Geocaching #2
"I don't get why that guy likes Department Head Lee Do-hyeong so much."
"It's not that he likes him. He's using him as a measure of strength. Anyway, what kind of weapon is it? I'm quite looking forward to it."
As expected, the Bureau had weapons designed for dealing with major anomalies. Though that was only natural. They were an organization that fought anomalies, after all. It would be strange if they didn't have proper weapons. The absence of such weapons would be the odd thing.
"In truth, they're a bit ambiguous to call weapons."
"Pardon?"
"Generally speaking... it's extremely difficult to eliminate anomalies that defy understanding. You have to follow specific rules or find something that works against them."
"That's right. Things that can be handled with guns seem relatively easy in comparison."
"Exactly. Vampires are a prime example. They're the kind that can be dealt with through straightforward combat."
"Yes. Though that doesn't mean vampires aren't dangerous."
Vampires were extremely dangerous creatures. Likewise, the descendants of the Singing Star... physical weapons had worked on them, but only barely. The military had been defeated in an instant, and the world had been eroded.
"So when you encounter an unknown anomaly that ordinary weapons don't work on, these are the things you can use conveniently."
Jaaldi opened the safe and took something out.
"This is?"
It looked like some kind of cube. No, it really was a cube. An ordinary cube with six differently colored faces.
"It's a cube with anomalous properties."
This is a weapon?
"You could call it an anomaly in the shape of a tool."
"An anomaly in the shape of a tool...!"
"Well, there are real weapons, but they require high-level authorization, so let's skip those. This one is a Safe-grade tool. Safe-grade tools are things whose usage and effects have been completely explained by the Bureau."
So they're safe in the literal sense.
"Does that mean this cube has some special ability that can be used against anomalies?"
"That's right."
If even the usage method had been fully explained and it was considered safe, then it was an excellent item.
"I can't believe we had something this useful! We should've used it sooner!"
"There simply wasn't an opportunity. I'll explain how to use it."
Using anomalies to fight anomalies. That was the Bureau's motto. Even though it sounded suspicious... its usefulness couldn't be denied.
"Anomalies impose special rules. If you get caught up in them, you can be helpless. But what if we deploy an anomaly from our side? The two anomalies can clash and produce a new result."
"Ooh...!"
"Through this, we can either figure out a solution or suppress them."
So this cube-shaped anomaly also imposes its own rules!
"This cube is a tool with a rather interesting and intuitive usage. Once you encounter an anomaly, scramble the cube randomly. Then throw it at the target."
"Throw it? What happens then?"
"It forces the target to solve the cube."
"Excuse me?"
It forces them to solve the cube?
"Is it some kind of hypnosis? Making them solve the cube?"
I imagined a bizarre-looking anomaly frantically scrambling to solve the cube. That would be truly awful.
"Similar, but completely different. Just think of it as the cube's own rules. Anyway, you mustn't solve it normally. One entire face must always be unified with the same color."
"Hmm...?"
Can you even solve a cube like that? It seemed like it would be ruined from the moment you scrambled it in the first place. When I asked about it, Jaaldi said,
"There's no need to question it. It will simply happen that way. In any case, the first time is allowed even if the colors aren't unified, but after that..."
I swallowed involuntarily.
"What happens?"
"The target's body starts twisting like a cube. There's an experimental record of it. I'll show it to you next time."
"No...!"
What the hell!
"This is an extremely vicious tool!"
Once you throw it and it hits, it forces them into a stunned state while solving the cube, and if they make a mistake, they literally self-destruct.
"With this, couldn't we just smash all the anomalies?!"
"I wish it were that simple. But when anomalies clash, strange results can occur. Still, it generally buys time or inflicts decent damage when dealing with anomalies. It's a very useful cube."
"Ah, right."
Anomalies could probably recover from that kind of distortion quickly.
"But do anomalies actually try to solve it when they get hit? Now that I think about it, it's kind of funny."
"It's rare for them to solve it directly with their hands like a person would. Well, there's experimental footage of that too, so I'll show you next time. There's a pure white ghost in the Bureau's basement that we made solve it once."
"Pardon?"
A pure white ghost in the Bureau's basement?
"..."
