Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work (Novel) - Chapter 94

Chapter 94

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Someone who struggled to return to reality somehow after losing their smartphone in Samangdan-gil.

Assuredly, I was not the first.

The <Records of the Dark Exploration> also recorded the miserable and eerie fates of those people in quite a variety of ways.

For detailed records on employees and civilians who went missing in Samangdan-gil, refer to the document ‘■■■’s Attempt to Escape via Route 16.’

First… let’s check the common premises.

1. Attempts to blindly follow another person who is receiving route guidance on their smartphone will unconditionally fail.

The app’s route guidance could not be shared. In the end, all attempts ended with ‘at some point, the person being followed had vanished.’

As these records of failure accumulated, people gave up on this attempt and tried to obtain escape hints directly from within Samangdan-gil.

‘There were all sorts of methods.’

A shop that would open a back door leading out of the alley if one gave up one of their limbs, a pedestrian who said you just had to go into a manhole, a shoe store saying you would see the way out if you wore these shoes…

The only silver lining was that I did not have to try all of these attempts and could proceed straight to the conclusion.

All the aforementioned attempts failed.

…Right.

A cruel fact deduced by induction.

2. The residents of Samangdan-gil do not know the way to reality at all.

They were all nothing but tricks.

It was no different from grabbing an office worker walking the streets in Seoul and asking them how to get to a ghost story.

In the first place, the residents here possessed no such knowledge.

‘I must abandon the expectation or plan itself to escape by gaining someone’s help here.’

Therefore, I had to think of an escape method under the assumption that there would be no new hints at all…

Whew.

“Group Leader.”

“Yes.”

I opened my mouth, which was reluctant to speak.

“…I will brief you on what has been sorted out so far.”

The next premise, number 3.

“From now on, we cannot normally enter a new alley.”

Originally, for app users, a new alley appeared every thousand steps, and they could choose whether to enter or not.

But now that the pedometer app was ruined, that rational method was also finished.

‘We are trapped in this alley.’

Although there might be cases where the scenery changed before we knew it as we walked, we could not choose.

Fundamentally, we, who were not residents of this ghost story, could not find the path…

“Hence, we must find an escape method within this alley.”

“Yes.”

And number 4.

“…Also, we must leave before dawn.”

Time limit.

Naturally, most of the company’s field exploration teams are stout-hearted.

It meant that among them, if an alley with no major danger arose as long as they knew the manual, there were crazy bastards who would try this and that to see if they could raise the solution grade.

‘There were also times when the research team requested it on a company level.’

For example… staying as long as possible in Samangdan-gil by not walking and holding out as long as the smartphone battery lasted.

The result?

All went missing.

…This ‘loss of contact’ was not a disappearance where there were eyewitness accounts of the target transforming grotesquely, like the laborers in the boutique’s back alley.

Complete evaporation.

There was even a vivid record of an employee who communicated using dedicated equipment, stating they would check into an inn in the alley and stay for a day, before losing contact.

Exploration Employee: Yes, yes. I have entered a place called Goldfish Eye Inn. Just in case, I plan to sleep while taking turns standing watch with Supervisor ■.

Exploration Employee: What did I pay for lodging? Oh, well, I found someone who was going to die anyway and made good use of them. You can just understand it that way.

Exploration Employee: Anyway, I will try to pull an all-nighter like this. If the dreamscape grade rises with this, they’ll give points properly, right?

(Omitted)

Exploration Employee: The sun is rising.

Exploration Employee: The sun is burning the alley! It’s burning! Everything is burning and escaping, but I can’t esc— (Communication cut off)

“…….”

I absolutely did not want to experience such a situation.

‘Driving me crazy.’

Walking inside Samangdan-gil while recalling all of this with my smartphone lost, a sense of reality was gradually and blatantly closing in on me.

The fact that I could become one of those records.

“Constraints of time, constraints of space, constraints of method.”

I barely managed to report to Lee Ja-heon in a flat tone.

“…Overall, I think whatever trick I think of, it will be an adventurous move close to a gamble.”

“Yes.”

Lee Ja-heon was still calm.

“…Are you not worried about the current situation, Group Leader?”

“Yes. Because worry has no utility in resolving the phenomenon.”

“…….”

Wow.

‘At least it seems that no matter what crazy method I bring, as long as it has persuasion, he will join in without a word of complaint.’

Just like the colleagues I was walking with earlier.

“…….”

Wait.

‘Where did my colleagues go?’

Manager Lee Ja-heon had definitely told the colleagues entering the adjacent shop to ‘come out in 10 minutes.’

If they really came out after only 10 minutes.

‘Does that mean… they were there when the rapids swept through the alley?’

Could they have been swept away by the current and sucked in…

“Supervisor!”

Ah.

Turning my head, Kang Yi-hak and Jang Heo-un happened to be running toward us while waving their hands.

