Chapter 9
Chapter 9
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Discovered the Forces of Evil
-----------------------------------------------------------------
World Health Safety League (WHSL)
Commonly known as the Whistle.
To the public, it was known as an international medical and disaster response organization, but in truth, it was a secret group that manipulated the world from the shadows, wielding authority beyond nations to protect this world from aberrant reality pollution.
Oh Ji-seong was a man who had risen to the rank of agent in such an organization.
Just imagine.
How difficult it would be to get hired full-time at a place like that if it really existed.
Super-elites who even looked down on astronauts.
As such, Oh Ji-seong's instincts were sharp, and his judgments were swift.
"Everyone, halt."
His gaze was fixed on the bear doll sitting at the end of the alley.
A rapid series of questions and answers flashed through his mind.
'Have I seen that bear doll anywhere in the past few days?'
No.
'The bear doll itself is worn out, but the silver sword at its waist is a fine piece. Who would discard something like that?'
No one sane.
'Is it possible I just overlooked it?'
No chance.
Process of elimination based on unshakable confidence in himself.
He arrived at an unbelievable conclusion.
The bear doll had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Oh Ji-seong stepped back and shouted quickly.
"New pollution source detected! It could interact with the one we're isolating, so halt all operations and withdraw cautiously."
Once he reached a conclusion, he neither doubted nor hesitated.
Every single step in front of an Aberrant Reality Pollution Source (ARPS) could lead straight to death.
His judgment and response were flawless.
Thanks to that perfect handling, the special response team agents reacted just as swiftly.
They traced his line of sight, spotted the bear doll at the end of the alley, and placed their index fingers on the triggers of the submachine guns tucked inside their jackets.
'If it twitches, we shoot.'
Physical attacks surprisingly worked well against many pollution sources. That was why the Whistle manual called for trying firearms first against newly encountered aggressive ones.
True to their status as pros from the League's special response team, they identified the enemy swiftly and accurately even in this sudden situation, harboring clear 'intent to attack.' Another perfect response.
And the result of perfection building upon perfection?
A bloodbath.
Snap!
The agent at the front felt a chilling sound from within his own arms, and goosebumps erupted across his skin.
"Wha...?"
He looked down and locked eyes with the bear doll.
"When the hell...?"
He hadn't blinked even once, so why was the doll that had clearly been over there now right here?
The bear doll flung his severed index finger behind it with a whoosh!
"Gah!"
Only then did pain shoot up to the top of his head, and the agent doubled over.
In that instant, the other two special response agents grasped the situation.
"That monster...!"
The two agents raised the submachine guns from inside their jackets and aimed at the bear doll. That was a more definite intent to attack. But they hadn't committed to firing yet. It was a situation where a shot could hit friendlies too.
And that hesitation saved their lives.
Crunch!
"Gaaah!"
The gun of the agent on the right crumpled along with his wrist.
Once again,
no one
had seen the bear doll move.
By the time they snapped to, the doll was already gripping the barrel, swinging it wildly, and crushing the wrist along with it.
Bang!
At that moment, a gunshot rang out.
The last special response agent, convinced the bear doll was about to kill his ally, had pulled the trigger.
It was a risky shot that might hit a teammate, but he judged firing was still the better option.
Splat!
The bear doll's body flew through the air as if thrown, then hit the ground and rolled. Brown fur and white stuffing tore free from its burst body.
But
Whoosh!
When the mangled bear doll lifted its head, everyone held their breath.
Ominous.
Like a long needle piercing the crown of the head.
Like a hacksaw grinding down teeth.
Oh no. That thing. Guns or. Blades or. Destroying its form. Won't work on it. It's vicious. And maliciously. Obsessed...
In the moment everyone was gripped by an inexpressible terror,
Ding-a-ling-
Oh Ji-seong rang the handbell. The kind held in one hand like at a Salvation Army kettle.
Ding-a-ling-
His face was deathly pale as he rang it again, lips trembling, eyes locked on the bear doll staggering back to its feet.
Ding-a-ling.
Of course, it wasn't just any handbell.
