Kayden looked down as if remembering his body for the first time. "Really? I didn't notice... Maybe the adrenaline." He spoke in a calm tone, then removed his shoe without hesitation, trying to stop the bleeding with a piece of cloth.
When he tried to put the shoe back on, he suddenly frowned.
This time, the pain was impossible to ignore.
The child approached cautiously, helping him widen the shoe opening.
Then he raised his head and said innocently, "It's expensive, isn't it?"
Kayden didn't reply, only looked away and pretended not to hear. "Don't be careless in this environment."
Then, after a moment of silence, he heard the child's voice again. "Sir... you're incredibly strong."
"You're an easy target... You shouldn't be wandering alone at night." The warning was sincere.
At that moment, a carriage stopped at the entrance of the alley. It belonged to Bill, who was driving. Bill quickly stepped out, staring at the scene before him, assessing everything.
Bill approached, gesturing toward Vlad. "Should we put him in the carriage?"
But Kayden frowned, gesturing without looking. "Yes. He's disgusting. You carry him."
Bill didn't mind, only muttered quietly as he lifted Vlad off the ground, "Damn... I'll tell George about this later."
Then he tossed Vlad's body into the carriage carelessly and sat beside him.
Kayden sat across from him, the small child next to him.
Bill looked at Vlad—what was left of his face: a broken nose, a dislocated jaw, and one eye nearly swollen shut. Then he noticed something else.
"Why is there blood on his pants? And what happened to his foot?" He stared harder... Vlad's foot was twisted at an unnatural angle.
Bill looked at Kayden, who was staring out at the street, his face still... but a small smile was forming on his lips.
Kayden said in a mocking tone, barely suppressing laughter.
"He's no longer a man..."
The small child suddenly giggled. "It's broken!"
Kayden and Bill turned to the child for a second, then ignored him and returned to their conversation.
"Is your name really Bill? It doesn't suit you. You... you look like you can't even lie."
Bill chuckled softly, feeling some relief at the break in tension. "Billy... Actually, it's Billy. Remember it well."
Kayden slowly shook his head, returning his gaze to the road."I will."
Billy looked toward the small child and began lecturing him in a quasi-paternal tone. "You shouldn't go out alone at night, you could really die. You were just lucky this time... This big brother was there to save you."
Kayden listened to the conversation in silence, without commenting, until the carriage arrived at the police station.
Kayden got out, dragged Vlad from the back, and threw him in front of the door without looking back, heading straight to collect the reward.
When he came out, he caught sight of something strange.
Billy was still there, staring in astonishment at someone standing before him... It was Henry, who was gripping his arm as if he'd come to surrender himself rather than a criminal.
Billy blinked in surprise, and even the child's eyes widened.
"You got here fast! You even changed clothes?" Billy spoke hesitantly, trying to understand the situation. "How fast are you exactly?" Billy asked, beginning to formulate another theory
. 'Actually, he moves incredibly fast could it be that his abilities are based on speed?'
But Henry didn't answer directly, only looked at him coldly.
"Do you know what time it is? It's late... and you, this is children's bedtime."
Billy didn't notice anything strange in "Henry's" behavior and continued talking as if everything were normal. "Did you hand over the criminal?"
Henry nodded calmly. "Yes."
Then Henry looked around for a moment, only to find Kayden watching him from afar and shaking his head slightly.
Henry raised his voice a little, looking at Billy.
"That's right, I'm done... I'm leaving now. Contact me later."
Billy shook his head with a confused smile. "Let's meet soon."
But no sooner had the words ended than Henry ran off quickly without looking back. Billy caught, for a split second, another form moving swiftly behind him...
Then Kayden's laughter echoed through the place as he approached.
"You're the best! How did you figure out the situation so fast, you bastard?!"
Henry laughed from a distance, still running. "He thinks I'm you! But he's smart... How annoying!"
Billy stood there, stunned, then turned to the small child. "Let's take you home."
Kayden and Henry approached their workplace, and Kayden slowed his steps, saying in a cheerful tone,
"Let's see what everyone's been up to while we were gone... No need to go straight home, right?"
Henry didn't object, but smiled slyly. "I was told Colton was detained here too... I wonder how he looks after all those missions? Maybe he's started appreciating our lives."
The two entered the building quietly, then went up to the second floor, where they found Iseldar sitting with Hugo and Ayrton... along with Colton, who looked like a ghost in his own clothes.
They exchanged greetings, but Kayden suddenly stopped and stared at Colton's face, shocked:
"Colton! What did they do to you? Why do you look like you've seen death? Mr. Ayrton... Where are the workers' rights in this place?!"
But when Kayden turned to Ayrton, he found he didn't look much better his face pale, his eyes half-closed.
"We had too much work... There are no workers' rights here, only cold coffee and maps," Ayrton muttered in a lifeless tone.
As for Henry, he had approached Hugo, who was still staring at a large map covered in circles and markings.
"What exactly are you doing? Painting a masterpiece?" Henry asked, leaning on the table.
Hugo answered after a heavy sigh. "We're trying to locate Adam... Does he have anything personal we can track? A strand of hair? A piece of cloth?"
Then he called out loudly to Fiona, who was trying to sneak away through the side corridor.
"You're not escaping!" Hugo shouted, pointing at her.
Fiona stopped reluctantly, turned to them, and shouted back in a weary voice, "You bastard, Adam's not a child! He'll come back on his own, as always..."
