Chapter 69: Congratulations on your new isolation room

Chapter 69: Congratulations on your new isolation room

The department head looked very haggard.

I don’t remember exactly when I last saw him... but he seems to have aged about three years more than then.

Three years couldn’t have suddenly passed while I was away at the beach.

Does that mean something happened to our house... no, to this place?

Held by Han Seori, I followed the department head... and a familiar scene unfolded before my eyes.

But while it was familiar, it was also somewhat unfamiliar.

There were traces of repair work here and there, and the people walking around all looked very busy.

So busy that they didn’t even notice me being held by Han Seori.

Behind me, Kim Cheonsu followed, pulling a glass container with free-spirited writhing slimes (especially the whale).

To be precise, he was following Han Seori and the department head, not me.

Anyways.

While passing through a corridor that had become a bit unfamiliar, we arrived at the corridor where my original room used to be.

Thinking about the end of my rather long journey, I was about to go to bed.

...But it was gone.

Even if you ask me what I mean, I can only say it was gone.

Because... that’s literally what it was.

The room that I used to stay in had literally disappeared.

Hmm... it was as if a huge, sharp hand had swept my room away.

As I looked at the room feeling a bit bewildered, for some reason, Han Seori patted my back and muttered that it would be okay.

...No, it’s not that bad.

To begin with, I don’t even know what happened.

What... was there an earthquake or something?

Did we go to the beach to avoid that?

I don’t know.

Honestly, since it wasn’t a room I bought with my own money, I didn’t have much attachment to it, but thinking that all the things inside had disappeared, I felt a little disappointed.

Especially the bed and TV.

They’ll... put new ones in, right?

It was taken from me once, so living with it being taken away a second time... seems a little hard to endure.

Anyways.

It looked like there was a new room prepared to replace the missing one, and the department head’s footsteps slid smoothly down the corridor.

But we walked quite a bit.

Even to me, who knows nothing, there’s a nuance of... how should I say, paying attention to security?

Why, you know how it is in movies, right?

The feeling of deliberately going around in circles to shake off a tail, then suddenly sneaking away and losing the tail.

I’ve never done it myself, but it feels similar to that.

Then, a small door appeared.

The department head operated the panel to open the door, revealing another small space.

There was another door there, and the department head operated the panel again.

But that wasn’t the end.

After a complex process that’s hard to remember, we arrived at what I assume is the last door, and even though I didn’t do anything, I felt exhausted.

Operating the panel, the department head spoke in a voice that sounded a bit tired but had a hint of liveliness.

“I prepared as much as possible for now. How does it seem?”

But Han Seori, who had been silently following him, responded in a dull voice.

“...Is there any point to this?”

“...I suppose you’re right. I just wanted to try it once.”

“Don’t tell me... you used that anomaly for this.”

“When else would we use it if not now?”

The doors were reminiscent of an escape room.

Maybe it’s because I’ve relaxed after coming to a place I consider home.

However, if you think about it, it’s more like a prison than a home...

But who’s going to say anything if I think that way?

They won’t even know I think that way.

With that thought, I put off what I had to do for a bit.

I wriggled into the blanket.

And went to sleep.

I ate a lot of various seafood.

But as expected...

Sleep is the best medicine.

After isolating (if you can call it that) 7496-KR in a new isolation room, Yoo Kangjik and Han Seori headed to Han Seori’s personal space. But first, they sent Kim Cheonsu back.

It was one of the most secure places in this research center.

Han Seori entered the room and settled in as if she was used to it, and Yoo Kangjik plopped down on another chair with a deep sigh.

Seeing Yoo Kangjik, who had drastically aged in less than a month, Han Seori spoke with an apologetic look.

“...Looks like you’ve had a lot of rice cake soup while I was gone.”

“We didn’t gather here to joke around.”

“Ahaha... I thought you liked that kind of thing...”

Han Seori smiled awkwardly, averting her gaze slightly, then lowered her head.

“You’ve had a hard time because of me. I never imagined... it would really turn out like this.”

“Weren’t you certain when you went down?”

“Well... half of me was. Honestly, I was hoping it wouldn’t be... but unfortunately, it turned out to be true.”

Han Seori, who had been told by Yoo Kangjik that they definitely seemed to be targeting 7496-KR, pressed her temples with a gloomy face.

The two people were silent for a moment.

Then, Han Seori spoke first with a determined face.

“I’ve been thinking a bit on my way up.”

“Yes.”

“I think... we need to move the isolation room.”

“...You mean to a place that pays more attention to security than that?”

“No. The security is already sufficient. But you know that’s not a fundamental solution, right? We’ve bought some time for now, but someday, the information will leak again... and the same thing will happen again. And then... a shallow trick might not work.”

Yoo Kangjik fell into thought at Han Seori’s serious words.

Then what should we do?

Actually, he also felt that a more fundamental measure was needed.

But no sharp idea comes to mind.

Soon, Han Seori, who smiled faintly as if understanding him, laid out her plan.

And Yoo Kangjik, who quietly listened to it, scratched his head with a dumbfounded face rather than thinking it was brilliant.

Of course... among methods of maintaining security, it may be a bit old-fashioned, but it seemed to be a fundamental and secretive method.

However.

“Will they approve of that?”

“...I don’t know. I can’t be sure about that.”

“Hmm.”

Yoo Kangjik, stroking his chin.

While inwardly lamenting how he came to have such thoughts.

Spoke with a somewhat excited face.

And Han Seori, who heard his suggestion, also looked at him with a slightly surprised face.

Nevertheless, it was an idea that appealed to her as well.

She decided to think positively.

If things go well...

She thought it would be very interesting.