Jessica had been just a little bit worried lately.
Ever since Lucas Reeve had returned from attending her family banquet, Mr. Reeve had been frequently retreating into the necklace and staying there. She often had to call his name several times just to get a response.
Sometimes.
Jessica would worry.
She worried that it was a lingering side effect from when Mr. Reeve helped her months ago. Although he had successfully recovered, perhaps it had left a chronic ailment, requiring him to rest for a period each day. And now, to keep her from worrying, Lucas would force a smile and chat with her every day.
The more Jessica thought about it, the more likely this possibility seemed.
After all.
Back in Bolívar, Mr. Reeve had paid such a heavy price. There was no way that brilliant attack could be recovered from with just a month of rest.
Perhaps Mr. Reeve was still incredibly weak, enduring the pain emanating from his spiritual body like a patient every day, all while forcing a smile to keep her company.
*Sobs*~~
The more she thought about it, the more Jessica wanted to wipe away tears.
So, Jessica hadn't asked a thing these past few days.
Whenever Lucas suddenly retreated into the necklace, she would quietly ask some 'wizards' on the internet if there was a way to heal a soul, wanting to help Lucas in any way she could.
On the other hand.
Lucas still hadn't told Jessica that he had other soul fragments.
Actually, he had been ready to tell her right after returning from Ursus.
In fact, if Jessica had just asked, Lucas would have told her a hundred percent of the time. But Jessica never asked. She just looked at him with great tenderness, then patted his head as if coaxing a child, and said.
"Don't go out of your way for me~ I'm fine, Mr. Reeve."
That sentence left Lucas completely baffled at the time.
Was this little girl angry?
No, that wasn't right.
Jessica was a good kid, and not one to throw unreasonable tantrums. How could she get angry for no reason?
In the days that followed.
Jessica's gaze toward him grew progressively stranger.
Not like she was looking at a freak.
Rather, it became more and more gentle, filled with increasing pity.
Lucas always felt...
Why could he see a look in Jessica's eyes as if she were looking at a patient?
He didn't quite get it...
Lucas had considered just coming clean to Jessica.
But he didn't understand Jessica's current peculiar expressions.
Besides, Lucas knew very well what Jessica was thinking.
What if he said something and...
*Snap*.
What if she got jealous?
Lucas had prepared several opportunities. If Jessica just asked why, he would absolutely follow that thread and explain everything. Even when he was helping Patriot customize his power armor, if Jessica had just asked who it was for, Lucas would have explained it all clearly. However, Jessica didn't ask, her expression remaining incredibly gentle.
Although their souls were now intertwined, he could forcibly read Jessica's thoughts if he wanted to.
But ever since their trip to Bolívar, Lucas had basically stopped doing that. He wouldn't engage in such an invasive violation of someone's privacy.
At this moment.
Lucas was controlling Ifrit's body, running ahead.
And at some point.
Jessica had actually caught up from behind.
"Hiss!"
Lucas wanted to speed up. To be honest, coming clean to Jessica didn't matter to Lucas, but now was not the time.
Right now, 'Ifrit' was being pursued by a Rhine Lab special unit. Although Jessica, as the heiress of Raythean Industries, had no fear of Rhine Lab, Lucas didn't want to cause trouble for her because of him.
Unexpectedly...
This little girl actually caught up!!
Seeing the 'little girl' in front of her pick up the pace, seemingly in a panic, Jessica's expression became even more determined.
Meanwhile, Franka and Liskarm were a bit confused as to why Jessica was chasing a little girl.
"Little girl, wait up!! Big sister has something to ask you!!"
Jessica's current physical fitness was formidable.
After being strengthened twice by Lucas's Spiritual Power, her physique had faintly surpassed that of veteran elite Operators like Franka, which made Franka incredibly jealous.
Lucas didn't say a word.
Then Jessica suddenly changed her tune.
"Mr. Reeve!! You're Mr. Reeve, aren't you!!!"
"!!!"
Lucas's scalp tingled. How could she have guessed that?
Lucas?!!
Franka and Liskarm, who were initially confused, were now completely shocked upon hearing Jessica's words.
Wait a minute!
Lucas!!
This little girl is Lucas!!
