Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 12

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Even If I Fall Into a Ghost Story, I Still Have to Go to Work Episode 012

A terrible stench spread through the studio.

What walked out into the center of the lights was something bipedal with a pig’s head.

A gauntly thin body.

Blood flowed from the eyes of the giant dead pig attached in place of a head.

[Just a moment. You’re a taciturn artist… Ah! Now, your equipment is coming in!]

Thirteen silver trays descended from the air, suspended on wires.

The round, massive silver trays were decorated with thick and delicate ornamental work.

Screaming faces. Countless ones hanging like clusters of grapes.

[Now shall we meet our passionate participants who applied to be members of the chorus?]

Lights came on at each platform.

The figures of humans standing on six platforms, pale with terror.

[I see some faces from last week too? Haha, will our participants who maintained a 99-win streak be able to set their 100th record in this new corner?]

[Please stay tuned! It will be revealed soon!]

Waaah!

The audience seats were empty. But recorded sounds mechanically filled the scene.

[But the first glory should go to the first participant, right?]

The host stood in front of an unknown employee.

The employee wearing a mole mask shrank back.

[Here’s the question.]

Flash.

[Which of the following creatures has the longest lifespan?]

1. Pig

2. Human

3. Rabbit

4. Flea

“H-human. Number 2, human…!”

[Correct!]

Relief flashed in the eyes of the mole mask.

Right. In the original Tuesday talk show, the turn would have passed with cheers.

But in the new corner, a new stage had been added.

[Congratulations on passing, Mr. Mole!]

The bleeding pig-headed conductor raised his gaunt arm and swung the silver baton.

The mole mask was torn off along with the head.

[What beautiful harmony we’ll create!]

Thud.

The headless participant’s body fell to the floor below the platform like a doll with cut strings.

“…!”

The employee, now just a head, floated into the air and was displayed on a silver tray.

Still opening and closing his mouth.

[We’ll awaken the appropriate talent in each participant. Oh, amazing. Amazing…]

When the pig raised both arms, a clear, transparent scream suddenly began ringing out in tune from the employee’s gaping mouth.

“H-human. Human, it’s humaaaan!”

A sound like someone forcibly squeezing vocal cords to create the melody of a woodwind instrument.

[Finally our first member has taken their place!]

Chorus practice had begun.

Endlessly repeating the last words spoken before being beheaded.

======================

13 silver trays

Broadcast corner

A cappella

The maximum number of heads recorded was 7.

One head

======================

If you were in the comfortable position of just reading a ghost story.

You might think, it’s just one head, so for such a terrifying situation, isn’t this a tolerable effect…

But if you were directly in this insane situation, you wouldn’t be able to say that.

Like the employee who was directly affected over there.

“Aaaah!! S-Siyeon, S…!”

Incineration.

Another platform’s light went out. The body turned to ash stuck to the floor below.

The remaining head still sang its bizarre melody with gaping mouth.

“H-human. Number 2. Humaaaan!”

[Next is… ah, another new face. Mr. Jellyfish! Let’s look forward to seeing if you can create wonderful choral harmony with our successful participant!]

[Now for the question…]

“I don’t know! I don’t know the answer!”

The employee wearing an unknown jellyfish mask shouted before even reading the question.

His instincts seemed to judge that it would be better to get the quiz wrong and receive punishment instead.

[How can this be!]

It was amazing judgment.

…Though meaningless, behavior.

[ELIMINATED]

His head exploded.

Like fireworks, sparkling mirror ball lights and flower petals flew through the studio.

Recorded audience reactions that seemed to mix regretful sighs and cheers filled the studio.

[Oh my, it’s a fail! How unfortunate….]

[He couldn’t join the great chorus!]

“….”

Right.

‘The penalty system is gone, and if you get the quiz wrong, you’re automatically eliminated.’

I blinked my eyes.

It doesn’t feel real.

That half the people died within 5 minutes of recording starting.

And that there’s no escape route.

Only three remain.

Team D’s Deputy and Team Leader.

And me.

[Then shall we meet the next participant? Oh, familiar faces!]

“….”

I recalled one fact I’d been avoiding.

…That I’d never seen these Supervisors’ names in either.

Just like my colleague Go Young-eun.

I remembered the thought I had when I heard Go Young-eun’s name.

-Either they handled ghost stories relatively easily and quit early.

-Or they died quickly.

[Badger!]

Among us, the Team Leader was called first.

Park Min-seong.

The Team Leader standing on the platform farthest from me turned pale.

A death sentence, soon I too….

[It’s your turn to answer correctly!]

No, that’s not right.

‘Get it together!’

I punched my stomach hidden behind the platform with my fist.

The pain cleared my head a little.

‘Being a coward or whatever isn’t an excuse.’

This isn’t a situation dominated by that kind of fear.

‘It’s a disaster.’

In other words, the overwhelming feeling of witnessing a natural disaster up close.

I’ve been swept up in an unexpected natural disaster. Yes, that’s right…. If I panic here, there’s no answer. I won’t even be able to save what I could save.

I mustn’t forget. You’re the one with the highest chance of survival here!

I need to think.

‘Right.’

I have information and items.

[Badger, are you ready?]

Taking advantage of this moment when the Host and Staff’s attention has left me, isn’t there something I can try? Really?

I desperately tried to recall the items I had. I also frantically reviewed the characteristics of this ghost story.

‘I don’t ask for anything else.’

If only I could escape.

I’m not even aiming for this crazy talk show to be abolished or anything like that. Wait, just stop for a moment….

