Wednesday, February 12, 2194 AD.
Utopia (New Testament Civilization), Vietnam.
Saigon City, Free Wilderness.
Edge of the Old City Ruins Site.
..
Within the ruins of a massive mechanical structure.
Base of the secret organization "Hell Gate."
..
Two characters:
Priestess of the Black Scarf, member of "Hell Gate."
The elderly priestess draped in a black cloak, air shrouded in mystery.
Apprentice of "Hell Gate," the girl Sapasa.
Sapasa, 17 years old, with long yellow hair and a yellow dress.
Her pupils, too, are yellow.
..
Sapasa is a Artificial Womb baby.
On the day she was born, her mother calmly committed suicide.
Before dying, her mother left a message on Sapasa’s information bracelet:
"If you cannot change the fate of poverty,
then after turning 18, end your life too.
We poor have no need to humble to live, compromising with fate."
..
Since gaining memory, Sapasa often watches the footage of her mother’s serene suicide on the information bracelet.
From childhood, she has suffered from depression.
Leading her to join "Hell Gate", they self-proclaimed "Suicide Alliance."
..
The Priestess of the Black Scarf administers deep hypnotherapy to Sapasa,
after which the two engage in a profound soul-to-soul dialogue.
..
Priestess:
"Though you love each other,
both of you are the lone star.
Either she kill you,
or you kill her.
Most likely, only one will survive."
..
Sapasa:
"My destiny is written by the heavens, not me.
If fate demands my death,
I’d rather embrace it swiftly.
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To die at the hands of my love
would be a captivating release."
..
Priestess:
"End it while there’s time.
Separate, and both might survive."
..
Sapasa:
"We met in an orphanage as children,
both from the Golden Triangle of the Amani Chaos Region.
We reunited later in Utopia’s Vietnam.
Our meeting was fate’s design.
She is the only love of my life.
I’d rather die than part.
For love outshines life itself."
..
Priestess:
"How much do you owe on your LifeLoan?"
..
Sapasa:
"LifeLoan has spending limits—hardly any luxury.
Only for Information bracelets, cheap transit…
How much can poor people spend?
Less than $10,000, maybe."
..
Priestess:
"If you die with an unpaid LifeLoan.
your body belongs to the LifeLoan Corporation.
Young as you are, your body is valuable.
They’ll profit hugely from you."
..
Sapasa:
"Then you help me.
Pay off my debt.
After I die, my body will be yours."
..
Priestess:
"If I cleared your debt,
I’d daily wish for your early death.
I am by nature kind, this would betray my heart."
..
In Utopia, LifeLoan is a loan service for the poor.
Offering interest-free, indefinite credit.
Poor citizens can borrow indefinitely when broke,
and delay repayment as long as they remain cash-strapped.
..
But LifeLoan has spending restrictions,
limited to Information bracelet fees, low-cost transportation, and basic necessities.
..
If a borrower reaches old age with unpaid debt,
their remaining lifespan is calculated to settle the debt:
their body is handed over for scientific experimentation during their final years.
..
For example, it is estimated that a poor person can live to be 80 years old.
The loan will take 10 years of scientific experiments to pay off.
At 70, their body becomes property of the LifeLoan Corporation,
delivered to research institutions until death,
with remains disposed of at the corporation’s will.
..
If a borrower dies non-naturally before old age with unpaid debt,
their corpse also belongs to the LifeLoan Corporation,
subject to unrestricted use.
。。
。。
