Gun of Ashes

”Yes, that’s how it was back then, a very difficult situation. We had never encountered such a case, but according to estimates, the child in her womb had not fully matured in mind and was very likely to be eroded and transformed into a Demon,” Merlin continued, ”We seemed to have only one choice at the time, to kill the child in the womb.”

”But Eve survived.”

”Yes, Arthur vehemently opposed everything. After experiencing all this, his mental state had already become somewhat strange. In this stalemate, the then head of the Perpetual Motion Pump, my predecessor, made a decision. He planned to experiment on Arthur’s wife, using the last legacy before the Ranger project was sealed away.”

Merlin spoke, his flat voice tinged with slight waver, not knowing whether from fear or shock.

”Arthur had no choice but to accept; otherwise, Eve would be forcibly killed, or even worse, become one of our specimens. After all, Arthur didn’t have as much power as he does now.

We performed the Ranger potion injection and some surgeries on Lady Phoenix; she would serve as the mother body, transmitting these potions to the fetus in her womb.”

”That’s impossible...” Abigail could hardly believe it.

”Of course, it’s impossible. One of the reasons the Ranger project was sealed was the devastation it caused to the users. Even Arthur could die from a blink of the eye, let alone a woman who hadn’t undergone such experiences.”

Merlin’s voice gradually lowered, suddenly erupting into a deep rumble.

”Yet, humans always manage to create some miracles, don’t they? Precisely because we can create those miracles that exceed imagination, we are called humans.

She was confined in a specially designed ward, with the Geiger Counter filling her room. Should any anomaly occur, the child in her womb would die, but months later, she successfully gave birth to Eve, a perfectly healthy child.

The injection had taken place congenitally in the mother’s body and later successfully birthed... What a taboo it was, even for us conducting experiments, under the so-called ethics and morals, we couldn’t bring ourselves to do such a thing, yet it succeeded back then. But with Eve’s birth, she seemed to drain her mother’s vitality, and a few years later, she died... That is normal, Ranger potions are not something everyone can endure. For her to give birth to Eve was already a miracle.”

”Was Eve stable afterwards? If this type of injection can create stable Rangers...” Abigail’s expression grew somewhat excited. Such taboo experiments could completely open new doors.

”Abigail!”

Merlin exclaimed, pulling her out from the madness of her imagination.

”This violates ethical and moral boundaries, Cleaners would not allow this,” Merlin said, ”Moreover, to this day, I still believe Eve’s survival is an exceptional case, a miracle difficult to replicate... It is a miracle.”

”Is that so... but the fact that you can tell me this story means it’s related to what we are going to do next, right?”

This was a story sealed in the archives, and if necessary, Merlin would not have to tell her so much.

Merlin nodded, then continued.

”In fact, there were many doubts about the incident back then, such as why someone would approve this experiment. But now I understand, it was Queen Victoria who tacitly consented to the experiment’s execution... That’s the reason for my delay, I received an order directly from Queen Victoria.”

”What does she want to do?”

”To replicate everything done back then, but this time, it will be Secret Blood being injected, using this congenital experimental method to break free from King’s Curse. But don’t worry, once our initial experiments are successful this time, we’ll experiment directly on Royal Family members, not involve ordinary people.” Merlin said words that invoked fear.

”Was she planning all this many years ago?” Abigail asked.

”Pretty much...” Merlin sighed, ”She has been bound by King’s Curse for so long, so long that she no longer expects to free herself from it. She wants to break King’s Curse in this generation, that’s also what prompted today’s situation.”

”Since then, this is our renewed collaboration between the Perpetual Motion Pump and Black Mountain Hospital, may our cooperation be successful.”

After a brief silence, Merlin said, followed by the sound of wheels sliding, echoing in the silent cage.

...

Lorenzo lifted his head, lights flashed overhead one by one, accompanied by the somewhat irritating sound of the fan.

”Actually, I can walk on my own.” He raised his head, trying to look at the one pushing the wheelchair.

”You’ve come this far, just be calm, Lorenzo.” Arthur looked straight ahead as he said.

The hallway seemed incredibly long, in the length, only the monotony of the two remained.

”The new Order is not trustworthy, Arthur.” Lorenzo broke the long silence.

”I know.”

”I haven’t lost control.”

”I know.”

”...”

”You... Arthur, what’s going on with you.”

This mechanical response made Lorenzo uneasy, he asked again, but at this moment Arthur suddenly stopped, stopped in place, but his gaze still looked ahead.

”Do you find me contradictory? Knowing it’s a deceit, knowing they are enemies... But in the end, I still made this decision, is that it?” Arthur said.