Seoul Object Story

Chapter 10: Central Research Institute (1)

Reaper (MC) POV:

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Unlike the chaotic Research Institute, the isolation room had a calm atmosphere, except for the faint sound of the TV echoing through the room.

The TV was condemning how dangerous the Gray Reaper was, and how irresponsible it was to entrust such dangerous Objects to a private Research Institute.

Listening to the broadcast, they were depicting me as a being capable of turning Seoul into a sea of fire and transforming people into monsters.

Yet, I had done almost nothing in this incident.

However, I did gain something from this incident. I obtained one of the abilities possessed by the steel pig statue.

It's not a particularly useful ability, but still.

"Reaper, somehow a strangely pleasant scent is coming from you today."

While I was blankly watching the TV, cradled in Yerin's arms, she suddenly spoke.

"Even though you don't smell anything, I feel like there's a scent. Has something changed?"

Yerin hugged my head, puzzled.

Unlike the pig statue that had the power to captivate and drive people mad, the ability I gained was just 'a pleasant scent emanating from me'.

In fact, most of the abilities I possess are like that - weakened copies of the abilities of the Objects I've destroyed.

Except for the ability to gain hints about how to kill, all the other abilities I have are from the Objects I've defeated, such as ghostification and physical immunity.

Those two abilities alone are more than enough, so I don't go around hunting Objects to collect their powers. Searching for abilities is neither fun nor convenient.

"What could have changed? Should I go to the lab and analyze the components?"

Yerin was still curiously and cautiously analyzing this sudden new ability of mine. She was diligently trying to figure out where this scent was coming from and whether it was a real, tangible fragrance.

I was fine with her putting a portable analyzer near my head, but when she suddenly tried to lick my scalp to taste it, I was so startled that I ghostified and ran away.

Doesn't she have any common sense about the dangerous alluring elements that can come from Objects?

Yerin's endless fragrance exploration came to an end with the arrival of Kim Jungroo, who had come to find her not returning to work.

As soon as he detected the mysterious scent, Kim Jungroo rushed out of the isolation room, then returned with an oxygen mask. He forcibly put one on Yerin and dragged her out, completely prohibiting entry to the isolation room until the danger was determined.

Of course, this entry ban didn't last long, as I simply ghostified and freely roamed around the Research Institute as usual.

***

My goal is a peaceful life without any worries, but lately, my days have not been very comfortable.

The aftermath of the Seoul Forest village fire incident didn't end as quickly as expected, and today, protesters were shouting through loudspeakers in front of the Research Institute, making the atmosphere chaotic.

The ongoing protests and public pressure have dampened the overall mood at the Research Institute.

Even a lively place like the Sehee Research Institute couldn't maintain its vibrant atmosphere with this continuous situation.

Sehee Research Institute seems to be trying to keep me by any means, but it doesn't seem like a good choice.

It would be better to hand me over to the Central Research Institute, as the protesters suggest, and quickly resolve this situation.

After all, there is no physical way to contain me, as I can ghostify. I could simply go to the Central Research Institute, explore it to my heart's content, and then return whenever I'm bored.

Expressing this intention is simple. I just need to subtly hint it to Yerin, whom I believe I can communicate with.

"You want to go to the Central Research Institute? Why?"

In front of the perceptive Yerin, I gestured towards a picture of the Central Research Institute, and she quickly understood. It was a bit unexpected to see her make an expression like she was about to cry.

"Really? Are you really going to go?"

I firmly nodded my head, and Yerin slumped down like a wilted cabbage.

It took several hugs and pats on the back before Yerin started to regain her energy.

It was quite difficult to console her since I couldn't speak.

"I see. It's because the Research Institute is too chaotic right now, isn't it? You don't need to worry about that. The Sehee Research Institute is a fairly large research institute, so it can withstand this!"

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But I highly doubted they could withstand it, especially the director of the Sehee Research Institute.

"Okay, I'll go tell Director Sehee."

