# Chapter 148
As Semi led Mirae, who was just about to go to bed, down to the basement, a heavy stone settled in her heart while watching Mirae follow her without suspicion through those dark stairs and unknown corridors. The whole way there, Mirae was delighted, saying it was the first time her “unnie” had come to visit her room. She burst out laughing, saying it was strange to meet at such a late hour.
Semi knew what process Mirae would have to endure. She also knew what the outcome would be.
Her hands trembled as she tied Mirae to the chair so she wouldn’t struggle. The leather strap’s lock was delicate and wouldn’t fasten properly. Despite moving her fingers for quite some time, she made no progress. She was incredibly clumsy.
That was surely why she’d started crying.
“Unnie, why are you crying?”
Despite being tied up, Mirae only asked such foolish questions. It was so frustrating that Semi couldn’t control her tears. Mirae, who had been watching anxiously as Semi hunched over sobbing, soon began whimpering too.
“Don’t cryyyy…”
She should have asked why Semi told her to come when she always told her to leave before. She should have asked where they were. She should have asked what was happening…
It was around then that Taejin, who was out, contacted her. He said time might be tight and told Semi to start the experiment first.
This was the role given to Semi. After wiping her tears, she stood at the computer, distancing herself from Mirae who was tied to the chair.
And then.
“It was just a whim.”
Semi mumbled as if speaking to herself. Her low voice scattered emptily.
“Lee Semi-ssi.”
Semi still didn’t answer.
“Before Mirae left here, she asked if she could say goodbye to Lee Semi-ssi.”
“…”
“She said she’s good at waiting, so she could wait forever.”
Since her back was turned, Semi’s expression wasn’t visible. Her body, which had been rising and falling rapidly, eventually let out a very thin voice after a long while.
“…Is Lee Seeun really dead?”
Iyeon closed his mouth. When he glanced at Sano, an unreadable face looked back at him.
In truth, this had been bothering Iyeon too, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask. It felt like once he heard the answer, there would be no going back. Iyeon simply lowered his gaze to the floor. Instantly, the surroundings fell silent.
It was an indifferent voice that broke the heavy silence.
“I never said I killed her.”
“What?”
Iyeon’s eyes widened as he quickly raised his head. When he urged for an answer with a dumbfounded expression, Sano’s face seemed somewhat mischievous.
“I did intend to kill her.”
Sano’s gaze pierced through Iyeon. Perplexed eyes stared back at him. After gazing at those eyes for a moment, Sano continued.
“I just changed my mind.”
The moment he decided whether to kill her or not, Sano immediately knocked Seeun unconscious. It took no time to drag her underground after tying her up and leaving her. With a thud, the floor opened a short distance from Semi, pushing up the unconscious Seeun. It was at an angle where Semi could see.
Unconscious, Seeun had injuries all over and her clothes and hair were a mess, but she was breathing. Her thin breaths could be seen lifting and lowering her chest.
Iyeon noticed Semi’s slack back trembling slightly, and pretended not to see as he turned his head away.
[I have something to inform you.]
“Huh?”
Just then, ChilChil tugged at Iyeon’s trouser leg. Iyeon looked down in confusion. The shabby pink doll dropped a bombshell in a clear voice.
[If Mirae has been moved using the emergency escape function, I, who remain, am given a time limit.]
“…A time limit?”
It wasn’t exactly a positive word. When Iyeon asked with narrowed eyes, ChilChil nodded.
[In 1 minute and 3 seconds, my body will explode.]
“What?”
[Now 1 minute and 1 second remaining.]
“…WHAT?”
The last response was close to a scream. Iyeon asked urgently.
“Can’t you stop it? No, why didn’t you tell me earlier!”
[There is no cancel function. I was supposed to inform you immediately after the emergency escape function, but you looked busy, so I held off for a moment.]
It was the most unnecessary consideration in the world. As Iyeon opened his mouth, nearly dislocating his jaw in disbelief, Sano muttered beside him.
“That’s fine.”
“How is a bomb exploding fine? Why are people so violent?”
“I wasn’t planning to leave this place anyway.”
[The explosion range will reach the entire basement. Multiple protective measures are detected throughout the mansion. Unfortunately, even if the basement explodes, it seems the entire building won’t collapse.]
“Unfortunately? You’re exactly like the person who made you!”
