Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work-Chapter 134
The bizarre mart just before closing time.
The store was darkening as the lights turned off.
Na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na~
The high school student whose mouth I was covering was breathing heavily, and the vibration of their breath resonated through my hand.
The tension gripped my entire body.
Beyond the noise of the cheerful music and the vibrations, I could hear a faint scraping sound in the distance, scraping at my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.
Screeeeeeech.
The sound of a metal door opening.
And if it’s a metal door in this mart, not a glass one...
‘…That’s the staff area door.’
That was the sound of employees coming out.
‘Ha.’
Suppressing the groan rising in my throat, I turned my head slightly to peek out from behind the shelf.
Shuffle, shuffle.
Figures wearing mart uniforms began to appear in the dark interior of the store, one by one.
They looked like crude imitations of humans, as if someone had tried to mimic a human shape using balloons.
[LOOKY MART]
The logo of “Looky Mart,” a poor imitation of Lucky Mart, glowed faintly on their chests and hats before fading back into darkness.
In that moment:
“Let’s hurry up and leave. They said they’re closing.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
A couple of past shoppers walked by the shelf next to us, heading toward the checkout counters.
“…!”
They were a few lingering shoppers from the past, unaware of their surroundings.
One of the “employees” shuffled into the liquor aisle and lightly bumped into one of them.
Thud.
“Oh, sorry about that.”
The employee’s head turned.
“Welcome to Looky Mart!”
“Let’s just go.”
“Thank you for shopping with us!”
The shoppers didn’t seem to notice anything unusual.
They walked past the employee and continued toward the checkout counters.
The high school student whose mouth I was covering was breathing rapidly, the vibration trembling against my hand.
“Please come again, valued customer!”
The employee, its head still turned, creaked as it stepped out of the liquor aisle.
It shuffled along the corridor, taking strange, uneven steps…
…right past the snack aisle.
The very shelf where we were crouched, hiding.
Creak, creak.
“…….”
“…….”
The grotesque sound of balloons rubbing together filled the air.
The four of us flattened ourselves against the floor, holding our breaths.
Creak, creak.
The sound gradually faded into the distance.
“…….”
‘Ha.’
Tap-tap!
The high school student tapped the hand I had over their mouth.
Tears streamed down their face, but they stayed quiet.
“You’re not going to scream, right?”
They nodded silently.
When I removed my hand, the student gasped and whispered hurriedly.
“Those weird employees… you’re not supposed to let them see you, right? That’s what the manual said….”
Exactly.
After closing hours, Looky Mart employees mimic normal behavior but act bizarrely.
If one employee sees you, every employee on that floor will chase you.
In a post-closing Looky Mart, surviving meant moving like you were in a survival horror game.
But how could I guarantee safety while dragging along two clueless teenagers?
‘No way the equipment I got was meant for this kind of situation.’
It felt like they’d given me gear assuming we’d leave during store hours.
Sure, the Disaster Management Bureau had some contingencies, but there were far too many variables to account for.
‘Damn it.’
A drop of cold sweat slid down my jaw.
Were we supposed to wait this out? What was the Bronze Agent planning? Was he thinking of hiding for now?
Wait!
‘Is he planning to take down the employee?’
The Bronze Agent was gripping a pistol, staring intently at the back of the departing employee.
It seemed he’d mapped out our escape route and decided that employee was in the way.
Should I help him take it down?
If Brown were here, I’d ask him to dim the lights. But without that option, my thoughts spun uselessly as I bit my tongue.
‘Think, think….’
I desperately racked my brain, combing through my memories of the Darkness Exploration Records.
When Looky Mart closes…
Wait, no.
[20:25]
“Agent…!”
I crawled over to the Bronze Agent and whispered urgently.
“There are still five minutes until closing. The store isn’t completely shut yet!”
“…!”
“The doors should still be open.”
We could leave right now!
The Bronze Agent glanced toward the checkout area on the basement floor. He confirmed that the escalators beyond the counter were still running and quickly made his decision.
“We’re moving out now.”
