Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 76

Baek Saheon rarely doubted his remaining eye.

Is this a dream?

No, it was a dream. A nightmare from a ghost story… no.

NO!!

Actually, until just now, he was just angry.

‘I came here because I heard there was a powerful mind control item in this school’s faculty room…’

Seeing all these related people here, it seemed like it wasn’t such high-level information after all.  He was fuming inside.

‘…I’m going to get even with them tomorrow.’

Let’s say he gritted his teeth, updating the kill list with the person who had given him this so-called high-level information.  That’s fine.

But he was still confident.

No, he rather thought this situation, with the two factions in a tense standoff, was good to exploit.

‘Just shake things up a little and it’ll be a complete mess!’

Whether he instigated conflict or summoned a monster to cause havoc, he thought he could grab the item and escape.

Just like he had been using the surrounding fools as bait at crucial moments until now.

He could even tolerate his weak classmate, wearing a bison mask, choking back tears. Because he looked useful.

But….

‘That bastard… what the hell is he?’

Baek Saheon stared blankly ahead.

A staff member with a familiar face, wearing a black uniform, stood confidently next to the Disaster Management Agency people.

Wearing the same iron badge as them, holding a strange toy-like pistol.

…Kim Soleum!

“Agent Grape.”

Grape, Grape??

What in the world does that mean?

Surely when he saw him in the classroom just now, he wasn’t wearing equipment like that. No….

‘Why is a Daydream Corporation employee standing on the opposite side so naturally!’

“It seems everyone is securing items. Could it be what we are looking for?”

“It’s possible.”

They’re even having a naturally Disaster Management Agency-like conversation…!

The Daydream Corporation employees next to him whispered.

“They don’t seem like ordinary guys.”

“Maybe they are high-ranking agents? It looks like they were called in.”

“…….”

Next to him, Jang Heoun glanced back and forth between him and Kim Soleum, his mouth moving.

He’s the only employee here besides himself who remembers Kim Soleum’s bare face.

Even with the mask, his horror was palpable.

And he opened his mouth, as if to blatantly acknowledge Kim Soleum!

‘That’s it!’

Let me take the lead!

 

“Th-that…”

“Perhaps you could just step aside.”

“Excuse me?”

But the other person was Kim Soleum.

That… ‘Agent Grape’ immediately cut off Jang Heoun, who was trying to acknowledge him, and looked around at the employees with a serious expression.

Then, in a persuasive voice, he continued.

“In this kind of supernatural disaster, possessing dangerous items by an individual could bring about catastrophic consequences. You’ve all experienced it, but here, what looks good doesn’t always yield good results.”

His voice somehow sounded…

Very plausible.

“…Even now, outside, monsters are roaming around.”

“…….”

Kim Soleum said with earnest eyes.

“Please, let’s prioritize saving more lives.”

You?

He got goosebumps.

But Jang Heoun blinked his eyes, and then slowly, as if hypnotized, opened his mouth.

“Th-then… this time, I’ll yield,”

This crazy bastard!

“…! Hey! What are you saying, you newbie!”

“Shut your mouth.”

The protesting voices of the staff members who had suddenly come to their senses erupted.

Baek Saheon didn’t know it, but he was able to do this because he carried a mental defense item that could somewhat negate the influence of the silver heart.

Of course, the situation wasn’t good, so the agents on the opposite side whispered.

“Their corporate culture is trash.”

“Right. But that agent speaks very well.”

“…….”

He’s even getting recognized by the agents…!

‘What the hell is that guy pretending to be an agent…’

Wait a minute.

At that moment, a sudden realization struck Baek Saheon’s head.

‘Ac-actually… was he a Disaster Management Agency agent from the start?’

Upon closer inspection, the civil servant standing next to him was the guy he had met at that crazy murder villa!

The company-issued masks also had the effect of confusing people who weren’t company employees, so it seemed like they hadn’t recognized him, but…

‘…No way.’

Was it all a setup?

Was Kim Soleum a spy for the Disaster Management Agency from the beginning?

