Blood and Shadow (2)
Comet leaned against the wall of the committee building, waiting for someone. It wasn’t long before Dan Gayeon approached, notebook and file folder in hand.
“Administrator Dan, good morning.”
Dan Gayeon hesitated. “…Yes, Comet-nim.”
Comet clasped her hands behind her back and tilted her head. “Didn’t we agree you’d speak casually to me?”
“That…” Dan Gayeon seemed unsure how to set the proper distance between them.
“Hahaha. It’s fine. It does feel awkward to drop formalities on official business, right? Do whatever you’re comfortable with.”
“Yes. Thank you. Then let’s sit over there and talk.”
Even so, her attitude remained rather businesslike. Comet scratched her cheek.
“I don’t feel like I did, but I suppose from Administrator Dan’s perspective it might look that way.”
Comet whispered so only the jellyfish princess could hear.
They sat in a corner of the committee room. Dan Gayeon separated some documents from the file and handed them over.
“Our mission is to recapture the power plant.”
“I see.”
Dan Gayeon explained the power plant’s name and its location within Seoul’s city center.
“Seoul basically imports its electricity from outside, so even if we fail to retake this plant, the city’s power supply won’t be in immediate trouble.”
“So while the National Assembly Building is currently running on generators, given enough time we could draw power from other plants.”
“Correct. The reason this particular natural gas power plant is important is that it can also burn domestic anthracite coal. With overseas trade nearly impossible due to the communication blackout, anthracite is a chemical fuel we can easily obtain right here on the Korean Peninsula.”
“A move for the future, then.”
Dan Gayeon nodded.
“Military units are currently stationed at a distance, but because it’s a sensitive facility they haven’t attempted any high-firepower operations.”
She handed over a photograph. Against the backdrop of a burning power plant stood a flame golem. Comet wasn’t sure whether it was even appropriate to call the thing a monster.
“It would be cleanest if Comet-nim handled it.”
Comet rested her chin on her hand and looked at Dan Gayeon. “What about you, Administrator Dan?”
“I’ll provide support, of course.”
“That sounds good.”
Dan Gayeon rolled her eyes, avoiding her gaze, then busied herself organizing the documents.
“There is one other matter the chairman asked me to confirm with you.”
“Does it require a necromantic perspective?”
Dan Gayeon glanced around the committee room before speaking quietly. “He wants you to verify without doubt whether the golem possesses a soul.”
“So they’re curious if it’s truly an artificial life form?” Comet matched her quiet tone.
“Yes.”
“Isn’t that the magic scholars’ territory?”
“Which is why they already analyzed the video footage and concluded it is an artificial life form.”
“Then?”
“It’s difficult to go into detail since you’re a civilian, but the committee is extremely sensitive about this issue.”
Dan Gayeon scanned the room again.
“Including the chairman, a portion of the staff treated the multiverse rift and communication blackout as artificial phenomena and began research. They haven’t produced significant results so far, but then the golem appeared.”
“Artificial phenomena…”
Comet twirled a lock of her hair.
“Yes. So this time, if Comet-nim goes in person and confirms whether the golem is truly an artificial life form, that would be enough.”
“Determining the presence of a soul does fall under necromancy. It won’t be difficult.”
After discussing a few more points, Comet and Dan Gayeon left the committee building. They drove along roads controlled by police, though the route was far from smooth and they had to detour around certain districts.
“Administrator Dan.”
“Yes.”
“Since it’s just the two of us, you can drop the formal speech.”
Comet pulled out the Soul Bead that held the princess, tapped it a few times for no particular reason, then slipped it back into her pocket.
“Um…” Dan Gayeon gripped the steering wheel tightly, hesitating.
“Go on.”
“…Okay.”
“See? Doesn’t it feel closer already?” Comet smiled brightly.
Dan Gayeon remained silent for a moment, then slowly opened her mouth.
“By the way… how old are you?”
“Was that what was bothering you? I thought it was just awkwardness. I wasn’t planning to tell you, but if you’re curious, of course I will. Obviously.”
Comet paused briefly.
“I’m the older one.”
Dan Gayeon glanced over quickly. Comet gave her a gentle smile, her red eyes curving beautifully. Dan Gayeon’s mouth opened slightly, then closed again.
“What do you think? Does it sound like a lie?”
“…No.”
“Want to see my ID?”
“No.”
“There you go again. Don’t feel burdened. There’s no need to put up walls between friends.”
By the time they stopped by the nearby stationed military unit and reached the front gate of the power plant, Dan Gayeon had grown somewhat accustomed to casual speech. It seemed less like she had grown comfortable and more like she had been forced into it, but Comet didn’t mind. What was good was good.
The burning power plant came into view. From what she had heard, the facility had fire-prevention measures, but burning for this long was still dangerous.
They entered via the planned route and soon spotted the flame golem roaming about, spewing fire. It stood roughly three stories tall. Every step it took crushed the ground and left burning footprints.
“What do you think?”
“It is an artificial life form. There’s no soul. Kind of unpleasant.”
“Good. Comet-nim!”
Dan Gayeon, apparently nervous, had reverted to formal speech. Comet stared at the golem, lost in thought.
“Just a moment.”
