After I Died, the Scumbag Went Mad

Chapter 250: Chapter 249: Victor Quinn Is Also Just the Mastermind’s Dog

”Human desire is a bottomless pit. It’s like a black hole that can swallow everything...” Victor Quinn said, looking out the car window. ”Some people say humans aren’t native to Earth, but criminals imprisoned here, their lives an endless cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death.”

”Dr. Quinn, you believe that kind of nonsense too?” I scoffed.

”Nonsense? The limits of science are the beginnings of theology. Anything that can’t be explained by science can be explained by theology,” Victor Quinn sneered back. ”Take eternal life, for example. Conceptually, it seems impossible. But is it, really?”

”Did people three thousand years ago ever imagine that one day, the average human lifespan would extend to today’s 73 years? The advancement of medical technology has nearly doubled our lifespan. As a result, the entire society is aging, and the burden is gradually increasing.”

I furrowed my brow, listening to Victor Quinn’s words.

”The consequence of medical advancement is an increasingly aging population and a declining birth rate. More of the upper class are focusing on the quality of their offspring—high intelligence, superhuman physical strength, and special abilities like innate immunity to all diseases from birth. An artificial ’evolutionary’ advantage that places them above ordinary people...” Victor Quinn laughed.

’Because all of this is achievable with current technology and medicine.’

”Have you ever wondered why those rich people live so long? Ninety, a hundred years old, and they still seem so full of life. Do you really think it’s some longevity gene they were born with? It’s because they have access to things ordinary people will never even hear of in their entire lives... whether it’s drugs or other special treatments.”

’The darkness was too vast to imagine.’

’All of it was built on money and power.’

”And you, Cecilia Caldwell, your very existence is tied to the interests and fates of many people... You’re like the protagonist of The Truman Show. Your birth, aging, sickness, and death; your transformations; your evolution—countless eyes are watching from the shadows... Including the ’rebirth’ of Silvia Lynch in your body. As ridiculous as that hypothesis sounds, it has... caught people’s attention.”

”Moreover, the capital backing them can infinitely amplify the value of your existence...” Victor Quinn said with another laugh. ”Cecilia Caldwell, you have no idea how valuable you are, do you?”

A chill ran down my spine. I understood what Victor Quinn meant.

’Once this ’rebirth’ is confirmed, more and more wealthy people will bet on it. The people behind The Genetics Organization can then use me, the test subject, to attract capital investment. They’ll continue their research on clones and methods of ’transferring’ souls and memories, all to fight natural aging and death, allowing them to live on and on.’

’To ultimately achieve so-called ’eternal life’.’

’When that time comes, even more evil, unnatural, and unethical things will happen.’

”This world has been divided into classes from birth. Fairness? That’s just a word.” Victor Quinn laughed, a bit manically. ”Whether you’re Cecilia Caldwell or not... I hope you aren’t...”

’Victor Quinn’s words had a deeper meaning. He wanted me to hide, to not be discovered.’

”I’ve been trying very hard to prove you *aren’t* Cecilia Caldwell... I’m trying to save your life,” Victor Quinn said again. ”We’re here. Get out.”

I frowned and got out of the car.

Victor Quinn had brought us to that mental hospital.

His father-in-law’s mental hospital.

”This place... is where evil is hidden.” Victor Quinn looked at the hospital’s inpatient building and spoke again. ”Sebastian Lancaster, you’re really smart. Pretending to be insane to get in here, trying to dig up the secrets... The fact that your investigation led you here is truly impressive...”

Victor Quinn’s voice was low, as if he was genuinely impressed with Asher. ”Unfortunately... those people are always more vigilant than you think.”

”Come with me,” Victor Quinn said, intending to lead us inside.

”Dr. Quinn, hospital regulations say you can’t bring in outsiders...” At the entrance, a guard stopped us warily.

”He’s a patient, and this is his family,” Victor Quinn said, pointing at Asher.

