Chapter Text
A smirk appeared on the face of a man in the business suit as he held up an elegant invitation.
The card, exquisitely crafted in deep red and coffee-brown tones, was embossed in gold.
Only one detail deviated from the invitation's premium appearance.
Pfft. And what is this?
A miniature bunny's head, also embossed in gold, was visible right in the center.
The man didn't voice his mockery. In this world, it was always worth being careful with your words.
"Have you heard what I said, Chief Viper?"
A single green eye lifted from the invitation to the researcher standing in front of him.
Never before had he felt such disgust at the sight of such an ordinary face.
Of course, personal feelings couldn't interfere with cooperation, especially when the partner was so quick-witted.
"Of course, Chief Kwak. I just need to write my codename on this invitation to enter the Darkness, right?"
"That's right! I'd be very grateful if you could bring me as much information as possible..."
The man ignored the next words.
He finally held in his hands an invitation to the place he'd been wanting to visit for a long time.
Opening his eyes, the man in the viper mask found himself in the audience. In one of the seats furthest from the stage.
Not that that was a problem. The seats were slanted so that no one would block the view of the stage for those sitting behind him.
And from a higher vantage point, it would have been easier to see what was happening offstage. Even if only briefly.
"Wh-what's going on?"
"Where am I?"
Quiet, worried voices came from all directions.
They must have simply fallen asleep and then opened their eyes here... However, for the man, it had been exactly the same.
Some of them were silent. Apparently, they hadn't woken up yet.
They're all in pajamas.
The only reason he himself had appeared here in a business suit was because he knew what was coming.
Paying too much attention to the civilians wasn't worth it. They were useless, especially in this darkness.
They wouldn't even be needed as meat shields.
Slowly, Viper, Section Chief, shifted his gaze to another part of the auditorium — it was so cleverly separated from the section where the people were seated that, had he not been paying attention, he wouldn't have noticed.
The guests seated there were no longer human.
Creatures that looked anything but human. Melting chunks of flesh, inflatable mascots from some chain store, beast-like creatures, ■■■…
The man sharply slapped himself, turning his gaze from this section of the auditorium to the stage.
His cheek burned, but it was nothing compared to the headache that had developed and the maddening ringing in his ears.
Damn it. I need to be more careful.
The man bit his lip, staring stubbornly at the unlit stage. However, he didn't bother to think about what was there.
A strange darkness enveloped it, not pitch black, but trying to comprehend what was happening there was still difficult.
Surely just thinking about it could have led to contamination.
I've completely relaxed since becoming a Section Chief.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he began tapping his black leather-gloved fingers on his shoulder in agonizing anticipation.
Will he appear on stage today?
The target of today's expedition.
The one he was sent to obtain information about, and also the one he had been deeply interested in for a long time.
Supervisor Roe.
Or more precisely, the former Supervisor Roe, as he was presumed dead after a month of searching.
Having disappeared after successfully completing a darkness, he was discovered in another darkness, completely unrelated to the first...
Braun's Late Night Talk Show.
The darkness under the jurisdiction of Daydream Inc. had once evolved into this.
I believe this darkness was formerly called Tuesday's Quiz.
Interestingly, it was Supervisor Roe who had been in this darkness just before its transformation. Then, an accident occurred, where two squads were mistakenly sent for exploration, several dozen minutes apart.
This resulted in the complete destruction of the squad that entered last.
Of course, Supervisor Roe's squad also found itself in danger. But it was thanks to his efforts that they managed to escape alive.
This information was hard to extract from Lizard.
How convenient that he had managed to persuade Kwak Jekang to send them on several expeditions together.
And the price for this service was paltry — even decent! He just needed to visit this darkness and learn more about this contaminated employee.
Baek Saheon came out of their deal with a vengeance.
It's starting.
One of the spotlights lit up, revealing the host — a man in his 20s or 30s, whose appearance was reminiscent of an american talk show host from the 90s.
His brown suit was topped with a dark red tie. The color scheme perfectly matched the invitation he'd signed earlier.
[Good evening! The joy of the night, the fresh new faces you meet every day, and... your friendly host!]
As if by a snap of a finger, all those still unconscious people opened their eyes.
"Huh?.."
