Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 267
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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 267
The VIP room of the Body Casino, which we entered after increasing our coins to 2772 through methods that were nothing short of fraudulent.
We had just been offered a special gamble for VIPs by the dealer.
Russian roulette.
Two participants from our group.
[Oh, this game only brings losses the more you play. Isn’t that right?]
[After paying the casino’s commission, it’s essentially just exchanging coins with each other. Except for the fact that one of the two will definitely die!]
But for our goal, we absolutely had to take this gamble.
I looked at the body parts and organs hanging and swaying on the rails.
‘Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae’s body fragments are hanging there too.’
Through Russian roulette, we had to win at least enough of those to be recognized as the ‘person himself’ and reassemble them.
Sure enough.
“I’ll volunteer first.”
Someone from our group immediately raised their hand.
Agent Choi with gleaming eyes.
“Agent!”
“The probability of me ‘actually’ dying is low, and the probability of rescue is high~ If I can do math as an agent, I should do it.”
That’s right.
‘Based on our experience, when we die in this Segwang Special City Subway, we wake up in reality and escape.’
The problem is.
‘…Can we be 100% certain that will work this time too?’
Even if there’s a one in ten thousand chance of actually dying.
That would be the end.
…
“I’ll go first.”
Then, Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je brushed off her clothes and stepped forward.
“…!”
“Citizen, wait a moment…”
“Well, courage is my specialty after all.”
And she turned to look at us, waving the hand wearing the item.
The exchanged hand.
“Anyway, I originally didn’t have a hand. So I don’t particularly need to find it. Call it saving coins.”
“…!”
“And you shouldn’t go until the very end.”
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je’s prosthetic hand pointed at Agent Choi.
“Huh? Hey, Citizen, you stepped forward so coolly but now you’re making me look bad…”
I shook my head.
“Agent. You’re the only one who can identify the body parts.”
“…!”
Agent Choi’s mouth moved wordlessly before he finally sighed.
“That Noru bastard, he’s smart.”
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je chuckled, but tension still filled the atmosphere.
“You folks who only exchanged ring fingers, go exchange coins for your ring fingers and come back. Don’t go out and cry about not being able to move.”
“Pardon?”
“Your current state might affect things ‘when you wake up,’ so let’s not take unnecessary risks.”
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je stepped forward resolutely.
“I’ll play.”
“…”
But then.
“This is a game where one of the participating visitors will definitely die. Are you really going to play?”
Huh?
“Yes. I’m going to play.”
“…Would you like to hear the explanation of Russian roulette again?”
“Put one bullet in a six-chamber gun, take turns shooting yourself, and if you get the bullet you die. If you shoot three times in a row and don’t die, you get one body fragment as a reward. Is that correct?”
“Yes! And there’s also a method to give up a body part to pass your turn to the opponent…”
“That’s fine. No one here will use that anyway.”
“…”
And 15 minutes and 20 seconds later.
Bang!
We witnessed Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je’s head exploding right before our eyes…
“…”
“…”
The victor. A Bronze Agent with a pale face stood before that scene with dark eyes, suppressing his trembling hands.
Looking at the bloodied corpse that had fired three consecutive shots.
Click.
“Congratulations! You’ve won!”
This.
This won’t do. The shock is greater than expected.
No matter how much I try to remind myself that we’ll wake up in reality, watching an acquaintance die in front of me ‘as planned’…
‘…This is worse than the noose.’
The atmosphere froze.
“And this person shot three times in a row so they’re injured… oh, they died.”
The dealer who was counting looked around at us.
“You were companions, right? …You can take the reward instead.”
Our gazes turned to Agent Choi.
The agent who could distinguish body parts came forward with a hardened face and looked at the body parts hanging on the rails.
And he chose one.
“It’s a shoulder!”
“…”
A part that could be attached directly to the neck.
It was the highest priority body fragment we had discussed in advance.
Cold sweat dripped down Agent Choi’s composed face.
“Now…”
Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae’s head looked around at us and asked.
