Immortal Children

Chapter 5

Xiantian

Translated by KuroNeko
Edited by KuroNeko

    When a Japanese doll bows, a large hologram of the doll is projected onto the wall of a faraway building, and the image blinks and goes away. A live power source advertising display cycles on and off on a regular basis before becoming inactive. The holograms adorned the deserted metropolis where the people had vanished.

    “Where do anthropomorphs come from?”

    In answer to Misuzu’s question, I paused for a moment before opening my mouth. “The anthropomorphs were not, as in fairy tales, creatures from the earth’s bowels, but entities created by mankind.”

    There was one thing I was certain of. The new medication that turned humanity into eternal monsters, like many others, was developed to save mankind and provide them a better future. A Japanese scientist developed the new drug. The new drug was developed in the laboratory of a small institution that lacked adequate research funds.

    Since the Japanese scientist’s identity was kept hidden from the rest of the world and expunged from history, the precise details of his life were unclear. As a result, no one knows what he was thinking or seeking for when he produced the new drug. The new drug was supposed to lengthen life by lowering the tendency of human cells to deteriorate and slowing down the ageing process slightly, but not substantially, and that was all there was to it. Something about ensuring that the cells generated in the body are constantly renewed.

    However, the scientist found it impossible to continue his research in Japan. The government was hesitant to grant significant quantities of money for research that had shown no results and could not even be tested on animals appropriately. The government is reported to have needed a large sum of money for defence against threats from neighbouring nations, putting pressure on its budget, although no one knows for sure.

    Ironically, the unfortunate scientist, who was well-known in his day, was approached by a superpower with a lengthy history on the continent that threatened Japan. These continental people had money to spend, so they encircled the Japanese scientist and his family in Japan, provided him with everything he needed, and enthusiastically supported his research. They provided him with everything he required and were quite helpful in his research. With sufficient funding, he enlisted outstanding researchers from all around the world to work as his assistants. As a result, a new drug was created in a top-secret laboratory on the continent.

    The new medication was called “Xiantian,” following the first emperor’s desire for an elixir of immortality. Those who took the medication were granted semi-permanent immortality by Xiantian. Even if they couldn’t avoid death, the years of life they could gain owing to Xiantian were more than enough to satisfy the people of this era’s hunger. Initially, it was exclusively utilised by the continent’s powerful people. However, as the benefits of the new medicine became known, individuals from all over the world began to seek it out. At a news conference, Russia’s president, a significant power, joked that he was prepared to go to war to get the Xiantian formula, which was not a joke at all.

    The continent’s government, which had gained absolute power through its military force and the world’s second largest economy, began to use Xiantian as a political tool for the country’s further development by selling the new drug to a few important people around the world, sometimes as a diplomatic card and sometimes at exorbitant prices. Of course, the rest of the world did not accept what they did, and there was a ruckus. Individuals couldn’t bear it when a few strong and affluent people were granted immortality. The big powers, however, were unconcerned by such criticism.

    Only a few people had been granted the authority to know how the new medication was created, and those who were taking it were only the continent’s finest immortals. Many of the scientists and their families engaged in the new drug’s research had already been killed by the country, and they were not going to give up their rights under such conditions. They had no intention of teaching the Xiantian approach to other countries at the expense of losing their own advantage, and they were unconcerned about being deceived.

    Religious people all across the world were outraged. Church leaders expressed their indignation, claiming it was against God’s will. Some groups claimed that Xiantian users were blaspheming the gods, and in response, their adherents burnt themselves to death. This was done on a street corner, near a tourist site, or even in the middle of a downtown district. Then some morons screamed out God’s name and denounced Xiantian’s existence by suicide bombs that claimed many innocent lives.

    Under the pretext of protest, religious figures began attacks on the continent’s governments. They conducted a global anti-Xiantian propaganda campaign, pushing the United States and European nations to impose harsh UN sanctions. This, however, made little difference. There was a good explanation for this.

    The fact that religious people in particular positions used Xiantian was most likely significant. The major reason for this was that the list of Xiantian purchasers had been leaked and made public by a large country with a monopoly on the selling of new medications. Whether the leak was deliberate or inadvertent, the knowledge spread throughout the world and had far-reaching consequences for the religious community. The fallout affected important leaders in other nations as well.

