Chapter 57: Strengthen the Chicken Talisman, Control Objects! Felicia's Affectionate Confession!
"Stop kicking!
Ah—! Stop kicking!"
Ryan crumpled to the ground in agony, his face twitching in pain, unable to muster the strength to stand.
He had just been kicked—again—by a duo no less ruthless for being mixed-gender: Ethan Lee and Felicia.
The more they kicked, the more it hurt.
The more it hurt, the more he screamed.
The more he screamed… the more they kicked.
And worst of all?
The goddess he adored was passionately kissing someone mere steps away—being held, embraced, and...
…
Felicia didn't forget to stomp down on Ryan's hand, grinding his pride under her heel.
Under the dual torment of physical pain and crushed dignity, something in Ryan snapped.
With a surge of desperate energy, he pulled free and scrambled upright—
Then…
He ran.
He was terrified.
He had never experienced humiliation like this in his life.
…
Felicia's lavender eyes fluttered open, dazed.
She glanced briefly at Ryan as he fled—pants soaked—and closed her eyes again, indifferent.
Just a clown.
Right now, kissing was more important.
Ethan, his back to the fleeing Ryan, narrowed his eyes slightly. The corner of his lips curled into a faint, dangerous smirk.
You think you can just walk away after offending Hardy?
…
Ryan stumbled as he ran.
Suddenly, his foot hit nothing. The manhole beneath him had been opened without his notice.
"What the hell?! Who's the psycho who did this?!"
He plunged into the murky sewer water, cursing loudly.
He assumed the blood on his face had blurred his vision and caused the fall.
But just as he began to struggle out, something slammed into him from behind—
"Mmm!! Mmm! Mmm—!"
He was forced underwater by an invisible weight, pinned beneath it, unable to move.
And just like that, Ryan drowned—his cries silenced by sewage.
Back on the street, Ethan calmly withdrew the power of the Chicken Talisman.
Originally, the talisman merely granted flight.
But after it being strengthened …
It now granted powerful telekinetic abilities—control over objects at will.
Earlier, when Felicia had felt unseen hands tugging at her, and now, when Ryan had suddenly met a violent, mysterious end—
It was all Ethan's doing.
…
"Ethan…"
Felicia's voice trembled slightly.
"I want to… borrow…"
The rest of her words caught in her throat.
Her eyes fell shut again, her lips pressed tightly together, and an uncharacteristic sorrow flickered across her beautiful face.
Felicia hesitated.
She loved him—deeply.
He had become her emotional anchor.
And if she had a choice, she wouldn't mix that love with something as vulgar as money.
Ethan understood what she was trying to say.
But he didn't push her.
Instead, he offered her space to breathe, letting things progress with patience and kindness.
"Felicia…
Hmm…
What are you thinking about?
I can…
Hmm…"
…Alright.
Felicia clearly wanted to express her feelings, but he kept getting interrupted every time he tried to cast a spell.
[Trigger: Felicia Hardy's "Relationship" Mission – Prevent Walter Hardy from Being Kidnapped]
The system notification popped up again.
"Alright, alright. We'll stop here for now."
Though reluctant, Ethan gently lifted Felicia's head away from his chest. Her mood wasn't stable right now.
"Ethan… Don't you like me?"
Felicia's voice trembled, her brows furrowed as sadness filled her gaze.
"Why won't you let me keep going…?"
Ethan: "…"
Girl… how long have you been clinging to me…? If this goes on any longer, your father's going to be kidnapped.
"Felicia, don't you want to ask~"
Ethan gently twirled a strand of her silver hair around his finger and teased,
"Why I came to find you?"
"I… I was wondering…"
Seeing his playful expression, Felicia misunderstood.
Her heart began to race.
"You showed up like a superhero… and I think I fell in love with you… my hero…"
"…I mean," Ethan said dryly, "Even without me, you probably could've beaten that guy half to death.
He already looked like a flattened tomato when I arrived."
"That's…"
Felicia raised her head, determination glinting in her eyes.
"That's because you taught me! Either way, I like you!"
Ethan: As expected… a girl in love always finds a reason, no matter how flimsy.
Forget it. Let's not worry about the mission for now.
After all, even if he fused the Black Cat template now, it wouldn't significantly boost his power.
Ethan bent slightly, slipping one hand under Felicia's shoulder and the other behind her knees.
He scooped her up into a princess carry.
"Is anyone home at your place?"
"What… what are you planning?"
Felicia blushed and curled in his arms, anticipation in her eyes.
"My mother's still home.
She's probably not in a good mood…
You'd better not…"