Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 145

Jang Heoun.

This colleague, who had received the ‘Water Buffalo’ mask, was originally a person whose face was shrouded in a gloomy air, unbefitting his large physique.

During the new employee orientation, he was the very last to receive his mask, covered in blood, and was assigned to the cleanup team, performing duties that bordered on workplace harassment.

However, after surviving in the tumultuous, crazy pharmaceutical company, I thought he had become a bit more cheerful…

“I… I hadn’t heard from you because I was infiltrating the Disaster Management Bureau after hearing that you had gone missing… but I’m truly glad to see you like this.”

Surprisingly, he now seemed completely calm.

‘…It seems the Disaster Management Bureau suits him better too.’

However, he kept glancing at my empty right arm, his face progressively paling, seemingly afraid to ask if it would be rude.

In such cases, I should probably give an appropriate answer.

I deliberately swung my empty sleeve lightly, forcing a wry smile.

“My first mission was a bit difficult due to bad luck. But the Disaster Management Bureau will take care of it, so it should be fine.”

“Ah… I see.”

I felt Go Youngeun’s strange gaze, but I decided to move past it for now.

“Heoun, I heard you were assigned to the Field Cleanup Team.”

“Ah, yes.”

Jang Heoun’s face brightened slightly.

“Well, sometimes I have to see terrible, yes, such sights…”

Ah.

Right. The Field Cleanup Team usually deals with cleaning up messes.

“Everyone is considerate because I’m a new hire, so I’m adapting well, thankfully.”

That was fortunate, but Jang Heoun’s face slightly darkened again.

“But… that’s why I’m more worried.”

“Pardon?”

“I just heard that we need to smuggle out documents about a truly dangerous ghost story, but… are we really okay with this?”

“…!”

“The Disaster Management Bureau is truly responding to supernatural phenomena with a sense of duty, and I’m worried we might cause great harm.”

Hmm.

“If so, will you quit?”

“……”

I knew the answer without hearing it.

-No.

Because only people desperate enough for the ‘wish ticket’ come here.

I know these are people who wouldn’t act selfishly in other situations. Especially when I recall Go Youngeun’s consideration and willpower at Rookiemart.

But there is something ‘non-negotiable’ within these people.

…Right.

‘If nothing is going to change anyway…’

It would be better to have peace of mind.

“It will probably be fine even if we smuggle it out.”

“…! Is, is that so?”

“Yes.”

This was the truth.

“The company won’t carelessly mess with such high-grade ghost stories either. And we’re not smuggling out the entire ghost story, just providing information.”

Of course, Oneiroi Inc. isn’t seeking it for good purposes, but as a result, according to the Dark Exploration Records, that extinction-grade disaster didn’t cause more harm to humanity.

…Because it was already as harmful as it could be.

“I think we’ll be fine as long as we don’t over-loyalize the company and smuggle out supernatural disasters managed by the government itself.”

“Ah, n-of course…!”

There was something else to worry about.

‘I’m worried if they’ll discard us after the job is done…’

…Would Director Ho really discard us after using us?

Once I received the wish ticket, I would just return to where I originally belonged, so it wouldn’t matter to me. But for the other two to continue living in Korea, they needed to be more careful not to get on the Disaster Management Bureau’s bad side.

Hmm.

“Shall we share our agent aliases first so we don’t make any more mistakes with titles?”

I pointed to myself.

“I’m ‘Grape’. And Heoun?”

“Ah, I received the agent name ‘Hwagak’.”

“Hwagak?”

“Yes. They said it’s a traditional craft technique using ox horn… I was recommended for it.”

Unbelievably, he received an ox-related alias here too.

“I’m… ‘Mint’.”

And Go Youngeun also spoke.

“It was often used as medicine in the past, and I didn’t want a name that stood out too much.”

“I see. That sounds like a good agent name.”

And a brief chat about our recent situations created a warm atmosphere for a moment.

Oh, and I received vitamins too.

“The new investigation team has a somewhat individualistic atmosphere. But when I returned after being missing, my superiors gave me vitamins as a gift… You two should have some too.”

