GSGW c229

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Chapter 229

Darkness excavation.

Entering the scenes of the Cheerful Research Lab that repeats endlessly downward beneath the main building, and digging out the Darkness contained within them.

In order to collect dream essence, acquiring new ghost stories is one of the important work processes of Daydream Inc.

But now, most of the Darkness in the lower levels of the Cheerful Research Lab has already been excavated.

The time had come to send employees into the deeper layers, where things were dangerous, information was scarce, and all kinds of anomalies occurred…

“And that’s where you come in, employee. Hahaha. Special Department 130666!”

That’s right.

Employees of the Security Team’s Special Department—ghost stories bound as employees of Daydream Inc.—were the proper candidates for entering those depths.

Starting today, I was included as well.

A week of quietly working at the annex had produced the intended results.

“Though today, I hear you don’t have to go quite that deep!”

That’s right.

Today’s assignment was this.

Excavate new Darkness within the lower levels up to Basement Floor 30.

Kwak Jaekwang lowered his voice.

“Of course, if you feel like going further down, I would welcome it unconditionally, employee.”

"......"

If I went further down, perhaps I might even find the ruins of that strange dream incubation lab where I had awakened…

Just thinking about it made my stomach churn, but I endured.

'After all, I intended to show that I could perform my duties faithfully today.'

Build a foundation.

Mentally, and environmentally.

And naturally, since this was a solo assignment given to Special Department employees, there was no need for the transport cage either.

“Um, perhaps… if someone accompanied you…”

“Hm? Who said you were allowed that opportunity? This is the employee’s solo mission! Really now, a mere security team member who hasn’t even done underground exploration more than a few times is still—”

Request: Silence

“......"

Kwak Jaekwang closed his mouth. The Security Team Leader still looked like he couldn’t care less about that guy.

As always, he seemed to be picking a fight only with Mr. J.

'Does he have some personal grudge?'

Now that my mind had cleared somewhat, I noticed it even more.

But if the Security Team Leader truly was the same person recorded in the wiki as the leader of Team B…

'Wouldn’t it make more sense for the Security Team Leader to hold a grudge against the research team instead?'

It was a strange power dynamic.

“Hmm.”

But the Security Team Leader, who seemed more focused on today’s expedition than on Kwak Jaekwang, appeared lost in thought about what to do.

Next to him, Supervisor Park Minseong was looking at me with a worried expression.

Both of them were probably concerned about whether someone in my not-entirely-normal condition should really be entering Darkness of this level alone.

'......'

Secretly, out of Kwak Jaekwang’s sight, I formed a sentence with smoke.

Like Kim Soleum would.

I’m back to my senses.

“….!"

Please don’t worry. I’ll go and return safely, Mr. J.

And—

Supervisor Badger.

"......"

The smoke dispersed, but Supervisor Park Minseong remained silent for a moment.

Soon, a damp voice came out.

“…Ok. Have a safe trip.”

“Be careful…”

Still restrained, I left the isolation room and was transferred for movement to the main building.

All the way to the elevator.

***

Ding.

I boarded the elevator.

It wasn’t the ground-level elevator of the main building that I had used when escaping the isolation room.

This one led underground.

The same elevator I had once ridden with the Security Team Leader, dressed in a security uniform, when entering the Sangun ghost story.

But unlike then, I had none of the usual equipment.

Only the organized contents of the document file Kwak Jaekwang had given me remained clearly arranged in my mind…

Like the <Darkness Exploration Records> wiki.

Main Building Underground Exploration Record: Cheerful Research Lab

This Darkness is a specially managed type that can only be accessed through the dedicated elevator leading underground from the company’s main building.

Its appearance and ■■ have been confirmed to almost perfectly match the interior of the site of a certain institution formerly called the Cheerful Research Lab, and thus it has been named accordingly.

Although standard emergency staircases can be found inside, there are no records of anyone returning to the surface using that route. Keep this in mind while conducting exploration.

The structure of the Joyful Research Lab seen on each underground floor is mostly identical, but the deeper one goes, the more bizarre anomalies appear.

Floors are classified as follows: lower levels up to Basement Floor 29, middle levels up to Basement Floor 59, and deep levels from Basement Floor 60 and below.

And so it begins.

Basement Floors 2–9 — Office During Vacation Season

Ding.

The elevator stopped at Basement Floor 9, and the doors opened, revealing the scene of the Cheerful Research Lab…

A brightly lit corridor with a calm atmosphere.

It looked like a perfectly normal office—hard to believe it was underground.

From inside the offices, covered with opaque film, occasional sounds of writing or chatter could be heard, but for the most part it was quiet.

At these lower levels, the Cheerful Research Lab generally maintains a calm and peaceful atmosphere.

Most of the office personnel appear to be absent from their seats and show little activity.

Danger level: Very low

And so, most of the Darkness here had already been excavated.

Which meant this could not be my destination right now.

Instead of walking down the office corridor after stepping out of the elevator, I turned my body.

And pressed—

the elevator call button located immediately to the left.

On the dedicated elevator in the company’s main building, only up to Basement Floor 9 is displayed. Occasionally, deeper floors with two-digit numbers appear, but it is not recommended to press them.

The official exploration method is to disembark at the lowest normally displayed floor, then board the left-side elevator.

On that left elevator, there is a very high probability that buttons leading further underground will appear starting from that floor. Usually, ten additional floors are displayed.

