Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Lights Out at the Management Bureau # 6
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Even as I spoke, I realized my mistake.
If everything I'd experienced after activating the Reality Recognition Device was some kind of illusion or dream, then Section Chief Gwak Seong-ju was a fictional character.
Now that I thought about it, everything felt suspicious.
But suppose it was all real. Then how did I end up back here, and what did all those events mean?
On the flip side, if it was fake, my return here made perfect sense. In that case, Section Chief Jo Seong-chun shouldn't know anything about Section Chief Gwak Seong-ju...
Had I said too much? Regret washed over me, but it was too late. My head wasn't working right anyway. My sanity was crumbling; there was no way I could improvise properly.
"Section Chief Seong-ju?! You're one of his subordinates?!"
It worked?!
"Yes!"
I answered reflexively.
The fact that Section Chief Jo Seong-chun knew Section Chief Gwak Seong-ju—did that mean it was real? Or was the entire situation unreal?
It was confusing.
I couldn't tell.
Truth led to contradictions, and lies did too.
Time had passed since the lights went out in this underground facility, but I was more disoriented than when I'd first died here. The line between truth and falsehood had grown even blurrier.
But I...
Right now...
Had no choice but to rely on the man in front of me.
So I set aside the confusion and started acting.
"It was a nonstop chain of absurd events just getting here!"
"Explain, quick!"
I explained as I freed him from his restraints.
"Section Chief Lee Do-hyung!"
"Section Chief Lee Do-hyung?!"
As expected, he was shocked to hear the name.
"Yes! He cleared the path with the inspection unit!"
"Those sword-swinging bastards! Yeah! They actually pulled it off!"
Right now, Section Chief Jo Seong-chun's human outbursts were the only things keeping my mind grounded.
"Section Chief Gwak Seong-ju was out there blasting away with dual machine guns, fighting like a madman!"
"Aah!"
Section Chief Jo Seong-chun let out an emotional cry.
"The true counteroffensive has finally begun...!"
"The true counteroffensive?"
"The Management Bureau has always been trying to pinpoint the Fake Management Bureau's location! I got captured here while executing an op to track them down! Looks like it paid off!"
"Ooh...! What a sacrifice!"
So that's how it was.
The Fake Management Bureau had been desperately trying to locate the real Management Bureau.
...Wait?
Something was off.
They'd said the Fake Management Bureau didn't exist in reality. It was a monster that appeared out of nowhere. Meanwhile, the real Management Bureau was right in the middle of the city.
They couldn't find it...? Ah, right—they had some kind of protective barrier. That explained it. The Fake Management Bureau couldn't locate them because of that.
"Whew! Much better!"
Freed, Section Chief Jo Seong-chun straightened his clothes.
"Yeah. Once we have their location, we can launch a full assault anytime. Those damn Fake Management Bureau bastards are done for. You—what's your name? You've got potential, breaking through to here."
I almost blurted out my real name reflexively but gave a fake one instead.
"Thank you. I'm Lee Seung-cheol."
A solid alias.
"Alright, Seung-cheol! Let's get out of here!"
His call to hurry out made me freeze.
Unlike his hopeful assumption, there was no rescue op or full assault. It was all bullshit I'd made up. So I had to keep lying to guide him.
"W-Well, Section Chief Jo Seong-chun. Truth is, it's a bit of a problem."
"What?"
"We made it in fine, but... after that, everything went haywire. The floor suddenly gave way, and we dropped here."
"What...! Damn it all! So the op wasn't fully successful!"
"Looks that way. The Fake Management Bureau isn't a pushover."
"Shit!"
Section Chief Jo Seong-chun cursed and bowed his head.
After a brief pause, he suddenly turned to me.
"Hey. Hold up."
"Yes?"
"You, Lee Seung-cheol. Something's off about you."
What?
"You said you fell in suddenly. So how'd you know I was here?"
Sharp eyes.
That gaze reminded me of when the Management Bureau had captured me and extracted my brain. The interrogation in that grand conference room.
What was his name again?
Ah, right.
Section Chief Kim Jo-hak.
The same piercing stare.
Eyes that seemed to see right through me.
...Chills ran down my spine.
