It Seems I Must Go to Work Even After Falling into a Horror Story Chapter 110

Ho Director’s Project Team.

It was a confidential project with the outrageous reward of granting a wish to every team member, provided they succeeded.

‘And I turned it down.’

The risk was too great and suspicious.

But Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je… is working there?

“Look at Doe’s expression. Yeah, you know you got the offer and then totally shot it down, right?”

The smile vanished from Eun Ha-je’s face.

“…Good job. Don’t ever come back. It’s a headache of a team.”

“……”

But Assistant Manager, you are working there…

“What kind of work are you doing there…?”

“I can’t say.”

“……”

Should I ask?

Let’s do it.

“Actually, I got suggested as a candidate for the project team leader position.”

“What?!”

“Of course, it seemed just for motivation, so I turned it down…”

“Wait a second. I’m telling you this because I’m afraid you might get tempted later…”

Eun Ha-je lowered her voice and whispered.

“Ho Director is a lunatic.”

“…!”

“I don’t know what the other team members are doing in this project. Ho Director doesn’t even let the staff in charge talk to each other.”

The Assistant Manager swallowed hard.

“I think… pulling me in here happened because I submitted my leave application. It’s easier to work on a project without being noticed by others, so they offered me.”

“…So that’s why you were hiding?”

“Right. They asked for it.”

So it was that Eun Ha-je had sneaked into her staff quarters quietly.

“I was worried you might get caught by your roommate.”

“Don’t worry about that. They’re not in the staff quarters.”

“Oh, is that so? Damn it, I wasted my efforts for nothing.”

Baek Sa-heon had cleverly applied for leave on January 1st. He’s not in that house right now.

“Anyway, I really can’t say anything more. Just remember this.”

And truly, Eun Ha-je didn’t answer any of my follow-up questions (like why I need a wish, what work is being done, how I was approached).

She simply said,

“I’ve been making a living digging into crazy people’s business. What’s new?”

There’s a crucial difference between being human and this being a horror story, Assistant Manager…!

“Just take care of yourself, okay?”

Eun Ha-je soon wore a bitter smile.

“Doe, don’t concern yourself too much with others. Even outside this company, not many roads tire you out like that in society.”

“……”

“It’s funny for someone like me who benefited from your concern to say this, but it’s not something I’m saying for no reason.”

“No, it’s not funny at all. …Thank you.”

“…Haha, you’re still the same.”

As she left the annex, she emphasized several times to mind my own business and take care of myself.

“Thanks again, and remember. January 2nd.”

And just like that, she vanished in front of the annex.

“……”

Director Ho’s project team.

‘It already feels dangerous just hearing about it.’

I can’t afford to worry about it right now, but I should remember this.

-Anyway, I’ve gathered quite a few interesting statements! January 2nd, the whirlwind of conspiracy surrounding Doe…

-So, how about it, Friend? A fun plan to avoid a death sentence? Of course, remember your Good Friend Brown is always by your side in times of trouble.

“Yeah. Thanks.”

-Not at all!

Thus, I had my first plan for the new year.

To find a way to escape from the darkness I’d enter on January 2nd.

And this plan was successfully realized during the entire new year holiday…

The normal workday was approaching.

January 2nd.

As soon as I reported to work, I was assigned a new dark exploration mission.

But, ‘only for me.’

“…So, the Team Leader will have an executive meeting this afternoon and has to ‘unavoidably’ be absent?”

“Yes.”

“Am I really going into the darkness alone…?”

“No. To comply with the manual for a three-person team, two supporting staff members will be assigned for the afternoon.”

Yes, I suspected that.

And at this point, I wondered if Gwak Je-gang was trying to play tricks.

‘Is he trying to push off the weird staff?’

The villain of group projects always drives situations to the worst possible outcome…

‘I should be prepared.’

But things took a strange turn.

First, just before my dark assignment on January 2nd, the announcement was made first.

It was for the reorganization of the elite team from Group D.

[Field Exploration Team Reorganization Notice]

Director Cheong’s groundbreaking proposal has finally surfaced.

And the rumors surrounding this situation revealed that they were really forming the ‘elite team from Group D,’ causing quite a stir among the Field Exploration Team.

Moreover, one remaining position in the elite team Group D allows a regular employee to work for a limited time with elite team treatment!

Those who wanted to inquire about this personnel finally found the person with the lowest rank and the least experience among the related parties!

Yep.

That person was me.

“……”

Bzzzt, bzzzt, bzzzzzt!

[Hello, Chief! Congratulations on becoming an elite team member! Can I ask you a few questions related to this….]

[It’s the first time I’m contacting you like this since we’ve only met in the group chat. Speaking of which, the remaining position in the elite team….]

‘This is really burdensome….’

I already received seven messages.

I wish they’d think logically. How could a mere Chief have any power in personnel matters…?

-Hmm? Friend, didn’t you have the opportunity to choose your fellow employees to work with? I can vividly remember the moment you received an interesting proposal!

That was… a bus that had already left…

Having rejected the poisoned apple, it was now someone else’s business.

‘In any case, I have no authority.’

I spent the morning drafting a polite response that roughly translated to ‘What power do I have? I’m also in the same boat.’

Still, thanks to that, I realized something.

‘I can’t just send this exploration off easily, can I?’

Today, the new dark exploration itself held some peculiar significance.

The first trial operation of the elite team Group D!

With all the staff of the Field Exploration Team watching, I couldn’t just stick any random people with me.

Otherwise, it would mess up the image of a successful launch of the new elite group.

‘I doubt Gwak Je-gang will get up to any tricks.’

I wondered, ‘Who could be the two accompanying staff members?’

And then, at 2 PM.

