Chapter 45

Episode 45. The Ideal Leader (2)

***

This is the Humanoid Containment Room.

A very dangerous VIP is currently locked inside the containment room… This time, it was necessary to come here in person to check.

I stared at the person beyond the glass panel.

“Research Department Head, are you feeling alright?”

Research Department Head Lee Se-ah. She had been locked up by the Personnel Department for three days, undergoing emotional evaluation and assessment. Now, it seems she’s back in the containment room.

Lee Se-ah looked extremely tired. It wasn’t anger, but exhaustion that was clearly visible. I put on a professional smile and looked at her.

“Yes.”

“What did the Personnel Department say?”

“They said it’s fine. They also explained the complaints filed against me and told me not to do it again.”

Good, it’s a relief that she knows now.

I glanced at Lee Se-ah again. She seemed somewhat gloomy, probably from the ordeal in the containment room.

“You should return to your duties now.”

“Is it a transfer? Or a demotion? If you’re transferring me, where will I be sent?”

I shook my head.

“Just return to your duties. If the Personnel Department said it’s okay for you to return, I have no intention of taking any further action.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

A brief silence. Lee Se-ah bowed her head.

“Thank you, Director.”

“Well… no need to thank me. I can’t just leave the most capable researcher at Facility 82 locked up because I feel uncomfortable.”

*Click.*

The containment room door opened. Lee Se-ah, wrapped in a blanket, slowly walked out. I slipped my right hand into my coat and gripped my pistol. Of course, it was loaded with special ammunition.

“I have no personal ill feelings.”

“I know… Just, thank you.”

Research Department Head Lee Se-ah. After being locked up for a few days, she seemed much more human than I remembered. I’m not sure how genuine it is, though. She kept bowing her head to me.

Of course, this could all be an act, and she might be harboring ill feelings, ready to strike back later. But I had no intention of tormenting her over that possibility. I just hoped she would recognize my sincerity.

*Click.*

Lee Se-ah closed the containment room door and leaned against it, looking at me. It seemed she had something to say.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Well, nothing special… Dr. Kim. The Foundation has made several offers. Become a Director, become the Head Researcher of the Director’s Office. I refused. I have no interest in high positions, and the Head Researcher is a cursed position.”

“Yes.”

I’ve heard this before. That the Research Department Head was the top of the facility, that before I came, all the work fell on her shoulders.

But.

Lee Se-ah had no desire to be a leader, nor did she have the ability. The leadership she showed was just pushing and tormenting her subordinates until they worked.

It was efficient, but only because Lee Se-ah was smarter than all her researchers. It wouldn’t work outside the Research Department.

“Dr. Kim. The only meaningful achievement you have is the exploded Project Blue Rose. I thought you’d do worse than me.”

“I probably would have.”

“It’s hard to admit, but you’ve done well, Dr. Kim. If people knew what you were doing, they’d all be grateful.”

I sighed.

“I won’t lock you up again. No need for flattery.”

“Hahaha…”

Still, it’s a relief that Lee Se-ah took the situation smoothly. I wouldn’t have been surprised if she had tried to kill me.

“Then. Good luck.”

The Research Department Head returned to her duties immediately. That is, she walked straight from the containment room to her office. I also headed to my office.

Honestly, there’s no time to waste. Many people had collapsed from overwork due to the events in the forgotten city, and quite a few had died.

This isn’t a situation where Lee Se-ah can slack off.

Though I’m just lounging in my office. The Research Department Head has been retrieved, I’ve reviewed some papers, and today’s tasks are pretty much done, right?

***

Project Blue Rose.

The incident Lee Se-ah mentioned. I have no memory of this project, and aside from Nanami, I’ve never seen anyone mention it…

It seems I was involved in this project in the past. Nanami did say that I had worked for the Foundation before.

Is this that project?

I let out a deep sigh. One thing is certain. I can’t trust anyone. Not even, or especially, my past self.

No matter how much I try to recall, nothing comes to mind. Well, it’s to be expected. If it’s the Foundation’s doing, they wouldn’t leave any traces.

Other employees also didn’t know that I had worked for the Foundation in the past. They probably just thought something was up.