That's not right. Doesn't Lucas live in the necklace on Jessica's neck?
"It's you, Mr. Reeve, isn't it?"
After running for so long, Jessica wasn't even flushed or out of breath, acting as if it were nothing.
She was now certain.
The 'little girl' before her was Lucas.
Others might not know.
But she had spent a long time with Lucas, and her body had integrated his soul twice. She was all too familiar with the aura of his soul. In fact, when she bumped into him at the corner, Jessica had already started suspecting that this little girl might be Lucas.
"Jessica, stop chasing me! Now's not the time to talk!! I'll explain everything slowly after this is over!"
Just as expected.
The running Lucas directly called out Jessica's name.
And behind him, Franka and Liskarm were finally convinced.
The little girl in front of them was actually Lucas Reeve.
Does this count as being caught red-handed?
"No! Mr. Reeve, I want an explanation right now!!"
This time.
Jessica didn't obediently listen to Lucas like she used to.
To be honest.
Even Jessica herself was utterly shocked.
Could it be!!
Every time Mr. Reeve went back into the necklace, he was going to be with some other girl!!!
Just then.
From behind them, and indeed from all directions, people were closing in.
Franka glanced over, her expression turning grave.
"Rhine Lab's special operations squad!"
Seeing the Rhine Lab team that was about to catch up again, Lucas quickly explained.
"Jessica, listen to me. This little girl is a test subject from Rhine Lab. I rescued her from there, and now these Rhine Lab guys are hunting her down. You all need to leave. I don't want to drag you into this mess... Once I'm safely hidden, I'll come and explain everything to you."
"A test subject?"
Jessica's eyes widened behind him.
Although she knew Rhine Lab must be conducting human experiments, she had never imagined they would use such a young girl as a test subject. Moreover, this little girl looked incredibly thin, her plain surgical gown hanging loosely on her frame, which made Jessica certain of Lucas's explanation.
"Lucas, this way!"
Franka and the others had lived in this area for a long time. Plus, being mercenaries, they had a habit of noting places convenient for escape. While they rarely needed them, it was a habit they maintained.
Under Franka's lead, after a series of twists and turns, they finally found a secluded corner, temporarily shaking off the pursuit of the Rhine Lab special operations personnel.
However.
Franka and the other two knew very well.
With Rhine Lab's resources, it was only a matter of time before they were found.
Jessica and the other two looked at the cute little girl beside them. Jessica was fine, but Franka, in particular, had eyes full of scrutiny.
"Mr. Reeve?"
Jessica asked tentatively.
However, in the next second, Lucas emerged from the necklace on Jessica's neck and coughed awkwardly.
And Ifrit immediately pointed excitedly at the floating Lucas.
"Wow! It's Big Brother Lucas! Huh? How did you float out of this big sister's necklace?"
As for the Flame Demon, how could it not know by now?
This guy was just like itself, a mere remnant soul inside Ifrit's body, one that could even be described as a fragment. And yet this fragment had beaten it to a pulp...
Jessica puffed up her cheeks like a hamster, looking rather cute.
Lucas scratched his face and patted Jessica's head.
"Mr. Reeve, were you... going to other girls' places on the days I couldn't find you?"
Jessica was a little dejected. She had thought Lucas had fallen ill because of her.
"There's something I need to apologize to you for, Jessica."
Lucas said slowly.
"The one in your necklace is just one of my soul fragments. I have many other soul fragments scattered all over the world..."
"....."
"The soul fragment in your necklace was the first to awaken, so... we met..."
"Later, after Bolívar, my soul fragment with you needed to sleep for a month. During that month, my soul fragment in Ursus awakened, so I went to Ursus... as you know... that soul fragment is with the Reunion Movement in Ursus, and the 'evil god' of Ursus legend is actually... me..."
Lucas then frankly explained all of his experiences with the Reunion Movement. There was nothing left to hide anyway. Then he moved on to Ifrit's situation. Everyone listened, stunned.
After he finished speaking, Lucas sighed.
He thought Jessica would be angry, especially since he'd kept it from her for so long.
However.
Jessica just smiled faintly, an incredibly gentle expression on her face.
