174
with a splash.
I relaxed as I soaked in the bathtub. My body also became dull as it was submerged in water.
Bathing is not recommended for prosthetic users. All manufacturers include a statement in their manuals that they cannot guarantee performance when bathed. Who reads the manuals?
The machines are vulnerable to water. So, there were many people in the lower areas who didn’t even shower, let alone bathe. For them, wiping their bodies with a wet cloth was bathing.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to live that unsanitary. My prosthesis is custom-made and brand new, so it’s probably been thoroughly waterproofed. It won’t break down after soaking in the bath for twenty minutes. And if it breaks, there’s someone in the same building who can fix it.
‘If you meet a killer, there may be a fight. You have to relieve your nervous system fatigue before you go.’
I closed my eyes loosely, quickly relieving the fatigue from last night. As soon as I closed my eyes, my eyelids fluttered.
… … When I opened my eyes, twenty minutes had passed in an instant. Warm steam was rising from the surface of the bathtub. This was enough to relax.
Choaak.
I walked out of the bathtub and dried myself with a towel. I am not a person who seeks a clean and comfortable life. I am satisfied with just a hygiene level that prevents me from getting sick.
Creak.
I put on my clothes and packed my gear. Then I opened the terminal’s communication network and contacted the hospital where Gabriel was admitted.
-Oh, what’s wrong? You don’t seem like the kind of caring guardian who asks about his patients’ well-being every day.
Gaya answered my call in a relaxed voice.
“Is Gabriel able to function?”
– It has stabilized. Whether it is possible or not depends on the type of activity.
“First, let’s pass the contact on to you. I have something to say to Gabriel.”
-I’d like to ask you what you would say as the attending physician.
“Something happened that Gabriel would like.”
-Hmm, I have a feeling that what you’re doing right now isn’t very good for the patient’s mental health.
“I am Gabriel’s guardian.”
After I left the building, I headed straight to Gaya’s hospital.
-The hospital bill has already been paid. During the treatment period, the patient’s personal safety is also under my control. If I’m not careful, the treatment could be in vain. Please note that refunds are not possible.
“This is annoying. Get Gabriel ready for discharge. I’ll be there to pick him up right now.”
Even though I spoke fiercely, there was no sign of intimidation in Gaya’s voice.
-Please come and talk.
Gaya’s hospital was not far from Japa’s office building. Since it was close, Japa must have recommended it to begin with.
I saw Gaya’s hospital. The three-story building at the end of the alley was cozy and had a sense of security.
Squeak.
Before I could even enter, the hospital entrance opened. Gaya was looking at me, wearing a baggy white coat.
“Mr. Gabriel is under my care for four weeks. Until then, no one is allowed to interfere, not even his guardians.”
“You’re kidding. If you want to stop me, you could call the police. Are there any police in this neighborhood?”
“… … I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I didn’t know you had such a great sense of humor. I almost laughed just now.”
“If there’s something to laugh about, it’s better to laugh. Laughter is good for your mental health.”
Gaya said, leaning against the door frame. He was looking at me with his blue eyes. His eyes were originally brown.
‘Artificial glare.’
The light in his eyes was faint, so only his pupils appeared blue.
“Do you have any talent?”
I said, putting my hand inside my coat.
“It’s not easy to run a hospital in Border City without security.”
Gaya took a step forward as if blocking the main gate.
“Doctor, you don’t know me. You should just back off.”
“You don’t know me either.”
“At least I know you’re not an expert in combat. I may have done it once before… … but that was only once. I’m a working man, and I killed several people a few days ago.”
I slowly walked towards Gaya. The bluish-white light lingering in Gaya’s pupils grew stronger. Now it looked like a halo.
The Force is closely linked to the Arcane civilization, and the Holy Nation of Korra is the group most deeply involved in the Arcane civilization. However, even within Korra, Force users were a very small minority.
‘Were you a Gaya Force user?’
The Force is a very rare ability. In my battle-filled life, I have rarely encountered a Force user.
‘Korain, a nameless knight of Korra, and Rick Kaiser, who used limited teleportation with an arcane artifact.’
None of them were ordinary people. Even in the Royal Guard’s rules of engagement, Force users are considered extremely dangerous.
‘Ability to break the laws of physics.’
Force abilities are innumerable and difficult to predict because they are not based on the laws of physics. Their strength alone can give you an advantage in combat.
There is something that has been a constant in the combat doctrines of mankind for thousands of years.
‘You must know your enemy to defeat him.’
The Force is an ability that can easily catch you off guard while hiding your power.
If Force abilities could be manifested by ‘will’ alone, without any precursor consciousness or catalyst, then he would be invincible. Fortunately, however, there is a precursor to the use of the Force, and he must also have a special tool called a catalyst.
Clank.
Gaya lightly clapped his hands, revealing the bracelets beneath his sleeves. The metallic bracelets made a clear sound, and as if signaling, a thin aura of force covered his body.
Woohoo.
The force that enveloped Gaya’s body flowed down like a low-lying fog.
‘The catalyst is a bracelet.’
It is unknown what type of ability it is. I do not know what function the force aura surrounding the body has. The alertness inside me soared like a red alert.
I opened my eyes slightly and observed Gaya. I had to use my limited experience to the best of my ability to predict what Gaya’s ‘weapon’ would be.
“Judging by your calm reaction, I guess you’ve seen Force abilities before. And you’re probably from the Empire, and judging by your blunt personality… … you’ve never had a friendly conversation with a Force user.”
