Rainbow City

Dr. Kim, overly excited, spit out pieces of food as he spoke.“Doctor, we need to move quickly!”Despite his words, he didn’t wait for Seokhwa and started running down the corridor toward the researchers’ exclusive elevator. He ran so fast that, if the world were normal, he might have excelled at the World Athletics Championships. Seokhwa was about to follow him, but Kwak Soohwan reached him first.“It’s dangerous, Dr. Seok. Don’t go alone. Stick with me.”Mother’s alert started flowing out again, reassessing the situation.[There is a 35 percent chance of infection reaching the 25th floor within 10 minutes. All soldiers, prepare for combat. All other shelter staff and researchers, move to the final defense line on the 48th floor immediately. I repeat.]“Major Yang, take that kid to the closed-off section of the dining hall.”The boy, startled by the loud siren, looked up, still clenching his fists tightly. The dining hall turned into chaos in an instant. Soldiers checked their guns and knives before rushing to the designated area mentioned by Mother. Kwak Soohwan intended to take Seokhwa to the elevator heading to the 48th floor. Carrying Seokhwa on his back to the elevator at the end of the corridor would be much faster. Just as he was about to lift Seokhwa, he heard a cry.“Urgh!”A corporal guarding the entrance of the dining hall suddenly spewed blood. Screams began to fill the area, suggesting that more Adams had emerged from below, or the infected ones were rapidly increasing. It seemed Seokhwa needed to be taken to the closed-off section where the dining hall staff would be.“Major Yang!”Seokhwa turned to call him, intending to bring him along, but Yang Sanghoon was already pinning the boy against the wall by his neck.“What are you doing, you bastard!”“Damn it! We can’t take this kid to the closed-off section! Close the door! He’s on the verge of mutation!”The voices were loud and chaotic, and Seokhwa’s eyes widened in shock.As Yang Sanghoon had said, the boy was showing signs of turning into an Adam. Blood spewed from his mouth, and his body convulsed grotesquely, as if all his joints were twisting. Yang Sanghoon struggled to kill him before he fully transformed.Kwak Soohwan quickly scanned the area. The dining hall door was barricaded by soldiers, but the newly infected were likely to break through soon. The closed-off section of the dining hall had already been sealed following Yang Sanghoon’s order. With the infected boy nearby, there was only one thing to do.“Lieutenant.”Surrounded on all sides, Seokhwa pushed Kwak Soohwan away, signaling him not to worry about him. Kwak Soohwan hurriedly placed Seokhwa in the farthest corner of the dining hall before rushing to Yang Sanghoon.“What the hell are you doing? Aren’t you going to kill him?”“Damn it… I have to kill him. Damn it!”Yang Sanghoon couldn’t bring himself to look directly at the boy, whose eyes were now bloodshot. Kwak Soohwan pulled a knife from inside Yang Sanghoon’s uniform and drove it straight into the boy’s skull. He pulled it out and stabbed him again, making the thrashing body collapse like a puppet with its strings cut.“Major Yang, are you insane?”Kwak Soohwan looked at his colleague in disbelief.“Something’s wrong! We conducted a full body search. How did he mutate? The Adams haven’t even reached here yet, and suddenly, he just… he just…”Yang Sanghoon, also confused, struggled to form coherent words.“Stop making excuses and make sure the dining hall isn’t breached.”To make matters worse, Lee Chaeyoon had been dispatched to the field and wasn’t in the shelter.“That bastard… he apologized to me. Damn it, look at his hand.”Seokhwa approached the boy’s corpse. There, unbelievably, was a syringe. The blood inside might be…“Major Kwak, can we collect this?”“The military police will do it anyway. Don’t touch it now.”Kwak Soohwan, gripping Seokhwa’s shoulder, tried to gather his thoughts. The closed-off section wouldn’t reopen for another hour. It wouldn’t be easy to get Seokhwa to the emergency elevator through the dining hall. Perhaps going down would be a better option.