When, out of nowhere, someone recommended a Section Chief Lizard from another company as a teammate, the civil servants who had been grilling premium Korean beef froze in disbelief. Their jaws stopped chewing, words tumbling out awkwardly.
“Cheongdong... did we just get recommended a Baekilmong Corporation employee as someone we’d be better off working with?”
Of course, the Baekilmong veterans from Team D weren’t fazed in the slightest.
[Affirmative.]
“Come on, more than half of this group is already ex-Baekilmong. Why so surprised? It’s just another workplace where people live their lives.”
Of course, the one I was recommending wasn’t a person at all, but an alien reptile....
“Our Section Chief really is a good guy though. Strong, straightforward, no-nonsense. The kind of person you want to work with.”
“A Baekilmong employee who’s also tough? That sounds... troublesome.”
“No, that’s not it, old man.”
“...?”
Deputy Eunhaje shook his hand gravely.
“I mean he’s just plain strong. That’s it.”
[Agreement.]
Agent Cheongdong looked more confused, but both I and Deputy Eunhaje nodded firmly, as if in unspoken agreement.
Then the deputy’s gaze shifted.
“But this guy doesn’t look surprised.”
“Hey, I was surprised too.”
But Agent Choi, for his part, wasn’t all that startled. He just chuckled as if amused.
And I thought I knew why.
That other identity Agent Choi had been using.
‘Lee Gangheon.’
—K.LEE: What, is he maybe related to Section Chief Lee Jahaeon or something? Their personalities are exactly the same.;;
That was a message he’d sent during the Salmon Market recommendation incident.
‘Which means Agent Choi already knew exactly what kind of person Section Chief Jahaeon is.’
Not just that. It meant he’d mapped out Baekilmong employees’ messenger profiles, and by extension, had rough ideas of their personalities and movements.
...But there were no such records in the Bureau’s database.
‘There’s no way he infiltrated Baekilmong.’
It wasn’t like Agent Choi could be in two places at once. He couldn’t be doing his grueling Bureau work and working at Baekilmong. Especially since within the company, there was no such person as Deputy Lee Gangheon of Team C.
So, under the table, I stretched out some smoke to discreetly catch only Agent Choi’s eye.
“Hm?”
And I asked—
Question: The identity of Lee Gangheon.
“......”
I erased the letters quickly before anyone else at the table could notice.
Agent Choi smiled thinly.
“Now, now. A junior shouldn’t be prying into a senior’s trade secrets.”
......
Well, of course.
If it was an alias for extracting information from Baekilmong, then no way he’d explain it to someone who was still technically an employee there....
—But if you’re that curious, should I tell you?
......!
Agent Choi pressed his finger into the smoke pooled under the table, scrawling out words.
—But you have to keep it absolutely secret, okay? I trust you, Grape.
I responded with the word [Affirmative.]
Agent Choi grinned, then continued writing.
—There really is a person named Lee Gangheon.
—A Baekilmong dropout.
...!
—And wouldn’t you know, one day a brilliant Bureau ace agent happened to get hold of Lee Gangheon’s messenger account, hahaha.
He didn’t explain how he got it.
But he added an explanation of the account itself.
—So many group chats he never left.
Cohorts, short-term project rooms, anonymous info boards, even underground gambling rings.
All places that were goldmines for information. And with Agent Choi’s finesse, he would have successfully wormed his way into all the derivative side chats that sprang from them.
One by one, profiling employees... eventually even mapping out new recruits as they joined.
I recalled Deputy Lee Seonghae’s testimony that he’d been introduced to Salmon Market by someone called Deputy Lee Gangheon from Team C. And then...
—I’d already heard all about a certain elite rookie, one Kim Soleum. Never flinching while exploring urban legends, haha.
......
So he’d known everything from the start.
—That’s about it.
Request: More details.
—Grape, you really have no shame...
—But since our youngest insists, I’ll tell you more when you finally cut ties with Baekilmong. Ask me then, I’ll spill everything, hahaha.
Which, of course, meant he had no intention of telling me now.
With that, Agent Choi withdrew his finger, and went back to the group as if no secret messages had passed at all.
I swallowed my frustration.
‘...Maybe that’s why he never believed in the wish tickets.’
After all, there had been retirees who left behind only their accounts, which he’d then used himself.
Still, I hadn’t expected him to actually answer my question, even partially.
‘I didn’t think he’d say anything at all.’
Of course, the line about “trusting me” was a lie. He’d cut the story short, after all.
And after years of use, the “Lee Gangheon” alias must have grown too notorious to keep being invited into new chatrooms. He’d probably been planning to retire it anyway.
