Chapter 10: Grilled Meat

I’d managed to secure three rare cores, risking my life in the process.

Since this mission had been a security detail from the start, not an actual raid, the company allowed me to either turn them in for points or keep them for personal use.

In other words, these cores were essentially my personal property. That’s why, at first, I’d decided to convert them all into points.

But then Alex stopped me.

“Why not use them to create a new Monoz?”

At his suggestion, I nodded thoughtfully. And now, here I was, walking toward the Trailer Lab, the pride of Company × Company’s technical division.

The Trailer Lab was exactly what it sounded like: a giant laboratory built into a modified trailer.

It was enormous—wide enough to occupy both lanes of a two-lane road.

A feat possible only because, compared to five hundred years ago, roads were less developed and traffic was scarce.

Considering it housed delicate equipment, I imagined the ride inside must be smooth.

I wondered if they’d let me hitch a ride back in it? Probably not.

Anyway. Forget my butt for now. This was the Trailer Lab. This was where I’d meet a new Monoz.

Naturally, I was excited.

“Do we really all need to go together, though?”

“Beep!”

Apparently, yes.

All six Monoz insisted they had to come along. But honestly, walking together like this was cumbersome.

The three smaller ones—Rat Unit, Snake Unit, and Rooster Unit—were fine; they were each about the size of a soccer ball. But the medium-sized Monkey Unit and Dog Unit, who stood about waist-high, and the large-scale Ox Unit, who reached up to my chest… they were a problem. A very noticeable, obstructive problem.

“…”

Without thinking, I tugged my cap down lower over my eyes.

I wanted to say something, but no words came.

Still, I could kind of understand why they wanted to come see their new sibling.

Maybe… I’d once had a younger brother or sister, too. Were they, by some chance, also in this era, cryogenically awakened like me?

If they were… That would be kind of nice.

***

In the end, I decided not to request processing for the crystals.

The Trailer Lab itself was an impressive facility. But I didn’t like the people working there.

“A rookie… bringing in a core? Where’d you pick that up? No, wait—did you steal it?”

A middle-aged man in a suit gave me a skeptical glare.

I silently handed him Alex’s letter of introduction.

“Ah—! M-my apologies, sir! Please, this way.”

Could you trust a man who changed his attitude just because of someone’s name?

“No, thank you.”

Deciding he wasn’t trustworthy, I simply said that and turned around, retracing my steps. I wasn’t about to let a place like that create new siblings for the Monoz.

The excitement I’d felt on the way there had, at some point, curdled into irritation.

Not good. A sniper needs to stay calm.

I veered off the path and took a deep breath. The dusty air was far from refreshing. But still, the rush of oxygen steadied me, if only a little.

***

There’s a shop in the artisan union’s market I’ve come to call the BBQ Shack.

For 2,000 points per meal, you get two hours of all-you-can-eat: rice, meat, vegetables, and water included. Plates, condiments, and any other drinks? Bring your own. It’s basically a dive bar.

“So that’s why I was hoping you could introduce me to someone who can process a crystal.”

I poured some freshly bought grilled meat sauce into a small dish, sliding it across the table along with my words.

“Ohh, that’s how it is? Well, in that case, I’ve got no problem. Leave it to me, kid! I, Komasan, will personally handle—”

“No thanks. Anyone but you, please.” I cut him off before he could finish.

I wasn’t about to bring a stillborn child into this world. I didn’t trust Komasan’s skills.

Looking a little disgruntled, Komasan picked up a pair of tongs and slapped some perfectly grilled mystery-organ-meat onto my plate.

Eat up, eat up.

“Well, if that’s how it is, I can introduce you to a few good places.” He flagged down the waiter. “Oh hey, kid, want some liver? Liver’s good, right?”

“That would be great. And let’s get some hormone cuts too, while we’re at it.”

With miso sauce, of course.

“Ohhh, you’re the real deal, huh, kid! Alright, then I’ll just bring out the bee—”

“Ah— You mean malted barley soda. Thanks, I’ll take one.”

I’m underage. I can’t drink alcohol. But I can drink malted barley soda.

“Ahhh! Liver and beer—it’s the best, isn’t it, kid!”

“It really is.”

Honestly, grilled meat with someone who’s fine eating offal is a lot of fun. Even if the meat we were eating was artificially grown from some mysterious lifeform.