Even if I fall into a ghost story, I still have to go to work
Chapter 92
The mannequin employees stood in a neat row and clapped in unison. They were responding enthusiastically to my stated intention to buy the ring.
Meanwhile, the two colleagues who followed me were staring blankly at the scene.
Two humans of suitable value for a barter exchange for the ring I had chosen.
Clap, clap, clap…
The mannequins stopped clapping. Then, as if to proceed with the payment, they all began walking toward the two standing behind me…….
I raised my hand.
“However, I’d like to change the payment method.”
Stop.
The mannequins froze and turned back toward me.
Right. Of course, this boutique accepted humans in exchange for goods. Such transactions were still possible even now.
But why did they take humans?
Fundamentally, if you looked into the reason….
‘It’s labor.’
Whether they were used as employees for menial tasks or promoted to become mannequins themselves after working well, it was a fact already described in the wiki.
In other words, they accepted human trafficking for barter because it provided a clear benefit to the store’s operation.
Then, what else provides a ‘clear’ benefit to a store’s operation besides labor?
Doesn’t something immediately come to mind when you think of Baekilmong Co.?
‘Raw materials.’
I reached into my tattoo and pulled out an item.
The most expensive material among the things I had brought.
“I’d like to pay with this.”
It was a gold bar.
“…!”
I felt my colleagues behind me stir at the sudden appearance of the star of capitalism in a ghost story.
To be honest, my balance was precarious after clicking ‘buy all items’ at the alien shop, so I had hesitated over whether to splurge on this, but….
‘I’m glad I picked it up in Jongno after all.’
Gold and silver were staple materials in ghost stories.
Unlike silver, which was mainly used for exorcism, gold had a slightly more versatile image. It was often symbolized as a token of desire or a ritualistic price, making it highly effective anywhere.
So….
“Is this acceptable for payment?”
One of the mannequins, wearing a slightly more formal uniform, approached me. It bowed its head deeply toward the small gold bar, and then….
It politely and respectfully extended both hands.
‘…It worked!’
They took the bait.
In the worst-case scenario, I had even considered just running away, but this was a very good situation.
I dropped the gold bar into the mannequin’s hands. The mannequin slowly backed away, then returned from behind the glass case with the ring packaged.
It presented the silver ring I had purchased on a velvet cushion engraved with a bizarre snake pattern.
‘Is the cushion… part of the set?’
Since there was no reaction when I took it as well, I immediately stored it all in my tattoo.
Next, other mannequins stepped forward from both sides, each holding a rectangular velvet box.
The boxes looked identical, but they contained different things.
The one on the left was an elegant, traditional-style pouch; inside the slightly loosened opening, I could see coins printed in reverse.
‘Change!’
It was additional currency income.
I could see at a glance that it was a much heavier amount than what I had received at the butcher shop. Moreover, the coins were large and thick. The denominations were clearly different.
‘It’s only right that I take all of this.’
With my mind already made up, I looked at the other side.
The items displayed in the box held by the other mannequin were… hm. They were small miscellaneous goods that were hard to even call accessories.
It was ambiguous whether they could even be considered wearable, so it wasn’t worth the risk of testing if they had mental defense effects.
It seemed they were trying to do a bit of promotional sales before giving me my change.
‘The versatile currency is definitely better.’
…That was what I was thinking.
Among the miscellaneous items, something caught my eye.
It was a small ribbon hair tie.
I couldn’t tell what the material was, but the dark brown cord had a glossy, high-end look.
“…….”
Hmm.
“Can I take that as well?”
I pointed to the hair tie.
The mannequins clapped again, then took out half of the change from the pouch and politely offered it to me.
“Thank you.”
I took the well-packaged items and stored them in my tattoo.
“Wow. I’ve been thinking this for a while… that ability looks really useful! What kind of equipment are you using?”
“Yes.”
I turned back to look at Kang Yi-hak, who was grinning.
Did he not realize that I could have just human-trafficked both of my colleagues, including himself?
‘Sigh… let’s try one more time.’
I tried one last time to ‘avoid getting picked on by looking like a crazy person.’
I stared straight at Kang Yi-hak and said:
“I’m curious.”
“Pardon?”
“How much gold would I get back if I sold one sentient being?”
After a short silence.
“Eh? Why would you think of something so cost-ineffective? Haha!”
Kang Yi-hak laughed heartily.
