Chapter 103
Chapter 103
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Even in Ghost Stories, Gotta Go to Work
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-Friend, your boss is a creativity-lacking, boring sword-slinger...
'Yeah, right.'
I thanked Lee Jaheon and went to retrieve Brown.
The slightly sorry part for both of them was that, since it was late and the Lizard squad leader was heading home from work, he had taken the stuffed doll all the way to the company dorms.
Thanks to that, Brown—who had visited the boss's house, a place I'd never seen (and had no desire to see)—seemed like he'd have some interesting stories, but...
'...Yeah.'
It must have been extremely boring...
I broke into a cold sweat watching Brown vent things like, 'That guy's house had nothing in it; time just passed in silence without any mumbling or humming.'
"But it was just so filthy. I couldn't in good conscience leave you abandoned in that abandoned building as a friend."
I was starting to get the picture. When treating the 'good friend' like a friend, the reactions were the mildest...
'Well, it's true.'
Anyway, I recalled the conversation I'd had with Squad Leader Lee Jaheon right before handing over Brown.
I said that and bowed deeply.
Honestly, in a normal company, I'd have gotten smacked with a file folder by my direct superior.
But even after hearing the whole story, the Lizard deputy manager stayed calm.
Then he stared at me and said:
-...Yes!
It was a bit scary, but it seemed like he'd let it slide.
'Whew.'
I apologized and thanked Squad Leader Lee Jaheon a few more times, then handed over the prepared gift set of snacks.
And now I was heading down the stairs from the dorms.
"No, not that."
I headed straight out of the dorm building.
"I've got one more thing to do."
Today was the day to draw tarot for the F-Grade Darkness under my management, 'Dilemma'.
It had been about two months since I'd last visited the annex to check the tarot cards.
While I was on sick leave, someone else had covered for me once, and now the cycle had come around again.
"Hello."
I greeted the black silhouette security team staff at the desk, got the key, and headed down the hallway.
'Last time, I drew the Moon card reversed.'
Hmm. About that.
"If I have no choice, I'll use it... but I'd rather not if possible."
Something about it was nagging at me.
'Drawing the Moon reversed resolves uncertainty.'
Nothing wrong with it in itself.
For that month after drawing it, several instances of uncertainty resolving or things clarifying happened.
For example... my assignment.
'Staying in D Squad got confirmed.'
...After two squad members vanished.
"......"
But all this had a premise.
'For uncertainty to resolve, you first have to experience an uncertain situation.'
In other words, drawing a bad card reversed means...
'You're premising that you'll experience the bad state no matter what.'
Because to recover or escape it, you need to go through that state once.
Exactly.
Plus, even if it recovers, in the ghost story worldview, falling into a 'bad state' itself is an enormous risk...
Don't forget the contamination incident.
'Better to draw something good upright if possible.'
So please, no situation where both cards are bad and I have no choice.
'Sigh.'
I entered the containment room, released the seal on 'Dilemma', and placed the two black tarot cards face-down on the table.
Then, taking a deep breath, I flipped them over.
First card.
The Devil.
Damn it.
'This damn Devil card keeps coming up.'
The surprising part was it was reversed from the start this time.
Thanks for the explanation.
But my eyes immediately locked on the second card.
...The Sun!
The upright red-and-yellow Sun blazed brilliantly, dyeing the card art in vivid hues.
This was...
'Definitely good, right?!'
Sorry, but that boredom is exactly what I need right now, host...!
'No need to agonize over this.'
I reached out and picked up the Sun card.
Thus, confirming an upright card—a stably good future.
'Thanks.'
And with that, the ritual ended.
'Success and joy.'
No way this could be a loss.
For now, let's feel some relief that such things will happen within the month, per the prophecy...
'Time to head back to the dorms.'
And so, late that night, I headed home, ending the long and tumultuous day. For the record, I had to walk up since the elevator was off-limits.
'Climbing stairs late at night is scarier than you'd think, even without ghost stories......'
A bit upsetting.
But that really was the last incident of the year—and surprisingly, the remaining days of the year passed peacefully.
The last month of December.
Kwak Je-gang didn't summon me pointlessly after that incident. Even assignments from that weird research team were almost nonexistent.
'Guess the MZ power worked...'
I worried they might call Jang Heo-un back to the research team, but that didn't happen.
Jang Heo-un seemed to have settled officially into F Squad without issue in the year-end personnel shuffle.
'Something to celebrate.'
Even if his squadmate was Baek Saheon... Hmm, from what I saw at Sekwang Industrial High, they didn't just use Jang Heo-un as bait recklessly.
Everything else was ordinary too.
'Dived into a ton of ghost stories.'
No entries into C-Grade or higher high-rank ones.
So it all wrapped up with accumulating points from steadily clearing low-grades, plus my inner screams of terror offset by more kids' animation binge-watching to fend off insomnia...
