Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Even in a Ghost Story, I Have to Go to Work
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"What the hell. Deer, you didn't forget about me, right? It's been forever!"
The person standing in the dark hallway spoke in his usual cheerful tone and extended a hand.
It was the former D Squad foreman wearing a Badger mask, someone I hadn't seen in ages.
"...Foreman?"
It was definitely him.
Park Minseong, the man who had been like my mentor. He looked as clear-headed as he had back when we worked together.
I hurriedly shook his hand and asked,
"Have you recovered?"
"Much better. Yeah, now I'm starting rehab activities bit by bit. No big issues with daily life lately. Right, squad leader?"
"Yeah, well... sure......"
Phew.
'Didn't expect to run into him like this.'
Seeing him in one piece made my chest tighten a little. My voice brightened up too.
"Then, Park Min......"
"Call me Badger!"
"......"
"No, uh...... that... hearing my name still causes a bit of, um, trouble."
"...Got it."
I shut my mouth.
I'd been about to ask if he could return to duty, but I didn't need to. I could tell.
Now that I looked closer, Foreman Park Minseong's face—smiling so cheerfully—seemed somehow pale and uneasy, hidden partly by the mask...
Yeah.
'He's... still recovering.'
Was it okay to assign disciplinary cleanup duty to someone in that condition?
"Let's go, Deer. Finish up quick so you can rest!"
"...Sure."
But as the one under discipline, I had no right to tell my partner to do something else.
I thanked the security squad leader who had guided us, then followed Foreman Park Minseong—who was already in his cleaning uniform...
"Ah, hold on."
"Yes?"
"Take this..."
The security squad leader grabbed me, set down the doughnut box he'd been cradling so preciously, and pulled something from his pocket.
Two battered walkie-talkies.
"If it's dangerous... call. I'm on night shift today......"
"...Does this connect to Jay?"
He nodded.
Two conflicting feelings hit me at once: 'This could be dangerous' and 'Thank you so much.'
"Thank you."
"Yeah......"
The security squad leader added softly, almost in passing, glancing at Foreman Park Minseong.
Quiet enough that he wouldn't hear.
"Be careful."
"......"
My hands went cold.
I barely managed a nod and handed one walkie-talkie to Foreman Park Minseong.
Then we started down the underground hallway...
Toward the Security Team Rental Warehouse.
Thud. Thud.
Thud. Thud.
Thud. Thud...
"Deer."
"Yes!"
"Ah, sorry. Did I startle you?"
"No, it's fine."
"Haha, good to hear..."
Foreman Park Minseong's voice from beside me trailed off, trembling slightly.
"It's, uh, been a while since I talked to someone outside Security. Did I sound weird? Awkward?"
"......"
Phew.
"No. Foreman... you're still the same as ever."
"Huh? Wait, that's not an insult, right?"
"Who knows."
"...! Deer, joking around like that?! Is this what promotion perks are?"
Laughter crept into our conversation, lightening the mood a bit.
"...May I ask how you've been?"
"Of course. Uh... I've been here the whole time."
The foreman muttered quickly.
Spitting it out.
"Didn't know, but there's a treatment room underground, and training areas, and weird places, really weird ones...... No, can't say more since it's Security-only zones..."
Damn.
"Then no need to say. Let's talk about something else..."
"It's really weird. Why's the basement so deep? Makes me think why our company doesn't have underground parking but a separate tower. Now I get it. The basement's too deep and strange, really strange, so I need to get back to my old spot..."
"Badger Foreman!"
"...!!"
The foreman stopped, exhaling slowly.
"Sorry. ...Shall we talk about something else?"
"Yes. Let's."
I rambled about trending shows and random stuff. Brown tossed in topics, making it easier.
"Ah, I saw that too!"
"It was fun."
Thankfully, internet and streaming were accessible; the chit-chat flowed without issue.
But cold sweat soaked my back.
'This won't do.'
Staying long in this massive, windowless underground sealed space would drive anyone mad.
'And Foreman Park Minseong has a sick family member too...'
...Couldn't bring it up directly. I approached indirectly.
"Do you have to stay in this basement forever?"
"Nah. Once I'm recovered enough, I can transfer or quit."
Phew.
"Security team goes out at night or relaxes too."
That was a relief.
"Ah, we're here."
And finally, our work site appeared before us.
Whoa.
'At night, it's got some real presence.'
I swallowed a groan in front of the steel door.
And a cold voice rang from my pocket.
"......"
Aaaah! Right!
This was where I dumped Brown in recycling!!
'Hey, Brown. If it's unpleasant, wanna stay home next time?'
-It's fine! Projecting personal displeasure onto a site goes against professional etiquette. But as a friend,
-I might get depressed. Please keep me entertained...
"......"
'I'll... do my best.'
This is too hard, Host!
"Ah, right. Here."
As I agonized, Foreman Park Minseong pulled something from his crimson uniform pocket and handed it over.
A photocopied note, handwritten.
"Got this from Security—work tips circulating around. Thought you should read it too, so I kept a copy!"
"Ah, thanks..."
Work tips?
I quickly scanned the note.
'Hold up.'
This was straight out of a work manual horror story intro.
You know the type.
High-pay gig like night security or babysitting, hand you weird rules, tell you to tough it out.
