LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 43 - Containment Team
Translator: Elisia
Editor/Proofreader: SemiPickle
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“Hah… Hahaha. These insane people. If I hadn’t come, they would’ve really killed the child…”
The researcher mumbled.
Finally, regaining composure, he looked at the test subject.
“Are you okay? You’re alive, right?”
He knew there would be no response.
Frankly, he wasn’t even sure if the subject was human.
But no matter how he looked at her, she was just a little girl.
She was breathing.
Her breathing seemed unstable.
She had a fever.
“They called it disposable, said to send her to the incinerator…”
The researcher looked for a solution.
Everyone else treated this test subject as nothing more than a human-shaped monster.
Perhaps they were right.
After all, she had shown a terrifying level of resilience.
He didn’t know exactly what experiments had been conducted.
But judging by the condition of the other test subjects, he could guess.
There was no such thing as ethics here.
This place was filled with monsters whose origins were unknown.
Whatever methods had been used, they were all calm and obedient.
They listened well.
Once experiments began, the subjects never returned in one piece.
More often, they couldn’t return at all.
The researcher would burn their battered corpses.
But somehow, this one child had managed to survive.
Whether it was because the intensity of the experiment was low or due to a different type of test, he didn’t know.
What was clear was that she had reached her limit.
“Damn it.”
Of course, no one would say anything if he just tossed her into the incinerator.
The fact that no one would object was the biggest problem.
It was a twisted world.
Something resembling a human but considered a type of monster.
But he had begun to doubt what it meant to be truly human.
Carrying the test subject, he headed toward the incinerator.
Then he hesitated.
In truth, incineration was the right choice.
He was simply doing his job.
There was no need to kill her in advance before burning her.
He could just burn her.
“Garbage is meant to be bagged and thrown away separately…”
Of course, he had no intention of burning her.
He wouldn’t kill her.
Saving her was the right thing to do.
He had been powerless, unable to do anything.
Giving her snacks was the most he could manage.
But maybe, just maybe, this was his chance.
He might be able to smuggle her out.
“Maybe if I disguise her as garbage.”
He’d take her out in the garbage truck.
Once outside the facility, he could figure something out.
Surely, he could.
But then what?
Should he take her to a hospital?
Would a hospital even treat someone who wasn’t human?
He couldn’t make any plans.
Outwardly, she definitely looked human.
The researcher still didn’t know the identity of the test subject.
No name, no information.
“Sigh…”
Sometimes he would wonder.
What if this child wasn’t a monster, but just a real person?
There were so many abnormal beings, like Awakeners who defied common sense—could she be one of them?
But that couldn’t be.
The organization would never commit such an atrocity.
It had to be true that she wasn’t human; that’s why they were keeping her locked up.
They claimed to have abundant evidence proving she was a monster.
They could even prove it.
“Don’t be fooled by appearances. There are monsters that can change their forms. Just because it looks like a person doesn’t mean it’s worthy of pity. This one is the same.”
She was nothing more than a monster.
They only kept her alive because it benefited humanity.
“If you don’t want to do it, then don’t. Just focus on cleaning up so others can work. Do you want to do that? Do as you please.”
So, he was basically a janitor.
He couldn’t bring himself to participate in unethical experiments.
In truth, he was more of a runaway.
But since the pay was good, he stayed.
And occasionally, he thought bringing snacks to the test subject—the little girl—was something he needed to do.
He had thought, one day, that he might expose the corruption of the facility or free the child.
But he hadn’t expected that day would be today.
“If I’m taking her out anyway, there’s no need to go to the incinerator… disguising her as garbage might just be more hassle…”
He sorted out his thoughts.
He needed to make a plan, fast.
She wasn’t some grotesque-looking test subject; she was just a little girl. It wouldn’t be hard to hide her.
Let’s go right now.
Running away seemed like the best option.
The stairs?
The elevator would be faster.
B5.
He called for the elevator labeled ‘Basement Level 5.’
The incinerator was in the opposite direction.
But this was the quickest route to escape.
Ding.
The elevator doors opened.
First floor.
He just needed to get to the first floor.
He briefly set the girl down on the elevator floor and pressed the button.
The elevator began to ascend.
B5.
The lower floors were rarely used.
They stored massive monsters here, but transporting them was a challenge.
B4.
The smaller yet numerous monsters were held here.
B3.
This was where the more common, easier-to-capture monsters were kept.
B2.
Monsters needed for immediate experiments were stored here.
B1.
From here, it wasn’t a monster storage area anymore.
1.
The elevator whirred to a halt.
Ding.
The doors opened with a chime indicating arrival.
No one should be here.
Yet, someone was.
He saw a familiar figure on the other side of the door.
“Director?”
The research director.
There was no reason for him to be here at this hour.
It was late in the evening, and most people had already left.
Behind the director stood five members of the Containment Team.
They specialized in subduing monsters.
They wore protective suits that looked like spacesuits.
In their hands were batons charged with electricity.
Something was wrong.
“So… where are you taking that? Didn’t I tell you to dispose of it?”
“Ah, yes. I was on my way to the incinerator.”
“Oh. I see. But the incinerator is in the other direction.”
“I took a wrong turn…”
The director laughed.
“Haha. A wrong turn? I saw everything.”
