NOVEL NEXT Chapter 132: The Listening Device
After using [Ice Calamity Intel], Ethan had always thought the thing in the glass test tube was what turned Emma into the host of the [Ice Calamity].
But Dr. Axel said it was only the original strain of the Ice Virus. Even if a normal person touched it, nothing special would happen.
Ethan slowly turned to look out the office window.
Heavy snow was falling, turning the whole world white.
He still didn't understand [Calamity] well enough—what it really was, how it formed, or how it chose a host.
He gave a small shake of his head. He knew that as long as he kept living and kept getting stronger, he would eventually clear up all his doubts.
Ethan chatted with Dr. Axel a bit more, then went back to the ward.
When Leo came out of the bathroom, it was already around one in the afternoon.
He nodded at Ethan and said: "Alright. I'll come again tomorrow and take away the rest of the trash. After that, it'll be clean."
Ethan pointed at the Kobe beef on the table to tell Leo to eat.
He had called to order it specially, and it wasn't cheap.
Leo took a deep breath and walked to the table. One look at the bright red meat made him think of the bodies he had just handled.
He couldn't hold it in—acid rushed up his throat.
He clapped a hand over his mouth, hurried back into the bathroom, and started throwing up.
Ethan looked helplessly at the Kobe beef, picked up a piece, and set it in front of Flora.
Flora started eating it happily right away.
Ethan could only press the bedside button and ask the nurse to bring him lunch.
After a short wait, he heard a knock at the door. He was about to let them in when he suddenly remembered something and frowned.
The timing was too fast. Before, when he asked the blonde nurse to get him lunch, it usually took about half an hour.
But today, not even ten minutes had passed before there was a knock at the door.
It was like someone had already prepared the meal and was just waiting for his call.
Ethan glanced at Flora. She was still busy tearing at the beef and hadn't made any warning sounds.
Ethan walked slowly to the door of the hospital room and asked: "What is it?"
A woman's unfamiliar voice came from outside: "Mr. Ethan, this is your lunch."
It wasn't the blonde nurse's voice.
Ethan pulled the door open a crack and looked out. A nurse he didn't know was standing there, smiling at him.
He looked her up and down and asked: "Where's the nurse who was taking care of me before?"
The nurse outside answered: "You mean Shelly? Something came up at her home, so she took leave. I'll be looking after you for a while. If you need anything, Mr. Ethan, just tell me."
Ethan nodded, opened the door a bit wider, took the lunch box from her, and said: "Alright. Go ahead. I'll call if I need you."
The nurse nodded and turned to leave.
Ethan closed the door, put the lunch box on the table, and didn't open it.
After a while, Leo finished throwing up and came out of the bathroom.
He dropped onto the couch. He looked at the lunch box in front of him and, without thinking, opened it.
Ethan quickly said: "Wait. Are you that hungry? Didn't you eat several pieces of beef just now?"
Leo froze. He had only looked at the beef and then puked—he hadn't eaten any!
In a flash, Leo realized something. He reached out and pointed at the lunch box in his hand.
Ethan nodded.
The two understood each other perfectly—the kind of tacit understanding you build only after a long time together.
Leo slowly set the lunch box down, took a card from his pocket, and slid it into the gap of the box while saying:
"Kobe beef isn't that great to me anyway. And I'm on a diet lately, so I can't eat much."
"Tell you what," he went on: "I'll take this lunch box with me and save it for dinner. It's free anyway. If we don't eat it, it's a waste."
Ethan walked over and sat beside him. Watching Leo take the box apart, he said:
"Do whatever you want. This room costs about ten thousand a day."
They kept chatting about nothing in particular. When Leo finally opened the box, Ethan saw a bug inside.
Leo pulled out his phone, typed fast, and showed the screen to Ethan:
[Newest micro listening device. It's only as big as a fly, but it can pick up all the sound in this room.]
Ethan nodded. Leo was way more professional at this.
[How do we handle it? Want me to take it away later?] Leo typed.
Ethan took out his phone and replied:
[No. I'll record a track and loop it. Next time, bring a shielded box.]
Leo looked at Ethan and gave a thumbs-up.
If he took the device away, the Faceless Department would just plant another one.
Ethan's way was better: play a recorded loop on repeat, and now and then open the shielded box and say some useless stuff.
That way, they'd get as little real info as possible.
As for the Faceless Department, Ethan still didn't know why the special action team's deputy captain, Lila, was so wary of him.
But after a while, if they couldn't get anything useful from him, they should give up.
The Faceless Department has a weapon that can release the black flames from Ethan's dreams. He still needed to look into it, since it might be tied to his origins.
After chatting a bit, Ethan signaled Leo to head out. If anything came up, they'd talk in Dawnfall Online.
Leo went to the bathroom, picked up a plastic bag, and gave Ethan a wink.
"Don't forget to take the trash when you go," Ethan said at once.
"I know," Leo said, a little impatient. "The nurses could do this, you know. Sigh, you just can't stand seeing me stand around."
"I'm off. I'll come see you in a few days. Don't miss me too much."
...
Hospital underground parking lot, inside a van.
Lila frowned and slowly set her headset on the table.
She had been listening to the talks in Ethan's ward the whole time and got nothing useful.
It made her hesitate. Could her guess be wrong?
Maybe Ethan doesn't have any secret ties with the [Ghostfang] group, the [Black Sea] group, or [Prism]?
Lila thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and told the special action team members:
"Don't let your guard down. Keep monitoring. Report anything unusual to me right away!"
"No problem!" a team member replied.
After Lila left, one member kept listening for a while, then, bored, took off his headset and said: "Man, this is so dull. How about we take turns resting? I just got a Blue-quality weapon in Dawnfall Online, and I want to grind some levels."
The other member hesitated, then nodded.
...
Veritas Snow Group building, top-floor office.
Emma held the phone calmly and said: "Okay, I got it. Be safe on the way and try to come back early."
Across from her, Serena looked a bit put out and asked: "Was that Lucas calling?"
Emma nodded. "He has to go out of town for a bit. He should be back soon."
Serena looked surprised. "You agreed just like that? You never used to let him leave Dolren City so easily. If something happens out there, you won't be able to get to Lucas right away."
Emma paused, her face turning thoughtful. After a moment, she said,
"Lucas has grown up. He should be fine."
"By the way, what were you saying just now?"
Serena sighed, eyes full of complaint. "I knew you weren't really listening. I said you're so busy lately you don't even have time to go shopping for clothes with me."
"And I met a man who drives me crazy—he's totally blind to my charm. How do I win him over?"
Serena rested her chin on her hand, seeming to look at Emma, but her mind was full of [Windchaser].
For some reason, as Serena talked, Ethan's face popped into Emma's mind. It was the first time she'd met a man who ignored her so much and was that clear about his goals.
Emma thought for a bit and said: "I don't know. You know I've never dated anyone."
"I can't give you any advice about love."
Serena looked helpless. She was about to say something when she suddenly sneezed.
Rubbing her shoulders, she said to Emma: "It's a bit cold. Why don't you turn on the AC?"
Emma froze for a second. The AC in her office was always on. Why didn't she feel any chill at all?
Looking at Serena shivering a little, she suddenly thought of that night in Leo's car, when her younger brother Lucas also kept saying he was cold.
Emma slowly raised her hand and looked at it carefully.
She remembered what Ethan said to her at the end.