Chapter 52: Guner meeting Morgan

Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Guner meeting Morgan

The System wanted to split Morgan, Luke, and Beare up.

No one knew why. The System never explained itself, it just gave orders like a god that cannot be questioned. But this time, the motive felt very visible. Itwas clearly trying to isolate them.

After what happened with Zhou, Beare was ready to go first.

Since Zhou was frozen stiff and couldn’t move, he had been placed inside something that looked vaguely familiar to a coffin. Not a real coffin — it was made of damp, black wood that pulsed faintly, keeping his frozen body preserved. Beare would carry it on her back to the far east.

"Are you ready?" asked Melena.

Everyone was in the meeting hall. Beare stood still with the coffin strapped to her back like a giant backpack. The straps dug into her shoulders. Her knuckles were slowly turning white. ℯℯ𝑙.

"I am," muttered Beare.

Melena sighed. Her golden eyes softened for once. "My power is somewhat restricted. I cannot take you to the east itself. I’ll drop you a good distance off. You are the one who will walk there yourself, while also being careful. Even though you were taught what the east is like, let me say it again. North is not the only place that is brutal. The east might seem simple and sublime, with nature and flowers and all. Don’t trust any of it, because while we have the Wendigo here..."

"...we have the Man-Eater in the east," finished Beare. Her voice was low.

Morgan was watching her from amidst the crowd. He noticed how her hands were twitching. A small, rapid tremor. A clear sign she was nervous. It was unlikely to see the wild Beare Boshaft getting nervous.

"Stay safe, Beare Boshaft," said Melena. She felt there was not much else to say. "Tell Shenwei Schoonover we send our greetings."

Smiled Vandal from the back, "And tell her Vandal said hi"

At that, Beare slammed her fist to her chest. The sign of the Calamity Core. A dull *thump* echoed in the quiet hall.

"A world where we can be free."

Suddenly, every Calamity in the hall slammed their chest in a similar manner. The sound was like war drums.

"A WORLD WHERE WE CAN BE FREE!" Everyone chorused.

Even Luke in his room heard the chorus through the walls, but his gaze never left the window. His eyes were locked on the large, shining, dystopian capital in the distance. It glittered like a castle.

Melena threw her golden mirror beneath their feet. It began to twirl, humming with that yellow energy. The air around it smelled like ozone.

Beare, before stepping in, turned and found Morgan amidst the crowd. Easy to spot with those huge eyes and green hair. She smiled at him one last time.

"Be safe, little shit..."

No one else in the room heard what she said, but Morgan did. It was a direct message to him and him alone. Her voice didn’t come out as the typical rough, un-feminine Beare. Instead, it sounded soft. Like that of a beautiful lady.

She then sank into the mirror and that was it.

In a moment, the golden mirror shone with even greater power — *FWOOOM!* — before vanishing into nothingness. It left The hall smelling burnt.

"Now," said Melena, clapping her hands together. "We await Luke’s recovery."

The rest of the people in the hall began dispersing, seemingly uninterested. There were not many people originally in the organization. At most, the lowest rank consisted of only 15 people. Those at the middle rank — those who unlocked their Fourth Wave — were even fewer. In the original headquarters there was only Beare and Luke.

Then we had the higher ranking. All of these were at the subdivisions. Melena was already a Catastrophe. A Calamity that has unlocked its Sixth Wave. But due to her inability to fight directly, she was deemed the weakest of all the Catastrophes.

The next day came by lazily, all awaiting for Luke to heal.

Morgan, on the other hand, had other motives in his mind. He waited for Melena to leave the HQ for a while, then he took that as his opportunity. Through his window, Morgan was about to leap out when a sudden knock frightened him.

When he turned to see who it was, his face instantly turned cold.

"Where are you going?" asked Luke, his voice flat just like the expression on his face.

"Why do you care?" replied Morgan, his voice equally as flat.

"Because I’m your senior by rank, and thus giving me the right to know where you are going."

"You are not my senior and you know it. I unlocked my Fifth Wave, much more than I can say for you."

"Just by a foolish bargain that no one would accept, except a foolish and bloated-headed child."

"That child..." Morgan began, but his voice quickly trailed off. So instead of talking, Morgan snapped his fingers and a vortex appeared right behind him.

*VRRP!*

Luke’s eyes rapidly widened in shock as he realized whose technique that was.

"When did you copy Melena’s technique?"

"Oh. Did it shock you that a foolish bloated-headed child can copy the most intricate technique?" said Morgan, and suddenly he was the cocky one.

"Wai—"

Morgan fell into the vortex behind him and vanished into thin air. That vortex of his appeared right at the walls of the capital.

[System: Spatial Tear - Mimicked]

[-30 Mana Points]

There goes the mana I earned at the uncleans massacre, thought Morgan, his knees buckling slightly. The air left his lungs. Copying a Catastrophe’s technique wasn’t free — his fingertips were already turning a faint, sickly yellow. His vision was already blurry for a second.

The restrictions the System uses are completely feeble and useless and just keep shocking Morgan in the most unusual ways.

Beare was right. I need to break to the sixth wave ... .but with that being said, I haven’t even broken my second, third and fourth waves...thinking about it now, I wonder what they’ll give me....

