Chapter 629 – 629. Unknown Things
“Fusing turns the body into water?”
“Yes.”
“What happens? Does the whole body become water? Then what about the brain? What about vision? What about touch? What about tendons? How do we move and how do we live?”
“Hmm… Don’t be too scientific about it. It’s a world where you can teleport and fly in the sky.”
“Ah. That’s right. No… I was shocked to hear that it turns into water.”
Seung-gyu and Min-hee laugh lightly at Director Jeong’s words.
Well, the idea of turning into water doesn’t quite make sense.
“I wish I could see it in person.”
Manager Jeong and Minhee nod their heads at Seunggyu’s words.
It seems like it’s a bit difficult for everyone to think about something with only concepts.
“Speaking of aging… It is ultimately an extension of growth, right?”
“That’s right. If growth is like jumping 10 seconds into a video, then aging feels like jumping over 10 minutes. No, it feels like skipping to the very end of the video?”
“Melding… Aging…”
Minhee mutters like that. Does she, who was a doctor, remember something?
“I’m not asking for an answer right now. I’m asking you to think about it. I can’t think of anything off the top of my head.”
“Okay, I guess I’ll have to think about it carefully. Oh, can I tell Dr. Choi about this too?”
“Ah. Someone like that mad scientist?”
“Don’t say that in front of me. It’ll hurt me.”
“I have that level of insight. Yes, it doesn’t matter. The more smart people think, the more likely they are to figure something out.”
I don’t know who Kraken’s boss is, but I really want to read his memories.
I don’t know what you’re thinking. I really want to know. Really.
“Well… By the way, Seongcheol? Don’t run away today and go eat.”
When Manager Jeong said that, Seung-gyu and Min-hee’s eyes also sparkled.
“Ah… I lost my timing.”
“Do you want to try it once or twice? Just eat today and then go. You haven’t even eaten since you came here.”
“Ugh. Yes, that’s right. But… What’s the menu?”
After a while, I was able to check the menu with my own eyes at a restaurant.
Pork cutlet set meal, pork set meal, and raw fish rice bowl. A menu where you can choose one of the three.
“Hey… It’s a choice.”
“Isn’t it surprising? The world becomes like this, and in the end, the only thing left is to eat. You have to eat properly.”
“Hoedeopbap. It’s extravagant.”
Hehe. The fish farm is in full operation, so now I can eat as much fish as I want.”
“The fish farm must be big, right? I haven’t seen it properly yet.”
I can’t say that I saw it while secretly practicing, so I pretend not to know and ask.
Then Director Jeong speaks proudly with a smile on her face.
“Not only is it big, but I figured out a way to use growth on fish too.”
“Oh… Really? You couldn’t use it originally?”
“I was a little confused when I first came. But I figured it out.”
“Aha. I see. Then, I have raw fish rice bowl.”
So she each chooses a menu and goes to get the meal.
“You can go over there and get it. Please take it.”
Manager Jeong, Seung-gyu, and Min-hee rush in because they all chose the beef set meal.
Umm. Are you all from the Korean food group? Is this because you are in your 30s?
When I went to get the raw rice bowl, there were surprisingly many people.
I guess everyone missed fish. What… Although it may be temporary.
“Oppa!?”
When I went to the place where I got the raw rice bowl, Haruka was there.
And there are quite a few men looking at Haruka while receiving raw fishbowl.
Ah… The fish wasn’t the problem, it was Haruka. Did you choose raw fish rice bowl just to see him?
“You seem to be doing well.”
“Yes! Preparing a meal is difficult, but it’s still fun! Everyone is friendly!”
Haruka doesn’t have an interpreter, so she’s probably speaking in Japanese.
The men who were watching Haruka looked at me and asked, ‘What is that guy?’ He had this look on his face, but when people around him whispered something, everyone looked angry.
Okay. You guys. I am the owner of the ark. Cheeky guys.
“Come on. Here’s your food!”
There seems to be a bit more stuff on top compared to other people’s raw fish rice bowls…
I don’t know if this is okay. ‘Owner of the Ark. Controversy over preferential treatment!? Isn’t this how rumors spread?
However… What if I get preferential treatment? No… You made this to get preferential treatment!?
“Seems like you’re busy, so see you later.”
“Yes! Enjoy your meal!”