“Oh, I’m counting on you, Chief Doe!”

I nearly broke into a cold sweat seeing the bright voice of the staff member who entered through the door of the Group D office.

It’s Chief Dolphin from Group C.

Elite team!

“Oh, who’s the other staff member? I’m curious!”

“…Yes. I’m really curious too.”

A sudden ominous feeling began to creep in.

And 10 minutes later.

At the exact scheduled time, the door opened once more, and that feeling became reality…

“Both of you seem to have a concept of time.”

With a powerful stride, in came a sharp-dressed individual, hair tied high, and adorned with a flamboyant butterfly mask.

It was Assistant Manager Jin Na-sol from Group A.

‘Oh my god.’

They put two elite team members together!!

Moreover, having seen this competent and achievement-driven superior after a long time left me dazed, but just when I was about to bow my head and greet her.

“Assistant Manager, it’s been a while.”

“Yeah. I heard you shot down Ho Director’s proposal.”

“……”

“Even with such a foolish choice, you ended up in the elite team? It’d be a lot easier if everyone were as competent as you. At least today, I won’t have to see anyone whining.”

…Yes.

I’m really glad to see you too, Assistant Manager….

“Thank you for the compliment.”

I barely managed to respond.

I felt like I was going to lose my mind.

But my mouth was diligently engaging in polite society.

“What’s going on? This exploration is out of town, isn’t it? How annoying.”

“Yes. But the company is generously supporting transportation costs.”

Right.

This C-grade horror story involves having to go all the way to Mokpo to deal with it.

‘Finally, an out-of-town business trip.’

In fact, urban legends tend to arise in areas where a lot of people live. The high occurrence in the metropolitan area did not violate the coherence of the world setting.

‘Still, it’s kind of strange that up until now, I’ve only been doing dark explorations around Seoul…’

Anyway, I left the company and moved while keeping an eye on both elite team senior members.

The Dolphin Chief even struck up a friendly conversation.

“You haven’t moved to the upper floor yet! You’ll do that soon, right? It’s nice for the elite team to have personal offices; it respects privacy too!”

“Yes. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Oh, feel free to speak casually! We’re the same rank.”

“Even so, you’re a senior. I may cause inconvenience since there’s much I don’t know, so I can’t just do that right away. I’ll maintain my courtesy.”

“Wow. You’re really polite!”

Seeing Chief Dolphin giving a thumbs up eased my tension a little.

Yeah. They seemed like a decent person.

‘Let’s attempt some small talk.’

With a friendly smile, I casually brought up a topic about someone else.

The person from Group C who nearly fainted upon seeing a hand on her back!

“How’s Assistant Manager Leopard doing?”

“Oh, he’s dead.”

“……”

“He got what he deserved after being abusive to the staff from the closing team. It’s kind of a shame to waste points!”

“I see. May his soul rest in peace.”

This person is definitely not of normal sensibility.

‘Help me.’

Finally, we arrived at the express train station.

Shaking with internal dread, I sat extremely politely next to Chief Dolphin on the train.

And I began to show all my respect towards the senior who became a part of the elite team….

‘Don’t act out and be labeled as a bad person!’

Let’s not get identified as someone with bad character…!

…By the way, Assistant Manager Jin Na-sol sitting in front of us……

“Don’t talk to me. I’m going to sleep.”

“…Yes.”

I appreciated her response……

-Oh, what a colorful set of companions you have!

Yeah….

And what that means is.

‘The two most capable non-executive staff at the company have become my companions.’

Let me reiterate.

In the current situation, the two most competent and skilled employee-level members will be sitting right next to me, keeping tabs on everything I do…!

‘Assistant Manager, how the heck am I going to escape the darkness between these two!’

Cold sweat broke out. My meticulously laid plan was full of holes.

‘Who would have thought they’d pair two elite members together?’

In fact, I had simulated the possibility of a troll much more.

I maintained a calm facade while desperately brainstorming to quickly add a Plan B.

‘In the worst-case scenario….’

I’ll say I’m going to the restroom and escape.

While it felt so shameful just thinking about it, my life is more important.

And later, I can state that I was ‘accidentally’ caught up in another darkness and just got out.

‘I can look for a suitable darkness on the wiki, and if I find an easy horror story that matches the level, clear it, and it should be plausible.’

This was a plan viable due to the out-of-town trip.

‘Alright, good.’

I should be able to navigate this well.

I finally exhaled in relief, feeling the plausibility of the plan, and then I looked at the train’s display board showing the travel destination.

Come to think of it, this feels like my first time going to Mokpo…

…….

Huh?

The ads in the train compartment suddenly changed the destination text, and in the next moment…

It changed.

“……!!”

I sprang to my feet.

“Eh? What’s wrong, Chief… oh? The display board?”

“Yes. We need to get off right away….”

……

No.

No, you must already know.

‘It’s too late.’

This means… once you board the train and take a seat, it’s over the moment the destination shifts.

From then on, there’s no getting off.

“……”

It comes back to me.

-That is the longest document recorded in the Human Error incidents within the Disaster Management Bureau, also noted as a short story in the wiki.

What this is about.

-That, precisely because of the ‘inner sick heart,’ there was a catastrophe, only once.

That train accident.

A horrific horror story I know all too well.

The one where only a single survivor was left from the Daydream Corporation’s insane express train.

‘…Ah.’

I came to understand.

Today, January 2nd, when my death was scheduled.

‘A C-grade darkness was not the issue.’

The threat prepared for me was not the darkness of the assigned local business trip, well defined by the company and equipped with manual.

‘It’s this train.’

The train, simply a means of transportation to that destination.

“……”

I looked out the window.

Instead of the outside, the display board shone back at me.

With a roar, the train began to depart.