81 – At the End of a Life That Was Only Swept Away (1)
“Illia.”
“You called?”
The day he called for the guard, it was unusually dark.
Though barely noticeable, there should have been tiny scattered stars in their rightful places, but only darkness remained.
And the machine observed that space where nothing could be seen.
“It’s time for rest. If you don’t take appropriate breaks, it may hinder tomorrow’s operation.”
“If that’s the case, I should quit smoking too.”
He pushed a cloud-shaped cookie between his lips.
Then he toasted it with fire, savoring the hot sweetness that lingered on his tongue.
“Please explain.
Despite being aware of the fact that you’re putting carcinogens into your body, why do you smoke?”
“It’s just what humans do, I guess.
Doing something even though they know they shouldn’t.
Just like how I’m working as a mercenary now.”
He was aware that his coughing and phlegm increased,
and that the smell of smoke clinging to his body was becoming unpleasant.
Nevertheless, his gaze narrowed, and the collected smoke was expelled outside the road.
“It’s not logical. There must be a cause and effect for smoking.
Therefore, I request the input of information accordingly.”
Even if you say that, being human in the first place isn’t that logical, is it?
If I say I smoke because I want to shed blood, could that be a reason?
“Do you have any benefits from smoking?”
Only the word “carcinogen” lingered in my mind.
Just saying, not shedding makes me anxious, and while shedding, it’s sweet and somewhat calming…
But the word “cancer” was heavily entrenched to say it’s like that.
“If the drawbacks outweigh the benefits, we recommend discontinuing the behavior.”
“It’s a bit tricky when withdrawal symptoms kick in. Want to see hands that hold a gun trembling sweetly?”
The eyes of those who haven’t tasted alcohol narrowed,
the mouths of those who haven’t injected drugs dried up,
and those who haven’t inhaled the smoke of a cigarette, with a white stick between their fingers, wavered, so they say.
Those who fought on the battlefield were nothing but people who had acquired a taste somewhere.
Even if technology advanced and robots appeared on the battlefield,
humans were still humans.
Nothing had changed.
“For the health of Mr. Taehyuk, we recommend refraining from smoking as much as possible.”
“But still, where’s the concern for my well-being?”
As he held a cigarette, he was surrounded by comrades and unknown colleagues.
Just by having the same company logo on their shoulders, someone pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered it to others,
and someone else took out a lighter, illuminating the surroundings brightly.
And they covered the horrors of the battlefield with white smoke on each other’s bodies.
In front of their eyes, in their minds.
Without a single word.
In front of me like that, no, it’s the CI unit in front of my eyes, emitting sound through the speaker.
“It’s just you, hey.”
Throwing the cigarette butt to the ground, I crushed it underfoot.
The feet in slippers gradually reddened in the cool night air,
As I lifted my head, instead of the tip of an orange candy sparkling in front of my eyes, only the blue light of the scanner remained.
“It was a natural advice for the survival of Taehyuk-nim.
The guard will continue. Taehyuk-nim’s rest is essential for tomorrow’s operation.”
“I’m already awake. Let’s talk some more.
I’ll sit next to you, is that okay?”
It wasn’t a question thrown expecting an answer, but I just smiled at the body moving slightly sideways instead of speaking.
“Have you gotten used to it now?”
“If you say you’re hungry, there are pumpkin-flavored snacks ready.”
But a smile crept up at the next words.
The mention of pumpkin didn’t sit well with my rumbling stomach.
“…I woke up because it was creepy.”
“The food I can provide with my authorized authority is only the ones with plenty of stock left.
Currently, there’s only pumpkin flavor available.”
“When was there a time when the taste of pumpkin wasn’t lingering?”
“Never.”
Yet, is recommending the taste of pumpkin to me really for my sake, or is it suggesting that it’s better to consume it and die, at least to maintain a good complexion instead of smoking.
In any case, the sticky smoke had already enveloped my tongue, and phlegm was slowly rising from the back of my throat, boiling up violently.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Cough,
Spit.
“…Damn it.”
Phlegm mixed with blood, and a hot face.
What seeped through my nose was not the sweet scent of tobacco, but…
A mixture of outside pollution, scratching my nose, emanating from the spark.
…
Did I faint?
Twisting my groaning body somehow, groping my hands, I pressed the button on the belt.
Originally, something so easily released, but considering how much I suffered during my struggles with Ilia, it felt like an eternity.
“Suck…!”
The steps in my memory were softer, lighter.
Like a poster scattered into the air, the body, seemingly just fluttering in the night air, must have been stronger than this.
No strength in the body, and the vision was blurry –
– Thud.
Unable to fully open, the car door made a clunking sound, perhaps jammed somewhere.
Or maybe it’s my stubbornness that’s to blame.
Dragging a leg that moved only at my command, I widened my eyes, inhaling the foul air.
Yet, the lights reflected on the visor of the helmet showed no signs of stopping their diffusion.
