Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 224

“Agent Bronze.” “Yes.”

Ryu Jaegwan, who had been waiting, raised his head.

“I will guide you.”

Just one day after the ‘Man in the Screen’ incident was resolved. The main building of the Supernatural Disaster Management Agency was still somewhat chaotic due to the ongoing cleanup.

It was a simultaneous incident that required not only Team Hyunmoo 1, who were on duty that day, but also Team Hyunmoo 3, who were off-duty, to be called in.

Moreover… It was an incident that had barely been suppressed by the power of the authorities, preventing it from escalating into a major casualty event involving a broadcasting station.

Furthermore… the development was suspicious.

‘Now that I think about it, the timing of the report was exquisite.’

Usually, when a supernatural disaster first occurs, it’s difficult to contact the Supernatural Disaster Management Agency.

Ordinary people don’t even know the number itself, and it’s impossible for the Disaster Management Agency to pre-assign numbers at the initial occurrence.

But they received a call immediately, even before confirming if casualties had occurred.

‘It had to be strange.’

Sure enough, after interrogating the PD.

He testified that ‘masked men in suits, who were experts’ had tampered with the editing room, and then their ‘company’ had introduced the number of the Supernatural Disaster Management Agency.

It seemed clear that Daydream Inc. had collected a supernatural disaster that had naturally ended in the past, then messed with it, and when the problem escalated, they passed it on to the Disaster Management Agency.

Although they officially denied it vehemently.

Bronze pressed the dark circles under his eyes.

‘A trash company.’

Thus, bringing in one Daydream employee was praised as a very good decision for collecting additional information.

…Actually, it wasn’t just for that.

Moreover, one person who seemed to be from the elite team used an item and escaped in an instant, so they narrowly missed him.

It was a regrettable matter.

“Still, I’m glad it was handled well.” “…Yes.”

The office worker who was guiding him spoke casually.

“I heard that the term ‘Chapter 6’ won’t be used for a while, is that right?” “Yes. I heard they’re going straight to Chapter 7.”

The cleanup method was as follows:

Until the ‘man in the screen’ disappears, the term ‘Chapter 6’ itself will not be used for a while.

And the broadcasting station will preemptively use the ‘man in the screen’ ghost story for viral marketing, making a fuss and spreading ‘Chapter 6 skip’ marketing.

Even if they are criticized for being clueless and failed marketing, it’s a method that cleanly eliminates the mysterious eeriness.

The two deceased will be quietly treated as deaths from overwork or accidents, and after the overall memory of those involved in the incident is erased, the broadcasting station will regain stability.

Although there is a difference in scale… it feels like déjà vu.

Because it was similar to the method a rookie agent, affectionately nicknamed ‘Destroyer King,’ used in Team Baekho once upon a time.

“…Agent? We’ve arrived.” “Ah. …Thank you.”

So Bronze felt an even stranger sensation.

A sense of presence.

It reminded him of his direct junior, Agent Grape… Kim Soleum, who had disappeared half a year ago, leaving only a pile of letters and items he had painstakingly written.

It felt like a sign that he shouldn’t make a mistake here.

“You may enter.”

He entered the designated area.

A little further away from the section for checking supernatural disaster experiencers. Specifically, the detention room for temporarily isolating ‘dangerous individuals based on their statements.’

A place they called the protection room.

The stage before the glass prison.

“Wow, nice to meet you, Agent!”

Agent Bronze saw the person in the protection room who still hadn’t lost his smile.

The field investigation team employee was wearing a horse mask.

“The Jajangmyeon was delicious! The food here is really good. Haha, and it’s free.”

He didn’t state his real name, but his characteristics were already grasped.

“So, if you just match the price, I’ll tell you everything.”

An extreme materialist.

“However, what was directly related to my work that day… No, I could get disciplined or even fired by the company, couldn’t I? It’s hard with just a ‘small token of appreciation’.”

“…”

And Agent Bronze was familiar with such individuals.

Though extreme cases like this were rare.

“Citizen. This is not a negotiation.”

Agent Bronze informed him with sunken eyes.

“The small token of appreciation we provide is a gesture of gratitude for the information, and exercising the right to remain silent is an act that is not permissible for safety reasons at the Supernatural Disaster Management Agency.”

