Geocaching (14)

Shit... I died again like this?

"..."

I quickly came to my senses and looked around. Buildings split diagonally stood everywhere. Behind me was the mist of Cheongak Mary Hospital, and beside me was Jaaldi.

"Grrong. Are you okay?"

"Ah, yes. I'm fine."

Return point, right after Jaaldi and I came out of the hospital into the outside world.

This wasn't a bad point.

After taking stock of the situation, I talked with Jaaldi about the split buildings and concluded that Section Chief Lee Dohyung had appeared, then thought it over.

Jaaldi... must be dead.

It was obvious that Section Chief Lee Dohyung had killed Jaaldi and then immediately come after me. Even Jaaldi had proven unable to last long in a situation like this.

My stomach churned, and beyond that my chest felt hollow. I had seen Jaaldi die too many times. I didn't want to let Jaaldi die.

All right, let's check quickly.

From here on, it's a race against time.

I organized what I needed to do.

1. Avoid Section Chief Lee Dohyung.

2. Save Jinseop and win him over.

3. Keep Jaaldi alive so everyone can escape together.

None of the other stuff mattered; these three were the core.

These three goals had to be achieved at all costs.

To do that, I had to avoid Section Chief Lee Dohyung. For now, I knew where he would appear, and I also knew the stitched ones would soon launch a large-scale assault, so let's use that to set things up.

"From here on, search for Section Chief Lee Dohyung. We need to determine exactly what state he's in."

Although some minor details changed because my first reaction was different, Jaaldi's conclusion was the same.

Then I'd better change the route from here.

"Team Leader. I object. Look at this building. If Section Chief Lee Dohyung is like this, we'll all die the moment we make contact, investigation or not."

"You're right. But since we brought the cube, we should be able to check once and run."

The cube.

A restraint tool I brought before coming here. Of course, Jaaldi says it like that, but in the previous loop I was just taken down.

Against a giant aberration like Section Chief Lee Dohyung, something like that cube wouldn't be much help.

"More than anything, we need to confirm the current state of Lee Dohyung. Taking some risk here can secure our safety in the future."

"That's true, but... I think we should proceed a little more safely. Weren't fake Bureau agents just sent here to investigate Section Chief Lee Dohyung? Let's leave the searching to them and stay hidden ourselves."

Jaaldi, arms crossed, looked at me.

"Hmm, understood. Let's do that. If there's something we can use, then using it isn't a bad idea."

Good!

That should reduce the risk a bit.

"Then we should find them first."

"Yes."

"Follow me."

Doing the same thing twice does make things go more smoothly. It's a little wasteful to die and burn points, but honestly, using only a few thousand points against an ultimate aberration like Section Chief Lee Dohyung is practically nothing.

I moved together with Jaaldi.

* * *

My plan was this.

First, cautiously tail the fake Bureau agents, and once we were close to encountering Section Chief Lee Dohyung, I'd claim my psychic powers were acting up and fall far back.

For now, Section Chief Lee Dohyung didn't seem hostile toward the fake Bureau agents. The moment he made eye contact, he ignored everything else and charged at Jaaldi.

Proceed as carefully as possible, confirm Section Chief Lee Dohyung's contact with the fake Bureau from afar, and watch what he does.

Of course, if he starts throwing a rampage there and killing everyone, this loop would be completely screwed too.

But from what I saw, I don't think that's the case. Right after that, a wave of the stitched ones came rushing in. Maybe Section Chief Lee Dohyung came to deal with that wave, found us, and changed targets?

While moving with that thought in mind, I found the fake Bureau agents.

This was Section Chief Lee Dohyung Recovery Team A. They had a conversation related to him, and Jaaldi and I listened in. Afterward, things proceeded as originally and they withdrew. Now they'll swap places with Team B, which includes Jinseop.

Let's keep going exactly the same up to there.

"Team Leader. Fake Bureau Team B has been deployed."

