My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 465: Mystery

Ethan showed minimal response. He merely straightened his jacket and regarded James as though inspecting an experimental finding.

"Naturally, it's genuine," Ethan responded. "I wouldn't squander my time on anything less."

James wandered the room, fingers combing through his locks. Thoughts swirled in his head. He'd sampled numerous supplements previously. Potentiators. Amplifiers. Clandestine concoctions imported from far-off lands. Majority proved fraudulent. Some offered mild benefits. None matched this sensation.

This wasn't a minor enhancement.

This marked a massive advancement.

He halted before Ethan, eyes blazing as he fixed his stare.

"If I reveal this to my kin," James uttered deliberately, "they'll go insane over it."

Ethan cocked his head a bit. "Will they purchase?"

James blinked in surprise.

The query sliced right through his thrill.

"Will your relatives invest?" Ethan restated evenly.

James gritted his teeth. His clan had long viewed him as impulsive. The baby brother pursuing extravagant schemes over established power. This opportunity was meant to redeem him, yet he'd stumbled repeatedly in the past.

However, this occasion differed.

"They'll acquire it," James declared resolutely. "They must."

Ethan kept his stare unwavering. "Phone them."

James wasted no time. He extracted his mobile right away and moved to the side, remaining audible to Ethan. He punched in a contact without a label. The call rang once. Then again.

Suddenly, it linked.

The tone from the receiver sounded composed. Excessively so.

"James."

James gulped. "Brother."

A short pause ensued before the voice resumed, deliberate and icy.

"You realize this represents your final shot at demonstrating value to the family. Are you truly ready to contact me now? Do you believe you'll astonish us?"

James sensed the burden of those remarks weighing on his torso. He shot a glance at Ethan, who observed with casual curiosity, seeming utterly detached from the result.

"Indeed, brother," James replied, injecting firmness into his tone. "Come please. I'm prepared."

"Fine," the voice answered. "I'll arrive within two days."

The connection severed.

James exhaled deeply, unaware he'd been retaining it. He gradually lowered the device, then pivoted toward Ethan with fresh vigor.

"He's on his way," James stated. "Two days from now."

Ethan gave a single nod.

"What varieties of pills might you produce?" James inquired eagerly, barely holding back.

Ethan reclined against the table, crossing his limbs. "We'll gauge your family's demeanor first. After that, further talks."

James parted his lips as though to protest, then shut them. The implication dawned on him. Ethan wasn't urgent. These pills weren't being forced on reluctant customers. Should the family display hubris or avarice sans deference, Ethan might just depart.

That awareness heightened James's worry.

He required this triumph.

...

In the evening.

Drek stepped into Ethan's quarters wearing a hard-to-decipher look. Not fright. Not fury. More akin to disquiet.

"Sir," Drek uttered, dipping his head a touch, "three among our group were discovered deceased last night."

Ethan appeared unsurprised. He merely motioned for elaboration.

"Are you aware of the events?" Ethan questioned serenely.

"No, sir," Drek answered. A faint quiver laced his speech. "Yet the most disturbing aspect is their corpses were savagely mutilated. Like some beast attempted to tear them asunder prior to devouring their meat."

James, lingering nearby, creased his brow. "A beast? Within Laren City?"

Drek denied with a shake. "That's the odd element. The lane they occupied lay beyond surveillance camera coverage, leaving no video evidence. And this isn't isolated. Accounts indicate comparable fatalities across the metropolis over the past year."

Ethan's eyes tightened marginally.

"Is that the case?" he remarked.

"Affirmative, sir."

"Have investigations been conducted?"

"We attempted, yet no solid leads exist. Monthly, a victim perishes similarly. Media coverage evades the public. It's contained."

Ethan's focus intensified.

"Gather details on every killing and deliver to me."

Drek affirmed swiftly. "I've already compiled it. Here's the dossier."

He presented a substantial folder.

Ethan took a seat and started perusing the sheets. Quiet enveloped the space, broken only by subtle rustling. Timelines. Sites. Images. Insider accounts. All instances mirrored the pattern. Ferocious disfigurement. Absent observers. Untraceable access or retreat.

"A puzzle, eh?" Ethan whispered. A subtle grin formed on his mouth. "I'd relish unraveling it."

James eyed him skeptically. "You're grinning?"

Ethan shut the folder. "When anomalies recur so methodically, it signals an underlying mechanism. Mechanisms can be dismantled."

That same evening, he resolved to explore the urban landscape personally.

...

Concurrently, in a remote manor, a youth positioned himself in a spacious library. Dark timber racks adorned the walls, stocked with antique tomes and contemporary files. A subtle aroma of fragrance lingered in the atmosphere.

"Father," the youth addressed deferentially, "James reached out. He claims a major discovery and requests my presence. What course should I take?"

At the workspace sat a mature gentleman with keen traits and serene, analytical gaze. He delayed looking up. He persisted with his paperwork before voicing in a profound, even timbre.

"You possess critical duties," he stated. "Dispatch your sibling instead. You'll handle the bidding event in two days."

The youth inclined his head. "Understood, father."

He exited silently.

The mature gentleman reclined in his seat. His digits drummed the surface once. James acted rashly, yet lacked total idiocy. If he summoned anew post numerous setbacks, maybe merit lay in scrutiny.

Or it could merely be despair.

...

Ethan ventured onto Laren City's avenues past midnight.

The vibe felt eerie.

No vivid illuminations. No glowing billboards. Majority homes stayed unlit. Typical conversations and remote vehicle hums were missing. The roadways seemed vacant, like noise had been devoured.

Just a handful of modest outlets stayed lit, their glows subdued and wary.

James strode alongside Ethan, pockets stuffed. "It resembles a spectral settlement."

Ethan surveyed in silence. His steps resounded softly on the concrete.

They neared a petite market with barriers partially raised. An older merchant lingered within, arranging items languidly.

Ethan drew nearer.

"Why's the streets empty?" he inquired offhandedly. "What's befallen the town?"

The merchant peered up, assessed them momentarily, then heaved a sigh.

"Unaware?" he queried.

"Negative."

"It's the mayor's decree. Nighttime curfew. Silence enforced. Lighting restrained."

James scowled. "How long?"

"More than a year," the merchant answered. "Claims it curbs offenses and upholds discipline. Outlets persist for urgent needs only."

Ethan's look honed a fraction. "And the populace complied?"

The merchant lifted his shoulders resignedly. "Aye. He's enhanced the locale regardless."

James traded glances with Ethan.

"The mayor once more," James grumbled.

Ethan withdrew from the outlet, palms clasped behind. "That fellow seems intriguing," he murmured. "Time to call on him."