Chapter 85: We owe nothing

Adam was in his office, going through surveillance footage and the reports compiled from cameras monitoring the recent outbreaks of high-ranking dungeons across the nation.

Being the surveillance head that was his foremost duty, to ensure whatever was happening remains under the Association knowledge.

Nearly seven hundred messages had come in regarding the incidents, but most were handled by his team. They reviewed the footage, interpreted the reports, and forwarded their findings to the higher-ups without requiring his approval for every individual case.

That saved a lot of time and Adam could use his time on more important matters.

The ones above B-rank were his primary concern mostly. Monsters of that caliber could wipe out entire colonies, kill hundreds of people, and, if left unchecked, potentially bring an entire city to ruin.

Thankfully, no S-rank dungeon had appeared in some time. Excluding the Void, the last major dungeon outbreak they had dealt with had occurred nearly two months ago.

So, yes. If the Void was left out of the equation, the situation was more or less under control.

’But how long are we going to have to keep track of this Void?’

That black hole that appeared on the surface before vanishing and emerging somewhere else was a moving disaster. Its unpredictable nature made it almost seem as though some child had been given control of a weapon capable of destroying cities.

Recently, the number of monsters emerging from it had decreased, but their strength had not. The creatures were powerful enough to kill another S-rank.

Foreign assistance was still under consideration, but Adam believed the decision would soon be made in humanity’s favor.

’I need to be prepared when that happens.’

As the Chief of Surveillance, he would be responsible for keeping a close eye on the guests once they arrived. There were several reasons for that, most of them related to defensive measures.

Bzz.

The terminal on his desk suddenly lit up.

Adam pressed the receive button and found a summons from the Vice-Chief.

"All of a sudden?" he muttered, frowning.

He was already rising from his seat.

Adam took the elevator to the top floor, where the offices of only two people were located. After stepping out, he made his way down the gallery to his left before stopping outside one of the doors.

Knock.

He knocked once, waited a moment, then opened the door and stepped inside.

"You asked for me, sir?"

Behind the long table sat a young man in his mid-twenties. He had deep crimson hair and striking green eyes, both of which contrasted sharply with the otherwise subdued office. At the moment, his attention was fixed on the file in his hands.

"Come, have a seat," Daniel invited without looking up, continuing to read through the document.

The office was spacious, though much of that impression came from how little occupied it. There was only a single shelf against the wall, two potted plants tucked into a corner, and the long table behind which Daniel sat. The lack of decoration gave the room an almost sterile atmosphere.

Adam took a seat and unbuttoned his blazer, settling more comfortably into the chair.

"Your reports have prevented a significant number of incidents," Daniel said, finally placing the file on the table. "You chose the right people for your team."

"I recruited them based on their passion for the work. Well, most of them." Adam’s lips curled faintly. There were no restrictions preventing him from choosing people who could be easily persuaded into believing that saving humanity was their highest priority.

Adam had simply influenced them into thinking that way, and more than half of his team now consisted of compassionate warriors who willingly worked overtime without ever being asked.

"Well, that’s why your department is the only one nobody has ever thought of meddling with," Daniel admitted before casually asking, "Would you like some tea?"

"I’m fine, sir. And if you don’t mind, can we get to the point of why I was called here?"

Adam did not want to sound overly formal with a man he was already familiar with. Besides, both of them were busy men who had little patience for unnecessary pleasantries or beating around the bush.

"Yes, true." Daniel leaned back in his seat before asking, "Have you been meeting someone by the name of Kai?"

Adam froze.

The question had been blunt, leaving little room for interpretation, yet he could not determine Daniel’s intention. Was the man genuinely uncertain about Adam’s involvement with Kai, or was he simply testing his reaction?

The silence lingered for a few moments.

Daniel let out a quiet sigh.

"Well, I wouldn’t tell you what to do or what not to do, but the person you’ve been trying to protect has already caught my mother’s attention."

He picked up the file he had been reading and turned it toward Adam.

Several photographs were spread across the open pages. Among them was an image of Kai walking out through the Blue Mountain gate, followed by another showing him jogging through the surrounding community.

Adam studied the photographs in silence for a moment before raising his eyes.

"So Lady Vancroft is indeed looking for payback."

Daniel sighed.

"I’ve tried stopping her, but you know my family. The saying that we don’t owe anyone anything is taken very seriously."

"And what’s your stance on this?" Adam asked.

"As I said, I’ve tried preventing it. However, there’s a high chance my mother will try to create trouble for him soon."

Adam offered no response.

He had never admitted to knowing Kai, but at this point, there was little reason to continue pretending. Daniel already knew enough, and denying it would accomplish nothing.

Without another word, Adam rose from his seat and took his leave.

The moment he stepped outside the office, he pulled out his phone and sent a message to Kyle.

{If possible, can we meet today?}

°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. Drop a review if you have been enjoying the story so far.