From outside Ano’s door, Ye Muo clearly heard the crisp sounds of clinking chains. He could tell Ano was very close by when the man spoke again, “What video?”
“What happened to…Adrian?”
Ano sounded relatively calm.
But even Ye Muo knew something wasn’t right when Adrian was mentioned. Ano, who understood the situation better, could naturally infer more from Ye Muo’s words.
Ye Muo got up somewhat uneasily. “Let me go ask Adlet about it.”
Ano stopped Ye Muo, “No need.”
Ye Muo stopped. He hesitated for a while before returning to the door. “Why?”
“Because it doesn’t matter.”
Ano sounded more calm than ever.
Which only fueled Ye Muo’s unease. He heard Ano say word by word:
“Adrian’s already dead. I was by his side his entire life. I know.”
Adrian died right by Ano’s side.
The one who came back to life, even if they looked the exact same as Adrian and even had his voice, was no longer him.
He was already gone.
Ano was only separated from Ye Muo by a door. His hands slowly clenched into fists. He bared his teeth and silently growled like a wild beast.
How dare they disturb Adrian.
How dare they?!
The instrument on Ano’s neck began to sound a shrill alarm.
Data quickly appeared on the displays of the other instruments in the room.
Ye Muo took a step forward, unsure of what to do. “Ano!”
A hand landed on Ye Muo’s shoulder. He looked back. Norton had arrived behind him at some point. He looked down at Ye Muo. “Go find Adlet. I’ll handle things here.”
“It will be all right.”
Ye Muo nodded. He glanced at the door in front of him one last time before leaving.
It wasn’t until Ye Muo’s footsteps faded away that Norton spoke, “You know.”
Ano’s voice came from behind the door. “When?”
Norton knew what Ano was asking about. “Soon.”
Those who dare to provoke the dignity of the Grantz will be repaid in bloodied claws and fangs.
Even if it seemed like they needed to find the needle in a haystack right now, Norton was more than sure that it wouldn’t be long.
Soon, Adrian would lead them to him.
The crystals that could insulate psychic power were consumables. They would gradually lose effectiveness with each psychic strike.
Adrian should have awoken recently. With time, he would become more and more powerful. Without enough crystals to keep him at bay, his berserk psychic power would act as a beacon.
And there was no cage in the world that could hold a beast surnamed Grantz forever.
Ano stood up and faced Norton on the other side of the door. “Prepare my sword, Big Brother. Let’s fight together one last time.”
Norton made a sound of acknowledgement. This was for the best.
It was very dangerous to fight a Grantz who had lost their mind.
Grantz who were still lucid would be cautious and ration their psychic power in order to not overextend themselves and go berserk.
But Grantz who had already gone berserk would use their psychic power without reserve. Even their physique and regenerative capabilities would be much stronger than before.
What’s more troubling was their berserk psychic power would affect other Grantz.
Norton’s values have also been hovering around a dangerous range these years. Without external influence, the medical team estimated he would go berserk for the first time in a year or two. In addition, because he had a habit of suppressing his psychic power, he would reach the end faster than the average Grantz.
……
“There he goes again.”
03 stood in front of the window, watching yet another layer of walls being built around the structure. This meant another layer inside had been destroyed.
“There are other people being held there, right? How many are still alive?”
Faceless shook his head. “I don’t know.”
03 shot Faceless a glance. “Strange. Here I thought you’d be worried about them.”
“Everyone inside is a convict.”
Faceless added, “Except for Prince Adrian.”
Faceless’ stance was crystal clear. Those people should’ve died a long time ago for their crimes.
03 didn’t argue the point. He’s grown used to Faceless’ strange moral standards by now. Sometimes he appeared to be a goody-two-shoes, other times he seemed especially callous.
Faceless continued watching the prison. “Apparently he’s been trying to break out since the day he was reawoken. That place can’t hold him. He’ll destroy it all one day.”
03 languidly supported his chin with a hand. He glanced down at the line of fully armed guards marching by. He’s seen less researchers these days than this team.
He lowered his voice, “Do you actually believe this is some sort of experiment?”
Faceless looked down. “They captured a Grantz. I don’t think they would pass up the opportunity.”
03 sneered, “And if they’ve already tried?”
