Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 338

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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 338

 

Mountain Road in Segwang Special City.

 

Ryu Jae-gwan gasped for breath as he looked at the person running ahead of him.

 

The person on the bicycle… no, the ‘Agent’ was making surprisingly fast and clear decisions as he led them forward.

 

“Huff.”

 

They were now climbing the mountain entirely.

 

To be precise, they were using the well-maintained mountain walking trail to avoid densely populated areas and take a shortcut through the residential district.

 

[Walking Trail & Rest Area]

 

The path was barely maintained enough that mountain bikes weren’t necessary.

 

The Counseling Teacher was riding behind the Agent ahead, while Ryu Jae-gwan desperately followed behind on his unfamiliar bicycle.

 

The Agent occasionally checked on his condition without slowing down. There was a clear will to escape danger as quickly as possible.

 

He remained calm and resolute even in this eerily urgent situation that felt like something out of a disaster movie.

 

But…

 

“Student Jae-gwan, be careful!”

 

How on earth does he know me?

 

He was an orphan with no connections.

 

So why would he try to rescue him?

 

Something between anticipation and fear stirred in his chest. A strange thrill rose up through the fear of this extraordinary and extreme situation where he might die.

 

It was a teenager’s sense of longing.

 

The excitement of taking on a special role.

 

However, the situation was too urgent for such sentiments to come to the forefront.

 

Beep beep beep!

 

“…!”

 

“Turning!”

 

The moment the disaster alert alarm rang once more, the bicycle ahead suddenly swerved.

 

Ryu Jae-gwan hurriedly followed.

 

But he felt a chill realizing he had almost let go of his bicycle handlebars to grab his phone and check the message.

 

This urge was getting stronger and stronger…

 

And after running for who knows how long.

 

“Let’s, huff, take a short break over there.”

 

They stopped in front of a rest area sign.

 

Ryu Jae-gwan reflexively surveyed the interior.

 

The rest area in the middle of the mountain path was a cabin, with a small flat area around it and a fence.

 

In the corner, he could see a wooden sculptural faucet between rock crevices and spring water pooled below it.

 

[Shim-pyo Spring (Washing Prohibited)]

 

Ryu Jae-gwan followed the Agent, getting off his saddle and pulling his bicycle by hand toward the cabin entrance…

 

He heard the Counseling Teacher whispering softly.

 

“There are other people inside the cabin.”

 

…!

 

“They’re watching us from the window. …It doesn’t seem like they have good intentions. Don’t look.”

 

Ryu Jae-gwan almost turned to look at the window. Cold sweat trickled down his temples.

 

…He could feel sinister gazes examining their bicycles, his companion’s build, and their luggage.

 

Then, he heard a calm voice catching its breath beside him.

 

“I wasn’t planning to go inside anyway… If we need to move quickly, indoors isn’t good. Let’s just sit outside the rest area for a moment and then go. There’s a spring here.”

 

The Agent’s calm voice eased the teenager’s tense nervousness.

 

“Will that be alright, Student Jae-gwan?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

The adults gave a faint smile and checked on Ryu Jae-gwan’s condition once before starting a conversation with serious faces.

 

“It’s only been an hour since the disaster occurred, and people are already having extreme thoughts…”

 

“Nothing matters when life is at stake. They would have immediately realized this wasn’t ordinary, so it’s natural.”

 

It must have been about the ‘people with bad intentions’ inside the cabin.

 

Ryu Jae-gwan swallowed.

 

But the Agent who looked at him seemed composed, just patting the seat next to him as if to reassure him.

 

His eyes between his black hair were calm.

 

As if he had experienced this kind of thing countless times.

 

Not knowing what kind of internal screaming this Agent was doing, Ryu Jae-gwan just felt some relief and sat beside him.

 

And as they caught their breath, conversations about the situation continued.

 

“The alarm that rang earlier… wasn’t on the mountain path but probably down below the mountain. We should be safe here for a while. Since we don’t know when this might happen again, let’s replenish fluids and nutrition now.”

 

The Agent took out an empty plastic bottle from his backpack, filled it with water from the spring, and offered it to the Counseling Teacher.

 

The Counseling Teacher refused at first, but eventually took a few sips at the Agent’s insistence and also put candy in his mouth.

 

Then the Agent asked him.

 

“You said you’re going to the station.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You said there’s a way to end this disaster… so exactly where are you trying to go by subway?”

 

“I’m trying to get to Segwang Station.”

 

Then the Agent’s calm expression showed signs of disturbance.

 

Why?

 

“Teacher. The origin of this disaster is Seokwang City Hall. That’s right near Segwang Station.”

 

Ah.

 

“You’re saying you want to enter a fire pit in the middle of a fire. In a newly occurred large-scale disaster situation without manuals or basic equipment.”

