Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 82

A morning after clearing a terrifying high school ghost story in a horrific horror game.

 

The even more terrifying fact that I still have to go to work means I’m diligently getting ready for my commute.

 

This time, however, the commute wasn’t that arduous.

 

Because I have a trump card.

 

A Dream Collector filled with Grade A solutions.

 

‘This is reassuring.’

 

I carefully packed the Dream Collector filled with golden liquid into my briefcase.

 

It was the harvest from last night’s labor.

 

Furthermore, the moment I completely got out of bed, I confirmed a rather unique ‘additional harvest.’

 

Thud thud thud.

 

Something covering my body spilled onto the floor.

 

Dozens of…marbles?

 

Transparent marbles that looked like they could be loaded into a slingshot.

 

I picked one up to examine its appearance and read a single Chinese character inscribed inside.

 

護

 

Ho… to protect, right?

 

– Ah, a Chinese character that often appears with the meaning of protecting or guarding someone. It’s quite straightforward and intuitive.

 

Ah.

 

I immediately realized what it was.

 

‘This is the final stage clear reward from that game!’

 

Graduation ceremony successfully held (2 deaths, 1 survivor)

 

Field investigation personnel who died as students were confirmed to have safely woken up in the morning.

 

A large quantity of reward items were found in the sleeping place of the sole survivor. (Analyzed as a type of amulet somewhat effective in exorcism and protection)

 

In other words, I brought the items from the in-dream game into reality.

 

Just like how Baek Saheon ran off with the fountain pen item from the faculty office.

 

“…Hmm.”

 

Come to think of it, something comes to mind.

 

When I went to the entrance, Baek Saheon’s shoes were already gone.

 

‘He quickly went to work and ran off.’

 

See you later.

 

Anyway, this means these dozens of glass marbles act as ‘protective amulets’ to some extent.

 

‘I think I’ll have use for these.’

 

I put all those ‘protective amulets’ into my tattoo and kept a couple in my pocket, then continued getting ready for work.

 

But.

 

-…….

 

-…….

 

It feels like an unusual silence is flowing.

 

‘…Braun.’

 

– Oh, you’re calling me, friend?

 

What if.

 

‘Were you… very uncomfortable last night?’

 

The Tuesday Quiz Show host whose cotton was almost flattened because I used him as a pillow….

 

– Ha ha, it wasn’t exactly the best feeling of my life!

 

– My friend seems to have had a very interesting experience alone last night, and anyone wouldn’t feel very good if they were not invited to that place….

 

Oh dear.

 

– Ah, that’s fortunate. While this Braun had the special experience of feeling the feelings of a waffle, at least my friend felt something special too!

 

“…….”

 

Hmm….

 

‘I did feel something special.’

 

– Indeed!

 

‘I had a fiery graduation ceremony.’

 

– Graduation ceremony, did you give a congratulatory speech?

 

No.

 

‘A teacher who didn’t like my performance attacked me. My limbs kept getting blown off, but I endured until it safely ended.’

 

– My goodness!

 

Braun, who seemed somewhat offended, quickly became excited as I explained what happened in the dream in detail.

 

Let’s get him to do that…aromatherapy massage thing the tattooist did the other night.

 

– That’s an excellent attitude, Mr. Roe Deer! I’d love to hear more details.

 

Okay, okay.

 

I continued explaining what happened to me on my way to work.

 

Everything, from being chased by students to becoming one of those students myself.

 

– Hoo!

 

And finally, I was on my way up to my office, having arrived at the building.

 

“Mr. Soleum!”

 

I saw a familiar face.

 

“Ah, Section Chief Lee Byeongjin.”

 

Lee Byeongjin, the missing person I rescued from the Changgui ghost story and the manual review officer, greeted me with a smile.

 

“I heard that the field investigation team attempted to enter a ghost story with a decent yield this time!”

 

Ah, he already knows about the high school ghost story.

 

Well, an official document was also sent to the field investigation team to attempt entry by everyone.

 

“How was Mr. Soleum’s team?”

 

“Ah, I did go in and come out… but I don’t know about the others.”

 

I think Section Chief Lizard didn’t make it in.

 

‘If that person had come in, it would have definitely been recorded in the <Darkness Exploration Record>….’

 

No, he wouldn’t have written it in the record in the first place. The counter to this ghost story is Lee Jaheon.

 

‘There’s no way that kind of chase would matter to someone who can take them all down with physical attacks….’

 

There’s no reason to ruin the ghost story.

 

Even if I interfered with the expedition and caused a butterfly effect, at the minimum, if Lizard Supervisor had been on this expedition, he would have noticed my presence.

‘He wouldn’t have.’

……And.

Another person from Team D…….

