It Seems I Must Go to Work Even After Falling into a Horror Story 083

Elite Team.

At Daydream Corporation, where they undervalue the lives of Field Exploration Team members compared to B-grade Dream Liquid, a ranking that gradually begins to recognize them as ‘employees of long-term value.’

You’re assigned a personal office and get a separate wage table. Moreover, new options are now provided at the welfare mall.

Above all…

If things go south, you’re assigned to a wrap-up team staff member like an extra life.

It’s a policy that really dampens one’s spirits, but honestly, there’s no denying it increases survivability…

And right now.

The Director of the Development Department was making a proposal to me.

“The topic of increasing the numbers in the elite team has been consistently coming up… wouldn’t it be nice if that meant making Group D into the elite team?”

They would create the elite team from Group D itself.

They were offering to keep my environment intact yet overwhelmingly improve my treatment.

“The alphabet fits perfectly, and it’s convenient in many administrative processes.”

“…….”

“Choose one employee you’d like to work with. It’s fine to create a candidate list of two or three.”

Wait a minute.

I couldn’t keep up with the flow at all…

“Thank you, but… why are you giving me such a big proposal?”

If they wanted to send Team Leader Lee Ja-heon to the elite team, I could understand that.

To my recollection, he was supposed to briefly serve as the elite team leader and then get promoted through another route.

But why… base it on me?

‘Isn’t it strange to come to me instead of the team leader?’

I understood I had achieved an unconventional performance by creating manuals and pulling off A-grade solutions twice, but there were stronger names who cleared horror stories in absurd ways.

Those exploration records had to pile up to create manuals, after all.

Yet no one had ever said, “I’ll turn your entire team into an elite team for you~”.

‘Something’s off.’

It was a clearly unnatural situation.

“I’m just a newbie. I receive points and bonuses in line with my work, and even if my promotion is exceptionally fast…”

“Sol-eum Chief. Have you ever heard of the name Yoon Jo-hun?”

My back almost froze.

I barely kept my calm and managed to respond in a tense manner.

“…Are you perhaps a staff member?”

“Correct.”

Director Cheong smiled brightly at me.

“Actually, I was just promoted to Chief in Group D during this regular personnel evaluation.”

“…….”

“But you won’t find it in the company database anymore. You probably won’t even remember.”

I didn’t react.

“High ranks sometimes harbor such darkness. Those who have ‘failed’ are erased from existence. But…”

Director Cheong set down the paper and pulled something up from beneath the desk.

The Dream Collection Device.

“The dream collection device of a deceased employee is returned to the company.”

“…!!”

“Unfortunately, it’s a self-driving device powered by the dreams collected right up to the moment of death. And…”

Director Cheong tapped the recorder lightly.

“It includes a light recording function as well.”

“…….”

“So, the exploration records of employees erased from reality can still be verified and referenced by this company.”

Oh my god.

“I thought you might have had questions. ‘How exactly are the records of deceased employees referenced in the manuals?’”

Wait a minute.

Right. Of course, [Dark Exploration Records] had the exploration results of dead employees written in it.

That was a given. To create a horror atmosphere, records of exterminated explorers needed to be documented. It’s effective for inciting fear!

Records of items or beings whose existence has been erased are also all intact.

But….

‘Normally, such documents would be recorded from an omniscient perspective, right?’

And the rationale for that is conceptually somewhat rationalized.

Field exploration employees’ exploration records are transmitted to the company upon death.

Like this.

It wasn’t specifically described what items or methods are used for the sake of preventing setting conflicts…

So when I fell here, that gap was simply glossed over naturally.

This was a wiki-based fictional world, after all!

‘But there was such a specific and definite setting value…’

In that moment, all the questions I had brushed aside as ‘that’s just the nature of the world’ came flooding back to my mind.

Could it be that all of them had ‘plausible additional background settings’ too?

In this manner?

My head became a whirlwind of thoughts.

– Doe! The opponent is still looking at you. It seems they want to continue the interview.

‘…!’

– They seem to desire a humble attitude from a star, so let’s focus on that….

Yeah.

Right now, it was time to focus on the conversation.

Luckily, my agitation had only revealed itself at the level of ‘an employee who realized the company’s secret know-how,’ and the director continued with their explanation.

“Based on this recording, it seems Chief Kim Sol-eum has managed to explore and master the darkness in a rather unique way.”

“…….”

It appeared Yoon Jo-hun had recognized I had become a student.

“To become part of an urban legend yourself. ‘Assimilation’ isn’t a standard approach. Because the ordinary are fearful and lack wisdom and cannot discern…”

What a horrifying thing to say…?

“Anyway, such exploration records are collected without any gaps… that’s what I wanted to share.”

Director Cheong looked at me.

“So, what do you think? Is it more systematic than you expected?”

“……”

“I’ve heard there are employees who say this company operates haphazardly.”

This… this was embarrassing.

“I’ve met some of them and it’s mostly sharp-minded folks.”

There was a somewhat kind voice.

“But if you stick around, you’ll realize there’s hardly any company in this world with such clear and rational rewards and punishments.”

“……”

“As long as you’re capable, you can smoothly rise up even after one or two mistakes.”

I definitely didn’t agree.

