Chapter 373: American Dream (1)
Chapter 373: American Dream (1)
“The atmosphere in America is a bit different, Master!”
With the help of the Management Bureau, we finally reached American soil. Baek Si-hyun, looking unusually energetic, chirped as she stepped off.
Honestly, I had no idea where she got all that energy.
Han A-bin was heading quietly toward the temporary lodgings under the Bureau’s guidance, her head drooping from sheer exhaustion. She had poor stamina to begin with, so that was expected. Even I was worn out after everything we’d been through, yet Si-hyun was looking around with sparkling eyes as if she were on a sightseeing tour.
Still, aside from her having the strength to bounce around while everyone else was drained, it didn’t seem that strange. If A-bin had her strength back, she probably would have acted similarly, albeit a bit more reservedly.
“Is this your first time in America?”
“Yes!”
Si-hyun replied brightly, her head still swiveling to take in the surroundings.
Well, it made sense for her to be excited.
After all.
Click. Click. Click.
The sound of matte camera flashes—flashes that emitted no light but made a distinct noise—filled the air. The sources of those sounds were hovering in mid-air, their mouths moving incessantly.
“There are reports that there were zero casualties. Is that true?”
“Some say the Management Bureau failed to predict the monster’s appearance, which caused this catastrophe. What is your response?”
“Are you perhaps the Ambitions Warrior? As a Hero, could you give us a word regarding this situation…?”
Reporters had swarmed like flies the moment they caught scent of a scoop. The Management Bureau staff were shouting at them to be quiet since everyone was exhausted, but it seemed difficult to control reporters flying around in every direction with personal force field thrusters strapped to their backs.
“You there! Which station are you with? Don’t you know filming civilian victims is prohibited? Put that camera down immediately!”
The reporters buzzed about, making a racket as they evaded the Bureau’s control. They looked like gnats in their behavior, but they weren't the only ones in the sky.
There were others floating in the air, clad in skin-tight costumes, staring intently at us from a distance. Heroes, looking entirely different from us, were also watching from all sides. Unlike the noisy reporters, they seemed to have at least a shred of decency, as they watched in silence.
I wanted to snap at them right then and there—to tell them they had no business sticking their noses in this and to lower their eyes and piss off. But causing a scene with so many reporters gathered would only make our stay in America miserable. I chose to endure.
The people currently hovering like flies were mostly official reporters with permits. If it was this loud with them, what would happen if a malicious paparazzi looking for prey caught wind of us? I wouldn’t step a single foot out of my room for the rest of the trip. Those bastards were worse than stalkers.
Anyway, the sky was filled with flies swarming the sunken cruise ship scoop and hyenas desperate for fame. The heart of the American city surrounding the hotel—our temporary lodging provided by the Bureau—gave off a distinctly near-futuristic vibe.
It wasn't that everything was radically different. People walked the streets normally, electric lights brightened the night, and cars drove on the ground. However, there were subtle differences.
Instead of electronic billboards, the streets were lined with advertising towers made of holograms. Sleek, curved cars moved without drivers. Among those walking the streets, you could spot individuals who had replaced parts of their bodies with machinery.
Those were the subtle differences. But because the landscape was otherwise so similar to ours, those minor discrepancies stood out even more.
“Oh? That’s the force field generator that got seized at customs when I tried to buy it directly!”
“…And that’s a General-purpose Bio-prosthetic currently undergoing safety certification by the international medical organization….”
Perhaps she’d caught some of Si-hyun’s restless energy, but even Han A-bin had lifted her head and was staring at a particular spot in wonder.
“What? Does it bother you?”
“Of course it does…. There were people getting angry because the implementation of that was being delayed. Right now… some patients are….”
I suspected Han A-bin herself was one of those angry people. Well, it was common to hear people asking why they couldn't use items that looked so useful at a glance. Still, if they couldn't be used because safety hadn't been verified, there was nothing to be done. I wondered what a person who had resigned themselves to that fact would think upon seeing that technology being used casually by civilians.
“Don’t take it too hard, A-bin. America has a different perception than we do.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Well, it’ll be a long story, so let’s talk once we’re inside the hotel.”
“Okay….”
Perhaps my words gave her a bit of strength. Han A-bin, who had been listless with her head down, grabbed the wandering Si-hyun and hurried toward the hotel. It was as if she wanted to hear my explanation as soon as possible.
I suppose I should reward my disciple’s enthusiasm. With that thought, I followed quickly behind her.
Inside the hotel, it was quiet. Even the most shameless reporters seemingly lacked the audacity to barge into a hotel arranged by the Bureau for civilian victims. After receiving our room keys, we headed straight to our floor.
The days spent drifting at sea on the corpse of a Giant Nautilus must have drained the strength of all the cruise passengers. No one was wandering the hotel halls. The only signs of life I sensed were people heading to their assigned rooms to fall into a deep sleep. It was the sleep of relief, having regained their strength and returned to daily life.
However, our group was different. Despite being exhausted, they seemed to want to hear what I had to say. Instead of diving into the neatly made beds, they sat around the table in the middle of the room, ready to listen.
Well, I expected it from Si-hyun, but I didn't realize A-bin would be this eager to hear it. Was that bio-prosthetic really that important to her? No, it was likely a broader issue. The bio-prosthetic was just the catalyst. Seeing it must have made her think of something deeper.
Stories of patients she couldn't save.
‘If only I had that medicine, that machine, that attachment.’
‘I could have saved the patient.’
‘So why am I told I can’t use it?’
‘Why?’
