Chapter 99
Were the two Administration Bureaus really originally one?
If they were originally one, why were they split apart?
That thought fills my head the whole time I'm riding in the car. There must be some major secret hidden here. Maybe even this is a ghost story or a paranormal phenomenon.
This situation feels horrifying.
There are too many things bearing down on me.
Starting with the existence of the status window, the concept of replaying loops, and even the reason for my regression.
I wanted to grow as an agent of the Administration Bureau and use its power to explore these things. For an ordinary person like me, that seemed like the best way to do anything. I'd become an agent and was steadily building my career, when suddenly it felt like a huge wall had appeared and blocked my way.
If I want to use the Administration Bureau's power, then in the end I have to uncover the secret behind why the two Bureaus were split apart, don't I?
It's suffocating, but one thing is clear.
Right now, I'm riding Jaaldi's coattails. No matter what happens, I have to stay with her. Only then will I be able to get at the truth of the Administration Bureau.
All right.
I'm going to become Jaaldi's loyal subordinate.
Now all I have is Jaaldi.
"So from here on out, this is Lee Dohyung's turf."
I start seeing collapsed buildings outside the window. Like beasts marking their territory, Section Chief Lee Dohyung also marks his by slicing up the surrounding buildings.
"We should move a little more carefully from here."
"I'll move a little farther and then ditch the car."
"Understood."
From there, all we have to do is get to the hospital.
"But why doesn't Section Chief Lee Dohyung touch the hospital itself? He's wrecking everything around it."
"The doctor may have done something. Wasn't it that doctor who operated on Dohyung in the first place?"
"Hmm... Could he be taking orders from the hospital director?"
Then maybe if we meet Dr. Kim Seonghan, we'll be able to find out?
In my opinion, that doctor is already under Cheongak Mary Hospital's control. They'd know a lot about the hospital. Since they're a doctor, they may have taken part in Section Chief Lee Dohyung's surgery.
If I get the chance, I'll try, but honestly I think it'll be difficult.
"I'll start moving on foot now. Keep a proper eye on your surroundings. If Dohyung catches us, it's over."
"Yes. Song Jinseop, you keep your guard up too."
"I will."
After getting out of the car, I moved cautiously.
The corpses of the stitched ones are piled up like mountains all around.
Section Chief Lee Dohyung must have dealt with all of them.
A runaway from the hospital created this kind of apocalypse... Even in this stitched world, isn't that a huge deal?
Thinking that, I carefully moved forward until we reached our destination.
It's the familiar Cheongak Mary Hospital.
"Good thing we didn't run into Dohyung."
"That was a close one."
We crossed through the mist and entered the hospital grounds.
I was as careful as possible before going in. There was a high chance the fake Administration Bureau agents were still around.
"They're gone...?"
But once we went in, they weren't there. Jinseop kept looking around hard, trying to find his friends, but they really weren't in sight.
"Song Jinseop. Did the fake Administration Bureau agents withdraw?"
"Maybe they did..."
"Whatever. Grrong. From now on, I'm escaping this world."
"Yes. You mean that plan."
"Hmm... Let's not bring that up."
Jaaldi was the woman who might have become my mother...!
"But what about Song Jinseop?"
"Because of that, we need to make some adjustments. I'll give him a quick lesson."
"What? D-don't tell me the Team Leader is going to become the mother of two sons...!"
"Please be quiet...!"
No way!
Jinseop and I are really going to become brothers!
"What are you talking about?"
Since Jinseop looked puzzled, I explained it to him.
"I have something to teach you about escaping."
"Escape? Ah, actually, our Administration Bureau has a way too. I was taught one as well."
"What?"
There's a way?
No.
Of course there is, or else how would they have been coming and going?
I'd forgotten about that.
"What kind of way is it?"
Jaaldi asked, sounding very interested.
"First of all, once you go into that hospital, you can't just leave whenever you want, right? You need a proper exit. We found that out because our agents kept barging in... In short, you have to make a scene."
"What? Make a scene?"
What the hell is this bastard talking about?
"If you come in and start throwing a fit like, 'I came to visit Section Chief Lee Dohyung, so why isn't he here?' they said they'll let you out."
"What kind of bullshit is that?"
"It's true. That's how we were taught."
"Looks like we need to verify that. Go ahead."
"Yes, well."
This actually works?
"Good. Then I'll tell you what to do after you escape."
Jaaldi explained the post-escape instructions to Jinseop, and then the three of us entered the hospital together.
Honestly, coming back in here is a little scary, but I'm not as shaken as I was before. Anyway, when we went in, the same scene from before unfolded. But there were no patients, only nurses.
Their faces weren't sewn shut.
Come to think of it, that's how it was at first.
Jinseop stepped forward.
Would he really do well?
"What brings you in today?"
"We're here to visit someone."
He said that confidently to the nurse.
"Is Mr. Lee Dohyung admitted here?"
I wasn't sure whether this would work...
"Mr. Lee Dohyung isn't here right now."
"Huh? What do you mean? He's admitted here, isn't he?"
"Mr. Lee Dohyung isn't here right now."
"What are you talking about? He's admitted here. Why isn't he here? Where did he go?"
"Mr. Lee Dohyung isn't here right now."
"Why do you keep saying he's not here? Why isn't he here? I'm asking you."
"He's currently escaping..."
"Escaping? Escaaaaping?! What kind of bullshit is that!"
No, wait!
This bastard is suddenly flying off the handle?
For a moment I almost reached out, worried Jinseop might really die, but Jaaldi grabbed my wrist.
"No, if you don't want to tell me, just say you don't want to! Why are you lying and saying he escaped?! That's so annoying! What, do I look like someone who cheers you up when you're in a bad mood?! Huh!"
