Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 96

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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 096

The ghost story taxi calls to us.

From beyond the main gate.

Beep beep.

If we ride that and properly follow the manual, we can definitely get to ‘Seoul Station’….

The problem is how to get on that taxi.

‘Standing outside this shop’s main gate.’

This was also the reason I looked for a shop with a main gate in the first place. The Death Road alley is too narrow for a taxi to stop.

‘So to call a taxi and get on, I have to go outside the main gate….’

But I can’t guarantee what kind of scenery will unfold outside the main gate, or whether Lee Ja-heon and I will be safe.

So I’ve prepared a contingency plan for this side too.

Using the products of this shop.

‘I was planning to stop by anyway, and conveniently this shop also has a main gate, so I finished everything at once.’

I swallowed.

“Team Leader, please proceed as planned.”

“Yes.”

Lee Ja-heon put his hand into the paper bag he was holding and instantly tore open the packaging.

Then, along with the cozy socks, what was included as a bonus revealed itself.

A small ball of yarn.

Befitting a handmade goods store, it seemed they gave it for patching new stitches on the socks, but now I’ll use it in a slightly different way.

“I’ll begin.”

Avoiding the shop owner’s eyes, I unraveled one end of the red yarn and tied it firmly to the leg of the shop’s display case.

Then I split the ball of yarn in half and gripped it with Lee Ja-heon.

It would restrict our movements somewhat, but even accepting that, it would be safer for both of us to hold the yarn directly.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

I slowly unraveled the yarn while walking backwards with my back to the opaque glass door….

And the moment my back touched the glass door, I groped downward with my hand and grabbed the handle.

Click.

As I pushed the handle, a gust of wind rushed in from outside.

And the raw sound of a car horn too.

Beep beep.

I mustn’t turn around.

I slowly walked backwards in step with Lee Ja-heon.

Fortunately, I have ‘Good Friend’ to serve as my eyes.

-Just keep walking backwards in that direction, Friend! Since it’s night, there aren’t many pedestrians.

…Pedestrians? No, let’s not be curious.

I kept my gaze fixed inside the shop and continued walking backwards without looking at the dark surroundings.

The yarn hanging inside the shop was connecting me to ‘Death Road’….

In other words, it’s a kind of lifeline.

‘As long as I’m holding onto this, it’s not a disappearance!’

Slowly, slowly, don’t be hasty and retreat….

Thud.

My body made contact.

Beep beep.

…It’s the taxi.

My body vibrated along with the car body from the horn that sounded again.

I carefully reached back with my arm and felt around the smooth car body….

-One span to the left.

I adjusted my hand. I felt a smooth groove.

‘Handle.’

I grabbed the car handle and pulled.

Then I went straight into the taxi and squeezed my body in.

I didn’t have time to think about impressions of the modern and clean car interior. I looked under the seat and moved to the side seat, and Lee Ja-heon immediately got into that empty spot.

And at the same time as throwing away the remaining ball of yarn in his hand, he closed the door.

Thanks to his tremendous strength, all the movements were completed in an instant.

Bang.

“….”

I finally raised my head.

And I spoke to the taxi driver in the front driver’s seat, wearing a business suit that was eerily clean and well-pressed, with a cap on.

“To Seoul Station, please.”

….

[Estimated arrival time is 43 minutes.]

The car started smoothly.

‘Phew.’

I leaned my body deep into the backrest and let out a sigh of relief.

I did it for now!

‘Ghost Story Transfer… success.’

Of course, since this taxi itself is also a ghost story, I can’t let my guard down.

I quickly recalled the relevant wiki.

The problematic ghost story called ‘Hell Surcharge Taxi’, which just from the name sounds like there would be payment problems.

I looked at the driver’s seat.

…An ominous-looking golden inverted cross hangs from the front mirror, swaying.

Confirmed.

‘Huh.’

Even though it’s going according to plan, tension climbs up my spine.

Is it because I’m trapped in the limited space of a taxi? Along with the pressure of having entered a scary story where I can’t escape no matter what happens….

Tick tick.

The meter goes up.

[10000]

[10100]

[10200]

It’s fast.

“Driver.”

I had to quickly start talking.

And when the meter goes up….

Right.

This taxi’s fare doesn’t collect money, but assigns curses.

To be precise, it was more eerie because it was closer to ‘supernaturally occurring bad things’ rather than curses.

However, if the driver maintains steady interest in the passenger and drives slowly, the meter rises slowly, and this ‘curse’ ends at a level the passenger can handle.

In the opposite case….

‘The moment you get off from a taxi racing like crazy, you receive an unbearable curse.’

Moreover, even if the taxi goes fast, it doesn’t arrive at the destination early.

All taxis arrive on time, and the taxi’s speed has nothing to do with the scheduled arrival time.

The time sentenced to me was 43 minutes.

During this time, I had to consistently draw the other party’s interest.

‘If the vehicle speed increases, the probability of abnormal phenomena occurring inside the car, such as glass windows breaking, goes up… they say.’

I absolutely don’t want to experience that.

But since I’ve already read the records, don’t I know what kind of conversation the other party would find interesting?

That’s correct.

The problem is, there are as many as 4 candidates for that ‘other party’!

They look exactly the same so you can’t distinguish who is who, but if you ask directly what number you are, they show displeasure and kick you out of the taxi.

‘And people who get kicked out go missing….’

Therefore, to find out who it is, there’s no choice but to have a conversation.

Therefore, the original strategy guide started with finding out which number driver this corresponds to as quickly as possible through the first conversation.

But you see.

If investigation records are accumulated to this extent in my head, I can try other things too.

A conversation technique to get off this taxi in the most intact condition.

[Passenger.]

“….”

The first question had already begun.

