Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Yohan General Hospital
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“Commonly known as the ‘Yohan General Hospital.’ It’s a new type of spatial erosion anomaly that’s recently appeared, and all the reconnaissance agents and field agents sent in have gone missing. It’s safe to say they’ve essentially been devoured.”
Management Bureau Response Team 3’s office.
With the team leader out on the museum operation, the most senior agent stepped in to start the briefing.
“The total number of missing personnel is five. Some have lost their vital signs, while others haven’t. Our mission is to rescue the reconnaissance agents and field agents who haven’t vanished yet.”
“A rescue operation, then. Does that mean we don’t need to engage the anomalies inside the hospital?”
Kim I-seo asked. The agent nodded.
“No need to stir up trouble. This operation isn’t about extermination or resolution. It’s not about investigating the anomaly’s properties either. If you play hero and act on your own, you’ll regret it—keep that in mind.”
The name tag reading “Yeoul” on the agent’s chest gleamed under the fluorescent lights. The team’s youngest member nodded toward her.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“The hospital’s location is an abandoned facility on the outskirts of Incheon. But that’s just its fixed position—apparently, it can also suddenly shift ordinary hospitals into the Yohan General Hospital. Most civilian victims were trapped that way.”
“‘Most’ meaning the rest walked right into the abandoned hospital themselves?”
“Influencers, yeah. Not surprising at all.”
Yeoul shook her head and advanced the PPT slide. An image of the abandoned hospital’s exterior appeared.
It was an old building shrouded in a gray pallor. A cross adorned the roof, and even without power, the emergency room light blazed brightly. Through the windows, silhouettes of patients, nurses, and doctors were visible.
But their forms were far from normal. Even as mere outlines, they evoked an inexplicable revulsion.
A patient with worm-like tentacles instead of a head. A nurse with a grotesquely oversized head. A doctor clutching a patient’s body, tearing into the flesh...
No matter how you looked at it, this was no ordinary hospital. The mere fact that hospital elements still existed there was a blatant abnormality.
“From observations so far, we’ve confirmed the presence of surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, internists, and neurosurgeons. We don’t know their traits or appearances yet, but be especially wary of the internists. Vital signs cut out the moment anyone reported encountering them.”
“...Hmm.”
“The other doctors need caution too. No point provoking them.”
Click.
Yeoul advanced the slide once more.
The words “Emergency Room” glowing in red filled the monitor.
“Entry attire must be plain clothes. No suits like ours or designated uniforms.”
“Why’s that?”
“Suits make the hospital recognize us as security guards. We’d become part of the hospital instantly—no escape. First reconnaissance agent found that out.”
“...”
“But we can’t go as nurses or doctors either. To blend in normally, wear plain clothes and act like guardians. Got it?”
Kim I-seo nodded at Yeoul’s question.
“Understood.”
“Good. I’ll brief the rest en route. Here are copies of the rules we’ve uncovered—take one each and review.”
Yeoul handed out photocopies of the rules transcribed by reconnaissance agents and field agents to the team members. As she did, she added,
“Change into plain clothes and assemble. And one last time: do not provoke the anomalies inside the hospital.”
*
Cecilia devoured five whole chickens by herself. Ian stared at her in sheer monster-like awe at the overwhelming capacity of her stomach. Undeterred, she munched away like a squirrel, her mouth working tirelessly.
After finishing the meal with the orphanage kids, the assistant priest, and the nun,
Ian and Cecilia walked side by side to the general hospital where one of the children was admitted. It was still January, so the wind was biting and the air chilly.
Cecilia, accustomed only to Italy’s milder winters compared to Korea’s, sniffled and pulled her scarf up over half her face. Ian glanced at her and asked softly,
“Cold?”
“Yeah. Korea’s too cold. I miss Rome.”
“The Papal Curia’s in Rome?”
“Yeah.”
Cecilia wiggled her gloved hands as she replied.
“Rome’s warm. It’s too cold here.”
“Korea's a bit chilly, yeah. Summers are hot, though.”
“Ugh...”
“But you understand just fine despite claiming otherwise. Did you study listening separately?”
“Oh, yeah. One week. Crash course from a Korean-speaking sister. And more just now from her.”
Mastering this level in just a week of study plus a few days of conversation?
She must have a real talent for languages. It wasn’t crucial info, so Ian just nodded vaguely and chose his next words.
‘Can’t ask outright about anomalies. That’d blow my cover as an involved party.’
A nun devout enough for the Papal Curia to dispatch personally—could she really be ignorant of anomalies?
No way. There had to be some reason she was here in Korea.
He doubted it was truly just to inspect churches. That was the surface excuse; the real motive was something else.
