Ch.33Chapter 2. Seed of the Devil (2)

Sejong Island is divided into various zones.

Since the island itself is a city, it has administrative districts, but fortunately for me, these districts follow something similar to international standards.

They didn’t divide the administrative districts using names of historical figures like Jang Yeong-sil Road, Hwang Hui District, or Kim Jong-seo District.

“Korean pronunciation is too difficult! Please make road names that foreigners can pronounce easily!”

“Well, if that’s the case, we’ll use easy-to-pronounce pure Korean words. Let’s call this area Naro District.”

“I’m deeply moved by the minister’s grand decision.”

“Wait, this person…?”

The districts are divided using pure Korean words that are relatively easy for foreigners to pronounce, similar to how typhoons are named.

This is “Eden District.”

True to its pure Korean meaning of “kind, virtuous,” it’s an area where traditional culture and modern sensibilities blend well, reminiscent of Jeonju Hanok Village.

While the exterior maintains a traditional appearance, the interior structures are all modern, Western, or harmonized with modernism.

‘This would be a perfect place for a date.’

Quite regrettably, seeds of evil are currently being produced here.

Judging by the moon’s position, it’s 1 AM.

At this late hour, most people are in deep sleep, except for those working late.

While most buildings have their lights off and are immersed in the night’s silence, I landed on top of a building that was suspiciously quiet.

‘The Tavern Owner certainly has skills.’

The building’s exterior that I had studied in the documents matched exactly with what I was now seeing from atop the tiled roof.

Chunchugak (Spring and Autumn Pavilion).

Even in this Korea-centric world, naming a building with Chinese characters seems either an attempt to preserve tradition or, given the Korean signboard, an emphasis on Korean language despite being in the Chinese character cultural sphere.

It’s quite ironic that they’re mass-producing Western-style demonic seeds in such a place.

‘Setting up shop right in the middle of town. They must be pretty confident they won’t get caught.’

Usually, secret laboratories are built far from public attention, but these evil organizations boldly establish buildings in populated areas.

Though they’re an evil organization, they’re not The Syndicate.

The Syndicate doesn’t create things like demonic seeds; they prefer strengthening through individual growth and development without external factors.

In other words, the organization creating demonic seeds is a pure villain group with a different nature than The Syndicate.

These are enemies I can “execute” more decisively than when dealing with Red Scarf or the demon Lilith.

‘Let’s enter as a ghost first.’

I lightly tapped my shoulder with the Goblin club.

Instantly, the world turned monochrome, and I entered the roof of Chunchugak, floating like a ghost according to my will.

‘As expected.’

Electronic signals run throughout the building.

Not just electrical wires, but a dense spider web of wiring installed during construction.

‘This is thorough, very thorough.’

If someone were to make even a small hole in the building?

The electrical wiring would be cut, sending a signal downward.

And forcing open a locked window would immediately trigger detection.

But there’s something they’ve overlooked.

While they can detect intruders through electrical wiring and signals…

‘Without mana wiring, they can’t notice this.’

They can’t stop the elusive Goblin.

‘Fairy tale.’

I placed my hand on the roof and put the club on it.

‘I can pass through.’

Like wind seeping in or heat penetrating a building, my body slowly phased through the roof and entered.

Silently.

‘Phew.’

Passing through the building’s roof drained a considerable amount of mana, but I couldn’t carelessly deactivate my ghostly state yet.

‘There’s no one in the building.’

Those who should be here are absent.

No one in the bedrooms, no one sleeping on living room sofas.

That makes sense.

When I traced the building’s electrical wiring, I found a separate entrance leading to a basement.

According to the Tavern Owner’s investigation—

Creeeeak.

A door opened.

I froze against the wall, holding my breath, and observed the man who emerged.

“Yaaawn.”

He’s not an ability user.

How can I tell? Just by looking at his face and apparent age.

‘If he claims to be under 25 with that face, he’s crazy.’

Anyone can see he’s in his 30s, maybe even close to 40s.

Unless he’s using abilities to make himself look older, this man in the white coat is definitely a researcher at this facility.

“Yaaawn.”

The man took something out of the refrigerator.

And that’s when I knew for certain he was a villain.

‘Seriously? Asahi from there?’

