Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 65

A black book hologram overlays Park Minseong’s head.

The hologram, clinging like tar, slides down, and Park Minseong writhes, scraping the floor.

Behind his struggles, a cheerful voice comes from the TV.

[Now, I’ll let you know the new teachers who didn’t actively participate in the Hangman game.]

Soon, similar scenes repeat everywhere.

The problem is, the problem is…

[New teacher Park Minseong, you didn’t guess a single letter!]

Existing accumulated 1 time.

Going on stage 1 time.

And…

Failing to guess a letter 1 time.

Therefore,

[Penalty accumulated 3 times]

The TV announces.

[New teacher Park Minseong has been designated as a subject for supplementary learning.]

[Until you become a perfect teacher of ■■ Annex Kindergarten, you will receive eternal instruction at the kindergarten and prepare for its opening.]

Black book holograms covered the faces of those who failed to guess the alphabet.

Only Park Minseong’s turned crimson.

And covered his entire body.

“■!!”

The teacher’s scream is eroded into a strange form.

“Don’t■, ■give, ■■■■…!”

A person rolls and contorts on the floor in a terrible state.

The content of an incomprehensible textbook was recited, interspersed with phrases and sobs.

But no one around cares.

They glance away, as if trying to avoid any association, and simply wait for the next step written in the manual.

That is…

[Thank you for today’s mock game! Goodbye, new teachers!]

Clear confirmed.

“…….”

“F*cking finally!”

“Get out of the way!”

As soon as they realized the game was over, those who were freed from curses and running rushed out of the recreation room.

Soon, the employees who had finished their 10-minute penalty training also vomited up tar-like holograms, clutching their foreheads, staggering to their feet, and limping away.

They bumped into me.

“Huh?”

“…….”

“What, what is it.”

“…….”

“The door only opens for 30 minutes, if you can’t go out now, you’ll be processed as an applicant too! Sh*t!”

And ran past me again.

“…….”

Thus, I was left alone.

Along with the ‘contaminated’ Park Minseong, rolling on the floor.

– My goodness, my friend is misunderstood to have applied for this antiquated place! Let’s go, Roe Deer!

“…No.”

– Roe Deer?

The game is over.

That means…

that the rules of this urban legend are also over.

‘In the worst case, even if I run alone, 10 minutes is enough to get out the door.’

Therefore.

“Teacher… I have to try to take you.”

I can hold on.

I have to try as much as I can.

I did it before.

‘I don’t want to give up right away.’

I didn’t want to end up with a conclusion where someone who had become a Hangman was saved through a sliver of opportunity, but the one who tried to save them eventually disappeared from the urban legend.

I didn’t want to leave a comment on the wiki like ‘What a hungry Hangman-like exploration result.’

‘…I can do this.’

I lifted my head.

And immediately reached into the tattoo on my wrist.

: Benefactor :

Things I had put in came out of the heated tattoo. A candle-making kit, apple juice, a blood-sucking knife, stickers, dozens of bundles of 500-won coins…….

– Oh, what fun item are you planning to use this time, friend?

“I’m not going to use anything.”

– Huh? Then that action is…….

I put all the items I took out into my briefcase. Thanks to the lack of blood vessels, it barely fits.

I separately put things like the blood-sucking knife, which seemed about to pop out, into my back pocket.

‘…Done.’

The completed briefcase was heavy, but not to the point where I couldn’t carry it and run.

And what remained was.

The empty space inside my wrist.

– Was it to vacate the space?

That’s right.

I put my hand slightly into the space connected through the tattoo on my wrist and took it out.

“This, you said it was the volume of a cube with sides of 60 cm, right?”

– Correct.

“But it’s irregular, right?”

-…! That too….

Braun’s voice was mixed with interest and amusement.

– Correct.

Good.

‘It’s all or nothing anyway.’

I definitely heard that being contaminated and unable to die, and eternally trapped in this urban legend is more terrible than death.

