Chapter 11
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**Even if I Fall into a Horror Story, I Still Have to Go to Work – Chapter 11**
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The circumstances matched.
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The beginning of the disaster was a Dusk (D)-class Darkness with a 1970s American talk show theme.
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[Hello, viewers! Tuesday’s joy, Tuesday’s excitement.]
[You are now watching! ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’!]
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The live broadcast began.
With cheerful band music, a suited host waved to the audience’s cheers.
A classic American talk show.
Except that all the staff’s faces were blurred, and the host had a vintage TV in place of a head.
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The host explains that the talk show has different themes for each weekday, but there are no recorded cases of entering on other weekdays.
Entry is only possible on ■day’s talk show.
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[Have you all been waiting for Tuesday? I have too! It’s the only day we get to see our lovely new faces—the quiz show contestants!]
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“……”
Matches.
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From the 12th run, the Field Exploration Team entered with a complete set of past quiz answers for the main ■day talk show segment, ‘Quiz.’
Up to the 110th run, they succeeded in 99 explorations with no casualties. (Including prizes)
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[Amazingly… in recent dozens of weeks, not a single wrong answer has occurred! Amazing, truly amazing…]
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Matches.
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However, the 111th run.
An anomaly occurred on the 100th exploration.
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[Will the contestants get the answers right this time too?]
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*Ba-bam-ba-bam!*
With sound effects, the lights illuminated.
Seven podiums arranged in a semicircle.
Three of them.
Spotlighting the podiums where I, the Assistant Manager, and the Deputy Manager stood.
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[Badger, Peregrine Falcon, and Musk Deer!]
[Please give them a big round of applause!]
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*Ooooh!*
The invisible audience applauded.
I felt like I was going to faint.
Maybe… just maybe.
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[My goodness, breaking news!]
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“…!”
The host made a fuss and received something from a staff member.
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[It’s been quite a while since all the contestants got every question right, hasn’t it? That period spans…]
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Spans.
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[98 rounds!]
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“……!”
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[Which means today is the 99th. Haha!]
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I survived.
*’It’s not the 100th…!’*
My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest.
*’Right, the probability of it being exactly the 100th was low.’*
I almost grabbed the podium in relief but held back.
It was clearly written in the ‘Tuesday Talk Show’ answer sheet PDF I’d received earlier:
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-Interfering with the broadcast will result in incineration.
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It wasn’t even a penalty. It was ‘incineration.’
And this was a live broadcast.
In other words, any misstep meant death.
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[Will the 99th contestants continue the winning streak and pass the baton to the 100th contestants? Or will this amazing record crumble?]
[Stay tuned and watch!]
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I turned my head.
The Deputy Manager and Assistant Manager on the other podiums didn’t look particularly nervous—they gave me light glances or smiles, like people who were confident this would go according to pattern after nearly three years of accumulated safety.
*’Deep breath.’*
It’s okay.
…It’ll be okay.
I took a deep breath in, and let it out.
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[Then, Musk Deer-ssi!]
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“Yes.”
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[Are you nervous?]
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“Yes. This is my first time participating in a quiz show.”
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[Ah, good, good… Then let’s start with an easy question!]
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The host’s head—the vintage TV—displayed strange text.
It was an unfamiliar, ominous linguistic system I’d never seen before, but I could read it. A wave of headache and nausea surged up and then faded.
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[Question: Choose the item that is not a suitable component of a human being.]
1. Water
2. Iron
3. Oil
4. Soil
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“Number 4, soil.”
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[Correct!]
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The quiz show proceeded… smoothly.
*’The themes are unsettling, but the questions aren’t impossible to answer.’*
Moreover, the effect of the past question list the Field Exploration Team had extracted from this horror story was undeniable.
They weren’t exactly the same, but it was enough to make answering correct without difficulty.
*’Actually, because I have to think, the chance of getting it wrong is even lower.’*
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[Unbelievable! Correct!]
[Again?]
[Ah, ah, ah… conflicted. You’re conflicted… Yes, number 3! What is the fate of Musk Deer, who chose Strangulation?? …Correct! Hooray!]
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The past questions matched well, and we progressed smoothly without issue.
I pretended to deliberate before answering, doing my best to match the broadcast’s atmosphere.
*’I have to get through this broadcast no matter what.’*
An obsessive thought dominated my mind.
During the commercial break, when the host said something like “please participate again,” I screamed internally while outwardly nodding along vaguely.
After passing questions 2, 3, 4, 5… 9—
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[Musk Deer-ssi! This is the final question.]
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Finally, the end of this insane situation was in sight.
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[The other contestants have amazingly answered all questions correctly, continuing the winning streak!]
[Can Musk Deer-ssi complete the final link?]
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On the other podiums, my superiors gave me small waves or nods.
Now I just had to get this one right, and it would be over.
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[Ready?]
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“Yes.”
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[Great!]
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The question appeared.
