Chapter 78

Episode 78. The New Chief Researcher (4)

***

The Head of the Research Department sat in front of my desk.

“So, what do you want to talk about?”

“First, tell me about the project.”

“The first project. No, there was something before that. It’s called Blue Rose-0.”

“Yes.”

“Which sea did Moses split in half?”

“Probably the Red Sea.”

“That’s where it was found.”

The Red Sea, split by Moses. A massive monster retrieved from the Red Sea, and an artificial sun.

The ultimate power lowered into the sea. Without even needing to think about it… it’s an overwhelmingly powerful symbol.

Lee Se-ah pondered for a moment.

“Many marine creatures have a diurnal cycle. They rise close to the surface during the day and descend at night. This is called diurnal vertical migration.”

“Why are you suddenly talking about diurnal vertical migration?”

“That’s what Blue Rose-0 was made of. The first project of Project Blue Rose. The Foundation Scientists, with the cooperation of 40 navies, lowered an artificial sun into the depths of the Aden Gulf.”

“Why did they need the cooperation of 40 navies?”

“Probably needed about 100 ships.”

“……”

It’s hard to imagine.

What could have happened?

“Anyway, the conclusion is this. The Foundation dismantled the monster from the Aden Gulf and sent its fragments all over the world. A part of it became Blue Rose-0.”

“Yes.”

“Well, as you know, the Foundation has killed or subdued numerous divine entities. That’s the essence of Project Blue Rose.”

“Creating gods?”

“Yes.”

Lee Se-ah’s eyes sparkled eerily, and I instinctively took a step back. I always wondered… is she even human?

“Explain more about diurnal vertical migration.”

“We lowered the artificial sun into the depths of the Red Sea, and deep-sea creatures began to move. One of them was our target.”

“Is this about how to make the Memory Erasure Agent?”

“Well, I don’t know how to make the Memory Erasure Agent. I have no idea about its components either.”

“Didn’t you analyze it?”

“Classified information.”

This is complicated.

“The Director hasn’t changed much, then or now. Just looks a bit different.”

“What you just said doesn’t seem to answer my question. Where did the Popo sample go? What did you make?”

“The possibilities are endless, aren’t they? The Enlightenment Exhibition, seeing everything, predicting anything. Immortal monsters, for example…”

She’s in psycho mode again.

I should stop for today.

“Go back. See you next time.”

***

For now, I’ve given up on finding a new Chief Researcher.

Three of my predecessors died, and whether inside or outside the Foundation, finding new staff won’t be easy. Not just anyone can do this job.

Advisor An looked at my group.

“Who’s this?”

“A new secretary I’ve hired.”

“……”

“Introduce yourself.”

The woman beside me bowed her head.

She wore a crisp skirt suit, had a youthful, pretty face, shoulder-length coal-black hair, and amber eyes.

“Hello, I’m Operator ‘Paper.’ Nice to meet you. Starting today, I’ll be working as Director Kim’s secretary.”

I nodded.

“She’s a Yonsei University Business School student. Aside from graduating early, she’s perfectly normal.”

“Is that so?”

“I had the HR team investigate Paper Yang’s relatives up to the eighth degree. There’s no one more normal in South Korea.”

“Is Paper a pseudonym?”

“Yes.”

“Can we talk, Director?”

I sent Paper out of the room.

Advisor An scratched his head.

“I’m not against Dr. Kim’s choice, but what’s so special about Paper Yang?”

“Nothing special at all.”

“I don’t understand, Dr. Kim.”

“I mean exactly what I said. Paper Yang is not a scientist, not a supernatural phenomenon, not a genius. She’s just smart.”

“Why?”

I thought for a moment.

“The Foundation is not a normal place. Every day, we deal with supernatural phenomena, and the people who work here are geniuses among geniuses, superhumans, eccentrics… far from normal.”

“That makes sense.”

I tilted my head toward the door.

“That’s why Paper Yang is important. You, Advisor An, and I don’t even know what normal is, yet we have to maintain it. Paper Yang, on the other hand, knows what normal is.”

