Chapter 2
What does it mean to live like a human?
If someone had asked me that when I was human, I don't think I could have answered properly.
Every day was a war. Humanity, my ass—I was just a money-making machine. Was that even living?
Now, after several evolutions and molts from a mosquito, I've become so close to the essence of humanity that I can answer right away.
The little luxuries I enjoyed long ago, when I was still human.
Those little luxuries, which I couldn't enjoy for a long time after becoming a mosquito, were what being human was all about.
“That's right. People need good food and a good night's sleep to be happy.”
About half a year had passed since I moved (?) into the Management Bureau's Seoul Isolation Facility.
This half-year had been a long-awaited reunion with those little comforts I'd gone so long without.
My body stays clean every day even without washing,
but how could I resist showering with clean water and sleeping under a fluffy blanket?
I could live for hundreds of years without eating, maybe even thousands,
but how could I resist the balanced meals served three times a day, every single day?
The 21 dishes served each week rotated every other week, making 42 different dishes in all.
The meals served at the isolation facility were my Michelin three-star dining.
Clink.
My spoon fell onto the spotless tray.
Aside from a few black marks, it was as clean as if I'd just washed it.
Woo Cheonyeop, the isolation team leader who'd been watching me for half a year, lowered the book they'd been reading onto their lap and muttered.
Since a partition separated us, their voice came through a speaker.
[Honestly, I didn't expect you to eat that the whole time without complaining.]
“If I complained about this, I'd have to be spoiled rotten~. People beyond the city limits are starving to death by the dozen every day~.”
[That aside, the stuff with garlic—.]
“I know, I know. Setting aside how my body can't handle it, my tongue wants it.”
I stuck out my tongue and cackled. Woo Cheonyeop closed the book they'd set on their lap and sprang to their feet.
They probably thought I was a hopeless crazy woman with a masochistic streak.
Since my body can't digest garlic properly, the moment I put some in my mouth, I start sweating and have all sorts of intense reactions. I suppose it might look strange to see me eating through all that.
But what can I say? It's delicious.
It's so delicious, sob sob sob.
‘If it weren't for the garlic shortage, I'd have asked them to put in twice as much….’
The suffering I'd endured for ages beyond counting couldn't be made up for by a mere half-year of stable meals!
Delicious food—especially every Korean dish smothered in garlic—bring it all to my mouth!
If you're Korean, please put at least ten cloves of garlic in your aglio e olio!
[Anyway, put another way, you've spent half a year complying with human demands. Whether you enjoyed it or not, you've taken part in our experiment.]
“I guess…?”
[At any rate, it's been half a year in isolation, so shouldn't you start thinking about the future? If your goal of going downtown hasn't changed... well, I suppose that wouldn't be bad either.]
I stared intently at Woo Cheonyeop.
Woo Cheonyeop stared back at me.
This scene feels familiar.
We probably exchanged glances like this when I first came here.
The main difference from back then was probably my attitude.
“Um... I'm not going out?”
[?]
I fiddled with the terminal I'd been given three months ago and giggled.
It was a budget model, issued only after they'd confirmed I was an anomaly that didn't affect the data network.
But even a budget model was perfectly fine for browsing galleries, watching streams and videos, and enjoying web novels and webtoons.
“I'm pretty satisfied with this life right now~.”
They feed me and put me up.
I don't even have to work.
I'd just finished a satisfying post-meal routine, too.
… ─[[ Fixer Gallery ]]─ …
[Why the Cheong Clan Alliance Can Never Close Window Da-112]
Author: Anomaly Living Its Best Life 359 (IP unverified)
I've been around there, so I know.
The Cheong Clan Alliance can't pull it off with their current manpower lol
It's a Window with overwhelming numbers on its side. What can ten people possibly do?
More than anything, their leader has been lurking around there for months, sizing things up like crazy. They're clearly too scared to go in themselves.
Ugh, built like a mountain and all...
If it were me, huh?
I'd have already gone in, sealed the Window anomaly, and shut the Window lol
(Upvotes 0/Downvotes 1)
ㄴ You only just got your ban lifted, didn't you? lol
ㄴ This bastard definitely has connections with the head mod, damn it. Even when we get banned together, they always get let back in first.
ㄴ Maybe they just come back with a new account every time they get banned?
ㄴ For real? How's that possible?
ㄴ Even the head mod said they don't know lol
Go to the Fixer Gallery and stir up shit.
Nothing's more fun than this lately.
I get enough culture from novels and anime, but I just can't leave this out.
A community where fixers who work to resolve the countless anomalies cropping up nonstop in the city gather.
Most are good people, but as the great Jirobo-sensei said, one in five is a bastard. It's so much fun to find those guys and rile them up.
