The Evil Scientist is Too Competent

---

“Puhah-!”

As Galm finished his workout, the protein shake he had just opened exploded. For some reason, the hardened powder burst out in all directions upon the lid being opened.

Covered in the white powder from head to toe, Galm looked at the protein container he was holding with disbelief. Eight, who happened to be passing by while trying to deliver something, shot him a murderous glare.

“Hmm… This is strange. This has been happening a lot lately.”

“…Are you not going to apologize?”

“Why should I apologize for something that’s not my fault?”

“You brainless muscle beast…”

“What?”

Eight shook his head, as if it was nothing, and headed straight to the bathroom. There, he quickly wiped the protein off his face and hair before heading back to his laboratory. To clean himself properly, he would need a shower.

Under the cascade of water from the shower hose, Eight took a step back to check the temperature. It felt slightly hot, but if he turned the knob to the right, it was too cold. Then, turning it left made it overly hot, and this frustrating cycle repeated itself.

After several adjustments, he realized there was no middle ground and resigned himself to it. He knew all too well that the more frustrated he got, the more stress would pile up.

‘…Should I just go on the offensive for real?’

With the Liu Spirit from City S being a likely suspect, the circumstantial evidence was all there. If only there were just physical proof. Everything from his instincts, instincts, and logic screamed that she shouldn’t be let off the hook.

Thinking about how nothing like this had happened before made him wonder why he felt this way.

‘Could it be…?’

What if even this was an effect of the attack?

In other words, what if the reason he couldn’t attack his enemies was not because they were being too stupid but because they were unconsciously adjusting their perception of him to prevent any attacks?

Paused under the hot water, Eight remained silent.

If his suspicion was correct, that this too was the enemy’s plot…

Sometimes, a sacrifice might be necessary.

* * *

“…You said you would show me despair, didn’t you?”

—Indeed, I did.

“To me, this doesn’t feel like despair at all… Could you perhaps enlighten an ignorant one such as myself with the great wisdom of the Divine Spirit?”

In City E, the Liu Spirit posed this question to the Divine Spirit after hearing reports of the events at the Evilus Corporation. It was a sort of protest, questioning if this was merely a contract scam.

What he had requested was, quite literally, despair, fear, and death itself. Yet, what were the Evilus Corporation experiencing? Wasn’t it just the minor inconvenience of running out of toilet paper when going to the bathroom or a dip in stock prices?

—Then I shall ask you. Why is this not despair?

“Why not? Well… it’s rather trivial, isn’t it?”

—Trivial?

“Yes. Just a small loss, nothing life-changing or catastrophic…”

—That’s an interesting point of view. However, it’s incorrect.

The Divine Spirit grinned slyly and replied.

—Do you know what all these have in common: losing a family member, losing a lover, or being in a serious accident and losing limbs?

“Well… I guess they are rare events that one experiences only a few times in life…?”

—They all happen due to the actions of others.

“Others…”

—Yes, others.

Two shadows flickered before the Liu Boss. They were shadow manifestations sent by the Divine Spirit. The Spirit manipulated the two shadows like puppets and continued speaking.

—Certainly, events caused by others can bring despair. However, they do not spring from one’s own problems. If there exists a person without family, without a partner, and who won’t encounter accidents, how would you throw him into despair?

“Well, you’d make him unhappy in some way…”

—And that is precisely what I’m doing right now.

The Divine Spirit looked at the Liu Boss while chuckling. As if agreeing with the Spirit, the Liu Boss pondered over the words, albeit with some confusion.

“Then wouldn’t it be simpler to bestow despair upon everyone but a select few?”

—I was not requested in that manner.

“…Then could you possibly do that?”

—Of course, provided you offer a sacrifice.

“I will offer it.”

At the prospect of the Spirit affirming his request, the Liu Boss smiled inwardly. A mere sacrifice? With the cloning technology he obtained, he felt as if he was gaming and could simply cheat his way through. He was confident he could sacrifice hundreds or even thousands…

—365,321.

