It Seems I Must Go to Work Even After Falling into a Horror Story 062

[Everyone, what kind of game is ‘Hangman’?]

[That’s right! It’s an educational game where you guess the spelling of a word! If the letter you shout is in this word, it’s correct! If not, it’s wrong!]

[And to make this game easier for learning, I will give you various hints.]

Assistant Manager Hanging in the Air.

The pastel colors and cheerful voices from the TV contrast against him.

[Shall we get started?]

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je, hanging in the air, drips with cold sweat while forcing a smile.

“Since everyone knows, this intro is pretty long, isn’t it?”

This B-grade horror story is characterized by a hellish few hours filled with mental breakdowns and torturous pressure leading up to near-death.

…This is how it is.

When a victim is selected for Hangman, they are effectively judged as dead.

But in the actual moment of the ‘game,’ they are temporarily alive.

And this victim is…

[This prompt is one word that best describes Teacher Eun Ha-je!]

[Let’s all guess what kind of person Teacher Eun Ha-je is!]

Ruthlessly exposed.

According to the Dark Exploration Records, all attempts to hide the victim’s identity in this process have failed.

It’s as if their life events are laid out for evaluation, with major events being fatally revealed.

To facilitate this, even the Hangman game format has been modified.

[Everyone, the number of letters in this English word is 8!]

I raised my head to see the empty boxes displayed on the TV screen.

If I fill in all those letters correctly, a word will emerge.

Originally, participants take turns tossing random lettersone by one, and if any are correct, the blanks are filled logically.

This is how you deduce the word.

But….

‘Every letter here is directly related to the victim.’

[Here’s a hint for the 8th letter!]

[What was Teacher Eun Ha-je’s occupation four years ago?]

Like this.

If you can guess something related to your opponent’s identity, it’s easier. So if you want to make this process smoother…

You need the victim’s cooperation.

You have to persuade or threaten the one sentenced to death to talk.

“……”

“……”

Cold sweat dripped down my chin.

‘So right now…’

What am I doing?

With the plush toy in hand, the old TV, and Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je hanging in the air…

What can I do?

‘Run.’

I moved my feet.

“Doe! Where are you going?!”

“There’s no time. I’ll explain later…”

“Are you looking for the gallows?”

“…!”

“Even if you break it, it won’t make a difference. You know that, right? You read the manual.”

“Won’t know until I get there.”

It was like calling Manager Lee Ja-heon during the quiz show. So, if I ask him to break the gallows again… Yeah, time until it’s restored,

“Wait a moment.”

There’s no time.

“Just sit down for a second. Actually… I’ve got something I want to try at the last minute.”

“……”

“I’m not joking. So don’t do anything too noticeable. You don’t want to pile up unnecessary penalties.”

Penalty count.

“You know?”

I know.

This horror story is based on the fear that comes from being thoroughly strangled by every aspect.

The Security Team critiques the movements and actions of the 12 ‘new teachers’ in real-time via CCTV, and if they act un-teacher-like, they receive a ‘penalty.’

[1 minute left. Teachers, raise your hands and shout the letters!]

“Assistant Eun! Assistant Eun!”

At that moment, the playroom door burst open and a staff member rushed in, looking distressed.

Their face screamed frustration, probably because they were looking for the victim, but couldn’t run, leading to that expression.

In this kindergarten, jumping is also prohibited beyond an alarm.

Swearing is prohibited, damage is prohibited, and anything that goes against the game rules is prohibited.

“C’mon… why the room at the end of the 3rd floor?!”

The staff member shouted at Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je in exasperation, yet attempted to refrain from swearing, perhaps trying to adhere to the rules.

“Hey! You… Assistant Eun, what did you do four years ago?”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je chuckled softly.

Because…

“What the hell are you babbling for?”

“…!”

In all these rules, Hangman is the exception.

“W-why, all of a sudden…”

You’re going to die anyway.

“I was just ignoring you to avoid getting entangled with you, idiot. I’m already feeling bad about not gathering enough points and dying here.”

“Uh, um…”

“Get your act together, you crazy troll! You’ve already killed three newbies!”

The staff member’s face turned beet red with anger.

“Feel any injustice? Does it make you mad?”

“No, no…”

“Still, you have to endure it. You don’t want to be deemed ‘No Contribution’ later for not getting a single letter right, do you?”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je spoke slyly, grinning.

