Chapter 380: Technology Research Institute (3)
Chapter 380: Technology Research Institute (3)
To be honest, the walk to the Director’s office of Branch 02 was strange.
If I had to recall a similar experience, it would be the repeated spatial teleportations I endured to meet Elder Li in Nanjido.
It was that sensation of the being leading us twisting space bit by bit.
However, the scenery unfolding now was slightly different from back then.
Whenever Director AO turned a corner a step ahead of us and we followed, we would suddenly find ourselves in a completely different location.
There was nothing wrong with the act of turning the corner itself, but the place we arrived at was entirely different from the hallway we had just been in.
When I peeked my head back around the corner to look at the path we had come from, a landscape completely different from the hallway we had just walked through stretched out behind us.
It was certainly a bizarre sight, but Director AO acted as if it were perfectly natural. Even when I asked about the phenomenon, the only useless answer I got was that we should talk in the Director’s office. So, we followed her in silence.
After entering the Research Institute building, we didn't encounter a single other researcher. By the time we had turned about twenty corners...
A door with a plaque labeled 'Research Institute Director’s Office' suddenly appeared. Director AO opened it nonchalantly and stepped inside.
Naturally, we followed her into the room.
The Director’s office we arrived at was, contrary to my imagination, quite tidy.
Since Director AO was such a lunatic, I had imagined her office would be a total shambles. Instead, the office before my eyes was a pristine place: folders were neatly organized on one side of the desk, books were lined up perfectly on the shelves, and stationery was properly tucked away in a pencil holder.
It was a place that didn't seem like Director AO’s office at all.
Looking at this scene, I would have believed it if someone told me the Director AO before me was a mimic-type Mutant that had eaten the original director and was now imitating their behavior.
The moment we entered that impeccably clean office, Director AO scratched her head vigorously and spoke.
"Researcher Jane Doe has made a mess of my room again."
…A mess?
The moment I heard a word that didn't match the sight before me at all—
Director AO strode across the room and proceeded to rapidly turn it into a disaster.
She pulled two or three books from the shelf and shoved them into her robotic hand, completely ignoring the books that fell and scattered across the floor in the process.
Next, she placed those books on the desk, flipped open a folder, and scattered the neatly organized documents inside all over the desk. Then, she pulled a ballpoint pen from the holder and used its clip to pin the scattered papers together.
As a final touch, she ripped a spent IV bag and its needle from her shoulder with her robotic hand and hurled it into a corner of the room. In less than a minute since the madwoman AO entered the office, the room had become a total wreck.
…Right, so this is what the office usually looks like.
Common sense whispered in my head that a room for receiving guests should be at least a little tidy, but I concluded that expecting such a thing from Director AO was no different from expecting Baek Si-hyun to become demure. I settled myself onto a sofa that was at least somewhat clean.
As my disciple and I sat on the sofa…
To be precise, as Han A-bin and I sat on the sofa.
The moment Director AO started cluttering the room, Baek Si-hyun must have spotted something interesting, as she began fiddling with the machines displayed on a stand.
I considered stopping her for a moment, but since AO, the owner of the room, didn't seem to care, I ignored it and spoke quietly.
"So… Director AO…"
"Director AO! Is this a Room-Temperature Fusion Reactor?"
My words were cut off by Baek Si-hyun’s voice as she held up a fist-sized machine and swung it around.
Irritation flared within me. Just as I was about to tell her to sit down because even a non-expert like me knew such a thing didn't exist—
"Yes, that is correct."
My words were cut off once again, this time by Psychopath II in this room.
I give up. Dammit.
"Can I take this?"
"I do not mind. However, you should be aware that normal operation cannot be guaranteed. If the concentration of Otherworldly Power is not 4.3 nNol/m3, it may fail to perform law distortion and could potentially explode."
"…Put that down, Si-hyun."
We can't bring something that dangerous into our house.
I don't know how strict those conditions are, but the fact that she’s adding such specific caveats means it’s definitely not a normal object.
As for the explosion… the structure is different, so it probably wouldn't be as powerful as a fusion bomb, but I didn't feel like asking.
