Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 107

“…Nameless Brilliant Cult.”

If the Bureau of Supernatural Disaster Management tries to eliminate ghost stories, and Daydream Inc. tries to utilize them…

‘The Nameless Brilliant Cult are ghost stories themselves.’

They worship ghost stories, believing that ghost stories are the origin of this world.

Thus, they are fanatics who believe that if they properly excavate and cultivate ghost stories, and become meaningful beings in the world, they can receive the Revered Name’s blessing and achieve eternal life.

‘They’re completely a doomsday cult.’

To be honest, among the three factions that appear in <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>, they are the faction I feel the most distance from.

‘Because… it’s not to my taste.’

Of course, I did read their cult’s wiki entries.

So, thanks to the ‘Memorial Grip-Tok,’ the wiki page loaded safely, but the problem was that I hadn’t been able to read the wiki for several days.

‘That’s probably why I didn’t notice right away.’

But now that it’s identified, I can properly grasp the current situation.

The bizarre repetitive phenomenon that occurred during the night isolation room cleaning. What exactly from the Nameless Brilliant Cult caused this nightmarish situation?

I took a deep breath.

This is…

‘A doppelganger ghost story type.’

A supernatural being that usurps someone’s life.

One of the cult-style ghost stories that gained explosive popularity and fame when the Nameless Brilliant Cult was first registered on the wiki.

More precisely, it was one of the ranks within the Nameless Brilliant Cult.

That crazy cult matches strange phenomena to their affiliations and ranks!

And its name is…

Chronicles of Darkness Exploration / Ghost Story

[Tale Usurper] : A power of the Nameless Brilliant Cult appearing in <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>. Rank: 4th class under the Imitator Cult. The representative strange phenomenon of the Imitator Cult, which seeks to mimic others and steal their stories to use as its own narrative nourishment. Those caught in this phenomenon are robbed of their story’s potential, and if the duration is long, they are even robbed of their very self.

In wiki terms, this was a ghost story derived from the fear of an unknown entity replacing me or those around me.

‘The clearest symptom is… behaving bizarrely in the guise of a close relative.’

It mimics various acquaintances of the targeted individual—a lover, a friend, someone they feel indebted to—appearing to induce complacency, then creating supernatural horror.

Its purpose is this:

To induce a strong psychological state in the target: ‘I wish this situation would just pass.’ By gaining implicit consent and agreement, it seizes the opponent’s narrative.

And I, who fell victim to this… had the narrative of the 29th and 30th ‘stolen.’

A Tale Usurper steals the potential for other actions or choices from the target and makes it its own.

As a result, the target feels as if ‘time has simply passed meaninglessly before I knew it,’ commensurate with what was stolen.

Thanks to this, my two days were processed as having passed ‘without anything particularly noteworthy,’ and I regained my senses at a similar time the next day.

‘At least thanks to the silver ring, it only stole one day at a time, I guess.’

Otherwise, I might have lost my bearings and just let it continue.

Because if you can’t tell front from back, and start doubting what’s real, you get dragged along by the situation.

‘That’s how your life gets sucked dry.’

It was a relief that I didn’t go that far, thanks to my clear mind…

“Ah, how interesting. Phew, you caught on faster this time.”

‘Brown!’

From the small plush toy came the sound of a host dramatically catching his breath and dusting off his suit lapels, followed by a cheerful voice.

“You gave up another day’s worth of story, my friend! Hmm, it seems your opponent employed subtle tricks to induce that choice.”

“Was mimicking Mr. Roe Deer’s acquaintances part of that?”

‘That’s right.’

First, it mimicked Assistant Manager Eun Hajae, then Assistant Manager Park Minseong, completely throwing me off.

It keeps changing identities instead of using a previously exposed one, trying to usurp my narrative…

“Oh ho. In that case, I’m curious who Mr. Roe Deer will meet on the 31st.”

“At this very moment, on the third day, who did it mimic… It will be revealed soon!”

“……”

I looked around.

