Chapter 1511: Covert Entry II

The monotone rhythm of beeping dragged him out of the darkness of unconsciousness. A sterile scent of disinfectant stung his nose, sharp and cold. Sean groaned, his throat dry, his mind sluggish. When his eyes finally fluttered open, a white ceiling greeted him, flat, endless, and unfamiliar.

He blinked several times, letting his eyes adjust to the harsh light above. The world gradually swam into focus. As he lowered his gaze, he noticed the white wall. When he shifted his eyes to the side, he saw metallic equipment beside him, and then he heard the faint hum of air circulation.

Suddenly, a voice broke the silence of the room, his voice was smooth, condescending, and unmistakably familiar. "You’re finally awake."

Sean slowly turned his head toward the sound, the movement heavy and deliberate, as though even gravity resisted him. A man sat casually in the chair beside the bed, one leg crossed over the other, his attention fixed on the phone in his hand. His blonde hair fell neatly over his shoulder, catching the light in soft, golden strands that glistened with every slight motion.

"Salvo...?" Sean rasped, and hinted with surprise.

Salvo slipped his phone into the pocket of his suit jacket and regarded him with a detached expression. "You made quite a mess, Sean." His voice carried no trace of concern, only the chill of reprimand, polished and precise.

Sean’s lips twitched into something caught between a grimace and a weary smirk. "Where... am I?" His voice cracked, dry from disuse.

"West Hospital of Zenon," Salvo replied evenly, his tone clipped, professional, too calm for family, too familiar for a stranger.

Sean blinked a few times as he tried to process the information. After a moment, everything that had happened beforehand flashed through his mind, and he let out a long, weary exhale.

So, he survived the crash after all. The last thing he remembered was fire, twisted metal, and the deafening roar of engines dying mid-air. If it hadn’t been for his newfound power, he would’ve been nothing more than scattered ash by now. That man was truly insane, and surprisingly, that was the type of man she liked.

"How are Luce and Timothy?" he asked after a moment, his voice steadier but hollow. It wasn’t concern that drove the question, just responsibility. After all, the plan had been his, and whatever the outcome is gonna fall on his shoulder.

"They’re alive," Salvo answered casually. "Timothy just woke up—he’s resting in his room. As for Lucia..." He lifted a shoulder again, his tone light, almost careless. "She lost both her arms. The doctors had to amputate them. But that’s fine. We’ll take her to the Saintess to get them fixed.

His words carried no sympathy, no hesitation—just a chilling indifference, as if Lucia weren’t a person at all but a broken tool waiting to be repaired.

Sean was already used to Salvo’s lack of empathy. Rather than dwell on it, his thoughts drifted elsewhere, to the moments before everything went wrong.

He could still hear her voice: calm yet defiant, her words cutting with precision. And beneath that sharpness, he remembered the fleeting softness in her eyes whenever they fell on her husband, Zhao Li Xin. That brief tenderness lingered in Sean’s memory and, for some reason, refused to fade.

He had made a mistake; forcing her to submit had been one of them. He’d thought that by taking them captive, by sealing their powers, he could keep them under control.

He’d planned to use Zhao Li Xin’s safety as leverage against her, and hers against him. A perfect cycle of pressure. Then he’d play the benevolent captor, the sympathetic figure, just enough to weave a thread of Stockholm trust between them. Sean knew, once he was able to control Lory, getting Zhao Li Xin under their thumb would be an easy feat.

But everything had fallen apart. He had underestimated Lory’s mental fortitude... and failed miserably to grasp the nature of Zhao Li Xin, his power, his cruelity, most of all, his power. Anyway, what kind of power did that man truly possess?

All of a sudden, a darker thought crept into Sean’s mind—could Zhao Li Xin and Raven Jane have survived that fall? His chest tightened as anxiety coiled in his gut, spreading like a cold poison.

What if they didn’t make it?

What if... she’s dead?

The thought struck like a knife, and his breath hitched without warning. Salvo’s sharp eyes caught the flicker of distress.

"What are you thinking, Sean?" he asked, his tone deceptively casual.

"Nothing," Sean muttered, brushing it off too quickly.

Salvo studied him for a moment longer but decided not to pry.

Instead, he shifted to what truly irked him. "Your stunt, taking Zhao Li Xin and his wife by force, has ruined my plan, you know that?" His every word drips with restrained frustration.

"You had a plan?" Sean sarcastically said.

"As a matter of fact, I do. My plan was to slowly draw him in—to win his trust. I knew from the start that Zhao Li Xin wasn’t an ordinary man. But thanks to you and Lucia, that plan has gone straight to hell. Not only did you fail to sway them to our side, but your reckless actions drew the attention of the Hamilton family, and even the King’s Men.

Do you realize they’re looking for Zhao Li Xin and his wife right now? They even sent investigators to look into their mysterious disappearance. Zhao Li Xin is a very famous figure, after all, so people ask questions."

