Originally, office workers are said to carry a resignation letter in their hearts at all times (whether physically or mentally).

But usually, they keep it hidden…

‘And you’re telling this to a newbie?’

Moreover, it’s the direct superior saying this.

“I’ve almost collected all my points. Don’t go around spreading it.”

“……”

With Deputy Manager Eun Hajae’s personality, I thought she’d go about her duties without changing her expression until the day she quit and only let us know on that day.

“Are you sure it’s okay to tell me this?”

“Well, it’s not exactly bad news, is it? Anyway, there are plenty of people in this company who blabber about how many points they’ve gathered…”

She patted my shoulder firmly.

“I just wanted to let the people in my team know in advance.”

“Sob, I’m so moved, senior!”

“Cut it out.”

I glanced at Supervisor Park Minseong, who had come over and was fussing about. He must’ve already known about this.

‘Is it because of the company’s nature?’

Considering this job is all about risking one’s life—mentally playing Russian roulette with work—to achieve an otherwise impossible, desperate wish, it made sense.

Everyone wants to escape eventually, so there’s no need to hide it desperately.

Though, having such a considerate direct superior leaving was a bit regretful… it was ultimately a good thing for her, so it’s something to celebrate.

Still, I had a question.

“Deputy Manager.”

“Yeah?”

“Does this mean you’ve gathered all 500,000 points?”

“What?! 500,000?!”

Eun Hajae looked startled but then let out a knowing chuckle.

“Oh, did you think I was aiming for a wish token?”

“…?”

Well, wasn’t that obvious?

It’d be harder to find someone here who wasn’t after that.

“Oh. When I first joined, that was my goal too, but after looking into it, there are other ways to make it work.”

“…!”

Ah.

‘I see.’

Come to think of it, there were cases where you didn’t necessarily need a wish token.

‘If you can fulfill your wish with something from the employee points mall, that’s enough.’

“All I need is one of the high-tier magical potions from this company.”

As expected.

“…May I ask how many points it costs?”

“170,000. I’ve got less than 5,000 left to go. Well… thanks to some of the points I got because of you, I’ll only need to work a few more months.”

She winked playfully—an unusual gesture for her.

“I’ll talk to the team leader and try to keep you here until the next regular personnel reshuffle.”

That meant I’d naturally remain in Team D afterward.

Since she’d be leaving, the headcount would balance out.

‘That’s a very considerate suggestion.’

The fact that she seemed confident I’d want to stay in this team made it even more impressive.

“Senior, before you leave, we need to have a proper farewell party… and keep in touch even after you’re gone. Let’s go watch a baseball game or something!”

“Of course. Hey, you just need to hang in there for a few years too.”

“Me? No way. I’m stuck saving up the full 500,000 points.”

Though he scratched his head, the supervisor still looked cheerful.

“Anyway… this means Roe gets to stay in our team!”

“That depends on the team leader.”

When the ‘team leader,’ who had just finished a department-level meeting, returned, he confirmed it coolly.

“Yes. The odds are in your favor.”

“Whoa!”

“It’s a matter of probability. Do not plan your work assuming you will remain.”

“…There you have it, Roe.”

“Yes…”

So cold, so lizard-like.

“In any case, congratulations, Deputy Manager Eun.”

“Thanks.”

Eun Haje smiled and went out to smoke. Her retreating figure already seemed relieved.

‘…What happens to employees after they resign?’

There weren’t any rumors about their rights being stripped or them being locked up in a lab for confidentiality, or anything shady like that.

‘There’ve been cases of employees retiring gracefully.’

Like one of those universally loved employees that everyone on the company wiki has a soft spot for, the ones who are given a good ending no matter what.

‘…I hope it’s the same for her.’

After a brief prayer, I returned to my tasks.

Which meant receiving new assignments from the team leader, who had just wrapped up the meeting.

“The next exploration involves a C-Grade Darkness classified as a ‘Spider.’ Its manual is completely documented.”

“Oh… So, we’ll earn 600–700 points each?”

“Yes.”

“Roe, it’s good that we worked hard and saved up points during those heavy workloads.”

The influx of “new darkness manual completion” tasks, which had been almost exclusive to Team D, was finally slowing down.

