Rainbow City

Federico hastily waved both hands in response to Kwak Soohwan’s words.“What are you saying?! Poison?! Absolutely not! Never!”He was so fervent in his denial that his face flushed bright red. Even Lee Chaeyoon and Yang Sanghoon flared up at the mention of poisoning.“I won’t die just from drinking caffeine.”Seokhwa corrected Kwak Soohwan’s words and then addressed Federico.“However, caffeine does make me feel a bit unwell.”His pulse and blood pressure would increase, causing him to suffer until the caffeine was fully metabolized. Federico quickly moved Seokhwa’s cup back to the desk by the wall.“Let’s get straight to the point. Could you tell us why you requested our help?”Kwak Soohwan initiated the conversation.“If you’re going to talk about something headache-inducing, can I leave?”“Me too, I want to go out and explore a bit more.”Lee Chaeyoon and Yang Sanghoon, both of whom disliked dealing with difficult matters, chimed in almost in unison.“Please excuse us for a moment,” Kwak Soohwan said to the commander before motioning to the two to leave. The capes attached to their uniforms fluttered excitedly behind them as they hurried out.“By the way, can you tell me how many reinforcements have been sent?” the commander asked, sipping his espresso as he sat at the head of the round table. Kwak Soohwan tilted his head slightly.“As you can see.”“Pardon?”“What you just saw is all there is.”The commander nearly choked on his espresso.“Four people?! Are you mocking us?!”Kwak Soohwan openly scoffed.“The fact that Rainbow City dispatched four S-Class operatives in its current situation means that they’re taking this matter seriously and showing you great favor.”After all, Italy was one of the countries where the city’s vaccine had arrived the latest. Seokhwa also agreed with Kwak Soohwan’s words, nodding slightly.“Commander, the two soldiers and Lieutenant Kwak Soohwan just dealt with all the Adams at the eastern gate.”Federico, who had been out in the field, explained the situation. The commander had already heard that they had to give up on two supply trucks, but now he was being told that these three had managed to recover even the trucks.Seeing Federico explain in Cityo, Kwak Soohwan gave him high marks. If they had spoken in a language the team couldn’t understand, they would have turned around and left without a second thought. After all, they were the ones holding the guns, so who could defy them?Despite hearing the full explanation, the commander didn’t believe in all this talk of mutants and S-Class operatives. To him, they were just slightly faster and stronger than ordinary humans.“May I continue?” Federico asked after receiving a nod from the commander, who was still seething at the idea that only four reinforcements had been sent. He felt they were being disrespected.Federico quickly spoke up before the commander could say something he would regret.“It’s about the Adams you dealt with outside.”Kwak Soohwan only glanced at him, signaling for him to continue. Seokhwa, curious about what would be said, watched intently. This subtle shift was something only Kwak Soohwan could detect.“The vaccine sent from Rainbow City…”Federico paused and glanced at Seokhwa.“You might get angry, but please don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say.”Although Seokhwa wasn’t angry, merely focused on listening, he didn’t bother to correct Federico. The latter wore a regretful expression.“Many of the vaccines from Rainbow City turned out to be ineffective.”“…!”Seokhwa, who had maintained a neutral expression, widened his eyes in disbelief. This implied the emergence of a new strain of the virus.“That can’t be.”Seokhwa’s voice was more forceful than ever, filled with certainty.If one were to visualize the Adam virus, it would resemble a ‘◇’. The vaccine Seokhwa developed was supposed to offer perfect immunity against the ◇ (Adam virus). If the vaccine was ineffective, it couldn’t be due to infection by the Adam virus. It had to be another virus with similar symptoms.However, the Adams they fought at the eastern gate were no different from the ones they knew. Their sensitivity to sound and violent behavior towards living humans were characteristic of the Adams.“Is there a biosafety research facility here?” Seokhwa asked, looking for a lab to study the virus. Kwak Soohwan frowned slightly at his question.“There isn’t. This place was originally just a fortress prepared for Doomsday.”Federico immediately provided an answer that would satisfy Kwak Soohwan, then rubbed the back of his neck before continuing.