Chapter 182: Past And Present Collide [4]
Chapter 182: Past And Present Collide [4]
"I really appreciate that," Soren said, a small, genuine smile breaking through his otherwise stoic expression. He paused, pondering briefly before deciding to test the waters. "Mr. President... could you tell me about the casualties and the scale of the damage from yesterday?"
The President let out a chuckle, the tension in the room easing just a fraction. "What? Are you feeling guilty?"
Soren offered a slightly awkward smile, not entirely denying it.
Craig sighed, his amusement fading back into his usual stern professionalism. "There is no point in keeping it from you. You can check the news the moment we part ways, anyway."
Soren had already planned to do exactly that, though he knew the public broadcasts would likely be scrubbed or downplayed to maintain order. The most accurate data would come directly from the man sitting in front of him.
"The infrastructure damage to the city, especially your sector, is extensive," the President stated, his voice flat. "Luckily, the civilian evacuation protocols held up well enough to prevent a massive slaughter. Even so, we lost thirty-two civilians in the initial collapse, with hundreds more injured. As for the vanguard response teams... twenty-three hunters are dead, and fifty-four others are currently in critical condition at the medical facility."
Soren absorbed the numbers in silence.
’Fifty-five... Dead...’
The weight of those words settled heavily in his mind as he thought of the hundreds more currently fighting for their lives. He hadn’t brought the monsters here, nor had he asked for any of this, but the reality remained that these people had been caught in the crossfire meant for his family.
’If we hadn’t been staying here... Would they still be alive?’
He couldn’t help but feel a lingering weight of responsibility for the tragedy, but that feeling quickly shifted into a hatred of those truly responsible. They had slaughtered dozens of innocent people just to achieve their goals.
’Bastards... I don’t care who they are or where they hide. I will track every single one of them down and make them pay for this.’
The sheer malice of their actions made his pulse race, a rare heat flaring up against the frustrating reality of his own limitations.
’...But I have to get strong enough first... Huff...’
He took a deep breath to push the boiling anger back under control. Once he regained his composure, Soren turned back to the President.
"Mr. President... I want to extend some financial support to the families of the victims," Soren said, keeping his voice steady. "Could you help me with that?"
Craig stared at him for a moment before giving a single nod. "I can ensure the funds reach them anonymously. It is a respectable gesture."
"Thank you. And about the-"
"Stop right there," the President interrupted, raising a hand. "If you are bringing up the property destruction or the city’s repair bills, drop it." He then gestured to Hector. "The old man here has already taken care of everything. He donated the entire harvest of monster carcasses from yesterday’s anomaly directly to the city treasury. The materials from those high-grade beasts more than cover the reconstruction costs and the insurance payouts. So you can rest assured about that."
Soren froze for the umpteenth time today, his gaze slowly shifting toward the Icebreaker Emperor. The sheer magnitude of the gesture caught him completely off guard. A harvest from an anomaly of that scale was worth an astronomical sum, a fortune most hunters could only dream of seeing, yet the old man had parted with it without a second thought.
"S-Sir..." Soren stammered, the formal composure he had been fighting to maintain slipping away. "I will definitely repay you in the future!"
Hector offered a warm smile, giving a gentle nod to ease the young man’s conscience. "Do not lose sleep over it, kid. Consider it an investment in the future. Just focus on getting stronger."
"You heard the old man, boy," the President said with a brief laugh, the stern edge completely gone from his voice. "Now go, take some rest. Your wife must be awake by now, too. Keep her company instead of us two old men."
Soren hesitated, looking between the two. "Don’t we have more to discuss?"
He still needed to finalize the arrangements for the civilian compensation funds he wanted to send, and there were several pressing matters regarding their eventual departure.
Craig shook his head, waving a hand dismissively. "No, it is enough for today. We can talk about the rest tomorrow or the day after."
Understanding that the meeting was officially over, Soren stood up, giving a grateful nod. "Thank you both, again."
He paused, his eyes lingering on Hector. The old man had given up a massive fortune to keep their names clear, yet he hadn’t asked for a single thing in return.
"Sir..." Soren added quietly. "If you want to meet Ethea... just tell me. I will arrange a suitable time."
Hector chuckled softly, his expression relaxed. "It is alright. I will visit once I have some time myself. Now, go."
"I understand. We would be truly honored to welcome you both whenever you can visit," Soren said, acknowledging the President with a respectful glance before bowing one last time to take his leave.
On the way back, his mind whirled with everything he had just learned. Between the sheer scale of the casualties, the staggering debt he now owed Hector, and the shadowy threat looming over his family, the weight on his shoulders felt heavier than ever.
Lost in thought, he finally arrived outside their private room. He reached for the handle but paused, his senses picking up another unfamiliar presence inside.
’Again? Or is it a nurse?’
Soren instantly checked their Tether Bond, but the mental connection remained perfectly calm, transmitting no danger from her side.
Lowering his guard just a fraction, he gently turned the handle and pushed the door open. He stepped into the room and froze instantly, his jaw nearly dropping as his eyes locked onto the figure sitting near the bedside.
"F-Father-in-law?"
"Hmm?"
The figure turned their head at the sound of the opening door, a calm expression softening their features.
"Oh, it’s you, Soren. Come on in."