“Then, before you enter, there will be a final inspection.”
It was the Facilities Team Leader, who was already familiar with Mujae.
She was the Shinsomi of the Seocheon Flower Garden, whom Mujae had first met.
That day was also an unforgettable day for Mujae, when he first discovered his [Brown Thumb] ability.
They were in the Research Pavilion, connected to the Greenhouse.
Surrounded by experimental tools, even the plants inside glass tubes looked amazing.
Moreover, everyone was dressed in full-body white Disinfection Suits.
In this sea of white and transparent, the Promotion Team’s pink horticultural Gloves stood out even more.
“Why do I have to wear this too….”
Hallakgoong pouted, but didn’t raise his voice.
The Facilities Team Shinsomis, following the Team Leader’s instructions, inspected the Promotion Team’s attire.
“First, never take off your horticultural Gloves. Second, do not touch the plants under any circumstances. Third, only follow the designated path we guide you on.”
“…There sure are a lot of things we’re absolutely not allowed to do.”
“Of course.”
Zack sent a subtle sign language gesture toward Mujae.
‘Didn’t you say that person likes the Promotion Team? She’s acting very stiff for that.’
“Fourth, be careful with your camera angles. Filming is absolutely forbidden in the Security Zone.”
The Facilities Team Leader pulled out a greenhouse map.
There was an area on the map that was just marked as a blank space.
The Team Leader’s voice became even more rigid.
“You must not film even the surroundings of this area. As soon as filming is finished, we’ll check the footage, so don’t even think about trying anything.”
“What’s in there? Is it very dangerous?”
Mujae asked with an innocent face.
Pretending to know nothing, with that pure look, the Facilities Team Leader gave a small cough.
“That… is a secret. Only the flower supervisor knows.”
“Is it a very dangerous place?”
“Not exactly, hmm. It’s a very important place.”
The Facilities Team Leader smiled awkwardly.
“Well then, shall we go in now?”
The Team Leader finally opened the door to the Greenhouse.
“Wow….!”
It was a forest.
The only difference was that the sky was made of glass and the wind was artificially created.
Between the trees whose roots had tangled together to form a massive Root Wall, tiny plants lived together, sheltering each other.
“All the plants of the Seocheon Flower Garden are here.”
The Facilities Team Leader explained with a proud expression.
“Automatic temperature control, humidity management, and soil analysis systems. They’re all managed with the most advanced technology.”
You could definitely feel the warm and humid air that the plants must love.
The Facilities Team Leader led the Promotion Team from the front.
“This is the First Section, where ordinary ornamental plants are. Next to it, the Second Section is for medicinal plants, and the Third Section is for research plants.”
While Mujae and Zack were so amazed they couldn’t close their mouths, Hallakgoong simply nodded calmly.
Seeing this, Mujae asked Hallakgoong quietly.
“You’ve been here before?”
“A long time ago.”
Hallakgoong shrugged as if it was no big deal. After walking for a while, the Facilities Team Leader pointed to an area thick with vines.
“That’s the Security Zone.”
A steel door could be seen slightly between the vines.
In this place full of light, it looked like the only place where all the pressed-back darkness had gathered.
Hallakgoong’s expression also darkened as he looked at it.
“Hallakgoong?”
When Mujae called, Hallakgoong shook his head. As if trying to shake something off.
“No. It’s nothing.”
“Over there is where the Native Plants of Seocheon are grown.”
The Facilities Team Leader led them to another place.
Here, the plants looked more ordinary than before.
Then, the Facilities Team Leader approached Zack.
“This is the person who created the Monster Plant, right?”
“Ah, yes.”
Mujae answered instead. Zack shrank back a little.
There had rarely been a good atmosphere whenever the Monster Plant was brought up.
But the Facilities Team Leader’s eyes were filled with curiosity.
“If you have time after filming, could you show us that Monster Plant?”
“Excuse me?”
“I watched that Live Broadcast too. The Ssambap Mukbang.”
Mujae froze, remembering the incident where a cat exposed the Monster Plant during the Ssambap Mukbang.
It had ended well, but Mujae couldn’t forget how his mistake had almost put Zack in danger again.
But the Facilities Team Leader seemed genuinely happy to bring it up.
“What exactly did that Monster Plant do to the field? Do you know by what mechanism it worked as a growth accelerator for other plants? If you don’t know, would you consider entrusting it to our Seocheon Flower Garden Research Pavilion?”
“By entrusting, you mean…?”
“It means we’ll research it for you!”
The Team Leader grinned proudly.
“The Corn dragon is getting more and more famous. We’re getting calls not just from the Otherworld, but also from the Heavenly Realm.”
“Really…?!”
Just three days ago, they had been warned not to let the Promotion Team get carried away, so hearing this news made them happy.
Zack nodded and gestured.
‘You never know what might pop out, so there must be enough space and guaranteed safety.’
Zack looked pretty excited, too. His droopy eyes curved softly.
‘I’ll cooperate as much as needed. It’s a joy for me as well. I also… want to know what this power really is.’
…With that last sign, he even looked a bit emotional. When Mujae relayed Zack’s words, the Facilities Team Leader was also thrilled.
