Chapter 102

The “three creatures” that wanted to tear me to death.

They seemed to have actually caused me considerable pain.

But they had not managed to kill me.

So I was alive, not dead, and asking questions.

Of “the thing that made me,” in a place where the “three creatures” seemed to have already disappeared.

This meant that “the thing that made me” had not been aggressive toward me.

Perhaps the ones who had saved me from the “three creatures” were them.

In other words, the positions of the “three creatures” and “the thing that made me” were clearly different.

If I thought of it this way, it was possible to guess why Ryu Dan-a had set out to grasp the situation.

“To Ms. Ryu Dan-a, my recording must have sounded like ‘a situation where frightening things were opposing each other.’”

“…….”

“So from this point on, I really guessed. When powerful beings oppose each other, what those around them should do is generally fixed. Quickly hide, or attach themselves to the advantageous side. But Ms. Ryu Dan-a seemed like the latter.”

Just from the fact that she had personally begun exploring, Ryu Dan-a was the type to act proactively.

So I had sounded her out once, and she had taken the bait nicely.

The brainwave analysis device had also immediately confirmed the answer.

“Hah…….”

When my explanation ended, Ryu Dan-a murmured as if hollowed out.

“You were an Oh Tae-o type too…….”

“I do not think that is true.”

I did not know exactly what that meant, but no.

“Eek, how annoying! Putting this kind of device on someone else’s head……!”

Ryu Dan-a suddenly grew angry and began shaking her head.

Of course, it was not a good action to do while wearing a restraining suit.

As expected.

Tilt—

“Uh, uh……?”

Ryu Dan-a’s body began tipping along with the chair.

But because her arms were tightly bound, she could not grab anything.

“Kyak……!”

CRASH—!

The sound of the chair falling rang out loudly.

But only the chair had fallen. Ryu Dan-a was safe.

Because I had stood and caught her.

However, Ryu Dan-a did not seem to grasp the situation right away.

Held by the waist in my hands, she did not regain her balance and only stared at me.

“Are you all right?”

At my question, Ryu Dan-a blinked as if surprised.

-Heart-flutter at the level of 7 points……? Kwak Jae-gyeom, do not joke around.

At that moment, nonsense from either Cha Si-eon or Kwak Jae-gyeom rang in my ear.

“Ah…….”

Perhaps Ryu Dan-a finally came to her senses, because her lips moved.

Then, in the end.

“I’m not all right!”

WHACK—!

She rammed my chin with her forehead.

“……!”

At the powerful impact, I ended up losing hold of Ryu Dan-a.

CRASH—!

The sound of Ryu Dan-a falling rang out loudly.

But as if Ryu Dan-a was not even hurt, she nimbly got up again.

Then she righted the fallen chair with her foot, sat there, and crossed her legs haughtily as if nothing had happened.

“…….”

In the end, when I alone had become the injured person and was in pain.

-Do not upload useless analysis. Why is this important? Kwak Jae-gyeom, are you not paying attention?

……For some reason, Team Leader Cha began scolding Kwak Jae-gyeom.

But it seemed Jae-gyeom had something to say too.

Tap tap tap tap—!

Jae-gyeom’s typing hands grew busy along with that.

After some time like that.

In the end, Cha Si-eon sighed and said,

-Mr. Seo Do-un, I think we must suspend the interview.

What?

-A new excitation factor has occurred in No. 71, increasing the error rate, and it seems the brainwave analysis device was also shocked by the disturbance just now. They say data analysis is difficult at present.

What is he talking about?

So we are cutting it off here? When we have only just begun?

Flustered, I looked back and forth between Cha Si-eon and Kwak Jae-gyeom.

But both of them only shook their heads as if there was nothing to be done.

Even Ryu Dan-a joined in.

“I heard you well. Interesting. Not that I think you are particularly right.”

Dumbfounded, I turned to look at Ryu Dan-a.

Ryu Dan-a lifted her chin with a prim expression.

She looked exactly like a cat playing innocent while knowing everything.

Could she have caused a disturbance on purpose just now?

To break the device?

Impatient, I asked Cha Si-eon openly.

“Team Leader Cha, if we suspend the interview, when can we begin again?”

-We will not know until we inspect the device’s condition.

“How much can be analyzed in its current state?”

-They say only the signal strength can be confirmed. Analysis is completely impossible.

Do not be ridiculous.

We have not confirmed a single truly important thing.

My problem has only become more complicated.

And you are telling me to stop here?

To give Ryu Dan-a time to concoct lies again?

-Mr. Seo Do-un, first……

“Wait a moment.”

With my gaze on the floor, I cut off Cha Si-eon.

I felt that I must not stop here.

No, I could not stop.

The thoughts trapped inside my head accelerated as if searching for an exit.

I was curious.

If all my guesses were right, why was Ryu Dan-a being this stubborn?

What Ryu Dan-a had done until now.

Meeting me.

Selectively conveying information.

Confusing me and driving a wedge between me and the Bureau.

What on earth was the context of these actions?

If Ryu Dan-a’s objective was only exploration, was there any need to be this uncooperative?

Moderately providing information and building trust would also benefit Ryu Dan-a.

Then why?

Why on earth was she doing this?

At that moment, the words Ryu Dan-a had said flashed into my mind.

“I cannot say it.”

“I cannot say what it was or what it said. If I say it, I will die.”

What is this?

What is this?

With the sensation of my brain burning, I called Ryu Dan-a again.

“Ms. Ryu Dan-a.”

“Hmph!”

