Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 218

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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 218

A familiar voice.

A familiar attitude.

[What a truly long wait it has been! Six months – that’s enough time for a program to rise and fall completely!]

[Noru, I fully understand that you must have missed this Brown terribly during that time…]

[And now, at this very moment, we finally meet again. Oh, like a new season!]

The eloquence befitting a talk show host.

The being that was always in my front pocket, the one I conversed with, is there.

[Friend?]

I picked up the rabbit doll.

The palm-sized doll maintained its appearance even while wrapped in black smoke.

Soft fur and neat stitching lines.

Two eyes like black pebbles glinting in the lamplight.

Below the pink head, a black bow tie sat elegantly just as I had tied it.

It’s fake.

[!]

What looked like Good Friend’s bow tie was actually a hair tie I had bought from the Death Street Boutique.

But what was under this doll’s head was a real bow tie that tied with strings.

Most importantly, the ‘new Good Friend stuffed doll’ I had made through the customization process at Cheerful Theme Park shouldn’t have a bow tie.

Because the previous Good Friend had burned it himself.

Therefore, this is no different from the mock laptop on the desk or the books with only covers on the bookshelf.

One of the props recreating Kim Sol-eum’s company housing environment.

A counterfeit.

[My goodness…, correct! Still excellent skills as always, Friend.]

Then.

What are you?

[Your Friend that you called, Brown, of course.]

The motionless rabbit doll’s eyes glint again in the light.

[I simply used the merchandise of my cotton-stuffed body so that Noru could focus.]

…

I realized.

The voice doesn’t come directly from the rabbit doll.

It’s a sound coming from within me.

I simply accepted that it came from there when I discovered the rabbit doll.

And because this is…

imitating Good Friend’s way of speaking.

[Hmm, yes. Merchandise. Much more elegant than calling it a counterfeit, don’t you think! They worked hard to faithfully recreate my cotton-stuffed appearance that shares every moment with Friend. The quality is a bit crude, but not bad…]

…

[Oh, or perhaps you thought this voice was fake too?]

No.

[I see. That’s quite fortunate…]

But you knew everything, didn’t you?

[…Hmm?]

Six months.

The period I was stuck on the annex basement 13th floor, working alone in a place with only corpses and ghost stories.

Even then, you could have spoken to me anytime.

But you skipped that period because it was boring and unremarkable, with no entertainment value, no worth in communication.

Isn’t it your essence as a being to fully enjoy the thrill and pleasure of appearing at this most interesting moment?

As an entertainer.

[…Aha. I see.]

[So the host who could have spoken anytime during the past six months ignored the painful and boring period, found the most interesting timing, and appeared while imitating Good Friend’s appearance…]

[Fine. False accusations and rumors are also a star’s fate.]

The sound of crossing arms.

[My goodness, I even made a guest appearance in that tacky educational video from the second week…]

…

Educational video?

-Employee full of dreams and passion! Welcome to Baekillmong Corporation’s Security Management Team!

The endless education that came from the old black and white TV in the corner of Annex Basement 13th Floor Room 666.

Security Management Team Special Department work education.

[That’s right. That propaganda piece with no fun or emotion that repeatedly played in that detention cell-like trashy room!]

[I greeted you so many times, but Noru didn’t even react. How humiliating that was.]

In the middle of that… the rabbit doll.

The TV-headed host.

Did it… appear?

Did it greet me?

That, that…

…

It wasn’t important.

Because it was information unrelated to work.

[How utterly disappointing! That’s right. Friend had absolutely no intention of acknowledging me.]

[Of course, it’s the host’s duty to make even such an audience naturally lend their ears…]

[Fortunately, this appearance seems to evoke a desire to listen to you. It’s a great honor, Noru!]

I understand a beat too late that the last sentence was sarcasm.

And that it wasn’t entirely sarcasm either.

I slowly realize this.

[Still, it seems my dear Friend has recovered quite a bit of their original spirited nature! Quite proactive. Ever since today’s brief outing…]

…

Because I knew ‘how I originally felt’ from my brief visit to Nostalgia Kitty, I became able to think in a similar way as before.

[Ah, that’s truly the case.]

However…

Does that have any meaning?

[Hmm?]

In this crushed and genuine form, with a melted brain and limbs where I can’t even tell what’s attached where.

And wouldn’t it have been better not to realize that there’s a similar mind within this horned monstrosity that forcibly crammed all of that together?

This sense of disconnect.

[Indeed, you’ve been consumed by the mask. Noru…]

…?

[It’s alright. It’s a common side effect that talented entertainers often experience!]

[Now, look at this merchandise body…]

I meet its gaze.

The fake Good Friend is in my hands.

