Ch.201Prequel Episode 6. Crisis of Chastity

“We don’t have the resources to recover the Ranger’s body.”

Those were the captain’s first words after the disaster.

We can’t recover the Ranger’s body.

It was an understandable decision.

Losing the engine was already a significant loss, so going into reverse thrust to turn back and recover Ranger’s body?

Even if our original two-month voyage plan extended to three months, it would still be a reasonable call.

It’s not like we were trying to help a parasite wriggling in a murderer’s brain burst through the skull to find another host. No one could make such a terrible decision.

At least I could understand the captain’s judgment.

“Captain! Ranger went out there following your orders!”

“Are you refusing to recover him just because he’s charred and disfigured?”

“If this is how it works, I can’t do external operations either! Does this mean if something goes wrong, you’ll just abandon my body without a funeral?”

However, the other crew members didn’t seem to accept it.

Judging by their fierce opposition.

Ranger was essentially given a hot roasting and cremation for free, so I couldn’t understand what they were so upset about.

“Couldn’t we have predicted the solar wind?”

“How could we predict that?”

“Earth is closer to the sun right now. With solar winds this strong, Earth would have issued warnings in advance. How could you not have anticipated this?”

“That… I can only say it was my mistake…”

The captain hung his head at Allen’s questioning.

This is ridiculous.

Why is he apologizing?

Is the captain some kind of fortune teller?

How could he predict that solar winds would break through the window, damage the controls, and send Ranger plunging into the engine flames during external operations?

Damn it, a captain should act like one—if someone has a problem, he should tell them to get off his ship with authority.

I was a bit disappointed.

“Damn it… Ranger was such a good guy…”

After briefly scolding the captain, wailing erupted from all around.

Good grief. What a mess.

Did Ranger really do that much good?

It’s not like he died saving someone—he stupidly clung to the spaceship like a cicada, knocked himself out, and died alone.

Apparently, he must have done a lot of favors for others without my knowledge.

Seeing everyone sobbing like this made it clear.

“Um, I’d like to shower in my room because I feel gross. Anyone want to join me?”

“Captain! Stop the ship, quickly!”

“Rangerrr!!!”

Damn it.

With the atmosphere this messed up, it looked like I wouldn’t even get to shower.

That’s when I noticed Knight standing quietly in the corner with his arms crossed.

Wasn’t he modeled after a popular celebrity from 100 years ago?

Perhaps that’s why he seemed slightly out of sync with today’s standards of handsomeness, yet still had a strange charm.

Even with an eyepatch covering where his camera had been completely torn off, his good looks couldn’t be completely hidden.

“If no one’s going, can I take Knight?”

“That’s not allowed.”

“If you’re worried, lock all the rooms except mine. That would be safe, right?”

“Hmm…”

Let me clarify again—the navigation room could control all devices on the cargo ship.

In emergency mode, it could even open and close personal lockers.

Locking all doors except my personal room would be no problem at all.

Then there would be no reason to suspect me of snooping around other rooms if I took the blind Knight with me.

“Alright… make it quick…”

“Yes sir! Knight, let’s go! Take my hand!”

“I’m fine.”

“No, I want to hold your hand.”

“Excuse me?”

This cargo ship has a communal shower room.

At first, I used to go in there to shower.

But after receiving numerous complaints, the captain moved a shower booth into my room and ordered me to use that instead, effectively banning me from the communal shower room.

Something about causing “combat power loss” among my colleagues.

Having my own personal shower space was nice, but the problem was that it was terribly cramped.

I could barely squeeze in and wiggle around a bit.

“Ah, can’t I use the communal shower room since no one’s there right now?”

“…”

Click.

As expected.

The communal shower room door was firmly locked.

I glared at Knight and clicked my tongue loudly.

Loud enough for the captain to hear over the radio.

Come on, it’s not like I’m going to plant explosives in the shower room or anything.

Isn’t this a bit much…?

I headed to my room with my lips twitching.

“Captain… are you on your period or something?”

Of course, there was a reason for his strict attitude.

After the parasite infection, the captain completely disarmed all crew members.

Originally, we weren’t allowed to carry personal firearms and had to keep guns in the weapons storage room, but the captain completely sealed off that room as soon as the incident occurred.

He set a password that even he didn’t know, making it impossible to open.

This was to prevent a parasite wearing one of our skins from grabbing a machine gun and going on a rampage.

It wasn’t an incomprehensible precaution.

However…

“Shows you’re not American, seriously.”

To take away the right to bear arms that every free individual should have.

Only non-American slaves of totalitarianism would accept this—it was an utterly unacceptable measure for a citizen of the truly free United States of America.

I entered my room and searched through the drawers.

Second one? No, third one.

Inside was a pistol the color of diabetic urine, emitting a brilliant light.

Walther PPK.

The shortened version of the Nazi police pistol, wasn’t it?

Of course, this wasn’t produced back then but was clearly a later copy, though that didn’t diminish its unique beautiful shine.

If only it didn’t have this annoying gold plating.

I really don’t understand nouveau riche tastes.

Why on earth would someone put such eye-catching gold plating on a perfectly good pistol…

“Knight. Turn around.”

“Excuse me? I must have misheard?”

“Never mind. No need to turn around.”

“Could you tell me what sound I just heard? To me, it sounded exactly like racking the slide of a pistol that hasn’t been oiled for a long time.”

