Chapter 85

“There really is a lot to update…….”

The Head of the Research Support Division opened his mouth while turning over the meeting materials.

“An inter-entity fight between 「Alpha」 and the 「Execution Ant」, the shutdown of a core’s operation and the complete recovery of a contaminated person, and even 「Big Cat」’s female-form main body…… To think such major incidents were observed one after another in only half a month. What on earth happened?”

At the Head of the Research Division’s admiration, Manager Kwon Mu-seop smiled with satisfaction and said,

“All of it is Agent Seo Do-un’s achievement.”

“That is wonderful, our key man.”

At the words exchanged by the managers, the attention of the people sitting in the conference hall focused on me.

Ugh…… this is burdensome.

“And the crow. This should also be classified as a special entity. What should we use as its entity name?”

“How about simply 「Crow」?”

At the Head of the Research Division’s question, Kwon Mu-seop answered lightly.

“Good. Then what about its classification? Can we see this as a Type 1 entity?”

“So far, it has only been observed in Type 1 Special Zones. But because its place of origin has not been identified, it is difficult to conclude.”

“Hm…….”

The Head of the Research Division stroked his chin as if troubled.

“The places where this 「Crow」 has been observed so far are 「Warehouse Club」, 「Ant Hill」, and the 「Island」. All of them were when Agent Seo Do-un was there.”

“…….”

“And considering the incident of being pulled into 「Ant Hill」 in line with Manager Kwon’s preparations, and the fact that Agent Seo was transferred in front of the isolated Team Leader Cha while he was carrying snacks…… Should we take this to mean that 「Crow」 is accurately grasping Agent Seo’s situation?”

Once again, gazes focused in my direction.

For a moment, I felt a strange discomfort around my solar plexus.

At that moment, Oh Tae-o, who was sitting beside the Head of the Research Division, muttered,

“If it is certain that the one calling Agent Seo into Special Zones is 「Crow」…….”

“It is certain that there is a connection. It is also clear that the actions this 「Crow」 takes are close to goodwill.”

The one who responded like this was Kwon Mu-seop.

And these words were more declaration than inference.

A declaration from the Head of the Field Division that he would regard that unknown target as an ally.

“Or it may simply be hostile toward 「Big Cat」.”

But Oh Tae-o did not care and expressed his view.

“In any case, this is the first time entities have shown an opposing structure…… Though we did not observe it directly, based on the circumstances, it is almost certain that 「Big Cat」 and 「Crow」 fought too.”

On the 「Island」 where Cha Si-eon and I stayed, 「Big Cat」 and 「Crow」 had both been found by us with great damage.

They had each been found separately, but considering that 「Big Cat」 had been trapped at the end of the passage 「Crow」 opened, the possibility that the two had been in conflict was very high.

“On top of that, the opposition between the two entities is clearly visible during Intensive Suppression Week too…… So I tried organizing the timeline of 「Big Cat」 and 「Crow」…….”

Timeline?

“During the early part of this Intensive Suppression Week, all the mercenary entities focused on defending the 「Island」. But at the same time, Agent Seo Do-un and the Head of the Field Division were pulled into 「Ant Hill」, and 「Crow」 drove the two of you into the 「Ant Nest」. In the end, when the two of you entered the 「Ant Nest」, 「Alpha」 and 「Echo」, which had been on the 「Island」, crossed over to 「Ant Hill」…… Ultimately, when 「Ant Hill」’s core shut down, the mercenaries withdrew from there again. But whether it was 「Alpha」 or 「Echo」, returning to the 「Island」 took time, and in the meantime, Group 1 members on the 「Island」 obtained a fragment of the isolated 「Big Cat」. Once that happened, 「Big Cat」 came all the way out to A Area, where it normally would not even go near, and engaged in full-scale war…….”

When it was listed like this, it felt even clearer.

That 「Big Cat」 and its gang had been in enormous confusion.

They had to stop Group 1, which had stormed into the 「Island」, and they also had to stop Manager Kwon Mu-seop and me from approaching the core of 「Ant Hill」.

For 「Big Cat」, it seemed both were far too urgent.

Thanks to that, it failed to choose and focus, met disaster here, and met disaster there too.

Thus, it ended up losing both rabbits.

“At this point, it seems certain that 「Crow」 really screwed 「Big Cat」 over……?”

“Screwed it over” was an awkward expression.

As if 「Crow」 and 「Big Cat」 were people.

But Kwon Mu-seop seemed to like the expression, because he answered with a smile.

“Whether it truly screwed it over or not, we will know as we continue checking. How is ring production going?”

“The ring polishing will be finished by next Wednesday.”

The leader of Development Team 1 from the Research Division answered.

“As we initially told you, 2 rings at the same purity as Agent Baek’s ring, and 1 ring at about 58% of that level, are expected to be made.”

While Kwon Mu-seop nodded again, this time, the Head of the Research Division asked the Field Division side.

“Have the operation sites been decided?”

“If you look at page 11 of the materials, there is a list of operation site candidates. There are 4 in total: 「Hotel That Selects the Real」, 「Animal Farm School」, 「Meditation Center Where Bodies Change」, and 「Great Bridge Sunk in Fog」. Please refer to the table for the reasons for selection and discussion points.”

After that, various words were exchanged.

Today’s main meeting agenda.

Identifying the mechanism for shutting down the operation of Type 1 Special Zones based on the 「Ant Hill」 case and establishing a pilot operation.

To put it more simply?

Let us experiment to see whether other Special Zones shut off too!

For this, the Field Division, the Research Division, and even I were included and were busily meeting.

Of course, I was on the side that listened diligently.

