Family P 6

"Kim, was it?" Sera, who worked on the third floor, walked to Lia after lunch.

Lia just finished talking with Noel and turned around to smile at Sera. She still wasn't used to this name.

"Yes?"

Sera adjusted her glasses and waited for everyone to leave before she talked to Lia.

"Yesterday, I saw Tom coming from your floor despite it being work time."

"I see... so?"

Sera was visibly taken aback for a second but then regained her calm, "I was just wondering and thought to let you know."

"Thank you," Lia gave her another smile, "Do you know where he went?"

"No, I only saw him on the stairs. Even if we're against each other, I still think we all should work and support Elder P."

"Why were you on the stairs then?"

"That... Second P asked me to bring him something from the ground floor."

That answer was pretty much flawless and Lia couldn't pick out any faults, yet she felt she couldn't fully trust Sera, much less discern her intentions and motives.

"I appreciate you telling me about Tom. I was busy working and didn't even notice," despite her vigilance, Lia had to foster good relations with Sera.

"By the way, do you know why Elder P wants to create ghosts?"

Sera's face had a weird look as if she didn't understand why Lia even would question something like this, "Does it matter?"

A cold and slimy feeling gripped Lia's legs and slowly crawled its way up, Lia forcefully pushed it down and shook her head,

"You're right, it doesn't."

Sera left after nodding and Lia was sure that almost everyone here wasn't right in their heads or else why would they do something like this?

She returned to the second floor and talked about the results with Third and Tom. However, she didn't report about her assumptions that as long as the mortals would have any kind of feelings that were engraved in the soul to 100%, it would be enough to turn them into ghosts.

So, it would also make more sense to select mortals who were more prone to emotional mental stress and breakdowns or those that had a pitiful background and would shatter under the slightest pressure.

"Did you find anything else that might lead to results?" Third P encouraged Lia to say anything else.

Tom also seemed interested. Lia shook her head. What she most worried about was that any of the other staff would come to the same conclusion as her.

If that happened, they wouldn't tell the other floors about it. The only way to figure it out would be to keep a close eye to any suspicious activities or change.

On top of that, Lia still hasn't heard anything from Elder P. She wasn't even sure if he was in the building. If he was, he would be only three floors above her.

She would just go up and kill him but she knew she couldn't act so carelessly. Furthermore, she didn't want to give him an easy ending. She wanted to shatter everything he had and worked for in front of his eyes to let him taste despair before he died.

Simply death was too benevolent to him.

"However, I 've heard other floors also had some success. Even more than ours."

"Is that so?" Third P mumbled while he tapped on the table.

"It ain't matter," Tom cut in, "we just goin' focus on our wo-"

"Are you even properly working? Surely, you're not a spy from another floor?" Lia condescendingly smiled at Tom.

Third P flinched at those words and his sharp gaze slowly penetrated Tom's heart. Sometimes the seeds of doubt were easily laid with just a few words.

"I ain't! How is that even possible? There wouldn't be any rewards for me," Tom clicked his tongue and waved those words away.

Third P seemed to look better. Lia only said those words to throw Third P off, of course, she knew it didn't make sense for Tom to be a spy.

"Hey, don't do anything unnecessary," Tom grabbed Lia's shoulders after they left Third P's office.

"You should be more concerned about yourself," Lia brushed his hand off and pushed her glasses up,

"Whenever I say something you better be quiet. I don't care if you work or not but don't interfere with me."

It was long due for Lia to draw the line between them so Tom wouldn't get any ideas. He was suspicious of her and she knew it, she was also suspicious of him.

Tom opened his mouth but Lia left him standing there. It was only the second day and she already dreaded being here.

A few hours later, Lia went to report to Third P when Tom just came out of his office. He lightly bumped into her but didn't say anything.

"Kim."

"Yes, sir," Lia stood in front of Third P's table.

"I've thought about what you said this afternoon."

"Please, sir, it was just careless words because I wasn't in a good mood."