But Director Cheong seemed to take my silence as “I’ll consider it positively, Director!” and gave a hearty smile.

“Go on. Send my regards to Manager Lee Ja-heon.”

– Friend. Have you heard this proverb? ‘Cream always rises to the top.’

– It means that the excellent will eventually excel anywhere. This is a proverb that perfectly describes the current Friend!

Rather, isn’t it closer to ‘the square peg fit the round hole’…?

I returned to Group D’s office, feeling utterly drained.

I’d read a convincing pseudoscientific book, and now I was realizing that it was reality…

Ultimately, I couldn’t hold back and asked Manager Lee Ja-heon.

“Manager.”

“Yes.”

“What I just did wasn’t an interview.”

“I see.”

“……”

“……”

“Do you need help?”

“Yes.”

“Explain.”

I spilled out everything that had happened as if I were rapping.

What Director Cheong had said, the Dream Collection Device, the vanished Group D employees.

And even the proposal I received!

‘Either way, Manager-level knowledge would likely include information about the Dream Collection Device already.’

Moreover, I knew Manager Lee Ja-heon wasn’t the type to get angry that a newbie received a special offer over him or gaslight me into saying he would become part of the elite team.

Because, you see… he was a lizard.

“I see.”

Sure enough, the lizard just nodded.

“Do you need my advice?”

“Yes.”

“Refuse.”

“…!!”

Just like that, and a conclusion was reached?

“Please tell me the reason.”

“Yes. Director Cheong Dal-rae has a strong ownership mindset towards the company.”

“……”

Does this mean he thinks of the company as his own?

No, wait a minute.

“Did you just say ‘existence’?”

“Yes.”

That’s a very suspicious label.

“…Could it be that Director Cheong isn’t human?”

“I can’t answer that.”

“……”

In essence, that was like saying ‘That’s right!’…

It’s clear that at least something about Director Cheong is fishy.

That’s just what a horror story company director would be like!

“Oh, anyway, please continue.”

“Yes. Therefore, if Director Cheong believes he has the opportunity to subordinate capable entities to his company that he thinks belongs to him, he won’t hesitate.”

“…!”

“There’s a high probability that actions will arise in this process that Chief Kim Sol-eum would find extremely objectionable based on ethical standards.”

Oh my god.

“Don’t take risks. Your chances of being assigned to the elite team within six months are high as well.”

“…But does that mean I’d leave Group D for another one?”

“Yes.”

“……”

“Do you want to stay in Group D?”

“I’d like to, if I can.”

“I see.”

You really don’t seem to care about being a newbie or anything, Manager…

You’re really consistent… No, you’re a lizard.

‘I didn’t expect anything anyway.’

But anyway, since the lizard isn’t trying to trick me, I might as well take him literally.

“Thank you for your kind advice, Team Leader.”

“Yes.”

Hmm.

I hesitated and asked.

“Uh, by the way, Team Leader, don’t you want to become the leader of the elite team?”

“I have no interest.”

So that means it doesn’t matter either way.

That also means it doesn’t help at all with my decision….

‘It’s driving me crazy.’

After a few more conversations with Manager Lee Ja-heon, there was no clear harvest.

I only became deeper in thought.
‘The elite team…’

While Manager Lee Ja-heon had advised me to refuse in the name of logic and reason, work life often runs on irrationality and emotions.

Why does Manager Lee Ja-heon act so hostile towards the company and seem like he would want to kill me whenever he meets the A-team leader?

‘Thank you for the advice, but approaching it that way seems difficult…’

In the first place, the employees of the horror story company seemed like they’d wouldn’t be able to just reject things.

I felt like getting out of it would be impossible, the way I had with the A-team leader. What Director Cheong might have brought up so openly indicates it’s something that could end badly if I did.

“Sigh…”

Why do I have to contemplate all this even after receiving promises of promotion and special treatment…!

‘I really want to get out of the horror story company…!!’

Ultimately, that evening.

I headed home, feeling mentally drained…

“……”

It wasn’t even like I had gone on a dark exploration; I was just holed up in the office writing reports, and yet it felt like my energy had been completely drained.

– Oh dear, my friend seems very tired mentally and physically.

– First, let’s quickly get inside the house. A good performance requires rest, right?

‘…Yeah.’

I’ve met high-up people, heard about the world-setting information, got a crazy proposal…

‘I’m so exhausted…’

I sprawled on the living room couch right after washing up.

– Friend, how about we have a cup of hot chocolate and chat this evening? Let’s relieve the fatigue of the day that way!

Hot chocolate… isn’t available in this house, but a cup of honey water wouldn’t be bad…

I placed Brown on the table, boiled water in the pot, and produced honey water.

Mechanical in nature, I was thinking of continuing light conversations while slightly leaning towards Brown…

– Friend. I have a secret to share.

A secret?

– Indeed. With my professionalism, I’ve hidden it so well that you probably didn’t notice, but the truth is…

After taking a breath, Brown dramatically stated.

– I was quite shocked by what happened last night!

“……”

A secret…?

In any case, the intention to comfort seems unmistakable, so I sincerely responded.

“What was so shocking?”

– ‘A good friend’ will accompany you wherever you wish… But this Brown was unable to do so.