Chapter 029
A rookie scouted into an elite team after only one month on the job.
It sounded like the title of some clickbait self-help book.
But it was something that had actually happened just now.
‘What on earth is this situation.’
Me? Group A?
“Let’s see, Soleum joined Group D last month, right?”
“Yes. For now, contact HR and process it as a secondment assignment, then make it an official appointment five months from now.”
“That’s right. Assistant Manager Jin, then….”
Group A’s leader looked at me and smiled with satisfaction.
“For now, Soleum should be promoted to senior staffer immediately.”
“…….”
“The official notice will probably go up sometime next week.”
Good heavens.
“This company may not care much for seniority, but there is still such a thing as a lower limit, you know. This is unbelievably exceptional treatment, you realize?”
Of course it is!
They were even going to take care of the promotion? Did they really have that much influence inside the company?
No, that wasn’t quite it.
More accurately, to join an elite team, an ordinary employee would usually have to work long enough to prove themselves— long enough to amount to one or two promotions.
So by convention, it meant that no matter how fast it happened, you still had to at least make senior staffer before becoming part of an elite team.
If they wanted to put me in Group A, then I had to become senior staffer no matter what, so upper management would naturally promote me as part of the process.
‘And originally, Group A only had people from assistant manager upward….’
This really was extraordinary treatment.
But why?
Why were they suddenly making me an offer like this….
Ah.
The moment I saw the deeply satisfied face of Group A’s leader, it hit me like a bolt of lightning.
‘So I picked nothing but the right answers today!’
I had been so cautious and tried so hard because I’d mistaken it for workplace harassment!
A rookie who doesn’t grumble about unfair orders, who actively tries to produce results by coming up with all sorts of ideas within the guidelines set from above.
A new employee who says yes, yes to everything and yet still tries to show creativity without having an ego of his own!
That was exactly the kind of talent a superior would want….
“Soleum? Then head home for today. The official notice could go up as early as next week, so prepare yourself mentally.”
“…….”
No.
‘This is a tragedy.’
I… I’m not someone who can go to Group A!
‘The procedures here are too strict.’
If I worked in a place where I could only do exactly what those above me told me, there was a ninety percent chance that a moment would come when I could no longer hide the fact that I was a coward.
‘And then the Wish Ticket gets farther away while my survival rate nosedives.’
I would really die.
At the thought, so chilling it sent a shiver down my spine, my mouth closed on its own.
“…….”
“Hey, wait a second.”
Assistant Manager Jin spoke in a tone that suggested he could hardly believe it.
“You… you’re not actually thinking about it, are you?”
I lowered my head slightly.
“Why? No, are you out of your mind? Is it because of those meat shields in the finishing team? We don’t even have to take them along—”
“Assistant Manager Jin, hold on.”
Group A’s leader stopped him, then turned to me with a gentle expression.
“Soleum, since it’s only been a month since you joined and you’ve suddenly received such an excellent offer, you’re naturally feeling conflicted, right? That can happen.”
“…….”
“But a wise person also needs to know how to seize an opportunity boldly in order to succeed in society.”
It’s a trap, not an opportunity, that’s the problem!
‘What do I do with this.’
How could I get out of this situation while hurting that old-school superior’s feelings as little as possible?
If I refused this badly, it felt like I’d truly end up on his bad side.
The workplace harassment I had been worried about might actually begin for real.
‘No answer’s coming to me….’
That was when it happened.
Ding.
The sound of the elevator arriving.
A moment later, the doors opened, and a familiar person— no, a lizard— appeared.
‘Group Leader!’
Manager Lee Jaheon, who had been called away by the team leader, had returned.
The lizard’s vertical pupils met the gaze of Group A’s leader.
“…Manager Lee Jaheon.”
“Manager Baek Seokju.”
Lee Jaheon looked at Group A’s leader with a blank expression.
“I was told to apologize to you. I’m sorry.”
“…….”
Group A’s leader… was holding back a stream of profanity.
“Hah… no, forget it. I’m the only one getting angry. Just me.”
“?”
“I said forget it. I already scouted someone to fill the vacancy anyway.”
Group A’s leader waved his hand dismissively, then patted my shoulder with one hand.
Oof.
“Here, look. He’s the employee who’ll be the youngest member of our group.”
It was a rather shocking declaration in its own way, but….
“I see.”
The lizard nodded.
“It is true that Group A has better working conditions.”
“…….”
Couldn’t you at least pretend to be disappointed so I can somehow search for an escape route….
Damn it, there’s no helping it.
‘Let’s do this alone!’
I deliberately looked back and forth between the two group leaders with a bewildered expression, then bowed my head deeply to Group A’s leader.
‘First….’
From what I had seen of Group A’s leader up to now….
‘He’s a principled type.’
He divides work strictly according to rank, strongly dislikes insubordination, and values his own people.