"These guys are searching pretty seriously. I'll tail them."

"Yes."

From here on, this was the most important part.

Last time I tailed them from too close. That's why I got spotted in Section Chief Lee Dohyung's line of sight and got taken out. I have no idea how he sees the world with his eyes sewn shut. No, wait. If it's Section Chief Lee Dohyung, he can do it. Section Chief Lee Dohyung is an absolutely invincible being who doesn't see the world with his eyes, but with the world itself.

He is dangerous.

I need to widen the gap and warn them before we meet.

"Grrong? What are you doing?"

"Come to think of it, aren't we tailing them a little too closely? For all we know, if Section Chief Lee Dohyung suddenly appears, we could get exposed. I think it would be better to track them from a little farther away."

"You're unusually careful today."

Jaaldi stared at me.

"That's not a bad judgment as an agent. We're already keeping enough distance, but sure. There's no harm in widening it a bit more. Understood."

"Great."

As expected.

Jaaldi really is easy to talk to.

Jaaldi was starting to feel more and more like some motherly presence. How many times had I left Jaaldi alone to die? I could never let Jaaldi die.

We moved along while keeping our distance.

A familiar scene started to appear.

It's about time for Section Chief Lee Dohyung to appear.

"Wait a moment."

"What is it?"

"I can feel something flare up...!"

"Psychic powers? Don't tell me that's Dohyung..."

"Yes. Let's back off for now."

"Understood."

If I hadn't claimed psychic powers when I entered the real Bureau, I don't know what would have happened.

I backed away with Jaaldi.

Then we entered a ruined building and looked outside through the window.

The fake Bureau agents were visible far in the distance.

And then.

There he was!

Section Chief Lee Dohyung!

"Team Leader."

"...I see it. What an absurd sight."

The vicious twin-tailed man with sewn eyes and mouth appeared, showing off the seam that split his body in half.

The beast bird takes flight.

He leaped off the building and landed. The agents seemed to say something, but they were too far away for me to hear.

—Gulp.

I swallowed.

What on earth is going to happen?

"If Dohyung obediently goes along with them, that would be a huge problem. If that happens, I'll head back immediately and escape. I have to report the emergency to the Bureau."

If that monster falls into the fake Bureau's hands, it'll be a disaster.

"Just thinking about facing Section Chief Lee Dohyung, who has become an ultimate aberration capable of slicing through buildings, makes my knees weak. I feel like I'm about to have a seizure."

"Hmm... Do you need some sort of treatment?"

It was tempting, but I couldn't exactly whine into Jaaldi's chest at a moment this important.

"I'll get through it myself!"

"Good. Excellent... Wait. They're making contact."

Section Chief Lee Dohyung moved slowly.

The moment the agents were about to make contact with him.

Suddenly.

—Whoosh!

Section Chief Lee Dohyung's figure vanished!

Did he notice us after all?

Then we're completely screwed!

"Grrong. Look."

"Ah...!"

Fortunately, that wasn't it.

Section Chief Lee Dohyung ignored the agents and moved to the left.

And to the left.

A massive group of the stitched ones was advancing!

The moment Section Chief Lee Dohyung charged toward them, I recalled an old memory: when I once called the Monster Call, he appeared and hacked apart the hospital nurses.

"Oh!"

Section Chief Lee Dohyung slaughtered the stitched ones surging in like a tidal wave. With a single swing, countless stitched ones were cut in two, and each time, he forcefully kicked off the ground, charged in, and massacred even more of them.

Crazy hack-and-slash...!

This is incredible!

He's extremely fast, and he's showing terrifying strength.

So that's Hyeongbaek.

"Amazing. To think he has that much raw power. It's strength beyond imagination."

"I-if the fake Bureau bastards get their hands on that, it's over."

"Yeah. For now, I don't know whether Dohyung recognizes his own agents, but he hasn't attacked them. Maybe the lot of them can even talk to one another."

