Chapter 265
Chapter 265
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 265
Chapter Title: Even If I Fall Into a Ghost Story, I Have to Go to Work
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Baek Saheon's mad dash, clutching the coins and prizes spilling from the jackpot slot machine.
And behind him, the casino ghost story's missing persons—most of their limbs traded for coins—chasing like maniacs.
Our destination... us!
'This bastard.'
It was a spine-chilling sight.
Sure, with our group's numbers, running toward us was his best bet for survival, but how was this any different from the serial killer mountain lodge incident? Nothing had changed!
'You're done for later.'
I swallowed hard and quickly prepared countermeasures.
But facing dozens of deranged ghost story organ missing persons head-on...
"Let's get out!"
"Scatter to open areas!"
"No!"
"...!"
"They'll chase us to the death outside! We have to evade inside the casino as long as possible!"
Go Yeongeun's voice made those securing the entrance hesitate.
"Does a commotion in the casino trigger 'measures'?! "
"...! Yes! So we avoid them as much as possible, without damaging the casino..."
Veterans who'd encountered ghost stories a time or two grasped the situation instantly.
'Just hold out until the crazy casino staff come to control the disturbance...'
That was the plan!
So, among us, who had the best mobility and strength...
"Manager! Take the goat bastard!"
"Yes."
"Gah!"
Baek Saheon let out a short scream, but we ignored it.
And we started running wildly, dodging the long-term missing persons.
Where to?
A flash of insight hit my mind.
"To the dealer room!"
With the 50-coin limit, the long-term missing persons stuck in the slot machine zone probably couldn't enter at all!
"This way!"
I ran urgently. The moment I exited the slot machine room and turned the corner...
Thud.
A long-term missing person's body burst through the door with us, barely grazing me before slamming into the side wall.
"...!!"
Sounds of dozens of bodies failing to overcome inertia and crashing into walls, the manager leaping over them and landing on the floor with explosively inhuman power before sprinting.
Even the dilapidated casino crumbling under the missing persons' rampage.
"Huff."
From beside me, the sound of Go Yeongeun—weakened by her long disappearance—catching her breath. I urgently supported her and kept running.
The wide-open dealer room door appeared.
"We're going in!"
The agents blocked the long-term missing persons just enough—tripping or shoving without fully engaging—and stepped into the dealer room.
And then.
"Th-they're blocked, right?"
"Yes."
A good number of long-term missing persons stopped at the dealer room door.
'Nailed it.'
But reality doesn't always follow theory.
Missing persons charging blindly into the dealer room followed.
'Damn it.'
They staggered, stumbled, crushed the halted ones, and chased us again.
But the dealers still hadn't intervened. Why?
"...Deer, any chance they're all being treated as one group, totaling over 50 coins?"
Possible.
That's how we were introduced to the dealer room!
'Damn!'
But with the pursuing numbers drastically reduced, we could breathe a bit easier.
"Hoo."
With some leeway secured, people weaved between tables, putting distance from the long-term missing persons and preparing defenses.
But it wasn't necessary.
The long-term missing persons were solely chasing Lee Jaheon, the manager holding Baek Saheon.
"...Hold on."
Choi the agent vaulted a broken table, snatched coins from Baek Saheon's arms.
"No...!"
"Citizen, just a moment."
He showed the slot machine coins around once, then hopped back over the table.
"......"
But the long-term missing persons still only pursued Lee Jaheon.
"Why isn't the bait working?"
"It's not the coins they're after."
As the bronze agent said.
'Chasing the winner blindly?'
Anyway, seeing the long-term missing persons glued to Lee Jaheon made me anxious.
In this confined space, shaking them off had obvious limits.
Then.
"Visitor."
The dealer's voice.
"Visitor?"
They were focusing on us.
...!
"Manager, brush right past that table next to the dealer."
"Yes."
I ran ahead. Lee Jaheon followed close, practically hugging the table.
Right by the table where the dealer stood.
The long-term missing persons chased in between.
But those with mismatched bodies crashed into the wall just before— this time, into the table...
