A New Change

Ximen opened the large door as quietly as possible.

He sneaked into the hall through the open gap before making his way to his teacher's side.

Today was a special day.

The scientists and researchers in this center has to give account to the investors funding their research. Studying new things consumes huge amounts of money. There was no way out of that.

Multiple eyes fell on Ximen's figure.

Some of the people looking at him had a frown on their faces.

Although he tried to be as quiet as possible, getting to his teacher's side wouldn't go unnoticed. He wasn't invisible.

"I am sorry for my student's tardiness. Please forgive him on my behalf. It won't happen again." Landon Perry, Ximen's teacher apologized.

Ximen bowed his head.

Like always, he became the subject of a joke.

Quiet snickers came from the area beside him.

Without looking up, Ximen knew the chuckles came from the architect of his lateness.

His bullies, Lionel Phillips, Collier Davey and Forrest Sharp would grab any available chance to make his life miserable.

Lionel, Collier and Forrest were research assistants like he was.

The only difference between Ximen and his bullies was their level of favor in this place.

When he newly arrived at Pure Hands Research Center, Earth's leading research base, Ximen fought back against his tormentors with all his might. His actions worsened the situation. It didn't deter the bullies at all.

Now, his clap backs and fire was waning.

"You are late, again!" Landon whispered aggressively.

"I am sorry. Someone unplugged the machine supplying water to my room. I had to look for other alternatives." Ximen explained.

The likely culprit was Lionel. His room was closer to Ximen's room.

Ximen knew his explanation won't bear any fruit. Still, this knowledge didn't stop him from trying to explain anytime he fell into the clutches of his bullies.

As expected, Landon hissed.

"Enough with this false blaming. You always do this. With your attitude and behavior, it is no mystery that the other teaching assistants avoid you." Landon said.

Landon's words were like piercing knives.

Ximen's left hand folded into a fist.

Landon was one of the scientists and researchers in charge of the Max System project.

He wasn't the kind of person Ximen could talk back to. Besides, Ximen was here because Landon was willing to be bribed.

Ximen wasn't here by his own merits at all.

His father, Erik Evrin remarried a year after his mother, Lannie Evrin died.

Ximen, the only living biological son between his father and mother became a thorn in the eyes of his stepmother, Isabelle Gonzales.

She tried every trick in the book to lower his father's love for him. Because of her unending machinations, Ximen slowly morphed into an outcast.

Ximen's arrival at this research center was the result of her plans.

Isabelle wanted to keep Ximen away from his father and the house. She succeeded.

There was no hope of leaving this place at all.

Nobody knows what she had been doing after he left.

He can't leave this place until Landon decides against accepting bribes. With the things he had noticed in his stay here, it was impossible for Landon to send him away voluntarily. Ximen was his cash cow.

As long as Ximen remained here, Isabelle and Erik would continue pump money into Landon's pockets.

The investors in the hall weren't numerous. They were just ten.

Ximen recognized some of their faces.

The secretaries of a few presidents were seated at the front row.

A researcher was on the podium.

"Our current project is a revolutionary. It will set the pace for the collective future of Earth!" The researcher, Miles said with intense excitement coating his features.

The projected image on the white board behind him began to change.

The board began to show things Ximen had scanty knowledge of.

"Is there a new development? These words are the same ones you told us in the last meeting." A stern female secretary with bright red hair interrupted.

"There is new development. The awakening of the Max System is near. If all things go well, it would boot up tomorrow." Miles said.

He started to explain with the help of the white board behind him.

Ximen sighed.

He understood little of what Miles was talking about.

The Max System had been in the works even before he came to the research center six months ago.

This system was built to give the powerful humans of this world control over every technology on this Earth.

It would be the main system governing this world under the government's supervision.

An unimaginable amount of money had been invested in this cause.

It was a project that must succeed. There was no room for failure.

"The Max System can improve physical and biological qualities. It goes beyond our imagination." Miles continued to explain.

Ximen tuned him out.

