previous chapter excerpt:
Thank you. I'm ending the call now."
The screen went dark, but the burden only grew heavier. Vinnie could do nothing but prepare for the next storm.
"Is it not enough to torture them? Now they want the subjects to kill each other?" she whispered, disheartened.
~~~
Time flies so fast, doesn't it?
The problems I tried to avoid just kept piling up—like a mountain whose peak I can never reach. Damn it, I just want to destroy that hell once and for all.
My father... he's the most heartless person I know.
Though this laboratory was originally my grandfather's creation, the one who turned it into a den of twisted, illegal experiments is none other than Mr. Jhon.
The lab was initially built to develop anti-cancer drugs, diabetes treatments, and even engineer new plants with health benefits. It was a place of peace, with no torture, no violence. But after ten years of my father joining, he began experimenting on animals—splicing their DNA and RNA, rearranging their skeletal structures, fusing one creature with another.
Insane, isn't it?
Even I'm not entirely sure my grandfather is truly dead. After all, I know for certain that I died—yet here I am, alive again in the body of a girl named Vinnie. That's right, this is my body now. I remember it clearly: I died at the age of forty-seven, killed by a monster. But somehow, they managed to transfer my soul into this little girl's body.
Mr. Vred, once my comrade, is now my father. They believed Vinnie's mind and memories wouldn't be compatible with mine. They still have no idea that I—Alessia—am very much alive inside his daughter.
Of course, the grand mansion hidden deep in the forest was once mine. Long before this body began rescuing people, I had already brought victims there—nursing them back to health under my care.
"Vinnie, we're almost there. Are you sure your father doesn't suspect those guards?" Ben asked me.
I turned to him. "How many people do you think I've smuggled before?"
It was obvious he was confused.
I've been planning to destroy this Laboratory long before I was even reborn. I've laid every detail with precision, orchestrating each step to perfection. I know this won't be easy—but what battle ever is, without consequence?
The guards at the front gate immediately stopped our vehicle to check whether Kav was with us. The moment they recognized him, they pulled the werewolf out without hesitation.
I brought Kav in unconscious. Why? Because I'm certain he would be manipulated—twisted—by the Level 5 scientists, my father's most loyal subordinates. They would provoke him on purpose or inject him with drugs to drive him into a frenzy, pushing him to hurt others. To make sure Kav destroys himself from within.
I've seen them do this before—countless times—to other anomalies who failed the final evaluation. The scientists never eliminate monsters outright. Instead, they break them mentally and emotionally, letting them rot from the inside until their own memories and feelings tear them apart.
Yes, everyone in this place has already lost their sanity.
"Aren't you supposed to be here to file your report?"
That cold, commanding voice pierced through me.
I stared him down, unflinching, and replied,
"So Father cares more about some useless report than his own child's life?"
Father fell silent, then let out a heavy sigh. Without a word, he signaled his men to take Kav to the research chamber and place him inside the large capsule in the room. The Level 5 scientists arrived shortly after, wheeling in another capsule—this one containing a man whose body was twice the size of Kav's.
The last time I saw him—Subject 0067—he didn't seem to show any notable changes. That must've been thirty years ago, back when he was first brought here. I still remember how he was forced and tortured... and how helpless I was to stop it.
Now, there's no longer any chance for Hannah or me to bring Subject 0067 to our side. He was declared a "perfect phase success" even when I was only sixteen years old—in this body.
If my story were just someone's imagination, I'd scream at the top of my lungs, "Please, end all of this!" But that would be useless.
"I'm still giving Kav a chance, so I expect you to do your part," Father said, his gaze sharp and commanding.
Hah. As if I've been wandering around like some aimless supervisor all this time?
"You're so cruel, Father. Can't you even acknowledge your daughter's work all this time?" I shot back, my face wearing a pitiful expression.
"Keep an eye on Jack. If you can manage not to provoke him or make him feel threatened, I'll acknowledge your efforts," he replied.
I rolled my eyes in annoyance. Just say you want me to take over the Level 5 scientists' job so they can focus on their new experiments. How ironic—after being granted a second life, I'm still trapped in this hell with shape-shifting monsters.
Jack... that's what we call Subject 0067. He's probably around forty now, in human years. I don't know exactly what kind of monster he was turned into, but one thing is certain—he's one of the Lab's most dangerous creations.
Unlike Kav, Jack doesn't target civilians. He was sent to eliminate high-ranking officials and media personnel who opposed the existence of this Laboratory. Fifty years ago, the public was silenced, and the government fully supported the research we conducted. But time passed, and fractures began to appear within the nation's structure.
Some still support us. Others began to resist, sparked by rumors. They started investigating, digging deeper—until they lost their lives at the hands of the Elites.
The first rule of fighting corruption is this: you must be more powerful than them. The second? You must be willing to become an even greater villain than the devils you're up against. They'll do anything to stay in power—even if it means stepping on the heads of others.
That's how politics and justice operate on this Earth.
And that's why it's taken me decades to put my plan into motion.
Because if I fail, I won't be the only one who dies.
"What are you planning to do with this anomaly?" Bagas asked casually.
"If I had the chance, I'd cut off his head," I said, mimicking the motion with my hand.
"You'd better not get too close to him, Vin. I'm afraid that werewolf might get jealous and go berserk before the time comes," Hannah teased, her tone playful.
"Well then, I'll make sure your salaries get cut this month."
With that, I turned and walked away.
From behind me, I could hear their pleas and apologies.
It made me smile, hearing them whine like children begging for chocolate—though in truth, we didn't have the luxury of time to joke around.
Without realizing it, I found myself in front of Kav's chamber. He was still unconscious inside the capsule.
Sometimes I wonder what it feels like to sleep in there—with the lights constantly on, and a steady flow of electricity and oxygen being pumped in endlessly.
Yes, because of all that, they can't function in the outside world anymore or even touch nature. They've spent decades sealed inside tubes with limited oxygen.
"Hah… seeing you like this makes me want to destroy this place and live a normal life."
"Destroy what, Vinnie?"