socalfunplaces Chapter 204 Turning Against Each Other
Chapter 204 Turning Against Each Other
The headquarters of the Church of Inu, top floor, the patriarch's meditation room.
The head guard, Heng Yu, stood respectfully before the enormous mahogany desk.
He presented a thin tablet computer with both hands to the elderly woman sitting in the main seat.
Kujo Maki.
The true power behind the scenes of the Kujo family.
The contemporary patriarch of the Inu Church.
She wore a black robe, her withered fingers, like tree bark, resting on a sandalwood cane carved with ferocious mythical beasts.
His cloudy yet sharp eyes swept across the tablet screen.
The image above is a dynamic electronic map.
A prominent waypoint is flashing near Hokkaido.
"This is the real-time location of the 'main container'."
Hengyu's voice was very low, "The private helicopter is rapidly approaching Wakkanai Island and should arrive by tomorrow morning at the latest..."
Maki Kujo lifted her aged eyelids, her tone indifferent: "What about Kuroba's side?"
"Everything is proceeding according to plan."
Hengyu immediately presented another tablet, with several real-time monitoring screens displayed on it.
This is the scene inside Room 01, the "White Room"—
A heartwarming farewell party, the children's envious glances, Yang Yu's smile as she hugged her dolphin doll, and Hei Yu's forced composure masking her inner turmoil...
"Now that Miyu is here, she's no longer of any use."
Kujo Maki's tone suddenly turned cold, and she casually tossed out a small bag of grayish-white powder:
"Activate the 'Heavenly Fiend Insect Egg' within her body and reclaim the 'White Serpent's' power."
She paused, a sinister smile playing on her lips: "As for her, you can do whatever you want with her afterwards."
Upon hearing this, Hengyu's eyes lit up instantly, his face beaming with undisguised joy. He quickly bowed and cautiously asked, "Then... what about the festival arrangements..."
"At that time, you will succeed as the new Bishop of the White Serpent, change your surname to Kujo, and I will personally bestow upon you the recovered 'White Serpent'."
"Yes! I will live up to my mission and swear to serve the founder to the death!" Heng Yu suddenly knelt on one knee, his voice filled with excitement.
"Wait a minute," Maki Kujo suddenly said.
"May I ask if there is anything else you need, Your Excellency?" Heng Yu immediately composed himself and asked respectfully.
"Leave that monitoring tablet. I want to see Black Feather's abilities reclaimed at the high-level meeting later."
"yes!"
……
In the white room, the news that "Yang Yu is going to be adopted" quickly spread throughout the entire "family".
Thus, a hasty but lively "farewell party" was hastily organized.
The children took out their treasured "handmade gifts"—paper flowers, crookedly drawn greeting cards, and strung beads...
The older children used leftover ingredients from the kitchen to make a small cake that was so thick that the frosting couldn't be spread evenly.
The flowers are bionic flowers that mimic those picked in a garden and will never truly wither.
Flowers, handmade gifts, cream cakes...
Even Yang Yu herself never imagined that she, who had ranked last in three consecutive monthly tests, would be chosen by parents outside!
She held the cake, her eyes narrowing into slits as she smiled.
But the thought of leaving this place soon, leaving behind the gentle black mother, was unbearable.
She couldn't help but tear up again, and hugged Hei Yu and her usual friends tightly, refusing to let go no matter what.
"Goodbye, everyone..."
"Waaaaah, Yangyu, we'll miss you too..."
"Let's get together again when we're all out there!"
"Yes! It definitely will!"
Kuroba stood to the side, his brows furrowed, the inexplicable unease in his heart growing stronger.
Suddenly, a soft little hand reached out and gently smoothed her furrowed brow.
"Mom, don't frown, it doesn't look good."
Yang Yu tilted her little face up, her bright eyes sparkling:
"Yangyu won't forget Mommy, and Mommy must never forget Yangyu!"
"Hmm... I won't forget." Kuroba responded blankly, his throat tightening.
She turned around, picked up the little dolphin doll on the table, and stuffed it into Yang Yu's arms.
