Chapter 36: Afterward

Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Afterward Maria, seeing Betty sprint off, shook Hazel, who was still clinging to her. "Hey, where’s Bennett going? We need to get the hostages out now." Hazel leaned back, eyes narrowing as she followed Betty’s movement. "Want to tail them? See where they’re headed?" Maria’s lips twitched, and she shook her head. "No, sister. Why follow them? We should be evacuating civilians." Hazel crossed her arms, puffing her cheeks in a pout. "Bo-ring." By the time Betty reached the police station, soldiers were already in formation, rifles aimed squarely at the entrance. "There’s no way out! Surrender, or prepare to die!" a soldier barked into a microphone, his voice echoing down the street. At the front of the cordon, Ethan and David stood side by side. Ethan was grinning like he’d just stumbled upon a free buffet. Henry strode up and smacked Ethan’s shoulder. "Why didn’t you tell me before running off?" "Ouch—what the hell, man?" Ethan rubbed his shoulder, then brightened. "Henry! We found him. That old bastard who pretended to be a hostage and tricked us." Henry’s gaze shifted to the building. "Is he trying that act again?" David smirked. "You think we’ve just been standing here? We’ve had eyes on him the whole time. Watched him try to pull the same stunt. Funniest thing I’ve seen in weeks." Betty tilted her head, curiosity lighting her eyes. "What did he do?" Hearing her voice, David’s smirk vanished instantly, returning to an expressionless face. Ethan turned, spotting her, and launched into his story. "You see, Bennett, when we got here, we were behind that tree..." He jabbed a finger toward a tree by the concrete road. "This old man ripped his coat open, tied his own men up with rope, and tried to pose as a hostage. Then the soldiers showed up, and those idiots bolted inside." Betty nodded, picturing the scene—until her gaze snagged on a shadow emerging from the station’s main entrance. The soldier with the microphone stiffened. "All soldiers, prepare to engage!" Shields clicked into place in front of the line. Betty and the others ducked behind a wall. A figure stepped into view—an old man, laughing, clutching a handful of colored cores. Smoke seeped from the shattered fragments, winding into his body. Betty’s stomach knotted. ’Those... awakeners’ cores.’ Her jaw clenched. ’This bastard.’ He tossed the empties aside, scanning the soldiers with a smug glint in his eye before beckoning them with one hand, daring them to fire. Samuel stepped forward, hand up to halt his squad, eyes locked on the man. "Prisoner #0566. Peter Hudson. Am I correct?" The smirk twisted into a snarl. "Shut up, you worm! Don’t call me by a number!" Samuel’s fingers tightened on his pistol. "Peter Hudson. Surrender, or we’ll open fire." Peter threw back his head and laughed, manic. "You think your toys can harm me? I’ve become a god!" Ethan leaned toward Henry, muttering just loud enough for Betty to catch. "God? Looks more like an ancient mummy to me." David didn’t even blink. "Agreed." Betty’s eyes narrowed. ’Why is he so confident? Did his core... evolve?’ The laughter dwindled into a low chuckle. Peter raised one hand. Soldiers tensed, rifles ready. From his fingertips, a thin stream of mist flowed out, spreading across the street. Betty squinted. The natural haze in the air thickened, damp fog clinging to every surface, blurring shapes. What’s he doing? A faint shimmer pulsed somewhere in the mist—then vanished. "Now," Peter’s voice rang out, "let’s see how you like keeping a god in chains!" Betty’s eyes went wide as warm droplets spattered her cheek. She touched her face—blood. She turned. The soldier beside her lay crumpled on the ground. Samuel, seeing his men drop, opened fire. The rest followed. Bullets slammed into Peter’s body, leaving only angry red welts. He growled, staggering but still upright. The police station’s windows flew open—gangsters leaned out, spraying gunfire into the street. "Aghhh!" Peter roared. His face twisted, teeth bared. "Why... why am I feeling pain? I’m not even bleeding!" Betty scoffed under her breath. Does this guy not realize that even if the bullets aren’t breaking skin, they’re still slamming straight into him? "Father..." The word froze her in place. A shiver ran down her spine. She turned her head slowly, swallowing hard. Kayla was running toward them, screaming at the top of her lungs. Samuel glanced back and his eyes widened. A fresh wave of