Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1689: LET’S KICK OFF OUR WONDERFUL CARNAGE~ Part~1

[Reader discretion advised]The guard standing before the restricted door casually observed the visitors enjoying the final hours of their zoo trip. Families wandered through the pathways while children pointed excitedly at distant enclosures, and the fading sunless light painted the sky with shades of orange and crimson.

For the first time in hours, the guard found himself genuinely relaxed.

A gentle smile appeared on his face as he adjusted his posture and glanced around the unusually calm area.

"Today has been surprisingly peaceful. No massive crowds causing problems, no idiots trying to sneak into restricted sections, and no emergencies giving everyone a headache. If tomorrow ends up this quiet too, I might actually start believing the universe has decided to be kind for once."

Unfortunately, fate seemed determined to prove him wrong.

Chuckk~

A sharp impact struck his neck before he even realised something had approached him.

The guard’s eyes widened in shock as an overwhelming surge of pain shot through his body. His hand instinctively moved toward the wound, but the motion never finished.

Blood poured down his uniform as his strength rapidly disappeared, and within seconds, his lifeless body collapsed onto the ground like a discarded doll.

"GGRRRRLLLL!!!!"

The Aquatic Man released a savage growl that reverberated through the surrounding area.

Blood stained his mouth while his restrained arms trembled violently. The countless experiments, the endless suffering, and the unbearable torment he had endured for so long seemed to explode from within his body at once.

Even though cuffs still limited his movements, the creature forced himself forward through sheer determination!

Nearby visitors froze as they noticed the monstrous figure emerging from the restricted zone.

"KYAAAAAA!!"

"MONSTER ESCAPED!!"

"EVERYONE RUN!!"

Panic spread instantly.

People abandoned all sense of order as they fled in every direction. Parents desperately grabbed their children while others stumbled over benches and railings in their attempts to escape.

The peaceful atmosphere that had existed only moments ago was shattered completely beneath a wave of fear and confusion.

The Aquatic Man’s ears twitched as the sounds of screaming reached him.

His gaze slowly shifted toward the fleeing crowd.

Something predatory awakened behind those eyes.

Although weakened by captivity, his body remained vastly superior to ordinary humans. Powerful muscles flexed beneath damaged skin as he surged forward with frightening speed, crossing the distance between himself and the fleeing visitors in mere moments.

"AARRRRHHHH!!"

Terrified screams echoed across the zoo while people desperately tried to escape the creature’s pursuit.

Meanwhile, the restricted door slowly opened.

A tall muscular man stepped out as though he were taking a casual evening stroll.

A rabbit mask covered his face.

In his right hand rested a sword still dripping with fresh blood.

His left hand firmly gripped a man by the hair.

Or more accurately...

Half-cut man.

No, not the cut in half... in a normal manner.

Instead, the body had been carved into a grotesque shape resembling a passport photograph.

Blood continued dripping from the mutilated remains while his half-cut heart squized out and half-cut lungs remained partially visible through the horrifying cut.

The dead man happened to be the same individual who had helped Lackey to enter the door... Yup, that same guy who thought it was just passing wind.

Fortunately for him, he had crossed paths with the wrong person.

Sluqech...

A wet sound echoed through the evening air as Lackey casually placed the passport-live-photograph man beside the door as though he were some kind of guardian... or a warning?

Lackey slowly raised his bloodstained sword before resting it against his shoulder.

His gaze drifted upward toward the darkening sky where the final light painted the clouds with crimson, gold, and deep shades of violet.

The horizon appeared almost beautiful... Almost~

*So lovely,* Lackey murmured while spreading his arms wide as though embracing the entire dusk.

*People spend their lives chasing happiness, yet they rarely stop to appreciate moments like this.*

A gun suddenly materialised in his left hand.

The smile beneath the rabbit mask widened.

It was an innocent and cheerful smile.

The kind of smile that belonged to a child enjoying his favourite holiday.

Lackey shouted enthusiastically,

*IT’S A FUCKING BEAUTIFUL DAYYYY! LET’S KICK OFF OUR WONDERFUL CARNAGE~!*

"HEHEHEHEHE~!"

His laughter echoed throughout the zoo like the celebration of a man who had finally found paradise.