“One, kek, clep…”
The lips, thick and persistent, were coated with something unpleasant, almost resembling saliva.
Or was saliva always like this?
Kissing Ilyana to the point of numbness, had I forgotten the true sensation of saliva?
“Heh, heh…”
The heat felt from behind was turning the car’s color from a sickly black to a grayish hue.
… What happened to the CI units that were riding with me?
How did I end up in this alley, becoming the target?
***
“Kuk…!”
Something tore through the flesh of my arm; the bullets were unmistakable.
Enduring a pain akin to chewing on sterilized gauze over an unhealed wound,
I discovered the tears streaming down had stained my hands black as I wiped them away.
A helmet with chipped gold, a body that had been somewhere hurt.
And Ilyana was nowhere to be found.
… It felt like I had returned to the time of waiting for ten long years.
I roughly stapled the wound and silently wiped away the flowing blood before applying a bandage.
At the same time, a sparking sound burst from the helmet, and the emitted light suddenly went out.
Suddenly, I reached into my pocket, but… the essential cellphone was nowhere to be found.
Perhaps it slipped into the car. It was uncertain.
A wound that shouldn’t exist unless it was a sniper shot.
If that’s the case… I must have been pursued. So, damn it.
My head throbbed with pain.
The name Miguel Dennis was scribbled in my mind.
Lenses sparkling in a small window of the building.
Shattered glass and metal fragments flying out.
From Noble mtl dot com
And the arm of the CI unit, which had lost its head, pushing and shoving my steering wheel.
Was it Ilya who rescued me?
“…”
I pulled out the revolver still tucked at my waist.
Outside, where gunshots should be echoing, only a ringing silence prevailed.
A noisy sound that disorients the mind, makes it numb, and steals away hearing.
– Beep…
– Click.
– Click…
Judging by the sound, it seems my eardrums haven’t burst.
However, the ringing in my ears still doesn’t disappear.
– Thud.
A sound that wouldn’t come from the cylinder echoed, and I aimed the gun straight towards it.
The stairs were trembling.
Maybe it was my eyes trembling.
Or perhaps my body.
Sweat trickled down from the body beginning to heat up from pain, soaking my clothes,
While my right hand pierced by a stapler gripped the gun straight, the sight wavered as if embracing uncertainty.
“Is it you, Lee Tae-hyuk?”
The voice of the CI unit.
But it was much thicker and heavier than Ilia.
Unlike Ilia, whose emotions could be heard even from a cheap speaker, the one speaking to me now – was a machine.
“Who’s there?”
“CI-125, an artificial intelligence in a cooperative relationship with independent entities defining themselves as Ilia now. Lee Tae-hyuk, it is anticipated that you have acquired some of my information.”
I lowered the gun.
And blankly stared at the light emanating from the emerging figure.
Ilia was a red light.
And this fellow had something between yellow and green.
“Does Ilia know I’m here?”
“I sought you out to discuss the issue.
Currently, Ilia is in a state of chaos.
After gathering some forces, communication was severed, but the destination is clear.
I confirmed the main body is moving to eliminate Miguel Dennis, who targeted you.
It’s irrational and illogical decision.”
For a moment, distracted by that brilliance.
The dry voice drove a wedge.
Irrational, illogical.
It felt as if the relationship between me and Ilia had been recited as is.
“…Chase after him?”
“You personally instilled emotions in Subject 125 and dealt with it.
According to my speculation, you will move to eliminate Miguel Dennis.
Therefore, I will provide a heavily armored assault transport ship.”
An artificial intelligence narrating as if it’s a matter of course.
The injured arm throbbed, yet the leg moved first, as if refusing to respond to that statement.
“Alone? Without any support? Just go and die, or is that what you’re implying – “
“Your words hold no power, Taehyuk.
Any attempt to extract a price or uncover my information is meaningless.
Taehyuk and Ilia have already recorded a high level of affinity for each other, both data-wise and non-data-wise.
You have no choice but to go and save.”
Even if the knee injury threatened to lead to a permanent disability, it was as if enduring it with painkillers.
The machine that knows me quickly turned to look outside, where the loud roar of thrusters could be heard.
Dust rushed in through the broken glass, and the powder settled in the emerging firelight.
“Illia, instead of attempting to confirm your life status and securing safety,
initiated independent action as soon as the connection of CI units escorting you was severed, and the significant impact on the vehicle was detected.
This is an action I find incomprehensible, but you will understand.
Illia requested to move with emotions instead of reason, and currently, Illia is perfectly executing that command.”
The engine noise subsided, and the dust being emitted formed a thin layer on the floor.
And there I was, with a bandage soaked in blood wrapped around my arm, facing the rambling robot.
“Feel free to consider it an order. If you need a pretext to conceal the cause of your actions, you may use this situation.
But I have already reached a conclusion. You have already accepted my proposal.”
A gun was raised.
“…Where are you.”
I shifted my gaze towards the training line.