Gundam, Gravity Elegy

As a 'newbie' who had just entered the ranks of non-commissioned officers, Corporal Ellen called out.

But she felt like a cog in a huge, rusty machine, unable to move it on her own, and even she herself was in great pain.

"Xiao Gao..."

'whoosh'

The moment the words left his mouth, Gao Ren had already stood up, his speed almost unbelievable to Eileen.

She didn't even feel like she had reacted before the young lieutenant had already reached the door.

However, Captain Kuvatro was even faster. All Ellen heard was a 'bang' as the man sprang from the sofa with unimaginable speed and stamina, blocking Gao Ren's path the moment his hand touched the doorknob.

"Lieutenant, now that we've regrouped, don't you think I, as the captain, have the right to know the movements of my subordinates?"

In that oppressive silence, Cuvatro couldn't help but sigh:

"So at least let me know what you want to do, right?"

Clearly, being a shrewd person, he left no room for maneuver, and faced with such a problem, all he could do was respond directly.

"Go get the Gundam out, and then slaughter all those guys."

"..."

"That must be a joke."

The sudden chill seemed to cause the temperature in the room to drop, and the icy wind that swept over him made Gao Ren look back.

Perhaps out of shock, or perhaps out of bewilderment, he took a deep breath, meeting the gazes of his two comrades.

“I’m a soldier, after all. I know exactly why I’m here, so… I should at least go and see that place.”

The act of venting was like expelling the icy coldness that had been inhaled earlier—enough to calm a boiling brain—along with all the strength in his body. Gao Ren simply sat down against the door:

"At least we should know what happened."

"However, even without looking at it, you can guess what kind of development this is."

"I know."

"Witnessing that situation firsthand would not do you any good right now."

"I know."

"...Alright then."

Facing Gao Ren's undisguised gaze, it was Kuvatro who was the first to look away.

"But don't let this kind of thing affect your mind."

Behind the sunglasses, those red eyes scanned the surroundings, and all thoughts and emotions were completely suppressed by the discipline of a soldier:

"Our time is limited after all."

"I know."

Finally, the closed door was fully opened.

As soon as the seal was lifted, the riots from the outside rushed in.

The sound of hurried footsteps, anxious inquiries, and... panic and anger filled the emergency exit.

"Those...monsters!!"

"Give me back my mom and dad!"

"Well……"

It felt like a bolt of lightning had struck him, and Gao Ren couldn't help but cover his head.

"Someone is crying out in sorrow..."

I slowly walked towards the emergency exit, only to see people coming down from above:

"I'm sorry, brother, I've spoiled your meal."

"You know too? I thought you were so busy killing people that you completely forgot we came here to eat."

"But those sounds are really annoying,"

Mixed in with those chaotic, discordant voices.

With slow, calm footsteps, the blood-stained Zeon soldiers walked down the stairs as if nothing had happened. They didn't even bother to glance at the entrance to the passage before walking down.

"Ugh, why are there only two elevators upstairs?"

"Because there are two direct elevators."

They chatted and talked, unmoved, as if they had no idea what they had done. The two figures disappeared into the distance, leaving behind blood-stained footprints.

And of course, there's that distant and pure sound:

"Hey, officer, remember to wash it clean, okay? We'll come back for dinner next time, right, brother?"

…………

June 20, UC.0079

10: 00 PM

A vicious killing occurred at the rooftop restaurant of the Per Resort Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey, leaving more than 20 people dead or injured, with only one survivor.

The murderer remains unpunished... for now.

Author's message

…………

PS: Almost all members of the Ghoul Squad are enhanced humans, and their enhancement attempts failed because the technology was not mature in the early days.

The novel describes a lack of empathy and compassion, and the dialogue reveals an emotional deficiency. Because they cannot understand or feel, they can only stimulate dopamine through extreme actions and become addicted to it.

PS2: Ten chapters achieved... but I feel like stopping here isn't a good idea. I'll see if I can squeeze out a little more.

Chapter Seventeen: Empathy (Eleventh Update)

"Yesterday, a heinous murder occurred at the Perle Resort Hotel. The perpetrator was shot dead at the scene. Investigations have revealed that the perpetrator suffered from mental illness and is suspected of harboring strong prejudice and hatred towards religion..."

"Hey, brother, did you hear that? That's what they said."

On television, the news seemed increasingly distant, but the matter the host announced, which should have been taken seriously, was met with a mocking and sarcastic tone in the spacious dressing room.

At this moment, the blond-haired handsome boy was lying on the bed like a naughty child.

Claudio—his words were filled with a childlike malice, pure and unadulterated:

"In the end, they still didn't dare to announce our existence."