“Ah.”

“Th-thank you.”

Honestly, if this were a normal company, they were colleagues I would be very satisfied working with.

…If only I wasn’t a spy for a crazy pharmaceutical company, infiltrating the government in a ghost story world.

‘Whew.’

I also reported my recent situation appropriately.

“…! You’re being discharged within a week!?”

“That’s right.”

The wound from my severed right arm was quickly calming down and healing, perhaps due to some supernatural treatment at the Disaster Management Bureau-affiliated hospital…

‘I think I’ll be able to return after about another week of hospitalization.’

“And as soon as I’m discharged, I’ll be experiencing various affiliations as a temporary agent for three weeks. If we meet, please take care of me.”

“Th-that, of course!”

I will definitely go to the field cleanup team. Please take care of me, Heoun…

It was then.

“Excuse me, Soleum. About that discharge.”

“Yes?”

Go Youngeun suddenly spoke up.

“You’re also receiving psychiatric counseling before you’re discharged, right? I mean, you sustained a major injury in a kind of distressed state… so I think you need to check for psychological trauma as well.”

“Ah, yes. I suppose they’ll introduce me to someone… Don’t worry. I’ll proceed carefully without leaking any information.”

“……”

However, Go Youngeun shook her head.

“Anyway, we can’t disclose anything due to this prohibition or whatever. I think it would be better if you spoke more comfortably.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“……Yes.”

Go Youngeun nodded slightly.

“And now that we ‘officially’ know each other at the Disaster Management Bureau… I’ll pretend we exchanged numbers when I visited you in the hospital. So we can sometimes contact each other personally and naturally.”

“Sounds good. Ah, Heoun, we’ll create an appropriate occasion when we see each other next time.”

“Yes, yes…!”

In that way, we decided on our future course of action.

1. Create natural connections outside the Fox Counseling Office.
2. If something critical or important happens, contact via anonymous messenger. Disguise it as a spam message.

“Then, I look forward to seeing you safely next time.”

“Yes. Definitely…”

I suppressed a sigh as I left the Fox Counseling Office.

‘Being a spy isn’t an easy job either.’

Especially with a superior like that.

To be safer, more preparation was needed.

Besides, I had already decided to make full preparations to avoid encountering crazy situations like Rookiemart again.

‘Good.’

One week left until discharge.

‘I’ll prepare everything that needs preparing.’

And the first step was this.

I checked the message I had sent before entering the counseling office earlier.

[Team Leader, can we talk tonight?]

A quick and concise reply had come.

[Yes.]

Team Leader Lee Jaheon of Team D.

A reply from my former superior.

The purpose was simple.

‘Team Leader Lee Jaheon had the doll I bought at Rookiemart.’

It was definitely the same item as the one on Team Leader Lee Jaheon’s desk. And I was confident it would be a useful item.

Safety and performance.

I had caught both rabbits I wanted.

If it were a dangerous item, Team Leader Lee Jaheon wouldn’t have kept it on his office desk in the first place.

And considering the true nature of that lizard, it was more likely to be an unusual and powerful item.

Even if I didn’t think that far, wouldn’t an item that a field exploration team leader keeps on his desk naturally be helpful in a ghost story?

‘Good.’

Only one thing remained.

‘Find out how to use it.’

The Lizard Team Leader would give me the answer!

And a moment later, the call connected.

With a pounding heart, I immediately asked…!

“Team Leader. In what situations did you use the lizard doll you kept on your desk?”

-? No.

“……”

Wait a minute.

This sudden denial… could it be.

“The lizard doll… you’ve never used it at all?”

-Yes.

“…Did you not purchase that item?”

-Yes.

“……”

I’m screwed…

‘N-no.’

Let’s narrow the scope a bit.

Like this.

“Do you know how to use that lizard doll?”

Please.

Please…!

-Yes.

Whew.

That’s a relief.

“I’ve also acquired one of those dolls, but I have no idea how to use it. I’d appreciate it if you could tell me its specific purpose as much as possible.”

And finally, I added.

