Inside the sewer, a man was curled up beside a pool of sewage. He reached in to rescue a small rat that had accidentally fallen into the water. He paid no mind to the soaked little creature, simply taking out a tissue and carefully wiping it dry, muttering to himself the whole time.
"We're clearly of the same kind. You yearn for human wisdom and power, while I just want to be a rat, as free as you are. How ironic."
Once wiped clean, the little rat didn't leave. Instead, it stared at the man with a look of utter confusion.
The only mimicry ability he had left was a slight understanding of the rats' language. He had moved into the sewer to live among them, sharing their food and shelter for the sake of his research.
He never used to understand why every man in his family lived so cautiously, without any ambition. Aside from getting married and having children as soon as possible, it seemed as if simply existing was enough for them.
