Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 272
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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 272
The last time I heard news about Kang I-hak was when he went out to collect the ‘Man in the Screen’ ghost story.
And that was news of his disappearance.
I heard he seemed to have been taken by the Disaster Management Bureau, but I thought he’d be released without much trouble since he was a Team Leader…
‘…Why is he here?’
A gorgeous woman’s pottery figurine standing in the dirty corridor where silence flows.
A sound coming from inside the ceramic.
“~!!”
A suppressed scream as if suffocating to death, like one buried alive would make…
-Yeah… There might be… missing employees on that floor…
‘…So the missing employee was Kang I-hak?’
But I don’t have time to dwell on that thought.
The next moment.
The pottery figurines in the corridor had multiplied to two.
“….”
What I see beyond that corner is much smaller than the woman-shaped figure in front of me. Like something inside a matryoshka doll, similar in appearance but different.
And the identity that becomes even clearer in that reduced form.
‘Canopic jar.’
At that moment.
Wobble.
‘…!’
The ceramic woman wobbles toward me, swaying back and forth. Jewelry glints in the dark light of the corridor as it falls.
From inside that figurine comes the sound of a person, jewelry, and liquid colliding…
I watched it without moving a muscle.
“Good job… Don’t… touch it…”
….
“It’s doing that on purpose…”
The atmosphere stiffened with tension.
I hear Eun Ha-je’s low voice from behind me as she assesses the situation.
“Crazy bastard. That’s a honey jar son of a bitch.”
Right. I noticed it too.
One of the Twilight-grade darkness entities that supplies gold at Baekillmong.
To be precise.
A ghost story that maintained the danger level appropriate for Twilight grade based on thorough manuals.
Really…
‘I think I understand why Kang I-hak got trapped… it’s that kind of ghost story…’
A sigh escapes me.
Right now, that thing… could be seen as a Venus flytrap that had grown enormous by feeding on Kang I-hak.
‘No wonder it was difficult to subdue.’
Even while simply destroying or subduing it, that figurine scatters jewelry. And…
If you can’t recover all the scattered jewelry that strangely disappears to various places, each piece of jewelry becomes a figurine.
And it would call for more sacrificial victims.
Moreover…
“…That honey jar bastard just ate someone, right?”
“Yes.”
I hear Eun Ha-je quietly cursing.
“Why, why?”
“They say ones that have eaten people act up more vigorously until they digest the person inside and extract the organs, and that…”
And her words trail off.
‘You’ve noticed.’
The reason why access control to Annex Basement Level 2 is taking so long.
The Security Team is deliberately waiting until the people swallowed inside that jar die.
More precisely, they received such orders.
‘Just endure this period.’
Once the person inside completely transforms into organs, that golden Canopic jar will achieve its purpose and become docile.
Moreover…
Unknown terror.
Since there are no traditions to reference, they become even more careful not to provoke it further.
Until it returns to a docile state appropriate for Twilight grade.
‘They probably had no plans to rescue Kang I-hak either.’
The company would have treated that low-seniority employee who was already caught by the Disaster Management Bureau once and returned as a sunk cost, processing him as missing.
And the bigger problem is…
“…That, that thing!”
I looked at the earring in my hand.
“Did this come from there? This…”
The fact that this jewelry I found at the broken toy maker seems to have fallen from that figurine…
‘Damn it.’
I was lured in.
“If that thing isn’t contained, it’ll chase anyone who picked up the jewelry until the human inside is reduced to just organs.”
The company also completely melts jewelry acquired in contained states to eliminate its form and prevent supernatural phenomena, using only the gold.
But while being chased, could I escape this place without being caught by the Security Team?
Especially a conspicuous special department employee like me.
My companion’s expression changed.
‘…Even if I destroy it, the Security Team would probably notice.’
Moreover, all sorts of fragments and jewelry would scatter and spread, extending the containment failure period, and other darkness entities on this floor might be affected too…
Just like that broken toy maker earlier!
‘I can’t do anything too conspicuous.’
No matter how much Director Ho is backing me, if the incident grows too big for even him to cover up, it becomes troublesome.
“Phew.”
Clatter clatter.
Meanwhile, the figurine in front of me continues dropping jewelry onto the floor.
As if telling me to pick it up.
‘….’
When it realizes that won’t work, it’ll start trying ‘somehow’ to reach my body….
‘So even if it’s not human, as long as it has organs, that’s enough?’
A disturbing moment.
“Hmm… should I just… swallow it…?”
What…?
“Without leaving any crumbs… I think eating it would work…?“
The Security Chief’s head twisted into a strange form, becoming a black and massive shape….
Not Recommended
Reason: Survivors within the complex
“…Mm.”
Before I knew it, the Security Chief had returned to his usual drooping appearance.
