Chapter 97
“…”
“…”
Yu Da On and I stare at each other.
“So… they’re saying not to touch the water.”
Yu Da On murmurs as she gazes out the window.
“Yes. I still don’t quite know why, though.”
-Swoosh…!
While we were gazing at the unending rain, I turned at the sound of clattering to find Jang Chae Yeon placing a steaming omelet on the table.
“Let’s eat and talk.”
“…Oh, thank you.”
Why is she so calm?
I cautiously opened my mouth while watching Jang Chae Yeon, who was eating the omelet with a straight face.
“Chae Yeon, you heard what I said earlier, right?”
“Yeah.”
Jang Chae Yeon nodded in response.
“But we don’t really need to do anything, do we?”
“…Huh?”
“We’re the Human Resources Team, after all.”
Gulping down the omelet she’d been chewing, Jang Chae Yeon looked out the window.
“Unless we receive orders or requests, we don’t have to go out and solve problems ourselves.”
“…Oh.”
Now that I think about it, that’s true?
Up until now, we were always in situations where we had to solve things in a rush or face dire consequences if we didn’t, but now we don’t have to do that.
“Let’s just eat.”
“Yeah.”
“Yes!”
Right. What do I have to worry about now? The incredible Isolation Team will handle everything.
Thinking like that, I began to devour the omelet with enthusiasm.
“But.”
“Yes?”
Jang Chae Yeon looked at Yu Da On and me intently as she spoke.
“Just in case, get ready to go out.”
There was an air of vague fear in her gaze.
“…”
“…”
Yu Da On and I could only exchange anxious looks with each other.
*
-Beeep…
<Please do not go outside under any circumstances.>
I fell into thought while watching the television broadcasting the same message.
By the way, I wonder if Song Ah Rin is managing alright?
I had completely forgotten about her.
I took out my smartphone and called her, and a moment later, a sulky voice came from the other end.
<You're calling pretty early, aren't you?>
“Yes, it is early. It’s morning after all.”
-Drop!
The call got cut off.
Come on, if calling in the morning isn’t early, then what is?
I dialed again.
<...What.>
She answered with an even sulkier tone than before.
“Hey, I was worried to check if Song Ah Rin was okay.”
<...It's not like it's something you need to worry about, okay?>
I could hear Song Ah Rin sighing on the phone.
<You know what's happening, right?>
“Yes, I do.”
<Okay. Just in case, pack your things.>
Now she’s saying the same thing as Jang Chae Yeon.
“Can’t we just stay put?”
<Usually, the Isolation Team would handle things...>
Song Ah Rin’s voice trailed off.
<Just in case, pack your things.>
“Why?”
<I don’t know, but I know it’s something you should do.>
There was an unmistakable hint of fear in Song Ah Rin’s voice.
“…Understood.”
<Listen well, if things get dicey, run to the Management Agency.>
“The Management Agency?”
<Yeah.>
“…Will anything happen if we go there?”
<I don’t know.>
“But how can you not know about such important things?”
<That’s why it’s scary.>
I heard Song Ah Rin mumbling on the other side of the phone.
<Honestly, I can’t even remember what’s going on, what has happened, or what might happen. The only thought left is that I need to pack up and head to the Management Agency, and that’s terrifying.>
“…”
<Anyway, just don't touch the water. It's not good for you.>
“Should I come pick you up?”
<...How do you plan to get through this rain?>
Song Ah Rin continued, as if bemused.
<Let’s just hope nothing happens.>
“Also, feel free to call if you’re feeling bored.”
<Sure.>
And with that, the call ended.
I glanced at the two people sitting next to me who had been eavesdropping on my call with Song Ah Rin.
“What do you think?”
“Just in case, pack up.”
Yu Da On replied, gathering her own suitcase that she had left in my room.
“Then Chae Yeon, let’s have a strategy meeting.”
“Sure.”
After starting somewhat of a strategy meeting with Jang Chae Yeon until Yu Da On came out, I confirmed she was ready and turned on the television.
What greeted us was different subtitles than before.
<Everyone, prepare to face water. >
The camera, which was capturing the newsroom, switched angles to show the anchor shouting.
Amidst the surging water, something flickered before the camera cut off.
“What if…”
Yu Da On was mumbling as she watched the scene.
“What if something like this happens and humanity goes extinct?”
“Well… I guess so.”
“…Still, humanity won’t cease to exist.”
Jang Chae Yeon answered softly, listening to our conversation.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah.”
“So… like the last Adam and Eve, right?”
“Not like that.”
She shook her head and replied in a calm voice.
“Then what is it?”
“I don’t know. But it’s not that.”
The questions just keep piling up.
-Swoosh…
Wouldn’t the manual know something in a situation like this?
I pulled out the manual from my pocket and began to skim through it.
[Manual for Office Staff]
[Path to the Management Agency – HQ]
1. In case of an emergency, Management Agency employees should first head to the Management Agency without heading anywhere else.
2. However, there might be situations where natural disasters or similar situations prevent access to the Management Agency by road.
