༺ A Road Flows Together With A Traveler – 5 ༻
On the way, we passed through two terminals. The medical officer disembarked at the mining terminal with a polite salute. Seeing that he was asking if anyone was hurt to the very end, it seemed like he was disappointed for not having the opportunity to show off his skills.
While people disembarked, no one new boarded. As such, whether it was in terms of physical or psychological distance, we gradually became closer as we shared stories with each other.
Humans have always formed societies. What humans needed, other humans often possessed in abundance, thus such resources became more efficient when shared.
Light, warmth, knowledge, fences, stories.
The more these things gathered, the greater the share each received from one another; hence, humans have lived in communities over the ages.
…Of course, some who valued utility over efficiency preferred killing and robbing over living together, but anyway.
As we shared stories around the gathered lamps, we were listening to the old military engineer.
“…When this Meta Conveyor Belt was being made, my elder brother passed away. It was a terrible accident. He stepped forward in confusion before the ground had solidified and was immediately torn apart. The way he looked while being buried in the rapid flow of the earth…Keuhhh. I hope you never have to imagine it. It can’t be expressed with words.”
Whether it was intention or not, though, his words spurred our imaginations even further.
Images of a person being crushed by the flowing earth passed through people’s minds; inside the flowing earth, blood spread like lava….
Reminiscing about the past, the old military engineer looked at the Meta Conveyor Belt with moist eyes.
“My brother was an excellent carpenter but not a great stonemason and he didn’t quite understand what flowing earth was…. Now, he probably knows better. He’s closest to Mother Earth, after all. Right now, as I travel, I’m moving on my brother’s corpse.”
“Oh no….”
“After my brother passed away, I couldn’t concentrate on work at all. I almost died too while working absentmindedly. At the time, we were the only carpenters in our unit, so when it came to building walls, we were always called first. But with my brother gone, I was the only one left to do the work. It was natural for the barricades to fall when one person had to do the job of two….”
After the coup d’état, those who had prospered during the era of kingdoms became prisoners and were ordered to forced labor. However, no matter how much they were whipped, skills that weren’t there couldn’t just appear out of thin air.
As such, the Military State gathered technicians from all over the country, giving them authority to control the laborers.
And the most remarkable among them was the Earth Sage.
“At that time, the Earth Sage managed to save me, but I couldn’t help thinking selfishly. Why did she come now? If she had come just a week earlier, could my brother have been saved too? Kekek. I’m truly a selfish bastard.”
I offered some simple consolation to the military engineer speaking self-deprecatingly.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. If you really were selfish, you wouldn’t even remember being saved.”
“Kekeke. It’s only because time has now passed that I can talk about it calmly. After all, back then, I was so full of resentment. I drank for months after the construction finished…. while cursing the Military State and the Earth Sage. But still, if I could see the Earth Sage again, I want to kneel and apologize. That is my wish.”
“Don’t worry about that. There are many people the Earth Sage saved. She probably won’t even remember you. If someone apologies out of the blue, it would only bewilder her.”
“…Now that I think about it, that’s probably true. Unlike me, the Earth Sage was truly altruistic….”
I don’t know about that, though? She isn’t exactly like that.
Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. I comforted the old military engineer, telling him to take it easy and be less hard on himself. I mean, it was better than going to meet the Earth Sage and being shocked at the sight of her severed right arm, right?
After the bitter story ended, I took out the canned food I had put on the lamp. The General added water to his slightly more luxurious canned meat, but kept glancing at the smell coming from my own can.
“What’s that?”
“I put precooked food in an empty can and sealed it again.”
“Precooked food in a can? That’s something one can only do in a cannery, isn’t it? That’s quite the talent. Let me taste it.”
The General made such a request as if it was only a matter of course. For a brief moment, I calculated in my mind.
Honestly, giving away a little bit of canned food wasn’t a big deal.
But my current situation was that I didn’t know the General’s identity.
I was being respectful and felt he was of some significant status, but if it caused me actual harm, I wouldn’t agree so easily. I was warm to family but not as generous to others. Okay, let’s go with that concept.