"That's wonderful! I was so worried all this time that Mr. Reeve got hurt because of me... So it turns out... Mr. Reeve is fine, he was just helping other people in need."
?
Why did that sound a little strange...
"So, Mr. Reeve, over in the Reunion Movement... that... the person whose body you used, like you did with me, was it a man or a woman?"
As she asked this, Jessica's face turned slightly red. Although she knew in her heart she shouldn't ask, she still asked it as if by some strange compulsion.
"Both men and women..."
Lucas explained honestly, "At first, I helped Alina fight off those Ursus soldiers. Later, I fought alongside Mr. Patriot to repel the Emperor's Blade. I was planning to customize that equipment for Patriot."
Thinking of this.
Lucas fondly recalled the scene of fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with Patriot.
Patriot's physical body was so powerful!! That feeling of unleashing his full strength at will.
It was exhilarating!
Phew!
Jessica let out a sigh of relief.
Jessica even felt she was being too selfish.
Mr. Reeve was a wish-granting 'Genie'; his very purpose was to help those in need around the world. Yet, she had selfishly wanted him to stay by her side forever.
Jessica still had many questions.
But Franka, standing beside her, interrupted that thought.
"We need to find a way to leave. The sound of footsteps seems to be getting denser. We have to move quickly... This is a busy downtown area, which is to our advantage. As domineering as Rhine Lab is, they wouldn't dare to rampage through a commercial district. If they harm any civilians, the other biotech companies watching like vultures will have a reason to file a complaint with the council."
"Wait a moment, Mr. Reeve, you two seniors."
Jessica thought for a moment, took out her phone, and made a call. After giving some simple instructions, she led the two of them into a large shopping mall through a back entrance. Using an employee elevator, they quickly reached the top floor of the building.
While everyone was still confused.
A low-altitude helicopter came descending from the sky, the massive Raythean Industries logo on its side incredibly conspicuous.
At that moment...
Everyone present stared with wide eyes, their jaws dropping.
At Jessica's invitation, everyone boarded the Raythean Industries helicopter. It was only as they were leaving the top floor of the mall that they learned... this mall was also a Raythean Industries asset. Over the years, Raythean Industries' capital had continuously expanded, no longer content with just arms manufacturing. They had branched out into various industrial equipment sectors and even acted as an investment firm, entering the real estate domain.
Sitting in the helicopter.
Everyone finally had a single thought in their minds.
Being rich...
Really does mean you can do whatever you want.
Ifrit, however, was excitedly looking out the window, shouting.
"It's getting smaller!! We're in the sky! The buildings are so tiny!!"
This was her first time in a flying vehicle, and she was exceptionally excited.
————
"What do you mean you didn't catch her?!!!"
In the Rhine Lab Structural Section, Parvis, who had been in a great mood and had even scheduled a dinner with a high-ranking military official in a few days, was now so angry he nearly ground his teeth to dust.
A little girl with no strength to even truss a chicken!!
Even with the Flame Demon's power fused into her, the surveillance footage showed she was only slightly stronger than the special operations personnel. A whole squad of special ops personnel failed to catch a little girl with zero combat experience.
The captain of the Structural Section's operations team also had an ugly expression on his face.
Disgraceful!
Utterly disgraceful!!
His elite containment team failed to catch a little girl!!
Although it seemed a few strangers helped her towards the end, but...
He still couldn't accept this result.
And what was most unacceptable for the Structural Section now was...
Other companies had long been eyeing this product of the Flame Demon Project.
Previously, while it was inside Rhine Lab, other companies could do nothing.
But now the test subject had run out.
Parvis refused to believe that these companies didn't have intelligence on this.
What if another company captured the test subject...
If an ordinary company captured her, it wouldn't really matter.
Rhine Lab's combat division wasn't for show; they could just conduct an armed infiltration and retrieve her. Parvis was actually very confident about that.
But the one thing he feared was...
Raythean Industries...
It would be trouble if she was captured by people from Raythean Industries.
Raythean Industries had been coveting Rhine Lab's biotechnology for years, even sending corporate spies multiple times... and for now, Rhine Lab had no good way to deal with Raythean Industries.
It couldn't be that coincidental, could it...