"Captain Fratley, we're doomed!" a flight attendant cried out in panic as she screamed toward the cockpit.
"Shut up! You think I don't know that!?" Fratley snapped back, shouting as he struggled to stabilize the plane.
The aircraft he was piloting had four engines and was built by a reputable company. One that had recently become entangled in a massive scandal. Three of the engines had already shut down, and now he was doing everything he could to keep the plane steady.
He wasn't an amateur. In fact, if they were flying over the sea or an open field, he would've already initiated an emergency descent and attempted a landing. But unfortunately, they were above a densely packed city filled with towering skyscrapers, and the airport was still far away.
What options were left? Land on a skyscraper, repeating a tragedy that would make global headlines?
"Fucking company! So greedy even when they're filthy rich!" Fratley cursed, knowing the failure was caused by the manufacturer cutting corners to save money.
"Captain Fratley… since we're probably going to die, I have a confession to make," the attendant said, looking at him with a serious gaze.
"Confession!? What confession!?" Fratley barked, clearly annoyed.
He had spent his entire life single, focusing entirely on his career. His plan was simple, save enough through investments to retire early. That's why he took as many flights as possible, never giving himself time to date.
But that wasn't the only reason. Deep down, it was also because he was a blunt person.
No matter who he spoke to, he always said exactly what was on his mind. The number of men and women who had stormed off crying or hurt after speaking with him was uncountable.
And now, just when he was about to die, someone who could actually accept him showed up? He couldn't help but think, why did God hate him so much?
"I really l -"
"Save it! I don't need to hear it now. Just close your eyes and pray!" he snapped, adrenaline flooding his body.
With no other choice, he searched for the least populated area and dove the plane downward, aiming to land it there. The aircraft plummeted. Screams and panic filled the cabin as it slammed into the concrete.
BOOM!!!
Fratley jolted upright from his bed, his face covered in sweat. "Dammit! That dream again!" he growled, rubbing his face.
"To think even with the 'Psychopath' trait, I still feel like this." He stood up and walked into the bathroom, splashing cold water onto his face.
In the mirror, sharp blue eyes stared back at him, framed by golden hair. It had been one year since his birth in this world, but thanks to advanced technology, he had already lived the equivalent of seventeen years.
A week after he was born, his mother Emily placed him inside a growth acceleration tube. While his body matured rapidly, his consciousness was immersed in a virtual world.
At first, the program presented a gentle, motherly image of Emily teaching him how to walk, talk, and read. If he had been a real newborn, he might have been fooled. But Fratley knew better.
That wasn't how his mother acted at all. She was the real psychopath, and he still remembered what happened the next day.
There had been a small celebration. Randy, Emily, and the other members, Karen, Ben, and Jack, were all there. Through their conversation, Fratley learned a lot about them.
Randy and Emily were in a relationship. While Randy was the leader of the group, Emily served as the doctor. She seemed to have solid medical knowledge, and everyone trusted her with their lives.
Then there was Karen, the group's researcher and farmer. She spent most of her time conducting experiments and growing food for the settlement. Fratley remembered seeing her wielding an SMG during the last battle.
Ben handled construction and maintenance. He was always tinkering with machines or repairing equipment.
Jack was the quiet one. Fratley didn't know much about him, but he saw him busy in the kitchen, cooking meals for everyone.
The celebration didn't last long, but what happened afterward would stay with Fratley forever.
His mother carried him as she went about her duties. Unlike the others who already had defined roles, his mother was still a newcomer to the settlement.
Sometimes she helped with research, other times she assisted in treating wounds. But on that particular day, Emily brought Fratley into one of the warehouses, the same one where Randy had dumped the corpses.
Inside, the warehouse was divided into two sections. On one side, Fratley saw crates filled with vegetables.
Hanging from the ceiling were numerous hooks holding animal carcasses. Some creatures were also laid on the ground, like the giant snails the knights had used as mounts.
As someone who had survived in the wilderness before, Fratley didn't find their choice of meat strange. After all, one had to eat to live. But what he saw on the other side was something entirely different.
There were several crates, each labeled with human organs, eyes, hearts, lungs, and some were marked with unfamiliar names. He suspected they came from other humanoid species. One crate, for example, was labeled "Gnome," another "Imp."
Emily casually picked up one of the knights' corpses and placed it on a table. With practiced ease and precision, she stripped the body naked and began cutting it into parts.
All the while, she hummed and commented casually.
"Oh, this is a good heart. It should fetch a good price."
"Tsk… only one of her eyes works. The other's no good."
"As expected from this hypocrite Order. They use kinetic repelling shields, yet preach about rejecting technology and implants. What a bunch of idiots."
She continued making remarks while appraising each organ, but she didn't stop there. As she worked, she also used the opportunity to teach Fratley.
"Look here, son. The bullet went clean through her stomach but stopped at the ass plate. Cheap armor, yeah, but it still saves their kidneys. Lesson one: Don't shoot where people can afford to get stabbed."
Emily casually flipped the corpse's arm off the table. "Vital organs, always. Heart, lungs, head. Anything else, you're just being wasteful."
She paused, holding up a half-melted eyeball like it was a grape. "Also, never aim for the eyes unless you're not selling them. They're fragile, overpriced, and the buyers always want them intact."
Then she glanced at Fratley with a smirk. "Remember, son. In this world, corpse is money. But not all sells the same.
You shoot dumb, we eat snail steaks for a week. You shoot smart?"
She held up the heart again."You get yourself a new gun. And if we're really lucky, they'll be packing implants we can rip out and resell or reuse."
Inwardly, Fratley cursed, 'Crazy mother!!! What the hell are you teaching your son!? Fuck it… at least they're not cannibals!'
But honestly, from what he'd seen so far, he wouldn't even be surprised if they were. His own mother, a duke's daughter no less, was casually treating corpses like merchandise, valuing organs in silver and gold without a hint of hesitation. And yet, despite the morbid scene, Fratley couldn't help but be amazed by this world.
Somehow, frozen organs could still be used for implantation. And based on what his mother said, they didn't even need to worry about compatibility. If they did, she'd be recording blood types and genders too, not just the quality and freshness.
Back in the present, Fratley splashed his face with cold water one more time before getting ready to head out. Today, he was going hunting with Randy.
He was looking forward to it, finally getting the chance to put everything he'd learned in the virtual world into real practice.