Chapter 110

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Director Ho’s project team.

It was a highly confidential project with an extraordinarily unconventional reward: if successful, all team members would receive a Wish Ticket.

‘And I refused.’

It was because the risk was too high and it was suspicious.

But Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je, who had taken a leave of absence… is working there?

“Look at Roe’s expression. Yes. I also know that you received the offer but kicked it away completely.”

The smile disappeared from Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je’s face.

“…Well done. Don’t join in the future either. It’s a headache of a team.”

“……”

But you are working there, aren’t you, Assistant Manager…

“What kind of work you do there…”

“I can’t say, of course.”

“……”

Should I throw it out?

Let’s tell her.

“Actually, I was offered a candidacy for the project team leader.”

“What?!”

“Of course, it seemed it was just for motivation, and I refused…”

“No, wait. I’m telling you this just in case you might get tempted later for no reason…”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je lowered her voice and whispered.

“Director Ho is a madman.”

“…!”

“I don’t know what other team members do in this project. Director Ho doesn’t even allow employees with different responsibilities to talk to each other.”

The Assistant Manager swallowed hard.

“I think… the reason he dragged me in here was also because I submitted a request for leave of absence. He made the offer because I could work on the project without catching others’ eyes.”

“…Is that why you have been hiding around?”

“Right. He demanded that.”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je clicked her tongue, saying that was why she had also quietly trespassed into my private residence.

“I was worried that I might get caught by your roommate fellow, though.”

“Don’t worry about that. He is not at the private residence.”

“Was that so? Damn it, I exerted effort for nothing.”

Baek Sa-heon had managed to take a vacation connecting to January 1st despite his seniority. He was not at the house now.

“Anyway, I really can’t tell you any more. Keep that in mind.”

And Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je really did not answer any of my subsequent questions (why she needed the Wish Ticket, what work she did on earth, in what manner she was recruited).

She only said this.

“I was originally a person who made a living digging behind crazy bastards. Why act surprised now.”

There is a crucial difference that those were humans and this is a ghost story, Assistant Manager…!

“You look out for yourself, you.”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je soon smiled bitterly.

“Roe. Don’t care too much about others. Even if not in this company, there are few ways in society that make you as exhausted as that.”

“……”

“It might be funny for someone like me, who benefited because you cared, to say this, but still, I’m not saying it for no reason.”

“No. It is not funny at all. …Thank you.”

“…Haha, kid, still the same.”

While exiting the annex, Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je repeatedly told me to stop caring and look after myself.

“Thank you once again, and remember. January 2nd.”

And she left in an instant in front of the annex as if vanishing.

“……”

Director Ho’s project team.

‘It felt dangerous just hearing about it.’

I can’t afford to worry about it right now because I have my own problems, but let’s keep it in mind.

-Anyway, we have secured quite a few interesting remarks! January 2nd, the whirlpool of conspiracy surrounding Mr. Roe…

-How about it, friend. Any interesting plan to escape the death notice? Of course, please don’t forget that your good friend Brown is always by your side when you are in trouble.

“Yeah. Thanks.”

“-Don’t mention it!”

Thus, my first plan of the New Year was formed.

Finding a way to escape by some means from the Dark I will enter on January 2nd.

And this plan was realized quite successfully throughout the New Year’s Day holiday…

And the normal workday approached.

* * *

January 2nd.

Indeed, as soon as I came to work, a new Dark exploration mission was given to me.

However, ‘only to me’.

“…So, you are saying that you must ‘unavoidably’ pull out because you have an executive meeting this afternoon, Leader?”

“Yes.”

“By any chance, going into the Dark alone is…”

“No. To comply with the 3-person team manual, two support personnel will be assigned this afternoon.”

Yes, I knew it would be like that.

And at this point, I guessed Gwak Je-gang might be playing a trick.

‘Isn’t he coupling me with strange employees as if dumping them?’

Because group project villains always push the situation to the worst…

‘I’ll have to steel myself.’

But the situation turned out bizarrely.

First of all, before the Dark was assigned to me on January 2nd, the announcement went up first.

Namely, the reorganization of Group D into the Elite Team.

[Field Exploration Team Organization Restructuring Notice]

Director Cheong’s unconventional proposal had finally surfaced.

