Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 307

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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 307

 

Honestly, being mistaken for a ghost story resident by people isn’t the first time.

 

No, before I actually became the non-human 130666, I used to encourage such misunderstandings and make good use of them.

 

But when I was actually confronted by a Daydream Company person saying ‘No, your registration number is such and such!’, it felt strange.

 

And in cat form, no less.

 

‘I’m… a ghost story registered with Daydream Company?’

 

Moreover…

 

‘Kang I-hak is in a contaminated state worshipping me…?’

 

That person… it’s probably just because a cat showed him items and escape methods…?

 

It seems there’s a misunderstanding as wide as an uncrossable river.

 

Still, seeing the expression ‘saves people’, I’m relieved it wasn’t distorted into something like ‘cat killing machine: mercilessly grinds people up’…

 

Gwak Je-gang’s reaction to those words was this:

 

“Does it look that way? Then shall we try begging to be saved?”

 

“Manager!”

 

“Well, it’s better than dying, right? And if it helps people, it’s a probabilistically decent gamble!”

 

Gwak Je-gang turned to me with a chuckle and asked.

 

“Cat-nim, where might this place be?”

 

“This is inside darkness not registered with Daydream Company.”

 

Thud.

 

Lee Yeon-hwa fell backward.

 

“Hahaha!”

 

Looking at me with disbelief as I changed back from cat to human, she stumbled backward, then startled when her body touched the fire extinguisher door and caught her breath.

 

‘I’m sorry.’

 

It was a necessary decision for impact…

 

“You said you didn’t remember.”

 

“That was a lie.”

 

You may be shocked, but please listen a little more.

 

“If I had given honest advice, you absolutely wouldn’t have believed it, and you would have died while fleeing.”

 

And I briefly glanced toward the door as if looking outside the fire extinguisher.

 

As if recalling the miserable state the other researchers might be suffering right now, the faces of the two researchers except Gwak Je-gang turned pale again.

 

Lee Yeon-hwa opened her mouth with a trembling voice.

 

“We’ll believe you now, so please answer again. …Where exactly is this place?”

 

“…”

 

Now that I’m in this position, I understand.

 

‘It’s really difficult to tell the truth.’

 

A city where the government has blocked both access and information, a ghost story that is itself a living nightmare, and probably Daydream Company is the cause of this situation?

 

You’re now trapped in this crazy place and can’t get out?

 

But I can get out if I die?

 

I end up saying this instead.

 

“…Think of it as an abandoned city and it’ll be easier to understand.”

 

“No. Not the easy-to-understand version, but the truth, please.”

 

…!

 

“Right, the listeners are all researchers after all. Save the pre-chewed baby food for weak modern people who want 3-line summary shorts!”

 

Gwak Je-gang grins and his eyes light up.

 

“Please tell us!”

 

…Hmm.

 

I sat down.

 

And I spoke to Gwak Je-gang.

 

More precisely, looking at his missing pinky fingertip.

 

“If you keep promises made with a pinky swear well.”

 

“…!!”

 

“Good. I’ll tell you.”

 

I watched Gwak Je-gang’s face fill with slight bewilderment, surprise, and soon elation, and suppressed a sigh as I continued speaking.

 

And I explain about Segwang Special City.

 

A city that got caught up in an enormous ghost story for some reason and was ultimately sealed to prevent additional casualties.

 

And strangely, only the subway here is in better condition than outside, but the stations have already been consumed by different forms of darkness…

 

“And this station’s name is Midday Station. Its nickname is Nap Shelter. …Of course, sleeping here means death.”

 

I shared everything I knew about this station based on the wiki, experience, and rumors.

 

The listening researchers initially turned blue with despair, then were soon caught by an unavoidable occupational hazard.

 

Interest and analysis.

 

“This is interesting. Could it be that ‘drowsiness’ chases you and your neck gets ‘strangled’??”

 

“Huh? Ah!”

 

“…You’re talking about wordplay, Manager.”

