Lee Seonghae was in a very good mood!
'I helped good people.'
She paid no mind to the sight of the strange underground bunker's interior visible through the iron gate.
Because she had found the being she needed to meet inside.
She reached out and pointed at the person.
"Employee, they're over there."
The special department employee of the Security Team, enveloped in Black Smoke.
Golden Mascot.
Even then, the sight of the 'Employee' holding the Grandmother, perhaps out of consideration for the elderly, only made her feel more pleased.
'As expected, a good employee!'
If so, introducing equally good people was not a bad thing.
...Whether the agents she intended to 'introduce' would look at that Employee with what kind of expression, or feel what kind of emotion, was a separate matter.
She was a person who was congenitally insensitive to the emotions of others, and her habit of trying to do the right thing, even in her self-centeredness, made the execution of her ethics and morals somewhat extreme.
Just as this situation had come to pass.
'This worked out well.'
Lee Seonghae recalled.
What happened a few days ago, after capturing the 'Man on the Screen' ghost story onto a USB.
"Mmm-hmm~"
On her way home from work.
She was happily returning home. Today's exploration had ended safely, and she was scheduled to visit the annex to meet the 'Employee' in the early morning.
Thus, her steps were light as she walked.
Jiiing.
Her smartphone rang.
[K.LEE: Hello, Deputy Managerㅋㅋㅋ]
A profile picture and name that felt almost unfamiliar.
But her sharp mind remembered.
'The person who introduced Salmon Market.'
It was the season when new employees were joining, so the association memory worked faster.
A mysterious KakaoTalk message from someone calling himself Deputy Lee Kangheon of C Team, contacting a 'promising new employee.'
[K.LEE: It's been a while~ I heard you got promoted?]
Lee Seonghae typed a reply.
[Yes]
[K.LEE: Kkkh, congratulations!ㅋㅋ It would be nice to meet up for a meal!]
[I don't think I can afford it.]
[K.LEE: Hey, I have enough money to treat a colleague to a mealㅋㅋ]
Really?
But then.
[You're not a colleague, are you?]
Because it was a lie.
And Lee Seonghae hated liars.
[There's never been anyone named Lee Kangheon at this company, who are you?]
This was the truth derived from combining the intranet and all rumors.
A moment of silence.
[K.LEE: You didn't just find out now, did you?]
As Lee Seonghae gazed down at her smartphone screen.
[K.LEE: And that's not what's important, is it?]
[K.LEE: Isn't this what's important? I might be able to tell you the whereabouts of Chief Kang Yihak, who disappeared recently haha]
"Huh?""
At the mention of an employee whose disappearance she had facilitated herself, Lee Seonghae blinked.
In fact, she had already forgotten about Kang Yihak. There was no need to worry about a 'bad person' who had already been dealt with.
But this mention was significant.
Because Kang Yihak hadn't just disappeared.
[Are you perhaps from the Disaster Management Bureau?]
Since they had transferred her from the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.
[K.LEE: Shall we say so?]
"Ooh."
The other party's reaction was surprisingly calm, but given the circumstances, it was highly likely a bluff to avoid being caught in a lie.
If so, it was acceptable because even a liar had a reason for lying, which was good!
[So, what do you want to ask in return for telling me Kang Yihak's whereabouts?]
[K.LEE: Shall we meet and talk?]
[Sure!]
If they weren't actually agents, it would be even better to deal with them in person.
And so, an hour later, Lee Seonghae found herself sitting in a corner of a franchise cafe, waiting to meet 'Lee Kangheon.'
She was natural, like the personification of striking while the iron is hot.
Moreover, she was in a good mood.
Because a very good idea had come to her.
And.
"Nice to meet you, Agents!"
Soon, the ones who sat down were...
The agents she had seen at that time!
Two of the agents she met when dealing with the 'Man on the Screen.'
'Ooh.'
The one with the scar on his neck, and the one with the tired-looking impression who had escorted Kang Yihak.
And among them, Lee Kangheon was...
"Wow, hello? Deputy Manager."
The man with the scar on his neck smiled faintly and sat in the opposite seat.
Lee Seonghae sensed several signals that the smile was just a habit and that he was actually in a highly agitated state.
'It must be something important.'
"You seem to have something to ask of me."
"Ooh, if I ask, will you just do it?"
"Yes. I'll just help you!"
"...Wow, really?"
The other's smile didn't crack, but his voice softened.
"Really! But can you do me a favor later? It's not a bad thing, it's a good thing!"
"What's your standard for distinguishing good from bad?"
"Naturally, it's me."
Lee Seonghae grinned.
"But I don't do bad things to good people!"
After a brief silence.
"Alright!"
'Lee Kangheon' replied cheerfully.