“All emergency exits leading up are closed. Since Adams appeared on the 5th floor, the path from here to the 1st floor should be open.”Blowing a puff of air to settle his disheveled hair, Kwak Soohwan continued.“Let’s head to the jeep.”“How?”“We’ll use the emergency exit.”Kwak Soohwan pointed to the door marked [No Entry Except Authorized Personnel] next to the closed-off section. He picked up his radio and sent a notification to the higher-ups and platoons.“This is Major Kwak Soohwan, code number 3121. Currently engaged with Adams at the entrance of Dining Hall 1. All soldiers on the upper floors, come down before the doors close, and kill any Adams you see immediately. Also, kill anyone showing signs of mutation. I leave the command of Yeouido shelter to the Keys Platoon.”As he was on-site, Kwak Soohwan issued a rough command.[Copy that]The reply came from the Keys Platoon major. All personnel of the rank of lieutenant colonel or higher had already moved to the upper floors, and majors had to be deployed to any unit on-site.“7:30…”Seokhwa checked the time on a clock hanging on the wall. He was supposed to meet Eden in Zone 13 at 9, but the appearance of Adams in the supposedly safe Yeouido shelter was an unfortunate coincidence.“Dr. Seok, it might be better if you get on my back.”Running together might hinder them, so Seokhwa opted to be a burden instead. He climbed onto Kwak Soohwan’s back and held tightly around his neck, glancing back at the soldiers fighting the Adams. The sight of blood splattering and the sound of gunfire made his vision blur. Kwak Soohwan kicked the emergency exit door and headed down. Instead of running down the stairs, he practically leaped.Fortunately, there were no Adams climbing the emergency stairs, but unfortunately, there was a soldier-turned-Adam in the underground parking lot where the jeep was.Kwak Soohwan sprinted to his jeep. He opened the passenger seat, put Seokhwa inside, and then opened the glove compartment. Inside were three guns neatly placed. He handed an automatic pistol to Seokhwa. He put one of the remaining two in his back pocket and held the other in his hand.As an Adam, attracted by the sound, rushed at them, Kwak Soohwan finished loading and shot it in the forehead. The sound of gunfire drew another Adam, who staggered towards them.“Major, you need to get in too.”“I have to deal with these bastards anyway.”Kwak Soohwan pressed the lock on the passenger seat and closed the door. He fired a shot at the ceiling, luring the Adam to the other side of the Jeep.There were four in front, two on the left, and two on the right. That was the number of mutated soldier Adams in the underground parking lot. Typically, in combat, it’s disadvantageous to have your back to the wall due to the need for a retreat route, but not when facing Adam.Kwak Soohwan started by shooting the nearest one, putting a hole in its forehead, hitting each one precisely with a single shot. The semi-automatic pistol held eight bullets in total, so there were enough rounds. After finishing off the eight shots, he hit the metal door with the bottom of the pistol’s handle. Since there was no response to the loud noise, it seemed the total number of enemies in the parking lot was eight.When he turned back to the Jeep, he saw two of them furiously hitting the Jeep’s window with blood-stained hands.“Damn it, Dr. Seok!” Kwak Soohwan called out as he ran over, but there was no sign of Seokhwa in the passenger seat. Could he have gone outside? Kwak Soohwan took out the gun from his back pocket and shot one of them in the back of the head. The remaining one, running toward him, was dispatched with a knife to save bullets. The knife flew and stuck into its forehead, causing the Adam to collapse backward.Pulling the handle and looking down, he saw a familiar face. But there was no time for mourning, and Kwak Soohwan harbored no sympathy for soldiers turned into Adams. His concern was solely focused on Seokhwa.“Dr. Seok!”He tried to open the passenger door but it was locked tight.“Where the hell did he go!” As he looked around, Seokhwa’s face suddenly popped up from inside. Kwak Soohwan felt his entire body relax.Unlocking the door with a click, Seokhwa clutched the gun tightly in both hands. It turned out he had been crouching under the seat to avoid being seen by the Adams. Kwak Soohwan let out a long sigh of relief and got into the driver’s seat.