Chapter 312
Chapter 312
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 312
Chapter Title: Preparations for Summoning the God
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* * *
The ceiling of the research building at Cure Medical Care split open with a grinding screech—*kiri-rik- drrrrk*—
A massive structure was revealed.
*Rumble rumble thump!*
Against the night sky of Busan, bizarre devices were arrayed.
If you ignored their enormous scale and futuristic design, they resembled the device in the attic of the Hungry Manor owned by Kim Shin-hwa.
The Clock of T.
Terminus (end, final, terminus).
The clock heralding the end of this world.
The Clock of T throbbed strangely in the night sky, interacting with the full moon emitting an eerie glow, signaling vital information.
"Yes. Today is the day."
At Akiyama's declaration, everyone in the control room sprang into synchronized action.
Spirit mediums manipulating Ouija boards, feng shui masters peering into geomantic compasses, and researchers operating computers—a bizarre sight all gathered in one place.
On the wall, a massive tank bubbled with fluorescent slime pumped up from deep underground.
And beneath the Clock of T.
A golden chain woven from hundreds of talismans and wards.
Encased within that chain was a brass mirror of strange shape.
"Inject power."
*Eeeeee—*
"Activate the mana stone circuits."
*Pzzzzzzt!!*
Eerie sparks erupted as the brass mirror shuddered.
This was the artifact containing a fragment of the [Origin of Life]—
A special item that could substitute for the medium, ritual, or sacrifice needed for the descent of an abyssal being.
The [Mirror of Wisdom].
However, unlike the [Sword of the Flesh] and [Jade Chains of the Soul] discovered by Kim Shin-hwa elsewhere, the [Mirror of Wisdom] had been shattered for some reason and was in an unstable state.
"Synchronization at 70%."
"Cannot proceed."
"Our prediction that the yin energy of the Taiyin full moon would help to some extent was correct—but we lack sufficient gold."
A briefing from the biomancers of Cure Medical Care.
"Is that so?"
He maintained his usual tone, but Akiyama's face twisted in a horrific manner.
The sudden intrusion of the Foreigner Management Agency had ruined everything.
If it had just been them, he might have considered using force, but Busan now had Yang Seo-ho.
And the reason Yang Seo-ho had appeared in Busan was—
"Kim Shin-hwa! That wicked bastard dragged Yang Seo-ho in, costing me my gold! My plan! The key to seeing my mother!"
He turned from the [Mirror of Wisdom] and rushed to the tank quietly bubbling in one corner of the control room, shouting.
"O [Origin of Life]! Ancestor of all species on Earth, bearer of the forms of all life upon the land, the eldest mother who first bore offspring, LUCA! Why did you bestow upon me this grave mission, only to summon that wicked extraterrestrial being?"
Akiyama still couldn't comprehend why the [Origin of Life] had called Kim Shin-hwa to Busan.
After decades of devoting everything he had in service, why him! Why! Why!
The [Origin of Life] did not answer.
It merely issued revelations, showed omens, and set karma in motion.
Or it just bubbled silently.
*Bubble—bubbling—*
Fluorescent slime boiling in the massive tank.
Akiyama's sudden outburst of rage.
"Mother! Mother of life! My mother! I will never let you be taken by that devilish Kim Shin-hwa! Just as I love you, you must love me!"
With a *shra-la-la-rak* sound, Akiyama's body swelled.
Snakeskin scales and tiger-like fur sprouted simultaneously from beneath his collar.
"Hiyoooooo! Hihyowoooo!"
A grotesque chant erupted from Akiyama's mouth.
The entire building shook with a *warrgle rumble*.
"Calm down, C.E.O.!"
"There's still time!"
The biomancers shouted amid the commotion.
"Haaak, haaak……."
Regaining his breath with effort, Akiyama slowly settled back into his original sleek, charismatic businessman form.
"Gold! Bring the gold! There's no tomorrow anyway! I must awaken Mother before Kim Shin-hwa arrives! With my own hands! Not Kim Shin-hwa! I will seize Mother's love myself, and that love will be equally distributed through me to all humanity, the remaining 2 billion people on this Earth!"
