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Join the Server“Boohoo… why is it this room again?”
Ash muttered, her hands unconsciously pressed against her chest as she took small steps into the gloomy room.
The floor was cold, and her clothes were coarse and itchy against her thighs, making her uncomfortable.
She had been in this room during the last two experiments. At any rate, some bad memories had been made here.
They had cleaned it thoroughly, leaving no trace of any smell.
On the opposite wall, “Ash” stood, a beautiful girl with golden hair, welcoming her again.
Ash instinctively looked away, not wanting to meet the girl’s eyes.
It was just a mirror.
But Ash still hadn’t accepted her. She hadn’t accepted herself.
She walked to the center of the room without realizing it.
She looked around cautiously, searching for the researcher who would be running the test.
“X-07, ‘Chris’, beginning the experiment now.”
A cold voice came from above, followed by a deep thud.
Yellow-green gas began to seep from the holes in the room.
It wasn’t harmless.
Ash felt a stinging pain rising from her respiratory tract.
“No! Stop! This isn’t what we agreed!”
Ash yelled, awkwardly lunging at the “Ash” in the mirror and pounding her fists against it.
“Stop it! Don’t do this again! Didn’t you already finish?! Stop! Stop!”
She screamed hysterically, praying that the gas would stop spreading.
“I know you’re behind this! Stop! Can’t you do it another way? Cough… no… cough.”
She shouted and coughed, and at some point, she started coughing up blood.
The bright red blood splattered onto her own clothes and also onto the “Ash” in the mirror.
“Is it… cough… three experiments enough? Cough, cough…”
Her legs went weak with the coughing, and she collapsed to the floor. Her eyes were already shut, stabbing with pain as if seared.
Her hands, which had been hitting the glass, no longer had the strength to lift.
“Ah… cough… cough…”
Her windpipe burned, and her chest grew heavier.
Then, there was no more movement.
The yellow-green room fell silent.
“How do you evaluate this one?”
“Very much like the last one. The reactions were consistent. But she probably noticed the damage was more severe this time, so she reacted more quickly and intensely.”
“They’re quite clever. But did they not notice that this time it was phosgene dyed yellow-green? Ha, poor acting.”
“They’re still learning. X-07’s memories don’t contain much about this. If we told it, they’d be more convincing.”
The people behind the mirror watched the yellow-green room and chatted lightly.
“Do they have independent thoughts?”
“No. All their actions can be attributed to instinct. Their consciousness is based on X-07.”
“Interesting. If it were just a plain ‘Captain America’, it wouldn’t be this interesting.”
“But our goal clearly isn’t to make such a toy, though we might have already meddled in God’s affairs.”
The exhaust fan turned on, and the gas was quickly pumped out. A few minutes later, the door opened, and workers in full protective suits entered.
They strapped the unconscious Ash to a stretcher and dragged her out.
“But, Doctor, I don’t understand. Since it’s faking, why didn’t it resist when our men carried it?”
“Who knows. Maybe X-07’s consciousness is affecting it. They didn’t sense danger, so they kept up the act.”
“Ha, danger. How about switching to Agent Orange for the next experiment? I’m curious what it would look like when it goes berserk. A writhing lump of flesh, or something slimy?”
“No, you know that’s a waste. That’s a weapon written into their genes. X-07 is precious right now. We’ll need him for many future studies. Don’t you want to put it to practical use soon?”
“Also, it seems there’s an issue with modifying its memories?”
“Yes, we were too optimistic. But fortunately, it’s easy to fool. I’ve adjusted the dosage this time, so there won’t be any mistakes.”
“…Doctor, you’d better explain. What are you doing? This isn’t what we agreed!”
Just a few minutes had passed, and she was already bursting with energy. Was it the L24D compound or the unique nature of the ‘Jacob’ cells themselves?
Stan Lee mused, watching the girl on the bed shout.
“Sorry, Mr. Chris. You see, we told you that although almost nothing can kill you, your thoughts and memories can affect your physical capabilities. This is a necessary sacrifice for the Super Soldier Project…”
“Sacrifice? I’ve already sacrificed my d*ck! And you’re making me go through that experiment again? You don’t know how painful it is!!!”
“Ha, my apologies. But as an American soldier, can’t you endure a little pain? The First Infantry Division’s honor has been passed down since the beaches of Normandy.”
“…”
“Let me explain. What we call pain is essentially just an electrical signal generated in your brain. The ‘Jacob’ cells in your body are simulating that process.”
“…Why do they need to simulate it? Are they from another planet?”
“No, they come from ancient Earth, from a person in mythology who crossed ten thousand years from the Stone Age.”
Stan Lee started telling another story, but Ash couldn’t understand, so she shook her head.
“…I don’t get it.”
“Ha, in any case, the pain you feel isn’t actually harmful. It’s just your imagination, similar to phantom pain in psychiatry. Ha, if you don’t want it, I can give you some medication to relieve or even block the pain.”
“Ah, we meet again… Hello, ‘Ash’.”
Ash entered the room once more, trying to face the “Ash” on the other side.
She greeted her in a low voice and looked into those clear azure eyes.
This was the first step in breaking the ice, she thought.
As the door closed behind her, the room fell into silence again.
“What experiment will it be this time?” Ash muttered to herself, her right hand gripping her left arm.
“The first was a reaction to chlorine, the second to air dyed yellow-green, the third to colorless phosgene dyed yellow-green. This time…”
She reconsidered: ‘Can I control it actively in the future? Who would my unlimited regeneration match? Wolverine? Or Deadpool?…’
‘I used to like Hawkeye… Archery was cool… But he’s too weak… What am I even saying?’
While Ash was lost in thought, the yellow-green gas began to fill the room again.
Of course she was scared, but what could she do?
Stan Lee said she wouldn’t die. She just had to endure the pain.
“…So, smile. Be happy.”
Ash looked up at the gloomy “Ash” in the mirror.
“With great power comes great responsibility, right?”
“Good morning… Chris.”
The next morning, Ash woke up and lazily greeted Chris, who was waiting for her.
She wore her cute look again.
She seemed unaware of just how adorable she was.
“Still feeling unwell?”
“No, I feel great. Let’s continue to Aunt Mei’s place.”
Ash said with a smile.
After a night of rest, Ash seemed to be in much better condition.
‘She got a fever just from a little rain. Is the purpose of “Iris” merely to create a super soldier? Or is Ash a failed product?’
Chris thought to himself, but still warmly invited Ash to go eat.
You’ve got to see this next! There Is a Monster in The Imperial Palace will keep you on the edge of your seat. Start reading today!
Read : There Is a Monster in The Imperial Palace
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