"No, I think there might be some truth to your words," Third P tapped on the table again and was lost in his thoughts.

"Sir?"

"I'm aware that Tom hasn't been diligent in his work and I'm also very aware of my brothers' personalities. It wouldn't be an understatement if they were to try to sabotage me," Third P still had a faint curve but there was some hidden rage in his voice.

Lia lowered her head and her bangs covered her face. A slight smile crept on her face.

"I don't dare to interfere but I can't believe the prestige P family would resort to such manners."

"No, if it's my two older brothers then they might have already conspired against me. Either that or it's my younger brother. Those blood-thirsty dogs," the tapping stopped and veins bulged on Third P's usually peaceful face.

"Could it be because they know of our results?"

"How do they know?"

"I'm not sure, sir. I've only told Tom about it this morning when he asked. I know how important this is and I wouldn't dare to tell anyone about it."

"How do you know about the other's results?"

"Well, during lunch they talked about it. I was keeping quiet but it seems like they trust me."

Lia was sure now that Third P was the type to not trust anyone carelessly, especially not his siblings. It seemed he suffered a lot of grievances thanks to them. And since Lia has led Third P to slowly distrust Tom, no one could verify her words apart from herself.

"But when I told you about it, Tom seemed anxious to let you know."

The tapping returned, "Keep an eye on him and report anything suspicious to me."

"Yes, sir," Lia bowed but remained at her place.

"Anything else?" Third P gazed at her and there was a sense of alert surrounding him.

"It's just I'm curious about the purpose of the ghost creations."

"Why?"

"I don't really care but wouldn't anyone be curious?"

For a long while, Lia had to endure Third P's lingering and sharp gaze on her. She was taking a risk by doing this but she also established that in return for helping Third P, such a small question would be nothing.

"The Ghost King wants them," Third P sighed and looked out of the window. In the back, were only the mountains and the clear, bright sky.

"Why would the Ghost King-"

"I don't know. If the Ghost King wants it, then so be it. There's nothing dangerous about it. He's the Ghost King."

Nothing dangerous about it because he was the Ghost King? Lia sneered in her heart as she descended the stairs.

Whatever Min had planned, it was obvious that it would be anything else than safe or harmless. He would kill, betray and exploit. In the end, what wouldn't he do?

Lia would uncover all of his secrets, his goal and then she would take it all from him. Sooner or later Min would grovel before her.

She stopped before her room and remembered. She abruptly turned around and found her way to knock on Noel's door.

Noel was already waiting for her. She sat on his bed, feeling funny how she was comfortable around him.

"And Tim?" Lia mocked him and finally felt she was in her element again.

"Kim, you sure are bold," Noel pulled up a chair and sat in front of her.

"So, we've established that all the laboratories might be the same. Various torture and killing methods. It's indeed a competition between them and-"

"This might take longer than I thought."

"How?"

"With no proper results, how do you want to pit them against each other?"

"Fake them. Third P already distrusts his siblings and believes that Tom might be a spy or that at least, his siblings are trying to sabotage him. So what I thought was to have Fourth P and Third P create an alliance and let them deal with Second and First P."

"Telling them that they got a surge in results?"

"Apparently Tom has leaked some crucial info. I already laid the groundwork, it's up to you."

Noel thought and Lia glanced around his room. There was nothing special.

"This gonna work?"

"Maybe, if you don't try it, you won't know."

Noel sighed, "Then as you say."

"Say, weren't you prepared? Why does it feel like I'm doing all the work?"

Noel's face turned blank, "Because you came later and I added you, so change in plans."

"You never had a plan in the first place."

Noel didn't say anything and Lia was ready to make fun of him, "I did but it's better this way. There'll be less..."

His voice faded and Lia couldn't hear what he said. She wanted to know but she didn't want to pry.

"My concern is Tom. Even today, he slipped from work several times."

"Isn't it because you're unlikeable?" Noel's smirk was back.

"Shut up," the pillow would've loved to slap Noel's face a few times, "but I'm also concerned about Sera."