I felt a chill for a moment, but Jaaldi remained completely calm. What did that imply?
"Grong?"
I changed the subject for now.
"By the way, where was this cube discovered?"
"At an international cube competition held seventeen years ago."
"Ah."
"Anyway, the Bureau has many tools like this. Ah, you don't need to worry about retrieval. We've already established methods for that."
"I doubt it's through normal means."
"You've got good instincts."
As expected, our Bureau made very active use of anomalies.
"Gather the rest of the equipment."
With that, Jaaldi and I finished our preparations for departure. If this had been real geocaching, it would've been fun.
* * *
After getting in the car, we quickly arrived near the destination. According to the GPS, the treasure was somewhere in the mountains ahead. From here, we'd scout while hiking with Jaaldi.
I got out of the car right away.
"Your eyes changed."
"Yes."
It was true that I'd gotten excited at the mention of treasure hunting, but I'd already regained my composure.
"That was a joke. We're going to work in a dangerous area, so I won't keep joking around."
"Excellent. Let's go."
Jaaldi chuckled and took the lead.
"Yes. But I do want to try real geocaching someday. Not this anomalous kind, but just as a game."
"Hmm."
"Don't you do things like company outings? Leave the planning to me. I'm confident in recreational activities."
"I've never met anyone like you before... I'll consider it."
"I don't like empty words, Team Leader."
"That, um... don't make it so I have nothing to say."
"Ah! What the hell!"
"Who the hell is the Department Head here."
Anyway. The preparations were perfect. Firearms for physical combat. Garlic weapons and garlic charges prepared for vampires. Plus the anomaly cube. And Jaaldi's supernatural abilities. We could handle whatever came our way.
"By the way, Team Leader. What if we suddenly fall into an anomalous space? I'm considering that possibility too. The Sejeong-ge high-rank users went missing all at once. It has to be that, right?"
"I think so too. But there's no need to worry too much. I brought a detector, so we can avoid it in advance."
"Ooh! As expected of agent equipment!"
When I'd fallen into the human meat factory, the scenery had suddenly changed at some point. It seemed like I'd satisfied some condition on the way to the butcher shop and fallen straight into another dimension. If the detector could warn us in advance, we wouldn't have gone that way.
"Grong. Start the geocaching."
"Yes."
Holding the portable GPS device, I oriented myself.
"We don't know what might happen, so stay alert at all times."
"Of course."
Jaaldi and I began the actual geocaching. We climbed the mountain path while checking the GPS for the destination. At the same time, we maintained thorough vigilance in all directions. If only this were real treasure hunting instead of agent work.
"..."
Jaaldi was also scanning the surroundings with a highly skilled appearance. Now that I thought about it, this seemed to be the first time we'd operated alone together. The memory of the previous loop... when I'd made her die alone because I didn't make a wish to the demon, surfaced. I felt so guilty I couldn't look at her face.
"By the way, hiking in suits at a time like this is something else."
I always thought this, but suits suited Jaaldi extremely well.
"It's a common occurrence. It's not rare for us to climb mountains. Still, mobility isn't an issue, is it?"
"That's true."
Despite how it looked, the agent suit was actually special equipment incorporating all kinds of technology. Its mobility went without saying.
"This is like a department head dragging team members out for weekend hiking..."
"That's not a funny joke, Grong."
Light banter amid thorough vigilance. The geocaching proceeded smoothly. However.
"Ah... shit."
What the hell was that corpse hanging from that tree?
You have encountered the 'Ghost Hanging from a Tree in the Mountains'.
It wasn't a corpse, it was a ghost?! Why were there so many ghosts!
"Team Leader. Something appeared over there."
Swaying back and forth. As I spoke as calmly as possible while looking at the ghost swinging left and right with a noose around its neck, a chilling voice came from behind.
"A ghost, is it."
"Yes."
"Seems like a common spirit."
"Ah, a common spirit."
I was a bit startled, but this wasn't my first time seeing a ghost. Moreover, I'd already dealt with common spirits before. I'd already regained my composure and was holding a mixture of red beans and salt in my pocket. However.
"Huh! What the hell is this!"
