Chapter 145

Chapter 145. Special Forces Science Officer Scope (2)

****

[Communication Link Requested]

[Soviet Navy]

[K-278 ‘Komsomolets’]

[This record has not been translated and is presented as the original audio recording. It is presumed to be in Korean.]

[Ah, ah. Is anyone listening on the other side? I want to go home.]

****

The Foundation has been completely turned upside down.

Why on earth would a Soviet submarine that disappeared in the 80s send a communication to the Foundation? And why attempt an audio communication in Korean?

How? Why?

Of course, the communication wasn’t smooth. A significant portion of the Foundation’s reconnaissance assets were deployed to determine where the communication came from. We’re talking about assets within the Korean branch.

“Advisor An, have you ever seen something like this while working at the Foundation? What could have caused such a bizarre phenomenon? A Soviet nuclear submarine, no less.”

“We’ve been investigating. According to publicly available information, it’s a Soviet nuclear submarine that sank in 1990. According to Foundation records, there was some kind of cooperation with the Soviet GRU’s Extended Science Department.”

“Extended Science Department?”

I think I know what that is. People’s attitudes toward supernatural phenomena vary. Some worship them, some fear and despise them, and some are desperate to exploit them. The communists’ stance is obvious.

Supernatural phenomena contradict the materialistic worldview that communism advocates. It’s only natural that they’d try to conceal them.

Totalitarians are always like that. They’re not the type to stick to the principles they’ve set for the masses. They probably made every effort to harness the power of supernatural phenomena, and they wouldn’t have hesitated to make enormous sacrifices.

Come to think of it, it’s similar to the Foundation.

“I think I know what you’re thinking. The assets of the GRU’s Extended Science Research Institutes outside of Russia were sold off to various places. A significant number of them ended up with the Foundation.”

The Foundation was right.

“Ah, I see.”

“Should we ignore it?”

The Foundation receives dozens of strange or supernatural communications every day. The fact that it’s a Soviet nuclear submarine is just a sensational topic within the facility, so it’s fine to ignore it.

“But is it true? If there’s a chance to recover an abandoned Soviet nuclear submarine, we can’t just pass it up. Can we verify it?”

“We’ve determined that there’s a possibility it’s real. The bigger problem is where this signal came from—”

Advisor An frowned.

“Where is it?”

“The Poi Station Underground Bunker. Really… this location has a deep, dark connection. What on earth is going on?”

Deep underground, will the mystery of the abyss be unraveled? Or will it just add another line to a ten-volume riddle? It’s worth checking out.

****

Engineers gathered in the seminar room.

Today, the Head of the Mechanical Division spoke up.

“To cut to the chase, here’s the conclusion. A strange signal encrypted with Soviet technology was intercepted by the Foundation’s surveillance network. Triangulation has pinpointed the signal’s origin to the Poi Station Underground Bunker.”

“Is this another prank by the hostile groups?”

“Well, it’s ambiguous. The content of the communication is indeed a Soviet encrypted transmission. It’s not impossible to forge, but it’s questionable whether anyone could have mastered the Soviet Navy’s encrypted communication system to fake this.”

I’m not a communications security expert. I don’t know much, but it doesn’t seem easy to disguise a communication as coming from a Soviet nuclear submarine.

“What about the sender or the sending device?”

“Our assessment is that something connected to the communication equipment in the Poi Station Underground Bunker and used it as a signal relay to send the communication. We can’t be more specific.”

So, they don’t know.

“So, something delivered an encrypted message to the communication equipment in the Poi Station Underground Bunker, and the bunker relayed the encrypted message to the Foundation. And when decrypted, it turned out to be a distress call from a Soviet nuclear submarine?”

“Yes.”

“Do we have a Russian translator? I’d like to hear their opinion directly. There’s nuance in translation, and the tone—”

“It’s a Korean audio file.”

“……”

What a bizarre thing. Whoever—or whatever—did this, if their goal was to get me interested in this case, they’ve succeeded. I’m dying of curiosity.

“What’s the Psychometry Team’s opinion?”

“They’re still reviewing it.”

They’re probably busy. Writing a report requires catching chickens and goats. Let’s wait for the results slowly.

****

“I think it’s a trap.”

“Again?”

Nanami nodded.

Well, it’s highly likely to be a trap. First, we need to deal with Poi Station—either seal it with cement or restore it. It’s the root of all evil.

