Chapter 24
The scent of sandalwood lingered in the car, its warmth oddly calming.
Lenore glanced at Silas, then casually pulled out her phone.
A quick scan of the code—done.
Silas wore a faint smile.
His expression revealed nothing.
A Detour Before the Storm
They made a stop at Culinary Ascent for a bite.
Then, Lenore headed to the traffic police headquarters—she had made a promise to Ken, and she intended to keep it.
By seven o’clock, they were back on Riverside Avenue.
For some reason, Silas and his people had tagged along.
Lenore didn’t question it.
She just let them be.
Silas leaned against the car, one hand in his pocket, chatting on the phone.
His voice was too low to hear.
But his icy demeanor said enough.
A few feet away, Wayne slouched against the riverside railing, lighting a cigarette.
Through the smoke, he called out—
“Hey there, with your driving skills, ever thought about joining international races?”
Lenore didn’t even turn around.
She was replying to a message from Siren.
Her voice, breezy and cold, drifted back—
“Not interested.”
A Warning from Siren
Siren: [There’s a rumor that 319 Biomedical Engineering has a successful live test subject that can serve as a serum vessel. Apparently, the Stormwings Operatives is getting involved in the investigation.]
Lenore’s fingers paused over the screen.
Something didn’t sit right.
Pedro had been called back.
And now, the virus in Orinadia was linked to a long-closed biomedical lab?
It was all too connected.
A flicker of anger sparked in her eyes.
A Name Reawakens
The night sky was dark, heavy with mystery.
Then—
A name lit up the global hacker leaderboard after being dormant for over two years.
XTREME.
The reaction was instant.
[Oh my! Xtreme’s name is back!]
[Seriously? This can’t be real.]
[The legendary Xtreme is back!]
[I never thought I’d see Xtreme’s name again in my lifetime.]
The hacker leaderboard ranked the top 100 hackers in the world—a digital hall of fame.
Getting on the list was an honor.
Being at the top?
That was legendary.
About seven or eight years ago, Xtreme shot to No. 1—unmatched, untouchable.
Then, five or six years ago, he vanished.
Rumors said he had joined Stormwings Operatives.
Since then, no one had surpassed him.
Now—after over two years of silence—Xtreme was back.
The hacker world exploded.
And with the initial shock came fear.
[Could Xtreme’s return mean something serious is happening?]
[Are we talking about a world war?]
[Is this connected to the recent outbreak in Orinadia?]
Every time Xtreme reappeared, something big followed.
Then—
A post appeared on the homepage.
Xtreme: [Relax. I’m just having a look.]
The world froze.
[Whoa! Xtreme just posted!]
[It’s really him!]
[It’s like Xtreme is speaking directly to me.]
In seconds, the post had over a billion views.
Pinned at the top of the homepage, like a sacred text.
Tracking a Ghost
Wayne was buzzing with excitement at his computer.
“Silas, come look! Xtreme has shown up!”
Silas had just stepped out of the shower.
His hair was still damp, a loosely tied white bathrobe draped over his shoulders.
Hearing the commotion, he tightened the collar and walked over, towel in hand.
“Track it down,” he said, voice deep, unreadable.
Wayne frowned.
“Xtreme’s trail is hard to follow. We can’t pin it down.”
Silas didn’t respond.
He sat down, fingers gliding over the keyboard, entering complex strings of code.
The steam from the bathroom softened his sharp features, giving his red-tinted eyes an almost ethereal glow.
The neon lights from outside reflected in his gaze.
As he worked, he looked like a masterpiece—a painting of precision and intensity.
Wayne watched, momentarily entranced.
He sighed inwardly.
No wonder so many people are drawn to Silas…
In this world, only Lenore can rival him.
Then—
Silas stopped typing.
His expression turned serious.
“He’s in Jinslenburg,” he murmured.
That was the only lead.
And he was sure—Xtreme had left it there deliberately.