A chill ran down his spine.

But at the same time, it felt like he had a new card.

‘Then if I reveal that kid’s identity…’

At that moment, he made eye contact with Kim Soleum.

Kim Soleum grinned and tapped his chest.

Then he mouthed the words.

‘Debt.’

“……!”

-Debt

The words he had left behind with the emergency flashlight.

‘Y-you crazy son of a bitch, that’s the debt you owe me…!’

Could it be that he meant to cooperate quietly if he wanted the debt repaid?

How could a debtor blackmail a creditor… no!

‘Damn it, forget that!’

Baek Saheon gritted his teeth.

Currently, his team was outnumbered.

‘There are more operatives now.’

As it was, the field research staff aiming for a high-score clear were likely to simply retreat and give up the item.

Then they wouldn’t be able to cause any disruption. The opportunity itself would disappear!

‘Rather…’

“…….”

Baek Saheon pondered, then made his decision.

He absolutely needed that item.

…Absolutely.

He also knew that his custom equipment, procured with a hefty upfront investment of 1,000 points, was securely attached to the soles of his shoes.

This, painstakingly chosen and crafted equipment…

was a lethal weapon for creating chaos.

Owner: Baek Saheon

Registered Equipment Description: A three-colored ballpoint pen-shaped device; pressing the end of the pen causes the nib to shoot out, exploding like fireworks.

Manufactured by Qterw-E-99.

Enjoying the slender cylindrical pressure from the soles of his shoes,

Baek Saheon deliberately looked back at Jang Heoun and spoke.

“Excuse me.”

“Yes?”

“Doesn’t it sound like something strange is happening outside…?”

And then he naturally fired at Kim Soleum.

“…?”

He aimed for the head.

‘Die!’

Instant death.

He needed to make sure that even if they woke up from this darkness, they wouldn’t realize he was the shooter.

‘That kid will have a name tag anyway!’

He couldn’t let it be discovered that he had messed up this situation after taking the trouble to leave the debt.

‘I can pin it on someone else.’

After all, the personalities of the employees in this company were all pretty much the same.

Baek Saheon smiled slyly.

Whoosh.

The pen nib of his custom equipment, launched from the soles of his shoes, silently pierced Kim Soleum’s head…

…or not?

Kim Soleum naturally twisted his head to dodge the nib.

“…?!”

Kim Soleum glanced at Baek Saheon.

‘I’ve read your custom equipment’s usage instructions on Wiki several times.’

He already knew the loading mechanism.

‘It’s tapping the left heel twice.’

He had been prepared since they became roommates, so this reflex was, in a way, natural.

Actually, he didn’t have any expectations, so he wasn’t even angry…

‘I can’t afford to lose.’

At that moment, Kim Soleum smiled at Baek Saheon.

‘I know you shot.’

And it meant you’re screwed now.

“…….”

Baek Saheon’s spine chilled.

Learned fear rose to near-panic levels.

But his goal of creating chaos itself had been achieved.

“Ugh,”

“…!”

The pen nib that hit the locker behind Kim Soleum exploded in all directions.

In an instant, the teacher’s office was filled with light, noise, and smoke.

“…Who’s there!”

Now, no matter how quietly he spoke, it was useless.

With this level of commotion, even the ‘students’ would come running, even if it meant accepting minor property damage.  So…

They will be arriving soon.

“…!!”

“Flashlight.”

Everyone lowered their stances and pressed against the wall. The impaired vision due to the smoke was the worst condition in this nightmarish school.

‘Who is it?’

Just before survival took precedence over identifying the perpetrator in everyone’s minds.

‘In this case…!’

He would at least take what he aimed for!

Baek Saheon dashed to the table.

2nd year ■■■’s fountain pen

He grabbed the item and put it in his pocket.

Then he naturally joined the employees and ran out of the teacher’s office.

The operatives who had formed a tight formation with no blind spots inside the teacher’s office only confirmed the situation after the fog subsided slightly.

The fountain pen and the employees had disappeared simultaneously.

“…Damn it!”