“When Doomsday was first announced, however, it didn’t function as intended.”When the Adam crisis erupted, Europe was the first to declare Doomsday.Governments selected key individuals essential for rebuilding society and moved them to various bunkers. However, amidst the chaos, successfully relocating only those necessary was far from easy.The governments decided to select key individuals essential for rebuilding the world and relocate them to various bunkers. However, in the midst of chaos, successfully moving only the necessary people was not easy.Many people died, including the key figures needed to rebuild society. For a time, even the electricity supply was disrupted, leading to years of great confusion. Humanity, which had suddenly dwindled, struggled for decades to continue the fight against the Adams. It was a battle for survival.Originally, Vatican City covered a larger area than it does now. Even before the Adam crisis, there was a wall surrounding the Vatican. This wall served as the country’s border since Vatican City itself was recognized as a nation.After the first Adam crisis, key figures needed to rebuild humanity were transported to Vatican City, which was designated as a Doomsday fortress. Soldiers safely escorted the VIPs from various locations into Vatican City. However, it wasn’t only the key figures who wanted to survive. Ordinary citizens also flooded towards Vatican City.Vatican City locked its borders, and the people were outraged. After clashes between the soldiers who were supposed to protect the Vatican and the civilians, an innocent child was shot and killed. This incident triggered violent confrontations between the civilians and the soldiers.Eventually, the wall was breached by a military tank seized by civilians, rendering Vatican City no longer a safe fortress. The Adam virus spread rapidly, and the magnificent cultural heritage left by previous generations was destroyed, drenched in the blood of Adams and humans alike.It took decades for Vatican City to regain its function as a fortress. However, the area was significantly reduced, and a new wall was built around the square and the basilica, capable of housing about 10,000 people.The square originally had two fountains, but now only one remains, serving as the fortress’s water source. Since the fountain operated using natural gravity, it could be maintained without human intervention. This was the reason they had stubbornly defended Vatican City, despite it being ravaged by Adams multiple times. For the survivors, nothing was as vital as water.“Major.”Seokhwa subtly called out to Kwak Soohwan beside him.“Should I take it out?”“Yes.”Even though the subject of their conversation was left unsaid, they understood each other perfectly. Kwak Soohwan retrieved an aluminum box from Seokhwa’s backpack, which had been placed under the chair. Seokhwa opened the box that Kwak Soohwan handed him and checked the contents.“What is that?” the commander asked, eyeing the kit with yellow and blue circles. The box was filled with identical items.“It’s a kit that can detect infection by the Adam virus.”It was an Adam virus diagnostic kit brought from Rainbow City. If the Adams outside were not the same as the previous ones, this kit would show a negative result.Kwak Soohwan could easily understand Seokhwa’s thoughts. Seokhwa was free to use as many kits as needed; after all, it was better than him being cooped up in a lab. Kwak Soohwan was most relieved by the recent news that there was no lab here.Seokhwa was already spending every day holed up in a lab back in Rainbow City, and Kwak Soohwan didn’t want that to continue here. He was glad to have Seokhwa with him at the Vatican, but he had been worried from the moment they set out.Originally, only the three members of the Invincible Platoon were supposed to depart. The mission was to quickly assess the situation in the Vatican and return. However, when the news from the Vatican turned out to be true, Seokhwa insisted on going himself.At the very least, it would take a month. Even in the best-case scenario, it was expected to take that long to travel to the Vatican and back. Kwak Soohwan opposed the idea of Seokhwa accompanying them on what was essentially a grueling march. But Seokhwa’s stubbornness was not easily swayed. Of course, Seokhwa’s insistence wasn’t without reason.“I’m the one who developed the vaccine. If there’s an issue, it’s fastest if I check it myself. And if, in the worst case, the Adam virus has evolved… I need to confirm that too.”Seokhwa was the person who had carried the final evolutionary form of the Adam virus. Even so, Kwak Soohwan had no intention of bringing Seokhwa along, no matter what he said.But in the end, Kwak Soohwan had to concede to Seokhwa’s last words.“I’m not willing to be separated from you for a month, Soohwan.”As Lee Chaeyoon often said, even though it had been a long time since Kwak Soohwan had left the military, Seokhwa still called him “Major.” But whenever something important was discussed, he always reverted to calling him “Soohwan.” Every time that happened, Kwak Soohwan felt a tingling sensation in his hands, and his lower abdomen heated up. That day, he couldn’t resist and immediately pushed Seokhwa down, sucking on his thick nipples until they were swollen and tender.Click… Seokhwa closed the lid of the container holding the Adam virus test kits. The sound of the lid closing was insignificant, but it left him feeling scolded for having inappropriate thoughts in such a situation.Seokhwa took a small breath, like taking a running start before launching into a lengthy explanation.