Chapter 12: The Researcher’s Burden

“What exactly is ‘user’…”

In a typical system, ‘user’ meant, literally, the one using the system.

However, Researcher 38, who was currently ‘using’ the jockey by connecting to it, couldn’t get past that single message.

In other words, even if he answered, “Yes, I want to register as a user,” the jockey wouldn’t respond. He was clearly missing something.

“I didn’t set up this message in the first place. Then, is it from the original developer?”

Researcher 38 was continuing research on the code that had been left in an unfinished state in the lab.
A significant portion of it was written in Juseong’s unique language, which occasionally led him to hit such roadblocks.

He didn’t know who the original developer of the code was.
Therefore, he couldn’t guess what intention they had in hiding this message.
Only that this original developer was at least not human.

Finally, with a frustrated sigh, Researcher 38 slumped into his chair and restarted the jockey.
A moment later, the output message ‘Searching for target to mount’ appeared.

This was exactly as he had input it.
‘At least one thing is working correctly.’ he muttered.
He touched the control system, and when he manipulated it to open the hidden code, as always…

Hello. Would you like to register as a user?

“Ugh! What the hell am I supposed to register!”

He slammed his palm on the desk and clutched his head.
‘Should I just give up?’
Understanding the entire code was beyond his capacity.

This was why he didn’t prefer using someone else’s code.
Researcher 38, ruffling his hair, placed the used jockey into a special dissolving solution.

Bubble, bubble, he closed his eyes, watching the ink disappear like black smoke as it frothed.

The day to announce the jockey’s prototype was fast approaching.
The fact that he couldn’t activate some of the code meant he couldn’t delay completion any further.

Ring, ring. Ring, ring.

Oh, today was that day.
At the sudden alarm, he hastily grabbed his coat and headed for the staff elevator.

Today was visiting day, which happened once every two months.
It was the only time he could see his family.

Prove your identity.

The security scanner activated, and a red light came on.
Researcher 38, accustomed to it, brought his ear to the scanner and straightened his back as a green light appeared at his feet.

The door to the visiting room opened.
Stepping into the cube-shaped space, he took a deep breath.

This place was like a transparent glass spaceship; it felt as though if one reached out, they could pass through the hard wall into the space beyond.

He reached out his hand towards the distant meadow visible beyond the transparent wall.
At that moment, the landscape containing the sky and fields vanished, and everything turned white.
The video connection had been established.

“Amaka. Is that you?”

It was his mother’s voice.
Returning to reality, he blinked and smiled awkwardly at his family, who were waving at him.

The blue sky, reminiscent of Old Earth, was truly wondrous every time he saw it.
It was a shame that he could only see it for a fleeting moment before the video connected.

Still, it went without saying that meeting his family was better.
He smoothed his research uniform, which was a little disheveled from running, and approached his family.

“Mother. My old name again… Didn’t I tell you to get used to the official name now?”

Researcher 38’s expression didn’t seem uncomfortable as he said that.
Rather, he even wore a small smile.

“Oh, me. I’m sorry.”

“Researcher 38. If it’s too long, you can just call me 38. When it’s just us, I’ll be the only 38.”

A middle-aged woman with thinning white hair nodded.
Next to her were a middle-aged man in a wheelchair, a scrawny young man, and a girl who was only 7 years old.

Researcher 38 met the eyes of each family member, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, and smiled.
Although his father wasn’t fully lucid and was staring into space, he was happy that his father could visit this year too.

“Father. I think your hair has grown a little since then.”

The middle-aged man opened his mouth and mumbled meaningless words like “Ag…”
Next to him, the middle-aged woman diligently wiped the drool flowing from under the man’s chin.

Silence fell for a moment, but Researcher 38 cleared his throat and this time spoke to his only younger brother.

“Number 9485. I thought you’d be busy with work, but you came too.”

“Brother. Long time no see.”

“Nothing wrong?”

“Yeah, of course. Always the same.”

