Editor’s Survival Guide - Chapter 85

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Editor’s Survival Rules Episode 85

ep15. Edit! National Museum of Korea! (1)

“There’s really a lot of new content to update…”

The Research Support Manager opened his mouth while flipping through the meeting materials.

“The individual fight between 「Alpha」 and 「Executioner Ant」, the core shutdown and complete recovery of the contaminated person, and even the female form of 「Big Cat」’s main body… How could such major incidents be observed one after another in just two weeks? What on earth happened?”

At the Research Manager’s admiration, Manager Kwon Mu-seop smiled contentedly and said.

“It’s all thanks to Agent Seo Do-un.”

“So good, our key man.”

At the managers’ exchange of words, the attention of everyone sitting in the meeting room focused on me.

Ugh… This is burdensome.

“And the crow, this should also be classified as a special entity, but what should we name it?”

“How about simply 「Crow」?”

Kwon Mu-seop answered lightly to the Research Manager’s question.

“Good. Then what about the classification? Can we consider this a Type 1 entity?”

“It has only been observed in Type 1 Special Zones so far. But since its origin hasn’t been identified, it’s hard to be certain.”

“Hmm…”

The Research Manager stroked his chin as if troubled.

“The places where this 「Crow」 has been observed so far are 「Warehouse-style Mart」, 「Ant Hill」, and 「The Island」, all when Agent Seo Do-un was there.”

“…”

“Moreover, it entered 「Ant Hill」 in accordance with Manager Kwon’s preparations, and it transferred in front of Team Leader Cha who was isolated while Agent Seo was carrying snacks… Should we interpret this as meaning 「Crow」 accurately grasps Agent Seo’s situation?”

The gazes focused on me once again.

For a moment, I felt my solar plexus becoming strangely uncomfortable.

Then Oh Tae-o, sitting next to the Research Manager, muttered.

“If it’s certain that 「Crow」 is calling Agent Seo into the Special Zones…”

“There’s definitely a connection. It’s also clear that the actions of that 「Crow」 are close to benevolent.”

It was Kwon Mu-seop who countered this way.

And this statement was more of a declaration than speculation.

The field manager’s declaration that he would regard that unknown entity as an ally.

“Or it could be hostile to 「Big Cat」.”

But Oh Tae-o paid no heed and expressed his own view.

“Anyway, this is the first time we’ve seen entities showing opposition to each other… Though we didn’t observe it directly, it’s almost certain from the circumstances that 「Big Cat」 and 「Crow」 fought.”

On 「The Island」 where Cha Si-eon and I were staying, both 「Big Cat」 and 「Crow」 were discovered by us with severe damage.

Though they were found separately, considering that 「Big Cat」 was trapped at the end of the passage that 「Crow」 had opened, the possibility of those two being in opposition is very high.

“Moreover, the opposition between the two entities is clearly revealed during the intensive suppression period… So I organized a timeline of 「Big Cat」 and 「Crow」…”

Timeline?

“In the early part of this intensive suppression period, all mercenary entities focused on defending 「The Island」. But at the same time, Agent Seo Do-un and the field manager were dragged to 「Ant Hill」, and 「Crow」 drove you two into the 「Anthill」. Eventually, when you two entered the 「Anthill」, 「Alpha」 and 「Echo」 who were on 「The Island」 came over to 「Ant Hill」… Finally, when the core of 「Ant Hill」 was turned off, the mercenaries withdrew from there again. But whether 「Alpha」 or 「Echo」, it took time to return to 「The Island」, and during that time, Team 1 members obtained fragments of 「Big Cat」 who was isolated alone on 「The Island」. Because of that, 「Big Cat」 came out to A Zone, which it never used to approach, and waged an all-out war…”

Listing it out like this makes it feel even clearer.

That 「Big Cat」 and its gang were incredibly flustered.

They had to stop Team 1 from invading 「The Island」, and also stop Manager Kwon Mu-seop and me from approaching the core of 「Ant Hill」.

Both must have been too urgent problems for 「Big Cat」.

Thanks to that, unable to choose and focus, it failed here and failed there too.

Thus it appeared to have missed both rabbits.

“At this level, it seems certain that 「Crow」 made 「Big Cat」 eat water…?”

Made it eat water, that was an awkward expression.

As if 「Crow」 and 「Big Cat」 were people or something.

But Kwon Mu-seop seemed to like that expression, as he replied with a smile.

“Whether it really made it eat water or not, we’ll find out by checking in the future. How is the ring production going?”

“Ring polishing will be completed by next Wednesday.”

The Research Department Development Team 1 leader answered.

“As originally mentioned, 2 rings with the same purity as Agent Baek’s ring, and 1 ring at 58% of that level will be produced.”

While Kwon Mu-seop nodded again, this time the Research Manager asked the field side.

“Have you decided on the operation site?”

“If you look at page 11 of the materials, there’s a list of operation site candidates. A total of 4 places: 「Hotel that Selects the Real」, 「Animal Farm School」, 「The Meditation Center Where Bodies Change」, and 「Fog-Shrouded Bridge」. Please refer to the table for selection reasons and discussion points.”

After that, various words were exchanged.

Today’s main meeting agenda.

Understanding the Type 1 Special Zone shutdown mechanism based on the 「Ant Hill」 case and establishing a pilot operation.

To put it more simply?

Let’s experiment to see if other Special Zones can be turned off too!

For this purpose, the field department, research department, and even I were included in earnest meetings.

Of course, I was on the earnest listening side.

