Chapter 2 Part 2: New Employee Recruitment

Did I hear that correctly?

Am I sure I heard that right?

Words that came to me in fragments, now reassembled.

Into a single sentence.

If that was really an announcement for recruiting new employees.

Even someone who was genuinely trying to apply would have run away.

Or maybe……

Is this what they call.

The MZ way of thinking?

Is making recruitment announcements with a horror concept popular among young people these days?

For now, I’m not a fan.

Or, am I really going crazy from the stress of job hunting…

I just hope it’s the latter.

It might be better for everyone if I’m the only one going crazy.

Among the unintelligible noises, certain words were clearly audible.

And it seems I wasn’t the only one who heard that bizarre announcement.

Step.

Many people who visited the library, like me, started to look at each other.

Then, one by one, they began to gather in the central hall where I was.

“What’s going on?”

That’s what I’d like to know…

“It’s probably nothing.”

I really hope so.

For some reason, my gaze was drawn once again to the flyer posted at the library entrance.

This anxiety must also be partly due to that flyer, whoever put it up.

…?

I can’t see it.

To be precise, the darkness outside is so thick that I can’t even see an inch in front of me, let alone the flyer.

Wasn’t it just 11 AM a moment ago?

I turned on my smartphone again to check the time displayed on the screen.

[14515 (hour) 12516124 (minute)]

Okay.

I’ve really lost it.

Just when I thought I needed to be urgently transported to the hospital.

Someone raised their index finger and shouted loudly.

“Th, the time is weird!”

“My phone has no signal!”

“14515…… What, what’s going on?”

“These f*ckers locked the entrance too!”

Fortunately, it seemed like the situation was ending with everyone, not just Park Yeon-jung, going crazy.

Crackle-

The announcement started again.

But this time, it wasn’t the same female voice as before.

A cheerful middle-aged man took the mic and spoke.

[Welcome, everyone!]

[Thank you very much for your interest in our new employee recruitment! Now, everyone, let’s have a round of applause!!]

Clap clap clap clap clap!

The sound of applause coming from the speakers.

It felt as if all the library staff were gathered in the broadcasting room, watching this situation.

And as soon as the applause ended, the announcement continued smoothly, leaving the panicked people behind.

[It’s a perfect day for an interview!]

What? It’s too dark!

[Today, unlike other days, so many of you have come. So, let’s skip the boring introduction and get straight to the point!]

Thud!

As soon as the announcement ended.

Suddenly, all the lights in the library went out.

“Kyaaaak!!”

“What the hell! Let us out!”

“Are you crazy! What are you doing! Are you trying to hold us hostage in this day and age!”

People’s emotions gradually intensify.

The fact that only the library lights went out might not have been a problem, but the situation outside the building was also pitch black.

Which means.

It’s too dark.

I really can’t see anything.

I can’t even see my own feet in this darkness.

It would be a lie to say I’m not scared in this situation.

But one man had other thoughts dominating his mind.

This is a, <Ghost Story>.

‘That flyer, was it real?’

It wasn’t just anything.

It was a ghost story from a creation made by someone belonging to the <Ghost Story Record Repository> that he had been enjoying until just now.

/Ghost Story Log

[New employees are always welcome!]

:Identification Code Cd-F-1129

Thud!

Once again, a sound brushed past my ear, and a single light turned on.

There was an office desk, and on it was a large pile of papers.

[I’m already looking forward to seeing what kind of applicants have come this time! Aren’t you, everyone!!]

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap.

Every time the man holding the microphone finished speaking, there was applause, seemingly at fixed intervals as if it were pre-arranged.

Everyone gathered here must have agreed that the applause made the situation even more bizarre.

[Now! The application form is not that difficult to fill out! Those who finish quickly, please put your application in the box next to it!]

[Easy, right!]

[Ah! If you have already completed your resume, there is no need to fill it out again! Please wait in your place.]

