Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 68

Morning.

I’m sitting in the quiet office.

– Ah, what a refreshing winter morning. How about a cup of coffee, friend?

Yes. Let’s have it at lunch.

While tidying up my desk a bit and chatting with Braun to chase away the silence, the lizard-headed boss enters the room around 8:50 AM.

I approached and greeted him politely.

“Good morning, Team Leader.”

“Yes.”

I raised my head and continued.

“I heard you helped me get paid leave… Thank you.”

“Yes.”

The lizard only moved its eyes to look at me.

“Will you be able to perform your duties in the same condition as two weeks ago?”

“Yes. I can work as before. Even if the results are not as good as before, I will regain my rhythm as quickly as possible.”

“I see.”

Vertical pupils stared at me intently.

“I will judge and compensate for that.”

Hmm.

By now, it’s roughly translated.

‘Whether you do well or not, I’ll watch and cover you, so you just have to work hard as usual.’

Gradually, the appearance and word choice make me think that even if he’s a lizard, he’s a good boss, so what’s the big deal…

Of course, that doesn’t mean I can relax.

‘For a while, I absolutely have to clear the darkness well.’

I had already taken paid leave.

But an employee who was so efficient that they were promoted to team leader in 60 days, even after taking a break, is unable to achieve ‘previous’ results?

This will make the office gossip go up and down.

It looks strange.

[No, my colleague didn’t die, they all survived, right?]

[Hmm… That employee, Kim Soleum, seems to be unexpectedly weak to mental shock?]

[But how did someone with such a weak mentality achieve those results?]

…like that.

‘It’s no good if I start getting suspicious.’

I mustn’t give them any loopholes.

‘Let’s clear it properly.’

Although… I haven’t been able to buy any new reliable items yet.

I recalled the phrase from the alien shop homepage that was down during my vacation.

<Space Shopping Mall>

※ Under Reconstruction (Temporary Situation) ※

>>I understand!

That’s right.

The homepage is under renewal….

‘I wonder when it will open.’

Since I haven’t seen any documents related to the renewal, it will probably end soon and reopen.

My budget is fixed, so I plan to secure items after seeing the goods at the newly opened alien shop.

For now, let’s get back to basics and properly clear the darkness.

‘They won’t be giving me high-level darkness for a while.’

The strange emptiness from the reduced number of people is unavoidable, but I can’t quit… I have to somehow make it through.

I deliberately asked with a slightly energetic tone.

“Should I be deployed to darkness starting today? I heard that since we are not at full capacity of three people, there’s a high chance we’ll be supporting other teams…”

“That’s right.”

Oh.

“Which team am I supporting today?”

If I’m lucky, I might meet one of my colleagues I haven’t met yet…

“The elite team.”

….

Huh??

Again?

“Do you mean Team A?”

“No.”

“…Then which team?”

“Team C.”

A team I don’t know.

Being an elite team is concerning, but at least Team Leader A and Team Leader Lee Jaheon won’t meet… I’m thinking that, when…

‘What?’

Thinking about it, in a way, I wasn’t unfamiliar with Team C.

[K.LEE: I’m Lee Kangheon, from Team C, haha]

That suspicious Assistant Manager who introduced me to the salmon market!

‘They definitely said Team C.’

Maybe I’ll see their face this time.

But a more important question came first.

If it’s darkness that the elite team enters….

“Is it a high-level darkness that’s difficult to clear?”

“What criteria do you want to use for judgment?”

“……I’m sorry. I misspoke.”

“?”

“Um. It would be helpful if you could tell me what level it is and if there’s a manual.”

“It’s D-level. The manual is complete.”

Oh, then the probability of seeing them do the crazy thing of calling the cleanup team and using them as meat shields is low. I asked with a sense of relief.

“Okay. Then when should I move?”

“We will start moving in 5 minutes.”

Yes sir.

So, we grabbed our bags and left the office.

We walked.

Then….

“…….”

“…….”

“Team Leader.”

“Yes.”

“Why are we going near the annex instead of the Team C office?”

“Because Team C has already entered the darkness.”

“…….”

What?

After a few more questions and answers with the Team Leader, the answers I received were as follows:

[Team C’s Team Leader is on vacation, leaving only 2 members.]

[Today’s horror story is D-class.]

[But why are they trying to maintain a 3-person team for such a low-level darkness? Team C went in by themselves, so the administrative office hastily organized additional personnel.]

