Chapter 100

Episode 100. Ministry of Defense’s Anomalous Phenomena Response Bureau (2)

****

This is the Remote Viewing Department.

They’re currently tracking to see if the Followers of the King of Darkness have a base. Today, more innocent goats are being slaughtered.

Behind the department head, the scene inside the Remote Viewing Department is visible.

Foundation staff in suits are conducting some kind of ritual with goat corpses. It looks a bit ridiculous, but… sometimes they produce meaningful results. Can’t really complain.

“Anything caught yet?”

The department head shook his head.

“We’ll try, but… it’s not going to be easy. They’ve been hiding for nearly 20 years. It’d be strange if they suddenly got caught.”

I pondered for a moment.

“Please try. Any results at all?”

“We’ve obtained a few coordinates, but compared to real-time data, there’s nothing definitive.”

“Let me take a look.”

I don’t know why there are so many ruins in our country. One abandoned village, one cave, and one abandoned subway station on the outskirts of Seoul.

“This is an abandoned subway station?”

“Ah, that. There was an abandoned subway station. That seems the most likely.”

“What exactly is it?”

“It’s a facility built during the Cold War and military dictatorship era in preparation for nuclear war. The plan was to turn Seoul into an underground city in case of nuclear war.”

I frowned.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. Under state leadership, several bunkers, underground command centers, shelters, and subway stations were built. Most are in major cities, but they’re not well-known to the public.”

It’s a plausible story.

“The problem is… we don’t know the current state of this underground city, abandoned for about 30 years. It’s not easy to explore it just to catch a hostile group.”

“Is there a chance people are living there?”

“People do live there.”

The Remote Viewing Department didn’t elaborate further.

“Could you explain a bit more?”

“Well… it’s estimated that around 10,000 people live underground in Seoul, but we have no precise way of knowing.”

I nodded again. An abandoned subway station, Cold War-era underground bunkers. Definitely smells like a major incident.

“Then, let’s start by investigating the abandoned subway station. The hostile group might be hiding there. We’ll hand over other suspicious locations to the Korean government for investigation.”

The department head nodded.

“There’s no evidence that anything’s inside.”

“None at all?”

“No evidence that the Followers of the King of Darkness are in that building. Others might be, though.”

I nodded.

Still, it’s better to check. Even if it’s not the Followers, there might be other hostile groups causing recent issues.

****

“No.”

Nanami was firm.

“Why not?”

“There’s no evidence the ones we’re chasing are there. Why stir up a den that the Foundation and Korean government have left untouched for 30 years?”

“The hostile group might be hiding there. No, they must be hiding there.”

“It’s too dangerous. If something goes wrong, how will we escape from underground?”

“We just won’t get hurt.”

Nanami crossed her arms. She looked down at me with a slightly furrowed brow. Her sharp blue eyes locked onto mine.

“Dr. Kim. I trust you have a plan beyond just going in with a gun.”

I do.

“We’ll mobilize Ganymede and deploy the clockwork dolls currently contained in the Foundation’s warehouse to the site first.”

“……”

Nanami pressed her palm to her forehead.

“Dr. Kim. Do you know what ‘clockwork devices’ are? Do you know what clockwork dolls are?”

I have a rough idea.

“Are they people?”

“They’re always people.”

I had an inkling, but I didn’t think Nanami would oppose it for that reason.

“Whether it’s librarians, wooden dolls, company products, or clockwork devices, they’re always made by killing people. To hostile groups, people are like currency. Materials for their purposes.”

Nanami’s voice was unusually sharp.

“That’s why. Cooperation with hostile groups is almost forbidden, and artifacts or supernatural phenomena related to them are rarely used.”

“I understand.”

Clockwork devices. Ganymede, and hostile groups related to machinery. Fortunately, they’re hardly active domestically.

“If the goal is to enter that underground building, we can send in remote turret dogs. Communication might be spotty, though.”

