Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work [Novel] Chapter 39 - Chapter 39 is available as a full text chapter. Published May 16, 2026 and updated May 16, 2026.
Translator: Nox
Chapter 39
Even If You Fall Into a Ghost Story, You Have to Go to Work
Even If You Fall Into a Ghost Story, You Have to Go to Work Chapter 39
Even If You Fall Into a Ghost Story, You Have to Go to Work Episode 039
Taking a deep breath, I recalled the instructions for the Blood Bath Tub.
First, fill the tub with warm water.
- Fill the tub with as much clean water as you desire.
(The ‘Youthful Bath - Foot Massage Edition’ does not support automatic water supply.)
As instructed, I drew enough warm water from the sink to submerge a stuffed doll and poured it into the tub.
And then…
Here came the main part.
- Once the water has reached the desired level, pour at least 200ml of fresh blood over it.
The fresher the blood—taken from a healthy and vigorous subject—the better the effect.
The fact that such madness was written in a kind, gentle font made it seem even more insane, but fortunately, I had a substitute.
I lifted the Wild Ginseng.
Then, using scissors, I snipped off a medium-sized outer root.
‘Ugh.’
A dark purple sap, nauseating just to look at, trickled from the severed root.
I was incredibly glad I was wearing rubber gloves.
Trying my best not to touch it, I leaned the cut end of the root against the Blood Bath Tub.
Then, a marvelous sight unfolded.
Bubble, bubble.
As the sap touched the water, it began to foam, and a fantastic fragrance wafted through the air.
“…!”
The sickening dark purple sap had transformed into a rich, beautiful, shimmering rose-cream color.
It was eerie and fantastical.
The bathwater was now so inviting and luxurious that anyone would be tempted to dip their feet in… and so, it was ready.
- Fully submerge your body in the bath additives and enjoy your soak.
(The Foot Massage Edition provides vitality to the entire body.)
A voice filled with anticipation came from beneath the dark bed.
- Finally!
The stuffed doll’s laughter rang out.
Ah, there is no need to pick me up and move me, Roe Deer-ssi!
Just don’t look back.
I froze where I stood.
…From behind me, sounds began to emerge.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
It was the sound of a stuffed doll walking.
No, was it… a doll? It sounded like the footsteps of a man in dress shoes. The light yet heavy sound brushed past my back and then stopped.
Then, I heard a splash as something plunged into the tub right beside me…
- You may look forward now.
I turned my head.
Soaking in the bath additives within the small tub, the little stuffed doll floated there, its face fixed in its unchanging, smiling animal mascot expression…
“…Brown?”
There was no answer.
Of course not. I couldn’t face the doll and have a conversation in reality.
But he was listening.
“I’ll put the Wild Ginseng away for now. Enjoy your bath.”
I moved the Wild Ginseng, which had stopped leaking sap, back to the desk and looked at the tub.
I recalled the records of people who had used the Blood Bath Tub.
======================
Usage Record #5
A servant in their 40s was in the process of clearing away the bath additives (blood from a 20-year-old Caucasian male) prepared by the master of the house.
The servant swirled the water in the Blood Bath Tub by hand.
30 seconds elapsed until the tub was completely emptied.
Immediately, the skin and muscle tissue of the hand were observed to have rejuvenated to the state of someone in their mid-30s. Vital signs were observed throughout the body.
That same night, the servant was arrested while attempting to flee with the Blood Bath Tub in a vehicle.
Well, nothing like that is happening here.
‘I guess it doesn’t work on dolls.’
I should go get a towel.
It was just as I turned toward the dresser.
- Ohhh!
A voice?
I turned my head back.
Inside the tub I couldn’t see into, sparks of electricity flickered like a short circuit in an old TV.
- Light flows into my powerless limbs!
Flash.
The shadow of the stuffed doll, lifting its two arms above the tub, grew thick and large.
What is that?
- Roe Deer-ssi!
Don’t call me!
- This is quite an amusing object! Haha, hahahaha!
I swallowed hard as I watched the spectacle.
‘…Is his strength really returning?’
I had never seen a record stating that the Blood Bath Tub’s rejuvenation could extend to such a degree.
This was a new case.
One I knew nothing about.
- More! Pour in more bath additives!
Bath additives.
Subconsciously, I reached for the Wild Ginseng on the desk…
[Aaaaack! These bastards are grabbing the ginseng!!!]
[No, Noble One!! Noble One! Save me! Please save me!!]
Gah, damn it!
‘It woke up!’
Startled, I reflexively tossed the Wild Ginseng away.
Thud.
As if by some cruel twist of fate, the Wild Ginseng landed in the Blood Bath Tub. It thrashed about as it felt its own leaking sap transform into the fragrant bath additive.
[Aaaaaah!!]
But that was it.
