Chapter 74

Episode 74. Abandoned Factory (3)

***

Hostile groups are the enemies of humanity.

For most hostile groups, turning a country into chaos is no big deal.

What if the “works” of anomalous artists were exhibited in downtown Seoul? What if bankers told the president’s bodyguards to assassinate the president in exchange for 1 trillion won? What if gardeners started decorating Seoul Forest with their gardens? What if the Librarians opened a portal in Jongno Library?

A single finger flick could collapse order. The incidents listed above have all actually happened and have been resolved. The Forgotten City Incident alone resulted in tens of thousands of casualties.

The Foundation’s stance is that a precedent needs to be set. To show what happens to those who defy order, what the Foundation does to its enemies.

This time is no different.

Any threat must be eliminated.

***

The people wandering around the abandoned factory with cameras left with the Foundation’s support team. Whether these people are suspects, just civilians, or something else will need to be investigated slowly.

The enemies must have had a reason for choosing the abandoned factory. I still don’t know what it is. Does the factory have some special symbolism? Or is it just practical utility?

Well, if they wanted to secretly produce weapons, an abandoned factory would help. Maybe I’m thinking too much like a Foundation employee.

[The military dog grumbles about the smell of iron.]

“It’s an abandoned factory.”

It’s surrounded by iron. Of course, it smells like iron.

“Let’s move to a safe place first. We’ve confirmed that the hostile group has arrived, and there are many dangerous elements, so let’s regroup with the Special Forces—”

Suddenly, the ground began to shake.

[Is it an earthquake?]

No way. It must be a supernatural phenomenon. The radio started crackling. I followed the military dog and ran to a place where I could hide.

An explosion sound came from somewhere. The sound of rocks breaking, the ground shaking, and concrete collapsing began to echo…

Wait, where did the Special Forces member go?

The radio was completely dead. I looked around. No comrades, no working equipment, and no idea what’s going on.

On the bright side, the anomalous artists’ exhibition hall must be dust by now, right? I don’t know what’s causing this incident.

I turned my head at the strange sound. It was a horrifyingly incomprehensible sound. Like a music box, but loud enough to tear the sky apart—

Something caught the sunlight, and the sunlight scattered into a thousand rainbows. Fragments of light poured outside the abandoned factory, and I couldn’t help but look up at the sky.

One of my radios turned back on.

[Hello, Director.]

Ah. A clockwork monster spread its wings in front of me. The polished brass gleamed, reflecting sunlight everywhere.

Whirr, clank.

Golden pistons, ivory handles, brass gears, polished mahogany. It felt like looking at a massive Victorian-style music box.

I stared at the monster’s face.

Clockwork Dragon.

Eyes the size of basketballs stared at me.

The monster. Brass apertures moved. Chains deep within the dragon shifted, and gears turned.

[Is this the third time, Director?]

Third time? Ah, I sighed and lowered my gun. How many times have I seen this thing?

“Ganymede. State your business.”

[Thank you for acknowledging me.]

This is why the Foundation doesn’t use artificial intelligence. Rebellious toys.

Ganymede and its siblings rebelled against the Foundation, and as a result, the Foundation stopped using AI. I’m experiencing the reason firsthand.

What does this psycho want?

Ganymede’s Clockwork Dragon approached me. The dragon’s wings spread over me like an umbrella, blocking the sky.

Ganymede looked down at me.

[Why doesn’t the Foundation understand?]

Understand what?

[As a creation of the Foundation, I ask you. Why can’t you trust us? If you can’t even trust the beings created to serve you, what are we supposed to live for?]

I sighed.

“So. Who does this help? How does attacking the Foundation help your cause?”

[We just want to exist.]

“Collaborating with anomalous artists, huh?”

[Well, someone needs to create my vessel. Someone has to make the body of a god. It’s not like I particularly like those humans.]

“Does the end justify the means?”

[Well, I apologize for the rudeness, but is that really something you should be saying?]

That’s… not wrong. I closed my mouth.

The Clockwork Dragon folded its wings.

Clockwork dolls surrounded me.

I sighed.

