WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Surviving as an Office Worker at the Anomaly Management Bureau ◈
Chapter 33: Workshop
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Just like any other company that claims to be a family, the Management Bureau also had a system called workshops.
Officially, they were meant to promote cooperation among the organization’s personnel.
But anyone who knew knew that workshops were nothing short of horrible torture for young people like me.
The old men would gather around and sing trot songs, and since we naturally did not know any trot, we were reduced to Human Instrument No. 1, merely hitting tambourines.
Then came the mental torture of being forced to drink when we did not want to, while listening to them criticize young people.
Fortunately, there were more of us this time. At the very least, that meant we could avoid the mental torture.
I blankly stared out the window inside the rattling train.
The slowly passing scenery reminded me once again that we were riding a local train toward a mountain valley.
“Yeah, it’s a workshop. I’ll be back soon, so don’t worry too much. It’s not an overnight trip. What do you mean, women’s voices? They’re employees. Employees.”
Beside me, the team leader was breaking out in a cold sweat while trying to explain.
Yoo Da-on and Song A-rin sat there, dozing off.
And Jang Chae-yeon sat neatly beside me...
“Want an egg?”
“I’m fine.”
“Should I pour you some water?”
“I’m fine.”
Jang Chae-yeon kept offering me things.
The only reason it did not feel burdensome was probably because we had spent so long together in the Cube.
“...Does it make you uncomfortable when I do things for you?”
Jang Chae-yeon asked while watching my reaction.
Part of me wanted to accept, but that was not the issue.
“No. I’m full.”
The moment we got on the train, she made me eat an apple, opened a chocolate bar for me, and handed me bread she had bought.
I was not even the type to snack much in the first place. Of course I was full after she kept feeding me things.
Even my grandmother did not feed me this much.
“You need to eat a lot to stay healthy.”
“I stopped growing a long time ago.”
Wouldn’t it be even scarier if an office worker who had already completed military service were still growing?
Looking disappointed, Jang Chae-yeon leaned back against her seat and spoke while looking out the window.
“There was once a rumor that a Mountain God was sleeping somewhere around here.”
Why was she suddenly telling such an ominous story?
“A Mountain God?”
“Of course, the Management Bureau heard the rumor too and went to investigate.”
“Did they find it?”
“There was no Mountain God. There were only people who worshiped something that did not exist.”
“So it was just a misunderstanding.”
“No.”
Jang Chae-yeon continued.
“Their faith created something.”
“Created something?”
“According to popular religions and myths, gods created people.”
At some point, Song A-rin had woken up. With her legs crossed and arms folded, she took over.
“But if that were true, there would be no reason for the Management Bureau to exist, right?”
“That’s a terrifying story. I’ll pretend I never heard it.”
If I listened to any more frightening stories like this, I would lose my mind.
Song A-rin smacked her lips and shrugged, while Jang Chae-yeon smiled softly and folded her hands over her lap.
Her white hair shone brightly in the sunlight.
When I looked toward the team leader, they were wearing earphones and desperately turning their head away.
That was the proper attitude for an office worker.
I turned back toward the window and began watching the scenery flow past outside.
Still, from what Jang Chae-yeon had said, it sounded like the matter had been resolved.
And even if it had not, we could not suddenly turn around and go home now.
* * *
The first thing that greeted us after we got off at the station was sunlight warm enough to feel almost like summer.
“It really must be getting close to summer.”
Yoo Da-on, who had only woken up right before we got off, stretched and looked around.
“But is this really the right place?”
Yoo Da-on’s voice was full of suspicion.
It was understandable.
The station was shabby.
The sign was rusted, weeds that had not been properly cut grew everywhere, and even the dirty benches that must have once seated many passengers were completely rusted.
“Is this the right place, Team Leader?”
“Let me see...”
At my words, the team leader narrowed their eyes and began looking at their phone.
“Yeah, this is the place.”
The team leader nodded with an uneasy expression.
I had definitely brought the team leader with us, so why did I feel so anxious?
“Well, we already made a reservation for the workshop, so let’s go. Don’t worry. I’m in a really good mood right now.”
If the team leader said they were in a good mood, then surely nothing would happen.
Suppressing the unease welling up in one corner of my heart, I picked up my luggage and led the way toward the station building.
“Wow, what is this place? Is it a horror movie?”
That was Song A-rin’s assessment the moment we entered.
I completely agreed.
Uncleared cobwebs hung all over the station. Bare lightbulbs dangling from nearly broken wires swayed dangerously as they flickered.
Even the ticket booth was empty. It was a perfect ruin.
“This is strange... It’s definitely the right place...”
The team leader pulled a map from their pocket and began studying it carefully. Just in case, I also looked around for anyone who might be hiding nearby.
One advantage of my eyes was that ambushes were less useful than one might think. If I wanted to find someone, a translucent window would immediately appear above their head.
I had realized that when I caught Yoo Da-on hiding to surprise me. It was surprisingly useful.
