Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel (End Part 1) - Chapter 190

A spy. Oh, right. A classic and popular identity that makes the audience’s hearts race in any era.

The catharsis of a reversal revealing the mysterious and powerful identity of an extraordinary person!

Isn’t that the perfect job for my talented friend?

Heh heh.

On my way to work, I entered the Disaster Management Bureau, listening to Brown’s lively comments.

‘It’s a relief that the Disaster Management Bureau jumper also has a front pocket.’

The plush toy’s ears were also covered by the flap of the pocket, making it almost unnoticeable at first glance.

I naturally greeted the agents and crossed the main lobby of the bureau.

A special entry method through a hidden entrance. A cliché for special agents. It seems like a group with quite a sense of romance.

Let’s see where Mr. Deer’s workplace is! I’m excited!

The start was good. Brown gave a pretty good score to the hidden exit of the Disaster Management Bureau, and a decent score to the scene inside.

‘It’s good that it likes it.’

I responded appropriately, took the elevator, walked down the corridor, and opened the door.

Thus, Team Hyunmoo 1’s waiting room was revealed.

And…

…

‘Brown?’

Oh, it seems they’ve nicely decorated a spare temporary space like a lounge.

Haha. Mr. Deer, it’s quite amusing how you’ve learned to cut corners since I last saw you! Are you secretly enjoying a short break here before going to your actual workplace?

‘This is it.’

Hmm?

‘This is the workplace.’

There was no response from my good friend.

Are you enticing visitors here to extract information? A marvelous trick using an unofficial lounge….

No.

‘This is really my official workplace.’

Friend, what exactly do you do here?

‘I sit on the sofa.’

Again, there was no response from my good friend. It seemed like it had died…

Oh. You tricked me.

Aargh!

‘And then when I get a call, I deploy. To rescue people in various peculiar disaster situations.’

Aha.

‘This is just a waiting room.’

Hahahaha. So the real work hadn’t even begun.

Oh, you tricked me! That was very amusing, friend!

‘Right? Hahahaha…’

Cold sweat dripped down. Yes, this is what it was like being with Brown… Phew.

Just then, my right hand, inside my pocket, moved secretly.

I made a thumb… and pointed it down vigorously.

“……”

Yes. I understand.

Good. Then, this place doesn’t seem like the worst place to rest alone either!

‘It’s a waiting room shared by the whole team.’

…

‘It’s okay. Everyone’s fun and good people.’

Brown seemed a little shocked, but I couldn’t help it. It seemed to be comparing it to the large pharmaceutical company that gave me a private office…

…Good. How many people work with Mr. Deer in total?

‘Ah, there are three people right now… but only two people usually come into the waiting room.’

I looked at the whiteboard in the waiting room.

The place where notes were left by people who had passed through Team Hyunmoo 1.

‘…They say about seven people originally work here.’

This is just knowledge I know.

In <Darkness Exploration Log>, the dispatch and rescue team of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau, especially the headquarters’ Hyunmoo team, had increased to a total of 7 teams.

But after that, due to a certain incident, half of them died or went missing, and there was a period when they were reorganized into 3 teams.

‘That was a truly creepy ghost story.’

Anyway, there was also a period when they were actively recruiting people… and it seemed like now was that time.

That’s a relief. Phew, seven people in such an old room. They’re not some unpopular comedians, are they?

“……Hmm.”

I just gave a bitter smile.

And after some thought, I picked up a marker from the whiteboard and left a line myself.

Respectable people.

Thinking of the Disaster Management Bureau, Team Hyunmoo 1, in its early Wiki days.

You left a message? Oh dear! The trace of a spy… I’m curious. Would you mind holding me closer so I can see it in more detail?

It’s nothing grand, though.

“Sure.”

It wasn’t difficult. I took the plush toy out of my front pocket, supported its body with both hands, and placed it close to the whiteboard…

Click.

“Podo, you’re early today too? Did you sleep well last night….”

Agent Choi, whose eyes met mine, saw the doll in my hand.

And then he saw my hand, respectfully holding the doll against the whiteboard.

Oh, ohhh…

“G-Good morning, Agent Choi.”

“Yeah. Good morning, but, um… are you donating the doll to our waiting room? That’s fine.”

“Ah, no. It’s not like that….”

Oho?

I hunched my shoulders and hastily grabbed Brown, then tucked it back into my front pocket.

But Agent Choi stopped me.

The agent’s eyes scanned the words I had written on the whiteboard.

“Huh? No, no, it’s fine. Kids these days take 인증샷 (proof shots) with stuff like this, don’t they?”

Then, Agent Choi started talking about whether Podo also uses SNS, and how internal photos of our agency are classified and cannot be uploaded, and to think of us as the National Intelligence Service… I hastily matched his character and replied.

