How to Survive Restructuring

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 90: Physical Exam (4)

Blink!

A map in the corner of my vision displayed a green safe zone alongside a red dot.

It marked the location of the target with the tracker—Iro.

‘That tower, huh.’

The spire at the center of the Sky Island.

‘I didn’t even know it existed.’

A tower I hadn't even been aware of.

As soon as I saw the map and the red dot, the spire came into view.

A towering pinnacle reaching the heavens.

It was strange that I hadn’t noticed it before, but soon it made sense.

They must have taken measures to make it invisible to us.

Some sort of perceptual interference, perhaps.

And I found it through the "tracker."

‘Things are looking good.’

If we can’t see it, that means the enemy likely wouldn’t expect me to find it on my own.

Blink! Blink!

The 3D map even conveniently indicated which floor to check.

Finding the enemy wouldn’t be hard.

‘The issue is how to sneak out undetected.’

To avoid the "Eye" in the sky and pass the unknown "physical examination" swiftly, I needed to get to the enemy.

[Arrived at the examination area!]

I had to create an opening somehow.

Before the enemy strangled me, I had to strike first.

[The physical examination begins now!]

Filled with resolve, I stepped into the giant green circle.

"…What is this?"

The scene unfolding before me was unexpected.

"What the—? Are we re-enlisting in the military?"

Eye charts for vision tests.

Numerous booths and tents.

Long queues stretching before them...

It was, literally, a physical examination.

Except for one unfitting element.

"This is…"

"Is this a real physical examination?"

"It’s just like the military screening, sis! Except it’s unmanned!"

"Right? Seems like it scans you automatically as you pass through!"

Unmanned.

Well, that’s accurate.

"Since 'they' aren’t human."

[Height!]

[171 cm!]

[Weight!]

[68 kg!]

Unbelievable.

I was thinking about how to create a gap to escape from this examination.

[Next subject... huh?]

[Wha—?!]

But I encountered ones I could talk to.

[Monster?]

[Monster!]

Wide-eyed twin bowl-cut heads.

「Monster. We’re leaving!」

Agents from the Investigation Bureau, who left behind an odd note.

Cute in appearance, but terrifying in skill—a demon.

‘If only I could talk without prying eyes.’

I racked my brain, glancing between them and the "Eye."

A way to talk to them unnoticed by the investigator.

As I mulled over and over…

Whoooosh!

Dark clouds gathered, briefly darkening the sky.

Creak—!

The eyelid that was wide open shut with the sound of a wooden door closing.

[The 'Eye' is deactivated under the investigator's authority!]

Huh?

[The Eye?]

[It’s closed?]

[During a mission?]

[Why?]

Wait a second.

Did that guy deactivate it?

To avoid being watched?

[Ugh, I want to smash that cursed Eye!]

[Iro!]

What?

So that means…

"Hey, kids!"

[Monster!]

[Nice to meet you!]

So, this is how you help me?

"I’m in a bit of a hurry, but…"

How should I thank you?

* * *

Bang!

The temporary lab door burst open.

[What are you doing?! Deactivating the Eye and all!]

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Cho Bok stomped in, each step heavy with displeasure.

Clearly showing his discontent.

[What are you thinking?! If the Audit Bureau finds out, you’ll be disciplined immediately! And the delay in the schedule almost got reported…!]

[Ah, well done.]

Of course, Iro wasn’t fazed.

[Hand me that reagent.]

[…]

Breaking the rules and deactivating the "Eye," yet conducting an experiment amidst all this chaos.

[At this rate, the physical examination will end before you know it! You should get back to surveillance…]

[It’s almost done.]

[What?]

[The data is perfect. Clinical trials are the only thing left, and… if we capture Lee Eunho, it’ll be complete. With this… we can make up for any mistakes.]

This guy is truly insane.

Cho Bok was certain as he asked, exasperated.

[What is this thing, anyway?]

With a sly smile, Iro answered.

[A stimulant.]

[What?]

[A drug that amplifies the brain’s potential several times over.]

Amplifying the brain’s potential?

Why on earth would that be necessary in this situation?

Cho Bok raised an eyebrow and asked indirectly.

[So, what... does it make you smarter?]

[Tch, this is why field agents are so...]

Iro clicked his tongue as he cast a sidelong glance at Cho Bok.

Faced with such a monumental discovery, the only question he could muster was whether it "makes you smarter."

[It enhances cognitive ability, reflexes, senses, and even power. You could say it maximizes all physical capabilities.]

[All that... from just this potion?]

[Well, the effects vary from subject to subject.]

Gulp!

The potion in the triangular flask wobbled on its own.

A bluish liquid with faint crimson clumps shimmered, swirling like water and oil, reflecting light as it moved up and down like convection currents.

Staring at it for too long made Cho Bok feel faint.

[Whew...]

Shaking himself out of his daze, Cho Bok shook his head and asked,

[Does it work better if your intelligence is higher?]

If the potion was meant to draw out the brain's potential, it seemed logical.

The more he thought about it, the more convinced he was, and he nodded to himself.

But.

[It’s proportional, sure... but it’s not that simple.]

Iro shook his head with a bitter expression.

The reason was clear—they still hadn’t fully determined the exact parameters of the data.

[Potential, if we’re being as accurate as we can be.]

It was frustrating to have to lump it all under the vague term "potential," but it was the best they could do for now.

Even so, the research was nearing its final stage.

[Once this clinical trial is complete, I'll make the report.]

[Report? To whom?]

Iro fell silent, thinking of him.

[Letting a genius rot on the streets... What a wretched world we live in. Don’t you think?]

[And you are...?]

[They call you a mad genius. I was curious if it was true.]

His light.

The only light that pierced his once pitch-dark world, where he couldn’t even see himself.