“If the people who died outside the eastern gate were vaccinated but still got infected with the Adam virus, there’s a possibility that the vaccine was contaminated during transport. However, the vaccines we brought this time should be fine.”When Seokhwa suggested the possibility of vaccine contamination, the expressions on the commander and Federico’s faces visibly hardened. Before they could say anything, Kwak Soohwan preempted them.“Administer this vaccine to the elderly and children last.”It was an order, almost a command.They had brought approximately 3,000 vaccines in two jeeps. The population of survivors within Vatican City was close to 15,000, meaning the number of vaccines was only one-fifth of what was needed. However, even Rainbow City was facing a severe shortage of vaccines. Under the circumstances, providing this many vaccines was more than just a show of sincerity; it was an overwhelming act of goodwill.“You should vaccinate the elderly and children first!”The commander argued, his tone incredulous. As if it wasn’t bad enough that their reinforcements numbered only four, if the vaccines had indeed been contaminated during delivery, as Seokhwa suggested, Rainbow City would have to bear the responsibility. His tone was sharp as a result.“Unless the Adams pile up a mountain of bodies, they won’t be able to breach the wall, will they? Those venturing outside the walls for food or supplies are mostly the young and healthy, so I’m saying to prioritize those inside the walls last.”“Are you saying you have no idea when the rest of the vaccines will arrive?”Bang! The commander slammed his fist on the table. Kwak Soohwan glanced sideways, concerned that Seokhwa might be startled, but Seokhwa only blinked slowly. It wasn’t surprising; Seokhwa had dodged flying ashtrays during military meetings before the military overhaul in Rainbow City. Well, to be precise, the ashtrays had flown past Seokhwa, narrowly missing him.When he later heard this from another soldier who had been present, Kwak Soohwan had been furious. If General Yoon hadn’t died during Choi Hoeon’s final Adam incident, Kwak Soohwan would have smashed his skull himself.“First, let’s confirm whether or not our vaccines are contaminated.”Kwak Soohwan laced his fingers and rested his hands on the table. His insolent tone made the commander grind his teeth.“We have no vaccines left. If the vaccine had no issues, we wouldn’t be facing this situation outside. If the vaccine is contaminated, then we’re the ones who’ve been scammed, aren’t we?”Before Kwak Soohwan could intervene, Seokhwa grabbed his arm. Even the light touch from Seokhwa made Kwak Soohwan immediately yield the floor to him.“I’ll start by checking the reaction to the Adam kit on the infected outside.”As Seokhwa spoke as if he were ready to head out and check immediately, Federico abruptly interrupted.“Sorry, but we can’t open the east gate until tomorrow.”Seokhwa and Kwak Soohwan understood this well enough. Even when the situation seemed under control, they typically waited a day before burning the Adam corpses, just in case any were lurking nearby. While this was standard procedure, Kwak Soohwan didn’t feel the need to be so cautious.“If you grant the Invincible Platoon autonomy within the Vatican, we’ll handle this situation ourselves.”They needed to resolve the issue quickly and return to Rainbow City. The commander hesitated, appearing to consider Kwak Soohwan’s proposal before shaking his head.“Even though you are the reinforcements we requested, I can’t grant you autonomy. You must follow my orders. I heard you pushed in without our side’s approval during the recent engagement. It’s fortunate things ended well; otherwise, the Fortress of God would have been at risk.”“Dr. Seok, it’s been a while since you’ve dealt with this kind of power struggle, huh?”Kwak Soohwan tilted his head toward Seokhwa while still glaring at the commander. Seokhwa responded with a quiet “Yes.”, and with Seokhwa’s permission, Kwak Soohwan let his ferocity fully show.“Listen carefully. Do as I say. Don’t act all high and mighty while you sit back and let your subordinates do all the fighting.”“W-What insolence!”The commander, unable to contain his anger, slammed the table again. He turned to Federico, as if urging him to say something.Federico, standing behind the commander, was at a loss. His troops had battled the Adams at the east gate for over half a day, while the Invincible Platoon had resolved the situation in just 15 minutes. If Kwak Soohwan wanted to, the commander’s body could be shattered like a cookie.