The Absolutes… They were the most powerful organization in the world that emerged for no other reason than to fight and put order into the world.
They symbolize justice and the ones many have blind faith in. But today, the darkness hovering within them has become more apparent to a few.
However, the unsighted remained blinded.
*********
"Cheers to the Absolute Court!"
"Cheers!"
"Hooray! Hooray!... The Absolute Court has done it again!!!"
(^0^)
Oven country was bubbling while watching the Absolute court dish out the many verdicts.
People cheered and celebrated, thanking the Court for bringing justice into the world.
Some victims' families took interviews, putting in their good words and showing gratitude for it all.
Yes…
Oven country was going wild with glee. And in a very simple holding, a young man watched the very protected Tv. — Protected was the word.
The Tv was placed in a unique see-through casing as tough as several pounds of steel and embedded into the wall. Several tiny holes were on the case, allowing sound to echo throughout the closed chamber.
The flooring and walls near the Tv were lined with the latest laser-triggering technology that should any prisoner dare come close, they would be dead before he knew it.
In the isolated cell, the young man watched the Tv.
[Thank you, Absolute court. My father was murdered by that criminal, Dai Roh. And now, I can sleep well knowing the bastard has been caught!]
[Wooooo~... Today, I can't stop crying! The Absolute Court had cracked a case I had almost no hope of getting answered. Not only did they find the person who murdered my wife and children, but they were also able to send back the body of my sister, who was once proclaimed missing.]
[Long live the Absolute Court! Long live the Absolute Court! They are my heroes. I firmly believe in their decision!]
[Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…The Absolute Court is always right. If they say you're guilty, you are guilty. That is, do we even need to debate on such a simple thing? What's 1+1? It will always be 2!]
[All I want to say is… Long live the Absolutes! Long live the Absolutes]
The reporters captured the motions of the people well.
[Reporters]: "Well, you heard it all live and direct, folks. This is channel 1 news. Once again, the Absolute Court has taken care of the scum in the society for us. They are the true representatives of Justice!"
....
Representatives of justice?
Before this, Bain thought so, being their true fan. But as they say, you can never judge a book by its cover.
Right until the moment of judgment, he still held a glimmer of hope. In the end, he thought too much.
Bain stared at the Tv, completely throwing all matters of his injustice aside. He now had a cheerful smile, making the best of his situation, trying to find a comfortable resting position.
That was just how he was.
What was done was done.
There was no use crying over spilled milk. Instead, he always focused on the positive aspects of life. Of course, he would never give up on finding the true culprit behind it all.
'But how am I supposed to do that if I'm in here when they are out there?'
Bain felt his brain burning the more he thought of it. He pouted his lips helplessly.
'What to do?'
Well, at least this wasn't all that bad.
If he recalled, the one who killed his brother 5 years ago was also sent into Mainland 01!
At least that's what he was told back then. The enemy wasn't even given a trial but directly sent into the Mainland for killing a great military hero. So Bain didn't know what the enemy looked like.
Something told him his current situation and the incident from then were linked. In that case, find the one sent in 5 years ago, and he might just solve this whole mystery.
See? He was so smart! (^_^)
'Y.M…' Bain murmured the initials to the killer's name. To the public, this was the one who killed his brother. But who can be certain the news was accurate?
Bain decided to first secretly find YM before deciding on what to do next. But something else worried him.
If YM was already dead, wouldn't he be back to square one?
...
Like so, time had vanished in a blink of an eye.
From Day 1 to 5 after sentencing, Bain stayed in this very small and desolate cell. And in the space, there were no basic fixtures but a single toilet.
There wasn't even a bed or blanket to pass the nights on. And since arriving here, he also never saw or spoke to anyone else.
Food? Heh… His food popped out from the ground on dishes attached to the floor.
After 10 minutes, whether he was done or not, the food would head back down without delay.
All he could hear were the constant sounds from the tv day and night singing praises to the Absolutes. But Bain didn't care. Since he figured it out, nothing the Tv said could make a difference.
Most prisoners, with their hot-tempered and aggressive natures, might have already cursed and yelled out in a crazed state for having the tv speak so loudly morning, afternoon, evening, day, and night.
F***! Can't you see they're trying to catch some sleep in here?
No one could see any cameras, but prisoners would definitely scream at the guards from rage if it were them.
But in Bain's case, it was as though there was no Tv on to begin with.
Even the guards were dumbfounded, watching him sleep soundly after they amped the volume in hopes of irritating him.
What was most annoying was that he sometimes watched the tv as though watching a movie. All that was left was for them to deliver a bowl of popcorn to his side.
The guards scratched their heads, wondering how to bring out the worst in him.
"Sir, the plan has failed… Special Prisoner 416 doesn't seem to have any angry bones in his body."
