Wren stared at the man from earlier, who had a crooked smirk on his face as he stood up with a menacing gaze. The dim light in the room cast eerie shadows on his face, making his eyes seem even darker, like two black holes sucking in all the light around him. His voice was low and menacing, sending a shiver down Wren's spine as he spoke. "Since fighting is all you two can do, then none of you leave until one of you win each other in a hand-to-hand combat. The loser will be subjected to a minor neural adjustment, designed to enhance compliance and focus." The words hung in the air like a challenge, a test of strength and willpower.
Wren's eyes widened in shock as the metallic door closed behind them with a loud clang, echoing off the cold walls. The sound seemed to reverberate through her entire body, making her feel trapped and helpless. Her thoughts ran wild, wondering what kind of neural adjustment would be used. But something hard hit her cheek, causing her nose to bleed. The pain was sharp and intense, like a thousand needles piercing her skin. She felt her eyes watering, and her vision blurred for a moment.
She looked up to see the blonde boy's smug expression, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of excitement and cruelty. "Don't think I would go easy on you, stupid. I am not going to let you win." His voice was cold and calculating, sending a chill down Wren's spine. Then another punch came flying in, and unluckily for her, she couldn't dodge fast enough. The impact was like a sledgehammer hitting her stomach, leaving her breathless and dizzy.
Severely, after punch came flying, each aimed at her stomach, face, and upper body. The pain was overwhelming, like a tidal wave crashing over her. Wren tried to defend herself, but Kai's blows were too strong, too fast. She stumbled backward, her legs trembling beneath her. By the time Kai was done, Wren was bleeding from the nose, her body throbbing with pain. She was unable to stand, her legs giving way beneath her. Tears threatened to fall, but she bit back her tears, staring as the once-locked metallic door opened, light seeping through the room like a warm balm.
The burly man stood over her, his voice dripping with malice. "Well done, Kai. And as for you, little girl..." He raised her head, his fingers digging into her chin. "You'll receive a minor neural adjustment, designed to enhance your focus and compliance. It will only last for a few hours, but I'm sure you'll find it... enlightening." Wren's eyes widened in fear as the man's words hung in the air, and she felt a cold dread creeping up her spine.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in the room, "Neural adjustment protocols engaged. Prepare the subject for processing." Wren's eyes darted around the room, searching for the source of the voice. The burly man nodded, and a guard stepped forward with a small device. "This will only take a moment," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.
As the guard applied the device to Wren's temple, she felt a strange sensation, like her thoughts were being rearranged. The world around her began to blur, and she felt herself becoming more compliant, more focused. But as the adjustment took hold, Wren realized that something was off. She felt a strange, creeping sense of obedience, as if her thoughts were no longer her own...
Meanwhile,
As the door closed behind Wren, Kai turned to leave, but his sister Kinrara blocked his path. Her eyes blazed with anger, and her voice was low and venomous. "You really are a monster, aren't you, Kai?" she spat, her words dripping with contempt.
Kai's expression didn't change, but a flicker of annoyance danced in his eyes. "And you're still playing the victim, Kinrara," he sneered, his voice cold and detached. "You think you're better than me? Newsflash, sis: we're both products of the same toxic environment. We're both broken, and we're both survivors."
Kinrara's face twisted in disgust. "Survivors? You call yourself a survivor? You're a bully, Kai. You prey on the weak, and you take pleasure in their pain." Her words were laced with venom, and her eyes flashed with anger.
Kai shrugged, his expression unyielding. "I'm just playing the game, Kinrara. And if you're not strong enough to keep up, that's not my problem." His voice was devoid of emotion, but a hint of cruelty lurked beneath the surface.
Kinrara's anger boiled over, and she took a step closer to Kai, her fists clenched. "You know, Kai, sometimes I wonder how we're even related. You're soulless, Kai. You don't care about anyone or anything, as long as you get what you want." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it was laced with a deep-seated hatred.
Kai's eyes narrowed, and he took a step closer to Kinrara, his face inches from hers. "And you, Kinrara, are weak. You're always whining about how unfair life is, but you never do anything to change it. You're just a pathetic little girl, playing the victim card." His voice was low and menacing, and Kinrara's eyes flashed with anger.
Kai sneered as he rolled his eyes at Kinrara, his eyes cold and calculating. "You think you're so much better than me, don't you, Kinrara?" he said, his voice dripping with venom. "But you're just as cruel and twisted as I am. We both came from the same environment and family, and we both bear the scars. We are one"
Kinrara's eyes flashed with anger, but she kept her cool. "I'm nothing like you, Kai," she said, her voice icy. "I don't take pleasure in hurting others. I don't enjoy watching people suffer."
Kai laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "You're just as capable of cruelty as I am, Kinrara," he said. "You just hide it better. But don't pretend like you're some kind of saint. We're both in this for the same reason - to get what we want, no matter the cost."
Kinrara's expression didn't change, but her eyes seemed to darken. "I'm here for revenge, Kai," she said, her voice low and deadly. "And I won't let anyone stand in my way. Not even you."
Kai's smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with amusement. "We'll see about that, Kinrara," he said. "We'll see just how far you're willing to go to get what you want."