Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 223

The sound of bells.

Jingle.

The clear sound is proof of existence.

Evidence of some divine energy that repels evil.

Jingle.

Next, what was heard was footsteps.

Fast, unhesitating steps, walking straight towards their destination.

Light, yet not frivolous.

The footsteps grew closer and closer to the officetel, then paused, casting a shadow at the open door.

And then…

“Let’s see, the citizen who arrived first… No.”

A Disaster Management Agency agent appeared.

A long scar across his neck.

A smile.

Team Hyunmoo 1.

He was once my superior.

“There’s a cult company here.”

Agent Choi.

His speaking mouth was smiling, but his eyes, observing the situation, held no hint of a smile.

Agent Choi’s sunken eyes swept over the blood-soaked living room and the corpse that had died by gouging out its own eyes.

And he said,

“It’s not a coincidence, is it?”

“…!”

Jingle.

Agent Choi held his hand behind his back, as if to hide something. But I knew what was behind it.

A giant ritual sword.

A hallucination of a blue light seemed to emanate from the blade.

Agent Choi moved his arm…

“Then…”

“I surrender!”

Kang Yihak raised both hands and knelt dramatically on the floor.

“…?!”

[Oh, knees are on sale, it seems!]

But Agent Choi didn’t even bat an eye.

“Oh yeah? Even better.”

“Wait! Just a moment!”

Kang Yihak, desperately blocking the barrage of ritual sword slashes, spoke even faster.

“Hey, Agent, you remember me, right? We met in that darkness that gave out expensive conch shells!”

“Of course, I remember.”

Agent Choi smiled faintly.

“You’re the cult company employee who tried to escape by taking injured children hostage, right?”

“That wasn’t me, that was Deputy Butterfly’s solo act!”

The security chief watched their banter with a blank expression, as if wondering what this was all about.

“Anyway, we just came to see if there was any useful darkness, but it seemed like we weren’t capable enough, so we were just about to leave!”

“Oh~ So you have nothing to do with this situation?”

“Is that important? What’s important is…”

Kang Yihak quickly turned his head and solemnly questioned the security chief.

“Is Director Cheong there?”

“She already… hung up.”

“Okay.”

Kang Yihak smiled broadly and looked at Agent Choi again.

“It means you can buy the darkness-related information we found at the lowest price!”

Kang Yihak made a short, strong impression by forming a circle with his thumb and forefinger.

[My goodness.]

“Oh, what’s the lowest price? A good civil servant pays the proper price for things. Citizen. For the price…”

Agent Choi smiled and took his hand out from behind his back.

One step forward.

“I’ll give you good prison food.”

The ritual sword flew.

Thump.

But the black paw-like shape of a beast blocked the ritual sword.

“…!”

The security chief’s mutated left arm.

But between the huge, vicious claws, the ritual sword had dug in, almost as if to cut it off.

Hiss.

The touching surfaces burned.

Even though just looking at the dangling paw’s appearance suggested immense pain, the security chief didn’t flinch.

He merely looked at Agent Choi, with the ritual sword between them.

“Look… we’re just going to, go back… We won’t do anything foolish… just let us go… we’ll cooperate…”

“Oh, how would I get cooperation if I let you go…”

Agent Choi’s smiling reply stopped.

His eyes, looking at the security chief again.

His expression changed.

“…You.”

As if he had realized the identity of the person, whom he hadn’t recognized due to the security team’s daytime uniform that almost completely obscured his silhouette and appearance, through his current mutation.

…The night Director Ho imposed restrictions.

The security chief I met in the dream incubation room where I was caught as a spy by Agent Choi.

“…”

For a moment, immense conflict and impulse surged across Agent Choi’s face.

But the next moment, that feeling was suppressed and vanished.

The dry tone that had regained its priority regained its professional flexibility.

“…There’s even a security team here? Wow, it must be a big deal. I need to hear all the statements. As quickly as possible.”

“There’s a misunderstanding. We were just here to earn some extra income, so, yes, if you guarantee that part…”

“I’ll just tell you everything.”

“…!”

Lee Seonghae raised his right hand and stepped forward.

“D-Deputy?!”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, yes.”

Lee Seonghae said cheerfully, not even looking at Kang Yihak.

“We have to help the agents who work hard to rescue citizens.”

“…”

“So, could you please put away the ritual sword? The security team member looks like he’s in so much pain!”

Agent Choi, who looked at Lee Seonghae’s face as if sizing him up for a moment, then withdrew the ritual sword and smiled out of habit.

