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[ Pandemonium (1) ]
“Baby. You say you’re going to cooperate anyway, but you’re just stretching it out? “It’s just a waste of time.”
The great man shook off his hands. At his feet, a man who appeared to be in his late 30s was lying down and writhing.
“Crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
to Philip.
It was the name of a man with foam at the mouth and rolling eyes.
He was a middle manager of the Pandemonium organization, and his main duties included human trafficking and product management.
Because of his work, he often moved back and forth between the outside and inside of the organization.
He was also the perfect companion for people who needed a guide.
“hey. How long are you going to stay asleep? “Do you want me to touch you some more?”
The great man kicked Philip, who had fallen. When I pressed a few points with my toes, Philip, who had been unconscious, jumped up as if he had been struck by lightning.
“Ouch!”
Philip, who came to his senses, shed tears and prayed to the great man.
“Please, please save me…”
Philip was an elite member of the organization who went in and out of the organization’s headquarters. At first, he seemed quite strong.
However, even Daein was a human being who suffered from threats of appeasement and torture. You could easily make someone in middle management, not even an executive, compliant with just the right amount of caress.
Moreover, despite how excellent the technology was, there were no traces of torture on Philip’s body.
“Just give directions properly. Then, I will release you at the right time.”
“I’m really guaranteed to be saved…”
“Do you think you have a choice?”
Philip didn’t seem to believe the man’s words, but there was nothing he could do with his fist shaking in front of his eyes.
“Oh no.”
After a while, the great man headed deep into a cave as complex as an anthill, with Philip leading the way.
Sreuk….
The great man disappeared into hiding and sent a message to Philip.
[Act as usual. I know that if you do something foolish, everything will fly right away.]
As the great man disappeared like a ghost before his eyes, the fear Philip felt doubled.
“Four four!”
[Listen as you go. I will tell you roughly what you need to do.]
The two people’s uneasy companionship began.
***
The home of Pandemonium.
After half of their previous base was blown up by a bomb sent by Daein, they moved their base and hid more thoroughly underground.
It was said that even Pandemonium executives were not fully aware of how large the relocated headquarters was or how intricately designed it was.
This was a fact that Daein personally confirmed with the captured executives.
Moreover
, ‘the little boy from the future said that the road was so complicated that he couldn’t remember the exact location.’
According to the information provided by Lily from the future, the two eventually succeed in finding this place.
However, because the road was so complicated, it gave Soul Eater time to prepare, and because of that, it took a considerable amount of time to completely eradicate Pandemonium.
-There… he was in danger because of me.
-So, don’t take me with you this time.
The contents written in the letter left by future Lily.
To avoid making the same mistake again, Daein decided to infiltrate here alone.
“The first gate will appear in a moment…”
Philip said, looking around. The man’s trick was clearly visible, so the great man sent a message in a somber voice.
[If you pretend to talk to me one more time and try to send a signal to those around you, they will snap your neck on the spot.]
“…….”
[From now on, in response to my questions, only slightly move your head up and down or left and right. Answer me. Got it?]
Gulp.
Philip nodded slightly, and the great man patted him on the shoulder.
[Don’t be nervous. Just do as I tell you.]
The two continued walking down the labyrinth-like path.
After a while, we arrived at the first gate leading into the ant cave.
“stop.”
Inside the tightly closed steel door, a small shutter opened halfway and a watchful eye appeared.
“What’s the matter?”
Pandemonium not only made its base as complex as an anthill, it also erected gates at every major road. The purpose was to block the gates in case of emergency to save time.
The further inward you go, the harder the doors become and the more thorough the inspections become.
‘I heard that the two of you and the little boy tried to break through with your own strength and had a hard time.’
Then, this time, use an insider to infiltrate as quietly as possible.
‘As far as where we can go quietly.’
That was the master’s plan.
The great man gave instructions to Philip by telegraph.
[They say it is very urgent because they have something to report to the committee.]
“I came because there is something to report to the committee. “It’s very urgent!”
Philip acted better than anyone thought.
