The thing that had burst forth from underground was a rope.
The man, who had been staring blankly at it, put away the knife he had been holding, thinking there might be more food to grab. After all, it was quite clear that someone had lowered the rope. Thrusting a weapon like a knife so carelessly could lead to unwanted trouble if one couldn’t secure a grip.
…Perhaps the man had been waiting for something, likely enough. There was no other place nearby that could send something like this.
But even with the rope dangling right in front of him, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy—was it a rotten rope or a sturdy golden one?
Especially given that this “rope,” which had inexplicably shot out of the ground, was actually a steel pipe, it was only natural to feel a degree of anxiety.
Assuming it were a rotten rope and he clutched it, only for it to crumble and leave him trapped inside a steel coffin buried underground—such a fate wasn’t out of the question, right?
“…Hm.”
To be sure, the man was aware that his doubts might offend whoever had sent the steel pipe disguised as a rope. But in the absence of authority, isn’t there always something to grumble about? As long as he didn’t vent his complaints to their face, wouldn’t that be fine?
And with how the steel pipe had so suddenly emerged from the ground, such skepticism couldn’t help but spontaneously arise.
The ground, which had been trembling as if in response to a quake, gave way to a pitch-black steel mass pushing it aside. In a world where singularities appeared without warning, it was understandable to wonder if this were something from the underworld.
As the entrance of the steel pipe split open, the man’s unease grew. Gazing into the dark void within, his dry throat swallowed a lump of tension.
While he hesitated, some others who had gone to butcher meat came back carrying chunks of bloody flesh.
“What are you doing standing there?”
“Oh.”
It dawned on the man that his soliloquy could be shared. He wasn’t alone here, after all.
Realizing this inwardly, he turned his body slightly contorted and signaled toward the newcomer with the red meat.
“Um, there’s something I’d like you to take a look at…”
“Hmm?”
In response, the individual glanced at the signal, blinked, and then regarded him with a somewhat pitying expression.
“There… doesn’t seem to be anything unusual.”
“…Hmm?”
The man blinked at the reply, startled, and turned around again. To his astonishment, the steel coffin that had been gaping open just a moment ago had completely disappeared, leaving no trace.
When he tapped the ground where the steel coffin had emerged, it only confirmed how solid it was—it refused to yield to his probing. The man’s face reflected a look of bewilderment as if under a spell.
Seeing his expression, his colleague chuckled dryly.
“It seems you’re quite tired. You should eat and then rest. Even so, I imagine roughing it outdoors has been tough.”
The man found himself speechless beneath the concerned gaze of his colleague. Had there been even a trace, he would have shown it and continued the conversation, but the steel coffin had simply vanished without a sound, like dissipating smoke.
To make unsubstantiated claims would only deepen the pity in their eyes.
“…Mm.”
“Is something wrong? Should you perhaps go to the infirmary…?”
“That… no, I must have been tired. That’s all.”
“Indeed.”
The colleague regarded the man with an expression that seemed to know everything. There was even a hint of melancholy in his eyes as he looked at the man. Feeling as if he were being stared at like someone in need of therapy, the man sighed inwardly but said nothing.
In fact, their skepticism wasn’t entirely baseless. People here often lived lives that put them halfway between life and death. To remain fully intact mentally might be the oddity. Or perhaps those who seemed whole were just broken in invisible ways. Ultimately, there was nothing perfect about any of them.
Indeed, now that a relatively peaceful life had taken hold, some were beginning to report strange issues. A side effect of the easing of tension, perhaps.
…Anyway.
“…Let’s eat.”
“Haha, let’s do that.”
The man left the matter unresolved, allowing his colleague’s assumption to stand. After all, with the steel coffin gone, he himself began to question whether he had hallucinated the whole thing.
How desperate would someone have to be for their wish to manifest in a vision?
“This ground is hard.”
Can I survive as it gets even colder?
After finishing his meal and drifting off to sleep, the man emerged from his tent to visit the makeshift toilet. Near the crackling campfire stood what appeared to be someone on watch duty, nodding off.
Lack of threats was understandable, but still…
The man, deciding to awaken the person upon his return, moved toward the toilet. It wasn’t much of a toilet, more of a pit, but it passed as one.