Ryu Dan-a pretended not to hear, but I paid no mind and asked.

“Are you not refusing to speak right now, but unable to speak? Because if you speak about them, you will die?”

“…….”

Ryu Dan-a fell silent.

Please.

Think. Think.

What is Ryu Dan-a hiding?

144 seconds.

The words I could have spoken during that short time.

The answers I would have heard.

The memory erased from my head, and even rebounding hypnosis.

I had spoken with someone.

They had intelligence.

The same went for the side of the “three creatures” that had wailed that they would tear me to death.

Among Special Zone entities, there are also entities with intelligence?

That was not a new fact.

Because there were mercenary entities that used strategy, however clumsily.

An internal conflict occurred among such entities?

This too was not new.

The conflict between 「Crow」 and 「Big Cat」 was already a confirmed fact.

Then what remains now?

What more can I learn here?

Wait, wait.

What is Ryu Dan-a debating in the first place?

Why is she debating which side to attach herself to?

Ryu Dan-a, you are human.

Why are you interested in a fight between monsters?

To attach yourself to the stronger side?

They are monsters either way. What are you going to do after attaching yourself to them?

You even said they are frightening.

Then you can just let the monsters fight among themselves.

What is the problem? Why are you stepping forward?

Besides, why is the Bureau missing from Ryu Dan-a’s options?

Simply because it feels unpleasant?

Because it feels unpleasant, she would rather choose the frightening side?

That makes no sense.

I understand that Ryu Dan-a feels antipathy toward the Bureau.

But does that become a reason to side with monsters?

If one is human, one should naturally side with humans.

Not because of morality or love for humanity, but because that is how one can live comfortably.

Because the world optimized for the species called human is, in any case, the reality beneath our feet.

No matter how elaborate a Special Zone is, it is only a remote island that imitates reality.

The moon may be beautiful, but one cannot live on the moon.

Is it different because she is a contaminated person?

Has a Special Zone already become a more satisfying foundation for her?

No.

It might be so for a contaminated person addicted to 「Imitation Rice」, but at least Ryu Dan-a is not that.

Ryu Dan-a, who likes luxury cosmetics and luxury clothes, still belongs to human society.

Then why is she testing the waters in a civil war taking place inside Special Zones?

When she is even in the position of being captured by the Bureau right now, why on earth?

Question marks filled my head black, then stopped abruptly at one moment.

Feeling that my mind had gone quiet, I looked at Ryu Dan-a again.

Then I asked again.

“Can they come out into reality?”

“Hah…….”

Ryu Dan-a, who had been stubbornly ignoring me, suddenly let out a laugh of disbelief.

Then she glanced at me once and murmured,

“I take back what I said earlier.”

Beepbeepbeepbeep—!

At that moment, a loud mechanical sound rang from Kwak Jae-gyeom and Oh Tae-o’s side.

But I fixed my gaze on Ryu Dan-a.

Ryu Dan-a was the same.

Looking at me, still smiling with her mouth, Ryu Dan-a said,

“Seo Do-un, you are not cute at all.”

With those words as the end, Ryu Dan-a vomited blood and collapsed.

“……!”

I caught Ryu Dan-a as she fell.

Ryu Dan-a collapsed weakly onto my shoulder.

Ryu Dan-a was far lighter than I had thought.

BEEEEEP—!

An ominous sound rang dizzily.

While I stood frozen under that unreal weight and noise, Kwak Jae-gyeom rushed over and undid Ryu Dan-a’s restraining suit.

Cha Si-eon also crossed over and began CPR.

For some reason, Oh Tae-o was sitting on the floor, trembling.

BEEEEEP—!

Even amid that, the warning sound continued.

Every scene before my eyes was like a nightmare.

---

Flop—

I threw my exhausted body onto the bed.

When I looked out the window in that state, sunset was spreading across the artificial sky.

It was an illumination that suited my current mood well.

Earlier, Ryu Dan-a’s heart had stopped briefly.

But with Cha Si-eon’s first aid, her pulse and breathing returned, and she was moved to the Medical Center while unconscious.

For some reason, Acting Team Leader Oh Tae-o was terrified.

Even while Ryu Dan-a was being carried away, he trembled and muttered to himself.

He repeated incomprehensible things like, “It makes no sense, how could this……”

Cha Si-eon and Kwak Jae-gyeom each moved to take care of Oh Tae-o and Ryu Dan-a.

Since I was in no position to help with anything, I returned to the lodging first.

So my day ended in a very awkward way.

It felt like riding a roller coaster, only for it to break down midway and force me to step down along the tracks.

As I watched the sunset in that unsettled mood, Ryu Dan-a’s voice came to mind.

“Because I made you.”

“Do not trust anyone. You are in an incredibly dangerous situation right now.”

“Hah…….”

I buried my face in the pillow and sighed.

I do not know what is what.

That alone was more than enough to confuse me, but the words Cha Si-eon had said the day before also came to mind.

“No, it failed. Both the core and the ring were destroyed.”

“And the core of 「Ant Hill」 was also destroyed.”

“Uuugh…….”

Being alone made thoughts pour out again, one after another.

Was it because I had overworked my brain too much earlier?

As if my brakes were broken, I could not stop the flood of thought.

It was when I was silently suffering under all kinds of idle thoughts.

The sound of the front door opening came from beyond my door.

I naturally thought Jae-gyeom had returned and sprang up.

Then I went out of the room gladly, but in the entryway, an unexpected giant thing stood instead of Jae-gyeom.

“Do you have a moment?”

It was Cha Si-eon.