It Seems I Must Go to Work Even After Falling into a Horror Story 057

In essence, a office worker always carries their resignation letter (physically or mentally) in their heart.

But usually, they know how to hide it….

‘You’re telling the newbie?’

And that from the direct superior, no less.

“I’ve almost gathered all the points. Don’t spread the word.”

“……”

With Eun Ha-je’s personality, I figured she wouldn’t change her expression until the very last moment, revealing it only on the day of her departure.

“Is it okay for you to tell me?”

“Well, it’s not bad news. There are plenty of brats in this company who boast about how many points they’ve collected anyway….”

The assistant manager gave my shoulder a hearty pat.

“I just wanted to let the people in our team know ahead of time.”

“Cough. Even from the side, it’s touching, senior!”

“Cut it out.”

I glared at Park Min-seong, the chief who had come over to act all excited.

It seemed he was already aware of the news.

‘Must be due to the company’s nature.’

This job was insane, pulling Russian roulette with my temples to somehow fulfill unattainable wishes.

Since everyone presumably wanted to flee, it was understandable that there was nothing desperate to hide.

Still, it was sad that such a convenient direct superior was leaving… but it’s a good thing for her, so it should be celebrated.

Yet, there remains a question.

“Assistant Manager.”

“Yeah.”

“Does that mean you’ve gathered all 500,000 points?”

“What?! 500,000, you say….”

Eun Ha-je looked horrified, only to quickly realize something and chuckled.

“Oh, did you think I was planning to buy a wish ticket?”

“…?”

Well, that would make sense, wouldn’t it?

Finding someone who didn’t think so would be tougher.

“Ah. That was my goal when I first joined too, but after some time I realized you could achieve it with other things.”

“…!”

Oh.

‘I see now.’

On second thought, there were instances when wish tickets weren’t strictly necessary.

‘If I can fulfill my wish with something I can buy in the employee points mall, that would be enough.’

“I just need one of the high-grade potions this company offers.”

Just as I thought.

“May I ask how much that costs in points?”

“170,000. I barely have 5,000 left now. Well… still, thanks to you, it looks like the point special will be ending soon, so I’ll have to stay a few more months.”

Rather uncharacteristically, the assistant manager winked at me.

“I’ll talk to the team leader to see if we can keep you around until the next regular personnel changes.”

If I can hang in there just until then, it meant I could smoothly stay on with Team D.

After all, the number of personnel would have to match after her departure.

‘That’s a remarkably considerate statement.’

Seeing her have the confidence that I would be glad to stay on with this team only reinforced that.

“Senior, please let us have a proper farewell gathering when you leave… and let’s keep in touch even after you’re gone. We should catch a baseball game or something…!”

“Sure thing. Hey, you just have to hang in there for a few more years.”

“Me? Ugh, I can’t. I have to gather 500,000 points without fail.”

The chief scratched his head but still looked bright.

“Anyways… then it seems the doe can stay with our team!”

“If the team leader behaves.”

And then the ‘team leader’ who had returned after concluding the middle management meeting calmly confirmed it.

“Yes. The chances are much higher.”

“Woohoo!”

“It’s a matter of probability. Do not plan your work based on staying.”

“… Is that so, Doe…?”

“Yes….”

So lizard-like.

“Anyways, congratulations, Assistant Manager.”

“Thanks.”

Eun Ha-je went out for a smoke with a smile.

She already looked quite relieved from the back.

‘… What happens to employees who resign again?’

There was no mention of them being deprived of rights and confined to laboratories or dealt with in secrecy for confidentiality purposes.

‘There have been several descriptions of those who retired fairly well.’

Something like a universally beloved employee.

The staff who were cherished by everyone and were helped to retire in a good way, despite being mere supporting characters.

‘… I hope that’s the case for her too.’

I said a short prayer and returned to what I was doing.

It meant I had been assigned tasks from the team leader who had returned after the meeting.

“Now, the darkness we’ll be exploring this time is a C-class spider, and it’s a supply source with a complete manual.”

“Oh… so points will probably be around 600-700 per person, right?”

