Chapter 109

===================

Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

For a moment, I wondered if I was still caught up in the Church of the Nameless Splendor ghost story.

However, my mind, which was completely awake, judged the situation accurately.

‘It’s different from that.’

The Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je before my eyes was no longer the neat, suit-wearing office boss in my memory.

Rather, she looked like a detective who had been on a stakeout for about three days… yes, a reporter.

So a sense of reality returned with a flash.

‘What is this situation?’

I immediately got completely up from the bed.

“Assistant Manager.”

“Yeah.”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je nodded.

“First of all, I’m sorry for suddenly barging into someone else’s home. I shouldn’t be seen right now, but there’s something I absolutely must tell you.”

The person who had vanished for two months and suddenly appeared like a robber in someone else’s room continued speaking while glancing warily outside the window.

As if, indeed, being pursued by someone.

“…What do you mean by you shouldn’t be seen?”

“There’s something like that. Listen to my words first.”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je spoke evasively, then took a deep breath.

“You, the day after tomorrow. That is, on January 2nd, when you come to work at the company, a Dark will be assigned to you. …It will sound normal. It’s Grade C, the manual is fully prepared, and other people will go besides you. But…”

But.

“Do not enter there.”

“……”

“Avoid it at all costs, no, rather resign or submit a request for leave of absence. Because…”

The Assistant Manager gritted her teeth and then released them.

“If you enter there, you will die.”

“……!”

“Do not ask how I know. Just do as I say…”

“Is it Gwak Je-gang?”

“…!”

Looking at Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je’s expression, it seemed correct.

‘No, a death notice as soon as I wake up…’

I got out of bed and pressed my forehead.

“Why on earth is that Manager targeting me…”

“We all knew that bastard is a psychopath, didn’t we?”

I couldn’t refute that.

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je spoke as if spitting it out.

“But because you are so capable and pull off many ingenious things, this time he probably wants to put you in a spot to die altogether. To see how you make your way out.”

It meant showing off my MZ energy seemed to have backfired.

‘Damn it.’

Right. If it was that man, it was perfect for him to get excited over a unique specimen and stuff me into some strange ghost story under strange conditions.

But…

“Assistant Manager, still, isn’t there a probability… of me surviving and coming out alive?”

“……”

“Moreover, if he wants to see how I ‘make my way out,’ rather than conditions of unconditional death, I think he would deploy me into a Dark where there is a way to survive.”

It was awkward to say this, but I was an elite undergoing rapid promotion.

A situation where I also lined up well with the higher-ups, so Director Cheong and (though I don’t know the reason) Director Ho viewed me favorably.

‘No matter how much I think about it, I don’t think a project where a research team manager recklessly inserts me into a deadly spot just because he finds it interesting would be approved.’

While I could indeed be deployed to a dangerous place, the ghost story itself was dangerous to begin with.

‘Even Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je herself said it was a ghost story of Grade C with a fully prepared manual.’

It meant it was logically strange.

“Then how are you so sure? That I will die.”

I looked at Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je with eyes begging for an explanation, and the Assistant Manager pressed between her eyebrows as if holding back a sigh.

“There is only one thing I know.”

The Assistant Manager’s hand pointed at me.

“You will be processed as deceased on January 2nd.”

“……”

“I checked that… in a Dark that views the future.”

“…!”

Oh my god.

A ghost story that peeks at the future? There were even a few wiki items that came to mind.

However, putting aside that I had no idea how Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je, who was even on leave, accessed such a Dark…

‘It’s strange.’

“So I just checked what Dark you will be deployed to on the 2nd. You saved my life, so at least this much…”

“Wait a minute. Assistant Manager, it is still strange.”

“What?”

“Because I also saw the future. You remember the ghost story I was managing, right? The Tarot cards.”

“…Yes.”

“I recently drew a very good card from there. And that hasn’t come true yet.”

I recalled the Sun card I drew.

Upright. A card of unconditional happiness.

“I can’t be happy after dying, can I?”

“You could die after being happy.”

“……”

No matter how much I thought about it, it was strange.

