Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Agent Training #3
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I shuddered at Spandal's bizarre imagination, and just then, the elevator arrived. Elevators always reminded me of Cheongak Mary Hospital. Feeling a twinge of tension, I stepped inside.
"If the kids saw something like that, they'd go insane. They could never grow up to be normal adults."
A child who frequented a freak zoo like it was their own home from a young age could never become a fresh new worker in society. That innocence would be tainted with evil, and before long, they'd turn into devil children.
"Then they'd become agents."
Spandal said with a sinister grin.
The elevator soon reached the basement. When the doors opened, a dark hallway stretched out, not a single light on. It looked dangerous and ominous at first glance.
Perfect atmosphere for locking up freaks.
"Anyway, so there are monsters captured by the Management Bureau down here. Why capture them? In my opinion, it'd be better to just eliminate them than keep them locked up."
"There are all sorts of reasons."
I followed behind Spandal as she explained.
"Phenomena anomalies. Freaks. Materials we can get from those kinds of monsters."
"Materials?"
"Very special stuff. Some give us the power to fight anomalies. Others keep the Management Bureau running."
"So we lock them up because they're useful, and... extract something?"
"Exactly."
"Extract how?"
"Torture."
An ominous laugh.
"Pardon?"
"Extracting what we need while they're locked up... it's pretty much torture, don't you think?"
She said it like she was having the time of her life, but thinking about it, she wasn't wrong.
Keeping monsters locked up down here and extracting stuff from them. I don't know the details, but it sure seemed like torture. Humans really are scary. From a freak's perspective, humans are the real freaks.
"Or cases where we can't kill them. Or they respawn somewhere we don't know about if we do, so we isolate them."
"Hmm... The first type sounds like infinite regenerators. The second... they respawn in some unknown spot if killed, so better to capture them?"
"Huh?"
Impressed by my sharp insight, Spandal stopped and turned to look at me.
"You're smart. I'm impressed. Want to make contact with an unknown entity without your senior's help?"
"Pardon? Wait!"
—Zzzt.
The wall slid open. Like the door of an SF spaceship, sliding to the side with a whir. Before I could react, Spandal shoved me in, and the door shut.
"Hey! Open the door! You fucking bitch!"
—Bang bang bang!
It wouldn't open!
—Zzzt.
Another door opened. Another dark room, no lights on. I'd just heard terrifying things from Spandal, so fear washed over me, but I shook my head and turned around.
Right, a test.
Throughout history, the way to shut down a nasty senior is to show competence beyond their imagination.
"From what I can see, you can probably watch everything happening inside, so I'll narrate as I move. Heading into the room now."
I said that and stepped inside.
It was too dark to see well without lights, but roughly a 10-pyeong room. In the center was something utterly grotesque.
A pillar as thick as a mature tree.
Covering its surface were countless human molars sprouting densely!
"Eeek...!"
Insanely disgusting sight!
"What the hell is this!"
And that wasn't all.
—Wriggle.
The teeth seemed to be growing continuously. I had no idea how, but maybe infinite teeth sprouting from that pillar thing?
As I stared at the horrific scene, I realized it was time to test my new ability.
Detection skill.
Ah.
There was already a small window in the corner of my vision. The teeth's visuals were so shocking I hadn't noticed.
...
That was it?
No other info?
"Argh!"
A 3,000-point skill, and this was all it did?!
In unspeakable shock, I was about to foam at the mouth and awaken as a foaming ability user when I snapped out of it, realizing at least I'd learned its name.
Ever-Growing Gum. True to its name. Some freak creature's gum, with infinite teeth growing.
So, what now?
"The teeth seem to keep growing... Won't they eventually fill this room? I think we need to remove them before that happens."
The moment I said that.
—Zzzt.
The door opened, and Spandal came in.
"Good eye? Figured you'd observe it."
"Ah, Senior Spandal! You scared me! Shoving me in alone!"
"It's safe, that's why... Sheesh. You don't appreciate your senior. It was sudden, but now you have experience."
Experience my ass—I wanted to hit her with muscle destruction right then.
"And it sounded like you said something harsh."
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"Definitely some curse words..."
"Senior Spandal! That's not important right now! What is this thing? Something with endlessly growing teeth, like I said?"
"Yeah. Exactly."
Yes!
I'd perfectly diverted attention!
"Right answer. We call it the Tooth Tree. As you see, teeth keep growing? Cool, huh?"
"Not cool at all. So, what's the use that makes it worth containing?"
"Guess."
"Hmm."
Any use?
No clue.
"No idea."
"Hehe, time to teach my junior the truth of the world."
"The truth...?"
What truth?
"We collect these teeth. Make dentures or gum for dentists. Funds the Management Bureau. A form of creative economy, right?"
"Aaah!"
I'd glimpsed the world's secrets and went completely mad. My mind was consumed by horrific madness—I'd never set foot in a dentist again.
"N-No! That's bullshit!"
"It's true."
"I'll ask Senior Jamtree!"
"Go ahead."
She lied without changing expression.
"Ugh... Fine. Anyway, how do we remove it?"
"Simple."
Spandal raised her hand.
And.
—Slash!
Sharp thorns sprouted from her hand.
"Whoa!"
So this is a thorn ability user?!
—Swish.
Spandal extended the thorns longer, stabbing them between the teeth. She twisted them expertly, pulling out molars.
—Plop plop.
Molars fell to the ground. Utterly gross and unpleasant.
"Seeing the molars fall like that... doesn't it give you ominous thoughts?"
"W-What are you getting at now."
"You know in serial killer dramas, the murderer collects victims' teeth."
