Han scanned his surroundings, admiring the cityscape and streetlights. However, his heightened perception detected a strange crimson haze around certain buildings, streets, and shops. Although it didn’t obstruct his vision, the eerie fog irritated him.
Turning to the angel knight hovering behind him, Han voiced his frustration.
"Angel, can I turn off this detection ability? It’s annoyingly inconvenient. I can barely see anything."
The angel gestured toward his flame-like eyes, then cast a holy spell on himself, demonstrating how to bypass the constant activation of the Eyes of Karma.
Recognizing the spell as one he had recently learned, Han nodded and attempted it himself. He raised his fingers to his eyes and chanted.
"Seal…"
This restriction spell, though simple, could temporarily disable any Aether ability, spell, or curse. It was versatile enough to counter Rosa’s petrification curse or neutralize a hunter’s augmented magic.
A soft light emanated from Han’s fingertips, enveloping his eyes. In an instant, his supernatural vision faded, and his eyes returned to their normal human state. With the crimson haze gone, his view of the city became clear.
Relieved, Han continued his journey, eventually arriving at a nearby hotel. Inside, the warm ambiance welcomed him, and a friendly female receptionist greeted him with a professional smile.
"How can I assist you today, sir?"
"I’d like to book a room for a week. Give me a suite."
"Of course. Could you please fill this out and provide your ID or passport?" the receptionist slid a registration form across the counter.
Han hesitated. His wallet and identification had been confiscated by his former colleagues. But his new abilities gave him an edge over the modern world’s requirements. Reaching into his pocket, he whispered another new spell.
"Retrieve."
A leather wallet appeared in his grasp.
This spell allowed Han to summon any object he had previously possessed, touched, or seen. Rather than retrieving his lost wallet, he opted for the wallet of his former superior officer, Ferdinand. He pulled the leather wallet from his pocket as though it had always been there.
The wallet was thick, brimming with large banknotes. Han flipped through it and quickly found Ferdinand’s ID card. Keeping his demeanor calm and composed, he handed the ID to the receptionist for registration.
The receptionist barely glanced at the photo on the ID before proceeding. She informed Han of the room pricing, to which he nonchalantly selected an expensive suite. He paid with Ferdinand’s credit card and placed a $2,000 cash deposit from the wallet without hesitation.
The receptionist swiped the card, printed a receipt, and presented it for Han’s signature. Taking the pen, Han discreetly cast a holy spell on the receipt.
"Revelation."
It was the same spell that Carn had used to cheat an exam. It revealed Ferdinand’s authentic signature on the paper. Using the glowing sample as a guide, Han mimicked the signature. The receptionist didn’t suspect anything and handed him a receipt along with a keycard to his suite.
As Han took the keycard, he quietly exhaled in relief. Sliding Ferdinand’s wallet back into his pocket, he wasn’t done yet. Casting "Retrieve" once more, he summoned Ferdinand’s phones directly into his hand.
Three smartphones materialized in Han’s hand, which he promptly slipped into his pocket. Moments later, one of them vibrated, signaling an incoming call. Glancing at the screen, he saw it was from a credit card company.
As he entered the elevator, now alone, Han lightly massaged his throat and coughed a few times.
"Ah, ah. One, two, three," he murmured, adjusting his voice to mimic Ferdinand’s deeper tone and cadence. Satisfied, he answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Hello, sir. This is a representative from the A.E. Credit Card Company. We’ve noticed a recent charge on your account at the FSHA Hotel for $11,000. Can you confirm if this was your transaction?"
Han smirked at the ease of the situation. He replied in Ferdinand’s voice.
"Yes, I just booked a room for a week."
"Understood, sir. Thank you for confirming. Have a pleasant stay, and thank you for using A.E. Credit Card."
The call ended. Han scoffed and put the phone back into his pocket. A faint grin lingered on his face, but his thoughts quickly shifted.
After a brief pause, Han decided to make contact. He dialed Wong’s number first, but there was no answer. Frustrated but not deterred, he considered his next option.
Han then thought of Carn. To avoid government surveillance, he chose to use a Chinese messaging app rather than a traditional phone call. Quickly, he added Carn’s ID to his contact list, initiated the app, and placed the call. The encrypted line ensured a safer connection, even under the watchful eyes of the US government.
This content is taken from freёwebnovel.com.
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BRRRR
In the dark villa, Carn woke up to the vibration of his smartphone. The screen illuminated the room, revealing an alert from a messenger application.
Carn was puzzled. He rarely used this app except to exchange occasional messages with his mother or father. A second later, a thought struck him. He hurriedly grabbed the phone and glanced at the caller ID.
To his surprise, the name displayed was KING BAN LOTT.
"King Ban Lott of Sword Soul Kingdom? What the hell?!"
Ban Lott had been one of the few humans Carn genuinely trusted in his previous life. Sadly, he had met a premature end at the hands of a Lich King’s spy.
Carn answered the call even though he doubted the caller.
"Hello?! Who is this?"
A cracked voice responded, "It’s me, Carn."
"H-Han? Dad?"
Carn hadn’t expected Han to reach out so soon, especially given the predicament they had recently been through.
"Dad, are you alright? Did the ECD or the FBI catch you? Are you captured?"
"It’s fine. My colleagues caught me, but I busted out. I’m in Atlanta right now, FYI."
Carn was relieved. He briefly considered teleporting to Gwen’s house to put the call on speaker, allowing Han and Wong to reconnect. But before he could act, Han’s voice cut through his thoughts.
"Listen, Carn. There’s something more pressing than worrying about me. The government is in cahoots with some aliens, and they’re planning to unleash a zombie outbreak to boost mana levels across the world."
Carn was not surprised, "Ah, I already knew about that. Mom knows, too. The mana level is new, though."
"…Oh." Han let out a dry laugh. "If you knew, why didn’t you tell me sooner?"
"If I had told you I was a demon king in my previous life and that the world’s end was imminent the day I snapped that thief’s neck, would you have believed me?"
"…Probably not. Wait, you were what?!"
Carn chuckled and sat up. He wiped his eyes and swiped the tears of happiness. His father’s voice, though strained, was alive, and that was enough for him to wash away all his concerns.
"Is this line secure? Is it safe to talk?"
"It doesn’t matter. The government doesn’t have the manpower to track us down right now. Everyone’s scrambling to fallout shelters."
Carn narrowed his eyes. Han’s comment hinted at new information. Whatever his father had learned, it seemed this conversation would take a while.