Chapter 9: Ch 9: New Hurdles on the get go...
A rainy Monday afternoon.
The members of Field Exploration Team’s D-squad were furiously writing
up the situation report, finishing it with record speed, even submitting it
under the squad leader’s ID for approval.
The reason?
A rookie who cleared a time-limited ghost story way too fast!
"Wasn’t the time limit supposed to be three days?"
"It was."
Sitting across from the rookie on the sofa, Assistant Manager Eun and
Supervisor Park laid out snacks they had scavenged from the break room.
They exchanged glances and nodded. It was finally time to ask the question
properly.
"So how did you get out so fast?"
"Oh."
The rookie seemed to hesitate for a moment before nodding as if he
understood and calmly answered,
"I sped up the time."
’He’s saying that as casually as if he’s talking about what he had for
lunch...!’
Before they could even react, the rookie slowly explained the method he
used.
"Since there was a time limit, I thought there must be an event that signals
the passing of time. I focused on that..."
He explained how he used the expiration date to trigger a ’time alarm’.
The superiors, who had been listening in silence, thought to themselves:
’He’s a genius.’
’No way we’re letting him quit.’
The rookie’s instinct and logic were sharp enough to instantly grasp the
essence of the ghost story. His abilities were perfect for the Field
Exploration Team. They absolutely had to make sure he couldn’t esca... no,
that he could soon adapt well!
"I’m not one to be saying this, but welcome to the squad, Roe Deer-nim."
"You’ll probably outrank me soon and get promoted to assistant manager."
"...!?"
This kind of rookie doesn’t come around often!
"When you succeed, don’t forget us... and when you get that Wish Ticket,
make sure to come brag about it..."
The rookie looked a bit flustered.
"No, um... actually—"
"Hm?"
The rookie added, as if confessing something serious,
"I just wanted to get out quickly because I was scared."
"..."
Since when could someone escape a scary urban legend by being scared? It
felt like the kind of mind-altering thing you’d only see in an escape room.
’Is this humility, or...!’
But the rookie remained firm.
"I’d appreciate a heads-up next time. I almost fainted from fear."
"You cleared it in an hour, and that’s what you say?"
The rookie, now wearing a somewhat ambiguous expression, said,
"I really thought I was going to die."
’Lies!’
No one who genuinely feared for their life would attempt a speed-run,
setting a record-breaking time like a veteran employee! That’s something
even the most seasoned workers wouldn’t dare attempt.
Still, they could understand his sense of betrayal.
’To be fair, it was harsh.’
Even if it was considered ’safe’, being thrown into a paranormal
phenomenon alone wasn’t something to take lightly. And they knew exactly
how to comfort someone in that situation.
Workplace therapy!
Assistant Manager Eun sipped her coffee and asked,
"So, Roe, how much did you get?"
"Huh?"
"The money. How much did you make from clearing it?"
"Oh, right. I got 10 million won."
That’s right. Clearing this F-Class ghost story came with a cash prize. And
the company manual clearly stated:
– When clearing a graded Darkness (F-Class) ghost story with a completed
manual, 50% of any additional income generated will be awarded to the
employee as a bonus.
In other words, if you earn money in a ghost story using a fully documented
manual, the company takes 50%.
However, rookies assigned their first ghost story were exempt from this
rule! Since they’re placed in ghost stories proven safe through countless
attempts, the company doesn’t consider it hazardous enough to warrant
hazard pay.
The rookie had already read the manual, but then...
"They’re supposed to take it all, but... just keep it for yourself."
"...Pardon?"
Once you’ve been around long enough, you learn all the ways to bypass the
system! Since he cleared it using a new method, they could claim it wasn’t
covered by the manual. There were plenty of loopholes.
Getting a huge bonus on your first day of work would make everything
seem better!
Assistant Manager Eun and the Supervisor Park shared a knowing smile,
applying a time-honored trick they had both experienced firsthand.
"C’mon, just keep it. We’ve got ways to handle this."
"..."
’Actually, it was 20 million won.’
