Chapter 66 Hope & Despair

Ragnar called out to Wrath, trying to get her attention, but she ignored him and focused on the GPS in her hand.

"Greetings, Lord Stenmark," a woman's voice sounded behind Ragnar. It was Greed, who had just gotten off the helicopter.

"Oh, Greed, will your friend be a problem? She seems very unstable right now," Ragnar asked, observing Wrath walking towards a large pile of rubble with the GPS in her hand.

"Well…" Greed hesitated, knowing that Wrath's love for her boyfriend and the nature of her power could make her emotions difficult to control.

"As long as her boyfriend is safe, I think she'll be okay...I hope," added Greed, lacking confidence in her response.

Then, Wrath's face lit up with color and happiness as she approached the pile of rubble and typed something into her phone.

"Danny...are you okay?" she typed using Daniel's number from her phone's memo list.

A few moments later, she received a response.

"I'm alive...Koyuki."

Her face lit up like the sun, and she turned towards Greed.

"Greed! He's here! Under that big pile of rubble! He's alive!" Wrath exclaimed happily, pointing at the large pile of rubble behind her.

"Damn! That kid sure is hard to kill!" Ragnar exclaimed in excitement, his heart filling with hope and anticipation once more.

Ragnar quickly dispatched his specialist team to the rubble pile where Wrath was pointing.

The specialist team arrived at the rubble pile where Daniel was trapped and quickly got to work. They split into teams and began to assess the situation, looking for any potential hazards that could impede the rescue operation.

Engineers, using their expertise, calculated the safest and most effective way to remove the rubble and debris without causing further harm to the trapped survivors. They carefully planned and executed the operation with precision, making sure to avoid any unstable or weakened areas that could collapse under the weight of the machinery.

The team worked tirelessly, digging through the rubble with shovels, excavators, and other heavy machinery. They carefully removed pieces of debris, one by one, to avoid causing any further harm to the trapped individuals.

As the operation continued, the atmosphere began to change. The once despairing and defeated people watching from a distance started to feel a sense of hope. They saw the teams working diligently, tirelessly, and professionally, and they knew that they were doing everything possible to save the trapped survivors.

Several trucks arrived to begin carrying out the rubble, while engineers moved to plan on the other pile as the pile where Danie was had finished.

Meanwhile, Wrath continued to chat with Daniel, unconcerned about hiding her identity. The couple reminisced about old times, and as Greed had suspected, Daniel had correctly guessed her identity in the first few days they had reunited.

The two talked until the last message from Daniel came through. "I'm sorry, but the battery seems to be nearly depleted. I forgot to charge it before the bomb fell. See you on the other side!" With that, Daniel logged out of the chat app due to his phone's low battery.

The sound of the machinery echoed through the area, and people began to cheer as the first signs of progress were made.

A specialist, who appeared to be the team leader, approached Ragnar with a concerned expression on his face.

"Sir, we've detected a significant amount of gas leak under the rubble pile. We can't use any heavy machinery or tools that may cause a fire. It'll be harder, but we're confident that we can rescue any survivors in a few hours of hard work," the leader reported.

Ragnar asked, "Will the survivors have enough air to breathe until then?"

The leader replied with a confident smile, "No problem, sir. We've already sent in food and oxygen to any survivors we've identified."

"Thank you. Proceed with caution," Ragnar patted the leader with appreciation.

After the specialist leader went out of his way to work. Wrath approached Ragnar, her face and smile filled with gratitude.

"Lord Stenmark, I've already spoken to Daniel and know that you took care of him while I was away. Thank you very much," she expressed her gratitude and bowed towards Ragnar.

"Don't worry, girl. I'm his business partner, after all," Ragnar smiled widely, revealing his white teeth as he mentioned his forceful partnership with Daniel.

Hearing this, Wrath's smile twitched a little, and she felt a bit sore over the matter.

"Oh, about that, I think we should have a proper talk after Daniel has been safely rescued," she said.

