Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 157

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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 157

The Moonlight Tattoo Shop I found again was darker than last time.

Unlike before when it felt like a warm space somehow, it was eerie somewhere.

Was it because I entered through the back door? Or maybe…,

‘Is it because the moonlight is weak?’

The round moonlight coming down from the massive treatment equipment in the central area was crescent-shaped today.

‘…It doesn’t seem to be business hours.’

…I had never seen such a record.

I carefully stepped inside one step at a time… and met eyes with someone at the dark counter.

“…!”

A curly-haired tattooist with dense Korean tattoos carved on her neck.

She was the shop owner of this place.

The tattooist looked at me with darker eyes than before, then held up an information sign….

[Customers with fur are requested to wear a gown before entering.]

Ah.

I quickly spat out the stamps from my mouth.

My body grew larger and returned to its original human form. Of course, I was still a child so my growth was incomplete. Anyway, as soon as my oral structure returned, I hurriedly opened my mouth.

“I’m sorry for coming through the back door….”

My face was grabbed.

“…!!”

The tattooist gripped my face tightly with one black-gloved hand and looked at me from left, right, front, and back as if examining me….

Black eyes were looking into me.

Dilated pupils. Pitch black. Pitch black. Something felt strange. Don’t people usually have visible whites in their eyes? Why can’t I see the whites?

The tattooist was huge. She kept getting bigger. Her dark green curly hair grew longer and filled the air like seaweed.

The interior of the tattoo shop, which I thought was small but comfortable and professional, appeared to be somewhere alien and a strange space of incomprehensible technology and western cuisine that we couldn’t understand.

‘What is this? What is this?’

My head filled with confusion, danger signals filled my mind, and I was in a ghost story….

No.

“Excuse me.”

I moved my mouth.

“Should I stay in cat form?”

….

Thud.

The tattooist let go of her hand.

I hurriedly put the stamps back in my mouth. Without even feeling the revulsion of putting something I had chewed and spat out back in my mouth, my body shrank and I became a cat again.

“…Meow.”

Everything returned.

I was once again facing a kind and unique tattooist in a comfortable and professional small tattoo shop.

“Would this be okay?”

And I spoke in human language.

“…!”

No. I really spoke in human language, didn’t I?

“Uh… uh.”

The tattooist quickly rummaged through the counter and pointed to another information sign.

[Comfortable Communication Guaranteed]

“….”

Come to think of it.

‘The shop owner at Moonlight Tattoo Shop doesn’t say a single word.’

And the writing on the signboard I saw before entering here.

‘…It wasn’t Korean.’

But I could read it. No, if it weren’t for this current sense of discomfort, I would have continued thinking it was Korean.

The tattoo I thought was written in Korean on the tattooist’s neck might also be….

“….”

Indeed. It was a bizarre occurrence worthy of a ghost story.

‘I mustn’t let my guard down.’

The fact that the shop owner doesn’t cause harm only means she has no malicious intent when giving tattoos. Let me keep that in mind.

However, there was something I was certain of from her reaction just now.

“…You examined me just now because I entered through the ‘back door’ in the form of a child, right? …Because children are more dangerous when infected.”

!

The tattooist raised her head.

Right.

‘This shop accepted items related to the sea as payment.’

Moreover, there were sightings of the shop at the mermaid graveyard, specifically the back door.

Considering that back doors are usually for ‘personnel,’ I had a suspicion….

“…Boss.”

I carefully extended my front paws.

“…I discovered this shop’s back door in the ruined deep sea city.”

The tattooist’s eyes swirled.

“By any chance… was this shop originally located there?”

Silence.

“Are you from that city?”

Silence.

“Why did that place become like that? Children are being deceived and dying….”

Sadness settled in the tattooist’s eyes.

Instead of swirls, moisture filled them.

I moistened my parched snout and opened my mouth.

“There are still children there now. Could those children possibly exit through the front door via this shop….”

Bang.

The wall rang out.

It was the sound of the tattooist striking the wall with a pen.

The thick pen line trembled and created massive letters filled with tremendous force….

No

“I see. Understood.”

My heart felt like it would burst, but I managed to answer as smoothly as if my mouth were oiled.

“…Is it because I’m in an infected state? If so, then perhaps…”

Please.

“The infection source. About that strange cluster of flesh masses… could you tell me about it?”

…

The Tattooist picked up her pen again.

And with trembling hands, she grabbed a small Post-it note from the counter and began writing something.

Tiny letters were pressed down firmly.

Just two characters. I could see the movement as her hand drew the strokes.

Soon, the Tattooist turned the paper around, showing me the completed word.

■■

“…”

Huh?

Why can’t I understand it?

But even though I couldn’t understand it, it seemed like I could pronounce it.

So… so.

“■■!”

A shock struck my head.