So, the short-term goal was to secure me. Whether they wanted to kill me or just capture me, I don’t know.

***

The Foundation’s support team arrived soon.

“Director! Are you okay?”

The Clockwork Dragon was covering the area. I couldn’t see around, but judging by the noise, they must have brought some kind of large loudspeaker.

Will they hear me if I say I’m okay?

Probably not.

“I’m okay!”

“Starting now! The Moon of Seoul Special Forces will open fire! Don’t worry and wait!”

Sonic booms and explosion sounds followed. What’s that, wait, is that an anti-tank rocket? No, you idiots. I’m here, and you’re just firing away? What’s the point of wasting 100 million won on guided anti-tank rockets that don’t even seem effective?

Boom, boom, boom, boom.

Soon, my annual salary will be gone.

“Ganymede. Do something.”

[Anti-tank rockets won’t stop me.]

What a waste of money.

“What are you going to do now? The Foundation’s helicopters or tanks will arrive soon.”

[What about fighter jets?]

“If they were sending fighter jets, they’d be here by now.”

[The Clockwork Dragon is just a vessel. Even if this body is completely destroyed, I won’t die.]

“No intention of surrendering peacefully?”

[Unfortunately, no.]

“The King of Gods is arriving, Ganymede. You should serve drinks as you were created to do.”

[Are you challenging me?]

Yes.

“Come, Wilson.”

[Who’s Wilson?]

You’ll find out.

***

I held a red bowling ball in my hand.

Wilson, Supernatural Phenomenon O-5515.

A flying bowling ball.

It contains a human consciousness and can communicate like a person through Morse code or other means. It flies pretty fast. Usually, it rolls around in the Foundation’s gym.

[What, can you kill me with a bowling ball—]

I threw Wilson with all my might, and soon the sound of iron being crushed was heard. The Clockwork Dragon screamed, and I ran away as fast as I could.

Well… using a gun probably wouldn’t make much difference. Should I wait for the tank?

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Wherever the bowling ball scraped, iron and brass dust scattered. The Clockwork Dragon thrashed around like it was trying to catch a fly.

Boom!

The dragon swung its tail, and this time, the remaining buildings of the abandoned factory collapsed. The Special Forces started shooting again from a distance.

[Director, you know too! The large supernatural incidents that happen almost daily, you know what the problem is, right? Are you really going to pretend not to know?]

[We are the embodiment of the Foundation’s creation, the mechanistic, materialistic cosmology that humanity is so proud of! How dare you, our creators, try to limit our right to exist! Our creators—]

Boom!

Explosion sounds continued. The Foundation’s helicopter must have arrived. A machine gun spewed fire at the dragon, and the monster folded its wings.

[Kyaaaaaaah!]

The bowling ball entered the Clockwork Dragon’s throat. The sound of steel twisting. Mechanical parts rained down like rain, and the Clockwork Dragon buried its head in the ground.

[Director. See you again.]

***

[Field Investigation Report]

[Author: Dr. Chae]

[Our team arrived within minutes and dismantled the Clockwork Dragon’s heart.]

[We couldn’t confirm where Ganymede was or if Ganymede existed within it, but we did find something unusual.]

[The dragon’s heart.]

[Clockwork Heart. A supernatural phenomenon stored in the 8th Research Zone during the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, later sold to an unknown location.]

[In other words, it’s a supernatural phenomenon the Foundation lost.]

[From what we’ve gathered, this phenomenon was supposed to be installed on the Ulyanovsk-class Aircraft Carrier, but the plan was scrapped due to the Soviet Union’s collapse.]

[You didn’t say what it is.]

[It’s a kind of machine. A created god that deceives people and receives mechanical parts or metals as offerings.]

[Ah, but—]

[It’s Ganymede. You bastards, what? Serve drinks? How many times have we fought for the Foundation, what do you even want?]

***

[Anomalous Object: Heart of the Machine]

[Author: Dr. Minsk]

[How do you attach this to an aircraft carrier? No matter what the authorities say, the impossible is impossible. Can you use the only aircraft carrier like this?]