Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 296

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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 296

 

The personnel to re-enter Segwang Special City was assembled very easily.

 

-I want to go!

 

Because all the Daydream Company people told us they were ready to re-enter Segwang Special City after finishing their project-related reports.

 

Though it’s surprising that Baek Sa-heon is among them.

 

-They said they’ll give us more points.

 

High-grade point accumulation without the risk of death is indeed attractive.

 

-We’ve also finished all those tedious project reports. We can go together.

 

-Yes.

 

Manager Lee Ja-heon and Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je also declared their participation. However…

 

-…Let’s leave Min-seong until he recovers a bit more.

 

-…Yes.

 

…We would of course be happy to see Min-seong Supervisor in good shape in Segwang Special City. But he would be afraid to return to a state where he hasn’t regained consciousness in reality.

 

It would also be emotionally better for the Security Chief to come in after passing through the Hanbit Library section.

 

And lastly…

 

‘The agents… would have difficulty for a while due to work duties.’

 

That’s what I thought.

 

-Grape~ Wait a moment. I want to check the status of Sekwang Technical High School.

 

I received a strong intention to participate even if just for half a holiday…

 

-…Ah. Going in right away? Hmm.

 

But Agent Choi seemed to have other schedules.

 

I suspect it’s because of the incident where several agents fell completely asleep due to the Sekwang Technical High School situation…

 

‘It seems like she needs to visit people on leave like Hae-geum Agent.’

 

Anyway, her intention was firm.

 

-Jae-gwan will go. Got it? I’m counting on you, Jae-gwan.

 

-Yes?

 

Thus, the personnel present here are as follows.

 

Manager Lee Ja-heon.

 

Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je.

 

Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae.

 

Team Leader Baek Sa-heon.

 

Bronze Agent.

 

And me.

 

‘Six people.’

 

Exactly the same number of personnel as when we first entered Segwang Special City.

 

Anyway, so we planned to briefly enter Hanbit Library before waiting for the train to check the status of Sekwang Technical High School.

 

But.

 

“It’s gone.”

 

Where Hanbit Library used to be, the subway station continued normally.

 

In a pitch-black state without a single light source.

 

“…”

 

“What’s this now. What caused…”

 

Closed

 

-Corner Under Reorganization-

 

Corner reorganization.

 

‘Could it be…’

 

Did it enter reorganization as Sekwang Technical High School became a private corner?

 

I reflexively looked back at Bronze Agent. The agent nodded.

 

“…It seems the library stopped operating, and the original station platform revealed itself in that spot.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“Then shall we check it out first?”

 

Everyone agreed.

 

So, we first illuminated ahead with flashlights.

 

“…”

 

“It really is station facilities.”

 

There were no strange structures or items there.

 

Really, it’s subway station facilities with the lights off. Tiled walls and thick pillars, gray floor, safety signs and ticket gates.

 

“…Well, there’s no particular danger signal either.”

 

Baek Sa-heon, who had lifted his eyepatch, muttered blankly.

 

“This looks exactly… like the darkness has ended.”

 

It was as Deputy Manager said.

 

Even when illuminated with flashlights, there was no reaction, and the station platform was very quiet.

 

“…Then we’ll go in slowly.”

 

“Yes.”

 

We entered inside slowly, without making footsteps.

 

Drip

 

The sound of water dropping came from somewhere.

 

[Oh my, it seems to be damp. It appears the person in charge of this place hasn’t been managing the space properly.]

 

Or… they’re in a situation where they can no longer manage it.

 

As we entered inside and checked the interior of the station platform, we came to realize.

 

“…!”

 

It’s ruins.

 

‘It’s been abandoned for years.’

 

The floor and corners were rusted everywhere with black mold growing, and the tiles and mirrors on the walls were broken or cracked.

 

And trash.

 

These are traces that people seem to have lived in here for a while. Cans, blankets, plastic bags, used tissues…

 

“…Were these used by people who came here for refuge?”

 

“…It seems so.”

 

The station platform was cruelly realistic.

