Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Anyway, I liked that he was as stubborn as a rod.
* * *
* * *
Thomas’s life had been wrong from the very beginning.
His father was a loser who did nothing but shut himself up in virtual reality and waste away his time.
In the 24th century, it was one of those social problems that were hardly rare.
There were plenty of people who chose not to come out into the real world and instead turned their backs on it.
Perhaps it could be called poverty amid abundance.
As the basic income system became universal, the value of labor declined, but that did not mean the concept of competition disappeared. Rather, in some ways, it felt as though it had intensified.
What mattered was deciding whether to face that reality and accept it, or to run away from it.
Unfortunately, the man called his father had no courage.
An herbivorous animal that was exceptional even in an era where the wild had vanished.
Thomas’s mother was not much different.
She minimized spending on food, clothing, and shelter, and used the remaining money to indulge in her own luxuries. Instead of being buried in virtual reality, she clung obsessively to the real world.
Both of them were parasites of different types, obsessed only with consumption without producing anything.
Relying on the support of an extremely advanced society, they were the ultra-poor who merely lived because they had been born, commonly referred to as parasites.
Being born between them, Thomas’s future was practically predetermined. But fortunately, amidst the misfortune, he possessed an exceptional talent. Despite not having undergone genetic modification, his comprehension and memory were outstanding.
Realizing his talent at an early age, the path Thomas chose was that of a ‘diver’.
A hacker who directly connected to the raging network while retaining self-awareness. Since they opened their nerves and plunged into electronic space, many also called them full-divers (Full―diver).
It was an occupation no one would even dare to attempt without the proper aptitude, as it used one’s innate brain as a computational device, but Thomas lacked nothing in that regard.
A life already on a downhill slope.
Betting everything on it, Thomas submerged himself in the digital world and rose rapidly by taking on others’ secret commissions. In some circles, there were even those who revered him.
Even though he knew he was being dragged into the shadows, he could not refuse.
It was the only thing he knew how to do.
He had never even imagined any other kind of life.
But it did not take long before he was caught. From the start, he had made frequent use of unauthorized detour routes. Believing he would never catch the eye of the Public Enforcement Corps was an act of arrogance.
Moreover, organizations that had suffered damage, knowingly or unknowingly, also began to threaten Thomas.
Sixteen was far too young an age to carry such grudges.
It was only natural that he would end up being chased, without even having time to prepare.
The pursuit continued relentlessly.
From the sweltering summer to an autumn marked by unusually heavy rain.
Exhausted to the bone, Thomas closed his eyes, half resigned. And so, beneath a culvert where he had tumbled down—
“What is it.”
That was when I met a man.
Looking back on it now, I could call it a turning point in my life.
To me, the man was someone I couldn’t understand. Maybe he pitied my situation—he approached me without hesitation.
“A diver? At your age? You’ve lived a hard life.”
Laid-back as always.
“It’s a self-reliance program run by the city government. The treatment changes depending on your performance, which is a downside, but I think you’d do well.”
“A criminal record? I erased it.”
He committed an absurd act like it was nothing.
“No need to thank me. You want to live a new life, don’t you?”
It was the first time I’d received such kindness in my life. Not even my parents had shown me that. At first, that warmth felt unfamiliar. But I soon got used to it. Thanks to him, I learned what it felt like to live a fulfilling life.
By the time I turned twenty, I even received a certificate from a respectable educational institution.
As the top student, no less.
With my heart racing, I ran to the man’s house.
I wanted to shout that it was all thanks to him that I’d grown so much, that because he had believed in me to the end, I hadn’t given up either.
But he wasn’t there.
[Let’s meet again someday]
He had vanished, leaving behind only a letter without a promise.
The sudden farewell left me shaken, but I was no longer a child. The heart that remembered and cherished grace—I had learned that from him too.
“Yes, someday.”
It took forty years for the memory to fade gently into nostalgia.
In that time, much had changed in my life. I had moved from Dome No.2 to Dome No.1, and lost my wife at an early age.
Now, I had only one son left by my side.
I was no longer young. Before I knew it, I had grown disillusioned with the irrational structure of society, and was seriously preparing for old age.
Naturally, my old delinquent personality had long since disappeared.
The only thing that could be called an accomplishment was that I had joined Millennium Code, a megacorp, and had been working there for many years.
My performance had been recognized to the point that I was granted access to classified documents, so there was nothing more to say.
But that was the problem.
I saw something I shouldn’t have seen.
The project that Millennium Code had been preparing in cooperation with the city government was so grave and dark that it could determine the very direction of the domes.
Would I turn a blind eye, or expose it?
At that crossroads, I chose the latter. It wasn’t out of a hero complex, nor was it from outrage at the vile truth.
I was simply worried about my son, who had just reached adulthood. If I missed this chance, the world he would inherit would be an unspeakable hell.
But there was only so much one could do alone. So Thomas became a diver once more. To find a partner who would help him ignite the greatest scandal in history.
After much deliberation and careful selection, he chose the final candidate.
When Thomas met the man, he felt a shiver run down his spine.
