Chương 194: Timeout (2)
<Author's note: The things (racism, sexism, political views, etc.) depicted or mentioned in this story do not reflect the real world and are purely coincidences. If they do, please keep in mind that they are simply for world-building and are only work of fiction. Thank you for your understanding.>
Nathan finished eating his meal and was lighting a cigarette.
Click!
"Wooo..."
He blew out a white cloud as he put down the lighter and watched a hummingbird land on an electrical wire nearby.
"Wooo..."
The bird made a few chirping sounds before flying away.
He turned to Zita who just finished eating her protein bar and was drinking water.
"Zita."
She looked at him.
"This isn't me nagging or kicking you while you're down and I for one really hate it when people lecture me during or right after a meal. I'm also not trying to be overdramatic. However, there is no time so I have to be blunt."
She put her bottled water down.
Truth be told, if Zita was a boy and considering the fact that they aren't blood-related and they're in a zombie apocalypse, Nathan would've dealt with her in a very, very different manner. He would've been colder, harsher.
Despite his experience in life, even living in Womania for 8 months which was a super liberal and politically correct country, and also the sick and evil things he has done ever since the zombie apocalypse happened, at his very core, his views about life, in general, is still that of a brown-skinned Asian, a Muwinian to be exact -- conservative.
It had its advantages and also its disadvantages.
And for brown-skinned Asian cultures, boys and men aren't to be babied.
They are supposed to be men.
"Listen, you have to let go of your first-world mindset or sensibilities."
"Okay, I understand."
"I don't think you really understand. Do you know what does sensibility means?"
Zita thought about it for a moment before answering, "It's how you feel."
"Yeah, something like that or about how you view and react to the things around you.
"You see, a person from a third-world country has a totally different mindset from a person who comes from a first-world country.
"For starters, Asia has the highest population when it comes to race. Living in a third-world Asian country will have reality slap you so hard in the face just to tell you that not every life is created equal and human rights is a luxury.
"Um... Let's see... Uh... Did your parents ever take you to one of those Slum Tours?"
"Slum Tours?" Zita said with a confused expression. "Snok -- I mean, no."
"Hmm..."
Nathan sucked his cigarette to think about another approach.
"Wooo… Well, you're from Iskaldia, right? That's a first-world Caucasian country and you look like the ideal child of every white person with your icy blonde hair and green eyes. And if I were to judge you from your demeanor, I'm going to bet that you grew up in a decent and loving family. And to top that off, you're also a Chosen One. I don't know what did you do in your previous life to have so many blessings, but the only thing lacking from you is if you were born a man and you would've had the world by the balls.
"I'm sorry. I know that was very insensitive for me to say considering what happened to your parents. But I had no choice but to say those things in order to stress out how privileged you actually are and how helplessly oblivious you are about how the world really works because you've been living in a bubble within a bubble."
"No, mister. I'm not stupid. My parents taught me well and I go to a good school and I have good grades. Even though I'm only almost 11 years old, I know of a lot of things about the world and a lot of my teachers and people told me that I act mature for my age."
He raised an eyebrow.
"You really think so? Then explain to me how was it a smart idea for a kid your age to ask a complete stranger to take you with him and even go to another country just because you want to become strong."
"That's…" Zita said and then became silent.
"Don't confuse academic smart and street smart because they are two different things. Also, there are different types of intelligence.
"Being academically smart is just like being a well-trained monkey or parrot. And in third-world countries, just being academically smart and hardworking doesn't guarantee you a successful life. You need more than those two things to survive here.
"Just to give you an idea, did you know that Muwin is among the top 5 richest brown-skinned Asian countries and within the top 50 in world rankings? But don't be fooled by those titles because in reality it's survival of the fittest here, a dog-eat-dog world due to the fact that brown-skinned Asian governments are so corrupt, only second to Africans and tied with brown-Caucasians.
"Okay, since you say you're smart, let me test your logic. Don't worry. It's just a simple question. That's all.
"Let's say you're the smartest mathematician that has ever lived. On top of that, you're also one of the most musically gifted person in the world. However, you're born in a poor family and the society you live in is run by criminals -- the politicians, policemen, etc. -- who are always on the lookout to prey on others. And when I say 'prey,' I mean they will really use you for their own personal gains, regardless of whether you like it or not. You have no control over it. You're literally under their mercy.
"Now, tell me, what are you going to do in order to survive in such an environment? Tell me. I'll wait."
Zita thought long and hard until finally answering, "I… I don't know…"
"See? Exactly my point. And it's not like you're going to teach them math or entertain them with your musical talents, right?