[This modest body is fake! That’s right. The wonderful cotton-stuffed body you newly provided is underground in that distant place more than 15 miles away from here…]

[But still, we can converse like this.]

[And we’ll be able to have warm exchanges like before! …Friend, would you place me on the towel?]

…

I did so.

[That’s right… Ah, much better.]

A gloved hand moved within the black smoke pouring from the gas mask.

Folding the towel twice and carefully smoothing the center before placing the doll on it.

A habit I used to do often.

Like when I used to care for Good Friend’s sleeping place after suffocating darkness investigations, waiting for the end of work that helped me.

As if it were still the same.

And this stuffed doll refers to itself as Good Friend. As if it’s still under Good Friend’s constraints.

As if it were still the same.

…

It was deceptive mimicry.

[Oh, but all shows begin with mimicry.]

…

[That entire process of projecting reality but presenting it more symbolically! Mime, skits, stand-up comedy, wordplay, commentary…]

[At countless branching points of choice, performing the most meaningful mimicry to give laughter and meaning! The process of creating bonds with the audience and moving them…]

[Shows are fundamentally lies that project truth… But is all of that really meaningless?]

It whispers.

[Because it’s a lie?]

I didn’t answer, but it already knows.

My answer.

[That’s right. It has meaning. Oh, of course it does. In every moment of crying and laughing!]

The sound of the polite host drumming fingers on the table.

As if coming up with a good idea.

[It’s the same, Noru. Shall we look at the mask you’re wearing now together?]

I averted my gaze.

[Oh, that smoke is good for stage effects, and I quite like those lighting-like eyes! You’ll make a good crew member.]

[It’s quite a wild and splendid appearance, but… Noru seems to prefer the mask you wore before.]

[Because of familiarity and bonds, I suppose? That’s also a good quality for an entertainer.]

…

[Then how about we include that as an intermediate goal?]

[Let’s try interacting with the audience through mimicry. Just like this Brown is doing now!]

If you can’t return to being human, then mimic being human.

[Let’s try learning a new ability. Noru, isn’t that your specialty? Collecting wonderful abilities and items!]

Like purchasing items from the Space Shopping Mall.

Like getting tattoos at the Moonlight Tattoo Shop.

Like exchanging clues at the Faceless Market.

My appearance desperately preparing for survival in ghost stories, so I could survive in ghost stories.

…I remember.

Then, like fireworks bursting above the rabbit doll, a small golden effect appears, draws a single character, and disappears.

Current Goal: Let’s learn splendid disguise techniques!

‘….’

[How about it?]

‘…Alright.’

I nodded my head.

Let’s find an appearance that can interact with people.

Even if it’s not real.

[Good. Friend!]

[Now I hope you won’t forget me and we can go around together.]

I put that fake Good Friend into my Security Team uniform pocket.

Just like I had done before.

And I made a plan.

Just like I had done before.

Turning through the pages of the Darkness Investigation Records in my memory, listing what methods were available….

And the moment that morning’s work shift began.

As always, a staff member came to the containment room for work.

However, they weren’t from the Security Management Team.

“Haha… We meet again so soon!”

Gwak Je-gang.

The assigned Researcher came in a disheveled state. At least his pinky finger on one hand seemed to have been properly treated, though it was blunt.

Since one joint had disappeared.

“The surveillance camera broke down so there’s no choice, I’ll visit, I found countermeasures… Such excuses working is one of this Company’s advantages…. But that doll!”

Excitement flowed from his eyes as he noticed the environmental discrepancy.

“The doll disappeared from the Desk. Did you take it? Ah, does it perhaps help with mental stability? Or attachment formation….”

I produced smoke.

Question: Whereabouts of Team Members

▶Badger Mask Wearer

▶Security Chief

“Ah, those two won’t come today! They have to go through a light, very light interview process…. I came instead! Hahaha!”

I didn’t react.

“Do you like those two people? For what reason? There must be quite a few who have formed rapport with you… Ah, what about other Field Investigation Team employees? If you met privately….”

I don’t want to?

“….”

Gwak Je-gang was still smiling, but his complexion turned pale.

I could tell that some degree of mental trauma remained….

I had to let this Researcher know.

That the position of who asks questions had changed.

Question: Director Cheong’s work instructions regarding 130666

“…Are you curious about what Director Cheong said when assigning me to be in charge of you?”

….

“Right, someone at Director Cheong’s level would likely know something about your identity! No, there’s even a possibility that he personally led your summoning!”

Gwak Je-gang wiped the cold sweat pooled on his chin carelessly while smiling passionately.

“However, Director Cheong isn’t the type of superior who talks much, so unfortunately, for now, to summarize, it was about two statements….”

-Educate them in discipline as an Employee

-Find out effective usage methods

“…And, ‘standby until further instructions come’. That’s about it!”

