Chapter 24
Chapter 24
The scent of sandalwood in the car was calming, helping to ease Lenore’s restless mood. She glanced over at Silas and then pulled out her phone to scan the code. Silas wore a faint smile, his eyes revealing nothing
First, they grabbed a bite at Culinary Ascent, and then Lenore headed over to the traffic police headquarters. She felt obligated to stick to her promise to Ken.
By seven, they found themselves back at Riverside Avenue. For reasons that weren’t entirely clear, Silas and his followers had decided to tag along.
Silas leaned against the car, one hand in his pocket, chatting on the phone. Although no one could hear him, his icy demeanor spoke volumes.
A little further down, Wayne slouched against the riverside railing, lighting up a cigarette. Through the smoke, he called out to Lenore. “Hey there, with your driving skills, have you ever thought about joining international races?”
Lenore was busy replying to a message from Siren and didn’t bother turning around. Her voice, breezy and cold, floated back to him. “Not interested
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.]
Something didn’t sit right with Lenore. Pedro had been called back, and now the virus in Orinadia was targeting the long- closed 319 Biomedical Engineering–it felt too connected. Anger sparked in her eyes.
The night was dark and mysterious. Out of the blue, the name Xtreme lit up the global hacker leaderboard after being dormant for over two years.
[Oh my! Xtreme’s name is back.]
[Seriously? This can’t be real]
No one knew who spotted it first, but the news rippled across the forum like a rock thrown into the water.
[Oh my gosh!]
[The legendary Xtreme is back!]
(I never thought I’d see Xtreme’s name again in my lifetime.]
[I feel likely
is complete.]
The leaderboard ranked hackers based on their accomplishments, serving as a digital hall of fame limited to just 100 spots. Getting listed was a huge honor in the hacker world.
About seven or eight years back, Xtreme shot to the top, landing at No. L. Five or six years ago, he joined the Stormwings Operatives, becoming a living legend in the hacker world–no one had surpassed him since.
Now, after being gone for over two years, Xtreme’s unexpected reappearance sent the whole hacker world into a frenzy. Once the initial shock wore off, speculation began to swirl.
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[Could Xtreme’s return indicate something serious is going on in the world?]
(Are we talking about a world war?]
Is this connected to the recent outbreak in Orinadia?]
Every time Xtreme made such a high–profile comeback, it seemed like something big was on the horizon. With theories flying around, Xtreme’s inbox flooded with messages. Then, a new post appeared on the homepage.
[Xtreme: Relax. I’m just having a look.]
[Whoa! Xtreme just posted]
[It’s really Xtreme. I can’t believe I’m seeing a new post of his]
[It’s like Xtreme is speaking directly to me.]
The post, consisting of just a few words and some punctuation, skyrocketed in popularity, hitting over a billion views in seconds. It was pinned at the top of the homepage, almost like a sacred offering
Wayne was buzzing with excitement at his computer, calling out “Silas, come and look, Xtreme has shown up.”
Silas had just stepped out of the shower, his hair damp, wearing loosely tied white bathrobe. Hearing the commotion, he tightened the collar to cover his chest and walked over, drying his hair with a towel.
“Track it down,” he replied, his voice deep.
Wayne frowned, “Xtreme’s trail is hard to follow. We can’t pin it down.”
Silas plopped down on the couch, casually tossing the towel aside. His long fingers danced over the keyboard, entering lines/ of complex code.
The steam from the bathroom softened his sharp features, giving his red–tinted eyes an alluring glow. The neon lights outside shimmered against his gaze. As he focused, he looked like a work of art.
Wayne watched, momentarily lost in thought, sighing inwardly. No wonder so many are drawn to Silas’s striking beauty; in this world, only Lenore can rival him!
Three minutes later, Silas halted his typing, his expression serious. “He’s in Jinslenburg,” he said. That was the only lead he had, and he felt it was given deliberately by Xtreme.
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