"Of course I didn't know for sure."
Improvising.
I strung together whatever came to mind.
"When Section Chief Jo Seong-chun got captured, didn't that trigger the rescue op? You'd naturally be imprisoned. I was disoriented after falling here too, but it looked like an underground detention facility, so I remembered my mission. I searched carefully and found you."
"Hmm... I see. Okay. Convinced."
Quick to buy it.
"Alright, let's get out first. Better than staying here, whatever's going on. They're under attack, so they won't have eyes on this place."
"Hope so."
"Let's go."
"Yes."
Somehow, I'd become a newbie Fake Management Bureau agent. Or at least, it felt that way. If I'd actually joined the Fake Management Bureau instead of the real one, this might've been it.
Thud.
Section Chief Jo Seong-chun stood at the door.
But... what happens if I go out with him? Do I have to break through that mad window world and get past Spandal from the start?
Tough.
Real tough.
He felt reliable enough, but conquering this insane containment facility wasn't something one regular human like Section Chief Jo Seong-chun could do. For now, I needed to chat him up, extract info, and cross-check it.
"Hoo! Here we go!"
The door opened.
I followed behind him.
"Section Chief Jo Seong-chun. As an agent, I shouldn't say this, but honestly, I'm scared."
"I'm scared too, you punk."
Sweat beaded on his forehead.
Even Section Chief Jo Seong-chun felt fear.
"I don't know what's in this detention facility... I haven't seen it yet, but I heard to watch out for Spandal."
"Spandal...! That crazy monster bitch!"
Notoriety like no other.
"Can't even count how many agents she's killed. She appears out of nowhere behind you and turns you into a pincushion. She's one of our high-risk targets. Stay sharp—she could pop out anywhere."
"..."
High-risk target.
So that's how the Fake Management Bureau saw Spandal.
"Yes. The Management Bureau database lists her that way too."
I subtly mentioned the database.
"Yeah... and plenty more. We might run into new ones here."
I needed more info.
Was everything I'd experienced a total illusion?
"Oh, there was this entity outside called Kurosna."
"Hah, that bastard. Well, they're hitting HQ, so all sorts are crawling out. This is their nest. Might even see Da-ganto, Jequion, and Gorgodio fusing together."
What the hell?
"But Section Chief Lee Do-hyung can handle them."
"..."
I wondered what it'd be like if Section Chief Lee Do-hyung really were here.
Thud.
Section Chief Jo Seong-chun stood before the outer door.
Just open that, and we're out.
The mad window world would greet us... For now, play dumb. Knowing doesn't help. I'm just a Fake Management Bureau agent who stumbled in here by chance.
Whirr.
The outer door opened.
Extreme tension. The mad windows and white hands would grab me again. I'd prepared for that.
"..."
Quiet.
Nothing.
Just a dark hallway.
What...?
All gone?
The windows? The hands? Spandal?
"So this is the Fake Management Bureau's underground prison... Disgusting, totally."
"Section Chief Jo Seong-chun. To be honest, I have zero intel on this space. How do we get out?"
"Wing it. Do what we gotta do. I'll take point; watch our backs. Got it?"
"Got it."
And so, I embarked on a bizarre adventure with Section Chief Jo Seong-chun.
Truly.
Bizarre.
Hugging the walls.
Silencing our footsteps.
Peeking around corners like infiltrators.
That's how we moved.
The Management Bureau's underground containment facility was a maze. When the lights were on, it hadn't seemed so vast, but now it did.
Then.
Ssk.
Section Chief Jo Seong-chun turned, signaling silence.
"Something's there."
Spandal...!
He peeked around the corner, face stiffening as he looked back.
"Back off. Back off. Quietly."
"Yes."
What the hell is it...!
I backed away carefully.
Shiver.
Goosebumps all over.
Peek.
A pure white face!
"Run like hell!"
"Yes!"
I spun and bolted with Section Chief Jo Seong-chun!
"Section Chief! What is that?!"
"No idea! Some entity or anomaly! Fuck! What kinda guard lets that roam?!"
We ran wildly. Pausing even a second, and the ghost behind would catch us.
But.
Peek.
Now a pure white face ahead!
"Ah!"
"Caught up?!"
