NOVPUBUnder the overwhelming show of firepower, Morrison and his crew dared not make a move.
They were compliantly escorted onto armored vehicles by the special operations team.
It wasn’t that they were cowards, but they knew the rarity of being an Evolver meant they were unlikely to face severe repercussions, even at the hands of the Investigation Bureau.
Especially now, when supernatural events were on the rise, and Evolvers played a pivotal role.
Julia led the team in taking Morrison back to the Investigation Bureau headquarters.
The plan was to interrogate him, to extract any information regarding the Rebirth organization.
Daniel suspected that Morrison wouldn’t crack easily, and that Julia would get nothing from him, but he kept his thoughts to himself.
Mike stayed, joining Daniel as they returned to the coffee shop.
The staff, who’d been ousted, hadn’t returned yet, so they poured themselves cups of coffee and settled by the street-side window.
Every so often, Daniel’s eyes would drift to the apartment building across the street.
Mike, sipping his coffee, knew exactly what Daniel was thinking. "Since that day, the intelligence department hasn’t detected any signs of a creature’s presence. Perhaps it’s moved on."
Daniel didn’t respond, but he knew in his bones that the creature was still there.
It was as if it was waiting, biding its time for someone to enter its domain.
A sudden thought hit him: what if Rachel returned unannounced one day and walked into that apartment? The consequences were unthinkable.
Turning towards Mike, his tone tinged with urgency, he asked, "Could you help me find someone?"
Mike looked puzzled. "Who?"
Daniel replied, "My girlfriend, Rachel."
Earlier, Mike and Julia had taken Sophia and the Abel brothers back to Investigation Bureau headquarters, which indicated they had already conducted a thorough investigation into the people close to Daniel.
At the mention of the name ’Rachel,’ Mike visibly hesitated.
Daniel asked, "Can’t do it?"
Mike shook his head. "Locating people is a straightforward task for the Investigation Bureau’s intelligence division. It’s just that... the person you’re looking for presents some complications."
"Why?" Daniel found it hard to understand.
Mike pondered for a moment as if making a weighty decision. "Martin instructed us not to tell you."
"But at this point, withholding the information seems counterproductive."
He hesitated briefly before continuing, "Rachel is about to get married."
The words landed like a ton of bricks in Daniel’s ears.
Rachel, getting married? How could this be?
Frantic, his eyes bloodshot in an instant, he glared at Mike, demanding, "What the hell is going on?"
Witnessing Daniel’s demeanor, Mike deeply regretted sharing the news.
Had he known it would come to this, he would’ve kept it to himself.
But what’s done was done.
Bracing himself, he continued, "We’re not sure about the details, but Rachel’s father is a congressman—or rather, a former congressman."
"He’s just resigned and is running in the presidential election. Her intended spouse is Samuel, Orland’s son, yes, the current President."
Daniel’s face remained stoic, a sea in eerie calm.
Mike looked at him, caught off guard.
When he and Julia had first learned of this news, even though it had nothing to do with them, they couldn’t help but feel a certain bitterness.
In the eyes of ordinary people, the President was akin to a feudal king—lofty, revered, untouchable.
Even as Evolvers, their social status couldn’t hold a candle to such a figure.
This was an inferiority complex, ingrained deep within them, congenital and inescapable.
Daniel, however, felt differently.
In his eyes, everyone was the same—a lesser being to be toyed with by monsters, himself included.
The only thing that set him apart was the deep-seated hatred in his heart, a loathing to eradicate all monsters from the world. A President? Barely more significant than flatulence.
Mike’s words led Daniel to a conclusion: "So, it’s a political alliance."
Mike nodded. "It has to be. They’re planning to get married before the Electoral College votes."
Daniel furrowed his brows; less than a month remained.
In other words, he had less than a month to take Rachel away.
But where could he possibly take her? He would be snatching away the future daughter-in-law of the sitting President and the daughter of a potential future President.
Crossing those two could mean forfeiting his place in Libertopia, and a wrathful Libertopia could make the world an unstable place for him.
A sudden headache gripped Daniel. "Can you get me Rachel’s contact information?"
Ever since Rachel had left, her old number had become unreachable.
