Mutagen

Day 150 - 12:31 AM - Vehicle Parking Area, Military Outpost, Santo Domingo Elementary School, Barangay Santo Domingo, Municipality of Virac, Catanduanes

The atmosphere was gloomy after they dug up the reason for the Sergeant's outburst.

On the other hand, Mark did not care. Since Mark finished telling the soldiers about the girl and the existence of Demons in Bato, he began to cover the plastic dresser once more.

"Wait." General Padilla stepped forward after seeing what Mark was doing. "That girl, what are you going to do with her?"

"This?" Mark pointed at the girl struggling in her restraints. "I'm bringer her to my base for study."

"What?" A soldier voiced out his confusion. "Don't you have any conscience? She's still a former human."

"Don't look at me like that." Mark snickered. "You guys capturing infected specimens for study and experiments are not any different. Remember, the infected are former humans too."

The soldier froze, unable to retort.

"Is there no possible way of turning back these... the Feral Demons you spoke about?"

Lieutenant Macapagal asked.

"So far as I know, there's none," Mark replied, covering the dresser. "You can consider them similar to infected, just not contagious with their bites."

General Padilla was in deep thought about the conversation. It was when his eyes fell unto the other two dressers on the back of Chaflar.

"Does those two dressers contain Feral Demons too?"

The General asked.

"Yeah," Mark replied and turned to the General. "But I'll answer what you have in mind. It's a no."

"Is it obvious?"

The General turned to Vanessa.

"Yes, General."

Vanessa replied, making the General shrug.

General Padilla thought of asking Mark for at least one of the three Feral Demons he had. Unfortunately, Mark already declined before he could ask.

But then, Mark threw a bomb.

"You can catch one on your own. Just find a muddy rice paddy near a river at midnight outside of Bato. You guys will probably find hundreds of them."

Mark smirked and then added.

"But I'll warn you all. Catching one can cost you a few dozen lives."

The soldiers frowned, hearing Mark's warning.

"Are these children that dangerous?"

One soldier asked, looking at the dresser that Mark already covered.

"She might look harmless since she's restrained." Mark turned to that soldier. "But if I remove her restraints, believe me, she can slaughter you all here even if you all have guns."

The soldiers could not help but step back at Mark's threat. Who would have thought that Mark was showing them such a dangerous creature without them knowing? This girl was much worse than the infected!

Mark smirked, seeing the reactions of the soldiers. He was not lying, though. The speed of these Feral Demons was too fast for regular humans. Unless they were close combat experts or [Speed Type Mutators], they would have great difficulties just to deal with the girl inside the dresser. It would be much worse if the soldiers tried to fight these Feral Demons on their home ground.

There was nothing else to question, and Mark already told all the things he wanted the soldiers to know. It did not take long for the meeting to end, and Mark left the soldiers to their business.

Returning to their tent, Mark shrugged. Mei was awake, waiting for him.

It was the usual and was not surprising anymore.

Still, Mark could not help but smile at her gestures.

Soon, he joined Mei and the girls inside the tent once more.

Unfortunately, an hour after he laid down, Mark opened his eyes once more.

"Hah... Seriously..."

Mark murmured as he turned to Mei.

Mei was, again, hugging Mark in her sleep. This time, her grip was a bit tighter than before. Mark could not help but feel a bit of pity to peel her off his body. However, there was no helping it this time.

For the second time in this night, Mark walked out of the tent.

***

Day 150 - 2:13 AM - Forest Area, Military Outpost, Santo Domingo Elementary School, Barangay Santo Domingo, Municipality of Virac, Catanduanes

Behind the Santo Domingo Military Outpost was a small mountain covered in flora. It served as a natural defense on the south side of the outpost. However, since it was quite forested, it could also serve as a good place to stealthily move around.

At this time, Mark entered the forest after sneaking out of the outpost. He walked for a bit and stood in the middle of a small clearing surrounded by trees.

"So, what do you want from me?"

Mark suddenly spoke, even though no one could be seen in the surroundings.

That was when a silhouette of a person jumped down from one of the trees. Since the surroundings were dark, it would be hard to make out the appearance of the person.

Mark, of course, knew who this person was.

"You really are something else." The person spoke. "You led me here on purpose, huh."

"Did you follow me here just to give meaningless compliments Ms. Vanessa?"

Mark turned to the silhouette.

That was right. It was the General's secretary, Vanessa.

"I just want to talk with you for a bit."

Vanessa replied.

"Talk to me as who?" Mark tilted his head. "As the General's Secretary, or that Felix's accomplice?"

Vanessa stood with her back on the trunk of the tree behind her and her right hand on her waist. Her manners were unlike when she was standing beside General Padilla as his secretary. Instead, Vanessa felt more like a wild panther lurking in the dark.

"Since when did you know and how?" Vanessa asked. "I already heard from Felix that you knew about me, but I believe that I never showed any suspicious behavior in front of you."

