Chapter 368: The Taste of Evolution

The SUV skidded to a halt in front of the quiet inn, kicking up a cloud of dry grit. Ethan stepped out, his movements stiff and heavy. To any observer, he looked like a man who had survived a collapse—his clothes were shredded, and his skin was painted with a gruesome mixture of dried blood and blue, bioluminescent grime.

Helen was standing on the porch, her eyes widening as she saw him. She rushed down the steps, her hands trembling as she reached out to touch his arm.

"Etienne! Oh gods, what happened? You’re covered in... is this all yours?" said Helen, her voice thick with worry.

Ethan offered her a tired, lopsided smile, patting her hand gently.

"It looks worse than it is, Helen. Most of this isn’t mine. I’m just exhausted. Could you prepare a hot bath for me? I need to scrub this day off my skin," said Ethan.

"Right away, Etienne! I’ll bring up some fresh towels and tea. Please, just get inside," said Helen.

She hurried into the inn, her face pale with concern. Ethan followed, every joint in his body aching from the spatial compression backlash.

A few minutes later, Ethan was sinking into a deep porcelain tub filled with steaming water. He let out a long, guttural sigh as the heat began to melt the tension in his muscles. The water around him turned a murky gray-blue as the Queen’s nectar and the dust of the vaults washed away.

"Crul, talk to me. About that strange slime... how exactly do we use it?" said Ethan, leaning his head back.

[The "Worm Nectar" is highly volatile, Master. To achieve the maximum strengthening effect, it must be consumed in a strictly regulated cycle. Each soldier must ingest one liter in total, divided into ten sessions of 100ml each,] said Crul.

"Ten days. Simple enough," said Ethan.

[Hardly. The synchronization must be absolute. The body requires exactly twenty-four hours to stabilize the mineral infusion. If the dose is taken more than five minutes late or early from the previous day’s time, the metabolic rhythm will break, and the body will expel the nutrients. It must be ten days of perfect discipline, or the process fails,] said Crul.

Ethan sighed, watching the steam rise. "A strict regimen for a super-soldier army. I guess nothing worth having comes easy."

He went silent for a moment, thinking of the woman downstairs who had looked at him with such genuine fear for his life.

"I’m running out of time here, Crul. I wanted to take things slow with Helen—to win her over properly before I took her back to our territory. But this place is a powder keg. We need to find a way to convince her to leave. I just hope she isn’t too attached to this old inn," said Ethan.

[If the Union is as active as the sensors suggest, this "slow approach" may become a luxury we cannot afford, Master,] said Crul.

Ethan stepped out of the bath feeling like a new man, the steam still clinging to his skin. Downstairs, the aroma of a home-cooked meal filled the air. Helen had laid out a feast—fresh bread, a hearty stew, and roasted vegetables. For the first time, she sat down across from him without needing to be invited or convinced.

"Are you truly alright, Etienne? What happened out there? I was so frightened when I saw the state of your clothes," said Helen.

Ethan tore off a piece of bread, his hunger nearly primal after the night’s exertion. "Just a bit of a rough hike, Helen. I took a wrong turn into a ravine and had to climb my way out. Nothing to worry about," said Ethan.

He kept his answers vague, and she, being a normal woman with no knowledge of the shadow world or ancient matrices, accepted his stories without question. She watched him eat for a moment before he wiped his mouth and looked her in the eye.

"Helen, I have to leave soon. I received an urgent call while I was out. Business matters back home require my immediate attention," said Ethan.

The color drained from Helen’s face. She stood up abruptly, but instead of walking away, she sank to her knees beside his chair. Tears began to well in her eyes.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything, Etienne. You saved my son’s life... you gave me hope when I had none. I owe you everything. I will do whatever you ask, I will pay back every cent you’ve spent on the lawyers if it takes me the rest of my life," said Helen.

She was sobbing now, her forehead almost touching the floor. Ethan reached down and gently took her by the shoulders, pulling her up.

"Helen, stop. Stand up. You don’t owe me anything. Helping you wasn’t a burden," said Ethan.

"But it was! No one helps a stranger like this! Thank you... thank you so much," said Helen.

As he held her, whispering words of comfort to calm her crying, Ethan couldn’t help but think how perfectly the pieces were falling into place. The prosecutor he’d "influenced" must have moved fast with the news of her son’s case. Everything was trending exactly toward the outcome he desired.

"You aren’t alone anymore, Helen. I’ll do everything in my power to make sure your son is released. I promise you," said Ethan.

"I believe you. I... I want to go there. I want to be near him when he comes out. I’ve already sold my house, and I’ll put the inn on the market tomorrow. I’ll gather whatever money I can and find a small room near the city," said Helen.

Ethan smiled inwardly. The fish was completely in the net.

"Why bother with a small room? Listen, I have a summer house—a guest property—near that area. It’s currently empty and just sitting there. Why don’t you come with me? You can stay there as long as you need, free of charge. I won’t even be around much, so you’ll have your privacy. Don’t worry about the cost," said Ethan.

He kept his voice steady, the perfect image of a selfless gentleman who had no intention of taking advantage of her vulnerability. It was a masterstroke of psychological manipulation; by offering her space and distance, he made himself seem even more trustworthy.

"Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to be a bother..." said Helen.

"It’s no bother at all. Consider it a favor between friends," said Ethan.

Helen looked at him, her heart heavy with a mixture of gratitude and a sharp, stinging disappointment she didn’t quite understand. He’s only doing this out of charity, she told herself. He doesn’t want me. He’s a king among men, and I’m just a woman with a broken life. Stop being foolish, Helen. Focus on your son.

"I... I accept. Thank you, Etienne. You are too kind to me," said Helen.

Ethan patted her hand, his eyes cold and calculating behind his warm smile.