Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 135

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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 135

A High School Student trapped in Lucky Mart.

Jang Min-seo, who had requested rescue from the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau, covered her mouth under the Mobile Display Stand.

Her heart was pounding.

Strange sounds could be heard nearby.

Creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak.

The sound of something imitating Employees moving.

‘Did they see me?’

Me hiding under the Display Stand.

No, they weren’t right behind me when I came in, so they couldn’t have seen.

‘I turned the Corner and came right in.’

They couldn’t have seen, right….

But the sounds were getting closer.

Creak creak creak creak creak.

“Huff, huffff….”

Tears kept flowing.

‘Why did I have to come Here.’

It wasn’t about following her Friend. The High School Student started cursing at her Friend with every profanity she knew, then stopped because it was meaningless.

Fear had already overwhelmed her mind.

The approaching sounds grew louder, and louder….

Creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak.

The sound came from right next to her.

Her body froze.

Through the gap at the bottom of the Display Stand, she could see foot shadows passing right beside her.

Dozens of feet with strange gaits, moving with creaking sounds while their ankles were twisted.

Creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak creak.

The High School Student held her breath.

But unfortunately, that wasn’t the end.

Among the Employee Shoes of the numerous strange footsteps passing by the Display Stand where she was hiding, she saw something unfamiliar….

Worn Sneakers.

“…!”

Among the Shoes of the strangely waddling Employees, she could see worn Sneakers being dragged along.

“Sa, save me…!”

The High School Student felt goosebumps from head to toe.

It was a person.

Someone had been caught.

“I’ll pay! I’ll pay, money, money’s right here, I’m a Customer! A Customer…!”

“Welcome to Lucky Mart!”

However, instead of politely escorting that poor Missing Person outside, the Employees were dragging them away.

Because….

You cannot purchase items from this Mart with Currency used in South Korea.

Remember this. You have no ability to pay.

“Save me!”

The moment this fact is discovered, the Employees no longer see you as a Customer and reclassify you.

In most cases, you become Equipment for the Mart.

Clank.

The High School Student froze.

And slowly looked up.

…The Mobile Display Stand she was hiding under was shaking.

Clank clank clank.

Employees were surrounding the Display Stand.

And….

Whirrrrrr.

“Aaaahhh!”

The sound of a Mixer and screams began echoing through the Display Stand.

“Isn’t this a really good Item?”

The High School Student realized.

Those things were imitating a promotional demonstration.

Using the Missing Person as Equipment, grinding them alive in the Mixer.

“Uuugh.”

The High School Student covered her mouth. Fortunately or unfortunately, that sound barely escaped due to the noise of the Mixer and screams.

“Aaaahhh! Hurrrrgh, aaaaauuughhh!!”

“Thank you as always, Client!”

“Isn’t this a really good Item?”

“Welcome to Lucky Mart!”

Pleas, screams, Mixer sounds, screams, Employee greetings, screams, Mixer, I can’t stand this anymore I’m going to scream I need to get out of Here show me the way out! Please guide me….

Someone gripped her shoulder tightly.

“…!”

Warm body temperature and the trembling of a shaking hand.

It was the hand of the Agent who had pushed her under the Display Stand.

The one who came in response to the rescue request.

“…Huff.”

The High School Student’s breathing slowly returned.

In the noise that seemed like it would drive her mad or make her faint at any moment, the High School Student endured what felt like dozens of hours but was actually dozens of minutes, relying on that body temperature while hiding under the Display Stand.

The Mixer sounds and the Employees’ repetitive introductions continued, but the screams disappeared at some point.

And….

Whirrrr… click.

“….”

The display stand became quiet.

The promotional act was over.

Squeak squeak squeak…

“….”

The sound gradually grew distant.

The feet visible through the gaps in the floor, the sneakers being dragged along, even the shadows moved so far away they could no longer be seen….

“….”

“….”

“It’s okay now.”

“Huu.”

At the agent’s words after checking outside, the high school student let out a long sigh and started sniffling again.

The bespectacled agent watched this with a troubled expression.