“If you knew how the higher-ups in Rainbow City ended up, you wouldn’t act this way.”As Kwak Soohwan added this threat with a smile, the commander’s face turned red, as if it might burst. Seokhwa grabbed Kwak Soohwan’s arm and shook his head slightly, signaling him to stop. He also sighed heavily.Kwak Soohwan clicked his tongue at the commander and suddenly reached into his uniform pocket. Simultaneously, the commander and Federico both glanced toward their belts, where their pistols were holstered. Kwak Soohwan’s aggressive behavior had them on edge.When Kwak Soohwan finally pulled his hand out of his pocket, the commander flinched, only to see a small bag in Kwak Soohwan’s hand, not a weapon.Kwak Soohwan casually opened the bag and handed it to Seokhwa. Seokhwa nodded slightly in apology to the commander and Federico.What Seokhwa began munching on were nuts. The commander let out a breath of disbelief. He had requested reinforcements and was sent an arrogant lunatic and an apparent weakling. However, according to Federico, the man eating the nuts was the researcher who developed the Adam virus vaccine.It felt like they had been swindled. The commander couldn’t shake the feeling that Rainbow City was hiding something by sending this young man.As Seokhwa calmly ate a few nuts, Kwak Soohwan pulled out a water bottle from his backpack and handed it to him.“I apologize. I haven’t been able to eat properly because of motion sickness.”After taking a drink, Seokhwa spoke in a flat tone. The commander looked at him as if wondering if skipping a meal or two would really kill him.“Then I’ll take that as your approval, and we’ll handle this situation independently.”Kwak Soohwan, already getting up, wrapped his arm around Seokhwa’s shoulders. Despite the commander’s clear refusal earlier, Kwak Soohwan acted on his own, leaving the commander at a loss for words.“We won’t cause any trouble for the fortress. Rest assured.”Seokhwa’s voice was firm and reassuring. With his backpack slung over one shoulder, Kwak Soohwan kept his arm around Seokhwa’s shoulders as they headed for the door.As Kwak Soohwan was about to open the door and leave, Seokhwa turned his head slightly and bowed once more. The commander, unable to hold back any longer, was about to voice his objections, but Federico quickly intervened to stop him. Only after they had left did the commander grind his teeth at Federico, who had held him back.“Hey! Do we really have to be so subservient?”Now that they were alone, the commander burst out in frustration in his native language, downing the remaining espresso in one gulp.“You may say it’s just four of them, Commander, but in my view, each one of them possesses at least the strength of an entire platoon.”“Hmph, even so, they’re probably just a bit better at shooting than the others.”“Lieutenant General Kwak Soohwan, who just left, used his hands more than his gun.”“What?”The commander furrowed his brow as if he couldn’t understand what Federico was saying.“It may be hard to believe, but he shattered the Adams’ skulls and limbs with his bare hands.”“…”The commander’s hand froze in mid-air as he reached out for another cup of espresso. Federico silently refilled his cup with the dark liquid.“Well… that’s because he’s confident after being vaccinated.”“No matter how confident you are after vaccination, facing Adams barehanded is still a suicide mission, as you well know.”The commander set down his cup and massaged his temples.“I thought the rumors about Rainbow City’s mutants were exaggerated, but it seems they were actually understated.”Federico wasn’t prone to exaggeration, so if he said this much, it likely wasn’t an overstatement.“I understand that their attitude angers you, but as you know, they are citizens of Rainbow City. Moreover, it wouldn’t be in our best interest to be at odds with individuals of such power.”Federico approached the matter carefully, so as not to sound like he was admonishing the commander.“How many of these mutants, supposedly born through genetic editing, are there?”“I’ve heard that most of Rainbow City’s soldiers are mutants.”Less than a year ago, a video of Seokhwa making a statement about the vaccine and the birth of mutants had gone viral in foreign countries, with the rumors becoming even more exaggerated.The story went that the mad scientists of Rainbow City had created an army of mutants to combat the Adams, but while these mutants were powerful, they lacked intelligence. Hence, rumors spread that Rainbow City’s soldiers were a mindless “steelhead” brigade that followed orders blindly.But upon meeting them, the commander found that they were anything but mindless; they were full of arrogance and insolence. None of the rumors seemed to match reality.“Alright, that’s enough. Get going now. Make sure all the Adam corpses are burned by tomorrow morning. And if the Rainbow City reinforcements try anything foolish, don’t just stand by.”