"What the?"
The music started playing, other lights came on, and the entire stage was now bathed in bright light...
"!!!"
He was there.
Dressed in a black suit of the same cut as the host's, complemented by a dark red bow tie that perfectly matched his colleague's.
Supervisor Roe.
Co-host of "Braun's Late Night Talk Show" who has no clear appearance pattern and appears on random episodes.
One of the show's staff members, performing an unspecified job behind the scenes when not appearing on stage.
A good friend of Braun.
Kim Soleum.
Wow...
Naturally, the host himself looked dazzling — he seemed made for this stage. Without his presence, it would have felt like an empty, contentless set, one that had lost its heart.
But Kim Soleum... Braun's co-host, was a different matter entirely.
The stage would still have been complete without him, but it wouldn't have shone as brightly as it did now.
Despite his atypical appearance for such a show, he was the icing on the cake.
The finishing touch.
The cherry on top, without which everything would have felt completely different.
So this is what he's like.
Saheon's heart beat faster, sending the blood racing through his body.
All those years of waiting and gathering information had led to this culmination: a meeting with that legendary employee who, even after disappearing into the darkness, hadn't been completely contaminated.
"Ha."
A grin escaped from behind a hand.
He really is just as they described him.
So the other staff members weren't lying when they spoke of their first "meeting" with this co-host. Baek Saheon could swear he felt a strange thrill, unable to tear his eyes away from the man on stage.
But beyond that, Baek Saheon was experiencing something else.
A burning interest.
He ignored the host's words. His attention was completely absorbed by the handsome co-host, smiling in the chair opposite him.
He clapped when there was applause. He laughed when others laughed.
And so it went on until the host finally introduced his co-host.
[Today's guest... A co-host already familiar to regular viewers, and also a good friend of mine!]
"I welcome dear viewers of today's show!"
The first words he spoke on this episode. And also the first words Baek Saheon heard.
A clear and expressive manner of speech.
He uses his voice to its fullest.
Like an item used to maximum efficiency, the co-host perfectly understood his strengths and expressed them as best he could.
That characteristic of his is also confirmed.
A monster rookie.
The one who broke all the company records in the Field Exploration Team.
The fastest score, the fastest and most effective way to penetrate the darkness, the highest-quality dream essence harvested, the fastest promotion to Supervisor...
What a shame he never got his Wish Ticket.
Of course, Baek Saheon was glad that this monster had disappeared from the company before he got there. Competing with someone so effective would have been a real pain in the ass.
But even the disappearance of this employee didn't save Viper from being compared to him. The shadow of a man long since vanished into the darkness haunted him from the moment he was promoted to Supervisor after just six months.
"Employee Roe was promoted in just a month," "Employee Roe not only got out of there faster than anyone else, but also saved over thirty employees!" — phrases like these were always used to describe Baek Saheon's success.
Back then, he couldn't stop hating this "Employee Roe"... The mere certainty that sooner or later it would end due to Roe's absence helped calm him.
He even gloated over his disappearance, despite never having known him personally.
To say he was extremely angry when he learned that his ill-fated "competitor" was still alive would be an understatement.
He turned out to be not only alive, but also not fully contaminated. He spent months on the so-called "Late Night Talk Show," but didn't lose face, as had happened to other employees before him. And he even maintained the same level of position as the host, calling him by name or simply his friend...
Ridiculous. For a human and a ghost story to be friends.
Baek Saheon had already doubted the humanity of this Roe Deer more than once, listening to the stories of his colleagues who had been fortunate enough to see him on stage.
Especially when their darting glances suddenly froze, losing focus, and their speech became increasingly rapid and disjointed. As if their thoughts were somewhere far away.
Only after a long time, having gained authority in this godforsaken company, when the tiresome comparisons with the Roe Deer had already faded, did Baek Saheon stop feeling like his long-lost collegue was superior to him.
His inferiority complex was occupied by something else.
Interest and desire.
He wanted to know what he was all about, and also to get answers to how exactly he managed to navigate one darkness after another so brilliantly.
If he's still sane, he should be able to offer some practical advice.
And if not, all the talk about this man's "uniqueness" and "perfection" would be just a gibberish of the past, soon to be forgotten.