The Research Department Head definitely knows something. Something no one else in this facility knows.

***

The next day.

“Ah, there you are, Director!”

A researcher was knocking on my office door. Instead of sending an intern or a regular employee, a lab-coated researcher came running. Must be something big.

“What’s the matter?”

“Well, the research team is calling for you. The Head Researcher asked if you could come to the Large-Scale Containment Wing. It’s something you need to see for yourself…”

Why do people who rush over never explain things clearly? Sometimes I wonder.

But when you actually get to the scene, there are often ridiculously complex situations that would take an hour or two to explain.

What could it be this time?

The Large-Scale Containment Wing is quite far. Far enough that you need to take the facility tram. I awkwardly sat next to the Foundation employee.

“……”

“We have some time before we reach the Large-Scale Containment Wing, so brief me on the situation.”

“Ah, yes. I’m Dr. Chae from the Metaphysics Department. A monster is rampaging in the Large-Scale Containment Wing. We’re trying to contain it.”

“Okay.”

Dr. Chae continued explaining.

“It’s a Divine-Class Entity recovered from the forgotten city. At the time of discovery, it was near death due to a nuclear explosion and God-Killing Gas, but after being placed in the containment wing, it started rampaging again.”

They haven’t found a way to counter it yet, have they?

“Hold on.”

I took out my phone.

There’s a manual for dealing with supernatural phenomena with unknown weaknesses. Honestly, I never thought I’d need it, but… looks like today’s the day.

Guidelines for Handling Unknown Supernatural Entities.

“Hello, this is Dr. Kim from the Director’s Office. Please bring a full set of special ammunition to the Large-Scale Containment Wing. Yes, right now. We’re in combat.”

“Okay, thank you.”

The call ended quickly.

While moving, I skimmed through the containment records and related manuals from the Metaphysics Department. There must be a solution. We just haven’t found it yet.

***

The scale of the incident was far more absurd than I expected. Well, it had to be. You don’t put something small in the Large-Scale Containment Wing.

I frowned as I looked at the containment wing.

I have eyes too.

“What is that?”

The scene beyond the iron bars was incomprehensible. The Large-Scale Containment Wing, large enough to fit a herd of elephants.

A black monster was writhing in the No-Man’s Land in front of the containment wing, while researchers and soldiers were busily trying to contain it.

From the Panopticon in the center of the No-Man’s Land, what looked like a heavy machine gun was spewing fire.

“Yes.”

“Currently, we’re barely keeping it contained in this building using the Reality Anchoring Device and the Causality Distortion Device… but I don’t know how long we can hold out.”

I looked down at the No-Man’s Land in the Large-Scale Containment Wing. A black monster extending its tentacles. That giant eyeball balloon that was floating in Yulje-myeon City Center.

“Understood. What containment procedures are the Metaphysics Department and the Large-Scale Department using?”

The researcher hesitated for a moment.

“Silver bullets, God-Killing Gas, and liquid nitrogen.”

Standard stuff when dealing with monsters. They haven’t figured out what can deal a critical hit to this monster.

I don’t know either.

“Well, you’ve been buying time well. Let’s follow the Foundation’s approach and prepare solutions on three fronts.”

These people must know the answer. They just don’t have someone to take responsibility or give orders on the scene.

“By solutions, you mean…”

“Check past literature on this monster, test specific substances for effectiveness, and verify if a miraculous solution is possible.”

“We’ll proceed immediately.”

“The monsters might overwhelm the containment team. Please proceed as quickly as possible.”

Let’s head into the Large-Scale Containment Wing first.

***

No time to gear up, but I need to wear a tactical headset. The noise from the heavy machine guns and other firearms is deafening.

The Large-Scale Containment Wing. An octagonal structure dug about 10 meters underground, with seven massive containment rooms located in seven directions.

“Director Kim, we’ve arrived on the scene.”

“We’re in combat. That monster was lying down earlier but suddenly started moving. We’re trying to figure out how to kill or subdue it.”

“Everyone, good work. Don’t worry, don’t die. I’ll think of a solution.”

The sound of a motorcycle came from outside the containment room.

“The special ammunition kit has arrived!”