Kim Soleum broke into a cold sweat, as he’d been planning to pocket half
of it himself.
Suddenly, he found himself with an extra 10 million won that he couldn’t
explain, feeling both thrilled and a bit guilty. But he quickly got up to
follow his superiors.
"Now that you’ve successfully completed the dark exploration, it’s time to
accumulate the most important thing."
"Accumulate... what?"
"Points."
Supervisor Park replied with a grin.
"Employee welfare mall points!"
* * *
"Huuu."
It felt like pure bliss to be standing in the middle of a bustling city in broad
daylight.
Even though he knew I’d struggle to sleep with the lights on tonight, that
worry was far away for now.
’Maybe having 20 million won in cash in your pocket gives you some inner
peace...’
No matter how terrifying the ghost story was, this was still 21st-century
South Korea, a capitalist society.
I finally sat down at my assigned desk, turned on my computer, and
accessed the company intranet. Sitting under bright fluorescent lights in a
spine-supporting office chair, the ghostly events I’d just experienced felt
like a bizarre lie.
On my desk, there were some surprisingly cute stationery items and a lizard
plushie with big eyes.
’...This desk seems used, doesn’t it?’
I could only hope that the previous owner had left abruptly due to winning
the lottery.
Since the welfare mall was already bookmarked, I quickly accessed it.
[Daydream Inc. Employee Welfare Mall]
After entering my employee ID to register, I clicked on the ’Point
Registration’ tab, just as my superiors had told me.
– Select the class grade of the ghost story you cleared, enter your name,
and attach the PDF.
I did exactly that.
Five minutes later,
[Employee Kim Soleum / Accumulated Points: 100P]
"...!"
Incredibly, the review process was completed at lightning speed, and my
points were credited.
’So clearing an F-Class solo gives you 100 points.’
Well, despite the hellish experience, F-Class was still F-Class. I tried not to
expect too much. Still, I had earned points, so I decided to check what I
could buy with 100 points.
And then, right on the first page, I was surprised.
"...A robot vacuum cleaner?"
The items available were better than I expected. Most of the special
discounted products were around 100 points, while high-end large
appliances, like those you’d buy for a new home, were around 500 points.
Moreover, Daydream Inc.’s undisclosed medicines were being sold for
around 1,000 points, including advanced over-technology items like cornea
regeneration potions. For context, their famous hair loss treatment, which
cost around 500,000 won on the market, was available here for just 100
points.
’This is actually pretty good.’
Feeling hopeful, I scrolled through the products. Now it was time to check
the most important item.
I sorted the ’Company Products’ tab by ’Highest Price’ to see the glorious
name at the top.
’Wish Ticket.’
The miraculous potion that had been introduced as the ultimate employee
benefit after surviving a death match. Its price was...
Wish Ticket : 500,000P
"..."
Is this a joke?
’Five hundred thousand?’
I had just cleared a ghost story and earned 100 points...
500,000 points?
’Theoretically... even if I cleared F-Classes every day by myself, it would
take me 15 years.’
But of course, it wouldn’t be that simple.
’There’s no way the company would let that happen.’
It wasn’t realistic to think you could clear F-Class ghost stories every single
day. There would certainly be anomalies.
’It’s likely that I’ll be forced into higher-class ghost stories with
squadmates.’
Wait, do they split the points between squadmates in that case?
I dug through the welfare mall’s point registration tab to find the basic point
system for each ghost story class.
F-Class : 100P
D-Class : 1,000P
C-Class : 2,500P
B-Class : 10,000P
A-Class : 100,000P
S-Class : Special Review Required
On top of that, there were additional bonuses based on internal assessments,
which considered urgency, lack of prior information, or extra dangers.
’So if three people are in a squad, and three people clear a ghost story
together...’
...You’d have to clear a B-Class 150 times to earn enough points for the
Wish Ticket?
’Are they out of their minds?’
Even with a B-Class ghost story, the survival rate for a normal person drops
to around 2%.
At that level, no matter what choice you make, you’re either going to die or
end up worse off than dead.
