How to Live as an Immortal Chapter 001

Always Express Gratitude for Generous Treatment

*

All living beings are not equal from birth.

Some individuals are born with swift feet, others with exceptionally robust bodies, and some with beautiful proportions. What determines this is not one's own will, but solely the dice thrown by heaven.

Nevertheless, the belief that one possesses a special talent, regardless of age or gender, was not such an unrealistic delusion.

It was a vague expectation and aspiration.

Dreaming of something, even knowing it might not come true, was an inevitable human instinct.

I was one of them too.

*

In 2044, when the Third World War broke out, no one was surprised. Everyone unanimously felt that what was bound to happen had finally occurred.

The annually worsening U.S.-China conflict.

Russia's reckless territorial expansion.

Primitive polarization.

The United Nations, now just an empty shell.

Developing countries voicing discontent over their unchanging circumstances.

International trade, having lost its principles and trust, continued for over a decade despite these adversities.

What emerged during this time was only indescribable hatred and criticism for the sake of criticism.

Unlimited egoism and nationalistic policies refused to acknowledge, understand, or compromise with others.

Despite being the most open era due to advanced civilization, paradoxically, everyone became more isolated.

Forgetting the concepts of peace and cooperation, international affairs steadily followed the tracks of the past.

The flow of time is like fate.

It couldn't be prevented by prediction or avoidance.

The pent-up resentment, condensed to its limit, rushed to extremes. Collapsed reason and distorted ideologies forced sacrifices upon the members of society.

I too took my place.

By enlisting as a soldier.

However, in a highly advanced society, there was no room for individual heroics. Humanity could already unleash continental-scale firepower with just the push of a button.

It was only a matter of time before the entire world was engulfed in war and reduced to ruins.

In the fierce battles where the map changed weekly, soldiers couldn't even serve as meat shields.

I was no exception.

As an ordinary grunt deployed to the front lines, I should have died instantly under the hail of fire, but—

I lived.

No, it would be more accurate to say I came back to life.

Because even when I died, I didn't die.

My body refused death.

This was closer to a supernatural phenomenon rather than personal skill or innate luck.

It was a moment that completely changed my life, but I couldn't be entirely happy about it. It was crystal clear what would happen if I were discovered.

Yet, I couldn't just wander aimlessly in this chaotic world either.

The best option was to avoid rash actions and hide among the masses.

It was a decision made with the determination to at least not become a sacrificial lamb of the war. And indeed, that's how it turned out.

I survived every operation I was deployed to.

It wasn't hard to guess how I appeared in the eyes of the higher-ups.

Sure enough, I was hailed as a war hero and even received a special promotion. But the joy didn't last long. As my rank increased, so did the intensity of the war.

Eventually, nuclear weapons were used between nations.

Thus, humanity crossed a river of no return by its own volition, surrendering to emotions it couldn't control.

At the moment of doom, ironically, it wasn't the United States or China that declared a ceasefire. It wasn't humanity at all. What halted the world war was a natural disaster.

The starting point was America's greatest national park, Yellowstone.

The supervolcano with a caldera spanning dozens of kilometers couldn't withstand the effects of the war and erupted.

It was an eruption comparable to a meteor impact.

Lava and gases swept across the ground, expanding their territory, while dust clouds occupied the atmosphere, blocking sunlight and showering volcanic ash for weeks.

Continuously dropping temperatures, lands destined for poor harvests.

It was the dawn of an ice age.

*

Thump, thump, thump.

A thunderous sound reminiscent of that time, that era.

As the noise gradually grew louder, my heart began to race wildly in tandem.

Just as the breath caught in my throat and my mind began to surface, the noise that had been echoing in my head moments ago subsided.

Thump, thump, thump.

Listening again, it was merely the sound of someone knocking on the door. It seemed I had mistaken it due to a nightmare I'd had after a long time.

"Shin! I know you're in there, come out!"

As I slowly walked to open the door, a massive shadow loomed over me.

Shin took a step back as his eyes fell on the intimidatingly well-developed pectorals. It was a physique rarely seen even in an era where genetic manipulation and cybernetic surgeries were commonplace. What was surprising was that this was a purely natural body.

In an age where genetic manipulation and cybernetic surgeries were prevalent, it was a physique rarely seen. What was surprising was that this was a purely natural body.

Truly a natural born.

Man of men—

"Mr. Testosterone. It's been a while. I thought you said you were going on a trip with your family. Did you have a good time?"

"I thought I told you not to call me by that nickname."

A growling voice. Shin shrugged at the displeasure of Arnold Rogers, the landlord. As always, he seemed to be in a foul mood.

"You can be proud of it. The fact that I acknowledged it means history has proven it."

"Enough with the nonsense, just pay this month's rent."

"Is that really why you've come at this early hour?"

"The sun's already setting, what are you..."

Arnold sighed as he glared at Shin, who was yawning lazily. He felt that if he were to rebut each point, there would be no end to it.

"It's been overdue for two weeks now. I didn't say anything, and look how out of hand it's gotten."

"Sorry, I forgot about it."

"Hah. Really, I don't even know who the landlord is anymore."

"But I always pay, don't I?"

"It would be much easier if you used the bank."

"Isn't a physical transaction more reliable?"

