Chapter 98: Still Alive

The wind swept across the rooftop of Wealth Building, whistling through the metal railings and stirring the loose debris on the concrete. Far past the surrounding blocks, distant roars rolled through Silvermont. Every so often a heavy crash followed, and birds scattered from the roofs. The Snake King and the Tyrannosaurus Rex were still tearing at each other somewhere near the Museum, and the damage they were doing could be felt even from here.

Daisy stood at the railing, staring toward the western part of the city. Her eyes were red and swollen. She had tried to convince herself Ethan was still alive. He had survived things that would have killed ordinary people, and his abilities had pulled them out more times than she could count. Two King-rank monsters had broken most of that confidence. What if he had been caught between them? What if he had run out of energy trying to get clear? She pressed her lips together and refused to let the tears gathering in her eyes fall again.

Behind her, Bella Rowan sat on a weathered sofa, turning a withered leaf between her fingers. Her usual composure held, but the repeated movement of her fingers gave the anxiety away. Clara paced near the stairwell. Every few seconds she stopped and looked toward the rooftop entrance, as if she expected someone to walk out of it. Finally she could not stand the silence.

"Daisy, you need to stop torturing yourself. You said Ethan was strong, didn’t you? If anyone could survive something like this, it would be him."

Daisy did not answer. Clara glanced at Bella, hoping for something reassuring. Bella only sighed and looked down at the leaf. None of them knew what had happened to him after the fight started. They had no way to reach him, and the streets between the Museum and Wealth Building had turned into a death trap. For all they knew, he was already dead.

Clara opened her mouth again. Before she could speak, a rush of air swept the rooftop. The sound of powerful wings beating against the wind came from above. All three women looked up. A golden figure descended, carrying a man in her arms. The instant Daisy recognized the face, her whole body froze. For one heartbeat she only stared. Then her eyes widened.

"Ethan!"

She rushed forward so fast she nearly stumbled over a broken piece of concrete. Kate lowered him onto the roof, but Daisy was already there. She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close, holding him as if she was afraid he would vanish if she let go.

"Ethan, you’re alive!"

Her voice cracked. She buried her face against him, and the tears she had been holding finally spilled. He barely had time to react before she lifted her head. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes shining with tears and a relief so sharp it looked like it hurt. She stared at him for a brief moment, as if she needed to confirm he was really standing there. Then she rose onto her toes and kissed him.

His eyes widened. "Mmph..."

The kiss caught him completely off guard. His hands hovered awkwardly at his sides, and for a second he could not decide what to do with them. Daisy did not seem to care. She had spent hours imagining the worst, wondering if she would ever see him again. Now that he was in front of her, all the fear and the waiting came out at once. When she finally pulled away she was breathing a little faster. Only then did she seem to realize what she had done. Her eyes shifted past his shoulder.

Bella was staring at them. Clara was staring harder. A faint blush spread across Bella’s cheeks. She turned away quickly, pretending to smooth her hair behind her ear, though her fingers fumbled with a strand that was not out of place. Clara, on the other hand, looked fascinated. Her eyes were wide. Her mouth had fallen open.

"Wow," she whispered. "So that’s what a real-life forced kiss looks like. It’s much more exciting than the movies."

Daisy’s face turned crimson. She released Ethan so abruptly he nearly lost his balance. "Clara! What are you looking at?"

Clara raised both hands at once. "Nothing! I didn’t see anything."

"You were staring directly at us!"

"I was just making sure Ethan was really alive!"

"Then why were you talking about movies?"

Clara stuck out her tongue, barely holding a laugh. Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, unsure whether he should be embarrassed or grateful that Daisy was this happy to see him. He had not expected a welcome like that. He could not complain either. After everything they had been through, seeing her safe was a relief of his own.

His gaze eventually shifted to Bella. This was the first time he had seen her in person. She wore a moon-white dress that fell elegantly around her figure. Long black hair loosely pinned, a few strands resting against the side of her face. The light caught her pale skin and gave it a soft glow despite the dirt and dust on the rooftop. Her eyes were what held him. Clear and calm, with a quiet reserve that made her hard to read. Even after Daisy’s outburst she had pulled most of her composure back. When her gaze met his, he caught a faint flicker of curiosity.

A system notification sounded in his mind.

[Ding! Eligible gift target detected.]

[Name: Bella Rowan.]

[Age: 26.]

[Beauty Score: 100.]