“You can also stop here and leave the room. What would you like to do?”
“…”
We had already made our bet.
That if we die inside Segwang Special City, we’ll wake up outside.
In that case.
“We’ll continue.”
“Then who will bet next?”
It continues.
I raised my hand and pulled the trigger.
Click, the hollow sound of an empty chamber echoed.
‘I can’t stop.’
I had to fire three shots in a row to receive the body part.
I didn’t stop and kept pulling. Quickly, so my hand wouldn’t tremble from survival terror.
Click.
The next shot….
Click.
“….”
Cold sweat dripped down my chin.
‘I survived.’
And that meant.
My opponent in the Russian roulette game would definitely die.
“…Bronze Agent.”
“….”
My opponent picked up the gun I had placed on the table and pulled the trigger against their temple.
And.
Bang!
The gunshot rang out on the very next shot.
“….”
Death.
[Two corpses in an instant.]
“Congratulations! You’ve won, and for the visitor who pulled three shots in a row, the prize is….”
The cold sweat was freezing.
Agent Choi approached the rail with unusually quick steps to select a body part. How many more did we need? We could only get five body parts even if we continued, would that be enough? That was….
“Please stand up.”
….
“…Excuse me?”
“Please rest.”
When I looked up, I saw Manager Lee Ja-heon.
The Lizard Manager quickly cleaned up and removed Bronze Agent’s corpse, then sat on that sofa himself.
“Assign your seat to Chief Goat.”
“…!”
Baek Sa-heon immediately turned around and started running.
‘That bastard.’
I ran out and grabbed him.
“Agh,”
“You know we can only get out by dying anyway.”
“Fuck, what if I really die…!”
“Oh, then is there another way?”
“….”
“Or do you want to be trapped alone in this darkness?”
It would be difficult for that guy to explore this insane extinction-level disaster subway alone, leaving us here.
He’d either end up completely contaminated like Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae is now, or take the euthanasia drug and wake up in reality, but that guy didn’t need to take such risks either.
…Of course.
‘…But what if I really die?’
That very small probability made me feel eerily uneasy.
Rationally and emotionally, this was something we had to do.
My spine went cold, but I didn’t let go of the arm holding him. Rather, letting him escape here would lead to a longer and more painful death.
“I’ll just take the euthanasia drug…! Why do I have to get shot in the head!”
….
“Then go ahead.”
“What?”
Right.
No matter what, I couldn’t force him to die this way. There was another option with the euthanasia drug.
‘He wasn’t even a companion from the beginning anyway.’
This wasn’t a matter related to character.
…Unless I persuaded him with a reward.
“You can receive double the coins you won at the slot machine.”
“…!”
[Oh ho!]
“Think about it. Even after spending some on games here, you’ll have about that much left.”
Actually, there was a high probability of having over 2000 coins left….
I whispered.
“350 coins.”
“….”
“You can take that much. You’ll have to continue this project… shouldn’t you think about what to buy with hundreds of casino coins when you enter ‘next time’?”
Silence flowed.
Behind me, I could hear Agent Choi selecting parts and persistently exchanging informational conversation with the dealer, pretending to chat.
“…500 coins.”
“Fine.”
“Fuck.”
Baek Sa-heon, startled by his own curse, came back sweating coldly and sat on the sofa where I had been.
“Then let’s begin.”
And.
Bang!
While pulling the trigger three times in a row first, he died on the last third shot.
“….”
“Congratulations!”
What remained now was….
….
I sat back on the sofa, facing Manager Lee Ja-heon. The sofa was sticky with Baek Sa-heon’s blood.
“Manager. Can you tell where the live round is just by feel right now?”
“Impossible.”
“…Yes.”
I knew the answer but asked anyway, nothing would change.
It wouldn’t matter even if he knew.
‘Ha.’
The spun gun on the table pointed at Manager Lee Ja-heon.
The person who was designated took hold of the gun first.
“I will fire three shots consecutively.”
However.
Bang!
…His head was pierced through on the first shot.
“….”
