Agent Bronze Ryu Jaegwan stood in one corner of the room, not revealing any signs of anxiety.

The room where the final successful candidates gathered.

The names of those who passed the aptitude test had already been called several times, and most of the prepared chairs were filled.

But….

‘Why isn’t he coming?’

As the successful candidates were being called one by one and appearing, the person he reluctantly passed was still nowhere to be seen.

‘Kim Sol-eum!’

His number had already been called three times!

“ – Number 4 from Group ‘D’.”

“ – You have passed. Please proceed to the designated location.”

If that announcement is repeated more than four times, the review status will change to pending!

Because it’s assumed that the candidate has abandoned the interview.

‘Why on earth….’

After passing the aptitude test, is he just giving up like this?

It was a moment when even Ryu Jaegwan couldn’t understand his own growing anxiety.

Thud!

“S-sorry!”

In the room where most of the successful candidates had gathered, the door suddenly swung open, and a man with a flushed face hurried in.

He was catching his breath as if he had run over in a hurry, with water dripping from his suit sleeves and neck….

[D-4]

The number that was one call away from being disqualified.

It was Kim Sol-eum.

By the looks of it, he must have washed his face out of nervousness.

…If he were a spy, he wouldn’t go out of his way to do something so noticeable…….

‘Damn it!’

Let’s not be overly sympathetic! Ryu Jaegwan pressed his lips together and maintained a dissatisfied expression.

“ – Please take your seat.”

“Y-yes….”

Kim Sol-eum adjusted his glasses and quietly sat in the corner of the back row.

A cautious voice from a fellow successful candidate sitting nearby could be heard.

“Are you okay? Here, take this….”

“Ah, n-no, I’m fine! Thank you….”

His startled reaction to the neighbor offering water seemed more telling to Ryu Jaegwan, who was aware of the circumstances.

As if having been surrounded by employees from a crazy, unethical pharmaceutical company, he was deeply moved by even such small gestures of kindness….

“…….”

The agent quietly continued observing the situation.

“ – Appointment will now begin.”

The Disaster Management Bureau’s agent appointment ceremony was simple and straightforward.

It involved registering their preferred funeral arrangements in case of death, receiving a temporary pass, and being briefed on a short training schedule and their upcoming missions.

Unlike ordinary civil service, there was little standardized administrative procedure, but neither did it focus heavily on training like special forces.

Supernatural disasters.

The ability to respond to horrific and chilling anomalies was ultimately developed through experience.

Moreover, the majority of agent applicants were people who had lost family or loved ones due to terrifying and unknown incidents.

Even if that wasn’t the case, the unique sense of mission in people who had uncovered the secrets of the strange hidden world pervaded the atmosphere of the successful candidates’ room.

“ – Number 4 from Group ‘D’. Kim Sol-eum.”

“T-thank you.”

Kim Sol-eum, who received his pass amidst the group, was no exception.

Because he appeared timid and gloomy, it was assumed that someone with such a personality must have extraordinary determination to apply.

Of course, there were also some hesitant glances, as if seeing someone unqualified and lacking competence.

“ – Over the next three weeks of training and trial deployment, it will be determined which unit you will be assigned to.”

“ – Until then, strictly follow the instructions of your senior agent.”

It was at this point that the interviewers appeared

The interviewers become the senior agents of the new recruits they selected, directly guiding and taking responsibility for them.

This was the fundamental policy of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.

Of course, in cases of mismatch, agents other than interviewers could be assigned, but at least for ‘impressive candidates,’ the interviewer would pair with them directly.

And in Kim Sol-eum’s case, thanks to the subtle support and recommendation of the assistant interviewers….

“ – The agent standing before you will be your direct senior and will conduct one-on-one training with you for three months.”

Ryu Jaegwan stood in front of Kim Sol-eum.

“…!”

Watching the face behind the glasses turn pale as he recognized him.

***

“Follow me.”