“….”

By the way, his insides felt similarly disturbed.

‘This is driving me crazy….’

That’s right.

Rookie agent Kim Sol-eum was left alone with one high school student he needed to rescue….

‘The decision to scatter seemed right though.’

It was too terrifying…!

The sound of a person being sliced alive – he had a strong premonition he’d meet it again in his dreams. Kim Sol-eum’s back was already damp with cold sweat.

‘I almost fainted.’

But he couldn’t show it. A terror-stricken 15-year-old teenager was clinging to his side!

“Wh-what do we do now. Sob….”

“No. It’s okay.”

Kim Sol-eum spoke to the high school student as gently as possible.

He had dropped formal speech at some point, but he wasn’t in the right mind to worry about such things, and he judged it would be better to be a friendly adult to provide reassurance.

‘…The Security Chief played a bigger role in the Mountain Lord ghost story than I thought.’

But seeing the high school student still looking anxious, he eventually spoke up again.

“Want me to tell you a secret?”

“….”

The high school student was still shedding tears while catching his breath, but unconsciously looked up at the word ‘secret.’

And the agent really did tell him a ‘secret.’

“Actually, I’m the agent who knows the most about this mart.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

However, the high school student felt touched even in his terror.

‘Anyone could see he was a rookie beginner.’

With his glasses, disheveled hair, and mumbling way of speaking.

Compared to his superior who looked neat and competent, he was like a bumbling sidekick next to a superhero.

But the other person seemed eager to reassure him and continued speaking earnestly.

“I researched very thoroughly. What’s dangerous and what’s not. I know everything that other agents don’t know well.”

Messy hair. Their eyes met beneath the glasses.

‘Huh?’

Instead of the naive eyes he expected, cold and composed eyes were revealed before disappearing.

“….”

Somehow.

All those words sounded like the truth.

“So I’ll find the safest and fastest escape method for our current situation too.”

“Th-there’s still a way to get out…?”

“Of course.”

The problem was just that more than half of them were crazy acts with higher chances of death.

Kim Sol-eum swallowed his latter words and added more useful content.

“Do you remember the other content on the back page of the guide? The behavioral advice after business hours.”

“…Yes.”

The high school student, Jang Min-seo, recalled the content she had read as if entranced.

After business hours, we recommend giving up on escape.

Almost all opportunities that seem like you could escape are traps.

Prioritize survival and endure until business hours.

Currently confirmed, the safest floor is the 2nd floor.

2nd floor.

This was the first floor.

“Um, so we just need to go up one more floor from here… right?”

“Right. The other agent and your friend definitely went upstairs too, so don’t worry.”

“…Yes.”

Somehow reassured by his confident tone, the high school student calmed down while sniffling.

And the agent checked outside before pulling himself out.

“…Good. It’s safe now. Let’s go out.”

“Sniff, okay.”

The high school student didn’t refuse the agent’s support and carefully pulled herself out from under the display stand….

“Ah!”

She hastily covered her mouth.

Fortunately, the sound wasn’t loud. But the cause of the sound remained.

‘My ankle….’

It throbbed.

It seemed she had twisted it while running and crawling under the display stand.

“…Does your ankle hurt?”

“Yes….”

“….”

Kim Sol-eum’s mind raced quickly.

And he reached a chilling conclusion.

‘I can’t give her an item right now.’

It wouldn’t work in this ghost story.

A powerful painkiller like Happy Maker might cause the high school student to use her leg recklessly, resulting in the adverse effect of being unable to move at all.

Nostalgia Candy was… not allowed.

‘Because it’s food.’

Please avoid eating any products in places other than the food court. This includes food you brought in yourself.

Employees cannot distinguish between them and will charge you the price of the food upon witnessing consumption.

You do not have the ability to pay.

And this rule applied even to food items not sold in the mart.

Because Lucky Mart ’employees’ couldn’t distinguish between the two.

Even shoving the other person into his tattoo could leave behind contamination or bizarre transformations he couldn’t guarantee against, not to mention it would be difficult to explain to the Disaster Management Bureau.

