Daydream Corporation.

A pharmaceutical company that mass-produces miraculous potions that grant wishes—something beyond comprehension.

And its raw material? Ghost story.

…That was all the information available when Daydream Corporation first appeared in Chronicles of Darkness Exploration.

With no explanations, people could only imagine. Its bizarre technology, its mystique, its cruelty—the unknown sent chills down their spines.

But as the wiki expanded, so did the breadcrumbs.

‘More backstory got attached.’

Of course, Daydream Corporation couldn’t have simply materialized out of thin air, complete with its enigmatic pharmaceutical technology.

Even if it seemed that way, one had to be able to piece together its origins and history upon deeper investigation… because that made the story more intriguing and thrilling.

As time passed, cryptic exploration logs were added to Chronicles of Darkness Exploration, and readers began forming conspiracy theories and making deductions about Daydream.

“ – What exactly is Daydream Corporation?”

And the place I am visiting now… is proof of Conspiracy Theory No. 2.

Conspiracy Theory No. 2: Daydream Corporation was not originally a pharmaceutical company.

The true origin of Daydream Corporation's pharmaceutical technology.

“…Haa.”

Swallowing my saliva, I began to look around the 'Dream Incubation Room'.

The dust-covered laboratory looked like an abandoned science room in a closed school or an old lab left behind after the end of the world.

Everything looked dead.

A workbench and laboratory equipment, beakers, and a display case filled with unknown liquid.

And… the massive machine in the center.

“…….”

It was an old experimental machine from the 2000s, with buttons and a keyboard panel below an empty glass chamber that wasn’t powered on.

Dream Incubator

And next to it, a laboratory journal lay open.

It was the very thing mentioned in the exploration records.

I unfolded the worn-out paper and began to read.

Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived 

Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived

Deceived DeceivWE WERE DECEIVEDDeceived Deceived

Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived

Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived

Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived

Every page.

The experimental records, which were originally written neatly, had been thoroughly torn apart one by one.

Filth, blood, ink, and jagged pencil marks, along with madness and obsession, were smeared all over the pages…

"Hmph."

I threw the experiment log down as if tossing it away.

And then, I took a deep breath.

"I thought I could handle it."

It was impossible.

Giving up without restoring the buried text below was…

It wasn’t a technique from <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration> that blocks information to create an atmospheric setting; rather, it was something truly impossible to do.

“…….”

I recalled.

The responses of an employee during the company’s interrogation, who had successfully conducted a trade by chance at the 'Faceless Market' beneath the manhole without revealing their status as a company worker.

■■ Deputy Manager: Yes! I found it. That machine, though old, still seemed to function properly. There seemed to be Dream Essence and certain classified dark-related information as well. Just in case it might fall into an outsider’s hands, I quickly… huh?

■■ Assistant Manager: ……That facility wasn't owned by our company? …No way, it wasn’t just swallowed by the darkness and met its end, but the company…… Wait, hold on. Why are you bringing that to me…

…This record ends with the company successfully 'disposing of' this anonymous employee.

“……”

A chill runs down my spine.

In the silent laboratory, something eerie can be felt.

I want to turn around and run away immediately…

‘No!!’

Let's move on to the next step.

I clenched my teeth and cast my gaze behind the machine.

I saw the spot where the office desk and the recording PC were… but under the chair, something heavy had tumbled down.

It was a corpse.

I already knew, yet I still gasped.

The corpse, which seemed to have just fallen from the desk, was eerily dried up, as if it had died long ago.

However, I understood what had happened.

Analysis results confirmed that the bodily functions of the corpse had already ceased five years ago.

It is presumed that, through some means of suspension, only minimal life signs had been maintained.

The last researcher of this incubation chamber, who forcibly prolonged life signs until the note beneath the mantle reached someone.

"The owner of the arm I made a deal with."

"……"

I retrieved the specialized equipment coin, which I had paid as a price, from the person's left hand that was missing a pinky finger.

And then, I carefully picked up the keycard hanging around their neck.

Researcher Yu Kwae

■■■■

Over the smudged name, the words 'Must not be found' were pressed in with a worn-out ballpoint pen tip.

But I could still read the first few letters of the researcher's name.

‘…Yu Kwae?’

Something instinctively tried to surface in my mind, but for now, I suppress it.

"…Hoo."

If I search this place further, I might uncover the hidden circumstances or origins of Daydream Corporation.

