Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Even If I Fall into a Ghost Story, I Still Have to Go to Work
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[Deer. Stay put and don't come out.]
"Pardon?"
I stopped in my tracks on the way to work after receiving the call.
It was exactly fifteen minutes before clock-in when I got a message from my direct superior.
[I'll handle the fieldwork, so don't come to the office. I've already cleared it with Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.]
"Understood. But may I ask why?"
[Well... it's the usual for field workers in this company. A Darkness issue. Darkness.]
Ah.
I could faintly hear Park Minseong's groans along with Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je's long sigh.
D Squad must have already arrived at the office.
[All the other new hires are excluded too, so just stay home and don't get any ideas.]
"What kind of Darkness is it?"
[Yeah. Can't tell you if you're not going in.]
"......"
[No, it's better if you don't know.]
No way... one of those 'just knowing about it causes problems' types.
The infamous info-contamination ghost stories.
From the creepy rumors where hearing someone else's nightmare makes you dream it yourself starting the next day, to ghosts that haunt you until death just from knowing their name.
It stemmed from humanity's universal fear of 'merely perceiving it could bring horrific consequences'—a delusional worry made manifest.
'And if they're keeping me from coming to work over it, it's no ordinary matter...'
Still, her tone suggested concern over a newbie messing up, not like she was leaving final words. Should be fine.
...Assuming she wasn't pretending to be calm just to avoid burdening me.
'Either way, I can't head to the office now.'
I didn't want to barge in where I wasn't needed and cause trouble. Perfect way to get myself killed.
I said I understood and hung up.
'Today I'll tidy up the bloodlust adjustment and read through the [Darkness Exploration Records] wiki about five times...'
But a few hours later.
"Yes."
"......"
Is this some kind of problem dog training...?
Whether I was flustered or not, Squad Leader Lizard just said his piece.
I was even being sent to a high-floor conference room I'd never heard of...!
"Hold on. You told me not to come in this morning... Has the situation changed?"
[Yes. One of the executives specifically requested you, Sol-eum.]
"......"
Pardon?
[See you at 2.]
Save me.
"You're here."
I ran into D Squad's deputy manager standing at the 31st floor elevator, arms crossed with a tense expression.
I urgently lowered my voice as I approached Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je.
"Has the situation changed?"
"A bit. Ha... that crazy bastard."
With that, I was thrown into the conference room. My mind went blank.
"Here, Employee Kim Sol-eum."
"Ah, yeah."
"Why call him all the way to the conference room? Just send him off."
The superiors, whose affiliations I couldn't even pin down, were chattering away, but they shut up when they saw me and started exchanging glances. Ghost story worldviews be damned—my neck stiffened up.
'Why do all the signals for 'corporate life fucked' feel the same no matter where you are?'
And thanks to the executives getting heated and resuming their debate among themselves, I learned why I'd been singled out and summoned to this bizarre situation...
A classic, headache-inducing reason.
Manpower shortage.
"No, it's confirmed high-grade Darkness, and a civilian survivor emerged? This could be a groundbreaking case for securing a new high-quality raw material source."
"Exactly. But you're all dragging your feet with endless debates—what's there to agonize over? You don't know how to make bold investments, Manager Kang!"
"Who said no to investing? The issue is this won't be solved by throwing in a few more newbies..."
"Ugh, you're so frustrating. We're short on heads. Hey? Our research team's Manager Kwak."
Manager Kwak?
I turned my head, and sure enough, Research Team Chief Kwak Je-gang was there, smirking from a corner seat.
The mad scientist who'd thrown his own researcher into a theme park ghost story.
'Disciplinary action over already?'
Just looking at him gave me a headache.
"Right, Manager Kwak? We need more heads, yeah?"
"Ah~ exactly. It's obvious this Darkness needs more personnel thrown in to resolve!"
"......"
That guy's acting as an advisor?
I strongly suspected they weren't actually short-staffed—they just wanted to see fresh exploration results from clueless newbies.
'Either way, looks like I'm getting thrown into a Darkness today.'
And if they're calling me in this extravagantly for deployment...
A chill ran down my spine at the premonition of a formidable grade.
High-grade with a civilian survivor... right?
I quickly rifled through my mental [Darkness Exploration Records] for similar cases while calmly reminding myself.
'...But I'm well-prepared at least.'
Just in case, I'd packed everything I had today.
Full item loadout.
"Greetings done, you can go now. All of you."
"Ah, yes."
The deputy manager gave a perfunctory bow and dragged me out of the conference room.
Thud.
The moment the door closed, she spoke up.
"How many times do I have to watch those greenhorns who've never even set foot in a Darkness puffing up their necks over 'strategic solutions'? Ugh, that's why I can't quit smoking."
"Deputy Manager."
"What? They won't hear us fighting among themselves."
I'm listening right here.
"Those punks who couldn't even pass Field Exploration Team orientation or aptitude tests, cozying up with connections and blood ties to worm their way up top... Ah."
Deputy Manager Eun looked desperately like she needed a smoke, pacing around the conference room a few times before letting out a small sigh.
"......Anyway, you heard? We're heading into a newly registered high-grade Darkness from now on."
As expected.
"Not just us—over thirty people have already been deployed."
"...Squad Leader and Foreman Park too?"
