Elite squads.
In Daydream Corporation, where the lives of Field Exploration Team members are valued less than B-grade Dream Essence Liquid, being designated as part of an elite squad means you’re finally considered a ‘long-term valuable employee’.
This designation comes with perks: a personal office, a separate salary table, and additional options in the corporate benefits mall.
Most importantly…
If things go south, they assign you a Round-Off Team member to act as a sort of extra life.
While it’s a policy that leaves a bitter taste, there’s no denying it improves survival rates…
And now.
The Development Department Managing Director in front of me was making an offer.
“Currently, there’s a growing initiative to increase the number of elite squads… Wouldn’t it look great if D-squad were one of them?”
To keep my current environment intact while drastically improving the treatment and benefits.
“It just happens to fit alphabetically, and it would simplify administrative processes in many ways.”
“Pick one coworker you’d like to work with. If you prefer, you can prepare a list of two or three candidates.”
Wait a second.
I can’t keep up with the flow of this conversation…
“Thank you, but… why are you making such a significant offer to me?”
To be frank, I’d understand if she wanted to send Squad Leader Lee Jaheon to an elite squad.
As far as I remember, he was already on track for a brief stint as an elite squad leader before being promoted through another route.
But why… did I somehow fit her criteria?
‘It’s strange to bypass the squad leader and make this kind of offer to a new hire.’
Sure, I’d delivered extraordinary results by creating manuals and pulling two A-grade essences, but there were others who cleared ghost stories in similarly unconventional ways.
Their exploration records contributed just as much to the manuals.
And yet, none of them ever heard something like, “We’ll turn your entire squad into an elite team for you~”
‘Weird.’
To anyone, this situation would seem unnatural.
“With all due respect, ma’am, I’m just a new recruit. I’ve been adequately rewarded with points and bonuses for the work I’ve done, and even my rapid promotion has been more than enough…”
“Supervisor Soleum. Have you ever heard the name Yoon Johoon?”
A chill ran down my spine.
I barely managed to keep it from showing. Instead, I succeeded in responding in a calm, tense tone appropriate for the situation.
“…Is he an employee?”
“That’s correct.”
The Managing Director replied nonchalantly, smiling faintly as she looked at me.
“He was the supervisor newly assigned to D-squad in the last round of personnel changes.”
“But now, you won’t find him in the company database. Nor will he exist in your memory.”
I didn’t react.
“At higher levels, there’s sometimes a Darkness like this. When someone ‘fails’, their existence is erased. But…”
The Managing Director placed the folder in her hand down and retrieved something from beneath the desk.
A Dream Essence Collector.
“Dream Essence Collectors from deceased employees are still retrieved by the company.”
“…!!”
“Regrettable, but this is a self-operating model powered by the essence collected right up until the moment of death. And…”
The Managing Director flicked the edge of the recorder attached to it.
“It also includes a basic recording function.”
“This means that even exploration records from employees erased from existence can still be reviewed and referenced by the company.”
Holy shit.
“You’ve probably wondered about it at some point: ‘How are the records of deceased employees referenced in the manuals?’”
Wait a second.
She’s right. Of course, the <Dark Exploration Records> included the results of deceased employees’ explorations, right?
That was natural. To build the atmosphere of a ghost story, records of explorers being wiped out had to be included. They were effective at heightening the fear!
Even the records of erased employees and objects existed in pristine detail.
But…
‘I always thought the wiki was omniscient by design.’
The logic behind their existence seemed conceptually sound.
Records of the Field Exploration Team’s employees are transmitted to the company upon death.
That’s how it was explained.
Details about the items or methods used weren’t elaborated on, supposedly to prevent conflicts in the system’s settings…
So when I landed here, I accepted that blind spot as just another natural element of the setting.
After all, this was a universe based on a wiki!
‘But now I find out there’s such a detailed and definitive system in place…’
Suddenly, all the questions I had brushed aside as ‘just part of the worldbuilding’ came rushing back to me.
Could there be coherent background explanations for all of those gaps too?
In ways like this?
My mind was racing.
– Mr. Roe Deer! The person in front of you is still watching you. It seems she wants to continue the interview.
– She seems to prefer a humble attitude from stars like you, so let’s focus…
Right.
For now, I needed to focus on the conversation at hand.
Fortunately, my reaction didn’t go beyond the level of ‘a curious employee uncovering a company secret’, and the Managing Director continued speaking.
“Based on this record, it seems you have a rather unique way of exploring and dominating the Darkness, Supervisor Kim Soleum.”
It appeared that Supervisor Yoon Johoon had recognized me when I became a student.
“Becoming part of an urban legend yourself. ‘Assimilation’—it’s not a method for the faint-hearted or the unwise to attempt…”
What are you even saying? That sounds terrifying…
“In any case, even such exploration records are being collected without gaps… I wanted to share that with you.”
Managing Director Cheong looked at me.
“What do you think? Is it more systematic than you expected?”
“I’ve heard there are employees who claim this company runs on sheer improvisation.”
Th, this… is making me break out in a cold sweat as a mere cog in the system.
“I’ve even met and spoken with some of them. Most of them are bright individuals.”
Her tone was strangely kind.
“But eventually, they’ll realize there’s no other company in the world where rewards and punishments are as clear and rational as this one.”
“If you’re truly capable, even a few mistakes won’t stop you from moving up smoothly.”
I didn’t agree with her.
But Managing Director Cheong smiled as if I had enthusiastically responded with, “Of course, ma’am, I’ll think positively about it!” and then dismissed me with a parting remark.
“Off you go. Send my regards to Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.”