webnovelfull Chapter 219: Something is strange about him
Chapter 219: Something is strange about him
Hannah had sent over the latest reports submitted by every active Nightwalker to the base. These reports were readily accessible to all officers for study, which explained how she had managed to get her hands on them.
And just as she had mentioned during the call, most of the reports revolved around Ethan and his recent missions.
"Four missions in three days. What in the actual world..." Layena muttered as she skimmed through the headlines. Aside from the bizarre incident that had forced Ethan to face a ghoul entirely on his own, he had undertaken three additional missions.
Truthfully, there was no shortage of raids in the city. Rifts appeared almost every day, while the number of Nightwalkers remained limited.
Thanks to their cooperation with CPV, however, everything remained under control and safely hidden from the public eye.
As a result, there were practically limitless opportunities for Nightwalkers to grow. Even so, the administration strictly regulated how many assignments an officer could accept in a single day, with the decision largely based on their physical condition.
"Three days ago, when he was assessed, only minor injuries were detected."
That was what surprised her the most.
He had faced a ghoul alone. For the first time.
She remembered her own first raid against one. Although she had backup nearby, she was still required to confront the creature by herself as part of her evaluation.
She had nearly lost an arm.
By the time the battle ended, she could barely remain standing.
Fighting a ghoul was no joke.
Not only did they possess a denser presence and far greater amounts of Absence, they could also command Majins and Nightmares. That turned every encounter into more than a battle against a single enemy. It was like facing an entire battalion.
"And yet... Ethan somehow recovered so quickly..."
Quickly enough to be assigned another mission the very next day.
He had served as backup, sure. But even then, how had the administration approved it? Was he really in such exceptional condition?
And what about today?
He had participated in two missions. One as the leader, and the other as backup.
What changed in him so suddenly?
She continued going through the reports before eventually calling Hannah.
"We’re here," the taxi driver informed her.
Layena paid the fare and stepped out.
At that moment, the call connected, and Hannah’s voice came from the other end.
{Did you see them?}
"Yes. And I need some answers."
{I can’t answer everything. I was only involved in one of those four raids.}
According to the report Layena had read, Hannah had been part of the strike force deployed to eliminate the Majins, while Ethan had participated as backup. Afterward, a team from Central had taken over and cleared the rift.
{Ethan’s been receiving a lot of praise from the officers. He was even recommended for transfer to a bigger city like Fortis.}
Layena let out a quiet sigh.
"I don’t care about that. Tell me, have you noticed anything strange about him?"
There was a brief pause.
{What can I say...? He’s just been unusually positive these days. I mean, he was never a pessimistic guy, but you’ve probably noticed it too. There was always this gloom around him, like he constantly had something weighing on his mind.}
Layena found herself recalling the man she followed during every raid.
Truthfully, she had never paid much attention to Ethan beyond professional necessity.
Still, Hannah was right.
He always came across as someone forcing himself to stay serious. Someone carrying an invisible burden every waking moment, as though his mind was occupied by worries no one else could see.
That subtle heaviness had become such a natural part of him that it was difficult to imagine him without it.
{But recently, he seems... complete. His orders are sharper, he never bothers with a Plan B, almost as if he’s absolutely certain nothing can go wrong with Plan A. And he’s been surprisingly nice to everyone, especially Clara.}
After a brief pause, Hannah added,
{And the biggest red flag? He hasn’t mentioned you in conversation more than once today. And even that was only because I brought you up first.}
Layena frowned.
"Why is that supposed to be a red flag? Is Ethan talking about me considered normal to you?"
{...Girl, you seriously need to stop being so dense.}
Hannah let out a sigh.
{Well, forget about that. Have you received any calls from the base?}
"Regarding what?" Layena asked as she stopped near her apartment building and leaned against the wall.
{His promotion assessment. I have a feeling Ethan will soon be given the chance to become a First-Grade.}
Layena blinked.
"This soon? I mean, didn’t he say he defeated that ghoul by pure luck?"
A teasing chuckle came from the other side.
{Heh~ Are you actually bitter that you won’t be the only First-Grade in our group anymore?}
Layena rolled her eyes.
"Have you forgotten about Kyle? He’ll probably become a Special-Grade the moment he starts serving under the PSC."
{Right, him.}
Hannah paused for a moment before speaking again, her tone growing more serious.
{Still, I have a feeling things are about to change around Ethan.}
Layena remained silent.
{And as a high-ranking soldier, you’re going to get dragged into it whether you like it or not.}
Layena frowned.
Why would she get involved in any of this?
Regardless, she chose not to argue with Hannah any further and soon ended the call.
Shaking her head, she turned toward the entrance of her apartment building, already thinking about what to cook for dinner.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, she spun around and looked toward the alley across the street.
For a brief moment, she had clearly felt someone’s gaze lingering on her.
Her thoughts immediately sharpened.
Scanning the area, she reinforced her perception with Genesis and carefully inspected every shadow and blind spot, searching for a lurking burglar or a hidden threat.
Yet she found nothing.
Not a single person.
Still, she wasn’t willing to take chances.
Turning back, she quickly entered the building and decided to keep the curtains drawn once she got home.
After what had happened with Ava, she knew better than to ignore her instincts.
Moments later, she disappeared inside.
Leaving behind a certain golden-haired man with a faint smile on his face.
"Haah... good, Layena."
Ethan muttered under his breath.
"I like how cautious you are."
He remained seated atop a building across from her apartment, his legs dangling over the edge. The night wind rustled his hood, keeping most of his face concealed beneath the shadows.
[She is perceptive. You should approach her carefully.]
Ethan let out a quiet chuckle.
"Who said I was planning to approach her?"
A brief silence followed.
[Then are you merely going to watch?]
Another pause.
[Are you perhaps a cuck?]
The smile on Ethan’s face twitched.
"Shut it. I’m not going to just watch."
Ethan clicked his tongue and pulled one knee up, resting an arm across it, he murmured,
"But this isn’t the right time to approach her."
His gaze remained fixed on Layena’s apartment window.
"I need to change the way she sees me first."
For a moment, his expression remained calm.
Then something darker surfaced beneath it.
A dangerous glint flashed through his eyes as the corners of his lips curled upward.
"Once that’s done, she’ll be mine.".
"And anyone who gets in my way..."
His voice lowered.
"I’ll rip their heart out and burn what’s left of them."
The night wind swept across the rooftop, causing his hood to flutter.
For a brief moment, the murderous intent in his eyes seemed almost tangible.
[That sounds less like love and more like obsession.]
Ethan’s smile widened.
"What’s the difference?" He stood at the edge and spread his arm, "I obsessively love her!"