Escaping the Mystery Hotel - Chapter 672
Only Krnovel
EP.672 Episode 672 – Room 301, The Cursed Room – ‘The Origin of Species’ (16)
Episode 672 – Room 301, The Cursed Room – ‘The Origin of the Species’ (16)
– Yoo Song-i
Two days have passed since my first meeting with Agent C, Agent 301, who I found at a Korean restaurant.
Meanwhile, C promised to introduce us to the Visionaries – the leaders of Office 301.
For some reason, the conflict between the Administration and the great race of Ys was so intense that each and every hand was precious to the Administration.
In just one day, the meeting place and time were conveyed by the seer.
The appointment date is today!
So, all the members except for Eunsol are gathered together and moving in a van.
The old man who was driving opened his mouth and grumbled.
“Jincheol, take a good look at the navigation.”
“It was captured exactly.”
“No, the meeting place is in a valley in Gangwon-do? Did the management office in this era go back to farming as a group?”
“Don’t you get the idea why it had to be Gangwon-do? That strange relic that was underground in Gangwon-do.”
Ariga chimed in.
“The memory that Eunsol found out from the chairman is also related to Gangwon-do. The place where the chairman met the King of Is a long time ago was the Gangwon-do Research Institute.”
“It seems like something happened in the valleys of Gangwon-do… By the way, what is the origin of the project? Why is the name the same as the room title?”
“I know.”
While various stories were being told, Elena told a story about Eunsol.
“The chairman suddenly started the succession process.”
“what?”
“According to what Eunsol said, someone with a great destiny should lead the Daeyang Group.”
“Oh my! So that’s why Eunsol was so busy yesterday and today.”
“It’s realistically difficult to be separated from the Chairman. As you know, the Chairman still has more information that we don’t know.”
“Hmm….”
If my side is moving forward in a straight line from Secret Base -> C -> Pioneer, Eun-sol unnie has stopped at the Chairman.
Because I was faced with the embarrassing situation that there was more information hidden from the Chairman, and it would be dangerous to find out that information.
At the point when he stopped wondering what to do, the chairman is said to have suddenly started the succession of the Daeyang Group.
While everyone was silent for a moment, Ari smiled and said something.
“It seems that the Chairman of Daeyang Group is confused about the genre of Room 301.”
“…”
“If Room 301 was a modern drama centered around a wealthy family, Eun-sol has now achieved her ultimate goal in life.”
I was listening to the joke and I became curious.
Beyond Room 301, what should we call the genre of this world?
Buddha’s salvation of the world that I can’t understand no matter how much I think about it?
Anyway, one thing is clear.
The succession of conglomerates is nothing more than a meaningless obstacle to us.
Then Elena looked at me and said.
“My sister was wondering. Are Songi’s parents really ordinary people?”
Naturally, I looked at the two agents who had been harassing my parents for the past two or three days.
“Yes,” the grandfather replied, shrugging his shoulders.
“That’s how I see it. They’re just ordinary citizens, a good veterinarian couple.”
Ari tilted her head and asked back.
“On the first day of moving in, a strange fog came into the house?”
“I also listened to that story and watched it more intently, but I still don’t get it. Jincheol and I watched it with all our eyes wide open, but we still didn’t get it.”
“Hmm… Wasn’t the incident that morning caused by Songi’s parents?”
The story is that my parents are ordinary people with no suspicion whatsoever.
When I first heard this, my mind was truly complicated.
A sense of relief that I’m not some kind of traitor to humanity.
The sense of emptiness that the suspicion that started outside Room 301 was easily resolved.
Finally, the disappointment of having my expectations of having a special and mysterious background shattered!
“…”
Honestly, I’m also quite disappointed.
I know it’s hard to tell others, but I was secretly looking forward to it.
I also thought that I might be a ‘mysterious being from birth’ like Ari, Miro, Gain oppa, or Eunsol unnie these days!
I had all kinds of imaginations, but it felt like everything was disappearing?
At this moment when I was lost in such slightly embarrassing thoughts, Jincheol Oppa smiled awkwardly.
“That’s Song.”
“yes?”
“Can’t you try to persuade your father?”
“…”
“… Well, I guess your father is -”
“Are you talking about how Dad sued my brother?”
