3. Happiness

The next day, Ruka worked as usual. Her emotions seemed unaffected by the previous night, but inwardly she had begun to waver. While caring for animals, images of a human ranch occasionally flashed through her mind. As long as Them existed, humans would live every day as livestock, constantly on edge.

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The AI sent a reminder. “Miss Ruka. Abnormal brainwaves and heart rate detected again. Shall I contact a doctor for you?”

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“Thank you. I’m fine. I just suddenly remembered the victim’s body from last night.” AI could not read thoughts. Ruka knew that if this continued, something would happen. She had to control her inner fluctuations and fool it.

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For Ruka’s sake, the AI responded thoughtfully. “Paradise residents require physical and mental health. Based on monitoring results, I have applied for half a day of sick leave for Miss Ruka.”

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“Ah. All right.” She had promised to attend a neighbor’s Retirement Ceremony that evening. The sudden half-day rest left her unsure what to do.

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After wrapping things up and clocking off, Ruka did not change back into casual clothes. She continued wandering the ranch.

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Ruka loved her work and rarely took sick leave. Even when too ill to work, she went straight home. Today was the first time she stepped away from her identity as a herder and quietly observed the livestock.

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The automated production line was perfect. From birth to growth to slaughter, they never left the building. Only after death were they sent throughout Paradise as ingredients. Their life’s mission, completed.

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As a herder, Ruka knew the process by heart. Precisely because of that, she felt the livestock’s emotions more deeply. To them, birth meant becoming ingredients. Milk and eggs were byproducts along the way. That was their meaning.

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“Then what is the meaning of our birth in Paradise?” The question flashed through her mind. She had begun to think about the difference between humans and livestock.

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She recalled what she had learned in school and her more than ten years of experience. Humans survived on an isolated island after the nuclear apocalypse under the threat of Them. The answer surfaced immediately.

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“Of course it is to save human civilization. To strive for the happiness of the next generation. Just as our parents raised us, we raise our children. Reproducing endlessly. Passing down knowledge.”

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The concept of “contributing to humanity’s Paradise” had long been ingrained in citizens’ flesh and blood. Education, government propaganda, everyone around them—all repeated it. Many things had become established rules. Ruka’s subconscious answered the same way. This was what made one happiest.

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After dispelling her doubts, Ruka left the ranch and wandered nearby, observing citizens. Paradise was like a machine. Each human was a gear. A single component was inconspicuous. Only through everyone working together silently could the whole operate.

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“For humanity’s happiness. Everything is for humanity’s happiness.” As if hypnotizing herself, she repeated it. It would not leave her.

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Negative thoughts and unease were gradually diluted by thoughts of happiness. Ruka’s emotions returned to normal. Time passed. Since she had half a day off, today it was her turn to welcome David after work.

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Seeing his lover appear in surprise, David could not hold back his joy. “Huh? What happened today? You’re so early.”

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“The AI applied for half a day of sick leave for me. Because of what happened last night, so…” Ruka did not want to bring up the past. She felt awkward about being affected by such a thing and forced a stiff smile.

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David took her hand and intertwined their fingers. He comforted her as they walked. “Oh, I see. Don’t mind it. Anyone would be shaken after seeing something like that up close. I was shocked the first time too.”

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“Shaken? Could he have thought about the livestock thing too?” Ruka, who had already let it go, was stirred again. She was straightforward by nature. She took the chance to ask, “Do you think we’re like livestock penned up in Paradise?”

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David answered calmly. “How could anyone think that? We’re humans. They’re livestock. We’re different by nature. We spend resources raising livestock in order to eat them. Don’t tell me you felt sad for them when you ate steak last night?”

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Ruka shook her head in denial. Deep down, she agreed with David. It seemed she really had been overthinking.

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They arrived at Hall No. 8 as promised for the Retirement Ceremony. The hall was spacious but plainly decorated. It seemed especially solemn and pure.

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The so-called Retirement Ceremony was an important rite every citizen was required to hold. According to regulations, upon reaching fifty one discarded the body and returned to nature, freed from the real world. Before that, one gathered with close friends for a final celebration.

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“Congratulations, Mr. Jones. Mrs. Rogers.” Holding David’s hand, Ruka warmly shook hands with an elderly couple and congratulated them on their retirement.

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Twenty people were retiring tonight. The ones who had invited Ruka were her neighbors, the Joneses. The couple looked to be in their prime, still radiant and full of life. Born on the same year, month, and day, they had gone through thirty-two years and now reached the end together, walking toward a happy ending side by side. It was rare.

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Each ceremony gathered a dozen or so families and was held jointly. Each person usually brought five to ten attendees. One’s own children were never present. This was influenced by the social environment since Paradise was founded.

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Once children were sent to school at five, they cut off contact with their parents. Classmates from school did not stay in touch after graduation. Even if one was lucky enough to be assigned the same profession during internship, they might not work in the same place. Once one started working, it lasted until retirement.

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Various factors meant most people, throughout their lives, had no more than ten friends and neighbors who stayed with them to the end. A couple like the Joneses was one in ten thousand. Truly worthy of celebration.

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After the retiring families chatted politely, the government host began inviting each retiring main character to give thanks in turn. The first to take the stage were the Joneses.

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“Thank you all very much for coming. Looking back on our lives, we gave more than thirty years to humanity. With grateful hearts, we lived full and without regret. The next generation of Paradise belongs to everyone here. Keep going.”

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David was not very close to the Joneses, but hearing the speech onstage made his eyes red with emotion. Ruka, by contrast, seemed especially calm. She watched quietly as people gave impassioned speeches, describing their satisfaction with Paradise and themselves. The old her might have been like David, eyes brimming with tears. Now other images filled her mind.

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On the ranch, a pig, before being sent to the slaughterhouse to be made into ham, told its fellow soon-to-be-ham companions that it had been very happy. It hoped they would live to be like it.

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“Happiness… heh. How disgusting.” Ruka inwardly rejected it. She did not say it aloud. But an expression she had never worn before appeared on her face. She actually sneered. Thinking of that pig’s speech and serious expression, Ruka laughed from the bottom of her heart.

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