After several days of investigation, Sakura finally became familiar with Tremont, a city she was unfamiliar with. She knew a little about what she should and shouldn't know.
However, compared to the messy and useless news, Sakura still valued the information about Rhine Lab that she had recently collected.
For example, Rhine Lab is currently embroiled in many scandals, and there is the matter of external recruitment for various Sections.
The results of the investigation were not too surprising for Sakura. Compared to other Sections that require geniuses and elite researchers, the Defense Section is relatively easier to enter.
After all, other Sections demand diplomas and technology, while the Defense Section values strength and the ability to handle emergencies.
However, the easier entry is only relative for Sakura.
You see, Rhine Lab's interviews are very strict. Let's not discuss other Sections for now. As far as Sakura knows, the final step of the Defense Section's interview involves going through Saria again.
Just think about Saria's personality and her serious work attitude, and you'll understand how high the elimination rate of the interview is... right, Jeston?
"Ah..."
Thinking of this, Sakura sighed helplessly while sitting in her temporary residence.
She had no doubts about her abilities. Not to mention passing Saria's assessment, it was not impossible for her to defeat the Terra Superwoman.
However, Sakura was a little worried about being seen through and then eliminated directly. After all... Saria's steely, straightforward nature was well-known.
Despite her concerns, Sakura still submitted her application.
She was not the type to hesitate because of worries. Since she had made a plan, she would try it no matter how difficult it was.
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As the sun slowly set, large patches of clouds turned red, displaying magnificent colors.
At this moment, in the Mobius laboratory—
"Hu——"
Accompanied by a slightly heavy breathing sound, Mobius stopped her hands' movements accurately. After blinking her sore eyes, she calmly placed the newly prepared potion on the shelf beside ber.
"The new medicine is ready; the next step is to observe the effects."
At this moment, Mobius, who looked a little tired, had no intention of stopping. She cast ber eyes on the cage containing experimental mice, and her meaning was clear.
It had been several days since ber first meeting with Ifrit, and the next "treatment" was approaching. Mobius hoped to complete the agreement with the "little white mouse" before then.
To fulfill this agreement and comfort the little white mouse, Miss Serpent had not closed her eyes for several days. Since returning from outside last time, she had been racing against time to conduct experiments, with almost no delay.
As a result, many people in the Structural Section had been discussing Mobius behind her back, even calling her a "workaholic" and "work madman."
After all, other researchers leave work at the usual time, and even if they work overtime, it isn't excessively late. But Mobius is different.
In recent days, they had noticed that Mobius's office and laboratory were brightly lit 24 hours a day, without interruption—simply outrageous.
...
"Squeak--"
"..."
After watching the mice in front of her, which were still safe and sound after the injection and a series of experiments and observations, Mobius breathed a sigh of relief, and her tense nerves slowly relaxed.
After hastily cleaning up the mess in the laboratory, Ouroboros left the lab and walked towards her room in Rhine Lab.
Even though Mobius was a MANTIS, the high-intensity, continuous experiments had left her mentally exhausted. Now that the drug was successfully developed and only needed clinical trials, Ouroboros planned to take a good rest to recover her tired spirit.
————————————————
At night, Ifrit's room—
At this moment, Ifrit was lying on the bed. She tossed and turned, feeling a little irritable and unable to sleep.
The reason for this was, of course, that tomorrow was the time for treatment, as Silence had said.
Although Ifrit could endure with Silence and Saria by her side, no one likes pain.
Even now, Ifrit couldn't stop trembling at the thought of the bone-eroding pain from the previous treatment.
Previously, Ifrit had endured the pain only because she didn't want to disappoint Saria and worry Silence, wanting to be the strong and good child they described.
However, no matter how hard she tried to endure, she was still just a child... and she feared pain.
"Snake..."
As if she had thought of something, Ifrit stopped tossing on the bed, supported herself on her arms, and sat up. Looking at the dark room, she muttered to herself.
To be honest, with the complete disappearance of the sweetness in her mouth that night, coupled with the peaceful and normal nights in the past few days, Ifrit started to doubt the authenticity of Mebius again.
She suspected that everything that night was just a dream or an illusion.
After all, Charmander now had nothing in hand to prove the existence of "Snake."
"Heh~ Little white mouse, why are you still awake so late? Are you waiting for me to come and study you?"
Just as Ifrit was sitting on the bed in a daze, Mebius's recognizable childish voice quietly sounded in her ears.
"!"
Mebius's sudden words first startled Ifrit, and then she quickly reacted. A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes as she turned her head to look in the direction of the voice.
"Snake!"
"Really, I told you not to call me that."
Hearing Ifrit's surprised voice, Mebius paused while fiddling with the finger guards and then spoke with some displeasure.
"I thought you weren't coming."
Ifrit didn't care about Mebius's correction of the name and continued speaking with excitement.
"You are my guinea pig~ We have an agreement, so how could I let you go before the agreement is fulfilled?"
Looking at the excited child in front of her, Mebius squinted her gradient eyes gently and continued:
"Okay, don't waste any more time. Let's start the examination tonight~"