episode_0107

After taking care of a criminal organization as easily as eating a snack, we moved on to the next step.

“Evergreen Clinic Center?”

“It’s a hospital that mainly treats seriously injured patients or neurological disorders.”

Based on information obtained from the field and data acquired online, the Violets continued their discussion.

“Looking at its introduction, it’s just a normal hospital. Where on earth are they conducting experiments?”

“It’s been closed for two years. They said it closed under the pretext of renovations…”

“Hmm, it’s suspicious to anyone who looks at it.”

We wrestled with this problem for a long time. At first, the argument to storm in immediately was dominant, but it was refuted by the argument that there was insufficient information.

“Information is lacking. We don’t know the internal structure, personnel, or troop strength.”

“Could Kalia’s uncle really be here? It might be misinformation.”

As opinions were exchanged, Violet No. 10 questioned the Violets who had remained at the Water Pigs’ hideout.

“You didn’t take care of all those thugs, did you?”

“We kept a few alive and are still asking them various things.”

“That’s good. Find out how to make contact with the hospital.”

“Contact?”

No. 10’s idea spread through the Violet network. It was a good idea. We nodded one by one.

“That’s good, let’s start quickly!”

The next day, a car arrived at the back entrance of the closed Evergreen Clinic Center. The doctor who came out after receiving the call stared blankly at the short-haired, brown-haired girl and the syndicate member beside her.

“Seriously, didn’t I hand over the personnel the day before yesterday? Why are you back?”

“Well, we missed one person. Haha…”

“Hey, now I have to redo the list!”

The doctor grumbled. The syndicate member, who kept glancing inside the car, handed over the girl and returned to the hideout.

“I did as you instructed. You’ll send me away, right? And the reward money…”

“Yes, I’ll send you. To heaven!”

A masked Violet, who followed out of the car, struck the syndicate member on the head.

“They let us in themselves. Idiots! No need for infiltration.”

“What’s it like inside?”

“You can see it too, right? It reminds me of the old days. All research labs are pretty much the same, it seems.”

“It’s in the middle of the city, and they’re doing this openly. These guys’ livers must be swollen! [An idiom implying extreme daring or recklessness.]”

Watching the information come into our minds, we began to devise a plan.

The identity of the girl who infiltrated the interior was a disguised Violet. Using one of the thugs we’d kept alive, we infiltrated Violet No. 231 as a test subject.

The Violet, dressed in a patient gown, pretended to follow the instructions of the internal staff while observing her surroundings.

The Violets at headquarters gathered the information coming into their view to estimate the internal security level, the guards’ armaments, and the facility’s scale.

“Seriously, it’s exactly the same level as the facility we were imprisoned in.”

“There are more people here. They don’t make them fight monsters or anything, so what’s its purpose?”

Surveillance continued until night.

“First, find the person. Focus on areas labeled ‘restricted zone’!”

“Got it!”

Clones, formed between the ceiling and floor of the walls, crawled and dispersed throughout the hospital. Some moved cautiously, searching for areas out of CCTV range.

“Found him!”

In No. 483’s line of sight, a hospital room appeared. Inside, there was a middle-aged, red-haired man tied to a bed.

The surroundings were filled with unknown medical equipment, and various tubes were inserted into his body, pushing colorful drugs into him.

“His complexion is really bad, but it’s him!”

“Horrible. Take a picture, just in case.”

The Violets found their target. It happened on the second day of infiltrating the hospital.

“Oh, right, tell Daphne to stay a few more days if she doesn’t have any particular problems!”

“Understood.”

When asked with various household chores and minor circumstances, Daphne gave a positive reply.

Next, we shared the information we’d found with Kalia.

“Where did you get this photo?”

When Violet showed her uncle’s photo, Kalia was initially skeptical.

“There’s a way. Anyway, is it him?”

She kept her mouth shut. She stared intently at the tablet screen. Her green eyes blinked repeatedly. Then, Kalia reacted explosively, like a volcano erupting.

“Yes… this is my uncle! Where is he? We have to go save him right now!”

“Wait, Kalia. Why don’t you calm down and listen to me?”

She seemed about to kick open the door and run out at any moment, so several Violets clung to her. After a while, Kalia calmed down, breathing heavily.

“Haa… sorry, I showed you an unsightly side. I haven’t reflected enough. It was only a few months ago that I rushed out alone and got captured, and I still…”

“Don’t blame yourself too much! Your family went missing. I’d probably act the same way.”

“Hey, thanks for saying that. First, I need to contact the Brotherhood members.”

