Chapter 182
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Surveillance
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The interim branch chief of the Foundation's Korean Branch, Lee Ha-yul, returned to the Korean Branch in the vehicle of the secretary she had been waiting for.
"Summon all Special Task Force members immediately."
"Yes."
A few minutes later, all Special Task Force members assigned to the Foundation's Korean Branch gathered in the conference room.
"For humanity, we will sacrifice anything."
The members responded to Lee Ha-yul's slogan.
"Even if it means our own lives."
The meeting then proceeded.
The projection screen activated by the secretary displayed a title:
"I extend my sincere gratitude to the task force members who gathered like this even during the adaptation period. Our Special Task Force under Manager No. 5, the Children of Dawn, will now prioritize entity countermeasures, capture, and elimination operations in the Republic of Korea, with secondary priority on observing and surveilling the special external consultant."
The projection advanced slide by slide.
"Lee Seung-hoon, external special consultant, also known as the Fixer Lee Seung-hoon, is identified as both a cooperative ally of the Foundation and a minimum-risk, maximum-apocalypse-class entity."
A photo of Lee Seung-hoon appeared on the screen.
It was the ID photo taken when his external special consultant card was issued.
"His recent activities are as follows."
His exploits were then listed.
• Assistance in Foundation recovery through the hand of the last remaining monkey
• Exile of the Munchkin Mary Sue constellation
• Full rescue of victims via Hell Train shutdown
• Resolution of the Antichrist subjugation battle
• Resolution of the Highway Hooligans incident
• Resolution of cosmic destruction via Andromeda's Starlight
In addition, there were countless achievements that even Foundation S-Grade Agents couldn't accomplish—deeds that would earn one the title of great hero if achieved even singly.
"He is undoubtedly aiding humanity. But at the same time, he is not human."
Next, his abilities were illuminated.
• Incomprehensible mental defense ability
• Incomprehensible reality manipulation ability (Fixer status)
• Possession of powerful data manipulation entity
• Driving skill capable of destroying independent dimensions (risk varies from hazardous to apocalyptic depending on vehicle driven)
• Creation of mental contamination entity named 'Possibility'
The next slide bore the title:
"He has undoubtedly made great efforts for humanity. His achievements surpass those of all of us combined. But the crucial point is that he is an uncontrollable individual."
The following slide showed:
"Entity name: Alucard. Injects his bodily fluids into others; recipients gain immunity to all diseases, super-regeneration, and 1,670x slower aging."
The next slide showed the image of a monstrous figure resembling a vampire.
"With Alucard's help, we mass-produced veteran agents, strengthening the Foundation. The entity was highly amicable and cooperative, allowing the relationship to persist for a century. However..."
The next slide depicted a city reduced to ruins.
"The agents enhanced by his power became puppets obeying his commands, attacking the Foundation from within. It took the destruction of 45% of facilities and the sacrifice of 30% of agents to resolve the incident."
When later questioned about the betrayal before elimination, he replied that it was to seize the Foundation and rule the world.
"Next, entity name: Genius Boy. A safe-class humanoid entity possessing superhuman data manipulation abilities, cooperating externally with the Foundation."
This time, a mischievous boy appeared on screen.
In the photo, the boy was laughing with Foundation agents in front of an old computer.
"A highly amicable entity, scheduled to join the Foundation later. But he exploited the friendly relations to steal internal Foundation data and sell it to other organizations, then used captured special entities to enhance himself."
The next photo was the boy's corpse.
Veins bulging across his entire body, he bore no trace of his former innocent appearance.
Around the boy's body lay the corpses of agents who died trying to stop him—agents who had previously smiled with him in photos.
"Later-deleted computer records revealed he had detected the Foundation's existence via his abilities from the start, approaching amicably with the goal of our information. Additionally, 80% of the incidents he 'resolved' were self-staged."
There were countless other instances of external entities causing problems or betraying the Foundation.
"Thus, any entity the Foundation cannot perfectly control must be suspected. This is a safety protocol written in blood. This applies even to the Fixer Lee Seung-hoon, who saved the Earth."
In fact, Lee Seung-hoon warranted even greater suspicion.
"Why, when he first visited the Foundation, was he transported to the defense system dimension? That's where we send only existential threats."
"Why does the restored Sephirot, clearly an entity, insist on calling Lee Seung-hoon human?"
"Why have apocalypse-class entities, which appear once every decade if at all, been emerging frequently since Lee Seung-hoon surfaced?"
"Why does Lee Seung-hoon regularly encounter incidents involving entities that even veteran agents struggle to deal with outside the Foundation?"
The Special Task Force members fervently discussed their suspicions about Lee Seung-hoon.
Lee Ha-yul, who had been listening quietly, clapped and drew a conclusion.
"Suspect everything. Even the benefactor of your parents—suspect, and suspect again."
"Yes!"
"Finally, Manager No. 5 speculates that Fixer Lee Seung-hoon may possess an anomaly that frequently draws apocalypse-class entities."
