In This World, Police and Heroes Do What They Must(7)

I move forward with an awkwardly shouldered rifle, damned awkward.

What I see the moment I enter the interior are blood and flesh fragments splattered everywhere. Pieces of what were once human bodies are carelessly hanging on what appear to be tanks or pipes for making drugs.

Among them, some are completely shattered, and human blood is flowing unhindered in the awakening drug [more precisely, tanks containing liquid presumed to be the awakening drug].

I had expected this when Food Ghost mentioned “venting frustration,” but seeing it was still a sight that made my stomach turn, enough to bring up last night’s dinner.

The interior would have been spotlessly clean with state-of-the-art equipment that would put cutting-edge laboratories to shame, if not for the blood and entrails.

But now, with the scattered remains of what appear to be researchers and security guards, it’s impossible to find the original appearance.

That damn monster bastard. But thanks to that monster rampaging, it was peculiarly difficult to decide whether to be glad that there were no enemies ahead.

The sensation and smell of blood sloshing on the floor was extremely disgusting. At some point, bright red crystal lumps were visible on a large table that had been placed somewhere.

Looking at a blood-soaked paper scattered nearby, the words “Crystalline Superpower Awakening Drug” caught my eye, along with other difficult jargon about experiments for effect verification.

Whether looking at it lying down or while doing a flying kick in the air, it was clear that this place was a laboratory, no, a factory where the superpower awakening drug was made.

As I moved forward holding just one rifle, only one thought filled my mind.

Why is it so quiet here?

Ah, yes, it’s because Food Ghost clobbered everyone. I know that.

I had known from the moment I saw his face that the crazy bastard harbored revenge after being defeated by New Hope, was following Sai’s words for that revenge, and had caused this devastation.

But the problem is, wouldn’t Sai have anticipated this?

There’s no way that malicious and vicious woman couldn’t have predicted this situation would unfold.

But she stationed a violent and reckless guy like Food Ghost as security for this laboratory? Sai did something even an idiot like me wouldn’t do?

So it doesn’t make sense. What makes even less sense is that there’s no other security visible in the laboratory.

There’s a possibility that Food Ghost killed and ate other security guards too. But the deeper I went, the more exponentially that possibility seemed to diminish.

Nothing. There’s nothing. The further inside I go, not only are the splattered blood and flesh fragments no longer visible, but there are also no people.

Only the sound similar to motors running—woong—and the distant sounds of Mina and Food Ghost fighting can be heard.

I’ve crossed about 5 doors in this hell of a vast underground. The empty underground, where the rifle in my hand seems meaningless as there’s nothing, was even desolate.

For a moment, suspicion arose in my mind that Sai had already known we would come and moved all the facilities, and everything remaining inside was just bait.

But soon that suspicion disappeared as I reached what looked like a warehouse at the deepest part of the underground.

The innermost room was dark. But as my eyes became accustomed to the darkness and I began to faintly see by the light shining from behind me, I was left speechless.

As I had already thought, the warehouse was filled with superpower awakening drugs, in an area so vast it was puzzling how they built such a facility underground near a mountain.

Boxes containing crystalline awakening drugs that I had seen on the way, as well as boxes containing the liquid form of awakening drugs that I know well, were stacked in layers filling the warehouse.

It’s incomparably more than what was confirmed to be in Minus’s laboratory before.

I don’t know exactly, but with this amount, not just the water and sewage systems but even rivers and the Han River would turn the characteristic bright red color of the awakening drug and still have some left. That’s how much there was.

No, more than that, even if they make the awakening drug here, is it normal to have such a large amount stacked? It’s strange even if they made this much for terrorism.

The amount I confirmed from outside was quite a lot, but to have this much. Almost as if… they’re trying to show that this is a factory that makes the awakening drug?

“What is this…”

I put down the rifle I was holding and looked around in astonishment, when suddenly my eyes caught a wall-mounted TV placed on the only wall in front of me that didn’t have awakening drugs stacked.

At the same time, the lights in the room came on, and the wall-mounted TV turned on.

I quickly pointed my gun around on guard, but there were no people inside the warehouse. Instead, an image began to appear on the lit TV.

“[ As expected, you came, Deputy Captain. ]”

I ground my teeth at the face visible in that image.

Sai. That damned woman. She was standing with the dark curtain of night as her background, spreading a beautiful smile and mysterious atmosphere that didn’t match her evil nature.

Even her attire was different from usual, a pitch-black color as if containing the night, with a design that seemed to boast the size of her chest.

It was attire as if she were going to some kind of party.

Although she was a woman I truly despised, I couldn’t deny she was beautiful enough to evoke the term “fairy of the night.” No, perhaps it’s because of that that she’s more detestable.

Looking at Sai’s appearance, I thought. A real-time video? I can hear tree and insect sounds. A forest? Which forest?

The fact that she’s displaying a video at this timing—does it mean she knew I would come? Have I failed to stop the terrorism?

