."
"I know a guy. I'll tell you later."
According to Jang Namgyu, the site and content changed every time.
"Core's the same, though. See if you keep your sanity against anomalies."
Judak's hunch about mental strength was spot on.
"Here's hoping we make it. Let's do our best."
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Yi Pyeongan, 9th Grade Response Agency officer handling Group A today."
The proctor appeared on stage.
"First, what we're evaluating."
Anomalies and anomalous spaces could sometimes ensnare the mind. Mild cases ramped up emotions or habits; severe ones triggered suicide impulses.
The agency wanted to test applicants' impulse resistance and goal achievement.
The goal was simple.
"Enter the anomalous space, buy one pack of gum from the convenience store. Then tell us what you saw on the table occupant and in the staff room."
One applicant asked,
"Solo entry?"
"Yes, but don't panic. It's one of the few safe ones with return tickets. Here's the rulebook."
[Gap Convenience Store Safe Return Guidelines]
You are currently reading this inside the Gap Convenience Store. Do not fear. The Gap Convenience Store is a stable space verified by the Response Agency hundreds of times.
Please follow these guidelines for your safety.
1. If you haven't entered the store, tear the return ticket beside you. Close your eyes and you'll be back. Even inside, tearing the ticket returns you.
2. If you entered without a ticket, buy one item and exit.
Payment is in body parts, so pick just one. Prices are fair regardless—don't check them. Paid body parts regenerate.
3. If impulse overwhelms you and you can't pay with body, ask to wait. Staff will understand. Response agents check periodically—hold out till then.
I used Direct Gaze to read the staff manual too.
Time fixed to daytime. Check for changes.
Red-hatted clerk acts mechanically, only per role. No memory of past events. Check for retained memories.
Demands only nails, toenails, or hair. Check for payment fluctuations.
If changes, discard old rules and rewrite immediately.
"Friendly anomalous space, huh."
"Don't get cocky. It's a test for a reason. Looks like resisting impulse is the hard part."
Fail that, and you just hoard store goods? Way milder than the deadly bureaucracy at Ingim-dong Community Center. Low risk too.
"Entry's simple: Slip ramen between store items, whisper you want the gap. Enter in called order. Over 30 minutes? Fail. I'll rescue you. Using return ticket? Still fail."
Yi Pyeongan said it jokingly, to ease tension.
"No worries. Survival rate here's 99.99%. And you keep what you buy—even if you fail, you gain something."
Applicants went one by one. Some failed back-to-back, but timers let unique ones stand out.
"Under a minute. Impressive."
Yun Eunbyeol brought gum fastest. Cost: one nail.
"A whole box of ramen and two snack packs for one nail."
Jang Namgyu got that for one nail. No gum.
"Forgot to haggle..."
He slumped back dejectedly.
Next two timed out; proctor rescued them.
"Mr. Jeongchan, enter in 15."
"Proctor's not back yet."
"Slacking again? Multiple can enter Gap Convenience Store—start."
Another staffer managing with the proctor. 12th Grade.
"Can't I wait?"
"That's a fail. Forfeit?"
Tsk. Unsettling.
"If nervous, aim for next chance."
"I'll go."
Huh?
Gap Convenience Store was there, but off.
Why's it dark inside?
Like blacked-out curtains, pitch black. Night outside seemed brighter.
Hold up.
It's night now?
Rules didn't mention that.
What's going on?
A massive presence drew my eyes skyward. A moon hung there.
The moon was blinking.
[Moon] opens its eyes.
Anomalies are affected and change.
Pretty eyelashes. Won't look my way?