Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: White is the Color of Purity
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White top, white bottoms.
White, the color symbolizing human purity.
Standing before the mirror in one corner of the office, I straighten out my pristine white attire.
"Kyle! What the hell is this? That red choker you gave me let the Philosophy Doctor escape!"
The little worm from the Ansong Research Institute is yapping in my ear, shrill and annoying.
His name was Jeong Yo-han, I think.
High rank, but a hopeless coward who isn't worth much.
"Don't raise your voice like that. In the end, we killed the anomaly and recontained the Philosophy Doctor, didn't we? Everything worked out fine, no?"
"What do you mean? Because of you, we nearly had to blow up the entire research institute!"
That's exactly what I wanted.
How stupid does he have to be not to realize I was aiming for that?
Or is he deliberately ignoring it because he doesn't want to admit his own screw-up?
I string together some words to placate him.
"I'm sorry it turned out that way. I didn't expect it either. We're members of the grand Humanity Liberation Alliance, aren't we? To achieve our lofty goals, we have to endure a few trial and error moments now and then."
"Urgh..."
The research institute worm groans in frustration.
I'm not here for chit-chat, so I get to the point.
"By the way, I heard about that anomaly that stopped the Philosophy Doctor."
"Th-that's still classified, not released to the public. How do you even know about it?"
"Haha! Where there's a will, there's a way. Don't sweat the small stuff."
The Humanity Liberation Alliance's goal is to kill anomalies.
And there's a simple way to kill a bunch of them at once.
Blow up the research institute.
It's the best, most perfect way to wipe out all the anomalies they're protecting under the guise of experiments.
"I heard the Black Princess can devour other anomalies. Why not use her to kill the rest?"
"The analysis on the Black Princess isn't complete yet. No one knows what side effects might pop up if we try to use her recklessly."
What a load of outdated nonsense.
Truly a pathetic coward.
"So you're saying we can't use the Black Princess?"
"That's right. I want to kill anomalies as much as anyone, but I can't put an indeterminate number of people at risk."
"Well, if that's how you feel, no helping it. We're precious partners in the Humanity Liberation Alliance, after all, right?"
At my sweet-talking lie, his expression softens noticeably.
He probably thinks I've given up on the Black Princess.
But I haven't abandoned my plan to use her.
'Not using such a prime trait would be insane.'
Killing anomalies takes priority over the lives of a few humans.
Without anomalies, humanity can rebuild anytime.
Sacrifices for the greater good are a given.
If he won't play along, I'll use the Black Princess on my own.
The groundwork is already done.
"Well then, I'll be off."
I bid a curt farewell and pull an anomaly object from my pocket.
I pop the small, candy-like anomaly object into my mouth.
Crunch.
I bite down on the anomaly object that temporarily turns the consumer ghostly.
My body gradually fades.
Recalling the gap in the research institute's barrier that he informed me of beforehand, I slip out smoothly.
'Tch. If all he can offer is this pathetic help, he might as well kill anomalies himself.'
I exit the research institute through the gap in the barrier he created.
I organize my future plans in my head.
'I need to target Researcher Lee Se-hwa.'
Strike at the researcher closest to the Black Princess.
But I can't just kill Researcher Lee Se-hwa outright.
'An anomaly wouldn't understand the grief of loss. Blindly killing someone close isn't the way.'
The plan is to break the researcher's mind, provoke erratic behavior, and trigger the anomaly's rampage.
If the Black Princess rampages and devours other anomalies, great.
If we fail to stop her rampage and have to blow up the research institute, the goal is still achieved.
If she doesn't rampage, I can find another way then.
'Break the researcher's mind to induce the anomaly's rampage. A no-lose plan.'
Anomaly object: Curse Doll.
Put a strand of hair inside the doll, and the owner suffers ongoing hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, nightmares, and more.
The deranged researcher will act unpredictably and set off the Black Princess's rampage.
I already obtained the researcher's hair through an inside spy and placed it in the doll.
The plan is already in motion.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I wake from a hazy, half-dreaming sleep.
I'd had a nightmare; a sticky unease lingers.
I eat a simple breakfast and finish preparing for work.
I get in the car and head to the research institute.
'Huh? That person...'
On the way to the research institute, I spot someone in white clothes by the roadside.
Head bowed low, face hidden.
But the outfit is definitely that person I met last night.
I shake off the eerie feeling as best I can and head to the institute.
Arriving at the research institute, I check today's schedule.
'Sorting items from the Equivalent Exchange Machine.'
I sift through the acquired items, picking out ones we've drawn before.
After sorting the known ones, three unidentified items remain.
'Sword, pencil, and glasses cloth.'
Not everything from the Equivalent Exchange Machine has special abilities.
In fact, most are ordinary items with no special traits.
I grab the three items and head to the anomaly object testing room.
"Hello. Here are the items from the Equivalent Exchange Machine."
I greet the testing room researcher and hand over the items.
Put the items in the anomaly object tester here, and it reveals if they're anomaly objects.
It doesn't show what traits they have—just whether they're anomalies or not.
Even that's a huge help.
Ding.
A clear chime announces the test results.
"Test results: All three items confirmed as anomaly objects."
"Ah, got it. Please handle the follow-up procedures too."
Once confirmed as anomaly objects, they're handed to the specialist team for trait testing.
The testing room researcher picks up the sword.
"No. We'll do the test here."
"Pardon? What do you..."
Did they add some new procedure without telling me?
As I puzzle over it, the testing room staff draws the sword from its sheath.
"I'll test it directly. Stick your neck out and let it cut you."
Whoosh.
The sword slices through the air.
I instinctively duck, dodging the swing from the testing room researcher.
"P-possessed by an anomaly?!"
Looks like the testing room researcher has been enthralled by an anomaly.
"We need to test it. Let me cut your neck. Give me your neck."
Luckily, the researcher is physically weak; after one swing, he's staggering.
I hurriedly flee the testing room.
I need to warn the others.
I sprint down the hallway, hoping to find security guards or other staff.
"Huff... huff... Why... why is no one here?!"
No matter how far I run, no one appears.
Behind me, the researcher chases with sword in hand.
'At least the security lounge should have people.'
I pour every ounce of strength into dashing to the security lounge.
Thud!
I crash into the door and burst into the lounge.
"Huh...?"
No one's here.
Why? How?
"Let me cut your neck. Give me your neck."
The testing room researcher barges in.
The exit is blocked.
"Sorry!"
No choice now.
I draw my self-defense pistol and aim at the approaching researcher.
Bang—.
The gunshot echoes as a bullet lodges in the researcher's chest.
"N-neck... give me your neck. Give me your neck. Neckneckneck."
The researcher doesn't fall even after being shot.
The researcher advances.
Bang, bang, bang—.
I fire the pistol wildly to hold him off.
"Give me your neck."
Bullet holes riddle the researcher's body, blood pouring, but he doesn't stop.
I have no strength left to run.
Thud.
Backing away, my foot catches, and I fall.
The researcher swinging the sword at me looks like it's in slow motion.
The sword severs my neck.
"Gasp!"
I wake from the dream.
I'm home.
"A d-dream, huh. Whew... huuu..."
I catch my breath and steady my mind.
My body is safe in a comfortable bed.
I touch my face to confirm this is reality.
It'd been ages since my last nightmare; this one felt even more horrific.
"Huu."
I take deep breaths to relax.
My mind gradually calms.
Once settled, something even worse than the nightmare awaited.
"Ah, damn it. Have to prep for work all over again."
I start my second round of morning routine.