Chapter 345: Ch 345: Escaped the inferno
The moment the rooftop door opened, a piercing sunlight poured into my
eyes.
And as my vision adjusted, I saw the rooftop of Segwang City Hall under a
chillingly clear blue sky.
...The floor was covered in a membrane of a strange, grayish-white
substance.
Like the shell of a cocoon.
But it was shimmering with iridescent colors.
’...An egg.’
I recalled the video that Reporter Eunhaje’s group had filmed.
The bizarre shape that had been swelling at the very top of the city hall
building.
It seemed that it had ’swelled’ all the way to the rooftop floor.
"..."
Fighting to keep my hands from trembling, I reached into my pocket and
carefully took out a wad of convenience store receipts.
And threw it.
Tuk.
The receipts rolled across the surface of the cocoon on the rooftop floor, hit
the railing, and fell below.
Naturally, the view of the city spread out beyond it....
"Don’t look."
"..."
Suppressing a surge of tension, I turned my head back to the rooftop.
...A single machine was placed unceremoniously in the middle of the
rooftop.
The dream incubator.
On the floor around the massive machine, toy fragments, a researcher’s
gown, glasses, and clothes were scattered like trash.
And in front of it, something stood tall.
A human-shaped silhouette.
It was covered with a cloth.
"..."
I took a careful step forward.
A strangely soft, cushioned texture met my foot, and at the same time....
I walked forward.
[How dauntless, my friend!]
After approaching the front of the dream incubator.
I reached out my hand... and whipped the cloth off the silhouette.
"...!"
I met eyes with a retro-style drawing.
It wasn’t a person.
A character from Daydream Inc.
It was a life-sized standee of a yellow dragon character.
The flat panel, illustrated with the retro cartoon-style yellow dragon, stood
incongruously next to the dream incubator, and in its empty space, a blue
button was attached with an explanation.
CLICK
-> Yongyongi’s congratulatory message is recorded.
(A different message plays each time you press it!)
"..."
A sense of foreboding welled up from the feeling of wrongness.
"Shall I press it?"
"...No."
I swallowed, then raised my hand and pressed the button myself.
A cheerful voice came through the low-quality recording.
Hello, Researchers of the Cheerful Research Institute!
I am a commemorative standee created by Director Cheongdalrae of
Daydream to celebrate the Cheerful Research Institute’s latest
experiment.
It is a great honor for this Yongyongi to be present at the site of this key
experiment to achieve your research goal.
You must be waiting for the experiment’s results, so I hope I can relieve
your boredom for a moment!
...But to be honest, I also came for company promotion purposes. Please
look after our Daydream, which is launching a new product line!
The modulated, staticky, child-like voice echoed across the empty rooftop.
If a researcher waiting for the results had pressed it, they would have surely
burst out laughing....
But now, only this standee remained.
"..."
I pressed the button one more time.
Our Daydream and the Cheerful Research Institute have been in an
active cooperative relationship from the start.
Under Director Cheongdalrae’s command, Daydream has been working
hard, heave-ho, heave-ho, to supply the Dream Essence Liquid needed for
the Cheerful Research Institute’s experiments.
This is because Director Cheong was greatly impressed by the Cheerful
Research Institute’s meaningful research goal.
’A safe world without Anomalous Phenomena’! What a wonderful
catchphrase.
But you know what?
If that catchphrase comes true, our Daydream will go broke.
"...!"
The recording ended.
With a trembling hand, I pressed the button again.
Hahaha! Just kidding!
Daydream has respected the Cheerful Research Institute’s catchphrase
and has cooperated with you until now.
This cooperation will continue in the future... probably?
Though the direction might change a bit!
That’s why Director Cheong has been preparing a surprise gift for a very
long time for today’s memorable and decisive experiment....
It’s a gift that will lighten your burden.
Curious, aren’t you?
....
Look at the dream incubator.
My head turned reflexively. My eyes began to quickly scan the dream
incubator on the rooftop.
All over the lone dream incubator... were bloody marks, as if scratched by
fingernails.
Director Cheong placed a small music box inside the incubator’s tank.
As a memento.
The moment your invitation succeeds, the being that arrives will hear the
music box.
The only problem is, if you hear this music box’s melody three times, you
go mad, right?
"...!"
Ah, it should be about time for the invitation to have succeeded.
I’ve set the music box to autoplay, so it’ll all be over in 5 minutes.
The timer is running!
In just 5 minutes, your grand plan to incubate a resident in the tank will
end in a regrettable accident... huh? Are you trying to open the
incubator?
Oh dear, I had the screw-locking mechanism changed yesterday. You
can’t open it the way you usually do.
If you have no intention of giving up, well... hmm, maybe you can force it
open?
The numerous, desperate marks left on the incubator.
The traces, as if they had tried to tear it open until the very end, were
blatant and gruesome.
You must be trying your best to open it right now. Fighting! You’re
probably running hard down the stairs to bring back more strong toys.
But....
Huh?
Something’s a little... strange, isn’t it?
