### Chapter 243 – Room 202, Cursed Room – ‘Mermaid Princess’ (21)
—
– Park Seungyub
“Agent Seungyub, do you have any inquiries?”
“I came to check on my request from yesterday.”
“That matter is currently classified, so I’m afraid I can’t grant you access.”
“… Understood.”
Another day, another bureaucratic runaround.
It’s been four days since I parted ways with my older siblings and headed up to the headquarters in Seoul alone. The first day was pure relaxation. Now, it felt like I had nothing to do, and they had put me up in a fancy hotel-like accommodation just because I was also an “agent.”
Maybe while I was napping, my colleagues in Room 202 managed to break out? I had my fingers crossed, obliviously hoping for a positive outcome.
And as if time had conspired against me, it dragged on without a word about Kadarudakh’s descent, neither in the news nor within the Bureau. I was beginning to think that my colleagues were doing a superb job of keeping things under wraps.
On the third day, while idly loitering near the meeting room, a passing man suddenly grabbed my shoulder and muttered some absurd nonsense about overcoming the grief of losing colleagues.
That’s when it hit me—I came to understand, albeit vaguely. Many of my hotel colleagues were dead, and I might be the only survivor. I had asked twice about how it all happened, but the response remained the same:
“Classified.”
In other words, they were saying, “You asked once, so don’t ask again.” I tried to scramble for information, but it wasn’t easy. In the past couple of days, I realized the Bureau treated me like I was some special kid with powers—granted agent privileges, but still just a “kid.”
What on Earth happened?
If they successfully prevented Kadarudakh’s descent, doesn’t that mean my colleagues achieved something? Even if everyone except me was wiped out in the process, given the hotel’s system, I’d expect some sort of resolution notification.
…
Thinking plainly, the reason no resolution popped up? They couldn’t prevent the Sea God’s descent. And the reason an escape option didn’t appear? Because the Sea God wasn’t far off at all.
Moreover, the fact that no escape option came up even after reaching the Bureau headquarters hinted at something crucial. If Kadarudakh descended, even being in the headquarters wouldn’t guarantee safety. This practically screamed that there was nowhere on Earth to hide!
With those thoughts swirling in my head, I felt a strange sense of relief. If there was no safety even at the Bureau headquarters, why stick around? It would be better to head back to Busan and figure out what had happened. Just as I was about to stand up, a brilliant idea hit me.
“Agent? Do you have another request?”
“Yes. Can I get some operational funds?”
“Huh? Operational funds? What’s going on all of a sudden—”
“I heard agents have the authority to independently establish a ‘Calamity Administration Operation’ depending on the situation.”
“R-really? In that case, maybe you should write out the details first—”
“Uh, that’s classified.”
“…”
“…”
“How much do you need?”
“10 million won.”
Let’s catch a taxi from Seoul to Busan, shall we?!
*
“Director, do you remember that young agent I mentioned before?”
“Ah, Park Seungyub, right?”
“He just departed for Busan.”
“… Didn’t we report that he likely doesn’t know much about the situation on Sea God Island?”
“I’m sorry. I thought he’d be fine since he’s still young.”
“That’s alright. Anyone can make mistakes. Get the car ready.”
“Are you going to go see him yourself?”
“I don’t want to see you make that mistake twice. Also, I heard that kid has some bizarre abilities.”
*
As soon as the boy stepped out of the taxi, he heard a voice calling out to him.
“Hey! Are you Seungyub?”
Surprised that someone recognized him in Busan, Seungyub turned. Across the street stood a middle-aged man with a sharp appearance.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Park Jinsung.”
“Oh! My grandfather told me you helped out a lot.”
“Haha…. That was some time ago. As for… the matter of Mooksung, it’s unfortunate. I feel quite responsible, you know. They were certainly a pride of the Bureau—”
“It’s alright.”
The boy’s expression appeared totally unfazed by the problem at hand.
To him, the deaths inside the cursed room felt more like a “logout” from a game than “real death.” As long as he was alive, the hotel party wasn’t over!
“… Are you really okay?”
“I told you I’m fine. Do you have anything you want to say?”
Park Jinsung paused briefly, confused. The total detachment the boy displayed after losing teammates suggested a shallow emotional exchange. Was he really that oblivious?
Soon, he shook off his confusing thoughts. The “project” had to be approached with utmost precision. Not a single risk could be left unaddressed.
“I have something to tell you. There’s a limousine waiting across the street; it’d be best to talk there.”
“Understood.”
…
Park Jinsung walked along the road, observing the boy intently.
Is he deep in thought or something? He looked utterly absorbed, to the point where anyone could carry him off without him noticing. That naive expression struck Jinsung as both adorable and pure—he felt a twinge of guilt.