 

And the Agent paused, swallowed, and spoke.

 

Ryu Jae-gwan thought it seemed somewhat intentionally done to create a sense of crisis.

 

“And this isn’t an ordinary disaster. I think… this incident is at minimum a wave-type, and in the worst case…”

 

“I know.”

 

The Counseling Teacher’s slightly anxious voice was heard.

 

“That’s why we need to hurry more. And don’t worry. I have my own methods.”

 

And the Counseling Teacher suddenly held out an empty candy wrapper to them as if showing it off.

 

And he clenched his hand tightly so the contents couldn’t be seen, then opened it.

 

Then.

 

Sparkle.

 

Small red bead-like things poured out from the candy wrapper onto his palm.

 

“…!!”

 

“Like magic, right?”

 

They were small ripe red berries.

 

“They’re berries from a plant called fox beads. Student Jae-gwan.”

 

The Counseling Teacher spoke somewhat affectionately, holding the small berries and smiling somewhat playfully.

 

“If you eat these, you’ll be fine for a while. You won’t be enchanted by disaster messages. …I can’t guarantee complete safety, so we’ll need to get out of here as quickly as possible.”

 

The Counseling Teacher’s eyes seemed to briefly blur as he looked at the empty space where his right hand had been cut off, but he soon smiled again and offered the berries.

 

“Go ahead.”

 

Ryu Jae-gwan glanced at the Agent, and when he nodded, he took the berries.

 

When the Security Guard had put his hand into the monster earlier, and when that hand was cut off, he had thought…

 

The Counseling Teacher didn’t seem like an ordinary person…

 

…

 

Wait, was there originally a counseling teacher at the school he attended?

 

…Was he such a person?

 

Some vague sense of discomfort arose, but his young and dynamic mind soon erased it.

 

Because the Counseling Teacher’s next words were continuing.

 

“So you two should take these and go somewhere safe.”

 

“…”

 

“Just bringing me to the station is more than grateful enough. Agent, you should… rescue people who want to be rescued.”

 

The Agent closed their mouth.

 

Ryu Jae-gwan examined that face.

 

Just as he felt some fierce contemplation and conflict flash across that face.

 

“Thank you.”

 

A calm voice was heard.

 

“Student Jae-gwan.”

 

“…Yes?”

 

“We’ll just take this person to the station, and if we continue along the mountain path like this, we’ll reach a river. That area has few people, so it’ll be relatively safe.”

 

When the Agent’s eyes met his, they spoke in a gentle voice.

 

“You can escape this city through that route. I’ll also go with you until Student Jae-gwan safely gets out of this disaster, so don’t worry.”

 

“…”

 

At that moment, Ryu Jae-gwan realized.

 

This Agent had just given up something for his sake.

 

“…Then are you also leaving here with me, Agent?”

 

“That’s the plan for now.”

 

Ryu Jae-gwan opened his mouth.

 

“That’s a lie, isn’t it?”

 

“…!”

 

“It seems like you’ll help me escape and then come back here… Didn’t you say there are other people to rescue?”

 

“…”

 

“I want to accompany you too.”

 

“What did you say?”

 

Ryu Jae-gwan spoke resolutely.

 

“You don’t need to send only me outside. Wouldn’t that be a huge waste of time?”

 

“…!!”

 

That was clearly what was weighing on the Agent’s mind.

 

When the Agent’s complexion changed, Ryu Jae-gwan felt relieved instead.

 

Will overcame fear.

 

“Since time is urgent, you don’t need to take care of me separately until we find the other people to rescue. I’m… physically strong, and I can do whatever you tell me without complaint.”

 

“No,”

 

The Agent’s face hardened before letting out a sigh. The high school student’s heart skipped a beat at that, but the Agent somehow looked at him with eyes that said ‘I knew this would happen.’

 

…How?

 

“First…”

 

The moment the Agent began to speak.

 

“Over there!”

 

…!

 

They turned their gaze toward the unfamiliar voice.

 

…A pair of eyes appeared through the half-open door of the cabin.

 

The moment Ryu Jae-gwan jumped up in creepiness.

 

“Aren’t you coming in?”

 

Then the door opened wider, and a middle-aged man in ordinary hiking clothes revealed himself.

 

“The situation outside doesn’t seem normal, so come in for now! It’s better to be even a little safer.”

 

Ah.

 

‘He was trying to help us.’

 

The high school student felt relieved for a moment.

 

But the two adults pushed the high school student behind them and took a strangely guarded stance.

 

‘…!’

 

“We’re fine. We were about to leave again.”

 

“Leave? I heard there was a terrorist attack at City Hall over there, where are you going to shelter?”