His younger brother feebly pulled up the corners of his lips.
Were the severe dark circles due to the hard cleaning work?
He had mentioned that his shift schedule had changed during the last visit, so perhaps that was the reason.

Aside from that, he seemed to have lost weight every time he saw him.
He asked if he was sick, but fortunately, he shook his head.
He said it was just because he couldn’t sleep properly.

‘Is it because of work, too?’
Researcher 38 let out a hearty laugh, saying that he also hadn’t been able to sleep well lately.

“It’ll be okay once you get used to the work. You were the smartest kid in Sector Ha-3.”

His younger brother received a score of 350 on the intelligence test administered to all registered humans.
Considering that the standard for moving from a lower-class area to a middle-class area was 359 points, he could be said to have the best intelligence in the lower-class area.

Unfortunately, human intelligence, unlike that of Juseong’s people, had no potential for growth at all, so he would not be able to move to a higher-class area like Researcher 38.
But if he worked hard as a cleaner, perhaps he could even reach the middle-class area?

Thinking so, Researcher 38 shifted his gaze to his youngest sister, who was only 7 years old.

She was tightly holding a cotton doll in the shape of a human baby, which he had bought and sent with his last month’s salary.

“My fairy, you’ve braided your hair beautifully.”

“Thank you, brother.”

His sister shyly touched the ends of her hair.
Then his mother added that she had actually woken up early that morning to adorn her hair.

“Let’s see. Did you braid it yourself?”

Researcher 38, his eyes wide as if amazed, reached out his hand.
But his fingertips soon hit a hard wall.

The video was so vivid that he forgot it wasn’t a real-life meeting.
Smiling bitterly, as if it wasn’t the first or second time this had happened, he squatted down in place and met his sister’s eyes.

“You’re growing taller every day, fairy.”

“Yes, they say I’m the tallest in my class.”

“I’m proud of you. You’ll be taller than Mother at this rate.”

“I hope so. Then I can become a broadcast human too, right?”

Researcher 38 gently pulled up the corners of his lips and nodded.
If she truly became a broadcast human and came to the same upper-class area as him, that would indeed be his joy.

“You’re perfectly capable. Just don’t forget to eat your nutritional porridge every day.”

His sister straightened her shoulders and nodded as if she were a human soldier.
Researcher 38 touched the wall as if ruffling her hair, then stood up.

This would put his mind at ease.
He glanced at the timer marked in the middle of the floor.
50 seconds remaining.
Finally, he took out his notebook to check if his family needed any items.

His mother and younger brother began to take turns listing a few items.
Cotton and socks for winter, clean towels, two months’ worth of water purification filters, corn flour…

Beep, beep.

A red flash flickered in the pure white space.
Researcher 38 turned around and checked the timer.
9 seconds remaining.

“Oh, dear, time’s up.”

He hastily put his notebook away and moved closer to the wall to commit his family’s faces to memory.
At that moment, his mother’s lips opened.

“Amaka. The human soldiers…”

Beep.

The flash stole away the white space.
What appeared a moment later was a black wall.
Researcher 38 felt the wall as if something precious had been taken from him.

“Mother?”

It seemed she had tried to convey something a moment ago.
But he hadn’t heard anything due to the timer’s noise.

‘Were there more items she wanted to request…’

He took out his notebook and scanned what he had written.
He could probably just add what he thought they might need more of.
Perhaps…

Researcher 38 nodded as if convinced, and left the visiting room with heavy steps.

As the door closed, the virtual screen displaying the blue sky returned.
The timer, which had reached 0, now showed 300 again.

Another two months passed, and visiting day arrived again.

Researcher 38, instead of his usual pristine white research uniform, was dressed up in a deep purple uniform with pockets on both sides of the chest.
He hummed a tune all the way to the visiting room.

He was so excited because he had finally completed the jockey’s prototype.
This meant he could finally take a special vacation to Sector Ha-3, where his family resided.