Chapter 67: The Abyss, the Abyss, and the Abyss (３)

****

I closed my eyes.

More nauseating than I expected. The Foundation’s doctors did diagnose that it wasn’t decompression sickness, but. I don’t know why I’m still hurting.

Is it because of that alien craft?

Anyway.

The wreckage of the five craft was moved to Facility 82’s super-massive containment wing. Those wrecks — the Foundation’s engineers are staring at them with drool running down their chins. A familiar sight. They can’t seem to contain their curiosity.

I should go take a look too. Once my body’s feeling better.

I got up from my seat and, leaning on my cane, went to go inspect the wreckage of the flying objects.

Walking is still a bit uncomfortable.

The super-massive containment zone isn’t normally a place with many people. Sure, the first two minutes of seeing it might be fascinating, but after that it’s just frightening.

The super-massive containment zone is a scary place, and it’s genuinely dangerous too. No matter how careful you are, it’s not like something like last time — a super-massive anomaly escaping — is completely out of the question.

I don’t know why the wreckage of those craft was moved to the super-massive containment zone instead of a hangar. Was there a reason to put something that doesn’t even move into a containment cell?

Anyway.

The recovered wreckage is in the containment zone. The super-massive containment zone is usually quiet, but today of all days, the path there was packed with people. A legion of engineers in work clothes and lab coats.

The Foundation’s engineers were swarming around as if some kind of feast had broken out. I walked slowly, leaning on my cane.

“How is it, any results?”

“Ah, Director, you’ve come!”

The Mechanical Section Chief walked over to me.

“Well, as you can see. Nobody’s slept, they’re all just staring at these things. The engineers are excited — they can’t figure out what’s inside.”

“Right. Has anything come out of it?”

“No? Hard to say, it’s difficult. We’re attempting analysis again this time, but every time, only the skeleton remains and everything else crumbles away.”

“Crumbles away?”

“As you know, these craft aren’t objects with only material components. We’re not sure how to approach them. Honestly, if I’m being frank, it doesn’t even seem like a machine.”

I scratched my head. So in the end, even the Mechanical Section Chief doesn’t know what that thing is. Every time I go looking for an anomaly, the conclusion ends up the same.

“Why are you leaning on a cane? Did you get hurt somewhere badly?”

“No. Just a bit tired.”

I squinted.

“Must be rough. If you ever need a leg cut off, I’ll make you a prosthetic.”

What kind of insane nonsense is this again. Am I supposed to say thank you for that? Of course, I already knew. The Mechanical Section Chief is completely insane. Even if he looks normal.

Beep, beep, beep.

I glanced at my phone for a moment.

-There’s a guest in the reception room.

****

The Commissioner of the Anomaly Response Agency was waiting in the reception room. I gave my guest a quick once-over. He was just an ordinary middle-aged man you’d see on the street.

Though he was wearing a fairly neat suit.

“Hello, Commissioner. What brings you here?”

The Response Commissioner, without giving me any time to respond, sat down on the floor and bowed to me. I was taken aback. What kind of situation is this now?

“What—”

“Please. I beg you, let our researchers take a look at the crashed craft. Please, please, I’m begging you.”

I sat down on the reception sofa, crossing my legs.

“What exactly are you thinking of doing?”

“We’ll study those fighters, then provide some of the data to the Agency for Defense Development. Surely it’s a burden for you, Director, to suddenly mobilize dozens of aeronautical scientists as well?”

Hmm.

“And if you provide it, they’ll use it to build weapons, right?”

“There’s a domestic fighter currently in development, so it would likely go that way.”

“No. I can’t provide an anomaly for the purpose of building weapons of mass destruction.”

I tilted my head.

“Please, reconsider.”

“Let’s stand up and talk first.”

The Commissioner stood up and bowed his head.

I let out a sigh. This doesn’t seem like something I can approve. I shook my head.

“Dr. Geum. I apologize, but—”

“What?”

“After all, wasn’t it at the Foundation’s request that you gave up on salvaging the craft? The Cheonghaejin could have recovered it easily. I’m sorry, but couldn’t you turn a blind eye just this once?”

That’s actually somewhat persuasive.

****

[Anomaly P-1947]

[Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon]

[This is a recording of a meeting.]

[Bishop Oh: What did you come to ask about?]

