The World after the Fall - 228 Big Brother 22
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228 Big Brother 22

[Just because you want to destroy the System? Is that it? Are you still holding on to such childish and violent thoughts?]

"…"

[Listen to me. If you Transcended, it would've been different. You don't understand anything. You don't know what Big Brother is, what Panopticon is, and the purpose of the System!]

"But I know one thing. If I Transcend, I will be like you."

He heard Transcended ones saying, "Whoa, he owned it!' within his head. Mulack became silent for a while. Maybe it had touched a part of his 'being' deep inside his spirit.

[…You don't know anything about Transcendence. If you don't know anything, you shouldn't speak like that.]

It was a voice full of deep rage. Jaehwan felt his voice was real this time. He 'truly' was thinking in that way.

[It's the same for the System. This world that was created to efficiently 'Cultivate Big Brothers'. They are created after countless former Big Brothers were created and changed it to achieve greatness. It is more stable than any other world and has no chance of being destroyed. All beings are well adapted to this System and they live happily. Destroy the System? What you are trying to do is trample on all their achievements!]

Jaehwan thought for a bit and answered, "Maybe."

['Maybe'? You don't know a thing! Do you know what happens if the System is destroyed?!]

And in the next moment, voices spread across Jaehwan's head at once.

[Fall.]

[Fall.]

[Fall.]

[Fall.]

Jaehwan said, 'Shut up,' in his mind. Mulack also spoke.

[The world will fall!]

It was a voice that sounded like it came from a drama.

[And you still will destroy the System?]

"Yeah."

[Hah… and why are you still thinking of that!]

"It's because I am human."

Human. The Transcended ones began to speak to themselves noisily again. Good, Crazy, Stupid, He's mad, etc, etc…

[Human… is it?]

Mulack's expression turned complicated. It seemed like he was scoffing at Jaehwan, or he also seemed to pity him.

[Human… do you really consider yourself human still?]

His narrowed eyes pierced into Jaehwan's mind.

[Even if you didn't go through Transcendence, you lived over million years alone. How can a man do such a thing? There's no human who could've withstood that time while still being 'human'.]

"…"

[You are already a 'System' yourself. You created your mind to be one of the 'Systems' to withstand all that time. There is a power that is equivalent to a universe within you. Why are you trying to act as if you are still a human? What is a human anyway?]

That question pierced Jaehwan's heart. He too had been asking himself the same question thousands of times. Was he really still human? And what was a human anyway?

Jaehwan thought about this question in the darkness many times. Many hours. He first tried to answer it with scientific knowledge he had.

Human. A highly intelligent animal who uses language and tools. Part of h.o.m.o sapiens that walk on two legs and…

However, that wasn't a good answer. So Jaehwan changed his perspective.

Many philosophies came through him. The Fall of time gave him enough time to think about all the possible ways of thinking that existed within all of mankind. Jaehwan even went over the philosophy and replaced it with his language and thoughts to answer it.

Yet he couldn't find the answer. And with the empty answer, the answer came suddenly.

"I don't know what humans are."

It was the truth.

"But I am thinking of what humans are."

At the end of those words, Jaehwan realized he was 'human'.

"That is why I am human."

Humans are the ones who question what human is. That was the answer that Jaehwan had gotten to after living 10 billion years with his clothes. Mulack burst into laughter.

[Hahahaha! …Was that the answer you got after 10 billion years? In your words, even the 'Transcended' can become humans! It's foolis.h.!.+]

But it was only Mulack who laughed. All other Jaehwan's clothes only spoke ill of Jaehwan's answer, let alone laugh at it.

[Thank you.]

A short answer came back after a short and heavy silence. Jaehwan felt emotion from his 'clothes'. Mulack then gritted his teeth after realizing what happened.

[I see. That's why you made such an answer. You…]

And a fight erupted again.

Mulack now was doing all he could to unleash everything in his power. The Transcended ones tried their best to fight back, but the attack was too powerful now. One of the Transcended ones spoke.

[Hey original, there's one way we can possibly win. It might kill us all but…]

[Wait, you can't-]

[Let's just tell him! He considers us as human.]

[Don't be fooled by…]

People kept on talking, but the voice continued.

[There is one who doesn't have control over your body yet. We didn't want to tell you until the end… but this is our way of thanking you.]

Jaehwan tried to ask who it was, but before he can ask, a voice came. It sounded like that of a young boy.

-If you want, I can help you.

Unlike the other Transcended ones, that voice seemed like it was shaking up the entire brain.

[D-dammit! He's here!]

[WAAAAAGH!]

[66666!]

Jaehwan felt the Transcended ones shaking frantically. Were there ranks between them? Why were they so afraid? And at that point, Jaehwan felt memories rus.h.i.+ng in.

It was a memory that lasted over 3 billion years.

'I felt there were lots of parts missing throughout the 10 billion years… it was him.'

Jaehwan felt becoming dizzy due to the length of the memory coming in.

66666.

That was the name of the Jaehwan that lived for 3 billion years. He lived for 3 billion years alone. How was that possible? Just like the other Jaehwans, 66666 also trained in only one thing for all of the 3 billion years. It was easy to see what [Setting] he trained. In fact, Jaehwan thought it strange that there was no one who trained that [Setting] after all.

'He probably can…'

Jaehwan was certain that if he helped, they might win. No. They will actually…

-Let me ask you. You want help?

'I do. Can you help me?'

-There is a price.'

It wasn't expected. Jaehwan then felt an eerie feeling as he experienced 3 billion years worth of loneliness. What was he like if he endured 3 billion years by himself? What would be the price he would have to pay?

'What is it?'

-I want your spirit.

Spirit? Jaehwan became confused. Was it some kind of a devilish pact from a book?

'What do you mean?'

66666 then answered,

-I want to be you.