The sound of flickering electricity drilled into Ximen's ears.

If he wasn't spacing out, he would not have noticed it.

He straightened up.

This sound shouldn't appear in the research center.

The research center was too important.

All hazardous materials like electricity and many more was carefully monitored.

Ximen listened carefully.
It was the sound of sparking electric currents. There was no doubt about that.

"Teacher." Ximen called.

Landon ignored him.

"Teacher, something's wrong." Ximen repeated.

He would have backed away whenever Landon showed any signs of ignoring him. He hated feeling like a burden to the people around him.

However, this wasn't the time to back off.

"Teacher!" Ximen whispered again.

"What is it?!" Landon growled.

"Something's wrong. There is a exposed current somewhere near. I can hear the sounds it makes." Ximen said.

He tugged at the sleeve of Landon's lab coat.

Landon rolled his eyes before giving Ximen a crippling glare.

"Stop your antics! If anyone is be able to hear anything, it won't be you, Ximen." Landon sneered, "Don't forget, you are too weak, incompetent and cowardly. You can't use false alarms to keep people's focus on you alive."

Ximen's hand dropped to his side.

The noise he heard began to multiply. The sound was increasing.

Something was definitely wrong.

Alas, there was nothing Ximen can do to stop whatever was going to happen.

He was just an insignificant assistant researcher. His level of access was too low.

A sudden earthquake shook the hall.

Miles stopped talking and everyone looked around.

The abrupt movement affected the portable projector. It fell to the floor. The fall broke something in the projector.

"What's happening?" Miles questioned as he looked around, "Landon, please go and check what the issue is."

Landon nodded before turning to Ximen, "Let's go."

Ximen followed him out of the hall without a word.

Somehow, Ximen had an inkling that this sudden earthquake had something to do with the sparking electricity he heard a few minutes ago.

It was too suspicious to be called a coincidence.

Landon brought Ximen to a domed area.

Glass was a core material in making of this building.

This was where the main research was conducted. The Max System resided here.

The sound of flickering electricity increased as Ximen neared the domed area.

Finally, Landon was able to hear it.

"What's this sound?" He frowned.

Landon swiped his card on the required spot before pushing the glass door open.

One of the machines hanging from the ceiling crashed to the floor.

A bad feeling tugged at Ximen's subconscious.

He refused to go deeper into the main research area.

Ximen took a tentative step backwards.

Alas, it was too late.

More equipments started misbehaving. Some equipments fell to the floor.

A fire bloomed out of the dancing electric currents from the exposed wires.

Ximen turned around to run.

Landon did the same.

Boom!

The loud sound drilled into Ximen's eardrums. Something in his ears tore into pieces.

An unknown liquid dripped from his ears.

His eyes closed reflectively.

A scream flew out of his throat.

More booms sounded and the only thing Ximen could feel was the agonizing sensation his burning flesh brought.

Pain.

Agony.

That was the only thing Ximen's brain processed.

No part of his body was untouched by the explosion.

Oh boy.

This was the last thought that came to Ximen's mind.

After an unknown amount of time, Ximen's eyes fluttered open.

The only thing he could see was darkness and more darkness.

He didn't get enough time to survey his surroundings. A pull he can not ignore dragged him forward.

A tiny dot of light was at the direction the pull was dragging him to.

The darkness around him lightened as he came closer to the light.

The light was blinding.

Ximen closed his eyes.

Finally, the slight pain the blinding light brought vanished.

Ximen opened his eyes.

He sat up and surveyed where he was.

A dark cave came into his sight.

The sound of dripping water broke the oppressive silence encompassing him.

This wasn't the research center.

The familiar white color that was predominant in the research center was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, a destabilizing headache attacked Ximen.

The strength holding his sitting posture faltered and he fell to the floor unceremoniously.

Ximen clutched his head.

Black dots filled his vision.

[Ding! Starting gene optimization. Targeted gene: The Nightmare Fiend.]

This was the last thing Ximen heard before he blacked out.