Chapter 157
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 157
I decided to quietly submit to Lazarus's examination procedures. At the very least, it didn't seem like anyone was trying to harm me right away.
I spent an hour completely naked inside a cylindrical scanning device.
"...The results are astonishing. Most of your brain functions are well above the baseline. It's hard to believe you're someone who just woke up from a coma. Usually, the prognosis is two to three months spent half-dead."
The doctor's voice drifted in. This time, it seemed I was dealing with a proper medical team.
"What kind of place is Lazarus?" I asked, still lying down. I was severely lacking in information.
Why am I here?
Was it really Giselle who entrusted my treatment to them?
What happened to Akbaran and the Empire after the Storm Era?
I had many questions, but first, I needed to gather information about my current location. I had to finish assessing my immediate surroundings before slowly expanding my focus outward.
"It's one of the hospitals under NewGen."
I had no idea what NewGen was either. From the sound of it, it was likely a biotechnology corporation.
The doctor prattled on about Lazarus as he checked my condition. Given his casual tone, it didn't seem to be a closely guarded secret. It was probably common knowledge to anyone who lived here.
"Lazarus's motto is 'Death is a disease to be conquered.' We specialize in extreme care. We are the first to adopt new technologies to treat patients who have zero hope under conventional medical science."
"Hmph. A roundabout way of calling it a human experimentation lab."
"Some might call it that. But many have survived because of it—just like you."
The medical helmet enclosing my head hissed open smoothly, and the bed I was lying on slid out.
"You talk a big game, but your nurses aren't exactly top-tier. Anyone could see they weren't proper medical staff."
I grumbled as I sat up from the bed. My movements were noticeably more stable now. My brain was finishing its calibration.
"The mortality rate for nurses at Lazarus is quite high, making it difficult to deploy highly qualified personnel."
I didn't bother asking what that meant. When human experimentation was involved, all sorts of things were bound to happen.
Jin Gau would love this place.
My past memories felt closer now. As my thoughts and memories reconnected, my cognitive associations flowed naturally. A good sign.
"To put it simply, you suffered severe brain damage. Even with advancements in Super-Regeneration technology, the brain has always been an exception. Due to the unique nature of the brain..."
"Make it simpler. Do I look like a scientist?"
"Artificial regeneration of brain cells causes personality changes and memory distortion. Those are just the major side effects; the minor ones are completely unpredictable. Oh, and for your information, post-treatment care is free for ten years."
I snorted.
"You don't want to provide follow-up care; you want to collect experimental data. Cases like mine must be rare. If I looked like I had no backing, you would have jabbed an anesthetic into my neck right away."
I said, tapping the side of my neck with a fingertip. The doctor fell silent for a moment.
"You are sharp. It is just as you say. Even if someone successfully regenerates their brain cells like you did, most suffer from hallucinations or schizophrenia from day one. And they commit suicide before a few months even pass. You must have undergone some special training related to mental fortification..."
"Stop right there. You don't want to die just yet, do you?"
I said indifferently, staring at the clothes hanging on the wall. It was a shabby, baggy hospital gown, but I had to wear something.
Creak, creak.
The creaking of my prosthetic arm and leg grated on my ears. It was my first time using such cheap models. It made me realize anew just how excellent the Imperial Guard's cybernetic welfare program had been.
I look like a mess.
I stared at the unfamiliar young man in the mirror. I had grown physically in the time that passed; my face was more angular, and my frame was noticeably broader than before.
The unfamiliar young man stroked his chin. My beard and hair had grown out in a messy tangle. It looked like someone had haphazardly shaved it over and over, only to finally let it grow out.
Rip!
I bit into the sleeve of my hospital gown and tore it off. Using the strip of cloth as a hair tie, I pulled my hair back and bound it.
"What is the current state of the three nations?" I asked casually.
"Well, it's a tug-of-war of anxiety and tension. Cooperating and clashing. It's no different from how it's always been."
It seemed a full-scale war hadn't broken out yet.
Creak.
I opened the door to the examination room and stepped out into the hallway. An Equesian mercenary was waiting for me.
—Follow me if you're ready.
The Equesian gestured with his chin and led the way.
I followed silently, recalling what I knew about Equesians. Their average height was in the low-to-mid two meters, towering over humans, and their long limbs were packed with dense, heavy muscle.
Assuming similar levels of combat training, an Equesian's base combat capability was far superior to a human's.
Those unique stripes that regulate internal heat circulation.
The faint stripes etched into their blue skin glowed orange under intense exertion.
The stripes were a physiological feature unique to Equesians. Thanks to them, they did not tire easily and possessed outstanding combat endurance.
And their body odor is faint.
Even humans could sense each other's scent. A different species would be even more sensitive to an unfamiliar smell.
Yet, Equesians had an incredibly faint scent. Since they regulated heat through their stripes, they rarely sweated in the first place.