But since Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je looked so anxious, and she had no reason to lie to me, I nodded for now.

“I understand. I will work out a countermeasure.”

“Damn it, yes.”

The Assistant Manager looked at the sky for a moment as if tension was released, then muttered soon as if making an excuse.

“Roe, originally I didn’t plan to appear like this by trespassing on your home, but I committed a discourtesy because it was urgent. I’m sorry. Seeing someone who left the team only makes you feel needlessly perturbed.”

“Not at all. I was a bit startled, but… still, it is good to see you looking healthy.”

“…Whew. Roe, how do you plan to survive in this company with that kind of personality…”

“Haha.”

My personality is average, and it’s the personalities of this company’s employees that are ghost stories…

‘No, wouldn’t someone be a madman if they acted ruder than this to a former boss who came looking for them to save a junior’s life…?’

And let’s not utter a single word about me having a bigger problem (being a major coward) than my personality.

In any case, Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je gestured to me with a tired face showing signs of relief.

“Anyway, I’ll go now. Rest well.”

“Hold on a moment.”

“Why.”

“Well… about that hand.”

I carefully placed my gaze on the empty left sleeve of the opponent.

Eun Ha-je waved her arm casually.

“What? You still care about this? Roe. I said I won’t accept a regeneration potion. You use it, you.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Because there was a method that came to mind recently.

“You passed down your communication equipment to me, didn’t you, Assistant Manager?”

“Yeah, I did. But just because I didn’t need it…”

“So, I would like to introduce one equipment to you too, Assistant Manager.”

And I flipped my dedicated equipment, the coin.

Which can be used by giving 500 won to the glove appearing in the air…

A third hand.

In other words, an equipment with the ability to add one more hand.

“How about putting this in as a parent equipment and customizing one for yourself too, Assistant Manager?”

“…!”

* * *

And on the evening of that day, December 31st.

I met Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je, who had her hat pulled down, in front of the annex, and accessed the Twilight-grade Dark vault where custom equipment is made.

[Friendly Seed Kit / Qterw-E-99]

A massive rusted machine standing tall among fake weeds.

A Twilight Dark for crafting custom equipment, used almost exclusively by the Field Exploration Team.

It has been a while since I saw it.

But Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je had an expression of not being pleased at all.

“I feel like I’ve needlessly interrupted your rest time…”

“No. I was also slowly planning to craft a new custom equipment anyway.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. By using this. I received something from the Leader…”

I also pulled out what I had prepared. Indeed…

“-Please return after use. The limit is one time.”

The equipment for increasing physical strength, received from Manager Lee Ja-heon as a parent equipment!

But Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je was shocked before I could even explain.

“You received that?!”

“Ah, is it an object you know, Assistant Manager?”

“Yeah, it belongs to a retired fellow… I mean, the Leader is a truly funny person. I don’t know how you borrowed it when you weren’t even close.”

I looked down at the corresponding equipment.

The bizarre bracelet, which looked like it was made by braiding human hair, was already more than half severed, sticking out messily as if weaving straw.

“It’s said to temporarily allow the use of superhuman strength, but they say the hairs snap the more you use it.”

Indeed.

“Even considering it’s a consumable, it is a decent equipment. Look at the Leader. Isn’t he the representative of ‘if your body is good, your head doesn’t suffer’ after all.”

“……”

That is an undeniable sound argument…

Anyway, I tried to yield the use to Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je first, but…

“It’s fine, you go first.”

“…Understood.”

I approached the old LCD screen attached to the machine.

[Give me plants 0/2]

I put the bracelet received from Leader Lee Ja-heon into the rusted machine.

[Plant information storage completed]

[Give me plants 1/2]

The next thing to insert was…

‘I have quite a few useful items on me now.’

Hmm.

Considering the attributes of the equipment Manager Lee Ja-heon lent me, there were about three decent options for me.

1. Supplementing durability as a consumable.

2. Preservation of the effect of physical strength enhancement.

3. Combination of different functions.

‘Is it about this.’

Of course, since plant gene inheritance is random, there is a high probability it will fail without the options attaching in the direction I want, but…

‘Okay.’

