Episode 33. The Colosseum of the Gods
***
The inside of the tank was more cramped than I expected. I didn’t even know Facility 82 had a tank. Is this even a tank? It looks kinda weird.
From the outside, it definitely had something like a tank cannon, but there was also space for several people besides the tank crew in the back of the armored vehicle.
In this armored vehicle, there was me, one engineer, and a Special Forces member brought by the Administrator. Both of them were busy doing something.
I sat in my seat and stared at the screens. Christopher looked around the inside of the tank.
“I can’t operate this.”
“The maintenance is good. I can handle the communication equipment myself. No need to worry about that.”
“What kind of vehicle is this, anyway?”
“It’s the Foundation’s self-made medium infantry fighting vehicle. 105mm main gun, 30mm autocannon, capable of anti-aircraft fire and indirect artillery fire if needed. Can carry six people.”
So, it’s basically a siege tank.
They put a main battle tank cannon on an infantry fighting vehicle. I’m not sure if it’ll work properly.
“Why did they make such a bizarre weapon?”
“I’m curious too. What a waste of money.”
Christopher twitched his ear.
“The guys who wanted to make this said it’d be convenient if one vehicle could handle multiple roles, and since we often need to use special ammunition, they couldn’t give up on a large-caliber gun.”
“Is it for the sake of romance?”
“Romance… maybe. There are guys who submit budget proposals every day saying we need to build giant mechs. I get that you can do it, but explain where you’re going to use it?”
I had a lot of questions, but I didn’t ask. It was obvious I’d get some incomprehensible answer.
“So, they made it just because they wanted to.”
Christopher laughed.
Since he’s a cat, he didn’t really laugh, but he just grinned, showing an oddly large number of teeth. I don’t know if cats normally laugh like that or if this is also a supernatural phenomenon. Probably the former.
“Anyway, Director Kim.”
“Yes.”
The cat climbed onto my shoulder.
“We’ve been watching you closely. We thought you’d fail and die or commit suicide like your predecessors. But you’ve done much better than expected.”
Vroooom.
The armored vehicle’s engine roared. The ride was smoother than expected. Seems like the suspension system is more sophisticated than I thought.
I scratched my head.
“How do you know that?”
“It’s obvious. Your predecessor… disappeared. The three senior researchers before you all committed suicide.”
“……”
It’s all true.
“The Research Department Head, who was the top figure at Facility 82 for a while, has no interest in the position and isn’t the type to lead. Nanami might be capable, but since she’s a test subject, no one respects her.”
“Were you monitoring us?”
“You know it, right? We monitor everyone. Especially someone like you, who’s a person of interest.”
“Ah, yes.”
“We thought the Director’s Office, without a proper Director, wouldn’t last long and would collapse. At least, that was the mainstream opinion at the Foundation Headquarters.”
It was also the mainstream opinion at the Seoul Branch.
“I did my best.”
“Well, how long could a high school girl Director with no experience last? We thought you’d fail quickly, either eaten by monsters or by the staff.”
“I’m not a high school girl…”
“We were betting on when Headquarters would have to intervene in Facility 82’s operations. For the record, I bet you’d last three months.”
I pressed my temples.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t be nervous, I’m complimenting you. I won the bet. Are you ready?”
I showed my bag to the cat.
“I raided the Safe Artifact Management Department’s warehouse. No need to worry about me.”
“Good job.”
The cat lay down on the floor.
It might look silly to be sitting in an armored vehicle making small talk, but it’ll take at least a few hours to get to the site.
We’ll have to keep making small talk for about twenty minutes. I cleared my throat.
“Who are you, sir?”
“I’m from the Special Forces, directly under the Administrator’s Council, the ‘Royal Guard.’ I’ll be escorting the Administrator and Dr. Kim on this mission.”
No, I mean, who are you?
***
It took three hours to reach the target area.
By the time we arrived, Foundation staff who had come by helicopter had already secured the area. Couldn’t we have just taken a helicopter?
I looked outside through the vehicle’s camera.
“We’re here.”
Christopher sat on the communication equipment.
“Is there a speaker on-site? We need a way to remind people of Yulje-myeon’s existence.”
“Ah, I’ll let them know.”
