Ch.1616. Slum.

# 16. Slum.

“Still, it’s not just suffocating buildings everywhere. As you get closer to the outskirts of the city, the buildings gradually get lower and things become more free.”

The identical buildings constructed at regular intervals indicate they were deliberately planned to accommodate more people in this residential area.

But perhaps there was a problem during the planning process.

Or maybe, as time passed, far more people gathered in the city than initially expected.

The city I’d passed through had various buildings sprawling beyond what looked like enclosures that could house tens of thousands of people.

This place is probably the same.

“The buildings there are more free-spirited than where we are now, which is why I prefer it there… But I guess words don’t really convey it well? Just wait a bit. We’ll be out of here soon.”

The grayish-white residential area, like the buildings constructed here, is long horizontally and narrow vertically.

I suppose they built it this way to improve accessibility, since most buildings are concentrated in the downtown area.

Thanks to this, the residential area served as a milestone indicating I was approaching the edge of the city.

One way or another, it’s a practical place. Even if I don’t like it.

“See that? The size, height, and spacing between buildings are all different. This is what I was talking about.”

After trudging through fallen streetlights and snow covering extinguished lives, I left the residential area in just a few hours.

The regularly arranged grayish-white buildings vanished from view in an instant, replaced by disorderly roads and haphazardly constructed buildings that entered my widened field of vision.

“In many ways, it gives off a strong ‘unplanned place’ vibe, doesn’t it?”

When I first set foot in the residential area, I thought people living in those cage-like buildings weren’t wealthy, while those living outside the residential area were better off.

People confined to cramped rooms less than three pyeong in size versus people living in distinctive buildings, albeit far from downtown.

If you asked someone from my era, eight or nine out of ten would think the latter lived better.

But that wasn’t the case.

“Just as I named the place I was in until just now the ‘residential area,’ if I were to name this place, it would definitely be the ‘slum.'”

The truly wealthy lived in large, sturdy houses near commercial areas, like the house near the superstore, protected by law and technology.

And those who weren’t wealthy but could afford enough to protect themselves lived in those grayish-white buildings we just saw, receiving at least minimal protection.

But here, there are no security robots to protect citizens, no security systems to drive away burglars or thieves trying to break in.

It doesn’t matter to me now in this time when all machines have stopped working, but back then, it would have been a matter of life and death.

Especially in an era when dangerous weapons and guns circulated freely, making kitchen knives seem trivial in comparison.

“Not many people here died of ordinary starvation or by choosing death themselves. Most died from injuries while stealing from others or protecting what was theirs. If not that, they were crushed under unstable buildings.”

At the same time, buildings not constructed with advanced technology like others were inherently unstable.

Inside, cold air would seep through holes in the walls or gaps in windows, and sometimes ceilings would collapse under the weight of snow—a common sight here.

“But still, I like it here. At least this place feels human.”

Free-spirited and imperfect, yet earnestly living each day—that’s what I consider human.

“Practicality is good. It is. But… did it have to be so confined and stifling? They could have allowed for a little more freedom.”

…Of course, I can only say this because I didn’t live through those turbulent times myself.

[But the office structure is surprisingly normal? Except for the machine and calendar on the desk that say ‘z̴̨͉͙̥̾̒͞r҈̧̳̖̳̫̦̀͗̋͝ h҉̢̮̯͖͇͕͌̀͝ạ̴̢͖͋̆͡ā̸̧̘̤̰̙́̿͂͡ △҉͍͈̒̇͜͝o̵̢͓͇̪̫̟͗͗̆̽̀͠u̴̢̫͑́͡ͅr҉̬͔͕̰͕̀͆̆̾̕͜s҈̢͓̥̥̠̎̿̍̂͗͞ ‘.]

[I also thought chairs and desks would be flying around… I wonder if the people of ”̴̧̛͓̝͔̫̀͊̓̅̽s҉̨̰͕̗̗̘̌̎̍͑͞ś̷̨͍̘̌͡ m̸͈̬̮͍͛̽̎̋̅͜͞ľ̴̢͙̠̱͐͠c̸̨̣̙̤̪҇̋͋’ also thought such structures were practical?]

