From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals

"Damn it, Jedo!" Yun-Jin growled, her voice shaking. "What the hell are you saying?! Are you some kind of dumbass?! You think I didn't know that already?" Her eyes narrowed, tears threatening to fall. "I've been keeping my rage back ever since he died. Thinking, just thinking about how I would—"

Suddenly, Yun-Jin froze, her eyes widening. She dropped JJ's collar, her attention snapping to something on the ground. Without hesitation, she bent down and grabbed the object—a metal spider, small and almost imperceptible against the shadows of the room. She twisted her head, her gaze flickering toward Blue.

"Thanks for glancing down, Blue," Yun-Jin said, her voice surprisingly steady. She crushed the spider between her fingers, its metallic shell cracking and a tiny spark of electricity sputtering out. "They were listening."

JJ slid down the wall, her legs folding beneath her as she exhaled shakily. Yun-Jin turned back to her, her face a mix of frustration and pain. "Jedo, I want to trust you. I really do. But you need to be honest with me. What do you know? The kingdom hasn't done right by you, I understand that. But can I still trust you?"

JJ looked up, giving a half-hearted smile. "Honestly? I don't even know," she said softly. "I just want to keep Ty safe. He doesn't deserve to be caught up in all this madness." She paused, meeting Yun-Jin's gaze. "You have a crush on him too, don't you?"

Yun-Jin's cheeks flushed a deep red. She turned away slightly, her voice lowering to a murmur. "From one woman to another, yeah. I do. Something about his stupid positivity… it's unique, I suppose." She shook her head, her blush fading as the seriousness of the moment returned. "But siding with the Black Bulls is not the way, JJ. It's dangerous."

JJ chuckled, a hollow sound. "You think I have a choice? I'm afraid if I don't, they'll kill me." Her eyes darkened as she thought back to her encounters. "They have someone who can create black puddles and transport people—that's how they took me. I've only met with them two, well, three times, and none of those times were my choice."

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Yun-Jin's expression softened slightly. "For now, for your safety, keep playing along. But don't lose your loyalty to the kingdom, JJ. You're smart, and I need you with me. We have to make sure the old bastard pays for what he did to Lt Daemon." Her voice broke at the end, her hands trembling.

JJ looked up, her eyes filled with determination. "We'll find the best outcome for everyone," she said. "We'll make sure no one else has to suffer." She forced herself to her feet, brushing off her clothes. "And I won't let Ty be dragged down because of me. We'll do what we have to."

Yun-Jin nodded, turning the robot's crushed remains over in her hand, feeling the sharp edges digging into her palm. "I have to wonder how this thing got in," she muttered, her brow furrowed with suspicion. "I'll do some digging on my end." She looked back up at JJ. "Go ahead and link up with Ty. Make sure he doesn't need anything before the announcement of stage two. I think they're waiting for everyone to be fully healthy before ranking them and placing them in formation."

JJ tilted her head slightly. "Oh? Where did you hear this?" she asked, her confusion evident.

"I was at a security meeting," Yun-Jin explained. "It was to stop any repeat of the last attack. General Omhina mentioned it, so we've probably got a few more hours until the announcement—hopefully. Stay close and stay on standby." She nodded curtly, turning away before JJ could ask anything more.

"Right," JJ replied, watching as Yun-Jin disappeared down the corridor. She heard the echo of her footsteps grow faint, and finally, the distant sound of a door creaking open and closing. The silence that followed was heavy—the weight of secrets lingering, binding them all together in invisible chains.

Yun-Jin moved briskly through the halls, her thoughts running faster than her pace. She nodded at the receptionist as she passed the medical front desk, barely registering their presence. She pushed open the door to the outside, and the glaring light of the twin suns made her squint. Still morning. How was it still morning? So much had already happened.

She rubbed her eyes and turned back, taking in the size of the building. It loomed in front of her, a combination of steel and glass, imposing and almost indifferent. The fact that this place could be a hospital, a prison block, and a hub for strategic meetings all at once spoke to its versatility, and to Lt Daemon's legacy. He always knew how to maximize resources, make the impossible possible.

She set off down the gravel road leading from the front door. Each step crunched against the stones beneath her boots, her eyes catching the faint glimmer of green fields stretching far into the distance on either side of the road. She approached a car parked a short distance away. Placing a hand on the vehicle, she whispered under her breath, "Lt Daemon really loved this hovering thing."@@novelbin@@

Sliding into the driver's seat, Yun-Jin couldn't help the flood of memories that surfaced. She let out a sigh, her grip tightening around the steering wheel. They would pay for what they had done. For Lt Daemon. But first, she needed to alert the higher-ups. She started the car, the hum of its hover engines filling the cabin, and drove down the road, the trees blurring into green walls on either side.

It took some time, the road winding lazily like a serpent, until finally, she reached her destination—a structure that looked deceptively simple. A square-shaped building, made of smooth stone, rising up against the bright blue sky. The stone was a matte black, almost swallowing the sunlight, and there was no indication of what lay within. No windows, just a door barely visible beneath an overhang.