Amid accumulating ominous thoughts. In the video, Sai, as if reading my current thoughts, smiled softly and said:

“[ No. You have succeeded, Deputy Captain. You have definitely stopped the terrorism I had planned. This is the end of the awakening drug laboratory I created. ]”

“[ I declare that I no longer have any intention of harming you, Detective. There’s no reason for me to do foolish things like tests anymore. ]”

“[ So you can think simply. I don’t know about overseas, but at least in this country, it’s become impossible to directly make the awakening drug. It’s the victory of Special Investigation Team Sergeant Lee Munsu’s quick decision and will. ]”

Sai, who was chattering like that, was walking somewhere, making click-clack sounds with her high heels.

Who’s filming the video? Sai was shown with her hands behind her back, giggling, but she wasn’t holding something like a camera.

No, a camera isn’t important right now. What is this woman, Sai, saying now? The light steps and appearance as if taking a stroll.

What’s with that relaxed face while saying she stopped her terrorism plan?

Recalling the ominous sensation I had felt on my way here, I said mockingly to her words:

“Was I that much of a hindrance? Setting up such a trap. Well, that’s fortunate then. Since I’ve fallen nicely into your trap. So are you going to kill me now?”

I was frustrated by the fact it was indeed a trap, and my spine turned cold with fear of not knowing what would come next. Since I couldn’t believe anything she said, I spoke mockingly.

Sai responded with a tone that seemed to soothe me like a child, laden with affection:

“[ Of course not. I told you, didn’t I? I won’t harm you, Deputy Captain. The reason I abandoned this laboratory is because I believed that you would find out about the terrorism I planned using something outside my field of vision. ]”

“[ And that the only hope to stop this terrorism would definitely come here. So I left everything there. To congratulate you on your victory. ]”

Sai continued speaking like singing, with a smile full of vitality.

Her smiling face even though her plans had been interfered with was too strange.

She lost the laboratory that makes the awakening drug, and her plans were interfered with. Additionally, if this terrorism plan fails, there might be some among the supervillains bound by her fear who would try to rebel against her.

Just my raiding and securing this laboratory increases disadvantages for Sai.

But what is that face? A look as if her plan has already succeeded. Doesn’t it seem like causing terrorism wasn’t her goal?

“What exactly is your purpose?”

I asked through gritted teeth. There were no microphones or anything in this room, but I was certain Sai could hear my words.

As if my prediction had been correct. Sai laughed like a child. Blushing and smiling brightly, Sai looked like an innocent child.

“[ Deputy Captain. Every moment, I find myself thinking only of you, seeking only you. When I think of you, my heart burns, and my soul craves you like air. ]”

“[ But no matter what I do, you won’t accept me, will you? That’s the kind of person you are. I know that. So, I’m trying to create a world where you can accept me. ]”

Thud. The footsteps that had been heard from beyond the screen stopped. Behind Sai, a bright light and a revving engine sound overlapped and were heard.

And what could be heard were someone’s commands, the sound of military boots, and the sound of an armored vehicle engine that I had heard in the military.

“[ I am a person who deserves punishment. Killing people. Committing evil acts, doing things I shouldn’t have done. I’ve gone against all concepts of law and justice. So you won’t be able to forgive me, Detective. ]”

“[ Stop! One step closer and we’ll fire! ]”

In the midst of Sai speaking, people shout. Those standing behind Sai, seemingly surrounding her, were all wearing military uniforms and holding guns.

They were soldiers. The soldiers, seeming to recognize Sai, threatened to fire immediately, but Sai, disregarding such things, took a step forward and said:

“[ But if neither the law nor justice can judge me. Then it’s okay, right? ]”

At her smiling words, I felt my entire body freeze due to an inexplicable pressure.

It happened occasionally during my work as a detective. It was similar to the discomfort felt when facing a lunatic that’s incomprehensible as a human being, but on a different level.

Sai walks, making high heel sounds. She smiled. A smile like the moon. The devil of the moon smiles.

“[ I love you. I love you more than anything. Please wait just a little. I’ll come find you again. ]”

“[ – Fire!! ]”

A chilling love confession followed by gunfire. Immediately, Sai’s figure disappeared from the screen.

Continued gunfire and screams. Splattered blood. People dying. Followed by Sai, smiling like a child, massacring the soldiers, captured on screen.

The horrific scene continued on the wall-mounted TV for a moment. Then, with a click sound, the TV turned off.

Even with the gunfire and screams remaining in my ears like tinnitus, my mind organized the situation.

Judging from Sai’s fight with the soldiers and her statements, Sai had already predicted that I would come to this laboratory to stop the terrorism. She deliberately stationed someone like Food Ghost.

Sai is trying to do something even at the cost of abandoning the laboratory that makes the awakening drug.

And the result of that something, if inferred, is to create a society where laws and justice are all meaningless, and to court me.

The situation was organized in my mind. And in that situation, a word unconsciously sprang from my mouth.

“That fucking crazy bitch… I really hate her…”

Goosebumps rise all over my body. It’s scary. I want to report to the police that I’m being stalked, but damn it, I am the police.

I swallowed my tears, shedding a single drop.