"I… I did not… do anything…" said the researcher with a labored breath, and Lyle pressed the dagger deeper into his neck, making the man sob while shivering.
"Was that something I asked?" said Lyle as he held the man's chin and raised it, ensuring the slightest press from his dagger spilled blood. "I told you to tell me what is going on here. Why are you doing these trials on humans?"
"The… the emperor," said the researcher as he tried to breathe, "decreed us to do these researches. The head is the Sun Emperor Workshop, and we are no more than physicians. But, please, sir, please…."
"Beg more, and your neck will roll," said Lyle as he pulled the man backward by his hair and glared at him. "I read some of these reports. What is their purpose?"
"The empire… they want to know how much life force extraction would kill a human. Our lab is one of many; we are not even the main division in this camp. The main workshop is…."