Transcendent Gene
Chapter 125: Cult Encampment [3]

Chapter 125: Cult Encampment [3]

"Huu..."

Gio couldn’t even feel himself walking. He felt like he was levitating through the air of a plane beyond this one. It was a sensation equivalent to some of the most potent hallucinations he’d ever experienced.

The level was different, but so was the level of his body. As such, the experience was almost the same.

"Huu..."

Raymond’s words, sounds coming from beyond the enlightened plane, and his own breathing, were the only things tying him to the world.

"Huu..."

With every breath, he remembered the fuzziness of his body and tried to feel it again. With every breath, he forced open the [Memory Book] and showed himself where he really was.

His vision became clearer. The mess of colors and hallucinations blocking his vision were thrown away one by one like blocking the pop-up ads on a suspicious website. Eventually, he was able to perceive the world properly through his eyes and ears again.

However, he couldn’t counteract the effects on his body yet.

"Huu..."

With another breath, he forced himself to adapt to the fuzziness and odd lightness he felt before understanding where he was and what he was doing.

From what he could tell, he was standing quite dumbly at the woman’s side with the bird leg still in his hand. He stumbled his steps, moving exactly as he had been without trying to control his body at all.

His vision returned unlike the feeling of the tent’s flaps brushing against his face. He was confused only for a second before the situation explained itself to him.

"Dear Mother, a lost soul has arrived at our home," the woman said, prostrating herself to the person she and Gio faced.

"Hmm..."

The voice that responded was hoarse and raspy.

"Is he fit?"

It sounded like the grinding of gears. Gio had to question if that individual’s vocal cords were actively fighting her breath.

She was a behemoth of a person. Her body was gargantuan. She was at least several feet wide. She wore only a chest garment and a skirt, leaving her ocean of skin flaps revealed.

Her hair was a deep grey color that showed her age. There were wrinkles all over her face and body, and her skin drooped like it was tired of being connected to her. She looked like she was clearly well and on the verge of death at the same time, creating a confusing dichotomy.

If Gio could control his body, he wouldn’t have been able to stop himself from cringing at her beastly form. That was especially the case with someone like Mother Baba.

"He is fit," the woman said, interrupting his thoughts.

"I tested his body previously. He has no power, but his body is good at absorbing energy. ’They’ will be quite pleased with this one."

"I see, I see!"

Mother Baba clapped in ecstasy.

"This is good. It has been a long time since he found a suitable child. They’ve been bugging me recently, saying they won’t stay still if I can’t keep up my end of the bargain. Is this one already sedated?"

Mother Baba looked at him and licked her lips. Gio shivered internally.

"He is experiencing bliss, indeed. Shall we send him now?"

Mother Baba shook her head.

"No need. Keep him for now and numb him. ’They’ like it better when they don’t scream."

Gio listened to the entire conversation, making sure every word registered in his earpiece.

Listening through his ears, the rest of the team’s expressions fell.

"They" was a mention of the force they were trying to unveil. The question was...what force were they referring to?

"Gio, stay in that tent for as long as you can."

He wanted to listen to that order, but there was nothing he could do when the conversation ended succinctly and the woman moved him outside. Even if he could control his body, what could he do to keep himself in the tent?

Raymond gritted his teeth as he heard the woman telling Gio about the camp again, realizing he’d already left.

"Tch."

Clicking his tongue, he shook his head and changed his plans.

"If it’s impossible to find information, the next most important step is finding a way to get us inside. Look around. If you spot something, tell us."

"...and now, you’re free. Explore as you wish, eat as you wish, and experience the joy that was taken from you. This home accepts you wholeheartedly."

The woman pushed him forward, and suddenly, Gio could feel his throat again. With enough work, he could push out a couple of words if necessary.

The woman continued smiling at him from behind as his body moved freely. He walked out past her and back towards the cultists who were dancing in the sand.

With every step, his steps became more tangible. The effects of the drug in the food hadn’t left his body, but at the very least, he could control his influenced self.

He stumbled around, looking at the various parts of the camp with a look of wonder in his eyes.

His eyes scanned for any openings leading to the outside world, but he couldn’t be conspicuous even after losing his trail.

After all, he could still feel her eyes on his back.

’There has to be something...’

It would take half an hour at least to walk the entire length of the camp. It would be troublesome if there wasn’t anything near the area Gio chose to explore. He had chosen to go where he saw the highest density of cultists for him to blend into and trailed the walls, running his hand across the stone.

’This material...’

He didn’t use Hekat’s energy openly, but he could hear the snake telling him he wasn’t strong enough to touch a material of that density yet.

’Even breaking in would be hard.’

Ting!

Gio moved the Aether in his body to signal Raymond again, indicating his safety. Almost at the same time, his eyes swept by and snapped back to a small cubby on one part of the wall.

It wasn’t even big enough for him to fit through if he didn’t crouch over, but it was the only thing even close to an exit he could see.

He walked over to it curiously, making sure not to deviate too much from his original path. When he reached it, he ducked down to see what was beyond. The darkness was surprisingly–

"–What are you doing, young one?"

A voice accompanied by a hand on his shoulder.

Gio’s head snapped back in his thoughts, but the real motion was a more gradual turn of the head that ended in his eyes meeting hers.

He didn’t know if it was the drug’s influence or his own acting skill, but he gazed at her obliviously and pointed at the hole.

"Stars."

Only one word left his mouth, but it prompted the formation of a smile on the woman’s face.

"I see, so you wanted to see the stars."

She understood his meaning. It must’ve been a product of the drug, then.

"If it is important to you, then we can. Would you like me to come with you?"

It wasn’t a question, but a demand. With the same oblivious look on his face, Gio nodded.

The woman held his hand gently and nodded her head.

"Let us go, then."

She ducked down into the dark tunnel and pulled Gio along with her. They crawled only for several feet before the space opened up into a proper corridor.

’A way out...’

It was a way out of the main facility for sure, but the walls of this corridor were made from the same material as the guarding walls of the camp. It couldn’t be broken into without making a ruckus.

’But here...’

Gio’s eyes widened as they left the tunnel and arrived at its destination.

’...here might be perfect.’

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