In the midst of the ruined city, there was a dark hole that seemed to have no end, like an abyss.

As I thought, this was the only way to stop the numerous Objects that had escaped from the Central Research Institute.

The hostile Objects released from the Central Research Institute were scattering in all directions, indiscriminately attacking all existing creatures around them, and it seemed necessary to deal with them quickly somehow.

So I came up with the idea of a makeshift isolation through ground collapse.

In fact, there might have been a better way, but it was the best choice I could think of in that urgent situation.

As I focused my senses, I felt the flame in my chest had diminished quite a bit.

I had used my regenerative ability too excessively to lure Lophiomus into the center of the sinkhole.

If it weren't for the overwhelming feelings of fear and despair around me, would I have given up and fled much earlier?

In fact, it was a close call right before completing the sinkhole.

Why was it a close call? Because at the very last moment, all the surrounding humans had died, so I had to endure with only my reserves.

Looking down into the bottomless pit, I waited for the Objects to crawl back up.

At least I had bought some time for the soldiers to build a barrier around the area.

1 hour...

2 hours...

3 hours...

I sat straddling the sinkhole railing, swinging my legs, waiting, but no one came up.

As I waited, it seemed like soldiers were starting to move around, so I left the place as it was.

By the way, why aren't they coming up at all?

If it's Lophiomus, I thought the sinkhole would only buy some time...

There were also many flying Objects before, right?

Is there some kind of honey down there?

***

The government was suffering from the Gray Collapse incident.

A memorial procession?

That was a term used 30 years ago before Objects were revealed to the public.

Instead, there was an exodus from Seoul.

People were too close to death to mourn.

And those who remained in Seoul made many demands on the government.

Blockade Songpa District, punish those responsible.

Mostly things like that.

At that timely moment, the public was thrown a scapegoat.

It was a report released by a detective agency.

Numerous deaths covered up by the Central Research Institute.

Kidnapping and exploiting the unaffiliated for human experiments.

Disguising casualties during experiments as resignations to distort workplace accident statistics within the Institute.

Concealing Lophiomus, which had killed tens of thousands in Seoul Square.

Concealing the fact that the Research Institute itself in the heart of Seoul was an Object.

Countless other corruptions unknown to the public were revealed.

The backlash and anger directed at the government and the National Object Management Association seemed endless.

Opinions ranged from calling for a full investigation of all national research facilities to having all Objects researched only at private institutes.

No matter how much the government claimed ignorance, no one believed them.

***

A man sat smoking a pipe.

The man who had become an overnight star with the Central Research Institute whistleblowing case, but his expression was strangely dark.

On the table where he sat were numerous empty liquor bottles rolling around, and across from where the man sat, a woman lay passed out drunk.

Until recently, he had been comforting the woman, who blamed herself, but after she passed out, his expression seemed contemplative.

In the quiet room, only the faint sound of a radio could be heard.

The radio made no mention of the dead.

Only self-preservation, self-interest, criticism and condemnation.

It was so laughable that the man chuckled self-mockingly.

'The world has truly gone mad.'

The man looked at the mirror with tired eyes, and a black butterfly briefly flickered and disappeared.

The man then looked at the mirror where the butterfly had appeared, slowly closed his eyes and fell asleep.

The moment the man fell asleep, the sound of a gas lamp giggling could be heard in the room.

[Did you solve this case? Did you solve it? Did you solve it?]

[It solved.]

[Many people died because of Holmes.] 

[It's okay. The path a great detective walks is one that doesn't stop trailing blood.]

[The detective shouldn't blame himself. Shouldn't blame himself. Shouldn't blame himself.]

[A remorseful detective is not like Holmes.]

[So did you fail?]

[It wasn't a failed request, so it's okay.] 

[Then let’s fix it and write it.]

[The junior too?]

[The junior too.]

Smoke poured out from the gas lamp, filling the entire detective office densely.

And the sound of gnawing bones and spurting blood echoed throughout the night.

***

At dawn, with a faint blue light, I woke up with a strange refreshed feeling.

When I opened my eyes, the detective office was in shambles.

Leaving aside the scattered liquor bottles, the blood-soaked floor and bone fragments made the office look like a murder scene.

Where did all this blood come from?

"Watson, did you spill blood all over again? I told you not to do that."

Recalling my memories, there was a time long ago when it was like this, a bloody mess.

But the memories from that time were vague, like shrouded in fog.

"When did I drink all this liquor? Did my junior drink it alone?" 

Watson silently watched as the detective grumbled while cleaning up.

On the detective's temple was an old scar, with a new scar next to it.

The junior sleeping there had the same strange scar.

***

In the dead of a moonless night, I finally returned to the Sehee Research Institute.

Except for the security room and guard station, the Sehee Research Institute was quiet and dark, with not a single person around.

Looking around the scenery of Institute, which gave off a different atmosphere from when I usually wandered around, I moved inside.

I'm finally back at Sehee Research Institute. 

I'm finally back in my isolation room!

There really is no place like home.

The saying 'No place like home' was a truth that applied even to Objects.

The cat seemed to have gone through quite an ordeal in the sinkhole, as it remained asleep on my head.

It had moved quite vigorously, so it should have woken up at least once, but after meeting me, it seemed to have relaxed and just kept sleeping.

I did bring the blue lizard, but I'm not sure if it's the right one.

Why am I not sure? Because it was just the lower half that I took by hitting someone who was already eating it.

I thought it would revive in about a day, so it would revive soon.

It would either revive here or in that Songpa sinkhole, one of the two places.

The most surprising thing was that no Objects died in that collapse. 

So how many vicious Objects were there at the Central Research Institute?

Turning on the TV with a low volume so as not to wake the cat, the news kept showing my face.

The world has named this recent incident the 'Gray Collapse'.

As the name suggests, it seems to be called that because it was a collapse caused by the 'Gray Reaper'.

They also feared me as the strongest Object who easily defeated Lophiomus.

There were even opinions that a separate 'non-standard' grade should be created to classify Objects capable of causing mass destruction like me.

For me, it was a good thing. 

With this kind of notoriety, even people seeing me for the first time would be somewhat helpful for my flame.

In the end, what I gained from going to the Central Research Institute was a notorious reputation for firewood and two Object friends.

Thinking it was a decent harvest, I turned off the TV and lay on the bed.

As expected, I was tired and dozed off.

Well then, good night everyone.

***

As the Reaper returned, vitality began to return to the Research Institute.

The research complex where Sehee Research Institute was located was on the outskirts of Songpa District.

Perhaps because of this, many research institutes located here began to move to other places to avoid danger.

While some left, Sehee Research Institute and a few other research institutes decided to keep their places.

Looking around the distinctly desolate research complex, there was a strong sense that Songpa District had been utterly destroyed.

It was the second incident in Seoul where the city had shrunk significantly, following the destruction of Dobong District about 10 years ago.

I remember there was a bit more talk about it than this time, 10 years ago.

The Object that appeared in Dobong District, the Ice Throne.

It turned about 100,000 people in Dobong District into ice statues overnight.

Back then, there was mourning and grieving. 

Many people were saddened and society felt depressed.

But now, people had become too accustomed to so much sadness.

Now it was an era where survival and self-preservation were more important than mourning.

There was also anger back then.

How many politicians vowed to destroy the Ice Throne in Dobong District?

Many people shared the anger and pondered ways to reclaim Dobong District.

But now, people had become too accustomed to so many losses. 

Now, the prevailing thought was that as long as it didn't happen to oneself, it was okay rather than seeking revenge.

Looking around the desolate, empty research complex, I returned to the director's office of the Research Institute.