A species evolved to be hunters and warriors.
Even after achieving civilization, sentient beings retained traces of their beastly pasts. Their physical characteristics revealed exactly how they had survived the brutal struggle for existence.
A faint scent, long limbs, superb endurance, and high aggression—all coupled with a cold, collectivist mindset.
These were the traits and virtues of true hunters and warriors. Come to think of it, we humans weren't all that different.
Thud, thud.
The interior and facilities of Lazarus were utterly run-down. It didn't look like a place where expensive medical procedures were performed.
Probably because more people die here than get cured.
A faint smell of decay drifted through the air. I had noticed it earlier, but there wasn't a single window leading outside. Lazarus was certainly not a normal medical facility.
This wasn't a place you would send a loved one. If it were up to me, I would have never sent Giselle to a place like this.
But there must have been a reason Giselle had to entrust me to a place like this.
There were many anomalies, starting with my medical records. There was no reason for me to be in cryosleep for five years. The actual treatment period was split into two sessions of two years each—one before and one after the cryosleep.
Is your employer Giselle Custoria?
I didn't hastily ask the Equesian. I would find out in due time anyway. If his employer wasn't Giselle, I would only be needlessly exposing my hand.
I had to remain cautious and calm. The more unfamiliar the environment, the less one should act in haste. If they realized I was anxious, they would immediately try to exploit that weakness.
Clunk!
The main doors of the building opened heavily, allowing the stale air to escape outside.
The first thing I saw was sunlight. My eyes stung as they adjusted to the natural brightness.
—As you probably already know, this is Border City of the Bellato Federation. It's only Federation territory on paper; in reality, it's a stateless, neutral city. Well, I suppose this kind of freedom is only possible because it's Federation territory, and not the Empire or the Holy Nation.
The Equesian was surprisingly helpful with his explanation. He had likely received orders from his employer to brief me beforehand.
Border City.
The city Lillian Ramones had wanted to go to. Ilay, too, had often spoken of Border City with longing. Ironically, I had arrived here before either of them.
Step.
I stepped out of the building and faced Border City.
A chaotic din of voices and clattering noise filled the air. The pedestrians on the street were about half human and half alien—no, it felt like there were even more of the latter.
The architecture of Border City was a chaotic mess, resembling scattered toys left behind by children. It was hard to find even a single shred of unity or consistency. I even spotted the geometric, straight-lined buildings characteristic of the Empire, the kind you would normally only see in the Upper District of Akbaran.
As I followed the Equesian, no one looked at me strangely for wearing a hospital gown. And for good reason—there was a surplus of bizarre-looking species and eccentric outfits wandering around.
Stalls and shops bore signs in multiple languages, and as if that weren't enough, they kindly added illustrations to explain their wares. Even a brief walk was enough to show just how immense the diversity of species in Border City truly was.
I felt temporarily disoriented. It was my first time seeing so many non-human sentient beings all in one place. My brain was working overtime just to process the unfamiliar sights.
Even the air is different.
Even though we were close to the ground, the air wasn't lukewarm and stifling.
Border City was different from Akbaran in every way. No matter how much I craned my neck to look up, there was no privileged zone like the Upper District hovering in sight.
After just a five-minute walk, I felt mentally fatigued. Soon, a five-story parking garage came into view. A large crowd of street vendors and waiting pedestrians had gathered at the entrance.
The Equesian guiding me shoved his way through the crowd to clear a path.
"Hey, why are you shov— Ah, never mind. Please, go ahead."
The irritated man clamped his mouth shut the moment he saw the Equesian. It was a scene that perfectly illustrated the Equesians' social standing here.
No idiot picks a fight with a species that makes a living out of combat.
If trouble seemed likely, it was always best to avoid it.
The Equesian kept walking, acting as if it were only natural for other species to avoid him. He stopped in front of a vehicle large enough to accommodate even his massive frame and tapped the door with his foot. Sensing the impact, the vehicle's door slid open.
—Get in, the Equesian said as he climbed into the driver's seat. I sat beside him and took a deep breath.
Whir, thud.
Once the door closed, the blaring external stimuli faded away. My brain felt much more at ease.
Though I tried to act fine, my condition was terrible. I felt as if I had already burned through several days' worth of concentration.
Adapting to the prosthetic body, deducing the situation, and assessing the environment.
Any one of those tasks would have been overwhelming on its own, yet I was processing them all simultaneously. On top of that, I had been on the verge of brain death prior to my treatment and was still technically in recovery.
I couldn't even gauge where my current limits lay. If I pushed my brain like I used to, it might break down again. Expecting to be resurrected a second time would be pushing my luck.
"Isn't it about time you told me who your employer is?"
—Don't try to be clever, human. You're planning to run if you don't hear the name you want, aren't you? I have no desire to bring you to my employer as a corpse. And I made myself clear: a 'corpse.'
A warning that he would kill me if I ran. I gleaned plenty of information from this brief exchange.
