Rainbow City

As Kwak Soohwan drove the Jeep from Uijeongbu back to Gwacheon, he had to avoid running over several Adam troops rushing towards him. Somehow, the number seemed higher than usual, and each of them was dressed in military attire. In this area, there was no doubt that the Eden Sanctuary folks had committed some mischief against the soldiers. However, he didn’t hear why Seokhwa had come down to Gwacheon. Surely it wasn’t because he wanted to see him. Even his voice wasn’t cheerful.“Well, when were you ever cheerful?”Kwak Soohwan opened the window and expelled the remaining cigarette smoke from his body. He intentionally tuned in to Rainbow City’s broadcast on the radio.Occasionally, random broadcasts containing Rainbow City’s instructions would come out, so whenever he got in the Jeep, he would usually leave the radio on. The thrill of deciphering the random broadcasts containing the First Masters’ nonsense was also enjoyable.[The emerging cult Eden Sanctuary is attempting to shake the peaceful Rainbow City. They committed cybercrimes by hacking our frequency and are misleading people with an uncertain vaccine.]Although it was called an emerging cult, the actual creation of the Eden Sanctuary had been quite a while ago. It was only recently that they had grown significantly. The more chaotic and difficult the world became, the more power cults tended to exert. In that sense, if Eden Sanctuary successfully established itself, there would likely be so many believers that handling Rainbow City would become difficult.[Our wonderful citizens, please pay attention. Just now, simultaneous results have been reported from the Rainbow City shelters in Yeouido, Gangnam, and Gangbuk. After investigating the vaccine distributed by Eden Sanctuary, it has been revealed that it is entirely ineffective!]Since he had the window open, the wind was noisy, so he turned up the volume.[As it contains ingredients that can induce side effects, citizens must never, never administer the vaccine distributed by Eden Sanctuary. The military is being deployed to retrieve the fake vaccine Eden Sanctuary has spread. A reward will be given to citizens who personally bring in the fake vaccine to Rainbow City. Wise citizens should not be deceived by fake vaccines and false stories. The only fence to protect our righteous citizens is Rainbow City.]Kwak Soohwan let out a low chuckle.He had no way of knowing if the vaccine was real or fake. However, seeing them repeating the same words like parrots, considering the nature of Rainbow City that he had seen so far, the likelihood that the vaccine was real seemed high.The Masters are in deep trouble.Kwak Soohwan hesitated to take out a cigarette but realized that he was nearing the Gwacheon Shelter, so he gave up the idea. It wouldn’t be good if the already weak Dr. Seok complained of lung pain. Kwak Soohwan had observed various mutations and their peculiar characteristics, but Seokhwa’s obsession with stones was a first.In reality, collecting or carrying stones wasn’t a trait that needed to be controlled. It didn’t cause harm to others, so it seemed uniquely characteristic of Seokhwa. If Seokhwa’s obsession had been a sexual one, it could have been a big problem.Before entering the parking lot of the Gwacheon Shelter, Kwak Soohwan had his identity confirmed. Several Jeeps seemed to be leaving the Gwacheon Shelter, likely on their way to retrieve the vaccine.He parked his car in a ground parking lot different from the Yeouido Shelter and got out of the Jeep. Even though winter seemed distant, white breaths still lingered. Still, winter was preferable to humid summer. In summer, the Adam virus, along with various other diseases, spread rampantly, and the stench of decaying Adam was also unbearable.Kwak Soohwan entered the decontamination center and saw his reflection in the mirror. After taking off the uniform stained with Adam’s blood, he became completely naked and faced himself in the mirror, becoming a living fossil. When meeting Dr. Seokhwa, he had to be presentable. He showered off the blood splattered on his face and washed his body with soap known for its high antibacterial properties. He stepped outside, letting his body air-dry, and roughly set his hair with his hands.After entering the shelter, he chose comfortable clothes from the uniforms and casual wear provided by the shelter staff and tucked the military ID tag into his shirt. After finishing the blood test, he realized that two hours had passed since Seokhwa had called on the radio.He wasn’t even aware that his pace had quickened. From the underground decontamination center to the lobby, he ran up the stairs and, after opening the emergency exit door, put his hands in his pockets.