And the Field Exploration Team was thrown into a frenzy upon learning that this highly rumored event was indeed an unconventional restructuring of ‘organizing Group D itself into the Elite Team’.

Moreover, they said that for the one remaining spot in the Elite Team Group D, even a regular employee could work short-term while receiving Elite Team treatment!

People who wanted to ask anyone about that personnel appointment… finally found the person with the lowest rank and least seniority among the involved!

Yeah.

It was none other than me.

“……”

Vizz, vizz, vizzz!

[Hello Supervisor~^^ Congratulations so much on becoming an Elite Team! By any chance, could I ask a few things regarding…]

[It’s the first time I contact you like this after only seeing you in the group chat room. It’s nothing else, but the remaining spot in the Elite Team…]

‘This is really burdensome…’

It’s already the seventh message.

I wish they would think realistically. There’s no way a mere supervisor would have personnel authority…

-Hmm? Friend, didn’t you clearly have a chance to choose a colleague to work with? The moment you received that interesting offer comes back vividly!

That is… a bus that has already left…

Since I refused to eat the poisoned apple, it is someone else’s business now.

‘Anyway, I have no authority.’

I spent the morning sending replies, translating roughly ‘What authority would I have? I am also just a low-ranking grunt’ into polite company language.

Anyway, thanks to that, there was indeed something I realized.

‘They won’t be able to just send me on this exploration carelessly, right?’

Because there was a strange symbolism in the new Dark exploration today, on January 2nd, itself.

The first pilot run of Elite Team Group D!

Since all the Field Exploration Team employees are watching, they couldn’t possibly attach random riffraff to me for no reason, right?

Otherwise, the very image of the launch of the successful Elite Team’s new group would be disrupted.

‘It seems Gwak Je-gang won’t be able to play tricks.’

I wondered.

‘Who on earth will come as the two accompanying employees?’

…And, 2 PM.

“Oh, I look forward to working with you, Supervisor Roe!”

I almost broke out in a cold sweat looking at the employee with a lively voice opening the door and entering the Group D office.

It was Supervisor Dolphin of Group C.

Elite Team!

“Ah, do you know who the other employee is? I’m curious!”

“…Yes. I am really curious too.”

Suddenly, an ominous premonition began to rise.

And 10 minutes later.

The door opened once more right at the promised time, and that premonition became reality…

“Both of you have a sense of time.”

A brisk footstep in dress shoes entering through the door that swung open.

A well-fitted suit, hair tied up high, and a brilliant butterfly mask.

It was Assistant Manager Jin Na-sol of Group A.

‘My goodness.’

They attached two Elite Team members to me!!

Moreover, although I felt dizzy in front of the meritocratic superior whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, it was the moment I was about to bow my head and greet her right away.

“Assistant Manager, long time no see.”

“Yeah. I heard you turned down Director Ho’s offer.”

“……”

“You made another foolish choice, yet you became an Elite Team? If everyone were as capable as you, work would be easy. At least today I won’t have to see someone whimpering.”

…Yes.

I am also very glad to see you, Assistant Manager…

“Thank you for the compliment.”

I barely managed to reply.

I feel like I’m going out of my mind.

Yet my mouth was steadily giving the response of a member of society.

“What? This exploration is in the countryside. How annoying.”

“Yes. Instead, they say the company supports travel expenses quite generously.”

Right.

This Grade C ghost story must be dealt with by going all the way to Mokpo.

‘Is it finally a business trip to the province?’

In fact, urban legends are bound to arise in places where many people gather and live. The high frequency in the metropolitan area did not contradict the probability of the universe settings.

‘Still, the fact that we have gone on Dark explorations almost exclusively in the outskirts of Seoul so far… was to a somewhat strange degree.’

Anyway, I left the company and moved while carefully walking on eggshells around my two Elite Team seniors.

Supervisor Dolphin also struck up conversations quite amiably.

“You haven’t moved upstairs yet! You’ll do it soon, right? I found it nice that they give private offices to the Elite Team, it respects privacy too!”

“Yes. I look forward to it.”

“Ah, speak comfortably! Since we are of the same rank.”

“Still, you are my senior, and since there is much I don’t know, I might cause trouble, so I couldn’t possibly do that already. I will be more polite.”

“Wow. You are really polite!”

