“Hey, Luca. I think I found something,” Ava said, stepping up to Luca before glancing at Clarke. “But I think we’d better talk about it outside as there’s this creepy guy who keeps trying to talk to me. I don’t know him well, but he seems suspicious.”“Yeah, I agree. Let’s find somewhere else to talk,” Luca replied. “You go out first, and I’ll follow. I’ll make sure no one’s tailing us, and I’ll keep an eye out to ensure no one intercepts you out front.”Luca and Ava then left the laboratory. Before closing the door, Luca noticed Clarke still staring intently at him and the brown haired man didn’t like the look in his eyes.In a corner of the lab corridor, an area Luca had checked and found free of surveillance cameras, Ava pulled a tool from her pocket. Luca frowned at the object’s odd shape as it looked like a screwdriver.“I think this is t

“What? She’s come back to life?” Luca raised an eyebrow.“Yes! And that’s the main reason I came looking for you right away! You’re the smartest one here and know all about weird stuff. Come with me before she claims another victim! We can’t afford to lose any more lives,” Simon said, then hurried back toward the hall.Luca nodded at Ava before running after Simon, wondering when this trivial mess would finally end.Upon returning to the praying mantis girl’s cell, Luca and Ava saw the creature standing up and devouring the corpses.The number of victims was far greater than before and Ava nearly retched beside Luca, her face twisted in sheer disgust.“See? She’s back to life and I’m certain there weren't this many bodies before,” Simon said, wrinkling his nose at the new victims. “She must have preyed on some of the workers and scientists who were examining her. I recall I wasn't the only one who saw her come back to life.”“In that case, let’s kill her immediately,” Luca said. “Did

“I can’t wrap my head around Salami! She can’t just dump the blame on all of us and suddenly threaten us like this,” Simon said angrily while he, Luca, and Ava were eating in the cafeteria. “Oh, I know! Why don’t you just talk to your older sibling and your father, Luca? They could surely pressure Salami so we don’t end up getting killed. They wouldn’t let a member of the Kane family die because of some ordinary guy, right?”“No, they’d actually let me die because my family doesn’t care about that blood penalty rule. They’d view it as the result of my own incompetence. They’d even be happy if I was punished by outsiders,” Luca said, causing Simon’s face to instantly turn pale. “But don’t worry, I’ll figure something out. I’m sure there’s a way if we keep thinking about it. Besides, the scientist’s death didn’t seem too painful since he died instantly.”“Yeah, that’s true. It wasn’t painful, but if you survive, you’d be crippled for life. I just hope there isn’t a rule requiring untale

“So, that’s the last one, right? My count has to be correct because I’m certain that’s all the scientists we could get for now,” Ava said, while Luca watched the final scientist walk out of the storage room.Luca sighed, feeling somewhat disappointed that the allies he had secured were all so weak and pathetic.The brilliant minds that had once seemed promising to Luca now lay sprawled on the floor alongside other bodies that had also held potential. Luca concluded that incompetent people wouldn't think twice before accepting a suspicious offer because they would simply go with the flow.“I know what you’re thinking, Luca, and honestly, your disappointment is written all over your face,” Ava said, causing Luca to turn toward her. “I feel the same disappointment, but remember. Those scientists depend on us, and we’re the only ones who can decide whether this plan succeeds or needs adjustments.”“Yeah, you’re right. I admit I’m a bit let down by our allies, but...” Luca looked down at t

Clarke spat in Luca’s face and the unexpected, disgusting act caught the brown haired man off guard, while Clarke stalked away, his glare still fixed on him."Oh my god! Are you okay? Do you need a tissue?" Ava asked, immediately reaching into her pocket. "Jeez, why did he suddenly spit on you? His aim was spot on, too.""I don't know, but I think it was out of anger," Luca said, wiping his face with a tissue before tossing the wet wad into the trash. "Anyway, we need to be more vigilant now that we've killed his mantis. I had a bad feeling about him from the start, and I think he's only getting worse."Luca and Ava made their way down the corridor. They moved cautiously, slowing down as they turned a corner and spotted Louie talking to his subordinates, the scientists and workers.Luca couldn't quite hear what Louie was saying, but he guessed the conversation was about the mantis girl, given that they had just brought her severed hand into the holding cell.SLAM!"So, how’s the progr