Chapter Fourteen: The Real World

Who am I?

Am I the true Agent JIN?

But what is the true Agent JIN?

Am I... really myself?

It was not only those who had fallen into self-doubt who wavered; even JIN himself found it difficult to be certain. He had never been able to make sense of his own identity, never known what had truly happened to him.

Everything before his eyes seemed arranged in advance.

It was as though he had simply been pushed along by invisible hands: the mysterious woman, the sudden explosion, the giant’s transformation, the so-called savior... and even the nameless K, Galuchimes, who sought to invade Earth, and this strange world itself!

He... knew nothing!

As people gradually lost themselves in this suffocating world, JIN was already lost in the mist. These words struck him even more deeply, dragging him into a struggle of denial and self-denial that he could not stop.

The sea—deep, dark, and mysterious.

Sunlight pierced into the water like a shaft of brilliance in the darkness, like hope within despair.

Everything before him seemed to spin and spin, heaven and earth becoming indistinguishable, until all he could see was a pale glow and a vast expanse of blue.

It felt as though seawater were constantly seeping into him through his ears, his nose, his mouth. He kept falling, falling...

Perhaps his true self had already died...

“You... do you believe it?” the woman seated beside him asked softly, nudging JIN with her elbow.

Tetsuya looked over and clearly saw the trust in her eyes. Evidently, she had already believed Ark Tetsuya’s words.

Then... do I believe it?

This is not the real world...

I... am not really myself either?

Then... what about this power?

Silently, Tetsuya gripped the Ultraman glasses in his pocket, hesitating for a moment.

Such overwhelming power... did it truly exist?

Could it all be nothing more than a mirage?

His lips moved, ready to give his answer.

Yet after a brief pause, a woman’s voice echoed in his mind.

That mysterious woman had kept insisting that he was this world’s savior.

And yet he still hesitated...

Meanwhile, Ark Tetsuya took a sip of water, set the bottle down on the desk, and looked at the people in the room before turning to write a string of numbers on the blackboard.

“No one can make this decision for you—not even me. A competent psychological counselor does not tell you what to do. He helps you choose your own path.”

“If you truly care, go back, turn on the television, find this channel, and make your own choice.”

He tapped the chalk hard against the blackboard, then left without turning back.

“Do you believe it? That this world is not the real one?” the woman kept pressing JIN. But after speaking, she lowered her head in embarrassment and said in a small voice, “I believe it... but I’m not brave enough to make that kind of choice alone.”

JIN sighed and said, “I can’t make the judgment for myself either, but if you’ve already made up your mind, then go ahead and do it.”

She nodded lightly and said nothing more.

Soon, swept along by the crowd, the two of them went their separate ways.

“Perhaps... he was right.” Listening to that hateful voice still pouring down from above, Eriko thought to herself.

Even so, her steps never faltered as she headed home.

In the empty, dark residential complex, there was no one in sight, only the crisp sound of high heels echoing on and on.

The sensor-activated gate slowly opened, and Eriko walked into the building’s corridor. A nearby monitor detected her arrival and automatically lit up.

She gently placed her hand in the fingerprint scanner, and the image on the screen changed once more. A middle-aged man appeared, waving his arms and legs as he spoke welcoming words:

“Welcome home, Miss Eriko!”

Eriko kept walking, not slowing down. The elevator doors had already opened automatically.

“I’d like to recommend a new place to visit, perfect for today...”

Hum...

With a faint vibration, the lights in the room and the television switched on the moment the door opened. Eriko, used to this, walked to the table and set down the bag she was carrying.

“Welcome back. Today you arrived home at 22:46...”

As she put her things down, she was suddenly reminded of the psychological seminar she had heard earlier that day.

That famed psychologist, Ark Tetsuya... could it really be possible?

Could this world truly not be real? And was I, too, not really myself?

Thinking of the string of numbers he had written on the blackboard, she picked up the remote control nearby and quickly found that channel.

But what met her eyes was only a screen of static.

Eriko froze for a moment, but did not think much of it. She casually opened the refrigerator behind her and took out a bottle of mineral water.

Setting it on the stool, she wandered over to the windowsill, where she could see a massive holographic screen unfurling in the night sky, a woman’s face filling the display.

“There will be acid rain this weekend, with a PH value of 3.6. Please do not go out. Stay at home, warm and comfortable, and read or listen to music.”

It was the same message again. The government seemed to discourage people from leaving their rooms after work, always projecting a variety of brief notices through holographic screens.

Yet the message they all carried was the same: please do not go out. Please stay at home, warm and comfortable, and read or listen to music.

Over time, everyone grew used to such a life, staying indoors after work. Once most people became accustomed to it, those who had not gradually chose to follow suit.

Was this the life she truly wanted?

Eriko let out a sigh and reached for the bottle of mineral water on the stool.

But in that instant, a stream of information flooded her mind.

Warm afternoon sunlight, shimmering ripples across the water, the fading glow of sunset...

That was... the real world, utopia...

Behind her, several lines of text slowly appeared on the television covered in static, but because Eriko had her back to it, she did not see them.

But... it no longer mattered.

Her heart gave a slight jolt, and her hand accidentally knocked over the bottle with the cap already loosened. Water spilled from the mouth of the bottle and spread down the side of the stool.

Drip... drip...

Eriko stared at the scene before her, her expression dark and unreadable, while a surge of irritation welled up within her. At that very moment, however, a voice reached her ears.

She was already unbearably sick of this robot-like life...

She wanted to go and search... search for the real world!

Search for her own utopia!

Canal District...