He almost forgot how to breathe. A Beauty Score of 100. He had met beautiful women. This was the first time the system had given anyone a perfect score. He glanced at Bella again, taking in the composed face. Well, that’s unexpected. His eyes moved to Clara. Younger in appearance, delicate features, bright eyes that gave her a lively, almost doll-like charm. Unlike Bella’s quiet elegance, Clara radiated energy. Even after everything the apocalypse had thrown at her, the curiosity and the playful edge were still there. He had no doubt she would score high too.

Two exceptional gift targets in one place. He had just arrived, and the system had already given him a reason to reconsider leaving. I’m definitely not letting this opportunity slip. A slight movement beside him caught his attention. Kate was watching him. Her golden wings had folded against her back, but her expression had grown colder as she followed his gaze from Bella to Clara.

"Ethan," she said, cutting into his thoughts. "Now that you’re here, I’ll leave Daisy with you. I’m taking Bella and Clara somewhere safer."

As she spoke she stepped toward the two women, ready to carry them. He understood at once that if he let her leave now, he might not get another chance to meet either of them. "Wait, Kate!"

She paused and glanced over her shoulder. He offered what he hoped was a sincere smile. "The city center is getting more dangerous by the hour. You know I have a Survival Space where people can stay. It’s secure, and I have enough food and water to support everyone for a while."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "What about it?"

"Why not let them stay with me temporarily? You could come too. We could look after one another, and no one would have to risk walking the city alone."

Daisy, still beside him, pursed her lips. Hmph. He just arrived, and he’s already trying to recruit pretty women. She folded her arms and looked away, making no effort to hide the displeasure. He pretended not to notice. His attention stayed on Kate. One powerful ally and two exceptional gift targets. If he could get them to stay, the benefits were enormous.

Kate was not convinced. "No." The answer came so fast his smile almost froze. "I don’t trust you. Your Space might be secure. That doesn’t mean I should put them inside it."

He did not argue. He understood she had her own reasons to be careful, and he was not going to earn her trust by insisting she had none. He changed tactics. "Fair enough. We’ve only just met. I can’t expect you to trust me immediately." He reached into storage and produced two Cores. "Then take these as a welcome gift for them. I don’t need anything in return."

She glanced at the Cores and shook her head. "Keep them. You’re not strong enough to waste resources trying to impress people. If they need Cores, I’ll find them myself." Blunt, but there was no mockery in it. She simply seemed to believe he was underestimating the danger around him. That made the refusal more frustrating.

He watched as she gathered Bella and Clara into her arms. Her golden wings spread wide and caught the wind. A moment later the three of them rose from the rooftop. Clara waved cheerfully. "Nice meeting you, Ethan!" Bella offered a polite nod, her eyes lingering on him for a brief moment before she turned away. Kate said nothing. She climbed higher, carrying both women toward the distant buildings until their figures grew small against the red sky.

Ethan stayed where he was, staring after them. He had survived encounters with King-rank monsters, fought evolved zombies, and escaped situations where a single mistake would have killed him. Somehow he had failed to persuade three women to accept his offer. He let out a long sigh. The first time I’ve genuinely wanted to be a simp, and it still doesn’t work.

A sharp pain shot through his foot. "Ow!" He looked down. Daisy was standing beside him, her shoe planted firmly on his foot. He raised his head and found her glaring. "What was that for?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"That’s right."

Her expression said otherwise. He studied her for a moment before it clicked. She was jealous. He almost laughed. One look at her face convinced him that would be a terrible idea. Instead he smiled helplessly and reached for her hand. "Come on. Let’s get you somewhere safe."

Daisy huffed but did not pull away. He activated the Survival Space and brought her inside. Then he prepared to use the Space Anchor Point he had set in the air-raid shelter before he left. The moment he reached out with his Spiritual Power, his expression changed. He could not sense the anchor. He tried again, extending his perception farther, searching for the familiar spatial fluctuations. Nothing. It was as if the connection between him and the shelter had vanished.

He frowned. A strange pressure filled the surrounding air. Subtle, almost impossible to notice without a Space Ability, but once he became aware of it he could feel it everywhere. Something was interfering with space itself. An invisible barrier had spread through the area. His face darkened. "The space has been sealed." A terrible possibility crossed his mind. "The Blackscale Drake must be nearby."

He barely finished speaking when a violent crash erupted from the stairwell.