The source of the unsettling strange noise that had been bothering me was…
…the sound of power coming back on in an unnamed facility.
I don’t know if they were drawing electricity from outside or had their own generating method, but after removing the fan that had been sucking up all the electricity, the power seemed to return to the facility.
The sight of the dimly lit space gradually coming to life with lights… I have to admit, it was kind of cool.
It was like in the movies when the lights turn on one by one in sequence.
As the surroundings brightened, I felt a change come over my body.
The opposite of when I first arrived here – it felt like my body was being compressed from all sides.
Like wringing out a water-soaked rag.
The difference being that, unlike a rag, no liquid was being squeezed out onto the floor.
My jellies shrank but didn’t spill out onto the ground.
Of course, I wasn’t a rag to begin with.
Anyway…
My body quickly adapted to the sensation and returned to its original state, just like a rubber band stretching and contracting.
Seeing my body stretch and contract like this makes me realize once again that I’m definitely not human anymore.
Though it’s no longer particularly bitter truth, as I slightly tremble my jellies, I check on Jung-sik who came with me.
Jung-sik too seems to have gone through a similar experience, as he’s lying on the floor and trembling.
While he recovers, I dismantle the last fan.
This must be the end, right?
Considering the power has come back on.
As I disassemble this final, rather ordinary fan, Jung-sik, who had recovered from the shrinking effect, begins to float.
Hm…
Is this really over?
…No, if I say that, something else is bound to happen.
While I was internally relieved that I hadn’t unknowingly muttered those words,
A somewhat stiff female voice echoed through the facility.
“Special zone escape confirmed within the facility, special zone escape confirmed within the facility. Unregistered entity manager identification and—”
This stiff voice doesn’t seem to be bringing good news.
Something’s not right.
I placed the dismantled fan’s blade on Jung-sik and grabbed hold of the main body’s neck, starting to move.
I was heading back to the entrance.
Since we experienced the opposite of what happened when we first arrived… the issue preventing humans from entering must have been resolved by now.
Han Seori and Kim Cheon-soo will likely come and resolve any problems if we just wait by the entrance.
While heading toward the entrance,
We reached what seemed to be the central area, and I saw the interior was bathed in red light.
It wasn’t some sudden bloodbath; things that were invisible in the dark until now came into view.
It gave the feeling of being in a small movie theater… a large screen.
That enormous screen was flashing red while displaying some sort of message.
“Administrative personnel action required. In case of malfunction, manual situation resolution desired.”
In front of me, among various panels, was a single, dazzling button.
A button that seemed to be begging me to press it to end the situation.
Trancelike, I slowly approached the button.
Behind me, Jung-sik was flailing about, startled by the flashing lights in the room.
As I stood in front of the button, I paused briefly before cautiously extending my hand.
…If I can end this without help, there’s no need to go all the way back to the entrance, right?
It would be good to end this quickly since Jung-sik seems to be in distress.
Though I suspect this is just an excuse.
Just an excuse to press that dazzling button.
But honestly, how can anyone resist?
Don’t all men have some kind of dream in their hearts?
Some might dream of piloting a giant robot.
Others might dream of firing a 12-gauge shotgun.
Those far-fetched yet cherished dreams in our hearts.
Among them, isn’t there also the dream of pressing a suspicious button that suggests something’s about to happen?
The expectation that pressing it might launch a nuclear missile…
…though it probably won’t come to that. Pushing a shiny button in some mysterious facility.
Isn’t this modest and innocent wish?
Given the circumstances, this appears to be the button to terminate this noisy situation, so there’s no reason not to push it.
…And I had a little faith that Han Seori or Kim Cheon-soo would resolve it if anything went wrong.
Typically called irresponsible pleasure… I did feel somewhat guilty about it.
Ultimately, unable to resist, I…
“Click.”
…pressed the button.
While expecting the situation to end,
I began hearing somewhat peculiar sounds.
“Administrative room compromised by the special zone detected. Manual procedure reverted to automatic. Facility closure protocol initiated. Remaining personnel are advised to evacuate quickly.”
Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack!
Doors that had been open shut completely in sync with the voice.
Realizing my bewilderment, I mulled over what I’d heard.