“…”

“And persistently refusing to testify will be judged as a dangerous situation.”

Agent Bronze didn’t seem to mind if it came to that.

“After that, I might demand an even larger amount, considering compensation for emotional damages!”

“…”

“Of course, instead of going that far, I think we can reach an agreement on the amount. Hahaha!”

He was an exasperating character.

Agent Bronze suppressed a sigh as he looked at the typical, selfish low-level Daydream employee in front of him.

An individual judged as evil, but one who hadn’t committed many evil deeds yet.

Since the scale of evil hadn’t completely tipped, the Supernatural Disaster Management Agency would not place this person in a position requiring sacrifice.

Usually, the next step would be to imprison him in a glass cage to prevent him from lying and proceed with the interrogation, but…

‘…Should I just let him go?’

To the Nightmare Labyrinth.

Once he experienced that, his attitude would change.

It was at the moment he was considering finding a place immediately.

Click.

The door to the protection room opened, and another figure entered.

“…Agent.”

“Oh, this is tough.”

Agent Bronze suppressed a sigh as he watched Agent Choi smile and wave at him, then at the Daydream employee, before pulling up a chair and sitting down.

“I stopped by after finishing work. No, I also played a part in the transfer, so it’s only right to have a few conversations to build rapport. Don’t you agree, employee-nim?” “Rapport is fine, I’ll take gold, hahaha!” “Hahaha, you’re very clear!”

Agent Choi, sitting casually on the chair and lowering his posture, hardened his voice.

“But even if I wanted to give you gold. You have to tell me something useful for an exchange.”

“…”

“Did you think the information of a section chief with less than two years in the field investigation team would have that much value?”

Kang Yihak laughed.

“Didn’t you bring me here because it does?”

“I was betting on the odds.”

Agent Choi rested his chin on his hand as if contemplating, then raised both hands as if defeated.

“Alright! First, tell me everything you know. I’ll match the price as much as possible.”

“Oh!”

“How about gold as an advance payment? There’s also jade.”

“Wow, that’s the best!”

Agent Bronze looked at Agent Choi with a bewildered expression, but Agent Choi maintained a somewhat troubled, flexible demeanor.

And he actually brought in a gold and jade ornament into the protection room.

“…!”

Kang Yihak grabbed it as it fell into his hand.

He knew by the touch.

‘Pure gold.’

He knew by the weight.

‘At least ten don (a unit of weight).’

Even if only the gold was traded, excluding craftsmanship or historical value, it would be over five hundred.

Considering the jade… this is!

“Cool, right? If the Q&A proceeds well, you can take it with you when you leave. We won’t stop you.”

“Agent.”

“And if the information is useful… who knows? I might accidentally drop one or two more.”

“Agent, I understand now. The Disaster Management Agency is a just and wonderful organization that works for citizens, and at the same time, it’s a place that knows how to be flexible and efficient in its work…!”

“Of course, naturally.”

“Ask me anything you’re curious about. I’ll even tell you my father’s columbarium number.”

“Oh, that’s alright.”

Agent Choi didn’t stop Kang Yihak from quickly pocketing the ornament.

He just asked casually.

“Then, as a test, shall I ask you this question first…?”

It was.

“Do you know about Deer?”

Agent Bronze stopped moving.

At the same time, he barely suppressed his fists from clenching in tension.

Deer.

…Agent Grape.

No trace had been found for half a year.

Go Young-eun, who was suspected of being a spy, also repeatedly stated that her whereabouts were unknown, and that was the truth.

The situation was that he had clearly written in a letter that he was going to the company for a wish ticket because he wanted to go home, but then he had vanished as if evaporated.

And yesterday, Agent Choi’s slightly trembling voice when he urgently called to request the transfer of a Daydream employee.

-Grape… he got a wish ticket. -…

They had never believed in the efficacy of the wish ticket in the first place.

But if Kim Soleum had truly fulfilled his wish and safely resigned, where was he then?

Only questions remained.

And this time, the same answer he had heard to exhaustion returned.

“Ah, he was a colleague. And he went missing. Don’t you already know that? But I didn’t know he got a wish ticket.”

“…”

“I’m telling you 100% honestly. For future trust.”

