Chapter 57

Chapter 57

241, being four years older than 242, exhibited an age gap that was quite pronounced among minors.

Seeing his elder brother delay in putting their younger sibling down, 242, not yet tall enough, yearned to take the child into his own arms. This frustration and eagerness brought a slight redness to his eyes.

It was Su Ximu, still cradled by his eldest brother, who noticed 242’s impatience and voluntarily asked to be set down.

However, no sooner had his feet touched the ground than he was scooped up again.

242, clutching the little one, retreated to a corner of the room, facing inward, clearly intent on preventing his elder brother from reclaiming their sibling.

Even when 243, another younger brother, approached, 242 fended him off with one hand, pushing his face away, much to 243’s exasperation.

This moment, however, was fleeting. The ringing bell signaled that it was time for everyone to depart.

Su Ximu had grown accustomed to entertaining himself at home. As his brothers left, he waved his tiny hand in farewell.

After the initial few days of adjustment, life at the Education Center seemed to settle back into its familiar calm.

During this period, the little one, through a series of gestures and persistent efforts, finally persuaded his brothers to allow him to visit the neighboring room, albeit under their watchful eyes.

The grandfather next door was equally kind to him.

Thus, over time, visiting the neighbor became a regular habit for the little one, alongside his time at home.

Two more months passed, seemingly without incident. During a subsequent detailed examination, researchers discovered that 243 had completed the transformation from an ordinary person into a hunter.

However, the researchers were utterly baffled, unable to ascertain the specific nature of 243’s transformed abilities.

Following this, the researchers also tested 243’s two elder brothers, 241 and 242. They, too, had completed their transformations.

Unfortunately, like 243, the researchers were unable to pinpoint the exact abilities they possessed.

This conundrum led the perplexed researchers to attribute it to the genetic inheritance from the three brothers’ parents.

Consequently, the administrator responsible for overseeing that outer district at the time was put to a vote and executed.

His negligence had cost the research facility two highly valuable cadaver specimens.

Concurrently, a breeding program for 241, 242, and 243 was placed on the research facility’s agenda.

Their aim was to replicate the genetic miracle of the brothers’ parents through extensive genetic matching.

However, to ensure quality, after a thorough meeting, it was decided that 241, as the primary subject, would commence his experimental plan in three years.

During these three years, Education Center 104 was tasked with ensuring he reached his peak condition, both in terms of strength and physical state.

Following the meeting, 242 and 243 were returned to the Education Center, while 241 was taken elsewhere.

To the anxious anticipation of his younger brothers, 241 was absent for an entire week.

No useful information was found in the school management office drawers. Driven by familial bonds, the trio expanded their search, even embarking on their first nocturnal excursion into the inner district’s Education Center.

Thanks to the distorted development of the wasteland world, where advanced polluting industries thrived but network and surveillance infrastructure seemed non-existent, the trio slipped through the fence railings. They stealthily exited the Education Center and began searching for small white houses along their path.

According to a crucial piece of information provided by one of the trio, he had previously seen such white houses, and they were inhabited by "bad people in white clothes!"

If their eldest brother had been captured, the place with the most "bad people" was the most likely suspect!

The other two members readily agreed, deeming the suggestion sound, and decided to adopt it.

After about ten minutes of stealthy movement, the trio quickly spotted a target building.

Finding a secluded corner to crouch in, the three operatives pressed their ears against the wall, holding their breath to meticulously listen to the sounds emanating from the other side.

Su Ximu couldn't hear clearly, only vaguely perceiving a muffled murmuring from beyond the wall.

242 and 243, however, had experienced a rapid surge in their physical prowess and sensory acuity during this period.

Listening intently, they could largely discern what the people on the other side were saying.

Yet, when confronted with overly long or complex sentences, they found themselves unable to comprehend.

After all, they had only benefited from two months of the Education Center's "enlightenment" classes. Achieving this level of understanding was already remarkable.

After listening for a while, 242 shook his head at his two younger brothers.

His gesture conveyed that the individuals on the other side had not yet discussed anything pertaining to their eldest brother.

Undeterred by the lack of immediate information, the trio continued their eavesdropping vigil outside the wall.

Maintaining a crouched position with ears pressed against the wall was, in fact, quite arduous. Yet, even Su Ximu, the youngest and the one who struggled most to hear, never uttered a complaint.

He understood that he couldn't quite grasp the language of this world, nor could he clearly hear the voices beyond the wall. So, he simply swapped places with his third brother, and while still listening, he also began to keep watch, preventing anyone from suddenly approaching their corner.