A strangely mocking, arrogant voice flows from the driver operating the vehicle from the front seat….

[How was your day today?]

“I just worked.”

[I see.]

The driver doesn’t directly express preferences for stories passengers tell, and only throws questions.

But the meter answers.

[10500]

[10700]

[10900]

[11200]

It’s racing.

-Good heavens, doesn’t that driver know the concept of small talk? Friend, if you want, a competent Radio Host like me could lend a word….

‘It’s fine.’

This was an expected result. I quickly and indifferently continued with my next words.

“But I almost died while working.”

Stop.

“I almost became meat while trying to buy meat at a Butcher Shop.”

The meter stopped.

[11300]

“Fortunately, the Shop Owner was a vegetarian. I escaped by trading agricultural products through barter. I even won the bargaining and got money too.”

[….]

The driver’s fingers tapping the steering wheel slow down.

…The vehicle, slows down.

[And what happened next?]

Phew.

“I headed to the Back Alley.”

‘It worked.’

What am I doing?

‘I’m weaving as many correct keywords as possible into my answers.’

So that whoever is sitting there will take interest.

In other words, the ‘there’s got to be at least one thing you’re interested in among these’ strategy.

And conveniently, my current situation allows me to naturally bring up all sorts of stimulating topics in everyday conversation.

‘I must have gone through quite some ups and downs over the past six months.’

[What will you be doing tomorrow?]

The conversation topics just wouldn’t run out.

“I’m planning to rest and organize what’s happened so far. It’s been quite eventful.”

No matter what question the Taxi Driver threw at me, I kept steering the conversation toward stimulating experiences and topics I had plenty to talk about.

And I kept weaving them together.

Nightmares, food supplies, blood, violence, survival of the fittest, mascots, cooking, fortune-telling, ghosts….

Everything melted into casual conversation.

Eventually, the vehicle moved forward slowly, like a bicycle’s pace.

I kept talking endlessly. It was audio filling that even Brown admired several times.

And when my voice was almost hoarse.

[…We’ve arrived.]

The taxi came to a stop.

[Your destination, ‘Seoul Station.’]

…Click.

The taxi’s back door unlocks. And the tinted glass window rolls down, revealing a familiar scene….

It was Seoul Station’s night view.

‘Ha…!’

I was so happy I could almost cry.

I wanted to rush out immediately, but I had to settle the fare first.

I looked at the taxi meter.

[29700]

[29800]

Click.

The driver stops the meter.

[29800]

‘I did it…!’

Ending in the 20,000 won range was usually only possible for distances within 10 minutes.

At this level, there shouldn’t be any permanent damage.

[Fare settlement.]

The Taxi Driver extends his hand behind him.

In that hand was a check.

-29,900 / Code 1

I carefully took that classical-style paper check stamped with a snake-shaped wax seal….

There was an explanation written on the back.

The code indicating the curse the passenger would receive.

Fare Code 1: Disease.

– Three days of high fever, headache, hemoptysis, chills.

Good.

‘Very manageable.’

It was much better than having my financial luck go insanely bad or people around me dying.

“Thank you.”

I took the check, bowed deeply toward the driver’s seat, and finally escaped outside the taxi.

‘Ha.’

Winter air had never felt so good….

Tap tap.

“…!”

The taxi driver’s window rolls down halfway.

[Customer.]

I almost fainted.

“Yes.”

[It was an enjoyable conversation. I think my colleagues would also be interested in your stories….]

The white-gloved hands gripping the steering wheel in the darkness tap their fingers….

[Let’s meet once after we retire. I’ll buy you a drink then.]

I swallowed.

…Did he notice?

Actually, this taxi’s driver has a very clear and famous motif.

Based on this, analyzing the current situation… that was a statement that made me break out in cold sweat.

But I could nod composedly.

“Yes.”

The Horsemen of the Apocalypse won’t be able to retire until the world ends!

I’ll return before then.

“That would be nice if the opportunity arises. Well then, good luck with your work.”

[Hahaha… Yes. How tedious.]

The taxi’s window rolls up again.

The black vehicle instantly disappeared from Seoul Station like a ghost.

Leaving only the crimson taxi sign behind.

“….”

I looked at the negative check I was holding.

At that moment.

The check burst into flames and I began coughing up blood.

“Kugh.”

The high fever and headache burned through my head, but it was bearable.

And Lizard was looking at me in that state.

While similarly dripping blood from between his snout.

‘Ugh.’

It probably wasn’t a pleasant sight, but I had no choice but to swallow the blood-mixed saliva and speak.

“Um, this should heal right away after three days pass. That seemed to be… the rule.”

“Yes.”

“And thank you. For not prying into how I knew, and for trusting and leaving it to me in the taxi. *Cough*”

Lizard looked at me as I coughed up blood.

“Kim Sol-eum.”

“Yes?”

“Take sick leave.”

“Yes…”

A moment later.

We waited until the coughing up blood subsided somewhat, then called another taxi and returned to the company housing.

Having to take another taxi felt quite unpleasant, but there were no other incidents, and except for running a high fever, the manager and I successfully made it home safely.

‘Who would have thought Team Leader Lee Ja-heon also lived in the company housing building.’

Anyway, we parted ways in front of the building.

“Take sick leave.”

“Yes… thank you.”

Let’s save the more detailed discussion for later at the company.

‘Phew.’

And so…

I returned safely.

‘Even if it’s company housing, home is still nice.’

As I opened the door and entered, the warm air characteristic of heated indoors circulated. I almost felt pleasure.

Since I’m even sick, I just want to take a hot shower right away and sleep soundly, but…

Well, there’s one more thing I need to do.

‘Huh.’

I checked the shoes at the front door that weren’t mine.

Baek Sa-heon’s dress shoes.

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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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