Chapter 177: Good News, Not a Ghost. Bad News, Worse Than a Ghost

There was still one option left—finding Mo Chen.

But compared to the virus, Syuen was even more afraid of Mo Chen.

The humiliation and torment she had suffered that day, the swollen bruises from being manhandled, the tearing pain between her legs—all of it rushed back with just a thought. Instinctively, she squeezed her thighs together, her face going pale.

She'd woken up from nightmares countless times, trembling uncontrollably at the memories. Eventually, she couldn't even sleep with the lights off, haunted by the lingering fear.

Finally, heaven rewarded her persistence.

After over half a year of research, Syuen gradually uncovered some key characteristics of the virus, and her experiments were starting to show promising results.

However, before she could even celebrate, the Rapture incident occurred.

Her meticulously crafted laboratory, built with massive funding, was located not far from the Ark Elevator—right on the edge of the battlefield. The Rapture army's onslaught caused significant damage.

Syuen had anticipated potential sabotage from the start, designing fortified walls, defense systems, and weaponry to protect the lab.

But fate had other plans.

Whether by coincidence or intention, Mo Chen's battle with Storm Bringer drifted dangerously close to her virus lab.

As expected, her lab was obliterated by the Rapture's high-energy particle beams.

When Syuen heard the news, she sat frozen for a long while, her mind buzzing with static.

It felt like a bolt from the blue.

She was certain—Mo Chen had done it on purpose!

Thankfully, the lab data was still intact, and reconstruction was underway.

But just as things were getting back on track, a power system failure struck.

That was the final straw.

Her frayed nerves snapped, and she erupted in a fit of rage.

Elegg and Trony cowered, trembling with fear. Trony, in particular, looked ghostly pale, her vacant eyes muttering something under her breath.

"Lady Syuen's call count: 427. Reprimands: 201. Profanity: 149. Outbursts: 45. Punishments: 32…"

Trony's terrified eyes brimmed with despair, her small frame barely holding together.

Syuen's slender finger pointed accusingly at her useless subordinates, her chest heaving with fury. She wanted nothing more than to grab them both and toss them into a petri dish, using them as nutrient paste to cultivate viruses.

Tap. Tap. Tap—

Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the vast, sterile lab.

Everyone froze.

This was Missilis's highest-level laboratory, with the most stringent security protocols. It was a top-secret facility—unauthorized personnel were strictly forbidden.

Not only were Nikke squads stationed outside, but even within the lab, automated defense systems were on standby. Any unidentified intruder would be met with lethal force.

"Who's there?!"

Syuen was fuming with rage.

How dare someone interrupt her while she was in the middle of scolding her subordinates?

The audacity!

She was determined to see which fool had the nerve to ignore her authority.

Tap. Tap. Tap—

The footsteps grew closer, slow and steady—not the hurried pace of Missilis staff, but more like someone casually strolling through their own living room. This kind of behavior blatantly violated the lab's strict protocols.

Already on the brink of a meltdown thanks to her incompetent subordinates, Syuen jabbed a finger at Elegg, unleashing another torrent of fury.

"Hey! I told you—no visitors allowed! Not even those idiots from the Central Government! What's wrong with your brain?"

Elegg, battered by the verbal onslaught, scratched her head with a dazed look, clearly confused.

"But… I already refused all visitors. And the door's locked. No one should be able to get in."

Syuen, enraged by Elegg's nonchalant attitude, snatched a notebook from the table and hurled it at her.

"Then what the hell is this?! Is your brain made of mush?!"

Of course, the notebook did nothing to harm Elegg's mechanical body. It was just an outlet for Syuen's simmering fury.

Elegg remained bewildered: she was certain she'd locked the door!

"Maybe… it's a ghost?"

"A ghost?" Syuen nearly laughed from sheer frustration. "Do you seriously expect me to believe that nonsense?"

Tap. Tap. Tap—

The footsteps echoed again, reverberating down the long, sterile corridor. The only other sounds were the faint hum of lab equipment and the quiet rhythm of their own breathing.

In the eerie silence, the footsteps felt unnervingly loud.

Then, as if hearing their conversation, the footsteps abruptly stopped. The sudden stillness was even more unsettling.

The lab fell into an oppressive silence.

Aside from the soft whirring of machines, not a single sound remained.

The heavy curtains hung motionless, as if the air itself had stilled.

Sunlight slanted through the half-open blinds, casting streaks across the cold, sterile floor. Instead of dispelling the gloom, the light only deepened the shadows in the corners of the room, making the darkness feel even more suffocating.

Syuen's heart tightened.

"Don't talk nonsense!"

As a scientist, she refused to believe in anything as irrational as ghosts.

Those ghost stories were nothing more than idle chatter from bored people with too much time on their hands.

Yet, faced with the current situation, she couldn't help but feel a chill creep up her spine. She swallowed hard, her throat dry. No matter how much she pretended otherwise, she was still just a teenager at heart.

"Boss, if you're scared, I'll go take a look."

Elegg, utterly oblivious to the tension, offered casually when she noticed Syuen looking uneasy.

"Scared? Who's scared?"

Syuen had genuinely been on edge, but hearing Elegg's comment flipped a switch. She heard nothing but provocation in those words. Instantly enraged, her fear evaporated in the heat of her fury.

"Me? Scared? Don't say such brainless nonsense! Or has your mind been replaced with useless fat?"

Elegg shrugged, her body swaying slightly, which made certain... prominent features jiggle in defiance.

"Well, I wouldn't say completely useless. Better than having none at all."

Tronyi, standing nearby, stared at Elegg in disbelief, her face frozen in shock. 

How could she say that?!

Poking fun at Syuen's, let's say, physical shortcomings was the ultimate form of provocation. Syuen's face turned even paler, her rage boiling to the surface.

"If you shake them one more time, I swear I'll cut them off!"

Elegg pouted, clearly feeling wronged. "It's not my fault. Why take it out on me?"

Syuen was seething, her face flushed with fury. Just as her temper reached its peak, the ominous footsteps outside resumed.

Unable to hold back any longer, Syuen stormed to the door, her rage overpowering any lingering fear. With a loud BANG, she yanked the door open.

"Who the hell is out there?! Get your ass in here!"

The door swung open, revealing a young man.

Syuen instinctively looked up.

However, the moment she saw who it was, she froze in place.

Her face drained of color instantly.

Earlier, she'd gone pale out of anger. This time, it was pure fear.

The good news? The person standing outside wasn't a ghost.

The bad news? He was scarier than any ghost.

The young man flashed a dazzling smile, showing off a set of perfect white teeth.

"Long time no see, Miss Syuen."

It was none other than Mo Chen.