* * *
About 1 km away from Cure Medical Care.
Atop a large outlet mall's observatory tower.
"Uuum—nice view."
Led by Seo Cheon-seul's declaration that reconnaissance was needed, Park Gwang-rim had been dragged to the roof of the lighthouse-like tall observatory.
"W-What can you see?"
There were no obstructions nearby, it was true, but it was the dark of night.
All Park Gwang-rim could make out was the large Cure Medical Care building over there.
"Bahahaha—plenty."
Seo Cheon-seul brought his fist to his eye like he was holding binoculars.
But there was nothing in his hand.
Park Gwang-rim hoped this was some ritual gesture needed to activate his ability and replied.
"Th-That's fortunate. Oh, please don't move suddenly……. Uwaaaah!"
To repeat: not inside the observatory, but on its roof.
No proper footing, and damn it! Why was the roof slanted like this?
"Hmm? But those Kim bastards……. Hoo—how peculiar."
Instead of saying that, it would have been nice if he'd grabbed Park Gwang-rim a bit. Due to species differences, Seo Cheon-seul didn't grasp Park Gwang-rim's predicament.
Clinging desperately to Seo Cheon-seul, Park Gwang-rim barely regained his balance and asked.
"Is there a problem?"
"A wheeled vehicle loaded with a bunch of Kim bastards is heading out."
Straining his eyes, Park Gwang-rim could barely confirm that Cure Medical Care's main gate had opened and a large trailer was exiting.
"What do you think they're doing?"
"Who knows? But it's not those Kim bastards from earlier today. And it's not just Kim bastards. Something foul is mixed in."
The Kim bastards from daytime—meaning Ko Kyung-soo's team—weren't it.
And something foul mixed in meant vehicles carrying Cure Medical Care's mainstay modified humans or the yokai Seo Cheon-seul had pursued.
Finally grasping the situation, Park Gwang-rim activated his [Dowsing] ability to track their path.
"Where are they headed?"
The trailer was moving southwest.
Gijang is northeast of Busan. Southwest would pass Haeundae….
"Busan's key strongholds are all southwest. Hard to pinpoint from direction alone."
Seo Cheon-seul leaped to a logical conclusion.
"They're off to reclaim the gold taken by the Kim bastards."
This time, the Kim bastards referred to Yang Seo-ho and the Foreigner Management Agency crew.
"Thanks to one Kim bastard dragging in the other Kim bastards, those Kim bastards are in a bind. Sneaky Kim bastards, as always."
"You're saying Cure Medical Care is in trouble because Kim Shin-hwa brought in Yang Seo-ho?"
It wasn't clear if Kim Shin-hwa had foreseen even this and brought in Yang Seo-ho, but Park Gwang-rim was certain he had predicted the whole situation.
"We've bought some time thanks to it……. So, when's the Kim bastard arriving?"
"Kim Shin-hwa is……."
Park Gwang-rim dangled from Seo Cheon-seul's waist, wearing a pained expression.
"Not picking up his phone."
"He's coming, right?"
"No idea."
"Hmm……."
Before he knew it, Seo Cheon-seul had pulled out a long pipe and was puffing smoke.
'Goblins smoke when they're anxious too, huh.'
Thinking that, Park Gwang-rim reached for his own cigarettes but soon realized he'd misunderstood.
"Bahahahahaha—things are getting fun!"
*Whooo—*
Golden smoke billowed from Seo Cheon-seul's mouth.
Raising both hands as if receiving moonlight, he spoke.
"Do you trust the Kim bastard?"
Another inscrutable repetition of Kim bastard. Park Gwang-rim frowned briefly before asking back.
"You're asking if I trust Kim Shin-hwa?"
"Yeah."
Trust him? Of course.
Park Gwang-rim replied with a voice laced with loyalty, friendship, and a touch of cultish fanaticism.
"I do. What about you, Lord Thousand Gold?"
"This one trusts his friends."
"Kim Shin-hwa?"
"Nah, the Kim bastard."
Seo Cheon-seul pointed his long pipe at Park Gwang-rim as he said it.
"Me?"