 

“Right. Puns! Originally, during naps you’re often in REM sleep, so you often have strange dreams. These weird metaphors and associations can be justified in nonsensical dreams!”

 

And Gwak Je-gang glances at me.

 

“This ghost story seems to be conceptually deeply connected to naps… What do you think, Employee… no, Cat-nim?”

 

“…I thought similarly.”

 

Amazing.

 

“Probably because of the name Midday Station, since midday continues eternally, the nap never ends.”

 

“Exactly! Death is eternal sleep, isn’t it? I like how metaphors and symbols work well, as befitting darkness.”

 

His ideas spin rapidly.

 

I noticed something quite impressive.

 

‘…Similar to me.’

 

The habit of trying to find rules and loopholes.

 

Of course, it felt more theoretical and less practical than me, but even so, it was fascinating to see people who didn’t just run around alone saying ‘I have ideas!’ but immediately started looking from a similar perspective.

 

‘Is this… what ghost story researchers are like?’

 

[As long as my friend feels comfortable, that’s all good. Even if outside is a zombie apocalypse!]

 

Right. That was indeed a real problem…

 

Thud.

 

“Shh.”

 

I gave warnings whenever strangely weak footsteps could be heard outside the fire extinguisher. I could see the researchers’ shoulders stiffen with tension.

 

When I gestured that it was okay now, Lee Yeon-hwa swallowed and spoke.

 

“…Why are you helping us?”

 

I thought for a moment and answered like this.

 

“In this city, enough intelligent beings have already died. I don’t particularly like that.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Lee Yeon-hwa nodded as if she realized ‘ah, that type of darkness’.

 

You’re smoothly misunderstanding. Thank you…

 

“Then would you perhaps also look for a way to break this darkness to increase our survival probability?”

 

“Manager…?!”

 

I nodded slightly.

 

And added.

 

“If possible.”

 

“Hahaha, thank you. Then, hmm, if I may predict one method Cat-nim might use…”

 

Gwak Je-gang looks at me with strangely gleaming eyes.

 

“Setting all the clocks in this residential area to 7 PM? Changing it so it’s not nap time! Haha, sounds plausible, doesn’t it?”

 

…!

 

It was a familiar clearing method.

 

‘Manipulating symbolism to change the time zone.’

 

Exactly… the method I used in the convenience store ghost story when I was the senior new employee of Daydream’s Field Investigation Team.

 

‘…He remembers my clearing method.’

 

It was somewhat eerie.

 

It was also an appeal that he knew my identity well.

 

But I shook my head.

 

“Unless we change the station name of Midday Station, that kind of breakthrough method would be difficult.”

 

Because there’s already a stronger symbolism in the station name.

 

“Then do you think about changing the station name…”

 

“Stop.”

 

Gwak Je-gang flinched and shut his mouth. Deputy Lee Yeon-hwa looked at him with disbelief.

 

“For now, I’ll guide you all to the platform, so hide by the fire extinguisher there. I’ll handle the rest myself.”

 

“No, that’s…”

 

“Yes, yes!”

 

The Project Researcher answered promptly. Researcher Lee Yeon-hwa looked at him with an incredulous expression as he tried to speak up in opposition, but he remained firm.

 

Right. Having a strong survival instinct was typical of Daydream employees.

 

I stared intently at that person.

 

“But before that, I have a question.”

 

“Yes…?”

 

To be honest.

 

If this person happened to die before reaching the platform fire extinguisher, I’d lose the chance to hear the answer, so I wanted to make sure I knew.

 

“You.”

 

I stared at the one surviving Project Researcher from Director Ho’s team.

 

“What exactly were you researching when you ended up coming here?”

 

“…!”

 

“Don’t try to hide it.”

 

I deliberately grabbed the person’s face.

 

“I already know. That you were researching to enter this city, and that an accident occurred in the process.”

 

“…!”

 

The researcher looks around nervously.

