Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Late Night Radio 121.5MHz(1)
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There was a famous quote from some well-known media outlet that had been repeated countless times.
"When do you think a person dies?"
The response that followed had struck a chord with so many people, earning it a spot in collections of profound sayings.
"When they're forgotten by others."
I'd always thought that was one of the few genuinely cool quotes that applied to my life, too.
That was, until just an hour ago.
If someone asked when a person dies...
They die so damn easily.
Poison mushrooms can kill you.
A knife to the gut can kill you.
Even a fish bone stuck in your throat can kill you.
Hell, there are even tragicomic tales of people dying mid-shit.
Humans = fugu fish that haven't been prepared right.
People die easily.
Whether others forget them or not.
Death means the end of your current life right now.
You won't even have time to feel what it's like to be forgotten by others.
The true end is the moment you, standing here right now, die.
And at this very moment, I'm standing in a place where they professionally kill off humans like these unprepared fugu.
More precisely...
I'm slumped over in a listless squat.
Trapped in some indescribably bizarre space, rendered powerless by anxiety over a grim future.
Not content with dropping me into the world of the Ghost Story Gallery I'd frequented online,
now some damn elementary school kid's ghost story has me caught up to my ankles.
But... I can't stay dejected like this forever.
This moment of stagnation I'm in right now
is as good as a death sentence.
Who knows when that phone will ring with the next assignment? If you can't avoid it, enjoy it, they say.
...No.
I can't enjoy this crap.
I might not be able to enjoy the situation itself, but I resolved to at least prepare for the next ghost story I could handle right now.
Obviously, the only thing I had on hand at the moment was
the Smile Badge... that's it.
'This badge is all I've got.'
I still hadn't figured out its detailed effects.
But one thing I knew for sure.
Resistance to mental breakdowns.
Honestly, just that alone would let me make quick judgments and react swiftly while navigating future ghost stories.
In a way, protecting my sanity might be its biggest advantage.
'Still scares the shit out of me, though.'
I took a moment to catch my breath.
Just as I was steeling my resolve again,
RIIING!
...
The moment I heard that phone bell shatter my resolve in an instant,
all strength drained from my body.
'Please, low rank this time...'
Praying desperately for a low-rank ghost story this time, I shuffled toward the phone.
I grabbed the receiver with a heavy heart, and a familiar AI voice emanated from it.
『This call is being recorded, so confessions about the operator are permitted solely for you.』
'...Why do you have to say it like that?'
The voice's content had changed.
Third time now.
I clamped my mouth shut and listened intently for what came next.
『Delivering your second assignment.』
A stiff voice flowed from the receiver.
Identification Code: Tyui-E-150 Assignment Location: Late Night Radio 121.5MHz
[Primary Assignment Procedures]
• Rescue 2 missing newbies. • Failure deemed as insufficient ability. Proceed with termination.
That damn termination procedure...
With my life on the line for every single assignment, I had to squeeze out motivation I didn't even have.
Failing an assignment here
meant death.
I recalled the details of this new assignment.
Unlike the previous one, this time there were two people to rescue.
I knew full well that more rescues meant exponentially harder assignments.
The silver lining, if I could call it that,
was that this ghost story was rank 'E', and 'Late Night Radio' was one you could escape anytime as long as you followed the rules.
'These guys have some conscience after all.'
The previous Bus ghost story might've caught me off guard as a newbie, but I was confident I could wrap this one up quickly and get back.
The first one's always the hardest.
The second... probably still hard.
The ghost stories posted on [Apocalypse of Ghost Stories] all had one or two bullshit unfair rules each.
I survived the Bus because I knew about it beforehand.
If I hadn't, I'd have had to leave a body part behind.
A chill ran down my spine!
Just thinking about it made my skin crawl.
As I finished mentally preparing myself,
the receiver delivered its usual stiff message one more time.
『Do not forget the dignity of a Newbie Protector.』
Click.
The room lights went out again, and after a short deep breath,
Static—
?
An AI voice echoed in the darkness.
『And please, if possible, use the badge for its intended purpose. For a Newbie Protector, that badge is no different from a symbol.』
With those final words,
I opened my eyes in a darkened hallway.
Late Night Radio 121.5MHz.
True to its E-rank title,
it didn't involve wandering some place
or hunting down people.
No disgusting bastards like in the Bus ghost story showed up either.
The main thing to watch out for...
was that it was kinda noisy?
Bzzz—!
Right on cue, my smartphone vibrated,
followed by a cheerful jingle echoing through the quiet hallway and a lively male voice.
[Everyone's asleep this night! We're staaarting the 121.5MHz radio broadcast~~~!!!]
Bam-babam!
The blaring sound effects filled the corridor.
I plugged my ears with my hands just before they hit.
'Still loud as hell.'
Even with my ears covered in advance, the piercing audio made me wince.
But that line signaled the Late Night Radio had officially begun.
As the post described,
it doesn't harm others much.
Of course, only if you're listening from your room via radio.
The problem starts
after winning that damn 'postcard event.'
This place I'm in now seems to be the Late Night Radio's home turf.
So, the two people I need to rescue here are
problem children #2.
Curiosity got the better of them, and they entered the postcard event.
Finding those two as quickly as possible was the key to clearing this ghost story.
'Time to move.'
I started walking down the dim hallway.
The reason I could stroll so casually through the dark was all thanks to the Smile Badge's effect.
'...Oh yeah.'
I suddenly remembered what the AI said before I arrived.
Something about using the badge for its original purpose?
I rummaged around
and pulled the badge from my pocket, pinning it to my collar.
'This should do it.'
Having set the badge in the proper spot as the AI wanted,
I finally stepped properly into the dim corridor.
Static—
Even as I fiddled around, the speakers lining the hallway nonstop blared a man's cheerful voice.
[The lights go out in the bathroom! A hand pops out! And hands you red and blue toilet paper!!!]
'Uncle... enough.'
The man was screaming an ancient public restroom tale into the mic at full volume.
Him spouting this useless drivel over the speakers
meant we still had time.
I had to find those two somewhere in this building before they became guests on the Late Night Radio.
If I was even a step late,
and they reached the broadcast room first,
things would get messy.
To add a short note: if those two open the broadcast room door first,
escaping the Late Night Radio ghost story gets really annoying.
So I have to find them before that.
Or maybe head to the broadcast room first and guard the door. As I was considering that option,
Bam-babam!
!
The upbeat sound effect blared,
followed by a voice booming from the speakers.
[No way! Such!]
[Our two guests who'll light up today's show have come straight to us!!]
......
......
......
What?
[Now, let's move to that corner everyone's been waiting for!]
[Special Late Night Content! [~Sorry I Couldn't Tell You~] staaarts~~~!!!]