As the man stood before it, he couldn’t help but mutter to himself.
“…This really is impossible to get used to.”
A common experience for men in this country, the rustic toilet in the wild. He hadn’t imagined he’d have to go through this again after military service, but strangely enough, the experience turned out to be somewhat helpful… or not. Not that he felt particularly grateful for it.
Recalling unpleasant memories he’d rather forget, the man shivered. If there really is a deity watching over him, he prayed to be sent back after a certain point in his life.
“…Hardship makes me think of all sorts of things.”
Maybe I’ve really lost it.
It had been a long time since he’d indulged in small pleasures, so sighs came naturally.
While attempting to conduct his meager business in the unpleasant pit,
“…Hmm?”
he rubbed his eyes, suspicious of whether he was seeing things clearly.
Behind him, vibrations were felt, and there it was—the steel coffin from earlier, its maw gaping wide.
“Ha, damn it. Is this real?”
Am I really losing my mind?
Scratching his head while moving closer, he was uncertain of anything after receiving those lukewarm stares earlier.
As he touched the steel coffin, its cool, firm surface was unmistakably real.
“…It’s real.”
So, it wasn’t a phantom. If it were an illusion, then he might actually be losing his mind, but that was a different matter entirely.
The man, dumbfounded, touched the coffin again.
Suddenly, a voice came from within, sounding impatient with his hesitation.
[The smell is unbearable. I suggest you board quickly.]
“…What?”
[Truly… I want to kill something.]
“Uh, um.”
The man stammered at the elegant voice carrying harsh content and coughed awkwardly when he remembered the makeshift toilet behind him.
He climbed into the steel coffin, his face burning. As it was, the idea of dying from the terrible stench loomed in his mind.
“Is this a singularity?”
If it disappeared without a trace, it was highly plausible.
Then, who was the voice? Was it from the singularity, or someone at the lab?
Its identity was still unknown, but it sounded exceptionally beautiful. Just hearing the voice made it feel like meeting the person behind it.
Whatever the case, as the man entered the steel coffin, the large opening resoundingly closed.
[…Why is there still a smell?]
“…”
Is someone controlling this from the side?
He nearly died of embarrassment.
Grateful the door was shut, leaving him in darkness, he nervously touched his hair and adjusted his clothes while waiting, and after what seemed like hours, a soft hum announced the opening of the coffin’s door.
“Ugh…”
Blinded by the sudden bright light, the man squinted, finding it nearly unbearable after being locked in darkness. Blinking furiously as his eyes adjusted, he soon tried to take in the surroundings—
“Uh, AH!?”
Before he could finish his observation, the coffin—or rather, the steel snake pod—spit him out with obvious exasperation and disappeared as if it had never been there.
Spat out like a piece of gum, the man cried silently in his heart.
“Did it really smell that bad? I took care to be hygienic. Also, was there someone else in here with me?”
Questions piled up, but when had life offered easy answers? Shaking off the dust and standing up, the man finally took in his surroundings.
This place…was familiar yet strange. A stark white space filled with sharp, oppressive lines—a design he used to encounter frequently while working at the facility. It spoke for itself: someone at the laboratory likely wanted to meet him.
Though he’d wanted it, why did it feel so…heart wrenching?
While the man silently cried, a sound of a door opening reached his ears. Snapping out of it, he turned to see.
A weary-looking man came into view, followed by an exceptionally beautiful woman.
As the man stared blankly at the woman—yes, her name was Electric Scent—a man named Kim Cheon-soo stepped forward with a subtle expression and spoke.
“It seems you already have an understanding of the situation… correct?”
“Yes…”
“Good. Then let’s converse. Our director has developed dark circles under his eyes because of you… rather, all of you.”
“That’s regrettable.”
Kim Cheon-soo gestured toward a chair and table, making light of the situation. The man, scratching his head awkwardly, moved forward with a bowed head.
In the middle of this,
the man, looking gravely at Kim Cheon-soo, opened his mouth.
“Excuse me, I truly apologize…”
“Yes?”
At the somber expression, Kim Cheon-soo’s face turned serious. Seeing it, the man waved his hands and whispered hesitantly.
“I, I was trying to use the bathroom… So… uh, may I use the… bathroom?”
Silence.
There was a faint, lingering smell.