“Yes.”

“Doe, we made the right choice by racking up points as jobs came in!”

The ‘new darkness manual completion exploration’ that had been almost entirely funneled to Team D was starting to dwindle.

“There’s a timing when new darkness typically floods in. The research team bundles things up right before the registration deadline.”

“Ah.”

How much like a company that sounds.

Of course, a newbie pointing that out wouldn’t yield anything productive.

I smiled brightly and said, “Then we can all work safely for a while.”

“Yeah, I just love how positive you are, Doe~!”

The chief chuckled and handed me a tablet displaying the manual PDF.

“Even with a manual, it’s C-class, so don’t let your guard down. Let me know once you’ve fully understood it.”

“Yes.”

“I see, you just have to endure a day in a specific location.”

Hmm.

I accepted the tablet and read it.

The formally written official manual was in a format pleasantly familiar.

[Dark Exploration Records] resembled a wiki that provided detailed information based on the records we’ve obtained.

‘Let’s see.’

A horror story about a space one might fall into if they take a wrong turn in a building with many vacant shops, known on the internet as Backrooms…

“……”

As I read the next paragraph, a strong premonition struck me.

‘This is…….’

I’ve been guessing the nature of the horror story based on [Dark Exploration Records] through the manual for several months now.

It’s surprising that I won’t be shocked.

Yet this was quite a shocking situation?

Normally, it would involve a massive massacre like in [Quiz Show Tuesday], or I’d find myself in a guaranteed kill situation.

But this was a bit different.

‘This is… a good thing!’

Oh my gosh, a heartwarming horror story!

If I measured the horror, it would probably be at a 0. It’s a phenomenon that even a coward could pass through coolly if spoiled ahead of time!

But why is it C-class?

‘Because Daydream Corporation misclassified the grade!’

This was a story derived from enjoyment within that setting.

A kind of mistaken identity horror story!

It looks perilous but is actually very gentle and kind, positioned as a safe and friendly horror tale, yet people misunderstood it with preconceived notions, resulting in hilarity.

‘It fits better being described as a magical experience than a horror story….’

Naturally, such examples were rare in [Dark Exploration Records].

My heart raced a bit.

I’d be entering this?

‘Wait a minute.’

If done right….

‘It’s not just about feeling warm, but my future life could be warm too!’

My mind raced.

To make this happen, there was definitely one thing I needed.

That is…

“I’ll be going in tomorrow afternoon, so there’s plenty of time. I’ll read slowly. Well… it’s something I don’t have to tell Doe about!”

“Then… can I step out briefly during lunch tomorrow?”

“Uh? Well, neither the team leader nor the assistant manager is someone who would really care about that… why? If you’re going to a hospital, I’ll make sure you have plenty of time.”

“Oh, it’s not that. I just….”

I recalled my bankbook and counted.

“I need to buy something for a bit.”

“…?”

If I wanted to gain something from this heartwarming horror story, there was something I had to prepare to take with me.

Something very expensive!

And then after lunch the next day.

We rode the assistant manager’s vehicle.

To the location where this darkness was isolated.

“Did you pack everything you wanted to take?”

“Yes.”

The ‘expensive thing’ I bought during lunch was neatly packed in my document bag.

The assistant manager checked it.

“Is this your first time entering a space where the urban legend actually occurs, not just getting kidnapped by touching things?”

No, actually just before this, I pretended to be a serial killer carrying chopped up bodies in some lodge, but…

I’ll refrain from mentioning that.

“Yes. This is my first business trip.”

“HaHa. Doe, you’re still in your twenties, right? So this is your first job.”

The atmosphere was quite warm, and we moved without any issues.

We made some small talk along the way.

“Did you know? Our team leader accidentally smashed the wheel three times while working. So the rumor is that unless there’s a zombie apocalypse, they’ll never sit in the driver’s seat again…”

“……”

Hmm. Let’s not ask that directly.

Anyways, after about 40 minutes of driving, we smoothly arrived at our destination.

“Here we are.”

It was a shopping complex nestled in a suburban area near Seoul.

