Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 142
Chapter Title: Episode 47. Happy Happy Idol Worship (1)
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“Hmm~♪”
For some reason, that day Bom started doing her makeup in broad daylight.
She lined her eyes. Tweezed her eyebrows with a curler, then gathered them with mascara. Dabbed something here and there before adding eyeshadow around her lids.
“How do I look?”
“Beautiful, eldest miss.”
It was the guardian's response as he held up the mirror.
Yoo Ji-tae pictured Bom before makeup... and after.
......
She'd done it so lightly that he couldn't spot any difference.
“Whoa, unni, you look insanely pretty today...!”
“Yeah? Thanks.”
“No way, for real! What's that blush?”
“Well, this is...”
Gaeul, who'd recently gotten into makeup, peered at Bom's cosmetics with sparkling eyes from her side.
He wondered why Bom was putting on makeup. She usually lived like air, only acting strangely when something was about to happen. There had to be a reason for her sudden primping, even without plans to go out.
And sure enough, his watch buzzed soon after.
Myeong Yong-ha had indeed reached out.
It was their first private contact since exchanging numbers.
Myeong Yong-ha, in his forties. Even his texts oozed personality. Yoo Ji-tae slowly typed back.
So thirty minutes later.
Yoo Ji-tae met Myeong Yong-ha, wearing an in-person disguise mask, at a cafe on Hate Ling.
He entered with his wife. They seemed a bit surprised upon spotting Yoo Ji-tae.
Precisely, surprised by Bom beside him.
“Hello.”
Off-shoulder blouse and jeans.
Her pristine white shoulders were fully exposed, her collarbones sharply defined.
And for some reason, she even wore earrings. The pink flower ones peeking through her sea-green hair suited her name perfectly.
“Wow~. Looking real pretty today, huh? Hahaha!”
Now he could guess why she'd dolled up that morning.
“We meet again. Bom.”
“Ah... Hello, unni.”
Bom smiled sweetly, exchanging greetings with Myeong Yong-ha's wife, Jeong Ha-won.
“Where are Jun-il and Jun-hyeok?”
“The nanny's watching them. We try to carve out one day a week for ourselves.”
“Ahh. The babies must be huge now.”
“You bet. Wanna see pics?”
As Bom chatted with Jeong Ha-won.
Myeong Yong-ha got to the point with Yoo Ji-tae.
“Family trips have two options.”
“Options?”
“League released VVIP resort vouchers. Up to 20 people. Wanna join us if you're free?”
“And the other?”
“Not sure if you'd like it. New uninhabited island resort north of Vegas is super popular. Tickets secured.”
“Uninhabited island concept?”
As he looked puzzled, Myeong Yong-ha leaned in with a sly tone.
“Heh heh... Yeah, it's fun. Ji-tae, got any field experience?”
He did.
About ninety years' worth.
“Perfect then!”
For the next few minutes.
Myeong Yong-ha explained the uninhabited island resort.
“...That's the deal. Kids love it, but we can't relax. What do you think?”
Yoo Ji-tae imagined it.
Not hard. Just plop Winter into that backdrop.
Winter on an uninhabited island... Sounded pretty plausible overall.
“Sounds good.”
Drinks arrived mid-conversation.
Bom's was cherry ade. She naturally picked the cherry off and held it out to Yoo Ji-tae.
“Here.”
The regressor, still short on everyday experience, didn't find it odd on instinct and ate it out of habit.
Myeong Yong-ha and his wife stared in amazement. 'Oh my, oh my...' Jeong Ha-won smirked subtly, enjoying the show.
“I'll confirm dates soon and ping you. Haha!”
That afternoon, BM called.
-It's me. Got time?
Oddly, BM had time off the same day as Myeong Yong-ha. Meant the All-Natural Conference project was wrapping up.
Yoo Ji-tae headed to the underground labyrinth after ages.
Through endless dark. Past Shallowest Abyss (S), the labyrinth finally appeared. Self-glowing walls and floors without light sources. A sky faintly shining despite the devouring dark.
But today, the inner chamber was quiet.
“......”
The 30-man Airborne Special Forces usually mobbed him like dogs barking 'Doc's here!' whenever he showed. Nowhere in sight today.
The inner structure had changed. Normally, they'd sprawl sleeping on the empty field before Fragment of Paradise, except during workouts.
Now, dozens of containers dotted the vast space.
Everyone had their own digs now, it seemed.
“Ah, you're here.”
BM greeted him from the workshop.
Vodka bottles piled like mountains on his desk. Sunglasses on, he looked twice as haggard as usual.
“Jeong Bong-man.”
“Tch, told you I ditched that name.”
“You look rough.”
“Yeah. Been busy. Work's not going smooth.”
He stretched, thin and lanky like a chopstick.
Yoo Ji-tae glanced around the workshop. The hundred-odd glass tubes were gone; only a dozen left. Focused on select ones now.
“Tea?”
“No.”