And Kwak Jae-gyeom sitting next to me was very busy taking real-time meeting minutes.

“Have the comparative experiment personnel been selected?”

“Yes. We’ve confirmed Yeon Ga-ram from Control Team 4 and designated 3 backup candidates as well.”

“What about that agent’s profile?”

“It’s on page 18. Among the volunteers, he has the most similar physical specs to Agent Seo Do-un.”

We all flipped through the meeting materials together.

The research department had established two hypotheses about the conditions for stopping Special Zones.

1. Contact between the core and 「Big Cat」’s fragments.

2. Contact between the core, 「Big Cat」’s fragments, and Seo Do-un.

I naturally think it’s number 1.

Logically, it must be that way.

Nevertheless, confirmation was needed, and we decided to proceed with comparative experiments.

By having someone other than me wear the ring and trying to stop the core’s operation.

Actually, there’s no need to use someone who closely resembles me for that experiment.

Nevertheless, matching the conditions as much as possible was due to just-in-case concerns.

The number of rings is limited.

Moreover, if the core gets destroyed instead of turning off the Special Zone, the aftermath would be troublesome in many ways.

So we were injecting caution both scientifically and unscientifically.

“Then we’ll confirm the operation sites as 「Hotel that Selects the Real」 and 「Animal Farm School」.”

At the end of the discussion, Cha Si-eon reached a conclusion.

Since there was nothing to dispute, the meeting proceeded smoothly.

Thus, the major framework was confirmed within 2 hours of the meeting.

The rings will be completed next week.

After that, Response Team 1 will enter 「Hotel that Selects the Real」 and neutralize the Special Zone.

Once the path to the core is secured, I will enter the 「Hotel」 under escort from Response Team 3.

I will wear the ring and try to make contact with the core.

If we succeed in obtaining the same results as 「Ant Hill」 with that, then 「Animal Farm School」 is next.

However, at that time, Yeon Ga-ram from Control Team 4 will be deployed instead of me.

If Yeon Ga-ram succeeds in closing the Special Zone in the same way, hypothesis 1 will be confirmed.

Once we reach this point, a truly new phase will open.

Throb-

“…?”

But what is this?

I pressed my strangely uncomfortable solar plexus with my hand.

Then Manager Kwon Mu-seop spoke as if something had suddenly occurred to him.

“Come to think of it, how is the condition of the rescued person from 「Ant Hill」?”

The rescued person from 「Ant Hill」.

The person who was contaminated by 「Ant Thread」 and had 40% of their body scattered.

The woman whom Kwon Mu-seop had determined could not be rescued.

Acting Director Oh Tae-o answered this question.

“Ah, Subject 26’s condition is good… Her contamination levels are still high, but there are no particular abnormalities, so we’re monitoring her progress, and she’s being cooperative too.”

It had been a full 2 weeks since “Ant Hill” stopped operating.

But that woman, Subject 26, was still under protection at the Management Bureau.

Since she was the only case where contamination had healed on its own, more detailed observation was necessary.

Fortunately, Subject 26 also wanted to receive examinations at the Management Bureau.

Since her body had completely scattered and then recovered, she would need professional help too.

Kwon Mu-seop was nodding and about to move on to the next agenda item.

“Um, I have something to say regarding that person…”

One researcher sitting next to Oh Tae-o spoke up timidly.

“Hey, don’t do it…”

And another researcher beside him trying to stop him.

Those two were low-ranking members of the Research Department who hadn’t said a word throughout the entire meeting.

They had only been taking notes or providing support by finding materials for the team leaders.

But suddenly stepping forward saying they had something to say left people bewildered.

“If you have something to share, please speak up.”

Kwon Mu-seop said generously.

Then the researcher swallowed nervously and said in a trembling voice.

“Subject 26 says she wants to contact Manager Kwon Mu-seop personally…”

We doubted our ears.

“If we can’t give her the manager’s contact information, she asked us to at least give the manager her number…”

The researcher pulled out some note from his diary.

The meeting room fell dead silent.

In that silence, people’s eyes were rather chaotic.

The Research Manager shot a glare at that researcher.

The Research Department staff, except for Oh Tae-o, broke out in cold sweat while watching Kwon Mu-seop’s expression.

In the Field Team, Cha Si-eon stopped Kwak Jae-gyeom’s hand that was about to type.

And Manager Kwon Mu-seop seemed unable to accept the reality he was facing.

As the silence dragged on, Deputy Manager Yun Woo-jeong cracked a joke.

“Right, handling civil complaints is important. Give us your orders, Manager!”

At Yun Woo-jeong’s jest, the frozen Kwon Mu-seop laughed weakly.

Then others also laughed one by one, and the atmosphere finally relaxed.

Kwon Mu-seop sighed briefly and said to the researcher.

“Please explain to the subject that it’s difficult due to regulations.”

“I told her that too, but she insisted so much…”

“Then just tell her he’s married, what’s the problem?”

At the researcher’s strange persistence, Yun Woo-jeong spoke up again.

This should be enough for her to understand.

The researcher hesitated again, then suddenly shouted resolutely.

“She’s really a good person, so I really hope you’ll meet her…!”

Oh my…

At that unexpected determination, the meeting room’s atmosphere turned cold again.

“This is meeting time right now. Let’s finish the meeting first.”

Kwon Mu-seop, who couldn’t stand it anymore, dismissed it lightly.

With that, this incident seemed to come to an end.

* * *

But after the meeting ended.

“Manager, so about that…”

“…”

Surprisingly, that researcher really came to find Kwon Mu-seop again.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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