Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 322
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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 322
I stared blankly at the camcorder Baek Sa-heon was holding for a moment.
Right now,
killing someone and stealing their camcorder…
“Aaaaah!”
“…!”
I quickly turned my head.
Inside the door that Baek Sa-heon had locked, the camcorder owner was frantically pounding on the door again, wailing like mad. And as if responding to that, a human figure wavered from the far end of the 5th floor corridor of the abandoned hospital and was approaching…
The black silhouette of a neatly dressed Daydream office worker. And I could hear a confused voice…
“What’s happening over there?”
There’s no shadow.
‘It’s a patient.’
Chills ran up my spine.
I urgently approached the hospital room door where the camcorder owner was trapped and tried to unlock it. I heard Baek Sa-heon grab my shoulder and shout in panic.
“What are you doing!”
Damn it.
I shook off Baek Sa-heon’s hand and finished unlocking the door.
“Ah!”
As the door opened, the camcorder’s original owner, now even more battered, came tumbling out. I practically lifted him up to support him and ran back to the emergency exit.
Quickly…!
“Are you alright? You seem to be injured.”
The patient’s voice was getting closer.
“Run.”
Baek Sa-heon gritted his teeth and ran beside me.
Thud.
I urgently closed the emergency exit door before the shadowy figure from the far end of the corridor could get any closer.
And I set down the person I was supporting on the floor, avoiding the discarded syringes scattered on the ground.
‘…Hah.’
The moment I finally relaxed.
“…”
I turned to look at Baek Sa-heon.
Baek Sa-heon was looking at me with an expression mixed with bewilderment, irritation, and tension.
“What are you doing?”
“Citizen.”
“Why are you wasting time on someone who’s going to die anyway…!”
Baek Sa-heon gritted his teeth and glanced at the camcorder owner, then spoke anxiously.
“Do you think that person is going to be helpful right now? You’ve just added to our burden! You said we’re in a hurry, that we have things to do, so why are you helping a stranger! It’s a waste of time…!”
“Citizen.”
I grabbed Baek Sa-heon. He clutched the two camcorders tightly.
“That person almost died just now.”
“So what.”
He seemed to be gauging my reaction, then soon gritted his teeth.
“He was going to die anyway, so I just grabbed the camcorders a little early. You said we needed them. It’s not like I’m the one killing him.”
“….”
Resentment and a strange anxiety flickered across Baek Sa-heon’s face, then he soon let out a sneer.
“What, do you think there are any good people among those working at this company? Ah, is it because you’re an agent that you have to save people who are visible? That’s not right, is it? You don’t save them when the situation doesn’t allow it either.”
This was the first time Baek Sa-heon had poured out words like this since Jisan Village.
He reacted as if he had been insulted by me. When I was the one who got blindsided by that bastard’s insane personality.
‘Though I am surprised that he seemed to be trying to help me this time.’
But I still don’t understand why he’s acting like he’s been betrayed to this extent. It’s unusually excessive, like a trauma response….
‘…Hmm.’
Is it because I’m an agent?
I recalled what happened in Jisan Village and chose my words carefully.
I was so frustrated I could barely contain my sigh.
“Citizen.”
I spoke as calmly as possible.
“I’m not trying to rescue him because I’m an agent. …It’s just simple logic.”
And I looked at the rescued person who was still trembling in the corner, fumbling at his peeled skin.
“We can survive together, so there’s no need to kill him.”
“….”
Instead of waiting for Baek Sa-heon’s answer, I crouched down to the person I had brought.
And quietly asked.
“Would it be better for you to stay in a safe place?”
“Hic, hiup….”
A head nodding frantically.
And he glanced at Baek Sa-heon with fearful eyes. Baek Sa-heon was looking at that variable that might threaten his survival with a coldly hardened face….
But I didn’t react to either of them and just slowly declared.
“Yes. Then we’ll move to a safe place.”
I supported the rescued person and went up just one more floor through the emergency staircase.
I didn’t call for Baek Sa-heon during this process.
Baek Sa-heon seemed to stand there dazed for a moment, but instead of running away with the camcorders, I heard him following me.
I entered the 6th floor.
