NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1
Chapter 1
“Team Leader, I have finished organizing this month’s payroll for the Risk Management Team.”
“We need to double-check that. Two people died due to an escape incident with the managed objects yesterday. I’ll give you the details of the deceased, so make sure to adjust the payroll into condolence and compensation fees to be delivered to the families.”
“Shall we just consider it a donation if there are no families this time too?”
“Sure, no other procedures are needed.”
“Yes, understood.”
With a deep sigh, I sat down and started organizing the documents again.
Once upon a time, there was a saying going around the world.
“What if the world we live in is actually filled with monsters and superpowers, and there’s an organization of humans managing it all without us knowing? What if they hide the existence of those monsters and resort to all sorts of wrongdoing and even sacrifice humans to maintain that?”
To cut to the chase, that is, in fact, a reality.
“Team Leader, what exactly did they die from this time?”
“I heard they accidentally entered a room where if you don’t do x, you die?”
“Oh, they failed to manage the room? But why did they both end up dead?”
“Apparently, they didn’t get along.”
“Oh dear.”
“If you entered that room with me, you wouldn’t kill me, right?”
“I believe that room knows that better than I do.”
“Look at you not denying it.”
Inside the small office, the Team Leader and I were goofing off while getting our work done.
Outside, it was already dark, and the clock pointed to 11 PM, the time when anyone could see we were really working overtime as we continued to mechanically draft payroll listings.
Indeed, the so-called national management agency exists, and I am working in that agency.
However, my job isn’t about saving people or managing the managed objects—those daunting tasks.
No matter if someone dies tomorrow, this is an organization, and there are people working here. They get assigned, work, and receive the corresponding pay.
I am the payroll officer in the Human Resources Team of the management agency, that’s my job.
Compared to losing limbs or dying at a moment’s notice, this is a rather happy job. A bit of overtime, sure, but still.
While working, I looked at the Team Leader, and a translucent window popped above his head.
[Name: Heo Chan]
[Age: 49]
[Trait: Easygoing]
[Talent: Crisis Detection]
[Background: As the head of the family, he works overtime again today for his family’s meal.]
“What’s up? Did I write something wrong?”
“No, it’s fine.”
The middle-aged man with a full head of hair looked at me with a puzzled expression, and I shook my head and turned my gaze towards a small mirror on my desk.
[Name: Kim Jae Heon]
[Age: 27]
[Trait: -]
[Talent: Insight]
[Background: He sees things differently than others.]
Ever since I took the college entrance exam, these things started appearing before my eyes.
If I had been just a tad younger, I might have boasted about these abilities, but thankfully, I’d grown up enough to keep my abilities under wraps.
Instead, I diligently tested my abilities and pondered if there was a greater power hidden within.
To put it simply, nothing changed. I could only know people’s traits and talents, and just one aspect of them, nothing else.
I couldn’t change someone’s skills by looking at their information, nor could I invest in them. I could only see slightly better, that was all.
Thus, in my life, it didn’t help much. No, it did help in a few ways.
Like figuring out what kind of person a superior was in the army, leading to a more comfortable military life or studying a bit less based on a professor’s tendencies to score well during midterms or finals.
However, compared to the psychic abilities that the general public knows, those were really small potatoes.
That’s why I tried to live quietly, thinking to just get by with this ability. I thought I would be able to do that until I graduated college, discharged from the military, and started job hunting.
But then, people came looking for me.
They appeared out of nowhere, locked me in a room, pried into my abilities, and suddenly offered me a job. They referred to themselves as the management agency.
“How about working in the Human Resources Team?”
“Suddenly? This is a bit shocking…”
“The salary is as follows.”
“Thinking about it, this doesn’t seem bad at all.”
The amount was so significant that it felt too big to turn down. I’d probably have a hard time getting into any big corporations anyway; wasn’t this a chance given to me by fate?
Moreover, considering it was the Human Resources Team, I wouldn’t have to worry about dying, and upon reflection, this was indeed a pretty decent job.
“Team Leader, I’m all done.”
“You checked everything, including the deceased, right? Then you can leave first. I’ll be here for a bit longer with the paperwork.”
“Yes.”
The moment I thought, “Hey, don’t you dare leave me here!” I suddenly found myself having dinner with an old man and drinking soju while having sundae soup. The struggles of a family man and wise advice to boot.
With a quick nod, I gathered my laptop and slung my bag over my shoulder.
“I’ll be heading out now.”
“Uh, alright. Go ahead.”
Bowing, I stepped out the door when the Team Leader called me back.
“Did you take the manual? You can’t leave without it.”
“Do you see me as an idiot, Team Leader?”
Here, there’s no employee ID.
Just a small notebook labeled [Office Staff Manual]. I couldn’t wrap my head around what sort of madness this was, but this was my ID and employee badge. It also contained all the emergency instructions.
