ALL NOVEL The morning when a new day begins.
A sudden power outage swept over Seoul.
It was a phenomenon accompanied by a general inability to use electronic devices and local communication paralysis.
The cause was quickly revealed.
It was that a Magnetic-Sphere had suddenly appeared in the middle of Gangnam.
It was an Object that had once caused terror like the Steel Tower and caused serious damage to the Korean peninsula.
But not anymore.
Objects whose handling methods were already known could no longer be objects of terror.
The Magnetic-Sphere, whose characteristics and isolation methods were widely known, was quickly isolated by personnel with dedicated isolation devices.
However, the isolation room accident of the Magnetic-Sphere hinted at another incident.
An Object leak occurred at the Object Exhibition!
The news spread rapidly.
The scene of the exhibition hall filmed to confirm the facts was miserable.
The densely arranged Objects were struggling to get out.
It was a scene suggesting that most of the Objects exhibited at the exhibition hall had escaped from the isolation facilities.
Since the exhibition was intended to show that high-risk Objects were being safely isolated, enormous damage was expected.
[Who on earth planned this exhibition?]
[They exhibited an Object like the 'Gray Reaper' at such an exhibition hall? They must be punished by clearly investigating the causality.]
[The person who thought of exhibiting <Unstealable Thief> at the exhibition hall should be arrested for murder!]
[Wasn't <Unstealable Thief> an Object that the government specially managed because it had a high potential for being used in crimes? How could they take it out and exhibit it?]
The TV panels unanimously raised their voices that those responsible should be punished.
When this incident was first reported, experts already estimated a more than 90% chance that everyone inside the exhibition hall had died.
Interestingly, this assessment was based on the fact that a significant number of highly dangerous Objects were displayed at the exhibition hall.
Fortunately, when drones were deployed to film the exhibition hall, it was revealed that only a very small number of people had died.
However, the fact that small-sized, gray Reaper-shaped Objects were observed wandering around those people, dripping blood, fueled people's anxiety.
Moreover, the fact that all the people inside the exhibition hall were asleep seemed ominous.
What on earth was happening at the exhibition hall?
However, the government's response was limited to blockading the exhibition hall with the military.
Many people expressed doubts, but the government's response was,
<We cannot send in the military right away.>
<The density of Objects around the exhibition hall is too high, and there are Objects that cannot be handled with firearms alone.>
<Given no additional casualties are occurring at the moment, a reckless attempt to enter could cause even greater damage, so we plan to enter cautiously.>
<We cannot disclose the exact timing of entry, but we will enter after securing the list of Objects exhibited at the exhibition hall and thoroughly preparing and equipping ourselves.>
It seemed like a reasonable response, but it gave the impression of buying time.
***
An elderly man with a dignified gait emerged in front of the deserted courthouse.
It was Chairman Oh Mu-ryong of the association, who had just been acquitted.
Chairman Oh Mu-ryong's trial had received quite a bit of media attention.
But now, the attention was directed elsewhere.
The high-risk Objects deployed at the exhibition hall.
The isolation failure incident at the exhibition hall.
The Gangnam Station power outage incident.
The lukewarm military responses.
Attention had shifted to such pressing issues.
As soon as Oh Mu-ryong got into the pre-arranged vehicle, it departed without delay.
"Sir, you are truly amazing. With this much commotion, no one will even mention the trial."
"There are too few victims."
Tsk, clicking his tongue, Oh Mu-ryong said.
"Let's drag it out as much as possible. We need more blood to be spilled."
"Enough attention has been drawn, is there a need to drag it out further?"
"..."
"Yes, I understand."
The middle-aged man, who had shown a considerably flustered reaction, erased his bewilderment under Oh Mu-ryong's cold gaze and calmly responded.
***
Reaper (MC) POV:
---
Crunch, the broken wood regained its original form as if rewinding time.
It was an Object with an exceptional level of regenerative ability for a tree.
[A human must overcome the tree's nightmare.]
I had already confirmed that this condition existed, but just in case, I tried making it into a crushed tree, but as expected, it had no effect.
