Chapter 122
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: April Vengeance (11)
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The caller on the internal line was, as expected, the Governor of the Pacific Republic. Winter had anticipated as much. In a closed society, contact with the outside world was a dangerous possibility. It had to be controlled.
Upon hearing Winter's identity and purpose, the Governor burst into unexpected laughter.
[Oh, my God. This is truly astonishing! Haha! To think a rescue team would actually come!]
He then mocked his subordinate.
[I don't know at what level the decision was made, but it's utterly idiotic. Even now, there must be hundreds, thousands of ships sending out distress signals... Even for America, do they have the resources to waste like this?]
From the context, it seemed the Governor himself had decided to send the rescue signal. Winter asked,
"You sent the signal yourself, yet you're saying you didn't actually want rescue?"
[Of course, Lieutenant. I gave up the delusion that the world is a kind place long ago. A fixed course toward San Francisco. A rampaging massive passenger liner. If I were in charge, I'd have ordered it sunk. But seeing that you've come, even the U.S. military doesn't grasp reality yet. Tsk tsk. They won't last much longer.]
Ah, humanity's future is bleak! The man chuckled lowly while spouting nonsense. The FBI investigator eavesdropping via the auxiliary receiver frowned. Winter read two emotions from her. One was contempt. The other was guilt. The latter was directed at herself.
Both the carrier task force commander and the FBI investigator had initially favored sinking the passenger liner. In that sense, they were no different from this mad killer. She seemed to feel that way.
This wasn't the time for comfort. Winter asked again.
"I don't understand. If that's the case, why send the signal at all?"
Even if the chances were slim, attempting self-rescue would have been better.
[Why, to die like human beings, of course.]
"Like human beings?"
[Exactly. Without hope of rescue, my dear citizens would have gone mad and rampaged. The republic's order would collapse, and I wouldn't survive unscathed amid the chaos. I couldn't tolerate the outrage of the citizens murdering their Governor. Unless we all died together. So I was hoping for torpedoes or missiles...]
Words poured out at a rapid pace. The Governor seemed to be enjoying the conversation. Like someone desperate to unload prepared excuses on someone.
By the way, he sent a rescue signal for collective suicide? To extend his own life even a little...?
Was this sincere, or just a probe? It felt like the former. No certainty. Winter decided to play along for now.
"Is that dying like human beings?"
[Indeed. Clinging to life, struggling until the very last moment, even for one more second. How human is that? An elegant way to commit suicide.]
"Well. You wanted to live so badly, yet you devoured others so readily."
The logically insane man burst into laughter once more.
[Are you mocking our desperate situation, where we had to do that just to survive? How noble of you. But Lieutenant, the republic's citizens were ordinary people. Not born cannibals or murderers. Anyone could end up like us. If they're starving enough to crave human flesh.]
Winter denied it immediately.
"No. You went beyond that. You put disease and humans on the same stage and reveled in it. Thrilled by their fights and deaths. Do you know? The monster on the last leash is still there. It'll last a long time. It ate plenty."
A circle was drawn on the stage floor. The radius was the length of the leash binding the monster.
Once inside the circle, they couldn't leave until completing the task. Ten tumbling rolls. Ten push-ups. Ten jumping jacks. Ten hula hoop spins. Ten jump rope skips. And so on—ridiculous sequential tasks to complete while dodging variants. Not predetermined either. The host and audience demanded them on the spot. A cauldron of madness, easy to read in their gestures.
Killing variants was cheating. Armed personnel shot them dead. In the silent closed-circuit footage like old movies, Winter had witnessed several such executions. Even without lengthy review.
The tasks grew increasingly grotesque.
The worst was time (屍姦)—intercourse with a living corpse, a variant. Killing it was still cheating, so most challengers died. Variants had immense strength. Before a starving rapist, the inevitable perpetrator was helpless prey. The line between perpetrator and victim blurred.
The moment bitten by the victim, the perpetrator was shot.
'It was like a praying mantis mating...'
To see the female crunching the male, in humans no less.
Successes existed too. How was it even possible? As proof, the host removed the pre-fitted condom. The contents mattered. If white fluid spilled, the audience cheered hotly.
Rules grew more complex. Started with one circle, ended with five. Humans fought humans. In the narrow overlap of five circles, the last survivor standing ended the brutal game.
"You're saying even that was unavoidable to survive?"
To Winter's words, the Governor replied lightly.
[Of course.]
"......"
[Are you playing innocent, or are you truly naive...? Young age, so maybe the latter. In that case, let me teach you, Lieutenant. Pleasure is an essential element of life. Humans can't live without enjoyment. Why do prisoners in cages yearn for the outside? Hm? They're not starving, naked, or exposed to the elements. Answer me.]
What came to mind were people shouting for sex out of urgent pleasure. In another world's unhappy lives, audiences envied a mere boy's posthumous state. Humans can't live without pleasure.
"You're right. But that doesn't mean you squeeze it from others' hearts. Stop ignoring the most basic common sense and seeking agreement? It's disgusting."
