Chapter 128

Episode 128. The Blue Roses (3)

****

Our goal is to track down the Blue Roses.

Even though it’s unpleasant, if we want concrete results from the Foundation, going after that bastard is the fastest way. That’s why he’s still alive.

“Welcome. The Support Department Head, the Recovery Department Head—uselessly calling meetings without helping or producing results, right?”

Lee Se-ah leaned against the cat tower in the corner of the Director’s Office. Soon after, a Popo crawled onto her head.

“Well… it’s not that bad.”

True.

“I’ll handle it. First, there must be common traits among the supernatural phenomena of the Blue Rose series. Whether it’s genetic, physical, chemical, frequency, or something traceable through Same-Type Magic and Psychometry.”

I looked at Lee Se-ah.

“Common traits?”

“If there’s a specific frequency or molecule common to the Blue Roses, we can track that. Even if not, we can use Same-Type Magic to trace them through supernatural means.”

Same-Type Magic, or Same-Type Sorcery.

It’s a type of magic that forms a magical connection between two targets based on their similarities, allowing changes in one to affect the other.

Voodoo Magic is the most famous example.

You create a doll resembling the target, fill it with their blood or hair to form a magical link, then harm the doll to harm the target.

“Good idea. But what common trait can we use to form a connection with the Blue Roses hiding beneath the city—”

Ah. Lee Se-ah looked at me.

“Well… I won’t state the obvious. There’s Blue Rose-0 on Jeju Island, and if we search the Foundation’s samples, we might find fragments of Blue Rose-0.”

I nodded.

“Honestly. After struggling with Lee Hwa and those fools for so long, doesn’t it feel like traffic just cleared up now that I’m here?”

A Popo bit Lee Se-ah’s arm.

“Yikes!”

If it had bitten properly, her wrist would’ve fallen to the ground by now. Or maybe, since she’s so enhanced, a Popo bite wouldn’t hurt her?

****

Teams were deployed to Poi Station, Dongmajang Station, and Sogong-dong Station. A special team was assembled to track the Blue Roses.

The Hunter-Killer team consisted of Hasti with a collar, three handlers, Foundation Soldiers, an Engineer, and a medic.

“Is this really a good idea? I could track them. No need to use Hasti.”

I shook my head.

“Hasti needs a chance to prove herself. We made a promise to her, and we need to keep it.”

“Hmm.”

Dr. Chae pondered.

“The Director doesn’t like the Labyrinth, does he? He doesn’t want to send Foundation personnel into the Labyrinth.”

“That’s not it. I just don’t want to send our teams into that hellhole without knowing anything.”

“Anyway, the Special Forces declared they’ll deploy a four-person team to Dongmajang Station. Using a Beacon Chain, intermittent communication should be possible.”

A new piece of equipment was mentioned.

“Beacon Chain?”

“Radio waves might not reach that deep underground, and laying communication lines is troublesome.”

“Right.”

“By placing beacons every few dozen meters, they can communicate with each other, allowing signals to reach underground. It’s a method often used in cave exploration.”

Well, that’s that.

I also need to stop micromanaging. If the middle managers want to send the Special Forces, I should respect that.

“Understood. Let me know if there’s progress. Keep the Punishment Unit on standby.”

Dr. Chae bowed.

****

The Foundation’s Psychometry Team.

All the mages from the Seoul Branch gathered in the workshop. Hasti with surveillance equipment, Cosmos dozing off, Dr. Chae holding a staff, and Yumiko, the head of the Sorcery Division in the Research Department.

80% of the gathered people were women. The saying that only women can be witches might not be a lie.

“Hello, I’m Oculus, head of the Support Department’s Psychometry Team. Today, I’ll personally conduct the information tracking.”

Oculus is, of course, a codename.

Dr. Chae spoke up.

“Psychometry is more of a psychic ability than magic. It relies on animalistic senses. The risk is lower. Forming a Same-Type Sorcery connection in any way is dangerous.”

Hasti raised her hand.

“Um… there’s no fundamental difference between magic and psychic abilities. It’s about the caster’s expression, aptitude, intelligence, and physical differences.”

