Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 222

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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 222

[Oh, indeed! The man in the screen from the 2000s footage, who had no way to reach the outside world the moment the editing room was closed, can now visit homes thousands of miles away…]

[To think that 21st-century editors would unintentionally extend an invitation.]

My blood runs cold.

If I had a human body, this would certainly be a situation where I’d use such an expression.

I’m being carried inside the mobile unit by two Field Investigation Team employees who are frantically rushing out of the broadcasting station.

One of them is already contacting the company’s Security Team.

This wasn’t like a rescue request. It was closer to reporting an uncontrollable catastrophic incident.

The fatal spread of a ghost story.

[…What?]

As soon as contact was made, the Security Chief grasped the severity of the situation.

[Wait… Just a moment.]

And he cut off the radio to make detailed contact with the company.

Meanwhile, I’m thinking.

A method to isolate the edited video files that would be stored in at least several, possibly dozens of data storage systems, even shared in cloud storage.

However, that’s… not something a small number of people can handle.

It requires the power of a strong organization.

However, waiting idly for the company’s response is not the duty of a contract worker… No, there’s simply not enough time to just wait for the company’s full-scale action.

The ‘Man in the Screen’ has been stimulated after going through the isolation process once in the editing room.

In the worst case, the progression stages leading to the worst outcome would have accelerated.

So, what needs to be done immediately first.

Contact the client

“Yes!”

Next to Lee Seong-hae, who is also reporting to the Field Investigation Team, Kang I-hak immediately picks up the phone and connects with the PD.

Hello. I’m contacting you because there’s something urgent I need to ask.

“…! Hello. I’m contacting you because there’s something urgent I need to ask…”

Kang I-hak tactfully reads the black smoke.

“Is there anyone at PBS Entertainment Department doing video editing work from home or a personal studio today? Episodes that could feature the ‘Man in the Screen,’ ones ending with the number 6.”

Especially around this time.

“If someone is working around this time, it’s even more urgent.”

-Of course there would be. But why are you asking…?

Please contact them.

This is an urgent matter.

-Ah, yes.

The PD’s voice was somewhat reluctant, but he soon realized the atmosphere and situation of what he had commissioned.

He seemed to be nervously contacting people here and there through messengers and such.

And soon.

-…Why isn’t he answering?

…

A panicked voice, the sound of typing.

-Huh? Wait a moment. No, please take this call… Why isn’t he answering?

“PD, please listen carefully.”

It’s too late.

Kang I-hak quickly speaks to the PD who has stiffened with an ominous feeling.

“Right now, remove all files ending with episode 6 from the cloud storage that your team uses together. It would be better if you delete them.”

And.

“Please make sure to tell everyone in the Entertainment Department who edits videos. From now on, absolutely do not touch any episodes ending with the number 6. …If they happen to have any open.”

Kang I-hak’s rapid voice can be heard as he reads the letters made of smoke like flowing water.

“Please tell them to absolutely not try to look at the ‘Man in the Screen’ on purpose, nor try to delete him.”

-…What on earth is happening right now,

“I’ll explain the details later. Just telling you this could bring bad luck. Your side made a big misjudgment, a mistake.”

Even though I never wrote it down, Kang I-hak naturally shifts the blame to the Entertainment Department side as he continues speaking.

“Phew… But since we’ve received payment, we’ll try our best to handle the situation from our end. First, give us the address of the person who lost contact.”

The frightened PD immediately gave the address to the Field Investigation Team.

A Seoul officetel 20 minutes away.

While moving in a frantically hailed taxi, Lee Seong-hae whispers to the mobile unit I’m in.

“The probability that they called the police, isn’t it high?”

Tap tap.

I slightly let smoke out of the mobile unit.

Difficult to estimate

Reason: Psychological factors

People want to believe in the better outcome at times like this.

Calling the police means that something truly ‘serious’ is happening beyond simple supernatural fear, so there’s a high probability they’ll wait for a certain amount of time first.

