OLD-WORLD EXTRA

Chapter 255: The Freezer

Chapter 255: The Freezer

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With their destination in mind, they skipped floors nine, eight, seven, six, and five while heading straight to four since that was where the classrooms were located.

And as Emir figured, what they saw and heard so far matched that of the words written in the 'novel.'

The floors above them housed a system control floor, commonly known as the 'Brain.'

A floor called the 'Vault,' was under that; below was an investigation division known as the 'Freezer;' and below it was known as the 'Farm.'

Then the final one contained a medical facility called the 'Hub' and a library called the 'Archive In Between.'

The SS, Elite, classrooms were on the fourth floor, while the S were on the third.

Elevators inside the Tower only allowed those with a binding contract to enter, meaning that only Celestial students in the first course walked its halls.

Those in the second course only had access to the buildings outside and the first two floors of this building.

Now since the elevators only authorized those with the pass ingrained in their bracelets to use them, nobody would be able to sneak in that way.

AI systems were the main defense system of this place after all.

And unlike the usual security guards, they could do so in a variety of ways, protecting the building from any intrusions, whether they'd be students, outsiders, or even NetWeavers.

Now regarding the classes the group entered...

There were three different types, each starkly different.

One was what anyone would usually expect of a classroom: a terminal, desk, and holoscreen at the front, while the back contained many student seats.

Some were designed as lecture halls, but they remained similar in concept.

Another type had rooms with laid-back chairs, each outfitted with deep dive systems on the level of a neuro-cybernetic interface, placed in orderly rows.

This was a classroom where they could connect to the digital world and involve themselves in all things virtual.

The third type had neither chairs nor tables-a seemingly empty room.

That would be the case until the professor commanded the room to change environments and the like.

So now, after they were introduced to where they would teach, they finally went ahead and explored the more interesting floors.

Ting!

"Welcome to the Freezer!"

Amon stepped out of the elevator while the rest followed and just then, Emir showed attentiveness for the first time in a while...

Something that Ragnar noticed.

"Ay, you're finally excited now! You've been monotone since yesterday!"

Morgiana joined in as well:

"He's right, you know, I haven't seen anyone as disinterested as you in my entire life..."

"We've joined the academy as professors! At least look happy about it!"

A chuckle escaped the prince's mouth.

"Sure, sure, just had a few things to think about, that's all."

Ragnar was about to put his hand over Emir's shoulder, but Morgiana stepped in between them and did what the bearded man was about to do.

"Alright, let's go!"

A laughing Emir and Ragnar lowered themselves, as they were quite a bit taller than her.

'Her personality is exactly the same as the one in the novel...'

'A tomboy with a hidden heart of ice.'

Morgiana's behavior wasn't an act; she truly was a fiery little woman.

But for reasons unknown, her behavior drastically changed after a few months in the Academy.

So Emir guessed that this wasn't her true self.

Or maybe something happened that changed her and made her show her cold heart.

However, in the end, he didn't care much for it.

As long as she never went against him, he wouldn't mind having her around.

Soon they reached a gated section that housed the main entrance of the investigation department.

"Here is where we store all types of monsters."

Amon explained as he performed a quick scan outside.

"Everything you know about them originated from this freezer and the farm below."

[Access Granted.]

They passed through the gate and paused in the isolating chamber.

"Thank you, Brain."

[Of course, Principal Amon.]

The chamber was equipped with a negative pressure filtration system that provided maximum protection for what was inside.

Basically a class one 'Cleanroom.'

"Specimens are preserved to not only be studied but to also breed and experiment with."

This system only took a few moments to clean them completely and allow them entry as the

final gate opened.

"But let's save that for later..."

They walked by a few researchers with lab coats who bowed to them as they passed.

"Now look at this."

As they stepped into the heart of the Freezer, the same thought crossed the trio's minds.

This place certainly deserved its name.

The air was noticeably cooler there, a deliberate preservation to maintain the integrity of the

specimens.

Nameplate holograms appeared before the many rows of containment units that lined the space between the walls.

Each row housed a unique entity type that was frozen in time within massive blocks of ice in

the vertical pods.

From 'Elemental' to 'Material,' to 'Aerial,' and 'Oceanic' entities, as well as 'Symbiotic,' 'Parasitic,' 'Psionic,' and 'Cursed' Entities.

There were a few others as well, like the 'Spiritual,' 'Abyssal,' and 'Cosmic' entities, but those couldn't be captured since they weren't even spotted on Earth.

Their collective strength exceeded anything Amon could even think about defeating, never

mind Emir and the rest.

So the only knowledge contained of those four entity types was theoretical.

