Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Management Bureau Tour & Mystery (2)
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If the atmosphere of the previous Analysis Division and Combat Division could be called an industrial zone, then this Isolation Division felt like a business district.
Unlike those nearly deserted places, filled only with eerie silence, this division was overflowing with people.
The sight of countless staff seated at their stations, manipulating holographic keyboards, was downright impressive.
I was momentarily entranced by the vibe, like stepping inside a massive spaceship straight out of a sci-fi flick.
"…?"
I noticed something odd—no bulkhead doors here, even though they'd been everywhere in the Analysis and Combat Divisions.
"Why no doors here?"
I asked Crescent Head, who was fiddling with something nearby, and got an instant reply.
"Oh, this is the administrative sector. The actual isolation zone's further in—that's where the door is."
I glanced that way and sure enough, there was a massive blast door.
It dwarfed the one from the Analysis Division, several times thicker and more imposing.
"If it was sealed shut from the get-go, staff couldn't escape if an anomaly broke loose, right?"
"…Yeah, fair point."
Sensible explanation. I shut my mouth.
This Crescent Head guy—creepy as hell aside, his competence was infuriating.
Even now, his fingers flew across the holographic keyboard while he answered without missing a beat.
"So, where to next?"
"Hang on~ I just sent the approval request, should hear back any second~. Oh!"
A message popped up on his holographic display.
"Response came in—off to the Special Examination Room!"
"…Special Exam?"
"Short for Special Examination Room~."
We soon wove through the throng of Management Bureau staff and reached the blast door.
Hiss—! The scanner recognized Crescent Head, and the door vented compressed air as it slid open.
Interlocking mechanisms disengaged with mechanical precision, creating a passageway wide enough for an adult man.
We passed through, and moments later, it sealed shut again with another hiss of air.
"…."
The isolation sector beyond the admin area was deathly quiet—you could hear breathing, even heartbeats.
A few people moved about, all in thick hazmat suits, heavily armed.
Made sense for an anomaly containment zone; the mood was dead serious.
"Ugh… the smell…."
Crescent Head didn't care about the solemnity—he clearly hated the musty stench.
"Let's move. My nose'll rot if we linger."
"…You got a nose?"
"It's right there."
He pointed to the center of his floating crescent moon head and chuckled.
As we traversed the noiseless corridor, I spotted a game console behind reinforced glass walls.
It looked just like the one from my childhood. That thing an anomaly?
"……."
Noticing my gaze, he launched into an explanation unprompted.
"Looks like a normal game console at first glance. But get this—you plug the body and controller into a person, and boom, you control them."
He mimed working a gamepad.
"Reports say it turns the victim into goo within an hour, though."
So, not a gaming console—a people-controller disguised as one.
"…Creepy."
"No worries. It'll be analyzed quick and broken down into an anomaly-control weapon."
He brushed it off casually and kept walking past.
"You probably don't care, but the trip's long, so here's the rundown~. We get about four or five anomalies a week."
"…Less than I figured."
"Most get scrapped on-site if they're not weapon-worthy."
The straight corridor stretched nearly a kilometer, and boredom must've hit him—he started spilling Bureau procedures unasked.
Passing a weird section with a gigantic window, he got a mischievous glint and rapped on the glass.
"Hey~!! Show yourself!!"
Thud thud—!
From the pitch-black void beyond the window, something utterly incomprehensible opened an eye.
An eye.
It filled the hundreds-of-meters-wide window—a massive pupil.
So huge the blood vessels inside contracted in unison, crimson flow starkly visible.
"Hmm~. Knew you'd freak, but nah."
"…Why would I freak over that."
"Overwhelms some folks with sheer scale."
Predictably, he'd summoned it just to mess with me.
"Doesn't scare me."
I flicked my tail indifferently and sniped back at Crescent Head.
With zero fear in my arsenal, I could've stared down hordes of those without blinking.
Confidence I'd be stronger? Bonus.
"So what is it? You showed it for a reason."
"Eh? Just to spook ya."
"…That's it?"
"Yup."
A curse nearly escaped; I deep-breathed it down.
"Ahem…! Fun's over! Sorry!"
Sensing my bloodlust, he bowed apologetically and picked up the pace.
"Anyway, here's the Special Examination Room!"
Freedom at last—walking solo with that guy had been pure stress.
Whoever's taste picked that cutesy, human-touch signboard exuding charm.
Creak—! No hesitation—I shoved the door open and stepped in with Crescent Head.
