Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work-Chapter 14

A new employee on their third day at <Daydream Inc.>

“Huuu.”

Go Yeongeun cautiously sat down at her desk just as lunch break was ending.

This self-taught medical professional who hadn’t even taken the state exam believed she was adjusting well to the situation...

Her superiors in the R-squad weren’t particularly warm, but they weren’t overly territorial, nor did they push her into life-threatening situations.

Most importantly, she had successfully cleared two F-Class ghost stories so far...!

‘Didn’t they say the average for new recruits was one or two per week?’

Clearing two in three days, even if they were low-level Darkness, wasn’t bad for a rookie!

She was doing her absolute best to adapt to this insane company...

Though she had nearly fainted when she saw the points for the Wish Ticket.

‘After clearing two, I only got 66 points. How in the world will I ever get to 500,000...?’

“......”

But giving up wasn’t an option.

‘I’m going to do it.’

Go Yeongeun steeled her resolve.

‘...Are the other rookies feeling the same?’

She absentmindedly looked at her phone.

At the top of her Kakaotalk messenger, there was a pinned group chat.

[Daydream Inc. New Hires Group Chat]

It was a chat room for all the new recruits.

However, one person had yet to be invited.

It wasn’t because he was being excluded—no one had his contact information.

That person was none other than the top recruit, Kim Soleum.

‘We should invite him, too.’

Even Baek Saheon, the well-known figure, was already in the chat room, but strangely, none of them had ever run into Kim Soleum in the company, so they hadn’t had a chance to inform him.

It made sense to be curious about what kind of intense first two days he had gone through!

‘Should I try contacting him through the company messenger?’

She connected to the intranet and began searching for Kim Soleum to send him a message...

That’s when it happened.

Ka-talk, Ka-talk, Ka-ka-ka-talk!

Suddenly, the group chat exploded with notifications.

– Did you see the announcement just now?

– Does anyone know Kim Soleum personally...?

– He’s the top recruit, right?

– Did he seriously clear an A-Class ghost story as a major contributor...?

– Was Kim Soleum the one wearing that weird horned mask...?

“......?!”

* * *

“Wow, Roe, someone from upper management is saying you should be promoted to supervisor right away.”

“Cough—”

I nearly choked on my medicine.

“But apparently it got immediately blocked because some people from other departments are foaming at the mouth in opposition, saying it’s unprecedented.”

“...Ah, I see.”

Should I have said I was disappointed? But I wasn’t disappointed at all, so that was the limit of my response.

I set the empty medicine bottle down and rubbed my chest.

We had narrowly escaped from the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’ that had transformed into an A-Class ghost story, and we were now being treated in the infirmary, taking emergency medication.

After all, we’d been bleeding from our facial orifices.

“Feeling better?”

“Yes.”

It seemed the medicine was effective.

Though the medicine from <Daydream Inc.> always seemed suspicious, the regular first aid meds were just exceptionally good at what they did.

– Darkness... you know, those bizarre creatures from urban legends. This is the kind of recovery medicine you take when you suffer supernatural damage from them.

In other words, it was like a health potion in these ghost stories.

‘It was probably sold as cherry-ade flavor at the collaboration café near the pop-up store...’

But the actual taste was just like cold syrup.

‘Anyway, it feels unreal that I’m alive and drinking a potion.’

Everything felt great now that we had escaped.

Living in the bright daylight—it’s really such a good thing...

But it seemed like my superiors were more concerned about something other than our sense of relief.

How had this situation been reported and handled by the higher-ups?

They were busily tapping into every network they had to figure it out.

“Honestly, this was an unprecedented special situation. I wish the Squad Leader had been more assertive in pushing the issue, but he’s really not that kind of person...”

“Please do it when you get promoted later, Assistant Manager.”

“I’ll quit before then.”

“Honestly, me too.”

I really want to say that as well.

Amidst a strange sense of camaraderie, we each collapsed onto the infirmary beds.

Supervisor Park Minseong stretched and let out a sigh.

It was a long sigh of relief.

“...I really thought I was going to die, but living is definitely better! Hey Roe, thank you.”

“No, I just did my best.”

Honestly, the <Dark Exploration Records> wiki did all the work for me.

If I tried to explain any further, the conversation would shift toward something uncomfortable, like ‘We were all about to die, but you were smart and did well,’ so I just stayed silent.

“We’re not that incompetent as seniors, but we let our guard down because it was categorized as D-Class.”

“Assistant Manager, that excuse sounds a bit pathetic.”

“Well, then we’ll prove ourselves in the next Darkness.”

‘I just hope there won’t be a next Darkness...’

The peaceful, paid rest time didn’t last long.

“The Section Chief said the meeting is over.”

“......!”

“He’s coming to the infirmary.”

Assistant Manager Eun, holding her smartphone, shot up. Supervisor Park quickly stood up as well, so I instinctively followed suit.

‘Am I finally going to see him in person?’

Section Chief Lee Jaheon.

Employee D, nickname Lizard!