To talk about trust.

He must have guessed that the Supernatural Disaster Management Agency could prevent him from lying, yet his mouth was still alive.

Agent Bronze frowned, but Agent Choi, for some reason, fell into a deep silence before changing the question.

“Then how much do you know about the security team?”

“The security team?”

“Yes. You were with one of them, weren’t you? The field investigation team usually doesn’t work with the security team… it was a special mission, right?”

“…”

Agent Bronze had heard this story too.

‘Did that security team member testify about the wish ticket?’

He thought they would dig deeper into that, but Agent Choi steered the conversation in a peculiar direction.

“Do you know about a security team member like this?”

A description of a strange employee.

“Black smoke follows him around, and he has giant horns on his head. He wears a gas mask… and his eyes… were yellow.”

…

“Agent, that’s…”

Agent Choi lightly kicked Agent Bronze under the desk with his foot, and after he quieted down, he continued.

“The security team member who was with you also seemed to know that employee…”

“Huh?”

Kang Yihak blinked.

“Agent, you also met that ’employee-nim’ there, didn’t you?”

“…”

A heavy silence fell.

“What are you…”

“I thought you knew what you were asking about!

Kang Yihak said casually.

“The carrying case, I mean. The one held in that security team member’s hand.”

…

“Carrying case.” “Yes!”

35 cm wide, 50 cm long, 36 cm high.

The size of the cage entrance, only two adult hand spans.

A portable item.

“That is employee-nim.”

A strange chill ran through the air.

“He’s inside it.”

I came out of the carrying case.

With the bell I received from Agent Haegeum hidden in my hand.

Jingle.

[Oh, friend. Today was a truly thrilling day. Wasn’t it?]

Yes.

No, I mean…

If I were in my original body, I would have been drenched in cold sweat.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

I lay on the isolation room bed, recalling what had just happened.

Agent Haegeum had only given me the bell and then generously let us go, and the security chief and I had safely returned to the company.

‘I heard Deputy Lee Seonghae also returned safely and submitted the USB.’

It seemed to have been processed as a success, but it would probably be officially settled tomorrow during working hours.

Anyway, the security chief also returned to his living quarters, leaving only the carrying case in the isolation room, according to my newly designated isolation rules.

Jingle.

‘I wonder if he’s meeting Section Chief Park Min-seong.’

It was my time to rest too.

Anyway, it was a relief that it was safely resolved… though leaving it to the Disaster Management Agency left a bitter taste in my mouth.

‘Should I just say Daydream Inc. did what Daydream Inc. does…’

It felt strange to receive a thank-you gift from Agent Haegeum when I was part of the problem.

…Though realizing that my identity as the resort owner remained was strangely moving.

‘Am I happy?’

Perhaps.

I adjusted my angle so as not to be seen by the CCTV, raised the bell in my hand, and gently shook it.

Jingle.

I had heard it from inside the carrying case, but it was a clear and pure sound.

A pleasant feeling of debris falling away.

‘…Perhaps this is why the agents carry bells.’

Like Agent Choi had attached to his ritual sword.

It wasn’t… important.

I thought it might be to drive away contamination… but I was skeptical if it would work on me.

Jingle.

Still, the sound was good. It made me want to listen, and my mind felt lighter.

Jingle.

I was strangely drawn to the sound.

…I wondered if Brown could hear it too.

[Deer.]

Can you hear it?

[Of course, I can hear it clearly! Oh, and I have a question for my dear friend too.]

[How do you feel right now?]

How do I feel? Disturbed.

It’s not easy to feel good when I realize I’m not human, and my body would melt without this suit…

Signing that labor contract that holds my life hostage to Daydream Inc. also plays a part…

…

Jingle.

Wait.

[Oh, finally.]

I shot up from the bed.

‘…What is this?’

Why.

Can I think?

My thoughts don’t feel crushed, flowing away, or submerged in mist.

Dynamism.

Naturalness.

I don’t feel clear emotions, but what I originally did, the direction of my thoughts that flowed naturally by inertia…

It’s happening.

Jingle.

‘…!’

[To think that the losses incurred at the resort would return like this, it’s truly a dramatic reversal.]

[Congratulations, friend!]

I am myself.