Chapter 5 – Recruitment of New Employees (5)
From. Son.
Mother, Father, I hope you are doing well.
I am doing well. (Well, I was doing well….)
The reason I am writing this letter so suddenly today is……I got a job. (It’s an evil company.)
To my parents who have raised and cared for me until now, finally, your eldest son, Park Yeon-jeong,
has become a fine man who will take on a role as one of the pillars of society.
You must be happy…….
…Ah, the introduction has gotten too long.
I think I should go now.
Please both take care of your health, and with this final farewell, I…will live diligently from now on.
P.S.-……Please save me.
——-
*****
After years of dipping his toes into the job market, job seeker Park Yeon-jeong.
Finally, he!
Crosses the enormous threshold of employment. Now, he has become a proper member of society, taking on a role as one of its pillars.
So, what are Park Yeon-jeong’s first impressions as a member of society?
‘F***!’
Is he so happy that curse words just naturally come out?
[I’d like to hear how you feel about becoming an official employee. Park Yeon-jeong, new employee.]
That damn ‘feeling’ question again.
How do I feel?
“…….”
I barely managed to hold back the curse words that were about to burst out. (……Come to think of it, I already did it earlier?)
…Anyway.
This can’t go on.
The original plan to escape during the interview has gone down the drain.
Thud.
I clutched my head with both hands.
I have to think.
No, I must think!
Of another way to escape from here.
Move!
My legion of neurons!
=======
<Exploration Record #15>
Employee Kang Hoon escaped the interview room in the same manner as written in the manual…….
=======
No.
There must be another way!
=======
<Exploration Record #1■>
Employee Kim■■ did ■■■ to the ■■■ and ■■…….
=======
Damn it, damn it, damn it!
Gaps are forming in my memory.
It’s not coming to mind…it’s not.
More than that, really……really, was there ever another way to escape besides the interview room?
I’m starting to doubt myself.
Even the previous content I had been pondering is now distorted.
I feel like I’m about to lose my grip on reality.
[Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]
“!!”
My frozen gaze turned toward the speaker.
A guide broadcast calling me out in a remarkably calm tone.
I was more tense than ever, holding my breath until the next announcement was heard.
My time felt as if it had stopped.
[Surely……you’re not still worried about the remaining candidates, are you?]
……Huh?
No.
Of course not.
How could I possibly have the time to think about others when I’m on the verge of death myself?
[You truly are an altruistic person. A type of human rarely seen in this day and age.]
……Thank you for misunderstanding me.
[In honor of Employee Park Yeon-jeong becoming a full-time employee of our company, we will allow you to bid farewell to them.]
Thud!
The lights went out again.
Not all the lights, but all except the one where Park Yeon-jeong was standing.
Thud!
When the lights came back on.
“……Wh-where is this?”
“We’re back to where we started!”
“We’re alive! We’re alive!”
Everyone’s faces were pale, as if they had lost a screw.
Everyone except Park Yeon-jeong must have been dragged into the interview room and gone through the interview.
‘……Six people?’
The number had decreased.
There should have been 12 people excluding myself, but now there were only half.
Which means.
They’re dead.
It’s obvious without even looking.
The remaining six who aren’t here must be cold corpses in the interview room.
I quickly checked the condition of those I had spent a short time with.
The girl with glasses was sweating, and the female student I had accidentally saved and her friend were sitting down, terrified.
None of them looked in good condition.
But they were still alive.
The people gathered here didn’t seem to know why they had returned, but since they had been here before, some of them sighed in relief.
Crackle-
The lively voice of the guide broadcast came through again.
[Candidates! We apologize for calling you out during the interview. But, now! We have some truly joyous news, so we’ve taken the liberty of interrupting.]
Thud!
A few more lights turned on, shining brightly on the spot where Park Yeon-jeong was standing.
[It’s official! Candidate Park Yeon-jeong has been approved by the executives and has become a ‘full-time employee’!]
[Now! Everyone, applause!!]
[Congratulations! Blessings! Please look forward to his future!]
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap…….
An excessive overreaction unlike anything before.
And mysterious bouquets of flowers flying in from the surroundings.
“A full-time employee…? So, that person can leave this place?”
“Don’t tell me, they used us?!”
“Then……all the help they gave us was just for this………F***! I knew it!”
……What?
You’re misunderstanding it like that?
It’s not that I don’t understand their reaction.