“…….”

Wow.

When I first joined, Assistant Manager Eun Haje was furious and cursed when they heard ‘It’s three people including the new recruit,’

‘They are voluntarily entering with only two people here….’

It feels ominous.

– Hmm, a member who doesn’t follow instructions well! A great presenter should be able to handle all aspects of the show, especially human resources.

– Will Mr. Roe Deer have a chance to learn that today? Let’s check. Shall we go powerfully then? Friend!

I want to just sit down powerlessly….

However, I needed points, and it was also time to go back into the darkness.

‘Among the elite teams I’ve met so far…none were normal…’

And I have a strong feeling that this will be the same.

A section chief in their sixth month on the job has to do as they’re told.

If I was resentful, I should have gone to Team A…Of course, if I had gone, I would have already been flung into the cleanup team and become a corpse.

‘…Already missing it.’

I tried not to think about the two superiors of Team D as I moved my feet.

Team Leader Lee Jaheon handed me a tablet.

“Please familiarize yourself with the manual for the next 10 minutes.”

“Is there a reason you’re only giving me 10 minutes?”

“Because time is pressing until entry completion, and the survival rate in the last two quarters has reached nearly 97%.”

Thank you for the kind explanation….

‘I’ve come to accept the 3% mortality rate….’

Honestly, with this background and a manual, the 3% who died probably just had incredibly bad luck or acted impulsively.

‘It’ll be okay.’

I looked at the tablet with a feeling I didn’t know whether it was reluctance or enlightenment….

“…….”

“…….”

– Hmm? Mr. Roe Deer, it seems your mind is suddenly blank.

Yeah.

I’m screwed.

———————

Darkness Exploration Record / Horror Story

[Ignorance is Bliss]

: The horror story appearing in <Darkness Exploration Record>, Daydream Corporation’s identification code is Qterw-D-2367.

A classic horror story where you have to spend a whole night among ghosts, a nerve-wracking experience.

———————

“…….”

Wait.

Wait a minute, Team Leader…!

Instead of wailing that I wouldn’t go in, I barely made a rational suggestion.

“Um, would it be possible to prepare for 30 more minutes before entering?”

“Impossible.”

“…….”

That’s right, they said the entrance closes….

It wasn’t exactly a rational suggestion.

“…….”

Aaaaaah! Really!!

Why did this have to be my return mission!

“Excluding the two who died of heart attacks, there are no death records. It’s safe compared to the same level.”

“……Yes.”

‘That’s not why I’m doing this…!’

It was just that I was mistaken.

I was so caught up in ‘creating my elite rookie character’ that I forgot.

Even before my paid vacation, I…was just someone who cried silently while doing time attacks because I hated scary things.

But my return horror story is…the hell of classic horror, which I’m most weak against.

‘It’s not like I can pull any tricks since it’s my first time seeing them and half the team is elite.’

It’s even a low level so using tattoo stickers is a waste, so I just have to endure it with grit.

It’s not a situation where my survival instinct rings the bell, making me run madly and think of escape methods, but I have to experience it raw….

The horror the wiki writer intended.

‘Ugh…’

At least with the convenience store ghost and hide-and-seek, I went in without knowing.

It felt like I suddenly got splashed with cold water and returned to reality. Should I call it shock therapy?

With the feeling of being dragged to a slaughterhouse, I entered the darkness with tears in my eyes.

My legs were shaking.

“This way.”

Fortunately, this time, the darkness didn’t involve a spacetime distortion that would swallow us whole in some strange place.

This entry method was quite simple.

Knocking on a sealed space that met specific conditions and entering it would turn that place into a haunted location.

A sealed indoor space with no people within a 100m radius, and with four walls and a ceiling.

There should be no interior elements that allow viewing the outside, such as windows, and there must be exactly one analog clock.

The volume should be around 40㎥, and a difference of more than 4㎥ would prevent the darkness from occurring.

In our company’s case, a space meeting these conditions was created by renovating part of an annex building, and it is said to be used even during normal times.

It’s a ‘4m x 4m x 2.4m’…

[Break Room]

Lee Jaheon, my team leader, and I stopped in front of the door with this nameplate.

It was a break room next to a normal office, but the conditions were met.

A Wednesday on a date ending in ‘4’.

Knocking on the door of the sealed space with a specific rhythm would initiate the haunting.

“…….”

Should I… do it?

