Chapter 75 - The Institute (16)

Tang Shun concealed the emotions in his eyes,

"If we think about it this way, then would they have continued to bring in children after the first batch of them were brought to the planet's? Eventually they would run out of a steady supply because biological children had become obsolete. The mortality rate was so high in the beginning phase, that they would have to think of alternatives very early ."

"Hence what would they have done then?"

In his mind Chu Yi visualized something akin to a breeding factory, the rooms were kept very warm to ensure insulation and the air seemed to be full of a sweet and greasy breath.

It's not much different from a pigsty there. The grinding, naked humans lie in separate pens, but the researchers would have put aphrodisiacs in their feed, so like animals they would breed in the breeding factory day and night. Perhaps in order to improve the efficiency of fertility , would have alternated and seperated the humans with the best genes from the rest so that healthy baby's can be conceived, humans with big bellies ready to give birth would be seen everywhere.

There would have been blood and discarded umbilical cords everywhere in the factory, as well as blood-stained infants pulled directly from the lower body, and the dead babies thrown aside at will. Then these babies would become the new residents, the best would be taken away and the rest would be left to continue breeding and working for the Federation.

The human brain is indeed smart. But if they are cut off from the outside world from birth, raised in a pigpen, and deprived of any wisdom and enlightenment education, then in the end humans would be no different from pigs in a pigpen.

The Institute deprived the residents of the abandoned planet from basic knowledge about the Interstellar, to prevent any probability of an uprising, they concealed the cruel horrors being done to them and even the building they were in now, had no contact to the outside world, using the most primitive means of doing things to ensure that they would never grasp a way to fight back even if they did find out.

Ignorant and pitiful.

But Chu Yi knew, that in a realm of infinite possibilities, there will always be an error that no one could have possibly anticipated.

Chu Yi didn't reply anymore to Tang Shun because at this point, he was looking at a painting posted on the mural covered walls of the playroom. It was greying and severely water damaged however it was still barely legible.

This is a very strange painting.

The frame is neatly mounted on all sides with what used to be golden edged frames.

The background of the picture is extremely dark, the sky and the earth are dim, and there was no moonlight, almost as if they were trapped in an eternal night.

In the center of the painting, there was a huge circus tent, colorful and bright like a weird carnival, and yet all the audience members were dressed in black robes, wearing tall pointed hats, and carrying large weird pendulums in their hands. These black robes, those of which he couldn't tell whether they were beast or man, surrounded a high platform. There was nothing on the platform, only blood; blood, that was constantly pouring out from somewhere, sticky and scarlet and filled the entire painting with an evil taste. They looked towards the platform with absolute reverence and it was almost as if they were performing a kind of weird sacrificial ritual.

There is no doubt that this painting is extremely weird, without a beginning or an end. At the moment Chu Yi saw the picture clearly, an inexplicable nausea and disgust hit him together, as if he was staring at something extremely filthy and corrupted.

Tang Shun followed his gaze and he too seemed affected by the painting,

"This painting was modeled after something extremely evil. In fact, the question here is, why would it even be placed in this place. I can tell that It's definitely not as old as the other paintings in this room however."

Chu Yi knew that he was talking to himself, but he didn't look back, his gaze had been captured by another relatively strange painting that hung from the walls.

This painting is actually very simple: it was a drawing modeled after a beach outing, the weather on the sea was sunny and bright, and there were many children sitting on long paper boats, playing and laughing happily in the warm summer heat. But below the sea surface is a completely different scene, the bottom of the sea is gloomy, and there were many children who wore agonized and wretched expression, almost all of them seemed to be crying and the sea was stained with their own blood. "These two paintings parallel The Institute and The first batch of children that were brought to the Abandoned Planets."Chu Yi finally opened his mouth and pointed his finger at the wall, "Sacrifices especially like little boys and girls, because they symbolize the highest purity and beauty of mankind."

Because only the purest of souls can become the catalyst for the evilest creations.

*****

Two days had passed,

After being given the same strange-smelling lumpy pills once more, they were immediately crowded by the nurses to the deepest corner of the building.

Chao Bin and Mu Fang were separated from Chu Yi and Tang Shun and under the pitiful gaze of Chao Bin, they were taken to the different areas of the Institute.

It wasn't to the basement that Chu Yi and the others had explored last time, but instead they were taken to what seemed like a hidden underground cellar that reeked of salt and strong, pungent chemicals.

The stairs down were very dark, but they were wide enough, that at first glance, they could see that it was a special channel that could be used to accommodate and transport things that were of heavy weight and size. There were only dim kerosene lamps dotted on both sides to help them see and the stairs only ran in straight line without turns, down to the underground holding. 

This was evidently a special place.

The stairs then opened up to a familiar sight , the same green murky light and cylindrical glass capsule came into view with the blurry, curved shape of a slender shadow hidden in a cluster of aquatic plants and overgrown moss, it's state unknown.