"..."
Huh? Wait a minute, something strange is happening at the rooftop
experiment site right now, isn’t it?
Suddenly, parts of the researchers’ bodies are turning into toy parts,
right? The mysterious toys you brought to open the tank aren’t working,
right?
If you’re wondering why... oops, the recording time is up! Try pressing
the button again.
Smack!
I slammed the button, almost grinding it.
You pressed it again.
First of all, congratulations!
You have now achieved your goal.
A ’world without Anomalous Phenomena’ is now dawning, centered on
this city hall!
"...!!"
How is that possible, you ask?
I forgot to tell you the name of the music box! It’s called....
The ’Angel’s Sigh’ music box.
"..."
Wait a minute.
I’ve heard that name somewhere before.
That was, that was....
’...Mermaid Tomb!’
The other side of the Sparkling Dragon Palace, the Conch Shell Item that
could be found in that place destroyed by a Biological Disaster.
The name of that Item was Angel’s Sigh.
And I had confirmed the melody that came from it in this very Segwang
Special City Subway.
-’Angel’s Sigh’ tape recording. ’Listen to the auspicious melody of heaven at
a reasonable price.’
As a prize from the Slot Machine at the Body Casino Station.
"..."
A chill, whether from thrill or shock, crept up my spine.
’Don’t tell me the humming from the people who got the Disaster Alert
was....’
That melody...?
Don’t you worry. The function of that music box’s melody has already
been thoroughly verified in a certain Deep Sea City!
This melody is parasitic to humans, giving them vitality and regenerative
power, but if overused, the parasite eventually consumes the person. It
wasn’t originally a melody for humans, you see.
And it’s said to be contagious, both mentally and physically, all over the
place!
A perfect function for creating a world, isn’t it?
I clenched my fists.
This is a really good thing!
Your research goal has been achieved, hasn’t it? ’The advent of a world
without Anomalous Phenomena’!
Of course, one ghost story spread widely in the process... but at any rate,
there are no other ghost stories, so it can be seen as a remarkable
achievement.
You needed this kind of proactive attempt.
This experiment was far too passive and sluggish an attempt for such a
grand goal!
Summoning just one measly ’resident of a world without Anomalous
Phenomena.’
’Researching the worldview using said resident as a subject.’
Too slow.
Too vague.
Director Cheong favors neither of those directions.
That’s why Director Cheong personally took other measures.
She said she’ll accept your words of thanks for the success later!
She’d probably say something like this.
Director Cheong’s voice, I can hear it....
’You should be thankful. I’ve achieved your slogan for you, after all.’
’However, since Daydream is a company that pursues profit, it’s only right
that our company has a stake in that slogan.’
And so it shall be.
We will efficiently add just one phrase to the catchphrase ’A safe world
without Anomalous Phenomena.’
....
’Except for me.’
"...!"
’A safe world without any Anomalous Phenomena, except for me’!
Eliminating competitors is the most favored monopoly market in business.
Crazy.
This is insane....
Unfortunately, the Cheerful Research Institute may now disappear from
the world.
But our cooperation will continue. Your dream incubator will be faithfully
utilized in the production of Daydream’s new product line and will
generate enormous profits.
You can think of it as Daydream cleaning up after your lack of drive and
realism!
And....
Do you know why I’m explaining this to you?
"...!"
I stood up from my spot.
Creak.
...A sound comes from the rooftop door on the opposite side.
The fact that you’ve wasted all your time to act and listened this far
means it’s already too late.
You all have either returned to being useless toys or are inside me. In the
flames.
Ahahahahaha.....
I struck the standee.
Hahahahahaha!
Hahahahahahahahaha!
Hahahahahahahahaha...
CRUNCH, CRUNCH, with a few sounds, the standee crumpled, and the
laughter crumpled with it, crackling, emitting a gruesomely distorted note
before... it was cut off.
"...Heok."
The moment I gasped for breath.
Kkiiiiiik.
"..."
The rooftop door on the opposite side, twists as it opens.
’Ah.’
The swollen cocoon on the floor had pushed against the gap of the rooftop
door, eventually twisting it open....
It wasn’t a person I saw beyond it. But....
The clear sound of a music box drifted over.
"...!!"
Eerily clear, and somehow war....
’Dammit.’
I clamped my hands over my ears and backed away.
But it wasn’t properly blocked
the music box sound coming from the gap of the open roof
top door on the other side was pleasant
it grew louder
I drew closer....
Someone grabbed my shoulder.
"Agent."
"...!"
"Let’s go back."
I turned around and ran like mad.
The moment I left the rooftop, I heard the sound of the silhouette that had
been following me close the emergency stairs door.
THUD!
The music box sound vanished.
I ran as if in a sprint, tossing the fruit Ho Yuwon had given me into my
mouth and chewing.
’It’s okay.’
I’m not entranced yet. I, I barely managed not to bite my tongue as I opened
my mouth.
"The, heok, Fox Bead you were looking for...."
"It was not... there."