Especially the scammers who fleece ordinary people who don't know much about anomalies.
Those bastards are the worst.
ㄴ Cheong Clan Alliance) Who do you think you are?
ㄴ Cheong Clan Alliance) Why have you been picking fights with us all the time lately?
ㄴ Holy crap, the guy himself showed up.
ㄴ Downvote receipts lol
ㄴ Anomaly Living Its Best Life 359) The Cheong Clan Alliance is ma-ad, ma-ad hehe
ㄴ Anomaly Living Its Best Life 359) But it's true lol
ㄴ Anomaly Living Its Best Life 359) Is that it? You have no intention of closing the Window and plan to run off after ripping off the poor citizens?
ㄴ Cheong Clan Alliance) Keep your delusions in check.
ㄴ Anomaly Living Its Best Life 359) Then how do you explain selling off the major anomaly operation equipment on the black market recently?
ㄴ Anomaly Living Its Best Life 359) You even went around blabbing to everyone that you'd use it for the operation. Wow~ hahaha
ㄴ Cheong Clan Alliance) Got proof?
ㄴ Anomaly Living Its Best Life 359) (link)
ㄴ What
ㄴ Wait, is this for real?
ㄴ It's gotta be AI
ㄴ Looks real, though?
ㄴ Of all times, Aia-ajusshi isn't here
ㄴ Probably on trial
ㄴ But where'd the guy who defended the Cheong Clan Alliance go?
ㄴ Did he run off?
ㄴ ? Wait, is he really with the Cheong Clan Alliance? Wasn't he a fake?
ㄴ Seems like the real deal?
Why are there so many vile fixers?
Because this world is what it is.
There are plenty of anomalies and not enough fixers, so fixer offices are bound to have an information advantage over ordinary citizens.
In other words, I'm basically the last shred of conscience left in this era, protecting ordinary citizens from bad guys like these.
Ha, Baek San-a, serving humanity while goofing off at home.
An anomaly more human than humans.
You won't find another anomaly like me.
As I smiled proudly, Woo Cheonyeop said:
[So. You're saying you won't leave?]
“Unless a new anomaly comes into the isolation facility, there's no reason I can't keep staying here~. I know now, you know? My being here means the higher-ups give the facility more funding~ and your salary goes up~.”
[And where did you hear that...?]
“Turns out there's a lot of useful information to pick up while browsing the gallery~.”
Woo Cheonyeop clicked their tongue and grimaced.
Godeurago—the handle of a hacker who regularly steals information from all sorts of agencies, corporations, and offices—gets a brief mention.
[Aren't you going downtown? You said you were absolutely going to Ssakssak Chicken's flagship. I never thought you'd get used to a diet without chicken.]
I was startled, but laughed it off.
“Well... I still want Ssakssak Chicken, but the conditions for getting a downtown pass are way too strict... You need 100,000 Seoul Contribution Points. That's a bit much for an anomaly like me to earn....”
The number 100,000 doesn't sound that high, but even high-ranking fixers have to work their asses off for at least two years to scrape together that much.
For an anomaly, who has trouble even getting an identity, let alone finding a job, it's far too difficult.
And I want to rest just a little... really just a little longer.
What if I finish a year in isolation first, then think about it after that?
If possible, maybe even two years...
After a brief pause, Woo Cheonyeop gave a small laugh.
I could see that smile because Woo Cheonyeop's wariness had faded after half a year of living with only a wall between us.
[Understood. I'll tell the higher-ups that you want to stay.]
“Oooh~ I'll count on you, Team Leader~!”
[Of course, I don't know if it'll be approved. The director makes that decision, not me.]
“What? Team Leader, you're a salaried employee?”
[Obviously.]
Isn't Woo Cheonyeop too strong to be a mere salaried employee?
Well, I'm living as an isolation facility freeloader myself, so I won't judge Woo Cheonyeop for wanting to be a salaried employee.
“When will we know?”
[Tomorrow, probably. And take it easy with the gallery.]
The director of the isolation facility had gone to the city's central district today for some important business, right?
I guess that meant we could talk once the director got back tomorrow.
Then I'll just wait quietly while browsing the gallery~.
“One hour on the gallery, one minute of rest. That's a virtue all gallery addicts must uphold.”
Was it already time for today's second daily routine?
I went straight to the gallery.
Oh, I haven't been banned yet?
Did the head mod find this post pretty interesting too?
Then no holding back—let's gooo.