He leaped down the wall. And he does so with a practiced slide, while sliding down the rough concrete, Morgan pulls his hood on to avoid being recognized.

After landing in the back alleys, Morgan walked for a while before reaching where he wanted. He arrived at the far end of the city, where dirty houses that looked like they’d collapse at any moment lay lined up.

The entire place smelled like rotten eggs and open sewage. The streets were muddy and poor. Hungry-looking children begged on the very streets like their life depended on it. Parents and old people kept looking at Morgan, not because they recognized him, but because Morgan looked like a rich person. And it was a very rare occurrence — as a matter of fact, it never happened that a rich person would come to the slums.

But Morgan did not waver. He kept walking.

How is Zhou living in this place while studying at Gordon’s High? It’s too expensive for someone who is staying in the slums.

After walking for some more, Morgan saw the house... which felt more like a room. He stood in front of the door, and then took a deep breath.

---

"Grandma," rasped Zhou, though frozen, the only thing he could whisper was his grandmother’s name.

"Tell my grandma ... .not to wait for me ... .tell my grandma I love her ... .am sorry gr...", Rasped Zhou even more.

Beare was moved by this, but she could not change anything. Even Melena frowned a great deal.

"We can take a letter to her—"

"No!" cut Melena.

"But—"

"I said NO! Do you know what I sensed at the capital today? Though heavily suppressed, there’s a dark and frightening power lurking within the city. According to my speculation, it would be none other than Destruction. And if that moster is there, then there’s a tendency that the capital and the people in it have already fallen."

"So? The more reason for us to go and help them!!"

"Hm, you are still a child. You have not SEEN what they are capable of. We are not going to the capital by all means. And that is final."

Morgan kept quiet and did not even argue again, but after Melena left, he turned and looked expectantly at Beare.

"Fine," finally said Beare at last. "But don’t blame me if you die or get caught up..."

"I promise I won’t!" said Morgan, his eyes already gleaming.

"And you leave immediately after you tell his grandm—"

"Beare." Morgan placed his hand on hers, to show his sincerity and honesty. "I promise I’ll be okay."

Beare looked at him for a moment, before slapping his hand away in a dramatic fashion.

"Whatever."

---

And now, facing the door, Morgan hesitated only for a split second before opening the door.

"Hello? Is anyone home...?"

Morgan was replied by a creepy silence. He entered and began tiptoeing in the room. It was dark, hard to believe that anyone was living there.

Then at the kitchen when Morgan entered, he saw an old wrinkled lady sitting at the dining table. Looking at a picture in her hand with such concentration.

He did not sense any hostility from her, so he walked towards her and with a gentle voice he asked.

"Mrs. Carka—"

"Take whatever you want," replied Mrs. Carka without even throwing a glance at him. Her voice was tired, someone used to being robbed.

Morgan was taken aback for a moment, then he turned and looked across the room. That’s when he realized that Almost everything was stolen. The chairs, the fridge, everything that amounted to something was stolen.

"I’m not here for your things..." said Morgan, turning and facing her again. "I am here on behalf of Zhou Carka."

Now Morgan finally caught her attention. She turned and looked at him. Her eyes tired and cloudy.

"Is my grandson okay? Where did you take him? Why have you taken him—"

"Zhou has awakened as a Good Deeder,"

Liar.

"Really? My Zhou? I always knew he’ll make it. I always KNEW it!! I wish that wicked hag of a mother of his could see... did he tell you guys?"

"Tell us what?" asked Morgan. This was the first time he has ever met someone, even after becoming a Calamity, that treated him with love. But he knew the concept of love was a delusion. Carka was too old to see, or smell well. Because all Calamities carry a stench with them. A stench that is very recognizable to anyone.

"When his mother gave birth to Zhou, she threw him to me saying Zhou will only stop her in her goal. She never thought my boy would be a Good Deeder, how I wish I could see her face now..." She was speaking with such joy that Morgan felt something break in his stomach. He instantly felt sick.

"Where is my Zhou? Why didn’t he come to me?"

"Zhou’s ability is dangerous, he has to be taken to the Academy of Good Deeders so he can learn, but he does send his love to you..."

"Wow, he got into an academy? Why don’t I go visit?" She was still so clueless...

"No, you cannot visit, but you will once he regains his control over his powers."

"Oh... but when will he be back?"

"In five years’ time."

*LIER!!!!!!*

"I will wait for my Zhou, I will," she said, and suddenly she was filled with vigor, livelier than before. "Let me fetch something for you to eat..."

"Ah, no, I’ll be leaving," smiled Morgan. "But here is this, use it to sustain yourself while Zhou is still off."

Morgan removed a bunch of money, he kept it on the table. Carka thanked him vigorously, and Morgan accepted. As he turned and left the house, guilt instantly settled deeply in his chest.

I’m a liar... but I had to lie... I will make sure Zhou is back home and okay...

Morgan was deep in thought as he walked, so deep that when he raised his head, there was already a huge black pistol pointed right at his ear.

The person was behind his back and he whispered.

"Oiy, now I wouldn’t move an inch if I were you..." said Gunner, smiling wide. Nene sitting atop the rooftop of the crumbling building smiled as well.

"It seems we really did make a big catch."

Shit...