Jin Nasol frowned and looked inside the restaurant.
The kind where you have to take your shoes off to enter. Like most barbeque places equipped with large private rooms, it was reasonably crowded with office workers.
A typical company dinner spot.
Director Ho had called the staff who had just come out of the darkness at a disturbingly perfect timing, but at least he had given them time to rest.
Thanks to that, they caught up on some sleep until lunchtime, then came out to the restaurant Director Ho had designated.
And...
“This kind of place is open at lunch too.”
“They probably focus on meal sets during the day.”
“Oooh.”
That person.
Jin Nasol stared as if to drill through the mask of the employee chatting with Deputy Lee Seonghae.
“Shall we go in?”
The man wearing a black cat mask.
— For this company dinner, please keep your masks on ^^ —
Normally, people would remove their masks for a dinner. But because of this strange rule, everyone was wearing theirs, and their real faces were nowhere to be seen.
And although this one kept speaking politely... there was something oddly warm and familiar in his manner.
“Deputy, will the others from Team A also be attending?”
“Why do you care about that?”
“Oh, I just haven’t seen Team A members in this project context before. I think I got curious. My apologies.”
Even to her.
He bowed smoothly, without provoking her irritation at all.
A type of person rarely seen in this company, and yet—he did not seem weak.
What is he?
Jin Nasol’s instinct—which categorized hierarchy, strength, and weakness—issued its conclusion.
Strong.
Even if one did not know that he had cleared an instance of darkness in a nonstandard way, the attitude and pressure gave it away.
And her painfully sharp senses detected:
A gaze.
I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere.
But before the instinct could fully speak, they were guided to their reserved room.
“Oh, this room here.”
“Thank you.”
And the moment the door opened—
“...!!”
Several people inside either shot to their feet or jerked in shock upon seeing the man in the cat mask. Their expressions openly lit with joy and surprise.
What the hell.
That was the kind of reaction you show when the chairman walks in.
What is this person’s role in the project?
Jin Nasol narrowed her eyes and raised her internal evaluation of the cat mask’s status.
“I’m here.”
The cat mask bowed with an easy smile and moved naturally toward that side of the table to sit.
Since two Team A members were also seated near there, Jin Nasol sat at that table as well.
But most of the others at the table were unfamiliar.
Only two she could identify for sure:
The falcon mask and the lizard mask.
“Uh....”
“It’s Cat!”
“Ah. Cat... yeah.”
The falcon mask grinned at the cat mask.
“Eat plenty and rest well today. ...I heard from Section Chief.”
“Yes.”
The cat mask nodded gently and took a seat beside the lizard Section Chief.
“.......”
The two of them gave off a strangely similar impression.
“Deputy Butterfly, you just came out of an all-night darkness run, right?”
“Yes.”
But whatever.
Exhausted and irritated, Jin Nasol decided to stop thinking and just sit with her own team.
“Hello, everyone.”
She only listened because when Director Ho appeared and started making a toast-like speech, it was etiquette to pay attention.
“You’ve all worked incredibly hard.”
The company likely arranged this dinner after officially receiving the absurdly good project results.
— Is it true they collected dream-substance of grade B or higher with zero casualties?
— I heard it’s real, still no reported deaths. Anyone have details...
— What should I prepare if I want to join Director Ho’s project? DMs appreciated.
— Does anyone know whether the reward-point system for the project is fixed yet...
A hot topic, to say the least.
Jin Nasol remembered muting the company group chat long ago and felt her forehead tighten.
“Since the project is now on track, it only seems right that we celebrate. Some of you may be meeting for the first time, but all of you have been working for the project.”
Most participants already knew that Director Ho obsessively kept project personnel unaware of each other’s roles.
This was the first time Jin Nasol saw many of these faces.
Director Ho had only ever used Team A as a reserve squad anyway.
— Team A, when I call, you just enter the designated darkness. —
Thus, the people seated diagonally across from her were also unfamiliar.
Two men.
Dressed like the Field Exploration Team, but wearing different masks.
“It may be good for everyone to introduce yourselves.”
What the hell is that.
A traditional comedy mask—laughing, but unsettling.