"Anytime, girl! I think my offer to that kid is still better than yours," Ragnar did not back down in this race, having seen the value of Daniel's artifact.

Ragnar was confident that if Daniel was not a hardcore simp, he would undoubtedly win him over rather than Wrath. If not, he would scratch it and use it to call Daniel a simp, his new nickname.

As Wrath observed Ragnar's immature competitiveness, she resolved to use her womanly charm to win Daniel's favor and hook him with her, no matter what it took!

As two rows of soldiers rushed into ground zero, they began to conscript people who were working or walking around, instructing them to sit and wait as if waiting for someone.

"I'm sorry, but I need to help the survivors still trapped under the rubble. I can't wait here," pleaded one of the rescue workers.

"Me too, there are many emergency patients that need immediate treatment," another medic added.

Despite their reasons, the soldiers refused to let them go back to work. "The king's motorcade will arrive in half an hour! Wait here to receive the king! Their life can wait!" one of the soldiers shouted, pointing his gun at the two to threaten them.

The soldiers' actions caused many hateful glares and booing sound to emerge from the crowd. Even Ragnar was annoyed.

"If the king is stopping us from rescuing people, then he can go f**k himself!" shouted the muscular rescue worker before trying to push the soldiers away.

But the soldiers, who had been indoctrinated to believe that the royal family was their life and master, were not so easily deterred. One immediately hit the medic with the butt of his rifle, subduing the strong man in seconds.

"You are under arrest under the lese majeste law! Anyone, bring this traitor away!" The soldier shouted at his comrade who came in with eagerness, and both started to stamp on the rescue worker.

"That's enough!" Ragnar roared in anger as he walked towards the soldier.

"What!? What are you trying to do!? Back off, citizens! I am a soldier of His Majesty the King!" the soldier shouted at Ragnar, aiming his gun at him.

Ragnar used his spell to slow down the soldier's reaction time and rushed towards him fearlessly. This spell didn't use a lot of mana and the effect was only significant if used against normal people. So it is safe to say that Ragnar didn't do anything to expose the existence of the Curtained World.

With a loud "Pow!" sound, Ragnar punched the soldier in the stomach. The force behind his fast momentum, coupled with the power from his muscular build, made the soldier kneel on all fours on the ground, clutching his stomach and vomiting all of his breakfast on the ground.

"Everyone, go back to work! As the president of Stenmark Heavy Industries, I will take all the responsibilities," Ragnar declared loudly to the people who were being held back by the soldiers. He used his second identity as the CEO of the company to make himself known.

Wrath, who had taken her beloved katana from the helicopter, walked towards Ragnar and positioned herself as his bodyguard. Her sharp eyes and veteran killer aura made the soldiers unconsciously gulp in fear.

"If his credit is not enough, I, Victoria Goldwyn, the CEO and founder of the Golden Empire Group, will also take responsibility along with him," Greed declared her second identity, causing the people to smile and the soldiers to cower in fear. They knew that the Golden Empire Group could crush their small country's economy anytime if they so wished.

As the royal fanfare blared, a motorcade carrying the King arrived on the scene. He stepped out of the car and waved to his supporters, but Ragnar and Greed rushed over to keep an eye on Wrath, fearful that she might do something rash in her anger.

Despite their vigilance, Wrath had known that if she hadn't met Daniel again, she would have already rushed to tear the bastard King apart.

Meanwhile, the King walked around the area, pretending to oversee the rescue operation while photographers trailed him to capture images for propaganda purposes.

The trio ignored the King and resumed their work, until he brought out a cigar and lit it near the rubble where Daniel was trapped. He then threw the still-burning match toward the rubble.

Suddenly, there was a loud explosion as the gas leaked from the rubble ignited, and Wrath watched in horror as despair gripped her heart and seeped into her mind.

"Danny—!" she screamed, running towards the flames, but Greed and Ragnar held her back.