“There are only eight positions, so you’d better behave. Alright?”

“……”

The staff member clamped their mouth shut.

It was a reasonable conclusion if they had any sense.

In this horror story, only one person dying is the best-case scenario based on the manual, and in fact, if things go awry, total annihilation can easily happen.

Survival is only assured by strictly adhering to the rules of this horror story.

‘And if you can’t guess even a single letter in this Hangman game, you’ll also receive a penalty during the final ‘evaluation’…’

That’s when.

“Hey, Doe! Come here.”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je called me.

As I approached, they lowered their voice so only I could hear.

“My job four years ago was a reporter.”

“……”

“Doe, you guess. Start without the ‘No Contribution’ penalty.”

This is insane.

“Even if you say you don’t want to guess here, nothing will change. You know that, right?”

“It helps my mental state.”

“Worry about your mental state when you might die soon, please.”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je frowned.

“Just recognize how bad it feels when that guy guesses correctly. Okay?”

Sigh…

I pressed my temples before finally facing the TV.

The eyes of the intruding staff member widened in disbelief.

“W-wait a moment, you…”

“The last letter of the prompt is R. It’s the initial for Reporter.”

Sizzle-sizzle.

[Correct!]

The screen made a cheerful sound as it displayed the letters.

And.

[Let’s draw Hangman~]

“Cough.”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je twisted their body.

From the body of the Assistant Manager hanging in the air, the left foot literally ‘vanished.’

…One foot was now on the gallows.

The victim designated as Hangman mounts the gallows each time other explorers guess something about them and, ultimately, is executed by hanging.

There are no exceptions.

This is insane.

“…It’s not cut off, so there’s no pain. Don’t worry.”

How is one not worried?

“Not going for the neck first? Seems like we can still chat.”

No.

No matter how I think about it, that person’s ‘last-minute plan’ feels like a bluff meant to keep me safely here.

‘I can’t afford to waste this time.’

Meanwhile, the TV continues its progress.

[Here’s a hint for the 5th blank letter!]

[What was the last mode of transportation Teacher Eun Ha-je used when they were a reporter?]

The staff member hesitated, glancing at Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je before grinding their teeth to speak.

“Ah, tell me… Come on, but we,”

“We what?”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je looked at them with incredulity.

“Three newbies have died because of you, you know… damn it, you should’ve died here instead.”

“Shut up! You’re the one who’s going to die!”

“Hey! Don’t listen to the dead man’s words.”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je nodded in boredom.

The staff member, with their face flushed, pushed me aside and stepped to the front of the TV.

“If it’s transportation! Come on, the answer is obvious! Bus or subway! Yeah, uh, subway initial, S!”

[Oops, wrong!]

[Please read the educational material for 10 minutes as a penalty!]

“Uh, uh…”

With a twisting sound, a black booklet hologram appeared in front of the staff member…

“Argh!”

It stuck to their face.

“Ahhh! Aaaah!”

The black booklet devoured their face, melting onto the skin. Even as they struggled to tear it off while rolling on the floor, nothing changed.

Only a distinct brand mark remained on their forehead from the dripping booklet…

[Chick Class]

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je clicked their tongue.

“Are you really filming that? You idiot.”

“……”

“Keep that in mind, Doe. If that accumulates, it means you’ll keep being trained here until you become a proper ‘kindergarten teacher’… forever.”

That’s right.

If you can’t participate faithfully in the game here, dying is better than the alternative.

“Three penalties. Just three penalties.”

Penalty 3 times.

You become contaminated to the extent you can’t be deemed human.

Like the Security Team.

‘But it’s a worse situation.’

If you can’t get rescued like the Security Team, you’ll just vanish, trapped in this horror story.

“So don’t do anything useless.”

“……”

“Mess up, and you’ll find yourself unable to die.”

Cold sweat ran down my back.

‘I know.’

In this situation, if I simply follow the manual, I will survive.

I even aimed to eliminate the penalty while correctly guessing at least one letter.

But is there really a need to take risks?

‘Trying might only make things worse.’

Attempting to save the Hangman could lead to being contaminated, unable to escape, and being endlessly educated as a kindergarten teacher in this horror story.

There are no exceptions.

Yeah, there’s no answer.

I know that.

That there’s no answer.

