Chapter 817
Chapter 817 – Room 303, Cursed Room – ‘Time Machine’ (6)
— Kim Muk-seong
This is Incheon Port.
Right now, I’m occupying the warehouses around the harbor with two teams from the Management Bureau’s Strike Team.
— This is Alpha, checking Warehouse 11. No targets.
— This is Delta, Agent, I’ve detected noise coming from Warehouse 3.
Honestly, there were no difficulties in getting here.
That’s because I’ve already experienced the operation currently in progress before coming to the hotel.
My son, Kim Su-ho, who was swept away by the madness of a sinister power.
I wrapped up the aftermath of his incident even before we came to the hotel.
This isn’t a failure from the past; I’m simply repeating an operation I succeeded in before, so why would I fail?
If anything, I was just exhausted from hastily slowing down the pace so it wouldn’t be too obvious.
“That’s a trick. Something feels off about Warehouse 5; check it.”
— Warehouse 5, got it.
The command I just gave is a great example.
I feel sorry for the Strike Team soldiers who follow my orders to the letter, but the mention of Warehouse 5 is a lie to buy time.
— This is Delta, we’ve found two corpses at Warehouse 5. However, the target seems to be elsewhere.
It’s better to proceed at this point.
“There’s a sinister aura of chaos coming from Warehouse 11. Surround it.”
— Warehouse 11, encircling now!
Warehouse 11 is also false.
However, this order wasn’t meaningless.
I’m gradually narrowing down the places where my son could hide.
Yeah, I know exactly where my son is.
I’ve caught him once already; if I didn’t know, that would be the real puzzler.
…
Before entering Room 303, I had a conversation with my benefactor.
Is my son a sacrificial lamb of the Management Bureau’s harsh decisions? Or has he truly become a corrupted being?
If it’s the former, then my hasty decision caused a horrific tragedy.
If it’s the latter… it means I knew nothing about my son.
Either way, it was horrifying.
So horrifying that I didn’t want to see the conclusion.
I was afraid of the moment I would reunite with my son.
But still, no matter how scary it is, there are times when you have to face the end.
“… Target detected. I will be entering.”
— Whoa! Agent, you need to wait until we join you—
— Beep! All systems shut down.
*
The surroundings were quiet.
— Crash!
Maybe that’s why my footsteps felt quite loud.
Well, even if it was quiet, it seems the heavy sound would have been there anyway.
“… Su-ho, I know you’re here.”
There was not even a breath in response.
“You need to come out now. If you get caught by the Strike Team, I won’t be able to save you.”
— Rustle!
“You have to get caught by me. Only then can I exercise my discretion.”
A figure flickered behind the dark shadow.
Position-wise, my son wouldn’t be able to see me, but he was clearly visible to me.
He looked like a man in his 30s.
Although he was originally well-built like me, now he was nothing but bones.
It seemed he hadn’t had a proper meal for over a month.
Just by glancing, I could see his body was painfully frail.
However, the gaze in his pale face was still vibrant.
“The Management Bureau has concluded that you’re conducting an evil magical ritual. The number of victims is at least nine.”
“…”
“It’s a provisional conclusion. It’s not certain.”
Unfortunately, the phrase ‘provisional conclusion’ holds little significance for the Management Bureau.
In terms of responding to chaotic disasters, the Bureau always maintains an extreme stance.
If there’s suspicion, that alone is a capital offense.
“As you know, if you were an ordinary person, you should already be dead.”
“…”
“But agents have a high level of discretion. Therefore, you still have a chance.”
“…”
“Surely, a grotesque being has twisted your body and mind.”
For the first time, an answer came from beyond the darkness.
“Father, I am perfectly fine.”
People swept up in chaotic disasters often lack awareness of their madness.
“It’s okay. If it’s a physical issue, we can tear out the tainted parts and fix it.”
“Father…”
“If it’s a mental issue, it’s even easier. There are very powerful means of recovery. No matter how intense the madness, it can be healed.”
At that moment, a pale-faced man turned away from the darkness with a faint smile.
“Father, you don’t intend to listen to me, do you?”
“Whether it’s a physical problem or a mental one doesn’t matter.”
“You already think I’m crazy. We aren’t conversing, I’m just monologuing.”
“… I know you. I raised you, there’s no way I wouldn’t know.”
“Really?”