No doubt he had other channels for gathering information.
‘Even so, gratitude is gratitude....’
While I sorted my thoughts, the conversation at the table had turned to lighter jokes.
“Man, a Section Chief Lizard. How strong is he, really? You think he could chew through rebar?”
“If he wanted to, he probably could.”
“...??”
Deputy Eunhaje shrugged as he asked the part-timer to change the grill plate.
“Anyway, as Roe Deer says, if our Section Chief lent a hand it’d be great. But honestly, it’s hard while he’s still employed there.”
......
But that wasn’t the only issue.
I recalled what I’d heard from the Cosmic Mall when I purchased that talismanic dried pollack.
—The entity is currently at a boarding school.
Which essentially meant Section Chief Jahaeon was trapped in some kind of darkness.
‘A boarding school legend, they said.’
I had already resolved to look for him, so naturally I wanted to confirm. It didn’t sound like a minor matter.
Ever since Agent Haegeum helped me recover my senses, a certain unease had been growing.
‘I was going to ask Baek Saheon to help me identify exactly what kind of darkness it was.’
But there was a bigger obstacle now.
My own condition.
Concern:
Ongoing recall request to return to Baekilmong Corporation for duty under Employee No. 130666.
“......!”
Even now, the announcement urging me to return was ringing in my head.
Thanks to the Great Jade Bell that had cleared my mind, I’d managed to resist. But who knew how long I could continue delaying this summons?
And that wasn’t all.
‘...Reentering Se-gwang Special City is the same problem.’
I didn’t know how.
If I tried the well again, the Bureau would definitely notice something. Once could be excused as reckless field behavior, but repeat attempts would reveal intent.
And even if I managed to use it....
‘...Could I really bring these people with me?’
Dying never got any easier, especially not with contamination as severe as that. And many of them were still carrying trauma from nearly dying inside the legend.
...No.
‘It should be me alone.’
Because I wasn’t truly human anymore. The contamination aftereffects were surely less for me than for the others.
Besides, I was the one who had pushed Deputy Lee Seonghae onto that train. If he couldn’t come back, then the responsibility lay squarely with me.
So... yes.
That was best.
“...Well, yeah. The company is the real problem here.”
Deputy Eunhaje, unable to know my thoughts, clapped me on the back as he spoke.
Then, leaning back to let the part-timer swap out the grill, he muttered half-jokingly—
“Maybe we should just tell Director Ho himself.”
“In that case, I think I could help you.”
“...!”
At some point—
The part-timer serving our table sat down among us, smiling.
Only then did his face come into clear view. A pleasant-looking young man, smiling warmly.
...Director Ho.
‘What the hell.’
No one could even tell when he had slipped in. He had blended so seamlessly.
The pleasant-faced youth looked around at us.
“Congratulations, everyone.”
“......”
“You’ve returned, haven’t you?”
Se-gwang Special City.
He mouthed the words calmly, but in his eyes I saw the glint of something manic and deranged.
“How was it? Entering a special hidden place unseen by the rest of the world. Did you enjoy yourselves? Were you nervous? Or perhaps it pains you that you can’t tell your organization the truth?”
“......”
“Please, speak freely.”
The agents looked frozen with tension—but I realized they were actually checking their gear under the table, scanning the surroundings.
After all, this was a restaurant full of civilians....
“Don’t worry. The other people here will be perfectly fine.”
“...!”
“I don’t like making a scene. Nor do I harbor malice toward random strangers.”
“Oh...”
Agent Choi grinned, teeth clenched.
“Is that so? Then why does someone like that shove people into supernatural disasters where they’ll suffer and die?”
“I’ve already explained that part.”
Ho Yuwon spoke smoothly, gently.
“The Bureau can handle it.”
His voice, pretending to be rational, was chilling.
Assigning responsibility for institutional flaws to individuals in the group: Illogical.
“What? That’s odd of you to say. Emotions aren’t logical. Right, Employee 130666?”
Phew.
Recommendation: Substitute title for 130666.
▶ Roe Deer
▶ Grape
Grape.
Something flickered in Ho Yuwon’s gaze as he read the codename. Rage? Distortion? But he suppressed it instantly, leaving no trace.
“Haha, you like informal codenames, Roe Deer.”
And I caught something strange there.
Anxiety.
He was impatient, suppressing his temper because he wanted to rush the conversation forward.
“Hold on.”
Agent Cheongdong spoke up.
“You knew, didn’t you?”
“Knew what?”
“That the well could be connected to specific regions. That was your goal from the start, wasn’t it?”
“And what if it was?”
“......”