After receiving the raw fishbowl, I went to where Director Jeong, Seung-gyu, and Min-hee were.
There are quite a few people because it is meal time, but no one sits next to the table we are sitting at.
This… It reminds me of when I was studying at university.
Anyway, I’ve never really felt heartbroken over eating alone.
“Go ahead and eat it.”
Three people already eating. I sit next to Minhee and rub the raw fishbowl I received.
And let’s take a big bite and put it in our mouth… Wow. I’m happy. This doesn’t make sense.
“What do you think? It’s awesome, isn’t it? These days, producing food ingredients is rewarding.”
Director Jeong certainly looks quite excited.
Is it because the range of food ingredients that can be handled has expanded? I guess it seems like that, right?
“Perhaps because this place was built by Chinese people, they have produced all kinds of food ingredients. I think I will be able to live without worrying about food from now on.”
“That’s a good thing. Yum. Manager Jeong produces food, right? Then what about Seung-gyu?”
“I supervise facility management.”
“Ah. Is there anything good?”
“Swimming pool?”
“Ah, there’s everything.”
“It’s not just that. There’s a table tennis room, a bowling alley… There’s a lot more. Plus, there’s a PC room that Jinyoung procured from outside.”
“Hmm. There are no games to play anyway, so why should I go to a PC room?”
“Why is there nothing we can do? There are folk games.”
“Folk game? Ah…”
“Besides that, they were preparing something else. There was even a rumor that a few people were getting together to rip off the game client and make FreeSup.”
“Ha… It’s really amazing. Anyway, you won’t be bored here.”
“That’s right. Everyone calls it the ark, but some people call it paradise.”
“Hmm… Should I increase the labor intensity? I guess I’ll have to be reborn as a tyrant.”
I take another bite of rice and this time look at Minhee.
“What about Minhee?”
“I am a security officer.”
“Isn’t it overlapping with Aki?”
As I ask that, I hear someone’s voice behind me.
“What am I?”
Aki speaks while sitting next to me holding a pork cutlet set meal.
“Oh. Miss Aki, you’re here.”
Manager Jeong bows, and Seung-gyu and Min-hee also lightly greet each other.
Aki also accepts their greetings and joins our conversation.
“No, I heard that Minhee is a security officer. I thought she was similar to you.”
“It’s different. To use an analogy, I’m a police officer and Aki is a soldier.”
“Ah. Internal management and external enemies. That’s the difference.”
“That’s right.”
It’s funny when I think about it. Men are doing things like production and facility management, and women are doing things like security and force.
Isn’t this true gender equality? Nice. The ark is awake.
“No problems?”
“There were a few minor disputes, but they were resolved well. If a major problem occurs, you are expelled immediately. So, everyone just takes it in stride and then stops.”
“Expulsion? For what? Just kill me.”
At my words, everyone stops eating and looks at me blankly.
“Why? Is it too harsh?”
“Excessive punishment is not necessarily a good thing.”
Everyone seems to agree with Minhee’s words. I think this is going to be a lonely fight.
“Why?”
“What if you kill someone rashly and the person is innocent?”
“Ah, yes. That’s the biggest problem with the death penalty. But I have memory reading.”
“Ah…”
Director Jeong, Seung-gyu, Min-hee, and even Aki.
He looks at me with an expression that says he hasn’t even thought about it that far. Anyway, everyone is mellow.
“Memory reading and fascination. With that, it’s not difficult to confirm what you’ve done. Theft, assault, rape, murder… It doesn’t matter. If you have any doubts, catch them. You can check right away. And if they’re found guilty, they’ll kill you right away. Because I don’t run this place to feed those people.”
You may think it’s a bit harsh, but there’s no way they can refute it.
Even though five years have passed, it seems like everyone is still caught up in the remnants of the old world. They are amazing people.
“Ah. It was a good meal. Then I’ll just leave. Ah. No. Manager Jeong?”
“Yes?”
“Where is the old man who slaughtered you? He has to go see him.”
Animals that Haruka raised. They’re all still in storage, so I’ll have to hand them over too.
“I’ve eaten everything, so let’s go together.”
“Ah. I’m going with you too. I have some business to run.”
For some reason, Minhee also follows me.
So, I took Manager Jeong and Min-hee to meet the old slaughterman from last time, and all the animals in the storage area crossed over.
“Don’t you need any more meat?”