“Understood.”Though he had no idea how to handle the Invincible Platoon, Federico, as always, answered that he would follow orders.Once outside, Federico looked around to find the Invincible Platoon and Seokhwa, but the only people in the cathedral were the guards.He still needed to show them to their lodgings… Federico sighed quietly.Whoosh! Kwak Soohwan spun the rope several times over his head before hurling it upward.There were pipes sticking out here and there on top of the wall—steel girders used when the wall was extended. The rope caught on one of these spots. He tested the rope with his weight to ensure it was securely fastened.“Do I just need to scoop up a sample?”“All you need to do is bring it back in this.”Seokhwa handed Kwak Soohwan a syringe with a somewhat troubled expression. There were five syringes in total, each with its cap on. Though it would have been nice to put them in a plastic bag, they had decided to minimize any unnecessary noise. Seokhwa handed the syringes to Kwak Soohwan one by one, and despite Seokhwa’s slow movements, Kwak Soohwan never rushed him.Soon, all five syringes were securely tucked into Kwak Soohwan’s uniform pocket.“Be careful.”“I’ll sneak in and out.”When Kwak Soohwan whispered the word “sneak” in Seokhwa’s ear, it was almost like he was speaking in a soft, teasing tone.The guards took turns watching the wall, but there was a blind spot—right behind the building used by the assault team as their quarters.“Seriously, be careful.”“You know, Dr. Seok, it’s not me who needs to be careful, but—”“Even so.”In the entire world, Seokhwa was the only person who worried about Kwak Soohwan’s safety against the Adams. With a gloved hand, Kwak Soohwan gently ruffled Seokhwa’s bangs.His bangs, which had been cut short before they left Rainbow City, had grown just the right amount. His youthful appearance was accentuated even more by his short bangs, making him look even younger. But Kwak Soohwan preferred this look, where he could clearly see Seokhwa’s face.Seokhwa also looked up at Kwak Soohwan, who had neatly brushed his hair back.He didn’t mind taking cold showers even after long journeys, as long as there was a place to wash up. However, he always made sure the water Seokhwa used was warm. Kwak Soohwan, both then and now, put a lot of effort into maintaining his appearance, no matter the situation.That was why Federico was so surprised when he first saw Kwak Soohwan. Here was this rare, handsome man who had just crushed Adam with his hands, yet looked completely untouched by blood. Even his uniform was still impeccably neat when he first appeared. Though it soon got stained with Adam’s blood, not a single drop touched his face.“Someone’s spying on our date.”Kwak Soohwan, who had been tidying Seokhwa’s hair, glanced toward a shadowy corner.Behind the assault team’s dorm building, Federico emerged from the darkness. He had tried to locate Lee Chaeyoon and Yang Sanghoon to guide them to the dorm, but had failed. Despite causing a ruckus when they first appeared, they had been elusive after entering the fortress. After giving up on finding the pair, he had started searching for Seokhwa and Kwak Soohwan.He suspected that Kwak Soohwan might try to leave the fortress, thinking he wouldn’t patiently wait until the gate opened.Although he wasn’t entirely sure, he found himself heading toward the assault team’s dormitory. The area behind it was one of the fortress’s blind spots. Luckily, the first place he checked was where the two were. He couldn’t believe they’d actually try to scale the wall, but it turned out they really would.“Are you going to personally collect Adam’s blood?”Kwak Soohwan stepped in front of Seokhwa and shrugged.“I think you’re better suited to be the boss than your current leader.”His casual tone showed that he had been more polite earlier.“There’s a way in that’s only for the generals. I’ll take you there.”“It’d be faster to climb the wall than to go all the way back.”Federico gave up trying to persuade him and fell silent.“You have a gun, right?”“Yes.”Seokhwa started to pull out the gun strapped to his side. Kwak Soohwan removed the cape he’d donned when changing into his uniform. He dusted it off with a snap and draped it over Seokhwa’s shoulders. The night wind was chilly, even in early autumn.“Don’t think about covering me with that. If anything goes wrong, shoot him.”He gestured at Federico with his chin. Kwak Soohwan grabbed the rope tightly, braced his feet against the wall, and started climbing. As he defied gravity, he called out with a cool voice that cut through the darkness.“Protect Dr. Seok.”Crunch. At that moment, the sound of a cracker breaking echoed. Lee Chaeyoon and Yang Sanghoon emerged from the shadows further behind Federico. Startled, Federico’s shoulders twitched, realizing he hadn’t noticed them at all.“I’ll wait.”“I’ll be back before the drink cools.”Kwak Soohwan confidently said to Seokhwa before climbing up the rope.“I’m not

Cao Cao