Moreover, his pale face and cold sweat were enough to make other gang members think, ‘Something really unusual has happened.’
“Urgent? “What is it?”
[They say you can’t talk here. I have to meet the executives in person and tell them.]
“James. That’s not something I can say to you. “I need to meet the executives!”
The gang member behind the steel door and Philip seemed to know each other personally.
After a while, the first door opened with a heavy sound.
Kugugoogung….
“Philip. “What’s happening all of a sudden at this hour?”
The large man looked at Philip with a slightly suspicious expression. A few more well-built gang members were standing behind him.
The door was open, but it wasn’t an atmosphere that would allow easy passage.
“That…”
Philip didn’t have the right words to answer.
I couldn’t say that I asked to open the door because of the intruder’s threats.
[Object in left pocket. Take it out and show it to that friend.]
‘Left pocket?’
Philip put his hand into his pocket without thinking, and to his surprise, there was really something inside.
Philip showed it to James with a blank expression.
“This is… the Ogre King’s mask!”
James looked at the mask, his eyes wide as if they were about to tear.
It was only a fragment of a mask, but it was clearly the Ogre King’s mask.
Ogre King
is one of the high priests favored by the owner of Pandemonium and is dispatched to Earth with an important mission.
“He must have gone missing from Earth? Why do you have this?”
[It is said that a messenger sent by the Ogre King delivered a message. The messenger died as soon as he delivered the message, and you came to deliver it instead.]
“The messenger he sent came to me! But it was so serious that… as soon as the message was delivered, he died without even having a chance to do anything. shit! “That’s why I came instead!”
“what? What kind of message is this….”
[They say it’s confidential so you have to at least meet an executive and say it in person.]
“Damn it! Can’t you believe it after seeing this? It’s a huge secret! “Are you telling me to spread rumors around the neighborhood?”
“Still, it’s a procedure… I also have to report to the higher-ups…”
[You can handle this on your own, right?]
The moment he felt a cool touch on his neck, Philip shouted desperately.
“Hey you son of a bitch! “If something happens while I’m hanging out here with you, we’ll both be ruined!”
Philip shouted in absolute desperation, and James, who was frightened by his appearance, let him pass with a shocked expression.
“Oh, okay, let’s go.”
After passing the first gate, Philip was breathing heavily.
The great man tapped him on the shoulder.
[great job. Are you better at acting than I thought?]
“That…”
[What did I tell you to do when I answered you? Did you tell him to say it verbally?]
Philip, shocked, shook his head slightly from side to side.
‘Ji asked the question first! ‘You devil!’
[If you want to finish quickly, move quickly.]
Philip started running. With a good memory, he barely got lost in the labyrinth-like path and quickly arrived at the second gate.
Bang bang bang!
“It’s urgent! Open the door quickly!”
“The Ogre King sent a message!”
“look! This mask is the proof! “If I don’t meet the executive soon…”
Philip’s performance was amazing. When he passed the fourth gate with almost a free pass, even Daein had no choice but to admit it.
[…Are you really pretty?]
“Thank you….”
[Mouth.]
Philip closed his mouth. But at the same time, his steps stopped.
[Why aren’t you going?]
“…….”
Philip pointed to his mouth. It meant asking permission to speak. The great man gave special permission.
[What. Tell me.]
Whew.
Philip sighed and spoke timidly.
“This is the end of the road I know. “I’ve never been inside here before…”
At that moment, the great man appeared again out of thin air.
Slurp…
Philip, startled, took a step back. The great man was smiling.
“good. Then go.”
“Okay then, I’m done!”
As Philip was about to turn and run, the great man’s words were heard – but very clearly – in his ears.
“It won’t be long before I die anyway.”
“What do you mean? “I said I would save you earlier…!”
“Who says I killed him?”
The great man added an explanation to Philip, who was terrified.
“If I keep going like this, I’ll be found out that I lied. “Would the organization forgive a traitor like you?”
“That…”
Philip looked despairing.
