Chapter 10
Unlike the chaotic research institute, the isolation room was calm, except for the softly echoing sound of the TV.
The TV was criticizing how dangerous the Gray Reaper was and how irresponsible it was to entrust such a dangerous object to a private research institute.
From what was being said on the broadcast, I was being portrayed as a being that could turn Seoul into a sea of fire and lure people into becoming monsters.
Even though I had hardly done anything in this incident.
Still, I did gain something from this incident. I was able to acquire one ability that the steel pig statue possessed.
It wasn’t particularly useful, though.
“There’s a strangely nice scent coming from the Reaper’s body today.”
While I was blankly watching TV in Yerin’s arms, she suddenly said.
“It doesn’t seem like there’s any smell, but somehow it feels like there’s this fragrance. Has something changed?”
Yerin hugged my head, puzzled.
Unlike the pig statue that entranced and drove people mad, I had acquired a degraded ability that was just ‘it smells nice.’
In fact, all the abilities I possessed were like that. Degraded copies of the abilities of the destroyed objects.
Except for the hint I got about the method of killing, all the abilities were those I had acquired from the objects I had eliminated.
Ghosting and physical immunity, too.
Just those two were more than enough, so I wasn’t out hunting for objects to collect abilities. Looking for objects just to acquire abilities was neither fun nor particularly bothersome.
“What in the world has changed? Should I go to the lab and analyze what the components are?”
Yerin was still carefully analyzing my newly appeared ability with skepticism. She was earnestly trying to figure out where the scent came from and if it was a tangible aroma.
I didn’t mind her bringing a portable analyzer close to my head, but when she suddenly licked my scalp to taste it, I panicked and ghosted away.
Did she not have any common sense that most tempting elements from objects are extremely dangerous?
Yerin’s endless exploration of the scent was abruptly ended by the arrival of Kim Jungrwi, who came to find her when she didn’t return to work.
As soon as Kim recognized the mysterious scent, he dashed out of the isolation room and returned with an oxygen mask.
He put one on himself, forcibly fitted it onto Yerin, and then dragged her out.
Then, he completely banned all access to the isolation room until the danger was revealed.
Of course, that ban was rendered useless as I used ghosting to slip out of the isolation room and happily roamed around the research institute like usual.
*
My goal was to enjoy an easygoing object life without any concerns, but lately, my days had been anything but comfortable.
The aftermath of the Seoul Forest Village fire incident wasn’t clearing up as quickly as I had thought, and today, a protesting crowd yelling through loudspeakers had appeared, making a mess in front of the institute.
The ongoing protests and pressure from public opinion had dampened the overall atmosphere of the institute.
It wasn’t just a day or two; with this atmosphere persisting, even Sehee Research Institute had started to feel strange.
Sehee Research Institute seemed to be doing everything it could to keep me around, but it didn’t seem like a particularly good choice.
It would probably be better to transfer me to the Central Research Institute as the protesters suggested and end this situation quickly.
After all, there was no physical way to confine me, who could ghost. It would be a simple matter of touring the Central Research Institute until I got tired and then returning.
Expressing such intentions was easy. I just needed to give Yerin, who likely thought I had communication abilities, a hint.
“Are you saying you want to go to the Central Research Institute? Why?”
Pointing at the photo of the Central Research Institute in front of sharp-eyed Yerin, she interpreted it well on her own. It was a bit unexpected that she made a face that looked like she was about to cry.
“Really? Are you really going to go?”
I nodded firmly, and Yerin wilted like a withered cabbage.
After a few rounds of hugging and patting her back, the life returned to her.
Not being able to speak made it quite challenging to console her.
“I see. So, you’re saying you want to go because the current institute is too noisy? You really don’t need to worry about that. Sehee Research Institute is quite a large institute, so it can handle this level!”
Well, I really thought it couldn’t handle it, especially since I didn’t think Sehee, the director, could endure it.
“Then I’ll go tell Unnie Sehee.”