Once she made up her mind, she picked up the phone.

“Uncle Marco! It’s me. Why am I calling at this hour? Gather some people! There’s something urgent we need to talk about. The sooner, the better!”

Immediately, the Brotherhood members gathered for an emergency meeting. The location was a bar operated by a Brotherhood member. Most of the members were rough-looking, hot-headed men.

“Kalia, you’re not mistaken again, like last time, are you?”

When the mustached uncle, who had his arms crossed, asked, Kalia placed the tablet on the table.

“No, I’m sure! Uncles, don’t you see this? Look at the photo and video. Anyone can tell it’s our uncle.”

Seeing that, everyone fell silent.

“My goodness, Mr. Rodriguez…”

“He’s the leader! It’s definitely the work of those damned gang bastards!”

“It might be some clan or corporation guys. The leader is an unaligned Awakener!”

Kalia excitedly slammed the table. The table was charred by flames. She seemed to be so angry that she unconsciously wrapped her unique ability around her body.

“Anyway, we know the location, so we have to go save him quickly! Right now!”

Perhaps swept up by her powerful presence, even the burly men raised their arms and shouted.

“That’s right. We have to go right now! The Brotherhood doesn’t abandon family!”

“Let’s save the leader!”

A man in a black vest with a Mohawk and a beard, who had been quiet, stood up. I turned my head. It was Uncle Marco. He was the one who picked me up in his truck when I escaped the research lab by car.

“Everyone, calm down.”

“Marco! What are you talking about?”

“If that place is a corporate research lab, we won’t be able to handle it alone. Shouldn’t we approach it more carefully? We should hire fixers and ask other places for help too.”

When Uncle Marco pointed out an important fact, everyone’s excited mood cooled down as if cold water had been thrown on them.

“Uncle.”

“Kalia, I also owe the leader. Do you think I don’t want to go save him? But you’ve experienced it, you know. It’s dangerous to take risks at our current level.”

Kalia glanced at me and smiled confidently. Before attending the Brotherhood meeting, the two of us had finished discussing what to say. Now it was time to show them.

“Don’t worry about that. We’ve hired the best fixers.”

“Mercenaries?”

“There’s a way. You’ll be surprised when you see it.”

Kalia snapped her fingers, and the bar door opened. A squad of aspiring violence-prone Violets, clad in black combat suits, appeared. The eyes of all the Brotherhood members inside the bar widened.

“What on earth is this…”

“It’s a long story. Uncles, just get ready to go!”

***

A few hours later, in the downtown area of the Western District at midnight. Various cars, loaded with people, arrived in front of the Evergreen Clinic Center.

“Alright, the operation begins. Internal personnel, are you ready?”

“Yes, I’ll start disabling security right away.”

The Violet squad waiting outside approached the building’s front door and surrounding windows with Kalia.

Simultaneously, inside, Violets who had been waiting in the walls, floors, lockers, and restrooms began to move after changing their clothes.

“Heads!”

“Ugh!”

After quickly incapacitating the night shift guards, Osprey Rodriguez, who was lying on the sickbed, was secured. His face was pale, and he looked very unwell.

“Rescue target secured!”

“Good, now the annihilation operation begins.”

“Kalia, are you ready?”

“No need to say anything more. Let’s go in quickly.”

The Violet squad entered through the hospital’s main entrance. Moving simultaneously from inside and outside, we subdued the hospital’s researchers.

“Ugh! The test subject escaped! Stay still!”

“Be quiet!”

-Bang! Bang!

“Argh!”

I wielded violence mercilessly. These guys are all in on it together. There’s no need to spare them.

In the old days, for evil scientists, budget, superiors, and deadlines were the most terrifying disasters.

-If you give us more budget!

-No. I’ll cut it further. I’ll give you one day, so fix it quickly!

-Aaaargh!

So, what is the greatest disaster for today’s scientists?

The answer is rogue, illegal Violets born from indiscriminate human experimentation!

The rogue, illegal Violets created by Rafflesia have now become terrorist Violets who do not hesitate to kill.

So, this is all your fault. No mercy!

“Argh! My leg!”

“It’s an attack! Where are the guards?!”

“Help me! Argh!”

While the external Violets moved quickly, the internal Violet squad also moved, carrying Kalia’s uncle on the bed.

Now all that was left was to meet up and hand him over, but it felt like the number of guards kept increasing.

-Bang! Bang!

“It’s not something to say in the middle of a fight, but it reminds me of the old days. Doesn’t it?”

