The night passed quickly, and by morning, Callan had finally regained consciousness. A whole night's rest had restored color to his face, though he was still physically weak.Grace had kept watch outside his room all night. As soon as she learned that he was awake, she immediately walked in."Callan, I'm the official in charge of handling this outbreak. I need to ask you several questions, and I kindly request that you answer them truthfully. Understood?" Grace said, getting straight to the point."Yes," he replied, nodding with visible apprehension."When did you first get infected?""I'm not sure how long I was unconscious, but from what I remember, it started about three days ago. I suddenly felt dizzy and weak, with chills running through my entire body," Callan said weakly. He went on, "At first, I assumed it was just a common cold, so I took some medicine. But the symptoms kept worsening, and by the time I realized something was seriously wrong, it was already too late."

Tristan, Icarus, and Lenora left the mansion and hopped into the car. They soon arrived at a hospital that was under lockdown.It wasn't just the facility, but several surrounding streets had also been cordoned off, with soldiers standing guard, forcing all traffic to detour around the area.Access to the hospital required special clearance, and even Tristan wasn't exempt."Dr. Strum and Dr. Carmel, we've got many plague patients quarantined inside this facility. For your safety, I strongly recommend wearing these medical masks," Tristan said as they approached the checkpoint.He thoughtfully handed out the masks to Icarus and Lenora. In addition to wearing a mask himself, he'd also suited up in full protective gear. He was taking every possible precaution since he'd been frail and sickly since childhood. If he caught the plague, it would likely be the end of him.Icarus and Lenora accepted the medical masks without protest. They put on the masks and followed Tristan into the hosp

"Excellent work. Reedcrest managed to contain this outbreak so quickly thanks to everyone's dedicated efforts," Grace said after listening to Sadie's report.She felt the weight lift off her shoulders. The infected patients had been quarantined, and having additional skilled doctors to treat them took a huge burden off her plate.All that remained was to hunt down the remnants of Skull Covenant operatives, and their mission would be complete."It's all because of your excellent leadership, Your Highness. Anyone else wouldn't have been able to pull this off," Sadie replied with a smile."Let's not pat ourselves on the back just yet. There's still work to do," Grace replied, her tone shifting to business. "What's the update on Lauren, the woman I asked you to investigate?""We've finally got an update on that," Sadie reported. "Our investigation confirmed that Lauren did go to Harbortown and has been in close contact with several Nexology members there. I've already sent a team to m

At Sadie's signal, two soldiers stepped forward to carry out her orders."W-Wait…" Lauren stammered.She quickly raised her hands and put on a placating smile. "Let's talk this through like civilized people. No need to get physical.""What? Now you want to talk?" Sadie scoffed. "Done with your pretense?""I was just messing around earlier. Don't take it personally. Ask me anything, and I'll tell you everything I know." Lauren immediately chose to give in."Don't even think about playing games with me," Sadie warned. "If you lie to me, I swear you'll regret it.""Relax. I won't lie," Lauren said with an ingratiating smile. "I'm as straight as an arrow."Sadie frowned slightly but didn't press further. Something about Lauren's behavior didn't sit right with her. One moment she was acting clueless, the next she was oddly cooperative. It was hard to tell what she was up to."Alright then. Tell me. Do you know Callan Banks?" Grace asked coolly."Do I know him? Of course, I do." Lau

"You… What did you do to me?" Lauren demanded.She struggled frantically but found her entire body locked in place, and she couldn't move a muscle. For someone who was halfway to becoming a grandmaster, this kind of helplessness was foreign to her. It felt like being pinned beneath something enormous and unmovable."Relax. I'm not going to kill you," Dustin said with a faint smile.He moved closer until he stood directly in front of her. "I'm going to ask you two questions. Answer honestly, and I'll let you go. Lie to me, and you'll regret everything you did today.""Hmph! Kill me if you want. You think I'm scared of some nobody like you?" Lauren tried to sound fearless, as though she was eager to die.In her eyes, death wasn't an end but a liberation and a chance to return to Skull Lord's side."Like I said, I won't kill you. But I will give you a taste of suffering," Dustin said. With a flick of his finger, he sent a silver needle into her body.The instant it pierced her skin