Chapter 70

Episode 70. Project Blue Rose (3)

***

Lee Se-ah was standing in front of my desk. The second-in-command of Facility 82, an enigmatic person, the Foundation’s genius beauty scientist…

I hate to admit it, but she has a lot in common with me.

“Hello, Director. Did you call for me?”

“Research Department Head. How much do you know about Project Blue Rose?”

Today, I’m going to dig deep.

Lee Se-ah made a deer-in-headlights expression. What on earth is going on?

“I’ll sit down first.”

“Stay standing.”

Lee Se-ah stood back up.

“The Foundation has something called the Supernatural Phenomenon Utilization Complex System. It’s a system that uses various supernatural phenomena to achieve specific goals.”

“Right.”

“You can probably guess what it is. The Veil of Ignorance, the Exhibition Hall, the Incubation Chamber… Blue Rose is similar. It’s something that utilizes multiple supernatural phenomena.”

“What’s the purpose?”

“It’s a bit complicated. Where should I start? Did you know that 40 countries’ navies are gathered in the Aden Gulf right now?”

Of course, I didn’t know. Lee Se-ah lowered her voice.

“Well, anyway, it’s related to us. The Foundation took an artificial sun made in Korea to the Aden Gulf for testing.”

“……”

Why on earth? Oh, so they created an artificial sun capable of causing supernatural phenomena and decided to dump it in the busiest sea in the world?

Is this even a human thought process?

“You look like you’re wondering why we did that. There’s something big there. A singularity causing seismic waves and abnormal weather phenomena.”

“That’s also strange. Does this make sense? There’s a monster causing supernatural phenomena, so you put an artificial sun that causes supernatural phenomena on top of it? What are you trying to solve…?”

“Even if it’s strange, that’s the truth. I don’t have a way to know the specific reasons. It’s not like we’ve been dealing with the Foundation Headquarters for just a day or two.”

It’s annoying, but she’s right.

“Anyway. The artificial sun the Foundation deployed in the Aden Gulf woke something up, and to deal with it, 40 countries’ navies gathered to exterminate it.”

There are still unexplained parts.

What on earth is the Foundation Headquarters aiming for?

I don’t understand the connection between the artificial sun in the Aden Gulf, the abnormal weather phenomena, the utilizable supernatural phenomena, and all of this. Especially with me.

I looked at Lee Se-ah.

“Sorry for the poor explanation. The information I have is also limited.”

“Okay. Just keep going.”

“Anyway, the Foundation succeeded in subduing and securing the monster in the Aden Gulf. What happened after that was even more complicated.”

The aftermath is always the hardest.

“Research Department Head. All this is good, but first, tell me what Project Blue Rose is. What on earth is it that’s making you act like this?”

“……”

Lee Se-ah let out a deep sigh.

“Do you really want to know?”

“Don’t ask back.”

“Project Blue Rose is a kind of deus ex machina that grants wishes. One of the several deus ex machina the Foundation possesses. Well, it’s still incomplete though.”

Crazy talk followed by more crazy talk.

A chain of madness.

Am I the crazy one, or is the world crazy? If the world is crazy and I’m the only one shouting sanity, then who’s really crazy?

“So, the Foundation captured a monster from the Aden Gulf to make a wish-granting well? Why would they need that?”

“Compartmentalization. Big projects like this are divided into multiple parts. So no one knows what the others are doing. I can’t even see the big picture of how things are progressing.”

What kind of nonsense is this? I crossed my arms.

“Being the Research Department Head seems comfortable… Just ask and you don’t know, can’t do anything. What exactly can the Research Department Head do, and what do you know?”

Lee Se-ah bowed her head.

“Sorry. I really don’t know.”

“Alright. Keep going.”

“Anyway, there’s a facility related to Project Blue Rose on Jeju Island. Some remnants of the Aden Gulf monster are also on Jeju.”

“There’s no major Foundation facility on Jeju, right? Except for that one port.”

“Not anymore. Project Blue Rose literally exploded.”