“Are you alright?”“Obviously.”He reloaded the empty magazine with bullets placed on the back seat and rested his head against the headrest.“Are you really alright?” Seokhwa asked again, looking around.“I thought you went outside.”“If I went out, I’d be dead.”“Exactly.”Kwak Soohwan finally understood why he had felt so cold-blooded so suddenly. Was it because Seokhwa was the chief researcher? Even though another chief researcher could be found, it was easier to connect with Eden’s Garden with Seokhwa. But that wasn’t the reason for his heart racing.“I guess I’m more attached to Dr. Seok than I thought.”Kwak Soohwan started the engine. Seokhwa, seeing him smile wearily, spoke seriously.“Then, please withdraw your affection and submit it.”“That’s rejected.”He stepped on the accelerator. Holding the steering wheel with one hand, he picked up the Jeep’s built-in radio with the other.“This is Major Kwak Soohwan, code number 3121. I’ve cleared the Adams in the underground parking lot, so tell Mother to seal the parking lot after my vehicle exits.”“Roger.” The broadcasting department responded to the radio.“The first dining hall has also been cleared. The military police will be deployed, starting quarantine from the fifth floor. Major Kwak Soohwan, where are you headed?”“I’ve taken Chief Researcher Dr. Seok. We couldn’t join the 48th floor, so I’ll return when the shelter stabilizes. And report immediately when the results of the investigation on where the Adams came from are out.”Kwak Soohwan put the radio back in place and checked Seokhwa’s complexion. Although not pale or about to collapse, he seemed darker than usual.“Why was there a syringe in that kid’s hand?”“That’s something we need to interrogate Yang Sanghoon about.”Of course, Yang Sanghoon was right. Every part of the boy was searched before bringing him here, allowing them to bring him to the shelter. So where did the syringe come from? If he suddenly mutated into an Adam, it was clear that the syringe was problematic. It’s not like the stew contained the Adam virus.Recalling the events since they encountered the boy until now, Kwak Soohwan murmured.“Dr. Kim…”“Yes?”“What kind of person is Dr. Kim?”“Someone who doesn’t like Major Kwak Soohwan.”“That’s no news. Dr. Kim was close with Dr. Oh too, right?”“Dr. Kim is generally friendly with everyone.”He’s also good at flattering the higher-ups.Seokhwa found something odd too. The person who met the boy and could give him a syringe with the Adam virus was likely Dr. Kim. But there was no reason for him to do so. Perhaps another person got involved.“It’s still hard to understand… Did the kid inject the Adam virus himself?”If the boy thought of himself as a devout follower of Eden’s Garden, he might have done it to cause chaos in the shelter. However, they needed to thoroughly investigate why Adams appeared in the shelter. Kwak Soohwan casually replied.“What if Yang Sanghoon hadn’t let him go?”“What kind of person is Major Yang Sanghoon?”“If that bastard did such a thing, I’d strip him and throw him from the 60th floor.”Kwak Soohwan checked the time on the Jeep’s built-in clock and sped up a bit.Their destination was the 13 Red Zone, but he detoured to the Violet Zone. Seokhwa was puzzled about switching to another Jeep but guessed it was to avoid the upper management’s surveillance.On the way from the Violet Zone to the 13 Red Zone, Seokhwa stared out the window for a long time. It seemed certain that there was a rebel spy in the Yeouido shelter. Otherwise, Adams wouldn’t have appeared. His head started to ache. There would be extensive investigations soon; could they sneak out like this?“Will Serpent come?”“We have to hope so. And we have to hope the ones who turned the shelter into that mess are from Eden’s Garden too. That way, it’ll be less troublesome.”They were just 2 km away from the 13 Red Zone.