Judging by the paper bags with knitting yarn drawn on them held in their hands, it seemed they had successfully completed their purchase.

“Ayy~ You were here!”

Kang Yi-hak was wearing a broad smile.

Whew.

“It seems you did some good shopping.”

“Ah, yes, yes. The shop owner seemed to be in urgent need of money. He matched the price with a momentum as if he would even sell his own hat. It was a really good, yes, good shopping experience!”

Then, glancing at Manager Lee Ja-heon’s face, she pretended to quickly check her smartphone and spoke rapidly.

“Uh-oh? No, has this much time passed already… I’m sorry. You told us to look for only 10 minutes, but I guess I lost my mind because I found an item helpful for the exploration. I’m truly sorry, Group Leader!”

“Yes.”

It looked largely intentional, but it was rather a relief.

Apparently, they had been so engrossed in bargaining that they didn’t even notice the water disaster outside.

However, Jang Heo-un, standing next to her, glanced at his paper bag with a slightly pale face.

“Mr. Cow, is there a problem with the purchased item?”

“Ah, no. It’s not that… but among the yarns they were selling, instead of wool… there was also something like strange blood vessels mixed in.”

“…….”

My goodness.

“Ah, of course I didn’t buy that. Thank you so much for the coins, Mr. Roe Deer. I will definitely return it to you in gold once we leave…!”

“Now that I think about it, it seems it’s about time for you to leave! Oh, did you keep filling your step counts in this alley? Would it be possible to share your ‘remaining steps’ via the app?”

Lee Ja-heon answered immediately without expression.

“No.”

“…Yes?”

Uaaah!

‘This lizard!’

I kicked Manager Lee Ja-heon’s shin at an exquisite angle that the people in front of us could not see.

“?”

And I spoke nonchalantly.

“I am walking a bit slowly because there is something I want to check. Have you two filled all your steps?”

“Ah, it must be almost done. Since we paced back and forth so much inside the shop looking at the goods.”

“…….”

“It is a bit of a pity~ We could have seen two more alley options!”

Kang Yi-hak smacked her lips.

On the smartphone screen my colleague pulled out, the remaining steps caught my eye…

Do not give up on your body!

Remaining steps: 1052

“Since I’ve spent all the money you lent, I guess I should just check what the next alley is and go back. Haha!”

“…Yes.”

Do you know that?

There was exactly one method for a person who lost their smartphone to successfully escape from here.

It was a method that had been recorded multiple times, thoroughly verified, and confirmed as fact.

And a similar opportunity had almost come to me just now.

Namely…

Stealing another person’s smartphone.

Supervisor Park Do-jung was involved in a physical fight while trading with a merchant. In the process, three left ribs were cracked, and the smartphone was destroyed.

Succeeded in returning by seizing a civilian’s smartphone.

“…….”

I stared at Kang Yi-hak’s smartphone swinging defenselessly in the air, and then…

“Yes. Then you head back first. Group Leader, it would be fine if the two of them returned, right?”

“Yes.”

I let the two colleagues go.

“Then we will go in. Thank you…!”

“Haha, see you at the company tomorrow. Let’s talk more slowly about the spoils then~!”

The two walked down the alley, then suddenly vanished.

…They must have gone to the next alley.

Let’s not do things we cannot handle.

‘This is an inescapable evil deed.’

If I wasn’t careful, I might become unable to use the Silver Heart.

Even if that wasn’t the case, my mental state wouldn’t be able to hold up if I recalled later a way to survive without stealing a smartphone…

‘Unless it’s truly the worst-case scenario, let’s not go that far.’

Because the moment I lose the line, the pollution might accelerate as well.

I calmed down by gently feeling the silver ring I was already wearing.

-Oh. Mr. Roe Deer, you chose dignity. That is truly an excellent restraint!

-Among the guests, there are those who do not hesitate to do all kinds of vulgar things just to gain attention. Although that is also a noble professional spirit, isn’t it a participant like you who wins the hearts of the public?

R-right.

‘Thanks.’

Though I didn’t necessarily want to be compared to that…

I calmed down, trying hard not to recall the situation that had occurred in the Tuesday Quiz Show.

Because in the current situation of being trapped in a ghost story, I didn’t want to think about the direct experience of almost dying helplessly inside one.

Just searching hard through the records in my head, comparing if there was anything that could be a clue in this alley…

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

*Whoosh.*

Lee Ja-heon grabbed the back of my neck, opened the door of a shop, and threw me inside.

Then he also entered and crouched down.

“There is water.”

“…!”

I raised my head.

The place we had entered was an unmanned laundromat.

Beyond the glass door printed with cheap lettering, the alley filling up with water was visible…

*Whoosh.*

Between houses, from a narrow gap that was not an alley, black water seeped out and lumped together, forming the shape of that usual mascot animal.

A slithering dragon character.

‘…It doesn’t seem to be the real mascot.’

The clear intelligence I felt back then was not present.