"Oh?" A cold man with a stoic expression listened to the report while standing behind many in the control room. "It's too late to think further."
It's time.
.
Beep!
Bain continued doing his military exercises while listening to his cell door automatically slide open.
Following that, the sounds of several unhurried but sturdy footsteps resounded.
He had company.
The broad-shouldered lead man looked at the youngster before him with an expressionless face.
The youngster's dark hair was overgrown, and his body was in dire need of a good wash. "Former Military Recruit, Bain Ratnier... It's time to fulfill your sentence… Get him!"
Everything happened so fast.
Bain was taken away by the other 2 guards, moving past the many prison hallways.
He quickly noticed it wasn't just him taken away but many others from their cells. And soon, they were all brought into a massive dome-shaped hall.
The hall was immaculate white with very towering ceilings far above their heads. But before he and many others could react, they were forcefully strapped on tables with their feet and hands apart.
"All prisoners counted."
The guards escorting them nodded to the strange people in white lab coats, gloves, and masks.
Bain's ball bobbed up and down his throat, seeing the strange man in white suddenly lean forward with a pair of scissors in his hand.
'What do they want to do?'
Trim. Trim. Trim.
The man neatly trimmed all hairs below and under his armpit, using several scissors of various sizes, as well as devices that left his body hair-free.
Looking around, even those with beards would have their beards and mustaches neatly trimmed, alongside those with overgrown bead hair like himself.
They made Bain look exactly as he was on his I.D, with his hairstyle and everything else looking the same. And when the trimming was done, the man in white patted his body carefully as though searching for something, instructing him to open his mouth when need be.
The man also searched his ears, and any open body parts, using a strange machine.
"No strange items on him, sir."
"Good... We've gotten quite a few accidents over the years."
Before they sent the boy and everyone else to their destination, they wouldn't allow them to harm them, they, the Absolute Defenders, in any way.
Bain tilted his head to the side, looking at the many prisoners in the massive hall also getting shaved down. And soon, he spotted someone he knew…
It was the mysterious Youth!
.
Kaizu was the mysterious boy's name.
Before getting dragged away in court after his verdict was read, though Bain didn't hear the crime this guy committed, he still managed to listen to his name and age called out by the judge.
Kaizu, age 18…
He didn't lie. Kaizu didn't lie when he told him his age earlier. So should he identify him as an honest criminal yet?
Kaizu had long blond hair that he kept up in a ponytail. And his 'tired' complexion, even after so many days in prison, didn't diminish his good looks.
With the guy's ponytail and a few hair strands dancing before his face, one could say Kaizu was dangerously handsome, far better-looking than him and many others in the hall.
Though he had a good impression of him, Bain didn't want to judge people too hastily.
'Let's observe before making friends.'
Bain pursed his lips.
To survive, he had to keep his guard up.
…
In the vast white space, many prisoners secretly observed their surroundings and one another from the corners of their eyes.With narrowed eyes, they gazed at all angles. They couldn't find any hidden devices but knew they were being watched.Soon, their eyes fell on the guards and those in lab coats, trying to pick out as much information as they could.Smart people already knew the battle had begun.This was also a battlefield. Everyone was a potential enemy to themselves. And unbeknownst to Bain, many had been sizing him up from the moment he was strapped in."Line Up!"The order was given. And in full nudity, some prisoners strolled with slight grins, others moved provocatively, and some acted like perfect nobles, with auras affirming their superior beliefs.Just within this single moment, their actions already gave off a little about their personalities. Although for some others, it was hard for the guards to determine what personas they had.Some were too tricky to read.Cold.B
~Brrrmmm~~~The aircraft flew across the waters at a steady pace. And throughout the flight, no one was permitted to stand. Suppose you feel like taking a piss, too bad. Do it in your pants!The aircraft danced chaotically until Bain, and the others felt its abrupt descent.Wow!Those flying the aircraft didn't even tell them to brace themselves.The aircraft descended at an incredible speed, giving the illusion they were about to crash. And while in this illusionary state, a bright light quickly engulfed the scene.It was now that many realized the walls they were leaning on were see-through. And now with the outer surface of the ship moving upward like a shuttered window, many could see the outside world via the transparent walls they were leaning against."Look! That's the famous 'Cotton Cloud' Waters surrounding the Mainland!" Someone exclaimed.Bain knew a thing or 2 about these Cotton Cloud waters.In this world called Blue Sails, the waters were vastly different depending on wh
