Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: The Smiling Mask Falls Silent
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65.
【♤!!】
Slash!
The Smiling Mask didn't hesitate for even a second.
It fixed its gaze on the corpse with its head plunged into the pool of blood.
Amid the messy chunks of flesh and the dark red puddle.
The unmoving, cold corpse captured its attention.
It stared blankly at the body that couldn't possibly be alive anymore.
As if time had stopped, endlessly, continuously... it kept staring.
And when it finally opened its tightly shut mouth.
【♤...Unnecessary props are easier to handle if they're disposed of properly.】
【♤Burning it should do the trick.】
A fierce heat began to spread, centered only on the area where the man's body lay.
Whoosh-!
Amid the blaze of intense flames, the man's body started to burn away rapidly.
Thoroughly.
So thoroughly that it could never reveal its presence in this world again.
The spot where the man had collapsed burned pitch-black in an instant, drying up even the pool of blood.
Roar-!
The fierce flames vanished in a moment, and in their wake, only black ash fluttered in the wind.
Only then did the Smiling Mask relax, a smile returning to its lips.
The unpleasant trash that had been right in front of its eyes was gone.
That's what it thought.
Static-
Until the irritating noise scratched at its ears once more.
"[Is that what they call the 'fire show'?]"
【♤!!!】
The alien tone drummed against its eardrums again.
The Smiling Mask whipped its head around, scanning the surroundings. And when its gaze locked onto one spot.
There stood a man.
With a distorted black leg sprouting from where his lower body should not be.
Even as the Smiling Mask stared straight at the man with both eyes, his form was enveloped in a warped shape.
It looked just like...
Living 'static.'
Like beholding a mass of errors that shouldn't exist in this world.
A distorted existence.
That being walked toward it so casually, speaking words.
Static-
"[Ah, looks like I was late with my introduction. I'm... Noi—]"
Before the self-introduction from the static-mixed voice could finish, the Smiling Mask cut it off.
It shouted loudly.
【♤Be crushed!】
"[Someone who doesn't let people finish... ]"
Crunch-
The massive static-formed existence began to crumple from head to toe in a single breath, without a chance to resist.
Cruuunch-
Its joints twisted to impossible breaking points.
Cruuuunch-
Staring at the grotesquely folding body, it assumed survival was impossible.
It felt relieved.
In that relief, its mouth opened on its own.
【♤...Disgusting thing.】
The Smiling Mask was certain that existence was dead.
But.
Static-
【♤!!】
"[Your welcome is more intense than expected.]"
Again.
That arrogant voice pierced its hearing once more, right in front of it.
Everything about the guy rubbed it the wrong way.
And yet he opened his mouth so calmly.
"[Still, your kind of welcome might be a bit too much for our employee to handle.]"
As irritation at the existence's calm tone in its presence began to consume its entire body.
【♤...Uninvited guests get forcibly ejected!】
The Smiling Mask shouted loudly.
It aimed to turn the irritating thing before it to dust in one go.
【♤To dust...】
But this time, that alien static cut off its words first.
"[You've been way too loud from the start. Your voice keeps drowning mine out. I'll lower the volume for a bit. Please... bear with me.]"
As the static mass's fingertip slowly traced its mouth and slashed vertically through the air.
Ziiiiip-
With the sound of a fader sliding down.
Hum-
Sound... vanished.
All noise called 'sound' disappeared at once.
As if sound had never existed from the beginning. As if the very concept had never been.
As if silence in the world had swallowed every sound.
【♤▓▓▓▓▓▓▓!▓▓▓▓!!】
A space formed that accepted no sound whatsoever.
But in this place, uniquely.
An existence tore through the emptiness, emitting sound.
Static-
Along with that irritating static.
"[...Finally, some quiet.]"
Staaatic-
"[Then, allow me to introduce myself again. I'm 'Noise.' The name our company's star employee gave me :)]"
After that simple introduction of itself, it immediately conveyed regret.
"[I'd love to have an honest chat just like you said, but... ]"
...Cough-
Red-black blood trickled from between the distorted face.
"[...If we delay any longer, I fear our employee's body won't hold out.]"
【♤▓▓!!▓▓▓!!!】
But.
The Smiling Mask wasn't focused on Noise's words.
It strained desperately to grip its own throat and force out a voice.
Step-
【♤▓▓!!】
As his footsteps battered its hearing, drawing closer, the Smiling Mask struggled even harder.
It squeezed its throat tighter, trying to make a sound.
Step-
As the distance to the thing closed.
It stepped back.
It fled.
Instinctively, it bolted out of the circus tent blindly.
Believing that if it just escaped this circus, it could speak again.
With all its might.
It ran.
In the hollow space where even its own ragged breaths didn't register, the Smiling Mask flailed its arms and sprinted at full speed.
Running and running more.
When the blood-red sky and crimson earth filled its vision.
Grin-
The smile spreading across its lips let out a loud sound.
【♤▓▓▓!!!!】
!!
But.
It didn't come out.
No voice came out.
Only hollow silence enveloped the entire space.
Static-
"[Sorry if I gave you false hope. And... ]"
From the static-mixed voice came a mischievous tone.
"[You seem to have forgotten how to smile. Come on, smile. Isn't that the only thing you can do in this space... Smiling Mask? Smile :)]"
【♤……….】
The Smiling Mask thought as it stared at the existence before it.