"You're with the fake Management Bureau!"
"Rude. Anyway, tools over there. Pull the teeth and fill the box. Normally Containment Team work, but you're doing it today."
"Ah, okay."
"By the way, it's the easiest job for the Containment Team. Don't struggle?"
"Got it. This is a breeze."
I opened the cabinet in the corner as instructed and got the tools. Perfect for quickly extracting the densely packed teeth.
—Crack!
I swiftly pulled the gross teeth. The holes left behind were creepy. New teeth seemed to be growing from inside.
Ignoring the blood trickling out, I put the teeth in the box.
Not as easy as it looked.
Spandal did it effortlessly with thorns... How strong are they? She was stroking her thorns like filing nails.
In the dark, grooming her thorns—it matched her eerie vibe, like a witch.
"What're you staring at?"
"Those thorns. Super strong, like Gorgodio or Senior Quras?"
"Hehe, I'll show you someday."
"Does Senior Spandal fight too?"
"Often. Surprisingly, I'm combat personnel."
Stabbing like a zealot with those thin thorns? Hope she'd yell "For aye!" if she went for my throat. And "Orollorollo" when collapsing.
"Whew, done."
All teeth from the Tooth Tree removed.
"So what do we do with these? No gum stories."
"Sigh. You don't trust your senior."
"Tell me the real use quick."
"Grind 'em up fine and sell to fill empty urns. Sometimes ashes don't leave much after cremation, so they fill it."
Stop bullshitting!
Does she live on the World Politics Bulletin Board?
"Done? Carry it and follow. More work."
"That's the real reason, huh."
I ignored the bullshit and followed Spandal.
We arrived at another room.
—Zzzt.
Door opened. This time we entered together. Hazmat suits hung on the wall.
"Suit up. Carefully. Read the rulebook on the side first."
"Yes."
Rulebook on the wall.
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1. Supply teeth regularly.
2. Never expose bare skin.
3. Never open your mouth.
3-1. Communicate via sign language during operations for the above reason.
4. Do not show fingernails or toenails.
5. Cover entire body with hazmat suit.
6. Ensure Tooth Fairy cannot exit the room.
7. Tooth Fairy gives a well-packaged gift box after feeding. Origin and method unknown. Seek Isolation Team Lab permission if investigating.
8. Contents of received gift boxes are often unidentified; seal in box and deliver to Isolation Team Lab.
9. Do not mistake Tooth Fairy's gifts as 'thanks,' or feel attachment/closeness. If you think you've bonded with Tooth Fairy, visit Management Bureau Mental Health Team immediately.
10. If you have dentistry experience, never enter.
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"Simple. Memorized it. Looks like we feed these teeth to monsters called Tooth Fairies."
"Go for it."
"Yes."
I suited up and signaled readiness with rough sign language. Spandal opened the door, and I entered the Tooth Fairy containment room.
—Flap flap flap!
Like moray eels.
Grotesque, arm-thick freak worms with dragonfly wings fluttered around. Insanely gross. Even grosser: two slender human-like arms on the upper worm bodies.
My box was full of freshly pulled teeth. I scattered molars like feeding pigeons.
—Splash!
—Flap flap flap!
Tooth Fairies went berserk, devouring the scattered teeth.
Fuck... Containment Team raises shit like this for a living? Whoever they are, not normal. Probably nuts like Senior Spandal.
Missed Gorgodio and Quras.
—Crunch crunch.
All teeth gone.
—Whoosh.
The biggest Tooth Fairy flew at me. Somehow holding a pink box bigger than itself, neatly wrapped in green ribbon.
—Flutter flap!
It buzzed around me like demanding I take the gift. I almost felt fondness... but remembered the rules.
[9. Do not mistake Tooth Fairy's gifts as 'thanks,' or feel attachment/closeness. If you think you've bonded with Tooth Fairy, visit Management Bureau Mental Health Team immediately.]
[3. Never open your mouth.]
Opening my mouth to say thanks would fuck me up.
I took the gift silently.
Felt like a basketball inside.
About that size and weight.
I slipped out before Tooth Fairies followed.
Confirmed door shut, doffed suit, and exited.
Clap clap clap. "Well done. You've completed the two safest tasks of the Management Bureau Containment Team. Congrats."
"Piece of cake."
"Low-risk entities anyone can handle. Still, tense. Thought you might say thanks."
Knew it.
"Of course not. I'd never be that careless. No way I'd greet it when teeth can't be shown."
"..."
Why stare like that?
"There are dangerous ones too, right?"
"Yeah. Even Containment pros risk their lives for those. That's their job."
"..."
Containment Team is hardcore.
"Anyway, Senior Spandal. Tooth Fairy gift."
"Cute. Wanna open it."
"No way."
"Take it to Isolation Team Lab, and containment training's done for today."
"Very educational."
Today's lesson: Never join Containment Team.
"You'd make Containment lonely if you joined elsewhere."
"Not joining."
"Really not?"
"Yes?"
"Reeeally reeeally reeeally?"
Huh?
"What...?"
"Even if I just... open this?"
—Whoosh!
Suddenly Spandal snatched the box. Slashed the ribbon with thorns, opened it.
Not a basketball.
"Huh?"
Spandal's head.
Severed head.
Eyes embedded all over, staring at me.
"Senior?"
I looked up.
Suit-clad woman standing headless.
And.
"M-My heeeaaad iiiis shaaaaken ooooff aaaah!!!"
Severed head screamed.
Headless body staggered forward, grabbed my face.
—Crack!
.
.
.
[You have died by having your head pulled off.]
[Death Count: 11 → 12]
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[Restarting.]