Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 83

Elite Team.

This is the rank at Daydream Corporation, a company that undervalues the lives of its field exploration team members even less than a grade B Dream Solution. At this level, you start to be gradually evaluated as a “long-term valuable employee.”

You are given a private office and a separate salary scale. In addition, you are given new items to use in the employee benefits mall. More than anything…

A cleanup team member is assigned to you, to be used as an extra life if necessary. It’s a policy that makes people feel bad, but there’s no disagreement that it increases survival rates…

And now.

The development department director before me was making a proposal.

“There’s been a steady push to increase the number of elite team members… wouldn’t it look good if that became Team D?”

He was offering to make Team D an elite team. To maintain my current environment while dramatically improving my treatment.

“It perfectly fits the alphabetical order, and the administrative procedures are much simpler.”

“…….”

“Choose one employee you want to work with. It would also be fine to submit a list of two or three candidates.”

Wait a minute.

I can’t keep up with the flow…

“Thank you, but… why are you making me such a big offer?”

Frankly, if he said he wanted to make Lee Jaheon team leader an elite team member, I’d understand. From what I remember, he was originally supposed to be a temporary elite team leader before being promoted through another route.

But why… are you speaking from my perspective?

‘It’s strange to call a new recruit instead of the team leader to say this.’

I understand that I achieved extraordinary results by creating a manual and extracting two grade A solutions, but there were other named individuals who cleared rumors in incredible ways. And it’s also true that exploration records need to accumulate to create a manual.

But none of them ever heard, ‘I’ll make your entire team an elite team for you~’

‘This is strange.’

It was an unnatural situation, no matter how you looked at it.

“I’m a mere new recruit. I’m receiving sufficient points and compensation within the company for my work, and the speed of my promotion alone…”

“Supervisor Soleum. Have you ever heard the name Yoon Johoon?”

My back felt like it would freeze. I barely managed to keep it from showing. I only managed to respond to this tense situation with a tense tone.

“…Is he perhaps an employee?”

“That’s right.”

Director Cheong, who answered readily, smiled at me.

“Actually, he was the Supervisor newly assigned to Team D in this regular personnel reshuffle.”

“…….”

“But now, even if you check the company database, you won’t find him. You won’t remember him either.”

I didn’t react.

“In high-level positions, there’s sometimes that darkness. The ‘failed’ are erased from existence. But…”

Director Cheong put down the documents and lifted something from under the desk.

A Dream Collector.

“…!!”

“A self-powered device that uses the collected dreams up until the moment of death as its power source. And…”

Director Cheong lightly tapped the end of the recorder.

“It also has a simple recording function here.”

“…….”

“So, even the exploration records of employees erased from reality can be checked and referenced by this company.”

Good heavens.

“I thought you might have wondered, ‘How are the records of deceased employees referenced in the manual?’”

Wait a minute.

Right. Of course, the <Darkness Exploration Records> included the exploration results of deceased employees. It was only natural. To create a horror atmosphere, naturally, records of explorers being wiped out needed to be included. That’s more effective at inducing fear!

Records about employees and items whose very existence was erased still exist.

But…

‘A wiki is naturally recorded from an omniscient perspective.’

And, conceptually, it’s roughly rationalized why that’s possible.

Field exploration employees, upon death, their exploration records are transmitted to the company.

Like this.

The specific items or methods used were not described in detail to avoid setting conflicts…

So, even when I arrived here, I naturally skipped over that gap.

This was originally a creative world view based on a wiki!

‘But there was such a specific and clear setting value…’

Suddenly, all the questions I had dismissed as “that kind of worldview anyway” flooded back into my mind.

Could it be that there are “plausible additional background settings” for all of that too?

In this way?

My mind was about to become a jumble.

– Mr. Roe Deer! Your opponent is still watching you. It seems they want to continue the interview.

‘…!’

– It seems like the kind that wants a humble attitude from a star, so let’s concentrate….

