Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 109

For a moment, I thought I was still caught up in the ghost story of the Nameless Glorious Sect.

But my fully awake mind accurately assessed the situation.

‘It’s different.’

The Eun Hajae Assistant Manager in front of me was no longer the neatly dressed, suit-wearing office superior from my memories.

She looked more like a detective who had been on a stakeout for three days… or yes, a journalist.

That’s when reality sharply returned.

‘What is this situation?’

I immediately got completely out of bed.

“Assistant Manager.”

“Yes.”

Assistant Manager Eun Hajae nodded.

“First, I apologize for suddenly barging into your home. I shouldn’t be seen right now, but there’s something I absolutely have to tell you.”

The person who had been dormant for two months and suddenly appeared like a burglar in my room continued speaking, glancing cautiously out the window.

As if he was being chased by someone.

“…What do you mean, you shouldn’t be seen?”

“There’s just some stuff. For now, listen to me.”

Assistant Manager Eun Hajae mumbled evasively, then took a deep breath.

“You, the day after tomorrow. That is, on January 2nd, when you go to work, you’ll be assigned a Darkness. …It’ll sound normal. It’s C-grade, the manual is complete, and other people are going too, not just you. But…”

But.

“Don’t go in there.”

“……”

“Avoid it by any means necessary. No, rather, just quit or take a leave of absence. Because…”

The Assistant Manager gritted his teeth, then released them.

“If you go in there, you’ll die.”

“……!”

“Don’t ask me how I know. Just do as I say…”

“Is it Kwak Jegang?”

“…!”

Judging by Assistant Manager Eun Hajae’s expression, it seemed I was right.

‘Seriously, a death prophecy as soon as I wake up…’

I got out of bed and pressed my forehead.

“Why on earth would that Section Chief…”

“We all knew that the bastard was a psychopath, didn’t we?”

I couldn’t refute that.

Assistant Manager Eun Hajae spat out the words.

“But since you’re so capable and pull off so many ingenious things, she probably wants to throw you into a deadly situation this time. To see how you get out of it.”

He meant that my showing off my Gen Z power had backfired.

‘Damn it.’

Yes. That human would be perfectly happy to throw me into a weird ghost story with weird conditions, just because I was a unique specimen.

But…

“Assistant Manager, isn’t there still a chance I’ll survive instead of dying?”

“……”

“Besides, if he wants to see how I ‘get out of it,’ he’d put me into a Darkness where there’s a way to survive, rather than one where I’m guaranteed to die.”

I hate to say this, but I’m an elite on the fast track to promotion.

I’m also well-connected with the higher-ups, with Director Cheong and (for some unknown reason) Director Ho looking favorably upon me.

‘No matter how I think about it, a project where a research team section chief just throws me into a deadly situation for his own amusement doesn’t seem like it would pass.’

I might be sent to a dangerous place, but ghost stories themselves are inherently dangerous.

‘And Assistant Manager Eun Hajae herself said it was a C-grade ghost story with a complete manual.’

It meant it was logically strange.

“But how can you be so sure? That I’ll die.”

I looked at Assistant Manager Eun Hajae, expecting an explanation, and she pressed her brow as if suppressing a sigh.

“I only know one thing.”

The Assistant Manager’s hand pointed at me.

“You will be processed as deceased on January 2nd.”

“……”

“I confirmed that… in a Darkness that sees the future.”

“…!”

Good heavens.

A ghost story that peeks into the future? There were even a few wiki entries that came to mind.

However, setting aside the fact that I had no idea how Assistant Manager Eun Hajae, who was on leave, accessed such a Darkness…

‘Something’s off.’

“So, I just confirmed which Darkness you’re being sent into on the 2nd. You saved my life, so this much is…”

“Hold on a moment. Assistant Manager, it’s still strange.”

“What?”

“I also saw the future. Do you remember the ghost story I managed? Tarot cards.”

“…Yes.”

“Recently, I drew a very good card from there. And it hasn’t come true yet.”

I recalled the Sun card I had drawn.

Upright. A card that guarantees happiness.

“You can’t be happy after you’re dead, can you?”

“You could die after being happy.”

“……”

No matter how I thought about it, it was strange.

