Chapter 82

Episode 82. Capturing the Mage (4)

****

Here is the Director’s Office lounge.

“Hello, Dr. Kim.”

“Advisor An, you’re working hard too.”

Advisor An was brewing coffee from the newly bought coffee machine. Honestly, I don’t know if it’s good coffee. I just drink it like water every time.

“Yesterday, I had to watch the Spider-Man movie. Someone I know wanted to see it.”

“Is that so?”

“It was unfortunate. The social order in the movie collapsed, and humanoid supernatural phenomena in spandex were running wild. I thought the dystopian elements were well expressed.”

“……”

I poked Paper, who was sitting next to me. Paper scratched their head.

“Uh, most normal people wouldn’t think that way…?”

Advisor An set down the coffee.

This is why Paper Yang gets paid. To remind the Director’s Office people what normal is.

“So, what do you think they would think?”

“Probably, they’d cheer for Spider-Man fighting for the people?”

“That could be, but I thought it was a dystopia where society was left to the mercy and whims of humanoid supernatural phenomena.”

Paper Yang pondered again. I sipped the coffee Advisor An handed me. Is it the coffee machine? Why does it taste so bad?

“I’ll take Paper’s opinion into consideration.”

Advisor An left the lounge.

Paper sighed.

“It’s not easy.”

“Don’t worry. Everyone appreciates what Paper Yang does.”

“I still don’t know what this place is for. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”

“If you think this isn’t it, let me know. That’s why I brought you here.”

****

Magic seems to be better than expected.

Hasti is now able to use a wheelchair. There must have been multiple fractures in the spine, femur, and skull.

I pushed Hasti’s wheelchair.

“Once I recover, I’ll kill you. Just like you did to me, I’ll smash your head with a hammer.”

I nodded.

“Whatever motivates Hasti Yang’s recovery… It’s good your mouth isn’t hurt.”

I definitely hit her chin with all my strength.

“Where are we going now?”

“I’m going to meet Ahn Yuri. I need to explain the situation, that the Foundation is doing its best to treat Hasti Yang, and that both of you will return safely.”

“You broke all the bones in my body.”

“Honestly… I thought you’d be tougher.”

“You’re a monster.”

Grumbling is good. It means she has the spirit to grumble. At least, that’s what the doctors from the Humanoid Research Department said.

“Right, I forgot to mention something.”

“What?”

“We need your help to find a way back to Hasti Yang’s dimension.”

“Ah. Got it.”

Hasti looked up at me.

“You’re really unpredictable. Last time, you were like a demon-possessed person trying to kill me with all sorts of means, and today you’re acting nice?”

“Hasti Yang attacked us first. With overwhelming power. Be grateful we didn’t kill you.”

“What?”

“If I hadn’t been there, Hasti Yang would have happily killed my colleagues, right?”

The wheelchair stopped.

“Thinking about it, I’m a bit annoyed. Why should I cater to your whims? Let’s just go to the dissection room. Your friend can freeze to death.”

I turned the wheelchair around.

Hasti looked up again.

“W-wait. I was wrong-”

“Wrong?”

“Let me see the Hero.”

“……”

Hmm. I silently looked down at Hasti. Hasti shrunk back, and I patted her head.

“Hasti Yang is my guest.”

“Okay.”

“The headquarters and my colleagues wanted to perform a vivisection immediately, but I refused on my own authority. I felt sorry for Ahn Yuri.”

“What’s a vivisection?”

“Opening you up. While you’re alive.”

Hasti sighed.

****

We arrived at the Humanoid Supernatural Phenomenon Containment Wing. Hasti looked around nervously. Well, it is a bit of a scary place.

“Does the Hero live here?”

“They said they’d provide a residence. They said they’d rather die than live with Foundation staff.”

“Is that so…”

“We’ve arrived. Don’t do anything stupid.”

“What will you do if I run away?”

I thought for a moment.

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yes.”