“You’re incredibly lucky!”
I inhaled deeply, then exhaled… slowly.
How many times has this been now?
It would have been better to die right now instead.
“Congratulations! The deceased’s prize is… Oh, but you won’t be able to receive a prize this time. The game is already over!”
Ah.
“If someone dies while pulling the trigger three times consecutively… meaning, if they die on the first shot like just now… the condition isn’t fulfilled?”
“That seems to be the case.”
Wait a moment.
‘Then…’
In the worst case scenario, this means the body parts of Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae that I’ve obtained so far might be all I get.
I looked at the three body parts I had acquired so far.
Shoulder, chest, waist.
Strangely, the body parts that stuck together as soon as I took them out don’t even constitute the minimum of a torso.
‘I need to get at least the pelvis.’
Only then would it somehow be judged as ‘Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae’s surviving form.’
And if the body parts lost here are reflected in reality’s state, I need at least that much to be able to do something when I get out.
In that case…
….
“Excuse me.”
I raised my hand and spoke.
“How about spinning it with two bullets loaded?”
“Ooh?”
Let’s try gambling with a riskier method.
And in casino games, the greater the risk, the greater the reward.
“So… if we can fire three shots consecutively with a gun loaded with two bullets,”
I looked at the rail.
“We receive two body parts.”
“…!”
[That would be very interesting, friend!]
[However, in that case, wouldn’t the probability of being hit by a bullet before completing all 3 shots be much higher?]
That’s right.
Moreover, this method might not feel like the ‘danger’ is particularly increased. After all, it’s a game that ends when either one dies, and that framework hasn’t changed.
In that case.
“And additionally here…”
I held back a sigh.
“Even the game winner must take the remaining gun after the opponent dies and shoot themselves at least once.”
“Oh?”
“Since there would be at least one more live bullet remaining. Both must risk death and pull the trigger without fail.”
In other words, complete madness.
[Excellent. Mr. Noru! Both sides attempting this will be able to taste the thrill through active participation. Oh, if there were spectators, they would find it extremely thrilling to watch.]
[However, even in that case, both might die without completing three shots and fail to achieve their objective…]
No.
‘It can be achieved.’
[Hooh.]
I have a plan.
And the dealer who heard this proposal.
“….”
As if listening to some ‘decision’ being made in the casino, remained still for a moment…
“VIP rooms must always provide private enjoyment. We will accept those modified rules. Very good!”
Whew.
‘It worked.’
I blinked and sat down on the sofa.
And now what remains is…
“Oh my. It’s Grape and me.”
Agent Choi and me.
By the way, Young-eun was excluded due to the entrance capacity issue, but now that I think about it…
‘It’s actually fortunate.’
If she got involved by mistake, Young-eun would really die.
“Ah, before we start, let me talk for a moment.”
“Yes.”
Agent Choi stood up, grabbed my shoulder and said.
“That thing from earlier, it’s a guaranteed method to obtain body parts, right.”
“…Yes.”
“Okay.”
Agent Choi grabbed me and turned my body toward the rail.
“Then Grape. Look carefully over there.”
“….”
“The third one is the pelvis, and… the seventh is the left arm, the fifteenth is the right arm.”
Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae’s body parts.
He told me this in case he dies.
“Let’s say you’ll take those as prizes.”
“…Yes.”
Agent Choi and I separated again and sat on our respective sofas.
And the dealer grabbed the gun…
“Ah, is it okay to choose where to put the bullets? The firing probability is the same regardless of where the bullets are placed anyway.”
“…Yes.”
…I specified the bullet positions I wanted.
And.
“If we all die, please transfer the ‘prizes’ and coins to the person waiting outside the VIP room as our companion.”
“….”
“Dealer.”
“Yes.”
And the order is…
Thud.
“I’ll go first.”
“….”
“Grape.”
Raising the pistol, Agent Choi speaks.
“Should I guess? You loaded one bullet for every three shots, right?”
“…!”
“One bullet in, skip two, then another bullet in and skip two….”