"Wow! Is this a gift from Mommy to Yangyu?" Yangyu hugged the doll with delight, rubbing her little face against the soft fabric.
"Yeah, if I hold you on the way, I won't be afraid of the dark."
"I love my mom the most!"
Yang Yu suddenly threw herself into her arms, hugged her tightly, tilted her little head back, and smiled happily.
Kuroba ruffled her hair, his throat feeling like it was blocked by something, and he could only manage a weak smile:
"Ah... um."
The farewell party lasted until 20 p.m.
Right on time, a knock sounded on the door.
A group of cultists dressed in black uniforms and wearing silver half-masks pushed open the door and walked in. The man in the lead had a kind smile on his face, nodded slightly to Kuroba, and spoke in a calm tone:
"Thank you for your help, Black Mama."
The children around them craned their necks, watching Yang Yu's departing figure with envy in their eyes.
Goodbye, Yang Yu!
"You must be happy!"
"Remember to think of us!"
Amidst the children's farewells.
Yang Yu looked back every few steps as she was led by the black-clad man in the lead towards the door.
The other two believers stood on the left and right, like silent escorts.
Reaching the doorway, Yang Yu suddenly stopped, turned around, hugged the little dolphin plush toy tightly, and then shouted loudly to Hei Yu, as if making a solemn promise:
"Mom! When we meet again, Yangyu will definitely have grown into a wonderful adult! Then, Yangyu will make the most delicious cookies in the world for you!"
"Okay... Mom will wait."
Kuroba forced a smile and nodded at her.
She watched forlornly as the small figure, clutching the doll, disappeared into the darkness at the end of the corridor.
Until the last trace of pale blue hem of the skirt was completely out of sight.
After the children had all left.
Hei Yu first looked around but couldn't find Jiang Ling, so he could only absentmindedly clean up the mess from the farewell party.
"I should have used my ability to check those people's memories earlier. What exactly is the church hiding from me...?"
The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. That strange feeling in her heart wouldn't go away; she always felt that something was wrong.
After tidying everything up, she lay back in bed, her mind racing, unable to fall asleep.
She turned over in frustration—
Then, he met a pair of eyes that were still bright and shining in the darkness, with a hint of playful amusement.
Jiang Ling rested his head on her arm, watching her with a leisurely air, as if he had been waiting for a long time.
Kuroba: ...
"Are you a ghost?!" Kuroba was startled and threw a punch without thinking.
With her genetically enhanced body, a single punch from her could smash an ordinary person into a wall.
But when it hit Jiang Ling, it was as soft as a coquettish wife, leaving not even a red mark.
"Are you really not going to go and see?" Jiang Ling's intense gaze fell on her face.
Her breath caught in her throat for a moment.
In my mind, I saw Yang Yu's smiling face as she left, and her words, "I love Mom the most."
"I...I don't know where they went," Kuroba said, suddenly closing his eyes as if trying to convince himself not to think about it anymore.
"I'll take you there."
"What...?" Kuroba suddenly opened his eyes and stared at him in astonishment.
"Or guess where I went during the time I disappeared?" Jiang Ling raised an eyebrow.
Kuroba stared at him blankly.
The image of Yang Yu's bright, sparkling eyes flashed before his eyes again, and the unease and worry in his heart instantly overwhelmed all his hesitation.
She nodded almost unconsciously, her voice still trembling slightly: "Okay... then, how do we get there?"
Jiang Ling raised her hand and wiped her face, removing the disguise and revealing her true appearance.
Now, the undercover operation should come to an end.
He reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her into his arms with a slight effort, supporting her steadily like a koala mother holding her baby.
A fiery and aggressive masculine aura completely enveloped her.
Her small breasts pressed against his burning chest, and she could clearly feel the outline of his strong muscles and his steady, powerful heartbeat beneath them.
His arms were wrapped around her waist, holding her firmly in place.
"You! What are you doing?! You bastard, let me go!!!"
Kuroba froze, then struggled violently!
His warm breath sprayed onto her sensitive neck and earlobes, bringing waves of panic and trembling to her heart.
