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“Are you saying to leave out the black hair?”

Song Ah Rin muttered as if she couldn’t understand, while Jang Chae Yeon looked at me with a perplexed expression.

“Who said that?”

“The Branch Chief.”

“Branch Chief?!”

Song Ah Rin frowned as if she didn’t like it.

“Does the Gangseo Branch Chief actually have the brains to say something like that?”

“A-Rin.”

“Well, that’s not wrong.”

Song Ah Rin pouted and crossed her arms while Jang Chae Yeon, on the other hand, rested her chin on her hand and tilted her head.

“I wonder why.”

“I think I know.”

Yu Da On’s strong point.

Durability… no, being physically strong.

In contrast, the downside.

Other than team sports, she’s just a pretty capable ordinary person with good athleticism.

“It seems this isn’t a place for ordinary people.”

I’m saying this because Yu Da On isn’t listening.

Just staying alive might even have a counterproductive effect.

Yet, for some reason, it’s a place Song Ah Rin can go.

“…This is difficult.”

As I propped my chin and fell into thought, Jang Chae Yeon placed her hand on my shoulder and shook her head.

“It’s okay.”

“Huh?”

“If the ace of the Gangseo Branch’s Isolation Team went, she would come back alive no matter what happened.”

“…”

Jang Chae Yeon’s words were indeed filled with trust, but the expression on her face while saying it was incredibly unsettling.

“But why do you look like that?”

“Because she only comes back ‘alive’.”

“What does that mean?”

It’s too ambiguous.

“Usually, they survive, but they don’t accomplish their goals.”

“Ah.”

Sounds like a very helpful person for us.

“So we also need to leave alive if things go sideways, which is actually good.”

“Yeah.”

Jang Chae Yeon nodded, and Song Ah Rin sighed.

When I relayed this story to Yu Da On,

“…Ah.”

She stiffened for a moment and then looked at me, smiling as if nothing had happened.

“I’m fine. Hurry back.”

“Are you really okay, Da On?”

“Of course. I’ll keep a close watch over Ye Eun and the Team Leader.”

Yu Da On’s smile remained plastered on her face until I exited the office.

And then…

“Uaaagh!”

I looked at the people screaming.

“…Huh?”

“Why?”

An unexpected voice slipped out of me, and Jang Chae Yeon, seeing that, tilted her head.

“I can’t see.”

“Huh…?”

I can’t see.

Surely, those screaming and hanging up there must be people, but I couldn’t see a translucent window over anyone’s head.

“A-Rin.”

“Yeah?”

As I opened my mouth to ask Song Ah Rin something, a robot interrupted our conversation, halting it right there.

“These new recruits have good stomachs.”

A blend of human voices and mechanical tones flowed from the robot in front of us.

I quickly exchanged glances with Song Ah Rin.

Should we throw up now?

I can’t do that.

Then let’s just pretend our stomachs are fine.

After a brief exchange through our eyes, I looked back at the man.

In situations like this, it’s best to just stay still.

There’s no need to complicate things by speaking more.

I quietly observed the robot as it nodded with what seemed like a satisfied smile.

“Alright. Then let me explain what you all need to do.”

I couldn’t help but wonder what guts it took to hang people up and hire others.

Three people followed the robot.

“A-Rin.”

“Uh-huh.”

I spoke to her as if nothing was happening, keeping my gaze forward.

“The people up there.”

“Those are people, but their minds are like that of newborn infants.”

“Understood.”

People whose minds are like newborns and don’t display any information.

“Actually, a few new recruits came in last week as well.”

Tap, tap.

The footsteps of the robot were nothing one would imagine from a machine.

“However, they all either quit or went crazy.”

He muttered as he continued walking.

“There’s at least one new recruit who’s holding out well, but there are times when their execution is a bit lacking. I believe that you all can do better.”

“…What exactly are we doing?”

Song Ah Rin asked the robot with a bright smile.

I wondered if there was a need to bother speaking here, but the robot surprisingly received her question positively.

“Oh, that’s a good question.”

Song Ah Rin nodded with her best smile at this unfamiliar person while the robot continued walking.

“This place…”

We walked down a winding corridor.

Can this really be called a company? Honestly, saying it’s behind a factory would be more accurate.

Bang.

The robot opened a door.

“…”

What appeared before my eyes was a scene that was quite difficult to describe in words.

About three people, dressed in suits, were dry heaving and shoveling something into a container.

What they were shoveling was,

“…What’s that?”

A black mass. It didn’t smell burnt, and I couldn’t see what it was either.

I had no idea what it was at all, and the robot, upon hearing my question, crossed its arms and smiled.