There was no sign of Assistant Manager Park Minseong. Of course, there was no sign of Assistant Manager Eun Hajae either.

I was alone in the rental storage.

‘…At the end of the second day, the lockdown was lifted.’

Then, wouldn’t it have already left?

But typically, ‘Tale Usurpers,’ if they have the chance to completely seize the life of the person they’ve targeted, tend to obsess over it and put a lot of effort into it.

‘It wouldn’t have guessed that I’d figured out its identity.’

In that case.

An acquaintance who could naturally appear in this place, ease my tension, and with whom I already have prior contact is…

Bzzzt.

[It’s almost… 10 minutes past… I’ll be going.]

“……”

I heard the voice over the walkie-talkie and tensed my shoulders.

A moment later.

[BZZZZZT!]

[Lockdown lifted. Shutters opening…]

I stood up and looked forward.

The door was opening.

The protective shutter of the door leading out from the Security Team’s rental storage front opened, and the red light of the lamp turned green again.

And beyond the rising shutter…

“You’re safe. That’s a relief…”

Security Chief J3 was looking at me, his eyes tired as usual, but with a slight hint of relief.

“Other staff… Ah, are they inside that door over there… Hey, are you okay?”

“……”

“Hello…?”

I stood up… and turned my back on the Security Chief.

“Huh…?”

And stood facing the wall.

To be honest,

‘Usually, when a ghost story takes on a religious color, exorcism methods follow.’

There’s a procedure for dealing with transcendent beings. Like a two-sided mirror, so to speak.

In this regard, even the insane Nameless Brilliant Cult is no exception.

‘There’s also a method to defeat the Tale Usurper.’

I recalled the work regulations I had received on the first day.

Name-nim? Anyway, it’s some bastard who screams strange things and offers a way to be happy, but if you just curse at it, it’ll shut up. If you don’t want to curse, just telling it to buzz off is fine too.

It was peculiar.

Even though that second page was corrupted, the hint was correct.

Because.

“Buzz off.”

The way to drive this thing away is indeed to ‘realize its identity beforehand and completely reject it.’

Does it need implicit consent and agreement to steal my time?

Then I just won’t give it.

So…

“Hey, what’s wrong…?”

“Buzz off.”

I declared again, turning away from it.

…

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Really? Really?

After giving it twice?

“Buzz off.”

“Roe Deer. What on earth happened to your manners? No matter what, that’s no way to talk to your superior…”

“Buzz off.”

“Huh? Hey, Roe Deer. That’s going too far! We need to finish cleaning. I just want to help you.”

“Buzz off.”

“I don’t want to… Hey, I’ll just stay here… Honestly… I didn’t say anything bad to you…”

“Buzz off.”

“……”

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

What a waste!

The voice behind me twisted.

‘You refuse the grace bestowed upon us, who live the lives of mere creatures, unable to even influence the root of this world by a single letter. What a waste.’

‘If you hand over your wretched story, we will fill it with the glorious grace of the Name-nim. The Name-nim would look upon me. What a waste.’

“Buzz off.”

What a waste…

I gritted my teeth.

“Buzz off.”

The strange whispering behind me subsided.

And…

It grew quiet.

“……”

It seems to have given up on targeting me.

‘Phew…’

I almost collapsed from the tension, but I held myself up. Instead, I racked my brain persistently.

I still don’t hear footsteps, so as soon as it moves somewhere else, I’ll bolt from here and report it to the security team. That should work…

Bzzzt.

“……!”

My pocket radio buzzed.

A familiar voice… was heard.

[I’ve arrived… hmm.]

“I’ve arrived… hmm.”

But a live voice was also heard nearby.

“……”

I slowly turned my head and looked at the entrance to the rental storage.

Outside the door, Security Chief J3, expressionless, was looking this way.

‘Is it the real one?’

No, this is definitely the real one!

I hurriedly opened my mouth to explain the situation, but…

“…! Mr. J.”

…From behind me, a sound was heard.

A voice filled with bewilderment.

I turned my head further to look behind me.

