Inside the Babylon Experimental Base, within the towering spire known as the Babylon Tower, Dr. Y maintained a façade of calm as he scrutinized Akmon.
"Why did it take so long to deliver the last two test subjects?"
"There were some complications, you know that. Besides, I brought you a little gift. Aren't you going to thank me properly?"
"Ha, who knows if what you say is true? Here, take your payment."
"Heartless, as always."
After dismissing Akmon, Dr. Y immediately turned his attention, almost ravenous, to Xilin's data the intelligence Akmon had provided exclusively.
She had carried another person through the snow for a full ten minutes without pause.
Even after being hit by a stun gun three times, she only fell with great effort and could still rise again if ignored.
And she bore a peculiar mark on her chest.
"A Stigmata, an Original Stigmata!"
It was entirely unlike the artificial Stigmata implanted in the soldiers dying repeatedly on the frontlines.
Fortune had smiled upon him. If he could uncover the secret of this Stigmata, he would return to the Fate Headquarters, having completed this one critical study: The Feasibility of Transferring Original Stigmata.
Meanwhile, inside Babylon Tower, Xilin, Bella, and several other children were confined in the holding area.
"Yuebo..."
"Yuebo..."
"Yuebo..."
Even though Xilin trusted that Yuebo was unharmed, she feared he might be hurt by those villains. Yet Yuebo had not responded.
Time dragged on, and unease spread through Xilin's heart.
Think, Xilin. Remember what Yuebo said.
She tugged at her coat, exposing the Stigmata on her chest, even though the cold would accelerate heat loss. Its faint glow reassured her.
"It's alright. As long as this remains, Yuebo won't disappear, and we won't be separated."
Placing her hands on the mark, Xilin collapsed onto the simple cot and fell asleep.
Back in the Stigmata Space, Yuebo stared at the empty, pure white room in silence. Where did my huge storage room go?
Horrified, he realized all the accumulated Corruption Energy in his Stigmata Space had been depleted in the last two battles.
He didn't even have enough to respond to the energy Xilin's body needed.
Moreover, Xilin was now isolated from all external Corruption Energy and could not replenish it.
Impossible! Why can't this be changed?
Is there really such a thing as fate? No! I never believed in that. The only thing I truly trust is this:
All unfavorable situations in this world exist because the person involved is insufficiently capable!
Exhausted of energy, Yuebo succumbed to sleep. His final roar echoed through the Stigmata Space.
The next afternoon, the Babylon Experimental Base shifted into high alert.
The security division issued a Level 2 warning.
Even the Valkyrie units stationed on the outer perimeter had to relocate farther out.
This kind of alert only activated when critically important research equipment was engaged.
All gates within the base were sealed, fully isolating the facility from the outside world.
Xilin was removed from her room, dressed in a white robe, and brought to a heavily guarded laboratory.
It was the First Laboratory, activated only twice since the construction of Babylon Tower today marked its third operation.
In the isolation area of the First Laboratory, Dr. Y observed Xilin asleep, restrained atop a massive apparatus.
"Let's give our dear Test Subject One a wake-up service."
"Inject ten milliliters of Corruption Energy solution."
The assistant confirmed that the equipment was operational before following the order.
The solution was injected into Xilin's pale arm.
Pain immediately lashed through her mind, forcing her awake.
Golden eyes bloodshot with veins, she writhed in torment as the excess Corruption Energy corroded her body.
Even with the Stigmata mitigating the worst, the overload still ravaged her.
"It hurts... it hurts so much!"
Her screams drowned out all other sounds in the laboratory.
"Let go of me! Stop! You bastards!"
The assistants, accustomed to such cries, showed no reaction. They had even begun to find pleasure in these agonies, growing weary of harsher curses.
Dr. Y observed the faint glow of Xilin's Stigmata and stepped into the experimental zone to conduct the procedure personally.
"Let the experiment begin."
Thanks to the Stigmata, Xilin gradually endured the pain, her body less corroded by the energy.
Dr. Y approached, inspecting the mark on her chest.
"Test subject, do you know what this mark is?"
Xilin could not answer.
It is a miracle called Original Stigmata, granted to humanity to resist Corruption.
"Consider it an honor, test subject. You will become a cornerstone of humanity's future."
"False, pretentious words," she muttered.
Dr. Y smiled, satisfied with her response, and returned to the control console.
How could a mere test subject understand our work? Enjoy this brief peace.
"Double-check the equipment. This experiment has only one chance."
Once all equipment was calibrated, Dr. Y gave the command.
"Proceed with Stigmata Extraction."
Pain wracked Xilin's body as her connection to the Stigmata weakened.
"No! Absolutely not!"
"This is my most important treasure! I will not allow you to take it!"
Her screams could not halt the procedure.
Her most precious friend and family were being taken from her.
Fear of loss and a thirst for power filled Xilin's heart.
In the final moment before the extraction, she heard the echo of Yuebo's roar in the Stigmata Space:
All unfavorable situations in this world exist because the person involved is insufficiently capable!
At that instant, her desire for power peaked.
With strength, she could stand with Yuebo against everything.
With strength, her brother would never be taken from her.
Within her collapsing mental space, she glimpsed a "god."
"The experiment is progressing smoothly. The Stigmata has been successfully extracted from the subject."
Dr. Y stared at the data displayed on the special apparatus, exhilarated.
"Yes! Even the Stigmata can be fully analyzed. This is the pinnacle of human intelligence!"
"Prepare for the next phase of the experiment!"
"Bring in Test Subject Two."
"Stigmata imprinting experiment begins."
Inside the First Laboratory, the fanatical controllers cheered wildly amidst a domain forged from countless human corpses, unaware that these were the last cheers they would ever witness.
February 1, 2000, Midnight
At the Fate Babylon Experimental Base, 322 researchers vanished overnight.
A massive Corruption Energy reaction was detected.
"This is the summary of yesterday's events, Your Excellency."
"Understood, Amber."
"This was within my expectations."
"Notify Theresa to prepare for deployment."
"The Second Catastrophe has begun."