Advisor An seemed to understand.

“Director, you’re more cautious than you look.”

“Why?”

“About the candidates for the next Chief Researcher. Superpowers, machines, photographic memory, devil’s tongue. You passed over all these outstanding candidates and chose a college student who’s never even opened a general chemistry book?”

“Advisor An, how many Chief Researchers have died or committed suicide in the last five years?”

“…..”

“I don’t want to waste talent. My successor, though it’s a bit unfair to Paper Yang… must have a perfectly replaceable ability.”

Advisor An nodded.

Actually, Paper Yang’s strength isn’t just that. She doesn’t need to go to the field, has no military experience, barely graduated college, and has no career. So her salary is only 500 after taxes.

Not even enough for goat feed.

***

Paper. Real name: Lee Jae-geum.

First day at work.

“So, what am I supposed to do?”

“You’ll work as my secretary. Manage my schedule, organize documents I need to handle.”

“That’s it?”

I scratched my head.

“You can attend the in-house graduate school, but I’m not sure if Facility 82 has a Business School. Actually, I’m not even sure if there’s a liberal arts graduate school.”

“Ah, I’ll check.”

I pointed to the Foundation hotline.

“That. You should know up to the department head level. Contact info, office location, and where they are.”

Paper thought for a moment.

“You said not to ask questions, right?”

“Asking questions is fine, but if you dig too deep trying to find something out… the results might not be good. Just use your discretion.”

“Then, I’ll just ask. What exactly is this place? Where does the money come from?”

“Think of it as a supernatural research institute. I don’t know exactly where the money comes from. Headquarters provides it.”

***

Anyway, I’ve found a new Chief Researcher. Though not a researcher.

I took out the Crystal Clock.

“So, Dr. Lee, do you like her? Or is it too much to trust her?”

[Hard to say. Trust aside, she seems too incompetent? She doesn’t seem like a threat.]

The most capable person I know is Lee Se-ah. Of course, I’d prefer she stays away. You don’t keep someone like that around.

[I understand why you did it. The smaller the range of ability, the less the threat.]

“Dr. Lee, you said you don’t know about Project Blue Rose, right?”

[Not at all. Never heard of it, never participated in such research.]

“What about the Aden Gulf operation?”

The Crystal Clock ticked in my hand for a moment. If Dr. Lee still had a face, he’d probably be making a serious, contemplative expression.

[That’s a pretty famous operation.]

“Is that so?”

[The details and purpose of the operation were completely hidden, but even civilians outside the Foundation probably know about it. The Head of Research said it, didn’t he? 40 navies participated.]

“Yes.”

I stood up.

***

[Dimensional Exploration Record]

[Author: Head of Expansion Physics Department]

[Dimension-Space-12]

[Infinite Library]

[This exploration is the first dimensional exploration conducted at Facility 82. Whether other parts of the Foundation have conducted similar experiments, I don’t know. Much is still unknown.]

[First incident.]

[A few weeks ago, the Foundation captured a Returnee. A few days later, humanoid supernatural phenomena named Kairos and Cosmos attempted to rescue the Returnee secured by the Foundation.]

[Second incident.]

[Kairos and Cosmos successfully rescued the Returnee and teleported elsewhere. Nanami pursued them and killed the Librarians.]

[Third incident.]

[At Yulje-myeon, a library, librarians, followers of the Truth God, and related supernatural phenomena were discovered. Specifically, that cursed Mahogany Door.]

[Symbolically, it’s like this.]

[The Infinite Library is the Temple of Truth.]

[Ahn Yuri, Kairos, Cosmos. These humanoid supernatural phenomena are those who use the Infinite Library. Guests of the library.]

[Librarians. Those beings made of black tentacles operate the Infinite Library. They are made from humans but are not human.]

[The Temple of Truth is a metaphor, and the librarians are just horrific transformations of humans, according to mainstream opinion…]

[But the library was a real place.]

[Kairos’s group’s stance has gained considerable credibility. My opinion is this: Why don’t we apologize to Kairos’s group and go our separate ways?]

***

---