The Test Fodder
The bullets shot into their bodies, some even groaned in pain. But they didn't stop. Their eyes were almost empty, like a doll's. Even when they tried to rush hopelessly at the woman, even when others removed their lab vests to reveal explosives attached to them.
4...
3...
Spidey
His eyes darted, and as soon as they found their mark - the strings shot to cut what was in their way. The explosives were the real danger here, so he focused on the ones closes to Suerte.
"No need to hold back. They're just dolls without a shred of consciousness." Despite his usual nervous attitude, and the sweat on his face at the moment, he didn't look surprised.
His eyes were cold. Just like back then.
An unknown number of years ago.
In the mid-18th century, accepting the hospitality of women in the southern mountain regions of China presented an unusual risk. People told tales of women who seduced travelers, feeding men meals laced with a powerful poison known as gu poison to keep their lovers from returning to their homes in the north.
Gu poison, so the stories went, was collected by sealing venomous snakes, scorpions, and centipedes in a jar and forcing them to fight and devour each other. The surviving creature containing a concentrated toxin. Gu poison was considered a slow-acting poison. It was said to have no taste, allowing unsuspecting victims to go about their normal lives for as long as 10 days before they started feeling ill.
Many years ago, in this very lab, a series of Gu rituals took place. No, even calling them that was too kind. This place was nothing more than a factory.
"..."
The spider stood over a web of decimated test weaponry and turrets, cleaved and cut along with those who manned them. The terminals and cameras watched over this feat, but only one man oversaw the result.
"Excellent. Most excellent. Your performance is befitting of an A-series class model. If you keep this up, you might just be able to rival our Z-class models."
A-347's eyes narrowed, and he looked down at his work dispassionately. The more tests he was put through, the more of those visions flashed in his head. But... could they be true? Was this why all of them had to be dragged into this uncaring meat factory?
"But I don't understand one thing, boy. That woman manning the turret, she was the one who showed you kindness in the labs. The test subjects you just trampled on, they were your comrades. And yet you showed no hesitation. Why?"
The sole survivor cracked a smile and looked up at the terminal with an ironic look.
"They're not people. They're just dolls that happened to fall in my web."
The spider's eyes never looked so furious. Without the slightest hesitation he grit his teeth and launched himself against the giant screen, and kicked the crack where the bullet crashed. Suddenly, cracks grew and expanded across the glass, and blew all accross the room. What was behind the screen... was a black pit, leading downwards. It looked like an elevator's hangar.
2...
He grabbed onto the wire and roared with all his might.
"FOLLOW ME, QUICKLY!!"