“Y-yes?”

—Did you not hear? 365,321…

“N-no! I mean, why is the number so high…?”

Upon hearing the number of sacrifices the Spirit required, Liu nearly lost his mind. Just a little while ago, when they attacked the Evilus Corporation, the number was a mere ten, and he had hardly ever asked for a double-digit number!

And suddenly, out of the blue, the number jumped to the hundreds of thousands? No matter how much the Spirit had the technology to produce souls, that was simply too much. Furthermore, it wasn’t just anything; these were clones that needed to remain undetected.

Transporting hundreds of thousands of humanoid beings without being noticed is an entirely different challenge than moving a mere dozen clones.

The Spirit chuckled.

—Didn’t you say you wished for merciless despair for all? Family dying, lovers disappearing, and accidents befalling them?

“Yes, yes… I did say that…”

—In order to kill someone, you need a life of equal value. To bring despair to those hundreds of thousands whom you wish to send to their deaths, you need that many sacrifices.

“B-but… just a moment ago, it was only ten…”

—That was merely a frugal, reasonable plan I presented. You disregarded that and made a harsher request instead, did you not?

Hearing that, Liu shook his head vigorously. If he were to sacrifice 300,000, he could surely bring down the Evilus Corporation, but he couldn’t. Not only could he not acquire that many sacrifices, but even if he could, he couldn’t present them without risk.

Cloning technology was akin to a cheat. In other words, being caught would lead to condemnation and immediate punishment. The side effects carried the same weight as cheats.

“I’m sorry. Then let’s call this curse off…”

—Do you want to die?

“Yes?”

—Are you saying you want to die? Is that what you want?

“W-wait, why so suddenly…?”

Feeling the murderous intent radiating from the Spirit, the Liu Boss trembled and immediately grovelled. He prostrated himself on the floor, pressing his head down. Such an act was rare for the Spirit to emit such deadly aura.

What could have made it so angry? The Spirit looked down at the back of Liu’s head as it opened its mouth.

—You think I’m just some shop keeper, huh? That my power is akin to some convenience store goods?

“T-that’s not it…”

—Then what is this nonsense of asking without offering a sacrifice?

“I will offer it… but sacrificing all 300,000 is beyond my capacity…”

—Hmmm… You’re truly incompetent.

*Tsk—* The Spirit clicked its tongue, looking down at Liu as if it had no choice but to show mercy.

—Offer only one-tenth.

“Y-yes?”

—One-tenth! So, 36,570. A nice round number; you are to offer 100 a day for a year.

A hundred a day. That was still a grim number. Let alone having the Divine Spirit receive such a massive offering without any sacrifice. Would the Spirit fulfill his request for just a few more lives?

However, all Liu could do was nod in agreement and leave the room. Gripping his trembling legs, he exited the room and immediately contacted his subordinates.

While the Spirit had shown mercy, failing to deliver sacrifices immediately may lead that mercy to turn into wrath…

“Prepare 100 people.”

[Um, Boss?]

“What? What’s the problem?”

[100 people is a bit… too much.]

“What nonsense is that?”

After issuing his order, Liu frowned slightly at the reply, feeling annoyed. Why was 100 too much? How many lives could he churn out in a day…!

But after hearing the subsequent statement from his subordinate, Liu begrudgingly accepted the reality.

[W-well, recently, the entire factory was attacked, right? We’re currently looking for a new factory… so…]

“…Ah.”

[If it’s urgent, you could use the laboratory at the center—]

“Have you lost your mind? What would I make there!?”

[That… was an oversight!]

After giving several more instructions, Liu finally hung up the call and let out a deep sigh. A hundred a day. Not long ago, that was an easily obtainable number… now it wasn’t.

Realizing all of this was because of Evilus, Liu’s hands trembled as he gripped his phone tightly.

“Damn those Evilus bastards…!”

She was oblivious to the fact that the reason she was pushed to this point was entirely her own doing.

Just like something that befell a scientist…