After running for over a week, we finally arrived at Zone 1. A world of pure light, where night had completely vanished. It was nothing short of a dazzling paradise, untouched by darkness.
The moonlight floating high in the sky far surpassed the sun. From a distance, it had always seemed endlessly cold, but here in Zone 1, it felt incredibly warm.
‘So this is why they call it a blessing granted only to Zone 1.’
The people of Zone 1 revered the moon of humanity as if it were a god. And so, to them, the Shining family—who had bestowed upon them a new moon—were like divine representatives.
When I first heard about it, I thought the residents of Zone 1 had collectively fallen into some kind of cult. But after seeing it with my own eyes, I could somewhat understand their unwavering faith.
“Dear, pull up the window.”
I raised the window that I had left wide open while gazing at the moon. We were about to enter Zone 1. Since we hadn’t received an official permit for our visit, Han Jae-hoon had warned us not to attract attention.
That must be why we switched to a more rundown car on purpose. Regular citizens of the zone could stay for a few days without requiring a special permit.
“We’ll head to the eastern village.”
“Alright, but make it quick.”
As soon as we passed through the entrance of Zone 1, we turned toward the eastern village. Unlike Zone 5, which had a smaller population, Zone 1 was divided into four separate villages.
Each village housed more than twice the population of Zone 5, and their way of life was vastly different from what I was familiar with.
“Why is that—?”
This place was completely unlike the world I knew. Had the collapse of civilization and its regression by centuries somehow not affected this area?
Cars rolled down the roads, trams ran along their tracks—everything resembled modern times. Of course, the people’s clothing and the relatively short buildings gave a different impression, but the contrast with Zone 5 was so stark that I was left speechless.
‘Is it because of electricity?’
While even the governor’s mansion in our zone couldn’t freely use electricity, forcing us to rely on gas lamps, here, electricity was abundant. Their massive, lightbulb-like moon illuminated the world endlessly. No wonder Han Jae-hoon was furious.
“We’ll be arriving soon.”
As the car entered the eastern village, it navigated through a narrow alley. The stone-paved road made the vehicle jolt violently, though not as much as when we crossed the zone’s boundary.
Then, we reached an alley so narrow that the car could go no further. Gradually slowing down, the driver stopped in front of it. When he announced our arrival, Han Jae-hoon stepped out first. I followed after him.
“This is the place, right?”
“Yes, that is the doctor’s house, as mentioned by the attending physician.”
The narrow alley was one of the darker areas in Zone 1, despite the overwhelming brightness elsewhere. More than anything, it was too cramped for a car to enter, and at a glance, it wasn’t exactly the cleanest place. Han Jae-hoon couldn’t help but question if this was truly the right location.
“Well, we might as well check it out.”
Since we had come all this way, there was no choice but to proceed. At Han Jae-hoon’s signal, the attendants who had followed us in another car stepped forward and entered the alley first.
“Seo-yul hyung.”
Vin, who had also stepped out of the car, approached me. After a brief moment, one of the attendants who had gone ahead waved from beyond the alley. Only then did Han Jae-hoon move.
“Let’s go.”
We stepped into the alley and soon arrived at the house of the doctor named Xenia. As we entered through the slightly open wooden door, an unpleasant scent immediately hit us.
‘What is this?’
The scent was so strong it made my head ache. While I frowned in discomfort, Han Jae-hoon and the attendants didn’t seem bothered at all.
“Seo-yul hyung, do you smell this?”
“Vin, you smell it too?”
Thankfully, Vin could smell it as well. I had no idea why it was just the two of us, but the deeper we went inside, the stronger the scent became.
I raised a hand to cover my nose and looked around the dimly lit interior, obscured by blackout curtains. With not even a single ray of light filtering through, the place felt like a deep cave. Ahead of us, Han Jae-hoon called out to the owner.
“Is anyone here?”
“Who is it?”
A frail voice emerged from the darkness. There was a rustling sound, and then a small, delicate old woman appeared before us.
‘That smell is coming from her.’
The stench that was making me nauseous originated from the old woman. Straightening her hunched back, she approached Han Jae-hoon. Was she really the rumored doctor? Han Jae-hoon, hiding his skepticism, bowed deeply in greeting.
“My apologies for arriving unannounced, Lady Xenia.”
“I never told you my name, yet you know it.”
