Chapter 172

Episode 172. The Beginning of the End (4)

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[※ This is an internal document from the Supernatural Phenomena Response Department of the Peacekeeping Force stationed in Korea.]

[※ This document is not classified. Please deliver it to all groups and individuals cooperating or communicating with the Peacekeeping Force within Korea.]

[Regarding the Foundation’s Abnormal Behavior]

[Author: Captain Kim Yohan]

[The Supernatural Phenomena Response Department under the United Nations Peacekeeping Force is the international legal representative of all magic as defined by the Geneva Convention.]

[As representatives of the supernatural world, we announce to all living behind the veil of ignorance: We also have no idea why the Foundation is acting this way.]

[Whether they’re planning a second Korean War, a great purge, or preparing for a civil war within the Foundation—we don’t know.]

[Within the Peacekeeping Force, we believe an event threatening the existence of nations is approaching.]

[You all probably remember the incident on Jeju Island. Foundation agents summoning typhoons, slicing buildings and warships with swords, covering a city in black fog, and then resuming daily life as if nothing happened the next day.]

[One thing is certain.]

[The Foundation seems extremely uneasy right now. We recommend fully cooperating with their demands for the time being. We apologize for having nothing more to offer.]

****

The Director of the Ministry of Defense’s Anomalous Phenomena Response Bureau picked up the syringe in question.

“Dr. Ryu. Do you know what this is?”

“It looks similar to an intravenous immunoglobulin injection used in hospitals. I have no way of knowing what it is.”

They never know. It’s always the same story.

“Don’t the Foundation folks understand the concept of non-interference? Why do they keep dragging us into their internal issues?”

“Non-interference exists because the government is stronger than the martial world. Doesn’t the Foundation also try not to meddle in non-supernatural matters?”

Hostile groups are like chips in a casino, pawns on a chessboard.

Dr. Kim is essentially betting on these scattered hostile groups.

“A Foundation agent said the method of administration doesn’t matter. Inject it into someone who just died, is about to die, or even before a battle if death seems imminent.”

“I think it might be a supernatural phenomenon.”

Well, duh… The Director glared at Dr. Ryu. What kind of dumb answer is that?

“Then it must be vitamins, right?”

Dr. Ryu ignored the sarcasm. Or rather, he didn’t even seem to notice it.

“All magic comes with a price. If it’s something that can truly defy death, the cost might be horrifying.”

“Let’s find out what it is, though.”

“Shall we analyze its components?”

“There are 240 of them. Open one and analyze it. Be careful not to get it on your hands.”

Dr. Ryu went down to the lab and returned about an hour later. After gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and electron microscopy analysis.

It was vitamins.

“It’s vitamins.”

“Dammit.”

“Well… it’s not just vitamins. The components are similar to placental injections. And there’s this compound X with a molecular weight of 343—”

“What’s that component?”

“I don’t know.”

The Director sighed again.

“I should get a parrot. Train it to squawk ‘I don’t know’ every time I ask something. It’d be just like Dr. Ryu.”

No response. Maybe we’ll find an answer if we keep looking? Dr. Ryu scratched his head.

****

Preparations were steadily underway. Though we didn’t know what we’d be fighting or how, we could still prepare.

As soon as I stepped into the Director’s Office, I ran into Nanami. She was checking her nails.

“Why haven’t you been coming to the Director’s Office lately?”

“Ah, I’ve been busy preparing for war.”

“Is it going well?”

“We can deploy soldiers with gas masks and full combat gear to Seoul’s key facilities at any time, and we’ve gathered as many allies as possible.”

Nanami nodded.

“Don’t worry too much. We’ll protect Dr. Kim. No matter the cost.”

“Ah… Thank you.”

“I’ll personally escort Dr. Kim for now. We don’t know what threats might come.”

By the way.

“I’m still pondering. There are still some means we can ask for help, right?”