Um…
So… this was supposed to be the button that ends the situation if pressed by a person…
But… did it come to this because I pressed it instead of a person?
Having just realized earlier that I’m no longer human, what a mistake.
No, isn’t this unfair?
How am I supposed to know whether I’m a person or a special zone just by pressing one button?
Nevertheless…
A stopwatch of some sort, which felt oddly familiar, appeared on the scarlet screen.
Even Jung-sik flailing behind me must understand what that indicates.
I’m not exactly sure what’s about to happen, but it probably won’t be good.
Frustrated, I tried tampering with the surrounding panels, but they seemed locked, and the screen showed no response.
…This is driving me insane.
Even I, who was unaffected by bodily fluctuations until now, was flummoxed seeing all our hard work dealing with the fans come to this.
What should I do?
Should I just escape outside like this?
Or should I consume it?
As I contemplated this while gripping my jellies,
One idea came to mind.
What if setting the fan running again stops this?
Since I had disassembled the blade and handed it to Jung-sik, there’s no risk of the blades turning.
So… meaning Han Seori or Kim Cheon-soo probably won’t get hurt if they come.
I felt slightly uneasy, but it seemed like the special zones I’d seen so far each had their own “rules.”
Like the gorgeous statue that doesn’t move as long as I look at it.
…To be honest, I haven’t seen many special zones to be entirely sure, but this fan seems like it could follow that pattern.
That’s why I approached the fan I had put down temporarily to press the button, for the purpose of resolving the situation.
Ironically…
“Click.”
I pressed the button.
With the silent wish that it would start consuming electricity once more, creating a strong wind…
However…
…Is it because the blade isn’t assembled?
The fan was silent.
There were no signs of the motor starting, nor any reaction, as if it were broken.
This damned special zone.
Something in me snapped, and my jelly quivered.
Throwing it aside, I sprinted toward the ventilation duct with Jung-sik.
Since my last plan failed, the only option now is escaping from here.
Before climbing the ventilation duct, I tried the manual opening device, but the doors wouldn’t open this time.
…Do they just give up on anyone inside after the administrative room is compromised by a special zone?
The chilling procedure made me shiver.
Considering what I know about special zones, it made sense, but…
…It still felt strange compared to what I thought was normal.
Anyway…
I should escape from here before the timer runs out.
Since I’ve already left the other jellies at the entrance, I only need to get there.
Surely the entrance isn’t sealed, right?
They can’t seal off the entrance after telling us to escape.
Having resolved this, I pushed Jung-sik into the ventilation duct and carefully squeezed in myself.
As my waist touched the metal grate,
A loud sound suddenly rang out.
Since I could see behind me, I could clearly witness what was happening in what was called the administrative room.
I saw the doors that wouldn’t open no matter how hard I tried earlier open effortlessly.
From the opened doors, Han Seori and Kim Cheon-soo appeared.
The two entered with urgent expressions and skillfully operated the panels I had fiddled with.
Then,
“Situation terminated.”
The dazzling lights and the loud noises…
Vanished as if erased by an eraser.
…Though I felt the comforting quiver, there was still a sense of futility.
If it could end so easily, why did I resist?
Honestly… didn’t I look almost human?
“Uh… Where is Special Zone 7496-KR?”
“I thought it would be here… where could it have gone?”
In the midst of this,
Their voices reached my ears.
Only then did I realize I was sticking out only my lower body outside the ventilation duct.
…It was a bit embarrassing, so I thought I should return inside the duct and come out properly.
Though I’m not human anymore, there’s still… dignity.
However,
As I passed through the duct, the device I was carefully wearing around my neck suddenly lit up.
Though it showed no reaction, I was still wearing it since Han Seori gave it to me.
“Ah, over there… uh…?”
“Over there? Hmm…?”
“….Agent Kim, stop staring and go to the entrance to bring the other entities.”
“Ah, why are you looking at me like that?”
“Hurry.”
It seems it was showing my location.
“Hmm… It’s not dead… why is it doing that? Escape attempt? Still…”
Han Seori said something,
but I couldn’t hear clearly.
I was filled with the desire to just die from embarrassment.
