Ch.159Global Occult Association (2)

The clock moves toward 12 o’clock.

But a new day does not dawn.

For that day will be the day of humanity’s end.

Under the grandfather clock announcing the end.

The pendulum swings slowly.

And a woman in formal attire stands in front of the clock.

Though her appearance is that of a middle school student at best, an elegant atmosphere flows around her.

The chairperson of the Korean Occult Organization, KOO.

Sim Ji-hee sensed the end of the world.

The Foundation has declared war against all of humanity.

The Foundation has begun releasing entities that should never have been released into this world.

Disaster has struck.

But what’s most frightening is ourselves.

Easily swept away, easily deceived, easily tempted, greedy, rejecting others, and even justifying all of this.

Country, ethnicity, immediate gain, social atmosphere, long-standing evil customs, justifications.

Various logics support evil acts that should never exist.

In the end, we have tightened the noose around our own necks.

The nuclear weapons possessed by humanity already have sufficient quantity and power to end the world.

The Fifth Apostle.

The numerous dangerous anomalous entities released by the Foundation.

They have merely lit the fuse.

Now the end approaches.

“Chairperson.”

A voice calling her.

Sim Ji-hee turned around.

This middle-aged man named Kim Jong-sik was, as always, noticeably sweating.

“The number of refugees is increasing.”

“From Korea. From abroad. Many must have come.”

“Yes. It’s difficult to control them because they don’t understand each other’s languages.”

Kim Jong-sik answers while wiping his sweat.

He too is dressed in formal attire like Ji-hee.

“First, let’s find someone with translation abilities. Then I’ll handle it.”

“I’ve already found one. Should I bring them here right away?”

“Yes. Please do.”

A moment later.

An Arab man appeared before her.

He too has an anxious face.

Sim Ji-hee asked in a quiet voice.

“Do you really have translation abilities?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

As Kim Jong-sik had explained, the Arab man’s ability was ‘interpretation.’

It allows people of different nationalities to converse as if they were speaking the same language.

“But I can only do one-on-one conversations. It will be problematic to control all these people.”

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

“Follow me. And don’t let go of my hand.”

In one hand, Kim Jong-sik’s hand.

In the other hand, the Arab man’s hand.

Holding the hands of both men, Sim Ji-hee moves into the crowd.

“My ability is ‘ability amplification.'”

Kim Jong-sik’s ability is message delivery. He can transmit messages into the minds of nearby people.

The Arab man’s ability is interpretation.

And Sim Ji-hee’s ability is ability amplification. She can amplify the abilities of those in physical contact with her.

Both abilities are amplified simultaneously.

In the headquarters of the Global Occult Association, in the minds of countless refugees gathered in a cabin floating in a corner of dimensions, the same message resonates all at once.

“To all of you who have survived the worst situation. Thank you for your hard work.”

A slight sense of relief spreads across people’s faces.

Sim Ji-hee, with a determined voice, conveyed her will to everyone.

“Before all other words, I will say this.”

Though all circumstances point to the end.

Perhaps not everyone will survive.

But.

“We will not be defeated.”

***

[We will not be defeated.]

[To survive, we must combine our abilities, no matter how small they may be.]

I focused on that voice while lying in bed.

Daju also stopped moving and stared into space.

Finally. The moment of the final battle approaches.

A slightly different scene from the future I saw in the apartment.

But one thing is certain.

We will not be defeated.

No.

We cannot be defeated.

Not being swallowed by emptiness and holding onto will.

Not giving up in the face of a predetermined future.

Somehow surviving and continuing the story.

It is both our duty and the way to save the world that lies before the Seven.

“Daju. Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“We need to find the person who sent this message.”

“But how?”

“Uh… good point.”

My mind was racing too far ahead.

Still, thankfully I managed to get out of Daju’s arms.

How long has it been since I stood on my own two feet in front of the bed?

“First, let’s find Serim.”

“So this is communication between ability users again.”

“Not ability users, but paranormal ability users.”

Paranormal ability users each have their own abilities and can use them by consuming mental energy.

Their paths are one of two:

Either contained by the Foundation, or protected by the Global Occult Association.

This is why real-life paranormal ability users, or superhumans, are dismissed as nonsense.

The Foundation and the Association. Both organizations are extremely thorough in maintaining secrecy.

The ability of Serim, the paranormal ability user we know, is to exchange or interfere with thoughts.

Even now, the cabin is crowded with masses of people.

Injured people.

People crying out in pain.

Healing ability users rushing between them to provide urgent treatment.

It’s impossible to find someone directly in this crowd.

We need Serim for communication.

