Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 99. Branch Manager
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After finishing the conversation with the Branch Manager, I made eye contact with Jang Chaeyeon and Yoo Daon standing behind me.
"Shall we go then."
"Yeah."
"Got it."
The two nodded, and just as they were about to follow behind me, the Branch Manager reached out and stopped them.
"You two can't come."
"Uh..."
"It's dangerous, and you'll probably won't be able to endure it."
At the Branch Manager's words, Jang Chaeyeon opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it again.
"...Understood."
Did Jang Chaeyeon just use polite speech?
She nodded slightly, and Yoo Daon glanced at the Branch Manager before turning her gaze to me, as if only my opinion mattered.
"...Daon, then please stay here with Chaeyeon. Song Arin is probably here too, so join up with her... or at least confirm she's arrived."
"...Yes."
Yoo Daon nodded as well and left a message for Song Arin.
[Arrived. Please join up with Jang Chaeyeon and Yoo Daon after confirming location.]
[Arriving soon.]
I pocketed my smartphone after receiving her short reply.
Since I told them to join up, they'll come.
"Are you prepared?"
The Branch Manager looked at me, and I nodded as well.
"Yes, I'm ready."
"Good. Then let's go."
The Branch Manager started walking ahead.
"I'll be back. If anything happens..."
"I'll go before anything happens."
Yoo Daon replied before I could finish speaking and waved her hand.
"Take care."
Leaving the two behind, I began following the Branch Manager.
"You two seem to get along well."
"Just colleagues."
"Oh, if that's how it is, then sure."
The Branch Manager spoke slyly with a smile.
"Branch Manager, so where are we going?"
"Oh, didn't I tell you?"
She muttered, "I keep forgetting lately," and pressed the elevator button.
"Have you ever thought it was strange?"
"Strange how?"
"Honestly, there are an abnormally high number of Containment Objects, aren't there?"
...
With a cheerful ding, the elevator stopped, and the Branch Manager stepped inside.
"Get in."
...
I followed the Branch Manager into the elevator.
She muttered something, then placed her thumb on the emergency call button.
Soon, the elevator began to rise.
"Seeing you, Kim Jaeheon, reminds me of my younger days."
...
No matter how generously you viewed her, aside from the aura she gave off, she looked like a woman in her late twenties, so hearing that inevitably bred suspicion about her.
"I encountered Containment Objects day after day too. Just like you now."
"You too, Branch Manager?"
"Of course. It's just like the weight of a crown."
"I've never particularly wanted such a crown."
"That's true too."
"Were you on the Containment Team, Branch Manager?"
"Oh, didn't I mention? I was on the General Affairs Team."
She smiled softly and nodded.
"Anyway, that was all just like an initiation rite."
"Initiation rite?"
"Yes."
She nodded, and with another cheerful ding, the elevator stopped.
A small room spread out before my eyes.
A room so tiny it was hard to believe it was the view right after stepping out of the elevator.
Inside the room, a single tree branch was enshrined respectfully in a glass case.
It didn't look particularly special.
"Kim Jaeheon."
"Yes."
"You've probably heard it before."
The Branch Manager turned to look at me.
"The saying that the Management Bureau never loses."
"...I've heard it."
It was something a man in sunglasses had told me long ago.
"It's not because the Management Bureau is stronger than every Containment Object."
With those words, the Branch Manager placed her hand on the glass case.
With a creak, the glass case opened.
"It's because the Management Bureau has never lost."
At the same time, the branch's information reflected in my eyes.
[Name: One Rule]
[Age: - ]
[Specialty: One-time]
[Talent: Proof of Nothingness]
[Background: Ancient people pointed to an olive branch fallen from the sky and said this: 'A single miracle.']
[Weakness: Breaks upon use.]
Proof of Nothingness. And a single miracle.
But just once.
"This is it."
"...But it can only be used once."
"Oh. You can see that far?"
The Branch Manager opened one eye to look at me, shrugged her shoulders, and opened her mouth.
"The Management Bureau has countless means internally. Otherwise, humanity would have perished long ago before the numerous disasters."
...
"By the way, I'm one of those means."
She smiled leisurely.
Means. Then, that open underground door I'd seen with Yoo Daon was probably one of them too.
Likely so. Then just how many means did the Management Bureau possess.
I looked at the branch.
I had a rough sense of what kind of object it was. However,
"I don't think I'll need to help carry this."
What possible help of mine was needed to take the branch and resolve the problem.
"Ah, you will need to."
"I will?"
"There's something that only Kim Jaeheon can do."
Holding the branch in one hand, the Branch Manager pressed the elevator button again.
"Get in."
...
I followed her into the elevator, and it began descending slowly once more.