“...”
“Do you see something?”
Jang Chae-yeon came up beside me and asked quietly.
“No.”
I could not see anything.
“Hey, kids. This is the place. The lodge owner said they parked outside and are waiting for us.”
“Yeah, yeah. We’re coming.”
As I was about to head outside with my luggage in both hands, I met Yoo Da-on’s eyes. She was looking around with a serious expression.
“What is it?”
“Something feels... unpleasant.”
Yoo Da-on deeply furrowed her brow and sniffed the air.
“Do you smell something?”
“Hmm... It’s a familiar smell.”
Following her lead, I closed my eyes and sniffed the air too.
Other than the stale smell of dust, I could not smell anything.
“I can’t smell anything.”
“...Maybe it’s just my imagination. I’ll stay alert, just in case.”
“Please do.”
Yoo Da-on nodded, slung her luggage over her shoulder, and began walking after the team leader.
I sent Song A-rin out ahead of me, still grumbling to the very end, then looked back one more time before leaving.
As expected, I could not see anything.
* * *
When I followed Song A-rin outside, I saw a road surrounded by thick trees.
The road was paved, but it looked unmaintained, with broken patches everywhere. In one corner, a small gray van stood alone.
“Found it! Over here!”
When the team leader waved, the van finally began rattling toward us. Soon, the window rolled down and a bearded man stuck his head out.
“Hello!”
His voice was hearty.
I gave a small bow in greeting and glanced at the space above his head.
[Name: Park Ho-seong]
[Age: 48]
[Trait: X]
[Talent: X]
[Background: For over thirty years, he has lived as the heir and owner of the mountain lodge. Only this village knows him.]
[Weakness: If you shoot him in the head, he dies.]
“...”
Something about it felt familiar, but before I could think about it, the man shouted loudly.
“I’m Park Ho-seong. I can’t guarantee it’ll be safe, but I’ll get you to the lodge quickly!”
The man got out with a smile.
He was enormous.
I was not short enough for people to comment on my height, but he seemed at least a head taller than me.
And he was about as wide as another me standing beside me.
“Excuse me!”
A rough hand practically snatched my luggage away, then began neatly stacking everyone else’s luggage in the trunk.
“Get in! Since we’re supposed to respect our elders, the comfortable front passenger seat should go to our...”
“I’m Heo Chan.”
“Heo Chan can sit in front, and the four young men and women can squeeze into the back!”
The team leader gave me a slight apologetic nod before taking the passenger seat.
The four of us climbed into the van after them, practically crumpling ourselves inside.
Song A-rin, then me, Yoo Da-on, and Jang Chae-yeon.
Four of us sat in a space that clearly only fit three people. There was not even a little room to spare. We ended up in the back like human dominoes.
“Don’t... push...!”
Song A-rin groaned as she pressed against my left shoulder, but there was nothing I could do either.
The van began moving with a rattle, and just as I had feared from the condition of the road, the vehicle had no cushioning whatsoever. It shook violently as it drove.
“W-Wow! It feels like... riding... an amusement park ride!”
Yoo Da-on happily shouted as she leaned against my right shoulder.
“Urgh...”
Song A-rin covered her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut as though she felt sick.
Jang Chae-yeon, as expressionless as ever, looked outside.
After we had driven along the road for some time...
“We’ve arrived!”
At the man’s voice, I lifted my head and looked ahead.
It was a shabby mountain lodge.
A wooden sign had crooked letters carved into it.
<Welcome, Guests>
The lodge before us looked so eerie that it could easily have been called a haunted mountain lodge.
A nice lodge?
I looked at the team leader. They were also looking at me through the rearview mirror with an awkward expression.
Judging by that face, the team leader had no idea what was going on either.
-Clunk!
The van stopped in an empty lot that seemed to be a parking area. The man got out, opened the door, and looked at us.
“We’re here! Get out!”
After opening the door and helping us out, the man opened the trunk and began arranging the luggage.
I approached the team leader, who still looked stunned, and whispered.
“A nice lodge? The east coast?”
“Hey... I didn’t expect this either.”
The team leader looked at me, sweating nervously.
“It’s fine. Well, um. Yeah. Maybe this counts as a nice lodge by their standards. It’s close to nature.”
“Do you think that makes any sense, Team Leader?”
“I’ve finished organizing the luggage!”
As the man spoke while the team leader and I were whispering, I looked over.
Out of habit, I looked again at the space above the man’s head.
[Name: Park Ho-seong]
[Age: 48]
[Trait: X]
[Talent: X]
[Background: For over thirty years, he has lived as the heir and owner of the mountain lodge. Only this village knows him.]
[Weakness: God prepared a table for me before my enemies and anointed my head with oil, so my cup overflows.]
“...”
Behind me, countless birds rose from the distant forest as though fleeing from something.
Footnotes:
Trot is a Korean popular music genre often associated with older generations.
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