“…The place of purchase isn’t a space shopping mall.”

I felt a little guilty, so I blurted it out.

‘I didn’t even get to visit there since I had no money right now…’

Anyway, Lee Jaheon was unperturbed.

-Yes.

And calmly explained.

-That’s a reptile ecology education toy.

“……”

Pardon?

“Educational… toy.”

-Yes. When given appropriate food, it shows molting after eating.

“……”

-…….

“……”

I barely managed to ask.

“Is the molted skin perhaps a defensive item?”

-No.

“…If you give it items or blood as food, it exhibits unique abilities…”

-No.

I wanted a refund.

‘F***…’

Then why on earth did he put it on his desk and confuse people?!

‘It’s just a food disposal unit!’

Of course, I couldn’t yell at a laser-shooting alien lizard, so I barely managed to reply.

“I see. Thank you for letting me know.”

-Yes.

Right. It was my fault for betting on a strange possibility at a crazy supermarket in the first place. Sigh…

‘To think it was really a toy.’

I finally gave up and changed the subject of conversation.

“It’s been a while since I contacted you, and I apologize for contacting you by phone like this instead of visiting in person.”

-It’s fine. That’s safer.

Did he consider me because he was worried I’d be caught as a spy by the Disaster Management Bureau?

“Thank…”

Just as I was about to say “you.”

The emotionless voice told me a completely different ‘reason’.

-Director Cheong has found out your whereabouts.

“……!”

What did he say?

-Director Cheong suspects that your disappearance was fabricated and that you have actually been working for Director Ho for a month now.

A chill ran down my spine.

Wait a minute.

If he thinks my disappearance itself was fabricated.

‘Then there’s a high probability he thinks I betrayed him and conspired with Director Ho from the beginning, right?’

Cold sweat streamed down.

“…Could he retaliate against me because of this misunderstanding?”

-Yes.

I swallowed.

-So be careful.

“Yes.”

I made up my mind.

‘As soon as this spy work is over, I’m getting out of here.’

I would not delay.

Wish ticket. As soon as I got the wish ticket, I had to escape from this damned company and go back.

To my home!

“Thank you.”

I thanked him and ended the call with Team Leader Lee Jaheon.

Then I saw another alarm on my smartphone.

[Baek Sa-heon: Hey]

[Baek Sa-heon: Aren’t you going to buy information?]

My former company dormitory roommate, who was supposed to get me the latest gossip and information about this ‘damned company’.

[Baek Sa-heon: Don’t you need information?]

Hmm.

I sent a text.

[Are you confident?]

But no reply came.

He doesn’t have anything yet, I guess.

‘Then should I just leave him alone until he feels confident?’

So he’d fret and dig up more information.

‘Actually… I don’t have any items to exchange for information right now anyway…’

Of course, I don’t plan to live penniless like this.

Didn’t I just think about preparing?

‘…I also just heard something concerning.’

-That, it’s all worn out.

Director Ho’s ominous remark.

‘If the silver ring’s mental protection effect has worn off, it’s dangerous.’

Fortunately, I hadn’t particularly wanted to enter a ghost story recently, nor had I become familiar with or assimilated into one.

‘Unless I dream of going back again.’

Still, it would be good to prepare for that too.

I briefly considered visiting the Fox Counseling Office again but canceled it due to an uneasy feeling.

Unlike last time, there was a clear reason.

‘…It’s definitely related to Director Ho.’

It’s better to avoid it for now.

And…

‘It’s not just there; there are quite a few unlocked places now.’

That’s right. I was now also an ‘agent of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau’.

With my change of affiliation, the scope of specific places I could visit without being suspected and useful groups I could access expanded.

“Let’s see.”

I rested my chin on my hand.

10,000 welfare points and A-grade or higher dream liquid.

And if I had the status of a Disaster Management Bureau agent, there was a place I could try poking around.

“Hmm.”

I got up from the cafe I was sitting in, pulled my hood down, and walked away.

To the meeting place in the ghost story world where real occult items were traded.

What I needed to find was…

‘A manhole with a human arm sticking out.’