“You’d get a few more gold bars by harvesting a kidney or a cornea.”
“…….”
Is this how a normal person thinks?
I didn’t think so, no matter how much I considered it. So I gave up on arguing.
It was starting to get truly scary…!
‘I have to endure until we get out of this ghost story.’
Instead, I decided to offer a carrot to my colleagues.
“Take this.”
“Oh…?!”
I divided the change in the pouch into three parts and shared it with them.
“I’m lending this to you. If you use it, pay me back in gold. If you don’t use it by the time we leave, I’ll take it back.”
“Th-thank you….”
Jang Heo-un bowed his head first.
I mean, I can understand Kang Yi-hak because he seems like an untouchable crazy person, but I don’t know why Jang Heo-un is so calm.
‘What on earth did you go through in the Cleanup Team…?’
When we started, I certainly thought, ‘This will be a reliable exploration with normal colleagues!’ but we’ve come so far that I almost miss Baek Sa-heon.
‘At least that bastard was easy to deal with because his actions were predictable….’
Here, I’m practically bathing in cold sweat.
In the midst of that, I hurriedly restrained Kang Yi-hak as he tried to lift a coin to examine its surface.
“Don’t look at it closely.”
“Yes, yes~”
Kang Yi-hak muttered in a slightly dazed voice.
“As expected… gold never fails.”
“…….”
“Um, Roe Deer-ssi. Isn’t it dangerous to be so definitive?”
Jang Heo-un spoke softly.
“There are many things in the world more precious than gold.”
“Haha, well, Bull-ssi. Let me give you a tip as a colleague. What do you think is the most valuable way to use a Wishright?”
“Pardon? …Saving people, making the world a better place… isn’t it?”
“Ayy~ There are so many people in the world, how can you say that! It’s a much more efficient choice to endlessly churn out something that is rarer and more valuable!”
Kang Yi-hak spread his hands wide and said.
“It’s Midas’ Hand!”
“……!”
What?
“…A hand that turns everything it touches into gold? The one from Greek mythology?”
“Yes! As expected of a Korean~ you’re well-versed in Greek and Roman myths!”
Kang Yi-hak smirked.
“Of course, I don’t plan on asking for everything my hand touches to turn to gold. I’ve thought of a body part that won’t interfere with daily life~”
“…….”
Surprisingly, Jang Heo-un’s eyes sank coldly.
Just like during the newbie orientation, when he had stood up with his suit and hair drenched in blood to ask a question about the Wishright.
“…Then just get ten billion or a hundred billion in your bank account.”
But Kang Yi-hak was relentless.
“Pardon? Why would I make a one-time wish? Besides, won becomes scrap paper if this country collapses. But gold!”
The man wearing the Roe Deer mask thrust his head toward Jang Heo-un.
“Gold never falls.”
“……!!”
“Diamonds, dollars—even if every currency in the world fails, gold is the perfect capital that has never once strayed from an upward macro-trend. Do you understand?”
“…….”
“Let’s hear it. Our class valedictorian, the one who broke the record for the fastest promotion to Junior Manager and the fastest point accumulation… No-ru Junior Manager, you agree with me, don’t you? Hmm?”
Kang Yi-hak shouted.
“No, there’s no need to even hear it~ That’s why you brought gold! We just saw it. We saw gold become an item!”
Only then did I realize.
“Gold is money, and money is power. In human society!”
Kang Yi-hak had no ulterior motive.
‘This person… is just crazy about money…!’
Of course, people usually want to make money, but it was rare to see someone act as if they would weigh their soul to sell it, and it was overwhelming.
It seemed the Silver Heart and the surrounding environment of the ‘commercial district’ were making him look even crazier, but this appearance felt like his true, honest inner thoughts.
Even under that good-natured attitude before entering the ghost story, he had been thinking like this.
‘…He’s dangerous.’
As soon as we get out of this ghost story, I shouldn’t get involved with him…!
But for now, I calmly folded my arms.
“I heard you loud and clear. I hope you make lots of money.”
“Hahaha, yes!!”
First, let’s escape this store.
I declined the employees’ send-off, saying I would look around a bit more and leave on my own.
And as soon as the employees returned to their floating-hands work mode, I hurried out through the back door.
‘Phew.’
A dark back alley where side doors were huddled together.
To think this bizarre place would provide a moment of relief.
