In Trick City, a place brimming with novel and mysterious things, I am here with soliette.
lt seems to be sowhere around here
Sheron had given us these coordinates.
But, Candy, if its a person, wouldnt it be difficult with just coordinates? People move, dont they?
We were here to find a subject for human experintation.
Exactly. Hold on, Jelly.
Can I just be Candy instead?
Shh.
I pulled out my phone and dialed soone.
Ring-ringring-ring
Who is this?
Ah, yes. Sheron, its , Shion.
It was Sheron.
What now? What is it?
What do you an what is it? Didnt you get what you wanted?
No response.
That probably ans she did.
lf you got what you wanted, were currently at these coordinates.
I texted our current location to Sheron.
ls the person matching the frequency around here by any chance?
Huh?
Could you check it for us?
Are you insane?
Sheron let out a baffled chuckle.
Co on. You arranged everything, just help us out a bit. Well just see them once, okay?
Again, no response.
Maybe she doesnt want it to end with just one eting, maybe she wants to et two or three more tis.
Wait a sec.
I waited briefly.
Soon, Sheron spoke.
Eh? There. You guys are standing right next to them?
Right next to us?
Wha?
Soliette and I quickly looked around.
There was a street vendor right beside the road where we stood. A middle-aged man with bushy hair had piled up fruits on his stall.
Hey. But you, can you arrange another eting later? That fortune-teller seems really powerful.
Just a mont.
It's not just a mont, that fortune-teller was right. He knew who my internal spy was. That person is really incredible
I hung up the phone and slowly approached the vendor.
The middle-aged man just looked at us without saying a word.
Um
He imdiately pointed at the fruits.
Three for 3 Ren.
No, were not interested. Ah, I do have cash here though.
I pulled out a wad of cash from my wallet.
lf you answer so questions honestly, Ill give it all to you.
Questions?
Yes. Itll be about 5000 Ren.
5000 Ren. The middle-aged mans expression showed a flicker of interest.
What do you want to ask?
Well, about that
Its an awkward question to ask soone for the first ti, but theres no ti to beat around the bush.
Have you ever participated in human experintation?
I don't know what youre after, but this isnt sothing to discuss on the street.
I was formally invited to a cabin in the forest outside Trick City. The middle-aged manJekyllwas telling us as I listened with soliette.
I don't know where it was exactly. I was blindfolded and taken there.
He showed his palm with each statent, signaling he wanted money.
I handed him a 1,000 Ren bill.
Soliette asked, ls there anything else you can rem ber?
I was injected with a syringe full of so unknown drugs. But they didnt explain what it was.
Jekyll reached out his hand again.
I handed him another 1,000 Ren bill.
Can you describe what happened there, maybe a detailed schedule?
There wasnt much of a schedule. I was just locked in a room and injected with the drug three tis a week. After each injection, they took my blood. Thats all I know. I dont know about the others.
Jekyll reached out his hand again.
I handed him another 1,000 Ren bill.
S0, how did the experint end?
There was an accident.
An accident?
Yeah. One day, there was a huge noise. Screams and sothing tearing apart. It was chilling, like sothing being ground up in a blender. I hid under the bed, and right after that, the lab was almost split in half.
I handed him 3,000 Ren.
HOW did it split?
I don't know. I was hiding under the bed. But, clearly, a guy who was normal until the night before suddenly went crazy and when he swung his hand, walls were sliced through?
I looked at soliette, and she nodded.
Knightmare.
Anyway, I ran away from there. That's the end of it.
1 'ffcffrtVicif'YnIM Shovi ieiu:i7wV7vAliXti\~otiiT
Can you describe what happened there, maybe a detailed schedule?
There wasnt much of a schedule. I was just locked in a room and injected with the drug three tis a week. After each injection, they took my blood. Thats all I know. I dont know about the others.
Jekyll reached out his hand again.
I handed him another 1,000 Ren bill.
S0, how did the experint end?
There was an accident.
An accident?
Yeah. One day, there was a huge noise. Screams and sothing tearing apart. It was chilling, like sothing being ground up in a blender. I hid under the bed, and right after that, the lab was almost split in half.
I handed him 3,000 Ren.
HOW did it split?
I don't know. I was hiding under the bed. But, clearly, a guy who was normal until the night before suddenly went crazy and when he swung his hand, walls were sliced through?
I looked at soliette, and she nodded.
Knightmare.
Anyway, I ran away from there. That's the end of it.