"Provided it doesn't harm the Disaster Management Bureau."
"Of course!"
As the two smiled circularly, the sturdy agent with the tired impression looked at her.
"Ms. Lee Seonghae."
"Yes?"
"If you truly want to help good people, shouldn't you reconsider working for a company that harms society?"
Hmm.
Lee Seonghae knew Lee Kangheon had hastily stepped on the other agent's foot under the table, but she kindly ignored it!
Even though she herself had asked a similar question last time.
Lee Kangheon threw in a remark, in a tone that could be either protective or questioning.
"Hey~ Don't you have a wish you really want to fulfill?"
"I do!"
"As expected, right? But you know."
His voice lowered slightly.
"Do agents who contact you after being born with Wish Tokens exist? An employee who remains in contact even after leaving the company?"
Hmm.
The A Team leader... is still employed, so excluding him.
The C Team leader who resigned, and three members of the Field Investigation Team last year, retired after receiving Wish Tokens, and two of them whose wishes were 'not macroscopic' are still in good contact.
"Of course! Everyone is doing well?"
"...Really? Then what about the missing employees?"
"Ah, of course, there are also employees who went missing. If you make that kind of wish."
"..."
"..."
A deep, heavy silence fell, but Lee Seonghae's bright voice cut through it.
"Anyway, what can I help you with?"
"...Ah, it's not difficult, something you already know, Deputy Manager Lee Seonghae."
Lee Kangheon said as if casually tossing it out.
"You were next to him when we met last time, weren't you? The black Transport Cage."
"Ah, the Employee?"
Strangely, the agents fell silent.
As if Lee Seonghae was about to say something shocking.
"He's a really good person. Kind, and tries to help people!"
"...Ah, really?"
His voice was suppressed.
"But does everyone think it's okay to cram that good person into a pet transport cage?"
"Agent."
Another agent stopped Lee Kangheon. But Lee Seonghae cleanly caught only the question in the sentence.
"Hmm. But the Employee uses that Transport Cage because it's comfortable..."
"..."
"Maybe it's because people get scared if he just comes out. It's consideration!"
"Scared, they do."
"Because some people are affected by appearances?"
"..."
The agent who had opened his mouth hesitated and then closed it again.
And when his mouth opened again, a business-like voice emerged.
"Understood. In any case, the request is just one thing: to grant access to that Transport Cage."
Hmm.
"Nothing grand, just that. Just to know the location when the Transport Cage goes to another site."
A rather plausible guess popped into Lee Seonghae's head.
'Is it a scout?'
Come to think of it, the Disaster Management Bureau said they would cooperate with good supernatural beings to dispose of evil Darkness.
The Employee was certainly qualified.
'Hmm. It seems like a good thing!'
Isn't it much better than being overworked under a mean superior like Director Cheong without getting paid?
Still, she needed to confirm first.
"Are you going to help the Employee change jobs?"
"...If you say so?"
"Then I'll help you."
"...!"
"It seems like you're not getting paid right now. You're in the annex right now, and the conditions seem really poor..."
"Now,"
The agent stood up.
"In the annex?"
"Yes, yes."
"Daydream Inc. annex."
"Yes. But..."
Are they really going to storm in right away?
Lee Seonghae grinned.
"You won't be able to get in as humans, will you?"
The security characteristics of Daydream Inc.
While incidents of Darkness infiltrating or isolated Darkness escaping are frequent, security on routes where an external intruder could 'steal' Darkness is thorough.
It's a typical evil corporation that prioritizes raw material supply lines over human lives.
In any case, impulsive intrusions through conventional means would be very difficult.
Unless there's an inside collaborator.
"Please wait a moment."
And Lee Seonghae was confident she could cooperate very well.
She was planning to go to the annex today anyway!
Over the next few days, she continued to bring snacks (she had intended to give them as gifts anyway!) and gathered information, establishing contact with the Security Team members who were the Employee's team.
Through this route, as soon as she naturally heard about the day the Transport Cage would go out, she intended to pass that information to the Disaster Management Bureau agents.
The only problem was that she hadn't expected the Employee to be assigned to a task that delved deep into the company's interior.
And even less could she have predicted that he would be involved in some incident and go missing.
Internally, it was processed as 'assigned by Director Ho Yuwon and working separately,' but that was not publicly known either.
The Employee's assigned Security Team also remained silent. Although it seemed they were doing something amongst themselves.
"Ughh..."
What was fortunate in this situation was that at least Lee Seonghae had realized the Employee was no longer inside the Transport Cage.
'I can feel he's not there.'
The ability to sense the presence of Mascot.
It was a trace left by her experience working as an employee at Flower Golden Resort. It was the same phenomenon as Agent Haegum.