However, of course, this manual wouldn’t be of any use. What kind of situation would arise in the Human Resources Team? The worst I would ever deal with would be overtime due to improper payroll.
“Anyway, truly heading out now.”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
After my farewell and closing the door, what lay before me was a typical office corridor.
However, in this basement, there existed things beyond our comprehension and often human beings that posed threats to mankind—an isolation facility.
Of course, this didn’t significantly affect me; after all, I was just a Human Resources Team member.
At least, it hadn’t up until now.
I mechanically pressed the elevator button. Going home now meant just sleeping and waking up to come back to work, so getting home quickly was my top priority.
With a clunk, I heard the elevator ascending, and soon it reached my floor, opening its doors.
A man stepped out.
Dressed in a suit, like everyone else, he passed me by.
Even if it was the end of the month, to start work at such an hour means it must be the security team’s shift change?
Thinking such mundane thoughts, I passed the man, pressed the first floor button, and hit the close button.
And, as always, I subconsciously glanced at the man, and a translucent window began to materialize above his head.
[Name: ???]
[Age: ???]
[Trait: Mimicry]
[Talent: Acting]
[Background: This person is wearing human skin.]
“…What?”
I pressed the close button without even realizing it, and just as the man turned around, the doors closed and the elevator began to descend.
My heart started racing uncontrollably.
What on earth is happening? Why is this suddenly occurring? Could it be that there’s been a huge failure in management that’s causing this? Is it safe for me to go home now?
As I scrambled my thoughts, the elevator arrived at the first floor.
Ding, the doors opened, and a quiet corridor welcomed me.
First, I needed to head to the Security Team.
With trembling hands, I reached into my inner pocket and pulled out the Office Staff Manual. Miraculously, it opened to the section I was looking for.
[Manual for Office Staff]
[D. Crisis Situations]
1. In case of any incident, please go to the Security Team and explain the situation. The location of the Security Team is as follows.
Reading the manual slowly, I began to walk towards the marked location.
Soon, I arrived at the place marked [Security Team].
Carefully opening the door to the Security Team, a giant man stared at me intently.
“What brings you here?”
“Uh—”
Before I could open my mouth, I instinctively checked above his head.
[Name: ???]
[Age: ???]
[Trait: Mimicry]
[Talent: Acting]
[Background: This person is wearing human skin.]
“…Nothing at all.”
“Excuse me?”
The man looked at me suspiciously.
“Actually, I was going to let you know I’m leaving early because I have a colleague I’m close with working the night shift… But it seems my schedule has changed.”
“I see.”
The man continued to stare at me.
“Well then… I’ll be leaving.”
Bowing, I quickly stepped outside.
Sweat had soaked my palms, making them clammy.
I moved away from the Security Team as fast as I could, starting to look at the manual again.
[Manual for Office Staff]
[D. Crisis Situations]
1. In case of any incident, please go to the Security Team and explain the situation. The location of the Security Team is as follows.
1-1. Should you determine that the Security Team is not human, exit quietly without being detected.
1-2. Besides the Security Team on the first floor, there may be other Security Teams who can assist you. Please head to the 3rd floor and contact the Security Team Leader. However, if it seems that there’s a significant issue throughout the branch, skip this procedure and execute Procedure 1-3.
1-3. Proceed to Basement Level 1. In case of recognizing an emergency situation, Office Staff are also allowed entry.
“Basement Level 1, Basement Level 1…”
With urgent strides, I headed toward the elevator.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of a door opening from the direction of the Security Room.
Naturally, my pace quickened, and my eyes darted towards the next section in the manual.
[Manual for Office Staff]
1-4. Elevators leading to the basement are usually blocked. The emergency code for office staff is as follows.
Please press [3rd floor ~ 7th floor – 2nd floor ~ 9th floor – Emergency button twice] in order.
Rushing towards the elevator, I began to almost run.
Soon I reached the elevator, hit the open button, and quickly pressed the floors.
3rd floor, 7th floor, 2nd floor, 9th floor, and then twice on the emergency button.
The footsteps grew closer.
[The doors are closing. Destination: Basement Level 1.]
And as the doors closed, the elevator began its descent into the basement.
“…”
Once again, I unfolded the manual.
[Manual for Office Staff]
2. Upon arrival in the basement, proceed straight ahead. Regardless of what you see, you must move forward. Sometimes you might think you are walking to your right or left, but that would be incorrect. Only trust your own senses.
“Good grief.”
Did it really have to be this way? Couldn’t it have been written in a simpler format like “just move straight ahead”?
How much time had passed? Surely, it took much longer than descending from the first floor as the doors finally opened.
“…”
Before my eyes lay a clean, intricate corridor without a single door in sight.
I opened the manual once more.
[Manual for Office Staff]
2-1. Move forward. No matter what it is, you must keep moving forward.
Oh, this is genuinely terrifying.