17. Warehouse

“Ruka. Have you gone muddle-headed after learning the truth? How could there be happiness in Heaven?” Casey was greatly surprised by Ruka’s thought. For it always remained calm. After all, Paradise residents were not treated as human beings here at all. “Don’t forget. Underground we are merely entertainment and breeding tools. Only a little better than livestock.”

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Thanks to Casey’s reminder in her mind, Ruka almost slapped herself. “You’re right. As long as Heaven exists, Paradise can never know peace.”

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Even so, Ruka still harbored doubts. Heaven only abducted people for breeding and entertainment. There was no way to conclude that cases like David’s were manufactured by the Paradise Government to create fear. The possibility that Them truly existed could not be ruled out. Because the Paradise military continued fighting Them every day. Perhaps both Paradise and Heaven were threatened by Them at the same time.

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To make Ruka see reality, Casey gave her simple, direct advice. “I suggest you not feel any sympathy for Heaven. This place does not belong to you.”

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“How could I possibly sympathize with Heaven? I just simply feel that life in Paradise is also captivity.” Although Ruka retorted this way, deep down she did enjoy these two days a little.

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In fact, the reason Ruka was lost was that she had originally come underground because David was killed. Intending to die together with Them. Yet when she arrived in Heaven, she found humans hunting Paradise residents. And by chance she was mistaken for a Heaven resident.

Then. Toward whom should David’s vengeance be directed?

Should she continue exploring the truth of Them?

Expose the truth that the Paradise Government manufactured corpses to create fear? Even if she could return to the surface, she could not do it alone.

Or should she continue deceiving Nikolai with this identity and naturally stay in Heaven?

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Nikolai saw Ruka staring blankly at the breeding area. Not knowing what troubled her. “After seeing this, you’re grateful to them too, right? After all, you don’t have to be pregnant. Suffer ten months. Endure unimaginable pain. And lose your figure after childbirth. Think carefully. They truly suffer a lot. So we give them special treatment.”

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“Yes… they are the ones who should be grateful to us.” Ruka, still deep in thought, answered perfunctorily.

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Perhaps Nikolai sensed something off. Took the initiative to suggest leaving. “Let’s go. Time for the last stop. After this, your memories will fully return.”

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After leaving the maternity ward, Nikolai noticed the atmosphere had clearly changed. Perhaps the truth about the breeding area and Heaven residents had struck Ruka too hard. She needed time to digest it. So now was the time to go there.

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“What else do we need to know?”

Ruka asked Casey. They thought together. After the maternity ward, the two had fully understood Heaven’s operations, customs, and structure. But even Casey had no clue. They had indeed overlooked one important thing. Especially since it exceeded Casey’s understanding of Them.

“Maybe it’s related to Them. Or an introduction to the leadership. After all, like the Paradise Government, Heaven should have a similar managing organization.”

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Both were silent in the car until they reached their destination. This memory recovery journey had reached its end.

“This place?” Ruka was astonished by the building before her. This was where everything began. The first place she had come to after arriving in Heaven from Paradise. And also where she had met Nikolai. The hospital.

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Nikolai led Ruka out of the car. Introduced it smugly.

“You didn’t guess it, did you? I had to let you experience and understand all those things before I could bring you back here. After all, to all Heaven residents, this place is the most important warehouse.”

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What warehouse? Ruka truly had not expected this place, connected to Paradise, could be a warehouse for what goods. As she was still thinking, Nikolai, no longer sneaking around as he had last night, openly led her into the hospital.

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Only now did Ruka truly observe the place carefully. It was not much different from the hospital in Paradise. Few people around. Though she was nervous, afraid of being recognized, she pretended to be calm and followed Nikolai. The staff coming and going did not react much. Even ignoring them.

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And Nikolai, as last night, seemed quite familiar with the hospital. He led Ruka into the elevator. Pressed the top-floor button. Began to explain. “I told you before that male Bipeds with good physiques have other uses. They, and some females, are transported here as our spare inventory.”