They’re humans who have been terrified too. If I were in their shoes, I might have done the same.
……But.
Understanding doesn’t excuse everything.
I couldn’t help but frown.
The girl with glasses, who had been silently observing the situation, seeing the overheated situation, tried to calm them down.
“Everyone, please calm down……”
Just as she was about to deliver the message to calm them down.
[Really. Didn’t I just say? Clap.]
Thud!
The lights went out.
To be precise, the lights illuminating the three people who had raised their voices at Park Yeon-jeong went out simultaneously.
“…Wh-what……!”
“W-wait!”
Squelch!
An unpleasant sound of something bursting was heard as the lights went out.
Even though everyone could tell it was an ominous sound, no one screamed.
Probably because they didn’t want to provoke the guide broadcast any further.
It was as if the situation had conditioned them not to scream.
Crackle-
The guy spoke again.
[……Sigh. Why is it that humans can’t celebrate the happiness of others?]
His voice was genuinely regretful.
[Employee Park Yeon-jeong. Contrary to your thoughts, it seems that some people were not a good fit for our company.]
[But don’t be too disheartened. You’re just a person who trusts others too easily.]
“…….”
At the moment I saw the three people who had died in front of me for no reason other than being annoying.
I realized once again that this place was a Ghost story.
And
My celebration time wasn’t over yet.
[The other candidates, you’re not the type to envy others, are you?]
[You’ll congratulate your colleague on becoming a full-time employee, right?]
“…….”
The girl with glasses, after the tragedy that had just unfolded beside her and the guide broadcast ended, made eye contact with me.
Her pale face.
Her eyes were filled with desperation.
…Right.
It’s not over yet.
There’s still a chance.
I slowly nodded up and down at the girl with glasses.
At my signal.
Clap!
The girl with glasses started clapping without any hesitation.
“C-congratulations, Mr. Park Yeon-jeong. Congratulations!”
Clap! Clap! Clap!
The sound of applause began to echo.
She went over to the two female students who had collapsed on the floor and forcibly pulled them up.
And she shouted.
“You two should congratulate him too!”
“…….”
“Hurry!”
There was a smile on her lips, but her eyes showed an indescribable desperation.
…Clap.
At her gaze, the short-haired girl named Minji weakly clapped her trembling hands together.
“C-congratulations, sir.”
“…….”
Her friend Hye-sun, who had been watching her, made eye contact with me through her swollen eyelids.
I forced a faint smile.
‘That’s the only way to survive.’
I’m not sure if my lip movement conveyed it well.
Clap.
‘…Right.’
Fortunately, the last girl also started clapping with great difficulty.
Is this enough?
It has to be.
Park Yeon-jeong and everyone else held their breath, waiting for the next guide broadcast.
[……Sob.]
A sob came from the speaker.
Halt!
Everyone froze at the sound and swallowed dryly.
[Indeed……when everyone sincerely congratulates each other, that’s the most beautiful sight.]
[Don’t you agree! Employee Park Yeon-jeong!]
“……Yes, I agree…”
I couldn’t think of any other response.
If I say anything more here, I don’t know what might happen to the three people in front of me.
I can’t even guess.
I was afraid someone might die because of me.
‘What should I do…….’
How can I escape from here?
Is it even possible to escape?
Is it already……over…….
Countless thoughts are swirling in my head.
I wish that annoying noise would stop.
Crackle-
……Damn it.
[Well then, since the farewells are over.]
[The remaining three applicants should finish what they were doing, right?]
!!
No.
If this pattern continues, they will be dragged back into the interview room.
If this continues, these three will definitely die.
I’m confused…
Three people will die.
So what? They’re strangers, right?
People are dying!
Do you want to play the hero?
You murderous bastard!
I’ve done enough. I’ve done enough, you stupid bastard!
“W-wait a minute!”
I shouted without thinking.
The lights for those three people……hadn’t gone out yet.
Fortunately, the guide broadcast seemed to be focusing on my voice.
[……This is the second time.]
Chill.
My spine tingled.
Second time?
This is undoubtedly…a ‘warning.’
A warning sign from the guy who had been friendly to me until now.
There won’t be a next time.
My lips are trembling.
My thoughts are frozen, and my ability to think clearly is deteriorating.
I closed my eyes tightly.
Swallowing a dry gulp, when I opened my mouth again.
“H-how about……rescheduling the interview for the remaining candidates…for another day?”