At some point, a rope had been looped around my neck! I couldn't breathe. Was this the ghost's power? How should I respond? The ghost was too far away to throw the red beans and salt at it. For now, I tried to rub the red beans and salt on the rope as an emergency measure. Whatever it was, since the ghost had created it, it should have an effect. But for some reason, my arms hung limply at my sides like a corpse, and I couldn't move them...! At this rate, I couldn't even use the cube, my trump card!
Just as I was about to pass out.
—Thud!
Jaaldi stuck something on my forehead.
"A talisman?"
My body felt better. The rope and restraints had disappeared? Then, with just a few leaps, Jaaldi approached the tree where the ghost was hanging, took out a bundle of bells from her pocket, and swung it lightly.
—Jingle.
With that, the ghost disappeared.
You have banished the 'Ghost Hanging from a Tree in the Mountains'.
You have obtained 100 points as a reward.
This thing even gives clear rewards!
"I was surprised, Team Leader. Thank you for saving me."
"It's fine."
Jaaldi approached as if nothing had happened. If I'd encountered that ghost alone, I would've lost another life meaninglessly, wouldn't I? Even though I'd already prepared the red beans and salt, I'd still been caught. Common spirits shouldn't be underestimated either.
"Grong. You experienced it last time, so you know, but common spirits aren't that much of a threat. They're about on the level of running into a mugger."
"It's minor, but it does seem dangerous if it is dangerous."
In this world, things like muggers or common spirits were just ordinary field mobs. The fact that it only gave 100 points proved that. So ghosts you commonly encounter in the mountains, huh.
"By the way, Team Leader. What exactly is that talisman?"
"It's a talisman for exorcising ghosts."
"Did you get it from some fortune-telling shop?"
Jaaldi nodded.
"There are many shamans in Korea. They've spent a long time researching how to catch ghosts, so there are plenty of ways to deal with common spirits. So there's no need to worry too much about common spirits."
"Ah."
The shaman houses you commonly see around town. They were all incredible people.
"Well, if an ordinary person encountered something like that in the mountains, they would've naturally fainted or died. But we're agents. We need to get used to it."
"Yes."
"Exorcising ghosts isn't even a special task."
Just as she said.
"No matter how special or bizarre something is, once you get used to it, it's just work."
For example, think about butchers who process pork. Many people feel great revulsion and horror at cutting meat into its original form, draining blood, and removing organs. Plenty of people would say they absolutely couldn't do it. But when it becomes a matter of livelihood, it becomes nothing more than a simple task.
"Fear is important, but becoming desensitized to it is also important."
Proper balance was key.
"In fact, most ghosts rely on fear. If you're not scared, they can't really get to you."
"Understood. Then, Team Leader. Did those high-rank users get eliminated by these ghosts?"
"Who knows... We'll have to see more to know. It doesn't seem like it'll end with this. The Sejeong-ge users would also know that shamans are effective. And a single common spirit can't cause a mass disappearance."
Our treasure hunt definitely didn't seem like it would end here.
"But what about the anomaly detector?"
"It seems it didn't react because it was a ghost."
I see. Anyway. I moved forward with even more tension than before. As I moved like that, we got very close to the coordinates the GPS was pointing to. If we moved for just five more minutes, the target would appear... Our mission was reconnaissance for now.
"We'll arrive soon. What should we do?"
"Go ahead for now. It's reconnaissance, but there's still no reaction, so let's keep going."
"Yes."
After a few minutes passed.
—Beep beep beep.
We'd arrived.
"It's right here. If we dig this ground, something should come out."
"Hmm... That's strange."
"Pardon?"
"There are no excavation traces."
Jaaldi crouched down and swept the ground.
"Rather than getting caught up in something after excavating and going missing, they went missing before reaching here."
"It seems that way, looking at the lack of traces. Wait. Then doesn't that mean they went missing for a different reason, not because of the treasure?"
"It seems so."
The disappearance happened before they could even find the treasure. Then it seemed like the treasure wasn't the problem.
"Grong. Dig."
"Yes."
I immediately rolled up my sleeves and took out the entrenching tool.
—Swish!
Digging in the mountains while wearing a suit made me feel like some kind of gangster. As I dug like that.
"Ah... shit."
"You curse a lot."
"Team Leader. There's a corpse inside."