Thud, the table flipped with a crash. And shattered. The long-term missing persons ran over the table...
The dealer raised a hand and spoke.
Gazing at their own broken table.
"......"
"......"
The astonishing part: the casino's long-term missing persons froze in place that instant.
Like mice before a cat.
"Sorry, but rowdiness inside the casino is prohibited. And..."
The dealer pulled something from their pocket and held it up.
A single sheet of paper.
The bill.
"Damage fees will be charged."
Then.
Plop.
Plop-plop-plop-plop,
Plop-plop-plop-plop...
The long-term missing persons' limbs and organs detached.
"...!!"
"Table damage, door damage, slot machine damage, entrance lighting and equipment failure confirmed. Fees charged to the responsible parties."
From those writhing on the stairs, unable to enter the casino like the addicts, to those barely preserving legs and fleeing to the slot machine room.
One thing was clear: the severed organs and body parts twitched before vanishing.
'Ha.'
Even after seeing all sorts of scenes, this bile-inducing sight still hit hard.
And those who'd lost enough body to never rise again...
Were just left on the floor.
With only twitching remnants.
"......"
"......"
"Are you alright, visitors?"
Turning my head, the dealer with Lee Seonghae proxy's head smiled.
"...Yes."
"No worries. You didn't cause the disturbance or damage! Enjoy your time in the casino."
"Thank you."
Baek Saheon eyed if there was anything more to squeeze as the 'battered customer,' but stayed quiet.
Smart judgment—higher chance of getting screwed for causing trouble—but it was infuriatingly admirable...
Anyway, with the commotion somewhat settled, we sat in a corner of the dealer room to regroup.
"......"
Lee Jaheon unceremoniously dropped Baek Saheon, who avoided eye contact and stuck to the wall.
And then...,
"Goat."
"...Yes?"
"Why so surprised? I was just going to say thanks."
I smiled and patted Baek Saheon's shoulder.
"You brought back a ton of team funds."
"...!"
"Thanks made the honorifics slip out naturally. For real."
"No..."
"Right?"
I leaned into Baek Saheon's face.
"You're not saying you spun the slots alone while everyone scouted intel, dumping all the risk on your teammates for personal coins, are you?"
"......"
Now Baek Saheon had no choice but to force a desperate smile.
"...Of course not! Glad to contribute to the team."
"Wow."
Eun Ha-je proxy's exclamation. A bit embarrassing...
But honestly, this wasn't a threat—it was just basic professional ethics.
I subtly held back a sigh.
'He'll return what he skimmed after we're done.'
I now knew the right mix of carrot and stick.
Thanks.
"Let's tally up."
"Yes."
We huddled and summed our held coins.
Base funds plus Baek Saheon's slot winnings...
"256 coins."
A hefty sum.
"Worth helping you escape even losing shoes. Right, citizens?"
"Haha..."
Choi the agent patted the bronze agent—who'd sacrificed coat and shoes blocking missing persons—drawing awkward laughs. I was impressed.
'Master at squeezing public funds...'
Coins pooled back to Eun Ha-je proxy for now.
And what remained...
Right.
"Slot machine prize, I guess."
It looked like an ordinary boxed package, except for the unreadable text.
"Here."
I handed it to Baek Saheon, who peeked cautiously before opening.
Contents revealed.
Neatly plastic-wrapped...
'...Electronic device?'
A small rectangular blue plastic body with two press buttons.
Its shape instantly evoked something.
"L-looks like a recorder."
"Yes."
But it didn't look sturdy, and being small suggested disposable.
"Hmm."
Then, Baek Saheon's voice, oddly soft and gloomy.
"Surely... you're not taking this prize too?"
Oh?
"Anyone here can run. You're all veterans. But hitting the slot jackpot? That's my achievement alone. Mind leaving me this much...?"
Yeah.
He'd switched tactics seeing the team.
But.
Pale-faced Go Yeongeun shook her head first.
"Um, best not to use that prize if possible."
"Pardon?"
...Bad premonition rising.
"You know it?"
"...Heard 'rumors'."
