Chapter 164 - Chapter 164

Chapter 164

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Translated by Jinmu

Read more at Nineheavens.org

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‘You're right, Group Leader!’

Since when had it been, that that white reptilian head and vertical pupils started to be so tearfully welcoming.

Seeing the lizard wearing a lizard mask, I almost stood up from my seat.

‘Of course, now wasn't exactly a situation to be that glad, but....’

Still, the memory of having been super-saved in crazy ghost stories thanks to the physically strongest powerhouse was just so intense.

At any rate, Manager Lizard, who seemed to have just returned from the Dark, was starting his report to the research team.

“It took 3 hours and 24 minutes to clear.”

“Ah, um. Manager. To hear the detailed details right now is a bit...”

“?”

“Because there are outsiders here.”

The research team gestured with their eyes to the office that had become a complete mess.

The space littered with nearly thirty injured children, agents, and even groaning Daydream employees.

“I see.”

Even though to Manager Lee Ja-heon's eyes, it must have looked like he cleared the Dark as usual only to find the place filled with civilians instead of employees, there was no agitation at all. Classic Lizard.

However, the concerning part was that no one was following behind him.

‘The researcher definitely said Group D returned.’

Yet Manager Lee Ja-heon was alone.

......Could it be that the assigned employees had all died in an instant?

Regardless of my questions, the interactions between the Daydream Co. employees were continuing.

“Um, Manager. The Dreamscape Collector this way...”

“Yes.”

“Thank you...! Um, please wait for just a moment.”

Processing the Mermaid Tomb side, which had been cleared first, took priority.

Having returned the dreamscape solution to the researcher, Lizard looked around the research team space, which was bustling unlike usual.

Swiping his gaze all the way like that... his crimson eyes locked onto me.

“…….”

No way.

‘Ah, did he recognize me?’

But soon his gaze drifted away, and Manager Lizard silently walked into the center of the office and sat on the meeting sofa.

...It meant he had walked right in among the contaminated, blood-covered children and sat down without a care.

“T-That place is...”

Even the research team stammered.

Because it was a truly extraordinary intensity, the sound of the agents whispering could even be heard.

“...Agent. By any chance, do you know him?”

“Lizard mask? No. If I had seen him once, I would have never forgotten him.”

It seemed Agent Choi was also seeing him for the first time.

Well, that makes sense.

Because Manager Lee Ja-heon—meaning, employee D—was a character who appeared at the point when the Records of the Dark Exploration grew larger and anomalous comedy clears were tolerated.

‘I guess you could say his exploration record category didn't match well with Agent Choi, who mainly active in the early records.’

The children who had finished first aid and regained their energy also peeked at the man wearing the lizard mask.

It would have been nice if it ended there.

As time passed, as a result of the number of such 'children who regained energy' increasing....

“Excuse me. Are we going to see our mom?”

“I-I want to go to the bathroom....”

“Soo-bin says he's hungry!”

Centered around the children who were in relatively okay condition, they looked around, raised their hands, and began to speak.

Although they had a horrific experience in the Twinkling Dragon Palace, at the same time, because they were in that fairy-tale hallucination, they had not lost their innocence.

Furthermore, being left lying painful on the uncomfortable office floor, it was already amazing that the children had held out this long.

“I need to pee....”

But with this, the material for the researchers to lure the children separately was too clearly visible. Damn it.

At any moment, it seemed as if the researchers would try to sort and separate the children under the pretext of 'I will guide you to the restroom, I will guide you to the cafeteria.'

If that happened, the agents would follow closely, but the problem was that because some children would remain, the two agents would end up being split.

‘If the agents are separated one by one, it will become even harder to handle the Daydream employees.’

What's worse, the agents had all used their physical strength to the limit and were covered in contusions across their entire bodies.

Perhaps because this obvious picture was easily anticipated by the agents as well, both of their faces turned slightly cold.

In that case, ...this could not be helped.

‘I must beat them to the punch.’

And the safest employee here is....

‘Only I know.’

Suppressing a sigh, I whispered to one of the children who had said they wanted to go to the bathroom.

“Really? You know where?”

“Yeah.”

Then, the child sprang up, shyly grabbed the pant leg of a person nearby, and asked.

“Excuse me, mister. Where is the bathroom...?”

“…!”

Manager Lee Ja-heon.

The lizard face sitting on the sofa blankly looked back at the child.

“Kids, wait a second...”

I instigated the other children before Agent Choi could speak.

“Do you want to go too?”

“Yeah!”

“Me too!”

Gwak Je-gang was not around, and the employees I knew had all vanished due to treatment and interviews.

Furthermore, because half of my face still bore traces of inflammation and necrosis from the ulcers, the possibility of someone recognizing me was extremely low.