There was no time to even feel despair. No, after that, there wasn’t even a
chance to speak.
We just ran downwards, frantically trying to get off the surface level.
Down,
Further down!
[We’re almost there. We’ll be at the institute soon, Mr. Roe Deer!]
Right, at least we’ll soon escape this crazy building where a ’world without
Anomalous Phenomena’ has arrived in a twisted form....
....
’Braun.’
[Friend?]
I couldn’t stop my feet.
But I also couldn’t stop this question from welling up inside me.
So I think as I sprint.
This was a place where ghost stories disappeared.
But, how is Braun....
’How... are you, able to talk?’
[Why, of course I can offer all sorts of advice by your side, friend. The trials
of a one-sided environment can no longer separate us.]
[Isn’t it quite moving?]
An exaggerated sound, like wiping a CRT screen as if wiping away tears, is
heard....
At that cheerful sound, my heart sinks instead.
Squeak, squeak.
This, sound... how on earth am I hearing it?
In a place where ghost stories cannot exist...?
[Oh, but this Braun happened to have a similar question. Shall I ask it? It
says Positive! Very well, then... one question.]
[How is Mr. Roe Deer still sane?]
....
What?
[Of course, ’sane’ is by my friend’s standard, not this Braun’s. Shall we go a
little deeper in the same vein?]
[Haven’t you already heard that music box sound quite a lot? And yet my
friend asserts that he is not Contaminated!]
That’s... that’s because I have a countermeasure.
’Because I kept eating the fruit the Counselor, Ho Yuwon, gave me.’
[Hmm. I see. In that case.]
[How is that fruit effective?]
....
...!!
[Isn’t that also an ’Anomalous Phenomenon’ as defined by the group Mr.
Roe Deer belongs to?]
[The one who made it is barely saving face by relying on the identity of
’Counselor’ that my friend gave him, so I doubt it would be very effective.]
It was a precise point.
....
What is this?
’Why am I....’
Able to resist?
"Agent!"
"...!"
I abruptly stopped and came to my senses.
[B3]
We had arrived. The door to the Cheerful Research Institute was before my
eyes.
I immediately grabbed the handle.
There’s no time to be lost in thought. I have to get to the subway quickly....
Ah.
The handle was hot.
"...Counselor."
I said quietly.
"The fire will have spread inside."
"..."
"Get on my back."
"I’m fine...."
"Hurry!"
We had to go fast.
I took off my jacket, and over it, and on the sleeves of the shirt I was
wearing, I poured almost all the remaining water from my backpack.
Then I threw it behind me.
"Cover your head with it. Make sure the wet cloth covers your respiratory
system! I won’t look back."
"..."
Thankfully, I heard the sound of the cloth being draped. I let out a sigh of
relief and hoisted him onto my back.
The strangely light feeling was gone, but he was still light for a normal
adult male.
As if a few parts were missing.
"...I’m opening it."
I tried my best to ignore that sensation as I opened the door.
A blast of heat hit my nose.
"..."
Flames were blazing in various spots of the Cheerful Research Institute’s
core floor.
But I could see a path.
’I can make it.’
Covering my mouth with a water-soaked sleeve, I plunged into the space
that was not yet thick with smoke.
Huu, short breaths could be heard from my back and from my own mouth. I
ran as fast as I could, but was especially careful of the ceiling and walls,
avoiding the smoke.
’I can do it.’
I can get out.
The office, now devoid of mystery, wasn’t that long. I ran the distance.
4 meters,
3 meters,
2 meters,
1 meter....
I grabbed the doorknob.
I yanked it open forcefully.
Whoosh, the musty air of the subway hit my nose. The smell of corpses and
whatever else didn’t matter, the fact that we had escaped the inferno
together was a relief....
Whoosh, the musty air of the subway stings my nose.
The smell of corpses be damned, for now, it’s a relief that we escaped the
fiery pit together...
Something rained down from above.
I rolled to the side with the person I was carrying, and we collapsed.
Steel frames and concrete poured down over my head.
The platform’s ceiling and wall structures, completely destroyed by
something that had flown in and crashed from the concourse, came down
like weapons.
"Agent..."
I hear someone shout from outside.
Thwack.
My head, struck by a sharp chunk of concrete, rings, blurring the sound.
But a thought suddenly surfaces.
-It’s all collapsed.
When I first opened my eyes in Segwang Station. That this platform had
been completely destroyed.
’Ah.’ So that was the first day... The brief thought vanishes, and pieces of
steel and concrete rain down on my body as well.
I was buried under the concrete.
"..."
Blood.
A sticky sensation.
Pain.
And...
a faint...
sound.
"So-someone’s trapped underneath!"
"Agent!"
...
"Didn’t they just say ’Agent’ over there?"
"I think so, check the roster for Team 2 that entered the station."
Sounds I understand from context.
"Is anyone missing?"
"No, sir!"
"Then it’s not one of our Agents?"
The voices of the Saekwang City’s Disaster Management Bureau Agents.