Died.

‘Hmph.’

I was about to say that.

“Ah, Team D only had the team leader and Soleum Supervisor, right? They didn’t meet each other, I see.”

“…Yes?”

“Even so, it’s an individual competition, see? It wouldn’t have hindered our company’s future! The capable Soleum Supervisor, haha!”

…….

What?

“Just a moment. You said Team D only had two people,”

“Oh? No, their personnel assignments were temporarily on hold, weren’t they?”

The supervisor looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Well, Team D, um, since the contaminated person might recover, we decided to skip this season and focus on support work, and sent a separate notice… didn’t we?”

“……!”

Ah.

I realized the next moment.

Supervisor Yoon Johoon.

That newly appointed person was… removed as an error by ‘the teacher’ in my dream….

Removed from reality as well.

Literally deleted.

As if he never existed in reality from the start.

“…….”

Right.

‘That’s why people mistakenly thought there were no deaths in this urban legend.’

Even in the worst-case scenario, they understood it as being dragged back to that school on the last day of the lunar month.

Everyone!

Because….

Those who collected many name tags and stubbornly persevered on the upper floors without retiring were all ‘deleted.’

They became people who never existed in the first place.

……A terrifying ability to manipulate reality.

‘……No wonder the solution was graded A.’

I felt that something deeper and darker was involved…….

A shiver ran down my spine.

Objectively, this situation might not be bad for me.

Someone who was difficult to work with naturally disappeared.

However…….

‘It’s no different from being subjected to record erasure.’

My stomach churned. And this feeling of being the only one who remembers… was truly strange.

No, wait a minute.

‘Why do I only remember?’

Shouldn’t we all have forgotten?

Perhaps it’s because I witnessed the death directly?

Ah!

Or maybe I was eating Nostalgia Candy at the time, so the effect bypassed me?

Come to think of it, when I ate Nostalgia Candy, I…….

…….

…….

“Soleum?”

“…Ah. I must have been mistaken.”

Anyway, it’s not important, so let’s focus on the conversation for now.

Even if it’s another team, a superior is a superior.

Supervisor Lee Byeongjin is asking me with a slightly expectant look.

“Ah, come to think of it, Soleum, how, what grade did you clear with? Show me your collector, and I can roughly tell the grade by looking at the solution concentration…”

“Ah.”

I readily took out the collector from my briefcase.

The golden liquid shimmered.

“This is it.”

“…….”

Silence followed.

“…?!”

Swiping, Supervisor Lee Byeongjin wiped his glasses.

“Haha, I’m getting old, my eyesight is getting worse, it seems like the light is over-reflecting…?!?”

“Ah.”

I spoke in a welcoming tone.

“Does it seem like an A grade to you, Supervisor?”

“…….”

Lee Byeongjin put his glasses back on.

“……Immediately,”

“…?”

“Immediately report! What are you doing! Hurry!”

I was instantly summoned.

Meaning that before I could even go to the Team D office, the people in charge took the collector.

“Good heavens!”

Their expressions, as they looked at me with a ‘you again?’ Look, well, let’s just say it’s better to be on good terms.

And the measured grade was…….

“Kim Soleum.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

“The grade of the solution that Soleum Kim collected last night in the darkness has been confirmed as A.”

That afternoon, while I was sitting in the office writing an expedition report, Supervisor Lizard calmly told me.

I had guessed that much.

However, the next words were the problem.

“And regarding this expedition, a request for a solo interview has been received for Kim Soleum.”

“…….”

Well, this one was unavoidable….

The second A.

And even this time, it popped out of the unprecedented urban legend.

‘In that urban legend, the A grade was probably only a nominal existence.’

Most were either D or F.

Someone who persevered and collected many items and badges extracted a C-grade solution once or twice, but that’s likely it. There were apparently rumors upstairs about them hitting the jackpot in what was just an item farming venture.

But, you see.

 

‘Actually, this is the end.’

 

Just give me credit for the first clear…

 

Subsequent attempts using similar methods resulted in the extraction of a solution one or two grades lower than the same grade ending (B).

 

‘That’s just how the game works.’

 

Anything after the first clear is considered a repeat and doesn’t count as an achievement…

 

Of course, I don’t plan on revealing everything, but I need to drop some hints to avoid the incredibly frustrating “I invested in you, and you didn’t get another A-grade!” blame-shifting.

 

‘I’ll be working my tail off all afternoon…’

 

That was my sad prediction, until…

 

“Kim Soleum.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Would you mind an interview?”

 

An interview?! Seriously?!

 

But after a moment’s thought, I shook my head.

 

“No. It’s fine. I should do it.”

