Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 326

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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 326

 

Unfortunately, Brown’s immediate and quick-witted request was rejected.

 

Before throwing away the Speaking Coin, I had to hear the whole story first…

 

And the ‘Coin Made from Juror No. 1’s Powder’ that suddenly found its voice explained the situation plainly.

 

-I’m not really sure either.

 

Yes…

 

-I strangely felt energized, and suddenly my consciousness returned. I became able to perceive myself.

 

The rusted silver coin glinted.

 

Each time it spoke, the rust seemed to fall away bit by bit.

 

-Still, it’s nice to be able to have a conversation like this again.

 

Juror No. 1, the part of Ho Yu-won that had remained at Morning Station, was speaking to me again with a restored sense of self…

 

I calmed my heart that was about to burst out and reasoned with my throbbing head.

 

‘Was making the remaining powder into Cheerful Coins the problem…’

 

Or perhaps it was because I had entered the Segwang Special City Subway again.

 

‘…Well, it’s nice to see you again too.’

 

-Thank you.

 

Laughter could be heard from the coin.

 

‘How much do you remember about yourself?’

 

-I remember everything up until the day of disaster. Feel free to ask anything.

 

…!

 

‘Who… who are you?’

 

-I’m a psychological counselor who strives to comfort and encourage the people who have gathered in this city.

 

-My dream is for their weary and wounded hearts to heal, making this city a more beautiful and livable place.

 

‘What is your relationship with the Disaster Management Bureau?’

 

-I have connections with the agents there. You could say we’re in a relationship where we do favors for each other.

 

The voice was gentle and warm.

 

Just like the Fox Counselor I met in the Fox Counseling Room.

 

-I don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to talk, but please take care of me until then.

 

So, this is Ho Yu-won from before the chaos broke out in Segwang Special City…

 

Either way, it was truly an amazing situation.

 

And it seems to be quite a shocking event for someone currently tucked in my front pocket…

 

[Yes, Friend. I knew this day would come. Oh, it’s an unstoppable trend in the entertainment business. The fact that everyone loves new faces!]

 

There was a sound of dramatically wiping tears with a very luxurious handkerchief. Though it sounded more like delicately cleaning a TV screen…

 

[This cotton-stuffed body will be kicked out now too. Instead of the only friend who gives complete support to Noru, you’re thinking of befriending those coin scraps…]

 

The situation was naturally escalating.

 

If I listened without thinking, I’d probably gasp “That can’t be!” and naturally throw the coins outside the subway…

 

This is driving me crazy…

 

[Noru, what are you thinking about so deeply?]

 

‘Hmm.’

 

I spoke with the feeling that I might break out in cold sweat.

 

‘…How about thinking of it as a guest entering?’

 

[I’ll fire you.]

 

Yeah…

 

[Haha! Oh, Friend, you’re nervous. You don’t need to be though. What I said just now was just my joke-like advice!]

 

The Host’s voice, which had been speaking soothingly, suddenly dropped dramatically low.

 

[Surely my friend wouldn’t abandon matters of contract and trust? You directly called this Brown here as a friend, and I already know that you keep deep in your heart that this position cannot be replaced…]

 

Really scary.

 

[Right?]

 

‘Of course. Naturally.’

 

Good Friend ghost story is scary.

 

I answered with a smile, feeling like cold sweat was pouring down.

 

‘But I need information. I need to have conversations too.’

 

[Hmm…]

 

‘Small size with real-time communication… it’s hard to compare it to Brown focusing only on these functional characteristics. Then smartphones would qualify too.’

 

I hastily added before remarks like ‘Really? Then let’s leave smartphones behind too, Friend!’ could come out.

 

‘There won’t be any overlap with your position.’

 

Soon I heard a voice that sounded somewhat displeased but accepting.

 

[That’s a sincere statement, Noru.]

 

Phew.

 

[Fine. But please don’t keep it next to me. A plague, really.]

 

In the end, I took out the silver coin and put it in my pants pocket as far away from Brown as possible. The ‘Counselor’ dwelling here didn’t seem to mind much…

 

-Your eloquence is quite impressive, Teacher.

 

Thank you…

 

The Counselor seemed rather pleased, but soon looked around at the environment and muttered as if lost in thought.

 

-This is… inside a subway train.

 

I felt my mind sharpen.

 

Right. Juror No. 1 appeared to be from the Segwang Special City Disaster Management Bureau.

 

‘This is a shelter made by a Blue Dragon Team Agent. …Do you happen to know anything related to this?’