Since he scouted me after only one month on the job, he was clearly capable of making bold, unconventional moves at times, but only within the boundaries he himself had set.
‘He’s the type who can’t stand someone pushing back.’
In other words, he felt like the quintessential elite middle manager of a vertically structured conglomerate.
‘In that case….’
I bowed deeply first.
“Manager, thank you very much for looking so favorably on a rookie like me and for making me such an undeserved offer.”
“Mm.”
“Even so… I still lack experience. As a new employee, I believe I should work as an ordinary employee and build up the fundamental capabilities and knowledge I need as staff.”
Group A’s leader, who had been staring straight at me, opened his mouth.
“…Soleum, do you happen to know what the base salary table for elite teams starts at?”
I don’t, actually.
“Eight thousand.”
“……!”
“And once hazard pay starts being added on top of that, your annual take-home usually starts around 150 million won.”
Good heavens.
“And we’re going to put that C-grade Ghost Story you cleared today down as one where you were a major contributor. You cleared it instantly with a completely new method, didn’t you?”
W-well, yes, I did, didn’t I?
“But on top of that, it’s a method that other people would plausibly try using too. Do you know what that means?”
What does it mean?
“It means the manual could be fully revised.”
“…….”
“Yes. Not merely supplemented— revised.”
Group A’s leader smiled gently.
“And when a manual gets revised, you receive a reward bonus.”
“…!”
“It’s a fairly large amount. So the people upstairs try not to process things as revisions if they can… but elite teams are the exception here.”
Ah.
“If it comes through Group A, everything proceeds much more easily and quickly. You could say it’s a difference in credibility.”
“…….”
“Let’s see… the reward for a C-grade manual revision.”
Group A’s leader deliberately paused like he was putting on a performance, then spoke.
“Looks like it’s fifty million won.”
“……!!”
“For the work you did today alone, Soleum, your additional bonus would be fifty million.”
Fifty million won.
“Do you really want to let a chance to keep earning that slip away?”
Wow.
As if I would.
‘But I can’t die just to make money….’
This really is enough to make me cry. I’m going insane.
‘Repeat it to yourself. In this world, money is basically no different from game currency for me. Game currency, game currency….!’
Yes!
I let my eyes glisten with as much pathos as possible.
And then I started spouting nonsense.
“I believe that what matters more than immediate money is polishing my own skills and value.”
This was madness.
‘You polish your skills and value so you can get paid more. Why are you kicking the money away?’
But my mouth kept babbling in a way that perfectly suited the viewpoint of an old-fashioned executive from thirty years ago.
“Our elders used to say that when you are young, you should even buy hardship with money. I do not completely agree with that saying, but I do think there must be a reason such a saying came to exist.”
Assistant Manager Jin from Group A looked at me like I was insane.
But it seemed to have reached the top superior’s heart.
“Hmm.”
Group A’s leader looked as though he had sunk into thought.
He narrowed his eyes at me, then sighed and nodded.
“Alright. Well, if that is truly how you feel… then there’s no helping it.”
Yahoo!
“I thought Roe Deer was a smart kid, but it turns out you’re more foolish than expected. Good grief. How are you going to survive in this harsh world?”
That’s enough.
His tone sounded like a rebuke, but from his point of view, this was almost praise!
…Though of course he still just had to get in one last remark.
“It’s good to work hard. But being too innocent isn’t good for office life either.”
Yes, yes.
“If I may offer you one piece of advice… you don’t do office life out of affection. Be careful about that. Especially getting attached one-sidedly to someone you can’t communicate with.”
Looking at one particular person, Group A’s leader’s expression twisted.
“Don’t do it. It won’t end well.”
“…Y-yes.”
So what you’re trying to say is that the lizard group leader is a one-track sociopath. Understood….
“Did you hear that well, Manager Lee Jaheon?”
“? Yes.”
The lizard answered as though to ask why he was being told something so obvious.
“I heard you.”
“…….”
“…….”
There’s really no need to keep giving me those looks that say, ‘Do you see this crazy bastard,’ Manager Baek Seokju….
“Anyway.”
Group A’s leader took a deep breath and wrapped up the conversation.
“You worked hard today. Head home safely.”
“…! Yes!!”
That was a declaration of freedom.
“Thank you very much. Then I’ll be on my way.”
Aaaah, I can finally escape…!
I hurriedly pressed the elevator button.
Group A’s assistant manager approached quickly and whispered,
“You idiot. You’re going to regret this.”
“…….”
“Manager in Group D still hasn’t even touched a Wish Ticket yet. Our group leader is someone who’s already won one once.”
It’s fine. I happen to know that lizard makes it all the way to team leader.
Of course, I couldn’t say that, so I might as well butter him up instead.
“I think Assistant Manager will win one soon as well.”
“What?”
“When that happens, I’ll ask you.”
“…….”
