Chapter 19- Company Welfare (1)
Silence catches its breath quietly.
Flutter.
Among mountains of stacked documents, one person’s gaze was like.
A ghost story.
In an atmosphere that gave off a sense of disconnect as if he had entered another ghost story, the man found this situation.
Uncomfortable.
Very much so.
In an uncomfortable situation where he could neither move freely nor raise his voice.
The quiet silence that seemed would remain unbroken for a while.
Click.
Along with a sound more concise than expected.
Collapsed.
Click.
The crisp and firm sound of pressing the back of a ballpoint pen.
“…Ahem.”
The man standing alone in the dark room, with a short breath.
Finally let out what could be called a voice.
“…I’ll submit. My report.”
“…The report?”
A conversation style delivered at a very slow tempo.
But the man, as if not minding much, handed forward the report he had been carrying at his right side.
As he handed the file forward.
Swoosh.
Human arms extended out from among the numerous stacks of documents.
The extended human arms took the report the man handed over, then disappeared back among the document stacks.
Flutter.
Flutter.
Flutter.
Only the sound of turning pages continued for a while.
This time, the one who broke the silence was the party who received the report.
“…Department head Choi Kang-in.”
“Yes!”
“…”
“…”
Despite Kang-in’s loud response, again no reply came back.
Just silently waiting for the next response, when.
“…You’ve worked, hard.”
“Thank you.”
“…Already. Within the company…it’s been buzzing.”
Currently within the company, there’s been much talk going around about the ghost story ‘And the Performance Began’ where Team R was deployed.
Starting with the news of discovering a new anomaly in that ghost story.
-Anomaly discovered.
-All Team R members survived.
-Discussion of grade readjustment.
-Man with black flames.
Of course, discovering a new anomaly in a ghost story isn’t such a surprising thing.
Even now, ghost stories thought to be 100% completely explored. Continue to show large and small changes when investigated.
This ghost story is just one that falls into such large and small cases.
But despite being such a common case, the reason it’s being talked about in the company is.
“…Team R…everyone survived?”
This is why.
Contrary to the fact that multiple civilian casualties were reported from that ghost story ‘And the Performance Began’.
The story that Team R, who was dispatched to that ghost story, all survived.
This moves into a slightly different aspect.
The current situation, if misinterpreted, could be understood as Team R clearing the ghost story by putting civilians at the forefront.
As already written in the basic protocol.
Agency employees must prioritize the protection of civilians above all else.
No matter what happens.
They must not act contrary to the basic protocol.
If there are those who acted contrary to the protocol, their treatment…
Won’t end with simple disciplinary action.
That’s why even when the higher-ups first heard the news of Team R’s complete survival.
The atmosphere up top wasn’t very good.
Some other teams even went so far as to submit petitions arguing that disciplinary procedures should be initiated immediately regarding Team R’s complete survival.
As if they had been counting down to this moment.
Rather than welcoming the news of their workplace colleagues’ ‘safe return’.
Inside the company busy tearing each other apart, only a bleak atmosphere lingered.
But this is just something quite extremely.
Something one might have experienced at least once in a quite extremely normal modern society.
Just venting about their seniors and juniors who died like consumables, unable to save them due to these basic protocols set by the agency.
To justify their weak selves who could only watch colleagues die before their eyes, unable to break the basic protocol.
That’s why Team R’s complete survival couldn’t help but receive attention from many.
“…But suddenly…another ghost story appeared with black flames covering its face…and saved them?”
“Yes.”
“…The verification materials…the agency is already…printing the video…so we’ll be able to…verify soon.”
“…Director Lee. We…”
“I know.”
“…Pardon?”
Director Lee, who had always spoken with pauses throughout their conversation.
Gave an immediate answer for the first time.
“…”
“…”
But in the gap of silence that followed again.
“…Department head Choi Kang-in, I know you’re not…the type of person…to tell such lies.”
“…Thank you for trusting me, Director Lee.”
Fortunately, Kang-in could feel relieved because Director Lee trusted him.
“…Well then, you should head back now…the employees must be…waiting eagerly.”
“Yes, understood.”
With those final words from Director Lee, Kang-in bowed his head and quietly left the office.
…Click.
In the room left alone, once again piercing the quiet stillness, only the clicking sound of a ballpoint pen endlessly echoed.
Click.
Click…
Click……
Director Lee’s gaze was fixed on one keyword.
At the very bottom of Department head Choi Kang-in’s report.
-Man with black flames.
Response methods as if knowing the anomaly of that ghost story ‘And the Performance Began’ and skillful situation judgment.
Not only an intelligent being capable of smooth communication, but additional testimony of using items issued by the current GRA agency.
‘…Certainly a type of…ghost story I’ve never seen before.’
Just looking at the items written in the report, it deserved to be evaluated as a ghost story with at least B-grade or higher risk level.
Of course, it wasn’t something that could be decided right now.
