Humanity Protection Company

Illustrations: None.

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The cleanup was a hassle, but it was finally done.

Even during the typhoon, the police arrived in response to the gunfire report, and the team leader, who had been delayed getting holy water, arrived at the same time, helping Yeonwoo avoid an investigation.

Replacing the broken window and cleaning the rain-soaked apartment after the typhoon had passed wasn\'t too difficult.

After the storm had passed.

At the office of the Anomaly Investigation Team.

Yeonwoo stood before the team leader, wearing an awkward smile. The team leader\'s gaze was sharp.

“Why on earth did you summon it?”

“Well, I wanted to test if a doppelganger could be used for investigative work. I didn’t expect things to turn out this way.”

A convenient excuse. He couldn’t admit that he had summoned it to contact demon worshipers.

Fortunately, the team leader didn’t seem suspicious. He sighed deeply and leaned back in his chair. His voice sounded resigned.

“Rookie, rookie.”

He remembered summoning the Demon of Absurdity himself in the past to deal with a tricky case, and he thought Yeonwoo must have been through a lot of incidents to resort to using the Demon of Sloth.

The team leader tapped the desk and looked up at Yeonwoo.

“Well, it happens. Investigators don’t get much equipment support. Sometimes we have to gather our own gear.”

His words showed a bit of leniency, and Yeonwoo’s awkward smile turned more genuine.

But suddenly, the team leader slammed the desk. The impact was so strong that the monitor shook.

“But still! You can’t summon an anomaly recklessly! You should have done it in front of us at least! And where did you get that Goldberg Club gun?”

“Oh, that? I stole it.”

“What?”

The team leader, who had been angry, now looked bewildered. Yoo Ji-yoo, who had been watching nearby, wore the same expression. They looked like they couldn’t believe their ears.

Yeonwoo quickly reached into his eco bag and pulled out the homemade pistol.

The dark homemade gun was revealed in the office. Before the team leader and Ji-yoo could react, Yeonwoo placed the gun on the team leader’s desk.

Then he handed another gun to Ji-yoo.

“I stole quite a few. team leader and Senior Ji-yoo, please take one each. Isn’t a gun better than tools or knives?”

“Are you seriously giving this to me?”

“Wait. Ji-yoo, don’t touch it.”

Ji-yoo, who had been about to grab the gun with sparkling eyes, stopped. She looked at the team leader.

The team leader examined the gun with a serious look, even more serious than when he had questioned Yeonwoo about summoning the demon.

“So, did you join the Goldberg Club? Is this a bribe?”

He asked in a heavy voice. He knew the Goldberg Club well and their methods. This might look like a gun but could be something like a gold bar.

But Yeonwoo shook his hands vigorously.

“You know what happened during my interrogation. I really stole these.”

“How? It’s not just one or two.”

The suspicion persisted.

Yeonwoo scratched his head. The report on what happened during the time freeze had bypassed the team leader and went straight to the higher-ups. The documents were classified, and the team leader couldn’t see them.

“It’s classified, but… Do you remember the lecture I went to last time?”

“The lecture on anomalous time?”

“For some reason, time stopped during that lecture. The dice resisted, so I could move.”

“And then?”

The team leader asked, scrutinizing Yeonwoo closely. Yeonwoo grinned.

“The Goldberg Club’s firearms workshop was nearby. I went in and took everything I could.”

“Well. The day has come when those bastards get robbed.”

The team leader, briefly impressed, quickly grabbed the gun.

As Ji-yoo silently pushed her chair back, the team leader expertly disassembled the gun. His hands moved swiftly, removing the magazine and making the gun parts fall apart.

“Never do anything this dangerous again.”

Yeonwoo was slightly startled as he watched the team leader mutter.

"It\'s really brand new."

The gun parts gleamed without a scratch.

“Have you used one?”

“A few times. Took one off a thug during work and kept a few secretly.”

“Really?”

The team leader lowered one hand and opened a drawer with a clatter. After rummaging around, he pulled out a dust-covered pistol.

The same model.

“Rookie, I’ve got one too. I’ve used up all the bullets, though. Anyway, thanks. As for the report… don’t bother. We’ll keep this between us.”

Yeonwoo gave a small nod.

Then he pulled a black plastic bag full of bullets out of his eco bag and placed it discreetly on the team leader’s desk. The bullets rattled.

The team leader, now completely free of suspicion, smiled contentedly.

