...The situation was quickly resolved afterward.
No, to be precise, it couldn’t not be resolved.
That’s because the lizard became suspicious of my earlier actions.
– Roe Deer, were those questions last night meant to mistake me for a ghost and engage in a long conversation with one?
That moment truly sent chills down my spine.
– …How could that be? I was simply startled by the backhand clapping and kept both possibilities in mind.
And then, I respectfully gave my superior a conceptual thumbs-up.
In other words, I smoothed it over with flattery.
– I couldn’t risk misunderstanding you as a ghost and missing out on my first deep conversation with you.
– I see.
– Thank you for kindly consulting with me for such a long time.
– You're welcome.
Phew.
For the record, the people in Team C, who had slept soundly through the night, woke up before Manager Lee Jaheon and I left.
And then they laughed heartily.
"Ah~ Of all people, it had to be you two. What luck."
"Wow, that must’ve been really scary for you."
"Yeah, totally spine-chilling~"
Lies!
Watching them laugh heartily while recalling the antics of the ghosts mimicking them, I was once again reminded of how audacious the so-called elites of this company were.
Oh, before I forget.
‘This might be a chance to find out who referred the Salmon Market.’
"Excuse me, could I get your names?"
"Of course!"
Supervisor Dolphin raised her hand enthusiastically.
"I’m Supervisor Lee Seonghae, and that over there is Deputy Manager Kang Dojun."
"…"
Huh?
Wait a minute.
The deputy manager who introduced me to the Salmon Market was… oh!
"Is your team leader’s name Lee Kangheon, by any chance?"
"Huh? No."
"…"
‘I’ve been tricked.’
I thought it was too easy for them to share their personal information, turns out it was all a lie.
‘Were they banking on the fact that elite teams A, B, and C can’t have their names or contact information looked up via the internal company network by regular teams?’
Well, it wasn’t a big deal. It just made me glad I had taken the extra step to create a bypass account.
Just as I was about to wrap up the conversation with something like, "Looks like I misunderstood," a moment arose.
"Excuse me, Supervisor Roe Deer."
While Deputy Manager Kang was chatting with Manager Lee Jaheon, Supervisor Dolphin suddenly turned to me and spoke quietly.
"By any chance... have you received a KaTalk message saying you could make money?"
"…!!"
"From someone with a profile picture of a Hawaiian beach."
"Is this person famous?"
"They’re somewhat known among certain circles."
Supervisor Dolphin glanced at the other employees, making sure no one was paying attention before continuing quickly.
"You see, I was the top rookie when I joined the company, too."
Ah.
"I got a message as well. You know, about that… fish bears eat a lot… oh, damn, Salmon Market! Yeah, the Salmon Market."
Looks like she took the bait for the phishing scam too…
"I’ve heard some promising people got the same message!"
According to their explanation, while the identities of the senders varied, two things were always consistent.
[K.LEE: Oh, hi there, employee lololol]
The profile picture and the name "K.LEE."
Supervisor Dolphin whispered conspiratorially.
"Can I share my theory with you?"
"Of course."
"I think the site admin sent those messages, no matter how I look at it. They’re probably trying to promote their secondhand goods website and find people to sell real darkness items for them!"
Oh.
"Do you think a company employee created the site?"
"I think they’re at least connected to it! They knew way too much about the field exploration teams."
I see.
I rubbed my chin thoughtfully.
‘If there really is an employee doing such things…’
They’d probably be a notable figure.
I mentally narrowed down a few people from the employee wiki who seemed capable of pulling something like that.
"Thank you. That cleared up some doubts I had."
"No problem."
Supervisor Dolphin shrugged with a smile.
"By the way, are there really that many employees using the Salmon Market?"
"Quite a few, actually. The company doesn’t care as long as we don’t sell Dream Essence Collectors or our masks. It’s like they tolerate looting to boost morale during wartime. Ugh."
Supervisor Dolphin grumbled.
"Seriously, this company is so frustrating."
I found myself nodding unconsciously.
