[Emergency Protocol Tier I Unlocked: Self-Termination Resistance Achieved.]
Mikel had just woken up from the same sleep where he'd collapsed out of exhaustion last night. But the moment he opened his eyes, the translucent screen was already hovering over him like a nightmare. He couldn't even enjoy the blue-tinged sky, already brightening with the promise of morning, because of this.
His brows furrowed as he stared at it in confusion.
"Can you… for once, wait on these pieces of information until breakfast?" His voice came out hoarse, and he winced as the dryness scratched his throat. He swallowed to ease it before asking,
"What is it now?"
---
[Emergency Protocol Tier I: Self-Termination Resistance]
[Protocol Activation Trigger: Contradiction — Bearer exhibited extreme self-destructive behavior resulting in critical vital damage in both the system and host, but demonstrated resilience.]
[Overview: This Protocol enhances psychological, spiritual, and physical resilience against self-inflicted threats, preventing intentional or unintentional attempts at self-termination.]
---
"Great," Mikel groaned. "Now I can't even kill myself, huh?"
A shallow huff escaped him as his eyes drifted down to read the rest.
---
[Active Effects:]
— Increased resistance to life-threatening, self-inflicted harm
— Temporary suppression of self-induced shock and psychological breakdown
— Slows blood loss and stabilizes major organs during critical states
[Side Effects:]
— May increase the host's reckless behavior
— At critical stages, emotional numbness may override survival instincts
— Extreme exhaustion
— Long-term use may result in mental degradation or prolonged slumber
[Note: This Protocol does not apply to external threats.]
[Warning: Emergency Protocol Tier I will not prevent you from attempting self-termination again—only from succeeding.]
---
Mikel groaned again, dragging a hand down his face. "Another curse. Of course."
At this point, he didn't know if the system was protecting him… or simply tightening the leash. Peeking through the gaps between his fingers, he sighed again.
[A tighter leash for you, since you seem to enjoy them so much, Master.]
"Tighten it all you want, Doom. Just pray you're ready when it snaps." He weakly waved a hand through the screen, making it ripple as he pushed himself up.
The moment he did, his brows twitched. His gaze had fallen on his arm—the same arm he'd brutalized the night before. Normally, his Recovery Protocol would take at least a day to feel healed.
"It's healing… fast," he muttered, turning to the screen for answers.
[Due to Emergency Protocol Tier I activation, Recovery Protocol efficiency has been accelerated.]
"Ah." His tone was dry as he lifted his arm for a closer look. Bruises still mottled his skin, and the burn beneath the bracelet remained, but… there was no pain.
He clenched his fist experimentally. His muscles flexed, but still—nothing. If anything, his grip felt stronger.
"Say…" he hummed, narrowing his eyes at the screen. "Am I actually healing? Or am I just numb because of that side effect?"
[Yes.]
"Yes… what?"
He waited, staring at it blankly. The screen blinked once and flashed the same answer again.
[Yes.]
His face twitched. "Still not breakfast, Doom…"
Oh, well.
"I guess I'll just enjoy this for now." He forced a smile, pretending everything was fine, only for Doom to ruin the moment with:
[For now.]
He deadpanned, glaring at the screen before sighing and simply choosing to ignore it.
Mikel stretched his arms and legs, letting out a muffled, satisfied groan. "For some reason, despite sleeping on the street, my body doesn't ache…"
"I guess I should thank you for that," he added, giving the screen a smug look.
[You are welcome, Master.]
[Are you tired, Master?]
"Can't you tell?" Mikel glanced up at the sky, now clearer and brighter. "You're inside me, so you should."
[I can tell by your scent. It radiates hard labor.]
Mikel's face twitched, lifting his arm and lowering his head to get a whiff of himself. His face soured; Doom was right.
Even if he wasn't the most hygienic, he couldn't bring himself to ignore the stench and grime clinging to him. Maybe he should rest a little longer and let the Recovery Protocol do its work.
For the first time since the renovation started, he'd woken up feeling energized, not lethargic.
---
The eighth night since the renovation began was approaching.
As dusk fell, the empty streets of South Block filled with souls from the afterlife. Some were preparing for their shifts, while others raced to line up for the ongoing recruitment.
Arthur stood in front of Mikel's still-broken home, holding his daughter's hand. But as they reached the familiar spot, his daughter excitedly let go and rushed toward a group of ghosts idling before their shift.
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Even in this situation, she's still able to make friends."
His eyes softened, a bittersweet feeling creeping into his heart. Since the construction began, everything had started to feel… normal. Not just for him—but for the other ghosts too. Even their injuries had begun to seem ordinary. Not because they'd changed… but because Arthur had simply grown used to the sight.
Even the headless ghost didn't seem as disconcerting as before.
"I wonder who he was," Arthur mused quietly, glancing at his daughter and the other ghosts—the headless one included. "If he's from the area, I'd know. But I don't recognize anyone with that build…"
"Arthur."
The familiar voice pulled him from his thoughts. Arthur turned to find the old ghost engineer approaching.
"Sir," Arthur greeted respectfully.
"Has Mikel arrived yet?"
"No, not yet." Arthur offered a polite smile. "Normally, he'd be here already. That kid's always diligent about finishing his homework. Two nights' rest probably wasn't enough to really recover."
The old ghost engineer chuckled. "You're right. I keep forgetting how young he is… though, he's quite mature for his age. My grandson's the same age, but nowhere near that responsible."
Arthur smiled faintly. "Why are you looking for him, by the way?"
"Well, I went back to my resting place last night… but took a few detours along the way."
"Detours?" Arthur raised a brow, prompting a light laugh from the old ghost engineer.
Unlike Arthur—an Anchored Soul who couldn't leave the place of his death and lacked the ability to physically interact—the old ghost engineer operated under different limits.
Though he couldn't touch the physical world either, he could leave his resting place. Unfortunately, whenever he did, he had no sense of direction—no matter how many times he traveled the same paths.
Or so he liked to claim.
"I had someone guide me back," the old engineer added, nodding toward the young ghosts near the entrance—the same ones Arthur had hired to help find him.
"Ahh…" Arthur nodded in understanding. "That explains it."
"Anyway," the old ghost engineer continued, "during my little detour, I overheard some living construction workers talking about a new warehouse for supplies. Mikel might be able to negotiate a good deal to lower our material costs."
Arthur nodded thoughtfully. Their supplies were running low, after all.
"I'll let him know when he shows up."
"I trust you will," the engineer chuckled. "I'll need your daughter's help to write down the materials we'll need, then."
"Mhm."
Arthur watched as the old ghost engineer walked off to join his daughter. A faint smile lingered on his lips as he made his way toward the entrance, where the line of ghosts was already forming.
But even then… Mikel's shadow was nowhere to be found.
I wonder… will he show up today?
Arthur glanced in the direction Mikel usually came from.
I still have to report the missing lookout. He left with the new hires last night… and none of them have come back yet.
Arthur wasn't sure if what he was feeling was worry… or suspicion. Or maybe something worse.
After all, he couldn't forget that look Mikel had carried two nights ago. And after what happened last night…
Where did he take the new hires?
And why haven't they returned?