‘Once I achieve my goal, I need to quickly find an alley that’s at least safe and decent to walk in, and fill the remaining steps on that path.’
Before the road gets any narrower.
Fortunately, thanks to easily filling a thousand steps in the boutique, a new alley appeared smoothly.
Don’t give up on your body!
Remaining steps: 3999
The path that appeared through the gap in the side doors was about the same width as this back alley, but much better.
“It feels somewhat familiar, doesn’t it?”
For one, the light from the telegraph poles was flickering distantly.
A night where stars were visible. Yellow light shone from the signs and interiors of every shop.
‘It strangely triggers a sense of nostalgia….’
With an atmosphere like a small alleyway between houses in an old city center, it was a landscape that made it easy for the mind to relax.
Not that I could let my guard down, or I might be caught by some store’s solicitation and vanish or go mad.
“I know this place!”
Alleys of Death End Alley identified so far:
- Old Shopping District
It was frequently mentioned in the manual and appeared often in the employees’ exploration records, yet it was a relatively safe alley.
And….
It was also my destination.
“Let’s move to the next alley.”
“Yes sir!”
We stepped into the quaint-feeling small alleyway.
There were almost no crowds.
Perhaps because of that, it felt mysterious, like a night during Christmas or New Year’s….
I walked with my colleagues, passing the small, modest shops on either side.
Then, I stopped in front of one store.
“…….”
It was a stationery store.
Even if it was called stationery, it was the kind of neighborhood store that sold far more snacks—the kind of place that sold a few school supplies and toys that students would like.
It looked just like the stores in front of schools in the 2000s that sold tteokbokki and junk food.
I looked at the display stand. In the place where odeng and tteokbokki should have been, buckwheat jelly engraved with strange lotus patterns was piled up…
And the sign above it.
Sweet Stationery Store
‘Found it.’
The store that supposedly sells chocolate bars with my description drawn on the wrapper.
‘Phew.’
Now that I’m actually here, I’m getting nervous.
I turned back to my colleagues….
“Roe Deer-ssi.”
Gwaaaaah!
I almost jumped into the air…!
Managing to restrain myself, I turned my head and saw a white lizard head staring blankly at me, standing in the shadow of a telegraph pole next to the store.
…Section Chief!
“How many steps do you have left?”
I looked back and forth between the stationery store and the lizard before snapping to my senses.
“Were you… by any chance, waiting for us in front of here?”
“Yes. How many steps do you have left?”
“…We have about 3,900 steps left. Section Chief, have you nearly filled your ten thousand steps?”
“Yes. I judged that this alley has the highest probability of encountering the investigators who entered together. So I was waiting with 500 steps remaining.”
It seemed he had deduced that I was likely to show up at this stationery store.
After all, the reason we entered this ghost story in the first place was because of the new snack sighted at this stationery store.
‘I thought my heart was going to drop!’
Still, it was quite alright that he gave a long answer. As a boss, the lizard’s rating repeated its cycle of falling and rising again.
Just then, Kang Yi-hak stepped forward.
“Wow, that’s really reassuring, Section Chief! Ah, then while we’re filling our steps, would it be alright if we popped into the store next door for a moment?”
My colleague pointed to the shop next door, which sold miscellaneous goods knitted from yarn; it was a place that already had purchase records in the manual.
Moreover, Kang Yi-hak appealed by shaking the coins he had received earlier.
The lizard stared at my colleague with its red pupils.
“Do you have the currency of this place?”
“Ye-yes! Sol-eum Junior Manager got it for us~ He’s truly an amazing person. Everyone in Team D is so capable, there’s so much to learn from them. Haha!”
“I see.”
The lizard spoke quickly.
“Go in as a pair. Do not engage in any behavior that violates the manual. Do not stay for more than 10 minutes and return to the alley.”
“Yes sir!”
“Ah, uh…. Yes.”
Kang Yi-hak hurriedly dragged Jang Heo-un to the shop selling gloves and mufflers.
Well. It seemed Lee Ja-heon let them go like that since this was a relatively less dangerous alley and shop according to exploration records.
It actually worked out well.
‘This way, I can enter my destination without having to share my ‘secret’.’
“…….”
I stood before the glass door of the stationery store.
Section Chief Lee Ja-heon followed behind me.
“I’m going in.”
“Yes.”
Ting-a-ling.
I stepped inside the stationery store.
To see the ‘Good Child Chocolate Bar.’
