SWNOVELXO Chapter 32: Ear Joins
Ark and Matias leaned back in the hover car as the city lights flashed past the windows, blurring into streaks of color like the world was racing in reverse. After a stretch of silence, Matias' terminal beeped with a notification. He swiped the screen lazily, and a news alert popped up.
"Hey, brother, you gotta see this." Matias raised an eyebrow and handed the terminal to Ark. On the screen was a grainy interview recording—an enraged man denouncing a corporate executive for trampling on the dignity of ordinary people and indirectly causing his wife's death.
"Nicholas Logan." Ark muttered the name, staring at the disheveled figure in the footage. His hair was unkempt, bruises still visible on his face, but his words were sharp and laced with cold fury. "These high and mighty bastards won't get away with this."
The clip only lasted a few minutes before the screen flickered, displaying the message: "Content Deleted." Ark's expression darkened, and he tossed the terminal back to Matias.
"What did you see?" Matias asked, feigning indifference, though his eyes gleamed with interest.
"A madman worth recruiting." Ark tapped the faint trace of his mechanical earpiece. "Ever heard of a language manipulator?"
"Manipulate language? Sounds like a hell of a skill." Matias grinned in satisfaction. "So, how do we find him?"
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A few days later, Ark and Matias stood in the corner of a dingy bar. The dim lighting cast long shadows, and the air was thick with the stench of cheap alcohol. Ark glanced at his coin but didn't flip it—tonight, neither angel nor demon mattered more than the plan.
"There." Matias tilted his chin toward the bar counter. A man lounged against his chair, downing a drink. His earpiece sat crookedly on his head, its translucent mechanical components emitting a faint blue glow. Strands of messy hair hung over his forehead, and he looked like a blade that had been overused and left to rust.
Ark approached and took the seat beside him. The man didn't look up, but his head shifted slightly, acknowledging his presence.
"Nicholas Logan?" Ark's voice was low but direct.
The man set his glass down and slowly turned his head, a smirk of mockery tugging at his lips. "Who's asking?"
"Ark Cohen. You've had a rough time lately, but maybe today's the day your luck changes." Ark flicked the coin onto the table, spinning it with a tap of his finger.
Nicholas glanced at the coin before looking back at Ark, his smirk unchanging. "What do you want? Mercenary work? Revenge? Or are you just recruiting for some half-assed gang?"
"Revenge, yes." Ark replied bluntly. "But not for us—it's for those they've already destroyed."
Nicholas was silent for a few seconds before letting out a bitter chuckle, his voice laced with both scorn and pain. "Nice speech. But I've got nothing left. They've already taken everything—even my life is barely hanging on."
"Then what are you waiting for?" Matias stepped up, setting a fresh drink in front of Nicholas. "Brother, we're looking for people who want to make this world lose sleep. You've got skills, and you've got every reason to join us."
Nicholas stared at the glass for a long moment, then raised a finger to tap his earpiece lightly. "You people really think I've got anything left to fight for? Hah."
"You won't know until you try." Ark's voice was calm but carried a strange weight.
Nicholas remained silent for a long time before finally grabbing the drink and downing it in one go. He set the glass down and smirked, though this time, his eyes held a glimmer of something sharper. "Fine, count me in. But I have one condition—those corporate dogs, I want them to pay."
"That's the core of Seven Sins and Six Desires." Ark extended his hand.
Nicholas studied his hand for a moment before finally clasping it, his smirk both reckless and resigned. "Looks like I just boarded a one-way trip."
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Ark, Matias, and Nicholas sat in a booth, their table littered with empty bottles. The air reeked of alcohol and cheap cigarettes, the bar's background music thumping against their eardrums, but their spirits were high.
Nicholas downed the last of his drink and slammed the glass onto the table, laughing loudly. "Seven Sins and Six Desires, huh? Gotta admit, the name's got some bite. You better not disappoint me!"
Matias exhaled a plume of smoke and slapped Nicholas on the shoulder. "Don't worry, brother. This ship's either sailing to paradise or blowing up mid-journey. If you want out, now's the time."
"Regrets?" Nicholas wiped his mouth, his eyes tinged red from the alcohol. "My only regret is not running into you lunatics sooner."
Ark leaned back, a half-burnt cigarette hanging from his lips. He said nothing, but there was an unusual ease in his gaze.
"To Seven Sins and Six Desires—cheers!" Matias raised his bottle, Nicholas clinking his own against it. Ark simply lifted his cigarette in acknowledgment.
Their celebration was short-lived. Outside, a sudden rush of hurried footsteps echoed, followed by the distinct clang of armored gear. Ark's eyes narrowed—something was off.
"Golden Eagle's here." Nicholas murmured, his earpiece vibrating faintly, picking up distant signals.
"Shit, already?" Matias straightened up, his expression sharp. "Who the hell ratted us out?"
"Doesn't matter. Just don't let them catch us." Ark's voice was low and steady. He reached into his coat, retrieving the coin. His gaze flicked from the empty bottles on the table to the looming threat outside.
"Dammit, Angel, save us now." He muttered and flipped the coin.
It spun gracefully through the air before landing in his palm—heads.
"Move!" Ark ordered, and the three of them slipped into the crowd, making their way toward the bar's back exit.
Golden Eagle's armed patrol burst through the entrance, their weapons sweeping across the room. "The target is inside—seal all exits!" Their commander's cold voice rang out, his mechanized armor humming ominously.
Almost instantly, the shelves behind the bar collapsed, sending dozens of bottles crashing to the ground in a deafening cascade. The sudden chaos sent patrons screaming and scattering, turning the bar into a whirlwind of confusion.
Taking full advantage of the disorder, Ark and his crew dashed out the back door. A self-driving cargo truck happened to be passing by, and without hesitation, they leaped onto its roof, hitching a ride out of the area.
By the time Golden Eagle's forces reached the back alley, they found themselves blocked by a mess of parked hover cars. Angry shouts filled the night as they struggled to push through.
The truck sped out of the city center, and once they reached a quieter district, the three of them jumped off, panting as they took cover in a narrow alley. Nicholas leaned against a wall, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "I can't believe we actually got away. Your damn coin's freaky."
"Don't ask." Ark exhaled smoke, his gaze as cold as ever. "Today, it was an angel's luck. Tomorrow? Who knows if it'll be a demon's curse."