The guard glanced at a tablet, checked the records, and relaxed when he saw that Asher had indeed been treated here before. ”Alright, Dr. Quinn. This way...”

Before the guard could finish his sentence, a truck suddenly came hurtling toward us.

BANG!

Asher instinctively threw his arms around me, holding me tight and shielding me from the impact.

But Victor Quinn... was hit by the truck and sent flying.

”Escape... Get out...” Victor Quinn’s voice was hoarse, as if he had used all his strength to say those words.

’Get out.’

’He didn’t just mean escape from here. He meant... like the protagonist of The Truman Show, escape from the world that’s watching me.’

”Dr. Quinn!” Hospital security rushed out, surrounding Victor Quinn and calling for an ambulance.

I stood frozen, my fingers numb.

’So Victor Quinn was also a target for elimination...’

’And I haven’t even reached the level of understanding that he had...’

’Just how terrifying are the people behind all this?’

For the first time, I felt a profound and terrifying fear that chilled me from head to toe.

’To those at the top, we were like ants they could crush effortlessly.’

Victor Quinn’s words from the car seemed to echo in my ears: ”This world is like a giant ant colony, with a clear division of labor and a strict hierarchy... You don’t touch the interests of the upper class. Unless you have what it takes to break into their ranks, touching their interests is a death sentence.”

’From capital and conspiracy, nations and war, down to neighbors and colleagues...’

’Human ambition and darkness are magnified and shifted as one’s position changes.’

”Asher, in my life and Silvia Lynch’s... what do you think is real... and what’s fake?” I asked in a small voice, squeezing his hand.

”Each of us is the protagonist of our own world. Everyone else is just an NPC.” Asher squeezed my fingers back. ”To me, you’ll always be the protagonist. But I don’t want to be an NPC in your story.”

”What if... I’m not Cecilia Caldwell?” I asked, looking into Asher’s eyes.

’If one day, the data proves I’m not Cecilia Caldwell, just some experiment involving memory implants, what will Asher do?’

’What would he do...?’

My nose started to tingle, and a lump formed in my throat.

I raised my hands to cup Asher’s face, pressing my forehead against his. ’He’s suffered so much. He’s given so much for Cecilia Caldwell. If the truth turns out to be different from what he believes, what will he do?’

Just thinking about that outcome made my heart ache as if it were about to shatter.

’I don’t know if it’s because of the memories or because I was truly reborn... I’m not so sure I’m Cecilia Caldwell anymore.’

’I feel like my whole world is a fabrication woven by someone else, like it’s all just an experiment.’

”You are...” Asher said, his voice still certain.

’I don’t know if it was because he knew a truth I didn’t, or if he was just deceiving himself.’

”From a scientific perspective, soul rebirth and parallel universes are both possible. We can’t deny phenomena that are unknown but haven’t been disproven by science...” Asher pulled me into a corner, holding my face in his hands. ”Cece, don’t overthink it. I will protect you. I’ve never stopped trying...”

From the past, to the present, and even into the future.

He had always been striving to protect me.

The ambulance arrived and took Victor Quinn away.

Word came from the hospital that Victor Quinn hadn’t died, but the chances of him waking up were very low.

’To think that Victor Quinn had done so much for the organization... yet in the end, this was his reward—being disposed of.’

’Once the rabbit is caught, the hunting dog is cooked. Erin Whittaker getting AIDS wasn’t the end; for her, it’s just the beginning of the nightmare.’

’With Victor Quinn gone, Erin Whittaker will live every day in fear of death. She’ll cling even more desperately to Julian Fletcher, begging him to save her life.’

”Brother, Sister-in-law, trying to find the truth and fight the capital behind this through any other means... is a pipe dream. Our only option is to work together.”

At the hospital entrance, Asher and I saw Killian Lancaster again.

Victor Quinn had just been taken into the hospital, and he was already here.

”You found out quickly...” I said, watching Killian Lancaster warily. ’His information network is too good...’