Jin Nasol shot a cold, sharp stare toward it.
Those wearing the mask were watching the cat mask—then, sensing her stare, they turned to her.
And a strange aura flickered:
Predatory hostility, like a hunter eyeing prey.
“.......”
But it was tucked away as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a cheerful tone.
“Hello. You’re with the Elite Team, right? Let’s work well together~ hahaha.”
Jin Nasol did not take the offered handshake—only nodded and looked away.
Annoying.
She hated meetings where hierarchy was unclear.
But then she turned and found something just as irritating.
“Dolphin, you look disappointed.”
“Yes. I was going to take Cat to a great restaurant, but the Director called us, so we had to come here.”
“Really? What kind of place?”
“Oh. I don’t want to tell you!”
Still the same.
Was he insane? Why did Dolphin always provoke higher-ups?
“It’s fine, Dolphin. Next time, I’ll treat.”
“No no, Cat! I’ll treat!”
What was more surprising was how naturally the cat mask soothed him.
“You really are too much...”
“Yes yes.”
He was speaking to a Director like that.
Not mutiny—just... casual.
Which made the conclusion instinctive:
He was not a normal employee.
The strange reactions, the ease, the familiarity—
Someone on the same level as Director Ho.
...Another department’s executive?
Meanwhile, someone else abruptly joined the conversation.
“Wait—did you say Cat?”
The one wearing a pony mask.
Jin Nasol didn’t know, but this was the employee who had barely recovered from the Golden Canopic Jar contamination in the Fox Counseling Room—and who had eagerly latched onto the rumor of free food.
He could not miss a free meal.
And now he sensed a lucky connection.
Somehow... this person felt like a cat.
“Cat, what a splendid title! Across all cultures, cats are associated with gold and prosperity!”
“...Yes. I see.”
The cat mask answered gently, conversing politely.
But Jin Nasol saw the glass in his hand crumple.
“...!”
And then—when no one was looking—he carefully unbent it back into shape.
“.......”
That confirmed it.
He’s upper rank.
And simply patient—not kind-tempered.
Jin Nasol concluded coldly.
For reference, the truth was:
‘Aaaagh.’
He just could not control his strength!
***
Please, god!
I screamed silently at the glass.
So far, I had almost chewed chopsticks three times, nearly broke the table about five times, and felt my spine go cold every time.
This... is insane.
But....
“Here, have some of this too, Cat. The rib meat melts right away.”
“...Thank you.”
I carefully took the rib meat Deputy Eun Haje placed on my plate.
“It’s good?”
“Yes...!”
It was good.
The crisp-fat texture of charcoal-grilled meat and the rush of savory juice filling my mouth.
This—this is life.
Though I’m not technically human, but a lizard.
Even though I nearly ate chopsticks in the process.
...This is hard!
It felt like only yesterday I’d watched a lizard-headed me doing a food vlog. Now I was the one with the lizard head.
Life really is unpredictable.......
I discreetly checked whether the glass I had accidentally crushed had returned to a normal shape, then set it back down carefully.
...Trying not to break the table in the process.
Breathe.
Section Chief Lee Jahaeon had been watching the entire time.
Wait. Speaking of which...
“Section Chief Lizard.”
“Yes.”
“May I ask for advice about strength control?”
“Yes. Treat everything you touch in daily life as if it were silken tofu.”
I nearly choked.
“Si—silken tofu?”
“? Yes.”
Where on earth did he get that analogy? No—doesn’t matter.
It was very direct, and easy to understand.
“Thank you.”
“Yes.”
And the pale white lizard head smiled.
...Somehow less scary now.
Maybe because I now see a similar face in the mirror.
Anyway, I learned something today—from the darkness and the barbeque table.
“When you first came here, it must have been difficult.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you come?”
“I cannot answer.”
“If I connect with ‘us,’ will I receive the answer?”
The lizard’s vertical red pupils rested on me.
“In that case, the answer will no longer be necessary.”
“.......”
Let’s just eat.
“Be careful not to eat the chopsticks.”
Yes....
And I had learned—chopsticks didn’t even taste bad. Just salty, metallic, slightly similar to meat.
