Chapter 20. On an Ice Satellite (8)
As soon as I got off the tram, I found myself completely broke, having been stripped of 2.5 million credits. The few hundred credits displayed on my bracelet's hologram screen were all I had left.
I felt like I was about to cry tears of blood, but I quickly rationalized the situation because if the broker hadn't made the deal, we would have been as good as dead already.
Thinking of the credits as something I never had in the first place, I didn't feel as bad. Well, to be honest, I did feel the loss, but considering it was the price for saving my life, Nadia's, and Carry's, 2.5 million credits seemed like a bargain.
With the credits received, the broker, in a good mood, offered to guide us to the top of the central tower as a service. We were now in the elevator.
The elevator rose swiftly. As I felt a faint sense of buoyancy, the broker spoke up.
"You guys certainly made quite a show."
"... I don't think it was very spectacular."
The process that brought us here was anything but spectacular. It was far from that.
Our desperate struggle to survive seemed more fittingly described as pitiful rather than spectacular. The dirtied appearance from rolling around all over the place added to that description.
"What do you mean? Didn't you guys do something at the tram control station? From what I've found out, it seems the circuit breaker was sabotaged there. Even the tracks that were fine suddenly caught fire, and there weren't many who missed the light that exploded from the tracks."
"... Ah."
"Thanks to you, it was quite a hassle. Even though the tracks remained relatively intact, any stationary trams caught fire."
"..."
Nadia and I looked at each other. The mention of burning trams triggered a memory.
This memory led to a hypothesis. Due to the abnormal energy flowing through the tracks, some of the trams connected to the tracks caught fire. Among them was the monster tram that had been pursuing us.
Could it be that the reason it was chasing us was that it set itself on fire? Such a thought popped up but quickly disappeared.
"No, that's too much of a stretch."
It wasn't that we did something to the creature that made it chase us; it was likely pursuing us because it, like other monsters, wanted to destroy anything it saw.
"Why the serious face? It's not like I'm going to charge you repair costs, so relax. It's not even my property; it's the base's asset. How could I charge you for that?"
It wasn't my concern about the cost, but I still rubbed my face to loosen my expression. Suppressing the thought that if it were the broker, they might indeed charge us for it.
With a slight jolt, the doors opened. What unfolded was the sight of surviving residents gathered together.
Most of the survivors looked completely destitute. Like us, some had their suits torn in places, and others, now unseen like Ted, had lost a limb or two.
Despite the seemingly large number of people gathered, the floor we exited onto was eerily quiet. They looked at us as if we were an epidemic, filled with a wary gaze.
Not even a whisper arose. They just kept their heads down, hoping for this moment to pass quickly, wishing that if it were a dream, they would wake up soon.
Although they were alive, they acted as if they were dead. This created an atmosphere that silenced everyone, as if honoring the saying that the dead should remain silent.
"......"
Nadia, with an expression suggesting she might suffocate from the atmosphere, carefully took my hand. Her tail twitched, contemplating whether to tuck between her legs or not.
I held her hand and asked the broker.
"What happened? What's going on here?"
"Why are you asking me?"
"... I thought you might know more than us."
I knew the broker had no obligation to explain to us. Even knowing this, the frustration in my heart was unbearable. If I didn't speak out, I felt I might choke on my own emotions.
The broker, who had been watching me closely, began to speak slowly as he headed towards where the store was.
"I don't know the details either. One thing is for sure: pureblood supremacists are involved in this chaos. Well, you might have guessed this much."
"..."
"Initially, or rather it's more correct to say there was no initially - the bombings occurred simultaneously. I'm sorry, but I know little beyond that. And what I do know, I can't tell you. Hyun-woo, do you remember what I said to you when I created a new identity for you?"
"... Sometimes ignorance is bliss."
It was what the broker said when he provided a new identity for me, who had lost his memory.
There are reasons why information is erased, and usually, those reasons are not good. Trying to uncover them could mean risking your life, which you barely managed to save.
I lived quietly, believing there was truth in those words.
"You remember well. Keep that in mind. Knowing a lot doesn't benefit you. Forget it as quickly as possible. What good comes from remembering this hellish ordeal for long?"
"Whew, you're right."
"Good, as long as you understand. Here, take this."
The broker handed the goods purchased from the store to Nadia and me. I hadn't expected that the broker, obsessed with credits, would purchase things to give to us.
Standing there, confused and caught off guard by the unexpected gesture, the broker urged us to take the items, lightly tossing the packaged goods. They had a substantial weight to them. Inside the packaging was a worker's suit.
It was a Mk. II suit, an upgrade in several functions from what I usually wore.
Even if it didn't differ much in terms of performance, the price differed significantly, which is why I had ignored it before. To receive this from a broker obsessed with credits seemed suspicious, like a poisoned apple.
"... What is this? Why are you giving it to us?"
"You guys just looked too pitiful."
Certainly, we did look a bit - no, very scruffy. It hadn't been long since I changed into fresh clothes.
"Change into it. What, you don't want it? If not, give it back. There are plenty of others who could use it."
Taking back something given is the meanest thing ever. Although store-bought items can't be returned, there was always demand for new suits.
"We'll wear it gratefully!"
"Th-thank you!"