Security cameras.
Even so, he hadn’t expected the director and the Containment Team to respond so quickly.
“I figured this would happen. How many times do I have to say that a monster is just a monster?”
“Well…”
“I thought you were a talented individual, so I kept giving you chances. But this is problematic. You won’t even be able to keep working as a janitor if you’re sneaking monsters outside.”
“Misunderstanding.”
“Put her down and talk.”
The researcher carefully put the girl down.
Though unable to move, she appeared to be conscious.
“Bring her here.”
“Wait…!”
Before he could do anything, the Containment Team grabbed the girl and placed her before the director.
“Now, where did I leave that golf club? Bring it here.”
What was he planning?
“This is just a monster. Didn’t I show you the mana detection chart? It’s not a human. I told you not to be deceived by appearances.”
“I understand. I’ll take care of it myself. There’s no need for you to get involved, Director.”
If he left her in their hands, there was no hope.
No rescue; it would be over.
“Ah, here it is. Now.”
The director handed the golf club to the researcher.
“Go on, hit it.”
“Pardon?”
“You said you’d handle it.”
“What do you mean…”
Thud.
The director kicked the test subject, pushing her toward the researcher.
“Does this look human to you?”
She didn’t seem to feel any pain.
Maybe she didn’t actually feel pain.
If that’s the case, could he really do anything he wanted?
“Haha, this?”
She looked like a person.
Ironically, it was the director who seemed inhuman.
“Full force, just like that.”
The implication was clear: beat her to death.
“……”
The Containment Team stood menacingly.
Refusing would lead to dire consequences.
It was just a test subject.
A monster.
So, he should be able to do it.
But he couldn’t.
This was something that shouldn’t be done.
He knew this better than anyone.
The girl looked up at the researcher.
He hadn’t cut her bangs yet.
He hadn’t even given her the snack.
If he made the wrong choice here, it would haunt him forever.
He would regret it for the rest of his life.
That would be as good as dying.
“I… can’t do it.”
That was all he could say.
“Well, if that’s the case, there’s no choice. Just hand the club back and leave.”
He handed the golf club back.
“Even so, let me handle this test subject, just this once—”
Whoosh.
The club was raised.
The director intended to do it himself.
Stop him.
But how?
Thud.
It was the researcher who was hit, not the test subject.
There was no way to stop him.
He had merely thrown his body in the way…
“…There’s no way out.”
Thud—
Just a casual kick.
The Containment Team could confine monsters in cages with such simple kicks.
But this time, it was a person who took the blow.
Crash.
The researcher was sent flying to the elevator entrance.
“It’s a shame to waste such a valuable talent… For now, you can just stay there.”
The Containment Team opened the elevator door.
They shoved the researcher inside.
Then the door closed.
“And… what is this?”
The director glanced at the bread and milk lying on the floor.
The snacks had fallen after being kicked by the Containment Team.
They were the food he had brought to give to the girl.
“A snack? Hmm. Were you planning to give it to the test subject?”
It seemed he had gotten attached to the subject.
Why would he bother doing something so pointless…
Crack.
The director stomped on the bread, crushing it.
“Clean it up.”
But no one responded.
There was only a strange sound.
“What? I said, clean this… huh?”
When he turned around, he saw the reason why.
The members of the Containment Team were standing motionless in place.
Their face shields were pierced by large black spikes.
Thud. The electric baton slipped from the hand of the person holding it.
They were dead.
Silently and swiftly.
“W-What…?”
He couldn’t believe his eyes, but it was real.
They had been quietly impaled.
Behind the spikes, the test subject stood.
“W-Wait, what? How?”
There was no time to question anything.
Thunk.
He couldn’t even scream.
The director remained frozen in place, as if suspended in the air.
“Aha.”
The test subject laughed.
Thunk.
Crunch.
Thud.
Sticky blood oozed out.
A terrifying sound filled the air.
Weeeeooo.
A siren blared.
In the event of the director’s death, the facility would automatically go into lockdown.
All five members of the Containment Team were dead.
It was an extremely dangerous situation.
If the monsters escaped into the city, chaos would be inevitable.
The white hallway turned red from the emergency lights.
Thunk.
Thunk.
Thunk.
It was hard to tell if the redness was from the blood or the warning lights.
All the test subject did was keep stabbing.
It was a monster.
That’s why it killed humans.
The facility was to blame for its failure to contain it properly.
Thunk.
Thunk.
Thunk.
She continued until she was satisfied.
The blaring sirens were loud.
The lights flickered.
The test subject’s gaze drifted to the snacks on the floor.
The crushed bread caught her eye.
The milk hadn’t burst.
She picked it up and dusted it off.
Aside from the bread bag being slightly torn, it was still fine.
The bread had lost its shape a bit, but it was okay.
But still, she should get permission before eating it.
The researcher was still inside the elevator.
She opened the elevator door.
The researcher was lying there, unconscious.
Tap, tap.
She poked him, but he didn’t wake up.
She shook him a bit, but it didn’t help.
He was still alive.
So, what should she do now?
The elevator doors closed.
The outside noise was muffled, so it was quiet.
Munch.
She took out the squished bread and ate it.
It was delicious.
And she waited, quietly, for Researcher A to wake up.