She looked like she hadn't slept in days, the dark circles under her eyes only deepening from exhaustion.
But Kayden, who had been watching the faces with a critical eye, noticed something else. He stepped back, tilted his head slightly, then asked,
"Colton might look pale... but, Mr. Ayrton... why do you look like you stepped out of one of the undead novels? Are you really alive?"
A heavy silence fell, and everyone turned to him at once, as if he'd committed an unforgivable crime. Kayden returned their stares with an innocent look, then shrugged nonchalantly. "What? My question is logical."
Ayrton sighed slowly, then replied in a voice worn down by defeats "I tried to advance again... reach the next stage, but I... I failed again. Damn it all." He finished in a low voice.
His fingers trembled slightly. He looked like he was about to hit the table, but he stopped suddenly, then muttered, "No... I don't even have the energy for that right now."
Henry, who seemed surprised, moved closer and asked curiously, "Why? I mean, Mr. Ayrton... usually doesn't fail. You're incredibly strong."
Ayrton smiled, and Iseldar interjected in a calm tone, watching the map before him. "There's someone... trying to ascend to immortality at full power. He's annoying. It's like freezing the path for everyone else. No one can advance as long as he's trying to climb..."
"So he failed, simply put," Colton muttered with dry sarcasm. "Ayrton, you won't get anywhere this way no matter how hard you try didn't I tell you? I'm a very good person, and I told you the truth."
But Ayrton didn't notice the sarcasm, continuing in a natural, exhausted tone. "You're my good friend, but Colton, this is bad luck... Adam has cursed us."
He gestured vaguely toward Colton, then continued, "You know? Bad luck follows him like a shadow follows its owner, but I never imagined his influence would seep into me... with such cruelty."
Colton nodded slowly, as if contemplating the extent of the suffering he'd endured. "Actually... staying by his side for so long is the real reason. I advise you, quite frankly, to take a vacation... a long... very long one."
Ayrton suddenly regained some energy, as if something had stirred inside him. He turned to the twins with a faint smile and said,
"Actually... one of the police officers told me what you did. I heard you two were hosting a hunting party? The meditation was very good, indeed."
A faint smile formed on his face, and he began to sit up straighter as if about to boast about his achievement—or someone else's; it didn't matter.
But Iseldar, unimpressed, merely shook his head and muttered,
"You... are boasting? Really?"
Ayrton shook his head calmly and answered with confidence, "Yes, I'm proud. Don't interfere, you crow!"
At that moment, Kayden pulled over a chair and sat down lazily, beginning to slowly remove his shoe. "By the way... you two seem to have known each other for a long time."
Ayrton replied simply without raising his head. "That's right. From a long time ago."
Kayden raised an eyebrow when he saw the wound on his foot. The stab wasn't deep, but it was annoying enough to ruin an entire day's mood. Fiona approached and sat in front of him, looking at his foot first, then at Henry's arm as he sat silently.
"How annoying..." she muttered, then began disinfecting the wounds gently and quickly.
As for Kayden, he returned to looking at those present with a gaze full of interest, then suddenly asked, "Do you know who Adam's teacher is?"
A moment of silence followed. Then Iseldar lowered his gaze toward the ground. "He's... my teacher. But I'm the eldest student."
Kayden didn't comment, only shook his head and asked in a low voice, "And where is your teacher now?"
Iseldar didn't need much thought. "He suffered a lot because of Adam. So... he left the profession. He simply disappeared."
Kayden glanced briefly at Henry, then sank into his usual silence.
But Iseldar wasn't about to miss the opportunity, asking in a curious tone, "Is there something you want to ask...?"
Kayden slowly shook his head, then closed his eyes, leaning back in the chair. "No... I don't need to."
Despite the denial, he seemed tense, as if resisting questions he didn't miss.
Fortunately, Fiona was quick in her work. She finished treating Kayden's foot efficiently, then moved directly toward Henry, who was trying to pretend he was fine despite the pain.
"Don't move, or I'll miss on purpose," Fiona said with a smile, not looking up.
Hugo looked at them with visible disgust, his face contorted as if the air around him had become polluted simply by their presence.
"Did you even hear what I was saying?? I was just wondering if Adam took any belongings of yours with him!" He spoke in a sharp voice, gesturing toward them.
Colton replied in a clearly annoyed tone, his patience wearing thin. "What exactly are you referring to?"
Hugo straightened in his seat, then said coldly, "Anything."
But Colton cut him off with biting sarcasm, leaning forward slightly. "We're the ones who have his belongings... isn't that easier? Why complicate things?"
"No, quite the opposite," Hugo argued, waving his hand. "If Adam took something of yours, that would be better, and I'd be done with this nonsense by now."
Kayden, who had followed the argument with half-closed eyes, ran his hand over his forehead and muttered with a heavy sigh.
"We shouldn't have come here... at all."
Henry shook his head in agreement, his voice barely audible. "That's right... the place is suffocating, doesn't make you feel comfortable at all."
A short silence followed. Kayden remained still, but inside he was teeming with questions. His eyes fixed on the ground, his thoughts heavy… 'Should I tell them? ' Then he made up his mind and spoke in a calm but serious tone.
"Actually... I think Adam is keeping something of mine. He forgot to return it."
Hugo's eyebrows shot up, and he gasped as if this were an exciting announcement in the middle of a dramatic performance.
"What is it?!" He asked with excessive eagerness, sitting upright as if about to pounce on Kayden and extract the answer from him.