Chapter 76: The Red Button |
The identity of the strange noise that made me anxious was…
…The sound of electricity flowing into the unnamed facility.
I’m not sure if it was drawing in electricity or had its own means of generating power, but after removing the fan that was sucking up all the electricity, power seemed to be restored to the facility.
The sight of lights coming on one by one in the previously dark space was… honestly, it was a little cool.
It was like a scene from a movie where the lights turn on in sequence.
As my surroundings brightened, a temporary change came over my body.
Unlike when I first entered this place, my body compressed as if someone was crushing it from all directions.
Like squeezing a water-soaked rag.
The only difference is that, unlike a rag, the water doesn’t drip onto the floor.
Of course, since I wasn’t a rag to begin with, that’s only natural.
Anyway.
Just like the first time, my body quickly adapted to it and returned to normal.
Watching my body stretch like a rubber band and then shrink, it really hits home that I’m no longer human.
No longer feeling bitter about this truth, I shook my jelly and checked on Jungsik, who came with me.
It seems Jungsik experienced something similar to me, as he was shaking his body while sprawled on the floor.
While he recovered, I dismantled the last fan.
This should be the last one, right?
Considering the power is back on.
After I dismantled the fan, Jungsik, who had recovered from the shrinking aftermath, floated up wobbling.
Hmm.
So, is it really over now?
…No, whenever someone says that something else always happens.
As I was feeling relieved that I couldn’t mutter without realizing it since I couldn’t speak…
A slightly stiff female voice echoed through the facility.
Detection of an anomaly escaping within the facility, detection of an anomaly escaping within the facility. Identification and management of unregistered entity administrator...
Judging by the rigid voice, it didn’t seem to be good news.
Somehow, I have a bad feeling about this.
I placed the dismantled fan on Jungsik’s body.
For now, I planned to return to the entrance.
Since Jungsik and I experienced the opposite of what happened when we first came here… the issue of humans not being able to enter should be resolved.
If we wait patiently at the entrance, Han Seori and Kim Cheonsu will come and solve the problem.
As I headed toward the entrance…
When I reached the space presumed to be the center, I saw that the inside was dyed red.
It wasn’t that a bloody festival suddenly took place, but things I couldn’t see in the dark came into view.
It was a huge screen that made me feel like I had entered a small movie theater.
The giant screen flashed red, displaying some kind of message.
Management personnel should take action. If there is a malfunction, please manually end the situation.
And in front of me, I saw a brilliant button shining among various panels.
The button seemed to be telling me to press it right now and end this situation.
As if entranced by that button, I slowly approached it.
Behind me, I could see Jungsik flailing around, startled by the flashing lights in the room.
Standing in front of the button, I hesitated for a moment before carefully reaching out my hand.
…If I can end this situation without help, wouldn’t it be better not to go all the way to the entrance?
Since Jungsik looked distressed over there, I thought it would be good to end it quickly.
Maybe it’s just an excuse.
Just an excuse to press that brilliantly shining button.
No, but…
Honestly, how can you resist this?
Don’t all men have a longing in their hearts?
For some, it might be piloting a giant robot.
For others, it might be personally firing a 12-gauge shotgun.
Those absurd yet cherished longings in one’s heart.
Among them, isn’t pressing a suspicious but exciting button one of them?
That anticipation that pressing it might launch a nuclear missile.
…Well, that’s probably not the case, but pressing a shiny button in a suspicious base.
Isn’t this a wholesome and modest dream?
Judging by the circumstances, this button is presumed to end this noisy situation, so there seemed to be no need to decline.
…I also had a little faith that Han Seori or Kim Cheonsu would solve it even if something went wrong.
It felt a bit like indulging in pleasure without responsibility, which made me feel slightly… guilty.
But in the end, unable to resist, I…
*Click.*
…pressed that button.
While expecting this situation to end…
A slightly strange voice began to reach my ears.
Detection of the management room being occupied by an anomaly. Changing from manual to automatic procedure. Initiating facility closure protocol. Prompt evacuation is advised for any personnel remaining in the facility.
*Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Along with that voice, all the open doors closed.
Feeling dumbfounded, I mulled over the voice I had heard.
Hmm.
