Chapter 54 - Operation (1)

Surprised, I widen my eyes.

_ Ayden: " Where did he come from?? I didn't sense his presence for a single second! "

Then, I turn my head towards my wrongdoer.

_ Ayden: " You're bluffing. You would never dare to do it in front of the crowd. "

_ ??? : " Know that there are several of us. Even if I am arrested, the operation will continue. "

_ Ayden: " An operation? "

The next moment, the individual facing me took down the two guards with disproportionate ease, then blocked their breathing, rendering them unconscious. Without wasting time, he dragged the bodies into an adjacent alleyway which led to a dead end. This action completed, my assailant's grip on my shoulder tightened.

_ ??? : " Don't make me repeat myself, kid. " he said in a chilling tone.

_ Ayden : " Damn it, he's really serious. Better listen to him. Alright. "

_ ??? : " Follow me. "

We leave our position and continue down the main aisle as initially planned. Since escape is impossible, I therefore content myself with walking naturally, my senses on alert, carefully avoiding any gesture likely to offend him.

_ Ayden: " Where are you taking me? "

_ ??? : " You'll see. Now that you're a witness, I can't let you walk free. "

_ Ayden: " Just my luck! I had no idea whether I was going to step in or not. "

Held hostage by evidence, I try to gather information.

_ Ayden: “ Who are you? “

From an adequate position, I can distinguish the features of a foreign face, with a well-trimmed beige beard and a scar that marks his cheek, in his thirties, his gaze fixed on the horizon with determination.

_ ??? : " Blaike. An ordinary Recluse who wants to save his men. "

_ Ayden : " A Recluse? But still… "

_ Blaike : " This armband? I took down a guard during a mission not far from the village, then stole it from him. "

_ Ayden : " And the guards at the gate didn't notice anything? "

_ Blaike: " This village is teeming with people. It's impossible for two simple guards to remember all the inhabitants. As long as the person has a green armband, that's enough for them. "

_ Ayden: " Understandable. Plus, a lot of foreigners live here; no one looks alike. "

_ Blaike: " Don't think this village is all sunshine and rainbows, kid. "

Standing at six feet tall, I look at him, my curiosity piqued.

_ Ayden: " How so? "

_ Blaike: " Those bastards are experimenting on humans. "

The news catches me off guard.

_ Ayden: " What?? "

_ Blaike: " The Emperor and his team couldn't care less about his people. His sole aspiration is to build an army to conquer the entire Mid-Zone, simultaneously trampling upon the meager provisions the Hermits can gather from the wild. "

_Ayden: " How are you aware of all this? "

_Blaike: " Five years ago, a former brother-in-arms was captured for no valid reason. I then secretly infiltrated the place to get my colleague out. But I was too late. When I arrived, only blood dominated the enormous basement, a swamp of inert bodies. "

His teeth clench, then gradually relax.

_ Blaike: " Among those bodies, my colleague was one of them. A feeling of helplessness then overwhelmed me. "

_ Ayden: " I understand that feeling. I had the same sensation with Jenna. "

_ Blaike: " Luckily, a dying guard was still breathing. So I forced him to spill the beans before he croaked. Revelations that make me want to murder. "

_ Ayden: " What is it? "

_ Blaike: " Their basement is used for human experimentation involving drugs. They're nicknamed the 'prototypes'. "

_ Ayden: “ What for? “

_ Blaike: " This drug tenfold increases the physical abilities as well as the Sources of the holder. The problem is, the success rate is very low. A majority succumbs to the side effects. "

_ Ayden: " What happens to the survivors? "

_ Blaike: " They serve the Emperor. The goal is simple: to create war prototypes. "

I slightly clench my fist at this announcement.

_ Blaike: " Among all the drugged prototypes, only one stood out. Speed, technique, resilience, and an extraordinary Source. He was so perfect that the Emperor wanted to assign him the role of a mercenary. "

A piercing gaze follows.

_ Blaike : " So perfect that he executed my brother-in-arms. "

_ Ayden : " … "

_ Blaike : " Good luck or bad luck, this prototype smoked all the survivors, including the guards. "

_ Ayden : " Why the sudden change? "

_ Blaike: " Despite his resistance to the drug, he was uncontrollable. The infused dose was unsustainable. Admittedly, he killed my colleague, but he is not the one I blame, because he is also a victim in this matter. "

_ Ayden: “ He is right, the only true culprit is the emperor. ”

_ Blaike: “ I don't know how, but he escaped. As of today, he is roaming in this rainforest. Last thing, only this prototype had the right to a name, and that name is... the bucket hat mummy. ”