“You may not be a saint, but you’re a good citizen. There’s no way you’d suddenly harm others with an evil heart. Surely, a demonic being has seduced you—”
At that moment, the figure in the darkness burst out of hiding.
— Crash!
An outrageous leap and lightning-fast movement.
Though he was undeniably skinny, within him was almost a strength reminiscent of a gorilla.
… Unfortunately, that movement was clear evidence that something had gone wrong with my son.
“…!”
My son’s eyes filled with confusion as he finally spotted me.
It’s no surprise he’d be shocked to see his father wearing something like a spacesuit after such a long time.
I came in a protective suit.
— Bang!
“Gah!”
The fight ended in an instant.
My son’s physical abilities were quite commendable, but that was only to a certain extent.
How long has it been since that kid obtained the powers of chaos?
A month? Half a year? At most, two to three years.
I’ve spent at least three lives fighting against demons.
Even before arriving at the hotel, I had easily subdued my son.
The protective suit is merely a tool for quickly subduing without inflicting major wounds on either side.
“Cough! Huh…”
“Stay still. You’re pretty strong, but it’s useless.”
“Huh… Aaaah!”
“Your eyes are gradually turning redder. It seems you’ve been thoroughly seduced by a grotesque existence.”
“Ugh…”
So far, the developments weren’t vastly different from the past.
However, after this point, my memory becomes vague.
Ultimately, it’s certain my son died, but I don’t know the exact process he went through to die.
Did I take him to the Management Bureau?
Could the Bureau’s technology not restore his body and mind?
So did either the Bureau or I dispose of my son?
As numerous possibilities swirled in my mind, I got lost in thought.
“Hmm?”
A new variable that didn’t exist before but exists now—my new ability revealed its presence.
「Listen to the True Heart.」
*
— Kim Ari
As I live multiple lives as an agent, I often think this.
The life of an ordinary human is fleeting.
A lifespan of around 80 to 90 years at best, and that’s assuming one is healthy.
With no reincarnation, many spend their remaining years in fear as their time limit approaches.
Clearly, these beings were weaker than us.
Not simply because they lack strength, but because their lives inherently had to be frail.
Sometimes I think.
Isn’t one of the reasons I love my mother because she ‘made me special’?
…
A significant number of agents rarely remember ordinary people.
It’s common to confuse their names even after meeting them five or six times.
Our attitudes often lead to misunderstandings.
‘You think an insignificant name of a mortal is worth remembering?’ is the most common reaction.
In reality, our genuine emotions are closer to fear or sorrow rather than a sense of superiority or elitism.
Before experiencing death, no one can be certain of their reincarnation.
Thus, agents too lived their first lives with the emotions of ordinary people.
This means that they had families they genuinely loved.
Everyone has painful experiences of parting.
Not wanting to repeat the same experience, agents naturally distance themselves from ordinary people.
Civilians are merely targets to be protected in their line of work, not entities to be treated sincerely.
…
In this regard, the woman in front of me was truly special.
She was an ordinary person who had won the heart of an agent.
“Hello. My name is Ha Su-yeon.”
“…”
“You’re here from the Management Bureau, right?”
“That’s right. Miss Ha Su-yeon, I am Aleph.”
Aleph gave me a sidelong glance.
It was a cue to introduce myself.
“I am Kim Ari.”
“Yes, y-yes…”
She seemed quite shaken.
There was no strength in her voice when she responded.
It’s understandable since a Bureau agent suddenly barged into her home.
“Ahem, Miss Su-yeon. There’s no need to be too scared.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course. Ah, is that photo over there taken at school?”
“Yes. It’s a photo from when I graduated from high school.”
While Aleph was trying to ease the atmosphere, I took a look around.
In 1976, Su-yeon was a college student in her first year at a Korean university.
However, it was somewhat peculiar that there were no traces of other people’s belongings in her home.
What’s strange about a woman living alone?
The background isn’t the 2020s; it’s the 1970s.
It’s not common for a young college student to live alone in such a large house.
Well, enough of the background check, let’s get to the main point.
“Wow, your friends are all beautiful!”
“Oh my! Aleph, you too—”
“Su-yeon. Let’s cut to the chase.”
“Yes, yes!”
“Did you board the Galaxy Train?”
“Eh?”
“Are you unfamiliar with the Galaxy Train? How about the Parinirvana Train?”