“…”
The fact that my father started a police report and a civil lawsuit against Jincheol for various reasons including assault, threats, destruction of property, and damages due to illegal acts!
It’s a story we all know, but Elena, who joined us today, opened her eyes wide.
“What are you talking about all of a sudden? Sue?”
Jincheol sighed deeply and explained.
“… There was a bit of a commotion in the process of confirming whether Songi’s father was really an ordinary human being -”
“My father said that a huge, drunk man came into the hospital and caused a commotion.”
“…”
“I heard that he suddenly destroyed the hospital and even grabbed my father by the collar and shook him.”
Ari, who was listening from the side, chuckled.
“It’s natural to report this to the police. It’s also natural to file a civil suit.”
Grandfather said with a sigh.
“Hey, we couldn’t help it. We were getting anxious because nothing was coming out. Then Jincheol came up with an idea.”
“Let’s try a life-threatening situation?”
“If the veterinarian had some evil power hidden inside him, wouldn’t he use it in a life-threatening situation? That’s why I checked.”
“What are the results?”
“I told you, Jincheol was so scared that he could have been strangled to death if he lifted even one finger.”
The more I listened, the more speechless I became, so I glared at Jincheol oppa.
“Was it your idea?”
“… sorry.”
Jincheol awkwardly smiled and apologized, then suddenly shifted the blame.
“I was just saying that in passing. But, Agent Mukseong said it was a good idea and there was a fuss about it?”
“under?”
“Hey! Wild Boar, what are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“Did I say something wrong? Elena is here with you, so tell me honestly!”
The old man sitting at the wheel was startled and, as expected, brought up someone else’s name.
“Hey, hey, if you think about it, I’m a victim too. Do you know who outside planned to spy on Songi’s parents in the first place? Ariya.”
“Huh? What’s going on all of a sudden?”
“Ariya, did I get it wrong? You said to use your strength to get information! Is Elena next to you?”
At this point Elena took a deep breath.
“I have no intention of using lie detection for something this weird.”
At that moment, Ari, who had been making a playful expression, not knowing that the ball would be thrown to her, made a bewildered expression.
Of course, Ari also quickly turned the arrow.
“… If you think about it, there is no one who is fundamentally responsible.”
I asked, a smile slowly forming on my face.
“Who are you talking about?”
“Gain.”
“ah?”
“Do you know who was the first to say that your parents were suspicious? It was Ga-in.”
“Is it true?”
“Ha! Elena, tell me what I’m saying is true!”
“… I told you not to use lie detection for this kind of thing.”
“Did you really start it first, Ga-in oppa?”
“I told you so. Gain planted the seeds of discord.”
At this moment, my mouth fell open!
To be honest, it was a joke until a little while ago.
Did Jincheol grab my dad by the collar and threaten him?
How did Ari and Grandpa come up with this plan?
Are you saying that Gain oppa also suspected my parents?
I understand everything.
Because everyone’s lives are at stake in solving Room 301, right? That could be possible.
What I find most absurd is the next part.
“… Everyone. I’m saying this because it’s ridiculous.”
“What is it?”
“I had a long one-on-one conversation with Gain oppa the night before the second attempt, right?”
At this point, everyone’s attention was focused on me, as if they felt something significant.
“My brother said then that the story about spying on our parents was brought up by my grandfather in a private chat room.”
“What, what? What do you mean?”
“… So naturally, I thought Grandpa and Ari were the first to start this story.”
The inside of the van suddenly became quiet.
Grandfather, Ari, and even Jincheol and Elena were momentarily speechless.
Soon, Ari muttered with an expression of admiration in a way.
“As expected, it’s Gain.”
“…”
“We can’t let our guard down for even a moment. At this rate, even if Aleph comes back alive, he’ll get stabbed in the back by Cain.”
After that, there was a time of criticism of Ga-in oppa in the car until they arrived at the Gangwon-do research institute.
*
‘… What is this situation?’
‘It’s going according to plan.’
‘…’
‘Look. You grabbed your beloved family by the collar and threatened them, so even if you understand it rationally, you might still feel resentment emotionally, right?’
‘…’
‘But if it’s resolved like this, everyone will be cursing at the temple outside, so there will be no ill feelings inside.’
‘Is this really the plan?’
‘Haha! Hyung Sang-Hyeon, you have to trust me.’
