Reborn From Oblivion

"Number 13."

A voice broke through his thoughts. He turned to see an officer standing before him.

"Do you know Ashley?" The officer asked, his excitement palpable, as if he'd unearthed a hidden gem.

He merely held the officer's gaze, a faint smile tugging at his lips, unaffected by

the officer's eagerness.

"Trying to get under my skin?"

The officer's grin slowly vanished. With a resigned sigh, he admitted, "Sometimes being too clever isn't always a blessing."

The officer lowered his voice, "Number 13, it looks like you might know Ashley. Interested in hearing more about her? I have some tidbits if you're keen."

The man's expression remained unchanged.

He was a master of self-control. If he chose not to show his emotions, no one could decipher them.

Still, the officer, hoping for a breakthrough, pressed on despite the man's stoic demeanor. "Let me fill you in-Ashley, despite her glitzy facade, has become the hot topic among Capital's elite."

"Word on the street is her husband was just a puppet. After he was killed, she didn't dare go to the police. She's been lying low, tending to her wounds in secret."

The man's impassive face finally betrayed a hint of interest. "Got any proof her husband was a puppet?"

"None whatsoever."

"Then how should a public officer be dealt with for spreading baseless rumors?"

The officer's face fell.

He sheepishly tapped his lips. "Ah, just rambling. I'll zip it now."

"Leave," the man said, his voice icy.

But the officer, unwilling to squander the moment, continued, "Hey, let's switch topics."

"I heard the missing heir of the Stewart family's second branch was found after twenty-six years. He used to be a whiz kid, always acing math contests. But after such a long coma, who knows if he's still got it... Think the second branch can outshine the main branch?"

The man looked at him, unimpressed.

The officer chuckled awkwardly, "Last one, I promise. Answer me, and I'll be out of your hair."

The man shot back, "Yes."

The officer's eyes widened. "You're a genius hacker, not a miracle doctor. How can you be so sure Lincoln's brain isn't fried?"

The man coolly replied, "Even a fallen genius is better than the useless lot in the Stewart family."

The officer was left speechless.

"You seem awfully interested in the second branch of the Stewart family."

Number 13 remained silent.

"Are you and Ashley old friends?"

Still nothing.

The officer sighed, "Alright, alright, I'm off."

"I'll swing by tomorrow," the officer said as he left.

Number 13 slowly unclenched his fists. In his palms were deep marks from hisnoveldrama

nails, four crescent-shaped cuts, stark and unsettling.

In the surveillance room, several

staff members watched the screen showing the man, engaging in a lively discussion. "He definitely reacted when the Stewart second branch came up."

"He and Ashley must know each other well."

"Not necessarily. A guy like him, so obsessed, might've just picked someone random for his experiments, and it just happened to be Ashley. Back then, she was just a nobody, a beggar. Experimenting on her wouldn't draw much attention."