Caught...?
No!
It's just that urban legend!
The one peeking from corners wherever you go!
"Fuck! If we had a weapon!"
Section Chief Jo Seong-chun roared.
"No choice! Fight back!"
"What?! But!"
"Don't give up till the end! Do something!"
He yanked off his tie and charged forward.
"Long live the Management Bureau! For humanity! Raaah!!!"
"Section Chief!!!"
Before I could stop him, he charged shouting his slogan...!
No way it'd work!
You can't beat an urban legend barehanded!
Chomp.
A pale woman with an impossibly long neck appeared.
"Urk!"
Section Chief Jo Seong-chun, mid-punch, got grabbed.
He struggled, but she seized his neck.
Crack!
She yanked it, stretching his neck like a ghost, face paling.
"Fuck...!"
Section Chief Jo Seong-chun down!
I had to bolt.
As I turned to run—
"Hey! I'm fine!"
"Huh?"
The long-necked, pale-faced Section Chief Jo Seong-chun turned to me.
"Hey! I said fight together—why'd you hang back, punk?! My neck stretched 'cause of you!"
"Th-That...!"
"Come on! Let's stretch necks together! And you lying sack! Yeah! You lied to me!"
"Wh-What lie...?"
"Damn! Totally fell for it! You're not a Management Bureau newbie—you're Fake Management Bureau! Fooled me good! You talk a big game, punk!"
"Eeek!"
Insane! Fuck!
Section Chief Jo Seong-chun turned into a ghost!
"Lied about your name too, you fucker!"
Run.
Nothing left but run.
Now two ghosts chased me. One long-necked woman, one stretched Section Chief Jo Seong-chun.
Boom!
Running, a massive crash echoed.
Glancing back, the containment room door shattered, something emerging.
[You have encountered the urban legend 'Cow's Neck.']
[You have encountered the 'Primate from the Unpleasant Valley.']
Useless detection!
I ignored it and kept running.
Only hope now: the lab. Last refuge. Gognija turned monster and the pink slime inside.
Ask Gognija about the Reality Recognition Device!
Peek.
"Hey! Fake Lee Seung-cheol! Where you going!"
"Uwaaah!"
Can I find the lab?
Ghosts appearing everywhere.
"Hoo! Hoo! Gotta focus!"
Desperate struggle to survive.
I forcibly shook off the brain-boiling terror.
Ignoring bizarre shapes in my vision, head down, running by feel, ignoring sounds.
"Ah!"
The lab!
Final sprint, slammed my ID, rolled inside.
"Containment Team Leader!"
I yelled, looking up.
Dark backdrop.
Same as before: Team Leader fused with displays, gobbling meds. Pink slime bubbling nearby.
It approached me, then stuck to the lab door. Not opening... blocking?
Click click.
Gognija tilted his head at me, pointing with his machine-fused hand.
"You... how..."
"Containment Team Leader! Activated the Reality Recognition Device! What now?!"
"Window... out..."
"Window?!"
Where's a window!
Then.
Boom!
Lab door exploded. Debris, smoke, dust. Splat. Pink slime chunks flew everywhere.
"Sti ll loo king for win dow?"
Spandal...!
No time to confirm.
"Win dows every where."
A grotesque voice, and—
Fwoosh!
Dozens, hundreds of windows covered the lab walls again. Crimson light poured from them, white arms emerging.
"H-Ha...!"
Dead end.
What now?
Die again?
Or worse than death?
Ssshh.
Things beyond cognition closing in. Block eyes and ears, wait for the monsters to kill me?
"Window... out..."
Gognija's voice.
"What window?!"
"Window... out..."
"What?"
Really the windows?
I scanned frantically. Floor. Walls. Ceiling. Covered in windows. Over a hundred.
No way.
One's the right one?
Odds if I guess?
Can I even?
"Huh?!"
Goosebumps exploded.
Among swirling crimson windows with white hands, one 'normal-looking' window!
That it...?
"Hey! Stop hunting windows and come here!"
Long-necked Section Chief Jo Seong-chun approached.
No time to think.
Kicked off and ran.
Toward the normal-looking window!
"Uwaaaaaah!"
Threw myself at it.