"You seem worried about an explosion. The blast isn't that large. It only grinds everything within a 60-meter radius into dust."
She didn't say the killing radius was 60 meters; she said the grinding radius was 60 meters.
It’s a grenade-sized missile that guarantees the death of the person who throws it, you crazy Director.
…But wait, hearing the word 'explosion' reminds me of what happened earlier. It couldn't be, right?
"Ah, for your information, the explosion you were hit with on your way here was also caused by one of those."
Are these people actually insane?
"Director AO, are you familiar with the crime known as 'leaking classified information'?"
If you hand over something developed by the Technology Research Institute to Baek Si-hyun, that would definitely be a leak.
"That is something I made as a personal hobby, so it does not count as a classified leak."
Hahaha, a personal hobby, she says.
I guess if you're the Director of Branch 02, you can make things like that as a hobby. Whatever happened to the idea that science isn't a solo endeavor?
No, more importantly than that.
"Then why the hell did it blow up under our feet!"
At Director AO’s words, I finally exploded.
I mean, does this even make sense?
It wasn't even made by the institute; an explosive made by Director AO herself blew up targeting us.
Doesn't that mean Director AO is the culprit?
"That is the reason I forcibly brought you all here when you were on your way to Branch 48. Hero Crimson★Hammer."
Despite my accusation, Director AO spoke without a hint of change in her expression.
I questioned her words and immediately followed up.
"Forcibly?"
"Yes, forcibly."
"Does a Research Institute Director have the authority to do that?"
"No. It is an abuse of power."
"You know what that means, right?"
Earlier, I was chanting about pay cuts to that Agent John-whatever, but this case won't end with just a pay cut.
Branch 00 and the single-digit branches are at least Grade 3 Classified.
Due to the nature of the Technology Research Institute, its location and existence aren't hidden, but because of the danger of handling Otherworldly Technology, they can't just let anyone in.
Even if that person is me.
"It is fine. There will be no punishment anyway."
However, Director AO spoke in a plain voice as if it weren't a problem at all.
"…What do you mean by that?"
"Hmm. To answer that… let us wait twenty seconds. No, let's make it thirty."
She uttered nonsense in response to my question.
"I asked what you meant—"
"Eighteen seconds."
Tsk.
Fine.
It’s just eighteen seconds. I’ll wait.
Following her lead, I pulled out my phone and looked down at the clock.
Four seconds left. 3. 2. 1. 0.
I waited the eighteen seconds, but nothing changed.
"Alright, now start talking."
The eighteen seconds had long since passed.
"A five-second margin of error is unavoidable."
More nonsense.
Just as I was about to argue—
Beep.
A warning tone rang from the phone in my hand, and red text scrolled across the screen.
An emergency call from the Management Bureau.
"Excuse me for a moment."
I immediately bypassed the secondary lock on my phone and quickly read the contents of the call.
"…."
I fell silent after reading the text on the phone.
I couldn't understand what had just happened.
Therefore, I threw a question at the culprit who would surely understand this situation.
"Director AO."
"Yes."
"Is this your doing?"
"No, I have done nothing."
Like hell you haven't.
The call that just arrived on my phone read as follows:
[A Regressionist Terrorist Group has attacked Branch 02 of the Technology Research Institute under the Management Bureau. To maintain confidentiality, Crimson★Hammer, who holds high security clearance, is requested to be dispatched to the branch to resolve the situation immediately. If this request is accepted, the final commander for the duration of the operation will be Director Alexandra Oppenheimer…]
Looking at this, it was crystal clear that Director AO had done something.
"This Director Alexandra Oppenheimer mentioned here. That’s you, isn't it?"
"Ah, now that you mention it, that was my name. There is a reason I shortened it."
She marveled at her own name as if she were hearing it for the first time in ages.
However, that wasn't the important part.
"Just because retroactive approval is granted doesn't mean there’s no problem with this act. In the first place, this is a request. I don't have to accept it, do I?"
A Regressionist Terrorist Group?
