Chapter 267: Whispers from the Depths of Eden

A few days ago, 100 meters beneath Eden.

In a dim and spacious room—reinforced on all sides by high-grade alloy, lined with surveillance and electronic sensors—lay a hidden laboratory known only to a select few. This facility was designed for high-risk experiments, its existence completely unknown to the public.

If one looked closely, Eden's underground structure bore an uncanny resemblance to that of the Ark. Both in architectural design and structural layout.

Within the room was a sealed chamber. Inside, a woman was bound in thick alloy shackles, arms and legs restrained, surrounded by weapon turrets and auto-targeting guns. This was Indivilia.

Days earlier, just before the battle with the flame dragon Nihilister, Mo Chen had decided to detain Indivilia to prevent her from escaping or linking up with other Heretics. He handed her over to Cecil, who then imprisoned her in this underground facility.

The defenses here were practically impenetrable—even for a Heretic.

The entire perimeter was rigged with heavy firepower. Should the prisoner attempt an escape, the attack system would activate instantly and reduce them to Swiss cheese.

Indivilia was suspended by her shackled wrists, hung high in the air, her curvaceous model-like figure on full display—especially her prominent chest and long, slender legs.

"Uh, um… d-do you want something to eat…?"

A timid voice sounded from the side.

Indivilia opened her eyes and turned her head. Her blood-red eyes glanced coldly in the direction of the voice.

It was a small Nikke.

Short in stature, weak in combat ability.

Under normal circumstances, Indivilia could crush a few of her kind without lifting a finger.

That single terrifying look made the Nikke stumble back in fear, face pale with fright.

But surprisingly, she didn't flee.

"M-my name is Kilo. I-I'm from the temporary support unit. Um… do you need anything?"

Though her face was pale and her body trembled, the Nikke named Kilo still managed to speak, mustering all her courage.

Indivilia stared at the trembling Nikke, a cold smirk playing across her frosty features—full of disdain for the weak, especially this foolishly bold Nikke standing before her.

"You're not afraid I'll kill you if you come any closer?"

Her voice was like icy blades, freezing the very air.

Kilo jumped in fright, stumbling back with a few clumsy steps, looking even paler—like a frightened little rabbit.

"N-no… not afraid…"

Indivilia cast her another cold glance and said no more. In the past, she'd have already turned a Nikke like this into nourishment.

"A-are you hungry? W-would you… like something to eat…?"

Despite her fear, Kilo didn't give up. She clenched her trembling hands and took a deep breath.

Indivilia remained silent.

Kilo cautiously approached and placed something quietly by Indivilia's feet.

At that moment, Indivilia suddenly opened her eyes, startling Kilo into a scream before she turned and bolted.

Indivilia coldly stared at the food on the ground, her already grim expression turning even more frigid.

Such an insult.

The next day, Kilo came again.

Just like before, she tried to talk to Indivilia. After being glared at coldly, she panicked, but still quietly placed the meal beside her.

The third day, it was the same.

But for days, the food remained untouched.

Then, on the fourth day, Indivilia suddenly spoke.

"Do you know what I like to eat?"

Kilo was startled, stumbling back until she hit the wall, gulping nervously and shaking her head vigorously.

Indivilia's crimson eyes gleamed with malicious intent, venomous and cruel. Her pupils seemed devoid of light, shrouded in a chilling, poisonous aura. Her tone was eerie as she said, "Nikkes. Like you."

Kilo screamed in terror and fled in panic.

"Bang—!"

She knocked something over, then scrambled up and ran away in complete disarray.

Indivilia had assumed that Nikke wouldn't come back, but to her surprise, on the fifth day, Kilo returned.

Just like before.

Again, she brought food.

Indivilia couldn't understand why this Nikke was so persistent.

"B-Because... the feeling of hunger is... really awful," Kilo said in a trembling voice.

A Nikke feeling hunger?

Indivilia sneered coldly.

Still, in the following days, Kilo continued to deliver meals like clockwork.

Each time, Indivilia would mock her viciously, wishing she could skin the Nikke alive. And each time, the girl would flee in terror.

As time passed, Indivilia's hatred grew stronger by the day, as if a voice kept whispering in her ear, recounting the humiliation and endless hatred she'd suffered.

The confined space was gloomy and damp.

Vaguely, it seemed like a voice echoed beside her.

The sound was like a devil's whisper from another realm, or like a cold breeze drifting through the night, silent but penetrating. It was a hoarse, grating tone, like a rusted saw scraping against stone, each rasp laced with indescribable malice and temptation.

It echoed lowly in the darkness, as if from deep underground, carrying the scent of sulfur and rot. Though the words were indistinct, they brimmed with evil allure, like a beacon in the night luring lost souls into the abyss.

It was coming from the depths of Eden.

If Mo Chen were here, he'd realize—it was eerily similar to what the original story described in the lowest levels of the Ark.

Come to think of it, the Ark likely wasn't created by humanity at all. Its origins were steeped in mystery—some even suspected it might be a Rapture nest.

And now, Eden had become almost identical to the Ark.

Countless phantoms began to emerge from the ground, as if crawling out from another dimension, slowly climbing onto Indivilia's body.

A long time passed.

When she opened her eyes again, her blood-red gaze was filled with malevolence. A chilling smirk curled on her lips as she casually tugged at the restraints.

"Ding—!"

The ultra-alloy shackles snapped like toys.

An hour later—

Thick smoke billowed from all corners of Eden. Buildings were destroyed, streets reduced to rubble and shattered walls.

Nikkes lay sprawled across the ground: Eden's elite forces had been defeated.

And the one who had defeated them was none other than Indivilia.