“…….”

Ryu Jaegwan heard the sound of Kim Sol-eum, the recruit assigned to him, quietly following.

And when they entered an unmaintained room in a desolate corner of the aptitude test building, leaving the two of them alone.

Rustle.

“…!”

He heard the sound of the other person taking something out.

‘A weapon?’

Just as Ryu Jaegwan moved his hand to subdue him….

“Uh, Agent.”

“…….”

“I wanted to return this to you.”

It was….

The temporary agent badge and pistol.

The items that had been given to the temporary agent at ‘Segwang Technical High School’

They were things Ryu Jaegwan had forgotten due to the urgency of the situation.

“I should have returned them earlier, but I didn’t have the chance, so I’m giving them back now. I’m sorry….”

“…….”

Ryu Jaegwan looked at Kim Sol-eum.

Even though no one would have known if he kept quiet, he reported it himself, looking as if he had already given up on everything.

As if he believed the agent in front of him was about to report him as a pharmaceutical company informant.

…Ryu Jaegwan’s heart softened.

“Does that pharmaceutical company know you’re here?”

He slowly shook his head.

“No.”

How on earth could he believe that….

“The company already considers me dead….”

“…!”

What?

“What do you mean….”

“I… I was caught up in darkness—no, in a supernatural disaster—and couldn’t escape for over a month.”

Kim Sol-eum’s face turned slightly pale.

“After a month passes, they consider you dead, so, um, the company must already think of me as a deceased employee—or rather, a former employee….”

“…….”

So, they just complete the identity processing without any rescue effort?

Stunned by the unimaginably unethical handling, Ryu Jaegwan quickly grasped the story implied in Kim Sol-eum’s response.

“Then, were you trapped in the ghost story for over a month?!”

Kim Sol-eum, with his head deeply bowed, gave a small nod.

Ryu Jaegwan felt like he had been hit on the back of the head with a hammer.

‘No way!’

He looked at him again.

The once neat and tidy person now reacted cautiously and clumsily to his surroundings.

It seemed to be the result of being trapped in a horrifying horror story for a long time….

“Don’t tell me you did it on purpose….”

“No, I didn’t.”

Right.

What lunatic would choose to voluntarily be trapped in a ghost story for a month?

Especially someone who had experienced it firsthand while working….

“But not reporting to the company after I got out… that was intentional.”

“……!”

Ryu Jaegwan spoke reflexively.

“You did that to quietly, ‘without issue,’ resign from the company?”

“…….”

Kim Sol-eum took a deep breath and eventually nodded.

“Yes.”

That’s a lie.

Daydream Corporation is the kind of place that says, ‘Dobby is free,’ waves you goodbye, and lets you go without a word.

It’s just that throwing away the points you worked so hard to accumulate is so wasteful that no one on the field team does it!

“I don’t regret it.”

But in the mind of the unsuspecting Disaster Management Bureau agent, a classic multi-level marketing cult escape scenario came to mind.

A victim who suffered psychological trauma, PTSD, and gaslighting, eventually pretending to be dead to escape the company….

“Well, um… I can’t stop you from revealing that I was with that company, but… please, I beg you, don’t make it public….”

“…….”

He was afraid of being tracked by Daydream Corporation.

Ryu Jaegwan sensed it but kept his composure and instead asked pointedly.

“What about the wish? Wasn’t that why you worked there, because they granted wishes?”

A hollow, bitter smile spread across Kim Sol-eum’s lips as he kept his head bowed.

“Well… it lost its meaning.”

“……!”

“Well, there was an issue while I was working, and the performance I had accumulated for the wish got reset.”

“…….”

“That’s when it started to feel strange.”

The wish-granting rights of Daydream Corporation definitely fulfill wishes.

However, the company can freely decide not to grant wish rights to individual employees.

Irrationally and unfairly.

“I realized I had been working in such a horrible place indefinitely because of my ridiculous judgment….”