….

“You noticed. In short, it’s no different from training a dog! What they like to eat, what punishment makes them obey… Yes. That’s what I was told to figure out. Hahaha!”

[Noru, how about turning that guy in front of you into a dog? It would be an interesting practice stage for honing makeup skills!]

…No.

“Anyway… it seems we’ve made the same deduction. Probably once your usage method is adequately established, Director Cheong will directly issue Darkness Collection tasks!”

The guy who almost ended up on all fours reached an interesting conclusion.

It matched mine.

“And there will probably be hints there. If Director Cheong summoned you, it would be for those tasks!”

A hint about my existence.

“Especially if a Researcher like me sticks around to observe, yes, if you provide a little excuse, we could learn a great deal.”

…Hmm.

Request time reduction

“Hmm? You want to shorten the time it takes to get there? For that….”

I created letters with black smoke.

About how we could get Director Cheong’s response.

To utilize:

130666’s containment failure incident

“…Hmm? …Aha.”

I continued explaining with smoke.

Various examples.

Gwak Je-gang scribbled them down on paper, and when that ran out, he even wrote words on the back of his hand. He was also writing down his own ideas.

And when I chose one of them, he grinned from ear to ear.

“Well now, isn’t this a good method. Then let’s try deceiving them like this, hahaha!”

Add false rule to 130666 usage method

Rule: Cannot tolerate boredom

Baekillmong Corporation’s record storage database is updated.

Security Management Team incident record

130666 containment failure incident

Documentation regarding the emergency situation where contained entity 130666 escaped from the containment room located in Containment Corridor L-13-6 at approximately 1:26 AM on October 28, ■■ year.

Progress

130666 utilized the black smoke generated from the gas mask to neutralize the iron door’s lock, then exited to the isolation corridor and proceeded directly to the equipment storage, using the main building elevator to enter the 17th floor research zone.

The time required for this process was 3 minutes and 13 seconds, during which no security processes were activated.

Neutralization of 4 Security Team members in the containment room and equipment storage, evacuation of 15 Research Team members on the 17th floor and neutralization of 6 members.

(The 6 individuals who failed to evacuate from the 17th floor showed strange mental trauma after smoke inhalation and are suspected of contamination.)

130666 who entered the 17th floor proceeded directly to the Research Team 1 office for one-on-one interaction with the assigned researcher (Research Team 1 Section Chief Gwak Je-gang).

Found in the containment room after 6 minutes and 12 seconds.

Special Notes

CCTV Error – Due to CCTV malfunctions in the containment room and Research Team 1 office, there are no recorded footage of this incident. It is suspected whether this is a special situation caused by 130666’s smoke.

Survival of Assigned Researcher – Suffered injuries including minimal loss of extremities, chest contusions and hairline fractures of the 5th and 6th ribs, but no life-threatening damage. Recovery potion prescribed.

Passive Testimony of Assistant – The controller and assistant in charge of 130666 were present at the scene during the incident, but showed somewhat inadequate proactive testimony regarding 130666’s danger level in post-incident interviews.

Need to confirm whether 130666 has mental interference abilities related to fascination.

However, they testified that they did not carry control equipment as normal work hours had ended.

(Disciplinary action was discussed for work negligence but suspended as no rule violations were found.

To prevent similar situations from occurring in the future, the control work hours for the relevant Security Team staff have been reset more broadly.)

Results

Enhanced Containment and Security – Strengthened containment room security, allocated additional education time through videos, prepared disciplinary room for 130666, increased patrol personnel in isolation corridors.

Various experiments and observations regarding 130666’s abilities have been authorized to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

And a few days later.

A page is added.

Additional Experiment Results

New Work Assignment for 130666 – After several experiments on 130666, the assigned researcher proved that the cause of the entity’s escape was boredom.

Even during the containment failure incident, he testified that he promised to ‘assign more interesting work than the current tasks.’

Added speculation that the initial 6 months of security work on the 13th floor underground of the annex building seemed to have upset 130666.

Therefore, strongly advocated for assigning ‘more interesting work’ to appease the entity.

Thus.

Special work assignment under the authorization of Development Department Director Cheong■■.

Collection of strange phenomena occurring at a certain public broadcasting station. The publicly known alias is the ‘Man in the Screen’ ghost story.

For detailed information, refer to ■■Record#C16548.

And.

Additional Measures

By the assigned researcher’s authority, considering the nature of this work, a new assistant position, ‘Transport Personnel,’ has been temporarily assigned.

Lee Seong-hae, Assistant Manager (Field Investigation Team B)

Kang I-hak, Team Leader (Field Investigation Team I)

A Virtue-Rewarding Justice Advocate wearing a dolphin mask and a Gold Supremacist wearing a pony mask appear.

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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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