 

As if the supernatural aspects had disappeared, revealing the appearance of a station platform abandoned after disaster.

 

‘…Will other stations look like this too once the ghost stories occupying them are concluded?’

 

I couldn’t be certain. After all, Hanbit Library wasn’t concluded either, it was just closed for the day.

 

But just seeing the raw, non-ghost story appearance of this Segwang Special City felt strangely unsettling.

 

And…

 

“Look over there.”

 

We checked the nearest Exit 1.

 

The shutter was down.

 

And that shutter was…

 

“…Ugh.”

 

Blocked with dried blood and filth, and all sorts of miscellaneous and heavy objects. Traces of people desperately blocking the outside.

 

‘These are the same traces I saw at Segwang Station.’

 

The appearance of the station on the opposite side of the tracks.

 

“It looks like we could get outside if we clear it away…”

 

“Don’t do it.”

 

“Yes sir, Team Leader.”

 

So we looked around various places.

 

The convenience store had already been completely ransacked, and some remaining fresh products were rotting with an unpleasant smell.

 

Dust had settled on the station platform’s decorative displays, turning them pitch black.

 

All the equipment had already lost power, and it was a heavily dead space without a single bug or rat.

 

“…”

 

“Over there, that’s Exit 4.”

 

The only thing that felt out of place was this.

 

Sekwang Technical High School Graduation Ceremony

 

To Exit 4! →

 

The exit from the guide posted on the platform.

 

Exit 4, which originally seemed to lead to Sekwang Technical High School, was…

 

“Ah.”

 

Blocked with wooden boards.

 

As if only that place was isolated and protected.

 

“This… doesn’t it look just like the back of that library bookshelf?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

What was even more surprising was that the wooden boards were covered with colorful post-it notes.

 

1st Year Class 7 Fighting

 

When sleepy, sleep first and see later, friends

 

I usually hate classical music but this is nice to listen to, makes me feel at peace too

 

Sweet dreams in progress

 

When I wake up, gotta go attack some tteok-twi-sun

 

Notes that seemed to be left by students.

 

The playful words were like graduation album messages or rolling paper.

 

Bronze Agent’s eyes, who was looking closely, stopped at one neat memo.

 

Thank goodness everyone is safe

 

“…It’s Go Myeong Agent’s handwriting.”

 

“…”

 

Really, it was fortunate.

 

And my eyes also stopped at one corner.

 

Let’s meet when we wake up

 

A memo made by tearing A4 paper and sticking it with tape. There was a certain handwriting I recognized.

 

The handwriting I had seen when borrowing the school uniform in the infirmary.

 

“…”

 

“Noru. Should we collect the post-it notes?”

 

“I think it would be better to leave them, just in case.”

 

“…Alright.”

 

We left behind Exit 4, which alone remained colorfully clean, and continued our exploration.

 

“…There isn’t even a single rat.”

 

“Oh. It really feels like ghosts are about to appear.”

 

But we didn’t discover any particular anomalies, and our flashlight beam eventually headed back toward the platform stairs where we had started.

 

“Is that the last place?”

 

The sign that was there.

 

Station Master’s Office

 

The opaque reinforced glass door of the station master’s office was locked with a padlock.

 

Of course, our current group included Lizard, who could tear off not just the padlock but the entire door frame.

 

“I’ll cut it.”

 

Snap.

 

Lee Ja-heon tore the padlock chain in half.

 

And the moment the station master’s office door was finally opened…

 

“…!”

 

Eun Ha-je, who quickly pulled her body back, whispered.

 

“There’s a person.”

 

To be precise.

 

It was a person’s corpse.

 

Inside the dark station master’s office.

 

The station master’s corpse was frozen solid on the desk.

 

My body almost jumped.

 

[The desk glass is completely covered in blood. It seems whoever made this mess had no intention of cleaning up!]

 

Ha.

 

‘This is driving me crazy…’

 

I suppressed the chills running up my body and entered the station master’s office, approaching the corpse.

 

‘Why is there a dead person only here?’

 

The station master’s office was cleaner and more intact than outside, which made the corpse’s grotesqueness even more prominent.