“Yes?”
“Couldn’t you take this thing down yourself, Administrator Dan?”
“What?!”
Dan Gayeon reacted strongly.
“That’s what I think.”
“That’s not right.”
“But the vanguard has already figured out its attack patterns, and you have plenty of hunting experience.”
“Is that how this works?”
“If killing it is truly impossible, just buy time. The golem isn’t destroying the plant; you only need to stop it from doing anything unnecessary. Meanwhile, I’ll search the plant for survivors.”
Dan Gayeon froze.
“I’m faster than you, Administrator Dan. Dealing with the golem isn’t urgent, but rescuing survivors is. If things get dangerous, just shout. I’ll come help immediately.”
Dan Gayeon swallowed dryly as she stared at the flame golem. Fear flickered in her eyes. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to say she would rather take the far safer task of searching for survivors.
Dan Gayeon gripped the hilt of her sword.
“All right. I’ll buy time.”
“If you have the chance, try to take it down.”
“Haha… I hope the golem doesn’t do anything reckless.”
Comet slipped past the golem into another sector, then circled back around to a position where she could watch Dan Gayeon. The golem was still moving, and Dan Gayeon was hiding while keeping a close eye on it.
“Martial artists see their synchronization rate rise when they experience dangerous real combat. Administrator Dan hasn’t reached her maximum stats yet, so we can hope for an increase in both sync rate and her original stats.”
Comet launched a pulse of spiritual energy toward a spot Dan Gayeon couldn’t see. The sound of shattering glass rang out. The golem, which had been walking peacefully, stopped and charged toward the noise. It headed for the building.
“W-wait!”
Dan Gayeon burst out and drew the golem’s attention. The creature changed direction and rushed at her. A three-story-tall mass swung its fist, flames exploding outward. The ground shook.
Comet climbed onto a building with a good view and a comfortable vantage point.
“If there were survivors, they would have run out when the military unit approached earlier. Gunshots are loud—how could they not have heard?”
“I can’t be certain. But wouldn’t it be a shame if Administrator Dan died pointlessly while searching for people who might not even exist?”
“It wasn’t exactly a lie…”
After a few real battles her synchronization rate should have risen. If she fought with everything she had, there was at least a small chance.
Comet scratched her cheek.
“You’re leaving me with nothing to say. Fine, let’s do something good.”
She climbed down from the building and searched the power plant grounds. There were many power facilities and auxiliary buildings. Naturally, she found nothing. The only things she encountered were wild-dog monsters that had taken up residence in the empty spaces.
The situation changed when she returned to the area where Dan Gayeon was fighting. Comet happened to spot a single power plant employee hiding. The man was watching the battle from a third-floor window in an auxiliary building some distance from the fight, holding his breath.
“There was a monster on the first floor, right? That must be why he couldn’t come out when the military arrived.”
Comet scaled the building by stepping on convenient footholds and approached the third-floor window. When she knocked, the employee jumped in fright. She gestured for him to open the window, and he did. Comet slipped inside.
“…Are you with the rescue team?”
“Are you an employee here?”
“Yes.”
“Perfect. Once that golem is dealt with, we can leave together. I’ll protect you. Are there any others?”
The employee flinched and looked away.
“No. The director escaped alone at the beginning… the rest are dead.”
Comet tilted her head. His reaction was slightly strange. It didn’t quite match the grief one might expect from losing coworkers.
“Then just wait here and we’ll go together.”
The employee sighed in apparent relief. Comet twirled her hair as she observed him, then turned her head. Dan Gayeon had been struck by the golem’s fist and sent flying. She crashed through one of the power plant buildings, engulfed in flames. It must have hurt, but she would probably be fine.
“That building…”
The employee’s eyes widened in shock, as if it were an important structure.
“Is there something there?”
“It houses the control equipment.”
“Oh, if that collapses, would the plant’s controls break and cause a natural gas explosion or something?”
At Comet’s question the employee suddenly hesitated.
“…That issue has already been resolved.”
Already resolved? Comet watched the man in silence for a moment. His clothes were disheveled but otherwise presentable.
“Some critical components are foreign-made. If they burn, this plant will be unusable until overseas trade resumes.”
When the golem followed Dan Gayeon and struck the building, the employee grew visibly anxious. Flames swallowed the structure. Comet twirled her hair, thinking, then smiled brightly.
“There’s a way.”
“What way?”
“I need to help my colleague, so I don’t have time. It would be best if you, the employee, went to that building yourself and resolved the important issues.”
“Pardon…?”
The employee took a step back, faltering.
“There will be wild-dog monsters on the way, and there may be more inside the building. I’ll give you a weapon.”
Comet drew a knife and infused it with spiritual energy. She ran her hand along the blade, extending the force beyond its tip until the knife’s shape crumpled and reformed into a spear of appropriate length. She shook it, offering the weapon.
“It’s not difficult. If a monster charges, just aim the spear and thrust. If you’re worried your strength won’t be enough, simply plant the tip on the ground and hold it steady. Thrusting without swinging makes it easy.”
The employee didn’t take the spear. His pupils trembled. In those eyes swirled a past that Comet didn’t know.
“Hurry. There’s no time.”