Chapter 81

Episode 81. The Conclusion of a Volume (3)

****

Humanoid Containment Wing.

A humanoid supernatural phenomenon, who claimed to be the mage of the hero’s party, destroyed the dimensional exploration machine and came from another dimension, is lying down.

“Miss Hasti. Are you awake?”

“You’re the one who back then—”

“Call me the savior of life.”

Hasti ignored my words.

“The person who beat me like a dog with a hammer.”

“That does seem to be me.”

I crossed my legs and sat by the hospital bed.

“Why did you come to my facility?”

“You took my comrades.”

“……”

“If we return your comrades. Will you leave peacefully? Will you return to where you came from?”

“Yes.”

I nodded.

“Take them.”

“If you say so— Wait. Really?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Why? Because it aligns with what we want, with our goals.

“We have a duty to maintain order. Things like you breaking through dimensional walls, destroying facilities, and killing staff.”

“Ah.”

“Things that oppose order.”

“……”

“But, I am merciful. As long as you do not oppose the Foundation from now on, I will let Miss Ahn Yuri and Miss Hasti go.”

Hasti frowned.

“How can I trust you?”

“Do you have any other choice?”

“Of course—”

Hasti opened her mouth, then closed it again. There really are no other options. If she’s not a fool, Hasti would know that.

“While your wounds heal, cooperate with our experiments and tests for about a month. We’ll give you everything you want.”

“What if I refuse?”

“You’ll die.”

The same choice I was given. Cooperate with the world the Foundation created, or die. Hasti fell silent for a moment, then looked at me.

“Tell me about your world.”

“It’s a beautiful world.”

“What kind of group are you?”

“Hmm. Well. We are an organization that manages and researches the order, providence, and other aspects of the world.”

“Like a magic tower?”

“I don’t know exactly what a magic tower does. But I guess so.”

“What do you plan to use me for?”

“Just what I said earlier. While we treat you, we want to study the items you brought and yourself.”

Hasti frowned.

“By tomorrow, when you’ve recovered a bit, I’ll show you Miss Ahn Yuri.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

This time, it’s not a lie. Hasti’s pretty eyes welled up with tears.

****

Research Department, Head-level meeting.

The atmosphere was gloomy. The Expansion Physics Research Building was one of the most important facilities in the Foundation. And we had blown it up entirely.

Head of the Expansion Physics Department.

“Director Choi. Please explain. Did you take appropriate safety measures in managing the dimensional exploration machine?”

“Yes.”

I opened my laptop.

“Director Choi. Please explain what safety measures you took in managing the dimensional exploration machine and why things went wrong.”

“The dimensional exploration machine was not designed with the assumption that something would come into our dimension. We didn’t think it was possible.”

The Head of the Mechanical Division slammed the table.

“If you’re going to make excuses like that, just quit.”

The heads started murmuring. Why the fuss, it was a preventable accident, which department hasn’t had a containment breach, etc.

I raised my hand.

“Please continue, Director Choi.”

Anyway, the Expansion Physics Department has almost no capable people. It’s a field that doesn’t exist outside the Foundation’s boundaries.

Director Choi coughed.

“The dimensional exploration machine was enclosed in a 3-meter void, surrounded by lead walls. To block the machine’s radiation.”

“Yes.”

“The machine was guarded by four security robots and dozens of cameras. If something came through the machine, cognitive hazards and neurotoxins were planned to be dispersed through speakers.”

Did that really happen? I tilted my head.

“So, what worked?”

“The security robots were destroyed by the flying polyps. The cameras were taken out in one hit, and the speakers were all disabled. The neurotoxins had no significant effect.”

“Is that so?”

“Also, there weren’t many supernatural phenomena around the machine. So, except for one team working overtime, no one was trapped.”

“Right, there was a containment procedure.”

“Yes.”

“Please explain the containment procedure.”

The sound of dry lips. Director Choi flipped through some papers.

