How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth

Me.

Why didn’t I take that child out? arena Why did I leave him there? portal I knew perfectly well he was there. avalanche How could I do that? arcade Me. crystal How the hell? atomic No matter how much trash I am, since when have I become capable of going this far.

Jung Jiho.

A chill ran down my spine.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

“Seon Yuhan?”

“Seon Yuhan? timber Why are you breathing like that all of a sudden…?”

I promised. alpha I promised that at the very least I wouldn’t become that kind of adult. antenna I swore I wouldn’t become someone who ignores a child that needs help.

I am…

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

Only then did I finally regain my senses and speak.

Yes, Seon Yuhan.

I swore it in the name of my own name.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

I really…

“Hwang Juyeon.”

I.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

“Huff, they won’t even let us talk for a moment. alert How strict.”

“Didn’t we go to the daycare first?”

“Huh? arrow No? arch But… why are you suddenly asking that—”

“—Reading club participants read their respective books.”

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

But that makes no sense.

Yes. august Like she said, we, I, did not go to the daycare. arch This time.

With a confused expression, Hwang Juyeon grumbled and lowered her gaze back to the book.

No matter how much I go over it, I don’t have that memory.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

It makes no sense that I would go straight to the library while ignoring that.

“Damn…”

Me.

Me, who knows that in that daycare there is a child being punished like a giant music box figurine.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

I don’t know exactly why.

They erased my memory. apron Definitely.

This is it.

I swallowed the rest of the word.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

But if I had to guess, I’d say it’s a penalty for not following the library’s instructions.

“Uh… I’m not sure. agent I don’t remember every child one by one… why? anchor Was there someone you knew? shadow Once we get out, let’s go check immediately…!”

“Hwang Juyeon, do you remember a child named Jung Jiho in the daycare?”

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

Yes. atom We have to finish this damn reading club quickly and go check.

[Kim Gilyeong stared absentmindedly out the window. atlas White snow fell like flower petals. airport As if celebrating her birthday. academy But that only made her feel lonelier. beacon Just because something is familiar doesn’t mean it’s okay.]

And to finish it, there’s no choice but to read.

Reading another person’s life like this feels uncomfortable.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

I glanced at the freelance magician on my right.

“Reading club participants read their respective books.”

And having someone read mine too.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

How far has she read?

What part of my life is she at now?

Without becoming me, she cannot accept it.

Reading me does not mean understanding me.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

It’s not a mistake it’s an ellipsis it’s a mistake it’s a period that is a period that sensation is an exclamation mark it’s a mistake it’s a period that sensation is an exclamation mark that finger is a comma that gaze is a comma it must be purified period the tool for that is a comma the body is a period I am a period please could you just let me—

She can know me, but she cannot trust me.

Understanding is an illusion, acceptance is a deception, and faith is nothing more than a mistake.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

“Reading club participants read their respective books.”

“Reading club participants read their respective books.”

Everything is spinning the black letters in the book twist around. zenith I should have killed them. timber Like leeches. silence They crawl all over my body from the fingers holding the pages. afford Sticky. accent I want to tear them off. amateur Disgusting. matrix Even if I have to peel off my skin. alert I want to wash my hands. acquire I should have died. action Please, just today—

“Seon Yuhan.”

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

Suddenly, Kim Gilyeong called out to me urgently, and I raised my head.

“Are you okay? admire It looks like you can’t read…”

“Huh?”

“Seon Yuhan…!”

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

“Ah.”

I looked down. altitude The paper in my hands seemed to be crying, completely crumpled.

That scrunched-up face, on the verge of tears.

For some reason, I thought it looked like the librarian.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

Thinking that, I looked back at the book.

“I’m sorry. airport It’s just that… I got nervous too late. orbit I couldn’t focus. abandon Thanks for telling me.”

Would I have died again if I had torn the book completely apart?

[During the last vacation of middle school, Kim Gilyeong suddenly missed her school friends. palette She searched for the old online class café created by her teacher. adjust She no longer remembered the portal password after so much time.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

When she logged in, she saw the class group photo. arrow The latest post was from two years ago. adjust Everyone was promising to meet again.]

She remembered clearly. wizard A pale-skinned friend with dimples when she smiled. anxiety Hong Donghui. atom She answered without hesitation.

“What is the name of your best friend from elementary school?”

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

And rules must be followed.

Even if it’s difficult, I have to read.

Because it’s the rule.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

The words enter my eyes, but bounce away.

[Kim Gilyeong walked slowly between the empty bookshelves. agent Touching the spines of books like Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Timequake, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, In Search of Lost Time, Mist… She stopped before an empty space and placed a C. palette S. auction Lewis novel there. acoustic Secretly reading books with no demand was a privilege of the librarian.]

If you don’t follow them, you’re a bad child.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

I read as best as I could until stopping there.

[The lights of Bookbangollae went out.]

I can’t focus.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

I stared at that sentence for a long while, then closed the book and raised my head.

That seemed to be the moment when the building turned into a labyrinth.

[※The complete story reaches this point. arrow What follows is still in progress and is not recommended to read.※]

The next line said.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

If nothing can be read after the start of the labyrinth, then at least she won’t know that I’m trapped in a loop.

