Chapter 12
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**Even if I Fall into a Horror Story, I Still Have to Go to Work – Chapter 12**
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A terrible stench spread through the studio.
What walked into the center of the lights was something bipedal with a pig’s head.
An emaciated body.
Blood dripped from the eyes of the massive dead pig that served as its head.
—
[Excuse me. He’s a taciturn artist… Ah! The master’s equipment is coming in now!]
—
Thirteen silver trays descended from the air on wires.
Round and massive, the silver trays were adorned with thick, intricate decorations.
Screaming faces. Countless, hanging like bunches of grapes.
—
[Then shall we meet our passionate contestants who applied as members of the choir?]
—
Lights came on at each podium.
The figures of six people standing on the podiums, their faces pale with terror.
—
[You see some familiar faces from last week too, right? Haha, can our contestants who secured the 99th consecutive winning streak set the 100th record in this new segment?]
[Stay tuned! Coming up soon!]
—
*Waaah!*
The audience seats were empty. But recorded sounds mechanically filled the space.
—
[But the first glory should go to a first-time contestant, shouldn’t it?]
—
The host stood in front of an unfamiliar employee.
The mole-masked employee cowered.
—
[Here’s the question.]
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*Flash.*
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[Among the following, which organism has the longest lifespan?]
1. Pig
2. Human
3. Rabbit
4. Flea
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“H-human. Number 2, human…!”
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[Correct!]
—
Relief flickered in the mole mask’s eyes.
Yes. In the original Tuesday Talk Show, that would have been it—cheers and moving on to the next.
But in the new segment, a new step was added.
—
[Congratulations on passing, Mole-ssi!]
—
The bleeding pig-headed conductor raised an emaciated arm and swung a silver baton.
The mole mask was torn off along with the head.
—
[What a beautiful harmony we shall achieve!]
—
*Thud.*
The headless contestant’s body fell to the floor beneath the podium like a marionette with cut strings.
“…!”
The employee, now only a neck, rose into the air and was displayed on a silver tray. Still gasping.
—
[We will awaken the talent befitting each contestant. Oh, marvelous. Marvelous…]
—
As the pig raised both arms, a clear, transparent scream began to ring out from the gasping employee’s mouth—with melody.
“It’s human. Human, humaaaan—!”
A sound as if someone were forcibly squeezing vocal cords to create a woodwind melody.
—
[The first choir member has taken their place!]
—
The choir practice had begun.
Endlessly repeating the last words spoken before the beheading.
—
======================
‘The Sacrificial Chorus’ consists of one conductor and the thirteen silver trays he summons.
The necks of talk show contestants are placed on the silver trays, and the selection method is determined by that day’s broadcast segment.
Each neck merged with a silver tray produces different phrases and instrument sounds, forming an a cappella choir.
The maximum number of necks recorded: 7.
One neck: induces mild headaches, anxiety, and sudden emotional fluctuations.
======================
—
If you were just reading the horror story from the comfort of your home—
Since it’s only one neck, you might think, for a horrifying situation, this effect isn’t that bad…
But if you were actually in this insane situation, you wouldn’t be saying that.
Like the employee directly affected over there.
“Aaaah!! Si—Siyeon—Si…!”
Incineration.
Another podium’s light went out. The ash of the body stuck to the floor beneath it.
The remaining head still sang its bizarre melody with gasping sounds.
“H-human, number 2. Hummmaaaan!”
—
[Next… Ah, another new face. Jellyfish-ssi! Let’s see if you can create a wonderful choral harmony with the passed contestant!]
[Now for the question…]
—
“I don’t know! I don’t know the answer!”
The employee with the jellyfish mask shouted before the question was even read.
Their instinct had judged that getting the quiz wrong and taking the penalty would be better.
—
[Unbelievable!]
—
That was an astonishing judgment.
…A meaningless act, though.
—
[Eliminated]
—
The head exploded.
Like fireworks, sparkles from the disco ball and flower petals burst through the studio.
A recorded audience reaction—somewhere between sympathetic sighs and cheers—filled the studio.
—
[Oh dear, disqualified! How unfortunate…]
[He could not join the great choir!]
—
“……”
Right.
*’The penalty system is gone. Getting a question wrong means immediate elimination.’*
I blinked.
It didn’t feel real.
That half the people had died within five minutes of the recording starting.
And that there was no escape route.
—
Now there were only three left.
Team D’s Deputy Manager and Assistant Manager.
And me.
—
[Then shall we meet the next contestant? Oh, familiar faces!]
—
“……”
I recalled a fact I’d been avoiding.
…That I’d never seen these superiors’ names in <Darkness Exploration Records> either.
Just like my colleague Ko Young-eun.
I remembered the thought I’d had when I heard Ko Young-eun’s name.
—
-Either they handled horror stories relatively easily and quit early.
-Or they died quickly.
—
[Badger-ssi!]
—
The Assistant Manager was called first.
Park Min-seong.
Standing on the farthest podium, the Assistant Manager’s jaw turned pale.
A death sentence—soon it would be my turn too…
—
[It’s your turn to answer!]
—
No.
*’Pull yourself together!’*
I punched my own stomach, hidden by the podium.
The pain cleared my head a little.
*’Coward or not, this is no time for excuses.’*
This wasn’t a situation governed by that kind of fear.
*’This is a disaster.’*
To put it simply—the overwhelming feeling of witnessing a natural catastrophe up close.
I had been swept up in an unexpected natural disaster. Yes, that’s right… Panicking here would get me nowhere. I wouldn’t even be able to survive.
I mustn’t forget: among everyone here, you have the highest chance of survival!
I need to think.
*’Right.’*
I had information and items.
—
[Badger-ssi, are you ready?]
