Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 309

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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 309

 

The ‘Cat’ looked at the white-coated researcher in his hand.

 

With his collar grabbed, gasping for breath yet still smiling, Gwak Je-gang spoke.

 

“My doing? What on earth do you mean by that…!”

 

The Cat moved his steps while still gripping the collar.

 

In front of the dragged Gwak Je-gang, one of the platform’s fire extinguishers opened.

 

Inside it was a single head.

 

“…!!”

 

It was the head of a ‘neck-twisted entity’ that had been torn off after being stopped by fire and placed in that fire extinguisher.

 

That face, blackened and charred by flames, was the head of Research Team 2’s Team Manager Choi Myeong-jin.

 

“Ugh,”

 

Researcher Lee Yeon-hwa covered her mouth.

 

“It was your doing.”

 

“Cat, that’s just speculation…”

 

“All the researchers are dead.”

 

His voice was flat, as if stating a fact.

 

“Only you three could have done this, but one was found dead in the residential area with his neck twisted while holding a fire extinguisher. That leaves two…”

 

The eyes behind the cat mask looked at Gwak Je-gang’s hands.

 

“Your hands are clean.”

 

“…!”

 

Researcher Lee Yeon-hwa reflexively looked at her own hands.

 

They were dirty with dust, ash, and soot. Traces left from fleeing the burning residential area.

 

It was natural.

 

If someone’s hands were clean, then that person had…

 

Deliberately wiped them clean.

 

“You wiped them on your coat.”

 

The Cat’s gaze turned downward. With his other hand, he lifted up Gwak Je-gang’s fluttering coat.

 

Inside was filthy with handprints covered in blood and black scabs.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

“Correct.”

 

A smile spread across Gwak Je-gang’s face.

 

“To deduce it so quickly, how brilliant! You understand human behavior patterns completely! Then…”

 

“Researcher.”

 

A quiet voice.

 

“You broke your promise.”

 

The cat mask drew closer.

 

Cold sweat dripped from Gwak Je-gang’s temples…

 

“Wait!”

 

A calm voice emerged.

 

“The promise conditions are different.”

 

“Conditions?”

 

“That’s right! If you recall the sentence I promised with my pinky finger…”

 

In both their minds, excluding Researcher Lee Yeon-hwa, that sentence simultaneously came to mind.

 

I will not go against your will from now on.

 

“And I have never gone against Cat’s will. I followed your instruction to hide in the fire extinguisher exactly as intended!”

 

“…”

 

“If I had truly broken it, the ‘symptoms’ would have already appeared… There’s no need for you to grab my collar, hahaha!”

 

Gwak Je-gang waved his pinky finger, missing its tip, in front of the Cat’s eyes.

 

And despite sweating coldly, he smiled.

 

“I did not break the promise I made with my pinky finger… gak.”

 

Gwak Je-gang fell to the floor from the Cat’s grip.

 

The Cat bent his legs to sit, making eye contact with Gwak Je-gang who was sprawled on the floor.

 

And his eyes curved in a bright smile.

 

“You’re right.”

 

“…”

 

“What you said is correct.”

 

Tension appeared on Gwak Je-gang’s face for the first time.

 

But at the same time, there seemed to be anticipation.

 

Yeon-hwa noticed.

 

That crazy bastard was now anticipating how the entity called ‘Cat’ would respond.

 

Gwak Je-gang’s eyes gleaming at the opportunity to observe a phenomenon and his hands clenched and trembling.

 

“So from now on, I should make my will clear…”

 

…

 

“You’re going to resign.”

 

“…What?”

 

“Quit the Baek Il-mong research team.”

 

A gentle voice spoke.

 

“I’d like you not to approach darkness, not to research it, and not to try to satisfy your curiosity.”

 

“…!!”

 

Gwak Je-gang’s face turned pale. The eyes behind the Cat’s mask curved thinly.

 

“How nice is that? I’m telling you to live safely. Don’t die, and I hope you continue to live safely for a long, long time.”

 

“…”

 

It seemed like turbulent currents were raging in Gwak Je-gang’s eyes, then a smile appeared again.

 

“Haha, no, but then I’d be useless! You’ll need my research and information…”

 

“What if I don’t need it?”

 

“…”

 

Gwak Je-gang’s smile became strained.

