Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work (Novel) - Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translated by Jinmu
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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Samangdan-gil.
A bizarre alley with a nuance that seemed to be taken from once-popular hot place alleys.
If there was a civilian who got swept up by installing the application from the flyer just for fun, they might be confused at first.
Because the ‘main alley of Samangdan-gil’ that they first encounter has many street stalls, making it look almost like a lively night market.
But if you look just a little closer…
Confirmed items sold by Samangdan-gil street vendors:
1. Bead strap
: A strap consisting of vermilion string and ivory beads. When touched, saltiness and ash rub off, and the surface of the beads wriggles and vibrates.
The employee who touched the corresponding strap subsequently complained of suffering for a long time, claiming that they continuously heard someone’s rescue request, sobbing, and the voice of ■■. Recovered after a short-term memory removal procedure.
2. Old-fashioned bubblegum
: Gum with letters printed upside down. The balloon inflates inside the throat rather than outside the mouth. Successfully removed before death by suffocation.
3. Floral slippers
: A civilian who tried them on under the merchant’s strong insistence testified that there were fire, blades, and ■■ beneath their feet, after which they ■■ ■■.
Subsequently vanished into the alley while sobbing.
4. Photo frame
: A picture of relatives being murdered is printed.
…….
Anyone reading up to this point would know.
‘To get out of here safely, one must not look at the surroundings at all!’
The items sold are all things that a human cannot normally use, yet the merchants are actively soliciting customers.
The best policy is just to pass by quickly with an indifferent face like a person who has a destination.
However, the further one goes into small alleys as if fleeing from the brilliant signs and lamp lights, the more one will gradually feel something strange…
Because it does not end.
The alley gets narrower and narrower, until… in the end, it only narrows to a width that a human cannot enter.
‘…It’s the end if you go that far.’
Yes. One cannot escape the alleyway by blindly walking here.
Then what should one do?
It’s simple.
Since we received route guidance when coming, we just need to receive route guidance when leaving as well.
Ding.
‘…It has started.’
I looked at the event page newly popped up on the smartphone application.
Samangdan-gil 10,000-Step Walking Event
Do not give up on your body!
Remaining Steps: 10000
This is it.
The culprit that summoned people into the ghost story, and the most standard and safe lifeline to exit.
Upon successfully completing the ‘10,000-step walking’ event of the smartphone application, one can escape from the corresponding alley.
One must exit looking only at this.
…However, regardless of what this coward thinks, the ghost story resident in my pocket is simply drunk on the night market atmosphere.
-Ah, it has been a long time since I visited such a place. Is it not a place that is difficult for a show host to visit privately?
-Sometimes, there must be a charm in checking out a lively night market like this! How about we choose items that would suit each other, friend?
-Although I do not like the quality, one or two pieces would not be bad as souvenirs!
Uaargh.
‘…No. Let’s buy it elsewhere. I should buy something better for my friend.’
-…! How touching, wonderful! This Brown will also think of an item that would suit my friend…
It was at that moment.
I’ll show you something precious??
“…!!”
One of the street vendors who popped out grabbed my arm.
There’s something better over there. I’ll show you. Come inside.
There was nothing behind the street vendor.
No open door, no shop, no space.
Yet the vendor says again.
Come inside.
Do not look.
I just needed to decline politely and naturally, without looking closely at the face. I barely managed to…
tried to open my mouth,
but before that, Manager Lizard grabbed the vendor’s arm.
“??”
Tight.
Red vertical pupils were directed at the vendor.
“…”
“…”
The vendor softly avoided his gaze.
And after stealthily releasing my arm, he began to solicit another human shadow as if nothing had happened.
“…”
This… works?
I realized one new thing. Lizard can make a ghost act with courtesy…
“Thank you.”
“Yes.”
Physical exorcism, it couldn’t be any more convenient.
‘Come to think of it, I was supposed to receive equipment that strengthens physical strength from Manager Lee Ja-heon as custom parent equipment.’
I should talk to him about it after this task ends.
For now, perhaps because it was a practical threat, Manager Lizard did not utter instructions that only someone with extreme guts could do without fainting.
He only spoke like this.
“Normally, the manual dictates that when four or more people enter this place, they move in pairs of two, and if possible, check new alleys.”
Hm?
“Mr. Roe Deer, choose the employee to accompany.”
Ah. I see.
Since I am the highest-ranking among the three here, he seems to intend to maintain fairness by unconditionally sending the employee to a different team than himself.
‘What a pity… Lizard’s strength.’
The easy ride I just experienced was very sweet.