Is there already a crazy person who has filled out that application that everyone knows not to touch?

Is their brain responsible for judgment broken?

Is there really an idiot who would fill out that resume without being crazy?

“Are you going to fill it out?”

“Are you crazy! Who would do something that obviously seems like it’ll get you f*cked!”

I agree.

If possible, I wouldn’t even want to go near that resume.

Because I want to live.

Step.

“……Hey, hey hey. Look at that person!”

“I’ve seen it all now. Are they crazy for death!”

“Hey, young man!”

Yeah, I want to live.

So.

My steps stopped where the spotlight was shining on the desk, and on it were documents and a ballpoint pen.

I carefully picked up a piece of paper and the pen.

‘Of all things, why a red pen………’

Name: Park…………Yeon-jung

Age: 27.

Blood type: B.

Physical defects: None…

Aspiration: I will work hard.

My hand won’t stop shaking.

It’s such a simple resume that it’s embarrassing to call it an application form.

But I checked until the end to make sure I didn’t make any mistakes.

If every job application in the world had this format, it would be talked about, either in a good way.

Or in a bad way.

‘This is, it.’

As I said before.

I want to live.

That’s why I filled out this resume.

If I don’t fill out this document until the end and hold out until the end.

/Ghost Story Log

/New employees are always welcome!

<Exploration Record 12th>

1. Resume writing.

:Resume writing is simpler than you think, so don’t worry too much. Surely, there’s no fool who wouldn’t write a resume, right? (There wouldn’t be a piece of sh*t who would kick away a chance to live, even a little, with their own feet, right?) After that, those who did not write a resume… <Read More>.

1. Aptitude test.

:The aptitude test is a simple physical test, so don’t worry too much. (Highest number of casualties recorded.)

1. Interview.

:Don’t be too burdened. After all, everything is up to the interviewer. (Pray to God, who knows. Maybe they’ll let you pass?)

1. Announcement of successful applicants.

:Congratulations on joining as a regular employee! When the successful applicant ‘Hansol’ asked if he could go home now, the announcement said with a chilling, split laughter.

From now on, this is your workplace and your home.

Record end.

=====

Yeah, to live, writing a resume is the answer right now.

I filled in my name on the suspicious application form that everyone avoided, and put the resume in the box next to it.

Crackle-

And as if in response to that.

The announcement started with a slight vibration of the speaker.

[A round of applause for applicant ‘Park Yeon-jung’ who filled out the application form without a moment’s hesitation!!]

[You might be the first person to fill out the form so quickly.]

Fortunately, the man holding the microphone praised me with a joyful voice.

With this, I’m safe for now………………

[However. We can’t accept this application.]

•What?

Suddenly, the announcement says they won’t accept my resume.

Did I do something to offend him.

I’m going to die.

Crackle-

[You don’t have to be so discouraged.]

Thud!

The spotlight that was shining on the desk just now, now brightly illuminated the top of Park Yeon-jung’s head.

[‘Park Yeon-jung’ applicant’s documents have already been received by our company! We have seen your passion for the company!]

……?

When did I apply to this company with no future…

……Ah.

That’s when.

While mindlessly browsing the <Ghost Story Record Repository> due to continuous frustration in the job market.

My index finger submitted an application form just for fun.

[Then, we ask for the quick cooperation of the other applicants!]

“That person is crazy.”

After I filled out the application, not a single person moved.

I understand.

Even I wouldn’t be foolish enough to readily fill out a document I know nothing about.

…… A lot of time has passed.

At this rate, everyone here except me will die.

Or, if the other two people who applied to the <Ghost Story Record Repository> site after seeing the announcement haven’t shown up yet, does that mean.

Am I the only pre-applicant here?

[10 minutes until application deadline.]

Just 10 minutes.

After these 10 minutes, everyone left here will die.

As for how they die…… I won’t talk about it anymore due to it being too disturbing.

