The security captain gave me a towel to clean the blood off my cleaning uniform.

I mechanically wiped down the uniform, trying not to look beside me. 

There would now be the strange corpse of the Nameless Radiant Church member, its head burst open by the security captain.

"Hmm. Certainly not a pretty sight! Made a mess without any aesthetics... Oh, Roe! An interesting phenomenon is occurring!"

"...??" 

I reflexively turned my head.

The area that had been strewn with blood, flesh, and crushed head was now melting away.

As if time was rapidly rewinding, what had been dried on the floor transformed into someone's desiccated body...

A human corpse. 

A dried-up, rolled-up old paper fell from the gaping mouth of the person, too withered to identify.

The inner side, which had indecipherable golden letters written on it, squirmed and changed to Korean as soon as my gaze fell upon it.

Mimic Scripture Chapter 4

Story Usurper

"...!"

It's a holy law.

You could say it's the Nameless Radiant Church's ghost story generator.

When an initiate swallows a piece of the holy scripture and performs a ritual at the altar, they can use that power.

The security captain slowly approached it and crouched down.

He seems to want to take it...

"It's grade 4... Hey, do you want to have it?"

What?

"The company... seems to buy it for a bit expensive... Sell it later saying you got it somewhere else..."

"...Is it okay for me to personally take it when you, J, dealt with this?"

"What does it matter..."

"..."

"I don't really need money..."

No, I meant if it's okay for me to take it personally when the company security got involved, but...

Anyway, since he's offering, I quickly took it.

"Thank you."

Several uses immediately came to mind besides selling it to the company.

'The more cards you can play, the better.'

Besides, after all this trouble, it'd be nice to get something out of it...

To avoid any influence, I pretended to wrap the item in 'Packaging 12B357na' and put it in my pocket, but actually placed it in my inventory.

'Phew.'

"Thank you again... for your help. You saved my life."

"It's nothing..."

Meanwhile, memories of the past two days were slowly coming back to me.

A bland daily routine. 

Moments that just passed in an instant, with nothing special worth writing in a diary about.

The kind of days that would disappear from memory after about a year... In other words, days that would be 'narrative omission' in a novel.

It gave me chills.

Like time had been stretched out.

'The Nameless Radiant Church... truly the worst.'

There's a reason they're the one I least want to get involved with among the three forces.

'Ghost stories mixing into reality.'

I never expected to encounter this while cleaning. I knew there were Nameless Radiant Church members infiltrating Daydream Inc., but to meet an escaped isolation room subject without any preparation like this...

'I'm lucky to be alive.'

I let out a deep sigh of relief. Now I just want to go home and rest...

"Ah, here... he was in the hallway."

Creak.

Beyond the door of Isolation Corridor B that the security captain opened, a man in a crimson uniform collapsed, unconscious.

The cleaner who came in with me.

"...Supervisor Badger!"

Aaaagh!

He was still here on day 3!

* * *

Fortunately, Supervisor Park Minseong regained consciousness shortly after being moved to the break room.

"...Huh? What's this? What... Someone pushed me,"

"There was an escape attempt from the isolation room."

"W-what?!"

I explained everything that had happened to me so far.

For reference, during this process, the security captain only nodded when occasionally asked. He didn't seem to have even the slightest interest in questioning how I already knew about the Nameless Radiant Church.

He just looked... like he didn't want to work...

'...Well, it's a lifetime position, so I guess he can be like that.'

I understood.

And Supervisor Park Minseong seemed to understand my explanation as his expression changed.

"Certainly, I don't remember well what Roe did on days 1 and 2... It's just left in my memory that we finished cleaning without any issues."

"..."

"That's scary. That cult."

"Indeed."

The Nameless Radiant Church's Mimic had absorbed even the incidents it caused, stealing them away.

Making everything calm and ordinary as if nothing had happened.

'And that's just grade 4.'

It's a kind of reality manipulation.

