Chapter 14: The Bitter Truth

“Yes?”

It was then that a dreadful premonition began to make his head hot. Researcher 38’s heart pounded.

“As you know, the lower the district, the higher the human reproduction rate, isn’t it? Even with sterilization, they somehow continue to give birth. It’s no surprise that home visits were conducted to manage the population.”

“Then… what are the criteria…”

“Two per household. They say it’s extended to three for those who are useful.”

“Hmm? Aren’t you breathing heavily?” At Transport Soldier 1199’s question, Researcher 38 forced a smile.

It was fine. He was an exception, wasn’t he? He, who attended ‘Juseong Special School’ with excellent math scores… always received privileges…

“Ah, speaking of which, it’s a relief the amount of recordings is small today. They’ve been doing special broadcasts for a while since Invasion Day.”

As always, Transport Soldier 1199 extinguished his cigarette in a water cup, then stood up and adjusted his cap. As he was leaving, Researcher 38 stared blankly at the case, half-filled with recordings.

“Well then, keep up the good work.”

The automatic door opened and closed. Alone, Researcher 38 clutched his throbbing forehead and picked up the recording from the bottom compartment of the case.

He tried to put away his terrible imaginings. He had work to do. For the completion of the jockey.

Zzzzz…

The Human Run broadcast from September 1st played. He opened his research log, which he had set aside on his desk, and prepared to take notes.

The camera focused on each racehorse in the starting gate. Horse number 1, calming its trembling hands by clasping them together; horse number 2, yawning against the wall; horse number 3, gnawing on its fingernails; and…

“Oh…?”

Refusing to enter the starting gate, pushing away the judge’s hand.

“Kwabia?”

His fairy.

“No, I must have seen wrong. That’s impossible.”

He let out a hollow laugh and massaged the area between his eyebrows. His vision was blurry, probably due to lack of sleep, causing problems with facial recognition.

When he looked at the video again, the camera was showing a panoramic view of the racecourse. Scattered grayish-white dust, collapsed abandoned buildings, strewn steel frames. It looked like a gigantic ocean liner, corroded by seawater.

A moment later, with the announcement that all starting gates were closed, a blank shot was fired. Bang! With that loud alarm that seemed to shake the entire city, the racehorses began to move.

Researcher 38 started taking notes on horse number 7, whom the camera was focusing on, noting its appearance and race performance. Since famous players didn’t always participate with the same number, it was necessary to memorize the numbers at the beginning.

7, 1, 3, 5, 6, 2, 8, 9.

Now, with only horse number 4’s appearance left, he found himself unable to keep his feet still, staring intently at the screen for some reason.

Finally, even though it wasn’t hot, cold sweat broke out, and he wiped his haggard face. His heart was pounding. Without knowing why.

‘Not here. Monsters have taken over.’

‘We’ll need bait.’

‘Bait?’

On the screen, numbers 6 and 9 were seen conspiring.

Bait.

Leading a weaker player to a monster and turning them into bait was a common scene in the Human Run.

Usually, the sacrifices were players injured in previous races or naive children. And their choice was, without fail…

‘Number 4. I saw a child running earlier. I’m sure of it. It’s a child who entered for the first time today.’

‘Whew, I guess we won’t be last.’

Numbers 6 and 9 smiled in relief, thinking of sacrificing the child who had just entered the race. And the camera, as if it were natural, shifted its focus to Number 4.

‘Kyaaaah! No, I don’t want to! Let me out!’

Thud. The pen fell under the desk.

‘Mom, brother! Please! Ugh…!’

A girl was screaming in fear, faced with a strange environment for the first time. Although it was pitch black all around and only the outline of her face was visible, Researcher 38 knew.

Horse number 4 was his younger sister.

“Ah, ahh… This can’t be…”

His legs, which were about to stand, lost strength and finally collapsed to the floor. The chair fell backward with a loud noise.

His colleagues, who happened to be returning to the research facility after finishing their meal, were surprised by the sudden noise and helped him up.

“38! Pull yourself together, 38!”

“Ah… ah, ahh… I…”

Researcher 38’s eyes fell on the jockey placed on the desk. For a moment, with a suffocating feeling, he finally strained the veins in his neck and screamed.

“Sedative. Someone get a sedative!”

