Chapter 82
1.
On the day the gate stopped, everyone around the world was engulfed in great shock and confusion.
The leaders who had fled to the moon were no different.
It might sound absurd to the citizens left on earth, but in their own way, they too were spending their days in tension and agony.
There was only one exception.
The executives of the Chinese Communist Party were enjoying this situation more leisurely than ever.
There was no reason not to enjoy it.
“Everything is perfect!”
All of this was exactly what they had planned.
From the very beginning, the earth overflowing with Mogs was part of their plan.
“Dr. Chen Wei has achieved something incredible! To think he manipulated the Mogs' genes to make them hatch using oil!”
In other words, the Mogs that appeared on earth right now, hatching based on oil and natural gas, weren’t originally like that; it was an accomplishment achieved by Dr. Chen Wei, who was regarded as the greatest genius in China.
He had created a new mog through genetic manipulation.
It was something only possible because it was China.
Even before the Space Era began, China had diligently researched genetic manipulation technology, which humanity had banned, over a long period of time.
Even when all nations restricted experiments on humans, China used hundreds of thousands of humans as experimental subjects.
Thanks to that, they were superior to any other nation, including America, when it came to genetic manipulation.
The Mogs were no exception.
From the moment they discovered the Mogs, China’s greatest effort was weaponizing the Mogs, and the very first thing they did for that was, naturally, genetic manipulation.
“It wasn’t an empty boast that Dr. Chen Wei is better than Doctor space in the field of genetic modification! Of course!”
And China produced an astonishing result, a result even Doctor space couldn’t achieve.
The moment that result came out, China had a thought.
When that day comes, the day the gate stops, let’s turn earth into a land where humans can no longer live.
In other words, the top committee members and powerful figures of the Chinese Communist Party thought this.
Rather than leaving humans to pointlessly exist in an earth civilization and thinking about fighting them, it would be much more effective to wipe the earth clean all at once, and then build a new civilization afterward.
The moon was the same.
From China’s perspective, the powerful figures of many nations gathered on the moon were just rats in a trap.
Anyway, in this situation, there was no reason for China’s powerful figures to be terrified anywhere.
The current Chairman of the People’s Republic of China, Chairman Li Zhenping, currently taking refuge in the largest and most luxurious mansion on the moon, was showing his most relaxed demeanor since becoming chairman.
He was enjoying his leisure time while drinking the extremely rare Zeu Tea, which could only be obtained on Planet Piparos located at Gate No. 11.
And no one interrupted that leisure.
They shouldn’t have.
Because interrupting Chairman Li Zhenping while he drank Zeu Tea was tantamount to getting one’s head cut off.
Not metaphorically, but physically.
“E-Excuse me, Chair, Chairman Li Zhenping!”
However, that tranquility was shattered.
A very young-looking man, appearing to be in his 20s, came running.
In a normal situation, the bodyguards - and not just any bodyguards, but Psycher Agent bodyguards - would have stopped him.
But the bodyguards did not stop the approaching person.
They couldn’t.
That young person running over was General Zhao Zi’an, a man with three stars.
Because of that, Chairman Li Zhenping harbored a question instead of frowning.
Just who could make General Zhao Zi’an run like that?
“Z-Zero Gate has been attacked!”
And the moment he heard the following words, Chairman Li Zhenping’s facial expression - which was young and handsome despite being over 80 years old this year, thanks to the technology created by Doctor space - hardened fiercely.
It was natural.
“Who dares to target what is ours?”
Zero Gate was practically China’s.
At least from Chairman Li Zhenping’s perspective, it was.
“T-That is.”
To Chairman Li Zhenping, General Zhao Zi’an said.
“I-It’s us.”
“What?”
“J-Jujak, it’s our space fighter, Jujak!”
However, the moment he heard the following words, Chairman Li Zhenping felt that the situation was turning strange.
From then on, Chairman Li Zhenping received real-time reports of the entire situation.
In the end, he could hear it.
- As of this moment, Zero Gate is owned by our great People’s Republic of China!
Someone who had occupied Zero Gate was declaring exactly that over an open channel.
Naturally, the moment they heard that, the expressions of Chairman Li Zhenping and the executives of the Chinese Communist Party turned pale.
The one who maintained his composure in that situation was Chairman Li Zhenping.
“Calm down.”
He said.
“This is just a show anyway.”
“Pardon?”
“The ones who occupied the gate are at most one platoon. Subduing them is nothing.”
He said it was no big deal.
“It’s impossible to occupy the gate with that level of military force. So this is a show. America is putting on a show to slander us, our People’s Republic of China.”
At those words from Chairman Li Zhenping, the expressions of the rest of the Chinese Communist Party Executives also quickly relaxed.
Because even to them, those words seemed the most reasonable.
“As expected of you, Chairman!”
“I am deeply moved by your insight, Chairman!”
“The only one to lead space is indeed you, Chairman!”
And then, as if they had been waiting, they flattered Chairman Li Zhenping excessively.