“New darknesses usually come in waves. The research team rushes to register them near the end of the submission deadline.”

“Ah.”

It really is… like a proper company.

Of course, pointing this out as a rookie wouldn’t do me any favors.

I smiled and said.

“Then it looks like we’ll get to work relatively safely for a while.”

“Exactly! That positivity of yours, Roe, is great!”

Supervisor park laughed and handed me a tablet with the manual PDF open.

“Even with a manual, it’s still C-Grade, so don’t get careless. Let us know once you’ve fully reviewed it.”

“Yes.”

“By the way, it’s a task where we just need to endure in one location for a day.”

Hmm.

I took the tablet and began reading.

The official manual, written in a calm tone, followed the same format as usual.

It resembled the <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration> wiki, meaning it used the data gathered, to provide detailed, quantified information.

‘Let’s see.’

A ghost story about a space you might wander into if you take a wrong turn in a building with many vacant units. On the internet, it’s categorized as a type of ‘backroom’…

“……”

Reading the next paragraph, a strong sense of foreboding struck me.

‘This is…’

For months now, I’d been deducing the identity of ghost stories through the manuals based on <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>.

I wasn’t surprised anymore.

But this… was still shocking.

Usually, something like this meant a mass slaughter or a guaranteed death scenario for me, like the <Tuesday Quiz Show>.

But this time, it was different.

In a new and unsettling way.

‘This… is a good thing!’

Oh my gosh, it’s a wholesome ghost story!

If we measured its scare factor, it’d probably be a zero. Even a coward could handle this calmly if they knew all the spoilers in advance.

Then why is it classified as a C-Grade phenomenon?

‘Because Daydream Inc. made a mistake and misclassified it!’

This was a story meant to be enjoyed for its humor.

A so-called "misconception-based ghost story!"

It looks dangerous but is actually a very gentle and mild supernatural phenomenon. It’s a safe and friendly ghost story that people misinterpret because of their preconceived notions, making it unintentionally funny.

‘Honestly, it’s more like a magical experience than a ghost story….’

Naturally, there weren’t many cases like this in the <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>.

My heart started to race a little.

I’m going into that place?

‘Hold on.’

If I play my cards right…

‘Not just my mood, but my whole life could turn out warmer and fuzzier!’

My mind started working quickly.

To make that happen, there was one thing I definitely needed.

That was…

“There’s plenty of time since we’re going in tomorrow afternoon. Take your time and read up on it. Not that someone like you, Roe, even needs this briefing!”

“If that’s the case… would it be okay for me to step out briefly during lunch tomorrow?”

“Huh? Well, neither the team leader nor the deputy manager are the kind to mind something like that, but why? If it’s a doctor’s appointment, I’ll make sure you get plenty of time.”

“Oh, no, it’s not that. I just…”

I mentally checked my bank account balance and made a note.

“I need to buy something quickly.”

“…?”

To make the most of this wholesome ghost story, there was something I needed to prepare.

Something very expensive!

* * *

And so, the next day after lunch.

We were on our way to the location in the deputy manager’s car.

To the place where the darkness was confined.

“Did you get what you wanted to?”

“Yes.”

The “expensive thing” I had bought during my lunch break was securely packed in my briefcase.

The deputy manager, in the driver’s seat, glanced back.

“Roe, is this your first time entering a place where urban legends manifest as an actual physical location, instead of touching some strange objects, right?”

Not really. Just the other day, I went into some mountain lodge, carried around chopped-up body parts, and pretended to be a serial killer. Nearly threw up, too.

…But no need to bring that up.

“Yes, it seems like this is my first field assignment.”

“Haha, you’re still in your twenties, right, Roe? This must be your first job.”

The atmosphere was relatively warm as we made the trip without any issues.

We even exchanged some casual small talk.

“Did you know? Our team leader broke the steering wheel three times during operations. Unless there’s a zombie apocalypse, he probably won’t ever sit in the driver’s seat again… or so the rumor goes.”

“……”

Hmm. Better not ask about that directly.

Anyway, after about 40 minutes of smooth driving, we arrived at our destination.

“We’re here.”

