A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation Chapter 855 Chapter 852: Side Story - Anomalous Phenomena Management Bureau (1)

Chapter 855 Chapter 852: Side Story - Anomalous Phenomena Management Bureau (1) 

"...So, have you been doing well lately?"

While tapping away at her keyboard, Kang Min-hee speaks on the phone with Seo Eun-hyun after ages.

That cherished voice rings in her ears after such a long gap, so her face eases up as she tunes into every word.

Sure, her main body could link up with Seo Eun-hyun whenever, yet the split body resembles just a fingertip compared to the main one's face-like presence.

No matter how intently the main body observes, she still craves that fingertip's touch.

—Yeah, I've been kicking back on vacation these days. And you? Surviving grad school okay?

Suddenly, Kang Min-hee picks up on something off with Seo Eun-hyun.

"...Grad school? What do you mean? I mentioned I'm a civil servant."

—Huh...?

A mildly rattled tone from Seo Eun-hyun filters through the line.

—When did you finish grad school and turn civil servant...?

"What are you saying... Yeon's the grad student. I'm the civil servant."

Kang Min-hee tsks her tongue, setting straight Seo Eun-hyun's mix-up.

Last time Kim Yeon, Kang Min-hee, and Seo Eun-hyun got together, Kim Yeon definitely mentioned grad school while Kang Min-hee talked about civil service. How could he blank on that?

—Ah... right. Sorry, with all the chaos lately, it slipped my mind...

Kang Min-hee's relaxed look stiffens instantly.

"Forgetting? That shouldn't even be possible for you."

—Well, occasionally memories get swamped in the flood, causing mix-ups or delays in pulling them up...

"Fine, that happens sometimes. But earlier? That didn't seem like it. With my main body tied up, someone tampered with your head. Yeon wouldn't, neither would I... so it's gotta be Sword Spear. You're under her thumb right now, huh?"

—...

"Plain as day. Sword Spear tweaked your mind with brainwashing or delirium waves for an easy snatch. Main body or a healthy one could shrug it off, but you're slammed in Mount Sumeru with fresh fates, so tricks slip through. Even her split body couldn't nab you quietly without that, given her skills."

—Th-Then... that obsession a few days back with 'PUSH' and 'PULL' too!?

"...?"

Ji Hwa's pouty voice chimes in from the phone.

—Sorry, my hypnosis draws from Oh Hye-seo's truth-bending power for slight divergences. It won't rage you into shoving a normal 'PULL' door. Your flip-out? Just a glitch 'cause main body's swamped.

—A glitch!? How's that a glitch!?

Overhearing Seo Eun-hyun and Sword Spear's phone spat, Kang Min-hee tsks again.

"Seo Eun-hyun, messing with a 'PULL' sign again? Don't shove. Pull sometimes."

—How could a proud Korean son!!??

"Hah... stop feeding Sword Spear nonsense. No wonder she parades Earth in an aluminum hat."

—To fend off the wicked Lizard Race plots, no choice. Hey Kang Min-hee, you wear one too. Disguised Lizards among civil servants could blast brainwashing anytime!

"...Anyway, Yeon's venom's brewing over Seo Eun-hyun vanishing, so stay off her radar..."

—Hmph, she's likely lounging in Mount Sumeru with main body, why mind her? I'm dying of boredom here, even main body!

"Then drag main body to Mount Sumeru and pitch in."

After bantering and bickering on the line with Sword Spear and Seo Eun-hyun awhile, Kang Min-hee spots subordinates arriving with a report and wraps up.

"Work's calling. Hanging up. Sword Spear, watch it, yeah? You've borrowed way too much lately, and that lender... uh, just be cautious yourself. Bye!"

—Hold on, careful how!? My lender's Lizard Race turf...?

Tak!

"...Told her no Reptilians, yet she clings..."

Kang Min-hee sighs, eyeing the box her subordinates deliver.

"...Source on this?"

"Reporting to Director. Sealed artifact from recent Cheondong-san anomaly. H-3042. Known as [Telephone That Connects To The Underworld]."

A weathered public payphone sits in the box, faint blood scent wafting.

"Casualties?"

"Three agents succumbed to urges, dialed dead contacts, then vanished. The sealing squad feels nonstop temptation too, some raging to call, so we restrapped the whole team and quarantined."

"Hah... got it. I'll handle recovery. You two, out for now."

"Yes, sir!"

The agents exit the 'Director's Office', shutting the door.

Agent Kim Runi swabs cold sweat, heaving breaths.

"Phew... shift's done at last."

Anomalous Phenomena Management Bureau.

