Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 144

The cozy and warm atmosphere of the Fox Counseling Office.

Director Ho was waiting for me at a table in the hallway-like waiting area, in front of a sign on the door that read ‘Closed Today.’

And the first thing I said after respectfully greeting the director and sitting opposite him at the table was that.

“You… want workers’ compensation?”

“Yes.”

I brought out the empty part of my right arm and proudly displayed it on the table.

“An incident occurred on my very first mission with the Disaster Management Bureau where I had to cut off my arm.”

“…”

If Director Ho had any sense, he would remember.

—You’ll be more comfortable.

He had introduced the spy role to me as a job with better and safer working conditions.

But during half a year of rolling around in the Daydream and extracting A-grade liquid twice, my perfectly fine limb was gone three days after qualifying as an agent.

‘It’s practically a fraud.’

Of course, I had fully prepared for cases where he might try to push the blame, saying I was unlucky or lacked ability…

“Oh dear! Of course, we’ll do it for you!”

“…!”

Director Ho looked distressed and nodded.

“You must have suffered greatly, Soleum. So, you need the Daydream Corporation’s regeneration potion, is that correct?”

“Precisely.”

“Of course, I’d like to give you the potion immediately, as much as you want, Soleum. But… I’m worried if you can handle it.”

“…Excuse me?”

Director Ho glanced at the empty space where my arm used to be.

“If your arm suddenly regenerates… you’ll have no excuse for the Disaster Management Bureau, will you? I thought it might be troublesome for you.”

“…”

“And the Disaster Management Bureau must have ways to deal with lost body parts, so is there a pressing reason why you specifically want the Daydream Corporation’s regeneration potion…”

Director Ho rambled on with a worried expression, then suddenly clasped his hands together as if realizing something.

“Ah, I think I’ve overthought it. Of course, you must have an ingenious method in mind, Soleum.”

“Yes.”

“…”

“Hmm, it seems I misspoke and caused a misunderstanding.”

I smiled slightly.

“I’m not bothering you now to use the regeneration potion.”

“Nonsense! I didn’t think it was a bother, but if not that, then what?”

“I need the potion to immediately regenerate a body part ‘if another body part is lost in the future.’”

“…!”

“The Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau basically operates in one-person, one-team units, doesn’t it? So, I thought I could just regenerate before coming out of the ghost story and reporting.”

How about that?

“I also intend to prevent them from strongly recommending retirement if body damage reaches an unbearable level…”

“…”

“Of course, if it’s difficult given the company’s circumstances, I’ll tough it out.”

But Director Ho flatly refuses, saying our company is really struggling?

‘No way.’

If he were to refuse, he would have to change his tune, complain endlessly, or suddenly oppress a subordinate.

‘Neither is Director Ho’s style.’

I believe he wouldn’t do that just to save one C-grade regeneration potion…

“Did you know, Soleum?”

Director Ho stared intently at me.

“When I look at you, I often feel like I’m seeing my past self…”

The Fox Counseling Office shook strangely.

Old mud walls, korean paper windows, rafters, moldy wooden floors.

“I miss it so much…”

Somehow, a dilapidated thatched-roof house flickered in my vision. Beyond the comfortable modern interior, that desolate abandoned house strangely…

Click.

“Ah, you’re here.”

“…!”

The door to the Fox Counseling Office opened, and everything stopped.

Through the crack in the door, two men and women with tense faces entered the comfortable Fox Counseling Office, into the waiting room.

They were familiar faces.

“Ah, hello.”

“…!”

Go Youngeun, Jang Heoun.

The two people who had infiltrated the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau as spies with me had also been invited to this meeting.

It was tearfully good to see them.

“Welcome. Both of you.”

Director Ho smiled and seated them at the table.

I saw Go Youngeun nodding slightly and Jang Heoun, whose face had been clearly glad to see me, turn ashen white upon seeing my right arm.

“Ah, Soleum gave a good idea, so all of you will receive a regeneration potion. Isn’t that wonderful?”

“…?! Yes, yes…”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

Go Youngeun was better, but Jang Heoun looked completely like a mouse before a cat.

Meaning he was extremely tense.

‘This is probably the correct way to act in front of an executive…’

Especially if it’s a ghost story company executive you meet in a ghost story.

“Um, aren’t you happy?”

“H-happy.”

“…It’s a happy and grateful thing, but I’m nervous because of the upcoming work report. I’m sorry.”

“Ah, right. It’s certainly something to be nervous about. Then let’s quickly discuss related matters for a moment!”

Director Ho smiled as if he understood everything and quickly turned to one person.

“I heard Youngeun almost went missing but came out safely with the help of her colleague. That’s a real relief! Isn’t it? It’s worth all three of you infiltrating together.”

“…Yes.”

I heard a short gasp from Go Youngeun.

“I heard Heoun is also doing well. You joined the Field Cleanup Team, didn’t you? That’s a good team for accessing documents.”

