Chapter 85: Two-legged Rudolf and Jelly Santa |
As Kim Cheonsu waddled and wobbled his way to the destination, he let out a deep sigh as soon as he arrived.
“…This is crazy.”
As he had guessed from the word ‘restoration,’ the restoration point Han Seori had indicated was in complete shambles, a sight that rendered him speechless.
Not only was it dark, but the exposed innards of the facility made it seem daunting to even know where to start the repairs.
Feeling overwhelmed, Kim Cheonsu gritted his teeth and spoke.
“Is it really possible to restore this…?”
Is it that bad?
“It’s dark, so I can’t see well… But honestly, I don’t have much confidence.”
Still, we have to do it. If we don't... we'll freeze to death here together.
No, what am I thinking?
He pulled himself together, thinking the cold must have weakened his body and mind.
“I’ll give it a try.”
Please do. I'll also try to do what I can from here.
“…Yes.”
As he replied, Kim Cheonsu chuckled.
Because despite sounding crazy in this situation, it didn’t seem so bad, he thought.
Though he suspected the cold might have temporarily made him lose his mind, the squirming sensation on top of his head seemed to indicate he was still alright.
He sniffled and shone his flashlight on the things that needed repair.
“This is disconnected… and connected to here is… Ah.”
In the midst of it, Kim Cheonsu found himself in a very troubling situation.
He noticed parts that should have been in place had been scattered here and there from the impact.
It was actually to be expected so that much was fine.
“This is driving me crazy.”
As the white breath from his mouth dissipated, a part that had fallen through a cracked gap glinted under the flashlight.
Though the gap was quite wide, it was far too narrow for Kim Cheonsu to enter, leaving him at a loss.
Time was tight to go back and get tools, so he had to use whatever was around.
But no suitable tools were in sight.
Should he try stretching his arm to the max?
As he mulled it over, he felt a tapping sensation on his head and reached his hand up.
Soon, Daesik (Alice) was dangling by Kim Cheonsu’s grip.
Come to think of it, he had this little one.
‘…Is it possible?’
Staring blankly at the doll dressed in a Santa outfit, Kim Cheonsu found it ridiculous even in his own mind, but still,
“…What should I call you? Specimen 1… Mr.? Ms.? Uh… Jelly doll? I don’t know. Hey, Jelly doll.”
Left with no choice, Kim Cheonsu called out to Daesik (Alice) in a slightly friendly voice.
‘To think I’d be talking to a doll at this age.’
No, well, strictly speaking, it’s not a doll, but…
Even so, Kim Cheonsu felt his face growing hot.
Maybe he should thank it for raising his body temperature.
Anyhow,
At Kim Cheonsu’s voice, Daesik nodded its head as if understanding, its blonde hair peeking out.
‘…Does this kid understand, too?’
It feels a bit… strange.
But it was too late to feel weird about it now, so he pointed to the cracked gap and spoke in a serious voice.
“Hey, Jelly doll. See that shiny thing inside the gap? I’d really appreciate it if you could get that for me… Can you do it?”
This isn’t a doll. It’s an anomaly. This isn’t a doll. It’s an anomaly.
I’m not crazy, talking to a doll.
Kim Cheonsu looked at Daesik(Alice), feeling awkward.
As if sensing Kim Cheonsu’s earnestness, Daesik flapped its body while nodding its head.
Its fluttering motions resembled a red moth, making Kim Cheonsu chuckle, but he realized it was a gesture asking to be put down.
“I, I’ll put you down now.”
Kim Cheonsu hurriedly placed Daesik in the gap and watched it with an anxious face.
As if telling him to just trust it, Daesik wriggled assertively and entered the cracked gap.
‘…Looks like it understands after all.’
Then… nothing to do but trust it.
Having sent Daesik off, Kim Cheonsu began repairing the parts that didn’t need that component.
Perhaps because it was more of an accident than intentional damage,
The restoration was much easier than it looked.
*Phew…*
Concentrating and moving his body, his frozen limbs gradually warmed up.
Rudolf Kim Cheonsu, who wiped the sweat beading on his forehead, lowered his head at the sensation of someone tapping his foot.
“Oh?”
There stood Daesik, who had successfully retrieved the part, tapping Kim Cheonsu’s ankle with it.
Unable to speak, it seemed to be doing that.
‘…But why the ankle?’
The reason was a mystery, but Kim Cheonsu lifted Daesik up with a delighted expression.
“You’re really amazing, huh?”
At Kim Cheonsu’s praise, Daesik squirmed its doll body as if overjoyed. Seeing that, Kim Cheonsu smiled like a proud father and took the part.
“Great, thanks to you, I can finish the repairs. Hey, could you hold this for a bit…?”
How about this time?
Riding on the shoulder of Rudolf Kim Cheonsu, Santa Daesik held the flashlight with its tiny hand.
When Kim Cheonsu pointed somewhere, it shone the light in that direction.
“…You are smarter than I thought.”
Muttering that, Kim Cheonsu proceeded with the repair work using the part Daesik brought.
In the midst of it, Han Seori’s voice came through his ear.
How is it? Think you can manage?
Kim Cheonsu replied with a faint smile.
“Yes. It was a good idea to bring… Jelly doll.”
See? I told you I might be helpful. By the way, Jelly doll... What a cute name. Hehe....
Perhaps fixated on the term ‘Jelly doll,’ Han Seori giggled softly.