"They do seem to have a tendency to downplay human casualties."
"Oh, well, humans dying is eco-friendly, so that part doesn’t bother me."
"…"
"The issue is that they seem to kill people completely at random. If it were me, I’d just get rid of people based on their character. Ugh."
I… am scared of Team C.
"Anyway, that’s all."
"Thank you."
"Don’t mention it."
Supervisor Dolphin tied their long hair back and replied energetically.
"Supervisor Roe Deer, you were so polite even when I was a ghost. I believe good people should live long."
With a bright smile, they gave me a thumbs-up.
Well, thank you.
In any case, we parted ways with Team C on a relatively pleasant note.
"Next time, let’s meet in a high-grade darkness! We’ll show off how amazing we are then!"
"Better yet, if only one of you shows up to help us earn points! Hahaha!"
Hmm.
‘I don’t want to experience the brilliance of the elite team in darkness…!’
Still, it felt like working with them would be smoother than with Team A.
Though Team C also seemed to have a bit of an elitist attitude, I figured that was just part of being on an elite team.
…Except for the fact that the ghostly versions of Team C I saw today kept replaying in my mind.
‘Ugh.’
Let’s go home.
I should indulge in the luxury of sleeping during the day…
Feeling a small sense of gratitude that today was my day off, I bowed my head slightly to Manager Lee Jaheon.
"Manager, thank you for today. Once again, I appreciate how kindly you answered my questions amidst all the chaos in the darkness."
"You’re welcome."
"If you ever have anything you’d like to ask me, please feel free to do so anytime, Manager!"
"Alright. I’ll ask now."
"…"
Already?
Manager Lee asked matter-of-factly.
"Kim Sol-eum, have you used the ‘Fox Consultation Room’?"
"…!"
It was one of three facilities newly accessible after becoming a supervisor.
1. Security Team Equipment Rental Warehouse
2. Annex (free equipment crafting twice a year)
3. Fox Consultation Room
It was also the only place I hadn’t been to yet…
"No, I haven’t."
Of course, there hadn’t been time or opportunity.
"Do you plan to use it?"
"…"
Hmm.
"Manager, you’re recommending the Fox Consultation Room to help with mental recovery from contamination, aren’t you?"
"Yes. I strongly recommend you plan to use it soon."
It was a valid point.
Except for one problem.
‘There’s a side effect.’
The Fox Consultation Room had a very severe side effect that wasn’t mentioned in the employee manual.
Of course, the probability of it occurring was very low, so it wasn’t something an average employee needed to worry about…
But I had no intention of risking that side effect, no matter how low the probability.
…Frankly, I was sick and tired of probabilities lately.
‘I think I can manage for now.’
As long as I didn’t deliberately entertain weird whispers in my head or feel compelled to read the educational manual, I’d be fine.
Staying up late at night was a bit tough, but it was easier with someone to talk to.
Like Braun.
“– What an honor, my friend!"
Indeed.
I never thought the monster from a ghost story would feel like such a lifeline…
‘Humans truly are creatures of adaptation.’
Anyway, today’s my day off, so I can sleep during the day. If I keep catching up on my sleep like this, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Of course, I nodded obediently on the outside.
“Yes. I’ll schedule it as soon as I have time.”
Of course, that time might not come for a while, maybe even months.
Still, it wasn’t a lie.
“…Yes.”
Lizard Manager stared at me for a moment before nodding in agreement and leaving.
And so, I returned home safely...
“Phew.”
Click.
I opened the door and stepped into my room.
Since it was work hours for most, the staff quarters building was quiet. Even Baek Saheon was nowhere to be seen.
‘Let’s get some sleep.’
I washed up and lay down on the bed. Before falling asleep, I decided to do a final check of all the information and sites I had access to…
“…!”
But my drowsiness vanished in an instant.
‘It’s open!’
The alien shop had completed its renovation and launched a new website.
The colorful screen I clicked on practically stabbed my eyes.
<Space Shopping Mall>>>
I want to see the items
★Grand Renovation Sale!