Right.

It was time to concentrate on the conversation.

Fortunately, my agitation ended at the level of an “employee who has discovered the company’s secret know-how,” and the director continued.

“Based on this recording, Associate Kim Soleum seems to have explored and mastered darkness in a rather unique way.”

“…….”

It seems Supervisor Yoon Johoon found out I had become a student.

“Becoming part of an urban legend oneself. ‘Assimilation,’ it’s a method that ordinary people, lacking courage and wisdom, cannot choose…”

What terrible things are you saying…?

“Anyway, such exploration records are being collected without gaps… I wanted to tell you that story.”

Director Cheong looked at me.

“How is it? More systematic than you thought?”

“…….”

“I heard there are employees who say this company operates haphazardly.”

Th-this is… A salaryman’s cold sweat broke out.

“I’ve met and talked to them too. Most of them are smart guys.”

A somehow kind voice.

“But as time goes on, you’ll realize that there’s no company in this world as fair and rational as this one.”

“…….”

“If you’re only skilled enough, you can smoothly rise to the top even if you make a mistake or two.”

I never gave an affirmative answer.

But Director Cheong, as if I had replied, “I’ll think positively about it, Director!”, smiled and gave me the boot.

“Go. Give my regards to Section Chief Lee Jaheon.”

– Friend. Do you know this proverb? ‘Cream always rises to the top.’

– It means that excellence will eventually stand out anywhere. It’s a perfect proverb to describe our friend right now!

Isn’t it closer to ‘The nail that sticks up gets hammered down’?…

I returned to Team D’s office feeling like my soul had been ripped out.

It’s like I read a plausible pseudoscience book, only to realize it was reality….

Eventually, I couldn’t help but speak to Section Chief Lee Jaheon.

“Section Chief.”

“Yes.”

“What I just did wasn’t an interview.”

“I see.”

“…….”

“…….”

“Do you need help?”

“Yes.”

“Explain.”

I poured out what had happened, as if I were rapping.

Director Cheong’s statements, the dream collector, the missing Team D employee.

And the offer I received!

‘Anyway, the dream collector information would already be known to someone at the Section Chief level, right.’

Besides, I knew Section Chief Lee Jaheon wasn’t the type to get angry that a newbie got a groundbreaking offer over him, or to gaslight me into becoming part of the elite team himself.

Because… he’s a lizard.

“I see.”

Sure enough, the lizard simply nodded.

“Do you need my advice?”

“Yes.”

“Refuse.”

“…!!”

It concluded that quickly?

“I would like to know the reason.”

“Yes. Director Cheong Dallae is someone with a strong sense of ownership over the company.”

“…….”

Does that mean she considers this company her own?

No, wait a minute.

“Did you just say ‘someone’?”

“Yes.”

That’s a very suspicious designation.

“…By any chance, is Director Cheong not human?”

“I cannot answer that.”

“…….”

It’s practically the same as answering yes…!

At least I’m sure there’s something fishy about Director Cheong.

What do you expect from the director of a rumor company!

“A-anyway, please continue.”

“Yes. Therefore, if Director Cheong Dallae has the opportunity to subordinate a capable individual to this company, which she considers her own, she will not hesitate.”

“…!”

“In this process, there’s a high probability that actions will occur that will cause Associate Kim Soleum to experience extreme revulsion based on her ethical standards.”

Oh my god.

“Do not take the risk. You also have a high probability of being assigned to the elite team within half a year.”

 

“…I’ll leave Team D and join another team, right?”

“Yes.”

“…”

“Do you want to stay in Team D?”

“I’d like to, if possible.”

“I see.”

You don’t seem the least bit disappointed, new recruit or not, Section Chief Lee…

Such a consistent person… no, lizard.

‘I didn’t expect anything anyway.’

In any case, it’s not a lizard that would deliberately deceive me, so I can just take it literally.

“Thank you for letting me know, Team Leader Lee.”