1 'fftffrtVicif'YnIM 3hoVi ieiu:i7wV7O*liXti\~otiiT
Can you describe what happened there, maybe a detailed schedule?
There wasnt much of a schedule. I was just locked in a room and injected with the drug three tis a week. After each injection, they took my blood. Thats all I know. I dont know about the others.
Jekyll reached out his hand again.
I handed him another 1,000 Ren bill.
S0, how did the experint end?
There was an accident.
An accident?
Yeah. One day, there was a huge noise. Screams and sothing tearing apart. It was chilling, like sothing being ground up in a blender. I hid under the bed, and right after that, the lab was almost split in half.
I handed him 3,000 Ren.
HOW did it split?
I don't know. I was hiding under the bed. But, clearly, a guy who was normal until the night before suddenly went crazy and when he swung his hand, walls were sliced through?
I looked at soliette, and she nodded.
Knightmare.
Anyway, I ran away from there. That's the end of it.
1 '^fdAVicirri'llM 3hoVi i^iU:i7\/X7vAlIXti\Otn.T
Can you describe what happened there, maybe a detailed schedule?
There wasnt much of a schedule. I was just locked in a room and injected with the drug three tis a week. After each injection, they took my blood. Thats all I know. I dont know about the others.
Jekyll reached out his hand again.
I handed him another 1,000 Ren bill.
S0, how did the experint end?
There was an accident.
An accident?
Yeah. One day, there was a huge noise. Screams and sothing tearing apart. It was chilling, like sothing being ground up in a blender. I hid under the bed, and right after that, the lab was almost split in half.
I handed him 3,000 Ren.
HOW did it split?
I don't know. I was hiding under the bed. But, clearly, a guy who was normal until the night before suddenly went crazy and when he swung his hand, walls were sliced through?
I looked at soliette, and she nodded.
Knightmare.
Anyway, I ran away from there. That's the end of it.
1 '^f'd'AVicirri'llM 3hoVi i^iu:i7\/X7vAlIXti\Otn.T
Can you describe what happened there, maybe a detailed schedule?
There wasnt much of a schedule. I was just locked in a room and injected with the drug three tis a week. After each injection, they took my blood. Thats all I know. I dont know about the others.
Jekyll reached out his hand again.
I handed him another 1,000 Ren bill.
S0, how did the experint end?
There was an accident.
An accident?
Yeah. One day, there was a huge noise. Screams and sothing tearing apart. It was chilling, like sothing being ground up in a blender. I hid under the bed, and right after that, the lab was almost split in half.
I handed him 3,000 Ren.
HOW did it split?
I don't know. I was hiding under the bed. But, clearly, a guy who was normal until the night before suddenly went crazy and when he swung his hand, walls were sliced through?
I looked at soliette, and she nodded.
Knightmare.
Anyway, I ran away from there. That's the end of it.
1 '^f'd'AVicirri'llM 3hoVi i^iu:i7\/X7vAlIXti\Otn.T
Can you describe what happened there, maybe a detailed schedule?
There wasnt much of a schedule. I was just locked in a room and injected with the drug three tis a week. After each injection, they took my blood. Thats all I know. I dont know about the others.
Jekyll reached out his hand again.
I handed him another 1,000 Ren bill.
S0, how did the experint end?
There was an accident.
An accident?
Yeah. One day, there was a huge noise. Screams and sothing tearing apart. It was chilling, like sothing being ground up in a blender. I hid under the bed, and right after that, the lab was almost split in half.
I handed him 3,000 Ren.
HOW did it split?
I don't know. I was hiding under the bed. But, clearly, a guy who was normal until the night before suddenly went crazy and when he swung his hand, walls were sliced through?
I looked at soliette, and she nodded.
Knightmare.
Anyway, I ran away from there. That's the end of it.
1 '^f'd'AVicirri'llM 3hoVi i^iu:i7\/X7vAlIXti\Otn.T
Can you describe what happened there, maybe a detailed schedule?
There wasnt much of a schedule. I was just locked in a room and injected with the drug three tis a week. After each injection, they took my blood. Thats all I know. I dont know about the others.
Jekyll reached out his hand again.
I handed him another 1,000 Ren bill.
S0, how did the experint end?
There was an accident.
An accident?
Yeah. One day, there was a huge noise. Screams and sothing tearing apart. It was chilling, like sothing being ground up in a blender. I hid under the bed, and right after that, the lab was almost split in half.
