Ethan awoke from what felt like an impossibly long slumber. He groaned as awareness crept back into his senses. Then he winced. It was as if a colossal truck had hit him, leaving every inch of his body throbbing with pain. Each joint, each muscle protested as he tried to move. He swore he heard something crack the moment he moved his hand. Were they his arms?
Wincing, he slowly got up and realized that he was lying on the floor. He had actually fainted! The last thing he could remember was the sudden pain that assaulted his head and then his body. For some reason, it felt like thousands of needles had started to poke every single part of him. Unable to take the pain, he fainted.
He snapped his eyes shut, trying his best to adjust to the lights of the room. Before he could open his eyes again, a sudden influx of smell assaulted his nose. He opened his eyes and stared at the black liquid around him. It smelled like a sewer in here! What the heck was this black liquid?
After what felt like forever, Ethan finally found the strength to get up and clean after himself. A bath was definitely in order after all that filth. After scrubbing and getting rid of all the filth, he walked out of the shower feeling like a new person.
"Eh?" Ethan's eyes widened when he caught sight of himself in the mirror. Why did it seem like his face had changed? He lifted an eyebrow. Did this have anything to do with the upgrade?
Speaking of the upgrade, it seemed that it would take another four hours before it would be completed. So, Ethan had no way of accessing the system. This meant that twenty hours had already passed since he fainted! The funeral!
Ethan immediately opened the computer and was devastated to receive a few messages about the funeral. This computer was encrypted, and it had a messaging app that Jihoon had access to. From there, Jihoon was able to send him some information. This included the information of the one claiming to be his uncle.
"Tsk… If Jihoon had not brought me here, then I would have fainted in my room, and who knows what this Orion was going to do?" He started reading Orion's file, including his company in Yeonpung.
According to the files, Ethan's grandfather did not consider them family and had already bought them out of the company. However, they were not able to find any proof of this. Still, Orion's arrival seemed to have become the new hope of the Kai Consortium.
Now, Ethan only had two options left. He could either leave Yeonsin without letting anyone know, or he could reveal himself and challenge Orion. Ethan pursed his lips. He could, of course, choose another option, such as killing Orion Kai, but that is too troublesome, no? This would only invite more trouble, and the fact that Orion seemed to have the backing of SEP is only adding more and more problems to his already complicated situation.
"Ah… I only wanted peace," Ethan sighed. He sent a message to Jihoon telling him that he was fine, and then he got up and cleaned the mess earlier. While doing this, Ethan had to decide what to do moving forward.
Being comfortable is truly nice. Money, servants, and influence are useful. However, it would be hard for him to grow while hiding his strength if he continued doing what he was doing. In the end, he truly only has one option left. He needed to disappear.
He checked the system and let out another sigh.
[Upgrade Protocol Initiated]
[User Access Temporarily Restricted During Update]
[Update Progress: 02:37]
The system is simply too unpredictable. He cannot exactly trust it with his life— he would be stupid if he truly thought that he could rely on an unknown system inside a game.
"Think, Ethan…" he murmured. It seems that he could only do one thing now. With that, Ethan sent a message to Jihoon. Not long after, he walked out of the safety of the bunker.
[Upgrade Protocol Initiated]
[User Access Temporarily Restricted During Update]
[Update Progress: 01:45]
Ethan could feel a killer when he sees one, and there is no mistaking that this Orion fellow is indeed someone like him— a killer.
"Running away the moment you heard that SEP is coming is not only an embarrassment to the Kai Family but also to your grandfather," Orion Kai spoke, his voice heavy, his face grim.
Just as in the photos that Ethan saw, Orion looked like a man in his late thirties. He had a robust body and sharp dark brown eyes that seemed to have been enhanced by his hawk-like nose. To put it simply, this man really looked like an ultimate villain. Was he trying to intimidate a child?
"Please do not blame me," Ethan said. He was not trying to run away, alright? He fainted! Sadly, he could not tell them anything. "How could someone like me who does not have an Essentia be in the same room as the representative from SEP? I —"
"There is no need to hide, Ethan. We are after all from the Kai Family. As your uncle, I will naturally protect you. SEP is only here to investigate what happened in Jeonghae City. They thought it was an inside job, and well… it is only right that they asked you a few questions." A woman next to Orion spoke. Ethan had learned that this woman was Orion's wife, Lotlot Kai. She was a small petite woman that barely reached her husband's chest. Next to Orion, Lotlot looked like a lost child. She smiled at Ethan, his gaze gentle yet enough to send shivers down Ethan's spine.
Just what is this woman's problem? Still, Ethan maintained a calm expression as he stared at the couple in front of him. These two… why are they talking as if they were talking to a child?
"Your Uncle and I have long decided to help you. However, we did not want to come considering… that our families never had any contact with each other for so long. Still, this changed when we heard that SEP wanted to talk to you. This time, we decided to help."
"I truly appreciate your concern," Ethan smiled. "However, I have already decided to leave Yeonsin right after the funeral. After all, I do not belong in this place. Obviously, Master Wu would be taking care of my shares and my voting rights. My life… simply does not belong in this place."