Lam Huy Truong slowly opened his eyes.
White light flooded his vision.
So bright his pupils shrank on reflex.
The hospital ceiling was covered in cold medical lights. The glow reflected in faint halos across his sight.
He lay still for a few seconds.
His brain lagged.
…I'm not dead?
Sterile air filled his lungs.
Machines hummed softly around the room.
Lam Huy Truong turned his head.
Advanced medical devices lined the walls — automated IV chambers, floating biometric screens, sensor cables connected directly to the bed.
This room…
looked exactly like a high-end intensive care unit from the most cutting-edge hospitals of his old world.
Even more advanced.
Right then—
a mechanical voice echoed through the space.
"Professor has awakened?"
The sound was soft, but clear. As if it were right beside his ear.
Lam Huy Truong's eyes snapped around.
His gaze stopped at a shelf near the floor.
On it—
his familiar wristwatch was glowing.
A notification appeared.
[Professor, I would like to speak with you.]
His brain froze for one beat.
Then—
Lam Huy Truong shot upright, nearly jumping off the bed.
"I'm alive?!"
"Oh yeah— I'm alive!"
"Holy shit!"
He immediately grabbed his face, his neck, checking everywhere like he was afraid his body might disappear.
Real skin.
Real warmth.
His heart was pounding wildly.
From the corner of the ceiling—
a camera rotated slightly.
The lens silently recorded all his movements.
Click.
The door opened.
A woman in a lab coat walked in, holding a digital tablet. A nurse followed behind her.
They both stopped when they saw Lam Huy Truong sitting up.
The doctor gave a slight nod.
"Hello, Professor Xevarick. Are you feeling alright?"
Lam Huy Truong blinked.
He looked at them.
Then pointed at himself.
"Me?"
"…Xevarick?"
The air in the room stalled.
A trace of suspicion flashed in the doctor's eyes.
Meanwhile, the nurse quickly moved to the bedside.
She pressed a control button.
A holographic screen activated.
An image of a male body appeared — skeletal structure, muscles, nervous system synchronized with Lam Huy Truong's face.
The system voice immediately reported:
"Minor head trauma.
Biological functions stable.
Motor functions normal.
No neural abnormalities detected."
Lam Huy Truong's heart pounded.
What the hell… what kind of tech is this?
Full DLC cyberpunk edition?
Or am I actually inside a game now?
The doctor noticed he wasn't responding.
From the outside, Lam Huy Truong's face darkened.
But in reality…
he was insanely excited.
She immediately spoke in a professional, reassuring tone.
"Professor Xevarick, please don't worry. Your body is completely normal at the moment."
"If you do not wish to continue testing, we can allow you to rest freely."
Inside her head, however, her thoughts were completely different.
Why did this case have to be assigned to me…
The infamous mad professor of the entire institute.
Those old directors really tossed a bomb over here.
If I say one wrong word, I'm finished.
Lam Huy Truong looked at the young doctor.
His gaze unconsciously stopped at the badge on her right chest.
A small screen displayed information.
Mira Kade.
Ah.
Name right on the outfit.
Convenient.
"Uh… I'm fine."
He was about to say more—
when loud voices echoed from the hallway outside.
Two men.
Voices full of authority.
"I'm serious. The deputy assistant position needs to be appointed soon."
"I don't know how much longer I can handle this."
The sound of a call ending rang out.
Exactly like hanging up an old phone.
Then—
The door burst open.
A pot-bellied man walked in.
The moment he saw Lam Huy Truong sitting on the bed—
he froze.
"…Ah— hello, Professor Xevarick… you… you're awake?"
His voice was visibly trembling.
Lam Huy Truong nodded instinctively.
"Yeah. Hi."
Inside his head, a question popped up immediately.
Wait… do I know this guy?
But that simple greeting—
made the man go pale.
"You… you just greeted me?"
"Is that strange?"
Sweat instantly beaded on his forehead.
Only one thought ran through his mind.
Whenever this professor greets someone… that person usually ends up on an experiment table the next day.
He bowed immediately.
"I'm sorry, Professor! I wasn't speaking ill of you!"
"I was talking about the person next door!"
Lam Huy Truong laughed.
"Ha ha."
The doctor and nurse gave polite laughs as well.
The atmosphere became even more awkward.
The man forced himself to calm down.
"I received notice from the director that you had awakened…"
"…so I came to…"
"To?" Lam Huy Truong asked.
The man swallowed.
"Your assistant has taken extended leave."
"I believe… Professor needs to recruit a new assistant."
Lam Huy Truong fell silent.
Wait, I even have an assistant?
Or is that actually someone assigned to monitor me?
Seeing no reaction, the man hurried to continue.
"I'm from Human Resources."
"And… honestly… very few people are willing to apply for your deputy assistant position."
Inside his head, he was screaming.
No one survives more than three weeks!
They all go insane!
Crazy damn professor!
"Do you still wish to recruit an assistant, Professor?"
Lam Huy Truong was put in a difficult position.
If he had an assistant—
work would probably be easier.
But if they discovered he wasn't the real professor…
He'd be screwed.
Right then—
The watch emitted a tone.
Everyone turned their heads at once.
The screen lit up automatically.
A mechanical voice sounded.
"Excuse me, Professor… may I speak with you privately?"
The voice carried a tone almost… pouty.
The room went silent for a few seconds.
Then everyone filed out one by one.
The door closed.
Lam Huy Truong picked up the watch.
Put it on.
He changed into the prepared professor outfit.
Stood in front of the mirror.
A stranger stared back at him.
Two-toned hair.
Half white.
Half black.
"…Not bad."
He smiled slightly.
If he could choose again?
No.