But this time, there was only one capsule centered in the middle of the moist, damp almost suffocating air of the room. At the sight, the aboringes gaped in shocked astonishment, evidently the first time that they had seem something so beyond their cognition, they were completely blown away.

Nevertheless amidst the breathless intakes, in the corner of his eyes, Chu Yi seemed to see that on the cold faces of the nurses, a contemptuous sneer appeared in the face of this artificial merman.

They didn't look a tad interested in introducing them to this freak of nature and even though it was 'Animal Therapy' in name, they evidently had ulterior motives in bringing them here that had nothing to do with rehabilitation.

Under the plaintive instructions of the nurse, they were pointed towards a platform that looked to be for feeding purposes at the top of the large capsules.

"At the top of the capsules, there is a small metal device that requires you to place one of your hand into the opening, once in, your blood will be tested and evaluated by the system. You'll therefore be locked in place once your hand is inside and only when a green light appears on the device to indicate that you are finished will you be allowed to leave."

The task seemed simple in nature, however what exactly were they being tested on,

Uncharacteristically Chu Yi was the first to volunteer to be examined, and under the watchful gaze of everyone he climbed the ladder to the top of the platform!

However unlike what they'd expect, Chu Yi didn't immediately go towards the metal machine to get tested, instead with deliberately placed steps, he approached closer to the pillar shaped tank, to the merman inside the capsule!

Ignoring the flabbergasted gaze of the people below, he observed the creature up close, although it looked to be asleep, it nevertheless seemed to sense the presence of Chu Yi and the shadow moved slightly before quietly floating upwards towards him.

Through the small opening at the top, he could see the gleaming reflection of the water rippling in the orange light but could not see where the merman was.

Splash…

The sound of rushing undercurrents stirred underneath, the light in the small opening suddenly sank and a dull blurry color, quite different from the normal murkiness of the water, swept past.

The gap in the top of the capsules was enough to fit the size of one person, so therefore If he was ever to fall in, he would be at complete mercy of the creature inside the capsule, however didn't think so much and as if bewitched he bent down and stared at the opening on the capsule as if waiting.

The air around was stagnant, and the players below held their breath in unison. In the dim light, Chu Yi's red eyes seemed to hold a anticipating glint, then he smiled.

The face of the merman appeared in the tiny gap, staring at Chu Yi with a dark and cruel glare.

He was not as beautiful as merfolk's were rumored to be, but he had to admit that the creature was one of the more breathtaking brings he bad seen in his lifetime. His outline blended perfectly together with the sharpness and bestial beauty of his artificial body. And that face reminded him of, someone born of aristocratic descent.

Those eyes sunk deep down into the shadow of his eyebrows, soaking in the gloom of the deeps. But the corners of his mouth were slightly raised, as if ridiculing something, that smiling expression was full of indescribable flirtation and wickedness. 

Humans have always been taught, when confronting any ferocious animal, it was best to avoid eye contact or else they might feel provoked and attack you. However Chu Yi never once looked away and a tense invisible confrontation happened silently between human and beast. The light flickered, obscuring the features on Chu Yi's face, leaving only his red eyes to glow brilliantly with suppressed excitement.

The merman's eyebrow was raised, his head hung low, however, his eyelids were clearly still open and staring at him intently.

Under his long and wet eyelashes, there was a sense of evil and aggression that could not be concealed. His gaze had an effect as if a strange sense of crawling numbness, like tiny insects drilling into his blood vessel and rampaging wantonly in his body,

Splash...

With a flick of its strong tail, the merman broke eye contact and disappeared back into the troughs of darkness, this was tacitly agreeing to something.

Chu Yi squatted silently for a few moments before slowly rising up, a charming smile appearing on his lip.

Although he wasn't sure if he could hear, Chu Yi still said in a low voice "Don't worry, it shouldn't take long."

He glanced at the dark and fuzzy waters, then turned and walked away in the direction he was supposed to go initially . The bottom of the heavy and hard boots hit the metal platform with a clang and the slow and calm footsteps gradually moved away, 

In the stagnant pool of water, as he left there seemed to be another ripple as a black shadow moved slightly in the still water's, however soon enough everything once again fell stagnant, as the creature inside went motionless, as if the slight disturbance had never happened.

Seeing that nothing had happened to him, the tension in the room eased slightly and many of the players released some of their vigilance.

Unless it was a fluke, the real danger wasn't here.

Chu Yi turned to the metal cylindrical hole that was placed at the end of the platform. There was metal box attached to it, that sounded with a light whirring.

Although he couldn't see the things inside, he did however notice that the box was connected to a long winding tube that trailed along the side of the platform, down and disappeared into the unknown darkness.

He didn't know what it was for.

After quietly observing it for a second, he eventually stuck his right hand in as instructed,

Almost instantly the sharp pain of his hand being punctured by a large needle appeared and to his suprise, Chu Yi could feel his blood draining from his body at an extremely fast rate!

His face rapidly turned a ghastly pale and a sore weakness instantly assaulted his nerves!

It wasn't that there was no danger but that they would be drained of all their blood before the green light even appears!