Chapter 15
<Daydream Corporation> is a chilling company that shoves Field Exploration Team employees into horrific horror stories to extract potion base liquids.
A question arises here:
-If you just shove employees into high-class, extremely dangerous horror stories, wouldn’t everyone die and fail to extract the base liquid?
To address this question and the convenience of story development, the setting was introduced that “employees can acquire special equipment that strengthens as they get promoted.”
But it wasn’t too detailed.
If you started dividing equipment into grades and tables one by one, it would become a massive game setting rather than an internet horror story.
So, to make it easier for anyone to participate in creation, a more convenient setting was added:
-Customized exclusive equipment.
Employees whose usefulness has been recognized to a certain degree can receive supernatural equipment tailored to them with company support.
Of course, it’s not like ordinary employees get cartoon-like superpowers—it’s more like a slight boost to special stats.
It creates convenient situations.
‘Still, having it is better than not.’
I unconsciously looked at Team Leader Lee Ja-heon with expectant eyes, then made eye contact with the lizard and quietly looked down.
I really can’t get used to it.
“Ah, I can have custom equipment made?”
“Yes.”
“…Could you explain?”
“Yes.”
After three exchanges, a detailed explanation followed.
Still, it was interesting.
‘I only knew bits and pieces of this myself.’
Things that had been mentioned sporadically throughout <Darkness Exploration Records> were now being organized and explained through the Section Chief’s words.
“Custom equipment can be crafted using certain Darknesses the company possesses.”
Right. They’d use horror stories.
[Cheerful Research Institute’s Toy Maker / Qterw-E-07]
[Kind Seed Kit / Qterw-E-99]
[I Offer a Sacrifice / Qterw-E-404]
From my memory, these three horror stories had descriptions of <Daydream Corporation> employees making equipment.
Among them, the one the Field Exploration Team mainly used was…
“…this one.”
Oh!
“It’s a Darkness that can only be used on moonlit nights!”
With my teammates kindly accompanying me for the experience, I headed with the Section Chief to the annex next to the company building.
My superiors had encouraged me to strike while the iron was hot and go now.
“Ah… this is where we quarantine relatively safe and useful horror stories.”
The Deputy Manager’s explanation followed.
“The company usually calls these ‘Dusk-class.'”
I know.
Officially, they’re E-class horror stories.
But the classification is a bit different from simply saying E-class.
‘It’s a curated selection of useful ones.’
Some are much stronger than D-class, while others are less dangerous than F-class, so everyone often uses the unique term ‘Dusk’ for these Darknesses.
“Musk Deer, you saw that radio on your first day, right? That tells you today’s fortune, so it’s useful. It’s like that.”
After swiping our employee IDs and entering the annex’s first floor, we saw stairs leading underground.
And as we descended the stairs… someone was sitting at a dimly lit information desk.
A bizarre figure dressed entirely in black, wearing a mask, sunglasses, and even a hat.
An employee?
The Assistant Manager immediately stepped forward.
“Hello! We’re Field Exploration Team D, visiting for new employee training.”
“……”
“Ah, the Darkness we’re seeking access permission for is Dusk-class number 99.”
The black figure stared at the Assistant Manager for a moment, as if verifying.
A nod.
The figure nodded and pressed a button on the desk, opening one of the emergency doors behind them.
Creak.
Beyond it was a corridor lined with countless doors.
“Don’t open other rooms by mistake. Well, they’re probably locked anyway, but let’s not even touch the handles.”
Sound advice.
I nodded without a word and moved my feet.
Soon we stopped in front of the door marked ’99,’ and the Deputy Manager placed their employee ID on the reader.
Clunk.
“Let’s go in.”
I looked up.
Moonlight was pouring into a greenhouse overgrown with weeds.
And in the very center, a rusted machine stood bathed in moonlight.
======================
Darkness Exploration Records / Horror Story
[Kind Seed Kit]
: A horror story appearing in <Darkness Exploration Records>, Daydream Corporation identification code Qterw-E-99.
A horror story that treats objects as plants, extracting genetic information to crossbreed and plant them. Operates using moonlight as an energy source.
======================
That’s right.
‘A horror story that mixes the traits of two objects to create a new one.’
The Darkness almost exclusively used by the Field Exploration Team to craft custom equipment was precisely this rather atmospheric horror story.
“This is practically exclusive to our department!”
I stood in front of the rusted machine and asked:
“Does using this cost points?”
“Yeah. Dusk-class Darknesses stored in the annex require a usage fee to operate.”
“Ah…”
“For reference, this one costs 1,000p per use.”
Wait.
But isn’t this a bit strange?
“If it’s equipment needed for Darkness exploration, shouldn’t the company be supporting it rather than charging a fee?”
No matter how hopeless this company was, they’d need at least that much to function…
“Ah, once you become an Assistant Manager, you get two free uses per year.”
“……”
Promotion… I really should have gotten it after all.
“So people usually wait until they become Assistant Manager to use it. You can usually last a year at most anyway.”
Hmm.
I thought about it.
