Chapter 189 — From the Beginning

Chapter 189: Chapter 189 — From the Beginning

Chapter 189 — From the Beginning

They were only a few minutes away from the main camp on Basement Level Five.

Victor continued walking with Tori on his back.

The little girl had been unusually quiet at first, but that had changed completely.

Now, a bright smile covered her face as she talked endlessly into Victor’s ear.

He had learned quite a bit about her during the walk.

Tori was eleven years old.

She loved archery.

Apparently, she had started practicing with a bow at a surprisingly young age, and Victor couldn’t help smiling when she told him about it.

She talked about the bow she used back home, the targets she practiced on, and how she wanted to become a great archer someday.

Victor listened to every word.

For the first time since they had found the children, Tori sounded like a normal eleven-year-old.

Not a frightened child who had watched her village disappear.

Just a little girl talking about something she loved.

Victor was happy to give her that moment.

The cavern around them slowly became more familiar as they approached the main camp. The rough stone walls were illuminated by the pale lights embedded throughout the tunnels, casting long shadows across the ground.

Their footsteps echoed through the cavern.

Tori’s voice was the only thing that broke the silence.

Eventually, the conversation turned toward her family.

She told Victor that she had two parents back in the village.

She didn’t know what had happened to them.

Victor already knew the likely answer.

He had heard what the older boy said.

The people who attacked the village had killed the adults.

But Victor didn’t have the heart to tell an eleven-year-old girl that her parents were probably gone.

Instead, he simply listened.

This world really is cruel.

The thought weighed heavily on him.

It didn’t matter whether the Evil God Organization was responsible or whether it was simply some greedy human taking advantage of people weaker than themselves.

Bad things happened everywhere.

Victor understood that better than most.

He had experienced it himself.

He had once been a slave.

He knew what it felt like to have no control over his own life.

The only reason things had changed was because, eventually, he had taken control for himself.

Strength gave you the ability to make your own decisions.

Victor looked ahead.

That was something everyone should have.

Especially children.

Tori shifted slightly on his back.

"Victor?"

"Hmm?"

"When I get better, I’ll show you how good I am with a bow."

Victor smiled.

"I’ll hold you to that."

She giggled.

"You better."

She was just a little girl who wanted to become an archer.

He hoped she would get the chance.

The group rounded another corner.

The main camp finally came into view.

Victor spotted someone waiting near the entrance.

Elder Benton.

The Elder stood quietly beneath the cavern’s pale lights, watching them approach.

Victor’s eyes narrowed slightly.

For the briefest moment, he thought he saw something strange on Benton’s face.

A small smile.

It disappeared almost immediately.

Victor blinked.

Did he actually smile?

He wasn’t sure.

Maybe he had imagined it.

Victor approached the Elder and carefully lowered himself.

He picked Tori up and gently placed her on the ground.

She immediately sat down, keeping the pressure off her injured feet.

Benton looked over the group.

"Good. You made it back safely."

Victor nodded.

"Yeah."

His eyes moved toward the children.

"What happens to them?"

"Don’t worry about that."

Benton’s voice was calm.

"They’ll be taken care of."

Victor frowned.

"How?"

"There are several systems in place for children in situations like this."

Victor hesitated.

"They aren’t going to become slaves, are they?"

Benton’s expression remained unchanged.

"No."

He shook his head.

"They won’t."

Benton looked toward the children.

"We have several houses that function as orphanages. They’ll be registered, provided food and shelter, and given the opportunity to live normally."

Victor remained silent.

Part of him had already begun thinking about taking care of them himself.

He had more than enough credits now.

And he knew Lyra would probably support him.

But Benton seemed to understand exactly what Victor was thinking.

"Don’t worry, Victor."

The Elder looked at him.

"They’ll be in good hands."

He paused.

"Nothing bad will happen to them."

Victor studied him for several seconds.

Then he nodded.

"All right."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"I’ll trust you with this, Elder Benton."

Benton nodded.

Victor turned toward Tori.