“Yes.”

Hmm.

I hesitated before asking.

“Excuse me, Team Leader Lee, but don’t you want to become the team leader of the elite team?”

“I have no interest.”

It means they don’t care either way.

It also meant it wasn’t helpful to my decision…

‘This is driving me crazy.’

After that, I had a few more conversations with Team Leader I Jeaheon, but there was no clear result.

My worries only deepened.

‘The elite team…’

Section Chief Lee Jaheon, in the name of logic and reason, advised me to refuse, but company life often revolves around irrationality and emotions.

Why does Section Chief Lee Jaheon have so many enemies in the company, and why does he look like he wants to kill the Team Leader of Team A every time they meet!

‘I appreciate the advice, but it’s difficult to approach it that way…’

From the start, the employees of the Rumor Company seemed like people who wouldn’t accept a refusal.

Getting out of it like I did with the Team Leader of Team A wouldn’t work. Director Cheong explicitly mentioning it means that doing it would be disastrous.

“Ha….”

No, why am I having these worries even though I’ve been promised a promotion and exceptional treatment!

‘I want to quit the Rumor Company so badly…!!’

Finally, that evening.

I went home completely exhausted…

“…”

It’s been a while since I felt this drained, even though I didn’t go on a darkness exploration; I just stayed in the office and wrote reports.

– My, my friend seems quite exhausted.

– Let’s go inside quickly. Rest is important for a good performance, isn’t it!

‘…Right.’

Meeting a high-ranking person, hearing about the world view, receiving a radical proposal…

‘I’m exhausted…….’

As soon as I finished showering, I collapsed on the living room sofa.

– Friend, how about we have a cup of hot chocolate and talk this evening? Let’s relieve the fatigue of the day that way!

Hot chocolate… we don’t have that in this house, but a cup of honey water wouldn’t be bad….

I put Braun on the table and boiled water in the kettle to make honey water.

I planned to drink it mechanically and have a light conversation, slightly turning my back to Braun….

-Friend. This Braun will tell you a secret.

A secret?

-That’s right. With my cheerful nature, a professional asset, I hid it well, so Mr. Nolu probably didn’t notice, but the truth is…….

Braun took a breath and dramatically said,

-I was quite shocked by last night’s events!

“…”

A secret……?

In any case, their intention to comfort me seems certain, so I responded sincerely.

“What… was so shocking?”

-‘A good friend’ accompanies a friend wherever they want to go…. However, this Braun couldn’t do that.

The shadow of the rabbit doll seemed somehow droopy.

-It’s quite a shameful and embarrassing matter.

R-really?

It was a dream, anyway.

I guess, since Braun is not my possession but an entity of equal status, they should have performed a separate ritual.

‘It’s okay not to worry about it. It won’t happen much in the future.’

-My, my friend is considerate. Then let’s think about it this way….

-If I, your best friend, had been with you at last night’s intense dream graduation ceremony, wouldn’t the awkwardness you experienced today have been much better?

…….

That…… might be true.

In the first place, it might not have been possible to be spotted by Supervisor Yoon Johun.

If Braun had turned off the lights.

-That’s exactly it! My role!

-…This anxiety is a long time coming. For the sake of our friendship, and for this Braun to fulfill its role, hmm…….

From behind my head, I heard a sound like someone nervously pacing back and forth on the floor….

And then, it stopped abruptly.

– That’s right! It would be wonderful if I could do it myself… but with this cotton-stuffed body, I need Roe Deer’s help.

– A simple act will make things much better, my friend. May I ask for a favor?

Braun spoke in a polite and friendly voice.

– If you’ll help me bathe in the Youthful Bath one more time, it would be my greatest pleasure!

Ah.

‘That.’

…….

…….

“Shall we do it?”

– Ah! Thank you so much, my friend…!

I readily agreed!

Seeing my good friend happy improved my mood.

– I will never regret this choice.