The ghost story of the Nameless Brilliant Cult that had been there was now wearing a scarlet cleaning uniform.

“I don’t know what’s going on.”

A black-haired man in his late 20s, with a pale complexion, looking at the Security Chief and me alternately with a shocked face.

Kim Soleum.

The thing that perfectly mimicked my current appearance looked at me and babbled in a bewildered tone.

“What is this… Can such a strange phenomenon happen while cleaning?”

It’s mimicking me.

‘Damn it…!’

A chill ran down my spine.

I urgently looked at the Security Chief and spoke calmly.

“Mr. J, that’s a Nameless Brilliant Cult follower.”

“Na… what? Mr. J, do you know what kind of situation this is? It seems like darkness…”

“Mr. J! Do not answer. You must listen and judge. The moment you answer, you’ll be dragged into the situation.”

“……”

“If you want to verify anything, just say it to the wall by yourself… No, preferably, just yell ‘buzz off’ to everyone. That’s the safest.”

The Security Chief stared at us with an unreadable expression.

And beside me, I heard the thinly trembling voice of ‘Kim Soleum.’

“I… I don’t understand what that means.”

What?

“Think about it, Mr. J. I just… came in to clean for three days. I only realized this phenomenon was darkness because something next to me… told me.”

“…!”

“It’s more natural for me not to know what’s in the Security Team’s isolation room. Mr. J, please think logically. Isn’t this… right?”

“Oh, that’s quite plausible.”

Tell me about it. Damn it…!

“And… I’m really relieved you came. I’m sorry to have put you in such a situation…”

“……”

‘It talks way too well.’

Typical of a cultist. I gritted my teeth.

Well, I almost fell for it myself on the first day when it appeared as Assistant Manager Eun Hajae.

‘How on earth did Assistant Manager Park Minseong realize it wasn’t Assistant Manager Eun Hajae?’

I desperately tried to recall that moment.

Where did he figure it out?

‘There didn’t seem to be any logical flaws then either…’

What could it be?

A sense of incongruity that only someone who’s known them for a long time could notice?

The nuance in the conversation?

‘Or…’

As I desperately reviewed and pondered, a soft, calm voice came from beside me again.

“Mr. J, please don’t feel guilty, and act as you judge fit. I’ll accept it.”

…

Ah.

‘I got it.’

Was that it?

I pressed my temples and spoke.

“Mr. J, look at the purpose of the one speaking. Who is trying to maintain a friendly conversation with you and make you engrossed in the situation?”

At that time, Assistant Manager Eun Hajae was…

Excessively friendly for the situation.

That couldn’t happen in a situation where she was trapped in a prison and barely needed to escape.

‘No, to begin with, if it were the real Assistant Manager, she wouldn’t have risked revealing herself and trying to persuade us; she would have hidden and escaped.’

Especially when there’s an item to help, and the lockdown will be lifted if they just wait.

It wouldn’t have judged that it needed to converse with us immediately, taking on that risk.

A peculiar reaction inconsistent with the situation.

So…

“In this strange and dangerous situation, who is making unnecessarily social remarks? …Who has another agenda?”

I spoke calmly.

“You don’t necessarily have to believe me. It’s a ghost story that will disappear if you just yell ‘buzz off’ and ignore it. Or you could call other security team members…”

“Hmm.”

The Security Chief stood up.

And then.

“This way.”

The black foreclaw of a giant wolf-like monster fell above my head like a guillotine blade.

‘Damn it…!’

A fleeting moment before I could even close my eyes.

Whump.

A head flew off.

The head of the imitator who had been clinging to me.

“…!!”

Splat.

The twisted, giant, shadow-like forepaw made a cracking sound as it lifted from the crushed corpse, leaving an immense pressure, then grazed past my side and…

Returned to the Security Chief’s arm.

“Hey.”

“……”

“Are you okay…?”

I looked down at my scarlet cleaning uniform, splattered with the imitator’s blood, and slumped to the floor.

“……!”

“Yes. Thank you.”

I’m alive.