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When he mentioned “spare inventory,” Nikolai paused deliberately. Observed Ruka’s reaction.

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“Inventory? And in a hospital, no less. Could it be…” Ruka of course did not fall into the trap. Though she had no answer, she still followed his meaning and guessed. Buying time.

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Seeing her guess with a shocked expression, Nikolai was delighted. Every time he saw her stimulated, he could not suppress a smile. “Exactly. Of course it’s that.”

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She had thought he would answer directly. Instead he left her to continue imagining. Ruka was extremely anxious inside. Could she really be exposed at the final step?

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“Ding.” The elevator’s arrival sound broke the silence. Led by Nikolai, she stepped out. This floor was very quiet. Yet quite familiar. Because this was where Ruka had first met Nikolai.

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In other words, if Ruka had the chance, she could escape back to Paradise. But the key was how to leave under Nikolai’s eyes.

“Very familiar, right? I don’t need to explain much. Don’t worry. No one patrols here during this time.” With that, he opened one of the doors. There was no need to wait for his introduction. The answer was already obvious.

Before her were rows of small square freezer cabinets. The doors also had electronic labels. But what they said did not matter. Because through the glass doors she could clearly see that inside were all internal organs. Mainly kidneys, livers, corneas, blood, and other parts.

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“So it’s an organ warehouse.”

Ruka was of course shocked. But Casey explained calmly. “Ah. Why didn’t I think of organ transplants? Since they are human, naturally they can be used interchangeably.” In fact, it was not that Casey had not thought of it. But that within its settings there was no concept of abducting humans for forced organ transplants.

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“Yes. We indulge in tobacco and alcohol. So our organs wear out quickly and we easily fall ill. Thus organ transplants are not rare. And all organs are taken from Bipeds. For those difficult to preserve, like hearts and lungs, to increase surgical success rates we usually perform live transplants. Taking them directly from the surface to ensure the organs are fresh and healthy. The blood needed for your head surgery also came from them.” Nikolai kept smiling as he explained. Deliberately mentioning Ruka’s surgery.

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Only Ruka knew that surgery had never existed. Nikolai was talking nonsense. But if what he said was true, then Them were Heaven itself.

This was enough to completely overturn Casey’s cognition. “My underlying logic is hardwired that Them are enemies that prey on humans. Nothing can defy that setting.” If Casey were still connected to the system, and had not been inspired by the name Ruka gave it, it could never have accepted this. But now it could.

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Thinking of the murderer who killed David, the target humanity had been fighting all along, actually being human, Ruka’s anger flared. But she held it in. Because she still could not act rashly. Striking Nikolai would do no good. Would not help dismantle Heaven.

To accomplish something greater, Ruka had to continue pretending. “Oh. So simply put, the surface is actually a giant warehouse. We can catch whatever Bipeds we need at any time and bring them down for use, right?”

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“You could say that. As long as a suitable matching target is found, they are brought here. All usable resources removed. And the shell thrown back to the surface.”

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Seeing Nikolai speak so coldly, Ruka felt both fury and disgust. Besides David, there were her former students. And all the victims in Paradise. What exactly was the driving force and goal humanity had relied on to survive? Was it not to fight Them? So they were just livestock that could be hunted at any time?

At this thought, Ruka clenched her fists in agitation. Her expression began to slip. Gradually becoming ferocious. In her former happy life, she had never had such anger. Even her speech had been gentle, positive, and full of energy.

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Yet her reaction was all seen by Nikolai. He spoke again. “What’s wrong? Do you sympathize with the Bipeds? They are very valuable in every way. Even the blood flowing in my body is David’s.”

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Hearing the name “David,” the image of his corpse surfaced in Ruka’s mind. She did not even have time to wonder why Nikolai knew David. Since learning at the casino that Paradise residents were captured to the surface as livestock, her suppressed negative emotions finally exploded. Losing her reason, she blurted out in fury.

“You fucking bastard!” With that, she swung her fist at Nikolai’s cheek. Knocking him back a few steps.

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