A fresh state secret outfit tackling nationwide weird outbreaks, agents here contain, quarantine, seal odd anomalies everywhere.

Agents joining face strict rules.

Prime: Anomalous artifacts hauled in go straight to 'Anomalous Phenomena Management Bureau Director Kang Min-hee'. She IDs their nature, threat level, heals victims.

Two: Bureau runs via Management Council, not Director—who's unofficial. Never question it, probe her, or peek in her office till she reacts.

Three: Post-handover, she restores victims via 'damage recovery' in-office. Stay out, avert eyes. Per artifact threat, freaky noises erupt; wait opposite wall till door swings first.

Kkiyaaaaaaaagh!

Kuaaaaaaagh!!!!

Sa@ve@ me@!!!

I didn't@ kno@w!!!

This@person@in@this@land!!!

Kuaaaaaaaagh.

Hekuaaaaaagh!!!

Kkiyaaaaaaagh!

Agents shudder at shrieks, blood reek, ghostly howls from the office.

Soon,

Click—

Door cracks; Kang Min-hee passes box to agents.

No blood scent from phone now; plain old unit.

"Containment facility, isolate it. Temptation's gone, but alternate space link— no random calls. Check [Ward] for missing; recovery showed bad stuff, so never mention [me] or minds shatter. Month minimum. Go."

"Yes, isolating artifact now!"

Agents grab box, pivot, exit office.

Off-duty time.

Bureau shifts run short.

Suddenly, handkerchief slips from one's pocket; grabbing it, they 'glance back' at office.

Agent gulps.

'Director's Office' entry—vanished.

Speechless at oddity, they haul box to artifact vault.

Bureau's weirdest, mightiest anomaly?

Kang Min-hee, they reckon.

***

"Ah, damn, hands filthy..."

Kang Min-hee tissues off, mulls just-handled entity.

No true Underworld line; mere curio trapping callers in tiny 'Pseudo-Netherworld' pocket.

She inverted the 'Pseudo-Netherworld', shifted trapped to Bureau's [Ward], extracted dwelling will.

"Speak. Origin?"

Kang Min-hee prods extracted-will doll's head.

Duck doll.

Duck quakes, weeps blood at her aura.

-Ex@alted being! S@ve@me!!! @uck!!!

" 'Foot'? Deathwish?"

[TL/N: Pun alert. Korean 'fuck' is Shibal; Bal (@bal) means foot.]

—Hiii@iiik!

"Origin. Answer. Damn, no blood tears! Just cleaned!!!"

Kang Min-hee spots bloody tears from Netherworld-will duck, slugs it till clear drops flow.

"Origin, clear. I'm pissed."

—I c@me f@om the wo@ld of darkness.

"Ah, that spot again...?"

Kang Min-hee sighs deep.

Future King Fate Supreme Deity showdown.

Future King's 'Upper Heaven Future King' shredded nearby worlds, Creator Gods, slaying, shattering realms.

Earth numbered among Future King's trashed worlds.

Seo Eun-hyun mended via Requiem Filling the Heavens' Omnipotence.

Yet Creator God pranks or wild chance mixed fragments into others.

Sure, worlds' heal pulls intruders home, reclaims shards—but 'soon' means eons for immortals, mortals wait eons, mega-eons.

Queried Seo Eun-hyun, Bong Hwa: they fret Mount Sumeru breach, plug with new fates; half-Creator minds see time fly, chill on it.

Kang Min-hee, Immortal Lord, knows it's minor; locals handle, self-resolves quick, Seo did his part restoring.

'Earth's the snag.'

Otherworld spill into Earth dimension—Kang Min-hee crew's home—spawns anomalies.

Seo: "Strong sense us, curb weaklings." Kim Young-hoon: "Fun vibe." Jeon Myeong-hoon: "Hunter age?" Kang hates housefront litter.

"Gotta sweep trash. What else?"

Just her turf: Korea. Elsewhere, sensing group, bizarres self-police, no global mess.

Could skip Korea too, but...

Kang Min-hee's wired restless.

Then,

Wiiing—

Fax spits mission docs into office.

"Management Council dispatch?"

Usual: bunker in office, cleanse artifacts, save victims. But big threats ping her.

Agent-proof anomalies?

Council calls Kang Min-hee to quash.

"Mm... 'Wonmi-dong Psychiatric Hospital'? Dark world crossover? Other dimension? Hospitals pack punch anyway; agents struggled."

Kang Min-hee dons coat, boots dark-world duck doll home cross-dimension, exits office.

"Business trip after ages. Back later, splurge on fancy eats..."

Clutching 'Wonmi-dong Psychiatric Hospital' dossier, she heads out.