Mistaken for a Catastrophe-Level Ghost Story Employee 44

Chapter 44.

[Employee Park Yeon-jeong? Employee Park Yeon-jeong?!!]

“Yes, yes!”

As the volume of the speaker suddenly increased, Park Yeon-jeong realized that Noise’s voice had just passed through his ears.

[Wait… it seems you were thinking about something else. That’s inappropriate behavior in front of a superior, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

For a moment, he had become too focused on Noise’s earlier mention of the word ‘lie’.

“Where were you in the explanation?”

Static-

The static noise is long.

It means Noise isn’t in a good mood.

[Well… I’ll explain it one more time. This time, please don’t get distracted and focus on your superior’s words.]

[Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]

With the voice cutting off abruptly, Park Yeon-jeong feared that the words Noise had just uttered like a lie might become reality.

“Yes!”

So he answered loudly.

To appease his mood even a little.

Static-

The static gradually subsides.

Fortunately, my response wasn’t too bad.

[Then, I’ll properly explain the simple usage instructions.]

“Yes!”

[…You’re quite enthusiastic this time.]

“Yes!”

[……The usage method for this wristwatch is simple.]

-When someone lies to you, the second hand moves one tick backward.

-And when the second hand moves 12 times to complete a full circle, you must tell the truth to the other person’s question.

[Just remember these two points precisely. Do you understand now, Employee Park Yeon-jeong?]

“Yes… I think I understand.”

[Do you have any more questions?]

At his question about whether I had any more questions, I took a moment to gather my thoughts.

Then slowly opened my mouth.

“What’s the standard for telling the truth?”

This part seemed like something I definitely needed to clarify.

[It’s exactly as it sounds.]

[When someone asks you something they want to know, you just need to give an honest answer to that question.]

“…Then, if I don’t tell the truth to that question…”

Tsk-!!

!

[No, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]

A strong static suddenly struck my ears.

The ringing continues to circle my ears.

Soon after, Noise’s voice pierced through the ringing again.

[You will definitely tell the truth.]

“I-I see…”

Pressing my hand against the ringing in my ears, I answered quietly.

[To add, it’s because the second hand will only move again after you tell the truth.]

[So to make the second hand move again, it might be important to somehow induce questions from the other person.]

As the conversation progressed, Noise’s voice gradually returned to its original volume. I carefully thought of a question and asked back.

“So you’re saying that I need to tell the truth to the other person to be able to use this watch’s function again?”

Bam-ba-bam-!

It was a tacky sound effect I hadn’t heard in a while.

[Yes! That’s right.]

[As expected of our company’s excellent employee!]

Noise, I just repeated what you said.

By now, Noise’s characteristically cheerful voice seemed to have returned, and Park Yeon-jeong looked down at his wristwatch to check the position of the stopped second hand.

<11>

Following this, Noise’s voice came through normally again.

[How is it! Are you satisfied, Employee Park Yeon-jeong!]

Of course, my answer to his question was already predetermined.

“Yes, thank you very much. I’ll use it effectively.”

[Don’t mention it.]

[Then….]

This tone and volume.

And given the current atmosphere, Noise’s next line would probably be.

[I’ll be expecting good results today as well, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]

Yes, it’s the flow I expected.

I knew it.

And that’s how Park Yeon-jeong’s work day began.

*****

Director Kwon flipped through the documents in his hand and looked back and forth at the two men standing in front of him.

An employee with blonde hair and a small-framed employee wearing glasses.

“…You two from the S team want to volunteer for this ghost story investigation?”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

At least their loud voices were something Director Kwon might appreciate.

But what was concerning was…

“I’m sure you’ve heard that this investigation is quite tricky… and that the cra… I mean, Deputy Department head Jeong Da-ram will also be deployed.”

Director Kwon asked the two male employees again.

“This is your last chance to change your decision.”

At his concerned tone, the two male employees looked even further into the distance and shouted loudly.

“I’ve always wanted to go on an ghost story investigation mission with Deputy Department head Jeong Da-ram!”

“M-me too!”

After staring for a long time at the two employees whose enthusiasm seemed excessive beyond measure.

…Haah.

With Director Kwon’s deep sigh.

Tak!

He closed the approval document in his hand and handed it to the two male employees.

“Fine. You two will be deployed with Deputy Department head Jeong Da-ram on the ghost story investigation. I’ll report to the higher-ups, so you can go now.”

“Yes!!”

“Yes!!”

Their final voices were loud enough for everyone in Team J to hear.

“Then we’ll be going!”

After carefully watching the two male employees leave his room.

“Wait.”

Stop!

The footsteps of the two employees halted.

Looking at the stopped employees, Director Kwon finally asked.

“You guys… it would be better not to have any illusions about Deputy Department head Jeong Da-ram.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m saying this for your own good. Don’t try to get on Deputy Department head Jeong Da-ram’s good side.”

“……We’ll keep that in mind.”

After the two male employees left the office, Director Kwon leaned back in his chair and muttered quietly.

“They’re doomed, totally doomed… Why does that crazy woman always attract such strange guys around her.”

Mr. Kwon let out a deep sigh that seemed to sink into the ground.

The two male employees who had walked out the door were excited about being assigned to a mission with Department head Jeong Da-ram.

“Yeah! We got it!”

The blonde-haired man cheered, and the bespectacled man next to him was clenching both fists tightly.

But soon…

“…Are you well prepared?”

“Of course. That bitch will never escape from that place now. I can already see her kneeling before us and crying.”

“Yes, let’s enjoy it to the fullest.”

“I’m going first!”

