Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work-Chapter 114

The method of deceit resembles a form of unethical marketing.

Gain trust.“Did he really fix the guy with glasses? That guy looked totally out of it.”

“Yeah! And now he’s fine. Plus, that guy himself fell out of the window and is still okay. He even saw something down there!”

“Wow... uh, sir, are you really okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. And that person is now at peace too.”

Present the problem and its cause.“So... you’re saying this is some kind of test? Like, if we pass, we can leave?”

“Yes. I’m confident we can get out.”

“Ah...!”

“Wait, is this like one of those hunter scenarios? Like, we’re supposed to awaken or something...?”

“Exactly! It feels like that. There’s no way we’re in this insane situation for no reason!”

“Right. There must be a reason.”

After stirring up the atmosphere like this...

“And for us to escape this situation...”

Sell a magical solution.In unethical marketing, that “solution” is the product being pushed. In a cult, it’s the doctrine.

And the method I proposed was...

“Everyone needs to go outside the window once.”

“...!!”

“W-What did you say?!”

“Don’t be alarmed, everyone.”

I smiled and gestured toward myself.

And toward the bespectacled office worker who had been calmed with the Happy Maker.

“Those who accept my suggestion and go outside will be just fine, like me. This is a kind of test.”

“Ah...!”

“If you’re unsure, well... I can try to persuade you further. Or I could jump out again myself.”

At that moment, the announcement video started playing once more.

“Those who wish to arrive in Tamna must offer sacrifices. Those who wish to arrive in Tamna must offer sacrifices. Those who wish to arrive in Tamna must offer sacrifices...”

The message repeated endlessly, drumming into everyone’s ears.

“Uh...!”

This time, however, the atmosphere was slightly different.

At least in Car 7, where people had been listening to my pitch, there was a shift. They began glancing at the windows and murmuring among themselves.

“Does that mean it’s actually okay to go out there?”

It wasn’t just panic or fear anymore—there was now curiosity and a glimmer of hope.

-Ah, how delightful. Truly delightful... such excellent showmanship, Noru.

-But every great and impressive entertainer must be challenged. Ah, look, here comes one now!

Thud!

“What kind of BS is this, you son of a b****?!”

The outburst came from a flushed-faced middle-aged man who slammed his chair’s armrest in anger.

It was the passenger who had fallen out of the window in the first loop and pushed the bespectacled man in the second.

“Looks like skipping a turn brought some semblance of reason back to him.”

But he was still far from sane.

“That... that guy pushed someone out the window before, didn’t he? Oh my god!”

“You psycho... get, get away, you crazy bastard!”

His eyes darted around madly, as if he might stab me at any moment.

“Jump out? I’m not jumping! I’m not doing it, you crazy b******! You do it again!”

As he shoved past nearby passengers to get in my face, I maintained a calm demeanor.

“You don’t have to participate if you don’t want to.”

“W-What?!”

“Take a rest. You don’t qualify anyway.”

“Wha... what?!”

“I mean, even if you ask me to help you go through the window, I won’t. You’re not qualified.”

This was also an important step.

Restrict access to the solution.Why do people always create limited-edition products or announce that an item is out of stock, requiring inquiries via private message?

The scarcity makes it seem valuable. The difficulty of obtaining it enhances its appeal.

You stoke that desire, making people feel like they’re just within reach of getting it—but only if they act now.

“Only those who are qualified can go through the window without pain...”

“W-What kind of nonsense is this...?”

“And you’re not one of them. You’re not yet qualified to pass the trial painlessly. Step back.”

“...Uh, uh...”

The middle-aged man mumbled incoherently, then stumbled and collapsed into a seat.

Once again, the saying proved true: crazy words require crazy responses.

Thanks to the commotion, everyone in the car was now staring at me with wide eyes.

I smiled gently at them.

“But don’t worry too much. Eventually, everyone will be ready.”

“......!”

-Ahhh! Magnificent!

Amid Brown’s enthusiastic cheers, the passengers began crowding around, firing questions at me.

“Excuse me! So, how do we know who’s ready?”

“I don’t know. I just seem to recognize those who are.”

“Then is there someone in this car who’s ready?”

It was then.

“Um, do I... qualify?”

The bespectacled office worker, who had been quietly sitting, raised his hand.

Thanks to the Happy Maker, he wasn’t overwhelmed by fear or PTSD. He also hadn’t retaliated against the middle-aged man who had pushed him before.

But he was still visibly tense, swallowing hard in nervous anticipation.

I smiled and nodded.

“Yes.”

“...!!”

“You are qualified. ...You’ve already proven yourself.”

I walked over and gently took his hand.

“You don’t need to go back out there again. The peace you feel now is proof. ...You’ve been incredibly brave.”

“Ah... ahhh!”

Tears streamed down the bespectacled man’s face.

The murmurs among the passengers quieted, replaced by a new expression in their eyes.

Yearning. And agreement.