 

“Th-that… I, well… You know, right? That… I can’t tell you specifically…”

 

“If Director Ho has placed a prohibition spell preventing disclosure to non-project personnel, I’ll convince the other researchers to cover their ears.”

 

“…!!”

 

The Project Researcher breaks out in cold sweat.

 

Gwak Je-gang, who had been watching all this with fascination, made a disappointed expression, but I ignored him.

 

I made the two researchers turn around and cover their ears, then faced the Project Researcher again.

 

“Now.”

 

“….”

 

“I hope you won’t make me judge this as an attempt to avoid responsibility.”

 

Since a monster that transforms into a cat had created this much intimidation, he probably wouldn’t tell pointless lies.

 

“What research brought you into this Seogang Special City?”

 

“~!”

 

The Project Researcher, who had squeezed his eyes shut, finally shouted as if mumbling.

 

“We used the subway darkness…!”

 

“….”

 

“Among the stations where you get off, there was a station name presumed to be Seogang Special City! We thought it would be okay since it was a stabilized ghost story…”

 

….

 

“Stable enough to be used for entrance exams?”

 

“…!!”

 

I released the face I was holding as if shaking it off.

 

“The darkness you used was D-rank #16 ‘Welcome to Abyss Transportation Corporation.'”

 

“…!! How, how did you know?”

 

How? I was certain from your reaction.

 

Wow.

 

‘These crazy bastards.’

 

-Passengers, thank you for using Abyss Transportation Corporation today… Our train does not stop.

 

The very first ghost story I encountered at the new employee orientation when I joined Daydream.

 

I recall escaping through Peaceful Station with Go Young-eun, and Baek Sa-heon escaping alone after sacrificing one eye.

 

‘Phew.’

 

To think that Seogang Special City station also appears there depending on the theme.

 

Meanwhile, the researcher who had been hit right on target began spilling everything as if confessing, muttering defensively.

 

“Wh-when the station themes change, sometimes only stations that actually exist in reality appear, and occasionally when you get off at a nameless station…”

 

Abyss Transportation Corporation is almost a ghost story the company can play with, they got caught up because they expanded the range of influence to include himself and other researchers, the process of getting off the train was experienced by test subjects, etc…

 

It was eerie, but one thing was clearly etched in my mind.

 

‘Subway train.’

 

That they entered this place through a ghost story about riding the subway.

 

And.

 

“…Using test subjects means you’ve been continuously trying to push ordinary people in here?”

 

“I, I don’t know. They probably died. I didn’t know it would turn out like this, I didn’t know, why me, let me out, please…!”

 

“….”

 

My head feels like it’s turning ice cold.

 

‘Company of sociopathic bastards…’

 

I looked at the Project Researcher huddled in a corner, defensively muttering and shedding tears of self-pity, held back a sigh, then tapped the shoulders of the other two researchers.

 

“Oh, are you finished?”

 

“You didn’t secretly eavesdrop, did you, Manager?”

 

“Come on, as if! I want to make a good impression on the cat!”

 

Researcher Lee Yeon-hwa holds back a sigh watching Gwak Je-gang laugh cheerfully and smack his lips.

 

…I strangely feel a sense of kinship. In having civilian sensibilities in a world of crazy people…

 

“More importantly! While I was sitting over there alone, I came up with one brilliant method.”

 

Gwak Je-gang grinned, rubbed his palms together, and adjusted his glasses.

 

“How about giving a signal that nap time is over, that it’s time to go to work? Then who knows, maybe all the people currently sleeping with their necks twisted will wake up?”

 

“What kind of signal?”

 

“When you think of residential areas, several methods come to mind immediately. Sounds of people shouting they’re going to work, school bells signaling lunch break is over, voices telling people to get up and eat. There are many things worth trying!”

 

“….”

 

“Come on! It’s not like the job will be finished just by passively hiding by the fire extinguisher, please!”

 

Gwak Je-gang almost grabbed my pants leg and clung to me.

 

“Just one! Let’s try just one…!”

 

“….”

 

I turned my head.