 

Soon I heard a voice that seemed to be thinking carefully.

 

-My memory isn’t quite intact after the Day of Disaster, but I can make some guesses.

 

-If an agent made this, they probably tried to make the train itself safe, don’t you think?

 

The train itself?

 

‘Then there should be traces left in places that could affect the entire train…’

 

When it comes to the train’s core facilities, only one thing comes to mind.

 

‘The engineer’s seat.’

 

The very front car of this train.

 

It’s an area that’s essentially no different from a system window.

 

But the problem is that this train shelter is divided into factions between the front car and rear car.

 

And the front car is hostile and exclusive toward outsiders… I could sense a strange superiority complex or sense of being chosen.

 

‘Now that I think about it, maybe it’s because the engineer’s seat is there.’

 

…Hmm.

 

I showed consideration for the Bronze Agent who was still sighing with a troubled expression so he could rest, and met up with someone else for now.

 

“Sanyang.”

 

“Noru…”

 

Fortunately, Go Young-eun looked better than last time.

 

However, after observing my complexion, they lowered their voice and asked.

 

“Did something bad happen by any chance?”

 

“Huh? Oh, there were both good and bad things. Personally speaking.”

 

Getting my body back was good, human offering was bad. That sort of thing.

 

But Go Young-eun surprisingly let out a sigh of relief upon seeing my reaction.

 

“That’s a relief.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Your complexion didn’t look too good, but you seem more at ease now.”

 

“…Thank you.”

 

I smiled with Go Young-eun for a moment, then got to the main point with a serious expression.

 

“For a while… it would be better if the Train Shelter people also avoid going to the casino.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Go Young-eun, who looked slightly flustered, sensed the atmosphere and hardened her expression before quickly asking.

 

“I haven’t been going there anyway since that time… but how long should we do that?”

 

“You’ll probably get word within a few days.”

 

I recalled.

 

“When it’s finished, that team agreed to give us a signal.”

 

* * *

 

Hae-geum Agent raised her head.

 

Before her eyes was a door that looked like an illegal gambling den entrance, brazenly positioned in the subway.

 

‘This brings back memories.’

 

Gambling hall ghost stories were usually extreme.

 

Either flashy and luxurious casinos, or shabby gambling dens that looked dangerous to anyone.

 

This seemed closer to the latter, but Hae-geum Agent didn’t need to make hasty deductions. She had already heard all the relevant details from someone with experience.

 

And behind her, two employees from Baekillmong were following.

 

“How does it look to you, Team Manager?”

 

The young man in the pony mask who spoke respectfully looked easygoing just by appearance, but his eyes were overflowing with desire.

 

Greed for wealth!

 

-Oh my, you must be a senior I’m meeting for the first time!

 

Hae-geum Agent’s face as she looked back at this employee who had been brazenly friendly from the moment they met… was covered by a Baekillmong Corporation-style mask.

 

A white owl mask.

 

Originally she had considered wearing a Hahoe mask, specifically the neutral mask… but she thought it was better not to reveal her agent identity unnecessarily.

 

From within this unfamiliar mask, she was sizing up the next person.

 

“Are you going in now?”

 

The person in the butterfly mask had a razor-sharp, perfectly neat appearance without a single wrinkle. And even gleaming nails and expensive shoes.

 

However, the eyes visible between the ornate mask above the tall, slender frame were freezingly cold with a hint of irritation.

 

It was fortunate that she had come as the team leader of this temporary team, otherwise there would have been a hierarchy struggle from the start.

 

‘Hmm. Good.’

 

She really seemed to have no blood or tears.

 

Most importantly, there was familiarity.

 

Hae-geum Agent felt a slight sense of nostalgia as she looked back at them, knowing that the Butterfly Employee she had once put in a glass prison had been promoted to the Elite Team.

 

Unilaterally hiding one’s identity was advantageous in this regard.

 

“Let’s enter.”

 

Hae-geum Agent immediately pulled out a pouch from her chest. It was the pile of coins from the Body Casino that she had received from Grape Agent.

 

The war chest for this exploration.

 

After she picked up the glittering coins one by one and distributed them to her companions, she entered the Body Casino.

 

“That’s the mission funds, isn’t it?”

 

Pony Mask’s eyes gleamed as he looked at the heavy pouch.

 

“Haha, of course I know we’ll be playing games together as one team…”

 

“No. We’re not going to do that.”

 

“…Excuse me?”

 

Hae-geum Agent smiled and divided the coins into three equal parts on the spot.

 

“Here.”

 

“…!”