“From now on, those deemed qualified to go out the window will receive a token from me to ensure the process is as painless as possible.”

“...!”

“S-So...”

Still, no one volunteered just yet.

‘As expected.’

After all, I had just said that everyone needed to jump out the window to escape. Who would willingly rush to be first, especially with no guaranteed reward?

-Friend, do you have a brilliant solution for this?

Isn’t it obvious?

‘I’ll just stir up the crowd a bit more.’

I nodded understandingly.

“Yes. I understand it’s difficult. I’ll go out the window one more time if...”

“I’ll go.”

Huh?

Chief Dolphin raised her hand.

Chief! Bless your overwhelming generosity...!

“But I’m not going alone. You’re coming with me.”

“Uh, what?”

“Excuse me, but are you sure...?”

“Of course. I’m fine.”

Of course, this was my plan all along! As disgusting and unsettling as it was, there was no avoiding it...

“If there are no other volunteers, I’ll demonstrate again.”

“Sure thing. Oh, but before that, let’s have that manager over there go first.”

Chief Dolphin casually pointed at Deputy Manager Jin Nasol with both hands.

“Higher-ups go first!”

What the hell!

“Hey, Deputy, remember when you said you’d do me a favor? I’m cashing it in now!”

“I didn’t mean for a situation like this. But whatever, I don’t mind.”

Surprisingly, Deputy Jin Nasol remained calm. It seemed the two had discussed something beforehand.

“Shall I go now?”

The first altar approached.

The surrounding atmosphere grew darker and redder.

In the frozen silence, Deputy Jin Nasol’s composed voice rang out.

“I don’t like repeating myself.”

“Y-Yes. Please close your eyes for a moment. I’ll hand over the token...”

Feigning a handshake, I discreetly passed the Happy Maker stick to her under cover of darkness.

“Just inject it.”

Before I could mouth the words, Jin Nasol had already skillfully concealed the stick and injected herself.

It seemed she had figured out what it was—a sedative.

“Hmm.”

With a faint click, the liquid disappeared into her arm, the stick vanishing into her sleeve as if it had never existed.

“Not bad.”

She smiled briefly before stepping out of the window without hesitation.

“Ahhh!”

“She smiled as she jumped!”

Thus, the first voluntary sacrifice was made at the altar.

The mood in the car shifted dramatically into excitement.

Second Altar Incoming.

The two individuals, discreetly injected with the potent sedative Happy Maker, clasped hands and calmly exited through the open window together.

Hmm. The con was progressing smoothly...

"Better this than everyone losing their minds and throwing each other out of the windows," I thought, though cold sweat trickled down my back as I continued to deceive them.

“...Since no one else is volunteering, I will now go out with this person. Please, everyone, stay calm and protect your peace of mind. We will see each other again at the starting point shortly.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I am. I can handle going one more time.”

“...Ah!”

I absolutely didn’t want to, but I’d have to do it again.

“I need to set myself apart.”

If I was going to lead these people, I needed to emphasize my differences. Showing that I could repeatedly jump out the window and return unscathed would leave an impression.

Thankfully, Chief Dolphin didn’t back out of her decision.

“Let’s go together!”

“Ah, thank you.”

“But, um...” Chief Dolphin looked up at me with a curious expression.

“Am I qualified?”

“...Yes.”

There was a subtle nuance to her tone, though.

Third Altar Entry

“Be careful!”

“See you in a bit!”

And so, with the support of the crowd, Chief Dolphin and I once again plummeted out of the window.

Into the grotesque, rotting tunnel.

“Ugh!”

Chief Dolphin landed gracefully with a roll, shook off the filth surrounding her, and grimaced at the horrid scene.

“Yuck, disgusting. What... what is this noise? Shut up already. Oh, is that light over there the way out?”

“Yes. It’ll be a bit tough, but if we keep walking, we’ll get through.”

Having another person here was strangely comforting.

‘...The voices are gone.’

That eerie voice commanding us to cast off sins and come to Tamna was now absent.

‘It’s not a key part of the escape, but it’s still strange.’

Tilting my head, I continued walking.

Then, Chief Dolphin spoke up.

“You know, the reason I came with you was because I wanted to have a chat.”

“Yes?”

“What you said to the others—about protecting them from pain and all that. It’s not entirely a lie, is it?”

“...No. I just altered the way I communicated for an emergency situation. It’s extreme, but...”

“Hmmm...”

After pondering briefly, she suddenly blurted out:

“Do you know how many people suffer because of cults?”

Her tone was calm, and her expression showed no anger.

She just stared at me intently.

Without even blinking.

“....”

Right. Chief Dolphin was an extreme realist, grounded in principles of morality and ethics.

‘Cults are probably an instant deal-breaker for her...!’

I needed to salvage this quickly.

“I understand completely. Actually, I had a friend in training who got caught up in a cult and lost contact with everyone.”

This was true.

“That’s why I thought it was better to act preemptively.”

“Hmmm.”