One of the most famous employees of <Daydream Inc.> in the <Dark Exploration Records>. There were even rumors that, due to his popularity, the company was working on a character design for him.

Honestly, I was a bit curious.

What kind of person could he be?

‘Judging by the conversation we had when I pressed the call button, he didn’t seem like an ordinary person...’

But considering his super play with the AAA battery shot, everything about him seemed almost glorified.

Knock, knock, knock.

“The door is open. Come in, Squad Leader!”

The infirmary door opened.

Standing there was a tall figure.

Dressed in a perfectly fitted black suit and even wearing an employee ID, he looked every bit the classic, polished office worker.

Finally, the appearance of Section Chief Lee Jaheon, the ‘named’ Employee D from the <Dark Exploration Records>...

“Hello.”

“......!? ......!!”

It’s... it’s a lizard.

No, not a mask, but literally...

‘He literally has a lizard head.’

“......”

Wait a second.

No... that can’t be right.

I must be suffering from some kind of mental breakdown due to excessive stress, leaving an afterimage of that TV-headed host in my mind.

That’s it, right? My brain is mistaking someone wearing a mask for a real lizard head...

‘Now that I look closer, there’s a mask hanging at his waist.’

“......”

Oh, I’m going to lose it.

“It’s really so great to see you that I’m about to cry.”

“Please, come in, Squad Leader!”

Why is everyone so calm?

If a lizard in a suit is going to appear, shouldn’t there at least be a warning to the new recruits, like ‘Don’t be shocked’?

Why is everyone acting like this is a normal meet-and-greet!

“Ah, this over here is Roe Deer, sir. And Roe, this is Section Chief Lee Jaheon. Go ahead and introduce yourself.”

“Wow, Roe looks like he’s shocked by how handsome the Section Chief is! Haha! Like he doesn’t even look like he’s the same species as us!”

Can you please clarify if this is just office banter or a hint for social survival...?

The white lizard head turned toward me expressionlessly.

Its red, reptilian vertical pupils glinted.

“Mr. Roe Deer.”

“......”

“Can you see?”

Shit, oh shit fuck...

“What do you mean...? Oh, no, I didn’t hurt my eyes. My vision is fine.”

I was impressed by my own quick thinking.

“......”

Um, hello?

“Hmm, alright.”

The white reptilian head turned away with a faint hiss.

I nearly passed out.

‘Please stop this, for real.’

This world is too unfair if you have to suffer even after escaping a ghost story...

‘What the hell is going on?’

But I wasn’t about to say a word.

Judging by the atmosphere, it was clear I wasn’t supposed to see the lizard head!

‘Everyone else must be seeing a normal human face.’

Blend in. Don’t stand out.

I would never show any suspicious reaction toward this walking human... no, lizard excavator.

I successfully maintained my composure, and fortunately, thanks to the other squad members, the conversation flowed smoothly.

Then, we got to the main point.

“Section Chief, did the higher-ups give any explanation about why this happened?”

“Yes.”

The white lizard—no, Section Chief Lee Jaheon—nodded.

First, the cause of the incident. The employees who barged in...

“They said it was a human error, with the ‘Tuesday Talk Show’ being assigned to both D-squad and L-squad at the same time.”

“Oh, seriously.”

“Good grief...”

It made sense that the assignment had felt rushed; it seems there was a mistake.

The Section Chief continued his briefing.

– L-squad began writing the medium (postcard) to enter the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’ at a similar time to D-squad, but a 50-minute delay occurred as they left the company building during the process.

“...Did they go out to buy coffee for the rookie?”

“L-squad did have members who were particularly good at taking care of their teammates.”

The two employees briefly looked bitter as they recalled the now-deceased L-squad, but quickly concealed their expressions.

“Anyway, it seems it was transmitted at an odd time, and our squad happened to go in first.”

“Yes.”

Lee Jaheon answered briefly and continued the briefing.

The next part, however, was the bombshell.

“And the reclassification of the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’ to A-Class has not been acknowledged.”

“......?!”

“W-What?”

– The absence of another group to cross-verify the situation, and the relatively high initial survival rate (43%), leaves it unproven whether the Darkness was truly suitable for A-Class classification.

“What the hell are they talking about, when L-squad was wiped out?”

“The collector! The Dream Essence Collector’s liquid was gold! I’ve heard many times that gold signifies A-Class...”

– While the liquid in the Dream Essence Collector does have a concentration comparable to A-Class, the possibility of extracting higher-class liquid from lower-class Darkness in special circumstances cannot be ruled out.

“So, since the official company classification was D-Class, no exception has been granted for the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’.”

“......”

In other words, the company’s stance is...

‘Let’s not escalate a situation caused by an error, let’s just quietly resolve it.’

Typical corporate behavior.

They drive their employees mad, that’s for sure.

“This is unacceptable. We should go and talk to them directly...”

“Assistant Manager, wait— wait just a sec.”

Supervisor Park asked, in disbelief.

“The higher-ups took all the A-Class liquid, didn’t they? And yet, it’s still ending as a D-Class result?”

