Mastermind Behind The Scenes

In the blink of an eye, a week had passed. During this time, Ethan lived a peaceful and leisurely life. The tavern had only two or three guests a day at most, and sometimes none at all. There wasn't much to do in the tavern, and with the addition of Gina, a diligent worker, Ethan had practically no responsibilities except mixing drinks for the occasional customer.

At times, Ethan considered teaching Gina how to mix drinks and assigning the task to her. However, he ultimately decided against it. After all, people need something to keep themselves busy. Without meaningful tasks, life would be no different from that of pigs—eating, sleeping, and repeating the cycle. Over the week, Ethan's emotional value had increased from $20,000 to $30,000. Such growth indicated that Alex had kept a low profile and hadn't caused any trouble, nor had he exposed himself to others.

As for Gina, she spent her days either working in the tavern or lingering around Ethan. Naturally, she hadn't gone out to stir up any trouble either. Ethan didn't mind and had no intention of forcing either of them into mischief. A leisurely life had its own charm.

"I'm going out to buy groceries," Gina announced at 9 a.m. Ethan was seated in the tavern, engrossed in a game of Snake. Without looking up, he nodded, "Go ahead."

"I said, I'm going out to buy groceries," Gina repeated.

"Alright, go ahead," Ethan responded in the same disinterested tone.

Growing irritated, Gina snapped, "Give me money!"

"I'll owe you and pay you back in a few days," Ethan admitted shamelessly. He had spent all his savings on a new batch of wine the previous day. While he considered asking Gina or Alex for money, he dismissed the idea. With Gina's frail condition, her abilities could fail at any moment, and any slip-ups would bring trouble to him. As for Alex, his whereabouts were still a mystery. In the end, Ethan decided to rely on himself.

Huffing, Gina left to buy groceries. Ethan didn't even give her a single dollar and still expected her to cover the costs.

Not long after Gina left, the roar of a sports car echoed outside, followed by silence. Curious, Ethan set down his phone and stepped outside. A red Ferrari was parked in front of the tavern. The car door opened, and a woman emerged. She wore an expensive-looking custom dress, adorned with a diamond necklace and gemstone earrings. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes hinted at her true age—likely over forty—though her beauty had largely withstood the passage of time.

"Rich woman," Ethan thought.

She walked up to him, removed her sunglasses, and studied him briefly. "Are you the owner of this place?"

Ethan shrugged. "Isn't it obvious?"

The woman smiled dismissively, pushed open the tavern's wooden door, and stepped inside. Taking in the tavern's retro decor, she remarked, "The style is quaint, but that's about it." She then sat at the bar, lit a cigarette with a diamond-studded lighter, and crossed her legs gracefully.

Ethan walked over and asked, "What would you like to drink?"

"A glass of your most expensive wine," she replied.

"My most expensive wine is very strong," Ethan warned.

"How strong could it be?" she teased, blowing a puff of smoke in his direction.

Ethan smiled and began mixing a drink with skillful precision. As he worked, the woman asked suddenly, "Gina works for you, doesn't she?"

Ethan paused briefly before resuming his task. "Who are you to her?" he asked.

"A former landlord," she replied.

"Does she owe you rent?"

"No."

"Did she steal or break something?"

"She's a good girl," the woman said.

"Then why are you looking for her?"

"That's none of your business. Besides, I'm not here for her—I'm here for you," she said, sliding a check across the bar. "This is $15,000. Give it to her."

Ethan glanced at the check and smiled. "I'm curious about your relationship. Surely it's more than just landlord and tenant?"

"I can't tell you," she replied curtly.

Without pressing further, Ethan pocketed the check and poured her drink. "Red Skull. Here's your wine," he announced.

The woman raised the glass, swirled the pink liquid, and took a sip. "Not bad," she remarked before downing the drink in one gulp.

However, moments later, she felt a burning sensation coursing through her body. "I told you this wine was strong," Ethan said with a laugh. "That'll be $450,000!"

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Riverton City, a towering, tightly-wrapped figure moved stealthily through the streets. This was Alex, hiding in plain sight. For the past week, he had been living in the city's sewer system. Though spacious enough for him to move around, it was a miserable existence.

Each morning, Alex risked returning to his home to catch a glimpse of his wife, Emily, and his daughter, Rose. He chose mornings because they were awake, unlike at night when they slept. Despite the risk, seeing them in motion brought him solace.

Recently, Alex had been consumed by a troubling idea: transforming others into lizardmen like himself. If he couldn't adapt to the world, perhaps he could force the world to adapt to him. Using his own blood to develop genetic drugs seemed like a promising start.