Voices from the past flickered in my mind. But it wasn't Han A-bin saying those words.
…Lisa Dahlgren. She used to say things like that.
Was the reason she and Han A-bin gave off a similar vibe because they were both from medical backgrounds? If so, I might need to be more serious with this answer than I thought. A small misalignment can lead to a disastrous future. Though, I didn't think A-bin would go that far.
Now then. Where should I start?
Thinking this, I walked to the refrigerator, took out a bottle of cold water, and poured it into my mouth. Suddenly, my mouth felt strangely stinging. After rinsing away the sting with water, I returned to the table with a new bottle in hand and spoke.
“Let’s see. You were asking why things that aren't used in other countries yet are being used so openly in America, right?”
It was a sentence meant to start the conversation, even though everyone already knew the topic.
“…Yes.”
“Huh? I saw those for sale on online shopping malls, though.”
It seemed Si-hyun was deeply mistaken about something. I decided to ignore her.
“As I said, it’s a difference in perception. The Americans, and by extension, the Canadians and Mexicans—the people of North America.”
Yes, the perception was different. It wasn't that the technological gap between America and other nations was massive. Maybe in the old days when national borders were more distinct, it would have been different, but now, a product developed and commercialized in one country spreads across the globe in an instant.
So, where did this difference come from?
“…What is that difference in perception?”
“The way they view the adoption of Otherworld technology.”
“That’s a bit hard to understand.”
That’s unlike the clever A-bin. Usually, she would have caught on by now. I suppose I should explain in more detail.
“In short, we view items containing Otherworld technology with a bit of suspicion and unease, while North America prioritizes the possibilities they offer over the risks.”
Take the General-purpose Bio-prosthetic that started this conversation. I didn't have much knowledge in that field, so I didn't know exactly what technology was involved. But I could guess from the name. It was likely a prosthetic that functioned almost exactly like a human limb. The word 'general-purpose' suggested it was something that didn't require special techniques or high costs, unlike regenerating a specific person's limb.
The technology used was, of course, Otherworld-based. This led to two conflicting viewpoints.
One side argued: It’s based on Otherworld technology, so if something goes wrong, it could be a disaster. Furthermore, this is something used on humans. Therefore, it must be verified with extreme precision before use.
The other side argued: What are you talking about? Even if it’s Otherworld-based, these technologies have been vetted over a long period and proven safe. Are you going to delay this useful technology for years just because of a one-in-a-million potential problem? In this era of endless war, this is technology that can give limbs back to those who lost them.
That was how the gap formed.
I didn't go into such granular detail, but after summarizing the gist of it, I waited for Han A-bin’s reaction. Her expression wasn't one of confusion. It was one of twisted anguish. Because she was clever, those few sentences were enough for her to understand what I meant, and thus her dilemma began.
I kept my mouth shut and waited quietly for her to respond. In the meantime, I opened the water bottle and took a sip.
About five minutes passed after I finished speaking. Finally, A-bin spoke.
“Why did such a difference arise?”
Her voice was filled with a determination that said she had to know the reason. It carried the nuance of: ‘If I know the reason, I might be able to endure it.’
I straightened my posture and spoke.
“From here on, it’s just my personal analysis. Is that okay?”
I wasn't a sociologist or a historian. I didn't know if my words were objectively correct. But as someone who had survived that era, there was an answer I could provide.
“…Yes.”
“At the time, the world was largely divided into three: the Europe-Asia-Africa sphere, the North American sphere, and the South America-Oceania-parts of Africa sphere.”
What did each represent?
“The massive invasion that began from the unmapped territories after The Sea routes were cut divided the world into those three.”
The Siberian Front. The Pacific Front. The Atlantic Front. The Sahara Front. The Himalayan Front. The Amazon Front. The Peak of Despair. These were the places where all of humanity’s resources were concentrated.
“Among them, North America suffered the least damage. The Europe-Asia sphere barely managed to hold them off, and the South America-Oceania sphere ended in practical extinction.”
Actually, it was a bit much to lump South America and Oceania together. It wasn't that they were linked, but rather a grouping of regions that simply couldn't hold out and collapsed. Regardless, holding out was impossible for South America and Oceania. Given their locations, they were hit by a volume of enemies they couldn't possibly stop on their own. At the time, the rest of the world didn't have the strength to support other regions.
…My mouth was stinging a bit. I took another sip of water and continued.
“When Europe and Asia fought off that invasion, they did so by mobilizing massive amounts of resources. In that process, they experienced countless incidents related to the Otherworld.”
Resources. A synonym for humans.
“But North America was different. From the beginning, they actively used Otherworld technology, and they dealt with the invasion by pushing forward even if side effects occurred.”
…To be honest, I thought it was less about that and more because North America had a much easier front relative to its national power… but that might just be my prejudice from having experienced the most brutal front in Siberia.
“Then… the people here….”
Regardless of my roundabout explanation, Han A-bin seemed to understand.
“Right. It’s a success story. Through their actions, they achieved the most successful defense. Therefore, they believe their way is the right way.”
I didn't know which side was truly right. Perhaps if we had acted like North America from the start, we would have seen a different result. But on our side, there existed a great sin committed using Otherworldly Power.
A representative example would be Happiness Drop. A nightmare existence that abused Otherworld technology. That became our trauma.
“Well, that’s how it is. This isn't a matter of right or wrong. It’s a way of life born from the experiences they’ve had.”
Even this would change over time. It would be in the hands of a new generation, like Han A-bin, who didn't have the nightmares of the past.
…Though, it would likely be impossible for us.