UNFED

The next morning at eight o’clock, Hoon stood in front of the building in that alley again. It was different from yesterday. Viktor was already outside.

He had shaved. He had combed his hair. He looked much sharper than yesterday. He was wearing a coat. It was an old coat, but it was clean.

When he saw Hoon, he said,

“Let’s go.”

There was no greeting. He started walking. Hoon followed.

As they walked, Viktor said,

“I didn’t drink last night.”

Hoon didn’t say anything.

"It’s the first time. In years."

It was just something he said. It wasn’t a boast, nor was it a confession. It was simply a fact.

“Did you sleep well?”

Viktor thought for a moment.

“Strangely enough, I slept well.”

* * *

The research institute was a twenty-minute tram ride from the old town.

It was a private neuroscience research institute run by one of Viktor’s former colleagues. It was a small place. Viktor said he had spoken to them over the phone beforehand.

He had explained that he wanted to informally check on the health of an acquaintance. He said he hadn’t gone into detail.

The person in charge was a woman named Marta. She was in her early forties. She seemed pleased to see Viktor. But they didn’t talk for long. She looked at Hoon and asked with her eyes.

Viktor gave a brief explanation. It was in Czech. Hoon didn’t understand. Marta nodded and led Hoon inside.

It was the examination room. A small room. A chair. Machines. Hoon sat down.

First was the blood test. Marta inserted a needle into his arm. Hoon watched. It was his first blood test since waking up. Blood flowed out. It was the same color. That was to be expected. But something must be different.

Next was the EEG. Several electrodes were attached. Marta turned on the machine. Waveforms appeared on the screen. Marta watched for a moment, then paused.

“How much have you eaten so far?”

She asked in English. Hoon replied.

“I hardly eat any solid food. Just water and juice sometimes.”

Marta looked back at the screen. Then she looked at Viktor. She said something in Czech. Viktor’s eyes narrowed.

“What did she say?”

Hoon asked. Viktor walked over to the screen and said,

“She says his basal brainwaves are unusual. ‘Unusual’ doesn’t mean it’s bad. It just means she’s never seen anything like it before.”

Viktor looked at the screen. Marta explained from beside him. It was in Czech, but Hoon watched Viktor’s expression. It changed. At first, it was skeptical.

Then it became one of confirmation. And finally—it was an expression hard to describe. It was an expression Hoon had never seen before. It was the look of a neuroscientist witnessing his theory come to life right before his eyes.

Viktor said.

"The prefrontal cortex activation pattern."

He paused. Then he continued.

“It’s the pattern I only presented as a theory in my paper. I thought it would be impossible in reality.”

Hoon looked at Viktor.

Viktor pulled up a chair and sat down in front of the screen. Marta explained further. Viktor nodded and asked a question. Marta answered. The conversation continued for several minutes.

Hoon waited.

Viktor finally looked up from the screen and looked at Hoon.

"The blood test results will be ready in an hour, though."

He paused for a moment.

“The EEG alone is enough.”

Hoon asked.

“What do you mean by ‘enough’?”

Viktor said.

“You’re right.”

* * *

They waited for an hour.

During that time, Viktor talked with Marta. Hoon sat in the waiting room. Through the window, he could see the streets of Prague.

People passed by. Their faces showed no sign of knowing anything. Faces that had no idea what was happening at this research institute this morning.

The blood test results were in.

Marta handed the report to Viktor. Viktor read it. He came over to Hoon. He summarized it in English.

“The ketone body levels are consistent with prolonged fasting. However, the physical function indicators are within the normal range. There are no markers of malnutrition. Nor are there any indicators of muscle loss.”

Hoon listened.

“Is this unusual?”

Viktor said.

“It’s medically inexplicable for the body to be normal while in a state of prolonged fasting. At least, so far.”

Those last three words weighed heavily. So far.

Viktor folded the report. Then he said,

"Explain it to me over the next 72 hours. In detail. The breathing techniques, the meditation methods, the fasting sequence. Everything."

Hoon looked at Viktor.

"Right here, right now?"

“No. In my room. This afternoon.”

Viktor said as he picked up his coat.

"I’m going to try it too. Myself."

Hoon said.

"Your physical condition."

"It’s bad. I know."

Viktor looked at Hoon.

"I have to do it anyway. I have a reason now."

"Why?"

Viktor said as he put the report in his pocket.

"My research was written backwards. To correct it, I have to become the evidence myself. There’s no other way."

Hoon listened to those words without saying a thing.

Viktor walked toward the door first. As Hoon followed, he thought.

This was why Gong needed him. Not faith, but evidence. Not passion, but verification. That was the only way to pull the Awakening Method out of mysticism and into the realm of science.

Viktor opened the door and said without looking back.

“I asked Marta to keep this a secret. I trust her. But you need to know.”

Hoon replied.

“I know.”

“Though I still don’t fully understand what you’re doing.”

Viktor said as he stepped out into the hallway.

"At least I know this much: this data has to get out into the world. One way or another."

They stepped out onto the morning streets of Prague. The sound of trams could be heard. A breeze blew in from the Vltava River.

Viktor spoke as if to himself as he walked.

"I’ll have to transcribe this data by hand."

Hoon asked.

"Why?"

“You said we couldn’t do it digitally.”

Hoon looked at Viktor. Viktor walked on, staring straight ahead.

"I remember everything you said last night. Every single word."

Those words weighed heavily on Hoon.

On nights when he didn’t drink, Viktor slept well, remembered everything Hoon said, and showed up on time in the morning.

That was this man’s true state. This was what the alcohol had been hiding.

Hoon walked beside him, lost in thought.

He had no idea what kind of hallucinations Viktor’s 72 hours would bring. The collapsed research, the things he’d sold off, the time he’d drowned in alcohol. All of that would come flooding back.

It wouldn’t be easy.

But this man would endure.

Because he had something he wanted to prove.