In any case, Lee Seonghae conveyed this disheartening news to the agents, and the agents...
[K.LEE: He disappeared]
They requested that she bring something when she met Lee Seonghae again.
If possible, that is.
The trace of the Employee.
[K.LEE: A body part, or a piece of clothing he wore regularly is also fine.]
[K.LEE: Simple personal belongings are not allowed. Dolls or the like are also not allowed.]
Like hair, fingernails, or fragments of horns.
Of course, Lee Seonghae didn't have the Employee's hair. It seemed the other party was asking with the mindset of grasping at any possibility.
However.
[I think I have something similar!]
An item that could almost be considered a part of him.
"It's the Mascot's flower accessory!"
It was a 'souvenir' that could be chosen as employee compensation at Pleasant Theme Park.
Lee Seonghae had boldly chosen one flower from the horn of the Mascot itself.
Of course, Kim Soleum was very displeased, but Lee Seonghae herself was unaware of this fact...
Are you really
Okay?
Recalling only the question the Mascot had asked, Lee Seonghae willingly took the single flower and showed it to the agents.
The agents' faces fell as they looked at the small golden wildflower.
"This... is 'part of the Employee'?"
"Yes!"
The atmosphere somehow became even stranger, but Lee Seonghae didn't care.
And the agents, using a method similar to dowsing, a kind of spiritual technique, managed to ascertain one piece of information based on the item.
It was directionality.
"It's to the southeast?"
The agents, based on that, seemed to be planning to immediately start tracking and were about to stand up to thank her for her 'cooperation.'
"Hmm... but that flower is precious to me too."
Lee Seonghae declared with a bright smile.
"Take it with me. I'll take annual leave!"
...And so, after several transfers, Lee Seonghae finally arrived at Jisan Village and was able to arrange a meeting between the Employee and the agents!
And finally, the Employee's very first reaction upon seeing the agents was...
This.
Request: Do not move
Huh?
I didn't expect to meet like this.
I stared blankly at those faces.
Agent Choi.
Agent Bronze.
The elderly light flickered from the Goblin Lantern in Agent Choi's hand, and the rope restraints were neatly coiled on Agent Bronze's shoulder.
The sight I saw every time I was dispatched.
And our eyes met. I slowly widened my field of vision to retreat... at that moment.
I saw the black box with hands again.
Right next to the entrance.
'...!'
A sense of crisis made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
Request: Do not move
Reason: The box three steps away (extremely dangerous)
'No.'
It's too close...!
'If I'm not careful, the one who tracks movement might change.'
The characteristic of the 'Seeker in the Box.'
It 'prefers' to accept the one with more to talk about into its garden.
Meaning, it might chase two of those three.
'I need to send them out safely.'
Somehow.
Should I scare them? I want to send Deputy Manager Eun Haje with them somehow, but how?
...If I deliberately lure the box,
"Grapes-ie."
....
...!
"Let's calm down."
Agent Choi at the entrance slowly put down the Goblin Lantern.
And raised both hands.
"Look. We won't do anything. Then it's okay, right?"
....
"Shall we communicate only with our heads? If it's hard to speak, it's okay to just move your head."
I slowly nodded.
A smile appeared on Agent Choi's face...
"Oh dear... why would you say that."
Ho Yuwon.
"It's not that it's hard to speak, but you lack vocal cords due to your structure, right?"
My heart felt like it was shriveling.
[You rude fellow! My friend has vocal cords somewhere in their body, but they are simply using a more comfortable means of communication at the moment!]
And.
Ho Yuwon and Agent Choi were acquainted.
Moreover, that director harbored immense resentment towards the Disaster Management Bureau...
"You went running to the old man wheezing on the mountaintop to have the restriction I placed removed. Truly a way of life befitting your affiliation."
"Agent Grape."
Agent Bronze opened his mouth.
"If an intelligent being in a Supernatural Disaster is continuously causing harm to a government agent, they can be immediately transferred to the Disaster Management Bureau."
He looked at Ho Yuwon with dark eyes.
"This means it's possible immediately, as long as there is testimony from the party involved."
Ho Yuwon's smile deepened.
[Oh, it seems there's no one here who is favorable to that person in many ways. After all, who likes a plague? And he's so unlikeable.]
[Here comes our candidate.]
...Candidate?
[A candidate to fill the garden of two people. How about putting that person in the box?]
And I realized that Brown was talking about a very simple way to escape this situation.
[Oh, the notification of withdrawal is sad, but it's also an essential element for show operations.]
[Let's notify the two least valuable ones.]
['Unfortunately, you can no longer be with us'!]
The number of entities present, six.
The capacity, two.
[Let's pick the two.]