“Here it is!”

Thump, the needle was inserted into his neck.
In his fading consciousness, the last thing he saw was the numbers of the racehorses written in the research log.

‘Aaaaaargh! Help me!’

Kwabia… With a faint call, Researcher 38’s eyelids closed.

A month later, Transport Soldier 1199, as usual, arrived at the research lab, pulling a cart laden with recordings.

Thud. As soon as the cart hit the threshold, Researcher 38, who was writing a report, turned his head.

“You’ve been well…”

Thwack!

The recordings in the cart were violently tossed around.
Researcher 38’s eyes gleamed wildly as he rummaged through the transport items.

Surprised by his unprecedented behavior, Transport Soldier 1199 lifted the brim of his cap.
Researcher 38 still showed no sign of returning the greeting.

“You. What are you doing?”

“The recordings… these, well… they’re missing! Some are gone…!”

At that moment, Transport Soldier 1199, intuiting something, pressed his temple.

“You mean the race your sister participated in? Regrettably, I was on my way back after disposing of it.”

“No, why!”

Researcher 38 thrust his face forward, as if he would grab Transport Soldier 1199 by the collar at any moment.
Transport Soldier 1199 clicked his tongue and pushed Researcher 38 away by the shoulder.

“Ugh!”

“Stop it. Isn’t today a glorious day?”

Transport Soldier 1199 himself took out a recording from the cart and placed it on the research lab desk.
Unlike the recordings that had a time lag of about a month from the actual broadcast date, this was the latest broadcast from yesterday.

“This is the race where your jockey debuted on stage.”

Researcher 38, stumbling and grabbing the desk, shook his head as if possessed.

“I don’t… I don’t need it.”

His face looked so truly desperate that Transport Soldier 1199 could no longer force it.

There was no need to write any more research logs anyway.
His research lab would likely be moved elsewhere tomorrow.

After a moment of choosing his words, Transport Soldier 1199 sighed and said.

“I’m sorry. It was a decision from above. If you were to see the Human Run your sister participated in… you might have another seizure like last time.”

“…”

“I never would have thought your sister would go so far as to run away and undergo the Human Run screening. She must have wanted to escape the lower district that badly.”

Researcher 38 involuntarily let out a hollow laugh.
Transport Soldier 1199 flinched for a moment but then, reminding himself that he was suffering from lack of sleep, cleared his throat.

“Anyway, what I mean is… ahem. Have hope. If she just gets to ‘The Prairie,’ won’t everything be better?”

The Prairie.

A land of abundance that only a few racehorses, granted retirement, could reach.
It was a perfect paradise, where grass and fruits grew, allowing them to eat natural food to their heart’s content, and where the air and drinking water were all filtered, leaving not a trace of pollution.

Every racehorse risked their life to participate in the Human Run to reach this prairie.
As long as their arms and legs were intact, anyone had a chance to try.

Transport Soldier 1199 even added that because his sister was young, it would be advantageous for her to aim for retirement, trying to comfort Researcher 38.

“I see. The Prairie…”

“Yes. If she just gets to the Prairie, there won’t be a happier livestock than your sister.”

Transport Soldier 1199 proudly puffed out his chest, considering it a plausible comfort.

However, at this moment, Researcher 38 couldn’t understand himself.
Why did he feel so…

…powerless?

“It’s time to go. Our conversation has been pleasant.”

Transport Soldier 1199, intuiting that there would be nothing more to see, bid a cheerful farewell.
Researcher 38 stared at the closing door.

“You mean the race your sister participated in? Regrettably, I was on my way back after disposing of it.”

The moment his words came back to him, his body shot up.
Researcher 38 grabbed his gown and left the lab, passing through the hallway.

All military waste, before heading to the incinerator, was sent to the ‘inspection room’ to be checked for classified information.
And as he knew, there was about a day’s delay between incoming waste and its inspection.

‘I can still see it.’

Researcher 38, panting from his hasty walk, quickly passed through the scanner.
Flash, white lights instantly illuminated the surroundings, stinging his eyes.

Finally, accustomed to the light, he opened his eyes and examined the closet filled with all sorts of waste.
About five or six recordings were neatly placed there.

Researcher 38 quickly put the recordings into his gown pocket and exited the inspection room.