Director Lee stared blankly for a while at the special notes section at the end of the report.
——-
*Special Notes: Estimated to move with different objectives than other ghost stories. (Continued observation needed.)
——-
…Tap.
Director Lee gently placed the report he was holding onto the desk.
Closing his eyes.
When lost in thought for a moment.
Ring, ring.
With a rather analog-like connection sound, the deeply sunken eyes showed a slight movement.
His hand had somehow moved toward the receiver where the connection sound was coming from.
Click.
“Director!”
“…What.”
“Director! Director!”
“I’m… listening.”
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
When an urgent voice calling for him came through the receiver, Director Lee asked about it.
And the answer that came back was.
“The ghost story response just disappeared!”
“…What do you mean?”
After Director Lee’s brief pause, the content heard through the receiver was as follows.
“…Cd-E-31! The ghost story that Team R was investigating just vanished!”
The disappearance of a ghost story.
An unprecedented event that had never happened before.
“…Please call Department head Choi Kang-in back to my office.”
“Yes!”
Click.
On this day, Department head Choi Kang-in was unable to leave Director Lee’s office for a while.
He was only able to leave work after working overtime for 2 hours.
*****
[As expected, Employee Park Yeon-jeong never disappoints.]
[At this rate, I think promotion isn’t far off!]
Promotion… would be nice.
Of course, that’s if the company I work for was a normal place.
Whether dividing ranks is really important in this situation where there’s only one full-time employee.
Just as I was about to question the announcement person again today.
A white librarian had approached Park Yeon-jeong, making a gesture as if asking to place something in their palm.
[Then shall we check the first work achievement brought by our elite Employee Park Yeon-jeong!]
From the announcer’s tone, I realized what they wanted.
Rustling.
I gently placed the quill pen that had just trapped the conductor onto the white librarian’s palm.
Then immediately, another librarian appeared with a book.
[They say great musicians’ true value of their musical scores is only known after death.]
[Now his score will be complete.]
Along with the announcer’s nonsense.
The book opened in mid-air, and the white librarian who took the quill pen began writing something in the book.
Scratch… scratch.
The friction sound of quill pen and paper was heard in the quiet stillness.
♬♯!!
‘…I guess that should be considered a scream?’
I pretended not to hear the somehow familiar dissonance.
And the announcer spoke to me first again.
[Since it will take some time to make a complete product, I should give Employee Park Yeon-jeong the first performance bonus.]
As soon as the announcement about giving a performance bonus ended.
Bzzt-
A vibration felt in the inner pocket of my pants.
[We’ve prepared it without any shortage.]
Park Yeon-jeong swallowed dry saliva at those words ‘prepared without any shortage.’
And the moment he checked that performance bonus that came to his smartphone.
-30,000,000.
…I will serve with loyalty!
Park Yeon-jeong let go of his rational thinking far too easily when this nonsensical settlement amount was deposited into his account.
With this amount, he could find a room with better conditions than his original studio apartment.
…But come to think of it.
Aren’t I an illegal immigrant here?
Starting with birth records, I’m truly an invisible person with nothing to prove my existence in this world.
…Ah, it was good while it lasted.
Static-
But the announcer continued speaking as if there was more to say.
[However, today is finally the day Employee Park Yeon-jeong’s issued items have arrived. I hope you’ll use them well from now on.]
“Issued items?”
Along with the mention of issued items.
Click!
The lights turned on, and there hung a black suit that could be called the standard of office wear.
[It’s a suit specially made to fit Employee Park Yeon-jeong’s measurements. It should fit perfectly.]
I decided not to ask about suspicious matters like when they took my measurements.
There’s nothing good about finding out anyway.
The black suit’s appearance didn’t look particularly special at first glance.
It was an extremely ordinary suit even at a rough look.
The librarian who appeared beside me as I was roughly examining the suit carefully handed me something additional.
Swish.
?
Something small and rectangular in size.
The first thought upon receiving that rectangular something was.
A credit card?
It didn’t look like anything more than that no matter how I looked at it.
And that answer was reminded again by the announcer.
[That’s exactly what Employee Park Yeon-jeong is thinking. You people buy things with that small card. I thought it would be necessary for Employee Park Yeon-jeong’s smooth work environment going forward, so I prepared it together.]
[Ah of course, I’ve also prepared an ‘ID card’, so please use it well.]
…What?
Has our announcer changed?
It was welfare so excessive it seemed too much.
Starting with a large amount of money.
A clean suit.
Credit card issuance.
A hidden talent who somehow managed the ‘ID card’ issuance process.
More than imagined company benefits, rather than feeling grateful to the company, Park Yeon-jeong wondered.
If they could do all this alone, whether he was really needed at all.
However.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Let’s be thankful for what’s grateful.
I decided to pay extra attention to my attitude toward the announcer from now on.
Because I had realized the terror of capitalism with my whole body.
The power of money is indeed frightening.
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