But I have no idea what might jump out…

Even just from the experiment logs earlier, something felt off.

For now, let’s only touch what has been verified.

I returned to the central device known as the 'Body Incubator'.

Even within the <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>, there were no specific operation logs, but it clearly looked like an 'old prototype’.

Even though there were no specific operational records in the <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration> , it was clearly described as 'looking like an old prototype' and noted as being in a 'normally usable condition'.

All that's left is to piece together the necessary parts.

"Hoo."

First, I picked up the keycard I retrieved from the dead researcher.

Then, fumbling around the 'Body Incubator,' I found a slot on the outer edge of the front panel.

'Is it here?'

I inserted the keycard into it.

Ziiiiiing—

"…!"

Red and blue lights illuminate the machine.

A massive experimental machine in the abandoned lab, its lights flickering as if it had come back to life.

And at the top, a glass chamber was installed.

'…Is there something inside?'

Something round… seemed to be placed at the center of the glass chamber.

'That might be the core component.'

In any case, the 'Body Incubator' had successfully restarted.

Along with the numbers displayed on the small panel next to the glass chamber.

DE 0000000

Let's move on to the next action.

I opened the end valve of a small pipe connected to the glass chamber.

Inside, there was a strange hole.

'…This is it.'

I rummaged through my coat and took out what I had prepared.

Something I had kept since I took it from the goods box, unable to use it in any situation.

Since it oxidizes upon exposure to air and loses its effectiveness, I had never dared to touch it until now.

“ – A-grade or higher Dream Essence.”

A golden essence, shimmering like a hologram, filled the elite-class dream essence collector of Daydream Corporation.

Finally, I use what was charged at the moment of escape from Braun's Talk Show.

I inserted the pointed tip of the collector into the slot at the end of the pipe.

Puk.

It fits perfectly, as if it were meant to be.

And then… the essence gets sucked in.

"…!"

The iridescent essence flowed through the pipe, filling the transparent glass chamber in an almost overwhelming manner.

'Was there really this much of it?'

An amount of essence that was hard to believe had fit inside a palm-sized cylinder now filled a quarter of the glass chamber, gently sloshing around.

Then, under the shimmering light of the essence, the silhouette of something in the center of the glass chamber was briefly revealed.

'…An egg?'

It’s was something crimson-colored, about five times the size of an egg.

A strange shape seemed to flicker inside the pulsating egg, but it was soon engulfed by the iridescent golden A-grade essence, disappearing completely.

And then...

DE 0000001

The numbers on the panel increased.

With the sound of the machine whirring back to life, the rapidly shifting panel finally…

DE 00158313

I stopped here.

"Hoo."

I did it. Success.

'I have successfully infused the dream essence into the machine…!'

The numbers resembled some sort of redeemable points, making me wonder if Daydream's point system was inspired by this. But that thought quickly passed—it wasn’t important right now.

What mattered was that everything had proceeded exactly as I had expected.

Now, all that’s left is to use it.

"……."

I focused on the buttons below the panel.

…They are emojis.

Among the dozens of emojis, only these were properly lit.

'Is it a material shortage?'

Or is it just a limitation of the machine itself? I don’t know.

Anyway, after much deliberation, I clicked on the one that seemed the safest and most useful.

A humorous emoji that looked as if it were observing something.

The button lights up….

DE 00158313

DE 00148313

The numbers on the panel decrease, and the machine activates.

Wuuuuuung!

With the sound of the motor spinning, the liquid inside the glass chamber is sucked downward. As the machine vibrates, my body trembles slightly…

Tuk.

The lower part of the machine opens, revealing a cylindrical transparent glass bottle.

"……!!"

With trembling hands, I picked it up.

A bright purple liquid swirls inside the glass bottle, shimmering mysteriously…

Even the label, printed on grid paper, was included.

Children’s Detective Syrup (Cherry Flavor)

★★★

A familiar color.

And from the emojis and that name, I could make a guess.

'Daydream Corporation's detection potion…!'

Detection Potion

When consumed, it enhances your vision, allowing you to see what you need the most at this moment.

Judging by the color, it seemed to be at least C-grade.

Even though the name was different, I was certain its effects were similar.

However, there was one particularly intriguing point…

'This is a discontinued potion.'

That’s right.

It was a potion that Daydream Corporation no longer manufactured.

Of course, even in welfare stores, this item is unavailable for purchase.