“…”
“It doesn’t matter what you call it. You boarded a train that can take you time traveling or to another world. Isn’t that right?”
“… I-I didn’t do anything bad.”
Even when I thought about it at the wedding, standing next to Muk-seong while wearing a wedding dress, Su-yeon’s appearance can be described as that refined image of a Seoul lady with a touch of sophistication.
She was quite beautiful and looked extremely kind.
Of course, it’s ridiculous to judge good and evil based solely on appearance.
The man, who is living proof of that, spoke up.
“Miss Su-yeon, relax. I’m not here to threaten you; I just want to ask a few questions.”
“…”
“How did you board the train? In fact, that’s what I’m most curious about.”
“…”
“Honestly, please tell me. We are all good people… you know what I mean, right?”
“… Please believe me, even if what I’m about to say sounds ridiculous.”
“A ridiculous story? That’s perfect. I’ll listen.”
Su-yeon’s first words were somewhat bizarre.
“My late father was a person from the distant past, from the dynasty era.”
“…”
“I can’t prove it or anything. It’s just something I’ve heard—”
“Don’t stop. Keep explaining. I’ll listen.”
“… My father said he rode a strange carriage in his youth.”
“…”
“It was a carriage on the outside, but once I got inside, I found myself in a strange steel box I had never seen before. Now I realize it was a train, but back then, I didn’t even know the word train.”
“…”
“As I wandered around blankly, an employee appeared and said the train was currently out of order for some reason…”
“Just like us?”
“Eh?”
“Aleph, don’t interrupt.”
“I’m sorry. Please continue your explanation.”
“I had a strange adventure. Looking back, it was filled with incomprehensible events. I got off at various stations, acted oddly, and got back on repeatedly.”
“Hmm…”
“Then the employee said, ‘Thanks to you, the train repairs have progressed a bit.’”
So, Su-yeon’s father contributed to the train repairs.
“You must have suffered, so you should be rewarded. I’ll drop you off at the station you want. Also, I’ll give you a return ticket to board the train again whenever you wish.”
Two rewards for contributing to the train repairs.
The right to get off at her desired station and the right to board the train again later.
“My father said to me, ‘What is life really? If I can meet a beautiful wife and live well for a lifetime, that’s enough.’ Later, my father said he made a huge mistake.”
“A mistake? What do you mean?”
“The train dropped my father off right after the Korean War.”
“No way…”
I was momentarily speechless.
After the Korean War, does that mean he was dropped off in the mid-1950s?
Is being dropped off at that time considered ‘a reward’?
Aleph muttered with a blank expression.
“After being dropped off in the post-war era? Didn’t he have to rewrite the boarding ticket? Shouldn’t he have asked to get off at a better station?”
“Actually, it didn’t work that way. There were two reasons.”
“Two reasons?”
“First, it was a chaotic period, so someone like my father could easily get mixed up.”
“Hmm, that’s reasonable.”
“Second, he met my mother.”
Hearing that, it was slightly understandable.
A chaotic period where the ambiguous identity of a time traveler could be easily hidden, and an era where fateful love awaited.
From that perspective, it could be seen as ‘compensation.’
Anyway, this conversation provided two key pieces of information.
1. The Parinirvana Train is out of order. It can be repaired with the passengers’ help.
2. If you contribute to the repairs, the Parinirvana Train will provide rewards.
“So your father left you a boarding ticket as an inheritance when he passed away?”
“… I received the ticket much earlier. He said, ‘I lived a good life, so I hope you do too. When life feels overwhelming, the boarding ticket will help you.’ That’s what he said.”
“He sounds like a good person.”
“Yes…”
“I roughly understand your father’s story. The issue is what comes next. Su-yeon, why did you use the boarding ticket?”
At that moment, Su-yeon’s expression turned pale.
“… To survive.”
“What? Is someone trying to kill you?”
“…”
“Speak calmly. We might be able to help you.”
“… The person who killed my father.”
“What?”
“The person who killed my father. They’re trying to kill me too.”
*
— Kim Muk-seong
…
…
…
Right after the announcement to listen to the True Heart, I heard a voice I could not comprehend.
A voice filled with resentment and hatred.
“Don’t lie…! I heard it from my deceased mother. It’s you, isn’t it? You… you killed my grandfather, killed my mother, and now you’re trying to kill me too… You never intended to save us, did you?!”
It was a bizarre story.