“Dr. Seok, take the path I tell you. I’ll cover from behind, so don’t worry. Today, we’re sneaking into the 13 Red Zone.”Seokhwa nodded his head. There was something he wanted to ask Serpent if he met him: how he got hold of Dr. Oh’s message and how he knew the exact time of the Doctor’s death.Kwak Soohwan turned up the volume on the radio. He wanted to check the status of the Yeouido shelter through the broadcast. As expected, the broadcaster was passionately discussing the appearance of Adams in the Yeouido shelter.“Although Adams appeared in the Yeouido shelter, the shelter staff and brave soldiers have successfully fought them off. The shelter is currently undergoing disinfection, and the number of casualties is estimated to be twenty-five. Ah, wait a moment. We have breaking news.”Breaking news? Kwak Soohwan parked the car far from the 13 Red Zone guard post and focused on the radio. Seokhwa did the same.“We have just received reports that the Yeouido shelter… the Yeouido shelter has been devastated up to the 38th floor. The shelter is currently on fire, and the fire department has been dispatched to extinguish the blaze. Ah… we will provide more details as they come in.”Seokhwa and Kwak Soohwan looked at each other. In an instant, a red hue washed over their faces.Bang! Boom!It felt as if they could feel the heat of the fire all the way from here, though that was impossible. The sound of the explosion came from the direction of the 13 Red Zone guard post.Driving towards the source of the explosion, they saw the guard post engulfed in bright red flames. Soldiers were desperately trying to put out the fire, but it was spreading, seemingly ready to consume the entire 13 Zone. It wasn’t even 9 o’clock yet. Serpent had asked to meet at Dr. Oh’s house by 9, but now it seemed impossible to enter the 13 Zone.“Are the date and time correct?”Kwak Soohwan guessed what he was talking about.“Yes, they are.”“Damn it.”Kwak Soohwan sharply turned the steering wheel and headed back towards the Yeouido shelter.“Major!”“You expect me to break through that inferno?”Of course, Seokhwa didn’t call him with that intention.“Dr. Seok, are you sure you only talked to Serpent?”Kwak Soohwan’s question was strange.“What else could there be?”“We’re going to be prime suspects. If that breaking news is correct, someone planted a bomb in the shelter, and we’re outside. If I hadn’t switched the Jeep, the bomb that just went off in the 13 Red Zone might have been blamed on us.”Seokhwa finally understood the situation completely. They were at risk of being framed. Kwak Soohwan had brought the boy to the shelter, and Yang Sanghoon from the Invincible Platoon had the boy who mutated into an Adam. While they were away, the Yeouido shelter burned, and even the 13 Red Zone guard post exploded.Could it be that Serpent never intended to meet him? Was this all a trap to frame them? But for that, Serpent would need to be certain they would come. Not just a guess, but a certainty.Kwak Soohwan switched the Jeep again in the Violet Zone. His radio was blaring with calls.“Major Kwak Soohwan, report your location! Where the hell are you right now!”Seokhwa felt his usually warm hands go cold. Commander Jang’s angry voice boomed from the radio. Kwak Soohwan just tapped the radio a few times.“Didn’t you hear about the terrorist attack in the Yeouido shelter?! Where the hell are you with Dr. Seok? Respond, Major Kwak Soohwan!”“This is Major Kwak Soohwan, code number 3121.”As he responded, Seokhwa bit his lower lip hard.“Where the hell are you! Are you crazy?!”“I was in the Violet Zone with Dr. Seok. What do you mean by a terrorist attack on the Yeouido shelter?”They said he was good at lying, but Kwak Soohwan was even better, fabricating a story without changing his expression.“I can’t explain right now. Head back to the Yeouido shelter immediately. The fire department is there, but half the Yeouido shelter’s power is gone.”“I’m on my way.”Seokhwa pulled on his seatbelt, and Kwak Soohwan floored the accelerator. The needle on the speedometer shot up and nearly tipped over.“Was I… deceived?”“Who knows? We’ll find out when we get back to the Yeouido shelter.”As they sped down the road, new headlights appeared from the corner behind them.The vehicle looked so similar to the Jeeps deployed in the shelter that it was hard to tell if it was friend or foe. As Kwak Soohwan glanced at the rearview mirror, bang! The sound of a gunshot came from the car behind. Confirming they were enemies, Kwak Soohwan shouted to Seokhwa.