While saying this, he looks at me.
“Then regardless of the firing order… once a live round is fired, the next two will be empty.”
That’s right.
“So… if I get shot, Grape will definitely succeed three times in a row and be able to escape with a body.”
Of course.
Either way, the last shot would be a live round though.
“Both of us will definitely die.”
….
“See you later.”
Bang!
Agent Choi died on the second shot.
“Congratulations! You’ve won.”
“….”
The sofa is drenched in blood.
Blood and corpses fill the floor and sofa.
“Will you rest a bit before proceeding with ‘Winner’s Russian Roulette’? Or….”
“Dolphin.”
I was certain from that game just now.
I turned my head to look at Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae’s head.
….
No.
“You actually knew, didn’t you?”
“Pardon?”
Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae himself.
“You knew and allowed this irregular rule, didn’t you?”
“….”
“If I could choose where to place the bullets, having the winner shoot themselves would actually be meaningless.”
I continue speaking.
“Because depending on where you place the bullets, you can choose a position that guarantees survival.”
There’s no way the dealer wouldn’t know this.
Yet they ‘pretended not to know’ and allowed this, which means….
It was the choice of a different ego, not the dealer.
“Did you, Dolphin, let it slide?”
“….”
I’ve been feeling something was strange.
‘They kept urging us to leave here….’
-This is a game where at least one of the participating visitors will definitely die. Are you really going to play?
It was a statement unbefitting of a dealer.
Within the bounds of not violating ‘casino rules’, they passively and subtly tried to encourage people to leave this room.
Then perhaps….
“Did you possibly become a dealer while preserving some of your ego through some kind of treatment? To stay alive instead of dying, continuously searching for potential survival opportunities?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Isn’t some of Dolphin’s consciousness still remaining?”
“….”
“So you let me adjust the bullet order because you saw it as a way to survive until the end….”
“Visitor, your statement has revealed that you manipulated the irregular rules.”
Ah.
“That’s cheating in the casino. Please return the rewards you received from playing Russian Roulette and leave the VIP room.”
“….”
“Please leave immediately. Otherwise, I will take countermeasures.”
I looked at the ‘rewards’ from Russian Roulette.
The body parts that had automatically connected.
‘…If there was an ego, I thought I might be able to use persuasion to make them attach those body parts themselves.’
Given the circumstances, it seems impossible.
‘…Then.’
“Wait a moment.”
And while pretending to turn and leave….
I lunged at the dealer.
“…!”
And began tearing off Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae’s head.
“Mmph,”
A horrifying sensation I wondered if I’d ever experienced before transmitted through my hands.
Crunching sounds, the sound of mismatched body parts falling away. The sound of the dealer’s strong body breaking my ribs, the dealer’s grip strength biting my hands, the sound of the dealer trying to pull out documents….
But. If not this method, there might be no more opportunities.
“Hup!”
I finally tore off the head.
And immediately… attached it to the body parts I had already set aside, received as rewards.
“…!”
If the VIP room was truly a private space, I committed this act thinking dealer dispatch would be slightly delayed.
‘There’s no turning back.’
Soon this casino will confiscate my body just like it did to the long-term missing persons.
Since it’s come to this anyway.
“Hup.”
I went to the rail and with my bloody hands took out several of Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae’s body parts that had been designated earlier, hastily attaching them to Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae.
And.
I forcibly put the euthanasia drug in his mouth.
“…!”
Blocking his nose and mouth, he’s forced to swallow. Just as I confirmed that, I sensed movement outside the VIP room.
The sound of someone approaching who detected ‘property damage’.
“Hup.”
I immediately grabbed the pistol on the table.
And, and….
Click, click.
After two empty chambers, the bullet shot through my head.
“….”
Why does my head hurt so much?
Maybe getting shot by the gun affected my body in reality…
But I soon realized that wasn’t it.
Because.
“…!”
I still had a human body.
And.
“Huff.”
Go Young-eun.
Was running while carrying me on her back.
Through the subway station.
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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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