Baek Saheon crossed his legs and rested his elbow on the armrest of his seat.
He had to wait for the special segment. Then, "Braun's good friend" always personally goes from guest to guest to ask them various questions on the show's topic.
Therefore, for the best answer, it was worth listening as attentively as possible.
"As my dear friend said, today's topic is especially interesting for fans of cults and sects... And as someone knowledgeable in this field, I was invited to this wonderful episode."
[Oh, friend! Don't be so modest! You're an expert on cults. Even before being hired on my show, you had to create your own cult because of your previous job!]
I heard something similar from Deputy Butterfly.
[Who would have thought that such a thing was part of the job of an ordinary office worker. Oh, the demands of employers are getting higher and higher! At this rate, they'll demand experience as the ruler of the Earth!]
Laughter was heard from some of the audience. They were young people in their twenties.
Just the right age for a person to look for their first job.
Viper chuckled himself. Just a few years ago, this problem was quite acute; Wonder how much it has increased?
Not that it would have affected Baek Saheon himself. He had no plans to leave Daydream Inc. anytime soon.
"Ha-ha... Oh, come on. That venture was entirely my choice to successfully navigate the situation. And can you really consider a simple improvisational performance a true cult? Unlike, say, the Church of the Luminous Unknown."
"..."
That name sounds very familiar.
More precisely, Baek Saheon was personally acquainted with members of this fanatical cult. Even if they were merely an offshoot of the main doctrine.
Ironic that they were the topic of today's talk show.
How much does he know?
The company would never have given him access to that information, considering he was only a Supervisor.
He hadn't even been on the job for a year to learn specific details about this cult and its darkness.
There was only one logical option left.
Was he also involved with cults?
Could it be possible that he, like Baek Saheon, was born into a family of cultists? Maybe even the one that followed the main doctrine. That would explain everything.
"A group of believers extolling Name-nim."
"nim," - Baek Saheon gritted his teeth at the respectful address to a being whose existance no one could confirm.
He preferred to think it was all fiction, and the fanatics' actions were utterly senseless.
Even if that thought occasionally brought him an unbearable bitterness.
"Or ■■■■■-nim!"
His ears began to hiss.
And not just his, judging by the exclamations of some of the guests.
"Ah, damn!"
"What the... What was that sound?"
The hissing was so unexpected that Baek Saheon flinched.
He hadn't heard what the co-host had said, but he could guess. The name that had flown countless times from the tongues of his relatives. They always said it with such bliss that it made Baek Saheon feel nauseous.
The co-host's easy delivery, without a hint of emotion, was like balm for the soul.
"Ah, I apologize in advance! This content is so shocking that it could drive particularly impressionable viewers crazy!"
[Curiosity-crazy! How else are our dear guests supposed to react when my friend drags it out like this?]
The crowd burst out laughing, echoing the host's sentiment. They were already fully immersed in this talk show.
Fuck. He's serious.
This topic could seriously drive people crazy. And not from curiosity at all!
Viper's hand instantly dove into his pants pocket, grabbing the item and squeezing it tightly.
"Haha! My apologies, but that's the job of a co-host — to keep the audience interested!"
At the word "co-host", his hand fell theatrically to his chest.
"As a conscientious co-host, I must first of all tell you about their doctrine! The truth of this world that it conceals is so terrifying that only madness can free you."
The host's previously cheerful voice became distorted.
No, he wasn't speaking distorted... It reached Saheon's ears like that.
What Baek Saheon heard was distorted, like air in the scorching heat, but the scene behind it was still visible...
"The truth of this world is that..."
He was hearing! Was hearing!
Now he will receive the greatest enlightenment in this world!
His worthless life will become many times more meaningful the moment he learns this truth!
He...
With great force, he thrust the earplugs he had been clutching in his pocket into his ears. The force with which he thrust them was so immense that pain spread from his ears throughout his head.
Or maybe it was caused by what he had just heard.
A gloved hand carefully touched the area under his nose. It was difficult to tell due to the poor lighting and the color of the glove, but it seemed like blood was flowing from his nose.
Then he noticed his vision had widened, and the usual heaviness on his face was gone. Apparently momentarily losing control, he knocked off his mask with his hand, and it fell off somewhere.
