Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 103

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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 103

–Friend, your superior is an uncreative and boring swordsman…

‘Y-yeah.’

I thanked Lee Ja-heon and came to find Brown.

What I felt slightly sorry about to both sides was that it got late, so Lizard Team Leader had to carry this stuffed doll all the way to the company housing when he left work.

Thanks to that, Brown had visited my superior’s house that I’d never seen (and didn’t particularly want to see in the future), so I thought he’d be quite interested.

-Ah, I’d rather sit alone on the cold tile floor of the studio backstage.

‘…Yeah.’

He must have been very bored…

I broke out in a cold sweat watching Brown complain about things like ‘There was nothing in that guy’s house, time passed in silence without any talking to himself or humming.’

“But it was such a messy place. I didn’t think it would be right as a friend to leave you abandoned in that abandoned building.”

–Friend…!

Now I’m getting the hang of it. ‘Good Friend’ reacts most mildly when I treat him as a friend too…

‘Well, it’s also true.’

Anyway, I recalled the conversation I had with Team Leader Lee Ja-heon when I received Brown just before.

-Thank you.

I said that and bowed my head.

-And I’m sorry. I caused trouble for you too, Team Leader, by doing something that warranted disciplinary action.

Honestly, if this were a regular company, I would have gotten hit with a document binder by my direct supervisor.

But even after hearing the whole story, Lizard Team Leader remained calm.

-Yes.

-…I couldn’t push a colleague into a position where they’d obviously die for no reason…

-I see.

And after staring at me intently, he said this.

-Take responsibility for your choices.

-…Yes!

It was a bit scary, but it seemed like he let it slide anyway.

‘Thank goodness.’

I apologized and thanked Team Leader Lee Ja-heon several more times, and handed over the gift snack set I had prepared.

And now I’m coming down the stairs from the company housing.

-Ah, so we’re going back to Noru’s simple and cozy room to rest like this?

“No, that’s not it.”

I came straight out of the company housing building.

“I have one more thing left to do.”

Today was the day to draw tarot cards for the F-grade darkness I’m managing, ‘Binary Choice’.

I think it’s been two months since I visited the annex building to see tarot cards.

While I was on sick leave, someone else worked as a substitute once, and now it was my turn again.

“Good day.”

I greeted the Black Shadow Security Team Employee working at the desk, received the key, and moved through the corridor.

‘Last time I drew the Moon card upside down.’

-Ah, are you going to use that trick again this time? Picking up the card upside down!

Hmm. About that.

“If I have no choice, I’ll have to use it, but… I’d rather not if possible.”

-Oh?

Something related to that came to mind that bothered me.

‘When I drew the Moon card upside down, it said uncertainty would be resolved.’

-That’s right. Is there some problem with that?

There’s no problem with that itself.

During the month after drawing that card, there were several cases where uncertainty was resolved or things became clear.

For example… my affiliation.

‘It was confirmed that I’d continue to stay in Team D.’

…As two team members disappeared.

“…”

But there’s a premise to all of this.

‘For uncertainty to be resolved, you have to experience an uncertain situation in the first place.’

In other words, drawing a bad card upside down means…

‘It presupposes that you have to experience a bad state somehow.’

Because to recover from or escape that state, you need to be in that state once in the first place.

-Aha, that’s an interesting approach. Quite persuasive!

Right.

Moreover, no matter how much you recover, in the ghost story world, falling into a ‘bad state’ itself was an enormous risk…

I shouldn’t forget about the contamination incident.

‘It would probably be safer to draw good cards in the right direction.’

So please, I hope a situation doesn’t occur where both cards are bad and I have no choice.

‘Phew.’

I entered the isolation chamber and released the containment of ‘Binary Choice’. Then I took out two black tarot cards face down and placed them on the table.

And while taking a deep breath, I flipped over the two cards.

The first card.

The Devil.

Damn it.

‘That Devil card keeps coming up.’

What’s surprising is that this time it’s reversed from the beginning.

-Ah, it’s the reversed Devil!

-‘Breaking free from the Devil.’ It’s a card of liberation. It signifies overcoming addiction or obsession, or making future decisions to conquer fear.

-It suits Noru quite well, showing willpower and creativity.

The explanation was appreciated.

