Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work (Novel) - Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translated by Jinmu
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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A classroom inside the ghost story, with bright indoor lights.
“Die! Die!”
Behind me, people desperately battered the terrifying, motionless student.
“Let us wait until they pass.”
The public official glared at the employees of our company passing in front of me with eyes full of wariness and contempt.
And caught in the middle…
Me, who had no allies and had missed the timing.
I had to safely clear this nightmare-like ghost story while appearing as a good civilian to the public official beside me.
My true identity… was actually from the pharmaceutical company that the public official detested!
“…….”
Just how high was the difficulty of this thing going to rise…?
‘This is crazy.’
In the meantime, the employees moved far away. I felt like our eyes met with a few of them, but when I avoided their gaze, they didn’t speak to me and walked away quickly.
Just as I was thinking that was a relief,
flicker,
another blackout occurred.
“Hik!”
But this time, the people were faster than the approaching darkness.
“…Ah, it’s not moving!”
“We did it!”
I took a deep breath.
When the lights flickered momentarily and turned back on,
the ‘student of Sekwang Technical High School,’ who had been frozen like a statue, lay collapsed on the floor near the back door before I knew it.
“Waaaaah!”
The people’s frantic battering was clearly effective, as the student could not move this time even when the lights went out.
Instead, it appeared to have collapsed and died as if receiving the accumulated impact of the assault all at once.
Yet, only the right hand of the frozen student remained stretched toward the empty air, as if trying to grab the back door…
“…….”
Holding blood-stained mops and chairs, the people cheered with faces full of joy.
“It worked! This is it!”
“…….”
We had to run.
If one of the student entities fell into an immobile state similar to biological death,
quickly,
all nearby students would be summoned to that spot.
[Ding-Dong-Dang-Dong]
[A fatal accident has occurred in Class 5 of the 1st Grade.]
“Huh…?”
An in-school announcement was broadcasted.
Unlike before, the voice was heavily depressed.
A slow funeral march played in the background.
“Now.”
The public official nudged my back.
“Let’s run.”
[The deceased student is Lee Won-yul from the 1st Grade.]
I immediately dashed out the door.
And as quickly and as much as possible, I took in the scenery of the hallway.
After identifying what was necessary, I pressed myself close to the wall to reduce my body volume.
“Should I put my back against the wall?”
“Exactly.”
[Let everyone observe a five-second moment of silence.]
Without resisting the public official who pressed down on my shoulder, I sat straight down with my back against the wall.
And.
Thud.
The lights went out.
[5]
Through the melody, a sliding sound,
the sound of the back door opening.
[4]
“Aaaaack!”
“Ack!”
“W-What… Kku-euk.”
[3]
“S-Save…”
“Sob,”
[2]
Screams, screams, brief screams.
[1]
…….
…….
Silence.
The funeral march playing.
[The moment of silence is over. We offer our deepest condolences to the deceased.]
I forced my trembling head up and looked inside the classroom.
Because I had to look.
Flicker.
My vision returned as the lights came back on.
The inside of the classroom was a mess of blood and filth.
All sorts of corpses were thrown against the walls or sprawled across the floor and desks.
‘…Sigh.’
And in the midst of it, only two figures stood tall.
The students of Sekwang Technical High School, stopped by my gaze.
One entity stood trampling a decapitated corpse, while the other held the front door with a smile…
glaring at me.
“…….”
Perceived.
‘Damn it.’
Beads of sweat trickled down my chin.
“…I will back up a bit. To an angle where I can still see inside the classroom.”
“…….”
The public official nodded slightly.
I kept staring straight ahead while feeling the wall behind me to guide my steps.
The reason I stood against this wall.
[Portable Light]
A red emergency flashlight was right nearby.
A portable light source that could ‘stop’ the student even if a blackout occurred.
‘It is absolutely an essential item.’
However, only one remained where three were originally supposed to be slotted.
‘The employees must have taken them.’