“Dr. Seokhwa is here to see me.”Kwak Soohwan suddenly asked the soldier guarding the shelter lobby.“Yes, he’s been waiting for you.”Kwak Soohwan took a look around.“Hey, wacko! Where have you been and why are you only coming now?”A sharp voice was heard, and when he turned to look, Lee Chaeyoon was running towards him, throwing off her cape. And beyond her, Seokhwa, sitting on a long guest chair, came into view. The bulky backpack he had seen before was placed next to him, and in between, an eggshell on a tissue revealed that he might have eaten an egg.Seokhwa’s large eyes met his, and for some reason, he seemed to have more vitality than usual.“Unlucky. Don’t make eye contact with me like that.”Lee Chaeyoon made a vomiting gesture.“When looking at a person, look into their eyes. Where else would you look?”Seokhwa slowly got up from his seat, wrapping the tissue with the eggshell around it. Kwak Soohwan approached Seokhwa faster than walking this way.“Hey, did the doctor tell me to go to Gwacheon?”Lee Chaeyoon was also walking close by.“He did it before.”“No, I suggested it last time. Today, the doctor mentioned it.”What? Was it this Major who suggested going before? Well, whatever.Kwak Soohwan looked at Seokhwa and smiled slightly.“Did you come to see me?”“Where did you go?”Seokhwa’s voice seemed noticeably weaker than usual. Sensing something unusual, Kwak Soohwan took his hand out of his pocket and handed a banknote to Lee Chaeyoon.“Hey, Major, there’s a snack bar on the third floor. Go get some snacks.”“What kind of nonsense is that? Why not just ask me to move?”“Did you notice that?”Lee Chaeyoon raised her middle finger, made a vomiting motion, and then shook her hand towards Seokhwa as if to say, “We’ll see later.”Seokhwa nodded slightly as Lee Chaeyoon walked towards the third floor. Watching her back, Kwak Soohwan first lifted Seokhwa’s backpack. It felt heavier than expected, considering what he might have put in there.“I want to talk where there are no people.”He felt like he was about to say something serious.Choosing the outside rather than the shelter interior where the surveillance cameras were active, Kwak Soohwan took his hand out of his pocket, and handed a banknote to Lee Chaeyoon.Kwak Soohwan held Seokhwa’s wrist after putting the backpack on one shoulder. Let’s go. As they walked, Seokhwa began to move his steps as well.The two walked out of the building into a garden with benches. There were no soldiers taking a stroll at this time, so the only people around were the two of them. Kwak Soohwan was wearing a thin shirt and slacks, but he didn’t feel much of the cold. Seokhwa also seemed to find relief in the cool air, and his breathing, which had felt stifled, seemed to open up a bit.“Dr. Seokhwa, you’re quite persistent, aren’t you?”After they sat side by side on the bench, Kwak Soohwan initiated the conversation.“Did you come all the way here to get some sperm?”Seokhwa turned his body swiftly toward Kwak Soohwan. Due to the wind bringing his body closer, Kwak Soohwan was almost under the impression that Seokhwa’s body had heated up for real. However, a white and listless breath seemed to emanate from Seokhwa. Even a chill could be felt in his pale face.“The vaccine is real, but they announced it as fake.”As Kwak Soohwan rested his tightly clenched fist on his thigh, a sound of crumpled eggshells on the tissue was heard. Kwak Soohwan unfolded Seokhwa’s hand, searching for any remnants of the eggshell, but found none. Instead, he took the tissue, rolled it up, and threw it far away.“So what?”Kwak Soohwan asked with a smile, as if to say, ‘What’s the problem?’ Seokhwa slightly opened his mouth, and his eyes, filled with embarrassment, met Kwak Soohwan’s gaze. Despite his expressionless face, Seokhwa’s emotions were readable from a certain point. While other areas remained unclear, his eyes were filled with emotion. Kwak Soohwan didn’t avoid those dark eyes.