Ignoring the scene of ChilChil reciting information as if answering and Iyeon’s bitter criticism, Sano looked around briefly. As if in response, the floor rippled and spread out. Sano pulled everyone toward him—Taejin, who had collapsed in the distance, as well as Semi and Seeun—and lightly flicked his hand.
Then he began sinking the items in the basement into the ground.
“If I destroy it first, at least I’ll buy time to prevent any foolish actions.”
Everything in the laboratory was buried within Sano’s domain. Desks, chairs, pens, computers, and even broken monitors. The floor seemed like a swamp. The same thing was likely happening in all the other rooms in the basement.
“Time will be tight.”
After throwing the three criminals into a sunken pit, Sano also stepped inside. The elevator area was wider than usual due to the number of passengers.
“Get in quickly.”
At this casual urging, Iyeon started to move but suddenly stopped as a thought crossed his mind.
“Wait, what happens to ChilChil-ssi?”
The talk of self-destruction meant ChilChil’s body would be shattered to pieces. Moreover, if it exploded in this basement, the doll would be buried under debris with no chance of even finding the remains.
But they couldn’t take a bomb with them either. There wasn’t enough time to ask D.S to dismantle it.
[Taking care of the aftermath is my responsibility too. Since Mirae escaped safely, I have nothing more to wish for.]
“But…”
Iyeon couldn’t take his eyes off ChilChil. The doll left alone in the empty laboratory looked especially small.
He knew it was a robot, that the artificial intelligence was just programmed to respond appropriately. ChilChil wasn’t a living being. It was just a machine programmed to respond to situations.
Worrying about a machine was foolish.
[13 seconds left until detonation.]
“Get in now.”
Sano grabbed Iyeon’s arm and pulled him. Drawn in and standing on the elevator floor, the basement elevator slowly descended. As their view gradually lowered, they became eye-level with ChilChil. When Iyeon felt their eyes meet, the cheerful mechanical voice flowed out, just like always.
[My name is FT-7, but I liked the name ChilChil too.]
Somehow, Iyeon thought those glossy eyes seemed to be smiling.
[Thank you for giving me a name.]
Simultaneously, the five people descended deep underground. The elevator quickly left the danger zone.
Boom…
A moment later, a magnificent sound of destruction was heard from afar. It was of such tremendous intensity that it vibrated even down to the ground where they were.
*
[The cause of the explosion at a detached house located in the northern district of Chohosi has been identified as a gas leak due to poor management. This massive mansion, known as the family home of Jin Jeongwon, the first director of the Superpower Management Office, and the residence of Jin Heesu, director of the Mutant Response Department, suffered a partial collapse of its foundation three days ago at dawn with a loud noise. Fortunately, there were no casualties…]
“So it ended up like that.”
Iyeon muttered as if he’d expected it. D.S irritably pushed Iyeon, who was lightly perched on a high desk.
“With a boss who plays hooky this often, doesn’t Hyegang say anything?”
“Hyegang is also playing around right now.”
A suggestion came up to celebrate the successful rescue of Mirae by making the next day a holiday, but since the next day was a weekend, they decided to take Monday off as an alternative holiday. Hyegang was probably fast asleep right now.
And Iyeon was visiting D.S’s workshop on his day off.
“Hey. Don’t disturb me while I’m working.”
“Ah, D.S-ssi. I’m falling.”
As Iyeon stood up grumbling, D.S pulled over a small box next to him and rummaged through it. Various tools clanked against each other.
The place Sano and Iyeon had headed after escaping the mansion just before the explosion was, of course, D.S’s workshop. Surprisingly, however, Mirae wasn’t there. Just like when they had left, only Hyegang and D.S were present. Seeing the two people who had safely returned spring to their feet, Iyeon immediately asked.
‘Where’s Mirae? ChilChil-ssi transported her.’
‘Then she’ll be in Jin Heesu’s office.’
‘To the Director?’
Iyeon opened his eyes wide in surprise. D.S was the one who had input the coordinates for ChilChil’s portable portal. Since it was a function used for emergency escape, it meant that in her mind, the safest place was Heesu’s space.
‘…D.S-ssi trusts Director Jin more than I thought.’
It was unexpected, considering how much she seemed to hate him. D.S snorted and replied.
‘If that bastard were only Tier 4, I wouldn’t have sent her there.’
Still, you believed he would protect Mirae in any situation… But Iyeon swallowed those words, knowing they would only earn him a scolding.