This is blatant cheating... it concluded.
It felt unjust toward this bizarre existence using its space like its own.
It felt the absurdity.
If only it could speak, it would crush that insolent thing before it in an instant.
"[...That's what you're thinking, right? I get it, I totally do.]"
【♤!!】
"[But this isn't unfair at all. It's only natural.]"
Soon after, Noise, now holding a small quill pen at some point, murmured softly.
"[I'm just using what's originally mine again. And... ]"
The next voice wasn't directed at the Smiling Mask before it.
But toward the star employee who would be hearing its voice.
"[Employee Park Yeon-jeong, remember this with your body.]"
As a single drop of black ink fell from the quill pen in his hand onto the floor, mischievous static rode along the man's voice.
"[Oh! But you still need to take notes, right? Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]"
With that mischievous tone, the black ink that had fallen to the floor soon.
Bubble bubble.
Began to boil.
Not long after, something long shot up from between the area where the black ink had spread.
Just like bread popping from a toaster.
Snap-!
Noise snatched the thing that sprang from the black ink puddle in one motion and continued the explanation.
"[Got it, Employee Park Yeon-jeong? If you extract just a tiny bit of a captured ghost story's power, you can create items infused with that ghost story's power like this.]"
What he held was a massive black hammer.
Whoosh-
Whoosh-
Along with the sight of him swinging the huge hammer effortlessly with one hand.
Whoosh-smack!
After swinging it around for a while, the hammer stopped, and Noise gave his impression.
"[Guess it really was a simple ghost story. A hammer that's just a bit heavy... Well, a hammer like this should have no trouble subduing you.]"
With a hint of disappointment in his words.
Click-!
【♤!!!】
He aimed the massive hammer at the Smiling Mask before him.
"[We'll continue the story back at our company.]"
!!
Before Noise could finish speaking, the Smiling Mask fled in the opposite direction with all its might.
In a world without sound, the Smiling Mask's fleeing figure looked utterly pathetic.
Noise watched the thing running from him.
Cough-!
Dark red blood trickled from his mouth again. A sign that time was running out.
"[...Just hold on a little longer, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]"
Grip-
Clenching the blood on his hand tightly. Noise gripped the hammer in his left hand with both hands.
And his gaze once more.
Fixed on the Smiling Mask, who had fled quite a distance in that short time, a gentle voice flowed out.
"[Time to head back now. 'Quitting time' is almost here.]"
Crack-!
Noise leaped from the ground in a single bound, closing the gap in an instant.
He caught up right behind the Smiling Mask's back and raised the hammer high.
【♤▓▓!!▓▓▓!!!】
Through the gap in the mask covering the Smiling Mask, the face it had hidden until now was revealed.
The word 'despair' was etched across that face.
"[...Not very professional, are you.]"
Craaack-!!
At the spot where the massive hammer came down.
Only grotesquely shattered flesh was scattered.
It was a state no one could call alive.
...Twitch.
But amid the scattered flesh, a single little finger twitched luckily.
"[Oops. A bit off on the power control.]"
Squish-
As the massive hammer began to lose form and drip away bit by bit.
There, the quill pen had returned to its original shape.
In this situation where it just needed to capture it now and return to the library.
Twitch-
?
A faint tingle in his right arm.
Noise murmured at the subtle reaction.
"[...Employee Park Yeon-jeong?]"
Noise was surprised.
Even as control of his body slowly slipped away from him. For Park to try seizing control of the body in a state where his consciousness still lingered like this.
He wanted to applaud.
It was praiseworthy.
A faint smile formed between his distorted lips, and Noise murmured softly.
"[You're just too kind-hearted.]"
As Noise swiftly captured the Smiling Mask.
Crack-!
He looked at the splitting ground.
Step-
And silently stepped into the circus tent.
Craaack-!
Leisurely strolling amid the rapidly collapsing space, he stopped at one spot.
"[...We meet again like this. Applicant Hansol :)]"
"......"
He was looking down at Hansol collapsed on the floor.
"[Thank your fellow trainee, 'Employee Park Yeon-jeong.']"
"………."
No reply came from Hansol. More precisely, she seemed to lack even the strength to speak anymore.
So Noise didn't wait any longer. He lightly snapped his thumb and middle finger.
Snap!
.....
With the crisp sound, Hansol vanished before his eyes, leaving only our second Bear Doll behind.
"[Then, let's retrieve the others and head back.]"
Noise tucked the two Bear Dolls acrobatically embedded in the wall into his employee ID.
And snapped his fingers once more.
Snap!
In the pitch-black space.
The familiar library scenery appeared before him.
Thud-
Upon returning to the library, Park Yeon-jeong's body collapsed to the floor like a marionette with its strings cut.
Static-
From the speakers in the space came a familiar noise.
[Heading out after so long always brings back fresh emotions! Don't you think, Employee Park Yeon-jeong?]
[It'd be nice if we get another chance to go out together like this.]
"......"
[Employee Park Yeon-jeong?]
But no reply came from Park Yeon-jeong.
At that, Noise stared blankly for a while at his own employee slumped on the floor.
And murmured softly.
[Employee Park Yeon-jeong... No way.]
[Did you... die?]
"......"
Age at death: 27.
Name: Park Yeon-jeong.
Cause of death: Excessive blood loss.
(The Late) Park Yeon-jeong.