NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 8: Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Alex woke up with a start, his breathing shallow. The dream had come again, gripping him like a vice. It was always the same: a blend of fragmented memories and eerie sensations that felt too vivid to ignore. It had followed him into this world, clinging to him as if to mock his efforts to move on.
As he sat up, he noticed that most of the other children in the room were already awake. Their previously lifeless expressions now carried a hint of clarity. Some whispered quietly, while others remained silent, staring blankly at the floor. Despite the grim surroundings, the children seemed more lively than he had expected.
Only the blonde boy, who had declared himself Alex's friend, was still asleep. Sprawled across the floor, he snored loudly, oblivious to the whispers around him. Alex rolled his eyes and nudged him with his foot.
The boy groaned but didn't wake. Instead, he shifted and nuzzled his head into Alex's lap.
"What are you doing?" Alex muttered, shoving him off.
The boy groaned again and rubbed his head. "Good morning," he said groggily, giving Alex a sheepish grin.
Alex didn't respond, opting instead to scan the room.
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The dynamics of this place were becoming clearer to him, but it wasn't just from observation. He had knowledge—fragments of memories from the game. While the game never went into much detail, it had revealed enough for him to piece together the structure of this nightmarish organization.
The lab was built on a hierarchy, even among the children. Most of the test subjects were between the ages of 10 and 15. At this stage, their bodies were blank slates, untouched by mana. This lack of mana made their bodies malleable, perfect for the cruel experiments conducted here. Scientists could manipulate and alter their physiology without resistance, treating them as little more than living test subjects.
However, everything changed when a child turned 16. At that age, their bodies began to naturally absorb mana from the environment, triggering the process of awakening. Once mana entered their system, their bodies were no longer blank slates. They became unsuitable for most experiments, forcing the organization to make a decision.
Children with strong or useful abilities were recruited into the organization, their loyalty ensured through years of brainwashing. They became tools, serving the very system that had tortured them. Those with weak or useless abilities were either discarded or relegated to menial tasks like cleaning, cooking, and disposing of bodies.
Alex had learned about this from a cutscene in the game. Isa, the protagonist, had bonded with an older test subject who had survived past 16. That person had been relegated to a menial role but had used their position to gather information about the facility. Isa had learned about the organization's inner workings through her, including the escape routes and the tattoo system used to control the test subjects.
The tattoo, a faint mark on the wrist, was connected to the central mana system. It acted as both a tracker and a deterrent. If a test subject tried to escape or acted against the rules, the tattoo would activate, paralyzing them instantly. When test subjects were promoted to workers, the tattoo was replaced with a chip implanted in their brain, further solidifying the organization's control.
Alex glanced at the faint mark on his own wrist, now aware of its sinister purpose. He clenched his fist, trying not to think about it too much.
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"Hey, you're awake," a familiar voice called out.
Alex turned to see Isa approaching. Her expression was stern, her gaze flickering between him and the blonde boy.
"Now that you're both up, listen carefully," she said. "You're newbies, and you need to understand how things work around here. Not everyone is as easygoing as you might think."
Alex nodded, but the blonde boy tilted his head in confusion. Alex quickly explained who Isa was and recounted their conversation from the previous night.
Isa continued, "You're in the detention room because you broke the rules—or at least that's what the staff decided. Let me explain the rules so you don't end up here again:
1. Don't object to the scientists.
2. Don't fight with others.
3. Sleep during designated hours.
4. Don't use your real name—only the number assigned to you.
5. Don't even think about escaping."
She rolled up her sleeve, revealing the faint tattoo on her wrist. "This tattoo isn't just for show. It's connected to the central mana system. If you try to escape, it activates and paralyzes you. The same thing happens if you fight."
Alex glanced at his own wrist again. The tattoo was barely noticeable, blending into his skin, but the weight of its presence was suffocating. Unlike her tattoo, where there was numbers in the middle of the tattoo as I'd ingraved deeply in the skin, me and the blande don't have that.
Isa added, "You'll both be given numbers soon and A few tips: don't make eye contact with Dr. Graves, the one with slit pupils. He's the one who assigns numbers. Don't act weak they may look down on you nor act too arrogant.At breakfast, follow the queue, don't disrespect the staff, and avoid the chairs on the right side of the canteen. That's where the high-status test subjects sit—the ones who curry favor with the scientists and doc.People call them suckers, but don't say it out loud. They're dangerous, and the scientists often turn a blind eye to their actions."
Isa's words were direct and honest, painting a bleak picture of life in the lab. Alex couldn't help but admire her resilience.
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Before Isa could say more, the detention room's door opened. A staff member entered, calling out numbers and distributing tubes filled with a strange liquid.
"What is that?" Alex whispered to Isa.
"Energy supplements," she replied. "They substitute food. Everything your body needs is in there."
Alex chuckled bitterly. "For a human body, maybe," he muttered under his breath.
Finally, the staff member turned to Alex and the blonde boy. "And the newbies—follow me."
Alex grabbed the blonde, who still looked confused, and dragged him along.
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Isa's POV
Isa watched them leave, a faint smile tugging at her lips. Memories of her own early days resurfaced, when an older test subject had taken her under their wing. They had explained the unspoken rules, shielded her from the worst of the lab's horrors, and given her hope.
She sipped her nutrient supplement, her thoughts lingering on the black-haired boy. There was something different about him. He seemed sharper, more aware than the others.
"I hope they survive," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the room.