Chapter 10: Lucy's Intelligence
1394 Words
Under the watchful eyes of everyone else, Luke unlocked a mechanism on the side where Jack was strapped in.
Then with a flip, Jack who was in a slanted upright position was now lying horizontally on a table.
He rolled the table onto a machine at the side and motioned for Lucy to turn it on.
The machine hummed as it started and began to whirl.
In the middle of the machine was a vertical saw that started to move up and down rapidly as it vibrated.
Luke then placed Jack's head on the side of the saw and...pushed it even further.
Jack continued to fight back but he was tightly strapped onto the table, there was nothing he could do at all!
Everyone watched in shock as Luke cut open a man's head without hesitation!
While it's true that Jack is now a zombie and not a man...it was still something that not everyone can simply think of!
Watching Luke do this, everyone cried and panicked even more.
"H-HEEEEELP!!!"
"SOMEBODY!!! ANYBODY!!!"
"N-NOOOO! I DON'T WANNA DIE!!!"
"P-please! Please let me gooo! I-I'll be your woman! You can do anything you want with me!"
"b***h! D-don't listen to her! Pick me instead! I-I'll do anything for you!"
Luke ignored their ramblings and simply focused on the brain in front of him.
He had controlled the saw properly and only allowed it to cut the skull, not affecting the brain inside.
So even though the brain was out in the open like this, Jack didn't 'die again' as the Organ was still in its brain.
Luke frowned as he examined his brain.
"It's already formed...it seems that it forms quite fast. No matter, there are plenty of ways to see the process."
No longer interested, Luke harvested the Organ and Core, 'killing' Jack yet again.
After tossing Jack's corpse to the side, Luke turned back to the remaining experiment subjects.
"Who wants to go next?"
"N-NO! PLEASE NO!"
"GOD! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!"
"NOOOOO!!!!!"
Luke rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Forget it, I'll pick the one who shouted the loudest then."
"H-hiii!!!"
As soon as everyone heard him, they all stopped shouting, afraid of being picked next.
Sadly, the loudest one had already been decided so he had no chance of escaping anymore.
"Lucy, bring him to the MRI."
"Un."
Lucy nodded and pushed the loudest guy to the MRI machine at the side.
"NO! NO! NO! LET GO OF ME!!!"
He continued to struggle on the table but was still unable to break free.
Lucy's hand moved fast and sent a slap to his face...only, since Luke had also given her cores to strengthen her, she had directly dislocated his jaw.
"AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!"
Annoyed, Lucy grabbed his tongue and...pulled it out!
"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Luke sighed and waved his hand.
"Lucy, behave."
"...Master...we only need his brain and heart right? Nothing else matters."
"Aren't you getting too intelligent now? But you're right. It is quite annoying how they keep shouting after all."
Luke turned to the others who shivered and no longer uttered a sound, afraid of their tongues getting pulled out as well.
"Whatever. Push him to the MRI."
Luke no longer bothered with them and walked to a computer at the side, turning on the machine.
After settling the subject, he directly injected the unsynthesized serum into his heart and observed the data from the MRI.
Soon after, the subject started to turn after struggling for around 2 minutes.
"Test Subject L02. Took in unsynthesized Zombie Core with a syringe to his heart. Felt pain for 2 minutes 44 seconds. The subject now shows signs of turning. It seems there exists a difference in time for people to turn. it might be possible for someone not to turn if one were to completely bear the pain. Further tests required."
Luke took noted and continued to watch the data on the screen.
"The virus seems to travel straight to the brain, destroying it and forming in the middle as if replacing it...interesting, but quite troublesome..."
Luke frowned.
If the virus's first instinct is to attack the brain, it is far from being perfect for reviving someone completely.
There is also now a lower chance for zombies to regain their memories but instead, form a new personality if they were to continue eating Zombie Organs from other zombies...
Luke turned to look at Lucy who was now quite intelligent compared to normal zombies.
However, she doesn't seem to show signs of regaining her previous memories at all.
She only continues to serve Luke instead. Acting like a loyal subject.
He didn't want 'her' to be like this as well. There must be another way.
Luke turned to look at the remaining subjects.
Seeing Luke turn towards them, everyone shivered and didn't dare to meet his eyes.
"Hmm, that's all for now. I need to organize the data I've gathered."
He turned to Lucy and spoke.
"Bring that guy to the storage below. Don't kill it yet, there may be other use for it later."
"Un."
Luke removed his lab coat and gloves as he left the room.
When the door opened, he caught Mily leaning on the door, seemingly listening in.
Surprised by the door suddenly opening, Mily wasn't able to escape immediately.
"U-uhh, this...ummm..."
"Don't bother. I know you weren't able to hear anything. The room is completely soundproof after all."
"Y-yes...I was just curious..."
Luke nodded.
"Curiosity is normal for human beings. But as they say, 'curiosity killed the cat'."
Luke leaned on her side.
"Are you a cat?"
"No!"
Mily hurriedly shook her head.
Luke looked at her for a few seconds before no longer paying any attention.
"You're responsible for feeding those guys as well from now on. Three meals a day. Feed them well."
"Y-yes..."
After Luke left, Mily hesitated before turning to the room, unable to stop her curiosity.
She saw several people tied to a table that was slanted upright. They all reeked of piss as they had all pissed themselves after witnessing what just happened.
There was also a lot of blood on the floor.
Mily recalled there should still be two more of them when they had initially come in.
Where...are they now?
Right as she was thinking this, Lucy arrived before her while pushing two tables with ease. On one table, there lay a lifeless man with his skull cut open. On the other was a zombie who kept struggling.
"W-what...happened...?"
Mily couldn't help but ask.
Lucy paused and glanced at her with her lifeless eyes.
"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask. Just do as master says."
"E-eh? Miss Lucy, you...can talk a lot now!?"
"..."
Lucy stopped caring about her and left the room without answering.
Mily sighed and turned to the others who were still strapped in.
"What...am I supposed to do..."
Meanwhile, after settling the zombie and corpse, Lucy went back to find Luke.
"Master. I've finished the task you gave me."
"Good."
"..."
Luke frowned as he noticed Lucy's expression.
"What is it?"
"...Master, why did you bring back that woman? If you need more people, isn't it better to get more intelligent zombies like me instead?"
Luke raised a brow at that.
Interesting, this Subject Lucy has really started to develop a personality. She's even conscious of the fact that she's a zombie.
Luke wanted to dissect her to find out how she works but it would be a pity if he can't replicate another one like her. She is more useful 'alive' so to speak.
Maybe it is also possible to nurture her.
Thinking that, Luke answered.
"Do not get me wrong. She is also a part of an experiment."
"Experiment?"
"Yes. I want to see how a human like her will react upon finding the things here. It is to prepare for future outcomes where our existence might be discovered."
"I understand. Master, shall I head to the surface to grab more living subjects?"
"Hmm, no. Not yet. Why don't you go to the library instead?"
"Library?"
"Yes. Try and see if you can read the books. Just treat this as another experiment."
"I understand."
Lucy nodded and left.
Luke watched her leave as he pondered.
"Athena. Maintain recording both Lucy and Mily. Tell me once you've seen any unusual activities."
"Understood."
The mechanical voice answered back.
- Writer