In this place, no matter what, somehow the game must be completed and the Hangman must die.

This isn’t some exploratory record where one enjoys the chaos.

‘The nature is different.’

From the moment it got registered on the wiki, it was described as a theme that drives people insane because of the unbreakable rules!

It was a horror story that maximizes the helplessness from the despair of being unable to break the rules, ultimately forcing the weaker to desperately censor themselves according to those rules.

At least, at least I’ve seen a sliver of chance.

Brown, who communicated with this horror story to escape from the game.

But I was just left watching Brown ramble on, which made that opportunity slip away.

‘I should have butted in.’

Somehow, by delaying time, without directly handing over the rope, continuing conversation a bit more…

-Huh?

Brown gasped in disbelief.

-Oh, I’d rather pass. I can’t stand this tedious act of conversing with these creators!

-Doe! Are you suggesting that I perform like some sacrificial lamb in this outdated game? Your friend, me?

….

Phew.

‘Brown, I can say that too.’

-Wait a moment?

‘You knew that if you declared you wouldn’t participate in this game, another Hangman would be selected.’

So,

‘You knew that I could die with a 1/12 chance yet still went ahead with it without hesitation, huh?’

-…!!

‘You didn’t care that I might end up getting hanged, did you?’

-No! That’s not true. But this stuffy game also deserves respect as a game… Ah, of course, your friend is more important.…

There was a confusion in Brown’s tone that I hadn’t sensed before.

Perhaps inside, the roles of being a ‘Good Friend’ and the position of a host in this horror story were colliding.

Let’s not forget, this guy has that twisted mindset of a horror story resident.

But at the same time…

He was a plush toy that made considerable efforts to stay my friend.

‘Alright.’

I need to regain my composure. Even if I’m a coward, I shouldn’t be foolish.

I calmly explained as much as possible.

‘What I was trying to say was that I don’t think you should have been hanged either.’

It’s just… I’m just going insane from the anxiety.

‘It would’ve been better if I’d asked to stay longer for more information before getting us involved. You seem to have been able to communicate with this horror story.’

-Ah… Indeed. Unfortunately for you, it seems I’ve been declared an outsider, causing our special interviews not to connect right now.

-Anyhow, I can understand that judgment with pleasure!

‘Yeah.’

But vaguely… I felt like we both misunderstood each other.

Thinking that, I completely ran out of additional brain capacity to expend on anything more.

‘None.’

While knowing there was none, one part of my brain was desperately rummaging through the exploration records and manual info, searching for a gap to save the Hangman.

But there was none.

No, it was only natural for there to be none!

If there had been something, it would have popped into my head during these excruciating days of thinking!

‘The case itself doesn’t exist.’

No matter how much I searched through [Dark Exploration Records] in my head, or flipped through the manual, it wasn’t there.

I already know…

Even if I break the gallows, even if I try to swap out the Hangman, even if I stall by not guessing the word.

Only penalties accumulate, and the Hangman dies.

There are no exceptions.

‘So I’m absolutely going to die…? Absolutely…,’

Is there really nothing more?

I clenched my teeth.

How…

“Doe!”

That’s when, a familiar voice reached my ears.

Turning my head, I saw the second staff member appear in the open door…

“…Chief.”

“Are you okay…?”

As Park Min-seong, the chief, stepped into the room, they inhaled sharply after seeing Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je.

“Did you come?”

“……”

“Did you already hear from the TV? Be ready to guess.”

Chief Park Min-seong’s face was filled with indescribable emotions that rose to the surface, only to rapidly subside.

“Don’t think useless thoughts. Just guess quickly. You already know the penalties are accumulating, right?”

“……”

Accumulating?

“Chief, what does that mean…?”

The chief whispered to me, looking strained.

“Um. Actually, I entered here for the second time…”

“…!!”

“I came in right when I first joined the company, and now I’m back after two years. Haha… Did I get lucky, or did I get unlucky?”

The chief smiled bitterly.

“Last time, while trying to rescue someone who got caught as Hangman, I got a penalty, so… I think the contamination might have accumulated… I’m not really sure. There haven’t been any cases until now.”

The chief, rambling nervously, was clearly losing their composure.

I grabbed the chief’s shoulder.

“…!”

“Chief.”

A direct witness.

The almost only person with detailed information I lacked!

“Please answer my questions quickly and accurately from now on.”