Got Dropped in a Ghost Story, Still gotta Work

A rainy Monday afternoon.

The members of Field Exploration Team’s D-squad were furiously writing

up the situation report, finishing it with record speed, even submitting it

under the squad leader’s ID for approval.

The reason?

A rookie who cleared a time-limited ghost story way too fast!

"Wasn’t the time limit supposed to be three days?"

"It was."

Sitting across from the rookie on the sofa, Assistant Manager Eun and

Supervisor Park laid out snacks they had scavenged from the break room.

They exchanged glances and nodded. It was finally time to ask the question

properly.

"So how did you get out so fast?"

"Oh."

The rookie seemed to hesitate for a moment before nodding as if he

understood and calmly answered,

"I sped up the time."

’He’s saying that as casually as if he’s talking about what he had for

lunch...!’

Before they could even react, the rookie slowly explained the method he

used.

"Since there was a time limit, I thought there must be an event that signals

the passing of time. I focused on that..."

He explained how he used the expiration date to trigger a ’time alarm’.

The superiors, who had been listening in silence, thought to themselves:

’He’s a genius.’

’No way we’re letting him quit.’

The rookie’s instinct and logic were sharp enough to instantly grasp the

essence of the ghost story. His abilities were perfect for the Field

Exploration Team. They absolutely had to make sure he couldn’t esca... no,

that he could soon adapt well!

"I’m not one to be saying this, but welcome to the squad, Roe Deer-nim."

"You’ll probably outrank me soon and get promoted to assistant manager."

"...!?"

This kind of rookie doesn’t come around often!

"When you succeed, don’t forget us... and when you get that Wish Ticket,

make sure to come brag about it..."

The rookie looked a bit flustered.

"No, um... actually—"

"Hm?"

The rookie added, as if confessing something serious,

"I just wanted to get out quickly because I was scared."

"..."

Since when could someone escape a scary urban legend by being scared? It

felt like the kind of mind-altering thing you’d only see in an escape room.

’Is this humility, or...!’

But the rookie remained firm.

"I’d appreciate a heads-up next time. I almost fainted from fear."

"You cleared it in an hour, and that’s what you say?"

The rookie, now wearing a somewhat ambiguous expression, said,

"I really thought I was going to die."

’Lies!’

No one who genuinely feared for their life would attempt a speed-run,

setting a record-breaking time like a veteran employee! That’s something

even the most seasoned workers wouldn’t dare attempt.

Still, they could understand his sense of betrayal.

’To be fair, it was harsh.’

Even if it was considered ’safe’, being thrown into a paranormal

phenomenon alone wasn’t something to take lightly. And they knew exactly

how to comfort someone in that situation.

Workplace therapy!

Assistant Manager Eun sipped her coffee and asked,

"So, Roe, how much did you get?"

"Huh?"

"The money. How much did you make from clearing it?"

"Oh, right. I got 10 million won."

That’s right. Clearing this F-Class ghost story came with a cash prize. And

the company manual clearly stated:

– When clearing a graded Darkness (F-Class) ghost story with a completed

manual, 50% of any additional income generated will be awarded to the

employee as a bonus.

In other words, if you earn money in a ghost story using a fully documented

manual, the company takes 50%.

However, rookies assigned their first ghost story were exempt from this

rule! Since they’re placed in ghost stories proven safe through countless

attempts, the company doesn’t consider it hazardous enough to warrant

hazard pay.

The rookie had already read the manual, but then...

"They’re supposed to take it all, but... just keep it for yourself."

"...Pardon?"

Once you’ve been around long enough, you learn all the ways to bypass the

system! Since he cleared it using a new method, they could claim it wasn’t

covered by the manual. There were plenty of loopholes.

Getting a huge bonus on your first day of work would make everything

seem better!

Assistant Manager Eun and the Supervisor Park shared a knowing smile,

applying a time-honored trick they had both experienced firsthand.

"C’mon, just keep it. We’ve got ways to handle this."

"..."

’Actually, it was 20 million won.’

