Chapter 20: Childhood Friend (1) - This isn't the work life I wanted.

Investigation Report
CLASSIFIED
Power Outage and Earthquake on Basement Level 12

…

3. Interrogation Record of Oh ** Junior from Follow-up Special Duty Division, Managing E-153 in Containment Room 12-E-37 at the Time

Oh ** Junior: …Can I talk about it now?
Investigator: First, thank you for your cooperation. From now on, all statements by Oh ** Junior will be reported to company superiors and are subject to reliability evaluation using anomalous phenomena. Please keep that in mind.
Investigator: What were you doing when the incident occurred?
Oh ** Junior: What was I doing? Managing the anomalous phenomenon. Precisely, at the point when all tasks were finished.
Investigator: Did you engage in any actions contrary to the management manual?
Oh ** Junior: Of course, you've seen the footage…
Investigator: Oh ** Junior, that's not what we're curious about. Answer the question.
Oh ** Junior: …I did not engage in any actions contrary to procedure.
Oh ** Junior: All procedures were under control. In fact, byproducts were produced normally…
Investigator Note 1. The above statement was confirmed as fact.

Investigator: Good. Now, please describe what happened when the incident occurred.

Oh ** Junior: After completing all management procedures, as I was about to return, the ground suddenly shook.

Investigator: And then?

Oh ** Junior: First, I checked for sounds. Because I recalled from the handover notes that there was an anomalous phenomenon spreading via sound on that floor.

Investigator: What exact actions did you take next?

Oh ** Junior: I called Section Chief Jo ** in the management section, then realized the containment room's functions weren't working properly.

Oh ** Junior: Then I radioed the containment team, but no response. Probably at that point, all external communication channels were cut off.

Investigator: What next?

Oh ** Junior: I hugged the wall.

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Investigator: Why did you do that?

Oh ** Junior: Why? You know. It's in the freight elevator safety rules—collapse risk. How many judgments can you make in that situation?

Investigator Note 2. The testimony was confirmed as fact. Need to slightly revise freight elevator safety rules to prevent misunderstanding.

Oh ** Junior: Anyway, then suddenly the power went out. To follow E-153 management guidelines, I stayed against the wall and called Junior Song **.

Oh ** Junior: …Should I keep going?

Investigator nodded.

Oh ** Junior: Junior Song ** didn't respond to the call.

Investigator: Are you saying there was a problem with Junior Song **'s response?

Oh ** Junior: No! That's not what I mean! Inside the containment room, it felt like absolutely no sounds could be heard.

Investigator: What do you mean?

Oh ** Junior: I mean, exactly… no sounds at all. There's a beast pen, but no animal noises, and Junior Song was clearly in the same space…

Investigator: So, no sounds at all? But that differs slightly from what's written in your incident report.

Oh ** Junior: …Sound returned after that. Felt like about 5 minutes later, but not sure exactly.

Investigator: Can you describe that sound in more detail?

Oh ** Junior: I don't even know if what I heard was real. What I heard was the sound of E-153 operating and a woman's voice.

Investigator Note 3. Cross-examination with Junior Song ** confirmed no sounds inside the containment room.

Investigator: Good. That concludes the investigation. Thank you again for your cooperation.

Interrogation subject exited afterward.

Investigation Results: From power outage until electricity restored, Oh ** Junior reported auditory hallucinations such as human voices and E-153 operating sounds. Judged as hallucinations due to extreme tension.

No charges (remainder blank).

…

*Warning*

Access denied to personnel below Confidential Clearance Level 2.

[Field Society's Investigation Validity Assessment]

Investigation valid. Cause of incident presumed to be undiscovered anomalous phenomenon.

Investigation Division Section Chief and Chief HR Officer shall proceed with the following for future preparedness:

1. All personnel deployed to the task: No charges.

1. Mobilize all resources to investigate the undiscovered anomalous phenomenon.

1. For emergency response, assign the following personnel to Follow-up Special Duty Division:

Deputy Choi ** (Employee Code C-***)

Junior Song ** (Employee Code D-***)

Junior Ko ** (Employee Code D-***)

1. Resume new hires for Field Division public recruitment within 60 business days.

1. Recruit 00 personnel, with HR collaborating with Training Division to establish sustainable recruitment environment.

Signed: Field Society Chairman, Executive Director Kim **

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

I stepped out of the investigation room.

Deep fatigue had me pressing my furrowed brow.

Section Chief Jo, who had finished his interrogation first, spoke up.

"…Investigation over?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, you got chewed out."

For someone who'd waited for me, it was a pretty pointless remark.

I let out a small chuckle, and Section Chief Jo smirked too.

"You're holding up better than I thought. Most guys would've been bawling after something like this."