—
With the host and staff’s attention away from me at this moment, was there anything I could try? Really?
I desperately reviewed the items I had. I frantically recalled the characteristics of this horror story.
*’I don’t ask for much.’*
If only I could get out.
I wasn’t hoping for this insane talk show to be cancelled or anything. Just—just pause for a moment…
Ah.
I looked up.
I could see the back of the host right next to me.
About to give the Assistant Manager a question.
—
[Looks like you’re ready! Good…]
—
Close.
*’…Then!’*
I hid my trembling hand beneath the podium. Slightly lowering my body, I pulled two items from the inner pocket of my suit jacket.
A cheap sticker with a smiling emoticon, and a can bottle labeled ‘Drink me.’
*’Quickly.’*
I opened the can bottle.
And stuffed the unwrapped Smile Sticker into it.
Quickly, quickly.
—
“…Ah. Before I answer, could I say something to the viewers?”
—
[Oh, of course!]
—
The Assistant Manager pretended to look at the camera, but glanced this way.
Toward the podiums where I and the Deputy Manager stood.
“…I have a hospitalized family member. I hope someone can check in on them after this shoot ends! If possible.”
—
[Wow, how touching!]
[So, what’s your answer?]
—
The Assistant Manager broke out in a cold sweat and grinned.
“I don’t kn—”
“Wait.”
I raised my left hand.
“Host-nim.”
While drawing attention that way—
I reached out with my right hand and slapped three or four damp Smile Stickers onto the underside of the host’s head—the vintage TV.
“……”
*Splat.* 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, Musk Deer-ssi! Do you have something to say?]
—
They didn’t notice.
I swallowed.
As I turned my head, the Assistant Manager was looking at me with startled eyes.
He seemed surprised that I hadn’t been incinerated for interrupting the flow and speaking out of turn.
It was definitely a gamble.
*’But I had a basis.’*
The host had clearly said it earlier:
—
[It’s even a recorded broadcast, so it should be easier than before! Haha!]
—
That meant this recording wasn’t live.
*’So as long as I don’t completely ruin the flow or act completely uncooperative, it might not count as interfering with the broadcast.’*
Just raising my hand and making a personal comment was probably fine!
—
[Musk Deer-ssi?]
—
They let it slide.
“Yes.”
I glanced at the spot under the host’s TV where the water had dripped.
And lowering my voice so only the host could hear, I said:
“Excuse me, my head is spinning. Could I… take a short break?”
—
[……]
—
What I’d just done was…
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Smile Sticker
An item that induces mild friendliness when attached to a sentient being—
—
Alice Picnic Set / Canned Drink
An item that doubles the effect—
—
I’d soaked a Smile Sticker in the doubled-effect item and attached it to the host.
…Of course, there’s room for debate here.
—
-Can the host be considered a sentient being?
—
The host was clearly not human.
But they probably had intelligence.
No—they had to. I was betting my life on it.
And now there was no turning back.
What if I got incinerated for interfering with the broadcast? I’d rather die quickly if I’m going to die anyway.
The shirt against my back was drenched in cold sweat.
The host spoke…
—
[Oh dear!]
—
“……”
—
[Is your passion for the broadcast too much? Right, that can happen, I understand… Hmm. Musk Deer-ssi did work hard, after all.]
[In that case…]
—
The host’s monitor went black.
They raised their right hand…
—
[Cut! Let’s take a short break!]
—
The band sound stopped.
Staff murmured.
—
[Haha, I apologize. My screen became cloudy. Makeup!]
—
The camera lights went out in a hurry.
—
[Please wipe it carefully. Hmm, excellent!]
—
A faceless staff member with makeup tools ran up and diligently scrubbed the vintage TV screen.
Then the host stopped the makeup artist as they were leaving and pointed at me.
—
[Ah, it would be very helpful if you could guide that contestant to the waiting room on your way out. We agreed they’d bring me some water.]
—
And then the host winked at me with the TV emoticon, briefly displaying a message before erasing it:
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[Take a break with a glass of water!]
—
“…Thank you.”
I succeeded.
*’At least for now.’*
I immediately stumbled down from the podium to follow the makeup artist.
Even though filming had stopped, the ominous, horrifying pig’s head still stood motionless at the center of the stage, swinging only its baton.
Producing bizarre songs from human heads on bizarre silver trays.
*’Hold on.’*
Don’t look.
With stiff legs, I walked across the center of the stage…
—
[Recording will resume in 30 minutes!]
—
As I passed by the opposite podium—
The Deputy Manager standing there jabbed something into my hand as I passed.
“……!”
I quickly glanced at the Deputy Manager.
Their mouth formed words:
—
-Check it, alone.
—
What?
—
* * *
I was immediately guided through a door behind the stage.
Inside was a classic old Hollywood-style waiting room.
Except for the bizarrely numerous black-and-white broadcast posters plastered everywhere like talismans.
“Thank you.”
The makeup artist nodded silently and disappeared.
*Click.*
“Phew.”
…I survived.
Only 30 minutes, but I’d postponed my scheduled death.
*’I need to do something in this time.’*
And I had a new clue.
I immediately opened my fingers to check what the Deputy Manager had jabbed into my hand.
What they’d tried to pass to me in this desperate situation was…
“…A button?”
It was a suit button.
But also a button in the sense of something you press.
It had space inside, meaning it could be pressed.
“……”
There was only one way to find out, and no time.
*’They gave it to me because they thought it would help.’*
I pressed the button immediately.
—
*Beeeep…*
—
……
*Click.*
—
[This is Lee Ja-heon.]
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“…!”
—
[Who is this? That’s Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je’s call button.]
—
Section Chief Lee Ja-heon.
Team D’s Team Leader, who was supposedly out on fieldwork, had connected through the button.
