Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 74

A brightly lit classroom, straight out of a ghost story.

“Die! Die!”

People desperately beating a terrifying student behind me, who remains motionless.

“Let’s wait until they pass.”

A civil servant eyeing my company colleagues with suspicion and disdain as they walk past.

And caught in the middle…

Me, with no colleagues and having missed the timing.

I have to safely clear this nightmarish ghost story while appearing like an ordinary, harmless citizen to the civil servant next to me.

The truth is… this person is actually from a pharmaceutical company, which the civil servant despises!

“…….”

Just how high is the difficulty of this thing going to get…?

‘I’m going crazy.’

Meanwhile, my colleagues have moved far away. I think I made eye contact with a few, but they didn’t speak to me and quickly walked away when I avoided their gaze.

Just when I thought I was safe…

Flicker.

The power went out again.

“Hick!”

But this time, the people were faster than the approaching darkness.

“……Ah, they’re not moving!”

“Got it!”

I took a deep breath.

When the lights flickered and came back on…

The ‘Sekwang Industrial High School student’, who had been frozen like a statue, was now lying on the floor near the back door.

“Waaaaah!”

The frantic beating clearly worked. This time, the student didn’t move even when the lights went out.

Instead, it seemed like the accumulated beating caused them to collapse and die.

However, the student’s right hand remained outstretched towards the back door, as if still grasping it…

“…….”

The people cheered, their faces filled with elation, holding bloody burlap sacks and chairs.

“It worked! That’s it!”

“…….”

I need to escape.

When one of the student entities falls into a state of immobility similar to biological death…

Quickly.

All nearby students are summoned to that location.

[Ding-Dong-Dang-Dong]

[A fatal accident occurred in Class 5, Grade 1.]

“Uh…?”

A school announcement came on.

Unlike before, the voice was subdued.

A slow funeral march played in the background.

“Now.”

The civil servant poked my back.

“Let’s run.”

[The deceased student is Lee Wonyul of Grade 1.]

I immediately ran out the door.

And as quickly as possible, I memorized as much of the hallway as I could.

I confirmed what I needed, and pressed myself against the wall to reduce my size.

“Should we put our backs against the wall?”

“Correct.”

[Let us observe a moment of silence for 5 seconds.]

Without resisting the civil servant pressing down on my shoulder, I sat down with my back against the wall.

And.

Flick.

The lights went out.

[5]

Amidst the music, a creak…

The sound of the back door opening.

[4]

“Aaaaaack!”

“Ack!”

“Wh-wh… guk.”

[3]

 

“Liv… .”

“Hk,”

[2]

Screams, screams, short screams.

[1]

…….

…….

Silence.

The funeral march continued.

[The moment of silence is over. May the deceased rest in peace.]

I forced my trembling head up to look inside the classroom.

I have to see.

Flicker.

The lights returned, and my vision cleared.

The classroom was a mess of blood and filth.

Various corpses scattered everywhere— flung against the walls, lying on the floor, and on desks.

‘……Ha.’

And amidst it all, only two figures stood tall.

The Sewang Industrial High School students stopped by my gaze.

One was standing on a decapitated body, and the other was smiling, grasping the front door…

Staring at me.

“…….”

I understood.

‘Damn it.’

Sweat trickled down my chin.

“…Excuse me, I’ll move back slightly. To an angle where I can see inside the classroom.”

“…….”

The civil servant nodded slightly.

While continuing to stare forward, I felt along the wall behind me.

The reason I stood by this wall…

[Portable Lantern]

A red emergency flashlight was right nearby.

A portable light source capable of ‘freezing’ the students even during a power outage.

‘Absolutely essential.’

However, only one remained in the slot where three should have been.

‘My colleagues must have taken them.’

It’s surprising that Baek Sa-heon, that guy, didn’t take all three as spares even though he was with the group.

Furthermore, they even had the sense to stuff wads of paper into the emergency light’s sensor to prevent the alarm from sounding.  They were veterans of ghost story exploration.

They even left a single sheet of paper in the empty flashlight slot.

‘I noticed that too.’

I groped around and picked up the paper….

Then, as I stretched my hand forward, a phrase folded onto the back of the paper caught my eye.

– Debt

“…….”

Quite a bit.

I crumpled Baek Saheon’s note, shoved it back into the sensor, and pulled out the flashlight.

‘Whew.’

With this, the temporary power outage preparation is 1st stage complete.

‘Next is….’

“…! Did you take out the flashlight?”

“Yes.”

“……Excellent. You can keep it on. …Now let’s retrieve the name tags.”

The civil servant strode toward the front door of the classroom.

Right up to the student entity staring intently at me.

‘Whew….’

Just looking at it makes me feel like warning signals are surging to the top of my head.

However, the civil servant swiftly removed the name tag from his chest.

And then, retrieved the name tag of the first deceased entity lying by the back door.

“…….”

This is crazy.

‘This is an irreversible step.’

If witnessing the taking of a student’s name tag, you are pursued by that student until death.