“Moreover, they already announced it as fake. If Rainbow City says it’s fake, then it’s fake.”“Even if it’s real?”“I heard on the radio that the test results from each shelter showed it had no effect.”“No. It hasn’t been administered to people yet, but it was effective on mice.”Seokhwa reached out to the backpack that Kwak Soohwan was carrying on one side. When he did that, Kwak Soohwan tilted his head and clenched his fist.“Is that why you came to see me?”He said it with indifference and coldness. Seokhwa was at a loss for words.“Because they announced the real vaccine as fake? As I mentioned before, Dr. Seok, I need you to focus on research rather than thinking differently.”He took a long breath, and it felt like moisture gathered on his eyelids.“And if the vaccine is real, you can announce that it was made by Rainbow City by identifying the ingredients.”For a moment, he was on the verge of confusion. He was a soldier of Rainbow City.Maybe he thought he would sympathize with him since he wasn’t originally a citizen here.Seokhwa became even more confused about why he came to Gwacheon. When he reported to General Yoon that the vaccine was effective, he suggested announcing it as fake for the stability of Rainbow City. And the subsequent words were similar to Kwak Soohwan’s. If they mass-produce it, it’ll be fine.“Why do you lie?”“Research and politics are separate, and lies are necessary in politics.”“Then isn’t Eden Hill better? At least there,”“Dr. Seokhwa.”Kwak Soohwan lightly grabbed Seokhwa’s shoulder with one hand.“Just until a little while ago, I visited the underground bunker where Eden Hill guys were developing the vaccine. But there were quite a few Adams there. And all those Adams were our soldiers. Do you think that’s a coincidence? Eden Hill guys kidnapped our soldiers, conducted experiments, and turned them into Adams.”“…”“Go back to Yeouido. And I’ll catch the culprit and bring him in front of Dr. Seok. So let’s stop thinking about anything else now.”Seokhwa bowed his head and looked at the ground. Without expressing affirmation or denial, he remained silent for a moment, then soon reached out his hand. Kwak Soohwan took the backpack he was wearing, putting his arms through the straps and securing it on his back.“I’ll go.”“I’ll give you a ride.”Kwak Soohwan raised his hand into the loop of the backpack.“Major Kwak, isn’t all of this… strange to you?”His face was as cold as an ice sheet, but inside Seokhwa, it felt like magma was boiling. He couldn’t accept it at all.“If it feels strange, so be it. You have a bed to sleep on, meals on time, and water to drink and use as you please. I understand that Dr. Seok may have doubts. But sometimes, it’s best to accept and live with it. Dr. Seok, who grew up as an elite, may miss exciting and thrilling adventures,”“I’ll go.”Seokhwa forcibly removed the backpack loop held by Kwak Soohwan.“I’ll take you there.”“I’ll go with this Major.”Holding the straps of the backpack tightly in his hands, Seokhwa began to walk towards the building. Kwak Soohwan started to follow Seokhwa but stopped in his tracks, raising his voice without moving.“Stop thinking about it before I hand it over to the royal guard myself.”Seokhwa’s hand, turning slowly, showed signs of trembling.“This is my final advice.”Seokhwa seemed to be shocked, perhaps.***At the same time, on Jeju Island, Udo.Ziing, ziing, the electric wheelchair moved in the hands of a man holding the directional keys.As the wheelchair moved closer to the glass window of the living room, a steep cliff on the opposite side became visible. The mansion, harmonizing with the serene scenery, had neither iron bars nor safety devices prepared for Adam’s attacks. Only the sound of waves, heard day and night, blended naturally into the air, becoming a part of everyday life.“A video has arrived from Mother.”The man only stared out into the pitch-black outside, ignoring the voice of the butler.“Aren’t you tired and bored?”In response to the owner’s question, the butler approached with the wheelchair. The butler held the handle of the wheelchair and adjusted the direction.“No way. Is there any place safer and more leisurely than this?”“I don’t think so. I’m tempted to throw everything away.”