……You idiot.
“Today has been quite eventful…”
The nonsense doesn’t stop.
“…It’s still too early for these people to leave…”
I’m just repeating the same thing.
“Wouldn’t it be…a shame?”
[…….]
After saying this, I forced a stupid smile.
I lowered my stiff face to the ground.
F***……it’s over.
That’s what I thought.
What I just said was clearly a stretch. It was just a stalling tactic.
We’re all going to die here.
Clap.
……Huh?
Clap clap clap clap.
Have I finally gone crazy?
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!!
The sound of artificial applause coming from the speaker. At first, I thought I misheard.
Did that useless persuasion actually work?
[Until the very end, sacrificing yourself for others. That part of Employee Park Yeon-jeong!]
[You’re truly qualified! You’re hired! Employee Park Yeon-jeong, you are the epitome of the talent we’ve been looking for in this company!]
Did it really work?
[As Employee Park Yeon-jeong said, let’s reschedule the interviews for the remaining three candidates for another day.]
[We’ll see you again on the next interview day.]
The white glove that had been holding the banner just moments ago now grabbed the library’s entrance handle.
Squeak.
With a sinister sound.
As if indicating the way out, the glove stood motionless beside it.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
The three people looked at the wide-open entrance they had been waiting for, but no one dared to take the first step.
The girl with glasses made eye contact with me several times, but I couldn’t bring myself to give her a clear answer this time.
I wasn’t sure either.
“…….”
The girl with glasses stared at the dark entrance for a while.
……Nod.
She bowed deeply to me. And that was the last I saw of her.
She walked briskly through the entrance.
The two female students, who had been staring blankly, exchanged glances.
Then, hesitantly, they followed the girl with glasses and slowly walked toward the entrance.
Everyone had passed through the entrance.
…Everyone had left, leaving only me behind.
The white glove, holding a handkerchief from who knows where, made a gesture as if wiping away tears.
“…….”
I quietly held my breath, waiting for the next reaction from the creature.
Crackle-
The creature wasn’t done yet.
[………Sigh.]
A deep sigh.
The atmosphere was so suffocating that even swallowing saliva felt forbidden.
[Employee Park Yeon-jeong……do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this day!]
……Huh?
Why the sudden outburst?
With the poor sound quality, the madness from beyond the speaker felt even more palpable.
Though I had somewhat prepared myself for death in this isolated situation, it reminded me once again that in a place like this, you can’t predict even an inch ahead.
Thud!
The lights went out.
Just as I was sinking into the thought that I was finally going to die.
Thud!
When the lights came back on.
What was in front of me.
Was not a gallows.
Instead, a lavishly set dining table awaited me.
[Congratulations on joining our company! Employee Park Yeon-jeong!]
“…….”
Overwhelmingly, suffocatingly kind.
“…Th-thank you.”
I blurted out a thank you without thinking, but I still couldn’t grasp the situation.
Crackle-
The tearing sound of a voice followed.
[Employee Park Yeon-je■! To be honest, I ■l the other candidates ■are unnecessary from the ■beginning!]
[Only ■ou! I’ve had my eye on you ■from the start.]
……Huh?
Why does someone like me?
I’m just an ordinary ‘job seeker H,’ nothing more.
But with my ‘I know nothing’ face, the guide broadcast kindly explained why I was chosen.
This time, the sound quality returned to normal.
[Employee Park Yeon-jeong! Let’s be honest. You know about me, don’t you……or should I say ‘us’?]
………Don’t tell me.
No way.
It can’t be.
It’s impossible.
I prayed that the creature’s words weren’t heading in that direction.
Even if I had given a slight hint, there’s no way that creature could have deduced that much.
It’s an F-grade ghost story, right?
Besides, there was no mention of such intelligence on the site.
No matter what, I had to deny it now.
“What do you mean—.”
[No lying.]
“!!”
The creature abruptly cut me off.
[……How strange.]
[From the moment you filled out our company’s application form. To the way you passionately encouraged others to fill out their forms.]
[It’s as if. You knew what would happen if they didn’t fill out the form.]
……From the very beginning.
[Employee Park Yeon-jeong…I’ll ask you one more time.]
The speaker’s noise grew louder.
[Let’s be honest.]
[You know about us……don’t you?]
The worst possible outcome, worse than death.
The Ghost story…….
My identity has been exposed.
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