Chương 394: Chapter : 394

Ken knew what he had to do. It was a dark, terrible responsibility. He raised his right hand. He did not snap his fingers. He just held his palm open toward the cages. A soft, painless wave of invisible magic washed over the entire subterranean room. The magic gently touched every single sleeping monster. It was a spell of absolute mercy. It instantly and painlessly stopped their hearts. The Ashura creatures did not wake up. They did not feel any pain. They simply passed away in their sleep.

Their suffering was officially over. The horrific biological experiment ended right there in the dark. Ken lowered his hand. He stood in silence for a minute. He offered them a quiet moment of respect. Then, he turned his back on the cages. He walked toward the rusty metal ladder. He climbed up the shaft. He pushed the metal grate aside and stepped back into the abandoned warehouse. The afternoon sun shined through the broken windows. Dust floated in the light beams. Ken walked toward the exit.

He reached the rusted side door. He pushed it open and stepped out into the dirty street of the industrial sector. The fresh air hit his face. He took a deep breath. He shoved his hands back into his pockets. He slouched his shoulders forward. He let his lazy, sleepy expression slide right back onto his face. The cold, observant investigator vanished. The goofy slacker returned.

"I need to get back to the estate," Ken mumbled to himself. He dragged his shoes on the pavement. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff.

"Naomi is probably looking for me. I really hope they saved me some dinner. Solving dark conspiracies makes me incredibly hungry." He walked down the empty street. He did not rush. He kept a very slow, relaxed pace. He had the journals safely in his pocket. He had the missing pieces of the puzzle. He just needed to figure out a funny, ridiculous way to accidentally drop the books in front of Princess Iris. He smiled a lazy smile. He was very good at accidental discoveries.

The 13th Unit was going to solve the murder very soon. And Ken would gladly sit on the couch and watch them do it. Ken continued his slow walk through the industrial sector. He looked at the old, broken buildings. He thought about the complex politics of the Belmontia Empire. The nobles in the Inner City lived perfect lives. They wore clean clothes and drank expensive tea. But they built their wealth on the suffering of the outer districts. They used commoners as test subjects.

They treated human lives like disposable tools. Ken found that completely unacceptable. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. He did not want to rule the Empire. He did not want to be a famous hero. He just wanted a quiet potato farm. But he could not ignore the evil actions of men like Dr. Raven. He had to guide his friends to the truth. Princess Iris was a good person. She actually cared about the citizens. Sayma was incredibly smart. Naomi was fiercely protective.

Laxmi was brave. Zinia was strong. Ira and Luna and Risa were all excellent teammates. They were the right people to fix this broken system. Ken just needed to give them a tiny push. He reached a busy intersection. He saw a small food cart selling roasted meat skewers. His stomach rumbled loudly.

"Snack time," Ken cheered happily. He walked up to the cart. He bought three large skewers. He ate them quickly. The greasy meat tasted fantastic. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. He did not care about ruining his suit anymore. It was already covered in warehouse dust. He continued his journey back to the estate. He felt very satisfied. The mystery of Dr. Carrion was solved. The tragic story of the Ashura was uncovered. The encrypted journals were safe in his pocket.

Ken knew the next few days would be very chaotic. Princess Iris would read the journals. She would realize the absolute truth. She would prepare to confront the corrupt politicians. The 13th Unit would face intense danger. But Ken was not worried. He would be right there with them. He would stand in the back. He would complain about the cardio. He would make silly jokes. And if any bad guys tried to hurt his messy, loud family, Ken would quietly erase them from existence. It was a flawless plan.

Ken reached the front gates of the 13th Unit estate. He pushed the iron gates open. He walked into the courtyard. Naomi stood near the training dummies. She saw him walk in. She crossed her arms and offered a friendly smile.

"Where have you been, Ken?" Naomi asked.

"You missed training again."

"I went for a very long walk," Ken replied lazily. He gave her a goofy grin.

"Walking is excellent exercise. I am practically an athlete now." Naomi laughed. She shook her head.

"Sure you are. Come inside. Dinner is almost ready." Ken followed her into the house. He felt completely relaxed. The dark secrets of the warehouse were behind him. The bright, noisy warmth of his friends surrounded him. He was exactly where he wanted to be. The lazy slacker was home.

Ken Eliot walked through the front gate of the 13th Unit estate. The evening sky was dark. The stars shined brightly above the city. He dragged his cheap shoes against the stone path. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff. He kept his hands deep inside his pockets. He felt very tired. He walked into the main house. The living room was warm. It felt safe. The girls were gathered inside. They were all relaxing after a very long day. Laxmi sat on the floor. She tossed a small orange flame between her fingers.

She smiled a big, bright smile. She loved the quiet evening. Zinia sat on the sofa. She stretched her strong arms. She gave Ken a firm, friendly nod. Sayma sat in her favorite armchair. She held a thick book on her lap. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. She looked up at Ken. She offered a very polite, genuine smile. Luna lay flat on a long wooden bench. She was fast asleep. A soft blanket covered her shoulders. She snored very quietly. Risa sat near the sleeping girl.

The sweet pink-haired healer held her stuffed teddy bear. She looked at Ken and waved happily. Ira stood perfectly still by the window. Her pale face showed zero emotion. She watched the dark street outside. She saw Ken walk into the room. She blinked once. It was her version of a friendly greeting. Naomi walked out of the kitchen. She held a clean dish towel. Her bright red hair was tied in a loose ponytail. She did not scowl. She did not yell at him for his untucked shirt. She smiled a very warm, caring smile.

"Welcome back, Ken," Naomi said gently. She tossed the towel over her shoulder.

"You look completely exhausted. Did you go for another long walk? You should go upstairs and get some sleep. I saved some food for you in the kitchen."