In the overly massive Control room, more than 900 men and women sat or stood by, watching the chaotic scenes via the monitors.The room was vast, with spring ceilings of open space 3 stories high.The Space was Hexagonal, with its front 3 out of 6 sides having nothing transparent wall screens to see the outside world while flying.The back wall had several elevators and doors leading into the space, while the last 2 side walls were floor-to-ceiling monitors showing hundreds of images.The Captain smoked his pipe, looking at the many images projected on the wall monitors. "There... Enlarge.""Yes, Captain,'' replied one of the men, enlarging the image as instructed.Seeing it, the Captain smacked his belly in delight. "Look at how these scallywags run about. Fear, greed for survival, thrilled, expectation, excitement... It's all on their faces!"The Captain seemed to be paying attention to a few. These should be the ones with the highest kill counts this time. Soon, Bain's image was en
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!All remaining prisoners were shot dead.The Captain tugged on the tip of his hat, masking the discerning trace of malice in his eyes. And very subtly, he headed into his office space overseeing the Control.Click.He locked the door and reached for the phone on his desk.[Is it done?] A rich but cold voice sounded out from the other end."Affirmative, sir... The kid is off the ship. Now, he's Mainland property."[And what about the rat?]The Captain thought of one of the prisoners he shot during the mass shooting.During the final shooting round, they killed the last few remaining prisoners aboard. But that wasn't when he killed the rat.During the first shooting round, he and his crew targeted non-lethal body parts, causing many of the prisoners to leave the ship hastily. But amidst the chaos, he killed the rat before the bastard could make it out of the aircraft. Even the crew members didn't know of his actions.To keep the matter confidential, he had to limi
Bain shivered, quickly leaving the scene and heading for the nearby hills and bushy terrain. And in a blink of an eye, he had already moved a great distance, rustling past several bushes, trees, and open fields with tall stalks of wheat a few feet taller than he.~Bang!His heart skipped. Not good!"Come out, boy… We know you're in there." Said a deep and playful voice belonging to the burly lead figure amidst his gang of ruffians.They stopped leisurely, snickering and jesting at Bain's unfortunate situation.Hehehehe~"Boss, I reckon he has wet himself.""Pff!~ What sort of criminal would wet himself from a gunshot?" A man they called fatty, couldn't help mocking."Heh… A newbie like him won't be able to survive a day out in these parts," another added.He had seen a close-up on Bain back in town, feeling the boy should be one of those scaredy-cat criminals.One could find all sorts of criminals on the Mainland.There were those bold and hot-tempered, those who always used others as
The popular tunes from the night crickets and the low rustling leaves were the only sounds that resounded in Bain's ear.One boy with a sharp stone in his grasp, stared at the many circling him. 'I'm almost at my wit's end.'Bain quickly caught himself from falling, looking at the person the rest referred to as Boss.The gang of miscreants wore boots, baggy pants, and different styled tops. Some wore tank tops, others wore light jackets, some stuck to tee-shirts, and others went shirtless.He stared at them in scrutiny, realizing that no one was pointing a weapon at him. This was an important hint!'It's either they deem me so worthless that they don't bother raising their pistols at me… Or they need to capture me intact.'Come to think of it, why did they chase after him so much when he never offended them? In any case, he felt his thinking was smart.'I'm valuable.'Bain concluded, finding leverage over the situation. And the one they called boss, slowly lit a cigarette amidst the t
Mmm~~~Bain moaned softly as nature's quiet sounds registered in his brain.Where am I?He opened his eyes abruptly, examining the strange wooden cabin he found himself in.Hiss!~~He had a headache.'What happened? I remember that he was surrounded with no way out... But then someone... Someone… Someone!'Bain was about to spring up when a calm voice echoed out."I see you're up."Who?Bain quickly turned his attention to the cabin door. And there he was… The silver-haired stranger!With unhurried steps, the man stepped into the cabin in full farming attire with a hoe in his hand and a basket of wheat on his back."Easy boy... You don't have enough strength in you." The silver-haired man said, slowly putting his hoe and basket.Bain placed his hand on the mat he rested on, trying to pull himself up and lean against the wall.With a skeptical look, he gazed at the good-looking man who was now taking out the many stalks of wheat from his basket."Relax."The man gave him a brief yet la
That red mark…Bain's eyes glowed with a fiery light.The thin piece of paper was sticking out from underneath several books. He could see particular characters and symbols that, wouldn't you know it, belonged to none other than the Absolutes!Them again? Bain's interest was more than piqued.What did they want from the Silver-haired man? Though the man looked trustworthy, the Absolute court was another matter.Bain carefully moved his hands, still keeping his head stiffly facing the man.Could he do it? Would he eventually succeed?~Tack. Tack. Tack. Tack.The flames once again danced underneath the heated pot.The space was obviously hot. But when the Silver-haired man spoke, it suddenly grew heavy and frosty."Mainland 01… Violence, murder, chaos, and freedom to do whatever criminals want… That's what you ordinary folks think. However, you're all forgetting one simple fact. Even in Hell itself, there are rules."~Pang!The Silver-haired man swung his blade once more, giving the ill