Chapter 227: Ch 227: Contaminated Jang Heowoon
Let’s think this through.
Baek Saheon left this paper boat behind in Jisan Village. He probably left it
for ’Agent Grapes’ who he met back then.
Of course, he wouldn’t know that codename.
’If he had known, he would have already realized I was Kim Soleum.’
Since he didn’t, he left a communication item behind.
Which meant that, in this situation, I should answer like an agent to keep
the conversation going.
I wrote as neatly as I could.
But because my melted body was crammed into my suit, my handwriting
wavered slightly from uneven muscle control.
The civilian I met in Jisan Village
That’s you, right?
And if I am, so what?
You seem to have gotten out safely.
I’m glad to know that.
Baek Saheon didn’t respond.
But after a moment, the words I’d written faded away, as if he’d read them.
I continued writing.
Sorry for the late reply. I read this just now
that’s why it’s late.
I didn’t realize
you had to unfold the boat to use it.
Are you perhaps an idiot, sir? How could you not know that?
Tch. I knew you’d be like this.
’That viper personality hasn’t changed...’
I wondered how to hold my ground as an agent and keep this conversation
productive.
Well, I guess you might not know.
...?
You don’t seem very experienced.
Couldn’t even guess that much.
You haven’t been an agent long, have you?
Yes. That’s correct.
Still, I think I handled things reasonably well back then.
At least, that’s what I think.
Another silence.
’What’s with this?’
Either way, since you left
this communication paper,
do you have something to report?
Report? Yeah right.
I left it because I had something to ask.
The sharp handwriting that came without hesitation earlier now appeared
more slowly.
What happened to the village?
Jisan Village, you mean?
Do you think I’d be asking about
some other village? Of course that one.
What happened back then?
[My word, pestering my friend over something that happened six months
ago. No one would blame you for being annoyed over his laziness, Mr. Roe
Deer!]
Hmm... Not laziness, at least.
More like... he’s ’too scared to check’...
It seemed Baek Saheon hadn’t gone anywhere near Jisan Village since he
escaped.
He had probably sensed, by sound or pressure, what happened there as he
ran.
’And after that... any messages from the village probably stopped
altogether.’
It was already almost October. With Chuseok right around the corner,
maybe his anxiety had only grown while wondering if he needed to go
back, if the Disaster Management Bureau had failed, if the village had
become even more horrific.
I wrote concisely.
The supernatural disaster you fear
has been eliminated.
There will be no more lotteries or festivals.
The Centipede Sage the villagers brewed with liquor and sealed under the
shrine was gone, and it should now be under the Disaster Management
Bureau’s care.
You are free.
For a long while, Baek Saheon didn’t reply.
I continued.
However, since I can’t confirm
the exact state of the village right now,
I’d advise caution if you visit.
I’ve been stationed at other supernatural disasters since then,
so I haven’t been able to hear any
detailed updates.
It was true, by coincidence...
I almost felt a pang of depression, but I managed to finish with the kind of
information an agent would responsibly share.
Of course, Mr. Civilian, since you are aware of that disaster
and a survivor at that, if you contact the Disaster Management Bureau
through official channels, they’ll ensure your
safety.
As if you’d ever do that though.
Forget it.
Figured as much.
Your handwriting’s awful, by the way.
’...Why the sudden personal attack?’
Well, sorry, but if your entire body was mush from head to toe, you’d
realize how hard it is to control fine motor movements...
Honestly, it was a miracle I hadn’t shredded this paper entirely.
My apologies.
My hand is injured.
And again, there was no reply.
Then the topic shifted, and a new message appeared.
Hey
Are you contacting me from within a Darkness right now?
In a sense, yes.
But about you using
the term ’Darkness’.
What, are you going to pretend you don’t already know where I work?
The agent who was with you seemed to recognize me.
Mr. Agent, you already know who I am.
Trying to threaten me with that info won’t work.
Why is this guy always so quick to snap like this, just like back at new
agent orientation?
I have neither the need nor the intention
to threaten civilians.
And if someone really means to threaten you
during a conversation, don’t try to fight back like this
and just walk away. That’s the safest
thing to do.
Silence again.
I held back a sigh and continued writing.
I just wanted to ask you question
personally.
About Daydream Inc.
Are you insane? You think I’d just hand over something
like that and create a paper trail for the company to use
against me for free? lolol
Stop wasting my time, sir
Understood.
I figured as much. Naturally, I started going through options for what kind
of bait to use next.
Then, suddenly, a new message appeared.
What do you want to know?
The heck is your angle? ...is what he must be asking.
But I went ahead and asked the question I’d prepared.
I wanted to know if there are any new hires
or if previously employed people were rehired
and if you happened to recognize any
familiar faces, Mr. Civilian.
First, I needed to confirm Jang Heowoon-ssi.
I could ask Kwak Jekang, but I didn’t want that mad scientist catching wind
that I was paying extra attention to Jang Heowoon.