 

“How about cutting off a hand? Or extracting an organ, having nightmares every time you sleep, or being dragged into darkness when the full moon rises…”

 

“You seem to have thought of the retributive punishments often used in darkness. Right?”

 

“…”

 

“But what should I do? I don’t need such things. Your pain or body parts have no meaning to me whatsoever.”

 

The heat began to fade from Gwak Je-gang’s eyes.

 

With his smile gone, something filled his face—whether despair or numbness was unclear. As if making some intense calculation…

 

‘…That guy.’

 

He seems dangerous.

 

Researcher Lee Yeon-hwa heard alarm signals ringing in her head, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

 

And just as she was about to open her mouth.

 

“Do you want to continue being a researcher?”

 

“…!”

 

Gwak Je-gang quickly raised his head.

 

“I asked you.”

 

“Yes!”

 

The answer came without hesitation.

 

But the cat silently gazed down at the researcher without a word.

 

Gwak Je-gang quickly racked his brain, speaking urgently yet more cautiously than before.

 

“This will never happen again. If you could announce that as the cat’s will, then such incidents…”

 

“Fine.”

 

“…!”

 

“Let’s watch how you behave in this Segwang Special City and discuss it again later.”

 

“Haha, ha… Thank you!”

 

Life flickered back into Gwak Je-gang’s eyes as a smile spread across his face. In that moment of relief.

 

“Then do that from now on.”

 

“…”

 

“But for what you did today, it would be good to receive a proportional punishment. Don’t you think?”

 

“…That’s, right?”

 

“Good.”

 

The cat declared.

 

“How about breaking your remaining pinky finger yourself?”

 

Shortly after, a suppressed scream echoed through the platform.

 

 

[Whew! Friend, that was tremendous tension! Characters who don’t know their place need appropriate lessons, you know.]

 

A lesson.

 

This wasn’t a lesson, it was just violence.

 

I only chose it because there was no other way.

 

‘Phew.’

 

Using violent hierarchy on a mad scientist… I’m doing all sorts of things I never imagined I’d do.

 

‘But if I didn’t do this, he wouldn’t be scared—he’d just keep trying to test me.’

 

Remembering the researcher who died with his neck twisted while trying to open the fire extinguisher made me feel complicated, but also chilled.

 

It seemed like Gwak Je-gang was trying to test me.

 

‘Did he deliberately choose that person?’

 

Maybe he noticed that I looked disapprovingly at that project researcher pushing others aside while running.

 

I got the feeling he did it to check exactly what my tolerance range was, whether I’d notice, whether I’d let it slide—to confirm my ‘line.’

 

Of course, there was probably also the simple desire to check and record how sturdy the fire extinguisher was.

 

‘That’s even more chilling.’

 

That’s why I deliberately went harder on him.

 

…Though honestly, part of it was because I was angry.

 

‘Phew.’

 

I looked down at the tattoo sticker attached to my arm.

 

A delicate black tattoo of flames spreading over a broken gas lamp.

 

-Please make it with this design.

 

It was a tattoo sticker I’d bought from Moonlight Tattoo Shop for smooth arson.

 

I’d carefully chosen it based on its form and symbolism, and sure enough, when I broke glass with this attached, flames blazed over it.

 

But as a side effect, it seemed to intensely stir up the desire to set fires and make violent anger difficult to suppress…

 

The excessive force I used was definitely influenced by this.

 

‘Sigh.’

 

I deliberately turned my thoughts elsewhere.

 

For reference, the Blue Mascot had paid for it.

 

Good child

 

I’ll

 

buy it

 

…Honestly, I was really grateful.

 

This wasn’t a basic tattoo but something from the Royal Premium line. It wasn’t the level you could get with reviews.

 

Since I didn’t have any more pearls or mother-of-pearl, I was thinking of somehow negotiating with resort accommodation vouchers in the worst case.

 

The Blue Mascot, who paid with something like small scales, left me these words.

 

My gift

 

Don’t forget

 

The round, mysterious dark blue scale I had received from it.

 

That mystical object with rainbow-colored reflections.

 

‘…I am carrying it.’

 

It seemed to mean I should call it when in danger, when needed, or when I wanted to see it.

 

‘Would it work in Segwang Special City too?’

 

Though I had no intention of testing it right now.

 

There were more urgent matters at hand.