The old woman let out a chuckle. Han Jae-hoon, now standing straight again, hesitated, unsure whether to laugh along or remain silent.
“So, why have you come to see me?”
After laughing for a while, the old woman finally asked. Han Jae-hoon turned to look at me and gestured for me to come forward. The closer I got, the stronger the scent would become. Forcing my expression to remain neutral, I stepped up beside him.
“It’s about my son—”
Before he could finish, the old woman raised a hand to silence him. Her pale gray eyes locked onto me, scanning me with slow, unwavering scrutiny. Then, she took a step closer. As expected, the scent grew even more intense.
“You… the awakening pains have begun.”
“!!!”
The old woman, having realized my condition without me even saying a word, let out a laugh as she spoke. With any lingering doubts now completely erased, Han Jae-hoon stepped closer to her, pleading desperately.
“I came looking for you after hearing the rumors, Lady Xenia. They say you can cure even those whose awakening has begun. Please, save my son. I don’t care how much it costs—please, I beg you…”
“Rumors, huh?”
The old woman listened silently before raising a skeptical brow.
“I don’t know who started such talk, but I am no god. How could I possibly cure an awakened one?”
“But I was told—someone said you could—”
“Baseless rumors.”
She drew a firm line, cutting off any hope. Han Jae-hoon, who had been clinging to the last thread of possibility, collapsed under the weight of despair.
“Father!”
If I hadn’t caught him in time, he would have hit his head on the hard stone floor. The attendants rushed inside at the sound of my panicked cry and hurried to support him.
“You there, child.”
The old woman gestured toward me. I had been so focused on Han Jae-hoon that it took me a moment to realize she was calling me.
“Me?”
“Yes, you, dear.”
Following her beckoning hand, I cautiously approached. Thankfully, the unpleasant scent was much weaker now. It had faded enough that standing beside her wasn’t unbearable anymore.
“Would you step inside for a moment?”
Taking my hand, the old woman gently pulled me deeper into the house. With Han Jae-hoon still in shock, I quickly told Vin that I’d be back soon before following her into the cave-like interior.
After seating me on what felt like a bed, the old woman slightly pulled back the heavy blackout curtains. Light instantly flooded into the darkness, illuminating the space.
“You can sense this scent, can’t you?”
She sat down beside me and asked. I nodded honestly, and a warm, knowing smile spread across her lips.
“How does it feel to you?”
“Can I… be honest?”
“Of course. Speak freely.”
“It’s… a little unpleasant.”
Even though she had asked for honesty, I wondered if it had been too rude to say that the scent of her home was unpleasant. Regret crept in the moment the words left my mouth.
“Of course. That’s only natural.”
But instead of looking offended, the old woman spoke as if my reaction was the most natural thing in the world. Her unexpected response made my eyes widen. Was there something I didn’t understand? Sensing my curiosity, she answered before I could ask.
“I am an Omega as well.”
“What?”
My voice instinctively rose at her completely unexpected answer. Omegas were supposed to have been cast out beyond the walls, yet this place—while on the outskirts of the village—was still very much inside the walls.
“But how—?”
“Female Omegas can hide it as long as they endure their heat cycles. It’s easier for us to live in secret.”
Only then did I understand. Women were naturally capable of pregnancy, so even if they were Omegas, it wasn’t as obvious. But for men, it was different.
“I recognized you as an Omega at a glance because of this scent.”
“Scent?”
“Every Omega has a distinct scent. You might not notice it, but the fragrance you’re releasing is quite overwhelming for me.”
I quickly buried my nose in my arm, but I couldn’t detect anything remotely close to what she was describing. Seeing me sniff myself all over, the old woman let out a laugh.
“Not that kind of scent—I’m talking about pheromones.”
“Pheromones?”
“Yes, pheromones.”
Even hearing her explanation, I couldn’t make sense of it. A scent that wasn’t just a scent but pheromones? My confusion must have been obvious because the old woman patiently began explaining it step by step.
“Everyone has pheromones, but the New Humans have particularly developed ones. They can use them to express emotions through scent or even intimidate others. Of course, that only works on other New Humans. Here, like this.”
The moment she finished speaking, the scent that had previously felt unpleasant suddenly turned warm and light. Feeling emotions through scent—was that even possible? It was incredible.
The old woman then taught me how to control my pheromones. Following her instructions, I closed my eyes and focused on my senses. And at that moment, for the first time, I became aware of my own pheromones.