At that same moment, his deep black hair was subtly elongated by a few millimetres. The change appeared insignificant, yet faint distortions rippled through the illusion surrounding his existence.

Step!

Lackey instantly appeared before the reinforced glass enclosure and swung his sword without hesitation.

To his surprise, the reinforced wall remained completely intact.

Nearby visitors witnessed the attack and immediately panicked. Terrified screams erupted throughout the area as people abandoned all composure and fled in every direction, desperately trying to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the rabbit-masked man standing before the enclosure.

Lackey frowned.

Without wasting another moment, he raised the gun in his left hand and pulled the trigger directly at the reinforced glass. A brilliant white beam erupted from the barrel and slammed into the structure.

Yet nothing.

*Hmm... so they’ve really been looking down on us this entire time.*

Lackey stared at the enclosure while countless thoughts passed through his mind.

The Empire had fought wars, developed weapons, and sacrificed countless lives attempting to strengthen itself, yet these people possessed materials capable of resisting attacks that should have shattered almost anything. Even now, standing before undeniable proof of their technological superiority, he found it difficult to believe that they had never chosen to deploy these advantages openly against other Empires.

Why?

Were they deliberately holding back?

Did they consider other Empires too insignificant to warrant their true strength?

If they possessed materials, technology, and highly classified weapons of this calibre, then why had they allowed conflicts to continue using.... comparatively primitive equipment?

Lackey eventually shook his head and dismissed the questions.

A dangerous smile slowly spread across his face as he looked at the enclosure once more.

"Let’s fuck it all~"

He casually flipped the gun in his hand, causing the cartridge chamber to rotate open. An Origin Core Crystal emerged from within the weapon and flew directly towards the glass. At the same time, the gun instantly replaced the previous one, and Lackey immediately fired a concentrated white beam toward the crystal.

BAM!

The beam struck the Origin Core Crystal directly.

For a brief moment, thin cracks rapidly spread across its surface. Brilliant white energy leaked through every fracture and began expanding violently, causing the surrounding air to distort as overwhelming energy accumulated faster than the crystal could contain it.

Then the containment completely failed.

BOOOOOMMMMM!!!

A devastating shockwave erupted outward and slammed into the reinforced enclosure with overwhelming force.

Crack!

The supposedly indestructible barrier finally reached its limit as enormous fractures raced across its surface before the entire structure shattered apart in an explosion of glass and debris.

The elves instinctively flinched and shielded themselves from the flying debris. For the first time in years, the wall that had separated them from the outside world no longer existed.

The cage that had stolen their freedom finally lay broken before them.

Yet nobody celebrated.

Nobody rushed toward freedom.

Years of captivity had drained something essential from their souls. Their bodies remained alive, but their spirits had long since been crushed beneath endless suffering, experimentation, and... despair.

Most merely stared at the destroyed wall with hollow eyes that no longer contained excitement, hope, or even curiosity.

Lackey observed their reactions and slowly smirked.

Crimson sparks flickered within his pitch-black eyes as he threw several swords onto the ground before them.

*Either take your own lives and end your suffering...*

A nearby guard suddenly rushed toward him while raising a weapon.

Before the guard could even pull the trigger, Lackey’s sword pierced through his chest and emerged from his back. Blood poured from the wound as the man’s body trembled violently before collapsing onto the floor.

Lackey calmly pulled the blade free.

*Or... Get your fucking revenge.*

Step!

His figure vanished from the enclosure and appeared at another habitat several moments later.

One after another, reinforced glass shattered beneath his attacks.

One after another, captives found themselves staring at open pathways that had remained inaccessible for years.

Even though their will to live had long since been erased by years of suffering, the pain and hatred buried deep within their hearts had never truly disappeared.

Lackey simply dragged those emotions back to the surface and placed them before their eyes, forcing them to confront every wound, humiliation, and injustice they had endured.

After leaving weapons within their reach, he stepped away without offering comfort, encouragement, or orders, allowing those emotions alone to decide what they would do next... Just like what he was doing!

BOOOM!

"SOMEONE HELP US!"

BOOOM!

"ARRHHHHHH!"

