Free Web NovelChapter 121: [Bonus Chapter] Differentiation (2)
"You dare to bite me?" he sneered, looking down at the girl. "We’re giving you a chance at a better life, and this is how you repay us? Do you think going to the Tower is an option for you? If you manage to escape, you’ll not only put yourself and your grandpa in danger, but you’ll get us in trouble too."
His leg rose, poised to kick the defenseless girl. But then, out of nowhere, another boot caught his, causing him to lose balance. The sound of snapping bones filled the air, followed by a scream of agony.
The other alphas who had been standing by the vehicle, just spectators until now, quickly closed in. They were now face-to-face with the newcomer, Ren.
Ren was dressed in military trousers and boots, his upper body clad in a sweat-drenched black tank top. In his hand, he held a small knife, its blade gleaming. No badge identified him, but someone in the group recognized him.
"That’s Ren Sloan," one of them whispered urgently to a companion. "He was one of us in the PSD before, but he’s in the Royal Guard now. Don’t pick a fight. He’s too powerful."
The mere mention of the Royal Guard made the group hesitate. Plus, Ren’s sudden, fierce move had made it clear: he wasn’t here to play games.
Without wasting a moment, Ren reached down and helped the young girl to her feet. Her cheek was red and swollen from the slap, but she wasn’t crying. She just stood quietly behind Ren, her big eyes filled with determination and a hint of sadness.
"She needs to go home, see her family," Ren declared, his voice steady.
One of the alphas mumbled, "Why’s a Royal Guard meddling in our affairs?" But a quick tug from another silenced him. The tension in the air was palpable.
The alpha who had recognized Ren earlier stepped up, saying, "Captain Sloan, we meant no disrespect. But this girl, she’s smart and tricky. Despite her age, she’s tampered with blood samples and has tried running away before. We’re just scared she’ll try it again."
Looking down, the girl murmured, "I promise, I won’t run. I just... I need to see my grandpa."
It was so clear how mature she had to be at such a young age. It was heartbreaking to see her suppress her tears, trying to handle the situation without creating more issues.
"Let her go," Ren demanded again.
The alpha with the injured leg spoke up bitterly, "If she tries to escape again, will you answer for it?"
Ren’s eyes flashed coldly. "Are you suggesting that you lot can’t even keep track of a little girl? Are you really that incompetent?" There was no room for argument in his voice, just pure confidence and authority.
The group of alphas, although seething inside, had no choice but to bottle up their frustration and walk the girl to her home, as per Ren’s instructions.
Ren stationed himself atop a nearby building, his eyes scanning the alley below. It was a gloomy alley, untouched by sunlight. Mountains of garbage littered the area, with flies and other pests buzzing around, claiming their territory.
The young girl, her small frame casting a long shadow, walked down the alley, the looming figures of the alphas just a few paces behind. They seemed almost like monsters, their shadows stretching and contorting over the rough terrain.
As the girl moved, she cast a fleeting glance upwards, directly at Ren. This brief connection jolted memories from deep within him. He was taken back to a winter’s day years ago when he, younger and still green, had stood in a similar spot, eyes trained on another young beta by a garbage heap.
That day, a snow-covered city had turned into a maze as countless alphas combed the streets, searching for a beta escapee from the Tower. Ren had been the one to locate her. frёewebηovel.cѳm
Back then, the idea had been puzzling to him: Why would a beta, who was treated almost like royalty within the Tower’s comforts, want to leave, leading the alphas on a wild goose chase in the biting cold?
Now, he understood better. Those betas were imprisoned just as much as any other, only their cage was gilded and given a grand name.
Finally reaching her home, the coal girl stood in front of a fragile-looking door. The place was simple, worn down by the years, but it was home. A place she shared with the only family she had.
Inside, darkness enveloped the space. A corner was filled with discarded and old items. Among them was an old television, flickering to life, showcasing a royal princess meeting young beta students, a stark contrast to the girl’s reality. While the royal princess glittered in jewels and the betas looked refined, the stark reality of the alley and the run-down home was glaring.
Beyond the TV’s feeble glow was a rusted bunk bed. The dimness made it nearly impossible to make out the figure lying on the bottom bunk.
"Grandpa?" The girl’s voice, shaky but filled with hope, called out. "I’m back."
From his vantage point, Ren’s brows knitted together in concern. "Something’s off," he murmured, sensing the unusual stillness.
Sharpening his senses, Ren listened intently. The room was eerily quiet. Only the static hum from the television was audible. No heartbeat, no signs of life, nothing.
A chilling realization washed over him. Shortly afterward, soft sobs filled the still air. These weren’t desperate cries but hushed whimpers, the sound of a brave young soul, momentarily defeated by the weight of her loss.
At just six, she had been so strong, facing the world head-on. Now, in this heart-wrenching moment, she had to come to terms with the loss of her only family.
Years at his post had allowed Ren to witness more human tragedies than any person should. However, no matter how many horrors unfolded before him, his heart still felt the sting each time.
The alphas accompanying the young girl rapped on the worn-out door, attempting to soothe her with promises. "There’s no point in crying anymore. Now that he’s gone, it’s time for you to head to the Tower. A better life awaits you there."
One of them wrinkled his nose in disgust. "What’s that stench?"
Suddenly, a non-physical scream, more like an echoing wave of pure emotion, rippled out from the house. Each alpha, including Ren perched above, felt their minds assaulted by this unexpected force. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Raw psychic energy burst forth, so potent that several of the alphas clutched their heads, their knees buckling from the sheer pain.
From his elevated position, Ren swiftly descended in time to witness an ethereal bird, surrounded by white flames, materialize from the house. Its form was hazy, its features not fully defined. The bird, its flames growing brighter with each flap, let out a mournful cry towards the heavens before dissolving into nothingness.
This was the girl’s raw and undeveloped psychic incarnation.
The shaken PSD alphas quickly lifted the unconscious girl and placed her in a vehicle.
"I’ve never seen a beta react so intensely."
"Weren’t they supposed to be mild and docile?"
"This is my first encounter with such a powerful one. My head’s throbbing."
With a mixture of awe and complaint, the alphas drove away towards the looming Tower.
Ren stood still, watching the car vanish with the beta girl inside. Every beta in the Empire was the property of the Tower. Their births, their lives, all documented meticulously. Concealing a beta or failing to report one was a grave offense.
Aside from betas from noble families, no other betas were allowed to leave the Tower until they reached maturity. It was a rule that seemed set in stone, leaving even Ren feeling powerless against it.
After the vehicle faded into the horizon, Ren stepped inside the dimly lit house. The frail figure of the grandfather rested on the rickety bed. His hands, limp and lifeless, dangled from the edge with pieces of ragged tape clinging to them. The television still hummed, its eerie light casting a spectral glow on the old man’s face.
Trained and battle-hardened, Ren’s discerning eyes scanned the deceased man. Over the years, he had seen death in all its forms and could tell how one met their end.
As the backdrop of the glowing TV, the chirpy voice from the broadcast filled the room, "Betas are the cherished partners of alphas, the crown jewels of our Empire. We should nurture and care for these gentle souls, like the most delicate of blossoms."
Ren’s eyes narrowed, his expression growing grimmer by the second.