[Dr. Chae: I’ve read the documents. Is there evidence that this anomaly can be summoned through crop circles? You’re saying that if you draw symbols in a field, that thing flies over from another dimension?]

[Bishop Oh: I don’t know exactly what symbolism is involved. Jung said it best. UFOs are a new mythology created by modern people who have witnessed the end of myth. The archetype of the oppressive government expressed in humanity’s collective unconscious.]

[Dr. Chae: Honestly, I find that hard to accept.]

[Bishop Oh: I’m not trying to give a definitive answer right now. I’m discussing possibilities. Think of it as a kind of youkai or spirit.]

[Dr. Chae: Youkai?]

[Bishop Oh: A spiritual entity is moving through the medium of objects in reality, isn’t it? It seems reasonable to view it as a youkai or spirit.]

[Dr. Chae: Symbolism is a science too. As it stands, this looks far too much like chasing pipe dreams. We’ll be examining the recovered wreckage first.]

[Bishop Oh: This is merely the prejudice of modern people. Supernatural beings that drift through the sky have been objects of worship for most of human history. This too. It’s just another new myth, another new monster that humanity has created.]

[Dr. Chae: Bizarre.]

[Bishop Oh: …]

[Dr. Chae: The Director seemed to think those aliens came from another dimension. The Metaphysics Division shares that view.]

[Bishop Oh: That’s also a possibility.]

****

[Anomaly P-3030]

[Popo]

[Filed by: Dr. Cheon]

[A new host for the Popo has recently been discovered in Korea. Safely recovered. The patient has returned home.]

[After sending a Popo to Foundation Headquarters for analysis, no significant anomalous characteristics were found in fully grown Popos.]

[In the end, it was classified as safe.]

[This might be a frightening thing to say… but we need to consider whether the source of the power the Popos possess might come from the person who liberated them.]

[Yes, we’re talking about Dr. Geum.]

[Didn’t Director Geum personally remove a Popo from a young girl’s uterus? Didn’t the Director order the Popos thawed out of their prison of ice?]

[Director Geum is the master of the Popos.]

[This is probably why other scientists couldn’t find anything strange about the Popos. In the end, the Popos were an extension of Director Geum. Whether that was conscious or not.]

[This is just speculation.]

[But doesn’t it explain everything?]

[Doesn’t it? The reason only the Director can communicate with the Popos, the reason only the Director can handle the Popos, the reason only the Director knew about the anomalous characteristics the Popos possess.]

[Well, just keep it between yourselves.]

****

[Anomaly L-1000]

[The Garden]

[As you all know, oil has been discovered in the Garden. Foundation experts are currently constructing a drilling site there.]

[Construction of the drilling site is proceeding smoothly for the most part, but we’ll need to give some thought to how to handle the crude oil we secure.]

[Another matter.]

[The facility the Foundation abandoned long ago still remains at the center of the Garden. Cernunnos is still sealed inside.]

[Offering sacrifices to the master of the Garden still seems difficult. The master of the Garden is still awaiting the liberation we promised.]

[Currently, we do offer human sacrifices to the master of the Garden every month. Nothing has gone wrong so far.]

[Below is a record of the researchers’ conversation with the imprisoned Cernunnos. He’s friendlier than expected. For someone who throws tantrums if he doesn’t receive regular human sacrifices.]

—

[Cernunnos: Creature of insignificance, scholar, what business brings you to me today?]

[Researcher: Ah, greetings. This insignificant creature pays respects to the great one.]

[Cernunnos: When, exactly, will you devise a plan to liberate me? This ancient prison is most displeasing.]

[Researcher: Forgive us. Are the offerings we present insufficient in your eyes, great one?]

[Cernunnos: I—the Garden—require more blood, more flesh. Bring more sacrifices.]

—

[Yes. Well.]

[The researcher left the containment zone alive, but we had to sacrifice another person to appease that monster.]

****

[Yulje-myeon Siege Report]

[Filed by: Head of Research Lee Seah]

[Though the incident has been resolved, Yulje-myeon and its surrounding areas remain under containment. About a tenth of the fog still lingers, and monsters still run rampant within it.]

[We periodically cull the monsters, but a problem that nuclear warheads couldn’t solve won’t be solved by mere management.]

[We will make another visit next week.]