"Fine, I messed up, okay? But crashing the plane wasn’t part of my plan!" Exhaustion and irritation mingled in his expression. "But believe me—after meeting him, I can assure you, Zhao Li Xin isn’t someone who bends to anyone’s will. The only leverage anyone might have over him is his wife... but she’s not an easy woman either."

His voice softened at the end, the edge of frustration fading into something quieter, almost wistful. He shouldn’t have cared, but he did. There was a strength in her that unsettled him, a defiance wrapped in warmth that made her impossible to see as just another target.

"Raven Jane," Salvo muttered, tasting the name. His gaze shifted toward Sean, still pale against the hospital bed sheets. "You’ve interacted with her before, haven’t you? How deep is her connection to the Hamiltons?"

Sean paused, weighing his words. Then, in a deliberately casual tone, he replied, "My guess? A symbiotic relationship. They both get what they want from each other." He didn’t elaborate—better not to, not with Salvo. There were lines even he knew not to cross.

Salvo leaned back, tapping his finger against the armrest as his mind whirred. "About Zhao Li Xin..." he murmured. "Timothy said the MADD didn’t work on him."

"Yeah," Sean confirmed.

"Does that mean he’s not a Gifted person?" Salvo frowned, confusion flickering across his face.

"If not, then what is he?" Sean’s brows drew together. "He didn’t use any weapon or device, so he’s not a Creator or used anything made by the Creator either."

"Not Gifted, not Creator...not ordinary man either," Salvo muttered, sinking deeper into thought. The room fell silent save for the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor, a slow, steady pulse that seemed to echo the uncertainty hanging between them.

We need to find him, Zhao Li Xin," Salvo said at last, his eyes glinting with a mix of curiosity and keen interest.

"...And Raven, his wife," Sean added quietly, narrowing his eyes. ℯℓ.

A faint smirk curved Salvo’s lips. "We follow your plan, use her to pressure Zhao Li Xin if it’s necessary."

Sean fell silent. He didn’t comment. Only, his lips pressed into a thin line as he felt conflicted.

"Okay then," Salvo said briskly, straightening his coat. "I’ll send a healer to help you get better. So, get well soon, you still got work to do."

With that, he rose from the chair and strode toward the door, his polished shoes echoing softly against the tile floor.

When the door shut behind him, the room felt colder. Sean exhaled a long, weary sigh, his chest tightening as he stared up at the ceiling.

The sterile white ceiling reflected only fragments of his face—tired eyes, a clenched jaw, and a shadow of something darker stirring beneath.

He told himself it was necessary, for the greater good, for the new world he dreamed of. A world cleansed of division and chaos. Yet his heart refused to agree; it felt heavy, constricted, as though each beat echoed his doubt. Was there truly no other path? No gentler way? Must peace always be built on the broken pieces of others? Because of Raven Jane, he started to question every decision he make.

From the moment they met, he had known—they walked on opposite sides of the line, destined to clash. She was everything he sought to control, everything he was taught to fear. Yet the thought of using her as a pawn left a bitter taste on his tongue.

Sean shut his eyes, trying to swallow the weight pressing against his chest. The world he dreamed of demanded sacrifice, but tonight he couldn’t help wondering whose soul would be lost first—hers, or his own.

__________________________________

__Somewhere else__

Lory tried calling Jay, but the line went dead. She tried Clift next, but no answer either. A frown creased her brow. It could mean anything, but one possibility stood out: they might be in a dangerous situation where they can’t answer their phone. However, she didn’t worry as this situation was normal in every mission.

Lory slipped the phone back into her jacket pocket. "Let’s get out of here first," she said, glancing around.

"En." Zhao Li Xin slung the backpack over his shoulder with practiced ease.

Lory couldn’t help a small laugh. Dressed in his plain shirt, glasses, and that slightly awkward air, Zhao Li Xin looked like a nerd being dragged into a camping trip by his overenthusiastic girlfriend.

Noticing her amusement, Zhao Li Xin raised a brow and smiled. "What?"

"Nothing," Lory replied, looping her arm around his. "Just reminding you of our cover story. You’re the introverted husband entertaining your spoiled, attention-seeking wife on a camping trip, but then, tragedy strikes! We get lost in the woods and lose everything in a wild animal attack."

Zhao Li Xin chuckled. "You’re enjoying this too much, my spoiled wife."

"Am I not spoiled by you?" Lory teased, grinning up at him.

"Not as much as I’d like," he replied honestly.

Lory pouted in mock offense. "If that were true, I’d be completely useless by now."

Zhao Li Xin laughed, but a quiet warmth lingered behind his eyes. The thought didn’t bother him; in fact, a part of him almost wished it were so. If Lory stayed by his side, carefree and dependent, he’d worry less. Yet deep down, he knew it would never happen.

Even in the cultivator world, he had spoiled her endlessly, and still, Lory remained Lory, capable, strong, fearless, and impossible not to admire. So much so, she’d earned the respect of his proud subordinates on her own. That, more than anything, made him fall for her even more.