Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work (Novel) - Chapter 87

Chapter 87

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The high floors of Daydream Co.’s headquarters building.

Knock, knock, knock.

I carefully knocked on the luxurious door with the back of my hand.

Then, the door opened automatically with a soft slide…

“You’ve come.”

The figure of the director sitting inside was revealed.

An executive with dark blue hair whose age was impossible to estimate.

Director Cheong Dal-rae.

“You did not drag out the time uselessly, nor were you deceived by tricks. A child who knows how to make a wise choice always lives long.”

That’s a hair-raising compliment…

“You flatter me.”

At any rate, I had chosen.

To accept Director Cheong’s proposal to ‘make Group D into an Elite Team.’

Of course, there was a reason, but I decided to think about that again a little later. Right now, I had to deal with the overbearing executive in front of me.

Director Cheong smiled as he scanned me with a satisfied expression.

“Since the affiliation will be reorganized within the necessary period, I trust you will wait without causing any useless fuss.”

“Yes. I will work even harder so as not to be ashamed of the promotion.”

I shook hands with Director Cheong, who extended one hand, with an extremely polite attitude.

And next to me like that…

“You will naturally do the same, Manager Lee Ja-heon.”

“Yes.”

The Lizard Leader was accompanying me.

…For reference, Manager Lee Ja-heon reacted to my choice like this.

-I see.

The end.

‘Is it… right to call this comfortable…’

It was an incredibly fast acceptance for a lizard who had advised me to ‘refuse’.

‘No, since he’s also in the same boat, he should at least listen to what needs to be heard…!’

Thanks to that, I held onto the Lizard Leader, who didn’t even seem very curious, and stated the basis and reasons for my choice while hearing ‘I see’ and ‘Yes’ about ten times.

And also about how to minimize Director Cheong’s ‘danger.’

“So, have you decided on the remaining teammate?”

The topic came up just in time.

Since Group D currently had two members on normal duty, Director Cheong’s proposal was to bring anyone I wanted for the remaining one.

“Regarding that part, I have thought of an idea.”

“What kind of idea is it?”

I spoke as calmly as possible, getting straight to the point.

“It is to make it so that anyone can join us.”

* * *

[Leaving the third teammate of Elite Team Group D blank]

It was an opinion I could bring up because Group D was not being integrated into the existing Elite Team structure but was closer to being newly run as a test operation.

The biggest advantage was this.

‘Preventing Director Cheong from blindly planting his own person.’

Didn’t he tell me to bring whoever I wanted?

If you could believe that literally, it wouldn’t be a company.

‘If he didn’t like the personnel I brought, he would have asked if there was anyone else.’

Thus, he would gradually drive the candidate pool toward the person he wanted.

‘Once I bowed flat and came in saying I would get on his line, he would have nothing to lose.’

He would have plugged in his own person like that, or at least won over the newcomer.

In my opinion, that is where it starts to become ‘dangerous’ as Manager Lee Ja-heon said.

‘The person traveling with us must not be Director Cheong’s underling.’

It was better for the person to change with each exploration.

And I could also make a plausible justification here.

‘Since we are making a new attempt anyway, why don’t we use the vacant spot in Group D for an Elite Team intern?’

Like this.

Naturally, Elite Team spots were limited, and those who promoted from the General Team were few.

So, they said that unless they had good performance from the beginning and got on a line well, the majority of low-tenure employees just gave up and looked out for cost-effectiveness.

But from the management’s perspective, it seemed they looked askance at employees, who should have a sense of ownership and more actively supply raw materials, behaving like that, viewing it as decreasing efficiency.

Well, like ‘blinded only by points, they have no company loyalty.’ …

‘No, if there are no points, why would anyone join this company in the first place.’

It was a truly ridiculous expectation, but… well, seeing how this company ran in that manner, I thought it might work.

-In this Field Exploration Team, where there is no performance motivation other than Wish Tickets, I pondered whether this could serve as a new motivation to increase performance for low-tenure employees…

I did a presentation to Director Cheong diligently in roughly that manner.