‘There must be a reason Section Chief Lee Ja-heon judged it “useful” even with the point cost.’
The lizard—Employee D—is said to be a one-trick brute force specialist, but that also includes a primal level of intuition.
If a high-survival-rate employee gave special advice…
‘I should probably take it.’
If investing 1,000p could increase my early survival rate, that would be the right move.
…Even if my hand was trembling a little!
“I’d like to try it now.”
“Okay!”
The Assistant Manager cheerfully reacted, then realized something and lowered their voice.
“…But first, you know you need an existing piece of equipment to put in, right? An object with abilities that can serve as a factor.”
“Ah… right.”
I’d already confirmed that from this horror story’s exploration records.
======================
Exploration Record #05
Employee N inputs a tumbler* and a backpack.
The tumbler* is special equipment (liquid poured in after sunrise doesn’t run out until sunset. Owned by Section Chief Ch■ ■). The backpack has no special features.
Seed result: Backpack.
(Special note: Possesses special abilities similar to the tumbler. However, when extracting 87L or more of liquid, it runs out.)
======================
“Don’t worry! There’s a tradition in our team where we lend our equipment once for free when a member is getting their first custom gear.”
“Uh, but only one piece, not both. For the other one, you either put in your own item or pay to borrow.”
The Deputy Manager glanced at the Section Chief.
“And the Section Chief’s equipment is the best among us.”
I expected that. They’re the senior, after all.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to see the Section Chief’s equipment.”
“Yes.”
The lizard pulled something from their pocket.
A small knife with an ashen gleam.
“It’s a butter knife. If I cut the medium for entering Darkness, I can tear through space and transport small objects.”
Oh.
“So this is the equipment you used to throw that AAA battery.”
“Yes.”
I looked at the butter knife with newfound appreciation.
‘I was hoping for defensive equipment… but I guess it wouldn’t be that easy.’
Unfortunately, none of my other superiors had defensive equipment either.
One related to trickery, one related to communication.
‘I could probably get similar effects from the alien store for those anyway…’
I made up my mind.
“So you’ll use the Section Chief’s equipment?”
“Yes.”
I bowed my head out of social courtesy.
“Thank you, Section Chief.”
Section Chief Lee Ja-heon nodded slightly and approached the machine.
On the old LCD screen, archaic text appeared:
[Give me a plant 0/2]
I watched the Section Chief hold their equipment to the machine to scan its ‘genetic information.’
[Plant information saved]
[Give me a plant 1/2]
“Now you just need to put in the item you want. …Ah, wait.”
The Deputy Manager hurriedly added:
“Unless this machine is really strange, it’s usually fine to put in most things. But there’s one thing you absolutely can’t.”
The Deputy Manager tapped a sign attached to the front of the machine.
※Absolutely no plant input.
“Under no circumstances should you put in an actual plant, even if it asks for one.”
“……”
“There’s a sensor at the door that filters out plants anyway, but I’m telling you just in case.”
With my Darkness-accustomed eyes, I could now see the true nature of the lush weeds around here.
They were all fake. Artificial.
…One exploration record came to mind.
======================
Exploration Record #14 (Irregular)
Employee R picks a weed (presumed dandelion) growing near the Darkness and inputs it into the machine twice.
The result was [REDACTED] bursting out with a [REDACTED] roar along with [REDACTED][REDACTED].
-It took 7 days for the Security Team to suppress.
All 3 personnel on site, including Employee R, confirmed dead. All plant matter confirmed removed.
※Notice: Recurrence will result in disciplinary action and termination.
Hmm. I’ll definitely remember that.
“Yes. Thank you for telling me.”
“It’s nothing.”
In the meantime, the Section Chief finished registering the equipment, retrieved the knife back into their suit pocket, and straightened up.
“People usually put common, easy-to-use objects in the other slot, but in that case, the supernatural traits may be weakly inherited, or with low probability, not inherited at all.”
I already knew, but I nodded seriously in response.
“I understand. Even if that happens, I’ll accept it.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled something out.
“Oh~ You said you stopped by your housing earlier—so you did have something you wanted to put in?”
“Yes.”
In my hand was a silver coin.
-Silver Coin Snake.
The very item I’d bought at a deep discount from the alien store.
“I’d like to put this in.”
I could put items in the other slot.
I had quite a few supernatural items in my possession!
Actually, this was why I was glad when I found out the Field Exploration Team used the ‘Kind Seed Kit’ Darkness.
‘I have more item sources than others.’
From that floating black memo pad that gives me goods, to the alien store.
From the moment I entered here, I’d been running through the lineup of items I had.
‘And among them, the one with the highest grade would be…’
This one, after all.
I rolled the round coin with the snake engraving in my hand.
‘It was the most expensive by retail price.’
And considering Section Chief Lee Ja-heon’s butter knife was for ‘material resupply,’ I had a hope that this coin, presumed to be ‘currency,’ might create some interesting synergy with it.
I held the coin up to the machine.
The lizard’s pupils dilated at the silver gleam.
“What’s that?”
