Ch.160Global Occult Association (3)

I’ll borrow language. Choi Serim will use her ability to convey thoughts.

We shared what we saw and heard.

“If Dabin is right, our role is clear.”

Finally.

Sim Jihee understood her destiny.

“To hold out here until the end and die. Right?”

I nodded silently.

“I couldn’t fully understand Dabin’s story. But I know what I need to do.”

All fates are already determined.

Only I and those who have journeyed with me can choose different paths.

The story was written this way from the beginning.

“I guess my role in this story is just an extra. A constant, not a variable. Someone who can’t escape the predetermined narrative no matter what.”

I couldn’t begin to imagine.

What happens to someone who learns everything is predetermined.

What happens to someone’s heart when they learn their end will be a terrible death.

“Look.”

But Sim Jihee didn’t break down.

She even managed a faint smile toward me.

“Whether you told me about fate or not, I would have fought to the end anyway. For everyone gathered here.”

“Whether it’s fate or not, the result would be the same, right?”

“So, Dabin, you should do what you can do too.”

Jihee placed her hand over mine.

A hand smaller than mine.

Yet containing a spirit more noble than anything.

“…Yes.”

Before her, once again, all I could do was nod.

“Ah. And one more thing.”

Jihee’s gaze shifted elsewhere.

Toward where Serim was sitting.

“Ugh…”

Having overused her ability, Serim was dozing off while leaning against the sofa.

Jihee slowly approached her.

“Our Serim.”

“What?!”

Serim, who had been dozing off, woke with a start.

“Why. Did you think I wouldn’t know just because you didn’t say anything?”

Jihee gave Serim an affectionate look.

The sudden informal speech and everything else…

There seemed to be something between them, though I couldn’t tell what.

After thinking for a moment, something occurred to me.

Serim was born inside the apartment.

And the first people to enter the apartment were those from the Global Occult Association, led by Sim Jihee.

Looking at them now, the two did resemble each other quite a bit.

Serim was actually taller, and their personalities were quite different. Their appearances were quite different too.

But. There was something connecting them that transcended all those differences.

I can’t believe Serim had been hiding this.

The twisted flow of time created by Seven had made possible a meeting that should have been impossible.

“N-no. That’s… um.”

Serim awkwardly averted her gaze.

I’d never seen her so flustered before. It was cute.

“Now that I see clearly, you do look like me.”

Jihee stood on her tiptoes and gently patted Serim’s head.

“Choi Serim. My daughter.”

Jihee and Serim. They were mother and daughter.

Of course, this was before Serim was even born.

“I’ve always wanted to name my baby Serim. If it was a boy, Sejun. I decided that even before I started dating, so of course I’d know.”

“Ah…”

“But if you’re a Choi, does that mean I marry that pedo Choi Won? That’s one part of fate I’m not happy about.”

“What?!”

“Just kidding. Actually, I…”

Jihee, who had been speaking with a smile, slightly averted her gaze.

“I actually like him. Ugh. This is hard to say.”

The previously tense atmosphere had long since dissipated.

Jihee smiled and said to me.

“Anyway. Dabin. Please take care of our Serim.”

“Yes. I’ll look after Serim.”

“But why do you call her ‘nuna’? Shouldn’t it be ‘unni’?”

“Ah.”

I was too embarrassed to explain.

I didn’t want to say it was because I used to be male, so I just gave a vague answer.

“It just happened that way.”

Just then.

The office door opened, and a man in a suit hurriedly entered.

It was Kim Jong-sik.

“Madam Chairwoman. You need to attend an emergency meeting right now.”

“I understand. I’ll see you all later!”

Jihee waved in our direction.

Then followed Kim Jong-sik out of the room.

***

The cabin floating between dimensional gaps is the headquarters of the Global Occult Association.

Currently, thanks to Jihee’s efforts, a translation meme has been applied throughout the headquarters.

People from different countries can communicate without any problems.

And the translation effect applied to radios as well.

I had just sat down on the bed to rest when I heard a radio somewhere.

[They say there’s a clock that announces the end of the world. When the clock strikes twelve, the world will end.]

The radio voice grew closer.

Robin was approaching with a small radio in her hands.

Beside her, Riko was walking while organizing a portable battery cable.

[It feels like there’s not even a second left until twelve o’clock.]