‘I just need to act properly.’

Squeezing among the children, I went to Manager Lee Ja-heon and asked as much like the other children as possible.

“Mister, can you take us to the bathroom?”

“Yes.”

The children who flocked over also sparkled their eyes.

“Are you going to guide us?”

“Yes.”

And when Manager Lee Ja-heon stood up, only then did the children giggle, clinging to his thighs and back.

“Wow!”

Only then did I give a small nod to the two agents.

It meant that if things went wrong on the way, I would scream to signal danger.

Perhaps realizing that I had chosen the 'safest' employee, Agent Bronze stayed quiet, looking complicated.

“We're going out!”

In any case, thanks to that, Manager Lee Ja-heon began to walk down the hallway like a lizard playing the flute, trailing six or seven children.

And fortunately, there were no other variables until they safely finished using the nearby bathroom.

‘Whew.’

After helping the children who were too young to easily use the bathroom on their own, I washed my hands with cold water at the sink, trying to pull myself together.

‘It's inconvenient with only one hand.’

And using this familiar company sink again, I felt like I was going to lose my mind.

‘I want to collapse onto a bed....’

I finished washing my hands, suppressing my fatigue.

And Manager Lee Ja-heon quietly drew beside me.

Could he be trying to care for me as a child....

“Noru-ssi.”

I almost struck the lizard's head with my single remaining hand.

“Anti-wiretapping equipment is currently active. The conversation will not be leaked externally.”

Whew.

Turning on the faucet with trembling hands, I lowered my voice and asked.

“How did you recognize me? I mean, I have no arm right now and my age group has changed....”

“? Yes. I judged it to be the age change and physical loss of the identical individual.”

“…….”

Let's move on.

Since he is a reptilian alien who shoots Holy Fire Bombardment, he must have a different method of analysis....

“In any case, thank you for your help. My identity almost fell into the hands of the research team.”

“I see.”

“Even when returning to the room, I hope you support us so that the children do not follow the researchers midway.”

“Yes.”

Lizard stared into the empty air for a moment with his lidless eyes, then returned.

...Since the children hadn't come out of the bathroom yet, there would be enough time for this degree of conversation.

I hesitated slightly, then asked.

“Have you been doing well, Group Leader? I'd like to ask if the newly assigned employee in Group D is okay, and if the Dark explorations are fine....”

“There are no newly assigned employees.”

“…!”

“Currently, Group D is assigned to single-entry Darks, and there are no unusual findings.”

“...I see.”

...It meant Lee Ja-heon was working alone.

‘He has been abandoned.’

Just as the group had been promoted to an elite team and was about to be run as a pilot, I, the key figure who struck a deal involving directorship and promotion, was processed as missing and dead.

Ultimately, Group D drifted away like a kite with its string cut.

So even if the company was dilly-dallying, unable to do anything about the group itself, and had left it abandoned for months, it was not strange at all, but....

Because it was realistic, my mouth somehow felt more bitter.

‘There must have been some gossip going around.’

Even if the lizard group leader was of a personality that didn't care about such things at all.

`…….`

“Um, Group Leader.”

I opened my mouth before I knew it.

“By any chance, if I make a purchase in the Space Shopping Mall, does it help you?”

“The purchase performance in the Space Shopping Mall is not directly related to Manager Lee Ja-heon's life.”

However.

His muzzle drew a slightly friendly line.

“But it helps us.”

It was a strange reference.

‘...“We Help” comes to mind.’

At any rate, I grasped the meaning that it was of indirect help.

In that case.

“Do I absolutely have to use cash to use the shopping mall?”

“No.”

“…! Then is barter exchange of items also possible?”

“No.”

Damn it.

“Then how do I use other means of payment?”

“Use a VIP Card. I will terminate the conversation. Someone is approaching.”

I understood the sentences in sequence.

Slide!

The opaque glass door of the bathroom opened, and someone walked in toward the sinks with a cheerful stride.

“Oh~ what pleasant conversation were you having with the child?”

Gwak Je-gang.

“I guided him to the bathroom.”

“Ah, physiological phenomenon! Important, indeed~ especially so for children.”

Wearing a white gown, Gwak Je-gang lowered his body as if to match my eye level.

‘Damn it!’

Pretending to be terrified, I deliberately lowered my head deeply and backed away.

Gwak Je-gang's voice grew quieter as if secretly offering a special benefit.

“Shall we go with ahjussi? Eating delicious cookies, playing with friends at the playground, and resting well~”

“…….”

“Let's take only the friends who are here right now. Just you guys, specially, and no other friends.”

“...I want to go see my mom and dad.”

“Yes! I'm telling you, you can see your mom and dad too.”

This bastard, seriously.