Kim Soleum broke into a cold sweat, as he’d been planning to pocket half

of it himself.

Suddenly, he found himself with an extra 10 million won that he couldn’t

explain, feeling both thrilled and a bit guilty. But he quickly got up to

follow his superiors.

"Now that you’ve successfully completed the dark exploration, it’s time to

accumulate the most important thing."

"Accumulate... what?"

"Points."

Supervisor Park replied with a grin.

"Employee welfare mall points!"

* * *

"Huuu."

It felt like pure bliss to be standing in the middle of a bustling city in broad

daylight.

Even though he knew I’d struggle to sleep with the lights on tonight, that

worry was far away for now.

’Maybe having 20 million won in cash in your pocket gives you some inner

peace...’

No matter how terrifying the ghost story was, this was still 21st-century

South Korea, a capitalist society.

I finally sat down at my assigned desk, turned on my computer, and

accessed the company intranet. Sitting under bright fluorescent lights in a

spine-supporting office chair, the ghostly events I’d just experienced felt

like a bizarre lie.

On my desk, there were some surprisingly cute stationery items and a lizard

plushie with big eyes.

’...This desk seems used, doesn’t it?’

I could only hope that the previous owner had left abruptly due to winning

the lottery.

Since the welfare mall was already bookmarked, I quickly accessed it.

[Daydream Inc. Employee Welfare Mall]

After entering my employee ID to register, I clicked on the ’Point

Registration’ tab, just as my superiors had told me.

– Select the class grade of the ghost story you cleared, enter your name,

and attach the PDF.

I did exactly that.

Five minutes later,

[Employee Kim Soleum / Accumulated Points: 100P]

"...!"

Incredibly, the review process was completed at lightning speed, and my

points were credited.

’So clearing an F-Class solo gives you 100 points.’

Well, despite the hellish experience, F-Class was still F-Class. I tried not to

expect too much. Still, I had earned points, so I decided to check what I

could buy with 100 points.

And then, right on the first page, I was surprised.

"...A robot vacuum cleaner?"

The items available were better than I expected. Most of the special

discounted products were around 100 points, while high-end large

appliances, like those you’d buy for a new home, were around 500 points.

Moreover, Daydream Inc.’s undisclosed medicines were being sold for

around 1,000 points, including advanced over-technology items like cornea

regeneration potions. For context, their famous hair loss treatment, which

cost around 500,000 won on the market, was available here for just 100

points.

’This is actually pretty good.’

Feeling hopeful, I scrolled through the products. Now it was time to check

the most important item.

I sorted the ’Company Products’ tab by ’Highest Price’ to see the glorious

name at the top.

’Wish Ticket.’

The miraculous potion that had been introduced as the ultimate employee

benefit after surviving a death match. Its price was...

Wish Ticket : 500,000P

"..."

Is this a joke?

’Five hundred thousand?’

I had just cleared a ghost story and earned 100 points...

500,000 points?

’Theoretically... even if I cleared F-Classes every day by myself, it would

take me 15 years.’

But of course, it wouldn’t be that simple.

’There’s no way the company would let that happen.’

It wasn’t realistic to think you could clear F-Class ghost stories every single

day. There would certainly be anomalies.

’It’s likely that I’ll be forced into higher-class ghost stories with

squadmates.’

Wait, do they split the points between squadmates in that case?

I dug through the welfare mall’s point registration tab to find the basic point

system for each ghost story class.

F-Class : 100P

D-Class : 1,000P

C-Class : 2,500P

B-Class : 10,000P

A-Class : 100,000P

S-Class : Special Review Required

On top of that, there were additional bonuses based on internal assessments,

which considered urgency, lack of prior information, or extra dangers.

’So if three people are in a squad, and three people clear a ghost story

together...’

...You’d have to clear a B-Class 150 times to earn enough points for the

Wish Ticket?

’Are they out of their minds?’

Even with a B-Class ghost story, the survival rate for a normal person drops

to around 2%.