A commercial district in the suburbs near Seoul.

It was an old “new town” that had lost much of its population after a real estate boom had passed and new urban development had taken place elsewhere, leaving it desolate and empty.

The windows of many vacant properties were plastered with real estate ads displaying contact numbers for sale or rent.

“Apparently, one of the buildings here is the urban legend. If you enter during a sunny day when the sunset is just right, strange things are supposed to happen.”

“Yes.”

The superiors kindly recapped the manual’s information as we approached a specific building in the complex.

“It looks like the security team is blocking civilian access with some sort of equipment. They’ll recognize our masks and let us in.”

Hmm.

“Be careful once you’re inside.”

The supervisor lowered his voice and spoke seriously.

“There are plenty of grim records, so be sure to stay alert.”

“……”

Are you talking about this?

-------------------------------

Exploration Record #12

An employee (Jung Sejong) found a shop operating in Room 404 next to the emergency exit on the 4th floor. The sign read ■■■ Cafe.

However, as they approached, strange noises that shouldn’t come from a cafe began to echo—barking, shouting, the howling of beasts, all overlapping and growing louder.

When the employee stopped in front of the door, the sounds suddenly seemed to charge toward them.

Panicked, the employee fled down the emergency stairs just as the door was about to open, narrowly escaping but later losing consciousness after a loud noise.

They were found unconscious outside the shopping area with severe injuries, including bilateral open fractures of the legs and a serious back injury, leading to permanent leave. The employee also reported ongoing PTSD.

-------------------------------

At first glance, it seems eerie and horrifying.

But did you notice?

‘That’s just… a pet-friendly cafe.’

The employee, scared by dog noises, panicked and ran down the stairs, only to fall and get severely injured. The ghost story kindly “ejected” them outside afterward…

This darkness was just a place where old shops still operated as if they were in their prime. That’s the biggest “weirdness” about it.

But watching explorers freak out, misinterpret everything, and mess up made this a story to chuckle at.

And right now, those very explorers were busy giving me advice…

“Stay cautious. There are records of this place causing harm to those who enter.”

No, there aren’t.

“Especially, don’t lose consciousness. People tend to end up seriously injured.”

Even if you lose consciousness and get seriously injured, the place politely kicks you out once business hours end…

This area is literally just a shopping mall that closes up politely after hours.

Still, I refrained from saying anything to avoid them jumping to wild conclusions like, “Oh, this ghost story also messes with your mind!” and spiraling into absurd paranoia.

Instead, I eagerly nodded when they proposed distributing communication devices and splitting up for a more efficient exploration.

“Will you be okay on your own, Roe?”

“Yes.”

Normally, I’d cling to someone’s coattails out of fear, but today is my day to shine as a brave soul!

“Contact us immediately if anything happens.”

“Understood.”

I carried the radio handed to me by the security team (oddly reminiscent of the toy walkie-talkies sold in alien-themed stores) and started walking.

“– So, is there a specific shop you want to visit? It seems a few are still operational.”

You know what?

That’s the right question.

‘Though I’ll have to approach in a rather peculiar way…’

Because of the warped space here, the floors and directions were a mess. But there was a pattern to it.

And one such pattern is.

When taking the elevator from the 7th floor, a button for the basement appears occasionally.

After a few tries, I finally found the button labeled “B1”.

“– Ah, a hidden location? It reminds me of that elegant exhibition!”

Did you really have to bring that up?

I still have nightmares about being trapped in the basement of that exhibition, wandering in circles unable to find the exit, encountering that spider-like machine, and getting my organs gouged out…!

‘This is a friendly place… It’s a friendly place…’

I tried my best to shake off the nightmare and pressed the button.

Ding.

When the doors opened, a basement parking lot came into view.

‘Someone fainted here once because a car honked, I think?’

But that’s not the point.

I followed the instructions I remembered:

‘Turn left three times.’

As I circled the parking lot, a previously unseen zone number appeared.

A19.

That meant I was almost there.

With an excited heart, I walked on.

Beside this parking zone was a door leading into the mall. Instead of heading for the elevators, I looked to the side and spotted a small shop.

And there it was.

Moonlight Tattoo Shop

The magical place.