Chapter 109.1
For a moment, I thought I was still caught up in the Church of the Luminous Unknownās ghost story.
But my fully awakened mind quickly assessed the situation.
āThis is different.ā
The Eun Haje standing before me was no longer the clean-cut, suit-wearing professional boss I remembered from the office.
Instead, she looked more like a detective who had been on a three-day undercover stakeoutā¦ or perhaps, a reporter.
Reality hit me like a splash of cold water.
āWhat kind of situation is this?ā
I immediately got up from the bed.
“Assistant Manager.”
“Yes.”
Eun Haje nodded.
“First of all, sorry for barging into your place unannounced. I canāt afford to be seen right now, but I had to tell you something important.”
Having been missing for two months, she now stood in someone elseās room like a burglar, casting wary glances toward the window.
As if she were being pursued.
“ā¦When you say you canāt afford to be seen, do you mean youāre being tracked?”
“Something like that. But listen to me first.”
Eun Haje brushed off my question and took a deep breath.
“On January 2nd, when you go to work, youāll be assigned a Darkness. ā¦On paper, itāll seem normal. Itās rated C-grade, has a complete manual, and you wonāt be the only one assigned. Butā¦”
But.
“Donāt go in there.”
“ā¦ā¦”
“Find any way to avoid it. Take a sick leave or even quit if you have to. Becauseā¦”
She clenched her teeth, then released them.
“If you enter, youāll die.”
“ā¦ā¦!”
“Donāt ask how I know. Just do as I say.”
“Is it Kwak Jekang?”
“ā¦!”
Her expression gave me all the confirmation I needed.
āDamn it, a death notice the moment I wake up?ā
I pressed my hand to my forehead, trying to process it all.
“What does that section chief have against me?”
“We all know heās a psychopath.”
I couldnāt argue with that.
Eun Haje spat the words bitterly.
“But youāre talented, and youāve pulled off plenty of impressive stunts. This time, he probably wants to throw you into a situation where youāll definitely die just to see how you try to survive.”
So, showing off my MZ traits had backfired.
āDamn it.ā
Yeah, with someone like him, I could see how heād be thrilled at the idea of using me as an experimental test subject, throwing me into a bizarre ghost story under strange conditions.
Howeverā¦
“Even so, Assistant Manager, thereās still a chance I could survive, right?”
“ā¦ā¦”
“And if heās curious to see how Iāll make it out alive, wouldnāt he pick a Darkness where survival is at least possible?”
I hated to admit it, but I was an elite employee rapidly climbing the ladder.
I had good connectionsāDirector Cheong liked me (for reasons unknown), and Director Ho also viewed me favorably.
āNo matter how I look at it, I doubt a project like this, meant to throw me into certain death, would get approved with just the section chiefās say-so.ā
Being sent to a dangerous place was always possible, sure, but ghost stories by nature were inherently risky.
āEven Assistant Manager Eun Haje herself said it was C-grade with a complete manual.ā
Something about this wasnāt adding up.
“So how can you be so sure Iāll die there?”
I looked at her, silently asking for an explanation. Eun Haje pressed her fingers to her furrowed brow, as if trying to suppress a sigh.
“Thereās only one thing I know for certain.”
She pointed at me.
“On January 2nd, youāre marked as deceased.”
“ā¦ā¦”
“I confirmed itā¦ in a Darkness that shows the future.”
“ā¦!”
Damn.
A ghost story that reveals the future? A few entries on the wiki came to mind.
But even setting aside the question of how Eun Hajeāwho was supposed to be on leaveāgained access to such a Darknessā¦
āSomething feels off.ā
“I checked what Darkness youād be assigned to on the 2nd, and I came here immediately. You saved my life once, so this is the least I can do.”
“Wait a moment. Assistant Manager, this still doesnāt make sense.”
“What do you mean?”
“Iāve seen my future too. Remember that ghost story I was managing? The one with the tarot cards?”
“ā¦I remember.”
“Recently, I drew a very good card. And that prediction hasnāt come true yet.”
I recalled the Sun card I had drawn.
Upright. A card that guaranteed happiness.
“You canāt be happy after youāre dead.”
“You could be happy, and then die.”
“ā¦ā¦”
This still didnāt sit right with me.
But seeing how anxious Eun Haje looked, and knowing she had no reason to lie, I nodded for now.
“Understood. Iāll come up with a plan.”
“Damn, fine.”
Eun Haje looked up at the sky briefly, as if the weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Then she mumbled, as if to justify herself,
“Roe, I wasnāt planning to break into your place like this. Itās justā¦ things were urgent, so forgive the intrusion. Seeing someone who left the team is always unsettling, right?”
“Itās nothing. I was a bit surprised, but Iām glad to see youāre healthy.”
“ā¦Huu. Roe, with that personality of yours, how do you plan on surviving in this companyā¦?”
“Haha.”
My personality is averageāitās the personalities of the employees in this company that are ghost stories in themselves.
āI mean, seriously, if I acted any less respectful toward a former boss who came all the way here to save me, Iād be an absolute lunaticā¦ā
And letās not even bring up the fact that my biggest issue isnāt my personality, but the fact that Iām a coward.
Anyway, Assistant Manager Eun Haje looked relieved as she gave me a tired smile and gestured with her chin.
“Alright then, Iām leaving. Get some rest.”
“Wait a moment.”
“What now?”
“Well, about your handā¦”
I cautiously looked at her empty left sleeve.
Eun Haje casually waved her arm.
“What? Youāre still worried about this? Roe, I told you, Iām not using any regeneration potions. You use them instead.”
“Thatās not what Iām talking about.”
I recently thought of a possible solution.
“You passed down some communication equipment to me, remember?”
“Oh, yeah. I did. But that was just because I didnāt need it anymoreā¦”
“So, Iād like to introduce you to a piece of equipment in return.”
I flipped the coin, which was my personal equipment.
A third hand materialized midair. For the price of a 500-won coin, I could use this equipmentā
The Third Hand.
In other words, an item that grants the ability to grow an additional hand.
“How about using this as a parent item and customizing one for yourself, Assistant Manager?”
“ā¦!”