“In this situation, superstition and cult-like behavior are inevitable. With endless suffering and no clear explanation, people cling to whatever hope they can find.”

And in most cases like this, cults always emerged.

‘Though honestly, this is the only way to escape the darkness without everyone going insane or causing bloodshed... but I can’t explain that logically.’

Instead, I concluded with a measured tone.

“I’m just trying to minimize harm with this method. I know it’s extreme and strange, but...”

A tense three seconds passed.

“Well, you’re not wrong!”

Phew.

“Honestly, you’re just saying what you need to, but in reality, you’re finding a way to make it less painful and safer for everyone to escape together. Right?”

“Exactly.”

“Great! I’m totally on board!”

Chief Dolphin extended her hand for a handshake.

When I took it, she suddenly yanked me closer.

“But don’t exploit good people.”

“....”

“Because if you do, I’ll fight you.”

“Understood. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good! Excellent!”

I smiled and completed the handshake with Chief Dolphin.

‘I’m still alive.’

Cold sweat trickled down my spine.

Why would I ever want to end up in a suicidal fight with a top-level team veteran in this grotesque ghost story nightmare? I’d rather smash my head into a wall.

“Looking at the atmosphere, I think the people in our car are fully convinced now, right?”

“Pretty much.”

Squelch, squelch.

I answered as we walked toward the light at the end of the tunnel.

“But this isn’t where it ends.”

The ultimate goal...

“Is to make the majority of this train believe me.”

At least seven out of the eight cars.

I needed to secure dominant public opinion.

***

The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.

Fifth Loop.

The passengers of the high-speed train, having died and restarted countless times, were now steeped in fatigue, resignation, and madness that went beyond mere panic.

Their perception was distorted, making it difficult to think rationally as they once did.

And during these repeated cycles, they had all heard something, time and time again.

“There’s this weird voice coming from the back... It keeps saying we’re chosen, that this is a test or something.”

“...Sounds like cult nonsense. What kind of test?”

“They’re saying if you pass it, you’ll gain some sort of transcendent ability.”

“People who’ve fallen out the windows have all gone crazy. But the folks in the back cars say they’ve gone through it and are perfectly fine. They even described what they saw out there...”

“...Really? That sounds ridiculous. Do they even have proof?”

Yet, the very act of responding betrayed their subconscious desire to believe it.

A hidden hope, revealed in their words.

“They say someone in Car 7, a ‘pioneer,’ is sharing how to escape.”

“They’re claiming they’ll help everyone. That we’re all qualified.”

As the whispers grew louder among the passengers in Car 3, the first-class section...

A man sitting in a solo seat at the very front opened his eyes.

“Goddammit.”

Baek Saheon had just been trying to head home for a vacation, only to get trapped in this cursed train ghost story.

“No, wait...”

He thought of the new eye beneath his medical eyepatch and smiled grimly.

Judging from the way things were playing out, he understood the situation clearly.

“So, it’s about throwing people out the window, huh!”

It’s probably one of those ghost stories where you throw about half the passengers out, reach the destination, and then it’s over, right?

“I just need to stay out of sight and lay low.”

It was predictable. In crises like this, cult-like behavior was always bound to appear.

A confined society under extreme stress was a breeding ground for irrational actions. Humans inevitably cracked under the pressure of such an emergency.

An endlessly looping train.

Extreme, unrelenting stress.

And the faint promise of a solution whispered in the background—it was only natural that people would listen, desperate to cling to any hope.

If this were normal circumstances, people would scoff and say, “Not buying into cult crap,” and move on. But in a situation like this, even the craziest ideas seemed worth considering. That’s human nature.

“All I have to do is not get swept up in it.”

If he stayed quiet and out of the way, they’d throw themselves into chaos and clear the situation for him. He could just wait it out.

“Hey, over here!!”

“...!”

There was a commotion behind him.

“A fight?”

No. Someone had entered the car.

“It’s them! The pioneer and the people from Car 7!”

Cults. Of course.

“Might as well see their faces.”

Baek Saheon turned his head slightly to glance down the aisle... and immediately recognized some familiar faces.

“...!!”

“It’s the elite team.”

Jin Nasol, Deputy Manager of Team A, and Lee Seonghae, Chief of Team C.

The two faces he had memorized from the company intranet had just appeared.

“Why are they here?”

As he racked his brain, wondering if this train might somehow be connected to Baekilmyung Corporation’s control over the darkness...

“Attention!!”

Lee Seonghae’s voice rang out among the cult-like group.

“The person who will show you how to escape has arrived!!”

She stepped aside, and from the door connecting to the rear car, someone walked out.

A man in a suit with a calm, cold expression. His face was unnervingly serene, and he wore a faint, peaceful smile.

Another familiar face.

“...Kim Soleum!!”

“Everyone, please don’t worry,” Kim Soleum said, spreading his arms with a gentle smile.

“This is all part of a great test, and you, the passengers, have been chosen.”

What the hell?!

That psycho bastard is the cult leader!!