Images came rushing in. Strange life forms descending from the shining surface, ticks growing silently attached to the outskirts, tear them off and tear them off but they grow back and infiltrate, the great wave city, the researcher, suicide, death, contamination spreading from the underground place, screams, escape attempts, the sinking of the last ark, the comfort of the conch shell, no! contaminated child, child, cut the infected umbilical cord, screams, beware of the child, it’s hell, throw away the conch shell, don’t trust, infection runs wild…

“Cough.”

Blood burst out.

Not from my mouth, but from my nose and eyes, everywhere. Every opening with mucous membranes burst from the shock.

The Tattooist was startled and immediately poured lemon drink into a bowl and offered it to me. I wasn’t sure if cats were supposed to drink it, but I gulped it down.

Focusing on the sensation of drinking the beverage with my tongue, I tried my best to shake off these visions…

It was lemonade with a taste of blood.

And several inspirations flashed through my confused mind.

‘Just now.’

The tremendous meaning contained in just two characters had poured down like a bombardment.

Is this the original language of Mermaid Graveyard? I don’t think I understood it properly. No, if one could understand this, they wouldn’t be human.

However, I was certain of one thing.

‘That Tattooist is originally from the Mermaid Graveyard ghost story.’

And for some reason I don’t know…

‘The conch shell.’

That item called Angel’s Sigh was deeply connected to this situation…

What was strange was that two extremely contradictory images were combined in the conch shell.

‘Healing and death.’

It was eerie.

…I wonder, from a child’s perspective, what would the conch shell look like.

“…Tattooist.”

I swallowed the sour and bloody taste.

“What do you think about that conch shell-shaped object you recalled?”

The Tattooist moved her mouth… just showing the pronunciation.

I read it.

If I were to translate this into words I could understand…

Filth.

Uncleanliness. A disgusting feeling. Even knowing rationally that it posed no threat, the powerful afterimage of a fatal impression left by a terrible incident. Revulsion.

And the space around the Tattooist began to ripple again…

“I see. I understand. …Thank you.”

Is this as far as it goes?

After calming the Tattooist, I slowly began combining the clues I had discovered so far in my mind.

“…”

Detailed puzzle pieces began fitting into my plan, which had only vague methodologies before.

Of course, it was a hypothesis I had created.

‘But if this is correct.’

Precariously, using everything to the very end… there was something worth trying.

‘Good.’

My mind was organized.

Now what I needed were the conditions to support this plan.

And the abilities to fulfill those conditions.

Fortunately, I was inside a shop where I might be able to purchase those abilities.

“Um, now I’d like to talk about tattoo-related matters…”

The Tattooist nodded as if she understood and quickly showed me another information sign.

[Procedures for immature individuals require guardian consent.]

“…Yes. I’m not trying to get a tattoo right now.”

Thinking about the insane power of the tomato tree tattoo sticker, I should be extremely careful when getting tattoos here…

Even if the other party had only good intentions, I had seen that irreversible results could occur since standards are subjective to each person.

So instead of a permanent tattoo, I requested a short-term effect again this time.

“…Do you have stickers for this type of tattoo as well?”

The Tattooist tilted her head, then tried to bring the booklet with tattoos drawn on it. The ‘Royal Special Premium No. 1 (Customizable)’ I had received last time…

No!

“It’s fine. Just the basic type, please.”

Then finally a normal booklet came out. Phew.

‘I don’t have money to pay…’

To think I’m broke…

I don’t even have money to buy pearls. I thought about taking something from Mermaid Graveyard, but seeing the Tattooist’s reaction now, I’m glad I didn’t.

I looked at the very simple tattoo design the Tattooist pointed to and nodded.

“Good. I’ll take that one, please.”

And then I got to the real problem.

I struggled to open my mouth.

“Um, the cost is…”

Tap tap.

The Tattooist tapped on one of the information signs.

[3 free tattoo stickers when writing a review (basic type only)]

…!

…

“Wh-where should I write it?”

And so I had the rare experience of writing a review with my front paws with the gist of ‘The owner is kind and professional.’

Where exactly my review would end up being posted… well, let’s not think about that for now…

What’s important is this.

‘Safely escaping from a crazy ghost story with the maximum number of people.’

And I had just obtained the ability that would serve as the foundation for that.

I politely greeted them in the form of a quadruped and concluded my second visit to Moonlight Tattoo Shop.

The promised time with the agents was approaching.

“Bronze Agent.”

Ryu Jae-gwan turned his head.

His senior, who had just finished playing with the children and waved goodbye, was approaching.

“Agent Choi.”

The moment the children disappeared from view, the smile faded from Agent Choi’s face.

“There’s nothing.”

“….”

“This time it really seems unavoidable. Cheongdong.”

“I.”

Ryu Jae-gwan gritted his teeth.

“I, that’s why I said we should go out on the same day…!”

“….”