    However, things begin to take an unexpected turn. On the continent, a civil war arose. The cause behind this was unknown. The most common view at the moment was that it was a disagreement about new drug rights. In any case, the conflict that began divided the main country into two and engaged many of the world’s biggest corporations that planned to exploit the major powers’ diverse interests.

    The fight, which had somehow escalated into a huge conflict, was quickly brought to a halt. A new and mysterious infection began to spread among the mens on the battlefield. Infected with a mysterious illness, the continent’s soldiers lose their reason and become fanatical, assaulting both friend and foe. Simultaneously, an UN inspection team arrived on the continent and discovered a considerable amount of Xiantian being supplied to soldiers. It was an upgraded version that not only removed pain and anxiety, but also increased the troops’ inherent healing capacity by stimulating their cells. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers had received it.

    It is unknown how the virus, which began from a novel medicine, evolved in the squalid battlefield and became a virus that infected humans. It was impossible to send researchers to the battlefields deep within the continent, known as unexplored areas, and the astounding speed with which the virus spread undoubtedly had an influence on the governments of the many nations that dreaded the infection’s expansion. In an ironic twist, a subsequent research reported to the UN that only troops who had taken Xiantian were afflicted with the mysterious virus that was widespread at the time.

    The only infected soldiers were those who had received the new medication, as well as those who had come into contact with infected soldiers, such as through wounds. By the time researchers arrived, the virus had grown to such a high degree that the afflicted had gained the capacity to become eternally immortal. They are born as monsters who feel no pain, no fear, and do not stop progressing even when assaulted, just like the immortals in zombie movies. Anthropomorphs were monsters with human-like appearances, according to the people of the world.

    This circumstance pleased the religious community.

    “Why should they be pleased?” Misuzu was very perplexed. “Religion, I understood, is for salvation and peace of mind. How can anyone find satisfaction in someone else’s suffering?”

    “I’m curious why. Maybe they wanted to spread the word that their philosophy was correct, but I honestly don’t know.” As I examined the image of the ravenous reconnaissance drone overhead, I replied to Misuzu.

    A Bible scripture was quoted by the religious leaders.

“On that day, people will seek death, but they will never find it. And they will want to die, but death will flee from them.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　                                                                        John, Revelation 9.6”

    Everything that occurs in the contested territories is proof of God’s presence, and we are approaching the Day of Judgment. And all those who have disobeyed God’s commands, they claimed, are being punished. But we can’t be pleased about it. The number of UN forces dispatched to the battlefield to deal with impersonators was growing, as was the number of casualties caused by impersonators. The atrocities of the wars during this time period are widely documented in a database of emails written by troops to their families.

    “Are these immortals the world’s sole surviving impersonators today?”

    I answered, shaking my head in response to Misuzu’s question. “No. However, I believe it was the earliest of the anthropomorphs.”

    In collaboration with the main countries, UN soldiers launched a scorched earth campaign that ended the civil war. As the soldiers fled to the rear, the bombers set fire to everything. The magnificent undiscovered parts of the great country, which had served as the inspiration for ink drawings, were transformed into a crater-filled wilderness as a result of the explosion’s effect. The remaining infected were killed by the use of a new type of weapon developed with the cooperation of Japan and the United States. The world was cleansed of the ill-conceived immortals in this manner.

    As a result, when the war ended, the long, drawn-out postwar process began. Many of the world’s leaders were apprehended and sentenced to death for war crimes. The fact that most of them were immortals explained why they were not imprisoned. It was ethically wrong for them to be imprisoned in a tiny cell for what seemed like an eternity.

    “Well, I’m not sure you truly mean it.” I stated this while straddling the wreckage of the mechanical doll that was lying on the road among the rubble.

    “Is it retribution for those who perished in the battle, for their families?” Misuzu said.

    “I’m not sure. Perhaps it was, or perhaps there was another good reason.” My assumption is that the leaders of the major countries envisioned what it would be like to be caught themselves at that time. The thought of myself having to live in a tiny jail for all eternity makes me feel insane. In the end, the people responsible for the war perished from this world.

    The interest in new drugs was up in the air. Fearing that it might spark a war, the world’s nations decided to reveal the new drug’s manufacturing method.

