Chapter 5: No Insults To Angel!

Wade had barely gotten back on his feet when the towering figure of Angel loomed over him.

He didn't bother explaining himself—why would he? Beating one oversized woman shouldn't be an issue for someone like him.

That confidence lasted right up until Angel casually hoisted an entire hospital bed above her head.

Wade's jaw dropped.

"Wait—hold on! Let me explain!"

"No, wait! Hear me out—he's lying!"

Wade quickly raised his hands in surrender, but before he could finish his sentence, Angel swung the bed down.

Boom!

The impact sent Wade crashing to the floor, buried under the weight of the bed.

The noise was loud enough to summon Ajax, who strode in with his usual composed demeanor.

"What the hell's going on here?" Ajax demanded, his eyes scanning the scene.

Angel cracked her knuckles. "This idiot had a big mouth, so I taught him some manners."

Ajax glanced at Wade, now half-conscious and sprawled under the bed.

"Well, if he's that energetic, we might as well move him up in the experiment schedule."

Without waiting for further discussion, Angel grabbed the edge of the bed and flipped it over like it weighed nothing. She then hauled Wade's limp body onto her shoulder as if carrying a sack of potatoes.

As the two prepared to leave, Dane—nose still dripping blood—raised his voice cautiously.

"Uh… excuse me?"

Both Angel and Ajax paused, turning their attention to him.

"Could I, uh, get some tissues or something? I'd rather not be the first guy to bleed out from a nosebleed."

[ You've successfully avoided dying from blood loss. ]

[ However, your plea has also drawn unwanted attention. ]

[ Immortality Resistance +10 (Current: 30). ]

Ajax's eyes narrowed. "What's with his face?"

Angel glanced back at Dane. "The blond one punched him."

"Take him too."

Angel nodded and turned toward Dane, cracking her knuckles as she approached.

Her fists were massive—each one the size of a small watermelon.

"W-Wait!" Dane stammered. "You don't need to knock me out—I'll cooperate! You can carry me without a fight."

[ You've avoided taking additional damage. ]

[ Angel now thinks you're obedient. ]

[ Resilience +10 (Current: 50). ]

Angel didn't bother arguing. With a flick of her wrist, she snapped the ropes binding Dane.

He immediately shoved two fingers into his nostrils, trying to stem the bleeding.

The sight almost made Angel laugh, but she caught herself, maintaining her usual tough demeanor.

"Here," she said, pulling a pack of tissues from her pocket and tossing it to him.

Despite her intimidating presence, she carried tissues—proof that even a tank of a woman cared about personal hygiene.

Dane caught the tissues, his eyes lighting up. "Thanks! You're a lifesaver. Honestly, it's no wonder people call you Angel. You're strong and caring—just like the name suggests."

[ Angel was slightly touched by the compliment. ]

[ She now believes you're probably respectful toward women. ]

[ Chance of being beaten by Angel decreased. ]

[ Resilience +20 (Current: 70). ]

"Get on," Angel said, turning her back to him.

Dane quickly stuffed tissues into his nose and climbed onto her shoulder, obediently hanging on like a koala.

Ajax, watching this unfold, looked genuinely dumbfounded. It was probably the first time he'd seen someone voluntarily cooperate with their captors.

With their cargo secured, the group entered an old elevator and descended to the basement level.

The moment the doors opened, Dane was hit by a wave of harsh, chemical fumes.

The air reeked of disinfectants and antiseptics, barely masking the metallic tang of blood.

Screams echoed down the dimly lit corridors—pleas for mercy mixed with the shriek of metal against metal and the whir of saws.

Dane's eyes widened. What should've been a parking garage had been transformed into a massive underground laboratory—a nightmarish factory of human experimentation.

"Success!" A voice rang out from deeper inside.

"Ajax, get over here! You need to see this!"

The elevator doors slid open with a mechanical hiss, and the group had barely stepped out when a middle-aged man in a white lab coat came rushing toward Ajax. His graying hair was slicked back, but the excitement in his eyes made him seem almost youthful.

"Number?" Ajax asked, already smirking as though anticipating good news.

"After three weeks of conditioning," the man replied breathlessly, "Subject 56 has successfully mutated."

Ajax's smile widened. Nothing pleased him more than a successful experiment.

"What's the ability?"

"You'll want to see it for yourself." The scientist motioned for Ajax to follow, clearly impatient to show off his results.

Ajax didn't hesitate. "Angel, take them to Sector B."

With that, he strode off, leaving Dane and Wade at Angel's mercy.

As they continued walking, Dane shifted slightly on Angel's shoulder, trying to distract himself from the ominous surroundings.

"So… how much does he pay you for this job?"

"That's none of your business."

"How long have you been working here?"

"Shut up."

Angel snapped her head around to glare at him, her sharp eyes radiating hostility. Dane flinched and quickly buried his face in her shoulder, practically pressing himself into her armpit in an attempt to play dead.

For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of heavy footsteps echoing down the corridor. Then, Angel's voice softened—just slightly.

"The faster you mutate, the less pain you'll have to endure," she said, almost like she was offering advice.

Dane froze.

Angel continued, her tone growing colder. "But the slower you mutate, the longer the torment. And the higher the pain levels—until your body either adapts or breaks."

"They'll start by injecting you with a serum to activate any dormant mutant genes. Then comes the fun part—physical and psychological torture. Rinse and repeat until you mutate… or die."

Dane swallowed hard. "What's the fastest someone's mutated?"

"Three days." Angel's reply was sharp and to the point. "And his ability turned out to be exceptional."

"Let me guess—stronger powers mean a higher price tag?" Dane asked cautiously.

[ Angel suspects you know more than you're letting on. ]

[ Resilience +20 (Current: 90). ]

She paused mid-step, her grip tightening slightly.

"How do you know about the trading?"

"Just a guess." Dane shrugged as best he could from his awkward position. "You wouldn't go through all this trouble unless there was money involved. No buyers, no experiments."

[ Angel is impressed by your insight. ]

[ Her opinion of you improves slightly. ]

[ Angel is becoming curious about you. ]

[ Resilience +10 (Current: 100). ]

[ Resilience has reached 100. Ability Unlocked: Level 1 Resilience. ]

[ Level 1 Resilience: Physical endurance and damage resistance are doubled. This ability scales with higher base resilience. ]