Chapter 4 – Recruitment of New Employees (4)
How long did it take for everyone gathered here to treat me like a crazy person?
Just 5 seconds.
…Maybe?
It might have been even faster than that.
‘The back of my head feels hot…’
I know it too. I’m aware that my actions just now were the kind of stupid behavior that would get me scolded.
I’m not so clueless that I wouldn’t realize that.
If you’re someone who remembers all the situations that have unfolded before our eyes and the stench that stings your nose.
Then you’d know that it’s common sense, something even a passing dog would understand, that you shouldn’t question the announcements coming through the speakers right now.
=======
<Exploration Record #6>
New employee Park Ji-soo decided not to follow the instructions in the manual and ignored the announcement.
At first, she was intimidated by the increasingly aggressive tone of the voice, but she felt relieved when she realized that it couldn’t physically harm her.
Park Ji-soo thought that if things continued like this, she would be able to complete her mission safely and return.
(Result: Death_by suffocation/shock.)
(Cause of death: A white glove that appeared out of nowhere tightly gripped her neck. With a snap sound, she died.)
=======
Even the wiki site explicitly stated that you must not go against the words of the ‘Announcement Gentleman.’
But…….
What am I supposed to do!
After that female student.
It’s clear that the next person to die like a dog will be me!
I’m sorry but…
I’m just as scared as anyone else.
After all, known fears are scarier than unknown ones.
And even now, the white glove that lingered in the air after the lottery ended was still vividly in my sight.
…Somehow, the strange direction of the hand made it seem like it was looking at me.
‘It must be my imagination, right?’
Please, let it just be that.
Static–
I tried to calm my trembling lips as the noise tickled my ears.
[Applicant Park Yeon-jeong, do you have any issues with our aptitude test?]
[Our company’s long-standing policy, which has been in place for ■■ years.]
Yes!
Everything from start to finish is a problem!
Especially the ‘long jump over magma-covered floors’—isn’t that just asking us to die?!
…That’s what I wanted to say.
But if I said that.
That white glove would probably snap my neck like a twig without hesitation.
After a short exhale, I immediately turned my gaze toward the speaker.
“…How could that be? I’m sure the esteemed individuals who thought of this are far more capable than a mere applicant like me. If I could understand their grand intentions, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.”
[…….]
I couldn’t tell what expression the man behind the speaker—no, that urban legend creature—was making as he looked at me.
Currently, l cannot know.
So, my gaze wasn’t on the speaker.
Instead, it was on the white glove that might come to snap my neck at any moment.
The hand moves in the air, as if brushing its chin.
Is it…thinking?
[…As expected, applicant Park Yeon-jeong, you seem to understand the deeper meaning of our company, unlike others!]
[You’re truly a desirable talent!]
The voice, which had been subdued until now, seemed to regain its vigor. The tone of the announcement seemed to rise, but.
Being praised by that urban legend creature.
Doesn’t make me happy at all.
Still, the moment I realized he viewed me favorably.
I couldn’t let this opportunity slip away.
“However, I feel regret! It’s unfortunate that the applicants here aren’t able to showcase their talents and are being eliminated!”
A tearful performance that would put method acting to shame.
The remaining 12 applicants watching this spectacle were speechless at the tearful display unfolding before their eyes.
[…….]
The guy behind the speaker also seemed at a loss for words, offering no response.
……How embarrassing.
An overwhelming sense of shame washes over me in the deafening silence.
But I have to endure it.
If it means surviving and not dying, I’m prepared to throw away any amount of pride.
To shake off even a bit of this shame, I exaggerated my movements even more.
Whoosh!
I spread my arms wide above my head.
I shouted at the top of my lungs.
“What a pity, what a pity! To have to send away such capable colleagues who could surely take responsibility for this company! So, so disappointing !”
[…….]
“Ah, How disappointing!”
[…….]
“Truly, d-i-s-a-p-p-o-i-n-t-i-n-g!”
[…….]
……Excuse me?
Why is there no response?
The Announcement Gentleman, who hasn’t shown any reaction since earlier.
Even the white glove, the only thing I could visually confirm, is now frozen with its palm wide open.
‘Someone, please, just give me some kind of response!’
I’m going crazy with anxiety!
And then, the static from the speaker brushes against my ear.
Static-
How long I’ve been waiting for this noise.
[…Hmm. Indeed, from the company’s perspective, if we can bring in more talented individuals, there’s no better outcome.]
A fairly positive response.
With this, I might be able to skip this aptitude test safely.
[This matter seems to require further discussion with the executives who will be conducting the next interviews.]
[We’ll prepare a resting area for the applicants in the meantime.]
Thud!
Once again, the lights in the space we were in turned off, and when they came back on.
‘…A break room?’
We were all standing in a space reminiscent of a company break room.
[Please take a short rest and enjoy some sweet snacks.]
[We’ll be back soon.]
With those final words, the announcement ended, and the creature’s voice was no longer heard.
“…Is he really gone?”
“It seems…like it?”
Everyone remained on guard until the very end.
The fact that they maintained their vigilance about this space meant they didn’t try to ease the tension.
Some of them, feeling the hunger they had forgotten in their extreme fear, glanced at the snacks placed on the table.
Of course, no one ate them.
They just glanced.
No one dared to touch the snacks placed in this bizarre space.
They only waited for someone else to make the first move.
‘To think that eating a single snack could cost you your life. Unbelievable.’
I’m not eating that because it’s dirty.
And right now, I need to focus all my senses on any subtle changes coming from the speaker.
‘It worked, right?’
……It has to.
Otherwise, I’m dead.
Whether my head gets crushed by a falling shot put or my body gets flattened by a press.
If I fail, the aptitude test will begin with the premise that my ‘death’ is next.
