Beacon of Light in the Dark Sea

Value (3)

by BlossomTL

Beacon of Light in the Dark Sea

As Kang Soojung walked, she stretched her wrists, shoulders, and forearms while speaking to me.

“This is also my concern as an old lady. Judging from the last part of your broadcast, if you shared the information with the intention of helping others without any compensation, as the deputy team leader of Engineer A Team, I’m incredibly grateful and thankful beyond words. Surviving safely would be the way to repay your intentions and actions.”

Kang Soojung continued with a sigh.

“It’s awkward for me to say this as someone who lives here, but there are more than a few jerks in this underwater base. I’m not sure how those who don’t know gratitude for sacrifice will evaluate your attitude. You should worry about those who might block your path by questioning the intent of the information or demanding more.”

Kang Soojung trailed off as she continued to stretch her fingers and wrists for a long time. I responded slowly to Kang Soojung’s words.

“······Then there’s nothing we can do about it.”

It’s not like they’d get anything more out of me anyway. A fleeting expression of pity, as if looking at a naive person, crossed Kang Soojung’s face. Soon, with a blank expression, Kang Soojung muttered.

“I’ve often seen good people get tired and give up after showing kindness and goodwill. I hope that doesn’t happen to you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Seo Jihyuk, who was walking ahead, rotated his wrist a few times while holding the scissors. He didn’t seem to like holding kitchen scissors. As Kang Soojung started looking at her pad while walking, Seo Jihyuk, passing by Cinema 2, suddenly asked us behind him:

“Why sharks, I wonder?”

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“What?”

“Pardon?”

“Sharks. Sharks. Did the doctor mention Infinity Church in the broadcast? You said they worship sharks, right? They’re the most vicious-looking creatures in the sea. If it were me, I’d choose something cooler-looking like a ray or the biggest blue whale as a symbol, but why specifically sharks? Are Greenland sharks especially tasty?”

Is that what he’s most curious about from the broadcast? The little information I gained about sharks was from what I picked up professionally, not because I’m interested in marine life. How would I know there was a great white shark named Deep Blue? I didn’t even know sharks were given names like pets.

The only news I’d heard about the sea came from depressing newspaper articles I occasionally encountered while working. I’d only read things like how fish resources have decreased to less than 1/20 compared to the year 2000, how most coral reefs are dead and the seas are empty, or how commercial fishing bans are being implemented worldwide but there are still fishing boats engaging in illegal fishing. I explained to Seo Jihyuk only what I happened to know about sharks.

“There are no dental clinics in the shark world. There are no dentists either. Nothing would be more foolish than opening a dental practice exclusively for sharks. They don’t get cavities. Their teeth are coated with fluoride components. So no matter what they eat, they don’t get cavities even if they never brush their teeth their entire lives. I heard that even if their teeth fall out, they grow back in 2-3 days. They have 7 rows of teeth, and although I didn’t ask, I doubt they have any intention of getting braces.”

If people’s teeth grew like sharks’, all dentists would become beggars. Seo Jihyuk, who had visited the dentist not long ago, made a shocked expression and said:

“You don’t get cavities even if you don’t brush? Suddenly, I’m very envious of sharks.”

In response to Seo Jihyuk’s sincere words, Kang Soojung narrowed her eyes in disgust and said:

“That’s what you’re envious of?”

“Deputy Team Leader, I get cavities occasionally even when I brush well! At least I wouldn’t feel wronged if I got them from not brushing. Imagine if I were to kiss someone. What if I brushed my teeth until they wore down and gargled three times, but still passed on cavity bacteria to the other person?”

“I don’t think you need to imagine something with such low possibility and usefulness.”

As Kang Soojung cut him off, Seo Jihyuk shook his head and said:

“Ha. Sometimes you’re the cruelest in our team.”

“······Anyway, since millions of germs and bacteria are transferred during a kiss, you don’t need to worry specifically about cavity bacteria.”

The exchange of saliva is one of the reasons why mutual consent is absolutely necessary. Hearing my words, Seo Jihyuk looked at me with shocked eyes and soon had an expression like he was about to vomit.

I recalled Seo Jihyuk’s room, which seemed to have almost nothing in it. He must be very particular about hygiene. Kang Soojung also fell into thought while holding her pad. To bring the two back to reality, I explained briefly:

“Don’t worry. If you have good living habits and high immunity, there won’t be any problem.”

Judging by Seo Jihyuk’s expression, it doesn’t seem to be much comfort.

“It sounds like you’re saying if living habits are bad and immunity is a mess, problems will arise one way or another.”

“If you’re in that state, cavities would be the least of your worries, so don’t stress about it.”

Surprisingly, my answer seemed to convince Seo Jihyuk. After thinking for a few seconds, he nodded and asked again:

“What else is there about sharks?”

He has good focus. I had already forgotten what we were talking about. Kang Soojung looked at Seo Jihyuk and asked:

“What do you know?”

