Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 342

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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 342

 

Honestly, I couldn’t be certain.

 

Would Lee Ja-heon really have been caught up in this disaster day as one of the citizens like me?

 

I had encountered the two people stored in my tattoo in different ways, but Lee Ja-heon… he had definitely died before me.

 

I remember the scene of Lee Ja-heon’s remaining upper body falling with a thud onto the concrete floor after pulling me out of the pile of corpses.

 

So whenever I thought about it, uncertain anxiety would wash over me, and I struggled to assume ‘he must be there somewhere.’

 

And he really was there.

 

Though I never expected to meet him like this.

 

“…??”

 

I looked at the tall male in a white gown standing among the corpses.

 

Now that I see him, I think I can recognize him by his build.

 

That’s true, but, that’s true, but…

 

Why is Lee Ja-heon a Yukwae Researcher?

 

‘And why doesn’t he have a face…!’

 

My mind froze in shock for a moment, but I realized what I had to do.

 

A way to enter the Joyful Research Institute hidden in the machine room.

 

I had to persuade that person.

 

“Are you an employee of the Joyful Research Institute?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Lee Ja-heon’s… no, Lee Ja-heon the researcher’s gaze turned to me. Come to think of it, it seems like he has eyes? No, there’s nothing, absolutely nothing

 

‘Hah…’

 

I lowered my gaze to around his throat area. I steadied my roughening breath.

 

And I barely managed to speak seriously.

 

“My companions went inside there. It seems like they’re thinking of cleaning up something because of this chaos.”

 

Excluding the fact that this was Lee Ja-heon, this was ultimately a situation where I had encountered personnel in front of a secret passage into the Joyful Research Institute.

 

To enter the machine room without problems here…

 

‘I have to take a gamble.’

 

I took it out from my tattoo.

 

ID Card

 

Name: ■Heo Un

 

Segwang Transportation Corporation

 

Heo Un’s ID card that I had found in the station office.

 

I cleverly covered the dried blood on the surname part with my thumb and showed it from an appropriate distance.

 

“He gave this saying it was his access card, is it correct that I can enter here? I have something urgent to tell Researcher Heo Un. About this situation.”

 

It was impersonating an acquaintance of personnel.

 

And I deliberately changed the subject in a rushing manner to prevent further questioning. While looking around the other side of the tracks and surroundings as if curious.

 

“But is it okay for the path to the research institute to be in such an open place?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“…Does that mean other people can’t see it even if it’s here?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You must be using supernatural principles. I’m curious about what kind of principle it is.”

 

“I see.”

 

Lee Ja-heon the researcher approaches. I completely covered the ID card with one hand to hide how strangely worn it was and stepped back slightly.

 

The researcher standing in front of the door says.

 

“This door is a kind of darkness, and people who don’t know the function of the door cannot perceive situations where someone interacts with the door.”

 

…Was that so.

 

“I see. That’s probably why they gave me the card key so openly.”

 

Lee Ja-heon the researcher didn’t answer.

 

I made the first move.

 

“Then I just need to tap this card here?”

 

And before an answer came back, I tapped the card key on the machine room panel.

 

Beep.

 

It opens with a short sound.

 

A refreshing, thrilling sensation travels from my fingertips to my head.

 

I immediately tried to grab the machine room door handle.

 

Thud.

 

Lee Ja-heon the researcher grabbed that handle first.

 

“Please step back for a moment.”

 

“…”

 

That was the end of it.

 

He doesn’t ask who I am or what kind of relationship I have with Researcher Heo Un.

 

‘Whether he finds me suspicious or really thinks I’m personnel…’

 

I wanted to at least read how a ‘Joyful Research Institute researcher’ would react to seeing a Disaster Management Bureau agent.

 

It doesn’t show.

 

Though that was his original personality, it felt even more so because I couldn’t read his expression since he had no face.

 

‘…It seems like other people can see his face.’

