Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!-Chapter 178: Long-Ass Night— Laboratory

The portal flickered open in the dimly lit garage, a swirling mass of shadow and energy stretching across the space like a gash in reality. A second later, Parker stepped through, his shoes clicking against the polished floor as the distortion rippled shut behind him. Ere followed right after, her feline form shifting briefly before solidifying, her sharp golden eyes locking onto his.

For a second, they just stood there, soaking it all in. The chaos. The adrenaline. The absurdity of it all.

Then, at the same damn time—

"Longest night of my fucking life," Parker muttered.

"And the funniest night too," Ere added with a smirk.

They both chuckled, their exhaustion melting into shared amusement. Tonight had been a mess, but hell, at least it had entertainment value.

Ere stretched lazily, her tail flicking. "Alright, mon capitaine, explain something to me—why the fuck did you go through with killing that guy when you felt Ice Goddess andnCaptain Sun coming? You knew they were nearby."

Parker just chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "Even if it were a god, that guy had to die."

Ere raised an eyebrow. "Okay, dramatic much?"

He gave her a look. "You really think the Olympian would’ve dropped it if we just tortured the guy and let him live?"

That earned a full-bodied laugh from Ere, sharp and knowing. "Oh, please, with their heroic bullshit logic? They’d still find a way to make you the bad guy even if we didn’t torture him. Like, ’Oh no, why was Parker in some mundane human’s bedroom?’—as if that’s the real fucking issue." She snorted. "Doesn’t matter what you did. They’d always make sure you were the villain."

"Exactly!" Parker grinned, his fingers flexing slightly. He hadn’t just gotten his revenge tonight—he’d awakened something.

Turning his palm over, he let the Phoenix Flames flicker to life, the golden-red fire swirling with a pulse that felt almost alive. It wasn’t just heat—it moved like it had a will of its own, the embers licking at the air as if hungry for more. It cast eerie shadows across the garage, reflecting off the sleek curves of his cars.

"Too bad we lost our first fight," he mused, watching the fire dance between his fingers.

Ere groaned, rolling her eyes so hard they might’ve left her skull. "What the fuck did you expect, dumbass? You went up against someone with a higher power level, and not just anyone—a goddess at that! Plus, these flames? They’re, like, in their fucking baby stage. Barely even out of the womb."

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Parker smirked, closing his fingers and snuffing out the fire. "Still better than my telekinesis."

Ere scoffed, but there was something smug in her tone when she added, "You know today was still a win, right? Whether you like it or not, facts are facts—you got your revenge, awakened a primordial beast-tier ability, and pulled off an escape against two Olympians way stronger than you." She flicked her tail, grinning. "If that’s not a fucking victory, I don’t know what is."

Parker leaned back against one of his cars, exhaling slowly. Yeah. She was right.

And more importantly—

He smirked. "I have the Ice Goddess exactly where I want her."

As Parker let the Phoenix Flames flicker between his fingers, a sharp, throbbing ache pulsed through his ribs. He clenched his jaw, suppressing the wince that threatened to show on his face. Yeah... Chione hadn’t just beaten him—she’d wrecked his shit. Every breath carried a dull burn, his muscles screaming from the force of being kicked through a fucking wall.

His back felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to it, and the lingering chill from her ice still clung to his skin, a phantom sting beneath the warmth of his fire.

Ere gave him a side-eye, tail flicking. "You good, boss?"

Parker exhaled, rolling his shoulders despite the sharp protest of his body. "Do I fucking look good?"

"Not even a little," she deadpanned. "You move like someone’s grandma."

He snorted, shaking his head. "At least I’m not dead."

"Yet..." She smirked. "But keep pissing off goddesses, and we’ll see."

****

By the time Parker made it to his bathroom, the exhaustion was finally creeping in. His body ached, his mind buzzed, but fuck it—tonight had been worth it.

Shedding his clothes, he stepped under the steaming water, letting it wash away the blood, the grime, the tension. The heat soaked into his muscles, and for a moment, he just stood there, eyes closed, breathing in the silence.

When he finally got out, he walked into his closet, towel-drying his hair before slipping into a black T-shirt and loose joggers. Nothing fancy. Just comfort. He ran a hand through his damp hair, then headed straight for bed.

The second he slid under the covers, warmth curled against him. Explore more adventures at novelbuddy

Tessa.

As if she’d sensed his return, she instinctively snuggled into his chest, her body molding into his like she belonged there. Parker didn’t even hesitate—he pulled her closer, wrapping an arm around her waist, inhaling her familiar scent.

For the first time all night, everything was quiet.

And for him, at least—peaceful.

But the same couldn’t be said for the Ice Goddess.

Or for the Olympians.

Or for the gods above, whose eyes still hadn’t closed.

Because whatever had just happened tonight?

It had changed things.

****

The underground lab stretched endlessly, sleek and sterile, bathed in an eerie glow of blue and white lights. The walls were lined with massive glass capsules, each one filled with a thick, bubbling liquid. Inside? People. Unmoving. Suspended in the fluid like fucked-up science experiments. Some looked asleep, their bodies still, faces calm. Others? Their eyes were open—wide, terrified—trapped in a nightmare they couldn’t wake up from.

The air was cold, crisp, and smelled like metal and antiseptic, the kind of shit that clung to your skin and made your stomach churn. Machines hummed in the background, monitoring... whatever the hell was happening inside those tanks. Wires snaked across the floor, pulsing faintly, like veins in a living organism.

This place? It was alive in the worst way.

A figure in a white coat walked past, clipboard in hand, completely unbothered by the horror show around them.

They stopped in front of one of the capsules, tapping on the glass with a gloved hand. The person inside twitched. Eyes darting. Mouth opening—only for bubbles to rise in the thick fluid, no sound escaping.

"Still awake?" the scientist mused, jotting something down. "Tough one."

Further down, another scientist muttered something under their breath, adjusting the dials on a control panel. The liquid in one of the capsules darkened slightly, and the body inside convulsed—just for a second—before going still again.

"How many are we prepping for Phase Two?" someone called from across the room.

"Depends," the first scientist answered, not even looking up. "How many can we afford to lose?"