Explosions continued erupting throughout the Zoo while desperate screams echoed from every direction.

Through all of it, Lackey continued moving from enclosure to enclosure without the slightest hesitation.

His eyes never returned to normal.

Endless darkness occupied his gaze while occasional crimson sparks danced deep within that abyss.

Just then, Lackey noticed a commotion further down the pathway and shifted his attention toward it.

Several guards had surrounded the Aquatic Man inside a glowing energy net that restrained his movements, yet the creature showed no concern whatsoever.

Blood covered his face and chest while pieces of flesh remained trapped between his teeth, as he gouged flesh from the dead with his cuffed hands.

"Don’t move, you monster!" one of the guards shouted while maintaining his aim.

The Aquatic Man responded by chewing the flesh in his mouth before slowly turning his gaze toward the man who had spoken.

There was no fear in those eyes, no desperation, and no instinctive survival response. After everything he had endured, death itself seemed to have lost the ability to intimidate him.

"Sir, we shouldn’t kill this bastard immediately," another guard said through clenched teeth while looking toward the bodies scattered across the pathway.

Eleven corpses lay among overturned benches and bloodstained pavement, transforming what had once been a family attraction into a scene of carnage.

"After what this thing did, a quick death would be giving him mercy he doesn’t deserve."

Several nearby guards nodded in agreement.

Nobody intended to let the creature die peacefully.

Years of training and discipline struggled to suppress the anger visible on their faces as they looked at the victims lying around them.

One of the guards eventually stepped forward while holding a tranquilliser weapon. Maintaining a steady grip, he carefully aimed at the Aquatic Man’s back and prepared to neutralise the creature before additional support units arrived.

Bang!

The tranquilliser dart never reached its target.

Thud!

A tall figure wearing a rabbit mask stood between the guards and the Aquatic Man while casually holding another tranquilliser dart between his fingers.

"Oh my~"

Lackey examined the dart with exaggerated curiosity before slowly rotating it between his fingers.

"You people are still using these things? That’s honestly impressive. Entire civilisations evolve, technologies advance beyond imagination, and yet somehow you’re still obsessed with treating anything different from yourselves like an animal.

Some habits really are immortal, aren’t they? Hehe~"

The guards stared at him.

At first, confusion dominated their expressions.

Nobody understood how he had appeared.

Nobody understood when he arrived.

Nobody understood how he had intercepted the projectile so effortlessly.

And... How did he speak their language so fluently?

!!!

Then recognition arrived.

Several faces immediately turned pale.

The rabbit mask.

That unmistakable rabbit mask.

Every security briefing, every emergency report, and every warning flashed through their minds simultaneously.

"C-CONTACT BETA SOLDIER UNITS IMMEDIATELY! WE HAVE A HOSTILE THREAT IN—CHUCKK!!"

A sword pierced through the guard’s mouth and emerged from the back of his skull before he could finish transmitting the message. Blood splattered across the pathway as his body remained standing for a brief moment before collapsing lifelessly onto the ground.

Shock swept through the remaining guards.

Their minds struggled to process the speed of the attack.

Their eyes could barely follow the movement.

"FIR—ARRRHH!"

The rabbit-masked man crossed the distance separating them so quickly that several guards failed to realise he had disappeared until he was already standing among them. Before one of the nearest guards could react, Lackey seized the man’s head and drove the tranquilliser directly into his eye socket with enough force to send the victim crashing onto the pavement.

The guard released a horrifying scream while collapsing to the ground.

Panic spread through the formation.

Years of professional training began unravelling beneath overwhelming fear as the remaining guards attempted to reposition and establish a firing line. Their efforts proved meaningless because Lackey moved through them like a nightmare given physical form, appearing and disappearing between positions while systematically dismantling every attempt at resistance.

Terrified visitors watched the confrontation from a distance as bodies continuously hit the ground.

The entire encounter lasted less than 10 seconds.

When the violence finally stopped, every guard who had surrounded the Aquatic Man lay motionless upon the bloodstained pathway.

"EVERYONE RUNNNNN!!"

Visitors immediately abandoned any hope of remaining calm. Parents grabbed their children without hesitation, friends dragged one another toward safety, and countless people rushed toward exits while desperately trying to escape the nightmare unfolding around them.

