There Are No Humans in the Monster Company

Some time had passed.

Although perhaps because I had been kidnapped and then returned from some unknown place, Assistant Manager Son had started bringing me Americanos more often.

Not many things had changed.

I still belonged to Extraction Team 1.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Relatively low-risk level.

Class D dimensional entities.

And I was still working in Zone D of the Extraction Room.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

The monsters that had left me breathless at the mere sight of them now gave me a sensation similar to washing my face with ice-cold water.

Repetitive extraction tasks.

Uniform inspection.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Face placement by Manager Myeon.

Receiving approval stamps.

After finishing the work, writing reports.

Beginning the extraction.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Now I could spend money.

However, there was one change.

The end of the day was always wrapped in silent muteness.

And when the workday ended, returning to my apartment to review the company’s strange applications or write in my journal.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

The phone notifications that had once been useless had begun to have value.

Even if only a little.

“Let’s go.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

That voice would suddenly come from behind me.

Lunchtime.

When the sound of keyboards in the office began to fade.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

White hair.

Strange eyes.

Although I had declined the departmental transfer, for some reason she still came to find me.

And the figure of Moon Ara, Head of the Security Team of the Order Control Room, appearing as always in that perfectly pressed coat of skin.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

But those two occasions were the only moments that truly allowed me to feel what it meant to breathe again within this company.

About twice a week.

It wasn’t an excessive frequency.

Just two days ago, I had gone out with her as well and visited restaurants that I could never have afforded during my years as a job seeker.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Today, we once again entered the elevator.

Since even the doctor had recommended something similar, it seemed to be quite effective.

I had rejected her recruitment offer, but perhaps if I got along better with her, I could enjoy life a little more.

— As long as it isn’t overeating, I think periodically enjoying good food or elaborate dishes suits you quite well, Mr. alert Haeil.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Seoul.

And crossed a door.

People.

Sunlight.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Moon Ara’s white hair gleamed softly among the crowd.

People walking with iced coffee and cell phones in hand.

The smell of accumulated sweat.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

We ate.

Had coffee.

We went to whichever restaurant appealed to us.

And I walked silently, following her shadow.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

To sit.

Time to walk in silence.

And visited bookstores when she suggested it.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

It was simply pleasant.

To breathe.

After finishing our meal, we returned to the office.

I watched the team members disperse to their respective stations.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Assistant Manager Son was dozing with his fist embedded in the logbook.

Manager Myeon.

Supervisor Shik was growling somewhere.

And it seemed Director Mok had gone somewhere to spread his stems and roots.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

He was an existence capable of quietly disappearing from the office without anyone questioning it.

I sat down in my chair and tried to catch my breath.

And that wasn’t strange either.

As always, he wasn’t there.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Breathed slowly.

The memory of sunlight still floated behind my eyelids.

I closed them slightly.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

The sensation on my shoulder was gentler than I expected.

But it contained a strangeness that was impossible to describe.

Tap, tap.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

And right in front of my eyes was a dark red tentacle, as though it had grown directly from an elbow, lightly tapping my shoulder.

I slowly turned my head.

‘That scared me.’

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

And behind it appeared a familiar smiling face.

The tentacle recoiled in surprise.

I swallowed the scream.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Her dark red eyes pierced directly into mine.

Her skin, paler than usual, appeared almost ghostly beneath the dim office lighting.

Her silver hair, shining like platinum, swayed down to her waist.

It was Manager Batori.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Instinctively, I put on my professional smile and politely lowered my head.

“Mr. acoustic Jeong Haeil.”

“Yes, Manager Batori.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Amid the brief silence following lunch with Moon Ara, a strange presence drifted toward me like a gust of wind.

Manager Batori rested an elbow on a chair and leaned forward.

“Come. acoustic We need to talk for a moment.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Close enough that I could feel her breath.

I moistened my dry lips and nodded.

She was much closer than I expected.

Her red eyes pierced me from that distance.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

That tiny movement contained a strange disappointment.

At that response, Manager Batori tilted her head slightly.

***

“Of course.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

It was the first time in a long while that we had returned to having private conversations in the break room.

“It seems you’ve become quite close to Manager Moon Ara lately.”

That was not a compliment.

The moment the door closed, Manager Batori spoke.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

I hesitated for a moment.

Her tone remained elegant.

But deep dissatisfaction and obvious displeasure coiled within it.

Here.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Hiding things was not always the best strategy.

Or rather, in front of an existence like her.

In the end, I hadn’t left.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Manager Batori’s red eyes dilated.

The instant I finished the sentence.

“I did. afford Actually, I received a transfer offer. academy To the Security Team.”

And as long as it wasn’t something fatal, I would probably survive.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

The flesh of her cheeks and the corners of her lips split open slightly.

There was no other way to describe it.

Her skin began to tear apart slowly.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

I had made a catastrophic mistake.

And from it extended another, even longer tongue, tentacle-like, which began slowly licking the floor.

And within those cracks appeared tiny red eyes lined up like soldiers.

A tongue dangled from her half-open mouth.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

“How dare you abandon the grace bestowed upon you by this humble servant?”

“…Manager Batori?”

