Seoul Object Story

Chapter 16: Central Research Institute (7)

A senior in a yellow suit and a huge number of guards entered the edge of my vision.

The path to the director's office was full of an enormous number of guards as far as the eye could see.

I managed to reach the corridor leading to the director's office together with the senior, but I couldn't find a way to infiltrate the director's office from here.

I spoke softly and asked the senior, "Senior, is it really possible to get through this?"

The senior, who was always self-assured, was silent and deep in thought this time, as if it was difficult.

Personally, it was a miracle that we come this far.

If I had to come here alone without the senior, it would have been absolutely impossible.

The ability to sense the guards' positions without even seeing them was strange, and the tools coming out of the pockets were nothing ordinary.

The best among them was the lamp that the senior called 'Watson'.

Of course, it gave an ominously sinister impression, and it strangely smelled of blood, so I disliked this Object.

And for some reason, I had a feeling that Watson's shadow disliked me more.

But its capabilities were undeniably excellent.

In the short time, the 'invisibility' was truly a magical tool.

"Senior, why aren't you using Watson again? If you use the invisibility one more time, I think we can just barely get through."

"Watson can't be used anymore in this request."

"What?"

"Watson is kind, but there's a trap. If you exceed 3 times, you'll dry up and die like a mummy."

Senior tapped his monocle as he spoke. Looking at the senior's complexion now, he seemed a bit pale, as if he was lacking in blood. Was Watson sucking his blood?

Now that I think about it, the senior had asked Watson for a favor three times.

Once to cross over space. (T/N: Maybe like a teleport)

Once to tell the cause of blocking the spatial movement.

Once to use invisibility to pass the guard post.

If senior spoke like that, isn't Watson a quite dangerous Object?

"Then what do we do?"

"I'm still thinking about that. If we wait, won't an opportunity come up?"

Even in such an uncomfortable posture, senior's composure was quite remarkable.

By the way, where did the gray Reaper go? It seemed to have been following closely until just a while ago.

***

Feeling the weight of the heavy gas lamp in my hand, I looked at the vice director's office that was blocking the entrance to the director's office.

The opportunity will definitely come.

I had a feeling close to certainty.

However, just as they say that crisis is opportunity, the opportunity I was waiting for was also a crisis.

While hiding and continuously watching the vice director's office, I felt that the timing I had been waiting for had come.

Commotion began to spread from the vice director's office.

"Junior, get ready."

The opportunity I had been waiting for had come.

The chaotic people in the vice director's office all rushed out of there and started running towards some place.

"Run!"

We ran through the empty corridor leading to the director's office, passing the vice director's office.

"Senior? What's going on all of a sudden?"

The junior had a puzzled expression looking at the suddenly empty corridor.

I smiled and answered, "The last opportunity has come!"

***

The vice director of the Central Research Institute kept pondering.

How much longer should he wait?

Could the gray Reaper have already left the Research Institute?

Even though he had the staff patrol and tried to lure it, the gray Reaper was still not found.

More than 3 days had already passed.

Considering that it can become incorporeal, he had told them not to miss even the smallest thing, but the location of the gray Reaper was still a mystery.

"Vice Director, the gray Reaper has appeared inside the isolation room!"

It was at that very moment that the gray Reaper appeared.

The employees on standby immediately began to evacuate.

Since all the preparations were already in place at the starting point of the plan, the evacuation was carried out at a fast pace.

The researchers waiting in other places would also have started evacuating through the nearest route.

The place where the gray Reaper was currently discovered was inside the isolation room originally assigned to the Reaper, so there was no need to worry about an escape route.

Just before leaving the vice director's office, I looked back towards the director's office.

The man who has been sitting in the director's seat for 30 years.

The man who died 30 years ago at Seoul Square, leaving only his family behind.

And the indifferent man who continues his research even after becoming an Object, I left the escape route thinking of him.

***

I lay comfortably on the bed in the Central Research Institute's isolation room, organizing my thoughts.

While staying with the detective group, I learned a few facts.

Actually, I had secretly stolen and read their reports.

At first glance, they gave off the vibe of 'detectives infiltrating an evil organization with an extremely important purpose!' so I couldn't help but want to know the details.

The contents of the reports they investigated were quite shocking, even for me who had worked at other Research Institutes before.

