CHAPTER 135: CHAPTER 135 - ETHAN RECKWAS

Logan no longer wanted to hesitate.

’It’s all-out war from now on,’ he thought, gritting his teeth. ’They had their chance to pick a side. From now on, I won’t show any mercy.’

The Alvarez family’s dirty tactics could be ignored at first. But this time, they had really crossed the line.

’I need to grow up,’ he thought, regret flowing through him. ’I can’t let my hesitation get more good people killed.’

He stood up, eyes narrowing as he saw several of the people from his list lingering outside.

His eyes turned cold as he glanced at the list again.

’’I’ll need to pay Ethan Reckwas tonight,’’ he mumbled, pulling up a tiny hologram projector from his suit. ’’Let’s see if it can fully mimic his appearance.’’

He was the safest pick, an innocent 20-year-old only joining the dungeon because his parents’ guild wanted to get a contract with the Alvarez family.

’It’s the best option,’ he thought, already running the plan in his mind. He would knock Ethan out and let several C-rank skeletons make sure he didn’t run off anywhere.

Then he’d take Ethan’s identity and enter the dungeon with the group.

’Simple, clean, but effective.’

His eyes fell back on the television, watching the live broadcast in silence.

Even now, the news crews switched between the building and desperate families standing on the ground, hoping to hear that their loved one made it out.

Later that night, Logan snuck out of his room, walking through the empty corridors in search of his target.

’Third room, fourth floor,’ Logan thought, eyes scanning each room.

His target had barely reached the Silver Core, giving him full confidence of succeeding.

He narrowed his eyes as he spotted the right room.

The lights were out, and the soundproof walls masked all the noise from inside the room.

Logan stepped up to the door, his heartbeat calm and his footsteps silent.

He gave two light knocks on the door.

A few seconds later, the door cracked open.

Ethan blinked groggily, rubbing his eyes as he stood in the entrance. ’’...Yeah?’’

That was all the time Logan needed.

He shoved the door wide open, grabbed Ethan by the collar, and drove his fist into the side of the boy’s neck in one clean motion.

Ethan gasped, choking on his breath, but Logan had already stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

He followed it with a quick elbow to Ethan’s temple and a low kick that sent him sprawling.

’Is he out?’ Logan wondered, glancing down.

Hearing a soft grunt from Ethan, Logan decided to punch his temple twice more.

This time, Ethan’s body went completely limp.

’Good,’ Logan thought, nodding approvingly. ’I figured it wouldn’t be that difficult if I took him by surprise.’

Without wasting time, he dragged Ethan to the bathroom and conjured a small but solid cage around him.

’This should take him hours with his sound and wind affinity.’

Just to be certain, Logan summoned three skeletons and poured in enough mana for them to last for days.

’’Watch him. If he gets out of the cage or tries to make noise, kill him.’’

The command pulsed through the anchor, the skeletons’ eyes locking onto Ethan instantly.

’Now I just need to wait for him to wake up to explain the situation to him.’

Logan took out the small hologram projector from his disguise suit and pressed a few buttons.

A light blue screen appeared in the air, slowly going through Ethan’s body, analyzing every little detail about its structure.

After a few minutes, a new character display appeared on Logan’s hologram.

’Flawless so far,’ Logan thought, changing his appearance into that of Ethan.

He glanced at the time. ’Around two hours left before they leave.’

Two hours later...

Logan stood among the group of chatting teenagers, attempting to match Ethan’s posture and usual awkward behavior as much as possible.

No one looked at him twice.

Other than two people, no one even bothered to greet him.

’Must be because his parents aren’t immensely rich or influential,’ he thought, mind wandering to Ethan.

’He was very cooperative,’ Logan thought. ’I guess you don’t have much of a choice when there are several creatures guarding you.’

He couldn’t laugh about it though. The decision he had made wasn’t anything he could smile at.

’At least Edric’s handling things at HQ,’ he thought. While waiting in Ethan’s room, Logan had asked for several updates.

He clenched his fist as he thought about the victims.

’Twenty-nine dead. Fourteen more clinging to life. And for what?’

A voice cut through the noise in his head, snapping him back to reality.

’’Is everyone ready?’’ one of the receptionist’s voices echoed through the room, silencing all the young adults.

’’I think we are good to go,’’ Adam Sekat, boyfriend of Arla Alvarez, answered with a slick smile.

’’Through here please,’’ the receptionist smiled, turning around.

As she turned around, Adam slipped an arm over her shoulder and whispered something that made her stiffen.

Logan’s lip curled in disgust as he watched it unfold.

His gaze shifted to Arla, who was holding on to a boy from a mid-level supplier the Alvarez family worked with.

’So they are both in this together,’ he thought, shaking his head. ’This is why she didn’t care about his sexual assault charge.’

He could only imagine how many girls Adam had taken advantage of in the three years he’d been with Arla.

’’Tch,’’ Logan shook his head. ’Luckily, they won’t be alive for long.’

Everyone around him seemed to be ignoring the receptionist’s awkwardness and attempts to pull away.

Finally, as they passed through the walls around the dungeon, Adam let go of her.

’’I’ll see you after this again,’’ he said loud enough for everyone to hear while winking at her.

Logan scanned the group. Most of them looking way too comfortable with what just happened.

’Just means none of them are truly innocent,’ he thought. ’If they aren’t at least a little uncomfortable, it means it isn’t the first time they’ve seen it.’