“How dare you?”

Then her voice rang out.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

“Are you telling me you fell under the spell of that vulgar proposal?”

“W-wait a moment. arch It’s a misunderstanding, Manager Batori.”

“That you intend to hand over this humble servant’s bloodline into the greedy hands of an avaricious parasite?”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

The elegant and dignified exterior was tearing apart, revealing the original existence hidden inside.

The current Batori was something constructed from blood.

This was not the Manager Batori I usually saw.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

More tentacles writhed within.

By that point, dark crimson vein-like strands had also begun spreading through her hair.

“You miserable little insect, how dare you covet this noble one’s lineage?”

Manager Batori’s eyes and mouth opened vertically.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

And most likely, it would be me.

If things went on like this, I had a feeling that at least one among Moon Ara, Manager Batori, or myself would end up dead.

This couldn’t continue.

“This is an invasion against this noble one. alien A theft. autumn A humiliation.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

I interrupted carefully.

“Manager.”

“I… already rejected the offer.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

I had to inhale two or three times before the sentence finally left my mouth.

It took quite a while to say it.

Manager Batori froze.

“I already decided to stay in Extraction Team 1.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

The tentacles curled up one by one before sinking back into her hair.

The sound of flesh rejoining was similar to the wet friction of removing a soaked glove.

The torn skin slowly began closing again.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Her breathing regained a human rhythm.

A crimson eye stared directly at me.

“You really…”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

I briefly lowered my head.

“You truly know how to startle this noble one. palette To think you rejected the honeyed words of that vixen.”

She let out a brief sigh before once again straightening her posture with elegance.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

“I’m sorry. atom I didn’t mean to alarm you.”

Relief and a slight display of affection were mixed into that laughter.

She let out a soft chuckle.

“You have nothing to apologize for. advance Rather, you should feel proud. action Very few can resist that woman’s charms. agent Most simply let themselves be carried away by her like water following its course. action But the thought that even you might waver without knowing where you belong was far too painful for this noble one.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

She cut me off right there.

“…I’ll be more careful in the future.”

I nodded silently.

“Good.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

I had saved my life.

Then she looked at me again with those beautiful and strange crimson eyes of hers.

I lowered my head.

“I never doubted your loyalty. action However, do try not to mention something like that ever again.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

“Yes, Manager.”

And my pleasant lunches had come to an end.

Only then did the atmosphere become a little warmer.

At this rate, my bank account would probably start filling up again.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

I relaxed in silence.

Manager Batori remained seated across from me, humming as though the anger from a few moments ago had never existed.

A soft fluorescent light filtered through the gap beneath the door.

But I knew.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Obsession.

Possessiveness.

I knew the name of the emotion that had shone behind those crimson eyes.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

It had no defined melody.

It was a hum.

And perhaps something even beyond that.

“Hmm-hmm, hmm-hmm— hmmm.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

And yet, curiously, it only appeared when Manager Batori was in an especially good mood and relaxed.

And although I hadn’t known her for that long, the Batori I knew became surprisingly simple when she was happy.

Nor any fixed rhythm.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Lately, I had become fairly accustomed to extraction work.

And free time tended to create room for stupid questions to slip in.

Thanks to that, I occasionally had some free time.

‘……’

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

But since my lunches had been taken away from me, I should at least get something in return.

I had chosen to remain in Extraction Team 1.

And now was the perfect time to take advantage of her good mood and acquire some knowledge.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

“Manager.”

I spoke cautiously.

I leaned forward slightly.

Manager Batori continued humming while taking sip after sip from her thermos full of blood.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

“Yes, darling. palette Speak.”

“Ah, I heard you met with Executive Director Gu. abstract He was delighted. abstract He said that speaking with you had been an exquisite gastronomic experience.”

Manager Batori slowly spun the thermos with one hand and nodded.

“I’ll continue being a member of Extraction Team 1 in the future. riddle I also want to perform my work better. august Executive Director Gu told me that eventually I’ll begin taking external assignments.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Click.

Before speaking again, I lowered my head once more.

I closed my mouth for a moment.

“When I start taking external assignments, I’ve heard there are many different dimensional entities. advance Are there really many more dimensional entities besides the ones in the containment rooms? artist Or rather… may I ask what exactly they are?”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

“…You’re asking because you truly don’t know?”

Then she spoke.

Manager Batori tilted her head slightly.

The sound of the stainless-steel thermos lid turning echoed much louder than it should have.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Perhaps for the first time, my prediction had been correct.

Maybe I was finally starting to understand her.

This one was safe.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

My skin seemed to come back to life.

She looked at me with blood-red eyes as if I were ridiculous.

A sigh of relief ran down my back.

The chill climbing my spine disappeared.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

It wasn’t a lie.

“Ah, yes. alien I mean… I really don’t know.”

Not a single meeting, memo, or training session had clearly explained the true nature of dimensional entities.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

The only things repeated to us over and over were that they were dangerous.

And that energy could be extracted from them.

Manager Batori continued looking at me while holding the thermos.

No one had ever explained what they actually were.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

“Hehe, truly, there are times when the innocence of someone like you frightens this noble one.”