So… it was a button that ends the situation when a person presses it.
…But because I, who am no longer human, pressed it, did it turn out like this?
To think I’d make this mistake right after accepting I was no longer human.
No, honestly, isn’t this bullshit?
How does it know if I’m human or an anomaly from just pressing a button!
Regardless…
A timer that felt somewhat familiar appeared on the bright red screen.
Jungsik, flailing behind me, would also know what that meant.
I wasn’t sure exactly what would happen, but it didn’t seem like anything good would occur.
Feeling slightly annoyed, I tried manipulating the panels around me this way and that, but the screen showed no response as if it were locked.
…This is maddening.
Now that things had turned out this way, I couldn’t help but be flustered.
To think that after all the trouble of dealing with the fans, this would happen.
What should I do?
Should I just escape outside like this?
Or should I eat all of this?
As I was agonizing while clutching my jelly…
A clever idea suddenly popped into my head.
…Wouldn’t it stop again if I operated the fan?
Luckily, I had Jungsik hold the blades after dismantling it, so there was no worry of the blades spinning.
So… even if Han Seori or Kim Cheonsu, who were on their way, faced a terrible situation, they wouldn’t get hurt.
I was a little anxious, but the anomalies I had seen so far seemed to each have their own “rules.”
Just like how that beautiful statue didn’t move when I was looking at it.
…Honestly, I’ve only seen rules in a handful of the things I’ve encountered, so I’m not entirely certain.
But at least this fan seems like it would be that way.
So in order to resolve this situation…
I approached the fan that I had briefly set down to press the button.
Ironically…
*Click.*
I pressed the button.
On high, with the hope that it would suck up the electricity.
But…
Perhaps it was because the blade wasn’t assembled…
The fan was silent.
Forget the motor spinning. It showed no reaction at all as if it were broken.
This damn anomaly…
Somehow, I felt irritated, my jelly bubbling.
Tossing it aside, I ran toward the vent with Jungsik.
Since the last plan had gone awry, escaping from here was the only answer.
Before climbing into the vent, I tried the manual opening device, but this time the door wouldn’t open.
…Once an anomaly reaches the management room, do they give up on the people inside?
The procedure felt too cold.
Considering the anomalies, while this measure seemed natural, it felt slightly at odds with the common sense I knew.
Anyhow…
We need to get out of here before the timer runs out.
I already moved the other slimes to the entrance, so we just need to get there.
It should be open there, right?
They wouldn’t block the entrance after telling us to evacuate.
Having made up my mind, I pushed Jungsik into the vent and carefully squeezed my body in as well.
As the metal bars touched my waist…
Suddenly, a loud noise was heard.
Since it was also visible from behind, I could clearly see what was happening in the place called the management room.
Before my eyes…
I saw the door that wouldn’t open no matter how hard I tried easily opening.
Soon, Han Seori and Kim Cheonsu appeared from the open door.
The two, who entered with very urgent expressions, skillfully manipulated the panels I had fiddled with.
And then…
Ending the situation.
The flashing lights and noisy sounds…
Disappeared as if erased.
…While feeling the bubbling of relief, I also felt a sense of futility.
If it could be ended this easily, why did it reject me?
Honestly… didn’t I look human-like?
“Huh? Where is 7496-KR?”
“I thought it would be here… Where did it go?”
Meanwhile…
I heard the voices of the two.
Only then did I realize that I was in a state with only my lower body sticking out of the vent.
…Honestly, it was a bit of an embarrassing pose, so I thought I should go into the vent and come out.
I’m no longer human, but… I have this thing called dignity.
However…
As I passed through the vent, the device I had worn around my neck suddenly flashed.
There had been no reaction, but I wore it around my neck since Han Seori had given it to me.
“Ah, over there… huh…?”
“There? Hmm…?”
“…Agent Kim, stop looking and go to the entrance to bring the other entities.”
“What, why are you looking at me like that?”
“Hurry up and go.”
It seemed that thing had revealed my location.
“Hmm… She’s not dead… Why is she doing that? Ah… Trying to escape? As expected…”
I could hear Han Seori saying something…
But I couldn’t hear it well.
My head was filled only with thoughts of wanting to die from embarrassment.