 

“Use them however you want to your heart’s content.”

 

Soon the stakes in the pouch were distributed into each person’s hands.

 

Hae-geum Agent looked at the two of them with her eyes gleaming through her mask.

 

“However, I won’t save you if you get into debt.”

 

“Understood!”

 

What an obvious thing to say!

 

Pony Mask received the money with such enthusiasm that sparks seemed to fly from his eyes, then looked at Butterfly Deputy with subtle eyes.

 

“Deputy Manager, perhaps…”

 

“Get lost.”

 

“Yes!”

 

And so the group scattered.

 

Kang I-hak running to the slot machines, and Jin Na-sol boldly entering the dealer room.

 

Hae-geum Agent watched them each act as they wished with a strange smile on her face.

 

It was at that exact moment when Kim Sol-eum was gasping in shock at seeing the talking coins on the train.

 

* * *

 

‘Phew.’

 

They should be entering the casino around now.

 

If it’s Hae-geum Agent, she’ll be doing well. I even made sure to tell her to prepare an escape route from the casino just in case.

 

Let me focus on the train side.

 

As part of that, I was currently in the middle of a conversation with the person in front of me.

 

It was Go Young-eun’s paternal aunt, also known as the ‘Station Master.’

 

“You want to settle on the train?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“…Hmm. That would be difficult.”

 

I knew it would be hard to accept more since they had already accommodated two people.

 

“Don’t worry. I’m not asking to be accepted as a shelter resident, I want to stay long-term in Car 8.”

 

When I added that I would of course purchase an accommodation pass officially, the Station Master nodded.

 

“You don’t really need to tell me about that separately.”

 

“Ah, there’s something I’d like to request… Could I possibly buy other permissions as well?”

 

“What kind of permissions?”

 

“I’d like to sell goods in Car 7 as well.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

The Station Master pondered for a moment, then nodded.

 

“I understand for now. But let’s discuss it again after seeing the items.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Good.

 

‘I already have items in mind.’

 

I nodded as well and added the crucial point.

 

“Um, when I come for the long-term stay, I’ll probably appear in a different form than now.”

 

“…You mean you’ll be in disguise?”

 

“Rather than disguise, it’s more like a different identity. And from then on…”

 

People remember impressions rather than details anyway.

 

No one in the front cars would properly remember my face. They don’t have clairvoyance either, so they’d only remember clothing or the mask.

 

In that sense, if I take off the mask, mess up my hair, wear glasses and hunch over, it would be hard to recognize me.

 

“Please call me Grape.”

 

…It’s been a while.

 

Grape Agent.

 

I immediately went down to the platform and started changing clothes.

 

[So what kind of radical choice will you make this time, Friend?]

 

[A wonderful train episode we experienced together comes to mind. My friend performed the cult leader role quite boldly and excellently…]

 

[How about it, will you enlighten those who seek a mark of faith to rely on in this extreme environment with the truth again?]

 

Mmm…

 

That’s when I was choosing my words.

 

-Teacher Doll, have you ever considered that your way of speaking might be putting too much pressure on the other person?

 

W-wait a minute.

 

[Oh.]

 

[Please continue speaking.]

 

-Teacher’s friend must also have their own desired way of living, so constantly watching Teacher’s mood probably isn’t entirely satisfying for them.

 

-Perhaps Teacher yourself might not find this atmosphere comfortable either.

 

[Good grief… It’s like being on some cheap therapy program.]

 

Please stop.

 

I quickly interjected, feeling like I might break out in a cold sweat.

 

‘Um… thank you for your concern. But actually, the method I originally thought of is similar to what Brown suggested.’

 

[Ah, I see!]

 

This wasn’t empty flattery to appease the Ghost Story Host with a ‘you really hit the nail on the head’ approach.

 

‘Nothing’s easier to wield influence with than a cult in this kind of isolated small society.’

 

I’d even already tried it once on the Tamra-bound Train.

 

However, since the conditions are different this time, I plan to approach it differently as an outsider.

 

‘But I won’t be the Cult Leader.’

 

[Hmm?]

 

‘I’m going to be a sycophant.’

 

A suffocating silence flowed.

 

-Excuse me?

 

‘The number one worshipper.’

 

[Noru, just whose sycophant are you planning to become? How could this be, my friend taking on a role of worshipping someone. If so, just how amazing must this Cult Leader be, let me see…]

 

‘It’s you.’

 

[Oh.]

 

And so I began secretly spreading Rabbit Doll worship ideology throughout the train.

—————
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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