By Zephyria 242
Silence filled the Director’s office. Ham Seok-jeong sat at her desk, her eyes closed. Then, a neat knock sounded. She replied without opening her eyes.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and a smiling young man entered. It was Jung-bin. He bowed and stood properly in front of Ham Seok-jeong.
“I have something to report and something to ask. What about the memorial altar proposal?”
“Rejected. They wouldn’t even pretend to listen. They don’t want to create anxiety, it seems.”
“This time, not only Awakened but also civilians died in large numbers. How can we hold funerals when there are no bodies…? Some of those eaten by the Monster can’t even have their bodies found. They’re completely in another Shield…”
“Is this the first or second time we’ve had funerals without bodies?”
“……”
Jung-bin closed his mouth. Ham Seok-jeong roughly rubbed her face and muttered.
“…I’m sorry. I misspoke.”
“It’s alright.”
“What about Song Jo-heon? What did he say?”
“He’s surprisingly cooperative. Thanks to him, we’ve obtained quite a bit of useful information about Prometheus.”
Jung-bin handed over a file. Ham Seok-jeong frowned and quickly scanned the contents.
“What about the researcher named Ga-young?”
“She handed over her body to Prometheus as experimental material and then entered the Guild to monitor her condition. They need someone to quickly deal with any side effects. Song Jo-heon said he didn’t have any deep conversations with her.”
“It was a purely professional relationship?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“What about the Hunters who went over to Prometheus?”
“He calls them resources… but we’ll have to ask directly if there was any coercion. However…”
Jung-bin lowered his eyes. A strange expressionless look came over his usually gentle face.
“I doubt they’re in a state where they can communicate. According to J’s testimony, they’ve all lost their minds…”
“……”
“Still, we’ve received a report that the Seowon Guild is developing an Antidote. Lee Sa-young has handed over a tablet containing detailed information about the drug.”
“That’s a relief. Matthew needs to recover too…”
“……”
Ham Seok-jeong sighed deeply. Now, the most important matter remained. Doomsday was just the beginning. The more she spoke of and thought about Doomsday, the faster it would accelerate. She tapped the desk with her fingertips. And then she asked a meaningless question.
“When did they say the next start would be?”
“According to the Rift Management Bureau’s predictions…”
The sound of dry saliva being swallowed was clear. Jung-bin answered in a heavy voice.
“They say it wouldn’t be strange if it started in the next ten minutes.”
“……”
“However…”
“However?”
Ham Seok-jeong raised her head. Jung-bin had a particularly troubled look on his face.
“That state has been continuing for several days now.”
“……”
“As if someone is holding onto the leash.”
Ah! The old days~
Can’t those days of the past come again~
A soulful melody flowed out, and the lyrics painfully pierced the heart. A jellyfish doll hanging from the rearview mirror swayed. There were no cars on the highway. Had they given up on moving, or had those who were going to leave already left? Only meaningless thoughts came to mind. Eui-jae, crammed into the narrow passenger seat of the old Damas, grumbled for no reason.
“When did that song come out?”
“Why? It’s Jang Mi-sook-ssi’s favorite song number 0.”
Since it was Jang Mi-sook-ssi’s favorite song, he couldn’t grumble any more. Eui-jae was particularly weak to people around his aunt’s age. Instead of grumbling more, he lowered the window and rested his arm on it. He didn’t care about the cold wind. Mackerel, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, had also fully lowered the window.
Eui-jae knew that Lee Sa-young was in Incheon, but he didn’t have a license. If he took the subway, it would definitely be plastered all over the news, and he felt guilty about borrowing a helicopter from the Awakened Management Bureau. The all-purpose key Very Small Miracle Mingi Seo was with his original Master. In the end, Eui-jae called Mackerel.
Mackerel raised the corner of his mouth and said as if he wanted everyone to hear.
“You know this comes with a business trip fee, right? I’m a high-class resource, you know? Do you know how many Hunters want to see my face? I’m not someone who should be used for business trip driving like this?”
“Driving people is better than driving goldfish, right?”
“Our fish are very capable, you know.”
“Goldfish can’t get past police checkpoints, can they?”
That’s right. The goldfish’s driving skills were top-notch, but there was a very big problem. If the police stopped them and asked to see their license, they would have nothing to say! Show me your license. I don’t have a license. Is J driving without a license right now? A goldfish is driving. What? They’d be doing comedy like that. Fortunately, Mackerel nodded, agreeing with that point. Eui-jae tapped on the old car door.