⚙ ARPS DATA ⚙ <Distracting Handbell> #ARPS-NTS-17004 A bell is fundamentally made to draw people's attention. This pollution source, taking the form and abilities of a bell, attracts the gaze of all beings and distracts them, causing them to forget the action they were about to perform moments before. An ARPS he had been granted permission to carry upon promotion to agent.
Oh Ji-seong pulled it out and shook it.
Because his instincts had warned him. The bear doll had been shot and flung away, but that was just its exterior.
'Its true nature isn't affected by physical force like that. Provoking it will only bring even worse results.'
So he rang the handbell.
To save his comrade.
To save everyone.
Cold sweat dripped from him as he said,
"Everyone. Avert your eyes from the bear doll. Don't think about anything. Especially nothing negative."
He had realized it.
The first agent lost his index finger.
The next lost his hand.
The last one... was surely dead. If he hadn't rung the bell.
"This bear doll seems to respond with greater hostility the more hostility we show it. So don't look at it. Don't even think about it."
He emphasized again, shaking the handbell.
Ding-a-ling-
The bear doll's gaze turned toward Oh Ji-seong.
Oh Ji-seong smiled faintly.
'If I keep this up, drawing its attention with the bell and luring it out of the alley...'
Crack!
"Huh?"
Oh Ji-seong blinked. His eyes clearly captured the handbell splitting in half and falling.
"Wha...?"
He also saw the bear doll sheathing its razor-sharp silver sword, as if it had drawn it without anyone noticing.
Thud. Plop.
Only then did the fragments of the handbell hit the ground with a dull sound.
'This thing... even a power saw couldn't scratch it...'
Oh Ji-seong froze.
Everyone froze.
Only the bear doll, stuffing spilling from its body, shuffled forward and stopped in front of the agent who had shot it.
The agent, following Oh Ji-seong's orders, kept his eyes averted, sweating profusely without turning around. As if terrified of harboring any hostility toward the bear doll, he kept muttering nonstop.
Snap!
"Guh!"
The stuffing-spilling bear doll tore off his index finger. The agent bit his lip and endured.
Pop!
"Hngh!"
It yanked out his thumb. Sweat poured from the agent, but he didn't turn.
Snap snap!
Middle finger, ring finger. Pinky. All ripped off. Once the right hand was gone, it did the left too.
And that wasn't the end.
The bear doll grabbed the agent's scalp along with his hair and tore it off. Then it stuffed it into the hole in its own body where stuffing had fallen out.
"Hrrk. Ngh..."
The agent's groans of endured agony.
Blood from his head soaked his entire face.
Yet the special response agent trembled violently but never turned to look at the bear doll or harbored any hostility.
It was hellish time.
For the agent bearing the pain alone.
And for the others who could only silently listen to his stifled screams.
Ten fingers. A bit of scalp and a bunch of hair. Only after ripping all that out did the bear doll stop.
"Hic. Hngh..."
A silence filled only with groans lingered for a while.
Rustle-
Finally, with a sound as light as falling leaves, the bear doll sat back down in place. It simply stared at the gacha machine sitting there plainly.
Oh Ji-seong swallowed hard.
'It's deactivated for now. But... it's definitely connected to that gacha machine somehow.'
As he cautiously scanned the bear doll, his eyes caught the tag dangling from it.
'Responding Bear... From KEH...?'
He shuddered as if struck by lightning.
'That's the same as on that gacha machine. From KEH.'
Goosebumps rippled across his skin.
'No way. Another pollution source that generates other pollution sources has appeared? One this powerful, and even showing some kind of bond or organization?'
If that was true, it was a massive threat to humanity.
His shoulders trembled.
Confirming the bear doll still sat motionless, he backpedaled while issuing rapid orders.
"Everyone. Withdraw. Don't touch anything. Don't think anything. Quietly. This way. Over there. Trailer driver too. Pull out together for now. Leave the trailer."
Oh Ji-seong slipped out of the alley on quiet feet. Behind him followed the ten-plus on-site personnel, dripping cold sweat.
And one hour later,
When Oh Ji-seong returned to that alley, there was nothing there.
Not even the bloodstains from the agents.
"...Gotta file the report right away."
He dropped his filter-burned cigarette and ground it underfoot.