It was simply surprising that Baek Sa-heon, despite being in the group, hadn’t taken all three to keep as spares.
Furthermore, they even had the sense to stuff a wad of paper into the emergency light’s slot sensor to prevent the alarm from sounding. It was just like people with experience in exploring ghost stories.
They had even dropped a remaining piece of paper in the empty slot of the flashlight.
‘I had noticed that far too.’
I reached back and picked up that paper…
And as I stretched my hand forward, a folded message on the back of the paper caught the edge of my vision.
-Debt
“…….”
Not bad.
I crumpled Baek Sa-heon’s note, reached back to stuff it back into the sensor, and pulled out the flashlight.
‘Phew.’
With this, the primary preparation for blackouts was temporarily complete.
‘Next is…’
“…! Did you take the flashlight?”
“Yes.”
“…Excellent. You just need to keep it on. …Now let’s retrieve the name tags.”
The public official strode toward the front door of the classroom.
Right up to the face of the student entity staring intently at me.
‘Huuu…’
Just looking at it made warning signals surge to the top of my head.
But the public official swiftly grabbed the name tag on its chest
and ripped it off.
And beyond that, he even retrieved the name tag of the first deceased entity collapsed at the back door.
“…….”
This is crazy.
‘This is an irreversible step.’
If you are witnessed taking a student’s name tag, you will be pursued by that student until you die.
Though I wondered if I was already doomed from the moment our eyes met anyway.
‘I will unconditionally be pursued.’
Even with a flashlight, moving around this school at night with two students in tow was madness for an ordinary person.
It was a choice that could only be made by a Disaster Management Bureau agent equipped with gear and allies.
‘…Still, I would have done it differently.’
But what was done was done, and thinking rationally…
Revealing my identity to the public official.
Dying in a nightmare ghost story.
No matter how I thought about it, the former posed a greater risk.
Dying here was just an extra, but being marked and even investigated seemed likely.
‘For now, do I have no choice but to trust the Disaster Management Bureau agent’s move?’
Still, let’s pull my own weight… let’s do my part.
‘If I’m going to do it, I have to do it quickly.’
At the same time the public official moved, I also approached the inside of the classroom.
And I reached out to the student near the back door and snatched the name tag.
‘Uuuugh!’
This is driving me crazy, it’s really terrifying.
The student, standing frozen without a movement, looked as if it would turn to me at any second and smash my head…
but nothing happened, and I succeeded.
‘Phew.’
It was just as I held my hand, which was tingling with goosebumps.
“P-Please save me…”
I heard it.
“…….”
I had thought the student entity was only stepping on the dead person’s neck, but that wasn’t it.
Someone lay underneath, tears streaming down their face.
“P-Please…”
There was someone still alive.
Whether they lacked the strength or malice to shout, their faint whisper reached my ears.
“…….”
After a brief and intense struggle, I took a certain action.
…….
“…! Sob, sniff… Yes…”
Since my eyes were entirely dedicated to watching the student-shaped entity, I couldn’t be sure, but it felt as if the person underneath nodded weakly…
“…….”
I slowly backed away and joined the public official. Then, stepping backward into the hallway, I quickly began to move.
“Look ahead. I will watch toward the classroom.”
“…Yes.”
The public official pulled out the flashlight he had.
And as he watched the back of the head of the entity that had stared straight at us from the front door,
and as I watched the front of the hallway to ‘stop’ any new entity that might appear with my gaze,
we moved pressed against the wall, complementing each other as much as possible to eliminate any blind spots.
“…….”
It was a silent and desperately fast movement.
As the classroom grew distant from our sight… just when it seemed the entity entirely inside the room was no longer visible,
the public official, who must have been watching it, muttered in confusion.
“Why isn’t it pursuing… Don’t tell me,”
Agitation was transmitted from the back pressed against the public official.
“…Was there a living person inside? Is that person watching it?”
“…Yes.”