“This is not something to act rashly about. We just need to watch anyway.”
At such flattery, Chairman Li Zhenping smirked slyly and said.
“Because a gate isn’t something you can steal and take away.”
2.
“I think about this often these days, but living in this world seems really easy.”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
“Look at this.”
At Noah Winston’s words, Private First Class Park Boseop turned her head, and then the two of them could see it.
The core cube was secured from Zero Gate.
In fact, securing it was a very difficult task.
First of all, even if one approached Zero Gate, entering Zero Gate was impossible.
All the doors of Zero Gate were thoroughly secured.
Even after that, it was a problem.
To reach the place where the core cube was, one had to bypass dozens of security devices and thick doors.
Even after they reached the place where the Core cube was, it was a problem.
The Core cube wasn’t just sitting there; it was connected to many pieces of equipment and fixed in place.
To forcibly secure it, one had to bring heavy machinery.
Crucially, even if it was secured, taking it out wasn’t easy.
The moment the Core cube was secured, naturally, Zero Gate’s highest-grade security system would activate.
Taking something that big outside was practically an impossible task.
“Stealing a gate is this easy, isn’t it?”
However, to Kim Seojun, all of that was merely a laughable matter.
Closed doors could just be bypassed with teleport, and there was no need to bring heavy machinery; he just had to wear the Xeno Suit, rip them out, and move them.
Taking it out was the easiest part.
He just had to roughly put it in his inventory and walk right out.
The result of that was the Core cube currently in front of their eyes.
“You know what’s even more surprising?”
Looking at that Core cube, Noah Winston immediately took out a can of cola from the refrigerator in the hideout inside the inventory.
“It’s that we can watch all of this while drinking cola in the corner of our room. Isn’t it really awesome?”
[What is that?]
It was then.
“Huh? Kasaknat, what is it?”
Suddenly, Kasaknat’s voice echoed in Noah Winston’s head, and Kasaknat answered.
[That is!]
“That? This? Cola?”
[How did you obtain that?]
At that question, Noah Winston furrowed her brows.
She made an expression that seemed to say, what on earth is he talking about?
Then she soon remembered.
The necklace Kasaknat was currently wearing was none other than a compressed cola can.
Of course, she wasn’t unaware of the reason for it.
Doctor space had interacted with Kasaknat, and when sending his final gift, he had given cola along with a translator, and Kasaknat had compressed the cola can and had carried it around as a necklace ever since.
He was using it as a token of friendship with humans, and everyone had been moved by that story.
“It’s not your first time seeing cola, is it?”
In other words, Kasaknat knew about cola.
[Such a precious thing!]
“Precious?”
At the counter-question that came out, Noah Winston then began to recall a few scenes in her head.
“Ah.”
And she could figure it out.
Until now, she had never shown herself drinking cola in front of Kasaknat.
It wasn’t on purpose.
First of all, Noah Winston had consumed most of her cola before coming to earth.
Getting cola in space wasn’t an easy task.
After that, she had saved some, and even what she had now was secured after coming to earth.
That didn’t mean she hadn’t drunk any at all.
She did drink it.
It was just that the timing of her drinking it and Kasaknat’s presence hadn’t aligned.
And naturally, other than Noah Winston, there was no one who went out of his or her way to find and drink cola.
Anyway, having grasped the situation, Noah Winston chuckled.
“It’s not precious, it’s just something we can make whenever we want to. Why? Do you want a glass too, Kasaknat?”
[You say it overflows?]
“Huh? Are you really going to drink it? Can you drink?”
At Kasaknat’s subsequent reaction, Noah Winston tilted her head.
The Xeno species didn’t have mouths.
Also, Kasaknat had never once shown himself eating anything until now.
[We do not eat. Instead, we feel.]
To that doubt, Kasaknat showed his finger.
[That cola presented a mystery I had never experienced before.]
After that, he expressed admiration for the cola, and the moment he heard those words, Noah Winston didn’t hesitate.
She smiled more joyfully than ever and said.
“To think that someone who knows the value of cola as much as I do wouldn’t be a human, but an alien species! Wait a sec!”
And then she immediately grabbed a can of cola, put on her suit, and tried to go outside.
It was at that moment.
“E-Excuse me! Sis!”
Suddenly, Jo I-hyeon called out to Noah Winston, and at those words, Noah Winston smiled and said.
“Hey, it’s fine. What problem could there be if an alien drinks about a can of cola? It’s not like Kasaknat will go into overdrive and turn into an alien and kill us, right?”
“T-That’s not it.”
To Noah Winston, Jo I-hyeon said.
“The Core cube, on the Core cube.”
“What about the Core cube?”
“Grandfather’s message is left on it!”
3.
The moment he put the Core cube into his inventory, Kim Seojun immediately used stealth and teleport, then came out of Zero Gate.
Afterward, Kim Seojun approached close to Zero Gate and entered a space battleship that was forming a perimeter.
After that, he waited for the commotion to die down.
