Wow.
‘It looks even more intimidating at night.’
I swallowed hard as I stood in front of the iron door.
Then, a cold voice echoed from my pocket.
– Oh, this wretched place.
“……”
Aaaaahhh! Right!
This was the place where Braun had nearly been destroyed and thrown away!!
‘Um, Braun, if you don’t like it, you could always stay home next time?’
Braun’s voice lowered.
– I feel like I might get depressed here. Please, do your best to entertain me…
“……”
‘I’ll… do my best.’
This is so hard, Mr. Host…!
“Ah, right. Here.”
Interrupting my internal turmoil, Supervisor Park Minseong pulled something out of the pocket of his orange uniform and handed it to me.
It was a slip of paper, like a photocopy of handwritten notes.
“Here, this is a work tip sheet that’s been circulating among the Security Team. I thought it’d be good for you to read, so I brought it along.”
“Ah, thank you…”
Work tips?
I quickly skimmed the paper.
——————–
Night Cleaning Duty Tips
Hi there! If you’re reading this, it means you’ve had the bad luck of being stuck with night cleaning duty.
Yep, that’s right. The Security Team area is full of crazies and contamination, and going in there at night in pairs is a surefire way to have some bizarre experiences.
But don’t worry too much. If you just follow these helpful tips I’ve written down, you’ll get through this without any major problems.
——————–
‘Hold on.’
This read exactly like the setup for one of those workplace creepypastas.
You know the kind—where you take on some high-paying night security or babysitting job and are handed strange work rules you have to follow to survive.
Several indie horror games based on the <Dark Exploration Records> instantly popped into my head.
‘This is even scarier.’
I swallowed nervously and hurriedly read the next part.
——————–
In a way, it’s worth it, right? You’re getting paid extra for this. Whether you’re in it for money, points, or Nostalgic equipment, just think about the reward and push through.
If you’re doing this as a disciplinary action… good luck.
I hope you’re from the Field Exploration Team.
——————–
“……”
Yes. That’s me…
Clenching my teeth, I skimmed through the rest of the ‘tips’ quickly.
…The cleaning was about to begin.
Squish.
I mopped the floor of the storage room.
It wasn’t overly dirty, but there were odd, colorful stains stuck in places…
——————–
1- If the mop gets dirty, rinse it immediately. It’s better that way.
The cleaning solution is strong, so it only takes a few rinses. Easy, right?
——————–
‘Weirdly comforting…’
Thankfully, about half of the lights in the storage room were left on, even though it wasn’t as bright as daytime.
It was just enough to clean without too much difficulty.
‘I can even read the notices.’
I briefly glanced at a sign that read, ‘Nostalgia Series always looking to be purchased / For more details, visit the desk,’ before focusing back on the floor.
“Roe, if you find anything strange, don’t touch it. Just clean around it.”
“Yes.”
Squish.
“Have you done this before, Supervisor?”
“It’s my first time cleaning… but I’ve done other Security Team work.”
Supervisor Park Minseong smiled. His voice carried a hint of eager anticipation.
“If I pass this stage, I think I’ll be considered recovered enough to transfer to the Security Team.”
“……!”
That’s a relief.
I cautiously asked,
“What about continuing treatment and returning to the Field Exploration Team?”
“Haha… Do you think that’d be a good idea? I’ll give it a shot.”
The conversation felt optimistic.
And so, we diligently continued cleaning with mechanical focus.
‘This is easier than I thought.’
Aside from the exhaustion from working late at night, everything was manageable. The cleaning tips were surprisingly clear-cut.
——————–
2- No matter what happens, keep calm and just clean.
Weird things always happen at night in the Security Team’s area, but the storage room isn’t that bad compared to other places!
——————–
‘Got it.’
This was pretty much the core rule.
‘No matter what happens, don’t react and just focus on cleaning.’
Let’s get through this.
The cleaning in the front area of the storage room wrapped up quickly. Since the space wasn’t that large, scrubbing the grime off the floor took about an hour.
“We’ve cleaned half of today’s assigned area! Now, what’s left is…”
Both the Supervisor and I turned our heads at the same time.
“…over there.”
One of the three doors leading to the isolation area.
[Isolation B]
‘Huu.’
– Ah, that’s the unpleasant corridor you came out of last time, Mr. Roe Deer.
Right.
Of all places, we now had to enter the corridor where the isolation rooms—including the one I had been trapped in—were located.
——————–
3- While cleaning, do not open any isolation room doors. I mean, if you’re a company employee, you should already know this, but just in case, I’m writing it down.
4- Let me emphasize again: ignore any sounds coming from the isolation rooms. Don’t respond. Even if someone pleads for help or claims to be your family or a friend, it’s never true. DO NOT OPEN ANY OF THOSE DOORS!!
——————–