Ah.

I raised my head.

Right next to me, I could see the Host’s back.

About to give the Team Leader a quiz.

[You seem ready! Good….]

He’s close.

‘…Then!’

I hid my trembling hands below the platform. Then I lowered my body slightly and pulled out two items I’d put in my business suit jacket’s inner pocket.

A cheap sticker with a smiling emoticon drawn on it and a can bottle with ‘Drink me’ attached.

‘Quickly.’

I opened the can bottle.

And I shoved the unwrapped Smile Sticker into that can bottle.

Quickly, quickly.

“…Ah. Before I answer, may I say a word to the viewers?”

[Oh, of course!]

The Team Leader pretended to look at the camera while looking this way.

At the platforms where the Deputy and I were standing.

“…I have a hospitalized family member, and I hope someone could check on them once this filming is over! If possible.”

[Wow, how touching!]

[So, what’s the answer?]

The Team Leader broke out in cold sweat and smiled grimly.

“I don’t know….”

“Wait a moment.”

I raised my left hand.

“Host.”

While drawing attention like that,

I reached out with my right hand and stuck three or four damp Smile Stickers all at once under the Host’s head, the spherical TV.

“….”

Splash, a drop of water fell to the floor.

Did the camera catch it? Did they notice?

No, if they had, my head would have already exploded.

[Oh, Noru! Do you have something to say?]

They didn’t notice.

I swallowed my saliva.

When I turned my head, the Team Leader was looking at me with bewildered eyes.

He seemed shocked that I had interrupted the flow and spoken to the Host on my own without being incinerated.

It was definitely a gamble.

‘But I had grounds for it.’

Didn’t the Host clearly say earlier?

-It’s even a recorded broadcast, so it’ll be easier than before! Haha!

In other words, the current filming isn’t live.

‘Then as long as I don’t completely ruin the flow or come off as uncooperative, it might not count as disrupting the broadcast.’

Something as simple as raising my hand and making a personal comment!

[Noru?]

He let it slide.

“Yes.”

I glanced at the area beneath the Host’s TV where the water had been dripping.

Then I lowered my voice so only the Host could hear.

“Um, my head is really dizzy. Could I… rest for a moment?”

[….]

What I just did was…

Smile Sticker

An item that induces mild affinity when attached to an intelligent being,

Alice Picnic Set / Canned Drink

I soaked it in an item that doubles the effect and stuck it on the target.

…Of course, there’s room for debate here too.

-Can the Host be considered an intelligent being?

The Host is definitely not human.

But he should still have intelligence, right?

No, he has to. I bet my life on it.

And now there’s no turning back.

What if I get incinerated for disrupting the broadcast? I’m going to die anyway, so dying comfortably would be better.

The dress shirt covering my back was damp with cold sweat.

The Host makes a sound…

[Oh my!]

“….”

[Was your passion for broadcasting too intense? Yes, that can happen, I understand… Hmm. Noru has been working hard.

[In that case.]

The Host’s monitor turned black.

He raised his right hand and…

[Cut! Let’s take a break!]

The Band sound stopped.

The Staff murmured.

[Haha, sorry. My screen became opaque. Makeup!]

The camera lights hurriedly went out.

[Please wipe it carefully. Hmm, excellent!]

A faceless Staff member with Makeup Tools ran up and diligently wiped the Spherical TV screen with squeaking sounds.

Then the Host caught the Makeup Staff who was leaving after finishing work and pointed at me.

[Ah, on your way, could you guide that participant to the Waiting Room? I’d really appreciate it. He promised to bring me some Water.]

Then he winked at me with emoticon eyes from inside the TV and briefly displayed text before erasing it.

[Take a break with a glass of Water!]

“…Thank you.”

I succeeded.

‘It worked for now.’

I immediately staggered down from the Platform to follow the Makeup Staff.

Even though filming had stopped, the ominous and terrible Pig’s Head still stood motionless at Center Stage, only waving the Conductor’s Baton.

Producing bizarre songs with human heads on the grotesque Silver Tray.

‘Bear with it.’

Don’t look.

I crossed the middle of the Stage with stiff legs…

[Recording will resume in 30 minutes!]

Just as I was passing by the opposite Platform.

The Deputy standing there quickly shoved something into my hand as I passed.

“…!”

I quickly looked at the Deputy.

I could see the shape of his lips.

-Alone, check.

What?

I was immediately guided to the door behind the stage.

Inside was a typical old Hollywood-style waiting room.

Except for the bizarrely numerous black and white broadcast posters plastered all over like talismans.

“Thank you.”

The makeup staff silently nodded and disappeared in a flash.

Click.

“Phew.”

…I survived.

Only for 30 minutes, but I postponed my scheduled death.

‘I need to do something during this time.’

And I got a new clue.

I immediately opened my fingers to check the item the Deputy had stabbed into my hand.

The object she desperately tried to pass to me in this urgent situation was…

“…A button?”

It was a button for a business suit.

At the same time, it was also a button in the sense of something that could be pressed.

It meant there was space inside and it seemed like it would press down if pushed.

“…”

There was only one way to find out, and I had no time.

‘She gave it to me because she judged it would help.’

I immediately pressed the button.

Beep beep beep…

…

Click.

[This is Lee Ja-heon.]

“…!”

[Who is this? That’s Deputy Eun Ha-je’s call button.]

Manager Lee Ja-heon.

The Team D leader who was supposed to be out on external business was connected through the button.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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