Chapter 92 Meeting the minister in an odd fashion

Words : 1020 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

The atmosphere in the apartment crystallized into pure tension as Minister Reign's steely gaze fixed on Noah. The man's military uniform seemed to absorb light itself, medals and insignias catching the evening glow ominously. "And you are?" His voice carried the weight of someone used to commanding armies. Noah stood straighter, painfully aware of his casual attire. "Noah Eclipse, sir. I'm—" "He's my boyfriend, daddy," Sophie interjected, her tone carrying an unusual edge of nervousness. Behind her father's back, her fingers were moving in an odd pattern – one hand snapping quietly while the other traced crossing motions. Minister Reign's eyes narrowed. "Eclipse? I don't recall any Eclipses among the Eastern Sector's command..." "I'm a student at the academy. First generation sir!" "First gen," the minister repeated, voice flat. He opened his mouth to say more when a sharp chime cut through the tension. His wrist communicator flashed urgent red. Sophie's hands stopped moving. Minister Reign checked the notification, his expression darkening. "We'll continue this discussion later." He turned to Sophie. "Sweetheart, we need to talk about your... choices in company." "Of course, daddy," Sophie smiled sweetly. "Call me when you're free?" The minister cast one final evaluating look at Noah before striding out, already speaking rapidly into his communicator about some emerging situation. After the door closed, Sophie let out a long breath. "Well, that was..." "Terrifying?" Noah suggested. "I was going to say 'interesting,'" she laughed, but there was something forced about it. "Don't worry about daddy. He's just... protective." Noah couldn't shake the feeling that he'd just witnessed something significant, though he couldn't put his finger on what. The timing of that emergency call had been remarkably convenient... "Movie?" Sophie suggested brightly, already queuing up the paused film. "I think we were about to spot another fish."@@@@ Noah smiled, pushing his suspicions aside. After all, what were the odds? But the thoughts wouldn't let him be. He settled back into the couch, but his mind was racing. 'First General Albright breathing down my neck about my "unprecedented growth rate," and now the defense minister himself. Great. Just great.' He glanced at Sophie, who seemed completely absorbed in the movie again. 'At least that emergency call came at the perfect time. Almost too perfect...' The animated fish continued their journey across the screen, but Noah was lost in thought. 'General Albright's already suspicious about how I survived two fatal encounters in the same month. If Minister Reign starts asking questions too...' He suppressed a shudder, remembering the calculating look in the minister's eyes. "Hey," he said suddenly, seizing on a topic to distract himself. "What's the deal with you and Lila? This morning she actually greeted me, which was... weird." Sophie's face did something complicated before settling into casual dismissal. "Oh, that? Just typical girl drama. Nothing worth discussing." "If she's causing problems—" 'What the hell?' Noah watched Micah's retreating form. 'That wasn't just avoiding me – that was fear.' Pure, unfiltered terror, if Noah was reading it right. 'But why? Last I heard, he was the one feeding Albright information about me.' Something had happened during Micah's "suspension." Something that made him look at Noah like he'd seen a ghost – or maybe something worse. The question was: what exactly had they shown him in there? He was starting to feel like he was playing a game where everyone else knew the rules except him. Noah stepped into the hostel, the door clicking softly behind him as he dropped the garment bag with his suit to the side. He was still buzzing from his time with Sophie, that lingering kiss and the warmth of her touch. "Man, what a day," Noah muttered to himself, rolling his shoulders as he kicked off his shoes. "Gala's gonna be a blast. You know, as long as I don't get lost in the damn thing." His words hung in the air for a moment, but there was no reply from the usual corner where Kelvin was always either programming or planning something ominous. Noah frowned. "Kelvin?" he called out, glancing toward the desk. The sight that met his eyes froze him in place. Kelvin was slumped forward on the desk, his head resting against the table as if he'd collapsed there in the middle of something. The fluorescent lights above flickered briefly, casting an eerie glow on the scene. What caught Noah's attention first, though, wasn't Kelvin's unusual position. It was the dark red stain spreading across the desk, seeping into the papers and dripping off the edge. The faint metallic scent of blood filled the air. "Kelvin!" Noah rushed forward, dropping to his knees beside the desk. Kelvin's body barely shifted as Noah gently touched his shoulder, shaking him. His face was ashen, eyes half-lidded, and his breathing was shallow. No response. "Shit." Noah's pulse quickened, dread pooling in his gut. He checked Kelvin's pulse—steady, but faint. His eyes flicked over the desk again, noticing the jagged edge of a paperclip bent out of shape, a few scribbled notes, but no sign of a struggle. "What the hell happened to you, man?" Noah muttered, panic creeping into his voice. Still no answer. The blood on the desk, though, was the most unsettling part of all. It wasn't just from some minor injury—it was too much, too fresh, like something had gone terribly wrong. Noah had dealt with his fair share of oddities at the academy, but this? This was a whole new level. He grabbed Kelvin's tablet, but just as he was about to dial for help, Kelvin's eyes fluttered open, just barely. "Noah..." Kelvin rasped, his voice weak and strained. Noah leaned closer. "Kelvin? What happened? Who did this?" Kelvin's lips parted, but only a faint, hoarse laugh escaped. "You... don't even know... do you?" Then his head slumped back down to the desk, unconscious again.

Chapter 92 Meeting the minister in an odd fashion

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