The Wild Ginseng seemed unable to pull any of its usual tricks. Whether the eerie power of the Blood Bath Tub was suppressing it or Brown was doing something, I didn’t know.
The screams echoed.
[Please save me, Noble One!! Noble One!! I was wrong! I was wrong!]
[I’ll work hard! I’ll work hard!! I’ll serve you!!]
- How rude and noisy!
More sparks flew from within the Blood Bath Tub.
It was as if a TV screen was being composited…
From within, the furious shout of the Host thundered.
- Slit its throat, friend! Make it quiet. Do not let it ruin this scene!
“…….”
I stood up.
Without looking directly into the tub, I spoke.
“I can make it quiet without doing that.”
- …….
“We don’t need to use extreme measures.”
- In a show, a single moment, a single timing can dictate every reaction and feeling.
“But this isn’t a show right now, is it?”
- That is…
The sparks flying from the tub subsided.
- I see. Yes. You are right.
Phew.
‘I almost ended up registering a New Usage Record for the Blood Bath Tub—Irregular.’
As if the situation weren’t crazy enough already.
A pitiful, sobbing voice came from inside the tub.
[Thank you… thank you, savior.]
[Kind Noble One! Now, please take me out of here and save me from the hands of this lawless monster…]
I crossed my arms.
“I never said I’d save you.”
[…?!]
Who are the ones who get killed off in the middle of a horror story?
It’s the kind people who let their guard down at a moment like this!
‘The moment you go soft because a ghost is making sobbing noises is exactly when something terrifying happens!’
In times like this, you have to stay calm and act tough. I stared at the Wild Ginseng abandoned in the Blood Bath Tub through the ceramic wall.
“How do I know what you’ll do if I save you?”
The sound of sobbing continued.
[Then, then… uh, how about this? I’ll tell you about the precious items near the field! The field where I used to be!]
“I don’t need them.”
They’d probably be some cursed, ghost-infested items anyway.
[Th-then…]
I sighed.
“Just prove to me that you won’t hurt anyone. Stay quiet.”
[…….]
The Wild Ginseng shut its mouth.
It seemed I had bought some time for now.
For several minutes, time passed—suffocating for me, and (probably) enjoyable for Brown…
‘Ten minutes.’
It was just as I checked the time.
- Hmm. That was a fine bath.
“…….”
Was it over?
Just as I was about to turn my head to take Brown out of the tub.
- Ah, marvelous… Thank you, Roe Deer-ssi.
The stuffed doll’s voice turned sinister.
- For waiting until my bath was finished!
CRASH.
[KYAAAAAAH!!]
Thunderous noise and screams erupted from the tub.
What the hell?!
- Wait! Friend, do not move. If someone sees me, this cotton-filled body is too shy to move!
[You said you’d save me, you said you’d save meeee!]
- Haha! Roe Deer-ssi said he never made a promise to save you!
“Wait!”
I finally rushed to the tub.
I thought I heard the sound of someone clicking their tongue, but it vanished as I leaned over the tub.
What I saw was the Wild Ginseng huddled in the corner, thrashing its berries wildly.
The berries were half-crushed as if they had been stepped on, and the root was mangled on one side as if someone had tried to squeeze the sap out of it.
[Save me, save me…]
The movement of the berries slowed as if the Wild Ginseng had already exhausted its strength.
[Let, let me go…]
…Let it go?
I rummaged through the tub with my rubber-gloved hands and grabbed the Wild Ginseng.
‘It’s not tied down.’
[Save…]
A vibration traveled into my hand following the Wild Ginseng’s words.
“…….”
Vibration.
Come to think of it, whenever this ginseng said something, this kind of wave was transmitted to my hand.
It wasn’t strange; after all, a voice is a type of wave.
But there was something odd.
‘The root isn’t vibrating.’
Now that I thought about it, back when I first saw it in the field, only the leaves and berries shook when it spoke.
The roots had simply spread out like infected tentacles.
“…….”
In that case.
On instinct, I grabbed the Wild Ginseng and plucked the berries.
At that moment.
[Hoooooo!]
The berries vibrated violently and bounced out of my hand.
“…!”
Then, as if unable to contain its joy, it circled around my hand.
[I’m out!! I’m out! The tiger’s mouth is gone! It’s gone, it’s gone…]
[Thank you, savior!! Thank you!!]
The berries’ form gradually blurred and shimmered, then floated into the air like a light and vanished as if flying out the window.
“…….”
So that was the main body.
- My! It escaped. What a waste.
Phew.
- Such a lowly and despicable creature that loves to go back on its word should never be given a second chance!
“Is that so? Still, from now on, please let’s do everything by mutual agreement…”
- Even in moments that require quick reflexes?
“Unless someone is dying, yes.”
- …I understand, friend.
It was a somewhat sulky voice, but at least I got a confirmation.
