Chapter 363
Chapter 363
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Hero
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-Crackle! Crackle crackle!
Something kept crackling nonstop, forcing us to keep moving without a break.
"..."
No one bothered to speak up.
We all knew the resolve of the one who'd gone ahead first.
"This way."
The man who'd been holding his silence led us on.
"We don't have much time. We need to hurry."
-Crackle crackle!
An even louder sound rang in our ears.
The man picked up his pace.
How long had we been walking when the crackling finally stopped.
With a bitter expression, the man looked up at the ceiling.
"I always think this, but staking your life on something is truly terrifying."
"..."
I kept my mouth shut, not knowing what to say, and the troupe leader spoke up as if to comfort me.
"It's okay. He probably went without any pain."
Even knowing that didn't change much.
We kept walking down the flickering corridor until the man turned to me.
"But it's really a relief."
"Pardon?"
"The HR Team being here means it'll get resolved, right?"
"Where'd you hear that ru—"
No. Don't go there.
I stopped myself and looked at the man.
The emotion in his gaze as he looked at me.
It wasn't trust.
It was hope.
Hope that I was someone who could resolve this situation, even more than belief that I would.
If he'd trusted me, I might've told him not to.
"...You're right."
I nodded slowly.
"We can resolve it. Don't worry."
"...That's a relief."
Relief mixed into the man's voice at my answer. The other man walking quietly beside us looked at me with the same eased expression.
Yeah.
If me saying everything's fine could ease their worries, then I had to say it.
"A hero doesn't become one by wanting to be—it's when others start seeing them as a hero."
And the troupe leader muttered beside me.
"That's the plot of this story. What a jerk. Forcing someone to be a hero."
"..."
I couldn't help but agree with the troupe leader. It really was jerkish.
*
"Here we are."
How long had we walked down these empty halls when we finally stood before an old door.
"..."
It had been ages since I'd last seen this door.
The one I'd gone through with Yoo Daon.
If we went in, there'd be an old computer—
-Creeeak...
Cutting off my thoughts, the man opened the door and stepped inside, and I followed behind him.
Sure enough, a very old computer sat there before us, the same as always.
The man pulled out the USB I'd given him and slowly plugged it into the computer.
"It'll take a bit of time."
He muttered in a flat voice, and the other man, who'd been silently listening to us until then, stepped toward the door.
"You plugged in the USB, right?"
"Yeah."
"I'll head out first."
"Sure. See you later."
The man stepped out as if it were nothing.
<Loading> appeared on the computer screen, and the progress bar started filling up bit by bit.
Slowly filling from 1%.
Soon, heavy footsteps began to echo.
"Containment Objects aren't idiots either."
The man muttered in that same flat voice.
"When the emergency containment procedure starts, they all know. That things are getting dangerous if this keeps up."
"..."
"Normally, it's the Management Team's systems that handle it, but when everything's down like now, someone has to step up personally."
"Personally...?"
"Exactly. Draw on every trick they can to pull the Containment Objects' attention and survive as long as possible to buy time."
"Couldn't we just hide here together...?"
"If they find this place, we're all done for."
He looked at me, still muttering as if it were no big deal.
"It's fine. That guy's aware and volunteered for it."
"..."
"We can pull this off, right?"
"...Of course. We definitely can."
I had to finish this play properly.
I looked toward the door.
"But if he's lucky, he might even survive."
He kept talking.
"Then we can meet up later and swap stories over drinks about who was braver."
-CRUNCH!
Something far off crushed with a sickening sound.
I'd heard that noise before.
The sound of human flesh being pulverized.
"He's dead."
The troupe leader muttered in a flat voice.
I'd heard it, and so had the man, but neither of us mentioned the source.
"Normally, I wouldn't back down, but this time I have to let him take the lead."
The man let out a hollow laugh and turned to the screen.
<30%>
"How's it outside?"
"Outside?"
"With monsters like these loose, it must be a sight beyond words."
"...You're right."
"Did you take them all down?"
