Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work

No matter what, being handed over to the Disaster Management Bureau was better. If he went to Director Ho, who knew what would happen.

How entertaining would it be? You disguise one spy as a cryptid and send him in, only for another spy who’s become fully contaminated as a ghost-story resident to run straight to back him.

Even if Director Ho wasn’t malicious enough to enjoy it, there was another problem.

‘We’ve lost a spy.’

If I showed too much leniency and suffered a loss, Director Ho’s anger might fall on poor Jang Heowoon as well.

Who knew how he’d be punished, but I had a bad feeling it wouldn’t be humane.

‘But would Jang Heowoon recover if he’s sent to the Disaster Management Bureau?’

He’d gone undercover as a spy, but no one could predict what would happen next.

A fierce debate played out in my mind.

Alright

“…! Good. Then as payment—”

Wait.

For the safety and wage guarantee

Of the dispatched worker

Drafting a contract takes priority

“……”

After a long discussion with the Team Leader, we drew up a contract and exchanged copies.

And so, Jang Heowoon’s affiliation was transferred.

“My place of employment has changed! I’ll be in your care from now on, Agent!”

He gave me a polite farewell, “I’ll return after this assignment,” then followed the agent without hesitation.

‘Don’t come back.’

I sincerely hoped the bureau could find a way to restore Jang Heowoon to his original self.

Or at least…

‘…Let him be able to keep up the act as a spy for Director Ho’s sake.’

…Then I could use a Wish Ticket for him.

With that wish, I’d be able to restore Jang Heowoon to his living self, before he became an employee.

‘It’s worth trying…’

I quietly clenched my fist.

And… as I checked on Ladybug, I held back a sigh.

“Yes. I’ll prepare for the workplace transfer!”

Honestly, this guy… I can’t save another wish ticket for him, and the state he’s in is honestly his own fault, so I just can’t help him.

‘Still, I’ll at least transfer custody of him to Daydream Inc.’

That’s the right thing to do.

If I could take him out, I had to take him out no matter what.

“Have you finished up?”

After that, I wrapped up the handover and information sharing with the lodge keeper.

About the resort’s operation policies, profit distribution, and also—

“I’ve confirmed the unique implementation method you included in the contract.”

—about the inventory function of the tattoo as well.

“Once you clear out the temporary space you were using, I’ll have a new one set up at the resort. From now on, you’ll be able to send instructions to your domain easily through that gap.”

It seemed this tattoo would now serve as a strange new communication channel.

‘An upgrade again, huh.’

Finally, I asked the lodge keeper for the most basic information for communication.

Name.

Tell me your name

“Address me however you wish.”

What do you want to be called

“In that case, I ask that you call me ‘Resort Manager’.”

I nodded.

The person who was no longer the lodge keeper but would now be called Manager bowed to me, and I turned to head toward the Blue Mascot waiting at the gate.

The Blue Mascot, apparently eavesdropping on my conversation with the manager, desperately began to speak.

Now, Here

Our Home

Huu.

I shook my head.

The Blue Mascot looked shocked.

Why?

Bad Mascot

I Ate It

As if trying to convince me, the blue dragon waved both their front paws.

It’s Gone Now

It’s Safe

I shook my head as politely as I could.

And I formed a message out of smoke.

There is work I must do

My duty

The Blue Mascot’s shoulders drooped, but in the end, they seemed to accept it. Perhaps because I was still the recognized owner of this theme park zone, they seemed reassured that I would be back eventually.

Wait

Instead, they hurriedly used one of their other bodies to fetch something.

Then, just like how they had previously tossed churros and snacks to me, they carefully tossed something to me from the other side of the gate.

Take This

Reflexively, I held out both hands and caught it.

A scale.

A black and blue scale reflected a strange rainbow sheen in the sunlight, then waves of blue shimmered from inside.

You

Can Call Me

‘…!’

…Wait, could this scale be a piece of its original form from inside the mascot suit?

‘Can I really summon that? Is it okay to call them?’

At any rate, it was certainly something incredibly powerful, so I nodded and accepted the scale.

The Blue Mascot quietly watched me, and I shook hands with the mascot.

Then, they reached over the gate and pulled me into a tight hug.

‘Thank goodness I was treated as an employee.’

…And thank goodness I was wearing the Security Team suit.

“Shall we head back now?”

I nodded gladly.

With Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s help, I supported the limping Supervisor Lee Seonghae to the gift shop, then we all made our way to the exit gate.

One of the Fantasy Land exits had already changed to display the symbols of the Yellow Zone.

Looking up at it, Supervisor Lee Seonghae muttered,

“Hmm. If you come in through the board game now, won’t you always end up here? Usually when things get this entangled… it feels like it becomes ‘linked’ or something.”

It was a plausible theory.

But for now, escape was the priority, and I… really, really needed some rest.

‘Let’s go.’

One by one, we scanned our used tickets at the gate.

Beep.

And we all stepped out together.

Bye Bye

From behind us, I thought I faintly heard the now-familiar voice of the Blue Mascot…

The next moment—

“Huuu!”

We all opened our eyes, sitting on chairs inside Daydream Inc.’s Research Team office.

We had finally escaped after six whole days.