Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work-Chapter 83

Elite Team.

In Daydream Inc., a company that often valued lives less than B-grade dreamscape liquid, the title of elite team was reserved for employees deemed "long-term valuable assets."

It came with perks like a private office, a separate salary scale, and additional benefits in the company’s welfare mall.

Most importantly...

They assigned you a member of the cleanup team to act as an expendable safeguard—a policy that, while distasteful, undeniably improved survival rates.

And now.

The development department executive in front of me was offering this to me.

“There’s been a persistent agenda to expand the number of elite teams... wouldn’t it be perfect if Team D became one of them?”

To make Team D an elite team.

To maintain my current work environment while significantly improving the benefits.

“Besides, the alphabetical order fits perfectly, and administratively, it would be convenient.”

“......”

“Pick one employee you’d like to work with. If you’d like, you can submit a shortlist of two or three candidates.”

Hold on.

I was struggling to follow this conversation.

“I appreciate the offer, but... why would you give me such a significant proposal?”

Frankly, if they wanted to make Team Leader Lee Jaheon part of an elite team, it would make sense.

From what I knew, he had already served as an elite team leader briefly and was slated for promotion down a different path.

But why... was this discussion centered on me?

‘It’s strange to bypass the team leader and make such an offer to a junior member.’

Sure, I’d achieved extraordinary results by creating manuals and extracting A-grade liquid twice. But there were others with even more impressive records—people who cleared ghost stories in utterly ridiculous ways.

Those exploration records were the foundation of all manuals.

And yet, no one had ever heard, “We’ll make your entire team an elite unit just for you!”

‘This doesn’t add up.’

The situation was clearly unnatural.

“I’m just a rookie. I already receive adequate points and allowances for my work, and the rapid promotion pace alone is more than enough...”

“Deputy Kim. Have you ever heard the name Yoon Johun?”

I nearly froze on the spot.

Barely managing to maintain composure, I responded in a tense tone befitting the situation.

“...Is he an employee here?”

“That’s right.”

Director Cheong answered smoothly, giving me a faint smile.

“He was newly assigned to Team D in the last personnel reshuffle.”

“......”

“But now, even if you search the company database, you won’t find him. And he’s probably not in your memory either.”

I didn’t react.

“There are certain Darkness zones at higher grades where, occasionally, ‘failures’ result in individuals being erased from existence. However...”

Director Cheong set her files down and pulled something from beneath the desk.

A dreamscape collector.

“The dreamscape collector of a deceased employee is always recovered by the company.”

“...!!”

“It’s unfortunate, but the self-operating collectors use the dreamscape gathered just before death as their energy source. And...”

She flicked the edge of the device.

“They also include a light recording function.”

“......”

“So, even when an employee’s existence is erased, their exploration records remain accessible and usable by the company.”

Good grief.

“I imagine you’ve wondered before, ‘How do the manuals include data from deceased employees?’”

Wait.

She was right. Of course, Dark Exploration Records included findings from deceased employees.

That was only natural. A ghost story that didn’t have at least one explorer wiped out wouldn’t evoke much fear. It was an effective storytelling element.

Records of erased employees or items had always been there, fully intact.

But...

‘Wikis are written from an omniscient perspective, right?’

Conceptually, I’d always accepted it as a given.

Exploration records are transmitted to the company upon an employee’s death.

Simple.

The exact tools or methods weren’t detailed, likely to avoid contradictions in the setting.

So when I was thrown into this world, I didn’t question the gap—it felt natural.

This was a world built on a wiki-based creative framework!

‘But to think there was such a concrete and systematic explanation behind it...’

Suddenly, every mystery I’d brushed off as “just part of the setting” came rushing back to me.

Could there really be a plausible explanation for all of it?

Like this?

My head was spinning when—

“Deer, the person across from you is still watching. They seem eager to continue the interview.”

‘...!’

“They strike me as the type who expects humility from their star employee. Let’s focus, shall we?”

Right.

Now wasn’t the time to lose focus.

Luckily, my turmoil was contained to the level of a curious employee discovering company secrets. The director resumed speaking.

“Based on these recordings, it seems you’ve been exploring and mastering the Darkness in quite a unique way, Deputy Kim.”

“......”

It seemed Yoon Johun had noticed my transformation into a student.

“Becoming part of an urban legend yourself—assimilation. It’s a method most would avoid, being too fearful or unwise to attempt.”

What kind of terrifying analysis was this?

“In any case, I wanted to share that even records from such events are collected seamlessly. What do you think? More systematic than you expected?”

“......”

“I’ve heard some employees complain that this company operates haphazardly.”

A bead of sweat ran down my back.

“I’ve met some of them myself. Smart folks, most of them.”

Her voice was calm and oddly kind.

“But over time, they’ll realize there’s no company as fair and rational as this one in terms of rewards and penalties.”

“......”

“If you have the skills, even a few mistakes won’t stop you from climbing up.”

I didn’t respond.

But Director Cheong smiled as if I’d just said, “Thank you, Director! I’ll think positively!” and concluded the meeting with a polite dismissal.

“Off you go. Send my regards to Manager Lee Jaheon as well.”

***

“Friend, are you familiar with this saying? ‘Cream always rises to the top.’

It means that excellence inevitably stands out, no matter the circumstances. And truly, it’s the perfect way to describe you right now!”

...Isn’t it more like, “The protruding nail gets hammered down?”

Feeling utterly drained, I returned to the Team D office.

It was like realizing the wild theories in a pseudoscience book were actually real.

Unable to hold it in, I approached Team Leader Lee Jaheon.

“Team Leader.”

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

“Yes?”

“That wasn’t an interview I just went through.”

