Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint - Chapter 253: The Country of Steel and the Faceless Men (2)

In the Military State, no one could commit crimes.

This applied not only to ordinary citizens but also to the upper echelons, including officers and the owners of holding companies.

If anyone used their power and position to satisfy their selfish desires, if they drained the blood of the citizens for their own gain while not being part of the Military State, then an uninvited guest would visit them during their night of celebration.

The Ministry of Public Safety, the executioners of the Military State, commanded the military police.

When Zigrund, the Camarilla, knocked on your door, it was over for you.

The evidence was already secured, and their position and wealth were already nullified.

Even the hyenas who pretended to be willing to give up all of their possession would cower in fear at the Ministry of Public Safety’s warning.

It was said that a master’s swordsmanship was so profound that the opponent didn’t even realize they’d been cut.

A similar thing happened in this case.

By the time they realized they were being watched by the Ministry of Public Safety, their limbs had already been severed.

Even if they tried to resist in despair, their opponent was a Six Star General, a peak of power and authority.

Not even officers could stand against her blade.

The only emotion a criminal is permitted is regret for committing a crime in the Military State.

But there’s one fact no one knows.

Before the Ministry of Public Safety arrived, the criminal would have already been visited by Zigrund.

Though, at that time, it wouldn’t have been in the form of Zigrund.

***’Kerapald’ urged us to hurry as he led us further into the refinery.

The factory was enormous.

The outer walls were thick concrete, and large chimneys spewed white smoke like volcanoes.

Despite the size of the building, there were no windows visible from the outside.

Instead, dozens of ventilation ducts and a large steel door were eerily positioned on the outer wall.

When we opened the thick door, a wave of heat rushed out from inside.

And the interior of the alchemic steel refinery was revealed.

“The alchemic steel refinery is a large facility that converts combustible alchemic materials into Alchemic Steel. It’s divided into deconstruction, classification, and refining processes. The deconstruction process breaks down combustible alchemic materials through Dealke, in other words, deconstruction by structural transformation. During that process…”

‘Kerapald’ explained, trying to assert his usefulness, but his intention was lost. Everyone was too shocked by the unbelievable sight before them.

Clank, clank.

Humans bound in chains walked along the rails.

They held their left arms limply over their shoulders, following the hooks that led them.

Their faces showed no expression or vitality.

They didn’t even glance at the unfamiliar intruders as they headed to their designated spots.

They struggled to breathe as they stood before the red-hot, molten steel flowing along the rails.

Then, the chains were pulled with a clank.

The chains were connected to a Bio-receptor.

Like a fish hook piercing a fish’s mouth, the hook inside the Bio-receptor, now a chronic source of pain, manipulated the human body.

“Ugh.”

With a dry scream, the laborer, unable to resist the hook’s force, extended his hand.

In front of him was a partially melted ingot of Alchemic Steel. Steam still rose from its heated surface, and the hook dragged the laborer’s hand towards it like a petulant child.

At this moment, the laborer hesitated. His instinct as a living being warned him not to approach the blazing piece of steel.

However…

“Aaahhhh!”

The chain was violently pulled. The hook dug into his flesh, creating deep, red grooves.

The human skin, essentially just another layer of clothing in this hellish landscape, was pushed aside.

Unable to resist the force, the laborer reached out.

Towards the molten steel, different in density from flames.

His skin began to cook.

To resist being turned into a piece of meat by the searing heat, he had to use alchemy.

“Set! Li, D-Dealke! Dealkee…!”

Such horrific screams echoed from all around.

Enough screams to produce the Alchemic Steel supplied throughout the Military State.

Somewhere, someone failed in their alchemy.

Their horrific screams soon were accompanied by the smell of burning flesh.

The white steam rising from the burning body fluid floated up to the factory ceiling, surveyed where it came from and then disappeared far away with the wind.

They were mistreated, risking their survival and suffering… No, it was the Military State’s worst labor camp, where humans were tortured and squeezed dry.

The alchemic steel refinery was an insult to all the common sense accumulated by humans and stood as a blasphemy that mocked morality and justice on its ruins.

“…T-This, this is. T-This is unbelievable.”

The Princess’s delayed reaction was because she needed time to understand this entire system.

She trembled in shock and horror.

“H-How can this be? What did these people do to deserve this? No matter what they did! This is…!”

The Regressor, somewhat familiar with such sights, merely grimaced.

“This is why I didn’t want to come here. Tsk. It’s just sickening.”

[…Even the human farms my retainer ran were not this bad. Sometimes, humans show more brutality than vampires.]

Even Tyr, a vampire, remarked on the severity of the scene.

｢When faced with an extraordinary sight, humans show new reactions. Humans are essentially like square boxes. Depending on what flows in through their eyes and ears, they show different reactions. Unless you’re a god, you wouldn’t know what’s inside that dark box. But with enough observation, you can imitate it.｣

Meanwhile, ‘Kerapald’ observed our reactions as if testing us.

｢Confirming reactions. Risk factor X, signs of déjà vu. Has he been to the refinery before? That would explain his negative feelings towards the Military State. The Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka, admiration…? Contempt? One thing is clear, she has faced worse hellscapes before, hence the muted reaction. And.｣

After briefly observing the Regressor and Tyr, ‘Kerapald’ showed a clear interest in me.

“How is it, Huey?”