Thus, with remarkable tenacity, the trio remained crouched outside the wall for the better part of the night.

Finally, 242’s eyelids flickered open, and he reached out to tap 243 beside him.

From within the wall, a weary voice, belonging to someone pulling an all-nighter to monitor samples, yawned and forced himself to chat with a colleague: "How is Hunter 241 doing?"

"Same as usual, I guess."

"We starved him for a few days, then released three 'meat people' into his cell, but it didn't trigger his ferocity. We had no choice but to send him into the monster world to challenge the monsters there. Tsk, if he's this hard to provoke, could his ability be related to emotional control?"

"I don't know, but when you mention this monster world, I always get a bad feeling."

"Those big shots probably miscalculated. That's not some new world with magical powers waiting for us to conquer. It's the monster world that's constantly devouring our world!"

"District 4, District 9, and District 11 have all fallen. They've completely become playgrounds for monsters. How long do you think our District 13 has left?"

At this point, one of the administrators grew nervous and interjected, "Stop talking! What if someone hears us?"

"Let them hear!" the other retorted with a hint of aggression. "It's the truth! Those big shots are all fat and complacent. If it weren't for the hunters trained in their Education Centers supporting them, they should've been hanged long ago!"

"There are clearly two paths to gaining the power of the monster world. But just because the inner district is short on manpower, we have to abandon one of them? Why can't we fully enlighten those in the outer districts? The population base there is huge—even if we select one in ten thousand, we'd still find capable individuals!"

"Since we've already decided to let them die for us, why can't we pursue both paths instead of choosing the hardest one—defeating the monsters through sheer strength?"

"Are you insane? If you say any more, I'll report you! Don't drag me down with you!"

Outside the wall, 242 and 243 had largely grasped the conversation.

The two didn't react much to the administrator's initial mention of being starved for several days, focusing instead on the fact that their eldest brother was likely still alive. However, he had been temporarily sent to another place, which was why he hadn't returned.

His survival was all that mattered.

As the sky began to lighten, the trio quietly started their journey back.

They returned home without incident.

During the day, 242 and 243 attended class as usual, while Su Ximu stayed home to sleep.

At night, the trio set out again, returning to their eavesdropping spot by the wall.

After three consecutive nights of eavesdropping, they finally pieced together a fairly comprehensive understanding of their eldest brother's recent situation.

Their eldest brother had been sent to fight.

He could only return if he won.

Oh?

It seemed he had won.

He would be back tomorrow.

Upon receiving this news, the trio departed, satisfied.

However, they wouldn't actually see their eldest brother until the day after.

When 241 returned home, he bore no visible injuries.

His body was now considered one of District 13's more valuable assets. To ensure his abilities reached their peak, he had undoubtedly faced dangers, perhaps even the risk of death.

But as long as he returned alive, the research facility would certainly not neglect any external injuries he might have sustained.

Thus, 241 only returned home after his wounds had been treated.

During his treatment, 241, applying what he had learned from textbooks over the past two months, expressed his gratitude to the researcher who treated him. He presented the researcher with a candle, a trophy he had obtained after defeating a monster.

The researcher and the administrator standing behind him were clearly pleased.

Finally, after twelve days, 241 was reunited with his younger brothers.

Once again, he took the youngest brother from his siblings, holding the little one in his arms, lost in thought.

In the research facility, it was the first time he had put his textbook learning into practical application.

Receiving help, expressing gratitude, or, to put it more intimately, expressing closeness and affection.

By now, the door at home was tightly shut. 241 gazed blankly at the little one in his arms for a long while before finally extending his temporarily empty left palm.

What happened next was like magic.

A delicate, intricately carved candle gradually materialized in his previously empty palm, eventually solidifying into reality.

241’s Hunter ability: Replication.

When replicating items with special powers, if his own power was insufficient to fully replicate them, he could choose to create a counterfeit that felt identical to the original but contained only a faint trace of its power.

The counterfeit could still be used, though its effects would be significantly diminished.

"Strange Item: The Little Prince’s Birthday Candle

Grade: B-class item

Usage: Light the candle

Effect: The person who lights the candle will receive a birthday cake from the Little Prince~"

241 gave the counterfeit to the researcher and the genuine article to his precious younger brother.

Author's Note:

Ahem, in other words, Big Brother can make counterfeit currency in the strange world. Of course, Big Brother definitely didn’t do it! The author solemnly emphasizes.