TAHBPC 02

Chapter 02

 Day One on the Job

The thick metal door groaned as it slowly opened, revealing Extraction Chamber D Sector.

After the horrifying chorus of laughter subsided, I looked around.

One containment cell.

Then another.

And another.

The containment area stretched on so far that I couldn’t even see where it ended, each chamber filled with things that defied human language and understanding.

This… is all real?

The first chamber.

The moment I looked inside, I saw something without form.

It wasn’t black like something that absorbed light.

Nor was it transparent.

It was simply… there.

A ripple endlessly spreading and fading at the edge of my vision.

The rational part of my mind desperately tried to interpret it as a stain on the wall or some kind of optical illusion.

“You may observe it. Just don’t make eye contact.”

Manager Myeon explained calmly beside me.

The moment he finished speaking, I made eye contact with it.

I didn’t even know whether it had eyes.

But something deep inside me was certain.

For a brief instant, it felt as though the skin on my shoulders had peeled away.

As though someone had opened up my body, examined the contents, and stitched me back together.

My stomach churned violently.

I grabbed the wall and turned my head away.

My eyes stung slightly.

One of Manager Myeon’s seven faces smiled.

“Everyone reacts that way at first. If you feel like throwing up, there’s a restroom outside. Don’t hesitate to let me know.”

The words sounded kind.

Yet somehow they only made me feel worse.

We moved on to the next chamber.

Inside stood a group of beings that looked remarkably human while being unmistakably inhuman.

They burned something shrouded in smoke.

Gathered the ashes.

Ground them down.

Washed them.

Crushed them again.

Then repeated the process endlessly.

Not a single expression changed.

Their movements were mechanical and orderly.

That perfect synchronization was somehow more terrifying than chaos.

Like one enormous machine composed of countless gears.

As though they existed for no purpose beyond the act itself.

Burning.

Crushing.

Washing.

Grinding.

Again and again.

One of Manager Myeon’s faces adopted a concerned expression.

“You look even worse now. Are you really alright?”

“Ah… yes. I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”

I replied with words I didn’t mean and forced my trembling legs to keep following him.

The next chamber.

Inside a giant tank floated a fungus shaped like a human face.

The fungus swayed from its roots, giggling as though amused by something.

Hanging from the ceiling was something resembling a customer review display.

Five glowing stars sparkled cheerfully overhead.

In the neighboring chamber sat a sealed box.

From within it came the sound of a child crying.

A child with four mouths.

Are all of these… those dimensional entities?

Manager Myeon followed my gaze and spoke slowly.

“Dimensional entities are company assets.”

His voice remained calm.

“Storage. Maintenance. Extraction. That is our work.”

There was pride hidden beneath his tone.

“To put it simply, they are an infinite source of raw materials. Sometimes power. Sometimes knowledge. Sometimes dreams themselves. A treasure vault waiting to be utilized. Since the work is important, employee benefits and prototype distributions are also quite generous.”

One face smiled.

Another frowned.

A third face panted feverishly as it continued.

“But they are also dangerous. Neglecting proper management could bring this entire facility down.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Especially damage to the extraction chambers. That threatens the security of the entire company. Simply put, Employee Jeong, our lives depend on them.”

I merely nodded.

Only one thought occupied my mind.

You call this a company?

Inside the chambers, more incomprehensible things writhed.

Shadows that crawled across walls before vanishing.

Severed arms floating through empty space.

Things that repeatedly crumpled and unfolded their own faces like sheets of plastic.

I forced myself to look away.

If I kept staring, I was certain I’d lose my mind.

Manager Myeon nodded with satisfaction.

“Good. That concludes the tour. Employee Jeong, I hope to see you here for a long time. Let’s work hard together.”

At that moment, all seven faces displayed different expressions simultaneously.

Laughing.

Crying.

Screaming.

Suppressing laughter.

Avoiding their collective gaze, I hid behind a blank expression and answered.

“Yes. I’ll… do my best.”

After leaving the extraction chamber, I followed Manager Myeon down the hallway.

Toward Extraction Team 1.

The department where I would now be working.

“Come in. Employee Jeong, this is the place where you’ll be spending more time than you’d like from now on.”

The first thing that greeted me was a very familiar office atmosphere.

The dry breeze of an air purifier.

The scent of toner powder from a printer.

And the faint aroma of coffee.

If I had to summarize the office in a single phrase, it would be:

Reasonably ordinary.

Dual monitors.

Cubicles.

A shared printer.

Aside from Manager Myeon standing beside me and a few unusually distinctive items scattered around, it looked like any other office.

As I cautiously stepped inside, I counted six desks in total.

The cleanest desk sat by the window.

Not a single speck of dust.

It was spotless to the point of obsession.

Clearly Manager Myeon’s desk.

He sat down naturally and pointed toward an empty seat in the corner.

“That’s your desk, Employee Jeong. All the office supplies are in the drawers. I’ve also included a few additional necessities.”

“Thank you. I’ll check them out.”

As I walked toward my seat, I quickly inspected the remaining desks.

The first one resembled a jungle.

Covered entirely in potted plants.

There was barely any room left to work.

The sheer number of plants inspired a strange kind of awe.

The desk beside it was decorated in an extravagant Gothic style.

A golden candlestick.

A red velvet cloth.

A feather pen that looked like it belonged to a medieval noble.

Rather than an office worker’s desk, it looked more like an aristocrat’s study.

The third desk was ordinary but cluttered.

Sticky notes and random machine parts were scattered everywhere.

Either the owner was chaotic.

Or simply lazy.

Then there was the final desk.