A few [Darkness Exploration Records]-based indie horrors flashed in my mind.
'Even scarier.'
I gulped and hurriedly read on.
"......"
Yep, that's me...
I gritted my teeth and sped through the rest of the 'tips.'
...Cleanup was about to start.
Squelch.
Mopping the Rental Warehouse floor.
Not too dirty overall, but multicolored stains clung stubbornly in places...
'What a comfort...'
Good thing: Warehouse lights left on at about half strength—not daytime bright, but enough for cleaning.
'Can read signs too.'
I glanced at a notice: 'Nostalgia Series Always Bought / Details at Desk,' then refocused on the floor.
"Deer, if you find weird stuff, don't touch—just mop around it."
"Got it."
Squelch.
"Have you done this before, Foreman?"
"First time cleaning... but I've done other Security work."
Foreman Park Minseong smiled. A hint of anticipation in his voice.
"If we make it through here, I might score enough recovery points for a Security transfer..."
"...!"
Good.
I asked cautiously,
"How about more treatment, then full return to Field Exploration?"
"Haha... that'd be nice? Gotta try."
Conversation felt hopeful.
We mechanically cleaned on.
'Easier than expected.'
Midnight fatigue aside, it was fine.
The tips were rock-solid to begin with.
'Understood.'
Basically the whole gist.
'Ignore everything, just clean.'
Let's do this.
Front area done quick—not huge, stains wiped in an hour.
"Half our zone down! Now the rest..."
Our heads turned together.
"...That way."
One of three doors to isolation areas.
Phew.
Right.
Of all things, the hallway with the cell I'd been trapped in—now we had to enter it.
Creeeak.
We opened the isolation zone door, entered, and closed it.
Gray hallway stretched ahead.
Steel doors of isolation cells lined both sides.
'This is insane.'
Wanted doors open, but couldn't—mental pressure huge.
I swallowed, kept mopping.
...Those sounds from last escape echoed in the quiet hall.
Hee hee hee hee hee
Please save me please save me please save me
I'm not supposed to be here I'm not supposed to be here I'm not a person
Hee hee hee hee hee
If I get out I have to die
'Whoa, for real.'
Driving me nuts.
I rinsed the mop loudly on purpose. To drown it out a bit.
Then.
Foreman Park Minseong stopped mopping, jerked his head up.
Stared blankly at...
One sealed isolation cell.
"Deer."
Damn.
"Deer. Sounds like Deputy Manager from in there?"
"No."
"But... I hear it."
"No. Keep cleaning. Badger Foreman."
"Ah... okay."
Is this right?
Squelch, squelch.
Odd feeling while mopping.
'...Anxiety?'
Different from past Darkness explorations.
No manual, wiki, escape patterns—just some vet's advice for all-night cleaning.
Felt like clueless part-timer in a sketchy spot.
What am I...
Thud. Thud.
"Deer, careful."
"...!"
I dodged aside quick.
Someone approaching from the gray isolation hallway's end...
Thud. Thud.
Black facility staff uniform.
He nodded slightly at us.
And...
"Ah. You must be the cleaners today."
Perfectly normal. Phew.
We nodded back; he spoke fast, a bit embarrassed.
"I'm on night patrol. ...Sometimes cleaners get startled."
Ah.
"Hello. Water?"
"Ah, much appreciated."
At Foreman Park Minseong's glance, I handed a issued water bottle; he chugged it there.
"See you."
Mouth on bottle, he headed back through isolation to warehouse...
"Throat's so dry..."
On the 'patrol member's' distant back: smeared '■■Lab' name...
Thud thud... gulp.
Footsteps and gulps vanished around the corner like a lie.
"......"
Ha.
'Feels like a damn horror flick.'
Squelch.
I resumed mopping.
Chatting with Brown, bantering with Foreman Park Minseong, ignoring cell noises as best I could.
And finally, hallway nearly done.
Phew.
We exchanged relieved smiles.
"Just finish up and head out?"
"Yeah? We finished fast... Ah, right."
Foreman Park Minseong startled, dug in pocket, pulled another note.
"This is for after dawn tips. Said read after some time so you don't mix up."
"Ah, thanks."
What else happens...
'Good we're almost out...!'
I screamed internally, quickly read it.
But...
...Hold up.
"Foreman. It's... 3 AM now, right?"
"Yeah. Around then......"
Someone there?
"......"
"......"
Someone there? Someone there? Someone there? Someone there? Someone there? Someone there? Someone there?
We turned.
Want me to tell you how to get out? How to survive? How to revive the dead? Company secrets? I'll just tell you—come closer, just a bit, and I'll reveal the world's truth
Wanna run.
Door open, sprint through warehouse, gone.
Tell security squad leader 'I quit today,' dump remaining Nostalgia candy on Foreman Park Minseong, leave forever...
But can't. So read tips...
Hate it.
But to say 'piss off,' I opened my mouth...
"......"
Wait.
"Deer?"
"One sec."
I pulled the first note.
There it clearly said...
"......"
Rule 4 and 11 contradicted.
'Which to follow?'
Manual horrors often had conflicting rules, but usually no clear 'right' one...
Time-updated? Second page fake? Or...
"Deer."
"...!"
Foreman Park Minseong shoved me back.
"Something's wrong"