Go Yeongeun glanced fearfully at the prize.
"Most who can't leave the casino? Because of slot prizes."
"...!"
Wait.
"Even those chasing us..."
Because of the prize?
"Thinking back, maybe. If not the coins."
"......"
"Mountain Goat junior, know the item's effects?"
"...From what I heard."
Go Yeongeun swallowed and continued.
"Listening to this recorder calms the mind, boosts energy, heals wounds."
Perfect functions.
"Oh?"
"Better than our company meds."
But it chilled.
"At first."
......!
No way.
"Insanely addictive."
"...Ha."
Thus I realized why the updating [Darkness Exploration Records] called the casino's long-term missing persons 'addicts.'
'Not just gambling addiction.'
They were hooked on 'something' from this disposable recorder.
Enough to spin slots even without limbs or face.
"......"
Baek Saheon grimaced and returned the prize.
"...How long can you resist?"
"Three times. Beyond that, irreversible."
Go Yeongeun continued tensely.
"But that's all I know. Just 'rumors'."
"...I see."
I watched Baek Saheon flip and set it down.
Then spotted.
...Embossed conch shell on the recorder's back.
'What?'
Focusing, the curves and swirls emerged. It was...
A conch shell.
"...!"
"Deer?"
I reflexively looked up.
Baek Saheon's eyes met mine, pupils shaking—he'd seen it too.
And he knew.
'...Mermaid Grave.'
The conch-shaped item from there.
"......"
Why here?
But 'recorder' keyword fit the melody somehow, stirring unease.
And I knew a way to verify...
'Brown.'
'Yes, please. Thanks.'
The gentleman cleared his throat, then a pleasant low voice with clear pronunciation resounded.
...!!
Recording?
Then, plausible: Mermaid Grave's conch was the original sound, this a copy.
But...
'No such side effects with the conch.'
Addiction?
...Maybe.
Convincing reasoning, but something felt off beyond that.
Remember? Even in Mermaid Grave, the conch was a bad trigger.
'Biological disaster.'
The sea-floor city-ruining bio-hazard that turned it into 'Sparkly Dragon Palace' infiltrated disguised as the conch.
Moonlight Tattoo Shop's tattooist came to mind, complicating thoughts.
What connection?
Why in this Se-gwang Special City subway casino, an item named identically to Mermaid Grave's?
'...Want to dig deeper.'
Anyway, grasped the recorder's function intuitively—achievement enough.
'Note it for now.'
While I pondered, beside me Choi the agent interrogated Baek Saheon.
"Citizen, curious how you hit the jackpot?"
"Good luck."
"Really? You observed awfully intently..."
Choi's gaze went to Baek Saheon's purple eyes. The ones I bought him in Death's End Path.
But Baek Saheon was curt.
"Think it's omnipotent? Can't read win methods. Just..."
"Just?"
"Could gauge slot machine danger levels."
"...?"
"Avoided bad vibes and spun."
Unlike the puzzled agents, I instantly got it—chills rising.
'Slot machines registered as 'entities.'
Ghost story lifeforms.
So the slot machines' true nature... ha.
'No, not thinking further.'
Never planned coin rain from slots anyway.
'Dealer room is the answer.'
Prior case proved it.
Lee Seonghae proxy.
-One day traded another body part for coins, then earned hundreds in the dealer room in a day.
Recalling her actions.
'Loafed days, then suddenly traded coins.'
Not idling—'observing' something.
VIP rooms closed, but dealer room door open.
'Could observe inside too.'
After observation, rushed dealer room, earned hundreds in a day...
'Dealer room has a secret.'
Where we were now.
I surveyed worn broken tables, flashing colorful bulbs from ceiling, unrepaired vintage gear revealing the abandoned old casino.
And the dealer's shuffling hands on the table.
"......"
Ah.
"Anyone have ideas for this war chest?"
......
I raised my hand.
"Oh?"
"Worth trying something."
They caught on.
Lee Seonghae proxy's method.
And 73 minutes later.
"Current coins held... 924."
"...!!"
Our war chest more than tripled.