The meeting truly began.
"An entity with an anomaly that leads to frequent encounters with apocalypse-class entities."
How to handle the zoo.
"If true, it would be an entity whose mere existence continuously amplifies the potential for Earth's destruction. This is still just a hypothesis, so we'll set it aside for now."
How to surveil Lee Seung-hoon.
"Thus, find a weakness we can control. A weakness that prevents betrayal of us, prevents threats to humanity."
"I'm Ha Eun-seo, interim Team 1 Leader of the Foundation's Korean Branch."
"I'm Baek Yi-hyun, interim Team 4 Leader of the Foundation's Korean Branch."
As announced, agents were dispatched from the Korean Branch.
"We will surveil your every move from now on."
"We'll start inside your residence and accompany you to your office."
They intruded into his home without permission to watch, and did the same at the office.
"Sigh, lately our Choron keeps barking at people! We saw a famous trainer and even went to the animal hospital, but they have no idea what's causing it."
"Woof! Woof woof! Woof!"
Even as the client's poodle barked furiously at him, they watched unblinkingly.
"I can't resolve this either. Here's a ticket—try using it."
"A reward that calms pets? Mission: Marathon 14.195 km within 4 hours?"
"If that's not to your liking, equivalent exchange is possible. About ten million won to calm it down."
"I don't want to do anything weird to our Choron!"
By the way, this was becoming a problem.
"Already over a hundred clients today just for pet issues."
Dogs, cats, parrots, ferrets, hamsters, chinchillas, etc.
All were owners whose pets had suddenly started barking or acting aggressively only toward people, begging for a fix.
"Quest tickets have limits, and the equivalent exchange scale demands harsh prices, so no way to resolve everyone's issues. What do you all think about this situation?"
"......"
"......"
No response.
Were they thinking?
"What do you think, Eun-seo-ssi?"
"......"
"What about you, Yi-hyun-ssi?"
"......"
Stiff folks.
Still, sharing a workspace felt like true teamwork, which was nice.
"I think it's related to the zoo incident. The Foundation probably thinks so too, right?"
"......"
"Yes, Yi-hyun-ssi's expression confirms it. Must be the work of the entity that appeared at the zoo. Since it's a zoo, the entity is probably an animal, and it's influencing other animals, right?"
"......"
"I see. Got it."
He wanted to get closer.
Solving problems through discussion and debate together was fun, wasn't it?
"I'll prepare some tea. Let's enjoy a tea party together."
The start of rapport begins with sharing a meal.
When he returned to the office with tea and food prepared, an unexpected guest had arrived.
"Long time no see, Lee Seung-hoon-ssi."
"Baal-ssi."
It was Baal.
More than that, those two didn't even flinch when Baal entered.
Impressive.
"I'll bring out some french fries and cola."
"I'm good today. Just here to talk briefly."
"What about?"
He set up a table in front of them for their share, placed tea and food, then ate his own in front of Baal while listening.
"The Chairman sensed your gaze. He'll forgive it this once, but don't do it again."
He meant the scene beyond the right eye, seen through the suspicious trader's web.
"Understood. If it happens again, I won't look."
"More importantly, Lee Seung-hoon-ssi? You're giving off a terribly unpleasant smell. It's like..."
"Are you referring to an angelic scent, by any chance?"
Baal approached, sniffed, and grimaced.
"As expected, that smell. From quite the impressive one, too."
He recounted his trip to Purgatory and his encounter with Raphael there.
"Pathetic. Even Eastern Hell looks down on them. That's why they're treated as outdated old fogeys."
"But they were the first to create the world, weren't they?"
"Oh dear, so even you, Lee Seung-hoon-ssi, are human after all."
Baal mocked Raphael and the angels with exaggerated gestures.
"Creator? Yes, he was the first to create something. But anyone could have. It's like the first kid in the neighborhood to suggest a game. Anyone could think of it and play it; someone would have eventually. Back then, they called it the primordial creation."
"Creation isn't that impressive among them, huh."
"Exactly. But they strut around like they're special just for starting a bit earlier, so others invade this world."
It was the same story he'd heard from Raphael.
This world originated from Genesis but was overwritten by fusions with other worlds via scientific means—multiple worlds merged.
"Dismissing Eastern Hell is the same. Its founder was a human-born genius who created a world and its system."
"So prejudice that latecomers are inferior to pioneers, huh."
"Children often surpass parents. Technology naturally excels in later generations. In that sense, our Chairman might be greater now."
By the way, a game, huh.
To creator-level beings, who created first wasn't that important.
"...External Special Consultant Lee Seung-hoon?"
Baek Yi-hyun, silent until now, asked in a trembling voice.
"What in the world... are you... talking about?"
His pupils shook violently.
Ha Eun-seo beside him was the same.
"It's nothing much."
Oh, interested in this?
"I was discussing the origin of this world—all dimensions and parallel worlds—and the creation myths."
This might just open the floodgates for conversation between them.