"Are you okay?"
Marcus Monroe strode into the living room. As he asked the question, he saw Paige Sumrs sitting on the sofa, perfectly fine, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
However, Paige didn’t look happy at all.
’How could I be?!’
’It’s been less than a month, and I’ve already been attacked five tis—that’s more than once a week! Their attackers weren’t even that strong, but it’s just so damn frustrating. Are they trying to stop from ever leaving the house?!’
’Of course, their reasons for doing this couldn’t be that simple.’
As she mulled it over, she offered Marcus Monroe a reassuring smile. "Don’t worry. It’s not that easy to kill ."
Marcus Monroe shook his head slightly, seeing through her feigned indifference. He walked over. "What happened this ti?"
’What happened?’
’It was pretty much the sa as the last few tis, actually.’
The attackers appeared out of nowhere and struck fast, but they never stuck around to fight. It was a classic hit-and-run: fight if they could win, flee if they couldn’t.
"There were five of them. They weren’t very strong, but they knew the terrain inside and out. One of them had a superpower that created smoke, so they managed to get away. As for the others’ superpowers..." Paige trailed off, then stopped abruptly. She’d just realized sothing!
’In every attack, there was always one person dedicated to covering their escape. And every ti, the attackers had a different set of superpowers.’
’For instance, during the first attack, one of them had a Speed Superpower, just like . Naturally, he couldn’t gain an advantage and was the first one I injured. After that, none of the attackers were Speed Superpower Users.’
’Original Superpower Users, Natural Superpower Users, even Spiritual Ability Users—they were cycling through every type of superpower from the three major branches!’
’And yet, none of them were particularly strong!’
’This... they probably weren’t trying to kill . They were testing .’
’That’s it. High-level Superpower Users are rare, and I’m about to break through to the Eighth Rank. Among the younger generation in Central City, I’m definitely one of the best. With my Speed Superpower and my endless arsenal, never mind Superpower Users of the sa Level—even soone a Level higher than wouldn’t necessarily be able to kill .’
’I understand this, and so does the person behind these attacks. So, the people they sent weren’t ant to kill . They were looking for my weaknesses...’
’It just shows how badly they want dead. What they’re aiming for is a single, decisive blow that’s guaranteed to kill!’
Once Paige had pieced it all together, she lightly tapped her head.
’How could I have only figured out sothing so simple just now?!’ She sighed. Her opponents had achieved at least one of their goals: they had her feeling agitated and on edge.
Marcus Monroe saw that she was deep in thought and didn’t interrupt, waiting until she turned and shared her theory.
He nodded. "I was thinking the sa thing." He sneered. "It’s quite an ambitious plan, but it’s a sha it’s dood to be all for nothing!"
’Do they think my people are such an easy target? The n I sent to guard Paige are my most loyal elites. Forget about a threat of this level—even if a true High-level Superpower User showed up, they would lay down their lives to protect her, even if they couldn’t win!’
Paige knew he was referring to Sheldon Reid, but she shook her head.
"It’s not Reid," she said with a knowing look. "Trust my intuition."
Marcus Monroe mulled it over for a mont. "Sheldon Reid is eager to take back Norgate, but things aren’t going as smoothly as he hoped. The initial reconnaissance was a bust—betrayals, accidents... word of what happened has long since reached The Governnt. Under the circumstances, there’s no way they’ll agree easily. It’s going to be a long negotiation. With that in mind, it’s unlikely he’d stir up more trouble by going after us. If it’s not him, then it must be Nora Lowell... But I find it strange. Her thods have gotten much more sophisticated. To gather so many Superpower Users without being detected by Jovitas..."
"Sophisticated thods, you say..."
Paige seed lost in thought. After a long mont, she suddenly said, "You know, I’ve always thought it was strange. I heard Milton Faraday wasn’t a complete idiot before all this. For him to go this far for her... could it actually be true love?"
"True love?" Marcus Monroe couldn’t help but scoff. "More like he’s brain-dead!"
"But even an idiot has his limits, right? The way he is now, it’s like he’s possessed. He knows his father is our prisoner, but he acts like he couldn’t care less. All he’s obsessed with is defeating Sheldon Reid to win over Nora Lowell. Sothing’s not right!"
"You an..."
Paige nodded. "Nora Lowell must have done sothing."
What could it be? Drugs? So kind of hex?
They both pondered for a mont but couldn’t co up with a clear answer.
Paige sighed. "Let’s talk about this later. You should get back to work." She knew Marcus couldn’t always be free to stay with her. The Governnt’s staunch opposition to Sheldon Reid was surely his handiwork, and on top of that, there was the whole ss with Jovitas. Just thinking about it all was a headache. And yet, the mont he heard she’d been attacked, he had rushed back... Paige looked at his face, which had grown thinner, and her heart ached.
He’d been working so much harder than her lately. She lowered her voice and said, "I’ll wait for you tonight."
Marcus sighed to himself. He really wanted to stay with her if he could. Even though they were living together, he left early and ca ho late; sotis they didn’t even see each other at all. He wanted to tell her not to wait up, to get so rest, but he swallowed the words and simply gave a slight nod.
’When I don’t see her, I feel like sothing’s missing, like there’s this empty space in my heart. It’s better this way. I’ll see her, give her a hug, and then let her go to sleep.’
Paige saw Marcus off and returned to her room. She paced for a bit but was in no mood to work on her weapons, so she just stood by the window and gazed out. The compound walls were so high that all she could see was a patch of distant sky. A heavy feeling settled in her chest.
’I can never seem to live the life I want.’
’Sheldon Reid, Nora Lowell...’ She gritted her teeth. ’I really want to kill those two...’
But after thinking it over seriously, she deflated with a sigh of resignation.
’The forr, Sheldon, is always surrounded by a massive entourage, and with tensions so high right now, it would be difficult to even get near him. As for the latter, Nora, she’s basically holed up in the military district. Even if I could sneak in, there’s basically no chance of getting out in one piece unless I was ready for a suicide mission.’
Paige tugged at her hair in frustration.
When Claire Chapman ca to see her that afternoon, Paige couldn’t help but complain. This life of constantly holding back and being on guard really sucked!
Claire Chapman stroked her chin, feigning a mont of deep contemplation, before saying slowly, "Have you ever thought about leaving Central City for a while?"
Paige fell silent.
’I have,’ she thought. ’But this whole ss started because of . To abandon Marcus and leave him to face this alone... I just can’t bring myself to do it!’
Claire Chapman clucked her tongue. "The mont a woman falls in love, her IQ takes a nosedive! Leaving doesn’t an you’re abandoning him. When it cos to fighting Sheldon Reid, we’re lacking too much. We can’t get what we need by just staying cooped up in the city!"
Paige chewed on her lip. After a long pause, she said, "I know, I know all that! Just... let think it over."
"I’m just saying that as things are, we’re too passive. They have us pinned down at every turn. You’re not the only one who’s miserable—I am too! Leaving wouldn’t be because we’re scared, but to build up our strength. Marcus has Jovitas, and you have Bloodfall, but you can’t let Bloodfall get trapped and wither away here!"
After saying her piece, Claire Chapman left, leaving Paige sitting there in a daze. Before she knew it, her brow was deeply furrowed.
’It seems... I’ve made a mistake.’
’Marcus’s protection has made soft. In an era like this, that’s the one thing you absolutely have to cast aside.’
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