Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel (End Part 1) - Chapter 207

“Oh dear! You can send that to the team leader’s desk, Agent Park Ha.”

“Yes…!”

Go Youngeun moved the neatly organized bundle of documents to her superior’s desk.

It contained information regarding the newly observed supernatural disaster.

She felt a brief moment of reflection, realizing that the term “disaster” had become more familiar than “darkness.”

‘Whew.’

Go Youngeun sat down at her own desk.

Faint chatter from agents sharing the same office drifted in from the hallway.

“…it happened. Hyunmu Team 1…”

“But that new recruit, I would’ve done the same…”

“…”

Her nerves instantly bristled.

Even hearing just that much, she knew who they were talking about.

For nearly two weeks, it had been a cautious yet hot topic among the field agents of the Disaster Management Bureau.

Agent Grape.

It was a story about her fellow spy, her colleague from the same intake.

Words about Kim Soleum’s imprisonment, release, and disappearance.

That’s right.

Go Youngeun’s colleague had failed her spy mission and gone missing.

…Could she even consider it fortunate that she hadn’t been caught?

The circumstances suggested something had happened when Director Ho’s restriction was exposed, but the hushed atmosphere made it difficult to ask easily.

Those things had become serious during her imprisonment, but then recovered.

And that even after her disappearance, the field agents’ general sentiment towards Kim Soleum wasn’t particularly bad.

…And that news from Hyunmu Team 1 had sharply decreased.

This was all Go Youngeun could definitively ascertain from her position as a new agent.

Of course, with Kim Soleum having vanished as if evaporated the moment she left the glass prison, it was hard to find out anything more.

‘She really… escaped, right?’

Go Youngeun’s head would bristle with worry, only for her to finish with a sigh.

She shouldn’t accidentally leak information by trying to find out her whereabouts.

If Kim Soleum had successfully escaped, it would likely cause trouble, and it was a dangerous attempt that might even expose her own identity.

It would be bad for both of them.

Especially if she was being monitored for safety, given her considerable acquaintance with Kim Soleum and being a fellow new recruit.

‘…I feel like I’m being suspected of being a spy too.’

She didn’t know.

The people at the Disaster Management Bureau were clearly kind, but they were also adept at feigning innocence to test people or casually probing for the core truth.

‘Of course. They’re agents, after all.’

Regardless, unlike the spy’s feeling of walking on thin ice, there was no particular change in the agents’ attitudes.

Nor was she suddenly dragged into a glass prison.

‘That’s a relief, but…’

…Honestly, it felt hopeless.

Out of the three who joined, one was quarantined due to contamination, and one was missing.

Only she remained, and it was realistically almost impossible for a single new recruit to steal a disaster document of the Oblivion-grade.

…If she were Director Ho, she’d probably cut her losses by now.

‘But I have to endure.’

And she had to do what needed to be done.

Go Youngeun calmly calculated to avoid panicking.

‘One thing at a time, calmly.’

First, she needed to clean up the traces more thoroughly.

She had only contacted Kim Soleum through a separate smartphone she had opened under a different name.

She decided to get rid of that too.

So, that evening, after work, she returned to her officetel and immediately searched for the spare phone.

Instead of meticulously hiding it, she casually left it in a drawer for old junk, as if it were a previous phone. That way, it would be easily overlooked.

The moment she turned it on.

A barrage of spam messages, which she had deliberately spread around with the number, poured in.

Even Director Ho’s contact, disguised as a counseling recommendation, looked like spam.

“Whew.”

Go Youngeun was in the process of clicking through and deleting all the spam messages one by one.

[Don’t just sit there idly, get off! This stop, ★Special Discount★ Gangnam Station…]

Her hand stopped.

“…Wait a minute.”

Idly, get off, this stop…

“…!”

She couldn’t help but remember it as if struck by lightning.

The subway of the Abyss Transportation Company.

This was a clue only known to those who had experienced that crazy entrance horror story together. And at this point, the only person who would send something like this, pretending it was spam, was…

Just one.

Go Youngeun immediately clicked on the message.

[Don’t just sit there idly, get off! This stop, ★Special Discount★ Gangnam Station Discount Phone Sales store, left counter, only until 9 PM on the 17th (Free opt-out)]

“…”

Location and time.