He was a stranger—Thomas was sure of it.
His origin, his name, his appearance—everything about him was unfamiliar. And yet, the scent was familiar. So was his tone of voice. And his smile.
The memory, buried deep within, resurfaced in an instant.
Reunited with his past as if by fate, Thomas blurted out a single word without realizing it.
“Brother.”
He worried—what if the man pretended not to know him? But unexpectedly, a gentle reply came.
“Mister Baby. It’s been forty years since we last met.”
A nickname so old and worn, it had become endearing.
Overcome with a feeling as if he had returned to his childhood, Thomas gave a small nod.
Back then, he had resented the man who had left without a word.
But now that they were reunited, he felt like he could understand the reason, if only vaguely. The man—or rather, Yang Hu—hadn’t aged a day compared to those days.
* * *
Suddenly recalling that time long past, Thomas quietly opened his eyes. What entered his vision was the inside of the Attitude.
A beat later, Thomas realized that he had a mop in his hand and let out a soft sigh.
Yes, he had been cleaning the bar counter.
He had only intended to sit down and take a short break—but apparently, he had dozed off without realizing it.
He’d heard it before.
That as the human brain aged, it became more specialized in recalling stored information than in taking in new ones.
The dream he had just had might have been triggered by that, in some way.
He wondered if he should get a sub-brain installed—but that was a pointless thought. After all, a far more advanced slot was already embedded in his mind.
A modest device he had obtained while working as a broker.
As Thomas absentmindedly ran his fingers through his hair, a conversation from not long ago came to mind.
‘I'm thinking of leaving. Of course, it’ll take a few weeks to wrap things up.’
It had been well over half a century since he met Shin.
Though time had passed and their appearances had reversed, Shin remained his lifelong benefactor.
Perhaps that was why.
He felt strangely regretful. If they parted ways this time, they might never meet again before death.
That was why he’d been so careful in choosing the farewell gift. It had forced him to break open his savings, but he had no regrets.
Because he could already picture Shin’s face, smiling brighter than ever.
It was then that the sound of a bell rang from outside.
The signal that someone had opened the door.
He had just hung up a sign saying “Preparing.” The fact that someone had come in anyway meant it was likely a friend or a regular.
But contrary to his expectations, those who entered were people Thomas had never seen before.
One was a young man standing with the support of a cane, and the other appeared to be his bodyguard.
Having worked at Millennium Code, Thomas could recognize it right away—the unmistakable arrogance typical of the elite.
Still, he feigned ignorance with a slight nod.
“And who might you be?”
“Ah, he’s that kind of person.”
At the young man's gesture, the man behind him promptly stepped forward and handed over a plastic business card. The information that appeared above the recognition tag was unexpected.
[Director of Strategic Planning, New Delbayer]
[Executive Director, Niel Hoover]
“New Delbayer?”
The Strategic Planning Office was the department that essentially led the company’s operations from the forefront.
Being the director there meant he was a power among powers.
In other words, the next chairman.
Come to think of it, the young man did share quite a few features with the chairman who occasionally appeared in the news.
“Well then, what brings someone so important from such a distinguished place to this humble spot? We don’t serve anything up to your taste here.”
“You’re in front of the young master. Please watch your words.”
Though the man had only taken one step closer, the scent emanating from him grew stronger.
A sweet and refreshing floral fragrance, reminiscent of spring.
It felt nothing like artificially blended perfume.
‘Body odor.’
It was an odd match for someone with such beast-like, rough features.
But it wasn’t surprising.
It was a hallmark of genetic modification—something only enhanced humans possessed.
Whether the young man or his guard, it was clear they were far from ordinary.
Still, Thomas couldn’t afford to show any signs of tension. Even without hearing it, their purpose was all too obvious.
“If there’s no urgent business, do you mind if I get back to work? The bar opens soon.”
“This won’t take long. So come sit down. Thomas Russell, former security engineer of the Millennium Code cloud server. I suppose I should say ex-engineer, since you resigned.”
Niel, the young man, scoffed and beckoned Thomas with a flick of his finger.
“Anyway, I like how rigid you are. Even as a whistleblower, you keep your back straight in front of me.”
“What are you talking about?”
Thomas responded as if he didn’t understand, but Niel wasn’t fooled. They had already done cross-verification dozens of times.
“Don’t be like that. I spent enough money trying to find you to fill a swimming pool. If you dismiss my effort and dedication so lightly, I’ll be upset.”
When Niel slammed his cane against the floor, a loud thud echoed, and the ground dented beneath it.
“Let me ask again. You’re the whistleblower who exposed Millennium Code’s confidential project 20 years ago, aren’t you?”
He wasn’t asking out of ignorance.
It was a warning. If Thomas gave another evasive answer, there would be no second chance.
In the end, there was only one answer Thomas could give.
“I am.”
“Then you must know about Yang Hu, right?”
“That’s out of nowhere. I’ve been out of contact with him for a long time. It must be over twenty years by now.”
“Is that so.”
Just when it seemed like Niel had accepted the answer, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
“My guess is, you came to Dome No.3 together.”