 

I observed the expressions of Student Ryu Jae-gwan and Journalist Eun Ha-je.

 

One person was just observing the researcher with tension and focus about what might happen, and the other person’s eyes were sparkling.

 

It seemed like she was gradually feeling interest in the situation rather than admiration for handsomeness.

 

Phew.

 

Meanwhile, Lee Ja-heon the researcher opens the door.

 

Whoosh.

 

The air of a managed office flows out through the door and touches my nose.

 

Strangely, it was slightly sweet.

 

“Please follow me.”

 

“…”

 

I tried to step inside following Lee Ja-heon the researcher who was entering the machine room.

 

“You two stay here…”

 

Then I stopped.

 

Their expressions showed they absolutely wouldn’t stay behind.

 

And thinking about it, it seemed better for me to take care of the two people rather than leave them among corpses and refugees.

 

I’d rather put them in my tattoo if necessary.

 

“…Let’s go quietly. We can’t be a burden to the researcher.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Of course, of course.”

 

Leaving the two who were nodding their heads vigorously, I carefully looked at the corridor again.

 

And I was speechless.

 

The exact same office corridor structure I had seen in the basement of Daydream headquarters was spread out before my eyes.

 

Not a completely burned corridor, but a vivid office corridor.

 

But it was a different world.

 

Kyahahahahaha…

 

Every corridor was filled with toys and decorations.

 

Colorful fireworks burst out from golden frames on the walls, and laughter could be heard.

 

Colorful confetti melted away and disappeared as soon as it touched the floor, and elaborate clockwork dolls and small toy trains ran over it.

 

Wheeeeek!

 

Instead of steam, pink and light blue galaxy-like things burst out from the toy train and disappeared into the air.

 

“Ah.”

 

So this is the original form.

 

Red and blue velvet curtains hung here and there fluttering, and carpets covered the floor as well.

 

The overwhelming sight was enough to stop my thoughts for a moment.

 

And….

 

In the middle of the corridor wall hung a gleaming bronze nameplate.

 

Joyful Research Institute!

 

For all the children in the world

 

We research safe enjoyment.

 

I naturally realized.

 

That this was the core floor of the Joyful Research Institute.

 

“….”

 

I looked below the nameplate.

 

Below it, I could see the shapes of animal dolls carved in relief.

 

‘Rabbit, fox, …dragon?’

 

I felt the urge to look more closely, but Lee Ja-heon continued walking forward without hesitation.

 

Into the maze-like complex corridor.

 

Eventually I turned my gaze away and continued following Lee Ja-heon.

 

“Ah…!”

 

High School Student Ryu Jae-gwan ducked to avoid the fireworks, then carefully followed while dodging a soldier wind-up doll coming toward him.

 

Eun Ha-je raised her eyebrows with each step and pulled out a notepad from somewhere, scribbling something down.

 

As this literally ‘joyful’ scene continued and I was about to feel strangely good,

 

Sharp voices could be heard among the cheerful children’s laughter.

 

The voices of angry adults.

 

Confusion, anger, rough emotions.

 

“…!”

 

Lee Ja-heon doesn’t stop walking.

 

I briefly saw an antique elevator at the far end opposite us, but noticed an A4 paper scrawled with ‘Fire! Out of Order!’ stuck on it.

 

Lee Ja-heon turns direction.

 

The deeper we followed that researcher into the corridor, the louder and more distinguishable the voices became….

 

Two people’s voices.

 

And one of them….

 

-There isn’t any?

 

It was a voice I knew.

 

That voice speaking as if bewildered was definitely….

 

‘Ho Yu-won.’

 

Click.

 

Finally stopping at an office, Lee Ja-heon pulled open the door.

 

Room 1004

 

The door with the nameplate opened wide, revealing the interior.

 

The first thing that caught my eye was the dream incubator.

 

In front of that machine, empty without any liquid, two shadowy figures stood arguing.

 

“What do you mean there isn’t any….”