AMAZING DEALS!
Wow, truly… amazing.
The design, that is.
‘How could they make it even worse?’
Pixelated fireworks burst across the screen. The more colors and effects they added, the more horrifying it became.
If these aliens were outsourcing their designs, I’d feel compelled to stop them.
“– Roe Deer, have mercy on this host and keep me far away from that terrible flyer.”
I dutifully placed Braun on the towel atop the desk.
I’d endure this design terror alone.
‘Anyway, it’s a reopening sale, huh.’
That was a great opportunity. Maybe they’d added more products.
Feeling a slight thrill, I clicked the entry button.
* * *
Happy Maker – ₩27,999,999 ★
Nostalgia Candy – ₩12,999,999 ★
Packaging 12B357na – ₩9,999,999
Necronomicon – ₩49,999,999
We Help! – ₩66,666,666
Spend over ₩100 million and get 20% off!
Become a Space Shopping Mall VIP!
“…”
Hold on.
“It’s here!”
“– Roe Deer?”
I almost jumped out of bed in excitement but managed to calm myself.
“Armor! It finally showed up!”
“– Ah, you found the item you were looking for? Congratulations!”
Exactly.
Packaging 12B357na – ₩9,999,999
‘I have to buy this no matter what.’
It was also the cheapest. What kind of jackpot was this?
I added it to my cart, only to realize it was 10 million won, and momentarily felt a pang of reality.
But canceling the purchase? Not a chance.
As I calmed down and browsed the other items….
“…”
“– Friend? Is something wrong?”
“No.”
It was quite the opposite.
I double-checked the list, feeling a bit flustered, but it was real.
‘Wait… I know all these items.’
This had never happened before.
Even when there wasn’t a separate entry in the <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>, there’d at least be minimal mentions so I could make reasonable guesses.
Of course, some items were so ominous they were borderline ghost stories. But since they were just text for now, their utility and instructions instantly came to mind.
‘This is amazing.’
And then I noticed a peculiar mark.
Happy Maker – ₩27,999,999 ★
What’s with this star?
When I hovered my finger over it, a description popped up.
★ Similar to an item you’ve purchased before!
‘Ah.’
These aliens… so that’s why they did the renovation.
They’d implemented an algorithm! Items related to my previous purchases would show up with a star at the top!
‘But shouldn’t they have done the opposite?’
For clothes, it might make sense, but who would buy similar items on purpose? Sure, it could work for consumables where stock runs out.
Like this one!
Nostalgia Candy – ₩12,999,999 ★
‘It’s from the Nostalgia series.’
It was from the same place that had made the yarn control device that had wrapped around my wrist while I was in the security team’s containment room.
The series claimed to return a person to a “better time in the past.”
A candy version would probably work similarly through consumption.
Given that I’d purchased several edible items in the past, it must have popped up. It also bore similarities to the Snow White’s Apples.
‘This is a must-buy.’
I was nearly out of mini apples in any form—juice or whole.
I immediately added it to my cart and leisurely browsed the rest of the list…
‘Painkillers, recovery items, armor, intimidation tools, emergency escape kits…’
And then it hit me.
‘These are all good.’
Every single one was useful. Knowing their applications helped me discern their worth.
Plus…
Spend over ₩100 million and get 20% off!
“…”
A discount.
‘Opportunities like these don’t come around often.’
Combining my salary, side income, performance bonuses, and excluding living expenses, my total budget was…
‘I could stretch to 140 million, maybe even 150 million?’
“…”
“– Friend, are you enjoying shopping despite that visual assault?”
“No.”
“– Hmm?”
“I just finished.”
I looked at my cart.
Happy Maker – ₩27,999,999
Nostalgia Candy – ₩12,999,999
Packaging 12B357na – ₩9,999,999
Necronomicon – ₩49,999,999
We Help! – ₩66,666,666
= ₩167,666,662
※ Discount Applied! ※: ₩134,133,329
Let’s go! Purchase everything!