Anyway, for now, this is an item that can only be obtained from this prototype machine…!

'The amount I charged has far exceeded 150,000 points.'

Since only 10,000 points were consumed for this potion, I could now try clicking all the remaining emoji buttons as well.

'Alright, then next…'

At that moment.

The text on the panel changed.

06 / 23:59:54

And then, the overall lights of the 'Body Incubator' dimmed, as if entering power-saving mode.

'…Is this a reuse countdown?'

It could only be used once a week. A limitation fitting for a prototype.

"Hoo."

In a way, it was a relief. If I had gotten too excited and randomly pressed a button, I might have wasted the precious dream essence I had just charged.

'Let’s think this through a bit more.'

I decided to take a closer look at the now-powered-down machine.

Of course, what was revealed at first glance was a plain and bulky exterior shell, so I focused more on observing its user interface.

Especially the buttons.

'These must correspond to different potions.'

I saw emojis combined with various shapes—masks, demons, thermometers, money. Each could be matched with different potions from Daydream Corporation.

But there was just one thing missing.

'…There doesn’t seem to be anything that looks like a Wish Token.'

Yeah.

The emoji that resembled the potion, which could be considered the essence of Daydream Corporation, was nowhere to be found.

'…Could this be it?'

I discovered a strange mark at the very bottom.

𓋪

It looked as if a button had been forcibly removed from its place.

……I can’t be certain.

Moving based on mere speculation was too risky in a world filled with ghost stories.

'…Could another employee have figured something out?'

If I accompany someone who has worked at the company longer than I have, I might be able to safely uncover more hints here.

Of course, sharing unnecessary secrets might end up putting both of us in danger…

'There must be someone who doesn’t care about that sort of thing.'

I was considering a few candidates when I stopped.

Since my job had turned into industrial espionage, things wouldn’t be easy. But by the time this espionage mission was over, the Wish Token would already be in

my hands.

'Postpone.'

For now, let’s be satisfied with having created a way to use the Dream Essence just for myself.

I took the 'Children’s Detective Syrup' and stepped outside.

"Hoo."

Since the harvest was significant, I didn’t feel too bad.

However, as I stared at the manhole cover, a creeping sense of worry started to set in.

Agent Choi, who took the note.

'Could he also deduce and track me down just like I did?'

Or perhaps they’ve already been tracking my whereabouts.

However, inside that marketplace, there was no way to track which manhole I would emerge from, and no matter how I thought about it, trying to deduce the

correct answer from the note while being trapped in the fixed mindset of ghost stories seemed nearly impossible.

Even in <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>, it took a former Daydream Corporation employee three months to decode this cipher after obtaining it.

And even that was just by chance.

'If one is fixated on the idea that this is tied to a ghost story, then it’s only natural to be stuck…'

Still, I felt uneasy, so I decided to take some temporary precautions.

“This should be enough.”

After consuming the 3,000-point potion purchased from the welfare store, I closed the manhole cover.

Gatekeeper Potion

The first door you close after consuming this potion can only be opened by someone whom you personally inform of its location.

It was also referred to as a secret potion.

Strangely, it reminded me of what Director Ho had done, which made me feel a little uneasy, but the relief outweighed the discomfort.

"Good."

Daydream Corporation didn’t have some crazy system that tracked the location of every potion use, so this was somewhat reassuring.

What’s left now…? Returning to the Disaster Management Bureau and diving back into ghost stories?

I trudged back toward the infirmary, feeling dejected with every step.

'My life…'

But at least now, diving into ghost stories came with some extra profit, so that made things slightly better.

Since I could now collect Dream Essence.

Not to return to the company, but for my own use!

"Let’s stay strong."

After briefly touching the empty team collection device I would soon refill, I successfully returned to the infirmary.

And then, a few days later.

"…You’ve worked hard."

"Ah, no, not at all."

I was finally discharged and returned to my temporary agent duties.

“As previously mentioned, you have been assigned to general duties instead of the Deployment Rescue Unit’s dedicated tasks.”

"Thank you…!"

Listening to the instructions of Agent Bronze, I nearly burst into tears.

“…This time, there won’t be any dangerous tasks like before. The civilian rescue operation is over, and all that’s left is some simple finishing work at the site.”

Everything was beautiful.

Yeah, sometimes a person needs a more relaxed task like this…

"At 2 a.m., all you have to do is let the ghost sit in the passenger seat and drive."

"……."

Excuse me?