And shortly after, we finally arrive at our first destination.

The moment we board the elevator…

Beep beep.

“…!”

It’s the Security Team.

The Field Investigation Team members urgently picked up their radios, but…

[Well, we’ve requested support… but we’re not sure exactly when it will come…]

News typical of Baekillmong Corporation comes back.

[From the higher-ups… um, the decision is being delayed…]

“…!”

[Ho, it seems they’ve become reluctant about the cost of cleanup. How vulgar, but what a capitalist corporate response.]

Lee Seong-hae’s face stiffens slightly.

“Then could at least the Security Team members in charge of the ‘Employee’ act together with us?”

[The Security Team… can’t arbitrarily leave the company during the day… We need to prepare equipment.]

“…”

[But.]

The Security Chief’s voice becomes clearer somehow.

[…I’m equipped with gear that allows me to go out during the day for work duties. So, if there’s a situation that requires deployment for work duties…. Hmm.]

“…!”

[Hey, that employee in the mobile unit… isn’t it hard to control them? I think it would be….]

All eyes turn to me.

Affirmative

“…That’s right!”

“It’s so difficult I could die! We really, really need help with control!”

The Field Investigation Team members shout as they catch the elevator heading to their destination.

[…I see.]

A faint expression that seems pleased.

A very light trace of laughter appears in the Security Chief’s voice before disappearing.

[I’ll deploy….]

And the moment Lee Seong-hae and Kang I-hak board the elevator.

Beep.

A black shadowy figure emerges from the shadow of the walkie-talkie in my hand.

“…!”

The Security Chief.

The uniform covering his entire body is draped with a deep hood bearing strange patterns, unlike his usual deployment attire.

Click.

The elevator’s CCTV turns off. A sense of intimidation and unease fills the elevator.

“….”

The Security Chief reaches out and takes the mobile unit.

“Reporting to the company… another employee is continuing to… handle that, so don’t worry.”

“Yes.”

Ding.

Soon the elevator arrives at the floor. The three people quickly search for the assistant director’s apartment number they received from the PD….

The front door was open.

“….”

From inside, the sound of laughter can be heard.

The sound of a variety show.

Tension settles on the Field Investigation Team’s shoulders.

“I’ll go in….”

The Security Chief opens the door.

From inside the mobile unit in his hands, I saw the scene that unfolded through the already open front door….

The assistant director was collapsed on the floor with both eyes gouged out.

“…!!”

The narrow living room covered in blood, the chair and desk placed on it, and on top of that….

A computer monitor.

The screen is flickering.

A monitor with editing software open, showing a close-up of a man with a distorted expression. Black eyes and a smile revealing teeth. An open mouth, gaze directed this way….

Crunch.

The monitor and main unit are crushed together at once.

The massive, pitch-black beast’s paw roughly retracts back to the Security Chief’s shoulder.

“…!!”

“It’s already… in the USB, so we just need to… destroy everything else like this… right?”

That was correct.

However, the dead do not return.

…It was already too late.

And one more thing.

“About the door… being open.”

The Security Chief, who had been using his sense of smell while pressing his mask, tilts his head and says.

“It seems like there was one more person here who… ran away.”

“…!”

“Someone who was… in another room….”

There had been a witness.

How much they were involved in this supernatural phenomenon, whether they properly confirmed the situation – that’s unclear.

“….”

Bzzzzt.

Then, news arrived from the PD as well.

-4 people aren’t answering their phones and aren’t reading texts either

They had already confirmed that contact was lost with 4 people among the PBS Variety Department’s editing staff, and one of them had left a strange message in the group chat.

-I’m looking at it and trying to write it and looking at it please I won’t do it I’m really sorry

-you’re going to die

Even just the screenshot conveys an eerie feeling.

-Please call, I’m begging you.