I’ll settle for that…
- Anyway, look at this! I have rejuvenated quite nicely!
I looked into the tub again.
The stuffed doll became deathly still the moment I gazed at it.
The wet lump of cotton somehow had a lustrous sheen to it.
“……?”
Uh, it really did look more expensive somehow. Like the quality had improved.
And just as he said, it seemed to have gotten slightly bigger.
‘…It can’t get any bigger, though.’
I carry it around because its keychain size doesn’t arouse suspicion. A grown office worker carrying a doll larger than his hand at all times would draw too much attention.
I’m already standing out enough at the company as it is.
‘I’ll have to think about this before using the Blood Bath Tub again.’
Actually, it would be better if I could go home before then.
“I see. It looks great.”
I fished Brown out, dried him carefully with a hairdryer, and placed him on a dry towel.
When I returned to clean up the bathwater, I saw something surprising.
“…The ginseng root is still here.”
I thought the ginseng would vanish after the berries flew away, but it remained perfectly intact.
In fact, it looked healthier.
The ginseng, which had been discolored as if contaminated, had regained its clean, original ivory hue.
‘It even smells good.’
It looked divine. The exact opposite of a “ghost story” attribute.
“Hmm.”
After a moment’s hesitation, I picked it up and tucked it into my desk drawer.
It might come in handy somewhere.
“Well, I guess that’s… it.”
‘That’s one thing settled…’
I slumped onto the bed.
Wow, I feel like my lifespan has been shortened by twenty years since I entered this world of ghost stories.
‘I really need to collect points quickly and get out of here.’
The irony of having to tackle ghost stories more aggressively to achieve that was laughable…
- Roe Deer-ssi.
Whoa, scared the crap out of me.
It is much easier to move my body and mouth now!
Whoops, do not look this way.
I nearly turned my head, but managed to pin it back down on the pillow.
Brown started chattering again.
Now, even here, we should be able to converse as long as we do not look each other directly in the eye.
Is it not a rather shy method? It is frustrating, but interesting in its own way.
Sure. Chatter all you want…
‘You’re going to have to be my lifeline again when I go back into a ghost story…’
- You seem very tired! I hope you have sweet dreams, friend.
I fell into a deep sleep as if I’d lost consciousness.
It was a refreshing sleep that washed away the fatigue of the past few days.
…Though another problem had erupted by the time I woke up.
Midday of the same day.
While Kim Sol-eum was busy having casual small talk with his superiors in the Team D office, an employee who had been quite involved with his recent affairs was walking down the hallway…
“Ah, Section Chief Lee Byung-jin.”
Yes. It was the Section Chief who had gone missing and was rescued by Kim Sol-eum.
“Yes, yes!”
And the one who called out to him was one of the directors.
For an office worker, it wasn’t a particularly pleasant encounter, but the Section Chief strained his facial muscles to put on a bright smile and politely accepted the handshake.
He had no choice.
This was the lifeline he had grabbed onto within the company.
This person was at the very top of the line that led to Team A and beyond—at the peak of the food chain in this eerie and terrifying corporation!
‘Executive Director Ho!’
The director who had called him in the hallway smiled back and asked.
“I heard you returned after going missing. Are you alright?”
“Oh, I’m perfectly healthy, Director. Thanks to your concern, I’m working hard for the well-being of our company, yes, very hard.”
“Haha.”
The director didn’t point out the other’s empty flattery. Instead, he spoke smoothly and casually.
“You were lucky. There are many cases where people fall into the darkness and never come back.”
“Ah. That is true… I was lucky to be rescued.”
“Rescued? Did you receive help from the Disaster Management Bureau?”
The director’s tone hadn’t changed, but Section Chief Lee Byung-jin jumped.
This director was someone who was extremely uncomfortable with, if not outright vengeful toward, anything involving the government.
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
“N-no way! One of our company employees found me!”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, yes. Ah, he’s a new recruit in the Field Exploration Team, a very fine fellow! Truly!”
To think such a statement could come from the mouth of such a self-serving man.
The director asked with a smile.
“What is his name?”
“Ah! It’s Kim Sol-eum… A new recruit in Team D. Kim Sol-eum.”
From Section Chief Lee Byung-jin’s perspective, he was showing a great deal of courage.
To repay his life-saver!
‘Director Ho is a bit chilling, but he’s a decent superior.’
As long as you didn’t trip over his trigger words.
“He’s a very promising new recruit. Yes.”
And so, a connection was being formed in a place the person in question knew nothing about!
Section Chief Lee Byung-jin wiped his nose.
‘Sol-eum-ssi, you’ll be thanking me when you find out later!’
He was wrong!
But regardless, this action by Section Chief Lee Byung-jin would lead to a significant butterfly effect…
“Oh, I should keep that name in mind.”
Just a few days later, an incident broke out in the company.
To be precise, within the Field Exploration Team.
