Chapter 10

Episode 10. The Future-Seeing Laptop (1)

***

Supernatural Phenomenon O-714.

“Why won’t this turn on?”

Also known as the Ordinary Laptop.

A few days ago, the Precognition Team requested that I hand over this supernatural phenomenon to them. But I need to know what it is before deciding whether to give it to them or not.

The Precognition Team might have been mistaken. This is just a half-broken, old laptop. Even after connecting it to a charger, it wouldn’t turn on.

Wait a minute. It’s such an old product that I didn’t realize it was a Samsung. Maybe I should just send it to a Samsung service center?

First, I’ll call the Research Department’s Electronics Division. The service center is a last resort.

“Hello, is this the Samsung Service Center?”

“I have a 20-year-old laptop… I’ll pay any amount if you can fix it.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The service center readily accepted my proposal. I’m not sure if they understood the gravity of the situation.

And the next day.

The day of reckoning arrived.

I couldn’t just bring a service center employee to the Foundation facility. My solution was simple: mobilize a helicopter to transport an entire electronics lab from the Foundation to the service center.

The Foundation staff jokingly call it the Science Vessel, or Science Ship.

“Dr. Kim. Is this really a good idea?”

“Why not?”

This is Administrator Lee Ji-hye from the Director’s Office. She was tilting her head, looking puzzled.

“Isn’t it a waste of resources to use a large helicopter just to fix a laptop? Couldn’t we just take a taxi?”

“No.”

Really, no.

To increase the chances of fixing the laptop, we need the electronics lab, and to get parts for a discontinued laptop, we need to go to the service center.

And well… we’re doing it because we can. It’s fun. I ordered the helicopter to be deployed.

“If we can fix this laptop, it might be a supernatural phenomenon that can see the future. No amount of money is too much.”

“That’s true.”

Seven people are participating in this operation. Four researchers from the Electronics Division, me, Administrator Lee, and the helicopter pilot.

“Then, pack up and follow me.”

***

The sound of the helicopter rotor echoed in my head again.

The only difference from the last helicopter I rode is that this research helicopter has a safety helmet with a radio. Thanks to that, I can talk to the person next to me without shouting.

“Director. What kind of supernatural phenomenon are we dealing with? Aren’t we bringing any soldiers?”

“We’re going to fix a laptop.”

“What? Is it a laptop that can predict the future? Does it take five doctors and a helicopter to fix one laptop?”

I can hear the words, but it’s incredibly noisy. The rotor is making my head ring, so I can barely make out what anyone is saying.

Still, it’s better than nothing.

“Professor Park. Didn’t you read the operation plan? And I’m not the Director.”

Professor Park.

A researcher from the Electronics Division, a quirky old man with white hair. I have no idea what this old man is talking about.

“He says he didn’t read it!”

“Ah, you must be the Chief Researcher from the Director’s Office. I thought you looked too young to be the Director.”

“Professor Park, do you commute somewhere else every day? How do you not even know if there’s a Director in the facility?”

“I only see the Director when I have business with them.”

“I told you, there is no Director.”

“Speak up! I can’t hear you!”

“Just stay quiet, Administrator Lee.”

“By the way, does the service center have a helipad? More importantly, how are they going to fix something the Foundation can’t?”

“And, Director. The mobile lab isn’t just for helicopters. We could have just used a truck.”

I didn’t know that.

“We’re almost there. Get ready to disembark.”

“Already?”

The electronics researchers came dressed in suits instead of lab coats. Six men in black suits. Since it’s outdoors today, they can even wear sunglasses.

Thud.

The Science Vessel landed on the building’s rooftop, and soon the helicopter’s rotor noise began to subside. I briefly checked the time with the Crystal Clock.

We won’t be late.

“Once the rotor stops completely, we’ll get off the helicopter.”

Professor Park looked at me.

“I didn’t hear properly earlier. So, Director Kim, what exactly do you do? Why are we here now?”

“Professor Park. Again, I’m not the Director, I’m the Chief Researcher from the Director’s Office. We’re here to fix this laptop. According to the Precognition Team, this laptop can see the future, so we’re fixing it.”

Professor Park nodded.

“I understand clearly now.”

***

As expected.

The service center employees were startled when they saw us arriving by helicopter, and most of them rushed to the rooftop.

“Oh my, what’s going on? Who are you? What’s happening?”