“It was a camera shutter sound. Ignore it.”

“Understood. Come to think of it, there couldn’t possibly be a pistol here.”

“Listen to you talking like you can think, you tin can.”

Right. There couldn’t possibly be a pistol here.

Only Ranger and I knew that I had taken Peter’s gun from the Okejeon.

But now Ranger is dead.

Fortunately, it seems he didn’t mention the gun before dying, as neither the captain nor the first mate nor anyone else has asked me about the whereabouts of the pistol.

Thanks to that, I became the only person armed with a firearm on this cargo ship.

Seven 32 ACP rounds.

With no compatible bullets available, these seven were all I had.

Seven rounds were more than enough to kill all the other crew members with plenty to spare.

Of course, I hope it never comes to that, but this flashy, eye-searing pistol could protect me in a final crisis.

“I told you to look away? A lady is showering, where are you looking?”

“I apologize…”

After finishing my shower, I placed the pistol on the towel I had used to dry myself, carefully folded it, and concealed it.

On my way out of the room, I naturally dropped the towel into the laundry bin by the door.

Since the cargo ship was now in battery-saving mode, the towels piled inside the bin wouldn’t be sucked into the washing machine.

This meant I could retrieve the pistol anytime by reaching into the laundry bin.

I made this decision because I felt uneasy about keeping it in my room, as the navigation room could potentially lock the doors.

After all, a true American should always keep a gun within reach.

“By the way, Knight, I’m curious about something.”

“Yes. What would you like to know?”

“Do you have one attached?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”

“Oh! Stop pretending you don’t know!”

“I’m sorry…”

“If you’re sorry, then take off those pants.”

“I apologize, but Allison Hospital androids are never designed for the purpose of satisfying sexual desires, therefore—”

“Stop talking nonsense!”

Ha, this bastard. Damn quick.

Chasing after Knight who noticed my intentions and fled, I instantly arrived at the navigation room.

It’s not like it would wear out, so what’s the harm in letting me use it once?

Acting so expensive for a robot.

I’ll have my way with you someday.

Just wait, you damn tin can.

“Huh? Why does it look like there are fewer people?”

For some reason, the navigation room looked more spacious.

“Gus and Ash stepped out. Said they needed to go to their rooms for a moment.”

“Ah, I see.”

The black guy—I mean, Gustav—and Ash…

As Knight naturally found his way to his corner, sinister thoughts began creeping into my mind.

“There’s no camera in Ash’s room, right?!”

“Why would there be surveillance cameras in personal rooms, you fool…”

“Ah! This is my chance to catch some gay porn!”

“Gus isn’t gay! Stop pushing that narrative!”

“I’m telling you he is! Want to bet?”

I’m certain.

From the first time I saw Gustav, something about him seemed familiar in a suspicious way.

As a grandmaster of gay porn who has seen pretty much everything out there, I can definitely say that Gustav’s face resembles that of a monstrous newcomer who sent shockwaves through the gay industry—a black man with a 12-inch monster.

How could two people look so alike in this world?

No one seemed to believe me, but continuing to speak the truth despite this was the destiny of one who knows the facts.

I’m certain.

Whether Ash seduced him or Gustav dragged Ash away with a finger up his ass, one thing is for sure—they’re enjoying some messy sex right now!

“Woohoo!!!”

“Jin… your nose is bleeding…”

Ah, crap.

Got excited again.

.

.

.

“What’s this about? Calling me all the way to your room.”

“Gus…”

In Ash’s room.

Hearing the door click shut behind him, Gus swallowed hard as he looked at Ash’s frail back.

If that parasite thing was real, it would surely try to kill the others one by one.

Rather than being discovered by an MRI and dragged to a lab, it would naturally try to kill everyone and pretend to be the sole survivor.

If it truly had intelligence surpassing humans as written in Peter’s research journal, it would definitely make such a move.

Of course, killing me here would be like advertising “I’m the culprit,” but it was also clear that it wouldn’t just happily get along with humans forever.

“There are no cameras here, right?”

“No.”

“So the captain, Allen, and Knight can’t spy on us.”

“That’s right…”

“In other words, whatever happens here can’t leak outside.”

“Uh…”

Sensing something was off, Gus moved his hand behind him.

It was to grab the door handle and escape at any moment.

Of course, someone as skinny as Ash would be easy for Gus to subdue.

But the atmosphere Ash was giving off was the problem.

No matter how much martial arts training Gus had, Ash was giving off the vibe of the worst kind of opponent—the kind that leaves a man with no option but to flee.

Gus tensed up, feeling a genuine threat to his chastity.

“I thought long and hard about who to show this to. The captain, Allen, or even Jin…”

“What?”

“But you turned out to be the best candidate.”

At that moment, Ash turned around and showed a small wooden box in his hand.

It was a tiny box that didn’t look big enough to hold a pistol.

Well, maybe a small compact pistol could fit in there.

“Wait, wait. What’s in there?”

“I’m only showing this to you. Look and forget. Once we leave this room, this never happened.”

“…?”

Before he could answer, the wooden box in Ash’s hand slowly began to open.

I misunderstood Ash. About being gay.

Gus regretted his thoughts sincerely as he fixed his gaze on the dark interior of the box.

“Huh?”

Gus’s expression twisted strangely.

Something that shouldn’t be there was inside.