Honestly, once I had already been registered with the Dispatch & Rescue Unit, getting out wasn’t going to be easy.
Even in a normal modern workplace, you can’t just cling to your boss’s leg and beg for a department transfer. You’d just end up branded as a problem employee.
‘And that would be the worst thing for a spy…’
But in the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau, there was a loophole.
That’s right… Traumatic experiences!
‘That’s the weakness of ghost story explorations.’
You never know what’s going to happen.
And a rookie, on their very first mission, cut off his own arm in a desperate attempt to escape?
If I claimed psychological trauma, the bureau was at least understanding enough to release me.
The only problem was…
I might have done my job a little too well.
“Just try one more time! Just one!!”
The early-era named agent, acting like that meme of a man tearing his hair out, was desperately trying to convince me…
“This job is perfect for you! You survived an irregular Disaster, rescued your fellow agents and even saved those civilians! Do you have any idea how insane that accomplishment is?!”
He sounded like a man refusing to let go of valuable manpower.
A classic overworked civil servant.
Gone was the relaxed, well-adjusted professional I had seen earlier…
Now, he was pointing at my severed arm in desperation.
“And that decisiveness—willing to cut off your own arm—no, your sheer willingness to sacrifice your body—”
Ah.
“About that.”
I took a shaky breath, my face pale.
“That was a crazy thing to do.”
“……”
…Apologies, but I’m about to weaponize guilt.
“I-I don’t even know what I was thinking when I did it.”
I do.
“I just… feel sorry. I know this makes me seem weak, but… I can’t do this.”
But… even though these were pre-planned lines…
The more I spoke, the more real they started to feel.
“I feel like I’ll die from stress.”
I clenched my remaining hand into a fist, lowered my head, and mumbled.
“I was terrified the whole time that the kids would die…”
“……”
Agent Choi opened his mouth—then closed it.
“I just can’t… do this anymore. I’m sorry.”
“……”
A heavy silence fell over the hospital room.
“Mmh… yeah. That’s understandable.”
Agent Choi finally sighed, settling back into his caregiver’s chair with a practiced air of sympathy.
“But look, if you transfer teams after just one mission, it won’t reflect well on you. …People might misunderstand and think you got kicked out, and you’ll end up branded as a burden.”
His voice was calm and concerned, framing it as if he was worried about my future.
And then, in a subtly coaxing tone, he added,
“Of course, you wouldn’t lose your job, but the rumors…”
“I will restore his original status.”
“Jaekwan!”
Agent Bronze interrupted, ruining Choi’s momentum.
Then, after a glance at me, he turned his gaze away, his expression dark.
“…You’ll be allowed to work with different teams as you wish. After three weeks, you can report back to me with your final decision.”
“…!”
“I can arrange at least that much on my authority.”
“……Thank you.”
“Ugh, at least meet the elders on your team first… Ah, forget it.”
Agent Choi let out a deep sigh.
“Fine. Three weeks to experience different teams. Yeah, that’s reasonable.”
And just like that, it was settled.
– Agent Kim Soleum will rotate through multiple teams for three weeks before reporting back to Agent Bronze with his decision on his final placement.
– Agent Bronze will use his senior authority to formally recommend Kim Soleum’s preferred assignment.
…Just like that.
“Think about it. We’re a really great team.”
Agent Choi kept nudging me, telling me to keep my options open.
He threw out various selling points. That I was talented, that everyone on the team was unique and fun, that the job was incredibly fulfilling…
And then, finally, he brought up this.
“And those kids you saved.”
“…!”
“Don’t you want to know what happened to them?”
The students we had rescued.
Agent Choi lightly nudged Agent Bronze, signaling him to speak.
“Tell him, Bronze.”
“……All three returned home safely.”
Ah.
Agent Bronze calmly explained their whereabouts.
Their injuries were properly treated, and they had emotional reunions with their families.
And the high school student I had personally looked after was even actively participating in interviews with the Bureau, emphasizing how much I had helped him in Looky Mart.
“…He kept asking if you were okay. Now, I can finally give them a proper answer.”
As for Lee Soobin, the student who had suffered severe psychological trauma, he had undergone mild memory erasure treatment and was reportedly doing much better.
And during the process, Agent Bronze had even covered for me regarding the Nostalgia Candy, presenting it as a government-acquired anomalous food item.
He had been so casual about it that I almost missed the fact that he had done me a huge favor.
‘…I owe him one.’
“All three of them wanted to thank you in person.”
Since direct meetings weren’t permitted under bureau guidelines, they would be sending letters instead.
“…That’s all.”
It seemed like everything had wrapped up well.
Even Go Yeongeun.
“And the agent you saved is recovering. She’ll be back on duty soon.”
“……I see.”
I let out a deep breath and leaned my head against the bed. And without even realizing it, I savored the moment.
Everyone’s safe.
Everyone made it out alive.
“Feels good, doesn’t it?”
“……”
“Yeah, I figured. This job suits you— Argh!”
Agent Choi grinned right before Bronze shoved him toward the door.
“Ah! Jaekwan’s trying to kill me!”
“For now, just rest. Don’t worry about anything else.”
“Yes, sir.”
Still seated, I bowed my head toward Agent Bronze.
“Thank you for being so considerate.”
“……It’s nothing.”
His expression was complicated as he looked at me.
But in the end, he simply turned toward the door.
“That rookie really belongs in Turtle-Snake Team 1…”
Seeing Agent Bronze’s piercing glare, Agent Choi finally shut up.
And with that, the two left the hospital room.
Ka-chak.
“…Phew.”
It was over.
I let out a deep sigh of relief and sank back into the bed.
‘Escape from the Dispatch & Rescue Unit… success.’
A perfect outcome.
But…
‘Feels weird.’
Both the missing arm and my dynamic with Agent Bronze.
‘He’s been looking out for me, but I get the feeling he’s also kind of hurt?’
Still, at least I was definitely no longer under suspicion as a spy.
“…Ugh.”
I stretched deliberately, trying not to think about the pain of my missing right arm.
And as I did, one particular sentence resurfaced in my mind.
– Don’t worry about your arm. We’ll take care of everything.
…’Take care of it,’ huh.
I recalled the various options the bureau had for handling agents with missing limbs.
Including the most impressive and exciting one.
‘Well, even if that’s too expensive, they won’t just leave me like this…’
And more than that.
Before the Bureau could ‘take care of it’ for me, I had a chance to secure an alternative method myself.
“Hmm.”
I reached toward the bedside table and retrieved my phone.
Then, I checked a message I had received last night.
[ Consultation Appointment / See you this Friday, Mr. Soleum ^^ ]
It was time for my first report on the spy network to Director Ho.
But this meeting wasn’t just about delivering a report.
‘I need to extract as much as I can from him.’
“Director, I’d like to file for workers’ compensation.”
“…!”