 

…The body’s prone form revealed by the flashlight was completely covered in dried bloodstains on the lower part. It seemed there had been massive bleeding from the neck.

 

What the dead person held in their left hand was… a mirror fragment.

 

‘…Did they slit their own throat?’

 

But why?

 

There was only one way to find out.

 

‘Hah.’

 

I gritted my teeth and reached out to grab the corpse.

 

“Please be careful.”

 

Then I flipped it over with Bronze Agent.

 

The blood-soaked corpse that couldn’t even close its eyes now faced the ceiling.

 

‘Ugh.’

 

“It does seem like they slit their throat. Hmm… but it’s strange. I wonder how the lock remained completely intact!”

 

“….”

 

That’s a valid point.

 

‘The people who evacuated here deliberately left the locked station office untouched?’

 

And this person went so far as to lock the door before slitting their own throat.

 

‘This is strange.’

 

And in this world, strange things are usually related to ghost stories.

 

“….”

 

I looked at the corpse’s blood-soaked upper body, especially the neck cut by the mirror fragment.

 

‘…There might be something in the parts covered by blood.’

 

Hah, really.

 

Fortunately or unfortunately, the corpse felt more dried and shriveled than rotted, so there were no maggots crawling around.

 

And….

 

“…!”

 

There’s something there.

 

‘A line.’

 

A single line not covered in blood was revealed.

 

This is….

 

‘A string?’

 

“Are you trying to examine the wound?”

 

“No. There’s something there. …It looks like a string.”

 

“Wait.”

 

Bronze Agent muttered something, seemingly preventing any potential ‘contamination,’ then grabbed the line near the neck wound.

 

Dried blood powder fell off as something dropped along the string.

 

Something that had been hanging on the chest.

 

ID Card

 

Name: ■■■

 

Segwang Transportation Corporation

 

“…!”

 

It was a Station Master’s ID card.

 

The name in the center was stuck with blood and couldn’t be seen properly, but it was certain.

 

‘This might be useful.’

 

Employee ID cards are usually access passes.

 

We keep moving through stations, so if it’s a station employee’s ID card, there’s a high chance it could be used as a gimmick.

 

“…I’ll take it out.”

 

“Yes.”

 

I carefully reached out and removed the ID card from the corpse’s body.

 

In the process, dried blood stuck to the ID card fell with a thud into the air….

 

ID Card

 

Name: ■■un

 

Segwang Transportation Corporation

 

“….”

 

Wait.

 

I lifted the ID card and scraped off the name section. With tissue paper layered on top, the dark red blood powder fell off in chunks.

 

An undamaged character of the name revealed itself.

 

ID Card

 

Name: ■Heo-un

 

Segwang Transportation Corporation

 

…My colleague’s name.

 

And….

 

A Joyful Research Institute employee’s name.

 

“…!!”

 

Wait a minute.

 

[Oh, what an unexpected encounter!]

 

“Grape Agent?”

 

“Please wait a moment.”

 

I searched the desk where the corpse had been lying. It looked like an ordinary office inside a station platform, and the office supplies and documents that came out were only things you’d expect to find in a subway station.

 

But just one thing.

 

“….”

 

“A map?”

 

It was a picture placed under the desk glass. A three-dimensional blueprint showing the entire station platform.

 

At one location on the blueprint, there was a red stamp-like mark.

 

A rabbit doll’s head.

 

A toy.

 

‘…Joyful Research Institute.’

 

I lifted my head.

 

“This looks like a symbol I recognize.”

 

“Is it an escape hint?”

 

“…Maybe.”

 

And I checked where that mark was located on the blueprint.

 

“Hmm… it’s the opposite platform from where we woke up.”

 

Phew.

 

“It might be dangerous, so for now, just I….”

 

“Don’t say ridiculous things and lead the way.”

 

“….”

 

Yes sir.

 

I eventually took one more look around the station office, then left with the people.

 

Holding the ID card in my hand.

 

But then….

 

“Wait a minute.”

 

“Yes?”