“No, that didn’t happen.”

“......!”

“Separate compensation has been arranged.”

Honestly, I’m not surprised.

‘They’re basically trying to keep us quiet by offering something in return...’

It’s normal for a company to prepare some kind of hush money, unless they’re utterly clueless.

The only question was how much that compensation would be.

I tried to avoid making eye contact with the lizard as I focused on Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s... not snout, but mouth.

“Given the uniqueness of the situation and the verification of the Dream Essence Collector’s liquid color, they’ve agreed to acknowledge that it was an exploration comparable to A-Class.”

“So...?”

“Additional points will be awarded.”

– For the successful clearance of the ‘Tuesday Quiz Show,’ a one-time bonus of points equivalent to A-Class will be awarded.

The amount is...

“Thirty thousand points per person.”

“......!!”

Supervisor Park and Assistant Manager Eun froze as if struck by lightning.

“Thirty thousand??”

“Yes.”

Follow current novels on freewebnσvel.cѳm.

“Waaaah!”

The basic point reward for A-Class is 100,000 points.

Assuming the points are divided among the number of people entering the Darkness, with only two squads surviving, the estimate would have been under 17,000 points per person.

‘But we just got nearly double that.’

And it didn’t stop there.

“And a separate incentive has been awarded to the employee who played a decisive role in clearing the Darkness.”

The lizard’s head turned toward me.

“Kim Soleum-ssi.”

– An additional 10,000 points awarded to the top contributor.

“A total of 40,000 points will be granted to you.”

“......”

I just filled 8% of the Wish Ticket in one go.

‘Wow.’

I was almost in a daze.

Am I disappointed that the A-Class clearance didn’t officially get recorded?

No, it’s actually better this way!

‘There’s no benefit in standing out and getting a super-fast promotion in this world.’

What happens if expectations rise beyond reason?

I’d surely be forced into even more difficult ghost stories, and the more I stand out, the harder it becomes to use the ‘merch’.

Of course, there are special spaces and items that become accessible with a promotion, but priorities must not be mistaken.

This is a world where one wrong move means death!

‘And considering I was at death’s door... I definitely don’t want to go near A-Class again.’

Looking at the points, it didn’t feel like my efforts were wasted.

Apparently, the others felt the same.

“...I think I just heard my resignation come three years earlier.”

“Same here.”

But soon they composed themselves and said to me,

“Points aren’t transferable, so... this feels a bit awkward.”

“Right? Roe practically earned them all.”

“No, it’s fine.”

Honestly, even if transferring was possible, I don’t think they would have given them to me for any reason.

This isn’t about character.

‘These are people who got jobs in death zones to collect points for a Wish Ticket.’

For most members of the Field Exploration Team, their points are something they would never give up.

Hmm. I’ll make sure to keep this firmly in mind.

“Woo-hoo!”

“They really came through.”

We immediately returned to the office and registered the points.

[Kim Soleum / Accumulated Points: 40,100P]

‘Whoa.’

I looked at the monitor.

A five-figure number.

Honestly, it hit me differently.

“Whew, I survived, and I scored big points...”

Assistant Manager Eun grinned.

“We should use the company card for a team dinner!”

“Ooooh!”

“Let’s go, Roe!”

Without hesitation, I replied cheerfully.

“Yes!”

* * *

And now.

I’m watching the rare sight of a lizard eating premium beef...

Sizzle.

I’m trying my best to look natural as I watch the perfectly cooked beef disappear into the lizard’s mouth.

“The Squad Leader’s personality is a bit unique, but his skills are solid.”

“Yeah. You’re really lucky to be in our squad.”

“...Yes.”

It’s almost certain I’m the only one seeing a lizard face.

Having read about Section Chief Lee Jaheon physically destroying ghost stories a few times, I could understand why the team members were so favorable toward him.

Anyway, ghost stories or not, the beef was delicious, and I found myself enjoying the dinner more than I expected.

‘At least it’s not uncomfortable.’

I also realized that having a little alcohol really helps ease the fear.

‘Once I get home, I’m going to watch ten episodes of kids’ cartoons and sleep with all the lights on.’

While I was planning this extreme bedtime routine, Section Chief Lee Jaheon, who had been eating green onion salad, suddenly asked,

“Are you going to save the 40,000 points?”

“Pardon?”

It was a natural question.

“Oh, um, yes. I need to buy a Wish Ticket.”

“I see.”

“......”

Wait a minute. This conversation pattern feels familiar.

I retraced our previous conversation.

So...

“Is there perhaps another useful way to spend points?”

“Yes.”

“......”

Ah. So this is how I should have approached it...

Now I think I’m starting to understand how to deal with the Lizard Squad Leader. I felt a bit of relief as I asked in a more relaxed tone,

“What would that be?”

“Custom equipment.”

“......!”

I didn’t expect this to come up here...

‘It finally came.’

One of the main perks of being an employee at <Daydream Inc.>

‘Personalized equipment!’