TMRW Chapter 66: A Wrong Decision

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Hopkin has also watched the vlog by Bright. Bright is the property of the show for now, after all. He has the right to use him but he does not own the rights to him. While he’s displeased Bright’s meat is eaten by someone else, he can still tolerate it.

He has already reported the information he obtained from the man to the Inner City. They have largely confirmed that Bright is neither an Outsider or a citizen of the City. His origins are peculiar, highly likely to have been artificially created, for a yet unidentified purpose.

The Inner City residents feel conflicted. They didn’t expect to have landed right back onto themselves with the investigation.

“It’s not me.” Noticing everyone’s discrete attention on him, he immediately proves his own innocence. He does like creating, but he can only create animals. Number 199 has been the person who is most human who he has ever met – ultra-conservative values, heaps of problematic views; besides his perfect body, none of it fits with his own interests.

“Now three people can be excluded. Gentleman, Scientist and me.” Detective says excitedly. This has definitely become a grade SSS mystery. Gentleman is clearly infatuated with him, and he is the one leading the investigation, so there is no initiative to suspect him for now; and Scientist is right, this does not fit with his tastes; he can also, of course, exclude himself.

Currently, the most suspicious parties are the show and Outer City.

Scientist’s tone is slippery and chilly, “Director, it seems the ratings this season have been fantastic thanks to number 199, and your work has been quite easy.”

His pointed statement makes Director frown. At the same time, Statistician, the long-term partner of Director seems to be completely unaware of the tense atmosphere. Since the data for the show is mentioned, he goes on to list, “ratings are up 19.2%, ahead of all other entertainment programmes. The lead over the second programme in terms of ratings has been increased. The view count ratio on every platform… The net sales from partnered products…” He reports a slew of data that proves number 199’s commercial value. He is like Gold Magnet, and is certainly beneficial for the show.

There is now a motive for Director. A gloom covers over his noble expression. It is not the wish of the Inner City to pressure their fellow companions, and some try to diffuse the mood, “it’s just a slave. So what if someone created him; it’s fine whether he is here or not.”

“The problem with the slave is trivial, but not with the rules,” Gentleman uses the chance to beat Director down, “nobody should have withheld the information. A surprise that is unrevealed for too long will turn into shock.” What he said is agreed to by most Inner City residents. They do not oppose to toys being made, but information needs to be transparent internally.

Director is somewhat agitated, but he knows he has to clear his name, and is cooperative, “I will provide all data for the show for anyone to investigate.”

Gentleman is actually more interested in reading his private data, but since he has got the upper hand today, it’s not wise to pressure a cornered enemy.

Detective chimes in, “Outer City needs a thorough inspection.”

“True, Watchdog has become less and less obedient by the day.”

After the meeting, Detective slows his pace to talk alone with Gentleman.

“There’s still one more possibility, in fact.” The curly-haired Detective draws a circle, pressing his finger in the centre once.

The Citadel.

Hopkin is quiet. This is his guess as well. He does not believe a guy as crass as Director can create Bright, and it’s impossible for Watchdog in the Outer City. That he did that in the meeting is only to irritate Director, and also to help the wounded slave take it out on him.

“This possibility cannot be excluded.” Hopkin says.

If it was the Citadel, the situation is much more complicated.

Why would Citadel suddenly create a number 199 so that he goes on to work against the show?

Is it that the Citadel has become dissatisfied with Inner City, and is preparing to retake control over the City?

The both of them can see seriousness in each other’s expressions.

Back to his living quarters, Hopkin relaxes and pulls out his surveillance videos.

In the camera, Bright is talking with Alpha and Wolfie in the living room.

The screen does not allow him to read what they’re talking about, but the mood seems cordial, and at least they’re not fighting.

The man is sitting on the sofa, unmoving. It is probably that his wounds have not healed yet. He could have sent someone to bring Bright here right away and heal him by putting him into the top-class medical devices. The meat will have grown back in minutes and his wounds healed.

Still Hopkin refrains from doing so. He wants to know Bright’s secret, he might be able to learn something today.

Bright has probably been planning since episode seven; no, it should be even earlier, since the time when he was hunted by the Wolves and then their relationship inexplicably warmed back up again, he has probably been working together with them ever since. This is also the reason why the Wolves helped cover up the secret of his body.

Then, what is their purpose?

Has Bright already become a dog of the Outer City?

Hopkin immediately rejects this conclusion. He knows the man well, and Outer City citizens are no different in his eyes from Inner City residents. He will not work for Watchdog, and they are probably trying to use each other.

In the screen, Alpha stands up. Wolfie follows him out the door, closing it.

A while later, a little guy comes out running from the room. His form is not shown on the monitor of the show, however; it looks supernatural.

Hopkin grins. Whether he can dig up some information today will depend on this experiment sample.

Hopkin cannot control the experiment sample, but he can analyse and form his own judgement through what he can see and hear.

“Dad, does it hurt?”

The little guy’s eyes are reddened, with a nasality in his tone. He has clearly been crying, and Hopkin does not like a kid like this at all, and yet it is most effective against the man, especially tears. This kind of weapon defeats him almost instantly.

Unsurprisingly, he can hear the gentle voice of Bright. He feels his hand brushing over his nose.

“It hurts a bit, but I can endure it. It will be fine soon.”

The little guy says, “I don’t like them. I decided I’m not going to be friends with Wolfie anymore.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s in cahoots with the people who hurt you.” He sniffles.

“…” Bright is probably wary of the cameras around him. He brings the little guy to the bathroom where there are no cameras.

Hopkin immediately focuses his attention and is looking determined.

The man lifts him onto the sink to sit, and they look each other in the eye.

