Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 87

The high-rise Daydream Corporation headquarters building.

Knock, knock, knock.

I carefully knocked on the elegant door with my knuckles.

The door slid open automatically…

“You’ve arrived.”

The director sitting inside is revealed.

An executive with dark bluish-black hair, whose age is impossible to guess.

Director Cheong Dallae.

“You didn’t waste time, nor did you fall for any tricks. A child who can make wise choices always lives a long time.”

What a brutally worded compliment…

“You flatter me.”

In any case, I made my choice.

I decided to accept Director Cheong’s proposal to ‘make Team D an elite team.’

Of course, there’s a reason, but I’ll think about that later. Right now, I need to respond to the imposing executive before me.

Director Cheong looked at me with a satisfied expression and smiled.

“Your assignment will be reorganized within the necessary timeframe, so I trust you’ll wait without causing any unnecessary fuss.”

“Yes. I will work even harder so that my promotion is not a disgrace.”

I shook hands with Director Cheong, who extended a hand, in a very polite manner.

And beside me…

“You will do the same, of course, Section Chief Lee Jaheon.”

“Yes.”

The Chief Lizard Team Leader is accompanying me.

…For the record, Section Chief Lee Jaheon reacted to my choice like this:

– I see.

The end.

‘Is it right to call this…convenient….’

It was an unbelievably quick acceptance for someone who had advised me to ‘refuse.’

‘No, even if he’s in the same boat, he should at least listen!’

Thanks to that, I held onto the Chief Lizard Team Leader, who didn’t seem particularly curious, and explained the basis and reason for my choice, along with the “I see” and “Yes” about ten times.

And also about how to minimize the ‘risk’ of Director Cheong.

“So, have you decided on the remaining team members?”

That topic came up.

Team D currently has two people working normally, so Director Cheong suggested that I could bring in whoever I wanted for the remaining one.

“I’ve come up with an idea regarding that.”

“What idea?”

I spoke as calmly as possible, getting straight to the point.

“To make it so anyone can join.”

[Leave the third member of the elite Team D vacant]

Since Team D is closer to a new trial operation than being incorporated into the existing elite team structure, it was an opinion I could bring up.

The biggest advantage is this:

‘Preventing Director Cheong from blindly placing their own people.’

Didn’t I say I could bring in whoever I wanted?

If you believe that literally, it’s not a company.

‘If they don’t like the person I bring in, they’ll ask if there’s anyone else, right?’

So they gradually shift the candidates towards the people they want.

‘Once I humbly bowed my head and said I’d join their side, they’ll have nothing to worry about.’

They would then insert their own people, or at least try to persuade the newcomers.

In my opinion, that’s where it gets ‘dangerous,’ as Section Chief Lee Jaheon said.

‘The person they stick with can’t be Director Cheong’s pawn.’

It’s better if the personnel change with each expedition.

And there’s a plausible justification for this.

‘Since it’s a new attempt anyway, let’s use the vacant spot in Team D for elite team interns?’

Like this.

Naturally, elite team positions are limited, and few people are promoted from general teams.

Therefore, unless they have good results from the beginning and are good at networking, most junior employees just give up and focus on cost-effectiveness.

However, from management’s perspective, it seems they find it annoying that the employees who should be more proactive in procuring resources with a sense of ownership act that way, saying it’s inefficient.

Something like, ‘They only care about points and have no company loyalty.’

‘No, why would they join this company without points?’

It was a ridiculous expectation, but… well, seeing how this company works, I thought it might work.

– In this field exploration team without performance incentives other than the wish fulfillment program, I wondered if it might provide junior employees with new motivation to improve their performance…

I presented that to Director Cheong diligently, more or less like that.

Honestly, I doubted the employees would be that tempted.

At best, a few capable team leaders and senior associates might experience an elite team, and rethink their work plans.

But the proposal sounded plausible, and it wasn’t entirely ineffective, so it was fine.

‘It’ll at least create the right atmosphere.’

And it at least worked on Director Cheong.

– Not bad.

…I felt a little uneasy at his accepting tone, but the important thing was that it was approved.

Sure enough, within days, rumors spread through the field research team, and my cohort’s group chat livened up for the first time in a long time.

[Does anyone know the details about the new team forming in the elite team?]

[I heard they’re recruiting from employees with 1-3 years of experience. Is that true?]

[I heard something about elite team interns. I wonder what other people heard^^]

[Elite team benefits….]

The funny thing is… no one talks to me anymore.

Even after the news of me clearing A-grade again came out, I didn’t receive any congratulations or inquiries.

‘Bullying… perhaps.’

Because I carefully considered my responses to the questions in the group chat, to avoid being underestimated, the questions themselves disappeared.

‘Come to think of it, I was the last one invited to the group chat.’

Slightly bitter….

[I heard the news! Congratulations, Soleum! You really succeeded with that method!]

[Thank you, Youngeun.]

Let’s be grateful that there’s a colleague who keeps sending me congratulatory messages.

I took the opportunity to settle the debt for the help I received from Youngeun during the previous ghost story.

‘Youngeun is a person of integrity who tries to repay what she receives, so it’s better to continue building trust.’

I shared the method I used to clear the stage, and offered her a portion of the ‘boss battle reward’.

‘Thanks to her, I didn’t die and cleared it.’

…I mean, the location of the body’s organs.

Thanks to Youngeun, I learned which parts I absolutely had to protect to avoid instant death.

Of course, thinking back, it was a crazy act that would make anyone’s body tremble, so I suppressed a chill for a moment.