“Then shall we?”

And he quickly listened to Lee Seonghae’s briefing.

Lee Seonghae truly recounted everything, from the actions of the ‘man on the screen’ to the crisis situation that was clearly spreading uncontrollably.

I wondered if he was going to mention that the USB was in his hand, but he glanced back and forth at the security chief and the carrying case I was in, then didn’t mention it.

He seemed to think it would harm us.

“Okay.”

…And all the while, the ritual sword’s blade remained in front of the carrying case’s bars.

I held my breath.

To prevent the smoke from escaping.

…So that the other party couldn’t know anything.

Agent Choi, who listened to Lee Seonghae’s testimony, remembering every single word, did not relax his guard until the very end of the story.

Only at the very last moment did he withdraw the ritual sword.

“Oh dear, thank you for your cooperation.” “Don’t mention it! Helping good people is a good thing!” “Wow~ Really? That’s my daily life too. I’m truly self-actualizing through my work. Helping good citizens. But…”

Agent Choi looked at the golden mark under Lee Seonghae’s mask.

Deputy Dolphin of the Elite Team.

“Why do you work at Daydream?”

“…”

“You already know that many good people die because of what that company does, right?”

Lee Seonghae smiled faintly.

“We’re trying to stop them from doing bad things wherever we see them!”

“Really? Why don’t you just quit?”

“…”

Lee Seonghae didn’t answer. And Agent Choi stopped the conversation there.

[Oh, it seems they’re about to leave here.]

That’s right.

It was a simultaneous incident involving several broadcast editors. The agents probably came together, each assigned a location.

And since they had found out everything they needed to know here, Agent Choi would leave the cleanup of the corpse and other things to Team Jujak and go help other Hyunmoo teams…

I knew.

Because I used to do it too.

[…Friend, you seem to be feeling unwell. Oh, are you alright?]

I’m alright.

No, rather than alright… my dull brain can’t come to a proper conclusion anyway.

I don’t know what I’m feeling.

I just watched, from beyond the bars of the carrying case, a familiar figure leaving the officetel door…

“You there.”

A cold voice echoed through the officetel.

A new person, who had entered the door at some point, grabbed Agent Choi’s arm.

“Cool your head.”

“…!”

A tall woman wearing the Four Tiger Sword.

Team Leader Haegeum of Hyunmoo Team 3.

The agent I had encountered at Pleasant Theme Park stood there.

[Ah, indeed. It’s the employee who helped you manage your resort!]

That’s right.

“Dealing with cult companies is the team leader’s job when the team leader is present. Agent rookie, you can go to the broadcasting station now.”

“…”

“Perhaps because you’re still young, your blood runs hot. You even try to use illegal methods.”

“Oh, sis. I’m practically in the prime of my youth.”

Agent Choi smiled faintly, but his words followed with a hint of urgency.

“But I have more to say…”

“I told you to go, Agent.”

“…”

“All the chaotic cases have been rescued. Now you need to go to the broadcasting station and persuade the director. You’re the right person for the job.”

Agent Choi stood frozen for a moment, as if rooted to the spot, but eventually turned and moved his legs.

The sound of his footsteps running out the door faded away.

…

“Hoo.”

Team Leader Haegeum stood up, scanned the two masked individuals, and said.

“Alright, Field Investigation Team, if you have nothing more to say, why don’t you leave?”

“…!”

“Yes, thank you!”

“Just a moment. Can the security team members go too?”

“Ah, this one has something to discuss with me. Don’t worry, I’m not putting him in jail.”

“Oh, then I’ll wait…”

“Yes. Thank you!”

Lee Seonghae hesitated for a moment, then followed Kang Yihak, who was hastily leaving. The two field investigation team members exited the officetel.

Agent Haegeum watched the retreating figures of the Daydream employees with a somewhat bitter expression, then approached the security chief.

And then…

He lowered his gaze.

To me.

“Golden Mascot.”

…!!

“No, should I call you the resort owner?”

Agent Haegeum smiled wryly.

“Why are you so surprised? I even hired you as a resort employee.”

Ah.

“Such a change in existence leaves scars. For example… recognizing a former employer.”

But despite describing it as a scar, the agent’s expression wasn’t bad.

Instead, he bent down towards the carrying case and said this.

“And I need to thank you.”

…Thanks?

“Thank you for safely returning the citizens who were caught up in the resort.”

…

“Even without coins to pay, adults are hired, and children are given experience tickets to stay overnight.”

[My goodness. Friend, are you running a business by digging up the ground?]