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[Question: What percentage of blood loss is fatal for a human?]
1. 40%
2. 45%
3. 50%
4. 55%
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“……”
They put a trap in the final question, huh.
I took a breath.
“The answer is… number 1,”
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[Ah, you chose number 1…]
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“And number 2.”
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[…!]
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“And number 3, and number 4… All of them.”
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[……]
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“A human typically becomes critical when losing about 30 to 40% of their blood.”
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[Oh.]
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“So losing more than that would also result in death.”
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[No, no… Unbelievable!]
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The TV flashed.
I didn’t think I’d die if I got it wrong.
But I didn’t want to give this dangerous horror story any opening, so I gritted my teeth and avoided the trap as much as possible.
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[So it’s a multiple-correct answer! Any chance you’d like to change it?]
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“No.”
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*Ooooh.*
Murmurs from the audience.
And… a faceless staff member hurriedly ran up to the stage…?
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[…This is incredible! I have amazing news.]
[Actually, the answer prepared by our writers was number 1.]
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W-wait.
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[Musk Deer’s answer is much more impressive! More logical too, right? Right?]
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*Yes!!* I could hear the audience shouting.
The host spread both arms.
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[Then of course it’s correct! We’ll count it as a perfect-answer correct! Excellent!]
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“…!”
*Hah.*
*’Anyway, I survived.’*
Why were you trying to dig your own trap and fall into it?! I screamed internally in relief, closing my eyes tight and opening them again.
The host, perhaps interpreting it as emotion, came over and patted my back as if embracing me.
The body heat made it even more unsettling.
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[Amazing, amazing!]
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“…Thank you.”
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[Then with this…]
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The host grabbed the microphone and exclaimed with emotion:
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[Amazingly, all of our contestants have extended their winning streak! Incredible!]
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*Poof.*
Flower petals burst and cheers erupted.
My superiors on the podiums wore expressions of ‘it’s finally ending.’ Even visible through their masks.
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[But there’s only one MVP who will receive the grand prize. That is…]
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A drum roll followed…
The host pointed.
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[None other than Musk Deer-ssi!]
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*Waaaaah—!*
The band played a loud celebratory riff.
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[Congratulations! Please accept your prize!]
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“Thank, you.”
I accepted the small gift box the host handed me.
I was happy. Not because of the item, of course.
*’It’s finally over.’*
Now once the cameras turn off, I can leave.
*’Please, let me go.’*
I was regaining my composure just imagining returning to the office in a 21st-century Seoul building.
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[Unfortunately, it’s time to wrap up Tuesday Quiz Show. Tomorrow we’ll have even more wonderful guests for Wednesday… Huh?]
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*Click.*
Out of nowhere.
Suddenly, the four empty podiums lit up.
“…?!”
There were now figures standing there.
Four people looking around with bewildered expressions.
All wearing suits and masks.
*’Company employees?’*
They were clearly from other teams in the Field Exploration Team.
One mask I recognized—probably a fellow newbie from my intake.
Okay, I get that. But…
*’Why are they overlapping?’*
Can you enter a horror story overlapping like this? Regardless of whether it’s possible or not…
*’…It’s a broadcast accident.’*
Silence fell over the studio.
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1 second.
2 seconds.
3 seconds.
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“……”
Something was wrong.
The employee with the zebra mask standing right next to me seemed to sense it too.
“Wh-what is this, why are there people here first…”
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[Oh dear.]
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It ignited.
“…!”
Without a sound, the zebra-masked employee burned up rapidly, their mouth still open as if they hadn’t grasped the situation—then collapsed like a lie.
All that remained was ash in the shape of shoes.
The cameras quickly turned away.
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[…Surprise!]
[It was a surprise preview of next Tuesday’s contestants!]
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A loud band sound hastily played to cover it up.
Now the camera was pointing at me.
“…!”
Damn it.
Damn, damn, damn!
I desperately kept my composure and waved the gift box I was holding in the air.
As if I was excited!
*Poof.* More flower petals fell from the air, and drums thundered noisily. The host drew cheers from the audience.
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[We’ll see you tomorrow with an even more entertaining show!]
[Then… good night!]
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*Bam!*
With a cheerful guitar riff, the camera lights went out.
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“……”
It’s over.
It’s… over?
Why are we still here?
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[Phew. We almost ruined the live broadcast. Good thing it was handled well!]
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The cameras were definitely off.
Faceless staff ran onto the stage, and the audience lights went out.
The band disappeared.
We entered a backstage filled with noise and murmurs, revealing cold steel structures.
But we didn’t disappear.
…A chilling premonition crept up my spine.
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[Musk Deer-ssi! That was great intuition. Are you interested in becoming a regular panelist?]
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“…I already have a job.”
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[Oh dear! Well, our talk show’s application postcards are always open anyway!]
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Why is the horror story continuing?
The reason was simple.
The thoughtful host wanted to kindly explain to the contestants why this situation had occurred.