’That would only spark his curiosity.’
Even if he was technically bound by the ’Red Finger’ curse, it wasn’t wise
to give a nutjob like him motivation to look for loopholes. Especially when
the subject of interest wasn’t myself.
’Same reason I haven’t asked about Go Yeongeun-ssi or Assistant Manager
Eun Haje.’
Of course, Baek Saheon wouldn’t cooperate for free either, so while I was
deciding between the carrot or stick...
Give me some time.
I’ll check when I go to work tomorrow.
’...??’
Did this guy... eat something weird?
I honestly couldn’t believe it.
Still, since he agreed, I wasn’t about to complain.
Thank you.
Yeah, don’t forget to show some appreciation
Have a decent item ready
And don’t even think about sending me
some lame coffee gift card or anything
Hey. I can’t even afford a coffee gift card right now...
I’m afraid that’ll be difficult.
I’m sorry, I’m not in a position to acquire
any items at the moment.
So you’re not even going to promise
to pay me back later? You’re completely clueless
and inflexible, yet somehow you’ve managed to survive
as an agent, huh.
[This man is a proper Grinch.]
My thoughts exactly.
Then I’ll compensate you later
when I can. Thank you.
’Hmm.’
It seemed that ’Agent Grapes’ had earned some degree of trust from Baek
Saheon because of the Jisan Village case.
’How did that happen?’
I’ve got no idea. This is completely unexpected.
’...And I’m not even an agent anymore.’
Yet I was still able to communicate as one. It felt strange.
At any rate, I decided to wait for Baek Saheon’s answer to this first
question.
Besides, I was in the phase where I needed to quietly continue my annex
duties to progress to the next step.
[Now get some proper rest and prepare for tomorrow’s shift, Friend!]
Right.
And so, a few days passed like that.
I continued quietly working at the annex front desk, all while keeping up
the unspoken pressure on the company that they must pay me on payday.
Incidentally, I’d also gone out to capture another Darkness in that time, and
once again returned safely.
Since it was a Darkness listed on the <Dark Exploration Records> wiki,
analyzing the manual with a clear head made it neither particularly
dangerous nor difficult, especially with my dulled fear and blunted
emotions.
Other than that, things were relatively peaceful. Surprisingly, Assistant
Manager Lee Seonghae had stopped by several more times during our shifts
at the annex, each time bringing snacks.
’If I manage to locate and reconstruct my digestive organs someday, maybe
I’ll be able to try some.’
For now, I handed everything over to the sergeant.
Baek Saheon’s paper boat still hadn’t responded. It seemed he hadn’t yet
had the chance to check all the new recruits’ faces.
And so, time passed until today, when my shift setup changed slightly.
[Working alone, at last! Don’t worry about boredom, Friend. You have this
quick-witted raconteur at your side!]
That’s right.
A solo night shift.
After I had spent over a week working quietly, the company seemed to
decide, ’let’s test things this far’, and stationed me alone at the front desk.
’If it were me, I wouldn’t have risked it...’
But of course, this was a ghost story world’s company, so here we were.
The sergeant and Supervisor Park Minseong were both back to their
original duties, ready to respond if I triggered a security alert.
And so I remained alone at the front desk, sitting in the carrier, its door
open.
The result...
"..."
"..."
About seven out of every ten people approaching the front desk hesitated.
’Huu...’
Thankfully, they’d had a few days to get used to seeing the carrier, or else
I’d probably have already triggered a Security Team call.
"Uh... Mr. Carrier? Uh, Mr. Employee? I’d like access to Twilight-class
’Self-Cookie’."
Issuing access card
I used my smoke to write the words, and at the same time extended just my
left hand from the carrier to scan and toss the employee their card.
"Th, Thank you...?"
Please use safely
I could hear murmurs of surprise about how efficient I was as the
employees hurried down the hallway, almost fleeing.
That’s not something you should be saying so audibly in front of a carrier
case suspected to be holding a Darkness...
’Must be a new hire.’
There were a lot of them around.
It had been a few days since the new hire test, and this was about the time
when the new employees were being shown around the annex and
encouraged to use it on their own.
I’d been through that, too.
’...And that’s when I got my personal equipment made.’
I remembered when my superiors at the D-squad had helped me back then.
’...’
I was quietly passing the time with smoke drifting around me when the
annex’s entrance doors opened, and another employee in a suit carefully
stepped inside.
"Uh, hello..."
Another newbie, by the looks of it. A tall man.
But as he walked in, he froze when he saw me at the front desk.
’Hm. Can’t blame him.’
Question : Access card necessity
"...!"
At my words, the new hire’s pace quickened. He nearly stumbled over
himself as he rushed to the front desk.
’...Huh?’
Specifically, his reaction was to the sight of black smoke and yellow light
spilling from the open carrier.
As if he recognized me.
...
...!
I quickly put up another question.
Question : Circumstances at time of joining
Visit to Annex Basement Floor 13
"...!!"
