Chapter 499:Seduction in death?

Chapter 499: 499:Seduction in death?

Silver glanced toward the narrow passage.

A large, dark-furred creature was pacing beyond the wreckage. Its body was covered in blood and one of its hind legs appeared injured, but its eyes remained fixed on the road beyond the soldiers.

It wasn’t looking at the civilians but for a way out.

He frowned.

"Ravenna, get them moving," he said with agency in his tone.

She nodded.

"What about you?"

"I’ll handle it."

The beast suddenly lunged towards the military.

He raised his handgun.

[Phantom Draw Lv4 Activated.]

Two shots rang out consecutively. The first struck the creature’s shoulder and the second entered its neck. It stumbled but continued charging regardless.

Silver activated Short-Step.

[Short-Step Lv3 Activated.]

His figure vanished and he reappeared beside the beast.

[Advanced Swordsmanship Lv3 Activated.]

His sword flashed, the blade striking the creature’s exposed throat. Blood sprayed across the pavement and the beast collapsed moments later.

He stepped backward, then paused.

Even as it died, the creature continued dragging its body toward the southern road.

He watched silently.

It was clear that it had been trying to escape.

"Silver!" She called.

Ravenna’s voice pulled him back.

He turned to see her helping the injured commander into a transport.

"We’re done here!"

He nodded.

"Coming."

By the time they reached the eastern evacuation station, the situation had deteriorated further.

Several hundred civilians had gathered inside a converted warehouse, while military personnel struggled to maintain order and distribute medical supplies. The warehouse’s western entrance had been reinforced with metal barricades, but its eastern wall was badly damaged, and he could hear distant impacts echoing through the surrounding streets.

Ravenna immediately approached the officer responsible for the station while Silver remained near the entrance, examining the surrounding buildings through Spatial Sense.

A familiar voice suddenly reached him.

"Silver?"

He turned to see Shirley standing several meters away.

Her brown hair was disheveled, and her academy uniform had several tears along the sleeves. A faint bruise marked her cheek, although she otherwise appeared unharmed.

Silver nodded.

"Shirley."

She approached, completely disregarding his personal space.

"I’m glad you’re here," she softly said.

"What’s the situation?" He asked and took a step back.

She glanced toward the warehouse.

"We’ve evacuated most of the eastern residential blocks, but several streets are still blocked. I was helping the soldiers move people through the smaller passages."

He nodded.

"Good work."

Shirley smiled, then looked toward his torn uniform.

"You’re injured."

"Nothing serious."

"Silver." She stepped even closer. "You’re bleeding."

He glanced toward his left arm. A shallow cut had reopened beneath his damaged sleeve.

He shrugged.

"I’ve had worse."

She frowned.

"That doesn’t mean you should ignore it."

Before Silver could respond, she reached toward his arm.

He moved slightly, again.

"It’s fine."

She hesitated, then smiled faintly.

"You’re always like this."

He raised an eyebrow, compl6 confused.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Acting as though everything is fine, even when you’re hurt."

’What the fuck is she talking about’

He didn’t answer.

She looked toward the soldiers moving supplies through the warehouse, then lowered her voice.

"There’s something I’ve wanted to tell you."

He frowned.

"Now?"

She nodded.

"I know the timing isn’t ideal."

He glanced toward the warehouse.

"Then it can wait."

Shirley caught his sleeve.

"Please."

Silver stopped.

Her expression had changed. The nervousness in her eyes seemed genuine, but there was something else beneath it, something calculated.

"I don’t know whether we’ll survive tonight," she said quietly.

Silver looked at her with an exhausted expression that she didn’t seem to notice or chose to completely ignore it.

"Shirley..."

"Just listen."bShe stepped closer. "I know Ravenna doesn’t like me. I know she thinks everything I do has some hidden motive."

His expression hardened slightly.

"That’s between you two," he coldly said.

"Is it?" She echoed before looking up at him. "Because sometimes I feel like you’ve already decided what kind of person I am simply because of what she’s told you. It’s really unfair that I don’t even have the slightest change"

Silver remained silent.

She continued.

"I’ve tried to be friendly. I’ve tried to help her. Even during the class competition, I did everything I could to support the team."

"That doesn’t erase what happened before," he coldly said.

Her expression faltered. For a moment, she looked genuinely offended, then she lowered her gaze.

"I know." She took another step forward and Silver took a small one back. "But I thought you, of all people, might understand that someone can change."

He glanced toward the warehouse entrance.

"Shirley, people are dying out there. Whatever you want to discuss, this isn’t the time."

She looked up, her eyes watering slightly.

"That’s exactly why I’m telling you."

Before he could step away again, Shirley moved closer and placed both hands against his chest.

He froze.

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"I’ve been thinking about you for a long time."

His expression changed.

"What?"

Shirley smiled faintly.

"I know you’re with Ravenna."

Silver immediately reached for her wrists.

"Then you should know this is inappropriate," he coldly said.

But Shirley continued before he could move her hands away.

"She doesn’t have to know."

He stared at her, eyes wide. For a moment, he genuinely wondered whether he’d heard correctly.

’The hell’

Outside, another explosion echoed through the settlement, people were screaming and soldiers were shouting for medical supplies.

And Shirley was standing in front of him, attempting to seduce him.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

She hesitated, then leaned closer.

"I could make you happy too, Silver."

He stepped backward.

"Stop."

Shirley followed.

"Just give me a chance."

"No."

She reached toward his collar but he caught her wrist.

His expression had become cold.

"Shirley. Enough."

For the first time, her smile disappeared, then she made one final attempt, rising onto her toes and leaning toward his face.

He turned his head and pushed her away by the shoulders.

"Don’t."

The word was quiet but unmistakable. Shirley stumbled backward, and that was when Ravenna arrived.

She had returned from the warehouse after completing her discussion with the evacuation officer, only to find Shirley standing far too close to Silver, one hand still extended toward his chest.

She stopped dead in her tracks.

Her eyes moved from Shirley to Silver, then back again.

For several seconds, she said nothing.

Silver immediately stepped away from Shirley.

"Ravenna."

Shirley’s expression changed.

"Ravenna, I..."

"What are you doing?"

Her voice was calm.

Shirley swallowed.

"Nothing," shesaid, more like whispered a bit loudly enough.

Ravenna looked toward Silver who shook his head.

"She tried to kiss me," he quietly said.

Silence filled the room.

Shirley’s face paled, clearly not expecting him to say that.

"Silver!"

He looked at her.

"What?"

"That’s not..."

"You put your hands on me after I told you to stop."

She could only stare speechlessly at him.

He continued.

"And you explicitly suggested that Ravenna didn’t need to know."