“Do you know how to drive?”“I don’t have a license.”Seokhwa shook his head quickly.“Just hold the steering wheel and look straight ahead. I’ll handle the pedals.”Before Seokhwa could respond, Kwak Soohwan let go of the wheel. Seokhwa grabbed the rapidly spinning wheel, and Kwak Soohwan, while keeping his foot on the pedal, reached for the back seat. He dragged a bag of bullets to the front seat. Without a machine gun, he had no choice but to aim at the car behind with his pistol.The windows of the military Jeep were made of bulletproof glass, but they could only withstand so many shots. As bullets from the car behind peppered the rear window, Kwak Soohwan deliberately eased off the accelerator. Though it would have been advantageous to fall behind, the enemy also reduced speed. Glancing at Seokhwa, who was pale and gripping the wheel, he opened the driver’s window and aimed his pistol at the tires of the pursuing car. A few rapid shots later, the left tire screeched, leaving skid marks on the road.“Dr. Seok, now! Turn the wheel 15 degrees to the left.”Repeating 15 degrees in his mind, Seokhwa turned the wheel exactly as instructed. With a better view, Kwak Soohwan shot at the remaining tires. As the two tires burst, the enemy car spun out of control. The overturned car in front of them was tempting to investigate, but with Seokhwa’s safety at risk, they couldn’t guarantee security.“Who are they?”Kwak Soohwan took the wheel back.“I have no idea.”“Shouldn’t we check who they are?”“To be honest, Dr. Seok, you’re a burden right now.”“Right.”Though the words were blunt, Seokhwa responded calmly, showing that he understood without looking sullen.“Normally, you’d just drop a burden, but you’re not a burden I can drop. Let’s get back to the shelter first.”When Kwak Soohwan had instructed Seokhwa to turn 15 degrees earlier, their car had narrowly missed crashing into a utility pole. Seokhwa had managed to swerve just in time as Kwak Soohwan fired his gun. So, to be honest, he wasn’t exactly a burden.“You have a good sense of direction, even without a license.”“My hands are sweating.”Seokhwa showed his hands, and when Kwak Soohwan reached over to feel them, they were indeed clammy with cold sweat. It made sense, considering Seokhwa usually handled test tubes in a lab rather than participating in high-speed chases.Seokhwa hadn’t expected him to actually check, so he froze momentarily. But just for a moment, as he turned on the radio and raised the volume, curious about the next update.“This attack is suspected to be the work of the rebel group Eden. Taking advantage of the chaos caused by the appearance of Adams, a rebel with a bomb entered the shelter lobby and caused significant damage.”“Why couldn’t Mother prevent it?”“Mother is an AI-based main server and doesn’t act on its own judgment. It only follows orders. This time, as per protocol, it started sealing off the floors where Adams appeared. Closing all floors indiscriminately could have caused even more damage.”“So the rebels could enter the unprotected lobby.”“Exactly. However, our Rainbow City will not fall because of this. The fire has been swiftly extinguished, and we are now managing the situation. According to another update, the First and Second Masters currently in Jeju will visit the Yeouido shelter the day after tomorrow.”“Eden really…”Seokhwa’s dry lips moved slightly.“You don’t need to trust everything on the radio. Broadcasts are controlled, just like Dr. Seok’s research. But, this time, it seems the Eden bastards are indeed responsible.”Though Kwak Soohwan had previously mentioned the rebel ideology a few times, Seokhwa thought he might be more inclined towards it himself. He had never doubted the radio or media before because it had always seemed natural from birth.The red glow reflected in Seokhwa’s black eyes as he looked ahead. As Kwak Soohwan said, the Yeouido shelter was still burning, and the fire department was using water from the Han River to put it out. As always, rain or snow rarely fell in Rainbow City.