Honestly, I wondered if the employees would be that enticed.

At best, wouldn’t it just be a few competent supervisors or assistant managers trying out the Elite Team experience and reconsidering their own work plans.

But the words were plausible, and since it wouldn’t be completely ineffective, it was fine.

‘It would at least build the atmosphere.’

And at least for Director Cheong… it worked.

-Not bad.

…Although I was startled because the response felt like he was letting me slide for some reason, the important thing was that it passed.

Sure enough, perhaps because rumors circulated in the Field Exploration Team within a few days, the colleagues’ group chat also became active after a long time.

[By any chance, is there anyone who knows details about a new group being created in the Elite Team? ha]

[I heard they are picking someone from employees with 1 to 3 years of tenure, is that true?]

[I heard about the Elite Team intern, and I’m curious what others have heard ^^]

[Elite Team welfare items…]

The funny thing was… that no one spoke to me anymore.

Even though the news that I had cleared a Grade A story once more was revealed, not a single congratulation or inquiry was posted.

‘Ostracism… is it.’

Since I replied to the questions in the group chat after some deliberation to not look easy, before I knew it, the questions themselves had disappeared.

‘Thinking about it, I was invited to the group chat last from the very beginning anyway.’

It is slightly bitter…

[I heard the news! Congratulations, Sol-eum! You really succeeded with that method!]

[Thank you, Yeong-eun.]

Let us at least be thankful that there is a colleague who consistently sends congratulatory messages.

I took the opportunity to settle the help I received from Go Yeong-eun in the last ghost story.

‘Since Go Yeong-eun is a person of integrity who tries to return as much as she receives, it’s better to keep building trust.’

Meaning I shared the method I cleared and offered to share a portion of the ‘boss battle rewards’ I received.

‘Because I cleared it without dying thanks to her.’

…The position of bodily organs, that is.

I knew thanks to Go Yeong-eun which parts I had to defend to the end to avoid instant death.

Of course, thinking about it again, it was indeed a crazy act that made my body tremble, so I suppressed the chill for a moment.

‘Let’s use the tattoo stickers… carefully.’

The effect was clear, but it was no ordinary feat…

[Ah… um. Yes. I will accept it with gratitude.]

Go Yeong-eun seemed slightly conflicted but accepted, and I met her in front of the company housing and handed over a few protective beads.

And in the middle of our conversation, the rumor of the ‘newly established Elite Team’ also came up…

“Um, by any chance, Yeong-eun, do you intend to aim for the Elite Team…”

“No. I am really fine.”

“…”

Take a breath before speaking, Yeong-eun…

For some reason, she seemed to have already strongly guessed that I would be included.

‘Actually, I had considered her as a candidate… was it a good thing I didn’t push it?’

At any rate, this was the best answer among those my head could think of in this situation…

Although there was someone who did not agree with this opinion, of course.

* * *

“To think you would actually join the Elite Team…”

“…”

“Why did you make such a dangerous choice.”

It was a voice full of worry.

Sitting in front of the desk in Group D’s office, I held my forehead.

“…Director Ho.”

“Yes?”

“If I have done anything rude, I sincerely apologize.”

Why on earth are you here?

Why are you sitting in Group D’s office, which we will vacate soon, so nonchalantly as if you are a colleague from the office next door coming over to hang out!

“Yes? You have never been rude, Sol-eum… I think you can have a bit more confidence in yourself.”

“…”

He really is no ordinary figure…

Director Ho, with a look of being slightly disappointed, was acting like he had been rejected after asking a colleague to have a meal.

That was scarier.

‘I thought he would either screw me over or ignore me, one of the two.’

Why is he still the same?

Frankly, because Director Ho’s side did offer greater authority and a more exceptional proposal, it was perfect for him to hold a grudge over the rejection.

‘Because a sensible person would have chosen that side.’

Naturally, I had leaned more toward that side too.

Until I asked this question, that is.

-Director. If it’s not rude, I would like to ask about the round of this project.