As if not really listening to the radio content, Robin casually spoke to me.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a conversation like this.”

“Ah. Robin.”

[I’ve already explained about the anomalous phenomena occurring around the world after the declaration of war by an unspecified organization called the Foundation.]

“But what about this radio?”

“We used some communication technology from the Foundation. Riko played a big role.”

“It wasn’t that big of a role. But I wish Dabin could have seen it. I feel like I’ve only shown incompetence since joining.”

“I’ve never thought that.”

I turned the topic back to the radio.

“So this radio is connected to the outside world?”

“Yes. This is a broadcast that ‘normal’ people in ‘reality’ are listening to right now, and here it will be translated into each person’s language.”

[The five countries recognized as nuclear powers—the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China—have declared the current disaster to be each other’s doing and announced the start of random nuclear attacks against opposing factions.]

Robin spoke in a gloomy voice.

“It seems nuclear attacks are about to begin.”

“Is this also the influence of the Fifth Apostle?”

“Well, national leaders and government officials are people too. They’ve been affected by the destructive urges spread by the Fifth Apostle. But it’s more likely that the Foundation has been working behind the scenes.”

“So they did something more.”

“Yes. Inciting people, controlling the minds of leaders. With the technology the Foundation possesses, it’s simple. These were once technologies used to hide the Foundation’s existence from the world. Now they’re using them to bring about the world’s destruction.”

[Breaking news. China has just launched the first intercontinental ballistic missile, ICBM. The missile appears to be carrying a nuclear warhead…]

Suddenly there was static interference.

It was because Riko had brought another radio.

“I’ll turn on other channels too.”

Soon multiple channels began broadcasting simultaneously.

Numerous media outlets were unanimously speaking of doom.

[Deaths from suicidal impulse syndrome caused by anomalous radio waves have exceeded 100 million worldwide. This is the first disease in history to claim so many lives in such a short period.]

[Is the end of the world approaching?]

[The U.S. President has just died after being attacked by an unidentified anomalous entity. We will provide more details as they become available.]

Everyone was tense. Only Serim was sound asleep.

Jung Haewon muttered as if in a daze.

“Can we stop this?”

“We can’t. Instead, we need to evacuate as many people as possible.”

“But what’s the point… The world is ending… What’s the use of gathering people here…”

“No. That’s how we can start again.”

At my definitive statement, Riko reacted.

“Dabin. What do you mean by that? About starting again.”

“You’ll find out later.”

I always have a last resort.

It would be better not to use it if possible. But that possibility is quite low.

I need to prepare for it from now.

On the other hand, as Jihee said, we need to do what we can.

Things we can do to save the world more ‘safely’ without relying on the last resort.

“Let’s start with what we can do. Robin? Is there still no contact with the Foundation?”

“No. All my authorizations have been temporarily suspended. I could access it if I authenticated my identity, but if I try to approach carelessly, I might go insane like other Foundation members.”

“But there’s something we must do.”

“We need to get into the Foundation and establish a channel to get information from them. Robin. That’s how we can respond.”

“But right now…”

Robin fell into contemplation.

“Alright. I know how to access the Foundation’s main facilities, so I’ll use that. But know that it’s dangerous. It might be better to use your last resort, Dabin.”

“No.”

I firmly rejected Robin’s still hesitant words.

“No method could be more terrible than my final measure.”

And I extended my hand toward her.

“So. Come with me. Let’s go find out information from the Foundation.”

But she still seemed hesitant.

“We can’t do it just by ourselves. Even if we have a way to approach, we won’t be able to actually enter the Foundation’s facilities.”

“Then let’s gather ability users from here and form a team.”

“Is that possible? The people gathered here are all refugees. They’re not Foundation experts or Occult Association leadership. The Association’s leaders are all focused on evacuating people and aren’t here. It’s impossible to gather them in the first place. Who would volunteer to go die when they’ve barely survived until now?”

Robin paused for a moment, then seemed to be calculating something in her head.

“Ah. Perhaps. Are you thinking of using Serim’s ability?”

Serim was sound asleep.

I had no intention of brainwashing innocent people using Serim’s ability.

“No.”

I simply stood up.

I have nothing.

No abilities as a Librarian.

No special powers.

Not even eloquent speech or charismatic oratory skills.

But, I stood up and headed toward the crowd of people.

“I’ll try.”