Ryu Jaegwan resisted the urge to say, ‘Didn’t I tell you not to believe such nonsense about granting wishes?’

“Oh! Don’t worry. Since I’ve already been declared dead… I can no longer accumulate performance, nor can I leave.”

The bitter smile on Kim Sol-eum’s face gradually disappeared.

It was emptiness.

“After that, I had nothing else to do.”

“…….”

“So… I remembered the card you gave me and applied to the Disaster Management Bureau.”

And then he shrank back again.

“…If this displeased you, I’m sorry.”

Suddenly, Ryu Jaegwan felt like he was pressuring the other person over something ridiculous.

It was a sense of guilt.

It felt like grabbing a citizen just rescued from a paranormal phenomenon by the collar and yelling at them to explain what happened.

The guilt of psychologically pressuring a victim who had struggled to live morally while enduring unethical company policies and had barely managed to escape!

But hadn’t he applied excessive pressure on him specifically during the interview, and now was even intimidating him by calling him aside?

Moreover, the other person had lost both the desperately sought wish-granting rights and his sense of belonging.

Ryu Jaegwan thought.

…Yet, for Kim Sol-eum to want to join here, he must have had some subconscious expectation.

The work of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.

Protecting citizens from supernatural disasters, ghosts, unidentified life forms, unknown phenomena, and threats.

It was the exact opposite of the purpose of Daydream Corporation, where he had worked.

If, through the last two encounters, Kim Sol-eum had entered this organization with even a sliver of hope and a sense of purpose.

‘Then….’

Ryu Jaegwan clenched his fists tightly.

***

‘He’s not about to hit me with that, is he?’

I stared at the clenched fist of Agent Bronze, feeling like I was about to break into a cold sweat.

I had said everything.

‘It seemed like he bought it.’

I broke into a cold sweat, not knowing why he was clenching his fist.

But after a few seconds of keeping my expression unchanged and my head bowed….

Beep-beep-beep!

“…!”

The watch on Agent Bronze’s wrist started emitting a loud alarm.

“…Please wait here for a moment.”

“Yes.”

Phew.

‘Was he clenching his fist because of that?’

Click.

As the Agent Bronze opened the door and stepped out, I slumped to the floor, clicking my tongue.

Ha.

‘The only time I’ve tricked good people this much was during a Mafia game….’

Now I’m deceiving a government official just to play the role of a spy. I’m literally sweating buckets here.

Still, the important thing is….

‘He seems to believe it, right?’

It seems like it worked.

Earlier, I noticed that Agent Bronze had suddenly gone silent and started looking at me with a sympathetic gaze.

If that sympathy wasn’t aimed at someone bound for the Disaster Management Bureau’s special glass prison, then ‘Applicant Kim Sol-eum’ had managed to step off the suspect list.

‘Alright.’

I wiped the cold sweat from my temples.

They say a great deception is nine parts truth and one part lie; unintentionally, it seems I stuck to that ratio well.

…For the record, my fellow spies who infiltrated the Disaster Management Bureau didn’t go through anything like this.

“ – Director Ho, then the others….”

“ – Oh, they’ve already infiltrated.”

“ –…….”

“ – Until last month, there was a special recruitment route for the Disaster Management Bureau, so they could be deployed immediately.”

…In short, I was the only one to catch the last train as a spy and had to take the formal 

Ms. Go Yeongeun, Mr. Jang Heo-un… I don’t know which part of the Disaster Management Bureau you’re assigned to, but I hope you’re in comfortable positions and can help me if things go south… Please.

‘Please.’

I’m not sure if it’s okay to wish for my colleagues’ peace for such self-centered reasons, but still, what’s good is good, right?

Of course, what’s important right now is….

‘The department I’ll be working in at the Disaster Management Bureau.’

It’s not hard to deduce. I crossed my arms.

Let’s see, based on the <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>.