“Because of Poi Station?”

“First, the communication is asking for someone to come find them. The results from the Precognition Department and the Psychometry Team also suggest that. It’s just repeating, ‘Come find me.’”

It’s trying to persuade us. You know what they say, evil spirits are the easiest to summon. They swarm in with just a little interest.

It might be a bit different, but people who are good at self-promotion often have strange cases. It’s the same principle.

There must be a reason they’re trying to drag us into the center of this case. Simply put, there might be a monster that feeds on people or attention.

“I don’t want to go underground again.”

“I’m against going through the underground. If the Komsomolets exists, as the Precognition Department says, and has been moved somewhere other than the deep sea, there must be a supernatural means to get there.”

Teleportation is extremely rare even within the Foundation. The isolated Cosmos could use it, but there were some limitations.

Administrator Yustitia could also use it… but honestly, she’s kind of in a league of her own. She’s in the top tier of the world’s strongest.

I’ve used it before, but strictly speaking, it was a projection of a doppelganger. Dr. Chae used a similar method.

“Well, I get it.”

“Whatever it is, they’ve succeeded in grabbing your attention. Are you that curious about what’s going on?”

I am curious.

What on earth would make them borrow the secret weapon of a fallen superpower to send me a communication? Why do they need the Foundation’s attention so badly? What’s their relationship with the hostile groups at Poi Station?

It’s not Blue Rose again, is it?

****

[※ Warning ※]

[This report may contain a Level 0 (lowest level) cognitive hazard.]

[It is recommended that those not directly involved in the matter refrain from viewing it. Even if you are involved, minimize exposure. You’ve been warned.]

<&&&&& &&&&&>

[No images inserted.]

[Precognition Department ‘Komsomolets’ Q&A Report]

[Author: Director Kwon]

[First Question. Did the communication, which appears to originate from the nuclear submarine ‘Komsomolets,’ actually originate from that submarine?]

[Coin Toss Result: 1 0 0 1 1 1 1]

[Chicken Blood Divination: True]

[Tarot Card: The Hanged Man (Upright)]

[Sacrifice, Patience.]

[It can be concluded that it originated from the nuclear submarine, and this incident either involved immense sacrifice in the past or may involve immense sacrifice in the future.]

[Second Question. Is the nuclear submarine ‘Komsomolets’ currently operational, or has it been destroyed?]

[Coin Toss Result: 0 1 0 1 1 0 1]

[Chicken Blood Divination: True]

[Tarot Card: The World (Reversed)]

[Incompleteness, Indecision.]

[It is interpreted to mean that it is not currently operational, but it has not been destroyed. However, it is leaning toward being operational.]

[Third Question. Is the Foundation’s target related to this incident located within latitude 35~36, longitude 126~127, or outside of it?]

[Coin Toss Result: 1 1 1 1 1 1 1]

[Chicken Blood Divination: True]

[Tarot Card: The Star]

[Hope, Aspiration, Bright Future]

[The result is considered contaminated.]

[Such a positive divination result suggests the possibility that a transcendent being is manipulating the outcome to induce changes in human behavior. Due to the danger, this precognition session will be terminated here.]

****

[‘Komsomolets’ Remote Viewing Attempt.]

[Author: Psychometry Team, Dr. Myung]

[Sea. People. Steel. Shark.]

[Loss. Disappearance. Death. Underground.]

[Destruction. Hope. Love. Aspiration.]

[Affection, Harmony. Peace. Joy.]

[A map and drawing generated based on brainwaves during remote viewing are attached. They are in an abstract format, so it’s unclear if they’re helpful.]

[Interpretation.]

[First, the ‘Komsomolets’ is visible. Did you say it’s a warship? Narrow steel corridors and machinery are visible.]

[Separately, something is interfering with the remote viewing. It’s not blocking the view, but… it seems to be trying to steer thoughts in a positive direction. I don’t know what it is.]

[However, the ‘Komsomolets’ does exist, and there appear to be people inside it.]

****

[Regarding the Director’s Office Decorations]

[Administrator Lee Ji-hye]

[The Director may look like a high school girl, but she is not actually a high school girl. Continuously placing dolls on the Director’s desk may result in disciplinary action.]

[There are already 28 dolls placed throughout the Director’s Office and the Director’s floor.]

[Dr. Kim seems to like them?]