THBPC 07

7. When Your Supervisor Doesn’t Speak Human Language

“Good work, sir. I’m back.”

When Assistant Manager Son and I returned to the office, the Section Chief was already seated.

There were still seven heads on his shoulders, and one of them was yawning with half-dried lips.

I instinctively turned my gaze away.

I couldn’t get used to it.

Well, of course I couldn’t.

The human brain is probably not designed to accept something like this as a direct supervisor’s appearance.

“Ah, you’re back. Good work, Employee Jeong.”

One of the Section Chief’s faces—the most neatly composed mouth—spoke.

“Yes, thank you.”

I greeted him as clearly and politely as possible.

My body was exhausted, and my insides were still churning, but when you’re trying to survive on someone else’s dime, you learn to smile and hide it.

In my case, it was less about money and more about my life.

“At first, we assigned you to D-7. You understood the manual well, and there were a few variables, but you handled them excellently.”

Assistant Manager Son added while handing over a report from behind me.

His fist-like head lifted slightly, as if proud.

For a moment, I couldn’t tell if that rising fist was nodding or shrugging.

“Oh, an excellent start.”

The Section Chief skimmed the report and spoke with satisfaction.

Then he lifted his arm and patted my shoulder lightly.

I could feel those pale, long fingers brushing over me, but I kept my expression unchanged.

“New employees who perform this well on their first extraction are rare. Most of them trigger alarms instead.”

“Indeed. As the Head Director said, we seem to have a very capable junior.”

At Son’s words, the Section Chief’s face smiled warmly and continued.

“Your reaction speed is good. You didn’t just memorize the manual—you understood its core. Very good. Tomorrow, you’ll be assigned to a hazardous zone.”

His hand on my shoulder pressed a little harder.

A hazardous zone?

No. I wanted to believe I misheard that.

And I was pretty sure I saw one of his lips lick itself again just now.

“Please maintain that attitude. This work isn’t mechanical repetition. It requires ‘thinking.’”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

I bowed again.

Then I let out a deep breath inside.

Two monsters were praising each other because I hadn’t acted like a monster.

What kind of company is this?

Is this really a workplace?

“Come to think of it, I haven’t given you your onboarding gift yet. We did conduct your interview personally, after all.”

He reached deep into his desk drawer and pulled out a finely crafted small metal box.

The surface was engraved with the code [D-88].

“Take it. It’s something processed from the dimensional entity you saw yesterday in the refining department. It’s both a reward for your first successful field test, and you may need it for tomorrow’s other zone.”

So the “hazardous zone” comment was serious.

He opened the box with his pale fingers.

A faint purple glow leaked out, revealing a strange object inside.

At first glance, it looked like an ordinary fountain pen.

But on closer inspection, the barrel was made from polished human bone (phalanges), and the nib was a sharpened fragment of white bone.

“Oh, already issuing equipment?”

Assistant Manager Son reacted as if surprised.

Honestly, it was an object I really did not want to use.

As if reading my thoughts, the Section Chief smiled calmly.

“It’s not something sold in the company store. It’s more of a personal gift for you. It comes from the remains of Dimensional Entity D-88, ‘The Bone-Stripping Virgin.’ Let’s call it… ‘Mercy of the Holy Mother.’”

At that point, there was no excuse left not to accept it.

The moment I took the pen, a cold sensation ran through my body, raising every fine hair on my skin.

A faint vibration pulsed from the cold pen barrel, like it was alive.

“This tool is simple but effective. If you fracture or dislocate a bone during extraction, don’t hesitate—use the nib to stab the affected area.”

All seven mouths of the Section Chief curved into eerie smiles at once.

“Broken bone joints will scream as they return to place. It’s quite an experience. As immediate first aid, nothing works better. It also works on cuts and abrasions if you can pierce the area directly. And of course, it still functions as a writing tool.”

When he finished explaining, I looked down at the pen again.

I had seen many advanced technologies in my service.

But the white bone in my hand made all modern science feel like primitive craftsmanship.

It felt like the laws of physics were collapsing like sandcastles.

“Is something like this really allowed to exist…?”

A device that fixes bones and tissue simply by stabbing.

It wasn’t just technology—it felt like a miracle forged by sacrificing logic itself.

“Thank you. Still, I feel it may be too much.”

I spoke as calmly as I could, but my fingers were slightly trembling.

As Sergeant Jeong Hae-il, I was impressed by its strategic value.

As a psychologist, I felt sick at the idea of repairing human bodies like pieces of meat.

“It’s not that extreme. It won’t help with injuries that are too severe. And because it consumes calcium, repeated use will cause rapid demineralization. Your hands and feet may twist, and your teeth may loosen.”

In other words, use it carefully unless you want your bones stripped away.

It wasn’t treatment—it was forced repair to keep you functional for the next task.

Still, when I placed the bone pen in my chest pocket, I felt a strange sense of reassurance, as if something was beating against my heart.

A steady, repetitive pulse.

And in this insane workplace, having an equally insane tool somehow felt like support.

“Then I’ll accept it gratefully.”

A slight smile formed on my lips.

That was a good thing.

Let’s smile.

Back at my seat, Assistant Manager Son suddenly turned toward the wall.

Then he tilted his massive fist-like head slightly.

“Anyway… it’s about time he arrives. I mean Chief Sik.”

I subconsciously followed his gaze.

Or rather, I guessed the direction and looked at the clock.