 

Then they startled when the door opened and turned to look this way.

 

I could recognize the face of the Counseling Teacher whose complexion had turned pale.

 

And.

 

“Lee Heo-un.”

 

…!

 

“They said they came looking for you.”

 

“What? What do you mean in a situation where all research institute personnel are evacuating….”

 

The researcher with long bronze hair tied in a ponytail, who had been standing in front of the Counseling Teacher, made eye contact with me.

 

I looked at them as if struck by lightning.

 

Someone I had only encountered through traces until now, presumed to be already dead.

 

“Do we… know each other, Agent?”

 

A researcher from the Joyful Research Institute.

 

The living Lee Heo-un was right before my eyes.

 

‘My God.’

 

I had hoped to meet a living researcher on the day of disaster, but now that it happened, my hands were trembling.

 

The clue was right in front of me.

 

“We’re meeting for the first time, so how did you get into the research institute. What on earth….”

 

That person’s face turned deathly pale upon seeing the bloodstains on Eun Ha-je behind me.

 

All that speech pattern, physique, and behavior….

 

[My God, they’re like a doppelganger of my friend’s resort employee!]

 

…was frighteningly similar to Jang Heo-un.

 

My spine chilled for a moment, but I looked at them calmly.

 

Though there was bewilderment and wariness in their expression, they looked dumbfounded but surprisingly showed no hostility.

 

Even while immediately recognizing my attire and addressing me as an agent.

 

‘…Thanks to the Counseling Teacher?’

 

It was something I could guess from them having a private meeting with a cooperative supernatural being in the first place.

 

‘…If that’s the case.’

 

It would be easier to shock them instead.

 

I pulled out my glass hand cannon and aimed it at them.

 

Lee Heo-un’s expression changed.

 

“That…!”

 

“Researcher.”

 

“…Yes?”

 

“I came here after receiving a tip from a certain personnel that the Joyful Research Institute is the cause of this large-scale supernatural disaster.”

 

Lee Heo-un’s face turned deathly white.

 

“Who on earth, no, that’s not right, we are….”

 

“You’re saying you’re not involved? That can’t be possible.”

 

I need to press them and extract information…!

 

I gestured toward the empty dream incubator without liquid and said.

 

“The children’s paradise syrup you were researching, isn’t all this happening because of that?”

 

“…!”

 

“Outside, citizens are dying in astronomical numbers. Answer honestly. Is the Joyful Research Institute the cause of this disaster?”

 

“No!”

 

The answer was spat out as if vomiting.

 

“What we research isn’t like that. Someone interfered!”

 

“Then what were you researching.”

 

“That’s….”

 

I looked at the researcher trailing off and said with my arms crossed.

 

“How to create a world without ghost stories?”

 

“…!”

 

The researcher’s face froze.

 

And slowly, slowly looking at me….

 

“…If you know about the children’s paradise syrup, you must know that too.”

 

They dropped their shoulders as if giving up on something.

 

And moved their steps to look at a frame hanging in the office.

 

There was a photo of an animal stuffed doll.

 

Behind the deer doll, a giant black shadow with a strange silhouette was visible….

 

Good Friend

 

“This world is too dangerous. Ghost stories, darkness, supernatural disasters… the strange phenomena called by various names are becoming more frequent in modern times.”

 

Lee Heo-un traces the black shadow with their hand.

 

Those eyes shine benevolently.

 

“Dangerous places, places that aren’t reality are being projected.”

 

“….”

 

“This research institute has been studying ways to process those strange phenomena as safely and pleasantly as possible.”

 

“…!”

 

‘That’s right.’

 

Toys.

 

Board games.

 

Children’s stores.

 

All the countless inventions and products created by the Pleasant Research Institute took the form of children’s entertainment.

 

Even the syrups they made.

 

“Children’s versions are safer and more harmless than adult versions. Since ghost stories are influenced by concepts and rules, we tried to accept everything in children’s versions….”

