Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: How Rude
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“Failed to kill the Swelling Flesh Mass, I see.”
The leader of the Humanity Liberation Alliance's Korean branch, Kyle, spoke in a flat tone.
Jeong Yo-han struggled to keep his composure as he slowly opened his mouth.
“A minor mistake. There will be plenty more opportunities ahead.”
“But if the experiments keep going wrong, it's bound to raise suspicions, don't you think?”
Yo-han's words caught in his throat at the sharp question.
No matter that he was the top executive at Ansong Research Institute, he was still just an employee of the state.
The more anomalies escaped, the shakier his position would become.
“Doesn't Ansong Research Institute have that anomaly?”
“What anomaly are you...”
“Philosophy Doctor. The most powerful and dangerous one known in South Korea.”
“Th-that thing can't be killed. Releasing the Doctor would be insane. That bastard survived a nuclear bomb!”
Yo-han caught on to Kyle's intentions and shot down the idea preemptively.
Kyle let out a short sigh of regret before continuing.
“So you can't release the Doctor, then. What a shame.”
“Y-yeah. There are plenty of other anomalies we can kill besides the Doctor. We can start with the others.”
“I really wanted to see the Doctor die, though.”
There were two reasons to contain anomalies at the research institute.
First, to use them as test subjects.
Second, because they simply couldn't be killed.
Philosophy Doctor fell into the latter category.
Yo-han wanted to kill anomalies, but he wasn't stupid enough to pick reckless fights.
He wanted them dead for humanity's sake.
Causing innocent casualties went against his principles.
“We'll kill the other anomalies first. Containing Philosophy Doctor is the best option.”
“Well, as long as you kill the anomalies, the order doesn't really matter. No need to stress! We'll get them all in the end anyway.”
Kyle smiled magnanimously.
He then pulled a red choker from his pocket and placed it on Yo-han's desk.
“Think of it as a little gift! It's a recently acquired anomaly object. Any living thing wearing this choker loses all fear and fights to the death. Put it on a cowardly anomaly, and you'll have justification to kill it.”
To kill an anomaly at the research institute, there had to be a valid reason.
They could only be deemed necessary to eliminate if they couldn't be subdued without lethal force.
So if an anomaly surrendered or fled in fear, it couldn't be killed.
Yo-han picked up the choker Kyle offered.
“You know the institute's situation inside and out. It's chilling.”
“Hahaha! Thanks for the compliment. Well, I'll be off then.”
With that, Kyle's figure began to fade.
He vanished without a trace, like a ghost.
'He talks about killing anomalies, yet he uses all sorts of anomaly objects himself.'
Yo-han fiddled with the choker, a complicated expression on his face.
He decided on a target for it.
One of Ansong Research Institute's biggest headaches: Iron Silence. He'd kill it.
Iron Silence corroded all metal around it.
Even locked in a containment cell, it occasionally emitted waves that rusted every bit of metal beyond the walls.
'It's a bit pitiful since it can communicate... but anomalies deserve to die. Especially ones that disrupt institute operations this much.'
Yo-han steeled himself with self-suggestion to shake off the guilt.
It was all for humanity.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ “Hm? Nothing to help with?”
Se-hwa stared at me in bewilderment.
She tilted her head, her face saying she'd eaten something weird.
“Yes. I decided to help people out.”
“Suddenly? Oh, wait—no. You've always said you wanted to help people.”
Fortunately, Se-hwa talked herself through it and didn't question my abrupt change.
I didn't want anyone knowing I was doing good deeds to raise my card key level.
That would be embarrassing.
It's like picking up roadside trash and bragging, “I cleaned up that litter!”
True good deeds are done in secret.
“Hmm... what could there be?”
Se-hwa tapped her chin, deep in thought.
Good deeds should be secret, but to raise my card key level, someone had to know I'd done them.
So, someone needed to witness my kindness.
Helping Se-hwa every day would build my image as a good person.
Then she'd upgrade my card key.
Heh heh. Perfect plan.
“Ah! Want to help with an experiment?”
“An experiment?”
Se-hwa's eyes sparkled.
A familiar look.
When I regenerated my limbs, or aced the strength test effortlessly, and so on.
Se-hwa often gazed at me with eyes full of curiosity.
Right now, she was looking at me with that mad glint again.
“Sure. I'll participate in the experiment.”
I nodded readily, showing my willingness.
And just like that, I joined the experiment Se-hwa mentioned.
Inside a strangely shaped room.
“Hmm. What is this place for?”
We entered a bizarre room plastered wall-to-wall with talismans.
Se-hwa's voice came through a speaker in one corner of the ceiling.
“It's a containment cell for an anomaly. Its nickname is 'Prankster.' This experiment is on it.”
“Ah-ha. Is that huddled thing in the corner the Prankster?”
A gnome-like ugly creature crouched in one corner of the room.
It peeked at me cautiously, watching my every move.
“That's right. Your job is simple, Princess. Just play with Prankster inside the room. It loves pranks, like its name. It's not dangerous, so don't worry.”
“Got it.”
I gave a short reply and stared straight at Prankster.
It huddled with its head buried in its knees.
But it occasionally lifted its head to sneak peeks at me.
“Hello.”
The moment I approached and spoke to Prankster...
It suddenly leaped into the air.
“Kiyot!”
Prankster let out a weird cry as its body turned semi-transparent.
Like a ghost, it grew hazy and zipped around wildly in the air.
Flying erratically like a housefly.
That was when it happened.
Prankster suddenly dove toward my feet.
As it got close, it grabbed the hem of my skirt.
The instant it tried to lift it...
“How rude.”
Thwack.
I gave it a solid flick on the forehead.
“Kiyoooo!!!”
Prankster screeched and slammed into the floor.
Even in ghost form, it couldn't pass through and bounced right off.
Boing, boing, boing.
It ricocheted madly between floor, walls, and ceiling like a pinball.
The talismans covering every surface seemed to be keeping it from escaping.
“Grooo...”
After bouncing for a while, Prankster finally stopped.
It clutched its head, scrunching its ugly face even more.
Staggering up, it floated aimlessly in the air.
“Kishat! Kuwu! Kiyout!”
Prankster glared at me with its ugly mug, furious.
It was ranting that it shouldn't have been hit, questioning how I could strike it.
“Curious? One more hit and you'll figure it out.”
As I approached, Prankster freaked out and dropped to the floor.
Dropping its ghost form, it flattened itself prone.
“Hmm. I'll forgive that rude prank from before.”
I'm the type who forgives if they apologize.
Heh heh. I'm such a merciful person.
With kindness like this, a level 5 card key should be a given, right?
They just haven't recognized my warm heart yet.
Once everyone knows my good nature, the level 5 key is as good as mine.
“Uh... Princess, what just happened in there?”
Se-hwa asked in a puzzled voice.
Prankster was still prostrated flat before me.
Though it did sneak peeks now and then.
“It tried a rude prank, so I disciplined it a little.”
“Ah, I see.”
Se-hwa seemed somewhat convinced and didn't ask more.
“You can come out now.”
I followed Se-hwa's instruction and exited the room.
Prankster stayed flattened until I was completely out.
“Great! Very satisfactory experiment results. Thanks, Princess.”
“You're welcome.”
We left the room together and walked down the hall.
As I headed back to my room after the experiment...
Weeeooooweeeeooo—
The siren blared, and the corridor flushed red.
“Why does this place have anomalies escaping every damn day!”
Se-hwa wailed in frustration.