-Round? Ah, are you asking which number it is?

-Yes, that’s right.

-If that’s the case, there isn’t really one. It’s a new attempt.

-…I see. Thank you.

In that moment, I resolved.

‘Let’s cut ties.’

Usually, when a project is created in the ghost story company?

Nine times out of ten, it is due to a high-grade unknown ghost story.

‘It is definitely Grade A or higher.’

From here on, it’s not a level of ‘the ghost story is proportional to the danger.’

Terrors based on despair that individuals absolutely cannot cope with, and are impossible to predict or prepare for, become the subject matter.

A high-dimensional terror beyond things like death or disappearance is coming…

But they even put up a Wish Ticket, which would make any employee’s eyes spin, as a reward?

‘It seems like… Grade S, right?’

It seems like this will turn out to be the highest grade for this company’s field exploration.

Furthermore, a situation with no prior information because it’s the first attempt?

‘It is a suicidal act.’

No matter how good the treatment is, this is messed up from the premise.

It might be different if it was confirmed that I would be the team leader… no, actually, even if I were the team leader, it would probably only be a fancy name.

‘As if the dream team employees selected by the director would listen to my words when I haven’t even been in the company for a year.’

Furthermore, as long as the director is there, a team leader is just middle management. I can only picture myself suffering mentally and barely surviving alone or dying.

‘…I don’t want to do that.’

I have already gathered nearly a third of the points. It seemed fine not to take such a risk just for a Wish Ticket.

…Moreover, in choosing to remain in Group D, there was something else I considered.

‘If I do this, even if Supervisor Park Min-sung or Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je returns, they can naturally join Group D…’

…Because it would be much easier for a person to come into a spot that was originally empty and used flexibly.

So… it was a complex choice.

But I couldn’t blabber all of this, so I just said this.

“I picked this side inevitably because I thought this way would be better for more people. I am sorry.”

“…”

In that moment, Director Ho’s good-natured expression seemed to shake.

And his voice.

“Good people are hard to understand…”

“…”

Wait, just now…!

Pat.

“Um, still, if you change your mind, contact me comfortably, Sol-eum.”

The voice disappeared.

Director Ho nodded to me nonchalantly again, then smiled and left the office.

“…”

That thing just now seemed unusual…

-Mr. Roe Deer, I smell the scent of plague from that person.

Plague?

-When inviting him to a studio or personal space, it would be good to pay attention to quarantine!

“…”

‘Infectious disease… is it.’

I briefly deduced Director Ho’s identity, and eventually ended up shrugging my shoulders.

‘Let’s do the urgent things first. The urgent things first.’

For now, recollecting what is needed before becoming an Elite Team, and reorganizing…

“Sol-eum.”

Uaargh!

“L-Leader.”

Lizard, who entered through the door Director Ho left by a hair’s breadth, abruptly held out a document to me.

“Director Cheong told me to deliver this to you, saying ‘Why don’t you check it out?’”

“Yes. I understand…”

‘Please, some warning…’

I swept my chest down only in my mind, accepted the document, and read the title written on the first page.

Qterw-C-1603

Unregistered Exploration Testimony #21

Security Clearance Completed [C]

…Uh?

“Is it… correct that I am allowed to read this?”

“Yes.”

Mmm.

Apparently, it was an ‘unregistered’ exploration report that could only be read with a Grade C security clearance, but it seemed Director Cheong had specially unlocked it for me…

‘Even scarier!’

But I was also too terrified to say I wouldn’t read it. So in the end, after a deep breath, I accepted and read the document.

Just what kind of exploration record was it…

…….

Uh?

Confirmed an advertising flyer announcing that a new product has been released in Qterw-C-1603.

Product Name: Good Child Chocolate Bar (Cinnamon Churros flavor)

Feature: A wrapper with a caricature of a child’s face in a suit wearing a mask with sheep horns in the shape of tree branches.

※The character on the wrapper reminiscent of the attire for this company’s field exploration employees.

Need to check employees with similar mask shapes.

“…”

Hold on.

Is this… me?