Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work-Chapter 115

Let’s pause for a moment.

Here, we take a brief detour into Baek Saheon’s turbulent history of encountering his psychopathic roommate.

The same psycho who mocked him for losing his left eye.

The dopamine junkie who led others into dangerous darkness, using people as bait.

The lunatic pretending to be a serial killer, chopping away with an axe.

"And now he’s a cult leader too??"

At this point, Baek Saheon felt that the absurdity of it all was almost beyond comprehension. But strangely enough, if it all turned out to be Kim Soleum’s doing, it somehow made sense—a creeping sense of anomie was beginning to take hold.

Fine. Let’s say all of that is forgivable.

But how on earth did he run into that bastard here of all places?!

“I even took vacation leave for this!”

He hadn’t just left his company housing—he had fled Seoul altogether! Yet, here he was. Baek Saheon shook his head violently, half-hoping this was just a nightmare, but no. It was painfully real.

Kim Soleum stood in the middle of Car 3, flanked by two elite team seniors and leading a group of dozens. His arms were raised, spewing cultish nonsense as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“There’s no need to worry. We’ll all get through this test safely.”

The only solace Baek Saheon found was in the reactions of the passengers in this car.

They pointed fingers at Kim Soleum, jeering and ridiculing him.

“What the hell is this guy’s deal?”

“Goddammit, just another crazy bastard....”

“Don’t make eye contact. Don’t look at him.”

Their mockery and rejection of the lunatic babbling nonsense gave Baek Saheon some hope.

“Yeah... that’s the normal reaction....”

But Kim Soleum wasn’t fazed at all. He simply smiled gently and glanced around the car.

“...?!”

Which somehow made it even scarier!

“Everyone, I understand this must be overwhelming—having people suddenly gather and rush in like this. And I imagine you’re thinking, ‘What kind of crazy nonsense is this? A test? What test?’”

With the composed face of a clean-cut office worker, Kim Soleum gave a sheepish smile.

“Frankly, I know it sounds cultish even as I say it. I’m embarrassed about that too.”

His tone was calm, unhurried, as if he were offering advice to a friend over coffee.

“But in such a terrifying and dreadful situation, I thought it was worth taking a chance to share this. ...If someone knows the answer, it’s only right to share it, don’t you think?”

Kim Soleum’s expression grew serious as he made eye contact with those around him.

“I just ask that you put aside your initial resistance for a moment. We’re not fools. There’s a reason why dozens of us have come together to tell you the same thing.”

Baek Saheon glanced around the car.

The passengers, teetering on the brink of madness after repeatedly dying and restarting on this cursed train.

The desperate souls clinging to the hope that there might actually be a way to escape this nightmare.

And Kim Soleum, offering them the very words they wanted to hear, with absolute conviction.

“This is a test. And there is a way to pass it.”

A voice broke the silence.

“So... are you saying you know how to get out of here?”

“Yes,” Kim Soleum replied.

“...!!”

Kim Soleum turned his gaze slightly, signaling to the people from Car 7 behind him.

Their eyes sparkled with excitement and fervor as they shouted in unison:

“Just one trip through the window!”

“All you have to do is go outside! Then it’s over!”

“What the hell are you talking about?!”

As the Car 3 passengers recoiled in horror, the Car 7 group eagerly jumped in with explanations.

“No, seriously, there’s a way to make it painless! At least ten people have already done it!”

“Sure, it’s creepy, but you just follow the light to the exit. Anyone can do it.”

“If someone has trouble walking, someone else can fall with them to help. It’s really not that hard!”

“As long as the pioneer is there to guide us...!”

The astounding part wasn’t just the number of people claiming to have “gone out.” While they said only ten had done it, the group following Kim Soleum numbered in the dozens—nearly a hundred now, including people from other cars.

Kim Soleum, seeing the hope and zeal in their eyes, turned back to Car 3 and smiled again.

“Yes, that’s correct. Everyone here can go out through the window.”

At that moment, Baek Saheon realized.

“This is a scam!”

“That psycho bastard is conning everyone!”

He was getting these idiots to jump willingly, so he wouldn’t have to lift a finger.

“But he won’t fool me.”

Baek Saheon swallowed hard, confident he had figured out the scheme.

“Listen to the stories of the people who’ve gone out before....”

“That would be us! My wife and I jumped out at the second altar in the third life...”

As the Car 7 people shared their testimonials like some kind of success stories, the Car 3 passengers began to lean in, listening more intently.

Fools.

“He probably brainwashed them with my fountain pen!”

It had to be. Kim Soleum had clearly used the pen he confiscated earlier to manipulate people.

Fine. If that was the case, then Baek Saheon knew what to do.

“Just stay quiet.”

He resolved to keep his head down and wait until Kim Soleum led all the idiots to throw themselves out the window.

Then it happened.

“Well, enough talk. I’ll show you how it’s done! Through the window!”

“Huh?”

“I’ll be going out for the next altar.”

“Yes, you’ve qualified for this round.”