But it was also something I had prepared for. Still, since I entered together with Manager Lee Ja-heon anyway, I could receive help if necessary, just like during the exhibition.
‘So I have to choose a colleague to accompany among my peers?’
Hmm.
I spoke politely.
“Then, since we are acquainted, would it be alright if I accompany Bison?”
“Yes.”
Since it would be difficult to move around comfortably if there was a new person.
‘…Because it’s a situation where I need to check that chocolate wrapper.’
Besides, that colleague named Kang Yi-hak would probably also prefer to accompany the leader…
“Oops! Wait a moment. If it’s alright, could Bison and I go together?”
Kang Yi-hak cut in.
Uh?
“Since you two were originally on the same team, it would be weird for the support staff to tear the team apart! I also have something to tell Bison…”
Kang Yi-hak conveyed to Manager Lee Ja-heon in an appealing manner that didn’t offend anyone that, ‘Since it’s not a high-grade ghost story anyway, even two ordinary employees will be fine as long as they follow the manual well.’
“If only you two are fine with it, it would be fine among us colleagues as well!”
“Yes.”
Lizard nodded his head.
“Move in a group of three.”
“…Yes?”
“Roe Deer, Pony, Bison. Move in a group of three.”
Kang Yi-hak barely managed not to lose her sociability and replied.
“Uh, thank you, but… wouldn’t it be a bit much for the Manager to bear the risk of going alone?”
“Yes.”
“…”
Oh dear.
But since it turned out like that, persuasion was hopeless.
‘A group of three, huh.’
Manager Lee Ja-heon approached me before leaving.
“Mr. Roe Deer.”
And he suddenly handed me an object.
“Press it when a problem occurs.”
“…”
A small brown circle fell onto my hand.
A small button.
It was something I had used once during Tuesday Quiz Show.
…It was Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je’s communication equipment.
“…Did you get in touch with Assistant Manager Falcon?”
“Yes. Yesterday, I was requested to deliver it to Mr. Roe Deer.”
“…”
I slowly nodded my head.
“Thank you.”
“Yes.”
And Lizard vanished toward the other side of the alley…
“…Then let us also walk and move elsewhere from this street vendor alley.”
“Yes…!”
“Ah, yes, yes.”
I also moved my steps with my two colleagues.
Do not give up on your body!
Remaining Steps: 9130
In the long alley where the bizarre street vendor’s lights flashed, walking while making sure the application didn’t turn off was unexpectedly consuming of mental energy.
Especially when one couldn’t relax tension regarding the surrounding environment even for a single moment.
“Phew.”
Jang Heo-un tried to lift his mask slightly to wipe away the sweat gathered beneath it.
Wait.
“Be careful.”
“…!”
I stopped Jang Heo-un.
“It would be better to follow the anonymity manual even more thoroughly here than in other places. …Bison.”
“…Yes.”
Jang Heo-un gradually lowered his hand while wiping his sweat.
…….
One of the street vendors who was observing him closely began to solicit customers again.
Whisper, whisper.
‘Phew.’
The merchants in the alley show an aggressive tendency to sell items and receive payment in some way.
In order to not get swept up in this, do not expose any information, personal details, or appearance that could become a weakness.
Especially recommended to strictly control mention of characteristics, residence, and acquaintances of humans in reality, as well as behavior.
The company’s manual was accurate.
‘The moment you fail to keep this, you passively get swept up in solicitation.’
Like those people loitering at the other end right now, for instance.
“It’s really amazing that such a place existed in this neighborhood.”
“Uh? What is that? It looks so realistic… re, re, re, re, realistic!! I want to buy threads!”
“That person is correct! Yes! It is a person!”
The problem was that they had no masks to hide their identities, nor any information…
“Uh? Uh-huh… Uh? Why does that person have three eyes? Uh? Uh? Ah, originally humans had three eyes! I’m sorry, I misunderstood something. I’ll go buy one more eye, honey.”
“Yes! Exchange it for an ear!”
They followed the street vendor and vanished to the other side of the alley.
‘…It’s already too late.’
That was how they went missing.
A chilly terror swept down my back.
But I must not show it. Since I was in front of my colleagues.
Instead, I clenched my teeth and moved my steps, pretending to be calm again.
“First, let’s leave this street…”
“Mr. Roe Deer, over there…!”
Jang Heo-un pointed at something with a trembling hand.
That was…
A ‘person’ passing right next to us.
A high school student with an anxious face looking around the surroundings.
‘Damn it.’
“This…!”
Jang Heo-un quickly rummaged through his bag and pulled out a black cloth mask.
And he approached the high school student and handed it over bluntly.
“Wear it.”
“Yes, yes…?”