“Wouldn’t that actually be good news? It means our goals align.”
Clap.
Ho Yuwon applauded, smiling.
“I’ll give you every support you need to bring back Deputy Lee Seonghae.”
“...!”
“Think about it.”
His voice, oily and ingratiating.
“Would the Bureau really spare the time and resources? Pulling busy field agents from the front lines?”
“......”
“But me? I’d do anything to help you....”
The air around the table shimmered.
“And I wouldn’t ask much in return. Just a modest request—something I’d like you to bring back from Se-gwang Special City....”
“Oh~ then why not go get it yourself?”
“......”
“You know the route. If it’s so modest, why sit here running your mouth instead of going yourself?”
Agent Choi’s voice cut through, his rage piercing the faux pleasantry.
“Don’t tell me... you can’t go in.”
“......”
“That’s it.”
The silence said enough.
It was true.
For whatever reason, Ho Yuwon likely couldn’t enter Se-gwang Special City.
That was why he kept dragging in employees through projects. Why he was using Deputy Eunhaje even now.
“You’re right. Sadly, I can’t go there myself.”
Yet Ho Yuwon said it without a tremor, pulling a sorrowful face as if deeply regretful.
“So doesn’t that make me more trustworthy? Since I can’t go in, I support every action you take to explore Se-gwang Special City. Perfect logic, don’t you think?”
In that case—
Proposal:
Mutual binding oath for trust (target: Ho Yuwon).
“......!”
“Oh, Grape makes a good suggestion.”
Ho Yuwon’s eyes turned to me.
“Surely I wouldn’t do something as dishonorable as binding others while leaving myself free~”
A heavy silence fell.
Then—
“Very well.”
“...!”
“Let’s place a restriction on both sides. Until the Se-gwang Special City expedition ends, neither of us can betray the other.”
He smiled, placing a hand on the table.
“Shall we do it right now?”
“......”
“Not ready? That’s fine. I can wait.... But for the sake of the man you’re trying to rescue, best not to delay too long. Who knows how much longer he’ll last.”
“......”
“Deputy Eunhaje will know how to contact me. Then.”
And with a turn of his head—
There was no Ho Yuwon. Only a part-timer carrying the grill back to the kitchen.
“......”
“...Phew.”
“Hard to ruin the taste of prime beef, but he managed it. Proof enough bosses should never join the company dinner.”
“Haha....”
That night, the dinner ended with the group quietly mulling, weighing impossible choices.
***
With an unbelievable new “backer option” hanging over them.
‘Phew.’
After the dinner, once everyone returned to their own quarters, I too was escorted back to the Bureau’s secured isolation ward for supernatural beings.
‘Just being allowed out was surprising....’
Most likely, they’d tested me—sent me out with agents watching, to check my stability.
And this time, I passed.
‘Thank goodness.’
Ever since Agent Haegeum helped me regain my sanity, the extreme isolation had been eased considerably.
This wasn’t just a room anymore, but something like a small open-air pavilion projected indoors. Clearly a facility designed to stabilize the mind of supernatural entities.
‘I haven’t even paid proper taxes yet....’
I felt oddly guilty, as if I were wasting public funds.
After consuming so many bells already, I felt a weird sense of debt, like I should earn my keep.
[For my friend to feel guilty over something so trivial—your humility truly is the problem here....]
Someone might have said such nonsense.
But now...
‘.......’
Silence.
‘Has it been about fifteen days now?’
Since I last heard Brown’s voice.
Back when I was stationed on Basement 13 of Baekilmong’s annex, I hadn’t been able to perceive Brown’s voice while in Employee 130666 state.
‘I thought once I regained my sanity, I’d hear him again right away.’
But strangely, even now, his voice hadn’t returned.
The plushie merchandise—no, the stand-in body—had been confiscated by the Bureau, and I hadn’t gotten it back.
‘...Maybe if I just wait, I’ll hear him again.’
Last time, there’d been a delay between regaining my senses and hearing Brown’s voice, so I was waiting patiently.
Or maybe Brown only spoke when the merchandise was nearby, over-immersed as he was.
‘I hope it’s the latter.’
That was when—
Clink, clink....
‘...!’
Windchime sounds.
A visitor to my isolation space.
From recent days’ experience, usually it was just the duty officer outside the sliding paper door, speaking safely from beyond while recording my condition.
But today, there was a special guest.
“Elder from Black Tortoise Team 1 requested this... would you like to see it?”
Inside the small lantern the agent was carrying—
A small will-o’-the-wisp peeked out.
‘...!’
The will-o’-the-wisp that had once been my arm sparkled.