Although his tone was blunt, I could sense that he wanted to take care of something more, so I took a lot of the meat he gave me and put it in my storage.
We can have a meat party again. I’m happy.
“Are you going?”
When I received the meat, Director Jeong spoke, and I looked at Minhee and spoke.
“It looks like Minhee also has some business to attend to, so let’s take a look.”
“If you need anything else, please let me know. Don’t feel pressured.”
“Ah. Then I guess I should take some more of the raw fish rice bowl I ate today. I’ll put it in the storage and eat it when I’m hungry.”
“Okay. You can tell me that at the restaurant.”
Actually, I want to give it to Seunghee, Mina, SeAh, and Anna.
Anyway, when I went to the restaurant and said that, Yujeong’s sister-in-law and Haruka prepared food to the point that I thought it was excessive.
Thanks to that, I packed a lot of pork cutlets, pork, and raw fish rice bowl. I thanked them and looked at Minhee.
“Why?”
“Let’s go somewhere quiet and talk?”
No… Why is this woman in such a mood again?
Well, I’m fine. I opened the gate to where Jangryong’s room was saved earlier.
I immediately went over with Minhee and closed the gate, and looked at Minhee with eyes full of anticipation, but she immediately went and sat down on the sofa.
What are you doing? It feels kind of cheap.
“Sit down. Why are you standing? This is your room.”
When I went and sat down next to Minhee, she became her normal self instead of the stiff look from before.
After leaning her body against me for a moment, she opens her mouth in a slightly languid tone.
“Do you remember what I wanted to say last time?”
“Huh?”
What was I trying to say?
“I guess I don’t remember. It’s about a woman. A woman.”
“Ah…”
Suddenly, I felt sweat running down my back.
Ah. I forgot about that. Oh my god.
“I’ve been looking at it closely for the past few days since I entered the ark.”
“Yes.”
“Yoonseo, Songi, Jeonghyeon, Jiwon and sisters Jia from Fence. And Jiyeon from Cheongpyeong.”
As soon as the women’s names came out of Minhee’s mouth, I felt my heart beat faster.
Ah. What is this? What’s the situation?
“The women you hugged, right?”
“Can you read your memory?”
“I can know that without reading your memories.”
I ran out of things to say. No. I don’t know what to say here.
“Why are you so scared? Like someone caught cheating.”
“Huh?”
“I told you. I don’t really care.”
Meanwhile, Minhee’s expression as she looks at me is, to say the least, sinister. A playful look?
“But… I actually don’t like your lukewarm attitude.”
“What are you talking about? What is lukewarm?”
“If you give your heart, you have to be sure to make and break it.”
“It’s not like I really gave it my heart or anything.”
Minhee is impressed by my words.
Wow. This is my first time seeing that expression on his face.
“You… Are extremely progressive in some areas, but extremely conservative in unexpected areas.”
“Uh… I don’t talk about politics with people I’m close to.”
“Really! Even in this situation, it’s a joke!”
After saying that, he chuckles. Okay. Don’t frown. It’s good to smile.
“You seem to be so aware of the information you have gained since the world collapsed. Skills, survival, ideas… Things like that.”
Minhee pauses for a moment and opens her mouth again.
“But there are some parts that are tight. No. I feel awkward? Things like human relationships or relationships with women…”
“Oh. That’s accurate. That’s right. I admit that. Actually, before the world fell apart, I was an unremarkable guy with nothing special to say. What’s the common bastard?”
“Don’t say that. There’s no need to belittle something like that just because there’s something you’re not good at.”
Minhee’s words left me speechless.
Why on earth is this woman covering up my flaws?
“What I want to say is nothing else. Come often. Often Come, show your face often, and pay attention to many people. Because there are many people who will like your little attention.”
After saying that, Minhee stands up.
“Huh? A store?”
“Yes. I said everything I wanted to say, so I should go.”
“You’re just saying it goes like this?”
“Why? Is there something you want?”
Meanwhile, Minhee tidies up her clothes.
“Knowing.”
“Hehe. Not today. Even if you think of me, bear with me. It’s my punishment for you. Then, I’ll go.”
Minhee says that and quietly says it’s an instantaneous move and then disappears.
When she disappeared, only the faint scent of her perfume remained.
Under. Really. What a beautiful woman. Really. He just said what he had to say and then left.