“Breaking the rules and giving false hope…”

“I know.”

Agent Choi habitually tried to make a motion like biting a cigarette, then realized he was in a child’s form and lowered his hand with a hollow laugh.

“But you have to try until the end to avoid regrets.”

“….”

“That’s what I think.”

Ryu Jae-gwan quietly clenched his fist.

“And we didn’t break the really important rule. …Not revealing what this place truly is.”

“….”

That’s right.

The Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau already knows.

Sparkling Dragon Palace is a hallucination caused by hypnosis.

Many agents who performed missions had confirmed this.

And they all attempted to rescue the children in adult form but failed miserably.

When infected children are forcibly boarded onto the escape ship, acute molting progresses, causing ulcers to grow throughout the body and resulting in loss of vital signs.

Never attempt this.

The children transform into general infected entities and die as their entire bodies burst.

After the agent in question suffered severe psychological trauma symptoms and nightmares and could never return, the Disaster Management Bureau no longer bothers to inform newly deployed agents of the truth.

“Grape still doesn’t know.”

“….”

“Let’s keep it that way. Understood?”

Ryu Jae-gwan nodded.

At that moment.

Swoosh.

A small shadow moved near the alley.

The two agents immediately turned around and took defensive positions.

Ryu Jae-gwan frowned.

“Just now, something like a cat shadow…”

“A cat?”

Agent Choi let out a hollow laugh.

“Oh my, something that appears to be a cat… well, it’s probably something like that.”

“….”

That’s right.

You can’t trust appearances in this place.

The reason they couldn’t be intoxicated by this enchanting scene that appeared to be children was because they had already seen what lay beneath.

Ryu Jae-gwan slowly lowered his footsteps and checked beyond the alley.

And… he saw something unexpected.

Human-sized clockwork doll ornaments walking through the alley.

“…It’s Baekillmong.”

“…!”

Baekillmong Corporation’s Field Investigation Team.

Perhaps because of those eerie animal masks, they always appeared in the bizarre form of ‘cute animal-decorated water fountains,’ making them distinctively noticeable even from a child’s perspective.

This time was no different.

A beautiful butterfly perched on one, a cute pony form, and even a friendly goat.

To a child’s eyes, they were cute ornaments.

However.

“Hmm.”

Agent Choi, who had approached silently, took out something that sparkled in a wing shape.

It was a suncatcher made of glass craft.

A light catcher.

It looked crudely made as if by a child, but even without sunlight shining on it, it emitted a strange light, and when brought to the eye…

The truth becomes visible.

“…Right. Wow, those guys are skilled. They look fine?”

Ryu Jae-gwan likewise lifted his suncatcher, also known as a light catcher, to check them.

Three people in suits. Animal masks. Butterfly, pony, and…

Goat.

“….”

That thing.

Ryu Jae-gwan gripped the glass tightly with a blood-chilling feeling.

Because he recognized it.

‘Kim Sol-eum’s workplace colleague…!’

It was the man with the black goat mask he had seen at Sekwang Technical High School.

Recalling the conversation with the person wearing the buffalo mask at that time, he definitely had quite a deep acquaintance with Kim Sol-eum.

‘In that case.’

…If by any chance he recognized Kim Sol-eum’s appearance from the child’s features.

And if he looked into it separately.

‘That can’t happen.’

He couldn’t let that damn company contact someone who had finally pulled themselves together and changed jobs, trying to drag them back into that cult’s den…!

Ryu Jae-gwan’s mouth opened involuntarily.

“Agent.”

“Huh?”

“Right now… wouldn’t it be better to subdue and drive them away?”

“Oh.”

Agent Choi shrugged his shoulders.

“Cheongdong. There’s only one day left, so why would you do something that stirs up trouble like that?”

Naturally, the Disaster Management Bureau knew that the damn Company was secretly infiltrating this place through passages only they knew about.

Nevertheless, they had held back because clashing would only increase civilian casualties.

Manpower should be used where it could save more people, where it could end supernatural disasters more decisively.

“Just in case, let’s focus on keeping a closer eye on the kids.”

“….”

“…is what I should say, but!”

A twisted smile spread across Agent Choi’s face.

He looked at one of the employees.

Butterfly Mask. With a gold mark stamped on it.

“…Elite Teams have entered.”

A flame-like glint flashed in Agent Choi’s eyes.

“If we throw that one in a glass prison for obstruction of official duties, I think we’ll get some juicy information.”

“…!”

“Let’s go.”

The agents moved.

“D-Deputy Manager!”

Jin Na-sol held her throbbing head as she watched the stupid kid running toward her.

“Over there, over there…!”

And the Young Mermaids chasing after him too.

Except they had no tails.

“Special entities.”

Jin Na-sol’s index finger and thumb nails stretched out long, revealing the sharp, chilling silver threads within.

“How annoying.”

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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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