The violet red glow illuminated Zayne's face, flickering between light and shadow.
As he stared at the raging sea of fire before him, his thoughts grew heavy and tangled.
He opened a pack of cigarettes he had picked up earlier, lit one with Hellfire, slipped it between his lips, then tossed the entire pack into the flames.
The sharp taste of nicotine spread through his mouth and lungs, slowly calming his mind.
Wanting a cigarette the moment something happens seemed to be a reflex carved into the instincts of every man.
A freshly awakened Level 16 who had stormed in alone, killed Dano, the underground king of Old Shipyard Port, and burned the entire black market to the ground. Even if Zayne told the story himself, no one would believe it.
Even the authorities would never suspect him. It was like the leader of a certain powerful nation being assassinated. No one would ever investigate the person sitting in front of a screen like you.
Once this fire burned out, everything would be pinned on the nonexistent Shadowcaster.
Zayne lowered his gaze, watching the still unconscious Blake through the drifting smoke.
Now there was only one unresolved issue.
Blake.
He was the only person who had personally witnessed Zayne killing Dano.
If Zayne killed Blake now, then sent Francis to his death as well, and finally left himself gravely injured beside Francis's body, everything would be clean.
Any investigation would conclude that Dano had attacked the Ward Group, slaughtered Blake's entire family, only to be wiped out later by the mysterious Shadowcaster.
Zayne would simply be a pitiful survivor.
With that thought, Zayne slowly raised Starfall Skytrace, a cold glint flashing through his eyes.
At that moment, Blake stirred and slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was the faint starlight flowing along the blade of Starfall Skytrace.
"Za… Zayne? What are you doing?"
Zayne did not answer.
He swung the blade.
Several flashes of cold light passed, and a bright red apple was perfectly peeled in an instant.
"Mr. Ward, would you like an apple?" Zayne blinked innocently.
Blake finally let out a breath, his heart still racing.
"Zayne, you scared me to death. Why are you eating an apple at a time like this?"
He turned toward the raging inferno and asked in alarm, "What happened here?"
"Those skeletons tried to kill us earlier. Luckily, Shadowcaster… oh, no." Zayne quickly covered his mouth, as if realizing he had misspoken, then corrected himself. "That mysterious person saved us and burned the entire black market down."
"Oh?" A sharp glint flashed in Blake's eyes.
He thought to himself that Zayne was still young at heart. If something slipped out so easily, could it really be called a secret? He would need to teach the boy better when he had time.
Shadowcaster?
What kind of hidden powerhouse was that? He had never heard of such a person.
"It's fine as long as we're safe. Let's go. The Investigation Bureau will arrive soon. I need to prepare in advance." Blake's expression turned grave.
Zayne nodded.
The Investigation Bureau specialized in handling matters involving Awakened. Dano's death would definitely trigger a full scale investigation.
Zayne had indeed considered killing Blake earlier, but in the end, he suppressed the thought.
If he truly killed Blake and Francis, people who had shown him genuine kindness, just to secure his own safety, then he would have abandoned his humanity completely.
Humans were a fusion of reason and instinct. Most of the time, they were calculating and self preserving, yet sometimes they could not help but act selflessly.
His desire to live was instinct. Saving Blake was humanity.
If he abandoned that humanity, then even if he lived forever, he would be nothing more than a long lived beast wearing human skin.
When Francis saw Blake return safely with Zayne, he broke down, crying uncontrollably as he wrapped his arms around his father.
"Dad. Dad, you're back. I thought I'd never see you again."
Few things in life were more beautiful than reclaiming what was thought lost.
"Silly boy. Why are you crying? I'm still here, aren't I? As long as I'm alive, the sky won't fall." Blake gently ruffled Francis's hair, his own eyes reddening.
Francis's mother had passed away early. Blake had raised him alone. Francis was everything to him.
"All right, stop crying. You don't look like a man at all." Blake's gaze sharpened. "Move aside. I have a lot to deal with."
In that moment, he became Mr. Ward once more, the man who dominated the business world.
Dano's death would soon shake all of Old Shipyard Port. When that happened, the Investigation Bureau would mobilize in full force.
His top priority now was ensuring that Zayne and Francis could safely participate in the college entrance trial.
Once they entered the examination grounds, not even the Investigation Bureau could touch them.
Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.
For Blake, and even more so for everyone else in Old Shipyard Port.
...
Old Shipyard Port Investigation Bureau.
Howard sat at his desk, having just finished organizing the case files related to the Zion Farm incident.
Zion, one of Dano's subordinates. Dano himself had already made contact, instructing the Bureau to stop pursuing the case.
Howard had therefore closed it as an unsolved case.
When he looked up after finishing the paperwork, he realized it was already past three in the morning.
He pinched the bridge of his nose.
"The underground king of Old Shipyard Port. Having a cancer like that in this city is truly a headache."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the door burst open with a bang.
The sudden noise in the dead of night startled Howard badly.
He looked up and saw Scott, the rookie he had been assigned to mentor. Scott's face was pale with panic.
"What is it? Why are you so clumsy?" Howard scolded. "Didn't I teach you? Stay calm when something happens. Panic and excitement solve nothing."
"Yes, yes, you're right," Scott stammered. "But this time, it's really huge."
His throat bobbed, sweat pouring down his forehead.
"Oh?" Howard smiled faintly, completely unruffled, and took a sip of water. "Go on. What kind of huge matter is it?"
Young people really couldn't hold their nerve. They got worked up over the smallest things.
"You might want to sit down for this," Scott said, his voice trembling.
"Relax. I've been an investigator for years. I've seen everything. What could possibly scare me?" Howard said calmly, still drinking.
"Dano is dead. The entire underground black market has been burned to ashes. The methods match the farm incident exactly."
The moment Scott finished speaking, Howard spat out his water in a spray, drenching Scott from head to toe.
"What?" Howard shouted. "Who did you say died? Dano? What the hell?"