‘Are you really telling me I have to take out this sweet, young boy?’
An intense wave of doubt surged up within him. Just then, he felt an overwhelming urge to shout at his subordinates to avoid unnecessary casualties.
‘What glory could possibly justify hurting a child?’
With a deep sigh, he recalibrated his mindset. The “project” wasn’t about the interests of individuals. It was a grand ambition to overcome humanity’s centuries-old despair and inherent weaknesses of Homo sapiens.
Suddenly, the thought that his sigh might seem strange to the boy made him turn his head away.
And then, Park Jinsung screamed!
“Ahhh! Seungyub! Hey! You crazy kid!”
In the middle of Busan’s chaotic six-lane road, where cars raced around like demented chariots, rather than trying to weave through the madness, Seungyub was crossing the street at a ‘leisurely’ pace!
As nearby staff rushed over to the commotion, Park Jinsung felt his anger boiling.
“Why does he have to be such a reckless little brat? Why didn’t someone stop him from running into the road?!”
“Uh, Director! Did you see what just happened?”
“What happened?”
“Well, that kid dropped some dice from his pocket! And then he just chased after them, sprinting right into the street!”
Out of energy to be angry, Park Jinsung stared at the situation in shock.
The boy was on the ground, completely oblivious, peering down for the blasted ‘dice’ while cars swerved past him as though nothing were the matter.
“… What was that about the agent having a unique ability?”
“I heard he’s dubbed the ‘Fortune’s Favorite’.”
“It looks like we stirred up some abilities just by trying to keep Seungyub ‘quiet.’ This isn’t going to work.”
“Maybe we should evacuate the surrounding civilians if guiding him to a quiet area is proving difficult?”
“Well, at this rate, shooting the gun might be an issue.”
“What do you mean?”
“You could draw the gun, and just before pulling the trigger, your hand would relax, causing the bullet to head for your buddy instead.”
“Is that even plausible?”
“Then how do you explain this kid casually strolling across the lanes while keeping his eyes glued to the dice on the ground?”
“…”
“Uh, Director. I heard that even that ability has a ‘weakness,’ right?”
*
– Park Seungyub
“Ugh! What on Earth just threw me off balance?”
I never expected my trusty dice, which I always kept nearby since meeting my supporter, would suddenly drop to the floor. Without thinking, I dashed after it, picking it up just in time.
Where exactly am I, though?
Picking up the dice made me realize the Director I was walking with was now nowhere to be seen. I had a feeling he could have shed some light on what happened to my missing colleagues…
— Ring!
Suddenly, my smartphone buzzed in my pocket.
“Hello?”
“Seungyub! Where the heck did you run off to? I was worried!”
“Oh! Sorry! My precious dice just fell unexpectedly.”
“Ah, well, there’s not much you can do if it’s something you treasure.”
“I’m sorry. I was—”
“Hey, Seungyub! Don’t hang up! Just listen to me for a sec.”
After that, the Director began sharing incredibly “complicated” knowledge that every young agent should know; it started with the essence of the calamity entity we’ll face, and ended up tangenting into the current state of affairs in Russia, making my head feel like it was about to explode!
Is it really necessary for agents to know all that? I once thought about becoming an agent when I returned to reality, but now I’m having second thoughts.
The lengthy discussion continued even after the Director reunited with me. He was just your typical chatty Uncle, going on and on about every little thing. He even shared pointless tales from his high school days, driving me into a mental fog.
Plus, any time I seemed to zone out, he’d ask what he’d just said!
“Uh, uh, Director!”
“When I returned from France last year—oh? Do you have a question?”
“Is this really all valuable information you’re sharing? Because it’s hurting my brain!”
“Ahaha! Seungyub, we need to build up your patience!”
“Sorry…”
“Of course, I have cooler stories! Are you curious about Sea God Island?”
“Yes!”
“That conversation would be perfect over a meal.”
Only then did I realize we had arrived in front of a cozy little restaurant. With the Bureau’s high-ranking officials having loads of money, I couldn’t help but wonder why we were headed to such a secluded place.
Even after stepping into the eatery, nothing much changed. The Director continued staring straight into my face while spilling complex dialogues. I could hardly tell if the food was going in my mouth or my nose!
“Seungyub.”
“Yes?”
“Does your head hurt a lot from taking in all this information?”
“Yeah…”
Weirdly enough, the Director’s atmosphere shifted. That warm ‘neighborly Uncle’ vibe completely vanished to be replaced by an ice-cold seriousness.
His hand slipped inside his suit jacket. Was he pulling something out?
— Crash!
With a sound akin to shattering glass, a parrot burst through the window!
—
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