‘As expected, Gain is smart!’
‘Miss Miro, no matter how I look at it, this is a lie.’
‘Ahem! Anyway, this is what I think. There must have been something special about Songi before she came to the hotel.’
‘I agree with that. The first wish hinted at a mysterious destiny. It’s just that the cause wasn’t the parents.’
‘If Eunsol’s fate was planned by an unknown person…’
‘What about Ms. Songi?’
‘Could it have been a literal coincidence, a fateful event?’
‘Is it a feeling? Or is it an insight?’
‘The line between feeling and insight is blurred for me. But anyway, I’m sure of this much. Before the end of 301, we’ll know about the two people’s wishes.’
*
After arriving at the previously agreed upon location, Ariman and I got off.
The other colleagues kept a certain distance, just enough so that the grandfather’s conversation would not be interrupted.
So even if Ari and I are in danger, we can notify them through the chat window.
Towards evening, I finally met C’s superior, who was a member of the ‘Visionaries’.
She was a middle-aged woman with gray hair that had turned half-white, and her appearance was completely unremarkable.
C, who is so mysterious that you can’t tell if he’s a human or an evil spirit just by looking at his appearance, is just an ordinary agent, but C’s superior, a visionary who holds a much bigger secret, has an appearance that makes it impossible to tell him from an ordinary person if you meet him on the street…
While feeling the subtle irony, Ari and the seer began to have a conversation.
“I heard from C. A, you’re an agent who’s been out of the loop more than five times recently?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Normally, I would have given a light disciplinary action for an act of desertion without a formal report….”
“sorry.”
“It can’t be helped, given the timing. It’s a time when hands are precious. Did you hear from C?”
“Yes. I heard there are ongoing conflicts with an alien race with the ability to steal flesh.”
“C said you have a certain level of mental defense.”
“I have it, but the attendant behind me also has it. You heard me -”
Naturally, the visionary looked at me and smiled.
“Are you a candidate for a new agent?”
“yes yes.”
“Welcome. Are you ready to dedicate your heart to humanity in the future?”
“Oh, of course.”
“You’re a cute and pretty girl. I like you.”
At this point I was a little confused.
Because the visionary felt so ordinary.
Deep down, I imagined someone with such high charisma that I would be overwhelmed just by making eye contact… .
When I actually met her, she seemed like nothing more than a pretty old lady who grew up in a wealthy family.
What should I say? He seems so ordinary that I feel a strong sense of discomfort.
It’s obvious that it’s a being that’s on the border between human and monster, but it feels like it’s wearing human skin.
While they were laughing awkwardly, Ari brought up an important topic.
“I heard about the Origin of Species Project from C.”
“is it so?”
“As I was thinking about it, no matter how much I thought about it, it seemed like that project was the culprit.”
“…”
“Isn’t this the starting point where the human and Ys races met? In other words, the beginning of everything.”
“You could think of it that way.”
Information gained from the ‘post-apocalyptic world’ that passes by in an instant.
For some reason, a conflict began between the Iss race and humans.
The King of Is is dead, and the Is people want to resurrect him.
“I want to know more about the project.”
Honestly, I didn’t expect an answer right away when I heard Ari’s question.
From the beginning, aren’t we still suspicious beings in the eyes of the visionaries?
As the saying goes, her hands are so precious, and Ariga seems to be an agent, so we just treat her like an ally.
It’s not a relationship where you can tell someone confidential information.
I thought so.
“I see. That’s right.”
“Yeah – yes?”
“You are the ones who will be the key players in preventing the invasion of Ys in the future. You need to know the information. Let’s go to the ruins. I’ll tell you as we go.”
At this point, Ari’s eyebrows rose slightly.
There was no conversation, but I could see what Ari was thinking.
Things are going ‘too’ well!
At a point when a subtle sense of bewilderment was setting in, the seer said something truly bizarre.
“By the way, have you heard about the purpose of the Origin of Species Project?”
“… C said he didn’t know either -”
“rising.”
“yes?”
“We wanted to elevate the destiny of humanity to a higher realm.”
*
‘… It’s so weird.’
‘Why are you doing that?’
‘You’re telling Ari, whom you just met today, a secret that you didn’t even tell C, who has been loyal to you for a long time?’