284 The Girl Who Died (1/2)

After Gio's meeting with Fred which was naturally peppered with fights, both physical, and through words, only Gio came out scathed. Fred still looked the same as when he first appeared before them. But strangely, his face did not look too good. It was way darker and gloomier than before, contrasting his lack of wounds or even dirt in his pristine white lab coat.

On the other hand, it was Gio who had a gloating grin on his face.

The two men parted after some time and Fred did not pursue him. Conrad shrugged at the sullen and half-angry, half-depressed system user then drove his nephew away. Only they knew what they talked about, but those who saw their reactions immediately concluded it was Gio's small victory.

Fred who had been left there standing outside of the tall walls of the place kept looking at the direction the car took.

”... What if I tell you that I have talked with the Seer... and she already has a prediction regarding your experiment?” Earlier, these words were said gloatingly and with derision by Gio.

Pain gripped his heart as he looked up. Weariness could be seen from the corner of his eyes. He suddenly felt tired. But this expression did not last long. A moment later, he vanished from his position, reappearing inside his laboratory and greeted by Leo Jones and Samuel Lim.

He walked further in and saw lying on the bed on one side was the non-host who got planted with another soul inside her.

On another side was the mother of the girl his daughter adopted as her sister. That Stefany, could she be considered his daughter now?

Upon thinking the last one, his face darkened so much. The connotation was so gross, it made him almost vomit. Sofony was his only daughter, his daughter from the woman she loved! One of these days, he would make sure this fact would be etched into that girl's mind.

Inhaling deeply but still with his cold expression donned, he thought, 'I don't believe in predictions. Bathory never won against me because I could always counter her moves. So what if she can predict a future event? In the end, it's just one of the many possible conclusions and endpoints. The keyword is 'possible'. Possible means not predetermined! Nothing is set on stones until it's both said and done!'

...

A few hours ago...

Sofony did not meet up with Gio after work but went to a nearby cemetery upon being reminded of today's date. With a flower in hands, she trotted on her high heels along the narrow road cutting through a seemingly endless patch of green and tombstones. The destination was deep within the memorial park, a place where stand-alone chapels and pavilions could be found. She entered the one on the left turn, with the humblest of size but lavishly decorated inside.

She was the one who had this mini-chapel built like this two years ago. It was for her other best friend who helped her stepped into Level 5.

Apparently, according to the system AI, the last mission of level 4 would always be about taking the life of somebody the immoral host in question valued. The target could be a family, or a lover, a very important friend. It depends on the individual on who he or she placed dear in her heart.

That time, Sofony had no one. Her father, Gio, Wendy, Steffany, everyone else was missing. Chris and Sofia were not people she considered with great importance to her back then. And even if they already were, as allies, she was smart enough to realize they were not people she could afford to lose.

As a result, she resorted to creating one, a best friend she found in one of the hospitals under the Ever Victorious Group.

After placing the bouquet of flowers in front of urn placed on the elaborate altar there, Sofony clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, silently offering a prayer to the girl who had passed away two years ago at this same day.

Old Gil who came with her and was only three steps behind her was silent too, but since she didn't know who the person who owned the place this was, he only roamed his gaze around, waiting for his lady boss to finish her prayer.

Once she was done and was only sitting on the pew bench there, absentmindedly staring at the cross in front, the assistant curiously asked, ”Miss Silver, may I know who is the owner of this place?”