The division to which an agent who passed the official exam and underwent three weeks of temporary duty is assigned….

‘Can be broadly divided into three categories.’

You could say they represent the three fundamental steps in dealing with supernatural disasters.

First, the first one.

1.New Investigation Unit 

An exploration team that identifies newly emerging ghost stories, assesses their progression and risk level, and reports on them.

Its role is to search for and classify ghost stories currently making the rounds, both online and offline.

Of course, unlike Daydream Corporation’s method of recklessly deploying field exploration teams to create manuals, this unit collects information and conducts exploration as safely as possible.

‘This makes me realize again just how crazy the company I worked for was….’

But now that I think about it, I’m still working there, and not just that—I’m spying for them too.

…It’s depressing, so let’s stop thinking about it.

Anyway, next is the second one.

2. Deployment Rescue Unit

A mobile unit that responds to rescue requests from civilians caught in supernatural disasters or ghost stories.

It’s basically a rescue team.

It’s a crazy job where you have to go into the middle of a raging horror story and rescue people at its scariest moments.

It’s the most dangerous, yet at the same time, the core of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau and a highly respected department within the organization.

‘And the exploration records are the most interesting.’

But that’s not what I’m aiming for.

‘I’ve had enough of chasing excitement.’

Secondhand experience was enough for excitement….

‘What I’m aiming for is the last department.’

That is….

3. Field Restoration Unit

Cleaning up after a ghost story incident and restoring the scene so that ordinary citizens won’t notice anything.

Also known as the Restoration Unit!

Like crime scene cleaners, this team finalizes and organizes locations of resolved or sealed horror stories and drafts related documents.

In other words, I get to create registration documents!

It’s the team with the easiest access to documents, making it ideal for accessing materials on the ‘certain supernatural ghost story’ that Director Ho mentioned.

‘For someone who’s already read the Chronicles of Darkness Exploration, there’s nothing sweeter than this.’

It’s basically like organizing a wiki, making it a truly comfortable and enjoyable job.

And above all….

‘I go in after all the scary stuff is over!’

Which means it’s the least scary.

With this, I can finally work a normal job without breaking into a cold sweat…!

Can you hear it? The sound of my quality of life exponentially improving!

The way to get assigned is simple.

‘I just need to show a reserved and analytical side over the next three weeks.’

I’ll emphasize a personality that’s analytical and researcher-like, focusing on classification and organization.

Did you notice? This job fits perfectly with the character I’ve created…!

Since my senior knows I’ve experienced ghost stories, it’ll be even easier to appeal to them.

And they’re aware of my suspicious background too.

‘Even though I talked my way out of it, if there’s still any suspicion left, they’ll assign me to document organization.’

Agent Bronze seemed competent.

But who would expect someone from a crazy pharmaceutical company to be saving lives!

“Phew.”

I got up with a relieved smile inside.

Just then, the agent returned.

Thud.

“Mr. Kim Sol-eum.”

Ah, it seems he’s going to tell me to head home….

“Take this.”

Thud.

I absentmindedly caught what he practically threw at me.

‘A pass?’

It looked like an ID pass for facility access. But I already got one during the agent appointment ceremony earlier…?

“Normally, new agents are assigned their positions after three weeks of paired work.”

I knew that….

But I didn’t know what came next.

“But I’ve arbitrarily assigned you to a department.”

“…….”

What?

“From now on, you’re in the same department as me.”

“…….”

Wait a second.

‘If it’s Agent Bronze’s department….’

With a sinking feeling, I flipped over the pass I was holding….

Agent (β)

Name: Kim Sol-eum

Assignment: Deployment Rescue Unit, Hyunmu Team 1

“As of this moment, you are a member of Hyunmu Team 1.”

“…….”

No….

No way!!

“A rescue call just came in for me, so we’ll immediately be entering a supernatural disaster to rescue civilians. Follow me.”

“…….”

The persuasion jackpot hit in the wrong place!