｢Pied Piper of Hamelin. How will you react?｣

‘Kerapald’ exhibited a sense of superiority for infiltrating such a dangerous place.

But that was only from the perspective of his role, justifying his actions through performance.

Inside, he was coldly scrutinizing me.

Why?

In this place filled with dangerous people, why specifically watch me?

｢Insufficient information. His powers used are unidentified. Kerapald described him as a simple genius with no special talents, but someone who outshone not one, but two Six Star Generals and survived Tantalus can’t just be a simple genius. There must be more to him than meets the eyes.｣

I attract strange people, don’t I?

All information in the Military State passed through Zigrund once.

She has the first right to view the Signallers’ information and even has a dedicated Communication Headquarters to assist her.

Gathering all this information, she was naturally drawn to the enigma that was me.

｢He turned even the Gunmaster against the Military State and got the Progenitor to leave her coffin. Whether that’s coincidence or his power, show me, Pied Piper. Show me how you charm the strongest. Show me the vital role you play in all this…｣

Fine. If that’s what you want.

I’ll show you. A completely different side of me.

“This insane country… How can they treat humans like this?! How can they use humans as mere tools?!”

Expressing my outrage at the trampling of human rights under the name of the Military State, I raised my voice.

The Princess, feeling similar emotions, agreed with me, but the Regressor looked puzzled.

“Huh? What’s with you? Have you suddenly discovered humanity?”

“There’s a time and place for jokes, and this isn’t it! Can’t you see this horror, Mr. Shei? Don’t you feel anything seeing all this?!”

“Oh? No, it’s just… You’re unusually emotional…”

It’s to deceive the Camarilla!

Don’t ruin it!

｢Sense of justice? Did he turn against the Military State out of a misplaced sense of justice? Hmm. The risk factor’s reaction isn’t certain yet. Let’s test further.｣

‘Kerapald’ added a careless comment, feigning ignorance.

“Uh, this is actually one of the better places…”

A very calculated statement.

Something a careless ‘Kerapald’ would say, yet a subtle trap.

I inwardly cheered.

Setting a trap meant he saw me as prey. In that case, I must act the part.

I walked right into his trap.

“Kerapald, what do you mean by that? If this is better, what’s next? What’s there?”

“This side, those handling the deconstruction process are relatively educated. They’ve learned standard magic and alchemy, so they have comparatively easier tasks.”

“So, what about the next process?”

I asked, and ‘Kerapald’ nonchalantly answered.

“Those who don’t know any alchemy are working in the next process.”

A contradiction.

Alchemic Steel is a product of alchemy.

How could someone who didn’t know alchemy refine Alchemic Steel?

But ‘Kerapald’ stopped explaining there, leaving me to figure it out.

｢He hasn’t stood out in combat so far. Does he hold the role of staff officer in the group? Let’s test his capabilities.｣

Sorry, but I already know the answer.

I passed your test by cheating.

There are no questions I don’t know if you have the answer.

“Using alchemy without knowing alchemy? That’s impossible…”

There is.

There is one way to use alchemy without knowing it.

Something every adult citizen of the Military State has.

One of the Seven Major Inventions of the Military State, a clothing packet that adapted to their body and enabled them to perform alchemy.

Knowing the answer from mind-reading, I acted as if I had barely figured it out through deep contemplation and announced the answer with a look of disbelief.

“The Bio-receptor…?”

｢Correct.｣

“Using the human body as a mold, pouring molten steel into it…?”

｢Piecing together fragmented information to reach that conclusion. He’s not a simple genius. He’s indeed their staff officer.｣

‘Kerapald’ nodded, upgrading his assessment of me.

“Tsk, you know. Well, it was an easy question for you, the top student…”

Alchemy refers to the act of processing materials into useful substances.

There was nothing special about it; every living being, including humans, performed alchemy every moment.

They burned consumed food for heat and refined the waste into blood and flesh, which was then distributed throughout the body.

Life itself is the most complex alchemic activity in existence.

“Your answer is correct, Huey. Life is the primary element of alchemy… So, using life itself to perform alchemy is possible.”

Beyond this door, there would be humans packed like chickens in a coop.

Only their left arm with the Bio-receptors would stick out of the iron bars, there, red-hot molten steel continuously pouring in.

Unlike the laborers here, they had no freedom at all.

Because they didn’t need freedom to do their job.

I muttered a single word.

“Utterly insane.”

And I meant it.

This refinery wasn’t built out of malice.

Though it ultimately tortures the laborers, that was merely a byproduct.

The reason the Military State built this refinery was…

It was necessary.

They needed enough alchemic resources to keep the country running.

And the only way to produce those resources was by exploiting countless humans.

The Military State exploited prisoners to produce Alchemic Steel.

I watched a laborer scream in pain.

His clothes were clean, and although stress had caused his skin and hair to fall off, he was relatively well-fed.

The chains binding them were clean and free of rust.

If the laborers died quickly because they overexhausted their mana, it would be a loss for the Military State.

There was no malice, corruption, or hatred there.

Only cold logic that drove humans into suffering.

I now understood how Kerapald could infiltrate such an important facility.

Even high-ranking officers wouldn’t stay sane while overseeing this place, so they had to bring in external personnel.

And then he got caught by the Camarilla and she became ‘Kerapald’.

I shouted.

“Let’s destroy this place right now!”