Ian had few guesses about her true goal. Forcing speculation: maybe handling vampire nobles who’d entered Korea, some religious matter, or catching the fake priest who’d appeared in Busan.
Pure guesses, zero reliability. Ian fiddled with the cigarette pack in his coat’s inner pocket as he pondered.
‘Digging into Vatican intel means hiding any anomaly ties too... Tricky. Easier to improvise if an anomaly cropped up on the way.’
Eastern cultures with developed cemetery traditions meant Korea had more stray spirits than expected. Ian hoped one drawn to a mage’s aura would appear.
But no stray spirits showed so much as a hair until they reached the hospital.
Typical—they never appeared when needed, only swarmed when unwanted. Ian swallowed a sigh and told Cecilia to go ahead.
“I’ll smoke one first and catch up. Grab a number ticket and wait.”
“Oh, okay.”
Cecilia bobbed her head and trotted inside. Ian headed to the hospital’s smoking area, lit up with practiced ease.
A few middle-aged folks sat inside smoking. Ian took an empty seat, exhaled toward the clear window.
“Fuu...”
The hospital’s name reflected beyond the glass.
Marigold General Hospital.
He’d frequented it since childhood. The building was worn, but facilities decent as he recalled. All Catholic doctors, so they were kind.
No wonder the nun sent kids here often.
Ian tapped ash, pulled out his phone to check the nun’s info on the child.
Name: Kim So-yeon. Age: 10. Admitted for fracture and aftereffects from a car accident. Room 306.
No other notes. Ian stubbed out his cigarette, spritzed deodorizer from the dispenser, and entered.
Cecilia, waiting with her ticket, fidgeted her legs in the chair. To build rapport, Ian bought drinks from the hospital convenience store and sat beside her.
“Brought hot chocolate—should be warm.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Cecilia bowed, sipped the hot chocolate. Ian downed his Americano beside her.
Ding-dong. Numbers flashed on the info desk. The lobby crowd thinned, until Cecilia’s turn. She shot up and approached. Ian followed.
“Hello. How can I assist?”
“Uh... that? Hello? Hos... pital hello?”
“We’re here to visit Kim So-yeon. From the same orphanage.”
Ian spoke for the awkwardly mumbling Cecilia. The receptionist nodded, checked details, and smiled.
“Kim So-yeon is in Room 306. You’re here for the doctor’s progress report? Wait there, and you’ll go soon.”
“Got it. Thanks.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Ian and Cecilia bowed to the receptionist and stood by the elevator. She was still nibbling at the hot chocolate—couldn’t handle hot stuff well, apparently.
‘Cat tongue, huh.’
Ian waited nonchalantly for the elevator.
That’s when it happened. The floor numbers on the elevator display suddenly flickered wildly.
“...!”
From first floor to rooftop. Basement to fifth.
In a blink, the red light cycled floors madly. Too fast for a mere malfunction. And from beyond the sealed doors came rapid movement sounds.
“...Hmm.”
Cecilia’s face hardened as she sensed the anomaly. She gulped more hot chocolate, tossed the cup into a nearby bin. Something popped from the trash, grabbed the empty cup, and crushed it.
“...Cazzo.”
Seeing it, she cursed in Italian and drew a long cross from her coat pocket. Ian feigned surprise while adjusting his bag.
Ding. The doors slid open.
Empty inside—but a human arm dangled limply from the ceiling.
The palm at its end bristled with sharp teeth. It opened its maw wide toward the two outside.
“Yo.”
“Han.”
“Gen.”
“er.”
“al.”
“Hos.”
“pi.”
“tal.”
“Wel.”
“come.”
Crunch-crunch!!
The hands, uttering disjointed words, suddenly tore into each other’s flesh.
Blood scent wafted from the gore-filled elevator in seconds. Cecilia gripped Ian’s wrist firmly, face grave.
“Follow me. Don’t let go. I’ll protect you.”
“...You, Sister?”
Ian asked with maximum blankness. Cecilia nodded, yanking the cross’s long part like a hilt.
Her cross was a dagger. The sheath etched with Jesus’s lower body clattered to the floor. She gripped the keen blade reverse-style and took Ian’s hand.
“I’m strong. Explanations later.”
“W-wait, what even is that? Hidden camera or something?”
“No, real deal. We’re in deep. Run firs—.”
“Oh my.”
Mid-sentence, something peeked from the corridor behind her.
A massive bug head, man-sized. Its crimson eyes reflected Ian and Cecilia; hook-like hairs on its maw quivered with a rasping sound.
“Everyone, elevator’s here. You should get on.”
Blood and organ clumps rained from its gaping mouth.