lan shifted his gaze away, finally letting it rest on the grand hall at the very center. The hall had only a few cracks through which
one could glimpse the activity below, where rows of researchers were busy crunching numbers and processing data.
"Have we got the creature's vitals yet?"
"How's Specimen 1 today? Was the breeding attempt successful?"
"Specimen 3 is dead. Have someone clean up the carcass."
To these researchers, the beings behind the glass were mere subjects, devoid of humanity.
"Specimen 5's skin is completely necrotic - the virus is a triumph. It's ready for field deployment."
"Ah, | can't take this anymore! Just letdie; please letdie. | can't be part of these experiments any longer. God, I'm a sinner;
I'm bound for the deepest pit of hell!"
The hall fell silent in an instant following this frenzied outburst, tension hanging heavy in the air. Then the largest door swung
open, and a man in uniform stepped through. He was young, around twenty-eight, with leather boots that spoke of a certain
aloofness.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThe atmosphere in the hall turned leaden as the man let out a derisive chuckle and approached the screaming researcher.
The researcher was shaking uncontrollably, and the man grabbed his hair, his tone icy.
"I've said it before - no disturbing the peace."
The researcher, terror-stricken, prostrated himself on the ground, clearly out of his mind.
"I'm sorry; it's my fault."
The man simply pressed his boot against the man's face.
"Isn't Specimen 3 dead? Toss him in there."
The man wanted to turn the researcher into a test subject.
No one else dared to speak, especially not when the man appeared. Everyone bowed their heads, quietly continuing with their
experiments. The man's presence was oppressive, a mountain looming over their heads.
"Give him a shot of our strongest toxin; | want to see how it fares."
A hint of a smile played on his lips as someone deferentially placed a chair behind him. He sat down, his eyes gleaming with
interest as he watched the scene unfold.
The former researcher was thrown into Specimen 3's chamber, and as white smoke filled the glass enclosure. After the smoke
dissipated, his skin began to dissolve, yet he did not die. Instead, he stared vacantly ahead as blood pooled at his feet. He opened
his mouth to speak, but his teeth fell out one by one.
"ARI
“AI
With each cry, more blood poured forth.
The sound was amplified within the hall; if one looked closer, each researcher bore the mark of exhaustion: dark circles under their
eyes. They started their experiments at five in the morning and continued until two in the next morning. Slackers risked becoming
test subjects themselves.
Newcomers would often break down until the fate of the subjects scared them into incontinence.
They preferred the dread of living in this place over a gruesand undignified death.
Chronic sleep deprivation left its mark; they moved like zombies, now accustomed to the unspeakable sights that surrounded
them.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmThe man's cries did not halt their work; they continued numbly, fearing they might be next. The man in the uniform rose from his
chair, clapping his hands with content, his voice laced with pleasure.
"Bravo, simply bravo."
Clearly, he was pleased with the effects of the toxin. He adjusted his leather gloves with a smirk.
"The entertainment is over. You all know what to do, right?"
The resumed sound of experiments was the only answer he needed. The man departed with a laugh, the master of all he surveyed.
lan watched it all, etching the man's face into his memory.
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