Nadia and I were quick to express our gratitude, fearing that the broker, seemingly fueled by credits, might change their mind. At that, she let out a small chuckle.
"Yes, that's the spirit. The shuttle's experiencing some issues, so it will arrive in four hours."
"Four hours?"
"Yeah. Four hours. That's what everyone here is aware of, so keep it in mind. It might be delayed even further, so just relax until then."
Was it just my imagination? It felt like she was saying it for others to hear. From the start, she never spoke this way. With the broker subtly tapping her bracelet, a strange sense of dissonance swept over me.
'Is she saying to be attentive to communication?'
I couldn't be sure if that was the broker's intent. Nonetheless, it seemed wise to pay attention.
After briefly meeting my gaze, she turned and disappeared with the words to consider working together on Earth. She left in the company of escort robots.
"Hyun-woo, what's up?"
"Nothing, let's just change into these. There's a restroom over there, we can change there."
"Yay! It's a new suit, a new suit~."
Feeling noticeably better with the gift, Nadia giggled and wagged her tail happily. The gift from the broker included not just the worker's suit but also refined blue crystal and bio-cells for Carry to consume. It seemed she had purchased additional items seeing my arm injury.
Bio-cells. They are pharmaceuticals that only someone of a supervisor rank or above can purchase. While ordinary medical supplies offer significant pain relief and medium-term endurance enhancement effects, bio-cells can restore lost body parts.
The price varies with the size purchased, and naturally, it boasts a very high cost.
'This alone exceeds 1 million credits.'
Including the various other small items received, the total easily surpassed 2 million credits. It was essentially as if she had bought it on my behalf. Momentarily, thoughts of Ted made me feel down, but I brushed them off.
"I've never seen this before..."
"Me neither."
"Hurry! Quickly put it on! It'll help heal faster!"
"Like this?"
I attached the bio-cell to the puncture wound on my forearm. Though I hadn't done anything specific to secure it, the bio-cell adhered itself, and upon contact with blood, it began to bubble.
However, it didn't feel hot. Instead, there was a slight tickling sensation and a simultaneous cooling relief.
Watching this with wide eyes, Nadia carefully asked.
"... How is it? Does it seem okay?"
"Yeah. I think it's alright? I can't quite muster strength yet, but I feel it'll improve soon."
It would take a bit of time for the bio-cell to truly integrate with my body. We planned to do as the broker advised, using the time to relax, and changed into new suits in the restroom.
After roughly washing our faces at the sink, we emerged looking noticeably cleaner. Nadia wagged her tail, saying it smelled like new clothes.
We soon found a spot to sit, spending some time feeding refined blue crystals, Carry's power source. Just then, a person with looks that screamed "scientist" approached us.
The man, dressed in a researcher suit in the white color scheme, approached and showed significant interest in the black spikes mounted in Carry's transport box.
"Are these remnants from a monster?"
"Yes. They were projectiles fired by a monstrified tram."
"A tram was monstrified, you say? Huh, the mutation has already progressed that far..."
The man started muttering to himself, seemingly forgetting our presence. He mumbled things about the mutation rate being abnormal and about fusion with inanimate objects.
Nadia, who had been chattering to me, now closed her mouth tightly at the appearance of the stranger.
"But who are you?"
"Oh, my apologies. When I get fixated on something, I tend to overlook my surroundings."
Regaining his senses, the man introduced himself as Carrot, of the technician rank. The light emitted from his bracelet was a blue symbolizing water, not typically associated with a technician rank.
I assumed he was probably higher-ranked than a regular technician, maybe an overseer or a manager. He certainly looked of a more mature age.
When I was about to introduce myself briefly, Carrot waved his hand dismissively.
"No need for introductions. Let's get straight to the point. I'd like to buy those projectiles the robot is storing. Would you be open to selling them?"
"What? But..."
Though we had brought them just in case, I hadn't intended to sell them. I mean, they were spikes fired by a monster tram. We didn't know whether they merely had the appearance of spikes or if they carried some hidden danger.
While I was hesitating, Carrot opened a hologram screen.
"I'll give you 2 million credits for all the projectiles combined. How does that sound?"
"They could be dangerous. There's a risk they might transform like the monsters outside. We don't even fully understand how the transformations occur."
"That's my role, to figure that out. And for that, I need samples. 3 million credits."
"..."
I sold them immediately.
Having completed the transaction without a hitch, Carrot summoned the security robot to place the projectiles in his storage container. Then, murmuring phrases only intelligible to himself, he hastily left.
Only his parting words, about it being a good deal and a pleasure meeting, echoed back. He was a man who came and went like the wind.
Nadia blinked and perked up her ears, intrigued.
"Hyun-woo, are we rich now?"
"Not quite that rich, but we have a bit more leeway to take our time finding work once we get to Earth."
"Wow!"
I considered whether to buy some tools with the suddenly acquired credits. While contemplating this, my bracelet vibrated and sounded an alarm.
- There are pureblood supremacists hiding here. The shuttle isn't arriving in four hours but in 10 minutes. If you want to survive, get up here immediately. If you're found out, I can't guarantee an escape.
The broker's message came, warning that among the survivors, pureblood supremacists remained, silently poised with bombs.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
MC just can't catch a break.