Free Web NovelOur plan was simple.
“Recruit the Security Team, infiltrate the annex, and then....”
Deputy Eunhaje raised his thumb.
“Build the equipment!”
For reference, the agents’ reactions were as follows:
“...You could explain how to put an elephant in a refrigerator the same way, couldn’t you?”
“Cheongdong, shh, this is fun.”
“...Ha.”
Seeing that, Deputy Eunhaje grinned.
“First off, Disaster Response Agency agents, step aside. This is something us folks from a wicked capitalist company will handle ourselves.”
“Oh, what a shame.”
And so we moved on to designing the detailed plan.
The most important thing here was this:
Deputy Lee Seonghae’s entry.
“Hmm, is the problem how I get in?”
“Well, since it’s your first time in a wheelchair, there’ll probably be some trial and error.”
But to everyone’s surprise, Deputy Lee Seonghae handled the wheelchair with quite the flair, and the others nodded.
“At this level, there should be no problem with escape speed on flat ground. If it comes down to it, our section chief will just carry the wheelchair and run. Right?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Then let’s think based on that....”
It was then that Baek Saheon piped up with a sly angle.
“I think I can help as we—”
“We all know you’re just after the scraps. What, planning to cut off a perfectly fine arm and swap it in?”
And he sank back down.
Truly, the instinct of a former reporter, Deputy Eunhaje, who casually waltzed into the second floor of the company housing, was remarkable....
But then—
Accompanying suggestion: Goat
“...!”
“Oh.”
Gotta throw him some scraps if we want to keep milking him.
Baek Saheon’s eyes were certainly useful in Se-gwang Special City, so it would be better to keep him cooperative.
The man’s too concerned for his own life to play the troll during infiltration anyway.
As long as Ho Yuwon’s project was intact, there wasn’t much need to fear reckless outbursts.
Of course, pamper him too much and he’d get uppity again....
Reason: Surveillance
“Okay.”
“...?”
Baek Saheon gave me a look of grave injustice, but I ignored him.
Fortunately, we got a crisp agreement.
“And then...”
Deputy Eunhaje turned to me with a grin.
“Roe Deer’s officially in the Security Team’s Special Division now, which means your role is limitless.”
Affirmation
“So then, are all members confirmed?”
“Yes, sir.”
Thus the entire heist crew, composed of Baekilmong Corporation personnel, finished preparing themselves.
And so...
“...R-Roe Deer. What’s all this about?”
It was at that point we ran into a very flustered Junior Manager Park Minseong....
Manager-nim....
If you’re asking a horned, smoke-speaking inhuman employee (130666) for clarification instead of your perfectly fine Section Chief Lee Jahaeon, how rattled must you be....
Though to be fair, the section chief is a reptilian alien in his own right. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
I carefully manipulated the smoke to deliver the explanation.
Objective: Construct custom equipment to replace the body
“Replace the body?”
Just then—
“Hm.”
The Security Team lounge door opened, and in came a familiar figure.
A lanky guard with slouched shoulders, moving like everything in life was a hassle.
J3.
He’d clearly noticed someone had snuck into the lounge even before opening the door, so he wasn’t disturbed to see people inside.
He only lifted his head when his gaze fell on me.
“...Ah.”
It’s been a while, Captain....
“So... you’re... back for good?”
Denial
“I see....”
Query: Well-being
“Me, I’m... the same as ever....”
But then, those faded pupils suddenly sharpened on my leg.
“Your leg... what happened?”
Injury on duty
“.......”
It’s fine. That’s why we’re here.
I conveyed with smoke, and Deputy Eunhaje explained aloud to the Guard Captain.
We were planning to steal equipment from the annex—would he {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} cooperate?
Of course, the man didn’t disappoint.
“Sure, why not....”
“...That’s it?”
“Yes....”
“Oh, this isn’t illegal, by the way. It’s a covert project overseen by Director Ho.”
“Doesn’t matter... hm.”
“.......”
Deputy Eunhaje shot me a look: Is he always like this?
Sorry, can’t answer you with my expression—I’ve got a gas mask on....
In any case, thanks to the captain’s hearty cooperation, we had our foundation.
Good.
Although, the captain did quietly sidle up to me and murmur—
“Hey... the thing you asked me for, I did it... Should I tell you later...?”
Ah.
Affirmation
Yes, sir!
“...Okay.”
Thank you, Guard Captain....
And so we each settled into sofas and the floor, finally digging into the matter of the annex.