‘Let’s be careful with those tattoo stickers.’

The effect was certain, but it wasn’t exactly an ordinary thing…….

[Ah…… Um. Yes. Thank you very much.]

Youngeun seemed a bit conflicted, but she accepted, and I met her in front of the company dormitory and gave her some protective bead amulets.

During our conversation, the rumor about the ‘new elite team’ came up….

“By any chance, Youngeun, are you aiming for the elite team…?”

“No. I’m really fine.”

“…….”

Breathe and speak, Youngeun….

I felt she strongly suspected I’d be included.

‘I did consider her as a candidate… was it good that I didn’t push it?’

Anyway, this was the best answer I could come up with….

Of course, there were people who didn’t agree with this opinion.

“To think you actually became part of the elite team…….”

“…….”

“Why did you make such a dangerous choice?”

It was a voice filled with worry.

Sitting at my desk in the D-team office, I grabbed my forehead.

“…Director Ho.”

“Yes?”

“If I acted rudely, I sincerely apologize.”

Why are you here?

Why are you casually sitting here, as if you were a colleague from the next office visiting, in the D-team office which we’ll be moving out of soon!

“What? Soleum, you’ve never been rude… I think you should have more confidence in yourself.”

“…….”

He’s really something….

Director Ho, who seemed slightly upset, was acting like he had just been rejected by a coworker when asking for a meal.

That was even more frightening.

‘I thought he’d either destroy me or ignore me.’

Why is he like this?

Honestly, Director Ho had more authority and made a more drastic offer, so it was easy for his to bear a grudge if I rejected him.

‘A normal person would have chosen him.’

Naturally, I was leaning toward his offer.

Until I asked this question.

– Director, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to ask about the stage of this project.

– Stage? Ah, you’re asking which stage it’s at?

– Yes, that’s right.

– That’s not quite the situation. It’s a new attempt, you see.

-……I see. Thank you.

At that moment, I made up my mind.

‘Let’s cut our losses.’

Usually, when a project arises at a ghost story company?

Nine out of ten times, it’s because of a high-level unknown ghost story.

‘It’s definitely A-level or higher.’

From here on, it’s not just about the danger level of ghost stories.

The source material is despair, something completely unmanageable by an individual, impossible to predict or prepare for.

It means that a higher-level fear than death or disappearance is approaching….

And they even offered a wish grant that would make any employee’s eyes widen with excitement as a reward?

‘S-class… right?’

This seems like it’ll be the company’s top-level field exploration class.

And it’s the first attempt, so there’s no prior information?

‘It’s suicide.’

No matter how good the treatment, this is a lost cause from the start.

Unless I’m confirmed as team leader… no, even if I were team leader, it would only be a fancy title.

‘How would the dream team employees handpicked by the director listen to me, someone who hasn’t even been with the company for a year?’

Besides, as long as the director is around, the team leader is just a middle manager. I can only picture myself suffering mentally, barely surviving or dying alone.

‘…I don’t want that.’

I’ve already earned almost a third of the points. Because of the wish grant, I didn’t think I needed to take such a risk.

…Besides, there was something else I considered when I chose to remain in Team D.

‘This way, if Supervisor Park Minseong or Assistant Manager Eun Haje return, they can naturally join Team D….’

…It would be much easier to have someone fill a position that’s usually vacant and used flexibly.

So… it was a complex choice.

But I couldn’t explain all this, so I just said,

“I chose this because it seems better for more people. I’m sorry.”

“…….”

At that moment, Director Ho’s kind expression seemed to waver.

And his voice.

“Good people are hard to understand…”

“…….”

Wait, right now……!

Thump.

“Well, please feel free to contact me again if you change your mind, Soleum.”

The voice disappeared.

Director Ho bowed politely to me again, smiled, and left the office.

“…….”

That just now… it didn’t seem right…….

– Mr. Roe Deer, I smell the scent of pestilence from that person.

Pestilence?

– When inviting them to the studio or private space, it’s better to be mindful of sanitation!

“…….”

‘A contagious disease… huh.’

I pondered Director Ho’s identity for a while, then shrugged.

‘Let’s do the urgent things first. The urgent things first.’

For now, I need to reorganize while thinking about what’s needed before becoming an elite team….

“Soleum.”

Aaack!

“T-Team Leader.”

The lizard, who had entered through the door Director Ho had left through by a hair’s breadth, immediately handed me some documents.

“Director Cheong said she wanted you to ‘take a look’ and asked me to deliver them.”

“Yes. I understand….”

‘Please give me some warning….’

I silently patted my chest and received the documents, reading the title written on the first page.

Qterw-C-1603

Unregistered Exploration Testimony #21

Security Clearance Completed [C]

…Huh?

“Am I allowed to read this…?”

“Yes.”

Hmm.

It seems to be an ‘unofficially registered’ exploration report that requires C-level security clearance to access, and Director Cheong had specially released it to me….

‘Even scarier!’

But I felt even more scared to refuse to read it. So, after taking a deep breath, I received the documents and read them.

What kind of exploration record is this……?

…….

Huh?

Confirmation of an advertisement flyer for a new product from Qterw-C-1603.

Product Name: Good Kid Chocolate Bar (Cinnamon Churros Flavor)

Features: Packaging features a caricature of a child in a suit wearing a mask with two ram’s horns in the shape of branches.

※The packaging character resembles the attire of the company’s field exploration staff.

Requesting confirmation of employees with similar masks.

“…….”

Wait a minute.

This… is me?