“If it had been in a red zone, it would have definitely been a supernatural disaster waveform anomaly, but thanks to you, it’s currently registered as a phenomenon.”

In a strange, inexplicable shock, I looked at Agent Haegeum.

Yes.

That was… definitely a decision I had made before.

And I was still the owner of that resort.

Unchanged, even after all those things happened.

“So, about that…”

…

“No matter what I think about it, the resort owner doesn’t seem to have the same disposition as Daydream Inc.”

Ah.

“Were you caught by a contract?”

…!

“Daydream Inc. seems to have finally managed it. How to wield supernatural phenomena.”

…

“Originally, pure beings are easily deceived by such evil promises. Because they don’t understand human malice well.”

Negative.

“You mean it’s not that bad? But… your aura has changed.”

Agent Haegeum tapped the carrying case. When the security chief tried to stop him, he slightly raised both hands, then continued speaking…

“You seem very tired.”

…

“You don’t have that vibrant look I saw at the resort before. Something… is murky. It reminds me of the inner appearance of that Magic Bunny, the red mascot.”

…I recalled.

The grotesque red mascot, its true form lost, melted away by being consumed by the mask.

And the blue mascot, who absolutely did not want to show his unmasked appearance.

“Do you want to run away? Before you lose more.”

…

Impossible.

“Hmm… Is that so.”

Agent Haegeum, pressing his eyebrows together as if in regret, thought deeply about something.

“Then what do you want most right now?”

…

I want to be in a human-like form, even if it’s just similar.

That was the correct answer to give.

Because that was my intermediate goal.

However… I was unconsciously moving the smoke…

To find myself.

It was a vague and impractical statement.

I hadn’t lost myself; I was just always like this. I had simply realized the truth.

Just as I thought I should cancel it.

“…Hmm.”

Surprisingly, Agent Haegeum began to rummage through his pocket.

“Team Leader Hong compared it to a lantern… For someone like you, who is always shrouded in black mist, what I used would be better.”

And he held something out in front of the carrying case.

A small object.

A round object made of jade and silver…

“Even if you can’t see, you’ll be able to hear the sound.”

A bell.

“When you lose yourself, when you can’t see an inch ahead, when the world blurs with confusion and vexation.”

“Listen to that sound and follow it.”

Jingle.

“Realize. What kind of person I originally was.”

A clear sound rang from the bell.

Team Leader Haegeum gave it to me.

“It will help.”

…

I formed a hand within the smoke and took the bell.

At the same time.

Outside the officetel, in an alley in Seoul.

“Phew.”

Kang Yihak sighed and moved his steps.

‘I couldn’t get a single penny here.’

It was so regrettable! No matter how he thought about it, it seemed like a situation where he could have snagged an item.

He clicked his tongue regretfully, looking at Lee Seonghae, who was walking some distance behind him.

‘He’s not betting, huh.’

It was a shame. Next time, he would definitely figure out how to use this superior to generate additional income!

Of course, if he was going to work with an elite team, he’d prefer to work with a different superior.

‘Deputy Jin Nasol spends money much more generously!’

Though if he could choose freely, it wouldn’t be a company.

‘Still, I broke even.’

Let’s work harder in the future. Kang Yihak inwardly shrugged his shoulders, then amiably spoke to Lee Seonghae.

“Deputy, is our taxi fare back to headquarters covered…”

Lee Seonghae stopped walking.

…?

“As expected.”

At that moment.

Kang Yihak felt an intense premonition pierce the back of his neck as he saw someone walking from beyond the alley.

The sensation of ‘I’m screwed.’

“You came this way.”

It was another agent.

Someone who had finished his rescue duties and was planning to return to the agency to report information instead of being dispatched to the broadcasting station.

The agent Agent Choi had called for as he ran to the broadcasting station.

Bronze.

“I am informing you. Individuals who have experienced a supernatural disaster will be subject to isolation measures by the Disaster Management Agency for the purpose of interrogation and protection, ranging from a minimum of half a day to an indefinite period.”

Kang Yihak immediately turned to run. The moment he decided to use an item.

He saw.

Lee Seonghae, who was standing behind him, frantically raising his hand.

‘…!’

It was at that moment, as Kang Yihak instinctively flinched at the gesture, as if he was about to use some equipment or ability.

…

‘Ah.’

Lee Seonghae, standing behind him.

Smiled and waved his raised hand at Kang Yihak.

A farewell.

“I will transport you.”

Before the blackout, Kang Yihak saw a giant glass barrier covering him.