At that level, no matter what choice you make, you’re either going to die or

end up worse off than dead.

If someone enters that 150 times, it’s pretty much a death sentence for a

regular employee.

In such an insane situation, you’d have to beg on your knees not to be sent

in.

Speed-running higher class ghost stories isn’t a realistic option at all.

’So, to raise my survival rate even a little, I’ll need to invest over 10 years.’

This isn’t some tale of a nobleman seeking revenge...

Yet, if the Field Exploration Team is the fastest department, people in other

departments have an even lower chance of getting their hands on a Wish

Ticket during their career.

With so many other attractive products in the welfare mall, many

employees in other departments have probably resigned themselves to that

reality and settled for less.

But not me.

My goal is far more surreal and absolute.

Returning to my original world.

And they expect me to survive here for 15 years? I’d die of a heart attack

from the stress before then!

’No chance in hell!’

I needed a plan, a strategy.

’I need to figure out which ghost stories I should enter and which ones to

avoid.’

I had to balance safety and speed perfectly to gather 500,000 points in the

shortest time possible.

Just as I was about to dive deep into serious contemplation, Supervisor Park

gave me a friendly pat on the back.

"Hey, did you get everything registered? Is the computer working fine?"

"Yes. By the way, the personal items here..."

"Oh, that’s the squad leader’s desk."

"..."

No wonder it looked used!

"Just don’t break the monitor. Feel free to use it today, no worries."

Is this company for real?

Letting a new hire use the squad leader’s desk for the day—is that

something a sane company does?

’Come to think of it, nothing here seems normal.’

This is a company that churns out potions by throwing people into ghost

stories. Holding this place to the standards of an ordinary 21st-century

Korean workplace was bound to lead to shock after shock.

...Maybe a little bending of the rules wouldn’t hurt.

"Hey, do you smoke, Roe?"

"No, I’m good."

I didn’t follow my superiors for their smoke break.

Instead, I stared down at the desk I was sitting at, took a deep breath, and

flipped the keyboard over.

As expected, there was a post-it note stuck underneath.

[Squad Leader Lee Jaheon / 105105301]

ID: yongj1111

PW: dydajflgodks!111

It’s hard to criticize the lack of security awareness when I’ve seen so much

of this already at the company.

’If he’s the squad leader... then that means he’s probably a section chief.’

And actually, there’s a certain website accessible only to section chiefs and

above in this company...

It could really help with clearing higher-class ghost stories.

"..."

Now that I’d seen the absurd goal of 500,000 points, it felt like something I

couldn’t afford to pass up.

Alright.

’Let’s do this.’

I resolutely logged back into the welfare mall.

But this time, I didn’t use my own ID.

ID: yongj1111

Password: dydajflgodks!111

I attempted to log in using the D Squad Leader’s credentials.

Incorrect password.

"Hm..."

No problem. I expected this minor setback.

Let’s see... Clicking the ’Register’ button shows the password

requirements.

’A capital letter is needed.’

So, if I capitalize the first letter of the password written on the Post-it,

making it ’Dydajflgodks!111’, and log in...

Ding.

[Welcome, Section Chief Lee Jaheon]

’I’m in!’

I discreetly pumped my fists under the desk in triumph. A small celebration

you can do in an office without drawing attention.

Not that anyone was around right now anyway.

Now, what I needed to find on this page was... a kind of phishing link.

The so-called ’Alien Shop’.

In , there were quite a few alien ghost

stories, and some of them involved extraterrestrials trying to sell items to

Earthlings through bizarre means of communication.

’They didn’t mean any harm, but they sold things that were unsettling or

dangerous from a human perspective.’

Still, these ghost stories leaned more toward being quirky and even

somewhat heartwarming.

And apparently, those aliens had a bit of a business mindset. They wanted

to target potential customers, so...

They even embedded something like ransomware into Daydream Inc.’s

intranet.

’Only section chiefs and higher can see the shopping mall’s ad phishing

link.’

I also remembered how to access that phishing link.