The public official took a deep breath.
“They must have been in a state where they couldn’t move due to severe injuries. …Well done. During a disaster, you secure your own safety first before helping others.”
“…….”
“Go to the stairs. We will stop once near the fire hydrant.”
“Yes.”
I moved my feet. And…
Flicker.
…Blackout again.
“I’m shining the flashlight.”
“Yes.”
I kept moving my feet.
And then I realized.
During the blackout just now,
the person to whom I gave the name tag died.
‘They are pursuing.’
Two entities must be coming out of the classroom right now.
But the fact that I couldn’t look back because I had to watch ahead… made the hair on my head stand on end like crazy.
“Do not panic. There is still a chance.”
“…….”
“You acquired the name tag earlier, right?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now you can commit suicide.”
I thought I was going to faint.
“Let’s do it as soon as we stop at the emergency light. You look too pale, so it would be better for you to wake up from the nightmare quickly. Since you have the name tag, there will be no problem.”
“…Um.”
But the thing was.
I swallowed hard.
“I did acquire the name tag, but it is not in my hands right now.”
“……!”
“I gave it to the person who was still alive in the classroom before leaving.”
Indeed.
I had deliberately dropped the name tag on the floor.
So that the person pinned under the ‘student’ could grab it.
-If you hold that, you will wake up from this dream.
-…! Sob, sniff… Yes…
“Since they have the name tag, that person will wake up safely.”
And they had also bought us time like this.
…!
The public official took a short breath, full of mixed feelings and stress.
And he spoke in an even more tired and business-like voice.
“…Were you relying on the spare name tag I have?”
“No. You don’t have to give me that. Since you’re the one who obtained it, Agent.”
“…….”
“You need more name tags, right? Since you’ll have to give them to your colleagues too, Agent.”
“…That is.”
Of course.
I wasn’t saying this because I was a hopeless pushover.
‘It’s really fine.’
Why?
‘Because I had no intention of committing suicide just by acquiring a name tag in the first place!’
Exploration Record #13
The exploration record I was using as a basis for my escape—the wiki entry I wrote myself—was originally the record of an explorer who failed to get a name tag.
Moreover, I had analyzed this ghost story and thought about variables enough to write an exploration record.
And I had reached a certain conclusion.
‘Only by performing a ‘certain action’ without a name tag can I clear this place without meeting a physical death…!’
And that was also the strategy to bring back the highest grade of dreamscape solution.
‘Then I must do it no matter what.’
I had to prove that Group D… that is, I, could continue to produce similar results even in a new situation.
“Do you know what happens if you die without a name tag?”
I knew.
“From now on, every time you sleep on a new moon, you will be dragged back here, but you will forget upon waking up, leaving you unable to cope.”
“…….”
“Can you handle that?”
I didn’t think I could, but what choice did I have but to handle it…
Though it would have been much safer to keep carrying the name tag and only give up ownership at the critical moment.
But as long as that public official was attached to me as an ally, it was impossible for me to acquire a name tag and discard it if something happened.
So I chose to take the risk and naturally gave the name tag away instead.
“There will be another chance.”
Even if there is, I will yield it again.
While I am accompanied by you.
“And I will take care of that opportunity myself. I won’t ask you for it, Agent, so do not worry.”
“…….”
And around this point,
shall I at least try?
I continued in a voice that sounded somewhat resolved.
“…Perhaps we should split up here.”
…!
“If you need it, I will give you my flashlight as well.”
‘I brought a high-powered flashlight anyway.’
I brought various other things too.
Once I separate from you, I can stop pretending to be a civilian and use them—if only we separate!
Although walking alone was scary, I couldn’t go on with my hands and feet tied like this.
Whether civilians or company colleagues, that side was better!
‘I need to join a larger group.’
This ghost story had a strange structure where more eyes made it safer, but more noise made it more dangerous.
‘I must quickly form a party of about four people.’