Next was Yumiko.

Perhaps because she needed to use sorcery, she wore a strangely shaped mask. Her black hair was neatly tied up. For some reason, she looked incredibly young.

Whether it has a magical meaning or not, she’s a concept enthusiast. She came in wearing something like a yukata.

“If directly using magic is burdensome, we can also consider exerting supernatural influence on seemingly random events to adjust the output. Like sprinkling salt on a map to divine a location.”

Cosmos chimed in.

“If we have information about the target, Remote Viewing is possible. The more, the better, and if there’s a directly related target, even better.”

All good points, but…

“Do your best.”

I plucked a few strands of hair and handed them to Oculus. Oculus closed her eyes.

****

Oculus muttered for a while.

“The sea… I see it.”

“The sea?”

“The waves are rough. A massive chain is binding me. Chains cursed by beings who won’t even allow death to the undying.”

Why the sea? The Blue Roses are all underground. Is there a Blue Rose submerged near Jeju Island? Is it that Blue Rose’s memory?

“Ah. Only one desires liberation.”

“…”

An unpleasant thought crossed my mind.

“Is it in human form?”

“No.”

Project Blue Rose. A research project to contain divinity within a human vessel… but there’s a Blue Rose entity not in human form.

Blue Rose-0.

The monster of Aden Bay, the source of divine power that Project Blue Rose tried to contain in a human vessel. Whether you can call that divine power is debatable, but theoretically, that’s the idea.

The Blue Roses draw their power from Blue Rose-0, created with the help of hostile groups.

“So… the Psychometry only picks up the sea? Can you shift your focus?”

Oculus answered with her eyes closed.

“The sound of the waves, and the roar of the monster beneath them, is too loud. I’ll do my best, but… I’m not sure if it’ll work.”

So Blue Rose-0 is still alive.

Well, that’s what they were experimenting with on Jeju Island.

If Blue Rose-0 is alive, its voice on the Astral Plane might be too loud to hear anything else. Is that why magic tracking isn’t working?

The Foundation Headquarters claimed to be reassembling Blue Rose-0, which died in Aden Bay. Seems they succeeded in reconstructing it.

“Team Leader?”

“Uh, these guys are at City Hall Station?”

Damn. I stood up.

“Prepare for combat! Everyone, move to the Command Center and monitor the enemy’s movements in real-time. I’m heading to the field.”

The Foundation’s mages looked at me.

****

I’m not sure if the enemy is really at City Hall Station.

I doubt it. If the Blue Roses had appeared there, we’d have noticed by now. It’s probably the abandoned Sogong-dong Station.

Nanami was waiting at the helipad.

“We’re going hunting, Dr. Kim.”

“I’ll come too.”

“Sure.”

The sound of the helicopter’s rotors filled the air as Nanami, a few Foundation Soldiers, and I hastily boarded. The rotors began to spin—

****

Sogong-dong Station.

Blue Rose-11, Spade, had fallen.

“We’ve been detected.”

“By the Foundation?”

“Yes.”

Spade brushed dust off his black robes. The abandoned subway station was carpeted with dust.

“Well… if we stay gathered here, we’ll die together. Everyone scatter. Regroup at Dongmajang Station before sunrise.”

“What about fighting?”

“What’s the point? Didn’t you see the Seoul Branch humans fighting on Jeju Island?”

Contrabass sighed.

“This isn’t the time to struggle here. Scatter and head to Dongmajang Station. Don’t gather there either, just hide.”

The Blue Roses agreed. Survival comes first. Without survival, nothing else matters.

“What if we regroup at Dongmajang Station?”

“This place is compromised, so we abandon it. From there, prepare to resist. Scatter and tie up the enemy’s movements. Dongmajang Station is more complex, so it’s better for fighting.”

The six Blue Roses scattered instantly.

The Foundation Soldiers could strike anytime, anywhere. Wandering endlessly through an unknowable labyrinth isn’t an option.

For now, survive today.

We’ll think about tomorrow when it comes.