Chapter 40: Object Exhibition (1)

A secret room deep underground in a research lab.

In that confined, cramped room, a man was panting heavily.

Haah. Haah.

For some unknown reason, the extremely tense man was drenched in cold sweat all over his body.

In fact, the man's condition seemed a bit strange.

Inside the secret room where the man was, there was only a desk with a notebook and pen lying around.

"If I just write the name here in this notebook... you'll let me go, right?"

The man threw out the question with a trembling voice, but there was no response.

The man slowly approached the desk and opened the notebook.

On the opened notebook was a photo of a famous Object.

It was a photo of a 'cute puppy'.

Under that photo was just a plain notebook with a blank space for

<Object Name: __________>.

Haah.. Haah..

Panting heavily, the man gripped a pen and began filling in the blank with his trembling hand.

The man wrote <Object Name: Puppy__> and then threw down the pen and screamed.

"I can't do it!"

Then a loud buzzing sound rang out in the secret room and a countdown began.

The man racked his brains, agonizing over his decision.

He picked up the pen and put it down.

Sat down, stood up.

The man's behavior looked like he was extremely afraid of something.

When there was little time left on the countdown, the man tightly closed his eyes and finished filling in the blank on the notebook.

<Object Name: Puppy47>

Whew....

When nothing happened even after time passed, the man opened his eyes and let out a big sigh of relief.

"Ha..hahaha! I survived. I survived!"

The man seemed truly happy, laughing loudly and rejoicing.

"I survived!"

The man stood up from his spot and stretched his arms up to the sky, looking truly happy, but that happiness did not last long.

"Ugh! Wha... What is that?"

Beyond the window, a bizarre monster was staring at the man.

Thud.

When the monster waved its hand, the metal wall dented and caved in.

The transparent window turned white, and the LED lights flickered pathetically from the impact.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

The monster's punches grew faster, and the monster itself grew larger.

The man hid under his desk, hugging his head.

And he was repeatedly muttering like a spell, 'I will survive.'

When the sound of metal tearing came from the outer wall of the sealed room, the monster's pounding fists also stopped.

The man, who had his eyes closed, slowly opened them, and the monster had vanished without a trace.

"Haah."

The man exhaled the air from his lungs, thinking he had survived.

And as he stood up and blinked, the monster was right in front of him.

Close enough for their breaths to reach each other.

Startled, the man stepped back and screamed.

***

Sehee POV:

---

While the Research Institute was in a frantic bustle, Yerin followed closely behind me.

"How about this, Sehee unnie?"

In Yerin's hands is an elk animal pajama.

As if I didn't have enough headaches already, Yerin's antics showed no signs of ending.

"Yeah yeah, put that in the props then. I'll let Kim Jungroo know."

"Wow! Thank you so much unnie!"

Yerin flashed a bright smile and hurried back to her spot.

How nice would it be if I could live as carefree as her?

I massaged my throbbing temples and let out a deep sigh.

The Research Institute has been extremely busy lately.

For one reason.

Because of an order from the government.

<The 1st Object Exhibition to be Held>

A document so sloppy it was hard to consider an official document fluttered in my hands.

The summary was simple.

<There have been frequent serious incidents caused by Objects in Korea recently.>

<Songpa District sinkhole, Daejeon human meat restaurant, Seoul Forest tremors, Central Research Institute dismantling, etc.>

<To reassure the terrified citizens, we have decided to hold an event.>

<Bring the hazardous Objects currently being isolated at each Research Institute.>

<We will widely publicize that they are being safely managed through the exhibition format.>

"These people are completely insane."

Curses naturally came out reading this document.

No matter how I looked at it, the government clearly wanted to cause another Central Research Institute incident.

Gathering dangerous Objects in one place and holding a large event?

If an accident occurs, the Objects will break out in a chain reaction, unleashing hell on earth.

Moreover, the politicians behind this insane plan gave even more nonsensical instructions.

<The Se-hee Research Institute must bring the extremely high-risk Object 'Gray Reaper'.>

Oh my god, they've lost their minds.

They're not in their right mind.

Gray Reaper in a place that promotes perfectly controlled Objects?

It's obvious the Reaper, who can't stay still in a new place, will wander around aimlessly.

It will definitely roam around sightseeing like visitors at the exhibition hall.

If I had my way, I'd leave the Reaper safely at the Research Institute, and only bring 'Cute Puppy' or 'Blue Lizard' to the exhibition.

But I can't do that.

It's difficult to ignore the government's orders, and the Reaper would obviously sneak out and follow.

Lost in these troubling thoughts, I found myself at the deepest part of the Sehee Research Institute.

The innermost isolation room of the Research Institute.

Unlike the institute's busy atmosphere, this place always exuded a relaxed vibe.

Inside, the Gray Reaper was lying on a bed, eating snacks while watching TV upside-down.

Seeing its restless rolling and tossing made the future seem visible somehow.

How is that the Gray Reaper?

It's a gray cat.