“Ah, yes. After the alarm, Basement Level 1 of the research building was completely sealed. A few libraries, warehouses, one research lab, and the dimensional exploration machine were within the sealed area.”

I pondered a bit.

“But, after all the doors were closed and the containment was in place, didn’t the humanoid supernatural phenomenon block the sealed area with a barrier? Isn’t that right?”

“Huh?”

“The humanoid supernatural phenomenon. Didn’t the mage block the area? Wasn’t the hasty containment helpful for the Foundation’s response?”

“That’s a result-oriented argument. In case of a containment breach, closing all doors first is the standard containment procedure.”

I turned to the Head of the Mechanical Division.

“Head of the Mechanical Division. What is the standard response in case of a critical equipment malfunction?”

“Of course, resolving the equipment malfunction is the top priority. Experts should be able to move to where the equipment is.”

“No, didn’t a humanoid supernatural phenomenon appear in the lab? Isn’t preventing its escape the top priority?”

Bang. The Head of the Mechanical Division slammed the table again.

“Nonsense. So, was there no equipment malfunction? What was the plan if supernatural phenomena kept coming through the machine?”

I guess he thinks it would have been better if the Mechanical Division had handled the dimensional exploration machine. That’s why he’s pushing so hard. I nodded.

“No, isn’t this an unpredictable event? The Foundation and academia believed it was impossible for something to come through the dimensional exploration machine.”

If only Miss Hasti had thought so, but reality was different. It happened because it was possible.

“Director Choi. Please continue.”

“It’s a result-oriented argument. No one thought reverse travel through the dimensional exploration machine was possible, nor that the security robots would be instantly subdued, nor that a barrier would be erected in the area.”

That does make sense. The Heads of the Mechanical and Metaphysics Divisions were fuming.

“Head of the Research Department.”

The Head of the Research Department looked up.

After all, the Head of the Research Department is my subordinate, and I have several weaknesses on him.

Director Choi is the Head of the Research Department’s subordinate. It wouldn’t be hard for the Head of the Research Department to take the blame for this due to poor management. That’s why he’s keeping his head down, fearing repercussions.

I sighed.

“Uh, hold on.”

“Yes.”

“It’s all the fault of the Expansion Physics Department’s doctors. Ignoring standard procedures in case of equipment malfunction. Wasting resources on safety devices that can’t handle the situation. Unnecessarily containing and only helping to erect barriers.”

A typical Head of the Research Department answer. Shifting all blame to subordinates and trying to absolve himself with nonsense.

“My opinion is this. The Expansion Physics Department needs to take responsibility for the broad autonomy granted by the Foundation.”

Not entirely wrong, though.

“The Research Department uses the most budget, borrowing two supernatural phenomena from other departments and blowing up an entire floor of the research building.”

“Oh, come on. Did you forget that the Head of the Research Department captured innocent people and conducted unauthorized biological experiments against the Director’s orders?”

Fighting again. I raised both hands.

“Alright. Let’s end the meeting here. I’ve heard all the Heads’ opinions, let’s discuss this later among the involved parties.”

The Heads started murmuring again.

****

[Code Name: Mage, Treatment Report]

[Author: Kang Cheon]

[It was a difficult patient. I heard Director Kim personally subdued her, but she was already half-dead. Please be gentler next time.]

[First, to fix the skull fracture, we had to use eight steel plates on the skull. It seems she was hit multiple times with a heavy blunt object.]

[Also. Her femur was crushed by a bowling ball. We had to perform major surgery to treat the comminuted fracture, inserting six steel pins into the femur.]

[Additionally. After losing consciousness, she inhaled fire smoke, causing airway mucosal burns, and her breathing was depressed due to the anesthetics sprayed.]

[She was shot in the back, with 19 bullets hitting her. Only one caused bleeding, but there were multiple microfractures in her spine.]

[Honestly, even with eight surgeons working all day. The treatment failed…… We managed to keep her alive by injecting Popo Serum.]