Because they wouldn’t be able to keep guarding Zero Gate forever anyway.
As expected, the space battleship, having found nothing, moved and luckily passed between the moon and earth.
At that time, Kim Seojun went outside without hesitation, and then, the moment the space battleship passed by, he immediately entered his Inventory.
In order to ride the diving capsule and go to earth.
There, Kim Seojun found out.
“Doctor space’s will?”
“Yes.”
That Doctor space’s will was left on Zero Gate’s Core cube.
It was a shocking matter in many ways.
There, Kim Seojun said.
“I will listen to everything on earth.”
After that, Kim Seojun rode the diving capsule down to earth, and it fell into the middle of Siberia, erupting with a loud roar.
Coming out from there, Kim Seojun looked at the sky, at the moon, and said.
“Inventory.”
In the Inventory he entered after that, all preparations - that is, for listening to Doctor space’s will - were complete.
Seeing that, Kim Seojun immediately nodded, and Jo I-hyeon immediately played the prepared video.
Then everyone could see it.
A young man with sharp features is wearing a white lab coat.
- I am Doctor space.
Doctor space, whom no one in humanity could fail to know, spoke.
- By the time this video plays, I will be dead. The story about that is long, but since it’s my personal story anyway, I’ll skip it. The reason I chose death is simple. Humanity will go extinct within the next 10 years.
He handed down a death sentence to humanity.
- all living creatures evolve when they feel a crisis. Mogs are the same. They encountered humanity, and humanity began to gain the upper hand in battles against the Mogs. Naturally, the Mogs will evolve. No, the signs are already showing. Not long after watching this video, you will face Mogs you have never seen before. On the other hand, humanity cannot keep up with the Mogs' evolutionary speed. Even if you do all sorts of ridiculous things, it’s impossible. I can guarantee it. Therefore, humanity will be driven to extinction by the Mogs.
He also told them the reason.
- and the Xeno species will not leave such humanity alone. Humanity has conducted far too many experiments on Mogs. Chen Wei, that bastard even did genetic manipulation on Mogs. From the Xeno species' perspective, humanity has become a more dangerous existence than the Mogs, and the leaders of the Xeno species will cause humanity to go extinct in order to maintain the balance of the universe. Honestly, I also sympathize with the Xeno species' thoughts. Humanity is an existence that destroys the balance of the universe. From the perspective of space as a whole, they are no different from Mogs.
And there weren’t just one reason, but two.
- Anyway, I don’t have the ability to stop it, and that is the reason I gave up on life. I don’t particularly want to live to see the end.
With those words, the video ended.
There were no further words.
There were no words like, you are the hope, survival, I have given up but fight to the end, endure for humanity!
That was natural.
If there had been a method, a hope, Doctor space would have survived and put that method into practice.
He would have realized that hope.
By Doctor space’s standards, the only one who could save humanity was he, and no one could replace him.
Because of that, everyone let out a sigh in front of that will.
Kim Seojun was the same.
“So you’re saying that sooner or later the Mogs will evolve, and the Xeno species will come to kill us? The Space Era is tough.”
He had thought some kind of answer would be visible. But instead, they faced an even greater despair.
In such a situation, everyone held one hope.
“Still, it’s a relief that we have Seojun.”
It was at that moment.
The moment everyone looked at Kim Seojun, Kim Seojun suddenly fell to his knees.
“Blargh!”
Then he suddenly started vomiting right there.
“W-What?”
“Seojun!”
At that fact, everyone stood up in shock and tried to approach Kim Seojun.
At that time, Kim Seojun, while kneeling, held back his vomit for a moment and said.
“A-All evacuate, evacuate…”
He was saying that they should absolutely not make contact in a situation where they didn’t know what kind of germ might be causing this.
It wasn’t an exaggeration.
Kim Seojun had been active in space, and crucially, he had roamed Zero Gate alone and snatched the Core cube.
There was a high possibility that Doctor space had set up some kind of biological system on the Core cube for security purposes.
Everyone who understood the meaning of those words stopped in their tracks.
They just stared at Kim Seojun, and under their gazes, Kim Seojun couldn’t hold it in again and vomited.
“Blarghhh!”
While vomiting, Kim Seojun received a shock that felt like his entire body was shattering, beyond just his head splitting.
His comrades also received an indescribable shock.
If Kim Seojun died here, or if he faced some change equivalent to that, then humanity would truly be left without even a speck of hope.
It was at that moment that everyone was engulfed in such a sense of despair.
“Huh?”
Private First Class Park Boseop spoke.
“Black stuff, black stuff!”
“What?”
“It’s pitch black!”
Then he soon shouted.
“Staff Sergeant Kim threw up something pitch black!”
At those words, everyone looked at what Kim Seojun had vomited, and then Private First Class Park Boseop finished speaking.
“Just like me!”
At that moment, the word 'awakening' popped into everyone’s heads.
At the same time, a notification was heard in Kim Seojun’s ears.
[You have awakened a new system.]
[The Legion System has been activated.]