 

Step, step.

 

I’m climbing the platform stairs.

 

Every time I notice Gwak Je-gang limping behind me, the anger intensified by the tattoo sticker flares up and then cools down.

 

‘If I had kept insisting on “resignation and research prohibition” as conditions, he probably would have tried to take me down with him somehow.’

 

He would have said he’d rather see some interesting research results before dying anyway.

 

I had to remember that when cornered, if you cut off their escape route, they’ll do crazy things instead of complying.

 

‘Phew.’

 

At least Baek Sa-heon wasn’t the type to troll because it was ‘interesting, fun, and rewarding.’

 

Anyway, I came to my senses and looked at what I had done from the top of the stairs.

 

“…”

 

I could see the residential area that had burned fiercely and turned to black ash.

 

In that place reduced to ashes and completely burned down, there were no longer any corpses walking around with twisted necks.

 

There would be no more need to sleep.

 

Because there were no houses left here now.

 

“…”

 

But there was a price to pay for suddenly setting everything on fire.

 

-No! No! Our house!

 

-Please don’t do this! Why on earth…

 

-My house is gone now. There’s nowhere to return. Mom, Dad…

 

Resentment and screams echo in my ears.

 

Others can’t hear it. Sounds like hallucinations that only I can hear.

 

-It’s an arsonist!

 

-Die die die die die

 

-Your house will burn down too

 

…The consciousness of the Seogang Special City citizens who had wanted to return home was whispering to me with resentment.

 

But I was fine.

 

Because I had injected the Happy Maker.

 

Do you know that acetaminophen has some effect on depression too? Powerful painkillers also kill mental pain.

 

‘It’ll disappear once I leave here.’

 

Since I don’t plan to stay long anyway.

 

Aaaaah…

 

The scene with the burned houses began to fade away into white.

 

Those things that couldn’t become homes no longer had the right to occupy this subway station, the symbol of this residential zone.

 

I silently watched them.

 

From somewhere, I seemed to hear the sound of sad wailing…

 

“…”

 

The next moment.

 

“…Hup.”

 

Above the stairs, a darkened waiting room space spread out.

 

The sound of Lee Yeon-hwa taking in a breath could be heard.

 

“Researcher Gwak and I will go into that waiting room. But if you want, you can wait here.”

 

“…! May I ask exactly where you’re going…”

 

I pointed to the opposite platform.

 

The opposite side that, according to our experiment, couldn’t be reached without going through the waiting room since the platform screen door emergency exit wouldn’t open.

 

“There’s another darkness over there.”

 

At that moment, Lee Yeon-hwa swallowed and stood up.

 

“I’ll go.”

 

…In that case.

 

I moved my steps toward the waiting room in the darkness, accompanied by the two researchers.

 

…Like Hanmam Station when Hanbit Library was closed, the waiting room was in a dusty, abandoned ruin-like state.

 

We passed through there, went down to the opposite platform, found the machine room and opened it.

 

Creak.

 

A burnt smell wafted out, and a completely burned office corridor revealed itself.

 

“This place is…”

 

“This is a place called the Joyful Research Institute.”

 

I explained slowly.

 

“Have you ever seen Baekillmong’s potion production machines?”

 

“Yes? Yes. I’m not in charge of them, but I’ve seen them while collaborating.”

 

“Actually, that’s technology developed by this research institute.”

 

“What??”

 

“From the circumstances, Baekillmong has been stealing the Joyful Research Institute’s technology and equipment to produce potions.”

 

“That…”

 

Lee Yeon-hwa’s face turned pale while her cheeks flushed red at the same time.

 

She realized she was hearing something she shouldn’t hear, but at the same time, the excitement as a researcher hearing censored truth must have surged up.

 

Suspicion and curiosity.

 

“Wait, but if it’s the Joyful Research Institute… it’s a darkness that produces darkness,”

 

“Exactly. Follow me.”

 

I entered the burned office corridor.

 

The two researchers began following me.

 

I could hear Gwak Je-gang’s breathing becoming rough as he tactfully kept his mouth shut.

 

And…

 

“Look at this.”

 

“…!!”

 

After opening several doors, I found a machine.

 

A dream cultivation device.

 

“It’s still operating.”

 

It was broken as if it had lost most of its functions, and it was a version without the button to produce potions.