Kalia said this right after blowing off a guard’s head with a flame-infused bullet. I also pierced the heart of an Awakened guard with a crossbow.

“Right! Right! It was really tough back then.”

“There aren’t any ogre-like guys here, are there?”

No sooner had she finished speaking than two bulky, black-clad guards broke through a wall and appeared.

“An attack? I don’t know which clan you’re from, but you won’t pass!”

“I’ll turn you into mashed tomatoes.”

I screamed at the sight. Huge builds, sledgehammers in hand. A very familiar scene.

“Oh, ogres! And there are two of them!”

Did that ogre guy revive? I clearly killed him!

“Crazy, is wielding hammers a trend among guards these days?”

Kalia muttered with a bewildered expression. She must have remembered something similar to me.

It became annoying. The guys skillfully interrupted between the infiltration team carrying the bed and the advancing forces. We were about to have a family reunion. Unforgivable!

Three Violets charged at the fake ogre guard. Simultaneously, Kalia drew her pistol and sword and lunged at the other one.

“Violet Stream Attack!”

“Hmph, how ridiculous.”

-Whish!

The guard’s attack came flying. The old me wouldn’t have been able to dodge it, but now it was different. The leading Violet simply bent at the waist, dodging the hammer.

The second Violet jumped up, stepping on my back just before colliding with the hammer. At the same time, the third Violet at the very back took out a crossbow and aimed at its lower body.

“Argh! My leg!”

“Die!”

The second Violet stabbed its knife into the neck of the struggling, slumped figure. Its attacks were terrible. Slower than Kalia and Irene!

“Raaargh!”

-Bang! Bang!

While I was knocking down the guard, Kalia also dealt with another fake ogre. A coup de grâce was a bonus.

“It’s different from back then.”

“You weren’t trained back then. And I was beaten and starved by those guys, so my condition was at its worst.”

I see. I can definitely feel how much stronger I’ve become.

After dealing with the hammer guards, I received the bed from the waiting infiltration team.

“Uncle…!”

“Go back quickly.”

“What about you guys?”

“We have a lot to do. We told the Brotherhood members, didn’t we? That we’d save the other people inside too.”

Kalia nodded. She left with her uncle, escorted by the Violets. Feeling the ambulance carrying Kalia and her uncle, along with their escort, leave first, we continued our work.

“Squad 1, escort the patients out. Squad 2, check for anything we missed.”

“What about our squad?”

“Lay out the incendiaries and set up the explosives.”

The Violets rescued the poor test subjects and took them outside. Their reactions varied widely.

“Hey! Come out quickly! We’ll send you home!”

“Please don’t kill me!”

“Are you the police? The Inspectorate? We’re saved!”

We crushed everything that got in our way and examined the research lab.

“Ugh! Why do they all love brains so much?”

Violet No. 471, who was examining the restricted area of the lab, flinched in surprise. On the operating table, an extracted brain was contained in a transparent container. Creepily, this brain seemed to be alive.

“There are more here! So many!”

“Rescue targets secured!”

“For now, just grab the ones nearby. There’s no time. This is the middle of the city. The police or their forces will be here soon. Retreat quickly!”

Hearing the headquarters’ urging, the Violets quickly left. Soon after, cars carrying the hospital’s human experimentation victims, the Violet squad, and the Brotherhood started their engines and disappeared into the darkness.

“Detonate!”

Soon, flames soared. The Evergreen Clinic Center collapsed due to the fire caused by explosives and incendiaries.

The remaining Violets watched until the end. Police cars and fire trucks, arriving late, surrounded the burning hospital. Suspicious black cars were also seen arriving and engaging in a standoff with the police.

“Operation successful!”

“How’s the uncle?”

“Daphne is healing him.”

Bringing Daphne proved helpful. She was currently monitoring the patient’s condition inside the ambulance.

“It was a truly dangerous situation. How did it end up like this…”

As Daphne finished healing and explained, Kalia impatiently spoke.

“So? What’s the situation?”

“For now, he’s past the critical point! Measures have been taken, but he’ll need long-term care at a hospital.”

“That’s a relief… a relief…”

Hearing the answer, Kalia sighed in relief. The convoy sped along the dawn road towards the Central District.

“Now, you know this isn’t the end, right?”

“Yeah. But for now, I’ll sleep on it.”

For now, I decided not to think about it until we returned. We twisted one of the main story’s branches five years into the future today.

No, it might not matter much since it was already messed up long ago.

Whatever. Today, Violet destroyed another evil research lab!