‘It’s definitely less murderous than the 5th floor.’
The corridor of the closed ward was dim, but only the thick smell of disinfectant covered the very faint fishy odor.
It still had a gloomy and eerie feeling like something from a horror experience, but at least it meant it looked somewhat normal.
[1F]
Beyond the 5th floor, essentially the 1st floor of the nursing home is being repeatedly projected.
‘The notable incidents in the camcorder recordings mainly occurred on the 4th and 5th floors.’
[Hmm. However, the corridor is quite messy.]
That’s… because the patients marched through as a group.
Investigation Records #3
On the 1st floor, dozens of people dressed as special forces members claiming they “came for rescue operations” appeared in the corridor.
All 7 civilians who followed the procession died.
Camcorder confirmation revealed them to be a group of hospitalized patients carrying stationery-style musical instruments like recorders and castanets.
Uncertain testimony confirmed that these entities made statements as if celebrating or commemorating something.
In this ghost story, the 1st floor is a place where survivors can emerge if they just endure the group of patients marching through the corridor while clapping early on.
Of course, since this is the 6th floor with the 1st floor projected onto it, I entered while knowing the definite safe zones.
“I’ll borrow this for a moment.”
Using the camcorder to view the corridor and hospital room interiors, I carefully moved while avoiding the ‘patients’ and quickly surveyed the hospital rooms.
‘Hah…’
Having someone to support made me feel less scared, even though I was anxious.
And fortunately, I found it before encountering any patients jumping out from somewhere.
“Please enter here.”
I entered the hospital room in the central area.
[Room 111]
Strangely, inside that hospital room, a single hospital bed sat alone, while one wall was lined with desks and faded nameplates arranged in rows.
“Hik,”
“It’s okay.”
When I tried to put them on the bed, they were startled, but I moved quickly.
“…You’re saying this place is safe?”
“Yes.”
I gestured toward the desk as I spoke.
“This used to be where the front door was.”
“…!”
It’s an error that occurs when the floor numbers don’t match.
Investigation Records #21
On the 7th floor, confirmed three patients jumping out through oversized windows that don’t match the building specifications.
Confirmed as an anomalous phenomenon occurring because the building originally lacks the terrace-style space that was in the 2nd floor cafeteria of the nursing home. Reproduction of camcorder recordings proceeded normally.
An error occurring when a front door-like area is created on the 6th floor, which originally has no front door.
An additional location that wasn’t in the camcorder recording.
“There originally wouldn’t have been a hospital bed at the front door, so the entity in the camcorder won’t be able to perceive it.”
At that moment.
“Do you happen to know a way out? Hey, there are people here, right?”
A voice was heard from outside.
“…!”
The three of us climbed onto the bed and huddled together. Baek Sa-heon also seemed conflicted but gritted his teeth and crouched down on the bed.
The footsteps grew closer….
And as the door opened and a bewildered-looking Daydream researcher appeared.
‘…The camcorder!’
I hurriedly turned off my camcorder and folded Baek Sa-heon’s camcorder as well. But….
“There are people here, right?”
…I had just glimpsed it on the camcorder screen.
The actual scene that had occurred in this nursing home.
“I definitely heard voices….”
The patient who had appeared to be a researcher was shown in the camcorder with his abdomen exposed beneath his hospital gown.
His organs appeared to be arranged and fixed in place with bright colored thread in a grotesque manner while receiving an IV drip.
‘Ha.’
Those organs must have been ‘exchanged’ with those of someone who had already been caught….
“Hey, let’s look for a way out together. Hello?”
The patient approached. We all held our breath. And….
“Let’s find a safe place together!”
The patient passed right by us.
I felt the texture of the worn hospital gown brush against my nose and remained frozen without breathing….
….
….
Thud.
The patient left.
The rescued person who had been covering their mouth collapsed while swallowing a cough.
‘Phew.’
“You saw that, right? You can stay here.”
I left the rescued person in that spot.
Since it was a place where even three people could hide, the rescued person seemed somewhat relieved despite trembling.
I reassured the rescued person who seemed to want me to stay here, waited for the corridor to become quiet again, then returned to the emergency staircase.
