My Childhood Friend Turned Yandere in the Apocalypse

Chapter 278: Ch 278: Mrs Audit is dead

"Wait! Is that a joke? Isn’t it far too cruel? We were still talking, and she died...!"

Shelly complained as she looked at the splatter of red on the screen. It prevented them from seeing anything that was happening in the background.

However, because of what had just happened, it was clear that they had lost their source of information.

"It seems like someone wanted to silence that woman before she could spill her secrets."

Rin felt a little sick after seeing all that red on the screen, so he averted his eyes and started searching the facility for other clues that could help him understand what was going on.

He noticed the sick looks on his companions’ faces, especially Kyle’s and Mira’s. It indicated that they knew the person who had died.

But if they chose to keep their secret, Rin was willing to indulge them as well.

He silently searched through the facility, but he was actually waiting for a chance to ask the system some questions.

At this point, the only one who could quell his curiosity was the system.

The facility was huge, and they decided to split up to search it. Rin ended up alone at one point, and he took the opportunity to open the system screen and ask his questions.

"System, are you there?"

[(｡•̀ᴗ-)✧]

[The system is here at your request, Rookie. Tell the system what it can help you with today.]

Rin felt a headache coming on at the cheerful message in front of him, but he ignored it and instead focused on getting the right information out of this bastard.

"I don’t think it’s time for pleasantries. Don’t pretend you don’t know why I’m calling you."

Rin was direct, and the cheerfulness slowly bled out of the system.

Sigh.

[Rookie, it would be better if you didn’t think too much about it. The system merely eliminated a threat that dared to go against it. As long as you don’t follow the same path, you will be fine.]

The system warned him, but Rin became even more certain that he wanted to defy it. Still, he was not going to say those words aloud.

Rin had a strange feeling that the system was up to no good. It was becoming a little too bold these days.

Also, Mrs. Audit had said that the system was about to evolve. There was no way to tell what kind of situation that would result in.

What would happen to this world once the system evolved?

[Rookie, you worry too much. You, out of everyone, don’t need to worry about the system. You are a special case, so you will be fine no matter what happens.]

The system assured Rin, and his suspicions deepened even further. After all, why was he special? Because of his connection to the system? Or was there another reason?

Sigh.

[It seems like you are still suspicious of me. All I want to do is help you. But if you are still intent on finding the truth, then why don’t you head deeper into the lab?]

The system asked, and it sounded like a trap.

Rin opened his mouth to ask someone to come with him when he suddenly started to feel dizzy.

One second, he was standing in the room searching, and the next he was standing in front of an inner laboratory door that he did not even remember walking to.

"When did I—"

Rin tried to ask, but his head hurt too much. It felt almost as if someone were hammering nails into his skull, making his mind go numb.

He was horrified to realize that he had blacked out and now had no memory of what had happened.

"Aren’t these dizzy spells happening far too often? What the heck is wrong with me?"

Rin questioned, but even the system did not have an answer for him.

So he ignored it and knocked on the door in front of him.

[System identification in progress.]

[ID confirmed. Welcome, Subject #00.]

The door opened, allowing Rin inside.

He walked in, and the door closed behind him only seconds later. He did not even notice someone calling out to him, trying to stop him from entering the room.

The inside of the room looked like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. There were various containers filled with unknown liquids and countless files scattered throughout the room, but his feet led him toward the back.

His vision was instantly filled with red.

Rin saw Mrs. Audit’s body, still impaled by that translucent branch, and the branch finally moved when it sensed his presence.

It withdrew from Mrs. Audit’s body and inched closer to Rin with undisguised excitement.

"Stay away! Don’t come any closer."

Rin commanded as he took a step back.

To his surprise, it actually worked.

The branch paused, almost as if it was confused about why Rin did not want anything to do with it.

It made Rin feel as though he was going mad.

This whole situation did not sit well with him.

Yet it also felt strangely natural, almost as if he was supposed to be there.

The translucent branch hesitated for a few more seconds before reaching toward Rin once again.

He could not avoid it forever.

His fingers brushed against its smooth surface.

At that instant, countless thoughts flooded his mind, and he felt like he was beginning to understand the situation he was in.

More and more knowledge poured into his mind, and his body started to feel numb.

His hand moved on its own, gently touching the branch again, but that was not what he wanted to do.

Rin could no longer control his body, and the branch wrapped itself around him even tighter.

[Initiating host takeover. Subject #00’s consciousness will be subdued, and the system will assume control of the host.]

[Progress: 0%...1%...]

This was not good.

Rin needed to pull away, or he would lose himself.

But his body no longer had the strength to resist.

"Let go of Rin!"

Just when Rin felt like he was about to give up, someone grabbed him from behind and pulled him out of the system’s embrace.

Soft hands clutched him tightly, and strands of pink hair fell over his shoulder.