“A commemorative coin. I bought it as a souvenir while traveling… it gave me a strangely good feeling.”
“…I see.”
…Did they notice it was an item?
Either way, it didn’t matter. This world makes it easy to encounter horror stories. It’s plausible to unknowingly carry supernatural objects…
‘A coin wouldn’t be that suspicious anyway.’
It’s an everyday, small object.
“It looks easy to carry. I think they’ll pair well together.”
“Thank you.”
Receiving my superiors’ compliments, I completed the scan.
[Plant information saved]
[Give me a plant 2/2]
“Ah, now it’s the final step.”
[Tell me the gardener’s information]
That’s why it’s called ‘custom equipment.’
I don’t know exactly what effect it has, but it seems to require the genetic information of the person who will care for this plant.
‘This creates various variables.’
Despite my hesitation, I completed the scan.
[Confirm complete]
Here it comes.
[Combining genetic information…]
[Creating kit…]
The machine spewed multicolored smoke, and the sound of turning gears creaked…
[Planting complete]
Sss.
The front drawer of the machine opened, revealing a small object.
A gray coin.
More precisely, a toy coin you’d use at an arcade. On its shiny front, a glove image was embossed.
“Oh, it’s out.”
“Congratulations, Musk Deer.”
I carefully reached out and picked up the object.
My first custom equipment.
I immediately returned to my housing.
My superiors parted ways saying, “Get some rest and see you tomorrow.”
They probably didn’t want to make me do the stupid thing of testing equipment abilities while entering Darkness.
“…Alright.”
I sat on the bed and took out two coins.
One was the Silver Coin Snake I’d bought from the alien store and used as the ‘parent plant.’
The other was the gray coin born from mixing that Silver Coin Snake with the Section Chief’s butter knife genetic information.
All good. But…
“…How do I activate it?”
It didn’t move at all.
‘Come to think of it, the Silver Coin Snake wasn’t exactly an item with explicitly stated supernatural abilities either.’
It couldn’t be that this toy coin, which I probably had to use like actual currency, was my equipment… cold sweat broke out.
Fortunately, this concern was soon put to rest.
“After all, coins are for this.”
I tried one classic motion.
Flicking the coin with my thumb.
Then, the glove embossed on the coin’s front actually popped out.
“…!”
A translucent silver glove appeared in midair.
The glove moved as if miming, drawing letters in the air.
[Insert coin]
…It’s asking me to put in a coin?
I rummaged through my wallet and pulled out a 100-won coin, holding it out to the glove.
But the glove refused.
“What?”
Is it asking for a different currency? Or…
“How about this?”
I held out a 500-won coin.
The hand gladly took the coin, tucked it between its fingers, and made it disappear like a magic trick.
‘So it was about the amount.’
A thoroughly capitalistic piece of equipment.
As I watched in bewilderment, the translucent glove approached my hand and merged with it as if being worn.
“…!”
A strange sensation.
‘A third… hand?’
A shadow-like shape of my hand appeared before my eyes.
It moved according to my will.
Pushing walls, opening bathroom doors, even writing.
‘The strength and precision… are about the same as mine.’
To summarize, it’s a third telekinetic hand that can move for a few seconds when given a coin.
The range is about… a 3-meter radius.
“Five seconds for 500 won—that’s decent.”
Soon, the shadow hand shape in the air disappeared, and the translucent glove naturally slipped off my hand.
It waved as if greeting me and re-embossed itself on the coin’s front.
“Hmm.”
Pretty good.
Unlike the Section Chief’s butter knife, this doesn’t overcome spatial constraints between horror stories and reality.
But instead, it feels like it has a larger operational range within a horror story—so it’ll probably be more versatile.
Although there’s the limitation of how many 500-won coins I can carry in my suit pocket, making it ammo-limited…
‘This is a successful pull.’
And the fact that the coin was an item wasn’t revealed either—it passed naturally. Excellent.
“Work as hard as the 1,000p I invested.”
I tucked the coin into my pocket with my other items.
While I was at it, I refilled the used ‘Smile Stickers’ and grabbed another ‘can bottle.’
‘I guess humans are creatures of adaptation after all.’
I lay down on the bed.
Surprisingly, I felt okay.
When I closed my eyes, that horrible talk show came back vividly, but with the lights on, I could somehow sleep.
Maybe it was because the ending wasn’t too bad.
‘…At least I had good luck.’
My team assignment luck was decent too.
‘Maybe because I earned points in one go, but for some reason things feel hopeful…’
Drowsiness overtook me and I blinked.
Still, the remaining points to the Wish Grant were a mountain, and I had no idea how many more horror stories I’d need to clear.
But for the first time, I thought I might be able to get through that period.
‘Maybe I can quietly endure it.’
…I entertained this absurdly optimistic fantasy for a brief moment until I came to work the next day and found out that an official notice had gone out saying “New employee on their second day clears A-class major incident!”
“Musk Deer, sit down. We… well, it seems there’s going to be a slight change in your assignment.”
“Huh?”
I’m only a 3-day employee, you know.