Baek Sa-heon was quiet on the way back too.
This entire process took exactly 12 minutes.
“Citizen. Look.”
“….”
I turned to look at Baek Sa-heon.
“Nothing has changed, and the camcorder is still in my hands.”
Baek Sa-heon raised his head.
“And you personally confirmed that it’s a safe place.”
“….”
“The situation hasn’t gotten worse at all. Right?”
“…What if that person lives and gives bad testimony about me?”
“It’s natural for someone who was attacked to harbor resentment toward their attacker. If you don’t like that, then don’t attack people in the first place.”
Baek Sa-heon looked at me with an expression that said he had a lot to say. But I just smiled.
“But it should be fine this time.”
“…What?”
-People holding camcorders can also become targets of attacks.
“I already explained it well to the person we rescued. I told them I retrieved it because holding a camcorder could be dangerous.”
“…!”
Since it’s an extreme situation, they’ll probably want to unconditionally trust the person who helped them, so there shouldn’t be any problems after the situation ends.
“And if you hadn’t suddenly robbed them in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Excuse me. If I hadn’t claimed it first, you might not have given it to me.”
“Maybe. But you can’t know that until you try.”
“….”
Baek Sa-heon’s face simultaneously showed emotions of disbelief and something strangely peculiar.
“Anyway, congratulations.”
“For what?”
“It may not have been your intention, but because Sa-heon is here, that person will live.”
“…!”
“And separately….”
I smiled like an agent.
“Thank you for trying to give me the camcorder.”
“….”
“I know that you didn’t actually need to do that.”
Baek Sa-heon had no response.
“I’ll put it to good use.”
After saying that, I picked up the camcorder.
[You wisely resolved the conflict and gained benefits too. Excellent work, Friend!]
I’d like to accept this praise sweetly….
“Then I’ll go back into the 5th floor.”
“….”
And honestly, I thought Baek Sa-heon would bolt at this point.
Since we each had camcorders and knew about the safe zone, I thought he’d quickly disappear following his survival instincts….
‘But he’s not running away.’
He just became much quieter though.
Baek Sa-heon was somehow quietly following beside me, holding his camcorder….
‘…I’ll just leave him be.’
Thanks to that, it was less scary. However….
Wow, seriously.
‘He… dunks people without hesitation.’
I was shocked.
Recently I’d only seen him do some hit-and-run trolling a few times, but seeing him directly take such drastic action against others without any hesitation like this was truly befitting of a Daydream employee.
‘He’s not called Viper Manager for nothing.’
I suppressed the urge to squeeze my eyes shut.
But what was even more unexpected was that his attitude had strangely changed after hearing what I said.
‘Why is he so quiet?’
I looked back at Baek Sa-heon.
The guy flinched and opened his mouth as if gauging my reaction, then closed it again.
The atmosphere on the hospital’s 5th floor was truly spine-chillingly scary, but watching him made it seem like some kind of comedy routine, making it less frightening….
Congratulations….
“…!”
I quickly raised my head.
…From the other end of the corridor, cheerful nursery rhyme-like music was playing.
-(Static)Congratulations(Static)Congratulations beloved(Static crackling)nursing home patients on this day of rebirth congratulations
Wait a minute.
‘This is… what happens at the end.’
The camcorder recording incidents have already been almost completely recreated?
What the hell did those crazy bastards at Daydream do, that can’t be right, wait….
-(Static)Congratulations(Static)Congratulations beloved(Static crackling)nursing home patients on this day of rebirth congratulations
The elevator door opened.
Light poured out from within, and a person walked out. They were carrying something huge. I raised my camcorder with trembling hands….
It was a celebration cake.
HAPPY
D-DAY
A sticky, gooey cake with the same phrase written on it as what was on the 5th Floor Emergency Door.
-(Static)Congratulations(static)Congratulations beloved(static crackling)nursing home patients congratulations on today of being reborn
Only one remained from the group of patients that had been marching on the first floor.
It was approaching us with a smile, holding something that looked like a giant birthday celebration cake embraced with its whole body.
Its entire body was covered in blood, and I could see thick bloodstains being left on the floor with each step it took.