“No. Ahjussi is scary and ugly....”

“…!!”

Hearing the children coming out, I hid behind Manager Lee Ja-heon.

“Scary!”

“What is it? What's wrong?”

“He says he's scared!”

“That ahjussi must be scary....”

Young children catch moods quickly and easily. Public opinion was formed in an instant, and they all hesitated, backing away from the scary white-gowned man and crowding behind the kind mister.

“Well, it's not like I look as good as Manager Lee, but still, in my own way... ah, this is truly embarrassing.”

Seeing Lizard with children hanging all over him, Gwak Je-gang scratched the back of his head.

Regret and obsession flashed in his eyes.

“Manager Lee, by any chance, would you mind coaxing the kids...”

“?”

“I should ask for something reasonable. Good grief.”

Gwak Je-gang smacked his lips, but ultimately turned his steps... and left the bathroom.

Click.

The moment the bathroom door closed, the sound of several children letting out sighs of relief before they knew it was heard.

...Such a thought occurred.

That perhaps the children hadn't merely caught the mood, but had instinctively sensed a harmful person.......

“Let's go.”

“Yeah.”

Manager Lee Ja-heon once again became a lizard playing the flute, returning to the lab with the children.

With the agents who had been watching the door tensely letting out short sighs of relief, the suffocating tension wrapped up slightly.

...Thank you.

I nodded to Manager Lee Ja-heon without showing it, and the manager kept his seat on the sofa with a still expressionless reptilian face, guarding the spot....

And one or two hours later.

“...The Disaster Management Bureau folks have arrived.”

The backup they were waiting for had arrived.

* * *

The events afterward were smoother than expected.

As soon as the Disaster Management Bureau received Agent Choi's emergency message, they came to Daydream Co. even mobilizing rescue vehicles, and seeing them ready to blow things up as much as possible, the research team eventually took a step back.

“We will simply harvest samples. That isn't harmful to anyone, so it should be fine, right?”

Agent Bronze almost went as far as exploding, but in the end, the harvesting of the 'baby mermaid' biological tissues did take place....

‘Since they are scraping it from the cross section of the severed tail.’

That degree of scraping did not harm the children.

The slightly concerning part was that they had also cut a piece of my flesh... let us quickly contact Director Ho so this can be handled.

The important thing was.

“Wow!!”

That we had finally escaped from the ghost story.

“Dear me, the children are all asleep.”

The children were fast asleep.

The children, who had split up to ride in the ambulances sent by the Disaster Management Bureau, were transported to headquarters in an instant.

And they washed clean, received treatment from medical experts, changed clothes, and ate.

And after that, perhaps due to the fatigue from the previous spectacular experience, only then did they barely fall fast asleep.

‘...Thank goodness.’

Of course, the agents likewise could finally shower with hot water and have a meal.

“Grape has also finally returned to being an adult.”

The same went for me.

Feeling a sense of stability in my right arm, which returned due to the urgently charged Dokkaebi Fire, and my entire body, which returned to an adult male body as original, I leaned my body against the sofa.

It was strange that the waiting room of Black Tortoise Team 1 felt incomparably cozy.

Then again, since it originally felt as cozy as a club room, it might be only natural....

“There's no telling what that company might have done again.”

“I know.”

My hazy mind caught the conversation the agents beside me were having.

Agent Bronze seemed to suspect whether Daydream Co. had played some other tricks....

“Actually, I got a call from the analysis team... about the medicine fed to the kids. It seems there was some Daydream potion mixed in that would transport them 'somewhere' once they fell asleep.”

“…!”

My mind flashed awake.

“I thought it was suspicious that they seemed to 'select' the medicine when giving it to the kids with severe mutations, so I kept an eye on it.”

“Is it currently removed?”

“Of course!”

Whew.

And Agent Choi tapped my shoulder.

“Grape suffered a lot earlier too. Pinpointing an employee who hadn't joined the conspiracy yet, and making him actually take you to the bathroom in all the confusion!”

“……yes.”

At this, Agent Bronze was trying his utmost to avoid making eye contact with me or Agent Choi, even by mistake.

Thank you, Agent....

“Then now... we should go fix that. Right?”

Hm?

Agent Choi suddenly pointed at me. Ah, to be precise... at my half of the face that still bore the traces of the ulcers.

Yes. Even after returning to his original appearance, the traces of this infection had not disappeared.

However, because the mental contamination of being assimilated into the ghost story seemed cured by the conch shell, he had been less conscious of it until now.

“Then if we go to the infirmary...”

“Eh, no. There is a faster way than that.”

Agent Choi stood up from his seat. Agent Bronze also stood up from the sofa without a word, and they turned to look at me and smiled.

“Let's go directly see the Elder.”

“……!”