But Assistant Manager Eun Hajae seemed so anxious, and there was no reason for her to lie to me, so I nodded first.

“Alright. I’ll come up with a plan.”

“Damn it, okay.”

Assistant Manager Eun Hajae looked up at the sky for a moment, as if his tension had eased, then muttered defensively.

“Roe Deer, I didn’t plan to show up like this, breaking into your home, but I was in a hurry, so please excuse me. I’m sorry. Seeing someone who left the team just makes things complicated.”

“No, it’s fine. I was a bit flustered, but… it’s good to see you healthy.”

“……Hmph. Roe Deer, with that personality, how are you going to survive in this company…”

“Haha.”

My personality is average; it’s the company employees’ personalities that are the ghost stories…

‘No, wouldn’t I be crazy if I acted any ruder than this to a former superior who came to save his junior colleague in the first place…’

And let’s not mention that I have a bigger problem than my personality (I’m a scaredy-cat).

Anyway, Assistant Manager Eun Hajae gestured at me with a tired expression that showed a hint of relief.

“Anyway, I’ll get going now. Get some good rest.”

“Just a moment.”

“Why?”

“That… your hand, I mean.”

I cautiously looked at his empty left sleeve.

Eun Hajae waved his arm dismissively.

“What? You’re still worried about that? Roe Deer. I told you I don’t take regeneration potions. You use it, you.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

A method recently came to my mind.

“Didn’t you pass on a communication device to me, Assistant Manager?”

“Oh, right. But I just didn’t need it…”

“So, I’d like to introduce a device to you as well.”

And I flicked my personal device, a coin.

A 500 won coin used for the glove that appears in the air…

The Third Hand.

In other words, a device that gives you an extra hand.

“How about putting this in as a parent device and customizing one for yourself, Assistant Manager?”

“…!”

 

And that evening, December 31st.

I met Assistant Manager Eun Hajae, who was wearing a hat, in front of the annex and accessed a Twilight-grade Darkness storage facility for making custom devices.

[Friendly Seed Kit / Qterw-E-99]

A giant rusty machine standing tall among fake weeds.

It was a Twilight Darkness used almost exclusively by the Field Exploration Team for crafting custom devices.

It had been a while since I’d seen it.

But Assistant Manager Eun Hajae looked quite displeased.

“I feel like I just bothered you during your time off…”

“No, not at all. I was planning to make a new custom device soon anyway.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Using this. I received something from the Section Chief…”

I also took out what I had prepared. It was…

-Please return after use. The limit is 1 time.

The device I received from Section Chief Lee Jaeheon as a parent device, which strengthens physical power!

But Assistant Manager Eun Hajae was astonished even before I explained.

“You got that?!”

“Oh, do you know this item, Assistant Manager?”

“Yeah, it belonged to the old man who retired… No, Section Chief is truly a funny guy. I don’t know how he borrowed it when they weren’t even close.”

I looked down at the device.

The peculiar bracelet, which looked like it was made by braiding human hair, was already more than half broken, looking like tangled straw.

“It temporarily gives you superhuman strength, but they say the hair breaks off the more you use it.”

Indeed.

“It’s a decent device, even considering it’s consumable. Look at Section Chief. He’s the prime example of ‘if your body is strong, your brain doesn’t suffer.’”

“……”

That’s an undeniable truth, Assistant Manager…

Anyway, I tried to offer the first use to Assistant Manager Eun Hajae, but…

“It’s fine, you go first.”

“……Alright.”

I approached the old LCD screen attached to the machine.

[Give me plants 0/2]

I put the bracelet received from Section Chief Lee Jaeheon into the rusty machine.

[Plant information saved]

[Give me plants 1/2]

The next item to insert was…

‘I have quite a few useful items now.’

Hmm.

Considering the properties of the device Lee Jaeheon had lent me, I had about three good options.

 

Supplementing durability as a consumable.

 

Preserving the effect of strengthening physical power.

 

Combining different functions.

‘Something like this.’

Well, plant gene inheritance is random, so there’s a high chance it won’t attach options in the direction I want and will fail, but…

‘Good.’

After much thought, I put one of my items into the machine and even authenticated my genetic information to operate it.

[Combining genetic information]

[Creating kit…]

[Sowing complete]

Thud.