Because of seniority?

Knock, knock, knock-knock, knock-knock-knock

I tried to hide my trembling hands as I knocked on the door.

Then, as if by magic, the door clicked open.

“Huh?”

“People… Oh!”

Two employees were sitting comfortably inside, and they waved at us upon seeing us.

“Ah, are you here for support?”

“Yes.”

“Really, we said we didn’t need it, why did they insist on sending you?”

To the employees who were chatting amongst themselves about how an increase in cleared personnel would lead to point dispersion and a dilution of the Dream Essence concentration, etc., Team Leader Lizard replied:

“If you have complaints, apply for a department transfer and amend the field investigation common manual.”

“…….”

“…….”

The two employees’ mouths dropped open, and they finally nodded awkwardly.

“Yes… uh, we didn’t mean to criticize those who came. We’re sorry…”

“Hahaha, we seem to have been impolite! We are truly sorry. Uh, are you Section Chief D?”

“Yes.”

“Then, you are…”

“Supervisor Roe Deer.”

“Aaaaa!”

Both of their faces changed again.

“You’re that new employee who almost got assigned to Team A? I heard that the Butterfly Supervisor had a strong impression of you!”

“I also heard that you saved an employee who was supposed to die… Oh, oh, after we leave here, tell us the story!”

“It’s not that big of a deal, I was just lucky… Yes. Nice to meet you too.”

Lee Jaheon and I followed their guidance and sat down at a small table in the corner of the break room.

“We have to stay here together all night, so let’s introduce ourselves. Let’s call that person Supervisor Dolphin.”

 

“Nice to meet you, Supervisor Roe Deer.”

A small-built woman wearing a dolphin mask waved her hand when she was called. Her speech was quite lively.

And a man with a slightly tanned complexion, a cheerful and sociable demeanor, extended his hand with a grin.

“And I’m Leopard, Assistant Manager Leopard.”

“Yes, Assistant Manager Leopard.”

Hmm.

[K.LEE: Oh, hello, employee lolol]

Lee Kangheon’s profile picture was definitely on a Hawaiian beach. The tan suited him.

Plus, the matching job title and sociable attitude.

‘It’s probably him.’

Of course, I was keeping my options open. I didn’t know his real name yet.

Naturally, I didn’t intend to act familiar in front of my superior.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Yes. Let’s spend the night in our break room eating snacks!”

Anyway, so far, it seemed like a conversation you’d have while working late in an office.

In reality, things like blood tears suddenly appearing on the break room walls, the room turning upside down, or the coffee machine transforming into a murder machine wouldn’t happen.

However….

‘The ghost is already here.’

Some of the investigators are replaced by ghosts.

That’s right.

Someone among the people I’m talking to right now has already been replaced by a ghost.

Maybe more than one person.

“Would you like some coffee?”

“Ah, I’ll get it.”

“Aw, in our team, we don’t have that kind of junior-senior stuff. Just sit.”

I don’t know when that will happen. Maybe from the moment we cross the threshold, maybe from the moment we sit down and greet each other….

It’s easier if the person is simply replaced by a ghost.

Just entering the break room, losing consciousness, and waking up the next day.

The problem is the manual for the person who isn’t a ghost.

“…….”

The rules I have to follow.

The ghost is identical to the explorer in appearance, personality, and character, but creates a sense of unease by acting in ways a human wouldn’t.

However, no one can notice who the ghost is.

Explorers who overtly showed that they noticed all disappeared.

I, I can do this.

‘I’ll just ignore it.’

I can do this!

If someone is laughing hysterically, I’ll just ignore it, right?

‘I’ll pretend to look at someone else then.’

Since there are many people, I thought I could endure it.

I wondered if I had become even more of a coward after experiencing various things, but unexpectedly, I may have become somewhat stronger against horror.

At least, I’m not sweating profusely while imagining what will happen next!

“Ah! The entrance just closed completely. Now we just have to endure this number of people.”

“Oh~”

“Good. Let’s do our best!!”

Clap clap clap clap!

The employees clapped with bright smiles. It was a heartwarming scene.

Except for one thing.

“Wow!”

Everyone in the room was clapping with the backs of their hands.

“…….”

Ah.

“Hey? Mr. Roe Deer. Why aren’t you clapping?”

“…….”

“Why?”

Assistant Manager Leopard thrust his face in front of my eyes.

“Is there something bothering you?”