Normally, only Objects with puzzling conditions cannot be destroyed by ordinary means, while Objects that can be easily destroyed tend to be given more intuitive hints like
[If you separate the head and body, it will die!]
It informs me of obvious conditions like this as if they were hints.
In other words, this golden tree was not easy to kill by ordinary means.
So, as the hint said, Human have to overcome the nightmare, but how?
I roughly sprayed water on a nearby person and kicked them, but there was no sign of them waking up at all.
Instead, the golden Reaper attached to that person became furious and rushed at me.
tak-tak-tak
I gently petted the golden Reaper that was striking with small fists, I waited for its anger to subside.
Fortunately, the golden Reaper quickly calmed down and returned to its original position.
Pondering over and over, I slowly walked around the exhibition hall.
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tak-tak
How do I make humans overcome the nightmare of the tree?
Do I have to fall asleep too?
Time was not abundant.
The dark night had somehow turned into morning.
The time of the ephemeral golden Reaper was being consumed.
It was better to resolve this incident before the day passed when the golden Reaper's protection was maintained.
'!'
As I moved my steps quite far from the tree, I discovered a shocking murder scene.
'No!!!!!'
I let out a silent scream.
A corpse that had been torn to shreds, dead.
A Tyrannosaurus rex lay dead in a miserable state.
Well, that's how it would be.
The stupid dinosaur must have tried to eat a human and got torn apart by the golden Reaper.
Putting aside my sad feelings, I moved my steps again.
***
I wandered around the exhibition hall, thinking of ways to break the tree, but there was no brilliant solution.
It also seemed too unlikely that someone would overcome the nightmare.
[A human must overcome the tree's nightmare.]
When I touched the golden tree, I could feel a pulsating force.
The pulsation of a force trying to put humans to sleep.
Perhaps because it was a pulsation targeting humans, it bounced off me, an Object, without effect.
If I didn't resist this pulsation, could I fall asleep right away too?
Since I was a 'former human', if I entered the dream and smashed it, would that count as overcoming it?
With that thought, I accepted the pulsation into my body.
Instantly, my vision went dark, and my consciousness faded away.
Zzz
***
??? POV:
---
The Central Research Institute was disbanded due to public criticism, but those involved knew its necessity.
A Research Institute that could confine Objects capable of ghostification.
A Research Institute that could confine dangerous Objects without any risk.
The Research Institute was tainted by corruption and distrust, but it was still a necessary Institute.
'The exposure of the concealment of Lophiomus.'
'Covering up the death of an employee.'
'Caused the collapse of Songpa-gu.'
However, public opinion was too negative to simply revive the Central Research Institute.
So those involved chose to secretly re-establish the Central Research Institute.
And an offer came to take on the role of the deputy director of this newly formed secret Central Research Institute.
To me, who was imprisoned solely for having been the deputy director of the Central Research Institute.
"Strange. Strange indeed."
It was a strange thing.
There was no reason for them to call me to re-establish the Central Research Institute.
To be precise, there was no reason for them to need me to the point of secretly taking me out of prison.
Of course, I accepted that offer and am now standing here.
In front of the new Central Research Institute.
What was clutched in my hand was a letter of appointment.
It was a letter appointing someone as the director of the Central Research Institute.
It was a letter appointing as the Institute's director the man who had died in the Lophiomus incident 30 years ago.
For the Central Research Institute to be complete, they had to call in the Object that took on the appearance of that man.
Tap.
The sound of the seal being stamped on the appointment letter resonated loudly.
With this, that man will be confined to the director's office, writing down incomprehensible papers.
But an anomaly occurred when I entered the director's office.
"!"
The director's office was still empty.
The director had disappeared.
'Ah, so this was the reason.'
The position of deputy director of the new central research institute was given to me.
The director's appointment did not go through.
"Ha, hahahahaha."
For some reason, I laughed.
I wiped the corners of my laughing mouth with my fingers.
"That man has come back to life."
Perhaps because I was that man's son, I had a feeling it would be like this.
Though I had lived my whole life hating that man, strangely I laughed.
Perhaps those who offered me the deputy director position expected a different result if I, the son, made the appointment.
But their expectation missed the mark.
So what will happen now?