Though, it feels like it’s already over the moment our eyes meet.

‘I’ll definitely be chased.’

Even with a flashlight, moving through this school at night carrying two students is insane for a normal person.

It was a choice only a Disaster Management Agency agent with equipment and colleagues could make.

‘…Still, I would have done it differently.’

But it’s water under the bridge, and thinking rationally….

Being discovered by the civil servant.

Dying in the nightmare’s urban legend.

No matter how I think about it, the former is much more dangerous.  Dying here is a given, and I’ll probably be targeted for investigation as well.

‘Right now, I can only rely on the Disaster Management Agency agent’s skill.’

Still, I’ll do my part… I’ll do my part.

‘If I’m going to do it, I have to do it quickly.’

At the same time as the civil servant moved, I also approached the inside of the classroom.

And reached out to the student by the back door to take their name tag.

‘Ugh!’

This is driving me crazy, it’s really scary.

The student, frozen without moving, seemed as if they would turn around and crush my head at any moment….

But that didn’t happen, and I succeeded.

‘Whew.’

Just as I was clutching my numb hand with goosebumps.

“P-please save me….”

I heard it.

“…….”

I thought the student entity was only stepping on the dead person’s neck, but it wasn’t.

Someone underneath, shedding tears.

“P-please….”

There was someone still alive.

Without the energy to shout or fight back, a faint whisper reaches my ears.

“…….”

After short, intense deliberation, I took a certain action.

…….

“…! H-hu… Yes…”

My eyes were completely focused on the student-shaped entity, so I couldn’t be sure, but the person underneath seemed to nod slightly….

“…….”

I slowly backed away to join the civil servant. Then, backing out into the hallway, I quickly started moving.

“Watch the front. I’ll watch the classroom.”

“…Yes.”

The civil servant took out his flashlight.

And while watching the back of the entity that had been staring straight at us from the front door.

To ‘stop’ any new entity that might appear with my gaze, I watched the front of the hallway.

We moved, sticking to the wall, complementing each other as much as possible so there were no blind spots.

“…….”

It was a silent, desperately fast movement.

As the classroom receded from view… just when I thought the one completely inside of the two entities was out of sight.

The civil servant, who had been watching this, muttered in wonder.

“Why aren’t they chasing… Could it be,”

Unease was conveyed from the back pressed against the civil servant.

“…Was there someone alive inside? Are they watching?”

“…Yes.”

The civil servant takes a deep breath.

“They must have been too badly injured to move. …Well done. During a disaster, you secure your own safety first, then help others.”

“…….”

“Let’s go to the stairs. We’ll stop near the fire extinguisher.”

“Yes.”

I moved my feet. And….

Flicker.

…Power outage again.

“I’m shining the flashlight.”

“Yes.”

I kept moving my feet.

And I realized.

During the just-ended power outage,

The person I gave the name tag to died.

‘They’re coming.’

Two entities are probably appearing in the classroom right now.

But the fact that I can’t look back because I’m staring straight ahead… is driving me crazy.

“Don’t panic. There’s still a chance.”

“…….”

“You picked up the name tag earlier.”

“Yes.”

“Good. Now you can kill yourself.”

I thought I was going to faint.

“Let’s do it as soon as we stop at the emergency lights. Your face is so pale, it’s better to wake up quickly from this nightmare.  With the name tag, there won’t be a problem.”

“…Me.”

But.

I swallowed my saliva.

“I did pick up the name tag, but it’s not in my hands right now.”

“……!”

“I gave it to someone who was still alive in the classroom.”

That’s right.

Earlier, I deliberately dropped the name tag on the floor.

So that the person under ‘student’ could pick it up.

– Holding that will wake them from this dream.

-…! H-h-huh…. Yes….

“Since they have the name tag, that person will wake up safely.”

And in addition to that, I bought us some time.

“…!”

The government official breathed shortly, filled with anxiety and stress.

Then, in an even more tired and businesslike voice, he said,

“…Did you trust in the extra name tag I had?”

“No. It’s okay if you don’t give it. It’s yours, Agent.”

“…….”

“You need more name tags, right? You have to give them to your colleagues too.”

“…That’s.”

Of course.

It’s not that I’m saying this because I’m a hopeless sucker.

‘It’s really okay.’

Why?

‘I never intended to just obtain the name tag and kill myself in the first place!’

Exploration Record #13

The exploration record I’m using as a basis for escaping, that is, the wiki entry I wrote… was originally a record of an explorer who couldn’t get the name tag.

Furthermore, I had analyzed this urban legend quite a lot and considered various variables enough to write an exploration record.

And I came to this conclusion.

‘Without possessing the name tag, one must perform ‘a certain action’ in order to clear this without experiencing physical death…!’

And that was also the strategy to get the highest grade dream solution.

‘Then I absolutely have to do it.’

Team D… that is, I have to prove that I continue to achieve similar results even in a new situation.

“Do you know what happens if you die without the name tag?”

I know.

