NOVEL NEXT Chapter 113: Get Rid of Him
Ethan quickly opened his watch to check. He thought it was a reply from [Grinning Ghost], but it turned out Leo had logged into Dawnfall Online.
[No Sneak Attacks]: Ethan, are you okay? Wait a bit. I'll report the location you gave me.
[Windchaser]: [Are you moving now?]
[No Sneak Attacks]: [Yeah. Seems like something big is happening in the department today. Everyone's on high alert. My rank is too low, so I don't know the details.]
[Windchaser]: [It's urgent. I need your help.]
[No Sneak Attacks]: [Wait for me!]
After replying to Ethan, Leo quickly logged out of Dawnfall Online and opened his eyes in the real world.
Without a second thought, Leo headed straight for a meeting room.
By department rules, anyone who joins must cut off all contact with their old family and friends.
If they break this rule, they face heavy punishment, and might even have their memory wiped and be forced out.
But the one in danger now was Ethan.
Compared to Ethan's safety, any punishment for breaking the rules meant nothing to Leo.
Soon, Leo reached the meeting room door. Before he could knock, he heard a roar from inside:
"Useless! You're all useless!"
"Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on Axel and Emma? They vanished right under your noses. If you aren't useless, then who is?"
"Who is the patient who disappeared with Dr. Axel? Where's the report you dug up?"
"Who's outside? Get in here!"
Leo's heart jumped. He knew that voice—it was the captain of the Special Operations Team, callsign Lion, a man he'd only met once.
Leo took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and walked in.
He saw many operators standing in front of Lion with their heads down, not daring to say a word.
Lion glanced at him, frowned, and said: "Rookie, what are you doing here?"
Leo was about to answer when quick footsteps sounded behind him.
The team's vice-captain, Lila, walked in, her face dark. She took a deep breath and said to Lion:"Ella can't lock onto the enemy's location."
Lion's eyes went wide. He gritted his teeth. "Didn't we already know exactly what they look like?"
Lila shook her head. "Most likely they realized they left a clue and ruined that person's face."
The people from [Black Sea] clearly knew the Faceless Division well. Lila glanced around at the team. She suspected there was a [Black Sea] mole among them.
Lion had clearly thought of that too. Ella's awakened gift can lock onto a target with extreme accuracy once she knows their exact appearance.
Only when the target is disfigured can she not lock on.
And only people in the Faceless Division know this.
Lion took a few deep breaths, forcing down his frustration, and looked at Leo.
Leo didn't hesitate. "Captain, I know where the enemy is."
At once, everyone in the meeting room turned to Leo. The operators who had been staring at the floor started whispering:
"Isn't he the rookie? How would he know where the enemy is?"
"Yeah, he's probably just trying to show off by saying something that crazy."
"Kids don't know their limits. He must not know the captain's temper, or he wouldn't be this bold."
Leo said straight out that he had a friend who got dragged into this. He was trapped by the kidnappers in an abandoned factory together with Dr. Axel, Emma, and Emma's younger brother, Lucas.
Lion and Lila exchanged a look. Lila said: "We'll deal with you breaking the rules later. That friend of yours—how does he know where they are right now?"
"Our enemies aren't dumb enough to let an ordinary person know the exact location."
Leo answered firmly: "Time is tight. I didn't have time to ask, but I trust him."
"The address is 13th Avenue, Building 112. No mistake."
One of the operators asked: "What if it's wrong? Then we'd run for nothing, waste time, and the enemy…"
Before he could finish, Leo cut in, still firm: "It won't be wrong. I trust him."
"Captain, please believe me. Ethan won't be wrong."
"Ethan?"
Lila's eyes widened. She hadn't known Ethan disappeared with Dr. Axel.
She remembered her earlier read on Ethan and looked at Leo again. She'd been right—this patient named Ethan was anything but simple.
Lion took a deep breath, stared at Leo, and said: "If your intel is correct, I'll ask upstairs to reduce your punishment as much as possible."
"If it's wrong, you're out of the department."
"No problem," Leo said without hesitation.
Soon, Lion left the meeting room with the operators, leaving Vice-Captain Lila staring at Leo, lost in thought.
Leo was just about to follow Lion to help rescue Ethan.
But he had barely stepped out of the meeting room when a harsh alarm blared and red lights started flashing everywhere.
Vice-captain Lila's face changed. She shouted: "Bad news—enemy attack! They're here for the test subject!"
...
In Dawnfall Online, Ethan still hadn't gotten a reply from [Grinning Ghost]. He was hoping to get some useful info from them.
After all, [Grinning Ghost] had been pretty friendly to him, and that light-blue potion had no issues.
Just as Ethan was about to leave Dawnfall Online and return to the real world, Lucas suddenly sent him a message.
[Lucas]: [Ethan, help!]
[Lucas]: [My sister and I were kidnapped, plus a doctor and an unlucky guy. We're inside Building 112 on 13th Avenue.]
[Lucas]: [Ethan, can you think of a way to save us? These kidnappers aren't normal humans—they have superpowers!]
[Lucas]: [Ethan, I'm not dreaming, and I'm not crazy. It's all real!]
Ethan let out a helpless sigh. He was trapped there with Lucas too, and he wanted to get out as well.
But Leo was already moving. That secret unit he works for should show up soon.
Ethan still trusted Leo, though he didn't know if Leo would be punished after this was over.
He felt that ever since he learned potions from Dawnfall Online could be made in the real world, he'd been dragged into one incident after another.
He hadn't had any proper rest these last two days, always getting pulled into the mess.
After thinking for a moment, Ethan replied: [Got it. I've already told someone to come save you.]
That's right—he had already informed Leo.
There was nothing wrong with him replying like that.
But when Lucas saw that message, he almost burst into tears.
He quickly logged out of Dawnfall Online and returned to the real world. He said to Emma: "Sis, I've already called someone to save us! Just wait a bit and we'll get out of here!"
Emma asked on reflex: "Who did you ask for help? The police probably can't handle these kidnappers."
Lucas patted his chest and said: "Not the police. It's my big bro from Dawnfall Online, [Windchaser]!"
"Don't worry, sis. Ethan will figure it out. He never says he can't do something!"
Emma reached out and rubbed Lucas's head.
Then she said: "Are you being silly? How could someone you met in a game have the power to save us?"
"Play less games from now on."
Lucas got anxious. He looked at Dr. Axel, thinking he probably doesn't play Dawnfall Online, then turned his eyes to Ethan.
He hurriedly said to Ethan: "Bro, you've heard of [Windchaser], right? He'll definitely get us out of here."
Ethan nodded. He was [Windchaser], so of course he believed in himself.
Lucas felt like he'd found a kindred spirit. He rushed over to Ethan, patted his shoulder, and said:"Since you play Dawnfall Online too, once we get out, you can stick with me!"
"Don't worry, I'll introduce you to Ethan. You can team up with me and follow Ethan."
Ethan almost burst out laughing when he heard that. He held it in and nodded.
It would be pretty funny when Lucas later found out he was [Windchaser].
Emma, however, kept frowning as she looked at Ethan and Lucas. She didn't believe a player from Dawnfall Online could have the power to save them.
But she had no other options now. She could only try to talk Lucas into calling the police.
Just then, the iron door that had been shut suddenly swung open.
The man in the black hoodie who had brought Ethan here stood behind a middle-aged man and appeared in the doorway.
The middle-aged man looked around. When he saw Ethan, he frowned and said:
"Why is there one more? Get rid of him."