“Eh. Sharks that attack humans are extremely rare. Plus, even those ones are picky eaters, so in the case of humans, they only taste the arms and legs. When they take a bite to taste and spit it out, from a human perspective, that’s why you end up with holes all over.”

Seo Jihyuk scratched his chin with his fingertips as he continued.

“And things like how even small ones seem huge when you see them underwater, or how they approach silently, or how you should stay completely still if you actually encounter one, stuff like that. You should urinate, defecate, vomit, or deal with bleeding as far away from your body as possible because it might attract sharks. You shouldn’t throw away food waste either. And you shouldn’t dive at night.”

As Seo Jihyuk listed what he knew, folding his fingers, I suddenly felt an incredibly itchy sensation in my side and stomach. When bitten by a shark, I couldn’t do anything. Stroking my side that was stiffening from tension, I asked the two:

“Is there any effective way to avoid a shark attack, or a way to counterattack if bitten?”

Surprisingly, Seo Jihyuk didn’t mock my question. Rather, he thought seriously and answered:

“Like attacking the eyes or nose or something? I guess you could punch or kick too, but I’ve never fought a shark myself.”

Laughing incredulously at Seo Jihyuk’s words, Kang Soojung said:

“Then how is that different from what you usually do?”

“Sharks are better than people. Fish don’t pick fights with me.”

It’s more surprising that someone so tall and muscular gets into fights. What kind of place is this underwater base anyway?

“Deputy Team Leader, if you had to choose between fighting a shark or a crazy person, you’d choose the crazy person too, right?”

“······True. I’d probably feel guilty if I hit a shark.”

Seems like they don’t feel guilty hitting people. Listening to these people talk makes me feel like my moral sense is being twisted. Kang Soojung denied all of Seo Jihyuk’s answers and explained to me:

“Doctor, first of all, attacking a shark’s nose is really nonsense.”

At Kang Soojung’s statement, Seo Jihyuk exclaimed as if wronged:

“That’s really what the safety guidelines say!”

“Shut up! ······Unless you’re someone who regularly throws punches, how would you immediately aim for a shark’s nose or eyes? There’s something called shark repellent that scientists racked their brains to create. You could buy some shark repellent and spray it in emergencies, or there’s an electric shock device for repelling sharks. If you wear that on your ankle while diving, sharks will recognize humans as large whales and run away. Don’t listen to this gorilla’s nonsense, I recommend using the achievements of civilization.”

So such things were created to repel sharks. Well, with mosquito and cockroach repellents existing, it would be strange if there wasn’t a shark repellent. Seo Jihyuk said with a displeased expression:

“Wouldn’t it be better to practice straight punches or knife-hand strikes rather than buying such things?”

“Ah······Knife-hand strikes to catch sharks? Please. Stop saying weird things. Do you think the doctor is like you or Team Leader Shin? Consider ordinary people. What do you think the doctor will think of our team after hearing you talk?”

I already think it’s plenty weird. Being a socially competent office worker, I didn’t answer like that.

“I’ve heard both of your answers well. I’ll try not to encounter sharks.”

Let’s never, ever, absolutely never meet again. While I was mentally cursing the shark from the past that had ravaged my lower abdomen, Seo Jihyuk asked the Deputy Team Leader with furrowed brows:

“Then what do you know about sharks, Deputy Team Leader?”

“······I heard sharks have to keep swimming until they die. If they stop moving even for a moment, they sink right down. They can barely breathe only by swimming constantly. So they can only sleep briefly or rest for very short moments. I heard it’s impossible for them to fall into a deep sleep. They live their whole lives like that, with their mouths open and inherent insomnia. And if they stop moving at some point, they drown and die in the seawater.”

Kang Soojung muttered halfheartedly while checking her pad intently. What a depressing content.

“······Where on earth did you hear such knowledge?”

When both Seo Jihyuk and I looked at Kang Soojung, she shrugged and said:

“From a sleep lecture for modern people suffering from insomnia.”

“Was it effective?”

“It was for me. Before going to bed, don’t look at electronic devices, keep your mind at ease, and don’t dwell on past embarrassing events.”

You’re accomplishing the three most difficult things before bed. I fail at them every day.

“Was it a lecture held in the underwater base?”

“Yes. It was a lecture by Pamela Brown, and it was better than I expected. She also provides sleep-related mental counseling, which is quite good, they say. We also bought pajamas and pillows together with the other lecture attendees, and listened to stories about creatures with sleep problems like this.”

The name is similar to Elliot Brown, who conducted my mental counseling.

“Is she acquainted with Elliot Brown?”

“They’re identical twins, I hear. I’m not sure if they don’t get along or if they just don’t like going around looking the same. Elliot has long blonde hair, while Pamela dyed her hair and eyebrows brown and tanned her skin dark with sunbathing.”

As I listened to Kang Soojung’s explanation, a person’s face flashed through my mind like lightning. I couldn’t recognize who it was then, but now that I hear the description, I understand. It was the cult follower who pretended not to see us at the exhibition hall.

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