"That's perfectly normal, Dior."

Looking up at his 'mischievous' younger brother, the more composed boy simply spoke calmly:

"As Lady Kycilia's warriors, we have higher authority than anyone else here. Even if we knock their teeth out, they can only swallow it down."

"Ah, that's exactly why it's so boring."

After yawning, young Claudio simply rolled over lazily on the sofa:

"Brother Claude, when do you think we can go to the front lines? I heard from that idiot Ronette that the Federation seems to be attacking soon."

"That depends on Dr. Kelster's progress. Our team only has five people, but only two have been modified so far. The spot for the third one hasn't been decided yet."

"Isn't this more than enough?"

"You're right to understand the team's composition, but have you forgotten? Our two little girls are still fighting for the last spot."

"Tia and Tini..."

Claudio couldn't help but sigh when he mentioned his two younger sisters' names:

"Those two are indeed hard to beat."

"No, her motivation wasn't based on power. Tia has emphasized many times that the system Dr. Kelser developed is dangerous, and she doesn't want Tini to be in danger—the book says it's something called kinship, the love a sister has for her younger sister."

"What kind of talk is that? I've never seen her care about me at all. I'm a younger brother too!"

Claudio couldn't help but complain.

But soon, as if he had thought of something, a smile returned to his innocent face:

"But my brother definitely cares about me, right!"

Upon hearing this, Claude couldn't help but laugh.

He gently closed the book in his hand, then gently tapped it on his younger brother's head:

"What? You're thinking nonsense again?"

With a warm smile like a spring breeze, he spoke gently:

"I can't feel anything, so how could I possibly care about you?"

…………

Without a doubt, they are utter monsters.

Normal people, even extremists who are easily swayed by emotions, would never disregard life, but they are different.

For them, even if they caused such a tragedy, it was nothing more than a pre- or post-meal digestive activity. Whether or not to kill was just a matter of a thought, and then they openly and legitimately handed over all the work afterward to others.

Then, those who held a superior position simply stood aside as if it were their right, and even though there was indeed a survivor who was spared because he was bored, his existence was deliberately erased.

Because they were not injured, they were not taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, in the specially arranged luxury room, there was no trace of the bloodthirsty media, nor of the police who were supposed to protect the survivors.

As if deliberately controlled, all that remained were the person involved and two 'strangers' who should have been unrelated to the matter:

"In short, the investigation results are in—the child's name is Leslie Arno, he is three years old, and his parents are from Side 4. They are both employees of the Per Group and work at this resort hotel. Normally, they would not go to such a luxurious restaurant."

"Then why were they there?"

"Because yesterday was this child's birthday..."

The moment the words left his mouth, Kuvatro felt he couldn't continue reading them.

His basic military discipline prevented him from wavering because of this, but he still unconsciously shifted his gaze away from the sleeping boy:

“The Per Group provides personal accident insurance for its employees, and given the Per Group’s deep ties with Fleming Industries and its relatively sound insurance system, there should be no need to worry about this child’s future.”

Theoretically, that should be the case, but...

"He has no family left."

No embellishment or emotional intensity is needed; the moment these words are uttered, any external compensation or reassuring remedies are easily shattered.

"You didn't mention any other relatives, so it must be... none, right?"

At that moment, Kuvatro instinctively reached out to Gao Ren, but did not move forward.

It was as if he had missed his last chance; his ears were now filled with the cruel reality.

"I don't know if you can understand that feeling. It's not the pain that echoes in your heart, but an irreparable emptiness, like a dark universe. The familiar calls you make every day are sealed away, and every time you mention them, the facts of that day are repeated in your mind."

"However, you know, the memory of three- or four-year-old children is very fragmented. Even if they have instinctive fears, these will eventually fade away, so these things are not so difficult for them..."

What does that mean to them?

Is it merely 'disappearance'?

The damage wasn't that great?

"This child may not have even been able to develop a complete worldview and understanding of social relationships..."

"At the same time, the child also failed to establish a 'connection' with the world."

"..."

“A three- or four-year-old child can only rely on his or her parents to understand the world. His or her parents are his or her only connection to the world. When that protective barrier disappears, he or she must face the world on his or her own.”

At this point, Gao Ren couldn't help but cover his forehead.

After finally shifting his gaze from the sleeping boy, he looked at Cuvatro:

"Captain, you should understand this from your experience in intelligence. This world isn't kind, especially now that there's war..."

"But you should also understand that we have a mission in this city. It's like finding a stray cat on the last day of a business trip. We simply can't take good care of this child."