Rainbow City Chapter 16

Due to Dr. After Oh’s death, he had to come from Jeju Island to the Yeo-ui Shelter, and Captain Kwak, who was stealing alcohol in Zone 13, became his bodyguard instead of going to Brig. Even though there was no need for security inside the shelter, Captain Kwak followed him around and showed interest in the journal brought from Dr. Oh’s house. Seeing that he mentioned Eden Hill in the journal first, it was evident that there was something unknown to him as well.

Perhaps the person who killed Dr. Oh could indeed be the one Kim mentioned?

“Major Kwak, you didn’t really kill Dr. Oh, did you?”

Kwak Soohwan completely turned his body to look at Seokhwa. The rustling of the uniform sounded somber. He reached for Seokhwa’s palm with his index finger. Seokhwa tried to clench his fist due to the ticklish sensation, but Kwak Soohwan rolled a peanut up to his wrist and, grabbing it, stuffed it into Seokhwa’s open mouth.

“What conclusion have you drawn to come to that point? But it’s not me. I don’t know either, maybe killed by the insurgents, or someone who disliked Dr. Oh, a colleague perhaps.”

“Dr. Oh, who did things that Upper didn’t want… Could it have been Upper who killed him?”

The peanut became mushy in his mouth.

“That’s a dangerously bold statement.”

It’s a relief he switched it off. Kwak Soohwan pointed at the video recording device that had been turned off.

Tap, Chaeyoon knocked on the seat partition’s window. She signaled to the two men behind her with her mouth as if to say, ‘Have we arrived?’ Kwak Soohwan switched the video recording device back on. As he extended his arm towards him, Seokhwa leaned his back tightly against the seat. He couldn’t understand why he felt threatened.

Click, Kwak Soohwan, who opened the door, leaned in close, smiling.

“Please, Doctor.”

Seokhwa observed Chaeyoon and Yang Sanghoon walking ahead. He also focused on Kwak Soohwan beside him. Despite entering the Red Zone, the three soldiers showed no signs of tension. Even though it was called the Red Zone, it was as safe as the Green Zone, which extended a kilometer around the zoo. What was more surprising was the interior. He thought it was just a zoo, but when they arrived, it turned out to be an actual safari on the outskirts of the zoo. Instead, the predator enclosures were closed, and only the previously captive animal buildings were in operation.

“Dr. Seok, are you excited?”

Kwak Soohwan covered Seokhwa’s face. Seokhwa’s cheeks were flushed differently from usual, making him look like an excited person going on a picnic. Due to the heat, his face turned red involuntarily, and he didn’t respond. The weather was so cold that one’s breath could freeze.

“Excited? Doctor, I’m excited too! I’ve only seen the zoo through videos at the shelter, but it’s no joke, right? In the old days, you could see real lions and tigers. Wow, I wanted to tussle with a tiger!”

Surprisingly, Chaeyoon was bouncing around like a child.

“Tigers aren’t a joke, seriously. But wouldn’t I be better? Have you seen them yourself, Doctor? They say most of the predators are being protected on Jeju Island?”

Most predators, including tigers, were endangered species and were being protected by the Unified Nation. However, Seokhwa had never seen a predator in person.

“No, I haven’t seen them either.”

“I kind of want to tussle with one.”

Yang Sanghoon suddenly found interest. He thought there might be something good about wrestling with a predator. But it felt like watching kids bragging about strength. Seokhwa smiled, as if hinting at their innocence.

“Surely you’re not smiling now, are you?”

“Well…”

Seokhwa grasped the backpack strap.

“Have you ever burst into laughter even once in your life?”

“What about Captain Kwak Soohwan?”

“I must have, right? I laugh well.”

Hmm, it was hard to picture Kwak Soohwan bursting into laughter. The weight of the backpack, though not heavy to begin with, felt lighter suddenly, and Seokhwa quickened his pace, but his body swayed backward. Kwak Soohwan, not expecting Seokhwa to move forward first, was surprised and instinctively caught him. As it turned out, Kwak Soohwan was only helping to lighten the weight by holding onto the backpack strap.

Seokhwa removed Kwak Soohwan’s hand wrapped around his waist and handed him the backpack.

“Why is Dr. Seok carrying this?”

Thinking Kwak Soohwan would make a similar jest, Seokhwa was surprised when Kwak Soohwan just slung it over one shoulder.

“Thank you.”

“If it gets tough, tell me. I can carry you on my back.”

“Not to that extent yet.”

Seokhwa, feeling feverish, found the outdoors more appealing than the warm shelter or the jeep.

[Keeper’s Quarters]

Exhaling a white breath, he gazed up at the building. The keeper’s quarters were about three floors high, not overly large in size. As Kwak Soohwan pressed the bell, the thick iron door scraped the floor as it opened. Inside, even the soldier who opened the door emitted a white vapor, suggesting that the place wasn’t heated.