"It's true..."
As Jinseop shouted in a frenzy, the nurse answered in a tiny voice, clearly cowed.
I never knew Jinseop was this crazy. We'd been together all those years, and he had this bold side to him?
This bastard is bullying the nurse right now!
You were this much of a tough guy, huh!
"Damn it! I didn't do anything weird, I just said I came to visit, and you treat me like this! Hey! Where's the director? Bring him here! How the hell do you manage your nurses here, you bastards!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please calm down."
"You know me?! You don't even know me, so why the hell are you being rude?!"
"I'm sorry... um, please come quickly."
The nurse spoke in a flustered voice and called someone.
Even then, Jinseop kept rampaging, and soon the outside door opened and someone in a security uniform came in.
Mr. Lee Seungcheol?!
The name tag says Lee Seungcheol!
"Mr. Seungcheol. Please take this person outside."
"Yes."
"What are you? You're a cop?! You bastard, you're not even a cop! Hey! Let go! Where are you grabbing? Where are you grabbing, I said! That's sexual harassment, you fucking bastard! Aaaaagh!"
Jinseop had even reached the point of screaming in despair.
Security guard Lee Seungcheol grabbed the shrieking Jinseop and dragged him right out. Right before leaving, Jinseop mouthed, 'Like this.'
"..."
I was dumbfounded, but...
Once Jinseop was gone, the hospital's atmosphere returned to normal.
"What brings you in today?"
Jaaldi gave me a signal.
I have a lot to say, but let's do what we need to do right now.
"Hello. I'd like to ask about admitting my son."
"Your son?"
The nurse looked at me.
Surely they won't recognize me?
"Mom, why are you getting admitted? It's not that bad."
I hid behind Jaaldi, acting like a bratty son.
"Be quiet. Can you do the consultation right away?"
"The doctors have schedules right now, so not at the moment. The consultation hours here are..."
And just like that, Jaaldi and the nurse started talking about the admission consultation. I didn't really have anything to do, so I just stood behind Jaaldi.
After a long conversation, the consultation ended.
"Then please come back on this date. You may go now."
"Understood. Goodbye."
"Yes."
"You should say goodbye too."
Jaaldi pinched my cheek.
"Ah, it hurts. Mom. Goodbye."
After that, we went back outside the hospital.
As we slowly walked out of the grounds,
The scenery of the real world greeted us.
So this is what escaping is like.
"That was easier than I thought, huh?"
"We got lucky. There wasn't a doctor available for consultation right away, so it was solved quickly. If there had been one, the risk from there would have been much greater."
We were lucky this time.
"So there was a reason for that. Still, compared to going in as a real patient or a security guard, escaping is ridiculously easy."
"Isn't reality like that too? For example, it's hard for a patient in a psychiatric hospital to get out on their own, but someone who went in to ask whether to admit their son can leave easily."
"Ah."
It really is, come to think of it.
"But Jinseop's tantrum there was seriously something else."
That guy really was one crazy bastard.
"I had no idea there was a method like that... I should report that there's even a method for visiting Section Chief Lee Dohyung."
Even while chatting like that, we stayed concealed.
I can't see the fake Administration Bureau anywhere.
"Grrong. Can you get in touch with the Administration Bureau?"
"Huh?! It works! The connection went through! We're back in our world!"
"Well, well. Returning via an anomalous phenomenon. What an amazing method. Anyway, how much time has passed?"
"Three days have passed."
"I'll make the call. Since there doesn't seem to be a fake Administration Bureau, look around for Song Jinseop nearby."
"Yes."
Honestly, from here on out, this is a gamble.
Whether Jinseop went to their parallel world or came back with us, there's really nothing I can do about that.
Please be there.
"Ah, there you are."
"You made it back safely!"
After moving around a bit, Jinseop, who had been hiding in the bushes, came out. We went back with him right away.
"Team Leader. I brought Song Jinseop back."
"Good... Then we'll head back by car. Song Jinseop, we'll drop you off partway. I'll contact you soon, so live there according to the guidelines I told you."
"Understood. Ah, so this is that place that's kind of like a parallel world?"
"Yeah. That's right."
After saying that, we went to where our car was parked.
Our cool Administration Bureau car.
It was still there.
We got in and set off immediately.
We hit the road home.
* * *
We dropped Jinseop off along the way.
"Song Jinseop. Don't you dare go back on what we said. You're in a dangerous situation right now. Stay here and quietly wait for our call."
"Y-you'll call soon, right? Honestly, being told to wait alone is scary..."
For a guy who'd been making a scene in that insane hospital, he sure looked weak now.
"I understand. Still, even if you miss home, hold out for now. And don't make contact. We don't know how the fake agents will react."
"Understood."
"Then see you next time."
Leaving Jinseop behind, we set off again.
After reporting to the Administration Bureau and sorting out the situation, I planned to meet Jinseop again and hear more about the fake Administration Bureau.
That way, we'd get closer to the secret.
"Grrong. As I said, we need to approach this as carefully as possible. Understood?"
"I'm a son who listens very well to his mom."
"..."
Jaaldi looked at me with dissatisfaction and reached out her hand.
Then, just like at the hospital, she pinched my cheek.
"Yeeow!"
"I kind of get why mothers pinch their sons' cheeks now. Anyway, enough joking around. In the Administration Bureau, do exactly as I say. Don't tell Spangdal or Jamtree either."
"Agh, I got it! It hurts!"
"Buckle up."
"Yes."
The car started moving.
I said, looking out the window.
"By the way, Team Leader."
"Go ahead."
"Thanks for calming me down back then. That was a pretty nice move."
"Hmm... That's nothing you need to worry about."
Jaaldi's face turned red.