"You're probably the only one in this day and age who doesn't use automatic transfers for that reason."

Having said that, Arnold tapped the back of his neck demonstratively. There was a flat, round device protruding like a button.

An intelligent terminal that operates using bioelectricity generated by the nervous system, commonly known as a 'Device'.

It was an electronic device that projected various information directly onto the retina, providing convenience to the user. As it was also used as a substitute for identification, it was an essential item for modern people.

But sadly, there was nothing where it should have been on the back of Shin's neck.

Arnold glanced down at this sight and casually asked.

"Come to think of it, didn't your parents come in from outside the Dome?"

"Well, yeah."

In modern society, there were mainly two types of people who didn't have a Device implanted. Illegal residents or criminals. Either way, they were in a position where they couldn't clearly prove their identity.

Feeling like he might have touched on a sore spot, Arnold cleared his throat and changed the subject.

"Anyway, pay up right away since I've waited this long. Isn't paying on time your only redeeming quality?"

"Hey, I have many more good qualities than that. At least in this building, there's no one with more physical cash than me..."

Shin scratched his chin as he rummaged through his wallet. Suddenly, he remembered that there had been a major outflow of funds last week. He had splurged on items that were usually hard to come by when they became available.

"Looks like I'm all out."

"The only service provided to non-residents is a fist, you know."

Arnold's eyes narrowed for a moment.

"I'll give you 30 minutes."

"Don't be unreasonable. I need to at least go out and hustle to get the money, right?"

"One day."

His tone was firm, as if there would be no further negotiation, but even that was enough to be grateful for.

"I'm always thankful for your generous treatment."

*

Shin threw on a coat that was lying around and left the house.

The streets, where augmented reality was implemented, were overflowing with holographic signs. Patrol drones flew over the well-maintained sidewalks, while hyperloops ran through the underground, which was as intricate as blood vessels, traversing every corner of the city.

Above, artificial lighting took the place of the lost sky.

The pastel-toned city was brimming with overall affluence. Even though barely 300 years had passed since the Third World War, humanity had begun to regain its former prosperity.

Of course, not everything had returned to its original state. For every action, there's a reaction.

The sphere of activity had shrunk incomparably to what it was before.

When the ice age arrived, humanity squeezed out its last strength to design a fully planned environmental city, an arcology. So that they could be self-sufficient even in a limited space.

The number of arcologies, commonly known as Domes, built with all their might, was currently six.

From the largest and oldest No.1 to the recently built No.6. The identification numbers perfectly represented the scale and history of the Domes.

Survivors who fled to different Domes to escape the raging blizzards from all over the world formed stable communities.

In retrospect, it could be said that humanity had persevered despite severe adversity, or conversely, that they had locked themselves away, mortgaging all their future.

The souls of those who fell in the process were too numerous to count.

That's why there was a time when manpower itself was scarce.

But that was only for a moment.

Once safety was ensured, technology advanced day by day. Even if it was the result of several miracles and several coincidences overlapping.

The singularity, as it could be called, was the invention of artificial intelligence in 2190. From that day on, humanity grew explosively. Both quantitatively and qualitatively.

It was the dawn of a true Fourth Industrial Revolution.

It was inevitable that as the value of labor decreased, a basic income system ensuring minimum wage for everyone would emerge.

Before long, the welfare system combined with the Device became an indispensable pillar of modern society.

While it was clearly a decision made with the big picture in mind, Shin couldn't smile about it.

In a world where basic income was prevalent, identity meant budget. Censorship had to become that much stricter. In theory, a surplus identity would mean surplus funds.

The moment you let your guard down, funds could be duplicated.

It was no longer possible to impersonate others like in the old days, nor was it possible to contact administrative departments. Therefore, obtaining an identity through old-fashioned methods was nearly impossible.

The cutting-edge civilization did not allow for deviation among its members.

For Shin, who had personally experienced the turbulent history, this was unwelcome news.

However, just because he couldn't enjoy the benefits others did, it didn't mean that all self-help measures disappeared.

If it couldn't be done in the light, it could be done in the shadows.

What Shin focused on were antiques.

Physical items where time itself becomes value. Historical or aesthetic items were bound to appreciate over time.

He could feel it more clearly as he spent time with them. What was once considered ordinary in the distant past had now transformed into irreplaceable treasures.

'To get the rent money...'

He would have to sell at least one item.

Leaving the bustling area, Shin headed straight for the alleyways.

As he stepped away from the street where a warm spring breeze seemed to flutter, the surrounding scenery changed dramatically.

Neon signs glowing in various colors and puddles scattered here and there.

Compared to just moments ago, it was dramatically contrasting.

It wasn't unreasonable.

The Dome was a metropolis supporting a population of 100 million. A place where supply and demand intersected at an unprecedented level. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a giant living organism.

In other words, it meant that there were also areas that were abandoned.

The outskirts, which were in contact with the frigid land, were inevitably further from the benefits of civilization.

And where there was shade, vermin were bound to gather.

Fugitives who had committed corruption and fled from other Domes, criminals who had committed murder and hidden, and people like Shin whose circumstances were too complex to explain in one word.

Shin stopped in front of a store that stood alone without a sign and went straight inside.