“….”

The high school student had no way of knowing this fact, but seeing the silent agent, a chilling unease swept across her back.

‘Could it be….’

Is he abandoning me?

Did he think it would be too difficult to rescue me? Or maybe he imagined the ominous scenario where carrying me would get us both caught, and that terrible thought was swirling through his mind….

“Don’t worry. I’ll move us in a way that doesn’t require running.”

A firm voice steadies me.

High School Student lifted his head.

“Let’s head to the escalator first.”

“….”

“But we’re not going up—we’re going to the down escalator. Got it? To the escalator that comes down from the 2nd Floor.”

Since business hours are over, they should have stopped operating anyway, so does it matter which one?

But why specifically go to the escalator coming down from the 2nd Floor?

“…Yes.”

However, High School Student nodded instead of asking questions.

Agent supported him and carefully began moving….

“Tell me right away if you hear Employee sounds.”

“Yes…!”

High School Student tried not to look at the display stand where he had been hiding.

And while carefully listening for Employee sounds, he very cautiously followed Agent.

He frowned several times from pain but endured it.

Agent calmly guided him past the checkout counter to the escalator that had stopped operating. High School Student moved as quickly as possible to follow him.

However, when they finally arrived there….

Whirrrrrr.

Thud thud thud thud thud….

One escalator was in operation.

Specifically, their destination—the escalator connected to the 2nd Floor.

“…!”

Inside the dark store with business hours ended.

The slowly moving rail.

And up there on the escalator… the back of a person standing motionlessly could be seen.

No.

Not a person,

Employee.

After business hours end, escalators are sealed off with operation stopped.

However, depending on the time, they operate when Employee is conducting inspections.

Do not approach.

It seems to be mimicking ‘inspecting’ the escalator.

However, the back view of Employee standing on the escalator was bizarre and strange, with his head tilted to the side while blankly staring down at the floor.

And that figure… was approaching along the downward-operating escalator.

Backwards.

“R-run….”

“We don’t need to go.”

Beside him, Kim Sol-eum pulled out an item he had been carrying at his waist.

Fishing line with a red goldfish model attached to the end.

Bait Play.

‘…Definitely, they inspected the 2nd Floor-1st Floor downward escalator right after business hours ended.’

That’s why he deliberately came looking for the escalator under inspection.

Originally it was an item he planned to use to easily break through the entrance… but now there’s no other way.

Even if it’s wasteful, it can’t be helped.

‘I have to use it now.’

Kim Sol-eum cast the fishing line.

Whoosh.

Defying physics, the transparent wire flew as if cast with a fishing rod, heading up toward the escalator.

And it caught on the advertisement board.

“…!”

The fishing line wrapped around the advertisement board and hung down below it.

And dangling at the end… the red lure.

The moment that entered the field of vision of Employee who was coming down the escalator standing backwards.

Creak creak.

Creak creak.

“…!”

Employee’s back figure began to move.

Toward the lure.

Going against the escalator’s flow, climbing upward.

Creak creak.

Kim Sol-eum carefully controlled the fishing line. Though his hands became damp with cold sweat, the swaying fishing line moved according to his intention.

The lure began shifting from the center of the escalator advertisement board to the side.

More and more.

The lure went to the left edge of the escalator.

Employee staggered across.

And when he pressed close to the side of the escalator, with his head about to go over the handrail….

Creak creak creak…

Kim Sol-eum released the fishing line.

Swish.

The fishing line unraveled and fell away from the electronic display. The moment the red lure fell between the two escalators….

Thud.

Employee got stuck upside down between the escalators.

He had thrown his head following the lure.

“Gasp…!”

“Let’s go quickly. Before it gets out.”

Agent immediately began moving.

“Give me your shoes, and use your knees rather than your feet… crawl up. Quietly.”

The High School Student took off his shoes and handed them to the agent, then crawled up the escalator on all fours.

He felt neither shame nor physical pain.

He was just relieved that crawling made less noise and wouldn’t catch the attention of the employee watching the ‘bait’…!

