Chapter 73: Sir, the mission was successful

Chapter 73: Sir, the mission was successful ’’No, the project is going well, we are almost at the fusion stage.’’ He paused, trying to rein in his excitement. ’’Madam, the first beast’s eggs have hatched. We ran a couple of tests on the beast.’’ He took a sip of water to moisten his dry throat before continuing under Grace’s elated gaze. ’’From the wolf’s test, we found the beast’s high compatibility with its owner’s powers; its growth cycle shows signs of growing more than its normal size. We aren’t sure of the growth limit yet.’’ Grace listened attentively, curious about the wolf’s size—eager to see it in person. ’’What of the other beasts? Do they show any signs of hostility toward people, and does their owner have full control over them?’’ Grace asked, her concern clear. She wanted to know if keeping the beast alive was the right decision. "Madam, those issues don’t exist. It’s an intelligent beast, not like the dungeon monsters, and from our observations, it’s obedient to its owner," Dean said, a bright, hopeful smile spreading across his face. This was a breakthrough for mankind, and reclaiming the surface was no longer a mere dream; it was possible. ’’Invite the three to my home and hasten the safety suit project. Inform the administrators and share this information with the other cities.’’ Grace issued the orders, her mind already racing through the task ahead. Dean nodded, noting down her words, ’’Mrs Grace, I will make sure to carry out your words. Goodbye.’’ He uttered with his gaze burning firmly with determination. He vowed to give his all to ensure the project’s success. Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned, and the underground cities would soon go into a manmade disaster. Dean drove back to the scientist guild, the city’s constant darkness making it feel gloomy and empty. Two hours later, he pulled up in front of the guild. He was attracted by the team in charge of leading the dungeon raiders to the beast egg trial. The one in charge sighted him and quickly jogged up to him. ’’Sir, the mission was successful. Here’s the report, showing the statistics of how many got their eggs and failed.’’ The man said as he retrieved a rolled-up fur hide from his bag. ’’Well done. Take the next batch and be careful of the dungeon monster.’’ Dean praised him for his hard work, leaving a warning behind as he took the fur hide from him. The man nodded, taking his warning to heart, he stood aside, allowing Dean to pass. Dean strode past, unrolling the hide and frowned when he saw the number of people who failed was more than the number of people who got their eggs. ’’This won’t do. I have to inform the other cities.’’ Dean muttered, planning to make the trail mandatory for every dungeon raider. The memory of Ethan’s wolf was still fresh in his mind—he was more impatient, hoping for everyone to get their beast quickly. He suppressed his impatience, knowing people are prone to mistakes if they aren’t calm. And any mistake from him would prove fatal. He stopped a junior scientist, "Call Mr Stone to my office." Dean walked into the manual lift. ..... Selina stepped off the bus, her gaze fixed on the estate leading to Ethan and Julian’s home. She took a shaky breath. It was now or never—her final chance to reach them before seeking out their enemy. If her memories of her past life were clear—the rumours she was fortunate to hear at a party with her ex-husbands. She could remember the glamorous jadeite and crystal jewels of the aristocratic ladies; that moment opened her eyes; though she was the famed hero, she was nothing but a nobody before them. She barely kept the smile on her face as she was paraded before them like a clown performing on a stage. Their mocking giggles still filled her mind like a nightmare, she couldn’t take their stares and went into the restroom to get a breather when she heard their discussion. ’’Oh my, Lord Ethan is so handsome, I heard he’s single. How I wish I could bag such a good man.’’ ’’Shhhh... he’s so scary with those cold blue eyes, I prefer Lord Julian instead.’’ One of the ladies whispered in a hushed voice, a blush creeping on her face at her confession. The three women giggled, and one, touching up her makeup, chimed in. "Though the two are high-grade men, I think Caiden Grey is better. He’s equally matched in wealth, power, and connections, and a true gentleman, despite being their enemy. Who knows, Lord Ethan and Julian’s relationship might not be pure." The woman’s tone grew ambiguous, and the other paused, gossiping at the thought of such a possibility. They whispered, planning to watch Julian and Ethan closely tonight to see if they could uncover anything suspicious about their relationship. When they left, Selina walked out from behind the door, her heart pounding in her throat at the thought of being caught eavesdropping. The conversation held no special meaning to her then—those men were out of her league. ’’Beep!’’ The loud horn snapped Selina back to the present. She turned to find herself standing in the middle of the road, the bus’s taillights glaring at her as the driver honked for her to move. She sprinted off the road, her knees buckling as she reached the sidewalk. Her body trembled at the thought of almost being run over. After a moment, her erratic breathing slowed. She wiped her sweaty palms on her dress, frowning at the faint stench clinging to her clothes. She straightened her posture and walked toward the estate, arriving at the mansion gate just as Ethan got down from his wolf. Selina’s eyes widened in fear at the huge wolf standing across the gate. ’’What’s a monster doing here?’’ she shouted, her thoughts slipping out loud. Ethan turned toward the sound to see Selina. "Why are you here?’’ he asked, his gaze icy. "I-I-I’m looking for Eva." She stuttered her gaze firmly on the huge wolf. She had never seen such beasts except for the dungeon monsters. How could he pat such a huge beast without fear? She stared at Ethan’s hand in shock; the sight was overwhelming, and Ethan’s next words struck the final blow. "Don’t come here looking for my wife again. Leave," Ethan warned, giving her a brief glance before closing the gate and walking back inside. Selina stood frozen. What did he mean by ’wife’? ’Haha... he must be joking, right? How could he marry a nobody like Eva?’ She convinced herself that Ethan was just trying to send her away, fabricating their relationship. In her past life, Lord Ethan and Julian were powerful men—far beyond her reach due to the vast gap in class and power. But after her rebirth, new thoughts began to take root. She believed her second chance was the universe’s way of allowing her to reshape her life, to have what she desired. So she used that knowledge to recall Julian and Ethan would be injured in the dungeon. It was a perfect chance to insert herself into their life, but everything went awry when Eva appeared. She walked away from the estate, her expression hardening. If they didn’t want her, she would turn to their rival—Caiden Grey.