Chapter 185: Ch 185: A New Dungeon is Opening - Part 3

The meeting ended quickly, but the look in Alan’s eyes made Daniel shiver. He knew that look well.

It was one filled with obsession and determination.

Daniel was well aware of what that look meant, but the reason he did not find it disgusting was because he somewhat agreed with it.

If Noah was alive and they managed to find him, then Daniel was going to cooperate with Alan and make sure he wouldn’t be able to leave them again. It was the least Noah could do after what he had put them through.

But what he did not agree with was the destructive method Alan used to get what he wanted.

Still, he had no intention of stopping Alan. They were not close enough for that, and if Noah became afraid of Alan after hearing and seeing what crazy deeds he did, it would only be better for Daniel.

So he had no intention of stopping the self-destructive tendencies Alan had developed.

However, he still needed Alan to focus on their missions.

"Alan, did you hear a thing that was being said during this briefing? Or are you thinking of going on a rampage again?"

Daniel needed to know this beforehand so he had an excuse to make to the others once the moment came.

He did not want to lower his own impression because of his partner’s actions. Especially since Noah might get to hear about this one day.

"Do I really need to listen to this bullshit? It’s the same story every time. Go to the affected area, get people out, don’t cause trouble. It’s not like these briefings ever change."

That was not... entirely wrong. In fact, Alan had hit the nail on the head, and Daniel felt a little embarrassed.

He coughed to hide his discomfort and gave his partner a stare of annoyance.

"Fine! Just make sure you don’t cause trouble again. I won’t bail you out this time."

"I don’t need your help either."

Alan spoke firmly, and Daniel felt frustrated. He turned around to leave and rest when Alan spoke up once more.

"Hey, about the treatment you are undergoing... are you sure you should be taking part in it? It’s an experiment with no safety net. You might even die as a result of this. But you still want to continue—"

"Alan, I don’t want to hear that from you. I will continue to participate in this experiment one way or another. This is my decision."

Daniel did not allow Alan to finish his words, and his energy spiked, causing the room to shake.

But Alan was not worried about it.

He simply continued to look at Daniel as if he had lost his mind. And his silence made Daniel feel self-conscious.

"What—"

"You are a guide. I don’t understand why you want to awaken esper powers. Do you think Noah would like it? He would only worry—"

"It’s still better to have power to protect him than to be powerless and watch him get hurt again. I am not going to allow that to happen once we find him. I will protect him as well."

It was clear that Daniel’s feelings on this matter were as complicated as Alan’s, and for a good reason.

They had gone to the place Professor Erin had pointed them to, only to find the Labs as well as familiar equipment. It had been a place that had burned down long ago.

And as soon as they entered... they had lost consciousness as memories of the past slammed into their heads.

Suddenly, they could recall what had happened and who they were. But it took them a long time to come to terms with their past as experiments and their newfound freedom.

Daniel still remembered the first few days after they regained their memories, when he and

Alan could barely look at each other without feeling as though something inside them was breaking apart.

They had spent years believing that their childhood had been nothing more than a series of unfortunate events, never realising that the people they had trusted to raise them had deliberately shaped their lives to serve some unknown purpose.

And Noah... their Noah had been there all along...

He had been the one who held their hands when they were frightened, who stopped them from hurting each other, and who had quietly endured the same cruelty without ever letting them know how much he suffered.

He had even given them the freedom to choose their own paths, despite knowing that doing so might mean losing them.

Daniel could not understand that decision, no matter how hard he tried.

If Noah had known how much they would come to depend on him, why had he still let them go?

Why had he not taken them with him?

"Daniel."

Alan’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and Daniel realised that he had been staring at the wall for far too long.

His partner was watching him with an expression that was difficult to read, although Daniel had spent enough time with him to recognise the frustration beneath it.

"What?"

"If you are thinking of dying, then do it after we find Noah."

Those words got on Daniel’s nerves and he gave Alan a hard look.

"I am not going to die. I am going to live a long life with Noah and make him happy...this time. So, let’s head back and continue our search again."

Alan remained silent for a moment before leaning back in his chair. Daniel looked up at him, only to find that familiar determination in Alan’s eyes.

"We have the resources now, and we know what we are looking for. If Noah is alive, we will find him."

"And if he doesn’t want to return?"

Alan’s expression turned frighteningly calm.

"It’s fine if he does not want to return. We will just run away with him. After all, what matters is us being together. The place and even Noah’s will does not matter."

Daniel sighed, knowing that arguing would be pointless, but deep down, he could not deny that he wanted the same thing.