Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Constellation of the Scientific World (4)
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The word "next" was already starting to make me uneasy.
But the man paid no heed to my anxious expression. Once the blood draw was finished, he handed me some clothes to change into.
Mullen guided me, now dressed in something like lightweight athletic wear, deeper into the lab.
I stood there in awe, marveling at how vast the lab was, until Mullen came to a stop.
There was no explanation. We entered a separated space enclosed by transparent glass walls. Inside the room sat a massive device.
At first glance, it looked like a ride that spun around in a circle.
I was strapped into the device's ominous chair, which even had seatbelts.
“What is this?”
No answer.
The scientist personally buckled the seatbelt, then plastered patches with electrodes all over my body.
“And what’s this?”
No answer from Mullen as he exited the transparent enclosure.
The machine started without any warning.
“Uwaaaaaah!”
That bastard put me in a centrifuge!
“Uwaaaaaaaaah! Wait, wait a second!”
The lab scenery whipped by behind me. The speed, fast from the start, only increased. I lost my mind, inwardly spewing curses.
Was a single warning too much to ask? Couldn’t you at least give one warning…?
Mullen didn’t let me down in time either.
The moment I was released from the chair, I collapsed to the floor.
“I’m gonna… gonna puke….”
[Oh dear! The bathroom’s at the far left end!]
Martin spun in circles above my head.
Don’t spin….
I crawled on all fours to the bathroom Martin directed me to. Fortunately, it was normal and clean. No one was there.
Urk.
After lightly vomiting and staggering back,
Mullen was staring at my test results with gleaming eyes.
“What the hell was that….”
Mullen looked up as I stopped beside him.
Instead of answering, he shoved something like a motion-sensing game controller into my hands.
“Go stand over there.”
I was an idiot for expecting a reply.
At least this time there were no restraints, so it should be fine. I followed his instructions in my disheveled state.
The lab was truly vast and bizarre. There was a zone full of plants, and another with countless games.
I stood in the game experience zone.
This might actually be fun.
[Temfit! Survival is self-service!]
Flashy subtitles flew in from the corner of the monitor. Gripping the controller-like device with sensors strapped to my thighs, I listened intently to the tutorial.
It was a horrific hybrid of rhythm and action games.
The aftereffects of the centrifuge still lingered, but I gave the game my all. The story and structure were simple, but progressing required using my whole body.
What kind of half-baked game is this?
Twisting my body desperately to keep up combos, I took my first hit from a sudden monster.
“Argh!”
Electricity coursed through the hit area via the controller.
“What the hell!”
“Incoming.”
“Argh!”
No sooner had Mullen spoken than pain stabbed my thigh.
The screen showed a triceratops-like enemy goring my character.
I frantically kicked to shake it off, but there was no room for carelessness. Enemies poured out in droves. Absurdly numerous.
“Who designed these levels!”
And who came up with the perverted idea of actual pain?
Gritting my teeth, I flailed my limbs. It didn’t require any real skill. Just swing arms, lean back, or duck at the right timing.
I thrashed my limbs like a madman.
It hurts so damn much.
Still, I held out for a while. Endured four more raids. This crap game had inconsistent raid levels. Cursing nonstop, I lasted until the boss.
Then the boss’s attack knocked me out.
“Argh!”
Shock hit through both hands and thighs.
The pain, incomparable to before, made me drop the controller.
“What the hell is this!”
“Fascinating.”
Instead of answering, the mad scientist muttered that.
His blue eyes gleamed.
“Truly fascinating.”
All my fault.
I should’ve taken the seniors’ words at face value. I’d overestimated myself.
Too late for regrets—the water was spilled. John Mullen, eyes alight, dragged me to yet another spot.
What excuse can I use to escape?
Felt like being led to the slaughterhouse. My stomach churned, hands and thighs throbbed. Body felt like I’d run laps around the gym dozens of times.
No good. Once today’s experiments end, I have to say I can’t do it. More exhausted than after going outside the core.
With hollow eyes, I trudged through the empty lab.
“What time is it….”
[Ten-thirty a.m.!]
Martin replied cheerfully.
Despair at it not even being eleven yet. And resolve to escape at noon no matter what. Since I’d given my word, I had to endure until lunch.
Guided to a transparent cube.
Inside the cube, sized for one adult male to sit, was a desk with a pen and what looked like test papers neatly arranged.
“Solve it within the time limit.”
Mullen explained flatly.
But I no longer trusted him. Especially after he sealed the cube from outside. If it was just solving problems, why lock me in here?
Nothing but bad vibes, but I didn’t resist anyway.
Gotta see it through sincerely if I said I would.
A jumble of language, logic, common sense, math problems. An IQ test, apparently. I picked up the pen and solved them one by one. No clue on exact time limit, so no slacking.
Solved in silence.
