Chapter 2: New Abnormality

[ Employee Lewis, please perform Insight work on Abnormality O-01-39. ]

‘Ugh, seriously… why do they only make me do this!’

Lewis scrunched up his face, recalling just two days ago.

The feeling when he entered, thinking it was a new Abnormality, and countless spiders were watching him…

Fortunately, he found out that it was the [Spider Bud], which wasn’t particularly dangerous, but he couldn’t help but feel disgust.

Not long after feeling the threat to his life, the reality of having to manage an Abnormality whose danger level and management method were both unknown made Lewis’s steps heavy.

[ Employee Lewis, please perform Insight work on Abnormality O-01-39. ]

But that damn guidance voice kept urging him, as if it didn’t know how his heart was burning.

‘Ugh… well, I’ve been prepared for this since I joined the company. Hang in there, Lewis!’

But still, he couldn’t help but be nervous, so he closed his eyes tightly and ignored his trembling hands and feet as he slowly opened the door to the containment cell.

• Screech…

What kind of Abnormality will it be?

Lewis slowly opened his eyes, which he had closed before opening the door to the containment cell, and faced the appearance of the Abnormality.

“Huh?”

A foolish sound escaped Lewis’s mouth.

This was because the appearance of the Abnormality was not the strange, terrifying form Lewis had imagined, but just a girl, like any other.

The girl’s arms and legs were bound by heavy metal, her eyes were covered by a black blindfold, and even her mouth was covered with black tape.

From the clothes she was wearing to the restraints, everything was pitch black, but only the girl’s hair was pure white.

A girl who gives off a mysterious feeling even though her eyes and mouth are covered.

Lewis, who was momentarily stunned by the appearance, which didn’t fit in at all with the Lobotomy Corporation where all kinds of monsters resided, soon came to his senses.

He thought for a moment that it might be an alluring type of Abnormality, like the ‘Red Shoes,’ but Lewis, confirming that no changes had occurred to him, dismissed that possibility.

[ Employee Lewis, perform Insight work on Abnormality O-01-39. ]

It hasn’t been long since he entered the containment cell, but he’s already being urged.

“Starting the Insight work on O-01-39…”

What else can he do? If he’s told to, he has to do it.

As he sighed lightly and moved his hand to the work panel in the corner of the containment cell to begin the work…

• Clank.

The girl, who had been sitting quietly until just a moment ago, suddenly moved.

Wow. I thought my heart would drop.

“Ump…”

The Abnormality seemed to be saying something… but the mouth was taped shut, so communication was impossible.

It’s very scary to do such a sudden action during work, so I wish she would just stay still until the work is done.

I’m going to die of a heart attack like this.

‘It’s fortunate that it’s Insight work…’

Unlike Instinct and Attachment work, which involve direct contact with the Abnormality, Insight work is a work that only requires observation, so the burden is relatively less.

“Analyzing the environment, removing foreign substances in the air.”

He started the work, touching the small operation panel in the corner of the containment cell.

“Adjusting the lighting intensity of the containment cell, analyzing the behavioral pattern…”

Fortunately, the girl didn’t show any particular movement except for the first time, perhaps realizing that communication was impossible due to her mouth being blocked.

“Insight work on Abnormality O-01-39 has been completed.”

The Insight work went smoothly.

‘Phew… really, thank goodness.’

Among Lobotomy’s Abnormalities, there were some that would kill you immediately if you made one mistake in your work, so this result was good news.

[ Confirmed. The work on Abnormality O-01-39 has been completed. ]

The door of the containment cell opened, and Lewis, grateful to have survived today as well, exited the containment cell.

Inside the management room.

“Hmm… I was honestly a little unsure, but Insight was the right answer.”

Judging by the fact that even Lewis, who is still new among the management staff, had no problem with the work, this Abnormality selection seems to have been successful.

As no unusual points were found in the work record, it seemed that, fortunately, it wouldn’t pose a great threat to the company.

…Or so he thought.

“No, does this make sense?”

The manager grabbed the back of his neck as he opened the basic information of Abnormality O-01-39.

Danger Level ALEPH.

This was because it was a grade held by the most dangerous Abnormalities.

“How can two ALEPHs appear in a row!!”