Chapter 16

The little episode earlier didn't bother Hudson in the slightest. After all, Natalie was no more significant than dust to him. No, dust wasn't this annoying. "Holy crap! That's 500 grand! This money is insane!" Owen exclaimed while handing over the card that Quinton had left earlier to Hudson. "You take it. Consider it a gift for helping me join the organization." "Haha! Quick learner, huh? You're catching on!" Owen didn't stand on ceremony and patted Hudson on the shoulder as he pocketed the card. Hudson wasn't interested in continuing the topic, so he smiled and asked Owen, "Mr. Jennings, where are we headed now?" Following behind Owen, Hudson had expected that they would take a car, but instead, he was led to a bus stop. "Just follow me. I'm not going to sell you off," Owen said impatiently, waving his hand. "Let me be straightforward," he said with his hands stuffed in his pockets and a cigarette hanging from his lips. "Even though you're back in human form and don't have a trace of beastly force anymore, if you so much as slip and show a hint of that power in hunter territory, I can't protect you." "I'll be careful," Hudson promised. Although he hadn't yet fully mastered controlling that mysterious power, he could at least prevent himself from involuntarily transforming into that skeletal figure. Back at Owen's house, Hudson had practiced repeatedly and gradually gained control over the transformation. The sensation was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. Moreover, according to Owen's observation, he could use portions of that tremendous power without emitting any beastly force. Or at least so little that it would go unnoticed by anyone who wasn't a detection expert. It was only when he was fully covered in bone and transformed into that skeletal giant that he would completely take on the traits of a beast. Soon, the bus dropped the two of them off in the old district. Up until this point, Hudson had held onto a sliver of hope—perhaps the worn-down area might hide some sort of secret grandeur. Alas, he was stunned when Owen brought him to a dilapidated two-story building. The building's exterior walls were heavily worn, and the paint on the windows had long since peeled away, giving it an air of faded time. "We're here. This is our headquarters," Owen said with a wink. The words dashed Hudson's hopes completely. It seemed high-tech secret bases only existed in movies. The reality waiting for him was this weathered old building. Perhaps sensing his thoughts, Owen chuckled. "What did you expect? A secret agent base or something?" Owen laughed. "This is Twilight Revenants. We don't have resources to burn. Plus, the less attention we attract, the safer we are." Hudson had at least expected a password or some sort of coded phrase. Instead, Owen pulled out a simple brass key from his pocket and casually unlocked the rusted iron door. Thankfully, the door didn't emit the expected musty smell upon opening. In fact, there was a surprisingly pleasant floral scent inside. Dim yellow lighting illuminated a modestly sized first-floor hall. "Kevin! I brought the young man over! Get down here!" Owen shouted toward the staircase leading to the second floor. Hudson wanted to ask who Kevin was but stayed quiet, figuring he'd meet him soon enough. A few minutes later, a man in his 30s descended from upstairs. Hudson immediately stood and looked at him. Owen stepped forward with a beaming smile and gestured toward Hudson. "Kevin, this is the young man I told you about. The one who wants to join us, uh..." He turned to Hudson. "What's your name again?" "I'm Hudson Jarrott." Hudson quickly introduced himself and extended his hand. Kevin was lean, and his face was stern. His gaze was sharp, carrying an air of unspoken authority that naturally commanded respect. He didn't shake Hudson's hand but looked at him with a frosty expression. "I'm Kevin Duncan, vice president of Twilight Revenants," he said flatly. Just then, Owen leaned over and whispered something to Kevin. "He just donated 500 grand to the organization." "Pleasure to meet you!" Kevin immediately grabbed Hudson's hand with both of his, his demeanor suddenly spirited. Hudson's mouth twitched, but at least he had officially gotten his foot in the door. Kevin was straightforward, speaking with a calm yet commanding tone. "I've already read the report from Winona about your situation, and Owen mentioned some details. Let me confirm this again." Kevin looked at Hudson. "Are you a Regeneration-Type Awakened?" Hudson nodded, keeping his tone as steady as possible. "Yes. After being attacked and having my heart torn out by an Infected, my body began exhibiting regenerative properties." As he spoke, he