Story Reader / Interlude / Dream of the Past / Story
The wind hits the windows and slips through its frame, thumping, howling.
Huainan is right there on the other side—his hair is a mess, his sunken eyes showing no emotions. Changyu has never seen him like this, as if a deadly blizzard is brewing under his skin, ready to be unleashed.
They stand opposite each other, eyes locked. A shiver goes down Changyu's spine.
As you can see, I lied.
Why is that?
Were you worried for my safety? Or were you using me to get inside because you failed the test for Tantalum-193 affinity?
Not that I'm obligated to tell you this—
To qualify as merchandise, I need to take advantage of who you are.
...Who I am?
Your suitability is what I've been after since the very beginning. That tycoon was just an actor I hired to get close to you.
It took a while, I admit, getting close to you. But you've been so damn accommodating every step of the way, so at least it was effort well spent.
...Why me?
Don't flatter yourself. You're just one of a very long list of names.
I've made so many plans, all for a shot to get what I want. You and Akdilek are both a means to an end.
Akdilek is a buyer I contacted quite a while ago. They needed suitable bodies, so I needed tools to fabricate my qualification.
That also took a while. So much energy wasted on names after names, looking for someone that fits the bill. And so much time spent spreading rumors of Akdilek's evildoing...
Which is funny, by the way. You won't believe how easy it is to sway the public's opinions.
All it took was a few made-up stories told at the right time. People are always more willing to believe in weird bullshit than stone-cold facts.
But that Construct we saw—
You're so gullible sometimes. You thought you knew the beggar? Do you want to know how few grubs it took me to have him put on a show for you?
So Akdilek never wronged you...
You were quite insistent, so I had to make something up to quench your curiosity.
Credit where it's due. What you said about following the "ebb and flow of the plot" was really inspiring. I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have without pushing you down the drain and watching you flow.
Now it all makes sense: the times Huainan got unexpectedly quiet, the weird questions he would sometimes ask, the days he was unaccounted for...
Changyu is shaking.
Why... Why are you trying to be Akdilek's merchandise?
Merchandise gets to leave this boat—to finally leave this abomination behind...
...You want to leave the Nighter.
You always knew that, didn't you?
You won't survive out there without the boat's resources and filters! The world outside is filled with Corrupted!
Then how have the visiting merchants survived?!
Are Corrupted even real? Have you seen one with your own eyes? What if they're also just ideas planted in our heads by those collars? How can you tell what is real and what is a goddamn dream?!
I-I don't know—I have seen them, I—I can't remember...
Argh! My head—it hurts—
You know?
One night I suddenly realized I couldn't recall my past at all. Once that doubt seeped in, I couldn't get rid of this... pain.
I should be the one asking why.
To live like a machine following its program day after day after day for all the years to come, barely a shell of yourself—
Why?! Why would you accept that fate?!
No... It's not like that...
The collars might not control how we think or act, but they for sure make a fool out of all of us! If they tell us to dive, we make sure we drown ourselves and drag someone down with us!
Even your ridiculous, self-righteous justice...
I...
Every goddamn thing on this boat knows this. Even you, and you just accept it—is that not funny to you?
None of you bothers to imagine something more, to see through their lies, because they are so damn safe and comfortable.
And more of you... You praise it. You praise this ridiculous butterfly dream weaved by Huaxu because you're so damn used to it.
You disgust me. "Huaxu", or whatever that authoritative piece of shit calls itself, and the docile pigs that willingly praise and grovel to it... You all disgust me.
I will not stand living my life on a leash, based on some "hope" that one day this boat may dock on habitable land.
I'm getting rid of this damn monster—I'm going to the real world—I'll find out who I am—I will be free.
Huainan... I-I've never thought of it like that, but I—
You're just like them.
That's not true!
I've listened to everything you've said! I-I remember every word, and I've never stopped thinking—
Enough! What does it matter, if you're just gonna end up like the rest of those fools? So turn your back on me already, and carry on with that damn dream of yours!
You could have told me!
If you would've just told me that you feel stuck here and you wanna go home—
You thrive here, Changyu. You're happy here. So dream your homecoming dream, or deliver your self-righteous justice if it fulfills you. I wasn't going to take that away from you.
Head back, and pretend nothing's happened. I'm only another damn thing that got traded away on this boat, someone you briefly met... Someone who brought you a few decent memories.
How can I pretend nothing has happened after everything we've been through?!
You made your choice when I offered you reality away from this dream!
Bullshit!
You've never thought to trust me! Because you've never seen me as anyone other than one of them—
Do you think I've never had my doubts about you?
"The worst thing we can face on this boat is uncertainty..." Isn't that right?
I never told you that.
Changyu... You're so goddamn naive.
Would you have told me everything if I chose the truth then?
...Does it matter anymore?
All you need to know is... you would've lived if you'd chosen the truth.
But you've decided to stay in your dream, so let me make sure you don't wake up. I will not allow you to expose what I've done.
Huainan raises his weapon. The blade glistens in the wind.
Don't be so damn trusting. That's what you said.
Huainan... You don't deserve my trust!
If this is what you want, then so be it.