“The number of researchers around here dwindles by the day. Rather than starting an experiment, it’s more like they’re preparing to pull out. No project would make researchers leave at the very start, unless the experiment has already finished.”
Faceless finally turned to look at 03. He’s also noticed some odd things over the past few days. Squads kept going in and out of the base. They left with a lot of equipment and came back empty handed.
Faceless observed that the devices were all used for reconnaissance, including video and communication equipment that wouldn’t be out of place with an expedition team. The kind someone would use to upload their perspective and surrounding scenery to the galactic network, like during a livestream.
There was no signal near the base, but recently those signal blockers had also been removed in preparation for something.
03 continued, “They can’t research shit anyway. They can’t even get close enough for a blood sample. All they can do is carry out long-range assaults and collect blood from nearby walls and other objects. I heard it’s not going too well. The samples are highly contaminated.”
“Any extracted DNA isn’t good enough to breed offspring with the Grantz pedigree. You of all people should know how many times they failed back then.”
Faceless’ finger twitched like he had been jabbed with a needle. Of course he knew. That project was one deemed to fail from the start. It was the only reason a non-researcher like him could participate. At first, Faceless only went there as a means of avoiding direct confrontations with his former family and friends. Then everything spiraled out of control.
Even now, he couldn’t say how things got this way.
So many trials only resulted in one viable subject, Ye Muo. And viable was a generous descriptor. He seemed to lack all the characteristic Grantz traits and was actually even weaker than a normal child. None of his other values were exceptional in any way either.
In the end, he was deemed a failure, which was why Faceless’ younger sister was able to so easily take him away.
03 continued thinking aloud without waiting for Faceless to respond, “Most of the organization’s funds are going to buying the psychic power nullification crystals, but there’s only so much supply. Stock’s drying up on the black market recently while prices are skyrocketing.”
He finally concluded, “The beast locked away in there’s become a heavy liability to the organization.”
“If it were me, I would kill him. Yet they’re leaving him alive and even publicizing his existence to attract the attention of the Grantz. Why do you think they went through all that trouble?”
“Or do you really think that they’ve told us everything about the secret of the Grantz?”
After a while, Faceless turned and started approaching 03. 03 suppressed his desire to shy away. Then 03 heard Faceless’ very, very quiet response, “I know they’re testing us.”
03 took a step back. “Us? I’m not in cahoots with you.”
Faceless chuckled. “You’ve been in cahoots with me since the day you promised to keep that drug safe on my behalf. Why else do you think they would let you participate in an experiment?”
03’s previous tasks had never been like this. Every member of the organization knew that 03 would purposely ruin any experiments he could.
Rather than becoming angry, 03 just looked back at Faceless. “So you know what they’re up to?”
Faceless straightened. “Yes. My suspicions have been confirmed.”
03 looked at Faceless. “So what are you going to do about it?”
“Absolutely nothing.”
03 looked at Faceless with some surprise. He thought that Faceless would try to find a way to deliver the drug to Grantz.
“Why so surprised? I betrayed Grantz, no?”
Faceless slowly stated, “They want to reveal the Grantz’s secret to the world? Coincidentally enough, I also want to know.”
The Grantz’s secret. The truths they conceal. Their tragic fate.
Just what was the road that Ye Muo would walk as well in the end?
Before he ascertained all this, he would not be handing over the antidote.
……
Soon more videos started popping up online. There were even some filming inside the prison from outside, which greatly reduced the scope of the investigation
Almost everyone could tell that these videos were crumbs meant to lead Grantz over.
[Grantz has already set off. They should have triangulated the location of that place…but isn’t it strange how the videos came from them?]
[Grantz definitely knows about everything we do and more. They just don’t care. Or in other words, they’re more concerned with dealing with the problem.]
Grantz’s fleet travelled day and night. Their journey was reported by people online everyday.
And when Grantz’s warships entered the Exile Sectors, a live broadcast channel popped up on the galactic network. No one paid it any mind at first.
It was in the public part of the galactic network that wasn’t under any one country’s jurisdiction.
Then people happened to check it out.
The scene in the livestream room was familiar to many. It was inside the prison holding Adrian. Sounds of him trying to break out could even be heard from time to time.
