“Squad Leader.”
I knew.
I wasn’t contaminated.
At least, not back when I made the decision at that train restroom.
But, but…
“I think I’ve… been looking at this all wrong.”
I had overlooked something.
A person doesn’t have to be contaminated to make bad decisions.
People fall for scams. People commit crimes. People make mistakes, have misunderstandings, and…
Maybe…
Maybe this was one of those times.
“For now… leaving the talk show and taking some time to think might not be a bad idea.”
I needed some time.
Time to be alone with my thoughts…
– Yes.
“But— no bombs!”
If I still had a body, I would have run a hand down my face in frustration.
“You cannot take down the host in this studio with that method…”
I was certain.
‘The moment we’re caught, we’ll be incinerated.’
And if we were lucky enough to only be fined for damages, I might end up working here for eternity—unpaid—until I died. Or even after I died.
…The fact that I felt that wouldn’t be so bad was the most terrifying part of all.
– Do you know where the studio’s exit is?
“…I don’t know.”
I don’t even know how big this studio is.
I know that it has an impossibly vast number of sets and storage rooms. But I have no idea how many floors it has, or how far each section extends.
At some point, I naturally started memorizing the paths within the staff-only areas, but everything beyond that was still a blur.
Most of the time, I either stayed in my designated waiting area or only visited other sections while accompanied by staff.
‘In the entire month I’ve been here, I’ve never once left.’
And why would I? My waiting room was comfortable. I never felt the need for food, water, or sleep, and I was too busy adjusting to my new job.
“But just walking out through the exit without even requesting vacation would be stupid. It’d be better to sneak out instea—”
……
Ah.
– Were you about to suggest sneaking out?
“…No. That’s impossible.”
Damn it.
Even the thought of sneaking out was meaningless. Because…
“…The host always knows where I am.”
Because I checked the tag.
Because of the ‘Good Friend’ contract, the one I had called would be able to find me forever.
No matter where I went, he would always be able to follow…
……
– Do you want to try persuading him to grant you a vacation?
“No.”
If the host asked why I needed a vacation, there was no way he wouldn’t notice that Section Chief Lee Jaheon was inside my body instead.
And even if I spoke to him myself…
I wasn’t confident.
‘I’d probably end up being persuaded instead…’
Persuaded to happily return to work on the talk show, no matter how many audience members died.
The legendary host of a supernatural talk show wasn’t just someone with exceptional speech skills.
He was something so utterly terrifying that his very presence felt like a paranormal phenomenon in and of itself…
The only reason I’d ever been able to scare my good friend before was because of the restrictions of the ‘Good Friend’ doll.
My blood ran cold.
– I see.
– Even if we destroy half the studio, you will still be immediately found by the entity that poses a threat to you. Is that assessment correct?
“…Yes.”
There was no way out.
Or rather, even if I did escape, it wouldn’t matter.
It felt like a perfectly sealed space.
……
‘……No.’
There’s always a gap somewhere.
‘The host doesn’t know that I called Section Chief Lee Jaheon using an item.’
If that’s the case…
“…Section Chief, how long can you stay in my body?”
– I can maintain this state for up to 60 hours.
– Additionally, the summoner cannot manually deactivate the effect. The emergency call function will only deactivate once the summoner has safely escaped the danger zone. ṙ𝖆ΝоβÈṢ
That was an interesting choice of words.
But that timeframe was plenty.
Enough time to wait for an opening.
“To prepare, we’ll wait.”
I forced my nerves to settle and began thinking.
“…Until just before the talk show begins.”
Time passed.
Preparations for the live broadcast were underway.
Most of the staff were busy moving between the backstage and the main stage, setting up equipment.
Normally, I would have used this time to check the equipment or talk to the host. Sometimes I’d even attend meetings or observe different departments.
‘I might be part of the production staff, but I’m not part of the cast.’
Since I wasn’t part of the on-site prep team but rather worked as a show creator, there were no specific tasks assigned to me during the live broadcast.
Which meant I could move however I wanted.
I could act as if I were on an errand, or pretend I was looking for something. I could even wander from place to place without drawing suspicion.
“Over here.”
I was frantically searching the empty parts of the studio, now mostly abandoned by the faceless staff.
I was looking for one thing.
“There should be a waiting area for guests.”
I was sure I had heard about it before.
‘There’s a guest entrance.’
Every guest had a place they originally belonged to, and the studio had set up some kind of… ‘accommodation’… to make their arrival smoother.
‘I have to find it.’
Of course, finding the waiting rooms was a challenge in itself.
The moment I stepped beyond the waiting rooms and staff areas, I completely lost my sense of direction—like being trapped in a maze.
But Section Chief Lee Jaheon…
‘…He’s unbelievably fast.’
Is he seriously brute-forcing it right now?
Even though he was controlling my physical form, the sheer speed and strength of his movements made it hard to believe it was the same body. My shared vision flickered rapidly as he checked multiple pathways and signs in mere moments.
‘His performance is exactly the same as when he’s in his own body.’
Maybe Chief Lizard could exert that kind of power and endurance in any body…
But the real problem was—
Tap, tap.
“…!”
The view turned.
A faceless staff member stood before me, gesturing as if to ask why I was here.
They tilted their head, then made a motion—as if offering to escort me back, assuming I had lost my way.