Though his throat tightened with tension that someone might suddenly appear, he successfully managed to go up the escalator in reverse.

“Huff.”

The moment he pushed himself up onto the 2nd floor with his arms, tears welled up in his eyes.

The agent helped support the High School Student as he got back on his feet.

“Good work.”

“Th-thank you…”

Kim Sol-eum looked down at his hands several times, feeling empty without the fishing line, then cleanly organized his thoughts and stared ahead.

2nd floor.

What you see immediately after taking the escalator up… is a massive food court.

In the dark store, only the food court’s signboards gave off an eerie light, and strangely, the sound of food being cooked could be heard.

The employees wandering around were…

‘None.’

Surprisingly, it was relatively a safe zone.

“We can relax here for a bit.”

The 2nd floor food court is an area that mart employees do not patrol.

However, do not sit for more than an hour without ordering.

Kim Sol-eum guided the High School Student to sit near a bibimbap specialty store in a corner some distance away.

“Um, why specifically here…”

“Places without meat menus are safer.”

The High School Student swallowed.

The agent seemed calm. He sat in a chair, allowing the High School Student to catch his breath and rest his injured ankle for a moment…

A composure that didn’t seem like it belonged to someone who had just performed acrobatics on an escalator.

‘…That’s amazing.’

Really, he was much more skilled and knowledgeable than expected.

Just as he had guaranteed.

The High School Student unconsciously opened his mouth with the thought of ‘wanting to make a good impression.’

“Um, well… my name is Jang,”

“Let’s not talk about that.”

“…!”

“It’s better not to mention real names in places like this. Be careful.”

Gulp.

The High School Student swallowed.

“Then, what should I call you, Agent?”

“…Could you call me Grape?”

“Yes, Grape Agent.”

The High School Student sat in the chair and let out a deep sigh of relief.

Is this what agents are like? He thought that naive appearance might be because all his abilities were poured into agent work.

‘…It seems like we can escape.’

Even with his injured ankle, the High School Student felt hope. So he could ask in a somewhat spirited tone.

“Th-then we’re okay here, right?”

“Yeah.”

Grape Agent nodded.

The High School Student felt deep relief…

“It’s okay.”

It was a lie.

That wasn’t enough.

‘…Even on the 2nd floor, there’s still a chance of dying or going missing.’

While somehow managing to act nonchalant, Kim Sol-eum’s mind was frantically searching for the relevant episode in the .

His brain, having barely escaped the emergency situation, began to reorganize priorities and dig through data.

‘I need to get out.’

Had there ever been an irregular situation like this?

‘Labor Day, early closing, anything…!’

And.

Business hours ended early due to ?? reasons.

“…!”

Found it.

Kim Sol-eum struggled desperately to recall that case in more detail.

The investigation records, with several specific numbers and names already lost, were reconstructed in his mind…

“…!”

This is it.

He anxiously tried to recall more.

So, the result that brought about was…

Result: Rescue failed. Agent returned alone.

“…”

That’s why he couldn’t remember it well.

‘Because it ended in one line.’

There were plenty of records like this.

Records where the concept was interesting, but the detailed story that followed was considered ‘redundant’ and left to the reader’s imagination, thus omitted.

Simple one-line treatments marked as success or failure.

However, the meaning was clear.

“…Ha.”

-Bronze Agent fails the rescue.

So when reuniting with Bronze Agent.

Whatever decision that person makes at Lucky Mart, Kim Sol-eum must unconditionally oppose it.

And he must persuade them to escape according to his own plan.

‘…This is driving me crazy.’

No, it’s not me that’s crazy, it’s the difficulty level.

Kim Sol-eum suppressed a groan and tried to act nonchalant while surveying the surroundings from the corner of the food court where he sat with the High School Student.

‘Let’s wait.’

Bronze Agent would naturally come up to the 2nd floor if he had any sense.

He decided to think as positively as possible.

‘We can decide when we meet.’

And three days passed.

Kim Sol-eum couldn’t find the Bronze Agent anywhere in Lucky Mart.

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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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