Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 194.2
“I trust you already know how outrageously rude and inappropriate your actions just now were.”
My eyelids trembled.
“From the start… no one else got caught, so I don’t see how you can claim this wasn’t entirely your own fault.”
A cold wave of dread ran down my spine.
“Excuses are free, but attacking your superior just because your opinion wasn’t accepted was too much… If I were to guess why you went that far.”
“……”
“Did you get attached?”
Cold sweat trickled down my chin.
“Did you get scared of having a fellow agent you worked with die? It seems you’re the type to form precious attachments even in unfamiliar places.”
“Director.”I replied as calmly as I could.
“For a human being, it’s only natural to be afraid of another person dying.”
“……”
“If you were offended by my rebuttal, I apologize.”
“Oh, not at all! I’m not offended. You’re absolutely right.”
Director Ho smiled again.
“But rules are rules.”
“……”
“Would you hold out your hand? You’ll need to accept your punishment.”
……
Slowly, I extended both hands, just barely keeping them from trembling, palms up.
– Man.
Ripples spread.
But unlike the subtle secret binding from before, this was not gentle.
A massive, deep indentation brought a bizarre pain and a twisted sensation to the back of my hand.
“…!”
I clenched my teeth, sweating coldly. Don’t move. If I move…
– You shall die in one month.
…!
– However, if you fulfill your promise with ■■■, this duty shall be revoked.
– Any attempt to avoid this shall result in punishment.
I bit back a scream.
As the ripples faded from the back of my hand, the bizarre sensation and pain slowly disappeared…
“I was worried you might be lying to stall for time. So this time, as you said, I made sure not to be naive!”
Director Ho beamed.
“Thank you for letting me know.”
“……”
I drew my hands back.
For a moment, I met Agent Choi’s trembling gaze.
“Ah. I should get going now.”
“……”
“I only meant to wrap things up quickly, but I didn’t expect such a long chat with you, Soleum-nim.”
“It… didn’t feel like a conversation at all……”
……!!
“You just said… you’ll kill him in a month…”
Sergeant!
‘Don’t say anything, please!’
For the first time, Director Ho seemed to acknowledge the sergeant’s presence and looked at him.
Then… he smiled and spoke.
“Give Director Cheong my regards.”
……!
It was as if Director Ho hadn’t even heard what the sergeant said. He just turned his head back, smiling at me.
“Well then, have a good night, Soleum-nim!”
And with that.
Director Ho disappeared from the driver’s seat.
“……”
“……”
“Director Cheong… will be impossible to meet… Ah, he’s gone.”
I’m alive.
I nearly collapsed onto the taxi floor.
But realizing I was already sitting, I forced my trembling body to move.
The bleeding on Agent Choi’s face was now severe.
I opened up the medical supplies I’d confiscated from Agent Choi and began administering first aid.
“……”
The bleeding on his face stopped, and after some work, he started to stabilize.
Agent Choi didn’t resist.
But he still didn’t speak.
“Agent.”
He just turned his eyes to look at me.
“Don’t think about it.”
“Think about what?”
“Any way to break the binding Director placed on you. Don’t even try to come up with ideas.”
“……”
The first binding Director Ho recited had already been applied to Agent Choi.
Now he could no longer transmit any information about me being a spy, or about what happened today.
He would have to live tomorrow as if nothing had changed from yesterday.
If not.
“You’ll be punished.”
“Punished.”
“Yes.”
I looked up and spoke clearly.
“Whatever is most precious to you will end up meeting the director.”
“……”
Agent Choi quietly took his own medical kit from my hand and continued the first aid himself.
He moved with the practiced skill of someone who’s done this kind of work for a long time.
And then…
“…He’s a director, you said.”
I didn’t answer.
“What kind of binding did the director put on you?”
“……”
“Right now it sounds like he said he’d kill you in a month if you can’t pull off this spy job properly. What did he do to you before?”
I opened the car door.
And nodded my chin toward it.
“Go home.”
“How do you plan to get the information?”
“That’s none of your concern.”
Agent Choi looked at me with an unreadable expression.
“If you tell me what kind of information it is, maybe I can help.”
“That’s not necessary. I’m not going to ask you to steal anything.”
“So what’s the wish you’re trying to fulfill?”
I couldn’t hold it back.
“I just want to go back home.”
“……!”
“…I’ll leave your gear in the trunk.”
I got out of the car with the sergeant.
Then I took all of Agent Choi’s equipment and placed it in the trunk, leaving one low-grade Daydream Inc. regeneration potion with it.
I had no idea what kind of talk he’d have to endure showing up to work tomorrow with his face like that.
…While I did that, Agent Choi did not get out of the car.
Click.
I closed the trunk roughly and walked away with the sergeant.
…Somewhere.
“……”
“Um… Are you okay…?”
“…Yes.”
The worst was avoided.
Certainly, I’d managed to get through this situation.
One month.
That was enough. I could do it. I have a plan…
I could do it.
“Mm……”
The sergeant spoke in his slow voice.
“Um, if it really gets impossible… come find me…”
“…Thank you.”
Even just the words were a comfort.
I finally pulled myself together.
“Ah, I’m sorry. You always help me out, and I should treat you to something.”
Wasn’t there a bakery nearby? Even if not donuts, I wanted to buy him something, but the sergeant slowly shook his head.
“Mm. Next time… at a good restaurant…”
“…Yes. Next time. For sure.”
A faint laugh escaped me.
…I felt a little lighter.
“Um… and the information I found out…?”
“I’ll hear that next time, too.”
I’m at my limit.
I barely managed a faint smile as I saw the sergeant off.
He looked back at me several times, but in the end, he needed to head back to Daydream Inc. before sundown…
“……”
– Huu, that was suffocating suspense!
I bowed my head.
I looked at the plush doll on my chest.
– Now that your journey has entered a new phase, I can’t wait to see where it will lead next. Don’t you think so, Friend?
……
“Think what you want.”
And I took the plush out of my jacket.
For a split second, I felt the urge to throw it onto the main road, but I just stuffed it back in my jacket pocket.
At least I wouldn’t have to hear his voice. At least not today.
“……”
I returned to the old motel I’d been renting for the long term.
And five hours later, I reported for work at the Disaster Management Bureau.
As if nothing had changed.
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