Chapter 13: Jealousy

Although in theory, as a B-Grade combat specialist, Roland held the same rank as Dr. Anna, because Anna was the one who had recruited her, Roland would listen to Anna in most situations unless given a direct order from the Council.

It made people wonder if Anna had some kind of leverage over her.

Still, this was considered normal within the base. The moral codes of normal human society didn't apply here. You had to hold someone's lifeline in your hand to feel secure.

Sylvia looked at yet another garbage project she had completed, wondering if what she was doing was right.

After becoming an E-Grade expendable, the standard procedure was that after handling roughly five containment projects, one could be promoted to D-Grade permanent staff. Even then, the report had to be submitted to the Regional Supervisor for assessment of qualification.

The Supervisor also had the direct authority to promote someone. Subsequently, D-Grades would handle projects personally assigned by the Supervisor. Each project, upon completion, would be evaluated and given a score by the Supervisor. Only after reaching the corresponding score threshold would the Supervisor submit the case to the Regional Consul—the Director of the containment facility—to decide whether to promote them to B-Grade.

The Supervisor's power was immense and unchecked. If she didn't want someone beneath her to climb up, she had plenty of methods. Simply not assigning projects, or deliberately assigning dangerous ones, was enough to make things very difficult.

Unspoken rules had become the secret, unacknowledged norm here.

But someone like Anna had seen it all. Sylvia had heard before that Anna had gone through several research assistants, and no one knew where they were now.

Sylvia had worked too hard to climb to this position. She wasn't about to let go of it easily.

But the projects Anna was giving her now were all these useless little things that wouldn't earn any points even if evaluated.

If things continued like this, when would she ever get promoted to B-Grade?!

No… an even worse possibility was that Anna was doing this on purpose. After all, if she were the Supervisor, she probably wouldn't like having a subordinate at the same rank as her.

Yet Sylvia had absolutely no way to deal with this. Whether she lived or died was entirely up to the other woman's word.

"And… Ying Su. That one can't stay."

Sylvia was extremely displeased with that creature she had handled.

Although it was quite satisfying to absorb, seeing it cozy up to Dr. Anna every day while she was stuck doing these completely meaningless projects…

Her heart filled with a sour bitterness.

Already frustrated, Sylvia, after delivering the data to Anna, was planning to get some sweets to improve her mood.

Then, in the cafeteria, she saw the figure that annoyed her.

Wearing a plain white dress and the black, spherical obscuring helmet, sitting quietly in a chair. That was definitely Ying Su.

Although she was supposed to stick to the three-point line, Ying Su didn't work all day. She still had opportunities to get off early.

After all, Dr. Anna couldn't take her along when working on projects.

The most she could do was sit here, providing Olivia with a chance to exchange information.

She was waiting for Olivia to finish placing the intelligence when she saw Sylvia walking straight towards her. She signaled Olivia to stop moving.

"B347, so you're here?" Sylvia said.

"Yes. Sister Sylvia, is there something you need?"

"I never said I was your sister," Sylvia said, leaning down. The obscuring helmet was completely reflective and opaque; she could only see her own face in it. "So… is… is there something?"

"Nothing. I was just curious what containment object had wandered in here. Didn't expect it to be you." Sylvia's words carried a tone of disdain, as if she had come specifically to mock her.

Ying Su felt nothing about it. After thinking for a moment, she said, "I'm waiting for lunch here."

"Here? Hah. Lunch isn't going to fly over to you. Not going to queue properly, what are your intentions here?"

"There are too many people. I wanted to wait a bit…" Ying Su grew alert and gave the prepared excuse.

"Wait a bit? Want me to help you?"

"No, thank you."

"Why so polite? Wait here." With that, Sylvia turned around and looked for a line. She saw one with no one waiting—the British food station.

"Hmm, give me one of these. This 'Stargazy Pie.' Load it up with spice. And what else… Forget it, I'll do it myself." Sylvia stuffed a huge pile of condiments into it, then brought it over with a smile. "Here, Ying Su. This is delicious."

'Come on, I'm wearing an obscuring helmet, not blind. I saw you stuff all that stuff in there.'

"Thank you… that…"

"What's wrong? Here, let me feed you." Sylvia said, using a fork to scoop out a piece of the bizarre fish pie. It was covered in red, green, and black stuff and looked utterly inedible. The fish heads' eyes even gleamed with a strange light.

"Olivia, help me."

"I know." Olivia started moving slowly from under the chair.

"I mean, when I eat it, can you help me block my senses?"

"You're going to eat it??" Olivia stopped abruptly. This looked completely inedible!

Even though she didn't eat much human food, she knew this thing was absolutely not okay, right?

"Why not eat it?" Ying Su said.

After a pause, Ying Su spoke pitifully, "I… I'm not hungry now… And I really can't eat…"

"What do you mean can't? Come on, open up!"

"I… I really can't…"

"Hurry up! Don't waste the food I specially bought for you, or I'll get angry!"

"Whimper…" Ying Su slowly opened the obscuring helmet, revealing her chin, then carefully took a bite.

As soon as she swallowed it, Olivia directly pulverized it and dragged it into her stomach.

"Have some more. Tasty, right?" Seeing the other being bullied by her like this, not daring to resist at all, Sylvia felt her mood improving.

'Hmph, you're just a containment object with a bit of luck. Still have to obediently listen to me, don't you?'

Thinking for a moment, Sylvia shifted her position and sat down right next to her. The close proximity brought that familiar fragrance rushing into her nostrils.

"I… I can't eat anymore…"

"That's hardly anything. You finish this before you can leave, understand?" Sylvia grabbed her waist and said fiercely.

Under the chair, Olivia was already itching to just kill this woman.

'How dare she bully Ying Su?!'

"Olivia, endure it. It's not time yet," Ying Su reminded her.

Olivia could only hold it back. 'Since when have I ever been this humiliated?!'

"We agreed. We're getting out together. Endure a little longer. I'm fine."