Chapter 126: Do Ji-hwan's Ambitious Project (3)
In many countries, surrogacy was defined as illegal, and even if it was legally recognized, there were various restrictions and strict conditions. Even if one actually engaged in such an act, various problems arose afterward.
There were cases where people sought surrogates due to truly unfortunate circumstances, but most tried to resolve the situation on their own rather than involve other people.
But what about this world?
A time when ability users were leading the world.
A time when babies who were not ability users were shunned.
As much as life bloomed when one gave birth to an ability user, humans had also come to have a grotesque thought.
-If the child is an ability user, does it need to be mine?
Oh.
It seemed that not only ability users could be devils.
Human greed knew no end, and humans had always found and created ways to achieve their desires.
-If you use the genes of an ability user to have a child, there’s a high likelihood the child will be an ability user?
-S-class children are almost certainly ability users, right?
-So if you ask an S-class to have a child on your behalf, a truly remarkable ability user will be born, right?
While it might be grotesque, it was also an extreme example of human desire.
After all, it was better to have the baby born as an ability user.
Even if the child was not mine, as long as the child didn’t know that and supported me in the future, wasn’t that good?
Whether it was a surrogate father or a surrogate mother, in the end, if the ability user child and the parents were connected by heart, wasn’t that what mattered?
With that thought, humanity had created a way.
They passed a law, treated ability users specially, and made it possible for such acts if the ability user “wanted to”.
It was illegal to take the genes of an ability user to make a child.
But it was possible if the ability user was the direct subject.
-Men sow seeds, and women provide the field. And so, all our people will become ability users in 100 years. Tsk tsk. What? Genetic problems? Does it make sense to measure ability users by human genetic problems?
In the name of progress, humanity began to consider the mass production of ability users around 2020.
If an ability user male and an ability user female met, married, and had a child, then an ability user child was born.
“Have you ever seen a horse race? Do you know how the horses in the race are born?”
Someone made an analogy for those who might find the topic uncomfortable or unpleasant.
“They are bred. A stallion with superior genes is used to impregnate a mare with superior genes, resulting in a foal that is born ready for racing, its body prepared from birth solely for running.”
Utilization as a breeding horse.
“A mare gives birth to a foal after about 11 months. Even if breeding starts now, it will be nearly a year before a foal is born. I’m not sure if twins are born sometimes, but you know what I mean, right? It’s good if twins are born; if not, so be it.”
Combination of superior genes.
“A male with superior genes naturally has the duty to spread those genes to many females. To pass on the genes to just one female? Oh, that would be a huge loss to humanity… I mean, to the horse racing world. Therefore, the breeding horse must meet as many females as possible. The male only has to run hard for one night, and then the female takes care of the rest, carrying and giving birth to the foal over the next 11 months.”
Naturally, in terms of reproduction, males had the advantage of being able to reproduce “many times.”
“Everyone, don’t think too hard. Don’t make it complicated. Humanity has been repeating the same actions throughout history, as proven by history itself. The only difference now is that the object of our actions has changed. Don’t you want your child to be an ability user in an era where everyone else has superpowers? Are you going to let your child live as a non-ability user in such a world?”
Even considering human ethics and universally valid morality, it didn’t seem right.
“This is not wrong. Yes, if you want to have a child that carries on your bloodline, then do so. But when the child is born, if it’s not an ability user, don’t complain. That was your choice.”
But humans often twisted even the most justifiable logic to suit their selfish greed.
“Everyone, think about this. Sending your child to a kindergarten that teaches Korean from a young age is no different. Are you not going to teach your child Korean when they are young? Now, we must all learn Korean. The era when English was enough to communicate worldwide is over! Now, we must study Korean!”
To repeat.
“Spread the genes of Korean ability users, turning all newborns in this country into ability users. Eugh! Who are you?!”
This world was truly a nationalist fantasy novel.
“Korean! Ability user! Male! S-Class! If such a person exists, spreading those superior genes worldwide is our mission for the next generation, eugh!!”
“That’s crazy.”
As soon as I heard about surrogacy, I felt a chill down my spine.
“Seol-hee, what did you just say?”