After agonizing, I inserted one of the items I had, authenticated even my genetic information, and ran the machine.

[Combining genetic information]

[Creating kit…]

[Sowing completed]

Clack.

The front drawer of the machine opened, revealing the object.

It is a simple bracelet that looks like a thin wire.

‘Hmm.’

I carefully pulled out the metal bracelet and stored it. I should check its power as soon as I return.

“Did it turn out well?”

“For now.”

I gathered the items I had inserted and stepped back, and now Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je stood in front of the machine and began to customize the equipment.

First, she inserted her own item.

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je’s dedicated equipment.

A communicator in the shape of a power bank; when plugged in, the smartphone temporarily communicated with the outside even inside a ghost story.

It turned out that the button-shaped equipment she gave me was a product of inserting into this machine and running it.

“It was an unexpected upgrade. Well, should I call it the luckiest moment of my life.”

Although Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je grumbled that she seemed to have concentrated her luck on a useless thing, her hand handling the power bank-shaped custom equipment was quite cautious.

And…

“Here it is.”

I inserted the coin, my dedicated equipment, as the next item.

Ping.

The coin embossed with a glove disappeared into the drawer.

[Combining genetic information]

“…Roe. The probability of a perfect fit coming out on the first try is usually low.”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je spoke quietly as if admonishing.

“So don’t be disappointed just in case. Just the fact that you tried is something to be grateful for. Got it?”

“…Yes.”

I looked at the screen of the machine.

[Creating kit…]

[Sowing completed]

The production was finished.

The front drawer of the machine opened, and the object appeared. That was…

“A glove??”

It was literally a translucent glove.

The flimsy texture gave off a bizarre feel.

“Hmm.”

However, when Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je reached out with her right hand to grab it, a spark flew in that direction.

“…!”

“Look at that. …Does this mean all the slots are full?”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je smiled broadly and brought her empty left hand space to it instead.

“Then I will give you the empty slot.”

Then, the glove stuck to the empty spot like skin.

Like a hand made of electricity.

“…!!”

And… it took the shape of a complete hand.

“……”

A slightly emotional look crossed Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je’s face, but it soon vanished like a lie.

Instead, she slowly raised that hand and moved the fingers.

Crackle.

Current sparked thinly.

“Hmm. Strangely there is sensation… is it because of the electrical signals? It is very good. As for the appearance, I can just wear a glove.”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je turned to me and smiled broadly.

“Thank you, Roe.”

“……”

“Everything I blabbered earlier became nonsense. It came out in one shot? Thanks to that… I also seem to have good luck in the moments I need it.”

I looked at Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je who now had both hands… and just nodded.

“Don’t mention it.”

Thinking that it was a quite decent sight to behold on the last day of the year.

But the moment we were about to finish somewhat touchingly.

“And… I’m sorry, but do you happen to have a use for points in the benefits mall? I will purchase up to about 1,500 points for you, so I was wondering if we could leave the record here as you having used it twice.”

Hmm?

-Oh, an attempt to erase one’s traces… it’s like destroying evidence! Friend, isn’t that so? Shall we gently coax and find out what plot she is hiding?

……

‘I don’t think there is a need to do that.’

-Hmm?

Because I already have a rough guess.

“…Assistant Manager, by any chance, are you working in another department?”

“…!”

As expected.

“This Dark is used almost exclusively by the Field Exploration Team. Your reluctance to leave usage history here… I thought it might be because your affiliation changed.”

“……”

After a troubled silence.

“…Good grief. I can’t fool you. Roe. You are still using your head well.”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je smiled bitterly.

“Yes. While Assistant Manager Peregrine Falcon of the Field Exploration Team is processed as on leave, I’m doing another job at the company…”

“…May I ask what kind of work you are doing? If not, at least your department.”

“……”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je seemed to struggle for a brief moment once more, but eventually opened her mouth.

“Yes. Since it turned out like this anyway… well. Roe.”

Along with an unexpected name.

“Director Ho’s project team. You know it, right.”

“…!”

“I am working there right now.”

What?