Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 102

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Even If I Fall Into a Ghost Story, I Still Have to Go to Work Episode 102

A single question and answer session, returned as a reward for winning rock-paper-scissors against the Elevator Mirror Ghost.

Naturally, the truths revealed by ghost stories aren’t always pleasant.

Either they’re not to my liking.

Or they’re completely useless.

It could fall into either category.

For instance, if I wrote asking when humanity would go extinct, it might answer something like ‘long after you die.’

‘That would still be the truth, though.’

So if I asked ‘What’s the way to return to where I originally lived?’, it might only tell me in extremely radical and fragmentary words.

Rather than that, it was better to find out whether the method I’m currently aiming for could definitely send me back to my original world.

‘Daydream Corporation’s Wish Potion.’

My heart was pounding.

The answer that would tell me any truth appeared on the glass window so slowly it was agonizing.

It was….

You can return. Definitely.

A very definitive affirmative statement.

“…!”

I slumped down as if sliding, along with a deep sigh of relief.

‘Wow.’

It feels like all the tension is draining away.

…To be honest, I was worried that a very ambiguous or negative answer might come out.

I tried not to think about it, but sometimes… I had doubts.

-What if I can’t return even with the Wish Potion?

-What if I set the conditions wrong and it gets fulfilled strangely?

But I tried to suppress those thoughts as much as possible.

Even if I doubted it, the fact that the Wish Potion was the method with the highest probability didn’t change.

‘What I have to do doesn’t change even if I’m anxious….’

And I had to believe I could definitely return with the Wish Potion to endure these terrible horrors and work….

“….”

But now I can work with more confidence.

‘Let’s do this.’

I can do it.

Let’s gather the remaining points as quickly and safely as possible, doing my best!

I pulled myself together and stood up.

‘My work motivation is surging….’

Very rarely, at that.

However, I hadn’t escaped the ghost story yet.

‘The final stage of the ritual remains.’

Floor 1 was the case where I immediately won rock-paper-scissors and reached the top floor smoothly.

So if I went to 10, it would end with something like ‘go down the stairs to go home, and don’t ride elevators with mirrors on both sides for three days.’ But….

‘…I had failed.’

In this case, what I have to do becomes more eerie and painful.

“…Phew.”

Since I’m getting confused, let me read the manual materials the company gave me.

Number 11.

I swallowed and turned around, standing in front of the elevator door again.

Since the elevator was still stopped on the 12th floor, the door opened as soon as I pressed the button.

Ding.

With a short sound, the interior of the old elevator with its right mirror shattered to pieces was revealed….

I turned my gaze to the left mirror.

Because the opposite mirror was shattered, there was no infinitely repeating space within it.

In that place, which reflected the dark elevator interior with only scattered reflections from the broken mirror pieces flickering….

I am there.

With my head hanging down to an abnormal degree.

Wearing a completely worn-out business suit.

Strangely motionless.

The ghost that played rock-paper-scissors with me.

….

The figure in the mirror slowly raises its head.

The expressionless face looks at me and gradually comes closer.

Closer and closer.

As if sticking to the mirror.

I endured it.

But there are limits to everything. Even though there’s clearly glass blocking it, it keeps getting closer, little by little, endlessly, endlessly….

The hand pressing the open button trembled.

I, I need to think of something else….

‘Was that… the thing that responded to the graffiti I wrote on the glass window?’

Right. That must have been it….

Thud!

I almost let go of the button.

The ghost is pressing its head against the mirror, glaring at me.

And the shape of the mouth.

Iwanttogetoutiwanttogetoutiwanttogetoutiwanttogetoutiwanttogetoutiwanttogetoutiwanttogetoutiwanttogetoutiwanttogetoutiwanttogetoutiwanttogetoutiwanttogetout

I hastily lowered my gaze slightly to avoid eye contact. Cold sweat beaded on my chin and dripped down.

But piercing through the fear, the effect of the silver ring shone through.

It wants to get out?

‘…Because it’s trapped in the mirror?’

My head was spinning.

‘Come to think of it, that ghost couldn’t make the scissors hand gesture, could it?’

Why was that?

The reason it couldn’t make scissors.

I thought about the hand motion for scissors in rock paper scissors.

Whether you raise your thumb together or your middle finger together.

Usually, either way, the image that comes to mind would definitely center on raising the index finger.

And when I think of hand gestures with the index finger raised in an elevator, there’s one action that immediately comes to mind.

When pressing a button.

‘…Can’t that ghost press buttons?’

Of course, it could physically press them by punching with its fist or ramming with its head, but this was a matter of concept and imagery.

A ghost trapped in the infinitely continuous mirror world of the elevator.

A completely closed space created by two mirrors facing each other.

And the warning written in the manual for when you lose at rock paper scissors and fail the ritual.

Could that be….

‘…Because it wants to get out?’

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbang

Damn it, seriously…!

I tried my best not to look at the ghost still banging its head against the mirror and continued thinking.

…Maybe.

‘Is that ghost trapped in the elevator?’

That’s when it happened.

Beep- Beep- Beep-

A signal sounded.

The sound that plays when you hold the elevator for too long.

In that case.

I hesitated, then stepped out of the elevator and took my hand off the open button.

And at the same time, I touched one button.

[1F]

Naturally, because it was a mirror, the first floor button lit up in the elevator inside the reflection as well.

I quickly rushed out through the open door without looking at the expression of the ghost that had my face.

Swoosh.

The door closed without the open button being forced, and the elevator began to move.

[Going down….]

I took the stairs down from the 12th floor to the first floor.