“I’ll be your surrogate. I will.”
Seol-hee, who was sitting on the bed, slowly got up. She was shorter than the relatively tall Yumir but had an overwhelming charisma, similar to Mount Baekdu.
“In the current situation where Ji-hwan’s wife can’t have children if Ji-hwan wants to have a child, there’s only one way, right? To have a child through another woman.”
Logically, there was no error. The problem did not lie only in logic; ethically, there was an issue.
“Seol-hee, do you know what you are saying right now?”
“Of course, I know. I’m not a fool. I’m an adult and a 0th generation superpower. I’m practically the first child to be born with superpowers compared to others. Do you think I would say such a thing without any thought?”
Seol-hee was very confident.
“As a hero, and as a woman, I try my best to help. That’s also a great help to me personally.”
“How does becoming a surrogate help you, Seol-hee?”
Before I could gather my thoughts, Yumir stepped forward.
“An S-class hero is having a child with an unnamed ‘non-superpowered person’?”
Yumir thoroughly hid the fact that I was the Goblin. Of course, one could infer the relationship between Solar Platina and the Goblin and deduce the ‘Ji-hwan = Goblin theory’, but it was safe to say that there weren’t many people who could come up with such an idea.
“What would happen to the world if the strongest female hero in Korea suddenly announced she had a child? Wouldn’t the world turn upside down trying to find the father?”
“I can take responsibility.”
“Responsibility? Really? You’re going to block Ji-hwan’s entire life?”
“I can take responsibility for that as well. That’s why I’m saying this.”
This wasn’t going to work. The conversation was not getting through.
“I have a lot of money. Not only the money I received as an S-class hero but also the assets I’ve accumulated through financial planning and investment.”
“So, are you going to hide Ji-hwan in a secluded villa with that money?”
“That’s impossible if you have money. Moreover, if you receive help from the country.”
“Are you going to mobilize the power of the state?”
“Yes. From the government’s point of view, they might regret that Baek Seol-hee doesn’t have a child with the man they want, but after all, they want Baek Seol-hee to have a child with abilities. In that sense, it is also helpful to me.”
Baek Seol-hee seemed to be thinking, “Which apartment should I take the Ji-hwan couple to live in, the most secluded place possible, from people’s attention?”
“What if the child born with abilities is later leashed by the government?”
“Then, I will step forward to help. I will deal with the government regarding the child’s freedom.”
“What if the child isn’t born with abilities?”
“Even if the child isn’t born with abilities, it is important that it is Ji-hwan’s child. Although there will be a difference in degree, it might be an able child since I am the one giving birth, but it doesn’t matter, even if it’s not. Half of the blood is from Ji-hwan.”
“That, Seol-hee?”
I interrupted their conversation and grabbed Baek Seol-hee’s shoulder.
“It seems like you are heated up right now, but could you be a bit more calm…”
“I am more calm and rational now than ever.”
This was big trouble.
This woman was sincerely looking at me now.
It was different from Yumir’s case.
Yumir tested me, subtly probed for information, and stealthily acted to gain what was beneficial to her from me bit by bit.
Baek Seol-hee was different.
It was not about testing or checking if I was lying.
Like a hero.
“Do you dislike the idea of having a surrogate, or do you dislike me? If it’s the latter, I’ll cleanly give up. But if it’s the former.”
She was ‘sincerely’ pushing me.
“If your wife agrees, wouldn’t it be okay? Call her. Right now.”
“Seol-hee. I mean.”
“Come on, call her. Ask your wife if it’s okay for me to have a child as a surrogate.”
“…I am curious about that, too.”
Baek Seol-hee in front.
“Since we are talking about surrogacy, we can’t not hear what the person involved has to say, right?”
Yumir in the back.
And me, stuck between them.
“Yes.”
Beep beep.
I made the call.
[Hello?]
“Hey, it’s me.”
[…Yes, hey.]
There.
“Can you talk for a moment?”
[… I’m working, so I can only talk for about 3 minutes. What’s up?]
“You see.”
I was definitely thinking I couldn’t do this.
“This girl I’m meeting on Sejong Island…’ two,’ she says she can be a surrogate. Is it okay?”
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