NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2
“Aah… cough… ow! Aah… cough!!”
Every time I tried to make a sound, I coughed up a bitter taste from my throat. I harshly spat out the fully-cultured medium specifically tailored for Anastasia. My head was overwhelmed with countless pieces of information I had never learned all at once, but it instinctively reminded me of what I could see and feel.
Crunch…
“It hurts…!”
The sharp pain in my throat made me instinctively scratch the floor I was lying on, sending waves of pain through my delicate fingertips as they grazed the rough surface.
The floor wasn’t alive with scattered glass fragments, yet the overwhelming agony I had never experienced before made my arms uncontrollably push against the floor, causing me to sit down hard on my buttocks. My body was hypersensitive in strange ways.
Squelch…!
Fortunately, the puddle of spilled culture medium from the broken test tube prevented any additional injuries, but there was no time to be grateful. Just then, the horrifying interior of the laboratory came into view.
“Gulp…”
Half-detached wiring clung to the ceiling, barely keeping a flickering light source alive that intermittently illuminated the dark interior.
The explosion and fire had charred much of the room, and even the relatively intact tiles bore sharp burn marks. And it wasn’t just that—the puddle by my body might have been green culture medium, but the fluids splattered elsewhere were mostly electrolytes or bright red blood.
Finally, the glowing holographic panels added to the scene, making it identical to the introduction of a famous horror movie.
“Ugh…!!”
Realizing the rising fear sent shivers down my spine, and without knowing why, I instinctively pulled my empty legs together, wrapping my arms around them. My soft breasts were compressed against my knees, except for the stains from the culture medium, which made my otherwise pristine white small body stand out. I had to think. I must think. Allowing my body to be dominated by trivial emotions would accomplish nothing.
I am Anastasia, the proud product of South Korea, specimen number RoTG-71214. If I can’t overcome this adversity, how will I ever continue living…?
“What just…?!”
A scream involuntarily escaped me as I sensed something foundational within me that helped define who I am being eroded. It felt like shaking a vial with two substances that should never mix only to find them blend together. Even though there was no culture medium left in my esophagus, I felt the urge to vomit.
Most importantly, this “dream” was far too vivid.
My cut finger, the cold, the headache, my feeling of repulsion, and finally… the vibration.
Boom…
The liquid pooled on the ground rippled slightly, creating tiny waves. The dangling lamp swayed from side to side, and the droplets of electrolytes hanging from the ceiling occasionally dripped down.
I was wrong.
This lab scene wasn’t exactly like a horror movie. A crucial element was missing.
In my hazy recollection, the scene I witnessed before this catastrophe was unmistakably filled with people. Whether they were researchers or combat drones, they were caught in the explosion and bled to the point where the floor was flooded. So why are there no bodies left?
Boom… Boom… Boom…!
“Haa… haa…!!”
As the vibrations grew closer in response to my scream, my breathing became more labored.
If the sealed door held, it would be ideal. But if it did, those mysterious cleaners wouldn’t have been able to cleanly dispose of all the bodies. Based on my common sense, picturing someone living nearby, Anastasia’s knowledge suggested something far more common in Neo Haven – a robot or droid.
If this is a dream, then simply waking up would suffice. But if this is real, what should I do?
Clunk!! Clunk Clunk!
I hastily moved my feeble body, attempting to rip a drooping steel rod off its near-loosened supports by violently shaking it. But this delicate, cursed body couldn’t even detach the single support and instead wasted its efforts repeatedly.
Bang! Bang! Bang!!
The thing is approaching.
I no longer had time to waste on something so useless. Instinctively rushing to grab something small and easy for my tiny hands to hold on to for self-defense, but in reality, a more dangerous weapon was much closer.
Crack…
“Ungh!!”
I tightly grasped the sharpest piece of broken test tube on the ground. In theory, if you aimed right at the weak point, even the biggest creature could be dispatched in a single strike…!
“…Damn it.”
BOOM—!!
Such hopes were dashed when a hulking droid squeezed into the room, holding onto the wall with fingers almost as wide as my entire arm. Where its face ought to be, three holographic scanners emitted eerie red beams designed to never lose sight of an enemy, while its body had two normal legs but a startling eight arms extending from various points—two from each shoulder, and four more from its back.
Unlike the base arms with fingers and joints, the ones extending from its back were tipped with saw blades, needles, tongs, and gun barrels—clearly designed for one purpose: a crazy killing machine.
Clang!
“What?! Let me go! You damn bastard…!!”
I barely had time to react.
