Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work

Hurry up. Hurry up.

“Then, Supervisor, your previous experience would be the 35th round, correct?”

“Y-Yeah. It was the only round where they attempted to bring in new hires.”

Kim Soleum quickly exchanged a few hurried questions with Supervisor Park Minseong and immediately pieced together the essentials in his mind.

‘Supervisor Park’s detailed experience…’

“Is this all? Is this what we need?”

“I’m working on putting it together.”

– New hires were drafted into this Darkness’s exploration, resulting in chaos and panic from fear.

– Some kept cursing so they received penalties. A fight broke out over calming pills, and it led to penalties for both parties, including the one who drank them.

– Seven people received more than two penalties, reaching the brink of contamination.

– The new hire chosen as the Hangman passed out from panic halfway through, but the sheer terror and confusion left no one able to help.

– Another new hire collapsed after being struck on the head by the body that fell from the gallows. They later resigned.

Huh?

“After that, they never brought in new hires again…”

“Hold on.”

“Hm?”

“Do the bodies remain?”

Kim Soleum stared urgently at the supervisor.

“The bodies of the people who’ve died here as the Hangman, I mean.”

“Well, yeah? Though I don’t know about decay or anything like that… I don’t think there was a head, but it’s not like I personally attended the funeral and checked every detail…” ȑ�

A chill ran up Kim Soleum’s spine.

This, this…

“W, What is it??”

Supervisor Park grabbed Kim Soleum’s shoulders in a panic.

“Is there a hint? Does this help?!”

“Yes.”

Kim Soleum nodded urgently, but cold sweat trickled down his neck.

‘I can’t guarantee it, though.’

It felt like madness.

But, but…

The mere possibility was such an exhilarating hope.

‘This is worth trying.’

Kim Soleum hastily pieced together what was needed.

…It seemed barely feasible.

‘With this, we might be able to slip through the cracks without breaking the rules…!’

The only problem was…

One essential skill wasn’t currently available.

‘…Braun.’

Once again, he was needed.

‘How much longer until your transformation ability is ready?’

– Hm.

– Even I need about half a day of rest, don’t you think?

Kim Soleum quickly adjusted the question.

‘What if I change the conditions?’

– Conditions?

Kim Soleum explained the ‘altered conditions’.

The response changed.

– If that’s the case, I can manage after about an hour of rest!

– It’s a tough schedule, but… hm, I’ll endure it. I’m a professional, after all!

‘Thank you so much.’

– Don’t mention it!

One hour.

The conditions were reset.

‘I need to buy time.’

Within this chaos, I had to ensure that Eun Haje didn’t fully ascend the gallows for an hour.

And that was impossible to do alone.

“Sunbae-nim.”

“Hm?”

“If possible, I’d like you to act as a decoy.”

Kim Soleum quickly held the ‘Silver Heart’ badge in his pocket.

Then he shouted to the nine employees who had gathered in the room, enthusiastically immersed in the Hangman game.

“Everyone!”

Nine pairs of eyes turned toward Kim Soleum.

He swallowed hard.

What was needed now was…

‘…Aggro!!’

“If you could double your clear points, would you do it?”

* * *

Assistant Manager Eun Haje of D-squad raised her head.

Even though she was hanging midair, sentenced to death with black ropes wrapped around her neck and limbs, she was surprisingly calm.

‘All things considered, this isn’t a bad way to go.’

Aside from dying just short of reaching her point goal, it was honestly far better than the bloody messes from her coworkers’ deaths in the past.

“Assistant Manager Eun! What was your mode of transportation?!”

“Dunno. I told you already, I don’t remember.”

If taking these goddamn trolls with her to the grave wasn’t enough to make it worse, she didn’t feel all that cooperative.

Still, the right answers would eventually come, regardless of her efforts.

That’s just how Hangman works.

“Damn it… The last mode of transportation she used as a reporter? How the hell would I know that? Fuck it— A?”

[Correct!]

“It worked, it worked!!”

Even without figuring it out from the hint, throwing out letters eventually leads to the correct answer.

_ _ _ _ A _ _ R

‘Ugh.’

Eun Haje looked at her now missing feet, feeling the chilling fear of death crawl up her neck. But, no, she didn’t show it.

She didn’t want to serve as entertainment for the trolls.

[Here’s the hint for the 3rd blank letter!]

[Why can’t Teacher Eun Haje take airplanes anymore?]

Meanwhile, her two hoobaes from D-squad were busily whispering in the corner.

‘What are they doing?’

They clenched their teeth as if seeing Eun Haje lose both her feet was too much, then started talking more fervently.

They must have some delusional idea of saving her…

‘That might be better.’

If they just keep talking and eventually realize there’s no way out, they’ll give up.

At least they’ll find some comfort in having tried.

Meanwhile, someone came up with the answer to the relatively easy question.

“Trauma? T!”

_ _ T _ A _ _ R

[Correct!]

Her entire left leg disappeared.

‘Fuck…!’

“Woooo! We got it!”

“Ah!! I should’ve answered first!”

The trolls screamed like they were at a sports event, watching someone’s leg disappear.

Eun Haje’s irritation and anger began to boil.

‘Maybe I should just troll along with them.’

But then, suddenly.

“Everyone.”

Someone raised their hand beyond the trolls.

“If you could double your clear points, would you do it?”

‘…Roe?!’

Yes.

The rookie from D-squad, or rather, the now-former rookie who’d climbed the ranks in record time, Kim Soleum, raised his hand with a calm expression.

“What the hell?”

“Isn’t that the guy… that one who got promoted recently?”

Everyone recognized him by then.

The top new hire, wearing a mask with antlers like a deer, who had been promoted to supervisor after just 60 days, had already become a widely talked-about figure.

Maybe because of the rumors, everyone was now strangely drawn to him.

There was something… natural about his presence.

And just now.

‘Did he say points…?’

In the strange atmosphere that had overtaken the playroom, Kim Soleum spoke.

“How about we make a bet?”

……??

“If any of you win this bet, I’ll give you all my clear points, Sunbae-nim.”

“What?”

Insane aggro.

“Is that guy crazy? Why’s he doing that?”

But for members of the Field Exploration Team, the mention of ‘points’ was irresistible.

“Are you really saying you’ll give up all 2,000 points?”

“Yes.”

“Ah, Supervisor Roe Deer, you must not know since you’ve only been here a few months… Points are non-transferrable.”

“I know.”

“You do? Then what…”

“But there’s no rule against using 2,000 points to buy items from the company store and giving them away, is there?”

“If you win, you can pick whatever you like. I’ll even pay for custom equipment.”

The atmosphere shifted.

If the ‘sacrifice’ had already been chosen, then how useful would additional points be?

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

He was serious.

Of course, if they could win.