Unlike the vast isolation zone, the tiny office held a bespectacled scientist in thick lenses, sipping coffee quietly.
Not from a mug—a lab beaker.
Meanwhile, adorably designed pens rolled across the desk.
"…!! Chief!"
The scientist—kid-sized, my height—spotted Crescent Head, flushed beet-red, and tackled him in a hug.
"Where've you been… Kyuri was so lonely…."
"Good girl, my Kyuri?"
"Yeees…! Kyuri waited all nice and quiet!"
Her scientist cred took a hit from the outrageously massive bust on display.
Rubbing against Crescent Head's pant leg, she finally noticed me—expression icing over instantly.
"…Chief? Who's that bitch?"
"…Me?"
"No way… she's after you too…."
Her mutter flipped my face to stone-cold.
Me? Her?
Even at gunpoint—no. World-ending apocalypse—no.
"Am I popular or what~? Love feelin' the love~!"
"Ugh… Chief…!"
Crescent Head boomed a laugh, arms out to scoop us both—I dodged slickly.
"…What're you? Dodgin' the Chief's hand?"
Clung to him, she fixed me with creepy eyes.
Just griped at me for getting close—now griping for dodging?
…She reeked of 'steer clear' vibes.
"No tantrums, Kyuri. Exam first."
"…Ugh. Chief…."
Crescent Head petted her head, urging haste.
"…Only 'cause the Chief asked."
Touch gone, she yanked my arm with frosty eyes, all reluctant-like.
"Takes about 30 minutes—blood draw and physical scan. Got it?"
Quick swab with alcohol cotton, then she jabbed a disposable syringe at my arm—but
Snap—.
"…?"
The needle couldn't pierce, twisted… and shattered.
"Huh? Tungsten needle…?"
Late to the party on my oddity, she summoned a holo-screen, frantically pulling my file.
"Humanoid anomaly… Dragon Girl…?"
Skimming fast, panic hit—glasses slid down her nose.
So checked-out she'd only now clocked my horns, wings, tail.
"…Y-you y-you…! A-a-a-anomaly!!"
Yandere chill gone—eyes shriveled in terror, she lunged for the wall alarm.
"Gotta report…!!"
"Nuh-uh~, cut it, Kyuri."
"L-let go, Chief…! She's an anomaly!!"
"Safe one—no danger. Keep scanning~."
Finger on the bell, she got scooped by Crescent Head—dangling like a spooked cat.
He eyed her streaming fear-tears with a smug grin.
"Didn't read the memo? Steel included all basics."
"…Th-that…."
"Our Kyuri~. Skimmed it again~?"
"……."
Caught out, she flushed crimson, head drooping.
"Anyway, skip blood—physical only."
"Y-yes…."
Plop. Down on the floor, she sneaked puppy-eyes at me.
"P-physical exam… now…."
Knowing my anomaly status, no more attitude—just wary side-glances.
"Wah!"
"Eeeek?!!"
Petty revenge for her sass—I bared teeth, playfully startling her.
"Th-that bitch'll kill me!! Hug me, Chief…!!"
Paler than death, she dove behind his legs.
Even then, that epic bust poked through.
Anyway.
"What’s the physical exam test?"
Doubting the details, I glared at Crescent Head.
"Weight, height first. Then durability checks, etc~?"
"…Durability?"
"Sounds rough, but it's standard for combat agents—no sweat~."
Shrug, clap-clap—he pointed to a capsule-like pod in the corner.
"Rumor says enter that, face the wall quiet for 30 minutes, test runs itself…?!"
"……."
His hands forming giyeok and nieun shapes left me speechless.
…Really the Bureau Chief?
Contempt mounting, I awkwardly settled in anyway.
"Catch ya in 30~!"
He confirmed, hit the button—entrance sealed.
"……Tight."
Cramped—barely room to shift.
True to word, punishment-wall-stare pose.
"Brings back memories."
…Trouble-making elementary days, lotsa corner time.
Hated the endless drag back then. Now? Kinda chill.
Memory lane in the silent capsule—breath only sound—short-lived.
"…Huh?"
Wall glowed hazy, shapes forming letters.
The once-blurry text sharpened crystal-clear: a shady questionnaire.
"Who am I…?"
…What now?
Psych eval popup for internals?
But Crescent Head never mentioned tests like this.
Just face-wall quiet. Lied?
"…Nah, no way."
His truth-only track record? This was likely off his radar too.
"Guess I'll answer…."
No real threat vibe—for time-kill, I started responding.
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