In total, monsters amounted to ten types, with sub-branches for each type.

Some included rouge cyborgs, sentinels, and constructs to the fold but officially technological constructs weren't accounted as monsters, since they were human-made

creations.

Now the Freezer only had seven rows that displayed those entity types amidst the frost- kissed chambers.

Symbiotic and Parasitic monstrosities writhed in the most right-sealed glass, their scales glistening faintly in the low light.

Next to them were beings of nature entwined with vines and leaves that seemed almost

tranquil in their frozen repose.

They were among the Elementals, manifestations of the three-element subtypes.

A monster with a flickering flame danced in a contained blaze within the ice while a

shimmering being of water seemed to ripple and pulse.

Not all were ethereal, however.

Towering over the others were the Material beasts-hulking, muscled creatures whose very

presence exuded raw strength.

The Fang Clad spiders used in the test were there as well.

The common felines and canines that dotted the entirety of Earth were also held in that row of

monstrosities.

A few others bore armored plates akin to warriors, while some boasted powerful limbs that

hinted at untold agility.

The next row was where more surprises awaited.

A Zerathar was the very first one among the Psionic types.

Emir smiled at that sight, reminiscing about the last phase while wondering how much it

would cost the Elite to train another one to take the first's place.

He hoped that it would be a lot.

After checking out the rest, they looked to the Oceanic and Aerial rows, which held beings that

The considered a nightmare to face.

He would have a hard time with an Aerial type, only if it were similar to him in rank or higher,

but the Oceanic was a different beast altogether.

There was a reason why the Earth's oceans weren't fully explored, even to this day.

Not just due to their great and still unmeasured expansion, but because horrors of

unimaginable levels existed in the 'Deep.'

Ones that could bring Earthkind to the brink if they gained the ability to leave their waters.

But thankfully, such a thing wasn't possible... yet.

"The last ones are the cursed type, but we've only managed to capture hybrids and the like..."

Amon explained as they finally completed a lap around the place.

"Their subtypes are known but unfound."

Ragnar nodded while his hand remained stroking his beard.

"But Principal, why bother with all this? Can't we just use holograms?"

A chuckle escaped him as he whipped his head towards Emir. Understanding his signal, Emir proceeded to explain, as was usual for the past while:

"Sure we'd use them to understand, study, and teach about monsters, but that wouldn't be

enough to cover the cost of this whole operation."

"After all, we're talking about temperature, humidity, and even particle control to the tiniest

degree."

"And adding to the already long list, liquid nitrogen isn't cheap..."

"So now, to offset all of that, they would figure out how to use these monsters to gain even

more profit."

Morgiana nodded.

"We all know that the UEF is no charity."

"Aha..."

Ragnar chuckled then asked another question while heading closer to one of the pods:

"But what about Cryosleep? Do people still use those things?"

Amon, who's face showed slight melancholy, explained: "They do, but those that used them after the war turned into... you know."

'Hm.'

Emir and the rest picked up on Amon's feelings about the matter, so they avoided talking

about it any further.

Well, talking loudly, at least.

[So?]

Ragnar's voice echoed in Emir's mind.

The unsurprised prince, answered smoothly, his explanation not taking more than a second to

fully reach Ragnar:

[The pods were one-time use, so those that entered never exited, in hopes of surviving...]

[But their luck wasn't a good one; those that went 'Cryo' didn't live for long.] [They did not age, did not dream, and did not need sustenance...]

[So they simply hibernated until the day they died without even knowing that it happened.]

[Cryosleep was the very thing that damned them, as their bodies turned into crystallized ice.]

Emir didn't need to explain the rest, as it was simple, and Ragnar could more or less

understand it.

It amounted to this, however...

The process had the people put into a state of suspended animation using pod-like chambers

doused with liquid nitrogen, suspending their bodies at -200 degrees Celsius.

Such a thing would not have been possible without Aether, but unfortunately for them, the

Stabilization of the spell had waned over the many millennia that had passed, causing the entire system to malfunction.

But why was it not possible?

Well, most who studied any modicum of biology would remember a string of words that went

like this:

"The human body is made of 45 to 75 percent water."

This meant that the cells themselves contained a lot of water content.

In turn, an obvious result was formed.

However, such a disastrous outcome could occur only if the individuals behind the cryo-

chamber solely followed the scientific path.

Since without Aether's protection, those who went Cryo would eventually have frozen tissues,

and the entirety of the water inside them would turn into ice crystals, expanding and

damaging their cells until...

Their inevitable frozen death.

{A/N: This five chapters' mass release is a thank-you for Jes and Derek. Cheers!}