Honey Serpent

Yaeko moved with a calm and deliberate pace through the deserted corridors, her heels clicking sharply against the pristine floors. In one hand, she carried a stack of papers, her eyes darting along the empty hallways as if expecting an attack at any moment. She turned a corner and faced a solid wall—a dead end. Instead of turning back, she retrieved a key card from her skirt pocket, holding it up. The concrete wall responded as if by magic, gliding open with a welcoming gesture.

She stepped into the room beyond. It resembled a grand courtroom, but instead of a jury, dozens of holograms were seated around a lone pedestal at the center. The space was eerily silent, save for the echo of her footsteps. Yaeko approached the pedestal and placed the papers on it. A larger hologram flickered to life, revealing a man with long black hair and three jagged scars running down the left side of his face.

"Welcome, Miss Ikemizu," he greeted, his voice smooth as honey but laced with a sinister tone. Yaeko remained poised, her gaze steady despite the hologram's collective gaze on her.

"I have the files you requested, sir," she said, gesturing to the papers before her.

"Excellent," he replied, a chuckle in his voice. "Please send them to me after the meeting concludes." He paused, then asked, "Now, about the demons—are they performing well?"

Yaeko glanced at the files briefly before meeting his gaze again. "According to Agent Kurokawa's reports, they're doing moderately well. They begin their weapon and ability training today. I'll retrieve Kurokawa's updated reports after this meeting."

The man's expression shifted to one of contemplative interest. "So, they'll be ready for the mission soon, correct?" Yaeko's brow furrowed in confusion. The training schedule was supposed to span at least a week if not more. And even that was incredibly small compared to the scale of the mission. She always knew what everyone was thinking, but not him. Why was he immune? It was puzzling, to say the least. But most of all it unnerved her. Noticing her confusion, he remarked. "Let's just say The Rebellion is progressing faster than anticipated. We might need to deploy our little soldiers sooner than planned."

Yaeko swallowed hard. "Anzhong with all due respect I don't believe it's feasible to accelerate our schedule. Most of them have never been in combat. We need more time."

The murmurs from the other holograms grew louder, a chorus of discontent. Anzhong's eyes narrowed, and the veneer of his smile vanished. His once smooth voice now hissed like a serpent. "It doesn't matter what you believe. Speak to Kurokawa and get an update on their progress."

For a moment, Anzhong's gaze locked onto hers with an intensity that felt almost predatory. Then he abruptly regained his composure. "I apologize, Miss Ikemizu. I lost my temper."

His laughter, now reminiscent of a tortured animal, filled the room. "Now, darling, could you also inquire about Asahi Takao's brother for me?"

"Of course," Yaeko replied, her voice steady despite the tension. She picked up the papers and exited the meeting room.