A group of people was approaching.

One of them was pushing a wheelchair.

Victor immediately walked over.

He picked Tori up and carefully lowered her into the seat.

Tori looked up at him.

Victor smiled.

"Tori."

She looked at him.

"You’re going to be okay, all right?"

He gestured toward the people around them.

"These people are going to take you somewhere nice. They’ll take care of your feet, give you a warm meal, and make sure you’re comfortable."

Tori looked at him.

"You’re not coming with me?"

Victor’s smile faded slightly.

"I’m sorry, sweetie."

He crouched beside her.

"I can’t. I have a few things I need to take care of."

Tori’s expression became sad.

Victor quickly added,

"But I’ll come visit you."

Her eyes brightened slightly.

"Promise?"

Victor smiled.

"I promise."

Tori nodded.

"You have to promise."

"I did."

The woman pushing the wheelchair smiled warmly at the exchange.

Victor nodded to her.

She turned the wheelchair around.

The other children followed.

One by one, they entered the elevator.

Victor watched them disappear.

The doors closed.

For a moment, he remained still.

The cavern suddenly felt much quieter.

Then he looked toward Zack and Grace.

He smiled.

The two returned the gesture.

Victor turned back toward Benton.

The Elder looked at him.

"It seems we need to talk again."

He glanced toward Zack and Grace.

"You two go ahead."

His gaze lingered on Grace for a second.

"Let me speak with Victor."

Grace nodded.

"Yes, Elder Benton."

Zack also nodded.

"Understood."

They entered the elevator.

The doors closed.

The elevator began to rise.

Victor was now alone with Benton.

The Elder looked at him.

"Victor."

Victor turned.

"Follow me."

Benton walked away from the main camp and into the cavern.

Victor hesitated.

His instincts immediately became cautious.

Benton had never taken him somewhere secluded before.

And Victor still wasn’t sure how much he could trust the man.

This would be the perfect opportunity.

If Benton truly suspected him of being connected to the Evil God Organization, this was the perfect place to eliminate him.

No witnesses.

No one nearby.

Victor’s eyes narrowed.

Benton continued walking.

The cavern gradually grew quieter behind them.

The voices of the guards and cultivators at the main camp faded into the distance. Their footsteps became the loudest sound in the darkness, echoing softly against the stone walls.

After several steps, Benton stopped.

He looked back.

"I’m not going to hurt you, boy."

Victor’s expression didn’t change.

Benton continued.

"But there are things you need to hear that I can’t speak about inside the Tower."

Victor remained silent.

He studied the Elder for another moment.

Then he nodded.

"Okay."

He followed.

They continued deeper into the cavern.

The familiar lights of the main camp had long since disappeared behind them. Only the occasional dim crystal embedded in the walls broke the darkness ahead.

The air was cooler here.

Quieter.

Every so often, water dripped somewhere in the distance.

Victor kept his senses alert.

Benton didn’t say another word.

Neither did Victor.

Eventually, Benton stopped beside a large rock.

He sat down.

Another rock sat nearby.

Benton gestured toward it.

Victor sat.

For several moments, neither spoke.

The silence stretched between them.

Then Benton looked at him.

"It seems no matter how hard I try to tell you to avoid these situations..."

He shook his head.

"...fate keeps finding a way to involve you anyway."

Victor remained quiet.

Benton looked toward the darkness ahead.

"Let me start from the beginning."

Victor’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He hadn’t expected this.

Honesty from Elder Benton was rare.

But after what he had just witnessed, Victor needed answers.

During the walk back, he had already made a silent decision.

Victor had experienced one terrible childhood.

Then he had been given another life and somehow found himself trapped in another terrible situation.

He didn’t want another child to grow up the same way.

If the Evil God Organization was taking children...

If there were others like Tori...

Victor needed to understand what was happening.

And he needed to know how he could stop it.

Victor looked directly at Benton.

"I’m listening, Elder."

Benton nodded.

"Good."

He took a slow breath.

"Then we’ll start from the beginning."