2026-09-14 23:19:32Ethan left the Golden Garden and went straight to City General Hospital. Mrs. Clara was the next person on his list.
He waited near the desk for almost an hour. When she finally came out for her break, he asked her to lunch. She looked tired but smiled and said yes.
“I only have one hour,” she warned.
“There’s a place two blocks away. We won’t be long.”
They ate at a quiet European restaurant with white tablecloths. The food tasted good. When the bill came — two thousand five hundred dollars — Ethan kept a polite smile on his face while the cashier took his card. Inside, his stomach twisted. *That’s more medicine money for Sophie. But I have no choice.*
Outside, Mrs. Clara gave him a short hug. “You’re a kind young man. Not many people remember the nurses.”
Ethan only nodded. His face felt warm.
The system voice spoke a moment later.
[Two of five completed. Three remaining.]
---
By late afternoon he still needed three more names. Mr. Harris came to mind right away.
The Night Owl Bar was already getting busy when Ethan walked in. Mr. Harris looked up from the counter, eyebrows raised.
“You’re in a hurry. You still haven’t paid me back, have you?”
Ethan put his card on the counter. “Take ten thousand. That covers what I owe and a little extra. If it goes through, come to dinner with me.”
Mr. Harris gave a short, doubtful laugh and swiped the card. The approval sound came. His face changed from surprise to mild embarrassment.
They sat down for coffee first, then moved to a real dinner. The meal cost more than a hundred dollars. Three people done.
Ethan still kept thinking about Sophie. The surgery was paid, but the hospital bills would keep coming. Every dollar he spent on these meals felt like money that could have helped her recover.
---
Night came. The quest ended at midnight. Ethan still needed two more people and had run out of friends. He walked through a small park, looking at faces, until he saw a young woman in dark makeup sitting alone on a bench. She was on her phone, eyes red from crying.
Ethan walked closer carefully.
“Go away,” she said without looking up.
“I’m not selling anything. I just won some money and I’m trying to buy people dinner tonight. No strings. You look like you could use a good meal.”
She lowered the phone and looked at him. Then she gave a short, wet laugh. “People still play the lottery? You look like you live in the library.”
Her name was Lily. Her dinner plans with a friend had just been cancelled. She said yes, but made it clear she liked girls, not boys. Ethan only shrugged and smiled.
They chose a fancy Thai restaurant with an artificial pond. Halfway through ordering, a familiar voice cut across the room.
“Is that Ethan? The one who dropped out because he couldn’t pay school fees? Look at him — trying to impress some girl with a free meal he can’t afford.”
Sara sat at a nearby table with her boyfriend Jake. She used to be in the same class. She had always been sharp-tongued, and dating someone with money had made her worse.
The words hit Ethan harder than he expected. His chest felt tight. *They still look at me like I’m nothing. Like I never belonged.* For a second he wanted to stand up and shout back, but he forced himself to stay quiet.
Lily’s eyes narrowed. “Friends of yours?”
“Old classmates.”
Lily leaned in. “Want me to walk over and say I’m pregnant with his kid? Instant drama.”
Ethan touched her wrist. “Leave it.”
They kept eating. The dishes that arrived looked expensive and fancy. Sara watched every plate. A minute later she loudly ordered the same dishes in double portions, ignoring Jake’s quiet protests. She wanted to look richer than the dropout across the room.
Ethan and Lily finished, paid, and left while Sara and Jake were still eating.
Twenty minutes later Ethan was already on the sidewalk when noise started at the restaurant door. Jake stood at the register, face pale. His credit card had been declined. His parents had finally blocked it after too many of Sara’s spending. The bill had reached ten thousand dollars. The cashier was reaching for the phone.
Ethan stepped back inside.
“I’ll cover it,” he said, putting his card on the counter. “Put it on this.”
The number stared back at him. *Ten thousand dollars. That’s a lot of hospital days for Sophie. That’s medicine. That’s care. And I’m giving it to people who just laughed at me.* His stomach turned, but he kept his face calm.
The cashier’s face softened. “Of course.”
Sara and Jake stared at the floor. Neither said thank you. The cashier gave them a cold look as they left.
Outside, under the bright city lights, Ethan touched the eye tattoo on his palm.
The system spoke quietly.
[Daily Quest complete.]
