Bailonz Street 13-Chapter 228.2

That day, after my shift ended, with some time left before rest—

“Eeyah. Did you enjoy your shift, Mr. Employee?”

I silently stared at Kwak Jekang, who had come to see me.

“……Um. Mr. Employee?”

And just as he began puzzling over the situation, I displayed words.

Permission to confess

“…Confess? Haha, I do have quite a lot to confess, but well, since it’s you, Mr. Employee…”

Topic : Today’s visitors to the annex

……

“Ah. Hahaha…”

Kwak Jekang picked up a file folder.

“You mean the new hire, Jang Heowoon, don’t you?”

I did not respond.

“Wait a second. I didn’t send him. No… I’m telling the truth! I can’t lie to you, right? And it’s not like I could stop him if he insisted on going…”

I stayed silent, as if willing to listen to his excuse.

As if I were suspecting him of provoking me just to extract specialized data.

Until the fear, branded into him when he felt his life was in danger during my escape, rose up the back of his neck.

Because really.

‘There’s no way you didn’t know.’

Even if he hadn’t summoned him directly, he would have been thrilled to draw attention.

He surely watched everything through the CCTV, observing and recording the conversation.

So.

Prove it

“…How?”

Submission :

Today’s duty log for 130666

“……Haha, yes.”

Whether from excitement or fear, Kwak Jekang’s hands trembled slightly as he handed me the file folder.

I accepted it with a gloved hand.

Flipping past my profile, operating instructions, and observation records, I found today’s log entry.

The record of all visitors I had interacted with.

Scrolling down to the time slot for the new hire who introduced himself as ‘Heowoon’…

2:12 a.m

Interaction(s) : Employee Kim Heowoon

‘……!!’

Kim… Heowoon?

130666 inquired whether the employee was personally acquainted.

It is presumed this inquiry was based on prior contact during the New Hire Orientation experiment.

The employee confirmed familiarity, after which 130666 issued the annex access pass to the other party without any further response.

…Up to this point, the report was refined and reasonable enough that ‘Director Cheong’ would not find it suspicious.

However, the next entry was this.

Special Note : During the orientation experiment, the employee used the name ‘Jang Heowoon’ in place of his legal name.

……

In a subsequent interview conducted after the experiment, the employee stated that this action was taken ‘to gain courage’.

The employee repeatedly claimed to have been an acquaintance of Supervisor Jang Heowoon (stationed at a branch office at the time) and to have been aware of his employment at the company.

“Ah, have you read that part?”

The researcher’s voice, previously suppressed by fear, now carried a spark of curiosity.

“It’s a rather flimsy excuse… but at least that’s what they said in the interview.”

Then, glancing at me, he added,

“Haha, at the time I was curious how that name would sound to you, Mr. Employee. They do look a bit alike, too.”

Wait a moment.

So, they’re saying it was just a person with the same name but a different surname?

And an acquaintance of Jang Heowoon-ssi?

That’s all?

‘…No.’

That felt strange.

I clearly remember.

After the deceased Jang Heowoon became corrupted and was resurrected as a resort employee, he had casually shared his past with me.

– I was an orphan and grew up in a facility, but three years ago, there was a huge fire, and all the family I lived with died in it. I just barely survived, by chance.

And now there’s supposed to be another person close enough to know that he’d joined this company?

The very fact that someone would show up claiming that felt unnatural and suspicious.

Moreover, that person recognized me.

That much I was certain of……

……

But is that really the case?

What if that person was just expressing kindness toward the ‘friendly monster’ he had met on Basement Floor 13? What if I’d misread the context? What if my crushed brain wasn’t functioning properly? What if—

Jingle.

Huu.

‘…Let’s not spiral.’

I discreetly shook the bell once more within the smoke, organizing my thoughts.

At the very least, I needed to remember two things clearly.

First, during the two times we’d met, that person showed no signs of sudden or dangerous behavior.

And second, since he was working as part of the Field Investigation Team, the Dream Essence Collector had deemed him human.

Those two facts would be enough to hold onto.

[Suspicion is a companion of wisdom. But if it is too sharp, it wounds as well. Oh, Mr. Roe Deer, your careful and polite approach is admirable.]

Yeah. Thanks.

“…Aha, so that person is really bothering you, isn’t he?”

Damn it.

“In that case, perhaps I should designate them for special monitoring, just in case……”

Denied

“Ah… understood.”

Let’s not cross that line.

Restrictions

→ No personal summons involving the individual in question

→ No assignment of tasks related to 130666

→ Prohibition of any additional troublesome actions

I continued to impose comprehensive restrictions on Kwak Jekang, suppressing a sigh.

‘…That new hire definitely said he’d come back.’

In that case, I’d better keep my access privileges at the annex front desk open so I could remain stationed there.

I had a feeling that if I probed through Kwak Jekang’s side recklessly, I’d end up hitting a nerve I shouldn’t.

‘And… it’s not as if that’s the only way to get information.’

The whereabouts of the Wish Ticket.

…No matter how I looked at it, speaking to Go Yeongeun-ssi would be the right call.

I’d need to figure out a way to reach her.

“Hm. Understood.”

Kwak Jekang seemed to wipe away a nervous sweat, but quickly recovered.

Once I returned the folder, he even looked a little disappointed that nothing more dramatic had happened.

“Well, this was certainly an intriguing conversation…”

But surprisingly, aside from that slight disappointment, he didn’t seem overly excited or scheming.

I realized why after seeing his expression.

There was something else far more important on his mind.

“Now then, would it be alright if I returned to the reason for my visit today?”

……

Affirmative

“…! Excellent!”

Excitement returned to his smiling face.

“Well, Director Cheong’s orders have finally come through!”

…!

“Mr. Employee, it’s time… to prepare to excavate Darkness in the main building’s underground Cheerful Research Institute! Hahaha!”

Salt Goblin

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