Lee Byung-jin, the audit manager I ran into in the hall, casually mentioned it was because 'accounting, audits, and the year-end rush had the company swamped.'
He still occasionally droned on about Executive Ho, which creeped me out, but tips like this were appreciated...
"Man, Assistant Manager Kim must be raking in points clearing high-grades left and right—no worries there, huh? Bet you're bummed there's none, heh heh!"
"......"
Not bummed at all...
Anyway, steadily clearing low-grades still piled up points, letting me catch my breath and regroup mentally.
But oddly, throughout this time, one thing remained undecided.
"Um, squad leader. Is my disciplinary action still under discussion?"
"Yes."
My discipline.
Yeah.
Didn't expect it to drag on like this, even if I wasn't hoping it'd be swept under the rug.
I figured it'd be a quick slap on the wrist to humble the cocky talented newbie.
'...Why's upper management making this so complicated?'
Even the Field Exploration Team had rumors floating around, which was weird.
"......"
Rumors like that?
'Tried to build an image as a morally upright character... Did even that backfire...?'
Fortunately not that bad. Apparently even Development was debating how to handle me—exception or by the book.
And late December.
"Disciplinary date confirmed."
"......"
Whew.
Finally, the official notice came down.
So on-brand for a ghost story company.
'Where'd all the standard corporate disciplines go—like training, pay cut, suspension, demotion?'
Three days? Not bad, right?
True. But...
"Schedule: December 29th to 31st."
"......"
Who?
'The date selection screams they really wanted to screw me over...!'
Malice to make me pull all-nighters through year-end and ring in the New Year at the office. Wonder who.
But having headbutted once already, I'd just have to suck it up this time.
'Sigh......'
Eventually, at midnight on December 29th, I headed to the Security Team area on B1.
And met a familiar face.
"Hello, Jay."
"Whoa... long time no see..."
It was Security Squad Leader J3.
From the Mountain Lord ghost story to the Hungry Hangman escape and the post-containment incident, the lanky guy I'd crossed paths with a few times waved with a fairly pleased look.
Though the annoyance seemed stronger, so I quickly pulled out the prepared bribe.
"Sorry for the trouble. Please take care of me for three days."
"No need to apologize..."
The squad leader's face lit up as he took the two boxes of 12 large sugar-and-cream donuts.
"Worth volunteering... Thanks... I'll enjoy these as snacks..."
"......"
'Brought two boxes to share with the Security Team...'
But he seemed convinced they were 24 donuts just for him, so I kept quiet. Wise choice, I think.
"Anyway, this way..."
The squad leader started guiding me deeper than the CCTV room.
'Security Team only area.'
Back here again.
I swallowed hard and followed him down the hall.
Somewhere here I'd have to clean.
"Mind telling me where I'll be cleaning for the three days...?"
"Sure... You've been here before, so it might not be too bad? Maybe... um."
Been here before?
"Today's area is Containment B Hallway... You know, where they pulled out the contaminated employee..."
"...!"
Damn.
He meant the containment block next to the Security Team storage rental—where I'd been briefly locked up after escaping Hungry Hangman. The hallway lined with tight cells...!
'That place... wasn't normal.'
I recalled the mutterings and weird phenomena I'd heard while walking that containment hall.
Swallowed again.
'Security Team area cleaning.'
Nearly certain I'd encounter anomalies—my heart raced at the premonition.
"This way... changing room."
I swallowed and followed to the changing room.
In the process, I accidentally glimpsed the open Security Team dorm.
[Bedroom]
Visible through the door crack.
Lived-in rooms with gray company-issue bedding, curtains, iron desks, and cabinets.
...Uncannily like prison staff quarters.
'Worse than the dorms...'
Being underground couldn't be healthy either.
"Do all Security Team members live here?"
"No. Just Security Squad... um."
The squad leader squinted, as if gauging how much to say.
But soon gave a whatever face and answered vaguely.
"Security Team... actually splits from the upper Security Management Division... This is mostly Security Squad turf."
"Got it."
We reached the changing room soon enough, and I quickly changed into the provided uniform.
Not the previous Security uniform, but eye-searing orange—like an engineer's work clothes.
"Cleaning uniform... not bad... pretty color too..."
"......"
Serious...?
Anyway, time to head to the cleaning site after changing.
'Sigh.'
Feeling like I was being led to slaughter, I glanced at the squad leader—who'd stopped at the changing room door, as if waiting for someone.
"Cleaning's usually two-man teams."
Hm?
Not him joining, right...? Another employee?
Then the squad leader peered outside and beckoned me.
"Here they come... Your partner today."
I looked out.
Someone was walking from the hall with the bedrooms.
...A familiar face.
"Deer."
"...!!"
Park Minseong, the foreman, waved awkwardly from the hall with an embarrassed grin.
"Good to see you. Been well?"