Chapter 16

Episode 16. Round Round Puppy

***

Humanoid Research Department’s lab.

Thick iron doors surround it, and guards armed with flamethrowers are guarding the lab. I entered the lab holding a handgun.

“Is this safe?”

“It’s not safe.”

Well. We’re trying to wake up and raise a demon’s offspring removed via C-section from a child.

It’s more surprising that I won’t need to use the handgun today.

“Then, let’s begin the experiment.”

The research team that entered the lab consisted of three scientists from the Research Department, me, and the Research Department Head. The other researchers weren’t saying anything, probably because of me and the Department Head.

“Aren’t you starting?”

“Sorry.”

The scientists from the Research Department carefully took the specimen out of the ultra-low temperature transport equipment. Everyone in the lab held their breath.

Except for the Department Head.

“The specimen isn’t frozen solid, right?”

“The specimen is alive. This teratoma has a very slow pulse. I don’t know how it didn’t freeze solid.”

“Alright. Proceed.”

“But… how do we connect it to the incubator? I can’t see the specimen’s mouth. I’m not sure if we can find a vein line.”

“No plan?”

“Sorry. I’ll think about it for a moment-”

The Department Head, looking annoyed, waved his hand to cut off the scientist. The scientist immediately shut up. The Department Head turned his gaze to me.

“What about you, Chief Researcher?”

I thought for a moment.

“It’s not my specialty, but if I were to guess. First, slowly thaw the specimen to body temperature, and can we inject artificial amniotic fluid?”

“Yes. It will take about 5 minutes to prepare. But, standard newborn incubators can’t hold artificial amniotic fluid. An artificial womb is a completely different device from a newborn incubator. So-”

“Just do it.”

“Wait. The equipment might get damaged.”

“You don’t know what will happen, and I don’t know what will happen. But I outrank you? If something goes wrong, it’s not you who will take responsibility, right?”

“Sorry.”

“Alright. Hurry up.”

This is uncomfortable. Is there a reason to act like a madman like that?

***

The experiment proceeded as I suggested.

“We just thawed the specimen and placed it in the newborn incubator. Thawing it solved the problem immediately. I wonder if we even needed the incubator.”

“Good job.”

The Department Head nodded.

“Let’s observe it. Since the specimen is said to be 5 months old, assuming full term, we’ll have to wait 4 months for results.”

“……”

“Department Head, medically speaking, there are records of 4-month-old premature babies surviving in newborn incubators. We can’t be complacent.”

Lee Se-ah thought for a moment but nodded, agreeing it was a valid point.

“Alright. Let’s wait. If nothing happens-”

BANG!

The newborn incubator fell to the floor.

I quickly drew my handgun.

“Fall back!”

I raised one hand as I had seen in the garden.

BANG! The lab’s iron doors opened, and soldiers with flamethrowers aimed their weapons at the incubator. But if a demon had truly been summoned, it wouldn’t end like this.

There’s no way a handgun could kill it.

“Hold fire!”

The Department Head shouted beside me. I aimed my handgun at the incubator. The Department Head and scientists beside me also drew their handguns.

“Something’s moving!”

“Fix your aim and fall back!”

BANG.

Something crawled onto the incubator.

“Popo?”

“……”

A soft, tan furball sat on the incubator. It was round overall, looking not much different from a puppy.

“Department Head, do you know what that is?”

“Do you?”

“It looks safe.”

“How do you know if it’s safe or not?”

The Department Head, Lee Se-ah, frowned.

“Who wants to go catch it?”

“I don’t want to.”

Well, no choice. I spoke up.

“Supernatural Phenomenon, I’ll secure it. So, what should I do?”

“There’s no special method. Just go catch it.”

In this situation where we don’t even know what it is, we can’t just start shooting, and I can’t think of any equipment to safely secure it.

Should I bring a cage?

“Director. Step back. I’ll handle it.”

A soldier guarding the lab spoke up.

“Alright. Thank you.”

The soldier slowly lowered his weapon, then reached out and carefully picked up the furball. The furball just smiled without resisting.

“Good job. The Supernatural Phenomenon doesn’t seem dangerous. Please move it to the macroscopic organism lab.”