gangsters was closing in from behind, flanking Kayla. "Who is this woman?" Ethan asked, frowning. Betty ignored him, refusing to let him anywhere near the truth. David gripped Henry’s shoulder, his voice low."We need to pull out. Our mission was to get the hostages clear, nothing more." Betty’s gaze swept the street. The gunmen in the station windows were gone—shot down in the exchange—leaving only the old man, and the newcomers that psychotic woman had brought with her. The soldiers turn and start shooting at newcomers. Peter growls at the top of his lungs. "AHhh, don’t you dare to hurt my daughter..." Samuel’s eyes lit up. He aimed his gun toward Kayla and looked at Peter. "Surrender or else we will shoot your daughter." Peter’s already bloodshot eyes turn even redder, hearing him, water surrounds his body like snakes. "I fucking dare you to try...." David Tch, looking at the old man, Betty tilted her head. "Why are you pitying him? He has the upper hand right now." Hearing Betty David shook his head, pointing his thumb at the old man. "See correctly, he is using powers and he is not even thinking before using it... It’s very tiring to use it." Peter was huffing the water snakes around him, shooting toward Samuel, but the water scattered mid-distance, not reaching him. Betty’s jaw fell open, she asked with a trembling voice. "Are you some old man who knows how to tell the future.." "Pfttt" David expressionlessly slapped the back of Ethan’s head, silencing him. "What do you mean by that? Do I look old?" Ethan nodded, gaining another slap on his head. "I mean, how do you know then he is tired.. it can only happen if you can see the future; otherwise, I was also seeing that old man, I didn’t see any sign of tiredness." David nodded thoughtfully, his expression full of wisdom. "Yeah, you have a brain surpassing all humans; you can figure this out." Betty nodded awkwardly, not wanting to continue this discussion. ’Is he being sarcastic? I cant tell from his tone... and what the hell did he joke with me? All I have seen is his suspicious face.’ Her gaze fell on Ethan’s shocked look and Henry’s stunned one. "Why are you two making this face all of a sudden?" David said with a frown. Ethan shook his head, closing his open jaw with his finger, and closing Henry’s also. ’Oh my god, WTF did my brother talk normally with Bennett, did his suspicion vanish suddenly or what, in the past it took one year for him to finally talk with Henry normally?’ He met Henry Shock’s gaze, gesturing with a slight shake of his head, which Henry answered with a shake of his head. --- The soldiers were already holding some gangsters, and the awakened soldiers were holding Kayla down. The old man became mad, running toward Samuel when his water attack dint reach the soldiers. "Release my daughter or I will torture you and then kill you.." David, leaning against the wall, shook his head, his eyes watching the old man’s movements. ’Well, it was expected, who told him to use his ultimate attack using nearly all of his strength at the beginning?’ Betty Lips twitched, seeing the old man get restrained easily by two soldiers. ’What if I use this new skill I have learn, will I also be this powerless?’ "Master, don’t worry, you will get tired, but you will not lose your physical strength as a cultivator." Hearing Calista Betty become relieved, Kayla and the old were being dragged away by soldiers, her gaze fell on Betty, who was nodding to herself, a maniacal expression crossed her face. "YOUUU pretty boy, why are you here? Come with me right now." Betty froze, Ethan blinked a few times, then clutched his stomach, trying hard not to laugh. ’Why did she have to see me ahhhh,’ --- Samuel walked near Betty after putting them in the van. "Miss Betty, good to see you safe, where are Miss Hazel and the civilians?" Betty’s eyes were twitching, hearing Ethan, who was still laughing mockingly, and seeing Samuel, she quickly diverted her attention. "Hello, general, come with me, they are in that direction." Samuel nodded, gesturing for her to lead the way. While walking, Betty looks at Samuel. "Ah, General, I want to tell you there could be some spies of these gangsters in the base, they already knew beforehand when you had sent previous awakeners." Samuel’s face turned solemn, and a thoughtful expression crossed his face. "It should be impossible before the apocalypse, but after it, it can happen; we have lost connection with other parts of the country, as well as with satellites."