I had never thought that deeply because I thought I could escape from the hands of this devil-like human right away.
“Some people will have realized that you lied by now. They might already be chasing you. “You know better than me what happens if you get caught, right?”
“…….”
Become a laboratory rat.
No, you end up worse than a rat.
Pandemonium conducts all kinds of experiments on living humans.
Children are the most frequently tested subjects, but there are quite a few cases of adults as well.
That’s why Pandemonium doesn’t execute traitors.
Choose to recycle wisely.
‘Then me too…’
Because he had personally experienced human trafficking and product management, Philip knew well what happened to experimental humans.
Most of them die after experiencing terrible pain during the experiment, and most of those who survive become monsters with their humanity obliterated.
That is your future.
dump.
Phillip, who was sitting on the floor, looked up at the man with blank eyes.
“I knew it would be like this from the beginning…”
“Isn’t it stupid that I didn’t expect it?”
The great man looked at Philip with cold eyes. At that moment, Philip attacked Daein with the feeling of being judged.
“die!!”
If I can subdue Daein here, I might be able to take off the yoke of being a traitor.
Of course, it was an impossible story.
Crack!
Daein, who immediately overpowered Philip, slammed him to the floor.
“shit! Let go of this! “Kill me…!”
“There is only one way for you to survive.”
“…….”
Philip, who was struggling, stopped moving. He knew it was the devil’s whisper, but he had no choice but to listen.
“You said you specialize in human trafficking and product management. Then you know where the ‘products’ are, right?”
It is no coincidence that Daein came to visit Philip first.
We investigated the people in the base through the Pandemonium executives captured on Earth and found the most likely person among them.
He is good at his job, but his loyalty is not very deep, and he has a good memory, so he is likely to memorize the labyrinth-like path and have the information he needs.
“Roughly speaking…”
It wasn’t a 100% confident answer, but seeing his eyes gradually become more alive, he seemed confident.
“Then find just one person.”
“who…?”
The moment Philip looked at Daein with a puzzled expression, Daein was thinking of the letter Lily left.
-There… he was in danger because of me.
Why Daein has become dangerous.
-Wendy, who was thought to be dead, was there.
Wendy.
A girl who was captured in Pandemonium along with Lily.
The two were the only friends, and Lily was able to escape to Earth thanks to Wendy’s sacrifice.
But Wendy, who was thought to be dead, was alive.
And then an enemy appeared in front of Lily.
Lily, who was shocked, froze without being able to resist, and because of that, even people were in danger.
-So, don’t take me with you this time.
The great man agreed with that.
-If you meet Wendy again this time… kill her. That kid already…
But I didn’t agree with that.
‘There is no need to kill someone who will become a valuable force.’
At that time, it was a future in which there was no information from future Lily.
The future that was changed by Daein was changed again by Lily.
And it will continue to change.
“You know Wendy, right?”
“Ice Witch…?”
“There is no need to explain further. “I think I know the location.”
“But the direction is different here….”
“I know that, so I’m telling you to do it.”
The great man grinned. He then gave Philip a magic scroll and a specially made necklace.
“Find her and put this necklace on her. And use this scroll. “It will hide your appearance.”
The scroll handed over contained Daein’s [Stealth] ability.
“No one will notice for at least two hours. After that, I will find you and take you out.”
Daein’s first goal is to retrieve ‘Arman’s Jewel’.
‘There isn’t enough time to go around looking for even a little friend. I can’t keep taking him with me.’
Therefore, the task of rescuing Wendy is outsourced to local experts.
“This is the only way you can survive.”
Philip spoke with a slightly rebellious expression upon hearing the man’s words.
“What if I use this scroll to run away alone…”
“Of course, there is also a location tracking spell. “If you don’t believe me, try it.”
The great man grinned, and Philip’s expression turned white.
In the end, I was caught in a spider’s web from the beginning.
“Can you do it?”
“…Damn it, I have no choice but to do it.”
Philip nodded with a tearful expression.
[ Pandemonium (1) ] End
ⓒ Ganjjajang
