Chapter 348: Ghosts (5)

Ruka POV

We worked and followed the orders given to us for the next 3 days or so, we even eliminated a couple of the researchers on the way of our investigations. We were then brought in as suspects since the killing started as soon as we worked there.

There were several other people brought in as well, but right after our interrogation, one of our bombs was made from crushed combustible and explosive magical plants. We set it and it exploded at the right time, and we were all then sent to check the scene and see that several researchers died thanks to it.

Someone then came and rushed to tell us to go guard the project as some of them were seen dead as well. After our job was done, we were sent to our rooms and followed their lockdown procedure, we had our room inspected and everything.

Since they found nothing, they moved and a staff then told us that we were granted permission to get on the break bus on the weekends. It's to take us to this 5-star hotel where there's a shopping mall and we can stay the night at the hotel for free since they're owned by the same company.

However, this was apparently good?

Lust works there and the hotel is used to...well, people relieve their stress there, and you can even get paid for it. It's the closest way we can make contact with her, and the only way to get into the hotel is if you work for the company or invite guests of the company, which are usually investors and business partners.

You can definitely just go shopping and take a break like normal, but...if we want to make contact with her, we would have to join her pool party, there's a 1-hour span where it's just a regular party, but after that...

"Yo, will the girls allow if we ask to let you sleep with some women to make contact with Lust?"

"No, I wouldn't ask them that in the first place." he rejected the idea, "We can just reject the break thing and continue to stay here, I rather not flirt with any other women."

"Why? You scared of bringing more into the harem?"

"Let's not get into that. Anyway, this is a chance, but at the same time, I rather not take that chance. During this break, we're also 100% sure that Lust is away and Wrath is here alone, let's not waste the opportunity. Cain is weaker than me, he's just immortal, so we got nothing to worry about."

"Fine, but Wrath has the strength of an actual god, and if we have any of our help, his comrades will sense the condensed magic in one spot and will get suspicious, we can't beat him. Subduing him will be even harder."

"I know, but still, I said to not waste the opportunity, with one god gone, we got easier security."

"What if we do meet Wrath? He might put in a double shift and just by being around him, he'll bring up your memories and use your anger against you. I can already tell that you're barely holding with your act."

"Yeah, just... seeing those images and everything, it brought back memories. Memories of being one of the projects."

One of the things I noticed is his hatred of the term 'project', the term 'project' reduced the complexity of his experiences, of his suffering, into a clinical and heartless classification. It stripped away his humanity, just as it had for so many others who had been subjected to these experiments.

The word itself held the power to bring back memories of pain, fear, and a sense of being dehumanized. To him, it wasn't just a word; it was a reminder of the trauma he had endured, the horrors he had witnessed, and the long journey he had undertaken to break free from this nightmare.

The sooner he finished this thing, the better, and to use the illusion skill all the time must be exhausting for him.

"Then let's send our external help to deal with Lust. That Amora person doesn't seem that lustful, she can probably do something while we take out the extinction class." I suggested

*****

3rd Person POV

The news of the researchers' demise spread through the facility like wildfire. Shock and fear hung heavy in the air, mingling with an undercurrent of whispers and speculation. The board of directors is feeling the fear sinking in as their empire is facing downfall for the first time.

A tension clung to the atmosphere as if the very walls were holding their breath, waiting for the next shoe to drop. Cain's frustration was very visible his carefully constructed world was unraveling right before his very eyes.

Panic was also widespread among the directors.

"The projects have been compromised," one director murmured, his voice quivering with an edge of panic.

"The experiments, the evidence…it's all being exposed," another added, "I eliminated a news outlet the other day, but we have no idea how many other escapees are out there, we're going to be exposed soon if this goes on."

They were no longer untouchable, no longer hidden behind layers of bureaucracy and false promises. The darkness that had enabled their empire was now being dragged into the light, and the consequences were too dire to ignore.

"We cannot allow this to spiral any further. Our entire operation is at risk." Cain said and silenced the board

Outside the walls of the boardroom, the facility buzzed with activity. Guards patrolled with heightened vigilance, and whispers of the 'ghosts' and they echoed through the corridors.

The facility, once a haven for unspeakable experiments, was now a battleground between those who wanted to continue to stay there and work for them or quit so that they could escape scrutiny once this crumbles.

*****

Maple POV

Currently, we're in this car thing, and driven by my mother, in our backseat were our guests, Amora and Ace, and Buddy. We are sent the location of this hotel where Lust can be found.

"Lust, huh?" Amora murmured, "This will be interesting."