“Of course! I’ll make all the preparations!”
Watching this, Mujae realized.
This person, she’s just hiding her fandom because it’s her job.
The reason the Facilities Team Leader thinks so well of the Promotion Team was more because of Zack than the Audit Team of the Heavenly Realm’s HR Department.
While the Facilities Team Leader was chatting with Zack with obvious fan enthusiasm, Mujae approached Hallakgoong.
Ever since he’d seen the Security Zone earlier, Hallakgoong’s expression was still heavy.
Holding the Camera, Hallakgoong seemed to be lost in a daze, and jumped a little when Mujae came near.
“Are you alright? You don’t look well….”
“Oh, just tired.”
“When did you come to the Greenhouse before?”
“……The first day I arrived in the Western Heaven.”
Hallakgoong’s words sounded like a sigh. Just recalling it seemed unpleasant; his smiling lips twisted.
“Back then, I was wandering the world like a total beggar. So my father tried to kick me out, but when I said I was his son, he demanded proof.”
“Gasp….”
“My mother already knew. That my father was that kind of ‘person.’ That’s why they split the comb and each kept a part.”
As if recalling something disgusting, Hallakgoong shook his head and muttered.
The story was darker than expected, and Mujae just blinked in surprise. Hallakgoong glanced at him.
“So, I showed him the comb properly and got acknowledged as his son. See, I’m doing fine now. Don’t worry.”
“…You didn’t originally live in the Western Heaven?”
Mujae, an ordinary departed soul who simply didn’t remember his past life, asked. To him, everyone except for fellow departed souls was some kind of divine being.
The Shinsomis working in the Western Heaven, even those who formed a team with him, were all gods. But Hallakgoong’s story just now—
“Yeah, I’m human.”
Hallakgoong really did say it like it was nothing.
“My father, my mother, and I—we’re all human. We’re not departed souls like you, we came here alive.”
“Ah…?”
“My father was a madman, so he got hired by the Jade Emperor.”
Hallakgoong chuckled as if it was funny. But it looked more like he was at a loss for words than really amused.
“Even though he was human, he made all sorts of weird flowers and got caught.”
“Gasp….”
“But would a perfectly healthy human want to go to the Otherworld if told to? So he ran away, but in the end he was dragged here to work.”
“Gasp….”
“That’s my father’s story.”
“Huh?”
Hallakgoong twisted his lips again.
“He abandoned his wife and child and went to the Jade Emperor.”
“What do you mean dragged? He went there himself for wealth and glory. He never cared how his kid was living.”
This guy, he’s twisted, really twisted. Mujae, who could handle most stories, was left speechless at this heavy topic.
‘Talking about another family’s affairs in front of someone without a past life, isn’t this a bit much?’
As Mujae awkwardly tried to step back—
“Uh….”
The Camera got caught on a tree branch. Mujae reached out to free it.
“Ouch!”
In that instant, his Glove was cut by a sharp leaf.
Of all things, it was a ‘Sword Tree’ that happened to be there.
On the hellish tree, whose branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits were all made of blades, Mujae’s blood stained the leaves.
“!!”
The blue leaves, cold as ice, began turning brown in an instant.
Like paint spreading, they withered rapidly.
An enormous disaster was unfolding right in front of Mujae and Hallakgoong’s eyes.
“Mujae!”
It was a voice he’d never heard before.
When Mujae turned around, he saw Zack running toward him. Zack found a still-living dandelion in the midst of the dying trees.
-Screee!
With surprising strength, Zack tore his own Disinfection Suit.
He reached out to the dandelion.
-KWAAAAAAAH!!
In an instant, the dandelion grew to an enormous size.
The gigantic Dandelion Monster swung its sharp, pointed leaves. Before it could attack, the withered Sword Trees completely crumbled into dust.
“Get back!”
“Hallakgoong!”
-Wham!
Hallakgoong pushed Zack and Mujae aside, taking the monster’s blow instead.
Shocked, Mujae scrambled up from the floor as Hallakgoong was sent flying by the impact.
-Grrrr!
Seeing this, the monster attacked Mujae again. But Mujae was no longer surprised.
“Get lost, you bastard!”
KRAAAAH?!
Mujae, without any fear, reached out toward the monster’s leaf.
The leaf that had charged at Mujae with overwhelming force instantly withered and shriveled up.
Fssshhhh….
Just like that, the Dandelion Monster vanished.
The Facilities Team Leader, who had been happily carrying drinks, arrived late to witness the now-devastated greenhouse.
“What happened here?!”
The Facilities Team Leader dropped her tray and ran over.
And so, the Promotion Team ended up with yet another video they couldn’t show to the public, and the greenhouse filming came to an end.
The Promotion Team returned to their lodging in silence.
They were still friends, they had saved each other, and relied on one another.
But each of them had secrets they hadn’t shared.
They thought there was no need to know everything, but that carelessness had come back to hurt each other today.
Today, there was a story they needed to share.
The one who started was, for some reason, the chattiest today.
“I need Zack’s help.”
It was Hallakgoong.
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