My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 465: Mystery

Ethan showed little response. He just straightened his coat and observed James as if he were examining the outcome of an experiment.

'Of course it's real,' Ethan answered. 'I wouldn't spend time on it if it weren't.'

James wandered the room, his fingers combing through his locks. Thoughts whirled in his head. He'd experimented with numerous items previously. Potions. Amplifiers. Hidden recipes brought from far-off places. Many turned out fake. Some worked okay. Nothing had ever impacted him like this.

This wasn't a minor upgrade.

This was a massive jump.

He halted before Ethan and fixed him with intense, fiery stares.

'If I reveal this to my family,' James uttered deliberately, 'they'll go crazy.'

Ethan cocked his head a bit. 'Will they purchase?'

James blinked in surprise.

The query sliced right through his thrill.

'Will your family put money in?' Ethan restated evenly.

James gritted his teeth. His relatives had long viewed him as impulsive. The baby of the family pursuing showy projects over established power. This was meant to be his opportunity to demonstrate value, yet he'd stumbled repeatedly in the past.

However, this occasion stood apart.

'They'll buy,' James declared solidly. 'They must.'

Ethan's look stayed unwavering. 'Phone them.'

James wasted no time. He whipped out his mobile right away and moved to the side, still close enough for Ethan to overhear. He punched in a number without a contact label. It rang once. Then twice.

Suddenly, it picked up.

The tone from the line was serene. Excessively serene.

'James.'

James gulped. 'Brother.'

A short pause followed before the voice responded once more, even and chill.

'You realize this is your final shot to show your value to the family. Do you truly wish to ring me now? Do you believe you've got something to astonish us?'

James sensed the burden of that statement weighing on his torso. He shot a glance at Ethan, who regarded him with casual curiosity, like the result mattered little to him.

'Yes, brother,' James replied, injecting firmness into his tone. 'Come over, please. I'm set.'

'Fine then,' the voice answered. 'I'll arrive in two days.'

The connection dropped.

James exhaled deeply, unaware he'd been holding it. He brought the phone down gradually, then faced Ethan again with fresh vigor.

'He's on his way,' James stated. 'In two days.'

Ethan gave a single nod.

'What varieties of pills do you produce?' James inquired rapidly, barely holding back.

Ethan reclined against the table, crossing his arms. 'We'll gauge your family's stance first. After that, we can talk further.'

James parted his lips as though to protest, then shut them. He got the implication. Ethan wasn't needy. The pills weren't goods forced on reluctant customers. Should the family display haughtiness or avarice lacking courtesy, Ethan could just depart.

That thought heightened James's worry.

He required this to work.

...

In the evening.

Drek came into Ethan's quarters wearing a hard-to-decipher look. It wasn't fear. Not fury. More like discomfort.

'Sir,' Drek said, dipping his head a touch, 'three of our folks turned up deceased last night.'

Ethan appeared unsurprised. He merely motioned for him to go on.

'Do you know the details?' Ethan questioned steadily.

'No, sir,' Drek responded. A faint shake laced his words. 'But the creepiest aspect is their corpses got torn up entirely. Like some beast attempted to shred them before devouring the meat.'

James, lingering nearby, creased his brow. 'A beast? Here in Laren City?'

Drek denied with a shake. 'That's the oddity. The backstreet they occupied lay beyond camera surveillance, so no video exists. And this isn't isolated. Accounts indicate comparable fatalities across the city over the past year.'

Ethan's eyes tightened a fraction.

'Is that the case?' he remarked.

'Indeed, sir.'

'Have you probed?'

'We attempted, yet nothing solid emerged. Each month, another victim meets this end. The media stays silent for ordinary folk. It's all hushed up.'

Ethan's focus intensified.

'Gather every record of these killings and hand them over.'

Drek assented swiftly. 'I've prepared it already. Here's the dossier.'

He passed a hefty folder.

Ethan took a seat and started leafing through the sheets. Quiet enveloped the space, broken only by the soft rustle of pages. Timelines. Sites. Images. Insider accounts. Every incident mirrored the pattern. Savage disfigurement. Zero bystanders. No evident approach or retreat.

'A puzzle, eh?' Ethan whispered low. A subtle grin formed on his mouth. 'I'd enjoy cracking it.'

James eyed him with slight astonishment. 'You're grinning?'

Ethan shut the folder. 'When something bizarre recurs so methodically, it signals an organized force at play. And organizations can be dismantled.'

On that same night, he resolved to explore the city personally.

...

At the same time, in a remote manor, a youth positioned himself in a spacious library. Dark timber racks covered the walls, stocked with old tomes and current files. A subtle aroma of fragrance lingered in the air.

'Father,' the youth addressed politely, 'James reached out. He claims a major discovery and wants me to head over. What's your advice?'

A man in his middle years occupied the desk, bearing keen traits and composed, shrewd eyes. He didn't lift his gaze at once. He kept scanning a paper before voicing in a profound, firm manner.

'You have key duties ahead,' he stated. 'Dispatch your sister instead. You'll handle the bidding event in two days.'

The youth inclined his head. 'Understood, father.'

He exited the area soundlessly.

The elder man eased into his seat. His digits drummed the surface once. James acted rashly, yet wasn't wholly inept. If he summoned courage to contact after endless flops, maybe a worthwhile prospect awaited.

Or it might just stem from sheer need.

...

Ethan ventured onto Laren City's roadways past midnight.

The vibe felt eerie.

No glaring illuminations. No glowing billboards pulsing. Nearly all homes sat in shadow. The typical buzz and remote vehicle hums vanished. The avenues seemed empty, like noise had been swallowed whole.

Just a handful of tiny outlets stayed lit, their glows subdued and wary.

James strode next to Ethan, pockets stuffed. 'It resembles a spectral settlement.'

Ethan surveyed in silence. His steps reverberated softly on the concrete.

They neared a modest market with partial blinds up. An older merchant lingered within, arranging items with languid motions.

Ethan drew nearer.

'Why's everyone indoors?' he queried offhand. 'What's befallen the place?'

The merchant looked over, assessed them shortly, then heaved a breath.

'You unaware?' he queried.

'Nope.'

'This stems from the mayor's decree. No outings after dark. No racket. No bright lamps.'

James scowled. 'How long?'

'More than a year,' the merchant said. 'He claims it's for curbing offenses and preserving calm. We're permitted to operate solely for urgent needs.'

Ethan's stare grew keener a tad. 'And the residents went along?'

The merchant lifted his shoulders in resignation. 'Yeah. He's improved the town regardless.'

James shared a glance with Ethan.

'The mayor once more,' James grumbled.

Ethan moved from the outlet, arms folded behind.

'That fellow seems intriguing,' he murmured. 'Let's drop by his place.'