Chapter 57 (1/2)

Chapter 57 –  Day 13, 10th Floor Big Picture (1)

A little while ago.  ”You should know that joining hands has a lot of meaning.”

Four hours before entering the dungeon. In one section of the bomb shelter, I was having dinner with Director Oh. It was to coordinate things like minor discipline and requirements in the future.

“I’m aware of that.”

“Really?” He wasn't asking because he thought I didn't know. It was because it was an issue that was bound to make him worried.

”Up until the fourth and fifth days, our thoughts about the situation were focused on fatalities. Due to an unspecified number of people becoming stronger than ordinary people, there was an indiscriminate number of murders.”

I was reminded of that a few times. Of course, it was the biggest problem of having the dungeon tied to society. But that wasn't the biggest problem that would be faced in the future.

Director Oh continued, “The growth of the explorers… The degree of growth is far beyond what we had originally expected. Just the growth between the seventh and eighth days… Kim Tae-hyun's physical abilities were already beyond the Olympic level. The video of you in the hallway yesterday…  If your speed was converted to 100 metres, it is almost twice as fast as the current world record.”

It was similar to the problem of purchasing the latest computer or phone. The gap could also be seen as the difference between how well people cleared the floors.

“Some people are already starting to show impatience. People like you can go anywhere.”

To me, the three most excellent stats were muscle strength, stamina and reflexes. At 23, 21 and 21 respectively, the upward momentum was slower, but it didn't stop. What about the spirit, rather than the body? I could fully comprehend a book of programming in less than 20 seconds.

”Is Director one of those people?”

“To be honest, I have been skeptical a few times. I was also curious. Let's say the problem of safety is completely solved and people like you are reborn under the strict protection of the dungeon.”

Director Oh swallowed his saliva. “Then what will you become in the end? Even if you don't kill people blindly, what impact will you have on the world?”

Director Oh spoke with a heavy expression. I faintly realized it. At least in this country, a handful of people like Director Oh had thought about this.

Of course, the default policy was to strictly control us. But there were limits to how much we could be controlled. Once the ability of an explorer exceeded a critical point, they might not be controlled, but become the person in control. Once that realization was reached, a person would end up with one of two options.

Director Oh explained. “This is just a hypothesis, it isn't certain. Judging from my personal experience, I can guess in advance how different countries will behave. Let me tell you what I think… Countries like China and j.a.pan will have identified the situation better than us.  It isn't this type of informal cooperation between you and I, but support from a national level…”

“They will eliminate problems at national level.”

“Exactly.”

Those countries would give full support. Or, if there was a immeasurable threat, get rid of it altogether.

When I thought about it, I wouldn't have been particularly positive to those two approaches. It was because they hadn't yet grasped the full situation. Kim Tae-hyun's visit and my presence at this place was due to Director Oh's discretion.

Director Oh spoke. ”Jin Soo-young's father…”

“You still won't call him the president?”

“It is burdensome. In some ways, it feels like a jinx.”

Director Oh pushed the lunch wrappers to the side and placed both hands on the table.

“In any case, her father is expecting something similar. His wife just seems worried. However, he might be delighted that his daughter is an explorer.”

“Is his daughter going to be a super secret murder weapon?”

Director Oh frowned at the joke. “She is a powerful individual. If he uses political propaganda, then she would be called the perfect superhuman.”

”…”

“If a country supports the explorers, they are probably doing it due to this thought.”

Maybe, unlike his wife, the president might be aware that his daughter was acting differently. It wasn't just to prevent the public from criticizing his daughter, but a personal project. It might be awkward, but I didn't think all of this security was to protect her. Furthermore, the daughter who later became a superhero could be used for himself. Well, this was just a guess.

“So do you want me for something like that?”

“I thought about it when I saw you. In the end, it is something that you will have to face.”

Of course. But it hadn't reached that point yet. I was just a university student in my early 20s. Even if the heads recognized me as a problem, using large scale national power on me wasn't realistic.

Eventually though, it would happen. I disliked having someone standing above me. I would live as I wanted without being bound to anyone. This was my driving force.

10 days ago, it would have been naive if I wanted to go against authority. I wasn't a graduate student, the parents of the students I privated tutored hadn’t paid my fees for a few months and I didn't have a strong reputation among the seniors.

But now? I didn't need to worry about those things. It was natural that I would finish this semester with top grades.  Money problems? Before entering the dungeon, I was inexperienced, but I had outsourced work as an amateur developer. Now I could tap the keyboard and get the job done 10 times faster.

Then was the conflict around me over? No. There was even more at the top. Even I didn't know that I would climb so fast.

“I don't know if Soo-young can go to the end, but personally, I don't think she has that ability.”

I asked, ”Uh. Isn't this conversation a bit dangerous?”

“Are you going to tell?”

Director Oh laughed. I naturally had no intention of doing that.

“You see, this is what my department is. Twisting my body for national interests. Kim Tae-hyun is still alive, so there isn't a problem with intelligence right now, but after a few days, everyone will make a fuss over the fact that we have no explorer.”

“I'm not going to be Director-nim's portfolio.”

“I don't want that. However, I think you are safer as a blank slate than a serial killer whose father is the president.”

In other words, I was brought here through Director Oh's own decision.

When I first met Director Oh, he realized that I can be used advantageously. I didn't have any social connections. Thus, there was nothing to lose. There was also no ambition. Of course, there was greed, but my background and experience meant it wouldn't lead me to a large scale ambitions. My father wasn't the president or a chaebol.

“After tonight, once you come out… There will be verification.”

“Verification?”