[Reward is waiting in the bag.]
[Open it when you are ready.]
Ethan let out a long breath. The quest was done. Relief came, but it was mixed with worry. *Sophie is still in that hospital bed. The surgery is only the start. She will need more money, more care, more time.* He looked at the tattoo on his hand.
He still had a long way to go.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 20
The loud pop of the silver pistol cut through the night air, and a small metal bullet tore straight toward Ethan's chest with deadly speed.Time seemed to slow down to a crawl. Ethan pulled Sophie behind his back with his left hand, his eyes locked on the flying piece of lead. The Nine Heavenly Path Technique surged through his veins, filling his fingers and palms with blinding speed. He did not dodge or jump out of the way. He raised his right hand in front of him and caught the bullet right out of the air between his thumb and index finger.A sharp metallic ring echoed through the quiet alley.Silence fell instantly over the entire street.David stopped smiling. His mouth stayed wide open, his eyes popping out in
Chapter 19
The heavy iron hatch sealed shut behind them, cutting off the roar of the fire and the choking smoke of the burning tower.Ethan stood in the dim light of the drainage tunnel, his arm wrapped firmly around Sophie to keep her steady. The air down here smelled damp and old, but it was clean enough to breathe. The distant sound of rushing water echoed through the concrete pipes, mixing with the low rumble of traffic far above their heads in the city streets of Lagos.We cannot stay here long, Victoria said, clicking off her small emergency flashlight to save the battery. My uncle Marcus controls the municipal security cameras. If he realizes we escaped through the drainage system, he will have every sewer exit blocked within ten minutes.Sophie looked up at Ethan, her face pale
Chapter 18
Thick gray smoke rolled through the open doorway like a creeping monster, filling the underground room with a sharp, choking chemical smell.Ethan pulled Sophie closer against his chest, wrapping his jacket tighter around her face to keep her from breathing the poisonous air. Her eyes were wide with fear, and her small hands grabbed onto his shirt.Don't worry, Sophie. I am right here. You are going to be okay, Ethan said, his voice steady even as his heart raced.Victoria stood near the edge of the smoke, coughing slightly as her face turned pale with fury. Her uncle Marcus was not just trying to trap them. He was planning to burn the entire lower level down and bury every secret of Sterling Holdings in ash.My unc
Chapter 17
The iron door slammed shut with a heavy, final sound, plunging the small medical room into total blackness.Ethan stood frozen in the dark. The cold air felt heavy against his skin. He reached down and touched the bed again, his fingers tracing the cold plastic of the oxygen mask. It was empty. The monitors were completely dead.Victoria stood near the door, her breathing shallow. Even in the dark, her voice cut through the silence with sharp surprise.This was not supposed to happen, Victoria said, her usual calm tone finally cracking. I gave strict orders. She was supposed to be kept as leverage, not moved or harmed.Ethan did not answer her. He closed his eyes and let his mind go quiet. For the past two days, sin
Chapter 16
The elevator shook violently and stopped dead between floors. The bright overhead lights blinked out completely. Only the dim, red emergency glow remained, casting long shadows across the small metal box.Victoria did not even flinch. She stood her ground in the dark cabin, her dark leather coat brushing against Ethan's arm as the robotic voice echoed from the ceiling speaker about the facility lockdown.It looks like my security team is very efficient, Victoria said, her voice entirely calm. They realized I was compromised and cut the power. We are stuck between floors, Mr. Rivers. And the air in this shaft is on a timed filter.Ethan kept the alchemical needle pressed firmly against her neck. He did not care about the lockdown or the dark elevator shaft. His mind was fixed
Chapter 15
The sound of heavy tactical boots filled the ruined office as a dozen armed guards fanned out across the room, locking down every exit. Victoria Sterling stood at the front, her dark leather coat catching the light of the city below. She looked down at David, who was still scrambling backward on the floor like a frightened dog, then turned her sharp gaze back to Ethan.Put that down, David, Victoria said again, her voice completely calm and deadly.David dropped the metal statue with a loud clatter. He scrambled to his feet, pointing a trembling finger at Ethan. Aunt Victoria! He broke in! He destroyed the office and tried to kill me! Make these men shoot him right now!Victoria did not even glance at her nephew. She kept her cold eyes fixed on Ethan.