But my gaze immediately fixed on the second card.

…The Sun!

The upright red and yellow sun was blazing brightly, coloring the card illustration with brilliant hues.

This is…

‘Isn’t this unconditionally good?!’

-Oh, the Sun!

-The joy and abundance enjoyed under the Sun’s clear light! Career success, improved relationships, the ultimate positive omen. It guarantees happiness in the near future.

-That’s why some consider it the best card in tarot, but well… isn’t unconditional success and happiness a bit boring?

Sorry, but that boredom is exactly what I need right now, Host…!

‘There’s nothing to think about with this one.’

I reached out and picked up the Sun card.

With that, I secured an upright card, a stable and good future.

-A rather uninteresting choice! But I’ll respect that decision. Noru!

‘Thank you.’

And I concluded the ritual.

‘Success and joy, huh.’

Well, there’s absolutely no way this could be a loss.

For now, let me feel some relief from this prophecy that such things will happen within this month…

‘Should I head back to the company housing now?’

-Very well, Friend!

I returned home late that night, ending a long and eventful day. For reference, I had to walk up because I couldn’t take the elevator.

‘Climbing stairs late at night is scarier than expected, even without ghost stories…’

It was somewhat pitiful.

But that was truly the last eventful incident of this year.

Surprisingly, the remaining time of this year passed peacefully.

The remaining month of December.

After this incident, Gwak Je-gang didn’t call me unnecessarily. Even assignments from strange research teams rarely came up.

‘I guess the MZ Power worked well…’

I was worried the Research Team might call Jang Heo-un again, but that didn’t happen either.

[Jang Heo-un: Sol-eum! I don’t have any special department changes either. I’m staying in Team F.]

Jang Heo-un seems to have settled safely into Team F officially in the year-end personnel announcements.

‘That’s something to celebrate.’

Although his team member is Baek Sa-heon… well, from what I saw at Sekwang Technical High School, it didn’t seem like they’d use Jang Heo-un as bait indiscriminately.

Everything else was ordinary too.

‘I did diligently enter ghost stories.’

There were no incidents of entering high-grade ghost stories of C-rank or above.

Thanks to that, it ended with just increasing my records of internal screaming and terror, and watching children’s animations to prevent my insomnia…

Lee Byeong-jin, the audit manager I met in the corridor, casually mentioned that ‘the company is damn busy with year-end special activities like accounting and auditing.’

He still occasionally brings up Director Ho stories which makes me uncomfortable, but I’m grateful for information like this…

“Wow, Team Leader Kim clears high-grade darkness easily whenever you enter, accumulating points without worry, right? You must be really disappointed there aren’t more high-grade ones, hehe!”

“…”

I’m not disappointed at all…

Anyway, points accumulated even from steadily clearing low-grade ones, and I could catch my breath and gather my wits.

However, throughout this time, there was something strangely unresolved.

“Um, Team Leader. Is my disciplinary action still under discussion?”

“Yes.”

My disciplinary action.

-Oh. How interesting… You didn’t expect immediate results, did you, Noru?

That’s right.

Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be swept under the rug, but I didn’t think it would take this long.

I thought some discipline to humble an arrogant but capable new employee and make them docile would drop on me immediately.

‘…Why are the higher-ups making this so complicated?’

Even within the Field Investigation Team itself, rumors seemed to be circulating, which was rather strange.

[Kang I-hak: Team Leader! I heard the news hehe You decided not to do inefficient work that’s not included in salary! Wow! I respect you!]

“…”

That’s… how the rumor spread?

‘I tried to build a character with clear moral goodness, but did that get twisted too…?’

Fortunately, it didn’t seem to go that far, and it appeared the Development Department was simply pondering how to handle me, whether to treat me as an exception or according to regulations.

And in late December.

“The disciplinary date has been confirmed.”

“…”

Phew.

Finally, the official document came down.

Content: Performing Security Team night cleaning duties.

Duration: 3 days.

This disciplinary measure is for improving the individual’s work attitude, and please be careful to prevent similar incidents in the future.

A truly ghost story company-like type came out.

‘Where did the typical private company disciplinary measures like training, salary reduction, suspension, position removal go?’

So wouldn’t about three days be fine? Didn’t I get off easy?

