NOVPUBBrooks, in a deep voice, queried, "Martin, is there really a man named Daniel at the Investigation Bureau right now?"
Without betraying any emotion, Martin confirmed, "Indeed, he’s right beside me. He just mentioned gifting the Investigation Bureau with a grand present—Alex’s life. And then you called. Were you and Alex hurt because of him?"
Brooks quickly clarified, "No, it wasn’t him. However, he wasn’t lying. He truly delivered us a significant gift. Had it not been for the call I received from Daniel, alerting me to assist Alex, perhaps neither of us would be alive now."
Martin was immediately taken aback. "What?! Are you saying Daniel warned you in advance to save Alex?"
Brooks hurriedly affirmed, "Exactly. He called me, saying the mannequins at the Central Supermarket would transform into monsters and ambush Alex, leading to his demise."
"I rushed over immediately, and it was just as Daniel described. Alex was inspecting the clothing section when the mannequins around him suddenly erupted into a frenzy, ready to swarm him. If I hadn’t arrived when I did, Alex might not have even had a chance to defend himself before meeting his end," Brooks explained.
Martin stared at the unflappable Daniel, his face a mask of disbelief. "Is what you’re saying the truth?"
Over the phone, Brooks continued, "Absolutely. Moreover, Daniel mentioned that using fire against those mannequin monsters would be effective. So, I ignited the nearby clothing, and with the assistance of the air conditioning’s cold blast, a raging fire quickly consumed the entire clothing section. Those monstrous mannequins were all reduced to ashes."
The call was on speaker, so Julia and Mike heard every word. They, like Martin, looked at Daniel in utter astonishment.
However, Daniel remained calm, saying, "Well, Minister Martin, are you satisfied with my generous gift?" He then turned to Julia, "And you, Miss Julia, can you put away your electrifying display now?"
With a crackling sound, the electricity in Julia’s hand dissipated.
She stepped aside, at a loss for words, her inner turmoil evident.
Her initial doubts about Daniel’s capabilities had now transformed into profound respect.
A single phone call had saved the Investigation Bureau’s top combatants, sparing them from an irreparable loss.
Such is the power of foresight—an utterly terrifying force.
On the phone, Brooks added, "Daniel’s at the Investigation Bureau right now, correct? Tell him to wait. I’ll bring Alex back immediately. We’ll be there soon."
Then, all that was left was the steady beeping of the call’s end.
The office was steeped in silence amongst the four of them for a long while.
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Martin spoke up. "Daniel, once the intelligence department has thoroughly investigated, we’ll properly thank you for your timely intervention. Also, in a short while, the lottery draw will be televised. If the numbers you’ve written match those announced on TV, I’ll agree to your request."
The recent phone call had made Martin acutely aware of Daniel’s significance.
The power to foresee the future, to prepare for what’s coming, to preemptively tackle challenges—it’s invaluable.
With such an ability, the Investigation Bureau could, to an extent, avert countless unforeseen disasters.
Of course, all of this hinged on the authenticity of Daniel’s precognitive abilities.
Although Martin was now 99% convinced, he wouldn’t gamble on the remaining 1% or even 0.01% of doubt.
Investigations must be conducted.
As long as Alex’s endangerment wasn’t orchestrated and as long as Daniel can indeed predict all lottery numbers, any lingering doubts can be laid to rest.
Daniel merely nodded in understanding.
He naturally grasped the considerations weighing on Martin’s mind.
He had done what needed to be done, and now, all he had to do was wait.
He was confident there’d be no more glitches in the process.
Soon after, Julia escorted Daniel back to the conference room.
After all, Martin, being the Minister overseeing Evolvers worldwide, was invariably swamped with duties and lacked the leisure to chat idly with Daniel.
Of course, Daniel wasn’t particularly keen on small talk either.
He sat in the conference room, sipping his coffee in tranquil silence—a comfort unparalleled.
Julia, for her part, simply sat quietly, words eluding her.
In truth, Julia felt extremely uncomfortable being alone with Daniel.
It wasn’t for any trivial reason, but the mere fact that Daniel knew about the intimate tattoo, the mark of a seductress, she had on her body made her restless.
The thought that Daniel might have seen everything about her in his visions made her feel as though she were sitting on pins and needles.
It felt as if she were naked, under his scrutinizing gaze.