I’ll just say it’s the most horrible death you wouldn’t want to see with your own eyes.

Just imagining it makes me nauseous.

•Ugh.

[7 minutes until application deadline.]

A mechanical voice echoing in the empty silence.

But even this sound will end in 7 minutes.

Soon, this whole situation will be resolved.

Whether it’s in a good direction.

Or a bad one.

After filling out the resume, I didn’t meet anyone’s eyes here.

Probably, the other side also recognizes me as a complete psycho for filling out a resume that could lead to something happening.

[3 minutes until application deadline.]

Now it’s really the end.

The end of life as pre-defined.

Death.

Even if I survive here, I’ll just die in the next ‘aptitude test’.

It may be harsh, but there’s nothing I can do.

I need to be cold-hearted..

“Mom.”

“!!”

From among the crowd that I had been avoiding with my head down, I heard a student sobbing.

Sigh.

Maybe I was out of it for a moment because I’ve been in this harsh job competition for too long.

Let’s maintain at least a minimum of dignity, Park Yeon-jung.

“E, everyone. Fill out the resume here!”

“……”

It was the first time in a while that my voice broke the silence of several minutes.

At first, everyone looked up at my voice.

But realizing that the voice was coming from me, who had filled out the resume, they covered their ears, closed their mouths, and lowered their heads again.

“…If you want to live, you have to fill out the resume!”

“……”

“Don’t you think it’s strange?! This situation, this space, the unusually quiet situation outside!”

[2 minutes until application deadline.]

My voice, awkward from shouting loudly, became stronger each time the announcement about the decreasing time was delivered, as if it were hitting my ears.

“Now is the time to follow their conditions and observe the situation! We must not provoke them!”

“…….”

“We want to go home safely!”

At my plea, a female student hesitated.

But a short-haired student, who seemed to be her friend, stopped her.

“Are you crazy! Do you believe that psycho? And what if they’re in cahoots with these guys!”

“…But Minji.”

“Get a grip, Kim Hye-sun!”

It’s no use.

My voice, which had been so full of indignation until just now, was stopped by that one word from that female student, and even the steps of others who had hesitated were stopped in their tracks.

That little brat!

[1 minute until application deadline.]

1 minute left until the deadline.

“Everyone!”

“Sh, shut up!”

“There’s no guarantee that things will get better just because you fill out that resume!”

“Yeah!”

“If you’re going to die, just die alone!”

Panic.

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

The situation is only getting worse.

Just when it seemed like things couldn’t get any worse.

Step.

A woman wearing horn-rimmed glasses approached Park Yeon-jung.

And the words she spat out were.

“So, we just have to fill it out, right?”

“……Yes.”

It’s a familiar face.

The woman who looked at me with disdain when I was acting foolish in front of the library.

She quickly filled out the resume and put it in the box next to it.

Crackle-

[Is this like a relief pitcher?! Anyway, thank you for applying to our company!]

[The application submission will close in 1 minute.]

And the woman, having finished filling out the resume, met my eyes once more.

And whispered softly.

‘If this is a lie, I’ll rip your fcking tongue out, you bstard.’

?!?!?!

Before all the question marks and exclamation marks in my head could disappear.

The woman took off her horn-rimmed glasses and swept her hair back with one hand.

“There’s not even 1 minute left!

Goodbye, you idiots…!

Ah! And the girls over there might sell for a higher price.”

……?

Where are we being sold to?

The woman suddenly started spouting nonsense.

But those words, full of curses and slander.

“Y, you tricked us?!”

The fish started to take the bait.

“Fill out the resume immediately!”

“Mommy!!”

“Hey! Kim Hye-sun…………! Seriously!”

And as if enjoying this situation.

[10…]

[9…]

[8…]

The countdown to the deadline began.

It was like watching a bargain sale at a supermarket.

[4…]

[3…]

[2…]

[1···.]

[Deadline!]

[Thank you very much for your many applications!!]