Her delicate white feet kicked wildly in the air, her hands instinctively protecting her chest, her face flushed red, and her eyes filled with shame, indignation, humiliation, and helplessness.
Of course, there was also a strange, inexplicable feeling...
"Let go! No! That kind of thing... absolutely not!!" she stammered, thinking Jiang Ling was about to force himself on her.
However, the planned dinner did not take place.
He simply forced her to wrap her limbs around his body.
He then stood up steadily.
"What do you think I'm going to do to you?" Jiang Ling suddenly gathered strength in his feet and threw a powerful punch!
A deafening roar!
The walls on the second floor were instantly shattered, with brick and stone fragments flying everywhere.
He stood at the edge of the hole, holding Black Feather in his arms, glancing up at the pinhole camera flashing red in the corner of the room. He raised a finger, a defiant smile playing on his lips.
"One hour."
"I'll crush you!"
Top floor, core conference room.
The huge circular conference table was filled with the high-ranking members of the Church of Inu—bishops of various temples, elders, military leaders…
On the huge screen directly in front, surveillance footage of several key areas is displayed.
The clearest and most central scene is the interior of the white-room lounge that Jiang Ling had just blasted apart with a single punch.
Kujo Maki sat calmly in the main seat, her withered fingers twirling a white porcelain teacup as she gently sipped her tea.
Jiang Ling's arrogant and provocative posture and boastful words were crystal clear on the screen.
She scoffed, "Just a mere mortal, yet he speaks with such arrogance."
A red-robed vice-preacher sitting to her right immediately plastered a fawning smile and echoed:
"Your Excellency is absolutely right! This blond-haired man thinks he's infiltrated flawlessly and acting with secrecy, but little does he know that his every move is already under our control. He's nothing but a clown, laughable indeed..."
"So what if he's strong?"
"In this land of Wakkanai, you, the Patriarch who can communicate with the gods, are truly an invincible being!"
"hehe."
Kujo Maki twitched the corner of her mouth, a cold glint flashing in her cloudy eyes. "However, this kid was able to suppress Kuroba head-on, quietly take away the nutrients, and make Dawn suffer such a big loss. His strength is top-notch even among humans."
"Then how about..."
The vice-instructor sitting on the left became more cautious and suggested, "Should we send more people over? Hengyu alone probably won't be able to deal with Black Feather and that blond guy at the same time."
"snort!"
The assistant coach on his right immediately sneered, interrupting him:
"Hengyu is our chief bodyguard, a being possessing 'that' ability, and the culmination of the Kujo Group's genetic technology—he's practically a 'demigod'! Even Lord Kujo Ryou might not be able to defeat him in a direct confrontation!"
"With him handling it, killing that guy is as easy as slaughtering a chicken! Snap, snap, he's dead!"
The church leaders in the meeting room nodded in agreement.
After all, they had all witnessed Hengyu's strength firsthand and had absolute confidence in him.
"What a pity about that blond guy..." The bishop who had just been flattering her showed a greedy yet regretful expression on his face.
"If we can control them with the Heavenly Fiend Insect Eggs, our church will have another top expert."
As Kujo Maki listened to her subordinates' argument, her withered fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, as if she were weighing her options.
After a moment, she spoke slowly, her voice not loud, but it instantly silenced the entire conference room:
"Initiate the preparatory command for the 'Aurora' program. If Hengyu fails, let them sink."
"What?!"
Everyone looked shocked.
The left vice-president, who had just suggested sending more people, opened his mouth as if to say something, but when he met the pope's seemingly old but actually sharp eyes, he swallowed his words and dared not say anything more.
"Yes……"
……
The two left Room 01 (white room) and jumped off the glass walkway.
Below the walkway are steep, rugged rock walls, with no surveillance coverage whatsoever. There is only a hidden main road, concealed in the shadows of the rock walls, winding its way to the deepest part of the base.
"That door in front is an explosion-proof alloy door, a full half meter thick. Without the highest level of security, you simply can't..."
boom--!