“Daydream Corporation bastards…!”

Suddenly, I became jointly responsible.

‘Well, I’ll be.’

Only Kim Soleum, who had been watching Baek Saheon, confirmed this.

But the situation was too urgent to talk about it.

[A fatal accident occurred in the 3rd-floor hallway.]

[The deceased student is Kim So-ra, a sophomore.]

Daydream Corporation employees who were leaving the hallway had killed one of the students.

“…Ha.”

A power outage occurred.

A 5-second blackout.

Flashlights flashing everywhere.

Screams.

Corpses.

‘This is insane.’

With so many people and bizarre creatures, this is a B-grade splatter horror movie.

A different kind of fear than the suffocating silence a moment ago.

Aaaaaack!

Over there, at the window!

Blood! Blood!

Requesting backup… h,

Amidst the gruesome sights unfolding everywhere, I was somehow spotting students trying to enter the faculty room and stopping them through the fog.

It’s like playing a terrible defense game.

Or, a horror game where that’s all I can do.

“Go!”

Fortunately, the operatives are actively attacking, so I’m barely attracting any aggro.

But that’s also limited.

Blink.

The moment I involuntarily blinked because of blood splashing in my eyes.

A student’s hand stopped like a hook above my head.

“…!!”

I quickly stepped back.

…I almost got my skull pierced.

My hair stood on end.

‘Whoa….’

My heart felt like it was going to drop.

‘No.’

This was a swamp.

‘It’s beyond the range I can cover with just one flashlight.’

As far as I know, there were at least twenty students on each floor, although it varies from round to round.

What if I kill a student and an announcement is made?

[A fatal accident occurred in the sophomore faculty room.]

They keep coming.

Along with a 5-second silent blackout.

‘It never ends.’

There’s a high probability that we’ll all die here and the exploration will end.  So…

‘I’ll escape this chance.’

I gritted my teeth.

Let’s find other people on other floors and join them.

The fog is thinning, and the power outage has just ended…

Blink.

‘…Now!’

I slid through the door, which was already open, across the faculty room that had become a battlefield of blood, organs, and violence.

At that moment,

“Pomegranate Seed!”

“…!”

A Bronze operative appeared in my now-clear vision.

He was confronting a masked employee, and that mask was…

“Hick.”

“Quiet.”

A Bison mask. Team Y’s finishing team.

‘That’s Jang Heoun.’

Didn’t you follow when the employees escaped…!

“With this, restrain him…!”

The operative threw me what looked like handcuffs.

It must be to restrain Jang Heoun. He’s mistaking me for coming here to help him.

But I’ve already decided to cut ties with everyone…

“R-run away, Deer!”

“…!”

Damn it.

Jang Heoun covered his mouth in surprise when he heard his name called.

My mask’s name.

“……Deer?”

“No, that…”

I could tell from the operative’s expression.

‘Busted.’

Damn it, then…!

I quickly grabbed the handcuff item the operative had offered.

And I put it on the operative instead.

“……?!”

The handcuffs grew, restraining the operative’s mouth and arms, and a silver chain extending from them connected to my hand.

“Bison, let’s run!”

“Y-yes…?!”

And I ran out, dragging Jang Heoun and the operative with me.

Aaaaaack!

[The moment of silence is over. We offer our deepest condolences to the deceased.]

We escaped the chaotic faculty room and frantically ran up the stairs.

One or two creatures followed us out of the faculty room, but turned back due to the renewed commotion in the faculty room.

“Please keep watching above.”

“Yes!”

Jang Heoun answered briskly, looking up the stairs.

‘Whew.’

From the middle of the stairs, I watched the students disappear without following us, and I wanted to wipe the sweat from my brow as I turned my head.

Then I made eye contact with the person cuffed to the end of the rope I was holding.

Bronze, the Disaster Management Agency operative, was glaring at me as if to kill me.

“…….”

At this point.

There’s nothing I can do.

‘Let’s pull a fast one…!’

I began to concoct the most emotionally manipulative story of my life, faster than I had ever been.