Back down to the first floor.
The chaos was still like utter pandemonium. No, even greater chaos than before.
"Branch Manager! The front lines are being pushed back!"
A man with a bizarre machine strapped to his leg rolled over... and looked up at the Branch Manager.
Without a word, she pulled out the branch, and the man nodded upon seeing it before rolling forward again.
Where were the HR Team people?
I scanned around, but Yoo Daon, Jang Chaeyeon, and Song Arin were nowhere to be seen.
Probably off somewhere else—
"Hey!"
At the voice ringing in my ears, I turned toward the source to see Song Arin hurrying toward me.
"You, where have you..."
"Hello, Song Arin."
...
At the Branch Manager's words, Song Arin's approaching footsteps halted.
"...Hello, Branch Manager."
"Indeed. Have you been well?"
"...Yes, thanks to you."
Then she looked at me and continued speaking.
"The white-hair and black-hair rushed off to block the front. They said they were short-handed."
"And you, Song Arin?"
"I was going too, but I ran into you."
Song Arin's gaze shifted to the branch in the Branch Manager's hand.
She furrowed her brow slightly and opened her mouth.
"...I'll go with you too."
"Hmm..."
The Branch Manager seemed to ponder for a moment, placing a hand on her chin, then shook her head.
"No."
...
"You know well... there's nothing good to come from getting involved."
...
Song Arin glanced at me, chewed her lip, lowered her gaze, then lifted it again and nodded.
"Understood. If that's what you say, Branch Manager."
"Good thinking."
...
The Branch Manager smiled, and Song Arin stared at her smile before turning her head away from us.
"Let's meet at the office once it's over."
"Sure."
Song Arin stared fixedly at me, her lips twitching as if about to say something.
But without a word, she let out a single sigh and turned toward the main entrance.
"...So where do we go?"
"Over here."
I turned my head toward the loud noise coming from ahead, and the Branch Manager looked at me.
"You'll need to help from now on."
...
She smiled brightly and began walking past the people.
Her footsteps headed toward the first-floor corridor where the Security Team was.
Completely the opposite direction from the main entrance.
"Where are you headed now?"
"The back door."
The Branch Manager answered lightly as she walked toward the back door.
It wasn't far to the back door.
People were there at the back door too, and the moment they saw her, they all bowed once and cleared a path.
Among them was a man whose face was half-burned.
Containment Team members.
"Kim Jaeheon."
"Yes."
-Shoooo...
Outside the transparent door, rain continued to pour endlessly.
Gazing outside, the Branch Manager called to me.
"What do you see in the sky?"
At her words, I looked up at the sky without thinking.
It was a gigantic eye.
Like a human eye, or perhaps a camera lens.
Water dripped from its eye.
Like tears.
A translucent window floated before my eyes.
[Name: - ]
[Age: - ]
[Specialty: - ]
[Talent: Rain]
[Background: Nature has never always been friendly to humanity. The same holds now.]
[Weakness: Time to recall the root of this incident.]
Every line was a riddle.
At the same time, my temples began to throb.
"That... what is..."
"You can see it, I see."
Muttering in a calm voice, the Branch Manager stepped out the door.
Her body began to get soaked with water.
"No, Branch Manager...!"
Faster than I could reach out to stop her, she was drenched,
"Now, from here on, Kim Jaeheon, you keep watching that eye."
As if it were nothing at all, she looked at me and continued speaking.
"...No, how..."
Was it safe to touch the water?
As if reading my thoughts, she smiled and shook her head.
"No. It's only possible because it's me."
-Bang!
Was it because the door had opened? A swarm of people rushed up behind her.
"Branch Manager! Behind!"
"Oh my."
At my words, she turned around, smiled, clenched her fist, and drew it back.
"Watch out!"
These were monsters that even Jang Chaeyeon could barely withstand in a direct confrontation.
"Hello!"
"Hello!"
"Heeeello!!!"
"Yes, hello."
Facing the three monsters charging from ahead, she lightly drew back her fist before swinging it forward.
-Kwaaaang!!
With the sound of the air ripping apart, the three oncoming monsters exploded outright.
A translucent window appeared above her head.
[Name: Lee Haneul]
[Age: - ]
[Specialty: Indestructible]
[Talent: Indestructible]
[Background: When asked to name the strongest person in the Management Bureau's domestic branch, countless candidates come up. But if asked to name the strongest 'human,' everyone picks just one person.]
[Weakness: - ]
-Shoooo...
Blood mixed into the rain and fell.
"Thanks for the concern, but..."
Dyeing her brown hair bright red with the falling blood, the Branch Manager looked at me and smiled.
"I told you it's best not to look recklessly."