"You think that it's enough to only act in front of the person?"

Mark replied with another question. However, Vanessa seemed to understand something from Mark's reply. She was exposed when she was not acting in front of anyone.

"Since it doesn't look like I'm getting an answer with that question, then I'll move to the next one." Vanessa declared with her eyes looking stern at Mark. "What are your motives for revealing the existence of Demons to the Military?"

"Motives?" Mark smiled. "Can't you think that I just want to give a little bit of service to the country?"

Vanessa frowned. It looked like Mark had no intention of answering her questions at all. It was not surprising, but she still expected to get some information. However, that answer just now was complete nonsense that did not contain any clue at all.

"Did you call me out just for this?" Mark asked. "That Felix said that you guys sell information. You should know that it's not easy, right? Don't think that just because I came here meant that I will let you get any clue from my mouth."

"Tsk."

Vanessa clicked her tongue.

Actually, Vanessa had many ways of forcefully getting information. She could use seduction. Her appearance and figure were cultivated for that. She could also use poison, blackmail, threats, and other illegal things.

Unfortunately, the target of questioning was Mark. A person that Roach declared to be too dangerous to offend. If she tried anything that could offend Mark and did not work at all, she might as well slit her throat and die with her own hands.

Seduction? Vanessa did not dare to either. There was no way that someone that had Mei as his wife would fall for her.

Vanessa stared at Mark. Since it was already late in the night, she was allowed to rest and had time to do what was needed. She just wanted to observe his group for a bit while she had a chance to. But suddenly, Mark sneaked out of the outpost and entered the forest for some unknown reason. Of course, she followed him.

To lead her out to this place, what were Mark's motives? He did not seem to emit any killing intent, either.

With Vanessa falling silent, Mark shrugged.

"Actually, I want to talk to you too. Or rather, do business."

Mark declared.

"After meddling with us, you want to talk about business?"

Vanessa asked with a frown.

"You're wrong about that," Mark replied. "Your so-called business meddled with my goals first. I believe, you already know that, right?"

Vanessa fell silent. That was right. From what Felix said, the rebels might have killed Mark's family, one of the reasons why he headed to this island in the first place. Then, it was their business that interfered with Mark's first.

Still, Vanessa was not comfortable about it. If Mark continued to meddle about things on this island, not only one but two deals they had here would fail.

Mark already destroyed the rebels which tipped the balance of power on the island to the side of the Military. Now that Mark revealed the existence of the Demons, clashes between the Government and the Demons were not inevitable.

Of the two factions on the island, any of them falling would result in their last mission failing.

It was a critical thing as their credibility would be questioned after failing two missions in one go.

In that case, Vanessa decided to take a gamble.

"You and our group already clashed once. How come that you still want to conduct business with us? Are you not afraid that we will sabotage you?"

Vanessa asked.

"Sabotage me?" Mark smiled. "Don't make me laugh."

"Since earlier, you already showed that you are too mindful of your business here. You guys put your business in the utmost importance. If I paid you guys for a mission, you will do the same, right? Besides, you people are businessmen dealing with things like information. In information trading, the thing you guys needed the most is trust. If others knew that your members sabotaged a client, the credibility of your business will take a hit too, am I right?"

Vanessa's frown went deeper. And then, she relaxed all of a sudden.

She then released a sigh.

"Alright, you got me."

What Mark said was right. For an information broker, trust and credibility were the most important things. No one would buy information to brokers that could not be trusted or had no credibility. Once this part of their business was compromised, their other businesses would also take a huge hit.

Besides, there was one thing that Mark did not know. The members of CNC were being monitored by the higherups. Business and private life could not be mixed. The only exception was if a member paid for the commission, like how Felix did to support Emellynn and the rebels.

As such, even if they failed a mission because of Mark, and he conducted business with them, they could not do anything to Mark on a personal level. Furthermore, as a client, they would not be able to harm Mark without grave consequences. It was unless Mark was purposely aiming to hinder their business which he did not.

The Crystallus Notitia Coetus was a business organization through and through. That was how it continued to exist and would continue to exist in the future.

"Then, let me introduce myself."

Vanessa spoke.

"Information Gatherer: Val Flora, at your service. What kind of business do you want to do with me?"

Vanessa bowed down respectively. She was already in business mode. It was far different from when she was acting as a Military Secretary and at the start of her conversation with Mark.

"This is more like it."

Mark smiled, looking at Vanessa... No... Val Flora with a renewed outlook.

"I want to buy information. Are you guys still capable of gathering information around the world even if it's already like this?"

Mark spoke.

"Please do not underestimate our network." Val Flora replied. "Even if it is from the other side of the world, we can gather information. However, at an equivalent price."

"Then, good."

Mark smiled and thought.

'Looks like I finally found a better way to find the [Inheritors].'