However, years after the real estate boom had passed and people had widely left due to new urban redevelopment, the place was quite desolate and empty… an ‘old’ new city.

On the numerous vacant glass windows were contact numbers for real estate agents.

“Seems like one of these buildings is the urban legend. If you enter on a fine day while the sun sets, strange things happen.”

“Yes.”

With the managers kindly briefing us on what the manual contained, we approached a specific shopping complex.

“It seems they’re blocking civilians with some… security team equipment. They’ll recognize our masks and let us in.”

Hmm.

“Be careful when you go in.”

The chief lowered his voice and whispered seriously.

“There are quite a few awful records, so let’s be cautious.”

“……”

Is this what they mean by such things?

Exploration Record #12

One of the employees deployed (Seong Jeong-seong) discovered a store operating next to the 404 room by the emergency exit on the 4th floor. The shop’s sign read ■■■ Cafe.

However, the closer one got to that location, strange noises could be heard that weren’t from the cafe.

Barking, shouting, the howling of beasts layered together grew louder and louder until the employee, just as they stopped at the door, suddenly found themselves being charged.

Panicked, the employee managed to flee to the emergency stairs just before the door opened, but they were lost after a loud noise.

Afterward, they were found around the shopping area in an unconscious state.

Bilateral leg open fractures, serious back injuries preventing them from working. Following that, they reported persistent PTSD.

At first glance, it seemed eerie and dreadful.

But did you catch that?

‘It’s just… a dog-friendly cafe, though.’

The employee panicked from the dog sounds and got injured from rolling down the stairs! And the horror story kindly helped the employee out!

This darkness was simply a space where the stores that used to exist operated normally, which in itself was the maximum oddity!

However, among the explorers, some panicked and interpreted everything negatively, leading to their downfall, making it a storyline that may induce chuckles.

And the parties involved were diligently giving advice beside me…

“Let’s be careful while we move. There are quite a few nasty records of people getting hurt in this space.”

No, they don’t.

“Especially don’t lose consciousness. It usually ends in serious injury.”

Even if you just get hurt badly and lose consciousness, they usually politely escort you out when the time comes!

This is literally a shopping complex, so they’ll dutifully escort you out when business hours are over!

But I stopped myself from saying such, fearing someone might go, ‘Oh no, this horror story disorients you mentally!’ and turn it into a wild misunderstanding joke…

Instead, to ensure efficient exploration, they suggested we disperse as individuals with contact points. I nodded my head readily.

“Are you okay, Doe?”

“Yes.”

Normally, I’d be clinging to the edges, wanting to stay close, but today’s the day of the coward!

“If any problems arise, contact me right away.”

“I will.”

I took the walkie-talkie received from the security team (which oddly reminded me of a strange toy walkie-talkie sold at an alien shop) and started moving on.

-Um, is there a store you’d like to visit? It seems quite a few are operational.

Do you know?

Correct answer.

‘But I just need to approach it in a somewhat unique manner…’

This place was twisted in space causing chaotic layers and directions, yet there were occasional systems and rules.

And among those was this one.

When riding the elevator from the 7th floor, a button leading to the underground appears randomly.

After several attempts, I finally spotted the button labeled ‘B1’ in the elevator.

-Ah, a hidden spot? It reminds me of that stylish exhibition.

Do we really have to bring that up?

I was already trapped under that exhibition, unable to find the exit, looping until I met a mechanical spider and had my organs snatched in a nightmare!

‘This place is kind!… kind…!’

I tried to shake off the nightmare and hit the button.

Ding.

And when the door opened, it revealed the underground parking lot.

‘I think someone fainted after honking their horn here.’

But that wasn’t the important part.

I diligently moved according to the remembered instructions.

‘Turn left three times.’

Circling around the underground parking lot, I found the new section number that hadn’t been visible before.

‘A19.’

So, I was almost there.

With excitement, I hurried my steps.

Beside this parking area, there was a door leading to the shopping complex, but instead of heading straight for the elevator, I noticed a small shop to the side.

And that’s how it appeared.

Moonlight Tattoo Shop

A magical place.