“Six pairs of nail-sized bombs are embedded in Hasti Yang’s body. Ankles, knees, elbows, lower spine, upper spine, base of the skull. They can be detonated in sequence with a command.”

Hasti flinched.

“Really?”

“If you don’t believe me, test it.”

“Wow, this is impressive. Who came up with such a horrifying idea?”

“Standard procedure.”

Anyway. I handed Hasti Yang’s wheelchair to the Humanoid Research Department staff. The staff bowed to me.

“Good work, Director.”

“Treat her well. She’s a guest of the Foundation.”

Wait.

Where’s the Research Department Head? Last time this happened, the Research Department Head took out the Returnee’s heart. I need to find that guy and tie him up.

“Where’s the Research Department Head?”

I looked around.

****

The Research Department Head was locked in the warehouse by Dr. Chae.

As expected of Dr. Chae.

Okay. This is also resolved. The process was complicated, but it seems like a happy ending for the otherworlders too. I sat at my desk and turned on the screen.

“Nanami. Is the investigation going well?”

It didn’t seem to be going well.

Nanami was sitting on a sunbed by the hotel swimming pool, wearing a straw hat, sunglasses, a beach cardigan, and a swimsuit.

She’s playing around.

I know Nanami’s travel allowance is over 500,000 won. Why is she just playing? I stared at Nanami sipping Maldives.

“Ah. Dr. Kim should have come with me. No, come now. The weather here is really nice.”

I blinked.

She’s pretty, but now’s not the time to stare at Nanami’s face. Nanami’s straw hat cast a shadow on the screen.

“I’ll consider it. How’s the investigation?”

“Yesterday, I was pulled out by the instructor while scuba diving. I chased a shark too far. Did you know the limit for amateur scuba diving is 30 meters?”

“Nanami. The investigation?”

“The shark was a whitetip reef shark. The hotel room service here is pretty good. They even take orders at dawn. There’s a bit of a surcharge, though.”

What, a whitetip reef shark?

“You’re not playing with the Foundation’s money, are you?”

“No.”

“Did you investigate?”

“……”

Nanami thought for a moment, then took off her straw hat and sunglasses.

“There are over a dozen abandoned Foundation facilities on Jeju Island, but I don’t know why. I explored and cleared three in a week.”

“So. The results of the exploration?”

“A lot of the records were erased.”

“Explain.”

“There are 13 abandoned Foundation facilities on Jeju Island. Ah, that makes 14. Only the Foundation naval bases are still operational.”

I nodded.

“Do you know what the facilities were for?”

“Records erased. Probably classified, but someone must know. You might find something with Director-level access.”

“No monsters or supernatural phenomena?”

“None. They cleaned up properly before leaving.”

I don’t get it.

Why would they build 14 facilities on an island with not many people? Maybe because there aren’t many people?

“The Foundation naval bases should be enough to manage Jeju Island. It seems like they were experimenting or making something.”

“Who knows. They all burned down.”

No evidence left.

They must have been conducting some experiment worth hiding at the facilities on Jeju Island. I don’t know what the Foundation is hiding.

Well, what isn’t the Foundation hiding?

****

[Supernatural Phenomenon O-5515]

[Wilson]

[Wilson is an object-type artificial intelligence, resembling a red bowling ball. Wilson has some flight and movement capabilities and can communicate with Foundation staff using Morse code.]

[Wilson is a Foundation employee.]

[He’s more powerful than you’d think. Not many enemies can survive being hit by a flying 15-pound bowling ball. Wilson’s true nature isn’t precisely recorded.]

[Wilson was discovered in Vietnam in 1973 and hired by the Foundation. Specific background details are lost, and he often goes quiet.]

[Wilson really likes useful things, but you should never, under any circumstances, make Wilson angry. Large-scale casualties could occur. There’s no real way to deal with it.]

****

[Supernatural Phenomenon O-5515. Footnote.]

[Author: Kim Bari]

[Who wrote this report? It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a disorganized and chaotic report.]