That’s right. However….

“The schedule is from December 29th to 31st.”

“….”

Who is it.

‘I can really feel the desire to screw me over as much as possible with this date selection…!’

I could feel the malice telling me to stay up all night at the company throughout the year-end and welcome the new year there. I was really curious about who it could be.

But since I’d already charged in once, this time I’d have to comply if they told me to.

‘Sigh….’

Finally, at midnight on December 29th. I went down to the Security Team area on Basement Level 1 of the company.

And I met a familiar face.

“Hello, Jay.”

“Wow… it’s been a while….”

It was Security Captain J3.

From the Mountain Lord ghost story to the escape from the Hungry Hangman ghost story and even the isolation incident, that slender employee I’d gotten acquainted with a few times raised his hand toward me with a rather pleased expression.

Of course, he looked more annoyed than anything, so I quickly pulled out the bribe I had prepared.

“I’m sorry. Please take good care of me for the next three days.”

“You don’t need to be sorry….”

Security Captain Jay’s face brightened as he received the two large boxes of sugar and cream donuts, 12 pieces each.

“It was worth volunteering…. Thank you…. I’ll enjoy these as my snacks….”

“….”

‘I brought two boxes so you could share them with the Security Team staff….’

But since he seemed firmly convinced that all 24 donuts were just for him, I kept my mouth shut. I think it was a wise decision.

“Um, please come this way….”

The Security Captain began guiding me further inside than the CCTV room.

‘This is the Security Team Restricted Area.’

I’m back here again.

I swallowed hard and began walking down the corridor, following his footsteps.

Somewhere around here is where I have to do cleaning.

“May I ask… where I’ll be cleaning for the next three days?”

“Well…. Since you’ve been there once before… it should be a bit better? Probably…. Um.”

Been there before?

“Today’s cleaning area is the Isolation B Corridor…. You know… over there, that place where we extracted the contaminated employee….”

“…!”

Damn.

He’s talking about that Isolation Room Area attached next to the Security Team Rental Warehouse.

The corridor lined with sealed rooms where I was briefly confined after being rescued from the Hungry Hangman…!

‘That place… wasn’t ordinary at all.’

I swallowed as I recalled all the muttering and strange phenomena I had heard while walking out of the isolation corridor.

‘…Cleaning the Security Team Area.’

A premonition close to certainty that I would encounter abnormal phenomena made my heart race.

“This way… the changing room.”

I swallowed and headed to the changing room following the Security Captain’s guidance.

And in the process, I also happened to get a glimpse of the Security Team Dormitory with its door open.

[Bedroom]

Visible through the gap in the door.

They were sealed rooms with signs of life, equipped with gray standard-issue curtains and blankets, metal desks and cabinets.

…Strangely, it felt like staff dormitories in a prison.

‘It seems… worse than the company housing.’

Being underground seemed unhealthy to begin with.

“Do all the Security Team Members live here?”

“No. Only the Security Team… Um.”

The Security Captain slightly frowned as if gauging how much he could tell me.

But soon he answered carelessly with an expression that found everything bothersome.

“The Security Team is… actually from the higher department called Security Management Division… where branches split off, and this is mainly where the Security Team is located….”

“I see.”

Anyway, we soon arrived at the changing room, and I quickly changed into the provided clothes.

It wasn’t the Security Team clothes I wore last time, but clothes with a bright orange color that really caught the eye. It strangely looked like an engineer’s work uniform too.

“The cleaning uniform… isn’t bad… the color is pretty too….”

“….”

Is he… serious?

Anyway, it was time to finish changing and move to the cleaning location.

‘Sigh.’

I looked at the Security Captain with the feeling of being dragged to a slaughterhouse, but he stopped walking without leaving the changing room, as if waiting for someone.

“Cleaning… is usually done in pairs.”

Hm?

Surely the Security Captain wouldn’t be assigned… another employee perhaps?

Then the Security Team Leader looked outside the changing room and gestured to me.

“There they come…. Today’s partner.”

I also looked outside the changing room.

Someone was walking from the corridor where the bedrooms were.

…A face I know.

“Noru.”

“…!!”

Park Min-seong appeared from the corridor, awkwardly smiling and raising his hand toward me.

“Good to see you. How have you been?”

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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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