Two possibilities. Either it failed miserably, or it was so successful that the Foundation Headquarters blew up the facility and withdrew with the results.

“Research Department Head. What are you going to do?”

“……”

The Research Department Head’s security clearance is about the same as mine. Most of what she can find out, I can too.

“Find out more. Investigate if there’s anything special on Jeju.”

“Understood.”

The Research Department Head bowed her head again.

“By the way, how’s your body?”

It’s better than yesterday. But not enough to run around yet. Carrying military gear is still out of the question.

“It’s getting better. Don’t worry too much.”

“That’s good.”

Lee Se-ah was expressionless.

***

My memories are incomplete. It’s hard to trust everything I remember, and there’s no guarantee that everything is remembered.

Nanami said that.

I’ve worked for the Foundation before. Even if I don’t remember it, it seems to be true that I’ve worked for the Foundation.

Will I find out if I go to Jeju?

***

Honestly, my memory isn’t great. Things before my body changed are a bit hazy.

How many years ago was it? I can’t remember the date, but I remember it was the Monday after I got my master’s degree.

“Did you call for me, Professor?”

“Mr. Kim. Do you remember how many years it took you to get your bachelor’s, military service, and master’s degree combined?”

“Six years.”

“And whose credit is that?”

“Yours, Professor.”

“Mr. Kim. Do you know how long it takes on average to get a Ph.D. in this field?”

“About five years?”

“Seven years.”

“Ah, right.”

How dreadful.

“You, of course, won’t take seven years to get your Ph.D. You’re smart. What I’m saying is, think about your age. Even if you stay in this lab for nine more years, you won’t fall behind. In that time, you’ll publish about thirty SCI-level papers.”

“Professor. That’s a bit…”

“Mr. Kim. I’m not saying you should stay in the Ph.D. program for nine years. It’s just, you know, I’m asking for one favor.”

The basics of negotiation.

First, ask for double what you want. Like nine years in a Ph.D. program. Then, gradually negotiate down to a compromise.

I thought about it.

What on earth is this old man trying to say with this outrageous request? Is there someone he needs to kill?

I’d rather it be that.

“Okay. I’ll do anything.”

“Good. There’s a position open at a government-funded research institute, and they asked me to go. I’m a bit too old for that, so I recommended a good student. Would you be interested?”

“If it’s a government-funded research institute, of course, I’d be happy. Do they accept master’s degrees? Or…”

“Mr. Kim. If you work at the research institute while doing your Ph.D., I’ll make sure you finish in three years. Can you do that?”

“But what kind of research is it?”

“Classified.”

“……”

A glimmer of humor flashed in the professor’s eyes.

He probably knew. Once he mentioned it was classified, I’d be too curious to refuse the offer.

I licked my lips.

“What’s the problem that a government-funded research institute is accepting master’s students? And not even through public recruitment, but by recommendation. Is it dangerous research?”

“I don’t know either. Probably because it has to be done in secret, but I have no way of knowing.”

If I say no, I’ll be stuck in this lab’s Ph.D. program for nine years.

I have no choice. And, getting a job at a government-funded research institute is hard even with effort. If I can get it this easily, it’s a good deal. Even if it’s a bit suspicious.

“Am I really qualified?”

“You need to have completed military service. Mr. Kim, you’ve been to the military, right?”

“I scored full marks in shooting.”

The professor nodded.

“Good. I’ll give you the contact info. I don’t know what they’re doing or how to contact them, so I can’t say much.”

“I’ll do it. But really, you’ll let me graduate in three years, right?”

“Mr. Kim. Don’t worry. Just do this for me, and I’ll make sure you graduate quickly. The thesis can be done casually, right?”

“Thank you for the opportunity.”

I bowed to the professor again.

***

It was just an ordinary day.

No special events. The day I got my Ph.D. The day my advisor suddenly passed away in a car accident on his way home from work.

The day a strange girl stared at me from the mirror in the funeral home bathroom. It was a day so ordinary it felt strange.

First mourning, and then the supernatural.

That was my first encounter with the supernatural that I remember.