Chapter 156

Chapter 156. That’s the Abyss.

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Personnel Department Head, Min A-ri.

Before Dr. Kim joined the Foundation, the position of Personnel Department Head was one that got chewed up and spit out just as often as the Chief Researcher or Director. There were many reasons.

The reason is obvious. The Personnel Department is the center of power games within the Foundation. In other organizations, the Personnel Department would be the most powerful department, but in the Foundation, that’s not necessarily the case.

There are many departments with their own independent military forces.

Anyway, the story goes like this. When Dr. Kim came to the Director’s Office as a candidate for Chief Researcher, Min A-ri supported Dr. Kim’s appointment.

At the time, she didn’t think much of it. Dr. Kim was just a cute-looking researcher, even if he was related to supernatural phenomena.

What’s there to gain by opposing it? Director Min cooperated with the Director’s Office’s decision.

The situation changed rapidly not long after.

Dr. Kim mobilized the Foundation’s military forces he worked with in the field to take control of key institutions like the Precognition Department and pressured the Research Department Head. After the Yulje-myeon incident, he also secured his own independent military force capable of taking on an army single-handedly.

From then on, the Foundation Headquarters began treating Dr. Kim as more than just a Director.

Within the Personnel Department, opinions started to emerge that Dr. Kim needed to be kept in check.

It wasn’t a pleasant suggestion. Director Min declared, “If you want to keep Dr. Kim in check, go explain it to him yourself.”

The Director’s Office isn’t a place to be taken lightly.

Aide Nanami, who can cut tanks with a sword.

A Director who has killed tens of thousands of humanoid supernatural phenomena. Expressing opinions in front of these people isn’t easy.

And so, it was brushed aside.

Min A-ri herself was classified as a prominent supporter of Dr. Kim and walked a stable path. She wasn’t driven out like previous Personnel Department Heads.

At first, she just thought Dr. Kim was cute and decided to give him a pass, and later, she just said, “If you want to pick a fight, do it yourself.”

As expected, the less work you do, the better.

“Congratulations on your safe return, Dr. Yang.”

“Thank you.”

Today, the Special Forces’ Science Officer, who had been missing, returned to the Foundation. It’s a joyous day.

The Science Officer said he fell into some cave, went to the Abyss, and then fought a giant serpent in an alien underground temple.

Anyway. It wasn’t a problem for Director Min to worry about. How would she know what the Foundation’s scientists are researching? They probably don’t even know themselves.

Of course, the fact that this person wanted to leave the Foundation wasn’t great news. But the fact that he returned alive was a positive thing.

“You want to leave the Foundation.”

“Ah… This is why I didn’t want to come. I knew you’d be like this.”

The Science Officer, Dr. Yang, sighed.

“This is my job. Trying to persuade excellent talents like you, Dr. Yang, not to leave the Foundation. Will you consider it?”

“No.”

“Please.”

“No, this is ridiculous.”

“Dr. Yang. If you beat me at rock-paper-scissors, I’ll let you resign comfortably.”

“What kind of stupid—”

“Rock-paper-scissors.”

A sneak attack. The Science Officer had no choice but to throw scissors. People with a combat-oriented nature usually throw rock or scissors.

The first move went to the Personnel Department Head.

Rock-paper-scissors isn’t a game of chance. It’s a battle of wits and intuition. The Science Officer had no choice but to lose. There’s no way he could match the Personnel Department Head’s intuition.

“It’s invalid.”

“Ah, whatever. Just come to work tomorrow or something.”

“I’m going home today.”

“You don’t have many vacation days left.”

“No, what vacation days?”

“I don’t know?”

Dr. Yang pressed his temples.

What the hell is this psycho saying, thought the Science Officer. Is there a reason to go this far? Just hire someone new.

“Director. Why are you doing this?”

“Ahem. The Director wishes it.”

“Ah. Is that so?”

The Personnel Department Head nodded.

“The Emperor wishes it, so what can I do? Still. There are quite a few people waiting for you, Dr. Yang. Both inside and outside the Foundation.”

Emperor? Well, even ancient emperors would have had a hard time changing the weather or terrain. For Director Kim, it’s just a phone call.

“That makes sense.”

