Seoul Object Story

Chapter 12: Central Research Institute (3)

The room was dark, except for the bright light from the projector displaying the footage of the gruesome murder that had just occurred.

The victim in the video seemed strange. At first, he was walking normally, but after some time, he started waving his hands in front of his eyes and muttering incoherently.

"Hey, what are you looking at? No matter how tired you are, you need to stay alert."

The colleague walking next to the victim also noticed something was off and started shaking him and speaking to him.

When the victim's eyes met the Gray Reaper's, the victim suddenly reached out towards the Reaper, as if the Reaper was the culprit.

The Gray Reaper quickly approached the victim, grabbing his legs. In an instant, the victim's skin burst open with wounds, and his body was torn apart and scattered.

The Reaper, covered in blood, looked around briefly before disappearing. The colleague who witnessed this ran away, screaming from the horrific scene. The video then ended, and the bright lights in the room turned on.

"This is a very gruesome incident. The victim was a 32-year-old security guard named Jeong Dong-jeon. When found, his entire skin had been peeled off, and all of his internal organs were missing. The only eyewitness from the video is also unable to properly carry out his duties due to the shock of the incident."

The presenter continued the briefing in a calm manner.

"Based on the victim's last words in the video, 'Gray Reaper...', it is clear that there is some connection. Considering the victim had no prior contact with the Gray Reaper, this incident should be classified as an 'indiscriminate attack'."

"The Gray Reaper was previously classified as a high-risk Object, rated 4 in terms of aggressiveness. However, given this indiscriminate attack, its aggressiveness rating should be increased to level 1."

"So, the Research Institute will need to take more proactive and comprehensive measures to deal with the Gray Reaper."

As the presenter finished, the meeting room erupted in commotion.

"The Sehee Research Institute must have known about this. We need to clearly investigate the circumstances of their cover-up and hold them accountable."

"But then, are you saying we should publicly reveal that the Central Research Institute failed to contain the subject and caused a victim? How is the security and control of this incident being handled?"

The presenter responded with a satisfied smile, "Ah, you don't need to worry about that. The personnel involved in this incident have already been transferred to other private research institutes."

An elderly man with a long white beard spoke in a soft voice, "So, this meeting means we have to use 'Lophiomus' in this situation, doesn't it?"

T/N: According to Wikipedia, Lophiomus is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family, Lophiidae, the goose fishes, monkfishes or anglers. well something like monkfish or angler fish, maybe?

"Yes, that's correct. Since the isolation room's containment has been breached, we don't know when the Reaper might escape. As soon as the Reaper's location is confirmed, we will evacuate the key personnel and then release 'Lophiomus' within the special research institute."

"There's no other choice. Proceed with that plan."

This conclusion was reached in the closed-door meeting of the National Object Management Association, far from the Central Research Institute.

***

A security email arrived at the Object Association. It instructed them to release 'Lophiomus' within the Research Institute to eliminate the escaped Gray Reaper.

"Hah, so it's come to this."

The "Lophiomus" that caused the disaster in Seoul Square needs a lot of data to tear and kill it, but in this way, useful research material will disappear again. The email confirming this was automatically deleted in less than 10 seconds.

The security system was excessively strict, but it was understandable.

If the fact that a monster that eats people is being raised inside the Research Institute is revealed, it will not end with just a scandal.

"We need to evacuate the Research Institute. Inform the researchers and prepare quickly. As soon as the location of the Gray Reaper is confirmed, we will evacuate."

I gave the instructions to the secretary I had summoned. The important personnel, the researchers, will escape, and the regular employees currently working at the Research Institute will be "transferred" to other private research institutes.

"Ah, Vice President. Changes have been observed in the Director's behavior. It may be a trivial matter, but it seems difficult to consider it a coincidence."

"Hmm? What happened?"

"The Director's research logs have started to include drawings of the 'Gray Reaper'."

"Is that so? It's certainly too coincidental to be considered a coincidence. Okay, I'll check it out later. I'll be going now."

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The secretary bowed and carefully left the room.

It is certainly a coincidental event. The research logs written by the Director have random subject matter, but the fact that he is writing about the Gray Reaper at this time is difficult to consider a mere coincidence. Even though we are busy preparing to release "Lophiomus" in the Research Institute, I need to confirm this.

The place I arrived at after passing through the long corridor was an incredibly spacious office. The walls were filled with countless books, and in the center was a huge desk and chair. And a man in a lab coat, constantly writing something on paper and throwing it to the floor.

The Director of the National Central Special Research Institute.

A man who has become an Object. Or an Object mimicking a human.

"Certainly, this is the Gray Reaper."

On the papers scattered on the floor, there were clear drawings that could be identified as the Gray Reaper. The annotations written on them were in incomprehensible characters, but they were clearly part of a research log.

The documents written by the Director are impossible to interpret. Precisely, those who succeed in interpreting them disappear suddenly into thin air. No one knows where they disappear to, so no one tries to interpret them.

Instead, these papers are used as padding for the protective suits of the field personnel. Since Object is resistant to other Objects, it is an excellent protective gear against Object targets. However, the leakage of the padding material is a concern, so its use is limited.

If this log were to leak out into the world, it could cause a mass disappearance incident, a dangerous substance spreading throughout society. Copying it is very easy, and the potential impact is unimaginable. It could be even more serious than the theft of military ammunition or explosives.

Fortunately, the method of eliminating the Director, who endlessly produces such dangerous materials, has already been discovered. By officially dismissing the Director, he will disappear from the face of the earth.

However, the Director's existence is essential for the maintenance of the Research Institute, so the 'Vice President' must take over the management of the Special Research Institute.

I put the paper with the drawing of the Gray Reaper back on the floor and left the room.

Will the Director return to normal if "Lophiomus" is killed? No one knows.

***

Reaper (MC) POV:

---

Crossing the wall, the world that greeted me was monochromatic. The walls were filled with massive bookshelves, and the spacious room had only a desk and a chair, a desolate scene.

"Oh, a different visitor this time."

A man in a lab coat with a neatly trimmed beard spoke.

"Normally, researchers come here, but this is the first time an Object has visited."

The man chuckled and clapped his hands.

"You must be 'KR - 897'."

The man summoned a file from thin air and flipped through the documents while speaking, "You must be 'KR - 897'." As I tilted my head at the unfamiliar term, the man continued his explanation.

"Ah, is the name 'Gray Reaper' more convenient for you? In fact, we find it difficult to pronounce your name. Haven't you ever thought it strange to give such a name?"

"It seems odd that there is a widely accepted naming convention that can cause various problems and make classification uncomfortable."

"It seems that now humans living in reality have even lost the freedom to give names to objects."

The man muttered with a meaningful expression and then added with a smile,

"Well, what's the use of saying this to an Object like you? Here, such limitations of the real world don't matter, so we can freely name you, the 897th discovered in Korea."

The man stood up from his chair, spread his arms in a welcoming gesture, and began walking out of the room.

"Well, since you're the first Object to come here, it's only fitting that I, the Director of the Research Institute, guide you."

"Welcome, 897th, to the eternal Research Institute trapped in the crevice of time."

With an exaggerated gesture, the man greeted me and smiled meaningfully.

The moment I met the passion shining in the man's eyes, I easily realized from the hint 'Fulfill the Director of the Research Institute's wish' that this man was the Director of the Research Institute being referred to.