Assistant Manager Jin seemed caught off guard for a moment, then snorted.
“Well, at least you do have some judgment.”
“You’ll answer me when that time comes, right?”
“Sure.”
It was only a verbal promise, but though this person’s personality was filthy— ahem, rough— he didn’t seem like the sort to lie or go back on his word.
“Manager, Assistant Manager, thank you very much for today.”
“Right. Get home safely.”
After thanking them again and again, I hit the elevator button and slipped inside before anyone could grab me again.
Then the lizard somehow followed right after me and got into the elevator too.
Did he really come all this way just to spit out that one soulless apology and leave….
-Going down….
As the elevator carrying the two of us descended in silence,
the lizard manager unexpectedly spoke to me.
“Kim Soleum.”
“Yes?”
“Is there something you want from Group D?”
Hah.
“…Are you, by any chance, asking under the assumption that even though I had the opportunity to go to Group A, I deliberately remained in Group D because there was something specific I wanted?”
“Yes.”
Good grief.
After raking a hand through the back of my hair a few times, I answered with a sigh.
“There’s nothing like that, Group Leader.”
“?”
“I’m saying I didn’t decide to stay because of some advantage.”
I stayed because I wanted to live!
The lizard narrowed his vertical pupils, looking puzzled.
“If you continue remaining on a general team instead of an elite one, it will be a disadvantage in terms of points. There will be a difference in how quickly you receive a Wish Ticket.”
“That may be true.”
I shrugged.
“But even if it’s true that I need a Wish Ticket, the life I live until the day I get it is still my life.”
“…….”
“I wanted to be somewhere I could work with more peace of mind in the meantime.”
I don’t want to spend every moment at work terrified about when people will find out I’m a coward, damn it….
“…I see.”
The lizard closed his mouth.
Now maybe we could finally ride down in silence—
“Kim Soleum, what is your wish?”
You’re awfully talkative today.
“…Are you asking what I would wish for when I obtain a Wish Ticket?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’d like to hear your wish first, Group Leader.”
It was my roundabout way of saying, Why are you the only one interrogating me?
But the lizard simply stared blankly into the air with his vertical eyes open.
As though he were thinking deeply.
Then he opened his mouth.
“It is not my wish.”
“What?”
“I am working under the will of another.”
That was something I had never expected to hear.
Reflexively, I turned to look at him.
The scales on the head of the nonhuman lizard glinted….
“…May I ask whose will it is?”
“No.”
Ah, right.
It didn’t really offend me. I already knew that was just the kind of lizard he was.
‘So he has his circumstances.’
Still, since he had answered me, did that mean I had to answer too?
After hesitating, I chose my words.
“I… want to go home.”
In truth, Manager Lee Jaheon could have spun a whole tangle of follow-up questions out of that answer.
What kind of home, why was going home your wish, had something happened to your home, had someone died, did you mean home in an abstract sense, and so on.
And Lee Jaheon opened his mouth and said this.
“I see.”
That was the end of it.
In the quiet, the elevator descended peacefully.
“…….”
I admitted it now.
In a certain sense, the lizard group leader was actually quite an easy person to talk to.
Unexpectedly so.
I returned to the company housing.
[Be careful of serial killers]
After sending Baek Saheon my usual kind disaster alert text, I lay down in bed.
‘It really was another eventful day….’
At this rate, it felt like my lifespan was going to be cut in half. My heart wasn’t going to survive this.
Still, there was no denying that today had yielded a solid harvest.
Extra points, connections with elite-team superiors.
And even the bonus.
“…Fifty million won, huh.”
I wondered when it would actually get deposited.
I had kept calling it game currency and all that, but if I was honest, the fact that it was game currency only meant there were even more places to spend it.
Because I needed it to strengthen my own abilities.
‘It’s true that I wish I had a little more cash.’
Lately I’d started feeling like I needed to buy some new items from the alien shop.
There kept being sudden emergencies, which only made me feel more pressed for time.
I especially wanted armor, or at the very least equipment or items related to mental defense.
‘There were even special items that appeared once you became a VIP at the alien shop….’
Still, the moment I thought about how much money I had made today, I automatically fell silent for a moment.
Fifty million won.
“…Hah.”
To think a legal company bonus being deposited into a working adult’s bank account could be this much.
It felt like my sense of money was being numbed.
Even more so because despite that, it still somehow didn’t feel like enough to get all the items I wanted.
“If only there were somewhere else money could co—”
Bzzzt!
My smartphone vibrated and a new popup appeared.
‘Could it be Baek Saheon?’
No.
To my surprise, someone had invited me into a brand-new open chatroom.
“…?!”
[K.LEE]
It was an English profile name, with a clear Hawaiian beach set as the profile picture.
What was this suspicious situation…?
[K.LEE: Oh hello there, employee lol]
[K.LEE: Do you happen to need a lot of money?]
“…??”
Who are you?