Press those buttons and continue the exploration.

[Let’s go. Down below! To search for gold—oh, I feel like singing a miner’s song. Like Snow White’s dwarfs….]

Basement Floors 10–19 — Office During Lunch Hour

At these lower levels, the Joyful Research Lab is somewhat noisier than the upper floors, and occasionally personnel step outside their offices.

Danger level: Low

Floor 19.

From here onward, I would need to be a little careful…

So that I wouldn’t be noticed by the residents of the Cheerful Research Lab inside those offices.

However, even if they step out into the corridor, I cannot see them.

'And the same goes for them.'

The “Cheerful Research Institute personnel” and the explorer who entered through the elevator cannot perceive one another.

But they can perceive the influence they have on the institute.

Do you understand what that means?

I cannot see them, and they cannot see me.

But if I were to destroy this corridor, they would notice that some kind of intruder had done it.

And most territory-type urban legends are never forgiving toward intruders…

Do not get caught if possible.

Taking that advice to heart, I moved carefully…

Downward.

I stepped into the elevator on the left and pressed the button that would take me deeper underground.

Basement Floors 20–29 — The Midnight Office

This was my workplace for tonight.

The tail end of the lower floors.

Ding.

With a cheerful chime, the doors opened and revealed the 29th floor.

……

A dark corridor.

Utter silence.

Occasionally, a strange clattering sound echoed somewhere in the distance.

On this floor, every light source except the emergency lamps had been turned off, and almost no activity from office personnel could be observed.

However, severe mental or physical danger caused by individual “darkness phenomena” occurred frequently without warning.

Security personnel who failed contamination inspections were strictly prohibited from being stationed here.

Risk Level: Medium–Low

(Civilian death probability: over 50%.)

The danger level had already risen to a sharp edge.

Fortunately, my sense of fear hadn’t fully returned yet. That meant I could still move rationally, even alone.

I walked down the corridor.

The black smoke surrounding me was swallowed by the darkness, making it nearly impossible to see.

Only my eyes—like faint yellow lanterns—cast a dim glow across the hallway.

Even that, I kept as faint as possible.

Any attempt to use artificial light sources brought from the surface ends in disappearance.

*A note left behind by Security Team R16 was recovered. Document attachment approved.

Note contents: After lights out, do not turn the lights

…Following the manual like this almost made me feel like I was back with the field exploration team again.

Of course, whether those rules truly mattered to someone who wasn’t even human anymore… was another matter entirely.

[Where will you begin searching, my friend?]

The darkest place.

I would go where people would naturally hesitate to enter. That was where an individual urban legend was most likely to remain.

For the first time, I appreciated having a body that didn’t care whether there was a single speck of light.

I headed toward an office farthest from the emergency lights—

The place on the 29th floor with the fewest recorded exploration logs.

[3-⋢⟤⦯]

…The nameplate outside the dim office was warped beyond recognition.

But no sounds came from inside.

…At least for now, it seemed safe.

'Starting here.'

I grasped the doorknob and slowly turned it, gently opening the door.

…The inside revealed itself.

It had the exact same structure as the Dream Cultivation Lab.

'......!'

Before the shock could fully sweep over me, I rang the bell. The clear sound of the small bell echoed through my mind.

……

I calmed myself.

'Hoo.'

Right.

The office was definitely… extremely similar to the underground Dream Incubation Chamber I had discovered before. Even the PCs and desks were the same standardized models.

But there were no dream incubators.

'…This office might not be directly related.'

I felt an inexplicable sigh of relief leak out of me.

Then I began examining the room.

'....It's clean.'

It looked exactly like the kind of office employees would come into work and use first thing in the morning.

But in the darkness, strange details began revealing themselves one by one.

Colorful samples like children’s toys sat on desks. Stacks of hand mirrors were piled on another. One computer was completely covered in post-it notes.

Observe differences from a normal office and investigate accordingly. Exercise sound judgment.

Artifacts produced by urban legends may cause loss of consciousness or immediate death through interaction alone. If an item cannot be transported, it holds no value as collectible darkness.

Easy to say.

'Phew.'

Trying not to imagine the expressions of the unlucky employees who had once done this job, I began inspecting the strange objects one by one.

[Crude, perhaps—but you could call it creativity.]

Maybe because I had already recognized the creeping feeling of unease, the search wasn’t particularly pleasant. Still, having someone to talk to made it far more bearable.

'No unusual reactions…'

I moved to the next desk—

……

Wait.

'...This.'

Between two desks, sitting atop a storage shelf, I noticed a palm-sized circular object.

A black model, shaped like a disk standing upright.

'…A roulette.'

It looked exactly like the black roulette I had spun at the popup store for <Darkness Exploration Records>.

Even the button next to it—shaped like the walkie-talkie switch I had pressed before—was perfectly recreated.

'......'

How could this be?

What was going on here?

'It’s a hint.'

The realization came to me instinctively.

I reached out immediately. First I needed to confirm it. If I could figure out what it did—

“Wow. It’s really nice to see you again, Soleum.”

…!!

I turned my head.

My hand touching the roulette.

Right beside it—

Another bare hand had reached for the roulette at almost the same time, nearly overlapping with mine.

Following that hand, I lifted my gaze.

“Have you been well?”

Director Ho.

He was looking straight at me.

…With an employee ID from the Cheerful Research Institute hanging around his neck.

 

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