I’m good at analyzing others. But that doesn’t mean I like being analyzed. It makes me feel dirty when I’m being analyzed.
I do not reveal information by remaining silent.
——————
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… … If you stop me, I’ll kill you. No, let’s just subdue you. Gaya has a strong sense of professionalism and wants to treat Gabriel. Since he was introduced to me by Japha, his skills should be certain.
‘The bracelet is the catalyst, so I can just cut off or break the arm.’
Even if I go, he won’t attack me enough to kill me. Our conflict isn’t deep enough to kill each other.
Think softly, think softly. There’s no need to kill me.
I tried to control my aggression. My forehead, where my frontal lobe is, was burning hot.
“Phew.”
I let out a short breath.
My whole body is tingling. Tens of thousands of ways to tear Gaja apart are swirling in my head. A Force user? So how strong is that? Can it even keep up with the strong men I know? Maybe it’s just a trick or two.
Show me anything, and I will destroy and smash it. I will trample on that noble attitude.
“under…….”
I tried to suppress my laughter. The thought of facing an unknown enemy and fighting was already exciting. My fighting nerves were on edge, waiting for stimulation.
Come at me, anything. I wish I was strong enough to blow off one of my limbs. I know the thrill of beating a strong man.
Karang!
Gaya clapped the bracelets on both wrists again. The light of the force that had been flowing like a mist disintegrated like a thread. Soon, even its traces disappeared.
Gaya gave up the fight.
“Hey, what are you trying to do?”
I said this in an irritated tone, feeling relieved. Gaya sighed deeply and then smiled.
“You are right. There is no point in me showing off my skills against the ‘real thing’. My power is only good for fighting a bunch of idiots.”
“You give up before you even start fighting? That’s rotten spirit.”
I kicked the can that fell to the floor.
“I’m not a fighter, and more than anything, I don’t want to fight a man who laughs ferociously before a fight. It felt like the idea of violence had become a reality.”
I don’t know if this is a compliment or an insult.
“… … So what exactly are your Force abilities?”
“It’s a secret. Come inside. I can’t do it with force, so let’s talk.”
“You’re acting like a snake.”
“Please call it experience.”
Gaya rolled down his sleeves and went into the hospital. I followed him, rubbing my cold neck.
The hospital corridors are neat and tidy. It seems to show Gaya’s neat and orderly nature. The occasional decorations were shapes and curves whose meanings were unclear.
“Mr. Gabriel is in a very bad state. He has several of the worst conditions overlapping. Post-traumatic stress disorder, drug addiction, and nervous system overload due to cybernetic prosthesis use, all of which are detrimental to his mental health.”
As Gaya said that, he stopped walking and looked at me blankly.
“why?”
“You probably have quite a bit of overlap too.”
“Everyone lives with injuries, big or small. Whether it’s mental or physical. If you whine about being hurt and complaining, it’s pointless.”
“That is true. We should not avoid suffering. A comfortable life that completely excludes unhappiness is as destructive to a person as drug addiction. Rather, a healthy life can be called one where the size of suffering is a little greater… … .”
Gaya flicked the scales on the wall shelf. The scales tilted with a clear sound, then regained their balance.
“… … But excessive pain breaks us. It leaves permanent disabilities and makes life uncomfortable. That’s where Gabriel is now. The total amount of pain has exceeded his resilience, so he can’t get up on his own. People like me are the ones who treat that.”
“Stop beating around the bush. I need to see Gabriel now.”
“I have no power to stop you, but I will warn you of one thing. If Gabriel breaks down here any further, then there will be no turning back. A person can die without physically taking his own life.”
I laughed. Gabriel’s hospital room was approaching.
“Don’t worry about that. I’m going to do something really good for my mental health.”
I opened the door to the hospital room. Gabriel, wearing a hospital gown, was staring blankly out the window. He slowly turned his head and looked at me.
“Lu, Ka? I, um, you, are you real? Damn, it wasn’t a dream after all.”
I don’t know how many times I’ve heard this. Gabriel seemed to have some problems with his cognition and memory.
“Wake up and get ready to go out.”
“Hey, get out of here?”
“I found the bastard who killed your woman and adopted daughter. Let’s go catch him together.”
Gabriel’s bleary eyes widened. He jumped up and tore open the wardrobe.
“Really? You, you found that kid? How?”
Gabriel said, putting his clothes on backwards.
“I sold some of the products.”
And I spent money. Without Japha’s financial support, I wouldn’t have found it so easily.
thud!
Gabriel fell over while changing his pants, his sense of balance also blurred. He swore and swore at Gaya.
“Hey! Doctor! Give me something to clear my mind, like a brain wash with ice water. Right now, oh, damn it, I’m not working!”
Gabriel asked for the stimulant. I looked at Gaya blankly.
“… … Are you going to seek revenge on the person who caused you trauma?”
“There’s no use opposing it. I’ve already decided. Gabriel is so excited.”
Gaya answered, resting her arms on her chin.
“I have no intention of opposing it. Revenge will surprisingly help you recover and overcome. One piece of advice I can give you is that you must take revenge. You must completely burn the trauma that has stuck to you like mold. If you burn it half-heartedly, the soot will only grow bigger and the color will turn blacker.”
“I didn’t know you would encourage revenge.”
I said, whistling softly.
“There is no rule that says an effective treatment has to be ethical. Humans are not ethical creatures by nature. This is especially true in Border City.”
It’s nice to hear that.