Until I realized the air felt off.
“…What.”
I noticed a strange smell in the sealed space and looked up.
“What’s that smell.”
No reply.
After minutes of denial, I snapped to. Clearly pumping in some weird gas.
John Mullen stood outside, staring at the pad. That psycho.
I flung the pen and jumped up.
“Let me out!”
Pounded the transparent glass wall.
“Let me out! You crazy bastard!”
Thud thud thud thud thud!
Crack! Pouring all my strength, a crack formed. Desperate not to inhale the suspicious gas, I smashed the glass.
Crash!
Shattered.
At the same instant, my body pitched forward. Gulped huge lungfuls of oxygen, legs gave out. No matter how hard I tried, no strength in my limbs.
What the hell did this mad scientist do….
Vision blurring. Tried to stand but failed. John Mullen didn’t lift me—instead, peered at my reaction with interest.
Screwed. He’s just a crazy fuck.
Writhing on glass shards, I reached for the ceiling AI.
“Help… save a person….”
[Eek!]
The round ceiling AI started spinning like a motor.
[Must save the person! But can Hildebert Talib be defined as human? Where to source the justification for this experiment? Is rescuing Hildebert Talib necessary? Isn’t Hildebert Talib a risk factor? If he’s human, must rescue him? If not human, must not? What is human? What distinguishes human from non-human?]
…Why’s it going off like that.
Barely lifting my head, I stared blankly at the spinning AI.
Smoke started rising from Martin, spinning faster. I dumbly watched the AI accelerate like a jet propeller.
Spinning so fast it looked stationary. If not for the roar, wouldn’t know it was moving….
Pssshhhh
With massive smoke, Martin shut down.
“…Crazy.”
Unbelievable.
Stared incredulously at the dead AI.
If you go too, what about me.
Vision foggier. Dizziness worse. Whatever. Dropped my chin to the floor, face down. Just pass out. When I wake, it’ll be over. He likes me this much—won’t kill me.
Gave up completely, closed my eyes.
Opened them to a syringe.
“Argh!”
Reflexively yelled, sat up top half.
“What!”
“Drug.”
Who asked that?
Life-threatening vibe sharpened my senses. Still in the lab. On a surgical table-like spot inside. Unbelievable it wasn’t over.
Not even a day passed. Not even evening. Noon sunlight warmly lit the vast space.
Gotta punch that bastard’s throat and bolt.
The thought struck—someone snatched Mullen’s syringe hand.
“Stop.”
Tears nearly fell at the familiar low voice.
Yoon gripped John Mullen’s arm, looking exasperated. Mullen blinked slowly, turning toward Yoon. The master not releasing his arm.
The master’s appearance in the empty lab felt like the Messiah’s return.
Yoon met John Mullen’s blank stare and said,
“Handle people like that, they break.”
“I was gentle.”
“People… break if handled like that.”
Yoon said methodically.
I looked up at my master with teary eyes. Yoon looked normal. Beyond normal—savior of my life.
I was the fool, respected senior. Not a word you said was wrong….
Mullen eyed Yoon thoughtfully, then lowered his hand.
The scientist muttered in a low tone rivaling Yoon’s.
“Then the rest next time.”
“Next time?”
After all this crap, you think there’ll be a next?
“This is the last one, right?”
Emphasized.
Mullen’s eyes widened. Pure shock.
No trace of deceit in his emotion drove me madder. He was genuinely surprised by my answer. Truly hadn’t expected it.
The constellation of science and ultimate madman peered down, muttering,
“So many experiments I want to try together.”
“Please spare me.”
Begged desperately, tugging my master’s arm. Gazed up at the cold man staring blankly down.
Hugging one of his arms, I declared,
“I’ll do way better from now on. All my fault. Forgive this worthless disciple.”
“Fine.”
Yoon replied dryly.
“Attaboy.”
Thanks to my master’s grace, I escaped the lab.
***
Having escaped that nightmare lab, I naively believed it was all over.
Laxed for a week under that delusion. Rolled happily under Yoon. Even while rolling and getting smacked that week, rejoiced that my master was relatively normal.
Until next week’s Saturday, when John Mullen visited the dorm annex.
I was sitting with Ami, Tom, Hessi, playing games.
Ami spotted him first.
“Kyaaah!”
Clatter!
Ami’s character plummeted off a cliff as her joystick hit the floor. Chair tipped back, crashed.
Freeze.
All eyes locked on one spot. Tall man standing motionless in the doorway.
Up close, he was quite handsome. Neat features, gray hair and blue eyes in beautiful harmony….
Ami, frozen, screamed again.
“Kyaaah! Mr. Mullen’s in front of me! A ghost! It’s a ghost! No way he’d come out of the science building!”
Am I finally seeing ghosts too!
Ami’s voice rang clear through room 304.