Chapter 4

Help me! Help me! Help me!

My mind is a total mess.

I can’t think straight.

The director of the research institute must always calmly analyze the situation… must analyze!

Scary…scary…so scary…

The old man dragged off one of the kidnapped people like he was picking meat at a butcher shop.

It was the woman who played the violin.

She was one of the kidnapped people who was especially paralyzed by fear.

Forcing a smile, I try to think.

The old man shoved the woman into a steel pig-shaped contraption.

From the pig machine, a pile of burnt bones tumbled out and scattered on the floor.

The identity of the mysterious bone pile on the floor has been revealed.

Suddenly, flames shot out from the pig machine and muffled screams began again.

It was the woman’s voice.

The cause of the screams echoing through the basement has been uncovered.

Struggling with my uncooperative hands, I scribble down notes.

I continue writing information about the Object.

I don’t know what expression I’m making.

Am I managing that confident smile befitting a research director? I’m not sure.

***

“Hey! Set up cameras over here too. Be careful not to cross the Seoul Forest boundary! You’ll break if you do, so watch out!”

The camera installers were carefully setting up equipment.

Since electronic devices disintegrate like they’ve been smashed with a hammer when crossing the Seoul Forest boundary, it can’t be helped.

The usually quiet entrance to Seoul Forest was now packed with people.

They had set up a camp to support the teams going in for investigation and installed numerous cameras to observe any Objects that might emerge from the forest.

With the mass deaths in Seoul Forest and evidence of the Gray Reaper’s presence at the entrance, quite a crowd had gathered.

Especially considering humanity’s obsession with rankings – “The most dangerous Object managed in Korea escaped from its research facility!” – it’s no surprise there’s a commotion.

While I haven’t caused any particular harm, somehow I’ve been ranked as the most dangerous. It’s not an unwelcome title given the circumstances.

Isn’t it quite a cool title? The most dangerous Object in Korea: The Gray Reaper!

If I become even more famous, maybe folktales will emerge like “Crying children will be taken away by the Gray Reaper!” Hehe.

This kind of reputation is particularly useful when you want to attract attention.

There was also a camp set up by Sehee Research Institute, where reporters swarmed asking questions.

“Isn’t it true that the Gray Reaper escaped from your facility? What are your thoughts on this situation?”

“By failing to manage the Object properly, you’ve endangered citizens. What compensation plans do you have?”

“Isn’t this mass death incident related to the Gray Reaper? Has this happened before?”

Kim Jungrwi, facing the reporters, looked pale as he struggled to respond.

Oh Yeonrin, who should be assisting him, was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps she went on an errand knowing this would happen.

Despite the large-scale search party heading into Seoul Forest, finding Director Lee Sehee won’t be easy.

Though inviting all these people does increase the chances of finding Sehee.

Slipping into the line heading into Seoul Forest, I wondered how much it had changed in a year.

The view of Seoul Forest Village remained unchanged after a year. Wooden buildings, gravel roads, streets without telephone poles – it looked like a slice of medieval village life.

Seoul Forest Village is the only known residential area inside Seoul Forest.

Due to restrictions like no electronics or gasoline engines, residents live a medieval lifestyle. Because of this inconvenience, half the residents are reportedly criminals.

When electronics are used in Seoul Forest territory, they just shatter for no apparent reason. Existing high-rises and roads have all disappeared this way.

Personally, Seoul Forest Village feels like an excellent folk village with a strong sense of daily life.

Without rubber, plastic, or asphalt, the medieval atmosphere is even stronger.

Even after a year, that feeling hasn’t changed.

What stood out most were the shops. Since paper money crumbles here, transactions are made with gold or silver coins.

You can experience medieval-style trading full of bargaining and scams.

Food items like snacks come packaged in glass, metal cans, or leather.

The market alone feels like visiting a foreign cultural destination – from an Object’s perspective, that is.

For humans who need to eat and sleep, it’s not a pleasant tourist destination due to uncomfortable beds, poor facilities, bad food, unsafe security, and lack of electronics.

Every society has its reasons for functioning. In this case, it’s the ruler who manages Seoul Forest.

Han Kangcheol.

The King of Seoul Forest.

Though called a king, he’s essentially the yakuza boss who turned this land, abandoned as useless without modern technology, into a functioning society.

A fitting ruler for this lawless land without firearms or electronics.

Whenever something happens, it’s worth visiting Han Kangcheol. If it’s not a one-time accident, his organization likely knows something.

Where to find Han Kangcheol? Naturally, the largest and finest building in the village.

His residence was an impressive building reminiscent of a medieval mansion.

Inside the mansion, things definitely seemed amiss.

There were too many injured people, and the atmosphere felt tense and sharp. However, whether this was related to Sehee’s disappearance was unclear.

I could ask someone in the mansion if anything’s wrong, but lacking vocal cords makes verbal communication impossible.

Writing might work, but since “Gray Reaper” doesn’t understand human speech as part of its concept, that’s not possible either.

Why such a concept? It’s a rule created for a happy Object life. If it could talk, it might negotiate with humans, which isn’t desirable.

As I floated through walls and ceilings like a ghost, checking every room slowly, I overheard a significant conversation.

“Shouldn’t we ask for outside help with this?”

“Ask for help over this?”

In a corner room, Han Kangcheol and several others were discussing, with various photos scattered on the table.

“We already have over ten people with their limbs broken. Over thirty missing persons. Even going in groups of five, we can’t catch it. I don’t think we can handle this.”

“If we ask for outside help, will it make any difference? We can’t use guns anyway. Increasing manpower won’t help. The government will just clear out Seoul Forest instead, forcing us to close our business.”

A missing persons case!

It seems likely Sehee is involved.

“Since outsiders have suddenly arrived, that thing will have a harder time moving around without being noticed. Let’s make tonight our last attempt. With so many outsiders, controlling information will be difficult anyway.”

***

The night in Seoul Forest was unusually dark. The darkness of a city without electricity. Sounds broke the silence throughout the village.

“Get it!”

“Catch it!”

Gangsters wielding weapons ran around chasing a creature.

A monster standing about 3 meters tall.

Skinny with limbs grotesquely long, it looked more like a salted octopus or giant spider than a human.

Its physical abilities matched its bizarre appearance. Moving too fast to see clearly in the dark, anyone hit by it had their bones shattered.

Thinking they could handle such a creature internally without alerting outsiders is questionable.

If outsiders saw this monster roaming around, it couldn’t stay hidden anymore.

It’s surprising it’s been kept secret until now, showcasing Han Kangcheol’s control over Seoul Forest.

While the gangsters chased the monster, I decided to search the house it emerged from.

Humans with poor night vision wouldn’t have noticed, but the monster came out of a small house on the edge of town.

Just an ordinary residence commonly found in the village.

“Hmm…”

Stepping inside quietly, I was greeted by piles of monsters lying sprawled on the floor.