The General would like that better as well.
I turned away slightly, closing off my body, and let my smile fade. Pretending to glance at others, I moved closer to the Captain.
“…I can’t compress as well as a cannery, so I can only fit servings for two in one can.”
“Eh?”
As I went beyond refusal and even showed signs of caution, the General’s pride seemed hurt.
“Hey, Little Brother. Do you think I’m asking for it without giving something in return! Let’s eat our canned food together! Mine is meat!”
“Meat can’t replace sincerity. I’m sorry, but this is for me and Bbey.”
The General, unable to forcibly take it due to his honor’s sake, grimaced and offered all his canned food.
“Darn it! I’m all in! I’ll give you five!”
“…Really?”
“I do not speak empty words! I have no intention of eating the food meant for your little sister cheaply! Take all of these!”
In that case, it’s a whole different story… is how I should act.
I had plenty of food anyway, but I had made it without holding back on freshness and species. It was difficult for me to take out right now, in case I was questioned.
As I happily prepared the canned food, Colonel Gand quietly criticized.
“Master. Five is all we have.”
“Oh, is that so? Little Brother, sorry for taking it back, but how about four instead!”
“I said five is all we have, so why are you only taking one away? What are we going to eat the day after tomorrow then?”
The General, scolded by Colonel Gand, his disciple and subordinate, immediately turned irate.
“What about you, you brat? If we run out of canned food, you should think of ways to find more! Not just give up!”
“How can we possibly find canned food on the Belt? Are you suggesting we resort to robbery?”
“Robbery? Is that how I taught you to behave?”
“Then what do you suggest we do?!”
Anyway, thanks to the General’s generous offer, that evening was more luxurious than any other.
The flowing earth couldn’t chase the sun setting in the west. As the day faded with smoke scattering behind us, everyone yawned deeply and sought a windless spot to sleep.
“What? You lost the lamp? It can’t be helped then. Hey, Gand! Give your lamp to them!”
The General pointed to the mother and son sitting close together and shouted. Colonel Gand, once again troubled by the General, gripped his forehead and bit his lips.
“Then what am I supposed to warm myself with?”
“I don’t care. None of my business.”
“…I don’t care either. Just give me your lamp, Master.”
“You brat, how dare you try to rip off your master, who should be akin to the heavens to you? How about we share the lamp? Ang? Wanna spend the night facing each other?”
“I apologize. I’ll just sleep alone, so please hand over your lamp.”
Just like that, everyone settled in their spots and laid down. Naturally, the Captain and I, pretending to be siblings, ended up in a similar space.
The Captain, now in a shirt after removing her uniform packet, slipped into a sleeping bag packet. The compressed alchemic wool fluffed up, wrapping around the Captain’s body. It looked like she was donning clouds or turning into a golden sheep with rapidly growing fur.
The Captain, buried in the warm and soft sleeping bag packet, let out a heavy sigh that didn’t match her attire.
“…What a tumultuous and complicated day.”
“Complicated? What are you talking about? We met good people and are having a nice night.”
To my nonchalant response, the Captain retorted with a bit of annoyance.
“You wouldn’t understand. You have no idea what kind of trouble I’ve been through today.”
“There you go again. You were told to call me ‘Oppa’ earlier, remember? If Hyung-nim heard you, he would be scolding you.”
Over there was someone who could even dominate the fierce winds with his Heaven Qi Arts that have reached the very pinnacle. He wouldn’t be so narrow minded to eavesdrop on us, but it was possible for him to accidentally overhear.
｢…Keugh. Affirmative. General Patraxion is a man beyond human strength. Even the words I speak now might reach his ears. It’s dangerous to be caught performing an act that had already been played once.｣
So, to put it in other words…
The Captain still needed to treat me as her Oppa.
“…Please be careful with your words…Keugh, Oppa.”
“I’m always careful, though?”
｢I can’t tell if you’re teasing me or acting because of your completely indiscernible attitude!｣
Both. It’s both.