“Welcome. I’m Captain Kang Cheol-oh of the Baekgol Platoon.”

Chaeyoon gestured informally, saying formalities weren’t necessary.

“Let’s go straight there. You received orders for the Yeouido Shelter, right?”

“Yes, sir. We’ve captured the 7th Adam set. We’ll escort you there.”

The captain led the way, and once everyone was inside, the thick iron door closed firmly.

If they had confined Adams, one might expect the distinct sounds of animals, but the keeper’s quarters were quiet. Instead, only the regular rhythm of soldiers’ boots echoed, occasionally accompanied by the thud-thud sound reverberating through the building. Seokhwa had seen Adam many times before, not directly engaging with them as the soldiers did, but once spent a whole day observing through bulletproof glass to study Adam’s behavior.

“This way.”

The captain led them to a room that looked like a broadcasting studio. A large glass front was visible, with three figures—Adams—standing in a narrow room behind the glass, all facing the wall.

“Why are they like that?”

Yang Sanghoon asked first.

“If they don’t receive any stimuli, they won’t make any movements. They won’t even sit or lie down.”

“What?”

Surprised, Seokhwa asked. The captain, noticing Seokhwa’s researcher badge around his neck, stood straight again.

“You might be surprised, Doctor.”

He was about to ask Seokhwa to step back a bit, but Seokhwa moved closer. There was no movement detected from Adam, almost as if conserving energy.

After observing for a while, Kwak Soohwan, who had come closer, banged on the glass. Seokhwa gasped. The glass seemed to tremble, and simultaneously, the three Adams, who were facing the wall, rushed towards the glass like silent spirits. Seokhwa tensed his legs to avoid stepping back. He knew Adam couldn’t break this glass. With bulging eyes and an open mouth, Adam, aiming to attack, seemed like a silent roar. Without any sound, it felt a bit surreal.

“Is the soundproofing… this effective?”

“Soundproofing? Oh, no. When those things were captured, there were specific orders from above. That’s why we cut off their tongues and vocal cords.”

The captain smiled lightly. Cut off their tongues and vocal cords? The monstrous howling of the Adams was loud enough to be irritating, but there hadn’t been any instance of cutting vocal cords. Observing Adams in their natural state was essential, and Seokhwa simply couldn’t understand.

“Did those Adams also retreat?”

Chaeyoon went to the window, mimicking the action of hitting her forehead like an Adam. Yang Sanghoon chuckled from the side, praising her imitation.

“We… just kept the captured ones locked up.”

“Did you, by any chance, speak to them?”

“Speak? Why would I?”

The captain brushed off the question, looking puzzled.

“Cutting their tongues right after capturing them. That, too, so skillfully.”

“Doctor!”

Seokhwa sighed at Chaeyoon’s tone.

“Are you curious if they retreat or not? Should I go in and fight them?”

“No, please don’t.”

“I’m super strong. I can take them down even if I fight them.”

“It’s alright.”

The 7th variation of the Adam virus was already plentiful in the lab. They had come just to observe their peculiar behavior. Sometimes, gaining firsthand experience in the field was more valuable than sitting in the lab.

Thud! Thud!!

One of the Adams started banging its head against the glass.

Thud!!! The forehead cracked, and the glass was stained with red blood. Again, thud! Seokhwa met the eerie gaze of the contorted Adam, who was banging its head so violently that its neck twisted unnaturally.

As the creature exhaled, the glass fogged up. Slowly, it moved its mouth, and unbelievably, it seemed as though it was trying to say something. Seokhwa swiftly shifted his gaze to the other Adams. They were still glowing. When he stared at the Adam that was moving its mouth, it repeated the same mouth movements. It was the moment Seokhwa tried to mimic Adam’s mouth shape.

“Ugh!”

Suddenly, an immense gush of blood erupted from deep within Adam’s throat. Like splattering paint, thick blood trickled down the glass. Adam, as if expelling every drop of blood from its body, collapsed to the ground. Thump, thump, his heart raced inside his chest.

“Looks like that’s the end?”

Chaeyoon pointed at the sprawled body on the floor.

“Yes, we’ll take care of it as soon as it’s returned. Doctor?”

“….”

“Doctor?”

The captain repeatedly called out to the frozen Seokhwa. Kwak Soohwan suggested stopping, lest Seokhwa might faint, but he waited for the right moment. Unexpectedly, Seokhwa quickly regained composure and spoke.

“How long has it been since these Adams were captured?”

“About a month.”

“Where?”

“In the 13th Red Zone.”

An Adam could endure without consuming blood or internal organs for approximately three months. It wasn’t precisely determined, but surely there might be creatures living for several years or more.

“If there’s nothing further to investigate, should we dispose of them?”

“We’ll dispose of them.”

Instead of Seokhwa, Kwak Soohwan replied. He watched the pale Seokhwa, who seemed to have whitened at the mention of disposal.

“Eve…”

Seokhwa murmured. It was the word Adam had repeated.