Feeling embarrassed for some reason, Kim Cheonsu fumbled his words.
“Ah, no, that’s… If I call it Specimen 2… it feels a bit… impersonal, doesn’t it.”
I didn't say anything, though? Anyway, please hurry.
“Yes.”
Sighing, Kim Cheonsu glanced at Daesik, who was sitting on his shoulder before resuming his work.
Eventually, having finished repairing the last point, Kim Cheonsu felt a sense of relief lighter than before as he took a step.
There were still quite a few points left to restore, after all.
It was only natural for his pace to quicken upon hearing the noise coming from far away.
How much time has passed like that?
“This is the last one!”
I confirmed the connection. Good work, Mr. Cheonsu.
Having finished repairing the final point, Kim Cheonsu shared the joy of completing the task with Daesik on his shoulder.
Daesik also seemed to feel a sense of reward, flapping its doll hands together in delight.
Soon after,
*Whoosh!*
Along with the sound of something starting up,
*Pop! Pop! Pop!*
Light began to fill the previously dark corridor. It was a sight that seemed almost like salvation descending, making Kim Cheonsu stare blankly for a moment.
Soon, warm air blew in, prompting Kim Cheonsu to take off the deer costume he was wearing.
It was time for Rudolf Kim Cheonsu to return to being human Kim Cheonsu.
However, the jelly doll on his shoulder seemed a bit reluctant, making him briefly wonder if he should keep wearing it.
But,
…As the temperature rose, he was drenched in sweat, leaving Kim Cheonsu with no choice but to obediently take off the deer costume.
As the sweat-drenched Kim Cheonsu was taking off the costume,
Mr. Cheonsu! Could you take the bomb from D-15 and go to G-7? I think __7496-KR__ needs help!
“Pardon?”
Hurry! We don't have much time!
“Ah, no, I mean, yes. On my way!”
Just as they say, misfortunes never come alone,
Kim Cheonsu held back tears and picked up the bomb Han Seori mentioned from D-15, the storage room.
‘This is…’
An EMP bomb, isn’t it?
Why this all of a sudden?
Recalling the steel behemoth, he tilted his head and started running with Daesik.
Having taken off the doll clothes, running was easier, but the question remained.
He couldn’t imagine this small EMP bomb being able to stop that huge thing.
‘…The doctor must have a reason for ordering it.’
Thinking that doubting would get him nowhere, Kim Cheonsu didn’t harbor suspicions.
As he ran diligently, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
Come to think of it, calling her 7496-KR… really does feel impersonal.
He glanced at Daesik on his shoulder.
‘When Dr. Han said a name was necessary, I didn’t think much of it then.’
…Maybe a name is needed after all.
Anyway, resolving the current situation comes first.
However, Kim Cheonsu’s expression wasn’t very bright as he headed to the location Han Seori specified.
Through the corridor, the things that needed fixing appeared like a mountain before his eyes.
An excessively large facility for two humans, one anomaly, and three derivatives to use.
…In other words,
The amount of repairs needed to handle was just… too much.
Even if that monster was dealt with,
Could this place… be used again?
Kim Cheonsu was genuinely worried about that.
It definitely wasn’t because he was overwhelmed at the thought of having to repair everything himself.
Sometime later,
Before the eyes of Kim Cheonsu and Daesik, who arrived at the point Han Seori mentioned,
A huge machine could be seen stopped in its tracks.
The machine, as if caught between the ceiling and floor, was stopped with its connected parts dangling.
And on the outside of that machine,
A blue, jelly-like substance dangling from the metal could be seen.
With antennae spinning around where a hat should have been, the being was most likely 7496-KR
‘…What’s she doing there?’
While Kim Cheonsu was wondering,
Throw that at the dangling part over there!
“Uh… I don’t know if it’ll work.”
Are you going to keep being a wimp?
“…Fine, I’ll give it a shot.”
Kim Cheonsu ran with all his might and used the momentum to throw the bomb in his hand with full force.
At the same time, Daesik fell from his shoulder to the floor,
The bomb, with its switch pressed, left Kim Cheonsu’s hand and flew in an arc.
Startled, Kim Cheonsu picked up Daesik and patted its body to dust it off.
In his sight,
7496-KR could be seen frantically trying to avoid the bomb.
…To what extent should such mistakes be forgiven?
More importantly,
‘Did she instinctively realize that thing is dangerous?’
Or,
…Did she see it on a movie channel or something?
Who knows.
As Kim Cheonsu was dusting off Daesik,
Along with the sound of gunpowder exploding, a slightly brutal *kiiing!* rang in his ears.
Getting hit by that up close would probably hurt, too.
Will she be okay…?
Kim Cheonsu felt needlessly worried.
I didn’t want to know what it felt like to be electrocuted.
But maybe I should be grateful to still be alive.
The thing Kim Cheonsu threw apparently wasn’t the kind of bomb I had imagined.
Seeing as I’m still alive and well.
Instead, my body feels tingly… but bearable.
Shivering, I looked at Daesik and Kim Cheonsu standing blankly outside, then went back inside the seam.
The voice of Han Seori, which had been actively coming through until a moment ago, can no longer be heard.
And,
The fellows who had been diligently repairing were now all collapsed on the floor like… bugs sprayed with pesticide.
Among them, I put the one that had been shooting threatening lasers inside my body…
Feeling a slightly tingling metallic taste…
I went inside.
Inside the body of the steel snake.
There was no stomach acid, so it was easy to move.