So this is Section Chief Lee’s world.
Not that I ever wanted to know—but fine. A life experience.
I looked around the large room.
Agents who kept glancing at me from behind the smiling mask, the staff who had entered Se-gwang Special City with us, all eating at various tables.
But—
...No Security Division.
No Wolf Leader (J3), no Park Minseong (still in contamination isolation).
Instead, unfamiliar faces filled the seats.
Likely personnel Ho Yuwon used for parts of the project other than direct Se-gwang entry.
Like this one:
“Never seen you before. Field Exploration Team?”
Team A’s leader, Baek Seokju.
From across the diagonal table, he addressed me.
The teal mallard mask of the elite captain still carried that superior presence.
“You seem close with Section Chief Lee.”
“...We are relatives.”
“Oh. I see.”
He still disliked Section Chief Lee, apparently...
“If possible, please speak casually to me. I haven’t been with the Field Exploration Team long, after all.”
“If that’s the case.”
This really did feel like a company dinner.
— Let’s grab a meal together sometime after this is over. —
“.......”
But the “meal” he’d mentioned in Se-gwang Special City had not felt like this.
The atmosphere, the purpose—completely different.
Even here—everyone was mostly here to gather information.
[Oh, my friend... gatherings are defined by their host. A meal hosted by a Plague is dreadful by default! Even worse when it’s your superior!]
That... may be a bit much, but.
I looked toward Director Ho sitting at the other table.
It really did feel like an overbearing boss forcing everyone to socialize on a day off, then sitting there the whole time.
“Eat well.”
“Th... thank you.”
Yes. Exactly that.
...Actually, I kind of agree.
[Wise recognition, my friend!]
Let’s eat more.
With this newly obtained human body, being able to sit among people, talk, and eat—this was something to be enjoyed.
And after lunch ended—
I understood why Ho Yuwon had arranged this.
“Convenient body you’ve gotten yourself there. Then as a commemoration... could you take a look at something?”
When everyone had left and only I remained, Ho Yuwon slid a file folder toward me.
“A list of employees participating in my project.”
“...Why show me this?”
“Oh, simple.”
Ho Yuwon smiled brightly.
“From now on, when you go on explorations, you can requisition personnel from here if needed.”
“...!”
“Once the exploration ends, I’ll just recover the dream-substance and erase their memories.”
This insane—
“Think of it as day laborers. Useful, isn’t it?”
I understood.
This was the real reason for the dinner.
To show me who was available.
So that the factions of people repeatedly entering Se-gwang Special City can be consolidated...
And the reason agents were invited:
To make the negotiations easier.
“...I won’t need them for now.”
I suppressed a sigh and shut the folder.
I’ll treat this as just another option.
For now, I don’t need additional members.
Because the next destination is already clear.
“I’m going back to Midnight Station.”
I’d forced myself to remember.
I had repeated it in my head, over and over, so I wouldn’t lose it.
— That train. Train G1572. If we just board it, just that one...
Right.
“I will find that train.”
The one Yeong-eun had spoken of.
But when I returned to that station in Se-gwang Special City, what I found was something I had not expected at all.
***
“......!!”
Normally, when climbing the stairs from the subway platform in Se-gwang Special City, an abnormal scene would appear.
Whether it was the Noose Forest, the Body Casino, or that strange Library.
The station devoured by a ghost-story would reveal itself.
It had been that way in every station of Se-gwang Special City.
And here at Midnight Station, the passage of Hanbit Library—lined with shelves—should be visible at the top of the stairs.
The place housing Segwang Industrial High School.
But.
“...Wait.”
There was nothing at the top of the stairs.
Where the library should have been, it had vanished as if it were a lie.
Instead, a single note was posted on the right-hand wall of the stairwell.
Closed
— Corner under reconfiguration —
“...Reconfiguration?”
And more surprising—
“Roe Deer, look over there.”
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness where the passage should have been, I realized it wasn’t simply gone.
A faint shape.
And a recognizable sign.
Station Office.
“...!!”
At the top of the stairs—
The original, intact Midnight Station interior was there.