“Please give a statement on the current situation in the annex. If it’s personal judgment, mark it as opinion.”
“Yes, so....”
And then came a rather chilling explanation.
“Containment failed.”
“...!”
Darkness had escaped from the annex.
Though, truthfully, it wasn’t exactly rare.
“That’s what the Security Team’s for—putting them down. Happens every year. But the problem is...”
Junior Manager Park Minseong let out a quiet sigh.
“That darkness is tricky to re-contain, so we’ve locked down the entire B2 storage zone.”
And—
“The dusk-grade darkness we want for equipment fabrication is all holed up on B2.”
“Yes...”
Park Minseong bit back another sigh, forcing a wry smile instead.
“No telling when it’ll end. I’d say... Captain?”
The Guard Captain blinked slowly.
“More than two months... at least. Is that okay...?”
“Two months?!”
“Yeah... and from that floor... there might be... missing staff too....”
Murmurs broke out around us.
Apparently, the situation was bad enough that even Security Team rotated in every night.
“Phew. Still, with this many people, going in to snatch some equipment should be manageable.”
The Guard Captain didn’t deny Deputy Eunhaje’s optimism.
But—
“More than moving inside... how are you even planning to enter the annex in the first place?”
Right.
Getting inside the annex itself was the original problem.
Having our entry logged was undesirable, and Deputy Eunhaje was technically already terminated.
In the end...
“We’ll go in under different identities.”
“Different identities?”
“Yes.”
Ones that wouldn’t seem out of place requesting access to the 1st or 3rd floors.
And—
A combination so intimidating nobody would dare pick a fight.
“Minseong.”
“Yes.”
“We’re going to pretend to be Elite Team A-Squad.”
“...!!”
***
Baekilmong Corporation Annex.
A dark night, just before dawn.
“Huuu.”
The Exploration Team’s rookie of the year had finally finished managing today’s darkness and was on his way out.
In his hand was an F-grade Dream Fragment, but his body sagged with fatigue....
Just wanna crash in bed.
After the fear had ebbed and the tension melted away, he felt drowsy.
But as he reached the lobby door to head outside, he froze at the sight of three figures coming in.
The first one’s impression was too iconic.
Black ponytail, tall and lean build, sharp and flashy nails, and—those dangerously glittering eyes.
Deputy Jin Nasol.
The Elite Team...!
The rookie swallowed hard.
Among the “supplementary admits” like himself, stories had already spread of two who’d gone with A-Squad on exploration and what they’d endured....
One was still comatose in a company hospital, no less.
“This way, Captain.”
Behind her came A-Squad’s captain, known for the teal duck mask, and a calm-looking junior manager with a stiff face.
That junior manager had been assigned to A-Squad recently, if he remembered right.
...I’m jealous.
People with practically wish-granting privileges.
Especially the captain, rumored to have already used one wish. The rookie swallowed again just looking at him.
He even thought about striking up a word or two.
Wouldn’t it help to have some strings attached?
A delusion of someone who hadn’t yet been burned by the brutal meritocracy of the Exploration Team elites.
So he cleared his throat and crept toward the lobby.
But then he froze at the sight of what the three were dragging behind them.
Wrapped in black smoke.
Bound to a wheelchair, wearing a gas mask, yellow eyes glinting in every direction....
That...!
The monster from the Orientation.
The bizarre, overwhelming being that had dwelled on B13.
Though he now knew it was a Security Team specialist, the rookie reflexively froze.
Clatter...
The Special Division employee was being dragged along, shackled in something like a heavy wheelchair....
“.......”
The rookie wavered, wanting to bolt, but in the end his ambition won. He sidled up to A-Squad.
It’s a good conversation starter, isn’t it!
Naturally, he aimed for the top dog.
“Hello, Section Chief...!”
“.......”
“I-I’m Lee Seungjo, rookie of Q-Squad!”
“.......”
“Section Chief?”
No answer.
But it wasn’t quite being ignored either.
For some reason, the A-Squad captain just stared at him blankly...!
Uh, uh??
“Step aside.”
“...!”
It was Deputy Jin Nasol shoving him aside, striding boldly into the lobby.
“Section Chief, after you.”
“Yes.”
Only then did the captain break his gaze and move on.
And the junior manager brushed past without a glance.
......??
Wait a minute....
The reaction wasn’t the usual “you’re beneath notice” chill, was it?
“Transit pass for B3, please.”
“Yes, which darkness are you accessing?”
“Code 1575, the Cuckoo Ghost Story.”