Upon hearing that, the director of Sehee Research Institute summoned people for an important announcement and made an unexpected comment.
“Then let’s have a farewell party!”
As soon as the director’s order was given, the courtyard was instantly emptied, and a makeshift party area was prepared. I found myself seated up high like a baby during a traditional 돌잡이 ceremony.
Despite being called a party, they placed a cone hat on my head, which Yerin found amusing as she kept taking photos with her phone. A few people, thinking I wouldn’t understand their words, still offered their farewells.
Thus, my last day at Sehee Research Institute passed in a somewhat noisy manner.
*
In the early dawn, which had a hint of blue, Sehee Research Institute, typically noisy with protesters, was quiet this time.
Around me, employees from Sehee Research Institute lined up on one side, while the other side had members from the Central Research Institute clad in reinforced steel protective gear.
Unlike the light clothing of Sehee Research Institute, the Central Research Institute’s personnel holding transparent riot shields seemed a bit excessive. And in their tense atmosphere, I felt an oddly familiar vibe.
Thinking back, everyone at Seoul Research Institute had that same feeling. A tension as if death was nearby. Although, there seemed to be some fundamental differences from the Seoul Research Institute.
They grabbed me with a tool resembling a Sasamata and started dragging me away. The tool was one that firmly grasped my neck and limbs—wasn’t this a wild animal capture tool?
I could easily escape using ghosting, but I felt like I wanted to take a look inside the Central Research Institute, so I decided to endure and follow their lead.
They placed me inside a cage made of thick iron bars and started driving away from Sehee Research Institute.
The employees surrounding the cage were staring at me. Looking at their expressions visible behind translucent goggles, I could finally understand the differences.
While the employees from Seoul Research Institute were soaked in fear and exhaustion, these were figures that bore their fear but cloaked it in hatred.
They resembled the terrorists who had killed me with a bomb.
Looking at their stiff expressions, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the tour of the Central Research Institute was going to be quite a boring trip.
Well, if it ends up being boring, I can just return quickly.
*
Inside an office at Central Research Institute.
“This is a mess. Is this report supposed to be anything? There’s nothing here! Just endless useless chatter!”
“Still, shouldn’t there be something useful since it was submitted formally in writing?”
The deputy director of the National Central Special Research Institute was erupting with anger. What he was looking at was the report sent from Sehee Research Institute regarding the ‘Gray Reaper.’ The male subordinate seemed anxious that the director’s rage might turn towards him.
“Classification is half-hearted. No experiments have been conducted. Did we actually receive funds from the state for managing an important test specimen while handling it like this?”
The report from Sehee Research Institute was exceedingly lengthy and verbose, yet it contained almost no information that the Central Research Institute deemed important.
“They haven’t even attempted to experiment on whether it’s removable. They’ve only pretended to conduct isolation experiments, and they haven’t even tried exile! The management notes are ridiculously trivial things!”
The cautionary notes sent from Sehee Research Institute only listed favorite foods, furniture, and TV programs of the Gray Reaper.
The deputy director endured the rising blood pressure and read through the entire report. Then he reached a conclusion.
“There’s only one useful piece of information. It can ghost.”
“Excuse me? It can ghost? Doesn’t that mean it’s a specimen that’s difficult to contain, which private research institutes aren’t supposed to handle?”
“Well, it isn’t outright forbidden. The isolation rooms capable of containing ghosts are only in the Central Research Institute, so they mostly get sent here.”
The deputy director pulled out a small card resembling a business card from his pocket, signed it quickly, and issued an order.
“Redirect it to our special research institute as soon as the Gray Reaper arrives. The best way to contain an object is to trap it within an object.”
As he looked towards the subordinate leaving with the signed card, the deputy turned his gaze to the frame on his desk.
In that frame was an old newspaper article.
[Objects that suddenly appeared in Seoul Plaza led to numerous casualties before being shot. Is the management system of private research institutes okay just as it is?]
Looking at that article, the deputy director’s eyes glistened with hatred.