“Understood.”

“......”

“......”

“Do you need help?”

“Yes.”

“Explain.”

I recounted everything in a torrent, almost like rapping.

Director Cheong’s statements, the dreamscape collector, the erased Team D employee, and even the offer I received.

‘The information about the dreamscape collector is probably common knowledge for someone at the team leader level anyway.’

Plus, I trusted that Lee Jaheon wasn’t the type to get upset over a junior surpassing him with an exceptional offer or to manipulate me into giving it up so he could take it himself.

Because he was... a lizard.

“I see.”

As expected, the lizard merely nodded.

“Do you need my advice?”

“Yes.”

“Decline.”

“...!!”

That fast?

“Could you explain why?”

“Certainly. Director Cheong Dallae is someone with a very strong sense of ownership over this company.”

“......”

Does that mean she sees the company as hers?

Wait, hold on.

“Did you just refer to Director Cheong as a ‘someone’?”

“Yes.”

That was a suspicious choice of words.

“...Is Director Cheong not human?”

“I cannot answer.”

“......”

That practically counts as confirmation!

At the very least, I now knew there was something strange about her.

Well, what else could you expect from a ghost-story company executive?

“Anyway, please continue.”

“Very well. Director Cheong Dallae would not hesitate to bind capable individuals to what she considers her property—the company—if given the chance.”

“...!”

“In the process, it’s highly likely she will engage in actions that go against your ethical standards and cause extreme discomfort.”

Good grief.

“Don’t take the risk. There’s a high probability you’ll be assigned to an elite team within six months regardless.”

“...Even if it means leaving Team D?”

“Yes.”

“......”

“Do you wish to stay in Team D?”

“I’d prefer to, if possible.”

“I see.”

Wow, Team Leader Lee really wasn’t attached to me staying. Not even a little.

Still, he was consistent. A truly impartial... lizard.

‘Not that I expected much anyway.’

At least I could trust that he wasn’t trying to deceive me.

“Thank you for your guidance, Team Leader.”

“You’re welcome.”

Hmm.

After a moment of hesitation, I asked,

“Do you have no interest in becoming an elite team leader yourself?”

“I do not.”

So, he didn’t care either way.

Which also meant his opinion wasn’t much help to me in this situation....

‘Great. Just great.’

I spoke with Team Leader Lee for a bit longer, but no groundbreaking insights came of it.

If anything, my internal conflict only deepened.

An elite team...

While Team Leader Lee’s advice to decline was logical and rational, corporate life often ran on emotion and unfairness.

Why else would Team Leader Lee have so many enemies within the company and receive death glares from the A-Team leader whenever they crossed paths?

‘His advice is appreciated, but it’s not exactly practical.’

The executives in a ghost-story company weren’t the type to take “no” for an answer.

Trying to evade them the way I had with the A-Team leader wasn’t an option this time. Director Cheong’s overt mention of it made that clear: refusing outright would only make things worse.

Sigh.

Why was I agonizing over a promotion and incredible benefits?

‘God, I really want to quit this ghost-story company...!!’

By evening, I left the office, feeling mentally wrung out.

“......”

I hadn’t even been on a Darkness exploration—just stuck in the office writing reports—and yet, I felt utterly drained.

“Ah, my friend seems quite exhausted. Let’s get home quickly. Rest is essential for a great performance, after all!”‘...Yeah.’

Dealing with an executive, hearing world-building lore, and receiving an overwhelming offer...

‘I’m spent.’

After a quick shower, I collapsed onto the living room sofa.

“Friend, how about we share a cup of hot chocolate and unwind this evening? It’ll help ease today’s fatigue!”Hot chocolate... I didn’t have any, but a cup of honey water sounded like a decent substitute.

I placed Braun on the dining table and boiled water to prepare the drink.

As I mechanically downed the honey water, slightly turned away from Braun, I figured we could have a light conversation.

“Friend, let me share a little secret with you.”A secret?

“Indeed. With my professional charm, I’ve likely kept it well hidden, but the truth is... last night’s events left me quite shaken!”“......”

Was that really a secret?

Still, Braun’s intention to comfort me seemed genuine, so I responded earnestly.

“What was so shocking about it?”

“A ‘good friend’ goes anywhere their companion wishes to go... But I couldn’t accompany you, could I?”The shadow of the rabbit-shaped plushie seemed oddly droopy.

“It was truly humiliating and disgraceful.”No, it wasn’t that serious.

It was just a dream, after all.

I guessed Braun couldn’t join because, as an entity equal to me, he needed a separate ceremony to enter.

‘Don’t worry about it. There won’t be many situations like that in the future.’

“Ah, my friend, you are so considerate. But think about this... Had your most loyal companion been with you during that intense graduation ceremony, wouldn’t today have been far less troublesome?”...

That... might be true.

Maybe Yoon Johun wouldn’t have even noticed me if Braun had dimmed the lights.

“Exactly! That’s my role!”

“It’s been a while since I’ve felt this anxious. For the sake of our friendship, and to fully fulfill my duties... hmm...”

Behind me, I heard a sound like someone pacing nervously.

Then, abruptly, Braun stopped.

“I’ve got it! If only I could act on my own, I would. But with this cotton-filled body, I need your help, my friend.”

“With just one simple action, we could be in a much better place. May I ask for your assistance?”

Braun’s voice was polite yet warm.

“Help me take another dip in the Fountain of Youth, just once more. It would bring me immense joy!”Ah.

‘That.’

......

......

“Sure. Let’s do that.”

“Ah! Thank you so much, my friend!”I readily agreed.

Seeing my loyal companion so happy lifted my spirits a little.

“You won’t regret this choice.”