Moonshadow Abyss

The air was thick with the scent of blood and decay. Jack's hands were still stained with the doctor's blood, and the wolf-like claws at his fingertips slowly retracted, returning to their human form.

But that fleeting moment of primal bloodlust still echoed in his mind.

He looked down at the corpse.

The doctor was dead, yet his eyes remained open, his lips frozen in a strange, eerie smile—one that seemed both mocking and declarative, as if revealing some undeniable truth.

Aisha crouched down and carefully pulled open the doctor's coat. On his chest, she discovered a strange metallic tag—

Number: E-7.

Her frown deepened.

"An experiment code?" she murmured.

Jack stared at the metal tag, and suddenly, fragmented images flashed through his mind—

He was restrained on a cold operating table, his body convulsing in pain. The doctors murmured among themselves, their faces blurred under the harsh, blinding lights.

"…E-7, showing high stability…"

"…But still prone to losing control…"

"…Increase the dosage. We need a full transformation…"

"…He must obey…"

Jack shut his eyes abruptly, a sharp pain stabbing through his temples.

"Hey!" Aisha grabbed his arm, steadying him. "What's wrong?"

Jack's breathing grew ragged, his palm pressing hard against his forehead.

"I… I remember…" His voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper. "I was experimented on here."

Aisha's pupils shrank. "Are you sure?"

Jack snapped his head up, his expression laced with fear. "This place… it used to imprison people like me."

Aisha instinctively reached for the gun at her waist, her gaze sweeping the area with heightened vigilance. "Are you saying this was… a werewolf experiment facility?"

Jack nodded, his voice grave. "Not just werewolves… there could be other things."

Aisha's expression grew even more severe.

She scanned the room—operating tables, bloodstains on the walls, scattered medical records.

This wasn't just an abandoned hospital.

It was a secret laboratory.

The air thickened with tension.

"Keep searching," Aisha said firmly. "We need to find out what else is hidden here."

—

They moved deeper into the corridor. The flickering overhead lights cast long, wavering shadows. Some bulbs had already gone out, making the passage feel even darker.

Jack's footsteps were light, each step measured, as if treading on the edge of an unknown abyss.

At the end of the hallway stood a rusted metal door, its surface corroded with time. But faintly, the letters on it were still visible—

"Isolation Zone."

Jack and Aisha exchanged glances before she reached out and pushed the door open.

Beyond the door was a row of transparent containment pods.

Some were shattered, their interiors empty.

But inside a few, remnants of something still lingered.

— A mutilated werewolf corpse, its chest sliced open, revealing long-dried internal organs.

— A grotesque creature with an unnaturally swollen head, the result of a failed genetic modification.

— A "human" still dressed in a hospital gown, his eyes open, his skin dried and cracked—trapped in the pod until he starved to death.

Jack's throat tightened.

This place… had been a human experiment facility.

He stood before the shattered pods, his heart pounding faster and faster.

What did this mean?

Did it mean he wasn't born a werewolf but created in an experiment?

He instinctively took a step back, a heavy pressure weighing down on his chest.

Just then, Aisha found a metal cabinet in the corner.

She quickly rummaged through it and pulled out an old, yellowed file.

The cover bore only a few simple words—

"E-Series Experiment Report."

Aisha flipped open the first page, her brows furrowing instantly.

"Jack…" Her voice wavered slightly.

Jack looked up at her. "What is it?"

Aisha took a deep breath and handed the file to him.

Jack lowered his gaze to the page.

—

Experiment Number: E-7

Subject Name: Jack Wilson

Experiment Objective: Enhance werewolf genes to create a controllable subject.

Experiment Results: Subject shows exceptional adaptability but exhibits instability. Possible memory loss detected. Further observation required.

—

Jack's breath caught in his throat.

His mind went blank, and his fingers trembled slightly as they gripped the report.

"…I'm an experiment?"

His voice was hoarse, like a growl dragged from deep within his chest.

Aisha clenched her jaw slightly, her fingers tightening. "Jack… We don't know if this is the full truth yet."

Jack's eyes darkened, his grip on the document tightening.

The fragmented memories in his mind suddenly pieced together.

He remembered the cold operating table. The restraints. The indifferent voices of the scientists.

He wasn't an ordinary werewolf.

He was a manufactured one.

Aisha watched him cautiously, worry flickering in her eyes. "Jack, you need to stay calm."

Jack closed his eyes, his chest heaving with deep, unsteady breaths.

He had to calm down.

But something inside him was boiling over—

Anger. Resentment. Fear.

And a deeply buried hatred.

Then—

From the far end of the hallway, a low, steady sound echoed.

Footsteps.

Someone was coming.