QT: Against My Will-Chapter 634 - 12.14 - Underground Lab - Interstellar Voyage

Upon entering his space, Henry was welcomed by the sight of Linda, the omega who had been looking after his cats. She was gently brushing Luna, a graceful cat with a white coat that shimmered in the fading light.

"How have they been?" he asked.

"They’ve been wonderful," Linda replied, her tone warm and fond. "Midnight has been keeping an eye on everything as usual, Sunshine hasn’t stopped playing all day, and Luna has been as serene as ever."

As she lifted her gaze to look at Henry’s missing limb, her eyes brimmed with guilt.

Midnight leaped down from the shelf and sauntered over to Henry, rubbing against his legs in a display of affection.

Henry crouched down, extending his left hand to pet them, "That’s good to hear."

After a few moments of enjoying the peaceful company of his feline friends, Henry stood up and reached for a bag he had brought with him.

He handed it to Linda. "Here are some supplies for you and the cats," he said, ensuring that Linda and the cats were well taken care of.

He had no outdoor missions today, but that didn’t mean his day was any less busy. His thoughts turned to the training of the twenty-three individuals who were part of Shina’s sub-team.

It was vital to keep them updated about the situation outside – about the potential threats, and opportunities.

Shina’s role was too significant to be consumed by such trivial tasks that could be managed by others.

Henry nodded at Douglas, Liam, and Laura, who already waited for him in the meeting room, "Is Shina not coming?"

"She is in the lab with Orion," said Liam, exchanging a knowing look with Henry.

They’ve always found it suspicious how conveniently fast a delta medic with water abilities has joined them after Bertha’s departure. A head of the Lunar Support and Recovery unit at that! Shina must have used some of her underhanded methods to get Orion into joining them again! Not that they complained though.

· ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·

’I’m baaaack!’ Bing Shi emerged inside Shina’s body, ’Thank you for your hard work!’

’~WuuHuu!’ Dai An slipped inside the space, excited to commence her personal lockdown, ’You are welcome!’

Orion had heard whispers about Earl Fester’s forbidden technologies and his obsession with alpha offspring. Yet, he had dismissed these tales as mere myths, refusing to believe that such morally questionable practices could truly exist until a few people came knocking at his doorsteps a few years ago, ’There is no way.’

The underground lab was packed with advanced technology, where various monitors displayed vital statistics and machines hummed softly in the background.

In its center stood ten transparent incubation chambers. Inside one of them, Felicia’s body floated serenely, suspended in a nutrient-rich solution. She looked like a floating ghost in a full coverage swimming suit. This sterile environment effectively suspended her natural aging and deterioration processes.

Life lines provided her with essential nutrients and fluids, while ventilators assisted them with breathing. The system also maintained optimal body temperature and removed waste, similar to kidney functions. To prevent atrophy, they used electrical muscle stimulation.

Shina dismissed the doctors that came to greet her respectfully and walked before the two tube babies, "I wonder what abilities will my babies possess. I hope one of them will gain a water ability."

These two infants were a product of Earl Ester’s and Silvia’s LeClére’s genes. Currently, they were just two empty bodies that represented her sons, XiaoPu and Stinky Bun.

Rather than the babies, Bing Shi was more interested in the technology and the people behind it. Riley had imprisoned all the key people involved. This left them with no option but to consider a risky offer from Dai An, who promised to ’free’ them as soon as Riley died.

Orion’s values clashed starkly with the scene before him, "Why water?" he asked, thinking about his own water ability.

Shina’s response was blunt and unsettling. "To replace you," she said, "You were never meant to be a part of the combat team, Orion."

Orion was hit hard by the fear of being discarded, yet decided to keep his composure on the outside, "Is there anything I can do to secure my place in your group?"

To become a part of Shina’s circle was a task everyone said was difficult. At first, he didn’t believe it, especially when they seemed to accept him so quickly. But now, he realized how fragile his place in the group really was.

"Not much," Shina said and gestured to him to follow her, escorting him deeper to the underground, "You know too much to be left alive."

"But too little to be a threat," Orion completed her words. When he caught sight of his wife and child behind the prison bars, his stoic demeanor faltered.

"Daddy? Daddy! When can we go home?" the girl asked, her voice small and innocent as she reached out her little hands.

Orion’s throat tightened, words failing him as he reached out, "Soon, I promise. Daddy is working on it."

His wife met his gaze. "Orion, are we going to be okay?" she asked.

He struggled to maintain composure, replying with a gentle firmness, "We will be. I’ll find a way."

"What a sweet family," Shina said in adoration, "I never thought I would see a big omega like you in tears."

"How did you find out?" asked Orion without looking at her. That was right. He was born an omega with water abilities, which made many think that he was a delta at first. Only later did he find out about his constitution.

It was also a reason why he decided to study genetics in order to improve his and his wife’s physique. His wife was a beta, which made her unable to conceive a child with an omega like him.

"Am I not a wrath? We are supposed to know our soldiers very well." Shina unlocked the metal door of the concrete prison. After setting the mother and daughter duo free, she motioned for Orion to take their place behind the bars, "Your medical achievements were impressive. And becoming the head of the Lunar Support and Recovery unit is no small feat either. I really must give Felicia praise for a good job done well."

"..." Orion was seething with anger upon discovering that Felicia had taken his family hostage after he refused to help her with her father’s twisted project a few years ago.