The half-meter-thick iron gate in front was punched open, leaving a large hole.
"Wait a minute, we can't get across here. We need to swipe a card to activate the drawbridge..."
Jiang Ling gathered his strength and leaped across the suspension bridge area, which was hundreds of meters wide.
"There's an active volcano beneath Wakkanai. This is a lava mechanism; you need to swipe a card to activate it..."
The violent force of the punch exploded instantly, shattering the surging lava waterfall into pieces.
The splashed lava landed on his fist, but didn't leave even the slightest burn mark.
Swipe card? Swipe my ass!
Lao Tzu's fist is the universal key.
At this moment, Kuroba was stunned.
Wow, the legendary Witrum people are nothing special after all.
As Jiang Ling kicked the last alloy card reader door away, the blinding, cold white surgical lights instantly burst forth.
Behind the door was a brightly lit, sterile laboratory, with crisscrossing conveyor belts running throughout the space.
Several researchers in white coats were standing in front of the operating table when they saw the two people burst in, their faces instantly filled with shock and panic.
The truly dark, bloody, and violent aspects of the Inu Church were laid bare before Kuroba's eyes.
The first thing that strikes the eye is the several slowly moving, fully automated, precision conveyor belts in the center of the room.
Neatly arranged on the conveyor belt are not parts or reagents, but transparent cylindrical nutrient and life support capsules. Immersed inside these capsules in a pale yellow culture medium are—human organs!
Kuroba stared blankly into the depths of the laboratory.
The sight there made her blood freeze instantly.
On the wall, like meat hanging in a slaughterhouse, dozens of empty human bodies were neatly hung.
Their skin had an unnatural grayish-white color, and some of it was already dried and shrunken, indicating that it had been hanging for some time.
What's most chilling is that these hanging corpses are generally small in size.
Judging from their bone structure and contours, many of them clearly resemble Yang Yu...
"vomit--!"
Without warning, Kuroba gagged. Suddenly, she turned her head sharply and stared intently at the operating table in the center of the laboratory.
A small figure lay on the bed, her face covered by a sterile drape, and a square opening was cut into the green surgical drape covering her body, revealing her bloody abdominal cavity.
The organs that should have been inside the body.
Now, neatly arranged on the sterile tray beside them, each glass container has a printed label attached, which reads in a perfunctory manner—
"Stem cell culture sample".
The label was a bit blurry, but the first three numbers were legible—072…
And Yang Yu's number is 0721!
The three numbers "072" were like a red-hot branding iron, burning hard onto Kuroba's retina and soul!
Clumsy, loves making cookies, has crescent-shaped eyes when she smiles, hugs her little dolphin doll and says "I love Mommy the most," and promises to make the best cookies for her when she grows up...
She...she's lying there?!
Do not……
Do not……!
impossible……!
Hallucination...
It must be a hallucination!
She was just "adopted" today...
He was picked up by a "kind person"...
They should go "outside" and enjoy a better life!
My mind went blank; all sounds, light, and smells faded away.
All that remained was the bloody scene and Yang Yu's last expectant words in my mind, constantly intertwining, colliding, and exploding!
"No! No! No no no no no ahh ...
Those "unqualified" cultured organisms...
Those "adopted" children...
Those organs grown from stem cells...
lie!
It's all a complete, vicious, and cruel lie!
And she...
This so-called "bishop" of hers...
So they've been... an accomplice in this bloody chain all along?!
Even... just half an hour ago, she had personally... placed Xiao Yangyu...
They were sent to the slaughterhouse.
"Waaaaaaahh ...
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the mission and causing Black Feather and the Church of Inu to turn against each other. Reward: Ultimate Item Upgrade Card!]
Please select the item you wish to upgrade!
P.S.: To clarify for anyone who missed the foreshadowing, Yang Yu is fine; she was rescued by the protagonist. Also, the dissected human body wasn't abandoned; it was before the protagonist discovered it…
P.S.: Next chapter, we'll wipe out the entire Church of Inu! Then we'll move on to slice-of-life episodes.