“Do as you please! You horny bastard!”

The blonde licked his lips, imagining getting his hands on her.

*****

It’s dark.

The moment of walking through this endless darkness is when the heart feels heaviest, to the point where saying ‘it’s like my future’ sounds cliché.

Park Yeon-jeong intended to thoroughly utilize the teddy bears after experiencing their numerous accomplishments in previous paranormal incidents, but.

Of my teddy bear trio, currently.

Peek!

Just one.

Just before I entered this place. Suddenly Noise asked if he could use the small friends with less noise.

So I asked him about it.

The answer from Noise was.

[This paranormal incident won’t require all three. Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]

Don’t lie!

Do you think I’ll believe you!

Park Yeon-jeong immediately looked at his lie detector wristwatch.

<11>

…The second hand didn’t move from 11 o’clock.

Park Yeon-jeong began to doubt the performance of this watch received from Noise even more.

…No.

In times like this, Park Yeon-jeong recalled his motto.

There’s nothing to gain from fighting with Noise.

Let’s consider it fortunate that I could at least bring one of the teddy bear trio.

Swish, swish!

Yes, let’s be satisfied with this.

What’s wrong with just one?

It’s a hundred, a thousand times better than having none at all.

Flash-!

A sudden light cut through the darkness and appeared before my eyes.

The scene that gradually unfolded before Park Yeon-jeong was.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

<4‧4‧4‧4>

-Victory!!-

-Jackpot! Jackpot! Congratulations!-

“Yes, I did it… I did it!! Finally, I can leave this damn place!”

Someone’s scream resonated throughout the paranormal space as soon as he entered. The scream was so loud.

Park Yeon-jeong’s gaze was directed only at the man who was making that sound.

The roar of a man shouting in excitement after hitting the jackpot at the roulette machine.

And for this paranormal incident, even without specifying, only one thing crossed Park Yeon-jeong’s mind.

The ones who don’t even try to hide are the most frightening.

[Jackpot]

:Identification code Cd-C-4911.

A place reminiscent of South Korea’s Kangx Land, or more broadly, a casino.

But unlike other paranormal locations encountered so far.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”

“Wait! Just wait! I still have coins! I still have coins left, I tell you!”

People.

It was filled with people like Park Yeon-jeong himself, and their voices continuously filled the space.

Music was playing everywhere, almost making Park Yeon-jeong feel as if he had mistakenly arrived at a real gambling hall instead of a paranormal incident.

But this is a paranormal incident.

And it’s a C-grade incident, which is quite a high grade.

Park Yeon-jeong pretended to be calm and moved forward shamelessly.

But the reactions of people around me whenever I took a step were a bit strange.

“Eek!”

“The, there’s black flame on your face!”

“I, I still have many coins! Please don’t come near me!”

Yes, yes, I understand.

You have a lot of money.

I heard your boasting, thank you.

While listening to various people’s reactions, Park Yeon-jeong already knew.

How he must appear to these people right now.

But among the many comments, something concerning was.

Black flame.

Somehow, I remember hearing this phrase somewhere…

I traced my memory with the help of the glasses I’m currently wearing.

And probably a few days ago.

The time when I rode the hell bus with Kim Ha-eun quickly flashed through my mind.

I remember Kim Ha-eun saying then that she saw black flames on my face.

Am I perceived by others as a paranormal entity with black flames surrounding my face?

It was unexpected new information.

But now was the time to focus on the current paranormal incident.

From just a visual estimate, a considerable number of people were trapped in this current paranormal incident.

‘Our civic group members will be here soon.’

In the current state…

A situation where GRA agency guys could raid this place at any moment.

What needs to be done here as quickly as possible is.

To win a lot of money.

The place I should naturally head to is.

The roulette machine where one can aim for instant wealth like just now.

Park Yeon-jeong, whose only gambling experience in his life was a 1000 won lottery ticket, is now in front of the roulette machine.

And as soon as Park Yeon-jeong sat down.

Zap-!

Feeling a stinging sensation on his forearm, he rolled up his sleeve to check and found a black tattoo.

BlackCoinx100

Along with the tattoo that suddenly appeared on his forearm, the inscription <Black Coin>.

This is the currency system of this place.

A paranormal incident that capitalizes on one of the few luck-based elements where you can escape on your own if you accumulate a certain amount of coins beyond the basic possession.

So even in the current paranormal records, there are occasional cases of civilians who luckily collected enough coins to escape, proving that if you collect enough coins, you can safely escape from this place.

Of course.

The number of coins needed to escape from here is.

10000 coins.

You need to earn more than 100 times your current possession.

But the man Park Yeon-jeong, for some reason, seemed to be bubbling with strange confidence.

Could it be due to the confidence from having overcome numerous paranormal incidents recently?

His shoulders were raised with inexplicable confidence, and soon Park Yeon-jeong verbally stated the amount of coins he possessed in front of the roulette machine.

“50 coins.”

Gambling is indeed about courage.

Having survived paranormal incidents with such courage until now, he felt like things would somehow work out well this time too.

At that moment, a small murmur from someone sitting next to Park Yeon-jeong.

“A, a monster is gambling too.”

“……”

Park Yeon-jeong heard those words but tried not to pay attention, deliberately maintaining a stern expression.

As the images on the roulette machine stopped, Park Yeon-jeong’s eyes twinkled.

His current state was full of confidence.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

<1‧★‧☔‧☠>

“……”

Current number of coins remaining for Park Yeon-jeong.

50Coin.

Tap, tap.

The arm of a small teddy bear was gently tapping Park Yeon-jeong’s shoulder.