… ─[[ Fixer Gallery ]]─ …
[You Too Can Become an Anomaly]
Author: Anomaly Living Its Best Life 359 (103.02.xxx.xxx)
👻 In darkness 😱 imprisoned ⚰️ lonely 🌙 human ⚠️ for 0.99 credits ⚠️ monthly 💰 subscription service 🧛♂️ blood insurance 🧛♀️ experience™ 😉 I recommend it 🧛♂️ You too, anomaly master 🩸 Me too, anomaly master 🧛♂️
ㄴ Oh, here we go again
ㄴ Wanjaaaaaaang
ㄴ But has anyone actually tried this?
ㄴ Why would anyone do this lol
ㄴ It's only 1 credit, so I could skip a meal, but someone try it for me, yeah
ㄴ Do it yourself lol
ㄴ Duㅠㅠ I'm a fixer at a crappy little firm, so even 1 credit is as huge as my New Neo Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannonㅠㅠㅠㅠ
ㄴ Ooh, what a big-dicked stud~
ㄴ ? Why's your IP normal today?
ㄴ What? It really is
ㄴ Anomaly Living Its Best Life 359) Oops, my bad
ㄴ Anomaly Living Its Best Life 359) I got exposed…♡
* * *
The Cheong Clan Alliance.
A fixer office that's never made it into Seoul's rankings, known only to people in southwestern Seoul, especially those near the city limits.
But these days, the military and police are too busy sealing off or defending specific areas.
Naturally, all the security and safety in the surrounding area falls to the Cheong Clan Alliance, you could say.
Thanks to that, they had pretty strong local support and were often as bustling as a community center full of neighborhood residents, but...
“Is that true? You're not going to close the Window?!”
“What do you mean? We're diligently preparing the operation! I don't know where you heard such nonsense, but—”
“The whole neighborhood's in an uproar! Why'd you sell the operation equipment? If you were going to sell it, you should've sold it to us!”
“Sell it? It's all fabricated. You all know operation equipment can't be sold to citizens in the first place...!”
“Enough. Bring out the leader!”
“Where's the leader! Damn Window, it's been making it impossible to run my business lately!”
“I've been uneasy this whole time, and today I'm getting the truth!!”
Today, it was beyond packed—it had become a full-blown riot.
Several burly people were already about to grab the fixers by the collars.
Of course, if it came down to a straight-up fight, the fixers would ultimately win.
No matter how low-ranking they were, they were still specialists in dealing with anomalies.
But fixers can't just beat up citizens as they please.
Maybe in other cities, but in Seoul, that's not allowed.
They could wind up having to shut down their business if they laid a hand on them.
That's why the leader, Cheong Jinsu, came out into the office lobby to calm the citizens down.
“There's the leader!”
“Hey, you bastard, Cheong Jinsu!!”
“Where'd you sell off that major anomaly operation equipment!”
It was sheer chaos in the lobby.
Cheong Jinsu spoke emphatically.
“First of all, I want to make it clear that what you've heard isn't true. The operation equipment is so important and enormous that it was difficult to store, so we simply paid to keep it in a large vault.”
Angry voices poured in from every direction.
But those voices soon lost their force.
Naturally. The only evidence they had was a photo of the Cheong Clan Alliance staff working together to move the operation equipment.
“To be clear, that photo is doctored. It must be the work of an anomaly. Do you know why? So humans will turn against each other, allowing them to swallow up the world.”
People began to be persuaded by Cheong Jinsu's words.
Even those who'd looked ready to throw punches seemed to have lost their momentum, their lips simply drooping.
“I've also asked the gallery moderator for help and found the source of this rumor.”
Cheong Jinsu smiled and raised a hand high.
“I'll seal it and bring it before you within a few days. Then everything will be clear. Will you believe me then?”
The person who seemed to have led the citizens' collective action today.
Apparently their representative, they nodded with displeasure and waved a hand dismissively.
The vice-leader came up beside Cheong Jinsu and whispered.
“It's an isolation facility IP.”
“...An isolation facility?”
The isolation facility is where anomalies called Sefira, expected to be harmless to humans, are held and tested to verify whether they're truly safe.
That's what the isolation facility is.
Conversely, Clipa, which are extremely harmful to humans and must be sealed or eliminated, are rarely ever isolated.
Too many people get killed just trying to contain them, so the goal is usually to seal or dispose of them on-site.
Judging from the post on the gallery, it was undoubtedly an anomaly in the form of a living creature.
If it was a living Sefira, it was probably safe and weak, so Cheong Jinsu alone should be able to subdue it.
‘More importantly, if an isolated anomaly causes trouble, it has to be disposed of.’
The anomaly had revealed the truth, and Cheong Jinsu was in the middle of covering it up with lies.
But humans have no choice but to side with humans.
If Cheong Jinsu demanded that they dispose of the troublemaking anomaly as an example in front of the citizens, they'd have no choice but to comply.