’While randomly clicking around in the welfare mall, if you hit the back

button five times in a row....’

Click, click, click....

Beep.

Suddenly, a small green hand appeared in the corner of the welfare mall

screen.

A pixelated left hand, waving as if to grab your attention.

A speech bubble floated above it.

First Anniversary Appreciation Discount! ~80%

Is your job boring? >>Click

Do you want to get stronger? >>Click

Want cool items? >>Click

’This is trash.’

It looked just like those old internet banner ads from back in the day.

But, surprisingly, if you click this clumsy thing!

You’d be taken—like magic—from the intranet to an external internet site,

abducted to an alien shop.

I was tempted to click it immediately, but!

’Hold on.’

Instead, I right-clicked and copied the link, then pasted it into an Excel

sheet and took a picture of it with my phone.

’Company PCs record everything.’

I didn’t want any trace left showing I had clicked on the alien ransomware

link—especially not on someone else’s account.

After a while, as my superiors returned from their smoke break, I greeted

them with a nod as if nothing had happened.

"Roe~ Let’s have a welcome dinner when the squad leader gets back from

his field duty. It’s on the company card."

"Yes. Thank you."

And then, I waited for quitting time.

* * *

That evening, after my monumental first day at work, my tasks still weren’t

over.

"Let’s do this."

After depositing 20 million won, I went home.

Now, in my bedroom, I was copying the phishing link from the ’Alien

Shop’ I had photographed in my smartphone gallery through image

analysis.

After fixing a few unreadable parts, I opened a browser and pasted the link

into the address bar.

"Huuuu."

Deep breath... Enter.

Click.

The browser navigated through the complex link, and a page appeared that

resembled the layout of Daydream Inc.’s welfare mall... only to shatter and

disappear.

And then, a new page opened.

It looked like something from the early 2000s, with obvious underlines and

outdated fonts.

※Amazing items from outer space※~!!

>>I’ll take a look at the items

Boing Boing Boing. A little green spaceship rotated in the corner.

’This is so lame.’

But I couldn’t let the tackiness fool me.

If you click ’items’ here, you’ll see bizarre, supernatural products for sale.

...Though the problem is, the prices are just as outrageous.

The minimum started at one million won.

...A result of the over-inflated imaginations of ghost story creators with

massive egos who thought, ’I need to use even more expensive items!’

That was me just yesterday. I wouldn’t have been able to buy a single thing

from this list.

But now...

’I’ve got 20 million won.’

My heart raced a little. The thought of being able to purchase items from a

fictional world felt like a serious dopamine rush.

"Huu."

Finally, I clicked on the [Items] tab.

The screen loaded.

Items

Bloodsucking Cutlery – ₩14,999,999

Wide-Range Walkie-Talkie – ₩4,999,999

Alice Picnic Set – ₩11,999,999

We Can Help! – ₩66,666,666

※Discount!※ Silver Serpent – ₩4,999,999

₩19,999,999

"...!"

I recognized most of these items.

Finally, my luck was turning!

’Hell yeah.’

In my excitement, I quickly recalled the details.

Bloodsucking Cutlery.

A weapon set consisting of a small fork and knife, which grows bigger and

sharper as it absorbs the blood of its victims.

You could literally call it a ’growth weapon’.

Broader Walkie-Talkie.

A toy walkie-talkie that allows remote communication with others, even

within ghost stories.

It would be very useful when you have companions.

Alice Picnic Set.

As the name suggests, it’s inspired by ’Alice in Wonderland’. It contains

food items.

It came with a drink that temporarily doubles the effect of items and

cookies that halve them.

That’s where my knowledge of the items ended.

I didn’t know the other two, but ’We Can Help!’ was way out of my budget,

so I ignored it.

’The Silver Serpent is on sale.’

Getting a discount always feels like a win.

"Hmm..."

I crossed my arms over my chest.

A weapon, a communication device, a buff potion, and a discount item...?

My budget was 20 million won.

What should I buy to get the best value?

"Alright."

I made my decision and clicked.