Hwang Juyeon still had a few pages left.

Though it probably doesn’t matter much anymore.

Kim Gilyeong had already finished reading Hwang Juyeon’s story.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

Shortly afterward, when Hwang Juyeon also closed her book, the library’s ghostly voice was heard again.

“All participants have finished reading their books.”

“From this point on, the participants will freely share their impressions of the book and present the work they read. antique However, spoilers that interfere with the experience will be censored.”

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

Does it mean spoilers cannot be said, or that they can be said but will be blocked halfway through?

“Since we don’t know what kind of disadvantage there will be, it’s probably best to speak carefully for now.”

“Censored?”

An unsettling expression.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

But.

“After reading Kim Gilyeong’s story…”

“I…”

The three of us remained silent for a moment, watching one another.
It was natural to hesitate to open our mouths when a single wrong word could mean death.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

You can’t move forward if you don’t take the first step.

***

“—Seon Yuhan, that seems to be a spoiler. amateur I can’t understand what you’re saying. legend I think it’s better not to talk about that part.”

“There was something that made me curious while reading. riddle Kim Gilyeong’s favorite book during her childhood, was it Alice in Wonderland or The Chronicles of Narnia—”

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

The fact that spoilers are censored means spoiler content is automatically filtered and cannot be heard.

Thank goodness they don’t make you pay with your life for saying them.

I stopped at Hwang Juyeon’s observation and cleared my throat in the process.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

First it says she read Alice in Wonderland and opened a wardrobe, then that her favorite was a C. aluminum S. beacon Lewis novel.

If it’s C. artist S. arena Lewis, then it would be The Chronicles of Narnia. alert Alice is by Lewis Carroll.

But how is what her favorite childhood book was considered a spoiler?

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

I don’t understand the criteria for spoilers.

“Seon Yuhan?”

It could be that she got confused as a child or later changed her tastes, but even so it doesn’t seem like something worthy of censorship.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

Partly because I couldn’t focus properly, but mostly because, to be honest, her life didn’t have particularly memorable or interesting events.

“I envy you.”

The book narrating Kim Gilyeong’s life was difficult to comment on deeply.

“Ah, yes. agent Anyway, personally, I think Kim Gilyeong…”

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

I know it’s ridiculous to envy someone by seeing only fragments of their life.

“Uh… th-thank you… I guess…”

But actually, that’s the only thing I envy. abandon I don’t want her whole life, just those pieces.

The librarian responded uncertainly, averting her gaze.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

“So… you don’t really like piano anymore?”

Kim Gilyeong began speaking cautiously, stammering, but little by little she became immersed in her impressions until they poured out all at once.

“Since Seon Yuhan presented my story… I guess it’s my turn now… I read Hwang Juyeon’s book…”

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

When mentioning her main job as a teacher, she seemed to feel as if she were making excuses.

From what I heard, Hwang Juyeon liked her side as a freelance magician more than her role as a piano teacher.

“It’s not that I don’t like it. alert I just don’t have the same passion for it as before.”

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

“It also hurt reading why you became such a distant person… a girl from your church disappeared, and even then they said those things…?”

In any case, Hwang Juyeon was a normal person.

“Well, it wasn’t just because of that. anchor Those are things that build up over time. action Besides, I’m no saint either. aluminum I don’t even remember her name very well.”

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

The spoiler-censored voice sounded like distorted audio, impossible to understand.

“¡¡#@%&—!!”

Far too normal to be a suspect in an attempted murder.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

Could the motive for the crime be hidden there?

And besides.

But I’m not a detective, and if nobody died, there’s no need to solve anything.

I looked at Hwang Juyeon silently.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

Like someone who knows something.

Not like someone who knows it far too well.

When our eyes met, she naturally looked away.

There are stories better left unknown.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

The three of us held our breath, waiting for the next instruction.

“The reading club has ended.”

***

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

“I-it seems so…”

“What? adjust It really ended? alert Already? auction Seriously?”

But nothing else was heard.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

“Then let’s go, quickly!”

Hwang Juyeon dropped onto the sofa with a long sigh, then immediately jumped back to her feet.

Without needing to say it, I was already at the door.

“Wow…”

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

“Please…”

Ssshh—

I clasped my hands together as if praying, grabbed the doorknob, and pushed hard.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

“It opened! alpha It opened!”

“Ah.”

The door opened smoothly, without any resistance.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

Hwang Juyeon hugged Kim Gilyeong, jumping with joy.

For the first time, that second-floor hallway felt pleasant to me.

I stepped forward, holding the door just in case it closed again.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

“Miss Kim, what are you doing? wizard Aren’t you coming out?”

Hwang Juyeon came out behind me, smiling with a strange expression, until the librarian’s voice made her turn around.

“Ah… ah…”

“Kim Gilyeong…?”

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

“I-I can’t get out…!”

The librarian was still standing inside the library, right behind the open threshold.

As if there were an invisible wall there, striking the air with both hands.

Content of How to Die in a Company That Turned Into a Labyrinth - Chapter 16: Let’s read, read, read books published by TrungTu Reads.

Something was wrong.