I handed him 3,000 Ren.
HOW did it split?
I don't know. I was hiding under the bed. But, clearly, a guy who was normal until the night before suddenly went crazy and when he swung his hand, walls were sliced through?
I looked at soliette, and she nodded.
Knightmare.
Anyway, I ran away from there. That's the end of it.
StflVthe'Soliette of now."
You. Just now what did you do?
Ah, that? I tried to imitate what Shion did.
?
Yes. Rember the sword technique you showed before? I tried to adapt that Shion. You really wield an incredible technique. Its extrely powerful.
ls it really sothing you can just imitate?
Well, its originally soliettes, so I guess she could imitate it.
Are you hurt?
Yes. I got a deep cut on my shoulder, but thanks to Shion, I survived.
She smiled at .
Shion. That sword was more destructive than Arknes techniques. Wont you teach ?
NO.
Why not?
lf I say no, then its a no. Dont try to imitate it either.
Hmm. Why?
Soliette crossed her arms. I sheath my sword and retorted bluntly.
ITI sue you for copyright infringent. Imitate it if you have the money.
What No, more importantly. What do we do about this person?
She pointed at Phine. I let out a light sigh.
lndeed. Weve killed a Balancer.
Fortunately, our identities havent been exposed.
I'm Candy, and soliette is Jelly.
Lets get out of here. Well ditch these identities.
Yes.
Soliette imdiately turned around. I quietly followed her as she skillfully surveyed the surroundings and made her escape.
The next day, I went to work as Killian.
Due to the fierce battle the night before, my whole body felt as if it had been hamred by a hamr, but well, today was an important day nonetheless.
lm at work.
There was no response.
Dr. Vito was deep in thought, sothing placed on the table in front of him.
Dr. Vito. What are you doing?
Ah, Dr. Ki Ilian.
Vito pointed at the object with a twitch of his eyebrow. It was a human arm.
Is that a human arm?
No. Its a doll.
A doll?
Yes. A doll. Have you ever heard of Akane from Selfless Coffin ?
I was taken aback.
Akane, of course, I knew very well.
Uh not really sure.
Shes the greatest doll maker of our era. I once commissioned her Its truly fascinating. How can she make dolls that seem just like real people?
Ah It does indeed look quite human.
I casually played along. Vito chuckled and pushed up his glasses.
Well, thats that.
Then he lifted a lever in the corner of the laboratory.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A loud noise echoed as the Bottles of souls were revealed. Now there were no bodies, just overwritten souls, sparkling as they were trapped inside the bottles.
Lets get ready for comrcialization.
Yes.
I carefully recorded the scene on video.
The ti for to act as a whistleblower was drawing near.
[The streets are getting cleaner The serial disappearance of the holess]
Riley was reading the news while communicating with Vancheon.
These incidents, theyre linked to Libras AI?
Yes. Evidence has been captured.
Riley scanned through the evidence they had sent.
Scenes of Libras agents kidnapping sleeping holess people or luring them under the guise of free als It all looked suspiciously foul.
Riley bit her lip slightly.
lts a dangerous mission. Dereks future is at stake.
But the risk of approaching was too great.
Since this was the mission Derek was most focused on, just getting close would attract suspicion from all sorts of Chasers.
It's also a perfect opportunity to bring Derek down.
What about ?
Riley bit her lip again.
lf we bring Derek down, am I expendable?
Owl. That's not what I an.
Riley quietly closed her eyes, sinking into her chair and taking a deep breath.
What happened to the researcher you were close with?
Dr. Killian suddenly ca to mind.
Dr. Killians words echoed in her ears.
Artificial intelligence Its going to be a whole new technology. But you'd better stay away from it if you can.
He had warned her to stay away.
Dr. Killian definitely knew sothing. There was clearly a deeply inhumane conspiracy involved with this Al.
ITI provide more details later.
Riley ended the communication.
Then, she picked up her smartphone.
There were quite a few ssages exchanged with Dr. Killian.
As a mber of [VancheonJ , she had a role to fulfill. To do that, she needed to deal with this man first.
A lot of holess people have disappeared, you know? Isnt that a good thing?
Riley practiced her lines.
Since Dereks Al was surely related to the serial disappearance of the holess, she had to pretend to be just like them to extract information.
The holess who are of no help to the continent might as well disappear sooner rather than later
Lines to share with Dr. Killian. Riley nodded as she typed the dialogue into her laptop.
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