Novel Bin Chapter 6: The Moon in Heaven, The Hole in Earth
Chapter 6: The Moon in Heaven, The Hole in Earth
Something mysterious is overflowing from the hole in the yard.
Hirokis doubts regarding that hole continue to deepen.
So far, he hasnt had any problems with his body.
In fact, hes feeling too good.
He wondered, could it be that the chemicals leaking out of the hole are making him superhuman?
[Hahaha. No way. I suppose Ive been reading too many American comics lately.]
A spider dude bitten by a spider, a speedster struck by lightning Hiroki feels troubled if he had to wear tights at his age.
Work has been good for Hiroki lately.
The money in his account is growing.
With less work and less worry about the future, most people certainly would become healthier.
Hiroki thinks that the fact that he was able to overpower hooligans was probably due to the muscles he developed through physical labor and the confidence he gained through work.
[For the time being though, the local universitys labs that do geological and environmental research I still dont know what to do with them.]
There are so many different fields of science at universities, but with Hirokis level of knowledge, he had no idea whether he should start with the chemistry department for whatever the chemicals the hole was exuding, the physics department to investigate the radiation, or for an environmental assessment from the architecture department.
[Hmmm, maybe I should just send an email to the admin office first]
With that thought in mind, Hiroki contacted the universitys main office and was easily introduced to the laboratories he wanted.
Since the incorporation of national universities, there has been a depressing lack of funding for university laboratories.
Also, since the secretariat was promoting the idea of industry-university collaboration with local companies, Hirokis wish was fulfilled in exchange for a modest amount of research funding.
A few weeks later, the university sent equipment and personnel from several laboratories to do the assessment.
As expected though, the professors themselves didnt come, as the staff was mainly composed of associate professors and postgraduate students.
[So, President-san, you want us to investigate the environmental pollution of this land?]
[Yes, thats right. It had already been surveyed by the prefecture, but since the site is so close to some houses, including my own, I thought it would be better if more detailed tests could be conducted so that the people around could feel more secure.]
[I see, so youre focusing on business sustainability and regulatory compliance huh.]
[Yes, thats right.]
Ishida, the graduate student from the lab he had been sent to, talked a lot.
What did he mean with that sustainosomething or compliwhat?
Hiroki couldnt understand the language used by intellectuals.
He thinks that theyre probably some kind of academic terms.
Clueless about what Ishida was talking about, Hiroki just affirmed in response.
The day before the survey, Hiroki had covered the area around the hole with galvanized iron sheets so that no one could enter.
It would be troubling for him if anyone accidentally falls into that hole after all.
[What kind of tests are you going to do?]
[Lets see In accordance with the Soil Contamination Investigation designated by law, we will test for heavy metals, volatile organic compounds and pesticides. Thus, the method well be using is a combination of Soil Dissolution, Soil Content Investigation, and Soil Gas Investigation.]
[Huhh That sounds difficult, arent they?]
[No, no. Today, well be taking topsoil samples from several locations in your yard, and after doing a boring investigation, well be using the universitys equipment for analysis.]
[Ehh]
[What is it?]
[By boring, you mean digging deep into my yards soil, right?]
[Yes, thats right. Though I say that, were really just going to dig a hole of a few centimeters in diameter, so you dont have to worry about the groundwater. Well make sure it wont affect the nearby buildings.]
Hiroki felt anxious at his words.
If the hole in his yard had stretched wide, the laboratorys boring drill might have arrived at the garbage he had thrown into the hole so far.
Despite Hirokis worries though, the people in the lab began to prepare for the boring by setting up a tripod made of steel pipes.
Of all places, they were setting it up near the galvanized iron sheets hiding the hole!
[Are you going to dig there?]
[Yes. This is far enough from the residential buildings that it wont affect them much even in the case of an accident.]
Researcher Ishida made a good point, so Hiroki couldnt object.
[Then, digging start.]
With his words, the boring drill was lowered from the tripod, and with the power of the jack, it dug deeper and deeper that an extension pipe was even added.
[Its digging quite deeply.]
Judging from the length of the extension pipe, they must have dug about 4 meters already.
If there was an underground cavity underneath the hole, they would have breached through it by now.
[It will be alright. The guys in the lab are used to this. So far, it doesnt seem like weve hit any rocks or groundwater. The surrounding area used to be farmland, isnt it? I think the ground around here is very solid.]
[Is that so?]
Did the area they buried just happened to have no underground cavity in it?
In any case, Hiroki felt lucky.
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
That night, after sending off the people who had been dispatched from the university laboratory, Hiroki happily opened a can of beer.
[Well then, Ill send the test results to the company later. I still wouldnt know the details until after the analysis, but from what I see, I dont think there will be any problems. After all, even for a waste disposal site, this place is very clean.]
Researcher Ishida assured him as such.
Even so Hiroki wondered if the young researcher Ishida noticed anything about the secret of the hole.
Even among the many young people in the lab, he was a man of leadership, and hes eloquent, even when talking with the older Hiroki.
Thinking that such a person would eventually rise to the top in his organization, Hiroki slumped down a beer with a strong bitter taste.This chapter is updat𝓮d by nov(e)(l)biin.com
Well, whatever.
Hiroki thinks that he should just leave the smart work to the smart people, while people like him will do the work appropriate for him.
Tomorrow morning, hell start working on throwing all the piles of garbage brought by the hopeless people into the hole.
Hiroki could feel it He has to fill that hole.
To do that, he has to collect more and more garbage.
The conviction to do this steadily rose within him.
Crumpling up the empty beer can with one hand, Hiroki threw it into the trash can in the corner of the office.
Thereupon, Hiroki heard the sound of a stray cat running away, startled upon hearing the sound of a heavy metallic trash can being dented.
As the full moon shone brightly in the night sky, the black hole in the ground opened up.