 

And he glanced over.

 

“That would be fast to ride, but wouldn’t it be better to eat something before riding? Take at least a cup of ramen with you. There’s some inside.”

 

But while speaking words that pretended to care, there was greed in the eyes that naturally looked at the bicycle.

 

So Ryu Jae-gwan also realized.

 

He’s after the bicycle.

 

When the roads are blocked, there’s no better means of transportation.

 

It was when he reflexively opened his mouth due to the sudden alertness he felt.

 

“Agent…”

 

“Agent?”

 

The middle-aged man’s eyes in the cabin scanned the Agent’s jacket, and his complexion changed as if he realized it was a uniform.

 

“Oh, are you a government official?”

 

Oh no.

 

“Police? Military?”

 

The sound of other people getting up and stirring could be heard from inside the cabin.

 

Ryu Jae-gwan gritted his teeth, but the Agent smiled and said.

 

“Mm. It’s similar, but… we’re not on official duty. There’s no organizational support or anything.”

 

And patted Ryu Jae-gwan’s back.

 

“I’m just traveling with my younger brother.”

 

…!

 

“We’re not going to a shelter, we’re trying to get out of the city.”

 

“Wait a minute there.”

 

“The situation isn’t very good, so you all should also escape from this city in a direction where there are no people. Well then, we’ll be going.”

 

“Me too.”

 

The two adults slowly backed away and then climbed onto the bicycle.

 

“Jae-gwan!”

 

Ryu Jae-gwan immediately grabbed the bicycle and started running like crazy.

 

“Hey!”

 

Glancing back, people were bursting out of the cabin door holding hiking sticks and wire rope.

 

Getting creeped out, he pedaled even harder.

 

Soon the footsteps of the people who had been following grew distant.

 

“Student Jae-gwan, the fruit!”

 

“Ah…!”

 

Ryu Jae-gwan hurriedly stuffed the fruit that had almost been crushed in his grip into his mouth, his heart still pounding.

 

Somehow, even amid the fear and disgust, he felt a faint sense of pleasure.

 

It was a sense of belonging.

 

* * *

 

Damn, I thought we were in big trouble.

 

I clicked my tongue and quickly moved my feet more vigorously.

 

‘Those people were clearly ready to tie us up and steal the bicycle.’

 

[A B-grade thriller movie scenario almost played out this afternoon. How about ‘Cabin Murder Case’ for the title? Something obvious and lowbrow would suit it perfectly!]

 

Hahaha…

 

Phew.

 

I heard the Counseling Teacher’s voice from behind my head.

 

“You’re a flexible Agent. Some of the Agents I know might have tried to persuade and somehow rescue those people too.”

 

Ah.

 

“Sometimes it’s necessary to acknowledge the scope of what you can do. I decided to rescue people I can rescue within the range of my reach.”

 

“…I see.”

 

“Are you disappointed?”

 

“No.”

 

The Counseling Teacher had a somewhat proud look in their eyes.

 

“It seems like you’ve found a good way to not harm your mental health, so that’s fortunate.”

 

“….”

 

What on earth would have to happen for this person to make the Disaster Management Bureau selection button get pressed like crazy….

 

‘This is driving me insane.’

 

I’m starting to wonder if it’s really right to take him to the subway station like this.

 

It wasn’t just bitterness—I was almost feeling despair. I held back a sigh and pedaled again.

 

The Counseling Teacher clinging to the back was strangely light, and the bicycle picked up speed as it approached the subway station.

 

Jui Station

 

That station name was different from the mutated subway station platform I had experienced.

 

But I could roughly guess.

 

‘…Broadcasting station.’

 

I could see a massive provincial broadcasting station building near the station.

 

Afternoon Station (Blood Broadcasting Station)

 

A subway station connected to the Segwang Special City Provincial Broadcasting Station.

 

This station platform had a temporary stage installed in the waiting area in connection with the broadcasting station, where citizen choirs and orchestras would sometimes perform.

 

I could vividly recall the wiki content I had read back then.

 

‘This is the station at almost the exact opposite location from Segwang Station.’

 

Fortunately, due to the distance, there wasn’t as much commotion here as at the disaster site yet. It was a location that those ‘entities’ moving on foot from City Hall along the main road hadn’t reached yet.

 

‘Good thing I took the shortcut over the mountain by bicycle.’

 

But the vicinity was already desolate, as if all the people had evacuated.

 

There were hardly any passersby on the streets to begin with. Just a few moving quickly as if fleeing.

 

“….”

 

And I looked at Ryu Jae-gwan, who had a resolute face with an expression that said ‘I absolutely will not go out alone,’ and held back a sigh.

 

This side is driving me crazy too.