Phew.
‘…Is this the influence of seeing the red cloak?’
He feels more aggressive than usual…. I should be careful.
[Oh my, that would have made for quite the intermission spectacle. Swallowing prey along with the pottery! There’s something primitively entertaining about messy and dirty things.]
Wait a minute.
‘Swallow?’
Even if the Security Chief was somewhat aggressive, his usual seemingly indifferent but precise work judgment must still remain.
If so, he chose that method because it’s a way to leave no scattered precious metals and pottery fragments. And….
‘Can’t I do that too?’
….
I released black smoke to envelop the pottery figure before me.
“…!”
“Noru?”
Standby Request
And I think.
‘I almost made a mistake.’
Coming into the Annex Basement and moving around like this reminded me too much of those days, so I must have forgotten.
I was no longer someone who worked in the Field Investigation Team. So….
‘I can do things like this too.’
I tore off the head of the strange pottery figure.
“…!”
Crunch.
…I’ve done similar things to people before, but this is actually easier.
‘Since there’s no worry about contamination.’
With the sound of something hard cracking, the seal of the jar decorated with gorgeous precious metals breaks.
But the precious metals don’t fall to the floor. I’m catching and swallowing them all with my smoke.
Right.
‘I’ve already drawn aggro anyway.’
As long as all the accessories are judged as picked up by me, that’s enough.
Crunch.
I held the pottery figure’s head and accessories in my smoke, then pulled out only my wrist and shoved them into my inventory tattoo.
“Hic.”
Then I pushed my hand straight into the golden canopic jar.
Looking inside with one of my many yellow eyes, my black-gloved hand rummages through the interior of this bizarre ghost story.
Moist digestive fluid, clattering precious metals, but none of it can deal me fatal damage….
And.
“…Cat?”
Got it.
Swoosh.
I pulled out a human body and threw it outside.
“…!”
Manager Lee Ja-heon quickly catches an employee whose flesh and bones in various parts of their limbs had turned into precious metal decorations, just as they were about to hit the corridor floor.
Kang I-hak gasping for breath.
And.
“There’s still some left….”
Chomp.
The giant wolf’s mouth swallows the remaining pottery figure’s body whole.
Crunch, crunch…. Short bursting sounds echo, then gulp, a swallowing sound is heard.
“….”
Everything became quiet.
“Phew.”
The situation was resolved when the Security Chief swallowed even the small jar that appeared from around the corner, stretching his shadow long in the blink of an eye.
And our gazes turned toward Kang I-hak.
“….”
“….”
“We all saw you closing your eyes just now, so what’s this about.”
“Haha!”
At Baek Sa-heon’s words, Kang I-hak brazenly got up.
The sound of parts of his body that had mutated into precious metals jingling could be heard.
“Oh my, thank you. How did this happen, huh? While you were getting out of trouble, somehow I ended up receiving help like this. If possible next time, I’ll buy you a meal at least. Well then, I’ll be going….”
“Saw it.”
“….”
“You saw us.”
“Hahaha, what do you mean….”
“It would be quite troublesome if the Company asks how this guy survived.”
The moment Kang I-hak tells his witness account, our Annex heist plan would be completely ruined….
And Kang I-hak was someone who would readily sell us out for a piece of gold.
“I see. I’ll transport him in sealed condition.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Huh, what??”
Ho Yu-won will handle it himself.
And so Kang I-hak became Manager Lee Ja-heon’s baggage, fixed to a wheelchair.
“W-wait a moment! Are you perhaps traveling with Cat? The one who saved me was Cat….”
Hmm.
I created a message to show my companions.
Recommendation: Exit first
130666: Will join later
“…!”
‘We already got the equipment Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae needed anyway.’
Since only I remain, it would be better for me to move around alone.
The golden jars will only follow me anyway.
‘And it’ll be easier to make excuses if we happen to run into the Security Team.’
If it’s just accompanying a special department employee, that is.
Reason: Safety of escape
Recommendation: Take Pony Supervisor with you.
“Confirmed.”
“By any chance, even if I recover from contamination, can I still receive these gold accessories separately…”
Thwack.
Kang I-hak was knocked out quickly and precisely by Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae’s hand, and the companions moved their steps in unison…
“I remember the way to the emergency staircase, so you don’t need to guide us.”
“Yes…”
However, Baek Sa-heon remained in place.
Because I had grabbed his shoulder.
“…?!”
Reason: Surveillance
“Got it.”
“Um, excuse me.”
Of course, that wasn’t the only reason – I might also need someone who would be recognized as ‘human’ at the next place we visit.
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je seemed to notice this too, and moved quickly without saying anything else…
“No way…”
And while Baek Sa-heon had a complex expression, he ultimately didn’t resist, perhaps because he was bothered by not being able to get the item.