But that actually made it more spine-chilling and threatening.

‘It seems communication will be impossible.’

-Indeed. Trying to converse with a balloon doll for a parade is a foolish judgment, my friend!

The water mass began to roam the alley again, moving its limbs in bizarre steps.

Fortunately, it did not look inside the laundromat.

‘Whew.’

Chocolate bars fell in heaps on the wet ground where the water mass had passed.

It seemed they were the products that had been swept away by the rapids earlier and escaped through the stationery store door.

And rushing there were the residents of Samangdan-gil who had followed, enchanted by the parade.

It’s mine! It’s mine!

Please send me to Pleasant Theme Park!! Please let me win!!

Let’s find the good child! Let’s find the good child!

All sorts of pedestrians and merchants from the alley flocked, violently tearing open and eating the chocolate bars, searching if the ‘Theme Park Winning Ticket’ was inside.

It seemed an entry ticket or membership card was inside it.

…Something like my tattoo.

: Socius :

‘…I feel like my skin will be torn off along with it the moment I’m caught.’

The typical development of such a ghost story came to mind, causing goosebumps to rise all over, but.

The moment the water mass disappeared from sight beyond the far end of the alley again, I slightly opened the glass door.

*Chime.*

…Fortunately, the pedestrians of Samangdan-gil, who were frantically rummaging through the chocolate, did not look this way.

Swallowing my saliva, I flipped a coin, summoning the third hand into midair.

The semi-transparent hand carefully moved through the narrow gap of the glass door and grabbed a chocolate bar that had bounced toward the laundromat from the alley…

The moment the third hand came back inside the laundromat, I immediately snatched the chocolate bar and shoved it into another tattoo.

‘Whew.’

Since I had already made a mess of things anyway, I might as well get some information to analyze.

Fortunately, whether it was because the silver ring played its role excellently, I did not feel any strange hallucinations, noise, or a burning desire for the theme park.

‘Let’s take a closer look after returning to reality.’

It was when I pulled my hand out of my tattoo inventory and dismissed the third hand.

I recalled a certain item that I had kept carrying inside this, but had not yet made a single attempt to use.

The most expensive item in the Alien Shop.

We Help! – ₩66,666,666

“…!”

I pulled out the item.

A small red button.

…Surely, Brown had said so.

-Hmm. Yes. You can understand it to mean ‘Emergency Escape,’ Mr. Roe Deer!

Emergency escape, huh.

‘Should I press it?’

Considering the price, it felt like I should save it and use it in a higher-grade Dark, but when disappearance was right in front of me, it might be better to use it quickly rather than meeting with disaster while trying to gain profit.

‘Good.’

Let’s see what happens.

Prior to using it, I showed the button to Manager Lee Ja-heon.

“Group Leader, this is…”

“Do you need advice?”

“…….”

Huh?

“Do you need advice?”

“…Yes.”

“Do not use it.”

“…….”

A chilling premonition ran down my spine.

“Is this button an item you know, Group Leader?”

“Yes.”

“…Will something bad happen?”

“It depends on the standard.”

“…I would like you to explain in more detail.”

“Impossible.”

“…….”

“However, I do not recommend using it in the current situation.”

“…….”

‘Whew.’

In the end, I stored the button back.

Because Manager Lee Ja-heon would not tell a lie, even if he announced he couldn’t speak.

Moreover, the fact that Manager was also in a position to buy goods from the Alien Shop made it more bothersome.

‘Since I had originally obtained the Alien Shop link through that side’s account.’

Overall, forcing the use of this item in the current situation felt like a foreshadowing of disappearing while leaving behind a single line of a terrible exploration record.

-My, you are not pressing it? It is a pity, as I was curious about what would happen.

Is that so?

I felt a strong sense of exhaustion.

Because it felt like realizing the lifeline that had suddenly appeared was not real, but a drawing.

“…….”

Leaning my back against the laundromat wall, I held back a sigh.

“Then all the remaining moves are gambles.”

Manager Lee Ja-heon looked at me. I anxiously tapped my arm with my fingers.

“Maybe if we destroy a house itself, a gap will form in the concept of the alley, allowing us to leave, or some idea like that… wait a second. Please do not destroy it!”

“Yes.”

Driving me crazy.

After stopping Lizard, who was about to strike the wall with his bare hands, I sat down on the floor.

‘Is this really the only way?’

Getting fucked, or escaping.

Is there really nothing more certain than betting on such an extreme game of probability?

Certainly, the way out of a ghost story…

…….

Ah.

“…!”

I jumped up from my seat.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

“Group Leader!”

This, this… seems possible?

“There is a method to try. First, let’s head out of here and move…”

Lee Ja-heon grabbed my shoulder and pulled.

“Step back.”

“…….”

I turned my head.

A black figure was visible outside the laundromat’s glass door.

Peering in at us.

A black water mass.

Found you.