Chapter 474: This is a Choice
"Your hematopoietic function is only at sixty-two percent of normal levels, and there are obvious signs of DNA strand breaks in your lung cells." Ryo turned the screen toward Elias, pointing at several key parameters. "A persistent inflammatory response is draining your physical stamina."
Elias looked at the cold data, his face turning even paler.
These concrete numbers were far more impactful than any vague description.
Ryo retracted the scanner and retrieved a sealed, compact syringe from a compartment in his toolbag, containing a clear, pale blue liquid.
"This is not a cure," he stated clearly. "This is a compound palliative agent, containing targeted anti-inflammatory components and a short-acting genetic stabilizer."
"It can temporarily suppress the abnormal immune responses in your body, alleviate the coughing and chest pain, and slightly elevate your blood cell count over the next forty-eight hours."
"You will feel better, but the effect is temporary."
Elias stared at the syringe, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Temporary... what does that mean?"
"It means it can prove that my diagnosis and methodological direction are correct," Ryo replied calmly. "It will also provide you with a relatively comfortable buffer period before you decide whether to undergo a deeper, riskier treatment."
Elias remained silent for a moment, then extended his arm, rolling up the sleeve of his hazmat suit to reveal a gaunt, somewhat pale arm. "Do it."
Ryo's movements were precise and swift. Disinfect, inject, apply pressure.
The entire process took less than ten seconds; Elias only felt a slight sting.
The medication required time to take effect.
Ryo did not rush him. He merely sat there quietly, as if routinely organizing his toolbag.
Elias was initially still somewhat guarded, but as time passed, he genuinely felt the familiar burning pain and tightness in his chest gradually easing. His breathing became smoother, and the persistent lethargy lingering in his head dissipated significantly.
This tangible, immediate relief was something he had never experienced at the House's medicae clinic.
About twenty minutes later, Elias let out a long sigh, his constantly tense shoulders finally relaxing.
The look in his eyes as he gazed at Ryo had completely changed. His previous suspicion and wariness were replaced by a mixture of shock, hope, and an urgent sense of reliance.
"Feeling better?" Ryo's voice pulled him back from his brief spacing out.
The temporary relief brought by the medication allowed Elias's tightly wound nerves to visibly relax.
He leaned against the edge of the bed. His gaze was no longer entirely focused on Ryo, but rather stared somewhat blankly at the mottled marks on the opposite metal wall.
"...Much better. Thank you." Elias slowly nodded, taking a deep breath that, this time, did not trigger a cough. "I have never... never felt this relieved before."
His voice was still hoarse, but much steadier.
Ryo nodded.
"The effect will last for one to two days. After that, the symptoms will gradually return," Ryo reminded him, his tone devoid of any fluctuation. "To resolve the root problem, it is necessary to know the exact nature of the radiation source and your specific exposure circumstances."
This sentence seemed to flip a switch.
Elias fell silent for a few seconds. When he spoke again, his voice carried a long-suppressed bitterness.
"It is the 'Ancestral Core'." he said in a low voice. "The foundation of everything for our House, and also... the source of the curse."
Ryo did not interrupt, merely listening quietly, his optical lenses steadily focused on him.
"My name is Elias Van Saar. Just an inconspicuous member of a branch family." He tugged at the slightly worn House heraldry on his hazmat suit. "Because I showed a bit of talent for mechanics and circuitry as a child, I was assigned to participate in the daily maintenance of the 'Core' upon coming of age."
"At first... I was quite proud, thinking I could come into contact with the House's most central secrets."
The corners of his mouth twitched, revealing a trace of self-mockery.
"The 'Core'... it is very ancient, extremely powerful, but also highly unstable. It continuously emits a unique kind of radiation. Our hazmat suits can only mitigate it, not completely insulate us. Day after day, year after year..." He subconsciously touched his chest. "At first, it was just easy fatigue, then I started coughing, and then... it became like this."
"The upper echelons of the House, those of direct lineage, are well aware of the 'Core's' danger. But they cannot live without it. All our technology, all our weapons, everything that allows us to establish a foothold in this wasteland, comes from the 'Core'." Elias's tone gradually took on a trace of imperceptible resentment. "Maintenance personnel like us, in their eyes, are just necessary consumables."
"Young, technically skilled—they use us while we are useful. Once obvious symptoms appear and our work efficiency drops, we are transferred away from crucial posts, and the medical support we receive dwindles more and more."
He looked at Ryo with complex eyes. "My father was also in the maintenance crew before. When he died, his lungs had rotted like a piece of torn rag. The path I am walking now is the exact same one he walked back then."
"The House's medicae clinic will only dispense basic anti-radiation meds and painkillers, treating the symptoms but not the root cause. They will not waste precious bio-restorative resources on 'consumables' like us."
"I want to leave this place." Elias's voice was very soft, but very clear, carrying the resolve of a man burning his bridges. "I do not want to end up like my father, coughing up blood, dying silently in some corner, only to be recorded as having 'made due contributions to the House'."
"But I have nowhere to go. Outside is the wasteland; without the 'Core's' technology, I cannot survive. Furthermore... the House would never allow anyone who knows the secrets of the 'Core' to leave easily."
After saying this, as if exhausted of all his strength, he lowered his head, looking at his slightly trembling hands. "You said you could cure me... This is my only hope now."
Ryo's processors rapidly analyzed the information revealed in Elias's words: the continuous radiation leak from the STC system, the internal caste system based on bloodline and value within the House, the high attrition rate of maintenance personnel, and the strict secrecy and control.
This young man possessed decent technical skills, harbored strong dissatisfaction toward his House, possessed a fierce desire to survive, and held firsthand information regarding the location and internal layout of the STC.
He was an extremely valuable potential collaborator.
"To cure your condition, specific bio-restorative technology and resources are required," Ryo spoke up, his voice remaining steady. "These, I can provide. But just as you said, this is not free of charge."
"I need to know the detailed information regarding the 'Core'—its specific location, internal structure, guard deployment, and operational patterns. The more detailed, the better."
He looked at Elias, his optical lenses flickering slightly. "Your future depends on the value of the information you provide, as well as your degree of cooperation going forward. This is a choice."
"Or, you could choose to refuse, defend your House's secrets, and then be killed by me right here."
(End of Chapter)