“The operation will proceed as planned. The soldiers will handle it. There’s no guarantee communication will work smoothly inside the fog of oblivion. Let’s start by calling roll. Who needs to be here?”
There were nine radios in the tank’s command center. I frowned at the microphone and radios. I’m not sure where to start.
***
I grabbed the microphone.
The cat said it.
You’re the one who has to do all the talking today. We discussed what to say, but the burden of speaking is entirely on me.
“Hello, Foundation staff. This is Administrator Patreus and Director Kim.”
“First, I’ll call roll via command radio.”
The cat nodded at me.
“Is the Recovery Team 1 Leader here?”
“Is the Recovery Team 2 Leader here?”
“Special Forces, ‘Moon of Seoul’ Team Leader, are you here?”
“Head of the Precognition Department, are you here?”
“Head of the Mechanical Division, are you here?”
They were all here.
After just a few calls, my hand holding the microphone was trembling. Anyway, let’s proceed. I called everyone from Facility 82.
Now it’s time to call the support personnel.
“Special Forces, ‘Royal Guard’ Team Leader, are you here?”
“Special Forces, ‘Misteltein’ Team Leader, are you here?”
“Special Forces, ‘Flame of Purification’ Team Leader, are you here?”
Now there are only a few left. We just need to confirm if the external experts called by the Foundation are here.
“Commander of the Korean Military CBRN Special Task Force, are you here?”
“Director of the Ministry of Defense’s Anomalous Phenomena Response Bureau, are you here?”
“UN… anyway, is the UN person here?”
They were all here.
It was the International Supernatural Phenomenon Management Agency response team, I think. I can’t remember well. It’s too long to say over the radio.
“Thank you. Let’s do our best.”
I turned off the microphone.
Ugh, I’m dying.
The cat was still looking at me and laughing. I slumped into my chair and closed my eyes. My hand was still shaking.
Right, there’s still one thing left to do.
I turned the microphone back on and grabbed it.
“To all Foundation staff on-site: You are currently under the influence of a cognitive disaster. Do not fully trust your senses, memories, or experiences.”
“You are here to rescue the citizens of Yulje-myeon. Please remember this.”
“This message will repeat until the end.”
This time, it’s really over.
***
The screens in the command center connected one by one.
Normally, I’d go to the command center, but this time, there’s no need to leave the tank. The command center is already inside the tank.
First, we need to check what’s behind the fog covering Yulje-myeon. Right now, everything entering Yulje-myeon is being forgotten.
We need to come up with a plan.
“Connect me to the Head of the Mechanical Division.”
[Hello! This is Min Yi-seo, Head of the Mechanical Division.]
I looked at the face of the Head of the Mechanical Division on the screen. Is there anyone else who’s so happy to go to work? It’s funny every time.
“Head of the Mechanical Division. Report the situation.”
[Yes. We sent drones into the fog, but they all crashed. We also sent Steel Spiders, but they all stopped moving.]
“Head of the Mechanical Division. How many drones were destroyed?”
[Three large quadcopters and four Steel Spiders.]
I frowned.
“Head of the Mechanical Division. Did we spend 3.5 billion won just to confirm that communication with machines is cut off inside the fog?”
[Well… yes?]
That’s not the important thing right now.
“Got it. Explain what you’ve found.”
[We maintained an unstable connection with the Steel Spiders for a few minutes, so we kept sending unmanned machines, thinking the connection would last for a few minutes.]
“What’s inside the fog?”
[First, the fog surrounding Yulje-myeon forms a kind of wall. There’s a separate space inside the fog, which is relatively free from the effects of the cognitive disaster. However, meaningful information has difficulty passing through the fog wall.]
“Do you have a plan?”
[Not right now. Are you sending people in?]
Every time. Why does everyone think I have the answers? I don’t know either.
When there’s a problem, let’s remember the manual.
Supernatural space, and cognitive disaster.
To prevent information degradation, wireless communication is too prone to degradation. There must be a more reliable means of communication.
Ah, I remember.
“Is there a communication vehicle on-site?”
[Yes.]
“Got it. Connect via cable. We’ll communicate with the inside of Yulje-myeon via wired connection.”
[Huh? We don’t have a cable that long.]
“Bring it.”
[It’ll take half a day to prepare.]
“Then, thank you for your hard work.”
***
The Foundation’s tanks move to the site.
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