The Retired Young Mercenary Is Secretly a Billionaire

Chapter 265: The Superhero!!

Chloe leaned her head slightly toward the window, watching the unfamiliar streets pass by, her reflection faintly visible against the tinted glass. The rain had slowed into a soft drizzle, leaving thin streaks across the surface, distorting the view outside.

Her brows knitted together slightly.

"Why are we going through these odd roads?"

Her voice carried a hint of curiosity mixed with lingering tension.

Marcel kept his eyes on the road, his hands steady on the steering wheel as he maneuvered through narrow lanes and sharp turns.

"There is a mechanic up ahead. My car was there for repair."

Chloe glanced around the interior of the car.

"This car?"

Marcel nodded lightly.

"I picked it up from the mechanic. Someone needed it urgently."

Ghost shifted slightly in his seat, a faint smirk appearing on his face.

"What, do not look at me. It was urgent, was it not?"

Chloe did not respond.

She simply looked back out the window, her thoughts still catching up with everything that had happened.

The car continued moving, deliberately avoiding main roads, slipping through back alleys and lesser used routes. It was subtle, but intentional. Every turn, every lane, every pause was calculated to avoid the reach of cameras and unwanted attention.

Marcel spoke again, almost casually.

"I guess the police must be on their way to that abandoned hospital by now."

Chloe instinctively leaned forward, looking ahead.

A line of police vehicles rushed past them from the opposite direction, sirens cutting through the damp air.

Her body reacted instantly.

She ducked down in her seat.

Ghost looked at her, confused.

"What are you doing?"

Chloe whispered urgently.

"If they see me, you will get in trouble, right?"

For a moment, there was silence.

Then Ghost laughed.

A soft, genuine laugh.

Marcel followed, shaking his head slightly with amusement.

Chloe blinked, confused.

"What?"

Ghost pointed toward the window.

"The glass is tinted. They cannot see inside."

Chloe froze for a second, then slowly straightened up, her cheeks flushing slightly.

"I just made a fool of myself."

Ghost chuckled faintly, but said nothing more.

The car continued forward.

Then suddenly

A dull sound echoed from behind.

A faint thud.

Chloe stiffened.

"Did you hear that?"

Ghost turned his head slightly.

"What?"

"The sound... from the trunk."

Marcel answered calmly without even looking back.

"There are some loose tools inside. They make noise on uneven roads."

Chloe exhaled lightly.

"Oh."

Ghost leaned back, his expression unreadable, but his mind was already connecting the dots.

He knew.

Marcel had handled the man who went toward the mall.

The text he had sent earlier had not gone unnoticed.

He had wondered what Marcel did with him.

Now he understood.

Marcel appeared calm, almost ordinary on the surface, but there was something beneath that calm. A quiet efficiency. A side that did not show itself easily.

Ghost looked at him briefly.

Then looked away.

The car finally slowed down as they reached a small garage tucked between old buildings.

Marcel parked.

"Time to change the car."

The switch was quick.

Efficient.

Within minutes, they were back on the road in a different vehicle, blending seamlessly into the normal flow of traffic as they headed toward the city center.

The streets grew livelier as they approached familiar areas.

And soon

They arrived.

Leo’s cafe.

Chloe looked outside, relief washing over her.

"Thank God... dad is not here yet."

She turned back toward Ghost, a sudden urgency in her expression.

"Before I go... tell me your name."

"And your number."

Ghost blinked slightly.

"My number?"

He frowned faintly.

"I do not remember it."

Chloe stared at him.

"What?"

She reached forward.

"Give me your phone."

Ghost reacted quickly.

"Wait."

But she was faster.

She snatched the phone from his hand.

"Okay, what is the unlock code?"

Marcel spoke from the front seat without missing a beat.

"Try 7777."

Ghost turned sharply.

"Marcel?"

Chloe had already typed it.

"It is unlocked. Thanks."

She scrolled briefly, then paused.

"Oh... there is a grim reaper on your wallpaper."

She tilted her head.

"You have some dark interests."

Ghost said nothing.

She dialed her own number.

Her phone rang in her hand.

She smiled slightly.

Done.

Ghost watched her.

Carefully.

She had changed.

The fear.

The panic.

Gone.

She was back to being the girl he had seen before.

Bright.

Alive.

Unburdened.

"Excuse me?"

Her voice pulled him back.

"I asked you something."

"What are you staring at?"

Ghost blinked, coming out of his thoughts.

"What?"

"Your name, idiot."

She held the phone, ready to save the contact.

"What do I save it as?"

Ghost hesitated for a brief second.

Then spoke.

"It is... Kai."

Marcel glanced at him through the mirror, surprised.

Chloe smiled as she typed.

"Kai... the superhero."

Ghost frowned slightly.

"What?"

She laughed softly.

"Thanks, Kai."

Her voice softened.

"Thank you for everything today."

She opened the door.

"See you."

And just like that, she stepped out of the car.

Ghost watched her walk into the cafe, disappearing behind the glass door, back into her world.

A world that had no place for someone like him.

He leaned back slightly.

"We should leave."

Marcel nodded and drove away.

After a few moments, he spoke.

"Was that your real name, lead?"

Ghost looked out the window.

"Real name?"

A faint smile appeared.

"I do not remember my real name."

His voice carried something distant.