 

To avoid the ridiculously unfair “You ruined the A-grade clear by trying to get away with a situation report!” blame-shifting… ugh.

 

“Yes.”

 

Section Chief Lee Jaheon, didn’t press it a second time. He was truly like a lizard.

 

And a short time later, at the appointed time…

 

I left the Team D office for the interview.

 

‘They called me to a high floor.’

 

I went down from the designated 31st floor and went to find the meeting room.

 

Knock knock.

 

“Come in.”

 

I cautiously opened the door with permission from inside.

 

A meeting room with a majestic atmosphere, sunlight pouring in through the blinds.

 

And a large, black, round desk.

 

But…

 

“Hmm.”

 

The research team members weren’t there for the interview.

 

Instead, only one person sat alone at the head of that enormous desk.

 

A woman with dark blue-black hair, dressed in a sharp three-button suit, looked at me with a kind expression. She didn’t look old, but there was something about her that made it hard to guess her age.

 

And on the desk, a striking black mother-of-pearl nameplate.

 

Managing Director Cheong Dallae

 

“…?!”

 

A… director?!

 

Wait, the director is sitting alone in the meeting room I was called to?

 

It wasn’t even Director Ho, who was connected to Supervisor Lee Byeongjin or Team A.

 

However, the surname itself…

 

‘I’ve heard that name before…’

 

When Supervisor Lee Byeongjin, who was on Director Ho’s team, disappeared.

 

The office staff gossiped about who would take over.

 

– Honestly, we don’t know what the new person will be like… but the chances of someone from the same team are low. Someone from Director Cheong’s team will likely come, right?

 

Director Cheong.

 

A superior I’d never had any contact with before, one of the executive members of this company’s development department, called me…!

 

‘This is insane…’

 

Of course, while I was shocked, I bowed deeply. I couldn’t forget my professional manners just because I was surprised!

 

“…! It’s an honor to meet you, Madam Director.”

 

“Yes, it’s nice to meet you too.”

 

Director Cheong shook my hand and gestured to the chairs around the round table.

 

“Let’s sit down first.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Where should I sit?

 

After some consideration, I chose a spot that wasn’t the head seat but wasn’t too far from the director to have a conversation.

 

Then, someone who seemed to be from the secretary’s office entered the meeting room, placed some documents in front of the director, and left.

 

I felt like I was going to sweat.

 

‘What’s going on here?’

 

I don’t even understand the context, so I need to figure that out first.

 

“So… Soleum Supervisor? Still in your twenties?”

 

“Born in XX year.”

 

“Young. Let’s be casual, Supervisor. I called you for good reason.”

 

“A good reason…?”

 

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Supervisor.”

 

Director Cheong smiled faintly.

 

“Very impressive. If only we had more new hires like you, we wouldn’t have any problems with raw material supply.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

When someone important says this, I just have to sit politely and listen. If I try to actively engage by saying I understand their needs, it could easily backfire…

 

‘Did she come to this meeting room to praise me and give me a pat on the back for writing a good A-grade manual?’

 

A power play, that’s what it was.

“So, Soleum Supervisor.”

But the main point came out of nowhere.

Without warning.

“Are you interested in the elite team?”

I almost choked.

“That…”

“Ah, I know you rejected the offer from Section A’s Section Chief Baek last time.”

“…!”

“‘I want to build a foundation’… Good excuse. Well played.”

Oh, my God.

“That team… hmm, while their adherence to hierarchy is good, sometimes their priorities shift, valuing hierarchy over exploration.”

“…….”

“Not a pretty sight, but, well, networking is a skill, isn’t it? Haha!”

You’re being awfully blatant about Section A being a different faction.

‘I will not react to that statement, Director…’

I’ll just awkwardly smile and nod.

If I get this wrong, I’ll be caught gossiping about Section A with the Director.

The Director will obviously be fine!

But I, a newbie who hasn’t networked, am screwed…

Though I’m clueless, I try to appear calm and composed, carefully choosing my words.

“Well, having joined recently, the need for a foundation was clear… In fact, I’m diligently learning…”

“Hahaha! Good, good. Yes, it’s a nerve-wracking situation, Soleum Supervisor.”

The director bursts into hearty laughter, then turns serious.

“You don’t have to agree with everything I say. I don’t like sycophants.”

“…….”

“Right. I need to be more precise with my wording. Right?”

Director pauses, as if lost in thought, then closes the file and says,

“I’m not saying I’ll put you in one of the elite teams.”

“…?”

“I mean, are you interested in receiving the treatment of an elite team member? Yes… I could phrase it this way.”

The director smiles slyly.

“How would you feel if Section D became an elite team?”

“…!!”

“With you choosing one member, the whole thing.”

Oh, my God.