Chapter 43: I’m a murderer (⁠っ⁠˘̩⁠╭⁠╮⁠˘̩⁠)⁠っ

Chapter 43: I’m a murderer (⁠っ⁠ ̩̆⁠╭⁠╮⁠ ̩̆⁠)⁠っ Julian shut the door, and they sat and waited for him to begin. Silence hung as Stone gathered his thoughts. "After ten years, the breath forge would cease functioning." Stone delivered the sad news in the nicest way possible. Ethan and the others sat stunned, struggling to process his words. "What do you mean it would stop functioning?" Eva stared into the man’s eyes and asked with a low tone. Stone raked a hand through his hair in frustration. "It means we’re all going to suffocate to death in ten years. Blame that shockwave for all of this...if I could see the cause, extract some data....’’ Stone drifted off, into his mental calculations. At the mention of the shockwave, they froze, exchanging glances filled with shock and guilt. ’They’re the cause of these. Are we going to be executed for our crimes? I’m a murderer (⁠っ⁠ ̩̆⁠╭⁠╮⁠ ̩̆⁠)⁠っ.’ Eva cried internally, her outward expression was on the verge of tears. Ethan and Julian’s expression was indescribable. They didn’t know if they should accept the blame or blame the dungeon for wanting to wipe out humans. Stone was so caught up in his calculations that he scribbled some codes on the paper and didn’t notice their expressions. "Umm...is there a way to save it." Eva’s tone was filled with hope, asking the question that Julian and Ethan wanted to ask. Her words snapped Stone back. Seeing their hopeful eyes, he sighed and delivered the harsh truth. "Child, for the past six days, we have tried our possible best but to no avail. It’s like that shockwave was designed specifically to destroy our technology." Stone’s last words broke whatever hope Eva had. She slumped back in her seat. Stone noted she was on the verge of tears, ’’There is no need to look so gloomy. We still have ten years to solve this,’’ He consoled her, though he didn’t believe his own words. For the past few days, even when he was huddled inside his office, he was made aware of the aristocrat’s sneaky attempts to purchase excess air supply for storage. ’’By the way, did you notice any suspicious happenings in the dungeon?’’ Stone asked, brushing away his depressing thoughts. He focused on them for answers that might give him a breakthrough. Eva tensed, then relaxed at Ethan and Julian’s comforting hands on her thighs. Ethan stared at his uncle; his expression remained cold as usual, ’’while fighting in the high-level dungeon, we chanced upon an upright golden key—getting closer, it released a shockwave. We lost consciousness.’’ Julian hummed, agreeing with Ethan’s half-truths. Eva nodded, her face blank. Stone took their words for it, the key attracted his attention. ’’Do you know the exact location of the key?’’ Stone’s tone held urgency, this was the first clue he had found, and he wasn’t about to ignore it. ’’We remember. But not sure if the key would remain there.’’ Julian responded and they nodded along. Stone jumped up. ’I’ll arrange a few things; wait here.’’ He rushed out without waiting for a response. ’’Haa...’’ Eva exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Facing them, ’’Is it our—’’ Eva was interrupted by the weight on her head. She looked up to see Julian and Ethan’s serious gaze. Julian started. ’’Remove those thoughts from your mind. It’s the dungeon that gave out such drop item, if not us, another person would open it.’’ Eva relaxed at his words, relief flooding her. ’I don’t want to upgrade from a normal passerby to a villain in this world in just eight days.’ A pinch on her cheeks brought her back to reality, she raised a brow at Ethan’s action. ’’Remember. We’ll stick with my story of how we found the key.’’ Ethan advised and Eva nodded quickly in agreement. But Ethan didn’t release her cheeks, playfully squeezing them in different shapes. Eva patted his hands away and moved away wondering what was wrong with them. One was her hair now her cheeks. Julian stood and approached a safe hidden behind a wall. With practice ease, he brought out the safe. ’’Yo, Ethan, what’s his password?’’ Ethan knew what Julian was about, but he didn’t stop him, he needed a drink as well. ’’55833.’’ ’’Click.’’ The safe opened and three fancy-looking bottles of liquor came into view. A smile curled up on his lips at the old man’s stash. This was the good stuff—without much thought, he slipped two bottles into his space bag. Hearing hurried footsteps, Julian sealed the safe and teleported to his seat just as the door opened. Stone walked in with two people. He introduced them to each other. ’’This is our space power users, and these are the dungeon raiders showing us the way.’’ His introductions were brief. They all exchanged a nod of greeting, ’’We should get going.’’ Stone said as he pulled off his white coat. He locked the door as they left his office. Noticing them heading for the stairs. Stone said. "We’ll use the manual lift—stairs are a waste of time." Eva’s expression held shock and she followed them blankly. They stepped into the iron lift, hanging by a rope and Stone pulled the lever to descend. ’(⁠ノ⁠`⁠Д⁠ ́⁠)⁠ノ⁠彡⁠┻⁠━⁠┻, why didn’t the security let them know? What my butt had to go through and there was a freaking lift they could use. Ah!’ Julian leaned in as if reading her thoughts and whispered. ’’Only those top floor and high-level scientists can use it. It’s thanks to Uncle Stone.’’ At his words, her anger was doused in cold water. She glanced at Stone, gratitude in her gaze—if not for him, she would have to go through that again. Stone felt her gaze and looked in her direction; he nodded reflectively without knowing what her expression meant. They followed Stone towards an underground garage. Stone flashed his card to the Security and was allowed in with them. The passed through different cars, Eva’s eyes taking in the jeeps and minibuses as she watched Stone stop in front of one.