"Yeah. Didn't the Kim bastard agree to be this one's friend? This one trusts the Kim bastard's judgment."
Oh, the trusted Kim bastard was me?
I'm deeply honored?
"I…… think Kim Shin-hwa will definitely show up."
Seo Cheon-seul grinned under the moonlight.
"Good. Then let's buy time until the Kim bastard arrives."
* * *
*Crack—creak—crunch—*
An eerie noise echoed in the Foreigner Management Agency's countermeasures headquarters in Busan.
No one assigned space here was ordinary. In another setting, any would lead a small group.
Yet all sat rigid, exchanging tense glances.
Anxiety.
Imagine a bomb beside you, never once detonating in the wrong place. But will it never happen again?
Fear.
A beast in the room growls, unpredictable when it might rampage. It has never bitten its master. But will it never?
Shin Woo-jin couldn't endure the headquarters' chilled atmosphere. He set down his documents and approached Yang Seo-ho.
"Team Leader, is something wrong?"
"Nope."
"Then why are you making that noise?"
"Hm? This?"
Yang Seo-ho lifted the lump she'd been kneading like clay.
*Crunch—squish—*
The gold material deformed ridiculously under her hands. No, not just golden.
Shin Woo-jin's hair stood on end, revealing hidden eyeballs.
"Isn't that gold?"
"Ah. Was it noisy? Didn't think of that."
*Thud.*
She casually set down a lump the size of a child's head.
"This…… is from the harbor confiscation today, right?"
"Yeah."
"Why is it here?"
"No room in the container."
The gold Shin Woo-jin had seized at Songjeong Port was in wooden containers.
Yang Seo-ho said there was no room in the container.
No room meant she wanted to put something else in.
And part of that gold was here.
Which meant—she'd removed the gold and used the space for……
Finishing his deductions, Shin Woo-jin whispered to Yang Seo-ho.
"What exactly did you put in the container?"
"Stuff from Buyeo."
They'd clashed with cultists in Buyeo and seized massive artifacts and heavy equipment.
"Was there just one or two things from there?"
"TNT."
"Huh? Didn't hear right?"
"TNT. You know, TNT."
"Eeee? Eh? Eeeee?"
Shin Woo-jin's hair bristled entirely, hidden eyes popping out in a cluster.
Trinitrotoluene.
In short, explosives.
Seized in huge quantities from Chilgapsan, where the cultists had been doing large-scale excavation.
Like a cat with fur standing on end, Shin Woo-jin yelled at Yang Seo-ho.
"Wh-Why did you put that in there!?"
"What was that guy's name again? The skinny one."
"Wh-Who? Akiyama?"
"Yeah, him. If that bastard's honest, nothing'll happen, so don't worry."
Shin Woo-jin's pupils shook violently.
"I-I-I'll go dismantle it right now!"
"Why? Leave it."
"It's a problem just having a bomb planted there, whether it goes off or not!"
No incident was still a problem.
A headline formed in Shin Woo-jin's mind.
[Foreigner Management Agency Plants Bomb at Busan Customs!!]
"If things go south, it'll hit the news again!"
"So what if it does."
"Ah, I hate seeing you treated like that everywhere—"
Before Shin Woo-jin finished, a *bang* sounded as a Foreigner Management Agency combat official burst through the door.
"B-Big trouble!"
"Oh, Hee-young. What's up?"
Im Hee-young, previously called the tall girl by Yang Seo-ho.
"Unidentified ability users have infiltrated Busan Customs!"
Shin Woo-jin stared at Im Hee-young and Yang Seo-ho with dozens of eyes.
Im Hee-young looked urgent, and…… Yang Seo-ho's form blurred instantly. Huh? Team Leader?
*Vroooom—*
Yang Seo-ho stirred a mighty wind as she prepared to deploy and said.
"What're you waiting for? Everyone deploy! Let's go watch the fireworks."
"Y-Yes!"
The combat officials scrambled up belatedly to prepare.
"To customs?"
At Shin Woo-jin's question, Yang Seo-ho pondered briefly before replying.
"Nah, better to rip off the nose right away."
"N-Nose?"
"Straight to Cure."