“One moment.”
As the brown-haired Security Team clerk finished processing, the rookie tried again.
“Uh, excuse me, are you sending them to B13?”
“...What?”
“Actually, I met that employee back at Orientation. Nearly died, but I survived.”
He was about to embellish the tale—how he’d shown wit in the elevator, that sort of humblebrag—when....
“I see.”
The A-Squad captain replied.
“.......”
“.......”
...??
And then.
“So?”
“...Pardon?”
“So what.”
A voice dripping with annoyance cut in.
“Step aside. The more useless you are, the more you get in the way... tch.”
Deputy Jin Nasol shot him a glare of pure contempt, snatched the pass from the Security Team clerk, and stalked off down the annex corridor.
The rest of A-Squad followed.
“.......”
The rookie just stood there dumbfounded.
Oblivious to Junior Manager Park Minseong, behind the counter, who was silently shrieking in relief.
Uwaaaah!
And once “A-Squad” had entered the annex’s B3 corridor...
“Haaa.”
The three dropped the illusion.
Familiar faces to Kim Soleum emerged.
The Se-gwang Special City Exploration Team.
Using this will make you appear as A-Squad.
With the Baekilmong disguise potion from Ho Yuwon, they’d safely made it past the entrance.
Deputy Eunhaje, who had played the role of Deputy Jin Nasol, flexed his wrist.
“Seriously, Section Chief, why’d you talk back! We agreed not to answer outsiders. My heart nearly stopped.”
“Well, three days ago Deputy Peregrine said, ‘Sure, if it’s the kind of convo you can gather intel from, just play along.’ I followed that statement.”
“...That excludes you, Section Chief.”
“? Yes.”
Deputy Eunhaje let out a deep sigh.
I miss you, Minseong....
Moments like this called for a junior who could back him up with perfect ad-libs. Instead he was stuck with a mute rookie scribbling notes and a cheeky little Goat brat. Sigh.
At least the rookie in the wheelchair was meticulously checking the progress of their heist.
CCTV status: Disabled
The B3 cameras had conveniently “malfunctioned” thanks to Director Ho, and Junior Manager Park Minseong would testify later that “he didn’t hear anything.”
As for the A-Squad disguise....
“They entered darkness today, right?”
Yes.
Per Ho Yuwon’s orders, A-Squad had been secretly dispatched into a project-class ghost story, and the company at large hadn’t been told....
Meaning their appearance here carried no risk of anyone asking “Why are you here?”
“A-Squad was perfect—Ho’s line. Otherwise that captain would never do our section chief a favor.”
Grateful for the chance to impersonate such a heavyweight, Deputy Eunhaje shrugged.
And he glanced toward his former squad captain, someone he knew he could count on.
“Now we’ll do a headcount and move upstairs.”
“Yes, sir. Then... Roe Deer?”
At that moment—
The smoke around Kim Soleum, bound in the shape of 130666’s wheelchair, wavered strangely.
“You okay?”
......
Affirmation
“...All right.”
Deputy Eunhaje couldn’t know the exact circumstances—that his junior had been trapped in the B13 annex for half a year, roaming the identical corridors in the form of 130666.
But trauma was a near-universal Exploration Team affliction, so he noted it and moved on.
“Good. J3’s the B3 manager tonight, so we’ll see him when we get in.”
Affirmation
Check complete.
All that remained was execution.
Suggestion: Communicate with Deputy Dolphin
“Yes. Proceed.”
And then—
130666’s supposedly shackled body dissolved into smoke, appearing casually behind the wheelchair.
“Hold on a sec.”
Creaaak.
From within the hulking wheelchair, Deputy Lee Seonghae poked out his head.
Concealed by 130666’s dark uniform and smoke, he’d been smuggled in successfully.
“Phew. Much obliged.”
“Don’t mention it.”
And then—
“All right, let’s pick.”
Merry Lab’s Toy Maker / Qterw-E-07
Friendly Seed Kit / Qterw-E-99
We Offer This Ritual / Qterw-E-404
“From here on, we’ll be searching through B2 while avoiding the escaped darkness. Some places may be flat-out inaccessible. So...”
We had to set priorities.
Query: Which darkness do you want to secure first for equipment fabrication?
“Hmm...”
Deputy Lee Seonghae soon pointed.
“Bring this one.”
Merry Lab’s Toy Maker / Qterw-E-07
“...!”
Also known as the Abandoned Toy Store.
It was the research team’s most frequently used darkness for equipment fabrication.
