The air in the meeting room felt tight—almost suffocating. Every director wore the same expression: worry trying to hide behind professionalism, and failing.
Branch 3 Director broke the silence first, tapping a shaky finger on a map.
"Look at the eastern sector. Villagers near Raji Forest reported strange noises on their way home last night. Some said it might've been a deer… but others insisted the sound was nothing like any animal they know."
Branch 1 Director sighed, sliding a stack of documents across the table.
"I've collected migration reports from the Raji village perimeter. Animals are fleeing west. And get this—several corpses found with no sign of predator attack. No claw marks, no bite wounds… nothing."
Branch 2 Director leaned forward, voice low.
"Cows, sheep, dogs—even chickens—have been acting unpredictably in Raji Forest Village. Villagers can't control them. A few animals even broke free and ran off into the woods."
Shinji's eyes narrowed.
"All these reports line up. Something is clearly wrong in that region. So why isn't the government doing anything officially?"
Branch 4 Director answered, frustrated.
"They gave us permission to investigate… but nothing more. They said they'll only step in if we find actual proof—not just assumptions."
Shinji slammed his hand against the table.
"That's reckless. We're giving whatever's out there time to grow or spread. What is that old man thinking? He knows how bad this could get—how can he gamble with our people's lives like this?"
Branch 3 Director shook his head.
"We want to evacuate Raji Forest Village, but the officials around him refuse. They say an evacuation could cause chaos… and if nothing happens, we'd be blamed for wasting resources and disrupting lives."
Branch 2 Director spoke up, voice stronger than the rest.
"We're citizens of this nation. Protecting the people is our duty—even if it costs us. Yes, it'll strain our budget, but sacrifice is part of our job. We can't just sit here and wait."
Hours passed as they argued, debated, planned, and rechecked every detail.
Finally… they reached a decision.
Which was...