Light and heat grew in usefulness when shared, The Captain and I placed two lamps between us and lay facing each other.
I struggled to get into my regular non-packet sleeping bag. Meanwhile, the Captain, buried in comfort, stared at me blatantly, lost in thought.
｢I’m a signaller. My identity must not be revealed. Under any circumstances.｣
The feelings I discerned from her was a sense of duty…
And depression.
｢In the off chance that someone learns of my identity…If they see my face, know my status, and make that connection… I must commit suicide.｣
It was faith without a single hint of doubt.
From the moment she transitioned from elementary citizen school to secondary military school, when she was filled with dreams while attending classes…
Without warning, a person from the Military State suddenly came to find her.
-Congratulations. We have discovered an aptitude in you. A very precious aptitude that can become a signaller.
An aptitude to become a signaller. The girl’s heart swelled at those words. It was known as the most comfortable flight of stairs to the top; a place where one could become a military officer immediately upon entry.
Leaving behind the friends she had already made, the girl followed the military instructor to a very special school.
And she conformed.
Gathered in that place were girls who were more sensitive and empathetic than anyone else, unbefitting of the Military State. They became each other’s support, thus enduring the harsh training.
Alone, they couldn’t have endured, but their abilities were empathy and conformity. The constant pressure shaped them into perfectly fitting puzzles. They didn’t clash or hurt each other. Friction was a luxury only possible when there was room for it.
Thus, divided into cardinal numbers, they entered the world already commissioned as captains. They worked alone but were not lonely.
It was a distinctive, yet not so special craft.
After all, they had their own Unique Magic that allowed them to reach each other.
｢But, if the reason I need to suicide disappears, then I do not need to kill myself.｣
A truth that seemed obvious, yet wasn’t. The Captain tried to look at me with cold eyes.
｢You have not divulged any information about me to anyone. So, if you die, there’s no longer a need for me to die.｣
Since it was easier to kill oneself than others, signallers were forced to commit suicide, But in a situation like this, where we were both off guard and strangely accompanying each other…
Rather than just the act of killing, it was far more difficult to overcome the resistance of someone who wished to live.
｢General Patraxion is a Star General. The Six Star Generals are Level 5 and they have no restrictions whatsoever. If I reveal the truth and request it now, he will execute you. In other words, I hold your life in my hands. If I wish, I can kill you and save my own life at any time.｣
“Phew. All done. This size doesn’t fit me very well. Oh man. If only I could also wear the clothing packet properly.”
While struggling to fit into the sleeping back, I rolled over like a caterpillar. When our eyes met, the Captain looked frightened.
｢…That is why… I don’t have to commit suicide.｣
However, the biggest enemy of a signaller was their empathy. The very ability to identify oneself with others disrupted the very structure that the Military State tried to create.
Perhaps the Windowless Room was simultaneously a facility to protect the information within these individuals, as well as a way to fully preserve the component that made them signallers.
Well, it’s none of my business, though.
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you sleeping?”
“…I will sleep. There’s no alarm on the Meta Conveyor Belt, so please wake up on time.”
“If there’s no alarm, can’t we just not wake up?”
“How…ridiculous…Wake-up time is…strictly…”.
The Captain’s breaths grew softer and she began to fall asleep. Meanwhile, I laid there, waiting for her to completely doze off, before sitting up.
…Are you asleep? You’re asleep, right?
Ah, my back is so cold since I was lying on the edge.
I took my lamp and placed it behind me. I felt a bit more alive now that I had lamps in front and behind me.
If the sleeping bag was lousy, at least the environment should be good. I basked in the warmth of the light from both sides.
From afar, I heard the thoughts of the General.
｢…I heard he was a shitty brother, but it really was true. To think that he would monopolize the lamps and use them front and back just because he’s cold.｣
Huh. Didn’t know the General wasn’t asleep yet.
Exploiting his younger sister was an Oppa’s right. I just wished he wouldn’t interfere.
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