Chapter 4 Part 4: New Employee Recruitment

How long did it take for everyone gathered here to treat me like a madman?

Just 5 seconds.

……Maybe?

It might have been even faster.

‘The back of my head feels hot….?

I know. I know that what I just did was worth getting badmouth.

I’m not so clueless that I don’t realize that.

If they remember all the situations that have unfolded before our eyes, and the stench that stings the tip of the nose.

Then even a passing dog would know that you shouldn’t talk back to the announcement coming from the speaker.

<Exploration Record 6>

:New employee Park Ji-soo tried not to follow the instructions in the manual, that is, the words of the announcement.

At first, she was intimidated by his gradually intensifying tone, but she was relieved to see that he could not harm her any further.

New employee Park Ji-soo thought that if she continued like this, she would be able to safely complete the mission and return.

(Result: Death_Suffocation/Shock.)

(Cause of death: A white glove that appeared from somewhere grabbed her neck tightly. With a snap! sound, she died.)

Even the wiki site stated that one should not disobey the words of Mr. Announcement.

But………….

What do you expect me to do!

After that female student.

It’s obvious that the next person to die like a dog is me!

I’m sorry but…….

I’m just as scared.

Fear that you know is always scarier than the unknown.

And the white glove that was still hovering in the air even after the drawing was over, kept catching my eye.

…It feels strangely like it’s looking at me.

‘It’s, it’s just my imagination, right?’

It has to be.

Crackle-

With the noise tickling my ears.

I tried my best to calm my trembling lips.

[Applicant Park Yeon-jung, do you want to raise an issue with our aptitude test?]

Yes!

[You mean the long-standing policy of our company that has been in place for a year?]

Everything from A to Z is a problem!

Especially ‘long jump on a floor covered with magma’ isn’t that just telling us to die?!

…That’s what I wanted to say.

But if I did.

That white glove would probably break my neck without hesitation, like breaking a twig.

I took a short breath and immediately turned my gaze to the speaker.

“…How could that be.

People far more capable than a mere applicant like me must have thought about these things.

If I could understand the great intentions of such people, I wouldn’t be standing here now.”

[······.]

What kind of expression that man…no, that ghost story guy is looking at me with.

I can’t know for sure right now.

That’s why my gaze is not on the speaker.

But on the white glove that might come to break my neck at any moment.

A hand gesture in the air as if stroking a chin.

Is it…thinking?

[…Indeed, applicant Park Yeon-jung, unlike others, sees the deep intentions of our company!]

[Truly a desirable talent!]

The voice that had been subdued until just now seemed to regain its vigor.

The tone of the announcement seemed to rise, but.

Even if I’m praised by the ghost story guy.

I’m not happy at all.

Still, the moment I realized that he was looking at me favorably.

I couldn’t miss this opportunity.

“However, I’m disappointed!

It’s just that the applicants who applied here can’t use their specialties and have to drop out here!”

A tearful, desperate performance that would put method acting to shame.

The remaining 12 applicants who were watching this tearful, desperate performance were speechless.

[······.]

The guy on the other side of the speaker also seemed to be at a loss for words, and didn’t respond.

It’s embarrassing.

An unknown shame comes over me in the silence.

But I have to endure.

If I can survive without dying, I’m ready to throw away that pride as much as I need to.

To shake off this embarrassment a little.

I mixed in larger body movements.

Whoosh!

I spread my arms wide above my head.

I shouted at the top of my lungs.

“What a shame, what a shame!

To think that we have to let go of competent colleagues who could have taken responsibility for this company!

It’s so, so regrettable!”

“So. Regrettable!”

[······.]

“It’s, really. Re. Gret. Ta. Ble!”

[······.]

Hello?

Why is there no reaction?

Mr. Announcement, who hasn’t shown any reaction for a while now.

Even the white glove, which was the only thing that could be visually confirmed, was now frozen with its palm wide open.

‘Anyone, please. Just give me some kind of reaction!’

I’m so anxious I could die!

And the speaker’s noise that brushed past my ear, dispelling that anxiety.

Crackle-

How long I’ve waited for this noise.

[…Hmm. Certainly, from the company’s point of view, if we can bring many talents into the company. There could be no better outcome.]

It’s a very positive response.

At this rate, I might be able to skip this aptitude test safely.

[This matter seems to need to be discussed with the executives who will be conducting the next interview.]

[We will provide a space for the applicants to take a short break.]

Thud!

Once again, the lights in the space where we were standing went out, and when the lights came back on.

‘…A break room?’

We were standing in a space reminiscent of a company break room.

[Please take a short break and enjoy some sweet snacks.]

[We’ll be back soon.]

With those last words, the announcement ended, and I couldn’t hear his voice anymore.

“…Did he, really leave?”

“I… I think so?”

Everyone kept their guard up until the last moment.

They were aware of the seriousness of this space.

So I didn’t try to ease this tension.

Some, feeling the hunger they had forgotten due to extreme fear, looked at the snacks on the table.

Of course, they didn’t eat.

They just glanced.

No one would touch the snacks placed in such a strange space.

They were just waiting for someone else to be the first.

‘Even to eat a snack, you have to risk your life. Jeez.’

I won’t eat because it’s dirty.

And now is the time to focus all my nerves on the subtle changes in the speaker, rather than on those snacks.

‘Did it work?’

It has to.

Otherwise, I’m dead.

Whether my head bursts from a falling shot put.

Or my body is crushed by a press.

Anyway, if I fail, the aptitude test will start with the premise of my ‘death’ next.

But just as Park Yeon-jung was waiting for the announcement from the speaker.

There was also someone who wanted to say something to Park Yeon-jung.

Tap.

“Aaaah!”

Park Yeon-jung responded to the well-intentioned touch with a scream.

