Chapter Text
Roe Deer is a name that sounds like it belongs to a Daydream employee. Their Codenames are strictly animals due to them getting them in association to their mask.
Thinking back to how Agent Choi had threatened him based on the mere assumption that he could be working for Daydream… Any kind of association to that Company appeared rather unwise.
Using his real name was also off the table so that only left him with one option that would safe him from both a social death and a literal one.
"You can refer to me as Grapes."
"Good Choice. Fruits are simple and therefore clear and easy to remember, Agent Grapes." Agent Bronze nodded in approval while Agent Choi suddenly jumped forward like he wanted to hug Kim Soleum but stopped himself at the last second.
"Grapes-ie~ What a truly great name!! Do you like Grapes?"
"…"
"We should head inside."
The inside was dusty and had an eerie vibe which made Kim Soleum want to turn back and go as far away as humanly possible.
The place was abandoned but not destroyed and while dust was clear in every corner the floor lacked most if any. Walking deeper inside the two Agents lead the way to what seems to be a elevator.
A small confined space was not what Kim Soleum wanted to enter right now.
He did it anyways…
"Now then!"
Agent Choi dramatically flexed his hands before pressing the button for the 10th floor.
The 10th floor in an abandoned government office. Kim Soleums had prepared yesterday while checking the room the Bureau placed him inside he also took the time to go over as many ghost stories as he could.
One of them happened to be called [Work Day], which is a Idle-Sanctioned Disaster. It's rather harmless.
After all, you only need to enter the 10th floor, not disturb any 'worker' and leave after sunset. The premise itself sounds simple and didn't appear particularly scary. Though avoiding the workers is harder then it sounds at first. That however isn't the only problem.
Should you leave beforehand it will count as leaving work early and punishment will be assigned. Kim Soleum actually remembers reading about this Story when it was first added to the DER wiki during its earlier stages.
Back then he found it simple but interesting. Now however, the descriptions of punishments that can be assigned should you violate any rules make him feel nauseous.
6th floor.
7th floor.
8th floor.
Kim Soleum felt like he was being dragged to his demise. It was a illogical fear in some way after all this is a Idle-Sanctioned Disaster. The lowest that the Disaster Management Bureau has to offer and a low number of casualties.
Though the punishments can be cruel enough that the survivors have restored to killing themselves…
This will mark the first Ghost Story, or rather Disaster, that Kim Soleum will enter. It being Idle-Sanctioned is preferable over any other option and part of Kim Soleum felt glad.
The other part was trying to hide his shaking hands as he felt bile rise in his throat. Fear is something common and often irrational hindering Kim Soleum from even going to the movie with his crush simply because it was a horror one.
9th
10th
Kim Soleum watches the doors waiting for them to open.
He can do this. The rules for this Disaster are simple and hardly any anomalies exist thanks to its below average popularity.
11th
12th
13th
However, the doors didn't open to reveal a office with shadowy figures working diligently instead the number climbed higher. The other two Agents now appeared alarmed too, sharing looks that made Kim Soleums hope die faster.
Both Agents ended up focusing their attention on Kim Soleum, who in turn never turned away from the elevator doors. The situation was quickly changing from a controlled Government test, because Kim Soleum has already noticed too many strange happenings for this to be anything else, to an anomaly.
Following suit the Agents also looked back though Kim Soleum could feel Agent Chois gaze hanging back on him even after Agent Bronze changed his focus. Kim Soleum really can't figure that psycho out.
Instead of the elevator bringing them even higher its doors opened revealing the 13th floor. What should be a abandoned floor collecting enough dust that not even 10 days of cleaning could reduce it was instead filled with workers.
Unlike the shadowy ones Kim Soleum was expecting from [Work Day] these looked like regular humans, who were simply completing tasks.
But looking closer at certain faces gave Kim Soleum a uneasy feeling. A clear uncanny valley effect.
Even their tasks which were executed with the normality of every day mundane tasks were anything but. Gruesome tasks such as cutting off bodies and storing the parts in designated drawers. The workers themselves looked run down with multiple wounds and missing body parts.
The doors of the elevator weren't closing and the longer they stood thinking of a solution, the more workers started side eyeing them.
[Work Day] does not have any anomalies which involve the 13th floor as far as Kim Soleum was aware.
Kim Soleum doesn't know the rules of this story. So avoiding attention should be his priority.
He reached out and started dragging both Agents into the office. Luckily both quickly went along with his plan and pretended to be busy. Immediately like a switch fliped all workers turned their attention back to their respective task.
So far Kim Soleum has avoided looking at the gruesome site of the blood and flesh found all over the office. Instead he found documents he could pretend to be sorting as long as he doesn't try to read them.
Easier said then done since the text seems to call for Kim Soleum begging him to ignore the pain the letters bring and read its contents.
Kim Soleum was starting to get an idea of what is happening but he can't check the wiki without the Agents asking questions…
Though looking around again and to Agent Choi and Agent Bronze…
Both are coping Kim Soleum pretending to be sorting documents while subtly not reading anything that is actually written on the documents.
Once doesn't really question the rules or actions of something of supernatural nature. After all how can simple humans understand the works of things that are so far removed from human nature.
Rules and behavior can be twisted or used to gain an advantage. Looking at the pocket of the bureau jacket where Kim Soleum has kept his phone he thinks about the way supernatural beings are treated specifically in the DER world.
As a Author and Ghost Story fan he has always analyzed or questioned supernatural things since they aren't real. However, letting things slide or leaving things unquestioned is easier once you know that something is real.
Questioning reality is different to questioning fantasy.
Changing his focus Kim Soleum starts looking around until he spots one worker that stands out from the rest. A worker with no missing body parts was walking around looking over the shoulder of other workers. The Shaking hands of said workers mirror the fear Kim Soleum himself feels.
A supervisor.
13th floor.
horrifying tasks.
an abandoned government office.
All words that could describe many different Ghost Stories in the DER Wiki. However, the explorer having to partake in tasks themselves and workers mimicking human fear have narrowed down his options more.
Taking out his phone like Kim Soleum has nothing to fear or explain he opens the DER wiki.
The red pop-socket quickly catches the attention of the two Agents as well as his blatant use of his phone.
Luckily, they keep their mouths shut instead focusing on the documents.
Hurrying up to avoid being spotted by the Supervisor he starts to read the Wiki article.
The Ghost story Kim Soleum, Agent Choi and Agent Bronze have found themselves in was written on Kim Soleums phone like the situation was nothing more than Kim Soleums imagination running wild. For a second he can pretend that the bodies and metallic scent in the air aren't real and that he is safe at home but it's a lie.
Kim Soleum doesn't have the time to reminiscent if he wants to survive. He will get out of this and return home no matter what.
[New Hire Training]