Chapter 4
Chapter 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Hired on the Spot
-----------------------------------------------------------------
How long did it take for everyone gathered here to start treating me like a madman?
Just five seconds.
…Probably?
It might have been even faster than that.
*The back of my head stings…*
I knew it. Even I knew that what I just did was the kind of cheap stunt that deserved all the scorn.
I'm not that oblivious.
Anyone who remembered everything that had unfolded before our eyes so far, and the stench piercing our nostrils, would know.
It was common sense—even a stray dog would know—that you shouldn't argue with the Announcement Broadcast coming through the speaker right now.
=======
[Exploration Record 6]
New Employee Park Ji-su tried ignoring the Announcement Broadcast's instructions, despite what the manual said.
At first, she shrank back from its increasingly heated tone, but once she confirmed it couldn't harm her further, she relaxed.
New Employee Park Ji-su thought she could complete the mission safely and return unharmed.
(Result: Death by suffocation/shock.)
(Cause of death: A white glove appeared out of nowhere and gripped her throat tightly. With a snap! she died.)
=======
The wiki site explicitly stated that you shouldn't go against what the "Announcement Broadcast guy" says.
But…!
What am I supposed to do?!
The next one after that female student is me.
I'm definitely next to die a dog's death!
Sorry, but…
I'm scared shitless too.
After all, known horrors are far scarier than unknown ones.
And right before my eyes, that white glove was still hovering in midair even after the draw straws ended, plain as day.
…The way it was oriented, it felt like it was staring right at me.
*Just my imagination, right?*
It had better be.
*Static crackle-*
I calmed my trembling lips as much as possible amid the noise tickling my ears.
[Applicant Park Yeon-jeong, are you trying to raise an objection to our aptitude verification process?]
[Our company's time-honored policy, carried out for ■■ years?]
Yes!
Everything from one to ten is a problem!
Especially "long jump over a floor covered in magma"—that's just telling us to die, isn't it?!
…That's what I wanted to scream.
But if I said that,
That white glove would snap my neck like a twig without mercy.
I let out a short breath and turned my gaze straight to the speaker.
"…As if. How could someone like me, a mere applicant, question the brilliant minds behind all this? If I could comprehend the grand intentions of such superiors, I wouldn't be standing here right now."
[…]
I couldn't tell what expression the man—no, that ghost story entity—on the other side of the speaker was making as he looked at me.
Right now, there was no way to know.
So instead of the speaker, my eyes went to
The white glove that might snap my neck at any moment.
It was moving in midair like it was stroking its chin.
Was it… thinking?
[…Indeed, Applicant Park Yeon-jeong sees things differently from the others. You even grasp the deeper intentions of our company!]
[As expected of such desirable talent!]
The voice, which had been subdued until just now, seemed to regain its energy, rising in tone.
But so what if I got praise from a ghost story?
It didn't make me happy one bit.
Still, the moment I realized it viewed me favorably,
I couldn't let this opportunity slip.
"But I'm disappointed! That talented applicants here can't showcase their specialties and end up eliminated like this!"
A sob fest so over-the-top, method acting could take a backseat.
The remaining twelve applicants watching this spectacle couldn't close their mouths.
[…]
The guy on the other side of the speaker seemed speechless too, offering no reply.
……Embarrassing.
An inexplicable shame washed over me in the heavy silence. But I had to endure.
If it meant surviving without dying, I was ready to toss my pride out the window.
To shake off the embarrassment even a little, I threw in even bigger gestures.
*Whoosh!*
I spread my arms wide overhead.
I bellowed at the top of my lungs.
"How regrettable, how regrettable! To let such capable future colleagues who could lead this company slip away here! So, so regrettable!"
[…]
"Ah. So regrettable!"
[…]
"Truly, re-gret-ta-ble!"
[…]
……Hey?
Why no reaction?
The Announcement Broadcast guy had shown zero response for a while now.
Even the white glove, the only thing visible to the naked eye, was frozen with its palm wide open.
*'Anyone, please—just react!'*
You're driving me crazy with anxiety!
And then, the static from the speaker brushed my ear, chasing away that anxiety.
*Static crackle-*
How long I'd waited for this noise.
[…Hmm. Indeed, from the company's perspective, bringing in as many talents as possible would be the best outcome.]
A very positive response.
I started hoping I might skip this aptitude test unscathed.
[This matter will need to be discussed with the executives you'll face in the next interview.]
[In the meantime, we'll provide a space for you applicants to rest.]
*Click!*
The lights in our space went out once more, and when they came back on,
*…Break room?*
We were all standing in a space that looked just like a company break room.
[Please relax with some sweet snacks.]
[We'll be right back.]
With those final words, the Announcement Broadcast fell silent—no more voice from that guy.
"…Did it really leave?"
"Seems… like it?"
No one dropped their guard until the very end.
They all stayed vigilant about this space, so I didn't bother trying to ease the tension.
Some, shaken by extreme fear and forgetting their hunger, eyed the snacks on the table.
Of course, no one ate any.
They just glanced.
No one dared touch the snacks in this bizarre space.
They only waited for someone else to go first.
*'Risking your life for a single snack. Damn.'*
I'm not eating because they're dirty anyway.
And right now, more than snacks, I needed to focus every nerve on any subtle changes from the speaker.
*'It worked, right?'*
…It had better have.
Otherwise, I'm dead.
Whether my head explodes from falling shot put or my body gets crushed in a press machine.
Either way, failure means the aptitude test restarts with my 'death' as the premise.