……

Please understand.

I’m scared too.

“Kyaaaak!”

As if in response to Park Yeon-jung’s scream.

The female student screamed in turn.

Female student?

Only then, after calming my startled heart.

I saw the female student named Kim Hye-sun, her eyes still red and swollen, sniffing and looking at me strangely.

“……Sorry. I startled you a lot, didn’t I.”

“……Oh, no, it’s okay.”

But the female student’s scream still lingered in my ears.

“Um, well………Thank you, for earlier. For saving me.”

If that’s how the other person took it, then okay.

There’s no need to bring up the ugly truth of ‘What are you talking about? I did it to save myself’.

If the other person is thankful, that’s all that matters.

…Um, let’s leave it at that.

“I just did what I had to do.”

I didn’t lie.

Bow.

A truly polite child, bowing 90 degrees to thank me.

This child really.

She has a personality that makes it difficult to survive in a ghost story.

She may have been lucky to survive this time, but she’s too easily swayed by others.

The next interview will probably be her limit.

Crackle-

He’s back.

With the blatant hope that the conversation went well, a low-quality voice came from the speaker.

[Oh my! I’ve made the applicants wait too long!]

[As one of the people in charge of the company, I apologize on their behalf.]

An apology is important, but what happened!

[After discussing with the executives…we’ve decided to give all the remaining applicants the opportunity to have an interview right away!]

[Congratulations!]

Bbadum!!

Still the same cheesy congratulatory sound effect.

But.

‘It worked!’

Well, who cares if the congratulatory sound is cheesy.

I’m alive right now, that’s all that matters.

Of course, Park Yeon-jung wasn’t the only one who was happy to hear that the aptitude test was canceled.

Probably everyone here felt the same way when they saw the ridiculous obstacles of that aptitude test.

They just didn’t have the courage to defy the announcement.

I understand that part since defying means death.

The ghost story guy’s announcement continued.

[Then! Everyone must be ready for the interview, right?]

[Haha! You’re all still so shy!]

Just when I was getting used to that positive way of thinking.

[Let’s begin the interview!]

The announcement guy, silently carrying out his role.

Thud!

The lights went out again.

Taking advantage of the brief darkness, I recalled the interview process that I would soon face.

<Exploration Record 8>

:Employee Lee Sol is one of the best employees of the month, recording the shortest time in the aptitude test. He was an employee with high expectations from the higher-ups.

Employee Lee Sol was also amazed and his pride was through the roof at the praise from the announcement.

At this rate, we might really be able to clear this ghost story.

Everyone thought so.

(Result: Death_Suicide.)

(Cause of death: Employee Lee Sol, unable to answer the interviewer’s [censored] question, showed signs of mental derangement. For some reason, he picked up a knife that had fallen on the floor and stabbed himself in the neck.)

As for the interview, as confirmed earlier.

You must not do anything that deviates from the interviewers’ expectations.

Then, not doing anything that deviates from the interviewers’ expectations is quite simple.

Just tell the truth.

The reason why Lee Sol died above is because he couldn’t give an honest answer to the interviewer’s question.

Of course, even if you know this method, it’s clear that there will be difficult questions.

It can be called a ‘be careful what you say section’ where a moment’s mistake leads to death.

‘Well, I won’t be taking that interview.’

Even if you pass the interview by luck, in the end, you’re trapped in this space and have to live here for the rest of your life.

I don’t want to spend the rest of my life trapped in a ghost story like this.

So there’s only one chance to escape.

That moment when the interview is in progress is the chance.

<Exploration Record 13.>

:Employee Ryu Jin-ho, unable to overcome the pressure of death, told the interviewer that he was not good enough to answer the question.

A tear fell from the interviewer’s faceless face,

-Don’t blame yourself too much. There will be another chance.

(Result: Escape)

(Statement: After the interviewer’s words, all the lights in the room went out again, and when the lights came back on. He stated that he was in front of the place where he first entered this ghost story.)

Finally, I’ve come this far.

Escape is just around the corner.

Park Yeon-jung swallowed tears at his struggles so far and was preparing to do the method acting he had done before again.

Thud!

With the lights on once again.

What Park Yeon-jung faced was.

<Congratulations! Regular Employee

“What are you doing?”

He met eyes with the white glove, which was hastily setting up a banner with a strange message between the pillars.

The banner wasn’t fully set up yet, but the phrase ‘Regular Employee’ that caught Park Yeon-jung’s eye.

Why was it so unsettling………

His gaze naturally scanned the surroundings quickly, and Park Yeon-jung, who should have been in the interview room, realized that for some reason.

He was standing alone in the central hall where he was at the beginning.

Why?

Why am I the only one here?

Doubts filled his head, wondering if there was a problem during the transfer.

Crackle-

The noise that would end all these incidents was heard.

[Oh my, oh my. I was so hasty that I seem to have called applicant Park Yeon-jung here too early.]

[I wanted to show a surprise to applicant Park Yeon-jung, who showed the most outstanding performance!]

[But it seems to have been all figured out.]

[It’s a bit…………embarrassing.]

What’s with this sudden youthful atmosphere?

More than that, I’m so anxious I could die.

The next word on the banner that the white glove is holding is bothering me.

It can’t be.

…………Even while thinking that, an unknown anxiety gradually tightened around my neck.

“…………Wh, what is this situation. I’m a bit…confused.”

I tried to remain calm, but my voice betrayed me.

[Since the situation has come to this. I think it’s right for me to reveal it coolly.]

[Applicant Park Yeon-jung!]

This pattern is……… No.

Please tell me it’s not true.

[You are officially hired…]

No.

[Congratulations on joining our company!]

[Our company is looking forward to your performance!]

No! F*ck!!

Park Yeon-jung employee’s first day…………starts?