Chapter 120

Chapter 120

When I first came here, was the research center already submerged? Was the previous time a unique situation that allowed us to go to the research center? I stopped my train of thought.

We were planning to find Kim Ga-young and return to the sports center anyway, so we had no intention of going to the South District research center. The immediate decision we needed to make was whether to go to the South District dormitory or not. I asked Kang Soojung and Seo Jihyuk:

“... If Ga-young was trapped in her room but someone rescued her, what do you think she’d be doing right now?”

Seo Jihyuk shrugged lightly. Then he asked me slowly:

“‘Originally’, Kim Ga-young should be writing a plea for help around this time, right? But she didn’t write it?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Kang Soojung spread out her five fingers and folded her thumb.

“One. Kim Ga-young somehow managed to escape the room by luck, but the dormitory is still flooded.”

Seo Jihyuk folded Kang Soojung’s index finger while saying:

“Two. She’s unlucky and still in the room.”

Ah. That’s the worst option. I made the most positive statement while folding Kang Soojung’s third finger.

“Three. Kim Ga-young left the room and headed somewhere other than the dormitory. ... This seems like the best option for Kim Ga-young.”

If Kim Ga-young had been rescued, she would have already left the dormitory. Please let it be so. Kang Soojung scratched the corner of her mouth and said:

“Let’s assume the doctor’s statement is correct and head towards the escape pod port. Since all the people who escaped from West District gathered there, those who escaped from the South District dormitory might all be gathered there too.”

Seo Jihyuk quickly agreed and added:

“Actually, the architectural design here is made so that when you leave the dormitory, your steps naturally lead you to the corridor with the escape pod port. Since the South District escape pod port is the closest from here, let’s check there first.”

“Yes. ... What do you plan to do if Ga-young isn’t at the escape pod port?”

Are we going to enter the flooding dormitory? Kang Soojung hesitated for a few seconds before answering:

“I think we’ll have to decide that when we get there.”

When I looked at Seo Jihyuk, he saw my gaze and showed an expression of uncertainty before exclaiming “Ah!” and saying:

“I basically follow the deputy team leader’s opinion. Unless it’s a time when I need to speak up, assume I’ve left my opinions to Deputy Team Leader Kang.”

Kang Soojung turned to Seo Jihyuk, who was walking behind, and said incredulously:

“You always speak up.”

“Oh. Jihyuk. Soojung-eonnie.”

Kang Soojung waved her hand. Kim Ga-young approached us, then looked at me awkwardly and nodded slightly.

“Hello. I’m Kim Ga-young. Nice to meet you?”

“I’m Park Mu-hyeon. Nice to meet you.”

I thought that I would never forget this strange feeling I get every time I greet people I already know as if meeting them for the first time, no matter how much time passes.

I could feel a few people around turning their heads to look at me after that greeting. Kim Ga-young nodded and asked:

“Ah. I heard the broadcast. You said not to board the escape pods, right?”

“Yes. Fortunately, many people didn’t board.”

“Some didn’t board because they believed the broadcast, some were stopped, some were too busy fighting to board, and some didn’t board because they wanted to watch the fight before dying. That’s how it is.”

Kang Soojung took Kim Ga-young’s hand and said:

“It’s been weeks since we’ve seen each other. You said you were busy? Yoo Geum-yi is also gathered with our team now. Let’s go together, Ga-young.”

“Uh... What about the others?”

“Just you. Let’s just take you with us.”

When Kang Soojung cut her off, Kim Ga-young was a bit taken aback. Kang Soojung held Kim Ga-young’s hand and said:

“Let’s just think about getting you out of here alone first.”

Kim Ga-young was frowning in thought. After about 30 seconds, she glanced at a few researchers and replied somewhat slowly, looking troubled:

“... I’ll stay with my fellow researchers. My junior is here, two of my friends are over there clapping, and there’s also a crazy doctor who’s busy cleaning the floor by rolling around and with whom I need to write a paper together.”

The words “You came with us before” were on the tip of my tongue. This is different from before. To Kim Ga-young, I’m just a stranger who broadcast some suspicious content that she somehow figured out. Of course, I desperately want to escape together.

“If all the people here come to Orphion together, would it be possible to accommodate them in that place?”

Of course, whether people would follow me is the problem, but these are people who didn’t board the escape pods after hearing my broadcast. Wouldn’t they at least listen to some extent? Moreover, if that sports center is designed to dodge bullets, I thought it would be good for as many people as possible to take shelter. Kang Soojung looked at me with slight surprise and shook her head.

“Doctor, you really haven’t been to the sports center, have you? It’s extremely small. If we take all the people here, it would be over thirty people, which means about five people would have to float in the air.”

... I understand why Kang Soojung told me those things on our way here.