005 Shizuku

In a place like the streets of Meteor City, where food and resources were scarce, few residents could enjoy regular meals, let alone taste meat. Only the elders of the top management and their closest associates could afford such luxuries.

The Elder had assigned Ronnel the grim task of cleaning up corpses, but it was his unique ability to remove all the negative effects from the dead that made him invaluable.

After all, processed human flesh could fetch a good price in certain circles, and the corpses Ronnel handled sold for even more—completely free of any telltale signs of decay, even the faint sour smell gone as if it had never existed.

…

Leaving the small garden behind, Ronnel didn't return to his residence right away. Instead, he made his way to the material collection point. Every time he cleaned a corpse, the Elder rewarded him—often with basic necessities. Though rare and precious in the desolate streets of Meteor City, the value of these items paled in comparison to the profits made from the corpses he processed and sold.

The black card the Elder had given him served as a voucher, a kind of disguised currency that worked in Meteor City's underground economy. After trading two black cards for supplies, Ronnel headed back toward his small hut. Someone was waiting for him there.

The night sky was bright with moonlight, casting long shadows across the city's grimy streets, but people still moved about, their footsteps quiet. Whenever they saw Ronnel, their gazes filled with a strange mixture of fear and disgust.

The people of Meteor City didn't fear death itself—they lived too close to it to be afraid. What they couldn't accept was the desecration of their corpses after death. Yet, they also held a grudging respect for Ronnel's work, knowing that he brought peace to the bodies he cleaned, potentially sparing their souls suffering in the afterlife.

However, the knowledge that these same bodies might be sold and eaten turned their stomachs. Their wariness of Ronnel grew from this tension, and so they avoided him. But Ronnel didn't care. He knew that one day, he'd leave this forsaken place. He kept his distance from these people, focusing instead on his own goals.

The moonlight illuminated his path as his home came into view. A warm smile crept across his face at the sight of his small, flat house.

"I'm back!" Ronnel called out as he approached the door.

He knew better than to knock. Even if he did, the person inside would never open the door unless he spoke first.

As soon as his words left his lips, the door creaked open slightly, and a small head peeked out.

"You're back," said a soft, almost monotone voice.

The girl standing in the doorway, though young and cute, spoke without much emotion. Her soft, almost childlike voice contrasted sharply with her detached demeanor. But Ronnel didn't mind. He was used to Shizuku's strange nature.

"I got a lot of supplies this time," he said with a grin, reaching into his bag and pulling out the various items he had collected.

"We'll be good for a while, Shizuku."

The girl blinked slowly, her face still as flat and expressionless as ever. Shizuku, with her dark hair and indigo eyes, wore a pristine, slightly oversized shirt that didn't hide her curvy figure. Despite her aloof nature, Ronnel found comfort in her presence. After months of living together, they'd built a fragile trust.

Ronnel's hand reached out, gently patting Shizuku on the head. Her gaze stayed locked on him, her expression unchanged. But it was in moments like this that Ronnel's mind drifted back to the day he first arrived in this world—and to when he met Shizuku.

He remembered the overwhelming feeling of dread as he woke up in a massive landfill, surrounded by people in protective gear speaking a language he didn't understand. His casual clothes offered no protection against the radiation and industrial waste that surrounded him. Within minutes, dizziness had taken over, and his vision began to blur.

Just when he thought he'd pass out for good, Shizuku had appeared, her hazmat suit glinting under the harsh light. Without a word, she had pulled him out of the toxic mess and sucked the harmful substances out of his body using her strange ability. She saved him.

When Ronnel regained consciousness, he was dressed in old, worn clothes. Shizuku had taken his original outfit and exchanged it for food. Since then, they had stuck together in the harsh, unforgiving world of Meteor City.