Chapter 248: Bright Future?

Words : 960 Updated : Oct 3rd, 2025

Kai had come up with his plan in a hurry and under serious pressure, but it had worked. Adam wasn't cruel enough to let Kai kill himself, given the circumstances. Moreover, Kai's last words awakened something inside Adam. He realized that those words came from the depths of Kai's soul. Every being wanted to live, especially those who had already accepted their imminent death from poverty and disease, but suddenly had the opportunity to climb out of this abyss, once and for all. The reason was very simple - if Kai became a Phantom, his disease would simply disappear. The genes of the Phantoms were strong enough that their immunity could cope with all the diseases that were fatal to ordinary people. However, it was worth realizing that there were no incurable diseases. For a certain amount of money, one could cure any disease in the Citadel, all it took was money, that's it. Sure, for some people money was not a problem, but for some people it was just impossible to raise the necessary amount of money for treatment, even a few lives would not be enough for that. "Come on! Answer me!" Kai exclaimed, pressing the knife against his neck even harder. Adam narrowed his eyes as he released his aura, enough to scare Kai. "Fine, I'll tell you everything and give you a chance. However, I wouldn't agree if I were you. Better to live out your remaining year than die today." Kai smirked. "Better to live dozens of years as a Phantom than to live one year being terminally ill in the slums. That's what I think of it." Kai smirked as his eyes sparkled. He already realized that Adam wasn't going to back down. Adam shook his head. "Whatever, then follow me. However, I warn you right away. I won't be able to help you." "Agh...? Where are we supposed to go...? Weren't you going to tell me how to become a Phantom?" Kai was slightly puzzled. Adam waved his hand. "Just follow me." ... Adam was not supposed to tell ordinary people that there was a second way to become a Phantom, however, Kai and this whole situation had actually caught him off guard. It was clear that Kai had nothing left to lose. He was ready to kill himself because if Adam refused, all Kai would have to do was die a year later, poor, alone, and without his sister. Adam had a simple choice: either watch Kai kill himself before his eyes, or give him a chance to change everything. The wall separating the Citadel from Dead Lands was pretty close, by the time they got there Adam would be able to tell him everything. "Hah, do you really think I'm going to say no? I'm already unstoppable." Adam didn't answer anything his gaze only grew deeper before he moved on to explain. ... Twenty minutes later they reached the wall. Riska and Tron had helped him last time so he could bring Silvana out into the Dead Lands without getting permits or other bureaucracy. He knew what parts of the walls might be empty, but given that there were no Forts nearby, Adam didn't even need to climb up or use his connections to get past the military. Adam himself had grown up in the slums, so he knew there were places - big cracks that a person could pass through to get into the Dead Lands. Sure, it might have seemed dangerous, because monsters could enter the Citadel through those cracks at any time. But, in practice, that had never happened in decades. The reason was simple - Operators, military, and departments knew about every monster that approached the Citadel within a kilometer or more. If a monster was within three hundred meters, hadn't been destroyed yet, and was approaching the Citadel, it was definitely some weak monsters that had separated from their groups or Nests. Perhaps they were escaping after the Phantoms attacked them. Thus, only the weakest monsters, even among the White Treat Level, could approach the few cracks in the walls where a human could barely fit in. And... they were destroyed by the military with powerful cannons if the Phantoms weren't around. Whoooooooooooosh. A torrent of wind blew through the crack next to the one Adam and Kai were standing by, cold and inhospitable, like the breath of death waiting to take its next victim. "What... To become a Phantom without Spark I have to kill a monster in a 1 vs 1 fight...?" Kai muttered in disbelief, horror imprinted on his face. Adam nodded. "But... You're the strong one! Can't you help me defeat a monster?! I'm sure it's no problem for you!" Kai waved his hand. Adam shook his head. "It's not going to work. I've told you that several times already. My genes shouldn't affect the monster's genes, it should just be you and the monster, that's it. No one else." Kai bit his lip, it was hard for him to decide to do such a thing, after all, this was not some bandit, but a monster! He must kill the monster with his own hands being a mere human! "Look. This has already gone too far. Either you step into that crack now and we go to Dead Lands, or I take that as a rejection and leave." Adam said coldly, letting Kai know that this was an ultimatum. After a moment, Kai clenched his fists tightly and stepped forward, struggling to squeeze through the crack and the shroud of fear that tended to consume his mind.

Chapter 248: Bright Future?

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