If someone enters that 150 times, it’s pretty much a death sentence for a
regular employee.
In such an insane situation, you’d have to beg on your knees not to be sent
in.
Speed-running higher class ghost stories isn’t a realistic option at all.
’So, to raise my survival rate even a little, I’ll need to invest over 10 years.’
This isn’t some tale of a nobleman seeking revenge...
Yet, if the Field Exploration Team is the fastest department, people in other
departments have an even lower chance of getting their hands on a Wish
Ticket during their career.
With so many other attractive products in the welfare mall, many
employees in other departments have probably resigned themselves to that
reality and settled for less.
But not me.
My goal is far more surreal and absolute.
Returning to my original world.
And they expect me to survive here for 15 years? I’d die of a heart attack
from the stress before then!
’No chance in hell!’
I needed a plan, a strategy.
’I need to figure out which ghost stories I should enter and which ones to
avoid.’
I had to balance safety and speed perfectly to gather 500,000 points in the
shortest time possible.
Just as I was about to dive deep into serious contemplation, Supervisor Park
gave me a friendly pat on the back.
"Hey, did you get everything registered? Is the computer working fine?"
"Yes. By the way, the personal items here..."
"Oh, that’s the squad leader’s desk."
"..."
No wonder it looked used!
"Just don’t break the monitor. Feel free to use it today, no worries."
Is this company for real?
Letting a new hire use the squad leader’s desk for the day—is that
something a sane company does?
’Come to think of it, nothing here seems normal.’
This is a company that churns out potions by throwing people into ghost
stories. Holding this place to the standards of an ordinary 21st-century
Korean workplace was bound to lead to shock after shock.
...Maybe a little bending of the rules wouldn’t hurt.
"Hey, do you smoke, Roe?"
"No, I’m good."
I didn’t follow my superiors for their smoke break.
Instead, I stared down at the desk I was sitting at, took a deep breath, and
flipped the keyboard over.
As expected, there was a post-it note stuck underneath.
[Squad Leader Lee Jaheon / 105105301]
ID: yongj1111
PW: dydajflgodks!111
It’s hard to criticize the lack of security awareness when I’ve seen so much
of this already at the company.
’If he’s the squad leader... then that means he’s probably a section chief.’
And actually, there’s a certain website accessible only to section chiefs and
above in this company...
It could really help with clearing higher-class ghost stories.
"..."
Now that I’d seen the absurd goal of 500,000 points, it felt like something I
couldn’t afford to pass up.
Alright.
’Let’s do this.’
I resolutely logged back into the welfare mall.
But this time, I didn’t use my own ID.
ID: yongj1111
Password: dydajflgodks!111
I attempted to log in using the D Squad Leader’s credentials.
Incorrect password.
"Hm..."
No problem. I expected this minor setback.
Let’s see... Clicking the ’Register’ button shows the password
requirements.
’A capital letter is needed.’
So, if I capitalize the first letter of the password written on the Post-it,
making it ’Dydajflgodks!111’, and log in...
Ding.
[Welcome, Section Chief Lee Jaheon]
’I’m in!’
I discreetly pumped my fists under the desk in triumph. A small celebration
you can do in an office without drawing attention.
Not that anyone was around right now anyway.
Now, what I needed to find on this page was... a kind of phishing link.
The so-called ’Alien Shop’.
In <The Dark Exploration Records>, there were quite a few alien ghost
stories, and some of them involved extraterrestrials trying to sell items to
Earthlings through bizarre means of communication.
’They didn’t mean any harm, but they sold things that were unsettling or
dangerous from a human perspective.’
Still, these ghost stories leaned more toward being quirky and even
somewhat heartwarming.
And apparently, those aliens had a bit of a business mindset. They wanted
to target potential customers, so...
They even embedded something like ransomware into Daydream Inc.’s
intranet.
’Only section chiefs and higher can see the shopping mall’s ad phishing
link.’
I also remembered how to access that phishing link.