 

Frustratingly, Researcher Lee Yeon-hwa was also looking at me with a similar expression…

 

“It would be amazing if it worked!”

 

 

And 45 minutes later.

 

“Aaahhh!!”

 

We’re screwed.

 

I held back my curses and pulled Gwak Je-gang, whose neck had almost been twisted, from the grasp of the Neck-Twisted Person to save him.

 

“Ugh, one second later and I would’ve died… Gah,”

 

That bastard is driving me crazy.

 

“Wow, who would’ve thought nothing would work! Hahaha, I guess this method only draws attention?”

 

At least be grateful that you get some leniency because you weren’t trying to troll on purpose.

 

“Save me, ugh, save me…”

 

“…”

 

I ran past the researcher who had died in the alley, with Lee Yeon-hwa and the Project Researcher flanking me on both sides.

 

My back grew damp with eerie dread.

 

‘There are too many of them.’

 

Somehow I felt like the residential area was getting narrower and narrower.

 

And the frequency of Neck-Twisted Entities appearing on every street was steadily increasing.

 

‘It wasn’t supposed to be trying the method Gwak Je-gang mentioned.’

 

I should have immediately dumped all three of them at the platform.

 

Cold sweat dripped from my temples, but fortunately it pooled inside the cat mask and didn’t show outside.

 

Even if I tried to find meaning in learning that all those methods don’t work, thinking that the lifelines of three researchers were attached to my hands made my heart feel like it would burst.

 

Maybe it was because I’d seen too many corpses of dead researchers and neck-twisted people.

 

‘What should I do?’

 

It was particularly difficult because there were three of them, making it hard for me to carry them on both sides while running.

 

I was pretending to be calm, but my mind was spinning fiercely.

 

‘Right now, even if I transform into a cat, it seems like these people won’t be able to keep up with their stamina.’

 

Still, I should check the path once first, right? No, even if Cat Contamination relatively easily detaches and reattaches, it might contain some unknown dangers like other contaminations…

 

‘This won’t work.’

 

I guess I should find one more fire extinguisher, put them all in there, and then plan the route again.

 

“Please let me know if you spot any shiny silver rectangles.”

 

I’ll go check immediately if it’s a fire extinguisher.

 

Just as I said that and decided to transform into a cat and jump up onto the wall.

 

“C-Cat, over there…”

 

I reflexively turned my head.

 

“That… looks like a silver rectangle!”

 

At the end of the field of vision that Lee Yeon-hwa pointed to, in one corner of the shabby residential area.

 

There was definitely a silver rectangle.

 

But it wasn’t a fire extinguisher.

 

Like the trendy ones recently. A sign was roughly placed there like a cafe or small select shop situated in a residential area.

 

And I could read the letters on that sign.

 

Moonlight Tattoo Shop

 

…!!

 

“Aaahhh!”

 

[Oh my, they’re swarming from the opposite side too!]

 

I covered the mouth of the screaming Project Researcher and quickly gave instructions.

 

“Go inside.”

 

“What?”

 

“I’m acquainted with the owner of that place. They’ll welcome you, so go in.”

 

“…?!”

 

There was no time to say more. I hurriedly went to the front of the sign, avoiding the Neck-Twisted People, and opened the door to the tattoo shop.

 

And like herding sheep, I pushed all the researchers inside, then entered myself and closed the door.

 

Thud.

 

“…”

 

Third visit.

 

The interior of the tattoo shop, now familiar to my eyes, came into view.

 

Including the artificial moonlight pouring down from the ceiling in the center.

 

‘Why is this shop in Segwang Special City?’

 

I didn’t know, but I was grateful just to catch my breath.

 

And over there, the shop owner Tattooist who had been sitting at the table had stood up upon seeing four customers suddenly burst in.

 

Up to this point, it roughly matched the picture I had drawn when I saw the tattoo shop and rushed in.

 

…But there was also a completely unexpected scene.

 

Good Child

 

The form of the Blue Dragon Mascot was sitting across from the Tattooist, holding a teacup.

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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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