Super Zoo

When God closes a door for mankind, He often opens another.

Park Cheol-bin was exactly like that. A strange disease had taken away his appearance and ability to act as a normal person but had endued him with a brain much more powerful than that of an ordinary person. Precisely because illness confined him to immobility, Park Cheol-bin's sole pleasure and hobby from childhood was reading, acquiring a vast amount of knowledge.

The Park family brothers didn't expect Park Cheol-bin to become famous or establish a family or to acquire various academic degrees and certificates; they simply had him read books because that was almost the only thing the poor child could do.

Thus, Park Cheol-bin read widely. Over the years, the books he had read could nearly form a small library. There was nothing he hadn't touched: from astronomy and geography to biographies, economics and law, arts and sciences, and more... During an afternoon conversation, the breadth of knowledge and vision displayed by this young patient astonished Suming.

'Books' were just one form of media; related movies, TV shows, newspapers and magazines, even comic books—Park Cheol-bin overlooked none of them, absorbing knowledge far beyond what an ordinary person could learn in a lifetime.

This child not only had a wide range of knowledge but also excelled in communication skills. If you can say that a pair of parrots can chat for three days and nights without a break, talking with Park Cheol-bin made you feel like you could listen to him for days on end without getting tired.

Suddenly, Suming thought of someone: Hawking. This scientist, acclaimed as the greatest since Einstein, was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at the age of 21. Since then, he had been confined to a wheelchair for half a century, able to move only his eyes and three fingers. Nevertheless, relying on his persistence and willpower, he became one of the few who stood at the pinnacle of humanity.

Indeed, those standing at the pinnacle of mankind weren't the wealthiest nor head of states, but scientists who explored the mysteries of life and the universe.

From the afternoon's conversation, Suming learned of several situations.

Park Jeong-ui and Park Young-myeong, the brothers, had indeed died. After returning to his country, Park Jeong-ui went straight to his brother Park Young-myeong's home as if nothing had happened, and spent a day as a guest at Park Young-myeong's home. It was during this visit that Park Jeong-ui informed Park Young-myeong's family about everything concerning Suming.

That night, after dinner, the brothers had a long conversation in a private room, and what happened there was unknown to even Park Cheol-bin until two gunshots were heard...

In the room with the two dead bodies was a suicide note, unbelievably written in both Chinese and Korean. The Chinese version was carried by Park Cheol-bin wherever he went.

The suicide note was divided into three parts. The first part dealt with the inheritance: eighty percent of the brothers' estates were to be inherited by Park Cheol-bin, with Song Zhiya in charge of management until he came of age; the remaining twenty percent would be inherited by Song Zhiya.

The second part was addressed to Park Cheol-bin and Song Zhiya, roughly stating that the grudges of the past generation had been settled and expressing the hope that he, Park Cheol-bin, would start a new life in a different environment.

The third part was actually addressed to Suming. The content was neither lengthy nor melodramatic, but rather polite, with Park Cheol-bin announcing his intention to visit as a junior and hoping Suming would be willing to receive him.

The message was indeed simple, without requesting any tangible help from Suming, nor even mentioning the small promise previously made to Park Young-myeong.

But the implications were profound.

A widowed mother and her son had sold all their possessions in their homeland to travel thousands of miles to visit this 'Mr. Su,' clearly expecting him to take on the responsibility of guardianship.

If Suming were a bit colder, he could merely 'host' them and fulfill his obligation as a landlord, after all, his only interaction with Park Jeong-ui was a single encounter, and they couldn't even be considered friends. Given that they would have been in a state of enmity if not for the sudden appearance of a group of ninjas, it would have been perfectly reasonable for him to dismiss the suicide note entirely and not even offer his hospitality.

But after seeing this mother and son, especially Park Cheol-bin, who bore the torments of illness like a little monster and yet was so optimistic about life, Suming simply couldn't harden his heart.

It seemed that Park Jeong-ui was indeed a wise man; after just one meeting, he had understood what kind of person Suming was and knew exactly how to move him.

The second matter was about Park Cheol-bin's illness.

Even if the brothers of the Park family died, the assets they left behind would be enough to provide a worry-free life for this mother and son, more lavish than most people could ever live.

The reason they desperately clung to Suming like 'bums', solely because of an insubstantial legend and an unenforceable promise, was because of Park Cheol-bin's illness.

This disease was similar to Hawking's condition, but not exactly the same. Hawking could survive quite well under good medical conditions, but Park Cheol-bin's illness was different; it was deteriorating almost daily. After medical examinations, it was found that most of his cells were continuously shrinking and dying for some unknown reason, and no treatment methods could be found.

At the current rate, this child, not yet sixteen, could only live until his early twenties at most.

Therefore, the Park family had to seek out Suming, even if there was just a glimmer of hope, they had to grasp it as if it were a lifesaver.

Suming even felt that the simultaneous deaths of Park Jeong-ui and Park Young-myeong were not solely because the younger brother had once sent someone to kill the older brother; a part of the reason might also have been to push the Park family to a dead end, leaving Park Cheol-bin completely helpless, invoking sympathy for him.

After all, the value of the 'elixir of life' could not be measured by money.

After chatting for half the afternoon, Park Cheol-bin showed signs of fatigue several times but instantly forced himself to cheer up, continuing to converse cheerfully with Suming. It was apparent that the child was acutely aware of his own plight.

"Okay, Zhebin, if you think it's manageable, from now on you can live with your mother at the zoo." Suming said, "But it's best not to bring those two assistants."

Upon brief contact, Suming sensed that the two assistants had a similar air to the ninjas he had encountered before. Park Cheol-bin's father had at one time sent a group of ninjas to assassinate Park Jeong-ui, and Suming didn't want his zoo to be too entangled with the ninja organization.

"Hmm, they have followed Mr. Sakata for many years, and by ancient terms, they would be my retainers. But I also feel that they should have their own lives. I will give them some money and let them live their own lives. Oh, Mr. Su, could you push me outside..."

"Hmm? Is something wrong? I'll get someone to do it." Suming was taken aback.

Park Cheol-bin smiled embarrassedly: "I need to urinate..."

Suming slapped his forehead, dammit, he was dealing with a patient, and he had been so careless.

With the assistants gone, it was necessary to find a dedicated and attentive caregiver for him.

After taking Park Cheol-bin out to take care of his personal needs, Whisperwind Pavilion was open for dinner in the evening. The child couldn't eat normal food, but the adults still needed to eat.

Speaking of 'adults', Suming's mind couldn't help but wander, wondering whether the Park brothers were entrusting their child to him, or entrusting their wife to him. They say a woman in mourning should look graceful, and Song Zhiya, in her thirties or forties, was at the prime age of a woman's maturity, very well-maintained, dressed as a widow.

Could it be, this mother, for her son, wanted to stage a seductive... enticement.

Dammit, a beast, I'm not human! Suming shivered and secretly smacked himself hard on the mouth.