Of course. We’ve already mobilized all the easy options. What’s left are the unsafe, difficult, or ineffective ones.

“Like what?”

“For example, borrowing power from Pluto Limited Company. Or groups we can communicate with. Maybe we should gather them all.”

Nanami thought for a moment.

“Gather them all. Hostile groups can be controlled if they suffer enough, but the future isn’t so easily controlled.”

“Right?”

“If something happens to Director Kim, it could be a threat to turn the entire Korean Peninsula into a wasteland. Let’s ask for their help.”

She was right.

We’ve already called in all our allies.

Now it’s time to borrow power from the prisoners managed by the Foundation and even the Foundation’s enemies.

Sigh, this won’t be easy.

****

Support Division External Communication Meeting Room.

The Peacekeeping Force’s Supernatural Phenomena Response Team and the 8th Research Utilization Unit arrived at the Foundation. Along with representatives from other hostile groups.

They actually arrived yesterday, but today was the first time we all gathered for a meeting. Yesterday was just too busy.

At the center of the meeting room were me and Director Han, with sixteen representatives from hostile groups mixed with government officials.

“The meeting is running late. Sorry. But did you have a productive time with External Communications?”

Murmurs and nods in response.

I glanced at Director Han. He looked a bit uneasy, but it seemed there were some results. I nodded vaguely.

“Let’s just get to the point, and the details can be coordinated with the staff later. Recently, we’ve received intelligence that an event threatening the wise governance of the city we manage might occur.”

“Yes.”

“So, we’ve called you here today to exchange information and hear your opinions as the Foundation’s collaborators. Thank you for coming.”

A man from the Peacekeeping Force raised his hand. I turned to him.

“Is this serious?”

“No. If a problem arises that affects all of us, or the nation itself, we believe it’s necessary to present a unified front.”

The meeting room buzzed for a while. Most reactions were along the lines of “Why all of a sudden?”

“Is this some kind of human extinction event?”

We don’t know what’s coming, but the most likely scenario is an assassination attempt on me.

“We believe an incident similar to the Yulje-myeon incident will soon occur in Seoul.”

That should be a convincing enough explanation, right? I glanced around the room.

The expressions had darkened further. But at least the hostile groups gathered here are somewhat reasonable.

“So what do we need to do?”

Well, obviously.

“Our goal is to maintain society during a crisis and fight against external enemies.”

The government officials and Peacekeeping Force will cooperate. The rest might cooperate under pressure, right? They’re not exactly trustworthy, though.

“Yes.”

“First, tighten internal security. If there are any problematic individuals within your organizations, deal with them by tomorrow. We don’t know what might happen.”

Oh right, there’s one thing I haven’t confirmed yet.

“How many people can the Enlightenment Group deploy if something happens in Seoul?”

“Since we’re not a military group, we can deploy two squads of special security personnel. If we gather field staff, maybe four.”

The details are classified, but large industrial facilities or military factories are guarded by armed security teams. For example, Lotte Tower also has an armed security team.

If Megacorp, or rather the Enlightenment Group, gathers their forces, deploying armed personnel isn’t impossible. I didn’t expect four squads, though.

That’s quite a lot.

“Can they fight properly?”

“Most are former special forces.”

Let’s trust them for now.

By the way, the reason we count troops in squads is that one squad is enough to fill an infantry fighting vehicle or similar armored vehicle. Anyway.

“What about the Peacekeeping Force?”

Surely they’re stronger than a private company, right?

“Ah, if something happens in Seoul, we can deploy up to eight squads. Similar to special forces levels.”

Of course, we could declare martial law and deploy the military if an incident occurs.

But throwing untrained amateurs into a fight against supernatural phenomena would only increase casualties. We’ll delay that as much as possible.

“Then, from the Foundation’s collaborators, if combat breaks out within Seoul, deploy 50 teams trained to fight supernatural phenomena. Along with supporting armored vehicles.”

The room buzzed again. It seems possible, just need a few more teams.