Go Youngeun quickly searched the internet.

The Discount Phone Sales store at Gangnam Station.

And an hour later.

Go Youngeun found a locker at a parcel storage facility near the Gangnam Station Discount Phone Sales store.

“…”

At first, she wondered if they meant to meet in front of the store, but even after 9 PM, the time stated in the message, no one appeared.

Then, focusing on “left counter,” she looked to the left of the store, and a passage leading to the parcel storage lockers immediately became visible.

‘Here?’

She hesitated, then looked at the locker compartments.

Compartment 17 was present.

The number specified in the message.

“…”

Then.

When she entered the combination of numbers specified in the message, 1721, into the password slot…

BEEP.

“…!”

The locker opened.

Go Youngeun quickly grabbed the card she had used to pay the fee and peered inside the locker…

Inside, there was a small paper bag.

Attached to it was a clumsy note, as if written by an unfamiliar hand.

Open it at home

“…”

Go Youngeun quickly took the bag and returned home.

Her heart pounded.

‘What is it?’

Given the circumstances, it was almost certainly Kim Soleum who had left this.

But what on earth was she handing over?

Wrapped in various thoughts, wondering if the spy mission policy had changed to exchanging information like this, Go Youngeun opened the bag at her dining table.

‘Two boxes?’

There were black boxes.

The moment Go Youngeun, puzzled, opened one of the boxes…

Dazzling, iridescent light spilled out.

“…!!”

The Daydream employee screamed in surprise again and quickly closed the box.

‘A-A Wish Ticket!’

That potion with the insane, holographic aurora-like glow was unmistakably a Wish Ticket!

‘Mr. Kim Soleum!’

Could it be that he solved the spy mission on his own and brought back a Wish Ticket? No, how? Is this real? Is this really real? A Wish Ticket in a subway locker… Wait a minute.

‘…There were two boxes.’

The sound of her heart beating echoed in Go Youngeun’s mind.

She reached for the other box, and as she opened it…

Similarly, brilliant light poured out.

‘My goodness.’

But then, a small note fell out from between them.

“…!”

She quickly picked it up.

Youngeun, Our work is done. Do as you wish. You don’t need to return. P.S. If possible, please deliver the other box to the person who was supposed to receive it. If not possible, please keep it until then.

“No…!”

What if I just snatched two bottles of Wish Tickets with such a simple note, thinking I might secretly take them for myself?!

…But even as she thought that, this kind-hearted and intelligent spy knew.

That she would keep her word.

“…”

A mix of gratitude, debt, elation, and burden swirled in her mind.

So…

Go Youngeun made one more resolve of some kind.

And grabbing something, she rushed out of the house.

‘It was delivered well.’

I watched the drink I was having at the cafe reveal the bottom.

This was a cafe in the Gangnam Station underground shopping center.

It had already been an hour and a half since I watched Go Youngeun take the phone from the subway locker.

Since there were no other special circumstances in the meantime, it seemed like it was time to get up.

‘This is it.’

…Go Youngeun would return the Wish Ticket to its rightful owner without trying to steal it.

And since she was still working at the Disaster Management Bureau, she would have more frequent opportunities to approach him than I would.

‘…The Disaster Management Bureau also seemed to suit her better.’

Now that the spy mission itself was over, if she wished, she could continue working at the Disaster Management Bureau.

Fortunately, there were no tailing agents from the Disaster Management Bureau either.

…It seemed to have ended well.

Now, the only Wish Ticket potion remaining for me was one.

‘Then, now I’ll drink it too…’

It was then.

A familiar figure came running back towards the parcel lockers.

“…!”

…It was Go Youngeun.

Had something gone wrong?

However, Go Youngeun calmly reopened locker 17, where the Wish Ticket had been, put something inside, and closed it tightly.

Then, she left as if nothing had happened.

“…”

What did she put in the locker?

‘Could it be… she returned the Wish Ticket meant for Jang Heoun?’

It was possible. Even I would have found it difficult to fulfill a request to deliver a Wish Ticket to someone who was currently quarantined and whose next meeting was uncertain.

‘Right.’