I nodded. There aren’t many clockwork dolls in this facility anyway. Usable ones are even rarer.

“And, I’ll be on standby nearby. Someone has to handle rescues if something goes wrong.”

Nanami didn’t look happy.

Is something going on today?

****

Anyway. Our task is starting to take shape. We’re figuring out who the enemy is and roughly where they are.

The Ministry of Defense’s Anomalous Phenomena Response Bureau contacted us. They’re confirming key figures and locations and coordinating the schedule for eliminating problematic elements.

[Director, the plan is complete. Starting Monday dawn, we’ll begin eliminating and apprehending 51 individuals across 8 strongholds.]

“Good.”

We’ll investigate the abandoned subway station on Monday too.

[The investigation areas are as follows: Mujin-ri Ghost Village in Gyeonggi Province, the abandoned hospital on the outskirts of Ajin City in Chungcheong Province, Incheon Mudangpa Base Musu Construction.]

[The self-proclaimed Second Coming Collective Farm of Kim Gwang-chun, Gwangjin University Physics Department Research Lab, an abandoned factory on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province, a certain library, and the Busan Gaoripa Base.]

A library and an abandoned factory?

I think I’ve been to those places before. The library where Nanami was dispatched when Cosmos escaped, and the abandoned factory where Ganymede appeared as a massive clockwork dragon.

“Good. Keep up the good work.”

This might… just deal a blow to the enemy’s activities. The Director of the Anomalous Phenomena Response Bureau nodded from beyond the screen.

****

[Important Notice: About the Foundation]

[Author: Seoul Colorless Philharmonic Conductor]

[Hello, I hope all members are having a good day. Recently, rumors about future activities have been circulating among members, so I am issuing this notice out of necessity.]

[Senior performers, please carefully review and understand the contents of this document and guide your subordinates accordingly.]

[Our main enemy is the Foundation!]

[Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated. We need to understand our main enemy, the Foundation.]

[You’ve probably heard rumors about the Director of the Foundation’s Seoul Branch. I’ve gathered some information through my contacts within the Foundation.]

[Honestly, the newly appointed Director of the Foundation has been restricting our orchestra’s activities.]

[Let’s begin.]

——–

[Dr. Kim is considered a highest-risk humanoid supernatural phenomenon. As of now, it’s believed he can single-handedly take on armies or large organizations.]

[Recently, he reportedly cleaned out a Foundation facility on Jeju Island alone. The reason is unknown. It seems like some kind of internal conflict.]

[The Foundation often has internal strife. Depending on the situation, we can exploit their poor relations to extract information or assets.]

[From what we’ve gathered, Dr. Kim appears to be enhanced by dozens of supernatural phenomena and overtech. The list is as follows.]

——–

[Kim Bari-1. Popo.]

[A type of supernatural creature controlled by Dr. Kim. They can be subdued physically but cannot be killed.]

[Popo can teleport and carry objects. Dr. Kim can control up to 33 Popo.]

[There are rumors that Popo’s serum acts as a panacea or enhancement serum, but this has not been confirmed.]

[However, some of Dr. Kim’s physical abilities may originate from this. He displays strength disproportionate to his size.]

——–

[Kim Bari-2. Wilson]

[A flying red bowling ball. Its use is self-explanatory. Its origin and creation are unknown.]

——–

[Kim Bari-3. Invisibility Cloak]

[An invisibility cloak created by the Foundation but forgotten due to an anti-memetic effect. It blocks visible light and has an anti-memetic effect.]

[Its effects can be countered with night vision goggles, infrared cameras, or anti-hallucinogen pills, but it’s still extremely dangerous.]

——–

[Kim Bari-4. Soviet-made Laser Gun]

[I’m not sure what practical use this has, but it’s a symbol of the Foundation’s power and technological prowess.]

——–

[Kim Bari-5. ???]

[???]

——–

[Attention! Members, please be cautious in your activities to avoid being killed or captured by the Foundation’s assets. Thank you.]