But just as Park Yeon-jeong was waiting for the announcement from the speaker.
There was someone who wanted to say something to Park Yeon-jeong.
Tap.
“Eek!”
Park Yeon-jeong responded to the well-meaning touch with a piercing scream.
……Please understand.
I’m scared too.
“Aaaah!”
As if responding to Park Yeon-jeong’s scream, the girl also let out a cry.
A female student?
It was only then that I noticed Kim Hye-sun, the female student with red, swollen eyes, swallowing her snot and looking at me strangely.
“…Sorry. You must have been really startled.”
“…No, it’s okay.”
…Saying it’s okay doesn’t change the fact that her scream is still ringing in my ears.
“Um, thank you…for saving me earlier.”
“…….”
……If that’s how she took it, then okay.
No need to say the ugly truth, ‘What are you talking about? I did it to save myself.’
If she’s grateful, that’s enough.
…Let’s leave it at that.
“I just did what I had to do.”
I didn’t lie.
Bow.
She bowed at a 90-degree angle, showing her gratitude.
Such a polite child.
……This kid really.
Has a personality that makes it hard to survive in a horror story.
She might have luckily survived this time, but she’s too easily swayed by others.
The next interview will probably be her limit.
Static-
He’s back.
With the blatant hope that things went well, the low-quality voice came through the speaker again.
[Oh my! I’ve kept the applicants waiting for too long!]
[As one of the company’s representatives, I’d like to apologize on behalf of the company.]
An apology is important, but what’s the result?!
[After discussing with the executives…we’ve decided to give all remaining applicants the opportunity to proceed directly to the interviews!]
[Congratulations!]
Bam!!
Still the same tacky congratulatory sound effect.
But.
‘It worked!’
Who cares if the sound effect is tacky?
As long as I’m alive right now.
Of course, Park Yeon-jeong wasn’t the only one happy to hear that the aptitude test was canceled.
Everyone here probably felt the same way about the absurd obstacles in the aptitude test.
They just didn’t have the courage to confront the announcement.
Confronting it would mean death, so I understand that.
The urban legend creature’s announcement continued.
[Well then! Is everyone ready for the interview?]
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
[Haha! Still so shy, everyone!]
By now, I’ve become numb to this kind of positive thinking.
[Let’s begin the interviews!]
The Announcement Gentleman, silently carrying out his role.
Thud!
The lights went out again.
In the brief darkness, I quickly ran through the interview process I was about to face in my mind.
=======
<Exploration Record #8>
Employee Lee Sol was one of the top employees of the month, having completed the aptitude test in record time. The higher-ups had high expectations for her.
Lee Sol was also proud of the praise from the announcement, her nose practically in the air.
If things continued like this, it seemed like we could really overcome this urban legend.
Everyone thought so.
(Result: Death_by suicide.)
(Cause of death: Unable to answer the interviewer’s [censored] question, Lee Sol showed signs of mental confusion. For some reason, she picked up a knife from the floor and stabbed herself in the neck.)
=======
As I had already seen earlier, the key to the interview is to avoid any behavior that would make the interviewers look down on you.
So, the behavior that doesn’t make the interviewers look down on you is surprisingly simple.
Just give honest answers.
The reason Lee Sol died was because she couldn’t give an honest answer to the interviewer’s question.
Of course, even knowing this method, it’s clear that the questions will be anything but easy.
It’s a section where a single mistake can lead to death—a ‘watch your words’ zone.
‘But I’m not going to take that interview.’
Even if I luckily pass the interview, the ending is that I’ll be trapped in this space for the rest of my life.
I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in this urban legend.
So, there’s only one chance to escape.
The moment the interview begins is that chance.
=======
<Exploration Record #13.>
Employee Ryu Jin-ho, unable to withstand the pressure of death, told the interviewer that he was inadequate and couldn’t answer the questions.
A single tear fell from the faceless interviewer’s 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, and when they came back on, he was in front of the location where he had first entered the urban legend.)
=======
Finally, I’ve made it this far.
Escape is right in front of me.
Park Yeon-jeong, swallowing tears over his struggles so far, was preparing for another round of method acting when.
Thud!
With the lights turning back on.
What Park Yeon-jeong faced was.
<Congrats! Official Employee ………>
…………What are you doing?
I locked eyes with the white glove hurriedly setting up a banner with strange text between pillars.
The banner wasn’t fully set up yet, but the words ‘Official Employee’ that caught Park Yeon-jeong’s eye.
Why did they make me so uneasy…?
His gaze naturally swept around the room, and Park Yeon-jeong, who should have been in the interview room, was somehow.
Standing alone in the central hall, the place where we had started.
“………?”
Why?
Why am I the only one here?
Was there a problem during the move? That was the only question filling my mind when.
Static-
The noise that would bring an end to all of this came.
[Oh dear. I was too hasty. It seems I brought Applicant Park Yeon-jeong here too quickly.]
[I wanted to surprise Applicant Park Yeon-jeong, who showed the most outstanding performance!]
[But it seems I’ve been found out.]
[How…embarrassing.]
……What’s with this suddenly innocent atmosphere?
More importantly, I’m dying of anxiety.
Ever since earlier, I’ve been nervous about the next word on the banner the white glove is holding.
It can’t be…I thought, but an inexplicable unease slowly tightened around my neck.
“……W-what’s going on? This is…a bit overwhelming.”
I tried my best to stay calm, but my voice betrayed me.
[Since things have come to this, I think it’s best to just come clean.]
[Applicant Park Yeon-jeong!]
This pattern………no.
Please tell me it’s not what I think.
[Congratulations on officially…]
No.
[joining our company!]
[We’re looking forward to your future contributions!]
No! Damn it!!
Park Yeon-jeong, Employee Day 1…begins?
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