‘If he messes up, it’s going to ruin everything…!’
I cut in immediately.
“Calm down. Wear the mask quickly, ignore whoever talks next to you, and walk quietly.”
“What…… Ah.”
“Do not look at the surroundings as much as possible. You must act naturally, as if you came here to play.”
Perhaps because the ‘Silver Heart’ I was wearing exerted some influence, the high school student received the mask Jang Heo-un offered in a daze, as if sensing something unusual.
“Never turn off the Samangdan-gil application, and fill 10,000 steps. Then you can exit.”
“…”
The student, who looked at us with a face mixed with suspicion, anxiety, and alertness, eventually turned around and ran to the opposite side.
“Ah…!”
Jang Heo-un seemed to try to call him, but gave up after checking the atmosphere. Because the high school student had already gone far, and Kang Yi-hak was just watching with a smiling face.
“…”
And I felt like I knew another reason.
“Um, by the way.”
Jang Heo-un muttered with a disbelieving expression.
“Just now… what that student was wearing, wasn’t it the Sekwang Technical High School uniform?”
“…”
Yes.
In this space, one can witness a wide variety of things.
Deceased friends, family members who went missing in childhood, victims who died in major accidents, pedestrians dressed in 1980s attire, and even students attending schools that do not exist in reality.
Among the countless customers, onlookers, and… products that drifted into this alleyway.
But.
“No matter what you see here, it seems better to pretend not to have seen it. Because not drawing attention is the basic manual.”
“Ah. Yes…!”
Jang Heo-un took a deep breath again.
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Come on, I don’t think you need to be that tense. Just as we read in the manual, let’s go as if we came to play!”
Kang Yi-hak’s words were correct.
Strong recommended not to lose a natural atmosphere, as if visiting this alleyway commercial district with acquaintances.
“Still, let’s move while not letting our guard down.”
“Yes!”
We continued to walk through the crowd, trying our best not to bump into anyone or stand out.
Step, step.
According to the footsteps treading the alley floor, the app’s count decreases.
And at the moment the thousands digit of the remaining steps changes.
Do not give up on your body!
Remaining Steps: 8999
A gap between the street vendors caught my eye.
‘It’s a passage.’
The path leading to another, narrower alley.
On that side, street vendors vanished, and before we knew it, regular shops selling various daily necessities were lined up…
“I will turn into this way.”
It was at that moment.
“Ah, then since we are entering a new alley… shall we act a bit more naturally from now on?”
Kang Yi-hak cut in.
Hm.
“Could you explain a bit more what you mean?”
Kang Yi-hak grinned.
“I mean, let’s aim for a chance to score good items!”
“…!”
“No, I mean, there are quite a few exploration records of buying decent… ‘items’ here, so I’m suggesting we search the market a bit. That is also the most natural thing to do, after all!”
Openly shopping, huh.
“…! But the manual said not to do that as much as possible…”
Jang Heo-un was right.
Purchasing items under the judgment that it will be helpful for the exploration is not prohibited in the manual, but it is not recommended either.
Industrial accident compensation is not applicable for all risk matters arising upon purchase.
Although the last line sounded like a scoundrel, the reason it wasn’t recommended in the manual was clear.
Because there is a high probability of making impulse purchases.
The longer we walk, the more this street makes tempting shops and products catch our eyes.
Then, the employee who was gradually losing their reason as if possessed in this bizarre place often grabbed it and bought it, regardless of the danger of the item or anything.
Despite the fact that what they paid was not normal currency.
Even so, the reason Kang Yi-hak went out of her way to bring up those words was…
‘What is she aiming for?’
It meant she definitely had an ulterior motive.
-Ah, politics! It is a variety show of daily life.
-However, if you back down, from then on it becomes a documentary. That cannot happen. Let us go, Mr. Roe Deer!
‘Sigh.’
I thought I would get acquainted after meeting a new person for the first time in a while, but is it this shape again…
‘It can’t be helped.’
I grinned, looking at Kang Yi-hak.
“Let’s do that.”
“…!”
“Shopping sightseeing is good.”
“Oh! You had a similar thought, Supervisor! Naturally, right?”
“Yes.”
And I raised my hand and pointed calmly.
Toward a certain shop nearby that I knew very well.
“How about over there?”
Raw Organ Butcher Shop
: A shop displaying live organs and body parts.
The shop is identifiable by red and blue lighting and the owner wearing a bloody apron sitting in front of the window.
“…”
“…”
“The items look good. Let’s go inside quickly.”
I moved my steps toward the butcher shop.
“…?!”
Otherwise known as ‘you can’t reason with a crazy bastard’…!