QT: Against My Will-Chapter 557 - 8.74 - Little Doppleganger - Monster Heist
╔═══ Author’s note ════╗
Info dumb:
Ch. 3.04 - Kuro told Bing Shi she could prolong the duration of her pills for some points
cd=cooldown
1. Level = 5min/25min cd = Free
2. Level = 10 min/25min cd = 2500p
3. Level = 15 min/ 25min cd = 5000p
4. Level = 20 min/ 25min cd =10000p
5. Level = 25 min/ 25 min cd =20000p
Anything beyond 25 min was not recommended. 25 min cooldown couldn’t be skipped.
╚═════════════════╝
Shina’s team signed in relief when Shina appeared back in Douglas’s living room together with Leon.
"Is Victor a zombie?" Laura asked, "How did he survive?" she barely had time to register her surroundings when Victor suddenly popped up beside her, making her jump nearly a foot in the air.
"Guess you’ll never know." Victor teased with a smirk.
"You look like you just escaped a horror movie," said Juliet. Her gaze moved over Victor, taking in the bandaged body, the blood smeared across his lips, and the visible gunshot wounds in his chest. Despite the humor he tried to infuse into the situation, the gravity of his injuries was undeniable.
"Actually, I’m not escaping the horror movie," Victor corrected Juliet with a faint grin, "I’m going back for more action." He handed his card to Laura, "Take good care of those injuries for me, will you?"
As he slid down against the wall, his playful demeanor couldn’t hide the pain he was undoubtedly feeling.
"Took you long enough to figure out," Laura couldn’t help but mutter under her breath as she took the card from Victor’s hand, her eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and admiration.
Without missing a beat, she swiftly pulled out a well-equipped medic kit from her space and got to work, tending to Victor’s injuries with skill and precision.
Victor’s gaze occasionally flicked up to meet hers with a playful glint in his eyes, "If there is no room for ignorant people in your team," he pointed at Douglas, "What is he doing here?"
Douglas flexed his arms, "Shina said we got enough brainpower, but we need some brawn to act before thinking, and that’s where Victor and I come in!"
Bing Shi couldn’t help herself and burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"..." The room fell silent as a visible vein popped up on Victor’s forehead, putting pressure against his bandages.
"Where is your family Douglas?" asked Henry when he noticed that the small apartment contained characteristics for a single person only.
Douglas replied with a casual shrug, "Family? They’re probably still serving the Hauxley clan, like they’ve been doing for generations. You know, in my family, the kids are usually left alone to their own devices to hone their instincts in the school of life. It’s like a sink-or-swim approach to survival, and it toughens you up."
His answer received gasps from across the room. Don’t tell them his instincts were genetic, if yes, that would make the Hauxley clan a terrifying force, "Why did you join Shina Night then?"
Douglas stood tall, meeting the gasps with a confident smile. "Well," he began, "I thought she was a God, I mean... When she recruited me it was like a God’s call."
"..." The room fell silent after Douglas’s bold statement. Nobody believed him for a second, and they couldn’t help but tease him about his comedic attempt.
"Come on, Douglas," Aria said, playfully nudging him, "You really need to work on your joke delivery."
Ru Quan looked down at his wife. He felt as though he was participating in a monster heist, where Shina’s followers were perceived not as the thieves but as the very monsters themselves — creatures that people would usually evade, yet she paradoxically sought. In this stark tableau, they were desired for all the wrong reasons.
Bing Shi turned to her team, her gaze sweeping across their faces. "Alright, team, do we want Bertha back?" she asked, her voice steady. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
Victor looked around, noticing the hesitation that seemed to permeate the room. He could feel the tension thickening in the air, revealing the division among the team members when only Henry and Laura raised their hands.
Henry’s hand still raised, responded, "We don’t have a medic and she has skills that are valuable to us." He pointed at the fact that not once did he see their lady use her healing magic after Silvia’s ’death’ again.
Laura nodded in agreement, "I need someone to help me with the errands."
Liam, arms crossed, interjected, "But she’s unpredictable. Her lack of control has consequences for all of us."
Juliet rubbed her temples, and added, "Every time she gets emotional, the mission is jeopardized. We can’t have that."
Henry leaned against the wall, "She’s a risk. But so are most of us. The question is, can we afford not to have her skills? We’re going into territories where water abilities are critical. If we’re looking for a medic with those skills, we might need to consider scouting someone new."