"…"
Fuck.
It had been a good decision to grab a couple of items, despite everyone else's words about the "safety" of this darkness.
The darkness could never be safe.
They were simply lucky with the topics they discussed on the talk show. Viper, however, was never one to boast of his luck.
Everything he had was the pure product of his own efforts. There wasn't a shred of luck involved.
Looking around, Baek Saheon began to study the people around him.
Many seemed oblivious. They looked puzzled.
But some people had a creepy look in their eyes. Wide-open eyes, staring at the stage without blinking, as if demonstrating that at that very moment they had made the greatest discovery in the world.
The noses of some of these "lucky ones" were bleeding.
The thought that Baek Saheon might be among them sent shivers down his spine.
To hell with the question segment.
He wasn't about to go crazy and become a fanatic over the chance to obtain some object or information.
The mask also would have to wait. Looking away now, let alone bending over, was dangerous.
Only when Baek Saheon was sure it was safe did he remove the earplugs.
To the applause of the regular viewers, who were thrilled by the talk show, as well as those clapping wildly, the host announced the next segment.
[Now, let's move on to the next segment: Q&A!]
[Your turn, my friend!]
"Yes, friend!"
The co-host, rising from his chair, jumped off the stage, when suddenly a bright sign lit up above his head.
Tell Braun's Friend
All About It!
The very segment where you could win prizes, usually related to the talk show's theme.
[For the next 100 seconds, my friend here will ask the audience for their thoughts on the show or any fun questions! Those who give great answers will win fabulous prizes — so let's participate! Now then...]
[Starting now!]
Baek Saheon didn't raise his hand. It was too early.
Other viewers had already raised theirs.
Some even shouted, trying to get the co-host's attention.
"Me! Me!!! Please, me!!!"
Damn. I'm at the very end, he might not come...
"Ah, the guests are burning of impatience as always! I didn't even have time to announce my question..."
Some burst out laughing, and some continued shouting like crazy.
"Well! With this kind of zeal, I should stop 'dragging it out like this'!"
[Ah! I didn't know my friend was so vindictive!]
The audience laughed again.
Baek Saheon was ready to fidget in his seat. Time is really short! Seriously, stop dragging it out like this!
"My question... Can you describe the doctrine of the Church of the Luminous Unknown in one sentence?"
Instantly raising his hand, Baek Saheon snapped his fingers.
The ring on his hand shone, standing out in the darkness of the auditorium.
The co-host looked in his direction.
Success.
He really did rush toward him. A little too quickly, in fact.
As he ran up, Baek Saheon needed to carefully consider his answer. After all, he hadn't been listening to what was being said on the talk show.
I never thought I'd be so happy with my past.
As soon as the microphone was at his lips, he spoke. It was a short sentence, much shorter than the description the co-host had given.
"Become special in His eyes."
"..."
The co-host stared at Baek Saheon for a moment. His gaze seemed far too eerie.
Baek Saheon felt uncomfortable.
Was my answer wrong?
Damn village. Damn cult. Even the essence of the core doctrine has been distorted–
“You’ve already done that, Viper-ssi!”
"..."
What?
“Your expedition to the Blood Mines was my favorite!”
Baek Saheon didn’t even have time to ask the question before the co-host ran off to another viewer.
The Blood Mines?
Only one thought came to mind.
The B-Rank Darkness he’d visited before becoming a Section Chief.
A place he’d particularly disliked. He’d had to fight especially desperately for his life there. And the lack of people he could use to save his own skin made it especially difficult.
He assumed the company sent me there?
No, that simply couldn’t be true.
The Blood Mines is a new darkness, discovered a year and a half after the disappearance of Supervisor Roe.
He hasn’t been seen in the company since. The darkness under Daydream Inc.'s jurisdiction is confidential information, difficult even for Bureau agents to obtain.
Then how did he know?
He called me Viper...
There was no mask on his face.
They had never met. He couldn't have known that the employees who joined the company the same year as Baek Saheon wore snake masks.
"..."
An item or a contamination effect?
Indeed, the details weren't important, because whatever they were, the feeling that had ignited within Baek Saheon could never be extinguished.
The desire to obtain all the useful information.
Greed.