In an instant, the droid approached me at high speed. Its tongs clamped onto my skinny waist, while four of its fingers easily restrained both of my arms. Surprisingly, its force control was impeccable—I was lifted completely off the ground, violently struggling, but I didn’t feel any particular pressure.
Ching…!
The fragment I tried to use as a weapon fell back to the ground.
Compared to the grand plan I had, my insignificant resistance made me feel like crying. If only it knew how to handle me as gently as it restrained me. As it began to “cleanly” end this nightmare, I closed my eyes.
– Your level of compliance is unnecessarily high, Code Name Anastasia, despite a strong will. At this rate, it is expected that Dr.’s calculation of your expected lifespan will encounter significant difficulties. –
“What?”
Ignoring my question, the droid carefully unfolded my damaged hand, scanned it, and began treatment as soon as I stopped resisting.
– I’ll administer Regeneration Serum RS-03. After injection, RS-03 remaining… 0. In the event of future injuries, as you will need to use the Original Serum, you should take care of your asset management. –
A needle pierced my extended palm and injected the serum; simultaneously, the fingertips of the droid’s hands opened, revealing tiny forceps that proceeded to extract all the foreign objects embedded in my wounds before they could heal. Though its speaking style was overblown, there was no way to resolve anything if I didn’t assume this droid was on my side.
“Who… who are you?”
– Accepting your vague question. I am a unique object consisting of Paradise Corporation’s Carebot series, equipped with Exatech Corporation’s Interceptron model parts designed for automatic interception. Additionally, made by Dr. Makarovitch for Test Subject RoTG-71214, Code Name Anastasha, to assist in surviving the lab’s self-destruction and perform implant surgeries, using embezzled lab budget, I am a high-performance android. –
“Er… really…?”
Every question caused Neo Haven terminology to explode.
The Mega Cop staff are treated as expendable assets, not even qualifying as such in their accounting. Carebots are commonly seen in hospitals and family homes, while Interceptrons pop out and loom like part of the furniture.
I don’t like it when someone unknown claims to have created Anastasia according to my wishes, but somehow it helped me face reality.
This is the Enema Corporation laboratory, obsessed with human experimentation.
And this world is Neo Haven, every gamer’s hell.
– Excellently designed, but struggling with mind control. We’ll soon begin the move to the operation room. Please prepare for the impact. –
“What the…?! Kyaa?!”
Just as I was about to verbally lash out at the overly confident droid, the moment it scooped me up like an infant and began sprinting through the research facility corridor, I instinctively let out a high-pitched scream.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—
With a mighty crash and a deafening screech, the droid forced its way through the closed elevator panel and plunged down the vertical shaft by clinging to the side walls, taking us deeper into the sub-levels.
Despite the brutal speed, the droid was careful in handling me, ensuring nothing was injured. In the blink of an eye, we arrived at a fully intact subterranean operation room, where it gently placed me on the operating table.
The table, armed with all sorts of sharp tools, surgical lasers, and needles, felt ominous like something from which you’d never wake up. But oddly it provided some comfort—this was the sacred ground of power-ups familiar to anyone who had played Neo Haven countless times.
Cyberware upgrades might be available elsewhere, but bio-implants could only be installed and upgraded in this specific room. The Neo Haven addicts weren’t wrong for meticulously mapping out every operating room in Emerald City.
Without needing explicit instruction, the droid watched as I hesitantly laid myself on the operating table and then started manipulating the touch panels.
– Your increased cooperation is appreciated, Code Name Anastasha. We’ll conduct the operation to ensure you experience minimal discomfort. –
“For my sake…!”
Embarrassed to admit outright that I was giving in to hopes of powers or upgrades, I quickly came up with an excuse.
Weaving through chaotic memories or pieces of information can wait until after the surgery concludes.
Beep. Biiip. Beep!
[Anesthesia cartridge damage detected. Calculating loss… Loss 100%. Terminating operating sequence.]
“Huh?”
As I stared blankly at the ominous system message on the ceiling monitor, it betrayed me.
Beep!
Clang!
Restraints shot out from the table and secured my body.
Surely not. Surely, no sane entity would perform such a major surgery—embedding bio-implants directly into the nervous system—without numbing me first.
Beeep!
[Override completed.]
“Hey, you bastard! Crazy bastard! AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!”
The moment a laser struck my shoulder, I let out a terrible scream and promptly lost consciousness.
Fortuitously, if anything, I did not wake again during the procedure.
Conversely, the unfortunate part was that my unconscious mind apparently witnessed strange visions.
Instead of Neo Haven, I saw a world where only the game Neo Heaven Prime existed.
And in that world, I, Anastasia, was no longer the protagonist but a mere optional and, frankly, far too popular secondary character.