Chapter 37: Team B
Ethan stared at the tarnished silver card. Its surface didn't reflect the light of the banker's lamp; instead, it seemed to swallow it, pulsing with a frequency that made the refined blood in his veins hum.
"What is that?" Ethan asked, his voice steady despite the strange resonance in the air.
"The credentials of a retired member of the National Security Bureau Team B," Thorne Sr. replied, his eyes locked on Ethan's.
"National Security Bureau... Team B?" Ethan repeated. "I've never heard of such an organization. Is it part of the military?"
"Speaking of this organization, it is necessary to talk about martial artists first," Thorne Sr. began, leaning back into the shadows. "Martial artists have never disappeared, Ethan. It is just hard for ordinary people to ever get in touch with them. You, of all people, should know this best, right?"
Ethan remained silent, but internally, his mind was racing. In the first twenty-one years of his life—the years of poverty and Julian's boots—he had never seen a martial artist. He thought the world was governed by laws and bullets. But since obtaining the Zillion System and undergoing Pseudo-Body Refining, he realized his level had simply been too low to interact with the truth. He had never imagined anyone could be as fearless with guns as the heroes on television until he felt his own strength.
"Martial artists are a group that can do immense damage," Thorne Sr. continued. "Some are strong enough to withstand ordinary firearms. But not everyone in this group can resist temptation. When they make a mistake, they do great harm to society. The state can no longer threaten these people with ordinary soldiers. That is why the National Security Bureau was created. They are the law enforcers and supervisors the country set up for the 'Unseen World.'"
The old man gestured to the card. "I used to be one of them, but I was seriously injured during a mission in the North, so I retired. Once you are in this organization, unless you commit treason, you are protected by the entire Security Bureau. This protection extends to your family. What supports the Security Bureau is the nation itself."
Ethan's thoughts immediately went to his parents. Family protection.
"I retired due to injury," Thorne Sr. went on, "so no one dares move against the Thorne family as long as I breathe. But if I die, we become a piece of meat with no relation to the state. However, Ethan, you need this more than I do right now."
Ethan frowned. "Why are you telling me this? Are you trying to get me to join?"
"Do you think this organization is easy to join?" Thorne Sr. asked with a dry chuckle.
"I assume... it's difficult."
"It is very difficult. They don't hire openly. You can only join by being referred by an internal staff member, and even then, the most rigorous vetting and tests await you. As a retired member of Team B, I can refer others. I planned to reserve this for Bernie, but he... he lacks the talent. He would be eliminated in the first hour. But you? With your talent, I'm certain you would pass."
Ethan looked at the card again. "You want to refer me so I can protect the Thorne family?"
"That is just one part of it," Thorne Sr. admitted. "I am more optimistic about your future. I'd like to invest my referral in you."
Ethan's eyes narrowed. "How could you be sure I'll join? What if I refuse?"
"Because I know you need it now! Ethan, you've endured years of humiliation without revealing your strength. I assume your mentor or your background didn't want you exposed. You might have enemies, or there could be other reasons, but either way, you need a legal identity to shield your wealth."
At that instant, Ethan's aura burst out. The air in the study thickened, and the heavy mahogany shelves creaked under the sudden pressure. A cold, predatory glint appeared in his eyes. His biggest fear was that someone would discover the System. He wasn't strong enough to protect his secret yet.
Get stronger! I must get stronger as soon as possible! Ethan thought fiercely. As long as he thinks I have a mysterious 'mentor' or a hidden family, I can use that as a shield. Let them fear a ghost.
Seeing the shock on Thorne Sr.'s face as the old man struggled to breathe against the pressure, Ethan slowly withdrew his aura. The room returned to its quiet, library-stillness.
"Fortunately," Ethan said, his voice like ice, "you only think I have a mentor. If you truly want to invest, Mr. Thorne, don't let your curiosity get the better of you again."
Thorne Sr. wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, his smile returning, though it was now tinged with genuine awe. "An enigma indeed. So, Overseer... will you take the test?"
Ethan reached out and gripped the silver card. "Tell me where and when. If this organization can keep my parents safe while I build my empire, then I'll take their test and tear it apart."