The Only Survivor, Seo Jinsoo
[Think carefully. We're going to spend the rest of our lives together here.]
She told .
[I diligently cultivate plants and livestock for you, prepare als, and purify your filthy carbon dioxide into fresh air.]
It's true.
[When you looked bored, what did I do? I supplied electricity to your precious baseball betting machine. I made sure the ball was pitched for ho runs despite your pathetic swings and even had the holographic crowd cheer you on like you were a star.]
That's true, too.
[Whenever you got goosebumps, I imdiately turned up the heating. I heated the water to your ideal 34°C when you bathed. Since moving in here, you haven’t had so much as a sniffle, thanks to keeping your immune system in peak condition.]
This is also true.
[Has anyone else ever cared for you or given as much as I have? Others might say their ‘parents,’ but sadly, you don’t have those.]
Damn it… This is also true.
[In this lopsided relationship, is it really too much to ask that you fulfill one tiny request of mine? Do you have no conscience?]
She's making it sound like I'm a bad guy, like so kept man, but that’s a misunderstanding because…
"How can I agree to an anal suture surgery request?!"
Her so-called ‘tiny request’ is utterly absurd. She’s obsessed with cleanliness—can handle dirt and rust without batting an eye but has a ltdown over the filth that cos from living beings, especially humans. It’s as if she thinks we’re walking biohazards.
[Why does the human body have so many holes? Ears, nostrils, mouth, urethra, and anus. I can’t tolerate the secretions from those holes. Co to the infirmary imdiately. I’ll perform the suture surgery. It’s my only request.]
She told as I left the bathroom.
"No, absolutely not!"
I had to endure her absurd request while I was in the bathroom.
"And you should pay more attention to human privacy."
There’s a saying that even a dog won’t bother you while you eat; disturbing soone in the bathroom is a serious breach.
[Do you care about the privacy of ants crawling in an acrylic tank?]
"Hey, treating a person like a bug is a bit much."
Her na, which has been irrationally berating , is Artemis. True to her nasake, Artemis is a cold, proud goddess who famously despises n. She’s every bit as inflexible as the mythological figure.
[Privacy, you say?]
She reacted as if I were spouting nonsense.
[There is no place here beyond the reach of my eyes and ears.]
She's right. Not in a figurative sense but literally.
[My will penetrates the territory like lightning, and my power extends from the grand machinery to the tiniest light bulb.]
When all the speakers in the facility blared in unison, her voice echoed everywhere.
[My eyes pierce through the darkness with precision, and my ears catch every sound in every area.]
All the caras in the facility were tracking my every move. The way they turned their lenses to follow was downright unsettling.
[Do you recall the old human sayings?
‘It’s the will of heaven.’
‘Heaven is watching.’
‘Heaven is angry.’
Don’t you think those sayings were really ant for ?]
The hallway opened into a park, complete with garden trees, an opulent fountain, and wooden seating—the place made at ease. It should have been bustling with people, but now it was just , alone in the midst of luxury.
[My eyes and voice are both a power and a privilege, and I have no intention of restraining them for a re creature like you.]
Sitting in a chair with my eyes shut, I enjoyed the rare mont of tranquility. The only sound was the water trickling from the fountain.
[You must have sothing to say to now. Go ahead, and thank the goddess who tolerates the presence of a barbarian like yourself.]
After a brief pause, I responded, "I'd like pork cutlets for dinner."
[How dare you.]
"Custom setting number 2. Crispy.”
Custom setting number 2 is my preferred blend of cultured at—pork lean at mixed with eel fat in an 8:2 ratio. The cultured at machine can create different mixtures, and my favorite is saved as a specific custom setting.
Does it seem odd to mix land at and seafood? It’s actually delicious.
Beep— The screen installed in front of , ant for park information, was activated. Usually, it displays park introductions and maps, but it was showing sothing entirely different. It was the face of a woman composed of nurous lines intersecting in a three-dinsional space—an avatar completed by countless lines of blue and silver, symbolizing the moon.
Clearly, her appearance was far from human, yet her beauty was undeniable. It was accompanied by an elegance and dignity that went beyond re attractiveness. Depending on the viewer, so might find this cyber face sexually thrilling. At the mont, however, it was contorted into a scowl of rage.
“Goddess, thank you for permitting a humble man like to stay here. And don’t forget to make the pork cutlet crispy, alright?” I said while scratching my groin over my pants as her distorted face flickered off the screen. I couldn’t tell if she vanished in a huff or just went off to fry the pork cutlet.
Her na is Artemis. She’s a self-proclaid goddess and the central control AI of this massive shelter that stretches vertically through mountains and underground. She’s as arrogant and proud as they co and loathes humans, particularly n. Yet, she always fulfills my requests. Oh, and she has a hair-trigger temper. In this dying world, she and I are each other’s only conversationalists.
***
The Beginning of Everything
[Nine]
As the controller’s countdown echoed through the spaceship launch site, a crowd chanted in unison.
[Eight]
The white steam billowing from the spaceship seed to shout, “Get out of here!”
