God Simulator: The Goddesses In The Simulation Are All Real

Chapter 116: A Family Is Very Eager To Adopt You

Over the following days, Linsley kept to himself, observing the rundown orphanage while keeping a low profile. His surroundings were bleak and filled with signs of poverty, but Linsley was more concerned with what lay beneath the surface.

The strange behaviors of the staff and certain conversations he overheard made him suspicious. There was something dark going on here, something that didn't match the outward image of a simple orphanage.

Linsley thought about his simulation talents. They were still there, like hidden trump cards, to be used only when "shit hits the fan." He wouldn't be reckless, but knowing that his powers were intact gave him confidence.

Martial Arts Grandmaster (Purple) could help him in a fight, but his weakened, malnourished body meant his effectiveness would be limited. However, Physical Immortality (Gold) gave him a major advantage. Even in a fight to the death, he wouldn't die. He could endure serious damage and use that to his advantage, harming himself 800 points to deal 1000 points of damage to his opponent.

Paired with Martial Arts Grandmaster (Purple), he could be a relentless fighter, outlasting opponents no matter how powerful they were. Social Distancing (Purple), on the other hand, was a practical defense mechanism, keeping people at a distance and reducing his chances of attracting attention. These talents would be his trump cards if things went sideways.

For now, Linsley acted the part of a quiet, curious child, blending in with the other orphans.

He made two friends during this time: Ted, a boy his age, and Lucy, a shy girl who seemed to share the same unawakened potential he sensed in Ted.

They were gullible, as most children were, but Linsley didn't have any malicious intentions. He was genuinely curious about their potential and knew that having allies might come in handy.

"Why do you always sit so quietly and stare at things?" Lucy asked one afternoon, her voice tinged with innocent curiosity as she sat beside him on a dusty bench.

Linsley gave her a soft smile. "Just thinking, that's all. Have you ever wondered what's outside this place?"

Ted, who was sitting across from them, chimed in with a frown. "We're not allowed outside much. I heard the director talking to some men. They mentioned big places… but they didn't sound nice."

That made Linsley perk up. "Big places?"

"Yeah," Ted replied, his expression unusually serious for a child. "Men in suits come sometimes. They talk to the director, but it never feels good."

Linsley nodded, his suspicions deepening.

Over the next several weeks, he kept an eye on the director—a cold, emotionless man who ran the orphanage like a business.

Something about him was off, and now, with Ted's words, Linsley was even more certain that something shady was happening here.

He started piecing things together, overhearing phone calls late at night.

The director would speak in hushed tones, mentioning things like "materials" and "quality," which immediately raised red flags for Linsley. The more he listened, the clearer it became: this orphanage was a front for something far darker.

One afternoon, while the children were busy with their chores, Linsley spotted the director speaking with a man in a sharp black suit near the entrance. The man stood out in stark contrast to the dilapidated surroundings, his cold demeanor clashing with the bleakness of the orphanage.

Linsley could only make out fragments of their conversation, but the words "experiments" and "new batch" sent chills down his spine.

It became painfully obvious—this wasn't a place for caring for abandoned children. The director was part of some underground operation, likely trafficking the orphans for human experimentation. Linsley's two friends, Ted and Lucy, had likely been marked as future "materials."

At night, while the other children slept, Linsley lay on his creaky mattress, thinking about what to do next.

…

Two months had passed, and the older children were disappearing more frequently. However, they never returned.

Whenever one of the children curiously asked about their disappearance, the director would coldly reply that they had been "adopted."

Linsley had seen enough to know something was deeply wrong with the orphanage.

But he couldn't act recklessly. If he moved too soon, he might tip off the wrong people, and his body wasn't ready for a full confrontation yet. He needed more time, more information.

For now, he would continue to play the part of the quiet observer, the harmless orphan, until he had enough to act decisively.

Still, he wasn't powerless. His talents would allow him to defend himself if necessary. Physical Immortality (Gold) ensured that no matter how frail his body was, he wouldn't die easily.

And day by day, his body was slowly recovering, thanks to that very talent. He wasn't as weak or lethargic as when he first arrived, though he still had a long way to go before regaining his full strength.

"There's definitely something wrong with this place," Linsley whispered to himself as he lay awake one night. "But I'll figure it out, one step at a time."

Ted and Lucy had unknowingly become his allies, and he wasn't about to let them become victims of whatever sinister operation was happening in the orphanage.

…

Over the next year, Linsley quietly observed the orphanage, carefully gathering information.

He and his friends grew closer during that time, bonding over their shared sense of unease and the strange happenings within the orphanage walls.

Ted was a curious, quick-witted boy, and Lucy, though quiet, had a sharp sense of intuition. The three of them made an unspoken pact to watch each other's backs as they navigated the dangers of their environment.

The director continued his cold routine, always speaking vaguely about the children who had "gone to new homes." But it was clear to Linsley that none of the other orphans believed that lie anymore.

Whispers among the children grew louder: those who disappeared never wrote, never visited, and it was as if they had been erased from existence entirely.

Linsley's own body, thanks to Physical Immortality (Gold), had recovered from the worst of its malnutrition over time. Enjoy exclusive content from ???

He wasn't as frail as before, though he still maintained the appearance of a weak and quiet child to avoid suspicion. He used this time to sharpen his instincts, study the routine of the director and staff, and prepare for when the time came to make his move.

Then, after a year of biding his time, the day finally came.

The director summoned Linsley, Ted, and Lucy into his office. His eyes were cold, as always, but there was a hint of something unsettling in his tone as he addressed them.

"You three are lucky," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "A family is very eager to adopt you."