"Yeah. They went in first. ...It's gonna be dangerous. I'm not lying to reassure you."
"......"
"But don't worry too much. You got us out alive from that insane quiz show. We'll be fine."
"......Yes."
I adjusted the shoulder strap on my document bag, now a crossbody.
"That your gear?"
"Yes. Food and whatnot."
"Hm. Size looks good."
Deputy Manager Eun checked me over a few times before asking.
"Nothing that'd flag security?"
"...Yes."
I'd passed through the main gate without issue.
The cursed wild ginseng might've tripped it, but everything I had now was items, so probably fine.
Why was D Squad moving without the full team today, leaving just the deputy manager?
"May I ask how the others entered?"
The deputy manager jerked her chin expressionlessly.
"They all vanished right after reading the manual."
"......"
"That's the type of Darkness this is. Learn even a little about it, and you're pulled in."
Whew.
"I held off reading while waiting for you, so we'll do it together."
"Yes."
Damn, this is insane.
"It's fine. They're not the type to die easily anywhere."
Don't say lines like that foreshadowing doom!
'Pretend I didn't hear it.'
I took a deep breath and accepted the manual from the deputy manager.
......Reading this would send me into that high-grade Darkness.
'...Steel myself.'
I read it in one go.
"......!"
"......"
The back of my neck prickled.
'We're screwed.'
My eyes squeezed shut.
A wiki page flashed in my mind, auto-completing.
The poster child for info-contamination ghost stories registered in [Darkness Exploration Records].
The aggro king that racks up hundreds of thousands of views whenever covered on video sites!
'Eyeball collector.'
"......"
With a trembling heart, I looked back at the manual.
There it was, just as expected.
And just like that, it happened.
Ha.
The moment I stumbled back.
I realized the texture of the floor under my feet had changed.
From matte office tiles to aged, glossy marble.
Clack.
Slowly, I raised my head.
A massive mansion loomed, wrapped in silence so deep the candle flames crackled audibly.
Twilight and candlelight bathed the grand, ancient interior in a ruddy golden glow.
Countless exhibits lurked in the shadows, outlines only barely visible...
"......"
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je was gone.
But I didn't do something stupid like call out for her.
Instead, I slowly backed away.
And hid in a corner.
'......Whew.'
Huddled behind the sofa, I unfolded the manual again with trembling hands.
Probably true.
The problem: 'visitors' doesn't include humans.
People can't properly use this place's emergency exits or entrances.
"...Ha."
An exhibition that naturally assumes visitors aren't human.
Modern humans are mere sacrificial lambs coincidentally swept into this cosmic horror nightmare.
That was the unsettling ghost story.
Honestly, I didn't like it. Couldn't fathom its popularity on WhyTube...
"...!"
Never thought having a chat partner would bring such joy.
I half-pulled Brown from my pocket.
Go out?
'No way.'
Typical talk from the emcee who'd lured people into a murder quiz show with postcards.
Gave me a headache...
I pressed my temples and stood from the sofa.
No.
'To move here.'
I carefully examined the walls, seeking a spot with air flow sounds.
Soon enough, in a shadowy corner beyond candlelight, behind a massive vase against a dark wall, I found it.
'Air vent.'
I quietly slipped inside, closed the latch without locking it, and held my breath.
An improvised safe zone that came to mind immediately.
Ignore it. Time to plan from here.
'How do I get out?'
No, it was frustrating why they thought this ghost story needed so many people in the first place.
Massing large numbers offered no advantage...
Wait.
Throwing them in blindly like this...
'What don't they know?'
Early exploration stage?
'Then maybe this expedition is recorded in the early parts of [Darkness Exploration Records].'
"......"
I pulled out my smartphone, dimmed the screen to minimum, lay prone, and rapidly scrolled through [Darkness Exploration Records].
And...
'Found it.'
This is it.
I'm now one of those 34 in the seventeenth record.
Probably the 35th person.
'...Seven safe returns.'
The moment I tried to cross-reference the manual and [Darkness Exploration Records] for more details.
Creeeeeak.
"......"
A sound started from afar.
Slow, lumbering mechanical noise.
And...
Aaagh! Why, why is it chasing...!! Get away, get awaaaay!!
Screams and frantic footsteps galore.
"......"
Thud thud! Thud! Creeeak, thud! Thud-thud-thud-thud, creeeak, thud!
The sounds shaking the marble grew closer.
Cold sweat trickled down my cheek.
Save me, no, nooooo!!
Let me out, let me oooout...!!
Thud-thud-thud—people running, screams and desperate footfalls closing in.
Almost right in front.
At least a dozen or more.
Behind them, heavy mechanical clamor pursued slowly but relentlessly...
Screeeeech.
Drip.
Cold sweat fell from my chin.
"......"
'One at most.'
After agonizing deliberation, I poked my upper body out.
And swiftly yanked the nape of one fleeing figure, hauling them into the vent practically airborne and ducking with them.
'Space for exactly one more.'
And a Field Exploration employee probably wasn't a troll.
Hiss.
Fortunately, the convulsing person grasped the situation and went deathly quiet instantly.
Seems quick on the uptake... Wait.
"...!"
"......!!"
'Baek Saheon.'
My dorm roommate.
Baek Saheon, in his goat mask, swallowed hard, crammed in the vent, staring at me.
I'd just saved this guy.