Taking out Asahi beer from a refrigerator in Chunchugak on Sejong Island?

While I don’t particularly harbor anti-national sentiments, this is definitely suspicious.

“Yaaawn.”

The man was about to leave the kitchen with his canned beer, and I slipped through the door before he closed it.

Passing through walls causes mana loss.

It’s best to conserve when possible.

Pop!

With the sound of the can opening, the man headed toward what appeared to be a normal bedroom wardrobe.

Not just any wardrobe, but a “mother-of-pearl cabinet.”

He opened the door of this cabinet—the kind with silvery mother-of-pearl inlays that’s now rare even in countryside grandmothers’ homes.

‘As expected.’

The man casually opened the cabinet door and entered.

Before he closed the door, I confirmed there was another space behind the cabinet and immediately followed him.

“Ugh.”

The man shuddered.

Though I hadn’t made physical contact, he probably felt a chill down his spine from the mass of mana behind him.

Creeeeak.

As soon as we entered the cabinet, the man rubbed what looked like a Taegeuk watch against the darkness.

Whirrrr.

It was an elevator.

“Yaaawn.”

Code {TXK1}, {TXK2}. Authorization complete.

As the elevator panel lit up green, something began to clatter inside.

I held my breath and watched closely as the man operated the elevator, which descended quite deep.

Clunk, clunk.

10m? 20m?

When the elevator finally stopped at a depth difficult to estimate, the man changed his languid expression and opened the door.

‘Wow.’

A research facility where everything was white.

After separating from behind the man, I quickly scanned the surroundings for any ability users, just in case.

‘None.’

There were no ability users.

And no mana detectors to sense ability users either.

Not yet.

‘It’s a typical research facility, but it’s so clean it’s creepy.’

It feels less like a facility researching demonic seeds and more like a semiconductor research center.

If I materialized now, I’d probably hear “Dust yourself off before entering!” rather than “Who are you!”

Or so I wished.

‘Tsk.’

Sure enough, going just a bit further inside revealed a horrific situation.

[Aaaaargh!!]

A space bathed entirely in white.

In the middle of a large area like a school gymnasium, a “demon” bound to a pillar was screaming in agony.

A succubus.

[Now that the team leader is here, we’ll resume. Attempt #3412 of ‘extraction’.]

Creeeeak.

As the announcement echoed through the room, all sorts of machines approached the succubus.

The succubus struggled with all her might, but I immediately sensed that the rope-like restraints binding her were ability-created restraints.

Whether hero or villain, it’s natural that the one with stronger abilities and higher magical power wins.

Nooooo!!

Screams echoed.

Mechanical arms approached the succubus, starting to rotate like drills as if about to dig into something.

No way.

So demonic seeds are—

“If we fail to extract it this time too, will our budget be cut?”

“Who knows. They might even shut down the facility.”

The researchers casually sipped their canned beer and yawned, unfazed by the screams.

“Senior, why are you drinking Asahi again? Nakdonggang beer is so delicious.”

“I just prefer foreign over domestic.”

“If you’re going foreign, at least drink European, why Japanese?”

“It’s just personal preference.”

They even laughed while having this trivial conversation.

“What are you going to do after this research is done?”

“Huh?”

“You’ll need something else to work on after this project ends, right? How about joining a project with me?”

“Senior…”

On the surface, it seems like they’re having a touching conversation.

But the reality is completely different.

Aaaaargh!!!

While mechanical drills bore into the succubus’s abdomen, they continue their conversation without any emotion or entertainment.

“I told you, right? That when this project ends, I have something important to tell you.”

The man finished his beer and took something out of his coat pocket.

“Here.”

“…Is it okay to propose like this here?”

“If not now, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to.”

In the distance.

The mechanical drill is about to enter the lower abdomen.

The screams were loud enough to shake the glass walls, but the researchers remained unfazed.

‘Perfect.’

It’s time to show what villain behavior really is.

“Kim, will you—”

WHAM!!

I materialized and kicked the man in the side.

CRASH!!

The glass shattered as the man flew into the chamber, and I kicked up the fallen ring box.

[It’s disgusting that people like you marry and have children.]

“Ah, aah…”

[From now on.]

I gripped my club, shaped like a baseball bat.

[I will execute all the wicked.]

Even if they’re human.