 

Just before leaving the station office, I grabbed Baek Sa-heon’s shoulder.

 

“What did you take?”

 

“…!”

 

When the others had all crowded around the corpse, Baek Sa-heon had gone alone to the side of the sofa in the station office. And….

 

“There’s something in your pocket.”

 

“…Why. You took the ID card too.”

 

“Right. That’s why I showed it to everyone.”

 

“….”

 

“What did you take?”

 

Baek Sa-heon rolled his eyes, then pulled something out of his pocket.

 

A round pouch.

 

It was a cat-shaped wallet.

 

“…It was in the lost and found box.”

 

Ah.

 

Anyone who lost a cat wallet, please come to the station office

 

The lost item notice that had been stuck on the platform wall.

 

This guy had remembered that and tried to find it as soon as he saw the station office.

 

‘No.’

 

Then share that information.

 

‘If something strange happens after taking that, we’ll have to deal with it.’

 

Though of course he probably didn’t want to give it to others.

 

I looked at Baek Sa-heon with an incredulous expression, and suddenly the guy flinched and pulled back.

 

‘…?’

 

No matter how I look at it, this is a reaction like he thinks I’m going to beat him up.

 

‘Ah.’

 

Right. This guy saw me doing physical exorcism.

 

Hmm.

 

“Taking things is your freedom. But if it becomes like the casino….”

 

“….”

 

“It would really be difficult and sad. You understand?”

 

Pat pat.

 

I approached and said while patting his back.

 

“From now on, don’t hide whatever you take.”

 

“….”

 

Baek Sa-heon nodded.

 

“Grape Agent. He’s not the type to listen just because you say it nicely.”

 

“No. Goat will understand too. We’re colleagues.”

 

I said with a smile.

 

“Right. Goat?”

 

“…Right!”

 

Baek Sa-heon forces a smile.

 

Thank you. Reptilian Aliens….

 

‘To think communication works this easily.’

 

Now I can pressure him while having nice conversations.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“? Yes.”

 

After greeting Lee Ja-heon once, I came out of the station office again.

 

…The tension that had been surging seemed to have subsided a bit thanks to that.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

I crossed the gloomy abandoned station building again toward the opposite side.

 

To head to the platform on the other side.

 

When I came down to the platform, bright electric lights were coldly illuminating the tracks and corridor as if it were operating normally again.

 

And across the tracks, I could see the platform where we had awakened.

 

“…The feeling is similar.”

 

“Oh. But it seems like trains don’t come to this side.”

 

That was exactly right.

 

Unlike the opposite platform where we occasionally heard trains entering, this side had only an eerily strange silence.

 

‘At Segwang Station, the area above the stairs had completely collapsed.’

 

…The feeling wasn’t good.

 

With a feeling like we had come to a place we shouldn’t enter, we continued walking.

 

Looking for the place marked on the map.

 

And we soon arrived.

 

■■■

 

An iron door with the nameplate erased.

 

“…It looks like a communication room or machine room of the subway station.”

 

“Oh, right. I think I’ve seen these kinds of doors open on platforms with employees going back and forth doing work.”

 

Then this should open it.

 

I held the acquired station employee’s ID card up to the number pad next to the iron door. Then….

 

Beep.

 

The lock was released.

 

“….”

 

I carefully grabbed the door and opened it.

 

A burnt smell hit my nose.

 

“…!!”

 

“What is it.”

 

The pitch-black burnt interior revealed itself.

 

Beyond the iron door was almost immediately a wall.

 

But if you went in slightly and looked to the side….

 

“…A corridor?”

 

That’s right.

 

Black water was pooled on the completely burnt walls and floor, and offices could be seen on both sides. Along with nameplates covered in soot and invisible.

 

“What is this.”

 

But I was very familiar with this structure.

 

‘…Joyful Research Institute.’

 

The Joyful Research Institute projected in the ghost story that was in the underground annex building of Daydream.

 

Goosebumps rose on my back.

 

‘This was the place…!’

 

The subway station building of Segwang Special City.

 

The Joyful Research Institute was originally located here.

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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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