"Back at the base... someone gave me that name once."

He paused.

"She is not with us anymore."

The smile faded slightly.

"But the name remained."

"I never used it since then."

A quiet breath escaped him.

"Until now."

Marcel nodded slowly.

"She is a good girl."

Then added with a slight grin.

"You should confess your feelings."

Ghost turned his head slightly.

"What makes you think I have feelings for her?"

Marcel chuckled.

"Come on, lead."

"I am older than you."

"I have been there."

Ghost shook his head lightly.

"You focus on the road."

Marcel laughed.

"Alright."

He adjusted his grip on the wheel.

"So... where to now?"

Ghost’s gaze darkened slightly.

A different expression returned.

Cold.

Sharp.

Purposeful.

"Back to the mechanic."

Marcel raised a brow.

Ghost’s lips curved into a faint, dangerous smile.

"There is something... that needs fixing."

Present

The air inside the Mordecai Mansion felt heavier than usual, as if the walls themselves carried the tension of unseen battles. The rain outside had not stopped since morning, and the faint sound of thunder echoed through the distance, adding a quiet intensity to the already strained atmosphere.

Jax stood near the tall window, one hand resting behind his back while the other held his phone close to his ear. His reflection stared back at him through the glass, sharp and restless.

"Princess, I never thought he would assign you directly on this. I know when it is you, it will be quick to find out about my nephew."

His tone was calm, but beneath it there was urgency that refused to hide.

On the other side, Thea’s voice carried a composed sharpness.

"It is odd, is it not. You care more for your nephew than your own son."

Jax’s eyes narrowed slightly, but his expression did not change.

"Corbin was never the type of person who gets involved in things like this. Believe me, he is happier staying out of all this worry."

A brief silence followed before Thea continued, her tone turning more analytical.

"Mr. Mordecai, we were analyzing the events around the time Kyle disappeared. We found that he had a research vessel in the ocean, which was later burned. The WEB always had information about his ongoing research. We were assigned multiple tasks for him in the past."

She paused slightly, as if organizing her thoughts.

"However, we need to understand what he was actually researching. We believe the reason behind his disappearance is directly connected to it."

Jax slowly walked away from the window, his steps measured.

"It may be possible. But I know one thing for sure."

His voice hardened.

"The Sterling family knows everything about it."

A soft chuckle came from the other side.

"Do you think it is easy to infiltrate the Sterlings? They do not show their faces that easily. Except one."

Jax stopped walking.

"Yes. Silvey Sterling."

There was a faint shift in his tone, more calculated now.

"You should get her. You already know we failed to capture her friend Luna. She worked for my nephew before. Now she works for Silvey."

Thea responded without hesitation.

"Our men are already monitoring the location she is in. We are not rushing this. We want to understand everything before taking action."

She continued, her voice lowering slightly.

"And we found a clue."

Jax’s grip on the phone tightened.

"What clue?"

"There is one of the most famous psychiatrists in our country."

She spoke the name clearly.

"Dr. K Damion."

Jax frowned slightly.

"He met Luna multiple times recently."

Jax exhaled.

"So she is mentally ill?"

Thea’s reply came instantly, almost dismissive.

"No, Mr. Mordecai. But someone is."

A pause.

"Damion is treating someone in Star Harbor."

Jax’s expression changed.

Something clicked.

"Wait..."

Thea caught it immediately.

"What is it, Mr. Mordecai? You have something?"

Jax turned back toward the window, his eyes narrowing as memories surfaced.

"Before the stroke... my father said something strange."

His voice dropped lower.

"He said Kyle is going mad. Save him."

He clenched his jaw.

"I thought he was drunk."

Thea’s tone shifted, now sharper with interest.

"So your father already had a clue."

Jax nodded slowly, even though she could not see him.

"If you are going to Star Harbor... there is something I want you to find out."

Thea did not hesitate.

"Who is running Sterling Enterprises?"

Jax’s lips curved slightly.

"Exactly."

"I need to know who is behind all of this."

Thea’s voice returned to its calm certainty.

"We will find that out."

A brief pause followed before Jax added, more intensely this time,

"If something is happening with Kyle, we need to get to him fast. His research... is extremely important to me."

There was a hint of obsession in his tone now.

"If you find him in Star Harbor, inform me immediately. I will come there myself."

Thea’s response was steady, confident, almost cold.

"Do not worry, Mr. Mordecai."

"The WEB is already at work."

The line went silent.

Jax lowered his phone slowly, his thoughts spiraling deeper into uncertainty and control. He was not the one dictating the flow of events.

And that disturbed him.

...

Far away, in the quiet warmth of Pearl Villa, the atmosphere was completely different.

The rain tapped gently against the windows, the scent of fresh tea lingered in the air, and yet beneath that calm, something far more dangerous was unfolding.

Miles stood near the window, his gaze fixed outside as the grey sky stretched endlessly over the city.

His phone vibrated softly.

A message.

He picked it up and read.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

Monica, standing nearby him, noticed it instantly.

"What is it Boss?"

Miles did not answer immediately.

He looked at the rain, then back at the message.

And then...

He smirked.

"The trap is set."

His voice was calm.

Controlled.

Almost amused.

He slipped the phone back into his pocket.

"Now... we wait for the prey."

Outside, the rain continued to fall.