“Y-yes. That’s right…”

Jang Heoun couldn’t raise his gaze.

Director Ho smiled and picked up the green tea I had prepared.

“It’s truly good to meet and talk to you in person like this. Don’t be nervous just because it’s your first time, and please feel comfortable…”

“…”

“…”

If this was the first time for all three of us to report on our current situation.

Then who did he ‘hear’ our respective departments from?

‘…He has other hands and feet in the Disaster Management Bureau.’

I knew he would create the atmosphere properly so we couldn’t do anything reckless.

I really hate superiors like this…

However, the three subordinates, who had to obey orders, rigidly bowed their heads and silently drank their instant green tea.

“U-um.”

“…!”

No, I thought so, but surprisingly, one person opened their mouth.

Even more surprisingly, it was Jang Heoun.

“If it’s not too rude, there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask…”

“Ah, what is it?”

“What exactly are the documents we need to find in the Disaster Management Bureau,”

“That’s not something for you to worry about.”

A silence fell.

“When the time comes, I’ll tell you well! When you can access the information necessary for our project sufficiently.”

“…”

“For now… hmm, I think it’s okay for you to know just this much.”

Director Ho smiled.

“It’s a document about a certain supernatural disaster.”

I had expected that much.

“It’s an item in the archives on the B33 floor of the Disaster Management Bureau’s Gangwon-do branch. To classify it… it’s Extinction-grade.”

“…! Th-that’s…”

“Ah, you heard about it during training! That’s right.”

Extinction grade.

“It’s a supernatural disaster for which the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau has officially issued the highest level of danger.”

…That’s right.

It’s the designation given to supernatural disasters that cause unbearable casualties, even for the Disaster Management Bureau, which only manages ghost stories that cause casualties.

The standard is…

Estimated 500,000 or more fatalities.

In short, it was a name given only to insane situations that wiped out populations the size of large cities. Truly a cosmic horror-like ghost story worthy of the term ‘disaster.’

But.

‘I… think I know what it is.’

That ghost story Director Ho just mentioned.

—An Extinction-grade ghost story of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau related to the Daydream Corporation’s ‘project.’

This clue alone had narrowed down the possibilities too much.

‘There’s only one in the Dark Exploration Records.’

Thanks to that, I now knew what Director Ho was looking for and what the hell that project was trying to do…!

‘This is driving me crazy.’

To think they were digging behind that maddening ghost story that just thinking about it made one feel distant.

My heart pounded madly, and my head grew cold.

This cannot continue.

‘A wish token… I don’t think I’ll be able to get it within a few years.’

I have to cut ties.

But I don’t even want to imagine what would happen the moment this perceptive and terrifying director found out I already knew.

Cold sweat dripped down my back.

The wisest choice is…

‘Just keep quiet for now.’

Don’t get caught in a whale fight.

I tried my best to look tense like the others, avoiding eye contact with the director and looking at the table. It wasn’t hard, as I was already tense.

Fortunately, the director didn’t notice.

“Um, is that enough of an answer?”

“…Yes.”

“Good!”

The conversation continued to flow.

“Ah, and about the ‘workers’ compensation.’”

The regeneration potion.

“Formal execution will be difficult. After all, the three of you are not officially affiliated with the head office.”

Fortunately, he wasn’t trying to change his tune now.

“So, let’s make it a payment in activity points.”

Director Ho spread his fingers.

“10,000 monthly points.”

“…!!”

“I’ll give you a temporary account for the welfare mall. You’re free to use it however you want, but it will disappear if you don’t use it within a month.”

My goodness.

It was enough money to buy a C-grade regeneration potion every month.

“So, are all of us satisfied?”

Director Ho looked at each person, finally turning his gaze to me.

I bowed my head respectfully.

“Yes. For now, I’m just grateful.”

For now, that is.

“Good!”

Director Ho smiled brightly.

And he went one step further.

“Oh, can I offer another help with your activities? All three of you, please extend your hands.”

“Ah.”

The two politely raised both hands and extended their palms.

I also raised one hand and spread my palm. And put it on the table…

“Not like that, with the back of your hand facing up.”

“…”

The moment I changed my hand position.

“That’s right.”

Something began to be drawn on the back of my hand.

“…!!”

“Be careful. If you move, you might have to use a regeneration potion…”

This is insane.

Countless hollow circles shimmered on the back of my hand like ripples.

‘What is he doing?’

A strange sense of confinement spread…

—Man, woman, man. From now on, you three cannot call each other by your code names.

“…!”

—If there are prying eyes, you cannot share any information that hints at your true identities with each other.

Thump.

Thump.

—If you try to change this, you will be punished.

Something round seemed to dig in and hit the back of my hand. The vibration starting from the back of my hand spread throughout my body. And then…

“Gasp!”

It disappeared. Without a trace.

