I finally looked up and said, "I don’t know, Nikandros, about what exactly I’m feeling right now. But if I had to guess, I’d say... betrayed."
His brow lifted slightly.
"Betrayed?"
"Yeah. I’m guessing you’re here to interrogate me, since you probably think I’m an illegal supernatural.
"Which would be fine, except the Underworld’s supposed to keep their clients’ information confidential.
"So if my data ended up in your hands, well, it means someone sold me out," I said.
"Information like you being a three-star mage at sixteen?" he asked with a chuckle. "Don’t worry. The Underworld didn’t leak it. We just have ears in the right places."
So, they used spies is what he wanted me to believe.
But I knew better.
This guy was a man from Underworld, and the information had never been leaked.
"I guess that’s supposed to make me feel better." I leaned back. "Still disappointing, though. I wonder what would happen if people started thinking that client data can be stolen from Underworld’s database."
His lips twitched at that.
He ignored the comment and nodded at the coffee cup. "You’re not going to drink?"
"I don’t drink coffee," I said flatly.
"Really?" he chuckled. "My intuition says you do. And my intuition’s rarely wrong."
’....Does he think he is being slick?’
His words confirmed two things.
First, it really was Karivara coffee.
Second, if I drank it, I was fucked.
"So, Alan," he said casually, "since you already know we suspect you might be an unregistered supernatural, can you show us your ID?"
"I don’t have one."
"No problem," he said, still smiling. "That’s normal. We can help you join a Hidden Clan and get—"
"I don’t have a supernatural ID because my master disappeared before giving me one."
That made him pause.
"Disappeared?"
"Yeah."
He studied me for a second, clearly thinking I was lying.
But instead of calling it out, he leaned in slightly.
"If you had a master, that’s actually good news. It happens sometimes. A master dies on Anomaly Hunt before issuing the disciple an ID.
"If you can tell us their name and show proof of tutelage, this can be wrapped up quickly."
I gave a small nod.
I reached into the inventory rune of my palm, and pulled out something long and black-gold.
A replica of Ruyi Bang.
The man’s eyes widened when he saw the spatial inventory.
But then, his gaze dropped to the table, and his bows furrowed.
"What are you doing with a ’fake’ replica of the Monkey King’s weapon?"
"It’s not a fake replica," I said. "It’s a real replica, given to me by my master, the Monkey King."
For a second, he just stared at me.
Then everything in his face changed.
Shock, confusion, disbelief.
He cycled through them all in the span of a few seconds.
"Huh? That’s... you’re serious?"
He leaned over the table, eyes fixed on the staff, fingers itching to touch it.
After taking a deep breath, he stood up quickly and grabbed the weapon.
"I—I’ll be back."
He left the room, taking the replica with him.
I let out a low chuckle once the door shut.
That was the expected reaction.
The Monkey King was the strongest supernatural on Earth.
His feats had reshaped the entire landscape of the hidden world of supernaturals.
And as far as anyone knew, he had never taken a disciple.
Until now.
That was the lie I needed them to believe.
If the world thought the Monkey King had returned—or even moved—it would cause chaos.
But it might also stop the invasion.
Stopping the [Thirteen Disasters] wasn’t guaranteed to stop the invasion.
For that, I needed the Monkey King back.
That was impossible, of course.
The Monkey King wouldn’t return for decades.
’But now, his disciple who has been trained by him is going to follow his orders and do a whole lot of things.’
I was going to act like I was receiving orders from Monkey King.
Of course, no one would believe me immediately.
Even with proof, it would take time.
Still, this was step one.
I waited for a few minutes.
Finally, the door opened again.
But instead of Nikandros someone else returned.
I felt it before I saw her.
A chill settled in the room.
My skin prickled with goosebumps.
Something heavy pressed against my lungs, like the breath of death brushing my neck.
Then she spoke, "Hello, dear Alan."
My body froze.
’That voice.’
My fingers twitched under the table, but I kept them still.
She sat down across from me with the kind of grace that only made my stomach churn harder.
Long black hair, crimson eyes, curves sculpted like a temptress sculpted by god itself.
She looked young enough to be in her early twenties.
But her presence radiated a mature and seductive aura.
"Chryseis Hargraves," I said. "I did not expect to meet the Clan Head of the Hades Clan here."
"Oh? You recognize me?" she asked, smiling faintly.
"I do."
I would never forget her face. Not after what she did in the last timeline.
"So Alan," she said, eyes narrowing slightly, "who are you, really? My people told me you claimed to be the disciple of the Monkey King."
As she spoke, a wave of oppressive pressure rolled off her.
It felt like I was being stared down by a python.
"Yes," I replied. "I’m the disciple of the Monkey King."
For a moment, she just looked at me.
Then she stood up without a word.
She stepped around the table and slowly walked behind me.
Her movements were graceful, yet spine-chilling.
It looked as if a predator was circling something it wasn’t sure if it should kill and eat now, or if it should save it for later.
She stopped behind my chair, then placed one soft, manicured hand on my right shoulder.
The moment her skin made contact with my clothes, a buzz appeared in my head.
My pulse slowed, then sped up.
My limbs felt slightly heavy. My breath became uneven.
Then the whisper came.
"The Monkey King is someone special. You shouldn’t speak so casually about him, Alan. If you’re lying, this is your last chance to confess."
The buzzing grew sharper for a second, like invisible needles pressing against my temples.
I gritted my teeth, and focused on keeping my thoughts tight.
But this moment—this pressure—it was also exactly what I’d been waiting for.
If she was working with the invaders already, this was the best chance I would get to show off that Monkey King was on Earth.
"The replica of Ruyi Bang I gave you," I said slowly, "you must’ve already had someone check it. You should know it’s a genuine one."
Her hand remained on my shoulder.
Her nails tapped against my jacket once.
"It’s not that hard to get an authentic replica. You could’ve received it from one of the major Hidden Clans. You might’ve been sent by them. Is there anything else you can show me to prove you’re not bluffing?"
I turned my head slightly to look at her.
She was still calm on the surface, but I could feel it.
She was trying to draw me out, give me just enough room to trip myself up.
I didn’t take the bait.
Instead, I said, "[Maw of Gluttony]. The Rank 5 Anomaly that the Underworld is using to collect blood samples from registered supernaturals."
Her expression didn’t change, but I could feel her hand stiffen.
I kept going.
"That Anomaly wasn’t found by the Underworld. It was given to them by the Monkey King."
Her fingers twitched once, then slowly lifted from my shoulder.
[A powerful mental attack has been overcome. Spirit +10]
The buzzing in my head stopped.
She walked back to her seat and sat down again, crossing one leg over the other with grace.