Shina slowly raised her hand, catching the eye of each person in the room, "We’ve got brains, we’ve got strength, but do we have the heart? Bertha may not always have the best control over her emotions, but she always has our best interest at heart."
Juliet quirked an eyebrow, "Are you suggesting we become a team of sentimentalists?"
Liam smirked, "That I’d pay to see."
Despite the soft chuckles, it was evident that most of the team was still hesitant about bringing Bertha back.
╔═══ Author’s note ════╗
What do you think?
Should Bertha return?
╚═════════════════╝
Felicia was more than just a PA, she was the backbone of the team — from personal needs to errands, she managed them all.
In the warmly lit office of Juliet’s grandfather’s office, Felicia sat engrossed in a series of documents spread out before her. The ringtone on her phone announced a call, and the ID flashed: Shina’s Parents.
"Hello?" Felicia answered, pausing to push her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
"We’ve finished with the cleanup," came the voice from the other side of the phone.
"Excellent," she replied, scribbling a quick note on her pad before dialing another number, "I am making arrangements to put the property on the market. Ensure the treasures inside are cataloged for appraisal and potential selling. I have authorization from his granddaughter; she’s given her full approval for all actions regarding her grandfather’s assets."
During Juliet’s and Liam’s absence, Felicia took on even more responsibilities. Watching over their businesses as a supervisor.
Felicia hesitated for a brief moment before dialing the familiar number of Shina’s parents. They had been of immense help in the past, and she hoped they could assist her once more.
"Hello," she began when the call was answered, "I was wondering if I could borrow some of your people again. There’s a task at hand that requires additional manpower."
There was a brief pause, and then a reassuring voice replied, "Of course."
True to their word, later that day, Felicia heard the distinct sounds of footsteps approaching. She glanced out the window to see a group of about 20 men, poised and ready for action.
· · ────────── · ⊱❈⊰· ────────── · ·
Bing Shi settled into her seat on the bus and pulled out a tablet, scanning through her news feed when a headline caught her attention.
Elera Mai Unveils New Collections: A Revolution in Fashion.
Bing Shi’s fingers tapped the video eagerly. Elera Mai was pictured in a high-end boardroom, seemingly in the middle of a business meeting.
In Elera’s lap, there was a 1-year-old girl, presumably her daughter, looking intrigued by the paper in front of her, while Elera continued to discuss her designs with her business partners. She finished her military duties and could finally return to her normal life.
The little girl’s features, however, struck a deep chord. The arch of her eyebrows, the shape of her nose, and even the curve of her lips – they were all too familiar.
Bing Shi turned her gaze to Victor, who was engrossed in a conversation with Ru Quan, "..." It wasn’t just a passing resemblance; the girl was a spitting image of Victor. She was skeptical that the food lady would ever move on from Victor’s influence; the man had toyed with her emotions far too deeply. Let’s just hope Elera would be strong enough to not let it affect her soul.
"Bloody hell," Douglas murmured under his breath when Bing Shi showed him the tablet, "She does look like Victor."
"Hey, why not show that on the big screen? Let’s all have a closer look," suggested Liam, pointing to the retractable screen on the bus usually used for team briefings.
Bing Shi connected her tablet to the bus’s system, projecting the video for the whole team to see. As Elera appeared on the screen, Liam leaned forward, his eyes widening in recognition.
"Is that Elera Mai?" Liam asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice. "Wow, what a glow up. I don’t remember her ever looking this good."
The room grew silent as everyone fixated on the child in Elera’s lap.
"She must have had her during the recruitment," said Juliet.
"How did she conceal her pregnancy?" Henry inquired, "A less pronounced belly is one thing, but managing a baby’s needs in that environment is another challenge altogether."
Laura noticed that Victor was the least surprised, "Okay, Victor, what do you have to say about your little doppelganger?"
Victor leaned back with a smirk, swirling a glass of wine in his hand, "She mentioned it’s Nathaniel’s offspring, but who knows if it is the truth," he drawled, glancing at the mother and daughter on the screen. "I gave her a small space ring where she could hide and discreetly deliver the baby."
There was still one year left before the bet about no sex was over, and then... He knew that Elera would be hungry enough to let him in. And about the little girl; he got an actual shocker. It was actually the first time one of his partners gave birth to a girl.
Victor never had casual sex. He liked the idea of love and was looking for a relationship rather than a fling. He made out with Bertha on occasion to see if there was some chemistry, but nothing else happened beyond that.
Even if he wore the label of a playboy, he certainly wasn’t settling for just anyone. High standards always.