“…”

“…”

Sweating, the three spies removed their hands from the table.

“…Th-this is.”

“I worked hard to prepare this to help you avoid making any mistakes.”

Director Ho smiled kindly.

However, none of the three of us could smile.

“Earlier, I heard ‘punishment.’”

“Yes?”

“You said you’d punish us.”

“Oh, it’s nothing major, just something obvious… If you try to forcibly break this restriction, something big might have happened, right?”

Director Ho smiled, clasping his hands together.

“Then, as ‘punishment’… what you value most will come to meet me.”

“…!”

“I’ll take good care of them.”

“Wait a minute! That’s…”

I deliberately met Go Youngeun’s eyes as she was about to protest.

“…”

“Yes?”

Go Youngeun slowly calmed her body and then asked in a composed tone again.

“…Then, will this restriction remain until the project ‘succeeds’?”

“No. This is a device to help you in your work!”

He spoke so subtly.

‘Help?’

“As soon as you find and bring me the information about the Extinction-grade disaster I told you about, this auxiliary device will disappear. And…”

Director Ho rested his chin on his hand.

Leaning towards us.

“The person who contributes to this work will receive the potion right then.”

“…”

Wait a minute.

I heard Jang Heoun’s trembling voice beside me.

“P-potion, you mean.”

“A wish token.”

“…!!”

“You can receive a wish token immediately just by performing your assigned role! Isn’t that amazing?”

My goodness.

“I worked hard so you wouldn’t have to wait until the project succeeds.”

Suddenly, the deadline for receiving the wish token was drastically shortened.

This spy mission started to feel incredibly alluring.

‘If I do well, I can get it incredibly fast!’

If only I do well!

“…”

At the same time, a chill ran down my spine.

‘He deliberately revealed it now.’

It was to provide a secondary, additional motive to cling to for dear life.

Instead of informing us fully at the beginning and letting us choose carefully, he controlled the information.

‘So he made it feel like it was right around the corner.’

I’ve thought this before, but his methods are terrifyingly subtle and layered.

‘…And that’s not all.’

I recalled Director Ho’s past remark.

What he said when he put me on the spy mission.

—And since you might be lonely alone, others will also be deployed with you.

Hearing only this, it sounded as if he would deploy other people as spies with me to the Disaster Management Bureau.

But when I said okay and checked, it was the opposite.

‘My colleagues were already deployed to the Disaster Management Bureau before me.’

Director Ho doesn’t lie about the phenomenon itself.

But he seems to freely change the framework of his intentions and interpretations to manipulate people…

Just look at my colleagues’ expressions.

‘Their eyes are shining.’

How sweet is the phrase, ‘Once this is over, a wish token.’

But.

“Then, may I ask if group recognition is also possible?”

“Hmm?”

This is not the time to miss details.

“If all of us ‘cooperate’ and hand over the data, I’m curious if everyone can receive a wish token potion.”

“Oh, of course.”

“…Then, will you, Director, judge if we have properly ‘cooperated’?”

“…”

Director Ho met my gaze for a moment, then smiled again.

“I trust your reports on that!”

Phew.

“Thank you.”

With this, I prevented the situation where Director Ho would deny our collective cooperation and select only one MVP to reduce the expense of the wish token potion.

“Ah, it’s time.”

Then Director Ho looked at his wristwatch and stood up.

And he clapped his hands, then spoke to us warmly with a pleasant expression.

“The three of you, please talk at your leisure. It’ll be hard for you to gather together ‘outside’ from now on, so I arranged this meeting.”

Meaning: Don’t gather with other spies and create suspicion.

But at least he kept his minimum conscience.

Meaning: Once he finished speaking, he left the meeting of lower-ranking employees.

“Then I’ll be going.”

Director Ho, who stood up with a wide smile, waving his hand, saying, ‘I’ll try to arrange opportunities for us to meet in the future if possible.’

We hastily rose from the table and bowed our heads.

“You don’t have to stand up! Thank you.”

And he went to the door leading out of the counseling room, grabbed the doorknob, and then turned back as if he suddenly remembered something.

Our eyes met.

Director Ho subtly gestured with his eyes at the silver ring on my left finger.

The silver ring.

My mental defense item.

“That’s worn out.”

“…!”

Sliiiide.

“Then I’ll see you all again at the next consultation.”

The door to the Fox Counseling Office closed softly and kindly.

Thud.

“…”

“…”

Director Ho had completely disappeared.

And.

“Ha…”

A deep sigh filled the waiting room.

It was the sigh of the lower-ranking operatives who had just faced a crazy, high-ranking superior…

‘Still, it felt a bit empowering that it wasn’t a one-on-one meeting.’

And I met someone I hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Um… long time no see, Soleum.”

I turned to my colleague.

A former member of the Cleanup Team.

The long-haired man spoke, looking both glad to see me and worried.

“Have you been well?”

It was Jang Heoun.