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[Ah, and new contestants!]
[You must have been startled thinking you might ruin the broadcast. It wasn’t intentional, I’m sure. I believe you. Don’t blame yourselves too much!]
[And don’t worry. We’ll give the three of you another opportunity too!]
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The host, with a friendly and approachable attitude, spoke to the employees who had suddenly entered mid-show—the ‘new contestants.’
As if they’d always been three.
In the meantime, staff swept away the ashes left by the incinerated person with brooms.
I felt like I was going insane.
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[I’d love to give you all an immediate chance to participate, but unfortunately our show is live. We’ll see you next week!]
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But if we just leave now…
Please, please, let it end like this! Let it end now!
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[Then everyone, go home for now… Huh?]
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That’s when it happened.
Someone holding a megaphone ran up onto the stage.
Their face was blurred by the stage lights, but unlike the other staff, they were wearing sunglasses.
That figure whispered something urgently to the host.
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[…! Ah, oh dear.]
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The host turned to us.
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[You see. I really hate to say this, but… uh.]
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The emoticon on the TV monitor made a gloomy expression.
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[Just now, our show got cancelled.]
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“…!”
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[To be precise, Tuesday Quiz Show did. Strictly speaking, my show isn’t ending, but… well.]
[The quiz segment is being replaced.]
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What?
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[I’m afraid we won’t be able to host you as the 100th consecutive challenge contestants. I sincerely apologize with all my heart.]
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The host looked genuinely sorry and ashamed, even bending the antenna on their TV head.
“Then… c-cleared?”
“Phew… Phew…”
I could faintly hear voices from other teams, filled with confusion, fear, and yet hope.
But the back of my neck was cold with sweat.
*’No.’*
This development…
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Exploration Record #100
Started in the same studio as previous rounds.
However, the program name was changed.
The host explained to the confused employees that ‘Tuesday Quiz Show’ had been cancelled.
Because contestants had gotten the answers right 99 times in a row, the penalties had become meaningless, and the segment was deemed insufficiently stimulating—so it was penalized.
And the new segment would choose material that would better capture viewers’ interest…
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[Ah! Wait!]
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At a staff signal, the host’s TV antenna suddenly sprang wide open.
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[Good news! They say all of you can also participate in the new segment!]
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“…!!”
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[It’s even a recorded broadcast, so it should be easier than before! Haha!]
[Let’s start filming right away! Though I’ll only be a supporting role now, yes, I’ll do my best to make it a great show…]
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“Hold on.”
Our team’s Deputy Manager raised a hand with a hardened expression.
“We’ve already participated in the show, so we’ll be heading back now…”
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[Going back when the filming isn’t even over?]
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“…!”
The TV screen approached right up to the Deputy Manager’s face, crackling.
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[Oh dear… It was all written on the application postcard. Well, if you really can’t participate… I suppose it can’t be helped.]
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“……”
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[Tell me. Can you not do it?]
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The Deputy Manager slowly moved their eyes and met mine from across the way.
I gave a tiny shake of my head.
The Deputy Manager must have realized it too.
‘Can’t be helped’ didn’t mean they’d let us go—it meant they’d simply incinerate us.
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[You can do it! Good.]
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Ominous silence.
The studio was filled with the pale, stifled breaths of the company employees.
I was one of them.
No—am I even breathing?
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[Oh dear! There’s tension in the air. That’s always the case with new programs.]
[Let’s cheer up! Musk Deer-ssi, you did wonderfully on the live broadcast! I’m sure you’ll show us another great performance this time too…]
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Any… plausible excuse?
Any persuasive words?
“Yes. But I didn’t expect to appear on back-to-back broadcasts.”
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[Hoh.]
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“I might make a mistake.”
I gripped the podium so hard my knuckles turned white.
“With more preparation, I could participate again next Tuesday…”
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[Aha! It’s starting! Look, the lights are coming on! 3, 2, 1…]
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The host muttered in an inspired voice.
No reasoning worked.
As if completely possessed by the broadcast, the host ran out in front of the cameras.
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[Hello, viewers! Tuesday’s joy, Tuesday’s excitement.]
[You are now watching! Our talk show’s brand new segment!]
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I’m going insane.
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[Sad that the quiz show is gone? There’s no need to be. Because this is a more evolved form of quiz show!]
[They say something has been added on top of the quiz! What could it be?]
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Reading the prompter, the host waved both hands.
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[Above all, what moves the weary heart is melody.]
[Especially voices! Choral singing—ah, what a beautiful sound!]
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…
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[Haha, our band doesn’t need to feel left out. We’ve invited masters from a completely different genre!]
[A new guest appears!]
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The back of the set opens, and it appears.
A stench of rusted iron, a foul odor, a dark and massive pig’s head.
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[The conductor of the Purgatory Choir—the dirty, ugly, and great slaughterer of melody!]
[That’s right. The name of the new segment is… Tuesday Choir!]
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Hell had arrived.