“If Master says so,”“It’s just a joke anyway.”The second master patted the hand of the butler holding the handle. Without saying anything more, the butler silently pulled the wheelchair to the master’s office. The locked office could only be opened and closed by the second master. He raised his hand, and the fingerprint was recognized on the pad.“I’ll move alone from here.”“Yes, I’ll wait outside.”The master controlled the directional keys again and entered the office through the corridor.In the center of the office was a desk, the left side adorned with a bookshelf filled with books, and the remaining wall displayed a glass board with information about Eden Hill and research. Since he was in a wheelchair, the glass was clean from a certain height and above.“Mother, grant access to the Second Master of Rainbow City.”The Master who connected to the main computer spoke.[Voice recognition for Second Master completed. Opening all Mother servers. Welcome, Master.]The Second Master, the one who integrated AI functions into the current Mother built in each shelter, was a scholar, a politician, and also the Master of Rainbow City. The Master silently watched the Mother’s broadcast transmitted from the Gwacheon shelter. After a brief conversation with Kwak Soohwan and Seokhwa in the lobby, they disappeared somewhere, avoiding surveillance cameras.While waiting for their reappearance, the Master rolled the round manor stone on the desk. The blueish quartz mineral, resembling the brain’s neural patterns, was called a manor. The subtle, undulating manor, seemingly capturing the color of the Jeju Sea, was one of the minerals the Master cherished.Seokhwa entered the lobby, glanced around, and soon headed somewhere. Later, Lee Chaeyoon joined, followed by Kwak Soohwan, who approached them. The scene captured their backs as they headed towards the above-ground parking lot.The reason Seokhwa sought out Kwak Soohwan could only be speculated. Perhaps it was because of the vaccine offered by Eden Paradise. But what was puzzling was that the Seokhwa he knew was not such an active person.What could have triggered Seokhwa? Was it the death of Dr.Oh, or was it the impact of the kidnapping incident?The Master cleared unnecessary thoughts and spoke again.“Mother, has Serpent’s location been confirmed?”[Loading. Serpent’s location is unknown. Appearance and age are not certain, and only voice data of Serpent is registered on the server. Tracking is in progress based on voice data.]“Is there a possibility of using a voice modulation program?”[Possibility is sufficient. Analysis of Serpent’s voice print shows that the voice separates when pronouncing harsh consonants, making it inaudible to the human auditory range.]“Understood. Close the server.”[Closing the opened server. Have a restful night, Master.]Tap, tap. The Master, who had been tapping the desk with the manor, wiped his face as if tired. Following Wonho, even Dr.Oh had died. The symptoms were always there, just as usual.The Mother’s surveillance cameras could be stopped, and the First Master could edit as well.“What exactly were you thinking?”The Second Master couldn’t roam freely like the First Master. After Wonho’s death, Dr.Oh’s research was only supported here.If the First hadn’t sent Seokhwa back to Jeju Island, things wouldn’t have gotten this complicated. How much more do they need to take from me to be satisfied? The Master exerted pressure on the manor in their hand. However, that didn’t mean they could engage in a full-on confrontation with the First Master right now. It could lead to a three-front conflict, which would be troublesome.What Rainbow City needed was not a revolution but reform. That’s why it would be problematic if Eden Paradise gained more power here. The headache didn’t end there.Kwak Soohwan. He’s following my orders for now, but his ambition is too great; he’s practically a time bomb.The Second Master began organizing again on the glass pane.[Pishon: Kwak Jaewon. Gihon: Kang Soneun. Tigris: Wonho. Euphrates: Dr.Oh. Serpent: ?]Why did they all side with Wonho? Did you all really want a revolution? They were comrades who shared the same ideals, but at some point, they all crossed a river they couldn’t return from.The Master drew a line from Pishon to Euphrates. Now, they’re all dead and gone. Only Serpent remains.They slumped their hand holding the pen and leaned heavily on the wheelchair, looking up at the ceiling, reminiscing about their former comrades.And soon, they felt lonely.