Chapter 262
Chapter 262
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Stronger
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I need to end this quickly.
Fighting in the water is disadvantageous for me from the start.
Even so, there's only one reason I entered the water.
To become the target.
I recall the behavior pattern of that... Sammy I saw earlier.
It sang a song and caught Yoo Daon.
In other words, considering its hunting method or pattern, it lures people with song, drags them into the water, and kills them.
Conversely, if someone is already in the water, it doesn't need to sing.
"Puha!"
I surface once to fill my lungs with air, and at the same time, Yoo Daon's voice rings out.
"Jaeheon!"
"Don't move!"
Yoo Daon was reaching out toward me with labored breaths, and the branch manager was holding her back.
"I'm fine!"
"Yeah! I'm alive, so don't worry!"
"Come out quick!"
If I leave now, there'd be no point in coming in.
Ignoring Yoo Daon's scream, I dive back underwater.
At that moment, something grabs my leg and starts dragging me down.
"...!"
I hurriedly look down, and I see its true form.
It was a hand with webbed fingers.
Its face was a grotesque half-human, half-fish hybrid, with gills flapping around its neck.
The old me probably would have found this creepy.
But now, I feel nothing like that.
I quickly draw my gun and prepare to pull the trigger right against its wrist.
As close as possible. I don't know where I heard it, but guns don't fire properly underwater.
The moment I aim at its arm and move to pull the trigger, it swats my gun away with its other hand.
Even underwater, it acts however it wants.
I click my tongue inwardly and start thinking of what I can do.
Hand-to-hand combat? No, no gun.
That leaves only using Critical.
The problem is how?
As I'm thinking that, the manual unfolds and displays a page.
[Office Manual for Desk Workers]
[Singing Sammy - Branch Manager Lee Haneul's Records]
1. This object has an effect where people nearby become entranced when it sings.
2. In that case, the entranced people tend to dive into the water themselves and become its food or sacrifice.
3. For some reason, it prefers strangling its prey to death.
4. It's possible to fight it directly in the water, but most people won't be able to pull it off.
5. In that case, fight from outside the water. If that's impossible, rip out the gills somehow. The other parts are slippery and hard to dismantle easily.
The page written by the branch manager opens beside it.
Yeah. I get what you're implying.
I hold my breath and wait as it climbs up my body.
Leg, thigh, and up to my chest—it climbs onto my body, and when it's close, I grab its neck.
[Critical: 1->0]
The Critical I'd been saving since the church incident.
The world slows down as its nape glows red.
With its mouth wide open, I bite into its neck, and blood scatters.
It lets out a silent scream and sinks to the bottom.
That was easier than expected.
I let out a sigh of relief inwardly, swim upward, and look at Yoo Daon and the branch manager.
"Let go already...! You crazy old lady!"
"We can hear you."
"We have to save Jaeheon...!"
Yoo Daon was struggling, and the branch manager, legs crossed as if unconcerned, was still sitting on top of her.
"Puha!"
"It ended quick?"
"Jaeheon!"
Only then does the branch manager get off Yoo Daon, who rushes toward me in a panic.
"Any injuries?"
"None."
"Water in your lungs or..."
"Not sure..."
"Sh-should I do mouth-to-mouth?"
Her expression suggests she'd really grab my face and do it if I let her, so I hurriedly stop Yoo Daon.
"I'm fine. No injuries, and the problem's solved."
I say that and look at the branch manager.
The branch manager looks at me and smiles with a satisfied expression.
"You did well."
"Branch Manager. This regenerates, right?"
"This creature?"
"No. This zoo."
Based on what the branch manager wrote, that Sammy object should already be dead.
But since it just grabbed my leg, that means it's alive again.
Is it bodily regeneration, or does this place respawn it endlessly?
My personal guess is the latter. The branch manager drove here, and there are no managers around.
It probably appears at random locations on a set cycle.
"You know well."
The branch manager shakes her head with a smile.
"Kim Jaeheon, Yoo Daon—you two have no issues at this level."
I take off my coat to dry my wet clothes, and Yoo Daon drapes a towel she got from somewhere over me.
Brr, cold.
"Want me to share my body heat?"
"Don't say things that could make someone faint."
It's perfect behavior for misunderstandings.
Yoo Daon pouts her lips, grabs my arm, and slyly slips it into her embrace.
"Warm, right?"
"...Yeah."
"Good."
*
"That crazy woman for real."
"..."
Song Arin grits her teeth, and Jang Chaeyeon glares at the CCTV.
*
After passing the last shaky bridge, the end finally seemed in sight.
Because An Sanghyeon was standing in the middle of an open clearing.
"Ah, you made it!"
He waves his hand with a pleased smile.
"No issues? You two look much closer now."
"No issues..."
I glance at Yoo Daon, now clinging to my other arm, then meet An Sanghyeon's eyes again.
"Yeah, nothing major."
"Good. I didn't have any big ones either."
Even if there were, he probably wouldn't have time to notice.
I look at the charred main path, then back at An Sanghyeon.
"An Sanghyeon, did you know this was a test?"
"Of course."
He nods.
"If I pass this, I'll probably be the next Containment Team leader."
