As Rain entered the office, he observed the layout. Three tables and chairs lined the right wall, while two more tables sat against the front wall. In the center of the room was a large circular table, supported by a single leg in the middle and four additional legs around the edges. He couldn't quite place what material the table was made of. At the back of the room, two doors stood side by side—one leading to Sky's office and the other to the bathroom.
Once everyone settled into the office, Sky took her seat at the circular table, her expression thoughtful but focused. Damian leaned against one of the tables by the front wall, arms crossed, while Lily and Siobhan sat down beside Rain.
Sky was the first to break the silence. "Alright, let's piece everything together. We know Hector was in charge of the factory when the Ironwood disappeared. He's missing now, and his sister claims he's been kidnapped, but there's no concrete evidence to suggest he's innocent or guilty."
Damian nodded. "True, but his behavior before going to the factory raises some red flags. Ordering a dish he didn't like, claiming he didn't have enough credits—something about it doesn't add up, especially considering his family background."
Lily leaned forward. "Right, and let's not forget that Hector's team said he explicitly told them not to contact him during that week. It feels like he was either planning something or knew something was about to happen."
Sky tapped her fingers on the table. "Exactly. And the fact that the Ironwood vanished without triggering the scanner means someone found a way to bypass its energy signature detection. That's not something you just stumble upon. It requires knowledge, resources—possibly connections with the company's internal workings."
Rain hesitated for a moment, then spoke up. "What if Hector didn't do it alone? If someone helped him—someone with access to technology or insider knowledge of the scanner's weakness or knowledge of ironwood so they can mask energy signature of the ironwood—they could've smuggled the Ironwood out disguised as hoverboards ."
Sky looked at him, considering his theory. "It's possible. But the question is, who? And why?"
Siobhan joined in. "It could be that Hector was set up, or maybe he got in over his head with someone powerful. If the Cressey family is involved, things could get complicated. We need to tread carefully."
Sky nodded decisively. "Agreed. I'll request Hector's BIT data. Rain, you access the city's camera network and track Hector's movements—see if he met anyone unusual or went anywhere out of the ordinary."
Rain glanced up. "How far back should I go?"
"Start with the last 10 days," Sky replied. "Focus on the change in his behavior eight days ago. That's when things seem to have shifted."
Lily added, "There's another angle we can't overlook: this theft might not have happened if Martin hadn't gone on vacation when he did."
Sky's gaze sharpened. "Good point. Contact Martin and ask why he chose that particular time to go on vacation, and whether anyone encouraged him to take that break."
Damian stood up. "I'll head to the lab, bring a technician to the factory, and see if the scanner was tampered with. I'll also check whether it's possible to mask the Ironwood's energy signature."
Sky gave him a quick nod of approval, and Damian left the room to begin his task.
Siobhan, looking slightly out of place, asked, "Teacher Sky, what about me? Everyone has an assignment except me."
Sky frowned in thought for a moment, then her expression softened. "You'll work with Rain. Two pairs of eyes are better than one for reviewing the footage. You might spot something he misses."
Relieved to have a task, Siobhan nodded and quickly joined Rain. As everyone dispersed to their assignments, Siobhan asked, "How should we do this?"
Rain responded, "Let's watch separately for now."
Siobhan nodded in agreement. Rather than watching on a display, they both knew it would be easier and faster to review the footage using their BITs. Siobhan found a seat behind a table, closed her eyes, and connected to the BIT, ready to sift through the footage. Rain did the same, instructing the BIT to request Hector's surveillance footage for the past 10 days. A few seconds later, he received confirmation from the BIT: 'Authorization granted.'
In the darkness of his closed eyes, a screen appeared, showing Hector's movements. On the first day, Hector left his flat at 8:16 a.m. and reached his office at the Hive by 8:47 a.m. The footage skipped to 1:07 p.m., showing Hector and his team heading to the central café in the Hive for lunch. They returned to the office at 1:49 p.m. The camera skipped again at 6:04 p.m. as Hector left work and went straight home.
On the second day, however, after work, Hector didn't go home. Instead, he went to the lower nine floor and entered a building, leaving at 9:12 p.m. before finally returning home.His routine for the third day was exactly the same as first day.
For the next seven days, Hector left his flat at 8:29 a.m. each morning. Instead of going to the office, he headed to the factory. He took his lunch break at a nearby restaurant called Red Garden and consistently left the factory at 7:13 p.m., after all the workers had gone, locking up as the last to leave.