To be blunt, even that Agent John-whatever from earlier could probably wipe them out alone.
Their combat power is all mediocre; there’s no reason for us to come here and suffer.
"It seems there is a misunderstanding. I did not send such a request to the Management Bureau. You will see when you check later. Furthermore, Hero Crimson★Hammer, you will likely never refuse this request."
Despite that, Director AO asserted herself without even a flicker of emotion.
"I’m sorry, but I have a bit of a rebellious streak. No matter how much you say that, I’ll give you the finger instead of a nod."
Just like that robot earlier.
After declaring that to Director AO, I waited for her response. She tilted her head for a moment before she began to speak.
"There are major issues with my body and mind. I am different from ordinary people."
"Don't start with the random nonsense."
I replied to Director AO’s sudden coming-out.
"Agent John Smith says I do not remember him, but that agent is indeed John Smith. At least from a certain perspective of mine."
Director AO completely ignored me and continued talking.
It was still nonsensical, but I was certain there was something behind it and listened closely to her voice.
"Additionally, in the gray world, every existence is a John Doe and a Jane Doe. Hmm. Was it the Gray Eater? It is that kind of world. I wonder if the concept of 'human' even has meaning there. Therefore, you must tell me your names to make me recognize your existence. You there, the Jane Doe Hero I am meeting for the first time."
"I’m Han A-bin."
"I see. Nurse Han A-bin. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"…."
Silence fell.
Director AO’s lack of common sense began to grip everyone in the office.
I finally spoke up.
"Are you an Esper? Or perhaps a retired Hero?"
"I am an ordinary human who has never awakened. There is only one thing special about me."
Director AO responded to that question for the first time.
"A certain pill, created in a certain place. That should be enough of an explanation."
Thump.
The moment I heard those words, my limiter released instinctively. Because I knew exactly what that meant.
"You…."
"Yes. I was an associate. It is good to see you again. Crimson★Hammer."
Rage boiled over.
My vision turned red.
I overcame it with sheer reason.
Because I knew these were words that truly should never be spoken.
"Baek Si-hyun, Han A-bin. Get out."
"Huh? Suddenly… what…?"
"Get out. Now."
Did they realize the sincerity in my voice?
Han A-bin grabbed Baek Si-hyun’s arm and quickly hurried out of the room.
Click.
The door closed, leaving only Director AO and me in the office.
"…The Underground. Was a researcher related to that still alive?"
I was certain they had all been purged.
Because of that, a desire to crush the being before me surged, but my reason held it back.
The fact that Director AO was alive meant she had survived the purge.
"I was in a position that opposed that research. When I said it violated research ethics, they shoved hundreds of those pills into my mouth."
"…There were no successful subjects in that research. At least, as far as I knew."
"Yes, it is true that there were no successful subjects. However, a failed subject who is infinitely close to being a Successful Subject… well, I suppose I am the only one left."
She pulled her lips into a twisted smile.
"Loss of internal organs, impaired cognitive ability, various mental illnesses, rainbow-colored hair. Isn't it interesting that what I gained in exchange was uncontrollable foresight and eyes, plus being a living Reality Anchor?"
It wasn't interesting at all.
"I’m not interested in your life story. More importantly, why did you tell me that? If you know who I am, you should know that saying that out loud is a suicidal act."
Do you not know at whose hands your colleagues met their gruesome ends?
Do you not know at whose hands they were crushed into meat?
"I know very well. Whether it was the researchers there or the ones who fled, the Purger Crimson★Hammer turned them all into minced meat. Ah, that is a compliment. They were people who deserved such treatment."
Director AO spoke of that incident as if it had nothing to do with her.
"Therefore, Crimson★Hammer, you will not be able to refuse this request."
"And why is that?"
Director AO’s way of conversing was still far from normal, but I had grown accustomed to it and responded plainly.
"What if I told you that among the Regressionist group currently terrorizing the Research Institute, there is a surviving researcher? Ah, and the pills are included as well."
At those words, all my anger vanished as I grabbed AO’s hand.
With a hand that had turned colder than anything else.