Little did she realize, Daniel was engrossed in his own thoughts, hardly sparing her a glance. 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝒐𝒎
Just as the atmosphere in the conference room grew palpably awkward, there was a sudden, sharp knock.
The door to the room burst open.
A tall man with a prominent nose and a scruffy beard entered— it was Brooks.
Upon entering the room, Brooks’s gaze instantly fixed on Daniel.
"Daniel?" He inquired.
Daniel merely nodded in acknowledgment.
Seeing this, Brooks gestured to Julia, "Julia, leave us. I need to have a private word with him."
Julia, who had been restless and eager to exit the awkward situation, gratefully rose and hastily left the room.
Once outside, she closed the door behind her.
Brooks, however, quickly reopened the door, cautiously scanning the surroundings outside before securely shutting it once again.
He then took a seat beside Daniel and, with an urgent tone, asked, "Who told you about the incident with Alex’s pants?"
Daniel looked at him, slightly taken aback.
He had initially been curious about Brooks’s secretive demeanor, wondering if the man had some confidential information to share.
Daniel had expected the conversation to touch upon his foresight abilities or perhaps gratitude for saving both of their lives. Surprisingly, Brooks broached this topic first.
In a calm demeanor, Daniel replied, "It was you who told me."
Brooks’s face tightened immediately. "Bullshit! I’ve never met you before this. How could I have told you?"
Gazing at Brooks earnestly, Daniel said, "Don’t forget, I can foresee the future. I saw a future where you informed me of this incident. That’s how I knew."
A momentary pause settled over Brooks, his face revealing a hint of realization.
Having personally experienced the predictive powers, he didn’t question Daniel’s words further.
He hurriedly continued, "Did you mention this to anyone else?"
Daniel was about to deny, but his lips curled into a smirk, "Not yet, but who knows about the future?"
Relief washed over Brooks with the first half of the statement, but Daniel’s latter words had him widening his eyes in alarm, "What do you mean by that?"
"Let me remind you," Brooks’s voice grew more urgent, "Alex is ruthless. If he learns that I’ve spilled this secret, he’d kill me first, then come after you."
Daniel raised an eyebrow, "Aren’t you both famed as unbeatable below Level 4? Are you actually afraid of him?"
Brooks’s eyes grew even larger, disbelief evident, "Afraid of him? That’s a laugh. On a normal day, I could crush him with a word. But you know, our abilities can be erratic. So, I usually let him have his way."
"You mentioned on the call that we would be colleagues in the future. Considering that, do me this favor, and please keep this between us."
Daniel nodded in acknowledgment.
Brooks was about to express his gratitude when Daniel interjected, "I can keep your secret. But it’ll cost you: three months of your salary, including the Gene Magnet."
Brooks’s expression darkened instantly.
In a restrained, yet mocking tone, he replied, "Daniel, perhaps you haven’t quite grasped the current situation. You’re about to join the Investigation Bureau, and I happen to be its captain. I assume, as a rookie, you wouldn’t want to start on the wrong foot with your captain, would you?"
The weight of authority can often crush one’s spirit, but unfortunately for Brooks, he had chosen the wrong person to intimidate.
With a chuckle, Daniel retorted, "Brooks, you wouldn’t want Alex to know about this, would you?"
Brooks’s face contorted, looking more distasteful than if he had swallowed something vile. "Know what? It’s not as if I directly told you anything. You’re just saying I will in the future. We can’t see the future!"
Still grinning, Daniel replied, "It’s a matter of whether Captain Alex believes me or not. After all, I just saved his life using my ability. He’s unlikely to doubt me."
Brooks was rendered momentarily speechless. Finally, he said, "Daniel, I think you’ve misunderstood. I’m a Level 3 Evolver. If I wished, taking you down would be effortless."
Daniel promptly countered, "Four months of salary."
Brooks’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Why the hell are you raising your price?"
Unfazed, Daniel continued, "Five months of salary."
Brooks, now visibly irate, snapped, "Daniel, don’t get ahead of yourself. You haven’t even joined the Investigation Bureau yet. One word from me to Martin and you’d be shown the door!"
Daniel, nonchalantly, "Six months of salary."
Unable to bear the audacity anymore, Brooks shouted, "Enough! Stop! You know what? Go tell Alex. Even if he kills me, I won’t be extorted by a bastard like you!"
Daniel immediately rose to his feet, "Very well."
Seeing this, Brooks’s resolve crumbled.
