Chapter 184 - 181: Mirror
"Brown, how was it? Was the Silent Knight basic training interesting?"
"I heard that the Silent Eagle, Baru, is a ferocious monster. We met him once, but not for long. You must’ve gotten to know him a little better this time. Was it intense?"
The twin brothers, each asking a question, were full of curiosity for Brown, who had clearly gotten a tan since he’d been back.
They were at the airport to pick up Brown, who had flown to Los Angeles over ten days ago.
He’d only been gone for a little over ten days, but it felt like the guy’s whole demeanor had changed.
No, it wasn’t just that his demeanor had changed. It was more like he had been completely reborn. His previous decadence was gone, replaced by a sharp, renewed vitality that radiated from the inside out.
The French Branch’s Secret Realm was located in the beautiful Dominic Manor on the outskirts of Paris. It had once been Blaise’s private property before being recently converted into an Association Secret Realm.
It was back then that Qin Xiaoxia had suggested the rather decadent-looking Brown fly to the United States to join the "training camp," which happened to have just over a week left.
As an Evolver, Brown’s natural talent was undoubtedly high. But this was Baru they were talking about.
He didn’t care what kind of schmuck you were, if you used to be a homeless person, or how nervous you felt.
Showing up with a decadent attitude in front of him was like wearing a sign that said, "Please discipline me." Brown was taught a lesson so severe it was hell on earth.
Sometimes, Blaise and the others were actually grateful to Brown, because he helped "draw a lot of the fire" for everyone.
Even the most honest and timid person has a temper, and Brown was no exception.
Besides, he was an Evolver. He was unwilling to hurt people out of kindness, but that didn’t mean he was unaware of his own immense strength.
Unfortunately, his anger didn’t lead to the explosive comeback he had imagined.
Brown’s meager abilities didn’t even last five seconds against Baru before he was defeated with twelve broken bones throughout his body.
If it weren’t for the miracles of the Flower of Life combined with his abnormal recovery rate as an Evolver—a combination that was greater than the sum of its parts—he probably would have spent the entire training camp lying in bed.
Looking at the curious faces of the twin brothers, the corner of Brown’s eye twitched.
"Oh, it was very, very interesting. You two should definitely go experience it next time. You can learn so, so much. See? Don’t I look like I’ve been reborn?"
The two brothers nodded.
"Let’s get in the car first. The branch’s Secret Realm is much more complete than when you left. It’s had a total makeover, so don’t be too shocked when you go inside, haha."
The three of them got into the car and drove toward Dominic Manor.
"Oh, right, you still haven’t told us what the Silent Eagle, Baru, is like. Is he as ferocious as the rumors say?"
Brown rubbed several spots on his body, as if they were still faintly aching.
"Um, the Mentor is a very... very kind person!"
"Mentor? He took you on as a student? Congratulations, congrats!"
The two brothers chuckled happily. Having a Mentor meant that Brown was truly on the right track within the Association and had a brighter future ahead of him.
’But, is Mr. Baru really a kind person? I guess rumors are just rumors. You can’t believe them most of the time.’
"Hey! If that’s the case, we should go too if there’s another basic training camp for the Silent Knight Order!"
"Yeah! Our roles aren’t combat-oriented, but it’s always good to learn a little more. Didn’t our Mentor encourage us to study more, too?"
The twin brothers discussed it excitedly for a while. The more they thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Plus, they could make some new friends.
Meanwhile, Brown was frantically making the sign of the cross.
He’d stopped believing in God when he was starving to death, so this was just a force of habit.
’Amen... Forgive me, Oliers Brothers. You might die there...’
But he didn’t say it out loud. After all, even a short stint in basic training would benefit them greatly.
Since their destination was on the other side of the city, the journey was a bit long. Fearing traffic in the city center, they took the ring road highway.
The old Brown had been rather sullen, but today he was able to chat idly with the twin brothers, having completely let go of his low self-esteem.
"Stop the car!"
"SCREECH—"
Within half a second of Brown shouting, the twin brother who was driving slammed on the brakes.
"BEEP BEEP BEEP—"
A car behind them laid on its horn, then swerved sharply past them, nearly hitting the guardrail.
The driver got out, cursing and swearing, ready to teach the idiot who’d suddenly stopped a lesson.
Brown opened his car door and gave the driver a single, indifferent glance. The man immediately lost his nerve.
He muttered a few inaudible threats from a distance to save face, then quickly ran back to his car and drove away.
"Brown, our Perception isn’t as sharp as yours. What was that just now?"
"Not sure yet. It’s in that car."
Brown walked to the guardrail and pointed to a white sedan in the distance, down below the overpass.
The light was red there, so several rows of cars were stopped.
"Let’s go. We’ll get off the highway and follow it!"
Without another word, the three confirmed their target, got back in the car, and looked for the nearest highway exit.
With a roar of the engine, the car shot forward, racing toward the intersection they had just seen.
This time, they weren’t bothering with traffic laws. Wherever there were no cameras, police, or speed traps, they weaved through traffic however they could, just trying to close the distance quickly.
They drew countless curses along the way, and though they didn’t make it to the intersection before the light turned green, they at least managed to keep the car in sight.
"Careful not to get too close. We don’t know what that thing is, and it would be bad to be spotted."
"Right, I know. Should we call for backup?"
Brown’s changed demeanor made the twin brothers instinctively ask for his opinion.
"First, let’s notify Philier and give him the general situation. If it’s something with a major impact, we’ll leak it to the French Super Research Department and let them take the heat."
"Right. Their response time in Paris should be pretty fast."
"Major impact" generally referred to things that were hard to handle discreetly. Without a government department to run interference, it would be easy for ordinary people to be affected.
Inside the white sedan up ahead, soft music was playing.
Inside was a family of three: the father driving, with the mother and their six- or seven-year-old child in the back seat.
Next to them was a large, foam-padded box, about the size of two laptops placed side-by-side.
It was a mirror, filled with a unique artistic flair.
"Daddy, Daddy, can we put this mirror in my room?"
The little girl kept trying to open the box to look at the mirror, but her mother stopped her each time.
"No, Luna. This mirror is a work of art. You can’t play with it."
The mother patted the little girl’s head, then grumbled to her husband, who was driving.
"Honey, this mirror cost two hundred Euros. Was it worth it?"
The man in the driver’s seat was in a good mood, humming along to the music.
"You know, even Kesby didn’t know what school of art it belongs to or what era it’s from. But its aesthetic is so unique, I can’t believe it’s a fake. It must be the work of some master. For two hundred Euros, I think we got a steal!"
PS: Friday’s third Chapter.