Chapter 68: CH-68
I didn’t know why, but I had a feeling he sensed my hostility, especially when he started walking toward me.
"You should head back and get some sleep, young man. I will take over from here," he added, which only fueled my anger.
Summoning every ounce of self-control, I forced myself to respond to this jerk and play the sheep—for now. He had enough money to command an S-Class, so picking a fight with him would be stupid.
"I’ll be taking my leave. Mr. Sakamoto, thank you for putting a stop to this incident."
A soft chuckle slipped past him. "Good... at least you’re clever enough to know when to back down."
"You’re right, Mr. Sakamoto. Money does make the rules. That’s why I’m only following my father’s example... by placing my trust in you."
He studied me for a few seconds, his dark eyes narrowing slightly, gauging if I was bluffing.
"Smart words," he murmured. "Your father would have been proud."
He turned away and began coordinating with his other subordinates, who were waiting in the crowd in secret,
Some of them were even Seekers under his payroll, giving him the confidence to move through the area as if he owned the place.
Back in my vehicle, my fingers dug into the leather armrest until my knuckles whitened. Shadows curled around my feet, and my eyes went cold—cold enough to make the driver tremble without realizing it.
"Where is aunt Ellie?" I asked.
"Sir, Miss Ellie has already been escorted back to the vacation house."
"Good. Take me there."
The driver gave a silent nod and hit the gas. We stuck to the main highway this time.
An hour later, we rolled into a quiet district built on a steep incline, the kind that offered a postcard view of the mountains.
A seamless blend of natural and artificial design stretched before me—man-made structures and clever landscaping enhanced by optical illusions that made the hills appear taller and more dramatic than they actually were.
When I reached the place, it was smaller than the main mansion, but no less expensive.
The land alone cost a fortune. Even if they had the money to build something bigger, the zoning laws here made sure no one could flaunt their wealth too openly.
Stepping into the main courtyard, I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by its architectural design. Most of the materials were rich hardwoods, giving the whole space a warm, inviting glow.
I would’ve loved to stay here for a month or two if I wasn’t dealing with so much right now.
Inside the living room, Ellie sat in front of the fireplace. The moment she saw me, she jumped up and ran into my arms.
"Ace... what happened? Did you hear anything from Ethan?"
Her fingers shook violently as they gripped my sleeves, barely strong enough to hold on. I could feel the desperation behind her every word.
"I’m sorry, aunty, but there’s still no news."
Tears began streaming down her face like a river. I pulled her close and used my abilities, over and over, trying to dull the pain coursing through her.
I knew what I was doing was harsh. But it was better for her to feel numb than to be crushed by grief.
After ten quiet minutes, I led Ellie back to bed and kept her in my arms until she fell sleep.
Carefully, I laid her head on the pillow and gave her a few gentle pats before slipping out of the room.
"Do you want some coffee?" Alice asked, walking in with a tray already prepared.
"Why aren’t you asleep yet?" I asked, helping her set it on the table.
"I’m just worried about you... and about what’s going to happen to the Mercer family."
I could understand where she was coming from. Her own family had been serving ours for generations, after all.
"Don’t worry, we’ll get through this. So please, get some rest. You’ll be a lot more helpful to me if you’re in good health."
I pressed a light kiss to her forehead before gently turning her away.
Settling back to my chair, I took a few sips of coffee before powering on the new laptop I brought with me.
I pulled out the USB the mysterious woman had given me and turned it over in my hand. Stainless steel, slim, and very handy.
click!
The drive booted up the moment I inserted it, and the laptop restarted—something that wasn’t supposed to happen. That could only mean one thing: malware.
Fortunately, I was using a disposable laptop with nothing important stored on it.
A new operating system appeared on the screen. Its logo showed a snake eating its own tail, the green design blending perfectly with the text CORE.
Just as I was about to do something, the mouse cursor started moving on its own.
One folder opened, cycling through images after images.
At first, I saw Daniel meeting with men like Mr. Sakamoto and other important-looking figures—senators, lawmakers, generals, and so on.
Nothing about it looked suspicious at first glance. Big shots always ran in packs. For a multibillionaire in the pharma game, shaking hands with power was just another day at the office.
But then the photos took a darker turn, exposing a horrifying revelation—experiments that fused monster blood with people, trafficking victims, and other illegal research.
There were also images of Daniel meeting with high-profile criminals—terrorists from foreign soil. Normally, I wouldn’t have known who they were, but the notes attached to each photo made their identities clear.
Then a video played.
A former Mercer Group employee sat in a dimly lit room, confessing that Daniel was indeed working for an organization called "DARKNESS."
This organization was the real deal. It had its hands in nearly every industry in the country, even controlling politicians and military generals. Going up against them would be like challenging the nation itself.
"Wait."
I pushed back my chair, the wooden legs scraping against the floor. A familiar face flickered on the screen. It was Ace’s mother.
My pulse spiked as I scanned the attached data, and what I saw left me both dumbfounded and outraged.
[DING!]
[Find Proof of Daniel’s Connection to His Ex-Wife’s Death]
[Completed[
[Reward - Acting Card - Asura Grade]
=====
[Uncover the true cause of your Mother’s Death]
[Completed[
[Reward - Avatar Card[
=====
"Motherfuckers." I clenched my fist so hard my palm started to bleed.
What they did to her was beyond unforgivable—so vile that even the word evil didn’t come close to describing it.
I wanted to believe it was all fake, but the system giving me the reward was undeniable proof.
[DING!]
[NEW MAIN OBJECTIVE: ERADICATE THE ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS "DARKNESS."]
[REWARD: UNKNOWN]
[BONUS MISSION: FOR EACH BRANCH YOU DESTROY, YOU WILL RECEIVE—ONE "ASURA ACTING CARD."]
Damn it. No wonder the system wanted me to create my own guild. If I wanted revenge, I would need an army — and enough status and authority to influence the government.
’I need more power.’
The Acting Up card floated in the air, slowly rotating.
Gold light shimmered across its surface, but a dark red aura wrapped around it. Carved into the card was a demon’s grin, wide and unsettling—just like those old Japanese masks.
’Asura rank... I hope you’re worth it.’