“No. Th-This is just, um, a friend I always carry with me.”

Pleased to meet you! Oh, that scar on your neck looks quite dashing. I hope you’ll tell me the interesting story behind it sometime.

“…Friend?”

“Yes….”

At that moment, Agent Cheongdong also opened the waiting room door and entered.

“Hello….”

“Jaekwan, come here. The maknae brought a doll!”

“A doll?”

Agent Choi hastily grabbed and pulled Agent Cheongdong over.

It was burdensome.

My goodness, isn’t this the serial killer from the mountain lodge! …Aha! Could it be that he infiltrated under the pretense of feigning ignorance to this person’s persistent recruitment?

No. I was caught because I looked suspicious…

Anyway, not bad. Two sidekicks assisting you!

No. They’re my superiors…

Meanwhile, my two superior agents were looking at Brown with curiosity.

“No, you say you always carry it, but why haven’t we seen it? Jaekwan, have you seen it?”

Agent Cheongdong’s expression became subtle.

He must have been recalling Brown, which was sometimes hanging outside my clothes or tucked into my pocket when we’d met before…!

‘But if he testifies, he’d be saying we’ve known each other for a while!’

I intervened to alleviate the agent’s struggle.

“Ah, my original friend tore due to my mistake… so I recently made a new one.”

“……”

Agent Cheongdong’s expression changed to something even more peculiar.

And he seemed to murmur ‘friend’ a few times to himself, then soon asked,

“Are you saying that during your break… you made ‘the friend’?”

Surprisingly, it was the truth.

“Yes. That’s right! Ah, I didn’t make it myself, I just bought it from a store, but….”

“……”

“Podo, if you call a doll your friend, a ghost will possess it….”

“Go get the documents.”

“Aargh!”

Agent Cheongdong kicked Agent Choi’s butt and went out of the waiting room with him.

And then, turning back to me, he spoke kindly.

“The New Investigation Team called for Agent Podo. The rescue signal will come this way, so don’t worry and go.”

“Yes? Yes.”

And the two disappeared in an instant.

Thump.

‘Phew.’

I was relieved they didn’t pry further.

Otherwise, if I looked suspicious, Agent Choi would have pulled out a ghost-identifying device… Hmm. It could have turned into a dangerous situation.

Although Brown confidently boasted, ‘I can make it so no matter what you bring, you won’t know who I am,’ there’s no harm in being careful, is there?

‘I did think it would be better to just show it naturally from the start rather than hide it and get caught.’

I just didn’t expect it to turn out this way.

Is this… good?

Friend? What kind of place is the New Investigation Team?

‘Ah, let’s go now.’

Anyway, since the New Investigation Team called me, I should go out for a bit.

I moved with Brown, passing through the actual staff workplaces of the Disaster Management Bureau, i.e., the office corridors. And…

My goodness, I’d rather it be a comedy skit… My friend got scammed into a job.

“……”

To the eyes of an announcer from a mass media ghost story set in the flashy capitalist era, 21st-century public facilities seemed utterly dilapidated and substandard…

Fortunately, another element soon caught Brown’s interest.

It was my fellow spy, Go Youngeun, standing in front of the New Investigation Team office.

“Agent Podo!”

Go Youngeun, who was waving excitedly when she saw me, had a subtle expression when she noticed the plush toy on my chest as I approached.

“You… carry that around again?”

“……Yes.”

Now that I think about it, Youngeun also saw Brown in its ‘good friend’ form quite often.

Moreover, in that exhibition ghost story, ‘The Mansion of the Blind,’ she seemed to have seen me using Brown to set the mood with Baek Saheon a few times.

Anyway, it seems Brown had more presence than I thought, given that she’s acknowledging it.

‘I thought it wouldn’t be that noticeable because of its small size…’

In this crazy pharmaceutical company in the ghost story world, people carried all sorts of strange things, from rabbit feet to mummy bandages.

From the start, considering everyone wears bizarre animal masks, I thought a plush toy keyring would be fine.

Hmm. It seems I was wrong…

Still, Go Youngeun is as kind as ever.

“It’s still cute! I think you chose well.”

Oh, this person has good taste. A discerning audience is always a joy for an entertainer.

Anyway, I’m glad everyone’s satisfied. I smiled and opened my mouth.

“Thank you. Agent Parkha also has a similar doll….”

“Ah, no, I’m fine.”

“……”

No, I was going to ask if you had a doll keyring…

Cold sweat.

Ah, it seems the rabbit doll is more conspicuous than I expected.

‘This won’t do.’

I asked for Brown’s understanding, then pulled down the flap of my front pocket further to hide the doll’s form as much as possible.

“Agent Podo! Over here for your statement… Huh? It’s cute. Did your sibling give it to you?”