 

‘Let me think while escorting the Counseling Teacher into the subway station for now.’

 

Actually, inside the subway would be a space where the disaster that erupted outside couldn’t reach, so there was a high probability that Segwang Station would also be in relatively intact condition.

 

‘It might even be safer than when I visited.’

 

Whether we could safely escape this city was also an issue, so it wouldn’t be bad to check more information before moving.

 

I suppressed my anxious feelings like that.

 

‘Phew.’

 

I first stopped in front of the subway station entrance and collected the bicycles.

 

“Please take these.”

 

I immediately put both bicycles into my tattoo.

 

“…!!”

 

“Shh.”

 

The High School Bronze Agent nodded vigorously. His eyes had doubled in size.

 

After checking the surroundings, I began going down through subway exit 3.

 

Fortunately, the exit wasn’t blocked off yet.

 

“….”

 

Entering the subway again felt strange.

 

And the subway I entered was….

 

“What do we do??”

 

“Mom won’t answer her phone….”

 

“Aaaahhh!”

 

I found out where the people who had disappeared from the streets were.

 

“We’re all dead! They say this is a virus terror attack!”

 

“All paramedics dead? Is this real?”

 

“This video just now…. Look at that, is it real? Is this really happening at City Hall?”

 

Citizens who had flocked to the subway station as a shelter were packed in the waiting area.

 

On top of that, it was chaos with panicked testimonies from people who had fled from other stations.

 

We’re all already infected by biochemical terrorism, war has broken out and nukes will be launched soon, etc…. The panic grew fiercer with all sorts of rumors.

 

In one corner, someone was fighting to the death while others around tried to stop them.

 

And some person was walking around barefoot, muttering something….

 

‘Damn.’

 

It was a spine-chilling situation.

 

We hurriedly tried to avoid the people in the waiting area and go down to the platform.

 

“What will you do?”

 

“I’m thinking of taking the outer loop line for now….”

 

But the platform for the outer loop line direction was already blocked.

 

…Just like when I had explored the subway stations.

 

[Ho, so it was already impossible from that very day!]

 

“No service! Go back!”

 

Station workers were blocking the way while controlling the crowd. Damn!

 

We hurriedly ran to the opposite platform again.

 

“Since it’s a loop line anyway, it’s fine to take the opposite direction. It’ll just be a bit more troublesome….”

 

“….”

 

I realized something.

 

Actually, taking the inner loop would arrive at Segwang Station just a little bit faster.

 

Because there were fewer stations to Segwang Station.

 

But the reason for specifically trying to take the opposite direction….

 

I looked toward the machine room of the platform where traffic was controlled across the tracks.

 

“By any chance, is the place you’re trying to go… a facility on the opposite platform?”

 

“…!”

 

Joyful Research Institute facility.

 

Suddenly, a chilling and eerie look appeared in the eyes of the Counseling Teacher who was staring at me intently.

 

An observing gaze.

 

“…Why do you think that?”

 

“….”

 

“What kind of facility do you think… is there…?”

 

At that moment.

 

A train is entering.

 

“…!”

 

A train began entering the platform. The train whooshed in beyond the platform screen door, creating wind as it entered and stopped.

 

And….

 

The platform screen door is opening.

 

Some of the people packed inside the train spilled out as if being pushed. I could see people who didn’t want to get off struggling desperately but being pushed and falling because they were near the door….

 

“Aaaahhh!”

 

“Save me!”

 

As soon as they got off the train, several people began collapsing, covered in wounds.

 

From people clinging to each other and crying, to people barely able to move their bodies.

 

It was nothing short of pandemonium.

 

‘I’m supposed to board the train in this chaos?’

 

“Teacher!”

 

Fortunately, the Counseling Teacher had completely lost that strange look and was approaching the subway through the crowd. I was gritting my teeth, debating whether to follow him or not.

 

‘Rather… should I check this station’s Joyful Research Institute?’

 

What state would it be in right now?

 

Looking at the opposite tracks, then back at Ryu Jae-gwan….

 

In that brief moment when the door was open, as I was intensely and quickly deliberating.

 

“Ugh….”

 

…I saw another group of people getting off the train.

 

Among them, there was a familiar face.

 

A cold, pale face with sharp features.

 

It was Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je.

 

“…!!”

 

I reflexively stopped in my tracks.

 

“Agent…!”

 

Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je, whose hair was longer than I remembered and tightly tied back, was being carried off the train on someone’s back, unconscious.

 

“Journalist!”

 

“What should we do….”

 

The faces of what appeared to be fellow employees were stained with blood and sweat.

 

And I realized.

 

“Huhhhh….”

 

She wasn’t unconscious.

 

She was dead.

 

Eun Ha-je had already stopped breathing.

—————
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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