Director Ho's project team.

It was a confidential project with an unprecedented reward - offering a Wish Token to every team member if successful.

'And I refused.'

The risk was too high and it seemed suspicious.

But the currently on leave Deputy Eun Hajae... is working there?

"Look at Roe's expression. Yes, I know you were offered and flatly rejected it."

The smile disappeared from Deputy Eun's face.

"...You did well. Don't join in the future either. It's a headache-inducing team."

"..."

But you're working there, Deputy...

"What kind of work are you doing there..."

"Can't say."

"..."

Should I tell her?

Let's do it.

"Actually, I was offered the position of project team leader."

"What?!"

"Of course, it was probably just for motivation, and I refused..."

"No, wait. I'm telling you this in case you get tempted later..."

Deputy Eun lowered her voice and whispered.

"Director Ho is crazy."

"...!"

"I don't know what other team members are doing in this project. Director Ho doesn't even let employees with different responsibilities talk to each other."

The Deputy swallowed.

"I think... they brought me in because I submitted a leave of absence request. They made an offer because I could work on the project without drawing attention."

"...Is that why you were sneaking around?"

"That's right. They demanded it."

Deputy Eun clicked her tongue, saying that's why she quietly snuck into your company housing too.

"I was worried your roommate might catch me."

"Don't worry about that. He's not at the housing."

"Is that so? Damn, I put in unnecessary effort."

Baek Saheon somehow managed to take leave on January 1st despite his tenure. He's not home right now.

"Anyway, I really can't tell you any more. Keep that in mind."

And Deputy Eun truly didn't answer any of my following questions (why they need the Wish Token, what exactly they're doing, how she was recruited).

She only said this:

"I used to make a living by investigating crazy bastards. What's new?"

But there's a crucial difference - that was about humans, this is about ghost stories, Deputy...!

"You be careful, you."

Deputy Eun soon gave a bitter smile.

"Roe. Don't care too much about others. In this company or society in general, there are few paths that will tire you out as much."

"..."

"It might sound funny coming from someone like me who benefited from your care, but I'm not saying this for no reason."

"No. It's not funny at all. ...Thank you."

"...Haha, kid, you're still the same."

Even as she was leaving the annex, Deputy Eun repeatedly told me to stop caring and look after myself.

"Thanks again, and remember. January 2nd."

Then she vanished in an instant in front of the annex, as if disappearing.

"..."

Director Ho's project team, huh.

'It sounded dangerous just hearing about it.'

I can't worry about it right now since I have my hands full, but I should keep it in mind.

-Anyway, we've secured a lot of interesting statements! January 2nd, a whirlpool of conspiracy surrounding Roe...

-How about it, friend? Any interesting plans to avoid the death sentence? Of course, don't forget that your good friend Brown is always by your side when you're in trouble.

"Yeah. Thanks."

-Don't mention it!

And so, I got my first plan for the new year.

Finding a way to escape from the darkness I'll enter on January 2nd.

This plan was quite successfully realized throughout the New Year's Day holiday...

And the regular workday approached.

* * *

January 2nd.

As soon as I arrived at work, I was given a new darkness exploration mission.

But, 'just for me'.

"...So, you're saying the team leader has an executive meeting this afternoon and 'unavoidably' has to miss it?"

"Yes."

"Is it possible that I'll be entering the darkness alone...?"

"No. To comply with the 3-person team manual, 2 support personnel will be assigned in the afternoon."

Yes, I figured as much.

And at this point, I suspected Gwak Jegang might be up to something.

'Is he trying to pair me up with weird employees?'

Group project villains always drive situations to the worst...

'I should be prepared.'

But the situation took a strange turn.

First, before the darkness was even assigned to me on January 2nd, an announcement came out.

The reorganization of Team D into an elite team.

[Notice on Field Exploration Team Reorganization]

Director Cheong's radical proposal finally came to light.

And when the Field Exploration Team learned that this much-rumored situation was truly a radical reorganization 'forming Team D itself into an elite team', it was turned upside down once.

Moreover, the remaining position in the elite Team D could be filled by a regular employee working short-term with elite team treatment!

Those who wanted to ask anyone about this personnel matter... finally found the lowest-ranking and least experienced person among those involved!

Yeah.

That's me.

"..."

Ring, ring, riiiing!

[Hello, Supervisor~ ^^ Congratulations on becoming part of the elite team! I was wondering if I could ask a few questions about it...]

[It's my first time contacting you like this outside the group chat. I was wondering about the remaining position in the elite team...]

'This is really burdensome...'

It's already the seventh message.

I wish they'd think rationally. How could a mere supervisor have any say in personnel matters...?

-Hm? Friend, didn't you have a chance to choose your fellow employees? I vividly remember the moment you received an interesting proposal!

That's... a bus that's already left...

I refused the poisoned apple, so it's not my business anymore.

'Anyway, I have no authority.'

I spent the morning sending replies, politely changing 'What authority would I have? I'm just following orders too.' into proper corporate language.

In any case, I did realize something because of it.

'I can't just send anyone on this exploration.'

Today, January 2nd's new darkness exploration itself has a strange symbolism.

The first trial run of elite Team D!

With all the Field Exploration Team employees watching, they can't just assign any random people to me.

That would disrupt the image of the successful launch of the new elite team.

'Gwak Jegang probably can't pull any tricks.'

I wondered.

'Who on earth will be the two accompanying employees?'

...And then, at 2 PM.

"Oh, looking forward to working with you, Supervisor Roe!"

I nearly broke into a cold sweat when I saw the cheerful employee entering the Team D office.

It's Supervisor Dolphin from Team C.

An elite team!

"Ah, do you know who the other employee is? I'm curious!"

"...Yes. I'm really curious too."