‘Let’s do it.’

I gritted my teeth and waited.

For Park Minseong’s third punishment to end.

‘Trying to do something right now is foolish.’

When contacting someone undergoing punishment, that holographic training manual kindly ‘appears’ to me.

That way, I also become incapacitated for 10 minutes, reciting the manual.

‘That’s the end.’

I suppressed my anxiety and waited calmly.

‘Time remaining until the punishment ends… 7 minutes.’

6 minutes.

5 minutes.

4 minutes.

3 minutes.

2 minutes.

1 minute…….

0.

“…….”

Tar-like, sticky red substances disappear from around Park Minseong, who was lying on the floor.

And he slowly got up.

With the clean appearance of a kindergarten teacher.

The black suit was replaced by soft beige pants, a white T-shirt, and a light green apron.

He held a Braun file folder with a red title in one hand.

And on his bare face, where the mask had completely melted away…

The branding scar on his forehead.

A gentle smile appeared on Park Minseong’s completely revealed face.

“Soleum teacher!”

Damn it.

“You waited while I recited the manual? Thank you so much.”

“…Of course I had to wait.”

Don’t be flustered, don’t be flustered, showing it will be disastrous.

“How are you feeling?”

“Great! Couldn’t be better!”

Park Minseong nodded with a gentle smile.

“…That’s a relief. Shall we go now?”

“Go? Oh… leave?”

“Yes. Let’s go together.”

“Oh, I don’t have time! I’m not a new teacher anymore. I’ve finished reading the manual!”

“But quitting time…”

“I don’t have one!”

“…….”

“Well. I have to go to the Sprout class to help with the opening preparations…”

And Park Minseong exclaimed with a bright expression.

“Oh, that’s right! Soleum teacher, do you want to come too?”

A chill ran down my spine.

“Soleum teacher doesn’t know which class you’re assigned to yet, right? You haven’t read the manual yet. You’ll know after you read it. Your assigned class!”

Park Minseong extends his hand.

“Where will it be? I hope it’s Sprout class. We were originally in the same group,”

Damn it.

Damn it!

As if contemplating the offer, I naturally took a step back.

The teacher’s outstretched hand passed through the air.

“Um…”

“Thank you for the offer, but… I think I should drop this off outside the entrance.”

I lifted my briefcase.

“I have something borrowed that I need to return by a certain time.”

“Soleum teacher, I wondered why you had so many peculiar items, so it was borrowed?”

“Yes.”

Please don’t get caught.

‘Please.’

Something that was Park Minseong… answered kindly and gently, like a professional should.

“Shall I help you transfer it to the teachers?”

“It’s just a briefcase. If you don’t mind, could you just guide me to the entrance? …To Badger’s supervisor.”

Park Minseong stiffened.

“…….”

What if.

“…Badger supervisor?”

…….

The supervisor’s mouth opened.

“That… ”

…!

But the next moment.

“Yes! Let’s go to the entrance together.”

The gentle teacher’s voice returned.

“…….”

“Soleum teacher?”

“Yes, I just need you to accompany me to the entrance. I will move quietly without causing any disturbance.”

“Okay!”

I turned and headed out of the playroom.

Leaving Park Minseong, completely ‘infected’ by the teacher, right behind me.

‘Ha.’

Slowly, I moved my steps.

Tap. Tap.

From right behind,

I hear the sound of close footsteps.

The sound of soft slippers, not dress shoes.

Tap. Tap.

“Ah, let me carry the briefcase.”

“I’m…”

…before I could say I’m fine,

The teacher’s hand grabbed half of my briefcase.

And the cover of the perfect teacher’s manual in the same hand gently hit my hand.

Tap. Tap.

“…….”

It’s fine.

Suddenly, I don’t hear the piercing sound in my mind, nor does the overwhelming fear or terror rush in.

‘I can get out.’

The entrance is just a short distance away.

