It had been a full day since the raid, and the echoes of that night still lingered in my head—the shouts, the clash of fists, the terrified faces of the people pulled out of the shadows. Yet the three women before me were the ones who haunted me most. Aris Thorn, Sarah Vance, and Diana Wayne. Survivors. Professionals stripped of dignity. Prisoners once, but no longer.
Now, they sat in the meeting chamber of Hunter's Guild base, clean and cared for, but uncertain. The storm of fear had passed, yet in their eyes, a thousand questions burned. What happens to us now? Do we finally have a place, or are we simply in another gilded cage?
I leaned forward, elbows resting on the table, my gaze flicking across each of them. Tiffany stood at my right shoulder, her presence sharp and commanding, like the edge of a blade that never dulled. She'd warned me not to let emotion lead me here, but how could I ignore what they represented? They were not pawns. They were potential pillars.
Aris was the first I studied. Her posture was composed, but I saw the weight in her shoulders. She wore her quiet dignity like armor, but no armor is without cracks. That streak of gray and purple-blue in her braid gave her a regal, almost ethereal air, and I couldn't help but respect the calm resilience in her gaze. She had endured humiliation, yet her hands still remembered how to heal.
Diana was different—softer, younger, her chocolate eyes shining with the timid light of someone desperate to believe in hope again. She sat with her hands clasped tight in her lap, trembling slightly. Her tears were close to the surface, and I knew it wouldn't take much for them to fall. But there was courage in her too—fragile courage, the kind that doesn't roar but refuses to extinguish.
And then Sarah. Her lavender eyes were razor sharp, her dark purple ponytail swaying slightly as she shifted her stance by the window. Unlike the other two, she didn't flinch, didn't cry. She measured me, calculating risks like numbers in her head. To her, everything had a price—safety, loyalty, trust. And she wanted to know if what I was offering was worth paying.
"These women," I finally said, my voice low but steady, "aren't prisoners anymore. They're ours now. And it's time we decide their future."
Aris tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing with quiet suspicion. "Our future?" she asked, her voice calm but lined with doubt.
"Yes," I replied. "I know who you are, Dr. Thorn. I know what you did five years ago."
Her lips parted just slightly, though she tried to mask the reaction. Diana gasped softly, already sensing where this was headed, while Sarah's crossed arms loosened, her focus sharpening.
"The little girl," I continued. "Five years old. Heart failure. No surgeon willing to touch her case. Too risky. Too expensive. Too… inconvenient. But you took the chance. And you saved her."
The silence was suffocating. Diana's tears brimmed instantly, sliding down her cheeks as she whispered, "She lived because of you." Sarah's expression faltered, skepticism breaking just long enough to show shock. And Aris… Aris looked down, her fingers curling tightly in her lap.
"They called you reckless," I said. "They condemned you instead of honoring you. Your license revoked. Your name dragged through the mud. You lost everything because you valued a child's life over money."
Aris drew a long breath, her shoulders slumping, and when she finally spoke, her voice trembled. "We did what was right. The girl's life was all that mattered. Our careers… our reputations… that was the price of atonement."
I leaned forward, eyes burning into hers. "You shouldn't have had to pay it. The system is broken, Dr. Thorne. It punishes those who act with honor and rewards those who sell their souls for profit. That's why I'm giving you a choice. A new system. My system."
Their gazes locked onto me now, all three—fear, hope, disbelief tangled in the air between us.
"I want you to build a hospital," I said, my tone leaving no room for doubt. "Not a business. Not a scam. A revolution. Funded entirely by Phoenix Capital Group. No bribes. No chains. Just doctors, nurses, and pharmacists doing what they were meant to do. Saving lives."
Diana's sob broke the silence, her hands covering her mouth as tears poured freely. She whispered, "A place… where no one has to beg to be treated?"
"Yes," I answered simply. "A place where every patient matters, no matter what they can or cannot pay."
Sarah scoffed, though her voice was softer than before. "No one builds something like that for free. What's the catch? What do you want in return?"
Before I could respond, Tiffany stepped forward, her sharp eyes pinning Sarah like a hawk. "It's not just charity," she admitted. "It's strategy. A hospital like this becomes untouchable PR. It cements Phoenix Capital as a force for the people, gives us leverage in politics, and ensures loyalty. But don't mistake strategy for deceit. Adam doesn't give lifelines he doesn't mean. This is about power, yes—but it's also about building something real."
Her words carried weight, slicing through the skepticism. Sarah frowned, tapping her arm, clearly wrestling with the logic. Diana nodded furiously, her entire body trembling with hope. And Aris… Aris finally lifted her head. Her eyes shimmered—not just with tears, but with something fierce, a long-buried fire reignited.
"Mr. Wilson," she said, her voice steadier now, though threaded with emotion. "If what you say is true… if you mean this…" She paused, drawing in a deep breath. "Then I accept. We accept."
I nodded slowly, letting the words settle over the room like an oath sealed. "Good. Then from this moment on, you're not prisoners. You're not remnants of a broken past. You're part of Phoenix Capital. You're part of Hunter's Guild. And together, we'll build something the world cannot ignore."
Status:
Name: Aris Thorn
Strength: 75
Agility: 80
Endurance: 85
Mentality: 350
Intelligence: 420
Mana: 0
Potential: S
Skills: [Mastery in Surgery], [Expert in Diagnostics], [Anatomical Precision]
Passive Skills: [Healer's Vow], [Quiet Dignity], [Gentle Presence]
Superpower: [None]
Soul Ledger: [A Glimmer of Hope], [My Benefactor]
Status:
Name: Sarah Vance
Strength: 90
Agility: 110
Endurance: 95
Mentality: 280
Intelligence: 310
Mana: 0
Potential: A+
Skills: [Expert in Pharmacology], [Toxicology (Novice)], [Logistical Management]
Passive Skills: [Pragmatic Mind], [Unflappable Demeanor]
Superpower: [None]
Soul Ledger: [Intrigued by the Leader], [A Strategic Opportunity]
Status:
Name: Diance Wayne
Strength: 80
Agility: 85
Endurance: 90
Mentality: 220
Intelligence: 250
Mana: 0
Potential: S+
Skills: [Expert in Nursing Care], [Triage Management], [Post-Operative Care]
Passive Skills: [Unwavering Loyalty], [Soothing Presence]
Superpower: [None]
Soul Ledger: [Grateful for the Savior], [A Path to Hope]
As I looked at them, I realized something I hadn't before. Power isn't always about strength or fear. Sometimes, it's about healing. Sometimes, the people who hold life in their hands are worth more than an army. These women weren't warriors, but in this broken world, they might just be more valuable than any blade or bullet.
And as I stood, Tiffany beside me, I knew this wasn't only about conquest anymore. It was about legacy. About building a future worth ruling.
A future where even the broken could rise again.