“Ooooh!”

“Let’s give them a round of applause!”

Wait, what?

“For the first altar, it’s lonelier and scarier because you have to go alone....”

“It’s fine! I want to do exactly what the pioneer did!”

“Ah, I’m not a pioneer, just someone who went first... Uh, yes. If that’s your decision.”

Kim Soleum smiled awkwardly, then took the volunteer’s hand with a solemn look, as if offering a prayer.

“I’ll do my best to protect you from pain and ensure you receive a strong token of support.”

“...! Thank you!”

First Altar Entry

Baek Saheon watched the scene with a dumbfounded expression.

From the dim, red-lit train car, he saw Kim Soleum gently hold the volunteer’s arm and do something to them before they stepped forward.

“I’ll be back!”

“See you soon!”

“Good luck!”

With cheers and applause, the volunteer climbed out the window with a determined look.

It happened again.

And again.

Fourth Altar Entry

“Now for the final group.”

At that moment, Baek Saheon realized.

“...It’s an item!”

Kim Soleum was subtly using some kind of item on the volunteers before they jumped. Something that actually kept them from going insane after falling through the window.

“Wait a second.”

Was this all for real?

And if that psycho was going to such lengths to help these people, then...

Baek Saheon’s thoughts raced as he rapidly switched strategies.

“This is a first-come, first-served clear!”

A scenario where only a set number of people could escape—and falling out the window was the actual start of the game!

“That psychopath is orchestrating this because it’s more entertaining for him!”

Of course, it would be. Manipulating people into jumping willingly must give him a bigger dopamine rush than just forcing them.

Baek Saheon shuddered.

But that wasn’t the important part.

“If that bastard has a plan—”

Then he needed to join in!

“Excuse me! Team Leader!”

He shot to his feet, raising his hand for the first time and revealing his presence.

This happened just after the train brightened, following the fourth altar.

“What the...?”

“Wait, was someone there?”

Even though the other Car 3 passengers were startled by this previously unnoticed face, Baek Saheon forced an eager, innocent expression and approached Kim Soleum.

Yes, Kim Soleum.

As much as he wanted to speak to the elite team members first, he knew they wouldn’t bother with a newbie. But Soleum? There was at least the roommate connection to work with.

“Wow... What are the chances? Hello! Fancy seeing you here.”

“......”

Kim Soleum stared at him silently for a moment, then smiled.

“Oh, is that so? I already knew you were here.”

What?!

“R-Really?”

“Haha, of course not. Just kidding. How could I have known?”

“......”

Baek Saheon barely restrained his rising frustration and fear.

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“Oh, this person is also a colleague from our company. They were heading home for a vacation, right?”

“Ah.”

“Nice to meet you!”

The elite team members barely nodded, clearly uninterested in the unknown junior.

However, the crowd behind them lit up with excitement.

“A coworker? That means they can jump out the window next!”

“Exactly, just like those other folks!”

Perfect.

Baek Saheon grinned.

“Oh, if that’s the case, I’d gladly—”

“No.”

Kim Soleum cut him off.

“This person is not yet qualified.”

You bastard!

“W-When will I qualify, then?”

Kim Soleum looked at him with a pitying expression and shook his head.

“That, I can’t say.”

“......”

"I’m just someone who happened to pass this test first. I only want to guide you all toward a path with as little pain as possible."

Baek Saheon’s temple throbbed, the veins visible as he clenched his teeth.

But with every ounce of restraint, he forced himself to smile.

“Is that so? Oh! Well, even in these circumstances, I was wondering if we could just step aside and have a quiet chat about... company matters?”

“Tsk!”

Thunderous criticism erupted from the crowd of passengers, who were entirely engrossed in sending off the volunteers heading for the window.

“Are you serious? Talking about work right now?!”

“This guy doesn’t even understand the situation!”

“Get a grip, man!”

Kim Soleum raised a calming hand, his ever-placid smile soothing the crowd.

“It’s alright, everyone. Different people prioritize different things. We have some time until the next life begins, so I’ll take a moment to chat with him.”

“Oh, of course! You’re too kind, really!”

The passengers whispered among themselves, praising Kim Soleum for his endless patience and generosity.

Baek Saheon, on the other hand, was completely desensitized to the absurdity by this point.

“Let’s talk over here,” Kim Soleum said, motioning toward the bathroom.

“...Fine!”

The moment the door locked behind them, Baek Saheon couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Listen. I saw you using those items, Team Leader.”

Kim Soleum’s smile vanished as if it had never been there. His expression turned cold and unreadable as he crossed his arms.

“And?”

Baek Saheon swallowed hard.

“Think about what would happen if I went out there and told everyone.”

He needed to drag this lunatic to the negotiation table somehow.

But Kim Soleum simply stared at him silently... before nodding slightly.

“Brown says you wouldn’t.”

“...What?”

“Yeah. He says if you tried, you’d just end up getting tossed out the window yourself.”

“......”

“If that’s the outcome either way, wouldn’t it be easier to jump out willingly? Less hassle.”