It was an unreasonable request to begin with.

After enough time had passed to confirm Go Youngeun’s complete disappearance and that there was no tail, I quietly left the cafe and headed for the parcel lockers.

And I opened locker 17.

…Inside, as I expected, was a box.

‘It can’t be helped.’

I picked it up.

But… the weight felt subtly different.

“…”

I quickly went into the restroom and carefully opened the box in a stall.

However, instead of dazzling, iridescent light, a faint blue light appeared.

A light green like a new sprout.

It was a Grade C Regeneration Potion.

“…”

I stared blankly at it.

A note was attached inside the box.

Just like the one I had attached.

I’ll do my best. Thank you. Take care of yourself.

An ineffable feeling swirled within me.

She must have barely bought one with her own points.

She probably gave it to me because she thought it would be difficult for me to replace my missing arm with a will-o’-the-wisp after leaving the Disaster Management Bureau.

‘…Thank you.’

I carefully packed the box and held it dearly.

That night.

I drank the Regeneration Potion.

And with my now intact hands, I sent farewell messages.

Scheduled message delivery.

I set it for tomorrow morning.

These were messages to my former superiors in Team D… and a few people to whom I owed a debt.

‘I should send one more to the security chief.’

Mostly, it was to tell them not to worry because I had safely resigned.

Though, writing the message to Assistant Manager Lee Ja-heon made me break out in a bit of a cold sweat.

‘Alien store installment plan…’

I’m truly sorry. I had to flee in the middle of the night right after the installment plan began.

Instead, I put all my equipment in the subway parcel locker and sent Assistant Manager Lee Ja-heon the location and password. I hoped this would be enough to appease him…

“Whew.”

All the arrangements were complete.

What remained was… the will-o’-the-wisp.

I lifted my regenerated arm to the small, blue ball of fire that had been circling me, watching my actions with interest, and said,

“It’s okay now. Look, I have an arm again, right? You can go back.”

But the will-o’-the-wisp flickered as if refusing, then sat down in front of my desk.

It was troublesome… but it didn’t feel bad.

“Then let’s stay together for a little while. …If I disappear, you go back to the Bureau. Understood?”

The will-o’-the-wisp moved as if nodding, looking dejected.

Now, truly, only one thing remained.

The last.

I took out a small, fluffy, pink rabbit doll.

“…”

Taking a breath, I stood the ‘Good Friend’ doll on the bed leg and shone a light on it, casting a shadow.

So I could talk even in reality.

-Oh, friend!

The cheerful host’s voice.

That catchy accent and tone, now familiar, spoke smoothly.

-This hotel isn’t bad at all today. The small, comfortable space reminds me of the room I shared with Mr. Roe. Is it perhaps a night to celebrate a wish granted?

“Something similar.”

There was no need to save money now.

And…

“…”

-Friend?

“Are you okay?”

-What do you mean?

“About me using the Wish Ticket.”

It had bothered me constantly, but I hadn’t dared to ask, fearing a massive answer.

“You know what my wish is.”

The host already knew.

If he could glimpse my thoughts or knowledge to some extent, no, at least from the moment I was talking to the security chief, he would have realized.

That I wished to leave this world.

“But you never asked a single question.”

Watching the giant doll’s shadow, I continued.

“It felt strange.”

-Oh…

“I even wondered if you thought I’d fail and were quietly waiting for the catharsis.”

-My goodness.

-Again, friend, I do not wish for your failure… I merely refrain from inappropriately interfering and spoiling the flow and scene!

-And in this case, simply…

A sound like tapping gloves.

-The situation is so utterly clear that no questions are necessary.

-Does not a friend wish to return home? Yet you refused the invitation of this Brown, who introduced a more splendid and new home…

A chill ran down my spine.

However, the host’s tone remained… calm and cheerful.

-Then, it would be a host’s respect to watch where Mr. Roe’s choice leads this show.

“…”

-Do as you wish, friend.

-You’ve worked hard for this until now, so it’s time to see the results.

The rabbit doll’s shadow flickered, as if pointing at something with a hand.

The Wish Ticket potion on the table.

“…Whew.”

-Let’s go. To the finale and the ending!

I picked up the Wish Ticket.