“And we need other people too.”

Robin in particular is necessary.

With Robin, who comes from the Foundation’s leadership, we might be able to predict the Foundation’s future actions to some extent.

“So we can exchange information…”

After muttering to myself, I asked Daju.

“Daju. Do you know where the others are?”

“Yes. I was just there.”

“That’s a relief. Let’s move quickly.”

It didn’t take long for things to progress.

First, Serim’s ability played a major role.

Through Serim’s ability, we were able to find the leadership among the massive crowd and convey the importance of what we had.

A man named Kim Jong-sik guides us into a small room.

It’s an office with a desk, covered in light pink wallpaper.

At the desk sits Sim Ji-hee, the chairperson of KOO, the Korean branch of the Occult Association, and the temporary representative of the entire Global Occult Association.

“So. This is the Librarian from the Library. This is a paranormal ability user. And these people are from the Foundation.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“…”

Sim Ji-hee’s gaze lingers briefly on Choi Serim.

But that was all.

There were more urgent matters than focusing on the strange sensation caused by the twisting of timelines.

Me, Yoon Daju, Choi Serim, Robin and the others.

With everyone gathered, Sim Ji-hee first explains the current situation.

“Currently, I’m serving as the leadership. Of course, our Association has a central leader, and each branch has its own leader, but… at this point, all contact has been lost. The ‘evacuation broadcast’ and ‘telephone booths’ currently maintained were the last traces from central.”

“Anyway, what I can tell you is that we need to overcome this crisis on our own for now.”

Sim Ji-hee is holding the Arab man’s wrist.

The language interpretation seems to be one of their abilities.

Sim Ji-hee asks Robin and Riko, the two from the Foundation.

“You said you came from the Foundation, right?”

“Yes. That’s correct. I’m from the Foundation’s leadership. And this is,”

“I was a researcher.”

“Then do you roughly know the situation inside the Foundation? Why they’re suddenly doing this?”

“It’s unknown at this point. Currently, the Foundation is under the control of someone called ‘the Professor.’ I’ve also lost my influence within the Foundation.”

“I… don’t know much either.”

“I see.”

Sim Ji-hee heaves a deep sigh.

From her small, slumped shoulders, one could almost feel the weight she was currently bearing.

“Disasters are occurring simultaneously worldwide. This is impossible with the Foundation’s power alone. It seems the Fifth Apostle has been released too… is that right?”

“Yes. It’s been fully released for a while now.”

“I thought so. That’s the case then.”

Sim Ji-hee’s expression becomes even more serious.

“Then we really don’t have much time left. By any chance, Dabin, do you know what the Fifth Apostle brings?”

I listed blood, impulse, disease, war, etc., but Sim Ji-hee pointed out just one.

“There has never been an era when war was this powerful. Soon the entire world will be blown away by nuclear weapons.”

“With the Fifth Apostle released, the oncoming disasters are inevitable and unstoppable. We need to evacuate everyone before that. At least as many people as possible…”

“Then we should first improve the evacuation method.”

Robin suggests alternatives with familiarity.

“Civilians without paranormal abilities won’t be able to receive the guidance broadcast. And even if they hear it, the condition of finding a telephone booth is too difficult.”

“Do you know a method?”

“Yes. With some modifications to the communication device I have, it should be possible.”

“Then I’ll guide you to our technicians.”

Sim Ji-hee calls someone.

A woman wearing goggles soon appears in the office.

The woman, Robin, and Riko discuss ways to improve the evacuation broadcast.

“We’re currently working on making it accessible through smartphones and other communication devices. If you need any specific technology, please let us know.”

“Ah. I know a bit about communication technology.”

“I can also help somewhat with anomaly manipulation or communication security.”

“Let’s go to the server room. We don’t have time.”

The three leave the office while conversing.

Just as the door was about to close.

Robin’s voice comes through the gap.

“Dan!”

“What now?”

“Come with us.”

“Just trying to make me do chores, I see.”

“Yes. You understand well.”

And then Dan as well.

The four disappeared outside the office.

Now only the apartment survivors remain in the room.

Me. Daju. Serim. Seok Hyunmin and Heo Yoon. Jung Haewon. Yebin.

Sim Ji-hee looks over the remaining people and says.

“That’s our situation so far. Now I’d like Dabin to explain.”

“Yes. I understand.”

Now that I’ve obtained information from the Occult Association, it’s my turn.

The apartment.

The Library.

The Seven.

The Professor’s ending.

And finally, the ending I proposed.

Where should I begin explaining this vast story?

Continuing to ponder, I slowly began to speak.