My Refrigerator Turned Into A Dungeon

Chapter 471

Research Facility 3

"By the way, why is there a research facility in a warehouse district like this?"

It seemed the workers had gone on break, and one of the researchers came over and brought me coffee too. After thanking him and taking it, I voiced the question that had suddenly come to mind.

"It is for the Dream Island project, Egetsu-kun."

"Dream Island?"

Chief Toyonami answered my question, but I did not really understand what he meant. If he meant Dream Island, the landfill island, then yes, that was certainly nearby...

"Ah, that would be because of that, Egetsu-san. You may have heard of it more as D.I.PROJECT."

"Ah, no, sorry. I have been out in the mountains for a while, so I have never really heard of either Dream Island or D.I.PROJECT."

"What, I thought someone with your abilities would know that by default."

"Haha, well, if that's the sort of situation, it would be natural not to know. Both names refer to the same project, though. We gather space-connected anomalous labyrinths on Dream Island and seal them away.""Seal them away...?"

"Yes, we surround them many times over with concrete and steel plates. But unless we cull them, anomalous creatures will spill out into the outside world, so it ends up being the kind of job we ask people like Egetsu-san to work hard on..."

Hmm, indeed, if they are space-connected dungeons, moving them is possible.

I had even tried taking the crab dungeon with me as a test when I went to Kusatsu, and there had been no problem at all. So then this is a plan to collect the space-connected dungeons secured by the government and manage them all together.

"There are countries that dispose of space-connected anomalous labyrinths by dumping them into volcanic craters, but Japan has not done that yet. We do not know what the results will be, after all."

"Hmm..."

Yes, if it worked out, it seemed like it could level up the Earth. That said, dungeon entrances are protected by some mysterious principle that makes them completely indestructible, so whether volcanic heat would actually melt them was another matter. For now, all I can do is pray that one day, an army of flames wrapped in fire from head to toe does not suddenly pour out of the crater.

"Well, that is why we are waiting nearby like this until the box we are building now is finished. The Self-Defense Forces stationed on Dream Island can also rush over immediately if anything happens."

"I see, so that's what it was."

"Once this Dream Island project becomes reality, it will be amazing, Egetsu-kun. After all, it would be like a gigantic energy mine being born right in the middle of Tokyo."

"Oh... when you put it like that, it really is an amazing plan."

"Though the Osaka... Awaji Island and Fukushima sides are running into all sorts of difficulties because of local opposition."

"......"

Hmm, Awaji Island... well, maybe because it is close to Osaka. It might bring people in and generate profits, but it could also be a cursed tower that brings nothing but the exact opposite: misfortune and tragedy. As for Fukushima, it would probably be something like, "Don't bring any damn dangerous crap to Fukushima!"

"But... how did you even get Tokyo to approve that so easily?"

"Hahaha... Well, it's Dream Island, and we are going to station the Self-Defense Forces there too. And if it comes down to it, the plan is designed so that we can separate just that section and dump it outside Tokyo Bay."

"Oh, so it is basically a ship?"

"Well... more like a leaky boat. Once it leaves Tokyo Bay, it is set to blow itself up and sink."

Wow, if I happened to be inside one of those dungeons at a time like that, I would not be able to take it. If you exited the dungeon without knowing, the water pressure would crush you in an instant.

"That is quite the safety measure too."

"We also considered Hachijojima, but if it is that far away, moving people around becomes a huge hassle. Construction is a little behind schedule, but we should be able to open before the end of the year. So during that time, Egetsu-san, please handle the culling of terrain-influence types that are difficult to eliminate."

"Oh, uh, yes. That one is already released too, right?"

"Yes, that one is being arranged to coincide with the skill tournament, so it is already set. And there will also, for a modest amount, be conquest requests and the like issued as cases as well."

"Oh! That sounds exciting!"

As we were talking like that, a researcher carrying a file approached the supervisor.

"...Supervisor, it is about time for us to move."

"Ah... oh, it looks like I need to move on to the next place already. My apologies."

"Ah, no, it is me who should apologize for staying so long."

"No, no, the one who asked you to bring the research materials here was me. Ah, and the souvenirs, they are already in Egetsu-san's car?"

"Yes, loading is already finished."

"Thank you. Good, then it looks like we kept our promise."

"Yes, we have also confirmed the payment for the crocodile."

"Hahaha, even the way you say 'crocodile payment' is amazing. Well then, Egetsu-san, until next time."

"Yes, thank you very much."

When the supervisor stood up from his seat, Chief Toyonami followed suit.

"Well then, I will be off as well. Egetsu-kun, it was fun seeing something so interesting today."

"Yes, thank you too, Toyonami-san."

"Ah, then excuse me."

And so, as I was guided by one of the staff and returned to the car, in the cargo bed there were a purple lump of meat wrapped in vinyl and a piece of crocodile hide that looked like the kind of rubber sheet you might lay down at a construction site, both piled up with a thud.

"Please sign here."

"Yes. Understood."

On the sheet of paper attached to the board I was handed, it said something about the completion of the material sale, and for the meat there was a note making sure it was fit for consumption as food, but not to distribute it to the market.

"...Yes, here you go."

"...Indeed. Please be careful."

"Thank you very much. Excuse me."

Thus, I left the research facility behind.

Ahh, it had been a series of surprises, along with wonderful encounters and new discoveries. And I had heard all sorts of interesting stories too, so I was glad I came.