It was true.

“Goddammit.”

Baek Saheon swallowed again, his mouth dry.

Fortunately, Kim Soleum didn’t press him further. Instead, he did something unexpected.

Rather than using the stick, he dangled a carrot.

“Actually, there’s something I need from you.”

“...What?”

“Your eye.”

What?

“The gift I gave you. I need it back.”

Instinctively, Baek Saheon’s hand shot to his eyepatch. Underneath it was the purple artificial eye Kim Soleum had given him.

The device allowed the wearer to see dangerous entities by detecting their presence with a vivid halo of light, the intensity of the color indicating the level of danger.

It was a brilliant tool for risk detection and highly useful for members of the Field Exploration Team, where split-second decisions could mean life or death.

Baek Saheon still didn’t fully understand why Kim Soleum had given it to him in the first place.

Though the truth was simple:

When Kim Soleum had tried it himself, everything appeared as a glaring red halo of danger, rendering it useless to him. The device relied on the wearer’s subconscious perceptions, and for someone like Kim Soleum—who was perpetually surrounded by danger—it was just a flood of noise.

Rather than letting it go to waste, he had handed it over to Baek Saheon, a fellow who already lacked one eye. Besides, Baek Saheon’s unparalleled survival instincts made him the perfect candidate.

Not that Baek Saheon knew any of this.

“...When do you need me to use it?” he asked cautiously.

“In Car 1.”

“Car 1?”

Baek Saheon frowned, trying to recall what he’d overheard from the other passengers.

“...Didn’t someone say the door to Car 1 was locked?”

“It is.”

Kim Soleum nodded easily.

“Since the second loop, the door has been locked at the start of each train reset. It’s always locked.”

“......”

Even hearing about it felt suspicious.

“Wait, how does he even know this?”

Kim Soleum had come from Car 7. How could he possibly know what was happening at the very front?

“Is this why he’s gathering people? To investigate Car 1?”

Maybe he was doing all of this just to gather intel?

“Well, what do you want me to do about it?”

“It’s simple.”

Kim Soleum’s tone was light, almost nonchalant.

“When the door to Car 1 opens, go inside and find the person with the hottest halo.”

“Who’s in Car 1?”

“No idea.”

What do you mean, no idea?!

Unsurprisingly, Kim Soleum tilted his head and stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“Although... every loop, they seem to choose someone and throw them out the window.”

“...!”

“Someone always falls, without fail. It’s a shame, really. It must hurt....”

“......”

“So I want to stop them.”

That’s a lie.

“Sounds good, right?”

“Yes! Very good!”

This is complete bullshit.

“He just wants to beat the crap out of them for messing up his big plan.”

But Baek Saheon kept his mouth shut. His life was more important.

Instead, he plastered on a desperate smile.

“Well, if I figure out who the most dangerous person is, wouldn’t that make them ‘qualified’? They’d get an item, right?”

Surely this was how he’d get one of those items.

“Huh? That’s my request. What’s that got to do with items or qualifications?”

“......”

“Anyway, if you go encourage the people in Car 2 to open the door to Car 1, then maybe—just maybe—you’ll qualify.”

“......”

Baek Saheon forced the widest grin he could muster.

“Wow! That’s exactly what I wanted to do! Hahaha....”

“Great. I’ll leave it to you.”

“Yes!”

Die.

Die, Kim Soleum, you bastard!

***

Thus, Kim Soleum successfully conscripted Baek Saheon into unpaid labor.

“They say even manure has its uses.”

“We’re back!”

“Yes. Let’s keep up the good work this time too.”

As the train restarted, the passengers of Car 7 greeted each other enthusiastically. Some even came from other cars to chat and exchange updates with them.

Despite having experienced six cycles of the train crash, their expressions were oddly calm, almost at peace.

It seemed that having hope, however tenuous, made enduring the situation even just a bit easier.

“The key is keeping people grounded.”

And to do that, he’d have to... continue this ridiculous cult leader scam.

“Ugh.”

-Let’s go, Noru! I can’t wait to see which audience—no, passengers—are looking forward to your dazzling performance today. Truly, this is delightful... utterly entertaining.

“Everyone, today many of our friends in Car 8 have earned their qualifications!”

“Woooo!”

“Brown, please stop cheering.”

Although Kim Soleum was starting to feel a creeping sense of existential crisis, he didn’t give up on scamming the passengers.

No, he threw himself into the role with fervor.

And as time passed...

14th Loop.

“Pioneer!”

“Pioneer, we’re almost there! Haha!”

Kim Soleum had managed to gain the support of 342 out of the 355 passengers across the seven train cars, uniting their opinions in every car except Car 1.

Even Brown had started asking him if he was interested in producing a show about his experiences.

Now, only one car remained.

Car 1.

Fifty-three passengers locked themselves away, completely isolated since the second loop, with no contact or communication.

The only thing known about them was that they consistently made sacrifices.

“It’s open!”

Finally, the long-awaited news came.