“Stop thinking about it before I hand you over to the guards myself.”It wasn’t strange for Kwak Soohwan to say that.Seokhwa just mistakenly thought he had less loyalty to Rainbow City citizens than others. He had raided bars and had more demerits than merits despite his outward appearance of propriety. There weren’t many soldiers like him, so it was easy to make such a mistake.Even though a new nail had grown on the little finger, it still felt sore. Seokhwa glanced briefly at Kwak Soohwan, wrapping his left hand, who had offered two cigarettes to Lee Chaeyoon and took the wheel himself.“We still have time before reaching Yeouido. Get some rest.”“I’m fine.”Seokhwa decided not to say more than necessary to Kwak Soohwan. It could be troublesome if he decided to push Seokhwa into the guards.It was strange in Rainbow City. They couldn’t question anything, had to believe that the actions of the higher-ups were right, and only adhere to the given roles. It was not like moving based on system values input like Mother.Looking back, Dr.Oh had mentioned a few times that the orders from above were questionable, but at that time, Seokhwa had simply ignored it without much thought.They believed it when the superiors said it’s impossible, when they claimed there wasn’t enough money for support. But not anymore. The radio lied, and even the real vaccine they saw with their own eyes turned out to be fake.If all this was part of the rebel ideology, then Seokhwa was already confirmed as a rebel.“Are you upset by any chance?”Kwak Soohwan, staring straight ahead while holding the steering wheel, asked.“I’m not feeling well. You said you would push me even though I didn’t do anything.”Seokhwa wrapped his fingers around the little finger again.“Don’t like pain, huh?”“No, I don’t.”“So, I, Major Kwak, don’t wish for Dr. Seok to meet the same fate as Wonho or Dr.Oh.”The expression “meeting the same fate” didn’t sit well with Seokhwa. Still, he just pressed the backpack on his knees.“Major Kwak, you were not a citizen of Rainbow City…”Kwak Soohwan, who had been looking straight ahead, turned his head to look at Seokhwa. As they slowed down, Lee Chaeyoon, who had been following, honked and overtook them. The headlights of Lee Chaeyoon’s car illuminated the interior like a flash before disappearing.“Why is that? Are you going to discriminate now?”“No.”“But why ask that? Everyone has their circumstances.”A faint smile was on his lips, but the atmosphere suggested not to inquire further.“Was it because your abilities were exceptional that you were accepted as a citizen?”“Well, there’s that, too.”It was a vague answer. As Seokhwa tried to speak again, Kwak Soohwan let out a sigh.“I wouldn’t have been able to enlist easily without Dr.Oh’s recommendation. He vouched for me.”“…Dr.Oh?”“It seems like he felt sorry for me being left alone, but I don’t really know.”“How did Dr.Oh, who wasn’t a citizen, influence Major Kwak?”Squeak!A squirrel darted onto the road. Kwak Soohwan instantly slammed on the brakes and covered Seokhwa’s chest with his hand. The squirrel, illuminated by the headlights, glanced over, perfectly fine. Given its small size, it seemed like a young one. With a twitch of its ears, it darted into the opposite woods.Herbivores had no natural enemies, so their population was increasing unchecked. Nobody would say anything about hitting roadkill, but hitting that little creature might have wrinkled Seokhwa’s brow.Kwak Soohwan, who had been checking on Seokhwa, exhaled a momentary sigh of relief. Seokhwa had been holding onto the hand that covered his chest with both hands.“No rock today?”Rock? What’s that about?Seokhwa lowered his gaze and then opened his hand. He hadn’t brought a rock, rushing out as he did, but it was just a reflexive action. Kwak Soohwan slowly accelerated, not exceeding a certain speed this time.“I wasn’t a citizen of Rainbow City, but my parents were. And they were similar to Dr. Seok.”He wondered if his parents liked rocks, but it wasn’t that kind of meaning.“They were in a research institute like Dr.Oh, but I don’t know much about what they did. I didn’t see them often.”Major Kwak’s parents were researchers…?He had never heard about it from Dr.Oh. Well, there wouldn’t have been any reason to mention it in the first place.