Actually, it would be between B and C grade by Daydream Inc. standards, so it's not low-tier.

The problem is that the Nameless Radiant Church has numerous fanatics who have received ghost stories of grade 4 or higher as 'powers'...

Remembering the Mimic from earlier who could barely be considered human, I swallowed hard.

Please, don't let me get involved again before I gather all the Wish Token points.

"Um... since the cleaning is done, you should go change your clothes too..."

"Ah. Right. Roe, then I'll quickly change and come back. Just a moment!"

"Yes."

I greeted Supervisor Park Minseong as he left the room.

Beside me, the security captain was sweeping up the paper Supervisor Park Minseong had dropped and putting it in the trash.

That strange work tip note, that is.

"..."

"Hey. About this note..."

Good, the security captain brought it up first.

"I was going to ask because it seemed too suspicious, but is this really a tip that was circulating within the security team?"

"Yes... it is. But... I would never have given it to that person."

"...Pardon?"

"Supervisor Badger..."

The security captain muttered softly.

Looking at the spot where Supervisor Park Minseong had disappeared outside the room.

"That person was a complete contaminated subject of 'Hungry Hangman'... He shouldn't come into contact with any form of work rulebook... Because he was contaminated by a similar darkness..."

"...!!"

Wait a minute, that's right!

'Supervisor Park Minseong was contaminated by the kindergarten education book, so similar forms of writing could be quite dangerous.'

Even though the intensity was different, having experienced the same contamination made my stomach churn.

It was only natural to prevent access to things that remind one of contamination.

But what the security captain was trying to say didn't end there.

An even more chilling fact.

"Supervisor Badger can contaminate rulebooks just by reading them..."

"..."

What?

"If he realizes it himself, he might become too conscious of it... which could accelerate the contamination, so he probably doesn't know it himself yet..."

Then.

"...Are you saying someone intentionally gave the forbidden note to the supervisor? To make me read the work tip contaminated by Park Minseong?"

Nod.

The security guard slowly nodded his head.

-Aha, it's a trap! How classic.

My response was also classic and certain from the start.

"...Can we review the CCTV footage?"

"There are no CCTVs in the security team dormitory area... The chances of capturing something undesirable are high..."

"...So they targeted the lack of CCTVs."

"Yes, probably..."

Who on earth?

This was a perfect attack on Supervisor Park Minseong's work. It wasn't just coincidence and bad luck that led to the Mimic's escape.

'Did another Nameless Radiant Church member within the company cooperate?'

But it seems unlikely that the Nameless Radiant Church member in the isolation room could properly escape this way... It's just causing a commotion.

'Then if escape wasn't the goal...'

If the cleaning staff who worked that day was the target.

'If the goal was to screw me over?'

"...J."

"Yes...?"

"Is it possible that research team employees also know well about the security team's underground area?"

"Hmm... depending on the team...?"

The security captain's eyes narrowed.

"Do you... have a suspicious employee... in the research team?"

"...Somewhat."

"Who...?"

"..."

I hesitated a bit.

But the security captain is the security supervisor for this area today, so he has the right to know.

'Moreover, he could become a witness to the incident.'

Alright. I deliberately spoke frankly.

"It's Manager Gwak Jegang."

"..."

"The reason I received this disciplinary action in the first place was because I didn't do what he ordered. ...He told me to leave my Residual Team colleague in a deadly situation, so I ignored him."

"..."

"Of course, rather than suspecting the manager personally, it's more of a situational guess..."

"I got it."

"...??"

"Just a moment..."

Beep beep beep.

The security captain approached the landline phone on one side of the break room and picked up the receiver.

Then, after pondering for a moment as if recalling something, he pressed the buttons firmly.

After a short dial tone... Click.

[Yes, yes, this is Gwak Jegang!]

"...!!"

I gaped at the security captain who had directly called a manager from another team at this early hour.

But he showed no change in expression.