He grabbed the high schooler clinging to him and began to move swiftly.
“…!”
That’s right. Each of us needed to take one.
I turned to the other student whose mouth I had been covering.
They shook their head frantically.
“I-I’ll run on my own! I’m faster than them!”
“…….”
Should I have made myself look more trustworthy? No, now wasn’t the time for that!
Making sure they didn’t fall behind, I ran alongside the student, herding them forward.
We dashed past the empty checkout counters, cutting through the lingering shoppers on the escalators as we rushed toward the exit just before closing.
And at the first-floor entrance…
“…….”
This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.
Something was standing by the door.
It looked like it had once been a cardboard cutout.
A life-size promotional stand of Lucky Mart’s founder, a stereotypical middle-aged white man with blond hair, a trustworthy smile, and a thumbs-up gesture.
But now...
It was alive.
-Mmph!! Hrrrrmph! Mmmph! Hrrrmph!
A human figure, forcibly pressed flat into the shape of a standee, looked like a corpse crushed by an industrial press, now somehow alive and moving.
Though it smiled, its eyeballs still rolled in their sockets, tears and saliva streaming down its face.
It was looking at us.
…No, it was aware of us.
Its frantic gaze seemed to plead for rescue—or perhaps to maliciously pass on its suffering—as it vibrated violently, its flat frame shaking uncontrollably.
What the hell!
“Eek.”
“Quiet.”
Ahead of me, I could see the Bronze Agent calming the high schooler he was escorting.
How convenient it is to label things as “ghosts.” You could sum up that grotesque horror in a single word.
‘This is insane.’
Still, I had to “block” its line of sight.
‘But first….’
I needed to create a diversion.
Suppressing a groan, I grabbed the shoulder of the high schooler I was responsible for.
“You read the manual, right? We need to steal something. You’ll have to do it yourself.”
Before blocking the exit ghost’s line of sight, you must first trick it into mistaking you for a shopper.
Steal an item that a shopper has already paid for and keep it with you.
Avoid creating any disturbance while doing so.
“But what if we get caught…?”
“As long as you take something they won’t immediately notice is missing, it’ll be fine.”
I glanced toward the entrance.
There weren’t many people left, but due to the store closing announcement, the remaining shoppers were all rushing to finish their transactions or leave the building.
‘If we blend into that crowd, the ghost’s sight might be blocked naturally.’
Of course, I wasn’t about to gamble on that.
“Fishing line.”
“Yes.”
I immediately retrieved one of the items I’d been given: a spool of fishing line with a small, red goldfish-shaped lure attached to the end.
======================
Darkness Exploration Records / Disaster Management Bureau / Items
Bait Play
An item with a transparent fishing line and a red lure at the end.When used, it can attract the attention of supernatural entities ranked Breakdown-Level or lower.The stronger or closer the entity is to its source, the weaker the item’s effect becomes.Usage Conditions: Available only to Disaster Management Bureau employees ranked 7 or higher or those with special permission.
======================
The plan was simple: as soon as we stole the item, I’d use the lure to distract the standee ghost and create an opening for everyone to escape.
The Bronze Agent unspooled the fishing line, preparing it as he gave me a subtle nod.
“Start stealing.”
I nodded back and turned to the two high schoolers.
“We… we can’t do it….”
“Listen, kids. That thing can’t see us yet. As long as you don’t take anything too obvious, it’ll be fine.”
People rarely notice if items disappear from bags or boxes they’ve already packed.
‘We need something small and ordinary. Something essential but unremarkable. Something they wouldn’t use or eat immediately.’
I approached a shopper sitting on a bench near the entrance.
The shopper seemed to be waiting for someone, with a shopping bag resting on their lap, their eyes momentarily closed.
I carefully observed the eco-friendly shopping bag.
‘Perfect.’
I reached in cautiously and pulled out… a pack of dental floss.
“There are a few more inside.”
“…!”
“I already loosened the top layer, so you can easily grab it without making a mess. Just be gentle.”
“…….”
