Chapter 162:Death.
Silver smiled, but his thoughts had already drifted elsewhere inwardly. His memories- an old scene from the novel had resurfaced. It still wasn’t detailed, more like scattered fragments. There had been a lot of chaos inside the station and Ravenna... She had died here.
Silver couldn’t remember who had struck the final blow. He couldn’t even remember the exact sequence of events. Only that, somehow, Cruella had played a major part in Ravenna’s death.
The memory had frustrated him countless times over. The more he tried to recall the details, the more they seemed to slip through his fingers. It was like trying to remember a dream after waking.
Silver slowly looked toward Ravenna. She was calmly surveying the station entrance, completely unaware of the thoughts running through his mind.
His expression softened.
’Whatever happened in the novel... It won’t happen again, not while I’m here.’
He had already changed too much of the original plotline. He and Ravenna had left Delta Three together; he had reached Rank Two earlier than expected, not like he was even supposed to be here, and even Dillian arriving here now differed from what little he remembered.
The future had already begun changing. Still... Silver couldn’t allow himself to become complacent. He had no intention of letting Ravenna out of his sight once they entered the station.
Dillian’s voice pulled him back to reality.
"Since we’re both here for the same reason..."
He glanced between Silver and the abandoned buildings.
"How about we just explore together? It’ll be safer than splitting up."
Beside him, Iris nodded immediately.
"If something really caused that outbreak, more people means more eyes and we can defend each other as a group."
Silver thought about it for only a few seconds. Normally, he preferred working with just Ravenna; it made communication easier, but this place was different.
Neither group knew what waited inside. If danger appeared, having additional Rank One contractors nearby could make the difference.
He nodded.
"I don’t mind."
Ravenna looked toward him.
"If you’re alright with it... I am."
She trusted his judgment. Dillian smiled.
"Then it’s settled."
His companions also seemed relieved by the decision. Before anyone moved toward the station, Silver looked around the small group once more.
His gaze lingered briefly as he tried to remember who he was looking for in the group. Then it came to him: his cousin was missing. The absence finally began bothering him.
He looked toward Cruella.
"...Where’s Lucian?"
The cheerful atmosphere immediately vanished. Cruella’s smile froze. For several long seconds, she simply stared at Silver, then her eyes gradually reddened.
Silver’s expression changed.
"...Cruella?"
She lowered her head. Her shoulders trembled.
"He..." Her voice cracked. "...He died."
Silence settled over the parking area; even the wind seemed to stop.
Silver felt his chest tighten; even though he didn’t care too much about Lucian since he was a selfish prick, it just felt wrong. In another side from him, the plot seems to be unravelling itself.
"...What happened?"
Cruella covered her mouth as tears escaped her eyes.
"He saved me. We were escorting civilians during a beast surge. He..." her breathing became uneven. "...He pushed me out of the way; there wasn’t enough time. He...Didn’t make it."
Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. One of the other girls, Maya, gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
Maya lowered her eyes sadly.
"We were there; it happened so quickly."
Selene nodded quietly.
"None of us could reach him."
Even Iris, who had seemed energetic moments earlier, remained completely silent. Silver closed his eyes briefly.
He slowly opened his eyes again.
"I’m sorry."
The words were sincere. Regardless of everything else, Lucian had still been family. Cruella wiped at her tears but couldn’t stop them completely.
"...Thank you."
He almost rolled his eyes, but he kept it inside. She might have been genuinely sad; who knows. Silver remained quiet for another moment before another thought surfaced. One tied directly to Lucian.
"The Academy admission letter."
Cruella looked up.
"...What?"
Silver’s voice remained calm.
"The one Grandfather prepared for Lucian. Where is it?"
Cruella immediately looked away; she didn’t answer.
Silver noticed.
"So you have it."
The silence itself became confirmation. Before Cruella could respond, Dillian stepped forward.
"Silver." His tone remained polite. "Cruella gave it to me."
Silver looked toward him.
"You have it?"
Dillian nodded.
"I’ve been carrying it for her."
Silver remained silent for a few seconds, then he spoke carefully.
"I’m not trying to offend either of you, but... That admission letter belongs to the Ruddington family. It wasn’t meant to leave our family."
Dillian listened quietly. Silver continued.
"Lucian can’t use it anymore, but that doesn’t change who it belongs to. I’d like to take it back."
Cruella bit her lower lip. Her hands tightened slightly.
"It’s..." she hesitated. "...The last thing he gave me."
Silver shook his head.
"I know, and I’m not asking lightly. My grandfather personally secured that admission. He deserves to decide what should be done with it."
Dillian looked toward Cruella. The two silently exchanged glances; finally, Cruella slowly reached into her backpack. She carefully removed a rigid waterproof document case.
For several moments she simply held it; her fingers lingering over the worn surface, then, with obvious reluctance, she extended it toward Silver.
"...Please take care of it."
Silver accepted it with both hands.
"I will."
He looked down at the familiar Ruddington family crest embossed into the leather cover. He wasn’t cruel enough to ask Cruella for hers, but it didn’t mean he would leave it for others’ benefit.
Dillian was a good guy and lucky, so he might probably get another. Silver didn’t want to go through the hard route when he could get an admission letter. Both he and Ravenna were now set for the academy.
He had been set on giving Ravenna his admission letter and him taking the entrance test, but it seemed he could now avoid that dreaded argument.
Silver carefully stored the document inside his backpack.
"Thank you."
His gratitude was directed toward both of them. Cruella gave a weak nod, and Dillian smiled faintly.
"I figured it was the right thing to do."
Yap, he felt a little guilty, but this was a dog-eat-dog world. He had to think about himself first.
"It is."
Silver looked back toward Cruella.
"One more question."
She raised her eyes.
"Has Grandfather..." He corrected himself. "Has the Ruddington family been told about Lucian?"
Cruella’s expression immediately became guilty. She slowly shook her head.
"...No. I... I didn’t know how."
Silver wasn’t surprised. Breaking such news would never have been easy, especially for someone who had survived because Lucian hadn’t.
He let out a quiet breath.
"I understand. I’ll tell them."
Cruella’s eyes widened slightly.
"...You will?"
Silver nodded.
"They deserve to know."
He glanced briefly at the document case inside his backpack.
Cruella lowered her head.
"...Thank you."
Silver didn’t say anything else; there was nothing more to add.
Dillian looked toward the silent station.
"We should probably get moving. The sooner we investigate... The sooner we can get back before dark."
Everyone nodded.
The earlier tension gradually faded as they shifted their attention toward the rusted entrance. Together, the nine contractors walked through the broken security gate.
Tall grass brushed against their boots. The old concrete path cracked beneath years of neglect. Ahead, the massive doors of Research Station Seventeen stood half open, as though silently inviting them inside.
Silver instinctively slowed his pace until he was walking beside Ravenna. Without saying a word, he quietly reached for her hand.
She looked at him with mild surprise.
"...Silver?"
He smiled faintly.
"Stay close."
Ravenna gently squeezed his hand.
"I wasn’t planning on going anywhere."
Silver nodded. His gaze lifted toward the dark interior waiting beyond the entrance. Whatever secrets this station had hidden for years, he intended to uncover them.