Chapter 2: No Jokes To Angel!

A chill ran down Dane's spine. "And I'm tied up here because… I'm next?"

"That's right," the man confirmed without hesitation. "You'll experience it too—soon enough."

Having poured out all his pent-up emotions, the skeletal man's eyes softened slightly, tinged with pity. Meanwhile, Dane's mind raced. Despite the terrifying scenario unfolding, a part of him couldn't help but feel intrigued.

A haunted house scenario with mutants? This could actually be pretty interesting.

Before either of them could speak again, the heavy sound of metal scraping against metal echoed through the room.

The door creaked open like the entrance to a forgotten dungeon.

A man in a pristine white lab coat and a surgical mask strode inside, his Martin boots clanking against the tiled floor.

Dane strained his neck to get a better look at the newcomer. He opened his mouth to shout, expecting a familiar colleague—but the man wasn't anyone he recognized.

Another foreigner.

With fair skin, sharp eyebrows, piercing blue eyes, and a chiseled jawline, the doctor's features were striking. Handsome, even. But there was something unsettling about the way his eyes lingered on Dane, as if sizing him up.

The doctor said nothing, merely glancing at Dane before shifting his gaze to the skeletal man.

The frail man instantly averted his eyes, snapping them shut as if hoping to disappear. He turned his head to the side, avoiding any form of contact.

But the doctor's voice remained calm, almost gentle. "How are you feeling, Reese?"

"Please… no more…" Reese's voice cracked as he broke down into sobs. "I can't mutate—I've tried! Just let me go… I'm begging you…"

Dane felt a pang in his chest, hearing the raw desperation in Reese's voice.

The doctor's response was cold. "I already know that."

He let out a disappointed sigh before continuing, "Your blood samples haven't shown any changes in over a month. You're a failure."

"Then kill me! Just kill me already!" Reese screamed, his voice laced with despair.

The doctor's smile deepened. "I wouldn't dirty my hands with that. I'll leave you to the people in C Block."

"No… no!"

The mention of C Block threw Reese into a fit of panic. His eyes darted wildly, and before anyone could react, he clenched his jaw tightly.

Blood began trickling from the corners of his mouth.

Dane's eyes widened in horror as he realized what had happened. Reese had bitten through his own tongue.

Blood gushed down his chin, and within seconds, his trembling body went limp.

Dane froze, paralyzed by what he had just witnessed. His mind struggled to process whether this was all an elaborate act—or a horrifying reality.

The doctor finally turned his attention back to Dane. His sapphire-blue eyes locked onto Dane's, his lips curling into a crescent-shaped smile.

"You… I don't remember there being anyone assigned to this bed."

Dane's heart raced, but he forced himself to respond. "Then just pretend I'm not here."

[ Your humor successfully amused the doctor. ]

[ His mood has improved significantly. ]

[ Resilience +10 (Current Resilience: 10) ]

[ When Resilience reaches 100, you will unlock a special ability. ]

Dane blinked at the sudden notifications, his mind caught between disbelief and absurdity.

What kind of scenario is this?

….

Before Dane could process what was happening, a sudden voice echoed in his mind.

The male doctor paused, then slowly removed his mask, revealing his face.

Dane's breath hitched. The man looked eerily similar to Ed Skrein—the actor who played Ajax, the villain from Deadpool.

Dane had seen Deadpool before. He recognized Ajax's face immediately, but his mind reeled, trying to figure out why someone who looked exactly like him was standing here.

"You're the first person I've met with a sense of humor," the doctor said, his piercing blue eyes locked onto Dane. "Usually, people either scream for their lives or beg for mercy."

"Well, I've got plenty more jokes where that came from," Dane replied, forcing a grin to mask his nerves.

"Unfortunately for you," the doctor interrupted, his smile fading, "I don't like funny people. I only care about those who have value. Otherwise, you'll end up like Reese—or worse."

[ Ajax has no intention of letting you go but acknowledges your humor. ]

[ Virus Resistance +5 (Current Resistance: 5) ]

( Reach 100 Virus Resistance to unlock a special ability. )

The tension in the air thickened.

"Angel, bring him in."

At Ajax's command, the door creaked open again.

In strode a towering woman built like a female version of Dwayne Johnson. Her biceps bulged beneath her lab coat, and a faint scent of mint wafted through the air as she chewed gum. Draped over her shoulder was a tall, blond man, completely unconscious.

Her gaze swept the room, landing briefly on Dane.

"Room's getting crowded," she said casually, her tone sharp enough to make Dane instinctively shrink back. One glance was enough to shut him up—he had no intention of drawing her attention.

"Put him on Reese's bed," Ajax instructed.

The woman—whom Ajax had called Angel—clicked her tongue in annoyance. She glanced at Reese's corpse with disgust before striding over to the bed. With a single hand, she grabbed Reese's lifeless body and flung it aside as if it weighed nothing more than a crumpled soda can.

Dane's eyes widened in horror. Reese might have been frail, but he still weighed at least 60 or 70 pounds. Yet Angel had tossed him like trash.

The terrifying display of strength shattered Dane's last hope that this might all be a prank by his coworkers. No, this wasn't some elaborate haunted house stunt.

This was real.

"Angel, is this pretty boy yours?" Ajax asked, his voice laced with amusement.

Angel paused, giving Dane a once-over.

"Never seen him before," she said dismissively. "Looks Asian."

Ajax tilted his head. "Strange. He was already tied up when I found him."

"Probably someone else's work." Angel shrugged, uninterested. She popped her gum and tossed the blond man onto the bed with the same casual ease as before.

Dane glanced at the unconscious man—and nearly shouted out in disbelief.

The blond man bore an uncanny resemblance to Ryan Reynolds—the actor who played Deadpool. He wasn't identical, but the resemblance was at least 90%.