Chapter 103

Chapter 103: Chapter 103

"That woman might be considerably more dangerous than we thought she’d be."

A voice interrupted Berthanon’s thoughts, making him turn towards the other door connected to a hidden room. The door was already closing, and through the narrowing gap, a large transparent tube could be seen standing inside the room. It was tall enough to contain an adult human being, and strange equipment had been attached to its sides, with several thick tubes running from its base towards the machines nearby. A pale liquid filled most of the container, but before Berthanon could turn his attention towards it, the door shut completely, hiding everything inside.

A woman stepped out from the hidden room a moment later. She wore a white lab coat over her clothes, and her hair was neatly tied behind her head. She looked towards the closed door before shifting her attention to Berthanon, who was still standing near his desk. If Ingrid had remained inside for a few more seconds, she would have recognised the woman immediately. She was the same nurse she had noticed earlier in the Guild infirmary, the one surrounded by Hunters and other patients who constantly sought her attention.

Berthanon’s expression darkened when he saw her. "Why are you coming out now? I believe I already told you to stay inside and mind your own business. We’ve been discussing something important, I don’t appreciate you interrupting me just because you feel like joining the conversation."

The woman sighed and walked further into the office, unconcerned by his unpleasant tone. She had worked with him long enough to know that his temper could change without warning, she had no intention of allowing his attitude to distract her from the matter she had come to discuss. She pulled a chair away from the desk and sat down, looking rather tired.

"What about what I asked you earlier? Have you made a decision, or are you still expecting me to find a way to solve the problem?" Berthanon asked, taking his mind away from Ingrid.

"I haven’t forgotten your request, Berthanon, but you need to understand that things aren’t as simple as they used to be. The situation outside the Guild has changed considerably, and because of that we’re no longer able to obtain test subjects as easily as before."

Berthanon’s brows drew together. "Then what exactly are you doing about it? I didn’t ask you to come here and tell me that things became difficult. I know that the number of available subjects m decreased, so repeating it isn’t needed. What I want to know is if the experiment can continue. We’ve invested too much time and resources into this project for you to suddenly tell me that everything has to stop."

The woman shook her head. "I told you that I don’t know yet. We received word that zombies are becoming more intelligent, and their strength has increased at a rate we didn’t anticipate. Some of them are now capable of avoiding traps, recognising human behaviour, and even coordinating their attacks. The Hunters are having a harder time dealing with them, which means fewer people are willing to go outside for extended periods. Even when they manage to capture something, bringing it back alive is becoming increasingly difficult. We can’t keep obtaining the same number of test subjects we used to, and the few we do manage to acquire are often in terrible condition."

Berthanon clicked his tongue in annoyance and walked back towards his desk. He placed one hand on its surface before lowering himself into his chair, his expression growing increasingly unpleasant as he considered her words.

The project had already been delayed for too long, and the loss of their resources had made matters worse. He had expected the woman to find a solution by now, especially since she was the one who had assured him that the experiment could continue.

"If Maya hadn’t suddenly stopped producing cells in the quantities she used to, we wouldn’t have had to stop the experiment in the first place. We had already made considerable progress, and everything was going according to plan until her abilities started declining. That woman was supposed to be our most reliable source, yet she suddenly became so weak that even extracting a small amount of cells became troublesome. It’s ridiculous that we’re facing this problem after all the time we’ve spent keeping her alive."

The nurse’s expression shifted slightly at the mention of Maya. She looked down at her hands for a moment, considering whether she should bring up something she had been thinking about for quite some time.

"There’s actually something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while. I came across some information while reviewing the old records, but I wasn’t certain whether it would be useful, so I decided to keep it to myself until I could confirm what I had read. However, I’ve checked the information again, and I’m now very sure that it might help us. If we’re willing to take a certain risk, we may be able to make Maya’s abilities work at their previous level again, at least temporarily."

Berthanon immediately lifted his head. "What is it?"

The nurse leaned forward slightly, resting her hands on the desk. She seemed more serious now, and the tiredness in her expression had been replaced by concentration. She had no intention of hiding the risks, especially since she knew that Berthanon would eventually ask about them. If he wanted to proceed with the experiment, he needed to understand exactly what they would be dealing with.

"According to the records I read, Beastmen with regenerative abilities, particularly those whose bodies can produce and restore cells at an extraordinary rate, can experience a gradual decline in their abilities if they use them excessively. Their bodies are capable of repairing themselves, but that doesn’t mean their abilities are limitless. When too much of their regenerative capacity is used repeatedly, their bodies can become exhausted, and the ability itself may begin to deteriorate. That’s precisely what happened to Maya after years of having her cells extracted. However, there is a serum that can temporarily enhance those abilities and force the body to produce regenerative cells at a much higher rate."

Berthanon’s expression brightened slightly. "A serum? Why am I only hearing about this now?"

"I told you that I wasn’t certain about it. The serum is mentioned in some of the research records, but the information about its effects is incomplete. I had to compare several documents before I could confirm that it could also be used to enhance the abilities of Beastmen with regenerative powers. It isn’t something that can be used casually."

Berthanon leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the desk. "What are the side effects?"

"What side effects?"

"You don’t think I’ll believe so easily that something this good won’t have side effects? I’m not stupid, so speak now I don’t have all day."

The nurse fell silent. For a few seconds, she seemed reluctant to answer, but eventually she did.

"Yes, there are side effects, and they’re quite severe. Once the serum enters her body, it will force her regenerative abilities to increase dramatically, allowing her to produce cells at a rate far beyond what she can manage naturally. The effect should last for approximately two or three days, depending on how much of the serum we administer and how her body responds. During that period, we should be able to extract all the cells we need for the experiment, possibly even more than we were able to obtain before her abilities started declining."

Berthanon’s eyes narrowed. "And after those two or three days?"

The nurse hesitated again before finally answering. "After that... Her body will begin to deteriorate. The serum doesn’t restore her abilities permanently; it forces her body to use whatever strength and regenerative capacity she has left. Once the effect wears off, her cells will no longer be able to repair themselves properly, and her body will begin to shrivel. Her organs will gradually fail, and within another two days, she will die. Completely. There will be no way to reverse the process, no treatment that can restore her, and no chance of her ever waking up again."