But just as Park Yeon-jeong waited anxiously for the Announcement Broadcast's return,
Someone else had words for that very Park Yeon-jeong.
*Thud.*
"Eek!"
Park Yeon-jeong replied to the well-meaning touch with a sharp scream.
……Please understand.
I'm scared too.
"Kyaack!"
As if answering Park Yeon-jeong's scream in kind, the female student shrieked too.
Female student?
Only then did I push down my startled heart and notice Kim Hye-seon—the girl whose eyes were still red and puffy—swallowing snot while staring at me weirdly.
"…Sorry. You scared me bad."
"No… it's okay."
…Her scream from earlier was still echoing in my ears, so it didn't sound okay.
"Um… thank you. For saving me earlier."
"……"
……If that's how she saw it, okay then.
No need to ugly it up with the truth: 'What are you talking about? I did it to save my own skin.'
If she's grateful, that's enough.
…Yeah, let's wrap it there.
"Just did what needed doing."
No lie there.
*BOW.*
She bowed a full ninety degrees in thanks—a polite kid.
……This girl really
Has a personality that's hard to survive ghost stories with.
She might have lucked out and saved her neck this time, but she's too easily swayed by others.
Next interview will probably be her limit.
*Static crackle-*
He was back.
With blatant hope that things had gone well, the low-quality voice flowed from the speaker.
[Oh dear! I've kept you applicants waiting too long!]
[As one of the company's executives, allow me to apologize on our behalf.]
The apology matters, but what happened?!
[After discussions with the executives… we've decided to give all remaining applicants an immediate interview opportunity!]
[Congratulations!]
*Pa-bam!!*
Still a tacky celebratory sound.
But.
*'Yes!'*
Who cares if the fanfare's corny.
I'm alive right now—that's what counts.
Park Yeon-jeong wasn't the only one thrilled at the Announcement Broadcast declaring the aptitude test canceled.
Everyone here must have felt the same watching those insane obstacles.
They just lacked the guts to speak up.
I get it—no one wants to die defying it.
The Announcement Broadcast continued.
[Now! Everyone ready for the interview?]
"……"
"……"
"……"
[Haha! Still such shy folks!]
By now, I was getting numb to that positive mindset.
[Let the interview begin!]
The Announcement Broadcast diligently carried out its role without fail.
*Click!*
The lights went out again.
In the brief darkness, I mentally reviewed the interview process I'd soon face.
=======
[Exploration Record 8]
Employee Lee Sol recorded the fastest aptitude test completion time, making her Employee of the Month. The higher-ups had high expectations.
Even Employee Lee Sol puffed up with pride at the Announcement Broadcast's surprised praise.
Everyone thought she could really crack this ghost story.
(Result: Death by suicide.)
(Cause of death: Unable to answer the interviewer's [censored] question, Employee Lee Sol showed signs of mental breakdown. For some reason, she picked up a knife from the floor and stabbed it into her own throat.)
=======
As seen earlier, interviews require avoiding any behavior that draws the interviewers' ire.
So, the way to stay in their good graces is simpler than it seems.
Just speak the unvarnished truth.
That's why Employee Lee Sol died—she couldn't give an honest answer.
Even knowing this, the questions will surely be far from easy.
It's a "watch your words" segment where one slip means death.
*'But I won't have to face that interview anyway.'*
Even if you luck out and pass, the finale traps you here forever.
I don't want to spend my life ending in a ghost story like this.
So, one chance to escape.
Right when the interview happens.
=======
[Exploration Record 13]
Unable to withstand the pressure of death, Employee Ryu Jin-ho told the interviewer he was too inadequate to answer.
A single tear fell from the featureless face of the interviewer.
-
*Don't blame yourself too much.*
*There will be another chance.*
(Result: Escape)
(Statement: After the interviewer's words, all lights in the room went out. When they came back on, they were back at the entrance before entering this ghost story.)
=======
Finally made it this far.
Escape was within reach.
As Park Yeon-jeong swallowed tears over his past struggles and prepared another method acting performance,
*Click!*
The lights came back on.
What Park Yeon-jeong faced was
[Congratulations! Official Employee '………]
………What the hell?
His eyes met the white glove hastily setting up a banner between a pillar and the machine.
The banner wasn't fully set yet, but the words "Official Employee" that caught Park Yeon-jeong's eye
Filled him with dread for some reason…
His gaze quickly scanned the surroundings, and he realized—
He was supposed to be in the interview room, but somehow,
He stood alone in the central hall from the very beginning.
"………?"
Why?
Why am I the only one here?
As questions about a possible transfer glitch filled his head,
*Static crackle-*
The noise arrived to resolve it all.
[Oh my. In my haste, it seems I called Applicant Park Yeon-jeong here too soon.]
[I wanted to surprise the applicant with the most standout performance!]
[And now it's all out in the open.]
[How… embarrassing.]
……What's with this suddenly fresh vibe?
More than that, I'm freaking out.
The next words on that banner the white glove held kept nagging at me.
No way……I thought, but an inexplicable anxiety tightened around my nape.
"…This situation is a bit… bewildering."
I tried to stay calm, but my voice betrayed me.
[Since things have come to this, I suppose I should explain clearly.]
[Applicant Park Yeon-jeong!]
This pattern………no.
Please say it isn't so.
[Congratulations on officially…]
No.
[Joining our company!]
[We look forward to your contributions!]
No! Fuck!!
Park Yeon-jeong Employee, Day 1……begins?