Seeing Supervisor Dolphin raise her thumb, my tension eased slightly.

Right. Because she seemed like a good-natured person.

‘Let’s try small talk.’

I smiled amiably in my own way and brought up a suitable person as a topic.

The person of Group C who sat next to Supervisor Dolphin in the ghost story where I almost fainted after seeing the back-of-the-hand clap!

“How is Assistant Manager Leopard doing?”

“Ah, he died.”

“……”

“He died while acting nasty to a Cleanup Team employee, so it’s his own fault. The waste of points is a bit of a shame, though!”

“I see. May he rest in peace.”

This person’s sensibility is not that of a normal person at all.

‘Save me.’

The high-speed rail station we arrived at just in time.

I sat next to Supervisor Dolphin on the train extremely politely.

And I began to show all due respect to the senior who became an Elite Team as a supervisor…

‘Let’s never act cocky just because we are of the same rank.’

So let’s ensure I don’t get marked as a person with a bad personality…!

…For reference, Assistant Manager Jin Na-sol, who sat in front of us…

“I’m going to sleep, so don’t talk to me.”

“…Yes.”

I was rather grateful…

-Oh, quite unique companions!

Indeed…

And what this means is.

‘The two highest-flying non-executive rank employees in the company are attached as my companions.’

I will say it again.

The two most work-smart and capable staff-level employees in the current situation are right next to me, checking everything I do…!

‘Assistant Manager, how on earth do I escape without entering the Dark among these people…!’

Cold sweat broke out. Holes were opening up all over the plan I had set up.

‘Even so, I didn’t expect them to attach two Elite Team members.’

I had simulated cases of them being trolls much more, that is.

Maintaining a calm appearance, I desperately wracked my brain and quickly added Plan B.

‘In the worst-case scenario…’

Let’s say I’m going to the restroom… and run away.

Although it is tearfully humiliating just thinking about it, it is correct that my life is more important.

And later when returning, I can just state that I was ‘accidentally’ caught in another Dark and have just emerged.

‘If I find a suitable Dark on the wiki, actually find a not-so-difficult ghost story matching the grade to clear, and match the solution grade… it would be plausible.’

It was a plan possible because of the business trip to the countryside.

‘Al-Alright.’

I think I can make my way through well.

I let out a sigh of relief at the plausibility of the plan I finally put together, and only then looked at the business trip destination displayed on the train electronic board.

Bound for Mokpo

Come to think of it, I think it’s almost my first time going to Mokpo…

Bound for Mokpo

……

Huh?

The destination text at the bottom of the train cabin advertisement board, which had been flickering with static, changed the next moment…

It changed.

Bound for Tamra

“……!!”

I stood up abruptly from my seat.

“Eh? What’s wrong, Supervisor… huh? The electric board?”

“Yes. We must leave immediately…”

……

No.

No, you already know, don’t you.

‘It’s too late.’

That this was… finished the moment we boarded the train, sat down, and the destination changed.

From then on, we cannot get off.

“……”

It comes to mind.

-That was a wiki entry recorded as the longest document among the human error accidents in the Disaster Management Bureau, sometimes recorded as a short story.

What this is.

-The only one time when a major disaster occurred because of the Silver Heart.

That train accident.

The desperate ghost story I know very well.

———————=

[Tamra-Bound High-Speed Rail Incident]

This document is a record of an anomalous case that occurred under registration number ‘8008PSYA.2002.a88.’, containing shocking details related to multiple casualties.

Since it contains details of a tragic disaster, please check your psychological state before applying to view it.

Because it can cause severe mental anxiety or trauma, it is highly recommended to read it in a stable condition.

-Paranormal Disaster Management Bureau

Notice from the Records Management Office

———————=

That crazy high-speed rail where there was only a single survivor from Daydream Co.

‘…Ah.’

I realized.

Today, January 2nd, when my death is scheduled to be processed.

‘The Grade C Dark wasn’t the problem.’

The threat prepared for me was not the Dark at the countryside business trip destination assigned by the company with a completed manual.

‘This train.’

This train, which was merely a means of transportation to get there, was the very threat.

“……”

I looked out the window.

Instead of the outside, the electric board was reflected.

Bound for Tamra

Departure

The train departed with a roaring sound.