I just need to walk.

But at the same time, I wonder.

Is it right for me to secretly go out to the entrance like this?

Damn it.

Look at me cursing.

It seems a little embarrassing, since I haven’t even recited the training manual once…

Actually, isn’t that not a punishment, but rather an opportunity for education disguised as a punishment?

This is crazy.

Wait a minute. This is a serious issue that shouldn’t be dismissed as mere contamination.

This is a wonderful workplace. Preparing for the perfect opening with polite and obedient people will be a great joy.

I have the aptitude to be a perfect teacher.

■■Annex Kindergarten informed me!

No.

What do you mean no?

I berated myself. I know that getting caught lying is a punishment. Let’s just efficiently give up on the entrance hall.

That’s right.

Let’s voluntarily recite the training manual here. I think I can ask Mr. Park Minseong to look at it with me.

No.

If I borrow the training manual…

Don’t.

Let’s not think about anything else.

Because the deeper I think, the less likely I am to admit that this is a pretty good idea!

Let’s focus on moving my feet. One step at a time, the entrance gets closer.

Tap, tap.

“…….”

I arrived.

The entrance hall!

Instead of the dirty entrance hall I first entered, there’s a clean-looking entrance hall… so much so that I don’t want to leave.

“I’m going to throw this bag now, right?”

I pulled on the briefcase. The training manual that was in my hand unfortunately fell out.

“Shall we throw it together?”

Please.

“Alright.”

Do it.

“Just hold this…”

And then I turned my head.

Mr. Park Minseong’s face, smiling with a ‘teacher’s’ expression, filled my vision.

He was also extending his body and hand to grab the briefcase, just as I suggested.

‘Now.’

I grabbed the supervisor’s head.

“…!!”

And shoved it forcefully into my arm.

‘It’s going in.’

The size of the space attached to my tattoo is a cube with 60cm sides.

But it’s not really cube-shaped. It’s a non-fixed, amorphous space.

So, if I were to convert this to a different volume…

‘It can easily fit an adult male and still have room to spare.’

I kept my gaze fixed upward.

Crunching, crunching.

The human body being shoved into the tattoo on my wrist feels like its joints are breaking apart…!

‘I intentionally tried to put his face in first.’

If we talk, I’m sure I’ll be affected, and the contamination will intensify.

I kept pressing down with one hand. The space inside the tattoo continued to absorb it without any problems… Ah! The training manual touched it! I’ll keep this separate and absolutely won’t do that.

Once I shove in the last bit, then…

Thump!

“…!”

Something suddenly grabbed my left arm.

Mr. Park Minseong’s right hand, its fingers white with exertion.

“Ugh!”

Damn it!

I tried to tear off each finger one by one, but it wasn’t working.

‘I can’t let the teacher get hurt.’

I didn’t know how this darkness would react.

‘Quietly…!’

Without breathing, I took out my blood-sucking knife and plunged it into my arm.

“……!”

Fingers were torn off, and chunks of flesh from my arm were ripped away. It was pain that should have made me scream madly, but it was blocked by tension and adrenaline.

As I shoved the last finger into the tattoo, I quickly stepped out the entrance.

Thud.

My last step.

“…….”

I raised my head.

The blue sky of midday.

Behind me now stood only the closed-down, dilapidated Minyoung Kindergarten building.

The bright sunshine illuminated the weeds of the open Seoul outskirts.

“…….”

It was clear.

I lowered my head.

The armless body of Assistant Manager Eun Haje lay on the ground.

The other employees weren’t visible. They seemed to have already left…

I took out my smartphone from my pocket.

And pressed the button as planned.

As proof that it was reality, the signal went through, and the other party answered the phone…

“Security team rental warehouse… is that right?”

The prescribed words barely came out of my dry mouth.

“We need equipment to contain the contamination…”

Because…

“We have rescued a contaminated employee.”

…….

…….

It’s done.

I fainted on the spot.