Sewer Normalization
Jeongchan reads the traces of sewer normalization. With Direct Gaze, he examines marks invisible to the naked eye.
Along with things that shouldn't be visible, he spots the line connected to the back of the Diver Father's head.
That line leads to a small puddle hidden behind the massive bulk. A bottomless pit like a well.
"We have to go in there."
"No way. Who knows where that connects? Remember the rules?"
1. Do not fall into the central waterway. No method will get you out.
"The agents who met the mother came back out. Since you've dispelled the hypnosis, wouldn't it be faster to get info from them?"
"They won't spill a thing."
"Still, no reason I can't go."
Even if I can't come back, I could just live happily ever after down there. He thinks for a moment.
"Jeongchan, we need to dive into that."
The Diver Father swings its excavator-like long arm. The blunt harpoon it grips turns the agents into spurts of blood.
"What happens now?"
"Ugh. Fine, I'll send in the hypnotized agents. Why am I always surrounded by people like this..."
"If everyone's around you is the problem, maybe suspect yourself."
"...?"
"I'll go."
Ha Taewon draws the Diver Father's gaze, and in that gap, Jang Yoel swings his cross.
A boom! echoes like a blasting site, and dodging the staggering Diver Father from the shock, Jeongchan enters the puddle.
He sees the line connected to the Diver Mother. He follows it.
Passing through a dark tunnel without light, he finally emerges through a new hole.
An agent who went ahead stands there. Gills on his neck—the guy who ran off energetically.
Now I see we could've used him as a human motor. Wasted effort learning to swim.
The agent trembles like a cheap gym vibrator—faster than one.
First human to beat a machine besides Lee Sedol.
Today, you're Bassdol.
Bassdol shakes, leaking blood from every orifice. Jeongchan matches his gaze.
Sewage stench.
Barnacle-crusted legs.
Itchy all over.
Bloated belly piled with divers.
Alternating dry heaves.
Finally, his gaze reaches the face.
Ah.
Ah.
Ah.
Ah.
Ah.
Worshipped by all her offspring. Her children are under her control. The central waterway is the fastest path to her audience.
Worship me.
Become my child.
Be reborn.
Slap!
He slaps his cheek as hard as he can.
Too beautiful—nearly lost my mind.
Beauty emanates from her very existence—an anomaly incomparable to the Diver Father.
How to fight her?
Simple enough.
He swings and hurls the chain with its weight first.
The chain flies like a bursting wind, wrapping around the Diver Mother. She shows no reaction.
She simply radiates even more head-splitting beauty with her haughty expression.
He approaches her.
His head throbs like something's blooming inside, blood leaking from everywhere.
Still, he doesn't stop.
Wonder what that haughty anomaly tastes like? Wanna lick it.
As he smacks his lips, the Diver Mother opens her mouth—or throat, anyway.
A dissonant voice emerges from her flower-split neck.
"Human... right? You came all this way? How?"
Questions can wait.
Lick.
Being the mother of divers, it tastes more concentrated than them. Pure maturity.
"Possible."
Startled by his affection, the Diver Mother shrieks.
"Eek! Name your desire! The sewer turf? I'll give it! The divers? Those too! Limited immortality? That as well!"
"Don't need any of that."
Just one thing he wants.
"I just want you."
Nothing else. Body's enough.
Anomaly 'Diver Mother' contained.
Separating the uncollectible husk of the Diver Mother.
Containment Facility domain successfully expanded.
Exploration Period: Total 6 days
Objectives: Eliminate or negotiate with Diver Mother for sewer normalization. Eliminate Dark Current Society agents. Remove abnormally surging divers.
Results: All objectives achieved. Reversible stabilization of sewer environment observed.
1. Diver Mother neutralized. 12th Grade Jeongchan, solo kill. Husk submitted as evidence.
Mental pollution occurs near husk. Approach only with minimum 7th Grade mental barrier.
Viewing face requires minimum 5th Grade mental barrier.