Understandable.

If a military helicopter suddenly lands on the building you’re working in, and a group of people in black suits step out, anyone would react similarly.

Right now, we need to look intimidating. And we probably are. There’s no need to be overly polite or hasty.

I slightly lowered my sunglasses.

“Hello. We’re here for the matter we discussed over the phone. Are you the highest-ranking person at this facility?”

“Service center? Yes, that’s me.”

“The item that needs to be fixed is this laptop. If you successfully repair it, I’ll add 50 million won to the repair cost.”

I handed over the briefcase.

“……”

“Is there important information inside?”

“Think of it as you wish. If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like everyone involved in this task to sign a non-disclosure agreement.”

The service center employees nodded.

“There’s quite a bit of equipment on the helicopter. Please gather the parts and anything else you need and come to the helicopter.”

***

It’s a ridiculous sight.

The service center employees and Foundation researchers are gathered around the problematic laptop as if performing surgery.

If this doesn’t work, we’ll have to give up.

“Is the repair going well?”

Machines aren’t my specialty. I can’t participate directly in the repair. All I can do is watch.

One of the service center employees answered after a while.

“This laptop is too old, so finding parts is a bit difficult. We did find the same model in the warehouse. If all else fails, we might have to solder and make new parts.”

“Do your best.”

If we replace all the parts, won’t the supernatural properties disappear? Unfortunately, there’s no way to know until we try.

***

About two hours later.

“It’s done! It’s turning on.”

A 20-year-old laptop powered on.

Professor Park handed the laptop to me, and I carefully accepted it as if holding a baby. There’s no way to know right now if this laptop can really see the future.

We’ll have to check back at the Foundation office. After confirming the laptop turned on, I carefully placed it in the briefcase.

“Good job, everyone. The additional payment will be transferred once we confirm it’s functioning properly.”

Everyone looked at me.

“What are you all doing? My staff, return to the helicopter. The rest of you can return to your duties.”

“Can’t we check if it works here?”

No.

This is clearly a supernatural phenomenon, even if it looks like an ordinary laptop. We’ve already taken a big risk by showing it to civilians.

“Not possible. It’s too dangerous.”

I waved my hand, and the people gathered around me dispersed. Shortly after, the Foundation helicopter’s door closed with a bang.

“I really didn’t think we’d succeed in fixing it.”

“We don’t know if it’s fixed yet. We’ll find out when we get back.”

“Are you going to hand it over to the Precognition Team?”

I pondered Administrator Lee Ji-hye’s words for a moment.

If it really is a laptop that can see the future, I’d like to keep it. But that’s just greed.

I’m a supernatural phenomenon myself, and I already have the Crystal Clock. I think it’s right to hand this supernatural phenomenon over to the Precognition Team.

“If this laptop can’t see the future even after all this, we’ll remove the assigned number from this supernatural phenomenon.”

“That’s true.”

Administrator Lee Ji-hye nodded.

If you ask for my honest opinion…

That problematic laptop. Even if it’s dead now, it’s a supernatural phenomenon that’s been assigned a serial number. There’s definitely more to it than we know.

***

[Supernatural Phenomenon O-714]

[Ordinary Laptop]

[Risk Level: Safe]

[Classification: Object-Type Supernatural Phenomenon]

[An ordinary laptop found in the Foundation’s warehouse. It’s a model from 1999.]

[According to the Psychometry Team, it might have the ability to communicate with the future. No anomalies were found in the tachyon reaction results.]

[The Foundation failed to repair the laptop. It’s an important supernatural phenomenon, so we can’t recklessly disassemble it, and it’s a discontinued product, so there are no replacement parts.]

[P.S. Since it’s unusable anyway, we decided to disassemble it without hesitation. The Director’s Office outsourced the repair to a civilian company.]

***

[Supernatural Phenomenon Transfer Request]

[Author: Precognition Department, Support Division]

[We request that Supernatural Phenomenon O-714, currently held in the Director’s Office, be transferred to the Precognition Department.]

[It might be presumptuous, but in the absence of the Director, it seems inappropriate for the Chief Researcher to personally hold multiple powerful supernatural phenomena.]

[Please transfer the laptop to the Precognition Department and have the Crystal Clock appraised by the Artifact Management Division. Thank you for your cooperation, Dr. Kim.]