CHAPTER 207: EGO

"...David."Ulrich’s voice softened, almost a whisper. His gaze was no longer sharp like a blade—something had shifted.Several seconds passed in silence before Ulrich finally spoke again."You’ve become reckless."

David immediately lowered his head, fists clenched at his sides. "I’m sorry, Sir. I was just—"

"—Extracting information from housewives," Ulrich cut in, his tone flat. "Using empathy. Breaking protocol. Exploiting their human side."

David opened his mouth, ready to explain. But Ulrich slowly raised a hand, stopping him."I’m not angry," he said. "On the contrary... I’m glad."

David lifted his head, confused. "Glad?"Ulrich nodded slowly, then leaned back into his chair."You were reckless, David. But that proves one thing I thought was long gone from you..."His gaze drifted, as if staring through the office wall."...You’re still human."

David looked like he wanted to respond, but Ulrich continued, his words flowing faster—like releasing something he had bottled up for too long."It’s my fault," he said. "I was too harsh in raising you. Too cold. I forced you to become a tool... a soldier... a machine that kept working without ever questioning why."

Ulrich closed his eyes for a moment."And now I realize... I stole your youth."

Silence. David couldn’t speak.

"You should’ve had time to love someone without fear. To fail. To be foolish. To make mistakes and learn. But I... I only gave you targets. Missions. Responsibilities."

Ulrich looked at him again. His eyes were sharp, but not with anger—rather, with deep regret."...And yet you endured."

David swallowed hard, his chest tight."If you’re becoming reckless, David," Ulrich continued. "If you’re starting to question things... and feel guilt over your actions... then it means you’ve started to live. Not just follow orders."

David remained silent. What does he mean? I don’t feel guilty. Besides, it was Nathan’s mother who told me herself.

The room now felt like a strange blend of misplaced guilt and half-hearted apology—layered with words that sounded slightly exaggerated, just enough to mask the ego of an old man named Ulrich.

David finally lifted his head, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips—more a reflex than a show of respect.Then he gave a slow nod. "Understood, Sir."But in his mind, a single word floated—dull and heavy:Whatever...Not because he hated Ulrich. But because that respect—slowly—had changed.Not vanished, just... lost its shape.Ulrich was no longer a god in his eyes. Just a man.And men can be wrong.

Far from that clash of masculine energies, on the 100th Floor of the Tower...The air was still warm, rippling with remnants of spiritual force from the earlier explosion.Nathan sat with his private blade still semi-limp, his large frame yet to fully shrink back to its human form. His breathing was heavy, bare-chested, skin faintly glowing—residual echoes of power not yet settled.

Lilith stood not far from him, arms folded beneath her chest. Her expression calm, yet her eyes... sharp like a divine blade.

"Nathan," she said softly, yet her voice rang out like a decree.

Nathan turned to her, eyes vacant, as if he hadn’t fully returned from wherever his mind had wandered.

"Go. Clean yourself. Reflect on everything," Lilith continued.

Nathan frowned slightly. "I... why now?"

Lilith gave a small smile, then walked toward him with slow, deliberate steps."Because you’re no longer just a man who’ll empower humanity by selling stamina potions at White Null Shop."She looked him straight in the eye."You’re a father now."

Nathan swallowed hard. That word—father—slid in like a blade: no blood, no scream, but it left a wound all the same.

Lilith raised her hand and gently tapped his cheek—almost like a mother telling her child it was bedtime."Now... it’s girls’ time."

Nathan stood up and walked toward the waterfall.His cock swung slightly from side to side, splashing faint traces of Sapoa Sap’s scent and his pride—both of which felt like they were being rebuilt and destroyed at the same time.

----

The faint creak of the fan filled the stuffy silence of the living room.Sophia sat on the floor, her back resting against the table. Her face looked tired, hair disheveled, and her breathing was slightly labored—she had been running around trying to find Nathan, who was still nowhere to be seen.

On the couch, Lily sat hugging a pillow. Her eyes were blank, but something inside her was still stirring.

"...Back then," Lily said quietly. "I called Nathan. With Mom."

Sophia turned to her. "Called?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. And a girl picked up."

"A girl?"

"Her name was Lilia. I heard her voice. It was soft. She said Nathan was out hunting for food."

Sophia frowned. "Nathan? Hunting?"

"I don’t know what he was hunting, but apparently, the woman with him had a repair skill. She said she fixed Nathan’s phone."Lily stared into the void.

Sophia fell silent, her eyes narrowing. "Repair? That’s a... weird skill."

"Yeah," Lily said. "And the call got cut off because there was a Monster attack."

Sophia stared blankly at the floor.

It wasn’t just the strange skill that woman had that bothered Sophia—It was Nathan.Out hunting?

The thought kept spinning in her mind, making her wonder if Nathan had changed.And as a grown woman, she couldn’t afford to think naively.A man and a woman... trapped together, who knows on what floor...Alone.Protecting each other.Shivering together in the cold.

’NOOO...’Her mind screamed, imagining Nathan reaching climax during the night.Her cheeks flushed bright red.

"Sis Sophia, are you okay?" Lily asked.

"Ahh... I’m fine," she replied, a little flustered.

Sophia let out a sigh, then reached for her old phone on the table.The screen was cracked along the edges, but it still worked.

"If he was able to answer a call back then... maybe he still can now."

Lily looked at her, uncertain. "Umm... okay, just try it..."

Sophia didn’t respond. She opened her contacts:NathanHer thumb hovered over the Call button, hesitating for a moment.

But curiosity overpowered logic.She tapped the button.

Beep.Beep.

Lily held her breath.Sophia sat still, eyes locked on the screen...

One second... two... three...