Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work [Novel] Chapter 29 - Chapter 29 is available as a full text chapter. Published May 16, 2026 and updated May 16, 2026.
Translator: Nox
Chapter 29
Even If You Fall into a Ghost Story, You Still Have to Go to Work
Even If You Fall into a Ghost Story, You Still Have to Go to Work, Chapter 29
Even If You Fall into a Ghost Story, You Still Have to Go to Work, Chapter 029
A new recruit scouted for an elite team after only a month at the company.
It sounded like the title of some clickbaity self-help book.
But it was actually happening right now.
‘What on earth is going on?’
Me? In Team A?
“Let’s see, Sol-eum joined Team D last month, right?”
“Yes. For now, I’ll contact HR to process it as a dispatch assignment, and then we can make the formal transfer permanent in five months.”
“Right. Assistant Manager Jin. Then…”
The leader of Team A looked at me and smiled with satisfaction.
“First of all, Sol-eum, we’ll have to promote you to Assistant Manager immediately.”
“…”
“The official notice will probably be posted within next week.”
Good grief.
“Even though this company doesn’t care much for seniority, there’s still a minimum standard. This is incredibly exceptional treatment, you know?”
Of course it is!
They’re even taking care of a promotion? Is their influence within the company really that strong?
No, wait.
To be precise, to join an elite team, a regular employee would usually have to prove themselves over the course of one or two promotion cycles.
So, by convention, it meant that to be on an elite team, one had to at least hold the rank of Assistant Manager.
Since I had to be an Assistant Manager for them to put me in Team A, they calculated that the higher-ups would naturally grant the promotion.
‘Even Team A originally only consisted of members from Deputy Manager upward…’
It really was exceptional treatment.
But why?
Why make such a sudden proposal to me…
Ah.
The moment I saw the Team A leader’s immensely satisfied face, it hit me like a bolt of lightning.
‘I picked all the right answers today!’
I was so worried about workplace bullying that I played it too safe and overdid it!
A new recruit who doesn’t complain about unfair instructions and actively squeezes out all sorts of ideas to produce results within the guidelines set by superiors.
A newbie who says “yes, yes” without a hint of ego while still trying to exercise creativity!
I was the literal personification of a boss’s ideal employee…
“Sol-eum? You can head home for the day. Prepare yourself, as the official notice might come out as early as next week.”
“…”
No.
‘This is a tragedy.’
I… I’m the kind of person who should never, ever go to Team A!
‘The procedures there are too strict.’
If I worked there, where I could only do exactly as I was told, there was a ninety percent chance that a moment would come when I wouldn’t be able to hide my true cowardice.
‘Then the Wishright gets further away, and my survival rate will plummet.’
I’d literally die.
The spine-chilling thought made me go silent.
“…”
“Hey, wait a second.”
Assistant Manager Jin spoke as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“Are you… actually considering this?”
I slowly lowered my head.
“Why? No, are you out of your mind? Is it because of those meat shields in the Cleanup Team? Even if we don’t take them…”
“Assistant Manager Jin, hold on.”
The Team A leader stopped Assistant Manager Jin and spoke to me with a gentle expression.
“You’ve only been here a month, so receiving such a great offer so suddenly must be overwhelming, right? That’s understandable.”
“…”
“But you should know that in society, wise people succeed by boldly seizing opportunities.”
The problem is that it’s a trap, not an opportunity!
‘Wow, what do I do?’
How could I get out of this without offending that old-fashioned boss as much as possible?
If I rejected this the wrong way, I’d be marked for life.
The workplace bullying I had feared might actually begin.
‘I don’t see a way out…’
It was at that moment.
Ding.
The sound of the elevator arriving.
Soon the doors opened, and a familiar person—no, lizard—appeared.
‘Section Chief!’
Section Chief Lee Ja-heon, who had supposedly been called away by the Team Leader, emerged.
The lizard’s vertical pupils met the gaze of the Team A leader.
“…Section Chief Lee Ja-heon.”
“Team Leader Baek Seok-ju.”
Lee Ja-heon looked at the Team A leader with a flat gaze.
“I was told to apologize to you. I am sorry.”
“…”
The Team A leader… was clearly holding back a string of curses.
“Ha… No, forget it. I’m the only one getting worked up anyway. Just me.”
“?”
“It’s fine. I’ve just scouted someone to fill our vacancy anyway.”
The Team A leader shook his head and patted my shoulder with one hand.
Gasp.
“Look here, this is the employee who will be the youngest member of our team.”
It was meant to be a shocking declaration, but…
“I see.”
The lizard nodded.
“It is true that Team A has better working conditions.”
“…”
Could you at least pretend to be a little disappointed so I can find an escape route…
Screw it, there’s no other way.
‘I’ll have to do it myself!’