Lackey casually observed the fleeing civilians without making any attempt to pursue them.

There was no reason to waste time chasing people who were already running exactly where he expected them to go.

More importantly, the true disaster had only just begun.

THUD!

One of the fleeing visitors stumbled forward before collapsing onto the pavement.

A sharpened wooden branch protruded from the back of the victim’s head.

The surrounding crowd froze.

Horror slowly spread across their faces as they followed the direction from which the weapon had come.

A bloodshot naked elf whose body remained stained with blood from countless wounds, both old and new.

Their grip tightened around a stolen sword while years of pain, humiliation, and captivity burned within their eyes.

Only hatred remained, and with that hatred guiding every step, the elf relentlessly pursued the fleeing people without a trace of mercy.

Behind that elf came another.

Then another.

Then several more.

Lackey turned around and casually stepped onto the chest of one of the fallen guards before pulling his sword from the dead man’s mouth.

Slucck~

Blood slid down the edge of the blade as he walked toward the Aquatic Man, who remained trapped beneath the glowing energy net. Despite everything that had happened, the creature continued staring at the surrounding carnage with bloodshot eyes while pieces of flesh remained lodged between his teeth.

With a single swing, Lackey sliced through the energy net and caused the glowing restraints to collapse into countless fading particles. He then crouched before the Aquatic Man and looked directly into the creature’s eyes, his expression carrying neither sympathy nor cruelty, only a cold certainty.

*Kill them all,* Lackey said in a calm voice that somehow sounded more disturbing than a scream.

*Take your revenge for every day they kept you imprisoned. Take your revenge for every experiment they forced upon you, every wound they carved into your body, and every moment of suffering they inflicted upon you. Let them feel the consequences of everything they have done, and when you’ve finally satisfied that hatred burning inside your heart.

I... I’ll personally grant you the death you’ve been wishing for.*

The Aquatic Man remained motionless while staring into Lackey’s eyes.

Those eyes.

That endless darkness.

For a brief moment, the creature was reminded of the young man he had encountered before.

The resemblance had nothing to do with appearance, voice, or mannerisms. Instead, it was hidden within the abyss-like darkness occupying their gazes, as though both of them carried a similar emptiness buried deep within their souls.

The Aquatic Man slowly blinked before turning his head toward the surrounding pathways.

The Aquatic Man blinked as he looked toward his fellow brethren, the very people who had suffered alongside him for countless years.

They walked through the bloodstained pathways with blood covering their bodies and old scars marking their skin, while their eyes burned with a hatred so intense that it seemed capable of consuming everything around them.

A violent growl escaped the Aquatic Man’s throat as memories surged through his mind.

"ARRHHHHHHHH!!"

Years of torture.

Years of captivity.

Years of humiliation.

The hatred he had desperately tried to bury suddenly returned with overwhelming force.

Lackey’s smile widened slightly.

Without saying another word, he stood up and continued walking toward the control centre, leaving the Aquatic Man behind to make his own choices.

A faint sound reached his ears.

Someone was crying.

Curious, he turned his head toward a nearby table.

Several tables had been overturned during the panic, creating a makeshift hiding place beneath them. Huddled together under one of those tables were several children whose faces were stained with tears.

"M-Mommy... where’s Mommy...?"

"I-I’m scared..."

"S-Stay quiet... someone is coming..."

The children immediately fell silent after those words.

A shadow slowly stretched across the floor and approached their hiding place.

Every child instinctively held their breath.

Their hearts pounded violently against their chests while fear tightened around their throats.

Only a short time ago, they had been laughing, playing games, and enjoying what should have been a normal day. Some of them had spent the afternoon throwing pebbles at skeletons, teasing monsters trapped behind reinforced glasses, and running around without a care in the world.

Now explosions echoed through the Zoo.

Now strangers screamed in terror.

Now, blood-stained pathways that had once been crowded with smiling people.

The approaching shadow continued moving closer, causing the children to press tightly against one another while desperately hoping whoever approached would simply walk away.

When the shadow suddenly disappeared from view, several of them released a trembling sigh of relief and genuinely believed the danger had passe—

"Peekaboo~"