Fear seeps through the PD’s message asking what happened and whether the assistant director at this house is okay. And they desperately sent the addresses of the people who lost contact.

Everyone at the scene realizes it.

The situation is expanding in a direction that’s becoming impossible for individuals to handle.

“First, I’ll report about the witness to the company. And we’ll move to the house of the remaining person among those who lost contact….”

“Hey, Deputy Manager.”

Kang I-hak interrupts.

“Shouldn’t we just leave here quickly before the police come?”

“….”

Lee Seong-hae looks at Kang I-hak.

Kang I-hak didn’t seem very interested in the corpse.

Rather, he just scans around as if checking whether there’s anything valuable in this house and what the market price might be.

“Haven’t we done enough? There’s no guarantee we won’t be late even if we chase those addresses, and it doesn’t look like we’ll get any special allowance… I think it’s right to consider our job finished at the editing room!”

“Oh.”

“We’ve reported everything to the company, so let’s leave the rest to them and you should rest too, Deputy Manager. Haha, we’ve done enough to earn our pay.”

“What if someone dies again because we’re late?”

Kang I-hak gives a thumbs up.

“That’s the company’s job to handle!”

“Aha.”

Lee Seong-hae smiles faintly and stares at Kang I-hak.

And the Security Chief stands still with a blank face, as if detached from this scene.

….

[Oh my, Noru. You seem impatient.]

Am I feeling impatient?

[That’s right. Of course, uninvited guests who ruin the show’s atmosphere are unwelcome noise! Especially if they lack wit and sense, that’s the worst. Oh my.]

Brown seems to be recalling the ‘Man in the Screen’ he had seen.

I remember it too.

The Late Night Talk Show Host’s reaction shown on the face of the ‘Man in the Screen’ that covered the monitor in the editing room.

-Look at that pathetic sight! Unable to accept that he lacks the qualifications to appear, it seems he wants to appeal that unsightly existence of his for even one shot through the video!

-Ah, naturally. It’s obvious he’d be kicked out of the filming site. That’s the only way he could appear. How pitiful.

Mockery.

Contempt.

Not the dull and faint fear I had been feeling, but vivid linguistic expression.

[But you know.]

A generous offer is given.

[If my friend is really concerned about the whereabouts of that unsightly third-rate trashy uninvited guest, I’ll invite him as an audience member to my wonderful talk show.]

[He’ll be ecstatic even with a shabby little seat in the corner. Three days, no. In two days he’ll burn up and disappear, unable to endure that glory…]

[How about it?]

…

I can’t.

I cannot make such a decision.

[Hmm? …Ah, I see.]

[You have to deliver to the company, so you can’t send him to the talk show, is that what you mean? Oh, I suppose that’s what’s written in that employment contract that has mortgaged Noru’s time and judgment.]

That’s right.

I cannot perform acts that would clearly cause damage to the company.

Especially if it’s something directly ordered as work.

Even if I create loopholes, if those loopholes are discovered, stronger constraints will come…

…

[Oh my, it’s fine, friend! Cheer up.]

[Aren’t constraints originally an essential element of interesting content? The important point is that we’ve met like this and are having another fun experience, isn’t it!]

This isn’t fun.

[Oh no! You’re doubting your own heart again. It’s fine. Your spiritual pillar, adventure companion, entertainer who comforts your soul is right here beside you!]

…

Let’s say that’s true.

For now, I need to do the next task. I looked away from the corpse with missing eyes and suppressed the strange resonance in my heart.

And just as I was about to communicate through smoke.

Beep beep.

“…!”

It’s the Security Team.

A voice comes from the radio that the Security Chief immediately pressed.

[Security Captain.]

It’s Badger, Park Min-seong’s voice.

[Is No…, is 130666 doing well there too?]

“Yeah…”

[Phew… That’s a relief.]

That tone soon returns to the businesslike and friendly voice of the Security Team.

[The company has just finished agreeing on countermeasures. I’ll connect you.]

