Chapter 14

Amid the debris, No.17's newly sprouted tentacles swiftly enveloped Elara, whisking her away at breakneck speed as they darted through the chaos. Elara felt like she was trapped in an airtight cocoon. Her body was plastered against No.17's cold waist and abdomen. Cold-blooded creatures really were cold everywhere—even when being gentle with her, they wouldn't warm her. Layer after layer of tentacles wrapped tightly around her, covering her from head to toe. Then, she felt the world spin around her as No.17 moved at top speed. He was so fast that she could feel it despite being wrapped securely. What had happened? No.17 moved faster than any recorded soft-bodied mutant creature. The infrared cameras filming at high speed could barely even catch a glimpse of him. His new tentacles burst forth, fueled by blazing fury. They regrew rapidly after being sliced off by laser weapons and explosives. The cycle repeated. What stunned everyone was that these new tentacles were tougher than the last. The weapons could no longer injure No.17 when the surface of his skin hardened to a certain extent. He held Elara close, shielding her with layer after layer of hardened tentacles. Once they were attacked or sliced off, new ones would swiftly grow again to fill the void. His defense of her was practically infallible. Things took a turn when No.17's rage reached a certain level—he went from fleeing from the attacks to eliminating them. He savagely destroyed several launch ports, leaving countless terrifying dents in the thick, high-density metal walls. Even the layered observation panels started to crack. "It's not safe here anymore, professor!" Someone looked up from the chaotic scene. Things were about to spiral out of control. They were facing a creature undergoing an unknown mutation—he would soon be renamed. If not for the fact that he was shielding Elara, he would likely have already torn through the enclosed space and broken out. The researchers in the observation zone had no doubt that No.17, now a terrifying humanoid weapon, would rip them to shreds in the blink of an eye. Stephen's expression was a mix of surprise and excitement—agitation bubbled deep within him. No.17 had been created by the heavens and was a gift bestowed upon them. He was the most outstanding test subject they'd had thus far. From the screen, the researchers saw No.17 raise his head. His ink-green eyes locked onto the camera, glinting like inorganic gemstones—cold, brilliant, and brimming with murderous intent. "He's looking at the camera…" a researcher mumbled. With his unrelenting gaze, he had pinpointed the disguised camera hidden within an expanse of silver. Stephen felt like No.17 was looking straight at him through the camera. The ice-cold numbness that spread through him made his soul shudder. He was even more interested in the creature now. No.17 was looking at him—it felt like the former could see right through his soul and existence. This was amazing. He finally relented and said, "Pass. He's passed the experiment." No one was excited anymore. They were only terrified by how things had turned out. Could the regular water chambers in Zone S contain him? That didn't seem to be the only danger, though. A loud explosion came from the sealed area deep within Zone S. Hollow reverberations shook the air as if some subterranean beast were clawing its way to the surface. Suddenly, a ding sounded. Everyone looked up. Stephen had a special alarm to himself, and it had never blared. Now, it did so. The bioengineers who knew what that meant instantly paled and exchanged fearful looks. What was going on? Someone ran over in a panic. "Something's gone wrong." Stephen looked away from the screen and at his alarm. He turned ashen, his earlier delight and excitement disappearing almost instantly. He reflexively grabbed his sleeve, which hung empty in the absence of an arm in it. The researcher who'd run over wore a high-grade uniform. His voice trembled with fear as he said, "Special control zone, Level 1 alert…" Stephen hadn't revealed the slightest hint of being worried even when No.17 had been close to breaking the experimentation chamber's walls. Now, however, terror appeared on his face. It meant something truly extraordinary—and perhaps catastrophic—had occurred. … "Elara, wake up! You can't sleep anymore!" Someone was calling her through the intercom hidden in the experimentation chamber. No.17 looked at the speakers coldly, wanting to destroy them. However, he stopped when he felt Elara move in his embrace and hurriedly loosened his tentacles. Finally, he saw the face of his beloved, fragile keeper. She didn't look too well. Her face was pale, and she struggled to clamber out of his hold. Then, she leaned against his arm and panted. He was at a loss for what to do. He slowly and carefully touched her face with his finger and said in a pitifully small voice, "Elle…" Elara looked up to see a hint of regret and pain on No.17's face. She was confused. Why did she feel like there was a trace of human-like animation on his usually emotionless face? "I'm okay. This isn't your fault." She patted his arm and sat up straight. She was just feeling nauseous from the rough ride she'd just had. Her head spun as she felt No.17 shift positions with a mixture of joy and fluster. He seemed to be trying hard to make her feel more comfortable. "Can you hear me, Elara? Elle?" Ashley's voice rang out again. Elara looked up, feeling dazed. "Ashley?" She was sure that it was Ashley on the intercom. Ashley's voice trembled with frustration as she snapped, "Your precious little squid lost control! The medical team can't get close, and the anesthetics aren't working on him… Can you crawl out of there yourself?" "Huh?" Elara looked up at No.17, who instantly dropped his brooding, icy look and returned her gaze obediently. He hesitantly tried to explain why he hadn't allowed anyone else to come close. "They… hurt… Elle…" That was why he'd hidden her in his embrace like a soldier determined to defend his master to the very end. He'd gravely injured batch after batch of people who tried to enter the experimentation chamber. The color had yet to return to Elara's face. She shut her eyes, but her head was still spinning. She remembered the glass panel keeping her and No.17 from each other had suddenly disappeared. Then, the dangerous weapons had been aimed at her—they'd wanted to use her life to push No.17 into evolving. The experimental subjects were the research base's most valuable assets, but keepers meant nothing. She leaned against No.17's arm, a cold emptiness settling in her chest. Yet No.17's face lit up with joy, as if he was drowning in happiness. He didn't know where to put his hands, so he raised them before slowly lowering them again. Then, he carefully retracted his tentacles, which Elara had never liked touching. He gently encircled her without touching her, feeling brimming with joy. The intercom crackled. Ashley said, "Wake up, woman. Your experimental subject looks really weird now." Elara opened her eyes and looked at No.17. He looked back at her with a hint of joy that he couldn't suppress. "Alright, alright. Let me go, No.17," she said. He didn't obey, though. He merely held her cautiously, not daring to budge. He wanted to be more affectionate with her, but the look on her face turned into discomfort. "I feel really unwell, No.17." Elara tried to move. "You don't want me to fall sick, do you?" He immediately regretted his stubbornness and released her. She'd only escaped unscathed from the terrifying onslaught of attacks because of him, yet he now looked at her like an injured puppy.