Blood and medicine dripped from the celebration hat on its matted hair as well.
-(Static)Congratulations(static)Congratulations beloved(static crackling)nursing home patients congratulations on today of being reborn
My feet moved.
“…!”
I moved my body toward that celebration cake.
‘Damn it.’
No.
This is the ending of the camcorder recording.
Investigation Records #4
5th floor elevator door opens and the one holding the celebration cake descends.
Marches along the corridor with celebration music.
All survivors follow him and advance to exit through the emergency door, then [CENSORED][CENSORED][CENSORED][CENSORED][CENSORED][CENSORED][CENSORED][CENSORED]
※Access is prohibited for Assigned Researchers and Field Investigation Team Employees. Please access these Investigation Records after receiving permission from the Security Team.
‘Use my contamination?’
Wait, hold on… if I do that, there’s no telling how things might go wrong…
My head was freezing up with fear. My body was moving on its own, and the strange celebration song ringing in my ears was getting louder. The one holding the smiling birthday cake was getting closer.
Feet heading toward the emergency door.
‘Fuck.’
I was so scared my hands were shaking and it felt like my brain wasn’t working. I almost bit my tongue at almost briefly missing 130666’s state.
‘Another response, another…’
I somehow rolled my eyes and looked around through the camcorder… and discovered it.
‘Ah.’
There was an item lying on the corridor floor.
The item that the person I had rescued earlier was holding in both hands along with the camcorder.
Security Team caller.
It seemed to have bounced out and landed in the middle of the corridor when Baek Sa-heon kicked it earlier.
No matter how much they pressed that caller, there was no response, so it was an item that ultimately couldn’t help with rescue.
But as I walked closer and looked at it, I realized.
‘That person was pressing it wrong…!’
This caller was a wall-mounted type.
An item attached everywhere throughout the annex ground floor for security and safety.
-If anything happens, please call immediately.
The original owner of the camcorder probably only knew how to operate the portable Security Team call button.
But in a panic state due to the ghost story, trying to forcibly press an unfamiliar type of caller, they failed to notice one thing.
‘Safety pin.’
They failed to notice the part that needed to be removed for calling…
‘Wait a minute.’
Right now, people would be pressing call buttons everywhere in this chaos, but if the ending was already approaching, it also meant that other places were being suppressed and the commotion was ending.
‘Then…’
What was the probability that the Security Team would respond to a survivor’s call button?
I glanced sideways at the eerie patient holding the celebration cake, breaking out in cold sweat.
‘The Security Team will probably just suppress that thing and immediately move to another location.’
Because it’s chaos.
Then I could continue my exploration toward the 5th floor destination…
“….”
-(Static)Congratulations(static)congratulations beloved(static)nursing home patients congratulations on being reborn today
While walking, I barely managed to correct my movement.
And the moment I approached the caller,
I pressed its safety pin with my foot, and succeeded in kicking it out with my next step.
‘Success…’
But my next step brushed past the button.
‘Damn!’
I gritted my teeth and tried to catch it again with my foot, but it was impossible to make more delicate movements. My foot kept moving forward…
‘Then.’
As I stretched my foot backward, I kicked the caller.
Toward the person behind me.
“…!”
I looked at Baek Sa-heon.
The moment our eyes met, he lifted his foot and…
I pressed the caller device.
….
….
[Processing request.]
[Call location confirmed: Annex 5th Floor. Danger code alert confirmed: Annex under occupation.]
[Since this is an in-company call during suppression, no additional costs will be charged and the call will proceed automatically.]
Hurry!
[Security Team Assignment]
At that moment.
Thud.
The caller device tore open, and a black shadowy figure leaked out through the gap.
“…!”
The shadowy figure swelled up as if bursting forth, taking shape….
-(Static)Congratulations(static)congratulations beloved(static crackling)nursing home patients being reborn today congratulations
A figure dressed entirely in a black uniform.
An unfamiliar Security Team member stood casting shadows in the hospital corridor.
However, I recognized just one clue that was familiar to me….
That uniform.
It was the same style that 130666 had worn.
‘Ha.’
I caught my breath as I looked at the Security Team Special Department Employee who had responded to the call.
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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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