“Will you return?”

“I’m not too keen on it. But.”

“But?”

“I’m not sure if I have a choice.”

“This isn’t meant to be funny, but even that is up to the Director.”

If they really wanted to, they could mess with his head to make him stay in the Foundation, or give him a huge disadvantage if he leaves.

Dr. Yang can’t escape the Foundation’s influence no matter what. Thinking about it, no human can escape the Foundation’s influence.

“It’s time to stop complaining, Dr. Yang.”

“Hmm…”

“It’s a bit of a harsh thing to say, but we don’t know how far Director Kim’s patience will last.”

Dr. Yang sighed.

“There’s a disconnect. What we’re trying to protect is the world of common sense, but when you face the Foundation’s power, you realize how fragile that is.”

“It’s a rule of the iron fist.”

“Well, to get back to practical matters. We’ll increase your salary. You don’t necessarily have to return to the Special Forces. How about we assign you to a relatively less dangerous position?”

“Yes.”

“Where else can you find a workplace where you happily go to work every day? Let’s think of it as us making good use of your talents and interests.”

Dr. Yang chuckled.

****

Cup Noodles. Can doctors who perform surgery with their hands open Cup Noodles without any issues?

The last corner of the Cup Noodles was torn off.

It’s a failure. I sighed and took out scissors from the desk. If I just cut the plastic, I can eat it in one piece, right?

Still, I succeeded in getting the Cup Noodles out.

“What are you doing?”

“Cup Noodles.”

Administrator Lee scratched her head.

“I see. Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes. I’m not hurt.”

While I was talking and briefly turned my head, a Popo climbed onto the desk and ran off with the Cup Noodles I was holding.

More importantly, can Popo even eat that?

Administrator Lee leaned against the wall.

“The Personnel Department and the Humanoid Research Department are really happy. They found a use for dangerous humanoid supernatural phenomena and a potential new employee.”

They handled it well.

They locked them up and persuaded them properly.

“I brought the documents. There’s an analysis of the magic Hasti used and a re-interview with the Returnee.”

****

[Humanoid Research Department Special Tactical Asset Ahn Yuri.]

[Author: Humanoid Research Department Kang Cheon.]

[Using the accelerometer embedded in her armor, we were able to reconstruct the fight between Jörmungandr and the Hero in a manner similar to motion capture.]

[Interesting, right?]

[To cut to the chase, it seems to be within the realm of what’s possible for a human. At least, it’s not transcendent.]

[This is, in technical terms, kinetography. A type of magic, similar to martial arts moves. An incantation performed by moving the body in a specific sequence and form.]

[From a sorcery perspective, it’s similar to Harry Potter-style magic. A talented person uses a specific tool, performs specific actions, and changes reality according to their will.]

[I believe the meaning has been conveyed.]

[I wonder what would happen if people with magical sensitivity imitated the Hero’s motion-captured movements. We’ll look into this further.]

****

[Jörmungandr]

[Author: Large-Scale Containment Department Analysis Team]

[We have a lot to say.]

[First. The main component of the substance on the armor is the blood of an unspecified species of snake. You can think of it as just a python.]

[In that context, it starts to make sense what this entity is. We believe it’s a python that has lived long enough to become a mythical serpent.]

[The time scale seems to be in the hundreds of thousands of years, not millennia. But since we’re not directly researching it, it’s a bit difficult.]

[Let’s get to the point.]

[We’re not sure if Jörmungandr is the essence of the Abyss. From a theological perspective. All things underground wish for the surface dwellers to come down to them.]

[The Abyss might be the collective wish of all intelligent beings living in the Abyss.]

[This is a hypothesis that’s been around for a long time. Every major city has an Abyss beneath it. There’s not a single exception.]

[Except for a few maritime cities. But cities by the sea have their own Abyss, so it’s hard to call them exceptions.]

[Civilization gathers like cats chasing water veins, seeking the places where ancient gods sleep.]

[It’s not a coincidence that ancient gods sleep beneath major cities. It’s the other way around. People gathered above the places where they sleep.]

[Their dreams, their sleep-talking, draw humans to them, gathering civilization above the maw of the Abyss.]

[That’s the essence of the Abyss.]