Suddenly, I started to have an ominous feeling.

And 10 minutes later.

Right on time, the door opened once more, and that premonition became reality...

"You both have a sense of punctuality."

Confident footsteps in dress shoes entering through the suddenly opened door.

A perfectly fitting suit, hair tied up high in a ponytail, and a fancy butterfly mask.

It was Deputy Jin Nasol from Team A.

'Oh no.'

They've assigned two elite team members!!

Moreover, faced with this long-unseen meritocracy-obsessed superior, I felt dizzy, but I was about to bow and greet her immediately.

"Deputy, it's been a while."

"Yeah. I heard you rejected Director Ho's offer."

"..."

"Made it to the elite team even after another silly choice? If everyone were as competent as you, work would be easier. At least today I won't have to see anyone whining."

...Yes. 

I'm also very glad to see you, Deputy.

"Thank you for the praise."

I managed to reply.

I felt like I was losing my mind.

But my mouth was dutifully giving the proper responses of a working adult.

"What? This exploration is out in the countryside? How annoying."

"Yes. But the company is providing generous travel expenses to compensate."

Right.

This C-grade ghost story needs to be dealt with all the way in Mokpo.

'Finally a business trip to the provinces.'

In reality, urban legends tend to arise where large numbers of people live together. It's not inconsistent with the setting that they occur more frequently in the capital area.

'Still, it's a bit strange that we've only gone on darkness explorations around Seoul until now.'

Anyway, I carefully watched the two senior elite team members as we left the company and traveled. 

Supervisor Dolphin chatted with me quite amiably.

"You haven't moved upstairs yet! You will soon, right? It's nice for elite team members to have private offices, respects privacy too!"

"Yes, I'm looking forward to it."

"Oh, feel free to speak casually! We're the same rank after all."

"You're still my senior, and I might cause trouble since there's a lot I don't know. I can't be too casual just yet. I'll be extra polite."

"Wow, you're really formal!"

Seeing Supervisor Dolphin give a thumbs up, I felt myself relax a little.

Right. He seemed like a nice person.

'Let's try some small talk.'

I smiled warmly and brought up a suitable person as a topic.

The C team member sitting next to Supervisor Dolphin in that ghost story where I almost fainted from the back-of-hand clap!

"How is Deputy Leopard doing?"

"Oh, he died."

"..."

"It was his own fault for mistreating a residual team employee. Bit of a waste of points though!"

"I see. May he rest in peace."

This person clearly lacks normal human sensibilities.

'Help me.'

We finally arrived at the high-speed rail station.

Trembling inwardly, I sat down next to Supervisor Dolphin on the train, being extremely polite.

And I began showing all due respect to my senior who had become an elite team supervisor...

'Never talk back just because we're the same rank.'

Let's make sure not to be seen as someone with a bad personality...!

...By the way, Deputy Jin Nasol sitting across from us...

"I'm going to sleep, so don't talk to me."

"...Yes."

I was almost grateful...

-Oh, quite the colorful travel companions you have!

Yeah...

And what this means is.

'The two most successful non-executive employees in the company are accompanying me.'

Let me reiterate.

The two most capable and competent employees at the current staff level will be right next to me, able to see everything I do...!

'Deputy, how am I supposed to escape into the darkness without getting caught between these people...!'

I broke out in a cold sweat. The plan I had set up was full of holes.

'I never expected they'd assign two elite team members.'

I had simulated for trolls more than this scenario.

Maintaining a calm appearance, I desperately racked my brain to quickly add a Plan B.

'In the worst case...'

I'll say I'm going to the bathroom... and run away.

Just thinking about it makes me want to cry from shame, but my life is more important, right?

And when I return later, I can claim I 'accidentally' got caught up in a different darkness and just got out.

'Find a suitable darkness on the wiki, actually clear an easy ghost story matching the grade, adjust the solution grade... that should work.'

It was a plan made possible by the out-of-town business trip.

'O-Okay.'

I think I can get through this.

Finally feeling relieved at the plausibility of my cobbled-together plan, I looked at our destination displayed on the train's electronic board.

To Mokpo

Come to think of it, this is my first time going to Mokpo...

To Mokpo

...

Huh?

The destination text at the bottom of the crackling advertisement screen in the train car, in the next moment...

Changed.

To Tamra

"...!!" 

I jumped up from my seat.

"Huh? What's wrong, Supervisor... Oh? The display?"

"Yes. We need to get off right n—"

...

No.

No, you already know, don't you?

'It's too late.'

This... once you board the train, sit down, and the destination changes, it's over.

You can't get off after that.

"..."

I remember.

-It was the longest document among human error incidents recorded in the Disaster Management Bureau section, also recorded as a short story in the wiki.

What this is.

-The one time there was a major disaster because of the silver heart.

That train accident.

The horrific ghost story I know all too well.

---------------------=

[Tamra-bound Express Train Incident]

This document is a record of the anomalous case that occurred under registration number '8008PSYA.2002.A88.' It contains shocking content related to multiple casualties.

As it contains detailed accounts of a tragic disaster, please assess your own psychological state before requesting access.

Due to the potential to cause severe mental distress or trauma, it is strongly recommended to read only when in a stable state of mind.

-Notice from the Records Management Office 

Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau

---------------------=

That insane high-speed train where there was only one survivor from Daydream Inc.

'...Ah.'

I realized.

Today, January 2nd, the day I was scheduled to be declared dead.

'The C-grade darkness wasn't the issue.'

The threat prepared for me wasn't the darkness at the provincial business trip destination designated by the company with a complete manual.

'This train.'

This train, which was merely the means of transportation to get there, was the real threat.

"..."

I looked out the window.

Instead of the outside, the electronic display is reflected.

To Tamra

Departing

With a roar, the train departed.