"Um... This is Security Team 3 Captain J3."

[...J3? ...Wait a minute, who is this?? Team B leader... Oh right, you're not in the elite team anymore? Haha, I made a mistake with someone who's not even in the field exploration team anymore!]

"..."

"Well, it's been a while! I heard you're now the captain in the security team. Wow! Talented employees are really different! Must be disappointing not being able to go into the darkness."

'Is he buttering him up?'

No, there's no need to question it. It seems like he's really laying it on thick...

"Anyway, why the sudden call? Were you on duty today? Isn't that the security team area phone?"

"Did something happen? Oh, if you're saying you really want to go into the darkness, I'm afraid I can't allow that. Haha!"

I looked at the security captain tensely.

"Um."

"Hmm?"

"You know... I may not be able to go into the darkness... but I can kill people."

"...!"

"Just... saying."

Then he hung up.

"..."

Wow.

"Is that... really okay?"

"Yeah... well."

The security captain shrugged.

"But it probably... won't work... Those high-ranking research team guys... um."

The security captain chose his words.

"They're crazy..."

"..."

Doesn't seem like he chose very carefully.

I managed to respond.

"Anyway, seeing his reaction, um, I realized my suspicion was rational..."

Considering how he indirectly asked if anything happened during my security team area shift today. No matter how I think about it, it seems Gwak Jegang was involved.

'I thought he lost interest because he was tired of my Gen Z power.'

It doesn't seem to be that simple.

'This is driving me crazy...'

...I need to come up with a new countermeasure.

Anyway, I nodded to the other person.

"Thank you, J."

"Um, then... next time..."

Ah.

"I'll visit again with some snacks. Like donuts."

"Okay."

The bribery code is surprisingly easy.

"Anyway... be careful... You never know what he might do..."

"..."

After hesitating a bit, I asked.

"If you don't mind me asking, have you also had bad experiences due to conflicts with the research team?"

"..."

The security captain avoids eye contact.

"It's not... a very interesting story."

A brief silence.

"I got trapped in a strange fairy tale... And came out much... much later."

And the security captain said no more.

"..."

'A fairy tale ghost story caused by the research team.'

Just hearing that sentence, I could figure it out.

What kind of darkness the security captain had been contaminated by.

And there was a naturally associated named character from the elite team.

That character's... and the brutal exploration record of becoming part of the security team.

Check the 'And They All Lived Unhappily Ever After' document for the recording of an employee who went missing during the research of Qterw-A-37.

TL/PR: I didn’t quite catch what he meant by this. is he talking with that pet thing or he’s trying to indicate that he’s read that document before?

'I could pretend not to know and ask more...'

And confirm one more named character.

"..."

I just stayed silent.

I decided to respect the security captain's silence.

A while later. The security captain said this to Supervisor Park Minseong, who had returned after changing clothes.

"Anyway, you've safely completed the three-day cleaning work... so, now... I think you can start working for the security team..."

This is Supervisor Park Minseong's first recovery announcement.

"...! Really?!"

"Yes... And I think you can go outside now..."

"Huh."

"But only after sunset..."

Hmm.

"Then, is it possible today as well? The sun has already set."

"R-Roe? I'm fine. We can go another day..."

"Just a moment..."

The security captain submitted a report somewhere on an old computer, then declared.

"Go today..."

"Huh!"

"From now on... you can go out once a week..."

"Huuh!!"

The slightly haggard complexion of Supervisor Park Minseong regained its vigor, and a smile spread across his face.

It was that expression I saw when he was in Team D before.

"..."

"Well, you need to return before sunrise... um..."

"What happens if the supervisor doesn't return?"

"The company... will request rescue services..."

"..."

"Don't do it... Unless you want a lifetime position."

Supervisor Park Minseong bowed his head deeply.

"Yes. I'll definitely keep to the time. Thank you."

"It's nothing..."

The security captain scratched his cheek.