The high schooler swallowed nervously, their face pale, before tentatively extending a hand toward the bag.
They succeeded in grabbing the pack of floss I had prepared.
“I… I got it!”
“Good job!”
The high schooler, now holding the floss, stepped back with a flushed, triumphant face.
The two of us then turned to look at the other high schooler, who was still clinging to the Bronze Agent.
“…….”
Eventually, they approached hesitantly, their expression filled with anxiety.
“Take it easy, okay….”
“I know, okay?! Just stop talking!”
“…….”
They were nearly in a state of panic.
Closing their eyes tightly, they reached out quickly, grabbed another pack of floss, and pulled it out.
“It’s done….”
They smiled brightly as they yanked their hand back.
Wait, pulling it out too forcefully like that—
Thud.
The student’s hand brushed against the shopper’s cheek.
“Ahh! What the hell?!”
“…!!”
The shopper, startled, fell backward off their chair.
“Huh? What’s going on?”
The high schooler, equally panicked, reflexively grabbed the eco-bag.
“Mom, are you okay?! What… what is this?!”
Another shopper, who seemed to be part of their group, ran over to help but froze in shock when they saw the bag floating in mid-air, clutched by the high schooler.
‘Damn it!’
I yanked the high schooler backward, causing the bag to drop to the floor, spilling its contents everywhere.
The bag’s owner screamed.
“There was someone here, but now they’re gone!”
The surrounding shoppers began to murmur in confusion.
“What are you talking about? You must’ve imagined it….”
“No, Dad! The bag moved on its own!”
“A boy was holding my bag! He was right there! What the hell?!”
Shoppers usually cannot perceive you.
However, if physical contact occurs, they may become aware of your presence.
If communication is possible, you may attempt certain methods to seek their help in escaping.
If I stopped reading there, it sounded hopeful. But…
If the shopper feels discomfort or falls into panic after seeing you, leave the area immediately.
“Run.”
The employees are coming.
The Bronze Agent and I simultaneously pushed the high schoolers toward the opposite side of the entrance, yelling for them to run.
…From the escalators, the checkout counter, and even the restrooms, figures began to emerge, shuffling toward us.
Creak, creak.
The sound grew louder.
Creak, creak, creak, creak, creak, creak, creak.
The eerie noise of balloons rubbing together echoed madly behind us.
More and more figures joined the chase.
We instinctively sprinted toward the store’s wide, maze-like interior, weaving through the shelves and displays.
‘Damn it.’
I glanced at my watch.
[20:29]
It was over.
The store was about to close.
‘We have to hide.’
Abandoning the entrance was our only option now.
Before the store fully closed, before all the shoppers vanished and the number of employees multiplied, we had to lose them within the next 60 seconds.
But hiding four people at once?
‘This is impossible.’
I made eye contact with the Bronze Agent.
He glanced upward briefly before nodding and darting away, one of the high schoolers in tow.
“Ah…!”
“This way.”
I grabbed the remaining high schooler and started moving.
We ran as fast as we could, the bizarre creaking sound still chasing us, though it was fading slightly.
‘They’re going after the Bronze Agent more.’
It seemed intentional—he had drawn their attention. I didn’t have time to think or worry; I just accepted the opportunity and ran.
Through shelves of vacuums, cosmetics, dishes, cleaning products, and bleach…
…until I came face to face with another employee.
‘Shit.’
Creak, creak.
The employee lunged at us. I immediately changed direction, dragging the high schooler along.
“Ah… ahh!”
The student was gasping for air, and my lungs burned with every breath.
But the massive store seemed endless, a labyrinth of shelves and employees popping out of every corner.
‘Damn it!’
Creak, creak, creak, creak.
I turned corner after corner.
‘This isn’t working.’
I needed a place to hide, somewhere we could fit without preparation.
And then, as we turned the next corner…
[Blenders 50% Off]
A mobile display cart.
‘I found it.’
I shoved the high schooler under the massive mobile display cart stacked with blenders. Then, I slid in after them, squeezing myself into the tight space.
Finally, I held my breath.