The Equesian's employer is not Giselle.
If it were Giselle, I would go meet her even if I didn't want to. The fact that they were hiding their identity to this extent meant it wasn't her.
"Save your empty threats. The Equesians I know kept faith with their employers even in death. You said your employer ordered you to bring me in, right? You won't kill me with your own hands."
The Equesian's hands on the steering wheel froze for a split second.
—...From now on, I will not speak with you.
Quick-witted. He had realized I was intentionally drawing out the conversation to fish for information. He was quite capable.
"Then I'm going to sleep. Wake me when we arrive."
I closed my eyes.
* * *
Guided by the Equesian, I went to meet his employer.
The place I arrived at was a towering high-rise. At the very top was a penthouse suite that occupied the entire floor. The double doors, adorned with precious metals, gleamed blindingly.
Sloooowly...
The doors parted to the left and right in an elegant, old-fashioned manner.
Someone stood with their back to a window flooded with sunlight. Because they belonged to an alien species, it was hard to tell exactly what race they were just by looking at the back of their head. Beside them stood two armed Equesians, one flanking each side. A menacing light gleamed through the visors of their combat helmets.
"Hoyoyoyot. A pleasure to meet you, Keisa Tres."
His vocalization was peculiar. He wasn't human, nor was he using a translator like the Equesians.
I felt like I had seen more aliens in a single day than the average Imperial citizen would encounter in a lifetime. And the species standing before me this time was not a welcome sight.
A Tajirun.
The Equesian's employer was a Tajirun. The reddish-brown skin of the Tajirun race appeared even redder in contrast to the blue Equesians beside him.
The merchant race, Tajirun.
Fortunately, they weren't entirely unfamiliar. I possessed some knowledge about them.
Back when I was negotiating with Barbara, I had used their network to establish a secure communication line. They had charged an astronomical sum that even managed to shock Barbara, leaving a deep impression on my mind.
The Tajirun wore a gold-trimmed robe, offering a glimpse into his luxurious tastes. A forked tongue flicked out repeatedly from his reptilian face.
A cunning snake.
That was my first impression. Slender fingers peeked out from his robe, wriggling slyly. His fingernails were practically as long as his fingers—a clear sign of someone who had never done a day of manual labor in his life.
"Please, have a seat first. We have much to discuss. And let me tell you in advance, the amount of money I have invested in you is astronomical, yohohot."
"That laugh is grating. Do you mind doing something about it?"
"It is a habit, so I cannot help it. My vocal organs are different from yours. Still, isn't it better than the mechanical drone of a translator? I went through quite a bit of trouble to learn the human tongue."
"If you want to talk, dismiss your guards first. Look at me. I just got discharged. I don't want to deal with unnecessary pressure."
The Tajirun let out a chuckle and waved his hand playfully.
"Pressure? You certainly have a sense of humor, Mr. Keisa. Or should I call you Lucaus Custoria? I have heard all about your exploits."
...Well, I had expected as much. No need to get worked up. If he hadn't known my identity in the first place, there would have been no reason for him to spend such a massive sum treating me.
The information this Tajirun and I possess is not equal.
If I engaged in a conventional negotiation, I would just get dragged along by his pace. I had to seize the initiative quickly.
It was time to put into practice what I had learned from the Empire—no, from Kinuan and Heilas.
"Tell me why you brought me here. You have five seconds. If you beat around the bush, I'm walking out. Put a bullet in the back of my head if you want, I don't care. If you know who I am, you know I'm not joking."
"Hoyot? W-Wait a moment. I haven't even introduced myself..."
"Four."
I folded my fingers down one by one.
"No, wait..."
"Three."
Fine, today might be the day I die. Let's be prepared to die. What would make good last words?
"Two."
I could sense the Tajirun's rising panic. Even the stone-faced Equesians stirred.
"Damn it! Akies Victimaaaa! Catch Kinuan! Mr. Luka! That is my business with you! Hoyot, hoyot..."
"See? You can do it if you try, Mr. Cobra."
I spoke casually, but inside, I felt as cold as if ice had been laid over my heart. A dark chill slowly crept up my spine.
Kinuan...
My head went so cold it felt as if all the blood had drained from it.
Now that I knew the Tajirun's objective, I finally understood his motives. This was enough to start negotiating.
"Now, let's talk. I hear you Tajiruns love trade and negotiation."
I spoke with feigned composure to hide my agitation.
Kinuan was an absolute giant. So the reason this Tajirun had specifically sought me out was obvious.
I am the only one who can think on the same level as Kinuan and actually track him down.
...Well, calling it 'the same level' might be a bit arrogant. Let's just say I'm the only one with a fighting chance.
To the Tajirun standing before me, I was irreplaceable. No matter what I demanded, he would have little choice but to comply.
There was much I needed to extract from him, and I had absolutely no intention of conceding a single thing.