The sound of his hurried footsteps echoed as he approached the desk.
"Do you... remember me?"
That tone.
His build, likely polite expression, relatively long hair...
"I assumed you wouldn’t recognize my face, or that you wouldn’t be able to
identify me..."
Question : Name
...
Slowly, from his melted, mosaic-like face, his mouth moved.
"I’m Heowoon, sir...."
...
As expected.
"...Mr. Employee."
Once again, I was face-to-face with this employee who was from the same
recruit batch as mine.
Countless questions flashed through my mind.
Reason for rejoining
"...There’s something I need to find."
His hand, resting on the front desk, tensed slightly before relaxing.
With CCTV cameras present, we couldn’t have a more detailed
conversation.
’...So my guess was right.’
It seemed that Jang Heowoon, who had regained his humanity through a
Wish Ticket, had rejoined Daydream to fulfill his original wish.
"Um, Mr. Employee."
I wanted to talk to him more, but this wasn’t the place for it.
’At least we’ve recognized each other. That’s enough for now.’
Issuing access card
"...Thank you."
I granted him access to the Twilight-class Darkness he’d mentioned.
But after glancing around the annex, Jang Heowoon-ssi soon handed back
the card and left.
"I’ll come see you again."
That was all he said.
...
’...Did he come here to confirm the rumors?’
Rumors that a Security Team employee using a fog was stationed at the
annex front desk.
In other words, that I was here.
It was possible.
’...Huu.’
At least it was a relief to confirm that he was safe and still human.
If he’d still been contaminated like when he was at the resort, he wouldn’t
have been able to extract Dream Essence or even pass the Field Exploration
Team’s evaluation.
’Did I ask that guy Baek Saheon for nothing?’
Maybe I should’ve asked about something else... but I didn’t expect to run
into Jang Heowoon-ssi so soon.
Since there was no one around, I quietly pulled out Baek Saheon’s paper
boat from the smoke inside my carrier, unfolding it in a CCTV blind spot,
beneath the shadow of the metal bars.
’Ah.’
A response had arrived in the meantime.
It was Baek Saheon’s reply to my earlier question of whether there were
any recruits who had rejoined after working here before, or if he’d seen any
familiar faces.
There aren’t any
...
What?
There’s no new hires who’ve rejoined
Daydream, and there’s no one I recognize either.
Nobody looked particularly famous or anything.
Is this really what you wanted to know?
...
Wait a minute.
Then...
Who was the Jang Heowoon who just walked out of this annex?
...
Hey.
You’ve read it already so why aren’t you replying?
Thank you. I’ll contact you again.
I folded the paper boat back up and tucked it into the smoke.
A storm of possibilities crashed through my head.
The chance that one of them was lying, or that both were lying, or that both
were telling the truth but there was a misunderstanding somewhere.
And then the simplest, most primitive method came to mind.
Something so obvious I hadn’t even thought of it until now.
...
’Braun.’
[Oh? What is it, Friend?]
Thanks to the bell keeping my mind clear, my rationality asked calmly,
cutting through the foggy shock that had dulled me before.
I turned to my good companion who was always by my side, someone who
could recognize human faces for me.
’That person just now... was he really the Jang Heowoon I knew, the
Daydream Inc. employee who wore the bison mask?’
And Braun’s answer was this.
[Why, you’d know that better than anyone, wouldn’t you, Mr. Roe Deer!]
Me?
[Of course! But since you seem to have forgotten, allow this host to give
you a hint...]
In that pleasant, old-fashioned announcer’s tone, Braun said three words.
[Flower Golden Resort.]
...!!
’Ah.’
I may no longer have a human shape, but there’s one identity I haven’t lost.
The mascot of the Flower Golden Resort.
That’s because it was forged through contracts and achievements.
Which meant...
’I could summon Jang Heowoon-ssi, a retainer of the mascot and employee
of the resort, at any time...!’
[Correct!]
[You personally employed him as a permanent staff member of the resort,
so naturally you can know anything about him and command him as you
wish.]
’Right.’
That was why I’d been able to hand him over to the Supernatural Disaster
Management Bureau in the first place.
And I hadn’t interfered since then because he was in their custody,
undergoing some procedure to restore him to human form.
’But in a situation like this...’
It’d be better to summon him and see for myself.
If he didn’t respond to the call or if I couldn’t sense his presence, then that
would mean he’d been restored as a human, and I could relax.
’...’
I took a deep breath.
And I ’summoned’ him.
Jang Heowoon.
"Yes! Mr. Mascot!"
I froze.
Right beneath the front desk where my carrier sat.
Someone was crouched there.
"Good morning, Mr. Mascot! My current location is beneath the front desk
on the first floor of the annex of Daydream Inc., located in Seoul Special
Metropolitan City."
The contaminated Jang Heowoon.
The staff member of Flower Golden Resort, whose custody I’d handed over
to the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau, had answered the
mascot’s call and appeared.