“You stole the bullets too? Good job. Plenty to go around.”

“Leader, can you teach me how to maintain and shoot this gun?”

“Of course. Ji-yoo, come here too. Since we have these, we should know how to use them.”

Under the team leader’s guidance, they learned how to maintain the guns and the basics of shooting.

“You don’t always have to shoot. Just showing the gun can be enough to threaten someone.”

“Practice like this isn’t enough. Go to a shooting range and practice with other guns. That’s the most effective.”

“If you’re going to shoot, make sure to do it properly. Don’t even think about sniping. Just unload from a reasonable distance. Even one hit will be enough.”

“If the other guy has a gun… I don’t know. Anyway, I’m not a special forces guy either.”

After a considerable time learning.

Ding-!

A cheerful alarm sounded from the team leader’s computer, signaling the arrival of a document.

The team leader, who had been speaking seriously, turned to look at the monitor, his brow slightly furrowed.

“What are these bastards up to now?”

Yeonwoo and Ji-yoo, still handling the guns, waited for the team leader’s words.

Click, click-

A few mouse clicks and scrolls of the wheel. The team leader examined the monitor puzzledly, then looked up at Yeonwoo.

“Rookie. We’ve got a support request.”

“For me?”

“Yes, specifically asking for you.”

Yeonwoo felt a sudden sense of foreboding.

The team leader gestured for him to come over and look at the screen. Hesitantly, Yeonwoo moved to the team leader’s side and looked at the monitor.

[Request for Investigator Support]

-Seo Peonho, Researcher at the Korean Folklore Research Institute

-We urgently need Investigator Lee Yeonwoo for our research activities. Please support us. The future of humanity depends on this research.

-The location is a deserted mountain lodge in Meorigol. Please come.

“This guy didn’t even bother to write a proper request. You can ignore it, rookie.”

“…No, I’ll go.”

“It’s not mandatory.”

But Yeonwoo, fixating on the phrase “future of humanity,” slowly nodded.

‘It seems like research related to the abnormal climate. It’s worth investigating.’

And this researcher felt different from the Humanity Management Company or the Humanity Extermination Company.

He wasn’t sure if it was a different faction, but as a Clock Repairman, it seemed worth contacting them.

“Alright, if you’re willing to go.”

The team leader, wearing a reluctant expression, sent a reply to the support request.

“Yeonwoo, take care. Be well prepared. I feel like another strange incident is going to happen. Well, you have a gun, so you should be fine?”

“…I guess.”

And so, Yeonwoo’s business trip was decided.

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Vroom-

Yeonwoo’s used compact car drove along the winding mountain road. The destination was a deserted mountain lodge in Meorigol, where the researcher Seo Peonho awaited his support.

Glancing at his navigation app, Yeonwoo recalled the information he had researched beforehand.

‘Meorigol. The deserted mountain lodge.’

Meorigol got its name because of a large rock carved like a human head that had been there for ages.

The "Deserted Mountain Lodge" was located in a peaceful mountain valley, named to encourage visitors to enjoy the solitude and comfort of being away from people.

‘I couldn’t find any folklore related to this area. I wonder what the Korean Folklore Research Institute is studying here.’

While pondering, Yeonwoo arrived at his destination. The navigation app chimed to announce his arrival.

-You have arrived at your destination.

Yeonwoo parked the car in the lot, gathered his phone and eco bag, and stepped out. Standing on the gravel-covered parking lot, he looked around.

“Nice place.”

The small lodge was situated in a quiet mountain valley with no signs of civilization.

The air was fresh and clear, and there was no hint of the city\'s noise, just serene silence. The green trees and the clear, high sky.

It felt like a place to relax, not work.

“Maybe I should suggest a trip here with the investigation team later.”

After a moment of enjoying the scenery, Yeonwoo approached the lodge.

Near the lodge, a man with thinning hair was holding a broom, looking at a drain. Hearing Yeonwoo\'s footsteps, he looked up.

“Oh, what brings you here? The lodge is fully booked right now.”

“I’m with someone inside.”

“Ah! I was informed. Please, come in.”

Yeonwoo nodded politely and walked past the lodge owner.

The lodge owner watched Yeonwoo\'s back for a moment before starting to sweep the path again. Leaves and branches blown by the typhoon were being cleared away.

Swish- Swish-

As he swept, the lodge owner muttered in rhythm with the broom.

“One head, two heads, three heads, four heads… Need more heads…”