[What should I call you?]

[I... have no name.]

[Ah, how pitiful.]

The only savior who had delivered him from his wretched state.

[Iro. What do you think?]

[Iro... A different path?]

[Yes. If you follow me, a path unlike any you’ve known will open before you.]

[...!]

The Skeleton Soldier Project had failed due to those wretched bugs, but this would more than make up for it.

Surely, he would be pleased.

Perhaps, he might even offer a pat on the back.

Iro felt his body grow warm at the thought.

[So, you're saying you’ll give this potion to Eunho? That’s the clinical trial... right?]

[Fool. Not Eunho.]

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

[What? After all this talk about Eunho, now you’re saying it’s not him?]

Cho Bok chuckled in disbelief but nodded as Iro continued.

[Eunho is out of the question. He wouldn’t be able to handle it.]

[Not able to handle it...?]

[His potential is too high.]

The potion amplifies the potential of the subject it is absorbed into.

And Eunho had the highest potential among all the subjects Iro had encountered.

In other words, the chances of producing an uncontrollable outcome were extraordinarily high.@@novelbin@@

[Eunho will be a test subject.]

[A test subject?]

[We’ll inject the potion into him little by little. But to do that, we’ll have to extract it in its pure state.]

Inject the potion?

Where?

And...

[What do you mean, extract it in its pure state?]

At Cho Bok’s question, the researcher shrugged.

Then.

Tap, tap!

He tapped his forehead with his index finger.

‘The brain.’

Gasp!

The look on his face was chilling, filled with an almost grotesque greed.

Cho Bok, relieved that he wasn’t the target of that greed, quickly changed the subject.

[S-so then, who are you going to give it to? You're not going to take it yourself, are you?]

[That guy who lunged at the capsule earlier. I’m thinking of giving it to him.]

The one who had lunged at the capsule...

[The subject, Jang Hanil? Why him?]

[From the way he charged without thinking, his brain might as well be made of muscle. He’s a perfect candidate. Strong but manageable within the system.]

It made sense. Cho Bok nodded in agreement.

[Plus, he seems to have a solid grudge against Eunho. Wouldn’t it be easy to pit them against each other?]

[That’s true.]

They needed to handle this as naturally as possible.

If there was noise in Cho Bok’s jurisdiction, it would obviously spell trouble for him, and the same went for Iro.

If it became public knowledge that they had interfered in another department’s project, it could cause issues with the higher-ups.

So.

[A man, consumed by jealousy, ‘opened up’ and attacked another. Plausible, don’t you think?]

[True... they don’t usually dig into fights between subjects.]

[And with the scene we just saw, no one will suspect a thing.]

Not bad.

No, it was excellent.

If things went according to plan, even those nosy audit department scumbags wouldn’t suspect a thing.

[Oh! Then we just report that the body was lost in the fight. Maybe leave a finger behind?]

[Hmph. Wouldn’t a strand of hair suffice? Fingers are valuable.]

Cho Bok felt reassured, and Iro was confident.

Even before the battle began, they were already considering the spoils.

[Once the physical exams are done, we move. Keep an eye on the situation.]

[Got it. I’ll check in.]

Unlike when he came in, Cho Bok left the temporary lab with calm steps.

But moments later.

Thud!

There was a sound of something falling.

[Iro!]

Someone called out his name.

[What?]

All he’d asked was for them to check the situation—what on earth had gone wrong now?

[I... need some... help.]

Sigh.

They couldn’t even handle a simple task.

This was why he hated dealing with idiots.

Iro sighed deeply as he got up from his seat.

Clack!

[What an idiot. Couldn't even handle that one thing properly... huh?]

Click!

But when he opened the door and stepped out—

[Mmph!]

...was Cho Bok, tied to a chair.

A piece of cloth was stuffed into his mouth like a gag.

[W-what the hell?!]

[Mmph, mmph!]

Iro stammered as he spoke.

Looking around, the only ones present were Cho Bok and himself.

But judging from the situation...

[W-who came here? Don’t tell me it’s the Audit Bureau already...?]

[Mmph, mmph!!]

At Iro's panicked words, Cho Bok shook his head wildly like a wet dog.

[Not the Audit Bureau? Then who else would come here?!]

And then Iro...

[No way...!]

...thought of a possibility that absolutely couldn't be true.

Something that shouldn't, couldn’t ever happen.

But if it were him...

Clack!

Without hesitation, Iro immediately turned and bolted.

[Mmph! Mmmmmph!!]

Cho Bok screamed something muffled, but it didn’t matter.

[The potion...!]

He had to grab it.

Quickly!

Even if he had to crawl on all fours, he had to be fast!

But...

[W-what?!]

It was gone.

The triangular flask that had been resting neatly on the desk just moments ago had vanished without a trace.

Bang! Crash!

He swept the desk clean in a fit of rage, smashing everything that got in his way.

[Where is it?!]

But it didn’t turn up.

The situation made no sense at all.

Iro’s mind went blank.

And just as he muttered to himself in bewilderment...

[I definitely left it right here...!]

"Potion?"

[Yeah! It’s a potio...]

Flinch.

[H-how are you here...?]

A voice he should never hear invaded his ears.

"So... you’re saying I wouldn’t be able to handle it if I drank this?"

The man curved his lips into a quiet smile, gazing at the shimmering blue-pink liquid now in his hand.

"Then I guess I’ll just have to drink it."

[N-no!!]

Iro lunged toward him.

But it was too late.

The man had already brought the flask to his lips.

"Let’s see if you can handle this."

[Y-you, you, you...]

Gulp!

The potion of the century disappeared.

Straight into the throat of the one person it should never have gone to.

"If you can."

[You bastard!!]

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]