    “That’s surprising,” Misuzu said.

    “They had to be exhausted and fed up with the protracted battle,” I explained.

    Although it took more than a decade, the public sale of Xiantian started under the direction of a new organisation created by a group of influential people and specialists from across the world, along with numerous new regulations regulating new drugs.

    “After that, I know very little about world history,” I said.

    The world was entering a new age in which people are the most affluent and flourishing on the planet. This is known as the “Old Civilization” period. I’m not sure how long that age lasted, and there’s no way for people now to know, but everything comes to an end.

    There is relatively little information available concerning the era of the old civilization since so much of the information in the database that Kaguya is able to link to has been purposefully erased or is inaccessible owing to a lack of authorization. As a result, there is little that can be learnt about that time period. Nonetheless, based on the little fragments of information we have, it is evident that anthropomorphs were one of the causes of the ultimate battle.

    “Haven’t the anthropomorphs been wiped out?” Misuzu cocked her chin.

    “The UN research agency may have captured a few anthropomorphs for research,” I speculated.

    “Did those anthropomorphs make it out?”

    I shake my head at Misuzu’s question. “It might have been an accident, or it could have been the purposeful deployment of a human-like virus in the war.”

    We don’t know anything about civilization’s downfall. Perhaps there was a battle between superpowers, or perhaps there was a revolt of self-aware artificial weaponry, or perhaps there was an invasion from outer space. One of the ideas that almost seems like a joke might be the true cause of the war. In any case, the world of the old civilization period ended with a battle involving nuclear weapons and new bombs. In the fallen world, just a few humans, anthropomorphs, and mechanical dolls remained.

    The reconnaissance drone in the skies above us informed us of a conflict taking place a few blocks away. The marauders appeared to be battling with the merchants who were going between the Birdcages to do business. I made a few modifications to the path given on the map and resumed my walk.

    “How did anthropomorphs come to pose a threat to humans?” Misuzu questioned, wiping sweat off her brow with a towel. “From what I’ve heard, it’s difficult to see them as a danger to the inhabitants of the old civilisation.”

    “Why?” I ask back.

    “Weapons and equipment from the time must have been far more powerful than what we have now. There were security droids at the Tokyo facilities, as evidenced by the mechanical dolls. There would have been no danger of infection if we had employed mechanical dolls to combat the anthropomorphs, and we would have had an overwhelming edge in battle.”

    “With the limited sources I have, I can only assume,” I explained. “However, I believe that the anthropomorphic viruses of the time were very contagious and might have been airborne.”

    “Is it in the air?” Misuzu cocked her chin.

    “Yes. Almost every human being in the world is the infection’s target.”

    “Is this the case for all of them? Were all the people who took Xiantian during the old civilisation period immortal?”

    “I believe a lot of individuals were taking Xiantian since it was something that could be produced cheaply, despite the fact that it appeared to require a continual dosage.”

    “Were the…… anthropomorphs that attacked us actually from the old civilization period?”

    “Not everyone back then was infected, though.”

    “Are these people refusing to take Xiantian?” Misuzu said, attempting to hide the fact that she had almost been tripped up by the debris.

    “There’s that as well,” I add. “Regardless of how cheap the drugs were, there were always a few folks who couldn’t afford them. There were also nations and religious figures that refused to adopt the new drugs.”

    “Do such countries still exist?” Misuzu’s expression brightened. It was only for a moment, though.

    “No, even if a government prohibits it by law, there are several loopholes. As a result, infected persons can be found in nations all over the world. People from all around the world have been infected with the virus.”

    “Couldn’t they have done something with the technology of the old civilization?”

    “Eventually, it appears that a vaccine has been developed, albeit slowly. Humans and their offspring were genetically changed after the vaccine was developed to produce antibodies against the human-like virus. As a result, it is assumed that everyone in this age has antibodies to protect against human virus infection by airborne transmission. Even yet, contact infection through wounds is still unavoidable, which is why the population of anthropomorphs is still growing.”

    “Contact infection through wounds……” She must have recalled her acquaintances who had been attacked. Misuzu’s face darkened. “Couldn’t the infection have been completely avoided?”