3. To prepare for such cases, the Management Agency has written down various routes that should be followed depending on the situation.
“There’s no route listed here.”
“Seems they haven’t shown it yet.”
As Yu Da On and I discussed,
-Knock knock.
A knocking sound could be heard on the door.
Our gazes met.
[Is anyone home~]
A voice resonated from outside the door.
I put my finger to my lips, and both of them nodded.
“Still, this is a Management Agency apartment… it should be okay if it’s someone from the Management Agency, right—ugh, ugh…”
As Yu Da On mumbled, Jang Chae Yeon swiftly covered her mouth and nodded at me.
When I turned on the intercom camera, a woman appeared.
“…”
Although it was a scenario related to me, the translucent window obscured her from view.
Thanks to that, I couldn’t tell exactly who she was.
[Is anyone home~]
The woman continued knocking and calling at my door.
[Is anyone home~! I have some cheerful news to share!]
-Swoosh…!
As the rain kept pouring, her voice echoed in the silent house.
Our apartment is a stair-style apartment.
Which means no rain should be coming in since it’s not a corridor-type apartment.
[Is anyone home~!]
-Knock knock knock!
Jang Chae Yeon stood beside me, holding Yu Da On’s mouth shut.
“That person… is strange.”
“Well, that’s obvious.”
After whispering in response to Jang Chae Yeon’s comment, I looked at the woman whose view through the intercom was of poor quality.
Wearing jeans and a t-shirt, she had a smiling face.
But the cuffs of her pants were wet.
“She’s already touched the water.”
[Is anyone home~!]
-Knock knock knock!
Now she was banging on the door with such force that it felt like the door might break.
“Should we subdue her?”
“…”
Even so, it wouldn’t be ideal if something went wrong while we were trying to subdue her.
“No, for now, let’s—”
[Hey there!]
-Bang!
The woman’s voice turned aggressive, and with a thud, a fist mark appeared on our door.
“…!”
-Bang! Bang!
Multiple fist marks began to appear all over the door.
There was no choice left.
“Let’s subdue her.”
“Okay.”
If the door breaks, we will be exposed to every danger out there.
Yu Da On stood in front and nodded.
“Then…”
-Creeeak…
The dented door creaked ominously as it opened.
“You’re home—”
Before the woman could finish her bright greeting, Jang Chae Yeon reached out, and an unseen force grabbed her and slammed her down to the floor.
The entrance collapsed, sending debris flying.
“…Ugh…!”
The woman writhed, struggling on the ground, and Jang Chae Yeon looked at me, her brow furrowed as if straining.
“Look…! Hurry up…!”
“Understood.”
I checked the woman with my eyes.
[Name: Jung Chan Mi]
[Age: 39 years]
[Specialty: X ]
[Talent: X ]
[Background: She has already made contact with the water. Her body structure is already far from being human.]
[Weakness: Send her back to where she came from.]
Back to where she came from?
“Ugh…!”
Jang Chae Yeon was straining fiercely, her face scrunched up as she tried to suppress the woman.
The woman’s kicking was growing frantic, and it was clear that Jang Chae Yeon was slowly losing her grip.
Is Jang Chae Yeon being overpowered?
“Now… slowly…!”
There wasn’t time to think.
“Throw her!”
At my words, Jang Chae Yeon looked at me.
“Where to…?”
“Da On! The window!”
“Yes!”
Yu Da On dashed over and opened the corridor window.
-Swoosh…!!!
As the window opened, the sound of the rain grew louder, and Jang Chae Yeon took a deep breath, pulled her fist back, and hurled the woman out the window.
“Ugh…!”
-Swoosh…!!!
The woman flew through the air and fell below.
Even as she fell, her gaze was fixed on us, her neck twisted grotesquely, and her mouth stretched into a horrifying grin.
“Da On, you didn’t get wet, right?”
“No. I opened it carefully.”
“…Ugh.”
While I was checking on Yu Da On, Jang Chae Yeon muttered while holding her fist.
“Her strength is incredible. I just don’t feel confident to fight her and win.”
“…”
I didn’t expect her to be overpowered like that.
“Okay… let’s think for now—”
“…Look over there.”
Yu Da On reached out and grabbed my sleeve.
“Jae Heon.”
“Yeah.”
“…Look at that.”
Following her words, I turned my gaze outside.
-Swoosh…!
Perhaps it was because I opened the window, the outside was much clearer than before.
The water had risen high enough to completely flood the first floor of the apartment.
But that wasn’t the real issue.
“…”
Countless people were floating on the water.
The common factor being, all of them had their eyes closed and were floating peacefully on the water, just like sleeping people.
Soon, numerous translucent windows began to appear before my eyes.
“…”
They were all alive.
Or at least they were not corpses. Perhaps it would have been better if they were dead.
-Splash!
The manual unfolded.
[Manual for Office Staff]
[Path to the Management Agency – HQ]
4. We guide the sky bridge route from Building A apartment to the Management Agency.
At the same time,
-Beeep!
My smartphone rang loudly.
“…”
I took out my smartphone.