And a moment later, I climbed the stairs with Supervisor Park Minseong, who had quickly prepared to go out.

"See you later..."

The security captain slightly raised his hand to see us off as we left the basement.

* * *

"Wow! It feels so good to walk outside!"

Supervisor Park Minseong raised both arms with a big smile.

Although it was past 3 AM and there weren't many people around, lights were still twinkling here and there in typical Seoul fashion, and some people were out and about.

"Really, it feels like it's been so long since I've breathed fresh air... I can even see stars!"

Supervisor Park Minseong was wearing a mask and had his hat pulled down low. As if trying to hide his face as much as possible.

The supervisor's currently allowed outing time is conservatively 3 hours until dawn.

'I guess it's fortunate it's winter.'

"Supervisor, are you going home?"

"Ah, um... I was thinking of going to the hospital."

"..."

"My family member is hospitalized. They're probably sleeping, but... I thought I'd at least see their face."

Supervisor Park Minseong scratched his cheek with a slightly embarrassed expression.

"Um, actually, I'm collecting points for my family..."

Damn it.

"May I ask which family member?"

"Oh, my younger sibling. They're really kind! And a genius? A violin genius!"

And Supervisor Park Minseong excitedly explained how kind and wonderful his sibling was as a child, and how much they loved and excelled at playing the violin.

However, there was no mention of their current condition.

"..."

"Anyway... that's why I really need points for my sibling. So I don't want to quit if possible..."

"Then will you return to the field exploration team?"

"...Um. That might take too long."

Supervisor Park Minseong trailed off for some reason, then added in a brighter voice.

"Oh, apparently there's a department in the security team that gives a lot of points too. They say you can get even more than in the field exploration team?"

"...!"

...Ah.

There.

"...Isn't there a reason they give so much?"

"Hmm. That's true... But."

Supervisor Park Minseong mumbled.

"Sometimes it seems you have to take risks for wishes to come true..."

"..."

"Oh, we've arrived at your company housing!"

Supervisor Park Minseong patted my back.

"Go on in. I'll take a taxi from here. Get in comfortably, Roe. You really worked hard!"

And in a low voice, he says quietly.

"Hey, don't worry too much about me... Honestly, I worked knowing the risks. This is a better result than I expected... Thanks to you, Roe. Thank you."

"..."

I ended up shaking hands with him with a faint smile.

"I'll support you wherever you work, but I hope we'll have a chance to work together again if possible."

"...Yeah. That would be nice."

We said goodbye like that, and Supervisor Park Minseong left for the hospital by taxi.

"Sigh..."

I sighed as I entered the company housing building.

If I'm not mistaken, there was a strange madness in Supervisor Park Minseong's voice when he talked about wishes...

-He was an ordinary person, but now he's developed an interesting personality.

Don't say such scary things, Brown...

'Anyway, I can finally sleep...'

It wasn't bad to have a day off on the last day of the year, but I didn't expect to spend it just sleeping.

I entered the dark company housing at dawn, turned on my smartphone flashlight warmly and brightly due to the creepy atmosphere, and headed to my room.

And I went to sleep right away.

'I'll think about countermeasures against Gwak Jegang with a clear mind after I wake up... Please, let me rest.'

My overworked body, exhausted from the nerve-wracking physical and mental labor of the night shift, gladly welcomed sleep.

It had been a very long time.

Going to sleep without watching children's cartoons or comedies beforehand.

I thoroughly enjoyed a very deep and sweet sleep time without even dreaming.

And just as I was waking up from my slumber as if I had just closed and opened my eyes...

"Ah. You're awake."

"...!"

I sat up immediately.

-An unannounced guest has arrived, Mr. Roe.

Someone was standing by the dimly lit window.

A tired face, casual clothes, tightly tied hair, and...

An empty left hand.

"It's been a while, Roe. ...I heard you cleaned with Minseong."

The real Deputy Eun Hajae was here.