I deliberately looked back and forth between the two leaders as if bewildered, then bowed deeply to the Team A leader.
‘First…’
Based on what I’d seen of the Team A leader’s personality so far…
‘He’s a stickler for rules and principles.’
He divides work strictly by rank, is extremely bothered by insubordination, and looks after his own people.
Seeing as he scouted me after only a month, he sometimes takes bold risks, but only within the boundaries he sets.
‘He’s the type who can’t stand anyone talking back.’
In short, he felt like the quintessential elite middle manager of a top-down conglomerate.
‘In that case…’
I lowered my head even further.
“Team Leader, thank you so much for looking kindly upon a new recruit like me and giving me such an undeserved offer.”
“Mhm.”
“However… I still lack experience. As a new employee, I believe I should work as one and build up my basic capabilities and knowledge as a staff member.”
The Team A leader, who had been staring at me, finally spoke.
“…Sol-eum, do you happen to know what the base salary table for elite teams starts at?”
I don’t.
“Eighty million won.”
“…!”
“Once hazard pay starts getting added, the annual take-home pay usually starts at a hundred and fifty million.”
Good heavens.
“I’m also going to list you as a major contributor for the C-rank ghost story you cleared today. You cleared it in an instant using a completely new method, didn’t you?”
I… I did?
“But what’s more, it’s a method that others might actually try to use. Do you know what that means?”
What does it mean?
“It means the manual could be completely revised.”
“…”
“Yes. Not just an addition, but a revision.”
The Team A leader smiled softly.
“And when a manual is revised, a bonus is issued, you know?”
“…!”
“It’s quite a large sum. That’s why the higher-ups don’t like to process things as revisions… but elite teams are an exception to that rule.”
Ah.
“Things move much easier and faster when you’re in Team A. It’s a difference in credibility, I suppose.”
“…”
“Let’s see… the reward for a C-rank manual revision.”
The Team A leader paused for effect, then spoke.
“Fifty million won.”
“…!!”
“Just for today’s work, your additional bonus alone is fifty million.”
Fifty million won.
“Do you really want to throw away the chance to keep earning like this?”
Wow.
As if.
‘But I can’t die just to make money…’
This is enough to bring me to tears. It’s driving me crazy.
‘Repeat it. To me, money in this world is nothing more than game currency. Game currency, game currency…’
Right!
I made my eyes shine with as much soulful longing as possible.
Then I started talking nonsense.
“I believe that honing my skills and value is more important than immediate money.”
This is insane.
‘The reason you hone your skills and value is to get more money, so why am I kicking the money away?’
But my mouth was rattling off words that perfectly fit the perspective of a dinosaur CEO from thirty years ago.
“Our ancestors said that one should even buy hardships while young, and while I don’t entirely agree with that, I believe there is a definite reason why such a saying exists.”
Assistant Manager Jin from Team A looked at me as if I were a madman.
However, it seemed to have reached the heart of the top boss.
“Hmm.”
The Team A leader seemed lost in thought.
After narrowing his eyes at me for a moment, he sighed and nodded.
“Fine. Well, if that’s how you feel… there’s nothing I can do.”
Yes!
“I thought you were a smart fellow, Roe Deer, but you’re more foolish than I expected. Sigh. How are you going to survive in this harsh world?”
It worked.
His voice sounded like he was scolding me, but from his perspective, this was actually closer to a compliment!
…Of course, he couldn’t resist getting one last jab in.
“It’s good to be hardworking. But being too naive isn’t good for corporate life either.”
Yes, yes.
“If I may give you one piece of advice… you don’t survive corporate life on sentimentality. You have to be careful about that. Especially becoming one-sidedly attached to someone you can’t communicate with.”
The Team A leader’s expression contorted as he glanced at a specific someone.
“Don’t do it. It’s not good.”
“…Y-yes.”
You’re trying to say the lizard leader is a stubborn psychopath, aren’t you? I understand perfectly…
“Did you hear me well, Section Chief Lee Ja-heon?”
“? Yes.”
The lizard replied as if he were stating the obvious.
“I heard you clearly.”
“…”
“…”
You can stop giving him the ‘look at this crazy guy’ eyes now, Team A leader…
“Anyway.”
The Team A leader took a deep breath and wrapped up the conversation.
“Good work today. Get home safe.”
“…! Yes!!”
It was a declaration of liberation.
“Thank you. I’ll take my leave now.”
Aaaah, I can finally escape!
I hurriedly pressed the elevator button.
The Deputy Manager from Team A quickly approached and whispered.
“You idiot. You’re going to regret this.”
“…”
“The Section Chief of Team D hasn’t even laid eyes on a Wishright yet. Our Team Leader is someone who has already received a Wishright once.”
It’s fine. I know that lizard makes it all the way to Team Leader.