However, on the final day of those seven, something strange happened. Hector did not return home at all. Instead, the footage showed him disappearing on the 10th floor of the factory, with no further trace.
Rain opened his eyes and noticed Siobhan had done the same.
"Did you find anything suspicious about Hector's movements?" Rain asked.
Siobhan replied, "Aside from the third day, when he went to the lower nine floors and entered a building, and then the day he disappeared when he went to the 10th floor... no, nothing else. What about you?"
"Same here," Rain said. "Let's go inform Leader Sky."
They headed to Sky's office, knocked, and entered after gaining permission. Once inside, they reported their findings.
Sky's expression sharpened with interest. "What building did he enter on the third day?"
Siobhan explained, "There's no information except that it's owned by someone named Mark Allen, but he hasn't been in the city for five years. We have no idea what the building is currently used for."
Rain nodded, supporting Siobhan's report.
Sky glanced at the display in front of her. "It's already 5:03 p.m. You two can go home for now. Tomorrow, before coming into the office, check out that building on the ninth floor."
Rain nodded. "What about the tenth floor, where Hector's car was last seen?"
Sky replied, "I'll inform Jack's team to handle that. You both can focus on the ninth-floor building. Now, you're free to go."
They left Sky's office and exited the police headquarters.
As they walked out, Siobhan called after Rain, "Let's take the same lift tomorrow that we used today. Does that work for you?"
Rain nodded. "Agreed." He said goodbye to Siobhan before heading to the train station. After half an hour, he arrived at his dorm room.
After arriving at his dorm room, Rain quickly freshened up. The exhaustion of the day still lingered, but he had promised Marco and Cistro a treat, and he didn't want to let them down. Once ready, he left his room, walking down the narrow hallway of their dormitory until he reached Marco and Cistro's room. He knocked firmly.
The door swung open, revealing Marco, who grinned upon seeing Rain. "Hey, man! What's up?"
Rain smiled. "I'm taking you both out to the restaurant Sky took me to last night. Remember, I promised you guys after I broke through to D-rank that I'd take you somewhere with real food."
Cistro, who was lounging in the background, perked up at the mention of "real food." "No way! You actually broke through?" he asked, eyes wide with excitement.
Rain nodded. "Yep, finally hit D-rank."
Marco and Cistro congratulated him enthusiastically. After a brief moment of celebration, Rain led the way, and as they walked toward the restaurant, he started explaining the True Body Realm. "So, once you hit D-rank, your body starts to change. It's a different feeling—like you've unlocked something deeper. I can't explain it all, but the process is intense. Just focus on your training, and one day, you'll feel it too."
Marco whistled. "Sounds like a crazy experience. You'll have to walk us through it step by step."
Rain grinned, leaving out any mention of the dream space where most of his transformation had taken place. That was something he would keep to himself for now.
Eventually, they arrived at the same restaurant Sky had taken him to. The place was just as elegant as it had been the night before, its atmosphere buzzing with the hum of conversations. Rain ordered the same meal he'd had previously—green venison, a dish that had left quite an impression on him. Marco and Cistro, still ordinary people without D-rank physiques, opted for radiation-free meals.
As they dug into their meals, Rain asked, "So, Marco and Cistro, how are your studies going? Graduation's coming up soon."
Marco shrugged, "It's alright."
Cistro nodded, "Same here. Just trying to keep up."
Rain chewed thoughtfully before offering advice. "You two should keep exercising regularly. It'll help you when it comes time to break through to D-rank. Better to be prepared."
Cistro sighed, his expression a mix of determination and frustration. "Easier said than done, man. We're not like you, Rain. But we'll give it a shot. One day, maybe we'll get there."
Rain chuckled, trying to encourage them. "It's all about the process. Trust me, don't give up. You'll make it eventually."
Midway through the meal, Marco leaned forward, a curious glint in his eye. "So, what was going on this morning? You were out of here in a hurry. Something up?"
Rain leaned back, choosing his words carefully. "I joined the police force. Got assigned to a team under Teacher Sky. Siobhan's on the team too."
Marco's grin widened as if he'd uncovered some secret. "Oh, Siobhan's on your team, huh? Looks like your chance to woo her finally came, right? You've had your eye on her for a while now."
Rain shrugged noncommittally, avoiding the playful jab. Since his past-life memories had resurfaced, all the relationships from this life felt somewhat foreign to him, like echoes of a different existence.
Cistro laughed, shaking his head. "Come on, Marco, give him a break. Let the guy breathe. But seriously, what kind of work are you doing now?"
