Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work

Chapter 18.2

At the same time, in the office of Research Team 1.

‘They cleared it again in just over an hour…’

One researcher, who had been slacking off while reviewing Team D’s records, gritted his teeth.

‘How many points have they earned so far? 5,000P?’

At this rate, within a few years, they might break the record for fastest Wish Ticket acquisition…

“……”

“Lucky you, huh?”

The researcher muttered bitterly.

“Some of us are stuck in the lab, facing all sorts of horrors, and we can barely scrape together 500 points a month without hazard pay.”

“Meanwhile, a newbie racks up 50,000 points in a month…”

“Hey, cut it out.”

The researcher clammed up.

The fact that he couldn’t even complain about the situation made him even more frustrated inside.

Something wasn’t right.

‘Some people get lucky and pick the best equipment, making points easily.’

Meanwhile, others don’t even have access to those kinds of points or privileges, not even in their wildest dreams.

‘The Field Exploration Team should be below research positions. We’re the elite, and we should be treated better—this isn’t fair.’

It was truly unfair.

That thought was genuine.

Of course, he conveniently forgot that he had often mocked the Field Exploration Team employees, calling them ‘lab rats’.

“Well, sometimes things just fall into place during ghost explorations. That’s how it goes.”

Section Chief Kwak Jaekang commented with a smile, throwing a casual remark toward the researcher.

“Though, I admit, this case is something else.”

“……”

Ignoring the researcher’s sour expression, Kwak Jaekang flicked through the documents.

“Oh, and I hear this ghost story requires more than 10 people to enter?”

“……”

“Supervisor Lee?”

“Ah, yes. That’s correct. You need ten people to enter the ghost story.”

“Hmm.”

With a smile, Kwak Jaekang picked up a pen.

“Looks like this will be a team effort, then.”

– Assigned : Squads A, D & Y

“……”

The researcher watched as Kwak Jaekang pulled out the roster and marked the squads.

And then it happened.

“Supervisor Lee.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know what the alphabetical order of the Field Exploration Teams means?”

He did not.

Since he was just doing his job on autopilot and keeping his head down, there was no way he would be well-versed in the organizational structure of other departments.

Kwak Jaekang laughed and casually tapped the documents. It was a strange kind of laughter.

“In a word, it’s ranked by performance.”

“……!”

“You know how schools have honors classes, regular classes, and remedial classes?”

The researcher suddenly realized something.

“Then… is D-squad an honors class?”

“No.”

A firm denial came back.

“A to C. Those are the elites.”

Kwak Jaekang tapped his pen on the corresponding teams.

“The rest are just expendables.”

“…Ah.”

For a brief moment, the researcher felt a little better.

“But you know, just between us… D-squad’s performance has been so good lately that there’s some talk about a big promotion during the next assignment cycle. Haha.”

“……!”

As with any corporate gossip, such overly bold statements were usually not reliable rumors.

Still, the researcher felt a bit anxious.

‘Is there any bad news?’

As if on cue, Kwak Jaekang mumbled something in a seemingly regretful tone.

“But man, what bad timing. They’re entering together with A-squad…”

“……! Is it bad to go in with the elite team?”

“Well, of course. You know why, right?”

Kwak Jaekang stroked his chin.

“There are times when a sacrifice is needed to open an escape route in certain ghost stories.”

Especially…

In those that require large teams.

Kwak Jaekang shrugged.

“This exploration is going to give us plenty to talk about.”

A few days later.

Just like the past month, D-squad received a call and headed up to the 17th floor. There, they were met with an unexpected sight.

“Hello.”

“……?!”

There were other visitors in Research Team 1’s office.

People wearing various masks.

‘Are they from another squad in the Field Exploration Team?’

I quickly counted the heads.

There were about seven of them.

Among them was someone I recognized.

– Can it bring the dead back to life?

It was the same new hire who had asked about the Wish Ticket at the orientation.

That one wearing a cow mask was quietly standing with his head bowed, leaning against a desk. There was a slightly gloomy aura around him.

His hair was long, especially for a man, to the point where you might expect the company to give him a hard time about it.

Of course, it didn’t seem like anyone in this room cared about such things.

“Oh.”

“This… Ahem…”

As D-squad’s seniors reacted to the people filling the office space, with some mixture of admiration and sighs…

“Oh, D-squad is finally here! Come in, come in~ Let’s start the briefing.”

Kwak Jaekang appeared and began leading everyone into the attached meeting room.

As we walked, I overheard Assistant Manager Eun asking a question.

“Are we going in together with the other teams?”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

“……”

Assistant Manager Eun glanced around, then quietly walked over to me and whispered low enough that others couldn’t hear.

“See those employees with the gold-marked masks?”

“Yes.”

“That’s the A-squad.”

I knew.

‘They’re the elite team.’

In Daydream Inc., the company could only function if someone cleared the ghost stories and extracted the resources.

‘To avoid a plot hole where the company collapses, there has to be a group of people inhumanly good at their job…’

That’s why A-squad was known for having so many notable figures in the <Dark Exploration Records>. I gave a small nod.