    “I’m just speculating, but I don’t believe anthropomorphs were the main threat to humans. While we were attempting to remove the anthropomorphic virus, it infected individuals all across the world, and in the process of spreading, it evolved into a far more potent chimeric virus.”

    Anthropomorphism was not the only issue that the old civilization confronted.

    “A war between nations?” Misuzu says to me.

    “I’m not sure if the State was the leader at the time, because numerous businesses arose with more money and power than the State.” However, in the facilities of the old civilization, we may still trace hints of numerous countries joining under the new organisation.”

    “How do you know?”

    “Thanks to me,” Kaguya’s voice could be heard in my inner ear.

    “Well,” I told Misuzu. “I haven’t checked all of the facilities in Japan, but the standards are consistent, and so is the money. They utilise electronic money with standardised units.”

    “Well, the notion of a country has already vanished. Is that why you asked about Japan?”

    “That’s part of it, but I’m also wondering why a facility from the Old Civilization would teach people about the Old Civilization.”

    “It is, indeed. But it might have been a place for people who valued Japanese traditions.”

    “There’s a chance. However, those facilities are excellent. There are several cults in the world, each with their own set of teachings and beliefs that they force on us. If it’s simply religion, that’s OK, but they generally take old civilization facilities, and the threat is high.”

    “Oh, yeah…”

    “Oh, no. I don’t mean to speak ill of Misuzu’s facility.”

    “No, it’s alright,” Misuzu replied, laughing dryly. “I expected it to be a conservative group in some way. We didn’t have any foreigners in the facility like Leila.”

    “There’s nothing wrong with being conservative. But wait a minute, I’m Japanese.”

    “But… your hair is grey and your eyes are red.”

    “My hair is completely black. It’s merely grimy from the ruins’ dust. My eyes, too, are the product of human modification.”

    “Ah…yes, sorry.”

    “No, you don’t have to apologize.” I said as I swept the dust from my hair.

    “Anyway. To return to the issue at hand, there was undoubtedly a trigger, and the war quickly spread around the world. It eventually led to the old civilization’s first and final global war. The world was falling apart.”

    “It’s harsh and wrong,” Misuzu remarked, “but it’s a waste.”

    “Too good to be true?” I say.

    “Yes, I can’t imagine that the people and technology of the ancient civilization, which built a magical world with overpowering technology, would be lost in a barbarous conflict that appears to be the farthest thing from their minds.”

    Kaguya agreed, “Indeed.”

    A world far removed from barbaric warfare?

    “Well, but I don’t think it’s over.”

    “Are there any survivors of the old civilization anywhere?”

    “Where’s paradise?” Kaguya, who had been bored, teased.

    “Space” I looked up at the sky.

    “Space…….?” Misuzu paused, staring up at the sky with her palm on her brow, forming shadows around her eyes. Her lovely, perfectly shaped limbs are a work of art in and of themselves.

    “That’s correct. This savage society was perhaps too restricting for them. They’ve had to be deep in space by now, don’t they? “Misuzu said.

    “You’re a sucker for romance, aren’t you? Do you have any feelings towards folks from the past?”

    Misuzu shook her head at my words. “No, I don’t think so. I spent my whole childhood in a facility at the bottom of the ocean, therefore I want that….. adventure. It’s a little juvenile and embarrassing.”

    “You don’t look embarrassed,” Kaguya said.

    “By now, we should be able to see the secure place.” I muttered this while carefully inspecting the image of the reconnaissance drone. Kaguya and I carefully examined the data we were getting from the drone in the skies above us. There was no one following us, and there was no evidence of looters nearby. The phoney folks are hidden at the rear of the building at this time of day and don’t come out very often.

    “It looks fine.” I nodded in response to Kaguya’s comments and began heading towards the abandoned nursery school. The traps I had put on the site had not changed, and the environment was quite silent. We reached the nursery grounds after passing under an archway portraying an animal. I went carefully, holding Misuzu’s hand to save her from getting caught in the explosive trap I’d prepared. An eerie quiet pervaded the deserted park. As we moved through the building, Kaguya opened the door to the subterranean facility behind the bulkhead.

    “Welcome to our base,” Kaguya said.

    “Because the birdcage is still a long distance away, we’ll rest here today.” I said to Misuzu, who is staring blankly at the entrance as it opens and closes with a dull thud.