She even seemed slightly interested.

Her gaze was far calmer and deeper than before.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

“I’m sorry.”

It was still half full of blood.

With that, she placed the thermos on the table.

“You have nothing to apologize for. crystal No, rather, it is something to celebrate. accent The fact that you still don’t know means this noble one still has many more things to teach you.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

No eyes opening.

“Very well. apron If you wish to know, this noble one will teach you.”

No tentacles.

She adjusted her posture.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

No mouths tearing apart.

The question had passed without issue.

And yet, her crimson gaze seemed more focused on me than the fluorescent lights of the break room.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

As she slowly spun the thermos with her fingertips, she created an oddly solemn atmosphere, like candlelight inside an ancient cathedral.

Now it was the answer’s turn.

“Dimensional entities are beings that cannot be defined in a single sentence.”

“Mr. alert Jeong Haeil.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

“They possess neither a fixed form, nor a rule, nor an origin. anxiety And even if they once had such things, those records were forgotten long ago or destroyed because no one could endure them. acquire No one knows the whole truth.”

A voice cultivated among blood and time.

Her voice resonated softly.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Silent Swan.

The Portrait of a Dismantled God.

Nameless.

Suddenly, I remembered Nameless’s murmurs.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

…And the White and Chubby Furball.

She looked directly at me.

“They are nothing more than the result of something that leaked through from the other side when a crack appeared in this world. absorb Most come from unknown places. auction No one knows what they originated from. matrix Since they do not share the principles or nature of this world, they possess their own lives, their own rules, and their own conditions of existence.”

Along with the countless dimensional entities I had worked with in Zone D.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

“Dimensional entities exist outside all of that.”

I nodded silently.

“You have blood, don’t you? anxiety Blood flows through your veins. apple Your heart beats. acquire Sensations transmit signals. adjust And your thoughts form your personality.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

“They do not die, yet they do not live either. galaxy They exist without existing. antenna It makes no sense, does it? attic Precisely because of that. advance Since finite logic cannot fully comprehend them, we call them ‘dimensional entities.’ The only thing that can be defined about them is the fact that they cannot be defined.”

Outside.

For some reason, that word gave me chills.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Her eyes had not opened.

And yet, I felt completely overwhelmed by her words.

She had not released any tentacles.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

‘A wave that leaks from their point of contact with this world.’

I repeated those words silently in my mind.

“That can become money. arcade Fuel. acid Weapons. academy Limited Company Where the Dead End Up with Ghosts Ltd. is a company that specializes precisely in that. alpha Isolating dimensional entities, extracting them, refining them, fusing them, and transforming them into products suitable for this world.”

“That is why we keep them here and extract the unique energy they possess—a kind of wave that leaks from their point of contact with this world.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

She took another sip of blood.

I felt something settle deeply inside my mind.

“So never forget it. timber Those Class D dimensional entities you work with every day. antique Even those remnants that seem so insignificant did not originate in this world.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

“Well then, this noble one’s lesson ends here. auction If you try to absorb too much at once, your head might explode.”

She smiled softly.

The moment her crimson eyes passed over me, I had the strange sensation that I myself was being pushed a little farther outside this world.

It was less a feeling of understanding and more one of acceptance.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

‘Dimensional entities are monsters in themselves.’

She spun the thermos and resumed humming.

And thought.

I let out a small sigh.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Dimensional entities were beings that had leaked in from outside, alien to the principles of this world.

Perhaps even the word monster was too human to define them.

No.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

We extracted their waves and transformed them into products.

They existed without existing.

‘Then…’

They neither lived nor died.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

The reports piled on the desks.

The hands that continued writing out of pure habit.

I slowly raised my head and imagined the office.

The schedule board hanging on the wall.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

And those supervisors who looked like monsters.

Manager Myeon.

The sound of the photocopier.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Supervisor Shik.

Director Mok.

Manager Batori.

Assistant Manager Son.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Familiar faces.

Sometimes they gave orders.

And Executive Director Gu.

They were names I saw every day at the company.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

But in the end.

Sometimes they made me forget it was already time to leave work.

And sometimes they forced me to do absurd things that left people vomiting.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

‘They are dimensional entities too.’

And yet, they were not inside the extraction chambers.

They were dimensional entities.

The moment that thought crossed my mind, a cold sweat ran down the back of my neck.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

In front of elevators.

They were not trapped behind glass walls in containment rooms.

In meeting rooms.

Instead, they were in the extraction hallways.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

While the dimensional entities are inside?

‘Then why exactly are they outside the extraction chambers…’

And that was precisely what was strangest.

Sitting at office desks.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

I could belong to this company for some reason.

I swallowed the question.

I could be human.

I knew better now.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

At that moment, the fluorescent light in the break room flickered briefly.

But this was probably one of those questions that should never be spoken aloud.

Manager Batori rose elegantly to her feet and said,

“Come. portal It’s time to return. advance The afternoon work shift is about to begin.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 37: Toward the Truth Break Room published by TrungTu Reads.

Today, it would be better to finish my reports in silence.

After all, the truly dangerous things always come after the question is asked.

I nodded and stood up as though nothing had happened.