“…!”

The Field Investigation Team’s gazes all turned to the radio at once.

The crackling radio, along with the sound of a phone connecting somewhere…

Connects to a phone call.

Someone other than Gwak Je-gang.

-Hello there.

…!

-It’s been a while since we’ve talked like this since you signed the contract. The news has reached all the way up here.

…A leisurely and deep woman’s voice.

Director Cheong.

-I’ve been hearing good things about your recent work. You seemed to have adapted quite well… Hmm. This incident was also clean except for the irregular.

“Who…”

“…Director Cheong.”

“Eek.”

-The other employees also did their parts quite well.

“Hahaha, thank you!”

Kang I-hak immediately answered respectfully, but Director Cheong continues only with what she has to say.

-I heard the report well about how this could cause major casualties. It seems to have become quite powerful darkness.

And that choice of vocabulary makes me certain of my speculation.

‘…’

“Employee?”

If that’s the case.

I created text with smoke and showed it to the Security Chief.

“…”

The Security Chief’s eyes narrow.

Probably because it’s likely a fact he already knew due to the circumstances.

“…Mm.”

The Security Chief, who tapped the mobile unit as if patting it, reads my words to Director Cheong on the other end of the phone.

“130666 says….”

Question :

‘Man in the Darkness’

Past darkness registration status

“This ghost story, wasn’t it something the company originally possessed….”

“…!!”

Do I remember?

The conversation I had with the Security Chief in the dream cultivation room at Pleasant Research Institute.

-What does it mean to dispose of darkness?

-Well… if no more solution can be extracted even after people clear it… we throw it away….

The company manual that was eerily clear.

The ghost story that suddenly disappeared in the 2000s.

And then suddenly, this phenomenon that has now reoccurred.

When darkness loses its supernatural presence, dream solution can no longer be extracted.

In this case, it is disposed of after the registration number deletion procedure, and some of this darkness is recycled through processes such as research and recharging.

It points to one thing.

Recycling.

“This… they deliberately released it back to civilians… to restore its ‘supernatural presence’, didn’t they? So it could produce dream solution again….”

The Security Chief probably knew.

He would have been in the Field Investigation Team when this ghost story was registered as darkness.

And if you read knowing this fact, the censored parts of the documents given when today’s work was assigned can be read again….

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

For detailed information, refer to disposal record#C16548.

Baekillmong Corporation deliberately released this disposed ghost story back to the broadcasting station.

So the ghost story would flourish until dream solution could be extracted, until it could be recycled.

“….”

-You know well.

“…!”

-We just temporarily managed the ghost story that was already there and returned it.

-No one loses anything, right? Of course, since it’s production know-how that can’t leave the company, everyone who heard should be careful with their words.

Lee Seong-hae’s silent breathing can be heard.

Director Cheong’s nonchalant voice is heard again.

-Let’s stop here then.

….

“Excuse me?”

-I’m telling you to return.

“Is the Security Team coming?”

-As if.

What?

-Why should my company use precious manpower and capital for civilian disturbances.

Director Cheong says calmly.

-There’s no need to use a tiger-hunting knife to catch a chicken. It’s troublesome, wastes money… I absolutely hate that.

-The cleanup will be handled by the agency in charge of cleanup.

…Agency?

-Right. The place that receives taxes to do such work. Then we should know how to use what we’ve paid for.

-Getting swayed by emotions and spreading personal positions around the company is something only rookies like Ho Yu-won do.

Director Ho.

The agency that Director Ho has ill feelings toward is….

-It’s killing two birds with one stone anyway.

-That foolish agency will terminate the supernatural disaster based on the report. Not knowing that exactly one original copy of the ghost story remains in our company’s hands.

….

-Then you’d better hurry back.

I raised my head.

-It’s been some time since the report went to the Disaster Management Bureau… they’ll show up soon.

From somewhere,

the sound of bells began to be heard.

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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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