Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: White Whale
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A general researcher at the Ansong Research Institute.
Most researchers end up handling dangerous or hard-to-manage anomalies, living lives on the edge of peril.
But a select few get assigned to safe, easy-to-manage anomalies—plum postings, as they're called.
"Yawn. Another peaceful day."
Researcher Park Jun-young stretched out a lazy yawn.
The anomaly he was in charge of was nicknamed the Ghost Flying Fish Swarm.
It was a swarm made up of around 12,000 individuals resembling flying fish.
The isolation chamber was pitch black except for a faint light.
The ghost flying fish swarm lunged at any source of light, so the chamber had to stay dark at all times.
They were also contained within a secondary isolation chamber that looked like a massive aquarium.
The flying fish flickered their white bodies like lights.
'Time to get to work, I guess.'
Jun-young stood up and headed to the top of the aquarium.
He tossed in the feed he'd prepared.
Worn T-shirts someone had worn, faded jeans, torn shoes—the kind of stuff you'd find in a clothing donation bin.
As the clothes sank into the water, the massive swarm surged forward all at once.
'Pretty cool, in its own way.'
Countless flying fish swarmed through the clothes, turning them into transparent jelly that tore apart softly.
The pale flying fish emitted a faint blue glow.
'Sigh. Honestly, I'm jealous of the anomaly. Just sit there, and they give you a home and food. Anomalies have it made.'
He sat back in his chair, grumbling as he watched the swarm swim in the aquarium.
There was no set feeding time for the Ghost Flying Fish Swarm.
You had to feed them whenever some of the individuals started flashing white.
That's why it was managed with shift rotations.
'Wish I could bring in some electronics.'
No electronic devices that emitted light were allowed inside the isolation chamber.
So shift workers brought books or e-paper terminals and barely made out the words under the dim light to fend off boredom.
'Well, it's still a plum posting.'
Jun-young let out a wry chuckle.
If he complained to his fellow researchers about how tough his job was, they'd probably beat him half to death.
Spending eight hours a day alone in a dark isolation chamber reading books was easy compared to what others dealt with.
He settled back into his seat and picked up his e-paper terminal.
Jun-young opened a massive SF novel over 3,000 pages long.
The moment he started to read.
Weeeeeng—.
An unfamiliar siren blared.
It wasn't the flat tone for an anomaly breakout—something stranger.
The siren's volume swelled and faded in waves.
'Huh...? Facility attack alert?'
It wasn't an anomaly escape alert.
This was the alert for when the research institute came under attack.
Jun-young anxiously eyed the isolation chamber door.
'No, no. I have to guard this place. The others will handle it.'
He fought back the sudden urge to rush outside.
Even after years at the institute, this was his first time hearing a facility attack alert in person.
He set down the e-paper terminal and strained to listen to the siren.
Soon, the siren cut out briefly, replaced by an announcement.
⚙ FACILITY ALERT ⚙ Facility attack alert issued. Attack by unidentified anomaly confirmed. All institute personnel must remain at designated positions and not leave until further instructions. Unauthorized departure will result in punishment per security protocols. Repeating. Facility attack alert—. Jun-young jumped from his chair and paced the isolation chamber anxiously.
'An unidentified anomaly attacking the institute? Hmm. Better than all-out war, I guess.'
For a split second, memories of his army days flashed by—he thought war had broken out.
Better an unidentified anomaly than war, right?
Jun-young told himself that to calm down.
'Still, an anomaly attacking the institute? I thought that only happened in developing countries.'
Research institutes in developing countries with lacking tech and funding often faced anomaly attacks.
But Korea's institutes had top-tier tech, so such attacks were extremely rare.
'It'll be fine, though. This is the main institute.'
Fighting anomalies required thorough preparation.
Your odds in a sudden fight were slim, but hit their weakness after prep, and victory was possible.
This was Korea's largest research institute.
It had to be bristling with defenses, even if he didn't know the details.
Jun-young repeated that to himself, trying to steady his nerves.
'Huh? What's that?'
A white light appeared in the distance.
Even inside the isolation chamber, it pierced every wall, shining clear in his eyes.
The light gliding leisurely through the sky drew closer.
Soon, its shape faintly emerged.
'White Whale.'
Jun-young stared, dumbfounded, at the white whale floating through the air.
The whale cleaved through the air with its massive body, approaching the institute.
Plop.
A single drop of water fell at Jun-young's feet.
That one drop turned into a stream, growing stronger.
Water kept pouring, soaking his cheek.
'Ah...'
Jun-young was crying.
Tears fell in drops to the floor.
He realized.
'I have to reclaim my freedom.'
True freedom lay beyond the isolation chamber.
Jun-young stood and approached the chamber door.
The Ghost Flying Fish Swarm's chamber was designed with safety interlocks—no opening all doors at once.
But Jun-young felt it.
Right now, he could shed every physical restraint and open the doors.
He flung open every layer of isolation doors wide.
'Ugh.'
Bright light flooded in suddenly, making him squint.
The corridor's glow seeped into the dark chamber.
The Ghost Flying Fish Swarm lit up brilliantly in response.
Soon, the swarm surged out of the chamber in search of freedom.
'Beautiful.'
Thousands of white flying fish danced through the sky, adorning the air.
It was an unreal scene straight out of a movie.
Jun-young stepped into the institute corridor with the white flying fish swarm.
Tears streamed down his face.
Countless anomalies roamed the corridors freely alongside the researchers.
"Hahaha!"
He laughed loudly.
Everyone savored their freedom—joyfully, sadly.
Tears flowed, but so did happy smiles.
In this moment, they forgot money, love, health, family, the future—all worries vanished.
"Nice to meet you!"
"Nice to meet you too!"
He exchanged greetings with other researchers in the corridor.
This was a masquerade without masks.
Anomalies and humans mingled, forgetting status—a midsummer night's dream.
The institute was stained with tears and joy.
'I have to let the others feel this freedom too.'
Hoarding this liberation would be selfish.
He headed to another anomaly's isolation chamber.
The moment he took a step.
A black light streaked past Jun-young.
'Huh...?'
He blinked, and the flying fish swarm vanished.
The fish that had so beautifully embroidered the sky hid as something black flashed.
Every anxious blink changed the scene.
Blink. The massive anomaly in the corridor disappeared.
Blink. The ghostly anomaly floating in the sky was gone.
Blink. Every anomaly that had reclaimed freedom vanished.
With each dash of black light through the corridors, the escaped anomalies retreated.
He was entranced by that black light.
Other researchers in the corridor froze, mesmerized by the black light too.
Woooong—.
The white whale let out an enraged cry.
The institute building shook from the sound.
Thud. Jun-young collapsed to the floor.
The white whale approached.
It glided slowly through the sky, dragging its enormous body toward the institute.
Crack. Craaack.
The barriers guarding the institute tore like paper as the whale slammed into them.
Whoosh—.
The white whale flapped its massive wings.
The air trembled, and the barely holding barriers shattered completely.
The whale passed through the walls, gliding effortlessly into the institute.
Jun-young sat on the floor, gazing endlessly up at the white whale.
The whale revealed its massive form in the institute corridor.
Then, the black light stopped right in front of him.
"Bon appétit."
The Black Princess smiled happily.