“Oh my, what’s that? A doll?”

But despite that, it seemed to move and reveal itself, becoming the subject of small talk several times…

And the finale was when I finished my simple statement at the New Investigation Team and returned to the Hyunmoo 1 Team waiting room.

Click.

“Podo!”

As I entered, the two agents who had arrived earlier jumped up.

And Agent Choi was smiling suspiciously.

……?

“I’m sorry. I was a bit harsh with Podo’s friend earlier! A ghost, really. Right?”

Hmm. Trying to be courteous now, are we? I shall accept it.

“I-It’s fine.”

What’s going on?

Anyway, now that I know the plush toy is more conspicuous than I thought, I need to deal with it.

I quietly sat on the sofa and murmured,

“I-I’ll make sure to carry it carefully so it’s not conspicuous, so if it causes any inconvenience, please bear with me just a little….”

“Hahaha, what are you talking about? Of course, our Podo’s friend can stay in our waiting room.”

Suddenly, Agent Choi put his arm around my shoulder and showed me something.

“Here, this is your friend’s spot.”

A neatly folded handkerchief was placed on the soft armrest of the sofa by the window. It was a navy blue handkerchief for agents…

‘……’

No.

What is this atmosphere?

Haha, I appreciate the offer, but I’ll decline! The handkerchief I brought separately… Oh, where did it go? It’s strangely not visible!

I’ll buy it for you later, just for a moment!

“Th-Thank you….”

I eventually succumbed to the atmosphere and placed Brown on the handkerchief.

Agent Choi, still smiling, asked kindly,

“What’s our friend’s name?”

“B-Brown.”

“…But it’s pink?”

“Huh?”

“Hahahaha, no, it’s fine! Um, a person’s heart is free, isn’t it~”

“Yes… thank you.”

What on earth is this?

I turned to Agent Cheongdong for help, but he only managed a strained smile when our eyes met.

He seemed to be trying to look warm…

‘……??’

I was even more confused.

“Here, take this too. It’s a diary strap, it would look cute tied to its ear.”

And so Brown, receiving even a cushion near the window, successfully blended into the Hyunmoo 1 Team waiting room without suspicion…

‘…??’

And the cause of this situation was revealed in the group chat.

[Let’s not say anything unnecessary about the new agent, the Destroyer, carrying a doll keyring. It’s a precious friend.]

[?]

[Then isn’t it a supernatural phenomenon?]

[No, it’s not. A fellow agent testified that they’ve been carrying it around for a while to calm their mind. Let’s not pry into personal matters.]

[Ah…]

[Confirmed]

[Everyone understands that feeling]

[I’m the one who asked today if their sibling gave them that doll. If you’re reading this, I apologize, Agent. ㅠㅠ]

“……”

Agent Cheongdong…!!

In that sense, this place… Hmm. I’ll give it 39 points.

On my way home from work.

I hurried my steps to the motel, listening to Brown’s rather generous score for the Disaster Management Bureau.

Except for a short deployment for a low-grade supernatural disaster in the afternoon, it was a normal day shift, so my condition should have been fine, but…

‘I’m tired…’

Too much had happened mentally, and my characterization, which wasn’t even planned, was added as an ending…

‘Ugh.’

I want to rest.

‘…Should I sleep somewhere better just for today?’

I walked down the road as the sun set and searched for other accommodations on my smartphone…

Whirrrrr-

My phone vibrated and a popup appeared.

A text message.

[J: I found information]

[J: It’s a bit]

“…!”

It was the Chief of Security.

It was the first time since I gave him the smartphone.

But he found information?

[J: Problematic]

[What are you saying?]

I hastily sent a reply.

But there was no answer for several minutes.

“……”

And after a long time.

[J: I’ll leave]

A chill ran down my spine.

I immediately called him. But he didn’t answer.

‘What is it?’

The call was going through, but why wasn’t he answering?

[Where are you?]

[Are you okay?]

The ‘1’ disappeared from the text message. It meant he had read it.

‘Wait. He… sent that he would leave?’

I hastily narrowed my search for accommodations to around the Daydream company and found a suitable unmanned motel.

And I put the address, room number, and password into a text message.

[If you’ve left, please come here (link)]

Then I immediately rushed back into the subway.

To head to that unmanned motel near the company.

A moment later.

“…?!”

When I opened the door to the unmanned motel room and entered, I witnessed a sight I had not at all expected.

“Ugh!”

Kwak Jegang was tied up and lying face down on the floor.

And the Chief of Security was sitting on him, restraining him.

And…

“D-Deer.”

Section Chief Park Min-seong, sweating profusely, turned to look at me.

He was wearing a security team uniform.

“……”

W-What in the world is this mess?