How does he even check time?

Do fists have intuition?

Before I could ask anything else, even the Section Chief and Manager Batori had reacted, and I couldn’t hold back my curiosity.

“Um… what kind of person is Chief Sik?”

Son snapped his fingers, as if he had been waiting for that question.

The Section Chief raised his head thoughtfully, and a mouth on his left cheek spoke.

“He’s our team’s ace. He can handle most dimensional entities alone. His extraction ability is close to managerial level.”

“He has a bit of a temper, but he’s responsible and highly skilled. Of course, that applies to Son as well. He can handle most B-class entities alone.”

At the praise, Son’s fist clenched once and relaxed.

“He gets a bit rough when he’s focused, but that’s just his nature. Still, he’s always serious about his work.”

“I see. I just wanted to know in advance.”

At my dull reply, a mouth under the Section Chief’s chin chuckled.

“Don’t worry. He at least eats fewer coworkers than Manager Batori.”

Eats.

That word almost broke my poker face, but the Section Chief leaned back casually.

“So, Employee Jeong. Don’t be too scared. Just observe and learn as he is. Chief Sik is the true ace of Extraction Team 1.”

It sounded like encouragement… or a warning.

I forced an awkward smile.

And thought to myself.

Hot-tempered ace… I’ve seen that type a lot in the military.

Maybe getting discharged was the worst decision of my life.

“Oh, he’s coming.”

Thud.

As soon as he spoke, a heavy sound echoed somewhere.

Thud… thud…

Footsteps slowly approached from beyond the wall.

They were not like the Section Chief’s gentle steps or Son’s rhythmic walking.

They were impact sounds.

Like a massive beast dragging its weight through the hallway.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The rhythm was uneven.

Between steps came the sound of heavy metal scraping along the floor.

Jangle— scrape— thud—

The sound of metal grinding concrete slowly approached.

Let’s not panic.

One visit to the company infirmary was enough.

Thud…

Thud…

The footsteps stopped right in front of the office.

Silence.

A brief pause.

I could hear my heartbeat louder than my ears.

Click.

The door handle slowly turned.

No alarms. No mechanical warnings.

Just a faint vibration through the floor.

The door began to open.

And then—

“……”

Something darker than darkness entered the room.

Black fur.

Completely black, like steel wire.

Not a warm-blooded animal, but something else entirely.

It filled the doorway, breathing heavily.

“Grrrrr……”

That low growl alone made the air tremble.

Step.

Two steps.

The creature entered.

The moment I tried to look up at it, I immediately regretted it.

My fists clenched so tightly my knuckles hurt.

It wasn’t just large.

It was monstrous beyond description.

Over 2.5 meters tall, hunched to avoid the ceiling, yet still crushing the room with its presence.

Black fur stood like blades, with rotting flesh and reddish scales stuck between them like scars.

Its skin looked like something forcibly stitched together.

Chains.

Thick, rusted chains pierced through its arms, legs, and torso, fused with its body.

Each movement made them clatter with a sickening sound.

The head—

Not human.

A massive beast skull.

One ear torn off.

Deep scars carved into its muzzle.

A metal muzzle was forced onto its jaw, but it was already deformed by sheer strength.

Sharp fangs leaked saliva between the gaps.

Its claws dragged across the floor, leaving scratches in concrete.

This wasn’t a company employee.

It felt like a disaster given form.

Chief Sik stepped fully into the room.

The floor creaked under his weight.

“Grrr… krrr…”

The room fell silent.

Not from fear alone—but as if everyone understood him.

The Section Chief looked at him and spoke calmly.

“Yes, we’ve prepared enough for three days. And now we have a new junior, so don’t overwork yourself.”

“Grrr… rrrr…”

“Yes, good job handling D-7 on your first assignment.”

I stared blankly.

They were understanding that sound as language?

What is this—frequency? telepathy? some monster language I don’t know?

Chief Sik slowly turned his head toward me.

His golden eyes burned like molten lava.

Then he growled.

“Grrrr… huff… haaa…”

It wasn’t speech.

Just breath shaped like broken bone grinding.

Yet everyone nodded like they understood.

“You’re a military man, so you’ll adapt quickly.”

“Don’t worry. I already gave him basic training.”

“Maybe we should throw a welcome dinner—”

And so on.

They were smiling.

Even while talking to a creature like this.

Then it walked toward me.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Each step shook my body.

I realized it immediately.

This was different.

Worse than everything before.

It didn’t speak.

It couldn’t speak.

And it was my supervisor.

“Grrr…”

It stopped right in front of me.

I pushed my chair back slightly.

My instincts screamed to run, but my body didn’t move.

‘It’s an employee. A registered worker. My senior…’

I forced myself to smile.

“G… good to meet you. I look forward to working with you, Chief Sik.”

The beast stared down at me.

Then—

Very slightly.

It nodded.

The air in the room dropped.

It leaned closer.

Its massive shadow swallowed me.

“……”

Those golden eyes looked directly into mine.

And something inside my mind shattered.

I couldn’t breathe.

My body froze.

It felt like my thoughts were being crushed just by being seen.

Then, finally—

“Nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you.”

I forced the words out, smiling.

It didn’t take long.

The creature turned away.

And the pressure lifted.

Thud. Thud.

It walked away as if nothing had happened.

Only then could I breathe again.

And I understood one thing.

From now on, I would have to work with that thing every day.

It seemed I really had no luck with supervisors