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The concealment of Objects that were said to have been killed.

And hiding the dangerous Object called Lophiomus privately.

Distorting statistics by processing people who died within the Research Institute as having resigned.

Especially, it seemed they erased records after using people with uncertain identities as temporary employees and letting them die.

If the detectives' reports were made public, it could lead to the dismantling of the Central Research Institute - a major incident.

So this time, I decided to lend a hand to help the righteous detectives.

The fundamental reason the detectives were troubled was the existence of 'Lophiomus'.

In other words, I concluded that if I directly dealt with that Lophiomus, most of the problems would be solved.

The detectives would benefit by having a safe opportunity to escape.

And I would benefit because if the Central Research Institute falls, I can return to Sehee Research Institute with the ghost cat and piano-playing lizard!

It would complete a win-win world where everyone is happy.

So I was comfortably lying on the bed prepared by the Central Research Institute, waiting for them to summon Lophiomus for me.

Judging from the commotion, it seemed I would soon be able to face Lophiomus.

***

I crossed the corridor with my junior and barged straight into the director's office door.

There, a man was quietly scribbling on a report.

No, there was one Object.

An Object in human form.

My junior, panting heavily as he followed me into the director's office, gently closed the door.

"Senior, could that person be an Object?"

"Yes, definitely an Object."

The man reflected in my monocle was definitely an Object.

It's said that the official director's position at the Central Research Institute has been vacant for 30 years, was this the reason?

[As long as there is a director, the Research Institute becomes indestructible.]

If the Research Institute is truly indestructible, it would be very advantageous for isolating Objects that are difficult to deal with.

In fact, for a Research Institute to be located in the heart of Seoul, if it were an ordinary private institute, there would have been a few Object leakage accidents and they would inevitably be driven out to the outskirts of Seoul.

However, if the Research Institute itself became an Object, they could continue operating in the heart of Seoul without any major incidents.

"I don't see any other Objects. Then that director must be the one obstructing our movement."

"But what do we do now? Should I take a swing at him with a sledgehammer?"

My junior was already holding a sledgehammer in both hands, grinning at me.

Wait, where did she get such a huge sledgehammer?

"You're here. You've finally come!"

Turning my head at the sudden voice, I saw the director raising his head and shouting.

"You must have come here for something you need, haven't you? If you give me what I need, I'll be happy to fulfill your request."

The Object called the Director smiled meaningfully at me.

His expression looked genuinely happy, which made it seem rather suspicious.

"Before that, who are you? I don't want to make a deal without knowing the other party's name."

"Ah, let me clarify something first. I'm not actually here. No matter how much you try to talk to me, I won't be able to hear you. This doll is simply replaying its programmed actions."

Our conversation wasn't aligning.

I'm not sure if he's intentionally acting that way or if I just can't read his expression.

"Our task is just to make a deal. If you put your cane in my right hand, I will help you escape from this Research Institute."

Then the Object in the Director's form stopped moving.

"Uh, what should we do?"

"I'm not sure. There are too few clues. I don't know if making a deal here is the right answer."

The heavy vibration echoing throughout the Research Institute was telling us that we didn't have much time.

The sound of the released Lophiomus rampaging and destroying the Research Institute could be heard.

"In times like these, just do what feels right."

Overthinking it will only make things worse.

***

Tut-tut-tut.

I walked quickly through the chaotic corridors of the Central Research Institute, having ghostified.

The interior of the Research Institute was flashing with emergency lights, and the panicked employees were running and screaming.

Following the screams, I soon encountered the cause.

The Object that had only been seen in old newspapers.

It was the one who had essentially made the existence of Objects public in Korea.

Even against such a famous Object, I felt quite confident.

Even though it was immune to physical damage, I could still perceive its weaknesses.

However, that confidence vanished as soon as I faced Lophiomus directly.

Objects with overwhelmingly powerful abilities often exude an oppressive presence.

The Lophiomus in front of me had a presence similar to or even greater than the Steel Tower.

Is this really an Object that can be killed?

What gave me the audacity to think I could easily deal with Lophiomus and take the lizard and cat?

Even if the conditions for killing it were easy, that condition itself had betrayed me.

[The stone created by the Origin Object]

Ah, this is an unkillable one.

Just what is the 'Origin Object'?