 

But it was definitely there.

 

‘As expected.’

 

What I had confirmed at the previous station where Fantasy Home Shopping was located.

 

It was a note that had been left stuck between drawers, a written conversation exchanged between employees.

 

-There seems to be a fire on the lower floor, everyone went with fire extinguishers. It’s the floor with the most dream cultivation devices, what the hell is this

 

And if these Seogang Special City subway station research institutes were structured in layers, wouldn’t this ‘Hannat Station,’ the very next station, be the lower floor?

 

So perhaps.

 

‘If there were many cultivation devices, I guessed there might be a possibility that at least one would still be alive.’

 

And that bet succeeded.

 

I looked at the researchers.

 

The researchers were scanning the dream cultivation device with trembling eyes.

 

“Then I’ll collect the price for keeping you alive here.”

 

“…”

 

“Please analyze this machine.”

 

“…!”

 

“What differences it has from Baekillmong’s machines.”

 

Right.

 

‘Even if darkness development is their main job, researchers are the ones who load and handle dream essence liquid in the equipment.’

 

They would be much more familiar with this equipment than I am.

 

“That…”

 

“What differences? There are differences visible to the naked eye right now!”

 

Gwak Je-gang jumped out.

 

And urgently touching here and there on the dream cultivation device, examining it thoroughly, he spoke like a machine gun.

 

“Employee, no, Cat. Do you see that round thing inside, inside the liquid tank?”

 

I can see it.

 

A round object that looks like an egg.

 

I had seen it in the prototype equipment in another dream cultivation room where I was caught by Agent Choi…

 

“Baekillmong’s potion production machines don’t have anything like that.”

 

…!

 

“Isn’t that right, Deputy Lee?”

 

“…That’s correct.”

 

Lee Yeon-hwa’s calm voice was trembling.

 

The tone of someone who was wondering if it was okay to give this answer but ultimately confessing the truth.

 

“Inside Baekillmong Corporation’s liquid tanks… there’s nothing.”

 

“…”

 

“You said this machine is called a dream cultivation device, right? Originally the machine was made for the purpose of cultivating that egg, but Baekillmong might have removed that function and used it.”

 

Right.

 

The Joyful Research Institute’s dream cultivation device was a machine for cultivating some kind of existence. And the result of that was…

 

‘Me.’

 

I was cultivated and created from one of the eggs in those dream cultivators.

 

It wouldn’t be strange if Daydream had removed that function and only utilized the potion production capability.

 

“Yes. That’s correct.”

 

This was already a fact I knew.

 

I answered somewhat numbly.

 

“Based on deduction, the dream cultivator is a device for cultivating some kind of life form….”

 

“Life form? Such a simple expression won’t do!”

 

What?

 

“Cat. You know what kind of resource Dream Essence Solution is, don’t you? It’s a tremendous energy source that manipulates and controls reality, so there’s no way they’d use that amount just to create a single life form.”

 

This.

 

What is he talking about?

 

“If they were researchers, they wouldn’t make such an inefficient design. It must be something else…. Well, from here on it’s just my speculation.”

 

….

 

Gwak Je-gang, whose eyes met mine, smiled even with his pale face.

 

“Have you ever heard this saying? ‘An egg is a world.'”

 

Ah.

 

“It’s from some classic novel. Well, it’s a bit different from the meaning used there… but I think we can use the same words in this case!”

 

Wait a minute.

 

“The eggs in those cultivators are worlds.”

 

…!!

 

“The goal of those dream cultivators is… to create new worlds.”

 

“….”

 

“…That’s the deduction I came up with. Hahaha! Of course it’s just a hypothesis. A hypothesis.”

 

It’s absurd.

 

But suddenly, through my stunned mind, a certain idea emerges.

 

Yukwae Research Institute is a company that creates toy-like ghost stories.

 

Children’s toys.

 

In the end, that’s….

 

‘It’s like an attempt to accept ghost stories in the least harmful way possible.’

 

And considering the Segwang Special City incident, with keywords like paradise and heaven appearing, those words….

 

‘Have possibility.’

 

If that’s the case.

 

The world that Yukwae Research Institute was trying to create, wouldn’t it be something like this?

 

A safe world.

 

A harmless world.

 

….

 

‘A world without ghost stories.’

 

Exactly the world I came from.

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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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