Chapter 102.2
“Huuuu.”
By the time I emerged from the abandoned rental apartment building, it was already well past sunset.
āThey said time flows strangely inside, and they werenāt lying.ā
It was already 7PM.
I immediately called someone.
[Ah, Soleum-ssiā¦!]
It was Jang Heo-un, who Iād told to meet me at 5 PM.
Despite making him wait for two hours, I smoothly delivered my apology.
The reason? Wellā¦
“Iām really sorry. I mentioned earlier that there might be an issue, but I mustāve kept you waiting too long.”
[Oh, no, itās fine. This cafĆ© is great! If something urgent came up, it canāt be helped. Donāt worry about me.]
Right.
Iād deliberately told Jang Heo-un to meet me at 5 PM.
āJust in case the Research Team found out I went in alone and decided to shove him into some other insane ghost story in the meantime.ā
That deranged sociopath of a researcher could absolutely do it, saying something like, āWell, since itās already like this, why donāt you head somewhere else?ā
āCorporate life is such a goddamn messā¦ā
In any case, I later apologized to Jang Heo-un at the cafƩ.
Then, I explained the situationācarefully, without being overly shockingāframing it as though the Research Team had tried to force us into a pointless and dangerous task, and I had refused.
But Jang Heo-un focused on something else.
[Wait, wouldnāt this put you in a tough spot, Soleum-ssi? I mean, you ignored a company directiveā¦!]
“Oh, itās fine.”
I spoke warmly.
“If you keep this between us, I can make good use of it.”
[ā¦ā¦??]
And not long afterā
As soon as I returned to hand in the Dream Essence Collector, I was urgently summoned by Kwak Jaekang.
Feigning calm, I shamelessly explained the situation.
“So, you left the Round-Off Team member behindā¦ is that what youāre saying?”
“Yes.”
Kwak Jaekang stared at me like he couldnāt believe what he was hearing, then let out a long sigh before laughing in disbelief.
It wasnāt a good laugh.
It was the āI canāt believe thisā kind of laugh.
“No but, Mr. Roe Deer! You know this is grounds for disciplinary action, right? Do you think this companyās a school, where you can just do whatever you want? Did Section Chief Lee Jaheon say this was okay?”
“No, Section Chief Lee Jaheon consistently advises adherence to company policies and field exploration manuals.”
“Aigoo, if you knew that, why would you do such a thing? Hmā¦ quite puzzling.”
Kwak Jaekang spoke in a subtly probing tone.
“Do you have a strong aversion to the idea of a colleague being sacrificed in an exploration? Perhaps because youāre acquainted?”
Of course, thatās what he would think.
I replied without hesitation.
“ā¦ā¦? Isn’t it just frustrating?”
“ā¦??”
“Why should I, when Iām capable of achieving a quick solo clear, have to drag alongāwell, pardon my bluntnessāa useless burden?”
“ā¦ā¦!”
Kwak Jaekang stared at me, momentarily stunned, before hastily trying to explain.
“No, I mean, you could just clear it and leave him alone in the elevator when itās doneā¦”
“Thatās precisely the point. Why should I bother with that kind of thing during Darkness exploration, sir?”
I furrowed my brows slightly, as though barely holding back my irritation.
“Do I need to worry about whether the staff waiting downstairs might run away, or whether I can send them at the right time? None of that helps shorten the exploration time or increase the essence grade, does it?”
“ā¦ā¦”
“The purpose of a field exploration role is to extract high-concentration solutions as quickly as possible and supply ingredients for the Daydream Inc. Wish Ticket elixir. Why should I waste time on tasks unrelated to my job?”
“But this is also part of the jobā”
“Isnāt that your job, Section Chief?”
Kwak Jaekang shut his mouth.
He seemed at a loss for words in the face of my ridiculous MZ-generation efficiency logic.
Not that Iām a real MZerāmy persona is all an act! Like fresh graduates just entering the workforce, Iām just role-playing here.
(T/N: MZ generation – a term coined originally for millennials or gen z people, but in a colloquial sense is just a buzzword older people use along with the connotation of āYoung people these daysā¦ā)
“So I figured itād be more efficient to just take the disciplinary action.”
“ā¦More efficient, you say?”
“Yes.”
I answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“At the very least, Iād be sanctioned with disciplinary action during my downtime when Iām not out for exploration.”
“ā¦ā¦”
Kwak Jaekang looked at me like I was some newly discovered alien species.
Of course, even he had to find this absurd.
Exactly.
āThis is the weakness you were so eager to uncoverā¦!ā
A meticulous efficiency addict obsessed with their own rules!
While it might come across as morally upright, in reality, itās just someone who loses their mind if their self-imposed principles are violated, acting with zero social grace.
āThis kind of extreme personality is, by nature, a weakness.ā
If it could stop Kwak Jaekangās unnecessary provocations from here on out, the disciplinary action would be worth itā¦!
“In that case, Iāll await the decision on my disciplinary measure.”
I maintained my delusional lunatic persona to the end as I left the lab.
āTime to find Braun.ā
I was quite proud of how I did.
The now-quiet office of Research Team 1, after Kim Soleumās departure.
Everyone else had already left for the day. So, sitting alone at his desk and mentally organizing the events of yesterday and todayā¦
“Hahahaha!”
Kwak Jaekang suddenly burst into laughter.
“Left him behind because it was frustrating? Hahaha!”
How could this be so entertaining?
If it were any other employee, he might have fallen for it entirely.
Extreme statements paired with overwhelming performance often sound convincing.
Butā¦
“Iāve observed a lot of people!”
In the end, actions speak louder than words.
And predicting future actions based on behavioral patternsāwell, thatās part of the joy of this jobā¦!
“Ah, delightful.”
Smiling ear to ear, Kwak Jaekang finished jotting down notes, stood up from his desk, and left for the day with a cheerful gait.
Click.
His soft humming echoed briefly in the office before fading with the sound of the door closing behind him.
Left on the desk were a few sheets of documentation.
[Supervisor Kim Soleum / Field Exploration Team]
It was Kim Soleumās profile file.
Beneath it, hastily scribbled notes in Kwak Jaekangās handwriting could be seen.
Traits (predictable with meaningful probability)
1- Virtuous.
2- Cowardly.
Siptea
Damn it the crazed one knew his persona!?
lynniee
So he knowssssssss fuckkkkkkkkkkkkk, damn Kim Soleum sorry man shit didnāt workā¦