The Evil Scientist is Too Competent-Chapter 130: Is This a Curse? (2)

“Puhahaha—!”

Galm’s protein powder exploded as he opened the container after finishing his workout. For some reason, the hardened powder burst out from the container lid, scattering everywhere.

Galm, now covered in white powder, looked at the protein tub in his hands in disbelief. Standing next to him, Eight, who had been handing something to Galm at the time, glared at him as if he wanted to kill him.

“Hmm... strange. Things like this have been happening a lot lately.”

“...Aren’t you going to apologize?”

“Why should I apologize for something that isn’t my fault?”

“You brainless muscle-head beast...”

“What did you say?”

Shaking his head dismissively, Eight walked off to the bathroom. There, he quickly wiped the protein powder off his face and hair before returning to his lab. He would need a full shower to clean himself properly.

Standing under the shower, Eight adjusted the water temperature. A quick test revealed an irritating problem: turning the knob slightly to the right made the water too cold, while turning it back to the left made it unbearably hot.

After several attempts, he realized there was no middle ground and gave up. He knew well enough that getting angry would only increase his stress.

‘...Should I just go ahead and attack?’

The suspicion that Riu Spirit from S City was the culprit felt almost certain. There was no physical evidence, but all the circumstantial evidence and clues pointed to her.

Logically, it made sense, but something still didn’t sit right. His instincts—those inexplicable, animalistic feelings—were screaming that he absolutely shouldn’t act.

He had never felt this way before, which only made him more curious.

‘Could it be...?’

What if even this hesitation was part of the attack? What if the reason he wasn’t retaliating wasn’t because he suspected a trap, but because his perception was being manipulated to prevent him from striking back?

Standing silently under the hot water, Eight considered the possibility. If his guess was correct—if this was all part of the enemy’s scheme—then perhaps sacrifices were necessary to reveal the truth.

* * *

“Didn’t you say you would bring despair?”

—Indeed, I did.

“Well, from what I see, this doesn’t look like despair. Could you enlighten me, O wise spirit, as to why that is?”

In S City, Riu Spirit, after receiving a report on the events unfolding at Evilus Corporation, questioned the spirit she had summoned. Her tone bordered on accusing it of a breach of contract.

What she had requested was despair, fear, and death in the most literal sense. But what was happening to Evilus? Minor inconveniences at best—like running out of toilet paper or a drop in stock prices.

—Then let me ask you: why isn’t this despair?

“What do you mean, ‘why’? Isn’t it... insignificant?”

—Insignificant?

“Yes, it’s just a small loss. It’s not like anyone’s life has been drastically altered or anything...”

—That’s one way to see it. But you’re wrong.

The spirit smirked as it spoke.

—Losing family, losing a lover, suffering a catastrophic accident that leaves you maimed. Do you know what all these have in common?

“I suppose... they’re rare occurrences?”

—They are all caused by others.

“By others...”

—Exactly, by others.

Two shadowy figures emerged before Riu Spirit, summoned by the spirit. It manipulated the shadows like puppets as it continued.

—Of course, events caused by others can bring despair. But they are not personal issues. What about someone who has no family, no lover, and no risk of being hurt by others? How would you drive such a person to despair?

“Well, you could make them unlucky...”

—Which is exactly what I’m doing now.

The spirit chuckled as it looked at Riu Spirit. Though she began to understand its reasoning, she was still unsettled and asked again.

“Then why not just bring despair to those few exceptions and leave the others out of it?”

—I was not asked to do it that way.

“Then, could you do it that way?”

—Of course, if you provide the sacrifices.

“I’ll provide them.”

Hearing that it was possible, Riu Spirit smiled inwardly. Sacrifices? With her cloning technology, acquiring sacrifices was like entering cheat codes in a simulation game. Whether it was a hundred or a thousand, she was confident she could deliver...

—Three hundred sixty-five thousand, three hundred twenty-one.

“P-pardon?”

—Didn’t you hear me? Three hundred sixty-five thousand, three hundred twenty-one.

“N-no, but why has the number grown so much?”

Hearing the number, Riu Spirit reeled in shock and asked the spirit again. During her last attack on Evilus Corporation, the number had been only ten. She had never needed more than double digits in sacrifices before.

Now the demand exceeded six figures? Even with her ability to mass-produce humans, the number was absurd. And these weren’t just any humans—they were clones that had to remain hidden at all costs.

Transporting hundreds of thousands of clones without being noticed was an entirely different matter from moving a dozen or so.

The spirit laughed.

—Didn’t you ask for despair for as many as possible? For families to lose their loved ones, lovers to vanish, and accidents to ruin lives?

“Yes, I did say that...”

—To kill someone, you need a life of equal value. If you want to bring despair to hundreds of thousands, you need sacrifices of equal measure.

“But still... last time, it was only ten...”

—That was because I offered you an efficient, cost-effective plan. You rejected it and requested a more challenging one yourself, didn’t you?

Riu Spirit shook her head vigorously. Offering 300,000 sacrifices would undoubtedly bring down Evilus, but it was impossible. She couldn’t secure that many sacrifices, nor could she offer them without drawing attention.

The cloning technology was essentially a cheat, and if exposed, she would face severe backlash and punishment.

“I apologize. In that case, let’s call off the curse...”

—Do you wish to die?

“P-pardon?”

—Do you wish to die? Do you want to die?

“N-no, why are you saying that all of a sudden...”

Feeling the murderous intent emanating from the spirit, Riu Spirit trembled and immediately prostrated herself, pressing her forehead to the floor. Such a display of killing intent from the spirit was rare.

The spirit, staring down at her bowed head, spoke.

—You act as though I’m a convenience store clerk. You treat my power like it’s a cheap commodity.

“N-no, that’s not what I meant...”

—Then why ask for my help and refuse to provide the sacrifices?

“I-I’ll provide them... b-but offering all 300,000 is beyond my capability...”

—Useless fool.

Clicking its tongue in irritation, the spirit begrudgingly showed her mercy.

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—Offer a tenth.

“A tenth?”

—Yes, 36,500. A clean number. Deliver 100 per day for a year.

One hundred sacrifices a day. Even that was a horrifying figure. Yet Riu Spirit could only nod and leave the room. Once outside, she immediately contacted her subordinates.

The spirit may have shown mercy now, but if she delayed providing the sacrifices, that mercy could turn into wrath.

“Prepare one hundred.”

[Ma’am?]

“What is it?”

[One hundred... is too much.]

“What nonsense is that?”

Hearing her subordinate’s reply, Riu Spirit frowned. One hundred was too much? She could produce that many humans in a single day...!

But the next words made her realize the subordinate had a point.

[Well, all the factories were attacked recently. We’re still looking for new facilities...]

“...Ah.”

[If it’s urgent, we could use the center’s labs—]

“Are you insane? What would we even make there?”

[M-my apologies!]

After giving further orders, Riu Spirit ended the call and let out a deep sigh. One hundred sacrifices a day. It had been easy enough not long ago, but now it wasn’t.

Knowing this was all because of Evilus, Riu Spirit’s hands trembled as she gripped her phone tightly.

“Damn Evilus scum...”

She failed to recognize that her current predicament was entirely of her own making—just as some scientist had once faced.