"I couldn't take them all, but I did my best with what I could."
The man let out a sigh of relief at my answer.
"Honestly, we were all worried. About what kind of hell would break loose if everything got out."
"...That's why I came here alone."
"Ah, so the others are handling things outside?"
"Yes."
In the end, I had to lie.
<60%>
"That's a huge relief."
The man sighed in relief at my words.
"By the way, we haven't even introduced ourselves properly. I'm Kim Mingyu."
"..."
A translucent window floated above his head, but I didn't bother looking and extended my hand.
"I'm Kim Jaeheon."
We shook hands.
"Exchanging names with someone from the HR Team—feels like life's worth living now."
"Go brag about it somewhere."
"Haha!"
The man laughed heartily.
I turned to the screen.
<60%>
Still 40% left.
-Knock knock knock.
At the same time, a knock came from the door.
The man and I both looked at it.
-It's me. Open the door, please.
It was the voice of the man who'd left earlier.
-Knock knock knock.
-It's me.
The knock and voice together.
"You know that's not him, right? Not even human."
The troupe leader muttered.
I knew.
I drew my gun and aimed at the door, but the man reached out and lowered it.
"40% left."
Muttering with a hint of a smile, he headed to the corner of the room and tapped the floor with his toe.
-Whirr...
A mechanical sound followed, and the floor opened up. The man looked at me.
"Sorry for saddling you with such a tough job."
"...It's still knocking, so we have time."
"There's a saying that gets passed down in the Management Team."
He kept his eyes on me as he spoke.
"'Never think it couldn't happen—that's how you all die.'"
"..."
"40% is a lot."
"Then let me—"
"No."
The man cut me off.
"Sorry to say this, but Mr. Kim Jaeheon, you have a bigger job ahead."
"..."
"Even when the emergency containment procedure finishes, that's not the end."
He looked at me.
"As I mentioned, the emergency procedure itself borrows the power of a Containment Object."
"..."
Something shadow-like flickered in my mind.
I'd only seen it twice, but it was vividly etched in my memory.
It felt like he was talking about that black shadow, the one I'd seen twice during the Butterfly's Dream incident.
"We need you to handle something even bigger there."
The man—no, Kim Mingyu—bowed his head slightly to me.
-Thud thud thud.
-It's me, open the door!
The knocks from outside now sounded like heavy punches.
"If by some miracle you survive, go brag to my team."
"Weren't we gonna meet up and brag together?"
"Oof, this guy's mouth runs ahead of him."
He gave a wry smile.
"Then we'll meet then."
"..."
"It's all life-on-the-line work, so don't feel too bad."
He waved as he descended into the floor.
Soon, his figure vanished, and only his voice remained.
"I'll trust you."
"Yes."
-Bang bang bang!
-It's me!
The sounds from beyond the door didn't last long.
-This way, over here!
Kim Mingyu's voice rang out, and the knocking stopped.
A bitter taste filled my mouth.
<70%>
I looked at the screen.
How much time passed.
No more footsteps or voice from him—just me, the troupe leader, and the screen's pale glow remained.
The troupe leader silently placed a hand on my shoulder.
"The Management Bureau's always been like this."
"..."
"Like you, they just always do what they can."
"It's weird hearing that from the one who wrecked the world."
"..."
She avoided my gaze.
If she met the Observer, those two would probably fight like crazy.
<80%>
<90%>
<100%>
I waited in silence for time to pass, and once it hit 100%, the monitor shut off.
At the same moment,
[Emergency Containment Procedure Activated]
The words appeared on the monitor, and the lights went out.
-Flash!
Dizziness hit me.
"..."
I knew this sensation well.
"This is..."
The troupe leader muttered something and hid behind me.
"What're you doing?"
"I'm scared."
I sighed in disbelief, and then—
Something black appeared before my eyes.
"..."
I didn't bother checking the translucent window.
"Speak."
I simply opened my mouth.
"I'm in a hurry."
I had to wrap all this up and return everything to how it was.