took the opportunity to study Kevin, who wore a black, traditional robe with an antiquated air, and glasses that gave him a scholarly demeanor. However, his face remained cool and serious, revealing little of his thoughts. "Very well. Since Owen is vouching for you, I rest assured. I'll submit your information to the association." Kevin paused briefly, then added, "The organization has an obligation to recruit and guide Awakened ones, but we don't force anyone to join. You can take your time understanding our world before making a decision." Hudson shook his head with a smile. "No need, Mr. Duncan. I'm joining your organization. Twilight... uh, what was it called again?" "Twilight Revenants," Kevin corrected. "May I ask why? As you've seen, our organization is in poor financial shape, deeply in debt, and lacking resources to train new Awakened ones." After a pause, he added, "Of course, we're thrilled to have new members, but for your sake, I need to be upfront about this." Hudson could sense Kevin's sincerity and nodded. "Could you tell me your reason, then?" Kevin's sharp gaze met Hudson's. "Because Winona saved my life," Hudson replied with a smile. The room fell silent. Even Owen didn't utter a word. After a long pause, Kevin broke into a smile. "You're honest and straightforward." He extended his hand again. "Welcome to Twilight Revenants." Just then, the front door swung open. Hudson turned to see Winona standing in the doorway, out of breath. Her cheeks were flushed, and her hair was slightly tousled from the wind. "Owen! Why didn't you wait for me?" "Haha! Look at this, Kevin. I told you she's got herself a boyfriend. I only took him away for a bit, and here she comes chasing after us." Winona's face turned even redder as she hurled the unlit cigarette she was holding at Owen. He caught it easily with a raised hand. "Thanks," he said cheekily. "He's still under 24-hour supervision. I can't leave him alone," she said, standing beside Owen. Seeing Kevin, she suppressed her temper but still spoke with a hint of dissatisfaction. "Supervision, my ass. The young man's one of us now!" Owen said, lighting the cigarette despite Kevin's disapproving cough. Kevin sighed and rubbed his temples as the floral scent in the room suddenly made sense to Hudson—it was to mask Owen's smoke. "Kevin, has Hudson joined us already?" Winona's eyes lit up as she turned to Kevin. "Yes. I'll submit his information to the association. That's all for today. You can escort him out," Kevin replied. "Alright." She nodded without hesitation. Once the door closed, Kevin sat on the couch and gestured for Owen to join him. Owen chuckled as he sat beside him. "I submitted the report for the Vanguard-Class mission you took last night. The reward should hit your account soon," Kevin said. "Damn, that's efficient!" Owen made a mock bow. "Don't celebrate just yet. I need to ask you something," Kevin said, his tone sharpening. "Yeah? What is it?" "You didn't kill the Vanguard-Class beast you brought back last night, did you?" Owen fell silent, and Kevin's gaze became piercing. The atmosphere became tense. "The remains you brought back had multiple tear marks. It was clearly ripped apart, and the core was extracted manually. That's not your style, Owen. And while the association doesn't mandate core submission, I trust the core is in your possession?" Owen laughed awkwardly. "Wina's all grown up. A lot of things require money now, so just turn a blind eye, alright?" Owen couldn't tell him the truth—the core had already been absorbed by Hudson. Kevin and Owen stared at each other for a long while. Finally, Kevin adjusted his glasses and sighed. "Don't let it happen again." "Kevin, I knew you were a good guy!" Owen said with a laugh, rising to his feet. "Wait, Owen." Just as Owen was heading for the second floor, Kevin called out to him again. "The association detected an Abyssal-Class beast last night. Although it appeared for a very short time, they were able to track its location, just near the Vanguard-Class beast you killed. Have you..." Kevin looked at Owen's back and spoke slowly. "Have you seen that Abyssal-Class beast?" Owen didn't turn around, remaining silent for a moment. He then slightly turned his head, wearing a carefree smile. "Don't joke around. If an Abyssal-Class beast really appeared out of nowhere in the city, are the people from the Ascendant League not doing their job right?" Silence. Kevin slowly rubbed his temples, feeling a little weary as he said, "Then let's just assume it was a mistake by the Ascendant League. Owen, remember to update me if anything happens. You should trust me." Owen glanced at Kevin, then smiled and nodded, before heading up the stairs without looking back.