Only after the people disappeared around the corner did the Security Chief raise his head.
“Before more come out… let’s go…”
“…Yes.”
Somehow, those words still carried a sound like he was still hungry, smacking his lips as if famished…
‘…Let’s not provoke him.’
I moved my feet along with the Security Chief.
This time we’re going deeper.
“Now… that’s the Security Team area over there… so we might run into them. When I stop, you stop immediately…”
Affirmative
The sound of footsteps quietly echoes through the corridor.
Iron doors lined up facing each other. The numbers carved on them keep changing, and how long has it been since we entered three-digit territory?
The Security Chief’s footsteps stopped.
“…Here…”
E-404
We’ve arrived.
The last of the three ghost stories for equipment crafting.
We Offer Sacrifice
Also known as, Contaminated Wish.
“…”
We opened the iron door and went inside.
The smell of burnt ash, olive scent, and strange fragrances that couldn’t be described settled and lingered calmly.
The floor of the narrow rectangular space was covered with fine soil, and in the corner near the entrance, dried olive branches were piled up.
And in the center.
There was an altar that looked like children had made it while playing house.
Rough natural stones.
And traces of ash left from burning branches.
Looking at this much, it seems like it couldn’t be more useful.
But.
Because of its strong randomness and the frequent malicious responses, it can’t be used with a light heart.
‘That’s why this darkness is mainly used by the Security Team.’
Security Team members are relatively unlikely to experience terrible results like death or retirement-level consequences even when in contact with somewhat contaminated objects.
Because they’re already contaminated to a level where return to the Field Investigation Team is impossible.
And that…
‘…would be the same for me, wouldn’t it.’
In my 130666 state, I would be similar…
‘…’
[A ritual that uses fire to burn sacrifices! Ah, this is the ‘offering’ ritual commonly observed across various cultures. This Brown is somewhat familiar with it too.]
[Of course, this is like playing house, but hmm… let’s see what it will give to Noru.]
I stepped forward to the altar and placed the salt, rice, and olive oil that were already prepared beside the room onto the olive branches.
Then I lit the fire.
With a sizzling sound, flames rose unusually large above the altar, casting strange shadows that rippled across the plaster…
Then, I make my wish.
The exact object I want, three times.
“…”
“…”
The flames soon died down, leaving ash on the stone…
A clear, circular pattern.
[Ah, how simple!
[But that makes it a clear expression of intent, friend.]
Success.
I carefully dug beneath the altar. In the shallow dirt inside the already dug pit, the outline of an object became visible, caught in my glove as it came up…
…showing me text I had once seen frequently.
Those warm days,
Magic candy!
Nostalgia Candy.
Right. This ghost story had originally been a major source for the Security Team to obtain Nostalgia Series items anyway.
‘…’
I quietly examined the candy wrapper in my hand.
It wasn’t dirty, didn’t show illusions, and didn’t feel strange.
There were no signs of contamination at all.
‘Success.’
And this would be enough.
If taken in Segwang Special City, it would probably restore me to the time when I had legs.
‘…Ah.’
I held that candy quietly. Like the item’s name, I felt a strange nostalgia.
And.
Hand
“H, hand??”
Gift
I placed three or four Nostalgia Candies in Baek Sa-heon’s palm.
‘Well, I doubt this guy would have any special use for them.’
They’d help with escape if needed. And doing this would prevent him from doing something like running away, even if just for the crumbs.
And since it’s the Nostalgia Series…
‘It would be good to give some to the Security Captain too.’
Just as I was about to share them.
“Wait… standby.”
The Security Captain raised his hand.
And he rummaged through his pocket to pull something out.
A walkie-talkie.
The Security Captain slowly brought over the device that was vibrating slightly and emitting light, pressing the receive button.
Then the voice that came through was…
[Finally connected!]
It was Manager Gwak Je-gang.
[Oh my, you. How can you answer this late? Security staff should be quick and alert.]
The Security Captain didn’t respond.
I was also holding back a sigh and waiting, thinking Gwak Je-gang was needling the Security Captain as usual, but…
[More importantly…]
[The employee is with you, right?]
…
…!
I looked at the walkie-talkie.
From it came a voice that seemed somehow excited.
[I know you infiltrated the Annex Building on Director Ho’s orders. How do I know? Hahaha…]
[Director Cheong found out.]
…!!
[I contacted you to say you’d better get out quickly. The director even took along the Security Team in charge of the employee!]
…What?
[As you know, Director Cheong isn’t exactly the type of superior who cherishes employees…]
[Who knows what might happen. Ha, hahaha… Oh my.]
Click, the transmission cut off.
And.
Knock knock knock.
“…”
“…”
My companion and I turned our gazes in unison toward the steel door.
A voice could be heard from beyond it…
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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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