Chapter 133

“Ugh…!”

Why is it that when I stretch out pleasantly, a groan escapes me? It feels refreshing rather than painful.

I managed to raise my upper body from the translucent water bed, which was so comfortable that I had no desire to get up.

It’s psychologically uncomfortable and might induce anxiety to know that doing nothing and just counting ceiling tiles counts as work time… but once you get used to it, there’s nothing quite as enjoyable.

If it weren’t for my teammates, I might not have left the room for days…?

– I hope you can refrain from deepening your unhealthy habits. It makes me worry just watching you. –

“…I don’t think I’ve ever been healthier than I am now.”

Suppressing the pointless thought, I ignored the scolding and walked to the private bathroom attached to the room.

Why is there a fancy water bed and a bathroom in a storeroom? These… they’ve just labeled this place a logistics warehouse, but in reality, it’s more like a controlled area where researchers stay for months to work.

Otherwise, there’s no way this place would be equipped with proper plumbing.

Squeak…!

Splash….

“……Hmm♬♩”

I wouldn’t have believed that one could find satisfaction in the act of turning on a faucet, but here I am.

However, there’s a definite difference between tapping on a touch panel to get a regulated amount of water and enjoying a refreshing, high-pressure stream of water. Is it really necessary to state which is better?

Moreover, while Paradise is a golden color, the enema is pure white.

While it could give a bleak feeling… in fact, considering the secret research going on, it’s absolutely a color associated with a chill, there’s no other color that offers such a refreshing vibe in a bathroom.

After enjoying a pleasant shower, I took a towel and buried my face in it before lifting my head to check the mirror.

My eyes are vibrant, and my complexion is superb.

How on earth is this the result of a poor lifestyle? I maintain an appearance that anyone would consider ideal……. Uh.

‘…Should I stop thinking in this direction?’

Well, it’s hard to say everything is going smoothly, but at least the treatment I receive isn’t bad.

As long as I follow the rules, the fact that they don’t interfere offers a lot of relief from the stress of being in the middle of a minimalistic area.

First, wiping the moisture from my hair, I returned to the bed.

While leisurely washing up, I savored the feeling of the suit that Zero had tailored for me, then headed out through the door.

Alright. It’s time to go to work… or rather, pretend to work.

Beep—. Beep—. Beep…!

I shot a glare at the server that kept emitting a rhythmic beep to signal it was connected, as if it were some hospital monitoring equipment, before turning my attention back to the monitor.

If I had a homework assignment that needed quick organization, I could just dive in and bring my abilities to their peak, but this isn’t something I can showcase my personal skills with, and since the inspected data is set to share directly with the mainframe from day one…

I had to meticulously check and pass on anything that could be critical and important so that it doesn’t fall into their hands.

“Hmm….”

When it’s time to input the necessary codes for actual work, I just pretend to tap on the keyboard while sending the completed signal in my head.

The tracker, who had been staring oddly at the overly high-performance Zero, seemed to understand why I pulled out the computer, so I decided to stick to this method for now.

If the work is difficult to understand, rather than a desolate field… picture a tilled farm where crops haven’t been harvested.

Our job is to cautiously dig it back up and select as many usable items as possible to return to the owner. If there are shattered fragments, we have to piece them back together to restore their original form.

In the process, if anything comes up with my name on it or traces of my fingerprints, I secretly burn those.

…Somehow, after laying it all out, I feel like I’m not gaining skills but just getting better at trickery and clever little acts, but I’m not living as a company employee for a millennium, so I guess it doesn’t matter.

…Does it?? …Please.

[ Paradise & Enema Joint Project, collaborative draft for the development of more effective genetically modified organisms (GMO) to be supplied to large-scale vertical agricultural plants. ]

[ …Since most of the bags and mechanized troops that make up the facility’s air defense rely on Exatech products, if potential threats arise, it would pose significant issues if the adversary is Exatech…. ]

[ For drugs that temporarily enlarge male genitals or enhance female sensitivity, the current technology makes it so that human caloric energy must be consumed to immediately replicate cells, then they must undergo necrosis, making the production cost far more expensive than permanent procedures. ]

[ Therefore, the Delta Sector research team will no longer waste human resources on this matter after the prototype BAGR-67 and strongly demands the identification and punishment of those who proposed this…. ]

“Ugh… what is all of this?”

I briefly checked through the documents retrieved with missing sections and sent them up.

Even though this is a large research facility in a place where people live, I still haven’t seen anything that would raise my eyebrows about illegal activities or any human experiments I was involved in.

However, the thought that this is all just a record of dead people made my heart uneasy all over again.

I might have some guilt, being the only survivor, which could feel like a burden in its own way.

It’s ironic that the ones who sent a rapid response team to silence things are the same ones trying to resurrect the data they deemed valuable, even if it costs them to hire mercenaries… should I laugh or just be bitter about it?

“…The A2 server rack work is done. If you want to look at it later, go ahead; if not, then don’t.”

“Th… thank you, sister.”

I waved my hand at the little kid who bowed their head, signaling them not to worry.

Right now, we were slightly dividing up tasks.

I was slowly working on the results I could submit, while the other two were preparing for a large-scale recovery operation.

In the past few days, Ken had been busy writing a data recovery algorithm to input into his computer and Marina’s head (…).

Indeed… I didn’t check every single piece of data one by one and delete things personally; given the lack of time, I used the facility’s admin rights and abyss dive to swiftly wipe all server data and escape.

If I could establish a large operational rule that encompasses the overall recovery process, I could greatly improve work efficiency.

…And besides, it would mean that our burden would have something to do.

“Wow! I can use water freely without restriction! So this is what a large corporation is like…. Maybe I’ll get hired too!”

“…Who knows? If we manage to track down the backers and the reward isn’t just credits, there might be a chance for a full-time position—…?!!?”

Just like that, the person the gentleman referred to showed up.

Considering she must have used water quite liberally as well, Marina appeared before us in a damp outfit, waving her hand. Ken, upon seeing her, slammed his face into the keyboard.

Her healthy skin and the way her chest bounced with her movements were certainly an impressive sight… but why is the embarrassment solely ours?

“Could you at least put on some clothes…?!”

“Come on, it’s just us! More importantly, let’s order something to eat first, right? I’ve found it amusing lately when the tracker guy picks up the deliveries first, inspects them, and then hands them over. It makes me feel like a powerful figure.”

I scolded her on behalf of the poor kid whose face had turned completely red, but the smile etched upon her face seemed to flutter through any scolding I directed, as she laughed it off.

Well, I suppose it’s nice to be provided with meals as desired in such a top-notch accommodation. I could potentially fulfill a sense of liberation in this vast place, but if I think about it, I’m still in a state of 24-hour surveillance and can’t go outside.

Depending on individual traits, but for Marina, being such an extroverted person, it’s likely stressful for her to be in this situation… I thought.

If she can find even a little enjoyment in such a way, that would be a positive aspect of mental management, so I’ll try to understand.

…But hey, you don’t know how to handle forensics yet, so you’re just having fun, huh?! Why are you the only one enjoying yourself!

“Ah! Shall we try some enema flavors today? I wonder if I can find an East Asian restaurant?”

“…Search for Japanese cuisine instead of East Asian. As for me, I want tonkatsu and udon… wait a minute, let’s check the menu first.”

This brings us to the second day of the data recovery request, around lunchtime, and I can say that the team is sailing smoothly.