“You’ll be dragged here again every time you sleep on a new moon, and you won’t be able to cope because you’ll forget when you wake up.”

“…….”

“Can you handle that?”

I don’t think I can, but I have to, what choice do I have….

Ideally, it would be much safer to keep carrying the name tag and give up ownership at a crucial moment.

However, as long as that government official is attached to me as my companion, it was impossible for me to obtain the name tag and discard it if necessary.

So I chose to take the risk and naturally give away the name tag.

“There will be another chance, right?”

I’ll give it up again if there is.

While I’m with you.

“And I’ll take that chance myself. Don’t worry, I won’t ask you for it.”

“…….”

And at this point.

Should I at least try?

I continued in a voice that seemed slightly determined.

“…Let’s separate here.”

“…!”

“If you need it, I’ll give you the flashlight I have.”

‘I brought a powerful flashlight anyway.’

I brought other things too.

I can stop pretending to be a civilian and use them once I separate from you, once I separate!

It’s scary to be alone, but I couldn’t stay tied up like this.

Whether a civilian or a company colleague, it’s better that way!

‘I need to join a larger group.’

This urban legend has a strange structure where the more eyes you have, the safer it is, but the noisier it is, the more dangerous it becomes.

‘I need to quickly form a party of about four people.’

Since I have the risk factor of being a Baekilmong Corporation employee, I shouldn’t be with this agent.

I needed a situation where I could move more proactively.

‘Let’s pretend to be unable to manage it and separate.’

“I think I’ll just be a hindrance to you, Agent. I’ll… try to manage somehow on my own.”

Anyway, they consider civilians caught in a disaster as already dead! Let’s just break up, considering it an unavoidable situation!

However.

An unexpected reaction came back.

“…I was wrong.”

“…?”

The government official looked at me with a determined expression.

“I was planning to execute a humane killing as soon as you recovered your name tag.”

What?!

‘This is insane.’

Even if death means awakening, to hear someone say they’ll kill you so openly to your face…

Feeling cold sweat running down my back, I forced a smile.

“Ah, yes. Even in a dream, self-destruction is difficult…”

“Yes. But… if you’re alright with it, I’d like you to accompany me on this disaster investigation.”

…

What?

The official spoke quickly.

“You’re going to temporarily become an agent. This isn’t a solo mission of mine, so I need the agreement of another agent, but… ah.”

The official rummaged through their belongings and pulled something out, handing it to me.

“If you eat this, it will be considered a simplified procedure.”

I looked at the small caramel candy wrapped in rectangular foil in my hand and my eyelids fluttered.

…It’s a Disaster Management Agency supply!

———————=

Tart and Sweet

Chewable caramel candy.

When consumed, it causes nauseating pain whenever a lie is told, forcing the truth.

———————=

“It’s a simple truth verification procedure.”

It’s no different from a truth serum used during torture.

“If you consume this and accompany me, you’ll receive a modest reward.”

“…”

“If it’s too difficult, I’ll return you after killing you and giving you back your name tag.”

Oh, really?!

“Citizen?”

If only I could pretend to eat it and put it in my tattoo, but in this dream, my high school self has no tattoos.

After carefully weighing my options.

“…Yes.”

I diligently chewed and swallowed the torture-inducing truth serum.

The tangy-sweet taste was delicious, but it got stuck in my throat, yet I swallowed it.

‘Getting caught discarding it, or getting caught not eating it, would be a bigger problem.’

Because it means I know what this caramel is.

“I swallowed it.”

I’m crying.

But they say the stick comes with the carrot.

Unexpected carrots began to appear.

“Well done. Now receive this.”

“…???”

The official quickly placed something else in my empty hand.

It’s a badge that looks like a silver heart.

Huh?

“It’s an agent identification card. Wearing it will allow you to receive help if you encounter other agents.”

“…”

“And this.”

As soon as I put on the badge, a small ivory pistol was quickly handed to me.

Small multicolored glass beads shimmered as ammunition in the translucent cylinder.

This, at a glance, is unusual…

———————=

Glass Hand Cannon

An exorcism pistol loaded with special glass beads manufactured by the Disaster Management Agency. It’s very small, looking like a toy or lighter.

———————=

“A weapon for dealing with supernatural disasters.  It will definitely be effective against those ‘students’. Keep it.”

“…”

Wow.

This is the Disaster Management Agency’s basic agent supply kit I’ve only seen on Wiki.

It’s like the Dream Collection Device and mask from the White Day Corporation, an agent identification device.

‘I’m getting all of this.’

I’m about to play the part of a Disaster Management Agency agent, something I never imagined.

‘What’s going on here?’

It’s funny, but also a little exciting, yet I desperately want to run away at the same time.

But for now…

‘But I don’t have the time to worry about that.’

“…It’s begun.”

Flicker.

“We’re almost at the end of the hallway, from now on, citizens, look this way. …Never let go of the flashlight.”

…

I adjusted the unfamiliar pistol.

They’re coming.