In addition, there were many more perspectives and angles to choose from. Everything, from the interior of the prison to the outside, could be watched.
If one turned on the full dive mode, you could even walk out from the building and see the scenery outside and the sky above.
The channel spread like wildfire across all platforms.
[I’ve walked around every inch of this place, inside and out. There’s no one around anymore. Even the convicts from the first video are gone. Prince Adrian’s the only one left. They’ve abandoned this place. I keep coming back to Adrian’s location. He just keeps going…]
[I went to the base next to the prison. The gates were closed, but I climbed over the wall. There’s abandoned labs with some irrelevant data there. Based on the level of detail, whoever set this up definitely placed a ton of holographic projection equipment everywhere. Although I’m curious and want to see more, I’m also really scared there’s a conspiracy of some kind…]
[Me too. I’m so scared even though it’s just a livestream. I’m going to stick by Prince Adrian’s side. Feels like it’ll be safer that way.]
[Go outside guys! Grantz’s fleet is coming! His Majesty is about to arrive! Hurry up! If Grantz doesn’t approve, they’re almost certainly going to dismantle the projectors before making a move.]
Many of the people in the holographic broadcast room looked up and saw Grantz warships hovering above them. The number was only going up. The ships descended in altitude but remained airborne.
The hatch of the mothership opened, revealing Norton, then a masked Ano, and Ye Muo at the very back.
High velocity winds buffeted Norton’s hair.
Ano was down on one knee by Norton’s side, a collar around his neck. He surveyed the terrain below.
At the same time, Adrian’s cell door opened. He ceased his tireless assault and walked out.
Only then did everyone discover that the shackles around Adrian’s limbs had been removed at some point. He was unrestrained aside from a muzzle.
Adrian seemed rather normal for now. He slowly walked out through the corridors.
Norton was still at the ship hatch. He turned back, his gaze pausing briefly on Ye Muo. Ye Muo stood there with Norton’s sword at his waist. Sensing the man’s gaze, he raised his head.
Norton looked away from Ye Muo and returned his gaze to the surface below. “All warships must remain airborne until I order otherwise.”
Norton was clearly intending to go down and fight himself.
Clinton Sr was also in the team behind Norton. He insisted on coming, which Norton agreed to readily.
Clinton Sr exchanged a glance with Secretary-General Lin behind him. Secretary-General Lin sighed inaudibly before stepping forward.
“Your Majesty, please allow us to go down and clean up the holographic projection equipment on the ground first.”
Grantz had noticed the livestream starting long ago. Norton used psychic power to destroy a portion of the equipment, but the rest had been shielded with nullifying crystals.
Norton did not look back as he gripped his sword. “No need. It won’t take long.”
If people were sent down to clean up, the berserk Adrian would indiscriminately attack anyone who got near him. His abnormal state would be completely revealed to the world.
And since Adrian was destined to die by his hand, there was no need to expose his abnormal state.
If there was anyway to avoid it, no Grantz would even want to show that mindless beastial state of theirs to even their family members. Before the empress passed, she had never gone up to the fourth floor to visit her children.
She wanted to, of course, but she decided to respect their decision to not let their mother witness their pitiful state.
Clinton Sr stepped forward. “The other party obviously wants Your Majesty to shoulder the heavy chains of familicide. I believe a more cautious approach is best, so as to not fall into their trap.”
“Even if you wish to execute Prince Adrian, Your Majesty, it can be done through the proper channels. Adrian can be held at the top of the tower in the meantime.”
The top of the tower was a place specifically designated to hold the Grantz. Several individuals from Norton’s generation had been imprisoned there.
Norton didn’t even look back. “If their goal is to have me bear the sin of killing Adrian, then I don’t mind. This has always been his fate.”
“Your Majesty!” Clinton Sr raised his voice.
Then he lowered his voice again, even though everyone present including Ye Muo could still hear, “His Little Highness is still here.”
Ye Muo raised his head. “I will obey Father’s orders.”
His tone was not very aggressive, and even rather mild, “If Father also wishes to kill me one day, then his will is my own.”
Ye Muo turned to Clinton Sr. “There’s no need to protest on my behalf at that time, sir. Nor any need to feel upset on my behalf. For this is my own will.”