 

Like censoring content based on target age groups.

 

Like ‘Shakespeare for Children’ or ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms for Children’.

 

‘The Pleasant Research Institute has been trying to censor ghost stories.’

 

Everything clicks together in my head, sending a thrilling shiver through me.

 

And Lee Heo-un’s gaze turns toward my chest.

 

“…Like that doll of yours, Agent.”

 

“…!”

 

“It’s Good Friend, right? …The form is a bit different. It must be an improved version made by another department.”

 

[Oh my, this cotton-filled body is a limited edition produced directly by my friend at the resort. It’s a precious handmade item, you could say! …Oh, friend!]

 

I reflexively petted Brown and gently pressed him into my front pocket.

 

Looking at Lee Heo-un who was watching this with somewhat warm eyes, I spoke.

 

“It didn’t end there. You all….”

 

I looked at the dream cultivation machine.

 

“You started using dream solution.”

 

“…That’s correct.”

 

Lee Heo-un’s voice lowered.

 

“We realized this alone wasn’t enough. No matter how much we tried to create children’s items, the fundamental danger didn’t disappear. Ghost stories are ghost stories, after all.”

 

“…So you started researching ways to make the strange phenomena… disappear entirely?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

Lee Heo-un’s voice quickened.

 

“But it was impossible. You can’t use mysterious power to make mystery disappear. It’s like trying to cut off your left hand with your left hand.”

 

“….”

 

“So we had a new idea. ‘What if… we created an entirely new world without ghost stories?'”

 

His speech grew faster.

 

“World creation. It’s enormous, but if you think of it in children’s terms, it’s not impossible. It’s common for children to imagine their own little worlds, like creating imaginary friends. But this also hit an obstacle….”

 

“…To create an actual world, you needed materials.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

My heart beats ominously.

 

“Following the suggestion of a certain spirit, we began cooperating with a company to extract the power of strange phenomena. It was a mysterious golden light, the power of imagination and the unknown. That….”

 

Lee Heo-un placed his hand on the dream cultivation machine.

 

A somewhat dreamy voice could be heard, as if imagining.

 

“We decided to call it dream solution.”

 

“….”

 

I looked at the emoticon buttons on the cultivation machine.

 

“After several trials and errors, we developed a syrup that could manipulate reality. And one of them was the children’s paradise syrup.”

 

But there was no button for children’s paradise syrup on that machine.

 

The center of the bottom row was just smoothly finished, and an emoticon with an angel ring was simply mixed among the other emoticons in the upper row.

 

“…At first, it was just a potion that let you have wonderful daydreams.”

 

Lee Heo-un touched that button gently, with affection showing.

 

“But at one researcher’s suggestion, we developed another potion based on that one to create ‘a world without ghost stories.'”

 

I remembered the note I had seen at the burned-down Pleasant Research Institute in the subway.

 

For this invitation research

 

Use children’s paradise syrup

 

-> My opinion!

 

…Wait a minute.

 

“Then why is it called ‘invitation research’?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Why was it a method of inviting someone?”

 

At my question, Lee Heo-un hesitated as if trying to make excuses, but finally spoke as if giving up everything.

 

“…Because we realized a way to create a world very naturally. By putting it as a prerequisite condition.”

 

“A prerequisite condition?”

 

“It’s like this. If we invite Cinderella, there exists some world with a fairy godmother and magic glass slippers.”

 

Wait.

 

“If we invite the wicked gray wolf, there exists some world where Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother gets eaten by the wolf. …So if.”

 

Wait a minute….

 

“If we invite someone who lives in ‘a place without ghost stories.'”

 

“….”

 

“A place without ghost stories would also exist.”

 

I froze.

 

“We’ve been researching that until now…. And today, we attempted the invitation.”

 

I realized.

 

The one they invited was me.

 

The supernatural disaster in Segwang Special City occurred from a ritual to invite Kim Sol-eum from a world without ghost stories.

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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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