I couldn’t help stopping when I saw it.

In one corner sat a pile of unidentified bones, carelessly tossed aside as though a slaughter had just taken place.

Black bloodstains had dried between the keys of a half-broken keyboard.

A clear conclusion formed instantly.

There isn’t a single normal person here.

Just looking at the desks made my temples throb.

“Is everyone else out?”

I asked while setting down my belongings.

One of Manager Myeon’s seven faces smiled warmly.

“Extraction Team 1 is an elite unit. Everyone is carrying out their own assignments at the moment. You’ll meet them soon enough, so there’s no need to rush.”

“…Understood.”

“Normally I’d introduce everything personally, but we’re behind on shipments for the Refinement Department today. That’s why everyone is out in the field. I’ll have to head out myself later.”

All seven heads glanced at the clock simultaneously.

As the ticking grew louder, his speech sped up slightly.

“For now, you’ll find a document called New Employee Guide on your desktop. There are plenty of other resources available as well, so take some time to explore the company intranet. Excel templates, report forms, and so on. I don’t need to explain basic office work to you, right?”

“Of course. I’ll familiarize myself with everything.”

Manager Myeon pointed at the monitor with a pale finger.

“Excellent. I have high expectations for you. Ah, and when you have time, please get a cup of water from the dispenser and water the plants over there.”

Without even waiting for a response, he returned to his desk.

I remained standing at my own.

For a moment, I couldn’t even remember whether I’d been breathing.

Only after taking a deep breath did I confirm it.

Right.

I was still alive.

What exactly did I just witness?

Dimensional entities?

Extraction?

Management?

I couldn’t even begin to imagine what kind of work I’d be doing here.

I sat before the monitor and placed my hand on the mouse.

The cool plastic felt reassuringly real.

The desktop itself looked surprisingly normal.

But one folder stood out.

A bright red icon.

As though a drop of blood had splashed across the screen.

[New Employee Guide]

I double-clicked it.

Dozens of files appeared.

The one at the very top was titled:

[(Ltd.) Sapilgwijung Dimensional Entity Identification and Classification Standards]

Opening it revealed white text on a black screen.

1. Dimensional Entity Classification Standards

New employees must identify the target’s category before extraction work and follow the appropriate response manual.

Biological Type:
Entities that imitate or parasitize the organic structures of existing ecosystems.

Object Type:
Inanimate objects, machines, or fixed-form artifacts infused with anomalous properties.

Composite Type:
Entities combining two or more classifications into an irregular form.

Adaptive Type:
Entities whose appearance and behavioral rules change in real time according to environmental conditions or extraction progress.

Intangible Type:
Entities lacking a fixed physical form, existing as gas, liquid, shadows, sounds, and similar manifestations.

Conceptual Type:
Entities that ignore physical laws and embody concepts such as faith, fear, or disasters.

2. Hazard Ratings and Extraction Guidelines

The company classifies dimensional entities according to management difficulty and potential threat level.

Grade D:
Extraction can be performed safely by following established procedures. Primarily used as consumable resources for company facilities.

Grade C:
Physical injury and mental contamination occur frequently. Company-issued equipment is authorized. New employees should work under supervision.

Grade B:
Improper management inevitably results in death. Oversight from department managers or experienced administrators is mandatory.

Grade A:
A single entity’s rampage can force the shutdown of an entire division. Access to containment chambers requires executive authorization.

■ Grade:
[ACCESS DENIED: INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE]

3. Rules All New Employees Must Follow

No Emotional Synchronization:
All visual and auditory information produced by dimensional entities is merely imitation. Ignore it.

No Unauthorized Contact:
Unofficial experiments or interactions not specified in company manuals constitute grounds for immediate termination.

Mandatory Reporting:
If an entity displays a previously unobserved phenomenon, report it immediately and evacuate the area.

I couldn’t continue reading.

Even after everything I’d witnessed, the human mind apparently wasn’t built to adapt that quickly.

Massaging my aching temples, I tried to forget the countless disturbing sights I’d seen throughout the company.

Then something posted on the office wall caught my eye.

[Urgent Notice]

Access to the Third-Floor Storage Facility is prohibited until further notice.

Two incidents of dimensional distortion have occurred within company grounds.

If you encounter an individual who resembles you,

Do not smile first.

It is not a verification procedure.

— Sapilgwijung Co., Ltd.

“…Haah.”

A sigh escaped before I could stop it.

I immediately shut my mouth.

Then, with trembling hands, I continued browsing the company intranet.

I needed to know what this company actually did.

No.

I needed to know whether this thing could even be called a company.

[死必鬼正 Co., Ltd.]

The homepage looked perfectly normal.

The contents were anything but.

[Announcements]

<Mandatory Reading> If the vending machine on the fourth-floor break room dispenses a red beverage, do not drink it.

<Condolences> Funeral notice for Deputy Manager Mok of Extraction Team 1.
(Scheduled resurrection date: three days later.)

<Lost and Found> Looking for my left arm. If found, please contact the Security Department.

<Mandatory Reading> Access to Stairwell 377 is prohibited.

This is driving me insane.

The farther I scrolled, the more numb I became.

Today’s cafeteria menu included something called Rainbow Energy Jelly.

The company club recruitment board advertised groups like:

• The Abyss Observation Club
• The Screaming Choir

If this were some office meme forum, I could have laughed it off.

But the extraction chamber was still vivid in my memory.

It proved that every ridiculous line of text was real.

“…”

I rubbed my face and looked back at the monitor.

My reflection stared back from the dark screen.

And as I looked at myself, one goal became crystal clear.