"That, Zita, is the world that we in the developing or third-world countries live in. When I say that just being smart and hard-working isn't enough to survive here because you need more than those two things due to the fact it's literally survival of the fittest here, it's simply a fact.
"And in my case, well, I took the easy way out. I went to another country, a first-world country to be exact, because it was the only way I could see myself earning money quicker.
"Now, going back to how is it a smart idea for a kid your age to ask a complete stranger to take you with him and even go to another country just because you want to become strong, well, all I can say that you're extremely lucky I'm not a sick bastard who's into torturing children. Do you think you can stop me if I were one? You'd be lucky if I just killed you right away. What if I decide to torture you for days, weeks or months and then sell you? What are you going to do within that time period? Commit suicide? Trust me, kid, I know a few ways to keep you from committing suicide.
"But hey, let's say I was really a sick bastard who's into torturing children and you had to fight. Tell me, in your heart of hearts, do you honestly think you stand a chance against me if I was your enemy?"
Zita shuddered as she recalled the battle from earlier.
Despite her very young age and severe lack of fighting experience, even she could tell that those men that they encountered earlier were severely outmatched by Nathan.
But what really frightened her was the level of brutality that he has shown, especially how he dealt with Long Hair.
"No…" she said almost like a whisper.
"Trust me, kid. Here in third-world countries, if you don't know how to play the GAME here or refuse to play the GAME, the crocodiles, sharks, wolves and foxes disguised in sheep's clothing here will devour you. And we have PLENTY of those kinds of people here who wouldn't think twice to take advantage of you."
When Nathan was still a kid, he used to think all adults were stupid.
In his mind, if only they could just settle all their differences and love and respect one another, 99.9% of the problems in the world would just disappear.
Unfortunately, as Nathan got older, he realized that life wasn't as simple as that.
During the time between his exile from Latif city and before going to Womania, he lived around the country. He had the luxury to do so because he was working online. And of course, to be able to afford such a lifestyle and also save money at the same time, he lived in neighborhoods that were between lower-income middle class and slums. So whether he wanted it or not, he got to see and experience the good and bad sides of living in a brown-skinned Asian country like Muwin.
He learned that there are times doing the right thing is wrong, there are times that doing the wrong thing is right, and there are times that things are simply what they are.
In the beginning, he, of course, tried to distance himself from all the negative sides. But he quickly realized that such an approach was impossible because whether he likes it or not, as an average person with an average background, if he wanted to live in a society and enjoy its benefits, he also had to deal with the disadvantages that come with it.
So he continued to soldier on.
And the more he knew about the world, the more confused and disgusted he got that the only saving grace that's keeping him from being insane was his grandfather's advice.
Whether his grandfather's advice was correct or not, he doesn't know. But at the very least, it made him financially stable.
And in the world before the zombie apocalypse, if there was anything he was absolutely sure of, it was that money talks.
To anyone who says money can't buy happiness, Nathan would dare that person to try saying that to a starving and shivering homeless person and ask if they're happy.
"But of course, I'm not saying first-world countries are these utopias or something because I've also seen some crazy and sick things there. However, first-world Caucasian countries are the best of what the world has to offer, especially when it comes to women and children's rights. Anyone who says otherwise is a complete moron."
"Mister, what is utopias?"
"Utopia is something like paradise or heaven."
"Oh... So it's sheavenk."
"Sheavenk, huh... Anyways, if you just step outside of the first-world bubble and live like how the rest of the world lives, just be in their shoes and see things from their perspective, you will quickly realize that living with dignity and a clean conscience while climbing the socio-economic ladder is a privilege that only a select few can actually have. Moreover, there are places in this world that don't need a zombie apocalypse to be considered a hellhole."
"Socio-economic ladder?"
"Um… My point is, there are kids way, way younger than you who have no choice but to grow up as fast as they could if they want to survive and have a good life."
"Okay…?"
"Some of them can even be so unlucky. If they are caught by criminal syndicates, they will be maimed or worse, by their own parents or family members, in order to be used as professional street beggars.
"One of the things they would do is destroy your eyes but not completely, just enough that you would have a hard time on your own. Or will have the kid deliberately jump in front of a moving car or truck to get hit so that they can sue the driver or the company that the driver works for for money.
"Can you imagine your own parents or family doing that to you?"
"No…"
Nathan sucked his cigarette and then chuckled as he recalled other few funny memories he had here in Muwin.
"Wooo... Kid, have you ever witnessed a mother put a price tag on her own baby?"
*********************************************
Author's thoughts:
Hello, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reading!
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