Chapter 89: Cataclysm
While I was returning through the gate, the gate in the plaza in front of City Hall kept mutating.
I kept checking the news on my smartphone, and the area already looked nothing like the old City Hall. Mountains and forests had suddenly sprung up, encroaching on the surroundings.
"Will the air get better, at least?"
The thought crossed my mind. A mountain and forest right in the heart of Seoul—it could happen.
But Hoya, as if reading my thoughts, smacked the back of my head.
Thwack!
Nyaang!
"Got it. I won't think like that."
Hoya and I were currently on a bus heading home. I hadn't brought the car earlier, since I had no idea what was going on at City Hall.
Nyaang. Nyang nyang.
"Go to the company? Why?"
Nyang nyang.
"Just shut up and go?"
Nyang!
That's what she said. No choice for me, then.
So, I ended up going back to the office after a long time.
"Oh my! Assistant Manager Choi—no, Section Chief Choi now!"
"Ah, hello."
I ran into our company's reigning beauty, the queen bee of the female staff, at the entrance.
"Oh, and this must be the famous Hoya!"
"Ah, yeah. But is our Hoya really that famous?"
"You didn't know? The 'Ho' in Siho Gate is this little guy, right? They're using Hoya as a mascot at Seon-woo's store these days."
"Our Hoya?"
"Yep. Hoya's blowing up on SNS right now. So, mind if I take a quick photo?"
"Well, our Hoya has a bit of a prickly personalit—"
Nyaang!
Hoya quickly dove into the woman's arms and pointed at me with her chin.
"Right, right. Our Hoya loves getting his picture taken. Total model material. Hand over the phone."
"Here."
Hoya struck various poses in her arms. I wondered if he really thought he was a model, but before I knew it, I was snapping away like crazy.
"Whew, that was intense."
"Hehe, thanks a ton."
She seemed thrilled. Come to think of it, her skin was glowing now. Hard to believe complexion used to be her one complex.
"Anyway, thanks for everything."
"No problem. Not like it's free."
"The president's been waiting for you. Head on up."
"Got it."
I said goodbye to her and headed to the president's office. But Hoya blocked my path.
"Hm? What?"
Hoya grabbed my clothes in her mouth and dragged me to one side. It led to the animal testing lab.
Nyaang. Nyang nyang. Nyang nyang nyang.
"What? Take all these guys to our territory? Suddenly?"
Nyang!
Hoya was dead set on it. What should I do? Why did Hoya want these animals? It made no sense.
But if Hoya was this insistent, maybe we needed them. Looked like I'd have to go along.
"Um... Director."
"Yes, Section Chief Choi."
"How do I go about taking these animals with me?"
"Well... We were actually planning to shut this place down anyway. Most of us researchers are quitting too."
"Suddenly? The feed company just decides to eliminate the animal lab?"
"President's orders. We're all about to be unemployed out of nowhere."
Something didn't add up. They didn't do unethical experiments on the animals. Sure, there might've been shady stuff in the old days, but not anymore. Welfare was top-notch here, and the animals were well cared for. Testing new feed was essential for a feed company, after all.
So why shut down the lab now? I'd have to talk to the president.
"I'll go discuss it with the president first."
"Sure, Section Chief."
I took Hoya straight to the president's office.
"What? Acquire the company? What am I gonna use for money?"
The moment I entered the president's office, he hit me with the wildest pitch: hand over the whole company to me.
"We can figure out the acquisition funds another way."
"What do you...?"
Honestly, the thought had crossed my mind. But this was sudden.
"What happened all of a sudden?"
"Well... Truth is, I want to enter your gate too."
"You want to join our gate? Why now?"
"I met Gi-hoon recently."
Calling Jeong Gi-hoon "Gi-hoon" showed the chaebol world was its own club.
"I met him too, but."
"He said the most promising future is securing a spot in your gate."
"What?"
"We don't joke around. To be frank, our families are quite close to the Jeong family—we're in a support role for them. And their conclusion was clear: migrating to gates sooner will make surviving this world way easier."
"Isn't that a bit extreme?"
It was extreme. The premise was that the world was doomed. But why think that?
"Do you really believe that?"
"I do. I don't see it straying far from Gi-hoon's predictions. In exchange for handing over the company, how about granting us a village in your territory?"
A village. Like the Gapyeong folks, they wanted to build and live in their own.
But did they know what Siho Territory was like? Even so, trading the company for a village didn't compute.
"You might not know, but even if you get a village, you'll follow my orders, pay taxes, and handle most things self-sufficiently—which means labor. You get that, right?"
"Of course. Nothing's free in this world."
"Hm, no downsides for me. But I won't accept anyone with bad character as a citizen. Agree?"
"I can promise no troublemakers. I'll handle village management myself."
"Alright then. How many people?"
"Around two hundred. About 40 households."
Reasonable size.
"Got it. Then later, come with me to pick a spot."
"Sounds good."
"Why shut down the animal lab, though?"
"Ah, not shutting down—moving them to your territory seemed more efficient, but the message got twisted. No need to clarify since you'd sort it out."
So, bring the animals and researchers to my territory. Made the most sense, actually.
"If you want specific animals, I can get more."
At the question, one popped into my head.
"Any chance of a panda?"
"Panda? Even I can't swing that. You know they're technically China's—they loan them out."
"Oh, right."
I thought they were gifts of friendship with ownership here. Classic narrow-minded giant, China.
"Lesser pandas, maybe."
"Lesser panda?"
Red pandas. As an animal lover, how could I not know them? Idols of the animal world. Top three cutest, easy. They only breed for one 24-hour day a year, numbers dwindling. About 5,000 left on Earth, from what I'd heard.
Nyaang! Nyang nyang! Nyang nyang nyang!
Hoya was ordering a red panda from the side.
"Why?"
Nyang nyang nyang! Nyang nyang.
Her point: bring as many endangered animals as possible to the territory.
Why endangered species?
"There's a reason, right?"
Nyang!
Yes, but no explanation forthcoming.
"Then get red pandas and as many endangered animals as you can."
"Endangered ones?"
"Yeah, Professor Hoya insists."
"Got it. I'll do my best."
"Then let's head to the gate soon. Manager coming too?"
"Of course. He's my fool of a little brother."
"See you shortly."
"Alright."
I stopped by the lab to sort out moving the animals and researchers. Luckily, the staff were on board with relocating to our territory. Professional movers would handle the animals.
After that, I took the president and manager through the gate.
"This is our territory."
"Whoa... A whole new world."
The president was awestruck the moment he stepped in. The manager's jaw wouldn't close.
Then Village Head Lee approached.
"Si-woo, I was just about to talk to you."
"Yes, Village Head?"
"One of our Dubon-ri families got hit by the City Hall plaza mess."
"Damage? How bad?"
"Not major—they lost their house. Asking if we can bring them to the village."
"Bring them. And these folks are starting a new village. Show them some sites."
"New village?"
"Yeah, a few more coming."
"Makes sense. I'm the old village head of Dubon-ri. You the new one?"
"Ah, yes."
The president and manager quickly followed Village Head on a tour.
Meanwhile, I went to the lord's office and tried talking to the gate.
"Can you hear me?"
Gooooong.
"Got a question. Answer if you can."
Gooooong.
Good, it was responding properly.
"Do gates each have unique personalities? Or are you just system appendages?"
Gooooooong.
Front one was right.
"So I can attack other gates?"
Goooong.
Up to me. Then no more answers.
"Something big's going down in the world... right, Hoya?"
Nyaang.
Hoya licked her paw intently, face saying she had no idea.
That wasn't ignorance. Something huge was happening—unfolding right now.