"...Aha."
Next Containment Team leader.
Then I become HR Team leader? What about our Team Leader?
If I become leader, our Team Leader doesn't get forced to retire or anything, right?
That'd be too apologetic. Better pass on the leader spot and just get the info.
"You're right for HR Team's next leader."
As if reading my thoughts, the branch manager nods and answers.
"We're considering it. Either make a new team at the Management Bureau and send you there, or keep you in the existing HR Team."
"Please make sure it doesn't harm our Team Leader."
"Hehe, will do."
The branch manager smiles and looks at the three of us.
"Alright, let me explain. Kim Jaeheon seems to have figured out the test midway, but Yoo Daon and An Sanghyeon don't know, so."
At her words, the two others turn to her.
"What An Sanghyeon had to show was overwhelming destructive power. Power that never backs down no matter what's blocking the path."
Anyone could see he passed.
"You know the result without me saying."
An Sanghyeon grins sheepishly at the branch manager's words.
"And Yoo Daon, well, the ability to fight without fear."
The ability to throw herself into unknown terror.
"You pass on that front."
Finally, the branch manager looks at me.
"Kim Jaeheon, it was judgment and leadership."
"..."
I figured as much.
The branch manager claps as she looks at the three of us.
"Alright! So now we figure out where each of you goes."
An Sanghyeon lights up at her words, and I look at her too.
And only one person raises her hand in objection.
"Does that mean I'm going to another team too?"
"If it's Yoo Daon, absolutely."
The branch manager nods, and Yoo Daon nods as if understanding, then speaks.
"Then I won't."
"Pardon?"
"I don't want a team leader position."
"...Really?"
The branch manager stares at Yoo Daon, who nods again.
"That stuff means nothing to me."
"Family whereabouts, hospital..."
"Our parents passed away."
Yoo Daon cuts off the branch manager.
"Even if they hadn't, in my heart, they're gone."
"..."
The branch manager falls silent briefly.
"Is that really why?"
"No?"
Yoo Daon looks at her like what kind of question is that.
"You'd be separated from Jaeheon, and, um, the HR Team folks."
The branch manager stares at Yoo Daon, who smiles back at her.
"...I've seen a lot of people in my life."
The branch manager lets out a small sigh.
"It's been a while since someone as unpredictable as Yoo Daon."
"Thanks!"
"Yeah."
Yoo Daon smiles, and the branch manager closes then opens her eyes, looking at me.
"What about you, Kim Jaeheon?"
"No issue as long as the team members don't change."
"Ah, then you're good."
The branch manager nods.
"It won't change right away, and even if it does, you can bring who you want."
That's fine then.
"Got it."
"Good. Then... really don't want it?"
"Yeah."
Yoo Daon nods without hesitation, and the branch manager, clicking her tongue, puts something back in her pocket.
A bead?
As I glance at the bead, the branch manager hands something to An Sanghyeon.
"Use it."
It was a ring.
An Sanghyeon takes the ring and nods.
"Thank you."
"And..."
The branch manager looks at me, hemming and hawing, then gives me a single bookmark.
"...What's this?"
"You'll know when you use it."
Then she looks up at something, and at the same time, a man in sunglasses, Jang Chaeyeon, and Song Arin come down.
"...Where were you two? We looked forever."
I widen my eyes at them, but neither responds to me.
Is there a reason they don't want to talk about it?
"Anyway, let's go."
The branch manager rubs her eyes tiredly and starts walking.
So, what did we pay for all this?
Even as we follow her out of the zoo, I still didn't know.
*
In the car on the way back.
I still couldn't figure out what this bookmark was for.
I checked it visually, of course, but all it shows is:
[Name: -]
[Age: -]
[Specialty: -]
[Talent: -]
[Background: -]
[Weakness: -]
Asking Jang Chaeyeon to use Observation? No Critical to begin with.
As I'm staring at the bookmark intently, Jang Chaeyeon, Yoo Daon, and even Song Arin are looking at me.
"What?"
"Looking at the bookmark. Wondering what it's for."
"Bookmarks... go in books?"
Yoo Daon says it like it's obvious.
"...Yeah?"
The only book I can use right now is...
"..."
I slowly insert the bookmark into the manual.
"..."
Tension makes me swallow dryly.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Nothing happens.
"Guess not."
"Yeah."
Yoo Daon and I share our disappointment, and I check Song Arin and Jang Chaeyeon's faces.
Both look deadly serious.
What on earth happened?
On the way back, the conversation was mostly just between Yoo Daon and me.
*
Basement level.
After everyone else had gone home, Song Arin entered the containment area.
"..."
Not sneaking in. All procedures properly followed.
She stops in front of room A-27.
Written there in dry letters: <Director>.
Song Arin knocks, and a monotonously identical voice reaches her ears.
"Come in."
"..."
Song Arin opens the door to find the Director greeting her, restrained in a straitjacket with arms and legs bound to the wall.
"Why."
"...Help me."
"With what."
"Teach me your ability."
"...Don't wanna."
Yeah, figured as much.
This'll take long convincing. Even if I were the Director, I'd say the same.
Song Arin sighs deeply to herself.