The front drawer of the machine opened, revealing an item.

It was a simple bracelet that looked like a thin wire.

‘Hmm.’

I carefully took out the metal bracelet and stored it. I’d have to check its power once I got back.

“Did it turn out well?”

“For now, yes.”

I gathered the items I had put in and stepped back, and now Assistant Manager Eun Hajae stood in front of the machine and began customizing her device.

First, she inserted her own item.

Assistant Manager Eun Hajae’s personal device.

It was a communication device shaped like a portable charger; when plugged in, a smartphone could temporarily communicate with the outside world even in a ghost story.

It turned out that the button-shaped device he had given me was something that came out after being put into this machine and spun.

“It was an unexpected upgrade. Well, you could say it was the luckiest moment of my life.”

Assistant Manager Eun Hajae grumbled that he seemed to have used up all her luck on something useless, but his hands handling the portable charger-shaped custom device were quite careful.

And…

“Here you go.”

I put my personal device, the coin, in as the next item.

Clink.

The coin with the glove disappeared into the drawer.

[Combining genetic information]

“…Roe Deer. It’s usually unlikely to get the perfect fit on the first try.”

Assistant Manager Eun Hajae said quietly, as if admonishing.

“So don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t work out. Just the attempt is enough to be grateful for. Understand?”

“…Yes.”

I looked at the machine’s screen.

[Creating kit…]

[Sowing complete]

The crafting was finished.

The front drawer of the machine opened, and an item appeared. It was…

“A glove??”

It was literally a translucent glove.

Its flimsy texture gave it an eerie feeling.

“Hmm.”

But when Assistant Manager Eun Hajae reached out her right hand to grab it, sparks flew in that direction.

“…!”

“Oh, look at this. …Is it saying this spot is full?”

Assistant Manager Eun Hajae grinned and instead brought his empty left hand to it.

“Then I’ll give it the empty spot.”

And then the glove stuck to the empty spot like skin.

Like a hand made of electricity.

“…!!”

And… it took on the shape of a complete hand.

“……”

A slight emotional flicker crossed Assistant Manager Eun Hajae’s face, but it vanished as if by magic.

Instead, he slowly raised that hand and moved his fingers.

Crackle, crackle.

Thin currents sparked.

“Hmm. It strangely has a sensation too… Is it because it’s an electrical signal? It’s very good. As for the appearance, I can just wear a glove.”

Assistant Manager Eun Hajae turned to me and grinned.

“Thank you, Roe Deer.”

“……”

“Everything I just babbled about became nonsense. It came out in one go, didn’t it? Thanks to you… I seem lucky when I need to be.”

I looked at Assistant Manager Eun Hajae, who now had both hands, and… just nodded.

“Don’t mention it.”

Thinking it was quite a nice scene to see on the last day of the year.

But just as I was about to conclude on that slightly moving note.

“And… I’m sorry, but do you have any points to use at the welfare mall? I can buy up to about 1500 points for you instead, so could we record it as you having used it twice here?”

Hmm?

-Oh, an attempt to erase his traces… it’s like destroying evidence! Isn’t it, my friend? Shall we gently coax him to find out what she’s hiding?

…

‘I don’t think there’s a need.’

-Hmm?

Because I already have a rough idea.

“…Assistant Manager, are you perhaps working in another department?”

“…!”

As expected.

“This Darkness is almost exclusively used by the Field Exploration Team, isn’t it? Your reluctance to leave a usage record here… I thought it might be because your affiliation has changed.”

“……”

After a moment of thoughtful silence.

“…Well, I can’t fool you. Roe Deer. You’re still quick-witted.”

Assistant Manager Eun Hajae gave a bitter smile.

“Yes. While Assistant Manager Songgolmae of the Field Exploration Team is on leave, I’m doing something else in the company…”

“…May I ask what kind of work you’re doing? Or at least your affiliation, if not.”

“……”

Assistant Manager Eun Hajae seemed to ponder briefly again, but finally opened her mouth.

“Alright. Since it’s come to this… Hmm. Roe Deer.”

Along with an unexpected name.

“Director Ho’s project team. You know about it, right?”

“…!”

“I’m working there now.”

What?