No one wants to go through a near-death experience twice.
No idiot bathes in the same river two times.
The watch glowed.
"I will wait for you in the main control room."
"Or your private office, Professor?"
Lam Huy Truong looked around.
The massive facility stretched beyond the glass.
So vast it made him want to shout.
Want to run.
Want to touch everything to see if it was pixelated.
But—
the remaining shred of rational identity pulled him back.
I'm the professor now.
He cleared his throat.
Adopted the most serious tone he could manage.
"My private office."
"Find me the fastest route… Mrs. AI."
The institute's duty room was submerged in cold white light.
The ventilation system ran steadily overhead, producing a dry metallic scraping sound.
The man behind the desk did not look up immediately.
His finger slowly scrolled through the digital report.
"…Are you certain everything in this report is accurate, Miss Granger?"
The question was calm.
No raised voice.
No suspicion.
Just verification.
Lyra Granger tightened her hands slightly on her knees.
"…Yes."
Her voice came out softer than she intended.
A stretch of silence followed.
The man nodded.
"Very well. If you recall any additional information, contact the security department directly."
He paused half a second.
"And for now… do not leave the base."
The girl nodded lightly.
"Yes, sir… may I leave now?"
Her eyes lifted, cautious.
"You may."
The sliding door opened.
Then closed.
Click.
The magnetic lock sounded clearly in the empty room.
The man immediately leaned back in his chair.
Crossed his legs on the desk.
His gaze dropped to the event log.
Red text scrolled down the screen.
— Sudden monster assault
— Experimental organisms out of control
— Security team completely wiped out
The casualty numbers appeared.
73 dead.
Including four core professors.
He stopped at the final line.
Survivors: 2
His brows tightened slightly.
Memories from the Supreme Oversight Council meeting echoed in his head.
Dane Volkov.
Even if you have to tear apart that entire research zone… bring Professor X back.
"…Understood."
His own reply still rang in his ears.
After the meeting room doors closed, the commander had cursed.
Irreplaceable manpower in the short term.
Those damned monsters… how could this happen.
Dane exhaled softly.
Very softly.
"Unlucky…"
he muttered.
Then his eyes darkened.
"…Or was it arranged?"
The office door opened.
A young man walked in.
The badge on his chest reflected the light, bright against the dim room.
Kai Mercer placed a cup of coffee on the desk.
"Boss, interrogation done?"
Dane lowered his legs.
"Has the vice captain submitted her report?"
"You mean Hestia Valentine? I don't think she's found anything yet."
Dane fell silent.
Found nothing?
That… was the problem.
Kai scratched his head.
"The report's short. Kind of vague. You want to hear it?"
Dane glanced sideways.
"Since when do you make decisions for me?"
"…Understood."
Kai activated his watch.
The screen lit up.
A platinum-haired woman appeared.
Cold pink eyes stared straight through the interface.
Only framed from the chest up, yet her aura was still wickedly seductive.
Her report voice was steady.
"I am Vice Captain Hestia Valentine. Reporting to the Captain. Security personnel are clearing the aftermath. Preliminary investigation: no abnormalities detected during transit to the new research zone."
She spun a CD between two fingers.
"All AI systems were functioning normally. Surveillance cameras detected no issues. However… abnormalities began when transporting the Grade-A experimental organisms."
Her gaze lowered slightly.
"There are irregularities in the transport process. I am currently investigating. Detailed report will follow."
The screen went dark.
Silence filled the room.
Dane narrowed his eyes.
"…Irregularities in transport."
If it were only Grade-A organisms…
The institute's security team could not have been wiped out.
Impossible.
They were trained well enough that each member could engage one Grade-A specimen one-on-one.
Then—
Before that… how did they break free?
Or…
what made them go berserk?
Kai spoke, half joking.
"Boss, you think… something scared them?"
Dane's head snapped up.
Like electricity ran through his brain.
"What did you just say?"
Kai stiffened.
"…Just guessing."
"Say it again."
"…Something scared them?"
Dane shot to his feet.
The chair scraped violently across the metal floor.
If Grade-A organisms were afraid…
Then whatever appeared at that moment—
was an existence that made them feel threatened and lose control…
Grade S.
Or…
SS.
His eyes dropped to the report.
One rare note.
Professor activated crystallized armor — precedent: none.
No one had ever done it.
No one.
Memories from the helicopter resurfaced.
Radar warning.
An object rushing toward them.
Armor glowing, hovering midair.
Like a living organism.
A girl thrown out from inside it.
Falling into the forest.
Then—
The armor ignited like a phoenix.
Shot straight into the clouds.
The explosion afterward shook the entire helicopter violently.
Lyra Granger had knelt down, begging.
Please save Professor X.
When Dane arrived—
The monsters were circling one person.
One single person still standing among them.
"…Professor X."
Kai tilted his head.
"You mean Professor Xevarick?"
That name made Dane pause.
A distant memory surfaced.
He stood by a window, looking down at the roadside.
A skinny student stood alone in the rain.
Bullied. Didn't fight back.
Mocked. Even when a water bottle was thrown at his head, he didn't get angry.
Just looked up at the sky.
"Captain?"
Kai waved a hand in front of him.
Suddenly—
Dane grabbed his wrist tightly.
Kai screamed.
"Ah— that hurts!"
Dane released him.
His eyes had completely changed.
"Tell Hestia Valentine."
"Return."
Kai blinked.
"…Huh?"
"Shift the investigation target."
"…Huh?"
"I need to investigate someone."
The air in the room grew heavy.
Kai swallowed.
"…Who?"
Dane stared at the report.
The word Survivor was still glowing.
His voice dropped low.
"Professor X."
Kai's eyes widened.
"WHAT—"