“Where did you sell the truck and bring out this car?”
“Ah! Be careful. Hyung, it might break even if you just stomp your feet. This car should be sent to a museum now.”
“That’s why I’m asking why you brought out a relic. Don’t you have a sturdier car?”
“I’m sorry, but I did my best? Everyone else is on a business trip, so this was the only car available.”
“Haa…”
Eui-jae rested his arm on the window and sighed deeply. His younger brother Mackerel glanced at Eui-jae’s expression and suddenly shouted.
“Ah~ really. You’re going to pay for this, right? We have credit card transaction fees, you know?”
“I don’t even have a card in the first place. I’ll give you Mana Stone, so sell it yourself.”
“This Hyung is rich in cash. Actually, we like Mana Stone payments the best.”
Mana Stone. Eui-jae frowned. Unpleasant memories came to mind.
“Why Mana Stone?”
Mackerel, who had his left arm resting on the driver’s side window and was holding the steering wheel with one hand, took his hand off and twirled his finger in the air. At the same time, several goldfish quickly clung to the steering wheel. A self-driving car with a new meaning. Eui-jae narrowed his eyes.
“You saw how chaotic the fish market is, right? That doesn’t run for free. It’s Hyung’s ability, so it costs a lot to maintain.”
“The maintenance cost is Mana Stone?”
“That’s right. Seriously, even if I earn money, I spend it all on buying Mana Stone.”
His younger brother Mackerel pouted and grumbled.
“Anyway, what were you doing not getting a license?”
“I was in the Rift, why.”
“……”
A crisis came. In the solemn atmosphere, his younger brother Mackerel quietly rolled up the window and grabbed the steering wheel with both hands. The goldfish, who had been deprived of their jobs, circled around Mackerel’s head as if venting their anger. Eui-jae rested his chin on his hand and said.
“I’m joking, so laugh.”
“Ah ah… hahaha.”
“Why aren’t you laughing louder?”
“Hahahaha!”
The salty sea smell gradually began to waft in. Eui-jae closed his eyes, using the sound of his younger brother Mackerel’s loud laughter as background music. He wondered what he should say first when he met Lee Sa-young.
The Wave Guild had a research facility in Incheon. The basic purpose was to research Rifts and Gates, but there was also a huge training room for checking the abilities of affiliated Guild members. There was also a training room just for Lee Sa-young, who mostly melted objects.
Woo-oong…. A threatening sound leaked through the tightly closed iron door. Clang, clang, the sound of metal clashing against metal, thud, thud, the sound of bones breaking. Bae Won-woo had heard the sound several times, so he knew what it was. He paced back and forth in front of the door.
“Hey, is this really okay? I hear bones breaking? Shouldn’t we take him out?”
“Probably…”
Hong Ye-seong, who was huddled in an armchair next to the iron door, raised his head. His Emotional Eye was spinning faster than ever. His head moved towards the iron door with a crack. It was a bizarre movement, like a machine, as if it wasn’t his own will. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his training uniform.
“He won’t die. It’ll hurt like hell, though.”
“Is that what you have to say?”
“There’s nothing we can do. If we don’t do that, we’ll all die.”
Red liquid dripped down his cheeks. Hong Ye-seong covered his eyes with his sleeve as if he was used to it. Bae Won-woo hurriedly took out a handkerchief and held it to his eyes. The white handkerchief was soon soaked red. Hong Ye-seong spoke calmly for someone who was bleeding from his eyes.
“If it seems like he’s really going to die, I’ll tell you to take him out, but until then, don’t touch him. That’s what he wants too.”
“……”
Bae Won-woo roughly scratched his head. Hong Ye-seong blinked his eyes covered with the handkerchief. Even with his eyes covered and bleeding, his Emotional Eye was still spinning, reflecting something. Behind the thick iron door that was firmly closed, the crouching black thing.
Charrrr, chains that appeared from the air tightly bound the crouching form. Thud, thud, it was so messed up that it couldn’t be seen as a human form. For a moment, a purple light flashed from the black thing and gradually faded. Hong Ye-seong rubbed his eyes. A pain that felt like his eyes were tearing continued.
“Just a little more…”