And Kwak Jae-gyeom, sitting beside me, was extremely busy taking the meeting minutes in real time.

“Has the comparative experiment personnel been selected?”

“Yes. It has been confirmed as Yeon Ga-ram from Control Team 4, and 3 reserve candidates have also been designated.”

“And that agent’s profile?”

“It is on page 18. Among the volunteers, he is the most physically similar to Agent Seo Do-un.”

We all turned over the meeting materials together.

The Research Division had established two hypotheses about the conditions for stopping a Special Zone.

1. Contact between the core and a piece of 「Big Cat」.

2. Contact between the core, a piece of 「Big Cat」, and Seo Do-un.

Naturally, I thought it was number 1.

Common sense said it had to be.

Even so, confirmation was necessary, so it had been decided to conduct a comparative experiment.

By putting a ring on someone other than me and trying to stop the core’s operation.

In truth, there was no need to use someone closely resembling me for that experiment.

Even so, the reason they matched the conditions as much as possible was because of excessive caution, just in case.

The number of rings was limited.

On top of that, if the core was destroyed instead of the Special Zone shutting off, handling the aftermath would be troublesome in various ways.

So scientifically and unscientifically alike, we were pounding caution into it.

“Then the operation sites will be confirmed as 「Hotel That Selects the Real」 and 「Animal Farm School」.”

After the discussion, Cha Si-eon reached the conclusion.

Because there was nothing to argue over, the meeting proceeded smoothly.

With that, the broad framework was confirmed after 2 hours of meeting.

The rings would be completed next week.

After that, Response Team 1 would enter 「Hotel That Selects the Real」 and neutralize the Special Zone.

If a path to the core was secured, I would enter the 「Hotel」 under the escort of Response Team 3.

Wearing the ring, I would try touching the core.

If that succeeded in obtaining the same result as 「Ant Hill」, next would be 「Animal Farm School」’s turn.

However, this time, not I, but Yeon Ga-ram of Control Team 4 would be deployed.

If Yeon Ga-ram succeeded in closing the Special Zone using the same method, hypothesis number 1 would be confirmed.

If we came this far, then a truly new phase would open.

Throb—

“……?”

But what is this?

Since earlier, I had been strangely pressing my hand over my uncomfortable solar plexus.

At that moment, as if something had suddenly occurred to him, Manager Kwon Mu-seop said,

“Come to think of it, what is the condition of the rescued person from 「Ant Hill」?”

The rescued person from 「Ant Hill」.

He meant the woman who had been contaminated by 「Ant Lines」 and had had 40% of her body scattered.

And whom Kwon Mu-seop had therefore judged impossible to rescue.

Acting Team Leader Oh Tae-o answered this question.

“Ah, Observation Subject No. 26 is in good condition…… Her contamination level is still high, but there are no particular abnormalities, so we are observing her progress, and she herself is cooperative too.”

It had already been 2 weeks since 「Ant Hill」 stopped functioning.

But that woman, Observation Subject No. 26, was still being protected by the Bureau.

Because she was the only case in which contamination had healed on its own, closer observation was necessary.

Fortunately, Observation Subject No. 26 also wanted to be examined by the Bureau.

Since her body had scattered and then recovered, she too must need expert help.

It was when Kwon Mu-seop nodded and was about to move on to the next agenda item.

“Um, there is something I need to tell you regarding her…….”

One researcher sitting beside Oh Tae-o timidly spoke up.

“Hey, do not…….”

And another researcher tried to stop him from the side.

The two of them were junior members of the Research Division, so they had not said a single word throughout the meeting.

They had only taken notes on something or supported the team leaders by finding materials for them.

But when one suddenly stepped forward saying he had something to say, the people became puzzled.

“If there is something to share, say it.”

Kwon Mu-seop said generously.

Then that researcher swallowed dryly and spoke in a trembling voice.

“Subject No. 26 says she wants to contact Manager Kwon Mu-seop personally…….”

We doubted our ears.

“She said that if we cannot tell her the Manager’s contact information, we should at least give the Manager her number…….”

The researcher took some note out of his diary.

The conference hall became as quiet as if everyone had died.

In that silence, the people’s eyes were instead noisy.

The Head of the Research Division shot a glare at that researcher.

The Research Division employees, excluding Oh Tae-o, broke into cold sweat and watched Kwon Mu-seop’s expression.

On the Field Division side, Cha Si-eon stopped Kwak Jae-gyeom’s hand as he tried to type.

And Manager Kwon Mu-seop did not yet seem to have accepted the reality he was in.

As the silence stretched on, Deputy Manager Yoon U-jeong threw out a joke.

“Well, yes, handling complaints is important. Give the order, Manager!”

At Yoon U-jeong’s quip, Kwon Mu-seop, who had been frozen stiff, smiled weakly.

Then the others also began laughing one by one, and the atmosphere finally loosened.

After letting out a short sigh, Kwon Mu-seop said to the researcher,

“Explain to the subject that it is difficult due to regulations.”

“I did tell her that, but she begged me so much…….”

“Then just tell her he is a married man. What is the problem?”

At the researcher’s strange stubbornness, Yoon U-jeong said another word.

At this point, one would think he could understand.

But the researcher mumbled again, then suddenly shouted with determination.

“She is a really good person, so I truly hope you will meet her……!”

Oh dear…….

At that unexpected resolve, the atmosphere in the conference hall turned cold again.

“It is currently meeting time. Let us finish the meeting first.”

Unable to listen any longer, Kwon Mu-seop lightly brushed it aside.

With that, this happening seemed to have been settled for the moment.

---

But after the meeting ended.

“Manager, about that……”

“…….”

Amazingly, that researcher truly came to Kwon Mu-seop again.