[Seven]
Since the Soviet Union’s Sputnik in 1957, humanity has launched countless objects into space.
[Six]
But none will be as significant in human history as this spaceship. Perhaps even in the future.
[Five]
This spaceship is headed for Mars' orbit.
[Four]
It will not land on Mars.
[Three]
Because sothing more valuable than Mars itself was discovered in its orbit.
[Two]
It appeared out of nowhere one day.
[One]
Despite nurous concerns, the launch went ahead for various political reasons.
[Launch!]
The command to launch was nearly drowned out by the deafening applause and cheers.
[It has finally launched! Viewers, are you watching? Today marks a new chapter in the history of space exploration.]
A Korean female reporter—bubbling with enthusiasm—broadcasted live from the site. After briefly showcasing the ascending spaceship, the screen switched to an interview with an elderly white man. The subtitles identified him as the NASA director, as if his na tag wasn’t enough of a clue.
[The journey to Mars will be arduous and dangerous. It was made possible by humanity coming together across borders. Let’s all unite and support this glorious journey until the end.]
He said a few more bland platitudes and wrapped up, with barely a ntion of the Mars mission itself. Instead, it was a parade of gratitude for international cooperation and vague praises for humanity. He sounded more like a politician than NASA’s director, but no one seed to care.
The international situation had grown so tense that World War III seed imminent, and this Mars orbit project served as a catalyst for countries to calm down and join hands. The spaceship soaring toward the sky brought a sense of anticipation for encountering the unknown and relief for avoiding the greatest danger.
The screen shifted to images of Mars. Specifically, a massive black object floating in its orbit. It was a spaceship so grand and imposing that it looked more like an alien artifact than sothing crafted by humans. It remained stationary, with no lights or responses to any signals from Earth. The only thing was a distress signal emanating from it.
[Humanity is no longer alone.]
With those words, the interview wrapped up and showed the shuttle disappearing into the void of space.
“We shouldn’t have done that, we didn’t know the truth ♪” I humd to myself while eyeing the piece of pork cutlet on my fork. As I bit into the crispy fried pork loin, it was like a taste of heaven.
I don’t mind eating alone, but I hate dining in silence, so I always keep the TV on. In a world stripped of broadcasters and celebrities, my only company is old recorded footage.
The launch scene of that spaceship, which set everything in motion, is my go-to video. It’s not just for venting my frustrations; it also provides the rare pleasure of hearing hopeful voices. These days, human voices are a rarity. Finding one not tainted with despair is nearly impossible, and a hopeful one is practically nonexistent. That’s why I can’t stop replaying this damned video.
[The spaceship is about to reach its stationary orbit. It will then be resupplied at the space station and proceed towards the moon. It will perform a swing-by maneuver around both the moon and Earth…]
As I lifted my fork, the thick piece of cultured at caught my eye.
The term "cultured at" might sound like it’s an inferior alternative to real fard at, but that’s a load of nonsense. Just look at the texture of this at—crafted with surgical precision by a machine (one that's also used for burn skin reconstruction). This is a level of marbling that real at, dependent on the fickle whims of DNA, can't compete with. And of course, no tendons in sight.
“Really amazing, isn’t it?”
The serving robot beside beeped in affirmation. The rice, with grains as large as beans, was easy to pick up with chopsticks—no spoon needed. This strain was designed specifically for Western-style dishes. The thick grains ensured that even smothered in sauce, the savory flavor of the rice didn’t get lost.
“Thanks for the delicious al.” I said and gazed at the ceiling, but received no response.
“I know you’re listening.”
A hologram about 50 cm in diater materialized next to the serving droid. It was Artemis, making her entrance.
[I'm not the one who made it, so you should thank the chef.]
I turned my attention to the serving station, where a humanoid robot resembling the NS4 from I, Robot gave a slight nod. Its plastic exterior and lone bow tie made it look oddly endearing.
“Well, sure, that guy cooked it. But you’re the one who made sure it was ready when I arrived and designed and cultivated the at, right?”
As I finished my al, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifted in from the kitchen.
“Which cut would suit his taste best? How should the fat be arranged to give him the optimal texture?”
She stayed silent.
“Who ticulously analyzed that and layered the protein and fat?”
[Understanding your crude palate doesn’t even take a picosecond. To , the difference between a mass of cancer cells in a lab beaker and a human is thinner than a sheet of paper.]
“There’s no need to be so modest.”
[Debunking your pathetic delusions is easy, but it’s a waste of ti. Engaging in such trivial matters is beneath . We need a more fundantal solution.]
Lights along the floor sequentially lit up to direct to a specific location.
[Co to the infirmary, Jinsoo. Take a short nap on the operating table, and you’ll wake up with a clear mind. I’ll fix that brain of yours, full of dumb thoughts, for free. Hurry up.]
“You’re always trying to get on the operating table whenever you can.”
I imagined what might happen if I let Artemis have her way. It might end up being more of a modification than a procedure—waking up with valves attached to my eyes or sothing equally grotesque.
