Chapter 66: CH 066: Plan to build a Harem (MR 8)

Chapter 66: CH 066: Plan to build a Harem (MR 8)The group huddled in the shadow of a crumbling wall, White’s laboratory could be seen looming in the distance. Dust hung in the air, catching the fading light as the sun dipped below the horizon. Each minute stretched longer than the last, the silence between them thick with unspoken thoughts. Ella stood apart, her boots scuffing the dirt as she paced on a single, narrow path. Her eyes, wide with anxiety, flicked repeatedly toward the lab’s entrance, willing for Dave to just appear. Her fingers clenched and unclenched, betraying the turmoil she tried to suppress. "It’s been almost an hour," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else. Her voice trembled, barely audible over the distant hum of the wind. Eric leaned against a rusted pipe, arms crossed tightly over his chest. Though he maintained a facade of calm, his foot tapped an erratic rhythm against the ground. He glanced at Ella, then at the lab, his brow furrowed with concern. "Are you sure he’ll be okay?" Eric asked, his voice low. The question hung in the air, unanswered. Chris exhaled sharply, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Believe me, I wouldn’t be here if Dave didn’t have the situation under control," he said, his tone edged with frustration. "Honestly, I don’t know how to explain this, but Dave isn’t an ordinary person. You should have noticed it from his matches when we were still in the base." The group fell into silence, each lost in their own thoughts as they briefly recalled Dave’s previous matches, they knew Dave wasn’t ordinary, there was no explanation to the things he could do, but they didn’t mind, as long as Dave was protecting them. Their gaze drifted toward the lab again, but remained silent as always, its secrets hidden within. Suddenly, Ella’s breath caught in her throat as she spotted a familiar person. A solitary figure emerged from the lab, his facial features unmistakable. "He’s here!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of relief and disbelief. "Dave is finally here." As Dave approached, the group noted his changed appearance. His previous clothes which had been stained by the black blood of the boulderback beasts had been replaced by a lab worker’s clothes. Luckily, he was able to find a shower where he cleaned up and then proceeded to put on the clothes. Without hesitation, Ella rushed towards Dave, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. For a moment, she held onto him, her face pressed against his chest. Then, suddenly aware of her actions, she stepped back, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Sorry, I’m just glad to see that you’re okay," she said, trying to compose herself. Dave offered a warm smile. "Thanks for worrying about me. I’m okay now that you hugged me." Ella’s face turned a deeper shade of red as she covered her cheeks with her hands, a shy smile playing on her lips. As they joined the others, Dave noticed the relieved smiles on Eric’s and Chris’s faces. "I don’t know what you did to these two," Chris said, shaking his head, "but they won’t stop worrying about you." "Haha, well, it’s nice to see that everyone is fine as well," Dave replied. Dave’s gaze met Chris’, and for a moment, they locked eyes, a silent conversation going between them. Then, with a nod, Chris whispered a silent ’thank you,’ a secret message that only the two of them could understand. Ella’s eyes narrowed slightly as she spoke, "So what did you do to White? He’s not going to chase after us again, right?" She asked, her voice tinged with concern. Dave’s response was quick, "No, he won’t. He’s no longer in the condition to do such." His gaze had drifted momentarily, a shadow crossing his facial features. Chris, listening to his reply, caught the subtle inflection in Dave’s words. His eyes narrowed slightly, understanding the unspoken implications. Ella tilted her head, a playful smirk forming on her lips. "So, did you knock him out cold? Or maybe he passed out from a single slap from you?" Dave chuckled softly, the sound devoid of humor. "What happened to him was... more definitive than that. But he’s out of the picture now. He won’t be able to bother us again, so put your mind at rest and relax." A brief silence followed, broken by Eric’s contemplative voice. "I’m still puzzled about Tasha’s presence when we were captured by White. Why did she joined hands with White to capture us, didn’t she consider the fact that we’re only but teenagers?" Ella’s expression darkened, realization dawning in. "The answer is quite obvious. She’s having a retaliation. Dave humiliated her nephew, so she’s trying to get back at him in whatever way she could." Eric nodded slowly, the pieces aligning in his mind. Chris then turned to face Dave, as he have something to say concerning Tasha’s matter. "Don’t worry about Tasha. I’ll report this to Gunther and the other executives. We’ll question her, and since she’s guilty, we’ll deal with her in an appropriate way. Given her recent behavior, it won’t be hard for anyone to believe she’d done what she did to you guys." Dave then offered a nod of appreciation. "Thanks, Chris. I appreciate your support." Yet, beneath his composed exterior, his mind was already formulating an alternative plan, one he hadn’t shared but was currently in motion. Chris glanced at the trio of teenagers, their gazes has been fixed on the ground since Dave arrived from the lab. It was as if they were scared of Dave."We should head back to our assigned destination. We’ve spent far enough time with you guys." Dave extended his hand, gratitude evident in his eyes. "Thank you for your help. Without you, we probably wouldn’t have been able to exit the lab." Chris clasped Dave’s hand firmly. "No worries man, we’ll meet again in two days. Take care." Dave’s reply was smooth, "Yeah, and you too." Though, his mind had already made up its own plans, ones that didn’t involve returning to the casino. He didn’t bother sharing his thoughts with Chris, knowing it would only lead to questions he wasn’t ready to answer. Right now, Dave has a lot of plans as he had managed to discover a few things going on in the current world. But if he was to face the world now, he need to at least be prepared, and being stuck in the casino won’t do him any good. His gaze lingered on a certain tab on his system; the energy points. This is what he was planning to increase first. With this, he could achieve his plan, and become even stronger. But to do that, he needs to build his harem first.