“Ahaha, you’re still in the office, I see. …By the way, what’s wrong with this? The text looks all broken.”

I opened the message window with anticipation when told there was a new message, but somehow the message is unnaturally broken.

Not only can’t it properly receive messages, but now even the text is breaking?

“You’re not breaking down, are you? Please say no. It’s a translation error or… a temporary bug causing this, right?”

Wondering if pressing buttons on the Controller might fix it, I tried the translation button and various other buttons on the Controller, but the broken words didn’t return to normal.

Fortunately, it seems the Drone isn’t broken since new messages are still coming in, but…

…Something feels off.

“Hmm… Since we’re talking about practicality, let me ask you: which do you prefer? A practical world that abandons humanity, or a world that’s free in both good and bad ways?”

People who chose to live in enclosures that pursued practicality to the point of caging their humanity.

And people who, like beasts escaped from cages, gained humanity and freedom at the cost of exposure to danger.

“The end was probably unhappy for everyone… but I wonder who was happier while alive. Since they lived in different environments, did they each think their own situation was better?”

Or perhaps, as the old saying goes, the grass is always greener on the other side, and they lived envying each other.

“…Ah. The very fact that we make such comparisons might prove there was no such thing as happiness.”

I smiled awkwardly, saying I had committed a very human faux pas.

“Wow. These are colorful hues rarely seen in this city.”

Construction equipment and various materials standing lonely in empty lots.

Houses incomparably smaller and lower than the city’s buildings, and flimsy walls erected in desperate attempts to protect homes.

Most places within human reach were filled with vibrant paintings visible from a distance.

“It’s quite refreshing to see these bright paintings in such a dreary world. …Even if they are a bit risqué.”

It’s certainly startling to see fluorescent paintings depicting pole-dancing women or explicit sexual acts.

But if I think about how people who lived in these remote places sublimated their frustrations and desires through such paintings… they seem somewhat acceptable.

“Indeed, colors with their own character, even if a bit chaotic, are better than plain white.”

Perhaps it’s because they’re traces of people who once lived, even if only their paintings remain.

Without realizing it, I walked right along the painted walls—and noticed several spray cans rolling under the vibrant paintings.

“…While it feels wrong to alter paintings that people from the past worked hard on, they’re too explicit, and it seems pitiful for them to be completely naked in such cold weather….”

Maybe it’s better to… dress them a little.

I picked up a light-colored spray can from those rolling on the ground and clothed the people who were exposing even their private parts in this cold.

“This is fun, though. Just by shaking this and pressing my finger, I can leave traces of my existence and thoughts in the world.”

Since I’ve never formally studied art and this is my first time holding a spray can, it didn’t turn out exactly as I imagined.

But who cares? There’s no one but me in this city to see or judge this painting.

If I think I did well, and if I enjoyed it, that’s enough.

“This looks good enough. Everyone looks warm now.”

I dressed the naked people in clothes suitable for the cold season.

As I slowly admired the wall that looked warmer just by looking at it, I discovered an empty wall in the corner.

“—Since I’m here, should I leave a painting of my own?”

After a moment’s hesitation, I began drawing my own picture on the blank wall.

Just as the people who lived here expressed their primal desires and wishes, I wanted to reveal my wish to the world through a painting.

“Here like this… and there like that….”

I drew myself wearing thick clothes and carrying a large bag, with the Drone flying around me.

And then I drew many people surrounding me.

To finish, I drew smiles hoping that despite this world, everyone could meet with smiling faces.

“Ugh, using red makes it look scary. Like something from a nightmare. I need to cover it with a different color!”

The finished painting wasn’t good by any stretch of the imagination, nor was it neat.

But it was the most satisfying painting I’d ever seen in my life.

“Ah. Finally arrived.”

I continued forward, passing through countless collapsed and tilting buildings.

And when night fell, making the world so dark I couldn’t see an inch in front of me,

The massive train station marking the city’s end,

And the tall iron fence surrounding the city that wasn’t visible from a distance,

Welcomed me as if to say this was both the end and the beginning.