As long as I posed a risk factor by being a Daydream Co. employee, I shouldn’t travel with this agent.
I needed a stage where I could act more proactively.
‘Let’s part ways as if I have no choice.’
“It seems I will only be a hindrance to you, Agent. Separately… I will try to manage somehow.”
Didn’t you say you assume civilians caught in a disaster are dead first! Let’s consider it an unavoidable situation and part ways!
However,
a completely unexpected reaction returned.
“…I thought wrong.”
…?
The public official looked at me with an expression of firm resolve for some reason.
“I was planning to execute a humanitarian shooting the moment you acquired the name tag.”
What?!
‘This is crazy.’
No matter how much you wake up upon death, to openly talk about killing someone right in front of their face like that.
Feeling the cold sweat running down my back, I forced a smile.
“Ah, yes. Since suicide is difficult even in a dream…”
“Yes. But… if you don’t mind, I would like you to accompany me in this disaster investigation.”
…….
Pardon?
The public official spoke rapidly.
“You will temporarily become an agent. This is not my solo mission, so it normally requires the consent of other agents… Ah.”
The public official reached into his coat, pulled something out, and handed it to me.
“If you eat this, it will be recognized as a simplified procedure.”
I looked at the small caramel candy wrapped in rectangular silver foil that fell into my hand, my eyelids trembling.
…It’s a Disaster Management Bureau issue!
———————=
Sour-Sweet
A chewable candy in caramel form.
Upon consumption, one feels uncomfortable pain whenever they lie, forcing them to speak the truth.
———————=
“It is a light truth-verification procedure.”
No, it’s no different from a truth serum used in torture.
“If you take this and accompany me, you will also be paid a small fee.”
“…….”
“If it is too difficult, I will give you a name tag and shoot you to send you back.”
Wow, fuck, seriously.
“Citizen?”
How great would it be if I could pretend to eat it and slip it into my tattoo, but in my dream right now, having completely reverted to a high schooler, I didn’t even have the tattoo.
After intensely weighing the options,
“…Yes.”
I diligently chewed and swallowed the truth serum for torture.
It tasted nice and sweet-and-sour, catching in my throat, but I chewed and swallowed it.
‘It would be more of a problem if I got caught throwing it away or refusing to eat it.’
Because that would mean I knew what this caramel was.
“I swallowed it.”
It brings tears to my eyes.
But they say a stick comes with a carrot.
An unexpected carrot began to pour in.
“Well done. Now take this.”
??
The public official quickly handed something more into my empty hand.
It was an iron-colored badge resembling the Silver Heart in some way.
Huh?
“It is an agent identification card. If you wear it, you will be able to receive help even if you encounter other agents.”
“…….”
“And this.”
As soon as I put on the badge, a small ivory-colored pistol was quickly handed over.
Inside the translucent cylinder, tiny five-colored glass beads sparkled as bullets.
Looking extraordinary at first glance, this was…
———————=
Glass Hand Cannon
An exorcism pistol loaded with special glass beads manufactured by the Disaster Management Bureau. It is extremely small, making it look like a toy or a lighter.
———————=
“It is a weapon to deal with supernatural disasters. It will definitely be effective against those ‘students’ as well. Keep it.”
“…….”
Wow.
This was the basic agent kit issued by the Disaster Management Bureau that I had only seen on the wiki.
Just like Daydream Co.’s dreamscape collectors and masks, it was like an agent identifier.
‘To think I’d end up wearing all of this.’
It seemed I would even end up posing as a Disaster Management Bureau agent, which was completely out of character for me.
‘What on earth is this situation?’
It was funny and somewhat exciting, but at the same time, I wanted to flee desperately.
But for now…
‘I don’t have the luxury to worry about that.’
“…It has begun.”
Flicker.
“We are almost at the end of the hallway, so watch this side from now on, Citizen. …You must never lose the flashlight.”
…….
I adjusted my grip on the unfamiliar pistol.
They were flocking.