“That’s a spare part.”

“Spare part?”

“Newbie, do you know why we’re working so hard on research?”

“…Um…”

I recalled the sight of people screaming hung on the hooks.

“Well, I’m not sure.”

How could I understand those who have lost their minds?

“It’s all for the advancement of technology.”

“…”

They’re all speaking crazily.

“In reality, we’ve produced many successful projects.”

The robot continued walking as it spoke.

“First, there’s a piano that automatically plays according to a person’s mood.”

It sounds fine just hearing it.

“It has an emotional amplification feature so that when you’re happy, you’re happier, and when you’re sad, you’re even sadder. A big emotional drop means there’s that much enjoyment, right?”

“But if a depressed person hears it, wouldn’t it make them even sadder?”

“That’s why it earned the nickname ‘suicide piano’ and had to be recalled entirely.”

I guess the Management Agency took care of that.

Ignoring his words, I continued walking.

“And, the work you all will handle is the most difficult task and also a gateway that new recruits pass through.”

He stopped in front of a massive steel door.

“The work itself is easy.”

The door opened,

“…Ugh…”

Song Ah Rin grabbed my arm, gagging while—

“…”

Jang Chae Yeon looked down at the floor.

I directed my gaze forward.

It was a conveyor belt.

And on the conveyor belt, countless people were being ‘assembled’ organically.

Arms and legs were being attached, and from time to time, horrifying screams echoed.

“Uaaagh!”

An indescribably foul smell wafted through the air.

“It’s assembly.”

“…Assembly?”

The robot nodded at my words.

“We create people and deliver them.”

“Deliver?”

“There’s no product in greater demand than people.”

Wait a minute.

“So, this is about creating people?”

“Oh, not exactly… um, let’s say cloning.”

The robot trailed off.

“If you insert a specific item, more people will appear.”

Insert?

“There’s something like… a necklace, isn’t there?”

The Branch Chief’s words popped into my head.

“…Understood.”

The moment the robot heard my words, it smiled and clapped its hands.

“So, your goal is to assemble this person.”

“…”

Song Ah Rin looked at the conveyor belt with a pale face.

Cloning a person.

“…Understood.”

The necklace might actually be nearby.

“…Ugh…”

I picked up a lifelike arm and started matching it to the torso.

It seemed it was going to be a grotesque routine.

*

“…”

“…”

“…”

Does the robot lack even a concept of gender?

We three were assigned to the same room.

Dragging my exhausted body, I looked at the room.

Three beds. And something resembling a kitchen.

Under normal circumstances, I would have reacted to sharing a room, but—

“Ugh…”

Song Ah Rin was merely dry heaving, with her face buried in the sink.

Jang Chae Yeon also sat on the floor with a completely exhausted expression, starting to massage her own arms.

“Are you all okay?”

This was hard labor.

My body was strained, and more than a few times, I thought if only I could vomit from the screams and the awful smell.

Song Ah Rin stepped out of the bathroom and grabbed my arm.

“…A-Rin?”

“Take me there.”

“Huh?”

“Quick, to the bed.”

Song Ah Rin looked up at me with hollow eyes.

“…”

I took her by the arm and led her to the bed, seating her down.

Creeeak, the old mattress creaked, and Song Ah Rin began to mumble, clutching her head.

“It was terrible, really.”

“…Was it the smell? Or the labor?”

“Neither.”

She grabbed her head tightly.

“It’s the noise.”

“Noise?”

“The screams and pain that echo from everywhere.”

Screams and pain.

She might have heard things I couldn’t see or hear.

“…”

Song Ah Rin released her grip on her head.

Her hair slipped down gently, and she locked eyes with me.

Her voice, addressing me, trembled,

“…Please.”

“Uh-huh?”

“Stay by my side.”

She looked nothing like her usual confident self, appearing as if she’d collapse at any moment.

“…Understood.”

I sat down next to Song Ah Rin.

She took hold of my arm.

Her hand was cold as ice, and that hand trembled like it had a tremor.

As I exchanged glances with Jang Chae Yeon, her eyes were no longer her usual emotionless gaze directed at me but were now filled with pity toward Song Ah Rin.

“…Hey.”

How much time passed?

Song Ah Rin, holding my arm, murmured.

“Yes, A-Rin.”

“Please grant me just one favor.”

“It’s not hard, right?”

If it’s something I can help her with while she’s struggling.

“Let’s sleep together.”

“…”

At that moment, I had a fleeting impression that Jang Chae Yeon’s gaze, which was previously softened, ignited with flames.

“…Huh…?”

Song Ah Rin’s weak voice brushed against my ear.