Of course, I couldn’t say that, so I resorted to flattery.
“I’m sure you’ll be receiving one soon too, Deputy Manager.”
“What?”
“I’ll ask you about it then.”
“…”
Assistant Manager Jin seemed momentarily flustered, but soon snorted.
“Well, you do have some judgment.”
“You’ll answer me then, right?”
“Fine.”
It was just a verbal promise, but even though this guy’s personality was… well, rough, he didn’t seem like the type to lie or go back on his word.
“Section Chief, Deputy Manager. Thank you very much for today.”
“Yeah. Get home safe.”
After bowing repeatedly, I pressed the elevator button and hopped in before they could catch me again.
Then, the lizard suddenly slipped into the elevator with me.
Did you really come all this way just to spit out that one soulless apology…
-Going down.
As the elevator carrying the two of us descended in silence.
Unexpectedly, Section Chief Lee Ja-heon spoke to me.
“Kim Sol-eum.”
“Yes?”
“Is there something you want from Team D?”
Huh.
“…Are you asking that because you assume I must have a specific reason for staying in Team D when I could have gone to Team A?”
“Yes.”
Good grief.
I ruffled the back of my head a few times, then answered with a sigh.
“There’s nothing like that, Section Chief.”
“?”
“I didn’t decide to stay because of some gain.”
I stayed to live!
The lizard narrowed his vertical pupils inquisitively.
“Staying in a regular team rather than an elite team is a loss in terms of points. There will be a difference in the speed at which you receive a Wishright.”
“Maybe so.”
I shrugged.
“But even if it’s true that I need a Wishright, living until I get that Wishright is also my life.”
“…”
“During that time, I wanted to be in a place where my heart could be more comfortable while working.”
I don’t want to work every single moment in terror of when I’ll be caught being a coward, man…
“…I see.”
The lizard fell silent.
Now if we can just go down quietly…
“Kim Sol-eum, what is your wish?”
He’s awfully talkative today.
“…Are you asking what I want to wish for if I receive a Wishright?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’d like to hear your wish first, Section Chief.”
It was a polite way of asking why he was prying.
But the lizard stared blankly into space with his vertical eyes.
He looked as if he were thinking deeply.
Then, he spoke.
“It is not my wish.”
“Pardon?”
“I am working against my will.”
A story I never could have imagined came out.
I reflexively looked back at him.
The scales on the head of the non-human lizard were shimmering…
“…May I ask whose will it is?”
“No.”
Ah, right.
I wasn’t particularly offended. I knew he was that kind of lizard.
‘I guess he has his reasons.’
Anyway, since he gave me an answer, I suppose I should say something too.
I hesitated before choosing my words.
“I… want to go home.”
In fact, Section Chief Lee Ja-heon could have followed up with a barrage of questions.
What kind of home, why is going home your wish, is your family ruined, did someone pass away, is it a conceptual home… and so on.
But instead, Lee Ja-heon opened his mouth and said this:
“I see.”
That was it.
In the silence, the elevator descended peacefully.
“…”
I admit it now.
In a way, the lizard leader was a rather comfortable conversation partner.
Surprisingly so.
I returned to the employee dormitory.
[Watch out for serial killers.]
After sending another friendly disaster alert text to Baek Sa-heon, I lay down.
‘Another eventful day…’
I really feel like my lifespan is going to be cut in half at this rate. My heart can’t take much more.
Still, I couldn’t deny that I had made some significant gains today.
Extra points, connections with elite team bosses.
And even a bonus.
“…Fifty million won, was it?”
I wonder when it’ll be deposited.
I called it game currency and whatnot, but thinking coldly, game currency often has more places to be spent.
Because I need it to strengthen my stats.
‘It’s true that I wish I had a bit more cash.’
I was starting to think I should buy some new items from the Alien Shop.
Since unexpected situations kept popping up, I was feeling rushed.
I definitely want armor, especially equipment or items related to mental defense.
‘There were special items that appear once you become a VIP at the Alien Shop…’
Still, thinking about the money I earned today made me shut my mouth.
Fifty million won.
“…Heh.”
To think this much extra pay is being legally deposited into an office worker’s bank account by the company.
It felt like my sense of money was being paralyzed.
Even more so because it still felt insufficient to get enough items.
“Is there any other place I can get money…”
Buzz!
My smartphone vibrated, popping up a new notification.
‘Is it Baek Sa-heon?’
It wasn’t.
Surprisingly, someone had invited me to a new open group chat.
“…?!”
[K.LEE]
The profile name was in English, with a picture of a clear Hawaiian beach.
What is this suspicious situation…
[K.LEE: Oh, hello there, Mr. Employee lol]
[K.LEE: Do you happen to need a lot of money?]
“…??”
Who are you?