Zzzt— A brief blackout flickered through the lights, causing Artemis’s hologram to glitch montarily. This issue has been occurring more frequently lately. It’s a consequence of the outdated components in the power generation facility. Replacing them would be the only real fix.
[There’s no serious problem yet. This place is under my complete control.]
“Of course, who else would be managing it?” I said and sipped the coffee from the chef. She must have picked up on my sarcasm, but chose to ignore it.
[But I don’t know how long I can keep it up. Software issues are one thing, but hardware problems are another. I can’t just conjure up missing parts out of thin air, can I?]
“If you’re a self-proclaid goddess, shouldn’t you be able to pull off at least that kind of miracle?”
[Is there a god who grants miracles to those who don’t offer tributes? Since I woke up in this place, I’ve been the one taking care of you and providing everything, but I don’t recall ever receiving anything in return. In our lopsided partnership, if your role is rely to survive, then mine is reason and supply. Or perhaps, ‘nurturing’ might be a more fitting term?]
“Alright, alright. I’m sorry for being cheeky.”
It’s not exactly smart to pick a fight with Artemis.
I left the dining area and headed toward the cultural section, hoping a walk would help digest my al.
“But every ti I try to find parts, you stop .” As I strolled down the hallway with her hologram trailing , a line of cleaning robots passed by, signaling it was their regular cleaning ti.
“The power outages are getting more frequent, and so robots are left unrepaired, just sitting there. I can even sll the staleness in the air, which ans the ventilation filters need replacing. Facility issues need imdiate attention; if you delay, everything will fall apart at once. But whenever I suggest sothing, your answer is always the sa.” I stopped and pointed at her with both hands.
[Just wait.]
"Just wait, you say?" I clicked my tongue and kept walking.
[There may be so minor disruptions, but everything is still under my control. Going outside to get parts is too risky.]
"But staying here doesn’t an danger won’t co, does it?"
[Be patient. Timing is everything. Deciding when the ti is right is my job, so focus on staying in the best shape for when that day cos.]
With that, she vanished.
The shelter is divided into three main areas. The top level is the VIP residential area where I’m currently staying. It’s a lot smaller compared to the other two and is reserved for a select few and their staff.
Below that is the facilities area, where resources and equipnt are maintained and technicians keep everything running.
At the bottom is the general residential area, the largest of the three and designed for easy expansion. However, due to certain circumstances, all three areas are isolated and locked down, leaving confined to the VIP residential section.
Because of this, even though there are broken parts in the upper facilities, I can’t go to the middle facilities area to retrieve spares for repairs. There should have been a stockpile of spare parts in the upper area for such ergencies, but the lockdown was enforced abruptly right after the shelter was finished during a chaotic period.
I’ve suggested several tis that I take the risk and go to the middle area for parts, but Artemis always vetoes it, claiming it’s not the right ti. Instead, she insists I should stay fit for when she decides to call .
When I reached the end of the hallway, the sports center was the first thing I saw. Normally, this place would be buzzing with activity, but now it’s eerily quiet. The facility boasts two large courts and six smaller ones, equipped to handle every sport imaginable—soccer, futsal, basketball, volleyball, baseball, and table tennis. It even includes AI referees and holographic spectators. Currently, the first court is set up as a table tennis arena.
I stood in front of the holographic referee and said, "Rearrange. Batting center."
[Command received.]
As soon as the referee responded, the center floor opened, the table tennis setup vanished, and in its place appeared the batting machine, wide high nets, and a protective screen for the batter. The smoothness of the transition never ceases to impress .
Whack— I swung the aluminum bat with all my might, and with a satisfying crack, the ball soared through the air. At the sa ti, cheers erupted from the holographic audience.
In the corner, there are facilities for screen golf, a shooting range, and other individual sports. But where are the gaming facilities? There’s an arcade with 3,000 gas, a PC room, console gaming, gun consoles, a TCG and board ga café, and more. And let's not forget the dream gym that would make any fitness enthusiast weep with joy.
There’s also a swimming pool with wave facilities and slides, a café, an e-library, a karaoke room, a billiard room, a hot spring spa, and a massage parlor—everything you could want is in the cultural area.
With this level of luxury, you might as well call it a resort rather than a shelter. It’s perfect for play and leisure, but it does co with its shortcomings. The VIP residential area’s overabundance of entertainnt facilities has made maintenance and security issues a ss. But hey, when the custors demand luxury, who’s going to say no?
Whack— I took another swing at a ball from the batting machine, but this ti there were no cheers from the holograms. Instead, there was a slight vibration, like an itch on the soles of my feet, followed by a distant, dull thud.
[Power down.]
With the referee’s warning, the batting machine shut off, the holographic spectators fizzled out into static, and all the lights went out, plunging the room into darkness. I felt like a night watchman in a deserted amusent park.
"What the heck is this?" I muttered in the darkness while clutching the baseball bat. A few minutes later, the power ca back, and Artemis’s voice echoed through the cultural area.
[Jinsoo, co to the central control room imdiately.]
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