It does seem a little like that.

"Grrong. We need to eliminate the fake Bureau agents."

Jaaldi said, looking at me.

"Pardon?"

"We need to cut off communication between the two sides. Then Dohyung's return will be delayed."

"Ah."

That...

made sense, but...

Then Jinseop... no.

I can persuade him.

Besides, it'd be hard to save the other two anyway.

"Understood. Let's observe a little longer first."

"Right."

I kept watching.

By now, the stitched ones were flooding in from all directions, and their numbers were truly enormous. It was so big that even a mass protest couldn't compare.

And yet Section Chief Lee Dohyung didn't seem to care about the agents at all, running wild as he slaughtered the stitched ones however he pleased.

Because of that.

—Rat-a-tat-tat!

The fake Bureau agents, including Jinseop, were running away while being chased by the stitched ones.

So that's why they broke apart earlier.

Even though Section Chief Lee Dohyung is slaughtering them, he's doing it so recklessly, and the buildings are collapsing along his path, that it's hard to keep up. Naturally, they ended up being chased by the stitched ones surging in from all directions.

"This is a perfect opportunity. The agents have been separated from Dohyung. Use this chance to eliminate them. After that, we'll see about heading back."

Once the route changed, the progress really did become completely different.

After watching a little longer, I saw the agents scatter to find their own way to survive.

"Let's pursue them. Avoid Dohyung and eliminate the agents."

"Understood."

I took out my pistol.

That satisfying weight made me calmer than ever. I'll eliminate the other two agents. It's unfortunate, but it can't be helped. If they go back, information about Section Chief Lee Dohyung will be passed on. That's dangerous.

But I should be able to persuade Jinseop.

* * *

—Bang!

With an accurate shot, I pierced the agent's head.

"Well done, Grrong. As expected, you're a sharpshooter. I hear Kurosna isn't very good with a pistol either."

"I'd like to meet that senior soon. I'd love to have a deep discussion about shooting skills."

"Hmm... Well, somehow I get the feeling the two of you would get along."

"Really?"

"That guy has quite a strange side to him."

What is that supposed to mean?

"What do you mean?"

"Grrong, you're pretty strange too..."

"If you keep that up, I'll have to call you M.o.m., you know?"

"Y-you little...! What are you saying in the middle of a mission!"

Jaaldi shouts, flustered.

"You were the one who called me strange first!"

"That's not what I meant! Fine. There's only one left now."

"Yes."

The two are taken care of.

All that's left is Jinseop.

"Please leave him to me. I'll take the lead."

Jaaldi kept watch on Section Chief Lee Dohyung, while I moved to take down the agents with my gun. That way, Jaaldi wouldn't have to worry about Jinseop suddenly making Jaaldi a casualty.

I continued tracking Jinseop.

I spotted him.

"Huff, huff!"

The guy holding a submachine gun was out of breath, drenched in sweat. I don't know where he tossed his sunglasses, but his face was bare.

"He's the last one. I'll eliminate him, then try to head back."

All right, then.

Now, how should I trick Jaaldi and persuade Jinseop?

"..."

My acting ability.

That was the most important thing.

I had to do this naturally, without any contradictory setup.

Good.

Let's go.

"Huh?"

"What is it?"

"What? That guy looks kind of familiar...?"

I said it, pretending to be genuinely surprised.

"Grrong?"

"Team Leader. Something's off. That guy looks like someone I've seen before. Where was it? Is he an acquaintance?"

"What... A fake Bureau agent couldn't possibly be an acquaintance, could he?"

"That aside, haven't we already proven that those guys are human-like things that crossed over from a parallel world?"

"Well, they do seem like something other than pure aberrations."

"..."

I said, pretending to be troubled.

"Hmm... Suspicious."

While I was at it.

"Understood. Hold your fire."

Ah.

"It wouldn't be a bad idea to capture him alive and investigate."

Yosh!