“Coffee? Water?”
“Pass. Show me the chimera you made. Now.”
BM scratched his bushy hair.
“Hm... Right now?”
“Why. Can't?”
“No, not that. Just... Feels embarrassing showing it off. Like getting my homework checked as a kid...”
BM grumbled as he shuffled off. Yoo Ji-tae followed. A warehouse at the workshop's far end. Lifting the tarp revealed a massive creation vessel glowing faint blue.
Inside floated a child doll, gender ambiguous.
Chest cavity empty around the heart.
“What do you think?”
Yoo Ji-tae approached the vessel.
Met the child's eyes.
The child's eyes slowly opened. It looked back at Yoo Ji-tae.
He raised a hand to the glass. The child mirrored it. Their palms pressed together through the thick pane.
“Why add pointless stuff.”
“Huh?”
“What's with the photoreflection.”
“...You see it right away?”
BM let out a long dry laugh.
“Why add photoreflection... Dunno. Wanted it a bit more human, I guess...”
As Yoo Ji-tae said. The child wasn't alive. Just a crude machine reacting to light.
“...I don't know either.”
Essentially, a complex mechanical construct.
“Scrap it. No useless junk in a human body.”
“Got it.”
Yoo Ji-tae poked around the warehouse, opening crates. Hunting something.
BM felt that eerie vibe again. How? Yoo Ji-tae was nailing only the core material boxes.
“No separate heart fragments?”
“Nah. Even a bastard like me wouldn't rip out human hearts.”
“Putting on airs where?”
“What?”
“You don't 'cause you can't.”
BM snorted.
...He was right, though.
Every meeting hammered it home: this guy was tough to deal with.
No adult courtesy, yet acted more adult than him. Everywhere else he got elder treatment, but here he felt like a kid.
Yoo Ji-tae, done checking materials, spoke.
“Saw enough.”
“Impressions?”
“Mess. Listen up. ATTN essence 425ml. Gliasin-extracted carbon 45.3g. Purple elixir 4.25ml. Glycotan anti-grav fragment. 5-permeation refined hydrogen 32.2g. Nitrogen 11.5g. Calcium: 0.18g from blade beak bone, 0.02g from human bone.”
“Huh? Oh, yeah yeah.”
“That's base for an 8-year-old's heart. Prep exact, no decimal slips.”
“Ah...!”
BM gasped.
A staggering recipe. Priceless, beyond gold.
No notes needed. His brain memorized it all.
“Hold on! If that's base, need something else?”
The regressor nodded.
“Yeah. Dangerous spot for it.”
“What?”
“High up there's seeds that make the dead breathe.”
“Seeds that make the dead breathe...”
Never heard of it.
“Dangerous? For you too?”
“Nah. Just you.”
“Shit.”
BM grumbled.
“Fine. Prepping now.”
“Good. Takes time. Do it right.”
“You leaving already?”
Yoo Ji-tae nodded.
Past loops, no interest in BM, so never dug deep. Now questions: why humanoid chimeras? Goals? BM probably had his too.
But dinner time for the kids soon.
“Ping when ready.”
“Will do.”
*
Heading out to Shallowest Abyss.
Something odd caught Yoo Ji-tae's eye.
“......”
A portrait-like thing hung mid-Fragment of Paradise. Like a massive banner.
And it was Gaeul's face.
Why there?
As he puzzled, someone sweaty emerged from containers, spotting him.
“Ung...?”
Sleeveless top, broad shoulders. Buff arms.
Incredibly, it was Morning Star.
“Ooo...! Doc...?”
Stronger body than her clone's memories. She charged at him, eyes gleaming through the haze.
“Long time.”
“You too...! Hehe...”
Half-drugged vibe. She giggled, trying to scoop him up. Shorter than him, but arms packed power.
“Rounds... Missed you...!”
“No rounds. Back off first.”
“Okay.”
“Good. How've you been?”
“Great?”
Still dazed eyes. She grinned, flexing her bicep.
“Gettin' strongerrr.”
“...Looks like. Living okay?”
“Yeah... They nag I can't work out. Pisses me off, so I train harder...!”
“Got goals now, huh.”
“Yup. Make these old ogres respect me. Far future, I'll lead the 30-man Airborne Special Forces...”
He nodded.
Way better state than expected. Bathed in Paradise light yet firm will. Burning ambition now.
Suddenly, Morning Star jolted despite blank face.
“Oops... Shouldn't say that... Bell Varian captain, that gorilla auntie'll rage.”
“Got it.”
“Scary scary... Snaps waists like twigs...”
Right. Anyway.
Yoo Ji-tae asked about the weird thing.
“So. What's that.”
“Huh? Ah... Don't call it 'that' doc... Patients hate it, even from you.”
“Eh?”
“She's our psych ward idol... Goddess Yoo Gaeul...!”
Morning Star beamed with half-lidded eyes.
The regressor doubted his ears.
What?
“Wanna see together...?”
...What?