2. Divers lose resurrection. Confirmed no revival, including Diver Father. Sharp drop in diver numbers.
Propose eradicating divers from sewers. (Proposer: 7th Grade Ha Taewon)
3. Divers' intelligence decline. Steep drop. No intelligent, organic behavior unique to divers. Monitor for total loss.
Observed diver charging solo with harpoon. Re-investigate increased aggression.
Propose reinstalling rulebook in sewers based on findings. (Proposer: 5th Grade Jang Yoel)
4. Fake ladder removed. Confirmed non-rusted ladder corroded with spray.
Identified via 12th Grade Jeongchan's eyes; used to expend Dark Current Society agents. (Executor: 8th Grade Nahee)
"Urk—hic."
"Keep puking."
Near the now-mush Diver Father corpse, Nahee vomits her guts—now blood too—and Ha Taewon pats her back while wiping his nosebleed.
Happened when they followed to find Jeongchan, who hadn't returned.
"Gotta move that separately. Can't even approach without this."
"You okay?"
"Yeah, fine. Just saw something nasty."
Jang Yoel wipes blood from his face.
"Two bottles of booze and I'll be good."
He masks his trembling hands with liquor. The afterimage of that indescribable being still churns his mind.
He barely holds his sanity, gazing at Jeongchan, whom he dragged back.
Context says he solo-killed the mother and napped by the husk. Unbelievable.
"Nahee, you wanted a promotion, right?"
Nahee nods weakly.
"You'll probably get it. Like the kid Taewon brought back. So stop puking."
"If I could control it, I would've. Urp—"
Time passes in the sewer.
"Jeongchan, is this right?"
"Eating hand is right."
"Then this is right."
"...Lefty, huh. And I'm your senior. Snap out of it."
Long exposure still causes disorientation and loss of direction sense. No change there.
Jang Yoel recalls rules, confirming changes.
Waterway filling seems gone.
Still dangers, but much cleaner than before.
And the hero? That dazed 12th Grade agent staring into space.
Rank-wise, middling between agent and civilian—but results say otherwise.
"Gonna hit the bathroom quick. Big one, might take a while."
"Go. Catch up later."
"Yep."
Catches a massive anomaly and still unsatisfied—lies about bathroom, grabs scythe instead of TP.
Damn... terrifying. Never satisfied?
"You won't senior Jeongchan long—or even get called junior."
"Why say that? I'm sad. Jeongchan."
The swig tastes sweeter.
"Taewon, ease up on Nahee. Might not senior her long either."
Ha Taewon grins amused.
"To senior long, hide screw-ups or rack merits fast. Let me clean sewers too."
"No. Did once, broke wall and cursed up a storm. That's why no solo for you."
"Tactical necessity."
"......"
Jang Yoel drinks silently.
Propose promoting 12th Grade Jeongchan to 9th Grade.
Proposers: 5th Grade Jang Yoel, 7th Grade Ha Taewon, 8th Grade Nahee.
Promoting a three-month rookie to 9th Grade? Unprecedented. Even public exam passers need a year training.
Bureaucrats whining "procedures, rules" will shut up with these results.
Dazzling.
Exiting the sewer, long-missed sunlight hits him. Seeing this sun makes him miss Mary shining beautifully in the facility.
First one deserves top priority.
First, finish this mental pollution check.
Jang Yoel brings results.
"Results out. You're clear."
"Good."
"Take this first. Stuff for you."
"What's that?"
Jang Yoel chuckles.
"Heard you grabbed victims' ashes and IDs from neighborhood office survival. Thank-you letters from families. Wanna meet you."
"Yeah, no biggie."
"That's why they say it. Good work."
"You too."
Jang Yoel downs booze as always.
"No biggie my ass... Rest up, recover. Tell me next time you're here."
"Will do. Heading out."
Three months passed?
Constant incidents blur time sense.
Adapted to this world?
Dunno. Gotta see Mary.