Sakura Island, a hospital.
"Quick! Quick! Quick! The baby's head is showing! Push a little harder!"
"Repeat after me: one, two, three!"
"One... two... three..."
The woman in labor endured the excruciating pain, following the doctor's rhythm as she made one final push...
"Waaah—waaah!" The baby's cries rang out. At last, the woman's long ordeal was over, and the child seemed to be announcing his arrival in this world...
His father was waiting outside, separated from them by a pane of glass. He should have been overjoyed, eager to hold and comfort the baby. Instead, he wore a cold, expressionless face, devoid of any feeling.
The project could begin...
He had a grand ambition, one he was willing to pursue at any cost. Even his own son was merely a tool in the project, and if it succeeded, it would bring immeasurable benefits.
After confirming with the doctor that the baby's examination results were all satisfactory, he turned and left the hospital...
A month later, the man returned, followed closely by an assistant carrying a camera.
"Are you ready?"
"Mm. But, Teacher Sakurakoji, I still don't understand. He's your own flesh and blood. Isn't he only a month old? Sending him to a place like that seems a little..."
"That's none of your concern. I have my own plans. Just focus on filming!"
"But..." The cameraman had just started to say something else when Ayanokouji Atsushi glared at him, and he fell silent.
"Remember to capture the resolve and urgency of someone forced to send his own child to the White Room. This will make excellent material for when I publicly raise funds in the future."
"Mm, o-okay." The man immediately took out the camera he had prepared earlier and got ready to start recording.
Ayanokouji Atsushi pretended to tenderly pick up the baby.
The child was named Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. His name had been chosen before he was born. Ayanokouji Atsushi had only seen him once on the day he was born, and had never visited again. This was the first time he had held his own son...
The filming began.
He repeated the gesture he had made earlier, this time appearing a little more "tender" than he had during his first, awkward attempt.
Then he gave a heartfelt speech that lasted about a minute. Once everything was ready, his cold expression returned, and he carried the baby out of the hospital.
"Take him to the White Room." Ayanokouji Atsushi stopped beside a black car parked by the roadside and spoke to the people inside. A man in a black suit seemed to be sitting in the passenger seat. His black hat obscured his head, making his appearance hard to discern.
"Understood. But are you really sure about this?" the man in the passenger seat asked. His speech seemed to carry a hint of a Chinese accent.
He took the baby and looked at him. He couldn't help thinking of his own child, who was about the same age.
He had only recently become a father, but work kept him so busy that he hadn't had time to go home and dote on his child. Still, he had delivered many children like this before.
Back then, he had treated it as just another work assignment. He simply did as he was told. After all, the parents who sent their children to the White Room had agreed to it, and he hadn't felt it was his place to say anything.
Now that he was a father himself, perhaps he could understand a little better how it felt to send away one's own child—especially to a place like the White Room...
Maybe some things were easier to understand only after experiencing them firsthand.
"Mu Tianxiao, what's gotten into you today? You should be used to this by now. Did becoming a father recently make you start feeling sorry for them?
"What was your son's name again...? Oh, Mu Tianchen. He's about the same age as my son, isn't he? How about sending him to the White Room too?" Ayanokouji Atsushi teased.
"No. I'll do everything I can to raise him myself. I won't rely on a place like the White Room." At the mere suggestion of sending his son there, the man immediately refused.
"Oh? You know very well that early childhood is the best time to shape a person's character. Even if children are eliminated partway through the White Room's program, they'll still surpass most of their peers in many ways. Isn't that right?"
Ayanokouji Atsushi seemed intent on persuading him. He had recently been struggling to recruit people. Ever since several previous attempts had ended in failure, few people were willing to send their children to the White Room.
He had no choice but to send people everywhere to search for children abandoned by their parents. But it was hardly easy to find them.
"That's right. I know exactly why, and that's why I don't want my child to suffer like that. Artificial geniuses may be impressive, but if their emotions are crushed, how are they any different from machines?
"Besides, the harm done to children who are eliminated can be difficult to undo. I can't bear the consequences!"
The man's voice was firm, without the slightest hint of wavering.
"Machines? Hahaha! I'm surprised to hear you say that! You're my informant, my 'eyes.' But it seems those eyes have become nearsighted: they can only see what's right in front of them, while anything a little farther away has grown blurry."
Ayanokouji Atsushi remained convinced that his project would shine in the future.
"That's a pretty apt comparison, but don't forget about 'that school.' It's just as good as your White Room when it comes to cultivating geniuses." The man's tone carried a hint of teasing.
"Is that so? Interesting. For now, 'that school' does seem to be doing better, and it's even received strong support from the government. As for me..."
"Good. At least you know that much."
Ayanokouji Atsushi wasn't the slightest bit displeased by his subordinate's words. From time to time, the corners of his mouth even lifted as they spoke, his confidence evident in every way.
After they talked about a few other things, Ayanokouji Atsushi seemed to suddenly remember something. He clapped his hands lightly and said, "Mu Tianxiao, since you don't believe in the White Room, how about a bet?"
"Sure. What are the terms?" Based on what Mu Tianxiao knew about him, the bet might be an opportunity too. After all, given Ayanokouji Atsushi's forceful personality, there was little chance Mu Tianxiao could change his mind. So he accepted without hesitation.
"It's about a project to cultivate a genius of the future, and..."
By the time he got back, it was already evening. Mu Tianxiao had decided to resign. Time really flew—he had worked here for more than ten years, and now that he was leaving all at once, he couldn't help feeling a little reluctant.
He pushed open the door to his dorm room, lay on the bed, and stared up at the pale ceiling, lost in thought.
"What was the point of fighting?" Mu Tianxiao had often pondered that question. Over the years, he had seen too many factions rise from nothing, flourish, and then decline. Different factions were always at odds, and the groups holding power were constantly replaced...
Was it all just for the sake of profit? People at the bottom had to sacrifice so much for it. One wrong decision could even ruin many lives...
But sometimes they had no choice. They were forced to fight. If they didn't, the opposing faction might swallow them up the next time... again and again...
"Ah..." Mu Tianxiao couldn't help sighing at the thought.
Recalling the bet he had made with Ayanokouji Atsushi, he felt he could still do something, at least to minimize the damage...
Before you continue