As I ran down the old stairs, I think I heard the cheerful sound of the elevator saying “First floor” as it opened….

“Phew.”

When I came out of the rental apartment that had become an abandoned building, the sun had already set long ago.

‘They said time flows strangely inside, and it really was true.’

It was already 7 o’clock.

I immediately called one person.

[Ah, Sol-eum…!]

It was Jang Heo-un, who I had arranged to meet at 5 o’clock.

But for having left him waiting for two hours, my apology flowed out smoothly.

Because….

“I’m sorry. I did mention beforehand that there might be a problem, but you waited too long, didn’t you.”

[Ah, no. It’s fine. This is a nice cafe! You said something urgent came up, so it couldn’t be helped. I’m perfectly fine!]

That’s right.

I had deliberately arranged to meet Jang Heo-un at 5 o’clock.

‘Just in case the research team, after receiving reports that I went in alone, tried to divert Jang Heo-un to some other bizarre ghost story in the meantime.’

That crazy psychopath researcher was definitely capable of that. Saying something like “Ah, since it’s come to this, it would be nice if you could go somewhere else.”

‘Company life is really shitty….’

Anyway, after that I apologized to Jang Heo-un who was sitting in the cafe.

And I explained the whole situation.

In a way that wasn’t too shocking, making it sound like the research team was trying to make both of us do dangerous work without much value, so I arbitrarily refused.

But Jang Heo-un focused on a different point.

[Wait a minute. Then won’t you get in trouble, Sol-eum? You disobeyed company orders without permission…!]

“Ah, it’s fine.”

I said warmly.

“As long as you keep it secret, Heo-un, I have ways to use this.”

[…??]

And some time later.

As soon as I came to return the Dream Essence Collector, I was urgently summoned by Gwak Je-gang.

And I shamelessly explained the situation.

“…So, you just left the Cleanup Team person behind…. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes.”

Gwak Je-gang looked at me for a moment as if he had lost his words, but eventually sighed and burst into a hearty laugh.

Of course, it wasn’t meant in a good way.

It’s absolutely ridiculous.

“No, Noru! This is grounds for disciplinary action… This isn’t school, did you think you could just do whatever you wanted? Did Lee Ja-heon say that was okay?”

“No. Team Leader Lee Ja-heon always recommends adhering to company regulations and field investigation manuals.”

“Geez, if you knew that, why did you do it? Good grief, hmm…”

And then he asks in a subtle tone.

“Do you have strong resistance to colleagues being sacrificed in exploration? I suppose you’re acquainted with them after all.”

I knew you’d say that.

I answered immediately.

“…? It’s frustrating.”

“…??”

“Why should I have to take, excuse me for saying this, but yes, useless baggage with me to a place I can clear quickly by myself?”

“…!”

Gwak Je-gang looked at me with a stunned expression, then hurriedly spoke up.

“No, after clearing it you could just leave them alone in the elevator and come out…”

“That’s exactly why I’m asking why I should have to worry about such things while exploring the darkness.”

I frowned slightly and argued as if I couldn’t stand it.

“Whether the employee waiting under the elevator might run away, whether I can send them at the right timing—none of that helps with shortening exploration time or increasing solution concentration.”

“…”

“Isn’t the reason field investigation staff exist to extract high-concentration solutions as quickly as possible to supply raw materials for daydream potions? Why should I have to do work unrelated to my duties?”

“No, this is also work…”

“Isn’t that the manager’s job?”

Gwak Je-gang closed his mouth.

He seemed speechless at my insane MZ energy.

Though just like how real MZ generation members are new graduates getting ground down at work, this is all just an act for me too!

“So I judged it would be better to receive disciplinary action instead.”

“…That would be more efficient?”

“Yes.”

I answered as if it were obvious.

“At least you’d give me disciplinary action during a period when I’m not doing darkness exploration.”

“…”

Gwak Je-gang is looking at me like I’m some kind of new species.

You find it ridiculous too, don’t you?

That’s right.

‘This is exactly the weakness you wanted so badly…!’

An obsessively efficient person who sticks to their own principles!

Thanks to this, I might look moral, but actually when things go against principles I’ve arbitrarily set for myself, I have seizure-like fits and act antisocially.

‘This kind of extreme tendency is inherently a weakness.’

If I could just continuously prevent Gwak Je-gang’s pointless testing, disciplinary action would be more manageable…!

“Then I’ll wait until disciplinary action is decided.”

I maintained my crazy bastard concept to the end as I left the research lab.

‘I need to go find Brown.’

I felt very satisfied.

Research Team 1’s office, quiet after Kim Sol-eum left.

In that place where all other employees had gone home, Gwak Je-gang sat silently at his desk organizing what had happened yesterday and today…

“Hahahaha!”

He burst into laughter.

“He left them because it was frustrating? Hahaha!”

How could this be so entertaining!

Probably any other employee would have been completely fooled.

When swept up by such extreme statements and overwhelmed by outstanding performance, everything tends to sound plausible.

But…

“I’ve observed people very extensively!”

Actions are more important than words when it comes to people.

And predicting patterns of other actions through those actions was one of the fun parts of this job…!

“Ah, this is enjoyable.”

Gwak Je-gang smiled broadly, finished his notes, got up from his desk, and headed home with light steps.

Thud.

His humming echoed through the office briefly, then disappeared with the sound of the door closing.

Only a few documented materials remained on the desk he’d left.

[Kim Sol-eum, Supervisor / Field Investigation Team]

It was Kim Sol-eum’s profile file.

Below it, notes scribbled by Gwak Je-gang were visible…

Characteristics (predicted with significant probability)

1. Good-natured.

2. Cowardly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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