The room was dark.
At its centre, a silhouette hung—
crucified
Step. Step.
Footsteps echoed across the cold floor, yet the figure on the cross did not react.
The lights snapped on.
The one bound to the cross was a woman—naked.
Long crimson hair clung to her body, matted and darkened by dried blood. Her arms and legs were restrained by golden chains, sunk deep into her wrists and ankles.
The floor beneath her was stained red.
Organs and intestines lay scattered like discarded refuse.
It looked as if she had been tortured beyond recognition—
Yet strangely, there was not a single wound or scar other than the blood all over her body.
"How are you?" a man in a lab coat asked casually.
"Long time no see."
He didn't expect an answer.
Two men stood behind him.
"Extract her blood."
They moved immediately. One of them dragged a large container forward and positioned it beneath her. The other drew a dagger.
He glanced up.
Her eyes were closed—unmoving, as if she were unconscious.
Despite her divine beauty, despite having a body enough to make any ordinary man drool, neither of them reacted. Their expressions were empty. Their movements precise.
Like machines.
The dagger flared with golden light as it pierced her abdomen.
Slash.
Then another.
And another.
Blood poured freely, splashing into the container below.
"Even after all this…" the man in the lab coat murmured, his eyes gleaming with fascination.
"You still refuse to die."
His smile widened.
"If only your daughter were a—"
"If only your daughter were a—"
He stopped.
So did the others.
An oppressive dread flooded the room.
The air grew heavy—
Suffocating.
The temperature started to increase.
Yet instead of fear, the man smiled.
"Finally responding, are we?"
The woman slowly lifted her face.
Dim golden eyes locked onto him.
"Don't you dare."
The man calmly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object.
A cross.
It radiated golden light.
The dreadful presence vanished instantly, crushed beneath its glow.
The man sighed in satisfaction.
"Don't worry," he said pleasantly.
"I'll find a use for them, too.
Such a shame she's human. I thought demons like you birthed demons."
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
The woman laughed loudly.
"IF YOU TOUCH EVEN A STRAND OF HER HAIR—
I WILL KILL YOU!!"
Her voice thundered through the room.
"I WILL KILL YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY!
YOUR ENTIRE BLOODLINE!!
YOUR ENTIRE HYPOCRITIC ORGANISATION!!!"
Her eyes ignited, turning from golden to bright red.
She shouted, baring her sharp teeth, revealing her fangs.
Her expression was monstrous.
CLANK.
She tried to move, but the golden chains burned into her flesh, searing her wrists and draining her strength.
Her wounds slowly began to close.
Flesh knitting.
Skin restoring.
In a few minutes, her body was whole once more.
Seeing this, the man smiled—genuinely pleased.
"My family is dead." He said lightly.
"Thank you for reminding me."
He turned away, dismissing her words entirely.
"Take the container."
The men obeyed without hesitation.
He had more than enough blood for his experiments.
As he walked towards his lab—
RING~
His phone vibrated.
He clicked his tongue and pulled it from his pocket, annoyed.
But when he saw the caller's name—
He stopped.
He picked up the phone and answered.
"Tch. What is it? If this isn't urgent, call me later."
For several seconds, there was silence.
Then—
"How is her condition?"
The voice on the other end was calm.
Heavy.
Authoritative.
"Tch. Again?" the man scoffed.
"How many times have you asked me that?"
A soft chuckle came through the phone.
"Do you want me to come over there?"
The man stiffened.
"No."
Then he gave his report.
While talking, he stated an important point that he had noted during the past few months.
"Her regeneration is slowing."
There was a pause.
"She's getting weaker," he continued.
The man on the other side didn't say anything for a while.
"Good.
Keep extracting her blood. She's stronger than any of us.
If not for the barrier…"
He stopped.
They both knew what that would imply.
"Remember one thing," the voice said quietly.
"Do not enrage her too much."
The man swallowed.
"She has the Scarlet bloodline. One of the strongest bloodline in her race."
The lad-coated man trembled, half terrified, half excited.
Because he possessed her blood.
If he could use it, control it…
"What about her sister?" He asked suddenly.
"I don't know."
The voice replied, his tone darkening.
Just remembering that monster was enough to make both of them uneasy.
"I cannot find any information on her."
The man rolled his eyes.
'Expected. If you could, then it would mean that she is onto us.'
"Alright, continue your work."
The call ended.
"Tch."