“Ah, understood.”

“Does your hand hurt or anything?”

“No.”

The newly born Supernatural Phenomenon from the experiment didn’t seem dangerous at all. It just looked like a cute puppy.

The terrifying monster I saw earlier was nowhere to be seen.

“We’ll call the Special Forces here for escort, just in case something happens.”

Lee Se-ah nodded.

***

BANG!

We, along with the Special Forces, kicked open the door to the macroscopic organism lab. The macroscopic organism lab was startled to see us.

“Isolation room! Prepare the isolation room!”

“Chief Researcher. What’s going on-”

“Prepare the isolation room!”

I gestured to the soldier beside me. The soldier showed the problematic furball to the scientists in the macroscopic organism lab.

“We’ll prepare the isolation room immediately. Department Head. We know it’s a Supernatural Creature, but are there any known characteristics?”

“None at all.”

“Ah.”

“It seems safe for now.”

“The isolation room is this way!”

This is the macroscopic organism isolation room. The soldier placed the furball inside the isolation room and walked out with an uncomfortable expression.

The isolation room door closed.

“Chief Researcher. Since the Supernatural Creature has been isolated, can you explain the situation now?”

I nodded.

“That is the complete form of Supernatural Phenomenon P-3030. We thawed and cultured a fetus removed from a patient’s body, and that’s what came out.”

“……”

“That’s horrifying. Why did you thaw it?”

There wasn’t a particular reason.

“Just an experiment.”

“Anyway, thank you. We’ll thoroughly examine this Supernatural Creature to confirm if it has any dangerous traits.”

I nodded.

“Is invasive testing prohibited?”

“It’s prohibited.”

Supernatural Phenomenon 3030 might be a friendly Supernatural Phenomenon. We can’t kill it under the guise of testing.

***

[Supernatural Phenomenon P-3030]

[Antichrist]

[Risk Level: Unknown]

[Classification: Phenomenon-type Supernatural Phenomenon]

[This document has been heavily revised. The revision history of this document is attached in a separate document. Recovery can be requested.]

[Supernatural Phenomenon P-3030 is a Supernatural Creature that shares similarities with mammals like dogs and cats. Its exact nature is unknown.]

[Supernatural Phenomenon P-3030 has a unique effect of making people around it happy. The reason is not exactly known. It is thought to be not dangerous, but it will undergo further medical and cognitive disaster research department examinations.]

[This Supernatural Phenomenon appears to be completely safe to humans, contrary to concerns. It doesn’t seem to be the type of Supernatural Phenomenon that harms humans.]

[Of course, further testing is needed. Testing has not yet been conducted, and research on this Supernatural Phenomenon is still ongoing.]

[Radiographic results show that the internal structure of this Supernatural Phenomenon’s adult form is similar to that of a dog. No traces of its grotesque, teratoma-like appearance before adulthood were found.]

[The brain structure of this Supernatural Phenomenon is similar to humans, and half of its chromosomes are identical to its mother’s. Excluding its appearance, it wouldn’t be strange to call it the mother’s child.]

[Theological, symbolic, and miraculous analysis attached.]

[P.S. There’s no reason to try, but this Supernatural Phenomenon might be able to learn human language. Also, considering the traits of previously discovered high-intelligence Supernatural Creatures, it might already be able to speak.]

[P.S. It has spoken a few basic words.]

[P.S. The first discovered individual of Supernatural Phenomenon P-3030 has been named Popo at the request of the field research team.]

***

[About Popo]

[Author: Kim Bari]

[To the macroscopic organism team of the Research Department. Thank you for your hard work in writing the report.]

[The revised report on the Supernatural Phenomenon seems a bit rushed. I’m sorry to say this, but since it’s a document to be sent to the Foundation Headquarters, perhaps you could rewrite it?]

[This Supernatural Phenomenon is not dangerous, and I heard the Research Department scientists named it Popo. It looks interesting.]

[Of course, it looks cute, but you shouldn’t get too emotionally attached to a Supernatural Phenomenon. This issue needs to be updated.]

[If any additional information is discovered about this Supernatural Phenomenon, please report it to me as soon as possible. Thank you.]

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