Chapter 261
Chapter 261
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 261
Chapter Title: Even If I Fall into a Ghost Story, I Still Have to Go to Work
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Inside the train departing from Seki Station.
Clackety-clack...
The sound of the cars rumbling along the rails echoed through the air, the hand straps swaying with the vibration—a modern, everyday space.
We had leaped aboard just before the screen doors closed, and only now did we lift our heads to properly take in our surroundings.
"......"
The train car was spotless.
Impossibly so.
And...
Every seat was occupied by people.
"......"
Typical subway bench seats stretched along both sides, filled with ordinary-looking folks in casual clothes.
Not a trace of contamination anywhere.
The peaceful atmosphere of people with earbuds in or staring at their smartphones was so convincing that for a moment, we almost thought we'd boarded a normal train and returned to reality.
But...
Clackety-clack...
This suffocating silence.
'...No reactions.'
A group of six or seven people in masks pouring into the car should have drawn at least a few glances, but only stillness flowed.
From those seated to those standing and gripping the straps.
Everyone just sat or stood there, expressionless.
As if they saw nothing at all.
"......"
"......"
The group exchanged glances and quietly backed away.
'To another car.'
We'd jumped in through the door right at the stairs, so the odds were high that this car was packed with passengers.
And in a horror tale, it was wise not to stumble into situations that unnecessarily stirred up trouble.
'Don't bump into anyone.'
Under an unspoken agreement to head for a less crowded car, we moved to the next one without anyone making any sudden moves.
Taking extreme care not to touch any passengers.
'Whew.'
At the same time, I tried to scan for anything unusual inside the train.
The advertising panels.
Right.
'It's pristine.'
Even though the designs weren't the latest, they looked strangely untouched by time.
The names and numbers were all jumbled up or erased, making it impossible to guess the years or get actual contact info...
As if deliberately obscured from notice.
"......"
And on the wall opposite the ads, above the door, there was a massive image taking up an entire panel.
It had no text at all, bathed in light, but the symbols and layout made it easy to guess what it was...
'Subway route map?'
At that moment.
A faint vibration buzzed from my pocket smartphone.
"...!"
My spine chilled at the realization I hadn't set it to silent, but the passengers showed no reaction.
I let out a silent sigh of relief and immediately checked the phone screen.
'...!'
'External appearance?'
I reflexively scanned the group's condition.
Just then, Manager Lee Jaheon had raised his hand to grab the handle for the door to the next car.
'...! Hold on.'
I gestured for Manager Lee Jaheon to keep his hand raised a moment longer.
And I saw it.
The glove that had been torn and half-destroyed from ripping through corpses and nooses earlier was now perfectly restored.
Everyone confirmed it.
"......"
Only after moving to a car with fewer passengers did we finally broach the topic.
Of course, in extremely hushed voices.
Having confirmed that the passengers showed zero reaction to coughs, footsteps, greetings, or chatter, we huddled near a door with no passengers.
"Manager, your glove seems back to normal."
"Yes."
True to their experience, they even eyed the emergency door release, ready to bolt if needed.
And just as experienced, they quickly grasped the gimmick of this train.
"Looks like some supernatural phenomenon here resets everything to its original state."
"Yes."
"Hmm. If we're comparing it to a kids' game, it's like a recovery spot. But even so, something feels off..."
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je rubbed her chin with a face like she'd bitten into a dried-up cigarette.
And she was right.
'No way a place surrounded by annihilation-grade horrors would just have an openly safe, comfy spot.'
This train car was unmistakably part of Seki Special City, and we hadn't escaped.
I pulled out my smartphone...
"Grape. What've you been staring at since earlier?"
"...!"
Was I being that obvious?
Plus, the Bronze Agent immediately recognized the item stuck to the back of my smartphone.
It was just like one of the gadgets issued to agents by the Disaster Management Bureau, differing only in color.
"...Memorial GripTok?"
"Something like it, but a bit different."
Was now the time?
I hesitated briefly, then decided to explain the relevant details properly.
'We have to share exploration intel anyway.'
It'd be smoother if I cited a source. The screen wasn't visible anyway, so no risk of exposing the [Darkness Exploration Records].
Of course, I couldn't say something dumb like, "It's merch from a goods box. Surprise!" So I phrased it carefully.
"I acquired a broken Memorial GripTok and fixed it with the elder's help."
"Our elder?"
"Yes."
It was mostly true, really.
And in the repair process, it gained the occasional function of reading info already in my head...
"So, if you attach the GripTok and enter a supernatural phenomenon, it sometimes provides a bit of info about the place?"
"That's right."
I nodded.
Before any suspicion or questions could form on the agents' faces, I added:
"...It might be influenced by my security team status."
"......"
The mood sank for a moment, but Agent Choi flashed a casual smile as if it were nothing.
He even let out a low whistle.
"Our Grape's got a pretty useful new ability..."