Upon hearing the news, the director of the Sehee Research Institute gathered everyone and made an unexpected announcement.

"Let's have a farewell party!"

As soon as the director's order was given, the courtyard was quickly cleared, and a makeshift party venue was set up. I was seated in a high place, like a baby at a first birthday party.

They had even put a party hat on my head, which Yerin found amusing and kept taking photos with her phone. Some people even came to say their farewells, despite thinking I couldn't understand them.

And so, my last day at the Sehee Research Institute passed in a slightly raucous manner.

***

The dawn with a slight bluish hue. The usually noisy Sehee Research Institute in front of me was now quiet.

Surrounding me were the staff members of the Sehee Research Institute on one side, and the personnel from the Central Research Institute, all clad in reinforced protective gear made of steel, on the other side.

Unlike the light attire of the Sehee Research Institute, the Central Research Institute personnel's gear, complete with transparent riot shields, seemed a bit excessive. And I could sense a very familiar atmosphere in their tense demeanor.

Now that I think about it, that was the feeling at the Seoul Research Institute as well. That tension, as if death was nearby. Of course, there seemed to be some fundamental difference compared to the Seoul Research Institute.

They grabbed me with a tool resembling a tranquilizer gun and started dragging me away. It was a tool that firmly clamped onto my neck and limbs - isn't this a tool used for capturing wild animals?

I could easily escape using my Ghostification, but I wanted to take a look inside the Central Research Institute, so I decided to endure and follow their lead.

After placing me in a cage made of thick iron bars and they drove off and started driving away from the Sehee Research Institute premises.

The employees seated around the cage, staring at me. Through the transparent goggles, I could see the difference in their expressions.

While the employees of the Seoul Research Institute were exhausted and filled with fear, these people had fear, but it was covered by hatred.

They resembled the terrorists who had killed me in my human days with a bomb attack.

Seeing those rigid expressions, I had a feeling that the tour of the Central Research Institute would be quite unpleasant.

Well, if it's unpleasant, I'll just have to come back quickly.

***

In an office of the Central Research Institute.

"This is a mess. Is this supposed to be a report? There's nothing here! Just useless rambling!"

"But it's an official report submitted in writing, so there must be something useful in it, right?"

The deputy director of the National Central Special Research Institute, who was receiving the report, was venting his anger. What he was looking at was the report on the 'Gray Reaper' sent by the Sehee Research Institute. The man, who seemed to be a subordinate, was anxiously hoping that the director's anger would not be directed at him.

"The classification is sloppy too. They haven't even conducted any experiments. How can they have received the national budget for managing this important experimental subject while managing it so carelessly?"

The report from the Sehee Research Institute was very long and verbose, but it lacked almost any information that the Central Research Institute considered important.

"No indication of whether it can be eliminated. They just pretended to do isolation experiments, and didn't even try to test the possibility of expulsion! And they just wrote down a bunch of ridiculous precautions!"

The precautions sent by the Sehee Research Institute only included things like the Gray Reaper's favorite foods, furniture, and TV programs.

The deputy director endured the rising blood pressure as he read through the entire report. And he reached a conclusion.

"The only useful information is that Ghostification is possible."

"What? Ghostification is possible? Isn't it forbidden for private research institutes to handle experimental subjects that are difficult to isolate like ghosts/phantom?"

"No, it's not forbidden. The Central Research Institute is the only one with isolation rooms capable of containing ghosts, so most of them are sent to the Central Research Institute."

The deputy director took a small card the size of a business card from his pocket, signed it, and gave an order.

"As soon as the Gray Reaper arrives, redirect it to our special research institute. To contain an Object properly, the best way is to contain it within another Object."

The subordinate employee who received the signed card and left, the deputy director turned his gaze to the frame on his desk.

In the frame was an old newspaper article.

[Dozens of casualties after the sudden appearance of Objects in Seoul Square, Is it okay to leave the management system of the private research institute as it is?]

The deputy director's eyes gleamed with hatred as he looked at the article.