"It wasn't that big a deal, was it?"

"Isolated 36 meters underground isn't a big deal? You serious?"

Truth be told, I didn't think so either.

I'd just realized the true nature of this company.

If you weaken, you die. Lose your cool, you die.

This place was a jungle.

A place where the law of the jungle ruled harder than anywhere else in the world.

Law of the jungle or not, sometimes you just die if you're unlucky…

That's how it felt to me.

"I always knew something like this would happen someday. Our company isn't normal, right?"

Section Chief Jo looked surprised.

"…You're right. But not many grasp exactly what that means. Especially at junior level."

"Meaning…?"

Section Chief Jo shook his head slowly.

"This place? It's the future. Full of cocky bastards who think they're hot shit. A place where you could drop dead tomorrow, but they act like they'll live forever."

"Well… they've got skills."

"Imagine one of those 'skilled' guys becoming a 'secret agent.' How would he act?"

…Like he owned the world. Probably.

"I've watched those bastards drop like flies for nearly 20 years. Too long to not adapt."

Were my thoughts showing on my face?

Section Chief Jo muttered flatly.

"In that sense, you seem better off. Fake or real, you've got a sense of reality. Keep it that way. At least you won't die like a dog."

He patted my shoulder.

Manager Kang was like that, and now Section Chief Jo too.

For some reason, mid-level managers rated me highly.

…My stomach started churning.

Worse than right after the intense investigation from the company's overreaction to the emergency.

"…I'll do my best."

In the end, that's all I could say.

Section Chief Jo chuckled at my words, then suddenly turned serious.

"Just get by. Don't overdo it."

"Yes, sir…"

"What I mean is… never mind. You'll figure it out."

He muttered softly, then stretched.

His back cracked.

"It's gotten pretty late already. Let's head up. Time to clock out."

We boarded the freight elevator.

The huge safety rules were still posted there.

…Hold on.

Something had changed.

3. If doors open on Basement Level 5 or below, crouch down and lean your forehead against the wall. Wait for the security team. In this case, never look back.

Wasn't that something about collapse risks before?

Come to think of it, I'd mentioned the freight elevator safety rules during the investigation…

…No way, because of that?

Nah, no way. They wouldn't process it that fast. Must be my imagination.

Even so, the unease lingered.

I pondered for a moment, then recalled Section Chief Jo's "get by" advice and finally shook my head.

By then, the elevator reached our office floor.

Section Chief Jo got off first, and I followed.

The office was just ahead.

The moment he reached for the door handle.

"…Huh? Why's this changed?"

Section Chief Jo muttered.

His gaze was on the nameplate.

Follow-up Special Duty Division 1

Yes.

The anomaly had returned.

My head started throbbing.

…This insane company won't let you relax for a second.

Silence fell.

The atmosphere felt awkward somehow.

Maybe because after being trapped underground, these back-to-back incidents made me extra sensitive.

"Did you change this?"

Section Chief Jo scratched the back of his head and asked.

Of course not me.

"No way. I got grilled pretty hard too."

"True. Damn, then who? Reporting this is a hassle…"

He muttered and opened the door.

"What the—did we get bombed or something?"

Section Chief ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Jo stepped inside in confusion.

…The interior was a wreck.

Desks mostly splintered, ash swirling everywhere.

"Anyone inside? Respond! Closing it if no one's there!"

Rustling from within.

Section Chief Jo and I glanced at each other.

"Should I check?"

"Wait. Something's off."

Section Chief Jo grimaced and advanced.

"Respond! Anyone inside?!"

Silence.

More rustling.

Blue darkness cloaking the windows, pale moonlight filtering through the blinds.

"…Hey, Oh Junior. Guard the rear. Keep the door open for quick exit."

Section Chief Jo moved stealthily, belying his bulk.

He reached the partition stacks like a graveyard.

"…"

He reached toward the partitions.

At that instant, they shuddered.

"Damn it…!"

Boom—! An explosion of dust clouds.

Shadows wavered in the bright, pale moonlight.

Scuffling sounds.

Section Chief Jo's grunt.

"Ngh, what strength…"

Hah—! With a kiai, one shadow was flung aside.

Not Section Chief Jo.

But a familiar face.

I widened my eyes in shock.

"Take this too…!"

Section ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Chief Jo emerged from the dust, fist clenched.

Crunch—.

Muscles compressed with a chilling sound.

The flung woman gritted her teeth, bracing ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for impact…

"Stop—!"

I yelled.

Silence.

Their eyes locked on me.

"I know her. She's company personnel."

Her name was Choi Soo-jung.

Old friend and rival.

And.

The youngest deputy promotion in company history.

Childhood Friend (1)

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