Lam Huy Trường furrowed his brow, scanning the cold, silent corridor. The harsh white glow of the neon lights bounced off the metal floor, casting glaring reflections. He took in the hallway, trying to recall if he had accidentally skipped any scene in his memory.
A faint argument echoed from a corner, starting softly, then swelling into rapid, sharp voices that pulled him back to the present moment.
Professor X stood at the center of the chaos, still and composed, his stern eyes fixed on the group ahead.
The people in white lab coats moved forward, bickering as they walked, their footsteps ringing against the metal floor. Lam Huy Trường picked out fragments of their conversation:
"We need to discuss this again—"
"No, you're overthinking it."
"What if it's dangerous?"
A bald man stepped forward, confident yet tense. He held a stack of glinting cards under the dim white light. Roman numerals edged the cards, and intricate patterns etched the surface. They looked like advanced electronic keys.
He bowed slightly, his voice hoarse:
"Professor… please, speak favorably for me… the director position…"
Professor X took the cards without changing his expression, calm as a drifting iceberg. He turned his back, each step echoing evenly across the metal floor.
"I'll think about it," he said.
The group watched his retreating figure, their expressions a mix of worry and hope. The bald man lifted his head, rubbing his hands together like a man who had just gotten what he wanted. He whispered to two other men, who nodded and hurried after the professor, calling out:
"We'll escort the professor back to his room."
"This way, professor. You might not be familiar with the new building."
"Please, follow this path."
Lam Huy Trường ignored them and quickly followed Professor X.
The room was ready, eerily quiet, so that even footsteps echoed softly across the metal floor. Professor X shrugged, exhaustion in his voice:
"I need a rest."
He approached the door, pressing the sequence on the keypad. Click… click… click. The lights on the buttons reflected off his stern face. The door slowly locked behind him. The two men who had been escorting him stopped outside, waiting. Lam Huy Trường seized the moment, slipping inside just before the door fully shut.
Professor X moved to the bed, lifting a small suitcase and setting it on the table. He punched in a code. A faint hiss escaped, and a thin fog spread, filling the space. The suitcase opened slowly within the swirling white mist.
He lifted a cylindrical object marked with a medical cross, a handle attached. A small display blinked, showing biometric data. Lam Huy Trường leaned slightly, studying it—like a modern glue gun, but with a rounded tip, unlike any medical device he had ever seen.
In a narrow compartment of the suitcase lay a glass container. The professor carefully lifted it. Inside rested a tiny black crystal, no bigger than a fingertip, sparkling faintly in the light. He studied it for a few moments, then opened the box.
Immediately, a black tendril wriggled from the crystal, alive. When Professor X reached for it, the tendril shot out like a snake, sinking into his finger. Lam Huy Trường's pulse spiked as he watched the veins on the professor's hand turn black. What is he doing? questions flooded his mind.
Then it unfolded like a scene from a horror film. Professor X's face twisted, a flicker of madness in his red eyes, jaw clenched tight. A chill ran down Lam Huy Trường's spine.
Quickly, the professor grabbed the medical device, aiming at the arm overtaken by blackened veins, and pressed the trigger. Click! The sharp sound cut through the silence.
The black crystal shriveled, crumbling to the floor like broken glass. Professor X's veins returned to their normal red, the arm restored. Lam Huy Trường exhaled, relieved—but confusion struck again. Why did he do that? Was he testing the injection?
Professor X's face normalized, though still pale. Lam Huy Trường realized the previous injection must have drained him, fighting the nightmare to exhaustion.
A faint smile passed over his tired, pale face. Then he collapsed, unconscious. Darkness seemed to fall, as if a curtain had been drawn over the room. Lam Huy Trường bent over, looking at the professor and the strange medical device, taking a deep breath. His heart still raced, caught between tension and relief.
"Not bad… professor," he whispered.
---
The scene shifted before Lam Huy Trường's eyes.
He was back in the hallway from earlier. Professor X stood before the door where Eva was confined. His gaze swept the area, then he operated the keypad—but instead of using a card, he manipulated his wristwatch. A scanning light emitted from it, numbers and symbols flashing across the display.
Click. The door slowly slid open.
Lam Huy Trường scratched his head in disbelief. Movie-style door hacking? Seriously… impressive.
Professor X stepped inside, carrying the suitcase, moving quickly into the room. Lam Huy Trường followed. Inside, test tubes held viscous liquids, and fragments of crystals floated in the containers. And then… Eva appeared.
Her small hands were shackled with black chains. Her eyes were lifeless, milky white, completely devoid of vitality. She sat slumped on the floor like a doll, utterly drained of life. The room itself felt cold, as if guarding a prisoner.
Professor X knelt beside her, his face etched with strain, almost unable to contain the emotions within him. A few tears slid from the corners of his eyes.
Eva slowly lifted her head, her gaze unfocused, settling on him. She offered a faint smile. Her hand reached out to touch his face, attempting to wipe away his tears.
Professor X clasped her small hand, either to warm it or to feel her warmth. In that moment, Lam Huy Trường felt time pause around them, as if the room itself held its breath. Then, reluctantly, the professor let go. He pulled the suitcase closer, opening it to retrieve the medical device—the glue-gun-like instrument. He gently stroked Eva's disheveled silver hair before raising the device. His eyes met hers. Eva watched every movement, tilting her head curiously, eyes wide.
As he prepared the injection, Eva flinched slightly, pulling her hand back. Lam Huy Trường swallowed hard. If she didn't cooperate, things could get much worse.
Professor X dug into his coat pocket and finally produced a round lollipop, holding it out to her. Lam Huy Trường's jaw dropped. So that's the trick.
Eva blinked, her gaze shimmering, reaching for it as if seeing something precious for the first time. The scene reminded Lam Huy Trường of a child being coaxed into taking medicine. He quietly chuckled, sitting down to watch the tiny, precious moment unfold in this cold, monster-filled cell.
A breeze drifted through the doorway, but Lam Huy Trường barely noticed.
Professor X spoke softly, reassuringly:
"Don't worry. I won't let anyone hurt you."
Eva stared for a moment, then finally extended her hand, the other still fiddling with the lollipop. A soft click echoed, reflecting light across her skin. The medicine was injected, flowing into her rough, scaly arm as if light were poured directly into it.
Not long after, Eva bit her lip, and the lollipop slipped from her hand onto the floor. Lam Huy Trường jumped up, alarmed.
Professor X activated his watch, scanning Eva. She clutched her head, panting, sweat beading across her forehead. The dark red tendrils covering her body gradually turned white and shrank rapidly. Her hair, once silver, shifted back to brown.
Lam Huy Trường couldn't help but whisper, though no one could hear him:
"It worked… Professor."
Professor X's face lit up, eyes fixed on Eva. She glanced down at her hands. Though still shackled, her skin had returned to normal. She tried to step toward him but wobbled and fell. The professor caught her immediately, holding her gently. Lam Huy Trường let out a sigh of relief.
Her breathing was ragged. Professor X continued monitoring the scan.
"Seems like she needs time to purge it… a bit uncomfortable. Stay strong, Eva."
Suddenly… applause echoed from nowhere. A cold, detached voice spoke:
"So it turns out the professor has been doing this… behind our backs?"
Lam Huy Trường's spine went rigid. He couldn't believe his ears; his heart raced. He spun toward the source of the voice. A formless, colorless shadow appeared, simultaneously present and hidden. Gradually, a deep crimson smile formed within the dim, shifting space, seeping into the darkness around them.