“There are many things where you must not look only at the surface.”

When he hears it, Hopkin is able to conclude that Bright is working with the werewolves. He wouldn’t have needed to explain otherwise.

The little guy seems stupefied. While he doesn’t understand, he still listens to his father, and his father believes Wolfie.

“If there comes a day, when I will have to harm you…” Bright suddenly says.

“Dad doesn’t like me anymore?” Hope asks nervously.

“I do not mean that. The adult world is complicated. What we say, what we do and what we think are often inconsistent. Sometimes people who treat you well do not necessarily like you, and those who treat you badly do not necessarily hate you. Like today, while it looks like Alpha is the one doing the bad things to me, it is actually the show trying to set me up and he is only a tool. I am not safe here, and I have to face lots of strong enemies; I have to take many decisions which are not what I would like to do.”

“I understand.” Hope is clever. After his initial fear and worry have subsided, he starts to think. It’s not like he doesn’t understand his father’s particular circumstances. Quick-witted, he has already figured out the rules at play in the show.

“Clever boy.” Bright praises him, rubbing his little head.

When Hopkin thought the talk was over, he suddenly hears the man say, “perhaps… perhaps there will come a day when you hear I’m dead. You will have to find a way to survive, and protect yourself like a man, do you understand?”

It is his last words.

Hopkin is concerned. He looks into those brown pair of eyes, and he can see determination, reluctance, but also a deep love and expectation.

The man has worked together with the werewolves. He has a grand scheme going on, and he will be doing something very dangerous, where he might easily lose his life.

The man has betrayed him!

After he has promised the championship to the man!

When he thought he has successfully caught his prey in the net!

The aristocrat can feel his eyes watering. It is probably the experiment sample crying again. The aristocrat is dazed; the senses have left him. He has been thrown into a pan full of frying oil of shame, and he feels the pain of deception and betrayal and abandonment all over.

How dare you?! Bright!

A fury sweeps through his rationale. He screams in his mind – Do not leave me! I do not permit it! Don’t go!

Perhaps technology has advanced greatly, but resurrection of the dead is still in an immature phase. Current technology can only realise the resurrection of a pile of meat without its original consciousness. The best he can do is to stop Bright from commiting suicide, to disrupt his plans, whatever it is, no matter the price. Just picturing death doing them apart forever, and he forever losing the chance to see those brown pair of eyes, touch the warm skin of his, makes it ferociously painful in Hopkin’s chest.

The conversation between the adult and the child continues.

“Don’t leave me.” There’s tears rolling down his cheeks. It feels wet.

“I don’t want to either. Yet nothing is forever in the world; to leave you is the last thing I ever want to do.”

“Then can you bring me to die alongside you?”

“No.”

“Uuu…”

I have probably been too kind recently. This has been a wrong decision.

The aristocrat is thinking coldly. He sits alone in the darkness for a long time before sending a message to Scientist.

The screen is emanating a cold-coloured light, it is painting a eerie tint onto the indescribably handsome face.

Gentleman: Send me the plans for the modification of number 199.

His sleeves are completely wet.

Since he has been taken to the library by Hopkin that one time, Bright has fallen in love with that place.

The smell of paper fills his breaths. All around him he can see the essence of human wisdom. It is a place unfrequented without many cameras. It can separate him from crowds so that he can stay somewhere quiet for a while.

He has been reading all morning, and he feels hungry. He has a meal down the street and comes back. He sees Hopkin there when he returns, sitting where he just sat.

Hopkin pulls a stack of books out. He flips to an interesting page he saw earlier, giving it to Bright, telling him to read it.

(Just a warning, the following are excerpts from ancient Chinese, so the meaning may be wildly off… Couldn’t find any translations online, and I never did do well in school with these.)

“That humans are monsters, is due to the decimation of the heavenly principles and the human desire that has been allowed to be exhaustively amplified. Wherefore exists a mind that repulses, that rebels, that lies, that deceives; wherefore exist actions erotic and immoral… To eat and to drink befit heavenly principles; to voraciously consume befits human desire. Husband and wife befit heavenly principles; husband, wife and concubines befit human desire… Ancient people study only from the bottom up, progressing on solid foundation, peeling layers of knowledge off towards the truth gradually; in so doing removes human desire, and the heavenly principles reveal themselves…” (Excerpts from “Book of Rites,” “Zhuzi Yulei,” “Hui’an Collection” (Chinese))

To preserve heavenly principles and decimate human desire does not mean to eliminate all desire. It means that desires need to be restrained. A simple explanation is that having one romantic partner only is morally acceptable to the heavenly principles, and more than that makes you a scum to be eliminated.

Bright agrees with it deeply. He is just finding it weird that Hopkin is asking him to read this, which is completely contradictory with the concepts of the citizens of the City.

“It seems you agree with it very much,” Hopkin says. Seeing Bright nod, he continues, “you have said that how the two of us treat lust is similar. You were wrong on that count.”

Bright looks towards the aristocrat with a puzzled expression. He is starting to feel anxious.

“I do not eliminate lust; I only try to fulfil it, no holds barred.”

Does this mean he wants to do what they did not do the last time? Bright sighs dejectedly, will he be unable to escape after all…

Author’s notes: Bottom wants to modify Top so he cannot leave him. Top will give him a good lesson.
Eating Hopkin next chapter.

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TL’s notes: I thought it was pretty obvious Hopkin fulfils his desires no-holds-barred style, given he literally whipped Hopkin to climax the other day…
Jesus F. Christ, those ancient Chinese! I even considered translating it all to ye olde English just so you can experience my predicament… before I noticed that there’s no resources online for translating relativisers and the translation for the verb to be and passive form is a mess… Hmph!