’While randomly clicking around in the welfare mall, if you hit the back
button five times in a row....’
Click, click, click....
Beep.
Suddenly, a small green hand appeared in the corner of the welfare mall
screen.
A pixelated left hand, waving as if to grab your attention.
A speech bubble floated above it.
First Anniversary Appreciation Discount! ~80%
Is your job boring? >>Click
Do you want to get stronger? >>Click
Want cool items? >>Click
’This is trash.’
It looked just like those old internet banner ads from back in the day.
But, surprisingly, if you click this clumsy thing!
You’d be taken—like magic—from the intranet to an external internet site,
abducted to an alien shop.
I was tempted to click it immediately, but!
’Hold on.’
Instead, I right-clicked and copied the link, then pasted it into an Excel
sheet and took a picture of it with my phone.
’Company PCs record everything.’
I didn’t want any trace left showing I had clicked on the alien ransomware
link—especially not on someone else’s account.
After a while, as my superiors returned from their smoke break, I greeted
them with a nod as if nothing had happened.
"Roe~ Let’s have a welcome dinner when the squad leader gets back from
his field duty. It’s on the company card."
"Yes. Thank you."
And then, I waited for quitting time.
* * *
That evening, after my monumental first day at work, my tasks still weren’t
over.
"Let’s do this."
After depositing 20 million won, I went home.
Now, in my bedroom, I was copying the phishing link from the ’Alien
Shop’ I had photographed in my smartphone gallery through image
analysis.
After fixing a few unreadable parts, I opened a browser and pasted the link
into the address bar.
"Huuuu."
Deep breath... Enter.
Click.
The browser navigated through the complex link, and a page appeared that
resembled the layout of Daydream Inc.’s welfare mall... only to shatter and
disappear.
And then, a new page opened.
It looked like something from the early 2000s, with obvious underlines and
outdated fonts.
<Space Shopping Mall>
※Amazing items from outer space※~!!
>>I’ll take a look at the items
Boing Boing Boing. A little green spaceship rotated in the corner.
’This is so lame.’
But I couldn’t let the tackiness fool me.
If you click ’items’ here, you’ll see bizarre, supernatural products for sale.
...Though the problem is, the prices are just as outrageous.
The minimum started at one million won.
...A result of the over-inflated imaginations of ghost story creators with
massive egos who thought, ’I need to use even more expensive items!’
That was me just yesterday. I wouldn’t have been able to buy a single thing
from this list.
But now...
’I’ve got 20 million won.’
My heart raced a little. The thought of being able to purchase items from a
fictional world felt like a serious dopamine rush.
"Huu."
Finally, I clicked on the [Items] tab.
The screen loaded.
Items
Bloodsucking Cutlery – ₩14,999,999
Wide-Range Walkie-Talkie – ₩4,999,999
Alice Picnic Set – ₩11,999,999
We Can Help! – ₩66,666,666
※Discount!※ Silver Serpent – ₩4,999,999
₩19,999,999
"...!"
I recognized most of these items.
Finally, my luck was turning!
’Hell yeah.’
In my excitement, I quickly recalled the details.
Bloodsucking Cutlery.
A weapon set consisting of a small fork and knife, which grows bigger and
sharper as it absorbs the blood of its victims.
You could literally call it a ’growth weapon’.
Broader Walkie-Talkie.
A toy walkie-talkie that allows remote communication with others, even
within ghost stories.
It would be very useful when you have companions.
Alice Picnic Set.
As the name suggests, it’s inspired by ’Alice in Wonderland’. It contains
food items.
It came with a drink that temporarily doubles the effect of items and
cookies that halve them.
That’s where my knowledge of the items ended.
I didn’t know the other two, but ’We Can Help!’ was way out of my budget,
so I ignored it.
’The Silver Serpent is on sale.’
Getting a discount always feels like a win.
"Hmm..."
I crossed my arms over my chest.
A weapon, a communication device, a buff potion, and a discount item...?
My budget was 20 million won.
What should I buy to get the best value?
"Alright."
I made my decision and clicked.