Daniel had been puzzled, but now he understood—she had never wanted him to be able to reach her.
Mike hesitated for a moment, then busied himself with his phone.
Soon enough, he locked the screen. "Sent."
Almost simultaneously, Daniel’s phone pinged.
Picking it up, he saw that it was Rachel’s number from Mike.
He dialed it.
After an agonizingly long ring, the call connected.
A melancholic voice came from the other end of the line, "Dan, you finally called."
Over 600 kilometers away from Golden Shores, in an opulent villa in the First District of Flower City, Rachel sat, her face as pale as a waning moon.
The moment she saw the caller ID, she recognized him.
Daniel—the man whose memory haunted her days and invaded her nights.
Hearing Rachel’s voice filled Daniel with a poignant ache. "How have you been lately?"
Rachel managed a wistful smile. Just hearing his voice was enough to sweeten the melancholy in her heart. "Not bad. How about you?"
"You must have become an Evolver by now, haven’t you?"
Daniel wasn’t surprised by Rachel’s assumption. Given her status and position, it would have been more surprising if she wasn’t aware of Evolvers.
He chuckled softly, "As long as you’re doing well, so am I. Aside from minor inconveniences, I’m fine."
Rachel’s tone took on a flirty edge, "So, you’ve never missed me? Found someone new, have you?"
"I’ll have you know, if you ever dare to mistreat Sophia for another woman, you won’t get off easy."
Daniel sighed, a hint of bemusement in his voice, "One would think Sophia was your girlfriend, the way you talk."
Unable to hold it in, Rachel chuckled, "Ah, there’s the sarcasm I remember. Why did you call?"
Then, silence fell, thick and unbearable.
Both knew what the other was thinking, yet neither knew how to articulate the churning emotions within.
It was the helplessness that belonged to those with no power.
After a moment, Daniel shattered the quiet. "Rachel, do you... love me?"
Rachel exhaled deeply on the other end of the line, "Dan, I’m sorry—"
"Sorry doesn’t matter," Daniel interrupted, cutting through her words like a blade, "Just tell me. Do you love me or not?"
"I... do."
Rachel wanted to say she didn’t love him, but she couldn’t.
Her love for Daniel surged out uncontrollably, like a runaway supercar.
Hearing her confession, Daniel couldn’t help but laugh, his mouth stretching into a grin that nearly touched his ears. "That’s all I need to hear. Wait for me!"
Rachel sensed trouble. "What are you going to do?" But her question was met only with the dial tone—Daniel had hung up.
Sitting by the window, Rachel tightly clutched her phone, her brow furrowed, yet her lips curled involuntarily into a smile.
She didn’t want Daniel to act recklessly; that would only plunge him into peril.
But part of her was tinged with a vague sense of anticipation.
Knock, knock, knock!
Suddenly, a knocking sound came from behind her. Before she could respond, the door was pushed open.
A lanky man, wearing a grey-white suit and slicked-back, shiny hair, sauntered in with his hands in his pockets.
The moment he saw Rachel, a glint of manic desire flashed in his eyes.
Without ceremony, he plopped down onto the bed. "Who were you talking to, darling?"
Rachel shot him an icy, disdainful look. "Samuel, don’t you know it’s inappropriate to enter someone’s room without permission?"
Samuel grinned dismissively. "Oh, I know. But this isn’t just ’someone’s’ room—it’s my fiancée’s room. Soon enough, we’ll be doing all sorts of ’couple things’ on this bed, in front of this window. So, this is my room too."
As he spoke, Samuel stretched out his arms, lunging towards Rachel.
She quickly sidestepped, her face frozen in a mask of disgust. "We’re not married yet!"
The smile on Samuel’s face wavered, a flicker of barely-contained rage flashing in his eyes.
Yet, he masked it skillfully with a practiced smile. "My dear, our wedding plans are already in the works. Marriage is only a matter of time."
"I know you don’t have feelings for me, but in our social class, emotions are useless rubbish. What matters is interest."
"Besides," he continued, standing ominously close to Rachel, "feelings can be cultivated. Let’s try something intimate right now. You might just fall in love with me."
Rachel sensed imminent danger. She wanted to leave, but Samuel was blocking her path to the door. She was cornered, with no way out.