Rain's face grew more serious. "Can't say much. It's confidential, you know? But today I was at a factory floor, and I got to see this massive, breathtaking building called the Hive. Once you two graduate and I've got some free time, I'll take you there. You've gotta see it."
Both Marco and Cistro nodded, understanding that police work came with certain limitations on what could be shared. The conversation shifted back to lighter topics as they finished their meals, talking about school, their friends, and making jokes about the daily grind.
After a while, they left the restaurant, stepping into the cool night air. The breeze was refreshing after the warmth inside, and their chatter continued as they made their way back to the dormitory. When they reached their rooms, Marco clapped Rain on the shoulder. "Thanks for the meal, man. And congrats again on hitting D-rank."
Rain smiled, nodding. "Thanks. We'll do it again soon."
With that, they each went to their rooms, ready to rest after a long, eventful day. As Rain sat on his bed, he instructed BIT to give him details about his new flat. Moments later, BIT responded: 'Area-15, Street 6, Building 7/3, Room No. 215.' Rain, hearing the location, realized his new place was conveniently close to the police headquarters—just three streets away. He checked the time via BIT. It was 8:11 p.m. Thinking about how easy it would be to move now with only two bags, he decided not to wait.
He packed his things, exited his dorm room, and instructed BIT to send a message to the dorm manager, informing them of his move. Before leaving, Rain thought it best to let Marco and Cistro know. He knocked on their doors.
Both of them opened, surprised to see Rain standing there with his bags. Marco asked, "You're moving out already? We just got back like 15 minutes ago."
Rain smiled. "Yeah, I'm heading out. Got my new flat near the police headquarters."
Cistro nodded, a bit surprised. "I thought you had a few more days here."
Rain explained, "I do, but it's closer to work, so it makes sense to move now."
Without warning, Marco pulled Rain into a bear hug, his voice catching as he said, "I'm gonna miss you, man."
Rain laughed, patting Marco on the back before gently pulling away. "It's not like I'm leaving forever. I'm only two stations away, and I'll visit. You guys can visit me too."
Cistro joined in, hugging Rain. "Take care of yourself, alright?"
Rain chuckled at their reactions. "You guys are acting like we're never gonna see each other again."
Cistro sighed. "It's just… we're about to graduate. After that, we're going to different schools, and you'll be busy with your job. Who knows how often we'll get to hang out?"
Rain nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, life's changing, but we'll figure it out. Let's make it a point to meet up once a month. That way, we'll stay close."
Marco grinned. "Deal."
The three shared one final group hug before Rain picked up his bags and headed to the train station, his steps feeling heavier as he left. As he walked, he couldn't help but reflect on how quickly his memories from his past life were blending with his current one. Yesterday, he hadn't felt as connected to Marco and Cistro, but now it was different—everything felt more real.
Soon, Rain arrived at the station. After a short train ride, he found himself in front of his new apartment building, a rectangular structure that stood tall and nondescript. He entered quickly, taking the lift to the second floor and arriving at his new room. The door recognized him thanks to BIT's authentication, and he stepped inside.
The flat was similar to Hector's but smaller, less luxurious, and with no window on the left side to view the outside—just a solid wall. To the right were two doors: one led to his bedroom, the other to the bathroom. The main living space was already furnished, simple but adequate.
Rain quickly unpacked his belongings, changed into more comfortable clothes, and sat on the bed, exhaling deeply as the weight of the day caught up with him. Checking the time, he saw it was only 9:10 p.m., and since his room was just a five-minute walk from the lift, he decided to make use of the remaining time to cultivate his control over his genetic energy.
Sitting cross-legged, Rain focused, channeling his genetic energy to his right hand. He attempted to shape the energy into the form of a bird. It was harder than he expected—the outline of the head lacked detail, missing feathers, a beak, and eyes. As he moved on to forming the neck, the head's shape distorted, becoming unstable. After three hours of effort, he had only managed to roughly shape parts of the head and a small portion of the neck. The precision needed was far greater than he had anticipated.
Feeling exhausted from the exertion, he decided to call it a night. Setting an alarm for 7:30 a.m., he recalled the message from Siobhan during his train ride, confirming they would meet at the lift at 8:55 a.m. Rain knew the reason for the alarm—whenever he entered the dream space, time became elusive, and he couldn't trust himself to wake up on his own.
As he lay back and let sleep take over, he could feel the pull of the dream space drawing him in once again.