[Haha. That's different from the common sense I know.]
"Why? You mentioned my youth, so let me say this: humans are social animals. Middle schoolers learn that. It means other people are essential for human survival. The most basic reason humans shouldn't eat each other."
In the same vein, altruism ultimately becomes egoism. They're not different. It was the dream the boy harbored in life. Now dead, it didn't matter.
'Rather than me loving myself alone, I wish everyone loved me in place of me loving everyone...'
A childish, youthful wish. They say give as you want to receive, but giving first brought nothing back. Takers only. Thus, a world of self-lovers.
Maybe they cherished what little they had because they had so little. Fear of giving when repayment was uncertain. Human frailty and limits. What did the boy have to share besides body and soul? Too small to hate the world itself.
The intoxicated madman snapped him from reverie.
[True, you have the right to say that. If everything I saw on TV was real. Honestly, I was impressed. You acted like someone whose conscience dies when told to. Charging recklessly at Santa Maria to protect one pregnant woman, risking your entire unit's lives. But you know.]
He continued in a voice laced with laughter.
[What do you have left if you live like that? Hm? In the end, nothing remains? If you rip out your heart for others, is that life happy? Hm? How happy have you been so far?]
"......"
[Admit the truth. Righteous people get applause because it benefits everyone else. A fool who gives without reserve—how beautiful.]
"Enough."
No need to hear more. Wasn't why he started this talk. Like catching a rat by backing up a cow, he'd prodded Winter's wounds, but ultimately, the killer's self-justification ramblings.
"You're not even a dog, yet you bark too long."
Dogs were at least cute. A monologue meant to be heard, deliberate provocation. Unlike the compliant play-along so far, a theatrical threat with emphasis. Tension from the unnaturalness.
"The world turning that way and the world supposed to be that way are vastly different, you bastard. Where do you get off trying to scam?"
[Does the death of those who would've died anyway matter so much?]
In this sea, no one would blindly trust a broadcast offering food unconditionally. Only the truly hopeless came. Doesn't the ship that survived matter more now? As the nonsense continued, Winter cut him off again.
"You talk too much. Annoying. From now on, one word without being asked, and I break your bones."
The Governor sighed with laughter. As if asking if someone preaching human duty should say that.
[Hahaha! Such humane words.]
One, for now. Winter calmly counted coldly.
"Considering those deliberately infected for your revenge, be grateful I'm not killing you right away. Until I get there, think hard which bone to discard."
The knife hilt was in their hands. Though only two on this side, it wasn't mere bluff—they could kill immediately. They had a helicopter. One chopper could do more than expected.
'Even from losing the bridge and retreating, their remaining firepower must be negligible.'
The Grand Galley on the 3rd deck was where all the ship's food converged. Central hull, limited entrances. Perfect final stronghold.
And that's what bothered him. Maybe living food still remained.
'Kitchen closed-circuit isn't enough.'
The Governor so far didn't seem long-starved.
"Lieutenant. Let me take over from here."
Silencing transmission briefly, Winter tilted his head.
"Is there a reason to?"
"From what I've heard, this Governor isn't scared of you, sir. Either properly insane or long past despair. Either way, your reputation won't work. Better if I handle it. Few surpass the Bureau in negotiating with criminals and extracting info."
Her not claiming none made him smile.
"Planning to cajole him?"
"Probing and stimulating desires is negotiation basics. With the rescued chef tossed into the sea, this guy and his accomplices won't get good treatment. The bastard knows his position, so he'll just toy with us unless pressed. No fear."
Yet the investigator showed will to turn tables and mock him instead.
[Hellooo~? Lieutenant Han Gyeowol? Is anyone there?]
Giggling echoed through the speaker.
Winter handed her the receiver. The boy read people well too, but using it was another realm.
============================ Author's Notes ============================
#Q&A
Q. rumen: @Is the movie Winter saw Law Abiding Citizen? With Gerard Butler?
A. Yes. The unsatisfying ending makes it perfect for pondering limits. Hehe.
Q. 淸流蓮: @Also, author, I dreamed of a shadow saying if it gave you a soul, you'd do daily updates. You're not that, right?
A. Ah, that was a Perry or chicken impersonating me. Next time, bite its legs off first.
Q. 라이프세이버: @Seems more countries had cannibal cultures in the past than thought. China, Europe, South America, etc.
A. Pretty much everywhere humans lived.
Q. RGZ95: @As expected... In this world, it had to appear. @[email protected]
A. Walking Dead (game) Season 1 had a human flesh episode too. So fun, but can't bring myself to replay Steam version. Curious about Season 2...
Q. Pirque: @Enjoyed it. Your writing shines in setting/background, description, plausibility. Qualitatively surpasses recent novels' average. Cheers to continuing, thanks for this work.
A. Thanks for sticking with this slow-paced, niche-taste novel.
Q. Na-Ru: @Hm, was the movie Winter saw Law Abiding Citizen? Also sad about the skip in the middle.
A. If the colosseum details were what you missed, hope this chapter resolves it.